Chapter 3

Familiar Faces

"Plasmas? Didn't we just put him in jail yesterday?" complained Beast Boy.

"Maybe we just need to tighten security," said Cyborg.

"Titans Go!"

The team attacked with full force, every blow knocking Plasmas back several feet.

Suddenly Plasmas shot sludge at Robin, blasting him in the middle of City Park.

A deep cut found its way down his bicep as he slid across the gravel path in the woods.

"Man!" he said as he stood up wiping the dirt off his uniform.

He looked over the cut; blood flowed openly from the wound.

Leaves and twigs crunched a little off the path.

He looked around all he saw was darkness-Robin jerked back remembering the incident three years ago.

"Hello apprentice, miss me?" questioned a cold seductive voice.

Robin instantly recognized it-"Slade!" he hissed, "Show yourself!"

"Patience Robin, I'm not going anywhere."

Slade's voice came from the other side of the path.

"What do you want?" he growled

"Is it a crime to talk to my apprentice?"

The voice jumped back to the other side again.

"No more games, Slade! What do you- UMMPH!"

A cold metal hand covered his mouth and his arms were trapped against his chest by another's. He felt his feet leave the ground and Robin struggled to get free, but the grip only got tighter.

After a few short minutes he couldn't move his upper half, and the pressure on his chest was beginning to crack his ribs.

"I don't play games, Robin- I create them," a cool voice whispered in his ear, "And you're stuck in the middle of my greatest creation yet."

Robin swung his foot up, aiming to hit Slade in the face-but hit nothing but air.

Robin fell face first in the dirt and a sharp kick to his sore ribs sent him flying into a nearby tree. He choked on the dirt in his mouth and suddenly a fist flew into his face knocking his head into the tree trunk.

Robin's vision danced for a minute then slowly came back and a black and orange mask was barely inches away from his own.

"And this time-you will never escape."

Slade pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

"No!"

Robin tried to run, but Slade grabbed the roots of his hair and slammed the side of his head into the tree trunk.

"Don't worry Robin, you won't feel a thing."

Slade stuck the syringe in the back of Robin's neck and he immediately blacked out.

-----------------------

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...

"Will he be as you say... okay?"

"Star...fire?"

"Look! He's waking up!"

Robin opened his eyes and saw his team running towards his bed.

"Ugh...what happened?" he asked as when he saw nothing familiar, so he couldn't be at the tower in the infirmary...

"You're in the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"We don't know, we found you in City Park after we finally beat Plasmas and took you back to the tower's infirmary. After an hour, your heart rate shot off the charts and Cyborg couldn't stabilize it, so we had to bring you to the hospital," explained Raven.

"Yeah, but don't worry," Cyborg added seeing Robin's horrified face," We've got the best doctor in the hospital on the job."

Cyborg stepped to the side and a doctor with white hair and goatee, a single grey eye, and white eye patch over his right eye.

"Robin, Dr. Wilson," introduced Cyborg.

"Hello, Robin."

A chill shot down Robin's spine. Something was familiar about this doctor and he gave him the creeps, in fact very few people could.

"We found a potentially dangerous chemical in your blood stream. It will take the remainder of today and tomorrow to administer the rest of the antidote."

"The rest of the antidote? How long have I been here?"

"A couple of days," answered Raven.

"We were really worried about you; we almost lost you during the transition from the infirmary to the hospital-but luckily Dr. Wilson was on call and he was able to stabilize you," explained Cyborg.

"Do you even remember what happened?" asked Beast Boy.

Robin's eyes went wide with fright.

"Slade. He's back."

Robin's heart monitor beeped faster.

"Dude, chill. He can't be back."

Cyborg placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Do you remember anything that happened?"

"No" Robin shook his head.

"You're very fortunate that your friends got you here in time, Robin."

Dr. Wilson smirked showing his perfectly straight white teeth.

Something was definitely strange and familiar about this Dr. Wilson.

"Now if you'll excuse me," he said ushering the four Titans towards the door, "I need to administer more of Robin's antidote."

As his team left, Robin began to feel uneasy about being left at the mercy at this so called doctor.

"Don't worry Robin," said Dr. Wilson walking towards his bed, "It will be over momentarily."

Dr. Wilson pulled out an I.V. and put it in the back of his hand.

After a few seconds Robin felt dizzy and was beginning to see spots. Several seconds later he blacked out.

Dr. Wilson watched the boy wonder until he was sure he was out, and then pulled a cell phone out of his coat pocket.

"You're absolutely positive it is irreversible?"

"When have I ever given you reason to doubt me?"

Dr. Wilson answered him by hanging up the phone.

He looked at the sleeping boy.

"In no time Robin, you will be my perfect apprentice."