Allow Me to Live Like You
Alexnandru Van Gordon
My younger sister broke her left leg in a snowboarding accident. I kinda wish I had gone snowboarding with her because that would be fun and I could have maybe helped her. Five minutes on the hill and she breaks her leg! She can be such a stupid person, but I still love her. I just hope she doesn't do something like that again. Wasn't like it was her first time…oh well…She's all happy faces and sunshine, so I feel okay.
To all of you who actually read my quirky beginning and ending paragraphs—I bow to you. I know I can be such a pain, but at least I haven't just given up on this. I haven't given up on "The enemy of my enemy is a friend of mine" or "Not again". I'm just going to work on them later.
Everything I have in this story so far is there for a reason, although I'm still wracking at my brain about Wintergreen. I wrote down all I was going to do with him, but I lost the little book I have that tells me who shows up when, what has to happen to them, and what they do to confuse or help the story…my puppy is sitting on my lap right now while I'm trying to type. So cute, but so annoying… Get off my hands! AHHH! The kisses! Nancy!
Oh—and please tell me the names of your stories. I like reading and I'd like to see what you guys have got.
I'm going to try something new for this story, so just bear with me for the first little part of the chapter…
WARNING: There will be another character death sometime in the future. I'm not saying if it's just one person or more, but I'm just going to give you a heads up. Hey, this is Angst after all.
DISCLAIMER: Sigh…I don't know how many times I have to say this, but I continue to do so for the rights of the original creators—I don't own them. Warner Bros or someone like that does…
CHAPTER EIGHT: Plan A
A human steps beyond the boundaries of humanity when death is no longer a matter of importance and they are prepared to leave this world.But fear holds one back,for as soon as you are ready, death will come.That is why it takes a man to understand death, and something greater to accept it with arms wide open. -Kacey J. Mackowetzky
The coast was clear…night had fallen and, after eating and preparing, it was time to put their plan into action. Robin had told them that although the indoor wasn't constantly monitored, the cameras outside were. Escape was impossible…well, almost…
Window opened, the figure slid down the grappling hook to the ground. Stopping just before reaching the end of the rope, eyes darted everywhere in the darkness, scanning the trees and dark forest surrounding to make sure no one was out on patrol. Then, coast clear…a step was taken on the ground…
One of the people still inside the room released the end of the grappling hock and the escapee wrapped it up, returning it to its place on the utility belt. Quietly, scanning the dark once more, a break was made for the forest over the large clearing where Batman trained outside. That was when the alarm went off and the outside lights flashed on bright enough to blind anyone.
Panting, they made a break for the forest, Flash just stepping outside to catch the escapee. Trees whipped at the body and twigs slashed at the face, but freedom is precious and not likely to be given up without a battle. Continuing on, there was no worry of being caught by Flash. The forest was too dense for even him to speed through without suffering from injuries. There were so many roots and branches to avoid, running was out of the question.
Just as predicted, others came when Flash found he couldn't run through the forest. Batman was still gone, but Superman, Wonder woman, and the Green Arrow followed in pursuit, shouting for the person to halt. No use. All warnings fell on deaf ears.
"Robin!" The Green Arrow barked. "Stop! You can't go out in the state you're in."
There was no reply, and the chase continued.
Have to just make it a little further…
Speedy, meanwhile, was in the Batcave, fooling around with the main computer. The basement door was barracked shut, but that didn't stop the JL. Those that weren't on the chase outside were attempting to break through the layers of metal serving as a door. Bruce was tight on security, and if he were there it wouldn't be any trouble at all to get down there in the blink of an eye.
Speedy watched on the corner of the screen the chase. "Come on…" He willed the escapee. "You're almost out of there…"
The escapee was thinking the exact same thing.
So close…So close…
A low branch came into view and they noticed it. Grabbing it, they took a hard swing up into the thick branches of the tree, disappearing in the leaves. Flash passed bellow only moments later, followed by the others, none taking notice that the escapee was hidden.
Wiping away the sweat over the brow, the colourful figure dropped down from the branches and started back the way they came. Thank goodness they were no longer in too much trouble.
-W-
Wintergreen saw him—Robin just dropped out of the tree. Wintergreen had hidden himself when he heard and saw the JL, thinking he had been the one to trip the alarms on his way to Wayne Manor. What a shock he got when his target fell from a tree gracefully, the object of the chase.
Slade was impatient. Only hours ago he finished the last piece to his plan and he wasn't going to fool around with the Boy Wonder any longer. He was going to take what rightfully belonged to him, and Wintergreen, being an old time friend, was given the honour of a good kidnapping after of years of a dull life. How wonderful it was that things were working out for him currently.
Robin had his back to Wintergreen, who, knowing the element of surprise was valuable, took a hooded cape with him to sneak toward the manor with ease. He knew all that there needed to be known about stealth and he could only think of Slade ever outdoing him in that area.
Robin started at a walk back in the direction of the manor. This was obviously part of some plan he cooked up with his foolish little friends Slade told him about. But what did he care? Things were going better than planned.
In one quick motion he leapt forward and grabbed the kid by the cape, pulling him back with a cruel jerk. He fell back into Wintergreen's arms, suppressing a gasp. He put up a struggle, but it didn't last very long. Wintergreen whipped out the syringe and stabbed the needle end into his left arm.
The struggle ended almost instantly. The serum was far better than the ones Slade had obtained from some future self?... Oh well, it worked due to an advancement and that's all that mattered.
"Sleep tight." He whispered in the boy's ear as he took him up into his arms and started back toward the way he came, watching his eyes flutter shut. This was just too good…
-R-
He opened the door, peering out into the hall before motioning Beast Boy to follow. The members of the JL were separated into two teams—one to catch Speedy in his little "temper tantrum" with Batman's main computer, and the other to catch HW.
He could still remember the look on her face as Speedy cut her hair and spiked it up with some of the hair gel Robin used. Beast Boy and Robin somehow refrained from laughing and then Beast Boy snuck away to Robin's room to pick up one of his spare suits. Dressed and serious, HW did look like she was him. She could have been his twin sister for all they knew. You could only tell she was a woman if you stared too closely at her body, but no one chasing her would. They would be in the dark and quite a distant behind her. There was no way they were going to find out.
The plan was simple. Speedy fooled with Batman's computer while HW ran halfway to the gate Batman had circling the perimeter. Everyone knew that it was futile to scale the gate and get on the other side to escape before getting caught, so she was told to only go halfway there, hide, and come back. By then, Robin and BB would be gone to the city to contact the other Titans.
Except Starfire…
Slade leaned over him to whisper one last terrifying thing in his ear…
"By tomorrow she will die. Either you come with me the next time we meet—or her death will be on your hands. Sleep well, Robin. Sleep well…"
They had to find her before it was too late. He still had to tell her something…
"What now?" Beast Boy asked. "Want me to change into a pterodactyl or a horse? You're not afraid of heights, are you?"
"Have I ever been afraid of heights? Hello, I used to be an acrobat."
"Never told me that…"
Robin paused.
"I didn't?"
"Hello! I barely knew anything about your personal life besides the point that you were once the sidekick of Batman who funded the Teen Titans."
"That's it?"
"Until now—yeah."
Well…he never did tell anyone about his personal life because it was…personal. He was edgy when it came to his past and that was that. He never even told Starfire yet and he trusted her more than anyone from the Teen Titans.
Maybe he deserved the mistrust he was given.
"Then I guess we're flying…" Beast Boy thought aloud as they made their way down a small set of stairs that led to the backdoor of Wayne Manor. It was an emergency escape for Alfred or anyone else in the building that couldn't protect themselves from an attack. Not that that happened often. But it was times like these that Robin was grateful Bruce was so protective.
"So…" Beast Boy stepped into his back as they paused at the base of the stairs, checking to make sure the coast was clear. "If my communicator isn't working, yours is gone, and Speedy is locked up with the main computer, how do we talk to Cyborg and Raven? Telepathy?"
"Red-X." He answered plainly.
"You really are crazy…" Beast Boy muttered, but followed his leader. They made a dash for the door and were outside in an instant. Just as they had planned, team two of the JL was still searching for HW whom they believed to be Robin. The alarm was still going off because Speedy still had it on and they could sneak away unnoticed.
Beast Boy transformed and Robin mounted his back. In one giant swoop of his wings, BB took them high into the air, the chilly wind whipping at his hair and body. Was that how Starfire felt when she flew? It was such an amazing feeling…
His gut twisted.
Beast Boy squawked and Robin held onto his neck tightly. They dived a little before shooting forward toward the city, the glowing lights a beautiful sight in the darkening sky.
Only a few hours left until he had to surrender. He only hoped he could find Starfire before that happened.
-Ra-
She had expected Cyborg to return, but not with the news he gave her. She began to wonder if Robin's insanity was rubbing off onto them all. Grayson—an older Robin from the future of an alternate dimension? A second Slade…
"And that's how you killed him?" She asked for the fifth time in a row. "To make sure he stayed that way?"
Cyborg nodded, a little too serious in his attitude to be plain crazy. "He took his body back to his time too."
"Why didn't he stay?"
"He doesn't know what it'll do to his body. Besides, he keeps getting zapped back there anyway because of a safety mechanism on his transporter."
She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "And you believe me to trust every word you said after all that's been happening here? Now is not the time for pranks, Cy—"
"Raven!" He barked, actually frightening her for once in her life. "We have to get a message to Gotham and warn Beast Boy and Robin! Slade is seriously not dead!"
"I've already tried to contact them." She answered, surprised at his quick decision. "Robin must not have his, and all I get is static when I try to get to Beast Boy. They're too far away."
Cyborg stood there in silence for a moment, contemplating many things she was curious to know—but too nervous to peek into his min to find out. He was uptight and frowning hard.
"How's crime been here?"
She paused. "…Ummm…good. Nothing has happened so far…Nothing…"
Then she knew what he was thinking. Nothing was happening here because Slade was pulling all the strings. He wanted Robin, but Robin was in Gotham…
"Oh no…"
Cyborg snatched her hand and ran out of the main room. "We're taking a road trip."
-S-
Even he was surprised to see Wintergreen back so early. He thought perhaps his old friend would need a little extra time, considering that he was older and a little rusty. But, sure enough, he sat the waking Boy Wonder down on the chair and began tying his hands behind the back of the chair. The alien girl noticed her friend and moaned in the corner of the room, waking herself from the next little dosage Slade gave her a while ago.
Now Robin would see her before she died, unless Robin was willing to be persuasive…
But this was too easy.
Dark as it was, Slade stepped up to Robin and lifted his chin. He looked like him, but… His hand trailed down his neck and allowed his head to fall forward, going down toward the chest—
His captive swung out a leg and hit him in the power point (you know what I mean). The kick was weak of course because of the serum, but Slade stumbled back all the same—more out of surprise than pain.
"Watch where you're grabbing." She said, shaking her head to clear her vision. It was that confounded electric witch—HW or something like that. It was that weak little trainee working to become a heroine.
"He's smart all right…" Slade muttered.
"Actually…" The girl tried to raise her head. "Spyboy and I came up with this one…though it didn't work out to the letter…One of Robin's plans would have been too obvious to you…"
Slade frowned behind his mask. It was alright that Wintergreen made this mistake—Slade had actually prepared for something like this to happen. Though he was disappointed, his plan would still work. Robin knew the price if he didn't deliver himself to Slade, open to change by midnight.
But for this little treachery from his lost apprentice, punishment was due.
"Slade Wilson…" The girl muttered.
He held his hands behind his back. "You wanted to find me—so here I am. Congratulations, my dear. You just passed your final exam."
Wintergreen, although he now realized his mistake, finished tying her to the chair and backed away, standing beside Slade. The alien girl tried to say something, but her words were caught in the gag around her mouth.
"Damn you…" She breathed. "Yes…I did find you…and I know a lot about you…"
"Oh? And how much is a lot, in your terms."
There was a moment of silence before she said one dreadful word. "Deathstroke."
That little witch.
He slapped her hard across the face, and her head swung limply to the side. Somehow she kept conscious and shook her head again, giving off a slight moan from the pain. If she were smart, she would have pretended to go unconscious. No. This little brat wanted it the hard way.
He simply did not have the time, nor, no longer, the patience.
"Do you know what I am going to do to this city—and soon the world?" He asked, grabbing her chin and tilting back her head so she looked at him. Behind the mask, he could sense her wide eyes pinned on him in fear. "Do you want to know…"
The alien girl began to struggle. Slade had already told her and how she hated the idea.
He continued—"I have been working on chemicals that effect the emotions of the human body—thanks to a little visitor of mine, I obtained the chemicals I needed and duplicated them. I created an airborne poison that brings out the…better side of people. Feeling moody lately? Well, after tonight, imagine that at a hundredfold! People will be at each other's throats, killing mercilessly like it is to do so in their nature. I won't have to touch anyone—they'll die at their own hands."
"Monster…" She muttered just loud enough to be heard.
"But that's not all." He laughed. " I brewed up something special for Robin, just so that he's a little more…open-minded to what I have to tell him. You know—easier to persuade. Depressed, defeated, betrayed…he'll feel all of those things. I can make him believe anything as simple as you being a spy sent by the government of your country to kill him. I can make him believe he belongs to me, that he owes his very being to me, that his soul purpose is to serve me. It has taken a while, but I believe I have finally found the solution to Boy Wonder. Happy yet?"
"I'd die before I see that happen." She whispered, venom in her voice.
"Too true…"
He looked to Wintergreen, then spared once last glance at the alien girl tied up in the corner.
"I'm leaving now to deal with Robin and his mentor—wherever they are." He said plainly, releasing HW and heading toward the door. He stopped when he grabbed the doorknob and turned to face his friend. "Kill them both. I believe I can find blackmail elsewhere if Robin ever gets over the new serum I made for him. Just kill the witch first. I think she's long overdue for the grave."
-St-
No!
Not this girl… She watched the new man walk over to Slade's desk and pull out another syringe. He came over to HW and injected it—just a weakening serum, nothing tough enough to kill a person. But it was still horrible…
Once stuck in the state between asleep and awake, HW was untied from the chair and thrown to the ground forcefully. Starfire tried to break free, wishing to aid this new comrade in battle as she was kicked and beaten around the room. She actually made it to her feet, throwing a punch or two weakly—only to be slugged back in the jaw. He head snapped back and she flew while falling, skidding to an ungraceful halt on the floor. Blood dribbled down from the corner of her lip down her chin to her neck as she raised her head and looked to Starfire.
Then she grinned.
No…Not this innocent. She has done nothing wrong…
The girl pushed herself up with a cringe of pain, but continued to smile. It was as if she were saying, "Hey…it's okay. This is how I want it to end…"
This couldn't be happening. She had never seen a person die before… even she wasn't allowed to see her mother or father when they died. They didn't want to see her cry, and she was so young…This would be the first life she would witness leave this land of the living. But perhaps there was still hope. There always had to be hope…Didn't there?...
-A-
It took me a lot of heart to gather the guts to write this. Wondering if I kill off HW? You'll have to read and find out, and please review if you did read this chapter. I haven't been getting as many as I used to, but I'll still write even if just to write as a purpose. Sorry…I guess I got into the depressed mood because of my lil' sis and her broken leg. Hey, I've been on crutches twice. I know how mush the pain hurts…
-Sighing heavily
-Alexnandru Van Gordon