Pieces of the Puzzle

Alexnandru Van Gordon

DISCLAIMER: Don't own them.

HW: It's only been one day and so far I've only gotten one review. It was from someone by the name of HW-pull the trigger, and says… "Hahahahaha! Interesting...I think you should bring back Slade or the other HW. And the purpose to lifeTHERE IS NONE! Time's up so that means pull the trigger! Alex, its Splatter-time!" HW-pull the trigger, I like your thinking. What do you think, Alex?

Alex: (Tied to chair and frustrated.) I think you're insane.

HW: I think I'll take her/his advice… (Putting gun to his temple.) But I think I'll be nice to you today, Alex. If you can tell me the purpose of Life, I will spare you and vow to kill myself.

Alex: Don't kill yourself. I hate suicide.

HW: Fine—but I still want an answer.

Alex: (Frowning.) You want an answer, HW? You seriously want an answer! It is so simple, half the people in this world won't find it until their about to die! You really want to know!

HW: (Frowning in confusion.) Yes…

Alex: Fine! This is the purpose of Life…

CHAPTER TEN: The purpose of Life

He slipped in and out of the shadows with ease, finding his way behind each robot before they had the time to sense him. All he had to do was put a fist in their back and let the sparks fly, maybe even tear off the heads of one or two. Not one saw him and he was almost disappointed. He thought a guy as infamous as Slade would have had a harder security system, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe the guy wasn't it and it was just a distraction…He still had to check anyway.

Once he spotted the security camera in one of the upper corners of the hall, he took out a batarang and tossed it at the tiny red dot The small machine sparked like the robots before growing, not even catching him on tape. This was pathetic and he was tempted to turn back and search somewhere else. This was nothing but a joke.

There were voices down the hall and a beam of light narrowly missed him as a door nearby opened. It was an older man who said good evening to someone in the room and started down the hall. Luckily for Batman, he was heading in the opposite direction.

"You can come in now." The man said over his shoulder to Batman who still stood in the shadows. "I'm sure you two are just dying to catch up on everything."

Batman frowned and waited until the man was around the corner of the hall before he went to the door and opened it. He walked inside only a few steps, giving the door enough space to swing shut, and waited, staring at the back of the man he hated most at this present time. The room was pretty dark, but the light from the many screens lit the room enough to reveal both men.

Slade stood facing the screens, hands behind his back as he always stood when he was so sure of himself. The day Batman shot him had been something like this. They said what needed to be said and then they fought. Batman almost lost his life that day, and Slade had almost escaped. But then there was that gun…

"Long time, no see." Slade began in a casual voice. It was as eerie as ever, but he sounded calm.

"Too long." Batman replied; eyes narrowing as he waited for Slade to make the first move. But Slade remained still. "Tell me something."

"Hmm?" Slade then turned around, hands still behind his back, and stood to face Batman. "And what would you like to hear?"

"Why you keep coming back? You died twice. What's there left to live for?"

Slade shrugged and turned back to his cameras. "Everyone has a purpose in life—there is no one reason everybody lives. You're alive because you want tomorrow to be a better place for future generations, because you want to protect those you love. I, on the other hand, don't just live because I have something to live for…I have nothing to die for."

"Care to explain?" He didn't want games or riddles. He would have gone to the Joker if he wanted that, but he supposed someone as crazy as Slade would prefer to take things slow, seeing as Slade thought he had the world in his hand.

"I die and I get stuck in something of an eternal darkness and an everlasting silence until I'm brought back to life. All that there is for me to do is live. And because there is no heaven or hell waiting for me, I can do pretty much whatever I want on this damn planet without having to worry about repenting or suffering until the end of eternity. Does this answer satisfy you?"

"What? Are you expecting me to be happy for you? Of course it's not satisfying. The only thing that would satisfy me would to see you off the world's case."

Slade began to laugh and that boiled his laugh. Somehow, just somehow, he refrained from attacking the man with his back turned to him.

"Care to explain what's so funny?"

Slade took a long pause before answering. "I've been on the world's case for years, but you only seem so troubled about it now. I think the real thing that would satisfy you was if I was off of Robin's case…Am I correct?"

Batman's fists tightened. A fire rose in his chest and he had to bit back a curse. Yes, that was true. Robin didn't deserve some creep like this chasing him down and making his life hell for the rest of his days. Robin was just a kid.

"What's with you and bothering kids?" Batman asked, muscles tensing. "I thought you had enough fun bugging the Justice League."

"If a child is good when they are young, they can be much better in the future. Not only that, but the young are so very promising…" Slade turned around again and Batman could imagine him smiling behind his mask as his one eyes narrowed, voice lower, more menacing. "And Robin has much to promise…"

"You think I don't know that already? I taught him out of his own free will and allowed him to leave when he wanted to. You should learn to leave him alone before you get hurt…"

"Robin is mine, and I doubt you can do anything to change that."

At the exact same moment, the two lunged forward, ready to attack. Batman delivered a sidekick which was blocked skillfully by Slade who tried to punch him in the stomach with his other fist. Batman grabbed the fist and tried a punch of his own, only to have that too blocked as Slade wrenched his hand free.

The two stepped back from each other and began to pace in a circle, eyes locked.

"Where is he?" Batman growled, clenching his fists harder than ever.

Slade laughed. "Don't think so lowly of your former son. He's already escaped."

Robin had escaped? Already? No…Slade had to be lying. He had to be—

Batman was caught off guard and barely had enough time to dodge the back-kick coming from Slade. He blocked two more with his arms crossed over his chest, and grabbed Slade's leg after the fourth. Then, allowing himself to grin slightly, he swung Slade in a full circle before releasing him and letting him fly. Slade, on the other hand, wasn't any normal crook. He knew how to fight—and it was proven true when Slade twisted in mid-air to land in a similar fashion Robin did when he was thrown. Now that he thought about it, Slade's style was a lot like Robin's—just greatly improved. The man probably knew other moves, but it was no wonder Robin found it difficult to fight this guy. Slade knew every move Robin would use, as did Batman.

"You fight like him." Slade said as he stood; thinking the exact same thing as Batman. "A little stronger and perfected in skill—but you fight like him."

"He escaped?" Batman said; choosing to ignore Slade's statement. "When?"

Slade laughed. "You are one of such little faith. Now I know why he left you…but yes. He escaped only a short while ago. I thought he would have run to you, but it's no wonder why he doesn't trust you."

Damn! He should have spotted Robin somewhere if he just escaped. He probably went home—his old home at the manor—and that meant he was safe…Scratch that. He wasn't safe as long as this guy was alive.

"You don't seem to be worried." Batman said, the two of them beginning to circle again. "You go through so much trouble trying to catch him and yet you don't look too upset."

Slade shrugged. "He's mine and he knows it. I will come for him when I feel like it and he will have no choice but to come. Besides, where can he run to? I know everywhere he'd go as a first choice and any possible place he would hide as a last choice."

"You seem to know a lot about him."

"He and I think alike."

They came at each other again and this time Batman caught him by the arm, grabbed his shoulder, spun around on his heel, and threw Slade as hard as he could toward the nearest wall. He had to admit he was amazed when Slade suddenly adjusted himself in the air and kicked off the wall with ease. He didn't even touch the ground as his push off the wall brought him into the perfect position for a kick, bringing his foot hard across Batman's jaw in a powerful swing. Batman saw stars for a brief moment as he closed his eyes and staggered backward, caught again in the face by yet another kick.

"It feels odd to be thrown." Slade said as he gave Batman a moment to collect himself. It was evident he didn't like being thrown either as he rolled the shoulder of arm he was tossed by. "I'm used to being the one who does the throwing."

"I bet." Batman muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He was bleeding from his mouth and spat out the blood before he took up his fighting stance, watching as Slade did the same.

They came at one another once more, this time a blur of punches and kicks. It was almost as if it was choreographed the way they blocked and dodged without receiving a solid hit. Soon they had to back away from each other again to catch their breath, glaring daggers at one another.

"Not bad." Slade said as he straightened, cracking his neck as he watched Batman. "I don't know what I was expecting, though. I knew you wouldn't be bad if you were Robin's teacher, but you yourself make a few simple mistakes."

"And you're perfect? I don't exactly see a victor here."

Slade's one eye narrowed and he reached behind himself. He took out a Bo-staff—Robin's choice of weapon. "Then perhaps we should take this up a notch? I'm sure your belt holds as many gadgets as your kid's."

"You're right." And he pulled out a smoke bomb. "Catch!"

He threw it at Slade and, as he expected, Slade hit it with his Bo-staff—the same kind of reaction Robin had when Batman surprised him in training. The bomb exploded upon contact and a cloud of smoke hid the villain as he began to cough. It was something of a dirty trick, but hey, he was fighting an unfair guy.

He took three normal explosives from his belt and waited as the cloud spread toward him, thinning out slowly. Slade's cough turned to a laugh as he grew silent, and all Batman could do was wait for an attack. He kept his eyes opened and looked around…nothing moved. And finally, when the smoke had cleared, he found that he was alone. Slade was gone.

He looked to the door. He didn't hear the door open, and yet there was nowhere to hide in this room. Save for the two tables, there was nothing else in the large room to hide around.

"Up here!"

Batman swore under his breath and could only look up as he was showered by explosives of Slade's design. He was blown back with such a force, he was almost knocked unconscious by time he hit the floor way on the other side of the room. He slid on the ground and rolled to a painful stop as he hit the wall. His arms were burnt on the forearm when he covered his head, and his costume was singed on the front.

To put it plainly, he could barely move.

Somehow he willed himself to sit up, watching as Slade jumped the long way down from the rafters and landed silently like a cat on the floor. But that should have been impossible.

Then again, Slade wasn't exactly human.

Still holding the bombs, he threw them toward Slade from his position on the ground and actually caught the man off guard. Slade stumbled back to avoid the explosions, but was evidently knocked over when the smoke clear, lying next to the weapons table on the other side of the room. Shouting a curse, Slade reached on top of the table and pulled down a gun-like weapon, taking aim at Batman, and shot.

Batman didn't have the time or strength to react. He was caught on the left shoulder by a dart-like projectile which he pulled out instantly. He knew he was too late, though, because he was already getting dizzy.

Leaning on the table, Slade brought himself to his feet and tossed the gun back onto the table. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, old boy, but I'm afraid I have to leave you now momentarily. I have a confused apprentice to collect."

"Leave him alone…" Batman warned as his vision suddenly split and he saw double. "Leave Robin…alone…"

Slade laughed—something he did a lot of, only making himself look like more of a maniac. "Why? Is he yours? He was until you let him go, Dark Knight. The moment you let him leave for Jump City you practically handed him over to me!"

Batman wanted to stand, but he couldn't even will himself to move his legs. He had to lean against the wall just to keep from lying down.

"You should have never shot me." Slade continued; his voice once more low and menacing. "If you would have died that day, someone else would have adopted the Boy Wonder and we would have never met. He can thank you for his new place by my side in the future."

"Stop…" He gasped as he watched Slade head for the door. But the man didn't hear him.

"Do the world a favor and just die." Slade said before he left. "It's all going to change soon and there is no one who can stop me. There's nothing left for you to live for, but you did what you could for the world."

Everyone had a purpose in life and his was to do absolutely everything he could for the world and for the people he loved. He couldn't save the world on his own—that matter was pretty much out of his hands, but he still had his loved ones. He could still help Robin, Richard, his son…

And that was exactly what he was going to do.

A-

Alex: Happy now?

HW: O.O………There is no one major purpose of Life? Everyone has their own?

Alex: You can have one or many, HW. Some we choose ourselves which can be either fulfilled or lost, and others are just given to us by fate. We humans do what we can in the amount of time we have to do it. Hasn't anyone ever told you that?

HW: (Still aiming gun, has trouble deciding whether or not to shoot.) It can't be that simple! What's your purpose, then?

Alex: If you read my profile, I have many—but it doesn't mean I'll live to complete any of my goals. I won't know my true purpose until it comes, and even then I won't live long after.

HW: People live to fulfill their own separate purpose… (Lowers gun.) I guess you still have a purpose to fulfill, kid. But what purpose did you give me?

Alex: You already know the answer to that.

HW: Yeah…I do…don't I? Too bad death has a play in my purpose. I'm gonna miss him…I'm gonna miss a lot of your characters. I didn't think you'd have the heart to actually kill a person or two off.

Alex: Don't give away the answer!

HW: (Twirling gun in hand.) Don't push your luck today, preacher boy. But I'll see you later. I have to get back to the story... (Exits after untying Alex.)

Alex: Whoa…glad that's over—and I thought my cousin was crazy! After the beating I got from Slade after his betrayal… (Shivers.) I've got to hire a bodyguard. But, I'll see you guys later! I have to fix my account again. My review and author alerts say they are enabled, but I'm still not getting any messages in my e-mail account. I hope you like what I have so far—and I'm far from finished! I just needed to have a little duel between Batman and Slade—I just had to, so I dedicated a chapter to yet another powerless superhero who makes this world a safer place (in cartoon land, of course). I might add another one in the future, but Slade is Robin's problem. Robin's going to have to dance quite a few numbers with him soon so get ready to tango!

Bowing goodnight,

Alexnandru Van Gordon