"So, this is it?"
If Raven sounded less than thrilled to be out in the rain in the middle of the night in the worst neighborhood in the city with the
incorrigible Richard Grayson it was because she was.
"This is the place."
They huddled under a flickering light and waited. And waited. And waited.
"Your guy isn't coming, is he?"
"He'll be here."
"We've been waiting for over an hour, Dick. He isn't coming."
"He'll be here."
"Well, with such a compelling argument.." Raven rolled her eyes but made no move to leave. She wasn't going to leave a human
alone in this part of town. She took the opportunity to let her mind even out- Grayson had insisted on leaving immediately, giving
Raven only the chance to take a brief shower and change before heading out. The walk took forty minutes and it had started to rain
almost immediately afterwards.
Raven took that as a sign; Grayson ignored it.
Close to fifteen minutes later, loud footsteps could be heard, snapping Raven out of her centering and not surprising her companion at all.
"Nice of you to make it, Victor."
The figure he was speaking to was hidden in the shadows of an adjacent alley and didn't respond aside from a grunt of recognition. Raven
just stared, trying to make out the shape in the darkness.
"This is my...well, we're not exactly friends..."
"Hostage?"
Grayson had a mix between a grin and a snarl at that, and glared at Raven with a look that said 'politely shut the hell up, thank you.' Raven
just smirked.
"Teammate. Raven. Raven, this is Victor Stone."
"Pleasure."
Victor took a few steps forward, the sound his feet made could be compared to someone pounding an anvil.
"I'm sure."
Now that he was in the light, Raven could see that the reason he sounded like he was made of metal was because he wasmade of metal.
One red eye looked her over, most likely scanning her for information, if Raven had a correct understanding of how modern computers worked.
He reached out a hand, hesitatingly only slightly, and Raven shook it, knowing he needed to see if she saw him as a threat.
"Now that we're all properly introduced, how about we get in out of the rain and talk."
Victor was about to say something, by the look on his face it was going to be a refusal, but a drawn out scream interrupted them and caused
Grayson to assume what Raven could only guess was a fighting stance.
"Move out! Find the source!" He took off running, Victor glanced at Raven exasperated, and followed. Raven took up the rear out of obligation.
~X~
"Stop! Please, just leave me alone!"
"Now come on, love, stop screaming and give me what you owe me. I'm tired of your excuses- I'm collecting now."
The man was dressed in basic thug attire, but something seemed off- Raven couldn't quite put her finger on it but-..
"Freeze!" Grayson, now wearing sunglasses (in the dark and rain) was pointing a metal rod at the culprit.
'Not going to work...' She realized this a second too late, her mouth open to warn him, but he'd already swung, the stick making contact with air.
"Wha- oomph!" Richard was suddenly against the far wall, gasping for air as he clutched his sides.
"Oh no you don't!" Victor this time, swinging in a wide arch, a punch that would devastate a normal opponent.
This man wasn't normal.
Again, the blow hit air, but the man was behind him. He tapped him on the shoulder and sent a blast of light out, shooting the cyborg up at least
fifteen feet before letting him crash to the pavement. He groaned, and tried to sit up but his joints were locked. He would be out of the fight until
he could repair himself.
Grayson was up again, and threw some type of bomb at the culprit who side stepped it. The dust it kicked up from going off effectively hid the man,
and Richard dodged his next attack on pure instinct.
The man clapped, cockily, and grinned at his enemy.
"Very good... You're better than I expected."
"Who are you?" Grayson barked it like an order. He obviously was used to respect. This man would not be the one to give it.
"That's not important. What's important is that you don't get in the way of me and my business."
"Attacking innocent people is your business?"
"Sometimes. Speaking of.." the man looked around, noticing Raven for the first time and smirking at her before continuing his scan of the area.
"You scared her off."
Richard grinned, smug. "Guess you're not collecting your money tonight."
The man grinned back, but his was infinitely more dangerous. "I guess I'll just have to beat the debt out of you instead."
With silence Raven didn't know the large man could posses, Victor was behind him, tapping him on the shoulder, matching the man's previous arrogance.
He didn't turn.
"In a minute, lad, the grownups are talking now."
Stone shouted and pulled his arm back, obviously planning on throwing another punch. The man turned and caught his arm, with strength one wouldn't
expect out of his frame, kept Victor's arm from moving.
"Now, now. None of that."
Victor's one human eye widened, realizing too late what was going to happen. Before he could register it, he was through the wall Grayson himself had just
been plastered against- his added weight breaking the bricks and landing him in an abandoned warehouse.
"Raven! Don't just stand there, damn it! Move! We need back up!"
The man grinned at her, his eyes boring deep into her mind, triggering something primitive.
Raven was trembling.
"Raven! Damn it!"
She had backed herself into the wall she'd been standing in front of, trying, subconsciously, to blend into the scenery.
"That's a good girl. Stay right there and we'll play once I'm done with him." He motioned to Grayson and turned his attention back to him, showing his teeth.
He took a few steps towards his opponent, readying another ball of light, but the sound of sirens stopped him. He frowned and closed his fist, the light
extinguishing itself before turning away. "Until next time." And he was gone.
~X~
The three of them were sitting in Victor's apartment, if it could even be called that. It made Raven's place look like a palace.
Grayson hadn't been still since they arrived, pacing and swearing for the past ten minutes while Raven stared at her hands and Victor tightened some screws on his arm.
"What the hell happened back there, Raven?"
She remained silent, staring at her hands and the carpet and her feet. Anywhere but his accusing gaze.
"You could've gotten us all killed! You just stood there and watched! What were you thinking?"
"Hey, man. Lay off it. She was scared."
"Scared? There's no time to be scared in the middle of a fight! The slightest hesitation could cost everyone their lives, and her entire portion of the battle was hesitation!"
"I'm sorry.." She had to whisper it, because other wise her voice would crack and she'd start crying again.
And Victor's place was enough of a dump already.
"Sorry? That's not enough, Raven! When I asked you to join, I thought you wanted to save this city! And here you are letting them pummel innocent people and your teammates!"
"In case you hadn't noticed, Dick, I was sort of forced to join this sorry excuse for a team!"
"Then quit!"
"Fine!"
Anger she could deal with. She stood and turned heel storming towards the door. She reached for the handle but hesitated, which seemed to be the theme of the night.
If she left now, her pride wouldn't let her come back.
"What are you waiting for?"
"Nothing." she spat back and turned the handle. But even as she walked down the street back towards her home, she felt like she'd made a mistake.