The next time Robin saw Joseph was a few day's later, he was stood there when they showed up for a mission briefing. This time the boy was wearing dark navy bottoms, a white loose long-sleeved shirt under a purple tunic style jacket. purple boots with golden cuffs on the top to match the one's around his wrists and a thick golden belt.

"Jericho, I trust by now you know who this is?" Slade's cold calm voice asked as the former titan leader walked into the room. Addressing the surprised blond stood next to him.

Joseph, or Jericho as he was apparently also called, looked confused for a moment, taking in the teens full appearance. Robin hoped he didn't recognise him. He'd been trying not to be recognised as Robin. But apart from messing up his hair more, his face looked the same, with the same domino mask hiding his identity, which Slade had allowed him to keep.

The boy stared at him for a few more seconds, head tilted slightly, big expressive green eyes sparkling in curiosity. His eyes suddenly widened, quickly turning to Slade and suddenly drawing an 'R' on the side of his chest in answer.

"Very good. I have taken Robin as my new apprentice." Joseph's hands were balled into fists and Robin could tell by his face that he'd already guessed he wasn't there of his own free will. "I trust you can 'Show him the ropes'?" It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

Joseph just nodded once and looked towards the floor, without a word, refusing to meet Slade's eye or look at Robin. It was easy to tell he was angry at this new information, but he didn't try and object or fight Slade, and the man pointedly ignored the blonds frustration.

"Joseph will be accompanying you on your missions from now on." Slade's eyes narrowed in Robins direction, while Jericho just looked surprised with this arrangement, staring up at Slade in disbelief. "He will report everything that happens direct to me." They knew him well enough to recognise the threat - If they tried to escape from him, or did anything he didn't approve of, there would be consequences.

Joseph sighed but knew there wasn't any point in arguing, just nodded his head again to show that he understood, hands folded in front of him and trying to not show that he was uncomfortable with the new development. He didn't try and argue with Slade, he just accepted the fact that he had to do whatever he was told. He'd obviously been here for a long time, and Robin couldn't help but wonder what Slade's threatened him with, to force him to be this obedient.

He made a promise to himself that no matter how long he was kept there, that he would always keep fighting him. He couldn't leave because Slade held his friends lives in his hand, but he had to wonder what blackmail the mercenary had on this quiet blond boy to make him stay?

Joseph stood there in silence for the entire mission briefing, occasionally nodding his head when Slade told him certain techniques and procedures he was supposed to teach Robin, but he hardly even looked up.

They were both given separate missions in the same building. Jericho was to steal top secret files from one of the lower floors and disable security for the top floors, making it easier for Robin to steal a prototype sample of medical nano-bots.

After silently studying the electronic blueprints they were supposed to memorise, Joseph pointed out a wire leading out from the buildings security section, heading in the opposite direction to the police station.

"Star Labs is under Titan protection. Anything suspicious happens it sets off the main alarm in the tower." It hadn't taken long for Robin to recognise the layout of the building, they'd been with Cyborg one to many times not to, even though Slade had been very vague on where Robin was being sent.

"Then you better hope Jericho remembers to disable that as well."

Joseph put his hand on the darker teens arm and gave him a warm smile. Something in his eyes seemed to be asking him to trust him and Robin just nodded before turning back to the blueprints. Not like he had a choice anyway. He'd been pretty lucky so far, having not run into the titans once since 'joining' Slade, but he know as soon as he did he'll have to fight them as if they're enemies. And now he had someone else on missions with him to work around.

"You have two hours to eat and dress for training."

Jericho took this as a dismissal and turned to leave, but when Robin went to leave, his arm was suddenly caught in a vice-like grip. Slade's eye was narrowed and dangerous, looking down at Robin with a stern calculating look.

"I trust you to behave yourself until then Robin."

"Yeah." He blink in surprise. Slade's always made it perfectly clear that he was always watching him. Did that mean he was leaving the clock tower for a while? Or did he think that him and Jericho together were going to cause trouble?

"Jericho will show you to the kitchen and accompany you to training. Is that clear." Turning back towards the door where Joseph was standing, apparently waiting for Robin with a curious look between him and Slade.

"Yeah." Robin repeated, slightly stunned. This was the most freedom that he'd been allowed, usually Slade had a robot bring food to his room or wherever they were during their less physical training sessions. He didn't give him free roam of this place, He'd always been very restricted to a few rooms he deemed necessary for him to access. Mainly the training and bathrooms, and his bedroom that as far as he can tell, was at the opposite side of this place to where Slade slept, if indeed he did sleep.

"Yes, what?" Slade taunted.

"Yes…Master." Robin growled out as he released his arm. He knows how much he hated calling him that, so of course he had insisted on it. He also knew that he'll listen to him for as long as he hold the detonator threatening his friends lives. "May I leave now?"

"You may." You couldn't see his face underneath his mask but he was sure Slade was smirking.