I don't own Teen Titans or anything else mentioned in this chapter.
There's language. "This" means that they're speaking in Tamaran and is used for whispering; you'll know the difference, and this is when they're thinking.
I hope the chapter came out ok. Anyway thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys rock! :) Enjoy!
Your Reason Why
Chapter 3 – Strangers in the Night
…
Mariand'r walked down the cold, dark streets of the ghetto part of Gotham. She was clutching to 'Robin Gotham' as she looked around her new surroundings and up at the cloudy dark sky with curiosity and awe. The strong winds blew through her short black hair making her stop, and close her eyes because of the dust and small trash that the wind was picking up. She wasn't cold, just sleepy, tired, and hungry, but she was finally in Gotham.
"How am I supposed to find daddy now?" She looked around once more and kept on walking.
oOo
Four men in their early twenties were hanging out in the shadows of a small alley that lead to a hidden beaten old apartment. Two guys were sitting on buckets with a small wooden crate in between them acting as a table; they were playing poker.
One guy had short black hair and dark brown eyes. His face was dirty and he looked like he was starting to grow a beard. He was wearing a white stained t-shirt, a ripped gray jacket, baggy old gray jeans, and brown worn-out shoes, no socks. The other guy in front of him had blonde dirty hair and forest green eyes; his face was sweaty and covered with piercings; he looked angry. He was wearing a big black t-shirt and gray sweats; old tennis shoes with ripped socks.
One of the other guys was leaning against the alley's brick wall, looking up at the cloudy sky. He had a shaved head and brown eyes; he was wearing ripped blue jeans and a white loose shirt. A tattoo of a purple dragon on fire, the fire being green, lay on his right arm. The last guy was sitting against the other brick wall. He was going through a women's Prada purse that he had just stolen a couple of minutes ago. He had dark raven hair and his eyes were also brown. He was wearing dusty faded green shorts, a black camouflage shirt, and stolen new white Nikes.
"Make-up…" said the guy going through the purse, as he threw it out of the purse, "keys, ugly cell phone, …" He threw those out as well, "…ugh, where the fuck is the money!?"
"Forget it, Rick. The bitch probably had the money on her." said the blonde guy playing poker. Rick kept looking though.
"We have to pay Smith back soon or else he'll send someone to shoot us. Keep looking." said the other guy playing cards. "You know how impatient Smith can get."
"Shut up Jackson, I'm looking!"
"Ha, I win again." said the blonde guy as he revealed his cards to Jackson, in front of him.
"If I find out you cheated I'll kill you myself, Jagger." said Jackson as he handed him a stolen bottle of tequila as his prize.
"Shaw! I found three hundred bucks in a hidden pocket. The bitch was holding out on me!"
"You heard that, Drakes?" Jagger asked the guy with the tattoo.
"It's not enough, there has to be another way to get money faster. We only have three more days." said Drakes as he took out a cigarette to smoke. "How much do we have now?"
"About nine hundred and sixteen dollars." said Rick as he counted the money.
"Smith might not even let us have all three days. You know what happened to Jack's bro for not paying him back on time." said Jagger looking at Rick.
"I heard he was going to kill Jack tonight." said Jackson, trying to snatch the tequila bottle away from Jagger.
"But he gave him a whole week to pay back him back; it has only been two days."
"Let's just not run into Jack or Smith's guys tonight."
"We need three thousand dollars more. Let's rob a bank–" Drakes stopped and looked out towards the street.
"Drakes, what's wrong?" asked Rick standing up.
"Shut up! Look."
"Someone's coming." said Jagger matter-of-factly also standing up.
"Let's rob that mother fuc–"
"It's just a stupid girl." said Drakes interrupting Jackson. "She won't last the night."
"Looks like she's lost; nice hair, nice clothes, her parents are loaded." stated Rick.
"Perfect. Like that we can trade the girl for the money by tomorrow, pay Smith, and even get a little something, something for ourselves. A couple of millions will do. We'll have to be careful, for the Bat or Smith's guys could show up if they find out what we're up to." The four guys walked out of their alley and walked down the small block, straight towards the girl.
"Hey there…girl." said Jagger as he bend down to meet her eye level. "Watcha doing? Where are mom and dad?"
"Um, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." said the little girl coyly.
"Well, I'm Jagger, that guy is Jackson, that guy with the fancy sneakers is Rick, and the guy with the pretty pony on his arm is Drakes. See were not strangers anymore, what's your name?"
"I am Mariand'r and this is Robin Gotham. I am lost and I am looking for my daddy. His name is Richard…Grayson."
"Grayson, huh?" He turned around and gave his gang a we-just-won-the-lottery look. "Yeah, me and my friends know Grayson. We know where your dad is."
"Really?" asked Mariand'r with hope in her green emerald eyes.
"I didn't know Grayson had a kid." whispered Drakes to the guys.
"The bastard is just probably keeping it a secret. You know, to keep up appearances." Jackson whispered back. "Just look at what she's wearing, she's definitely 'Grayson' loaded."
"Oh, yeah, actually your dad is back at my place. He came to visit me; how about if I take you to him."
"Ah!" A smile spread across her face, a smirk spread over Jagger's face.
"Did you hear that?" whispered Rick to the guys.
"Hear what?" whispered Drakes.
"That noise. I think it's one of them. Shit, look Jack's running this way!" whispered Rick as he pointed to a guy running away from someone in the far distance. Drops from the sky were starting to fall.
"Hurry it up, Jagger!" yelled Drakes, "I think they're coming!"
"Come on girl your dad is over there!" Jagger extended out his hand for her to hold.
"Ok." Mariand'r gave him her hand. As soon as she put her small hand on his, Jagger pulled her really hard and they started to run back to the alley, making her drop her bear in the process. Jack and whoever was chasing him were getting closer.
"Robin Gotham!" she yelled and tried to go back and get it, ignoring the pain in her small arm from the pull she had just received, but Jagger had a tight grip on her.
"Don't you want to see your father!?"
"Let go!" yelled Mariand'r, tears building up and her super strength kicking in. Drakes walked over to help Jagger, who apparently was struggling with the girl. The rain started to get heavier. Jack was now clearly visible.
"He's coming, he's coming!" yelled Jack now running towards them.
"Shit, he's coming this way!" yelled Jackson.
Drakes grabbed Mariand'r by the dress, Jagger took out his gun and hit her in the head hoping she would pass out and started to walk with the girl barely struggling to free from their grip. Her super strength wasn't working, she was tired and she was in pain; her six year old half Tamaran body didn't had enough strength.
"I'll take care of that." Rick pulled out a small hand gun and pointed it at Jack. Jack stopped dead in his tracks.
"Rick, what are you doing, he's your cousin!" asked Jackson.
"It's either us or him!" and by us he meant himself. "I'll just wound him, that will delay them; then Smith's guys can take care of the rest…" His face was wet, but Jackson couldn't tell if it was because of the rain or if he was crying.
"Hurry before they catch up to him!" yelled Jackson in frustration. "Shoot!" Rick fired the gun and hit Jack on his right shoulder, then at his left leg, and finally at his chest. Jack fell to the ground. Rick dropped that gun and ran towards the alley, Jackson and the other guys followed.
Mariand'r started to cry, she didn't saw what happened but she knew it was bad. Lightning was heard. The four of them were almost at the alley; Mariand'r was being half dragged, half pulled as they ran to the safety of their apartment where all their weapons were at. She was still in pain, her head hurt; her vision was starting to fade.
Then the guy dragging her fell to the ground and so did she, she saw a figure, heard fighting, screaming, and gun shots. She was trying so hard to stay awake, her vision started spinning. More gun shots were heard over the sound of the heavy rain, someone was trying to run away, the figure stopped him with some kind of gadget…silence, then lightning, she caught a glimpse of a mask face… She closed her eyes…and everything went black…
gasp! What will happened next!? REVIEW! In chapter 4, Mari FINALLY meets Richard in the next chapter!
