The New Recruit
Special thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: BirdsOnTheBrain, midnightdragoness, Haruka-Clone, DarkRebel777, Nightlark, Confuzzle333, raex18, robin and raven 4 ever, Goth Jedi, Guardiangirl1, Shadoweyes1and alena-chan.
Midnight Blue Raven thank you for being a superb beta!
You guys make my day so thank you! –Dark Shadows 01
Right, just to clear this up there is nothing between Mercury and Beast Boy okay? The only reason she wanted to save him is because it was Mercury's first mission and she didn't want the blame for not protecting a fellow team member. Okay now on with the story!
Chapter 7
"Where am I?" groaned Raven, "Why am I in chains?"
Raven tugged and pulled on the chains trying to break them, but to no avail. Raven tried to destroy the chains with her powers but they didn't work! The black aura just disappeared into the chains draining Raven of energy.
Footsteps could be heard coming towards her. Raven squinted her eyes trying to see who was coming.
"Raven I see you're awake," came the voice of Slade, making Raven shudder.
Memories flooded back to her The HIVE and the fight with Jinx.
"What do you want Slade?" spat Raven.
Slade came into view dragging a bruised and bloody Mercury, he threw her at Raven's feet.
"I want you to heal her," was his response.
Raven stared in shock and anger.
"What did you do to her?"
"Nothing, but The HIVE did a wondrous job didn't they?" said Slade happily.
"Ra…ven," came a hoarse sound from Mercury.
"Please let me heal her!" pleaded Raven.
"Of course," replied Slade, the chains around Raven became slack allowing Raven to move to Mercury and heal her bleeding friend.
Raven placed one hand on Mercury's forehead, and the other on the dying girl's chest.
"Azarath metrion zinthos," whispered Raven.
Mercury tensed as blue light encased her broken body, but relaxed when slowly all of her wounds knitted back together, leaving a healed yet shattered Mercury.
Slade clicked his fingers and the chains around Raven, suddenly became tense reeling her body back to the wall.
"Aaagh!" shouted Raven as her back was thrown against the wall.
Slade smirked behind his mask and called Mammoth and Jinx.
"Yes master?" the two asked.
"Bind Mercury to the opposite wall then return to your posts," answered Slade leaving the room.
Mammoth went straight to Mercury and picked her up in a giant paw and banged her against the concrete wall opposite Raven.
"Aaagh!" yelled Mercury, once again pain shooting through her tired body.
Jinx quickly binded Mercury, whilst Mammoth held her in place.
"Told ya I'd get you," sneered Mammoth.
Mercury spat in his face.
"Why you little!" bellowed Mammoth as he punched Mercury in the stomach.
Mercury bit her tongue to stop herself from yelling out, but a trickle of blood made it down her mouth. Mammoth laughed as Jinx finished with the chains; it was the same chains that disabled her powers.
"Not so tough now?" roared Mammoth with laughter as he and Jinx left the two prisoners. Mercury hung her head low as she spat out a small puddle of blood on the cold, granite floor. Raven couldn't bear to see her new friend hurt like this, but she was too far to talk to.
"Mercury can you hear me?" Raven telepathically asked her.
"Yeah I hear you," was the sad response.
"What happened?" Raven replied quickly, if Mercury was beaten up this badly what about the others?
"Too tired, read my mind," Mercury answered, before she hung in an uncomfortable sleep.
Raven did as she was told and explored Mercury's mind. Memories of Mercury's childhood popped up, but Raven didn't want to invade Mercury's privacy. As she continued her search a huge image of The HIVE appeared. Raven buried deeper into this memory, and found a video like simulation playing.
Raven watched as she saw Mercury wipe the floor with Jinx and Gizmo. Raven also saw Beast Boy get beaten up pretty bad too, and how Mercury was smashed into the crates.
"That's how she got those cuts!" Raven thought.
Mercury's memory was fading, but a towering image of Slade's eye appeared, and then all went black.
Returned back from her friend's mind and looked at her with a sad expression.
"Mercury had to suffer all that, only to wind up here," Raven thought sadly.
Robin struggled to get up, his back ached horribly. Robin scrambled through the carnage that was broken pieces of crates, when Cyborg and Starfire found him.
"Robin!" shouted Cyborg running over to support his friend.
"Friend Robin are you injured?" asked Starfire, aiding Cyborg in helping Robin. Cyborg lifted Robin gently, and scanned the rest of they area to see if Beast Boy or Mercury could be found.
"Where is BB?" Cyborg inquired.
A groan could be heard from behind a crate. Starfire left to investigate, returning with an injured Beast Boy. Beast Boy has a black eye, burst lip, broken nose and countless bruises over his body.
"We need to get back to the Tower Star," stated Cyborg, walking towards the T car.
"Wait," commanded, "Where is friend Mercury?"
Cyborg froze; he had forgotten Mercury in his attempt to help Robin and Beast Boy.
"She…she's not here," confirmed Robin, "I'll explain later."
Cyborg looked worriedly over at Starfire, who had the same expression, but continued to the Tower without a word. Starfire placed Beast Boy softly in the back of the backseat of the T car, as Cyborg did the same for Robin.
As soon as they were buckled in, Cyborg drove to the Tower in record time, dodging and swerving in between the traffic. Citizens were used to see the T car drive this way, which they merely got out of the way.
Back in the garage Starfire quickly took Beast Boy to the med lab, Cyborg following close behind. Starfire placed Beast Boy on the many bead in the med lab, and waited for Cyborg. Cyborg did the same for Robin, and hooked up various machines to Robin and Beast Boy, discovering the extents of their injuries. Beast Boy had his ribs bruised; his nose they found was broken into four different places. Robin just had a bruised back. Cyborg fixed a cast onto Beast Boy's nose and made sure everything else okay, left to let their team mates torecuperate, and wondering what had become of Mercury and Raven.
Mercury was awakened from her uncomfortable sleep by loud voices, she looked over at Raven and she too was listening to the voices.
"I can't believe Slade wants us to do this!" exclaimed Jinx.
"I don't know why Slade wastes his time on these clutch heads," spoke another, his voice was squeakier, and Raven recognised it as Gizmo's.
The steel door of the prison was slammed open, the sound echoing through the room rattling the lights. Jinx and Gizmo entered the room, receiving death glares from their foes.
"What do you want?" Mercury asked venom dripping from her voice.
"Slade wants to see you both," Jinx droned, walking over to Raven.
"MAMMOTH!" screeched Gizmo.
Mammoth poked his head through the door, "Yeah?" he demanded.
"The collar!" frowned Gizmo, Mammoth could be so stupid sometimes.
"Hello there tough warrior," mocked Mammoth.
"If I wasn't in chains I'd rip you apart!" roared Mercury, her anger getting the better of her.
"That's a pretty brave threat, coming from someone in your position," remarked Mammoth.
"That's a pretty intelligent remark coming from someone with your brain," replied Mercury, earning a few snickers from Raven, Jinx and Gizmo.
"Shut up!" yelled Mammoth, punching Mercury in the stomach.
Mercury gritted her teeth not wanting to give Mammoth any satisfaction from that cheap hit. Mammoth smirked as he attached a silver collar around Mercury's neck. He removed the chains from Mercury, who fell into a crouch with one hand on the floor for balance and looked up confused into Mammoth's face.
"Don't try anything, you'll regret it," announced Mammoth, loud enough for Raven to hear.
Jinx did the same for Raven, who also fell into a crouch position. Raven glanced at Mercury, who met her gaze.
"Move it!" hollered Mammoth kicking Mercury, who forward rolled and got to her feet standing still.
"I said move it!" repeated Mammoth as he threw his fist at Mercury.
Mercury caught it and punched Mammoth in the face.
Mercury smirked as she heard a familiar "crack" from Mammoth, but was short lived when giant electrical currents emitted from Mercury's collar shocking the girl. Mercury screamed in pain, falling to the ground clutching the silver collar. Raven watched in horror as the currents stopped and smoke rising from Mercury's body.
"Told you, you'd regret it," bragged Mammoth, blood spilling from his broken nose.
"Move it you stupid snot munchers!" bawled Gizmo.
Raven rose quickly, while Mercury struggled to regain composure. Mercury winced at every step she took but managed to follow Jinx and Raven, into a dark room.
A beam of light fell upon two empty chairs in the centre of the dark room. Jinx ordered Raven and Mercury to sit on the chairs and not to try anything, unless they wanted a little shock. The girls made their way to the chairs and sat. Mercury sat blot upright, not wanting another "little shock" as Jinx called it. Raven also sat bolt upright waiting for Slade.
Soft footsteps could be heard in the dark across from them.
"Come out Slade!" Raven called into the darkness.
"As you wish," Slade responded stepping into the light.
"Mind telling us why we are here?" quizzed Mercury.
"You are here to serve me," declared Slade.
"And what makes you think that?" Raven replied coolly.
"I think this is sufficient evidence," countered Slade as he switched on a monitor.
The monitor showed different rooms in the Titans Tower; in the corners were blinking red lights.
"Bombs," murmured Mercury.
"Right you are, and if you don't become my apprentices the whole tower goes BOOM!" claimed Slade.
"You wouldn't!" Mercury shot back.
"Oh but I will... unless you accept my offer," explained Slade.
The two girls looked at each other and swallowed hard. Mercury hastily questioned Raven telepathically, "What can we do?"
"The only thing we can do," clarified Raven, "And hope the others find us soon."
Mercury hung her head as Raven agreed to the insane offer.
"Excellent, now I need you to change into these suites," spoke Slade, two black and orange suites appeared beside him.
The suites were all black except for the armour, which was grey. The left chest plate was orange. They also had cloaks, on the outside it was black but on the inside it was orange.
Mercury and Raven took a suite each and went to change without a word. Once they were suited up, they returned, and Slade handed them a circular emblem with an "S" in the middle. Which they attached to the orange side of their suite.
"Mercury I believe this belongs to you," said Slade tossing a huge black sword at her.
Mercury grabbed the sword and couldn't believe that she had forgotten all about it.
"Now for your first assignment I want you to steal the precious sapphire kept in the Jump City museum," Slade told his new apprentices, "And don't try anything or you'll experience a slight shock, right Mercury?
They nodded in unison.
"And from now on call me master," added Slade
Mercury and Raven growled.
"What was that?" asked Slade smiling pretending to not to hear.
"Yes master," they replied through gritted teeth and left to start their new assignment.
Cyborg and Starfire went to check on their fallen team mates, only to find them sitting and talking.
"Hey! You're supposed to be resting," announced Cyborg.
Beast Boy and Robin grinned sheepisly and scratched the back of their necks.
"It's good to see you are both okay," affirmed Starfire.
"Robin where's Mercury?" Cyborg interrogated.
Robin sighed deeply and whispered, "Slade got her."
"What!" the other three chorused.
"I couldn't stop him he was too strong," moaned Robin, putting his face in his hands.
"You should have seen her; Mercury has deep slashes all over, blood lots of blood so helpless," Robin continued.
Beast Boy was about to say something, but was cut off by the alarm.
"You two alright to fight?" quizzed Cyborg.
They nodded and started running to the living room. Robin got there first and saw it was an unknown enemy, breaking into Jump City's museum.
"Titans the museum GO!"
At the museum Mercury teleport herself in first, disabling the security cameras and alarm systems. Mercury telepathically told Raven that it was all clear. Raven teleported herself beside the priceless sapphire and safely secured it to her waist. Mercury and Raven hastened their retreat hopping the Teen Titans weren't there, but unfortunately they were.
"Remember now, not a word just attack," came Slade's instructions through the ear pieces of Mercury and Raven.
"FREEZE!" Robin hollered.
Mercury and Raven stepped out to meet their former friends.
"No!" gasped Starfire.
"Mercury…Raven," said Cyborg looking to the two girls.
Mercury and Raven remained absolutely silent and still.
"Dudes, talk to us!" pleaded Beast Boy.
Raven didn't acknowledge them, but Mercury blurted out, "Run! Get out of here!"
Giant electrical currents emitted again from Mercury's collar, making her scream in agony. Raven closed her eyes trying to block the sound, but proved very difficult since Mercury was right next to her.
The Titans stared in horror as Mercury crumpled into a heap on the road, electrical surges still flaring from her collar.
"ATTACK!" cried Slade.
Mercury stuck out her right arm from beneath her and mumbled, "Dae Aura Caelum."
The Titans were hurtled a good fifty foot away by a brilliant flash of ice-blue.
Raven helped Mercury to her feet and said, "You shouldn't have done that."
"What? Talk or attack?" inquired Mercury.
"TALK!" answered an annoyed Raven.
Mercury didn't have a chance to reply, when starbolts rained upon them. The two girls showed their acrobatic sides by jumping, flipping and dodging the starbolts.
Raven flew into the air to battle Starfire one on one, shooting energy balls of her own and left Mercury to fight the other three.
"Oh thanks," Raven heard Mercury say before engaging battle with the boys.
Robin was throwing punches left, right and centre at her. Normally this would have been cake, if it wasn't for the green tiger trying to slash her back open and sonic blasts flying around. Blocking Robin's punches were easy enough, it was Beast Boy. The green tiger got close enough and swiped at Mercury's back leaving three long gashes, which started to bleed non-stop.
Mercury gritted her teeth as she felt the pain jolt up her back. Robin launched a kick at Mercury's side, who caught it and delivered a roundhouse kick making Robin fall on his back. Mercury back flipped over Beast boy's head, and grabbed his striped tail and flung him into a building. As Mercury turned around a sonic blast hit her in the chest, throwing her into a car earning her more cuts from the broken glass.
Starfire was throwing starbolts non-stop at Raven, forcing her to be on defence all the time. Sweat dripping off Raven as it became increasingly tiring to keep shielding herself from Starfire.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" shouted Raven.
"Eeek!" yelped Starfire as a black rope wound it's way around her, tying her arms at her side.
"Sorry Starfire," said Raven before, flying over to her tied up friend and punched her in the face sending her towards the ground at a dangerous speed.
Starfire collided with the ground in an almighty explosion, smoke and bits of concrete rained down on the fighting Teens.
"Raven, Mercury return to the base now," spoke Slade.
Raven and Mercury disappeared in a flash of black and ice-blue.
The smoke cleared, leaving a colossal creator and Starfire with a gigantic headache.
"Where'd they go? Bellowed Robin, frantically looking around.
"Don't know man," responded Cyborg.
"Uh dudes, what happened to Mercury when she told us to run?" inquired Beast Boy.
"It looked like an electrical charge was sent through her body," Robin informed him, "It must be how Slade is controlling them.
"We must find our friends soon, I fear for their health," expressed Starfire with great concern.
"We will, but let's go home," a heartbroken Robin said. When he saw Mercury and Raven, Robin's heart filled with hope, only for it to come crashing down in front of him.
Mercury and Raven entered Slade's lair slightly flushed from their "encounter".
"Here… master," said Raven, she had to force the last part out.
"Excellent work," complimented Slade, examining the jewel
"Thank you…master," Mercury and Raven chorused.
"But Mercury if you disobey my orders again there will be greater consequences," added Slade.
"Yes master," complied Mercury.
"Good, go to your room Jinx will show you where," Slade continued.
"Thank you master," they repeated, following Jinx to their quarters.
The room was very small, barely big enough to fit two small cots. It was dark and a smell of dampness lingered about. The door banged behind them, and they heard the door click as it was locked. Sighing the girls got into a cot each. Raven saw the deep cuts on Mercury's back and said, "Let me heal you, your back has got some nasty slashes."
"Please? It's been really painful since Beast Boy attacked me," narrated Mercury.
Raven placed her hands which were glowing blue, on the wounds making Mercury gasp with pain. Raven healed the cuts on Mercury's back and removed her hands.
"Thanks," Mercury said gratefully, lying down on her small cot.
"No problem," answered Raven also lying down on her cot.
Before drifting off Mercury asked, "Do you think the others will find us?"
"Have faith Mercury, I'm sure they will," replied Raven.
Mercury closed her eyes and pulled her two toned cloak around her for warmth and fell into a deep sleep. Raven's last thought before joining Mercury were,
"I hope they find us"
Well there's chapter 7, did you like it? Some action in there for you I hope it's up to your standards! Please leave me any comments on the story, I love hearing from you guys. Look no cliffy! lol but that doesn't mean you stop reading so review! –Dark Shadows 01