Finally another chapter! This one is a little fast paced and a lot of action happens. I hope everyone enjoys this. It's almost time for me to start work so I got to go! Please leave reviews and let me know what you all think and how it's going! Thanks !

Chapter 36: Discovery

The damp smelling room reached the team's senses. Windows were boarded up, the floors creaked with every step and there were patches of mold and corrosion on the wood and metal. While the others showed their utmost disgust in the place, Raven and Robin kept their hardened faces and ventured further in. They checked all the rooms and found nothing to indicate anyone had even stepped foot in this place before themselves. Were they wrong? Was this a set up?

The Joker watched on monitors in a hidden room below the basement level. The titans were searching tirelessly and investigating every crevice of the house. They were beginning to head downstairs into the basement. Harley stood behind the Joker and watched as Raven and her friends searched for Slade. She was quite glad the Joker called on her to help him with this plot. On another screen, something began to make a shrill beeping noise. The Joker gave a casual look to the panel then turned back to the many feeds.

"Seems Lex is on time. You did a great job editing that video Slade made."

Harley grinned in content. Indeed, the Joker had stolen that feed of Slade capturing Raven and edited so that Slade's presence was erased from the tape. Instead, they remade the video to make it appear the Joker had captured her instead, and gave a bonus feed of Slade in his cell to fuel Lex's desire to come to the location. Once Lex found out Raven wasn't captured and had to face her unleashed, a woman who was intent on finding her lover and would go to any length to obtain him, it would prove to be quite amusing how it would end. Would Raven commit her first murder? Would Lex be able to persuade her to aid him in going after himself? Lex would figure out this was all staged by him, and would be pleading with the Titans to see the "truth" and join together to find himself and Harley. Ever since he agreed to be Lex's right hand man in this job, he had planned to play mind games with them all. Both watched as Lex entered through the back, accompanied by some of his best hired men.

The group could hear others coming in upstairs. Robin looked around frantically, seeing the basement wasn't the best place to have a fight. Starfire laid a calm hand on his shoulder and gave a smile. He smiled back, realizing that if it did get sticky, Starfire and Raven were to be counted on for widening the field. Beast Boy turned into a small spider and began to search the place hurriedly, trying to find faulty cracks that may lead to another area of the house. The other four readied themselves for any attack. The footsteps had dispersed and it was hard to keep track of them. Robin estimated about ten people. He turned to the others.

"Let's hurry up. We got to find out if the basement leads anywhere...if not, then we gotta fight our way up!"

At that moment, a green little spider popped out of the floor and scuttled over to Robin. Beast Boy turned back quickly and was jumping up and down.

"Under that rug! Joker and some girl is down there! Slade's gotta be down there and maybe Lex!"

Slade and the Joker were definitely down there, Robin knew, but he doubted Lex was. There was a sick feeling that the people raiding the house at the moment and who would be discovering them if they didn't move soon, were Lex and his people. Robin ran to the molded and putrid rug, threw it to the side and looked at what seemed to be a barren slab of concrete. Beast Boy clawed at it, and finally got his nails into the very fine lines of a concrete trap door. With the help of Raven and her powers, she lifted it without effort and they all started to climb down cold, stone steps into an inky darkness. Raven floated down and put the slab back in place and emerging them all in total darkness. There was a lot of bumping together, toes being stepped on and one slap when Beast Boy accidentally touched Starfire's behind. Raven created a blue ball of fire-like energy in her hand and it illuminated the place they were in. Everyone calmed down and above them, they could hear faint scratching, footsteps and even muffled shouts as Lex and his team were trying to figure out if there was a trap door anywhere. Deciding they didn't want to stick around in case they figured it out, they walked the length of the dark and cold corridor. Raven felt like this was one of those underground pathways under old European churches and hoped they would not find any grisly remains of unfortunate people. The barren, concrete hallway provided no doors and winded around in circles. They heard no noises behind him and took it as a good hint that Lex was still stuck back there. Just then, they heard an enormouse blast that shook the area.

"They are blowing up the basement!"

They knew it would be not too long before they started coming down and started to run forward. It felt like forever, running further and further into darkness until they ran right into a wooden door. Beast Boy flattened body slid slowly down to the floor as they gazed at the rickety wooden door and wondered where it would lead. Raven stepped forward, presenting no caution as she kicked the door open and walked in carelessly. Robin watched her and wondered why she was so adamant on finding Slade. Her focused attention and hints of anger were throwing him warnings. Robin filed in after everyone else did and they were presented with yet another problem. In front of the were five different doors. None were labeled and there were no signs or hints where they all would lead. It was an obvious intent to split them up.

"Robin...should we split up?"

"...Yeah. Let's do that."

They all chose their own pathways and Raven entered her door. The door slammed close behind her and she turned around in panic. She tried to pull the door open but it was not budging now, and refused to even open an inch. Backing away from the locked door, she turned and began to cautiously head forward. Had she picked the wrong door? The further she went, the more icier and barren it became. It was only minutes before she stood before a large door. She rubbed her upper arms and decided to morph her head into the door and see what was on the other side. She looked and saw a corridor lit with torches on the walls. Rows od wooden doors presented the possibilities. Seeing that capture of Slade, she knew he had to be in one of these doors. She morphed through the door and began to look inside frantically in search.

The concrete floor had been blown open and now damaged stone steps were revealed. Lex forced a few of his men in first and the entourage walked down and through the darkness, using the lights on their guns. The tunnel stretched on for ages it seemed. They inspected the walls in case another hidden way was camoflouged into the concrete, but alas, no hidden passage ways could be discovered.

Lex was thinking of the video Joker sent him. He had wanted to meet in this house where he had Slade detained and his most craved prize, the half-demon witch, Raven. To have them both was more than Lex could hope for. There was a wide grin on his face as they ventured further, knowing each step was closer to his goal.

"Sir, there's a door ahead!"

"Excellent. Check for traps then open the door."

The door was pressed on and thoroughly looked over before they decided to open it. The hinges creaked as it fell open and revealed the other five doors. Lex stared at the doors and smirked more. The Joker had told him the door to take, and what the others led to. He took his five best and chose the same door that Raven had taken only ten minutes ago.

"The rest of you wait here."

Fifteen doors had been checked before she found the one she wanted to find. There he was, chained to the wall like some animal, with his arms behind his back and rattling chains binding the wrists. A lazy eye turned to her and immediately a flood of energy and excitement filled it. Slade yanked on the chains but there was no use...the muffled screams he was making couldn't be distinguished. Raven approached him cautiously, and wondered why he couldn't speak.

"Slade? What's wrong?"

The man narrowed his eye at her and thrashed, kicking at her. Raven took a step back astounded at his actions. What he was trying to say became clear in a single moment. Soon she felt painful torrent of electricity ravage her nerves. For her light weight and lack of muscles, these tormentous volts wreaked havoc. Raven fell to the ground and gave out a loud, shrill scream of horrible pain. Once the the pains stopped, she stumbled and fell to the dirt ground. Her eyes lifted lazily to a red and black clad woman standing over her and cackling. She was holding a shape similiar to a gun. She was tricked...this woman had taped Slade's mouth and he was the bait. All along she knew it was a trap, but was hoping she would be able to perceive it.

The scream had echoed off the walls in every solid corridor. Lex and his team had stopped, knowing the scream came from down the hallway they were in. It was chilling and caused the hairs on Lex's neck to stand.

In the other hallways, the titans had heard the cry and were now running in the opposite direction. Robin frantically tried to call on the communicator to Raven but there was no answer. More calls were made to Starfire, Beast Boy and Cyborg, demanding they change their path and go on the path Raven took. They all ran along their paths, panting for breath and pumped with fear and anger. They knew Raven was hurt, and deep down, they did know this was a bad idea. How come Raven was so determined they save Slade anyway? After all the notorious things he done to them and in the world, he didn't deserve rescue. He deserved what he was getting from the Joker.

Heavy eyelids finally were strong enough to stay open and peer at the surroundings. The room was dark, and there was no possibility of seeing past the rim of light encompassing her. When Raven tried to stand from the seat, she found that ropes had bound her wrists and ankles to the chair. Heavier ropes snugly hugged around her stomach and kept her fastened down. The nerves and muscles were very sore from the cruel volts of electricity that had flowed through her earlier. There was now an unsettling fear that just beyond that darkness were the guilty offenders. Narrowed, violet eyes angrily searched the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was standing there. Let me off this leash, Raven. I will deal with these offenders! Let me taste their blood...let me have at them! Now! NOW! I want to feel their SUFFERING! The building and escalating power of Rage was becoming harder to control as Raven consantly thought of the state Slade was in, her friends being in danger and some woman getting the best of her by using her own lover as a trap. It boiled her blood and clouded her judgment as all she wished for was to punish those responsible. Raven, listen! Let Rage have her fun. I'll make sure she remembers not to attack the innocent parties. They need punished. Look at the state they put Slade in! They had severly hurt him...stand up for him and protect him as he has done for you!

Love's reasoning seemed plausible but making sure Rage didn't get out of hand wasn't easy to promise. Once the feeling of destroying something, ending it's beautiful life or existence, got into her nerves, she didn't like stopping. Love couldn't promise that Rage could be so easily controlled. This is foolish, Raven. After everything that man has done to you, you should be happy he is being beaten and finally meeting his long deserved karma! The things he done to Robin, to Terra! And to you on your birthday...he can't even call himself a man after taking advantage of a young girl like yourself! Isn't this justifiable for a brute criminal like him? Slade had done her so much wrong. Looking back to that day, remembering his hands ripping into her clothes and tearing them off...holding her close and forcing her to face her destiny, was the most humiliating memory. While then she hated him and loathed him for doing that, now she couldn't help but wished he had done something back then. Touched her, kissed her, forced himself on her...my god, what kind of woman am I for wanting that?! Why do I want him to have power over me...The shy one in the grey cloak meekly spoke up for Raven, and told her why. Because...y-you've wanted someone...who w-was...stronger than you. Who could m-m...maybe be your equal...or more...who was...well...strong enough to deserve you. A feeble smile spread across Raven's lips as thought about that comment. Maybe she was a sucker for men who could be more powerful. She had bent to her father's will and prophecy only because she had thought he was stronger than herself. As it turned out, he wasn't and she had defeated him with the aid of her friends. And Slade...

"Where are my friends! Where's Slade?! I want to see them NOW! SHOW ME THEM!"

A delighted, wicked cackle broke the air behind her. Raven sat rigid in her seat and tried to look behind herself. That woman clad in a clown-like costume approached her and laid black gloved hands on her shoulders. Little bells jingled from the hanging jester hat.

"You wanna see? I'll show ya! They're...right...here!"

The darkness before her immediately was flooded by the brilliant light of a large screen. Individual screens showed the state of her friends and Slade. Currently her friends were split up and locked in rooms, doing everything they could to break the doors. To no avail did any of their powers or strength budge the steel cored doors. Slade was in the worst state. He sat on the floor with his hands and arms chained behind his back, his clothes half burnt possibly from the same "shock treatment" she received. Shadowy figures were surrounding him and proceeding to beat him with the butt of their guns and stomping on him. The electric hot feeling of fury swelled inside her to see him treated in such a way. Cowards, for beating a man while he was down.

"Harley, that's enough teasing the poor girl."

The looming figure of the Joker stepped from the shadows in the corner with his hands behind his back. Weary from the first attack, Raven's eyes stayed on the arms in case he was hiding a weapon. Harley still stood behind her and something shocked Raven. She felt nimble fingers loosening the ropes that were binding her. Why was this girl setting her free? Raven kept eyes on Joker though and pretended not to notice this. Whether or not Harley was disobeying him was not clear and she didn't want to mess this chance up.

"I have someone who's gone to great lengths to finally meet you. I'm sure you have been wanting to meet him at some point too...considering this past two weeks or so..."

A bald man stepped forward from another area and his hungry eyes feasted upon her. Tied up and weak, vulnerable and unable to defend herself. Amethyst eyes were burning with anger as she set sights on this despicable man. She didn't need to hear his name to know who it was. There was a superior smirk on his face as he gazed at her.

"Finally. I have obtained the rarest bird of them all."

"I will not be owned by anyone, Lex."