Chapter 4

Terra froze, how had this man broke into her apartment? The guards were from the Markovian Imperial Guard; only the best from the Army, Navy and the Air Force where selected to become a member of the Guard. This man had managed to get past all the other security measures and the guards and found his way into her main room. And how the hell did he know her real name?

'How do you know who I am?' She asked trying to hide the fear in her voice.

'I wasn't sure when I saw Beast Boy pestering you, I had a thought it was an amazing coincidence, but the level of security you have keeping an eye on you and that they are carrying Markovian Military IDs made me sure. Was a simple process of elimination your Highness, and I'm sorry I must press that I need your assistance.' Aleksey said, still on one knee.

'What is it, on your feet you fucking idiot, I hate it when people do that.' Terra said annoyed but still afraid.

'I have been sent to... remove a problem from this earth. A common enemy of ours and that of the Titans,' he replied slowly standing up, 'I want Slade.'

Terra gasped her hand flying to cover her mouth; she had clearly hoped she'd be rid of Slade forever. She shook her head slowly then more and more vigorously. 'No... No he's already dead.'

'He isn't your highness.' Aleksey said firmly.

'No. I sent him into a pool of molten lava,' she began to protest, shaking her head from side to side; 'I punched him. I sent him falling over the edge, I saw him fall.'

'It wasn't enough. Somehow he came back. It's believed he was heavily involved in the coming of Trigon. He was possibly saved by Trigon but the Order doesn't know for sure,' Aleksey looked at Terra; she was in a state of shock. 'But now you can help me take him down, we can take him down together, once and for all.'

Terra stared blankly into space, she didn't know what to do, what to think, and her mind was trying to process the information. 'Slade, alive? No, no, no I KILLED HIM.' Her mind screamed at her, it played the images of him falling into the magma and then sealing herself to save the city, the Titans and most importantly to her; Beast Boy.

And that's when it hit her: she had to help him and get Beast Boy back and be back with the Titans. 'I'll help you.' She said confidently, standing taller and shaking off her doubt. Aleksey looked at her, he was happy she was telling the truth.

'Good, but you must do one thing...' He started but was cut short by the crashing and splintering of wood along with sound of stun batons whipping out and charging up. Aleksey pushed Terra to the floor not before she rolled over a couch and drew his sword in his right hand and a dagger in his left (back handed Special Forces style) to fend off the attackers.

'There he is!' One cried. 'Get the intruder, he's after the princess!' the Sergeant of the Guard shouted. Aleksey was set upon by 5 guards; he didn't want to kill any of them; they where only doing their job, but he would hurt them if necessary. Quick as a flash he flicked a small coffee table off the floor and kicked it at the guards knocking two of them to the floor and out cold. The other 3 moved around him one to his front one to his rear and the other went to cover Terra. The Guard behind him charged, swinging his stun baton through the air failing to find its mark. Aleksey spun nicked the guard's arm with his sword, blood seeped into his suit sleeve and has the guard continued ploughing forward, Aleksey swiftly kneed him in the gut and then hit him in the back of the neck with the pommel of his sword. The guard grunted and slumped to the floor unconscious. 2 left. Aleksey was shocked in the back, the stun baton discharging a few hundred volts into his body overloading his nervous system, he dropped to knees. He swayed back and forth, struggling to regain his focus. His vision blurred, legs refused to work, hands refused to work, he was a sitting a duck. A lamb to the slaughter, the guard made his moved and knocked Aleksey out his world going black.

He woke up in a dark room with only one light source. He was handcuffed to a chair in the middle of a spot light. Its harsh rays created deep dark boundless shadows beyond its reach, anything could lurk in them, and even the Satan himself would be home there. His head hurt, he could feel a lump throbbing on the back of his head. His lip was swollen and had been bleeding, as had his nose, he could taste the blood in his mouth. He spat it out in a massive glob, the red splat splayed across the floor. He took stock of everything; no sword, no dagger, no pistol, no hidden blade but he still had his bracer and hidden in that was a lock pick, he fished it out and managed to slot it into the cuff's keyhole where he quickly and swiftly picked the lock on the cuffs. The door burst open and slammed shut in the shadows. Aleksey counted 2 pairs of foot falls, both wearing heavy boots. He was almost free, Aleksey fought with the lock on the cuff, it wasn't going to open without a fight and his time was running out. The men entered into the pool of light from the shadows.

'Assassin, who are you working for?' said one his English layered with a thick Markovian accent. Aleksey said nothing. 'Who are you working for Assassin?' he bellowed again.

'What makes you say I'm an Assassin?' Aleksey said through sore lips.

'You where in the princess' private rooms after tapping into our computers and knocking out 2 guards, armed with a sword, 2 daggers, poison darts, Taser patches and throwing knives. What the hell else can you be you smart ass?' the man growled.

'Ever thought I'm just a good cosplayer?' Aleksey smirked as the handcuff finally opened up, he could see that the man who had been sent to interrogate him was getting pissed off.

'I'm going to make you talk smart ass and spill who you're working for.' He said cracking his knuckles and nodded at his partner.

'Gentleman please there is no need for this. It was only banter yes?' Aleksey started, 'we are all fully grown men with no need to show off to the pretty girlies in the playground anymore eh? I shall tell you everything I know in return for no hassle and a pack of cigarettes.' The one in charge nodded, 'well come closer and I shall whisper it to you. I won't say it out loud to your subordinate,' the interrogator was cautious about approaching the prisoner, Aleksey could tell he was nervous. 'Come on you have me handcuffed to a chair like I can do anything.' The guard relented and came closer, Aleksey was about to strike when the intercom crackled.

'Captain, stop this instant!' the voice boomed, it was distorted but not enough so you couldn't tell who it was.

'But your highness, this man broke in to your apartment, he meant to kill you!' he pleaded.

'No Captain he didn't. Release him at once.' Terra ordered, the Captain protested again but Terra cut him down. Aleksey by this point had stood up and walked out the room, leaving the handcuffs on the seat.

'Captain I advise you in future to always keep an eye on your prisoners, some can pull off the nastiest tricks when your back is turned, anyway goodbye.' Aleksey taunted, slamming the door behind him.

Terra was outside waiting for him. 'Sorry about that.'

'They were only doing their job. We need to start getting things together. Get me one of those baton things and do you still remember any of the back ways into Titian's Tower?' Aleksey asked.

'Some but they may be blocked. Why?' she queried.

'I'm going to gather intelligence from the biggest bank of it concerning Slade.'