Teen Titans: The Fighting Life – Epilogue Story; Chapter 9: Landing Point
/
~ Tonight; We have breaking news on the case of Lex Luthor and the Star City Mayoral cabinet – the names are out, but the possible mastermind has been let loose on the charge of coercion and pleading mentally –
/
"Wow." Giving his tofu dog a munch, Beastboy lazily gawked at the screen; a cheering was replaced by shouting and booing from dozens of reporters and city officials as well as a dozen protestor groups on the inside – a tall man with a suave glance, and no hair….
A, true nut – ball.
"He got away, again?" Cy leaned over to grunt. "That guy is toast if Superman hasn't switched on his –
"We do not speak of those mean villains now, please – not while eating!" Starfire called to the boys as they let go their debate talk.
"It's just the news, Star." Cy looked back to find that Starfire's pudding of sadness…. looked soggier than usual.
Less than a few weeks ago, the Tameranean princess had left her heart to flutter off to some other desolate void on the outskirts of the milky- way galaxy. She was torn, hurt and afraid to put her eyes towards the screen that depicted a crime most unexpected. The one think that had bothered her, was the face of a mask of one man who'd participated in the political "rioting" of Star City's town hall.
"A, Mr. Death stroke?" Star frowned. His mask was…. off, as if she'd seen it somewhere else before.
"We don't want Beastboy choking, again." Raven lightened the mood with a raw form of her humor, to help the team. Since Robin's…. abduction, they'd come up empty handed. No sight, sound, or scent from either Titan.
As if their leader had…
Vanished.
No.
That was a way to keep things, for someone else to have them as far away from the trouble a certain criminal was planning, but Raven knew better.
She'd not told Starfire yet; Cyborg was the only one who could handle the team's rants and secrets with one another. Starfire was…Still, not ready to hear of her discovery.
She was afraid of stressing out the Tameranean girl anymore than she already had been doing.
Her heart wasn't like her strength in arm and limb. She could snap and lose focus, so they had to wait.
Beastboy was a bit younger, so his ability to keep a secret was more Raven's worry. He was kept out of the circle, for now anyway.
"We do not think to contact Robin's former mentor in The Gotham City. We have not contacted my former guides when you first had me…. become a citizen on Earth as a resident of Jump…. We do not –
"We do not know how far, or what it'll take…" Sighed the eldest Titan male in the room. "We sent a message out to Aqualad and Speedy, Rob's old rival from his kid days with the Batman. But I don't think we can do this alone. Rae? You are our second in command now while I'm taking up Robin's seat; can you think of a better way outta this? –
"It may be time.…I'm sorry…" She stood up, but wobbled, as if something had caught her arm as was dragging her forcefully towards the door.
Cy and B were there, but Starfire was starting to become suspicious. Raven was unable to leave. The rest, was up to she and Cyborg to command of the remaining Titans.
"Raven…. did you, have you too discovered something of crucial importance about our missing leader?...You are running away from our meeting in the "room of interrogating." You a constantly looking to the air when…Robin will not re – appear, and yet you seem to hide more and more by running from me! From your fri-
"It's time, Rae." Cy nodded to his second chief of the Titans and then to Starfire and Beastboy. With a sigh, Raven had no choice but to let the words slip out slowly.
"I…was able to contact Robin. He's still here, but not like you think…"
"What?!"
Starfire's pudding of sadness sprayed everywhere as her power grew to be too much to contain in her joys, frustrations, with all she had to lose.
Raven, had been prolonging the inevitable rescue and return of their mis – place leader…All this time?
"I have nooo idea what's going on! Cy? Is this, like a bad joke? Cause it's not April Fools' Day or even that –
"No, Bb. We aren't playin. Rob was "Sensed" by Raven's powers and he's still alive. But she can't find out where of… Just…that he's not bein' controlled."
"Manipulated, by that mad - man…. Perhaps…" Starfire bit her lip and rubbed her arms nervously.
"Robin…. We must find a way…. I promised…."
"Starfire." Raven tugged the princess from her morbid thoughts.
"We can still locate him, but it will take some time –
"We cannot wait much longer! Dear friends…. We have let a month slip by without care –
"And we still care, but it's not goanna be that easy."
"Slade is worse than Gotham's baddest, according to Robin's POV." Groaned B as he tried to think of a way to keep his bi mouth shut. Raven and Star, looked more upset than he and Cy were. They were not heroes as kids, that's why. Raven had a past shadowed in mystery. Starfire had a past too, but her story was still with a bunch of holes in it.
"Then, what can we do? What must we do to end this tyrant's hold over…"? She felt a slight twinge and feverish, as soon as Star had uttered those words. The team saw this and Cyborg ran to the Monitor where the probes were being diligently monitored. They'd still remembered the man's threat. On their city. Their lives. Their leader.
Their last hope.
"Get her to the Med Bay. We can talk about this later…Star. You're goanna be ok…" Cy gritted his fists and was shaking full of regret, though not over Slade's underhanded tricks, but of Robin's earlier deception which had lead to this all coming loose at the seams.
"Robin. I hope you stay alright, because if you lose to this damn psychopath, we all go down. Make it count." With that, the monitor was left a blank slate. Their teammate needed medical attention. If Slade had made well on his promise, then Star wasn't the only one in danger of having her mind blown to pieces in a split instant.
/
~ The mechanical shin bone is connected to the –
"Having fun?"
Robin's masked eyes looked up from his work; or rather, his promise to Slade that his bots would not end up back on the ocean floor.
"Yes. Master Slade? There is a piece I can't find here in this –
"Hmm, we may have to investigate that soon. But… For now, you've been at this for hours. I think you deserve to take your mind off of things. Lunch?"
"No, I'll just have you test me on the working parts. It's only been a normal amount of time that's –
Slade slammed a hand down on the table beside Robin. Too soon; he jumped from his seat. Bolts and wiring barely kept together with a clatter to the ground.
Robin gulped.
~ Shit. ~
"That was not a question. Not necessarily." Slade drolly replied. "You're to meet me for a short break, then we'll chat. I want to know if you've studied the homework that I've assigned to you to a T. Is that clear, Apprentice?"
His masked eyes were not only attuned to Robin's every fidget by now, but his breath was warmer, over the angst filled the boy's shoulder than when he'd been willing to shove those threats down into his subconscious.
~Be patient. He doesn't want you to do what you want, it's his rules or the brig. Deal with it. Play his game right... ~
"I'm, sorry…. Master." Robin bobbed his head to show his own "act" of seeming apologetic. "I did... not notice the time." He nervously chuckled, pretending to be bashful. "I'll put away these supplies like you wanted…"
~Too good at this, damn! I hate it! ~
"It's your health, but yes. If you'd be willing to take the time to clean up…. this mess can be put behind up, for now."
Slade turned and retracted from behind the boy's chair to head for the exit. Hands interlaced behind his back; he wasn't going to take for strike two this late in the afternoon.
"See that everything is how you first left it before starting your assignments here, you may return later. Twenty-five minutes should be plenty of time to clear this workplace back to its original appearance. See you in a few, up top." His boots solidly counted the seconds as the man's metal to steel had Robin's body twitch.
He left Robin to shudder off the closed grip around his throat; still thinking that he'd just barely avoided another attack. The suffocating tension that existed between them…
~No. No panic attacks, we clean up like a good little…Apprentice, and move on. Star and the others are counting on me…I can't lose to a stupid, few chore jobs from just some… ~
"Shit…" Robin put a hand to his brow and sighed out loud. "I'm still not…"
Silent was this vessel; it made him loath the fact that he'd been so gung-ho about making Slade think he'd meant every word. His hands tried to shake, but Robin's promise was spot on. He could not fail. Not again, even on his own life…
"One wrong step, one move, and I'm done. Permanently. I'll…Start with the bolts…Where did they -
He looked under his seat and saw a button attached to the base of the table. Robin smiled; it was just like Cy's work place. Decent timing on that find.
"Way up?"
~Here I come. ~
The table top retracted at the press of that shiny indentation in its finish. The task would go swiftly on schedule, as the mad man awaited his arrive up top.
Robin found the bolts which took an estimated "less than five and a half minutes" to procure. Then, came the fun part.
His tools involved smaller implements. For taking bots apart, piece by piece.
Eight minutes. He'd worked for four hours with only water from the cooler and a non dairy yogurt with nuts to keep him satiated from the mini fridge on the floor.
Slade didn't want to eat, he wanted to talk. Robin could tell that the man had something to hide.
At this new range, thirteen minutes stood on the clock. Less than seven minutes. He had to move past two floors, four minutes each. He could make it…in six if he went sooner.
Robin took one quick look around, then leapt into action. Getting this excite from cleaning. He needed a vacation once they had beat Slade's can back into prison.
He was quick, but the one thing he'd not counted on?
Avoiding the drone – dome bots that were STILL getting over Zombie – Fever on the same floor.
Robin swerved by the slower ones, his watch telling him only a basic time. He'd have to go faster…. He had to –
"HERE!" Robin breathed and let his body flop with a useless grunt to the metal plated floors of the top - most log of the ship. The doorway had been his last barrier to hurdle over. Slade sat in his seat with a cup of…tea. Robin was panting, as the man sat in his cozy digs without batting an eye
Jerk. As if knowingly placing his bet on the kid's "accurate" response…
With a threat dangled over him like a carrot…He was nobody's mule.
And his mask was on.
So was Slade's. He'd expected nothing less, he'd missed his chance.
Wow, what a time to lose out on a priceless opportunity, indeed…
"Good of you to join. Please, you've done well this week. Sit, over there if you'd be so kind."
Robin felt like the guest to a castle, not at all bare with high tech weapons from mast to stern. He went to where a swivel seat was placed directly across from the man. Where the poor bots had treated…. Oh!
~ Quiet, brain! Don't blow our cover. ~
"I'm very relieved to know that your progress has reached above normal levels. The serum is more than I could have hoped. So far, you might even be on that mission a week earlier than first discussed. Which, is why I've summoned you to this spot…today…?"
Slade leaned forwards in his chair and with his arms to his knees, fingers interlaced to show how serious this was to his plans. Robin sat with his body as upright as a column. Unbent. Astute as he had to be to make his own plans a reality.
"Your next assignment is to go over the next few plans I have in mind. That will be, once we've reached Steel City."
Robin's masked eyes connected with the man's words.
"We are closer to New York, but you'd never know it. This is not a hard way to get around, though it can't last." Slade softly shook his head; as if thinking out loud. Under his contract, Robin's mind was as good as useless on its own.
"We've…. It would have taken…. I'm sorry, Master? The course you had wasn't…In the Pacific?"
"Took a slight detour – but make no mistake." Slade sat up on that last comment. "Your training will still be one of my top priorities. This is only a single stop until we return safely to the home base. I'm counting on your good behavior…Outside these walls, from hereon out. Are we certain to keep up appearances? Even if, that might be a bit forced for you, poster boy?"
"How…. Did you know…Wait! No, Master…I –
Robin's energies plummeted. His eyes had bags over his future bags to come.
~ He knew, he knew I was faking this whole time…no. ~
"As irrational as it would be to explain all of my suspicions right away, we are falling behind schedule." Slade sighed and turned back to raise his cup up, speculatively. His mask was still there. The only wall between them; besides the heavily guarded vessel and bots guarding said vessel, Robin still had made a proper oath. Even while faking his obedience…for all it was worth to Slade, that had not been false.
"You are trying to stay alive. That's all I need to know." Slade pointed to a straight point that acted as a compass; besides the one that the boat was already equipped with. In front, past the glass, Robin saw an inlet that seemed to be closer to a small isle by the looks of it as they were brought in closer.
"Our checkpoint. Stay in this compartment." Slade got up from his seat, slipped past the ex – hero and went to the exit. He was in a mood that had come on suddenly. Robin stayed, but he knew that getting off this bunker was out of the question. So? He'd do some digging in on their real coordinates.
As soon as Slade was no longer within earshot, he took the plunge.
~Where. ~ Robin looked at the set up of his "Master's" Ship's G.P.S. His eyes could not look away once a single symbol shown back. A bold white outline with a letter G where he'd least expected…
"Gotham? Wh –
"Robin?"
Robin saw as the doorknob turned, and as soon as Slade had said that, the boy bolted into his other chair in under five seconds flat.
"Yes, Master?"
Slade opened the door with a tug, and poked his masked face inside.
"I'll need to have you greet someone. Come." He let the door open a bit more. Robin raised a brow, then lowered it before quickly collecting himself to head to where Slade had beckoned.
Down below, on the craft where Robin had experienced his first many, numerous beatings from day one, was a woman. A very fit and average in height person with her skin as caramel as they came. Yet she looked to be ex – military.
"Huh…"
"Please don't gawk. It's unbecoming. Dawn Winters. Ex – Naval Master – At - Arms- an operative. Currently, gone rogue. And…the person who's handed over this pretty craft at her own leisure to us. She's here to look into some of the technical errors we've had as of late…" Slade leaned over Robin's shoulder to egg this on as the boy watched the cold-hearted mistress; here irritated green eyes and straight black hair in a high pony tail, camo outfit and combat boots looking his way. She looked to be East Asian or South Asian from some of her features, though he thought it impolite to worry about ethnicities when he had more to cry over.
~ Like the fact I'm gong to lose everything if he discovers what I just did... ~
"Huh, you got a "cabin boy, Colonel?" Well, get on board. This ship is state of the art, so I won't have you starting more fires for me to clean up. I was told you caused my old friend here –
"About that." Slade passed by Robin as his apprentice watched the man; talking to the rough talking woman as if the mask couldn't have bothered her. The face he suspected, was hard to forget.
"Slade. The goddamn reason you are out here is to test the ship's engine. He thinks you are just going mad. I think you're just bored from being kept out of the League's favor." Dawn replied, with a snarky smirk in Slade's direction. She was not so humble, Robin found by how she boasted as much as he did…Sometimes.
"I'm a top gun engineer for your ship. Or was. Can't keep my hands off of her…An'? Off the clock, mind you. But the big boss back home wants to know how long you're going to need his vessel with your cross - country touring action. We've had the fee taken care of, but…" Dawn glanced at Robin as if she were pissed at someone else's choices in life.
"But you just "took off" and the new base is far from where it needs to be."
"About that…"
"No." Dawn shook her head. "No need to explain. You have an assassin - in - training to teach and a new "lair" to set up. I get that. We've been toe – to - toe - before. And, my Mackie can always use your alias to keep the feds off our backs. Just know, this is a bit of charity on my part. Heh, you paid up front? No deal otherwise, so catch my drift?" She made a sign with her hands by rubbing to fingers together for Slade to add carefully, a signaled "twitch" in his arms. Robin was impressed. This woman was shrewd.
Very.
Robin almost gawked at the woman, but refrained. She was worse than Blackfire…There was no way Slade would -
"And the interest. We've not lost yet. You can mark me a dead man for all I care." The man crossed his arms to reply.
"Hah! Does your little soldier –
Slade looked at Robin and if anything, he could have been smiling like a fiend beneath his usual façade. Robin stood coyly by, getting a whiff of this test of some "outlaw living."
His one eye was very serious. That stare had poor Dawn letting her earlier actions just "dawn" on her that he'd not take to being pushed around. Even if it was by someone of a different gender. Slade wasn't sexist. He was a strategist.
"Urn…Ok…Are you two –
"My protégé isn't well informed yet. He's not aware, no. To answer your question…. So, Is that a problem for you, Winters?" Slade was busy with his intimidation tactics. Only he made it all seem…
So, awkward for her, like him!
~ Gross, she thought we were…. Ugh! ~
"A…. Suuu….re…. We, can extend it to next week..." Dawn bit her cheek and digested the new info, carefully.
His eyes were narrowed, which had the woman flinch with a bead of sweat by her brow when Slade had pulled out an "If" bomb on her.
~ Such as; IF you question my authority again, I'll be forced to…. Shit…Was he going to do that? That's…~
~ Criminal; assassin, crime lord…Riight. ~
"Or… Or, just…. Just let me work, OK?"
She walked off with a huff to where the main engine had to be. Slade then, did something – or rather, suggested something of Robin that had is ears turn beat red.
"Apprentice, go monitor her for me, if you'd please. Now." Robin nodded, and with a flustered appearance and crooked stance, he nearly fumbled while walking around his master from behind to head for the lower decks.
"Hmm, we may have to relocate Robin's room to the middle floor." The man shook his head and noticed though how nervous his student had been. What a shocker. And here, he'd only had robots to socialize with….
Useless thoughts. As long as he was kept in the dark a little while longer, Slade could breathe easier.
/
Robin padded on to just make it to where the loudest purr could be heard on the ship.
She was with her tools from the same room the bots had been worked…
~ Great. Like cleaning up did me any good…. ~ He sighed.
Robin just hoped that she wasn't a class – a - liar like her old friend. Seeing as how Slade seemed too old to be palling around with women in their –
"You? Is he for real?" She swung round and left Robin's side wide open, but wasn't there to fight. The tool box in her grip, she didn't seem to mind bearing on the extra weight. She had her eyes narrowed, as if expecting the kid to be nothing but a novice.
"For fuck's sake, come on…. Urgh*…. That Grandpa of yours can't be less like you. He questions things to the point that your head could explode."
"Yeah. That's….my –
~Don't play dumb, she's ex – military. She'll sniff out your act like he did! ~
"Cut it, kid. I know you. I saw your picture on the news. There is a guy out there looking for a boy who matched your description. But. I promised ole' Sladey …. Wait… You don't know?" She turned to him and stopped walking.
Robin shook his head, completely frozen up.
"Who…?" He tried to word without showing her his anxieties come to light.
"Some bozo in Gotham. Wayne? The big tech guy? You are –
"No. You...Sorry, but…You have the wrong person…M -
"I'm sure I don't." She tipped her head back to see the kid squirm and kept walking. Eyes in the back of her head. "Definitely. Slade is pulling something. Something I'm working around to not stay long and be a part of your… "welcoming committee." She snorted back, rather miffed by having to converse with someone who needed a better cover to make it to the next base alive.
"You, are a mercenary, like -
"Trained in combat, but no." Dawn rolled her eyes until the door to the room they wanted was right in her way.
"I'm a returning ex – military pro. Like your buddy. Truth is though, I'm not like you. Or him… Or, am I?"
"Huh?"
"What age did you think I was, kid? Oh, and nice mask by the way." She smirked at the teen, who'd almost lost touch with his senses a second out of shock.
~Robin was…crap… ~
Getting caught was not a good feeling. She was like Red – X had been. Not caring about anyone. His, creation had been just as vile.
He tried to push off the insecurities he harbored, just for now.
"Are you from his –
"I'm a double – sided defender of what I want." The door opened and Dawn walked in with Robin dragging his feet behind her.
"Is this a joke? The space here is inadequate! Here. Help me put this damn place to good use. I have the tools to keep your boat afloat." She ordered the teen to help her; every ratchet and easy device to her, was a new lesson in ship maintenance for our mis – placed hero to ponder.
The woman snickered under her breath and intended to at least have Robin realize IT sooner. The got to work right away.
She was just a passerby after this. Nothing more.
"He wanted you to look at it, cause' without his help, you can't do squat here to my Mackie's stunning piece of…. CRAP!" She withdrew her hand and her finger was instantly up to her lips. He tools clattered as Robin bent to scoop them all up in one go.
"Ach…. I can't concentrate. Move, you're in my light." Robin did this, and to his surprise, Dawn worked better on her own than with a partner in less than 30 minutes.
"Less than twenty-five…. "Robin groaned from his corner.
With a grunt from Dawn, Robin looked up from his afterthought.
"There. She'll get you to where you need to be –
The woman wiped a bit of sweat from her brow.
"Gotham."
"Heh?" Dawn looked up; her face as sweaty as her slightly frizzed - up scalp.
Robin tried again. He had to know more.
"Tell me…What is going on, in Gotham city?"
"Nope." Dawn stuck up her nose and ignored the boy.
"What? We are going to New York, he told me that already. I…. I just wanted to know if –
"Nope, I'm not talking about jack to you. Sorry. Got bills to pay and this man is my ticket to somewhere ELSE!"" She made one last turn of the mechanism and then, it was done.
"Listen to that! Whoo! You can have your teacher thank me later, up front –
"But!"
"Listen kid, Slade…He's now a great guy. But from what I know? He just another damn animal. You'd better not start a fire." She meant it as her feet left the area to move towards the exit with the collected tools in their proper compartment. "You were warned, kid."
She shrugged and Robin, for once was glad to give up. Just once as they returned to go above deck to meet his maker without feeling like a target was pointed right at his heart.
~It's not hopeless. But…Why did she ask me if I knew her age or not? ~
"You can only move ahead." Dawn was by the stairs; the tools returned without a complaint from the man later, Robin hoped.
"He's not a real warlord. You can only give him that much credit…But, word on the streets of Gotham?"
"You…you'd –
Robin's eyes lit up from behind the mask. Yes! He was desperate, here! What was happening? Did he really have a rescue team on its way?
"The bat was not only bent on putting a hurting on the one responsible for "k - napping" his partner. He knew all along. Why else would they be keeping their distance?"
"Then, what are you trying to say." Robin's eyes drooped.
~ She's teasing… L- like Cat Woman! She's got to have more dirt on this…No way. I'm getting an answer -
"Birds like that." The woman started off as he ears soon picked vibrations from the floor above them. She clicked her tongue and motioned for the steps. Her time was up here. She could end up swimming with the fishes if another word got out.
"Be good, cause I'm not goanna pray you don't drown under his watch. Bye! ~" Her smile was mischievous as Dawn left him there to mull over those words.
"I'm a bird she said… trapped in a cage with a man – eating tiger…" Robin exhaled and unclenched his enraged fists, finally ready to head up soon after. Watching his steps, he recalled his head colliding with the thick bases of metal. ~My life…It's as a tool. Like those probes…I can't let him win. ~ Clank* Clank* went the teen's boots as he ascended up the stairway. Shock, had him holding onto the rails. His mind abuzz and out of focus.
~ Boots….as heavy to lift as his authority over our lives…Raven…. Where are you!? ~
/
"Fainting, you found him passed out?"
"No."
Dawn looked at the kid as the two mercenaries sat up top and took in the view. Robin was on the other chair while Dawn shared the desk for her well – formed bottom to compliment. A cup of coffee was all she'd been handed. Slade drank, but drunk Slade? He was never around, not when she stopped by.
"I got to him, but he was already close to faint…You sure he's not getting the "treatment" you gave those other men?"
"We are still, on some terms. He chose not to eat, so I fixed that. The boy isn't very attuned to his hunger, he's –
"The Bat's kid. I'm aware."
"Easy for a stealth – assassin with a photographic memory to picture, maybe." Slade shrugged and got up to see to his apprentice's sorry state.
"I'd ask why, but it would be money to burn. So? How? Was it your freelance job as Jump's unofficial –
"The criminal underworld is not willing to stay quiet about this." Slade grunted.
"Did not send word, I swear. Told the kid to just treat you right, I kept my word as usual. Why the hell would I want to be between the Bat Clan's feudal attacks, yah know?" She took a swig of her runny coffee. Moscow had better beans to supply than this pioneer's load. Ugh.
"You profit like I do. Selling information to the highest bidder."
"So, I'm for sale? I'm a bad – ass body guard. Make no mistake." Dawn's eyes batted as she twisted the subject a little.
"Our platoon had a chance, but the military rushed in with wanting Super – Psycho – Soldiers and succeeded."
"Fun tongue - twister, Winters." Slade said sarcastically behind his mask. "I'm not looking to make his initiation public however, just yet."
"I took a year to get over my spell. But you, beef – hunks?" She grinned and leaned back with her chest up to the ceiling.
"I think they broke the mold…Want to put this behind us?" Sultry as her offer wasn't, she was an experiment with a body far too young to take. It would be uncalled for if Robin ever came to. To him, it would look criminal. Poor boy. If he only knew her dark secret..
"My door is always open; Mackie likes how you treat his family."
"Your mentor is a con – man." Slade said. "His idea of love is tying you to your chores. Taking care of this ship, or my needs. For the record, you've overstayed your welcome."
"Oh, poo…" Dawn pouted and took a last chug of her disgusting drink to wake herself back up. "Word to the wise; get a real supplier for your Jo. I'd get sea - sick just thinking about what's left to digest after breakfast."
"And, to your Mackie?"
Dawn grinned and hopped off the desk, letting the cup stay emptied where she'd kept his company.
"We supply! If you ever need a fresh pot, give me a jingle. We can't act like strangers all the time, right?"
"Selling me your contraband while doing your ACTUAL job." Slade chuckled. "You're just a lackey now."
"I make a VP's wage, don't poke fun at it. After we had left those creep's hands and had returned to our own lives, my family disowned me on the same night. So, a salary – gal is what I'll be. It keeps bullets out of my shirt and off my ass. You too. And as for the Bat?"
"He's waiting, and we'll be ready." Slade nodded. "That caped detective can't stand being humiliated. His pride might be his undoing –
"Or, his love?" Dawn frowned and walked to the exit; her hand there, but her eyes still on Slade's masked expression. "We both know how this'll turn out."
"How did you barely make it past fourty-five?" Slade changed the topic, not wanting to lose his favorite mechanic to a little debate on heroes and their habits.
"I lived in the moment, like you should be." Winking, as her eyes left him, the smog of Steel City's dreary scenery greeted the pair before long. The room grew quiet with unspoken farewells.
"Kid's no tool. He's pretty nosy but he's the future of whatever you see fit for em.' Don't make your greys start showing now, Wilson." She waved as soon as the sound of a noisy speed boat had caught the other mercenary's ear. The door shut with a soft click, and then, there was no more to let "Dawn" on him.
"You too, Reina" Slade nodded and let her go. Dawn of course, was just a cover, but…Slade was not going soft.
At least Robin had gone out on him at the right moment.
"Time to dock." Slade went back to managing the ship's controls. Well, the only thing that could spoil their little mild – victory, would be a Teen Titan.
He'd bet on nothing less of a perfect way to wake up his tired apprentice.
No better way than to test out his latest device, with the boy to be his practical dummy that evening.
