A/N: Okay now that "Fine Line" is done I'm free to work on this full time! Let the tale commence! Thanks for the reviews by the way, love ya'll.
Chapter four, up for your viewing pleasure …
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"When I pretend
I can forget
about the criminal I am
Stealing second
after second
Just cause I know
I can
But I can't
pretend this is the way it'll stay I'm just –
Trying to bend
the truth."
- Linkin Park
"Lying From You"
Never Reveal Your Secrets
"Sure you can do this?" I sighed tiredly; at first when he said it I thought it was cute that he cared for me enough to ask, but ever since our way over to the top of this roof he's discreetly asked if I can do this. Well the cutesy of it all finally got to my nerves as I turned to him and glared a glare I knew with my powers would have set off a few alarms. Then we'd have to start all over again.
"X, knock it off I m capable of it all okay, just trust me," I huffed and ducked back down under the cover of the cement divider that kept people from falling to their doom. Or in our case from the guards above on the Museum roof across the street from seeing us. X shrugged and looked at his watch, as if it were contagious I looked at mines and saw that it was 10:55, in a few seconds it would change to 10:56 and I inwardly cursed X for taking so long back at Crimson Paradise.
Crimson Paradise was where he worked as a bar tender, for night shifts also the place 5 years ago where I met him on my 17th birthday party and started my upside down life. To say it was a shocked meeting was an understatement. He actually came to me, dared to cop a feel, without any disguise then expose him self to be Red X! It took me by surprise, but what took me off guard was when he wished me a happy birthday, gave me a "free" drink, and then told me the nightlife looked "good" on me.
Little did he know the affect that had me, not only because the desire had become do great to withstand, but because the next night I came back and asked how I could get in. Meaning how I could have a go at his little game of cat and mouse with the authorities of Jump. I remembered it like it had just happened yesterday, but the trips down memory lane had to be saved for another time.
For now there's an inside look to what made me go from solid to flimsy all in one shot – almost literally.
X nodded, "Okay, let's pull off the classics."
I could feel him smirk like the mad-hatter under that dumbass mask of his – or Robin's, whatever Robin wore it first, X just stole it and kept it. The only thing he stole and didn't sell off to the black-market I think, "Divert and snatch?"
"Yeah, I'll call all the guards to the north wing of the building while you do your thing with the Diamond."
I smirked and put Robin's mask on pressing the black edges to my face then pulling off the chakra – remember every detail counts, is X's teachings – from my forehead and stuffed it in my pocket. Pulling my long waist length hair into a chopstick bun stabbing it in the middle I took a deep breath and let go, "Alright then, try not get caught."
I teased as he chuckled and took his belt off and handed it to me, I gave him a hesitant look, "Take it, you know what to do."
"But you're the diversion," I shook my head not believing what he was saying, "you need it more than me."
"Yeah, but you're still a Titan," he argued softly and with the graceful movements of a sly cat he wrapped the belt around me and clipped it chuckling as it hung loosely to my side, "You get caught it's over for you."
He looked – well I hardly know considering he was wearing a mask, so he sounded genuinely concern and thoughtful, which I wasn't that much surprised about. Where every one made him out to be a self-centered jerk, with no other concern but himself being the thief that he is.
I'd argue for him, cause with the past 5 years I've been with him I'd have to say those accusations were all wrong. Yeah sure for a typical male like Robin he had an ego the size of California, X was the same, but they knew their bounds and like curious little boys pocked fun at it to see if it'll expand.
I grinned, mileage points for me baby, yeah! "Aw, my Xie's growing up, finally learned how to share his toys now has he."
"Don't push it," I knew he was scowling as I put a hand on the hip where the belt tilted downward to my thigh, god I'm so thin! And I'm not saying that to brag cause damn even my own jewel belt – that X tried numerous times to snatch from me and sell cause it was worth a lot! Well it didn't tilt down this much, I was afraid it fall off.
I snickered as I turned my back and teasingly swayed my hips as I walked off, if it was one thing to weaken the thief it be the mere sight of a teasing chick, drove him crazy. So I knew exactly how to get my way with him easy, also the way I won a lot of our bantering – I know I'm a dirty cheat, but ya do wha'cha gotta' do. "Oh don't pout X before I take this belt and myself far way where even Wonder Bread can't find us."
X laughed and I couldn't help a chuckle myself, "Ooo, why you gotta' hurt that way?"
"Because I can and
it's my nature," I turned my head and winked at him as I jumped
down the fire escape getting ready for X's diversion. Sneaking
along the wall I stopped at the corner where I got the perfect view
of the Museum from ground level.
Bringing a hand to the right
corner of Robin's mask where I knew he used to zoom in and out of
things, I locked on where the guards' guns and communicators were
then looked for the back up alarm button.
I found them all and pulled out of zoom then took out two Xs from the belt and classic Robin-style holding them in each hand I ran out of the alley.
My arms in a cross I had the element of surprise on my side as I reached the center of the road and with a swift swipe I tossed the Xs and watched them zip through the air in a brilliant buzz. The guards didn't have time to fire as the guns were sliced then with precision calculation I knew they'd dodge the rest of the attack and grinned, as their communicators at their shoulders were diced. Never making a single scratch on them. Then the back up alarm was cut when the right X was embedded into the wall.
They all backed up in shock and I slowly sauntered up the stairs with the pure intention of getting in that Museum, when they saw me I snickered as they ran to the side where X would cut them off. Walking up to the door I glanced at my watch and frowned when it read 10:57 have to act fast. Out from my pocket I pulled out my picks and began to pick the lock, biting hard on my lower lip I listened for the click that would open. When I heard it I carefully pushed the double doors open then switched Robin's mask to the inferred detectors and groaned, Honestly, why do they always make it hard for innocent thieves?
Forgetting the stupidity of the question I looked up to the security cameras and smirked as I pulled another Robin move. Taking three Xs in between each of my fingers I applied enough force to the throw that they zipped through the air with much ease and each made their mark, taking out the cameras. With that out of the way I jumped and did an aerial summersault then dropped in a one-hand stand. Appling the perfect weight and twist, I was spinning in the air again.
This time landing a perfect cartwheel then crouched on the ground right next to the podium where my prize was. I slowly stood up and flipped a special laser pen in my hand and grinned at the glass, Hook … line … and … I drilled the laser in a circle around the bullet proof glass that was strong enough to absorb the fired shots of a full on automatic assault rifle. Though, as the glass melted and gave way to me I caught it and put it aside then reached in and took the yellow gold diamond, … sinker, hello beautiful.
It truly was beautiful enough to bring tears to the eyes, but now wasn't the time to get poetic. Quickly putting the diamond into my pocket and putting my equipment back in their places. I skipped, hoped, and jumped my way out of the inferred and as I rolled out the Museum exit/entrance I took the mirror and saluted a teasing good-bye to the broken cameras then dashed down the stairs. Stopping with a jerk when I saw X standing at the bottom with his arms crossed and tapping his foot in a classic impatient look.
I looked back at the Museum then at him, "How'd you get here so fast?"
"Stupid question," he snorted and we both dodged across the street to the alleyway, "I'm Red X, what took you so long?"
He pocked fun and I glared, "Oh shut up and do you know where to go from here?"
"The docks, pier 6," I rolled my eyes, why do the criminally unstable have to always chose such a number?
"Whatever, works for me, time?"
"We have 100 seconds to pull this off, and the belt only transports one person."
I unclipped the belt and tossed it to him, "I'll meet you there, don't wait up!"
With that I dashed around the corner ignoring his call and uncloaked the R-cycle, quickly mounting it I never took the time to relish the feeling of it's power as I tore out of the alley way and roared down the streets. 100 or so seconds, which would be a minute and a quarter … I can do it, truth was the docks were 5 minutes away if you were to take the main roads, which were the only way to go, but if you had the R-cycle and the knowledge of the many alleyways then you could literally get there in less then a minute.
How I knew, well duh! I've been doing this for 5 years! Of course I'd know!
I made a hard corner turn and controlled the bike's tilt as I straightened out and zoomed down in between the two buildings for a short while before I began to really hug the corners and nearly come close to running over a few stray cats and dog. The clock was ticking and I was sure I was coming close to the red zone of the time meter. I never bothered to look down at my watch as I zipped down the final alley way and felt the cycle in the front jump. Controlling it I took the hard turn to the main road and poured in the power, my fingers itching to just press the nitro, but knew that'd just be over kill.
Faster and faster, until I saw the coming entrance to pier 6 and I slowed down then brought the cycle into a skidding stop till I was parallel to the gates. I looked at my watch, 45 seconds to spare, not bad Rae, new record. Ha! I'd like to see Robin top that! Of course I was eating my own words cause I knew all to well that Boy Wonder could very well kill me in a race … or could he?
Hmm … now there's something to contemplate, but not now.
Turning off the cycle and once again cloaking it I walked up to the gates and with my laser pen melted the lock and stalked towards the rusty, banged up warehouse that sat on the edge of the water. To the left I saw were large – no larger then life sized shipping boats where empty containers stacked next to them. This I knew what they were for, cause they were opened and ready for use. Long enough to stuff two cars inside I felt the breeze of the cool summer wind in my face and my loose hair.
Loose hair? Oh, probably got blown out by my speeding, oh well.
After my observation of the area I walked up to the warehouse and peeked in, "You're right on time, Sis is it?"
I saw X turn around to see me and I could visibly see his rigid stance loosen to relax, I smirked and walked in with an air of confidence, but not as cocky as X no doubt strode in. Looking up ahead to the older male's voice that sat a top a stack of boxes with one knee brought to his chest resting his arm around it as the other dangled over the edge. His hands tinkering and carving the apple's skin with a very sharp flip blade, this already was a sign to me that this guy wasn't to be tampered with.
Just with the way he held the blade, and carved the apple I could see he knew exactly how to manipulate, twist, and possibly break a person into doing as he so pleased. His deep blue eyes locked with mines as he still peeled the apple, meant to intimidate I knew, but I stood still with my hands on my hips I nodded my head, "Yes, it is Sis."
"Short for something?" he asked curiously as he paused in his peeling and jerked his head around to move the cowlick of dirty blonde hair from his right eye that had a birthmark slash across from it in an interesting curve. Almost like a crescent moon.
I shook my head, "No, just Sis."
He nodded and with a jerk he jumped from the boxes to the ground and grinned at us, "Well either way you and Red X have impressed me, both of you were the only one's that actually got here on time … but do you have what I have requested?"
I raised a brow and couldn't help to pock fun at this, "Requested? That is not the impression you left when you told us to do this all under an hour."
Reaching into my pocket I took out the yellow gold diamond and waved it tauntingly in his face, movement to my right. I looked and saw a short Asian man about taller than me, but shorter then X with spiky short cut ebony black hair and his left ear with two silver piercing. His slight slanted eyes held a serious look to it as he reached out to take the diamond from me. I pulled it away and held a finger to stop him from advancing, "Now you wait up there Jet-Li, you'll get the diamond just as long as we have an agreement."
He glared at him then looked to the cute dirty blonde dark blue-eyed leader of his for orders and he waved his hand to excuse him. X on my side shook his head and I knew he was either thinking I was looking for a death wish or trying not to laugh, cause I knew I was. My grin was so wide it was impossible not to miss as the Asian man scowled at me and I was awfully tempted to show my tongue in victory, but held back my childish actions and turned back to smile at the surprisingly chuckling blonde.
Well, at least he's not gonna' kill us … I think, "You think you're so funny don't you Sis?"
I shrugged, "My sense of humor is questionable to most, but if you're not so easily offended then you'll handle right?"
"Indeed," he chuckled and shook his head, as he stepped out of the shadows, not that it mattered I could already see he was quite the looker. Cute with a laid-back walk like X, yet with a more demandable air I was careful to show this was still business, though I couldn't help to notice something familiar in his walk.
I couldn't explain it, but there was a trace of something I've seen before, but where? Even the way he talked and stretched his words like a slithering serpent or a purring cat was familiar. Not a very comfortable familiarity mind you, "You have my list right?"
I nodded, "Yes."
"And you both are willing to push your skills to the max?"
He sounded challenging and taunting, heh, for a big shot he was sure playful. Without my powers I could read his teasing nature easy. I smirked and shot a look to X, "What you say X? We up for it?"
X snickered and nodded coolly, "Let's get it started."
I looked to Benu and shrugged with a smooth smile, "Well then there you have it. The list is ours, the delivery spot is set the only thing we need is the due date and the only thing you need is this diamond to ceil the deal right?"
He held out his hand and chuckled a bit more, was it just I or was this guy too happy? "Right, now you'll have a perfect week to get my delivery in. Understood?"
I glanced at X the tone just turned serious, a week? Well that was pushing it, but X just nodded in confidence and I went with it as I looked back to Benu and reached up my hand and dropped the diamond in his hands, "Deal sealed."
He grinned and I wasn't liking it, suddenly my outlook on this guy turned to one of caution as he turned and waved us out, "This will be entertaining to watch, hope to see you succeed, you can both leave and remember you have a week."
X and I wasted no time in walking out as I threw the Asian character a deadpanned look that he matched with an even glare. Outside we jogged to the gate and once there X stopped me from getting on the bike, grabbing my elbow and pulling me up to look at him I knew what he was going to ask before he even said anything, "Just what the hell were you doing in their?"
Snatching my arm back I mounted the bike and glared at him, "I was showing we could very well handle ourselves, besides you would have done the same."
"That's not the point here Sis," he hissed, turning off the distorter so I could hear his true voice, "you could have seriously screwed this up."
At this I scowled and snorted, "Look we got the job, let's go with it, I'll catch you early tomorrow at Twister's so we can get through this easy okay?"
"Twister's? How you gonna' pull that off when you have your day job," he argued and I sighed.
"Just trust me X, get ready for my incoming okay? I'll be there tomorrow. Sis out." with that I turned the cycle on, backed it up and revved the engine then disappeared from his view as I took off popping the front wheel up, and dropping it to pick up speed. I honestly didn't mean to sound so untrusting back there, but I had to get back to the tower to look over the list and calculate how to complete this all in a week. X had a copy so I'm gonna' pray he looks over it as well.
I slowed my speed a bit to think about everything that's happened tonight and I came to the conclusion that X was right, I couldn't exactly come early to Twister's Garage. By then the report of the robbery in the Museum would have reached the Titans to come and look over the crime scene. With Robin being the obsessed guy he was we'd most likely be there for the whole morning to pick up any clues. When the only thing he'd find is the X blade in the Museum entrance.
Then he'd be looking for X and I hated to leave that burden to have Robin on his case, which brought me to another conclusion, I needed to get myself my own tools. Though I'd have to work on it later cause right now I had to worry about Benu Phoenix and his reason for having us steal the Diamond Key, what was it's purpose other then a test to see if we were worthy to work for him? Then to add to his mystery why did I find him so familiar?
I never saw the guy in my entire life his walk, his talk, his air, the way he looked at me. Everything screamed for me to know him, but then I screamed at myself that it was impossible for me to know a complete stranger! It was complicated, and this was where I wished I had my power back, it made this life all the more easier.
Yet, I shrugged inwardly and slowed as I neared the tower. Pulling into the garage I slowly and silently made my way towards the main room to see if I could use the main computer, but even before I got there I could hear unfamiliar snoring. Someone else was in the tower? But wh – oh yeah stupid the Steel Titans are there.
Looks like I'll have to hack into the system through my room, unzipping my jacket to expose my skintight dark blue tang-top I stretched and walked down the hall towards my room. Taking off my shoes and holding them so to eliminate any more noise, I yawned and quietly snuck to my room.
When I got there I grabbed my towel and stripped myself from my pants and jacket and in nothing but a blue tang top I grabbed extra clothes. I looked at the clock and noticed it was already 11:09 then changed to 11:10. I shrugged; a late night shower couldn't hurt anybody. With that thought I walked out wrapping the towel around my body towards the bathroom.
Though on my way to said bathroom the door to my right suddenly slid open to reveal an amused Jinx leaning against the doorframe with a catty grin, "Well, well, well if it ain't the little Mockingbird, back so soon?"
I glared, "What's it to you?"
She shrugged, "Nothin' much Robin-wanna-be, just wanna know what went down, did you succeed?"
"That is completely and strictly confidential," I glowered and she giggled as she walked up to me and reached a hand to the side of my head then ripped off the mask.
"And this is called honor among thieves," she chuckled and gave me the mask then walked back into her room, "lookin' forward to hearin' the tale."
The door slid shut and she left me thinking about that little statement, Honor eh? I wonder Jinx … I wonder …with that I continued to the bathroom intent on introducing a new plan to X.