Blast to the Supposed Past
By, Alexnandru Van Gordon
If any of you are wondering—yes, I am an insomniac. I was going to use that as my pen name, but its already been taken—and I'm serious. I got it from my dad. That is why I'm writing chapter three the minute after I submitted chapter two—and if you read what I put at the end of chapter two, you'd know what I mean. Review for me and I will be happy—make suggestions and give constructive criticism and I'd be even happier. Thank you.
By the way—does K'O mean 'Knocked Out' or 'Killed Off'? I've always believed that it meant knocked out, but I've read three stories so far that they mean it means killed off. In my story, however—K'O means knocked out.
DISCLAIMER: I can dream, but they ain't mine
CHAPTER THREE: Ouch, and…K'O
"Nineteen and…twenty!"
Robin sighed. His utility felt much lighter and now he was somewhat uncomfortable. He was also amazed—amazed at Slade's robots. They could fight and work machinery—they could even follow simple orders, but he destroyed each and every single last one of them the same way and none of them had any brains to check where the bomber was hiding. They just kept coming, each met with the same fate.
It was somewhat disappointing.
"Now that that's over." Grayson muttered, tired of waiting for so long. He moved back as not to be in the way of Slade's camera and moved into the view of the hostages, who—just like Robin—couldn't believe their eyes at the stupid robots.
"I wonder where Slade is…" Grayson wondered aloud.
"Don't jinx us." Robin sighed and stood next to Grayson. "If you'd please follow us we'll lead you out of here." he instructed the crowd.
"Wait a moment…" Grayson looked over the heads of the people and counted. "There's only thirty-seven of them. Where are the other three."
"They were the kids." The man nearest to the two said. "They were taken somewhere else."
"Hold old?"
"On is about three and the rest could be about seven."
Robin's shoulders slouched and his stomach ached again from what he believed was an ulcer. Now he had to go somewhere else and find out what happened to them.
The people began to gather around Grayson and Robin, staring at Grayson in particular with worried expressions. Robin didn't blame them. He did look like he was working for Slade.
"Do you have any idea where they've been taken?" Robin asked, hoping it wasn't somewhere near Slade.
The man shook his head and no one else was able to provide him with an answer. They were simply taken, and only Slade knew where they were.
"Any ideas?"
Grayson shrugged. "You lead these people out of here—I'll go and look for the kids. I know where the cameras are. I can avoid them."
"Fine." Robin was in no mood fro arguing and he was certainly in any shape to fight. Anger at Slade was boiling inside of him and he hurt so much. He just wanted to get back to the tower and relax. He would explain his ordeal to the other Titans later.
He showed the people to the stairs to the balcony and then to the fire exit from the office. They climbed down the side of the building using a set of metal stairs but two men and a woman insisted on staying until their children were returned to them. The rest fled, but they remained.
Robin's head throbbed.
"Fine, wait in a building where you can watch these stairs from. I'll bring your kids out this way and when I bring them out you are to leave immediately, got that?"
None of the parents disagreed and, thankfully for Robin, they fled to hide and wait from their children.
Robin climbed back up the stairs and made his way back into the building through the same fire exit. Slipping through the first door, he ran down the stairs and opened the second one, walking briskly toward the office door.
Then the light turned off.
The windowless room was plunged into darkness and he couldn't see a thing. He was rather shocked that someone caught him so soon. Unless the power went out.
Too bad that wasn't the case.
When the lights went he was still in motion. He kept walking forward and walked into something—or, rather, someone. Hard chest, cold metal armor. There was no mistaking who he had bumped into.
Before Slade could grab him, he back away toward the other door—only to walk into another figure. This surprised him even more, and this time he did not get away. The person wrapped his arms across Robin's chest and prevented him from moving forward. Robin attacked and tried to kick the man in the face with his right leg, but he had somehow anticipated that and his foot struck nothing but air. Only Slade would know about that attack—but had had walked into Slade in front of the office door. How could he…
"I have him."
It was Slade alright who had him. The was no mistaking that rich, seductive voice that drove Robin crazy with hate. He wanted to strangle the man each time he spoke, but the opportunity still hadn't presented itself to him yet. Maybe one day…but maybe not for another five and a half years.
The lights flickered back on and the second attacker came away from the light switch which was located by the fire exit doors. Slade had turned them off, and when Robin backed into him, the second man moved to the back of the room. But the second man moved as quietly as Slade.
The second attacker moved into sight of Robin and stood before him. Robin ceased his struggles immediately and paused in utter confusion. If Slade had him, then who was…
His cursed time inside his mind and was tempted to swear out loud. Obviously Grayson wasn't the only one to travel back in time—and that could mean Grayson was really in for a surprise unless he already knew Slade followed him. If one Slade were hard enough to handle—how would he fair against two? And Robin was absolutely useless.
It hurt to feel so defeated.
"Perfect…" Slade breathed to himself, then to Robin. "I'm hurt you didn't drop by to say goodbye before you left. Was it something I said earlier on, or have you been getting advice from an old—or new—friend of yours?"
How did Slade do it? How did he always stay one-step ahead of him and know just what to say to get on his nerves. It was more than Robin could bear.
He opened his mouth to spit back an insult, but the only thing that came was more blood. A small amount landed on Slade's mask and he jolted every-so-slightly in surprise. He raised a hand to his metal mask and gazed at the blood on his gloved fingers, rubbing them together as he examined the thick liquid.
"Stressed, I see." Slade muttered and returned his gaze to Robin. "Have I been getting on your nerves that sadly so far? I had absolutely no idea."
"Not now." The other Slade said as Robin spat up more blood. It trickled down the corner of his mouth and chin in the same manner as the first time and he was once more struggling. He had to get away and he had to warn Grayson if he didn't already know.
"You're right." Slade agreed and suddenly Robin fell unconscious from the blow that came to his head from Slade's fist.
-S-
"Brutal…but at least it worked." The future Slade sighed, still holding the limb body of the young boy in his arms. "That's absolutely fine, but not when he's this stressed. Train him all you want, after he is spitting up blood. You don't want to kill him before he's become all that we've set out to make him.
"If there had been a gentler solution, I would have resorted to it." Slade muttered. It was annoying how he was no longer the soul person in charge—that was why he wanted an apprentice, not a partner.
He crossed his arms. His future self thought himself automatically smarter and better than Slade, but they were still one in the same. They thought the same way—and he bet he wasn't all that much better than what Slade was now. Slade was an advanced human from experiments exercised on his body. It would be difficult to surpass what he already was, though it was possible. That accounted as one of the reasons why he wanted to advance someone else, prove that he was not alone in the world. Robin could do it—and right now Robin was his hostage.
Slade took the boy and held him lying in his arms, held tilted back in a dramatic way. The future Slade paused for a moment in questioning his past self.
Slade frowned behind his mask. "Now that your future is insured, take your Robin and leave me to make him into what he shall be. Your assistance is no longer required."
His future self laughed. "You and I know one another in every way—you think I am taking control, don't you."
Slade said nothing. He was right—why wouldn't he be? They were the same person.
"Well, I'm not." His future self continued. "I've just stepped forward a little because I know a few things you don't. I assure I do not want to dictate my younger self—that would change myself as well. I will be gone soon, but I need to use the boy as bait."
The truth was, even through hate, Slade believed him.
"Let's make this quick."
Something beeped and both men stared at Robin. The older Slade stepped closer and opened a compartment on his utility belt, taking out his small communicator.
They listened.
"Robin, we are unsuccessful in the finding of lost people. We are on our way back to the tower…Robin? Robin, are you there…? Robin…?"
Both of them recognized the voice of that alien girl named Starfire. She had been Robin's major weakness since day one, and Slade realized that the moment he was his apprentice, when he refused to shoot her until she was dying from the nanoscopic probes.
"Witch…" Slade muttered.
The future Slade turned it off and placed it back inside the compartment. Then he unbuckled his belt and threw it onto his shoulder. "They will become bothersome." He sighed.
"Then we shall get rid of them?"
"No—but don't let the boy know that. We can maybe use them as blackmail."
Now he was confused. Weren't they going to spoil things somehow? Why keep them alive when they could end up ruining the plans?
"Why alive?"
The future Slade walked around him and headed for the office door. "Because, they must live to create the time machine which we may use to our advantage in the future. I will be able to use it instantly and come back sooner than this. Then, we can have everything we aimed for and perhaps we can be the first to teach Robin what he knows. Perhaps starting from a new beginning may change his level of loyalty and obedience toward us."
-St-
Starfire tried again. "Friend, Robin? Where are you? Robin?"
"Maybe he put down his communicator, Star." Cyborg suggested from his own. "He was on the phone when we left. He's been working to find those people too."
"Maybe…" Starfire echoed to herself. But she was afraid. Robin always had his communicator on him—save that one time he had been captured by Slade. That was the only time, and that made her wonder about now why he didn't have it on him. He had been on the phone before and still had his communicator on him…
The T-tower was clear in her view from the sky. She sped toward it and landed gracefully on the roof, heading for the door inside. Once in, she took a deep breath…
"ROBIN!" She called as loud as she could, racing through out the whole place in search of him. Where was he? "ROBIN! WE ARE BACK!"
There was still no answer, but she was provided with an explanation when she found a message by the phone written to all the Titans from Robin. It said that another villain was out causing trouble and he had left to deal with it. But where was his communicator—and where was the villain attacking. Perhaps his communicator was destroyed in the fighting.
She had to find Robin to help him. What if he were in danger? What if he were worse…
Starfire shook the horrible thoughts from her mind. She didn't want to picture such deadly things happening to Robin. She…loved him. She hadn't admitted it yet, but she did and it wasn't going to be long until she told him. Every time he did not answer her immediately or say he was alright with a smile, she worried.
She suspected Robin loved her back—at least the others seemed to think so. They said he was just shy, but Starfire found that impossible. He was too brave and clever to be shy. But love did make you feel funny.
Was he in love with her.
-A-
That was interesting—and now I think I shall try to fall asleep again. It probably won't work and I'll probably be on again in a couple of hours, so—what the heck.
Tell me how you liked this one (yawn).
-Goodnight
-Alexnandru Van Gordon