Anonymous
Kidnapped
Disclaimer: Not yet and probably not ever.
A/N: Thanks for reviewing the last chapter. It's great that some people are taking an interest in this story. By the way, if you like this story, then I'd encourage you to try reading Identity, my first story. It's a little rough, but I think it has a good storyline and I'd love to get some reviews detailing what I could do better. You'll find it on my profile page; just click on my link above. Finally, questions, comments, or criticisms? Please Review!
Summary: In a world controlled by Slade since before his birth, a now servile Robin struggles to deal with right and wrong and good and bad, before the evil that controls the world swallows him up as well.
A finger flicked my eye open and shone a bright light into it. My pupils dilated and sluggishly focused on the blank expanse of white outlined with forbidding black. The blinding white scorched my eyes, burning the image into my retinas.
That was my first sight of Slade.
April 31, 1998
Slade isn't like a normal person; being an insane, murdering, megalomaniac aside, he just isn't normal.
His mind is wired differently, I think. Different from normal humans, different from most I've met in my short life. Perhaps, if you think of a brain as a railway system, with each train connected to another by different tracks Slade's mind will make a little more sense. In a mind like mine or yours one event would trigger the train to a certain track which would led to a somewhat logical conclusion.
For instance, when Batman threatened Beastboy, Raven, and Cyborg's lives, my mind's train led me to the logical conclusion that I'd have to do anything to protect them, even kill…as a second thought, maybe I'm just showing the strengthening ties between Slade and myself.
Anyway, veering away from my mind, Slade's would react completely differently to that situation. He might care, or he might not. He likes to use people until they have no value, but one can never analyze Slade. His characteristics and motions change with the passing wind. One can never be sure what he is about to do.
In fact, I've seen Batman act in much the same way, never predictable, always unconventional.
Maybe there is no difference between the heroes and the villains.
Signing off,
Robin
Robin slammed his fist against the counter, but there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, all that there was left to face were the consequences…
…
Moving silently through the gloom, Robin crept behind a looming gargoyle, hiding in its shadow. This was his last chance. He couldn't make a mistake this time. He, Beastboy, Raven, and Cyborg had to capture Batman this time.
Crouching next to the statue, he made several fast hand signals to Beastboy who was soaring as an eagle in the sky. Beastboy cawed softly and answering blinks of light arrived from Raven and Cyborg. Good, now all they had to do was wait for- Suddenly, Robin felt a blinding pain on the side of his head. He slumped forward, only half-awake. Then on verges of unconsciousness, he saw a huge ominous presence step up to him and throw him over his shoulder.
Falling into darkness, all he could think was: Damn, not again…
…
Robin woke up in a small dark room, handcuffed to a lumpy bed. Shifting, he groaned- his head was killing him. Robin sat up slowly, hyperaware of his surroundings. There didn't seem to be anyone else in the room, but Robin double-checked for cameras or any other listening devices. Finding none, Robin checked for his belt; it was gone as well as his boots, gloves, and bo stick, but running a hand through his hair, Robin found a bobby pin. Sometimes Raven's simple tricks did come in handy…even if he'd never ever tell anyone that he wore bobby pins.
Picking the lock on, first his handcuffs, and then the door, Robin stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, marveling at how easy it all was. If were at Slade's then he would have already faced at least ten electronic devices, three guards, and ten drones. Lucky for him, he was somewhere else.
Padding silently down the corridor, Robin leaned around the corner, looking like nothing more than a sprinter ready to take off. Easing himself slowly into the hallway, he froze when he heard voices.
"Hey you! What are you doing?"
So much for his sneaking techniques.
"Wait. Stop!"
Frantically, Robin looked up and down his apparel. There was nothing on it to identify him, except…quickly, Robin ripped off the S emblem on his jumpsuit and stuffed it in his pocket. Now that…that had felt good.
"Who are you?"
Robin turned around, pasting a confused smile on his face. "Hi, I'm new around here. I was looking for…" Robin chanced a guess, "Batman, and I got lost."
"Oh," the teen's sharp blue eyes turned warm, "Sorry, it's just that, even in the Headquarters, some people still can't be trusted, but if you're friends with the Bat then you must be solid. I'm Superboy." He stuck out his hand.
"Good to meet you," Robin answered, shaking the boy's hand, "I'm-" suddenly Robin stopped, would Superboy know of his name? He was pretty famous…anxiously, Robin cast about for a name, any name, "Tim." he finally said, "My name's Tim."
"Nice to meet you, Tim." Superboy grinned, "I'll be nice to have some more kids around here. It's basically just Impulse and me. The girls are always out and the League is always busy."
"The League?" Robin yelped, "I thought they-" Robin cut himself off. Yes, he had thought the members of the League were all dead, but he had learned this from Slade. It was a huge possibility that Slade had lied to him and that the entire League was alive and well. But…but what would that make this place, some sort of Headquarters as the boy had said? And it's purpose…to stop Slade?
It couldn't be done; could it?
Suddenly Superboy stiffened. "Er…Bats, hey man, how are you doing?"
Whipping around, Robin locked gazes with Batman…and he didn't look happy. Batman glared at him before grabbing his arm in an iron tight grip and dragging him away from Superboy. Robin stumbled along, almost falling several times at Batman brisk pace. Twisting his arm, he tried to get his arm away from Batman's bruising grip, but to no avail.
"Let go of me!" Robin finally snapped, digging in his heels.
Batman stopped and then threw him into a wall. Stunned, Robin sank to the floor, holding his arm protectively. "So," he growled, "you thought that just because I didn't kill you the second I saw you, or the fact that I were nice to you meant that you could have free reign? What did you think you were going to do, sneak around our headquarters and then prance off to tell Slade everything? Because let me tell you something, once someone like you walks in, they don't leave."
Robin's eyes widened. "I wasn't trying to gather information." he said hotly, "I was just…just looking around."
"Oh really?" Batman sneered, "Well come on, I'll show you everything."
With hands quicker than lightening, Batman dragged Robin up again and practically threw him forward, keeping a tight hold on his the entire time. "Look, that's our training facility. We train new recruits there."
Robin looked, and then stopped and took a better one; actually he was gawking by now. "Wow, that's…that's amazing, you've got to have- Ah!"
Robin bit off a cry as he was pulled forward again. "Stop it!" he yelled, "What the hell are you doing?"
"What am I doing? WHAT am I doing?" Batman's dark figure loomed in front of him. "I'm trying to save your worthless life; I'm trying to divert you from a path that you definitely don't want to take, because every life you take weighs on you and slowly kills you from the inside out and all I'm trying to do is stop that from happening to the one kid in that hellhole who might have a chance at salvation."
Robin's face went white. "Who are you people?" he whispered softly.
Batman drew himself up tall. "We're those people in the dark who help whenever they can; we're nameless, bodiless…we're heroes"
To Be Continued…