Teen Titans; The Fighting Life – Epilogue Story – Chapter 18: The Nameless; Identity Crisis

/

A smog ridden day and night.

Bluudhaven was a paradise to those who would gladly swim within its untraceable depths.

Whether of intrigue, desire, some status not yet collected in their palms.

The hard ground gave his team reason to stay up top; to watch as an informal gathering of the lowest swine commenced before the covert specialists' masked eyes.

Masks. The characters below wore them as well, and some just to seem important.

The one at the door next had a signature that matched their target. The team fell away to find a way inside and into the building for this, underground party.

/

Speedy had donned a darker look and claimed the fight with his old ally had awoken this side of him. Ollie had gotten a simple dose of a temporary solution. Slade was baiting them for the last battle. Gotham would be next on his hit list of cities.

For now...

~ He's going inside. ~ Arsenal now, as he'd decided to call himself, motioned to Beastboy, Roy, and Cyborg with their call – in chaperone.

Batman. He wasn't going to miss a single second.

Robin was with the man, looking to spill some blood and clip his wings inside that clustered nightclub.

A rather…Moulin Rouge comparison; there was a special going on. Masked. Everyone had a face to wear.

A cloth persona to don.

Arsenal cringed at the fact that the party – goers' costumes were skeletal and almost…

Dead.

It was Halloween after all, they'd waited months for this operation. Now, it was time to blow the mighty Deathstroke's cover.

Beastboy had gotten tougher; Robin was worth it. His leader had been stolen, and his flippity - time – paradox theme had taken longer to craft –

~Who knew asking Atom to create a time – warp was… ~

~A process? ~ Cy finished, through their link. New heroes had joined to help with covert missions from the base.

Miss Martian; J'onn Jones's niece. Superboy…We'll, he had two dads - let's go with that.

And lastly…

Their ace in the hole –

Tarantula. She was an FBI operative before finding her home in Bluudhaven. Batman had been able to get her attention, and the irresistible lure of stopping a big sale within the criminal underworld was enough to have her get them into this…

Lush garden of greed, lust, and avarice…

Mainly, she was their door –

"The door is open, boys." Tarantula came to them with a large masquerade spider mask on her face. It looked like a real –

"You might want to go all' fly on the wall." Cy motioned to a shaking Bb.

"Y- you…got it!" Silently squeaked the hero as he went back over to the restroom stall – his elephant style costume was a bit less party and more "give me candy."

He panted* and pushed open the door. The women positioned in front of his destination were just taking ten as well.

Ten, or five.

Yup. This would be much safer ground to cover..Off the ground...

Fly, or…spider? So, he chose the latter. He'd go mouse in a few. The many eyes always gave him a major headache…

Batman had a flying fox style outfit, with the rest of the crowd feeling, interested in getting under his skin first.

Roy skidded up to the bar and decided to do his own form of digging. ~Be careful. ~ Miss Martian bit her nail and tried to warn the heroes. ~Any last chance we have should be here to stop Blockbuster's deal and to get close to Deathstroke. He's sent an operative; Robin, I'd guess, to handle the deal. Which could mean…~

~One of these villains is slated by Slade to be executed. ~ Cy said and took to tipping his lone knight mask to have the folks here lighten' up.

Hard to not keep your cool at a villain's shindig of sin and poor predictions of someone's ultimate –

The door swung open. A male came lumbering in as the team scooted to their battle stations.

~Slade? Why was he here?~

Only Robin was supposed to show, but knowing the man's paranoia…

He'd not trust his favorite weapon to be left to its own devices…

Right beside him, was a boy who's face did not have a mask. Slade's own was beneath a large pirate hat and just a long cape, his uniform beneath it.

"Robin, you didn't dress up for this –

"I'm plenty dressed down tonight, Master." The mask – less creature shrugged and stared over at a table in the back of the club.

"There."

"Very good, I'll trust you to watch my back while your Master works. Don't take your eyes off of these guests…"

~He knows? ~

~Calm down, Roy. No. They are just proceeding with caution. This deal is supposed to be BIG. Superboy is still tracing the drug's supplier in Karkaztania as we're waiting for the deal to happen. ~

~The water supply could be…~ Bb gulped.

~Or the powder could end up laced inside of cereal boxes at the grocery store. Slade is just getting his cut to be the messenger. ~ Roy snorted through their link.

~Whatever happens her tonight team, remember the other part of this mission. ~

~Confirming Rob's loyalty. To see if we can really go back…~

~Exactly. ~

~I'm in; Raven here, and you need to be very cautious around that man. ~

~Rae? I thought you were with Atom –

~I am, but there is a problem. If Slade is really gaining invincibility from Trigon, then I don't want to know that he can sense my consciousness inside of, that place. You can't trust anything that happens. Just, don't forget...~

~Your leader is coming back with us, rest easy Rachel. ~ Batman nodded and set off towards the male mercenary to play the drunken lout. He'd put a mic onto the man and get the dirt on this deal. And try to look and see if Robin's micro expressions were that of someone who'd been abused and brainwashed.

It would all get wicked, tonight. In this city of sin and endless fog.

/

Not only had Batman's many scoped targets fled to find some peace and quiet in this dirtied city, but another few freaks had gotten the invitation.

Oh boy. Bat's first thought was to ignore Black mask as he sauntered in a skived the place to death. It was dirty, it wasn't his lavish hide out.

"Aha! I knew I smelled something worth my time!" Batman swung round to see the dark masked villain with a bad temper, looking at…

Shit.

"Ah! This is my kind of par -tay!" A mask was all he wore. Batman was still strong, but mentally…

He had reason to believe that Slade had called in some help to keep their ace master busy.

Maybe…

But Joker was the guest of honor here.

"I want insiiies!" The man froze and turned look over his shoulder, he shouted out through the door at his caddy in comparison.

That poor woman…

"Harley! Hurry it up with my briefcase! You're cramping my style, baby – doll!" He slicked back his green coif while eying the …...masks, of some of the show girls at the Blockbuster's birthday party.

"Sorry to be such a bummer to ya', mista' J! I got the moolah like ya told me!"

"Do incog, NOT improv, puddin – pop! We can't get these "ugliest of sin figures" all hot and bothered over a few Benjamin franks." He hissed at his partner within this looney – crime – alley, over who was crazier. "Relax. Go let the J - man work his sweet tongue on this crowd. You; go find Blockbuster – Andale!" He had Harley in her own costume of a joke, rush with her hungry eyes now as a frightened doe from a hunter to where their Movie – loving target was sitting beside his posse of glorified prostitutes.

More Black mask's style…

Sex workers, to be politically accurate.

The Joker held the briefcase as some of his over - sized goons surrounded the caricature villain from behind and were told to keep the "dough" from any, prying eyes.

"We'll seal the deal and - get a look at the mini – merc! Ohh!"

Slade winced at his ears being made to remain tone deaf just then. Richard stood still as a statue.

~ Just. Ignore him, keep walking. ~

Robin – Richard did until he came upon a table that had guns pointed at poor Harley Q.

She looked over her shoulder and snickered, even with her current circumstances.

"Look who decided to fly into Bluudhaven, eh? "Sladie's" new habitual pawn? Or, was he just havin' you around to take –

"My, Protégé. Miss Quinn. And I'd ask you to stay quiet regarding his powers, if you'd be so kind."

"Oh! Look who just blew into town, imself! ...You here for this "knee slappin" deal too, funny – guy?" She raised a brow and saw how the kid looked smaller compared to his "diabolical" master. The word was that Slade had a real bone to pick with the league and had even done a little dance around his enemies to prove how tough he'd gotten (as a side – job of bein' a crime lord.)

The rest of his look was all cut – throat assassin, but he looked like a pirate. Funny how things had turned out so…

"Lovin' the new look – Death! To this; I'd say yer' a fan of the classic sagas." Blockbuster shrugged off a swooning lass from his side. Two, given the mass in each of his arm that could carry the gals like they were mere paperweights.

"You'd have to see my impressive collection to be certain, though thank you for the invitation. Now, you're specific terms? May we get started"

Blockbuster chuckled and sat up, intrigued as his eyes gladly sparkled at the new product that the assassin was referring to.

"How big is the candy you're sellin'?"

~Candy? ~

Miss Martian dug deeper as Bb had come close to finding a way to spy like a fly – until a peculiar looking plant had him thinking otherwise.

It had teeth.

"Not for the kiddies, what a kinky proposal…Death –

"You'll have your turn, jester – girl. Let the master, work his magic if you'd please…" Slade tried to be an actor, but his stiffness was undeserving of that Oscar.

"Owchie. Ya know…Mista' J won't like that you is –

"I won't like what, exactly?" Joker came over with his face white as powdered cocaine.

Well, he could have had some before the news had caught his ears by storm.

"Our little, friend here is the big seller at this table, tonight." Blockbuster grinned and picked up his cigar from the table's ash tray, to get a decent puff in before the piper's fee could be paid.

"I got that, but I thought HE was just a buyer for another of the competition? Say it ain't so, Sladie!"

"It is." Slade tipped his hat to remove it. The mask was like the one from Jump City.

"I am dead for words…You're wearing that to kill people? And you run your OWN criminal network of baddies? Staring at that mask from their car or bedroom window would have your targets belly - up and with a damned heart attack! You should really see my shrink - she works wo –

"I'm actually, doing rather well." Slade tried resist his killing urge. It was strong tonight. Like a full - moon's glow overhead.

Slade may have shrugged off the Joker's taunts, but Batman cringed and saw as Slade put a hand onto his "apprentice's" still ridged shoulder.

~He's terrified, we could say mind control and manipulation tactics and call it –

~Not yet, I have a feeling your teammate isn't here to make Deathstroke look good. ~

~He's going to… then…~

~Watch. ~

"I can't say the same for this deal, gentlemen. Ladies –

"Not a lady – Sladie…!"

"Can it Harley. Though, so sorry for interfering with your genius, Death…. I just wanted a tiny slice of what you have to serve to this table…Mind if I? -

"Knock yourself out."

"We're in; then… Oh…. Boys??" Kicking the other women to the side, Joker called over a server to bring a drink to him, as well as Harley - something sweet. He wanted to feel like a true winner beside the big boys.

Slade drew in a breath. His exhale being unnoticeable as the wind.

"Business then. The briefcase; if you would, Apprentice."

Roy gritted his knuckles from the bar stool he'd occupied and watched the ex- crime fighter's captor do his worst.

Bb saw Harley but she…. Seemed, distracted. A hand to her ear…Was her intent the same as the Joker's?

She sat beside the opposite arm of Blockbuster, who already missed the "close connection" he'd gotten with his groupies.

~ The briefcase; so then…. ~ M'gann gasped with a hand to her lips.

~Slade was the supplier?~ Roy and Cy could only hold their breath.

They'd soon find out.

"After months of having considered our little product to be, ready for the global market, I considered one last detail…The shape wasn't appealing enough to grab an audience. So? I went and made sure my aim was pure." Slade pulled out a piece of the stash and placed it into Richard's gloved palms.

"A demonstration should suffice."

"Yes, of course. Master Slade." Robin popped the taffy into his mouth with one shot, and soon, the micro - dose his master had prepped began to take effect. It was like a rainfall of lust, then a dagger to the heart, nothing the serum couldn't counter. When it had been dismissed by his powers, Robin's heart returned to itself, and he'd gotten a better grip on things…

Blockbuster was in awe.

"It worked, very…. very –

"It was about two whole seconds – like magic!" Harley pointed at the kid's drowsy eyes.

"Imagine upping the dose; getting those who go into any convenience store or, the movie theatre next time, hooked."

Blockbuster was lapping this shit up. Slade smirked below the mask.

Harley had her hopes up, but she was still somehow skeptical.

"Or, we could ask the price; but you said something else to the community about –

"Correct, Jester." Slade nodded and started to explain to Harley and her puddin, and his biggest buyer at the table. "The drug is not only able to give one a sense of euphoria. Yet, to the one who takes it, the drug has another factor; and for one, it is able to accomplish….much more."

Slade called over a curious call - girl and gave her the candy to munch away at. "Watch."

She had her brain turn to proper mush; drooling and moaning out an incoherent sentence or two. Her skin grew pale, but her cheeks stayed pink as carnation petals. It was as ever the likelihood of that bon – bon that had –

"She's been turned into…a…!" Gawked the clown, at a loss for words. "Mind control in the form of a laffy – taffer- minute? Am I looking at comedy gold here? What will he think of next?"

"It isn't that simple, clown."

Slade then turned to Blockbuster, who was also already sold on their profitable arrangement.

"A kid in a candy store! I like it…Babe over there wants another taste, but no spoilers, kay?"

"The effects aren't as strong at first bite, not unless you up the anti." Slade reassured his brutish buyer.

"I have four distinct doses; all different amounts, these doses are aimed to make this little gob stopper an overnight success. Regardless of class, or how much you are willing to stock up on only three pieces per pack."

"How do you know how long the side effects will last for?" Harley butted in to ask; her chocolate cake gone from her plate. "Is it a permanent mind - melting solution to our hero problem, ya think? It looks more like science is getting' off its high horse."

"Well done on figuring out the rest, Miss Quinn." Slade sardonically attempted to congratulated her, before he'd have to have her erased - should she pry at the real rules of his game any further, nothing serious between them…of course...

He already had two potential buyers. Guessing Joker had used up all of his savings on white face paint, maybe the scraps would go to the sad clown. Maybe to the next person who waved up a couple million – cash, up front.

For one, Slade certainly didn't trust a side – kick to seal this deal. She was in it for her…Hmm…

Was she trying to get cut loose?

The petty pauper aside, Slade continued with his billion - dollar sale.

"Yes, and the ingenuity of this special "candy" is not from a synthetic source…rather, a biological one –

Roy gasped and felt his hairs stand up on end. He'd almost spilled his drink onto one of the other patrons his arm. She was trying to wean him out, too…

~He's kidding! Please, tell me he's –

~The Nano – bots...~ Batman scowled beneath his flying fox mask.

~ Dude! He's using stolen tech to brainwash ALL the candy lovers out there! What do we do, Cyborg!? ~

~Stay cool about this, B. If we get caught snoopin –

~You can't be too sure. Beastboy; can you get closer to Robin or Harley Quinn? ~ Batman's loaded question was a double - suicide mission.

~What? Why? ~

~I have an inside mole, or rather…. someone who'd be willing to break their chains the moment all of this is over. ~

Tarantula nodded to the Bat as this party was going underway, the one ring leader had his sights set for an all- expenses paid trip - to the big house.

She wasn't biting her nails to the nub, today.

This deal was done. They'd –

"You, are jokin' right? Who's gonna wanna "wake up and go to the corner store to buy…medi –

"She's not getting the point, but we are! I want a ton of the same packs! My adoring public needs to feel what I feel when the bat is at my throat! I want to show em how much Uncle J, cares about the citizens of Gotham…" He sighed at his little day dream.

Blockbuster was more about getting in on a globalized meta – human smuggling operation, so he asked right away to add to Harley's last joke –

"Can the drugging taffy work on meta – humans? I saw that your test subject only flinched, before letting the drag wear off."

Joker's gal snickered, up top. "Care to elaborate, old man?"

As Harley leaned over to add to Mr. J's suspicions of her as well, Richard decided to quiet the crew down. He took out a blade from his own belt compartment and pulled off one of his gloves with a sharp yank.

~Careful where you cut, apprentice. ~ Slade warned his protégé through their link.

"No worries, Master. This won't hurt a bit."

The blade dug into his palm's center, as the healing soon started with a bit of shaking, then a rapid pulse as Richard's gash was….no more.

The small crowd sat in awe. Harley's nose twitched, as if in Morse code. Bb noticed and turned to where she'd been pointing her dainty snout.

At Batman.

Gawking, Bb watched as Robin seethed through the process. His master put up by his grip, the boy's tremor - set hand to get the other villains' attention back.

"I couldn't have a willing future partner if they weren't going to be able to do what I do best, without fail. That was not the exception with my first choice. This plan was actually HIS idea, by the way. Thank my future accomplice, don't be so bashful. Introduce yourself. We've all waited just for you,… –

Richard nodded and took in a sharp breath. The pain was finally gone. They knew, which would make his job a lot riskier. Slade let go of Dick's wrist as he returned the favor.

"My name, is Nameless." Richard stated, and even looked to feel the way he'd been labeled. A lost soul, or even worse…

Used up.

/

~You heard it right…~ Cy shook his head and waited for Bb to say something.

B was shocked, but he saw then once more, how sad Rob looked.

~Still think Slade has him on a leash he can't break from? Look how miserable this is makin' him! And me! ~

~I can see it. He's fighting, but Slade will never let go that easily…~ M'gann wanted to cry for the ex – leader.

~ We have to try to separate them. Team; you know what to do, but I can make this short. We have an advantage. ~Batman had the group's ears now.

He motioned to Quinn, as she twitched her nose and did a little messaging of her own.

~I got you covered. ~

/

Batman made his way up to the bartender's station.

"I want to congratu… HIC*… duulate the Death – man's new kiddoo. Can ya put this over to em, from an admirer of his...guh… work?" He pretended to be inebriated as heck, but with a mind to look a little straight. Roy had his arms busy, but Bats was there to shove the girls off his friend Arrow's ward. He was a bit pushy for a drunk. Even, a fake one.

"Go on! This is 'Alloween! You got to go for the candy! Tell em, the tab's all on meh! Thisss…. freaky fox! Hic!" Roy was taking this too personally, or at least his character was knocked out.

"If you got it, I'll do what's on the menu…That all?" The bartender asked.

"Yup, and if Death ain't such a light weight, then he could take a few shots - on the ouse!" The faux face of Bruce was making Roy have to put his head down not to laugh out loud.

"Just watch what you say, guy…Blockbuster hates goons that try to out - stage im." Warned the bartender while he took to whipping up a nice tall bubby for the salesmen.

"Got it! Hic! *"

/

Part one was in place, now came the tricky part…

Harley had gone solo with her own crew, but they were, temporarily AWOL for a while.

This was her gig. She had the Bats on the ropes.

The drinks were sent over with scantily clad damsels holding the crystal glasses of some fine –

"Who ordered the good drinks?" You, clown?" Blockbuster stared down the Joker, who defended his role poorly.

"Me? On the job I would think it hardly proper etiquette to get shit – faced around one's business partners. Don't you think so too, Deathstroke?"

"Actually…" Slade was up to something. Harley got pumped, as did her comrades.

"I think my partner in training could learn from a small sip, that this truce is something to unify our kind. Let him have the first taste, I'll take that as a yes –

~What did he jus –

~He put something into the drink…Dudes! I saw it dissolve! What do we do?! ~ Fly Bb exclaimed anxiously through the link. Tarantula was probably calling her squad up to bust some tail.

~It's now or never, team. ~ Miss Martian gripped her seat and exhaled. ~ You can still get Robin out of there...and away from Deathstroke. ~

The drug was an enigma, just like Slade himself. It had been an Alka-Seltzer; the size of a child's tear.

Small.

Nameless took the shining glass from his master's hand, and slowly began to sip with the villains up on their heels to see how the kid would deal with a little ecstasy.

His real taste of being a villain's right hand in public.

Richard finished his glass and smiled weakly up to his master, a bit buzzed and uncomfortable from the spell as he cradled his poor skull.

Harley swooped in immediately.

"He's a light lil' thing! Let's go get you washed up, dumplin – pie! I'll get his head on straight, Sladie! Scout's honor, promise!"

Slade nodded and waved the clown's lover to do just that. No need for a dizzied protégé by his arm after tonight was through.

"You'd better, Harles…Death here is selling us the entire country – you must not let me, ah - him down! Come back soon!" Joker waved and then sat back down to take his drink from the call girl – only to splash it at the gal's face with a full laugh.

"Ugh. Lack of class, clown – boy. Eh, but it's done. We can pay up front or wire the funds to our generous saleman, overnight." Blockbuster shifted in his seat. He led his hands around another of his smokes, the other hand had a glass of his favorite goose in it. The plucked kind.

"I'd like for nothing less between our factions. I do thank you for your time, gentlemen. We'll finish the rest with a greater peace of mind."

~ For now at least…~

As Slade's paranoia picked up steam, Harley ushered the dizzied kid into the boy's stall.

~You're up Titans! ~ She smiled and waited, humming a tune as the other business that happened in cramped* spaces made her giddy as a school girl.

Cy popped out of a stall and smothered Rob's screaming.

Before he could bother to react , the boy's rough housing was just enough that Roy came over to keep their position from being ruined. Slade had drugged him, so Dick's new abilities wouldn't function right away. At least Rob didn't know how his meta - super – strength worked yet…

"Got the sedative? –

"Can't…" Roy shook his head and noted that the drug he was on was already a heavy duty one. He frowned down at his old friend.

"Slade was gonna drag him out, like this? Man…. talk about not trusting your enemies…"

"Mn-nm-nnnm-mm!"

"Cool it, we only got one shot at this. You have the device from Double M, ta' work her magic on his noggin?" Cy asked the red headed archer.

"Raven had to recover some caps from that last mission, and yeah. Right here. I hope M'gann has enough willpower to get inside his head without being blasted out of it."

Roy wrestled the Nameless kid to move behind his neck. "There, plop it by the top. I' ll pray you get over this asshole's tricks, soon Rob."

The device was a chip that allowed for M'gann to gain an edge as her link widened to allow Robin in.

~ Robin…. what was that?~

~Miss Martian? Do you read? ~

Cy was there too; but he was worried…

~ We got him properly sedated and he's ready to probe. What are you seeein' on your end? Any leads? ~ Roy tried to push his way in to the link as well.

~Slade, what is –

~AGH! ~

The two heroes looked to see that behind them; slinking around the dimmed room, coming through a window ledge, were dozens of Slade bots.

"Shit!.. W –

~Ambush…. ~ Miss Martian's link was dead. Slade had anticipated it all…

"How?" Cy as bewildered by the consequences, he didn't understand a thing…

~I TOLD you! ~ Raven warned from her side. ~Slade is not the only one you can't trust. Get out; the mission –

"We'll fight em, off! No big –

The bots suddenly stopped and sputtered full of shock waves which took to encasing their bodies. Red and crackling, like Robin. The things…. were untouchable…

"Oh." Cy took it back and stepped out of one bot's way.

"Now what?" The mission's a flop!" Arsenal cussed under his breath before coming up with an answer.

The teens tried Harley's line. She wasn't too fun and games about now either –

"YaaaH!" The gal was knocked over by the bots' backlash against the boys as the walls to Blockbuster's restrooms broke apart. She coughed out debris and spat some rubbl from over her tongue. "Yuck!" She spat. Literally.

Blockbuster gawked at Deathstroke; who was livider - even more than the gaudy, sputtering clown.

"Harley! You were supposed to watch the kid –

"I am DONE playin' nice on your team, puddin!…Hell; didn't ya notice how boring I thought ya was all this MONTH?" She snorted and under her suit, was a second getup. She slipped off the JESTER'S piece to sport something a bit more modern. More roller derby meets gymnastics freak.

"The…Jig's up, Ive! King, Clayface! Psycho, you too! Get your lazy buts out here! WE can smash all we wanna now that the clown's this shitfaced! I say we take out a whole army of his goons to show em not to mess with Quinn's crew!" She waved a flashy red and black jack painted bat above her head and hollered out.

Batman, Slade and Blockbuster were unperturbed. Crazy was the life they led. But Joker? He was just plain tragic…

Her pig tails bobbed with an ombre touch of pink and cotton candy blue, while her crew turned out to be King Shark, Poison Ivy, and Clayface -who looked to be…the bar tender? He splattered the bar side and guests with muck, which had the rest running from such horrible service.

And another -

"I'm sorry but is this what we're doing right now? Is this plan going against super – villain guidelines, and if anybody knows now, cause I needed to eat…! I get really crazy when my blood sugar is too low! Fastin' is for lazy people an' guys who don't like ta' cook…C'mon, now!" King Shark came out of the kitchen with a leg….of lamb in his jaws. He gulped it down with a hard swallow. He wore a blue hoodie and seemed more geeky than villainous. Cy was afraid to look away, but Bb actually near fainted by the shark man's size.

"Dr. Psycho's back, bitches! Up top!" The last illusionary man came out of no where, as her last groupie was actually on Wonder Woman's shit list. He'd been in charge of controlling the clingy "woman" on Roy's arm as his illusion was broken to reveal the pint sized panic's ploy. Roy pretended not to vomit from the bathroom side of the building. Cy actually held back a chuckle.

All while Cy still fought the Slade bots back with a doped up Robin, barely throwing a decent punch!

Slade looked all the more, turbulent.

Seething, but holding it all back in, his masked eyes weaned out the weakest link he could gamble with.

For the moment…

He held his cool, but it was shaken.

"That….pant*….is THAT a big enough distraction for ya? Huh, Deathstroke?" Harley Quinn winked into the crowd where Bats seemed to smirk under the mask.

"Anyone else wanna tell me what's goin on here?!" Blockbuster stood up as the room shook by his massive weight.

"How many a' you sleeezy FREAKS wanted ta' take my loot, eh? My bar ain't a fun – camp, ya pricks! Take em outta here! All av ' ya!" He had his goons and gals off their leashes. A free for all…

To die for.

Grinning at Slade's new deal still on the table, he chuckled. "You; we got alotta talk –

BANG!

A resounding sound hit the gullible oaf right through the skull. He fell onto the table; bleeding out profusely, as Slade pulled back his arm to redirect the weighted gun at his other foes.

"If anyone else objects, then the deal is off. You've shown no class, whatsoever…And I can't have that sort of behavior around my apprentice. For shame, and Batman?" Slade pointed the gun at Bat's corner of the room.

"Make no mistake. I'll be coming for you, next. I haven't forgotten about your ward's promise…"

"What- Wayzata!? …" Joker cowered in his seat, so Harley decided to have big bad death running on his heels.

"Hey, old maan! We were All in on it, smart guy! Bats owed me and I still had time with em' left to serve at Arkham; thanks to my shit – faced Ex!... You'd better pull outta' infectin' half the world's FUCKING population, or my team an' I are gonna whoop your kick – the – can – sorry - ass back to Metropolis! Ok? I'm seriously pissed – with BEIN' a killjoy, here… but you? Hah! Don't make me laugh!" She smirked to Bats and Ivy, who both got the message.

"We're doomed!" Bb realized it but the plant he'd spotted as a bug before, was actually housing Ivy all along. She smiled at him and let her plant tendrils work around to block a few exits.

She'd popped out on their signal. Now, though…

"Think again." Slade's eye narrowed at the group. "I'm not here for any of you…though I think we've overstayed our welcome." Slade redirected the gun to the door where Cy and Roy had been busy beating up more robots.

"Look out!" Batman rushed in, but was tugged back by Blockbuster's goons, who's wanted in on clobbering Gotham's famous Dark Knight.

~ Mission, abort! Get out of there!~

Miss Martian's warning had come at too late a time. Deathstroke's path was littered with dying bodies.

Unlimited shots.

Another gift from his otherworldly benefactor.

Slade swung his deadly arm at Cy – keeping his enemy to nurse his metallic and partly shattered jaw.

Deathstroke grabbed Robin, deactivating the chip that the team had used on his poor apprentice to communicate his thoughts to Miss M'gann.

"Sad to see this wasn't a very good party. Maybe next year, Titans." Slade used another tool, a blast of his own bombs went off to blow down the wall to the restroom, leaving the night air to hit the teen's faces.

All while Rob tried to gather himself while in Deathstroke's strong grip.

Cy growled and called out to Deathstroke through the smog.

"Get away from him! -

"Aggh!"

The bots continuously tazered* the teens from behind, but Batman was close - so Slade set off another smoke pellet storm to keep them busy, and cutting the lights by way of his little helpers outside was very crafty too.

The blackout led to even more chaos, as Joker screamed and nearly broke Poison Ivy's eardrums. She wobbled in her heels at the nausea it had brought to her body and spirit…

"What's going on??" Harles called out to Ivy and her team over the scuffle. Her hands over her ears, it was a real freak show…

Gun shots.

Glass breaking.

Women's screams.

Swords and a heavy bat swinging.

"I believe this is the traditional MOSH PIIT!...But, there are no rock and roll bands on the stage to play the devil's trill! -

"It's a war, you idiot!! We gotta go get the lights!" Psycho needed a vacation after this shit fall…Had Clayface never heard of an all – out death brawl before in his ding – dong lil' life? They were in the middle of this fuck fest! The eye of that storm! El Nino could -

Harley wanted to scream, but Ivy did that first. " Agh! Get your damn hands off of my! –

"Sorry!" Harley pulled back with a yip. So squishy too…Buns.

"Got it!" Bb had turned into a nocturnal rodent and turned up the lighting, which…Was left to an unsettling, shrieking madness.

Any visibly dead or K.O'd villains had painted the bar, red. The floor was filthy with so many goons and heartless bastards that the current drug laws or gun laws now, wouldn't cut it to be able to rectify this….

"Can…Can someone please turn the lights back off!?…I don't wanna see this much blood!..." King Shark bawled and covered his beady eyes from the sight of the pooling blood bath. They stood in a pond, a damn muck - field of scarlet wetness. King finally vomited, followed by Clayface which pissed their Lady boss off something fierce.

"Damn - shit!…Did those guys just blow…up!? Quit puking in the ugh...gross!..." Harles had to avoid staining her new shoes. She didn't have a very big paycheck coming….Now that Batman had forgotten all about her star – studded performance. To hell with that creep – he fucked bats, anyway…

It was hella' awesome! She was the bossiest bitch there was, and now even ole' Sladie wouldn't get up in her grill. A total success….right?...

Harley had trouble keeping her gaze off of this….Even the Joker had been trapped behind the big palooka Blockbuster's corpse, whimpering like a gutless loon. It was actually a good look for him. That had her smiling again a bit.

"Survival of the fittest, they really were mostly macho pigs after all. Huh." Psycho noted that any women were apparently smart enough to save themselves. He rubbed his chin and confirmed it.

"Guessing somebody should point out that not all men are complete idiots –

The crew glared at him. He was going into sexist territory. Otherwise, being a complete dick hole.

"What! That was totally a compliment!" He whined back.

Ivy ignored the Dr. Quack's "theorizing" a moment to come back to center. He was being too political right now for her to care.

"We have to try…To not get hung up in one of Bat's schemes again… All in favor?" Ivy panted and tried to stay calm. It reeked of piss and shitty, death

Slade….She'd almost had a damn STROKE! That… Bastard! Shit…Kite man was probably blowing up her phone she'd accidentally, left back at the base. They'd been meaning to see that new movie. With Vikings, or some shit…

Aw, fuck it. They'd see it on HBOO anyway…soon.

"I don't think there's a problem with enactin' low brow acts of vengeance once in a while against your sworn enemies." Said Harley; by how she'd totally beaten that Joke in the corner already. Bats knew Stroke – face was all about an' adrenaline rush, this an' that – blah blah…

"Heh, I could get off with a yeeah ; lets never do this shit again, anyone else got somethin' ta add? Wouldn't hurt." Harley shrugged; partly raising her gloved hand as high as she'd need to be heard. She looked about her to see if the others would back her decision as well.

King Shark's teeth had thankfully stopped chattering in time, to give his two cents over the outcome.

"Right now, I just wanna curl up with a good book in the tub and wash the stink of this pit OFFA my grossed - out body! I mean, even sharks don't go on a limitless killin' spree if it's gonna lead to a mass extinction… What is with you humans, anyway? Do your own insecurities really lead y'all to guttin' each other like a bunch a' harmless fish!? That's just nasty, Bro! Have you no stinkin' decency, anymore!?"

"Fine, but do you say nay or ay, Kingie? We don't wanna hear why you hate people – We all hate someone. Join the club...but after we have a proper vote. Please, just say Nay or Aye so we can go home to burn this damn image out of our eye sockets, already!" Psycho groaned by how much time they'd already lost bickering with each other.

"Uhm, I'll go with….Nay, then? –

The group let out heavy, distressed sighs all at once.

King Shark held up his arms in protest. "What!? We still get paid, an' this time it was for a good cause; to save –

"We just ran toe to toe with DEATHSTROKE! Harley was this close to becoming swiss cheese!" Dr. Psycho yelled out, flailing his arms wildly in the other villain's face.

Bb had gotten a good earful, until Miss Martian had him ready to jet out of there for good.

He'd let the group of reject villains think for themselves. Right now, a Titan needed saving.

~ Bet they could be in a sitcom. ~ He wondered and slunk away into the next room. Cy's head must have come off from all of that excitement! The bathroom….Where was the window?

/

Clayface put on his best dramatic and tragic act; as if he were in the court of law with a gavel. He even transformed his hand to hold a fake one. And, to become Ruth Vader Ginsberg. (Copyright.)

"I reject his response!" She shouted. "We are all in favor! No more covert missions with the BATMAN! This Court sessionnn is now adjourned!–

"Aye aye…Mrs. Court justice, ma'am." Ivy rolled her eyes. All but a pouting King, who still seemed unsatisfied.

Their getaway driver was still stuck in traffic. Ivy put and hand to her temples.

Despite the chaos - Harley finally had gotten her last word out, as the exit to Blockbuster's club room stood littered as a squirm - worthy carpet of dead goons in party – drag - style costumes.

"Who cares? It's Candy – Robbin season, soo Happy Halloween, bitches! I want some more chocolate tonight - before I crash, tomorrow morning! C'mon crew! No more dozin' off! We've got houses to smash back in Gotham!" She twirled her flashy bat in the air as the crew left old "Bats" to get into another scuffle. Maybe next year would be better, but it was too early to tell what could go right, or wrong.

Ivy chuckled and knew she could top that attitude. Still, messing with her crush would be funny.

"Yeah but Harles?" She wondered aloud. " Aren't we too EVIL to go trick – treating?"

/

I'm just cutting this off with some cameo style satire – the rest will be what becomes of our Titans' search. Slade didn't have a getaway car nearby. They walked, so Slade has to cover his tracks from an angry flying bat; dive bombing on this performance, gone south. I used the pitch from Great Pretender to have some fun with the scene. Also, Blockbuster is one of NIGHTWING'S FOES. GASP!? And Harley going incog with Bat's team was perfectamundo!

Slade in this time line, killed the dude, which means that Dick would have never gotten his new wings in this line that's controlled by Slade - who'd seduced by Trigon's wish granting gadgets.

Yup. Like Raven said, he wasn't the one they should be afraid of.

Slade, like Rob is a pawn – but?...

Find out in the next chapter! Will this "Nameless" stand tall or fall to his single weakness? Read on and stay curious for more!