Collateral Damage

by Novus Ordo Seclorum

The choices we make in life-no matter how small-are far-reaching... When Beast Boy is gravely wounded in battle, Robin is faced with difficult decision: Abandon the mission to save his teammate or abandon his teammate to save the city.

25. Apoptosis

A/N: This is the Fifth and next-to-last (penultimate) installation of the ending. The next update will be the final chapter and the Epilogue. Please Enjoy!

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Chapter 25: Apoptosis

"I have a feeling that I am going to enjoy this…" Slade chortled, his low, booming voice echoing ardently throughout the vault. He stared diabolically at Beast Boy—never taking his eyes off of the wounded teen—as he casually reached down to his utility belt. He opened one of its various compartments and pulled out a second bo-staff, unfurling the weapon slowly, as though he were savoring the moment.

Beast Boy did not respond. Rather, he returned Slade's nefarious gaze, staring at the man's soulless mask. In Jump City, Slade's mask had served as a symbol of evil and a harbinger of ill-will; suffering, misfortune, and calamity accompanied its presence. Slade himself was a disease unto mankind, a loathsome wretch. Time and again, like a persistent vermin, he rose from beneath the city's streets and wreaked havoc on the bustling metropolis and its citizenry. He had ruined countless lives with his self-serving schemes and had—on more than one occasion—torn asunder the illusion of security the Titans provided.

Beast Boy's eyes focused, narrowing in contempt. As he stood breathing in and out rhythmically, his mind began to wander; Slade's visage stirring up painful memories. Memories he had willingly interred. Memories of love, treachery, heartache, and loss. Memories… of her.

Though he had not known Terra very long, she immediately captured his heart. She was upbeat, interesting, lighthearted, funny, and world-wise; needless to say, the attraction was immediate. Love allows those in its midst to see passed the flaws of their counterpart. Though in many cases this is beneficial, it was his bane. Though he was aware of Terra's difficulties concerning her powers, he never knew of her mounting insecurities or how far she would go to achieve control. His inattentiveness allowed Slade to slither in, cajole Terra into his employ, and use her against the very people who cared for her the most. When all was said and done, the Titans were in shambles—irrevocably tainted by deceit—and Terra paid the ultimate price for her lapse in judgment.

Beast Boy breathed heavily now, clenching his fists tightly. His chest rose and fell completely with every breath, a guttural growl rasping viciously in the back of his throat. Though he did not say it outwardly, he was more than willing to repay Slade in kind for all of the unparalleled destruction—and heartache—he had caused.

Slade paced back and forth slowly, eyeing Beast Boy up, waiting for him to make the first move. Much to his surprise, however, Beast Boy did not charge, nor did he advance. Instead, the changeling rolled his neck from side-to-side and shrugged his shoulders up and down, limbering up for the ensuing battle. Slade grunted defiantly, his tone fraught with frustration. He realized that the Beast Boy he was about to face was the polar opposite of the angry, vengeful changeling who had arrived earlier in the evening. Earlier on, Beast Boy would have allowed his feral rage to build upon itself, clouding his reasoning and derailing his logic. He would have blindly attacked, thrashing about wildly and recklessly, leaving himself open to injury. Instead, he stood patiently, looking calm and collected.

Slade swallowed hard as he raised his bo-staff; a clearheaded Beast Boy would be more difficult to defeat. Under normal circumstances, he would have waited for the changeling to slip up and he would have exploited every mistake and miscalculation. This situation—which put him on the offensive—forced him to attack, putting the strategic advantage clearly in Beast Boy's hands.

Slade surged forward, sprinting toward the changeling. He brought his staff up from his side and clutched it with both hands, raising it over his head, preparing to bring it crashing down on Beast Boy. Anticipating his opponents move, Beast Boy lunged forward, transforming into a lumbering green bison. Before Slade had an opportunity to bludgeon him over the head with his staff, the changeling lowered his thick, horned cranium. Beast Boy used his head as a battering ram and violently collided with Slade's ribs and abdomen.

A sickening cracking noise filled the air as the impact vaulted Slade backward. He collided with the back wall of the vault. Reverberations from the collision radiated through the reinforced-steel lockboxes adorning the wall; the cacophonous echo filled the vault, dying down as Slade slowly lifted himself back to his feet. He rubbed his midsection roughly with one of his hands, attempting to massage away biting twinges of pain.

Slade straightened himself out and took a few prudent steps away from the wall, gripping his staff tightly. He stared at the undaunted green bison standing in the center of the vault. Their eyes met. In that moment, he gazed curiously at Beast Boy, attempting to figure out his next move. From a cursory glance, it appeared as though the changeling was on his last legs: badly wounded, covered in blood, and clearly vulnerable. However, it had become obvious that something deep within was driving him: encouraging him to fight on, to rise once more, and to persevere. Slade scowled derisively as his stomach began to turn uncomfortably, squirming like a roiling heap of maggots.

Slade took a few feeble steps forward, holding his staff in front of his body protectively. Beast Boy snorted cantankerously in response, warning the masked villain to keep his distance. Slade, however, paid no heed. He continued to draw closer, his advances serving as a provocation, daring Beast Boy to make the first move.

Beast Boy kept his eyes locked on Slade, who moved progressively toward him, waiting for the ideal moment to strike. He breathed in and out slowly, remaining calm and collected. Though every muscle in his body ached beyond belief—burning with lactic acid—and the pain from his wounds was undeniably unbearable, he choked back every vestige of weakness and susceptibility. Rather, he remained uncharacteristically reserved. He watched Slade. He waited for him to encroach further and further, until escape was impossible. He yearned for it, his seething animosity burning through his veins like hellfire. Yet, he restrained himself, listening to Slade's heavy footfalls grow closer.

When Slade passed the point of no return, Beast Boy transformed into a raptor. With a savage roar, he set his eyes upon his opponent. He allowed his jaw to hang lax, exposing row upon row of razor-sharp, rapier-like fangs. Without pause, he darted nimbly toward Slade, holding his clawed forelimbs in front of his body imposingly.

Slade's eye widened as the agile reptile quickly closed on him. Wasting no time, he retreated, putting some distance between himself and the snarling green dinosaur, hoping to buy himself some time. Beast Boy swung his forelimbs wildly at Slade, his jagged claws grazing the man's shoulder and chest, tearing his uniform and drawing blood. Beast Boy continued to bear down, snapping at Slade ferociously. Slade continued to narrowly dodge the persistent attacks as he backed away.

Beast Boy opened his mouth wide, preparing to sink his teeth into Slade's flesh. As he surged forward, bearing his teeth, Slade brought his staff up horizontally and jammed it roughly into Beast Boy's mouth. In turn, Beast Boy bit down on the staff, firmly seizing it between his jaws. Effortlessly, he drove Slade back, roughly slamming him into the wall. Slade grunted and strained, his muscles quivering involuntarily as he tried mightily to keep the green raptor at bay.

Undeterred, Beast Boy forged forward, driving Slade further into the wall, overpowering him with veritable ease. Although Slade was virtually unscathed, save for a few broken ribs and a couple flesh wounds, it was obvious that he was on the ropes; it took the bulk of his virility to fend off the changeling. He was slowly—but steadily—weakening. Beast Boy took note, knowing that—as long as Slade was preoccupied with his fangs—he was unprotected against his dagger-like claws.

Making use of his brute strength, Beast Boy bore down on Slade, pinning him uncomfortably between the reinforced steel lock-boxes and his intimidating, serrated teeth. As a result, Slade was trapped: If he let go of his staff, he would succumb to the raptor's superior puissance and offensive superiority. On the other hand, if he held fast and remained as he was, he could easily fall prey to Beast Boy's formidable forelimbs. Slade's heart plummeted; he was in a regrettable situation with no foreseeable escape route.

Beast Boy used every ounce of his unadulterated might to push his fearsome fangs within inches of Slade's head and throat. Simultaneously, he cocked both of his arms, preparing to strike.

At that moment, Slade more closely resembled a wounded animal stuck in a trap than a diabolical madman. As he braced himself against the reptilian behemoth's pronged teeth, he noticed its claws drawing back; recoiling slowly…imposingly, calmly preparing to strike. His groans of exertion were quickly replaced by moans of terror as Beast Boy's claws shot toward him celeritously…mercilessly, with murderous intent.

Slade winced in pain as Beast Boy's claws tore into his flesh, ripping through his sinew and skin, opening up sizable wounds across his chest and underneath his left armpit. The second blow lifted Slade from his feet, causing him to lose hold of his bo-staff; he shot through the air horizontally, colliding with an adjoining wall. He landed on the floor roughly, blood steadily trickling from his wounds. He opened his eye slowly, squinting at first, dazed and discombobulated from his harsh treatment at the hands of the belligerent raptor.

Beast Boy opened his jaws and allowed Slade's staff to clatter noisily to the floor. Feverishly, he turned toward Slade, who remained inert on the ground, propping himself up with his elbows. A daunting snarl escaped him, radiating sharply within the reinforced room, as he rushed at Slade.

Slade's heart raced vehemently as Beast Boy closed the distance between them. He knew he was hurt badly and without any offensive weapons. He quickly discerned that—in order to gain the upper-hand once more—he would have to think defensively. Though he bled profusely and his wounds nagged at him, Slade sniggered softly—as one would laugh at implicit humor—before stealthily reaching for his utility belt.

Slade clandestinely removed two spherical objects, known as 'black eggs,' from his utility belt. He laid in wait, feigning helplessness, anticipating the perfect moment to retaliate. As Beast Boy loomed over him, he remained motionless. As Beast Boy moved forward, preparing to mangle him, he ignored his survival instincts and held still. As soon as Beast Boy was within inches of his upper-body, however, Slade put his plan into action. He skillfully darted back, cocked his right arm and hurled the 'black eggs' at the green raptor's head. The malignant spheroids—which contained a mixture of cinders and black pepper—made fierce contact with Beast Boy's face, breaking open and temporarily blinding him.

Beast Boy recoiled in pain, shaking his head from side-to-side in frustration, his eyes and skin feeling as though they were ablaze. Out of bewilderment, he transformed back to his human form, hunching over slightly as he brought his hands to his eyes, attempting to whisk away the foreign substances.

Wasting no time, Slade scrambled to his feet. He collected his bo-staff from the floor as he silently made his way toward the suffering shape-shifter, who continued to rub and pat his eyes roughly, hoping to soothe them sufficiently and regain his sight. Slade, however, was not going to give him such an opportunity. He tightly gripped his staff with both hands, holding it as one would a baseball bat. In a vigorous motion, he drew back his weapon and brought it crashing down on Beast Boy's head, stunning him. As the changeling slumped forward, Slade recoiled. With all of his strength, he jabbed Beast Boy ruthlessly in the gut with the end of the staff, driving the blunt end of the cylindrical weapon into the blaster wound above his navel.

Beast Boy yelped in anguish, doubling over in pain as he fell to his knees. He groaned irascibly, using one hand to assuage his ailing eyes as the other cradled his injured midsection, which stung now more than ever.

As he watched his opponent steadily weaken, Slade brimmed with confidence. A few moments prior, everything seemed grim: Beast Boy had pinned as he lay seriously wounded. He knew now that he had the definitive advantage and he wasn't about to waste it. He harrumphed condescendingly, raising his staff once more, and swung it into the back of Beast Boy's head, knocking him flat onto his wounded stomach.

Before Beast Boy had a chance to raise himself up, Slade took the initiative; he stepped roughly onto the changeling's back, pinning him to the floor. Seeing an opportunity to end the confrontation, he forced his bo-staff under Beast Boy's throat. Cold-bloodedly, Slade pulled back on his staff, employing all of his strength.

Beast Boy's heart raced as he lay on the floor, struggling for air. His eyes were tightly shut as he jerked back and forth, hoping to throw Slade off-balance. As he coughed and wheezed violently, gasping for breath, he began to feel lightheaded and weak. Soon, his surroundings began to fade to black, narrowing his range of vision. His defiant resistance dwindled, and his movements became increasingly feeble. Dry clucking noises emanated from the back of his throat as Slade bore down harder, relishing every moment of his triumph.

*Meanwhile*

As Cyborg and Starfire brooded, Raven began to feel weak. The room began to spin uncontrollably, whirling around and around interminably. The sorceress immediately felt lightheaded and queasy; her knees began to wobble before buckling beneath her weight. She fell to the floor in a heap, gasping for air; as she lay on the floor, an ominous feeling gripped her. Her heart began to pound like a trip-hammer as she struggled to regain control of her rebellious emotions.

Prescient visions began to flash like snapshots through her mind, flickering across like an old-time movie. First she saw Robin, pinned to a marble wall—his bo-staff firmly jammed against his throat—by a green gorilla. Next, she saw him standing—sword in-hand—a few feet away from a green Bengal tiger, a horrid gash running down its left side.

She began to convulse more violently as the image of a green grizzly bear, looming over an incapacitated Boy Wonder, drew back its claws, preparing to deliver a killing blow. Then, she saw Slade. He held a plasma blaster in one hand and a small device in the other; in what seemed like slow motion, he steadied his weapon and fired, wounding the changeling standing before him. Raven gasped as her muscle spasms slowly waned, until she lay motionless once again.

Will, who had been standing near Raven, quickly knelt by her side to check on her. Raven looked up at him breathlessly in trepidation. Almost immediately, Cyborg and Starfire snapped to attention and approached the fallen Empath, looking down at her with concern in their eyes.

After a moment, Raven's dysphoria subsided slightly, though an uneasy feeling continued to roll around in the pit of her stomach. She took a few deep breaths and tried—in vain—to quell her wariness. She wrapped her arm tightly over her bandaged abdomen and winced in pain as she sat up.

"Take it easy…" Will said softly, "You need to rest…"

Raven shook her head in disagreement.

"No…" She replied as she painstakingly stood up, feeling tattered and worn, "No…time…to rest."

"Why not, Raven?" Starfire asked quizzically, "What is the matter?"

"We need to get to the Jump City National Bank…" Raven said weakly, "Right away…"

"It's a little late to open a checking account, Raven…" Cyborg said sarcastically, "Besides, you're hurt… You shouldn't be up and moving around…"

"We need to go…NOW!" Raven asserted, raising her voice, "Beast Boy…Slade…Robin…"

Raven looked sternly at Cyborg and Starfire, who stared at back at her perplexedly, with worry etched across their faces. She closed her eyes tightly and focused, trying to find her center. She breathed in and out rhythmically before her eyes darted open, adorned by an argent glow. She methodically moved her arms forward and outward, opening a darkened portal before her.

"Let's Go…" Raven ordered, turning her head toward Cyborg and Starfire. The mechanical man and Tamaranian princess nodded and stepped through the doorway, vanishing into the blackness. The Empath was about to step through herself when she felt a hand gently fall on her shoulder; she turned her head to see Will standing behind her.

"Please…" Will said pleadingly, "Let me go with you… maybe I can help…"

Raven looked at Will, whose eyes burned fervently with unbridled conviction. She sighed heavily, knowing that—while he meant well—he would only be in harm's way at the Jump City National Bank.

"Thank you…" Raven rasped, her voice crackling, "For everything. We will never forget all that you've done for us… But, you know where you belong and you know where you are needed most…"

With that, Raven turned, stepped into the portal, and disappeared.

*Meanwhile*

Beast Boy's mind began to wander. Though he could faintly sense himself—his eyes, which continued to sting and burn, and his face, which was beaded in cold sweat and coated in mucous—he began to feel himself drifting, as though he was somehow detached from himself. Tranquility enveloped him for a fleeting moment before a brusque and booming voice snapped him back to attention.

'Let me out, Garfield...' It demanded crossly, 'Let me out, or else we're going to die…'

It was the Beast. Beast Boy did not immediately respond. Though he was in serious peril, certainly moments away from death, he was ambivalent. He knew that he was too weak to continue, but—at the same time—he was cognizant that the Beast had an ulterior motive: taking full control.

'Garfield!' The Beast hissed agitatedly, 'Let…Me…OUT!!!'

Though Beast Boy hated to admit it, he was out of options. He was all that stood between Jump City and Slade's neurotoxin. Worse yet, Slade had him right where he wanted him and the detonator was still within reach. Though he had fought intrepidly and had truly given it his all, he was simply too gravely injured and too weak to forge ahead.

'GARFIELD!'

"It really is a shame it has to end this way, Beast Boy." Slade snickered as he continued to asphyxiate the changeling, "You and I could have accomplished great things together. Still, you should have known better than to betray me…and to try to defeat me on your own…"

To Slade's surprise, Beast Boy, who had been lying motionlessly on the floor, began to stir, showing signs of life.

"I…am…NOT…Alone…" He snapped fervently.

In an instant, he clasped his hands tightly around the bo-staff pressing angrily against his throat and began to wrench it forward, away from his windpipe. As he drew in a breath, a primordial growl began to reverberate from deep within him, forming in his lungs and throat before violently escaping his battered body.

In a last ditch effort, Slade reared back, throwing his entire bodyweight back on the bo-staff, hoping to quickly overpower Beast Boy and quell his act of rebellion. His muscles burned and his wounds ached as he exhausted himself, hoping to make short work of the changeling. Much to his dismay, however, Beast Boy wasn't weakening, but rather…gaining strength.

Slade watched in horror as Beast Boy began to transform—muscles tearing and reforming, internal organs shifting and realigning. The threadbare black tee shirt he had been wearing tore off as his body doubled in size. Dauntingly sharp claws extended from his long, thin fingers while his fangs elongated, looking evermore fearsome. A long, thick mane of green hair emerged, cascading from the back of his head and stretching to the small of his back.

Slade's heart raced as the creature beneath him began to shrilly howl in a manner most primeval. He continued to pull on his bo-staff, hoping to subdue the snarling Beast; he was, however, unsuccessful. Rather, he found himself clinging to his staff as the Beast began to rise from the floor.

The Beast grunted and growled as it stood tall, sentient of the interloper latching onto its neck and dangling from its back. It remained still at first, as if logically processing its course of action. Soon after, it began to wildly thrash from side to side, trying to throw Slade off of its back. Slade clung tightly to his staff, contracting his grip while pulling himself up, refusing to relent.

"You're going to have to do better than that…" Slade rasped huskily, yanking back savagely on his staff, hoping to turn the tables on the flailing leviathan.

The Beast roared furiously as Slade continued his assault. It breathed in and out rapidly, its frustration and ire slowly mounting. In a split-second reaction, the Beast squatted down slowly—its leg muscles tensing—before hunching over and leaping into the air, driving Slade headlong into the unforgiving concrete ceiling.

As a result, Slade's stranglehold over the Beast loosened significantly, allowing the latter to seize the moment. The Beast reached back with its long, clawed paws and grabbed hold of Slade by his upper arms. In a show of sheer force, the unyielding green creature ripped Slade from its back and catapulted him roughly into the far wall of the vault. He collided viciously, ricocheting off of the wall before falling limply to the ground, his staff clanging down noisily at his side. For a moment, he lay supine on the floor, unflinching.

Seeing its quarry laying defenselessly on the ground, the Beast reacted instinctively, descending upon Slade without pause. It lunged in the masked villain's direction, landing before him with a gruff grunt and cantankerous snort, preparing to inflict harm.

After a moment of disorientation, Slade quickly realized where he was and recognized the direness of his plight. A quake of trepidation shot through him like quicksilver, causing his heart to race wildly. He scrambled to get to his feet as the Beast loomed ominously overhead, studying him through inhuman eyes. Acting fast, he darted in the direction of his staff. Before he could reach it, however, the Beast took told of his legs, pulling him away from the cylindrical weapon. He dug his fingers into the marble floor, vainly attempting to regain control.

The Beast dragged the reluctant villain across the floor unwillingly, hauling him toward the center of the vault. Slade rolled over, moving from his stomach to his back, as the Beast reeled him in. He adroitly broke his right leg from the Beast's clutches and landed several forceful kicks to its abdomen, hoping to shake free. The Beast, however, ignored the pain, responding with terse, brusque grunts as it continued to draw him closer.

The Beast rapidly gained control of both of Slade's legs once more, pinning him to the floor. Instantaneously, it lowered its formidable fangs toward Slade, prepared to sate its bloodlust. As the Beast closed in, Slade cocked his fist and slammed it into the green snout inches away from his body; though he had hoped to stun the Beast, he only succeeded in augmenting its rage.

Effortlessly, the Beast lifted Slade into the air by the collar of his uniform; its razor sharp tendrils digging into the villain's underlying flesh. It caterwauled as it smashed Slade obdurately into the ceiling before thrusting him back down to the floor. Slade cried out in agony as shockwaves of pain reverberated through his body. Blood from his wounds was smeared on the ceiling of the vault and began to collect in a small pool beneath him. The metallic scent of the crimson liquid wafted into the air, driving the Beast into a mad frenzy; it threw its head and arms back, letting out a thunderous roar before returning its attention to Slade.

Swiftly, the Beast locked its powerful jaws around Slade's leg, sinking its fangs into his flesh. He yelped in pain as the Beast lifted him into the air, whipped him from side-to-side by the wound in his leg—exacerbating his injuries—and flung him wantonly into the back wall of the vault. He fell to the floor in a crumpled heap as blood poured from his mangled leg. He tried mightily to lift himself to his feet, however the pain was too excruciating to withstand. Instead, he propped himself up against the wall in a seated position, looking at the Beast, who adamantly returned his gaze.

A myriad of thoughts raged through Slade's mind as the Beast moved nimbly toward him. He knew that—despite his superhuman constitution—his grievous injuries were a hindrance: between his enfeebled leg, broken ribs, and deep flesh wounds, mounting a prolonged counterattack would be hazardous at best. In order to emerge victorious, he would have to defeat Beast Boy…and defeat him quickly. His eye darted around the vault, settling first on the Beast before drifting to his environs, looking for something—anything—that he could use to his advantage.

Out of the corner of his eye, Slade noticed something dimly glinting under the light of the vault: his staff, which lay a few feet to his left. He strained arduously, his wounds seething as he stretched, reaching for the weapon. He brushed it with his fingers at first, pulling it slightly closer to him. With his second effort, he was able to wrap his fingers around the staff and pull it into his hand.

The Beast swung one of its burly paws at Slade, who raised his staff in time to parry the blow. He responded by taking the blunt end of the bo-staff and jabbing the belligerent behemoth in its injured abdomen; it retreated slightly as a result, stumbling backward. Taking advantage of the suspension of hostilities, Slade brought his staff close, using it to prop himself up as he laboriously rose to his feet.

The Beast quickly recovered, snarling angrily as it bolted toward Slade. It clawed savagely at the masked villain, zealously assailing him. Slade, however, was agile enough to dodge the feverish onslaughts. With all of his strength, he deftly drew back his weapon and swiped at the Beast, striking it in the jaw; in turn, the daunting green creature stumbled backwards before steadying itself once more.

Slade bolted toward the Beast, bo-staff in hand, callously attacking as it regained equanimity. He leapt into the air. With all of the momentum and force he could muster, Slade brought the weapon crashing down, aiming for the Beast's cranium. The Beast, however, caught a glimpse of the airborne villain from its periphery and reacted quickly; it raised its paws defensively and caught the bo-staff on its downswing.

The Beast abruptly halted Slade's momentum, jolting him as he landed, causing him to stumble slightly as he touched down. Nonetheless, Slade maintained his balance and his hold on his staff. Similarly, the Beast held fast, refusing to concede. They reached an impasse: one end of the staff was firmly in the Beast's clutches while the other was in Slade's.

Slade's muscles quaked violently as he exerted himself against the Beast. The more intently he focused his energy, the more narrowly-tailored his attention became. At first, he was completely cognizant of his surroundings; as he toiled, however, extraneous factors faded to black: The walls melted away. The ceiling ceased to be. Little by little, the vault itself seemed to erode until—in his mind—all that was left was the Beast and himself, struggling for supremacy.

The Beast panted huskily as it engaged Slade, staring contemptuously at him. It could sense that Slade's fortitude was waning steadily, injury and exhaustion taking a collective toll. Predatorily, it remained patient—fighting back just enough—waiting for Slade to make an egregious error.

Sure enough, in an attempt to end the stalemate, the masked villain dug deep within, summoning every vestige of his strength. For a moment, he began to overwhelm the Beast, forcing the massive green creature to a knee as he bore down. His success, however, was ephemeral. A low growl grew into a vociferous roar as the Beast gritted its teeth and regained its foothold, rising up once more. Slade's eye widened in horror as he quickly discerned that he was at his opponent's mercy.

In a torrential movement, the Beast whipped Slade around by the bo-staff. Slade lost his grip on his weapon and took to the air as though he had been fired from a cannon. He crashed into one of the side walls before glancing off the vault door and landing amongst his supplies, which spilled out noisily onto the floor: The stainless steel cart tipped over, causing several large oxygen canisters to clang to the floor; the brown box of MRE's flew open, scattering about; a few bottles of water burst open, and the acetylene cutting torch clattered hollowly onto the marble floor. Slade remained prone; breathing slightly, but not moving. The Beast glanced downward at him from across the room, studying him…plotting its next move.

Though Slade quickly regained his senses, he chose to play possum and remain on the ground, hoping to buy himself some time. He furtively glanced around, taking note of his position in the vault. He realized that he lay between the spilled box of MRE's and the half-crushed case of bottled water, which had toppled over on impact. Several oxygen canisters rolled to a stop around him, reflecting sharply in the light of the vault. His mind raced and his body ached. He knew that in order to defeat the monstrous creature before him, he would have to be mercilessly offensive. That, however, was easier said than done. His wounds seared. His muscles burned from fatigue. Blood from the gashes in his chest poured down his abdomen and trickled down his leg. He was losing…and he knew it.

A guttural roar erupted from the Beast as it slowly drew closer to Slade, who surreptitiously eyed the lumbering green creature. Its eyes were inexpressive…blank… staring back at him as though it were sizing him up. It bore its fangs, its jaw hanging lax, its jowls wrenched tightly, as though it were suppressing its pain. Deep lacerations adorned its shoulder and side, still oozing deep crimson blood. Even more prominent was the quarter-sized hole bore into its abdomen, which steadily hemorrhaged. Though the Beast was fighting ferociously, it was apparent that its wounds were taking a collective toll.

A chill shot quivered up Slade's spine as he remained on the floor, unmoving. He swallowed hard, knowing he had to act fast to survive. His eye darted around, looking for something—anything—that he could use as a weapon. As he examined his surroundings, something metallic caught his eye: one of the oxygen canisters. Though it lay buried underneath a small pile of MREs, it was within his reach. He slowly extended his hand, sliding it slowly toward the handle of the canister, taking great care to ensure his movements were not detected. A shadow hung over him as he seized the canister; the Beast was standing precariously overhead, preparing to make short work of its prey. He slowly took in a deep breath, steadying himself; adrenaline raged through his veins as his anticipation mounted, permeating every fiber of his being.

In a salient movement, Slade shot up from the floor. Seamlessly, he sprang to his feet and drove the end of the oxygen canister mercilessly into the Beast's wounded abdomen, eliciting a stentorian yelp of pain from the creature. It hunched over slightly, clutching the affected area, while stumbling backwards from the impetus of the blow.

Ignoring his own injuries, Slade rushed at the Beast. He gripped the oxygen canister tightly, with both hands, holding it down at his side. As he approached the Beast, he let both of his arms hang loosely, fully extended, before swinging the steel canister upwards, catching the feral being in the jaw. Blood sprayed from the Beast's mouth as it collided with the side wall of the vault, disoriented from the crushing blows.

Slade continued his onslaught. It was as though he had tunnel-vision; he was completely single-minded, desiring victory over all else. Though a loud metallic resonance filled the vault, he heard nothing. Though his wounds continued to hinder and he continued to bleed, he felt nothing. Something deep within drove him…urging him to keep attacking.

Before the Beast could shake off its delirium, Slade drove the blunt end of the canister sinisterly into its midsection once again. In an effort to keep Slade at bay, it swatted wantonly in his direction, hoping to keep a safe distance between the masked villain and itself. Slade, however, dodged the Beast's wild, thrashing forelimbs and swung the oxygen canister virulently into its chest. A dry, raspy wheeze escaped the Beast as it spit up more blood, reeling from its injuries. It tried once more to strike Slade, but—this time—its attempts were slower and weaker. In that moment, Slade realized that he had the Beast on the ropes; he knew he had to take advantage of such a reversal in fortune.

Slade swung the oxygen canister into the Beast's abdomen once again before recoiling and striking it in the head. The Beast grunted primordially, bearing its fangs despite its disorientation. Weakening, it fell to a knee, throwing its large, clawed hands up defensively. Slade, however, only saw red. He lifted the metal cylinder over his head before bringing it crashing down on the Beast's cranium. The force of the blow knocked the green leviathan to its hands and knees, snarling and squirming in pain. Again and again, Slade slammed the metal oxygen canister down on his opponent, beating it malevolently, until it lay face-down, motionless on the cold marble floor.

Satisfied with himself, Slade dropped the oxygen canister to the floor carelessly before peering down at the Beast. It remained still, breathing softly in repose. After a moment, however, tranquility was disrupted. A jerking convulsion washed over the large green creature, causing all of its muscles to tense at once. It howled in pain as it began to undergo a transformation—muscles tearing and reforming, internal organs shifting and realigning—until Beast Boy's mangled form lay in its place.

*Meanwhile*

Robin jolted awake, moaning and rubbing his temples with his hand as he regained his bearings. His head ached fiercely; Slade had driven him so quickly and unexpectedly into the wall that he had almost no time to react; he was unable to get his arms up to curtail the severity of the blow. He gripped his head with both hands for a moment before wiping dried blood away from his forehead and nose.

Slowly, he pushed himself up with his arms, his entire body burning as he did. By now, the cathine had worn off, and he was cognizant of its absence: The burns to his back and shoulders were stinging unrelentingly, as though someone had peeled away his skin and poured lemon juice and isopropyl alcohol into his wounds. His fractured right wrist throbbed, the pain intensifying with every thunderous beat of his heart. His cracked ribs ached feverishly, making every movement—even slight movements—seem grueling. Worst of all, though, were the puncture wounds to his shoulders and abdomen, which continued to bleed profusely.

As Robin pulled himself to his hands and knees and gritted his teeth, he glanced around the darkened Hall, looking for any signs of Slade or Beast Boy. The Grand Hall was in shambles: The floor was cracked and pockmarked from the rigors of battle, the granite counter—which stood next to the marble customer service counter—was reduced to rubble, and a thick layer of chalk-like dust coated everything within the room. His eyes widened as he took in the destruction, awestruck by the condition of the once-opulent edifice. Though he knew he was chiefly responsible for its regrettable state, it was difficult for him to accept: In the throes of combat, it is easy to block out savage and senseless destruction. When the dust settles, however, and equilibrium prevails over single-mindedness, the horridness of battle becomes apparent.

Robin grimaced as he got to his feet, languishing in discomfort. He stood still, looking circumspectly for Beast Boy or Slade, however neither was in sight. His heart began to race as horrific thoughts snapped through his mind, making him feel nauseous and uneasy. He breathed in and out slowly, hoping to calm himself down and regain his composure.

"Think, Robin, think!" He barked, trying to make sense what had happened, "Beast Boy…where are you?!"

Robin wracked his brain, trying to come to a logical conclusion. Last he knew, he was fighting Slade, who had gained the distinct advantage: He remembered Slade punching him in the throat—the taste of blood in his mouth, the air abruptly leaving his lungs—and kneeing him in the ribs. He recalled seeing the wall before him draw closer and closer, unable to halt his rampant momentum. After that, everything was hazy.

Robin grunted in frustration, clenching his head with both of his hands. He squeezed his aching pate tightly, as though to draw his memories forth by force. He squinted his eyes shut and gritted his teeth in an effort to stir his recollections, yet nothing of substance came forth. Robin muttered to himself indiscriminately; helplessness suffused his being, and surges of regret eroded him, like waves lapping at a shoreline.

His eyes darted open as his shoulders slumped forward in defeat. He averted his gaze and stared at the floor, feeling like a failure. He had vowed to protect the city from Slade. Slade, however, was nowhere in sight. He wanted nothing more than to make amends with Beast Boy—to fight by his side and protect him from harm; something he neglected to do previously. Yet, Beast Boy had also vanished. He found himself alone amidst the blackness, with only nagging thoughts and worries for consolation.

As Robin stared catatonically into the absolute darkness of the Grand Hall, his synapses began to fire on all cylinders. Bits and pieces of his battle with Slade rushed to the forefront of his mind: The seething ache of his body as he sprang to action, charging at the masked villain; The stench of smoke that clang to the air ominously, like death; The brackish-metallic taste of the sweat and blood that dripped from his forehead, down the side of his face, and involuntarily into his open mouth; The sound of his heavy footfalls as he sprinted across the floor of the Grand Hall; Finally—and most importantly—the light emanating from the vault, illuminating the battle.

Robin's eyes widened in realization: During his battle with Slade, the light emitted from the vault flooded into the Grand Hall. Currently, the Hall was shrouded in darkness.

His jaw dropped open slightly. The vault. He quickly whirled around, and looked in the direction of the reinforced room. His heart promptly plummeted to his shoes. The vault door was closed.

"NO!" Robin shouted loudly, resonating throughout the Hall, "NO!! BEAST BOY!!"

He hobbled feebly—as quickly as his feet could carry him—toward the steel door, which stood imposingly before him. He took hold of the vault's latch and attempted to pry it open with his fingers. He pulled back on the latch, but the door did not budge. He yanked back once more, straining every muscle, blood pumping like acid through his veins as he exerted himself. Sweat poured down his face and dripped off his chin as he continued to heave. Despite his best efforts, however, the vault door refused to open.

"BEAST BOY!! BEAST BOY, HOLD ON!!" Robin called out desperately as he pounded his clenched fists repeatedly into the thick, steel door, "JUST HANG IN THERE!! PLEASE!!"

Robin jammed his fingertips into the crevice between the door and wall and tried to pry the vault open. Again, however, he was unsuccessful; his fingertips pulsed in pain as the skin underneath his fingernails separated from the nail itself. After frenziedly pulling, pounding, and prying at the door, Robin turned around, putting his back against the cold steel before sliding down to the floor. He knew his attempts were futile—well-intentioned—but for naught. It would take more muscle than he could muster to open the vault door from the outside. He remained slumped on the floor, his legs splayed out before him and his arms dangling passively at his sides. He breathed in and out slowly…rhythmically. Though silence was predominant, he could hear muffled noises coming from inside of the vault—violent noises. In that moment—gripped by pain, soaked in blood, and thoroughly exhausted—he felt more useless than he ever had before.

'What have I done…?' Robin thought incredulously, 'How could I have let it come to this?'

He internally berated himself. A litany of mistakes brought him to this point—this nadir. He had left Beast Boy to die. He deceived his friends. He afforded Slade every opportunity to manipulate and cajole him to compliance. His dereliction allowed Slade to formulate a multi-tiered attack against the city's infrastructure. His myopia prevented him from seeing Slade's scheme as a mere diversion.

Even when he attempted to do right by refusing Slade's offer, things only got worse: the masked villain had a more destructive, near-apocalyptic plan in place. Moreover, Beast Boy emerged from the shadows, pining for vengeance. Instead of throwing himself at the changeling's feet and begging for forgiveness, he chose to fight. Instead of taking a defensive approach to the battle, he attacked. By the time he realized that he was wrong—that he was playing into Slade's hands—it was too late; both he and Beast Boy were gravely wounded.

As Robin lay propped against the vault, succumbing to blood-loss and fatigue, he stared absently into the Grand Hall, brimming with sadness and self-loathing. His mind drifted purposelessly, from thought to thought—each rising up transiently for a moment before shrinking away. His eyelids began to feel heavy; he tried mightily to remain conscious, shaking his head celeritously as his eyes began to shut unwillingly.

He forced his eyes open once again and focused on the dim moonlight filtering into the Grand Hall, refracting off of the marred marble floor. As he gazed into the Hall, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. At first, he ignored it, believing it to be a mere hallucination. However, the sound of footsteps and whispering in the distance startled him, snapping him to attention. He looked toward the center of the Grand Hall, where the commotion was originating; he noticed a tear in the atmosphere—a dark portal lying therein—and watched as three shadowy figures emerged. His vision grew evermore blurry as he remained transfixed on the figures, which stood ominously, ensconced by darkness.

*Meanwhile*

Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven stepped out of Raven's portal and into the Grand Hall of the Jump City National Bank. Upon exiting the dark passageway, Raven immediately collapsed to the floor from overexertion.

"Raven!" Starfire cried out worriedly, kneeling next to the sorceress's motionless form, her voice wavering as she spoke, "What ails you?"

Cyborg took a knee next to Starfire. He looked at the wounded and weary Empath, concerned for her well-being; she had been through much and needed to rest, yet she continued to push herself.

"Raven…" Cyborg began softly, his tone soothing and docile, "Are you sure you're…"

"I'm…fine…" Raven replied, just above a whisper, her tone pervaded by pain, "I…just need…to…rest…for a…moment."

Starfire and Cyborg exchanged apprehensive glares. They had never seen Raven so completely drained. Her somniferous violet eyes darted around the room as she remained on the floor, supine and motionless. She panted heavily as sweat beaded at her brow.

Though Cyborg and Starfire were unnerved by Raven's sudden deterioration, confusion and bewilderment also nagged at them. Within minutes, life as they knew it had been viciously extirpated and discarded: they were hurt, perplexed, angry, and frazzled. They believed Beast Boy to be dead. Instead, they found that they were misled by none other than Robin, their trusted leader. If that wasn't enough, they were in an unfamiliar place with little inclination as to why.

Cyborg rubbed his face roughly with his hands, trying to figure out what to do next. Again, he looked down at Raven, who remained prone, staring up at the ceiling, her eyes half-open and her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Raven…" Cyborg spoke in a hushed tone. Upon hearing her name being called, her eyes traveled from the ceiling to meet his. "Raven…what's going on? Why did you bring us to the Jump City National Bank?"

Raven did not respond. Instead, she raised her arm from where it rested at her side and pointed. Intrigued, Cyborg and Starfire turned their heads, hoping that—whatever lay in that direction—would provide some clue as to why they were there. What they saw shocked them. There, lying motionlessly against the steel vault door, was Robin, who remained slumped over.

Cyborg and Starfire both gazed at him with astonishment in their eyes. When they had last seen him, he was lying in the Infirmary of Titan's Tower; he had just been through the explosion at the Jump City Fuel Company and had sustained terrible burns. They both remained awestruck and captivated, simply staring at his battered form, their minds reeling in disbelief.

A myriad of thoughts raced through Starfire's calculating mind as she attempted to make sense of the situation: Why was Robin here? What was he trying to do? Who could have hurt him so badly? While she was worried for his well-being, part of her could not shake what he had done…how he had lied and betrayed their trust. She did not know how to act: Part of her wanted nothing more than to rush to his side and tend to his injuries while another part of her wanted him to suffer for his misgivings.

Cyborg, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as indecisive. His mind went blank as he stared at Robin's motionless form, his ire—roiling…building—consuming him. He inhaled deeply a few times as his unbroken gaze remained fixed on the beat-up teen, as though he were running on autopilot. In an instant, Cyborg sprinted toward Robin as quickly as his feet could carry him.

He loomed over Robin for a moment, staring down at his injured leader. He was hurt very badly, coated in blood: his flesh was torn open, his uniform was shredded, and various bruises adorned his body. Still, the masked teen breathed softly, barely clinging to consciousness. He cocked his head and looked skyward, acknowledging Cyborg's presence.

Cyborg's fury began to escalate. His heart raced. His blood pumped feverishly through his veins. His hands quavered. Though he tried to calm himself down…to effectively manage his anger, he was unable; something internal gnawed at him, driving him over the edge. In a flash, he seized Robin's semiconscious form and lifted him into the air before driving him back-first into the steel vault door.

"Where's Beast Boy?!" Cyborg snarled as he gnashed the Boy Wonder roughly into the vault door. Robin's face contorted in pain as a moan of anguish escaped his lips. He looked at Cyborg for a moment before his head began to slump; blood loss and fatigue were finally catching up to him and he was quickly losing consciousness.

"WAKE UP!" Cyborg hollered, contempt inundating his tone. He pulled Robin's body from the steel door for a moment before ramming him mercilessly into it once again. A tremor of pain shot through Robin as Cyborg pinned him against the vault door viciously. "WHERE IS HE?! TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

Cyborg's mind was blank. Every movement was reactionary; his unbridled desires coming to fruition. He tensed his muscles against Robin, forcing the air from his lungs and putting great strain on his injured ribs. Robin gritted his teeth in agony; meekly writhing against the mechanical teen's might.

"Cyborg…stop!" Starfire called out concernedly, racing rapidly to his side. Her voice, however, did not reach him. As she approached him from behind, she noticed his arm muscles continue to contract as he brutalized Robin.

"Cyborg!" She called again, placing her hand gently on his shoulder, hoping to rouse him from his blind rage. Once again, however, he remained impassive, focusing all of his attention on Robin, who feverishly squirmed within his grasp.

"CYBORG!" Starfire wailed, pulling back forcefully on his shoulder, causing him to release his grip on Robin, who fell roughly to the floor, gasping for breath and clutching his midsection tightly.

"Friend…" Starfire spoke, addressing Cyborg, "I realize that you are…upset. Yet, hurting Robin will not take away your pain. In order to move forward, we must remain calm. If we fight with each other, we will never realize the truth."

Cyborg's features softened perceptibly as he returned Starfire's gaze. While he knew she was right and understood her logic, it was considerably more difficult to completely convince himself; a part of him still yearned to see Robin pay for what he did…to suffer for it. It took all of his willpower, self-control, and abstemiousness to resist the temptation of finishing what he had started. He sighed heavily, his hands shaking from residual adrenaline as he stood over Robin, staring at him impetuously.

Starfire knelt down to Robin's level, and looked him in the eyes. She gently placed her hand on his, caressing it gently…reassuringly. Robin immediately took notice, struggling to lift his head to catch a better glimpse of his belle.

"Robin…" Starfire began softly, her tone blithe and unassuming, "Please…what has happened here? How did you ever get so badly wounded?"

Robin struggled as he propped himself against the cold steel once again, his face a mosaic of distress. He bit down on his lower lip to suppress pained groans and dug his bloodied fingertips into his palms to distract himself from the severity of his injuries. He remained silent for a moment—breathing laboriously—before turning his head to acknowledge Starfire.

"There's…no…time…" Robin murmured weakly.

"Robin," Starfire began once more, this time more curtly, "We must know. We need to know. I need to know. We have been told time and again that you have betrayed our trust. I do not wish to believe this. Robin…please… Have you…lied to us?"

Robin averted his gaze to the floor. He was certainly not proud of what he had done. He regretted it immensely. He had come to realize that the decision he had made—to leave Beast Boy behind—was predicated on fear rather than logic; in hindsight, it was an abysmally reprehensible choice. Yet, how could he bring his friends to understand? How could he look them in the eye and tell them what he did—the horrible thing that he did—without it ending in resentment? He swallowed hard. While he knew he had to be honest with them and that the current plight was entirely of his volition, he feared that they would never forgive him.

"I will…explain...everything…later…" Robin muttered between deep, staggered breaths.

"NO!" shouted Cyborg. He had been wrestling with his rage and could take no more. Incensed, he balled his mechanical fist and slammed it mercilessly into the steel door. The cacophonous resonance filled the Grand Hall. As a result, Starfire's attention immediately turned to him and Robin peered up at him timidly. "You'll explain everything…NOW…"

Robin closed his eyes penitently and sighed. He knew he couldn't talk his way out of this one. Under normal circumstances, he would hide beneath an impenetrable veneer and immerse himself in work. This time, however, his friends were resolute; they would not be placated by taciturnity. He shook his head from side-to-side as he stared at the decrepit marble floor. This time, he would have to be unfailingly forthright.

"I…lied to you…all…of you…" Robin said quietly, nary above a whisper as he brought his hand to his face and rubbed his eyes, "I…left Beast Boy…on the bridge…He was still alive…when I went to…pursue Slade. I realized…soon after…that I made a horrible…mistake….but I was…too afraid…that you would…hate me…for what I did. So, I…lied to you all. Though I didn't know it…Beast Boy…lived. Slade…figured it all out…and has been…using it to his…advantage. He was able…to attack the city because of it…and lured me here. When I showed up…to stop him…Beast Boy showed up, too... He was angry…and rightfully so. He attacked me…and I fought back…He wounded me…and I wounded him… He had me pinned…and could have killed me…but he did not. Instead, we teamed up…against Slade…"

Robin's head began to slump forward. He was beginning to lose consciousness; his surroundings began to fade to black as he peered up at his friends, gauging their reactions. Cyborg's face was brimming with white-hot enmity. He huffed cantankerously; his hands balled tightly in anger. Starfire, on the other hand, began to cry. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him; her green orbs trembled as a torrent of emotions overwhelmed her.

"So, Where's Beast Boy?!" Cyborg spat scornfully as he looked down at Robin as one would a pile of refuse. Robin, however, did not respond. His head slumped forward once again as his arms dropped limply to his sides; he was slowly slipping away.

Cyborg grabbed hold of Robin by the collar of his uniform and slammed him into the steel vault door, hoping the searing pain would invigorate him.

"WHERE'S BEAST BOY?!" Cyborg shrieked, his booming timbre cutting through the silent Hall, "ANSWER ME, DAMMIT! WHERE IS HE?!"

"The Vault…" Robin whispered, "In the Vault…with Slade…"

Cyborg's human eye widened as he immediately loosened his grip on Robin's uniform, dropping him to the floor in a heap. He sized up the massive metal door. He lifted his right arm and quickly ran a scan on the vault; as he did, his heart plummeted into his shoes.

"I can't get a reading on any vitals coming from inside of the vault; the thickness of the steel is messing with my sensors." Cyborg said dejectedly, "If that isn't bad enough, these doors can be up to three feet thick. It could take us a while to get through…but we have to at least try. We've lost Beast Boy once, I'll be damned if we lose him again!"

Cyborg looked at Starfire, who wore a lugubrious expression: If finding out that Beast Boy was alive wasn't heart-wrenching enough, discovering Robin was responsible was doubly so. After a moment, he averted his gaze to Robin, who lay on the floor, unmoving.

"Before we get started, we need to move Robin." Cyborg stated as he began adjusting the sensors in his arm, running a scan on the Boy Wonder's prone form, "He is hurt bad and has lost quite a bit of blood…But he's lucky…None of his vital organs were damaged. He will need medical attention… but for the time being he should be alright… We just don't have a whole lot of time."

Starfire nodded in agreement as she knelt down at Robin's feet and seized his ankles. Cyborg stood behind Robin and hooked his hands underneath the masked teen's arms.

"Ready, Star? One…Two…Three…"

Together, the gently lifted Robin from the floor and gingerly maneuvered across the Grand Hall, before setting him down gently a few feet away from Raven, who remained inert—lying on her back, her head tilted to the side and her eyes lightly closed.

With no time to waste, Cyborg and Starfire rushed over to the vault and stood before it for a moment, sizing up the massive steel door. They knew the task ahead would be incredibly arduous, but they knew they had to forge ahead; Beast Boy was facing their most bitter and volatile enemy, and was doing so single-handedly.

"Alright…" Cyborg began as he scanned the vault door, looking for structural weaknesses, "You work on the hinges, Star. I'm going to work on the lock."

Immediately, the pair began to assail the vault door as they would any hindrance or daunting threat, hoping that their efforts would not be in vain.

*Meanwhile*

Slade stared at Beast Boy with delight and excitement. The changeling's chest and abdomen were bare, coated in a thin layer of sweat which glistened under the light of the vault, adorned by several deep lacerations. His eyes were tightly shut, as though he were semi-conscious and cognizant of the pain, his expression a testament to human suffering. He gritted his teeth and dug his fingers into the floor, bracing himself against the mounting agony of his wounds; a nearly-inaudible, muffled whimper could be heard as he tightened his neck muscles, as if suppressing a scream.

Slade cackled to himself as he labored to the other side of the vault. His wounds were seething once again, nagging at him as he traversed the reinforced room; his cracked ribs, injured hip, and bloodied contusions announced themselves through a radiating ache which shot through him. He bit down on his lower lip as he hunched over. He slowly lifted the stainless steel cart from the floor, grabbed hold of the detonator, and dropped the cart imprudently before turning back toward the changeling, who continued to choke back his vocalizations of pain.

"Don't be afraid to let it out…" Slade rasped as he twirled the detonator in his fingers, "Go ahead and scream…It will all be over soon…"

Slade folded his hands behind his back before limping closer to Beast Boy; Blood dripped from the changeling's wounds to the floor below as he strained his muscles in an attempt to get to his feet.

"You are persistent, Beast Boy… I'll give you that…" Slade sneered as he stood before the changeling, hovering over him with wicked intentions, "But you're a fool…"

Beast Boy, who managed to get to his hands and knees, peered up at Slade, his eyes alight with scorn. Without hesitation, he hawked up blood and spat at Slade defiantly. Slade's eye narrowed in agitation, his anger steadily escalating. In a flash, he reared back and delivered a devastating front kick to Beast Boy's ribs, knocking him back to the floor.

Beast Boy yelped as he landed on his side. A ribbon of blood ran down the corners of his mouth as he struggled to catch his breath—his breaths were short, yet frequent, as though he was completely winded.

Slade unfolded his hands from behind his back and allowed them to drop at his sides. For a moment, he simply stood, gazing down at the ailing changeling. Then, his eye flickered with lucidity—as though a moment of genius had gripped him—before placing the detonator in his utility belt. He paced slowly, walking beside Beast Boy, his even steps echoing hollowly within the vault. He reached down, picked up the metal oxygen canister, and held it loosely at his side. He rolled his neck vertiginously and shrugged his shoulders, limbering himself up and shaking away his stiffness.

"You ARE a fool…" Slade muttered in disgust as he stepped toward Beast Boy, the metal canister in tow, "I offered you an OPPORTUNITY. I extended my hand to you…to take you under my wing…and you spat in my face!"

Slade lifted the metal canister over his head and slammed it into Beast Boy's side. Beast Boy groaned in pain, his eyes tightly closed, his body trembling from the agonizing sensation that consumed him. He hacked and coughed from the depths of his lungs, trying in vain to catch his breath.

"You turned on ME…and for what?" Slade wailed angrily, his normally monotonous tone betraying him, "To save someone who abandoned you and left you to DIE?!"

Slade drew back his uninjured leg and ferociously kicked Beast Boy in the gut with his steel-toed boots. The strength of the blow forced the changeling from his side to his back, where he lay, gasping for breath.

"Why did you save him?!" Slade snarled through heavy breaths. Though he was in command, he, too, was badly hurt; blood loss was beginning to catch up with him. He shook his head from side-to-side, trying to shirk the involuntary fatigue that threatened to mar his victory, "Why didn't you KILL him when you had the chance?!"

Beast Boy braced himself, waiting for Slade to bludgeon him. This time, however, the masked villain exercised a small degree of restraint. He loomed overhead, but did not lash out. It was as though he was waiting for a response; an answer to a burning question to which he did not comprehend or understand.

"I…am…not a…murderer…" Beast Boy whimpered feebly as coughed up more blood, which ran down the side of his face, "Robin did…a terrible…thing…but he was…he is...my friend… If I…killed him…I…would be…no better…than…you…"

"Friend?" Slade jeered mockingly, "FRIEND?!"

He swung the metal canister upward before reversing its momentum, bashing it mercilessly into Beast Boy's chest. Before the changeling had an opportunity to recover, Slade repeated the series of motions, clubbing him once again. Beast Boy's entire body quivered. His chest felt as though it were on fire. His ribs were pulverized. His muscles, which had sustained a hellacious beating, quivered of their own volition. Deep red welts appeared on his torso, before quickly darkening in color, becoming deep, reddish-purple bruises. Dried blood crusted in the corners of his mouth as he blinked back inadvertent tears, which welled in his eyes as a reaction to the torturous torment.

"Where are your precious friends, now?!" Slade shouted scathingly, belittling the frail changeling, "If you mean so much to them, why aren't they here?!"

"I…didn't want…them…here…" Beast Boy moaned as he remained on his back, staring upwards. His chest rose and fell rapidly, coated in a syrupy mixture of sweat and blood, "I…didn't want…them…to get…hurt…"

Slade chortled uproariously, holding his sides as his unbridled laughter filled the air. After a moment, however, he regained his senses. He dropped the oxygen canister to the floor, moved swiftly alongside Beast Boy, and kicked the prone changeling in the face. His head snapped to the side as blood sprayed from his nose and dripped down his face. He closed his eyes tightly, wincing in pain, before slowly moving his head back to its previous position.

"You are even more dim-witted than I thought…" Slade spat, ridiculing Beast Boy in a derisive tone, "You honestly believed you could stop me by yourself? Don't make me laugh… As for your so-called friends… well, I'll be sure to handle them personally…"

Slade crouched down to Beast Boy's level, taking a knee alongside the infirm changeling. He stared headlong at Beast Boy, his eye probing every bloody gash, deep bruise, and swollen welt. He reveled in his handiwork, a wave of pride brimming deep within, as the misery of his adversary seemingly negated his exhaustion and discomfort.

"You thought you could save them? Could spare them from my wrath?" Slade spoke, feigning surprise, "There is NOTHING you can do to save them…or your precious city for that matter. No one can escape fate… Everything that HAS happened and everything that WILL happen is meant to be so. There is NOTHING you can do to intervene on their behalf…"

Beast Boy yelped in pain, his eyes widening perceptibly, as Slade grabbed hold of him and lifted him into a semi-upright position. They remained mere inches apart, staring each other face-to-face.

"They are going to be MINE, Beast Boy…" Slade said emphatically, his timbre rising brusquely, "Before I dispatch the rest of this miserable city, I am going to kill every one of your friends...and I want you to live just long enough to enjoy the show. I want their screams to be the soundtrack to the remaining moments of your pathetic life. I will make you watch as I take them apart…piece by piece, inch by inch…until there is nothing left. Trust me, dear boy…by the time I'm finished, you will finally understand human suffering…"

"No…n-no…no…" Beast Boy murmured, his voice faint, a ghost of itself. He shook his head meekly as his body continued to quake; he was going into shock, mere moments away from unconsciousness. He swallowed hard as woe washed over him: He had failed. He had failed and now everyone would perish as a result. Tears formed in his emerald eyes as he stared at Slade's emotionless countenance.

"I'm afraid you have little say in that matter…" Slade growled acerbically, twisting the proverbial dagger into the changeling's heart, "Their fate rests in my hands. I will break them. I will make them endure torment after torment until they lay at my feet…begging for clemency. Trust me when I tell you, Beast Boy…I am very eager to get started…"

Slade pulled Beast Boy even closer, until their foreheads were practically touching.

"The question is…who should face my wrath first?" Slade spoke huskily, his words trilling bitterly, "I suppose it would be easy enough to finish off Robin...but that would almost be anticlimactic… After all, you did more damage that I could have anticipated…"

A growl began to build within Beast Boy as his fury began to rise gradually. He stared at Slade with fire in his eyes, his features tensing, inundated by enmity.

"No…I want Robin to live…" Slade continued, ignoring the angry changeling in his clutches, "I want him to see the aftermath…the world he helped create. I want him to understand just how monstrous he really is. Perhaps I should start with Starfire…"

"NO!" Beast Boy shouted, his tone growing more assertive and authoritative. "Don't…you…DARE…"

"Oh…I do…" Slade snickered maniacally as he thrust Beast Boy back to the floor. He landed agonizingly on his side, his eyes widening as sharp pains tore through him. "She has a warrior's spirit…what a feeling it would be to break her down…to hear her cry out, to hear her beg for mercy. The very thought excites me… No… I want to savor her…to revel in her despair. Sparing her initially will give me something to look forward to later on…"

Beast Boy's vision began getting blurry. He felt lightheaded and weak, as though he did not have the strength to move a muscle. He was thoroughly exhausted, seriously injured, and beleaguered by a heartless opponent. He stared up at the ceiling, as the lights all melded together in an array of luminescence, both ethereally beautiful and disorienting all at once.

"WAKE UP!" Slade yelled as he kicked Beast Boy mercilessly in the ribs. The changeling yelped acutely, rudely roused from his reverie. He shook his head and blinked his eyes repeatedly, willing his vision to come into focus. He glanced up at Slade, who looked down on him in contempt.

"I'm not finished with you yet…" Slade roared, balling his fists as he hovered overhead, "Don't think you can just slip peacefully into a coma. If you do, I will have to choose which of your friends to kill first…and since we have already ruled out Robin and his little girlfriend… that only leaves Cyborg…and Raven…"

Upon hearing Slade utter Raven's name, Beast Boy moaned and whimpered, cringing as he tried to pull himself from the floor. He was, however, unable. He rested on his hip, propping himself up with both of his arms, which trembled under his bodyweight.

"They are near to your heart, I see…" Slade chuckled as he paced back and forth, Beast Boy lying at his feet, "I believe I could learn a great deal from tearing Cyborg apart…piece by piece and studying his anatomy. While my robotic underlings are incredibly advanced in design and function, adding certain…upgrades would render them invincible. With an army of refurbished cybernetic commandoes at my side, my ascension would be unstoppable…"

"Leave Cyborg…out…of this!" Beast Boy hollered with as much force as he could gather. He paused for a moment, trying to catch his breath, before continuing, "If…you want to…kill me…than kill me…but leave…my friends…out of…it…"

Slade quickly crouched down to Beast Boy's level, laughing wickedly as he did.

"What fun would that be?" Slade growled, "With the detonator in my hands and the Titans' forces depleted, I can afford to take my time and enjoy myself. It is no longer a matter of if the end will come…but when. You will die, Beast Boy. You will die alone and forgotten…a failure to mankind. Only after I kill all of your friends and grow tired of hearing you mourn for them… will I kill you."

Slade glared at Beast Boy, gauging his reaction. He enjoyed watching waves of benign fury and hopeless agitation wash over the green teen.

"As for Raven…" Slade continued, his voice growing nauseatingly impassioned, "I have a feeling that under her impenetrable veneer lies a wounded little girl just clamoring to be heard…"

"STOP IT!" Beast Boy caterwauled, panting heavily. Slade, however, ignored him and continued.

"I am going to make her scream. I am going to make her weep. I am going to brutalize her until she is willing to throw herself at my feet and submit to my supremacy. I want to look into her eyes as her fire…her fortitude…withers away…"

"SHUT UP!" Beast Boy shouted, his eyes brimming with animosity. His heart raced, pounding angrily. His blood coursed through his veins with conviction; Slade's every word drove him further and further over the edge.

"She will be mine, Beast Boy…" Slade rasped, inching closer. "She may think she understands darkness now…but by the time I am through with her, she will realize how little she truly knows. I will break her body...crush her spirit…and violate her soul…"

"No…You won't…" Beast Boy snapped, his eyes alight with hatred.

In a flash, Beast Boy transformed. He dropped to the floor in the guise of a large, green serpent. Before Slade had an opportunity to react, Beast Boy recoiled and sprang at the masked villain, sinking his fangs into Slade's arm, clamping down ruthlessly. In response, Slade shot to his feet, using his free arm to pry the snake from his flesh. He tore Beast Boy from his arm and unceremoniously slammed him to the floor. Upon impact, Beast Boy reverted back to his human form, wheezing with every breath and spitting up blood.

Wasting no time, Slade reached down to his belt and pulled out the detonator; before he could impose his will on the city, however, his eye widened in disbelief. His arm began to quiver of its own accord, causing him to drop the detonator to the floor. He choked in a breath before falling to a knee next to Beast Boy, who stared at him with brimstone in his eyes.

"You'll…NEVER…touch her…" Beast Boy spat rebelliously as he watched Slade steadily weaken.

"What…what...have you done…to me?" Slade choked out, his once-arrogant demeanor clouded by trepidation and frailty. He gasped for breath as his convulsions became evermore prominent.

"You're…dying, Slade…" Beast Boy growled, his tone acutely bitter and uncharacteristically heartless, "C-can't…you feel it..? Your breathing…slowing down… Your blood thickening… Your muscles twitching of their own…free will… Coastal Taipan venom…is some nasty stuff…"

Slade immediately clutched his abdomen and chest with his hands before stiffening and falling to the floor on his side, next to Beast Boy. His body began to convulse more frenetically and spasmodically, the tremors growing into wild flailing motions.

"It's over…Slade…" Beast Boy murmured as he collapsed, falling to his back on the cold marble floor, staring upward at the ceiling, "Now…you will…finally pay…for all of…the things…you've done…and the people…you've…hurt…"

His body began to feel cold as he lay, breathing softly. Though Slade continued to thrash wildly—the venom slowly working through his veins, squelching his vitality—Beast Boy paid no mind. Rather, he stared vacantly at the ceiling, his mind wandering aimlessly from thought to thought as excruciating jolts of pain tore through his body. He began to shiver uncontrollably, his muscles quivering as shock took hold; fear began to rise sharply from within, suffusing him.

He could not move.

He could not speak.

Instead, he lay—battered and broken on the floor—as his surroundings began to fade to black…

*Meanwhile*

Raven lay prone on the floor, staring at the frescoed ceiling of the Jump City National Bank, her mind somewhere between unconsciousness and the waking world. Every muscle fiber burned from exhaustion and over-exertion; in her effort to come to Beast Boy's aide, she had pushed herself beyond her limitations.

She panted heavily, trying mightily to catch her breath. The Grand Hall was akin to a hot box; an arid, stifling heat took hold of the atmosphere. A thin layer of sweat beaded on her skin, providing little relief from her discomfort. She could not move. She could not speak. It was as though she were trapped inside of her body, paralyzed by fatigue. Her only consolation, as she lay helplessly on the floor, was the sound of Cyborg and Starfire's voices echoing softly from the other side of the expansive domicile.

"What on Earth is this comprised of?!" Starfire asked, her frustration evident.

"It's High-density, Low-alloy steel, Star. It's blended with other elements, like titanium and tungsten, to be highly durable. Doors like these can repel explosions... We just have to be patient and keep working on getting it open…"

"I merely wish there was a faster way. I have only destroyed one of the three hinges… I am most worried for Beast Boy. What if we do not reach him in time to be of assistance?"

"Look Star… If there was a faster way, I'd be all for it. But we can't just bust through the door…we would risk hurting or even crushing Beast Boy with it… Let's get back to work; the faster we work, the sooner we can see the grass stain…"

Suddenly, Cyborg and Starfire's voices petered out, shrouding Raven in silence. A murderous, white-hot sensation began to tear through her body—pulsating painfully—originating in her hands and feet before working up her extremities and spreading to her core. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry out. She was, however, unable. Instead, tears began to form in her eyes as she gritted her teeth against the burdensome ache.

Raven gasped for breath as the agony worked through her chest and neck. As it ventured up further, her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her entire body began to quake and thrash violently. Waves of dark energy cocooned her form as visions flashed before her mind's eye.

She saw Slade looming over Beast Boy's broken body. She saw the masked villain deliver kick after kick to the changeling's tattered midsection. She watched as Slade pulled the green teen close before thrusting him callously to the floor. Most disturbing, however, was the final image that passed before her eyes: Beast Boy, lying prone on the floor, blood seeping from his wounds and pooling beneath him.

As her prescient vision receded, Raven's eyes snapped open, burning white. The searing pain from her wounds faded to the furthest regions of her mind as she pulled herself to her feet. She paid no attention to Robin, who lay unconscious a few feet away. Instead, she moved across the Grand Hall, toward the vault, where Cyborg and Starfire continued working feverishly. Though they had been working diligently, they had made little progress: Starfire was concentrating her starbolts on the middle hinge, weakening the steel, as Cyborg continued using the torch built into his finger to dismantle the locking mechanism.

"Move aside…" Raven ordered, as she walked up behind Cyborg and Starfire, who quickly turned to face her.

"Raven?" Cyborg spoke, a quizzical look on his face, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Yes…" Starfire added, rutting her brow in concern, "You are not well…"

"There's no time…" Raven said, her eyes aflame as she levitated into the air, enveloped by dark energy, "Beast Boy…he needs us… Now MOVE!!"

Though clearly befuddled, Cyborg and Starfire acquiesced, quickly moving away from the vault door. Raven, however, moved closer.

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos!"

Without pause, Raven thrust the entirety of her negative energy into the vault door. Slowly, yet steadily, the metallic hue of the steel became covered over by dark, obsidian light. Raven's body began to tremble and twitch as she strained against the fortitude of the structure. She gritted her teeth as she pulled, employing every ounce of strength she could muster. Soon, the door began to budge, vibrating within its frame. Seeing progress, Raven bore down harder. Her knees wobbled, her entire body shook violently, and her face contorted in anguish as a shrill scream escaped her. With one final effort, Raven wrenched back with all of her might—her scream growing into a caterwaul—tearing the vault door from its hinges before dropping the massive slab of metal into the center of the Grand Hall.

Raven descended slowly to the floor, completely depleted. She fell to her knees for a moment, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down her face. She looked on as Cyborg and Starfire rushed into the vault. As their footfalls died down, silence prevailed. After a moment, however, the stillness was replaced by frenetic commotion. Waves of fear, sorrow, and confusion poured from the vault and tore through her rampantly.

Raven labored to her feet, standing up on weak knees. She peered into the vault, squinting as the intense light burned her eyes. Reluctantly, she moved toward the entranceway of the vault, her eyes wide with horror, terrified of what she'd find…

* * *

A/N: So I'm sure that many of you have been waiting for this for quite a while. I hope it didn't disappoint. I really tried to give you everything I've got! I would LOVE to hear anything you may have to say about this scene, so please let me know. I also realize it is a terrible cliffhanger…My apologies. There will be a chapter and an epilogue left to finish everything up. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are left in some suspense!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank VilaVi for her insight and support, VociferousVixenofDarkness for her continued support, SpiritedHeart4Ever for creating cover art for this story, and to all of my readers for their continued patience and support!

Now for some recommended reading:

Perfect Apprentice- by Templar of Honor: If you are wondering why this story makes my list every time I update, it is because it is simply that good. The plot is very immersing and engaging; it just simply gets better as the story goes along. It does center around an OC, but have no fear, there is no Sue/Studom here!

Forever a Never, till Death Do Us Part- by VociferousVixenofDarkness: Very engaging story surrounding Raven and her affections. Currently, she is torn between who she is attracted to and in love with (quite literally.) Extrinsic factors lead to more perilous and humorous situations, making for a gripping read.

The Wild Man's Journey- by TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne: A Must-read, really. I'm quite certain many of you have already encountered this fantastically original and suspenseful fanfiction. Once again, TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne has churned out another amazing BBxRae story!

Shock and Awe- by DeathProofHero: What happens when tragedy strikes the Titans? How will they react to Slade's bold and ambitious advancements? Truly a well-crafted and well-written story: If you enjoy Collateral Damage, give this story a look-see!

Flowers- by SkilletFan000: A heartfelt and touching story about how Beast Boy attempts to cheer Raven up by being extra sweet to her. After overhearing her secret desire (to be given flowers,) our favorite changeling takes matters into his own hands. An engrossing read!

Dove's Wing- by bk00: Beast Boy and Raven are longing for each other, yet neither will admit it! Raven's emotional aspects are very well-played and everyone remains in character. The dialogue is good and the plot is immersing. Definitely check it out!

Lost in Africa- by The Flying Frog: A round-robin fic centered around Beast Boy. The Titans are flying over Africa when they are attacked. Beast Boy gets shot down. As a result he is very badly wounded. In unfamiliar territory, with a severely wounded teammate, the Titans must band together in order to survive. Definitely a solid read!

Also, check out what AkumaKami64 and The Mighty One have written as well. Their storylines are rather complex and engaging, definitely a far cry from the norm!

That's all for now! Til next time!