"How are we supposed to pass now?" Robin asked, knowing that the motion sensors weren't sensitive to noise. "The sensors will pick up any motion whether or not we're cloaked and—"

"Follow my lead," Slade said, his eye flicking from to one side of the hallway, then the other before walking forward.

Robin, a bit irritated, began to run, but Slade pulled him back into a walk. "Slade, why can't we—"

"Freeze."

Robin froze, as did Slade, and they remained like that for ten seconds before Slade relaxed and continued on. Robin swallowed, understanding. He was quite glad that he hadn't been running. But what if they were caught? What if they couldn't stop moving fast enough and —

"Robin, tell me: when should we stop moving?" Slade asked as they continued down the hall.

Robin blinked, looked from sensor to sensor, then saw one sensor swing down toward them soon after. "Stop!"

The pair froze, and Slade spoke once they were no longer in danger.

"You were half a second too early, Robin."

Robin ground his teeth. What was this, a game to Slade? Were they just walking down a hall? Was this simply training, or was it a suicide mission that was probably the hardest thing — "Stop!"

"Shouting is not necessary," Slade said.

Robin nodded, still focused on the sensors above their heads. He focused on the one to his left, knowing that it always activated before the right one —

"Freeze."

Robin hadn't been expecting the call, and he nearly lost his balance and moved when Slade ordered him to stop moving. Now standing on one leg, Robin held his breath to keep his body still, but the foot on the ground was beginning to cramp horribly.

Once Slade began moving, Robin exhaled and stretched out his foot to get rid of the cramp. They made it to the other side of the hall without being spotted by the sensors, and Robin paused for a moment before following Slade again. Before entering the next room, however, Slade used a gadget that allowed him one-way visible access into the room before entering so he knew what was next. When Robin got next to Slade and saw what was inside, he gasped. At least three hundred guards stood inside the next room, looking like bees in a beehive protecting something and not simply standing shoulder-to-shoulder to prevent anyone from passing by. Robin pulled back, already shaking his head. Couldn't they turn back? If either one of them even bumped into the practically thousands of guards stationed in the room, they would either get killed or Slade would . . .

"Forty-three seconds, was it?" Slade asked.

Robin looked at Slade, not understanding. "What?"

"Your training course," Slade said. "It took you forty-three seconds to complete."

Robin blinked, now realizing what the man was talking about. "Why are you bringing—"

"I doubt it would be possible for you to cross this room while simultaneously beating your previous time," Slade said with a small sneer.

Robin blinked again, then clenched his fists. "I can do it."

"Is that so?"
Robin frowned and nodded. "I can."
"On the contrary, Robin." Slade pulled out a small spray bottle, pressing down on the cap and releasing before turning to Robin, uncapping the bottle, and spraying a fine mist over his entire body.

"What was that for?" Robin asked.

"This device alters its own chemical substance to match whatever particles it takes in," Slade said. "It will change our scent to that of the black level's."

"You really think that the guards would be able to smell us?" Robin asked as Slade sprayed his own body with the device before pocketing it.

"Our cover will not be blown due to lack of preparation, Robin," Slade said.

Robin blinked, then blushed automatically. "I won't—"

"We will continue." Slade turned and entered the room before Robin, cloaking himself as he stepped inside.

Robin watched Slade cross the room, more determined than ever to prove to Slade that he could do this. His suit shocked him briefly, but he barely felt it as he cloaked himself as well and followed Slade. He dodged, ducked, and even leaped over several guards, inwardly keeping track of his time as he sped through the room. Suddenly, all the guards seemed to block his way forward, and Robin looked over his shoulder to see that four other guards were walking toward him, talking about something which his ears didn't hear. He was trapped.

Suddenly, Robin saw an opening. Twisting his body to the side, Robin leaped between two guards and barely made it past without touching either guard. He stood next to Slade and tried to keep his rapid breathing steady and silent, suddenly very thankful that his suit didn't have a cape.

If it didn't have Slade's insignia on the front, maybe he could learn to like it.

Was he going insane? Robin mentally beat himself, straining not to make a sound of pain as he and Slade left the room of guards behind them and walked forward. But so far, he and Slade were successful. So far, they hadn't been caught. But there was still more to do. More mistakes to make.

"It took you forty-two seconds," Slade said.

Robin swallowed and nodded, still panting and recovering from both his close call and the suit's reaction. He'd gotten through the room one second faster than his time on the training course. If he'd taken any longer, he'd probably be dead.

Next was a hallway. Robin instantly saw sound detectors on the walls, and he silently glanced over at Slade. If they even breathed too loudly, the sensors would go off and they would be killed. Robin squinted through the hallway and saw that there were moving laser sensors sweeping the room as well, and he knew that a single a single touch from any of the lasers, probably able to cut right through his protective suit anyway, would bring pain, sound, and death.

Slade de-cloaked and moved silently forward, dodging the sensors while never making a sound. Robin, able to see Slade's movements, slightly envied how easy he made it look. Things were getting more difficult in the black level, and soon they would get much worse. But would they be able to make it? What if they couldn't? What if they failed here and now and —

Motion on the other side alerted Robin to the fact that Slade had crossed successfully. The man motioned for him to follow, and Robin breathed in, un-cloaked himself, and began his crossing. The first dodge was easy, but then he remembered that being silent was more important than being successful at avoiding the lasers. He saw the sound sensor twitch ever so slightly, and a feeling of dread steeled his nerves and reminded him to be quiet.

Dodge, pause, inspect the sound sensors. Leap, inspect the sensors. Duck, do the same. Robin gave all his concentration to the task he was doing, but it was still difficult. Right at the end, five sensors swept the hallway, and it always seemed that one was blocking Robin's way to safety. Timing his leap, Robin twisted his body midair to prevent being struck by any lasers. He rolled to his feet silently and stood in front of Slade. Slade however, looked toward the entrance behind Robin and suddenly grabbed Robin by the arm, pulling him to the side of the hallway. Robin, his face against the wall, felt, rather than saw, three lasers sweeping up the center of the room. Apparently this was an extra measure of security that occurred every few minutes or so. Silently letting out a breath, Robin nodded to Slade and the two continued on.