Teen Titans; The Fighting life – Epilogue Story; Chapter 10: Down goes the Anchor

/

Slade's luck before with one such child like Robin, was not a shocking testament to his ideals.

He'd had another life he'd lead. Two boys. One, was as he. Prone to being tormented by the fact that he could not compete with his father.

Grant. Grant Wilson. A beautiful child with the hope of ever achieving his sought future as a killer now dashed from his eyes; his blue sights were clouded, compared to his younger brother's.

For now, Slade dug the shovel deep and buried any misdeeds, for they'd only hold him back from his current goals.

Robin was his priority, first and foremost. The boy was a bad fibber. He'd have to perfect the art in given time. But, for now the job wasn't through.

/

Steel City had a problem. They could not land right away.

A Titan had been spotted due south. Apart from the distance of the boat going towards to the nearest shoreline, he'd detected the person right before Dawn had done some digging.

Aqua Lad.

Bright, but blind as could be - when his trust wasn't well received…

A water – gulping skeptic.

And persistent. Worse than Slade's apprentice.

Robin was not who he'd bee expecting to meet.

It was time to set things right up. Slade would have Robin send a message.

A big, bad one that Slade had been up in his rooms perfecting for a good length of their trip.

A way to turn a Titan into a tool.

Like he had with poor Robin, but with less of a choice to bargain with his persecutor. And without a true curative to this novel scheme he'd been plotting, there was not a thing the heroes could do to undo his good work.

That fish, was going to sizzle.

And he knew the perfect person for the job.

/

"Time to wake up."

Slade tried a second time when he'd been given zero responses.

"Apprentice?"

Robin's cheek was nudged by a bit of cold metal. He groaned and groggily opened his watery eyes.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. We're docking, and I have your first assignment ready." Robin blinked a bit harder past the early fatigue. Was he knocked out? What…happened? Slade's boot moved away slowly. He wasn't cutting any corners with the act…

"You needed to see to your intake, don't fret." Slade handed the teen an energy drink. "So you won't, crash again."

Was he being…? Waait

Robin reached out weakly for the drink; skepticism led to starvation and that healing factor was intense. He was not all for an eight-hour fasting as Robin greedily downed its contents in one gulp.

"We've not been off from the last port long, I wanted to be sure you weren't too weak to send a message."

"Hn?" Robin put down the drink and raised a brow.

"Funny. I thought you'd want to see your so – called friends one last time to say goodbye."

Slade was bluffing! He'd never…

Robin's body tensed as he sat up a bit more.

The room was just as he'd left it. Spic and span was the control room, where he'd been found out…

Robin swallowed. Tasting metal was never an odd enough feeling for a kid crime fighter, but this was bittersweet.

Slade had known he was acting still, but he'd given the hero a chance to change his attitude over.

As an apprentice.

What a laugh.

"Why are you talking to me about this here, and now?" Robin's old self poked its head out, which earned a twitch and a grunt from his master's masked lips.

"You are, very right about that." He was trying to suppress a snicker. Slade had definitely hit his head or something…

"One thing however, you're to still call me Master per our agreement. Agreed?" He raised an eye, but not his voice. It was cold, endearing and if any, frightfully mad – as Robin remember the oath he'd belted out on the floor of the brig.

Robin lowered his eyes. His head bobbed in a rushed nod.

"Yes…Master. Sorry. But, why are you going after the Titans? You wanted me, not them –

"I want many things, Robin." Those words made Robin's skin crawl. Defenseless. Regret washed over him as he tried to flush out the despair from his features. Not again. Slade wanted him battle – ready for anything. His fingers itched to find a wall to punch through to the other side.

"Wanting to be in control is not always painted as a crime. Your mentor made that clear, but you failed to understand what Justice meant from his tutoring... A mild bit of awareness that every hero may leave the cave for – but you?" Slade cocked his head to the side and let an arm out to have Robin stand up.

"You want more than someone's praise. You want to have a place in this world; that won't leave you longing, for whatever you're willing to keep as "secret" from your mentor."

Robin blinked and pulled back a little. Afraid if the man's guesses had been far greater to wound his pride than he'd liked to believe, he could not reply. He would not. Bruce only knew a bit, but...

~Even I don't know what I really want. How does he make it look so easy? ~

"You don't have to tell me. If it's a secret, maybe you can think a bit harder. Come to a conclusion later, that way I can paint that picture a bit more for you. Apprentice."

~Talking like Lord Vader, here. I can't be seduced by the dark side. Wake up! He's just using you. Trying to trick you like he always does…~

"I'll have to get back to you on that, when I actually know what it is I want from our deal." Robin said this smugly, leaving Slade to dismiss the topic almost instantly.

"Your outfit was "changed" for today's reason. Casual affairs come in handy for infiltration, espionage." Slade counted off his gloved fingers as he pretended to ignore the boy's gawking stare.

"Even to seduce your target if you need to."

Robin looked down. A basic black jacket and a set of black jeans. He'd been…

He put a hand up to his own face. A mask? No. Sunglasses. The inexpensive kind.

"Robots. I had no part in that, if you were wondering." Slade put up his hands in defense. Apparently, he wasn't not a man of his very word. Robin didn't care. This still felt like abuse. Coercion.

"I…. I can't get used to this…" Robin groaned. He'd been had in more ways than one. He rubbed his arms and tried to stay calm.

"Who is the person you want me to leave a message for? Do they have long distance –

"So very appropriate that I'd forgotten to laugh. But, No." Slade lowered his head and wondered if Robin's "acting like a clown" was how the boy planned to escape his current role here beside the formidable Deathstroke the Terminator.

Robin bit his lip. This was becoming too tedious for them both. He'd lose the man's trust….Or, gain some way to win it back.

"So, I heard from your friend that you have another alias –

"That's not for you to know. We are wasting time here. Come." Slade ushered Robin to join him as the man checked his wrist for the time. He had a digital display built into his armor. Robin wondered if the man could create his own tech. Being big and brainy, he had to keep up. Super – human or not.

As they let the windy air hit them both in the face, the place looked bleaker than bleak outside. Almost like Detroit Michigan had merged with Los Angeles California - style smog, and had birthed a new city overnight.

Steel City. An industrial haven for the up-and-coming conglomerates of both the past and present.

And the future, his future.

Robin didn't know, but Slade decided to have Robin do his master a solid.

He'd be the message, willing or not.

The bots came at him. They were only willing to do as programmed. Slade had reset them to keep the androids from going soft on the boy. They took over and pinned him to the rails of the ship.

"Hold him steady, this will sting a bit…"

Robin swung his head back to fight and find the man, but his neck was stiffly held in place by Slade's gloved palm. His collarbone was littered with sea water and sweat. Slade took his time and positioned the metal point onto the boy's neck. His young flesh prickled from the sudden chill; of the reeling contact of metal to skin.

And with one shot -

A single, burning fire made Robin's head bob furiously before the fire lay dormant. His body; convulsing from the pressure and pain he'd had disturb his central nervous system. Shuddering, he panted. Finding little relief in the man's hospitality, the boy shook while his whole body had gone into and then out of a brief period of shock. The healing factor had prevented him from fainting. He'd not gotten to…

"W…. What…what did you do?" Robin stuttered out, anxiously trying to catch himself. The slurring was annoying too. The world seemed to be spinning again, like the virus had done to him.

Robin was let go as the bots' grips loosened to lead him towards the ship's edge.

Slade stood from behind with the peculiar, metal device still in his grip.

Brimming with that same red lava texture in a long, wide vile (with a sharp point at the tip.)

Like a gun and a syringe in one.

Only the best law enforcement and Batman had access to….

Robin's breathing hitched. He was worried. Maybe the man wasn't just taking his time. This could be a problem…

"Why did you shoot me with that..?" Robin shouted back again as he was forced to walk with the bots, leading his feet towards the way off; into the darkest, deepest water of this field. Slade was not playing fair...Was Slade dumping him off? Why was his enemy; who'd spent a shit ton of funds to have his "apprentice" made into a meta – breed, throwing away his test subject? Was he seriously still miffed about Robin's behavior?

"There, all set. Don't worry. It's just business." Slade patted down his new toy gently. "You'll be doing a service for your master's sake, to make up for any hurt feelings between us. And, Robin?" The man walked about as if devising a lecture to kill someone softly with – on their feet.

The boy breathed in, knowing they were about to toss him into the waters below. The bots were not as easy to shrug off as before. He was frozen. By the cool breeze against his pale flesh, or from the sweat he'd bled out already cooling him to below – freezing temperatures. Robin just, shivered.

~ Aha! It's…A drug! He's seriously insane! ~

Slade looked at his startled apprentice with his hands behind his back. From the ship's center, he was the biggest criminal mind out on the seven seas. Robin almost wanted to fight, but his poor body refused.

As if under someone's control.

Getting antsy, Robin put some pieces together as his plans had already fallen apart one by one.

Nothing…. NOTHING? He was…. falling….

"Give our "Titan" a big pat on the back for me. I'm sure that's going to really lift his spirits. See you in a few hours, Apprentice."

With that level of sarcasm, and giddy amusement from the man's words, Robin realized how much of a sadistic psycho Slade had always been. He'd been fucked up. Period. HE'D trusted the nut – job.

"Wait! Don't! SLA! –

A large splash; as Robin screamed on the whole way down.

His mind went numb, time was lost amidst those dark waves. Why had he been shot in the back with that device? Why was he saying to "talk" to his enemies?…why…. was it so dark…?

A calming wave lifted Robin into someone's grip. Cool, but full of life. He moaned and tried not to open his eyes. He was under the waves…Trying to stay conscious before his rescuer came to carry him off.

/

Slade sat down and activated the bots. They could track him, state his location on the main monitor on Slade's computer. Seeing as the boy was a simple bit of bait for the madman to throw to this fish – eating Titan, the man could go through with testing out his device in the process. Two birds. One stone.

The shot Robin had received was transmissible through contact. Touch. So, if they were on land, Slade could have Robin infect Aqua Lad with the same affliction as the other heroes. Robin would eventually get the picture. He wanted to avoid any spying Titans for now. Even if Robin was wearing his civilian outfit, he was still too close to his picture in the tabloids to mistake for a "lost prince sent overboard into a raging storm."

And that had to be up to Robin. He could expose himself, for the sake of his mission he'd best keep a low profile.

Well, would Robin do what he expected or would he instead surprise the man?

"We'll just have to stay and watch the fireworks." Slade had the ship stashed in the city's docking location where there was plenty of cover. He had a base underground that would serve him for a short period of time.

They still had to pass through Bludhaven and Star City on the way to their next location. Jump was all the way, far from the ex – hero's scope. Slade was his only tool in figuring out where in the world their next assignment might lead to.

/

Robin's eyes fluttered open at the sound of dolphins chattering. His ears rang like never before, so the ex – hero threw up his hands to cover them. His lobes itched. He wanted to know what was going on.

What Slade –

"Ah! You woke up." The teen looked up to see a young man only a few years difference from himself, with shoulder length black hair and very fair features. As well as a water suit; blue, but different than any…. he'd recognized.

"Ah!" Robin sat up with a jolt. The kid snickered and playfully tossed the other boy a pair of black sunglasses.

"My glasses? You found them?" Robin gasped and clutched the things once they'd landed in between his two wet and sandy palms.

"We made it to dry land, but you were stuck inside a weird dream…Sorry. I have telepathy. Ignore that last part…I'm Aqua Lad, by the way."

~Shit…This is…not good. ~ Robin knew the hero. He'd fought against the teen's enemy of Atlantian origins. They all had…been heroes.

Robin reached out, but then recalled a flashback in his mind.

Pat on the back.

He stopped and acted coy. Then, Slade wanted him to make that happen. He had this sinking feeling.

Whatever he really had planned, it was too dangerous to turn tail.

That drug, it wasn't a drug.

"Sorry, did I upset you? I also have some questions." The teen had his dolphin posse block Robin's way back to the shore.

Aqua Lad rubbed his chin, wondering if it had been sort of operation by the mob on land…

"You, were tossed into the water. My friends told me you were also unconscious when you hit the waves. Good thing too. We'd have messed up and not gotten to save you from…. sorry! I'm talking way too much, but yeah. I do want you to possibly identify the ones who –

Robin looked down and heard it.

His stomach growled so loudly, that any empath would have barreled over. It echoed until the dolphins had to cover their poor ears.

Or blow – holes.

"Sorry, skipped breakfast." The teen rubbed the back of his neck. He'd play the idiot like B. Heck; he'd try to be less serious…. could he? Could he fool the Atlantian warrior?

A question for some great detective? Say no more!

Aqua Lad actually grinned a little. Was he this friendly? Robin didn't know. This was close to a few months ago that he'd seen Raven and Star swooning over the cut – out sized surfing legend.

"I can's find you a meal under water, since you're not a fish. You can't stay in my ocean to crash. But just up the road is a crab – hut if you are able to –

"I…Sorry." Robin dove into his pockets and found a card. Oh, it was pre loaded.

How thoughtful of him…

"Great! Then, let's have you fed." He had Robin follow; seeing as Aqua Lad could not go too far with his physical appearance tied to the ocean waves.

The man's shoulders drooped a bit while he walked, determined or distracted by nagging thoughts as big as horseflies.

"You know." Aqua Lad's tone started to worry the ex – hero trailing behind him. Robin raised a brow beneath his specs.

"As a telepath, I can't always see memories but…I think I know why you're here." He stopped and pointed a finger at the sunglass - wearing male's face. His serious gaze was as Robin's had once seemed while fighting…

"Robin, or should I call you –

~ Time's up. Fight Aqua Lad now, Apprentice! ~

Robin felt his body ragged as a scarecrow, launch itself at the hero. His face was too close to the sea teen's to manage. His eyes with face of a kick ass protégé to a deadly killer.

Aqua Lad was irritated easily. Something about the ex – Titan left him fighting blindly.

~ You're one of them, of course. ~

Robin was hearing him…Slade…Like in the echo chamber…

He paused and clutched the side of his skull with a growl.

"Get… Out of –

~GAAAHH! ~ Aqua Lad pushed as Robin fought, but he was already caught in the empath's line of sight.

Aqua Lad succeeded and knocked the hero over with a swift hit to his knees. Robin coughed and looked up from the sandy shore. This, Robin was afraid…Any contact meant Slade would be victorious…. The nanobots were…. inside him, but they were –

~ Wrong. ~

Robin paled as another grip from Aqua Lad's hands had his collar pulled up. No…He couldn't find out!

~ Stay….out of….my head! ~

Robin's will was enough as the other male's grip was released. He'd head – bumped the Titan Ally, bloody nose and all. It was too late to turn back. He'd done as he was told…Unintentionally.

His opponent nursed his throbbing forehead and was now caught off guard. Robin could –

~Keep him pinned down, Apprentice – keep him on dry land. Do as I command. Immobilize your opponent before he can attack or flee. NOW! That's an order. Or your friends are next to be drowned by my probes… ~

Robin felt his body move in a fluid stance. He aimed for the man's stomach and as Slade had predicted, the boy's level of contact needed a bit more juice. He wasn't able to use his magic or super – human abilities. Completely stunned. A fish out of water.

~Again. ~

Just like the training rounds he'd been forced to endure, he couldn't stop. Aqua Lad stayed dazed as a whirly – bird; his eyes shocked by the assaults. He almost used his powers to call a crab army to his beck and call, but Robin knew Slade wouldn't have any of that.

~You have him where you want him. Now, strike the Atlantean. Do it, and then return to the ship. ~

"No…" Looking down, Robin had pinned his friend to the sandy ground. His ally on his back with Robin's knees on his stomach and …. His face beaten to a pulp and his eyes swollen up like…

Tears?

~ You…don't…want, to do this…. ~ Aqua Lad wheezed with a raw cough. Robin's fist retracted. He, did that? But how?

~ You've done enough. Make sure he knows. ~

"You…cough…. Control..." Aqua Lad tried to say, but Robin had his orders.

"I'm not a Titan…I can't go back. I'm sorry…."

~Robin. Leave the message, then come back. Leave him. ~

Contact…~

Robin's brain went into autopilot. His arms reached out and pulled Aqua Lad towards him.

"Slade says hello, and that he doesn't want you trying to mess with his plans…I'm sorry..."

Robin licked his lips, knowing that this seed had been planted too deep to have him lose his grip.

"Contact."

It was a code word to activate the nanobots' second and newest ability.

Robin pulled Aqua Lad towards him and went in for the kill.

A kiss to seal their bargain.

Aqua Lad did not resist, but his body was too limp to move or struggle.

Robin ended their unaccountable "smooch" with a push back from his own. The swelling eye looked gargantuan as he spoke the last words that he'd never hoped would come to mind.

Something Slade might say.

"I'm…An Apprentice. I'm not going to say it twice. Tell the Titans that we won't be stopped. Stay out of Master Slade's… affairs."

His voice shook at the man's name. Aqua Lad saw it in Robin's stance and gasped. Very close to the time now, he held his shoulder and fell back by a straining ache.

It was starting. Robin shook his head and backed up. There was time between him running for the wharf and the teen in tights getting up to call his "brothers" or whatever, to speed after the traitor.

He'd chance it. The rush was too much, since….

~Well done, return to the base. Underground. Now. ~

Like a kid, a soldier. And then, Aqua Lad was off his back.

He ran and let Slade relay the coordinates…

As if, by a psychic link.

That's why he had heard the man! That's why the nanobots….

He needed to see a shrink after the man was put….

Robin stopped. Panting, he felt his lips. Still dry. Nothing had happened. Still trembling, fumbling in broad daylight. He could still see the male's bruised flesh in his mind's eye. Unable to resist. But…

Robin ran, dashing away down into the heart of the industrial wasteland of the city.

He ran, but lost sight of his actual goal.

~ They'll…NEVER trust me again..! I'm….I'm….NO…no….Slade…he's….He –

The boy's fears returned to life as a figure from the tall shadows had Robin close in his grip. In a split instant, the boy had been "napped" once more.

"Robin. Calm down, you missed your –

"No! No!..." Robin was losing it. Great. Slade held his apprentice still. He had to be quiet. Slade sighed softly. The boy's mouth was soon gagged shut. He was not even paying attention to his surroundings. Shoot. Had he not gotten the memo in time?

"That's enough." Slade steadily clasped his hand over the boy's mouth as he tried to claw out of the mad man's lethal bear - hug hold. Having himself whisper was no better. The boy was resisting. The drug wasn't the problem here.

"Mrrmmrmr! –

"Is anyone there?! Hey! I heard it coming –

"Shoot, looks like this is the last you'll get to say your farewells in person. Let's go." Robin fell limp at the prink of a slight twinge. More sedatives. He was not over the injections…It just…got to be tiresome, was all…

Robin hung like a rag doll in the man in the real mask's arms. He'd have to tweak the serum as it had overloaded his poor test subject. Or, had it been the cover that had Robin cracking up?

The contact. The reason was a mixed bag. No better than what it could have been, Slade knew that Aqua Lad had a bigger brain than any tentacle - carrying - sea creature. He'd get the message to the Titans.

And, he'd make Robin watch.

/

The sewers, again. This place had only stayed invisible since Jump's lair had self – destructed about a month ago. He'd not let them catch the one responsible for blackmailing a Teen Titan.

Robin has however, continued to oppose me.

Slade didn't think twice as he tossed the teen onto the floor. Monitors gleamed from above. He'd been sure to conceal their path from his unbalanced apprentice. A prototype; of the old haunt Robin had come to know poorly, this base was for escaping only.

The only think missing was a mountain of clanking gears banging off in the back drop. Ah, do I feel nostalgic? Slade smiled and got down to business as usual.

"Your message was very clear. Well done. A bit unpolished, but this is why you have a teacher, Apprentice."

Slade walked around Robin's body as he tried to focus on the new location. It was hard to see without a clear vision of your reality in plain sight.

Drugged up. Slade didn't trust him. He never would. Robin squinted at the dimness; the lit resistance tugging him back from his comatose stupor.

"I…made a mistake…" Robin gritted his fists and shivered. Sweat dripped from his veiled brow.

"On the contrary." Slade replied. "We now have the Titans right where we want them."

"What?" Robin had misunderstood. "Aren't you doing that…what was that ability? The nanobots…I could hear you talking…inside my mind –

"I'm glad you have me in your thoughts. But, you're only half right."

Slade stood a distance from the monitor screens and his dazed apprentice.

"It's surprising that The Batman's little detective has failed to pinpoint my exact reason for drastically disposing of his, prized protégé."

"Are you speaking in –

"I'm saying that you never cut it close. You'll have to try your best to beat me at my own game. Right now, you're just the washed-up ex – protégé of the Bat. A failed leader in debt to a pile of soon - to - be, corpses."

That stung. Robin seethed and gripped his arm. Aqua Lad had also been a tough opponent. Without Slade, the others could have...

"Fine. What comes next? You controlled me with the nanobots. I felt it, I was helpless…Like a robot on autopilot –

"No." Slade shook his head and sighed. "That was purely done on instinct. The serum kept you from expiring. The nanobots, played an even bigger role. Can you guess what for exactly, my Apprentice?"

Robin's head swam full of the same image. He blushed and touched his lips. "That?" He gasped and stared up at the man from on his knees. "You…contact…. I... –

"Yes, you did. And the serum's extra juice made it so you would not fail me this time." Slade beamed proudly, for now the fireworks would commence as expected.

"We're going to send your message. Once your fish – friend hits the bay in Jump City, his every desire will be to seek out the Titans..."

"And…Destroy them."

"Now, Robin. What would be the fun in killing off my subjects? No, not quite the answer I was looking for. He's going to activate the probes inside HIS own body."

Robin's jaw dropped, but his fingers remained balled up from the shocking truth come to light.

"The telepathic link was due to the device I shot you with on the boat, earlier." He explained. Robin was left speechless as the first time they'd met. Face to face.

"It was a mere neurologic link; the ability generously provided via the nanobots, and like a COMM LINK, you've become just as I pictured." He looked on, prouder still by his many accomplishments. Even at the sake of one or many lives, the man was too bent on having others conform to his ideas - rather than share in all the glory with his bewildered apprentice, who had the nerve to send the man flying to the moon and back.

"ME….…Why? Why that kind of contact!"

"I told you on the ship. Your appearance and stance left Aqua Lad to believe, IF even for a second, that you were not someone recognizable."

"You never said –

"Try again, Robin. I'm a patient man, but you splitting hairs with me is NOT a wise plan of action if you wish to expect our deal to last…And, for your dear friends…"

Robin followed the man as he looked up at the screen, blindly following the faces on it.

"No…. Please…just…. don't kill him…or them.…. He…. he could already tell –

"It was inevitable, I suppose." Slade sighed and raised the volume with the press of a button. "After all, I'm also familiar with the face of a certain billionaire's…young ward."

Robin's glasses - covered dismay shot over towards the man's masked eyes.

"What did you say?"

The room grew silent, then Slade let out a barking, short laugh. "Did you really think it was a mystery to me, Grayson?"

Robin's eyes widened. "How –

"I get a lot of money paid up front to covet info from many greedy investors who envy Wayne's good Samaritan work. You were also one of my targets, but I turned your contract down for an even higher price on the head of one – Oliver Queen. Ring any bells, bat – brat?"

Robin shook his head. He cheeks turned red.

Slade knew…. Slade was not to be tested. Slade –

"Later, the cat was out of the bag. Imagine the shock on my face when your face and the "boy wonder's" poster boy smilehad been blended into one, persona. I'm surprised the Clown Prince of Crime simply let that juicy bit of intel dance right over his head…Only a real mastermind could ever put two and two together. So? After a sporting match with the Bat, our losses no longer tied, I was tired and decided to look for another to fill my shoes in given time."

"I…I don't care! Just, stay out of –

"NO. I'm your master here, Robin. In this reality." Slade let his words sink in further. His anger was now resurfacing, that cold eye as wild and aimed to break him as before.

"I'll speak if it suits some purpose to me. Under the oath you swore to abide by - with their lives still being at stake, I suggest you don't step out of line again, or my last promise will not falter. And I'll see to my threats as they'll continue to whittle away that rotten ego of yours, Dick

"Raaah!" Robin rocked onto his heels, but was stopped by a dizzied Aqua Lad up on the screen. His eyes prickled back with tears as he watched. Helpless to stop it. Helpless to face his oppressor. Face to face. Slade had the boy knocked to his knees. He was told to kneel, and that's what he'd do. While watching his family being torn apart from the inside.

"Dude! You look, sick! Did you hit a few sharp rocks on the way over from –

"Beast Boy, please be quiet. Aqua Lad? You're hurt. What did this to you? Who? You have to tell us." Raven had come to heal his wounds, but some were too deep for gauze and painkillers to have ebb away.

Slade decided to stop her, but Richard was too stunned to start a riot. He hoped Slade was at least over his tantrum.

"I hold the control. In my grip. And I think you've only just forgotten that. So, Apprentice. Kneel. Apologize now and I will gladly end this charade once and for all." Slade's words had Richard's blood turn to ice.

"Liar…I don't believe you..." Robin muttered hotly, with his eyes as hell – bent of getting revenge as Slade might have dreamed. Where that courage had come from, robin assumed his training with Batman.

Slade must have taken his words as a call of silence as the man shrugged and readied his attack on the Titans' main headquarters.

"No? Then, fine. The goth girl will be the first to go. We can't have her using her powers on our newest subject. They'd learn about everything I'm trying to teach to you and your worthless bunch of heroes!"

The nanobots worked, and not of one, but two Titans were attacked from underneath flesh and bone. Raven had been reaching for Aqua Lad's mind to find the cause, but now she rocked herself and held steady her own skull to ease the sudden ache.

"Raven!" Beast Boy cried out and went after Aqua Lad next.

"What did you do to her? Are you working for Slade!? Answer me!"

B brought the terrified Titan up on his heels in the form of a burly, green gorilla.

"N- no! listen! Rob…k….! I…. I'm…not…ugnnnnaaaaahh!" Aqua Lad was next to lose his mind to the probes. Starfire pulled Beastboy back away and was shaken, far worse than he seemed greener than green in his sweating uniform. The terror was real, and no animal alive could miss the ominous happenings before they'd begun.

"Star! Bb! Get back! Those things are walking contagion - bombs! Don't touch em!"

"Activate the quarantine thingy that Robin…. The protocol! Gah!" B let his voice cry out as Aqua Lad came at him, but Cy had gotten the message loud and clear, regardless.

"We were already infected by those terrible tools that Slade has used on us all twice before, yes?!" Star wondered to her remaining teammates. "Why must we not try to –

""EEp!" She squeeled and hid behind her male comrades. Raven could use some of her powers.

"This is different. I'm picking up traces from those probes and it isn't like the original dose you, me , B and Rae got down in the sewers." Cy confirmed with the two Titans left standing. "This one is even more dangerous – he's tweaked em' somehow, and I don't know how we can stop those two from staying put in the Tower much longer than we can manage without…"

"Robin's boogey – man is super whacked out! Aww maan! This is like a once – in - a - lifetime chance - zombie – horror – flic – event! I don't want my brains sucked out! Do something, CYY!" Bb exhaled, but went right back to hyperventilating. The pounding on the doors grew louder. They were trapped in the tower like sitting ducks.

The two anti - heroes hit the doors as the probes had the two mind – controlled Titans lumbering towards the others with moaning and groaning included. Ramming against the doorway, without their powers, it was as much a suicide by how their bodies were already being ripped apart from the inside out.

Star let out a blood - curdling scream, and Richard finally covered his ears. Not understanding what was going on.

Not seeing that the Titans were the victims with bombs strapped to their chests. But they kept fighting…

"Is that hope, I see in your eyes?" Slade stepped over with his boots twice as loud; since the echo reached much closer to home, compared to being tone deaf out at sea.

"It's time to end this charade. Another order; Robin, you are to remove your glasses, now. I command it, or Starfire will never get to see that pretty face of yours, again."

He hissed the last part as Dick shakily did as he was told, slowly. He watched his friends fending off their own; friends against teammates. His eyes; blue and flooded with crystalline tears, allowed Slade to magically wiped away those shards of hot ice with a free glove.

"There, now you won't have to hide from anyone –

"I…was…."

Slade stood up a bit taller, shaking his skull with a frown. Robin was still sitting on his knees as he'd been forced to by his benevolent master.

So, with the boy still unable to understand his place in this new world Slade had attempted to build all around them, then this would be his reason to change with an entirely new entity to replace the old.

"I'd keep the bat out of this if I were you. Your friends are about to receive our message. Look." Slade pointed up to the screens as Robin's last shred of hope was tossed back in his face like a ball of wet paper napkins; meant to mop up his unending tears from the floor.

"Rae!" B shouted back through the door, hoping to break Slade's hold on her mind.

"Stop! You're gonna just end up freaking everyone out!"

Raven gripped her skull and with a palm up at the door, she sent the metal from the wall, ripped from its very core. Her glowing eyes held no tears behind them. Hot, red lines as righteous as magma veins only pulsed below the skin. Her mouth moved, but as if a puppet on strings. A bizarre use of human dummy, for even half – mortals like Raven felt pain come in droves from every corner of the globe.

"Get….out…. Got…. ha….m…. go….t…to…."

~ Defying my orders will cost you their lives, empath. ~

Robin saw Slade speak into the control at his monitor.

"Out…out! Out of…head! AAAAhgh!~ She sent the door flying, and had Slade's message sent as a warning via her telepathic powers combined with Aqua Lad's own. Starfire gasped and clung to her compatriots tightly. Cyborg did the same, and tried to make out the message - with his ears still ringing from Starfire's loud scream.

~ Slade…. says…. Robin…. go…gone. You…will… be...too…don't come…. He….re…. Do...n…don't…. Go…the…go….th…. a…m! Don –

~ That's enough. I release you, witch. Well done. ~

Raven groaned, and set was set loose with Aqua Lad from the entire trip. What…a trip it was.

Slade's eye had been kept sacred, but his ears had missed that which the Azarathean teen had been trying to twist with his own words.

Gotham, she'd done it now.

"Your friends are lucky to have you, Richard. But not for long. When we finally do reach our new haunt, I'm going to teach you the basics again in "fooling your opponent." My last lesson apparently wasn't enough for you to handle. All a work in progress." Slade pressed a button by the controls and then came at Robin, scooping up the crying brat and letting the haunt fall to pieces as the former. Robin looked back at the shattering and crushing wreckage and said not a word.

~ Well, no matter. There is time to change who you are. They'll be searching for decades, so enjoy the show while it lasts. ~

With a slip through the sewer's system, the base was no more. The boat was close by, and the next stop would be a city that might give the villain and even bigger chance to celebrate.

Star City could come later. Next was Central City. The one place the ex - Titan had left off of his radar, but one cybernetic punk had not.

/