Aki- One scene in this chapter, the one with Raven and Robin (Dick) was one of the first scenes I thought of for this story and I really enjoyed writing it even if it came out a little more hostile than I imagined.
Chapter 5: The Truth
When Kaden returned from school his mother wasn't home and his father was asleep on the couch. He had stayed up late the night before working; Kaden knew that he was out like a light. Quickly depositing his bag just inside his room, he crept quietly to the door of his parents' bedroom. Kaden's purple eyes looked at the back of his father's head, almost willing him to awake and stop him from his act of deception. However, Garfield Logan took this moment to make a loud snore and turn into a more comfortable position on the couch, breaking Kaden's trance. He lightly placed his hand on the doorknob. He twisted, slowly, until the door clicked open. Pushing the door open a crack just large enough for him, he slipped through.
Once inside, Kaden surveyed the room to make sure he didn't trip over some random object his father left lying on the floor because his dad couldn't be neat to save his life. Literally, Kaden had witnessed his mom threatened his dad more than once over the issue.
Stepping over a rubber chicken, of all things, Kaden began searching the room. His mom hid them some place different every time they moved. He crouched down to peer under the bed and he found…another rubber chicken?...He seriously could not understand why his parents were married to one another. Kaden continued his search. The book case held nothing but, gasp, books. And the dresser was clean. Sighing in exasperation, Kaden went to his parent's closet.
Hands resting on the knobs, he hesitated. Was it really worth it? He had spent many private moments searching the rest of the apartment for his prize: under the bathroom sink, in the kitchen cabinets, somewhere in the living room where the video game console would often distract him from his hunt. His parents were keeping this from for a reason. However, agitation and curiosity got the better of him and he pulled the doors wide.
Pushing the hanging clothes aside, he found a box in the far corner of the closet. A 'fallen' garment obscured it and another box, which held Kaden's school things from when he was a young child, old reports cards, year books, crayon pictures, was stacked on top of the file box. Kaden had to admit, his mother had outdone herself. Flipping off the lid, he pulled out a manila file folder they looked the newest and had been lopsidedly replaced among the remainder of the neat folders.
Kaden kneeled on the carpeted floor, flipping through the papers and documents, trying to absorb as much as he could in a few moments, his ears constantly wary for the sound of any approaching parents.
"The Strike," Kaden whispered to himself, brow furrowed. Out of place among the boring white printer paper, was a colored magazine clipping. He examined the photograph that accompanied it. It showed a family of four, well dressed, apparently rich and well known. The middle-aged man had black hair, the women, his wife, long red hair, orangey tan skin, and a wide smile. There were two teenagers with them, obviously their children by the way they resembled the adults. But what got Kaden's attention most was that he swore he recognized them from somewhere.
His eyes darted over the photograph's caption, hoping to get some answers. Apparently, Mr. Dick Grayson, his wife, Korinna Grayson, and their children, Halle and Alexander, had attended a charity diner last June. Dick Grayson…Dick Grayson…where had he...?...Oh, right, he was the heir to Wayne Enterprises…but that's not where Kaden knew him from.
Kaden stared at the picture. Who the hell was he? And this "Korinna" too?
…
"What kind of business?" asked Dick, but he already knew.
Raven sat down in the chair across the desk from her former counterpart, crossing her legs. "Superhero business."
Dick leaned back in his chair in a way that he used to make him look like he had control of the situation. "I'm not in that business anymore."
"I didn't think Robin could ever quit all the way."
"I found something else in life," he replied dryly.
"Like a family," stated Raven. "Well, maybe you'll be interested in this for them." He placed a manila folder onto his desk. Unable to contain himself, Dick pulled it across the desk and flipped it open.
"They call themselves 'The Strike,'" explained Raven. "That's their symbol," she added, nodding towards a picture Dick had found in the folder of a black and yellow lightening bolts, criss-crossed to form an 'X.' "They been making…attacks….across the country. A few elsewhere in the world. We've hardly caught sit or sound of them. They're quick, efficient. They're not out masquerading and spouting their plans like ordinary villains. They're planning something."
"And you think Gotham is next?" Dick asked in a professional way.
"Look at the list of the places they've attacked. Jump City, Steel City, countless others. All places where titans have been known to be. Gotham just happens to be a city where two former titans live."
"Did you ever consider that this just a trail and they are leading you where they want to…?"
Raven scowled before answering, "Yes. But it's the only lead we've got. We don't have a choice."
Dick scoffed, tossing the papers back down onto his desk with disdain. "You've always got a choice." His tone suggested he was speaking of something deeper than just chasing villains.
"Gar and I didn't," Raven protested with venom. "Unlike you and Starfire, we couldn't pretend to be normal. Neither of us had a home to run back to…Plus, being a hero is the only thing Gar's ever done and the only place where I've fit in. I'm sorry if we couldn't just give up those lives like you two did…"
Ignoring her comments, Dick tapped the papers Raven had given him together, closed the folder, and pushed it across the desk back to her. "I can't help you."
Raven surveyed him for a long moment. Dick stared back.
"At least can't you help yourself? Your children? Aren't they what you live for now?"
"Don't bring them into this," Dick growled protectively.
"You already did. You don't exactly live a private life. Any villain with half a brain could make the connection," shot back Raven.
"They are fine," Dick persisted. "They're looked after better than you know."
Raven opened her mouth to retort, but Dick cut her off. "And before you start worrying about my children, worry about your own. What is he now? Fourteen? Fifteen almost? That's right," Dick commented on Raven's slightly surprised expression, "You're not the only one who's kept tabs on your former teammates. With you and Beast Boy, or is it Changeling now, still out there playing heroes you're putting your son in much more danger then I've put my children."
"My son knows how to take care of himself. However, there has been no evidence that the twins know anything about your and your wife's pasts."
"There's no need for them to know."
"There ignorance is dangerous."
"More dangerous then dragging your child around the globe with you to fight the bad guys?" retorted Dick.
"He doesn't fight," Raven quickly retorted. Dick raised his eyebrows. "It's—it's too dangerous. I won't let him. He's still too young."
"You do remember that we were called the Teen Titans, right?"
"It's not the same. None of us—"
"Had parents?" finished of Dick. "At least not ones that minded us crime-fighting. It sure does change when you are on this side. We both just want best for our kids. Maybe we are not that different."
"No, Dick," she said his name with a certain amount of vindictiveness. "We are very different." She stood and picked up the folder of his desk. "I'm confronting the truth." And she left.
…
There were two knocks on Halle's bedroom door.
"What?" she called back unceremoniously from her bed.
The door was pushed open to reveal Alex wearing a smirk. "Pay up time."
"It's not fair. You tricked me," protested Halle with narrowed eyes.
"All's fair in war."
"I though it was 'love and war'?"
"It is," said Alex, leaning against the door post with ease. "But in this case it's just war."
"Fine," Halle spat, getting herself up from where she lounged on her bed. "Turn around."
"What?"
"Turn around! I don't want you to see where I keep my cash."
Alex rolled his eyes, but obliged. Halle approached her dresser, pulled the lid off of a clay pot she had made when she was in elementary school, and counted out a few bills from her rolls of dollars.
"I hope you're happy," said Halle with anything but good will when she handed the money to her brother a moment later.
"Ecstatic," Alex replied, counting the money swiftly before tucking the bills into the back pocket of his blue jeans.
Halle crossed her arms and huffed. "Out of my room, please," she said, by the door, extending her arm to indicate the way out. Obliging, Alex meant to make his way out into the hallway and back to his own room, but before he could take two steps he found himself face flat on the hallway floor, the wind knocked out of his gut.
He groaned and curled into himself. He rolled onto his back and glared at his sister, who was leaning against the wall in support, her face red with laughter.
"You tripped me on purpose," he growled.
"No," Halle managed to choke out between her laughs. "It was an—an accident. But it sure was f—funny!" Her laughs doubled.
Furious, Alex kicked out at her from where he still remained on the floor, but as she was wearing her new stylish boots and he was barefooted, it didn't really help in the least.
"You kicked me!" Halle exclaimed.
"You tripped me," Alex retorted, sitting on the floor still, clutching his injured foot.
"Not on purpose!"
Ales scoffed, standing, wincing a bit as he put his weight on his one foot. "Yeah, you did."
"And there was no need to kick me!"
"Yeah, there was…Plus, you didn't even get hurt. I mean who wears boots when they're hanging out in their room?"
"I'm sorry if you don't understand style."
Alex clutched his heart in mock pain. "Oh, you got me there because you know how important fashion is to me!"
"Well maybe if you didn't dress like," Halle surveyed her brother with distaste. "That you would have a date."
"Well, maybe if you," returned Alex, "Didn't dress like that, you wouldn't have so many!"
"What do you mean by that?" said Halle, her voice dangerously low, advancing on her brother. He took a step or two back, remembering the good right hook she had the other day.
"Nothing," cooed Alex. "Nothing that you don't already know."
"Shut up!" Halle shoved Alex. His stumbled back a pace or two, his back banging into the china cabinet which had been not so wisely placed across the hall, opposite both the twins' rooms. Argument forgotten, both watched with wide eyes as the delicate glass objects in the cabinet shook where they stood. Finally, with their breath held for a long moment, most of the glassware remained standing, but a few, taller, easily-unbalanced objects, a bud vase, two delicate champagne glasses, and an antique figurine, toppled onto their sides with a glass on wood sound that seemed to carry loudly throughout the house.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Alex swore is rapid progression.
"Come on," said Halle, carefully opening the cabinet doors as to not disturb any other very breakable things.
Fumbling, the two attempted to right the objects which now lay lopsided amongst the shelves, but nervous hands only lead to more and more being tipped over. Neither was sure which movement actually triggered it, but the cabinet opened, as a door, into the wall. They both stared, mouths agape.
"What is that?" asked Halle, staring down a steep square corridor that disappeared around a curve and into the darkness.
"I don't know, but I sure want to find out…"
Aki- Ha! Another cliffhanger!
Two things:
One, I know I changed my summary already once, but is it lame./ Do you thinkif it told more about the story it would catch people's attention. If so, any ideas?
Two, If I beleved in reincarnation I would swear I was a comic book geek in another life. I have gotten really into Teen Titans and reading the oringal storyline summaries and stuff and I love asll the superhero movies that have been coming out, but I don't have a clue where you comic books. Comic book stores? They have them, but I have never been in one? So if anyone is a comic book/ DC guru (or someone who can put in contact with one) can you give me information where to go and what stories or comics would be a good place to start. I'm interested in Batman, Teen Titans, and Nightwing. (X-men as well, but that is Marvel).
Feedback is love!