Chapter 11
Having finished Gizmo, Beast Boy paused for a moment wondering if anything would happen. When nothing did he realized, "There's no doubt about Slade and Brother Blood's role in this. I don't feel different."
The changeling turned, ready to take on the cybernetic headmaster.
The T-car screeched to a halt once Cyborg slammed on the brakes. Kid Flash stopped while Starfire hovered just inches off the ground. Both waited as Cyborg and the others stepped from the T-car. Omen was still unconscious from Jinx's cheap shot, so she was left in the back seat. Cyborg secured the vehicle with lock and alarm. Then he activated a cloaking device and the car faded to invisibility. Only his electronic eye could see it with the proper adjustments.
"What do we do about going in?" queried Cyborg.
"Well, no doubt they're expecting us," Robin began. "We'll split up. Starfire, you search for a way in from the roof. Kid Flash, take the south entrance, Cyborg and Magenta take the east and west entrances respectfully and meet each other in the middle. I'll come from the north.
"Anyone who gets in a scuffle should radio for backup. We are up against the entire school. Don't fight anyone alone…" Robin focused on Cyborg. "And I mean anyone."
"Hey, I beat Blood once." Cyborg defended.
"He'll have help, Cy."
"Fine," Cyborg sighed.
A tremendous roar caused each titan to abruptly turn toward the direction from which it came. Their attention was drawn to the south end of the school.
"Uh, guys," began a nervous Cyborg. "That was a dino roar."
"Beast Boy!" cried Robin. "Titans go!"
Slade stood in the shadows, watching Beast Boy battle Gizmo. He noticed the raven was perched and observing the skirmish, seemingly oblivious to Slade's presence. Slade readied his snare when he heard Beast Boy's declaration to Gizmo about meat. With the slightest turn of his head, his single eye was drawn to the changeling's transformation to a tyrannosaurus. There was the slightest hint of surprise in that eye.
At the sound of the tyrannosaurus' roar, Slade fired the snare and trapped the raven. "Gotcha!" He retracted the line to the snare and hurried away with the trap. The sadistic criminal looked to see if Beast Boy had noticed. The dinosaur was busy finishing Gizmo and unaware of Slade's action.
As he carried the raven away, Slade turned the snare so he could study it. He saw something just above the beak and stopped. "Hmm," he said and paused. "I see you have a red jewel as she did. Raven, has your bond with Beast Boy only brought this close to him, dear girl?" He continued walking and ignored the bird's glare. "His mission shall forever remain incomplete. I have plans for him."
Blood watched the snare catch the bird. "Finally," he thought. His attention returned briefly to Gizmo's demise as the remains were chewed up and spit out. The headmaster was ready to turn and leave but two things caught his attention: one was that Beast Boy was human again and looking deathly at him. The second thing he noticed was the detail of the floor below.
The deceased student body was spread all over except in one place, and that was around Beast Boy. Oddly enough there was a pattern. The empty space in which Beast Boy stood appeared as the form of some enormous bird.
A receptor in Blood's ear broadcast the voice of Slade. "Blood, the titans are outside and coming in. I have the raven. Get down here immediately."
"I'm on my way." Brother Blood turned to leave.
He took only four steps when a green chimpanzee screeched and jumped in front of him and blocked his exit. The chimp became Beast Boy.
"You're going nowhere," the changeling snapped.
Blood was not phased by Beast Boy's threatening tone. "You would be wise to let me be. We have your bird. If you wish no harm to come to it or your very existence – or whatever it is you are – you will let me pass."
Beast Boy was surprised by this twist. "Oh yes," Blood continued. "We know all about you. Slade and I both know your strength and your weakness. If the raven were to die, you would be less than nothing, in spite of your animal skills."
"SLADE!" cried Beast Boy. In a fury, he morphed and charged in the form of a lion.
With a swift wave of Brother Blood's left arm, a powerful burst of energy sent the lion over the railing, back down to the stage below. Then Blood hurried from the balcony seats to deeper within the school.
Slade carried the caged raven through the hallways of the school, escorted by a dozen of his androids. Rapid footsteps from somewhere ahead of him could be heard.
He halted and ordered, "Stop." The bots obeyed, taking the lead.
Seconds later five titans rounded a corner. They skidded to a halt at the sight they had not expected.
"Slade, what are you doing here?" Robin demanded. "And where is Beast Boy?"
"I've formed an alliance with the H.I.V.E.," the charismatic sadist replied. "I charged them with defeating you. It was I who ordered the attack against Beast Boy and Raven. But I had not expected this. Apparently the shape-shifter carries such grief with him that he could not stay dead. Still, I have no reason to fear him." Slade held up the caged raven. "If Beast Boy values the safety of this bird, and his own existence, then he will do as I say."
"What does that bird have to do with him?" Cyborg asked.
"You don't know?" asked Slade. "Pity. I'll say this much: for what he currently is, this is his strength – his true strength. If you want it, come for it… if you can get by my guards." With that Slade turned and proceeded in another direction.
"Titan's go!" ordered Robin.
Kid Flash sped in, only to be met with a lightning-fast grip by one of the Slade-bots. It lifted him off the ground and sent a charge all over him.
"Wally!" cried Magenta.
"Oh, man, not again!" Kid Flash cried as the field held him.
"Titans, take them down!"
Beast Boy quickly recovered from the strike that sent him over the railing. He stood, morphed into a cardinal and flew to the balcony. He transformed into a cheetah and hurried after the cybernetic headmaster.
It was not long before the headmaster was in his sights. The cheetah growled.
Blood looked back and saw the charging cat. It closed in on him quickly and pounced, bringing him face to face with the floor. When the weight on his back stepped off he stood, facing the cheetah before him. It became Beast Boy again. Blood tilted his head left and right, making crackling sounds as he stretched his neck.
"I see Slade hasn't made you submissive, yet." The headmaster then spoke calmly into his mini-communicator. "Slade, Beast Boy has intercepted me. How long before you deal with the raven?"
"I am nearly ready. Can you handle him just a few more minutes?"
"Fine." Blood took a battle stance and addressed Beast Boy. "I guess I'll be holding you off until he does."
"Then come on," Beast Boy dared.
Brother Blood charged. Beast Boy never knew how lightning fast the headmaster can be. The punch surprised him as it sent him sailing several feet away to the floor. His broken jaw reset itself.
Morphing into a Sasquatch Beast Boy tried again. Blood was not intimidated. He sidestepped the behemoth and backhanded the middle its vertebral column. Beast Boy fell to the floor.
"Really, Beast Boy, such a slow creature is a poor choice for taking on me," Blood taunted. "Try something more vicious."
The Sasquatch morphed into a velociraptor. Blood was not impressed.
"Not even close."
The raptor charged and was tripped by a cybernetic leg. It screeched in anger and became Beast Boy again.
"You bore me," Blood sighed. "I don't see how you could have been any use to the titans. I don't understand why Slade wants to make you his apprentice. And I just don't understand how someone as unique as Raven could have ever loved you... if she even did."
"Oh that does it!" thought Beast Boy. "No more morphing. I'll take you on myself!" The only change he made was to his hands. His gloves gave way to beast hands and claws. "This is all I'll need."
Beast Boy charged, much faster this time. Blood felt he could easily sidestep this attack and did. But Beast Boy was not easily fooled. Instinct directed him to immediately turn and strike. Blood's metallic torso was scratched. But that single strike was scarcely the beginning as Beast Boy did not relent. He repeatedly struck and pierced the headmaster's armor. His anger brought forth a wildcat's cry each time.
Now Blood was intimidated.
In a five-against-twelve battle, the titans fought and were able to at least take out the androids' lasers. These Slade-bots were definitely modified. Slade learned the titans' strengths well. Kid Flash was still trapped and Cyborg was too occupied to aid him. The Slade-bots were too swift for Cyborg's sonic cannon. Magenta's powers were useless as she found these androids contained non-magnetic compounds. They were able to outmaneuver anything thrown at them if she used her powers on anything that is magnetic. Starfire's starbolts could not penetrate the barriers that went up each time just before impact. Robin broke through the ranks by taking down two of the Slade-bots.
"I'm going after Slade! You guys finish here. Then find the H.I.V.E. and Beast Boy!" With that Robin took off.
Nearly ten minutes after leaving the titans, Robin came upon Slade who still seemed to be walking the hallway with his back to the boy wonder.
"Slade!" Robin cried. His nemesis turned to him. "Where's Beast Boy?"
"Dealing with Brother Blood."
"Where's your cargo?"
"Are you referring to the caged raven? I don't have it."
"What's so important about it?"
"You still don't know? Too bad." With that, Slade drew out his staff and extended it. Robin did the same. "Let's go."
Robin charged and the battle began. Staffs connected, and kicks and punches were exchanged. They even grappled with each other.
At one point they locked hands. Slade took a moment to speak. "You've improved greatly Robin. Had you remained my apprentice, I would have been humbled enough to say I'm proud of you. But since you're no longer my apprentice, you'll never make me proud."
"Stuff it, Slade!" grunted Robin. He rolled back, bringing his foot into Slade's abdomen. Once he lay on the ground, he quickly brought his other foot into Slade's stomach and tossed his nemesis aside.
Robin promptly leapt to his feet and ran over to Slade who was laying face down. He quickly wrapped his left arm around Slade's throat and pulled off the mask. "Who are you?" he demanded.
Only when the mask came off there was no face. Robin grunted at the circuitry that was 'Slade.' "Not again!" He twisted the neck with a snap and dropped the disabled heap.
Robin pulled out his communicator. "This is Robin. Are you guys alright?"
A second later Cyborg spoke. "We're good, and Kid Flash is free again. What about Slade?"
"It was another imposter. Any luck on the H.I.V.E. and Beast Boy?"
"We didn't find Beast Boy, but we did find the H.I.V.E."
"Go on," prompted Robin.
"They're toast… every one of them. I'd say it was all B."
"Well we still have to find Slade and Brother Blood. Get moving. I'll find you guys. Robin out."
Slade placed the cage on a platform and clamped it down. He then stepped across the room to a control panel. "Take a look, dear Raven," he pointed.
The raven shifted itself to see where he pointed to. It was the nano-probe device.
"Do you remember that? I've reserved it especially for you. I know about the link he has with you. With the probes inside of you, Beast Boy's immortality will be in my hands. If you're hurt, so is he. If he truly cares about you, he'll let no danger come to you and become my apprentice. If he defies me… I think you know what will happen."
The bird cursed him with a harsh squawk.
"Such a temper," Slade stated coolly. He pulled the lever and the probe gun fired. The raven cried out as it was thrown at the cage bars.
Beast Boy dealt dozens of armor-piercing scratches. Blood realized how much he underestimated Beast Boy. "Enough is enough," he thought to himself. With a burst of psychic energy he shoved Beast Boy against a wall. "You've done enough. I'll have to discipline you." Using his psychic powers, Blood attempted to gain control of the changeling's mind. But there was some force preventing him from accessing Beast Boy.
Beast Boy shook it off then he charged forward. But he stopped when he felt his arm snap. Beast Boy looked at it. His arm had somehow twisted out of place, but for a moment. It reset itself. He looked back to Brother Blood who scowled and grunted. Beast Boy started forward again. Then he felt a laceration on his cheek. It healed itself. He started for Blood again.
Brother Blood realized he was not doing enough. His eyes glowed menacingly and he gritted his teeth. Repeatedly he began to inflict damage on the changeling with his powers, tearing flesh and breaking bones until Beast Boy was on the floor in a lump.
"I can do this all day, if I have to," Blood informed him. "I can prevent you from walking until Slade deals with your soul carrier. Just stay down."
Beneath his shredded uniform Beast Boy's wounds healed to bare flesh. His bones reset themselves. He did not stand up; just lifted his head to glare at the headmaster. "Forget it. I won't stay down." Beast Boy rose to his feet. His beast hands remained. Beast Boy charged.
"Have it your way," replied Blood. He sent another flesh-ripping energy assault at the shape shifter. But to his surprise, Beast Boy still advanced.
With a cry in his own voice Beast Boy pounced on Blood who landed on his back with a metallic thump. Beast Boy wrapped his left hand around the headmaster's throat as the last of his wounds closed. He raised his right hand in the air, ready to strike. His finishing move was disrupted by a heavy blow; some mysterious force that threw him from Blood.
"Oof!" the changeling grunted. His beast hands disappeared.
Brother Blood quickly recovered from the shock and stood up. He watched as Beast Boy shook his head and looked puzzled. "Now you're under our control. Can you guess what just happened?"
Ignoring him, Beast Boy slowly stood up.
Blood grinned. "Do nano-probes ring a bell?"
Beast Boy gasped.
"Your raven has been injected with them," Blood continued. "Remember how agonizing they were? Imagine how painful they will be to a little bird… and to you who will feel the raven's pain."
Beast Boy angrily gritted his teeth. The beast hands returned. With a shriller wildcat's cry and two legs energized with the speed of a cheetah, he charged.
"Slade-!" was all Brother Blood could utter. His voice was cut off as Beast Boy wrapped his hands around Blood's throat choking him, and pinned him against the wall.
"You…" Beast Boy hissed. "You… and Slade! Because of you two, I never got the chance to tell Raven I love her!"
Beast Boy then snapped Blood's neck, twisting it to the left. Making double sure the headmaster was truly dead, he slammed the human half of Blood's skull to the floor until it leaked different fluids. The red light that was Blood's left eye faded. Beast Boy abandoned the heap and morphed into a hound. He sought the scent that would lead him to Slade.
From the auditorium Cyborg had just ended his transmission to Robin when came a chilling animalistic sound. The titans looked about and heard the low echoing tone of Beast Boy's angry voice.
Starfire looked and pointed. "It comes from up there!" She hurriedly flew to the balcony and out of the auditorium.
"Robin, we're leaving the auditorium now," Cyborg transmitted. "We'll be on the upper level just outside of it."
"I'm almost there," the team leader replied.
Beast Boy rounded another corner, leaving far behind him the hallway where he abandoned the corpse of Brother Blood. A scent that just had to be Slade's was strong. The titan nemesis was through here recently. Beast Boy chased after it, until he came to a secured door in the sublevel of the school.
The changeling restored his human form and looked it over. Handprint identification was the only way he would get in. Then he spotted a narrow vent to an adjoining room, wide enough for a fly to pass through.
Crossing over into the room, the fly found himself in Slade's domain.
Starfire flew through the hallway. She discovered Blood's deceased form, then pulled out her communicator.
"Titans, Brother Blood is no more. He has been gravely damaged and terminated."
"Any sign of Beast Boy?" asked Robin.
"If he was here, he is no longer."
"We'll be right there," stated Cyborg.
Within two minutes Robin arrived, followed by the rest of the titans.
"What is Beast Boy up to?" Cyborg asked no one in particular after they all surveyed the scene and calmed down. "Why Blood and why Slade?"
"Beast Boy killed Johnny Rancid and the others for revenge," Robin realized. "Omen told me this. Slade said he ordered the attack. Brother Blood and Slade are involved in this. We have to find Slade! Beast Boy will be going for him now. Let's split up and find them."
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