A/N:
It seemed that chapter nine was the best so far - most amount of reviews and positive comments. Which I am glad, because I really liked it too.
I've been reading some comics, i.e. staking out the section in borders and sitting down with a stack, and looking through the ones at the comic book stores, to see if I'm doing everything correctly. I have noticed one important error though: The Teen Titans only meet on the weekends, but I've had them there for a while. Let us assume it is a school vacation so they decided to spend it at the Tower. I'm not sure if I'll change that later or not, so just so you know that I know that it's been wrong, there you have it. There's also some little things that just aren't worth changing at this point.
Also, I have to say that Slade was not as cool in the comics. He was a little annoying. So I like my Slade better. Other than that I guess I don't have much to say.
My updates might be fewer and farther between now that school is starting (Thursday, ick), but I'll see what I can do. (Reviews are motivators though...) I'm definitely not going to bail out on this fic, so do not worry about that.
I think I've wasted enough of your time now.
Acknowledgements (illegal, or legal, who knows?)
Liobit: Oh, Roy was shot in one of the Outsiders volumes. It was a freak thing, with one of Brother Blood's 'sleepers.' The guy got him five times in the chest through body armor, and Green Arrow showed up freaking out. Anyway, thank you for your review. I'm sorry for the parts that are confusing, I'm trying to stay basic and not do too much comic-induced backstories. I'm glad this story has you thinking. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
Kokuryu: Thank you very much. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
Showstopper: Thank you for the review. You haven't reviewed before, but it was nice to see that you've been reading. I hope you enjoy chapter 10!
Kazzy103: Well, this chapter is going to heat things up. I'm glad you're enjoying the story thus far. And I am doubly glad that you liked my portrayal of the reactions of the characters in the last chapter - I worked really hard on that. Anyway, thank you!
Alexnandru Van Gordon: All right all right, I saw you're threat in "The League's Hunt," so I decided to speed this up a tad, I was planning on putting it up around midnight, but here you are. Thanks for the last review, and I hope you're still going to continue to love this fanfic - or else... Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
PhoenixClaw: I think you're going to like chapter 10. And you're close, but Slade's approach is different than it was with Terra - well, you'll see. Anyway, thank you very much for your review. I was hoping that I got the emotions of Robin right in the last chapter, and it appears I have. Enjoy!
Lucifel: Thank you very much. I am very happy that you are following this story, and enjoying it. Thanks for the review!
Disclaimer: I think this is pretty much a waste of space at this point.
Onward!
If At First You Don't Succeed
By: Sarah Shima
Chapter 10: The Stage is Set
Slade's Lair
The obnoxious but skilled vigilante Huntress was currently lying strapped down to a table. Chords to monitoring devices coiled out from beneath her hair, attached to a large wall of computers. Wires snaked around her body, devices taking note of her heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and her breathing. She was unconscious, but relatively unharmed. Slade had removed her cape, belt, gloves, and mask.
Now, the criminal mastermind/assassin busied himself studying the monitors. Taking particular note of her brain functions. He was pleased with what he saw. He reached his hand under Huntress' neck, and felt for the newly designed device he had implanted. He felt the slightest bump beneath his fingers, and knew that this version would easily go undetected. And that was what he wanted.
He stared down at Huntress' olive skinned face, which currently housed a very peaceful expression. He smirked slightly, picturing what sort of look Huntress' face would contain in the days and weeks to come. Though he hated to admit it, having Huntress around was quite a welcome change. Ever since the death of his friend Wintergreen he was lonely, and frustrated with not being able to share his plans with anyone. Huntress was certainly entertaining company, and he so enjoyed her reactions as she observed some of the preliminary steps in his ultimate plan. Of course her earlier remonstrance about Slade being too cowardly to kill his enemy himself was of no value. Slade never intended to have Nightwing murdered. It was just another part of his brilliant plan – a plan that would prove most ingenious.
He documented the rest of the read-outs from the monitors. Then he removed the wires from Huntress and returned her to her cell. She would be awakening soon, for which Slade was eagerly awaiting. Huntress could prove quite amusing as she reacted to his little experiment.
Titan's Tower – 5 a.m.
When Tim finally returned to his room, the first rays of light were rising over San Francisco Bay. He sat down on his un-made bed, his head rested in his hands. He felt odd in his sweats, growing so accustomed to the continuous feel of the Robin suit. However, Robin was on vacation, and Tim Drake was stuck in the Tower. It was one of the reasons he decided to sleep at all. Other than the fact that he was extremely tired from the beating he took the previous morning, and the emotional turmoil, not being able to participate in Titan activities made it okay for him to relax.
However, Cyborg had set a briefing on the events that transpired at Alcatraz for 10 a.m., and even though Tim had been much more involved in the fight then most of the others, he was eager to learn what he may not already know. So that left him with only five hours to sleep. He really had no idea that he had been with Dick for so long. It had been hard to leave him.
Before he 'went to bed' the night before, Roy had told him about Batman's call. And while Tim knew that Batman really cared for Nightwing, it depressed him that the Bat was unable to show it even just a little.
Tim pushed the thoughts out of his mind, and focused on going to sleep.
Titan's Tower 8:00a.m.
Cyborg could hardly believe it when the calls started coming in. It was early for criminal activity, yet it seemed the Alcatraz-escapees were having a little celebration right in the heart of San Francisco. Vandalism, property destruction, terrorizing of citizens, stealing, and much more was occurring on a wide scale in the downtown areas. Cyborg cursed and set off the Tower-wide alarm.
Tim woke with a start at the sound of the alarm's siren, and the sight of flashing red lights within the Tower. He leapt out of bed, and was about to grab his Robin suit when he suddenly remembered that he was no longer on active duty. He sank back down on the bed uncertainly, as the sounds of footsteps were heard outside his door.
"Impulse, Superboy, Starfire, Beast Boy, and any Outsider who wants to lend a hand, report immediately to the garage," Cyborg's voice shouted over the Tower-wide speaker. After a few moments, Tim looked out his window and saw Indigo, Jade, Superboy, Starfire, and Beast Boy fly towards the mainland, and then the Pequod carrying Arsenal, Shift, Grace, Thunder, and Cyborg followed them in the air.
That left Cassie, Tim, and Dr. Charles in the Tower.
Tim sighed and slumped back on his pillows, deciding to go against his own rules and sleep in a little longer. What was the point of being awake in the Tower basically alone while everyone else was out fighting?
Titan's Tower 10:00a.m.
Tim woke up again, and decided to actually leave his bed and eat some breakfast. So he showered and changed. Having there be no point in wearing the Robin costume without being able to fight, he settled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He felt torn about the mask though. There were not many people in the Tower, but there was no way to tell when they would be back. And none of the Outsiders other than Roy knew who he was, and was in no hurry to reveal himself to them. Besides, he felt more comfortable with it on. So, he donned the mask.
When he arrived at the kitchen, he found it occupied. Cassie Sandmark was seated at the table, polishing off the remnants of a few slices of toast. "Hey," she greeted when he entered.
"I see you're finally out of medical bay," Tim said. Wonder Girl had been allowed out of the hospital wing after only two days. Apparently the breaks were not very bad, and her physiology was healing her rapidly.
"Yeah, Victor let me back into my own room last night. There was really no point in me staying there any longer. Then before she left this morning, Kori helped me into the kitchen so I could get something to eat."
"So you've been eating in here for what, two hours?" Tim asked.
Cassie nodded. "I kept waiting for you to walk in. The Tower's pretty lonely when it's this empty," she sighed.
"I can see that," Tim said, popping some bread into the toaster and sitting across from Cassie.
"So, how are you doing, all things considered?" Cassie asked.
"Fine, I'm fine," Tim responded.
"Really? You're not feeling anything about what happened yesterday? You're just 'fine'?" Cassie asked, clearly not believing him.
"All right, I guess not.
"I just don't understand what the hell's going on here," Tim said. "Yesterday was just this giant free-for-all. It was chaos Cassie. You should've seen it. Everywhere you turned there was someone waiting for an opportunity to take you out. And I didn't pay attention to any of it. I just shoved forward to try and get to Nightwing, because he was in trouble. What I don't understand is why I'm the only person who did that," Tim paused, and Cassie stayed silent. "Everyone else had powers, they could have had an easier time of it, and yet they just didn't get over there. Isn't the point of teams, to look out for one another? If we were all just going to be selfish and not help each other, then what's the point? He was in real trouble by the time I got to him, and he could have been killed. So where was Cyborg, and Starfire and Beast Boy. If they're so experienced and high above us on everything, then where were they?
"I'm not saying that I'm perfect, because I'm not. I really couldn't do much to help, and just by being there I probably screwed everything up."
"What do you mean, you screwed everything up?" Cassie questioned.
"Mammoth threw a punch at me, and I froze. I didn't even try to dodge or anything. And Nightwing shoved me out of the way and took the hit himself," Tim said quietly. "After that, everything went to hell. Both of us could have been killed."
"No one else was there to help?" Cassie asked.
"Starfire and Beast Boy had gotten there by this time, but they were closed out by some sort of shield that Psimon put up. The only reason they got in was because he walked away. But still, if they had been there sooner, then maybe…"
"Maybe Nightwing wouldn't have nearly died," Cassie finished.
"So you see what I mean then?" Tim asked.
"I understand that you're feeling really guilty right now, and you're trying to cover it up by blaming everyone else," Cassie said. Tim stared at her, dumbstruck. "Not that you aren't partially right about everyone not helping each other out enough, but Tim… I can tell that you feel really badly about what happened to Nightwing. But it wasn't your fault. Just because you froze, it wasn't your fault. Nightwing chose to push you out of the way, he chose to take the hit for you. And that just shows that he cares about you Tim. And besides, someone released all of those prisoners, so they're the ones to blame."
After she finished speaking, Tim and Cassie sat in silence for a while. Neither knew what to say. Finally Cassie could not take it anymore. "Won't you just say something?" she asked.
"He shouldn't have had to protect me," Tim mumbled, staring at his bandaged hand and remembering his conversation the previous day on the roof.
"Nightwing you mean?"
"Yeah, I should've been able to handle it myself. I went there to help him, not the other way around."
"Tim…" Cassie began, but Tim was already walking out of the room. She watched his retreating figure and the slumped back down at the table, unsure of what to do next.
Slade's Lair
Huntress awoke slowly. Her body ached, and the back of her neck itched. She scratched at the skin, feeling a slight bump beneath her fingers. Sitting up on the hard, cold floor, she opened her eyes. And suddenly remembered where she was. In front of her, Slade sat at a desk, tinkering with an array of devices.
She leaned back against the wall, feeling a horrible depression overtaking her. 'Why did he have to bring me here? It's not fair,' her mind whimpered feebly. Huntress tried to shake off the feeling, attempted to resurrect her anger and disgust, but it was no use. She felt horribly lonely and hopeless.
And that was only the beginning.
Tears slid down her cheeks, and she wiped them away. Her body felt frozen, and she shook, hugging herself.
"Ah Huntress," Slade said, walking over towards her. "How are you feeling today?" Her response was a muffled sob. "I thought so," Slade smiled. Then he walked over to the computer console and pushed a button. Immediately, a live image of the Gotham Clocktower appeared. Slade switched the view to an interior shot. There was Oracle, otherwise known as Barbara Gordon, sitting in her wheelchair and talking to a man. From the angle, Huntress could not tell who he was, but Barbara seemed quite comfortable with him, and was completely ignoring the computers behind her.
"Look at that, you've been missing for days, and yet here's your beloved teammate, not lifting a finger to find you. She's just sitting there, chatting with a friend of hers. Completely oblivious and uncaring to your situation."
Though she wanted to protest every word he said, Huntress' mind was not listening to her. Her thoughts were distorted, and she felt white-hot rage burn within her. Her body, which a moment ago was cold, now felt aflame. A feral growl passed between her lips as she stared at the screen. Her anger clouded her mind, and she could no longer hear the voice within her shouting that Slade had done something to her.
Completely ignored by the vigilante now, Slade watched her. He chuckled despite himself, seeing his plan falling into place.
Titan's Tower
The Titans and Outsiders spent the entire day breaking up riots and disturbances. The captured criminals were sent to nearby cities for incarceration. However, none of the more notorious criminals were captured, mainly Psimon and Mammoth. Exhausted and sweaty, the two teams finally made their way back to the Tower well after dark.
Tim spent much of his day visiting with Dick and waiting for him to wake up. So far, though he looked much better than he had the day before, he was still unconscious. Tim wanted more than ever to talk to him, but it was impossible.
Dr. Charles made sure to check Tim's injuries, and was pleased to see that they were healing nicely.
After a quick dinner, the heroes elected to go straight to bed before another alarm went off. Victor rescheduled the cancelled meeting to 10:00 a.m. the following morning.
The Next Day: Titan's Tower 10:00 a.m.
As the clock struck ten, almost everyone had already assembled. The Titans sat on one side of the room, the Outsiders on the other. Grace Choi arrived looking sleep-deprived, her hair matted and an annoyed expression on her face. She slumped on the couch next to Roy. Wonder Girl was late. She hobbled in, awkwardly positioning a crutch under her good arm. Superboy walked alongside her, looking annoyed as she dismissed his offers to assist her.
The Titans and Outsiders turned to Cyborg who would be running the meeting. "All right, first off, the good news," Cyborg began. "No casualties," he said. "However, there were plenty of injuries," Cyborg added. The group muttered in response. "Other than just to the 'good guys,' many of the criminals were hurt."
"Who the hell cares?" Grace asked. "It was their own damn fault for attacking. Don't tell me we're supposed to feel bad for them."
"Well, the presence of Psimon suggests that many of the 'criminals' were not acting of their own free will. The convicts who were arrested after our retreat were the ones knocked unconscious. Most of them did not have a very long list of offenses. However few were given life-changing injuries. Although, there were two who lost an eye to birdarangs," Cyborg added, he glanced briefly at Tim, who merely shrugged. Grace gave Tim a thumbs-up that went unnoticed by Cyborg.
"Cyborg, can we get on with this?" Jade asked. "I know you feel for the 'pains of the criminal world,' but really, if someone got hurt, that wasn't the Titans fault."
"She's right. What we need to focus on is why Psimon went to Alcatraz at all," Roy suggested.
"Good question. He obviously wanted to break out Mammoth," Thunder said.
"Yeah, but those two aren't exactly best friends," Beast Boy pointed out. "Besides Psimon must have had help."
"Roy, you helped design the security measures in Alcatraz, what exactly did he break through?" Jade questioned.
"He passed through main security by the gates," Roy began.
"Yes, there was an explosion at the main entrance," Indigo said.
"Then, he disrupted the dampeners," Roy continued.
"How did he do that?" Starfire asked. "If criminals can deactivate dampeners now, there's no prison that can hold them."
"It must have been a group of high powered disrupters, placed on the dampeners, and strong enough to destroy the integrity of the devices," Indigo explained. "And each dampener was connected, which ultimately led to them all being compromised."
"Which is how every freak in there managed to power up," Roy spat.
"Hey, watch it with the 'freak' comments," Grace sneered.
"Sorry, I'm just a little pissed off at whoever was helping Psimon. What was he trying to achieve?"
"Death, destruction, macabre delights, take your pick," Grace said.
"Has anyone been allowed to inspect the prison yet?" Jade asked, ignoring Grace's comment.
"Not yet Jade, they don't want one of 'our kind' in that prison. Apparently they're suffering under the delusion that Nightwing's visit caused the whole problem," Roy rolled his eyes as he spoke.
"Maybe they're right," Garfield said, leaning forward and resting his green chin on his hand.
Roy rounded on him. "What do you mean they're right!"
"I'm not saying Nightwing had something to do with the break-out, but maybe the break-out was staged at that moment because he was there," Garfield explained, leaning back again in his white and violet costume.
"Well, they were all gunning for him," Conner agreed.
Roy sat back, thinking. "That was strange," he finally added.
"You think Psimon was just mad about that whole atomic bomb thing?" Shift asked.
"No, I'm telling you, he did not do this by himself," Roy protested.
"What about whoever brought Shimmer back to life?" Jade suggested.
"Nah, something tells me that's not it. I wish we could just get into that prison to search for clues. The disrupters must still be on the dampeners, and that could be a major clue," Roy said.
"Well, what known criminals have access to, or can create, this type of technology?" Tim asked, putting his detective skills to work.
"That's quite a list," Roy laughed out loud. "It doesn't matter for you kids anyway. Finding out who did this is Outsiders' business," Roy stated.
"What?" Tim asked.
"The Titans stop crimes when they're happening. The Outsiders track down the criminals before they can unleash their plans. The situation at Alcatraz was a Titans type fight, finding the people behind it falls to the Outsiders." The air in the room visibly changed as Roy spoke. Thick tension formed between them, and suddenly the room seemed divided, Titans on one side, Outsiders on the other.
"I do hope you realize Roy, that when you are talking about the Titans you are also including Cyborg, Beast Boy, and myself," Starfire said imposingly. Roy glanced warily at Starfire. Her people were known for acting on their emotions, and he knew that when angry, Starfire had a tendency to attack without warning.
"Yes, I realize that," Roy said carefully. "But this is just the way it is Kory. Besides I'm sure you Titans will have more than you can handle with all of the criminals who just escaped. Leave the boring work to the Outsiders, and protect your city."
"You won't be rid of us that easily, archer," Starfire warned. "This 'case' involves Dick, and so it involves all of us."
"It isn't up for discussion," Roy responded calmly. Before anyone could protest, he spoke again. "I'm going to get into contact with the feds, see if I can't get into Alcatraz," he said. Then he stood and marched purposely out of the room, leaving the stunned heroes in his wake.
Titan's Tower – Main Room
The Outsiders had wandered off in a vague search for Roy, leaving the Titans alone in the room. "Can he really do that? Just cut us out from this?" Conner asked, glancing up at Cyborg, who was the real brains of the Teen Titans.
"Well we can't help much if Roy has all of the evidence anyway," Cyborg said. "But I'm sure he'll come around. Besides, we have a lot of work to do. We're going to have to track down some of the more dangerous criminals who went rogue."
"Starting with Psimon," Tim voiced. The others turned to look at him. "We find Psimon, and we can find who he's working for."
"You think Psimon will give up his boss that easily?" Cassie questioned.
"From what I've heard of the Fearsome Five – er Four, they're not exactly the loyal type," Tim answered.
"I'd have to agree," Beast Boy said. "Well, at least it gives us something to work toward. How well could a guy with an overlarge brain hide in San Francisco anyway?"
"And if Mammoth is with him as well, then he should stand out," Starfire added.
"All right, I'll go start researching any possible hideouts," Tim said, standing to leave. He was stopped by a large cybernetic arm.
"Hey, not so fast. You're not on active duty, remember?" Victor said.
"So, I can still search," Tim responded.
"Tim, you need to recover from your injuries. And by recover, I mean no stress. I know what you're like, you'll get overly involved in this and start neglecting sleep and other helpful things. So go hang out or something. We have everything covered."
Titan's Tower – Medical Bay: 3:40p.m.
Tim walked down the empty hallway towards the Medical Bay, not sure where else to go. When he arrived however, he found he would not be able to visit with Dick alone. Roy was already there, talking to Sarah in the emergency area, Dick still unconscious beside them. Tim hesitantly pushed the door open.
Sarah and Roy looked up as he entered. "Hey Tim, good timing," Roy said, greeting the youth. "Dr. Charles and I were just talking about moving Dick to S.T.A.R. labs."
"What? Why?" Tim asked.
"I'd rather have him somewhere where I can keep an eye on him. Some of those injuries were pretty bad. S.T.A.R. is better equipped than the Tower. Also, there's no way to keep a recovering person away from stress at a superhero team's headquarters," Dr. Charles explained as if she had rehearsed this several times.
Tim slowly nodded. Though Tim hated to admit it, everything she said made sense. It was important that he recover in a stress-free environment, and that was not the Tower. However, Tim really wanted to get a chance to talk to him one-on-one about Slade. And it would be very hard to do that if they moved him before he even woke up.
"All right Roy, my medi-copter should be here in about an hour. Why don't you go tell everyone else, and I'll check Tim's stitches again," Dr. Charles suggested. Roy nodded and left the room.
Dr. Charles motioned for Tim to follow her to another area of the medical bay so she could look over his injuries again before she left.
Titan's Tower – Main Room
"What do you mean you're moving him?" Starfire asked Roy, her glowing eyes revealing her anger. Roy sighed out loud, frustrated with having to have two possibly life-threatening conversations in one day.
"S.T.A.R. labs is better equipped," Roy said. "And Dr. Charles suggested it, so I think we should all listen to her."
Starfire deflated slightly, knowing that they should listen to what the doctor had to say, though she was not happy about it. She liked having him around, and did not want him to leave while he was still injured. "But… isn't it dangerous to move him?" Starfire sputtered.
"The day before yesterday, yes, today no," Roy responded.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Victor said. " 'Stress free environment' does not exactly describe the Tower." The others agreed.
"Well, Dr. Charles' helicopter will be here soon," Roy said. "I think I'll go with them, you know, just so--"
"Indigo and I can take care of inspecting Alcatraz," Jade interrupted his sputtering for excuses. "So you can go on ahead. Once they let us in, we'll broadcast our search to you."
"Thanks Jade," Roy said. "And, I guess that means you other Outsiders can get back to New York."
Slade's Lair
Slade watched from his cameras as the helicopter carrying Nightwing, Arsenal, and Dr. Charles rose from the helipad on the Tower's roof. From a series of microphones and recorders he had paid to be installed when the Tower was built, and had lain dormant in the Tower for some time, Slade knew that Nightwing had probably been planning on telling Robin the truth about Slade when he returned from Alcatraz. And then Alcatraz had not gone as Nightwing had hoped. Now, he was leaving while still unconscious, so there was no way that Robin had heard the story from a superhero source yet. Which was all the better for his plan.
However, he needed to get to the boy before he hacked in to the Titan's mainframe to read the rest for himself.
It would have to be tonight.
Everything seemed to be in motion. The stage was set, and if all worked out, he would take the last bow.
Titan's Tower: 9:00 p.m.
Two alarms later, and Tim was still sitting on the couch in the main room, idly flipping channels. Nothing was on, so he switched off the television, and walked into his room.
He was going stir crazy holed up in the Tower. However, whenever he thought of joining in on one of the fights without permission, his broken ribs and stitched-up wound would remind him of why that was a bad idea. Besides, he really was not in the mood for another lecture. What he wanted was to get out of the Tower for a while. He stared out of the window at the inky black sky and sighed.
"Sitting back to relax while the others do all the work?" a male voice said, making Tim jump an inch. He quickly looked for the source of the sound. "Over there, under the bed," the voice instructed. Perplexed, Tim reached under his bed and pulled out another camera, similar to the one from the night before.
"You again, what do you want?" Tim asked.
"Just wondering what you're doing in the Tower still, when everyone else is out?" the voice asked. "Surely you weren't so injured that you could not be of assistance anymore."
"Well maybe if my hand wasn't burned…" Tim said.
"I am sorry about that, but you were supposed to drop the device before it blew up," the voice jested. "So you really are hurt then? My, my, if you couldn't even survive the fight the other day without needing convalescence…"
"I'm not in need of 'convalescence,' I'm barely hurt at all."
"Then why are you still in the Tower?"
"Because I've been taken off active-duty," Tim responded, annoyed.
"Surely that didn't mean that you could not go outside? Not even for a little exercise? The last thing you need is to lose your expertise over the grappling gun from not practicing."
"Look, I have no idea who you are, or why you're bothering me, so just leave me alone. I don't need any lectures from you," Tim said.
"I only assumed that someone with a demanding job such as yours would want to stay in top shape. Even a few days off can undo weeks of training. So come on Robin, are you really going to let that old robot coop you up in the Tower?" Tim knew he was right, and it only made him angrier.
He paused before responding, looking out the window again. 'Cyborg only said that I was off active-duty and supposed to 'take it easy.' He didn't necessarily say that I couldn't go out and you know, take a walk…' Tim thought. He dropped the communicator/camera, and walked over to the closet to pull out the Robin suit. In the background, he heard whoever was on the other end of the communicator click it off.
'Robin' quickly and quietly headed down to the garages of the Tower. Deciding against taking a vehicle that would alert the Titans in the Tower, he decided to go through the tunnel connecting Titan's Island with the mainland on foot.
Having just returned from another call, and trying to relax, Starfire was not overjoyed to see that someone was sneaking out of the Tower. She activated the passageway's security camera in time to see Robin slipping through it.
Releasing an aggravated sigh, Starfire put down her snack, and turned to leave. Annoyed and tired as she was, she would still follow Nightwing's instructions to keep tabs on Robin.
Slade's Lair
Slade called in a group of employees from his organization. "Watch her while I'm gone," he ordered, pointing to Huntress. The men appraised Huntress. She was leaning up against the wall, whispering to herself. "Oh, and don't touch her," Slade added.
He left his base feeling good about the events to come. The camera Robin had spoken to him through contained a residual dust that allowed Slade to track his movements; so finding him would not be an issue. And from there… Slade smiled behind his mask.
San Francisco 10:00 p.m.
Robin had been walking through the streets of San Francisco – looking for a good place to have some fun with his grappling hook, when he noticed that he was being followed. He pulled out his communicator and switched it to the locator screen. Directly behind his own signal was another flashing light, that belonged to Starfire. Robin shook his head in frustration, and decided it was time to lose her.
Starfire darted in between buildings, shrinking in the shadows as she followed Robin. While it would have been easier to just jump out and drag him back to the Tower, Robin was smart, and probably just leave the Tower again once her back was turned. Besides, Robin was not told about Nightwing wanting him followed, so she would have to come up with some excuse for her actions, and then a plausible sounding reason to bring him back. She pulled a hand through her red hair in irritation. Humans were so exasperating.
She ducked behind a trashcan as Robin turned around. He scanned the alley, and then continued. Starfire sighed.
San Francisco 10:30 p.m.
Robin shot out his grappling hook, pulling it gingerly to test the sturdiness before shooting off on the jump cord. Starfire was still behind him, levitating no doubt, which meant that all of his fancy flying tricks would not lose her. He would have to try something different. He had honed his stealth skills with Nightwing, by trying to lose him in Gotham. Well, San Francisco might be different, but he could do the same thing here.
He lowered himself to the ground and pulled the cape around him, the black material providing a decent enough cloak in the darkness that surrounded him. He headed into a dark alleyway, which was covered with fire escapes and dumpsters. He ducked behind a dumpster, taking a moment to make a plan. First, he pulled out his communicator. He turned it on, and scanned through the menu. He found the section with the location device in the list, and clicked to turn it off. Now she would not be able to find him that way once he lost her. He pocketed the communicator and pulled a round disk out of his pocket.
He felt a minute amount of regret as the clouds shifted and Starfire's shadow appeared over the alleyway, the moonlight revealing her position. Closing his eyes, he activated the disk and threw it into the alley. It erupted with a bright flash of light, and an ear-piercing bang, which would be enough to temporarily blind and deafen even an alien like Starfire. Taking his opportunity, Robin ran silently out of the alleyway, then shot the grappling hook out again, lifting himself into the air by the jump cord.
Starfire gasped as the bright flash erupted in front of her. She blinked, attempting to clear the spots in front of her eyes. However, she knew before she regained her vision that Robin was long gone. She had lost him. He should not even have known she was there. He was better than she thought.
Finally able to see, Starfire pulled out her communicator. However, once she looked through the locator map she saw that Robin had outwitted her again. He turned off his locator. Admitting defeat, Starfire turned and went back to Titan's Tower to sort out the mess she had made.
He spent quite a while jumping in between buildings, and soaring through the air, just trying to clear his head. He landed on the roof of a large warehouse, and stopped. He sighed, surveying his surroundings from his perch. The roof was rather large and flat, and he could see nothing but other buildings from where he stood. However, he heard something unexpected, footsteps behind him.
Whirling around, Tim pulled out a bo staff and faced the person. The tall, imposing figure standing before him wore a mask that was orange on one side, and black on another. Tim's heart began to beat quickly as he recognized the man – Slade. He gripped his bo staff tighter, awaiting an attack.
"Hello Robin," Slade said calmly, his hands folded behind his back. "How are you doing?"
"What do you want, Slade?" Robin demanded.
"I just wanted to talk to you, alone," Slade added, gesturing to their private surroundings. "I've been watching you for some time."
"Oh really?" Robin spat. "And why was that?"
"I was curious. And I must say, that I have been most impressed," he said, his voice sounding strangely kind.
Robin's stance faltered as he surveyed Slade. "What?" he asked.
"You have great skill for the martial arts, and an excellent mind for quick thinking. I've been observing your battles, seeing how your fellow Titans do not respect your authority, and watching as your 'mentors' display their utter disdain for you." Robin did not respond. "And I'm sure you've been told that I'm horrible in every way from the other heroes, so your suspicion of me is not entirely a surprise. However, I have an offer to make."
"What kind of offer?" Robin asked, lowering his bo staff. He was finding himself intrigued by this man.
"I have for many years been searching for a young, skilled fighter. I have come across many, however they have not always possessed certain necessary traits. You Robin, you are exactly what I am looking for."
"And what exactly are you looking for?" Robin asked, raising his eyebrows behind his mask.
"An apprentice," Slade responded simply. "Someone that I could teach, of whom I could bestow all of my knowledge. I need someone I can trust to follow orders, and to be able to conduct their own missions. The person I want has to be determined, focused, and strong. That person is you."
"So you want me to join up with you and become a villain?" Robin laughed. "I don't think so."
"Just hear me out. I can offer you much more than all of those heroes combined. I've seen how they treat you. They do not appreciate you. I do. If you join me, you will know true power. You could have those who have looked down upon you cowering at your feet. You would no longer be tied down by worry over those around you. You would control your own destiny."
"Second to you though," Robin pointed out.
"What?"
"I wouldn't really control my own destiny, you would," Robin said. "I'm not stupid Slade, I know that if you're looking for an apprentice that you want to be a master, and I am not quite sure that I really need another one of those."
"Well, I would not expect you to decide immediately. Take some time and think it over," Slade said, stepping towards him. He pulled a disc out of his pocket and held it out to Robin. It was orange with a black S on it. "Here's a communicator that links to mine. If you'd like to discuss this further, of if you decide to join me, just let me know," Slade said as Robin hesitantly took the disc. "I'm sure you will see things my way eventually," Slade added, walking around Robin. He looked like a vulture examining its prey, but Robin was still looking at the communicator in his hand, hardly believing the conversation he and Slade were having. "So Robin, I'll hear from you soon," Slade said, clapping Robin on the back, and then disappearing into the night.
Robin stared off into the dark city for a while, thinking about Slade's proposal. Him, a villain, it was absurd. Yet… Slade was obviously a man who knew how to sell something. Robin would be lying if he said he was not the least bit tempted. For all of his hoopla about being a hero, heroes and villains were not always dissimilar. Skilled, costumed, breaking laws; that could describe either side. But Robin was Batman's sidekick, and a member of the Teen Titans. That was not going to change.
But why was everyone so afraid of Slade? By the way that Nightwing and the Titans spoke of him, Robin had expected him to attack immediately, yet all he had was a proposition. What was so dangerous about him? Robin's mind once again strayed to the Titan's log entry he never finished. He knew the answers to his questions were in there, and he would get access; one way or another. Mind set, he decided to look into those logs immediately.
Robin considered tossing the communicator, but then realized it could be used to find Slade. So, pocketing the communicator, Robin turned and headed for Titan's Tower.
Watching the boy wonder from a nearby alleyway, Slade smiled smugly behind the mask. He pulled out a communicator and spoke into it briefly. "Go get him."
He was reaching the edge of the bay, when he spotted two large figures in an alleyway. Anger rose red-hot within him as he viewed the giant-sized man, and the smaller figure with the large brain. "Mammoth, and Psimon," he hissed so quietly that only he could hear. He perched on a streetlight and stared down on them. He was no where near ready to forget the part those two played in the escape from Alcatraz, and the resulting injuring of Nightwing.
He reached down to his utility belt, and wrapped his fingers around three smooth birdarangs. He pulled them up slowly, the three positioned between four fingers. They had not yet noticed him, and all it would take was one swift move to take both of them down. But he had to be careful; any mistake could cost him dearly.
He pulled his arm back, and then tossed it forward, releasing the three birdarangs. They whizzed through the air with a metallic whine. They were just about to hit their target, when the weapons suddenly changed course. They turned in mid-air, and spun dizzyingly quick, straight towards Robin. He jumped off of the light post and the birdarangs followed. Two embedded themselves in his back, and the other whipped around and slashed his shoulder.
He fell forward, breaking his fall with his hands, and lay there for a moment. His face was pressed against the cold concrete as his back painfully cried out against the twin metal blades embedded there. 'How did he…?' Robin thought, and then the answer came to him. 'Dammit, telekinetics! He knew I was here!'
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Psimon laughed, turning to look at the injured Boy Wonder. Robin grimaced, and forced himself to his feet. "Why Robin, that attack was a bit vicious. Imagine if I had not noticed you before you tried to kill me. And here I was, just minding my own business."
"You're a criminal, and you should be in jail," Robin responded.
"Oh, and you think you're going to send me there?" Psimon asked, one eyebrow raised. "You'll fail. Come on Mammoth, let's give Robin a night to remember."
Robin pulled out his bo staff and took up a fighting stance. He was outnumbered and outmatched, but there was no way he was going to give up. What had Nightwing told him about the Fearsome Five? That their greatest downfall was that they did not trust each other. He would play off of that if he could. However, something told him that he would never get the chance.
Mammoth lunged at Robin, who dodged easily. Psimon was a problem though, as he used telekinetics to throw Robin into the path of Mammoth's next blow. His newly healed rib snapped with a satisfying crack. He threw a freeze disk at Psimon, but he stopped it in the air and tossed it back at Robin. Robin dodged, and the disk erupted on the wall of a nearby building. As both villains stared at the new ice-sculpture, Robin brought his staff down on Psimon. Psimon seemed to have been waiting for that. He grabbed onto Robin's face with his hands, and forced his way into the boy's mind. Robin gasped as Psimon effectively prevented him from moving. With his other hand, Psimon procured a round object. He pressed it against Robin, and then activated it, at the same time throwing the vigilante onto the pavement. Electricity spun out of the disk and latched onto Robin. He screamed as it pulsed through him. He looked up to see Psimon's victorious grin before everything went black.
A/N:
So what's going on now? What are Psimon and Mammoth up to? Who was Slade talking to? What did Slade do to Huntress? All this and more, next time on "If At First You Don't Succeed."
Some quick side notes:
Roy said something almost identical to his "Outsiders business" statement in the Teen Titans/Outsiders crossover "The Insiders," so if you think he was being a jerk, blame DC, they're the ones who made him this way.
Also, there's really no hidden intentions in Victor's words in this chapter. I'm trying to have him redeem himself. I mean, I can understand why he would be mad that people who might have been controlled were losing their eyes. Can't you?
Alright then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to review!
Until I update again,
Sarah Shima