Ahhhh… this is gonna be difficult. Ok, I made a list of everything so no worries. Also, sorry for any typos I was just looking over my other chapters and saw that I had quite a few. Bummer.

So yeah, I bet that you all have figured out who the masked guy is. Special thanks to all the reviewers who spoiled it. Jk, jk.

I don't plan on killing a character, good or evil, but we'll see if I change my mind. The team is injured, after all. :-D

Thanks to all who reviewed!

Chapter 11!

"Who… who are you?" Robin asked weakly. He was currently very tired, and talking drained him of the little strength he had left.

"I am not an enemy, Robin. In fact, I wish to help you." Robin could have sworn that this man was smiling behind his mask. So far, he seemed like a lunatic.

"That… that isn't… what I… what I asked." Robin's speech was becoming slurred. He struggled to stay awake. He really wanted to go to a hospital right now. He forgot all about his hatred for them. As long as he got painkillers, he would deal with it.

"Ah, yes. Well, since we will be working together for quite some time, it is only fitting you know who I am. They call me Deathstroke."

Robin didn't know of any hero who would put "death" in their name, and he instantly became wary of this masked man.

"What… what do you want?" Robin pulled in a painful breath, gathering some strength. He really felt like crying, though.

"I think I've made it very clear over the past few weeks that I want you, Robin." The young boy's blood ran cold.

"Wh-why me?" Robin asked in a small, squeaky voice. The man chuckled darkly.

"I think your little friends would want to hear too." He said. He grabbed Robin's chair and turned around to face the unconscious heroes.

"Awaken them!" Deathstroke shouted. The Justice League's eyes opened. So did the children's, but they didn't move other than that. They were injured terribly, and they knew it. The mentors looked around, shocked, then confused, and then mad. They started to struggle, but froze up all of a sudden. Deathstroke chuckled and put his hands on Robin's shoulders. Robin saw Batman tense up in pure anger, but didn't move, didn't speak. Robin realized that he couldn't. None of them could. The Blue Trance. He thought.

"As I was saying," Deathstroke started pacing around Robin's chair. "We are quite interested in you, Robin. You are a have a genius IQ, you're a master hacker, and exceptional acrobatic and martial artist, and you're only thirteen." Robin froze. How did he know that?

"You will make a great ally."

"Who… says I… want to… to work with you?"

"Because, Robin, I have full control over you. So, as you see, you don't really have a choice."

"The crimes…"

"Yes." Deathstroke turned to The League. "The recent crimes lately. That was all him. And the little incident at Wayne Tech, that was Robin as well. Not a clone, or a trick, or someone in a mask. It was the one, true Robin."

"But why? What… what did… you have…to… to gain from… from me…?"

"Nothing." Deathstroke said, turning on him. "Nothing at all. All these recent crimes were just a… a test run, if you will. Seeing what we could have you do." Robin struggled with all his might not to cry. "But the recent Wayne Tech murders, that was a warning. A warning to The Justice League not to stand in our way. You see, Robin, you joining us is part of a much bigger, elaborate plan. One that is not ready to be revealed yet." He gave the very ticked off Justice League a mocking look. Or, Robin assumed it was mocking. Behind him, the seven monitors lit up, revealing seven bright blurs, probably people.

"I'm sure you are aware of The Blue Trance. A member of the… board was kind enough to make it for us." Deathstroke said. Robin heard Zatara grunt in anger from next to his injured daughter across the room. He nodded.

"And I'm sure that you and Batman recall the ambush from last month…" Then it hit him. He had chased someone out there… then there was a figure… his neck stung… that was when he had been injected. "You…." Robin glared at him weakly.

"Yes. It was a setup, the entire thing. The ambush was to distract the police and Batman. It was all so I could get you alone for a while. And I must say it went rather nicely. I knew that your curiosity would get the better of you." Deathstroke bent down so his head was right near Robin's. Robin took the opportunity to try and snap at him, but Deathstroke was fast. He dodged Robin, then came back up and slapped him across the face, hard. Tears fell from Robin's eyes, and he moaned and bowed his head. The Team and The League were trying to get free, their anger getting the better of them, but it was useless. They couldn't move.

Deathstroke shook his head as he rounded Robin once more. "Tsk, tsk. You will have to learn to respect your masters, Red X. But don't worry, we will work on that. When we are done with you, you won't remember how to cry. Much less feel any emotion at all."

Robin looked up weakly. "Wh…what did…?"

"Ah, yes. Red X. That is what we call you. I'm afraid Robin won't do anymore. You see, Robin is a hero, and a very immature one at that. Yes, we have been watching you. Re X, when we are through with him, with be dedicated, loyal, cold, and merciless."

Robin was quiet and still. Yes, this guy was a certifiable psycho. He wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible. He would rather be bleeding in a ditch instead of this chair with this rambling lunatic. He decided to keep Deathstroke talking while he figures a way out.

"How… did I… get here?"

"The League was kind enough to pull your broken bodies from the accident with the ship. We only kept them under our control in order to get to you, Red X. Now that we have what we want, they are of no use to us. A relief, really. Even when they are under our complete control, they cannot follow orders. We asked you be brought back alive and unharmed. We don't care much for the others, I'm sure some of the children over there are dead, but they could have spared the ship for the likes of you." He looked at Robin, who shuddered under his watchful eye. Robin then turned to glance at the other heroes. The mentors were awake and alert, but Robin's friends were still bleeding. Some of them had their eyes closed. Not one of them moved.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Robin asked quietly. He was surprised at how calm he sounded. He was overwhelmed. Actually, he was beyond overwhelmed.

Deathstroke sounded surprised when he answered; "Because, Red X, I believe a mentor and apprentice should learn to trust each other. There should be no secrets between us, only respect, loyalty, and faithfulness." Robin was surprised at how sure Deathstroke was. Why would he ever think that Robin would join him?

"Why on earth would I join you? I'm not like you. I didn't do those things willingly. I'm not a lunatic like you. How are you so sure I'd go along with all this?"

Deathstroke stood behind Robin, hands behind his back. He didn't hesitate when he said; "Because I can make The Justice League murder your friends right before your eyes, and then I can have them killed as well." It was the simple way he said this that Robin realized he meant what he said. He could have them killed. He had the power to do so. Even so, he would only get Robin through blackmail.

It was right then and there that Robin would have to make the most important decision of his life. Tied to a chair near a psychopath, looking into the wet eyes of his friends and family, full of pain and regret, Robin said in a quiet voice everyone heard; "Alright."

The League and The Team looked shocked and scared. Deathstroke was smiling behind his mask.

"On one condition." Robin said. "I let them go?" Deathstroke asked. The Boy Wonder nodded, and then winced at the pain. "Very well."

Deathstroke held up a remote, and pressed a button. A hole in the floor appeared under Robin, and he fell, still tied to a chair. Deathstroke turned and walked out the door, leaving the heroes alone in the monitor room, still frozen.

In an unknown location

"Well?" Deathstroke addressed the seven members of The Light. He had gone into their observation room, where they had watched to entire exchange.

"Let them go?" Lex Luthor asked incredulously. "We have them trapped and immobile. We can't just let them go because of a bargain."

"Agreed." Said Ocean Master. "We may never get this opportunity again."

Only Vandal Savage knew Deathstroke's true intentions. "You wish to show him The League being released, and then have our people go after them and destroy them."

"Of course." Deathstroke said. The other members of The Light exchanged glances. "By the time he finds out, he won't be human enough to care." This made the villains smile.

"And how do you propose we start with his… rehabilitation?" Queen Bee asked.

"That, I will leave to our potion maker." He looked at Klarion, who grinned evilly. "Then, when he is cleansed, I will start to work on him. When I am through, Red X will know nothing other than the orders we give him. He will be the ultimate weapon."

The Light was very pleased to hear this, very pleased indeed.

"Then let's get started, shall we?" Klarion asked, and he and Teekl left the room.

Somewhere outside

The Justice League slowly trudged out of the warehouse, no one making a sound. The members with protégés carried them out; they were all unconscious and bloody. Even Superman was carrying Superboy. The League had gotten lucky; they were all still breathing, but barely. Any other teen wouldn't have survived that crash, but these teens were trained to the peak, and could take a hit. This crash, however, was their limit.

They were in a valley surrounded by mountains somewhere, with no memories of how they got there. They had heard everything Deathstroke said to Robin, and were aware that they were under some kind of control, but only as pawns. He wanted Robin. But why? Nothing good, they could tell that much.

They walked on in a depressed silence. Their plan was to get as far away as possible, but only to get the children to the safety of a hospital. They would make up a story later. After The Team was safe, they would go back for Robin.

After Deathstroke had left the room, their binds had come undone. The children had fallen to the floor like rag dolls, unable to support themselves. They couldn't even move; that's how weak they were. Batman had wanted to go after him, but the others had held him back, saying that they didn't yet know what they were up against, there were injured teens present on their watch, and they needed to go back to base, replenish, and make a plan.

After one glance at Batgirl, who he wasn't surprised to see there, Batman finally agreed to go back to the base. "You have no idea how hard this is for me." Batman muttered as he picked up Batgirl, who was limp. Only Superman heard him, and threw him a sorry glance as he carefully lifted up Superboy.

Batman had hit the homing device on his belt, and the Batplane was now headed their way- wherever they were. No one knew. No one really cared.

"Gah!" Flash yelled, jumping back as an arrow landed by his feet. They turned around in time to see a mob of armed villains coming toward them. There had to be hundreds- there were average thugs, Bialyian soldiers, Manta men, Kobra- venom enhanced people, League of Shadow operatives, and heavily armed men in suits.

The League quickly placed the still, limp children into a nearby cave, and prepared for a fight.

"He tricked us." Superman said, balling his fists. "He probably had this planned from the start."

"You thought so?" Batman spat distastefully.

And the fight began.

In a dungeon

Robin wept silently. He had never been so scared and alone in his life. He was confused, injured, horrified, depressed and sorry. The chair had landed on its back, leaving Robin staring at the ceiling out of breath. His back killed him- actually, everything killed him. He was in the dark, and had no idea who anyone here was, or what they were going to do to him. He feared for the near future. They were going to hurt him, or worse, what if they… no! He had to stop thinking like that. It was going to be brutal, no doubt about it, but if he was going to survive with these 'people' he had to show them how strong he was. He couldn't lose himself in their evil teachings. He had to hold onto his beliefs. He knew right from wrong.

Robin had stopped crying now. His breathing had almost gone back to normal when he heard footsteps coming toward this room. He started to hyperventilate.

Stay calm. Be brave. Don't let them break you, no matter what.

He was well aware that his body was currently broken, but he was still sane on the inside. How hard was it to keep sanity?

He would soon learn that apparently it was very hard.

The person whose footsteps he heard in the hall hadn't even entered yet when he felt pain. He started to spasm again. He noted through the pain that these footsteps were too heavy to be Deathstroke's. The potion maker, no doubt. The spasming caused his limbs, which he now knew were possibly broken, to twitch. His mind buzzed, showing him painful memories, things he wanted to forget.

Stay calm, be brave.

The door opened.

Don't break. Keep your sanity.

Footsteps came closer.

You know who you are…

You…

Know….

Footsteps stopped near him.

Don't

Break

Stay

Strong

The last thing he heard was evil laughter.

Stay strong.