Renegade:

Chapter 19

X was having fun. Watching the view screens, listening to the radio chatter, it was all very exhilarating. Robin was some piece of work; somehow he managed to get as far as he did without too much trouble. Now, after he triggered the alarm things were a different story but up until then his performance was strictly speaking, a masterpiece. But Robin was only part of what was happening. X had manipulated the events of this prison to set him free, and watch the fun. It was him who deserved the credit; of course, he wasn't going to take it. But even so, he was his brilliant mind who found the perfect path of revenge. How dare that pompous little twit try to make him watch Robin do nothing but sit and rot! Why, just restricting him in that manner would make him feel like it was torture. It wasn't fair and it just plain wasn't right. So what if it was in his contract? They tried to trick him into become their slave for an 'undetermined time' which probably meant until his death. There was no way he was being kept prisoner so his employers should just get that trough they're thick skull. X sat there watching his entertainment half amused, half flustered by the thoughts that roared in his head.

How the heck did I get into this position anyway? He thought

It was night which was the usual time for burglars to make they're move. One would think more guards would be posted in the dead of night to catch any wannabe thief who dares to tread on their precious ground. But sadly, or fortunately depending on who you are, this was not the case. X had busted through every security measure that the Intelligence Facility could ever put up against him and triumphed. He was in North Korea for a legit job this time, at least in American eyes. The North Koreans had recently built a nuclear weapon, this everyone knew. What they didn't know is when or where it would be used or even if they planned to use it at all, that's where X came in.

The American government was worried because at that time they were clearly on North Korea's hit list and they really didn't want to get hit. They're only hope; send in someone who would not be affiliated with the government to find out what they planned to do with their new little toy. They dug up X who was more than happy to their dirty work. The offer they gave him was just too hard to refuse.

The offered him amity from his past crimes if he would do this one thing for his country. Well, it was either that or goes to jail for his past crimes so Red X decided to do what they wanted. He boarded a plane to Iraq for the reason of arriving at North Korea from a less suspicious country than directly through the U.S. From there he boarded another plane to North Korea and after pulling some strings he was in their Intelligence Facility with their plans for their new toy on his way out when something unexpected happened.

X was running straight for the double doors leading to freedom when out of nowhere a man appeared. The first thing X noticed about this man is that he wasn't Korean. His complexion was European but was tan enough to be mistaken as Israeli to the untrained eye. His eyes were black reflecting the mystery of his entry. His rugged face only added to the awkwardness of his arrival.

"Hello X." The mysterious man said.

"Who are you?" X asked

"Call me Vincent. Now, I believe you hold in your hand secrets that your employers want. I have my own secrets I would like you to uncover."

"Not interested." X didn't talk much to mysterious figures that went 'bump' in the night. He quickly grabbed for his bo-staff in his utility belt and drew it toward to the man called Vincent. He had reason to knock this guy senseless: 1.) He caught him in the act of something illegal. 2.) He's obviously not nice and may have some sort of bounty for turning him into the authorities. 3.) X was startled. People do stupid things when they're startled.

"Yeaah!" X ran and sliced at the unarmed man who easily dodged the blow with the grace of a cat and replied with a kick that sent X flying with the agility of a hippo shot out of a cannon.

"I would advise giving up. I need you alive for the job."

X wasn't listening. He ran in for another blow. This one actually made contact and sent his foe to the ground. Vincent brought himself up to his knees and swiftly tripped X and sent him to the ground giving him time to jump back.

X wasn't happy. He flew himself at Vincent like a mad dog on crack trying to get another hit in. Apparently a teenaged thief failing a stick in an effort to hit him didn't agree with Vincent as his response was more aggressive than his previous responses. After a few blows he sent X back to the hard tile floor smashed on the ground.

X wasn't conscious. Vincent walked over to the sleeping beauty to analyze the situation. He wasn't dead. That was good, very good. Only he has the abilities needed to hack into Titan's Tower so he would need him to get anything done.

X's eyes slowly opened as he squinted to get a good view of the lighting. He made the discovery that he was bound down when he tried to get up. A door opened and out came Vincent in his usual mysterious fashion slowly walking toward his captive. He stood over the bound anti-hero waiting for the inevitable response to his entry.

"Okay, what do you want me to do?" X said.