Neb: The Alliance that Alec has wished for has finally come. But Rook is different from what Alec had expected. He's self righteous and feels justified choosing who can live and who can die. Still Alec needed an ally if he was going to bring down those responsible for his sister's death. You can call Rook Side Slash or the Beheading Man, either way all that mattered was the mission. Speaking of missions, Alec is charged with interrogating and eliminating Jason Scotch, his sister's killer. I do not own anything DC Comic's related, heck Red X isn't even my original idea. He's an alias from Teen Titans, created by Dick Greyson. I hope you all enjoy the story.

Alec made his way to Castle Grove's Prison, or C.G.P for short. He was going to pose as a reporter for King and Queen News, which he kind of was. He was an intern at the very least. Rook at least allowed Alec to finish his current job witch was interviewing small businesses tied to Bishop's Auto Industries. It was the perfect cover, since there was a criminal called Lokan Spades who use to be partnered with Bishop's Auto Industries as a small tire shop. At least until his own business got swallowed whole by the larger company he was partnered with. Lokan had gathered a group of other businesses that had suffered because of Bishop's Auto Industries and formed a mob intent on killing Lance Bishop. Unfortunately for them, they didn't make it past the front gate, before two of the members of their mob were shot on sight and the rest were arrested. Alec's job was to interview Lokan first and when he had an opportunity interrogate Jason Scotch.

"Spades, you have a visitor," the guard spoke up before letting Alec enter the room they were keeping the man.

"Are you wanna mine?", Lokan wondered. "Tell your mother she has no proof."

"No, I'm a reporter working with King and Queen News," Alec shook his head. "I wanted to hear your side of the story on the attack of Bishop Industries."

"You want to hear my story?", he growled. "After all these months? Why weren't you hearing our story before our businesses went under!"

"Well me personally, I didn't work for King and Queen News at the time," Alec assured. "I looked over my colleague's notes, and I don't think he gave you a fair chance to explain yourself. I mean he only interviewed the authorities and Bishop."

"No kidding," Lokan grunted. "Aren't you guys supposed to be in Bishop's pocket?"

"Look, do you want the interview or not?", Alec rolled his eyes. "I could spend the next hour denying rumors of King and Queen news with Bishop Industries, or you can actually give me something to work with."

"Oh your a different kind of reporter," the man grinned. "I like that. I didn't take crap from anyone either when I was in business. They tried to buy out my business again and again, but helping people was more important then the money."

Alec started jotting down notes. "So what happened to the other people who charged Bishop Industries?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Lokan shrugged. "I thought I'd see what was left of them here, but a few of us were killed in the attack. The rest of us were arrested, and I never saw them again."

"Can you tell me what pushed you all that far?", Alec wondered. "I know you were about to go out off business, but surely their were better options then murdering Mr. Bishop."

"Listen, Bishop and his lackeys had spent months harassing us about selling our properties," Lokan growled. "We were fighting the good fight ignoring all his offers. But then suddenly out customers stopped coming in our doors. We had to bump up our prices because of lack of business and then the bank started ceasing our assets. I was humiliated beyond belief. But to make it worse, who bought our businesses after they were ceased by the bank? That's right Bishop did! I hate that son of a bitch, we charged his front gates in hopes that at least one of us would make it past security and punch his lights out. We didn't care about jail time because our lives were already over."

"No further questions," Alec sighed, trying to look as sincere as possible. But the truth was, another inmate was brought to a nearby cell that looked familiar. The man who murdered his sister, the whole reason he came to this prison."

"So your boss isn't going to paint us in a worse light after what I've told you?", Lokan wondered.

"We will maintain an unbiased opinion at this point in time," Alec assured.

"I've heard that one before," Lokan growled before looking away.

Alec was about to head away, but then turned back. "I'll look into finding the rest of your crew. I promise."

"Thanks kid," Lokan nodded.

Alec turned towards Jason Scotch's cell and headed towards it. He typed into a pager, notifying Rook that he was on the move. Before he knew it, the power was cut off and the whole prison was completely dark. Alec changed into his Red X costume during this moment and then moved in to Jason Scotch's cell. When the backup generator kicked in, Red X grabbed Jason and slammed him into a wall.

"What's the big idea?", Jason screamed in panic. He then looked at Red X and became even more frightened. "No, the league sent you after me!"

"So you know about the league," Red X growled. "The League of Shadows, what all do you know about them?"

"You aren't with them?", Jason wondered before his head was bashed into the wall.

"Talk!"

"Look man, I was paid by the White Skull Syndicate to deal drugs," Jason explained. "I don't know nothing about the League of Shadows."

"Accept you know who they are," Red X pointed out. "And they tried to have you killed seven months ago."

"How did you know about that?", Jason freaked out. "Who are you?"

"I'm the one asking the questions Scotch," Red X ordered before slamming his knee into the man's gut.

"Ok," Jason coughed. "I'll tell you, just please stop."

"Why did they try to have you killed?"

"I knew too much," Jason explained. "The operation was to make this city the worse version of itself, and then for it to be purified."

"Purified?", Red X repeated. "By who? The League of Shadows?"

"That's right," Jason nodded. "These assassins believe in destroying evil, and this place became the center of it all. The gangs that were leaking in from other cities was the start of it. Red Burst was created to test the resolve of this city, to see if the people would stand up for themselves. But they didn't, they were ordered to stay in doors at night and no one took any action to stopping the trade. Riley, Banks, and I had enough. We weren't going to wait for some costume freak to show up and start beating us up. We decided to break off from the league. But then the actual authorities caught me. Riley knew if they interrogated me, the League would find out, so he tried to have me killed."

"The silver haired man," Red X realized. "Is that Riley?"

"Yeah," Jason sighed. "That's the guy, don't mess with him. Banks and I were just common thugs with a few knife tricks and self defense classes. But Riley was trained by one of the Dragon's pupils."

"The Dragon?"

"Head of the League," Jason explained. "I won't say his name, because then I'm a dead man for sure."

"Is he in town?"

"Not as far as I know," Jason shook his head. "Though his pupils are."

"So the League of Shadows are here?"

"They've been here," Jason nodded. "I've never met them, but I've heard they are nasty pieces of work. They don't Believe in mercy. Not like you?"

"Like me?"

"Yeah, you're going to let me go right?", Jason smiled. "I gave you everything you wanted, and then some."

Red X started to laugh making Jason uneasy. "Tell me, seven months ago, did you show that little girl on the bridge any mercy? When you took her, held her hostage, and then gunned her down!"

"I was defending myself," Jason shook his head. "I already got life sentence because of that, the system got me."

"The system got you," Red X growled. "The system is broken, and I am the glue that will seal it back together." Red X could hear guards finally coming towards the cell. Looks like Rook was no longer distracting them. He reached out with his taser glove and grabbed Jason. Then he disappeared from the scene."

"Whoever did this is probably still nearby?" one of the guards yelled. "Fan out and search the area!"

"Where's the reporter kid?", one of the other guards wondered.

"He left an hour ago," Lokan called out from his cell. "Before the blackout."

"Do you swear to that Spades?", the guard questioned him.

"Absolutely," Lokan nodded.