10 Leisurely Days

by Blue Ten

Summary:

Robin finds out that Starfire will be leaving for Tamaran in 10 days. Keeping his discovery a secret, he has a little over a week to give her a reason to stay. But when things keep getting in the way, will he even get the chance? RobxStar, BBxRae

Disclaimer:

I do not own Teen Titans.


Day 10, Part One: To Brave the Tempest

Tongues of fire illuminated the night like solar flares; the black shifted to a sickly reddish-gray as bright orange lights reached up to strike at the stars. Seeming vengeful and angry, the flames growled and roared as they viciously devoured the remains of the building's tattered carcass. Another section of the second floor collapsed, sending a plume of smoke and hot cinders into the air with a sickening crash. Streams of water continuously rushed from the fire trucks, clearing away patches of fire, which were only to be set ablaze again. Steam rose high aside the thick smoke.

Standing on the other side of the street, glaring at the fire through narrowed eyes, Robin remained silent. So Tyrus was gone now? Robin felt nothing... absolutely nothing. Clenching his fists, he turned and began walking back to his R-Cycle, paying no attention to the events he was leaving behind. If this was the game Grey was playing, Robin wasn't about to play along. Stepping onto the bike, he immediately sped it into motion down the street, not taking one moment to look back on the message left behind him.

Another minute passed by, another stretch of road and traffic left behind. He didn't care how, but he would find Starfire, and he would make that psychopath pay. As determined as he was, Robin couldn't ignore the fact that there was seemingly nowhere he could start on his search. Starfire wasn't carrying her communicator... none of the Titans were; it was the perfect chance for The Tempest to strike and Robin had given them that chance. Looking at the tall buildings and alleyways to his sides, the city looked like a labyrinth to him and Robin had never felt so lost... so helpless... so at fault.

As he continued driving, Robin noticed something strange, causing him to slow his vehicle down. The area was completely empty... no people walking beside the buildings, no traffic in the streets, as though everyone had fled the area; strange for this section of the city... even at midnight. In the distance he could see several people running frantically down the sidewalk, shouting indistinctly. Before he had the chance to think any further, a dark figure leapt in his path. Screeching his tires against the road, Robin swerved the bike, brought it to a stop, and looked over his shoulder to see the figure still standing in the middle of the street. It was something he had not seen in a long time... but it was impossible to forget. Most of the humanoid creature's attire was completely black, though portions of its legs, arms, and shoulders had been plated by steel armor. Its face was black as well, except for a small copper section in the center where small white slits for eyes resided.

'No.' thought Robin, glaring at the creature as it readied a familiar robotic stance. 'Why now?' if there was one person he thought... or wished he would never see again, it was the man behind that sickening image. Without warning, the robot leapt at Robin from its position on the yellow lines. Attempting to dodge, Robin dropped over the left side of his bike, watching as the robot soared overhead with outstretched arms and tumbled across the street as it fell. 'Just one?' thought Robin, extending his staff as he stood up, 'That's not his style...' he eyed the robot curiously as it picked itself up and regained its footing. Without waiting for it to make another move, Robin rushed at his enemy and struck it across the face, sending it flying into a wall. Quickly getting up, the robot fled down the sidewalk, making a turn into a dark alley.

"What?" Robin glared, 'First it attacks me, then it runs away?' he thought, staring into the alley. Keeping his staff ready, Robin took after the robot, knowing this was probably a trap... but if there was one person who would know something about what was going on... it was Slade. In the back of his mind, Robin felt as though he might even have something to do with it. But why now... after all this time, why did he decide to show up? Stopping his thoughts for a moment, Robin looked into the mouth of the alley for a moment. Wasting no time, he rushed into the blackness. He knew he was being foolhardy, but his feet, and mostly... his heart, wouldn't allow him to be slow.

The section of city was eerily quiet; only the sounds of cars far off on other streets could be heard. Warily, Robin walked through the empty back street. Various discarded objects lined the brick walls. Though in haste, he made sure not to step on anything, attempting to keep his position a secret. From what little he could see, Robin noticed the alley coming to an end in the distance, meeting at a point between several buildings. The moonlight revealed it to be a large open space... perfect for an ambush. Robin wasn't about to be fooled by that. Backing up against a wall, he eyed the rooftops and quietly inched his way around the corner. Hiding in the darkness, Robin scanned the open area. Just a few feet away, the robot stood outside the shadows cast by the buildings, unaware of his presence... scanning the wrong alley. Strange... the robot seemed... stupid. Holding back his urge to tear the creature limb from limb, Robin snuck up behind it, stealthily reaching his arms out. In one quick motion, he pulled it back into the shadows. An electronic spark illuminated the darkness for a moment as he severed the robot's circuits.

Robin let out a breath as he examined the fallen android. Slade usually left messages of some kind with these things, but there was nothing; no voice recording, no video... it just laid down and died. Standing up, Robin looked around the empty lot, knowing the absence of clues meant one thing... he wouldn't be far. Unwilling to wait any longer, Robin simply stepped out into the light, brandishing his staff.

"Good..." came a calm voice from somewhere in the dark, "You know me well, don't you?"

Narrowing his eyes, Robin clenched his staff. That voice had nearly struck fear into him... but now, it only served to intensify his anger. Turning around, Robin swung his staff through the air, making contact. He growled under his breath as that cold gray eye stared at him from behind the shadows. His staff had been stopped, caught strongly in Slade's iron grip.

"I know you have something to do with this!" Robin glared, "Where is she!" he demanded. Hearing no answer, Robin attempted to swing a punch toward that infuriating masked face with his free hand. With that attack stopped, Robin found himself pulled into the shadows and slammed up against the wall, the force causing him to drop his staff.

"Relax boy. If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it by now." Slade sounded no less calm. Gritting his teeth, Robin lifted his feet up and dealt a kick to Slade's stomach. While his enemy attempted to recover, Robin took no time in delivering another blow. Rushing up, he landed a powerful punch to the copper and black mask. With a grunt, Slade fell to the ground. Quickly, Robin recovered his staff and advanced on his opponent once again. Before Slade could sit up or even move, Robin slammed him back to the ground, pressing the staff against his neck.

"And if I wanted to kill you, I could do it right now!" Robin glared up close, pressing harder against the staff. 'Would you...?' Robin could hardly believe the threat he had just issued... it terrified him.

"I... know the man... you're looking for..." Slade choked.

"What?" shocked, Robin loosened his grip a little. Slade took this opportunity to grab Robin's staff and kick him away. Propelled several feet, Robin tumbled to the ground, cursing himself along the way.

Slade coughed while he stood up from the cracked and weathered asphalt, "Now..." he stretched his neck, dropping Robin's staff which then landed noisily against a section of steel grating, "I have a proposition for you."

- - - - - -

"Um... sorry." Raven apologized after quickly resetting Beast Boy's uniform, a bead of sweat forming on her temple.

"Ah, that's better." Beast Boy tugged at the collar of his shirt. Suddenly appearing deathly serious, he turned to Cyborg who was standing next to the trunk of the T-Car, "What should we do?" he asked.

"We should split up like Robin said, but..." Cyborg pointed into the trunk, looking worried. Beast Boy and Raven joined him at the back of the car, unsure of what they were supposed to be seeing.

"There's nothing..." said Raven, pulling her hood on.

"Exactly..." replied Cyborg, shutting the trunk, "Star's things were in there too, and now they're just... gone." Cyborg and the others looked over to the city, "...I have a bad feeling about this." he narrowed his eyes. Before anything else could be said, the communicator on Cyborg's arm activated.

"Titans, I need all of you down here, right now." came Robin's voice, sounding urgent. Immediately, the communication cut off. Cyborg looked at the panel on his arm, figuring out where the transmission had originated.

"Sounds like Robin found something." Cyborg quickly rushed over and stepped into the driver's seat, "Let's go." he said, closing the door. Without hesitation, Beast Boy entered through the passenger door and Raven took a seat in the back. Now unimportant, their discarded clothes remained lying in the parking lot.

As Cyborg sped the car into motion, Beast Boy looked out the window toward the dark violet ocean. Perfectly on cue, several clouds had gathered over the sea, statically blocking out the stars, some finding their way in front of the moon. A great deal of the crowd now stood at the edge of the parking lot, watching with shock and confusion as they drove away. 'It's not fair...' he thought. He never wanted anything bad to happen to his friends, and Starfire seemed the least deserving of such a thing. Beast Boy swallowed painfully, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt strike him on the shoulders... this might not have happened if he didn't suggest going to that party. In more than a big way... he felt at fault.

"Don't blame yourself..." came Raven's voice from the seat behind him, "There's no way you could have known... no way any of us could have known." she attempted to console him. Though she would never read any of her friends' minds without permission or viable reason, she could still sense the immense guilt emanating from his position. Despite her words of reassurance, Raven felt a certain responsibility as well... She was supposed to be the clairvoyant one, she was sitting right next to where it happened... and yet, she didn't see it coming.

Cyborg looked over to Beast Boy and Raven, then back to the road, contemplating the events that had transpired. Those few seconds before his two friends were pulled away into the water remained emblazoned on the forefront of his mind. The moment he saw those ropes take hold of Starfire, he dropped his plate to the ground and forced his way through the crowd. Though he tried with all his might to race down the stretch of boardwalk, his feet couldn't seem to move fast enough as both Robin and Starfire were torn away mere seconds before he could help. He knew now that each of them felt responsible in some way. That said, he couldn't imagine how Robin must have felt... having injury added to insult.

Taking in a deep breath and exhaling through his nose, Cyborg decided to keep up morale, "I'm sure Star's gonna be fine... she's strong. Besides, Robin might have already found her." he said, cringing at that last part. If he had found Starfire... in what condition had he found her? His communication sounded too urgent to be good news...

"You guys are right." Beast Boy brightened up, "I'm not saying we should stop for gas or anything, but... I bet Starfire's gonna save herself before we even get the chance."

"Uh, BB... She's electric." Cyborg replied, tapping on the front panel, "But I get your point." he smirked. As he turned down another street, something caught Cyborg's eye on the dashboard's monitor. "This is the place." he said, bringing the car to a stop just beside the sidewalk. After everyone stepped out of the car, Cyborg examined the area for a moment and looked at the panel on his arm, "In there." he said, pointing to a shaded alley between two tall buildings.

With Cyborg at point and Beast Boy in the middle, Raven brought up the rear as they all entered the alley in a line. Looking into the darkness ahead, she sensed something strange... familiar. A presence aside from Robin she couldn't quite identify... its intentions were difficult to discern as well.

Cautious as anyone would be while walking through an alley in the seedy end of town, Cyborg kept his cannon aimed forward as he guided the team along. Immediately, he lowered his guard as a familiar figure came into view. Robin was standing in the middle of an open space where the alley led, made visible by the moonlight.

"Hey..." Cyborg looked around the empty lot in slight confusion, "What'd you call us down here for?" he asked, walking up to Robin who remained oddly still, his expression seeming almost angry. Suddenly, from the shadows emerged a man they knew all too well. Now in the immediate light, Slade stood tall behind Robin, his arms held aft his back, that single piercing eye looking out upon the shocked Titans. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven stood in stunned silence for a moment, feeling as though they were seeing a ghost. Quickly snapping out of it, Cyborg charged his cannon and held it forward, "Robin look out! It's--"

"I know..." Robin replied despondently, motioning for Cyborg to lower his weapon.

"What is this?" Cyborg glared, grinding his teeth.

"A truce." Slade stepped forward, now standing directly in Cyborg's line of sight, almost daring him to fire. "I know something about the people who took your friend." he spoke again, though Cyborg tuned out nearly every word.

"Robin, you can't seriously be trusting this guy! You forget what he did to you?" Cyborg asked, looking beyond Slade, keeping his aim locked tightly. Standing beside Cyborg, Beast Boy remained ready to change forms on a moment's notice. Slightly behind the others, Raven looked elsewhere as Slade's eye seemed to be keeping its attention on her.

"We have no choice. He's our only lead... if we don't trust him, we'll have nowhere to look." Robin answered, sounding as though he was spitting out his words in pure disgust.

Sighing, Cyborg reluctantly lowered his cannon to Beast Boy's surprise. Robin was right; there were no other leads... and they were desperate. "What's the deal?" Cyborg questioned as Robin walked around and joined the others.

"Just like last time." Slade eyed each of the Titans, "You help me... and I help you."

"If you're lying to us, your little... truce ends here." Robin spoke up, giving Slade a penetrating glare to show he was being serious.

"I have no reason to lie."

"So... You know where they're taking Star?" Cyborg asked, unable to believe he was talking to Slade as though he was... human.

"No." Slade spoke in a sedated tone, his strange reply causing the Titans to raise their guard, "But I know who does." he continued, turning his entire person to face Raven who was almost hiding at the fringes of the group.

"What... What are you talking about?" Raven looked at him angrily in response, cringing as that stony eye simply stared back without faltering. Suddenly, Raven felt a surge of pain rush through her mind; various images and sounds began to plague her immediate thoughts. Falling to her knees, she held her head in her hands, gritting her teeth from the shock. Slade looked down without feeling, as though he was expecting this.

"Raven?" Beast Boy joined the others at Raven's side as she attempted to steady herself. Looking to Slade, Beast Boy stood up and rushed toward him. Grabbing the man by the collar, he pulled him down to his height and growled fiercely, "What did you do!" he demanded.

Slade remained unshaken, "I did nothing." he narrowed his eye at the angry child in front of him, "Perhaps you should ask her what she has been keeping from you." he said, turning his attention to Raven once again.

Shakily, as though he had only now realized what he was doing, Beast Boy released Slade from his grasp and backed away, turning around, "Raven?" he asked worriedly.

Walking up to Raven, who remained on her knees trying to quell the pain, Slade lowered himself to speak into her right ear, "Several days ago you came into contact with a strange child..." he stood up, beginning to walk around her in an unnerving fashion, "Ever since, your mind has been assaulted by the voices of those who are like her... No doubt you have tried to pass these instances off as mere nightmares." now at her left side, he knelt down once again, watched warily by the Titans. Seeing this, Beast Boy felt as though he might be taken over by rage at any moment. "But these voices are very real, and you know it... listen to their sorrow... Your friend--"

"Hey!" Cyborg lifted Slade up by the shoulder and held him away from Raven, "Back off." he growled.

"No." Raven stood up from her position, keeping one hand on her forehead, "He's right..." she breathed heavily. "I never told you... but that is what happened..." she turned to face the others with regret. Before the Titans could console her, Raven winced as a familiar presence quickly came to her mind, "Starfire!" she shouted, her eyes closed, "I... sense her... far away."

"Where!" Slade pushed past Cyborg, "Tell me!" he demanded, stopping his advancement as Robin gave him a threatening glance.

"The ocean..." Raven answered, putting all the signs together in her mind.

"I saw them take her into the city. Are you sure about this?" Robin asked, attempting to look Raven in the eyes for confirmation.

"A ruse... to slow us down. I'm positive... I'll be able to get an exact location if we take the sub." she said, opening her eyes and finally relaxing her breath. Walking up to her side, Beast Boy put a hand on Raven's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, though he knew he could never truly understand. Looking over to Beast Boy, Raven showed a thankful expression.

"Alright, let's move." nodded Robin. Paying no attention to Slade, he began to lead the Titans back to the alley.

Beast Boy helped Raven walk, surprised at her acceptance of his aid. Cyborg stayed at the back, watching Slade from the corner of his eye, "You're staying here." he stated plainly.

Slade narrowed his eye, "No!" he growled, running forward after them.

Quickly, Cyborg turned around and aimed his cannon directly at Slade's face, stopping him in his tracks, "Try me." he dared. Slade had never hurt him like the others... but it was the fact the he had caused everyone else so much pain that drove Cyborg to this point.

"I know the leader of this group." Slade remained unshaken, "I know his weaknesses... his faults. I can help you get past his defenses. It would be foolish to refuse my help."

"Why should we believe you?" Cyborg questioned.

Slade looked beyond Cyborg's cannon to all the Titans, "You know the monster..." he reached for the bottom of his mask, "I think it's time you met the man." Seeing what his actions seemed to suggest, the Titans looked on in disbelief. In one quick motion, Slade pulled the entirety of his mask away, dropping it on the ground where the faceplate tapped metallically on impact.

With wide eyes, Robin looked upon the face he had wondered about for so long... the face that had haunted and infuriated him with its absence. After all this time, simply standing there... was a man he had absolutely no recognition of. Slade's features were aged. His face described that of a man in his early fifties; short graying hair, leathery pale skin, and the stubble of a beard on his strong chin. His one eye was no longer as frightening... though an odd cobalt color, it was simply the eye of a human man. On the right side of his face was a plain black eyepatch, held in place by a thin length of fabric which stretched diagonally around his head, covering the area where an eye once resided. The Titans' greatest enemy, Slade, was finally unmasked... but the man was no less a mystery than the monster.

"Who are you?" looking back, Robin spoke nearly under his breath.

Slade stared down the barrel of Cyborg's cannon, no fear in his expression, "I died... and fought through Hell to live again." his voice remained just as low and imposing, "A situation like that tends to change a person in ways you could not imagine." he said, looking Cyborg directly in the eye, "My name is Slade Wilson."

"What's your stake in all this?" Cyborg felt his arm beginning to shake.

"My reasons are my own, but I will fight until my death to defend them. I can help you, and as long as your friend is saved, what do my intentions matter to you?"

Cyborg looked forward for a moment, contemplating Slade's words, "...Come on." he lowered his cannon and turned around, "We're wasting time."

- - - - - -

Distant splashes of water could be heard in the darkness, lapping up against stone walls. The room was cavernous, as evidenced by the echo of each footstep against the metal flooring. With a loud electric clack, rows of white lights across the tall ceiling hurried away the shadows, illuminating the underwater docking bay at Titans Tower.

Taking his hand from the light switch, Robin looked across the room to the large vehicle situated in a square pool at one end of the large room. The T-Sub's orange body supported five separate compartments where the Titans would normally find themselves when a mission called them to the water. Robin looked over his shoulder... the old man known as Slade remained at the back of the group, a certain determination in his eye. It unnerved him to know that someone who seemed intent on destroying the Titans so many times before had been led freely into their home. He had made a deal with the devil... for Starfire's sake; a fact that made him feel better about it, though he shuddered to think of what they would be helping Slade with.

Followed by the others, Robin walked along a jetty which led to the pilot's seat. Stepping into the vehicle, he said nothing and closed the shielding over himself, watching as the others entered their seats. Slade stood at the edge for a moment, waiting for the Titans to find their places; in one bound, he leapt over the water and landed in the last vacant compartment's seat, the shielding closing over him afterward. It was odd for the Titans to see such an aged man perform a feat like that... but Slade was no ordinary man, after all.

Starting up the sub, Robin clenched the steering mechanism, turning the machine around to face the exit. As he submerged the vehicle underwater, the mouth of a long circular tunnel came into view. Starting up the sub's engines, Robin sped it into motion through the shaft. The farther into the tunnel they proceeded, the darker it became, though the sub's way was illuminated by bright lights at its front. Water could be heard from beneath the shielding, passing by like wind as the machine increased speed. In one instant, the adjacent sounds halted, replaced by distant crushing currents; the open ocean.

Seeing the legs of the connecting bridge in the hazy distance, Robin directed the submarine toward them, "Raven." he called through the speaker.

Raven closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, focusing her mind on Starfire's location, "South-west, out of the bay." she opened her eyes. Raven couldn't ignore the fact that some fragment of Starfire's mind was now connected with hers. She wouldn't have known where to look otherwise, so she was thankful for that... but it was unnerving. Why had Starfire suddenly appeared to her...? She had never read Starfire's mind... it should have been impossible.

For quite a long time, as Robin guided the ship out into the ocean, it remained deathly quiet in the ship. Not even Beast Boy had something to say; in fact, his attention seemed remarkably preoccupied. Minutes passed and the continent was left far behind, invisible now through the fog of water.

Before long, Robin pressed down on one of the communication links, realizing with a sunken heart that it was Starfire's... "Slade, we'll need information about The Tempest. Tell us what you know." he said, unwilling to speak to that man any longer than he had to.

Beast Boy grew impatient as Slade remained silent for a few moments, "Y'know... this thing has ejector seats." he spoke to Slade, looking gruffly across the way to his compartment.

Slade furrowed his brow and paid no attention to Beast Boy, "The Tempest is led by a man who calls himself Grey. They are more of an army than anything else... I know you've encountered several of his... soldiers. They have one goal; quite an ambitious one at that..." he paused for a moment, "Purification; the total annihilation of every human life on this planet."

"What?" came the shocked reactions of each Titan. Suddenly their little ship floating under the ocean seemed a great deal smaller.

"All those except his chosen few... his children."

"How can they do that? Is that even possible?" Cyborg asked. A lot of sickos talked big like that, but none had ever pulled it off.

"Vengeance is a powerful thing..." Slade answered vaguely, "It takes hold and drives a person to lose sight of their intentions. Anger can shift focus from a single person to the rest of the world when driven by that blinding state of mind."

Though Slade was looking away, Beast Boy glared angrily at him through the glass, 'How can he talk like that...? After everything he's done.' he thought, gritting his teeth. Turning her attention to Beast Boy, Raven saw the pure anger in his eyes... Seeing Slade again was bringing back certain memories for him; memories that can't simply be erased. She knew of course that it wasn't just Beast Boy who was feeling this way... everyone had a grudge against the man in some form. Close to the surface of the water, Raven noticed several small silhouettes pass by, rushing in the opposite direction of the T-Sub.

"How are we going to recognize this place?" Robin asked over the communication links, watching curiously as something quickly passed by the sub's lights in opposition to their heading.

"We should probably move up to the surface. There's plenty of light from the moon, so if anything's on the horizon, we won't miss it." Cyborg suggested, pointing upward to where a distorted silver light could be seen penetrating the dark waters.

"Right." Robin pulled back on the controls and the ship began ascending to the surface. As they moved further up, a large school of fish rushed by like leaves in the wind, nearly slamming into the shielding, causing everyone to turn their attention to it. The bright light of the full moon reflecting off of the open ocean became evident as the ship finally broke the surface, emerging from the waves to swiftly glide across them. To the east, a sliver of a sunrise could be seen as well. As the Titans turned their eyes away from the back of the ship, each was met with a sight that shook them to the core. Even Slade had to narrow his eye at what interrupted the horizon in the distance.

"Then again... I guess it's pretty hard to miss that..." Beast Boy commented with an open jaw.

An unsure distance away, swirling on the otherwise empty horizon like a tornado, was a massive tower of water, uplifted by some unknown force. Strangely enough, with the lack of cloud cover it couldn't have been a storm, though the wind that battered the glass and accelerated the waves seemed to signify nothing else. Surreal... like a nightmare, the colossal dark tower constantly hurled seawater outward as it twisted the ocean and pulled the waves to its peak.

"What... is that?" Robin glared out at the massive apparition. It was strange... the whole situation seemed so much bigger than Grey had implied with his threats. The tower stood like a demon, preparing itself to execute an onslaught... A sinister message; something dark and unsettling laid in wait. 'Starfire's in there...' without thought, Robin increased the ship's speed, causing it to bump against and leap across the waves.

"Robin! What are you doing?" Cyborg held on to the walls of his compartment as the ship began to shake, "You aren't seriously thinking of breaking through that thing, are you? The ship'll get ripped to shreds!"

"You know any other way in?" Robin increased the speed even more. Immense drops of water began splashing against the glass like rocks as the demon in the distance grew ever closer.

"You're crazy!" Cyborg shouted over the constant noise.

Even more frightening up close, the water could be seen as it was torn up from the depths, looking razor sharp as it violently scaled the tower, making the sound of a thousand waterfalls. As the distance became critical, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven held on to the walls, unsure of what was going to happen. Despite the others' frightened attitudes, Robin, and unbeknownst to him, Slade, simply glared at the wall of dark water, daring it to do its worst.

Immediately, the rushing water slammed against the side of the ship, shaking the body and drowning out Cyborg's protests with a deafening crash. Within the swirling mass all light was nearly extinguished and the tremendous force constantly rocked the ship, pummeling it from the side relentlessly. Robin kept the ship steady as he attempted to guide it haphazardly through the torrent. Nearly as soon as it had begun, the sounds halted and quickly faded into the distance behind the them. The ship had successfully broken through the twister; several feet higher than upon its entry, the airborne sub soared above the water, descended, and crashed back into the ocean.

"Are we dead yet?" Beast Boy asked, protecting his head with his arms. Cautiously opening his eyes, he looked around to see a severely darkened area... shadows cast by the interior of the spiral.

As the ship continued to speed along, the Titans noticed the wind no longer fought against the shielding as fiercely; all had been brought to a deadly calm. Robin looked around the enclosed area, squinting through the shadows. Minuscule in comparison to the raging storm that contained it, a large dark object was situated in the perfect center.

"What is that?" Cyborg questioned, noticing the building-sized object, "An oil rig? ...No, we're too far out in the ocean..." he said, checking the latitude and longitude readout on his arm.

"That's where we're heading." Robin sped up the ship once again.

As the ship approached the massive object, it was revealed to be a towering circular facility. Several levels high, it extended up from an uncertain distance beneath the ocean, though at this distance from the continent, the facility would have to be floating. It's metal walls were dark gray and showed signs of age... it had been there for quite some time. There were no lights of any sort to identify sections inside. The building was smaller in radius toward the center, supporting a massive plate above, intensifying the shadows beneath it.

Robin navigated the ship around the facility's cylindrical base until something caught his eye. A sea-level platform extended out from a large darkened area at the foundation. The entrance. Pulling the ship toward base, Robin finally brought it to a stop, parallel to the metal extension. Before anyone dared to make a move, all examined the immense structure in frightened awe. With the click of a button, Robin raised the shielding from each compartment and the vast emptiness caved in upon them. There was an eery quiet, save for the rush of the twisted water in the distance and the splash of small waves against the walkway. Though the air was still, it was cold and chilled each Titan to the bone. Leaping over the gap, Robin looked back as the others followed him, Slade lastly, taking his time to look bitterly upon the dark tower.

"So... Starfire's in there somewhere?" Beast Boy asked, turning away from ship to face Raven.

Closing her eyes, Raven took in a deep breath and focused her mind on the tower, "Yes... but there are other voices as well... I can't tell where hers is originating from..." she finished, opening her eyes to look at the dark entryway.

"We gotta go in." said Cyborg, activating a bright light on his shoulder. With that, everyone began following Cyborg and Robin toward the entrance.

"Slade. What do you know about this place?" Robin asked from the front of the group without turning around.

From the back of the group, Slade looked up to the looming mass that stretched out above them, his eye narrowed, "I don't know what this place is..." he said, finally looking back to the Titans. "But Grey is arrogant and often overconfident..." Slade's speech reverberated as they passed through the threshold, Cyborg's light revealing it to be a long hallway, "I trust he has no security systems in place, or guards to protect the entrance. We should pass through here undetected."

"How do you know this guy?" Beast Boy questioned, looking at Slade from the corner of his eye.

"That is my business." Slade answered plainly, "You shouldn't waste time with such questions. Innocent lives are in danger--" with a loud thud, Slade was pushed back several feet, causing everyone to stop and turn back to see what happened.

"You're so full of it!" Beast Boy shouted, facing Slade, his arm held forward after throwing a punch. "How can you talk like that after what you've done to my friends! You make me sick!"

As though the punch hadn't affected him at all, Slade turned his head to face Beast Boy, an enigmatic look on his face as he walked forward. Stopping in front of Beast Boy, Slade looked down only to find the boy glaring back up at him, no fear in his eyes. "I have done nothing forgivable in my life." he spoke in his calm tone of voice, "Yes, my hands are stained with blood, and I have no regrets. So fight me if you must, though it won't change anything." at that, Beast Boy sighed and unclenched his fists, "I'm not seeking forgiveness from any of you, nor do I want or deserve it. My goal is somewhere in this place, and I will reach it either with you... or through you." Slade narrowed his eye threateningly. Hearing this, all the Titans readied themselves for a fight.

Beast Boy glared into Slade's cold eye, seeing it blink once, "Tch," he turned around to face the hallway once again, "Don't bother..." he spoke to the others, "He said so himself... he's not worth it." Reluctantly, the Titans continued on their way down the corridor. Raven walked beside Beast Boy, sensing something from him; whatever anger he had before was gone now... it made her wonder what he had seen in Slade's eye.

After traveling a great distance down the lengthy hallway, Robin came to a stop with the others as the corridor split off into three different directions. Here, the corridors were dimly lit by several small lights lining the places where the walls met the floor. "We should split up. Look for Starfire separately." he said, turning around to face the others; Slade remained a good distance behind everyone. "Beast Boy, Raven. Take the right corridor." at his order, Beast Boy and Raven turned to face the hallway. "I'll go left. And Cyborg... follow Slade."

For a moment, Cyborg gave his leader a confused look, but once it dawned on him what Robin wanted, he nodded in agreement, "Right." he said. 'Recon. I'll find out what he's really up to.' Cyborg thought, looking back to Slade who didn't seem to have heard anything. He would have to leave finding Starfire up to the others, but at least this way he could keep a close eye on a potential threat.

Passing by, Slade looked into the separation of halls, 'Not that way...' he thought. Looking straight ahead, he smirked slightly, "This is where we part ways." he said, walking on into the dark corridor.

"It just so happens that I'm goin' down this hall too." Cyborg caught up to Slade, "Got a problem with that?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Robin, Beast Boy, and Raven watched as Cyborg and Slade disappeared into the darkness. "Contact me if you find her." said Robin, quickly turning around to rush down the left hall.

Staying on their guard as they were left alone in the darkness, Raven and Beast Boy looked into the hallway. As they started on their way, the echoes of their footsteps sounded much more prominent than before, bouncing off the metal walls. The tiny lights that lined the floor allowed for vague illumination; hardly helpful, though it managed to give them an idea of where the corridor was going.

Remembering what Beast Boy had said to Slade at the entrance, Raven turned her attention to him, "Why did you... let him go like that?" Raven asked, "You looked like you were ready to fight him."

To Raven's surprise, Beast Boy let out a chuckle and rested his hands behind his head as he walked forward, "I know a little something about animals. You can tell what someone is thinking. It's all in the eyes." he said.

"And... what did you see?" Raven asked, curious as to why Beast Boy wouldn't still be angry after what Slade said.

"He blinked, right after threatening me." Beast Boy examined the hallway carefully for any turns, "That means he was lying... He wouldn't have done it, even if I pushed him further. He's not the same person as before... something changed him."

Raven smirked slightly, "You've grown a lot... you know that?"

"I have? Do I look taller or something?" he asked with a playful grin.

"Then again... I could be wrong." Raven rolled her eyes at his joke, picking up her pace, now slightly ahead of Beast Boy. Amused, she scanned around the hallway as they moved along.

"Come on, I was just--AAAAAAH!"

"Beast Boy?" Raven turned around to see his green form fall through the ground, his shouts echoing from a hole that had opened up in the floor; a trap. Quickly, Raven leapt into the opening and flew down after Beast Boy, holding her hand out toward him.

Beast Boy, too surprised to think of morphing into a bird, felt the narrow walls of the pitfall scrape against his shoulder, slowing him down slightly. Soon enough, the walls disappeared, and Beast Boy found himself falling into a vast empty blackness. With a metallic thud, he hit the ground along with the piece of flooring that had given way beneath him.

"Ouch..." said Beast Boy groggily, massaging his head as he sat up.

Hurriedly levitating down to the floor, Raven landed beside Beast Boy and helped him to his feet, "Are you... okay?" she asked, squinting her eyes, unable to see him completely in the darkness.

"Yeah, I think--" he stopped as strange noises erupted from within the shadows.

- - - - - -

Breathing heavily as he rushed down the seemingly endless hallway, Robin kept an eye on the indistinctly lit walls, looking for any turns or staircases. He had put on a strong face for the others, acting like he always would during times like these, but inside he was falling apart. The others didn't know what Grey had told him... the threats he had given. It was for these reasons that Robin feared for Starfire's life more than anything.

Looking up, Robin spotted the end of the corridor which led into a large room, brightly lit in comparison to the hall. Slowing down as he exited the hallway, Robin looked around at the cavernous room. The ceiling was extremely high and held in place rows and columns of lights. Other than the lights, the room was completely empty, having the same aged steel walls of the rest of the strange facility. Seeing another hallway on the other side of the room, Robin made a break for it.

Making it to the mouth of the hall, Robin stopped as he heard a familiar sound whistling through the air... in his direction. Grabbing the fringe of his cape, Robin spun around and blocked with it, knocking the noisy projectile away from himself. Deflected, the glowing green ball of energy struck a wall to Robin's side with a loud and ground-shaking explosion. Identifying his attacker, Robin let go of his cape, eyes widening with disbelief.


Author's Note: Sorry for delaying this one so long; between GED testing and several art projects, I had barely any time on my hands.

So, anyway. Yep, it's another cliffhanger, hehe XD. I'll leave you to speculate as to who the attacker is, but I'm sure you've already come to the shocking conclusion. In the next chapter, I'll reveal why Slade wanted to find the place so bad; I'll just say... it's going to be an interesting turn of events. Phew, just a couple more chapters and I'll be finished with this monster; I've never written anything this long before, and it feels good to have gotten this far with it; like climbing a mountain.

Also, I'd really like to thank everyone who reviewed last time. It broke the previous record of 26 reviews as the highest count for a chapter I've written. The count for chapter 18 was... (insert drumroll here) 27 reviews! Hehe, I know it doesn't sound like much, but my gratitude goes out to all of you!

Next Chapter Preview: Deep within the facility, Robin is forced into a battle with the last person he expected, but with his emotions holding him back, can he bring himself to fight? Cyborg learns of Slade's true intentions, and a secret is revealed regarding a mysterious child. Trapped in the lower levels, Beast Boy and Raven encounter the full force of The Tempest; and when Beast Boy becomes injured, Raven makes a choice that jeopardizes her own life to save his. Day 10, Part Two: Love, Blood, and Sacrifice.