Slade
The Titans had finally made it out of the maze. Starfire put Dark Robin down and called the others over to examine him. "He feels feverish and he is greatly tired. I don't know if he has the strength to walk." She informed them.
"My sensors say his internal systems are shutting down. Fighting has just used up all his reserved strength. If this is how scum like Dark Robin looks imagine how Robin must be feeling." Cyborg told them.
"Were running out of time here! Three and a half hours have already passed. Maybe we should just give up." Beast Boy said dejectedly.
"We can't give into despair. Listen I can try to lesson the effects of the mental link on him, but I can't get rid of it. Its what's keeping Robin alive." Raven said.
"Don't I get a say in this? Look I know that I'm weak but I can handle it. I'll tough it out. We need to keep going. Where on Level Four so what should we expect here?" Dark Robin asked sitting up.
"Apparently a bunch of brainwashed students. Look!" Cyborg said pointing in front of them where an army of students was marching towards them. They were all under Brother Bloods spell.
"If they want a fight lets give them one. Titans be ready to attack." Ordered Dark Robin leveling his thermal blaster at the students.
"Stop! You're in no condition to be fighting. Please let us handle this." Starfire pleaded
"Don't tell me what to do Princess. I can handle myself." Dark Robin said shoving past her to get at the students.
"Man that kid is rough. Come on we have to hurry or he'll hurt himself." Cyborg said as he blasted away.
Meanwhile Brother Blood and Robin were entering a different set of repressed memories. Robin was still trying to understand why Bruce had thought it was necessary to hide the fact he had a mental problem. "Didn't he trust me enough to handle it?" he wondered.
"Ah here we are. I've skipped ahead one month. Lets see what your mind is hiding now my song bird." Brother Blood spoke to his companion in an aggressive tone. Pulling on the chain they appeared in a new memory.
Robin opened his eyes and looked around. He was in Bruce's study. Toys were on the floor. Alfred was helping Dick with some science project. It looked like he was making one of those volcanos. "Thanks a lot Alfred. I'm having fun, but I wish Bruce would spend some time with me. I've been here for almost two months and he hardly hangs with me." Dick complained.
"I'm sure that Master Bruce would spend more time with you if time permitted. However right now that's not possible." Alfred calmly told the boy. It looked like the non-traditional method was working. He hadn't had a fainting spell lately and he was remembering things. He still had trouble relating to society and he sometimes gave into his darker impulses, but all in all he was fine.
Robin looked around the house. What was so bad about them that he had repressed them?
Suddenly the door to the study opened and Bruce Wayne walked in dressed in a brown suit. He was carrying a briefcase with him. "Hi Dick how are you?" Bruce asked.
"Bruce!" Dick ran over and hugged him tightly. "Can I come to work with you tomorrow please! It's Saturday tomorrow and I really want to spend time with you. Can I please?" Dick begged
Smiling down at his young ward (adopted child or unofficial child.) he laughed. "Alright you can come with me to my robotics factory tomorrow. I'm meeting my new partner there, Mr. Wilson. He's an ex military agent who is a robotics/weapon expert. I think you'll like him."
"Wilson? I don't know any Mr. Wilson. Whom is Bruce talking about anyways?" Robin asked confused.
"Of course you don't know you don't remember silly. Lets fast forward this a tiny bit to see what happens next." Brother Blood said. He was enjoying himself.
The scene blurred and changed. Now they were standing outside a seven story gray stone building. On the side in big gold letters were the words WILSON TECH. Robin walked through the door and entered a highly sophistaced assembly room. He watched as Bruce was telling him what the robots were made for. "Funny", he thought, "Those robots look like Slade's. Hey what am I doing?" He asked outloud.
Dick had raced over to the assembly line and had climbed on. He was now jumping from conveyer belt to conveyer belt. Whipping around one of the finished robots his foot got stuck. He fell towards the floor certain to maintain injury even as he flipped out of the way and crashed into an individual who had just appeared.
"Sorry my fault. I shouldn't have been playing on the assembly line." Dick said apologizing.
"No need to be sorry. I often wanted to do that myself. Bruce so nice to see you again." Wilson said shaking Bruce's hand. "So is this the young man you were telling me about over the phone? He's quite the acrobat."
"Yes he is. His parents and him were in the circus. I should have kept a better eye on him. Dick I like you to meet Mr. Slade Wilson the President and CEO of Wilson Tech. I'm going to be working with him over the next few months on some special projects." Bruce said introducing Slade.
Robin gasped outloud and let his mouth hang open wide. He was in complete shock. Slade a business partner with Bruce Wayne and being kind to him as a child? It couldn't be possible it just didn't make sense. He looked at the man closely.
Slade Wilson was a man at a height of 6'2 and 187 lbs. He had short spiky black hair and two crystal blue eyes along with a mouth of perfect teeth. He wore a bronze suit with black tie and gray shirt. Could this be the same madmen that tortured him?
"Seems to me your mind has a great deal of secrets it wants to share with you. Shall we listen in on their conversation?" Brother Blood asked innocently.
"You have the most amazing stuff here. I've never seen such fine robots. You're a real genius Slade. So why are you interested in working with me?" Bruce asked
"Simply your company produce's the circuitry I need to improve my design. You scratch my back I scratch yours situation wouldn't you say Wayne?" Slade asked
"Yes could you excuse me a moment? Dick please stop messing with that stuff. You're going to break a bone or something." Bruce said as Dick began to fool with the finished robots.
"Stop telling me what to do jerk face. I can handle myself I don't need you budding into my life." Dick cursed at him. He whirled around and tried to hit him. Bruce caught his fist and held him in place. "Please stop this nonsense. Now go out to the car. Its almost time for you to go see Leslie."
For a moment it looked like Dick wouldn't obey him. His eyes flashed red and his face twisted into pure rage. Just as suddenly as it appeared it disappeared and he walked out to the limo.
"Something seems odd about the boy. What's wrong with him?" Slade asked curious.
"He is suffering from Disocitive Identity Disorder. I haven't told him. I'm trying a non-traditional method. It seems to be working, but sometimes he slips." Bruce sighed
"Might I make a suggestion?" Slade asked innocently
Suddenly the scene blacked out and changed. He was in Leslie office. Sitting in the couch again. "Why did we skip here?"
"Your memory is playing back the most signifgant points. Now hush I find this fascinating. Your childhood simply was horrible. I mean people lying to you and using you." Brother Blood explained in delight.
"So Dick how have you been since we last talked? I hope your doing better at school and behaving yourself." Leslie asked kindly.
"Fine although I could do with a little more fun time with Bruce. And why do I do so much science and other junk? I know its important but its not that much fun. I want some friends." Dick complained.
"I'm sure you do. You'll make friends in time. Now did anything new happen today?"
"Yeah I met a guy named Slade Wilson. He is so cool. He's got the coolest robots. He didn't mind when I messed around his factory." Dick said. Robin looked at his past self in horror. He was admiring Slade. Gross!
Leslie and him talked for a bit more than she called Bruce in. He understood how he knew what happened when he wasn't around. His construct memory filled in the blanks.
"You methods are working Leslie. Things are going great. In a few more months his condition will totally be gone." Bruce whispered excitedly.
"That's not what I said would happen. His disorder isn't curable just treatable. You need to spend some more time with him and not as Batman. He needs a role model." Leslie calmly explained to her old friend.
"I know that and I know he needs a friend. That's why I've agreed to let him spend an hour or two with my new partner. Slade can teach him martial arts and all kinds of other stuff. I think he'll be a good role model."
Shaking her head Leslie gazed at the man she had comforted as child when he lost his parents. "I trust your judgment Bruce but what Dick needs is love from you. You're all he has in this world. I know it's painful to be around someone who reminds you about what happen to your parents, but you have to take the reigns. Promise me you'll be there for Dick when he needs you."
"I swear to you Les I will. Right now I just can't but when he needs me I'll be there."
Robin cried a little. Batman hadn't wanted to take care of him originally was bad enough. Finding out he been shoved over to Slade was worse. Brother Blood forwarded the memories one month.
Their surroundings had changed. They were now in a dojo. Robin saw his past self-wearing a green belt getting ready to attack Slade who wore a black belt. Dick charged Slade and used a right cross followed by left upper cut and ending with a right uppercut. Slade grabbed him and held him. Robin knew what he was going to say before he said it. "Good technique but not perfect."
"Man you beat me every time. How am I supposed to beat you when you're bigger than me?" Dick asked.
"Patience my young prodigy. That is one thing you lack. You must use your opponent's advantage against him to win in battle. Do you understand?" Slade asked bending down to help Dick up.
"Yeah I got it. Hiyah!" Dick lashed out with his right leg tripping Slade and sending him sprawling on the mat. "I beat you."
"Dick that was dishonorable and ruthless. Very good!" Slade said. He smiled widely. "I'm impressed at your ingenuity. When you come over next time will half to work on your fighting and acrobat skills some more."
"It seems you learned your fighting techniques from a different mentor than you believed. Trained by evil and raised by evil how can you deny it?" Brother Blood asked.
"Shut up you monster. This isn't real. I won't believe its real!" Robin shouted. Clenching his fist in frustration he growled under his breath.
"These memories are quite real I can assure you. Lets fast forward some more say another month?"
The world around Robin dissolved and rearranged. He was now in Slade's private office. He wanted to run away and hide but he couldn't. He watched in horror as Slade showed around his younger self.
"Man this stuff is neat. Its way better than anything Bruce has. I mean Chinese magician clothes with a staff that can summon a fire monster? That is one of a kind. All these blueprints for future projects are neat. But you said you have something special to show me." Dick said.
"Yes its over here. Dick I like to present to you my battle suit. Once I'm in it my strength will be increased twofold. I haven't finished the mask yet. Do you like it?" Slade asked curios.
"Yeah it's the neatest thing I've ever seen! I wish I had one." Dick pouted.
"I thought you might feel that way. That's why I designed one for you. I hope you like it." Slade said pressing a button. A panel came down on the wall and Robin gasped. It was his apprentice outfit!
"No no no this can't be happening." Robin moaned as he watched Dick put on the outfit. "This is so cool! Thanks a lot Uncle Slade!" Dick said as he ran over and hugged him.
"I'm glad you like it Dick. I hope that one day I can teach you all my secrets. Make you my apprentice you would like that wouldn't you?" Slade asked his voice laced with venom.
"Of course I would. What could be better?" Dick asked. His eyes were shining. He looked like he just won the lotto.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Robin said as he began puking his guts out. His mind was reeling. Uncle Slade! Apprentice! This was his worst nightmare.
Brother Blood snapped his fingers and the scene change once more. Another month had passed making a total of five months since his parents died. They were in Leslie office.
"I'm doing so much better at school. No one messes with me. Alfred and Bruce pay more attention to me. But I still have no friends. Also I keep getting blamed for things I didn't do. What's up with that? Slade never yells at me like Bruce does when I faint."
"People are different. I'm glad you've found a positive role model in your life. I wish it were someone more like Bruce than this Slade. Well I'll see you next week by Dick." Leslie said as the boy raced outside. "I have a bad feeling about all this."
"Well that ends the tour of those memories. Look at the time four hours have passed since you separated. Why don't we check out the last set of memories we have some time." Brother Blood told Robin snapping his fingers.
The Titans had finished with the last of the students. They were tired and beat but they had to continue on. Dark Robin held his head in one hand and put the other over his mouth. What he had seen was unpleasant.
"Dark Robin are you okay?" Starfire asked concerned.
Dark Robin moved over towards Raven then threw up all over her. "Eww." Raven said solemnly
"Sorry bad reaction. Can we go?" He asked
"Yeah lets go now. We only have one more level and were there!" Cyborg told them to get there moral up. They took off like a rocket towards the final floor.