Chapter 6- Mixed Signals
"Hey Gizmo," Jinx called back to him. "What do you want on your pizza?"
"Aw come on ya toe jammin' gunk eater," Gizmo said angrily as he turned around yelling at Jinx. "You messed up my game!"
"Geez it was just a simple question," Jinx said with a disgusted look on her face. She looked over at her other partner in crime. "Hey Mammoth, what do you want on your pizza, I'm goin' out."
"Cat fish," Mammoth said never taking his eyes off the T.V. while he and Gizmo played video games.
"Alright I'll be back in a little while."
Jinx made her way out of the room, the door closing behind her, when suddenly a hand came over her mouth and pulled her into the darkness. She tried to scream and break free of her assailants grasp, but he was too strong and began dragging her through the hallway of their make-shift hideout. She now found herself in her room pinned against the wall with a hand still over her mouth.
"Sssssssshhhhhh," her kidnapper's voice said. "I'll take my hand off if you promise not to yell."
Jinx opened her eyes, and was dumfounded by the person who was standing before her.
"Cyborg," she said shockingly as he took his hand off her mouth and placed her softly back on the ground. "What are you doing here!?!"
"Sssssssshhhhh," he said again. "I need to talk to you about something," his voice suddenly becoming sterner.
"What is it," Jinx asked.
Cyborg held something in his hand and slowly brought the object up so Jinx could see it.
"Can you tell me anything about this," he asked anger present in his voice as he held up Slade's mask sent to them yesterday.
Jinx turned her head away not wanting to confront Cyborg. "I don't know anything about it."
Cyborg slammed his fist into the wall next to Jinx's head, "that's a lie and you know it!"
"I'm not talking," Jinx said quietly but angrily.
Cyborg was on the verge of exploding but kept his cool and said in an even more severe voice. "I ran a biometrics and fingerprints test on the mask Jinx," he said gritting his teeth. "And guess who's DNA showed up on the scanner!?!"
"I don't know," Jinx said sarcastically still looking away.
Cyborg became even more furious, but didn't loose his temper. "Yours and Brother Blood's," he said grinding his teeth again.
Jinx remained there against the wall motionless and silent. Cyborg looked at her never taking his eyes off her face. Jinx turned her head and met Cyborg's gaze with tears in her eyes, then looked away from him again.
"You left us," she said trying to hold back her emotions. "You left us all and you hurt me especially."
The anger went from Cyborg's face and was replaced with a look of sincerity. He put his hand under her chin and turned her head to face him, tears still forming in her eyes.
"Jinx," he paused. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Then why did you," she yelled at him, her voice full of emotion.
"It was a mission, plain as that, and it was nothing against you."
They stood there silently gazing into each other's eyes, Jinx still trying to hold back her tears.
"Listen," Cyborg said wholeheartedly. "I need your help. Something's going down here that's bigger than you or me and it's driving my friend insane. Please Jinx…help me."
Jinx sniffled and whipped the tears away from her eyes, "Blood made me do it," she confessed.
"How, he's in jail," Cyborg asked.
"He can still communicate with his students outside of prison with his mind."
Cyborg stood there unsure of what to think.
"He said that if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd annihilate me and the others."
"And you believed him?"
"If he could talk to me from prison, then he could probably do something to me then too."
Cyborg looked down at his feet taking in the new intelligence he had just gathered. "What does this mean," he asked Jinx showing her the inside of the mask that had the phrase "Unyielding Justice," engraved in it.
"I don't know," she said. "He just told me to write it."
Cyborg sighed, disappointed at her lack of knowledge on the subject. "Alright then," he paused. "Thanks."
Cyborg quickly stepped out of her room and made his way to the entrance of their rundown Hideout. He got into his car and headed off for Steel City.
--
"Open up Cell #25," one of the prison guards yelled.
The door slid open in front of Cyborg revealing a rather large symmetrical looking room with enormous machines and wires descending from the ceiling and connected to the tightly bound Brother Blood contained in the room.
"Cyborg," Brother Blood said with an evil grin on his face. "So nice to see you again."
"Hi ya doin,'" Cyborg said sarcastically as he threw Slade's mask across the room towards Brother Blood. "…Deathstroke."
Brother Blood watched the mask bounce several times before it finally slid a few feet in front of him. "So, your friend Robin got my little package I see."
"Yeah he did…and short case of hysteria thanks to you." Cyborg made his way over to Brother Blood and stood before him.
"Sounds like he enjoyed my little gift then," Brother Blood said with an evil smile.
"What do you want with Robin, Blood!?!"
"I merely wish to help him; perhaps being locked up in this prison has made me…a better man," Blood said mocking Cyborg.
"This is gonna end now Blood, before I—"Cyborg was cut short.
"BEFORE YOU WHAT," Brother Blood yelled at Cyborg inches away from his face. "LOCK ME UP TIGHTER, CONFINE ME IN AN EVEN SMALLER PRISON, DISGACE ME EVEN MORE, WHAT!?!"
Cyborg stood there maintaining his ground, giving his rival a scolding look but didn't say a word. He looked to the ground at his side and picked up the mask lying there as if it were intuitively listening in on their conversation and held it to his side.
"You're right Blood, I won't do anything," he said as he started for the door. "Instead I'll let you rot there for the rest of your life."
Brother Blood growled angrily at Cyborg as he made his way to the door. "This won't be the last time you hear from me Cyborg," he yelled back at him. "I'll be seeing you again!"
Cyborg ignored him and headed out the prison cell and back to his car. He threw the mask in the seat next to him and started the long drive home.
--
It was almost midnight by the time Cyborg got back to the tower that night. He drove into the garage and parked the T-car next to Robin's motorcycle and sat there starring at the black and orange mask resting in the seat next to him. He remained there for a moment a look of uncertainty across his face. He grabbed the depraved symbol of their former enemy and headed to the upper levels of the tower in the elevator. He got to the living room hoping to find no one there but was met with the surprised looks and concerns of all his fellow teammates as they quickly ran over to him.
"Dude, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN," Beast Boy said yelling at him. "You left us a note saying you were going out to pick up bread, and you've been gone for over sixteen hours!!!"
"Please Cyborg," Starfire said. "Do not go out for extended periods of time on errands of bread; you worried us all."
Cyborg ignored them both and walked over to the couch where Robin sat there looking as though something heavy were on his mind. He looked to his side at Slade's mask that almost seemed to stare aimlessly at him in his hand and placed it on the cushion next to Robin. Robin stirred nervously as Cyborg rested the mask next to him moving slightly over to gain as much distance as he could from it.
"He's not coming back Robin," Cyborg said in a serious tone.
"How do you know? We never found him, he could still be out there, I have to—" Robin was cut off by Cyborg.
"I found who did this to you Rob, Blood was behind it," he said still standing in the same position using the same serious tone. "Brother Blood's been behind all of this, your pal Deathstroke, the mask, everything, it's all him."
Robin looked down at his feet processing what he had just said. "How do you know?"
"I went and talked to Brother Blood myself, he admitted to it, he admitted to all of it," Cyborg said trying to comfort his friend. "And like I told you before, I found his DNA along with Jinx's on the mask. Everything's gonna be alright dude."
Robin didn't say anything, instead he picked the mask up next to him and looked into its' one gapping eye. Beast Boy came into the conversation and hit Cyborg with something very unexpectedly.
"Um, Cyborg," Beast Boy said with an unwary look on his face. "Brother Blood can't be Deathstroke…"
Cyborg turned to face him. "BB," he said. "I talked to Blood a little while ago and he told me everything, it's him alright, and I'm certain of it."
"I'm not sure it's him Cyborg," Robin said in an ungrateful tone still starring at the mask. He got up and went over to the main computer and began typing away on the keyboard.
"Why not," Cyborg asked somewhat aggravated by his friend's lack of gratitude.
Robin didn't look back at him. "We got another lead from him four hours ago."
Cyborg didn't want to believe what Robin had just. Four hours ago he was in Steel City "chatting" with Brother Blood, which meant that in order for them to have gotten another lead from Brother Blood, he would've had to have sent it while they were still talking. Cyborg starred at the back of Robin's head, unable to speak, unsure of what to think anymore, with a look of contempt on his face.
"Whether it's Blood or not we'll have to put it aside for now," Robin said in an almost demanding voice gazing at the computer screen. "We've got Red X to take care of tomorrow."
Cyborg put his thoughts aside and sat down on the couch with the others as Robin went over their plan of action for taking down Red X tomorrow night.
--
Wednesday- 11:54 p.m., Museum of Natural Beauty.
"Six more minutes and I can get on with this," said Red X as he sat impatiently on the roof of the museum.
He wondered to himself what it meant to his "anonymous employer" if he had gotten underway with the robbery six minutes ahead of schedule. He strictly said twelve a.m. and not a minute sooner or else the deal was off. He thought to himself what difference one million dollars would do for him especially since the diamond he was out to steal was worth $950,000. He looked at his watch again, it was now 11:57; he strolled around the roof close to the ventilation duct where he'd enter the museum and steal the diamond when suddenly he found himself surround by five dark silhouettes.
"Titans, Go," a familiar voice in front of him yelled.
Suddenly a roar from behind caught his attention and he turned to see a green tiger coming straight at him. He quickly jumped out of its' way but was struck in the side by green balls of energy that he immediately recognized as Starfire's. He was flung back and landed on his stomach when an enormous black claw came from underneath and gripped him tightly in its' huge talon's.
He squirmed trying to break free when the five dark figures stood in front of him revealing themselves as the Teen Titans.
"So kids," he said to them still trying to escape. "Here we are again."
Robin smiled at him and said, "Yep, and it looks like you got yourself tied up in something."
"Not quite," Red X said reaching for his belt.
He found the buckle and pressed the large button on it and vanished into thin air. The Titans stood there amazed at his escape as they looked around trying to spot Red X.
"Where'd he go," Beast Boy asked dumbly.
Red X came down the ventilation shaft and kicked out the duct leading to the open room below. He jumped down silently and stood in front of the display case housing the precious jewel he had been hired to steal.
"The Jewel of the Ming Dynasty," Red X said as he looked pleasingly at the priceless diamond housed inside the glass case before him. "Mine to take, mine to k—"he was interrupted by a sudden loud noise coming from above.
Robin broke through the glass ceiling panel above Red X setting off every alarm in the building. Deadly shards of glass came falling down towards Red X as Robin reached into his utility belt and retrieved his bo-staff while still descending to the floor below him. Red X quickly moved out of the way of the falling Robin and pieces glass as they shattered even more next to Robin as he landed on the ground. His cape was drawn over his shoulders as he landed giving him almost a dark majestic attribute that Red X found almost surprising "cool." Robin stood up, his staff fully extended in hand and poised for battle. Red X crossed his arms forming an X in front of his face as he extended his Razor sharp X-blades from his wrists. He charged at Robin with a battle cry raising one of his wrist blades striking at Robin. Robin quickly deflected the attack with the top of his staff, then spun around and hit Red X in his side with the other end. Red X let out a loud OOF as the hard metal made contact with his kidney and briefly knocked the wind out of him. Robin spun around to the other side and lashed Red X in the face with the top end of his staff again sending him back and into another display case.
Red X sat up and moved his jaw around, making sure it wasn't broken. "You're gonna pay for that kid," he said as his X-blades started spinning like table saws.
He charged at Robin again this time with much more vigor and frustration but remained cautious of Robin's illustrious bo-staff. He swiped and slashed at him, missing his opponent by mere inches when they found themselves in a deadlock starring face to face at one another.
"So kid," Red X said trying to taunt Robin. "Where are all your little playmates?"
"Right behind you," Robin lied.
Red X paused then quickly turned his head to see no one behind him, then felt something rattle his guts as Robin kneed him in the stomach. Robin grabbed the back of Red X's head and threw him back onto the ground with a loud THUD! He felt dizzy, but was quickly able to flip himself back out of the way of Robin's staff that came right for his chest as it landed on the ground making a loud metallic PINNGG sound. Red X regained his ground and poised himself for another round of fighting.
"CYBORG NOW," Robin suddenly yelled.
"What," Red X said before being blasted by a sonic cannon.
He flew sideways and slid to the ground. He quickly got up and managed to dodge attack after attack from the hidden Titans in the shadows of the dark room.
"ALRIGHT KIDS," Red X yelled in frustration. "YOU WANNA PLAY RUFF, WE'LL PLAY RUFF!" He turned himself invisible and vanished into thin air.
Robin looked around fixed in a combat position with his staff ready to strike. He saw Cyborg move into the light from his darkened hiding spot.
"NO STAY THERE," Robin commanded him as he moved back into the darkness.
It was too late. Red X spotted him and exploited his mistake of revealing his position as Robin heard cries of pain from Cyborg somewhere in the darkness. Cyborg was flung forward towards Robin and landed on the ground. Robin quickly helped him up and they stood together back to back on guard in search of their invisible enemy.
"Do you see him," Robin asked his comrade as he held three explosive disks in his hand.
"I'm tracking him," Cyborg said. "I can't get a fix though, he's moving, fast."
Suddenly every light in the museum came on, revealing the remaining hidden Titan's positions. They all looked at each other, astonished that their hiding spots had been revealed and there plan was ruined. Suddenly, Starfire was pinned to the wall by a giant red x that came from out of nowhere.
"STARFIRE," Robin yelled worried that his friend was injured.
Raven moved from her hiding spot and floated in the middle of the room when unexpectedly explosive X-stars came flying towards her (see "X," it's those little explosive throwing star things he has). She raised a black transparent force field to protect herself, but abruptly found a foot in her stomach as she was kicked to the ground by the now invisible Red X. Cyborg went over to help while Red X reappeared behind him and placed and X on his back which suddenly shocked him and paralyzed Cyborg from the shoulders down. Robin turned to face Red X, who suddenly disappeared again and headed for Starfire. Starfire remained pinned against the wall trying to get herself free from the sticky substance keeping her down. She looked up to see Red X in front of her inching towards her with what she could tell was a look of delight.
"Hey cutie," he said moving her hair out of her eyes. "How bout that date you and I—"
Starfire blasted him with her laser eyes then managed to break free.
Red X lay on the ground trying to get up when an enormous gorilla slammed his fist on the ground where he once rested until he swiftly leapt out of the way. Still in mid-air, he turned and threw another X at Beast Boy which stuck him to the ground with an adhesive substance.
Beast Boy turned into several animal forms trying to get out of whatever it was holding him down until he turned into his human form and said, "Dude, totally not cool!"
Robin, Raven, and Starfire were the only ones left standing now. They quickly grouped together and made ready for another attack from Red X. Red X jumped down from the ceiling and landed in front of them.
Raven's eyes turned white as she picked up two display cases and recited, "Azerath, Metrion, Zin—"Red X shot two more X's from his hand; one covered her mouth the other bound her to the wall.
Robin and Starfire turned briefly to look at Raven then back at Red X laughing with glee at the two of them standing there ready for battle.
"You guys are wwwwwaaaaayyyyy to serious," Red X said chuckling.
Starfire grew mad and let out a battle cry before she struck him repetitively with an onslaught of starbolts. Robin pulled out three more explosive disks and hurled them at Red X exploding in front of him and sending him flying through the air. After landing on the ground, he tried to get up and make a break for it but was hit in the back again by another one of Starfire's attacks. He lie there on his stomach as Robin made his way over to arrest him, when he suddenly threw a handful of X-stars at Robin that missed his face by centimeters and exploded on the ceiling above them.
Robin looked down at him lying on his back now and said, "It's over X, you're going to jail."
"That's what you think," Red X said rebelliously as he pointed his finger at something above Robin.
Robin looked up and gasped at the falling debris that was about to crush him. Red X jumped out of the way and ran over to the case displaying the diamond he was out to steal. He broke the glass, took the jewel and pressed the button on his belt and finally disappeared. Robin remained in his position, horrified at the falling rubble about to land on top of him.
"ROBIN," Starfire yelled.
She quickly flew over to him and braced herself to catch the huge falling pieces of cement and concrete.
She caught the first huge chunk. "Robin," she said trying to support the massive weight. "…MOVE!!!"
Robin leapt out from under Starfire as another chunk landed on top of her. She gave in, and the enormous load fell on her.
"STARFIRE!!!!!!!" Robin knelt there, so many emotions coming over him at the same time as he sat there watching the ceiling collapse on the girl he cared so dearly about.
--
A/N:
(GASP) I didn't….no….I couldn't….wait….I JUST DID!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! I just killed Starfire and there's NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT...or did I? (gives evil grin) Well, once again, I ended this at a spot where I didn't want to but I thought the cliff hanger would leave you ONCE AGAIN on the edge of your seats. So now I brought Brother Blood into the picture, hopefully giving you all a head ache by now. So…is Deathstroke REALLY Brother Blood? And what did Jinx have to do with the mask? Hehehehehehehehehe. Oh boy I love this. Well, I'm sure you're all wondering as well why I posted so soon. Tomorrow I'm going on a little trip to check out a college and I wont be back till Monday so it'll take a little while for me to write and post the next chapter so I thought I'd leave you with this one to make up for my lack of attendance. Only got a few reviews so far and to those who sent ones, thanks I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Still haven't thought of a name for the next chapter, so….yeah.
KaliAnn- I'm happy you liked this chapter, and when I came up with the idea of Slade's mask being sent to Robin I was like….Dude….that's awesome! Thanks for the review!
VanGordan- I'm VERY HAPPY you're liking this more and more each time I post it, and I was wondering what you'd think after I had blunt objects fall on Starfire. But still it sucks that I didn't end it where I wanted to AGAIN cause the name "Mixed Signals" for this chapter had to do with what I was gonna put at the end, that I'll now have to put at the beginning of the next chapter. It seems like I'm not getting as far as I want to when I'm writing, but I'm streaming with so many ideas each time I write it doesn't all fit. But anyway, that's awesome I creeped your sister out and yes, if someone didn't know anything about Slade they probably wouldn't like him very much either after reading this. I hope I didn't burst your bubble when you found out that Deathstroke is really Brother Blood (or is he?) but bare with me, you won't be disappointed. When Robin meets Deathstroke, it'll be awesome, I promise, I give myself chills just thinking about it and what's gonna happen in the last few chapters. I'll post again when I get back, so as the mysterious Deathstroke would say: "Until next time." Thanks for the review.
