AN: Thank you to all who reviewed, you should have received a PM back :)
Sorry about the huge delay – I've had this chapter written up for about a month – I'm actually on chapter eight – however had forgotten I never finished typing it! Hope you enjoy!
(...)
Jinx sat perched on top of the gallery's roof, her sharp eyes keeping watch for anyone who might interrupt them as she waited impatiently for Gizmo to disable the alarms. Mammoth was with their shorter team mate round the back of the building, acting as a body guard, his communicator open so they would have constant contact with their leader.
"Have you done it yet?" Jinx asked.
"Just give me a god damn minute," she heard Gizmo's muttered reply.
"Almost," Mammoth relayed a second later, oblivious to the fact Jinx had heard him.
"Well the longer we're pratting around the sooner someone's gonna catch us."
In truth, the night was becoming very quiet. There were a few clubs nearby to attract nightlife, but most hadn't even opened, the majority of their patronage at home preparing for another day at work, but Jinx still didn't like waiting. Gizmo had spent an entire night and day studying the security system – he'd told her it would be simple. She wanted to be in and out with the painting hours before the Titans even heard about the robbery.
"Done," Gizmo's voice eventually came through the communicator. "Meet you by the back door."
Jinx snapped her communicator shut and slid it into a hidden pocket on the inside of the sleeve to her dress. She had one last look around from her vantage point before walking across the roof to the back of the building. She found the spot where a later addition to the ground floor meant there were only two stories to drop down rather than three. She stepped off, her landing eerily quiet despite her chunky boots, the balls of her feet taking all her weight.
She jumped the last story, landing next to her teammates. "So what took so long?"
"The damn security must have been updated – aint the same as the one I've been studying."
Jinx mentally swore. Out loud she asked, "Is that going to be a problem?"
The short man shrugged. "I dunno. I think I shut it all off. We won't know until we're in."
"Fucking great. Let's get this over and done with then." The hex caster faced the door in front of her two teammates and casually motioned towards it. Pink sparks jumped from her fingertips to the door, and as they made contact it swung ajar. No alarm sounded.
"Couldn't you just do that to the alarms?" Gizmo scowled and Jinx regarded him as though he were an idiot.
"No. I don't know what effect my hexes are going to have. They're just as likely to trigger the alarms as stop it. Worst case scenario with a door is that it doesn't open."
The two young men followed her inside, Mammoth's bulk at the rear. The building was dark except for the spatter of a few emergency lights and Gizmo activated a small torch in his backpack, the light extending out over his shoulder on a metal arm. Jinx scowled at him, but he shrugged her off.
"How do you expect us to find the blasted painting in the dark?"
They moved through a staffroom come cloakroom until they came to another door, this one accessible only via a keypad. Jinx was about to release another hex bolt when her teammate pushed past her.
"Move aside amateur." Aided by his torch, Gizmo studied the keypad a moment before punching in a seemingly random four digits code.
"You found it on the plans?" Mammoth asked.
"No idiot. The cover on the buttons have warn away, each at a slightly different rate." Gizmo told them as the light on the keypad lit up green. "The most discoloured on comes first because it gets most of the natural oils off your skin, and so forth."
"That true?" The giant quietly asked his leader as Gizmo pushed the door open.
Jinx shrugged. "I dunno. He is full of bullshit though."
Gizmo made a noise of disgust before asking harshly, "Did you two pay any attention to what we learnt during the first year of H.I.V.E Academy?"
"Nope," Both criminals answered together.
The shortest of the three shook his head before reminding them," There's two security guards patrolling so it don't drop your guard."
They moved round the building together, even knowing that it would be quicker for them to split up. All it would take was one mistake and they would have the titans after their hides. Jinx wouldn't say she was scared of Raven, but even she didn't fancy pushing her luck at the moment.
The thieves had a copy of the painting they were after however none of them were particularly art critics, especially when it came to modern art, and Gizmo couldn't help but think that they all looked the same.
They'd been at it almost twenty minutes – twenty minutes of being on high alert for security and listening to Gizmo's whispered snide comments – when Mammoth spotted he painting they were after.
"Further down the row!" He pointed
"Then lets grab it and go," Jinx snapped, irate.
"What's the matter? Afraid you'll bump into your girlfriend?" Gizmo teased as they followed Mammoth.
"Aren't you? She almost gutted Adonis yesterday."
"So? Adonis is a clutch-head. He probably did somethin' to piss her off. We're not here to aggravate her – we're just here for the painting."
Reaching the work of art the three villains all studied it for a moment, their eyes scrunched up as though it would help them understand the spats of colour.
"I don't get it," Mammoth's gruff voice broke the silence. "A two year old could have done that."
"I'm with you there," Jinx muttered.
The hulking mass of a man, happy they'd got the right one, moved forward to grab it. It was like he'd stepped over some invisible line. The lights switched on overhead at the same time as the alarm, leaving the thieves both blinded and deaf. Mammoth jumped back, both hands raised in the air as though he could take it back, his expression one of pure shock.
"Grab it, you idiot!" Jinx shouted as Gizmo looked around for a quick exit, cursing.
"No windows, damn it!" He had to raise his voice to be heard over the alarms. "We gotta go back the way we came."
"Well we have about five minutes before the Titans show their faces," Jinx told them, "Let's move it!"
Mammoth in tow with the painting, they broke out into a run, heading back through the gallery.
"I can't believe you missed on of the silent alarms," Jinx yelled at Gizmo as they ran. "What the hell did you disconnect? The toaster?!"
"Newsflash, genius. It isn't a 'silent' alarm!" Gizmo was about to run through an archway sectioning off the gallery when Jinx skidded to a halt and yanked Gizmo with her, Mammoth having enough sense to follow her lead. There was a loud 'BANG' as someone fired their weapon too late.
"Security's arrived," Jinx told them.
"How we supposed to fight and keep hold of the painting?" Mammoth asked.
"We're not – don't fight unless you have to, just run." As she finished speaking Jinx leaned round the archway and released a strong hex bolt, the pink wave of energy moving through the space at an alarming speed. A male grunt let her know she'd hit her target and she set off at a sprint, her teammates rushing to follow her.
The security guard was flat on his back, his standard issue pistol ten feet away from him. Jinx didn't spare him a second glance as she retraced their steps. They shot through another archway before taking a left.
"There's one security guard left," Gizmo warned them. "He's gotta be on his way."
The team of villains were seconds away from the room they'd entered the building through when Jinx spotted them.
"Two O'Clock!" She warned before rolling to the floor and behind the cover of a structural column.
There were no gunshots, just a woman's voice. "Drop the painting and come out with your hands up! The Police are on their way! You can't escape!"
The hex caster peeped out from behind her column but the security guard had moved, not stupid enough to stand out in the open. She had the upper hand, knowing where the criminals were. Their options were to make a run for it and risk getting shot in the back or stopping to deal with her, giving the other security guy enough time to catch up and the titans time to arrive. Jinx didn't like either option.
She put her back to the pillar and looked for her teammates. Gizmo had had the same idea as her, the face of some ugly noble long since passed hanging above his head. She couldn't see Mammoth anywhere.
"Now do we fight?" Gizmo hissed at her, and she nodded.
"She's just a normal. Take it easy. I don't wanna be done for manslaughter."
Gizmo nodded before activating his backpack, six long metal legs extending out of the pack and lifting him seven feet into the air, his controller stretching out in front of him on a metal arm which he took hold of.
There was the sound of the gun going off, almost deafening in the small space, but neither Gizmo nor Jinx could figure out what she was shooting at, and all it did was help pinpoint her position.
"One last chance. Drop the painting and-"
"We aint here for you lady, so unless you wanna fight three on one, scram," Gizmo butted in as he moved towards her on his mechanical legs, revealing himself from behind his pillar.
Jinx followed, looking for both Mammoth and the security guard. She found the behemoth and motioned for him to make a break for the door. The main objective was still to get the painting out of the building.
The giant started running and had almost reached the door when it turned as black as tar. Mammoth didn't need to be told what it was and skidded to a halt before he could crash into the dark energy.
"Give it up H.I.V.E. You're not getting out of here without surrendering."
Jinx swore under her breath but didn't turn to face Robin's voice, instead staring at Mammoth, not for the first time wishing she was telepathic. She could only pray Mammoth would run the first chance he got.
"You should know by now we don't surrender," Jinx eventually replied, turning to face the Titans. The hex caster noticed Raven was hanging back from the rest of the Titans and frowned slightly, concerned. The empath had been in such a low mood that morning and she doubted the talk with her teammates had done anything to help.
"Fine. Titans, GO!"
Mammoth was quick to prop the painting next to the doorway and, Jinx noted happily, didn't stray too far, waiting for a titan to come to him. Gizmo had been slowly backing up to Jinx when Robin had shouted his battle cry. He continued backing up, not happy in the slightest. The vertically challenged man had stopped using his robotic legs around the Titans after they'd broken one set too many – cyborg in particular – and he didn't have enough time to retract them without leaving himself vulnerable.
The Pink eyed thief watched in amusement as the Titans moved forward and picked any target but her, Cyborg going to Gizmo, Starfire and Beast Boy turning their focus onto Mammoth. Jinx didn't know if her time in the tower had softened her or if they were just afraid of Raven's wrath should they hit too hard, but the thief ended up facing a sour-faced boy wonder.
A small part of her mind was trying to remind her that the security guard was still in the room somewhere and armed, but Jinx ignored it. After all the Titans were here – cops and the like never hung around too close once the superheroes were on the scene.
Robin's expression was one of concentration and just a spot of anger as he pursued the hex caster. With one hand he unhooked his bo-staff from his belt and extended it, the other grabbing several disks which he flung at her.
Jinx sent a wave of hex energy and the disks malfunctioned mid-flight, imploding in clouds of whatever cryo-technology Robin preferred.
She smiled. "Oops."
Robin continued forward with his bo-staff. He swung low, aiming for her legs, and the thief jumped over with ease. Her feet were only on the ground for a second before she kicked out at Robin. Still completing his swing he didn't have time to block and Jinx's platformed boot connected firmly with the flesh just above his hip.
Robin leapt back out of range his face a mix of pain and anger. Jinx was quick to take the offensive, pushing him further back with a mix of hexes aimed at his feet and body. She knew she had the advantage so long as she could keep him at a distance. Her hexes would malfunction any disks or gadgets he could throw at her.
She took a sneak peek at Mammoth, the giant still engaged with Starfire and Beast Boy. Both were attacking from up close and while he was able to keep the green gorilla at bay the alien princess was an entirely different matter, her strength rivalling and exceeding the H.I.V.E member. Things certainly weren't going to plan.
The empath hadn't moved from her spot, still blocking their escape with dark energy. Jinx realised at some point she would need to break Raven's concentration and she really wasn't looking forward to it.
The thief had spent too long looking at anything other than her opponent and paid for it as Robin managed to close in on her again. She doubted he would leave the same opening again. He hounded her with attack after attack, forcing Jinx to dodge as she struggled to get in even one block.
"Not taking it personally, are you bird brain?" Jinx taunted as she stepped back, narrowly missing the end of his bo-staff as he'd made to jab at her shoulder.
She didn't get a reply which struck her as odd. The only Titan who didn't tend to respond to banter was Raven and Beast Boy, and one of them had the excuse of being in animal form for most of the fight.
"You are taking it personally!" The bo-staff grazed her arm and Jinx winced but otherwise ignored it. "She's a big girl – she can decide who she wants to date."
Jinx wasn't entirely sure what she was trying to prove or gain by aggravating the leader of the Titans, or even if it would help her at all. Robin swung at her again and this time Jinx grabbed hold of the end aimed at her. Pink static crackled from her hands up the metal bar and when he tried to tug it out of her grasp it snapped in half.
"I think you're being ripped off," Jinx declared as she tossed her half of the staff aside. "I thought titanium alloy was supposed to be stronger than that."
Robin was grabbing for his spare off his belt when a gunshot filled the room. Instantaneously everything went pitch black and both leaders froze. The darkness melted away and the hex-caster's eyes went straight to Raven. The demon Halfling looked livid and Jinx had a pretty good idea on who had earned her wrath.
The security guard looked dazed, not fully understanding what had happened. Not one person moved as the security guard's gun mysteriously wrenched itself from her grip and disassembled itself.
"Are you stupid?" Butter wouldn't have melted in Raven's mouth and Jinx didn't envy the woman. Using the distraction, anger having dropped the blockage over their exit, Jinx motioned for Mammoth to grab the painting and make a run for it.
Knowing Starfire would prove the biggest threat for Mammoth she quickly aimed a hex bolt and brought the ceiling down above the Tameranean. The confusion it caused gave them more cover than Jinx could have hoped for. Beast Boy completely ignored the villains as he rushed to aid Starfire and the behemoth was out of the room before the Titans knew what was happening.
Jinx, wearing a huge grin, didn't take long to follow Mammoth, Robin so busy watching Raven that it was a few seconds before he managed to shout, "They're getting away!"
Stood in the doorway, the leader of the H.I.V.E made sure Gizmo had cover, throwing hexes in no particular order and at no particular target, causing complete chaos. The little thief slipped through it all unharmed and Jinx turned and followed after him. They crashed through the storage come staff room, no longer having to worry about being quiet. Mammoth was waiting for them outside the door.
"Which way?"
"Back alleys. We need to loose 'em and quick."
The two men were quick to follow her instruction and they set off at a sprint, doing their best to stick to the alleys and narrow walks between buildings. Running always left them in a difficult situation. They would need to get inside at some point or Starfire would scout them down from the overhead but if they weren't careful Beast Boy would be able to track them down using their scent – and that was if Raven didn't find them first.
She stopped at a manhole cover and heaved it to one side.
"Not a fucking chance," Gizmo shook his head.
"We need to make sure there's no trail. There's water in sewers."
"Aint no water, and I'll be waist height in the crud."
Jinx took the painting off Mammoth. "Give him a ride, would you?"
The giant didn't even ask Gizmo, just picked him up, putting the shorter team member on his shoulders. Gizmo's glare spoke of death, though he didn't jump down. "This never happened. You got that?"
"Never happened," Jinx repeated before finding the ladder below her feet and quickly descending into the darkness. Normally she would have just jumped but she couldn't risk ruining the painting, not if they wanted to be paid.
Mammoth was quick to follow, pausing so Gizmo could grab the manhole and drag it back into place.
"Remind me why we're doing this," Gizmo scowled as Mammoth reached the bottom of the ladder.
"Because now we can't be spotted from the air-" Jinx stepped down into the channel of sewage, glad there hadn't been much rain in the past few days, "-or tracked by Beast Boy. Besides, you're staying clean. Stop complaining."
"Well it smells like something's died."
Jinx had never been more greatful for her boots and decided to ignore Gizmo as she started walking.
"We going far?" Mammoth asked. His height plus Gizmo's meant he had to stoop down.
"Far enough. If we keep heading north we should be able to pop out near the base."
"How do you know if we're heading north?" Mammoth asked.
"The GPs on the communicators, snot brain." Gizmo answered grudgingly.
(….)
Jinx kicked her boots off the moment they'd gotten past the door into their base, and gave both guys a warning look. "It's bad enough I'm gonna have to spend a week in the bath to feel clean again, I don't wanna scrub every fucking floor too."
Mammoth and Gizmo were quick to follow suit, not wanting to test the hex caster. Shoes abandoned they trudged further into the base. Jinx carefully set down the painting against one of the walls before turning to Gizmo.
"Let him know we're got it. I want that damn painting out of my sight as soon as possible."
"On it." The man nodded as he moved towards his computer console.
Mammoth stood and watched Jinx expectantly, until she turned and scowled. "What?"
"What are we doin' now?"
"You can do whatever you want. I'm getting a shower and going to bed."
"And if the client wants his painting tonight?"
"I'm still getting a fucking shower."
Mammoth watched her leave the room before talking to Gizmo. "Raven wasn't that bad. Dunno what Adonis was playin' at."
"That witch is unstable," Gizmo shook his head. "Always has been. Jinx's do better stayin' as far away as possible but she's too stupid."
Mammoth frowned. "I like her."
"You like everyone," The genius shook his head. "Now shut up, I've gotta ring our client."
The giant waited patiently for a few minutes, eventually wandering over to the fridge forgetting how empty it was until he was staring at the barren shelves, his stomach growling unhappily.
"We're gonna have to give him his painting tonight – we aint got no food."
"I thought I told you to shut it?" Gizmo scowled, his attention suddenly diverted as he spoke into his headset. "KB?" There was a pause. "Yeah we got it. Wouldn't recommend it – too much activity. Where would I recommend? Outside the city. There's a start to a hiking trail, Colwick Woods. Should be empty. About an hour, two tops. No funny business, got it? We aren't in the mood." Gizmo pulled his headset off and dropped it on the desk. "So who's fetching Jinx?"
"Not me. You're the one that organised it. How we s'posed to get all the way to Colwick Woods in two hours anyway?" We don't have Kyd Wykkyd anymore."
"We go for a joy-ride you idiot."
"Who's driving?"
"I am."
(….)
Jinx ended up driving, and neither of the boys wanted to argue eith the already pissed off hex caster, her shower having been cut short. Both of them hung on for their lives as Jinx threw the car around corners, getting to their location in record time. Gizmo was just surprised the cops hadn't tried to pick them up. The moment Jinx had pulled to a stop on the small parking area of the hiking trail her two team mates bailed from the car.
"Who the hell gave you a driving license?" Gizmo spat as Jinx stepped out.
"No one, dumb ass. Not that you can say anything." She slammed the door shut and sparks of pink shot up the car door, a spider web of cracks marring the window. "I fucking told you I was getting a shower. I didn't even want to do it tonight – you couldn't have organised it a little bit later?"
"You said you wanted to get rid of the painting ASAP." Gizmo frowned.
"I didn't mean this quickly."
"What's the problem? Had plans with your girlfriend?"
"Had plans with my bed. If I tried to meet up with Rae this soon after a robbery bird brain would certainly be tailing her." She looked around, taking in her surroundings. A forest of pine trees bordered them to the left. Originally planted for harvesting at Christmas a good few decades ago, it had been abandoned when plastic trees became all the rage and left to grow to its own accord until it had merged with the native redwoods.
To the right was the road they'd come up. It continued on through the trees until it reached the next town. There was no sound of any other vehicles.
"When did you arrange to meet?"
"On the phone I said an hour to two hours. I didn't take into account the fact that you'd be driving like a maniac otherwise I could have said half an hour."
"You use a secure line?"
"What do you think I am? Stupid? Scrambled it several times too so it couldn't be traced. Kept the call short. I mean he could still set us up but he'd be stupid to do so."
Jinx rested her hands on her hips as she tapped her foot impatiently. "He gets fifteen minutes, then we're gone."
Unless the hex caster had changed drastically in the last month or so, the boys knew she was joking. Even during the early years of H.I.V.E Academy Jinx had been a perfectionist, taking pride in her work as a thief. It wasn't until the Titans showed up that they had their first defeat. The Headmistress hadn't chosen their team to take out the upstart heroes for nothing.
A car came and went, then two, and even Mammoth got nervous. "Shouldn't we wait in the car or something? In case we need to make a quick getaway?"
"If the cops turn up they'll block the road. Even if it's the Titans Rae will probably just dismantle the car. We won't get a quick escape." Jinx shook her head. "Best bet would be to head into the woods but then I wasn't the idiot who organised to meet here."
"You told me to ring him and I did," Gizmo snapped at her. "You can do it next time."
All three villains went really quiet as they heard the sound of an engine approaching. A car pulled into the small parking lot, it's headlights switched off despite the darkness.
"Well he's not a complete idiot," Jinx muttered as Mammoth moved to stand in front of his two teammates. It was an arrangement they tried to stick to when entering any unknown situation. Mammoth was the buffer, Gizmo would walk in the middle and Jinx would bring up the rear, her ranged attacks ideal for protecting the Team's back.
Two men exited the sleek black Mercedes and it was instantly obvious who the protection was and who was the client, the latter carrying a rounded belly that spoke of too much food and not enough exercise. If Jinx had been in his place she would have brought more protection.
Jinx spoke from behind her human shield. "You must be KB?"
The fat man nodded and tried to look at Jinx as he spoke, but his eyes kept flickering back to Mammoth. The hex caster didn't need to be an empath to know he was nervous. "So you got the painting? I don't see it."
"I don't see the cash," She replied simply.
KB looked at his protection, a muscled man wearing a coat that was way too heavy for the weather, probably attempting to conceal a firearm. He went back to the car, leaving the client very unprotected. Jinx could hear Gizmo trying to keep in a laugh and she wanted to join him. The H.I.V.E were 'good guys' compared to some other criminals and Jinx knew had it been anyone else he'd have found himself face first in the dirt, money and car gone, his hired muscle dead.
"You show me the cash I'll show you the painting. If we're happy, we'll swap." Jinx told him with a smile. "Gizmo, will you do the honours?"
Still smirking the small genius went over to the red rust bucket they'd stolen from around the corner of their base. The painting was almost as big as Gizmo and Jinx's urge to laugh became even stronger as he waddled back towards them, trying his hardest not to let it touch the ground.
KB's muscle came back with a non-descript suitcase. He flipped the lid and tilted the contents towards Jinx so she could see the bundles of notes. She nodded, content, before asking the fat man, "You happy?"
"Very."
Gizmo passed the painting to Mammoth who held out the picture so far, his other hand mirroring, quietly waiting for the cash. The exchange was quick and Mammoth passed the case back to Jinx.
"If you want anything else you know how to contact us," Jinx smiled, her voice holding about as much enthusiasm as a call operator.
She turned with the case and headed for the battered car, Gizmo and then finally Mammoth following. Gizmo was quick to take the driver's seat but Jinx effortlessly shoved him across to the passenger's seat before throwing the briefcase at him. Mammoth squashed himself into the back and they were off, leaving the black Mercedes in a cloud of dust.
"Slow down! Last thing we want now is to get caught when we just got the cash!" Gizmo scowled, before he was all but thrown out of his seat as they went over a bump in the road.
"The quicker we get home the quicker we're out of the way of the cops and titans. Fuck what the traffic cops have to say about it – they have to catch us first."
As it was approaching the middle of the night they saw little in the way of traffic and only a few cars had to deal with Jinx's driving as she pushed round them and pulled some dangerous overtaking manoeuvres.
"So when we buying food?" Mammoth eventually asked. "I'm starving. We haven't eaten in ages."
Jinx came to a screeching stop in the middle of the road and a lone taxi blared it's horn as it was forced to swerve around them. She looked back at Mammoth. "There won't be many places open at this time."
"We could go kabab shop. That place on Stirling Street always serves us." Mammoth shrugged.
"Everyone would if they knew how much food you personally order," Jinx shook her head. "Gizmo?"
"Just get us out of the middle of the fucking road! I don't care! All I wanna do is get home in one fucking piece!"
Jinx started moving the car again, taking the first right. "Since when were you safety conscious. I remember the time you took the T-Car for a spin. New helicopters caught the whole thing."
"Yeah well that was years ago and I was driving so I knew I were safe."
"And I know I'm safe so stop backseat driving!"
"Can we just focus on the road please," Mammoth asked quietly from the back.
They made the rest of the journey in awkward silence until they reached the Kabab shop.
"Giz, pass Mammoth some money."
"But we haven't even counted yet."
"Then remember how much you gave him. It's not rocket science."
The young man let out a loud sigh and opened the case. The money was packed in neat bundles of twenty dollar notes. "He's gotta be kidding right? This is gonna take forever to count." He passed Mammoth $40.
"We know his face and we know he's local," Jinx pulled over to the side of the road. "Be quick. I don't wanna hang around," She told Mammoth.
"Do we?" Gizmo asked as Mammoth got out the car, the car rocking as the weight vanished.
"Well yeah. You'd received the contract while I was still at Titans Tower and he managed to get here last minute. Local."
"He best be, 'cause if he's tried to rip us off there'll be hell to pay."
"You don't need to tell me that."
"So what's the plan now anyway?"
"The plan is for you to case that bank," Jinx answered. "You did say we had a limited time frame."
"About what about a vehicle? No way are we carrying gold all the way back from Rise Park."
"Talk to Dave at the Tap 'n' Tumbler. He can probably get us a Van. I'd say $500 but we want it quick so offer him more. So long as we don't trash it he'll buy it back."
Gizmo shook his head. "No way is a crummy van gonna outdrive the cops."
"It will after you're done with it," Jinx grinned. "You are gonna have to deck it out with some modifications."
The genius was silent for a moment before he scowled at his leader. "You want me to do all the prep and the robbery? Sounds like a pretty shit deal to me."
"No, you won't be part of the robbery, or at least not as such. I want you working from base. You said security cameras would be down but is there any way you could hack into them?"
"Nuh uh, not a chance. If we hit 'em on time there won't be any cameras to hack into."
The hex caster scowled. "I was hoping you could keep an eye out from the cameras, check security's whereabouts."
"I'll look into it," Gizmo shook his head. "A week to modify a van and start devising a game plan. You do like to make things difficult don't you?"
"Tell you what then – I'll go get the van sorted tomorrow night if you'll start planning. Sound good?"
"Not good, better though. And what's Mammoth going to do during all of this?"
"Eat us out of house and home, probably," Jinx grinned just as the car's door opened and the giant in question got in, the car instantly smelling of donner kabab. He put three carrier bags on the seat next to him.
"We're good."
Jinx took off the handbrake and set off, a twenty minute journey taking them ten minutes. "Good job this vehicle isn't registered to us – the owner's gonna get a fuck ton of speeding tickets through the post," Gizmo noted.
Jinx smiled as she parked up two blocks away from base and they abandoned the car, walking the rest of the way, Mammoth carrying their early morning meal. They filed into the disused warehouse and to the back room where their trap door was located, usually hidden beneath a pile of crates, at least while they were out. Jinx came to a dead stop as soon as they passed through the doorway.
"What's the hold up?" Gizmo asked angrily before he shoved past the pink eyed theif.
"Someone's been here."
The crates were scattered across the floor like they'd been carelessly thrown aside.
"Your girlfriend?"
Jinx shook her head. "She'd just teleport inside."
"She can do that?!" Gizmo yelped.
"Well duh. You've seen her teleport before."
"Yeah but…" He trailed off into shocked silence.
Jinx approached the trap door having noticed a small rectangle of card. She bent down and picked it up. Someone in messy handwriting had written, "You call this a secret base?"
"What is it?" Mammoth asked.
"Someone trying to mess with us," She answered. She stared at the card a moment before turning it over in her hand, her blood turning cold. "It's a joker card."
"A what?" Gizmo asked.
"A playing card – the joker." She showed her two teammates the comical illustration on the other side, clothed in red and yellow. "Fuck."
"Can't be," Mammoth shook his head. "Just someone with a shit sense of humour."
"That knowns about our trip to Gotham?"
"It was years ago," Mammoth shrugged. "Aint no one who holds a grudge that long."
"I can think of a few people," Jinx muttered.
"Well last I heard Joker and his psycho girlfriend were behind bars at Arkham. There's been nothing on the news about a break out. For once Mammoth is right. Chill would you? Besides it's not the Joker you upset." Gizmo moved to the trap door and pushed down on a hidden panel, revealing a keypad. He put the code in and the trap door opened. "Everyone knows he's obsessed with Batman. If he was free he'd be harassing him, not us."
Jinx wanted to believe him but her gut feeling said otherwise. She'd always known her actions in Gotham would bite her on the ass one day, even if it had been so satisfying at the time. They playing card clutched tight in her grip she followed her teammates into the base.
The team had been about five years younger when they'd accepted a job in Gotham. It was a simple job – that simple it had been turned down by most of Gotham's criminals – the rest had been afraid of getting Batman's attention. The job had gone smoothly and they'd delivered the goods before deciding to check out Gotham and see if it was all the rumours had said it was. In retrospect Jinx knew they had been young and stupid. The Iceberg Lounge had been their first and last stop. The bouncers hadn't let them past the threshold so Kyd Wykkyd had teleported them inside. If there dramatic entrance hadn't attracted everyone's attention, the fact that they were obviously underage would have done.
It was like a Mexican wave of silence, starting with those closest to them until the entire establishment of criminals were silent – all but one, a woman with blonde pigtails who was still yelling angrily at someone the H.I.V.E member couldn't see, a comically oversized gun aimed in front of her. She eventually realised the attention was no longer on herself and spun round, weapon still pointed.
"It's fucking Harley Quinn!" Jinx heard Billy gasp and was worried she was suddenly going to have a team of fanboys at her back. She didn't need their help to make them look any younger or more pathetic than they already did.
The woman laughed loudly, "Since when did this place become a bloody daycare?"
Jinx's irritation flared and her eyes flashed with pink light. The weapon Harley was holding fell to pieces in her hands. The hex caster instantly regretted it but didn't back down, trying to give one of Gotham's criminals the best stare she had.
Harley Quinn studied the gun parts, dumbstruck as they clattered to the floor before grinning madly. "You got guts kid, I'll give you that. Only problem is, I came here lookin' for a fight first and there aint enough room for both of us."
She moved forward with incredible speed, bringing down a high kick aimed for the centre of Jinx's head. Mammoth caught it with him oversized hand, acting more out of habit than anything else. He effortlessly flung her across the room by her boot and people tried to scatter as she crashed into a table, the wood splintering beneath her.
"Remove her quick, before she regains what little sense she had." A nasally voice drew the team's attention to a short fat man with the biggest nose any of them had ever seen. He waddled towards them, brandishing a black walking cane with a ruby as fat as himself on the top. "You wouldn't believe how long we've been trying to get her to shut up. Not only does she have the gall to ask me to risk my men's lives for that mad man, she asks me last." He shook his head, or at least Jinx thought he did. It was hard to tell where his neck began and his chin ended. "You are imbeciles to try and enter my establishment, but you did a better job than any of my pathetic excuses for security. How can I repay you?"
The noise had gradually picked back up as people realised the excitement had stopped, and only those at the closest tables were still listening. "By not kicking us out?" Jinx tried uncertainly.
"No deal. You look underage even for my Mother's country. I need to keep my license. Come back when you're twenty-one."
Jinx smiled at the fat man, "That an official invitation?"
"For you, yes. In the meantime if you're looking for work, you know where to find me. Your friend here is surprisingly strong. I could have use for that."
The team had agreed at that point it was best to leave while they were ahead and never looked back. Over the years they'd had one or two contracts come from Gotham but Jinx had always turned them down. The hex caster was and always had been aware she'd embarrassed one of Gotham's most wanted criminals with some help from Mammoth, and didn't want to give her the chance to make things even.