Two Sides of Law

Chapter Six

Goddess and Lesser

RED X

Okay, it's official. I'm nuts. Totally and completely nuts. Why'd I act like that? Why did I try to help that witch and be 'nice' to the Titans? I didn't have to be. Not like I needed help catching Slade. Hell, if I took him in to the cops and they ended up arresting me, too, I didn't care. I'd give anything to get that bastard to jail after what he did to my poor mother…

Flashback (continued from chapter three)

"Slade, you'll regret it." Danni warned.

"Grow up." Slade said.

The boy sat there, quietly, not knowing the consequences of what he'd just done.

Four hours later…

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Slade sat on the couch with another bottle of opened wine. This was at least his fourth bottle. Danni sat there trying to persuade him to stop while the boy sat in his pajamas on the floor playing a handheld game.

"Slade, please stop. Collin doesn't need to see this…"

"Shut up. I don't need to listen to you." Slade hissed. "You're a bitch. You never let me do anything because of the kids. It's always Collin this and Jericho that. I hate kids." He took a swig from the bottle as Collin looked up. He was acting completely normal. This wasn't anything new. Slade used to drink worse than this. "And, you know what else, Danni?"

Danni said nothing. She sat in silence, crying, until Slade continued. "You're horrible in bed." Danni looked up to see her son's shocked expression.

"Collin, I'm sorry…" she muttered.

"Aw, shut up. Let the boy listen. You learn things by listening. Come here, boy."

"No." Collin said. "I don't want to be anywhere near you. You're a drunken jerk and you're disgusting. I don't have to put up with my mother's mistakes."

"Come here." Slade insisted. Collin shook his head. "Damn it, kid. Grow up."

Collin barely saw what happened next. Slade picked up the corkscrew he'd been using for the wine and was advancing on him. His mother gripped his hand in at effort to stop him. With a scream, Slade drove the corkscrew into Danni's neck. Slade stopped and dropped it. He mumbled something about "bitchy kid-lovers". Collin, realizing what he'd done, tackled Slade and started pummeling him with punches.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU FUCKING HURT MY MOM!" He screamed. Slade threw the boy off and stood up.

"She deserved it, kid." He grabbed his coat and slipped on his shoes to leave. Collin sat over his mother, crying. She tried to speak, but the corkscrew stopped her. By the time the boy called the paramedics and they arrived, his mother was dead.

I felt hot tears in my eyes from the memory, but I didn't let them come. I didn't cry. I wasn't a helpless little kid anymore. I was eighteen, and more than capable in controlling the way I felt.

But the woman was important to me. I tried to remember the last thing I'd said to her. I couldn't remember what exactly it was, but it was something hateful. I'd been really moody that night because she and Slade had broken the news to me at dinner that they'd be getting married. I wished I could take it back. I'd never see her again. She wouldn't be there at my wedding (if I even had a wedding) or to see her grandchildren (once again, if ) . She was gone and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

My eyes burned more and a lump grew in my throat. I didn't want to cry.

So, I returned my thoughts to the question I'd asked myself: Why was I so nice to them? Rae could have died, that's why. Twice. That kick from Slade would've caused extreme internal bleeding and broken ribs. She could've died when she used all of her power to heal me, according to Boy Blunder. Why did she even heal me? If she hadn't, I would have been sitting in jail at this very minute. But she slipped up. Well, I thought now we're even.

I walked through my apartment, thinking. I had a small apartment with an eat-in kitchen, a living room, a bathroom/laundry room, and a bathroom. It was on the edge of Jump City and a neighboring city.

I couldn't help but think of how stunning that purple-eyed goddess was. She was gorgeous-in a dark way. Her skin shone like the moon in the sky and she had curves that could kill. I wondered if she used contacts to make her eyes that color or if they were a side-effect of her powers. What the hell is wrong with you, Sanders? I mentally slapped myself. She's the enemy. Even if she liked you back, it could never work, and you know it. I paused in my head, thinking about what I'd just admitted to myself. No. You don't like her. You can't.

I took off the Red X suit and hung it in the closet. I was asleep before I hit the pillow. I was far away in dream land that night with my goddess, Rae.

………………………………...

I woke up to the sound of chirping birds. I sat up, wishing they'd find another person to mock. I threw the covers aside and made my way to the kitchen with a growling stomach.

As I got into the small room, the phone rang.

"Sanders. 'Sup?" I answered groggily.

"Hi, Collin." A girl's voice came through cheerfully on the other end. It was Caitlin, my girlfriend. Well, she seems to be. We never really made it official, but we'd kissed and gone on outings alone together that could constitute as dates. I liked the girl, but she wasn't really my type. I romanced her anyway. Any love, even if it's fake, means a lot to me right now.

"Hey, babe." I replied coolly. She giggled.

"So, I called to tell you Zack said to get your ass over here." she told me.

"Crap! I slept late again!" I ran into my bedroom and dug out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Zack was my boss. I was an actor in plays at the theater on the other side of the city.

"Yeah, but you've got a little bit. He's running through tryouts for the leads last." She replied.

"Okay, thanks a ton, Kate. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Collin." She said. I hung up and got dressed in record time. I grabbed my car keys and made a mad dash for my car. If I hurried, I'd have time to grab a doughnut from the place next to the theater.

My car's a wreck, as far as I'm concerned. I've got tons of scripts lying in the back seat. Some of them are dated two years back. I have crumbs galore all over the place since I eat and run so much. The heat is broken and the radio only comes in on FM. It's a slightly dented blue ford, and it's in pretty sorry shape. But until Slade was locked away, I'd have to deal with it.

As I turned onto the street, I called Caitlin back.

"You've got ten minutes." She told me automatically. I'd been late a lot while working there for the past two years, and Katie and I had my late morning routine down pat since she arrived almost a year ago.

When I finally got up to the stage and wolfed down my doughnut that would've made Cyber-boy look slow, I found Caitlin peering around the curtains, watching auditions. I caught her from behind and kissed her tenderly on the neck. She nearly squealed, but realized who I was. She turned around and pushed me against the wall.

"Took you long enough." she joked. She brushed a strand of shiny brown hair behind her ear. She had on a teal polo and pleated denim skirt that gave her the look of a school girl.

"Yeah, well, this weirdo chick called me to tell me to get myself over here fast, and I got distracted by how sexy her voice sounded." I told her. She stood on tiptoe and kissed me, wrapping her hands around my neck. I had to admit, this girl was ambitious. We were suddenly interrupted by a fake cough a few yards away.

I turned to see Chris, another guy who works there standing there with papers in his hands.

"Kate, you're up." he said shyly.

"Oh. Alright. Thanks." She said, taking the papers and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "See you later."

"Knock 'em dead." I told her. She waved and exited onto the stage.

I felt a slight empty feeling inside. What was going on? Why didn't that kiss take my breath away and make my heart flutter? Oh, leave it alone. I thought. You don't like her that way and you know it.

………………………………...

A/N: So, how's this chapter? I think it was sorta boring, but I don't want to turn this into a total action plot. Plus, I want to get a little of my version of Red X's life in there, too. Oh, and in case you didn't catch it, X is Collin Sanders. Okay, I gotta go! Bye, readers!