Categories > Cartoons > Teen Titans > Aftermath Trilogy: To Ask and Be Answered
Chapter Six: A Matter of Trust
Nightwing still held Starfire in his arms. He was absolutely happy. He had everything he could ever want. He quietly kissed her hair smiling. "Dick, do you trust Red X?"
"Why do you ask that, Kori?" Nightwing frowned. Not sure of what to say, he tried to answer the question
"It just seems...strange somehow that he would want to join us all of a sudden," Kori said quietly.
"Hey, don't you worry about Red X, I'll be watching him closely," Nightwing smiled. "Come on, we better go inside. They're waiting for us." Taking her hand in his, they strolled quietly inside.
Quiet smiles crossing their faces they saw the others turn and greet them. "How are you two Cyborg asked.
"We're fine, any new leads?" Nightwing asked.
"Not yet, but we're bound to get something sometime," Cyborg replied.
"Red X, what have you been doing all these years?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh, been doing odd jobs here and there, that sort of thing," he replied, sitting at one of the tables, he began sorting through some newspapers. "So have you found your culprit yet?"
"We have some leads, Beast Boy says it's the Iron Fist resurrected." Nightwing sat down and began typing into a computer.
"Does he now?" Red X frowned. You stupid idiot, /he thought. /You've come out too early and now they suspect that you're behind all this! /He silently berated John Thomson and his clumsiness. /Still, I will use this to my advantage.
"So do you believe him?" Red X asked. First things first, plant seeds of distrust. A house divided against itself falls, at least that's what the Book said, if he remembered those religious stories correctly.
"Why wouldn't I? I've known him for years," Nightwing said.
"Oh, he could be wrong you know," Red X said simply.
"No, Beast Boy has been right so far, and I'm not about to doubt him." Nightwing turned away, walking into his old room.
Starfire stayed where she was, looking at him intently. He was alone with her, at last. If Red X couldn't get Nightwing to distrust Beast Boy, then maybe he could cause Starfire to distrust him. "So, is he always so trusting of his friends?"
"He wasn't always this way," Starfire explained, curious why he was asking these questions. "He tends to keep to himself. He trusts us, but it only goes so far."
"Does he trust you?"
"Yes."
"How do you know that? How can you be sure?" Red X moved to stand beside her. He wouldn't try to lure her away, not yet. Beast to plant seeds of doubt and mistrust and then take her away from Nightwing for good. "How can you be sure that you can trust him?"
"I trust Nightwing with my life. He has never lied to me," Starfire said confidently. "Why do you ask such nosy questions?"
"Oh, I'm curious," Red X said, letting a insincere smile cross his face. "Don't you worry, Starfire. I'm not trying to pry."
Starfire left the room. She frowned, thoughtful. She didn't understand why Red X was being so nosy. His questions made her suspicious, though she didn't let on. There was something about him that unnerved her. He was frightening, almost sinister, in a way. She didn't trust him, not one bit. She shut herself away in her old room. She needed time to think.
Nightwing stood alone in his room in silent contemplation. He wasn't sure what he should think about Red X. Something inside him told him that Red X was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a traitor, but he hoped that he could change, like Terra. Of course, it had taken a lot for Terra to change.
Turning around he walked out of his old room and into the living room. The alarm blared, calling them to action as the city's defense. The others gathered around and waited for orders. Red X was there, waiting patiently for instruction, which was odd for the independent free spirit.
"Are we ready?" he asked, looking at them in turn.
"Yes," they all replied. He gave Red X a hard stare. "Are you ready to prove yourself?"
"Haven't I done that already?" Red X looked at him with a steady gaze.
"Maybe, but I need more proof that you're loyal to us."
"I'm ready for anything."
"Good." Nightwing said. "Iron Fist members have been spotted at the alleyway by the Brewers Cafe." They nodded. "Let's go." They drove the T-Car to the street a short distance away from where they were supposedly spotted. Climbing out of the car, the Titans, except for Robin who was riding his R-Cycle, and ran towards the alley.
Standing in the alleyway, was John Thomson, Skull. He was armed with knives and an illegally purchased oozzie. "Well, well, at last we meet for the first time, Titans." He smirked at Beast Boy, "And Changeling, so nice to see you again. Did you really think that you could just kill me?"
"Changeling's dead Thomson," Beast Boy said, his voice laced with anger.
"Oho, that's what /you /say. That's what you say. I heard about the whole 'throwing him into the Outer Dimension' thing. But there's a Beast inside of you. You just won't admit it."
Beast Boy growled. Nightwing stared hard at him. "Titans, go!" They immediately charged forward. Eight gang members stepped into view and pulled out guns and prepared to fire. Raven was with them this time, and she was prepared for battle.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" She summoned her powers to rip the guns from the gang member's hands. Cyborg and Starfire teamed up to battle their opponents side by side. Blasting them with a relentless hailstorm of laserfire, they drove them back deeper into the recesses of the dark alley. Nightwing teamed up with Red X and charged Skull.
Nightwing slammed his Bo staff into his midsection, but missed as Skull whirled around to kick him. His fist smashed into Nightwing's face causing him to stagger back. Red X pulled out his X-a-rangs and threw them expertly at Skull. Together, they began to drive him back. Slowly, steadily, they began to defeat him. Suddenly, Beast Boy charged into John Thomson, knocking him to the ground. John Thomson fell to his knees, rolling over, he quickly sprang to his feet.
He pulled out a gun and aimed at Beast Boy, and fired. He screamed in pain, and gripped his shoulder. Raven ran over to him. "Beast Boy, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," he said trying to reassure her. He put his hands on her shoulder and said, "It's alright, I'm fine."
Red X and Nightwing chased Skull as he tried to evade them and escape through the underground sewers. Starfire and Cyborg joined Nightwing and Red X and started firing at Skull relentlessly. Laserfire rained down on Skull as he tried to fight Red X and Nightwing, who pulled out their Bird-a-Rangs and the X-a-Rangs in unison. They smashed into his back, but Skull managed to jump down the sewer and vanished from sight.
"Should we go after him?" Red X asked.
"No, he'll come after us. No need to waste our energy looking for him," Nightwing sighed. "You've done well, Red X."
"So, do you trust me?" Red X asked. "I want to help you. I want to be a Titan."
"Yes, in a way, I do trust you, somewhat." Nightwing smiled. "Welcome. It's nice to have you onboard."
At last, I've gained what I need. I will let him trust me for awhile, then he will discover the truth about me. By that time, it will be too late for him to stop me.
Nightwing still held Starfire in his arms. He was absolutely happy. He had everything he could ever want. He quietly kissed her hair smiling. "Dick, do you trust Red X?"
"Why do you ask that, Kori?" Nightwing frowned. Not sure of what to say, he tried to answer the question
"It just seems...strange somehow that he would want to join us all of a sudden," Kori said quietly.
"Hey, don't you worry about Red X, I'll be watching him closely," Nightwing smiled. "Come on, we better go inside. They're waiting for us." Taking her hand in his, they strolled quietly inside.
Quiet smiles crossing their faces they saw the others turn and greet them. "How are you two Cyborg asked.
"We're fine, any new leads?" Nightwing asked.
"Not yet, but we're bound to get something sometime," Cyborg replied.
"Red X, what have you been doing all these years?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh, been doing odd jobs here and there, that sort of thing," he replied, sitting at one of the tables, he began sorting through some newspapers. "So have you found your culprit yet?"
"We have some leads, Beast Boy says it's the Iron Fist resurrected." Nightwing sat down and began typing into a computer.
"Does he now?" Red X frowned. You stupid idiot, /he thought. /You've come out too early and now they suspect that you're behind all this! /He silently berated John Thomson and his clumsiness. /Still, I will use this to my advantage.
"So do you believe him?" Red X asked. First things first, plant seeds of distrust. A house divided against itself falls, at least that's what the Book said, if he remembered those religious stories correctly.
"Why wouldn't I? I've known him for years," Nightwing said.
"Oh, he could be wrong you know," Red X said simply.
"No, Beast Boy has been right so far, and I'm not about to doubt him." Nightwing turned away, walking into his old room.
Starfire stayed where she was, looking at him intently. He was alone with her, at last. If Red X couldn't get Nightwing to distrust Beast Boy, then maybe he could cause Starfire to distrust him. "So, is he always so trusting of his friends?"
"He wasn't always this way," Starfire explained, curious why he was asking these questions. "He tends to keep to himself. He trusts us, but it only goes so far."
"Does he trust you?"
"Yes."
"How do you know that? How can you be sure?" Red X moved to stand beside her. He wouldn't try to lure her away, not yet. Beast to plant seeds of doubt and mistrust and then take her away from Nightwing for good. "How can you be sure that you can trust him?"
"I trust Nightwing with my life. He has never lied to me," Starfire said confidently. "Why do you ask such nosy questions?"
"Oh, I'm curious," Red X said, letting a insincere smile cross his face. "Don't you worry, Starfire. I'm not trying to pry."
Starfire left the room. She frowned, thoughtful. She didn't understand why Red X was being so nosy. His questions made her suspicious, though she didn't let on. There was something about him that unnerved her. He was frightening, almost sinister, in a way. She didn't trust him, not one bit. She shut herself away in her old room. She needed time to think.
Nightwing stood alone in his room in silent contemplation. He wasn't sure what he should think about Red X. Something inside him told him that Red X was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a traitor, but he hoped that he could change, like Terra. Of course, it had taken a lot for Terra to change.
Turning around he walked out of his old room and into the living room. The alarm blared, calling them to action as the city's defense. The others gathered around and waited for orders. Red X was there, waiting patiently for instruction, which was odd for the independent free spirit.
"Are we ready?" he asked, looking at them in turn.
"Yes," they all replied. He gave Red X a hard stare. "Are you ready to prove yourself?"
"Haven't I done that already?" Red X looked at him with a steady gaze.
"Maybe, but I need more proof that you're loyal to us."
"I'm ready for anything."
"Good." Nightwing said. "Iron Fist members have been spotted at the alleyway by the Brewers Cafe." They nodded. "Let's go." They drove the T-Car to the street a short distance away from where they were supposedly spotted. Climbing out of the car, the Titans, except for Robin who was riding his R-Cycle, and ran towards the alley.
Standing in the alleyway, was John Thomson, Skull. He was armed with knives and an illegally purchased oozzie. "Well, well, at last we meet for the first time, Titans." He smirked at Beast Boy, "And Changeling, so nice to see you again. Did you really think that you could just kill me?"
"Changeling's dead Thomson," Beast Boy said, his voice laced with anger.
"Oho, that's what /you /say. That's what you say. I heard about the whole 'throwing him into the Outer Dimension' thing. But there's a Beast inside of you. You just won't admit it."
Beast Boy growled. Nightwing stared hard at him. "Titans, go!" They immediately charged forward. Eight gang members stepped into view and pulled out guns and prepared to fire. Raven was with them this time, and she was prepared for battle.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" She summoned her powers to rip the guns from the gang member's hands. Cyborg and Starfire teamed up to battle their opponents side by side. Blasting them with a relentless hailstorm of laserfire, they drove them back deeper into the recesses of the dark alley. Nightwing teamed up with Red X and charged Skull.
Nightwing slammed his Bo staff into his midsection, but missed as Skull whirled around to kick him. His fist smashed into Nightwing's face causing him to stagger back. Red X pulled out his X-a-rangs and threw them expertly at Skull. Together, they began to drive him back. Slowly, steadily, they began to defeat him. Suddenly, Beast Boy charged into John Thomson, knocking him to the ground. John Thomson fell to his knees, rolling over, he quickly sprang to his feet.
He pulled out a gun and aimed at Beast Boy, and fired. He screamed in pain, and gripped his shoulder. Raven ran over to him. "Beast Boy, are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," he said trying to reassure her. He put his hands on her shoulder and said, "It's alright, I'm fine."
Red X and Nightwing chased Skull as he tried to evade them and escape through the underground sewers. Starfire and Cyborg joined Nightwing and Red X and started firing at Skull relentlessly. Laserfire rained down on Skull as he tried to fight Red X and Nightwing, who pulled out their Bird-a-Rangs and the X-a-Rangs in unison. They smashed into his back, but Skull managed to jump down the sewer and vanished from sight.
"Should we go after him?" Red X asked.
"No, he'll come after us. No need to waste our energy looking for him," Nightwing sighed. "You've done well, Red X."
"So, do you trust me?" Red X asked. "I want to help you. I want to be a Titan."
"Yes, in a way, I do trust you, somewhat." Nightwing smiled. "Welcome. It's nice to have you onboard."
At last, I've gained what I need. I will let him trust me for awhile, then he will discover the truth about me. By that time, it will be too late for him to stop me.
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