Jericho Wilson sat before the two former heroes. His face was bloodied, but he managed to keep his composure in front of the two. Grayson, on the other hand, let out a chuckle as he put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"You crafty son of a bitch," he mused, shaking his head with a goofy grin on his face. "You got me. You mastered you father's presence perfectly."
Grayson stepped back as he ran a hand through his hair. "I just wish I could know how you did it."
Jericho gave a half-smirk. No need to stay quiet about this. "Why don't you ask me?" he said, his gruff voice echoing in the office. To others, the son of Slade opening his mouth would not have been such a big deal. Then again, others were unaware that Jericho had been a deaf mute during his time with the Titans' extended family. Needless to say, the words caught both Dick and Star by surprise.
"You…you can speak?" the Tamaranean asked, a look of shock on her face.
"For the past seven years," the man said. "I can hear, too. Gotta give it up for medical science."
Grayson stared hard at the man. "That's good," he said, quietly, "'cause I want some answers."
Jericho propped himself up a little more against the wall, glaring at the CEO as he did so. "When the news broke about Rose's death, I figured you were the only one with the influence in this city to hire trained mercs and cover your tracks. So, I donned one of my father's old outfits, and Terra and I came to take our revenge," he said, pausing for a moment as he looked at the woman's broken body. "I figured it would be easy. You've been living in the lap of luxury for so long we thought you'd be an old softie by now."
Grayson smiled. "Well, I'm happy to disappoint you," he said, a snarky tone in his voice.
Confused, Starfire looked down at Jericho, her head cocked to one side. "Why did Terra join you in your efforts to kill Robin?" she asked.
"Terra is my wife…" the man trailed off again for a moment before adding, "…was my wife. We'd been together for ten years, living off the radar. We just wanted to be left alone."
Jericho turned his gaze from the Tamaranean to the businessman, his eyes filled with hate. "But you had to fuck that all up," he said, angrily. "You killed my sister, my niece, and my nephew. Did you really think we were just going to turn our backs and let you get away with that shit?"
"Hold on there, Babalooey," Grayson said, kneeling back down in front of the man. Neither he nor Starfire had noticed the former Titan pick up Jericho's fallen blade. "I sent those mercs out because you decided to murder my friends. I figure you can consider us even now."
Jericho looked back at the man, a surprised expression on his face. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked. "We heard some nutcase was hunting you guys down. That's not my doing."
There was a flash in the night, and the man soon found his own blade pressed against his throat. "Don't fucking lie to me!" Grayson yelled, his teeth bared in fury. "You killed my mentor! Then you murdered Raven and Beast Boy! Now, you better start giving me answers, or I'll make you a mute permanently!"
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Jericho cried, feeling the edge of the knife slowly cutting its way into his flesh. "Terra and I knew nothing! We were coming to kill you, that's all! I swear it!"
Grayson sat for a moment, pondering the man's words. If what he was saying was true, then who had killed Wayne and the others? It had to be a ploy. No one else could mimic the legendary merc better than his own son. Jericho was simply trying to buy some time in order to find a way out of the situation. Time for one more question.
"Jericho, where's your father?" he asked.
The man was silent for a moment. Little did he know that his answer would ultimately seal his fate.
"He's dead," he said, finally. "Cancer took him almost ten years ago."
That was all Grayson needed to hear. Jericho had been lying. If Slade was truly dead, then it had to be him who caused the murders. Time to settle the score.
"Star," he said, calmly as he rose back to his feet, "kill this piece of shit for me, would ya? Then we'll tell the world that the Titan Killer is dead."
"What the-NO!" Jericho hollered as Starfire raised her hand. "It wasn't me! I SWEAR IT!"
The sound was ominous, unexpected. As Star prepared to terminate Jericho, her ears picked up the sound of a hovering device. The soft pitter-patter sound drew her attention away from the frightened man and towards the window.
"What is that?" she asked, quietly.
To the amazement of the three, a military helicopter had hovered into position mere feet from the office building's windows.
"A Hind D?" Grayson said in shock as he witnessed the Russian-made copter hovering outside his office. Despite the glare coming from the vehicle's lights, he managed a glimpse inside the cockpit. As he did so, a grimace came to his face.
"Madame Rogue," he growled.
Twenty five years had not been kind to the Russian villain. Still, her hair remained jet black, and her eyes were still clear. Back at the beginning of 'The Crusade', Rogue had slipped away from the remains of the Brotherhood of Evil and disappeared deep into Siberia in order to discourage the violent Nightwing from giving chase. She was one of only a few supervillains that had tangled with the Titans to escape persecution and still be alive to talk about it.
The villainess put the machine on an auto-hover setting. The call she had received the night before had been a shocker. For the first time in a lifetime, she had been asked to help someone who had never needed help before, even back when she was a young woman and he was a lonely teen struggling to find his niche in the world. Tonight, she would be given the privilege to witness the fall of a god.
"We're here," she said, directing her comments to the back of the copter. "I'm opening the door in three…two…one…"
"I knew I should have killed that bitch back in the day," Dick muttered. "Well, I still might get that chance."
As the CEO watched, the side door of the Hind D began sliding open. What awaited on the other side was something that chilled Starfire's blood and invigorated Grayson's.
The physique was massive. The mask was back in place over the daunting frame. However, the pitch black hair remained from under the hood, swirling around in the updrafts from the helicopter. There was no mistaking it this time: He was back.
Grayson smiled widely as he took in the sight of the mercenary. It was as if he had come right out from his memories. Perhaps he would get his wish after all.
Walking up to the window, Dick felt as if he could reach out and touch him. He actually wanted to, just to see if he was real. There was one way to find out…
"Come on, motherfucker!" he screamed.
It was all so surreal. With a leap that would have made a tiger green with envy, Slade slammed face-first into the office windows. The energy from his impact shattered the glass into minute fragments which seemed to hover in the air momentarily.
The merc's senses were on overdrive. Everything seemed to slow down around him. He was aware of Starfire and Jericho's presence in the building, but he had developed tunnel vision as he set his sights on Grayson. This would be one for the record books.
Dick rolled back as Slade impacted with his body. Pushing his right foot up, he launched the mercenary high over his head and towards the doorway. Unlike his son, however, Slade spun in the air with the majestic nature of a cat, landing on his feet mere inches from the door frame. His eye took in the sight of Grayson running him down, fists balled up to deliver a knockout.
Grayson's first punch soared wildly over the merc's head, while his second was deflected by a forearm. The man quickly followed up the punches with a straight kick that landed dead on – right into the merc's hands! Without hesitation, Slade hit Grayson with a kick that took his other leg out from under him and laid him out on the floor face down.
Slowly, the CEO got up to one knee. A twisted smile covered his face as he looked back at Slade.
"It's you," he said, his voice a feral growl, "It's definitely you."
"You almost seem pleased to see me," the merc said, calmly. "Never thought you be one to embrace death so willingly."
Grayson let out a laugh as he got back to his feet. "Come on Slade," he said, tauntingly. "You've known me for years. Did you think I was just gonna sit around eating filet mignon and drinking cognac until you showed your face again?"
"I suppose not," Slade said, narrowing his eye. "Then again, you were the one who always seemed to have your shit together. All the other Titans had some kind of baggage, something that very well could tear them asunder if they lost everything. Everyone…except you."
"Aww, that's sweet," Dick said, grinning. "A couple more cracks like that, and you'll make me a diabetic."
"I plan on making you a corpse," the merc said, emotionlessly.
"That's wanted I wanted to hear," the businessman said, the twisted smile once again returning to his face.
A fist came sailing through the air as the merc swung at Grayson. The former hero ducked under the punch and rolled out of the way, exchanging positions with Slade. Now it was he who stood near the doorway.
"Done talking, I see," he said, smiling. "All right then – let's take this outside!"
Quickly, he picked up one of the explosive boomerangs that had fell to the ground from the Red-X costume. With a flick of the wrist, he hurled it up into the ceiling…
BLAM! The stone shattered into pieces as a gaping hole appeared in the roof. The cool night air filtered down into the building as the chunks of marble broke into pieces on the ground. Slade covered his face against the blast. As he looked back, Grayson was gone.
'Already on the roof,' he thought.
"Robin!" Starfire cried out, looking up at the hole.
"Uh-uh, sweetheart!" Jericho said, furiously. "You're mine!"
The Tamaranean let out a shriek as the man activated a pair of jet boots and slammed into her, flinging the two of them out the window – and directly at the helicopter!
"Shit!" Madame Rogue exclaimed, quickly opening the other door. With mere moments to spare, the two rocketed right through the copter and off onto a local rooftop. Rogue breathed a sigh of relief. "I need to get to a higher altitude," she said to herself.
Slade stood alone in the office. Grayson was waiting for him on the roof, and Jericho was busy with Starfire. But these events were not priority in the merc's mind.
He was silent as he stood in front of Terra's twisted frame. Her eyes were open, locked in the shock of her unforeseen death. The pain of guilt ran through his heart as he knelt beside her. It had been a well-known secret that Terra had betrayed the Titans years before as his apprentice. It was a little-known secret, however, that she had been his lover. Time can heal all wounds, but the sight of her in such a pitiful state tore the stitches back open again, leaving him to bleed.
"Terra…I'm sorry," he said, quietly as he stroked her long blonde hair. "I never wanted you to get involved with this. But I knew Jericho would come looking for bloodlust, and you wouldn't let him go on his own."
Slowly, he closed her eyes for the last time. "I can't promise that tonight will end the way it should," he said, firmly, "but I can promise that you will be the last life he ever takes."
It was then, as he knelt beside the body of his former love, that Slade noticed something shining in the rubble of Grayson's desk. His eye widened as he pulled an evidence bag from under the debris.
His gun.
Looking at it for a moment, the pieces came together for Slade: the Gotham City PD must have asked Grayson to eliminate Slade to avenge Bruce Wayne's death. Grayson, not being the one to turn down such an offer, took the opportunity to have Slade kill off the remaining Titans as a ploy to find out where he was hiding and eliminate him with ease. The Titans had been a thorn in the side of Grayson for so long he'd rather them dead than living. Hell, if he hadn't learned of Rose's address from Dukakis, he probably would have had him wipe out other members of the Titan family who had been talking bad about him.
Slade's fists clenched in fury. He had been used as a pawn in Grayson's game. He had planned to kill the Titans expecting it to decimate the former hero emotionally. In the end, it had been Slade who had suffered from Grayson's actions. Perhaps Grayson was better than him…at least, at the mind games.
Pulling the gun from the plastic bag, the merc tossed away the lead merc's .45. Checking it over, he found it to be in operating order. Gun had survived the fire and was still working like a charm. Just the kind of equipment Slade prided himself on having. If he was going to kill Grayson, it might as well be with the gun that had ended so many lives before him.
Placing his pistol back in its holster, Slade looked back up at the hole in the ceiling. Tonight, Grayson was going to learn how more proficient the merc was of a killer than him, that was to be certain.
Starfire ducked under a wild right cross as Jericho came in strong. The Tamaranean had been caught off-guard by the man's renewed fury. Perhaps it had been the arrival of his father that had spurred him on into taking revenge for Terra's death. Whatever the case, Jericho was a man possessed. Speaking of that, her mind was slight reeling from her life coming back in full swing like it had, but she did her best to avoid eye contact with Jericho as she recalled his ability to possess others. Hopefully the mental shielding the Titans had placed around their minds was still working to protect her tattered brain..
"Jericho, stop this," she said, her eyes glimmering with the emerald-green tint. "I do not want to kill you."
"Oh, really?" the man said, smiling grimly. "What's the matter, Grayson a bit too violent for you?"
"Robin's actions are of no concern to me," Star said, her eyes hardening. "He will do as he wishes, and your father will learn how strong he has become."
"Strong? Grayson? HA!" Jericho said, nearly clipping the woman on the chin with a left hook. "You haven't been paying attention the last few years, have you? Then again, rumor had it that you were an addict, so I can't really blame you. Either way, Grayson's a coward. He hired mercenaries to kill my sister and my father instead of taking them on himself, and you know why he did that?"
"Why don't you enlighten me?" the Tamaranean said, parrying a punch and launching one of her own deep into Jericho's gut.
"OOOFF- Because he afraid," the man wheezed. "He's afraid that all that training, all the experience in taking lives that "The Crusade" gave to him, all his youthful vigor will not be enough. He's afraid he's gonna die – not because of the impact it'll have on the city, but because he won't be able to take his ill-gotten riches with him!"
"YOU LIE!" Starfire screamed, slamming her fist hard into the side of Jericho's face. The momentum sent him flying across the rooftop and into a water tower, which gushed gallons of water across the top of the building as his body broke the surface before collapsing back into the tar.
"Think what you want," the man said as he painfully got to his feet. "You know it's true."
As the two re-engaged in combat, Starfire realized the ugly truth – Jericho was right. Grayson, her Robin, had become a selfish individual, seeking only to protect himself above all. But something in her felt that the boy she loved was still under the surface. All he needed was to be coaxed back out. Ducking under another punch, she caught a glimpse of the Wayne Enterprises rooftop. All she could hope was that he would still be there for her when it was time.
Slade's muscles bulged under his outfit as he hefted himself up onto the roof. In his younger days, leaping ten feet in the air and pulling himself up would have been a breeze. Now, he let out a grunt as he got back to his feet.
'I'm getting too old for this shit,' he thought to himself.
"There you are," a voice projected towards him from the darkness. "I thought you got lost on the way up here, old man."
"Watch what you say, Grayson," the merc said, turning to face the former Titan. "You should be thankful you won't get to live long enough to be an 'old man'."
The man laughed as he unbuttoned his white collar shirt, revealing an equally white tank top underneath. As he pulled the garment off, Slade took in the physique that laid below. Years of combat training and constant workouts had left Dick Grayson in phenomenal shape. Twelve years retired from his days as Nightwing, he hadn't changed one bit. His sleek, cut frame was carved from pure muscle. If Adonis had still be alive, he would have been green with envy.
"I see you've been preparing for me," the merc said as Dick tossed away the shirt. "I was hoping for that. This way, I can kill you in your prime."
"Nice proposal, but I'm certain there's a fat chance of that happening," Grayson said, smirking. "Now, are we gonna dance, or are we just gonna twiddle?"
Slade simply took up a fighting stance. His eye was taking in every detail he could gather about Grayson. Since he had retired, there hadn't been too much for him to study prior to this night. Sure, he had gone over all the tapes of Nightwing with a fine-toothed comb, but twelve years is long enough for any dog to learn new tricks. For the first time in years, the merc was going into unfamiliar territory against an enemy he didn't know as well as he should have. He grinned behind his mask. This would be one for the books.
Starfire grunted as she and Jericho clasped hands. With feet planted, the two tried to overpower each other. Normally any human, even one as skilled as Jericho, would have been a breeze for the Tamaranean warrior. But something was wrong. Her power was weakened. Perhaps it had been the years of abuse she had caused to her body. More likely than not, it was due to the feelings that she had about Grayson that were bubbling up to the surface. Since a Tamaranean's strength is based on emotions, the conflict in her mind was causing her to fight in a half-gassed state, incapable of defending herself in her ordinary manner.
"What's the matter, honey?" Jericho sneered, pushing forward. "A little bit under the weather?"
Star gritted her teeth, and pushed back. Now the two were face-to-face as each sought to impose their will on the other.
"Why do you keep fighting?" Jericho said, managing to wrench one of his hands free form the woman's grip. This proved to be a bad decision, as Starfire used her free arm to press against his throat.
"Because of your father said to me," the woman said, firmly. "He told me that heroes die fighting, not begging. Despite what he, or you, or Robin thinks of me, I am a hero. When I die, it will be in a blaze of glory."
The Tamaranean took another step forward. Her strength was building up. Despite this, a smile came across Jericho's face.
"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he grunted, "but things don't always end the way we want."
Starfire was in the middle of processing that statement when the shot rang out. Her eyes widened in shock as a chilling gasp came from her mouth. Her arms seem to lose their power, and slowly flopped back down to her side. With her mind racing with unanswered questions, she looked down…and was met with a grim surprise.
Jericho's pistol smoked form the shot he had embedded in the stomach of the woman. He had known his strength would fail him, so he needed a way out and fast. One gut shot would be enough to incapacitate the woman…permanently.
Almost as if in slow-motion, the Tamaranean dropped to her eyes, her emerald-green eyes locked with his. With a moment's hesitation, she finally pitched forward onto the cold-unforgiving tar.
Jericho slid the gun back into its holster, feeling as his heart beat returned to normal. He hadn't quite been sure that ploy would work. Seemed like he had lucked out again.
Looking back across the street to the Wayne Enterprises building, he could make out two shadows locked in combat on the roof. His father may have been capable of killing Grayson on his own, but he had some unfinished business with the CEO. He would make her pay for killing Terra. Then his father could kill him.
As he readied his rocket boots for a burst, he was stopped by an incessant humming sound. His ears picked up the vibration, but his mind couldn't place it. It was like the sound of a transformer in an electrical grid, or a bug zapper sitting on a porch, or…
His blood ran cold as he identified the noise. 'The sound of collective energy,' he thought.
Slowly, the man turned around, his face slowly being bathed in an eerie green glow.
Starfire looked back at him. One hand was on her stomach, pressed against the wound. The other was straight out in front of her, crackling with alien energy.
"I have had time on this planet to read of the religious stories that you people have complied over the generations," she said coldly, her eyes flickering with fury. "I seem to recall the events that brought down the city which bears your name."
"Shit," Jericho growled. His hand made a move for the pistol. It was simply not fast enough.
"Time for the walls to fall, Jericho!" Starfire yelled, unleashing a powerful bolt of energy. It impacted with the man and sent him careening off the edge of the building in a violent explosion!
"NOOOOAAAAAUGHHHHH!" Jericho's screams slowly dissipated as he fell the multiple stories to the hard concrete below. As silence returned to the rooftop, it was the Tamaranean's turn to look up at the rooftop of Wayne Enterprises. Her hand reached out, as if she could almost touch it, almost touch the man who she loved.
"Robin…" she muttered.
Slowly, her legs gave way, and Starfire collapsed on the roof of the forlorn building, her mind envisioning her love one more time…
Grayson slid across the rooftop as Slade dropped an axe kick inches from his face.
"What's the matter, old man?" he laughed as he stood back up. "Can't see what you're trying to catch?"
The man's words were quickly answered by a roundhouse kick that left him sprawling.
"I see you just fine," the merc said, calmly.
Dick gritted his teeth. Despite the amount of pain he had caused Slade, the mercenary was still working like a well-oiled machine. He hadn't even managed to rile him one bit. The mentality of Deathstroke was one that did not show weakness, regardless of what his true feelings might have been. Unless Grayson could knock him off-balance somehow, he was in for the fight of his life. Seeing Terra's body may have bothered him, but he hardly flinched because of it. Her death on his conscience didn't make him any sloppier. The businessman decided it was time to take a different approach.
"Hey, Slade," he said, wiping his mouth, "How's your daughter? Still dead, I presume?"
It was small, but Grayson saw it: a twitch in the merc's eye. He was on the right track. All he had to do was push…
"You know, if you had just came here a few nights ago and taken me out mano-a-mano, we wouldn't have had to go through this big ole' song and dance," he continued, with a twisted smile on his face that would have made the Joker uncomfortable. "But no – you had this whole idea that if you murdered the Titans, you'd offset me and put the odds in your favor. Hate to tell you, Slade old boy, but the Titans meant nothing to me!"
"What about Starfire?" the mercenary said, curtly.
"What about her?" Grayson said, sternly. "So you didn't or couldn't kill her. What the fuck's that mean to me? What we had died with Jinx and the rest of those fuckholes back in Jump City First National! Not my fault she can't let go of the past!"
"So, you're blameless in regards to her current condition?" Slade asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Fuck yeah!" Grayson snarled. "Stupid bitch can't wake up and smell the cow pies? No skin off my back. Never could stand dealing with those who couldn't make it on their own."
"Like you?" the merc asked.
Dick was about to answer when he realized the truth: Slade was playing him. He was trying to take his mind of the battle at hand so he could gain the advantage. Shaking his head, he almost had to respect him for turning the tables on the mind games so easily. Now, however, it was time to end it.
"Yeah," he said, quietly. "I killed all lot of motherfuckers to get here, and in order to stay here, I'm about to kill YOU!"
The moment the words flew off of the CEO's tongue his legs were in the air, bringing a powerful spinning back kick that planted itself directly into Slade's chest. The mercenary staggered back a few steps but managed to parry the accompanying punches that followed. Regaining his balance, he caught Grayson's final punch and used the momentum to flip the man over his shoulder and into an air conditioning unit. The metal made a sickening CLANG as Grayson's body struck it with massive force – enough to knock the wind out of the former Titan.
As Dick gasped for air, Slade moved in for the kill. Grayson was down, but he wasn't out. He was still dangerous, and he had to be ready for a counter-attack. The businessman could hear the mercenary's footsteps coming towards him. Quickly, he scooped up a bit of the dried tar that had broken up from the city's extreme hear wave. 'Need to get those contractors back out here when this is all over,' he thought. 'They did a shitty job.'
As Slade reached down to grab a handful of Grayson's hair, he was caught off-guard as the man tossed the powdered substance in his face, effectively blinding his eye. Within seconds, Grayson was back on his feet and launching brutal attacks against the merc. Though Slade's other senses served to feed him information about his surroundings, they simply could not keep up with Dick movements. He would block a front kick only to get caught in the back of the head with a roundhouse delivered by the other leg. Each attack blocked allowed another one to get through, drilling the hardened merc with bombs that would have knocked a wildebeest out cold.
With one mighty flying knee, Grayson laid Slade out on the rooftop, slamming him hard into the top of the ventilation ducts. Blinded and disoriented, the mercenary did all he could to clear the foreign substance from his eye. Seeing this, the former Titan laughed, his laughter a cracked twisted version of what it should have been.
"Look at you, Slade!" he taunted, slowly moving in on his incapacitated enemy. "You're out of your league! You shoulda just let that cancer eat you alive from the inside out! It would have saved you from dealing with me!"
Grayson smiled as he took in a breath of the crisp night air. His power was at its' zenith. He was one shot away from accomplishing the only life goal he had failed to conquer. With his fist clenched tightly, he raised his hand high.
"Did you really think you could defeat a god?!" he cried. With that, he swiftly brought the hammer down. Technical knockout…
Grayson's fingers felt like they were reaching the breaking point. His eyes widened as he watched Slade's hand shoot out from the darkness like a cobra and catch his knockout punch in a vise-like grip. The moment it took for shock to register in Grayson's mind was all the merc needed.
"My turn," he said, driving a kick up and under Grayson's chin, sending him stumbling back. No sooner than he had gotten his bearings Slade delivered a crippling kick to his right arm. The man hollered in pain as the bones in his arm nearly snapped from the impact. This was only the beginning.
The former Titan found himself on the defensive from a brutal combination of kicks and punches that seemed to weasel their way through his guard. In his desperation, Dick had reverted to his old styles of fighting. He was very good at them, but there was a problem: Slade knew all of his moves, some even better than the man himself. As another punch cracked his left cheekbone, Grayson wondered for a moment if this was what it had been like for Bruce at the end – to face a man who knew them better than they knew themselves. He tried firing off a few shots of his own, but Slade danced around his punches in a way that Muhammad Ali had only dreamed about. All the training and the killing Grayson had done had only proven him to be a murderer – a brute vigilante who had survived 'The Crusade' only because of his element of surprise and his high-tech weaponry. Slade, on the other hand, was a killer – cold, calculating, capable of killing a war machine with a tea cup. No amount of technological marvel or false bravado could outweigh the sheer unyielding advantage of experience. Dick Grayson, the former Nightwing, the 'Messiah of Titan City', was learning this cold hard fact the hard way.
With a final push, Slade landed a spinning back kick to Dick's head, the force so powerful it flipped the man head over heels and onto the rooftop. It was done. Grayson's fight was all but gone from him. He was a broken man with only his words and his money to bully others around with. In the end, he had folded against the mercenary.
Dick's eyes rolled around in his head as he got to his knees. His nose was busted, and blood leaked from it and his mouth. His dark black hair was sticking to his face, pasted there by the sweat that had collected. He was a mess. His body felt like raw hamburger meat. His lungs were gasping for air, more air than his body could apparently muster. This was truly Dick Grayson at his weakness, right before the end.
The businessman was aware of Slade's presence standing over him. The merc, meanwhile, simply waited for the moment. The moment when it would come to an end.
Slowly, Grayson looked up, locking his eyes with Slade's. That moment had arrived.
The gun cleared the holster – the same gun that had killed Raven, Beast Boy, Batman, Barbara Gordon, and countless before them. The gun that would now end Dick Grayson's life and free a city from the hands of a corrupt businessman and a monster, a monster who had lived entirely too long.
Grayson heard the CLICK. He saw the dark tunnel situated before him. This was one he never thought he'd had to travel down. Every nerve in his body told him to move, but the rest of him was just too tired to heed its' warning. This was it. The greatest hero in the history of the city – of the world, in his opinion – would die at the hands of a ghost from Titans' past. What a fucking joke. If the Joker hadn't fallen into that cannery processor all those years ago, he'd have probably read the newspaper tomorrow morning and laugh himself limp from the irony.
Slowly, Slade's finger squeezed the trigger. It was time to feel recoil.
BLAM!
Grayson watched in awe as Slade shot back several feet, slamming hard enough into the ventilation ducts to leave an imprint. A massive burst had gone off in his face from out of nowhere.
Still on his knees, Dick sat staring at the merc's body. It wasn't moving. Whatever that blast had, it was enough. He could swear that even Slade's chest was still. Could it be? Was Slade Wilson finally…dead?
Slowly, almost zombie-like, the man turned his head back towards the edge of the building. He swore that was where the blast had originated. As he did so, he was met with a stunning surprise.
Starfire stood mere feet from him, her arm outstretched in front of her. Her breathing was very labored, as the gunshot she received from Jericho had done some extensive damage.
"Starfire?" Grayson said, almost failing to recognize her in his stunned state.
The Tamaranean smiled, exposing a set of blood-stained teeth. "Robin…" she whispered.
With a great deal of difficulty, the woman knelt down next to Dick. Her one hand was still clutched tightly to her stomach, but the blood had slowly seeped around her fingers and down the front of her skirt. She was a total mess, but she was now with the man she had loved for so long. All she wanted was to hear his voice again.
"Well, looks like we barely got out of this one, eh?" she said, breathing heavily.
At this, Grayson smiled. The woman's heart practically melted. She hadn't seen that smile in so long she could barely remember what it had looked like.
"Star, you saved my life," he said, thoughtfully.
Starfire giggled ever so slightly, her own smile wider than ever. Dick's smile was so…sweet, so genuine. So much that it made the next words she heard all the stranger.
"It's about time you got something right, cunt."
The Tamaranean's smile slowly faded from her face. Had she heard him right? Or was this just her mind playing tricks on her again?
"Robin, I…" she began, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.
Grayson stood up in a huff, knocking her hand off of him. "Don't touch me, bitch!" he said, firmly. "I don't need your blood all over me! It'll clash with my suit!"
Starfire's mind sat on the verge of breaking. Why did Robin hate her so? She had just saved his life, yet he was angry about it, angry at her for reasons she couldn't quite understand. Was this the reason she had self-medicated for so long – to escape the beast that had become the man she loved?
"Robin, please," she called out, reaching her hand out towards him. "Help me."
Dick chuckled to himself as he looked down at his former lover. "What would you like me to do, Star?" he asked, a tone of irritation in his voice. "Call you an ambulance? With all the shit that's gone on so far, it'll take them thirty minutes to get here. You're gutshot, so you'll be dead in twenty. Far be it from me to waste the time and resources of the Titan City Medical Center on a lost cause."
The woman's jaw dropped. Robin would leave her here to die! This…this could not be happening. Robin would never leave one of his own behind, even if it was a useless gesture. Then again, hadn't Slade informed her that the other Titans were dead? Robin did not look too shook up about that news. Had he grown so distant from all those killings that he had no feelings towards anyone else but himself?
"Robin, you cannot leave me here," she said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You are not capable of such sadistic decisions!"
"Oh, I'm not, am I?" Grayson said, putting his hands on his hips. "How would you know? You haven't been able to see past your own toes for the past two years! You haven't seen what I'm capable of! I am the lifeblood of this city! I keep it alive and well, protect it from fucks like Slade and all those other two-bit shitbowls who think they've got what it takes to be villains!"
Starfire shrunk back as the man continued his tirade. "You know something?" he said, "I'm almost glad Slade put Bruce out to pasture! With my stocks and my position in the corporation, it won't be too long before the board makes me the CEO of the entire company! Don't you see, Star? I am a god in this city now! King Kong ain't got shit on ME!"
Pausing for a moment, the businessman smiled. "I'll tell you what I'm gonna do," he said calmly. "I'm going to watch you die. Then, I'm going downstairs to tell the whole world how you saved my life at the cost of your own. After the investigation is complete, I will pay for you, Raven, and Beast Boy to have an extravagant funeral. You know those ones they have down in New Orleans? They won't be able to hold a candle to what I'll have planned for you – even though you and I both know you don't deserve it. None of you deserve to be buried like heroes. You're all a bunch of fucking has-been rejects. The only thing you ever did right was giving me the platform I needed to spring off of in order to save this city. All that aside, though, there won't be a dry eye in the house. A good speech, a little melodramatic acting, and everyone will be mourning you and the others until the fucking Second Coming!"
The man grinned as he stared at Starfire's stunned expression. It was about time she finally realized how worthless she really was. Brushing off his pants, he sniffed.
"Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, calmly, "I have a press conference to arrange."
As he turned to leave, one more item of thought crossed his mind.
"Oh yeah," he said, looking back at the woman. "Star, you were a hero once…so do me a favor, and try to die with a little fucking dignity."
With that said, the CEO turned and headed back for the hole he had blown in the roof that led back to his office. As he did so, Starfire sat in silence, tears streaming freely down her face. Slade had been right. Her Robin was no more. In his place was a creature that bared little resemblance to the boy she had met all those years ago, the one she kissed once in order to learn English, and twice to cement their relationship years later. She had only one question left. As the blood slowly leaked from her body, there was no better time than now to ask it.
"Robin…" she said, biting her lip.
The man stopped a few steps from the hole. "What?" he asked, curtly.
"I just have to know…" Star said, quietly. "Did…did you ever…really love me?"
Grayson let out a deep sigh, and stole a glance up at the starry sky. "Yeah, I did," he said, quietly. "But I outgrew you. As I remember, you were never the one who could understand why I did what I had to do. For being a member of a warrior race, you seemed pretty intent on rationalizing nonviolence instead of putting those fucks down like the rabid dogs they were. When you proved you couldn't understand me, I knew I didn't need you anymore. You would only hold me back."
The words rung in Starfire's ears, but she had her answer. It was all she needed to make her decision.
"Well, you are not the only one who remembers our life, Robin," she said, grunting as she got back to her feet. "I remember what you said to me all those years ago during our lovemaking, right before you decided you didn't need me anymore. You told me that, as heroes, we never get to die peacefully. It is simply not our way. You told me that either we die as heroes…or we live long enough to see ourselves become the enemy."
Dick shook his head, and sighed again. "Good memory, Star," he said, chuckling. "Didn't think you had it in you. Now, what the fuck are you getting at?"
Turning to face the woman, Grayson's eyes widened. His pulse quickened as he took in the sight before him.
Starfire stood tall, her hand crackling with alien energy. Her eyes had hardened, and her jaw was set. Her impending death didn't seem to matter to her now. All her eyes saw was anger.
"What the fuck are you doing?" the man snarled, taking a step back. "Are you crazy?!"
"No," Star said, sadly as her hand glowed with power. "I am saner now than I have ever been. This is how it must end. The city should remember you for what you were – not what you have become."
"You're delusional, Star!" Grayson said, taking a step closer to his old flame – a flame that seemed to be burning brighter by the minute. "You don't want this!"
"Yes I do," she said, swallowing hard.
Dick felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He was at a standstill. "What do you think you'll accomplish by doing this, Starfire?" he asked, his voice as hard and cold as it had been the day Nightwing ended the Titans.
The Tamaranean smiled sadly. "I am giving this city the man I fell in love with," she said. "I am making you a hero again."
The energy erupted from Starfire's hands. The sheer shockwave was enough to stumble the woman herself. As for Grayson…
"STAR! NO!" Dick Grayson screamed at the top of his lungs as the energy bolt caught him in the chest. The blast sent him flying high through the air…and off the edge of Wayne Enterprises' newest office building.
As he flailed in the air, the CEO had time to reflect on his life. Slade was dead, and Star would be next. The true shame of it all would be that he wouldn't be there to enjoy it…
Grayson's train of thought was shattered as he impacted the unforgiving concrete. It was fitting. Most of the rest of him had shattered as well.
The crimson pool built quickly around the businessman. As it poured off into a nearby storm drain, the first few screams of horror went up. More would follow eventually, that was to be certain.
Dick Grayson, master of his domain, the Messiah of Titan City, the man who knew everything seemed to have been wrong about one thing – he was not a god after all. In the end, the truth was evident - gravity works.
Starfire let out a shudder as she dropped her arm back to her side. It had killed her deep on the inside, but she knew it had to be done. She knew the truth now. Her beloved Robin had died many years ago, with only the shell left to die on the streets below. It was not an easy task, but nothing of that magnitude ever is.
Grimacing in pain, she clutched her stomach with both hands. She could feel her life force draining slowly with every heart beat as more blood pumped from her gut. Despite this, she was well aware of the figure who stood behind her, one who knew what it was like to die slowly. Perhaps he would finally help her settle this.
"Is it over?" she asked, softly. She closed her eyes as she felt the gloved hand grab her shoulder.
"Almost," Slade's voice whispered in her ear. She didn't have to ask what that phrase meant. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up.
"Make it quick," she said, firmly.
She could almost see the merc pulling the gun from its holster, pulling it for the last time. She felt the cold steel press against the back of her head. This…this was to be a glorious death.
"That I can promise…"
Slade squeezed the trigger. As the shot rang in his ears, he felt the warm blood splash onto his chest and face. Releasing Starfire's shoulder, he watched as she dropped to her knees, lingering for but a second before finally dropping to the rooftop.
The merc's hand loosened, his pistol falling from his grip and landing with a clatter on the hardened tar. The last move had been made. However, as Slade stared down at the woman's body, he was contemplating all that had been lost to reach this point. Was this revenge, this termination of a bad seed so important that other lives deserved to be sacrificed for it? Was the notion, the hope that the city could live without the presence of a glorified boogeyman breathing down its' neck, worth the loss? Some may say yes, it was; the loss of the few is needed in order to save the many. Then again, those same people might have balked if it had been their loved ones than needed to be sacrificed in order for the plan to come to fruition. As the merc looked back on the last few nights, the blood that had been shed in order to bring true freedom to Titan City, he realized the truth: There was one person left to dispose of. Then, and only then, could this city truly be free.
Madame Rogue peered out the window of the Hind D. Her eyes took in the sight of the battle-weary mercenary standing before the slain Starfire. Looking up, he seemed…uncertain. Then, he brought two fingers to the mouthpiece of his mask, almost as if to blow a kiss. Finally, he waved the two-finger salute in a wide arch. Rogue bit her lip, fighting back tears as she did so.
"Good-bye, Slade Wilson," she whispered to herself, knowing very well this may be the last time she ever sees him. "I hope that you can find sanctity for yourself in the afterlife."
Slade looked up into the night sky as the helicopter flew away. The police were on their way. He could hear the sirens in the distance along with that of the ambulances. It was time to leave.
His heart weighted heavy as he looked down over the edge of the building. A crowd had gathered around the body of Grayson. Tears were being shed for his death. If they only knew what he had done in order to stay in power. They would never know, of course – the media would make sure of that. They would mourn him, as well as all the other Titans that had passed. Unlike Grayson, the people of this city had least had respect for the former teen protectors of the city. Maybe there was hope for them yet…
Taking a deep breath, the mercenary raised his left foot, and stuck it out over the ledge. Tension gripped his heart, as it always had when he did this. Living on the edge, always waiting for that one strong gust to blow him off – that was how Slade Wilson had lived his life. It would be fitting to end his life that way. If only that were the case…
With a small push off, the merc dropped off the side of the building, heading where the night would take him…