Disclaimer: It's getting hard to post this every chapter, but I must. I don't own Teen Titans, except the last two mystery characters. Their mine, muwhahaha!
A/N: So I'm back. It's another week believe it or not. Thanksgiving break starts tomorrow. So happy! It was a little difficult writing this chapter, hence why it's a little short. But I needed to set up things and I can assure that after this one, the action with the heroes can begin finally! You all were probably wondering that too huh?
Ch. 6: The Hunt begins
Robin sat quietly on the sofa. Starfire was to his right, holding his hand in sympathy. Cyborg was pacing back and forth with Raven standing silently at the counter, drinking her tea. Beast Boy was just as fidgeting as Cyborg and he keep glancing at the door, waiting for Batman and the other Justice League members to show up.
"So, what are we going to say?" sighed Cyborg.
Raven took a sip, "Tell him everything."
"Everything?"
"Yes." The telepathic nodded, "We haven't found Robin yet and I feel that time is running out. We need Batman's help and to do that we have to tell him everything."
Robin frowned, "Knowing…from what I can recall, Batman probably knows everything. He just wants us to tell him."
Starfire squeezed Robin's hand, "Then this is joyous news is it not?"
"What's joyous?"
Batman's voice pierced the lobby. The Titans shrieked a bit in fear and surprise. But Robin watched emotionally as Batman made his way to stand in the center of his room. He noticed that the man was holding something in his hand, but it was hidden beneath the black cowl. Green Arrow and Black Canary stood off to the side; Arrow's face etched in pain.
"Let's start from the beginning shall we. When was the last time either of you saw the real Robin?"
Beast Boy was the first to speak, "We and the rest of the Titans around the world were fighting against the Brotherhood of Evil. Brain was capturing each of us one by one. They got Robin up in the artic somewhere. The next time I saw him was when I lead the strike against their headquarters. Most of the Titans were up on shelves, frozen. Let's just say we fought, unfroze the rest of the Titans and kicked the bad guys' butt!" Beast Boy threw a fist into the air, remembering the victory over his long time nemesis.
"Was the Robin whom was unfrozen acted differently?"
The changeling seemed to deflate at Batman's indifferent tone. "No. But after a few days…"
Raven continued, "I sensed something wasn't right. Robin and I share a bond-"
"When did this happen?"
Glances flickered amongst the foursome. It was Cyborg that answered, "One night, Robin inhaled a hallucinogen dust making him fight against an unknown person. He was killing himself and Raven had tried to get Robin to believe that his opponent wasn't real by making mental contact."
"I don't recall that," whispered Robin, his shoulder's sagged. But then something changed in him and he eyed Cyborg with a stern gaze, "Who was it that I…the real Robin fought?"
Beastboy laughed nervously, "Good question."
Starfire lowered her eyes to prevent the others from seeing her rage, "A criminal named Slade."
"Slade?"
Starfire focused on Batman, "Yes. He and Robin were always fighting and obsessing over each other, especially Robin. That evil man has caused nothing but pain for us and to Robin. He even injected us with probes and forced Robin to be his apprentice."
Robin jerked slightly, "I remember that…slightly…we were after the cromoton detonator. I went after Cinderblock and was forced to be his apprentice. All I remember is stealing from Wayne Tech and fighting you on the roof. But then you guys came to save me, I injected myself with the probes and that was it. Slade disappeared and we rid ourselves of the probes."
Batman clenched his teeth. He remembered getting a call that one of the weapons in Jump City had been stolen. Yet, the object was returned a couple days later. So, it was Robin. His Robin forced to be some criminal's apprentice. It sickened and made him extremely angry. The name Slade itself sounded familiar but he couldn't remember.
"Is this him?" With that, Batman tossed the metal mask on the floor.
Starfire gasped. Cyborg nodded, "Yep, that's Slade's mask alright."
Robin knelt down and picked up the mask. All the Titans stared at him, the eerily resemblance making them remember how many times their own Robin held that mask to his face, obsession radiating off of him.
"This is what I saw," spoke Robin softly. Locking eyes with Cyborg he continued, "Just now, when I looked into the mirror I saw a flash of some image but I couldn't remember."
Cyborg took a step forward, his eyes widening, "Dude! Your brain is like a computer hard drive. When I restarted you, it jumpstarted and must have opened most of your programming. What you must have seen was the first memory imprint. He probably activated you briefly to see if you'd work. You caught a glimpse of his face before he shut you off again. Finally, some proof!"
Raven floated down to the lobby, "I assumed as much, but are you sure?"
Robin nodded, excitement rising in him. He could fix this; he could repay the Titans for all their kindness by saving their leader. The depression that had plagued his mind evaporated with hard-set determination. "I'm positive. Besides, this would be the perfect revenge for Slade to give us. The guy wouldn't just walk away from defeat without holding a grudge."
The Titans nodded. Batman frowned, "So, Deathstroke is involved. Wonderful."
The teenagers looked up at the Dark Knight. He continued on, "Deathstroke is a hard man to track. He's been underground for a while. It makes sense that he would change his name when moving to a new city. We'll just have start from where the headquarters of Brotherhood was, or you can tell me about this Reaper?"
Beastboy's mouth dropped open. "You know about him?"
Batman narrowed his eyes.
Robin got up and popped in the tape. "We don't know who Reaper is exactly. Some of us hypothesis it's the other Robin's new identity. Green Arrow fought him and said the style is similar to that of mine…his…"
Batman shot Arrow a look. Green Arrow smirked lightly; "Black Canary and I ran into him while chasing the conman. He helped the man escape."
"Did you see him without a mask?"
"…Kinda…the resemblance is uncanny…"
"Here we go," Robin played the video. Batman watched as a small figure limped slightly, baring himself on a scythe.
Raven provided commentary, "Kole and Gnarkk, two Titans, received this video from a new reporter. He was flew over a base that the two Titans had just visited. Kole recognized him from the base and said that he was a dangerous man."
Green Arrow interrupted, "Canary and I were with Kole and Gnarkk in the city. They recognized him later on in a city square getting persecuted by the crowd. Later that day, we fought Reaper."
Batman narrowed his eyes, taking in the hidden face. He had to make sure, "Are you sure this person and Reaper are connected?"
"No, but it seems the only possible cause they were charging this guy with harsh crimes. They had the same build too, Batman. I saw the guy in the square, I got a feeling that I knew him from somewhere and then when fighting Reaper, got the same impression."
Batman didn't respond, but they could tell the wheels were turning in his head.
The room remained silent. The only thing they knew for certain now was that Slade had Robin. They knew who kidnapped him, but where the two were now was impossible.
Raven broke the silence, widening the view, "This is all that remains of the base, nothing but crumpled walls. Considering, if this is our Robin, was the only person seen to walk out of that place without much injury placing him as the instigator on triggering the bomb that destroyed the base."
Batman closed his eyes, his mind whirling around, connecting the dots. There was no sound proof that Reaper and this mystery man were one of the same but still the name itself provided imagery of how the figure presented himself. Opening his eyes, Batman focused on the figure. No doubt, that was Robin…his Robin. There was no denying it. Even with the blindfold, he could recognize the face and frame of his ward. Sure, the child had lost much weight and seemed overly exhausted, but even in the film he radiated that stubborn nature.
"I am here to warn you Batman, that the League of Shadows is after Robin. He has interfered in our plans in a civil war. He was working on the wrong side and is being tried for war crimes. If we catch him before you, he will placed under military arrest and executed. However, if you find him before us, then the League will oversee this incident and let him go."
The League of Shadow's representative's sharp voice sounded in Batman's mind. Searching through the rubble, he couldn't help but wonder what type of mess Robin had found himself in and if he could ever return to his untarnished reputation.
-------------Gotham-----------------
A young man frowned at the robbery. No Batman showed up. Sure, a red-hair girl dressed up as the Bat caught the robbers and arrested them, but that was it. Either the robbers were too low for Batman to deal with or he was held up elsewhere. Or, maybe the far-fetched idea that Batman wasn't even in the city seemed logical. Looking down, he stared at the cell phone. He wouldn't be surprised if it rang anytime soon.
"Can we leave now?"
The young man turned and eyed his partner, "What's wrong?"
"Just got things to do, places to go."
"Come on, Gotham is like back home."
"Home seemed more…cheerful than this."
The young man snorted, "Maybe now, but not back then, not during the war."
His partner eyed the cell phone, "You think he'll call?"
"Of course he'll call. We're his only good lead."
"So, what's the plan?"
"You're staying here. We got wind that something valuable is heading here and it might attract the eyes of the men we're after."
"And you?"
"Going to Jump City. I don't want things to screw up." With that, the young man placed the cell phone in his coat jacket. "See ya."
The other man nodded and in a low voice, responded, "Yeah."
----------------------
A/N: I know it's short compared to the others but I couldn't think of what else to write and I don't want to rush the reunion between the Titans and Batman with Robin.
