It had been two weeks since the Titans had been created and the police force was already approving their cooperation to help enforce the law even though there was nothing major happening. Robbery over here and sabotage over there, nothing special. Only Robin was suspecting a large wave. "Calm down, dude," Beast Boy warned, "Too much stress. Relax and play Mega Racers 4 or something." That was an offer that Robin couldn't refuse. He jumped over the couch and landed next to the changling and began playing the racing game until the game's screen disappeared and was replaced by the chief of police.
"Hello Teen Titans, there has been a series of kidnappings going on today. So far five people have been reported missing."
Raven walked slowly to the couch followed by Cyborg and Starfire. "How come we were not notified sooner?" she asked.
"We just discovered this an hour ago with this surveillance tape." The screen cut into half and began to play the tape. A man walks into a Wayne Enterprises and seems to be talking to the receptionist when an explosion rocked the building. The threat appeared to be a man clad in orange and grey. His mask only revealed one eye on the let side but none on the black side. He snatched the man at the desk and shot the receptionist in the head with a pistol then, before leaving, shot the camera. The feed ended. "Well?" asked the chief, "What do you make of it?"
Robin stepped back. He had seen both of those men before. One was George Samson, the leader in nanotech technology. He was able to create microscopic robots, or 'nanobots,' that entered the human body via a laser and was sent to cells to heal. The other he had only seen in nightmares. He didn't have dreams anymore. No, not since his parents died. Only nightmares now. Nightmares or nothing at all.
Raven's soft voice broke his thoughts, "We'll look into it." She turned to Robin. "Your instructions?"
Robin thought a second then answered, "Send us a list of all those taken and from where." The chief nodded and then a piece of paper with names printed on them. Robin mentally scanned the names, but one name caught his eye; Rose Wilson. That's when everything Bruce told him about Rose came flashing back. Slade Wilson, he kidnapped his own daughter.
"Friend Robin, are you okay?" Starfire's caring voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, Star. I'm fine." He gave the girl a small empty smile and a hug. "I just have to be alone for a while. Cyborg, you're in control."
Cyborg looked at his leader, "What do we do?"
"I don't care. Go on patrol or something, just leave me alone." Robin called as he turned the corner.
The other Titans looked at each other then at Raven, "What?" she asked even though she already knew the answer. She was the only one out of the whole team that could reach him and get deep down, even without her powers. "Fine,"
Robin opened the door to his room and plopped down on the bed heavily. He looked at the list again to see if there was any mistake. None. He sighed. "He's here. The man from my dreams and Bat-man's worst sane foe is here. How can I lead a team of ill-prepared pubescent super-powered teens against this man.?" Raven, who was behind the door, heard this and suppressed a giggle. It was true; they had no formal training and beat all the thugs by brute force. But this man, Robin made him sound like a tactician. She phased through the door. "Hello Raven." He acknowledged the girl without looking up.
"How'd you guess?" she asked sarcastically.
"You're the only one who can phase through walls. What's up?" He sat up straight and looked at the gothic girl.
"I was just wondering about this guy-"
"Slade?"
"Slade." She sat next to him. "What is so special about him?"
Robin shook his head. "I've had dreams about him before, actually more like nightmares, like I have seen him somewhere."
"Have you?" raven inquired.
"No, only heard his police record from the Bat-man. He was a mercenary with enhanced human abilities; mentally as well as physically. In Gotham City he went by the name Deathstroke. His real name is Slade Wilson" The Boy Wonder shook his head. "The weirdest thing is he kidnapped his own daughter, Rose Wilson."
"Is she a scientist?"
"No."
The two exited Robin's room and headed for the living room to find it empty. There was a note on the table. It read: Dearest friends Raven and Robin;
As the commander Friend Cyborg declared that we should go out for a pizza pie then investigate the strange dissapearences. Look forward to hearing and seeing all of you soon.
Lots of X's and O's (whatever that means)
Starfire.
Robin grinned, "Why don't we get a head start?"
Robin and Raven approached the burned out building of Wayne Enterprises Inc. and began searching for anything that could lead to a clue to where the victim, George Samson, was taken. "Anything?" asked Raven
Robin shook his head then stopped, "Hello? What's this?" he pulled out what appeared to be a canister that was shaped like a grenade.
"If the police searched this place earlier, how could they miss this?" Raven mentioned.
"Maybe they didn't. It could have been placed here on purpose after they left." He activated the bottle-like object and a foul odor was emitted. Robin immediately recognized the gas and instructed Raven to cover her nose and not to breathe. The two then headed for the opening, but not before Raven had accidentally breathed in some of the nerve gas. Within seconds after they escaped she collapsed in Robin's arms. "Raven!" he checked her pulse to make sure she was still breathing then carefully laid her down when he heard a sound. "I know you're here," Robin called out. "You can't hide from me!"
"Ah, my dear boy. I don't mean to hide from you," answered a cold voice. Robin turned to see Slade standing a few feet away with his hands fingering the trigger of a rifle. "But please," he gestured warmly with the barrel of the weapon to the top of a nearby building, "Let's talk…"