-Passing Judgment: Playing by the Rules-

-Back to the Crime Scene-

"Hyaahh!" Another high jump spin kick, perfect execution and the poor punching bag didn't stand a chance, in an instant the bag had flown off of its hook and dropped to the ground in a heap. Hand on his hip, the infamous thief cursed softly, slightly breathless for pushing himself a bit too hard on the training grounds. He walked it off and ran a hand though his thick fluffy light brown mane, silver-eyes glaring at the hard stone ground after he walked off the blue mat.

Gritting his teeth he growled and shook his head, but on the side he heard an echo of a feminine giggle and small splashes … glaring at the stone rail that was the indoor balcony which looked over a large indoor pool. The thief in all his lean and fit glory walked to the balcony and sat on the stone guard glaring at the older woman who laughed up at him. With a deep Spanish accent she spoke loud enough for the echo to carry her voice up to his ears, "Trent, if you don't measure your strength you will break more than just the training equipment. Again." (1)

"Yeah? Who are you to talk?" Trent snapped back as the woman held onto the edge of the pool in order to keep a float and to listen to her younger brother, "You weren't the one that was played like a frickin' idiot! Raven knew what she was doing! That smartass – feh … forget it."

His older sister raised a brow and couldn't help to smile, "Wow … I'm impressed Trent … you actually didn't call her a bitch this time. Good for you!"

Trent eyed his sister dryly, "Go to hell Reign … this isn't about what I call her, it was how she frickin' distracted me and stole the Wolf's Fang right from under my goddamned nose and to add insult to fucking injury she actually played me for a DID! I should've – I should have fucking known she wasn't like Starfire."

"Should have," Reign pointed out innocently, "but didn't, didja? You were always a sucker for a pretty face."

"Raven? The witch with a pretty face? Get real."

"Hey, just because she doesn't flaunt it doesn't mean she ain't got it," Reign defended and shrugged, "besides … you know you like the hard to gets."

Trent scoffed and jumped off he stone rail, "Reign, shut the fuck up already about the Titan girls and me, my problem right now is my missing puzzle! I need that knife; it's the only way for me to know where the map is!"

Reign rolled her eyes, "Then stop bitching about it and go get it!"

"It's in the goddamned tower Reign!" raising his voice high enough to bounce off the walls of the large space of the indoor pool with the bright sunlight illuminating from the high glass windows that made the entire room glow a near crystalline blue. Plus with the pool being the center and the stones colored an off white, everything looked surreal and serine. So when Trent raised his voice, it shattered the serenity vibe and replaced it with his frustrations. Reign sighed with another roll of her silver eyes, sinking into the pool, but leaving her head above water. She tried to keep herself from telling her brother off as he listed his grievances, "Going in there to steal the suit and the belt was hard enough, but to go specifically into a Teen Titan's room? Especially Ravens? That's completely way beyond idiotic! It's suicidal!"

Reign had enough, "Trent … if you think it's that hard then just leave it alone! It's that fucking simple."

"No, no, it's not that simple," Trent shook his head, "Ever since we first found out who the Castillos were I came to the conclusion that they didn't just die in a frickin' car accident! –"

"Trent!" Reign growled and jumped out of the water, Oh-no, here we go again, "Just, stop it! Forget about the Castillos already, Jesus Christ, you act as if it's your sole mission in life to figure out some kind of mystery that just isn't there! You're obsessed!"

"Obsessed my ass! Amy was on the verge of –"

"Of what!" Reign interrupted, quite frankly sick of her brother's antics and his obsession over the past, so she was going to tell him as it is, "Some stupid tale of a treasure greater than a thousand worlds? Come on Trent, that was just some dumb story she told you to put you to sleep at night! A fairytale! A wild-goose chase!"

"Say, what you wanna say Reign," Trent scoffed, "but when I finally prove to you it's not a fairytale, then we'll see who's laughing at the finish line."

In no time at all Trent spun around and marched to the exit slamming the door shut and letting it echo through out the pool room, Reign screamed in outrage, "Damn it Trent! Why do you gotta be so damn difficult!"

"May I make a suggestion madam?"

"AH!" Reign jumped back into the water and nearly drowned when she had momentarily forgotten how to swim after being frightened out of her mind by none other then the caretaker of the Manor. Surfacing the water, Reign glared at the suit wearing neat old mad that stood with an indifferent expression and threw him water … which still didn't falter his serious expression. For that, Reign only grew far more irritated, "Gregory! What the hell is your problem!"

"I just thought that the madam would like a little advice in taking care of her younger brother is all."

Reign scoffed, "He's 19, and he can take care of himself."

Gregory sighed, "Madam, you forget that though he may be of age, it was a sudden death and a sudden change in life style … it might have affected his life."

The older sister shot the caretaker a dry look, "Yeahuh … affected his life … right."

"Just trying to be helpful," Gregory shrugged and gave her a towel, "care to come out now madam."

"No. I think I'll relax in here for a moment. In the meanwhile, go check on mister pathetic."

"Whatever you say."

--

Fairytale, I'll show her fairytale, she doesn't know a fucking think about Amy! Storming down the halls still pissed off that his sister could just be so shallow sometimes after everything they've went through. Trenton Bou, was coming undone at the seems with his sister's unwillingness to believe that what he was doing wasn't some stupid fantasy dream he was chasing. It was for real! It had to be! The Cat's Eye was true, the Wolf's Fang was true, damn, what more proof could she ask for other than what he had discovered and had the success of capturing at least one of the items. However … the second one … this thief knew wasn't going to be an easy feat.

He just wished that Reign wouldn't be so comfortable with this lavishing lifestyle she was living, but … with a second thought Trent shook his head, Maybe I'm just being selfish … after all I am a selfish guy … Reign – er – Siren, she has a life and a family. She can't go on constant trip after trip … not after Lance was born that's for sure … he's gonna need her more than I do … plus I think her husbands starting to get suspicious. No, Trent figured, it just wasn't safe for his sister to be involved with his affairs anymore. It was fun while it lasted, but hell; he had to face facts that while his life was destroyed and ruined, what gave him the right to make it hard for Lance, his nephew.

The kid was cute as can be, and smart to … too smart, Trent was starting to see that he'd have to trek carefully around the kid where it concerned his questionable lifestyle.

To make it worse, Lance Bou looked up to him, as if going on nightcaps were difficult enough, Lance was starting to pick up on his nightly rendezvous.

"Uncle Trent …"

Trent stilled and looked up from glaring at the ground to notice that his little minion, his follower; practically his mini child clone was down the hall from him. This micro clone was none other than little Lance Bou himself that was about maybe 7-9 years old with similar silver-gray eyes and light brown hair as Trent. He had the same wild gleam and sneaky catlike grace to his walk, even his tone was mischievous, the cutest … Trent was afraid of him, "Lance? What are you doing here? I thought Matilda was supposed to be giving you Horseback riding lessons."

The smart little kid smirked and a strand of light brown hair fell in front of his eyes, jerking his head to the side to move it out of sight he giggled, "Actually Uncle Trent, you were supposed to do that."

Trent jerked his head back and shook it in disbelief, "Who said that?"

Lance chuckled and from behind his back he pulled out tape-recorder, "You did."

He pressed play and Trent couldn't believe his ears, the kid actually taped that meeting!

"Hey Uncle Trent, what'cha doin'?"

"Nothing that concerns a brat like you. Scram runt."

"Jeez I was just asking …"

"Yeah? Well, I'm not asking, I'm telling and I'm busy so shoo."

"Okay … but just to let you know … mommy's 1.5 million dollar diamond necklace went missing."

"… and …"

"And suspiciously enough I found it hidden under your pillow just the other day … crazy world huh?"

"… Okay kid, what do you want?"

"For you to get me away from Matilda … she's frickin' impossible!"

"Hey! Watch your mouth, your mother catches you swearing around me, she's gonna start thinking that you got it from me."

"Yeah … well, anyway I have a proposition for you … I'll return mom's diamond necklace saying that I borrowed it for a laser experiment, keep you out of the red, and in return you replace Matilda in my lessons."

"Why can't you just tell Francisco to get you another teacher?"

"… Uncle Trent, Matilda is dad's sister and you know how dad likes to keep things in the family."

"Right … yeah, sure, whatever, just knock it off with the framing already."

"Cool! Thanks Uncle Trent!"

"Get off me! God, I swear I'm never having kids."

With a press of the button Lance ended the recording and stood in the wake of a very shocked, and soon to be very agitated uncle of his that scowled and tapped his foot on the floor, "Ya little punk, one of these days I'm gonna beat you up you know that." (2)

Lance grinned, "I love you to Uncle Trent … so … you gonna teach me? Or am I gonna have to tell mom about that necklace of hers."

Suddenly an ingenious idea struck the rouge thief and a smirk of his own came to his face, The kid's smart … he'll find out one way or the other … might well be now …"You know what Lance … I got a better idea …"

"But we made a deal."

Trent chuckled, "Yeah, well you seem to forget the one important rule of deals kid … they're all just words, until you get it in writing. Come with me."

"Wha – where! I still got homework to do and-and my dad's coming back from work! He's gonna wanna know –"

"Relax hotshot," Trent put a hand on the kid's shoulder and pushed up down the hall, "I got'cha covered, you know Francisco likes me."

Lance shot his uncle a dry look, "He always tells you to get a life of your own and get the hell out of his life."

Trent chuckled dismissively, "Ah that's just a secret code we adults share when we wanna tell each other how much we appreciate one another."

"Uncle Trent."

"Yeah?"

"You're not a very good liar."

"Oh – heh – you'd be surprised, now hurry up or we're gonna be late."

"Late?" Lance frowned in confusion, not usually did his uncle have a crazed – nearly insane gleam in his silver eyes, "Late for what?"

-Jump City Central Park-

Lance furrowed his brows together and narrowed his eyes up at his uncle whos attention seemed to be distracted at what was happening across the street from the park behind them. In pure annoyance the child stomped on Trenton's foot and crossed his arms over his chest in a pout when his uncle yelped in more so shock than in actual pain. Hey, he's endured worse, "AH! What the – damn it Lance, what the hell!"

"We're gonna be late for me to play in the park?" Lance scowled and stomped his foot on the pathway and fisted his hands and dropped them to his sides as he stood tip-toeing up to make himself seem taller than his uncle. He never stood a chance as Trent growled and tried so desperately not to smack the brat upside the head. "What kind of stupid is that!"

"It's the kind of stupid where you don't go looking a gift horse in the mouth!" he argued.

Lance scoffed and looked across the street to the corner that sat some kind of museum … actually now that he read the name he recognized it to be the Weaponry Art Gallery that was under the suspicion of a terrorist attack. Considering everyone at the party last night was knocked out do to some kind of gas that even the Titans that were there couldn't withstand. All except for one, the dark witch of the Titans, Raven, found bound and near passed out after an ordeal she had with the infamous Red X.

How Lance knew this?

He watched the news with his mother.

So it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that his Uncle Trent had something to do with it … considering the fact that he had been distracted by the closed off building for quite some time. Lance wasn't a stupid kid – not by a long shot – in fact he was one of those rare gems that were wise beyond his years. Which could serve as a double edged sword, Lance was still just a kid and hardly knew any better, but he did have a suspicion that his uncle Trent wasn't just any "freeloader" as he dad thought. However saying that his uncle was Red X himself was a long shot … Lance was willing to bet his inheritance money that Trent was more than meets the eye.

Besides, what freeloading uncle was an expert marksman, martial arts master, computer genius, and knowledgeable on many things around the world!

Any other kid would have though that, that was just a cool uncle and that was it, they wouldn't question how he came to know these things. What did he use them for, and why did he need them to begin with? Call Lance a nosy kid, but he just wanted to know the facts, and so far with everything adding up, Lance had come to the conclusion that Uncle Trent had something to hide. No longer could Trent use the excuse that Lance was just a kid and didn't know anything.

No, Lance knew stuff, and was sniffing too close.

"You know what Uncle Trent," Lance sneered and challenged Trent's dry expression, "if you were going to check out the Gallery across the street … you could have just gone by yourself … why take me and make an excuse out of it. If you were going to use me, you should have just told me, I would have been happy to volunteer on my own … I've always wanted to know what it is you do anyway."

Trent sighed and ran his fingers through his hair thinking tiredly to himself in worry for the kid next to him, Yeah … that's what I'm afraid of … with a tsk Trent looked across the street and stilled when he saw them, the Titans, Hey ... right on time … but what's this I wonder … with a raised brow he chuckled when he noted that it wasn't the pair he thought it would be. On a disguised R-cycle – he knew it was the R-cycle because Robin could change the outlook, but the sound it made was crisp and sure. There was no other to copy it other than the X-cycle that he shredded after that race a while back.

Anyway, on the cycle was a casually dressed Robin, and – get this – it wasn't Starfire he was packing, but Raven herself. Raven! Riding on the back of the R-cycle and not looking like she was about to tear the kid's head off … wow … Trent was sure he's seen everything about now. Lance followed his uncle's eyes that landed on the cycle that stopped at the base of the steps, with two special people crossing the yellow-police line flashing the cops some badges. Lance was pretty sure what his uncle was thinking at that moment and spoke his mind, "You wanna get into the Gallery … don't you?"

Trent looked down at Lance, completely sideswiped at the sudden observation his nephew had made. Not sure if he should second guess taking the kid up on what he called "fun" Trent rethought the second thought and knew that Lance would come in handy. After all, he didn't bring him along for today if he knew Lance would be useless to him.

The sly thief smirked at Lance, messing up the kids hair he chuckled and gestured for him to follow him across the street, "Rule number one in life kid, you don't go asking if you're going to do something, cause it doesn't matter if you're going to or not, the possibilities of you doing something in life are endless. Instead ask yourself how you're gonna do it, like I said, whether you do it or not, you still have to know the steps to take in making your goal a reality."

Lance nodded in understanding, "Yeah … but when did this become a philosophy lesson, just yesterday you agreed to give a lesson in horseback riding."

"Forget that, that's easy, just communicate with a horse and everything's fine," Trent scoffed, "but if you wanna have some real fun … watch and learn."

Lance looked up at his uncle and watched him just stand in the middle of a crowd of people that were rubber necking and trying to see what was going on with the investigation. Watching him looking over to the news casters and the cops as if studying them discreetly, Lance may have been 9, but he got the message.

-Inside the Weaponry Art Gallery-

"That's it? That's all you know about this thing?" Robin questioned and the manager to the gallery nodded.

"Yeah … it-it was supposed to be just an artifact that was found in a location where the Fertile Crescent was a few thousand or so years ago … but none of the scriptures carved into the blade matched anything found on Earth," the manager shrugged and eyed the two Titans worriedly, not quite sure what they were looking for when Raven and Robin gave each other a look. Raven's being more of a dry: "I-told-ya-so" kind of look, which gave the manager the impression that his finding might have a bit more meaning where the heroic world was concerned. So he pressed on to see if he could give them anymore information, "it was brought here for further scientific research … but … now that you've confiscated it … we can't be entirely sure where our research is –"

At this Robin finally interrupted seeing that Raven had already proven herself corrected in the team argument about the blade and informed the manager exactly what he found, "The Wolf's Fang – as you call it – will never be interpreted by the human world because you're right, the scripture carved into the blade isn't of any human language, but a separate dimension. I know it sounds crazy, but trust us, what you had, had been a real finding indeed. Once we're done with a thorough investigation you can have it back, but until then, we're keeping it as evidence. I hope that isn't a problem."

Thrilled, but bummed out that he actually had a finding that was of a different dimension however kept from showing it off and proving his find to the world. The manager nodded and shook the hands of both the Titans just to be grateful, "Thank you both very much … I'm just glad it was you who took it and not that fiend. That would have been most unfortunate."

"Then start counting your blessings, because you never know if Red X will be back," Raven voiced, passive and ever without emotion, her dry shimmer less violet eyes sent a shiver down the manager's spine. She was just so … cold, even when a gleam of annoyance suddenly entered her expression at the thought of the thief she had encountered the other night, "he's rather … persistent."

"Oh … uh … of … um … of course …"

Robin frowned in seeing the sudden startled look in the man's eye and gestured politely, "Will you excuse us for one moment."

"Certainly," the man was more than happy to get away from the witch, who watched him closely with Robin making sure he was out of ear shot and when he was. Raven braced for when Robin would lecture her about using kid-gloves.

"Raven … I thought you said you were going to play nice, you don't say stuff like that to guys like him. It scares him and he starts to rethink his words getting it in his head that he can't trust anyone. Forget about the Tokyo incident and when an entire city can turn on heroes just because we're different, already?"

The sorceress walked around the location where she faced off with Red X, recapping everything she did wrong, already feeling disappointed in herself that she couldn't do better and with Robin ragging on her again. Well … it was getting hard to control her anger, but she refused to succumb to emotions, not anymore … not after last night. However it didn't stop her from giving Robin a piece of her mind, "Robin, I've had to live with being looked upon as something to fear ever since I was child. Being different, being treated different, feeling different, and knowing your different does things to you … the people in Tokyo aren't anything to compare me to alright? So don't even start with me on diversity."

Robin backed off respectfully, grateful that she at least didn't yell or cuss him out like last time, however her choice of words made an equal impact. She made her point, and Robin had to admit, he hadn't have thought about how her people on Azarath might of treated her when they knew what they were up against. People, in large gatherings, could sometimes do and think up the dumbest of things and immediately turn on something they were afraid of.

Raven … Raven was a force to be reckoned with … but it wasn't like she went on rampages and started to kill off innocent people. Jumping to conclusions solved nothing, so … he guessed that he did owe her an apology where diversity was concerned. If anyone had it bad in being treated different, Robin guessed it would have been Raven; she was a half-demon after all. Anything associated with hell was treated with the utmost controversy.

So with a sigh the leader of the Titans yielded, "Sorry."

How did she respond?

With a harsh, "I don't need your pity."

Robin sneered, "Let me rephrase the apology then, I'm sorry for what I said, not what happened to you in the past."

"…" Raven thought for a moment then shrugged nonchalantly, "Whatever."

That's as good as that's gonna ever get … Robin snorted and leaned against the wall eyeing the arena that Red X and Raven had squared off in and raised a brow, "You said Red X told you he wanted the Cat's Eye and the Wolf's Fang to full fill a personal vendetta … you never told us how he even came to tell you something like that. I mean, Red X doesn't come off as the type for monologs."

Raven cast a short side glance to her leader, stopping for a moment when she was headed into the vault to see the rest of the un-stolen treasures. She blinked and recalled the memory of last night and sighed with a shrug. Lying straight through her teeth without event batting an eye lash, after all, being the perfect liar meant having utmost control over your expression. Raven already got that covered and passively answered, "I frustrated him enough to talk I guess … I was hoping to wear him out until the toxin wore off on the Team … but at least I got something out of him in the end."

Robin, trusting enough to believe his second most trusted teammate took the explanation into consideration. Raven was known to come up short where explanations were required. It was almost like she liked the idea of keeping people dangling for the truth … like she got off on the: "I-know-something-you-don't-know" trip. The sorceress, Robin knew, can be cruel like that when she wanted to … he just hoped she wasn't doing the same here.

When in fact, the reality of it was the exact opposite, she just didn't want to tell him because then it would mean revealing an embarrassing part of her past that she never wanted to relive again. Balling her fists the sorceress bared down the pain when she remembered the half-truth she gave the thief about "Zak" … the half-truth that she knew he'd find out held a deeper meaning if he ever finished that dormant memory. Keeping herself from loosing control, she looked over her shoulder to Robin who was studying a red x blade that was embedded into the ground.

Her chance to reach up and wipe her eyes from the watery vision that was coming back to flood her violet eyes … just the thought of telling that thief what hurt the most was infuriating and embarrassing. Raven can honestly say she felt so … so violated with having to be forced to tell such a story. A story that was supposed to be her secret and her secret alone, never to be shared with anyone else other than herself! Ooo … if I get my hands on his neck I swear to Azar I'll ring it!

She scoffed and the sound didn't go unheard to her leader, Robin turned back to Raven and was about to ask if she was alright with her sudden ridged stance. The moment he opened his mouth he heard rushed footsteps coming down the hall and heavy breathing. It was an officer and he looked paled to shock, he even sounded startled, "Robin! Raven! Yo-you're cycle! It's been stolen!"

Robin jerked his head back in disbelief, Raven raised a brow in suspicion, Stolen? That's not possible … the R-cycle is body-sensed activated … only Robin's body structure can literally turn it on. Unless someone's smart enough to bypass the encrypted code … that bike can't even be hotwired. It's powered thought a power-cell for Christ Sake. Raven halted that thought, and while Robin rushed up and pushed the cop out of the way to be sure that he wasn't hearing things, Raven stayed down and glared at the ground, Christ sake? I don't use tha – Red X … was her conclusion and she took off after Robin to tell him, but by then it was already too late.

When she reached the outside, truth be told the cycle wasn't there and Robin was furious. Demanding for the cops to tell him where it went they pointed down the street, one of them even going so far as to describe who he was, "Yeah … and we saw him wearing like this shredded black cape … but that was all we got of him before he just took off."

Shredded cape … no way … Robin thought in further confusion before taking off in a sprint, yelling back to Raven, "Raven! Find whatever you can about the treasure X was talking about! I'll be back!"(3)

"Robin – Wait!" He didn't hear her cry and Raven shook her head, By then the damage would have been done …

"He's sooo gullible … wouldn't you think so princess?"

His voice … Raven straightened up and looked behind her to the same cop that had come frantically running in to tell Robin the news of his bike being taken away from him. The wolf in sheep's clothing took off the officer's hat and bowed politely at her then walked back into the gallery, his hypnotic silver eyes having captured her attention. Enticing her to follow close, she glanced back down the street to where Robin had disappeared from sight, then looked back at the entrance of the gallery and scowled, This had better be good.

--

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or Red X, but the names Trenton and Lance I own, plus the Cat's Eye and the Wolf's Fang are mine as well, Ooo … and Gregory, and Reign, and Siren, and Francisco I do own them as well.

Info Center:

1. I bet you're wondering who the hell is "Trent" I thought his name was "Rico" … you'll know soon enough my friend, patience … same goes with "Reign" and "Siren", patience my loyal readers patience.

2. That's one of the jokes that circulate through my family whenever we do something that's shockingly annoying, but still funny all the same. Like a sarcastic remark to a serious situation, so lighten up and take a joke! Trenton's really not gonna murder the kid – but if I were in his shoes I would.

3. Okay … I think I made Robin seem a little too stupid … so sorry if he wasn't that much of a smart detective in that scene to come up with a fact that it could have been a trap (shrugs) I had to get him out of the picture somehow.

A/N: Again, thank you all very much fro the reviews and again if you have any questions or concerns just review … luv'ya!

l8er daez