Alex lifted up the birdarang, untwisting the stem of the blood red rose. The rose's curled petals had just begun to unfurl, exposing the yellow pollen center of the Boy Wonder's gift.
She smiled to herself, "He does care..." she murmured. She examined the birdarang, locating a button that made the blades retract. The weapon's body also retracted, until all that was left was a small red disk with a bright yellow button in the center. She placed it on her dresser as she went into the bathroom to get water for the rose.
"Alex!" Jinx's muffled voice shouted from the hallway, "Get into fighting gear! The attack has been launched!" Loud clacking footsteps could be heard running past Alex's room.
Alex sighed and stuck the rose into a mouthwash bottle filled with water. Her semi-perfect moment of realization had shattered, and she was filled, once again, with apprehension. She left the bathroom, makeshift vase in hand, and went to go change into the clothes of a villainess. She set the rose on her dresser next to the birdarang as she went into her closet.
"Stupid plan." She muttered as she pulled her skirt on, struggling to zip up the zipper, which kept getting caught on the loose threads of her tanktop. She sighed in disgust as she threw her tanktop off. She pulled the threads from the zipper and zipped the skirt the rest of the way up.
She sighed again, thinking of ways to stop Slade's plan. It couldn't be that complicated... could it? She slid into her boot, adjusting the snap on the top.
"Alex, you will attack Robin, bound and gag him... and then you will bring him to me."
Alex shivered, remembering Slade's speech and the look he gave her... the suspicious look... the knowing look... She shook her head frantically. Slade knew absolutely nothing. She clasped her belt shut and moved over to her dresser. She covered her pale face with sinister makeup, becoming someone else. She brushed her hair up into a bun, hiding how greasy it was.
Looking into the mirror, she took a deep breath. "I will stop Slade," She said to herself, "and then I will go back to the Titans, and be a normal member." She looked at her reflection carefully, "I will never see this face again," she murmured. She looked down at the rose on the dresser. Next to it was the collapsed birdarang. She picked it up and slid it into one of the compartments on her belt. No one would blink if she had a rose, but if she had a bright red weapon with an "R" on the back... well, that would get her nowhere.
A loud pounding came from her door, "ALEX! COMEON! THE FIGHT'S STARTING!" Alex sighed inwardly and opened the door to face an extremely excited Jinx.
"Come, we have to report to the battle room for last minute tips from the head the training department."
"Ok." Alex said, trying to look as excited as Jinx did, "Let's go!"
The two girls walked down the hallway, one bouncing excitedly, and the other feeling something bouncing around inside of her.
Once they had gotten to the main floor, a guard, dressed in a plastic protective suit with a staff of cackling electricity, stopped them.
"Hey, Marc," Jinx said as she walked past him.
"Hello, Jinx, Alex." He began to walk past then turned around, "Oh, Alex, Slade wants to see you."
Alex felt panicked, "Um... why?" She asked, trying to look calm and unconcerned.
"A change in your assignment for the big attack. He just wants to cue you in."
"Oh..."
"I'll escort you there." Marc said, straightening up.
"Oh, no, that's Ok..." Alex said, her heart pounding in her chest.
"No. I insist." Marc grabbed hold of Alex's arm and began to march down a dark corridor.
"Bye Alex!" Jinx shouted, "See you during the attack!"
Marc kept marching down the black hallway.
"Um... so, where are we going?"
"Surveillance room."
"Where's that?"
Marc pointed at a green door with a small sign reading "Surveillance" that was on Alex's right.
"Oh." Alex smiled, "Do I really need an assignment change? I like my assignment."
Marc looked down at her and shook his head, "Inside, now." He opened the door and pushed her inside.
"Um, aren't you coming?" Alex asked, her heart sounding like an African drum in her ears.
"No." Marc slammed the door shut, leaving Alex in the extremely large surveillance room.
The room was maybe 30 feet long and perhaps 20 feet wide. The floor was smooth and black. The walls were white and unadorned. The only things that were strange were a large podium with 4 large buttons, and a small closet type pocket in the wall. Inside the closet was a metal bench, making it look like a cell.
A cell to put Robin in? Alex shuddered.
"Alex..." A cold voice said behind her. Alex whirled around to find Slade looking at her menacingly.
She coughed and cleared her throat, "Um, hello... You have a change in my assignment?" She looked slightly panicked. All sorts of horrible thoughts ran through her mind. What would he make her do to the Titans?
"Yes, Alex, I do. You see, I've decided we need an inside look at the Titans."
"An inside look?" 'Like ripping them open?' She thought, scared to death.
Slade walked over to the podium. "Yes, an inside look, we need someone to get to the Titans... someone to be a Titan."
"You mean... like a spy?"
"Yes, but not only a spy, I've had spies before. A girl named Terra. She helped me a little, installing camera's, giving me the titan's weaknesses, but she was foolish and became attached to them, wanted to be friends I suppose." He sneered, "But now I need someone to carry on her work, and I want someone to do it right."
"You mean..."
"Yes, Alex, I want you to be a spy, I want you to 'work for the Titans'"
"WHAT!?!?!" Alex looked shocked, her mouth dropping open.
"I want you to pretend to work for the Titans."
"Ohhh, no, no no no no no! I cannot do that! I'm uh... er, I HORRIBLE spy, I can't keep secrets to save my life! I'll end up exposing you... I'll destroy the plan! I suck at being a spy." Alex said, finishing off lamely. This was not what she had expected. It was impossible! A two way spy?? No way.
"You seem to be doing a good job so far, Alex."
"Um, pardon?"
"You seem to be doing a good job so far. You've kept the Titan's secrets, you haven't gotten attached to Jinx or Gizmo... in fact, you have done an excellent job of being a spy. No one suspected anything. No one except me, of course." Slade laughed, "You Titans always underestimate me. I've known you worked for the Titans from the moment Jinx met you."
"H-how did you.." Alex stuttered.
Slade laughed and pressed a button on the console. The wall behind him lit up with pictures... pictures of Alex when she first met the Titans. There was a picture of her painting Starfire's nails, trying to control her powers with Raven, joking with Beastboy, kicking Cyborg's but at video games, and talking to Robin about her past for the background check. Pictures of her entire life with the Titans spread out across one wall. She gasped slightly.
Slade pressed another button, the wall to his right lit up with pictures of her sneaking of to Titans' Tower, crying in Beastboy's arms, yelling at Robin; there were pictures from the dance, talking to Beastboy while glaring at Robin and Starfire; and there were pictures from an hour earlier, Robin sneaking into her room and talking to her... the rose on her desk.
Alex's face displayed pure terror. Slade pressed the third button and the wall to his left displayed pictures of Alex's childhood... her entire childhood displayed on a wall. Alex tried to breath but couldn't.
"Wh-where d-did you g-g-get that?" She asked, trembling.
Slade laughed, "Simple, Alex, I know everything about you. I have been watching you since the day you were born. After all, why shouldn't a father watch his daughter?"
"A... father?"
"Yes, Alex, I am your father."
Alex's eyes opened in fear; "You are not my father." She said, angrily, "My father died with honor fighting for his life!"
Slade's cruel laughter filled the room, "That's what you were told because that is what I wanted you to be told."
"No, no! YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER!"
"Yes, Alex, I am your father."
"You can't possibly be my father, you would have powers! I have powers! But neither you nor my mother have them!"
"Your mother had the powers."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, anger coursing through her veins.
"When I left your mother, I took her powers and her sanity. I couldn't have her teaching you how to fight. Your mother wanted to destroy all I stood for, I had no choice."
"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!" Alex shouted in rage.
"No, my child, you killed her." Slade said, watching Alex calmly.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT! I AM NOT YOUR CHILD AND YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER!" Alex said, her hair flying around her enraged face.
"Now, now, Alex, if you are going to disrespect me, I shall have to ground you." Slade pressed the last button on the podium. All of a sudden, Alex felt a pulling sensation in her spine. She tried to resist, but the pulling was like a magnet. She jerked backwards, sliding along the floor until she was inside the small cell that she thought had been for Robin. Blue electricity crackled at the entrance of the cell. Slade walked over and faced her.
She zapped violently at the force feild with her black lightning, but nothing happened. She tried to orb out, but she couldn't orb, her body wouldn't let her.
"It won't work, Alex. You can't escape."
"What are you going to do to me?" She asked fiercely, fire burning behind her eyes.
"First, you will stay in this cell until you learn to cooperate. Then, after I change everyone's assignments for the big attack, I will bring you the Titans, and you will kill them."
"And if I don't?" Alex asked, thinking there was nothing he could do, "You can kill me, even torture me, but I will NEVER kill my friends."
"Then, dear, dear Alex, I will have them tortured, and make you watch." Slade said, laughing.
"You're a sick man, a very, very sick man!"
"Now, that's no way to talk to your father." Slade said. As he left the room, he turned off all the pictures and changed the walls to show different Titans in the tower. He had cameras hidden in the Tower.
"Have fun." He said, slamming the door, leaving Alex in the dark.
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