Titans Go!

Scene 7: Red Hood's Information

"Glad to see you returned on time."

After attacking Payton back in D.C., Red Hood and Sportsmaster had stowed away on a plane heading for Jump City. Now they were back at Luthor's office, who had told them to report to him in person.

"Well, we certainly got their attention," said Sportsmaster. "It was good exercise attacking that government sucker, but did we really need to go to all that trouble to begin with?"

Lex shook his head at the question. "As I have explained, we needed a means to gather all our targets in one place. So when we do final strike, we can crush them all in one swift stroke. Victor Payton was the means we needed to get them assembled."

Lex shifted his gaze over to Red Hood. "So, did you get the information I asked you to retrieve?"

Red Hood nodded, then handed a flash drive over to Lex. Lex examined the flash drive for a moment, then set the device aside. "Good, I take it you learned who he was talking to, and where they have gone?"

All Red Hood did in response was nod his head very slightly. As it so happened, on the flash drive was information on Cyborg, from his background to all the news footage of him. Red Hood had got all of this simply by tracing the phone number Payton had called. Once he had placed the information onto the flash drive, he had received all known information connected to the person Payton had called.

"I was able to trace the call back to Victor Stone, and thanks to that flash drive, we'll be able to listen in to any calls he makes, which will give us his location. I also intercepted another call he made after we attacked Payton. He was told to meet her at her base. Unfortunately, she was pretty cryptic about where her base is."

"But that's not the only thing on your mind, is it?" asked Lex.

Red Hood nodded again before replying, "I recognized that voice. It was Oracle, which means Nightwing is going to be a problem."

"He will be a problem," said Lex, "but he'll have to learn to bear the responsibility of leading this ragtag group he's now assembled. They're far from being a team, which gives us the advantage.

"We remain free to plan our next move: mass producing the weapon I used on Brother Blood. Meanwhile, the machine I ordered the scientists to build must be completed on schedule. Once it is completed, I'll want the vial containing Brother Blood's powers inserted into the machine."

"Then what?" asked Sportsmaster.

Lex smiled back at him and replied, "Then the country will finally be set on the path of purification." His eyes had not left Red Hood, who could tell there was something else Lex had to say. "Now, I have something I need to speak to you about. According to Cheshire, you have three other teammates who have just returned to base. I must admit, I was surprised when I recognized two of them. So tell me, how did have the pleasure of having Mr. West and Miss Troy coming to work for you and Brother Blood?"

Red Hood had known this conversation would crop up sooner or later. It really had been only a matter of time before the rest of his team returned. He had hoped this discussion would happen later, but there was no getting around it now.

"That was a much older plan of Brother Blood's," he explained to Lex. "He had the idea of using sidekicks to coerce their mentors to stay away and not interfere with his plans. However, we had them abducted without letting the Flash and Wonder Woman know who had taken them. Even when they got the Batman to investigate, he could not learn of our involvement."

"You covered your tracks well," complimented Lex. "So tell me, did Blood only want them to be used as puppets?"

This time, it was Sportsmaster who answered. "He had plenty of backup plans for them. He wanted to make sure they stayed as secret as possible, so he would only send them on missions to throw suspects off the H.I.V.E.'s trail, and they were always sent in disguise. However, if their mentors were to ever find out we had them, he'd have them commit suicide publicly."

"I see, but how did you even manage to capture them. As I understand, both West and Troy are hard to contain. And I believe Shimmer only joined the H.I.V.E. very recently."

"Well, we had two other H.I.V.E. agents help us who are now deceased. Their names were Jinx and Psimon. We had their help in subduing West and Troy, then they destroyed all evidence linking their abductions to us."

Lex had been listening very intently to what Red Hood and Sportsmaster were telling him. Despite all his faults, Brother Blood had still been a smart planner in life. Yet how could he have allowed powerful tools like Psimon and Jinx to be lost forever?

"Tell me, do either of you know what happened to Jinx and Psimon? Do you know what circumstances they were involved in at the time of their deaths?"

Red Hood nodded. "Blood had sent them on a mission to bring him an artifact of priceless value. According to the legend, it was said to have been a key to unleashing a monster of great power. However, in order to unleash that monster, three others would be needed.

"Jinx and Psimon were only supposed to bring back the one for Brother Blood to sell on the black market, but Jinx and Psimon must have thought they could find all four. If that's true, they died chasing them, and they had a few encounters with girl called Raven. I know she has been in contact with Nightwing, and I know she and a government task force were responsible for their deaths."

It all made sense now. Lex had heard about a task force being sent to pursue someone called Raven. And the commanding officer in charge had been someone who had sponsored him during his old campaign. He also knew who had been on that mission, too. A former protégé to the emerald archer from Star City.

Now Lex knew what would have to be done. Nightwing and his associates needed to be sent another message. What was more, any other potential ally they might have needed to be dealt with. All the while, Lex had to keep his real objective hidden from them.

"Thank you, Red Hood, thanks to your information, next objective is clear. Tomorrow afternoon, you and your team, save for West and Troy, will go and attack one Roy Harper."

"Speedy?" asked Sportsmaster. "Why the heck should we waste our time going after him?"

"Allow me to explain," said Lex. "Mr. Harper is one of Nightwing's allies. He may work for the government now, but they're still good friends. I think it would upset Nightwing to know we can hit him where it hurts."

"But if we attack now," said Sportsmaster, "they'll know the H.I.V.E. is behind everything after all."

"Correct," said Lex. "They'll know the H.I.V.E. is behind everything, but they won't know about Brother Blood's demise yet."

"I get it," said Red Hood in acknowledgement. Sportsmaster looked confused for a moment, then he chuckled once he had caught on. "Might I also suggest that we also try using any means we can to separate as many of Nightwing's allies as we can?"

"Come to think of it," said Lex. "That would be quite beneficial for us. Perhaps your third teammate will be of some use to us. If you could go and get me her file."

Sportsmaster nodded and left to retrieve the file to Lex. Red Hood, meanwhile, stared back at Lex. "One thing you should know before you read her file," he said, "she's a very good actress. You should find a good use for that."

"I'm sure I will have the perfect task for once I've read her file."

"But I'm guessing you had other ideas in mind to misdirect Nightwing and his little band," said Red Hood.

Lex nodded before replying. "I did have another target in mind, one to draw away another one of his teammates. You see, I've only met her once, but now I know how to hit her where it hurts, too."