Chapter 5: Revelations!

Young Virgil Hawkins woke up groggily to find himself hanging upside down about seventy-five feet above the huge lava pit.

"Ah, so the young Van Winkle finally awakens from his slumber," a familiar voice that sounded a lot like Mark Hamill said. "So…Virgil, is it? What are you going to do now that I have you in my clutches? Hmm? What is your grand plan for escape this time? What's on your mind?"

"S-Slade?" Virgil said weakly, "Is that you?"

"It certainly is. Go ahead. I dare you to try to escape from your restraints. Just try it," the psychopath said tauntingly.

"Slade, you jackass. You already know that all I have to do is power up and—"

Nothing happened.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME, YOU MONSTER!" Static yelled. "AND HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW MY TRUE IDENTITY!"

"So, who's the jackass now, my young apprentice? Your restraint drains your power to keep itself running. " Slade said. "The only way that I can allow you to have your powers back is if you swear your allegiance to me and me alone. Help me to destroy the Teen Titans—or I will destroy you."

"YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT! I'LL NEVER JOIN YOU! NEVER!" Static exclaimed angrily. " YOU CAN MURDER ME, TELL MY SECRET IDENTITY TO THE WORLD, ANYTHING! DO YOUR WORST! BUT I SWEAR THAT I WILL NEVER JOIN YOU! NOT NOW! NOT EVER!"

Slade sighed as if he were about to scold a little child. "Well, I gave you the chance to join my ranks as well as save your own hide. I see now that you can only be dealt with in one way, and that one way is execution. I could do that in a number o ways. Hotstreak could incinerate you, for example—"

" JUST SHUT UP AND DO IT ALREADY, YOU WINDBAG!" Static yelled.

"On the other hand, letting you fall into the lava is a lot easier and quicker," Slade said as he pulled the lever which sent the young hero plunging downward.

Virgil thought he was a goner for sure…until Starfire swooped down and caught him just before he hit the lava.

"Friend Static, are you hurt?" the beautiful Tamaranian asked.

"No, I'm fine…never better, actually," Virgil joked.

"If he's joking around with you, he's okay, Star," Robin said as he charged towards Slade, Birdarang-sword-thingy in hand. "But Slade won't be okay when I'm finished with him!"

"Hotstreak! Ebon! Get out here!" Slade yelled. "We seem to have a pest control problem!"

As Ebon jumped out of the shadow he was hiding in, he noticed that there was something about the robot kid that looked familiar.

"Gil?" Ebon asked. "Gil Logan?"

"How do you know my name!" Beast Boy asked as he morphed into a rhino and charged at Ebon. He went right through him.

"Didn't you go to Dakota High for a little while at the start of the semester one year?" Ebon asked, making himself tangible again. "I think I gave you a wedgie one week! It's a small world, huh?"

"That's it, man. You shouldn't have said that. B.B. is my friend! I won't pull my punches now," Cy said with malice in his voice. "I'll show you how it feels to have the shit beaten out of you!" With that, he sent the living shadow flying into the north wall before Ebon even had the chance to react. One punch is all it took to knock him unconscious.

Meanwhile, Hotstreak was about ready to throw in the towel as well. Starfire proved herself to be too quick for him, and Raven kept throwing things at him. After about ten minutes, Starfire blasted him with star-bolts from her hands and eyes. He was knocked out as well.

"Well, I guess it's just too hard to find quality help these days, eh, Slade?" Robin said as Cyborg freed Virgil from the restraint. "Static's free, Ebon and Hotstreak are down, and you're defenseless and powerless against us. The powers Trigon gave you are all but gone! We hold all the cards, and not only that, but I had the pleasure of beating you to a pulp. I've been training non-stop just for the purpose of doing so." By now, the entire team was assembled behind him.

"Ah, Robin… of course I have another trick up my sleeve." He pushed a button and Terra suddenly appeared in a restraint similar to the one Static was in. "Now, Titans, you have the choice of chasing me, or saving her."

"Slade, you crazy, psychotic son of a bitch!" Robin yelled. No matter how long it takes me, I will find you, and stop you!"

"Another time. Ciao," Slade said as he pushed the button that released Terra's restraint.

Without thinking, Beast Boy jumped off the ledge, transformed into a pterodactyl, and caught the rope in his teeth. He flew her to safety and set the restraint down gently.

"Terra! TERRA! You goys, she's not moving!" he cried in anguish.

Robin looked over to see if Slade was still there. Of course, he was gone. But all that mattered now was getting Terra home to recuperate. It was over…for now.

TO BE CONTINUED…NOPE, THE STORY'S NOT OVER YET.