Lightning Ch.3
The Titans should have known better than to go up against Slade with two members down. If it hadn't been for Raven teleporting them out of there at the last moment, they might have all been captured. However, as Raven was distracted by Beastboy's wounds and her own, she did not see Robin chase after Slade. Robin had too much pride to let Slade go free while he himself was still capable of fighting. It was this pride, this refusal to quit, that got Robin captured.
Robin stood, or rather hung, chained to the wall in Slade's chamber. The chains were wrapped impossibly tight around only his arms, and Robin's body weight would have torn them out of their sockets had Slade not provided him a small ledge to set his feet. The evil mastermind himself was looking over a tray of malignant looking weapons; deciding which one to use first.
"Is this what you did to Starfire?"
Slade picked out a twisted kife, a personal favorite of his, and said to Robin.
"That reminds me. Where was our Tamaranean friend? She seemed to have missed our little play-date."
"You know where she is." Robin spoke the words matter-of-factly
"Do I?"
If Slade was at all surprised he did not show it. He replaced the knife and picked up a welding torch. The same sort that mechanics often use.
"Of course you do. You're the one who brutally attacked her!"
"Was I?"
Something clicked in Slade's mind.
This could be fun.
He put back the torch and armed himself with his favorite weapon of them all. Words.
"Why yes, I do believe that I did attack her."
Slade paced back and forth in front of Robin as he spoke. Then he suddenly shot his hands into the air. He tensed his fingers and acted as if he were strangling someone.
"You heartless maniac!"
"You want to know what she said when I attacked her? The only words she could form between her cries?"
Robin strained against his confinements. The rusted chains rattled loudly but held firm. He viciously spat out the words
"I'll kill you!" repeatedly at Slade.
Slade imitated Starfire's high pitched voice and screamed.
"Help Robin! Heeeelp!"
Slade stepped back and savored Robin's resulting tantrum.
"We have to go rescue Robin!" Beastboy had been pulling on Raven's cloak and saying those words nonstop since the day Robin was captured. It was now 3 A.M. of the next day and Raven's patience had long gone past its end.
"Go away Beastboy" moaned Raven. "I'm trying to sleep." She turned over in bed and buried her face under a pillow.
"But we've gotta rescue him! He could be in trouble." Pleaded Beastboy. In his mind he was getting closer to convincing Raven. She was no longer forcibly teleporting him out of her room.
"I've told you like a million times already. We don't stand a chance against Slade by ourselves. We should wait until Starfire and Cyborg are better." Annoyed and sleep deprived, Raven hid under her blankets. Wishing for Beastboy to go away. She had no such luck.
"It might be too late by then!" Whined Beastboy. "We have to at least try. C'mon, pleeaase?"
Beastboy pulled the covers off Raven and stared at her with his puppy dog eyes. Raven sat up, but all she said was:
"In what way is getting disgusting dog slobber on me going to help your argument?"
"You know what I did next?" Slade didn't wait for Robin's response.
"I took her dead, lifeless body and threw it into the ocean."
Between grinded teeth, Robin replied in a low voice.
"If you were aiming for the ocean then you missed."
A quizzical look appeared beneath Slade's mask.
"How could I miss the ocean?"
Robin regathered his emotions and said in an intimidating voice. "She landed on our island. Right on our doorstep. I don't suppose you planned that, did you?"
Slade was pretty quick on his feet when it came to stuff like this. He managed to answer Robin without hesitation.
"I must have dropped her of the air or something then. I can't even begin to tell you how much planning it took to have her land perfectly like that."
Robin lifted his head and stared Slade straight in the eye.
"I. Will. Make. You. Pay."
Despite Robin's threat, Slade continued on with his game. He was clearly enjoying himself.
"How is the girl doing by the way?"
"You should know. She still has most of the injuries you gave her."
Slade turned his back to the captive. He needed more to work with. He decided to prod further.
"And what exactly is the extent of her injuries? I tell you, I was so drunk that night that I can't remember most of the things I did to her."
Robin glowered at Slade for a moment. His face then lit up with startling, not to mention incorrect, realization.
"You disgusting pervert!"
Perhaps I've pushed this ruse a bit too far. I should change tactics.
"Are you getting angry Robin? You already said you wanted to kill me. Perhaps your apprenticeship has not failed after all. Your thirst for vengeance is so much like mine."
Robin strained against his fetters a second time. This time too, the rusty metal creaked, but it still did not give way. "I'll never be anything like you."
"If that is so, then there's no reason to continue this pointless banter." Slade leaned over his tray of weapons and grabbed the twisted knife. "Time for tonight's REAL entertainment."
Just out of Slade's earshot, sounds of intense fighting could be heard. His hideout had been infiltrated.
