Nightmare
"Titans Go!"
The words echoed through the empty city as explosions reverberated off the buildings and lights flashed across the night sky. The team raced through the city chasing the masked villain.
"Don't let him get away!"
The leader's words had been said countless times during the night, his obsessive side beginning to show.
"Blast him!"
As ordered the team fired their many weapons lighting up the sky once more. The villain dodged each attack and jumped through the window of a decaying building closely followed by the team.
The villain ran to the doors at the back of the room and barely made it through as they turned black and slammed shut. Robin slid to a stop in front of the doors and turned around.
"You're letting him get away!"
"Robin! You know what happened last time we let you go after him alone!"
"I don't care!"
He snapped back at Cyborg. Raven opened the doors and Robin dashed through, followed by his loyal team. They stopped. They were in the middle of the building, but there were five different halls leading away from the entrance.
"Where'd he go?" The changeling's words cut through the silence.
"Split up!"
The team ran down the halls in opposite directions, hoping they wouldn't be the unlucky finders.
Robin ran down the bigger hall as fast as he could, bo-staff in hand. Sliding to a stop at a fork in the hallway he looked down both sides only to be met by eternal darkness.
A yell rang through the building; Robin turned and ran towards the direction of the noise. He was met by three other Titans where they had split up.
"Did you hear it too?"
Robin nodded.
"From where did it come?"
Raven and Robin shrugged their shoulders.
"Uh, guys, where's Cyborg?"
"That must have been him! Follow me!"
The team ran down the hall Cyborg did, in pursuit of their missing friend. The hall led to a set of double doors.
"Titans, stay alert!"
Robin pulled out a bird-a-rang and extended his bo-staff, Starfire's eyes and hands shone a brilliant green, Raven's eyes turned white and hands black, and Beast Boy transformed into a tiger ready to pounce. Robin leaned against the wall beside the door in a police fashion, and then kicked the door open.
"Freeze!"
Starfire screamed at the top of her lungs, Beast Boy ran out of the room and emptied his stomach, Raven went even paler, and Robin was frozen in utter shock. The room was littered with wires and mechanical parts. Cyborg's head was lying in front of them, eye rolled to the back of his head, resting in a pool of blood.
"Slade."
"I-I can't believe it."
"Keep looking, and be careful!"
The rest of the team spread around the room. Starfire, Robin, and Beast Boy went into the conjoining rooms.
"Titans report."
"Beast Boy"-"Here"
"Starfire"-"Present"
"Raven"-"…"
"Raven, answer me!"
"..."
"Look for Raven!"
"I-I found her."
"We're on our way Beast Boy."
Starfire and Robin ran back into the connecting room.
"Oh.My-"
"Raven," Starfire sobbed.
Robin closed his eyes refusing to believe, but looked back up. Raven was hanging from ceiling. Dead.
"Tighten the search! He's here somewhere."
"Earth to Robin! In case you haven't figured it out already, two of our friends are dead!"
"What'd you want me to do? Let a murdering-"
"Robin! We really should leave," begged Starfire.
"We're not leaving until that monster is behind bars!"
"I don't care what you say! I'm not waiting around for that monster to kill me too!"
"You're a coward!"
"Do not yell at Beast Boy that way!"
"Do what you want, but I'm still looking for Slade!"
Robin stormed into another conjoining room leaving a bewildered Beast Boy and Starfire behind.
'I don't care what they say! I'm not going to let that monster get away with killing my friends!'
"Robin!"
'Starfire?'
He raced back into the room.
"What's wrong?"
Starfire pointed a pale, shaking finger towards the back corner of the room. Robin quickly pulled out a flashlight walking toward it. He jumped back at the sight.
It was Beast Boy, but his eyes were wide open and he was crazed faced with fresh blood coming from his mouth and nose. His head was twisted grotesquely on a broken neck, but Robin couldn't imagine why his body looked like a bent, torn, rag doll.
"Robin!"
He quickly turned around to find Slade holding a knife to Starfire's throat.
"Don't hurt her!"
"Why shouldn't I Robin? After all, you did have the choice to leave. Didn't you? But you let your obsession take control, your obsession to capture me instead of saving the lives of your friends."
"No…" gasped Robin.
"The deaths of your friends are all your fault!"
"..No…"
Robin grasped his head.
"It's all your fault, and you know it!"
"NO!"
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Knock knock knock!
"Robin, are you alright?"
"What's wrong?"
"There is something wrong with Robin. I heard him yell."
Knock knock knock
"Dude are you ok?"
Knock knock
"Robin!"
"NO!"
"Robin!"
"Stand back!"
Click click Boom!
"Robin!"
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"Robin! Robin, help me!"
"Don't move!"
Slade pressed the blade harder against her forcing Robin to stop as blood fell to the ground.
"One more step Robin..."
He pressed even harder making Starfire cry out in pain.
"Slade, please stop!"
"It's too late for that now Robin."
"Slade please!"
Slade pressed the blade harder than ever and pulled it across.
"NO!"
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"Robin!"
"What's going on?"
"There's something wrong with Robin."
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The maniac laughed as the body fell from his arms, blood flowing from her neck.
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"Why is he crying?"
"Take him to the infirmary, now!"
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Body trembling he sat next to her body and tenderly kissed her forehead.
"I'm sorry."
Tears poured from his eyes as the madman watched in amusement.
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"Why does he repeat 'I am sorry'?"
"I don't know."
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Robin felt weakness and pain, something he had not felt since-
A powerful hand picked him up by the front of his uniform and brought him eye to eye with Slade.
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"Hook him up to the heart monitor!"
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He flew across the room his chin stinging with impact. He barely dodged Slade's round house kick, and then was hit square on the chest by his fist.
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"He's struggling to breathe!"
"Sit over here, keep her company."
She turned and started to cry on his shoulder.
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Slade reached down and picked the boy up by the neck.
"It's over Robin."
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"NO!"
"He's thrashing!"
"And his heart rate is off the chart!"
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Furry overpowering his pain, Robin pulled his leg up with unimaginable speed and nailed him on the chin, releasing himself from Slade's grip. Slade flew across the room landing on his back with a thud.
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"Bring me some water!"
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Robin ran up to him and placed his hand on his mask.
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"On the count of three one-"
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"Two-"
----- "Three!"--------
SPLASH!
Robin bolted up breathing heavily.
"Robin! You are undamaged!"
Strong familiar arms grabbed Robin in a tight hug.
"Star, let him breathe."
Air rushed into his lungs. He turned around.
"You're still alive!"
"We never died," stated the telepath.
"Star heard you yell in your sleep."
"Yeah man, don't worry it was only a dream."
Beast Boy patted him on the back.
"Not a dream, a nightmare."