"You still haven't told me what we're going to steal," Robin said, glancing around.

Slade turned to Robin, his eye narrowing. "Your act is done, Robin."

Robin blinked, then grinned again. "I don't—"

The punch took Robin's breath away, and he fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Robin panted for a few moments, then knew that his act was over. Slade knew; it was useless to continue any further. Exhaling harshly, Robin looked up at Slade and glared at the man.

"Good," Slade said.

"Y-you still haven't told me why we're here," Robin groaned, rubbing his abdomen.

Slade chuckled. "Come now, Robin. Do you truly think you're here to steal?"

Robin blinked, now unsure of what he previously thought was fact. If they weren't here to steal anything, why were they standing on a rooftop in the middle of the night? Robin glanced at the sky, shrugging. "Meteor shower?"

"Incorrect."

Robin's eyes wandered to the laser gun in Slade's hand. "You want to check the sights on your weapon. Big deal."

Slade turned to him. "Tell me then, Robin. What would happen if I fired this weapon at you?"

"It'd bounce off my uniform," Robin said.

"And if you were wearing different attire?"

"From this range, it'd burn a hole right through me," Robin said, grimacing. "Why is that even a question?"

"Therein lies your answer."

Robin frowned, going over their recent conversation half a dozen times in his head. He still didn't . . . what was Slade talking about?

"You do not seem to understand, Robin," here Slade looked at Robin, and his eye glowed, "what I do best."

Suddenly all the pieces crashed into place. Robin staggered backward with a gasp, shaking his head. "S-Slade, you wouldn't—"

"Yes, Robin. I would."

"N-no," Robin said, his voice rising. "Slade, don't—"

Abruptly, Slade attacked him. Robin hardly had time to scream before Slade pinned him to the ground, their faces inches apart. "What would you do, Robin? Attack me? Stop me?"

"Y-you can't," Robin whispered. "Let me go. I don't . . . you can't keep me here."
"It was your choice to come, Robin," Slade said, "and it is a mistake that will cost you dearly."

Robin gasped, looking from the weapon to Slade. "N-no," he muttered, trying to break free. "I — don't—"

"On the contrary, Robin," Slade hissed, leaning even closer. "I can make you do anything."

Robin tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. Why had he tried to deceive Slade and trick the man into letting down his guard? Did he actually think it would work? Was he that foolish to think that he could better a man who'd mastered the art ten lifetimes over?

Robin thought he saw Slade smile, and the man looked almost predatorial as he released Robin, stood up, and picked his weapon off the ground, looking down at the city below.

"It seems you face a dilemma," Slade said.

Robin pulled himself into a sitting position, shaking his head. "Slade, please," he whispered. "Let me leave. Let me go." Robin lowered his head, not even caring that he was practically groveling. He didn't want to be here. He wanted — needed to leave. He couldn't do this; he couldn't stay here.

Slade reached down and picked Robin up by the scruff of his uniform. Robin blinked once, then looked directly at Slade, opening his mouth twice before his voice finally found him. "Please," he muttered. "Please let me go."

Slade's eye narrowed, and he threw Robin down, turning away from him. "I will finish my work alone. Leave."

Robin looked up at Slade and grinned, his smile genuine this time. "Thank you," he breathed. He was about to leave when Slade tossed something over his shoulder. Robin caught it, then inspected what was in his hand and saw that it was a small, white pill. He looked over at Slade.

"Take that as you begin your descent."

Robin paused, looking at the pill. "What does it do?"

Slade said nothing, but he lifted the weapon in his hand higher. "Leave."

Robin, now feeling sick, swallowed the pill instantly, went to the side of the building and pulled out two of Slade's weapons, and began his descent. He knew that he would never again

try what he'd just attempted. It was so foolish and stupid. He'd nearly had to stay and . . .

Robin pushed the thought from his mind as he hit the ground, glad he was far away from the

roof where Slade stood. He turned away from the building and was about to return to Slade's lair when a strange feeling came over him. He ignored it and began walking, but the feeling suddenly grew, causing Robin to gasp, stumble, and fall to his knees.

What was wrong with him? What was wrong with his body? Why was he feeling this way? Slade was only a few hundred feet away from him, preparing . . . and here he was, on his hands and knees, consumed by emotions that made no sense. What was he doing? Why . . . slowly, a vague thought formed in Robin's head. Were these emotions caused by the pill that Slade had given him? It made sense; it'd come on suddenly and with no warning or lead-in. But still, why would Slade present him with such an object? It was odd to say the least, and, considering the situation, disgusting to say the most. He shouldn't be feeling this way.

Biting back a groan, Robin tried hard to fight it, but the feeling was spreading over his entire body. Coughing once and briefly wondering if Slade had completed his task some hundred feet above him, the pill's effects took advantage of his lapse in concentration and suddenly consumed him. Instantly, something inside him changed. Robin, his eyes dilating, tipped his head back, his entire body tingling as he felt intense warmth spreading throughout his being. Closing his eyes, Robin relaxed as he stretched out on the ground.

He thought he heard something in the distance, but whatever it was, it mattered little. The only thing that mattered was his own breathing. All he wanted to do was remain, feeling this way for the rest of time. It'd been so long — years, even — since he'd even felt half . . .

Then, abruptly, the feeling vanished. Robin clawed at what he'd felt, desperate for it to stay, but it was too late. It was gone. The instant Robin returned to normal, he sat up, gasping as he realized what he'd done and feeling horrified with himself. What was wrong with him? Even with such a substance inside him, how could he feel such things when some hundred feet above him, stood Slade? How could he?

"It seems you are enjoying yourself."

Robin glanced over his shoulder, gritting his teeth when he saw Slade standing behind him.

Desperate to get away, Robin tried to push himself to his feet and was stunned when his arms and legs merely gave way beneath him and he crashed to the ground. "W-what'd you do t-to me?" he asked, surprised that his speech seemed uneven.

"Such an adrenaline rush as yours will take many hours to recover from," Slade said, walking toward Robin.

"Why?" Robin asked, trying again to get up and failing.

Slade merely chuckled, then reached down and grabbed Robin by the collar of his uniform, dragging him like a cat would her newborn.

"Perhaps one day your feelings of such emotions will be genuine," Slade whispered in Robin's ear, "when you do my job."

Robin glared up at Slade, but a sudden wave of tiredness forced him to ignore a comeback. He barely had time to realize that Slade was carrying a set of blueprints in his other hand before he passed out.