Despite the fact that he was with the team, Icon unconsciously stepped backwards at the sight of Slade. He remembered all too well the show of force and cold-bloodedness that the man had intimidated him with in their first encounter. Well, technically Icon had confronted one of Slade's mechanical doubles, but the man himself still alarmed him.

"You shouldn't have come here!" Robin had already pulled out his bo-staff, glowering at Slade all the while.

"Me?" Slade raised his single eye in amusement. "I could say the same for you."

Crates all around the warehouse suddenly burst open to reveal squads of Slade's robot commandos.

"Titans, go!" As Robin made for Slade, the rest of the Titans split off to engage the enemy.

Icon quickly shifted through the alien forms on the Omnitrix before coming to a decision, "Looks like I'm going Petrosapien again."

He pressed down on the device's dial and was enveloped in a flash of green light. When the light died down, he found himself in the volcanic body of a Pyronite. Icon sighed to himself, "Meh, good enough."

Icon swung about and unleashed a burst of flames at an oncoming group of Slade's minions. He continued doing this to any android that got too close. Any android that got past the flames was subject to being battered by a volcanic fist. The fight was tough, but Icon's volcanic silicon-based skin was able to hold against the oncoming steel claws and laser bolts.

He was just about to engage another group when he heard something crash through a window.

"Out of my way ya little pipsqueaks!"

A stream of flames blocked off the approaching androids. Icon's body tensed when he turned to see Kevin 11 flying straight for him.

"He's mine!"

Icon was knocked back with such force that he was sent flying across the warehouse.

"Oh, a friend of yours, Icon?" mocked Slade while continuing with his fight with Robin on the catwalks.

"About as much of a friend as you are," muttered Icon as he picked himself up. He ignited his fists and unleashed a wave of flames to propel himself back at Kevin. The mutant responded by rampaging forward. The two clashed and repelled each other. Undaunted, the opponents made for each other again.

"I'm gonna get you this time!" Kevin wildly swiped at Icon.

"What for?" Icon retaliated with a swing of a molten fist. "Why are you even doing this?"

Kevin recoiled before shaking off the painful blow, "I told you before didn't I? I'm here for a fight!"

It was then Icon's turn to receive a blow, but like Kevin he was quick to recover, "That's it?"

"Well…" Kevin pretended to mull things over, "There's that and getting to totally waste you!"

Icon groaned, "I should've guessed."

Kevin raised his volcanic arm and released a stream of flames. Icon responded by discharging his own stream of flames from his hands. The two streams collided and exploded in their faces. The fighters were sent flying in opposite directions.

Icon skidded to a stop before propping himself up on his shoulders. What he saw surprised him: Kevin was actually wincing as he was getting back up.

Your volcanic skin has protected you! Your opponent on the other hand lacks such protection!

The Titan shook his head in mystification. That odd voice he had heard in Titan's tower was back again.

Even he is not immune to fire. Your current form might be able to subdue him! You could end this!

A peculiar rush of excitement filled Icon. He could defeat Kevin here and now! He could bring the mutant in! Like the voice said, he could end this!

"Hey, Kevin!" Icon leapt to his feet and ignited his molten fists. "Think you can take the heat!"

The mutant scowled. "Can you?"

Kevin raised his volcanic arm and released another wave of flames. Acting on his Pyronite instincts, Icon allowed the flames at his fists to dissipate and raised his arms. Like water to a sponge, the flames were absorbed into his hands.

"Can I handle it?" Icon gave a satisfied look at a disgruntled Kevin, "Well, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Yeah? Well, I've got a few tricks too!" Kevin raised his volcanic arm again, this time only igniting his palm. He placed his lit palm near his mouth as he spewed a torrent of green slime. To Icon's horror, the slime ignited to create a flaming viscous river that was coming towards him. He was barely able to gather enough time to return fire with a stream of flames.

Poor choice.

When Kevin and Icon's attacks collided, the impact sent pieces of burning slime flying all over the place.

"WHOA!"

The rest of the fighters were forced to do their best to avoid the flaming projectiles.

"AH!"

"AGH!"

Both Kevin and Icon looked up to the catwalks to see that both Robin and Slade had been struck by some of the burning slime. While neither had fallen over the walks, both of them now had to use the railings to support themselves in their pain.

"ROBIN!" yelled Starfire as she made to break through her opponents.

Icon looked on in panic. Robin, his leader, had been injured from his own fight with Kevin. If he hadn't been so preoccupied he would have noticed Slade giving Kevin an irritated look. He would have also noticed that the mutant was returning Slade's gaze with an uncharacteristically apprehensive one.

"Hang on, Robin!" Icon reignited his fists and made to move. "We're coming—" He was cut off when a blast of flames struck him in the back and knocked him over.

"Hey! We're not done here!"

Icon picked himself onto his knees to see Kevin glaring back at him. His opponent then looked up at the catwalks. A twisted smile broke across his features as an idea crossed his mind. "Aw, you worried about bird boy?" Kevin aimed his crystal arm at Robin. "I can take care of that—"

WHAM!

In an incredible burst of energy, Icon had launched himself at Kevin and had delivered to Kevin's jaw one of the hardest punches he had ever given. He then leapt and swept a flaming foot through the air, sending a wave of fire that actually knocked Kevin clean off of his feet.

"That thing you were about to do," Icon landed back onto the ground, "Don't even think about it."

As Robin and Slade forced themselves back up to continue their fight despite their injuries, the latter could not help but give an interested glance at the fight between the Pyronite and the mutated Osmosian.

"Or else what?" snidely remarked Kevin.

Before Icon could even answer, something happened. The windows to the warehouse shattered and he felt himself knocked off his feet by multiple hot projectiles that slammed into his body. Icon then pushed himself onto his knees to see metal bodies flying into the building.

"No way!" Beast Boy shouted in disbelief.

Flying variants of the alien droids were now storming the area and were opening fire on whoever or whatever got in their way. A number of Slade's robots were cut down by the assault, but many more were able to dodge the oncoming laser bolts and began engaging the new enemy. Likewise, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Terra were now forced to adjust to having to fight two different varieties of opponents at once.

Icon wasted no time in getting back onto his feet before sending a few fiery blasts at a couple of robots that came in too close for comfort.

BAM!

Icon was knocked off his feet again by a stream of flames that struck him from behind.

"Hello? We're not done here…"

He scowled and looked around to see that Kevin was up and ready to fight again.

"Gah!"

Aggravation gave way to horror as Icon turned his head in the direction of the catwalks to see that a Robin had been dealt a rather vicious blow from Slade. While both of them were dealing with harsh injuries, not even Robin had Slade's absurd degree of stamina, putting the former at a disadvantage against the latter.

"Hey! Aren't you listening?" Kevin was becoming impatient with his opponent. "We're not done here—"

"I don't have time for this, Kevin!" snapped Icon shortly before propelling himself through the air with flames straight at the mutant.

BAM!

Icon delivered to Kevin a powerful tackle at near point blank range that sent him sprawling across the floor. He then shifted himself so that he was rocketing in the direction of the catwalks, Robin and Slade dead in his sights.

TSEW! TSEW!

Icon was shot straight out the air by alien droids that had come in from the sides. He went crashing to the ground with a loud crack. Fortunately though, his protective rock hard skin was still holding strong, and Icon was able to quickly get back onto his feet. He reignited his fists and prepared to break through the droids to get to Robin and Slade.

SLAM!

Kevin had rammed into him using his Kineceleran speed, sending the Titan into a wall. He got up again and made to fight Kevin, but he was once again knocked down by another volley of lasers from the droids.

Icon was trapped. No matter how he tried getting to Robin and Slade, either Kevin or the alien droids would just block his way. And if he tried fighting one opponent, the other would just knock him down. No matter how hard he fought, all he could do was helplessly watched a friend being worn down in a losing battle as he himself was being batted around.

VWOOSH! BOOM! CRACK!

Without warning, an incredible gust of wind filled the warehouse as the earth began shaking. Icon and Kevin struggled to maintain their balance as the nearby droids were swept aside by the strong gale. As he struggled to regain his footing, Icon began looking around for the source of the chaos. However, he already had an idea of what it was.

Kevin mirrored Icon's actions before coming across something. "Oh, come on, her again—"

The moment the last word left Kevin's mouth, the cement at their feet cracked open and jets of earth began spewing into the air with tremendous force. Two of the jets erupted from beneath Icon and

Kevin's feet, sending both flying through the air along with any alien droid or masked android that had been unlucky enough to get swept up by the wind or struck by the geysers of earth. Kevin was sent crashing through a window, while Icon sent into the rafters.

"Another day, Titans!" After parrying Robin off for the umpteenth time, Slade had decided to cut the fight short and run. While he was willing to fight when there was a four-way battle occurring, even he was not about to risk fighting when there was an active force that was threatening to destroy the battlefield.

"No you don't!" Despite his injuries, Robin was already making to pursue Slade. He might have caught up with Slade if an alien droid that had been swept off course by the gale hadn't crashed into him.

"ROBIN!"

The collision had sent him over the catwalk and into a pile of broken crates.

XXX

Later, Icon found himself standing near Starfire, Beast Boy, and Terra in the Titan's Tower medical bay.

The Titans had won the battle against both the masked androids and the alien droids. However, Slade had successfully gotten away. Likewise, Kevin had been nowhere to be found after the battle. At the moment, Cyborg and Raven were busy treating the team's one casualty.

"Ah!" Robin let out an uncharacteristic cry of pain as Cyborg tied one last bandage around his bruised and burnt torso.

Starfire winced at the sight before daring to ask something. "Will…Robin be alright?"

"I-I'm ok Star, really." Robin was doing his best to put on a reassuring face.

"It's nothing life threatening," assured Cyborg.

"But he's going to have to take it easy for a while," added Raven. Robin visibly grimaced at the last statement. Being unable to fight was the last thing he wanted now that Slade was at large again.

Icon chose at that moment to look at his feet, unable to look at his leader. Some of Robin's injuries were the direct result of his battle with Kevin. Sure, while Robin had accepted his incessant apologizing and even insisted that such injuries were an occupational hazard, there was still a sick feeling of guilt in the pit of Icon's stomach.

A loud bleeping noise suddenly filled the air. It was coming from the main room. Someone was contacting them through the main computer.

"I-I'll get it." Icon hastily left for the main room. He needed to get out of medical bay, if even for a little bit. He just couldn't bear to see the sight of something that he could have prevented. Robin would not have half of the injuries he had if it weren't for him, Icon. If only he had not been dumb enough to counter Kevin's stream of flaming slime with a blast of fire. Robin wouldn't have been weakened and he wouldn't have suffered at Slade's hands as much as he had. Now that Icon though about it even more, Robin could also have been spared a considerable amount of pain if he hadn't gotten himself trapped by both Kevin and the alien droids.

Such thoughts continued to plague him until he reached the main computer. Nagging guilt was replaced by attentiveness as Icon made to work the advanced piece of equipment.

"Let's see, I think I push these few buttons…" Despite the amount of time Icon had been in the tower, he was still getting used to working the computer. "…And I've got it!"

The computer screen flickered to life.

"Hello, Icon."

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw an all too familiar masked face looking back at him from the screen.

Slade actually laughed at Icon's response. "Are you really that surprised to see me?"

Icon nervously picked up his communicator and flipped it open. "Guys, you might want to get up here…it's Slade."

"SLADE?" rang a voice from the other end. Loud footsteps could suddenly be heard coming down from the hall along with a number of exclamations.

"Man, take it easy!"

"You are in no condition to—"

The automatic doors swished open to reveal Robin, who was now using every ounce of strength he still had just to keep himself on his feet. Behind him were the rest of the Titans, who were watching Robin as if he were about to collapse at any second.

"Ah, Robin," Slade became more professional, "Just who I wanted to see."

"What do you want?" Robin did his best not to limp to the main computer.

"I am calling on some rather important business, we can do without the hostilities," said Slade flatly.

Robin was actually taken aback by Slade's response. The man had never remarked on he was addressed like this. "Well?"

"It's about the new extraterrestrial presence in the city. Unless you've been living under a rock up until our most recent encounter, I'm sure you've had to deal with them on at least one other occasion."

"So what if we have?" asked Robin warily.

"Because like you, I have already had to deal with them a number of times before today."

"What?" Robin actually leaned forward.

"Th-they've been attacking you too?" Icon was just as surprised. "But I thought they attacked where the Omnitrix was…or at least close by."

"They've been attacking wherever there's been advanced enough technology!" Slade's voice was becoming uncharacteristically tense.

"Why are you calling us?" inquired Cyborg suspiciously.

Slade did the unexpected and actually hesitated for a moment. "The new enemy has driven me into a rather tight spot. Thanks to them, my forces are only a fraction of what they used to be. So I've come to you to make a proposal."

"What kind of proposal?"

Slade hesitated again. "As much as it pains me to say this…I propose that we work together, I need your help."