Pieces of the Puzzle

Alexnandru Van Gordon

Victor: Hello people! We're back and we're sorry we forgot to toss the coin. We'll do it once Alex decides to sit down at the computer—just for the record, he won't come near me because I bleached his hair white.

Alex: Yeah…and the jerk didn't get grounded. (Extremely upset, finally sits down at desk to type. Has a hat on.)

Victor: (Snatches hat.) Ta-da! Short white hair, ladies and gentlemen! Doesn't it look wonderful?

Alex: Shut up so we can flip the coin. Heads says I stop at book three, and tails says I write a book four.

Victor: (Flips coin, catches it, and…) Tails! Ha ha ha! Book four, here he comes!

Alex: Darn…that means I have to start writing an outline for it. That also means I have to add in some little connections in this one…

DISCLAIMER: I'm sure they know by now that I'm not trying to steal their work. If Warner Bros or whoever doesn't… (Shakes head.) Sad little people…

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Certain signs

"I'm tired."

"So am I…but we have to keep looking for her."

Cyborg smacked his head against a wall. His locator device was reading positions all over the city. Either he was scrambled, or he was picking up readings that he shouldn't. To put it plainly, HW couldn't be found anywhere.

They had her medicine and the news about some sort of electric beast attacking the town had certainly caught their attention. It was Overload, but the JL recorded that he had been absorbed by HW in her little battle against him and the Riddler. They had Starfire to vouch for it.

"We have way too many people top find…" Cyborg sighed into his communicator. His screen was split in half to show Grayson and Kori at their locations on separate sides of Gotham.

"Perhaps by the docks?" Kori asked hopefully, rubbing a sore eye. They had been searching all day and so far found nothing. "Or the warehouses outside the city?"

"Fine—you check the docks, Kori. Cyborg, you keep a watch on the city. And I… (Sigh) will look at the warehouses outside Gotham."

"What of your father?"

"Bruce"

Cyborg grinned. "You think I should drop by Wayne manner and ask if the Dark Knight is home?"

"I guess you could try…seeing that he wasn't there to help with Overload. He's either got a clue to where Slade is, or something's happened to him."

"Let's just hope your old man is okay. We need him."

"Fine. Grayson, over and out."

"Farewell for now, good friends."

"See ya."

Turning off his communicator, he started down the street at a pretty fast pace. The Dark Knight could be a lot of help…

-Ra-

"We're going to Gotham?"

Beast Boy nodded with his annoying grin, his head still bandaged up from the hit he took a couple of days ago. "Come on, Raven. You got your memory back in an hour after being in a coma and I'm feeling…okay. Cyborg called a while ago to say he was in Gotham looking for HW, Starfire, Robin and the others and I think we should help."

"I think some sense has finally been knocked into you."

It was true. She would have never expected an answer like that. He was acting a little more his age ever since the intruder gave him a good whack to the noggin. She kind of liked him this way, but she knew it wouldn't last for long.

"Let's go." He said.

She smiled slightly to herself and patted him on the shoulder. They were back at the tower and it was sure lonely. "With what?"

"Huh?" He gave her a weird look and she shook her head.

"Cyborg has his car and neither of us knows how to ride Robin's motorcycle. We need at least four people to activate any other vehicle we may own, and I doubt nay members of the JL are free to give us a ride. How, exactly, are we supposed to get to Gotham?"

He grinned. "Taxi?"

-R-

He struggled in the chair, hands tied behind his back and a gag fit into his mouth. Jacob stood guard and that had been just about it. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he could barely see what was going on, He was in a different room than the one he was held in the last time, but this one was someone near the main room. It was small and quite dark, but the crack in the door released a long beam of light to fall on the wall to his left. HW was on the other side of the door (he knew that since she came once or twice to help Jacob tie him up), and there was someone else.

It was a man—that much Robin could tell—but he spoke too softly for Robin to hear anything. HW answered whatever question he asked until Wintergreen showed up. The old man popped his head inside the room to see if Robin was there and that was the last he saw of anyone besides Jacob. Neither HW nor the other man spoke due to Wintergreen's present.

Something was going on.

"Is it ready?" He heard Wintergreen ask. The male stranger murmured something and HW clarified his answer.

"It is, but Slade's the genius. It's hard to do what he's asked for the serum to become."

"Can it be done?"

"With some time, unless Slade shows up. He could probably complete this in an hour or so."

"I suppose that will do…"

"Where is he anyway?"

"He has business—bringing someone else here, for that matter."

"And who would that be?"

"…A certain confused thief."

Red-X

-RX-

He sat on the edge of the building with his legs swinging back and forth over the ledge. It was night again, but boy was he still exhausted. Getting electrocuted and smacked around a couple of times really did a number on his head, not to mention that the police almost arrested him until Jo'nn, the alien from the JL, came by the help with the aftermath of the attack, claiming that Red-X was currently working for them. Red-X didn't really work for anyone, but if it kept him out of jail for a while—heck, why not?

"Looks okay…Feels okay…but it's not…" He sighed, referring to the city. It was terribly silent and there ere a heck of a lot of people leaving until this war ended, but the majority of the remaining people were silent out of fear. No one wanted to be taken over by some mastermind criminal who could never really be dead-dead by human means. Red-X had to admit, Slade was one hell of as creepy guy.

Somewhat bored, he stood and brushed himself off, turning his head toward the horizon as the sun began to set. Suddenly darkness fell over Gotham and it was once more a shadow of what the world would be if Slade ever got his hands on it.

Flora loved sunsets.

Red-X clenched his fists. Poor Flora…she was his partner and his friend, and maybe something more than that….Then Slade had to come along and kill her.

"I've got it!" She whispered loudly as she put the microchip in the pouch at her waist. "I've got it!"

For a new-bie, she sure did a good job. He took out the guards and most of the security systems, but she did fairly well as sneaking around and not getting noticed. It was her second try at a robbery and he could see her becoming quiet successful in the future. He was actually surprised when he found out she one day discovered his profession—and was absolutely shocked when she was interested in trying it to. Who could say no to Flora?

He dusted off his hands and stared at the two guards on the ground. Both were out cold, but they still had to hurry before the cops came. Zack could get out in enough time, but he knew Flora would find some difficulty slipping out without getting caught. They just had to—

"Zack…" She made a choking sound and he spun around in panic.

"Interesting…" Slade said, taking the knife from her stomach, staring down at the wide-eyed girl. "Someone actually beat me here."

Flora fell and Zack ran to catch her, sliding to a halt as Slade stepped in his way.

"Sorry kid—lights out."

And he didn't have a chance to dodge the fist that came for his face.

"I'm so sorry, Flora." He whispered aloud in the cool evening air. Slade should have stabbed him—Red-X should have been the dead body the police mentioned in the news. He should have been the one to get caught for the crime to die as a known thief. Flora had only just begun. She wasn't really a bad person…

"I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time?"

Teeth clenched, Red-X turned around and stared at the dark figure standing with him on the roof. He couldn't see much of anything besides his silhouette and that one hate-filled eye, but the orange could be seen with the help of what little light was left in the sky. Tall and ominous, Slade stood as his straight, hands behind his back, absolutely insane and homicidal self before the somewhat changed thief. He had to admit that he missed the thrill of breaking into things and being chased, but revenge took a toll on his spirit and he actually didn't mind doing good for once. It wasn't anything like his style, but when Slade stepped into the picture…

"You'll have to hurry without what you're going to do or say." Red-X said in his usual cocky voice, hiding the fury marvelously. "Because I have a curfew to meet."

"Let's do hurry…" Slade said, his voice drifting off as he loomed closer. Red-X could almost feel the hate built up inside Slade, radiating out to X and almost causing him to shiver. Slade was like a swollen storm cloud about to let all hell loose with lightning, thunder, rain, and who knew what else this guy could muster. It was so creepy, and, finally, X had to admit to himself that he was actually afraid of Slade.

He was terrified!

But he wouldn't show it…for Flora…

"I see you never learn your lessons." Slade sighed, shaking his head slowly as X took up his fighting stance. "I could have had the Joker shoot you when he shot that green transformer freak, and yet Robin saved you all. I don't think anyone deserves salvation but him…I think you all deserve to die."

"If you think he deserves salvation, why don't you just let him go?"

Slade's one eye narrowed and he dashed forward before Red-X could act. A fist dug deep into his stomach almost to the point where he could have sworn Slade touched his spine, and then he was flying back. Scrambling in mid-air, he barely had time to think as he gasped for air and fell over the side of the building. Somehow he caught hold of the edge with one hand and quickly grabbed it with his other to prop himself up onto the roof once more. The best he could do was sit and stare at Slade as he sat there, watching as the madman paced back and forth, that cold eye pinned on him as he thought.

"Why don't I let him go!" Slade repeated, quite outraged at the question. "You children are so stupid! But I can't really blame you…none of those goodie superheroes taught you anything worth learning. I am saving Robin—I'm giving him a new life, one in which all he has to do is agree with what I say and he can be free from the trivial problems you fight against from day to goddamn day! He will soon see that this is all for the best. He'll too see that you all need to die…"

"I think Satan's calling your number, Slade." Red-X grumbled before opening his right hand to show the x on his palm. "Better get back in line."

He shot a number of his x's which were all amazingly dodged by Slade. Somehow he could put a scratch on him and barely had time to stand before Slade lunged toward him. He scrambled away just before a kick came to his face. If Slade had succeeded he would have had either another fall off the roof or that and a broken neck.

Now that he thought about it, the broken neck would have killed him first. With Slade's strength you were lucky to survive a punch….Which made him wonder how Robin could deal with him. Then again, Slade did want Robin alive. It wouldn't make sense for the maniac to beat Robin like he was Red-X unless he had second thoughts about his plans.

Knowing Slade, the man didn't ever have second thoughts about any of his plans.

Red-X stood in the center of the roof, ducking, dodging, and jumping over as many hits as he could before beginning to tire. Then he actually had to take a few hard blows, ones that could have shattered his whole bone structure if Slade wanted. Then a few became many, and many became a lot, and a lot became all of them. It didn't take long for Slade to beat Red-X within an inch of his life.

The last hit was a gentle (gentle, by Slade's terms, really meant "kill-me-now") kick to the side. Broken ribs and a tone of dislocated joints—not to mention a couple of strained and sprained muscles—Red-X didn't try to stand any longer. He allowed the kick to send him soaring and suddenly falling, skidding to a painful halt before he reached the ledge. He groaned silently and tried to push himself up, but the effort was in vain. He couldn't even think straight any more.

"Robin will see…" Slade said, more to himself than to Red-X as he grabbed the thief by the cape near the neck and pulled him up. "He will see soon that I am right…"

-HW-

It wasn't like her to worry much when she was away from Slade, but with the dark Knight in such a state…she didn't know what to think. With Slade about to take over the world, she couldn't help but think about her family in Canada. Her thoughts kept drifting off to her two younger brothers, Kyle and Vincent, who were both twins. She suspected they had powers, but Vincent was far to shy to talk and Kyle was always dragging his younger twin off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what? She never had the chance to really get to know then and now they should be thirteen.

Sitting in one of the few chairs, she brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them as she watched Batman work none-stop at the table in the corner of the room. She rested her chin on her knees and sighed heavily at the sight. His face had always been serious, and it even was now. His voice sounded normal except for the fact that it was faint at times and almost sounded as though he was straining to speak. That was when she noticed him pause once or twice to put a hand to his forehead before he continued to work.

That was what really worried her. What was wrong with the serum Slade used on the Dark Knight—if, in fact, there was anything wrong with it in the first place? Maybe he was just tired, she didn't know.

That was why she never took her eyes off him.

"You look upset."

She tried not to frown, but she still hated Wintergreen. So far she had hidden that secret hate and could easily lie to him. Lying to Slade was another matter, but between Wintergreen and her cousin, she had no trouble at all with her temporary mask.

But something still bothered her. She had no idea how many people had been hurt—or worse—when she released Overload in the city. She was truly losing her mind right now and she didn't want that to happen. She didn't want to start killing.

She needed her medication.

"I'm fine." She finally answered, her eyes still locked on the Dark Knight. "I just feel a little…odd."

"Odd?" He inquired, working on one of his many guns at the table. She hadn't actually seen him use it, but ever since he returned with Starfire he had this small look in his eyes as though he would jump at the opportunity to fill the alien with lead if she tried anything funny. So Starfire sat all bound and gagged in the corner as usual, in a trance like stance thanks to one of Slade's many marvelous serums. Sheesh. If they ever got out of this, he would go down in the history books for his little serums and all that they could do.

"I'm just tired from using up so much energy." She muttered, shoulders sagging at the memory. She actually had been producing sparks an hour ago because of the power that wanted to escape like the large batch it took to release Overload. She still wasn't good at controlling her powers and she knew that one day she would die of electrocution.

"You need to practice more." He said plainly and put the gun down, looking bored. "If you trained more you wouldn't have that problem."

"Fine." She muttered again, allowing him to see her small frown. "I'd like to see you harvest a god's amount of energy and keep it stored up forever. Even if I don't hold it in for long I can't seem to control it. But if you see any lightning masters—by all means, give me their number. I don't exactly have someone to teach me how to control myself."

He muttered something she didn't catch, but she let it pass. He was old and he was going to die soon. Leave him be and then he would be out of the picture by natural causes. He was a pain, but that as understandable.

After all, his days were numbered.

Eyelids heavy, she finally closed them and sent a mental prayer to her family before drifting off into a much needed slumber of healing. She only hoped her mind wasn't haunted by nightmares.

Let my family and friends be safe. And help Robin…

-A-

I had to end this one with HW for certain purposes, so don't think I'm giving her the spotlight. I also needed to end this somehow without making the chapter short, to make the next chapters more interesting, so don't give up on this story just yet. I still haven't gotten any reviews from anyone besides KaliAnn—whom I thank graciously for her reviews, and I think that's about it…Yep. Sleep well people and work hard—and read my story soon. I went crazy last week because I couldn't update, and now no one's reading. So sad…

Goodnight,

Alexnandru Van Gordon

(P.S. Victor went home early, so he told me to say goodbye to guys…Goodbye!)