The Value of Heroes

Chapter 29: No One Mourns the Wicked

Author's Rantings: Lots of technical jargon in this chapter mostly revolving on how the technology around certain things work. It's not spectacularly awesome. But even in a comic book/ cartoon universe I like to try explain things through logical application. I personally feel that nothing insults the readers quite like trying to pull out a bunch of plot solving acorns by saying things just magically happen without giving people a proper explanation. So I hope you'll excuse the bouts of Professor Science that are saturating this chapter. It just had to be done folks.

- The Abandoned Factory-

(11 Hours Before Doomsday)

"So what were you really doing to Slade's computer the night I followed you, Robin?" Rose had asked the youth as she was carried back to her room so many nights earlier.

The white haired girl had only half expected him to bother answering her but surprisingly Robin no longer seemed to have any restraints towards keeping secrets from her.

His explanation came all too easily.

"It's a long and boring story, kiddo." He warned her with a thin smile as he laid her out on one of the worker cots. "Sure you really want to hear it?"

Smiling rather deviously herself Rose pushed a piece of white hair behind her ear, "Are you saying I wouldn't be able to keep up?" She teased.

Glancing sideways at her Robin shook his head, "No. I know first hand what it feels like to have people talk down to you just because you're a kid. And I'm not about to return that favor."

Scooting closer to the boy by her bedside Rose patted the area beside her and motioned for him to sit.

"This story is really about a man," Robin said casually taking her lead and plopping down beside her, "A scientist named Niles Caulder. Brilliant. Eccentric. And without him nanotechnology probably wouldn't be what it is today. Niles had a personality problem though. See for all that genius he was a really bad man at heart. Helping the masses and getting a shot at the Nobel Peace Prize just wasn't enough for him. Instead he used nanotechnology to make a bomb that almost destroyed the world." Over embellishing the drama in this next part Robin inched closer, "But just before his evil plan could be unleashed on the world he was intercepted by the Justice League." Flattening his palm to mimic Superman he slammed it into his fist and made some sound effects, "The crisis averted his monstrous plan was stopped and the League made sure that he was put away for his crimes so he could never hurt the innocent again."

Pausing for a moment the fairy tail began to take a different turn, "But the heroes didn't bother keeping track of him once he was behind bars. And Caulder only wound up staying there for a year before he was spirited away to some work labor program that Lex Luthor was funding. After that he disappeared off the grid, and hasn't been heard from or seen since." Folding his arms together Robin was silent for a few seconds. The look of a hardened detective taking the place of the carefree teenager beside her.

"For a lot of people the story should have ended there." Robin explained, "Except Niles Caulder had a partner. And it's the partner that I'm interested in, Rose. Because this man's considered even more of a genius than Caulder ever was. You could probably go so far to say that he was the real brains behind Caulder's research."

As if amused by a joke only he could truly appreciate he chuckled, "He was so smart in fact Caulder went nuts with jealousy... and well, he killed the guy."

Pausing Robin glanced down at the little girl.

"Only here's the thing, Rose. Caulder's partner didn't stay dead."

Folding his hands together and resting his chin on them Robin was dead serious, "The man lost his head and most of his other body parts but he still wouldn't die. No matter what Caulder did to him his brain lived on." Leaning back on the bed he muttered, "As a twisted, hollow shell kept alive only by donning a electronic body the man stopped being human and decided to embrace it's new horrible existence as a brain. Vowing to the lash out against the world that denied him even death that person became known simply as Brain. And half a year ago he was the same criminal genius that the Titans took down when we fought against the Brotherhood of Evil."

"So that's why you went to Jump City's Evidence Locker." Rose reasoned the pieces finally starting to make some sense. "If Caulder murdered the Brain so he could take credit for his research than Brain was probably the original creator of CP9. After all if anyone knows this disease better than Slade does... it would be the man who created it."

Scowling Robin's teeth clenched, "Slade was able to manipulate me the last time because he always seems to be three steps ahead of me, no matter what I try to do to get the edge on him. But this time I know something he doesn't... and if I want to beat him I have to learn to play like him."

-Titan's Tower-

(Present Day, West Side of the Island)

Rose was far enough away from the carnage that she could no longer see Robin or Slade but she could still hear their battle cries as they tore up what little of the landscape remained. Staring at the silver syringe in her hand it was still so hard to believe that this little vial had so much power behind it.

When CP9 was first developed by Lexcorp scientists it was originally a biological weapon that controlled the cell using protein strands. When diseases use a protein strand this enables the virus to change environment easier than most other methods and makes it that much deadlier as it can virtually go from being a liquid to a airborne disease instantaneously. In CP9's case the virus makes contact with a cell's membrane, then inserts its genetic coding into the cell. The cell absorbs the viral genome into its own genetic make-up, which takes over the cell's functions as it kills and replaces mitochondrial organelles with a replica of itself.

Slade had to make a deadly super plague even worse by turning a single component system into three components by adding nanochips into the disease's substructure.

By inserting nanotechnology he became able to personally target what parts of the brain would be effected by the virus. With this technology at his hands how the user dictates the damage to the brain and other organs in the body is practically limitless.

But nanotechnology isn't perfect. While it has evolved in the recent market, almost all forms of the technology still rely on silicon coating.

Silicon has oxygen ions, giving it the electrical charge that can force it to be accelerated to high speeds. Once implanted, ions in a nanochips must be activated or given the energy they need to incorporate themselves into the crystal lattice. Activation requires heating the silicon, which often has the unfortunate consequence of causing the arsenic and boron to diffuse downward.

And that's where these little silver flasks came in, filled to the brim with ionic neutralizers.

Which was as destructive to silicon as kryptonite is to Superman.

Because ionic neutralizers are often used as a fail safe for when technology gets out of control. Inserting them will force a system to immediately short circuit the ions necessary for the silicon to activate. Shoot this into any computer and it'll render a nanochip worthless in a matter of seconds.

Meaning that if the nanochips in CP9 can't function correctly then they can't release the deadly chemicals; forcing the disease to lie dormant. So while the chemicals and the technology are still there on a cellular level the damaged nanochips can't release themselves into the brain tissue.

And that was the motive Batman and Raven had slipped upon.

Robin wasn't injecting the victims of his booster shots with the plague... he was buying the Titans time.

By supplying them with temporary immunity to the disease in case the bio-weapons were detonated.

Which if all went according to plan... they would be.

So under his instructions Rose had hammed it up the best she could for the pretty alien called Starfire; making sure to paint herself into a half crazed maniac with a deep resentment for the half brother she didn't even really know. She had even tried to make it look like she wanted to kill Joey, only to have Robin "stop" her at just the right moment.

Because the reality of the world was that in most cases fear was stronger than love. No matter how much people supposedly trust one another in the end it's easier to think the worst about each other.

Robin was already crazy.

Which made it all that much easier to make the Titans think of Robin as just another enemy.

-Titan's Tower-

(Front Entrance)

"You always need a plan, Dick."

His father had playfully pinched Robin's nose before kneeling down to scold the acrobat in training. After all he had to remind his over-zealous son that their was a price to pay for any performer trying bite off more than they could chew. Aerialists rarely got second chances to laugh in Death's face. His large hand practically encompassing the mess of black hair on his young son's head John Grayson smiled,"It's not the next bar, kiddo." Pointing out across the open tent he explained, "It's the bar after that and the one after that. And so on to the other side. Never forget to always keep looking ahead." Winking his dad finished, "Distance is just a state of mind, as long as you make sure you never lose sight of what's in front of you."

As Robin threw a hand up to block Slade's hook punch from smashing into the side of his skull he vaguely remembered his father's words.

He had lost sight of things.

But what could he do?

Most people can only look away from their future when faced with their own mistakes.

Dick Grayson couldn't allow himself to do that.

Power was all he could understand now. All he was capable of. And power is merely the faculty to act.

The only thing he knew how to do anymore was just keep moving.

Biting back a silent stifle of pain as Slade tried that same hit on the other side, Robin tried to shake off the surging ache in his hand as he caught it before it connected. Street fighters without experience could use those circular strikes to deliver one hit knock outs. In Slade's hands a little thing like a hook punch could easily leave the person on the receiving end without a pulse.

His master wasn't holding back at all this time.

And this was Slade... formerly Deathstroke the Terminator (though he had dropped that alias when moving to Jump City); a man who had on several occasions repeatedly taken on whole super-teams by himself. The assassin was practically Batman's equal as far as martial arts went, several weight classes above Robin, and he had all but grappled a gorilla (BB at the time) and won.

The Teen Wonder might as well have been fighting Bane as far as the difference in strength was concerned... and the whole situation felt about as comforting as bringing a knife to a gunfight.

But Robin had spent a life time learning how to turn the tables on people bigger than him. And close quarter combat was any man's game.

So for now he had to make sure to keep target strikes low and his movements grounded. For every attack the assassin threw at him Robin made sure to work some nasty blows of his own into the man's shins and kneecaps. A single blow in itself was nothing the villain couldn't shake off; but if Robin just kept at it sooner or later one of those tendons was going to snap.

And then he'd have his chance.

Breaking out of the scattered debris Robin delivered a well placed side swipe to the back of Slade's inner leg and found his window of attack. It should have gone off without a hitch. The boy managed the perfect gainer setup, tucking forward hard and twisting sideways into Slade's blind spot so he could push off with his legs and all but take off the assassin's head with a cradle blow.

But for all that new found freedom the loss of his emotions had brought him, something just went wrong.

He aimed just a fraction of an inch too high and Slade was all too quick to make sure the boy remembered his mistake. Catching Robin's leg at the thigh the larger man all but picked the teenager up with his enormous upper body strength before catapulting the boy's body into the ground.

The assassin quickly finished this by blindsiding Robin across the face with the barrel of his gun; to make certain his little apprentice wouldn't be getting up until they had a chance to chat.

Pain seering across his forehead as the metal connected with his skull Robin found insides churning and his vision instantly blurred as he was shoved face first back into the mix of dirt and a newly forming pool of his own blood.

"That was a rather dirty shot. You could have ruptured my trachea if you hadn't missed." Slade scolded as he ground a muddy boot tip into the boy's shoulder, "I underestimated you once before, my young apprentice. But you'll find I don't make the same mistakes twice." Shooting a blow into the boy's ribs with his other boot Slade all but purred, "However that doesn't change the fact that you're a very ungrateful boy, Robin."

Silence.

But the boy's burning blue eyes were glowing to the point that they were practically scalding the other villain. Even squashed under the pressure of the man's crushing weight Robin was defying Slade with every breath. Blood was pouring down an open gash just above the young man's right eye where Slade's gun had connected with his head, and several ugly bruises were tinting blue on his chin. But the gashes and blisters couldn't wash away the boy's smile and Robin wasn't acting much like a victim.

No matter how many times Slade slammed his foot into his gut.

"You know I'm getting rather weary of this childish need you have to rebel." Slade's muttered his suave voice dangerously close to losing it's even tone. Grabbing a hold of a dark patch of his apprentice's black hair he slammed the boy's face further into the dirt. "Sooner or later, young man you will see things my way. It's an inevitability. Even if it means I have to beat you within a inch of your miserable life." When the boy didn't answer for a second time Slade rolled the child's arm away, making sure all his motivation hadn't prematurely knocked the teenager unconscious. "Are you still listening, Robin?"

Letting out a pained laugh Robin fought to get one of his hands under himself so he could at least lift his bloody face up off the dirt. Giving his master a grin despite the dirt and blood gritted in his teeth Robin answered,"Don't worry I'm listening, Slade. And when I say I'm listening, I'm also thinking about killing you."

"Kill me will you?" Slade repeated with a thin smile, "Oh Robin, that endless ambition of yours is the one thing I truly like about you. It's a quality any teacher would be proud to have in his student."

"I've had a better teacher." Robin countered from underneath the man.

Getting shot by Two Face in his earlier years as Robin, Dick had learned that the key rule to winning a ground fight was to get back up.

Don't stay there. Because your feet are your salvation.

And dying on your back is a lousy way to go.

Since his shoulder was locked under Slade's weight however, Robin had a pretty limited range of motion. Which left the boy with few options other than to use his other arm to sweep Slade's leg out from under him even if he risked breaking it in the process.

Sliding one of the lock picks from his glove, Robin aimed for the man's ankle and proceeded to stab him in the ligaments just above Slade's Achilles tendon.

There was a lot of leather and rubber to go through to make it to any real flesh but Robin was counting on his pick's needle like sharpness to at least hit Slade hard enough to give him a temporary loss of balance.

Blood and angry profanity's shooting out of the villain the instant it connected, Robin's losing streak seemed to be over as Slade's immediately raised his foot off the young man just long enough for the boy to roll to the side and vault back on to his feet.

Though both parties now found themselves in a temporary stalemate.

Ignoring the blood oozing out of the ruptured wound just above his ankle Slade's tried to reestablish the upper hand by keeping his voice debonaire and even, "Answer one thing for me, Robin." Giving the boy a hard look he asked, "This can't possibly be because you still have lingering emotions left over for your little friends now?"

Wiping the blood and dirt out of eye with his sleeve Robin shrugged,"No. Going insane just really brought out my petty side. I finally realized the other day just how much I like winning. And I really like winning, Slade."

Through with the games Robin pulled a small device out his seemingly endless inventory of toys as if to offer his master a immediate checkmate.

Cylinder in shape it appeared to be a remote detonator. Almost identical to the one Slade himself had fashioned for the impact sensor wired to the lair's super computer.

"Looks familiar doesn't it?" Robin asked as he saw his mentor's good eye narrow into a slit. "Sorry to disappoint you, Master. But my motive for doing all this is a lot more base and lowly than out feelings for the Titans. I've learned an important lesson from you, Slade. Victory by itself just isn't enough. If you really want to win in this world then everyone else has to lose."

Sauntering forward a few steps the boy explained, "I've hijacked the I/O panel of your super computer's control system and rewired all the proximity fuse mechanisms. Which means those three missiles you have back at the warehouse are now linked up to my target-proximity sensor. Guess that means your evil doomsday device is now my evil doomsday device." Pausing for effect he added, "And it's counting down as we speak."

His master was unusually silent, leaving no opportunity for insight as to what was rolling around in the assassin's head. But it gave Robin the chance to say one last thing, "All this time Slade, you only saw the monster you wanted to see. I might be insane but I'm not like you."

Blue eyes burning in the empty black darkness the boy reasoned, "I'm much worse."

To be continued...