Teen Titans; The Fighting Life; Epilogue Story; Chapter 14: Rivals

/

~ My experience with working with Robin is a bit…We're not rivals I think, but he always wants to prove that he's got more experience and better gadgets…. Kid stuff. Yeah, he's a punk like me, even if we both hate to come clean about it. I don't want him going against his hero's ethics, but when I heard about this video sesh, I got right over to do my part…. So, this is for you…. -LOUSY, LITTLE IDIOT! BATMAN IS GOING NUTS! YOU WERE THE FIRST ROBIN AND YOU BLEW IT! WE ALL TRUSTED YOU…COWARD…...WHY DID YOU JUST…. I …. Shit…. can't finish this. You were my rival, but now…. you're just another villain running from the league. Good luck convincing Bats to take you back! And if you see Ole' Deathstroke, give him a real knuckle sandwich for me. Say it was from Arsenal. With love. Ciao, bird – boy. Get your ass home or don't come back at all. And Starfire called, we might go out some time since you won't bother to pick up. Bye, loser. ~

/

Speedy, ah good old Roy Harper.

Robin took his shades and adjusted them on his face. He'd have to get there and back, while Slade's task would require more planning around who'd be there to greet him.

Robin was going to be busy at the warehouse doing some intel work; Slade was monitoring him even miles away.

Richard got ready to do it. He'd divert Richie to Canada if he wanted. The tools he had were right there…

Cracking his knuckles just right, the boy blunder got to work.

~ I'll just code in a message here. ~ Biting his lip, his fingers moved like lightening, thanks to the serum's effects. His hacking was five to ten times better – ninety percent.

~ Like my brain, or Slade's. ~

Why did he even call Slade that, anymore? He was facing DEATHSTROKE. Working for DEATHSTROKE!

~ The Terminator, fuck me…. I really dove into this mess head – on. ~ Trying to keep the momentum abuzz, Richard was not lacking as Richie dove in as well. His brain power almost to match the ex – Titan's own.

Getting ready, he cut the cord on his performance.

"There. You'll go to…. eenie meenie….minie…." Robin clicked his tongue as the world froze; all save for the massive glowing monitor that had a layout of every city in the US and Canada.

"Mo. As in, Mo' fah you." Tiahuanaco. (Typo.) Forget Slade's directions. He could push up daisies. He smiled and tapped the last key. "You'll get tanned before I do, pardner."

Yup. The stress or the serum had made him officially, loco. Or into a super – genius. Same diff. Robin sat down in the man's big ole' computer chair and spun around. The world fell away. The breeze was therapeutic…

In a way, since he'd been allowed to spare their lives, it was easier…

But not their reputations…So much for being indicted into the JLA. Richie was going to fight them on this one…

"I can't rest…." His body grew heavy, the chair was lulling him to sleep….

"Wake up!" He jumped out and off of his seat, onto the floor with a pivot.

"Time." Robin looked at the clocks.

"All army?...? I don't…. Ok, Alfred taught me this one. It's…. –

"One o' clock." He panicked. "I'm getting my hide red as a baboon's tonight, I swear…. Slade!" Robin groaned loudly. He quickly got his weapons and gear packed up.

"No killing." He breathed. "I'm only knocking him out and getting out as soon –

~ By that, I hope you're willing to rejoin me in facing off against three of Star City's patron heroes. Is that what you meant to add, Apprentice? ~

Robin skulked over to his seat and slammed a hand onto the keys of the computer desk. "You gave me a job, but I can't kill him…. he's –

~Your equal. Your Rival, and you want him to disappear. ~ Slade purred in a hiss in the boy's ear.

"I don't –

~ Liar, you're not very good at hiding your emotions. Robin…You have the upper hand. Go on, I'll lead him to you. ~

"No, SLADE! –

Robin's plea was cut off, and still the link was there. Not in his head. But ringing in both of his ears.

Boxed in, but he had his orders. Robin geared up and put on a baseball cap to hide himself better as he headed out through the only extra door. The Slade bots stayed and watched the base over, as their master took to the streets of Star City, with his nimble cohort aching to get into a piece of the action.

Up close and personal. To warn Speedy of the danger ahead, before Slade took to slicing his chances to ribbons.

/

Queen Industries was a West Coast born tech conglomerate that specialized in the latest advancements in its field. Oliver Queen owned the company and had a similar drive as Wayne did for Wayne Enterprises in Gotham City. As if two sides to a simple coin toss, Bats and he were nearly divied equals. Despite any outward appearances, the men saw eye to eye.

Their wards, did not always. At least now the young men could duke it out like nearly grown adults.

Oliver shook his head. Roy was restless, with Robin being the reason why.

He'd been cool as ice before this news had hit the airwaves. Now, even Bruce was readying for a war on the streets of Gotham. His ward was as good as –

"Sir? You have a Mr. Lucca Brando on the line. Should I tell him –

"No." Ollie turned to his staff member and tried to think of an excuse. None came to mind. "Take the call for me, Ron. I'm going out for a bit."

~This couldn't wait, dear god…He's got me in a bind. ~ Like Batman, Arrow had a hidden hunger for wanting to keep an obsession afloat. Roy was right. He was losing his grip.

"Sir? Should I set up a better time –

"Just, do what you think is best for right now. Something's come up. I have to get out for a while. Thanks."

He could not shake the feeling. His suit stuck to his body like glue. He rushed out to change it, to be free of the restraints. To get himself into some mischief.

Before long, fate would deal Arrow a lot more than a shattered ego.

He rushed out without a soul to catch the green suited male in the process of switching gears. He looked up.

Robin cautiously waved back.

"Hi."

"We can't talk long."

Robin looked back from the fire escape of a second complex, beside the building Ollie had dragged himself out of.

"You ran from him. That's not going to go well, you know –

"And you know Slade better than I ever did." Robin stated.

"Come down so we can chat, kid." Ollie seemed to lower his guard, but his arrows were taught. He could be a bit sly on his own. A real "Robin Hood – men in tights stereotype." His mask did not convey a shred of pity. Robin guessed he didn't like to share.

Or express weakness.

"Slade is coming."

"Nope." Ollie shook his head and crossed his arms.

"What?" That didn't make him feel any less disturbed by the response Arrow gave the boy.

"Your not looking far enough."

"W –

"Taadaa."

There, Robin was terrified by what he saw. The mask Slade had used was the duplicate appearance of Oliver Queen.

Hold the phone, Batman?...

"I told you. As you've probably not yet guessed, you tried to move in on my turf –

"No more games, Slade! –

"Arrow –

"LIAR!" Robin launched himself at the man, but the control on Slade's suit kept the teen in his place.

Robin fell as Slade caught Robin and tossed him to the ground. "You're to go after the other hero. The side – kick." He huffed and fixed his uniform. "Well?" Slade leaned over and watched the boy as he tried to sit up with a whimper.

Clutching his bruised skull, Richard winched. "I….w –

"If YOU don't, I'll make quick work of the Arrow first. I've been meaning to pay him back for the sore socket he plugged up without my consent. As for Harper….He'll come once provoked enough."

"Slade….This….can end…..please just –

"You'll fight." He ignored the plea, as many times as it took. Slade changed the subject as he surveyed the area. "First, destroy that security camera for me. It will alert the guards inside –

"Why?" Robin exclaimed." You'll get noticed before –

"They won't." Slade acted cool, then brought up another topic as he got Robin to stand up. "Go, I'll ask… though, did you finish sending those brats where I wanted?"

Robin nodded and scaled the wall. "Yeah. Texas. Military base." He lied. "They will have to turn around and start over." Robin set his sights on dismantling the camera as it was forced to only keep a gloved finger in its view. The rest could be erased for good. No trail. He didn't tell Slade, because he could have rigged an area with high impact explosives or worse. At least there was nothing south of the border to bother with. No deaths.

No cases to close.

"Quick, question." Frowned the hero as he let the electrical device sputter and cry out; in a sparky, star - spangled manner of speaking.

"Yes."

"How did you impersonate him in that time it took to get here?" He kind of had a gist of how it could have been done; Ollie could have stepped out, and Slade could have slipped into the role as if nothing had happened at all.

"You already know the answer to that question, apprentice. There's no need to ask it twice."

"Twice?"

Slade chuckled, then looked at his watch. "Arrow is on his way back. Patrol was not over, he still has time to make up those lost work hours. Poor, Ron." Slade smirked as if this face belonged to him.

"Are you finished?"

Robin nodded and stepped down, landing in a perfect crouch. His body thought that the ground was as soft as silk. The serum really let him down gently.

"Done. Now, if you –

"You'll stay here. Keep Arrow busy."

"Slade! What is –

The nano - bots kept him on his knees. He couldn't move!...Robin tugged at his legs and grunted out. He was stuck, like magic….a magnetic floor…

"Robin, do it. You know what will happen to them." The man quickly vanished before Richard could put himself back together.

Robin grunted again and pulled against the probes' control. He forced out a half yell, and then stopped.

Before his eyes, was the Real Green Arrow; his mask still in place from the late patrol he'd been out on.

His eyes were wide beneath the mask. To him, Robin looked like a startled rat in the street in a back alley, trying to free itself from a trap it had walked into.

Staring back. Wanting to warn the male. Wanting to tell him everything.

But that would never happen.

That, or someone would have to lose their life.

/

Starfire was pulling her hair out like mad. They had stayed in contact with Static and Foley, not realizing that the hacker had been Robin who'd definitely left another clue behind. On the coordinate page he'd shown Richie, was the symbol of an arrow and a pixelated star.

Cy came up with the idea that this was a decoy location, and that the real location was a part of those symbols' coding. He did a scan with Static's partner, and the match was made.

"They did it! Way ta go!" Richie beamed with pride while Static got ready to see if GL could clue them in on a new tactic. Bb had gotten together in Titans Tower since their next trip would be –

Star City.

In California. Only a few miles away from Jump. A few hours if they went right now.

"Let's do it, team." Cy smiled at his remaining Titan family.

"Yes! We shall take Slade or this "Stroke of Death" and "turn the lights of his, down!" She excitedly shouted.

Bb didn't have to laugh. They could do plenty for joking when Robin's brain was back to normal. "What you said, Star! - Kick em down hard! Teen Titans!"

"Let's go get Robin back."

/

Robin's eyes didn't know where to turn. Slade….He was keeping Ollie here?….Was he going after –

"Dick….."Ollie's eyes conveyed an emotion that you'd only see from a family perspective. Wow, this was…Awkward...

"Yeah, Uncle Ollie…" Robin swallowed and tried to stand. The nano - bots allowed it. His wounds had already healed. He looked, almost normal. Save for the tacky clothing line he'd decided to endorse.

~ Slade Co. You'll wish you were somebody else.~

"I…" Queen pulled out his unit, this was ok…right?

"Yeah, I need you to grab Roy for me. Thanks again, Dinah."

Another swallow. Slade was going to have kittens from the news…shit.

Ollie turned to Robin and heaved a light sigh.

"Ok, so." He'd gotten into mentor mode in a quick second. "We should call Batman."

"Wait, I can't face him! Not yet..." Richard stiffened and shook his head. Here it comes. Another blow to flatten his confidence some more.

"Serious? Really!? You ended up captured by the famous Deathstroke the Terminator, and now you're afraid of going with our interrogations and a double time house arrest? Dick, what's really going on with you?"

Robin shook his head. "I lost to him already. You have to! –

~ Don't. ~

Robin's voice was stuck, he changed over to another serious thought on his mind. One Slade wouldn't mind breaking him to know, either.

"Where's Roy?"

"I have a hunch you already know." Arrow stared down the fallen hero as he tried to remain meek, unheeded.

"I don't, sorry."

"Did you escape from him? Slade? Is he after you?"

Robin didn't answer, but the nano - bots decided to fix him – they knew how actors should behave. Per their understanding of human anatomy and biological responses.

Robin's pupils grew. His hands flew up towards his face as tears littered his jacket. ~ No, this is wrong! Please! ~

"I tried, but he's too much…I came here…But…We can't save the –

"You're a mess. We should sit down. Talk this out. I'll contact Bruce –

"Please…" Robin's persona was born due to the trauma he'd endured and the fact that he was having his nervous system and mind altered by the nano - bots' influence. A good actor could cry on the spot.

"Don't let him find me…!"

Arrow saw the pain and it tore him up, he went up to Robin and helped the teen to stand up again.

Richard wove his arms around the male and cried like a baby. His fingers were active, he was going to infect his own family….

That's why he was here.

To help destroy his last shred of hope. To take away that happiness to make him see just how helpless he really was without someone to catch the ex – hero as he fell from grace.

/

Manhunter was after the drone that had been spotted at the harbor, just before noon. He looked from the air at the bits and pieces of the mighty wreckage, floating atop the now dirtied waters. His first instinct was to clear it himself, via telekinesis. Yet, he decided to check on another person he'd put to the side. On the bottom of his long list of to - dos.

~ Oliver, Arrow. Your link was disturbed somehow.~ He telepathically tried to say.

Nothing, he was being jammed?

~ This isn't good, I have to contact his partner. ~

As soon as J'onn did this, a flash of light pressed against his skull. A face showed back as the vision was a disturbing one to the Martian. He blinked to regain himself again.

~ Quickly, my teammates are in grave danger!~ He left the authorities to be notified about the floating and illegal debris, but also the Justice League to scour for anything of value to assist in their missing persons case.

Off he flew to find his ally; who was busy trying to get through to another. One she'd guessed was out of his mind – unofficially.

Or, a robot replacement.

/

Dinah; A.K.A, Black Canary, had bumped into her lovely Mr. Queen out on his late day runs. He was in costume and looked determined to set someone up tonight.

She saw right away that the man was an imposter, playing along until they were out of range. Then..

A SHRIEK filled the air as this Arrow was sent flying southward, into the air. He landed on his front, and was able to use the wind of Canary's scream to alter his fall pattern.

Like doing a basic fucking push up, she was enraged by whoever had the balls to imitate her fiancé and steal his face right in front of her. She felt disgusted just knowing she'd made herself so ….ugh!

Who, you might ask? Who could push this bad – ass, as can be female into a corner?

Her love bird's enemy. If not one of a dozen angry whack jobs in the city who wanted the league disbanded for good.

She had a feeling he'd be showing his face to her as long as she acted politely. Bull.

"Coward! Who are you, and why have you taken on Green Arrow's appearance?" She stomped over to Slade as he played possum.

"Answer me, creep! –

"It would go against my standards to harm a woman, who's not even five months in." Slade grunted and spat out a chunk of blood that he'd coughed up by the impact.

"How, how did you know about that?" She dragged him up by the front of his suit, her eyes dead set on putting Slade out to pasture early.

~ Let her sulk. She could talk all she wished.~

Only a pig would think that way, a real macho – junk stained –

"I'm just the messenger, Miss Canary….And you –

Slade's eye widened as his other fake one stayed as deadly as the real.

"Are supposed to be my package, so if you would be so kind as to –

"Shut up!" Her howl came, but Slade had his weapon ready. One prick.

She felt faint as the world spun, coughing, as he body grew ill. She flopped to her knees and shivered at the drop in her body's temperature. The gun was tucked back away, and Canary had easily been granted a proper dose of Slade'ss kill - all medicine.

"Then, well be off… my lady." The imposter tipped his hat and did a small bow , mimicking Ollie's movements "magically" well. Dinah shook her head with tears in her eyes as she'd started to fade into anger far from having subsided by the face of her captor awakening every one of her waking nightmares to life. She stayed down, completely paralyzed by the shot.

Slade made it easy on himself; for one way to kill a meta – human was to make them think they had the upper hand before stealing that control away. He tugged her up to have the women carried bridle style in his arms towards their new destination.

Dinah wasn't strong enough when his face resembled her lover's. And for the child in her stomach's biological father, no less, Ollie was going to crack up on the spot once he got a whiff of her pain.

It was what Slade had been hoping for. The best way to get ones' revenge, was to hit your enemy where it hurt the most.

In that gut feeling.

/

Manhunter was too late. He gasped at Canary's memories as he read through the –

Was that Oliver? He tried to focus his powers on the spot where the two had battled one another.

~ No, this energy is not his own….She is….With child! ~ Manhunter scaled once more the space, and saw where the trail would lead him next.

~ Our imposter is crafty for a mortal, he may even be much stronger as well than one. Roy and Oliver cannot wait. Dinah will surely have enough time, but I must –

His visions this time, revealed an energy dotted in bright red. Speckled in sickness and disease. A tainted energy. A young mortal with powers inside him…

~ That, that cannot be! ~ J'onn started perspiring by the scene in his head. The boy, was someone they all knew!

He rushed off to find this enigmatic force as it called back – beckoning him to set it free from its shackles of a firm restraint. Should their enemy make himself known, the worst was then to follow them like a dark shadow.

~ The killer is tampering with forces that I cannot even guess are real….It eludes my powers. There should be a way to find it..~ He vanished and in moments, was closer to where Roy had just gotten out of having a large milkshake.

/

Cold pizza wasn't bad...Not that it wasn't any good. But that sour feeling needed something sweet to burn him out. " Good thing I'm not a sacrilegious hipster who goes out for soy and pot on the same day of the week." He sipped his meal and walked down the street to find his motor bike. He'd parked it in the next local lot.

~Roy Harper! ~ The boy walked into a crowd. Foolish! Did he not know about the assassin out for blood on those streets?

A shaking pavement brought the citizens to look down at their feet. As if an erratically planned distraction, Roy was pulled off to the side by a man with a tan trench coat on and a brown baseball cap.

J'onn spotted which direction they'd gone as the ground had finished jutting, allowing for the man to narrowly outsmart the JL veteran member. He'd captured Roy….The greatest hunter, and Manhunter had no idea how to stop him.

/

A chemical smell in the air….Chloroform, Why?

No, cologne...He couldn't tell...

Roy squinted to see the masked eyes of Oliver staring back at him. "Arrow…you…you look terrible!" Roy snickered before being shushed by his mentor.

"What happened to –

"He got at me, and took the Bat's kid. I didn't even get one close shot…" The male coughed. His part to play would be a short lived one. While under the tights, Slade had naturally healed up without a pinch to nick at his thoughts.

J'onn came through the wall as his body had been able to come to standing. His eyes remained unclouded through his level headed senses, deeming that this was another trap. Set by their killer. He declared to Roy;

~ That man is an imposter. Get away from him, whoever he claims to be, do not be fooled! ~

Ollie played the dummy, and tried to reason with the Martian refugee. "What are you talking about? That monster has Robin, still! He took em' back…Poor kid… you gotta trust me, Roy."

"I, can….but…" Roy remembered that Manhunter could never lie, never cheat you of your fate. Deathstroke loved the thrill; a gamble, and a chance to get back at Arrow with everything he could do to the man's honor.

And pride.

Deathstroke was a master tactician, he'd mess your head up so much in a fight, that Batman was the only one besides Slade's Ex who had ever gotten under the man's skin.

Or Robin? Did he make the man ache in the same way?

"I'll play it safe, sorry Slade. But, you lose." Roy jumped out of the way as the fake Arrow loosened his stance a bit.

"Ever the dutiful young follower, Harper. Robin didn't care for meeting face to face. Said you deserved better… Me."

He set off a series of mini pellets to the ground, and in that instance, the hologram of what was Green Arrow, reverted to that of Deathstroke in another one of his all powerful outfits.

His swords gleamed as his body moved light as air, in a battle cry – right at the Martian and his weaponless ally's young ward. The two heroes stood baffled by the trick. Off their guard, as the real Arrow had warned his student to be wary of the man's tricks, his level of deception was super – human, he'd failed in seeing that one coming. Yet, J'onn hadn't gotten to them in time, either.

The men were not let to stand up again. Slade made it clear that he wouldn't let them find his apprentice. They'd perish before then.

"Robin didn't want to be the one to kill you off, so I promised to do him the favor. As thanks for taking out your mentor."

Yet the gleam in Slade's eye said something more, as he pulled out the fake eye while the two heroes were still not nearly unconscious. While in a daze, he chucked the orb onto the ground to roll off beside Martian Man hunter's paling complexion. Deathstroke's one eye smiled back, cruelly. " Didn't see that in your vision, did you, Martian?"

Gasping as a fish out of water, the interstellar hero begged to know how Slade had known about his power to see what had not yet been.

~ H – h- how do you know this!?... ~ He forced out his voice with a moan, before Slade decided his work here had to end –

"Stop right there!" A familiar, canon's sonic boom hit the man's twin blades and knocked the long katana pair from the assassin's gloved hands.

Slade's years had not looked pretty. Robin would have to learn. Some friends were just plain hard to get rid of.

"Titans. You came at a rather bad time."

"Good enough for us, though." Beastboy turned into a wolf and fiercely growled in Slade's direction. GL was right beside the heroes as Starfire let her bolts go without stopping.

"You will tell us where our friend is being held….NOW!" She shouted her cries as Lantern made sure to place a barrier over the two other, fallen heroes. The dust cleared, and to the heroes' ultimate dismaay, Slade had gotten away amidst this fire fight.

/

~ Who led the Titans here? ROBIN!~

Slade's voice jutted the teen from his tireless, daydreams. His hot soup from the office where Ollie worked was turning cold, he'd nearly spilled it onto the carpet…

Slade, he'd figured it out….no…..he couldn't go back…He still had to -

"Sorry! Whoa! Put that mug down before you hurt yourself…." Oliver came in from his chat with Bruce on the other line. Robin's hands were shaking again. He was in danger…He'd done something unforgivable...He'd infected -

"Are you ok, Dick?"

"Oh, ah…y- yeah….just….a cold….might, be sick…"

Yet again, the bots could make him do ANYTHING. Including sneeze, which they did make the boy do to have his story as plausible as it could be. Queen was also a detective, a thinker and a fighter. Just like the Batman. But actions, were easier to spot. Not this sort of thing. He wasn't a doctor.

"Did you just start to feel this way?"

Queen brought his palm to find Robin's forehead. "You don't feel too, too warm. Could be the start of one, though. You're right. Explains how you were acting outside…shit….We didn't want you wrapped up in all this. I'll make sure your team –

"No!" Dick startled the male, who raised a lean brow. His acting needed serious work.

"What's wrong, now? First you say you are being hunted by this bad guy, and now you don't want to fix your cold up? Why are you fighting us, Dick? We can help you –

"Maybe, but its for their own good." The teen took in a deep breath. It was too late. He was already on the way…

Robin propped his mug off onto the adjoined side table beside his seat. The words rang out, loud and clear.

~Contact! ~

Ollie felt his heart pop, and clutched his chest as if something had a firm grip on his pulse - time.

"S…shit…..y…you….?" Ollie was on his hand and knees, face beaded with sweat. He couldn't breathe...this was...

The door of the man's work room was slammed back with the guards outside; as dead as doorstops to doornails.

Queen gawked and realized that Slade had not done his worst, because he didn't have to.

"In a way…. you found my….cough*…one weakness….Death…stroke….ugh…"

Ollie fell over as Slade savored the near destruction of his new subject and oldest foe.

"Very excellent work, Apprentice." Slade sauntered up to his protégé and brought the boy's chin up to admire those eyes a moment more. He'd used them, as a weapon. "Very nice…"

"You and I might not be so different, yet we must part ways here."

"What?" Robin jolted back as the man let his hand down gently. "Your friends got the tip off that you sent, so we'll have to meet half way. Here." Slade sent the boy via their link the coordinates for a private jet that would reunite the pair in Bluudhaven.

Robin's heart continued to convulse at the destination's name. Crime city, ten – times worse than Gotham. Slade didn't say why, but above it was his home. The Bat would be waiting to see him. In Gotham.

"Now that we have The Flash and Green Arrow out of this little game of ours, permanently, if not temporary for them, you'll need to "up" your game. Bluudhaven will enable you, to out – learn the master, if you wish to keep your friends close. And enemies, closer."

"Why are you having them come find me?" Robin demanded to know. Footsteps were approaching from somewhere in the building. His super - hearing was a curse and a gift.

"Right now, they need you to enlighten them. You'll do as I ask, Robin. I'm the only one who can save them. That code was rewritten as a precaution. Just shutting down the bots won't stop the infection from spreading." Robin's face went cold. He'd had it all wrong…no...no!

"Slade…..you want me to?..." His desperation was a treat to the man. The broken - winged bird that could not fly. As to quote a famous poet. Slade smirked below his mask. Well, poetry conveyed too much emotion to the man, but Robin?

His eyes showed the world how wrong ones' senses could become, should they fall. Blue as oceans. Rough and tender as sapphires. Hopeful as a day - time sky, and in shadow, the fathomless night as it called out to those house within its eternal suffering.

Robin was at a crossroads.

Have his friends under his master's thumb, or use them to liberate himself once and for all. He'd have to chose quickly, before his time finally ran out.

/

The resounding *crackle* of fire had Canary sensing smoke. in a moment more, her body was back. She tried to use her powers and succeeded, but…was this a base?

Another of Slade's haunts. He'd set her up!

"Son of –

"AH!" She put her hands over her head and tried to stay low to the ground.

~ Dinah! We are outside the warehouse! There should be an escape route –

"I…cough*…. can't see…where…" She gasped in what precious oxygen she had left. "Where, is Arrow…"

"Coming in!" Speedy pushed back the rubble and BOOM! Down came the door, what was left of it. She found J'onn and was crying uncontrollably. As if she'd lost her mind in that fire. ~ Wait…~

J'onn pulled back as she pined for some arm to hold, but her skin did not agree. "She's got the infection! Contain it! Hurry!"

"W- w- what…h – h- has…h- appen…t- t- to m- m- meee!?" She wailed and her powers activated to create a bigger path for the warehouse fire, that Slade's bots had set off.

"J- o - jonn! No- no! I'm AAAAAgggghhhhh!"

In moments, the fire was put out. She was safe, in a sphere meant to contain her screams for a bit longer. If only she'd sleep peacefully, until then.

Manhunter frowned at the scene surrounding the heroes.

~Sadly, Oliver was also affected by the killer and his plans. I was told by Green Lantern that Robin was finally recovered, as Dick Grayson. ~

"Where?" Roy demanded, as Manhunter maintained his control over the sphere. ~ At Queen Industries, he is currently –

"I'm going. You can bring Canary to the Watchtower to get her treated. Please, I need this." He nearly begged the alien hero, who looked deep into his friend's adopted son's eyes and nodded softly. ~ I understand. He will not leave us. The Titan Starfire, will be hardest to best. She harbors affections for your long - time rival –

"They can have each other, I just want to tell Robin what I feel for once."

~ Very well.~ J'onn Jones nodded before heading off to the transport station down the street. ~ I'll save my energy and be back to meet you shortly. Stay with him, he's unstable due to many traumas that we cannot imagine one might face in such a short time. ~

Roy nodded back, but his stubbornness would prove to be king in this all - out - side – kick smack down, later on.

/

Starfire looked down at the fallen hero. She found it hardest of all, to look away.

Lantern picked up Ollie and Cyborg put on his newest inventions to wrap around both gloves; they completely Queen and Robin's hands. Like alternative, chastity belts.

"See? Now you won't have to worry about turning everyone on Earth into zombies! With Cy's latest, patented and state of the art –

B was interrupted. Robin's fits were not reassuring for the younger Titan to witness.

"I'm not going to do anything. I chose not to let Slade in...But –

"You are safe now, friend, rest assured. He will not harm us, or you." Starfire told her traumatized leader, yet she also was skeptical. Mostly, by how Slade was brilliant as well as similar in drive to her dear leader...

"No…if…. I fail…you all will die! There is no cure! I'm a monster…You have to lock me up in the Watchtower! I don't want to be here…Plea-

"Stop crying…jeezus…Bit much, on the ears, princess."

Arrow turned his head and snorted.

IInstinctively, he knew it was only a matter of time before HE showed his smug face in the man's presence. Ollie's office was full of state officials, CIA and of course, JLA and Titan members from separate cities in the U.S. Not like one more crime fighter wouldn't kill the writers, could it?

"Found me, huh. Did it take you long, Side - kick?" Robin smirked at his once – rival in combat and wit.

"Idiot, ugh. Do, you believe this freak? You want to trust him? After he INFECTED my damn mentor!? What the hell! That full - metal dumb - ass isn't done screwing with us, so he sends you in?"

Robin winced at the man's words. "Fine. Lock me up." The ebony teen mustered. "But, so HE can't get near –

"What about us?" Roy spat and pointed at the Titans. "What about your friends, coward?! –

"Cool it, hot – head!" Cy shoved his ally back, and saw Robin's face grow darker.

"You can't fix it…I don't know the code, and Slade said he's the only one who knows how to reverse this entire plan…I can't go back with him…unless I infect you next…You shouldn't know the rest….None of you should trust me…" He swallowed and wanted to cry his eyes out. The bots had drained him, he was just sitting; fretting over what was clearly out of his reach.

GL blinked. "What code? To the Nano - Tech program? Kid Flash said that he's lookin' into the staff at Star labs with Hawk Woman ta' see –

"Nothing…." Robin shook his head and felt like a perp in handcuffs, again.

"He won't find a thing…Slade destroyed any remaining evidence. He made me watch him kill the man that went missing…. the scientist also gave me a code. It's useless though, I tried – Slade rewrote the program…That's why! –

"So?" Cy knew Rob was buggin, but it was an abused teen fighting with a white flag already in his hand.

He had to slow his roll, before he passed out.

Robin gave the teen a dirty look, as if he just wasn't going to be satisfied until he had what he needed.

An escape.

And…This was… Nothing like their determined leader. He wouldn't talk about his "master plan", the experience he'd suffered of course was dramatic - but he'd called himself a monster. Not from killing others, but because of something only he and Slade shared between them. He didn't pity Slade, did he?

Robin exploded. Yet again, they were too slow. He was trying to keep them all safe. Slade was…was…

"Hah! So?" He barked out an unsettling laugh. "SO!? Slade can kill us all; he's been holding back. He doesn't even NEED that control anymore! He can do that all with his goddamn mind!"

"What?" BB turned into a chimp and danced around in a frenzy. Robin panted and tried to calm down.

"Are you freakin' high, dude?"

"B! –

"I'm serious, it's like…he smells sick –

"He is what's making everyone sick, Beast kid."

"Beast, boy." Grumbled the younger teen to Speedy, who tossed his head to the side. Robin was a lost cause if he'd gotten used to doing heavy duty meds with his new buddy.

Starfire brought a hand out onto the distressed hero's shoulder, but he shrugged it off immediately.

"Don't …please…. don't touch me…." He hoarsely said, his voice a trembling, train wreck to her young ears.

Her sad eyes fell and back onto her friends, who would never truly recover until all was well again with their predicament. Body and mind. They all had to suffer in order to prevail.

"Rae was right…" Cy finally realized it. This wasn't just science fiction, maybe…magic. Something was brimming below the surface, and the dis- placed Titan Robin, had just opened up a can of wriggly worms for them all to openly gawk at.

/

Robin's head spun once he'd found himself alone and inside another confined space. Slade was not here. He'd gotten to go to the Watch Tower, but his wrists. His arms and hands. All bound up. So, he couldn't use "Contact" on the craft.

Richard sighed and finally felt like he was home. That feeling of Slade being in his head was turned off. The Nano – bots lay dormant…but…

Something still felt off. Robin's body twitched a bit until a striking vision appeared. An illusion of the man, standing right in front of him.

"No…. you…." Robin started to lose his grip on reality. "No, no nononononooooo! Getmeoutofhere!NO!SLADE!HE'S…HE'S…IN…MY…HEEEAD!"

"AAAGGGHHHHAAAAAAAAA!"

Robin went mad. He banged his head onto any nearby items and kept healing, and sealing up his leaking skull. The turbulent realm of impossible had become a jail cell. He screamed as his scalp was slammed in -

"Sedate him! Somebody, get over here! He's going berserk!"

Lantern…His voice….

Robin felt the unsettling buzz die off. The last thing he knew, his body had gone completely limp in Starfire's arms.

Starfire fought back againt her own nervous break down. "Why is Freind, Robin –

"Completely jacked - up on fear toxin? Cause' it might be. Or something' similar." GL had everyone eyes on him as he said that, aloud.

"What?"

Just then, Hawk Woman and Wally had made it back with little to show for their efforts. She'd not heard a word of this, and was concerned for the Titans' safety.

"We miss any unmaskings, lately?" Quizzed Kid Flash.

All he got was a silent audience in reply.

"You think…hm, I think I've seen this all before." GL pointed to the Tameranean. "Might be that. Starfire; take off his glasses, but be careful."

Starfire did as Green Lantern had instructed, from a safe angle as the crystalized residue on the boy's specs turned out to be golden, like sand.

"A type of, resin?" She asked the adult.

"Thought as much. He's got a drug, but it was probably only triggered when we got here, up into the Watchtower."

"Told you!" Gar crossed his arms and boasted back, He'd been right about something for once!

"Thing is, this isn't Crane's product. It looks totally, brand new." (Quoting on Haunted.)

"Awww, man! Is, Slade literally into Crac –

"Cut it out, B..." Cy wasn't in the mood.

"This looks to be, sandy by its abnormally, unpredictable composition –

"Don't touch that, Starfire! It's a deadly poison on contact!" GL warned the heroine, but Cy was the first to rush over.

He was the leader until Rae was cured with Robin. This whole thing was just more of Slade's tricks. Star's hands were sprayed with a solution to neutralize its contents.

"Go wash your hands off, it might be spread through contact like GL said. We're good here, Star. Try to stay, frosty. A''ait?" He tried to coax her reassuringly, and she had no choice but to thank him for his understanding nature of handling her nearly - detrimmental mistake. He was the leader, after all…At least he cared about her safety.

~ I am not so certain that this element is from your planet's home surface, or on any known or documented part of the Earth. ~ Manhunter came up to the station with Speedy, who was still waiting for Ollie to get better. "He found out about Canary and won't let me talk to him." The suave red – head shook his head and frowned.

"We wanted to see if any progress – Why is he out of his cell?" The boy jumped away from the wild hero. The sedated, hero.

"Robin is still dangerous, GL. Don't fall for –

"He was being drugged. His shades were laced with it. Take a look."

"Oh, you…you mean..." Speedy saw the microscopic data and felt all the bottled up guilt of yesterday's fight wash back over him.

Another reason he'd hated being the kid's rival. Robin was almost always the victim.

"I…" He was unable to sport a comeback. How could he? For him, that was too damn low to call even...

~ Do not worry about this outcome. I do fear however, that we have lost Deathstroke's trail. As of now, Static and his friend cannot figure out the places in which the assassin will likely strike next. ~

"He wanted to go to Gotham, remember?" Wally reminded the heroes.

"He can't, not without Rob to get Batman to come outta' hiding." Cy noted that this whole thing was to take the heroes down, but mostly the bat.

"What about Supes in –

"B, I'm tryin' not to go all over the place too, but we gotta keep our focus –

"No, I mean…that suit that Deathstroke wears is even harder to have him dead by in a battle, 'cause he uses it when fighting the League, right?"

"I told him that." Wally smiled and raised his hand, before giving puppy dog eyes and crunching into an ashamed little mound in the background. So much for being helpful. Getting called a goofball wasn't anyone's sea side picnic!

Lantern interjected.

"Right, but Slade's got no motive. Killers like him can't attack a city unless they have money involved or resources to extract from their services from some "shady" industrial giant's illegal criminal connections. The 101 of any criminal boss is to lay low until the time isright to show up."

Even if GL had a point, Wally and Bb still had it in their heads that Slade was going to get their attention.

With or without Robin.

"Like…. Wayne in Gotham City! He's got tech. And other stuff too." Wally wasn't far off from B on the "I know Bats, scale." B ad a pretty decent memory, being ex - Doom Patrol and all.

"What he said; Slade could be looking to increase his chances. If he goes on the move now, he'll just be playing us like before. I know hitch hikers. They are scary as –

"Dude, not cool. The universe is a journey with practically no limits –

"Hippie, huh? Gnarly, Bruh." Snickered Kid Flash as he did a surf's up sign wiyth his hand. "The Cali - vegetarian thing is popular I guess, for West coast heroes –

"No more ranting about all that nonesense! Both of you!" GL wasn't done reprimanding the teens, until every one of the teams were interrupted by an intercepted message from back on Earth.

Guessing it was urgent, GL turned on the monitor as it lit up half the room. Gar turned into a turtle and hid in his shell to avoid the glare. And to hide from GL's angry eyes.

The face that shown back was not the Bat, but Superman. ~This is Superman of Metropolois, calling The Justice League Watch tower as of at...Nine A.M, Pacific time. I'm going to need some assistance with a super – villain going by the name of Deathstroke the Terminator. ~

Bb gawked and popped completely back out of his shell, reverting to his original self. GL's mouth forcmed a tight line across his face.

"Sonnova –

"Dude, I think I'm like Raven, now!"

/