Okay, guys, here's Chapter 16! Hope you like it!

Chapter 16

The waiting was beginning to get to everyone. Beast Boy reported in regularly, and they all knew Robin's schedule by heart, but so far, it was the hardest thing in the world to simply wait. They were going to move in that night to get Robin, but it was still several hours until dark. The strain was showing even in Batman. He was pacing most of the time, and whenever he wasn't wearing the rug down to threads, he was sitting in a chair and staring off into space. Raven spent most of the time meditating to keep herself calm, Cyborg had plugged himself in for a nap, and Starfire sat on the sofa, clutching a pillow to her stomach.

The communicator went off with a beep, startling everyone and sending Batman into a leap for it. They gathered around the tiny screen, hoping for good news.

"Beast Boy?" Batman said, sounding a little hoarse.

"Yeah, it's me," the little green changeling said as his image appeared on the screen. "I'm hiding out for the moment in the barn."

"What's going on?" Starfire demanded. "Is Robin all right?"

"He's fine," Beast Boy said, looking off to the left. "He's out in the riding ring right now, having an extra lesson. He spends a lot of time down here, to tell you the truth. The reason why I'm calling is to tell you something. I've been all over this school and they don't really have a high-tech video surveillance system, you know, it's pretty run of the mill; but a couple of hours ago I found a really sweet cam under one of the eaves of the dormitory. I've gone around the school and the grounds, and I found a lot more. As far as I can tell, they aren't hooked up to the school's system or anything. I think they might be Slade's."

Silence met this as the Titans and Batman exchanged horrified glances.

"BB, if Slade spotted you on one of those cameras, he's not gonna be happy," Cyborg said. "He could be on his way there right now!"

"That's what I was thinking," Beast Boy said, glancing out the barn door to make sure that his cover was still clear. "I say we get him outta here!"

"I agree," Raven said, looking deadly serious. "How much longer until full dark?"

Batman checked. "Full dark will be in about forty-five minutes."

"We go then," she said. "Who knows how close Slade is?"

"Right," Batman said, turning back to the communicator. "Beast Boy, you keep an eye on Robin. Don't let him out of your sight!"

"Gotcha. See you guys soon."

Robin was sleepy. Extra riding lessons with Jerry were always fun, but he was too tired to stick around at the barn and joke tonight. Hanging out with Jerry or Mike always seemed to act as a catharsis for him, purging him of all his pent-up emotions and worries. He was able to confide in them(after a fashion), and they always welcomed him. That in itself was enough to ease his nerves.

He was almost back to the dormitory when he spotted the headlights of a car. Surprised, he moved out of its way and continued on. Who would be coming here after dark?

The car stopped, and Robin felt his stomach lurch when Slade got out.

"Get in," he snarled, glaring at Robin.

"What?" Robin said, startled. "Why?"

"We are going home."

"Why, Slade? I like it here!" Robin told him, desperate to stay where he was. Even if Slade didn't keep his end of the bargain, this place would still be easy to escape from. Why did he want to take him away?

Slade advanced on the boy and grabbed his shoulder, holding it so tightly that it hurt. "You broke your word!"

"What?" Robin said in disbelief. "No, I didn't!"

"Don't lie to me!" Slade snapped, giving Robin a shake of the shoulders. "I have surveillance equipment set up all over this school, and I saw Beast Boy earlier today! You contacted them!"

"I never did!" Robin almost shouted. "I never did, I swear!! I wasn't about to break a promise when I had made one, even if it was to you!"

Slade glared at him.

"Believe me, I never did," Robin said softly, almost pleading. "I like it here, and I'm not in a hurry to leave. Why would I do the one thing that would ensure my having to?"

Now it looked as if Slade were actually thinking it over. He looked at Robin as if daring him to lie. "If you didn't contact them, then why is Beast Boy here?"

"I don't know," Robin almost wailed. "I didn't contact them to tell them!" He looked carefully at Slade. It almost looked as if he were going to cave in. Did Slade really believe him?

Robin didn't even see the blow coming. With a loud crack, Slade punched him, sending him a good eight feet. Robin got to his feet again, gasping and fighting for air, wondering why on earth Slade had done that.

"I don't believe you," Slade said, his voice low and dangerous. "You contacted them and they came, but unwilling to risk your bargain with me you've been having them lay low. In order to ease their worries, you've been allowing Beast Boy to follow you around. Is there anything I've missed?"

"I never contacted them," Robin said. "Why would I lie?"

"For the same reasons I just told you of," Slade snarled. "We are going home, boy, and when we arrive you'll learn a lesson or two..."

Slade advanced on his unwilling apprentice, but before the distance between them could be closed, a whirlwind in black attacked Slade and left him on the ground. Robin, surprised beyond any action, could only stare.

"C'mon!" someone was saying, pulling on his arm. "Get up! We have to get you out of here!"

Robin could say anything; he was too amazed for words. The man in black's fighting style was incredible, and it even rivaled Batman's! How was he doing it?

Vaguely, he felt himself pulled to his feet and pushed away from the fighters, and he didn't snap out of his shock until he saw that he was sitting in a different car than Slade's. The ignition took, and he looked at the person behind the wheel.

"Mike?" he said, shocked again.

"Hey," Mike said, grinning. "Hold on!"

Mike put his foot down and the car screeched forward, heading towards the two fighters. Mike hit a switch, and the back windows rolled down. As if on cue, they drew near the Slade and the mystery man, and with a nasty kick the man in black sent Slade flying and a moment later he flew in the open windows.

"Get us out of here, Mike!" he said, hitting another switch to roll the windows back up. "Some of the school guards are coming, and that kick I gave him won't keep him down long!"

Mike nodded and put the car into a faster gear. As the car sped up, the man in black slid off the ski mask that had been hiding his face.

"Jerry?" Robin gasped in disbelief. "How...?"

"It's too much to explain right now," Jerry said, fastening Robin's safety belt for him. "As soon as we get where we're going, I'll tell you all you want to know."

"But where are we going?" Robin asked, feeling bewildered. His friend who liked to joke around and was never serious was now eating up the road like a highly-trained stunt driver, and Jerry turned out to be some kind of commando! The whole situation was beginning to get weird.

"We're going to Haven," Mike said, smiling the slightest bit.

The Titans and Batman stared at the scene. Slade was unconscious on the ground, and his butler was out due to some kind of gas that had filled the car. School guards had were on their way.

"Are you sure that guy only kicked Slade?" Cyborg asked Batman. "That's what it looked like he did, but how could a kick knock somebody out?"

"It's been known to happen," Batman said, picking up Slade and putting him in the car's backseat. He pushed Karlton over, hit the switch that rolled down the windows to clear out the car, and told the Titans to get in.

"You want to ride in the same car as Slade?" Cyborg asked as the girls got in.

"It's a mode of transportation, and Beast Boy's tracker is moving pretty fast," Batman said, putting cuffs on Karlton and sliding into the driver's seat. "I don't know how long he can stay hidden."

"He can change into anything," Raven said, shrugging as she put the handcuffs that Batman handed her on Slade. Just to be safe, he handed her something to put on his feet as well. "It will be a while before he's discovered."

Batman nodded, started the car, and drove away just before the school guards reached them. Leaving them behind, they began to follow the signal that would lead them to Robin and Beast Boy.