Thieves smoke. Every movie you watch, every book you read, the antihero undoubtedly has a cigarette in his hand. Red-X lit another cigarette, tossing the blackened first out of the shattered window behind him. He couldn't quite remember when he had picked up the addiction, and didn't quite care. Perhaps it was when he first raided this trashed apartment for supplies. The rotting walls and broken furniture didn't provide much besides a place to rest while police officers swept the streets trying to find him, but whoever last resided here must have either sold drugs or had a serious addiction problem, so Red-X had more than enough to satisfy his budding addiction. Unfortunately, smoking was the only activity he was really succeeding in nowadays. Banks had tightened security, jewelry stores had drastically improved protection, and not even he could get close to where the real loot was. Titans Tower. Red-X knew from experience that the Titans held much more "security" than most countries had. Their "Trophy Room" was stocked with all the firepower the assorted super-villains of Jump City had utilized over the years. The Red-X suit was the prize of the collection, but it was the only good he had managed to procure before he had to make his escape. If only he could have five more minutes in that Tower...

Red-X exhaled a puff of smoke, extinguishing the remainder of the cigarette in a makeshift ashtray. He was kidding himself. He was lucky to break into the tower the first time. He couldn't manage it twice. Besides, his eyes were on a bigger prize than the Tower. Unfortunately, the keys to the treasure in mind had been stolen. It was Red-X's plan to reacquire them. His only regret was that he would need assistance.

Red-X stood up and stretched. No pain, no gain. He'll have to ask for, no, bargain for help from those he knew would have a death wish against him. Adjusting his mask, Red-X climbed upon the decrepit windowsill. Besides, he chuckled. The Titans would probably enjoy some company. With that, he dove into the night of the city.

As a matter of fact, the last thing the Titans needed was company. Beast Boy's infamous sense of humor and misfiring practical jokes had returned since the unfortunate incident involving six cans of green paint, a malfunctioning model volcano, and a case of mistaken identity. This time Robin had tripped a booby trap meant for Cyborg, burying him under eighty servings of instant tofu. By the time the furious Boy Wonder had managed to dig himself out from the cheap animal product imitations, Beast Boy had already accidentally knocked two cans of Cyborg's motor oil onto Raven in an escape attempt, and become entangled in yet another of his own traps. All in all, what had started as a relatively peaceful night had degraded into a dangerous game of "Catch the Bird-Dog-Salmon-Bear-etc." Finally Robin and Raven cornered Beast Boy in the garage.

"C'mon, guys, take a joke? I didn't... I mean couldn't... I mean wouldn't..." Beast Boy stammered nervously, shaking as two angry Titans closed in on him.

"In what world, Beast Boy," Robin growled, "Does a mountain of tofu pass as a joke?"

Raven practically glowed with fury. "In the same world where the jokester finds it acceptable to dump two cans of oil onto yet another person."

Beast Boy's eyes grew wide, backing up as cars as he could against the T-Car. "Those were meant for Cyborg! I wouldn't pull those on you guys! Honest!"

Much to Beast Boy's dismay, Cyborg and Starfire chose that exact moment to poke their heads through the doorframe.

"Hey, I don't want to interrupt a BB barbecue, but could someone please explain why there's the Kilimanjaro of tofu in the kitchen?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire nodded. "Yes, and why is there a bucket of the water on the door of Robin's and Raven's room?"

Slowly, both Raven and Robin turned to face Beast Boy, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Heh, heh. Surprise?" Beast Boy's face fell, accepting his inevitable fate. "Okay, just please avoid the face."

Apparently, fate sided with Beast Boy that day, for the crime alarm began to blare, red lights flashing throughout the Tower.

Robin whipped around to face Cyborg. "Petty crime or major threat?" he demanded.

Cyborg checked a terminal situated near the entrance of the garage. "Neither," he reported. "Security breach. I'm trying to track the signal." Cyborg's finger raced across the keyboard. The alarms suddenly ceased flashing, and the siren faded from a piercing screech to silence.

Raven turned to Cyborg, raising an eyebrow. "Did you shut down the alert system?"

Cyborg shook his head. "It was shut down manually from the main computer."

Robin darted towards the stairs. "Someone's up there. Cyborg, seal all the exits!"

"Already on it," Cyborg shouted after him. Robin was soon followed Raven and Starfire, until only Beast Boy and Cyborg stood in the garage.

Cyborg looked up from the computer monitor briefly. "You might wanna think up a better excuse before they remember they want to kill you," he advised.

Beast Boy snapped out of his fear-induced state and ran after the other Titans, praying silently they wouldn't remember he had an appointment with the business end of Robin's staff.

Upon reaching the main hallway, Robin suddenly halted, causing Beast Boy to run straight into him, knocking himself over.

"Dude, why did-" Beast Boy's complaint died in his throat when he realized why Robin had stopped. Every window, every door, even some of the walls in the Tower hallway were half-melted, each sporting the iconic X-shaped hole.

Starfire gasped. "Those belong to-"

"Red-X," Robin finished, eyes narrowing.

The Public Address System in the Tower crackled to life. "Y'all better get moving," Cyborg's voice reported. "He's in the living room!"

The Titans raced through melted corridors, occasionally passing rooms freshly wallpapered with red X's. Robin threw the doors open to the living room. There, lying sprawled on the couch, soda in hand, was Red-X. He glanced up at the Titans.

"Took you long enough," he declared. "What does a thief have to do to get caught around here?"

(Note: I do not own Teen Titans)

Sorry that it is short, but this is my first fanfiction.