Long Live the King – Deathstroke's Forced Descent into Villainy
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Chapter 11: See no Fool, Hear no Fool
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The next few days later, Slade went to do some work back on his device dubbed a decoy; a Chronoton Detonator, and that was not EVEN the icing on the cake. After the call from Addie stating that his son Grant had become a runway in some big city, he'd gone to keeping to himself for a bit, but not until Wintergreen broke the deafening silence that surrounded his dreary haunt.
"Are you satisfied with the message, or the fact that your plan to one – up Bruce Wayne through side – stepping his youn –
"The boy can handle a few beat downs by notorious thugs in Gotham city in a single night." Slade tightened a bolt with a large wrench on the detonator. His face scrunched at the comparison. He wasn't. "I'm not some thug, not like the Titans want to believe."
"And you certainly were never a "super – villain," Slade Wilson." The brit shook his head, frowning, and wondered if Slade was keeping his real reasons for attacking the boy's party bolted back into that thick cranium of his.
He must, this was Slade. His brother in arms and in crime, now.
Crime. What they were doing had loop holes, surely. Yet, the law wouldn't find them. The Titans however, would.
"The boy had a chance to walk away, he took our bait so I'm willing to try, this once…" He let the last bolt be twisted into the mechanism's panel before he nodded to a Slade – bot by the nearest wall. "We'll unveil it by sun up. Tomorrow." Slade held some triumph in those features as he sat up and allowed a rolling drop of sweat to plop from his brow, to the side with one swipe. "There won't be any backing out of this deal. Will?" Slade was serious, so William tightened his glutes and stood erect before his current ally.
"What is your final word, Mr. Wilson?" Will chided him by saying this, yet really, he'd go along. See what the boy could tolerate before walking away. After all, who was going to protect Slade from himself?
"We'll proceed as planned. The bat can simply, sit back and watch." Grinned the eye patched ally. "Seeing as how I've already won over the boy's fullest attention."
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Before tomorrow came too soon, too close for comfort, Slade did look into one last riddle. What was the organization that worshipped that, demon…. what were they after while protected by the Hive?
Yes, the Hive. The same group that Slade had forced himself to avoid growing too attached with.
Something bigger than three or more cities combined, lurking below.
He awoke with a start.
"Shit…"
Slade realized, it was only three am, and it was time to get back into his skin.
Slade's skin, not Deathstroke's.
Not anymore.
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Oh, ok. He'd just pulled a little fleece over Bruce's screen. Big whoop! Slade stomped over across is master bedroom and grabbed the mask on his dresser. Two – toned. Violent, dangerous.
He felt unlike his old self, something…
Had to go.
"I'm going, to make him my apprentice." Slade slipped on the mask as he faced the man staring back at him. The eyepatch, hidden from sight. The scowl, unreadable.
And his intentions?
Cryptic to some, but Slade knew better. He would reveal his wild card, soon.
Dick Grayson; Robin was in his palm. "Well, here we go."
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Slade's finger hovered over the button. Damn it…He was stage fright material, now?
Slade bit his lip and let out a short grunt before getting his act together.
"I can't mess this up, the bat c –
No. He had chosen to go this damned route, his way or bust.
Slade would brand himself as, partly teetering on the edge of his own "borderline "sanity – had he intended to beat himself up anymore. Day was coming up; yet the light though hadn't graced the Cali skyline.
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~ Good morning, Titans. I do hope I didn't wake you... ~
All of the Titans were there, even the annoying green whelp as he yawned within the scene, a squint while rubbing his bleary eyes as he talked down the man in the iron mask.
"What are you, an insomniac? Who calls at five in the morning--?"
" Ung!"
Raven thankfully elbowed the brat to shut his trap. Slade made a mental note not to intimidate the witch, should she allow her powers to really flourish.
Robin hopped to it, making Slade glad that he's stayed calmer than the boy's team to view the outcome for later…
"What do you want?" Robin frowned; he'd detested Slade since the Red X incident, right? Why not be a bit rude back then…?
~ Well, that's precisely what you've been trying to find out, isn't it? And in spite of all your efforts, you're still in the dark about my intentions. ~ Robin gets it, and the insult hits its target. What an ego that he'd get to bend to his whims…Batman would be having those kittens any day now.
~ Disappointing, Robin. I expected a little more from you –
"Like I care what you! –
~ BUT since you've been unable to discover my plan, I suppose I'll just have to reveal it, myself. ~
And right now, Robin was foaming at the mouth to know. What control he lacked, seeing as the obsession of wanting to know the man's very face was very much alive in the teen.
Time for a big reveal.
The screen panned off to show the bots tugging a tarp from atop a tall, nearly notched grey, black and metallic structure.
~ I'm sure you're all familiar with the concept of a "Chronoton Detonator." ~
That did it – the audience stood aghast.
"No!" Cyborg knew ….
A gasp from the alien girl followed.
Raven must be smarter by far, her eyes changed. Slade never pegged her as a techie too, unfortunately.
"Uh – oh."
Very articulate…
Beast boy, wasn't so well gifted however, yet Slade remembered to stay humble.
"No way!...Um, what's a crouton detonator?"
Silly changeling.
Starfire spoke at the speed of light, even allowing Slade to witness her endless textbook knowledge. Impressive, yet futile in this instance to stop him.
"It eradicates all chronotons within a localized area, utterly destroying the temporal component of the space – time continuum."
Honestly, she deserves a cookie. Later, when she was no longer a threat, perhaps.
Ah, but Beast boy is slow on the pick - up. Precious.
"Hmm?"
"It stops time. Permanently."
Was this girl goth with the Justice League? Seriously! Her way of explaining the man's plan has Beast boy cry out and as he flopped over, helplessly. Almost, comically onto his face.
"If he triggers that thing downtown, it'll freeze - frame the entire city." The rather "serious" Cyborg made a valid point. Slade was holding the control in his hands.
Robin glared up at Slade, mano e mask, not wanting to share with his friends this budding hatred of the madman he too harbored.
"Tell me were!"
~ Heh, great impersonation of the bat, kiddo. I was ready to jump out of my seat. If I weren't standing, that is. ~
~ You're a clever boy, Robin. ~ Slade pointed out this, being Robin's one and not only strength. His way to get closer to said "mad man" than anyone else, even. ~ I'm sure you and your little friends can figure it out. ~ Slade held up the trigger in his hand for the Titans to stand by, ridged with fear, waving it like a prize they'd never have the chance to earn.
~ However, since I control the detonation, time is not on your side. ~ The narrowing of Slade's mocking eye, then the screen dimmed and played on with static flurries. Slade makes sure to keep the cameras rolling for a few more seconds on his end. Bugging the tower was genius, though, underhanded - but a useful tactic in hitting the brats head on. Shocked they didn't pick up on his tricks much sooner…
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~ Fan out! Find it! Shut it down! ~
Boy wonder? Is this a trap to you or not?
Robin's team stood to block his way. Slade looked on, keeping his camera eye near transparent as the bickering only festered, feeding their leader's budding angst.
~ Hey, uh, maybe you should stay here and coordinate the search… ~
"Beastboy, you are a real whelp. Get out, of the way." Slade felt like he was talking for Robin, as if this were no more his take on suspenseful fun…than the Joker his fill of laughing gas. Slade finally calmed his tone enough to watch and wait.
~ What? ~ Disbelief from the boy wonder, you'd better believe he had a plan to counter those stares. Nothing could go wrong today.
He gets it, good. Robin is both clever and reckless to get what he wants.
~ Man, when it comes to Slade, you've got issues. ~
That… was actually correct, and Slade was of course to blame for riling up their leader into a near collapse. Guilty as charged.
~ Might be better for the team if you sit this one out. ~
Robin refused. No surprise there.
~ No . There's too much at stake for me to—
~ Robin…~ Her coo made the boy turn his head to pause. That dreaded crush would have to go. Deadweight friends and the like. The red headed alien had showed her displeasure before; Red X, recall it?
~ We have not forgotten the last time you faced--
~ I made a mistake, Starfire. It won't happen again. ~ Bad move, boy blunder…but, the girl is not bound to hold a grudge, so…
~ I can handle it. I promise. ~
~ Promises are sometimes one sided in this case. ~ Slade snorted.
~ Would you at least like to know where to look? ~
Slade blinked and turned his head to the empath. "You wonderful, sad little angel.:" He smirked back online, here with the plan A he'd kept buzzing about. Tick – tock, Titans. The countdown had already started.
Raven proved that her wit was there as she tapped a dozen computer keys to zoom in on the detonator.
Found that generous tip – off, did she?
~ Slade gave us more information than he realized. ~
~ Did I do that? ~ The older male chuckled, watching to bots haul away his impressive prototype from behind him.
~ Here, in this reflection. ~
~ Ooh, squiggly lines. W~ ay informative. ~
~ Open your eyes, child. Those "lines" may paint a picture inside that insect - sized brain of yours to deduce… ~
~ Pier forty- one! ~ Starfire near exclaimed, with a gasp of breath.
~ The docks! ~
~ Good, boy. ~
Well, now that their formal greetings had been uttered, it was time to do what Slade did best. For this was only phase one of the end of all the boy and Titans held dear.
Tick. Tock. Time, was not on their side any longer, as Slade left the warehouse with so much more to look forward to in these coming seconds.