Hey everybody sorry for the long wait I have been very busy recently and I haven't had the chance to work on my stories. I did get some interesting reviews recently that have gotten me thinking about this story. Theses people have brought things to my attention that I need to address. So that is why I have decided to go back completely over haul this story into a brand new story. I believe that I have little more experience and confidence in my writing now that I can rework this story as it should have been not what I wanted to be. This includes edited content to the major degree along with grammar editing (I hope I'm good enough for that last bit).
I will still work on this story as much as I can so don't start crying now.
I'll let you know when the first chapter is ready.
My story mused has drifted off to other story idea's as well. Mostly Star Wars KOTOR, Clone Wars, and the original series. I plan on either stringing a Saga together or just writing all in different stories. I haven't decided yet if you guys have a preference let me know please.
Thief
It was late at night when the Teen Titans received the early warning.
Someone had broken into a Star Lab's warehouse, but for what no one knows. But the Titans went to find out why and to stop the thief or thieves. They didn't even bother to change out of their wet and smelly clothes after their ride in Beast Boy's mouth while he was in his whale form.
The Titans had just come back from defeating Brother Blood and his sonic resonator that he built using Cyborg's personal blueprints. Cyborg was upset at the thought, and that's putting it mildly, that somebody was using his personal blueprints for something so devious.
The Titans quickly put a plan together and set it in motion.
All was going well despite fighting a cyborg-squid, Brother Blood's top fighter, and for Blood's hidden traps. Despite all of this Brother Blood's plan was stopped and his hidden base destroyed, again. Before he escaped the collapsing base Blood promised that Cyborg he will pay for destroying two of his schools.
Back at the tower Bumble Bee, who showed her true colors as a heroine, told the Titans that she and Aqualad would continue to hunt down Brother Blood. They had invited Cyborg along since this was his villain, but the hero declined saying that his team needed him.
When the Titans arrived at their destination they quickly followed the trail of deactivated security traps. At times they managed to catch the shadow of the thief before he, she, or it vanished past another checkpoint.
Eventually the Titans came across a defect elevator, which Raven used her magic on the cables to lift them up. After passing through a doorway full of red tip laser, Beast Boy nearly tripping the alarm, the heroes met the thief.
Five of the six Titans became shocked as they identify the individual in front of them.
It was a man dressed in a full black body suit, with a white skull shaped design on the mask. He had a cape on his back looked like it was torn at the edge, with the inside being a metallic gray. The gloves and utility belt were grey as well. There was a red 'X' on his chest and in the middle of the skull's forehead.
"Red X?" Beast Boy said in surprise looking at Robin before looking at Red X, "I thought Robin was Red X."
"Think again shrimp," Red X said in a mechanical voice that was distorted by the mask. The thief then raised his hands and fired a pair of X's at them from the palms of his hands.
"Titans, go!" Robin yelled mobilizing the Titans.
The witch stood her ground and erected a dome of energy to block the red X shurikens that came her way which promptly exploded. When she dropped the dome Raven found that Red X was coming straight at her and quickly put up a shield to block his flying kick.
Only for Red X to teleported behind Raven and swept her feet causing her to hit the ground. The villain made another shuriken in his hands and prepared to strike a finishing blow, but he hesitated.
That hesitation was all Starfire needed to shoot the star out of his hands. The thief jumped out of the way of the rest of the barrage that the alien fired at him. Red X dodged the starbolts with heighten agility that would make most gymnastics green with jealousy.
He then jumped on the wall and fell towards Starfire. The orange skin alien let out an "EEP!" as the thief landed on her butt and used it as a spring board.
With a growl a red face Starfire flew towards Red X firing at the beams that he was using to escape only for her to barely miss each time. Eventually the thief turned around and blasted his own red energy which bounced off the two pillars making an X just as Starfire flew through them zapping her out of the air.
A green pterodactyl came up from behind Red X before he morphed into an orangutan and took a swing at him, roaring. The black suited man simply placed a solidified X in his mouth. He then lazily blasted an X at Terra, who was sneaking up on him, that bounded her arms and legs together causing her to fall. Beast Boy turned into a hippopotamus to get the X out of his mouth which caused him to lose his balance and fall from the beam.
"This is too easy," Red X said as he dropped to the ground.
Cyborg took his chance against Red X as he charged at him. Red X just fired another X which bounced off the metal teen. The X then stretched and attached itself to four crates with the sticky ends and, just like a rubber band, snapped back crushing the hero.
The Titans reassembled and surrounded Red X.
Red X let out a chuckle, "Come on kids, X marks the spot," he taunted, pointing to the 'X' on his chest.
This irritated the Titans, "Come on children, show me what you really got," the thief continued.
"You got it you punk," Cyborg growled as he shot his sonic cannon, but Red X jumped in the air and dodge the blast. He then twisted his body to avoid the starbolts while using the black covered boxes to block the chunks of earth.
When Red X landed it was in front of Beast Boy who had turned into a yeti. The beast brought his fist down to crush the thief, but once again the black suited man teleported. The changeling turned to his friends and shrugged his shoulders before Terra gave him an ear full on trying to crush people. It looked comical; a small thin girl scolding a monster twice her size, and actually making the beast look down in shame.
Red X reappeared on a stack of wooden boxes, and was quickly tackled by Robin. Both of them rolled away on the floor and quickly got to their feet, the latter pulling out a bird-a-rang and throwing it at his opponent, who vanished before being hit. The projectile flew around and came back into the Boy Wonder's hand, but he felt the air shift behind him. His training kicked and he moved to the side, allowing for Red X's fist to miss his head.
Just barely.
Red X swung at him again, but Robin ducked, flipped upside down, grabbed the arm with his feet and catapulted the thief away. The thief landed on his feet and Robin couldn't help but admire the villain's agility.
Robin chided himself there is no time to admire his opponents foot work, and he quickly attacked again.
Red X dodge Robin's right hook and caught the next punch. He then grabbed a fist full of the Titan's leader uniform and tossed him against the crates. Red X lunged himself at the Boy Wonder and brought his left foot down aiming to brake the Titan's collar bone and taking him out of the fight.
Fortunately Robin was able to move to the side but he wasn't able to dodge when Red X twisted his left leg to swing his right leg and landed a strong kick to Robin's side.
Flying through the air a shocked Robin was amazed at the sheer power of the speed and power of the kick. 'If I didn't have my armour on that would have shattered a couple of ribs,' Robin thought as he crashed against the wall. "Who are you?" he demanded through gritted teeth as he tried to get up.
"If I wanted you to know that, would I be wearing a mask?" was the snarky reply.
Robin was grabbed by his uniform and was head butted before Red X tossed him like a doll into a pile of wooden boxes that revealed the rest of the Titans.
The Titans looked shocked at Red X. Surely even if they couldn't bring the thief down at least Robin would have been able to beat him in hand-to-hand. They looked up at Red X who stood straight with an arm at out in front of him.
His hand made a 'come hither' motion as he said, "Next."
With a growl Cyborg charged forward with a primed sonic cannon aimed right at Red X. Raven followed behind him as back up.
The mage felt something off with the thief. The way he fought the others comparison to Robin was vastly different. With the Titans it was refined and was only aimed at taking them out of the fight, but with Robin it looked like Red X wanted really hurt him. It would appear that the thief knew Robin, and had a deep grudge against him. Raven came to the conclusion that Red X was possibly someone from Robin's past when he was at Gotham.
The witch put the thought to the side for now as she ready to blast the thief with a telekinetic blast along with Cy's sonic blast.
Red X just flipped his hand around and shot an X at them. When the X was in between tendrils of red electricity shot out and brought the duo's powers together and turned their powers against themselves. "Looks like you got your wires crossed," he commented with a chuckle.
With a battle roar Starfire launched herself at the thief. While she threw a barraged of starbolts at who Red X simply flipped around to dodge them.
During mid flip the thief fired at Starfire pinning her to the wall.
The orange-skin alien tried to break free of her bonds, but was interrupted when a gloved and snaked up her jaw bone. She looked up and stared at the skull mask of Red X. "You know, babe," Red X said in a low voice, and even though his voice was distorted it still very seductive. "The only crime here is that you and I haven't gone out on a-" Starfire interrupted when she fired a pair of eyebeams that struck X full center.
The alien hoped that no one could see the blush on her face.
Red X stood up with his chest smoking and looks at Star. "Feisty, I like that in my women," he said before he flicked his eyes over to Terra and Beast Boy was charging the thief. The green titan morphed into a polar bear just as the villain struck the ground creating an X shaped fissure and flicked his other hand and blasted Terra with another sticky X causing the two titans to fall through. "Watch your step."
X then walked over to Robin's prone form. Using his foot he pushed Boy Wonder over to reveal the thief's target. A gun shape object whose purpose was unknown at the moment to the thief, but this is what his employer wanted, and what he wanted he got. Red X picked up the device and examined the white gun when Robin stirred.
Taking this as his signal to leave the thief ran having got what he came for. Robin got up and began chasing Red X.
"I won't let you get away with-" Robin began, but Red X just fired another X at his feet which bounded them together causing him to trip and fall over.
Red X turned around came face to face with Raven.
The mage ready her magic. "And I thought red was a bomb shell," the thief said pointing at Starfire while checking Raven out, "but damn girl your nuclear."
The mage paused to blush, but quickly shook her head, and that was all the Red X needed to pin her with a X.
As she was fighting to free herself Raven began scolding herself.
'What's with me? Blushing like a schoolgirl with a crush?' she thought venomously.
'Well Sean isn't around anymore and Red X is a stud look at them muscles,' Lust spoke up as she eye-ball the thief.
'I don't care about how sexy that bad boy is our heart belongs to Sean!' Love shouted.
'Who is not around right now,' Lust pointed out
'Thanks to Robin,' Rage said venomously.
'We should look for him. It's been a whole month since he left,' Love said and Raven felt her chest tighten as guilt and heart ache pressed her from all sides.
"Better luck next time, kid," Red X said as he flurried the gun like object he held to his belt. "And thanks for the suit," he said as he pressed the X on his belt, but did not teleport away like he intended to.
"Come on, come on!", the thief grumbled as he pressed the button again only to get the sparks as a results. "Great!" he said
Robin had used this time to free his feet and began chasing Red X
Red X ran and jumped to the roof via the glass roof. Turning around he saw that Robin was close. With a growl Red X slammed a fist into the belt's button causing it to spark and hum as the teleportation device began to come to life. Red X then jumped up at the same time Robin dived at him.
"Catch you later chuckles." He gave a small salute and was gone.
Robin stared at the place were Red X had disappeared and began brood his past mistake. He was soon joined by his friends who surrounded him.
The resident alien powerhouse narrowed her eyes and examined Robin by giving him a sharp poke. She wasn't satisfied with her original findings so Starfire continued to poke Boy Wonder.
"Hey, Star, ow!" Robin said as Starfire's poking increased intensity and quickly bruised his shoulder. Robin grabbed her hand to stop the poking. "That hurts," he said through gritted teeth.
"Then… you are not a hologram?" Starfire inquired.
"No," he said, letting go of her hand.
Starfire wasn't entirely convinced and continue to poke the Boy Wonder. "The last time we faced the Red X, he was you in disguise. And you were not really there."
Robin yelled out, "Starfire! Cut it out!"
"He is not a hologram," she declared after checking Robin's fleshiness.
Beast Boy spoke up, "He could still be a robot," he then looked over to Cyborg, "Check him for batteries."
Cyborg simply nodded and pulled out a sanitary glove so that he could check Robin for batteries or any other proof of robotics.
Said team leader feared for himself and held up his hands in surrender, "Wait! Please! It wasn't me, I promise! It wasn't me." Robin turned around and began his trip back to the Tower. "Red X was a mistake."
"A mistake I will never make again."
Red X stood on top of the tallest towers in Jump City. This building was a sister both in design and height with the Space Needle in Seattle. The thief held up the device that he had stolen from the warehouse trying to decipher what it was used for and why his boss would want it.
Suddenly the suit's communicator chirped causing the thief to growl in anger. He pressed two fingers to the side of his head to activate the suit's communicator.
"What," the thief sneered at the person on the other side of the line.
"I would watch your tone if I were you," the menacing distorted voice said.
Red X growled before he responded with less venom, "Yes sir."
"Better," the voice said, "Do you have the device?"
X held up the object in question, "You wouldn't be calling me if I didn't," he answered before asking, "What does this thing do?"
The voice paused in thought then replied, "It's a scanner for a particular element called Xenothium."
Red X's eyes widen. "Why do you need that?!" he exclaimed, "It's too unstable to be a power source. The risk is too great to even think about using!"
The voice chuckled as he answered, "You let me worried about that." The thief looked at the device in his hands and seriously contemplated on destroying it. "Head towards the south end of town there is a tech company by the name of GoTo Industries. I want you to break in and steal some of their Xenothium."
X's face morphed into a snarl. "If you knew about their supply then why did you send me after this!" he demanded as he clutched the scanner. The voice chuckled in response.
"Simple, to test you," it said, "And I must say you fight with the Titans was phenomenal if I do say so myself. Now you have your next objective, and I suggest that you get to it."
With that the call ended.
Red X looked at the scanner before dropping it on the ground and brought his foot down and crushed it into pieces. Checking to make sure that the device was destroyed the thief teleported away as the broken scanner slid off the roof and fell to the ground destroying it further.
The first thing Robin did when the Titans returned to the Tower was to check the vault that he had kept the Red X suit. When he arrived he found that the door was ripped off and the suit was missing. This caused the Boy Wonder to be curious and fearful.
His curiosity was raised because somebody managed to not only break the security he had in placed but the Tower's as well.
His fear was raised because of the strength it would have taken to rip the door like it was.
And who ever did it did so without alerting the Titans.
Robin would ask how this person did so when they caught him. With that in mind he turned around and made his way towards the Ops Room.
When he opened the door to the room he heard his teammates discussing the possible suspects of who could have taken the suit.
"Let's face it," Raven spoke up as he walked in. "Red X could be anyone. Anyone smart enough to steal the suit and dumb enough to take it for a joy ride."
"And when Robin returns, he will help us to discover who," Starfire said.
Robin walked past them to the console. "It doesn't matter. I created Red X, every system, every weapon. Whoever's inside that suit, he's my responsibility," he said as the weight of the responsibility and guilt rested itself on his shoulders
"Well if we're gonna catch him, we at least need to figure out what he's after," Cyborg pointed out.
"I already know." Robin typed a few keys on the console and the screen changed from showing images of Red X to a molecular structure of a certain substance. "Xenothium, the fuel that powers the suit," Robin said which caused Starfire and Raven gasped in surprise while Terra cocked her head to the side.
"Aww man!" Beast Boy moaned as he stomped away from everyone. "I never understand anything."
"XENOTHIUM!" Cyborg exploded at their leader. "YOU POWERED THAT SUIT WITH XENOTHIUM! Are you crazy man, that stuff is dangerous, and unstable! Tell me you were not stupid enough to go messing with it!"
Robin sighed has he told himself the very same thing numerous times after the Red X incident. "It was a mistake."
"It's not the only one," Terra said crossing her arms, "Certainly not the biggest."
Beast Boy snapped his head towards the blonde, "Terra!" he exclaimed.
"Look Beast Boy I'm just saying what were all thinking," the geo-kinetic said glaring at the Boy Wonder who had lowered his head down. "It's been a whole month since Blitz left and what have we done about that!? NOT A GODDAMN THING!"
"Terra…." Beast Boy said placing a hand on her shoulder.
"NO!" she shouted as she shrugged off the hand, "Beast Boy he's our comrade, our friend we should be out there looking for him!"
Cyborg stepped up, "We can't," he said crossing his arms, "his locator had been disabled in his communicator, we don't even know where to start looking."
Terra let out a frustrated groan, "His bike was destroyed outside of the city we should have started searching then and there, but we didn't do SHIT!"
The Titans bowed their head in shame as they had let Blitz down when he needed him the most. Terra turned her head towards the mage.
"I'm surprised that you haven't done anything Raven."
Raven chose that moment to teleport to her room.
"Geezs Terra a little harsh don't you think?" Beast Boy muttered before Terra snapped her gaze at him.
"The point needed to be made," she muttered with a sad smile, "and it seems I owe Blitz a huge debt." The earth-bender moved to the couch and slumped into it. "If it wasn't him I would have joined Slade and done terrible things to you…."
"Terra is right," Robin said walking towards the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder, "It was my fault that Blitz ran away. I let my hatred of Slade blind me." The Boy Wonder turned around and walked towards the main computer.
"I promise once we capture Red X we'll find Blitzkrieg and bring him home."
Starfire floated over to the leader of the team and hugged him from behind muttering his name.
"Well then let's get started," Cyborg said stepping up.
"The scanner Red X stole will locate any Xenothium within a ten mile radius." Robin said as we pulled from Star's embrace and clicked on a few keys to bring up the scanner that Red X took from the warehouse.
"So we must locate it first," Starfire said.
"X isn't the only one with a scanner." Cyborg pulled open a compartment on his chest and took out a cable which he plugged into an outlet next to one of the consoles. "I'm downloading the molecular signature and transferring to your communicators."
"Thanks," Robin said as he walked back towards the door. "But I won't need it."
"How're you gonna find the Xenothium without a scanner?" the metal teen asked.
"The same way I found it the first time."
Rachel was lying down on Sean's bed trying to bring the warmth that she felt when she was around the Titan, but like many times before the bed was cold as ice. Instead the mage concentrated on the picture that she levitated in front of her.
It picture was incomplete lacking both color and definition but she could tell what it was.
The drawing was of her, or at least how Sean saw her.
An angel was holding a wounded fox which was looking at her in awe.
'Yea some angle of salvation I turned out to be,' Rachel scoffed bitterly as she let the picture flutter to the bed. The mage than sat up and looked at a wall that was decorated with a few pieces of art, particular a group of pictures that dictated each of the Titans in bright and heroic form much like the one that rested on the bed. In the center of the group of pictures was another one which connected the others. In this one the Titans sat around the roof of Titans Tower, they were gathered around together and looked like a family.
They were a dysfunctional family that fights crime on a daily basis, but a happy and together family none the less.
Rachel went to the photograph and traced the picture version of Blitz who had his arms slung around her and Cyborg. She had her usual deadpan look while the boys had big grins plastered on their faces.
"Some family we turned out to be," Rachel said as she rested her head on the picture. "I'm so sorry Sean I should be doing more….." she murmured as her eyes began to burn and watered.
"Raven come on we heading out now," Terra's voice came from behind the door.
Raven pulled herself together as she straightened up and made her way to the room's door. Phasing through the wall the mage casted a glance towards her comrade, who was looking at her as well while leaning against the wall, before floating down the hall. "Robin said we're going to look for Blitz after we catch Red X," Terra said before pushing herself off the wall and began walking down the hallway, "I thought you want know before you head out to the east sector."
Raven paused for a bit before she sunk into the ground, "Thanks," she uttered before disappearing.
"She is so wired," Terra smirked before taken off to search for the thief.
After meeting with Professor Chang in the abandon observatory Robin made his way to GoTo Industries. On the way there he contacted the other Titans to let them know what he had found. When he arrived he stood over the edge and waited for the others to arrive.
Beast Boy was the first to arrive in his eagle form. He morph back to his human form and flicked a green feather away. "So, you're pretty much kicking yourself for not getting rid of that Red X suit when you had the chance, huh?" the changeling said causing Robin to slouch. "Uhh, forget I said anything."
"I couldn't destroy it," Robin said straightening up, "The Xenothium power core is too dangerous to dispose of. It was supposed to stay locked away."
Raven then rose from the floor of the roof, "No sign of Red X," she reported.
"Nor of Cyborg," Starfire said worriedly as she landed on the roof next to the group.
"I didn't find anything as well," Terra said as jumped off the stone she used to fly. The stone broke in millions of tiny pieces before flowing into the geo-kinetic belt pouches.
The Boy Wonder pulled out his communicator and tried to contact Cyborg. "Cyborg report," he said, "Cyborg… X must have attacked him. If Cyborg's hurt, it's my fault."
"Robin…" Starfire muttered sadly.
"I'm responsible, Starfire," the Titan leader said as guilt began growing, "For everything that's happened."
"No Robin. The error you made, it is in the past," the alien said trying to comfort the traffic light colored Titan, "You are no longer the one inside that suit."
"And personally…" Red X's spoke up. The present Titans turned their attention towards it and saw the man in question stood in the middle of the rooftop, which was higher up than they were at. "I think it looks much cooler on me."
Robin yelled, "MOVE!" as Red X hurled a handful of red shurikens, which impaled the floor when they jumped back.
Raven and Terra flew towards him, while Beast Boy changed into a Rhinoceros and charged.
X fired an 'X' at the trio. The X expanded as it ensnared Beast Boy and tossing him back into Raven and Terra before it wrapped itself around them causing them to tumble to the edge of the building.
Starfire flew over and caught group, but she was pushed back by the force.
With the help of the Tamaranian's super strength, Starfire managed to lift the trio up before she settled them down.
Robin charged at Red X, who stood there lazily waiting. When Robin was about to strike the thief just moved to the side while crossing his arms. "Come on traffic light is that best you can do?" Red X taunted.
The Boy Wonder spun around and charged again but this time X just deflected the charge to the side which made Robin stumble a bit. When he turned around Red X reached out and pulled on Robin's domino mask causing it to stretch like a rubber band before letting it snap back and smacking the Titan painfully in eyes.
While the Titan's leader was busy clutching his eyes, Red X took the opportunity to dive off the building towards one of the lower levels.
Robin adjusted his mask and turned towards his teammates. Raven was standing up straight, though still attached to her partner's back, who was upside down, as a rhino. "And now, I smell like rhino butt," she said, blowing his tail out of her face.
"At least you're not staring face first," Terra grumbled as Starfire tried to pull on their bonds, but they snapped into place and Beast Boy reverted to himself.
"Dude, you think you gave this guy enough gadgets?" he asked Robin sarcastically.
After they freed their teammates the Teen Titans flew down to the same level as Red X had gone, passing through a hole in a roof and landing on the floor of a large, empty, circular room. "Split up. And be careful. I don't want anyone else getting hurt." Robin ordered and the Titans moved to follow.
As Robin walked down the hallway he kept ever so vigilant, even when it seemed nothing was there. He knew from experience that looks can be deceiving. Soon he came across a locked door before he could start unlocking Robin heard Starfire's scream echo through the empty halls.
"Starfire…" Robin whispered before turned around and began to run.
Only to be stopped by his target's voice.
"What's the matter, kid?" Robin spun around to find Red X leaning against the door. The thief continued speaking. "Don't you wanna play?" The villain held up a hand full of shuriken, "After all, they're you're toys." Red X then hurled them at Robin.
Robin dropped down to the floor to let the spinning blades fly past, which was Red X's true target lay. When the shuriken connected with the console it exploded.
The lock on the door turned a little and the door opened up, revealing a hallway filled with a mesh of red lasers.
Red X made a come hither motion at Robin.
Said Titan growled as he felt like he was being toyed with. Just like when he fights with…...
X leapt backwards into the security laser filled hallway. Robin stopped his line of thought and charged after the thief as they perform a battle of agility.
At the end of the hallway was a chute which the duo fell though. Robin saw that at the end of the line was a force field. Thinking that he had the thief the Boy Wonder prepared to capture the thief, but what he didn't expect was for Red X to flip around and fired an X at the force field. The X opened an X shaped hole for Red X to slip through. The hole close causing Robin to slam right into the field.
Red X gave Robin the bird before running down the hallway.
It only took Robin but a moment to break through the force field and landed on his feet. He then continued down the hallway cautiously.
Soon he came across a room with big black tiles on the floor and grey walls. The hero glanced around the room to try to spot the thief, but what he didn't know was X was right behind him
"After you," Red X said as he pushed Robin inside.
The tiles that composed the grid lit up in red, forming an 'X' with Robin in the center. He looked up and saw a cannon aligned on the ceiling preparing to fire. He jumped out of the way and a blast of red energy struck the floor where he'd previously been. Another 'X' formed on the spot where he landed, and the cannon adjusted itself to fire. Robin ran towards the opposite door, moving from side to side, but the cannon hounded him persistently. Red X dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of the open doorway. "Thanks for the hand, kid," he taunted, then stepped back and closed it.
Red X chuckled at his victory as he when to the center of the room where a single tube of Xenothium ore. Going to a nearby console the thief entered the commands to release the Xenothium.
"I love it when the good guys win," Red X said a minute later sliding the last of the ore before closing the container that was release along with the Xenothium in the center of the room.
Suddenly a red laser beam began cutting around the door. Red X watches as the entire door was cut out and fell revealing Robin holding the laser cannon. "You not going to win," he said dropping the cannon and lashed out with a flying kick that landed on Red X slamming him into the wall.
"Kid, you are taking life way too seriously," the rogue said as he got up and ran to meet his opponent.
He ducked underneath Robin's kick, who then turned around and hurled a fistful of explosive globes, which of quickly avoided by diving to the side. Retaliation came in the form of a half dozen shurikens that ended up stuck in the wall or deflected by the staff Robin pulled out. An 'X' extended from the back of both his hands and he charged the Titans' leader.
'X' shaped blades clashed against Robin's combat staff, then parted when the villain jumped to avoid getting his feet swept out from underneath him. They connected again and both fighters pushed against one another, until Robin gave a shove which sent his opponent sliding back. X took a couple swings when the titan came at him, but they were avoided and he was struck by the staff. Rapidly getting to his feet, he had the blades on his hands spin around on themselves.
Robin ducked low and rolled away, the red blades grating against the wall. He parried a few moves then bent back to avoid another and lashed out with a kick that hit X. But the persistent villain simply came back, his blades meeting Robin's staff once again. "Why did you steal the suit?" he demanded as they held each other at a standstill. "And what're you planning to do?"
"Whatever I want." Red X said chuckling as he left himself drop and used the momentum to propel Robin back over him, but he was also able to get up in little time. "Not everybody likes to play the big villain, kid. I'm a thief. I'm not threatening your precious city. Just looking out for number one." He retracted his weapons as he spoke.
"So you're psychotic, you're just selfish."
"Lighten up, chuckles." Red X said holding his hands up in a placating manner, "I'm not such a bad guy… once you get to know me." The thief sent out an 'X' from the palm of each hand. One was aimed high, which Robin blocked with his staff, and the other went low, which tripped him over. Red X came down at the Boy Wonder with his foot extended, but his target rolled away and kicked him into the wall. He got up again and seeing as he was close to the container he'd previously been holding, he picked it up. "Play time's over kid." Robin drew a bird-a-rang in response, but Red X held a finger over his belt. "Back off, or I trip the power core, and the core triggers the ore. I don't think you want that on your conscience."
"And I don't think you want to be disintegrated." said Robin he then noticed a gang of men dressed in hazmat suits coming up behind X. The rouge notices this and turned around just in time for one of them raised a rod and fired a blast of red electricity.
Red X let out a grunt has he fell to the floor followed by Robin as he too was hit.
The moon men then moved into the room and removed the Xenothium from the vault. Before they left one of them placed a transmitter with a TV screen in front of Robin's face. "The Xenothium!" he cried out as the mysterious men left.
The TV screen crackled to life and showed a man in a full white suite that covered his everything except his lower half of his face. "Yes," Chang spoke up on the screen showing him still in the lab Robin had gone to see him. "And I do so appreciate it."
"Chang," Robin said angrily as the 'master mind' behind the moon men was revealed.
"Since you two were doing the break in, I decided to cash in. I'm sick of selling to bad boys, I'm ready to be one. And now that I finally have enough Xenothium to power my disintegrator cannon, I can be very, very bad." He then saw the concealed object be unveiled; revealing itself to be what Chang spoke of.
"I won't let you get away with this," Robin promised
"Oh, I think you will. Because, my good little boy, I didn't just steal the ore, I stole your friends." The camera turned towards the glass tubes against the wall. Cyborg, Raven, Terra, Beast Boy in the form of a dog, and Starfire were each frozen in a different one.
Chang pulled the camera to focus on his face. "Stay out of this," he warned Robin. "Or I'll test my cannon on your friends." The screen then went blank.
Not too long afterwards, Red X managed to get to his feet, rubbing the side of his head. "Okay, who were the moon men?" Bars rose from the floor, trapping the thief.
"Men working for a criminal named Professor Chang," Robin answered has he came out of the shadows and stood next to a console.
"Come on, kid," X said with a chuckle has he turned towards Robin and held onto the bars. "You don't really think this little play pen can hold me?"
In response, Robin pressed a button on the console near the imprisoned rogue, forcing him to let go of the bars when he suddenly found them to be electrified. "You don't even care, do you? Chang just got his hands on enough Xenothium to power a disintegrator cannon and rip apart the entire city. And it's your fault!"
"Don't you mean our fault?" the thief said opening his eyes a little.
"At least I'm going to do something about it. And if you cared about anything other than yourself, you'd be helping too."
"Sorry kid, but some guys can't play the hero." Red X said his voice getting soft and his eyes distant.
This shocked the Boy Wonder a bit there might be a chance to redeem the thief after all this is over. Right now though he had to save his friends and find another. "I'll be back to take you to jail." Robin turned his back on him and walked away.
After Robin had left Red X eyed the console as he tried to plan his escape.
"It seems that you are in a little bind," that hated voice said through Red X's mask.
Red X sneered behind his mask before he told the voice what his thought were, "Fuck off."
The voice didn't say anything for a while but when he did it brought a chill to the thief's spine.
"Would you kindly silence yourself."
That one sentence caused Red X's throat to seized and closed only enough to allow him to breath.
"Now then," the voice continued as the cage around the thief lowered itself, "You are to go after Professor Chang and relieved him of a few of his Xenothium Ore. Is that understood?"
Red X let out a grunt before the pressure around his throat relaxed and allowed him to speak. "Yes sir," he said with a grunt as he rubbed his free muscle.
"Good."
Back at Professor Chang's base, the ceiling was opening up to allow for the cannon to poke its nose out. Inside the observatory like building, a bunch of hazmat men were working at different task, welding, carrying materials around, or doing tasks on the cannon. "Buildings, neighborhoods, lives… countless targets just waiting to be disintegrated," Chang said before he gave a small maniacal laugh at the idea of the destruction he would do.
The newly named villain crept up to the frozen Starfire, "Tell me, pretty girl," he said before he gave the tube a rub, "Have you ever seen something ripped apart, molecule by molecule? It's breathtaking."
The alien girl managed to free her head with her eyebeams. "You are a bad man!" She then fired them at the glass around her, but unfortunately it had no effect.
"If you think I'm bad now, then you're going to be really impressed once I finish with your city… and move on to you."
"You plans shall fail! Robin will-"
Chang interrupted the alien, "Not be joining us. Not with your lives on the line. Far too risky for good boy like him."
"You would be surprised at the risks Robin is willing to take."
"Possible," Chang said tapping his chin before an evil grin spread across his face, "I mean you Titans did send Blitzkrieg away and turned your back to him." The professor leaned close to Starfire's glassy prison, "And I thought I was cold." He chuckled darkly as Starfire's face morphed into guilt. "Then again you know the saying 'like father like son'," Chang said as he faced his cannon.
"That is not true," she muttered.
Chang let out another chuckled just as the last of the Xenothium canisters was loaded into the disintegrator cannon that he made out of the observatory's telescope.
Chang then made his way to the ladder and climbed up to the control seat attached to the middle of the cannon's side. He pulled on one of the levers and the whole thing started to go up, the barrel pointed straight at Jump City. "I've spent years hiding from this cursed city… now let them hide from me!" the mad professor stated.
"Prepare to fire!" he ordered.
But at that moment, Robin came swinging on his grapple hook. His feet slammed into the maniacal professor and caused him to jerk back on one of the levers. This in turn, caused the cannon's barrel to lift up as it fired a large blast of red energy. The shot soared through the air and struck the top of Titan Tower's.
Robin landed on the walkway opposite where he'd come in and retracted his grapple. "You just made a big mistake," he growled at Chang as he saw the damaged tower.
The cannon's rear pulled out, and like a revolver, rotated the canisters and closed up again. "Attack," the evil professor ordered his men while he slammed a fist down.
Two hazmat men fired a blast of red goo and electricity at Robin. He leapt off the walkway and landed on the one below, falling on the man with the electric pole. Then he kicked off and landed on the other, slamming him into the floor. Grabbing his weapon, he fired off a stream of red good which solidified into a slide from the walkway's railing to the bottom level. Robin went down this, like a surfer without a board, and then jumped off when he got to the floor, hitting one of the men with a flying kick. He spun around and drove a powerhouse kick into another's stomach, knocking him flat out, then floored a third with a punch.
A man holding an electric pole came running towards him, but he simply side stepped the weapon, grabbed onto it and kicked him away. Jabbing back with the weapon, he shocked another hazmat guy, grabbed his pole and did the same to the one coming up behind. Three more ran past the prisoners towards the fighting Titan. Robin hurled both poles at one of them, the shock dropping him to the floor, then charged the two others. Number one was taken down when the Boy Wonder lashed out with an uppercut, and number two was engulfed by a load of goo when the cable connecting his pole and tank was yanked out.
"Quickly, quickly, ha!" Chang said as he adjusted the cannon to aim at Robin. Staring at the weapon primed at him, Robin shot out his grapple hook towards the ceiling and was pulled himself up.
Professor Chang let out a grunt of irritation as he followed the Boy Wonder with the cannon's barrel and just when he thought he had the hero he fired a blast which pierced the heavens.
Although the shot had created a sizeable hole in the domed ceiling, Robin had been untouched. Robin then swung himself onto the walkway and ran.
Chang began firing shot after shot at the traffic light hero. He jumped over one blast, rolled under a second, but a third cut the walkway in front, forcing him to grab onto the railing. "Okay, good boy," the evil man said as Robin dangled in the air from the bent railing. "Who should I destroy first? You, or your pretty friend?"
"Starfire," Robin called out when he saw Chang lift the cannon and lower the barrel to aim at the alien girl who struggled to break free. Just as the villain could pull the red lever of doom a red shuriken suddenly cut off said lever.
Soon a shower of the Xs' impaled themselves into the control panel in front of him, causing Chang to recoil backwards to avoid the sparks that were dancing around.
Robin let out a sigh of relief but quickly his mood changed when he lost his grip on the railing and began to fall, but a black blur swooped in and saved him. As he deposited on the opposite walkway Robin let out a smirk before saying, "I thought you didn't like to play the hero?" Boy Wonder looked at the edge to see Red X as he hung on the rail.
Red X let out a scoff before saying, "Doesn't mean I don't know how."
X jumped over the railing and ran alongside Robin towards a troop of hazmat men armed with electric poles. The duo had their back to each other and in sync began fighting Chang's men.
During this Robin couldn't help but noticed how the two flowed together as they fought it was like…..
"No, no, no!" Chang cried out, slamming his fists onto the control panel but all that did was make the situation worse for everybody.
The cannon started to go out of control; it fired on solid beam and moved on to cut a swath through the building. Robin and Red X ran away from the beam as it went around until the observatory had been cut in half. The free part slowly slid down the hill.
Chang looked in despair at his failure.
Robin landed in front of the villain, who looked at him pitifully, and knocked him out and threw the professor out of his seat and down to the floor.
"Time to get what I came for," Red X said as he landed next to Chang's body.
Robin and the other Titans freed already, surprisingly nobody saw that above the Titan's prisons a red X throwing star was imbedded in the circuits, stood opposite him at the ready. "Time's up," Raven announced.
"Thanks for the help, X," Robin said, "But don't think that means you can help yourself."
"No problem kid." Red X waved a small tube of Xenothium in his hand as his other hand was held up as he was ready to fire, "This should keep me going for quite a while."
"That won't do you much good… without this," was Robin's response. Boy Wonder held up the suit's utility belt. X looked down at his waist were it usually was, and saw that in fact it was missing. "Better luck next time."
Red X took a step back, and stumbled a little when his foot kicked a few pebbles down the hill. "Not bad, kid. Not bad," The rogue chuckled knowing that he had been beat. He quickly threw the tube of Xenothium to the ground, and due to the unstable its form the ore exploded into a cloud of red and he let himself be blown away.
Afterwards the Titans split up into teams to clean up the aftermath of the battle.
Cyborg escorted Professor Chang and his goons to the Jump City Jail.
Robin went to the Titans Tower to oversee the repairs the damage that Chang's cannon had caused, but not before he put Red X's utility belt in a safe deep within Titan's Tower. This time he made sure that it was sealed tight and hidden.
Beast Boy, Terra, and Starfire searched the area around the observatory to find any trace of the thief. Unfortunately there was no trace that could be followed it would seem that the thief had escaped in the sewer system which made it impossible to track him.
Finally Raven was sent to take the Xenothium back to its rightful place at GoTo Industries. All the while the mage thought about Red X.
During her encounters with him Raven couldn't help but feel a familiarity around the thief, but from where could she have possibly meet such a person? Rachel shifted through her memories in hopes that she could pinpoint possible suspects.
'Let's see from the way Red X fought against us it was safe to assume that he was somewhat familiar with our combat tactics. The ferocity and mocking way he fights against Robin points to a grudge against him. Plus Red X has to be smart to break into the tower and steal the suit, and the strength to rip the vault's door off.'
'But nobody matches those details...no villain perhaps.'
Then it struck her.
'No that not possible he would never…..'
Raven teleported back to the Tower hoping that she was wrong.
Meanwhile in an underground base Slade sat in a chair surrounded by streams of video's taken from different camera's around Jump City, particularly the ones that recorded Red X's fight against the Titans.
Slade flicked his one eye from one fight to the next so he could draw up a proper training program for his new apprentice.
Just then there was a loud bang from behind him, and so Slade turned his chair around so he could greet his new apprentice. "Did you get the Xenothuim?" the one-eye villain asked even though he knew the answer.
"No," Red X said stepping into the light, "Lost the belt too." From his tone Slade knew that he didn't feel an ounce of regret for failing the mission. The ex-soldier rested his head against a fist.
"How very disappointing," he droned as he sent a glare at the thief. "You have much to learn….my son."
Red X let out snarl as he ripped off his mask and threw it at Slade. The man just simple slapped away the head gear with minor annoyance as the thief face was shown.
Blitz's face was morphed into a hate filled snarled. "I'M NOT YOUR SON!" he roared as he charged ready to kill the man before him.
Slade didn't show any hint that he was even bothered by the outrage or that he was attacking him. Instead he just said one simple statement.
"Would you kindly stop."
Just like that Blitz froze mid-run and quickly stood up straight. While the he couldn't move Blitz was perfectly aware of his surroundings and his actions. Slade got off his throne placed his hands behind his back and walked towards the frozen ex-hero. "I suppose that it is my fault," he said as he paced around Sean. "Perhaps it was too soon to send you against the Titans."
Deathstroke brought a hand up and tapped his chin with it, "Maybe its time to step up your training now," he mused, "So that next time you face the Teen Titans you defeat them without a second thought."
Blitz tried with all of his might to break the binding that he father had placed upon him but with no success. If only he could break whatever hold Slade has on him then he can fight back if only just a little.
As if he knew what Blitz was trying to do Slade placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "I wouldn't bother to try and free yourself," he said raising his son's head so that he looked him in the eye. "Even Superman wouldn't be able to break the chip's programming."
Slade released his grip on Blitz, "But I'm not completely heartless. I know that you didn't get to say good-bye thanks to your so called friends thanks to Robin." Blitz stomach filled with bitterness has his ex-leader's name was spoken. He hadn't forgiven Robin for the betrayal even after all this time.
The fox boy didn't think he ever will.
"So as a show of good faith I'm willing to let you say goodbye," Slade said returning to his chair and sat back down. He leaned back and rested his fingers in front of his face, "But your only allow to say good-bye to one person."
Blitz's eyes managed to widen just a tad.
"You have until midnight to do so," Slade said as he pressed a button on his wrist. Sean felt his body comeback under his control again. "I suggest you leave quickly," Slade said tossing the Red X mask back to Sean.
Sean looked at the mask before his slipped it back on and disappeared into the shadows leaving Slade alone once again.
The villain turned his chair back around and flicked the monitors to the many cameras he had placed in Titan's Tower. "Make sure he does what he is told Rose," Slade spoke as the monitor screen changed to the Tower's Op room where the Titans were currently standing in before they went to their separate rooms.
"Yes sir," Rose said from within the shadows before she went to do her father's bidding.
"Everything is going as planned," Slade said a smile appeared on his face.
There you guys go good dose of a twist and turn. See you next time.
