My Enemy

Alexnandru Van Gordon

This is probably the worst story I ever dared to post on fanfiction, and I know—and want—to be working on my next chapter to Not Again, but because this was my first story I shared with anyone and one that was inspired by something my dad told me—I'm working on this chapter instead. It's his birthday on the sixteenth and, even though he probably won't get around to reading it, I'm dedicating this chapter to him (no matter how horrible it may seem). Despite as independent as we'd all like to think we are, there's always someone up there that we're looking up to. I have a couple of idols but my dad gave me the courage to start writing.

Happy Birthday, Dad.

CHAPTER FIVE: Speedy to the rescue…

How stupid can one guy get? Why on earth would the worst enemy of his friends care if they got out of there in time before the heat wave went off? And, here's the second point that really ticked him off—since when did Robin wander off on his own when he was weak? He was alone, in a dark place underground, his worst enemy lurking around somewhere…and then—BANG! He disappeared. The kid was obsessive and a hard hitter—but he was far from stupid.

It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was really going on.

The Titans would be fine on their own. They'd fought and won more lost causes then anyone their age could ever have hoped to achieve. And wasn't it those same kids who were helping Speedy's own team out at that very moment? Besides, the place was warming up and Speedy could feel it. If they were clueless to a melting city, that was their own fault.

Spinning around in his sprint, he started back down the large dark tunnel for the basement. Chances were, Robin stumbled across something and he was either still checking it out, KO'd, or fighting someone who discovered him. In any case, Robin would be the first to suffer if Slade set the major heat wave off while he was still down there.

Find the missing people first. The un-missing people didn't need to be found…

Leave the Titans to the Ice guy for now.

Muttering under his breath, he cursed his own damn self for falling for an old excuse like that. Memo to self—never believe a villain when they say they don't know where someone is. Chances are, they off-ed them when you weren't looking…

-C-

"Dude…this is so not fair…"

And he couldn't agree more with the small green changeling. When you were amp-ed up to blow some ice man to smithereens, and ended up running into an empty room, you tended to blow a little steam. The tunnel entrance on the other side of the large, dome like room held hope that maybe he had just a little further to go before they reached their goal, but when Starfire and Raven showed up instead…you can imagine the turmoil.

Staring up at the icy-glazed walls, he shut down his arm cannon and kicked up the small film of snow coating the ground. "Man—this is just stupid! Someone played us like—"

"A flute." Starfire interrupted. She soared a little higher, expecting the ten foot wide circle cut out into the ceiling. Outside was nothing but blue skies, the warm sunshine flooding in and illuminating the glassy room bright enough to blind a person. "We have been fooled, yes?"

"You can bet someone's laughing at us." Raven muttered, lowering to the ground until she stood. "We fought our way through pointless obstacles only to be met with nothing."

Beast Boy wasn't as low-voiced as her, stamping around like an angry troll and tearing at his hair. "It's hot, we've wasted the whole morning fighting, and now we have no idea where East is! That Ice Dude must think he's sooooooo smart…"

"Or Slade." Raven corrected. "I don't see the man here. He must be in another one of the buildings."

"So…he's the Ice Guy's partner or something?"

"Possibly. The heat wave might only be great enough to melt the ice of this building…"

"So...he means to drown us?" Starfire hovered down closer to their heads. "That was the deal—to destroy us?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Makes sense…but three of us can fly and Cyborg can just hitch a ride—there's a hole in the ceiling! Look!"

Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Yeah…I know…Star, check it, would ya?"

With a nod she rose again, stopping just short of the hole in caution and pulled back a fist. With a loud battle cry she rammed it upward—and was met with something solid. There was a loud thunk and she pulled back her throbbing hand, wincing as she landed beside her friends.

"It is…how you say, invincible?" She admitted sourly. "It is there to…mock us?"

"Mock us…" Beast Boy growled. He crossed his arms and stared up at the bright blue sky above, a puffy white cloud drifting by overhead. "It's just here to lead us to this…"

"Corral." Raven said. Pointing to the entrance she and Starfire came from, she gestured to the robots lining up, ready to fight. "Someone thinks they're leading us to a slaughterhouse."

Yep. This was a set-up alright and they should have known it from the beginning. Rule number one—never side with your worst enemy! Once an enemy, always an enemy at heart.

Tensing, each hero took a fighting stance and prepared themselves for the worst.

How could they have been so naïve…?

Then the enemy advanced.

-R-

He came to a short while after he was knocked out, hearing the soft sound of water sloshing against the boat and feeling it rock before he dared to opened his eyes. He could see X's back, the thief re-piling the crates of Xinothium and covering them back up before turning and noticing that Robin was awake. The two rivals just stared at each other at first, thinking what to do, and Robin could almost sense the unease in X's posture—that is, before the thief straightened, crossed his arms and took on his cocky personality again, staring at the tied up hero.

"Wow, you don't sleep long. Is that an insomniac kind of thing or is there some other secret about you that no one's knows yet…?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He snapped. He could have chosen to ignore the thief, but he was too ticked off at the young man to leave things be. If not for him he probably would have been able to do something about the stolen Xinothium…or soon to be stolen, in any case…

"I'm just thinking about how you're really my predecessor of the whole Red-X thief gig. I didn't think someone like you would go so far as that to get a little info on your worst enemy's plans. Really—it shocks me."

"Yeah right." Robin muttered. "Which reminds me—what's with teaming up? I thought you enjoyed going solo, and I know you're partner hates working with an equal."

"Hey—who cares what a person likes or dislikes." He shrugged. "I steal for him; he helps me replicate that belt you made. Word is, I heard you destroyed."

…He never told anyone about that, but what did it matter? The belt was destroyed and the chances were no one could replicate it without Robin's help—and was that ever going to happen? Never.

"As I recall, it only takes one batch of Xinothium to juice the belt for about half a life-time. You need eight crates full because...?"

"I'm not greedy—who says all of this is for me?" X patted the top of one of the covered crates. "Looks like your nemesis is going to blow Jump to kingdom-come before he melts Steel out of its ice age. Think of Noah's flood in miniature form…wow, boy is that going to be a long head count for the people at the morgue…"

"I thought Slade was working with that Ice guy?" If the man could freeze over an entire city in one day, he must have had at least something powerful enough to grab Slade's attention. "I thought he wanted something from Slade?"

"And there's something Slade wants from him, but he's going take without permission—it's called double-crossing, and I know you're familiar with that. As for what he wants…let's leave that tale for another—"

A flash of red flew over Robin's head where he sat on the boat floor, and knocked X over the side into the water before the thief could react.

"Too bad. Just when it was getting interesting…" Speedy clapped his hands together as though brushing off dust. "Not a bad side kick, if I do say so myself. I tried one of your back flips once but that ended in disaster…" Then the archer grinned and turned to stare at Robin, hands on his hips. Shaking his head, he looked the Boy Wonder over. "Comfy? I hope you still have circulation to your hands and feet."

"Took you long enough."

"Hey—I can leave you here if you want?"

"…"

"…You're welcome." Speedy chuckled, then knelled by his feet and began untying the rope around his ankle. His hands were tied behind his back but Robin was already working away at that. "Jeez, if you're this peeved-off every time something goes wrong, I wonder how snappy you'd be if kept in captivity."

"Thanks…" He said meekly. "And yeah. I can be a little thick-headed when things don't go my way."

"Don't feel bad. I'm a red-head. I lose my temper more often than anyone I know."

"And how did you get here without Slade knowing—my impression was that he knocked you out or something before he ganged up with X against me." Ankle's finally free; he leaned forward a bit as Speedy leaned behind him to help with his hands. "Did you get him before you came across me?"

"No actually…" Speedy thought back in contemplation. "Actually, yes…in a way. I set the charges like he asked and then he came back to work on that other machine. I was led to believe that you were upstairs, but I spun around once I realized who I was dealing with." He pulled the ropes off Robin's wrists and helped him up. "While I was looking for you I saw no one—not even those bots of his. The only guy I got a hit on is that weird kid in black with a red x…"

Trailing off, both boy's stepped to the other side of the boat and gazed down at the calm waters.

"Hope he didn't drown on me. That would really do a number on my conscience…"

"Wouldn't dream of it, kid."

They spun around and saw the thief standing on the dock, soaking wet from head to toe. Water dripped around his feet and, considering his posture, he wasn't in a good mood.

"Piece of advice, Boy Wonder—make the next suit with something that doesn't soak up water like a sponge. Drowning isn't fun…"

"Neither is getting shot…" Robin muttered. He'd almost been killed a number of different ways when he first started out as the side-kick of Gotham's Dark Knight.

"You're suit?" Speedy inquired, staring at Robin in confusion. "You made that."

"Long story—"

"And it's too late to chat." X reached to his temporary replacement belt and pulled out a second small black sphere. "The clock is ticking, kids."

"And you're time's up." Robin reached to his own belt—and found nothing. Staring down, he realized it was gone.

"Looking for this?"

Snapping his head up, he noticed Slade, walking forward from the darkness with the utility belt in hand. He stopped next to X and handed him a different sphere—this one silver.

"If physical force doesn't keep an opponent down, move onto chemical." Red-X took it just as Speedy pulled out his bow and docked an arrow. He first aimed at X…but then switched to Slade, uncertain who to hit first. It didn't really matter anyway. The moment he drew back the string one would attack. "I find sedatives come in handy when you have little time on your hand."

If the two villains weren't hinting to a bomb, Robin had no idea what else they were talking about.

X tossed the second fear, Speedy releasing his arrow at the exact same time. X caught the arrow—and the ball hit the floor, a dark yellow cloud rising from its crack. Robin back-stepped as he began to cough blindly, ready to jump off the side of the boat to escape the gas, when two black gloved hands reached out to grab him. One caught his arm, the other catching Speedy's free hand. Pulled back into the thick cloud of smoke, his vision began to fade again…

-A-

Darn—I have to go and get the stuff ready for my dad's birthday so I have to leave you guys here. Once I'm done though, I'll get to work on another chapter for another story. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend.

Until Again,

Alexnandru Van Gordon