Doing the Right Thing
By: Sarah Shima
Chapter 10: Fright and Flight
A hand tugged rapidly on Slade's arm, attempting to get his attention. "What, Robin!" Slade demanded without turning. "How the Hell do we get out of this place?" he added. The tugging continued, annoying Slade. Why didn't the boy just say something? "What?" he asked, spinning around to face… Robin?
Slade stared at the boy and immediately knew he had made some sort of mistake. Though the person before him definitely looked the same – same eyes, hair color, face – there were other differences – weight, posture, clothes, etc. – that proved he had the wrong person. This other-Robin looked at him impatiently through haunted eyes. "Who are you?" Slade asked.
Robin moved his lips but no sound came out. He appeared frustrated for a moment, and then rubbed a hand across his neck. Slade noticed the small white line of a scar on his throat. He could not speak. "All right, I'll read lips," Slade said. "Who are you and where is Robin?"
Robin. And they took him downstairs. Who are you? Deathstroke?
"Slade, and it's a long story. Should we go after him?" he asked, wondering how in the world he would get to Robin now that he was 'downstairs.'
Other-Robin nodded vigorously.
This was becoming more trouble than it was worth.
Dick opened his eyes to find himself floating in nothingness. A great sense of relief and peace encompassed him. The feeling passed when he realized that he was floating in nothingness. He looked around him, but all was white and empty, as far as the eye could see. A wave of panic rose from within him as realization settled in.
He was dead, he was really dead.
His hands clenched into fists and his shoulders tightened. How had he let this happen? How could Ra's do this to him? So many angry questions, so many unfulfilled dreams, so many things he should have done; could have done. And yet there was nothing now.
"Dick…" the single word of his name floated in the waves of emptiness, reaching his ears, and making his eyes widen with shock. A female hand gently touched his shoulder, her calluses scratching against his bare skin.
Tears came, filling his blue eyes. He felt almost afraid to turn around. "Dick… son," a man's voice seconded, and he sensed himself moving, twisting to see those standing behind him. There, still in their circus costumes, stood his long-dead parents.
"Mom… dad…?" Dick whispered, his words seemingly surrounding him. They pulled him into tight embraces, and as they released him, Dick knew his fate had been sealed.
"Then I am dead," he said, more to himself than his parents. Seeing them made him feel more empty than he could comprehend, and then he knew why, the guilt over how things ended with those still living, the knowledge that he would never see any of them again; well, at least until they, too, died.
"Dick, you need to fight," John Grayson said, his voice full of strength that Dick did not feel.
"For what? It's over, isn't it? Ra's killed me, and now…"
"Dick, honey, do you remember where you were when you died?" Mary asked, cupping Dick's face in her hands, watching him with eyes identical to his own. Dick closed his eyes and thought back to that chamber of horrors, and then remembered…
"The Lazarus Pit."
Mary nodded.
"Is he going to bring me back?" Dick asked, eyes darting around, searching for a sign of rebirth.
"Possibly," Mary responded.
"And if he does, you have to survive, Dick," John pressed. "It's much too soon for you to be die." He looked into his father's eyes and saw a sort of suffering lingering beneath the surface; a fear.
"I…I'm sorry, you know for making you worry so much," he said, referring to his nightly escapades.
"I never imagined that it would be that path you chose, Dick. But if it's what you want, then…" Mary said, smiling at him in a truly maternal way. "I could not be more proud of who you are, and what you have done. You have friends; family; people who love you, and those that you love as well."
"Sometimes I…" Dick began, but paused. He began to feel a strange sort of burning inside of him. Flames burst to life around him, tendrils of fire licking at him and filling him with unbearable pain.
"Fight Dick! Never give up!"
John Grayson's words echoed and swirled in his mind as the burning reached fever pitch and Dick let out a long scream of pain and anger, as if being pulled into Hell itself.
"AAAGGGHHHHH!" Robin screamed as his body rose from the Lazarus Pit, encouraged by the chain attached to his wrists. His heart rate had skyrocketed, his breathing abnormal, his mind filled with mania.
He stared around in rage and saw he was back in the Cavern. Catwoman and the other man had left, but Ra's stood before him, smiling wickedly.
"Welcome back, little bird," Ra's laughed, his tone demeaning.
As crazed ideas and thoughts filled his mind, another voice spoke loud and clear in the back of his head.
"The Lazarus Pit can bring on short-term insanity when a person is reborn."
Batman's lessons, drilled into him for years, reassured him. He slowly brought himself back under control, closing his eyes as he forced his breathing to return to normal. He swallowed hard, finally feeling calm.
Once the burning of rebirth subsided, Dick realized that his body felt completely void of pain. He pulled in a shaking breath, and then opened his eyes, ready to face Ra's.
"I must say, your counterpart lasted much longer than you during his first 'session.' Then again, he was holding out in hopes that Batman was on his way. Foolish child," Ra's chided.
"So this is how you brought him back in the first place? You dug him up and tossed him in the Lazarus Pit?" Robin asked; his tone conversational.
"Actually, I had his body removed from the funeral home, prior to burial," he laughed.
"But how? I thought for the Lazarus Pit to work that it had to be right after someone died," Robin said, Bruce's lessons on the Lazarus Pit fresh in his mind.
"Maybe in your dimension," Ra's responded with a sneer.
"So you revived him, and then used him to get codes for the Batcomputer? To get the files on the other heroes?" Robin asked, the painlessness wearing off and his wrists and shoulders beginning to ache.
"My, my, aren't we the little detective," Ra's snorted.
"Trained by the best," Robin sneered back. "What I don't understand is, why me? I mean, Slade and I would just have left; we weren't planning on causing any trouble while we were here. So why did you bring us here?"
"Because you're a hero, Robin. If you found out what was going on, you could not leave well enough alone. And I didn't need you bringing assistance from an alternate dimension to attempt to stop me."
"You overestimate the morals of my – what did you call him? – traveling companion. Slade had no intention of getting involved, or letting me for that matter.
"It makes no difference to me," Ra's said. "I could easily kill you and rid myself of you."
"Then why not? Why would you waste your precious time on me? I'm sure it could be better used blowing something up or killing innocent people," Robin pointed out, gripping the chain with his hands again, and feeling the sting of the spikes digging into his palm.
"Always so sarcastic, Robin. I am not wasteful; I do not kill unless it suits me. But you, in your ever-vaunted position as detective fail to see the methods of my actions. This is not merely for my amusement, though seeing you bloodied and screaming is entertaining, I also have to make sure that you can be controlled."
"Now you're beginning to remind me of someone," Robin said, thinking of Slade. "Do what you want Ra's, no one controls me. Not Batman, not Slade, and certainly not you."
"You're too conspicuous," Slade sighed, noting that Robin was wearing tan clothes that clearing labeled him as 'prisoner.' Robin nodded in agreement, walking in front of Slade and motioning for him to follow. Slade shook his head and complied, realizing that he really had been giving the Robins much leeway recently.
Other-Robin paused at a corner, and then motioned for Slade to go on without him. Guards, he mouthed. From that one word, Slade understood Robin's intention.
"Stay here, I'll be back," he said. Robin nodded dutifully.
He waited, back against the wall as Slade approached the guards. From the sounds of it, they were greeting him pleasantly. However, Robin waited, and soon heard the sound of one of their necks being snapped, followed by a gunshot.
Slade returned, a black uniform in his hands. "Change into this, I'm going to scope out the upper hall," he said, tossing the clothes to Robin and walking away.
As Slade scoped out the hallway, he heard a voice that sounded strangely close. "No, Joey. I know you want to help him, but we can't."
Slade spun around, searching for the source of the sound, for the person whose voice was so similar to his own.
No one was there.
"I only hope they finish up here soon. I need to get back up into the main complex."
Robin appeared beside him and tapped on his arm. You look confused.
"Did you hear anyone speaking? Someone who sounded like me?"
Robin shook his head.
"What was that?"
"There it was again!" Slade declared. Robin finally understood.
He must be alive.
"Who?"
Deathstroke.
This was becoming much too complicated. What was happening now, he had some sort of telepathic connection to his other self? Just the idea was enough to give him a headache.
"Deathstroke, where are you?" Slade asked, hoping to work the connection and warrant a reply from Deathstroke.
"Who are you? How are you communicating with me?"
"Doesn't matter, call it voodoo, call it whatever you want. Fact is, I'm looking for someone, a teenage boy, 5'7", black hair, blue eyes," Slade whispered. "Have you seen him?"
There was a pause, and Slade could vaguely make out the sound of a conversation going on in the background, and then, "Yes."
"In the… downstairs?" Slade asked, lamely.
"The torture chamber of the Cavern," Deathstroke amended. "Ra's Al Ghul, and Catwoman are here as well."
"Dammit."
"Is the kid important to you?" Deathstroke asked briskly, and Slade knew instinctively that his mind was running through different strategies.
"Yes. We were on our way home when that basket-case captured us."
"All right then Slade, get down here and we'll see what we can do about rescuing him. I won't take him with just me and Jericho."
"Understood, on my way," Slade sighed and then looked down at Robin, who was dressed in a guard's uniform. "Let's go."
They had walked in silence for a while, passing by other guards who either saluted them or nodded, allowing them passage. Slade knew that luxury would pass once Ra's realized he was a traitor. "Hey kid, can you 'talk' to Robin, let him know what's happening?"
Robin nodded, and then concentrated on sending his thoughts to the new mental link between himself and his counterpart.
Catwoman proved relentless. Robin felt so frustrated. They attacked him from a distance so that any chance of counter-attacking was useless. Hanging like he was, and without a utility belt or tools of any kind in reach, he had no chance of freeing himself.
But he would not give up.
That was what Ra's wanted, and just picturing a victorious smirk on Ra's' face was enough to steel Robin against that idea. Ra's wanted to break him, did he? Well he would be waiting a very long time.
"Hey, Robin, can you hear me?"
Robin heard the words in his mind as he bit back against another lash to his chest. "Yes," he tried to speak but it hurt too much, and so he hoped his double could get the message.
"Are you okay? You don't sound good!"
"I'm… fine…"
"Robin, your thoughts are scattered, I need you to focus. Where are you?"
"The… I don't know… it's like a cave… lazarus pit…"
"Okay good, that's where Deathstroke said you were."
"Death…stroke?"
"Uh… Slade, the other Slade. Listen, Slade and I are on our way down to help you. Deathstroke and Jericho are already there, so hang on for us," other-Robin encouraged.
So Slade had not abandoned him after all.
That, if anything, was an encouraging thought.
"Would you like us to stop?" Ra's Al Ghul asked, his tone patronizing.
"Nah, that's all right, keep on going," Robin said, flashing them a forced smirk. Catwoman's whip hit him twice as hard. He bit against his cheek to hold back his cry, tasting coppery blood. "That the best you can do, kitty-cat?" he jibed. He could instinctively tell that other-Robin was close, and so he needed to make sure that his enemies' attention remained solely on him. And of course hope to survive in the meantime.
"Do you have no fear of death, Robin?" Ra's asked.
"Not when I know you're just going to keep bringing me back to life," Robin said. "During the first 'session' I didn't know that…" he attempted a shrug, which only met with a burning sensation in his shoulders. "Besides, Ra's, what's with you, hiding behind Catwoman, having her do your dirty work for you?"
"I was saving this for later, but if you would prefer…" Ra's smiled, pulling something out of his coat. In his hand lay a small device. He aimed it at Robin and out shot two metal prongs connected to the device through two wires. The prongs struck Robin square in the chest and then came alive with electricity. Robin's head was thrown back, his body paralyzed. His mouth hung open but no screams came out; an image of horror and pain etched on his features. The brilliant light of the electrical surge increased as the electricity wound its way up the chains on his hands and them through the hanging apparatus on the ceiling, and all the way to the wheel used for lowering him into the pit.
Slade and other-Robin barreled through the guards stationed just outside of the Cavern. Robin's movements were shaky and slightly of-balanced, as if he had not moved like that in quite a while, but he was still impressive.
As they finally made it to the entrance, the pair of do-gooders paused in the shadows, hearing the prickling sounds of electricity. Slade saw other-Robin swallow hard and squeeze his eyes shut against what Slade assumed was a haunting memory.
Slade maneuvered himself into a position to see into the Cavern. And then he understood why the kid looked so horrified. The entire Cavern was crackling with tendrils of electricity, most centered around the lone figure hanging from the ceiling – Robin. Slade quickly ascertained the situation, contacting his counterpart to form a quick plan.
"Come on, Richard," Slade said as he mentally began the countdown.
3…
Deathstroke and Jericho crouched low.
2…
Slade and Dick separated, hiding in opposite shadows.
1…
All four fighters launched into the Cavern simultaneously. Slade aimed directly for Ra's, knocking the instrument from his hand and forcing him to the ground. Dick stomped on the device, ending the electrical torture and leaving Robin hanging limply above the Lazarus Pit. Jericho waited for Slade to hold Ra's still and then made eye contact, his body disappearing as he was transferred into Al Ghul.
At the same time, Deathstroke leapt into the air, sword in hand. He slashed the chain holding Robin and grabbed onto him, the pair landing in a heap on the other side of the Lazarus Pit.
Catwoman lashed out at Dick. He flipped backwards to avoid her, but his somersaults were imperfect, and he landed awkwardly on his side. She attacked him savagely, fear and anger propelling her rage. As Deathstroke left Robin and ran in to help Dick, Catwoman landed a solid blow beneath Dick's jaw, forcing him upwards. Robin looked up in shock as Dick tumbled backwards into the steaming Lazarus Pit. Slade grabbed onto Dick's ankle as he plunged face-first into the Pit. Dick's head disappeared into the fiery matter. Slade pulled, surprised by how the Pit seemed to suck Dick in. He finally managed to drag Dick back out and onto the floor of the Cavern.
Meanwhile, Deathstroke quickly unarmed and defeated Catwoman, leaving her unconscious on the floor. Joey-inhabited Ra's stood, staring at the dazed form of Dick with apprehension. A few seconds later, he had recovered, and quickly stood, stepping away from the pit.
Slade abandoned Dick for the moment, and made to Robin, breaking the shackles on his wrists and looking his injuries over. Angry lacerations covered his chest and arms, and blood dripped down his cheek from a talon that caught his face. From what he could tell, there was no internal damage, and Robin did not appear to be going into shock, he was just having trouble catching his breath.
"Let's not do that again," Dick sighed. He paused a moment, and then looked around in surprise. He quickly pushed a hand to his throat and felt for his scar – it had disappeared. He smiled, and then it faded as he remembered what they were doing. "So, what now?" he asked.
"Good question," Robin seconded, rising to his feet. He had been surprised, but not shocked to see Slade's double in the Cavern. It was clear that some alliances had been formed while he was tortured. And he was willing to go along with it; as long as it meant escape and a return home. He really was lucky to still be alive at all.
"We destroy the base," Deathstroke said certainly. Everyone cast him skeptical glances. "I planted bombs throughout this place before I was killed. This entire base is under ground, enough explosive force and it will collapse on itself. It was always my intention to destroy it." He noticed that Deathstroke had covered one of his eyes, looking exactly like Slade.
"Are there other prisoners?" Robin asked. Joey-Ra's responded with a simple nod. "Then we need to get them out first." Deathstroke and Slade seemed about to protest, but Robin held his hand up to silence them. "That part is non-negotiable. We aren't going to kill anyone who's trapped here." He paused a beat and then continued. "Also, does anyone know where I can get some clean clothes," he said, motioning to the bloodstained pants and his bare chest.
"Actually…" Deathstroke paused and smiled behind the mask. "I have an idea that just might work. I need to get to the Mainframe to activate the bombs. However, I can send the codes to you, Slade. So here's the plan, Joey, the kid, and Slade, head to the Control Room, make it look official, get everyone out. And you," he pointed at Robin. "Come with me."
With a glance at Slade and an affirming nod, Robin followed Deathstroke out of the Cavern.
They walked through the winding staircases, Robin a step behind due to his injuries, and Deathstroke seeming more and more anxious with each passing step. Finally they made it to the main level, and Deathstroke roughly grabbed Robin's arm, dragging him forward with a menacing growl. Fear rising in his chest, Robin struggled against Deathstroke, but to no avail. The man was stronger than he, and he was clearly at the disadvantage; no belt, no tools, injured. What in the world had he gotten himself into now? Had Deathstroke betrayed them so quickly?
A pair of guards emerged from within the hall, and glanced at Deathstroke with questioning eyes. "Escorting the prisoner back to his cell," Deathstroke announced, glaring menacingly at the men. They stepped aside, allowing him passage. As Deathstroke walked near one of the guards, he squeezed one of Robin's wounds, rewarded with a cry of pain.
Once around a corner, Deathstroke released his hold on Robin, allowing him to lean against the stone walls surrounding him. "Sorry about that. I had to make it convincing," Deathstroke said. But something about the look in his eye told a different story, on some perverse level he thought it was funny. Robin regarded him with suspicion for a moment, but then just nodded. Deathstroke moved on past him, approaching a closed door. He knocked lightly, and upon receiving no response, punched in a code and watched as the door slid open. He walked in, disappearing for a moment. Robin glanced with interest, coming closer until a hand shot out of the room and pulled him in.
"Don't linger in the hallway," Deathstroke hissed, speaking to him like a third-rate amateur.
Robin let the words roll off of him, not wanting to incense this man, lest he suddenly change his mind or reveal his true colors. Looking around the room, Robin was disgusted to find it to be a bedroom decorated with black paint and violent images. He saw a trophy cabinet in the corner, filled with what were undoubtedly souvenirs from captures or kills. Robin felt his breath catch in his throat when he noticed a piece of shredding fabric mounted; the yellow 'R' from a Robin suit.
Deathstroke was suddenly behind him again. "Here, wear this," he said, pushing a bundle into Robin's hands. He looked down to see a costume folded up.
"It belongs to my son, the Ravager," Deathstroke explained. "No one will question you if you wear that."
Robin nodded, quickly discarding the pants he had worn when he left the Manor, and tugging on the reinforced Kevlar bodysuit. He pulled the mask on, feeling more secure than he had in days just from the knowledge that his appearance was finally covered. He quickly went through the compartments of the belt, memorizing the locations of weapons for later use.
Fully disguised, Robin followed Deathstroke back out into the hallway.
Joey-Ra's, Dick, and Slade were having quite an easy time traversing the halls of Ra's Al Ghul's complex. No one would dare question the master, and so they did not face any difficulties. Luckily Joey could access Ra's mind, and so knew exactly how to enter the control room with the correct codes and scans.
However, their luck changed as the galvanized steel door to the control room slid open. Waiting and ready, were the Ravager, and Siren. Behind them, the security cameras for the Cavern played the same scene over and over; Robin's rescue and Joey's possession of Ra's.
Deathstroke led Robin to the main prison of Ra's Al Ghul's Gotham hideout. Robin had to admit, it was dreary down there. With no windows or natural light of any kind, shadows lingered in every corner. Beneath the Ravager's cowl, Robin picked up the rancid smell of the halls. Rather than he metal doors that guarded the cell Robin had been in earlier, the prisoners were locked behind iron bars. Robin suspected that Ra's designed that intentionally for some reason, but really did not want to linger on it.
As Deathstroke and Robin came into sight of the first set of cells, they saw angry and desperate eyes staring at them. "Who's it?" a man at the far end of the hall called with a rasping voice.
"Just Deathstroke and the Ravager," another prisoner responded spitefully. "Probably here for another 'inspection'."
"Please… let me out… please… I got kids… a wife… please… I can't take this anymore…" the man at the end pleaded even before he could see the two.
"Don't waste your breath, he won't help you," the angry person said.
"Ok Deathstroke, what now?" Robin asked. "Do you have the keys or something?"
"Keys? I thought you were from an alternate dimension, not the distant past. We actually have technology here," Deathstroke snorted.
"Fine, whatever, just open 'em up," Robin responded angrily. Deathstroke was really beginning to grate on his nerves.
"Robin, Robin, Robin, have some patience," Deathstroke chided as he walked to a rather large machine panel at the front of the hall. Someone sitting in the dark back corner of the first cell heard what he said and looked up abruptly, blue eyes staring through the gloom.
Deathstroke pulled a glove off, putting his bare hand against an access panel on the front-face of the machine. It scanned his palm, and then the words "access granted" appeared on the screen.
"I thought you were a traitor, they still let you have access?" Robin asked.
"Ra's Al Ghul is nothing if not egotistical. Why would he suspect that someone would bring me back from the dead so I could release his prisoners?" Deathstroke pushed some buttons on the keyboard, and a moment later the doors to all of the cells swung open.
The prisoners poked their heads out, wondering what they should do. It proved how long they were there that no one ran out to escape.
"Run people!" Robin finally shouted, annoyed. "Get out of here! Move it!"
Finally Robin saw the battered and beaten forms of Ra's' prisoners rushing out of the cells. They approached Deathstroke and the Ravager with something akin to awe and confusion. "Do you know the way out?" the angry prisoner asked. The man's face had been bruised and cut, mutilated so badly that Robin could barely make out his expression. He could only wonder what must have happened to him in here.
"Uh… yeah," Robin responded uncertainly, turning to Deathstroke for confirmation.
"Help me!" a familiar voice cried from the first cell. Robin approached the containment area with caution, lest the prisoner be looking to 'pay back' the Ravager for something he did to him.
Wordless shock gripped Robin as he surveyed the blonde-haired man sitting in front of him. His legs were covered in metal braces that kept them splayed out and made it impossible for him to walk properly.
"Oh my God," Robin said.
"Are you really the Ravager?" the man asked, scrutinizing what little of Robin's face he could see.
"No… hell no…" Robin protested, pulling back the cowl and revealing his face.
"Robin? I thought you were dead."
"Ditto. Good to see that you're still kicking, Flash."
"Joseph, how could you do this?" Siren asked, anger masking her lovely face. "Get out of Ducard's body; now!" she shouted.
Joey-Ra's, Slade, and Dick exchanged a look, each knowing what they had to do. Slade quickly let Deathstroke know about what was happening before they made their move.
"Don't even think about it," Siren said suddenly, her eyes pinned on Slade. "Everyone in this complex knows about your betrayal. Even if you fight us, it will not do you any good. The rest of the Assassins are on their way up here."
"And here I thought it could be a family-only massacre," Slade sniped. She snorted and then turned her murderous glare back on Joseph.
"You would hurt your own son?" Slade questioned with disbelief.
"I do what must be done for survival, Slade. And a traitor to Henri Ducard is a traitor to the family." She looked at her son again. "You knew that, and yet you betrayed me, you betrayed all of us!"
"You're the traitor here," Joseph growled. "You killed dad to 'protect the family' and now you're threatening me? Soon there won't even be a family left, it'll just be you."
"How dare you!" Siren shouted. "I am not threatening you Joseph, I am only telling you the truth. You have to get out of Ducard. Otherwise I cannot protect you when the assassins get here. If you choose not to… well, you've seen what's been done to traitors."
Behind the feuding family, Dick grew impatient and restless. He would not be captured again; not when he was so close. There was only one thing to do.
Attack.
The Flash a.k.a. Barry Allen, dressed in typical prisoner garb, walked easily beside Robin. When Robin had noticed the state of his legs, Flash quickly explained that Ra's Al Ghul had broken the bones in his legs and then placed the braces on to prevent them from healing properly. Deathstroke was able to break both the braces and the badly healed bones. Once set, Flash's body quickly repaired the damage, and he was finally free to move around again.
Robin, The Flash, and Deathstroke led the crowd of weary but excited prisoners towards the main level, ready to crush any resistance that came their way.
"How'd you end up here? I heard you were dead," Robin asked Barry.
"Well, after you… um… died, Batman went completely nuts. I went to Gotham in hopes of calming him down, talk to him, something… but when I got there, I found the League of Assassins after me. They managed to do me in pretty good, and I think some reporters witnessed my 'death.' Then they brought me here, where I have been ever since."
"Sorry," Robin said.
"So what about you, Mister-risen-from-the-dead?" Flash asked.
"I'm not actually the Robin you know…" Robin began. He gave the Flash a very short version of the recent events, the one-time JLA member listening raptly.
His story was interrupted by Deathstroke's voice. "Robin. Slade's encountered some trouble in the Control Room, they've been found out."
"Crap," Robin cursed. "Wait, we have to think about this for a minute. If Slade, Joey, and Dick are captured, then our only hopes of getting out of this hell-hole rest in you. So I don't think you should go storm the party up there." Deathstroke looked about to protest, but Robin silenced him with an upraised hand. "Flash and I will go up, see if we can help. Otherwise, it's all on you. Get the rest of the prisoners, and then head for the control room, but stay a safe distance from the control room."
"All right," Deathstroke said. "I'll try to keep them quiet too," he added, gesturing to the prisoners. Deathstroke gave Flash directions to the Control Room, watching as he took off, Robin in his arms, to assist the others.
Dick launched into the air, kicking Ra's in the head as he did. He aimed his fist at Siren, but was stopped by the sudden appearance of the Ravager. Dick's stomach lurched as he landed and then jumped out of the way of the Ravager's punches. He hated many people in that organization, but he especially hated the Ravager. The Ravager was the one who captured him when he and Batman were breaking up a mugging; The Ravager was responsible for him being tortured nearly to death and then thrown on the stage to await the arrival of Batman. And he hated that man with every fiber of his being, and all he felt as he attacked was blind rage.
Joey-Ra's fell over with the force of Dick's kick, and Joseph knew exactly why he did it. Phasing out of Ra's' body, Jericho quickly pulled handcuffs from his belt and restrained the semi-conscious mastermind. Then he turned his attention to his mother, who seemed to be having a staring contest with Slade, neither wanting to make the first move. In the background, Dick was fighting the Ravager, his moves sloppy from disuse, and anger. Joey instantly threw himself into battle with his older brother.
The Ravager pulled a double flail off of his belt – two steel balls with two inch long spikes connected to a handle by a long metal chain. He swung the archaic weapon at Dick, who thankfully ducked. Jericho took advantage of the momentary opening and pushed Ravager, sending him to the ground. He was up in a matter of seconds, swinging his weapon everywhere. He managed to hit Dick in the leg, sending the teen to his knees, gasping in pain.
Siren and Slade watched impassively as the trio proceeded to fight each other. Both seemed torn, their two sons were on opposite sides, and they both knew that Dick and Jericho were outmatched. Grant (the Ravager) was so suspicious of his older brother that he put red bug-like lenses in his cowl to prevent eye contact from being established. For his part, Dick was trying valiantly, but three years in captivity had taken their toll. And then there was Jericho, whose distaste of killing kept him from mastering any martial arts, and his devotion to his brother strayed in his conscious as he fought.
Dick took a blow from Grant to the head, and crashed to the ground painfully. Jericho tried to make a stand, but in no time the Ravager had him crying in pain, completely open and helpless. A malicious grin on his lips, the Ravager raised his flail to strike his brother down. As the weapon descended, a second flail appeared out of nowhere, soaring through the air towards Grant. It struck him full in the face, and he dropped his weapon with a screech.
Everyone looked and saw Robin and the Flash standing in the doorway. "Jesus, Slade. What is this, the Saturday afternoon movie? Were you planning on helping out, or should I have just brought some popcorn?"
"Sarcastic as ever I see," Slade responded, recognizing Robin's stature and voice even beneath a spare Ravager cowl, and wondering who the man standing beside Robin could possibly be; probably another ally on the seemingly endless trail of defunct vigilantes in this dimension.
"And you're useless as ever," Robin sniped, as he kneeled beside Dick, checking his injuries.
"Grant?" Siren asked, staring at Robin, who actually was much too short to be Grant. "Just how many people came into this dimension, anyway?" she demanded.
"Definitely not your son, psycho," Robin responded.
She shook her head, and went to Grant, who lay bleeding and temporarily blinded. It was too early to tell how much damage the flail did as Grant refused to move his hands from the wounds, crying and screaming. She finally ripped his hands away and took in the sight of his punctured and mutilated face. The spikes had torn deep wounds in his skin, and he was covered in blood.
She abruptly turned on the others in the room, a look of pure anger and revenge on her features. Clearly Grant was her favorite, and now that he had been hurt…
"I will kill you all for this!" she shouted, her gaze resting momentarily on each person. Slade was still in front of her, and so her rage was directed at him. "What Ducard did not tell you was that Deathstroke did not die in an explosion! I killed him! I ripped him to pieces with my own hands!" Adeline screeched, her claws in front of her, ready to attack.
"Oh shut UP, lady!" Robin shouted as he flipped over Slade's head and kicked her in the face. She fell, and before she could get back on her feet, Joey had made contact. Adeline's body went rigid, and then she smiled.
"Thanks Robin. Now we just need to get a hold of Dad and get out of here."
"Already taken care of," Deathstroke announced from the doorway. "I need someone to escort the prisoners out, someone who could easily get past the guards."
"I will!" Flash volunteered. "It seems like you guys all have some sort of plan, and I'm just itching to do something useful."
"Do you know the way?" Deathstroke asked.
"Of course. I was conscious when I got in here, and I basically memorized the route in case I ever got a chance to escape. I'll see you guys on the other side!" He made to leave, and then instead charged in. He kicked Ra's Al Ghul, hard, rendering him unconscious. "You deserve more than that you bastard," he spat, before turning. "All right prisoners, this way please."
The scene in the Control Room was one of tense anticipation. Slade stood in the hallway, keeping watch for the League of Assassins members who were apparently 'on their way.' Robin sat in the far corner, next to Dick, wrapping his wounds as best as he could. Deathstroke leaned over the work panel, working to activate his explosives, while Jericho-Siren stood supportively close, hoping that it would happen soon. In the middle of the room were Ra's Al Ghul, and the Ravager, both restrained.
"So, have you seen Bruce?" Dick asked as Robin pulled a strip of cloth uncomfortably tight around his thigh.
"Yes."
"How is he?"
"…not good," Robin responded, not sure if he wanted to be the one to tell Dick about what happened.
"What do you mean? Come on, tell me, trust me, I can take it," Dick sighed.
"He's in Arkham," Robin said simply. Dick looked up at him with surprised eyes. "After you… 'died'… he went crazy, apparently he was so intent on revenge that he began killing, eventually the police caught up with him. Gordon shot him and they arrested him. Batman's secret ID was plastered all over every newspaper, and he was declared unfit to stand trial, remanding him to Arkham."
"I would like to say I'm shocked, but… I'm not," Dick responded. "He's wallowing, isn't he?"
"He looked pretty haunted when I saw him, then he thought I worked for Ra's and tried to kill me. I think he'll be happy to hear you're alive."
"Nothing's ever going to be the same again," Dick said. "Even if we escape, even if I go home; this changed everything. I've been dead for three years; here for three years… I just can't believe it all got so bad…"
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Robin replied, truly meaning it. He felt Dick's anguish as if it were his own, and attributed it more to their mental link than to any sort of empathy.
"At least things are okay in your dimension, right? You still get to see Bruce, and go out at night…" Dick said, his voice swelling with the remembered joys of a time that seemed so far away now; out of reach.
"Well… Bruce and I had a sort of 'falling out' three years ago. I haven't spoken to him since," Robin explained, feeling an enormous wave of guilt and regret as Dick's blue eyes bored into him with questions of why. "I was shot by the Joker, and he fired me."
"He was probably afraid, you know how Bruce is about the people he loves," Dick sighed.
"Yeah, but I couldn't take it anymore. I left, joined up with some teens and started another group of Teen Titans, based out of Jump City," he paused, not wanting to talk about his relationship with Bruce anymore. "When we get out of here, you should really go to Alfred, he seems lonely."
"I'll bet," Dick replied. "And probably blaming himself for everything. It's what we Bat-clan men always seem to do," he said wryly.
"You've got that right."
They sat in stiff silence for a moment before Dick spoke up. "I thought Siren said the rest of the Assassins were on their way up here? I mean… it's been a while, if they were coming…?"
"She was bluffing so we would give up," Joseph-Adeline responded.
Everyone was so focused on their own thoughts, that they completely missed the warning signs. The Ravager broke the bonds that held him, and leapt at Robin and Dick with a cry of guttural rage. Robin shoved Dick out of the way in time to be knocked flat on his back by the assassin. Grant had removed his bloody and ripped cowl, revealing his quickly-healing face and contorted expression of anger. He straddled Robin who was kicking and trying to fight him off, ripping Robin's mask off, and punching his face over and over again. Robin struck out with his fingers, jamming one into Grant's eye. Grant howled in pain and put both hands to it, giving Robin the opening he needed to shove Grant off of him and scramble to his feet.
Meanwhile, Ra's Al Ghul had also gotten free. Using Grant and Robin's fight as a distraction, he grabbed a staff from within his coat and whipped it at Deathstroke. Joey made to assist, but his attention was pulled into the hall when he heard a vehement exclamation from Slade and the cracking of a whip. Catwoman's body appeared, flying down the hallway past the door from an attack by Slade.
Jericho-Siren leapt at Ra's Al Ghul, sinking claws into his back. The egomaniac spun around, smashing his attacker in the skull with the staff, hard enough to lose consciousness. Jericho jumped out of Siren's body as she collapsed.
During the momentary distraction, Deathstroke hurriedly finished the protocol to destroy the hideout. The countdown began; 5 minutes.
Behind him, Dick and Robin were double-teaming Grant. Robin stole a glance at the computers, and, noting the countdown, pulled a handful of smoke pellets from his pocket. "Run!" he called, tossing the bombs. Bursts of thick black smoke erupted in the room, distracting those who were fighting. Dick and Robin immediately turned and ran. Jericho stopped to collect his mother's fallen form, and then followed, Deathstroke just behind.
In the hall, Deathstroke and Jericho ran ahead, while Dick and Robin paused. Slade stood over Catwoman, who was bleeding and bruised, and looking as if she were seriously considering not attacking him anymore. "Slade, come on, the place is about to go up," Robin said. Slade nodded, leaving Catwoman and heading for the exit.
Dick's injured leg began to give out beneath him, so Robin wrapped his counterpart's arm around his neck, holding him up as they ran for it. The people in front of them became farther and farther away, and Robin began to panic. Getting blown up in Ra's Al Ghul's hideout was not exactly part of the plan.
The ink black sky outlined one man waiting in a seemingly abandoned parking lot. Barry paced back and forth, watching the hatch he had left open, waiting for someone to emerge. His legs were beginning to throb after so much time spent unused, and he began to fidget in worry and anticipation. The other prisoners had taken off as soon as they reached solid ground, and Barry did not blame them in the least. Part of him wanted to run away and never look back, but Robin had saved him, and the least he could do was make sure he and the other Robin got out okay.
"Robin come on kid, come on," he chanted, his mind straying to the myriad of possible things that were preventing them from escaping.
Finally he saw people beginning to emerge.
A long powerful whip wrapped around Robin's arm. "Catwoman, what the—" he began, turning his head as the person on the other end pulled harshly. He released his hold on Dick and was thrown against the wall.
"No escape for little birds," a smooth voice announced. The woman strode up to him, her body lithe and thin like a dancer, but muscular and dangerous as a warrior. Her sleek black hair had been cropped short around her face, and a pair of harsh brown almond shaped eyes stared at Robin. She held Catwoman's whip in her hand, idly flicking it at the floor. The latter stood just behind her, cradling a broken arm.
"Lady Shiva," Robin gasped. He did not have time for this. A battle with the world's greatest martial artist would definitely take more than five minutes. "This place is going down! It's set to self-destruct!"
"Lying doesn't suit you," she responded, tossing the whip down. Dick looked between Robin and Shiva, as if sizing up the chances.
"Dick! Get the hell out of here! Now!" Robin shouted. Dick seemed about to protest. "Seriously, go! I have a better chance of getting away from her than you do, and you know it! No arguments!" Robin mentally snarled, using his best Bat-voice.
"You better be right behind me," Dick said back, attempting a run as their allies backs disappeared in the distance.
Robin watched him go and then turned his attention back to Shiva and Catwoman. "Shiva, I'm not lying. Go see for yourself in the Control Room, the countdown's begun. And I don't know about you, but as exciting as a fight against you would be, I would much rather get out of here in one piece."
Shiva seemed to be scrutinizing him. Robin knew that she read body movement like a language, and only hoped that she could tell he was being honest, he needed her to believe him, he needed to get out of here.
Shiva looked at him suspiciously, and then marched purposefully to the Control Room door, her eyes on him the whole time. She glanced briefly in the room and saw the countdown: 3 minutes.
Releasing a snarl, she ran past Catwoman and Robin and towards the exit. Behind here were the other Assassins, who had been hiding just out of sight to watch her kill. Robin followed the assassins with a growing sense of desperation. He did not even know where the exit was.
As Slade emerged with the others, he turned, waiting for Robin and Dick to cross the threshold so they could leave. When Dick arrived alone, Slade anxiously checked his watch. Robin only had two minutes left, where was he? "Where's Robin?" Slade demanded.
"He was stopped by Lady Shiva… they looked about to fight," Dick responded.
Without a word, Slade turned and rushed back into the base.
Pushed back behind what seemed to be every employee – was that a good term? Maybe henchmen? Flunkies? Thugs? Whatever – Robin was now losing hope of getting out of there alive. They were all in too close. He tried vaulting into the melee, but was only shoved down and trampled.
He paused to catch his breath, his heart beating fast with adrenaline and fear, his chest burning from the wounds and electrical surge, his face had swelled from his fight with the Ravager, one eye now closed more than the other. He was running out of energy, dark spots appearing on his vision even as he tried to muster up enough strength.
Through the sound of trampling feet, Robin could make out one word being shouted. "Robin! Robin!" He looked up, straining his eyes to see who it could be. He was surprised and relieved as he watched Slade shoving through the Assassins towards him. He reached out and grabbed Robin's arm, half-carrying, half-dragging him through the crowds. Slade's larger size and greater strength made it easier for him to fight through.
"You came back for me?" Robin asked in disbelief.
"We had a deal. We're going home."
With half a minute to spare, Robin and Slade emerged from the underground complex. Barry, Dick, and Jericho greeted them at the end, motioning for them to make a run for it. The ground raced towards where Deathstroke stood at a safe distance, far behind him, Grant stood with Adeline in his arms. They reached Deathstroke and then turned as time ran out on the bombs.
A magnificent explosion rocked the ground, the concrete hiding the base cracked and blew up, shrapnel flying everywhere. And then, as Deathstroke predicted, the base caved in on itself, dust and concrete settling around it.
The few members of the League of Assassins who had not fled from the area now wandered towards the rubble, wondering how something so powerful could have so easily been destroyed. It was a victory for Robin and party, but a dismal failure for the League.
"That's it then," Deathstroke said. "It worked."
"Wait… where's Ra's Al Ghul," Robin said suddenly, realizing that he never saw the man exit the control room.
Deathstroke smirked. "He tripped and hit his head on his way out, he must have been trapped inside." Deathstroke's attention diverted for a moment as his peripheral vision caught sight of Grant walking away.
"Why do I not care?" Robin asked, shaking his head. Ra's deserved whatever he got, and it was not his fault that he had probably been crushed.
"Come on, we shouldn't linger here," Slade said. "We need to get to your friend's lab," he added.
"S.T.A.R.?" Barry asked with excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Deciding to act the part of the assassins they disguised themselves as, the group easily car-jacked terrified citizens. Piling into a van, Deathstroke sat at the wheel, driving towards the labs.
From the windows, Dick, Barry, and Robin stared at the rising sun. The sky filled with brilliantly colored light, giving their escape a beautiful backdrop.
"I never thought I would see it again." Dick voiced the thought on the other two's minds.
"It's beautiful," Robin added.
"Yeah… and so is my wife," Barry laughed. "I can't wait to see her. It's been so long. And I wish I could say everything was over, but… Ra's wouldn't die so easily."
"I feel weird leaving now, when the fighting is far from over," Robin said.
"You've already done more than we could have hoped for," Dick responded. "This isn't your fight, you should go home."
"I know but…"
"No butts Robin," Barry interjected. "I don't really know exactly what's been going on, but from what I can tell, you've been risking your life for people in a different universe from your own. You ended up here by accident, and completely turned the tables on the fighting between Ra's and the heroes. You deserve to go back to your, you've more than earned the right to."
As the group of six walked through the titanium reinforced doors of the Gotham S.T.A.R. Labs they attracted attention from everyone. Upon seeing two Deathstrokes, Jericho, and someone in the Ravager costume, many of the employees simply shrieked and ran. Robin heard Deathstroke chuckle in glee.
Barry led the way at this point, he and Ray were good friends, so it was only natural that he would know where his office was. As they walked through the double doors, they were greeted by a surprised and ecstatic Alfred. "Master Dick! Thank goodness you're all right!" Alfred said, rushing to Robin immediately. He put his hand on the swelling on his face, shaking his head. He abruptly paused as his attention turned to Dick.
He swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. Dick seemed equally dumbstruck. "You… you're alive?" Alfred finally asked.
"Ye…yeah, I am," Dick responded. In an uncharacteristic move, Alfred reached forward and pulled Dick into his arms, holding him tightly.
Barry, who had momentarily disappeared, returned with Ray. The scientist took in the tired group before him and smiled. "Robin, Slade," he motioned to the pair. "The machine's ready for you."
Robin and Slade stood side-by-side in the giant cylinder contraption, so similar to the one they destroyed in Jump City a mere week ago. It felt so strange that it had not really been that long; for Robin it felt as if he had been here forever, and now he was finally going home.
"All right, I'm beginning the countdown sequence," Ray announced. "Five… four… three…"
"Goodbye Robin!" Dick called.
"Good luck, sir!" Alfred seconded.
"Thanks for the rescue, man!" Barry called.
"Goodbye!" Joey waved.
"Bye!" Robin responded as the liquid in the machine began to spin.
"Two… One…"
Brilliant light surrounded them, obscuring everything else from sight. A rushing sound and feeling of compression encompassed the pair, and Robin was briefly aware of closing his eyes before everything became dark.
When Robin and Slade opened their eyes, it was to find themselves in the exact same place and machine they were in previously. Startled scientists stared at them through the glass, rushing around and shouting to each other. "Think we made it to the right place?" Slade asked.
"As long as it's not the Land of the Purple People Eaters, I think we'll be fine," Robin responded.
One of the scientists ran out, and then returned with Dr. Palmer. He took one look at the two men trapped in the cylinder like a cage, and then raced over to the control unit to open the door. Robin and Slade gratefully stepped out.
"How did you two get here?" Ray asked.
"Through the one in an alternate dimension in an alternate Gotham that we were accidentally sucked into last week," Robin explained flippantly. The events of the past week were finally settling in, and he wanted nothing more than to find a warm bed and sleep for a year.
"Wait… Robin?" Ray whispered. Robin nodded the affirmative. "What're you…?"
"Long story. Hey, do you think you could get me some clothes? As stylish as this is…"
Ray did more than provide him with clothes, he also made both Robin and Slade be checked over by physicians. Robin was grateful for their efforts until one attempted to stick him with a powerful painkiller, at which point he announced the physical 'over' and walked out to meet up with Slade.
Both dressed in scrubs and lab coats, they could easily pass for scientists, but neither would mistake the other. "Hey Slade," Robin greeted, the pair finally alone. "So… what now?" Robin questioned, realizing that Slade knew his secret ID and no longer needed his assistance.
"Now we part ways," Slade announced, much to Robin's surprise. "I learned more about you in the past five days than in the years I spent in Jump City." Robin seemed about to speak, but Slade put up his hand to stop him. "I don't mean you're identity or your appearance, I meant you, yourself. You and I are similar in many ways, but one thing I can see is that you are definitely your own person. It's about time I realized that.
"I will not use your identity against you or the people you care for Dick, and I only ask you do the same for me. I want you to know that I respect you, and that is high praise, coming from me," he added with a smirk.
"Slade… I got to know you two, to think, there's actually a human under that mask! Thank you for everything back there, I don't know if I would have made it without you," Robin said.
"Same for me," Slade acknowledged, turning to leave. He paused at the door, looking at the Boy Wonder one more time. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, Robin, we're both too ambitious to avoid each other for long. But I'll give you a head start this time. Enjoy your city."
"Goodbye Slade."
As Robin watched his sometime archenemy walk away, he suddenly realized that he no longer hated him. He thought Slade was a monster, a villain, but when it really counted, Slade did the right thing, and saved his life numerous times.
He would never forget that.
The only problem was that Slade would never forget it either.
The End
A/N: I'll be posting the epilogue shortly to tie up some loose ends and such. This chapter may have seemed rushed, but it was supposed to, to communicate to you, the reader, the stress on the characters. I hope you all enjoyed this story, it's been an amazing time for me. When I began it I never imagined it going this far and becoming so involved and detailed. For anyone wondering about what'll happen in the other dimension, I'm considering writing a sequel that finishes that up; if you're interested in me writing it, let me know.
Please send me a review, this is the second to last time I will ask for one for this story!
Till next time,
Sarah Shima