Okay. Chapter Eight. Here comes the twist you've all been waiting for...Er, if you want to call it a twist.
Oh man. This was like suicide. He was risking his life for a computer chip and worse it was for his worst enemy. Cyborg was going to kill him. He was going to come looking for his waxing attachment and find a certain green changeling in his room, touching his stuff, and stealing a prototype computer chip. This was worse then suicide- it was setting yourself up for murder by a bionic teenager who was three times your size.
Beast Boy crept along the hallway in the form of a cat padding along slowly and quietly; at the rate he was going Cyborg would be coming to recharge before he even reached the door. Slade seemed to have the same thought. "Beast Boy- just get the chip. You have a curfew and if you're not here in twenty minutes…"
"Okay! Talk about strict…" Reverting back to human for the shape-shifter jogged his way to Cyborg's room pausing before the doors slid open before him, eyes closed and a hand running through his hair. "Talk about being a double agent. Just like in that one videogame I played…" Beast Boy jumped slightly when the door talked to him in a voice much like Cyborg's.
"State your name and business, human. Hold up, BB what are you doing?"
"Oh- I uh left my handheld in there." He gestured to the room and put on a toothy grin. "I gotta keep the high-score, y'know…"
"Right. Go ahead but don't break anything or Cy'll break you. Have a nice day." The door slid open with a dull creak and Beast slipped through, frozen on the spot for a full minute as his gaze wandered about the darkened room. Where was the chip? "Uh- This is Beast Boy calling Slade. Any idea where the chip is? I can't see it…" The changeling held his hand to his ear as he spoke, not sure if his message even got transmitted.
"…Near the wall you see Cyborg's attachments, right?"
"Waxer, toothbrush, flashlight, playb- Okay, I dunno why he has that up there, but yeah." Beast Boy took steady steps forward, head cocked slightly to one side as he stared at the wall of Cyborg's attachments. Planted to the tack board with…tacks was a picture of the team, Cyborg supporting the weight of all four of the other Titans, Beast Boy on all fours, Starfire with her arms wrapped around the half robot's neck, Raven sitting on one shoulder and Robin halfway hanging off, sporting a victory sign.
Sighing slightly the shape-shifter tore his eyes away from the photograph now staring at the wall. "Slade? You gonna give me instructions or?" He trailed off slightly finding a small bulge in the Polaroid. Raising an eyebrow slightly Beast Boy removed two of four tacks and a small blue computer chip fell into his palm. With a grim smirk the green teenager replaced the computer chip with a Scrabble chip; at least that way Cyborg might not notice it was gone…unless he went to actually work on the T-Car.
Pocketing the computer chip Beast Boy ran a hand over the surface of the group photo offering a pained sort of sigh; he didn't have much time but in that picture they had all been so happy. Now Beast Boy was a double agent and what little happiness he had just had in the main room vanished as he did this deed. Making deals with the devil was just not good. Period. The changeling backed up slowly, eyes still staring at the picture.
At least he hadn't gotten caught; that was definitely a good thing. The shape-shifter turned to exit the room and ran right into something solid which turned out to be "Cyborg…"
"What d'you think you're gonna do?"
"Uh…" The tone in Cyborg's voice was different somehow, not angry like he had seen before but just questioning or curious. Beast Boy shrugged one shoulder slightly glad that the bionic teen wasn't about to bite his head off.
"You were trying to hack into Cyborg's game plan, huh? Sorry to disappoint you, BB, but that would be in my systems. Y'know the ones in my head?" Cyborg gave a dull chuckle before forcing the changeling out of his room with one hand, covering a yawn with the other. "Great to have you back to your old self and everything Beast Boy, but it's late. You better get some sleep, too, man. Robin says we got training bright and early."
Beast Boy groaned outwardly, but in his mind he was wondering if he'd even be here tomorrow morning- or if the others would be either. "Ten o'clock, Beast Boy…" the voice vibrated in his mind and the changeling jammed his eyes shut in disgust, tongue sticking out of his mouth.
"Slave driver," the green Titan murmured dully earning himself a laugh from Cyborg. Beast Boy looked up, head tilted slightly to one side. Why was it that he made people laugh at him when he had no idea what was going on?
"I think Robin's just kinda shaken up about the whole 'Slade's back' thing." The bionic teen yawned widely before flashing a smile. "You. Me. Videogames. Tomorrow after training. Be there."
"I…" the shape-shifter inhaled deeply, eyes averted from his friend once more. "Can't. I got stuff to do." Beast Boy turned and headed down the hall, kicking the floor beneath him irritably. This was inner torture, but worse torture would be seeing Terra after Slade…had his way with her. The green teenager had turned the corner of the hall before Cyborg had blinked leaving the cybernetic teen talking to no one.
"Aight, BB. Some other…time…"
The shape-shifter skidded to a stop upon reaching the main room. Everyone had gone to bed, but those security cameras Cyborg installed would still be working. Biting the inside of his cheek slightly, Beast Boy leaned tightly into the wall in human form inwardly counting the seconds tick by; if the clock on the DVD player was right, he had a total of six and a half minutes to get back to Slade's lair before the deadline. "Now or never, do or die." Gritting his teeth the changeling threw himself on the floor morphing into an armadillo and rolling across the carpet in a ball. Upon reaching the window he shifted into a hawk and out into the sky, steadily vanishing in the wind.
B&P
Despite the fact that she was strapped to a cold metal table in a darkened room, the man bent on destroying her life lurking in the shadows somewhere, Terra had drifted off to sleep. Having her usual eight hours interrupted by that oddly connected dream with Beast Boy had been distracting, and being knocked out from energy drainage wasn't exactly getting rest. So as the geomancer lay there in Slade's lair, breath coming out in a white wisp because of the temperature, she dreamt…
The dream was much different then her usual nightmares because in her waking hours now, she was living her worst nightmare. This dream was actually slightly calming to Terra, though she was strangely alone on a rocky ledge overlooking Jump City. Titans Tower was there, all of the buildings. But behind her she had the strange sensation of knowing she was being watched, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling slightly. Terra was jolted forcefully out of the dream by that voice, that bone-chilling voice that had been haunting her dreams for months.
"Now, Terra, asleep on the job?"
There was an incoherent mutter before the blonde coughed slightly, adjusting to the sudden burst of light that engulfed the room. "What are you talking about? I don't see how lying on a table is working."
"Well, now looks like your job here is done, Terra. The messenger has returned just as planned." Sure enough, the source of the blinding light that stung Terra's eyes was a door being flung open. Almost as soon as the room had been illuminated, though, a blanket of darkness covered it as Beast Boy entered the lair, footsteps echoing against the floor. The circumstances were bad, but no matter how much Terra wanted Beast Boy to leave she couldn't help but want him there with her, to save her, comfort there just as he always had. But she knew that wasn't possible, she knew what Slade's plan was. Beast Boy didn't. What would come of the third Apprentice now? If Slade wanted to insert a computer chip into Terra's brain he'd need quiet and a green changeling would no doubt be somewhat of a distraction.
Terra raised her head off the table, trying to see passed Slade to Beast Boy but couldn't. The only part of him she could make out was a pair of purple Velcro shoes. She opened her mouth to speak but found it dry, a large lump swollen in her throat. She couldn't speak to him now. It was all her fault he was doing this, all her fault that he was feeling such pain. "You have done well my Apprentice," Slade praised in a dull voice, examining the blue computer chip Beast Boy was holding in his gloved hand. "Now hand it over."
"I don't think so, Slade," the green Titan replied shortly, jerking his arm out of the masked villain's reach. "I dunno what you want this chip for, but I know you want it. I'll give it to you under one condition. You give me Terra and I give you the chip. Deal?" Beast Boy had a smug sort of smirk plastered on his face, eyes narrowed as he glared at Slade. "We all know how you hate to lose."
"Child, giving up my second Apprentice wouldn't gain me anything," Slade responded with a shake of his head. "You see that chip is for Terra. Without her it is of no use for me…Unless…" Terra's eyes widened at the mere tone of Slade's voice almost reading his thoughts as the masked villain stepped closer to Beast Boy, now cupping the shape-shifter's chin in his hand. "If you were to trade a newer model in for version 2.0 I think we could make an exception…"
He pulled back with a sharp intake of breath, striking Slade's arm with his free hand and staring him down as he rubbed his chin. "What d'you mean?" Beast Boy massaged his jaw as if it had been contaminated by some kind of evil villain genes, his eyes lighting up as understanding dawned on him. "Wait, you want me instead of Terra? Why?"
Slade shrugged one shoulder, casting a glance behind him at Terra who finally seemed to find her voice but was cut off by her former master. "You see, Beast Boy, it doesn't matter to me who I bend to my will as long as I have a pawn for my chessboard. I am the King, my Apprentices are my pawns. I think that maybe you might just be the one that evolves past that, perhaps to the role of the Queen, the most powerful piece on the entire board."
"Beast Boy no," came the choked response of Terra, who from what Beast Boy could gather from her strangled outcry was crying. "Don't. Making deals with Slade doesn't exactly work out. I would know." The changeling's expression softened from hardened glower at Slade to a soft sort of compassionate gaze as he held up the computer chip, looking from it to Slade and back again.
"Time is of the essence, Beast Boy," Slade murmured, manic eye wide. "If you do not make a choice I will be forced to fight you for the chip and then you will both suffer. We wouldn't want that would we?" The villain seemed to be clearly enjoying this internal struggle of Beast Boy's. On one hand he wanted Terra to be happy and she was telling him to leave her. On the other hand he wanted Terra alive and not being controlled, not that he was too keen on the idea of basically being Slade's puppet…but it seemed better then watching Terra suffer.
"Terra you've been through so much stuff in your life already. Don't you think maybe it'd be better if you could just get out of here?" Beast Boy was somewhat irritated at having to talk through a human barrier to his best friend, but that didn't make his soft compassionate voice waver in the least. His eyes were swimming with mixed emotions, apprehension, fear, but most obviously affection. "Don't you think it'd be easier for me not to have to watch you suffer?"
"No, Beast Boy, because that means I have to watch you suffer." Terra's voice was steadier now, though she was hiccupping slightly. "If anyone here deserves it it's me. Look at what I've made you into!"
"You made me into the kid that'll do anything for the person he loves." Beast Boy stepped forward, raising the arm with the chip in it over his head. "Before you go, Terra, know this. I love you too, always have, and always will."
"How touching. Now the chip, Beast Boy." Slade had let them have there moment, only because he knew in the end the emotional bond was going to tear at least one of them apart from the inside out. By the looks of it Terra was the lucky one that got to leave and get her heart ripped out at the same time.
"No. Not until you let Terra go." The shape-shifter paused, arms crossed defiantly and eyebrows raised in expectation. "You never were one to go back on deals, Slade. I wouldn't want you to screw up your entire reputation because of little old me."
"Yes, of course." Slade sauntered his way over to the table Terra was strapped to and pressed a button, releasing her from her bonds. The geomancer, though, seemed frozen in shock or fear, eyes wide and mouth formed into a thin line. "It seems your words have left quite a mark, Apprentice."
Beast Boy blinked slightly, biting his lower lip as he walked up behind Slade, eyes slightly averted from Terra's. "Um, Terra? Did I say something…wrong?"
"No..." She pulled herself roughly to a seated position, massaging her left arm with her right hand staring blankly at Beast Boy almost like that day at Murakami School. "You said what I've been waiting to hear for my entire life, Beast Boy…" Whatever it was, shock, amazement, it kept her from expressing her true emotions. If she'd had her way she would have been sobbing hysterically by now, and she would have been attached to Beast Boy's hip. But as it was, Slade was staring down at her, eye boring into hers as she hastily brushed her bangs from her face. "Can I…say goodbye?" She murmured softly, now staring determinedly at the floor.
"I don't really see a purpose in that, Terra. He won't remember any of this within the hour anyway." The masked villain blocked her path as she stood, hands balled into fists at her side and anger coursing through her veins. "Oh, mind that temper, Terra. Remember, I still have that power source of yours."
Her arms dropped limply to her sides once she realized her familiar golden glow wouldn't come back to her anytime soon. "I hate you," Terra hissed through gritted teeth, flinging herself at Slade but blinking as he disappeared. She landed sprawled out on the ground right in front of Beast Boy who was looking around wildly. "Where did he-" Her voice trailed off as Slade appeared behind her, kicking her square in the ribs and sending her skidding a few feet away in the direction of the door.
"Apprentice," Slade murmured, eye now glancing around for Beast Boy. "Show our guest out. No funny business, either. I stuck to my end of the deal. You better keep yours, too." The shape-shifter merely nodded stepping forward microchip still in hand, but Slade caught him around the wrist and twisted it behind his back, earning a sickening cracking noise from the bones in Beast Boy's wrist and a yelp from the shape-shifter himself. The masked man yanked the computer chip from the changeling's gloved hand and then flung him across the room where he staggered slightly before regaining his footing and glaring back at Slade. "We wouldn't want you running off with that chip, would we?"
Beast Boy's glare held steady as he turned, gaze softening as he approached Terra who was still slumped on the ground on her knees. The shape-shifter bent down on the prospect of yanking her up, but found his hand interlaced in one of hers as he placed a firm grip around her waist leading her toward the door. "It'll be okay," he whispered as they steadily got closer to the door, their footsteps in sync as they walked.
"No, Beast Boy. You…"
"Shh. We're having a moment here. Don't ruin it." That sentence faded off as the shape-shifter leaned forward pressing his lips against hers after all these months of waiting, wondering what it would be like. His eyes closed as he pulled her body closer to his, still trying to make it look like he was forcefully escorting her to the door. Apparently it was working to a point; it seemed Terra's legs had given out in surprise, though she returned the kiss with as much passion as he had, given the circumstances.
When Beast Boy finally pulled away his eyes fluttered open, a brilliant glimmer in them. Terra looked up at him, her own eyes swimming with tears. They were tears of joy mixed with sadness because after all these months she and Beast Boy had finally shared their first kiss and now they were being forcefully ripped apart. Literally.
The shape-shifter broke the bond and pushed her out the door, his expression hiding the longing feeling with a lopsided sort of half-grin. Terra stared back at him, mouth slightly open as he closed the door, but she jammed her foot in the crack to hold it open. "Beast Boy," she paused, inhaling deeply, "I'll come back for you. I promise."
"Promises…Not like mine I hope." With that the door was slammed shut leaving the geomancer staring blankly at the side of a large gorge. Blinking Terra swerved around, mouth gaping slightly open as she took in the horizon. It was the same scenery from her dream earlier. Turning around again she paused, slightly confused. The door was completely concealed in a wall of rock, which normally wouldn't have been a problem. Then again, normally Terra's powers weren't being used to power up a chronoton detonator…
"I gotta get to Titans Tower," Terra murmured to herself, groaning as she looked down. She was in the quarry, the place where she had first met the Titans. Now back then she had merely used her mountain moving abilities to get from the valley to the top of the gorge, but now she was stuck hoofing it. Sighing slightly she looked out at the narrow ledge separating her side from the piece of ground that would lead her to the Titans. "I better get moving…Damn it I knew I should've just taken that communicator when I had the chance…"
B&P
"Now, now Beast Boy. No showing affection to the enemy. That's rule number one." When Beast Boy turned around his face slammed right into Slade's fist, and he fell backwards onto the ground, leaning against the door. The shape-shifter rotated his jaw slightly, cracking it back into place as he tasted the metallic blood in his mouth. Emerald eyes widened as a roundhouse kick was aimed for his chest, but he morphed into a lemur and darted away. Resuming human form back where the metal table rested, Beast Boy shot a cold glare towards Slade.
"What the heck was THAT for? I did what you told me to do!"
"Yes," Slade suddenly disappeared only to reform behind him. Dropping down he swung his leg out and caught Beast Boy at the ankles, sending him to the ground once more. The shape-shifter shook his head slightly before shifting into a tiger and rolling out of the way of Slade's oncoming punch. "But I'm afraid I have no anesthetics. Instead I'll have to knock you out myself unless you'd like to be awake during the procedure."
Beast Boy lunged for Slade, but he teleported away causing the green feline to slam into the table. In human form the changeling stood shakily managing to get out the words "What procedure?"
Slade gave a slight chuckle as he materialized in front of Beast Boy, clamping the shape-shifter's arms behind his back and watching as his knees buckled. Slade stood over his Apprentice, a manic gleam in his eye as he bent down to whisper into Beast Boy's ear. "You didn't expect me to just magically be able to get that chip in you did you? Oh no, child. A small incision on the forehead and it'll all be done with. But that's only the beginning, Beast Boy…" A deep silence followed and Slade's voice got softer so Beast Boy had to lean back to hear him. "You, Apprentice, are the Queen of the chessboard. You will take out the enemy pawns one by one starting with powerless Terra."
"No!" The changeling nearly exploded with pent of rage and energy as he flung his arms overhead, taking on a new form. The beast had returned, muscular and covered in fur, large skull pointed upward as he let out a fierce howl. The beast dropped down to all fours padding to where Slade lay after being thrown off of Beast Boy, a few feet away.
"Oh, new trick," Slade mumbled watching as the green beast pounced towards him, but the masked villain merely rolled out of the way watching as Beast Boy crashed head first into a control panel. "No matter. The bigger they are the harder they fall." He withdrew a bo-staff and leapt forward as the shape-shifter reared back on his hind legs, eyes wide with rage. Slade twirled the staff in a complicated pattern, catching the beast's attention before bringing it down and swinging it outward, catching the creature's legs and sending him to the floor again.
Now on all fours Beast Boy gave a snarl, leaping forward and pinning Slade to the floor, a paw on either shoulder and his back paws holding his lower body still. There was a fierce growl as he raised one paw, tearing into the armor on Slade's chest but hitting nothing but more metal. Angry, Beast Boy raised his paw high over his head and swiped at Slade's unguarded face a dull clatter signifying the mask being torn clear off. He clawed furiously at the face of the man he hated so much, the one that had caused him and Terra, Robin, Raven, all the Titans so much pain and suffering. A mechanical sort of voice answered him, though. "Now, Apprentice, you didn't think I was doing all that teleporting myself, did you?"
It had been a robot programmed with Xenothium allowing it to teleport from place to place; it hadn't even been the real Slade. The beast pulled itself off of the robotic replica of Slade and reared back on its hind legs, sniffing the air for the scent of the real Slade. Just then a dart sank itself into Beast Boy's back, and the beast fell forward, flat onto its stomach. His eyelids were dropping, threatening to close at any moment, but the sound of oncoming footsteps kept him in the present. He raised his eyes to come face to face with Slade, the real Slade, who was holding a tranquilizer gun. "You see Apprentice, you make a deal with Slade you keep it."
Shirking back to human form Beast Boy let out a soft moan of pain before his eyes fell closed his breathing ragged and uneven. Slade heaved the changeling over his shoulder before strapping him to the same table Terra had been on earlier. "If only I could harness that bestial form when you and Terra face off…" Slade trailed off dully before vanishing into the shadows leaving Beast Boy alone in the darkness.
B&P
What seemed like days later Terra leapt from the boat that had carried here across the bay onto the island Titans Tower was located on completely forgetting to pay off the guy who had driven her there. "Oh, sorry! Put it on the Titans' tab, okay?" The geomancer sprinted to the front door and pounded on the door without hesitation, eyes focused behind her on the quarry. She didn't even realize when Robin opened the door and she ended up pounding on his face.
"Terra? Terra. TERRA!"
She turned around quickly to come face to face with the Boy Wonder and noticed a large red bulge on his face. Giving a sort of forced grin Terra waved her greetings before launching into an explanation of where Beast Boy was. "Slade! He's back and he's got Beast Boy!"
The was a stony silence in which Terra was almost certain Robin was going to drag her butt back to jail but he merely looked over his shoulder into he bustling Tower. "Titans!" He called loudly, whipping out his communicator to try and track Beast Boy, "GO!"