Author Note
As you may know I like it when my reviewers give me some input and even ideas for my story. I have a plot for this story but it's much more flexible than my other DC stories.
And unlike that Gothic The Immortal. Red-X is not tied down with the domestic stuff, really I think I focused too much on The Immortal's efforts to try and be somewhat normal while also being a reluctant hero. Hopefully the action, sex and attempts at comedy worked to stop it from getting boring.
Anyway back on topic, as I was saying I like it when my reviewers pitch ideas at me (at least when it's not yet another request for a Game of Thrones story or for more anime, there's only so much of that I can watch) Takao-kun has been very helpful with my pokegirl story for example, Hunter Thomas is his creation, DarkAvenger001 dropped a few gems as well, adding Death of the Endless to my DC Gothic story was a great idea. And who can forget Joe Lawyer who always gets me thinking.
To that end I would like to attempt something I did before that went wrong, but this time I think I have it right. A few people might remember Adventure Gothic a story which I intended to have other self inserts play an important role. However it was too much and not planned out as well as it should have been.
For this story I plan for young heroes and villains to fight for prizes given out by the Traveller, whose using the Games Master as middle man. But rather than just canon characters I want a few new supers to fight Red-X, they won't win against Red-X as he will get first prize, but they might come third place or at the very least your character can lose to your favourite hero or baddie, or if you loathe a character yours can beat them up and get a lesser prize.
I don't need too much detail as this a cameo appearance, and try not overpower your character unless you want Supergirl to kick your ass. But if you have a DC super hero or baddy you ever imagined yourself to be then this is your chance to see them them in action so to speak.
As I said Takao-kun invented Hunter Thomas and I was able to work him into my pokegirl and I think I could repeat that feat so please throw some ideas at me.
Anyway thanks for your time here is the new chapter
DC Gothic – Red-X
Part 8
It's All An Act
Warehouse District – Jump City
"Go away, Red!" Robin growled as he edged closer to the marked crate that was just sitting in the the middle of the empty warehouse.
It was exactly where Slade had said it would be and also like my master had told me, Robin had come alone to disarm it. This was all part of Deathstrokes's new plan.
The original scheme had been my idea. I had planned to let the Titans find me during a robbery and then have Slade-bots attack us all. I would fight alongside the heroes, to make it look like I was trying to help them. If possible I would also save one of them directly so that the group might start to think of me as a sort of ally.
Sadly my antics at Christmas came with a price. Slade had lectured me about not having friends, and not acting like an fool, before deciding that a new plan was in order.
One that I was not going to enjoy carrying out. But that was what I got for trying to have fun while employed by a complete psychopath who was also a jerk.
"I don't have time for you" the Boy Wonder added as I got closer to him and the bomb.
"Didn't you once tell me: I'm never too busy for a thief like you" I reminded him "Was that a lie. Heroes shouldn't fib like that. It's bad".
The Boy Wonder was not amused.
"Seriously. This is a bomb!"
The ticking clock made that kind of obvious, and since it was counting down it was also obvious that he didn't have time to chase me away.
"Here make yourself useful and try to contact the Titans" Robin ordered as he tossed me his communicator.
Well this was an odd move for him, but I went with it.
"What should I say if they actually bother to answer?" I asked "They're gonna think I stole it"
And since I was planning on stealing it they'd be right to think that.
"Just try!" Bird Boy urged "And if they answer point it at me. I'd call them myself, but in case you hadn't noticed, my hands are busy".
Doing as I was told I called, but no one answered. Which wasn't surprising as Slade-bots were distracting the rest of the Teen Titans, just as planned.
"I know a thing or two about electronics. I might be able to help" I offered.
In fact I knew exactly how to disarm this bomb because Slade had gone to great trouble to explain it to me. Not that I would need to as while the bomb was not a dud it wasn't going to kill anyone.
"That would be a first" Robin muttered
I was starting to get a strange vibe from the Boy Blunder, a lot of the time he seemed to hate me, but there had been a few times when he seemed to see me as something more than an enemy.
Also I was starting to wonder if the reason he wasn't banging Starfire was because he was gay. If he found the whole bad boy thing attractive that would be confusing, and it could be the reason why he hated me so much.
That or he just didn't like me because I had his cool suit. Boys are funny about their toys, and I couldn't judge him for that because I was the same.
"You can let me help or waste time by arguing with me" I said "Which is gonna be?".
Robin said nothing so I came to stand right next to him, and rather than tell me to get lost the leader of the Titans slowly lifted the lid of the bomb up. He was very steady as he did and that was smart as any sudden jolts could make the bomb go off or cause it to malfunction.
In fact lifting the lid did just that. The count down began to accelerate at frightening speed.
"Run!" Robin commanded
I followed the instruction and ran like hell. I had barely taken a few steps when the bomb exploded.
(Line Break)
Warehouse District – Jump City
Starfire landed at the entrance to the warehouse and entered in the hopes of finding her team's leader
The alien princess looked around and when she spotted what remained of the bomb she grew very worried. However she relaxed somewhat when she found no evidence that Robin had suffered harm.
There was no blood, and the explosion hadn't been powerful enough to kill anyone unless they'd been very close to the bomb. Robin would have not been caught in the blast, of that she was sure.
Knowing that he was alive, but possibly injured in some way, Starfire took out her communicator and once more tried to contact Robin.
When she did she heard a beeping noise and followed it to find Robin's communicator laying on the ground.
"Robin where are you?" a concerned Starfire asked herself.
She had no idea where to look, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying. If she had to spend all night flying around Jump City in an attempt to spot Robin, then that was exactly what she was going to do. And she knew without a doubt that her fellow Teen Titans would help her.
(Line Break)
Slade's Warehouse Hideout – Jump City
Robin slowly woke up. He was tied to a chair, aching arms tied behind its back, and his ankles were restrained too. He raised his head to look around. He spotted Red-X, who seemed to be in the same situation he was only the thief wasn't moving.
Also Batman's side kick noticed that he was in what looked to be yet another abandoned warehouse. This was not Slade's main base Robin was sure, but he was also sure that it was well defended and would hard to escape from.
"First to awaken. Not surprising."
Robin's head whipped around and he saw Slade, standing by a big table. His and Red's belts were on the tabletop, and all the contents were spread out for Slade to examine.
Robin was just going to say something in reply when there was a soft moan from Red-X and the Boy Wonder's attention shifted to the crook.
"Oh, damn my head hurts, and I wasn't even drinking"
Robin gave him a warning glare and Red-X spotted Slade.
"Fuck"
Robin shared the feeling behind that word even if he would never swear like that.
Slade chuckled, as if amused by X and then continued to rifle through his captive's belongings.
"Just tell me what you want, Slade. And why did you take X, he's got nothing to do with this" said the Boy Wonder.
Robin had no clue that the thief and the super villain even knew each other. Had he known that they were in fact working together he'd be a might peeved to say the least.
"I must say I was surprised to find you two together" Slade commented "He's nothing but a petty crook, hardly worth your time, Robin".
"Rude, much" said Red-X in response.
Robin tried to tell the thief to keep his mouth shut without actually saying anything, and it seemed to work.
"I think I'll take care of you a head of schedule" Slade said to Red-X.
Robin was no friend to any criminal, and he would like to see Red behind bars after taking a beating, but no one deserved to be taken care of by Slade.
"Let him go, Slade, he has nothing to do with this" Robin demanded.
Wilson was not inclined to grant this request.
"I'm doing you a favor, Robin" Slade whispered "Soon I'll be ridding Jump City of a known criminal. You should be thanking me".
Batman had taught his ward to fight for justice which that Robin would never just sit back and let someone be murdered if he could help it. Also he valued human life so Robin had to do something, even if it was only to struggle helplessly due to his bonds.
"Don't worry, Robin. I'll make it quick" Slade, said as he took note of Robin's distress.
"No!" Robin yelled, unable to stop himself. "Don't, please!"
"Please what, Robin?" Slade asked. "Please do it in front of you. Very well I will grant your requested"
Deathstroke grabbed the back of Red's sturdy chair and started pulling the crook from the room.
"Stop! Slade, stop! Please!"
Wilson ignored Robin's begging and that made the leader of the Titans very upset.
"Let him go, you monster!" Robin called out in anger.
Slade didn't do that right away but he did eventually and the Boy Wonder knew that Red's life now depended on what Slade wanted from Robin.
"Does Robin know what you look like?" Deathstroke asked X
Red shook his head.
"I know I'm dying to find out" Slade then said.
The way the psychopath said 'dying' enforced Robin's belief that Red-X's life was still very much in danger.
Slade then pulled the thief's mask off and there was nothing to greatly surprise Robin since Raven had already described what Red-X looked like without the mask, but he'd wanted to see for himself and he then decided then to tell Ray that X did indeed have blue eyes liked he knew she was secretly hoping he did. Assuming he lived long enough to do that.
"And now, Robin".
Slade ripped off the hero's mask too, but Robin's mask hid far less so exposing him didn't mean as much. At least not as long as Red-X didn't recognise who he was.
"Red-X meet Tim Drake" Slade introduced "Tim Drake met... well even I don't know his real name, but when he's not in that outfit he goes by Gothic".
Since X didn't react to hearing his name Tim knew his cover hadn't been blown, at least not yet, but Robin couldn't concern himself with that right now.
"What is it you want?" Robin asked his arch-enemy.
"I want you to be my apprentice" Slade stated "Agree and this thief will be free to go".
It wasn't said but they all knew that a refusal would led to Red-X becoming Dead-X before long.
"Fine" was Robin's answer.
Since the alternative was let someone die he had no choice.
"Very well" said Slade
Deathstroke then cut Robin's bonds and forced the Boy Wonder to his feet. Robin's instinct was to struggle but he resisted the urge.
"Be good, or I'll accidentally slip with my knife when I release your friend" Slade warned before addressing Red-X "Don't worry. I am merely escorting Robin here to his new home. I'll come back for you."
As Slade escorted new his apprentice away from this place Red-X heard him say.
"I never imagined you would befriend a petty thief, Robin. Don't you have standards?"
Before the leader of the Titans could say anything X spoke.
"I'm not a petty thief!" Red-X objected. "I'm a great thief, and not a bad escape artist either".
Hearing that made Slade turn his head and when he did he saw that Red-X had freed himself from his bonds and was already putting his belt back on.
Before Slade could react to that Robin elbowed Slade in the stomach, the blow did little other than to distract Deathstroke, but that had been the point. The act brought time for X to recover both belts and his mask before teleporting away.
"Unfortunate" Slade said as he stood up straight "but it changes nothing. You're still mine Robin".
A fact Deathstroke tried to enforce by beating Robin. The Boy Wonder tried to fight back but he was outmatched and he didn't have any of his usual gadgets as the were scattered across the table. However he was at least able to put some distance between himself and Slade.
Still things were looking bad for the hero and at this point Robin could be forgiven for thinking Red-X was already miles away as the thief was the type of person to look out for number one, so it was a big surprise when the now once more masked Red-X reappeared and saved him.
What followed was a fight were Slade took on both Robin and Red-X, the super villain was a match for both of them but he wasn't able to put either down. Then when Slade tried to order in some of his machines the crook in a cape grabbed Robin and fired a grappling hook at the celling.
Soon both of the dark haired youths were on the roof and running like hell.
Slade didn't personally chase them, but he did send his bots after Robin and Red-X, and the machines chased the thief and hero across half the city before either giving up or losing their targets.
(Line Break)
Rooftops – Jump City
"I thought you didn't like to play the hero" Robin remarked as the two of us rested on a rooftop.
It amused me to here him saying that as not along ago I'd reminded him of something he'd said to me during a fight and now he'd done the same.
"Doesn't mean I don't know how" I replied.
For a moment or two nothing was said.
"You're a great escape artist too" Robin then praised.
And had he known that it had all been a deception he might also have called me a great actor.
"So that was Slade" I said "The guy's a legend I almost feel honoured to have met him".
As hoped Tim Drake took the bait.
"Have you heard much about him?".
Slade had told me that Robin didn't know he was also Deathstroke, and I'd been very careful to not call him that. The boss had regaled me with the highlights of his career and this part of the plan did involve me sharing a little info on my employer with Robin in order to build on the bond that was just now forming between the two of us.
"If you're looking to find out more about him ask Batman about a guy called Deathstroke the Terminator" I advised "Rumour has it that back in the day they tumbled a few times. Don't know much else".
Mentioning Batman brought us to the point we had to discuss the fact that I now knew which Robin this was.
"Are you going to tell anyone my real name".
I'd played this part of the act out in my mind more than a dozen times over.
"The name doesn't mean anything to me" I assured Drake "And if your worried that I'll tell anyone then don't be. I'm a thief I don't do blackmail And it's James. That's my first name. I think that should be enough to convince you I won't tell people that yours is Tim".
Not that knowing that name would help him as I didn't even exist in this dimension. My academy records had a fake name, Gothic was just a user name and Red-X was something Robin had come up with. Even a DNA sample would be useless because that would only led them to the H.I.V.E if that and the police had never taken more than my fingerprints, which was fine because I always wore gloves.
"I guess that's fair" Robin decided.
Since my objective was to be an ally who was sometimes an enemy I wasn't going to try and sign up for Team Titans. I wanted to be his Catwoman, only without the on and off again romances, he really wasn't my type.
Also I wanted to be the kind of person he might tolerate committing theft because he needed me as a source of information that would be helpful in defeating much bigger threats. Then I could move onto to actively helping him, and that should let me get close enough to the group that a key moment my betrayal would benefit Slade's master plan. Whatever that was.
However it really would work better if I could gain access to Titan Tower, as with their codes he take out the Teen Titans as they slept in their beds, so I had to wonder how my employer planned to get someone in there. But that really wasn't my concern.
"So where do we go from here?" I asked "Still going to try and take me?"
Neither of us were in much of a state for a fight. Also he knew I would be in danger in jail anyway as Slade could get to me there. Hidden away in the city I'd be much harder to find. Not that Slade was actually after me.
"I'll let you go this time" Robin said, sounding both cocky and amused "Just this once".
With that I teleported away and vanished into night, heading to where Slade was waiting for me. Hopefully my boss would be pleased with my performance. If he wasn't then I was in for a world of pain.