In a way, fighting for his life is a relief.
He doesn't have to second guess himself. Doesn't have time for regrets. It's simple, basic, and immediate. He's smiling.
Deathstroke is good … superhumanly good. His speed is a blur; his strength is more than human. He's a cold-stone killer.
But he's fought stronger men than Deathstroke. He's fought faster. He's used to it. The rhythm, the anticipation, the need to flow with blows that he can't counter, strength he can't match … it's like coming home.
Deathstroke's mask completely covers his face, but there's a slight change in the shape of it that makes it plain that he's surprised. "What, you think it'd be easy just because I'm nothing but a man, 'Stroke?"
Deathstroke grunts in reply.
He laughs then. A slow, taunting laugh. "I thought so." He risks a glance out of the corner of his eye for Jade. He's pleased that she's not trying to jump into the fight, not doing anything to distract him from this fight. She's watching, and he knows if she spots an opening she'll try to take 'Stroke down.
Deathstroke's been in the business a long time … rumor has it he was amped up by a government "super soldier" experiment. Talk is that he's gotten the best of the Bat once or twice, but then talk used to say that he made Green Arrow cry like a baby once …
'Stroke has the edge on speed and strength, and he's good … but he's sloppy too. He's used to his power carrying the day for him. He's also used to fighting heroes … people who don't, who haven't, killed.
That's not who he is.
It's going to be close, though, and he's not entirely sure he's going to win.
He's got the skill to counter 'Stroke's power, but he is human after all, and the longer the fight lasts, the more likely it is that 'Stroke's inhuman endurance will get him the victory.
And the longer it lasts, the more likely it is that the Shadows will send in reinforcements.
His lance is lighter than Deathstroke's blade, but it's as tough as an obscene amount of money can buy. A present from Paula. He wonders briefly if she ever knew that he'd be using it to protect their daughter instead of pull off a job, but he doesn't have time to daydream as 'Stroke gets closer and closer to breaking through his defenses.
"You can't win, Crock. I'm better than you are. Better than you'll ever be." It might have been his imagination, but it sounded like 'Stroke was breathing hard through his mask. Tight as the damn thing was, it couldn't be great for breathing through.
"Then why am I still here, 'Stroke?" He laughs again. "Man, I'm glad your kids aren't here to see me kill you."
Deathstroke snarls and pulls back, tossing his blade—at Jade - while simultaneously drawing a knife and charging him.
"Jade!"
He leaps forward to knock the blade off trajectory so it doesn't hit Jade while hoping that his body armor will be enough to keep the knife from going in.
And it almost is.
He feels the knife go into his back, but he manages to deflect the sword so it doesn't strike Jade.
"Daddy!"
He lands hard and try as he might, he's not able to get to his feet.
"Jade! Run!"
Jade does run—but towards him, not away. She grabs his lance and spins on Deathstroke. "Stay away from him!"
'Stroke has retrieved his blade and he's walking back to them with an almost leisurely pace. "Go, girl. I'll find you, but run now. You shouldn't have to watch your old man die."
"Jade, run!" He pushes himself up. "Leave her alone, Wilson. We're not done yet."
"We will be in a moment, Crock. You surprised me by how well you held out. I didn't expect to have to actually threaten your girl. The Shadows would have been furious at me if she actually came to harm, but I thought you might just be willing to risk it. I respect a man who puts his kids first, Crock."
"Stay away from him!" Jade screams again. She charges with the lance.
"Oh, please." 'Stroke moves his blade to counter Jade's charge in almost a lazy manner, but Jade leaps over him and strikes out with the lance, hitting 'Stroke in the shoulder. If not for his body armor, if not for his reflexes that allowed him to move just enough … it would have been a killing blow.
"Leave or die!" Jade's eyes are furious. Her lovely, girlish face settles into a mask of determination.
She has never looked more like her mother in her entire life.
"You hurt me, girl!"
Slade lashes out with his blade again and again.
Jade counters the first strike; the second slices her shirt open, leaving a thin trail of blood.
"You're good, girl. But you're just a child. You're no match for your father, let alone me."
He reaches into his shirt and pulls out a baseball. His lucky baseball. The one he used to practice with for hours as a kid. Pitching it again and again …
The blade moves again and Jade counters.
Again, and Jade counters.
"I'd hate to have to mess that pretty face of yours up, girl, but I will if I have to…"
He forces himself to breathe, to calm himself, to focus. To wait for the right moment.
He pulls back the ball …
And he prays.
And he throws.
The ball flies through the air as fast and hard as he's ever thrown.
And it strikes Deathstroke in the head—on the blind side of his head—and he goes down like a puppet with cut strings.
For a moment, Jade stares at him, then she grabs his sword and pulls it back to strike…
"Jade, no!"
He stretches his hands out to her, pleading. "No, baby. Don't …"
Don't become me.
For a second, she hesitates ….
And Deathstroke grabs her leg and pulls her down. He slams her head down hard against the ground.
She twitches, then moans, tries feebly to get up.
"Jade!" He looks about for a rock … for something to throw at 'Stroke.
"She's alive, Crock. She's going to live through this. Its cost me too much trouble to come back without her now. You, on the other hand, have gotten on my nerves." 'Stroke rises to his feet and picks up his sword. "Maybe your girl will be more tractable when she seems me carrying your head."
He takes a step forward … and an arrow whistles through the air and buries itself in his hand. A second hits his left leg.
"Stay away from my family!"
Artemis.
She's wearing her workout clothes. And a mask … his mask. She's holding her bow, and there's an arrow that's pointing at 'Stroke's heart.
And the Kents' dog, Skip, is at her feet, barking furiously at Deathstroke.
Deathstroke laughs, but it's an ugly sound. "You have one hell of a family, Crock, but I'm done. The contract doesn't say anything about your youngest, but I have a feeling she's going to make an awfully good assassin … once she's learned her manners. Maybe I'll keep her myself."
'Stroke tosses something through the air and it strikes Artemis's bow, cutting the string. She cries out as the bow strikes her on the side of the face and falls to her knees. She glares over at Deathstroke.
"Your sister's unconscious. Your dad's got a knife in his back. Your bow's gone. What are you going to do now, little girl?"
Artemis looks at him and wipes blood from her face. "Just this. Skip, get him!"
"Yip! Yip!"
Deathstroke barely has time to laugh again before the little dog is upon him, his white legs moving so fast that it looks like he's flying and he strikes the assassin in the gut and then the two of them really are flying and they smash through the side of the jet that had brought Deathstroke.
There's another thud, and then Skip hops out of the plane and runs back to Artemis, looking incredibly pleased with himself.
"Good boy, Skip. Good boy." Artemis kneels down and hugs the dog briefly. "Thank you." She runs over to Jade and helps her big sister to her feet. "Come on, Jade. We have to go. They're sure to find us."
"H-how did you get here?" Jade asked her, leaning heavily on her little sister as they stumble back to their father.
"Skip brought me." Artemis holds her hand out to her father. "Daddy, come on. Get up. We have to go now before someone else shows up."
"I can't, baby," he says softly. "I can't."
Despite her own pain, Jade looks into his face with alarm. "Daddy, what's wrong? Why can't you get up?"
"I can't feel my legs, Jade. I can't feel my legs …"