Chapter 4
The lower levels. A miserable hovel for the low-lives, the addicted, and the down-on-their-luck. The City didn't care much to clean or maintain the lower levels. Litter was strewn about, piles of compost and refuse, mountains of rusted junk. The sun barely reached down into the lowly pit of human habitation, casting everything in a twilight haze. Stores that barely survived stood dejected and collapsing by the only roads in the city that actually touched the ground. Bars seemed to be the only lively areas.
Beast Boy groaned as the humid, rank air slapped his face like a moldy, wet rag. Everyone else bore it in silence. "Why'd we have to come here, guys? This place is freakin' nasty."
"Exactly," Jinx said pointing a finger at the changeling and winking. "I'd expect a kidnapper to come here because it's harder to find people around here." She glanced around slowly, her perpetual smile wavering slightly. "I would know," she whispered.
Sneak slowly floated around, glancing at piles of garbage. "Where we start, guys? There be los'a pwaces ta hide here."
Cyborg scratched his nose, trying to understand the rapid baby talk. "Why'd Davidson stick us with a baby fox that flies?"
"I notta baby!" Cyborg nearly stumbled backwards as Sneak suddenly appeared in front of him. The little black eyes seemed to have a strange red tint to them. "I'ma full gwowed Vulpinite. YOU NO CALL ME BABY!"
Cyborg held his hands up and stepped back. Smiling nervously, he nodded. "Fine, fine." Sneak gave a swift nod before suddenly grinning as wide as he could. Something suddenly distracted him and he hovered off.
Raven stared after the little fox. "He has a good point. Where do we start looking?" Her blue eyes flickered over each of her teammates.
Cyborg shrugged. "Let's try the bars. I bet there's someone in this City who's heard of a guy with a giant sword or something."
Beast Boy's eyes bugged. "Dude, I'm not legal though."
Jinx giggled. Raven rolled her eyes. Cyborg slapped him on the head. "We ain't drinking, you moron. Besides, I'm sure whatever they serve down here would poison us."
Sneak suddenly came back from wherever he had been. "Me find bar. Lo'sa peoples der, drinking stuff." He flew off down the street, motioning with his tail for the group to join him. Exchanging glances, the teens swiftly caught up to the mini-fox.
---
Cyborg slowly pushed the bar's door open. The first thing he noticed was the pounding music on a small, ancient jukebox. The gigantic, round CDs inside jumped and sputtered every once in a while, grating on the android's nerves. Slowly, the customers of the bar realized he was there, and looked up at him in confusion. Cyborg ushered the rest of the teens inside and shut the door. Unsettling, bloodshot eyes stared at them, eyeing them like slabs of meat. Especially the girls.
"What are you Metas doin' off your government leashes?" One man stood up shakily in front of Cyborg, his breath reeking of liquor. His eyes flickered over all of them, giving them all a once over. "Metas aren't welcome here."
"Vin, sit down ya old drunk," a balding man called from behind the bar. "If'n they gots money, they're welcome." He turned toward the group. "An' what can I do fer ya folks. I kinda doubt you're allowed to drink." He smiled, his yellow teeth glinting dully in the dimly light atmosphere. "But I won't tell if you won't. Hahaha."
Raven stepped forward, her hood over her face. "We've come for information, if you have any."
The man smiled again. "Maybe I do, girly." He began to pour himself some questionable liquid into a cup. "May wanna be a bit more specific, though." He brought the glass to his mouth, gulping.
"We're looking for a friend who has been kidnapped." She glanced at Cyborg, who motioned her to go on. "Do you know about anyone who kills people with giant blades of some type?"
The bartender sputtered in the middle of a gulp. All eyes in the bar shot towards them, a look of horror on each of their faces. Raven suddenly felt very uncomfortable.
Wiping his mouth nervously, he chuckled half-heartedly. "Ehehe, giant blades, ya say? I'm 'fraid I've n-never heard of such a person. An' e-even if I did, I doubt you'd find 'im."
Raven sighed impatiently and placed a few uni-credits on the table. The bartender completely disregarded the money, still looking nervous. He shook his head. "I-I can't tell ya anythin'." He swept the money back towards the dark girl. "My life is more 'portant than a few credits."
Klick-klick-clack. Cyborg's arm suddenly re-assembled into a cannon. "I'm getting impatient, man. Tell us what you know or I'll blast your head off." He growled low.
A black aura sprang from Raven's cloak, her eyes glowing a dull gray. Obsidianspheres grabbed the man's wrists and lifted him into the air. "I suggest you do what Cyborg says. I'm far more dangerous than he is."
A dark spot stained the bartender's pants. Whimpering, he nodded frantically. "I-I've only heard stories, I swears. Dere's dis guy with a bladed pole or something. H-he's a shadow assassin usually. I don't k-know who he works fer. His name is Night-something. Nightwing! Dat's it. P-please don't hu-hurt me." His body shook with sobs.
Raven dropped him onto the ground. "Thank you for your cooperation."
The man merely whimpered as the Meta-humans left the bar.
---
Nightwing started awake, blinking into the dim light of the apartment. He glanced over to the holo-screen. Nearly six. The exact time he wanted to wake up. Slowly standing up from the floor where he had fallen asleep cross-legged, he cracked his knuckles. Then his neck. Listening carefully, he heard no commotion from within his hostage's room.
He walked into the kitchen.
If Nightwing had not been wide-awake, he would have been startled to find Starfire already there, slowly sipping something from a cup and staring out the square, barred window. He glanced at the table, where a plate of food was all ready set for him.
Starfire spun around, miraculously keeping all the liquid inside her mug. Smiling brightly, she motioned toward the table. "I have prepared breakfast for you. I do hope it is satisfactory."
Glancing at the food suspiciously, he ignored it and looked through the refrigerator for a bagel. Finding one, he bit into it, staring emotionlessly at the wall in front of him. Starfire didn't seem surprised at the rejection of the food and swiftly disposed of it. Still grinning, she continued staring out the window, mug in hand.
"How long have you been awake?" The question was without feeling.
"Oh, I believe a quarter of an hour before you awoke. I have made use of your cooking utensils. I hope you do not mind."
Nightwing glanced at a few pots and pans drip drying in the sink. He glanced back at a still smiling Starfire. "For someone who's been kidnapped and threatened with death, you seem awfully happy. I'm also surprised you didn't try and escape while I slept."
Starfire waved a hand nonchalantly. "I have resigned myself to my fate. While I do value my freedom, I have realized that there is no way out. So, in light of this, I have assigned myself to another duty."
Nightwing smirked, but still, it lacked feeling. "What would that be?"
The alien grinned and ignored the question completely. "How many summers old are you? You seem to be as old as I."
"Seventeen." Again, no emotion.
Starfire gasped unhappily. "I suspected that you were, but I was so hoping that you were much older. Youths such as ourselves should never have to experience such things as you have." Starfire stared into her mug, watching her murky reflection in the strange liquid. "I am truly sorry for you."
"I don't need your pity," Nightwing said between clenched teeth. He relaxed. "I chose to do this. It was always my choice."
"So, then, you enjoy slaughtering your fellow man."
"Maybe I do, it is not your concern." He glanced at the window, then at the table. "The sooner you're out of my hair, the sooner you'll forget your little obsessions with my life."
Starfire shrugged and stood up. "Well, I am in need of bathing. Unless, of course, you have a rule against it."
He glowered at her and pointed to the bathroom. She merely smiled, walked toward the bathroom…and promptly tripped over a permanent bump in the floor. Nightwing didn't even bother looking at her. Seemingly unperturbed, she hopped up and soon the shower water could be heard.
Nightwing sighed once, glanced at the bump in the floor, and muttered something about clumsy aliens. Suddenly, his hand went to his ear as his skull's cybernetic chip chimed softly, indicating a call. He sub-vocalized the command to open the line.
"Yes, Wa…Knight, what is it?"
The voice on the other end chuckled a little. "Good, you remembered to use my alias for once. You never know who might be hacking around the phone signals."
"Is it an assignment?"
"Blunt and to the point, as always." Another chuckle. "No, it's not another assignment. I'm giving you the day off. All you have to do today is come to the normal meeting area. Bring the girl and make sure she doesn't get away."
"Does this mean you'll be taking her off my hands?"
"No, she will continue to stay with you."
Nightwing sighed. "What's the point of all this? She's an incessant pest that buzzes around my head, trying to find a way in."
"She wants to know about you?" Knight seemed startled.
Nightwing grunted in acknowledgement. "Exactly."
Nightwing could almost see Wayne shrug on the other end. "It's up to you what you want to reveal. She won't be leaving our custody unless she dies. Just bring her to the meeting. And remember, you may kill herfor any attempts she might try at escape. It is far better for her to die than for the Slade faction to use her. And I'm talking both ends of the spectrum. For her and for us." A pause, as if allowing the information to sink in. "Be there at seven tonight. Don't be late."
The line disconnected with another soft chime and a female voice thanking Nightwing for using their company. He glanced over at the holo-screen. Six fifteen A.M. It was going to be a long day.
Snore. Snrk-wha…Ahem. Yes, sorry, boring chapter, but it's more of a transition chapter than anything. Action in the next chapter for sure (Er, I think).
-Razvanor