Two Sides of Law

Chapter Eight

Disappear

ROBIN

I watched Red X enter from the shadows, interrupting my kiss with Rae. I wanted to pound the living hell out of him. This guy had really good timing to piss you off. I jumped up and stood in a battle ready stance. This bastard was not getting away. I know what you're thinking. I'm still ticked at Rae for healing him. I'm not. It's just that I rarely got to have any alone time with her. Between having three other roommates that could walk in on you and crime fighting, we didn't have much time for one another. I mean, it's not like we can scratch eating off our list or anything.

"Relax, kid. I'm here on other business. But once I'm done, I have an opening to kick your ass…say…maybe next Friday at four?" X joked. His laughter slid through the air like a hot knife through soft butter. Raven readied her powers to attack on my command.

"What business, X?" I questioned, curious. I didn't realize I was letting him use my weakness.

"Slade." X replied seriously. He paused and turned to face Rae, whose hands were glowing black with power. "Hey, relax, babe. I'm not gonna-" Before Red X could finish his sentence, Rae had shot beams from her palms that hit him heavily in the stomach, sending him backward. She hovered over to where he sat, propped up by one elbow. She knelt down and picked him up by the collar. He seemed surprised, and choked at her grip.

"NEVER call me that if you ever wish to see the light of day again." Rae monotoned. She flung X to the ground where he rubbed his neck and gasped for air. I was nearly as surprised as Red X at Rae's actions. She never told someone not to call her anything. She would just make their life a living hell as subtly as she could. This was definitely not subtle.

Red X muttered something I couldn't hear from my position. This earned a glare from her, but she didn't attack him again. She crossed her arms, and I found them both looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

"So do you want to talk to him, or put his sorry ass in jail?" Rae spat. I cringed at the tone of her voice.

"Listen, Robin." Red X stood up. I was shocked that he had called me by my name (what most said my name was, anyway). I quickly regained composure and shut my hanging jaw. "I know where Slade is."

"Where?" I asked automatically.

"First, I need you to promise to help me take him down if I tell you his location." Red X replied.

"Why would I help you?"

"Do you want Slade locked up, or what?"

"Why do you?" I shot back. I could tell the guy was glaring at me, even through the mask.

"Get the rest of your little friends up here, and then I'll talk. I don't want to have to explain myself four times." Red X proposed his offer with crossed arms. He was trying to block me out, and it worked. I decided this was worth a shot. After all, if things got hairy, Rae could always teleport us home. I reached for my communicator, but then remembered I had left it in my room. It was another effort to keep distractions out of the way while I hung out with my girlfriend (wow, I love the sound of that).

"Rae, do you have your communicator?" I asked her, holding out a hand. She reached down to where the device was supposed to be clipped onto her belt, but looked up, shaking her head.

"I must've forgotten it in my room."

"Okay. One of us has to go get them, but I don't trust Red X." I told her, not removing my masked eyes from the other masked figure. "Will you be alright if I go?"

"I'll be fine, Robin." Rae reassured me.

"Isn't that cute." Red X commented. Raven gave him a rather rude gesture as I made my way for the doors. I set a fast pace down the many hallways and took the elevator to the first floor and made my way into the living room. I found Beast Boy playing a video game.

"Beast Boy, where are the others?" I asked, stepping between him and the screen.

"Dude!" The elf exclaimed, trying to peer around me.

"It's an emergency!" I said heatedly. His green eyes met mine as he asked what was going on. "Doesn't matter. Get to the roof. I'll get on the intercom to get the others." I ran over to the computer system. I was starting to get worried. What's wrong with you? I thought. You left Rae all alone with Red X! How stupid are you? What if something happens to her? I tried to push the thoughts out of my head as a green falcon flew down the hall.

"TITANS, GET TO THE ROOF, NOW!" I ordered. I turned and ran full tilt to the elevator. The doors closed and reopened two floors above. Starfire and Cyborg got on. They both had puzzled looks on their faces, but I didn't provide explanations.

C'mon. Can't this elevator go any faster? Relax, Dick. Rae's not a little kid. She can take care of herself. The doors opened again and I dashed out.

"Friend Robin, is this trip to the roof very urgent?" Starfire asked. I hated when that girl always asked the obvious.

"It's urgent, alrigh-" I was cut off by something I'll never forget. A scream. A piercing, scared scream. It would make your blood run cold. Raven's. "RAVEN!" I sprinted down the hall, pushing past Beast Boy, who had only now reached the top floor in the form of a falcon. I grabbed the knob on the door leading to the roof and wrenched it open. I heard the others running behind me, finally half-understanding what was going on.

I scanned the rooftop. Both Red X and Raven were nowhere to be found. I ran around the edges of the roof, thinking they might have fallen. No luck. I sunk to my knees, mentally slapping myself repeatedly. How could I be so incredibly stupid? I left Rae alone with a dangerous criminal! My Rae. My girlfriend. My teammate. What happened to her? Did Red X have her?

"Yo, Rob." Cyborg said from the center of the roof. I turned my head to see him standing with a half-shredded piece of flowing indigo cloth in his hand. I immediately recognized the cloth as Rae's cloak. I rushed over to where the others had gathered and examined it. It looked as though X had only grabbed for her and got a fistful of the fabric instead. The tears were not that of the X's in the suit.

"This was under it." Cyborg held up a piece of paper with writing across it. I snatched it from him without a word. I read it and reread it.

Chuckles,

Kid, I knew you weren't going to allow me to go free and let me help with Slade if I'd told you where he was. So I made a plan. Thanks for following it so well, by the way. I'll make you a deal, oh fearless leader. I have your dear girlfriend with me. I'll give her back to you, safe and sound once Slade is out of the way. If you don't cooperate, I won't mind that much. I'll end up in jail, Slade will be captured, and precious Rae-Rae will starve in peace wherever I happen to leave her.

Think this over, Blunder Wonder. I'll be in touch.

X

P.S. She didn't leave her communicator in her room. Let's just say I 'borrowed' it.

"Friend Robin, why does Red X have Friend Raven?" Star asked over my shoulder. I jumped slightly, realizing the rest of the team was reading the note over my shoulder. BB stood there, awestruck. Cyborg glared at me.

"What happened?" He demanded angrily.

"Red X offered help with Slade…one of us needed to get you guys, but neither of us had our communicators. Red X had swiped Rae's…She said she'd be okay, so I…I went to get you three…I never-" I began. Cyborg's single brow furrowed in anger. He lifted me up by the collar and pointed at me.

"You're an ass! You put work before your friends and now Raven's in danger! What the hell is wrong with you?" He yelled. I choked out a response.

"We need to- ack - find her…now! Please, put me- down!" Cyborg dropped me to the ground where I rubbed my neck in pain, just as Red X had done moments before.

"Why does everyone think you two are together?" BB asked, meaning the question to be rhetorical.

"Because we are." I said bitterly.

………………………………...

A/N: So how'd I do? Like the story so far? Do you think Red X really knows where Slade is? Thankies for reading! BYE!