Before we begin, here is a brief review of THE AGREEMENT(s) between Slade and Robin:
Rule #1: Any information, such as weaknesses and identities, cannot be used for personal advantage. That includes the sale of information to third parties.
-Amendment: When the greater good is clearly on the line, the rules can be bent while the rest of the contract stays in place.
Rule #2: The fact that they are sleeping together remains a secret.
Rule #3: In exchange for Slade being allowed to kill "whoever is behind this," Slade is never allowed to kill a member of the Titans or Batman.
-Loophole: Slade may be allowed to kill "whoever is behind this," but Robin is allowed to try and stop him.
-The Bet: There is a wager on the loophole. Whoever wins (i.e., kills or prevents murder of "whoever is behind this) gets to be the other's Master for one night (for
personal gratification only, no crime or hero work).
A message from Kuro:
Long Version:
Apologizing for the lateness of this chapter seems a little cavalier, but in all seriousness, I would like to apologize to everyone that waited on this—especially those who contacted me with questions—and really especially to those who I told the chapter would be out sooner than it was. I had a pretty hard run last year. There were lots of changes in my life, and I had to face some mean realities that hit a lot harder than I expected. Life is still crazy on my end, but I'm very glad to be back and will keep writing until Sadomasochism reaches its climaxes and ends. Hah. Sex puns. Big thanks to Kayz0rbeam and Wynja for their behind the scenes help, and especially to LindenMae for betaing. I would be lost without you all. Okay, now time for smut (there is only a little and it's at the end, sorry!).
Short version:
Sorry I didn't publish for so long. Many feels were had while I was gone. Happy I'm back. Thank you special friends. Skip to the end for smut :D.
Chapter 25
"Mr. Wayne, I'm pleased to see you again. Unfortunately, it seems our meeting came too late?"
"Yes, your tip was… very specific. I should have taken faster action. Ah, well, water under the bridge." Bruce Wayne stared back at the man, his cheek throbbing under a layer of makeup that covered the bruise left by his ward. "The police have been notified. I'm confident they'll find the chemicals before we lose too much revenue."
"And before anyone is hurt." Wilson smiled back. Both men were playing their roles perfectly, Bruce Wayne, the pretentious douche-bag businessman, and Slade Wilson, the vaguely ethical shark-toothed salesman. Both men knew the truth behind their masks, but would do nothing to speak it. There was a thin veil of understanding in each exchange between them, but it was all a game that both men played flawlessly.
"Of course. Wayne Enterprises strives to protect the public from any harm." Bruce shrugged carelessly. You mentioned before that your company was attacked under similar conditions. Xenothium, was it?"
"Among other things. I take it that's all that was missing from your plant, then?"
"I prefer to keep the finer details confidential," the businessman remained almost stoic, if not for the haughty expression.
"A trait we normally have in common, Wayne," Wilson smiled, "but under the current circumstances, I think we might need to reconsider. The man behind this is dangerous and unpredictable."
"Man?" Bruce's eyes narrowed for the tiniest of moments, just enough for Slade to catch before the expression disappeared completely behind a vaguely interested gaze. "I take it you know who the culprit is?"
"I have my suspicions, but I'm not in a position to do anything about it."
"And I am?" Bruce leaned back in his chair.
"You were. We're two steps behind this bastard now. He's got the Xenothium and a considerable amount of weaponry at his command."
"I assume that was among the other things missing from your storage."
"You would be correct. Both our commodities have taken a substantial hit, and I fear this is just the beginning." Wilson's brown eyes narrowed slightly as he pulled a small flat screen from his briefcase, turning it on and handing it to the billionaire. "I believe the perpetrator is a thief, formerly located in Jump. He has an affinity for technology, but his knowledge of programming is menial. He stole a small arsenal of un-manned drones, all equipped with A.I. and deadly weapons, some more dangerous than others." He motioned to the screen in the man's hands, "These are pictures of the stolen products. It has recently come to my attention that they were used against your company in several raids of your offices in Jump." Not to mention against his ward for the last several months…
"And now in Gotham," Wayne narrowed his eyes, scanning through the pictures until he came across a hauntingly familiar face. "And this?"
Slade looked at the picture of his creation, covered with sloppy paint as it fled. The villain had the good fortune of bumping into the bot while surveying Wayne-Tech for possible areas of weakness. The fight that followed was ruthless and was especially confirmative of the villain's suspicions, which he chose not to fully disclose to The Bat.
"The most powerful of the stolen pieces. These robots were designed to act as a human battalion- mercenaries for hire, but without the risk of casualty. Artificial intelligence can only do so much before it becomes a burden in the battlefield. Like any good soldier, they need direction, a leader."
"This robot?" Wayne studied the photo.
"Yes. The robot in the photograph acts as a sort of processor for all drones. It determines action based on the input from every other active drone then sends commands, which all drones are compelled to follow. It is the most heavily armed device, practically indestructible."
"How practically?"
"As you have likely determined, it is powered by Xenothium. At times, the robot can become intangible."
"So what can be done about it now?"
"Xenothium during intangibility is highly volatile. If we can cause a chain reaction within the power-core of the robot, there is a chance we can de-activate it and all the drones vicariously, shutting down the problem long enough for us to capture a drone and trace its homing signal. The drones have a self-destruct fail-safe built into their shells, which has prevented any attempt to capture and trace the signal thus far."
"And how do you propose we activate the Xenothium?"
"I will activate it during an altercation. We simply need to set it off… Something I can do quite easily, with the right tools."
"And my part in this?"
"An informant has told me Wayne Technologies was developing a stabilizer for Xenothium, but it has so far been unsuccessful," Wilson smirked at the man's poker face. "Although some tests have created something quite explosive when put in contact with the right elements, the experiment your company dubbed Nihilithium was by far the most interesting… Rather than causing stabilization or combustion of the Xenothium, it simply implodes into nothing, taking anything saturated in the element with it. Nothing left."
"That's a large tip you gathered. I'd love to know who told you that."
"I've already shown many cards in my hand, Wayne. As professionals, I'm sure you understand the need to keep a few hidden in the deck."
"Of course... Unfortunately, Mr. Wilson, I don't intend to help you in your endeavor. It's true that my company has suffered some losses, but I'm not one for under-the-table dealings and unauthorized data use. Best leave this to the police, though it would please me to know that they are fully aware of the situation. I have the commissioner's contact information, if you like?"
"I have it already," Wilson spoke, his teeth gritted before he pried them apart with a salesman's smile. "I suppose there's no convincing you, is there Wayne? A pity. It would have been relatively easy to destroy the robot with your help. Destroying that one is all we need, no doubt it would save countless lives in the process. I suppose it's your conscience that will bear it, not mine… What a shame you are to your father's legacy…"
Bruce's eyes turned cold and blank. "Good day, Mr. Wilson."
Slade placed his hat on his head and tipped it ruefully as he left, the door closing deftly behind him as he swung his briefcase slightly with each step. He held back his smile as he entered the lift, knowing there were cameras watching. With any luck, Batman would destroy the ParadoX for him. He'd set the vigilante up with the information he needed to start the ball rolling, and even if the Dark Knight found out the truth about the robot, his interference would probably keep Robin busy. It was a dirty trick for certain, but it wasn't in conflict with the contract, not when it had been his plan all along.
"Red… ParadoX, Robin said slowly, a deadly calm over his features because he realized that, despite the absence of his mask, the thief knew who he was. "What happened to you?"
"We don't have much time. And I need to stay out of sight. Follow-"
"We can talk here," the hero said defiantly. "I'm not following you anywhere."
"Then I'll be blunt. I need your help, Kid. I need the suit back." The robot moved closer, but stopped when Robin held up a hand.
"Playing with Slade's robots isn't enough for you anymore?" he quipped.
"I'm not playing. Please, Robin. Richard," he moved closer but stopped when he noticed the teen's muscles tensing for attack. "The Xenothium suit… It… I tried to phase, to transport myself, but suddenly I was gone. I didn't phase back. It's like I jumped into the air and shattered into a billion pieces, there was nothing left to grab onto, I just… scattered."
"We found the suit," Robin said slowly. "It was left in an alleyway with stolen merchandise. We thought… We thought you just left it there."
"I tried to grab onto it, but there wasn't enough Xenothium left. I just fragmented- lost myself… my body… my mind… I can remember tiny bits of consciousness, flickered here and there. Once I was inside the mask- at the tower, I think. I recognized the smell. When I find a large enough supply of Xenothium, I'm able to exist inside it. It's like all the little pieces flock to it like moths dancing around light bulbs." Hardly able to maintain control, he choked back a low, predatory sigh, the kind Slade would make when backed into a corner before he let lose all hell.
"You can only live… exist inside Xenothium," Robin breathed carefully, understanding the terrible fate that had befallen the thief. He knew the element was highly unstable, prone to explode and melt and, worse of all, just vanish. "There wasn't enough Xenothium to power a full jump. Your body can't return to a physical state… And when you found the mask, you tried to phase through the box. That explains the foam and the negative scan. You used up all the Xenothium when you tried to jump that last time."
"Right. I can exist on some level… like a ghost wandering through puddles. The worst was a large container. Just a long tube storing the element. I fed off it for years… unable to move, or speak, or dream… just endure. But I couldn't leave it. If I had, I would have disappeared again. It's a terrifying feeling. Worse than death… But then Slade bought the container, moved it into one of his store houses… and I found this…" The Paradox's voice became deeper, almost a cruel hiss, as he lifted a fist and appeared to breathe, the human-like form mimicking the appearance of muscles flexing under armor. "Slade's supply, an army of robots with enough Xenothium to allow me to hold something akin to a human shape… But integration was a problem. Slades' commands left within the registry bank were outdated, but compulsory. When I bonded to this machine, it bonded back, and it was like losing myself all over again. I fed off commands left in the programming. I tried to delete them, but whenever I did, I started losing bits of my memory… bits of myself… like scattering all over again. I soon discovered that I couldn't tell the difference between the programming and my own thoughts. Artificial commands became as real and valuable as my own free will. Even now, I struggle to determine what thoughts are mine… I suppose they are all mine at this point."
"Is that why you were spying on me?" The teen asked carefully, remembering the first night Slade had chained him… touched him. Slade's voice flooded his brain in a vivid memory: I've been watching you much more closely these past few years. Robin should have known it wasn't a half-assed statement. Not when it came from Slade.
"I can't really say. We both had reason enough to monitor you. But my obsession with finding you… studying you… I can't remember Red X doing that. He- no, I-" The robot held its head higher, looking the hero straight in the eye. "Please, Robin. I can't live like this anymore. This isn't living. I just want my body back. I'll give you anything. Everything.
"Getting your body back might not be that simple," Robin gave a genuinely sympathetic expression. "Even if it returns with the suit, it might not be able to support life."
"Slade offered to kill me," the robot gave a chuckle, pausing at the reaction as it struggled to determine if it was the work of compulsion or programming. "But I know better. I know how he thinks. He's curious. If I submitted to him, I might never escape this Hell. He knows that destroying this mechanical body won't kill me; I'll just be forced to find another supply. But he surely wants to know the limits of this terrible error. Of course, now that I refused him, he might just kill me. He could trigger an implosion… Like the kind Daddy Bats' company was working on."
"Don't call him that."
Paradox straightened, pausing before he shook his head slightly. "Sorry."
Robin nodded, acknowledging the apology and moving on as quickly as possible. Daddy Bats, he growled in his mind. "I'll do what I can, but it will take time."
The robot stiffened slightly and nodded. "Fine, but I need the belt. Even if it's just to keep, to hold on to until you're ready. I need it."
Robin grabbed the backpack and shook his head. "That's not going to happen, ParadoX. I'll see that you get all the help you need, but it will be on my terms."
For a moment, both figures tensed, looking ready to attack, before ParadoX chuckled and shook his head slowly. "I suppose it's wise not to trust me. I'm half Slade up here, after all." He tapped the side of the helmet and gave the teen a sideways look. "Though… It would be better if you didn't trust him, either… He's planning something, Kid. Something big."
Robin's eyes narrowed as they flickered up and down his adversary. "What is it?"
"I won't tell you… I'm not sure if it's Slade's programming, or just an attempt to gain some leverage as I ask for help… I'm sure Red X would tell you, though…"
"Cryptic hints and vague promises at the price of cooperation," Robin frowned. "Just like Slade… You talk like he does, too…"
"I'd like to think there is at least a little of me in it, too," ParadoX laughed Slade's dark chuckle and growled. "I don't like the idea that Red X is already gone."
Robin pulled his communicator from his bag, keeping a close eye on the robot as he did so.
"Take this with you," he said as he pulled a small device from the communicator and tossed it over. "It will plug into the audio jack of any cell phone and give you a direct line to me, or any of the Titans. Keep in mind that we're able to track you if and when you activate it. I'm going to ask for Titan assistance with this, but I would appreciate it if you limited your contact to me until I give you the signal. After Madam Rouge, the system was redesigned to shut down at any indication of intelligence breach."
"Of course. And Robin, I'm certain that I don't need to say this, but your secrets… all of them… I'll keep them with me in exchange for protection from Slade. He knows that I know too much and there is little doubt he'll stop me by any means necessary."
The teen's jaw tightened and he nodded cautiously to each statement. At the least, he knew both Slade and Red X had boundaries. Slade always honored his word and Red never left a debt unpaid. He would have to run on that. There wasn't anything else to run with.
"Thank you," ParadoX said in a low, humbled voice, extending his arm for a handshake.
Robin eyed it cautiously before extending his own and shaking the bot's hand. Definitely a little too much like Slade for his tastes…
Richard Grayson smiled cordially to the security guard as he placed his backpack on the moving conveyer belt. His more sensitive items were already secure in a lined pocket, cloaking the guards from seeing it with the x-ray and from finding it during any hand-search. It had been a gift from Alfred when he first moved away; a little token that enabled him to come back for a quick visit. It also allowed him to leave in a similar fashion.
"Mr. Grayson," the guard nodded to him, his smile barely contained because it was rare to see one of Gotham's royals slumming it on an airline instead of a private jet.
It was a quick and easy go-through, and soon the teen was waiting comfortably for his flight to D.C. and the Hall of Justice. ParadoX had agreed to stay hidden while the hero gathered his team and the rest of the Red X suit. He'd contacted Raven first, briefing her on the situation and making arrangements for their stay in Steel City, which was close enough to Gotham, and convenient enough to play up as a publicity visit. Then he made an important call to Bumble Bee, asking for covert transport and sanctuary of ParadoX to the Titans East Tower. Reluctantly, she agreed, asking for a full day to prep a suitable holding space, which Robin himself had warned they would need. Next came the hard part, which was collecting the suit from the Hall of Justice. Harder still were the tasks that followed…
The buzzing from his pocket derailed his train of thought and sent him down a darker path as he answered through a remote earpiece, "Hello."
"Grayson," Slade paused when he overheard a routine security announcement booming over the intercom system. "Taking a trip, I see?"
"I just had to get out of Gotham for a while. Bruce and I had a disagreement over business practices." He spoke with every bit of pretention that Bruce Wayne did, causing a light curling of the villain's lip. To Robin, it was a tactical move. The press lived everywhere in Gotham, and it was little secret to him that the man sitting in the row across from him was a reporter for the Gotham Gossip. This would all be in the digital blog within the hour, and in tabloid magazines soon after, but what did he really care? Richard Grayson, ward of Bruce Wayne, was growing up, but still a bit spoiled. It explained his trip as a whim of a boy with too much money and too little patience for his business savvy daddy.
"Didn't go so well, hmm? At least he doesn't have you chained up in his secret lair, or whatever it is… I'd advise you to be careful, however, and remind you that our friends are still out there, but I don't think that will do much good, will it?"
"Never does," the teen sighed, adjusting his sunglasses so that the reporter couldn't see him rolling his eyes. The tabloid-pusher was so pathetically obvious as he held phone, pretending to read an article, but very clearly eavesdropping.
"Returning to Jump, or?"
"Yeah," Robin lied nonchalantly. "Want to meet me there?"
"Unfortunately, I still have some matters to attend to here. Relocating evil lairs and death traps is really quite a chore."
"Poor you," Richard apathetically pouted, knowing full well that the man was hoping to track down ParadoX. Fortunately, the thief's temporary hideout was fortified to block Xenothium tracers. Unless Slade had an ace in the hole, it would be enough until the rest of the Titans could help. "Any other plans while you're in Gotham?"
"Ordering some new furniture. Saw a bed in a catalogue that I'd love to fuck you on." Slade's tone darkened and the teen felt a tightening in his throat, among other places. "Any chance I can convince you to stay? They are located in Gotham and have promised overnight delivery."
"Thanks, but I've already made plans with friends." He picked at some imaginary dirt under his nails while the reporter snapped pictures like crazy with his phone. He at least had the decency to mute the shutter sound effects, but the sudden change in how he held his phone was a dead giveaway.
"Just as well, I'm ordering one for an apartment in Jump."
"About that. Be careful with your investments. Not all neighborhoods are as safe as they seem."
"Hmm, Bats has me in his radar? Not too closely, I assume, or you would be panicking."
"Let's err on the side of caution, shall we? He likes to keep a close watch on prime real estate locations. Unless you want him dropping in to borrow sugar, be careful where you settle in."
"Of course," the villain purred.
"Anyway, I'm going to grab a bite before my plane gets here. We'll talk later."
"Until next time, then."
Robin frowned as he removed the earpiece, finally making eye contact with the reporter's phone. "Want me to pick my nose, or something? Give you a really terrible picture to publish?"
He was only being sarcastic, of course, and he thought it did the trick because the man looked rather sheepish… at least until he had the balls to reply "Oh, would you?"
Indeed, some things in Gotham never changed.
"I don't like it," Cyborg spoke on a private line to Raven as he piloted the T-Ship.
The pale girl lifted her eyes from a dark colored book as clouds roared by them. "Like what?"
"This whole thing… Red X… Slade… Robin… Something seems fishy… I mean… is it just me? It feels like our leader has been holdin' out on us… wouldn't be the first time."
"It's possible," she replied, eyes drifting back down to the book. "But Robin has always been secretive, for better or worse. He always plays things close to the chest."
"You'd think, after all this time, he'd actually gain some trust in us."
"He does," she turned the page of her book, "More than you know. But you not trusting him isn't going to help the situation. It just pushes him further away. He needs cooperation, understanding… If you want answers with Robin, then you just need to be patient."
"Duuuuuuudes," Beast Boy's voice echoed in their individual pods, actually managing to break Raven's attention from her book. "Watcha' talking about? You look all serious and stuff!"
"Meat," Cyborg fired back. "When we get there, I want a big, juicy, dripping steak."
"Eww, gross, nevermind!" The line went dead and Beast Boy leaned back in his chair, making gagging faces at Raven, who chose to ignore it.
"Well played," the empath responded casually, eyes still roaming over her pages.
"Not the first time I've had to keep BB from sticking his nose in," Cyborg smirked and then frowned. "I'd… appreciate it if you kept my doubts between us."
"Secret's safe with me."
Bruce walked into the Batcave with a heavy heart and throbbing cheek. Alfred had already cleaned the mess of broken glass and reset the security traps, leaving a tray with a cold compress on the computer console, which had yet to be replaced. He gave a heavy sigh and sunk down into his chair, gazing at the broken screen. His intentions had always been pure, but even the best intentions can have dire consequences, something he knew all too well.
At the heart of his anger, his disappointment, was a terrible feeling of guilt because he knew he'd made the wrong decisions. When his sidekick first left Gotham, Bruce wanted to keep his distance, give the teen a chance to spread his wings. Dick was skilled and had a relatively cool head about him, but he got in too deep with Slade. He was too curious, too single-minded. The Dark Knight should have seen it and put a stop to it from the start, but he'd underestimated the mercenary… and his protégé. It wasn't until after Robin's apprenticeship that Batman began to actively collect and archive information about the villain into his database. He'd hoped that the events around his ward's enslavement would be enough to quell the sidekick's obsession, and it seemed to, at first. The hero became more determined but less curious in his battles against Slade… up until the man's death, and the subsequent nightmares… Then there was the descent into hell, as Robin had called it, where he and the man spoke, and the hero finally gained the upper hand, saw himself and his mission as superior to Slade. It was perhaps his biggest victory against the man. Bruce had hoped that would finally end it, and the teen would no longer have the drive to pursue the villain so obsessively.
Following the horrific incident with Trigon, Slade simply vanished. It was little secret that they'd all hoped he was gone for good, but Batman kept his ear to the ground, cautious but distant. He didn't interfere right away when Slade reappeared in Jump- yet another mistake. But with Slade back in the game, Robin was obsessed as ever and Batman didn't want to give the teen more ammo, anything that could lead him down that darkened path again. The Dark Knight vowed not to underestimate the villain a second time, and watched carefully for a pattern in his crimes. He recognized the new player right away by the sudden change in targets; it was obvious Slade had sold or somehow misplaced some merchandise. Eventually, all signs pointed to Red X, a theory that Slade Wilson was gracious enough to confirm during their meeting. It was likely the banded thief had known their identities all along, but the sudden upfront teasing about it… that was disturbing…
"No word from Master Dick," Alfred stated quite sadly as he entered the cave.
"I doubt he'll want to speak to us now. He's on his way to Washington," Bruce heaved a dark sigh, resting his elbows on the console and his forehead in his hands. "He's after the rest of the Red X suit."
"He's putting the pieces together for himself," Alfred nodded, placing a tray with a hot cup of coffee and a few biscuits on the consul before turning his back to leave. "Perhaps it's for the best..."
"Alfred I-"
"I thought it was the right decision, too," the butler said plainly, his back still turned. "But bringing up a young man, especially in the midst of chaos and tragedy, is a tricky sport. Children grow and change into the people they were meant to become, regardless of what we have to say about it… I speak from years of experience, Master Wayne. How do you think I felt when you first donned that cowl? And every night after?" He turned, finally, but the Dark Knight kept his head down. "We do what we feel is right, but we must accept that we can never always do what is right… Why do you think you gave in? Batman never yields, yet you stood down when the moment came. You knew what was right then, too."
"You think I lost on purpose?" He glanced up from his hands, his fingers laced together in bitter despair.
"Don't you?" Alfred managed a smile, one in the long line of forced expressions.
"I don't know… I've replayed it in my mind over and over again. In the end, I just decided I was getting old."
"No, sir, I believe that's my job." Alfred gave a gentle smile. "I also believe that Bruce Wayne and Batman know how they can address their grievous mistakes and help a troubled young man find his way back from anger and mistrust."
Bruce looked to the broken screen. "I need to make a call to The League."
"Very good sir. I'll be upstairs with the guests, should you need me."
It was snowing when Robin stepped outside the airport with his backpack slung over his shoulder. The air felt clean, and somehow warmer than Gotham, despite the slow but heavy flakes snow that danced around him and played on his lashes. The clouds in the sky had an eerie glow about them, painting DC in the subdued colors of a winter sunset.
"Hey," a familiar voice called softly to his left, followed by a soft flurry of snowflakes from the latent wind stream.
Dick jerked his head to the side, blue eyes glaring at Wally, who was standing next to a black car, obviously owned by a local subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises.
"I was asked me to pick you up. Don't give me that look. I'm here to help you." He glanced at the reporter, who had unfortunately accompanied Richard Grayson on his wayward journey, snapping pictures when he saw fit. "Come on, I'll give you a ride."
"I think I'll take a cab, thanks."
"Fine," he shrugged, moving back to the driver's seat. "I'll just see you there, then… You need my help to get through security, anyway."
The black haired teen glanced at the reporter, who had already pulled out his camera for more photos, gave a frown and a vicious glare before he relented. The redhead didn't say anything as Dick slumped against the bucket seat and slammed the door shut.
They drove in silence through the busy streets until Wally finally broke it. "Batman has asked The League to grant you access to The Hall's archive. He says you're retrieving the Red-X suit… Please just tell me that you aren't going to wear it again…"
"It's not your concern," Dick replied in a clipped tone.
"There isn't enough Xenothium to power it, you know… From what I hear, someone destroyed the supply at Wayne Tech… And the rest is kept in the Watch Tower, which you haven't been granted access to." The driver frowned at his passenger's silence. "Yeah. That's not helping is it? Well, I might as well get this out in the open now… I'm sorry about lying to you… I think Bats is, too. He told The League about Slade… well, a few years ago. After the nano-probes… I just found out when he started causing trouble again…"
"Good to know that joining The League hasn't changed your loyalties, Wally," The teen said sarcastically.
"It was a League decision not to tell the Titans. Apparently, Batman said it was your battle and they- we respected that."
"Batman is a liar," Dick glared, a hand cupping his pocket when Slade's communicator began to vibrate yet again. It had buzzed a few times since he landed, but he would need to deal with that later. "The Titans and the League are supposed to work together. I don't care why he said he did it. Same goes for you."
"I did it because he asked. He's my teammate and I trusted him… Whatever his reasoning was, you know that he did it for you. He cares about you. I hope that's something you'll remember."
"Oh, I won't forget anytime soon," he growled. "And I hope you won't forget what your complacency created."
"No, I guess not… But for what it's worth, I am sorry…"
"Yeah… me too." Dick frowned as cold words faded into icy silence.
He was angry, furious at the lies and the mistrust that were forced at him from all directions. He certainly didn't expect it from Wally… his former teammate and former friend… His eyes softened briefly at the thought. Wally was a good man, a good Titan… and a good friend. He was light and funny and loyal beyond reason. He had a knack for working with people, including villains. Hell, he'd charmed Jinx right out of the Brotherhood's arms. It shouldn't have come as any surprise that he obeyed Batman's wishes without question. He'd done the same for Robin when the teen refused to give up his secret identity to the Titans, standing up for him when others called his secrecy a betrayal… Wally had done a lot for him, expecting nothing in return… but was that enough to forgive a cruel secret between friends?
They navigated the roads, eventually reaching a secret entrance to the Hall of Justice, courtesy of an underground tunnel and Wally's pass codes. Dick's pocket continued to ring like mad, but the teen ignored it and snuck a hand into his pocket to finally turn it off. Slade was good at waiting, he could handle it.
They were welcomed by a tall winged man when they reached the end of the tunnel. Dick knew well enough that members took turns guarding various gateways, and apparently it was Hawkman's turn at The Hall's underground entrance.
"Welcome," he said in a deep voice when they exited the car. "We've been told to expect you. Batman has urged us to let you through without question, but other members have decided that your unapproved acquisition of the Xenothium belt is cause for concern. A meeting will be held early tomorrow for the purpose of negotiating the release of any more artifacts."
"I was promised compliance," Robin frowned, casting another glance at the redhead, who gave a genuinely flustered shrug and shake of the head. "And I don't appreciate the setback to my schedule."
"You are welcome to prepare for the meeting inside. However, your passage is restricted to level-one clearance areas only."
"And I really don't appreciate tourist level clearance," he growled at the golden mask.
"Then you're free to wait outside The Hall until the time of the meeting." Hawkman's hands tightened around his Mace, leather creaking against the handle as his piercing eyes glared from under his mask.
"Come on, Dick," Wally pleaded, his hand resting on the teen's shoulder. "I'll buy you a coffee. There's a great place just a few block from here."
"I'll wait inside," he said as he shrugged off the Flash's hand and glared at Hawkman's mask as he walked into the elevator. He pressed the button for the main lobby and the doors began to close with a soft groan, leaving the hero with the image of Wally frowning sadly.
Dick let out a long sigh through his nose, trying to shake off the anger that felt like acid in his gut. Perhaps Batman's influence had leaked into The League, poisoning the atmosphere with mistrust and suspicion. Had it always been that way? He frowned, remembering the first time he was allowed entrance into The Hall of Justice. It was certainly a different experience then… but he was also quite a different person back then. That's when he was just a sidekick, before he'd even heard of Slade…
"Foreign body detected, lockdown activated." A calm female voice rang from a speaker lodged in the corner and the elevator jolted to a halt.
"What?" he muttered darkly, pushing the Lobby floor button again and finding that all were glowing red, save the one with a telephone printed on it. He was about to press it when Wally's voice boomed through the speaker and his face appeared on a small built-in screen above the buttons.
"Dick? What happened?" he looked worried and genuinely confused.
"You tell me. Lockdown?" He glared at the tiny camera above the screen. "Is this some ploy to keep me from wandering the Hall? Do you really trust me so little?"
"No, it was an automatic inspection… It picked up something on the biological scan and put you in quarantine. I can't tell what it is without more..."
"It's scanning you now." Hawkman didn't appear on the screen, but his voice rang clearly through the speaker, as well as the sound of fingers typing furiously over the keyboard.
"Just stay calm, it'll probably come back as a false alarm."
"I'm perfectly calm," Dick lied.
"Biometrics says your heart is racing," Wally said doubtfully. "It'll be okay, Dick; for all we know, it's just a glitch."
"I highly doubt it," Hawkman interjected.
"It's racing because I'm pissed. You're locking me up under false pretenses. There is nothing wrong with me."
"Except the nanites in your bloodstream," Hawkman's voice growled.
"Whoa, shit…" Wally's eyes widened as he looked off screen.
"Nano-tech? Shit…" Dick sneered and paced the tiny cell, his mind retracing every step that might have infected him.
"We're-uh- We're calling for help," Wally let him know, his eyes still off screen as his voice fumbled. "For now, you're going to have to relocate you to a holding room. I'm sorry, Dick, but I promise that we're doing everything that we can."
"I'm beginning to think you're doing everything you can to keep me out," he growled at the camera as the elevator began a sudden and very rapid decent to the lowest levels of The Hall. Located well below ground level, they had been built as bomb shelters, but were later adapted for quarantine and holding cells.
"Not everything," Hawkman's voice muttered, clearly displeased with the teen's attitude.
"Until we know what's in your blood, we can't let you out of quarantine. You know better." Wally steeled his voice slightly, looking into the camera.
The teen's upper lip quivered slightly as he fought off his sneer. "Fine. I guess waiting here is just as good as waiting out there… Any ideas on how long I get a complimentary stay in 'Otel d'League?"
"Not until I know what we're up against…"
His stomach flopped as the elevator slowed to a stop on the lowest floor before the doors opened to reveal a room that was hardly any larger than the elevator. It did, however, have a lovely little cot, sink, and toilet. He stepped inside and immediately noticed a screen and camera lodged in the corner.
"Cozy," he muttered to himself as the screen flickered on and Wally's voice spoke once again.
"I'm going to come down for a blood sample once we're done prepping the lab. We have a nano-sweeper, but it was among the damaged items in the quake, no one had gotten around to fixing it yet."
"It's fine; just do what you have to." The teen sat on the cot and found it less than comfortable.
"Do… you want me to call Batman?" Dick only turned and glared at the camera, giving the red-head a very clear response. "Whoa, that's a no… Alright then, just hang tight. Want me to put on the news, or something?"
"Sure," he shrugged, resting his head against the wall. "It's not like I have anything better to watch down here."
Contrary to his words, Robin did have something better to watch. He had Slade's data disk.
After disabling the transmission function on his communicator, just as a precaution so that no one could hack his line and read the files, he plugged the disk into the drive.
"What are you doing?" Hawkman's voice came over the speakers, but the screen continued to play the news.
"Just playing some games," he smirked, holding the device up to the camera and showing the complicated progressive matrices on the screen. Leave it to Slade to encrypt all of the files with those stupid mind puzzles, but for once it came at just the right time. He didn't receive a response from the winged guard, which was enough of an answer for him.
He worked furiously on the puzzles, earning rewards in the form of access to different files, new information. What he found was much the same as Batman's files, which left an unsettling feeling in his gut because, once again, Slade had been more truthful than Bruce. In little time, he was flipping back and forth between the files retrieved from the Batcave and those given to him by Slade, filling in tiny gaps in the records and in his questions.
Batman, and by extension The League, were aware of the man's healing abilities and, like Slade, attributed his gifts to military experiments. According to League notes, Lieutenant Colonel Slade Wilson received experimental doses of something called ACTH derivative, reportedly intended to allow greater resistance to truth serums. Slade's notes on the matter were complete and far more… graphic. It was clear that the procedure was more than met the eye. The drug had been given to at least ten other soldiers, all of whom had died from the procedure or the terrible insanity that followed it. The pictures of their wasted bodies were… not pretty. Their faces distorted as if they had undergone extreme and prolonged torture. Slade too had succumbed to madness but had fallen into a deep coma and somehow awoken, changed forever. He'd opted for more experiments following his first round, which he confessed in his notes was also an excuse to copy the documents of the research, should they ever be destroyed. Judging by the different documents in Batman's files, they had been.
He felt his eyes growing wider as he read through the government section of the documents. It was clear why they were supposed to be destroyed… The derivative, or whatever it was, had great and terrible effects on the body. Continued use resulted in super-human strength, increased agility, vitality, healing… even the brain itself became a weapon. Or at least that's what happened when it didn't kill you… Robin supposed the drug was too unstable for future use, but something in Slade's notes suggested otherwise. He knew the man well enough to recognize his curiosity, and handwritten notes copied into digital files gave much away about his intentions. Slade never could leave well enough alone, could he? The man had obviously continued the experiments, building a better Slade that was far less mortal. The wounds from the Slade-bot and the nanos really should have killed him, or at least left him out of commission for weeks, judging by past documentations of his healing abilities.
Then, Robin stumbled over a very curious set of notes, detailing the planned assassination of Slade Wilson. Slade had apparently killed all who tried, and eventually killed all scientists and military officials that ordered their experiment to be terminated… Pictures of the incident made it clear that their deaths were quick and precise, strictly business… all except for one man, a general, who Slade seemed to have taken his time on. The ring-leader, Robin supposed, turning up his lip at the man's ribs, which were painfully visible in the photograph.
"Lab's ready, I'm coming down for a sample," Wally let him know over the television screen. "I hope you won't take it personally that I'm in a hazmat suit."
"Only about as personally as being quarantined in a closet," Dick replied, shutting down his communicator and looking up into the camera.
The redhead paused, "I think that was a joke… Was it?"
"It's the closest thing to a joke that you'll get out of me tonight."
"I'll take it, then!" Wally smiled, dredging up guilty feelings in Robin for his anger. Wally was trying… he would probably never give up… but he would also lie again if a similar situation arose, something that the teen didn't need to do much to remind himself of.
The redhead entered the tiny room in a bright yellow suit, bringing back odd pangs of nostalgia because the color matched his original uniform so closely.
He held a needle in the air and made an ominous face under the clear plastic shield before speaking in a cryptic voice, "Assume the position."
Dick remained straight-faced as he rolled up his sleeve.
"No, good, huh?"
"Yeah, needles just aren't my thing," the dark haired teen replied, eyeing the lancet and feeling his heart speeding up.
"No? Well, don't worry. I have a velveteen touch. I've never had any of my patients complain."
"You work forensics."
"Details, details," Wally mumbled, a tentative smile on his lips as he rubbed iodine over Dick's inner arm. He couldn't help but smirk when the teen turned away, a slight flush on his cheeks. "Geeze, you weren't kidding. These things really do scare you."
"Let's just get it over with," Dick muttered, remembering the last time he faced a needle and trying not to relive the physical memories of it. Still, his hair stood on end as he remembered Slade's teasing voice and the sting of the needle as it slid under his skin. He fought off the moan when he felt it again, trying not to imagine Slade's eye glowing from under that damned mask.
"Almost done. I just need a little," Wally mumbled as the clear tube filled with blood, leading to several different vials that the speedster switched in the blink of an eye, giving Dick a moment to concentrate on something other than his memories. He always liked to watch Wally move; see if his eyes were fooled by the speed. Sometimes, when Wally was tired, he could almost make out each movement with clarity. And he was tired, Dick realized. His eyes followed each movement with greater ease, flickering up to watch the green eyes darting under the clear plastic mask as the speedster worked. He didn't really look it, but he was certainly showing his fatigue. "Aaaand, there! Done."
Wally pulled the needle away and Dick pressed a cotton swab to the tiny mark, holding his arm high.
"I know I'm one of the last people you want to hear this from," the redhead mumbled as he packed the tubes into an air-tight cooler, "but I'm here… you know… if you want to talk…" Dick's jaw tightened along with his fists as his former partner turned to face him, the green eyes pained and sincere. "Only if you want. No pressure."
The dark haired man kept his face blank and fists tight as he gave a small nod, leaning against the wall and letting his eyes wander over less interesting things, a sure sign that the conversation was over. The redhead heaved a heavy sigh and nodded before moving towards the door, waiting with slumped shoulders for Hawkman to send the lift. The silence felt heavy as he stepped inside, not turning to face the hero as the door closed. He was almost certain he heard the hero whisper a very quiet "thanks," just before the door closed.
"Anything good?" Slade called out to the claw-clad woman across the rooftop, smirking when she startled, flipping in midair and landing on all fours, poised for attack. She glared at him under her mask.
"Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya," Catwoman purred, soothing down her imaginary hackles and changing her posture to reflect seduction, not defense. "Not many can sneak up on me, you know that, Slade?"
"Oh, I'm aware. You do tend to keep on your toes," he smiled, moving closer. "That's why I'm here."
"Oh?" she cooed, reaching slowly for the whip wrapped around her waist.
The villain stopped just feet away, his eye catching the faintest hint of light from under his mask. "As much as I admire a woman that can literally whip my ass, that's not why I'm here. I'm proposing a… business arrangement of sorts."
"Sorry darling, I've got my own agendas to play with." Her lips pursed into a luscious smile as she gave an apologetic shrug that was too sweet to be real. "Your reputation precedes you, and I don't want big trouble…" She turned on her heel once again and pulled out her goggles, crouching down and peering across the street with intention. "Just big diamonds."
Slade couldn't help but give a curious glance at the building she was studying so closely. "Jewelry store, hmm?"
"Hey, a girl's got to eat," she purred, tail in the air and eyes off the killer, but ears definitely calked back in attention.
"Those rocks would look like kitty litter after what I'll pay you. Hell, I'll even pay you in diamonds, if that's what you want."
"I've been fucked over by enough men to know that when they promise diamonds, you run."
"You're not even curious as to what I'm asking?"
"You know what they say about cats and curiosity."
Slade only gave a short laugh. "Can't bait you with karats, hmm? What about a stick?"
"I hope you don't expect me to play fetch with it. Never ask a cat to do bitch work."
"Bitch work? Hardly. I just want you to keep your eyes out, maybe do a little prowling to stir up a rat in hiding. I'm on a schedule and could use the extra help."
"Uh-huh. Puppy guarding and playing fetch. No thanks. Maybe you don't know this, but I don't play well with others. My night is strictly between me and that big-ass safe over there."
"I was hoping more for a game of cat-and-mouse. Did I mention I like to pay part upfront?" he asked, pulling a pouch from his belt and shaking it lightly.
"Oh, I didn't know you spoke the language of instant gratification." She turned, licking her lips and eyeing him dangerously, her thieving intentions made very clear by her eyes before they melted into a more cautious expression. She could steal from him, maybe. But the villain was not the kind of man to piss off. He took things a little too personally, and she was already suffering from an ill-planned alliance. She smiled again, "Just the same… I work alone."
"I'll tell you what," Slade hummed good naturedly. "I'm going to leave this bag here with a card and a picture. You see the man in the picture; you call the number on the card. Either way, the diamonds are for you."
"You sure know how to spoil a lady," she said with an indulgent purr as he set the items on a nearby skylight and turned away.
"There's more where that came from, if you find him. And if you find him, don't touch. He's mine."
"Are you going to kill him?" she asked almost off handedly as she strolled over to the bag of diamonds, fingers kneading into the velvet.
"After I get what I want," he answered coldly, eye gazing over the city as he calculated his next move.
"And what does a man like you want?" she purred, opening the bag and smiling.
"That depends entirely on the state of his hostage," Slade gave her a deadly serious look.
"Hostage?" she cocked a brow, actually interested.
"He's using nano-technology. Dangerous stuff. Nine-lives or no, you wouldn't stand a chance."
"Who's the lucky hostage?" she asked, pulling a large rock from the bag and almost purring.
"Batman's side-kick."
"The pretty little bird?" she frowned. "Batman won't like that, will he?"
"And he's not the only one. I've got plans for that boy. So give me a hand, would you, Cat? We find this bastard by sun-up or the kid dies."
"Maybe just this once," she eyed him cautiously. "For a price. I may not be heartless, but I'm not cheap, either."
"I'm a man of my word." Slade extended his hand and glared slightly when the woman backed away, diamond pouch dangling from her belt.
She waved a finger at him teasingly before purring, "After all that, you think you'd know better than to ask a cat to shake." Her heels were the last thing the villain saw before she flipped over the side of the building.
Slade exhaled slowly. Pulling out his communicator and checking it once again and allowing a private frown behind his mask. As the warm air billowed gently from his mask, creating a thin wisp of cloudy air that disappeared into the night, he wondered silently if it was already over.
"They did what, now?"
"They deactivated when we took the sample," Wally frowned. "I think the nanos are specifically designed to interact within the body. Whoever did this to you is watching you… tracking you, most likely. They deactivate when they exit your body so the readings will remain accurate."
"Is that all they're doing? Stalking me?" Dick frowned, his lips curled slightly.
"For now, I think… but judging from just the shape of these things, they could do some serious damage. I mean lethal damage."
"Wouldn't be the first time."
"Well, when Slade wants something done…" Wally's frowned at the quarantined hero through the glowing screen lodged in the corner.
And let's not forget ParadoX, Robin thought, reminded grimly of their encounter when he nearly killed Slade with the nano-laden sword. Was that going to happen to him? The fact that the nanos hadn't killed him yet was no promise that they weren't deadly. But, if it was ParadoX, how had he been infected? His eyes dilated slightly as he remembered the tingling in his hands as they shook on their agreement… could that have been it? It had to be…
"We're still working on repairing the nano-sweeping machine, but we think it will be done soon. About midnight, or so."
"I'd like to wring Ivy's neck for those earthquakes about now," He grumbled.
"Hang tight. The meeting is tomorrow morning. Until then, we're seeing if we can't tease some information out of these bad boys."
The teen crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, the slightest curl hinting at the corner of his mouth. "This hotel sucks."
Catwoman paced carefully over a rooftop, considering her options. On one hand, she had a psychopathic mastermind that wouldn't think twice at the idea of murdering her if the conditions were right. Of course, he had also promised a very handsome reward for her services… But on the other hand, there was an easy pay off with minimal effort from a psychopathic mastermind that wouldn't think twice at the idea of murdering her if the conditions were right… Decisions, decisions…
Choosing to guard ParadoX's location had seemed like a good idea at the time. The guy had been stealing jewels by the handful in Gotham and Jump for months, and he was willing to blow it all on a safe place to hide… Of course, she thought he was hiding from Batman… not Slade. Batman, she could handle. But a man who played to kill? That changed things a bit… especially when it turned out Slade had his own rewards to offer… and information that ParadoX was using nano-tech... oh, and of course, there was a little bird to worry about. She hadn't seen the kid in ages, but she'd always had a soft spot for him. He was pretty thing, and she liked pretty things. She liked being alive just a little bit more, though…
She pursed her lips, nose wrinkling, as she made her decision. She lifted her heel and flipped the switch on the Bat-signal.
Slade waited, hiding in the shadows as the gaudy light moved across the foggy Gotham sky. He knew better than to trust the cat, especially because he also had a very large assumption that ParadoX was employing her. How else could he benefit from pile of shiny gold and rocks? The moon behind the haze and clouds told him that the night was still young, but surely the Dark Knight wouldn't keep the kitty waiting…
He glanced at his watch and gritted his teeth. Nothing to do but wait and wonder…
A full-house meeting of the League was rare, yet it seemed everyone had special interest in the Batman's sidekick and his latest indiscretion. Robin kept his jaw set, refusing to be intimidated as he stood before the Leaguers in the Hall of Justice. He had made his case, presented it with the same calm, detached authority that Batman used to give briefings. It wouldn't be enough to earn their trust, but maybe he could garnish more respect than Batman had given him.
"We remain concerned, Robin, that your choices reflect a deeper misunderstanding of the duties as protectors of justice." Wonder Woman stood, speaking from the crowd. "You are not a League member, but your offence is a heavy burden for your team and ours. You stole evidence. Dangerous evidence, as you well know."
"As the inventor of the belt, I felt it was my right to-"
"What's more, you assaulted a League member, a founder, no less."
"Yes, that was-"
"And then there is the issue of Slade," Batman spoke quietly from behind him. He jumped slightly, not having realized the man had moved from the audience. He was among them just a moment before, such a jump was logically impossible, but the teen was well acquainted with the Dark Knight's ability to do defy logic.
"What about Slade?" Robin's mouth went dry.
The man sneered in response, looming over his sidekick and covering him in his shadow as he hissed, "I know all about it."
"Perhaps you would be inclined to share this information, Batman." J'onn J'onzz spoke from the crowd, getting a few murmurs of agreement. "We have limited time to deliberate."
Robin's eyes widened as they stared up at this mentor. His chest became tight as Batman glowered over him. It was useless to argue, he knew that much… Batman knew that much…
"It's over," Batman whispered in the same dry voice, it was as low as a whisper, and yet everyone in the hall could hear it. Such a thing seemed naturally impossible, and yet Robin knew that everyone would hear. Everyone would know his secrets when Batman revealed his lies and deception. And there was no question that he would. Batman's relationships were all a means to an end.
"Don't," he whispered to his mentor, voice pleading but edged with dark warning. Robin wasn't certain what would happen when his secrets were brought to light… he knew who he could turn to when that spot-light began to burn… but even that path seemed too dark…
"Robin has met with Slade on multiple occasions, discretely."
"Bruce, please…" Robin whispered so quietly that no sound escaped his lips, his eyes glancing at the crowd as they murmured and shifted lightly.
"Their relationship is sexual in nature," Batman's teeth clenched together and The League let out a collective gasp. "And Robin has betrayed his oaths by entering into contract with Slade."
All at once, there was a roar that overcame the Hall. Voices of his friends and mentors blended together into an angry cry of outrage, denial, condemnation… And yet, all Robin could look at was Batman. Batman, who stood over him, silent, glaring. Batman who knew his secrets… Batman who he protected secrets for… Batman who knew and who told…
Robin held his jaw tight and glared into his mentor's eyes. "What next?"
"You knew this would happen," Batman spoke, his whisper drowning out the terrible noise as the League screamed and argued with each other. "You knew I would have to stop you."
"Stop me?" Robin almost managed a laugh. "I'm not a criminal, Bruce."
"Give it time, Apprentice," Batman hissed. "You'll have all the time in the world with him."
Robin heard the body land behind him, metal feet crashing against the floor, sending vibrations that threatened to break the floorboards apart. Without looking, Robin knew it was Slade.
Batman didn't flinch as Slade's hands moved over his ward's… no… former partner's shoulders, running slowly down his chest, blocking the yellow R with his arms.
"Come, Robin," Slade spoke, beard tickling the side of the hero's head. "Once more… for me."
"No," Robin struggled to pull away, but Batman pushed him back, holding him against Slade with stern eyes and disgusted face.
"Here…" Slade whispered, pulling out the Toradol injector and holding it over his heart. "For the pain..."
Robin let out a scream when he felt the liquid burst under his skin, filling his heart with cold, sterile liquid that burned all throughout his chest.
"Hey!" The Flash stood over Dick Grayson, gloved hands shaking him lightly. "Wake up!"
"Don't!" Dick growled, pushing the speedster away but freezing when his eyes finally opened, revealing the tiny cell that he was quarantined in. Standing on the middle of it was The Flash, covered the hazmat suit and looking worried.
"You okay, buddy?" he asked carefully. "Your vitals were in panic mode. We thought maybe…"
"No, Yeah… I'm… I'm fine," he breathed quickly, chest heaving as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and held his forehead in his hand. "Just a dream…"
"Talk about it on the way to the nano-sweeper, It's ready." Wally held out a gloved hand, smiling under the plastic face shield.
Robin, a bit pale and shaking, accepted the hand. The rush of chilled air from the opening elevator doors made him conscious of the cold sweat that covered his body.
Wally stood by him, his apprehensive stance giving away his nervousness at the sudden change in his ally's physical condition. The Flash was well acquainted with nightmares that shook to the core, but the volatility of nanotech in the blood stream meant that anything, even a nightmare, could be a malicious creation of whoever was pulling the strings…
Slade growled and tossed the listening device aside. "Piece of shit," he muttered, returning to the scope on his rifle and focusing in on the pointy-eared pair several rooftops over. At least the bat-signal provided enough light to read lips by. He could only see The Cat's lips, but she was easier to read than The Bat, not afraid of showing the emotions that The Dark Knight trained himself not to reveal.
Catwoman had already explained her predicament to The Bat, not exactly spelling it out that she was excepting stolen diamonds in exchange for protection, but the detective would figure it out.
'Slade says ParadoX is holding your little bird hostage.'
Slade's lip curled into something of a smirk as he watched her lips forming words.
'Something about nano-tech… I don't know, I stay away from those kind of toys when I can," she paused, listening to the Bat. 'Well, I'm not going back to the vault, that's for damn sure…'
Slade growled as the Dark Knight stepped forward, blocking his view of The Cat's mouth. Whatever they said in the few brief moments was lost to Slade, but at least he had something to work with… So Paradox was hulled up in an old vault, eh? That made sense. Wherever ParadoX was, it would need a way to contain the Xenothium, prevent it from detection. A bomb shelter might do the trick as well… But The Cat surely knew the difference between a shelter and vault, hell, she spent half her time getting into vaults. Slade gave a half-smile as The Batman dashed away; leaving the kitty with puckered lips as he spread his wings and flew over the side of the building. Slade prepared to follow until he noticed a sleek black jet dashing to catch the flying hero. "Damn," he murmured, pulling out a gun and firing, knowing full well that the magnetic tracker would likely be detected and removed before Batman could lead him to ParadoX. The binoculars swung back to see the tail end of a feline backflip before Catwoman disappeared over the opposite edge of the building.
And things had been going so well, too…
"Congratulations Boy Wonder, you are nano-free!" Wally shook his hand enthusiastically as he stepped out from the chamber. "What are you gonna' do next? Disneyland? By the way, nice tits."
"God, not you too," Dick groaned, a light smile on his expression, damned happy to be rid of the nanos in his body. "Roy only just shut up about them."
"I'd like to hear what Bats said about them," Wally chuckled lightly, but then his face sobered quickly before he muttered a quick and quiet, "sorry."
The dark haired boy sighed. "Don't be. Batman and I just… well, really, I just need to… get over it, I guess. Batman did what he thought was right. I can't really see the justification in lying to me like that, but I know he does."
"He didn't mean to hurt you… I know that doesn't make it okay, but…"
"No, that doesn't make it okay," Dick answered quietly, pulling on his shirt and frowning. "As a kid… I guess I always thought I would grow into the cowl… That it would make more sense why Batman acted the way he does… But I still don't get it."
"Bats is… complicated… Even on a team, he tends to act alone. But he's good. Incredible, even. It's hard not to want to be like Batman at least sometimes…" They walked towards the elevator, stepping inside when the doors opened, sending in a gust of colder air.
"I don't want to be like him… Not anymore." The dark haired teen ran fingers through his hair as Wally pressed one of the many buttons lining the panel on the wall. "The secrets… the lies… the mistrust… I want to be someone better than Batman. Someone who doesn't live trapped in his own… I don't know… paranoia… hatred…?"
"Bats doesn't hate you."
"No, but he doesn't really trust me, either. Frankly, I'm surprised he trusts anyone. How the League found out, I'll never know."
"We slipped into an alternate dimension and things just kind of happened."
"Ah, that explains it," Dick replied casually, earning a smirk from the Red Head.
The elevator doors opened, bringing Dick back to the underground checkpoint where Hawkman was still on guard. "Come on. I've booked a hotel down the block for you. You've got a little time before the meeting, might as well sleep in a bed that doesn't feel like the floor."
The hero tightened his grip over the straps of his backpack, feeling the tension grow as the golden-masked hero watched them moving towards the car. Wally shot him a look, not quite a warning, but something close to it. Clearly, Hawkman was not pleased with the xenothium belt leaving The Hall, especially when Wally had the chance to confiscate it and chose not to. Dissent was rampant among all heroes, it seemed. Dick frowned as he pulled the car door shut, the sound echoing off the walls just as the engine came to life.
Slade eagerly opened his communicator, knowing well which device the call was coming from.
"Speak," he said, voice cold and direct.
"Well, fucking hello to you, too," Robin's voice answered back, sarcastically.
"Robin," the villain let out small, relieved breath. He wasted little time in leaning back down and peering through his scope. He was staking out the most plausible lead, a now empty bank that, at least when he was visiting Gotham, had been occupied by a tenacious little drug lord. There were usually at least a few people lining the sidewalks stoned into oblivion, but… not now… curious…
"Who else would it be?"
"That would depend on whether you were alive or not."
"And here I thought I was calling to give you an update," the hero raised a brow, pulling open the curtain and looking out over DC. He'd switched rooms since checking in, swept every inch for bugs, and turned on his jammer. Perhaps Batman's paranoia was getting to him. That, or the fact that the Leagues' mistrust in him was reciprocated. "Busy night?"
"I did try to call you," Slade defended casually.
"I was on a plane back to Jump. I just left my phone off," Robin lied, moving back towards his bed and taking a seat on the side.
"I take it you're nano-free?"
"I am now. Mind telling me how the hell you know about it?" He held his breath.
"I'm afraid I'm the one that gave them to you."
Robin froze, his fist tightening. He'd assumed it was the handshake with ParadoX that infected him but, perhaps not. "Did you?"
"Not on purpose. I didn't know I had them, either. Wouldn't have slept with you if I did." Slade caught a passing drunkard in his crosshairs, following him until he wandered out of range.
"When you… oh, god, seriously?" Robin flopped back against the bed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Tell me you did not give me a technological STI."
"I'd certainly prefer not to think of it that way," Slade muttered. "But, guilty as charged."
"Right. And how did you get them?"
"I can only assume it happened when I fought the robot outside of Wayne's building." The crosshairs shifted to a group of young teens that ran through the streets, bragging loudly as they passed stolen goods between each other, mostly candy and an assortment of video games, from the looks of it. Though, the oldest boy had a nudie magazine. Ah, youth, such a rush to grow up. "I was hardly wounded, and I expected any chemical or nano-based attacks to have more immediate effects... Imagine my surprise when I learned I was heavily infected."
"Infected, but not dead. Why?"
"Not sure," Slade responded, keeping a close watch on the boys as they crowded around the boarded-up doors of the bank. "The tests I ran told me that they were deadly, no idea why our friends didn't activate them. Maybe biding their time for something else."
"You ran tests on them?" Robin asked, sitting up quickly.
"Of course," the villain scoffed, insulted that the hero would suggest he left any stone unturned. "Didn't you?"
"We tried, but they shut down as soon as they're outside a human body. We think they are active only when inside a living organism… But I suppose your cells don't quite die when removed from your body, do they?"
"Been reading, have you?" Slade responded a bit smugly, his eye set on one of the boys as he punched the other in the arm, laughing.
"I have," he hesitated briefly, "it filled in the blanks as far as The League's notes on you."
"I'm certain of it. You and I are the only ones that have seen those files. Well, the only ones still alive, anyway."
"Yes, I read that part, too. Good of you to keep the pictures in there. Robin settled back pulling the edge of the covers over himself as a chill began to set in.
"Just being thorough," Slade answered innocently, watching the boys below giggle as they flipped through the magazine. But while his eye held on the street below, his ears keyed into the sound of shifting cloth. "You're lying on a bed, aren't you?" He purred. "I can hear the covers rustling."
"Yeah," Robin answered plainly. "I just flew across the country with a kid screaming right behind me. I'm tired."
"Too bad you left Gotham," Slade hummed in a dark, teasing voice. "We could be sharing a bed right now. I'd show you what tired means. Flip you over, sink inside you, fuck like rabbits until the sun comes up." A smirk appeared on his lips when he heard the teen's breath hitch. "If you're thinking about touching yourself right now, Grayson, don't stop on my account."
"Go on…" Robin licked his lips and spoke with a light blush on his cheeks as he slowly unzipped his jeans. "Details would definitely help."
"Yes, they would," the villain purred, sending vibrations straight into the teen's groin. "Are you hard?"
"Very…" the teen answered softly, pulling his length free and stroking himself. "You?"
"Dripping," Slade replied in a low growl. It wasn't entirely true, but he could feel his tip, moistened with the pristine drops of pre-cum and swollen as the rest of his shaft, soaking into his briefs. "I want you to touch yourself for me… Slowly." His smirk deepened as he listened to the teen's breath, the subtle quivers as he obeyed each command. "Slide your index finger against the tip… good… now slowly trace it down the underside of your cock."
Robin bit his lip, moaning slightly as the tip of his finger moved down. He'd spent many hours touching himself since Slade first made his intentions known in the abandoned building. They were, as a majority, hours wasted. Only Slade could bring him to climax. He knew that now and the more logical parts of his being seemed to beg his mind to realize what a terrible mistake it was to crave the man so badly. Echoes of ParadoX's warning ran through his brain. He's planning something, Kid. Something big. The thought of trusting Slade should have paralyzed him… should have sickened him… and to some degree, it did. But despite the warnings, the gut-feelings, the blood-red flags that waved before his very eyes… the idea of pushing his trust to the edge of doom and treachery was… arousing. He tiled his head back, tongue darting out to lick his lips.
"Now cup your balls, rolling them gently in your palm." The villain's scope had returned to sweeping the area, checking for potential point of entry into the bank between glances at the teens and similar other traffic when it passed by.
Meanwhile, Robin writhed against the bed, his lips parting as his hand worked over his testicles. Slade's timing was nearly immaculate, giving a new command at just the right moment.
"Form a ring with two of your fingers and grip the base of your shaft." The small, almost silent, little groan from the hero made him smirk. "Work your hand upwards until you reach the head… again." He let the teen carry on for some time before he whispered his next command in a low and hungry growl. "Put a twist in each stroke. Harder... Good," he purred at the helpless little whimper from the hero.
The teen panted, his hand following orders almost on compulsion alone. It seemed … right… to listen to that voice, to follow it to his own satisfaction. He's planning something, kid… Robin cried out, feeling a rush of heated blood pump through his length, pulsing thicker in his hands. He let his mind reel with the memories of their previous sessions… The first time he'd been touched… the rooftop of the bank… the dizzy feeling from bloodletting… sounding… orgasm denial… nanos… bondage… breath play… The feeling of gravel digging into his back as Slade fucked him while looking into his eyes for the very first time. All thoughts of the man enthralled him… thrilled him… but nothing… nothing compared to the knowledge that he had crossed the line.
"Run your index finger from your frenulum to your head; when you reach the tip, I want you to push against the opening. Circle your finger around it… Good… now push harder…"
Robin whimpered softly, digging his finger in harder than he would have preferred because that's what Slade would have done. Yes… he'd crossed the line some time ago, walking on the edge between hero and human, letting his stride fall on whichever side it may. The thought used to disgust and terrify him… but somehow it heightened his pleasure, making him harder, wetter, than ever before. Was that Slade's plan? His eyes, bleary with fatigue, cracked open as he glanced at the clock, sending off more red flags in his brain. Did Slade want to seduce him into villainy?
That seemed a far stretch… but it was a slippery slope, wasn't it? He'd already lied to his team, withheld information, and lost perpetrators in the pursuit of maintaining his relationship with Slade. True, his relationship with Batman had been strained for some time, but it wasn't until Slade became involved that it all went to Hell… and he'd never had such a trepid relationship with The League. Was that really Slade's plan? To drive a wedge between heroics and pleasure?
"Pull down on your testicles. Hard."
Slade's voice seeped between the cracks in his thoughts as one hand pumped his length viciously while the other wrapped around his balls and pulled them down. He groaned loudly as he could feel his release flying through the tubes, the sensation nearly painful as white streaks erupted from his tip and landed on his stomach.
Slade gave a victorious little smile behind his mask. "Did you come, Robin?"
"Yeah…" the teen murmured, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Good boy," the villain hummed, rather pleased that the hero was able to reach completion without him there. It was, perhaps, a very good sign, considering. "Were your eyes closed?"
"I'm… not really sure," he answered truthfully, wondering how it could possibly matter.
"I want them open during round two. Got it?" the villain's smiled was wide, feeling his own arousal twitching inside his cup as he continued to peer through the scope on his rifle. The boys on the street below were roughhousing again, teasing each other over the magazine. A flash of red and blue lights bounced from around a corner and the boys froze, looking at each other with widened eyes. Slade almost felt for them as they gawked at one another rather stupidly.
"Mmn," the teen confirmed, lying back against the bed once again. "But there's one thing-" The wail of the siren began, echoing through the streets of Gotham. Slade watched with interest as the boys scattered. "Um… Where did you say you were?" Robin asked, his brow quirked.
"I didn't," Slade answered, his scope following the police car as it growled down the street, spotlight landing on one of the boys as he turned down an alley. The other was soon caught in another light as the car doors swung open and dogs began barking- canine unit. How lazy. "I'm just property hunting."
"Is that siren for you?" Robin asked teasingly, but somewhat hopefully. He knew Slade wouldn't allow himself to be caught by the police, but a good chase could drive him off any trail he was following.
"Can't a man relocate his evil lair without being judged?" The villain asked innocently, watching as one of the boys was snagged by his collar and dragged back to the car. The other seemed to be putting up a fight around the corner, but the largest and presumably oldest of the boys had slipped inside the bank while the others had run off. He was a clever one. By the look of the door it was sealed completely, boarded up. Only the kid had known how to get in and he was smart enough to keep that information to himself. Slade was keeping a keen eye on the door, knowing that the boy might have leapt from the frying pan into the fire. "And, no, I'm staying on the down low with this transition. I wouldn't want to stir up any vermin, after all."
"See that you don't. I never want to see another one of your fuck-pads on the League's database."
"Speaking of that, a list would be helpful to let me know which bases need to be relocated."
"No can do, Slade," Robin smirked. "That would be a violation of rule number one, wouldn't it?"
"Would it?" The man feigned ignorance with a knowing smile, watching as the two teens were herded into the back of the patrol car while the officers spoke briefly amongst themselves. His scope swung back to the door of the closed bank. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. But nice try."
"Well, then, I suppose it's back to the races. It's been fun, though."
Robin's hum of contentment was enough of a response.
"Get some sleep, Grayson."
He ended the call just as the door to the patrol car slammed shut. Apparently they hadn't seen the last boy as they were coming in. Luck of the devil, Slade glared at the door and pulled out a small device from his belt. Xenothium levels were higher than when he first arrived on the rooftop. He frowned and placed the device back in its little pouch. Luck of the devil, maybe. Or perhaps it was one hell of a wrong turn
There we have it... sorry if the smut was a little lack-luster, but I can promise that Slade and Robin will definitely have some kinky fun in a few chapters. I've been looking forward to writing the result of their friendly little wager. Heh, heh, heh...
Until next time,
-Kuro