Episode 2 : Tremors

It had been three days since Slade first appeared, since then nothing. The team waited uneasily as they prepared themselves for whatever Slade might throw at them. Cyborg constantly screened the tower grounds, while Raven and Starfire conducted aerial recon.

Robin, as everyone expected, never left the monitor room. There was something almost paradoxical in the fact that Robin's obsession with the masked man was almost as dominant as Slade's obsessions with his former apprentice. They tried to help him, Starfire, the most vehement one, but Robin would not hold back, trapped in his little personal duel with the tyrant that he had been fighting for as long as the team could remember. It was a fact now, Slade, as long as he was out there, would continue to haunt Robin until he was stopped once and for all.

"He's got to be out there somewhere." Robin slammed the supercomputer desk in frustration. "he wouldn't just show up without telling us something."

"Maybe Slade was serious, perhaps he is working different this time?" Cyborg offered as a suggestion.

"That's possible." Raven conjectured, she was scanning a wall of TV screens that displayed certain areas of the city. "But contact or not, I'm picking up nothing on the surveillance." Ever since Slade's last attempt to destroy the Titans, it was Robin's idea to ensure that they had their own network to monitor the city, just as Slade had his, but now, this new network was proving futile in finding Slade, had he anticipated this?

"I have checked everywhere I could. Slade is not anywhere to be seen." Starfire commented, slightly shy at the fact that she could produce nothing that could have been of assistance to the Titans.

"Maybe he's hiding again, he wants us to find him." Cyborg deduced. "Yea, he's changing his tactics."

Raven did not offer any suggestions. Instead she watched Beast Boy with concern as he sat on the couch. His face was neutral, perhaps a bit tired, and he hadn't been making those idiotic comments for days now....Was something wrong?

"Beast Boy, don't you usually have one of your crackpot theories to offer? I was half expecting to hear you say Slade was training an army of underground mole people or something." Raven asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe he's just......dozing it off in a cave somewhere. I don't know. He likes dark dank places." Beast Boy said, in a re-energized tone.

The rest of the team met this with silence, before Raven could say anything else however, the silence was quickly broken by the static on the Television monitors. One by one the images on the surveillance systems blotted out, each TV replaced by a piece of a picture, eventually forming up into one gigantic screen. The familiar contemptuous voice echoing over the speakers. Slade....

"Good to see you again Titans. I trust you are ready for what I have in store for you...."

Cue opening

When there's trouble you know who to call
Teen Titans!
From their tower, they can see it all
Teen Titans!

When there's evil on the attack
You can rest knowing they got your back
'Cuz when the world needs heroes on patrol
Teen Titans GO!

With their superpowers they unite
Teen Titans!
Never met a villain that they liked
Teen Titans!

They've got the bad guys on the run
They never stop 'till the job gets done
'Cuz when the world is losin' all control
Teen Titans GO!

1.. 2.. 3.. 4....
Teen Titans!




"What are you up to Slade?" Robin demanded immediately.

"My my Robin, always the same anger, always the same demands. I think you will find that that approach will be quite useless now." Slade was laughing now, and it dawned on Robin that he was enjoying every little minute of this. "I am glad to know that things haven't changed while I was away, but I am curious to see whether you have gotten soft."

"Whatever you throw at us Slade, we'll beat it!" Robin threw up his fist in defiance.

"Together." Starfire added her support.

The face on the screen showed no change in emotion, continuing in his mocking tone. "How very touching, however, You are assuming I am going to give you an easy task like last time? Don't be naïve robin. This is the real world now, and your team will not have it easy. You are familiar with Semtex Robin?"

Robin paused in thought for a second, remembering a weapons training course he had run when he was still under Batman's wing. It had been ages since and Robin now considered himself an expert in that field.

"I am aware of them." Robin replied flatly.

"As you should be Robin. A crystalline high explosive, powerful enough to blow up even the most sturdiest of structures if properly placed."

"Another one of your tests Slade?" Robin asked with disgust.

"Oh, this is not a test Robin, far from it." The head on the screen disappeared now, followed by a flash of images that varied from the skyscrapers of downtown, to the hydroelectric dam outside the city, to even the pier where they had previously fought Blackfire before.

"Twenty five targets Robin, each building varying from Police stations to Hydro-electric dams. All loaded with enough Semtex at their structural points to level them to the ground. In five hours, the resulting explosions will throw your precious city into chaos, making it easy pickings."

"Twenty Five?!" Cyborg cried out in astonishment. "How did he manage to do that? We had the city covered."

"You're surveillance system has been recently installed am I not correct?"

Robin clenched his fists tightly now. This was going to be harder than he thought. Slade had been planning this even before they had installed their new system, was he that good? He was about to say one more thing before Slade interjected him once again.

"I suggest you split up, I doubt however, that you have a better alternative, you cannot possibly find them all without doing so. Do not even try it. I can also assure you that each bomb will be heavily guarded." Slade went on. "Remember Titans, playtime is over. This is a new ball game now, so you best hurry and see if you can find them all, but the real question is Titans. Can you possibly stop them all?" The screen went blank.

"Titans, let's move out!"



"I don't like it, but we'll have to split up. Cyborg, you handle the police stations and fire departments. Raven, you got the Dam. Beast boy, go to the industrial district. And Star? The Power Plant is yours. I'll take downtown." Robin instructed as the team made its way towards the city.

The Team made good time, at first. Cyborg managed to find and defuse the first Semtex at the downtown Police Station, to the much thankful surprise of the authorities. After that however, the team got bogged down. Slade's cronies were all at the sites, waiting. Raven found herself facing at least a fifty of Slade's bots at the dam, while Starfire met an old friend at the power plant out of town.

"Hello??" Starfire cried out into the enormous empty halls. "Is anyone there?" No sound came from the plant's interior warehouse except for a light beeping, which betrayed the location of the bomb to the Tamaranian. At least this was going to be easy, she thought.

The question of whether she was alone however, was quickly settled as the ground trembled again. A portion of the floor collapsed into the earth, followed by a mechanical whir as the drills came to life.

One of the worms that escaped from the last encounter made their appearance now. it shook the ground so much that it seemed as if the warehouse was threatening to collapse.

Starfire immediately flew out of the way of the debris, and charging her starbolts saw that the worm had a gigantic dent in its head.

Despite the dent, the Worm let loose a furious barrage of lasers, which forced Star to hide behind one of the broken generators in the room.
"I think I had made it angry." She took the time to catch her breath, then when the firing stopped, she charged the worm head on, firing a barrage of energy as she flew. The room quickly became obscured in smoke and explosions.



"Azerath...metrion..zinthos!" Raven chanted, and immediately large rippling waves of black energy radiated from her energy barrier that she had made. Slade's robots fired incessantly at her, trying to penetrate the magical barrier. They did not however, anticipate the counter attack.

The rippling black waves sliced through the robots within a flash. It happened so fast, that they still stood there even after the spell was cast, falling into pieces only a few seconds later. Multiple explosions rocked the damn in all directions.

Raven took this time to rest herself against the wall, having exerted a tremendous amount of energy in that last attack. It seemed quiet...for now.

Her communicator went on. "What's the progress team?" Robin called in.

"Dam's clear, I'm helping Beast Boy with the Industrial sector." Raven called in.

"Can you call back in a minute or two? I'm a little busy right now." Cyborg's voice was fuzzy through the communicator, muffled by several explosions and laser fire in the background.

"Raven, I think you should cover Cyborg, I've got this sector covered." Beast Boy reported in. "I found three of the do-hickys, things are pretty quiet here."

Raven consented. "All right, take care."

"Starfire? How about you?" Robin continued on the communicator.

"I am in, what is the word? A bit of a Jam." Star's replied in a somewhat nervous voice. Raven could barely hear anything through the Static.

"Cyborg, think you can handle yourself for a few minutes?" Raven asked.

"No problem Rave, I can also nicely ask them to stop firing for a minutes longer." Cyborg replied sarcastically, but then he reflected on the seriousness of the situation. "Help Star first, I'll be fine."

Robin stood at the top of a towering skyscraper, overlooking the entire downtown area. Things seemed quiet so far here, too quiet. He had managed to defuse 3 bombs so far. With some fighting between him and Slade's robots. "Alright, I think that leaves 13 left, I think this sector is pretty much clear, I'll be right over Cy.

"Will do Robin."

Suddenly the red light began beeping on Robin's belt, and he detached a small electronic device and began inspecting it. This was not good, he had designed his alarm to be in synchronization with the alarm at the City's Maximum security prison. Someone had escaped.

"Whats going on Robin?" Cyborg inquired through the communicator.

"More trouble." Robin did not like what was happening, he listened intently to the communication network in the prison, to find more information about what was happening.

"It's Overload." Robin confirmed. "He's escaped."

"Slade's really running us around in circles isn't he?" Cyborg commented, slightly annoyed.

"Don't worry. I'll handle it, just take care of the bombs!" Robin shouted, then jumped off the skyscraper, latching onto another nearby building before proceeding to jump to the room of a smaller nearby office tower.

"Watch yourself Robin. We don't know what tricks Slade is up to." Raven added one last word of caution before signing off.

Robin felt frustrated. Events were going on too fast for him to comprehend. Had Slade done this so that he could free overload? And if so, why? Or was it all just a coincidence?

He barely had time to continue on however, for his communicator went off again. Robin picked it up, expecting Starfire or Raven reporting in, but what he saw was the last thing he ever wanted to see at this time.

"Hello Robin, and where do you think you're going?" Slade asked in his usual insulting and suave voice that sometimes drove Robin nuts.

"It's none of your business." Robin replied angrily as he watched Slade give an amused look on the screen.

"My. My Robin, you should really learn to control your Temper. This doesn't have to do with the Prison break does it? Rest assured Robin, I have that covered." He gave a mocking smile now, as if taunting robin with the fact that he was winning in this little game of deception.

"So you were behind it." Robin, in the danger of sounding completely ignorant, replied with his usual air of hostility towards the masked villain.

Slade continued on talking in his usual sophisticated tone. "Did I surprise you that much?" Slade gave a slight cackle. "In any case, that is the least of your concern. You should feel honored Robin, for I am giving you a very special task, a task only you can perform." The screen on Robin's communicator blanked out, showing static for a split second before switching to a new scene. It was a dark picture, and Robin could barely make out the rocks and stalactites, which dominated the background. It was a picture of a cave.

What caught Robin's eye however, was the large cylindrical shaped machine which dominated the landscape. The machine was covered in electrical buttons, each one flashing wildly as if it was processing something, it reminded Robin of a supercomputer.

"It is called 'the Juggernaut', my most magnificent creation to date."

"That's....." Robin began.

Slade quickly cut him off. "Yes Robin, a Thermal Detonator, or in more simpler terms, my naïve apprentice, a fusion bomb. Once detonated Robin, it will create a particle field that will engulf the volcanic fault line my apprentice created under the city, releasing enough energy and heat to disintegrate anything caught in the blast." His description was rich and it was obvious to Robin that he was enjoying this quite a bit.

"The result Robin? The largest volcanic eruption in history, which will bury your city in ash and fire, followed by a proverbial nuclear winter. It will be, as they say, a magnificent symphony of Frost and Flame." The villiain gave a chiding grin as he finished.

"Not if I can help it slade." Robin gritted his teeth now, another test? What the heck is this guy planning?

"Oh really now robin? Normally it can be defused, but not without special training. A pity though, if you had stayed my apprentice a little longer, you would have had the adequate knowledge to stop such a complex device."

At this point, Robin was still thinking about where this bomb was located, but a swift reconnaissance of the landmarks in the screen had already shown him where this bomb was, and he could not help but think of what Beast boy said earlier.

"What have you done with Terra?" Robin demanded fiercely, recognizing that Slade had placed this bomb inside the same cavern where they had last fought him a year ago.

"Oh? I am glad to see that your powers of deduction haven't gotten sloppy." Slade gave an amused chuckle. "She is the least of your worries boy, but now that you know where my fusion bomb is, you might as well come and try to stop it."

So that's why he split us up? Robin thought. To get me alone again? No....Slade's plans were usually more complicated, there must be a second reason. And, Terra...Slade better not have done anything to her.

"You will find that defusing the juggernaut is impossible, but then again, you can't resist trying can't you?" Slade gave one last contemptuous smirk.

"I shall enjoy watching you fail." The screen went blank.

"Damnit Slade....what are you up to." There was so much going on at once, the Semtex, Overload escaping, not to mention a giant fusion bomb in the heart of the city... There was nothing however, he could do, except try his best. And so, Robin quickly made his way underground. To Terra's resting place.



The alarms were blaring all over the complex, accompanied by flashes from red sirens which dotted the facility. Masked Guards scrambled to their stations, grabbing assault rifles and prepping their gear, while officers gave explicit instructions to set up barricades to stop the intruder.

"Sir! The intruder has broken past our first floor defenses, he's heading up here!"

The commander impatiently snapped back. "Whatever happens we can't let him into the R&D sector, lock and load!"

Twenty guards guarded the narrow hallway, throwing up a makeshift barricade of barrels and crates. Some took cover behind them, while others crouched down on the ground. All had their rifles pointed towards the end of the hallway, which had a door in the nearby corner, shaping the corridor as if it were an "L". The guards protected the longer stretch of the hallway, while the short corridor led to the door. They shifted in their positions uneasily as the first sounds came through.

Men were shouting, rifles fired madly in the shorter corridor, the door had been opened. Already, men were appearing from the end of the hall, firing and stepping back, frantically trying to get away from whatever was attacking them.

Five men were tossed against the wall as if they were rag dolls, their impact was preceded only by a large explosion when one of the commandos tried to grenade the thing, but he too, was disabled.

"Get ready." The twenty guards readied their rifles, their fingers tensely resting on the triggers.

"Here it comes!" One of the guards pointed, and immediately the twenty guards let loose a blazing barrage of bullets into what appeared to be a glowing mass of electricity.

Overload was barely phased by the bullets and he quickly picked up a piece of electrical equipment, charged it and quickly tossed it at the bewildered soldiers. The generator exploded in mid air, temporarily blinding the dazed soldiers as well as throwing some on the ground from the impact of the blast.

"This is too easy." Overload sneered, then he advanced towards the frightened soldiers with a deliberate slowness. The men fired wildly at the monster, but the bullets didn't affect the electrical beast in any way.
One of the soldiers, out of ammo and in a sheer fit of desperation, unhooked the fire hose from an emergency station nearby and hoped to stem his advance with at least a highly pressured wall of water.

The water however, was more effective than the soldier thought. Overload gave out a roar of pain and slowly shrank back into the electrical wires of the building, quickly disappearing through the circuitry while leaving the shocked soldiers alone, and victorious.

"The intruder has been stopped sir." The soldier reported in to HQ.

Headquarters however, was no so optimistic. "Search the grounds, Project Alpha has been stolen!"

"Impossible! We guarded the only way in! That thing couldn't have done it!" The captain, in amazement, opened the tripled layered steel doors to find that the prized capsule was missing. The project was kept inside a glass case, surrounded by laser grids as well as a weight sensitive alarm floor. No one could have broken in without setting one of those off!

Yet it was apparent to the captain that somehow had stolen it, for a small clean hole in the glass was seen a hole through which the capsule could have fit through easily.

The Buildings chief of security was even more confused, and determined to get to the bottom of it, he quickly went up to the central computer room.

"Security, check surveillance in sector B, from the last 20 minutes." Which was the time of overload's attack.

The technician typed away on his keyboard, and had accessed the files within minutes. Playing the tape, the two officers observed the room, which was perfectly untouched in the attack, the capsule was still in its casing, undisturbed.

"There sir! We found our thief." The technician reported as he zoomed the camera in. It was all so obvious now, the commander thought. The floor alarm wasn't set off because the perpetrator had flown, but what had really puzzled him was the appearance of this so called thief.

"Its......a hummingbird?" The commander said incredulously.



The base was dark and bleak. Dominating the control room were dozens of large screens, each showing different locations in the city. What really added to this cold and oppressive atmosphere however, were the numerous gears and machines which operated in the background. Occasional vents of steam and the rotating sound of clogs and gears filled the room.

Slade smiled as he sat in his chair, it pleased him to know that he had his enemy outfoxed, that he was conducting the entire operation as smoothly as a conductor controlling every motion in his orchestra.

He laughed contently, knowing everything was going according to plan. The screen immediately in front of him showed flashes of blueprints, as well as schematics of an unknown nature.

He was interrupted with the entrance of a third party in the chamber.

"I see that you have already completed the first task. Overload is free, and no one is the wiser." Slade watched the screen now, supervising his own robots deactivating the bombs in the Industrial sector that Robin assigned to Beast Boy.

"And the Capsule?" Slade asked slyly. The only response he had was a slight flicker in the air as Beast boy angrily threw the capsule onto the floor, at Slade's feet.

"Good boy," Slade spoke with a casual air of superiority resembling the tone of master towards his dog. "You are already proving yourself as resourceful as Robin and Terra ever were."

"This won't last forever." Beast Boy said with hostility, ignoring the compliment.

"Nor do I intend it to. As I have told Robin, I have other plans besides acquiring new apprentices."

"And you will release Terra?" Beast Boy demanded.

"Very soon. Yes." Slade leaned back in his chair, out of the light. "A deal's a deal."

Beast boy was ashamed, he couldn't believe that he was doing this. Yet, he felt he had no choice. He knew Slade had Terra now, and what would happen to her, was entirely up to him and that was why he came to the conclusion that he had no choice but to run errands for this man.

Slade smiled, turned his back from Beast boy to his monitor and reviewed the schematics he had been concentrating on earlier.

"Project Alpha, and Project Omega." Slade droned on with an intriguing tone.

"Parallel strains of military research projects begun by Lexcorp. Designed to create the most powerful weapon ever known to mankind." He turned around in his chair, staring coldly at Beast Boy. "And you will be the one to hand them to me."

"I've already done enough." Beast boy finally had summed up the courage to say it. "Free Terra now!"

"Remember my friend, you will find you have little choice in the matter. Terra is in my hands now, despite what your friends say. Her future, is entirely in your hands. I trust you won't disappoint me." The last phrase was as cold as steel, and Beast boy was trying his hardest to restrain himself, from jumping up there right now and ripping the villain in half. But, he was doing it for Terra. My friends...forgive me

"Now, don't you have to help your little friends?" Slade said chidingly, pointing to the screen which displayed the many other semtex bombs still out there. "The hour countdown is almost up."

"You'll regret ever doing this to my friends." Beast boy uttered out in suppressed rage.

"Oh? Don't give me all the credit, after all. You have played a part in all this as well, haven't you?"

Beast boy did not say a word, instead, he ran off, taking his communicator and seeing whether or not Starfire still needed help. Robin was on the communicator now, telling them something about a new bomb under the city. He had no time to waste...

Slade meanwhile, could only give a mocking laugh as the titan left.

"Bite little fish....Bite." he said softly as he watched Beast boy fly off to help his friends.

He could only hope that, in time, they would forgive him for what he had done.