Chapter 7-Past Pain

Nightwing hated Slade's experiments and torture on him even more then the hatred for the man himself who delivered it and for good measure. Slade took one of histoys, a powerful electroshock deliver to Nightwing's chest sending 10,000 volts of electricity straight to the heart area. 'Well at least I've developed a tolerance to his methods like before,' thought Nightwing as he remembered the first time Slade tortured him with the electric blade on the first day.

(Flashback)

Slade drove a needle into Nightwing's arm in hopes of drawing blood from the young warrior to see if he could study the shadow blood that ran through his veins. The needle however, as soon as it entered his skin dissolved like it was melted by acid. "Well I guess I'll have to find another approach to spilling your blood my former apprentice," said a disappointed Slade since the electric blade became fried after it punctured Nightwing's ribs.

"What's wrong Slade? I thought you were good torturing things? I guess I was wrong," said Nightwing laughing before Slade backhanded him making blood run down the side of his mouth.

"I told you Nightwing I don't like being laugh at my expense and your clearly doing that so I suggest you watch your mouth," said Slade angrily as he used more tools of the trade to punish his prisoner and cut the young warriors arm off.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Nightwing 20 seconds later as he finally let out the scream he tried to hold down, but couldn't even though he told Slade he wouldn't scream.

Slade smiled at the fact that Nightwing screamed though it was a hollow victory since anyone would scream after losing a limb. That and there was the fact Nightwing held it in for 20 seconds before screaming before actually screaming in pain. "There Nightwing was that so hard for you to scream. There is no shame in you screaming since you held it in for 20 seconds when most people would have screamed the instant the limb was cut from their body. You should feel some form of pride though I doubt it can fill the missing part of your arm," said Slade who let out a little chuckle at Nightwing's expense.

However, the chuckle and smile behind the mask was short lived for as Slade held the removed limb it turned unnaturally dark. Then it turned a shadowy liquid that oozed from his hands down to the ground before fading entirely from site as if it never happened. "I guess you...won't be...getting anything...from...me other then that...scream Slade," said Nightwing as he gave a smile despite the pain as shadow of the missing limb appeared from the gapping hole of his arm till it became that of flesh and living tissue.

Slade could only look at the new limb that had just re-grown in silent shock though he made sure his face didn't show it. "Impressive Nightwing even I must admit that such a power of regeneration is very interesting to say the least. Your blood islike an acid to the outside world in order to prevent others from studying it and your limbs turn a dark liquid before they vanish into nothing in case someone tries a more...desperate approach. Your ancestor thought of everything didn't he?" said Slade as he then went over to the super computer and activated a shocking system in Nightwing's helmet sending even more pain through the young shadow master's body.

The difference this time was that the electric current from the shock stayed on till Slade hit another button on the computer before it stopped. Nightwing felt his mind was in complete disruption as he grabbed his face with his still free hand as he shook his head to shake it off. "What the hell was that?" said Nightwing as he closed eyes hard frowning before opening them again.

"THAT was a special electro shock system built into your helmet that will now go off every 15 minute whether you try to sleep or not. It attacks the mind as well as the body and does very good job of it as you can plainly see," said Slade as he took Nightwing's free hand and placed it in the empty metal brace restraint as all the others were.

(End Flashback)

It went on like that for next 10 day for Nightwing with all of the shocks the cuttings, slashing, decapitating of limbs, sleep deprivation, and experimentations on his muscled body. Slade kept it up by injecting poisons, drugs, and mind altering liquids into his body in an attempt to break him, but nothing seemed to work. It was ironic that Slade was giving Nightwing the same torture he had received when he had been captured by HIS enemies. "Don't be ashamed you have to obey us Nightwing. After all we've done so much to you and done so little to your friends in their precious tower when you know we could destroy them so easily. You know as well as I do my boy that your little quarantine protocol that your tower has is impenetrable and that if massive bombs on several of its multiple floors go off, not even Raven would be able to protect herself," said Slade as the helmet on Nightwing's head gave him a sharp shock to the brain and body.

"How did you find out about the quarantine protocol in the tower?" said Nightwing who never really understood how Slade knew about that.

"Simple Nightwing. Terra told me about it when she was spying for me when she was my second attempt at anapprentice. She told me it was designed so that nothing could get in or out of the tower no matter what or who it was. When you and your friends were still fighting Cinderblock I knew that I would need...no that I wanted you as my apprentice again. So rightwhen you left for your fight with my loyal servant I had my robots sneak into the tower and place multi-bomb booby traps everywhere in the tower structure that would perform the maximum amount of damage to those within or without," said Slade amusingly.

"Figures you would stoop so low as to do something like that to get me to serve you and the Brotherhood of Evil," said Nightwing angrily.

(BREAK)

It was another 12 hours before Slade stopped his experimentation on Nightwing and left the successor to the shadows alone while he reported to the Brotherhood members. "I've finished with my experiments on the boy as well as compiled the footage of the trial run of his abilities if he is to serve our purposes," said Slade when he entered their council member room where all their meeting were held.

"Report," said Brain in his usual electronic voice.

"Very well as you know Nightwing's shadow powers are from his ancestor who was called Shadogun: The Shadow King. Nightwing as his ancestors blood running through his body, but it seems the blood is safer in his body then outside since I can't get solid sample of it anyway possible. If I try to remove a limb it immediately turns to nothing and vanishes while another limb grows in its place," said Slade as he handed each a copy of his report and they all looked it over with some mild interest.

"Not bad Slade, but how can we wield such powers for our own needs is what you were sent to do. Not play surgeon and interrogator on the boy who could grant us unknown power if you had done your job correctly. I'm beginning to suspect that you are not so impartial to this as you would like us to believe," said Madame Rouge making Slade's eye decrease to a slit.

"Don't you think I havetried to do that you elastic freak of nature? I have put the boy through so much that it was only after threatening his pathetic friend's lives in a manner that he would have no choice to obey us. I knew that in order to understand his power I had to see him use ithimself outside of these mountain walls. In fact I have the footage right here you might find interesting to see of Nightwing's fight with his friends and the Justice League," said Slade as he put the disk in and hit play on the console next to him.

The four members of the Brotherhood of Evil watched with interest now as they saw Nightwing defeat his former friends, the League, and even the Batman. "Very interesting I...admit Slade...however, it proves…nothing," said Brain.

"It wasn't meant to prove anything, except that it takes great concentration, disciplen, and skill to master these powers. If anyone of these is off itcould result in ones own death and we are most fortunate that Nightwing hasn't been off in anyone of those. To get to the point my friends we can't unfortunately, wield Nightwing's shadow powers. However, we are fortunate that we can control Nightwing, who does control those shadow powers and is still learning how to. It won't be long before I am able to get Nightwing loyal to our side gentlemen and then we won't need to threaten his friends to have him becomeone of us. He will do so freely and I am the only one who can do it," said Slade trying to get them off this silly idea that they could all somehow wield Nightwing's power knowing it was folly in its entirety.

"How long will it be before you break him then if your so sure of yourself?" said General Immortus curiously.

"He should be ready before we launch our assault on the Justice League, Titans Tower in Jump City, and Titan Tower East in Steel City. With those three power bases gone all the heroes will be disorganized and scattered making them prime for picking off one by one," said Slade proudly.

"Very well Slade just don't alter the plan like last time. We were far from pleased with you on that one. If you weren't so useful to us Madame Rouge would have skewered you already," said Monsieur Mallah who gave an ape like smile to Slade reminding what happened when he came back to report he had retrieved Nightwing.

'I haven't forgotten you fool, but your plan was going to take to long and you wanted results fast so I did what needed to be done that was considered necessary. And my little thanks for a job well done that I received and deserved was less then pleasant for my taste,' thought Slade as he walked down the corridor displeased as he remembered it clearly.

(Flashback)

Slade was slammed into the conference room wall by a stretched out hand by Madame Rogue who took it upon herself to see that Slade be hurt if not punished for his actions. "Fool! You disobeyed what we had planned to capture him to do it yourself and you did it behind our backs," said Madame Rouge as she slowly squeezed a very elastically large hand around Slade's chest making it hard to breath.

"Madame Rogue...that is...quite enough...for now. Slade delivered...Nightwing without any...problems except...a few damaged...robots. We would...have received...the same problem...if we had...approached Nightwing...in a similar...yet different...manner...with our plan," said Brain and Madame Rouge released Slade who was breathing heavier then usual from the pressure.

"Your plan...would have...put Nightwing in a...position you could not...control...forever onthe necessarylong term...conditions you wanted. With my...plan however, I...I have his...complete loyalty to...to us," said Slade as he the pressure to his chest finally died after few more moments.

"As much as I hate to admit it Madame Rouge he does have a point considering we don't know, which of his friends for you to impersonate and if we succeeded in capturing him and then sent him out later to prove his loyalty only to have it back fire when he sees that friend unharmed would put us in an uncomfortable position," said General Immortus as he leaned back in his comfortable leather chair ever so slightly.

"Now that we are agreed that my way was the right way I must go back to working on our little pet project that may bare fruit with enough hard labor," said Slade as he left without another word.

(End Flashback)

Slade entered the room to find Nightwing in deep meditation despite the helmet on his head giving him his 15 minute shock as he walked in. "I take it the progress report you made on me for them didn't have the lasting impression or effect you expected. Right?" said Nightwing who ignored the shock in his meditative state as he sensed Slade's deep disappointment about something.

"The Brotherhood is quite displeased with me because I can't do anything to you except cause you pain and even now you've developed a tolerance to it. You should really put those powers of your to good use Nightwing and take care of them when this is over," said Slade making Nightwing raise an eyebrow at Slade's last statement.

"Was that a secret order you want me to carry out later or were you joking?" said a curious Nightwing while still in Indian style.

"Just something I'm throwing out to you that is neither an order or a joke. Its really just a statement that needs to be said and for you to hear it," said Slade calmly.

"I keep that in mind in the near future," said Nightwing just as calmly.

Slade ignored him for just a brief moment as he checked the sensors in the white helmet, which reported everything was normal and proceeding as scheduled with the shocks. "I have things I need to take care of back at Jump City. More importantly I also have to try and retrieve a now healthy Cinderblock from his current imprisonment. Hopefully when I get back with him and you two meet he won't have any problemsfromeither of youI trust?" said Slade before he left the room.

"Of course my master. Your servant is my ally I don't hurt my allies," said Nightwing in an innocent sounding voice as Slade left the room shutting the white door.

'Good. Now that he's gone lets get down to business. Right now we need to find a dark enough shadow in this room to summon a Shadowkahn,' said Shadogun mentally.

'Found four behind each camera cornerwatching me in this state,' said Nightwing mentally as he waited for the shock to the head to begin.

'When the next helmet shock passes send the Shadowkahn to the security room where their security cameras are sending the feed. One will temporarily knock out the robots while the other creates a permanent loop in footage feed. Then we will have one alter the computers data on your status in order for us to maneuver as we see fit. Next we need to send Shadowkahn to all three towers with a warning of what is to come and divulge to them the location of this place with everything we can put on disk,' said Shadogun mentally in Nightwing's head.

'You've been reading my thoughts again haven't you Shadogun?' said Nightwing mentally frowning at his ancestor's spiritual form he could now clearly see in his head.

'What gave you that idea?' said Shadogun in an honest voice as if he had been hurt by such an accusation.

"Because I thought up that plan before you spoke it word for word that's why," said a slightly annoyed Nightwing who heard his ancestor chuckle like he had been a kid caught with his hands in the proverbial cookie jar.

'Okay so maybe it was your idea, but it sounds better if I say it,' said Shadogun jokingly to his successor who mentally side.

'Whatever I'll do what I planned while you take care of the plan for us here as we agreed upon when we wanted out of this place,' said Nightwing hoping his ancestor would do as he hoped.

'Fine spoilsport I'll work on my end you just take careof yours,' said Shadogun mentally who sounded like a pouting child who didn't get what he wanted.

Nightwing ignored him however, as the shock from the helmet came as it left and he set things in motion with his Shadowkahn. The four of them that appeared behind the cameras were gone as they set out to do their needed tasks. Two went to the security room and put their hands through the robots with their abilities with shut them down after stopping the function of the robots power supply. With that done the two more Shadowkahn appeared and put in the loop for the security cameras with the tapes of him they already had with him currently in a mediating sitting style.

With that little nuisance done one of the Shadowkahn then appeared back in the white room where its master was. It went over to the super computer that was processing the helmets data being fed by the white helmetcontraption. Then using the hacking abilities his master possessed as well as beyond human speed it altered the data in a perfect loop. Then it went to the data stored in the computer and made three copies and placed them on disks that had everything on their except the loop it just put in. "Finally, I can take this damn thing off," said Nightwing as he removed the helmet and put it next to him so when Slade came back and his Shadowkahn in hiding mentally told him when he was near he could put it on and the psycho would never have known the difference.

'Yes. Now to get ourselves heard by your friends. I doubt it will be easy for them to accept such a gift. Though to be honest with all the pain you caused them during Slade's trial run of your abilities I don't think they will be so forth coming to assist much less trust you with this information,' said Shadogun pessimistically.

'They have to know regardless of what they think of me now. Besides I know of one person already that I know and trust that will help. She along with the others with her I believe will be able to convince them that my intentions are trustworthy,' said Nightwing mentally to Shadogun.

'She? You mean...,' said Shadogun who was surprised.

"Yes Shadogun. Raven is the key," said Nightwing out loud as six Shadowkahn appeared before their master. Three of the six warriors approached the one Shadowkahn that gave them each a disk and then placed one of each in a canister for the three shadow warriors to take.

'Why summon six when three are need? One for each tower is all you need why have twice the number?' said Shadogun curiously.

Nightwing just ignored Shadogun and decided to proceed to give his Shadowkahn their instructions of where they were going. "Each one of you holding a canister has a disk inside it that must reach your destination and the masters who live there. However, they will not accept you with open arms so each one of you will be given backup in the form of one your brethren per each of you. Two will head for the Watchtower, two will head for Jump Cities Titans Tower, and finally two will head for Titans Tower East in Steel City. Dismissed," said Nightwing seeing the Shadowkahn all bow and vanish into the shadows to their destination.

'You better hopes this works my boy,' said Shadogun mentally.

"It will wok Shadogun don't worry. It just has to for both ours sakes," said Nightwing out loud as he went back to his mediation and the silence it granted him.