Medea gathered the other students onto the bleachers in the room. Once they had all been settled, she tried to mosey her way into Jason's lap with a quirky smile. He restlessly pushed her off and shook his head. "Not now, Medea. I'm not in the mood," he grumbled. The girl stuck out her lower lip and folded her arms crossly. She sat down and pursed her lips up.
Jason clapped his hands for attention. "Are you all ready to have some fun?" he called out. "YES!" they screamed in unison. Jason pointed to a trap door that was fixed at the ceiling. The cage was directly below it, surrounded by thick iron bars and steel frames.
"Then lets get on with it!" he laughed out loud. Jason raised his right hand in which a remote was attached. His thumb pressed a red button and a loud beeping noise was heard. Just then, the students raised their heads and glanced at the square piece of metal on the ceiling.
The metal slowly slid open and two figures fell through, screaming as they fell easily into the cage. The top of the cage slammed shut with a loud satisfying noise. The HIVE students all got to their feet and began to cheer.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" they hollered madly. Jason re-pocketed his remote and took his seat next to Medea. He did permit the girl to rest her head against his shoulder as he ran long fingers down her twisted black braided hair.
The victims in the cage slowly picked themselves up, brushing debris off their bodies and looking around. Terra grabbed onto the bars and began to shake them madly. "Let us out of here," she begged. Sneers and laughs were her only answers. She suddenly felt hot breath on her back and heard a rumbling growl behind her. At once, Speedy crouched in front of Terra and took a protective stance.
A giant vicious creature with thick tangled green fur towered above them. He roared, revealing sjarp teeth and drooling gums. "Stay back," Speedy warned her. The archer had only just fitted his bow and raised it at the monster. Just then, Terra's blue eyes widened and she looked harder at the strange creature.
"Beast Boy?" she asked timidly.
"Girl, that is not Beast Boy," Speedy snapped. He released the arrow and it whizzed through the air, slicing across the beast's left shoulder. A thin stream of blood oozed out of its body and began to flow through the green fur. The beast arched his back, tilted his head upward, and let out a roar of pain that shook Terra down to her toes.
"Speedy, don't!" she cried, trying to push his next aimed weapon away. "I know that's really him." The students had ignored this and were thrilled at the enraged animal.
"Great show!" Medea squealed, leaping to her feet.
"SHADDUP!" Speedy snapped at her.
"Look out!" Terra cried. He was too late. The beast swung a mighty clawed hand through the air. Terra shrieked as Speedy was swept off his feet and went smashing against the bars of the cage. The beast had tossed him aside as easily as a rag doll. His back slammed against the wall with a painful cracking noise and he slumped to the ground in a heap.
Terra looked down at the injured archer, then back up at the monster. Her eyes trembled and began to fill with tears. "Beast Boy, why are you doing this?"
The beast lunged for Terra and she rolled over on the floor, trying to dodge his menacing looking claws. "Wake up! Stop it, Beast Boy!" she cried out. "I'm your friend, Terra!" She tried to grab onto his thick fur but another deadly growl made her back off. "Remember Terra?" she asked.
"Terra? Yeah, Terra I know," Jason said as he stood up. "Don't you know who she is? The one that Deathstroke the Terminator trained. She almost killed the Titans with her own two hands."
"TRAITOR! TRAITOR! TRAITOR!" the HIVE students roared.
Terra lifted her head up and forced the knot in her stomach down. She looked at the beast that was also imprisoned in this horrible place. She drove her clenched hands into the cement and shook her head. "I did not come back to see this happen," she told herself angrily.
Terra let out a cry and slammed her fists back into the ground. Her blue eyes flashed shining gold. The students looked up just as a massive amount of the ceiling began to shake. Suddenly, a rumbling rock fell from above and came crashing down on the bleachers. Medea shrieked and nearly jumped into Jason's arms. "What is this?"
"She can control the earth," he said dryly. This was all the other students had to hear. "Kill the witch! Kill the witch!" they chanted out loud.
The beast starred at them blankly, but then his eyes narrowed in thin bloody slits of light. He charged at Terra before she could get to her feet. The girl felt giant hands grab her arms and lift her off the floor. Trapped inside those massive palms of fur and dagger-like claws, she squirmed but to no use. The beast held her close, his massive mouth starting to open up.
Terra felt the foul hot breath on her face. Was he really inside of there?
"Beast Boy!"
The Beast stopped squeezing her for a fraction of a second. From his snarling lips, Terra heard a low grumbling voice just cracking, faintly straining to break out.
"T-Te-ra?"
She nodded her head madly "Yes, its me," she said.
"Beast, that girl is your enemy. Destroy her!" Jason thundered.
"Trai-tor," she heard the beast mumble in a thick tone. Terra watched the giant jaws open wide again. The girl squirmed within his grasp, barely able to free her arms. The girl knew her head would be bitten off in the blink of an eye. Forcing her hands to move unlike any other way, her arms grabbed onto his face and kept his jaws open wide as she could. Her muscles were shaking terribly and sweat was streaming down her face, but Terra kept struggling.
"T-t-terra, don't c-c-ry," she heard a voice mumble.
Terra raised her head and gasped in bewilderment. The beast's voice, once thick and chocking, was getting thinner and yet stronger. His face was changing as much as his size. She had just been raised several feet into the air, but the beast began to shrink and she was slowly being lifted to the ground. Slowly, the fur began to dissolve away revealing green skin. The eyes started to glow before restoring into round olive colored gazes. Pointy ears were seen . . . the protruding teeth shrank back.
Terra noticed none of these things. She shut her eyes tightly and kept the picture of the green changeling that was safe inside of her heart. "Beast Boy, please forgive me. I'm so sorry for all the terrible things I did," Terra said as she wiped her nose.
"Please don't cry. I hate to see you sad," a voice moaned. Terra opened her eyes and realized that she was no longer being gripped by that ugly wretched creature, but in the arms of Beast Boy. The girl threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder, unable to keep the tears out.
"I wish I had never broken your heart. I'm so sorry," she begged.
"No, I'm sorry," he insisted.
"Nah, I'm more sorry than the both of you, kids," Speedy grumbled. He was massaging his injured shoulder where a gash of blood was starting to slide down his arm.
Beast Boy realized the other person in the cage and gulped. "Um, sorry about that," he said. "Relax. Its probably just an artery," Speedy said sarcastically. He ripped off a piece of fabric from his pants and began to bandage his wound. He glanced at their surroundings and the bewildered students looking inward. "You want to help us bust out of this place or not?"
"Slice them up!" Jason shouted. The students all pulled daggers out from beneath their cloaks and charged towards the cage. Beast Boy cracked his knuckles and with a large grunt, morphed into a green gorilla. Griping onto the bars, he snarled and bent them backwards as if they were merely rubber. The HIVE students that had just come to charge the Titans suddenly found themselves up against the massive gorilla that was beating his powerful chest and roaring at the top of his lungs.
Jason's smug look was replaced with utter fear and he dropped his weapon. "Retreat! Retreat!" he shouted.
Everyone turned head over heels and started to run out of the room. Terra spread her hands apart and turned her head up to the ceiling. There was a trembling noise and suddenly, kryptonite rocks broke through the trap door and began to pelt the students. They all dodged the attacks, trying to cover their faces and the rest of their bodies.
Medea was hit hard on the nose with one particular rock and ran out, crying as she clutched her bloody nose. Jason hadn't taken more than a few steps when a hand grabbed his hood and he was thrust back against the wall. "Erk," he gagged at the pain of nearly having his throat twisted off.
Beast Boy, Terra, and Speedy all glared at him angrily.
"Now, tell us what we want to know," Beast Boy threatened. "Or do you want to end up as HIVE hamburger?"
Jason shook his head.
-A-
The communicators were still disconnected. Disappointed, Robin hooked it back into his utility belt and concentrated on his work.
Ideally, it was a mini-bomb that would explode and shut down the power on the fourth level. But if it didn't go off properly, his hideout would be a dead giveaway and the security system would track his location down. He screwed the small contraption into place and cut the blue wires. Then he pressed the button. A slight humming sound was heard from the device.
Robin released his grip on his legs, allowed his body to drop, and tucked his knees into his chest for a perfect summersault. He landed as smooth as a cat and softly as a mouse on the tiled floor. There was only one thing left to do:
Run.
He dashed as fast as he could down the corridor until he heard the explosion behind him. The young man wrapped his cape around himself and was pounded into the ground by the blast that smashed into his back with the force of a powerful furnace. Tiles were ripped from the floor, smoke filled the air, and the walls began to crumble and peel. When the noise had died down, Robin managed to lift his face up. Wiping soot and ash from his face, he coughed and put a hand to his mouth.
More students came through the parted smoke and noticed him. There were only eight of them, an easy number with his Kung Fu techniques. But he had a job to do. Save your strength for later, Robin reminded himself.
Instead of taking out his fighting staff and attacking them, Robin grabbed a metal plate that had just cracked from the blast. He ran down the corridor and thrust the metal sheet onto the floor. Robin leapt on top of it and used the speeding force to channel the metal into a skateboard. He slid faster and faster down the hallways, further and further away from the students.
Robin leaned his body back and forth to get a good grip on his balance. The wind whistled through his ears and he managed to feel a sweet surge of adrenaline pumping through his blood whenever the adventures just got started. Finally, he slid to a halt and found the elevator doors. Forcing them open with his staff, Robin glanced down.
The elevator was nowhere to be seen. Making sure the doors were safely opened, he reached out to the pulley and began to slide slowly down the dark vast interior of the shaft. His gloved hands were protected from the friction as he slid further down untilhe was on top of the elevator itself.
CLANK!
Robin looked up with horror. He noticed the small square of yellow light were the elevator doors were parted had just slammed shut. There was a shuttering noise and the elevator started to zoom upward. Robin's stomach just went into his feet as he fell to his knees, bracing himself for the impact. The elevator kept rising until it reached the top. Robin flattened his stomach to the ground, bracing himself for what was next. It took him a split second to realize and another split second to grab onto the ledge right above his head.
What goes up must come down.
The elevator dropped under his feet and shot back down into the darkness. Robin was left dangling by his arms in the middle of no where. He saw the sealed doors just a few feet in front of his face, but he was unable to do any more than swing his legs out. He couldn't jump it or risk releasing one arm to stretch out. Robin felt his muscles getting numb and his head starting to swim. He just couldn't let his team down or let it end this way.
Just as Robin felt his arms were going to be yanked out of their sockets, the thin crack of light from the elevator doors grew larger. It was too late.
A massive hand reached out, snatching Robin by the wrist before he could plunge downwards. Slowly, he felt himself behind pulled up, closer and closer to the doors.
At first he thought it was Slade. Instead, Robin was face-to-face with a hairy face and toothy grin. "Mammoth!" he blurted out.
The student gave a grunt and yanked Robin to his feet. Perplexed, Robin started massaging his aching arms and looked. Sure enough, the Tricky Triad was standing in front of him: the burly orange haired gorilla, the pigtailed witch in a black dress, and a toddler of a kid in a green jumpsuit just covered in crazy gadgets
"Jinx? Gizmo? What are you doing here?"
"Question is, barf brain, what were you doing hangin' down there?" Gizmo's whiny voice piped up. The pint-ized tech put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "Don't tell me the Titans had to be in that much trouble to get bailed out," he muttered.
Robin took a fighting pose and prepared himself.
"If you're planning to turn me over to Slade, I'm not going down without a fight."
Jinx raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Um, why would we do a thing like that?" she said in a slightly annoyed tone.
Robin hesitated. "Because, he's signed a contract with your school to kill us?"
"For your information, Slade didn't make the three of us sign the dotted line. And that's not our agenda," she said. "It's getting you out of this mess."
"What?" he asked. "But why?"
"Hey! I just saved you from goin' SPLUT on the ground," Mammoth growled. He cracked his knuckles impatiently. "Can't at least say thank you?"
"Not until I know what you're planning," he demanded.
"Fine. We've got no problem kicking the Titans around just for fun," Jinx said calmly. "But if you guys get killed then we're out of a job. So with my spells, Mammoth's brawn, and Gizmo's brain, we could bust the Titans out and just might still be employed."
Robin furrowed his eyebrows and watched as Mammoth, at this time, was busy punching a large hole in the wall with his bare fists. Grunting as he worked, the burly boy began to move chunks of concrete aside as easily as tossing out building blocks.
"You're serious. You'll help us escape?" Robin asked. Gizmo burst out laughing, rolling on the floor and cracking up as if Robin was telling the funniest joke in the world. The masked boy wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not.
"Are you always this stupid, pin head? You guys are the most stinkin' fun to torment," Gizmo laughed out loud. "No one else is gonna take that away from us, not even headmaster."
"Come on," Jinx said, tugging on Robin's arm. Before he could protest, she had nudged him over to the wall with a generous dent in it. Robin noticed that despite the labyrinth of wires all round, a decent pathway that looked like a tunnel was going through the walls. Jinx pushed Robin on the back and he began to crawl on his hands and knees after Gizmo. The little boy turned on a switch attacked to his headgear and a small green light emulated the way.
Robin's first impression was that this was a trap. However, despite all the warnings in his head, the Triad was certainly acting according with their nature. He had the craziest notion that this was 100 percent true; they were going to help. And Robin needed all the help that he could get.
"Does Brother Blood know what you're doing?" Robin asked over his shoulder.
"Headmaster? He hates us," Jinx said directly behind him. The four teenagers kept crawling until the tunnel jerked up and they starting to climb.
"Yeah, you snot heads have no taste in music and your footgear stinks," Gizmo said as they crawled up the tunnel. "But its payback time. No way are we lettin' headmaster and Slade get what they want if it means blasting you guys to Kingdom Come."
"Besides, you're not such a goody-two shoes, Bird Boy," Gizmo added. Jinx tapped him on the shoulder as Gizmo took out a wrench and began to pick at a large lock on the door. "I heard you actually broke into Wayne Enterprise Corp, yeah?" she asked him.
"Well, yes, but that was-" Robin's voice was cut off by Gizmp.
"You got into Wayne Tech! Cool! I'd give up a lifetime supply of pizza just to see what kind of awesome tools they've got," he said with envy. Robin decided to say nothing about it.
"Found it!" Gizmo sang out loud. His drill drove into the wall and began to buzz insanely. A few screws fell out of the wall. Mammoth placed his large hands on the wall and leaned forth. The wall gave through with a tremendous crashing sound. Robin stepped through, brushing against the rolling clouds of dust. They had come into a small chamber lined with thick cold cement and only one window on the side.
Starfire was sitting on an iron bed, her legs folded into her chest and her head on top of her knees, face down. She looked up from the crashing sound in time to see the Triad breaking in, along with Robin. Her face, just darkened with despair, was flooded with joy and delight.
"ROBIN!"
The Tamaraean beauty thrust herself up and crashed into him and embraced the boy as tightly as she could. "Are you truly all right?" she almost wept with joy. Robin realized that she was shaking terribly all over. He nervously slipped an arm around her waist in case of the slightest sign of fainting.
"I'm fine Star." Robin glared and raised her wrist, realizing the metal cuffs and slight bruises on her arms. "What did they do to you?"
"The bonds limit my powers. Cyborg is being taken apart downstairs and they are planning to use him to make a terrible weapon, and Beast Boy was turned back into that terrible thing, and and and," Starfire's words were bubbling in a stream of emotions from her lips. "Its all right, Star," Robin said in a soothing tone. He brought her back against his chest in a firm embrace. "We're going to get out of here and get that contract null and void."
"Aw, how romantic," Jinx said as she clasped her hands together.
"Please, I'm gonna puke," Gizmo muttered. Starfire looked up and glanced at them curiously.
"Its all right, Star. They're on our side, for now at least." Robin knelt on the ground next to Starfire. "Gizmo, can you get these cuffs off Starfire?" he asked. The small tech rummaged around in his utility belt and took out a razor sharp instrument. Starfire grabbed Robin's arm as if it were an anchor, eyes wide in fear. Gizmo noticed her reaction and shrugged.
"Ah, hold on to your panties, Carrot Top." Gizmo took out a drill and fitted on his goggles. "I know what I'm doing."
"Carrot Top?" Starfire looked at Robin curiously. He managed a small grin despite the chaotic atmosphere, realizing there was always something else for her to learn.
"Because the top of your head is reddish orange, like a carrot," he explained.
"But Robin, carrot tops are green," Starfire said slowly. Despite everything that was happening around him, Robin found himself laughing for no reason.
Gizmo peered over Starfire's wrist and pressed his weapon to the cuff. She turned her head away as small blue electric sparks spurted out from the clashing metal. Gizmo was sent off his feet abruptly and sent flying through the air. He let out a high pitched scream until he landed in Mammoth's arms. "Ugh, I don't need to be saved by you," he grumbled.
"And I don't need toddler sitting," Mammoth growled. He set Gizmo on the ground.
"Well?" Robin demanded. Gizmo pushed his goggles back onto his forehead and shook his head.
"Huh, I have no idea how to pick 'em," he said.
"Cyborg is below, you said?" Jinx spoke up abruptly. She chewed on a fingernail hard. "See if you can reprogram him back. I'll try the cuffs." The two male members of the Triad left. Jinx rolled up her sleeves and placed her hands on Starfire's wrists.
"Maybe technology can go so far, but the right magic has no boundaries," she said. The girl muttered some magical words and small spirals of pink light flowed into the air. The spirals spun around Starfire's arms faster and faster. There was a small snapping sound and the cuffs broke off before landing on the ground with a clanking sound.
"Oh ,thank you ever so much," Starfire gasped with gratitude. The pink haired witch was startled as the alien girl suddenly threw her arms around her and gave her a giant bear hug that nearly knocked Jinx's breath out. "Uh, sure. Glad to help," she muttered, not knowing how to accept her former rival's appreciation.
-A-
Cyborg remembered the dark silence. He recalled the flickering electric blue lights of the hermit that were looking at him quite coolly and quite efficiently.
"Repairs must be made," Fixit had said in a monotone voice. "Repairs will be made."
The H.I.V.E had hooked him up to their electronic sonar protection system and now he was left to burn into dust. His bonds were tight and a thin stinging sound of electricity was humming in his head. He couldn't move so much as an eyelid but just sit in the darkness as his human memories were being replaced with mechanical orders.
You are exhausting yourself. You get bullied and pushed around by other machines, the program was speaking firmly into his mind. Let this power enhance your abilities so no one can stop you or torment you.
"You're damn wrong about that," he forced the human side of his body to say. "I don't want to be an all metal monster."
Do you want to spend the rest of your life as a freak? What will your friends say about you?
"No, take my body apart, but don't take my friends from me. They're the ones that keep my heart beating and make me a better person. I don't ever want to be a robot, I just want to be a better person."
A high voltage shock coursed its ways through Cyborg's body, causing him to scream in horror. For a split second, he felt as if his heart had stopped. Then his blurred vision was slowly coming into focus and the little green stats in his program, the ones that had been infesting him, had stopped their dirty work.
"Yeah, I think he's coming around," he heard a small voice say. Cyborg blinked his eye and noticed he was looking straight at the operating door. But he didn't see anyone. "Stupid! His head is on backward!" said a deeper voice.
"Oops." Gizmo raised a hand and gave Cyborg a painful bow on the back of his head. "EEEEEEYYYYOOOWW!" he screamed again, his head spinning round and round like a toy top rolling on the floor. He found that the nerve system in his body must have been restored because his hands came up and madly grabbed the side of his head. His brain stopped spinning around like a washing machine. Then he was able to focus properly.
"Oh no," he groaned as he saw the two members of the Triad. Little monster and Big monster were looking at him with large grins on their faces and hands on their hips. "How does it feel now, Tin Man?" Gizmo laughed in his face showing lots of little sharp white teeth.
Surprisingly enough, Cyborg flexed his fingers and noticed the firm grip he had. His limbs moved slightly and were strong and secure. Glancing at the tiny computer on his wrist, he realized that all of his biometric scans said he was all right. OPERATING SYSTEM RESTORED the blue stats said.
"I got that self-destruction program out of your systems," Gizmo said proudly. Cyborg blinked. He double blinked. Why was little Diaper Breath standing here and doing that? Before he could blink again, the doors parted and in came Jinx along with Starfire who was leaning on Robin with support.
"Cyborg!" Robin called out. Jinx offered to help Starfire stand so Robin could run over and check on his friend. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, I guess," he said rubbing the top of his head. Cyborg's eye meet the two lavender ones of Jinx and immediately, her cheeks got pink and she glanced at the floor. Then she cleared her throat and looked up. "Are you ready to blow this joint?" she asked him. "We're rounding up the Titans for evacuation."
"No way!" Cyborg blurted out.
"Way. They'd rather fight us another day than see us destroyed here and now," Robin said calmly.
"Coooooooool!" Gizmo blurted out, looking at the wall that was full of various mechanical weapons and guns. Everyone noticed he was hoping madly from one electronic masterpiece to another like any ordinary kid in a candy shop. "Hey look, a Genitron XP-3000," he said as he picked up a shining purple and green object with an antenna on it.
"Hey Tin Man, let me fix this one up with your laser cannon," he insisted as he waved the device madly.
"Oh no you don't," Cyborg said angrily as he backed away. "I'm not letting you hack into my systems again."
"Come on, now," Gizmo said. He got on the floor and began to beg. "You're only operating with the Genitron Pass 4-10 and that is SO outdated. I want to upgrade this on you, it'll be so awesome."
"Come on, everyone. We've got a job to do," Robin said. He tossed his communicator to Gizmo. "Our locators have been deactivated. Can you get our systems back online?" Gizmo stuck the purple device into his utility belt and fiddled with the Titans communicator. A slightly bright and sharp blinking sound was heard from it, sending music into Robin's ears.
Cyborg noticed his own built in communicator was beeping as well. "As BB would say, 'Sweet'!"
"Where's Beast Boy anyway?" Robin asked. "I believe they have taken him to a lower level and locked him in a cage," Starfire said somewhat worried. "And he may not be himself."
"CODE RED. THE PRISONERS ARE ATTEMPTING AN ESCAPE." The entire room began to flash on and off with red lights.
"I REPEAT, CODE RED". Robin looked up and frowned as he listened to the device that was giving orders.
"THE HIERARCHY FOR INTERNATIONAL VENGANCE AND EXTERMINATION, EVERYONE MAINTAIN DEFENSE POSITIONS," the voice said.
"Come on," Robin called out. Cyborg raised his arm and blasted the doors down. The three Titans and the Triad ran out just as the pounding footsteps of the students were thundering above and below them.
-A-
"My lord!" Jason shouted as he stumbled into the main sanctuary. The young man froze in his tracks as he saw the horrific scene. The rest of the students were recovering from some kind of powerful shock and slowly trying to get up.
Noticing Brother Blood on the ground with his face down, Jason came over and reached out with a hand. Brother Blood knocked Jason aside, his eyes flashing angrily.
"Don't touch me," he snarled angrily as he rose to his feet. "What about the Lazarus Pit?" Jason asked. The two of them glanced down at the Pit. Brother Blood's hands came to his head and he gripped his gray hair tightly. "NO!" he roared out loud.
The pit, once a churning whirlpool of red and gold, had become still and clear as glass. Now it was a smooth calm circle of water and nothing more. Raven's resurrection had driven all of their sorcery out of the aquatic miracle and left a large tub of water behind.
"The Pit is extremely out of proportion," Slade said coolly as he bent over the side to examine it. "You could not even brainwash a lizard now."
"Shut up," Brother Blood snapped as hemassaged his aching head. "My lord, forgive me," Jason said quietly. "But the Beast has returned to his original small state and broken out with two more of his alliances-"
"WHAT!" Brother Blood thundered in a massive tone that echoed all over the room. He grabbed Jason by the lapels and drove the young man back into the wall.
"I gave you protection, Jason. I took you in and gave you special privileges. Now you dare to make ridiculous lies at a time like this!" he snarled.
Jason's lower lip trembled weakly. "No, my lord, it is no lie. I saw the Beast and sent him to devour the intruders, but somehow the toxins didn't work on him." His voice was getting higher and more wispy as Brother Blood intensified the grip on his throat.
Sebastian, the other HIVE student, was glancing at the computer screen. "The Boy of Wonder has been found," he said aloud. "He is with the others."
"Is the Dark Goddess with them?" Brother Blood demanded. "No, sir. Not yet." Sebastian continued to press the keys revealing the Titans running up and down corridors, attacking students and dodging attacks. While Brother Blood was shaking with utter rage and fury, Slade was looking on with silence. Only his black eye was showing any sign of emotion and it was shining madly at the fascination. Robin was still at it again, thrusting out his staff at one attacker and leaping over another as madly as a grasshopper.
"It seems that your 'flawless' plan has hit a snag," Slade commented aloud.
"I don't see you doing anything useful," Brother Blood snarled at him. "You're no better than those brats running around the central station.
"Is that a threat, headmaster?"
Brother Blood was not used to be talked back too. Now his eyes were nearly bulging out of his face with fury. "I don't care what you do as long as you do something!" he screamed in the villain's face.
He took out a microphone and began to speak into it so that his voice was being projected throughout the entire school.
"All subordinates in the lower level, be aware that some of the Titans may be attempting an invasion," Brother Blood announced. "Your crusade for justice had begun. Find the Titans, and KILL THEM!" he roared out loud.
He watched his minions run back and forth, pulling concealed weapons out of their robes and proceeding to storm the institution.
"I said I would assist in destroying them. Believe me, I will," Slade said firmly. He took out his fighting staff and started for the platform.
-A-
Everyone found themselves in the corridor again. More HIVE students were running up. "We can't keep running forever!" Cyborg panted. "Fine." Robin took out his staff and looked at them.
"Titans, go!" he shouted. Cyborg was already ahead of him and knocked down three students with one easy blow. Aiming his cannon, he shot a few more enemies into the wall. Starfire hovered above their heads, pelting shards of fine green light, her eyes ablaze with emerald fire.
Robin leapt over one enemy and dodged another. He raised his staff up horizontally and smashed two kids in their faces. Bending down, someone rolled over his back and crashed against two more kids.
But they were too many. The students suddenly all pulled back and grabbed hands together. They chanted something and the three Titans felt an invisible force pushing them back into the wall.
"The power of bonding is quite intense," said Medea. She pulled off her hood and looked at them. "Unless you can break our spell by taking us all down at once, but even the legendary Titans cannot do the work of the gods."
Robin was fiddling with one of his batterings. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice holler at the top of his lungs.
"INCOMING! INCOMING!" Beast Boy screamed. It was too late for the HIVE students. A kryptonite rock carrying Beast Boy, Terra, and Speedy came soaring over the heads of the students and landed crashing into the ground in front of them. Robin felt himself able to breath better as the spell was released and they all fell to the ground.
"Ahhh! The underworld has sent its messengers," one students wailed out loud. "Yeah yeah, Hades and the whole shebang," Terra said. There was a quivering sound and part of the rock broke off. Bits of kryptonite whizzed through the air, pelting the students like a spray of bullets.
"Terra!" Robin felt a tremendous burden lift from his heart as he saw the lost sixth Titan standing in front of him. Terra realized the leader of the Titans was looking right at her and she dropped her head quickly. "Robin, I-"
"Am more glad then ever to see you here, alive," he said. She looked up and saw a large grin spreading across his face. "I broke free of the rock, Robin. I broke free from Slade. Please, give me one last chance to stay as a Titan and I've never. . " she started to beg.
"We'll never turn you away again," he said. "If you can forgive me for making a mistake about trust and secrets," Robin added. Terra raised an eyebrow and looked surprised.
"Anything, Robin. I swear I'll do better this time," she promised
"What are you doing here?" Cyborg asked Speedy who was climbing off the rock. "I thought the HIVE might have some cheap beer," the archer said as a matter of fact. In spite of everything, they all cracked up.
"No, seriously, I need to find my friends," Speedy insisted. He looked at his communicator. "I'm getting a signal from Aqualad."
"Speedy?" came the buzzing sound on the communicator. "Where are you!" Speedy asked into the device. "Bumblebee and I are locked in the grotto. The HIVE sealed it up."
"What's he talking about?" Robin asked.
"There's an underwater grotto under the HIVE Academy. The sixth quadrant has an aqueduct pipe that leads to it," Jinx said.
"Then we've got to get there and get them out," Robin said.
A constant rumbling sound was heard and everyone staggered suddenly. "Now what?" Beast Boy yelled above the noise. There was a thumping sound, likely to indicate more students were coming. "Robin! Reinforcements!" he shouted. Robin waved a hand and tossed his staff into the air.
"Fine. We'll meet them head on. Speedy, can you get a running start?" With a grunt and nod of the head, the archer dashed ahead with the Titans right behind him. Speedy skidded to a halt when he reached the bend in the corridor. Instead of HIVE students, he found rows and rows of Slade's robots standing perfectly in order. The dozens of black ninja droids looked at him, all hunched over and ready for the kill.
"Damn!" Speedy shouted before turning back and fleeing, head over heels. An explosion erupted right next to his left ear and managed to take out a large chunk of the wall. He jerked his head just in time to realize the ninjas were all fitted with thermal blaster guns on their wrists. They all continued to let out monstrous lazer beams that sent him running back and forth.
"Double damn!" he screamed before colliding into his fellow Titans. "You guys may think you can dodge bullets, but not these babies," he panted.
The Titans all dodged the blaster rays right and left. Speedy jumped onto Terra's crater along with Beast Boy. She piloted the rock down the corridors with the ninjas behind them. One after another, Speedy took out arrows and began to fire them at the ninjas.
"How's it going back there?" she hollered.
"You keep moving and I keep shooting, blonde," he answered back. Another beam of red blasted into the rock and the two of them went flying through the air. Speedy landed on his feet but Terra braced herself for the crash. She felt a claw touching her shoulder and watched with relief. Beast Boy, now as an eagle, was flapping his wings and gently lowering her to the ground.
"They're too many, Rob!" Cyborg yelled. He, Robin, and Starfire were all taking refugee behind a pile of broken concrete. Cyborg kept jutting his head out and aiming his canon, but the laser kept pelting on them. Robin drew his cape around himself and Starfire for added protection.
"They really juiced out Lex Luthors's piggybank for this," he said.
"Luthor? Of course!" Cyborg yelled above the noise. "No one else could afford all those blasters."
"Robin, let me go," Starfire said suddenly. She pushed away from him and stood up, her head tall and erect. Robin was astonished as Starfire walked forward, and her eyes were shining dazzling green as they always did. She clenched her fists and got ready to fire a starbolt from each one.
"Starfire, no!" he begged. "You're going to be killed, you're not strong enough to take them down." Starfire ignored his comment and raised her hands above her head. Robin watched with fascination as Starfire's hair slowly began to glow green at the ends and rise into the air, even though there was no wind at all.
Starfire spread her hands and feet apart. A thin line of green light trailed from each of her feet and each of her arms down into Starfire's chest until she looked like a five pointed emerald star. Blazing with righteous fury,Starfire lifted her head to the ceiling and let out a shrill cry.
"X'HAL!"
She drew her hands down and instead of releasing a firebolt, a thunderous tidal wave of thick green power burst from her entire body. Starfire was sent blasting backwards from the shock but her power spiraled forth. Her power rammed firmly into the first row of droids, all of them crashing into another row. The power continued to slam further and further down the line and more droids were being smashed up while others melted into scraps of metal from the heat.
Finally, the blazing bolt of light died down leaving a trail of dismembered metal parts and leftover limbs from the machines. Robin stuck his head out sharply and covered his mouth, trying not to cough from the smoke that was curling around them.
"Just what exactly was Star doing?" Cyborg asked with fascination. "Haven't got a clue, but whatever it was, it was more than enough for them," Robin said. But then he saw Starfire's limp body draped across some jagged rocks and his mouth opened in fear.
"Starfire!" he cried out. Robin ran to her side and gently knelt down beside the girl. Her face was covered in ash, her skin looking paler than ever. Her breathe was very short, but Starfire barely opened her eyes. The usual emerald glow was slightly dimmer than before.
"Starfire, why did you do such a stupid thing? You unleashed way too much of your power, you could have died!" Robin shouted in her face. She managed a weak smile and blinked her eyes.
"What good is my power if I cannot protect my friends?" she said softly. Robin was finding it impossible to ignore the terrible ball of agony in his throat that reminded him what he could feel if Starfire was lost from him.
"Hang on a minute," he said, gently cupping the back of her head putting another hand under her knees. Robin managed to lift Starfire off the ground but then he heard her gasp in pain. Robin looked down with a mortified look on his face. Starfire's legs were covered in menacing dark red scorch marks from the blast. She looked up to him with trembling fear in her bright green eyes.
"I fear that I cannot fly or walk," she added. Robin began to rub her hands while thinking of another plan.
"Can you get your arms around me, Star?"
She nodded shakily. Robin released as many feet of the cable that his utility belt would allow. Attaching one edge to the metal bars, he hooked the security lock into his belt and tugged on it to insure safety. "Cyborg, can you take over? I'm taking the emergency way down the next level. I know where Raven is."
Cyborg nodded. "Take good care of her," he said. Robin gripped the end of rope as tightly as possible. Nodding to Star, he beckoned for her to hold on tight. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held her breath. Starfire could not hold back her feelings and felt the prickle of fear running through her blood. But the, she heard Robin's voice in her ear and felt his gentle breath on her face.
"Starfire!"
She looked straight into the masked face of her friend. Her heart almost stopped in her chest.
"Trust me," Robin begged.
"I always do, Robin," she said softly.
Robin leapt from the balcony and they went soaring through the air. Robin's booted feet smashed through the glass of windows, driving thousands of tiny broken shards into the air.
The wind whistled in his ears and his arms strained to support both of them, his legs franticly trying to block any obstacle in their path. There was nothing else to do but let his combat boots do all the work and keep his fight on the grip. He would let his arm get numb and fall out, but he would not let go of the rope or let go of Starfire.
Good thing I was born an acrobat, he thought.
-A-
"Hey, get back here!" Cyborg yelled at Speedy. The archer had pried open the compartment and taken off most of his weapons. Speedy made sure he had two small explosives and a flashlight. Before Cyborg could stop him, Speedy had dove into the water and was swimming away.
"Damn him, he had no right going off like that," Cyborg grumbled. "Um, Cy," Beast Boy said somewhat nervously. "Does Speedy know about the HIVE's marine fighters?"
Speedy blinked back and swam through the bubbles, ignoring the icy cold waters that pricked at his skin. Brushing back waving weeds he noticed a large boulder that was sealing up the grotto. Speedy stuck an explosive on it and swam off.
The explosion was slightly muffled but clouds of smoke curled inside the water. His mask shielded his eyes from the whizzing dust but Speedy just swam through it, shining his light and pushing back. At last, he entered the grotto.
Speedy stuck his head out of the water and noticed Aqualad was straining to move one boulder. Bumblebee was also there and trying to blast a way out with one of her large gold B shaped weapons.
"No time to talk, the rest of them are up on dry land," Speedy gasped for breath.
"Then we'd better move. Neither of you can hold enough time in your lungs," Aqualad said.
He glanced at Bumblebee. "I'll get you two to the surface. You'd better safe your strength for later." She shrugged and put away her weapon. "Not like anything is going to work in the water."
Taking a breath, she plunged into the waters. The three honorary Titans started swimming their way out. Aqualad lead the way, making sure his friends were close behind them.
They had only gotten over a small sand dune when two menacing eyes popped out and stopped the Titans in their tracks. Aqualad turned around but several large octopi had already come out and started circling the Titans.
Aqualad lunged for an octopus but its tentacles shot out and snaked around his body. He struggled but his bonds held him tight. The creature slammed him into a heavy stone, causing his spinal cord to throb in pain.
Let us go! his mind screamed out, but there was no answer. Looking into the liquid black eyes of the octopus, he realized with horror that it was just another mind-manipulated creature. He had no ability to stop it.
Speedy was already swimming towards his friend but two more monsters had come out. Bumblebee's electric blasts were no use under the water. She and Speedy were also trying to wrestle with the tentacles but the lack of air was far too much to bear.
Speedy's vision was getting cloudy and his lungs were burning for air.
Incoming! Incoming! Aqualad heard a familiar voice in his mind. Sure enough, the most bizarre but wonderful creation was swimming towards them. A large shark with shining green skin was soaring through the waters, gnashing its sharp teeth madly. The shark had only to open its jaws wide enough and the octopus released its grip on Aqualad, swimming off in fear.
Come on, man! Have some trust in the Navy! Beast Boy scolded Aqualad. He managed to crack up a grin but quickly pointed to Speedy and Bumblebee.
I'll be fine, but can you get them to air?
Ayi yi, Captain! Beast Boy lifted a fin in a mock salute before morphing into a green dolphin. Speedy and Bumblebee weakly clamped their hands around the fins and Beast Boy swam madly up to the rippling surface.
"SPPPPFFFFFFF!" Bumblebee let out a spray of water into Speedy's face as she gasped from breath once they reached the rocky shores near the HIVE.
"You're welcome," he said sarcastically. "And what have you been doing while we've been trying to tunnel our way out?" she said with her hands on her hips.
"He's gotten our friend back," Beast Boy said happily. "But I've gotta check on Aqualad. You guys stay here." He now turned into a small fish and flickered back into the waters.
Bumblebee shivered. "I hate being cold and I hate being wet," she muttered. Then she noticed her teenaged friend was already on his feet and walking off. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked him.
"Back to helping Robin," he said. "You've had more than enough for one night, Buzz, but I'm just getting started." Speedy cracked his knuckles and started back to the monstrous building that lay at the top of the jagged rocky mountain.
"Speedy, get back here! You dumb idiot!" she shouted, shaking a fist as she saw him hacking his way back into the HIVE. "Honestly," she muttered, shaking her head. "Roy, sometimes you're stubborn as a mountain." She stood up slowly and suddenly felt an odd tingling sensation. The ground under Bumblebee was starting to tremble. She noticed the rocks around the HIVE were also shaking. Even the building itself was starting to look odd, wavering back and forth.
"Oh for the love of . ." Bumblebee sucked in a breath.
At that moment, Aqualad had signaled to two whales from the ocean. They were much obliged and came to his call. Now two blue and one green whales kept ramming their heads into the side of the mountain. The institution began to shake madly.
-A-
Inside, Robin felt the odd feeling and frowned. "Earthquake?" he asked aloud. His communicator was beeping madly. He sent Starfire gently on the ground where they had landed and pulled out the small round sphere.
"Robin, I just sent for some whales to shake the foundation," Aqualad said in the tiny screen. "The good news is that they're going make sure the institution collapses on itself. No HIVE, no plan, no chance to destroy the Titans. All gone and kaput."
"And the bad news?" Robin furrowed his eyebrows.
"You're all insideit right NOW!" Aqualad shouted. "Speedy and Beast Boy just got back inside so I really hope you canround everyone up together and get out of-"
His signal was coming from another Titan. "We'll do, Aqualad. Thanks," Robin said quickly. He hit the second button and Beast Boy's face now appeared on the screen.
"Rob? We banged up the bottom and the entire place is crumbling," he said. "Yeah, I know," Robin muttered. "Did you find Raven where I left her?"
"That storage capsule? Its empty!" Beast Boy said with a worried look. Starfire glanced at Robin, massaging her legs and miraculously, struggling to stand on her feet with an awkward recovery.
"Robin, what if they have-"
"FREEZE!" came a loud command. Robin and Starfire found themselves surrounded by yet another troop of robed figures. Sebastian had a long slim gun in his right hand, his watery gray eyes shining at the two Titans.
"You will both come quietly and not resist whatsoever," he said. Robin just took a defensive stance of Starfire as his fingers curled over a small battarang.
"Robin, they are too many," she protested softly. "But I wont give in without a fight," he muttered back. Sebastian snapped his fingers and two students stepped forward, ready to put their handcuffs on Robin and Starfire. A swirling blast of warm wind whipped out of now where, causing their robes to flap madly around their ankles. "What on this foul earth.," Sebastian sputtered. Robin heard a familiar noise and his ears perked up.
"Azar!"
Raven was dragging her feet behind her as she slowly pulled on a long metal bar for support. Her face was almost paper white but her eyes were back to normal. Raven stumbled and landed on a broken chair for support. She glared at the students.
"Haven't you all had enough?" she demanded.
"Seize the Dark Goddess first," Sebastian ordered. The students ran towards Raven. Robin and Starfire watched with fascination as she lifted her hand and simply gave an easy wave with a quick gesture. Without so much as a glow of light or dark apparition, the students all went flying into the walls and remained as if nailed into place. The invisible force caused Sebastian to topple over and collapse under two tables.
"Not you too!" Robin said to Raven. "I've been pushed beyond my usual boundaries, Robin." She looked up with a dry smile. "I'm fighting on a whole new dimension right now."
She stretched out a hand and cased an entire wall of rocks aiming towards them to freeze in their places. "Sorry, this new power will take some time getting used to. Its like riding on a wild horse," she said.
"Friend Raven, your hair! Your clothes!" Starfire stammered.
"I'm all right, Starfire. It's just a side effect."
"But you are still the same Raven that we know, right?" Starfire asked meekly. Raven just managed a faint grin.
Robin was trying to calculate everything right now and it didn't seem too good.
The walls kept shaking and bits of dust were falling down on their heads. The floor was quivering slowly as if the very earth dreaded the disaster that was up ahead. Considering that Raven had just gotten back from a short trip to another world and neither she or Starfire could fly, let alone run easily, the sooner they got out would be better.
"Cyborg, you copy?" Robin asked into the communicator.
"Rob, I've done the math and we've got about fifteen minutes until the whole thing goes Boom Boom," Cyborg said. "I really think we should get out ASAP."
"We found Raven. She's ok, sort of," Robin said. "What about you guys?"
"Told the Triad to head out already. Even little butt faced Gizmo insisted to stay and fight, but hey-that wasn't the right thing. So they're safe in the ravine outside, and we outta do the same thing."
Now Robin felt his ribs starting to flinch and an extra pump of adrenaline in his legs. He desperately, he madly wanted to ask where Slade was. Fifteen minutes was enough time to find and finish him off, right?
No, he was getting crazy again. Robin just wanted this to end once and for all. But if it meant losing his team again, he'd end up scrambling on the floor while Slade would look on, amused at Robin's defeat. He couldn't do that to the Titans.
Torn back and forth, Robin's train of thought was broken by Cyborg again.
"We found Brother Blood. Dead. He poisoned himself," Cyborg said in a flat tone, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Are you sure about this?" Robin asked.
"Positive. Terra found him dead as a doorknob in a study among all these creepy books and spells and there was an empty capsule on the floor. I guess he couldn't face the fact that we took down his fancy school."
More madness whirled in Robin's head. Cyborg must have wanted to punish his enemy with his own two hands, and right now Robin wanted the exact same thing. Slade wouldn't ever just give up like that, he just had to be alive and waiting for Robin.
"Robin, we must leave," Starfire insisted. Robin looked at the two girls. In their eyes, it was clear what must be done and their intuition knew what he could not. Robin nodded and took a breath, ready to close up the communicator and leave.
What happened next certainly turned Robin's destiny around from what he hadn't expected.
"Robin, where's Terra?" Beast Boy demanded. "She's not there?" Robin asked.
"No! I think she said something about a central control room, but she spun off with her rock." A thick tight feeling in Beast Boy's throat had emerged and Robin could see how nervous he was getting. "I lost her once, I can't lose her again, Robin!" the changeling almost cried out.
"The central control room," Raven murmured. She and Robin looked at each other.
The Lazarus Pit.
-A-
The once bustling room was now almost empty. Slade walked across the catwalk, noticing the stalactites were quivering and several small ones were easily breaking off and falling into the former Lazarus Pit. His concentration was broken at once.
"Slade!" He looked up at the feminine voice that had just said his name.
"I've got a message for you: I quit!" Terra shouted. She pelted several rocks down on him. But Slade knew enough of her tricks. He dodged two of them and drove an iron clad fist into another rock, sending it into smashing bits that scattered across the floor.
Terra was off guard for a split second and forced her floating transportation to come down closer for a better attack. This was exactly what Slade was waiting for. He unleashed a capsule into the girl's face. Terra found herself coughing and chocking from a sudden burst of burning white smoke. She felt a bar of metal smack across her forehead and she lost her grip.
Terra fell the ground and rolled over on the narrow bridge that spread across the Lazarus Pit. Slade struck her again in the stomach and her body twisted from the pain. The Titans had only just forced down the door to see Slade standing over the injured girl.
"I see you've switched sides again, Terra. But your feelings have betrayed yourself," he said coldly. Slade raised his left wrist to which a thermal blaster was attacked. He aimed it at Terra, poised with a finger on the trigger.
"Slade, stop!" Robin shouted as the Titans had just run in. But it was too late. There was an explosion and the Titans felt a sickness and ad terrible sound in their ears. Terra screamed in pain and rolled over on the bridge with blood dripping into the pit.
Slade had blasted her kneecap off.
Beast Boy was the first to charge. Roaring in his tiger form, he charged at the masked man. Slade aimed the blaster at him but a claw swung through the air and the weapon's barrel was broken off. It was enough time to allow the masked man to use his staff and send the injured boy back against the wall.
"Go to hell, you bastard!" Speedy roared. He aimed his arrow keenly and allowed it to whiz through the air. Slade merely extended a hand and caught the weapon in his fist. He snapped it in half like a twig. Shaking with fury, Speedy shouted and charged with a clenched fist. Slade caught the fist, slammed his own fist into Speedy's stomach, and sent the third Titan rolling back.
Damnit, what's wrong with us? Robin thought to himself madly. The more angry we get, the more he puts us down. We can't keep on doing this forever.
Terra felt the burning pain in her knee and struggled to keep her head up. Slade's shadow cloaked her body and she looked up, blue eyes wide in fear. "If at first you don't succeed, Terra, then try try again." He raised his staff up into the air and was about to bring it down onto her.
Terra closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact. Instead, she heard the clashing sound of two weapons clanking against each other. Robin was standing over her, blocking Slade's attack with his own staff. The Boy of Wonder was struggling to keep a grip on his hold.
"Beast Boy! Get her out!" Robin shouted over his shoulder. Slade swung his staff enough times for Robin to be preoccupied. Terra felt her friend slip a hand under her knees and place her arm around his shoulders. Cradling her carefully, Beast Boy carried her back to the doorway where the other Titans were standing.
Raven was the first to react and started to tear off part of her cloak. "Raven, please don't," Terra begged. The one person she had loathed the most of all just looked at her with deep imperial indigo eyes and she fell silent. "I must. I will," was all Raven would say. "But you'll ruin your clothes," the blonde haired girl begged.
"Quiet. Your injury is making you say stupid things," Raven snapped, wrapping the white cloth around Terra's injured limb.
Ever fiber in Robin's body was urging him to fight Slade but his conscience was saying something different. The Boy of Wonder suddenly stopped his attacks, retracted his staff, and took a step back.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I wont fight you, Slade. Not this time."
"You have no choice, Robin," his enemy insisted. "You know this is the fight you've been waiting for. Your instinct tells you so. I tell you so. Your destiny commands it to be this way," he said.
Robin shot a glance at his teammates. Everyone was bruised, tired, and out of breath. He might get a thrill out of the greatest battle of his life-but his duty as a leader meant his team had to get to safety. With Herculean effort, Robin managed to turn his back on his enemy and walk towards the Titans.
"Not another step, Robin!" Slade shouted out loud. "Unless you want to be tortured to death."
His words echoed all over the room with a vibrating tone that shook the Teen Wonder inside. Robin stops in his tracks.
"If this doesn't end now, then when does it end, Robin? Walk away from this fight and you will still be haunted by me. I will torment you to no end. I will hunt you down day and night until you beg for me to end your young inexperienced foolish life."
Tiny shivers of ice ran down Robin's spine. He closed his eyes and remembered the madness, how he had battled a figmant of his imagination and nearly be driven into insanity. The thought of going through it again was too much to endure.
"There is nowhere you can hide from me, nowhere you will be absolutely alone. I will haunt you," Slade repeated. He extended his hand out to the boy. "Let's finish what we have started."
Robin felt the words challenging him, tugging at his arm, tempting him to stand up to Slade.
The Titans watched Robin slowly took a step backwards, then another.
"Good boy."
"Stop! Leave him alone!" Starfire shouted out. Her words were like a splash of cold water on Robin's head, breaking the spell. "If you are frightened, Robin, then let us fight your fears together." She reached out a hand to him. "Come with us," she begged.
He looked one way and the other, struggling between both sides. At last, Robin looked into Starfire's eyes, lit up with hope and courage. He nodded and took her hand.
"You're right. We're all going."
"And how do you expect to leave?" Slade demanded. "The HIVE wont let any of the students attempt to get out alive. They are all martyrs to their causes; they go down to hell taking their plans with them. Everyone else has retired to their chambers to allow this entire place come crashing down on their heads so they can say they died in a worthy fight."
"And what's that got to do with us?" Cyborg said angrily.
"You wont be able to find a single available exit out of this institution, Titans. All of the doors have been sealed and locked to insure that everyone perishes as faithful to the HIVE and its beliefs."
Cyborg glared but as he franticly used his arm computer to scan the building, he had to face the facts. He looked up at Robin and closed the compartment on his arm.
"He's right. We're trapped," the bionic wonder said aloud.
Robin glared at Slade. "You know there's still a way out, don't you?" he demanded. "I'll bet you know how to override the Academy's security codes."
The masked man let out a thin chuckle. "That's not like you, Robin. I thought you'd put up with more resistance."
Robin brushed off the comment and focused on the goal of getting his teammates out safe and alive. "Just name your price."
"Robin, did you take a dip in that stink Lazarus bath or something?" Beast Boy hollered. "You're going crazy! There's no way-"
"I will give you an access password and a possibility out," Slade told them. The Titans were utterly astonished that their most difficult and hostile enemy was going to forge another deal. However, they knew that the cost alone would not come easily.
The masked man raised his head and looked straight at the teenagers. "The only thing I want is..."
He pointed at Robin.
"NO!" Starfire cried. She grabbed Robin's arm tightly. "You have taken him away from us once too many times. We will not let you do this."
"Refuse my offer and you can all die here," Slade retorted.
"Why you hunk of junk-" Cyborg began to growl.
"If I stay, will you let the Titans go?" Robin spoke up. Everyone froze and looked at him.
"You ARE acting stupid!" It was Terra's turn to protest. "Don't think you can make a deal with him, Robin. You and I know what he does to people that he controls." But Slade seemed quite keen on Robin's final acceptance and he nodded in approval.
"A wise choice Robin, very wise. Yet such a pity that the circumstances had to be this way; you know that secret. . . . my secret that you have decoded." Robin flinched at his words.
"Robin, what does he mean?" Raven demanded. "What secret?"
"You mean, you haven't told them?" Slade asked in a low tone of mockery.
Robin's mouth was dry and his tongue as heavy as a stone. But there was no way he could look at the Titans now without unveiling the truth. He looked at them and said in a firm clear voice, "He can't be destroyed."
It was silent. Except for the slight grumbling sounds of the cavern that were starting to shake, no one said a word. The Titans didn't seem to be able to talk, let alone breath. Those words had kept them nailed to their spots.
"Robin, you're not serious, right?" Beast Boy said shakily.
"I'm serious. Slade can't die," Robin's grave voice stated. "He could take a bullet to the head and still survive. The Titans looked on, mortified at his words.
"Slade can use over ninety percent of his brain capacity while most men can't even use up to ten percent. He's got more stamina and strength too."
Robin looked at his enemy with fierce determination.
"Allow the Titans to leave the academy safely and I'll give you the fight you want," the leader of the Titans insisted.
Robin took a step forward and felt Cyborg put a large firm hand on his shoulder. "You can't do this, Robin. Your team needs you. You know you can't win!" he said bitterly as he shook his head. Robin glanced down at his friend's mechanical arm, then at his face. He looked back at his team, all of them just as startled and frightened at his sacrifice.
"I know its crazy," Robin confessed. "And I may lose. But what if..."
Robin's feet paced a bit and he turned back to look to his team, a look of fierce admiration and yet agony on his face. Suddenly, he yelled out loud in a voice of shock and pride, so powerful that even Slade had to admit to himself, the boy was pushing beyond his own limits.
"But what if I put you all in danger?" he blurted out. "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to my friends." He stepped up to the Titans, preparing himself to say his goodbyes.
Robin looked at Cyborg and felt his chest get tight. "If for whatever reason I don't make it out, I'm appointing you as leader of the team. All right?"
Cyborg's blue eye shook before swelling up with water and the metallic man suddenly felt frighteningly weak and frail. He remembered video game nights, high fives, and huge grins at teamwork accomplishments, and friendship that couldn't be broken. "Aw man, you always just have to be the hero, don't you?" he said bitterly as he shook his head. "Its not fair."
"I'm sorry, Cyborg. I wish it was fair, but this is the way it has to be," Robin quietly. Cyborg pulled his large machine arm around Robin's shoulder in a half embrace. It was taking all of his might not to crush Robin in a tight hug of friendship. Finally, he stood back and the two of them knocked their fists against each other.
"What am I going to tell, uh, you-know-who?" Speedy demanded.
"Tell him 'thanks' for everything he's taught me."
Speedy clasped Robin on his shoulder and shook his head in disbelief. "He'd be so damned proud of you," the archer muttered through clenched teeth. "And anyone that says otherwise doesn't deserve to see the sun."
Robin now turn to Beast Boy and Terra.
"Now listen to me, both of you," he said. "If you want this friendship to work again, if you want a second chance, you've got to start with trust. Don't start with love or it won't work. Just trust each other, listen, and give an open ear and heart. Don't be scared of a little secret. Take it from there, and I promise you'll get more than just a friend in each other." This is what Robin had learned and was willing to pass it on. He looked at the gree- skinned Titan.
"Beast Boy, I want you to take good care of Terra," he said to the changeling. Unable to find any words to say lest he actually attempt a joke right now, Beast Boy just nodded and saluted like a good soldier. "Yeah, Rob. You're the best leader we could ever have. Thanks." He barely managed a weak grin of gratitude as Robin turned to the blue eyed teenager.
"Terra, I forgive you with all my heart," he said to the blonde haired girl. "You will have to make this team remain alive with five existing Titans. I believe in you." Her lower lip trembled and she also nodded. Her hand inside of Beast Boy's was getting sweaty and shaky.
Robin now turned to Starfire, but when he saw her tears that were already streaming down her face, there was nothing he could say. For a moment, he just looked at her before gently brushing strands of red hair out of her face. Starfire felt a gloved hand gently tilt her face up and his thumb brushed away a tear that had just formed out of the corner of her eye.
"I want you to promise me something as well," he said. But now his voice was starting to crack and tremble with emotion in time to the moaning earthquake that was threatening to react.
"When you decide to get married, Starfire, when you really decide to do it, don't marry for anyone else but yourself. You deserve it." Starfire started to protest but Robin put a finger on her mouth to silence her. He continued.
"But Robin," she blurted out. "I do not wish to marry anyone else, but y- "
It was cut off by a fiercely tight embrace between the two Titans. For a split second, everything else in Robin's reality had vanished. He couldn't hear the sound of the walls crumbling, feel the earth tremble under his feet, or even sense the fear that his enemy was watching him acting utterly emotional and pitiful to be sobbing over a girl that he loved.
None of that mattered now. It was amazing, just glorious how Starfire managed to fill his arms with warmth in her smooth soft skin and slender body. Closing his eyes, Robin could feel a lingering scent of roses in the hot summer sunshine that drifted through her red hair. The Tamarean girl was shaking from head to foot, but she felt the fabric of his gloved hands against her cheeks as Robin took her head into his hands, holding it firmly. Starfire felt a pair of lips press against her mouth, the final bond of love as a protective talisman.
And then he released her and stepped back. Already the world felt a little darker and colder than before, but Robin had to let go.
Finally, he turned to Raven. Despite the chaos around them, she seemed calm and at terms with what was to come.
Robin bent forth and bowed his head out of respect for her. "Its been an honor to be with you in our team," he said.
"Our team. Our family," she insisted. Raven's hands came to Robin's shoulders and she forced him to rise. The girl's chiseled expression softened for a moment and she shook her head with a sad look in her eyes.
"Don't lower yourself, Robin. The honor is mine to have you as a leader and guide." She swept her hands back and forth, creating a cryptic movement with her white robed arms.
"We will wait for your return," she said in a faint vague voice. Robin stepped back and turned to his enemy.
"Tell them how to get out," Robin demanded.
"Very well, Robin," Slade nodded his head with satisfaction. "On the eight level, there are six compressing chambers instead of four like every other level. The extra two chambers can be hacked into with the security code. It should access the emergency portal."
"What's the password?" Raven asked.
"Utopia."
The irony was too much to bear.
"Go on," Robin urged his team. "GO!" he shouted.
"ROBIN! NO!" Starfire screamed. Cyborg and Speedy had to pull on her arms and literally drag the red headed girl out. Starfire continued to protest, her hand stretched out to Robin. "ROBIN!" she sobbed again, tears streaming down her face. Slowly, the cries of Starfire died down as they ran further and further away from Robin and into the darkness of the tunnel.
The Titans all rushed to the eight level. Cyborg examined the program and sure enough, Slade was right: the password worked and a safe portal opened up. The Titans all ran through it, holding hands tightly.
Suddenly, Starfire broke free of Speedy's grip and tried to run back. Beast Boy threw his arms around Starfire and tried to stop her. "Star, that's not what Robin would want," he begged her. "He'd want to know you'd stay alive and do what he'd say."
"And abandon him!" she nearly screamed in his face. Even in the dim hallway, he could see her red and green eyes just pooling with thick hot pain. His face fell and his ears drooped. "Star, I'm sorry," he said softly.
The girl just continued to sob until Speedy strode up to Starfire and with a furious expression, slapped the girl across the face.
"Hey! Pull yourself together here," he snapped, shaking her by the arms. The other Titans whilred on Speedy, looking mortified at his action.
"Don't you ever hit a girl," Terra shot at him. "That's really pushing it, even for you." Sparks flew out of their eyes as the Titans glared and sneered at each other.
"You're the ones pushing it, blonde," he growled at her. "Rob wanted us to get out, and here we are while he's going to be dead as a doorknob. Life sucks sometimes, so deal with it."
"What is your deal, doping when you're miserable?" Beast Boy said to him. "You're not even half of what Robin is."
Speedy clenched hand now came to Beast Boy's chest and he grabbed the boy by his shirt. He had certainly been needled in the wrong place. "I never said I was, you son of a-"
"QUIET!"
Everyone stopped arguing and looked at Cyborg. He and Raven were standing at the exit that bore a smooth navy blue sky sprinkled with stars. Neither of them looked very pleased at this moment. They didn't seem angry as much as they seemed sad and dissapointed in theire friends.
"What is wrong with you guys? We're doing just what Slade always wants us to do; turn against each other and start acting like idiots!" Cyborg shouted. Everyone stopped and suddenly looked down, ashamed and concerned. He drove a massive fist into his other palm.
"We are the Teen Titans. We never leave a fight undone or leave anyone behind," he said firmly.
"We just did," Beast Boy said bitterly. He plunked himself on the ground and buried his hands in his head.
"Slade is more powerful, more dangerous-just what on earth does Robin have in him that Slade doesn't have!" Beast Boy nearly screamed in frustration.
"He has us."
The Titans' bodies froze but their heads turned in awe. Raven's eyes were glowing a glittering fine white again. Her hair was waving back and forth in the air despite the fact that there was no wind. And that deep rich voice, apparently, had come from her mouth. Raven raised her hands above her head.
"If we want to save Robin, then everyone must join hands together."
-A-
The both of them stood on the narrow iron bridge that stretched across the Lazarus Pit. Its once flaming red look was gone and now the water was a silent watery shade of pale blue. Debris from the walls and ceiling was crumbling and landing into the water with small splashing sounds. For what seemed like the longest moment, the two of them just looked at each other, not moving, not talking.
"So, this is where it ends" Robin said at last.
"Yes it does, Robin. Unless you'd rather get on your knees and submit to me," Slade said.
The rush of blood surged into Robin's cheeks and ears. "Submit? What for?"
"What do you think? Why else did I create Red X as a perfect reflection of yourself, even programmed the creature to mimic your own voice and activities? Only to remind you that it is more than acting, it is what you truly become."
Robin was unable to control his anger at this point and Slade knew it. The boy was already walking into the spiraling steps of frustration that would drag him down, unable to break away from his wrath. He hated being told he was the bad guy, the villain in the cause.
"Red X wasn't the perfect villain, of course, and did his community service. You are not the perfect hero either, Robin. Though the details were extremely valuable, especially a droid that could fester on your weak points."
"SHUT UP!" Robin screamed. "Don't you DARE think you know me like this."
"Oh, but I do, Robin. I certainly do. And that's why there is no way out, no where that you can hide."
"I don't want to die, I really don't want to die," he told himself bitterly. It just wasn't fair, as much as he wanted to accept the facts.
Robin wanted to live another day, to fight for justice, to be with his teammates. He pressed a hand to his chest to make sure a pulse was still beating inside of him. Behold, it was, and the strangest thing was how it was continuing to throb in its own tone. He could feel it getting stronger inside of him, knowing that all the memories would not be thrust into black cold horror . . unless he chose to forget.
"We fight mean like them, we get tough like them," Robin insisted. He dug a foot into the ground and frowned. "Don't think I'm not grateful," he added quickly. "I really want to help you fight crime and do the right thing, but I don't get it. What makes us different from them?"
"You will see," his mentor said in a deep calm voice. He pushed the cowl back revealing thick black hair and two dark blue eyes. He carefully set aside his mask and turned to the boy.
"People fear darkness because they cannot understand it. It can turn them into monsters, make them doubt themselves. But if you learn to master fear then the darkness has no control over you."
Robin looked up curiously. "Master fear?"
The man knelt down and placed his hands firmly on the boy's shoulders. In his eyes he saw the young boy was still edgy and concerned. All children are afraid of the dark but Bruce Wayne found a way out of the dark. He wanted to help his partner as well.
"Do not forget this, Robin," he said. "Do not fight the dark, but learn how it fights. How it thinks. How it breaths. Learn to fight as darkness does, and you will be able to conquer it."
Robin felt his teacher's words run through his veins. Do not fight the dark, but learn how darkness fights. "Do not fight to defeat Slade, because you cannot do that", he told himself. Decode his way of thinking, decipher his attacks. Even if he is all powerful, he isn't perfect. Everyone has a weakness.
"I'd say you're the one getting sloppy," Robin accused Slade. "Unable to control your own future, you tried to control teenagers. But both of your apprentices have rebelled against you, Slade." It felt damned good say such a fact in his face.
He paused and added for dramatic effect, "Congratulations."
Slade's black eye flashed red. "You stupid child!" he roared out loud. "Do you even know what you're up against?" He lunged for Robin who rolled over. A clenched fist drove into the metal leaving a deep enough dent for a depression. Slade rose from the ground and cracked his knuckles.
"I am Deathstroke the Terminator! I have sent men twice your age into their graves. You will rue the day you defied me, Robin," he threatened in a dark stormy tone. His hand came to his utility belt and he unleashed a weapon. But instead of taking out a fighting staff, Slade had drawn out a sword.
The metal blade whizzed through the air. Robin wasn't fast enough and he felt the cold pain as his left shoulder was almost sliced off. Red blood stained the green cloth and slowly trickled down his arm.
Clutching his injury, Robin quickly jumped backwards and thrust a battarang forward. The sword came down and sliced through Robin's weapon easily. He was on his knees, panting hard and his black bangs plastered to his forehead with sweat.
Robin felt the blade come to his throat and the cold metal tilt his head up sharply. Slade glared viciously at the young man at his feet.
Robin's left hand knocked the sword tip away from his face, causing his gloves and two fingers to cut sharply. He threw his body into an overhead summersault and he landed on his feet. Already, two injuries were severe and he didn't know how long he could last.
"Honestly, Robin," Slade said calmly as he twirled his weapon around with a humming sound, the buzzing tone of a razor sharp blade getting louder and louder.
"Is it really worth it?"
Robin couldn't answer, let alone think. His entire mind was full of one message that had burst its way into his head.
"We are with you."