Author's Note:
Hello all, for giving this a shot I want to extend my sincerest thanks to you. Before I begin I would just like to say a few things. First and foremost, I am currently working on this via my phone so I will apologize in advance for any typos or grammar errors you may encounter. I am very much out of practice with writing, and if you have any critiques please let me know in reviews or PM I am looking for any way I can improve. Secondly, authors I would like to dedicate this story to SepticMind, Khaleda, and Lynx Klaw who have provided myself and several others with outstanding and entertaining works. Lastly dear readers I welcome you into the depths of my mind, and however brief or long your stay may be I do hope you find some form of enjoyment.
DISCLAIMER: I do not now, nor have I ever owned anything dealing with DC or Teen Titans; I'm merely a fan and a supporter of unorthodox pairings and ideas.
It was a cold autumn night in Jump City's south side; the streets were scarce and devoid of life say for the occasional junkie I search of their fix, or one of Jump's ladies of the night seeking a quick commission. This night, the moon was blanketed behind a wall of clouds giving the city streets a darker vibe illuminated by the street lights and the scattered neon signs. A layer of smog and steam drifted upwards providing cover to the street walkers hoping to mask their exploits and hide their secrets and shame.
Unbeknownst to the denizens below, a lithe figure stalked the rooftops in search of her prey. She moved with grace and precision from years of training and execution. If one were to look closely they would perhaps be able to make out the shadow of the woman in question as she bounded across the city skyline. Fuchsia eyes scanned the rooftops as she moved like a cat in search of their prey. She stopped for a moment taking in the familiar sights and sounds of the city. Her eyes drifted across the streets below before landing on their desired mark.
Three years, 6 months, and two days…that's how long it had been since Jinx had been in Jump. The girl had left after her and her former teammates had served a stint in prison and vowed to go straight. She hadn't seen Giz or Baran in that time, and had only spoken to them briefly in their time apart. Giz had gotten out and opened a garage with his skills and stash, while Baran had entered into some form of boxing or wrestling; she couldn't quite recall which only that he had been ecstatic when he started. She smiled fondly thinking of her friends, her brothers as she had come to know them, glad they were happy with their choices. Jinx had left to pursue mercenary work away from her memories, reputation, and failures. Her years spent at H.I.V.E. had given her everything she needed to succeed , and her powers had proven to be quite the asset in her current line of work.
Jinx perched atop what she assumed to be a drug den across from her target. She narrowed her eyes scanning the aforementioned building; a decrepit three story home noted as abandoned. A local crime boss by the name of Anthony DeLint and his various thugs operated out of the place; a well kept secret among Jump's extensive underground syndicate. Her current employer had done their research, and given her a full rundown of the place and their operations. Under normal circumstances she would have turned down a job that involved returning to her former home; too many memories and not enough of them good. These weren't normal circumstances, however, DeLint had recently come into possession of a powerful artifact through ill-gotten methods. Her employer desperately wanted it back, and was willing to pay a healthy sum for its return. The chance to scratch the itch of stealing certainly added to the allure of the job as well.
She smiled to herself as she cased the joint, familiar instincts kicking in as she got low and peered over the ledge. Two men walked the sidewalk attempting to blend in with the few street walkers; their attire was too nice to be your average junkie, and the coats they wore were perfect for concealing a firearm or two. She turned her gaze towards the windows searching for movement, it didn't take long before she spotted a few silhouettes appearing to make rounds. After a few moments of surveillance she stood up and took a few steps back to scout her path. Her best bet, in her opinion, was the rooftop; she took a moment to make sure there was some sort of entrance , not wanting a repeat of the fiasco in Star City.
"Talk about a disaster, I ended up climbing three stories just to have to climb back down and fight my way through the fucking place," she thought and then grinned, "What a night that was."
She carefully studied her surroundings looking for a safe way across without having to go back to ground level. Her eyes landed on a set of power lines two buildings down that would take her across the street and a measly two roofs away from her desired target. The artifact in question was most likely either in Anthony's office or in the basement; she hoped it would be the latter. Standing and taking a deep breath she readied herself for the final trek. In a flash she was on the move, she reached the edge and vaulted over landing with a barrel roll before emerging without losing a step. As she cleared the second roof she began to concentrate on the mystic energy within herself.
Over the last few years Jinx had discovered new ways of utilizing her powers beyond hurling simple hexes. On a job in the swamplands of Louisiana she had learned her powers could be channeled into various parts of her body and act as a sort of barrier manipulating probability in her favor. She narily avoided a severe gunshot wound when she discovered the ability; the job was to bust up a group of thugs planning to sabotage a local oil pipeline.
She took a few steps back and closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and channeling her probability drive. Her thin figure glowed a faint pink for a moment, but as quickly as it appeared it faded. She could feel the energy and odds warping around her; for a normal person running across a tight rope, let alone a power line, would mean certain death, but she wasn't any mere mortal. With a smirk she broke into a sprint, nerves and doubts pushed back as she leapt from the roof. She felt the wires bow when her weight touched down, but that didn't bother her. Without missing a beat she kept an even pace. The electricity pumping through the wires caused a vibration in her soles that only served to heighten her adrenaline in the moment. In less then a minute she was across and she stood triumphantly. She turned and rested a hand on her hip, she extended her other arm and with a clenched fist before dispelling the energy.
"Damn I'm good," she thought to herself before turning towards her destination.
It didn't take long for her to reach the rooftop and silently maneuver to the entryway. She spied a lock on the door, and stifled a giggle; it was a simple padlock. She had thought that some big time mob boss would have some form of better security, but then again what were the odds someone would try to break in to their little establishment. She waved her hand over the lock, and watched with glee as the lock instantly rusted before snapping and falling to the ground in a useless heap.
She cautiously opened the door and crossed the threshold to the inner sanctum of Anthony DeLint. She wasn't surprised to find the roof access empty, and she slowly stalked down the stairs. The interior was coated in a thick layer of dust that threatened to stir with each step she took; years of training amd conditioning guided her footfalls as she crept down the staircase. She paused a moment upon seeing the bottom to listen for any voices or heavy footfalls from the abode's denizens. She was rewarded when she heard the sounds of two men strolling and speaking to each other.
"So, I don't get it…what's so special about this gem that we all gotta be here?" a voice asked in a slow witted tone.
An audible groan could be heard from the other man as they strode by before he answered, "How many times do I gotta explain this to your dumbass? Da boss says its worth ten times its weight in cash, and that whoever he stole it from isn't the type to let that shit slide."
She waited patiently for them to pass by the staircase, once she was sure they were past she heard the first man speak again. "I still don't see why ALL of us gotta be here,"
Another groan from the second man and their voices faded into the distance. She frowned as she realized that all of DeLint's men were here and that like it or not she would run the risk of having to fight. Oh well, if things went sideways she was adept at handling herself; these goons couldn't be worse than the Titans let alone some of the other thugs she had ran into over the course of her career.
"What's the fun in life without a little chaos anyways?" she mused to herself with a Cheshire cat grin, "Still the longer I can avoid detection, the more energy I'll have if – well when I guess – shit hits the fan."
She quickly and quietly descended the stairs and took in the hallway she entered. A long L shaped hallway greeted her with three doors on the opposing side of the stairwell. A worn and weathered blue carpet with gold inlays coated the floor, and stretched to the end covering up the archaic hardwood floor. She headed in the opposite direction the goons had gone in hopes of avoiding an immediate ruckus. The hallway was about six feet wide ensuring if she were detected it would be a close quarters confrontation.
Upon reaching bend in the hallway she clung to the wall and gave a quick listen for anymore footsteps or voices. When she was greeted by silence she peered around the corner, seeing nothing beyond the dim light of a sconce upon the wall and a another set of stairs leading to the floor below. Smile still plastered to her face, she couldn't believe her luck and confidently made her way forward. Another door stood a few feet from the stairs slightly ajar.
As she drew closer, she heard the sounds of heavy footfalls ascending the staircase. Stopping dead in her tracks and dropping to a crouch she waited for the inevitable. A tall man with a five o'clock shadow stepped up with a lit cigarette in his mouth; their eyes met as he cleared the final step his eyes going wide. He reached for his gun holstered to his left, and she quickly pounced. As he drew his gun she let loose a bolt of pink energy for his hand; his reflexes were quick, but the bolt connected with the gun as he pulled the trigger only to be met with dull click. She had successfully caused his handgun to jam, and he looked at the faulty pistol with disbelief. In an instant she was on him grabbing the back of his head and using her momentum to sling him into the vacant room. The two tumbled to the ground with her landing atop him. He attempted to bring the butt of the gun to the side of her head, but she caught his arm with ease stopping the blow. With a malicious grin she quickly slammed her fist into his face, knocking the man out before he could make a sound.
She looked up scanning the room for any immediate threats. Seeing none she quickly rose up and pulled the door back to a cracked position. Posting up behind it, she took in the room and kept an open ear for anymore company. The room itself was covered in a layer of dust; filing cabinets were scattered about, and a desk sat in the corner with various documents scattered on top of it. Curious and hungry for any intel she moved towards the desk. Sifting through some loose papers that appeared to be finance reports and miscellaneous pieces of information she spotted a picture of a rose colored gem hanging out of a folder. She quickly scooped the file up and propped herself up against the desk. She opened the folder and began reading.
The Eye of Ra, once thought to be a myth has recently been found to exist in the hands of one Emmanuelle Mostafa. Legend states that whosoever holds the eye can be granted untold powers and the ability to reign without question. First mentioned in legends of the pharaohs of Egypt, it was believed to have been created by sorcerers and filled with the power of the Gods. Legend states that the gem was used to combat the fabled Moses, but was spirited away the night of the ancestors of Mostafa.
The Eye was thought to be a legend lost to time until one of our scouts reported a man appearing to wield some form of otherworldly energy that matched the lore of the artifact. It was deemed worthy of retrieval by Mr. Delint, and so we quickly dispensed Mrs. Ginger for seduction and procurement. Upon retrieval Mrs. Ginger was compensated one lump sum of $5,000 for her efforts and sent on her way plus medical compensation for sustained injuries.
· Roger Floyd.
She flipped the folder shut and tossed the file back on the desk haphazardly. She scowled for moment as she realized the true danger of someone like DeLint having possession of such a powerful artifact. She had read stories of the Eye of Ra, but she assumed it was nothing more then myth. Sighing she pushed herself off the desk, resolving to obtain the artifact by any means necessary; this wasn't something she could leave in the hands of evil men.
She was brought out of her thoughts by the electric beep of a walkie. Her eyes immediately scanned the room landing on the body of the thug laying unconscious. A voice called over the channel, "Boss looks like we've got company."
Her eyes went wide for moment aa a nasally voice responded, "What the hell are you talking about?" the voice asked clearly agitated, "I've got two guys outside, and the only other ways the roof, which is locked ."
The first voice responded in a collected tone, "Lock's busted boss, damn thing rusted and fell off. Found it when Clint never showed up with my smoke."
Silence for a moment before the nasally voice of who she assumed to be Anthony DeLint replied, "That's a brand new lock, how in the fuck did it rust?! It hasn't rained once this week! Doesn't matter sweep the area and if we have a guest give them a warm welcome."
Jinx rolled her eyes seeing that her luck may have run out; she moved forward stopping by the body of who she assumed was Clint. She reached down and dug in his coat retrieving the small communicator. Her job had just gotten more interesting , and she figured it better to hold onto the walkie if things went south in a hurry. She paused to channel her energy to create the probability barrier. In a moment her body gave off a dull pink glow, and she headed towards the door.
She knew she would have to be extra careful since she was something of a walking light source, so she pressed herself against the door listening for any sounds. The sounds of hurried footsteps filled the halls, she guesstimated there were maybe four goons rushing down the hall. She waited for them to pass, and cursed the file for not having an exact location for where the gem was stored. As soon as she heard the footfalls pass she opened the door and barreled down the steps.
At the bottom of the stairwell she spotted the back of a man's head. With a smirk she launched herself over the banister, one hand gripping the back of his head she brought him down face first to the floor. The man's skull connected with the floor with a loud thud. She stood up and took in her surroundings, another long hallway with various doors scattered about greeted her.
One of the doors flung open and two men stepped out already armed. Their eyes went wide seeing the pink haired thief clad in black staring back, without a moments hesitation they raised their handguns. Wasting no time Jinx dashed forward, all thoughts of subtlety flying out the window. The men opened fire and reflexes kicked, she threw herself to against the wall evading their shots. She dropped into a slide, hand outstretched and charged she slammed it into the floor. A loud snapping sounded off as the floorboards began to split apart in a line heading towards the men. It worked just as she hoped they looked down and began to lose their footing; she continued forward with her foot outstretched. Her boot connected with man on the rights ankle causing him to go down, and as she past she held her left arm out effectively tripping the second man. Both men were on the ground before they knew what happened. She spun and her fist crashed into the left man's skull causing his head to fall back. She jumped up, and as the second man attempted to stand he was greeted by the sole of her boot. In a second he saw stars and fell back in a crumpled heap.
"So much for a silent grab and go," she thought as she shook her head. With the shots fired and the sounds of floors being ruined she knew it was only a matter of time. She had to get to main floor now.
The radio beeped and the nasally and enraged voice of Anthony DeLint filled the waves, "What in the fuck is going on out there?!"
"Shots fired boss, either our guys got whoever this is or we're in serious trouble," a calm voice replied.
"Get your ass to the second floor and check out whatever that was, the rest of you get down here and make SURE we don't have anymore guests. I swear to God if you idiots don't take whoever this is out; I will kill you myself," DeLint's reply was curt and held the promise of a sincere threat.
She scowled as she crushed the radio and let the pieces fall to the ground. "Boring conversation anyways," she thought to herself. She would have to be on guard once she descended to the ground floor; from the sounds of it security just went through the roof. She clenched her fists letting her hex energy flow to her palms. Her barrier couldn't stop a bullet, but it lowered the chance of a fatal shot. It helped to boost her reflexes a bit as well; she took a deep breath and headed towards the final stairwell.
She dashed through the halls hoping to beat the goons go the ground floor, no longer caring about noise. Her boots pounded the hardwood, and she caught sight of another pair of men with their backs turned heading for the stairs. Unsurprisingly they turned at the sound of her heavy footfalls. She was ready for them. She leapt to the side as they drew their guns; in a graceful jump her right foot connected with the wall. She pressed an open palm to the wall and shot off at an angle towards the opposing figures. The wall crackled and began to splinter; parts of the wood blew apart sending shrapnel at the men. They went to cover their eyes and she side of her boot met the temple of one of the men, sending him colliding into the other two.
She landed behind them as they scrambled back to their feet. One of the men spun around to face, and she instinctively flipped over him; hand landing on his shoulder for balance. She landed gracefully and swept his legs out from under him. He went down with an audible oof, and she turned her attention to the other two. Grinning like a mad woman she hurled a bolt of concentrated energy towards the other two. In an instant they flew to the wall landing on top of each other. The men groaned and attempted to get back up, but she threw her foot backwards kicking the first man in the head and rendering him unconscious. She strode over to the other two picking up one of the hand guns on the ground and slamming the butt into the head of one, and silencing the other with a solid strike to the jaw.
She let her energy crackle around the gun watching it rust and eventually fall apart. She unceremoniously dropped the pieces without much regard to the once pristine pistol. She knew however many were left would be on high alert, and any chance she had of sneaking through was off the table. She would have to tackle this situation head on.
She sped through the halls, and in no time found the final set of stairs. She wasn't sure what awaited her below, but she knew it was fraught with danger; just the way she loved to live. With a cautious first couple of steps she peaked over the banister to take in the room.
She was greeted by four men pacing around eyes peeled for any disruptions or disturbances. She felt a faint breeze and glanced upwards spying a ceiling fan whirling about. Just what she needed, a nice distraction. The four thugs were armed and on high alert, if she was smart she could use their nerves to her advantage. She charged a small amount of energy in her left hand and flicked her wrist at the spinning fan. It began to crackle and spin at a rapid rate. The men took notice and that's when she made her move.
In an instant she was over the banister, her boots making a loud thump that drew the attention of the men. "Hiya boys," she greeted with a devious grin, "You looking for me?"
The men stared for a moment, perturbed at her brazen attitude, before raising their firearms. Her smile never faltered as the fan continued to whir about before snapping from its confines, and crashing to the floor in a speeding blur. It spun about across the room tripping up a pair of the men and drawing the attention of the other two.
She rushed the one closest to her and quickly latched into his wrist. His attention turned back to her, he scowled and began trying to wrestle control from her. He was taller than her, a fact she had dealt with many times, and began to overpower her. She reached her palm out and sent a wave of concussive force at his chest. He gasped and was knocked off his feet. She quickly dove into a roll avoiding a series of shots from the other man still standing.
Her eyes landed on a large wing back chair that she rushed towards for cover. The other two men had gotten up and concentrated fire on the chair. She hid for as long as she could praying the chair wouldn't give out. The bullets soared through the chair destroying it with ease, but just as panic started to set in she heard the dull click of an empty chamber. She smirked and shot up rushing the trio and hurling bolts of bad luck their way. Their eyes went wide and they scrambled trying to avoid the unknown mystical energy heading their way.
She loved the fear of the unknown that people regarded her powers with. "Dance puppets, dance!" she though maniacally.
In truth she was firing blindly at the men, but they didn't know that. A couple of hexes found their mark, however, as one struck the gun in the hands of a man reloading and another landed square in the chest of another sending him careening backwards. The hex that hit the man reloading caused his magazine to crackle and consequently explode in his hand. An ear splitting scream filled the room as the man fell to his knees regarding his hand, now missing three fingers. The other men stared awestruck and terrified. One of the men panicked and simply fled to the exit.
The last man standing regarded her with a critical glare. She met his gaze with a cold one of her own. He dropped his gun to the ground and raised his hands. She cocked an eyebrow for a moment before giving a Cheshire cat grin. "Feel like getting a little hands on?" she taunted, "Alright, but don't expect me to be easy on you. You're not my type."
He didn't reply, but instead gave a small smirk. He stood silent and patient, just waiting for her to make a move. For a moment they stood there in an uncomfortable silence. Finally Jinx gave an exasperated sigh, "What is this Sadie Hawkins?!" she asked irritated, still no response. "So much for banter…jackass."
She charged forward and started with a simple right jab to test the waters. He quickly batted her hand away, so she followed with a left instead; again he swatted her hand down. She picked up the pace, but kept the pattern hoping to lure him into a sense of security. Just as she was about to throw a right cross the thug threw an elbow as she opened herself up. Eyes going side she took it straight to the jaw. She staggered back a bit, not expecting the offense from him.
She ran her tongue across the inside of her cheek tasting a dull copper. She frowned at the taste, it wasn't often she let herself take a hit like that. She'd have to change tactics if this guy was that fast. She charged again, reering her fist back appearing to get ready for a strike. The man smirked again as he prepared for counter, but at the last minute she dropped to a slide and went between his legs. She spun herself around and threw a kick at the back of his knee. It hit and he fell to one knee; she quickly sprang to her feet and went for a punch to the back of the head. His hand shot up and grabbed her wrist at the last second. He twisted his body and launched her over his shoulder.
Surprised, she landed in a rather ungraceful clump on the ground. She growled pushing herself up and back to her feet. He stood once more as well, but again remained stationary. "Who is the asshole, and why isn't he attacking?!"she thought bitterly. Now back on her feet she resolved to fight dirty.
She charged a hexbolt and sent it flying towards the man, but he merely side stepped to dodge. She hurled a second and again he did the same; this guy was really starting to piss her off. In an act of frustration she slammed her palms to the floor; it created a shockwave of energy that began tearing the floor up. The man was unphased and rushed forward leaping into the air as the floor began to break and snap; his knee connected with her jaw and she was sent flying backwards. She landed and before she could get to her feet she felt her wrists locked together in a tight grip. She was lifted off the ground and her eyes locked with the man's. His eyes were a mixture of grey and blue, and held little to no emotion as he regarded her.
The nasally voice of Anthony DeLint broke the silence. "Well don't Artemis!" a slow clap could be heard from behind the behemoth of a man, "I was beginning to think our little guest was gonna make a mockery of our operation."
DeLint stepped into view from behind the man now known as Artemis. He wore a clean pressed white suit with a black pinstriped button down beneath it. He was short, maybe about five foot five. His black hair was slicked back and he sported a pencil thin goatee. He wore a sadistic and gleeful grin on his face as he approached. As he approached Jinx saw it. Around his neck was a small gold chain with a rose colored gem dangling from it. Her eyes widened as she stared at what had to be the Eye of Ra.
A disgusting chuckle returned her gaze to the stump of a man in front of her. "What do we have here?" he asked between laughs, "Never seen a cat walk on two legs! Why are you here kitten?"
He was referring to her eyes, she knew it. She hated, fucking hated, when people made cat jokes about her eyes. She glared at DeLint and was about to give a scathing reply, but the words caught in her throat. As DeLint stepped closer the air thickened with a swirl of magical energy. Her eyes were drawn back to the Eye resting around the neck of the scumbag in front of her. Every step her heartbeat quickened as the energy from the Eye seemed to intermingle with her own. It wasn't long before the Eye began to glow a brilliant pink.
"Don't tell me you're here for-" DeLint spoke and looked down only to be silenced by a brilliant flash from the Eye of Ra. "What the hell?!"
Wave of pink energy began cascading out of the gem and filling the air. The energy began swirling about the trio and slowly started revolving around Jinx. Her wide eyes began to glow a brilliant and unsettling pink as the energy centered around her. The subtle ebb and flow of the mystical energy ceased suddenly, and rushed inward filling her body.
She began to cry out as her body filled with ancient magic. Her skeleton felt like it was on fire, and her blood began to boil. Artemis began loosing his grip on her as the energy started to pulsate from within her. He released and marveled as she levitated for the briefest of moments. All at once her cries stopped and she lowered to the floor. She extended her arms and a powerful shockwave was sent out from her body.
"What the-," was all DeLint could get out as he and Artemis were sent flying backwards. A flash of rose colored energy filled the room and the two men were hurled into the wall.
Jinx fell to a knee, panting as she looked around. The two men were stunned in a pair of clumps beside each other. Her eyes had returned to their normal fuschia feline state., and they were wide as she looked to her palms. She wasn't sure what the hell just happened, but she felt amazing. A raw power surged through her, and she was loving every second of it. Wasting no time, she dashed for the Eye of Ra hanging from DeLint's neck. She ripped the chain from his neck, and headed for the door.
She turned as she made it to the door and said, "It's been fun boys, but I've gotta run. Don't feel bad for losing, better men then you have tried and failed."
She laughed as she raised her hand to the door and let loose a powerful bolt of energy. The door soared off its hinges and was sent slamming into the two guards posted out front. She dashed out the door and down the steps heading into the night with a laugh.
She briefly heard the cry of DeLint, enraged and desperate. "Don't just sit there you morons! Get up and get that bitch! I want her dead and I want my goddamn amulet back!"
End Chapter 1
Author's Notes:
Wow that turned out A LOT longer then I had anticipated lol. I hope you enjoy the first installment of Frostbite, next time I will introduce my O.C. Alec Frost and provided it doesn't turn into another 11 pager elaborate of both the overall plot and his relation to Jinx and the other core members of the H.I.V.E.
If you enjoyed it, and/or have any feedback constructive or other wise please R or drop me a PM.
Yours truly,
R.