Chapter Thirteen: Old habits die hard

I do not own Teen Titans. That's right, no quirky punch line. I simply don't own them.

I do own Max Steeler. She is a creation of my imaginative-ness, so don't steal. That would be a very bad thing to do.

Max took a step backward, out of the light, glaring at Slade.

"What is she doing here?"

"You needed help from a more experienced apprentice," he replied smartly. "Her decision, not mine, so deal with it."

Max shook her head and turned to leave.

"Apprentice," Slade called. "I have another mission for you, for the both of you."

The metal bender froze, unwilling to go further, but not wanting to turn back. Unable to move, she found it difficult to even breathe.

"Don't try my patience," Slade warned.

Reluctantly, Max turned to face the super soldier.

"I want both of you to infiltrate the Titan's Tower and kidnap a certain alien who has found herself dangerously close to Robin's heart. Everything you need can be found in those utility belts. Remember, I can hear everything you two say. Let that be a warning to the both of you. You are dismissed. Don't disappoint me."

With that Max and Terra both headed toward the exit, grabbing the belts as they went.

"Max, I would like to have a word with you. Terra, you may continue ahead, Max will catch up."

Max and Terra shared a quick glance before the geomancer disappeared into the shadows, no doubt jubilant to be out of Slade's presence. The brunette turned once more toward him. A piercing glare crossed her features, masking any trace of fear.

Slade was quick to strike. Max knew the blow was coming. Instinctively, she drew her hands before her. In reply, metal pipes burst forth from the dirt walls and melted together, forming a shield before her, deflecting Slade's attack.

"We had a deal!" Max yelled venomously at him, taking a few steps back.

Then, thrusting her hands before her, the metal-bender sent the make shift shield flying toward Slade with enough force to send him flying into the wall behind. Effortlessly, the super soldier side stepped her attack, anticipating her reaction. Without hesitation, Slade raced toward the girl and thrust the side of his arm into her chest and pinning her against the wall. As her feet dangled from the ground, Max struggled to breath, her hands grasping Slade's arm as her only point of salvation. Then, sensing metal wall behind her, she attempted to bring it forth, with no result. Abruptly, she stopped. He had activated the power neutralizer, rendering her helpless. Like a leprechaun caught by the beard, she awaited her fate, powerless to prevent it.

"You should be concentrating on keeping up your end of the bargain, for I intend on following my part in full. Can I help it if a certain blonde chooses she wants to be with me over the Titans? I beg to differ."

Her glare remained untouched, match only by Slade's own penetrating stare. Suddenly, her eyes fell to the ground below.

"I don't understand…why she would choose this life," Max replied, choking on words for lack of air, pausing for breaths, "over what she could have…what could she possibly…desire from this life?"

Slade smiled.

"Only what every human being craves but only few can obtain," he paused. "Power."

Max brought her piercing blue eyes up to his level; they narrowed, upon meeting his one cold black one, a sad spell enchanting them. A part of her refused to believe that Terra would do that. Not this Terra. Perhaps the old one would have, but there clearly had been a change. Even with her intellect, Max could not wrap her mind around the idea of Terra actually longing for this lifestyle. Still, sometimes you can never completely know a person, even someone you thought so close.

"Not this human," she spat out resentfully.

"You will, Max, you will."

"Are we done here?"

"If you really are so eager to commence, then yes, by all means, leave."

Within the depths of the shadows, two eyes watched the ongoing conversation with excitement. Two ears listened with impatience, hardly able to withstand their delight. There was a reason behind Max's service. At Slade's last words, the eavesdropper scurried further into the darkness, wanting to place as much distance between their self and Slade as was possible. Information like this could certainly prove useful.

Gasping for air upon her release, Max placed a hand to her throat, rubbing it coarsely. Max shook her head in disdain and turned from the super soldier. He smiled and watched her leave, a master not quite finished with his lesson. As her back was turned to him, Slade whipped his body around, landing a sound kick into the metal bender's back. Crying out in pain, she dropped to the ground.

"Oh, and you would do best to remember your place, apprentice."

Grimacing with irritation and throbbing discomfort, Max pushed herself to her feet and wordlessly disappeared into the darkness, though no shadows could conceal her from him.

"Terra!"

Silently, the geomancer continued forward.

"So that's how it's going be then?"

"Don't see how else it could be."

"You don't see how else it could be," Max said sarcastically. "Well maybe talking to me could be something different."

"I am talking to you, Max."

"You know what I mean," Max replied solemnly. "Maybe things could go back to the way they were. When you were working for him and we were training together. Remember that? Remember how amazing that felt? I don't see how things are any different."

"That's because you take everything literally, Max. You're smart but so dumb. You can't see the difference because you refuse to see it. This isn't me and it isn't you. That's what's different," Terra paused, turning to face the metal bender. "Or maybe it's really you who has changed. Maybe this is you. Maybe it's always been you, and I was the one who refused to see it."

With that she continued walking.

"Terra," Max pleaded.

"Don't even think about it," Slade's voice hissed into her ear.

Ignoring the voice, Max pressed further.

"I want you to know something…"

Terra stopped, turning toward the metal bender.

"I have your back. I've always had your back. I would do anything to keep you safe and out of harms way. I hope you know that…"

"Likewise," Terra replied.

Then, out of the darkness, the shrill sound of an alarm erupted through the air. Terra's eyes widened and her head jerked toward the sound. A pale girl with bright pink hair and eyes to match burst through the glass window of the jewelry store, flashing them a smile. As Max and the thief linked eyes, a wave of recognition washed over the brunette. The pink haired girl winked at Max before disappearing down the sidewalk, the Titans soon coming up behind. The last thing the apprentices sought after was to draw attention to themselves, least of all in their current state. Max motioned for Terra to follow her as she slid deeper into the alleyway.

"Give it up, Jinx"

"What's the matter wonder boy? Afraid of a little bad luck?"

With that a pink bolt of energy flew to the building above the black haired teen, loosening a patch of brick. The sorceress's smirk widened as the concrete squares rained down below. Starfire was quick to respond, launching a series of emerald bolts against the debris, nullifying it to dust.

"Your tricks shall not work against us," Starfire shouted exuberantly as she continued to fly toward the villain.

"She's running toward a dead end," Raven stated calmly.

"That's it then, we've got her."

"Not quite, Cyborg," Robin replied, looking back at his metal friend. "We still need to keep up our guard. There's no sign of her lackeys anywhere. That in itself is highly unusual for her."

Suddenly, the sorceress turned, her eyes glowing pink. Stopping short, the Titans stood their ground, prepared for almost anything.

"Now that I have your attention," Jinx smiled. "Let's get down to the real point of this quant little gathering."

"And what is the point of all of this, huh Jinx? To steal a few jewels?"

"On the contrary, Robin," she smiled. "You'll find that nothing in that jewelry store was touched except for the display window. I simply wanted to get your attention."

"Ever hear of a doorbell?" The empath stated coldly.

"Now when did you ever hear of someone like me knocking on the door of someone like you? It simply isn't my style," her smirk remained untouched.

"What do you want, Jinx?"

"It's all about what you want, bird boy. How much do really want to know what Slade's planning hmmm? How much are you willing to pay for information on his next move?"

"Did anyone see us?"

"I'm not sure," Max replied, gazing into the dim lit back street.

Two beady white eyes watched the two. A rustle in the trash caught Max's attention.

"I know you're there! Stop lurking and just come out in the open."

The changeling stepped forth from behind the dumpster. His eyes immediately fell upon Terra. His smiled grew, "Terra! You found her! That's great. Now we can all go back to the Tower."

"I'm afraid that's not how it's going to work, Beastboy" Terra replied.

A confused look came over him. "What do you mean?"

His gazed shifted back and forth between the two, stopping at the horrible symbol branded on Max's chest. The emerald eyed teen shook his head.

"No…you wouldn't do that again. How could you even think of working for him again?"

"Beastboy, it's not what it looks like," Terra pleaded.

"And what's it supposed look like, Terra?"

"Beastboy…"

"I thought you had changed. You swore that you'd changed."

"It's not her fault!" Max yelled, all the stored rage erupting from within her. "She's doing it to protect me…"

Her eyes flashed upward, searching. Speed was key if any of them were to come out alive. Max stretched out her hand. Metal wires, filled with electric current, unbraided from one another, extending toward her. Just before the tress of wires reached her grasp, she turned to look at the geomancer. A smile touched her lips.

"You don't have to protect me anymore Terra," Max whispered, taking hold of the electricity filled wires, extending her other hand to touch Terra's shoulder.

The electric current flooded through Max's veins, diluting the voltage before it hit Terra. As soon as Max felt Terra react to the flow of electricity, she released both the geomancer and the wires simultaneously. The weakened current that hit Terra's bloodstream began destroying all traces of nanobytes within her. Max fell to the ground, unable to move, unable to breathe. Her limbs began to tremble involuntarily.

Terra pushed herself to her feet, and rushed to Max's side.

"Max!"

Barely able to open her mouth to reply, Max mumbled a few lisped words.

"No more apprenticeship…" She paused, the light fading from her eyes. "..for either of us."

With those words, Max felt her heart stop cold. The feeling in her body slowly drifting away…

"So do we have a deal?"

Robin looked uncertain, his want of Slade impairing his judgment.

"Friend Robin, I am feared that this is not such a good idea."

"Maybe not, but it might save lives. One life sacrificed is worth it to save countless more," he turned toward the sorceress. "We have a deal. What's Slade planning?"

"He wants to capture the one titan that's found herself close to your heart," her eyes shifted upward, falling on Starfire. "He was using Terra and Max to do that, but even if that falls apart, which I can almost guarantee, it will, he'll have more than one way to accomplish his task."

Robin turned to look at Starfire, worry hidden behind his mask. He turned back toward Jinx.

"How is he planning it?"

"How am I supposed to know how he's planning it? That wasn't part of our deal. Now is the part where you look away and I vanish."

"Dude, we can still catch her," Cyborg pleaded.

"Yes. We have her in the corner," Starfire added.

"No, a deal's a deal. Go now before I change my mind."

"No problem," Jinx smiled, walking past the team, pausing as she passed Robin. "Don't forget your part of the bargain."

"We'll be sure not to interfere."

Moments later she was gone.

"Terra we have to get you out of here. Cyborg once told me how bad electricity can damage your system. We need to get you help."

"I can't…I won't leave her!"

"We have to, Terra. It's what she would have wanted."

The changeling placed Terra's arms around his neck and shifted into a Pterodactyl, heading toward the tower.

Back at the tower, Robin paced back and forth, looking up only as Beastboy burst through the door, holding Terra in his arms.

"She needs help," Beastboy pleaded.

"What happened, BB?" Cyborg asked, taking the geomancer from him and carrying her to the infirmary.

"Max. That's what happened. She grabbed these wires and sent electricity all through her body. She could have killed Terra! She ended up killing herself!"

Cyborg turned toward Beastboy suddenly, "What kind of wires?"

Caught off guard by the anxiety in Cyborg's voice, Beastboy struggled for the words to answer, "Electric wires…the kind that run all over town…"

"Raven!" Cyborg shouted through the halls, "I'm going to need your help on this one."

Then turning, Cyborg raced toward the medical room, placing Terra gently on the bed. Without a breath in between, he began the procedures, Raven not far behind.

Slade stood, staring into the darkness. "When I said that next time death greeted me I would be taking you with me, I didn't know it would be this soon. Max, Max, Max…taking your own life to save Terra's…how very brave and idiotic. Such a waste of talent and potential."

"How is she doing?"

Cyborg replied the worried changeling without turning, "Same as she was doing five seconds ago, Beastboy."

"I know," Beastboy whined. "I'm sorry. It's just…" He gave a frustrated sigh, "Max tried to kill her. I just want her to be okay."

Cyborg turned from the screens, visuals of blood cells flowing could be seen. "Man, I hate to disagree with you, but I don't think Max was trying to kill Terra. There's remains of the same technology that was used in the nanobytes I removed from all of us back when Robin was Slade's apprentice. My guess would be that Slade was using those to control Max, and probably the same to control Terra. Max ultimately tried to save Terra, even at the cost of her own life."

"Wow…"

"Yeah, I know."

"Dude, we didn't even give her a proper burial. I just left her there in the alley. I feel horrible…"

"You didn't know BB, you didn't know."

"So what do we do now?"

"All we can do BB…we wait."

Well, I had thought this was going to be the last chapter…but it wasn't…and this is a pretty bad cliffhanger. Hey BONUS! I actually edited this chapter. Don't ya'll feel all special inside now? Good, you should.