"His name is Fixit," the Blackfire announced as her orb displayed a holographic image of a tall man in a lab coat, "Though, after a few...'upgrades', he now goes by Professor Castro. He works in a government-run lab on the outskirts of Jump City. Your job is to rendezvous at his lab with another one of my...coverts."

I looked back up into the round, red 'eye' of the floating robot. I could tell Blackfire was enjoying this 'secret agent' talk.

"Fixit used to be nothing more than a washed up android that spent its useless life building junk in a junkyard," Blackfire continued. "And, although I do not know the whole story, the misfit had an encounter with the Titans which ended up with him being convinced that he could enjoy the outside world and be a part of society once again. Long story short, it turns out people aren't too keen on sharing office space with a disfigured human-android hybrid."

The holographic man that stood on the desk before me faded away. In his place, an equally tall, dark robed, machine looking creature appeared. In one, slow, fluid motion, the machine pulled away its robe, revealing an appalling scene of human organs mixed with or replaced by blood red machines that worked their way through his entire body. I felt my own insides churn in disgust and was relieved when the image quickly faded away.

"Forever scorned and feared by the humans, Fixit was near death by the time I found him. He blamed all of his current misfortune on Cyborg and his friends. He spoke to me as though I was his only attendant to his final hour, you see. His eyes were so badly damaged I do not believe he would recognize me as a relative to dear Starfire..."

That definitely caught my attention. This Blackfire was related to a Titan? Why didn't she just ask them for help...? Why was she befriending and getting aid from the Titans enemies?

I didn't like this, not one bit.

"...So, out of the goodness and generosity of my heart, I offered the broken thing a second option. Rather than simply wasting away, I gave him some of my people's technology. I gave him what he desired most, to be human— or, at least, to appear like he was one again. In return, all I asked was for his undying allegiance to me and that he shall return the favor whenever I deem necessary. I do believe that time is now."

I sat back further in my chair and folded my arms. The collar felt cold around my neck.

"Unfortunately, one cannot simply walk into a government lab and ask to speak to one of the scientists. Especially not after they have tightened up security and defense systems in the last few months. You see, somehow the government smelled a rat working amongst the staff. Now, I do not know who this rat could be, or what he is after, but it is really none of your or my concerns. Fixit has already informed me that it is not him, but the situation is the reason why I need you and the other agent to get him out of there before he is discovered."

Right, the other agent. I had almost forgotten about him. This whole idea was giving me more questions than answers. Could I really trust someone who seemed to have so much authority and power over others?

The answer is no, no I couldn't. But this wasn't about trusting Blackfire— I didn't even like her. This was about finding the means to save the people I did...sort of, like.

Man, what have I gotten myself into?

"And, just so you aren't completely lost, your partner in crime will be the infamous thief, Red-X. You at least know him, don't you?"

Red-X. I vaguely remember seeing him once when the Brotherhood of Evil initially called all of us together to discuss the plan. I didn't see him again after that; I suppose he was the only smart one who decided not to stick around.

Then again, it did raise more suspicions. The same ones that Blackfire and Fixit raised. They all seemed to have stronger than normal ties with the Titans...What if they were Titans? What if they are trying to catch me off guard and formed this elaborate plan to destroy me?

But, if that was the case, then why unfreeze me? I was perfectly harmless spending the rest of eternity frozen in a block of ice. Why go through all this effort to destroy me?

Then...it was only logical that Blackfire did need my help. I wasn't entirely certain that she needed to be freed from some prison, but at least I knew he wasn't trying to destroy me...not yet, anyways.

I nodded to Blackfire's question, doing my best to keep my face blank but attentive. It wouldn't exactly help my situation if she believed I was beginning to have doubts.

"Good, good," Blackfire said, mostly to herself. "I have to leave for a short while. If I have not returned by nightfall, then head to these coordinates and meet with Red-X. And don't get any funny ideas, this robot shall be on auto-pilot while I'm gone and will follow your every move. Oh, and I forgot to mention, if you get the foolish idea of destroying this robot then that collar around your neck will instantly compress until your throat collapses in on itself. Well, that's all for now! I really hope you enjoy your evening, Wykkyd. I shall return as soon as possible."

The red glow then dimmed slightly and a series of numbers appeared in the orb of the robot. Though I hardly noticed, my attention now primarily focused on my collar.

Not only was it a tracking device, but a killing device as well?

What have I gotten myself into...

...

Cold autumn air bit through my thin costume as I walked through the dark and quiet city park. Why, in the name of everything that is wicked, there would be a park so close to a military research lab I could only guess. Maybe to appear more innocent and unassuming?

I looked through the dark night at the tall, warehouse-looking building that stood off in the distance. From here, it just looked like a massive shadow. Another, stronger breeze literally shook me from my thoughts and forced me to wrap my cape tighter around my body.

I never liked the cold. Every time I teleported, it would be intensely cold and dark for a fraction of a second, which was more than enough to make me loathe doing it sometimes.

Yet, there was no use in complaining. It's been a few years now. This is the power I was cursed with, might as well continue making the best of it all.

Pulling my gaze away from the dark building, I continued walking down the dirt path, faintly making out jungle gyms, swing sets, and see-saws; all simple black shadows in the night.

Blackfire's orb hovered quietly behind me, which made it a tad bit easier to ignore. Ever since Blackfire told me of its 'Plan B' programming, I swore I could feel the collar around my neck tighten if I even looked at it wrongly.

After a few more minutes of walking, I finally reached a pathway that had street lamps running down on either side. I walked in between the yellow lights reflected on the ground, searching for the one that was out of place. Blackfire said it would be easy to spot, and, lo and behold, I soon saw a lamp whose light shone a deep red color— much different from its yellow companions.

Following Blackfire's instructions earlier today, I walked slowly into the light, letting its crimson glow wash over me. I stood in the dead center of the light for a few moments waiting, as Blackfire's message stated, for Red-X to 'approve'. I didn't have to wait long.

Without any warning, the sound of metal ripping through the air nearly made me jump out of my skin. I caught a glimpse of an even deeper red object sailing through the red light, directly towards me. On instinct alone, I quickly gripped my cape and pulled it over me, jumping into the cold dark and back out into the crisp night air a few meters away from the red light.

A tree, directly behind the red light, sported a red x shaped shuriken. I knew I had escaped by seconds.

"Very quick reflexes," a smooth, cocky voice spoke in the night. I returned my gaze back towards the light, just in time to see a dark clad figure walk into it. Only his skull designed mask glowed in the light. "Blackfire told me to make sure it was the real you. Don't want some Titan spies getting in the way, do we?"

I regarded Red-X carefully. I did not think he could see me and I was not very keen on changing that. I was mistrustful about this whole thing from the start, but now I wasn't sure if he was just testing me, or trying to kill me.

"It's fine, Red-X, this is the real Kyd Wykkyd," Blackfire's animitronic voice spoke up, her black orb floating past me and into the nearest light source. "You can trust him."

"...Didn't think you'd actually pull it off," Red-X stated, folding his arms, his stance looking much more relaxed. Yet I still refused to leave the shadows. "Getting that Zinothium will be almost too easy now."

"Now, don't sound too disappointed," Blackfire said, almost teasingly. "I'm sure the base will have plenty of guards to keep the both of you satisfied."

The orb than turned to me, its red glass eye reflecting in the lamp light. "Their sensors and cameras can see exactly two kilometers around their base. Bring Red-X right outside that range and he can handle the cameras. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about their sensors, but you should have the element of surprise if the guards come looking."

"My kind of plan," Red-X said, mostly to himself, as he cracked his knuckles.

"Best get going now," Blackfire continued, the orb turning its red gaze away from me. "Things are getting very hectic in that base with all the commotion that rat is stirring. I have a good feeling the place will be nothing more than an empty warehouse by tomorrow, so, Wykkyd, if you would."

Seeing no other option, I slowly stepped from the shadows and into the red light, staring face to face with the skull masked Red-X. Suspicious or not, I was already too deep into this. If I was to survive; I had to work with these people.

My friends better be grateful when I finally unfreeze them.

"So, what, do we need to hold hands or something now?" Red-X questioned in a mocking voice. It was easy to hear the smile behind the mask.

I looked back into the mask, saying no words and smiling no smiles. I quickly placed my hand on his shoulder, causing the vigilante to flinch, but, thankfully, not try to kill me again.

"Now, now, play nice you two." Blackfire's voice called, but neither Red-X nor I turned to look at her.

The masked thief stared at me with no words and, I knew, without a cocky smile. In return, I gave him the smallest of my own smirks before gripping my cape and pulling it over us.

...

"Cameras are down," Red-X said a few minutes after I had teleported us to the location Blackfire had indicated.

I glanced over at him, wondering how he could have done such a thing without moving. I only shrugged and waited for the next instructions. It wasn't as if I could ask him. Plus, it seemed like he wasn't even talking to me.

He had two fingers to one side of his masked, I guessed where his ear was, and he appeared to be talking to himself. Though, it didn't take a genius to conclude that he was probably talking through radio with Blackfire; or Fixit for that matter.

"Let's go," Red-X spoke, turning his masked face towards me and indicating the giant warehouse. He more than likely knew that I could teleport us even closer to the place now that the cameras were down, but I didn't see the use of attempting to bring it up. I had a feeling this was the part he was looking forward to.

We both started running in a dead sprint towards the warehouse, and it wasn't long before we reached our first wave of opposition.

Four turret guns revealed themselves from the ground before us, quickly locking in on our positions. I could only hope that Red-X had some sort of night-vision integrated in that suit, but before I could even think of a way to ask, Red-X answered.

"Four turrets, these are mine!" the thief declared, running even faster towards them as I began to slow down. Seeing the closer caped boy as a bigger threat, the turrets all locked on to him and began firing.

Red-X danced effortlessly around them and, when he got close enough, the masked teen leaped into the air an threw what looked like four more of the small red x's that almost pierced me. Unlike the one thrown at me, however, each one found their target. The four turrets ceased their fire, static flying from their guns, and blew up, one after the other.

Red-X landed behind them just a moment later and continued his advancement. I hurried to catch up.

"Months on the run in the sewers, dodging the cops, hiding from the Titans, it feels good to be back on top again!" Red-X was saying as I finally caught up to him. We weren't running for but a few more seconds before the second wave appeared.

There were eight turrets in the path before us— four to the right, and four to the left. Their lasers were already charging up.

As we ran towards them, I silently looked at Red-X. His face was fixed on the turrets and, even though I couldn't see the face behind the mask, even though he spoke no words, I knew he was smiling.

...

"S-Sir, another wave of our defenses has been...deactivated," the small man behind the security console muttered as he read the list of numbers that continually rolled down the screen. "Th-Third wave is engaging...third wave deactivated..."

"Damn it!" the taller, broader security guard captain swore has he sent down his fist on the table, making the smaller man jump. The captain resumed pacing the small room, his brow sweating, his teeth clenched. The smaller man watched him through wary eyes.

"The damn rat has leaked our location somehow!" the captain concluded and, without another word, he pressed two fingers to one ear. "Sherman, I want you and your squad to round up all of the scientists...yes all of them, and take them to the detention cell on the bottom floor...Do not question me, Sherman, that is an order! Now fulfill it!"

With that, the captain removed the fingers from his ear and began turning towards the small man at the computer.

Before he could, the door behind him slid open.

"Good evening, Captain," a calm, emotionless voice spoke. It rang familiarity in the Captain's ears and when the broad man turned, he could easily see, in the blue glow of the console, a tall man with wavy brown hair, bright green eyes, and an un-lined, handsome face.

"Professor Castro..." the Captain breathed, sounding more surprised than he meant. His hand immediately began lowering towards the gun strapped at his hip."You're supposed to be with th—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the professor was suddenly right in front of him, his hand tightly gripping the Captain's wrist. The Captain's face twisted in pain.

"No need for that, I think," Professor Castro spoke, just as evenly as before.

Without warning, he sent a powerful fist into the Captain's gut, and, before the Captain could recover, threw a chop of his hand into the man's broad neck. The Security Guard Captain let out one final groan of pain before the professor released his wrist, letting the unconscious man fall to the floor.

The small man at the security console let out a tiny squeak of fear when the Captain fell. His wide eyes fixed on Castro as the professor bent down and pulled a small device from the fallen captain's ear. His frantic breathing increased ten-fold when the tall man began walking directly towards him.

"Shut down all remaining turrets," Castro spoke, still emotionless, as he forcefully turned the small man's chair towards the console. He shoved the small device into the smaller man's ear, keeping two fingers pressed on it. "And tell the guards on the top floor to return to their positions, everything is under control here."