Chapter Seventeen

The Titans were in a stand off with Slade. Just as they were assured of victory, the psychotic villain wrenched it away from them, leaving them feeling exasperated! Robin was at a loss for words.

"What do you think now, young Titans?" Slade asked. "Do you think you are superior? Do you think you have the advantage over me? You don't know what I am capable of!"

Terra gritted her teeth in anger. "I know what you can do! You'll destroy everything just to get your way!"

Raven nodded in agreement. "You also never think of any of the consequences when you try to obtain your goal! Even if it means being betrayed!"

Now Robin joined in. "And you know what? It's all because you have no friends! No one trusts you, Slade! You're just doing this because you hurt inside!"

Slade laughed at him. "Your psychoanalysis is amusing, Robin! Very cute! But also ultimately flawed! I do this because it is my nature!"

Beast Boy perked up at those words. "Your nature, huh?" he said. "Well, I got news for you, Slade. If you sting us with your weapon, you're gonna end up drowning too!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"If you blow the bomb, you die too! Tough choice, huh?"

"He's right, Slade." Robin said. "If you blow that thing, then you loose. And I know how much you hate to loose!"

Slade sighed. "Not this time, Robin. I've had time to think of this day. I'm willing to accept failure. If you won't be my apprentice, than neither will you continue to save the city. At least, not in this life!"

The Titans were uneasy. 'There's got to be a way!' thought Robin. Like Slade, Robin hated loosing as well. But in this situation, he had no idea how to deal with it.

Then, Terra stepped forward. "Go ahead, Slade." she said. "Blow it."

"What!" yelled Cyborg.

"Terra, shut up! Don't give him that idea!" Beast Boy added.

She ignored them. "I've been his apprentice once, and that was more than enough. Never again! I'd rather be dead!"

Slade glared at the geomancer. "And do your friends share your sentiments?"

Terra grinned. "Don't you remember, Slade? I have no friends."

Robin was speechless at her exchange, but suddenly, he caught on to Terra's strategy. He stepped next to her.

"You won't catch me stealing for you again." he said. "Better to be dead than with you."

Slade chuckled. "What about your team?"

"We will all die as heroes."

"And the city?"

"They'll understand. Besides, cities can be rebuilt."

The other Titans were aghast at Robin's conversation. "He's lost his mind!" Beast Boy whispered to Raven.

The mystic was about to agree, but then had a realization. "I don't think so." she said. "The rest of you, play along!"

With that, she stepped next to Robin. "Face it, Slade, you've lost already. The death we experience will be for a noble cause, fighting for what we believe in. But for you, it will be meaningless; you will have failed to gain us as your apprentices, and you also will fail to rob us of our honor, integrity, and dignity. We will be secure. You will not. You will die a coward!"

Starfire joined in, holding Robin's arm. "I am from a warrior race! To die in defense of a cause is an honor! Also, I shall be content in being her with Robin! You cannot defeat me!"

"What she said!" Beast Boy added. "You just stink, Slade!

"You haven't got a clue!" Cyborg added.

Slade stared down the Titans once more. All had indomitable expressions on there faces, all seemingly ready to face death!

"Blow it, Slade." said Robin. "Or don't you have the balls to pull it off?"

In anger, Slade flung the control at him. But Robin's reflexes acted to catch it in mid-air. He tossed it to Cyborg, who started to take it apart.

"Excellent, Robin." said Slade. "Most excellent. You and Terra were trained well. You know my ways, how I work. Indeed I did underestimate you."

As he finished speaking, Cyborg cried out in surprise. "You got to be kidding me!" he yelled.

"What is it?" asked Terra.

"The stupid thing's just a calculator! He was threatening us with a calculator!"

Beast Boy laughed. "You haven't fought us in a year, and that's the best you come up with! Man, how stupid! You really are loosing it!"

"Intelligence had nothing to do with it, Beast Boy." Slade said. "My inability to acquire a real device is due to interference by a group called the Doom Patrol."

Beast Boy gasped. "You fought the Doom Patrol? Sweet!"

"Yes. Quite a formidable group. A pity you did not remain with them."

"How do you know...?"

"Easy. I recognized their uniforms. Since yours is in their style, I conjectured you were a member of their team. Simple logic."

Terra smiled smugly. "Well, simple logic also says you're going to jail, Slade."

He chuckled. "Not without once last fight, my dear apprentice!"

He lunged for Terra, his hands outstretched for her throat! The geomancer winced in anticipation of the pain, when she heard a thud! Opening her eyes, she saw Raven's dark energy shield in front of her, and Slade lying on the ground, just in front of her feet! She laughed hysterically.

"Starfire," Robin said. "Hold him until the police get her."

Nodding, she grabbed Slade by his wrists, using her strength. She then pulled them behind his back, in an effort to control his moves. Slade had neither the vigor nor resolve to struggle. He was drained emotionally and physically.

Raven assisted Starfire in moving Slade to the sidewalk. Once their, the Titans encircled him and Starfire, making sure he could not escape.

"Say, Robin?" Beast Boy asked. "Wouldn't now be a good time to take off his mask? Just to see who he is?"

Robin smiled, and walked to the villain. He was about to lift off his mask, but hesitated. He then backed off.

"What's the matter?" Terra asked.

"Slade and I are two sides of the same coin." Robin said. "I'm just showing him the same respect I'd want him to show me if I was in this situation."

He scoffed. "In fact, once he did have an opportunity to do just that, but he never did. I guess we're even then."

"Good form, Robin." Slade said. "Good form. You now realize the truth."

Robin nodded. "But there is one thing that separates us, Slade."

"What would that be?"

"You don't have good friends like I do."

The other Titans beamed at their leader.

Slade sighed as the sound of police sirens filled the air.

He knew the fate that would await him. Probably a life sentence in a maximum security prison. But he would find a way out. That he was sure of. And just as Robin relentlessly defends his city and friends, Slade would find a way to conquer it and others like it. And he would destroy the Titans. Someday, he would make that vision come true.