Slade brought his face closer and then waited for her to react to his notion. She paused, still drinking in his sex appeal. Slowly, completely conscious, she pushed her head forward and the two met firmly at the lips. They lingered a bit and the small puck sounded when they separated; but it was closely followed by another spit swapping smack. Before their tongues could explore the newly discovered territory Jones coughed to remind them of his presence. Slade pulled back, but Rachel kept her head there for a moment, relishing a true connection of the souls with a kiss. She let out another sigh, and opened her eyes.
"I think it is time for you to go," Slade quickly said. He lightly pushed Rachel off him and retrieved her coat and purse.
"Are you coming?" she asked.
"No."
"Will I see you again?" Rachel looked at him, longing.
"Keep looking under your door. Good night Rachel." Slade opened the door.
"Good night Dale." She gave him a peck on the cheek and walked out of the apartment, the door closing behind her.
"I kissed him" was what she mouthed, "I kissed him". She took out her phone and noticed there were no missed calls or urgent text messages. She then looked at the time.
1:30 AM.
-xXx
"Dale? Dale?! Ha, Slade. A quick switch of your name and you have a new identity. Should I call you Dale Swoiln?" Jones mocked Slade. "And I don't understand why you hurried her out the door. From the looks of it, if I didn't "ehem" you guys out of it you would have made sweet music right in front of me…. It felt good didn't it? Maybe a little too good?"
"It was amazing."
"Then why'd you stop?"
"Because any longer and I wouldn't have. And the last time I check the etiquette book, going all the way on the second date doesn't always produce the best of relationships." Slade walked to the couch and sat down.
"No, you're right. But I got you feeling human again." Jones smirked. "Anyways, I got a lead on Henry."
"How?"
"I called the station and he went to Jump City and hasn't returned to work yet. I don't understand what is there, but I think we should go."
"We don't need to," Slade said.
"Why?" Jones asked.
"Because I know what he's finding, and it's going to lead him straight back here."
"What exactly is he finding?"
Slade paused. "That Slade and Deathstroke really is the same person and once he figures that, he's going to come after us."
"Wilson, we can't die."
"Yes, yes we can…."
-xXx
Henry stumbled in to a small motel room. He dumped his papers on the table and threw his jacket on to the bed. After a lonely meal of steak and mashed love life, sleeping sounded like the best antidote. He took of his shirt and pants and crawled in to the bed and turned the lights off. He slipped quietly into a dream that felt more like a live memory reel.
"Ha, well at least I don't flop my noodle around with any authority here." Henry looked over to Slade with a knowing, mocking grin. He caught the glare and nearly jumped off his bunk and strangled his throat. He couldn't show the comment bothered him or the whole cabin would suspect something of him. So Slade waited until the next morning to privately discuss the matter.
"How the fuck do you know you piece of crap?!" Slade demanded throwing him into the back wall of their cabin. Henry stumbled but didn't say a word even though his back, head, and neck began hurting. "Once isn't enough? Okay. Very well then." Slade shoved Henry back into the wall and then slammed his fist into Henry's cheek bone. He dropped to the ground and whined as he clutched his face. "So how do you know?"
"I…I…."
"You…you what? How did you find out?" Slade grabbed Henry's shirt and pulled him up to a sitting position.
"I saw you leave…and I...I followed…."
"Did you watch at all you sick fuck?"
"N-no."
"You sure about that?"
"Y-y-yes! Yes!" Slade looked at Henry, cowering in broad day light. There was no mistaking that he was in pain from his now swelling cheek and shaking body.
"Don't ever reference it again and I won't have to have this discussion again, got it?" Henry didn't make a motion to say anything and Slade didn't pester him for an answer. Ever since then, Henry became a coward in Slade's presence, and retreated himself from the group for fear he'd slip the secret. He became lonely and miserable at Slade's expense. And when he was offered a serum that offered super human abilities, he took it without a question.He woke in a cold sweat and threw his covers off. He was embarrassed; embarrassed from letting a self righteous ass beat him to the ground, and that he had to backbone to get him up. He could have destroyed Slade by telling somebody, anybody, and he chose not to. Now, seventy five years later, he wanted revenge.
-xXx
Rachel walked into her apartment suspecting to see an angry Peter, but she saw a sleepy one instead. She breathed out a deep sigh of relief and shuffled her way to the bedroom so she could change into her pajamas and act like everything was okay.
"Peter?" She shook him awake. He woke in a daze, and smiled at seeing her face.
"Hi hun, how was Cathy's?"
"It was fun." Rachel smiled and then sat down on the couch next to him.
"I'm glad. What time is it anyways?"
"About two."
"Oh, damn. I was going to call you, but then I figured you weren't going to answer. I guess then I fell asleep." He smiled sweetly, and it hurt Rachel. He trusted her, yet she was out dating a super villain. The worst of it was that she wanted to tell him as if it was nothing and he was only a good friend.
"Well I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." She left without giving him a peck or even a small hug. She felt dirty, but secretly she wanted to keep Dale's taste lingering on her lips.
-xXx
"Dad, I want to go to the mall," Alycia demanded.
"You just went yesterday," Sam said.
"Yeah, but Jen and Kim are going today."
"No."
"Dad!"
"Alycia…no. Besides, we have company."
Alycia looked Slade up and down quickly and then pulled out her phone and started texting her friends the news. Then she looked at him again, still with distaste, and leaked a weak hello.
"Hi," said Slade.
"Who are you?"
"A friend of the family."
"Oh. Never seen you before."
"Me either, but now I have." Slade smiled. Alycia had many traits from her mother's side, but she inherited her father's blue eyes, just as he inherited them from his father.
"You know, you and my dad kind of look a like," Alycia mused.
"We used to get that a lot growing up," Sam quickly chimed in. Jess smiled in the background.
"Alycia can you get the ice cream out and go run upstairs and get the boys?" Jess asked her daughter.
"Sure Mom." She rolled her eyes before doing what she asked.
"Nice kid," Slade complimented.
"Thanks. Should I stamp them with your approval?" Sam asked rhetorically.
"Yes, I think you should. Why don't you get a "made in the back seat of a car" stamp on them too just for kicks."
"Ha…ha…ha."
Alycia brought her two younger brothers down and once again Slade prided to see the mixture between his bloodline and Richard's. They looked at Slade like the stranger that he was to them, and proceeded into the dinning room just as their parents asked of them. Once all at the table, it was Slade's first family sit down in years.
"So how do you know Dad?" Dylan, the fourteen year old, asked.
"We grew up together," Slade said.
"So how was my Dad when he was younger?" Sam looked at his father, eager for his answer.
"He was a good kid, and unfortunately his father was an ass sometimes."
"A donkey?" Stephen, the ten year old, asked innocently.
"Yes, a donkey."
"Well this has been fun and everything and I'm glad you came to visit Mr.… Mr. you." Alycia abruptly got up from the table and Sam motioned to stop her, but he gave up halfway through. Jess looked unhappy, but didn't want to start a fight.
"Can I go too?" Dylan asked.
"Sure, just put you bowls in the sink," Jess said. "I'm sorry they're not behaving better, but Alycia has been a real pain to handle."
"It's okay. She's just being a teen."
"So how have you been?"
"Depressed mostly, and then I met an old friend and he's helping me to my feet."
"That's good. Well, that's good that someone is helping you. I'm glad. Maybe you should come over when my parents do?"
"Are you crazy?" Sam asked, horrified she would even make the suggestion. "I don't think your parents really want to see my dad."
"That's true. Especially since I'm still young and they're all wrinkles, yah? They might get jealous." Jess chuckled, but Sam wasn't amused.
"I just think that my mom should know. Your father is my mother's best friend's husband," Jess explained.
"I guess."
"Thanks for the desert, but I think I should be heading home." Slade stood from the table and grabbed his bowl to put it in the sink. Sam and Jess followed him in to say their good byes.
"Next time bring your girlfriend, okay?" Sam offered.
"Just because I took her on a date doesn't mean we're going out," Slade angrily spat.
"Okay, but just bring her. I know I'd love to meet her."
Slade nodded his head in agreement and walked himself to the door. Maybe Sam's idea would be his own next date's plan.
-xXx
Roughly Seventy-Five Years Ago
"He's simply broken. His body temperature is through the roof, he's hallucinating. Addie…he's a mess. I hate to dismiss such a good solider from this army, but I'm afraid I must. I've looked through his records and there is barely information on him so I am instructing that you find him a safe place to be."
"You can't keep him here until he recovers?"
"Get him to a real doctor."
"But these doctors know what actually is wrong with him."
"Slade's body can not handle this, and our doctors simply can not handle this. They aren't experienced enough; they've clearly stated it to me. He's on ice so his brain doesn't boil."
"Why me General?" Addie asked.
"He wouldn't stop calling your name in all of his hallucinations. And on reasonable suspicion of a relationship between the two of you, I am forced to ask you to leave as well." His response was dry. The General handed her Slade's file and sent her off with a weak smile.
"Sir, I don't understand…."
"The manor of which he was speaking about you was inappropriate. He would never have those thoughts if –."
"They're hallucinations! How can you believe hallucinations?"
"I'm sorry. The decision is final. Take him home, and do your best to bring him back. Now please follow me so you can take him immediately."
Addie was furious, furious in finding love where love shouldn't be found. She was furious she lost her job, her career, and didn't know where to turn. And to top it off, she had the responsibility of the person who lost her everything. However, when she walked into the room all the complaining stopped. He was in serious pain. He was tied by the hands and ankles to a large metal box filled with ice, while wrapped in a few blankets for protection. Slade wiggled and writhed trying to get free, and to ease the pain; he screamed every so often just to keep his find focused elsewhere.
"Once you leave, get him help," the General ordered.
"What do you care? He's just a test subject." Addie's eyes filled with tears, and prepared her self for the worst.