What's this? Is it a chapter, so soon after the previous one? Why yes, I believe the author got off her lazy butt and typed up a new chapter!
Ok, joking aside, it seemed like the general idea was the Hive first, to lead up to the al Ghuls. So, yeah. Enjoy the chap!
DISCLAIMER: So... tired... of... doing... these...
"You're kidding." Renegade deadpanned. "The Hive Five? That's your super-important villain meeting?"
"No." Slade said in a 'duh' tone of voice. "That's the meeting before my 'super-important villain meeting'. This is more of a routine meeting."
"But why?" Renegade demanded. "They're a joke, even more so since Jinx left. They can hardly get along anymore."
"Yes." Slade sighed. "A shame. However, they are perfectly capable of distracting the Titans for a few hours while we travel. And didn't they defeat your team a few times?"
"Yeah, yeah, but mostly back in the early days when we were still working things out." Renegade was curious about the 'travel', but decided to file it away in favor of pursuing the current avenue of conversation. "You do realize it's not just the Titans anymore, right? This is a League thing too. How're you going to distract them?" Slade waved that issue aside. "I'm sure that they're not watching very closely." He dismissed. "I doubt they'll catch us." Right. Renegade thought. Because Batman totally doesn't have every camera, spy and any other possible source pointed at finding us. Uh huh. "In any case," Slade continued, "they'll be here in a minute. You don't need to be there for this meeting if you don't want to, but next meeting you will be coming." Renegade nodded. "Is there a way I can listen in without actually being there?" He wondered. "I'd rather not have to participate this time." "I'll set up some cameras, then."
Sure enough, when the Hive arrived, Renegade was lounging in the monitor room where he and Slade had watched the Titans through the spy cameras. He was watching the proceedings in the meeting room with interest; he'd never seen how the 'other side' operated, behind the scenes. It turned out that some of the Hive hadn't actually come, just Gizmo, Billy Numerous, and See-more. They sat nervously at the table in the room, waiting for Slade to enter. Renegade snickered slightly; Slade enjoyed making an entrance almost as much as Bruce did. Briefly, he wondered why he was always stuck with the unfriendly, overdramatic, bad-at-expressing-emotions would-be fathers. It seemed like he would be stuck with people like that for the rest of his life. If not Bruce, then Slade.
He inspected the villain team for a moment. Would this be how he would have ended up, if Bruce hadn't taken him in? A two-bit criminal on a team with other villains trying to make their way in the world? The thought for a moment. Nah. He thought. At the very least, I would be a gang lord in Gotham or something. Putting that thought aside, he eyed Gizmo's equipment with a slight smirk. Well, he'd wanted to do something for a long time, why not do it now? His smirk widened as he pulled out his hacking equipment.
In the meeting room, the Hive- or the part of it that was there, anyway- were getting a little impatient. Patience wasn't really their strong suit, unfortunately, which had gotten them into a few messes. Then again, that should be expected, with an (albeit fairly brilliant) kid like Gizmo. Which was why they brought See-more, who had been branded as the most mature one after Jinx left. There wasn't much of a competition.
"Where is he?" Gizmo demanded. "We've been sitting here for forever!"
"It's been ten minutes, Gizmo." See-more replied. This was going to be a long day.
"Yeah, bu' if Slade called us here for a meetin', he shoulda at least showed up on time." Billy Numerous complained.
"Yeah." Billy Numerous clone #1 agreed.
"This is jus' disrespectful." Billy Numerous clone #2 added.
"I say ya'll should just shut up already." The original Billy said.
"I think we should stop insulting the guy who's base we're in right now." See-more suggested.
"An excellent suggestion." A voice came from the shadows. The Hive jumped.
"Told you." See-more whispered.
Slade chuckled, coming out of the shadows.
In the monitor room, Renegade rolled his eyes. More dramatics. He looked back down at the tablet in his hand and kept working on what he was doing, barely listening to the rest of the meeting. Blah, blah, blah, intimidation, blah, blah, blah, cowering-in-terror, blah, business proposal, I-don't-know-if-you-can-handle-it, blah, blah, just-don't-kill-us, blah, blah, blah. Boring. Thank god he didn't actually have to be there. He'd probably go insane if he had to sit there. Hopefully, the next meeting would be better.
In the mean time, he had hacking to do.
Slade was just finishing up with the Hive when Gizmo's 'backpack' started to act up. First, the mechanical spider legs the boy seemed so fond of using due to his… vertical challenges came out, almost impaling Billy Numerous. Then, a few of its miniature rocket-things went off in the room, causing everyone to duck for cover.
"I would advise you to get your technology under control, Gizmo." Slade said, deadly calm. The Hive members shuddered. "Gizmo, stop it." See-more said urgently.
"I'm trying!" Gizmo shouted. He was typing frantically at the controls while his tech sparked and continued to malfunction. "Some bleat-brain's messing with my tech!" Despite all of his efforts, he didn't seem to be able to get control back over his equipment. If anything, it got worse.
"Well." Slade said, standing up during a momentary lull in the chaos. "Once you get your technology under control, Gizmo, I'm sure you can find your way out. Good day." He strode regally out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, Gizmo's tech let out a few more missiles. "Help!" See-more yelped.
Slade walked a little down the hallway before giving up and letting out a chuckle. Oh, the expressions on their faces… he continued on to the monitor room where Renegade greeted him, feet up on the keyboard of the computer, laughing at the scene in the meeting room. He had a satisfied smirk and was typing on a small tablet in his hand. He looked up and back at Slade. "Think I should give them a break?" He smirked. Slade looked at him for a moment before settling on a chair next to him. "I think this is too amusing to stop." He smirked back. "How are you doing this?"
Renegade shrugged. "Hacked his tech. It wasn't difficult. Took about 5 minutes, which is shamefully slow for me."
Slade stared at him. My god. He thought. I've been trying to access Gizmo's tech for years, and he does it in five minutes. "If you say so." He said slowly. He leaned back on the chair. "Keep it up another ten minutes or so." He instructed "You might as well demolish the room, I'll have to redecorate anyway."
Renegade laughed and tapped a few more buttons. The two relaxed in their chairs, watching the chaos and laughing. It felt nice. It was almost like being at home in Wayne Manor.
"Anything new?"
Batman had finally left Titans Tower… and gone immediately to the Watchtower. Superman was getting a bit worried, but knew that in all likelihood Bruce would collapse soon anyway and so didn't say anything. Instead, he did the only thing he could do- ask about Dick. Batman glanced at him.
"No." He said shortly. "Red-X managed to get in contact with him, somehow, but he refuses to tell me how. He won't do it again; or at least, not for us."
He thought back to the incredibly frustrating attempted interrogation. Needless to say, it hadn't gone well. Jason had refused point-blank to have anything to do with them. The Batglare had failed to intimidate him, as had the threats. Eventually, the Bat had to accept defeat.
And plan how to win the next round. Because there would be a next round, whether Jason wanted it or not.
He turned back to the screens. Heroes were combing every inch of the globe, and they still couldn't find Nightwing anywhere.
It had been almost a week.
So, al Ghuls next chapter.
In my personal opinion, the Hive is just a bit immature. I mean, go watch Lightspeed, when they're all in the base before they capture KF. Seriously? And Mammoth just, like, demolished the fridge. Fridges are expensive, people. I guess that's why the Hive needed to steal so much...
Incidentally, is TT KF Wally or Bart? It's obviously not Barry or Jay, but was it ever confirmed which one it is? I'm just curious.
REVIEW! Please