Titans: Rise of Talon

Connections

"Jade won't go for it, trust me. If anything, she absolutely detests Slade for some stupid reason that she won't tell me about," the older redhead grumbled, the tail end of his sentence becoming almost incomprehensible.

"She still works with the League of Shadows though, right?"

Roy was beginning to look as uncomfortable as he felt. "I mean, as far as I know."

"Then ask her to deliver a message. The Shadows will be able to go places the League can't and ask important questions without appearing suspicious. It's a good plan!"

"And what makes you think they'll hand Dick over if they find him first?"

Jason held up his hand and started listing, "One, at least we'll know where he's at if they don't. Two, Batman and the al Ghuls have some sort of weird understanding. How do you think I got back here? And three, at least there's a chance to negotiate with the Demon's Head. Come on, Roy Boy, if your secret girlfriend won't help us out on her own time, at least ask her to send a message for us."

Roy spluttered, "She's not my secret girlfriend!"

"Oh, yeah?" Wally challenged with a sly grin, "Then how come she beat you so easy? Why'd you let yourself get captured and turned in to the Brotherhood of Evil?"

The archer huffed and crossed his arms. "That was different."

"Sure it was. But come on, man. It won't hurt to ask, right?"

"I...guess there's no harm in asking."

What all of them failed to realize was that Raven had been passing the room as they planned. The sorceress thought over what they were saying, and she soon resolved not to stop them. If it was a chance at finding Robin, then they would take it, and she wouldn't stand in the way.
.....
18:30 PDT
Jump City, California
December 2nd

      "I can't believe I'm doing this," Roy muttered to himself as he slid down the alleyway behind the Titans' favorite pizza place. It had taken forever to find just the right moment to slip out of the Tower and arrange a meet. He was lucky Jade was in town.

     "That makes two of us," a feminine voice purred from above. Roy looked up to find Jade Nguyen, aka Cheshire, perched on the fire escape.

          Her green kimono hid a variety of poisoned-tipped blades and made it easy for her to execute martial arts maneuvers Roy could only dream off. A white mask accented with a red Cheshire Cat smile was framed by a thick mane of ebony curls. He could just imagine Jade giving him that flirtatious grin she was known for beneath that mask, and he had to consciously fight the urge to blush.

    Cheshire balanced on the rail of the fire escape and checked her nails nonchalantly, "So, why the urgent call, Speedy? Don't tell me you miss me already."

   Oh, yeah, she was definitely grinning. Roy rolled his eyes, not that she could see beneath his domino.

    "Look, I need your help."

  "My, my," she cooed, "asking the dark side for help? You must be desperate."

     "I need to find Deathstroke."

  Cheshire paused. "And why should I help you with such a suicidal idea?" she asked, her tone turning sharper than the pair of sais she carried, "And what makes you think I want to help?"

   "It's about Robin," Roy pressed, "He's been kidnapped by this guy, and we need to get him back. A friend of mine said you might be able to help...point us in the right direction."