Chapter Eight: The Deal
Raven awoke to her new surroundings with a start. Grunting, she tried to move, but found that she couldn't. Her hands were bound with handcuffs behind her back and she was sting in a wooden chair in a small, dark, dirty room. "Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos!" Raven summoned her powers, or tried to, she found she couldn't access them. She felt sweat pour down her face as she realized that a strange helmet had been placed on her head, that must be why she couldn't use her powers. She looked up as a man came into the room.
"I see you're awake," the man said. "Magneto," she replied, her voice was blank and emotionless.
"Ah, so I see he's told you about me?" Magneto let a small smile cross his face. "I see that I am right," he continued, "I know who you are Raven, you were Charles' first student, were you not?"
Raven was stunned, how did he know all this? "I see you are surprised. Well, I shall explain. I was once a friend of Charles and I remember that he brought a little girl back with him from thedimension of Azerath. We had a disagreement about who would watch over her. I wanted to take her so I could teach her to become one of us, one of the Brotherhood. of Mutants But Charles wouldn't have it and he kept her with him until he handed her over to a man named Bruce Wayne who had her sent to live with the Teen Titans."
"So why am I here?" Raven asked, she knew the story was about her, she just couldn't put together what it had to do with her present situation.
"Well, Raven, I'll tell you. Do you know a boy by the name of Garfield Logan?"
Garfield Logan. Beast Boy, she thought. "Maybe," was all she decided to answer.
"Well, his former guardian, Nicholas Galtry promised us some money. Seeing that he can't pay it off, we want some compensation." "0What do you mean 'compensation?'" Raven asked, though she had a clue what the answer was. "We will trade you for the money your friend Garfield Logan can pay us." "How do you know he even has this money?" she asked, bluffing somewhat in order to get information. "Oh, we know he has money, alright. Nicholas Galtry's confirmed that. Cooperate with us, and it will go easy for you."
"And if I don't cooperate?" Raven asked, her voice even. "Let's just say your friend has made your life very difficult." "I see," Raven said, "If my friend doesn't cooperate with your wishes, you'll kill me." Magneto looked thoughtful, "In a manner of speaking, yes."
Suddenly, the door opened and Pyro stuck his head in, "He wants to see her," he looked at Raven, "Now." Venom walked in the room and he and Pyro dragged a bruised, sore, worn out Raven to her feet. Led in a procession like manner, they escorted her to a large conference room. She looked up with no surprise on her face as she saw Slade sitting there, no doubt, she thought, a smirk on his face.
"So we meet again," he said, sarcastically. "Slade," Raven said, "I knew you had to be behind this." Slade looked at her silently for a few minutes, saying nothing. "I've brought you here for a reason."
"I thought so, and what might that be?"
"I'm offering a chance for you…to join me."
"Join you?" Raven asked, shocked, "I'd never join you!"
"Oh, don't be so sure of yourself, he said, "I have a surprise for you."
He turned to a large video screen. Robin's image filled it. "Robin, I have her with me." Raven saw Robin grit his teeth.
"Why have you taken her?" he demanded. "One Nicholas Galtry owes us some money. We want Garfield Logan to pay it." Robin stepped over and Beast Boy's face came into view. "Raven, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she replied.
"Enough," Slade said, "So Beast Boy, pay us what we want, and we will let her go." "How much?" he demanded. "Galtry promised Magneto four million. He also promised Venom four million. But since the X-Men caught him and ruined our plans to dispose of you, our plans have changed. All in all, eight million dollars should do the trick and Raven is safely delivered to you."
"And if I don't," Beast Boy said. "Pyro," he called the boy over.
Pyro leered at Raven, "Let's just say, I will make her life very miserable," his voice low and threatening.
"You wouldn't touch her!" Beast Boy roared out, angry.
"Oh, I would," he laughed, "Too bad your friend's so stubborn. I like her already."
"Beast Boy," Raven managed to finally speak, "don't—" Suddenly Venom delivered a vicious kick to her midsection, knocking the wind out of her. He then slammed his fist into her face, causing her to stagger back as Magneto and Pyro forced her to remain on her feet. She felt the blood trickle down from her lip onto her chin.
She saw the distraught look on Beast Boy's face, "Stop, I'll do it! I'll pay you anything, just let her go!"
Slade chuckled, "I see you've finally become reasonable. Good, you will meet us tonight at the Queensborro Bridge. And Robin, be there as well, I'll be waiting for you." Magneto stepped up, "Charles, at last we shall settle this!" "So be it," was all Xavier said, "We will see you at midnight." Slade shut off the screen.
Walking over to her, Slade's metal face was inches from hers, "Pathetic fool, you only bring trouble for yourself!" His fist slammed into her face, pain shot through her as it made contact with her right eye. "Get her out of here!" he ordered Venom and Pyro. "A pleasure," was all Pyro said as they dragged Raven back to her small room that was her prison cell.
They mercilessly shoved her back onto her chair and closed the door, making sure it was locked. She wouldn't have a chance to escape, not yet. She just hoped that the Titans would pull through and get her out of here. It was the only hope she had left.
A miserable Beast Boy and Robin watched in horror as the man called Venom viciously beat Raven, hitting her repeatedly. Beast Boy couldn't stand it any longer.
"Stop, I'll do it! I'll pay you anything, just let her go! Robin stared at him.
"Are you crazy!" He hissed, "You're actually gonna do this!"
"I have to," Beast Boy shot back, "It's the only way I can save Raven."
Slade chuckled, "I see you've finally become reasonable. Good, you will meet us tonight at the Queensborro Bridge. And Robin, be there as well, I'll be waiting for you." Magneto stepped up, "Charles, at last we shall settle this!"
"So be it," was all Xavier said, "We will see you at midnight."
"I'll be waiting for you, Slade," Robin said, "and this time you won't get away." Slade chuckled and the screen went black.
"BB, have you lost your mind?" Cyborg demanded, "You have to be crazy! You're actually paying them off!"
"What am I supposed to do, they'll kill Raven if I don't!"
"We don't know that yet," Xavier said, "he could be bluffing."
"Slade's not one to bluff, Professor," Robin said firmly, "but you just can't roll over like that!"
"He will kill Raven if I don't, I know it. Sorry Robin, I have to go through with this."
Robin sighted, "Alright then, I'm coming with you to take on Slade." "And I," said Professor Xavier, "shall call the X-Men, as well as Spiderman, we're coming with you."
Spiderman was making his daily rounds around New York. He'd just foiled a burglary at a convinence store when his cell phone rang. "Peter Parker," he said. "Peter, we need you to come to Xavier's school. Now."
It was Scott. "What? Why?" "It's a long story. I'll fill you in later."
"Okay, I'll be there A.S.A.P." The phone clicked off.
Spiderman soon arrived at the school. He decided to drop in on Xavier's office. Sure enough, he was there along with the Teen Titans and the rest of the X-Men. He climbed through the open window.
"So, what's going on?" he asked, he could see the troubled looks on all their faces.
"A villain named Slade has kidnapped Raven and is holding her for a ransom of eight million dollars."
Spiderman whistled, "Are you gonna pay it?"
"Yes, but we plan to get both Raven and the money back." "Oh, and how's that supposed to work?"
"The plan is that when we trade Raven for the money, if they turn on us, we'll attack them and see to it that they stay away from the Teen Titans and the X-Men. Wolverine will lead the X-Men against Magneto and the Brotherhood, while Robin will lead the Teen Titans against Slade."
"And what will I do?" Spiderman asked. "You have to fight Venom." Xavier looked at him, "Can you do this?" he asked, "He has twice your strength."
"I will do what I can," Spiderman said, "that's all I can promise you."
Xavier smiled, "Good, it's settled then. We must meet them at the Queensborro Bridge by midnight or Raven's dead." He looked at Scott, "It's time to get the X-Jet."
They flew to the Queensburro Bridge. The X-Men and the Teen Titans disembarked from the Jet and waited. Jean Grey pulled out a communicator, "Professor, what time is it?" she asked.
"Midnight, they'll be there any minute."
"Good," she replied. Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Rogue and Iceman were there, along with Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire. They stood, quietly waiting for any sign of their expected visitors.
Out from the shadows, Robin saw the familiar form of Slade step out into the pale moonlight. "I see you have brought us what we wanted," he chuckled. "Where's Raven?" he demanded.
"Magneto, have Pyro and Venom bring him his friend," he ordered. Magneto stepped forward, along with Pyro and Venom, with them was Raven, bruised and battered, but alive still. There was a strange helmet on her head, he guessed it was to prevent her from using her powers. Robin let out a small sigh.
"Where's the money?" Slade demanded.
"Right here," came Beast Boy's voice, "We give you the money, you give us Raven." He stepped forward, a large suitcase in his hands.
"Here," he said as he placed it in Slade's hands.
"Take her," Slade said, removing the helmet as Venom and Pyro threw Raven into his arms.
"You alright?"
"Yes," she replied, I'm fine."
Slade carried the suitcase over to Magneto who opened it. To their shock, there was no money in it, just a bunch of newspaper!
"They've tricked us!" Magneto roared.
"Destroy them!" Slade ordered Venom and Pyro. They leapt forward as Beast Boy hastily pulled Raven back to the Titans.
"Okay, people, let's rock the party!" Wolverine shouted, his claws shot out of his hands. "Ready to roll, Scott?"
"Yep," he replied. "Jean, we're taking Magneto and Pyro. Storm, keep us covered!"
"Teen Titans," Robin ordered, "Let's move!" They all were ready; they knew that this could be the last battle they'd ever fight in their lives. They knew they could not fail. Everything would be determined in this fight. They wouldn't lose, because they couldn't lose, defeat would be too costly.