Teen Titans Presents Robin – Torn Legacy of a Prodigal Son –

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Chapter 35: Staying Alive; Combat Specialists from Our Pasts Come Out To Play

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Adeline Kane dried off her hair, stepping out of the marble shower stall of her pent in Manhattan. God, she needed a lift. Her eyes swore upon seven generations that they'd never make the same mistake twice. Her unit to the HIVE as a standing still "former" headmistress, that was her role to play for a time. Until she'd witnessed her ex – husband's growing obsession with her distant family's adopted son. She pulled the plug and defected as the soldier of that group, knowing full well Joey was at least out of that man's view.

Grant.

She groaned with a labored sigh and picked up a brush from the sink counter. The greys getting greyer. Gray….as in him. If EVER Slade put his money where –

The device on the counter buzzed and she smoothed back her locks quickly, military timed. The face on it was a former operative through the division. Hot Spot, from the Moroccan branch, now a Titan on the side or training to become one once the league approved unanimously.

~ Wildebeest was taken, we have a way though into the range since the truck… ~ He moved the screen for her to see the tied and unconscious patrol officers. ~ We'll get you everything you need, head –

"You don't need to call me that anymore." Addie put a hand to her temples. "Be sure to make it look like an accident, don't leave a trail. I can't have Grant getting one step ahead; if I hadn't caught up to that brat when I did…. You understand the drill."

~ Well received, Ms. Kane. ~ Hot Spot tried to remain less judgmental. Adeline was connected to this fiasco with Robin of Titans California. He only wanted to help as much as he could, get them to see he was serious of being called a hero.

"Stay out of danger, blend in if you have to. Everyone knows someone in the country you're in. Just, use your best judgement." With that lesson in mind, Addie had the link cut off as she sat on the sink and sighed again. Hot Spot made a frown at the statement. Of course, only any non – African born native would talk like they knew anything. And he wasn't any exception, while Wildebeest knew far more.

"Let's go. I can't have you found out, or me…" They were close, and getting by the night air he could try to blend in as a human looking for a way back to the city. Try to blend in my foot…He was far from in Deathstroke's territory than anywhere else!

Now, how to get the boy wonder to wander off for two whole minutes?

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Dick sat on his bed in his room and was back to brooding, then pacing on a long overdue time out that Slade had issued. The windows were bolted down, the door had a security scanner and the baseboard AC was…. not a vent he could crawl through.

"I could hide in the…no. He has to know what I'm saying through the ceiling!" Dick gripped his hair and knew that this had to stop. He needed some space, distance from the mad man for a long time…

No therapy could fix him….

A clod of earth however did save him, hitting the upstairs window as he ran over to find who was –

Dick stuck his face to the glass.

SOS, here we go!

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It was later that night and Will was tuckered out, Slade was in the shed and someone was waiting for him, courtesy of Bruce's connections he'd hoped.

~Hot Spot. Titan soon to be, want to help. Your friends are too. Come outside if you can. ~

In the dirt, that fire was light and clear, only to him. He saw it as embers to a dying hearth and boy, was that well needed! Dick would be going fishing next thing, then he'd be gutting a human!

No, no more beating around the rooibos. (Red Bush.) He needed to get out and try harder to stand up for himself. Now, he had the smarts to know that darts could work. He took a few from the board, Slade having left them. He was either getting cocky, lazy….

Or it was a trap and he knew, he'd then…

Dick shook his head.

No! This was his chance! He set off for the stairs, too quiet. He needed to be ghostly silent.

The first step did not creak, however, the second was close. He took his foot off, testing each part until he found one with his fingers that was not trying to get him caught. He did this a couple of times until the eighth step. He pushed down his foot, and a damned gunshot had him freeze. The door?? Who was out there??

The light to Slade's shed went off and that had the kid to hurry it along, then the fourteenth…

Here! He went to the middle of the room. The back porch, he could –

The door creaked back as Slade was there, a gun over his shoulder. A rifle, with his mask off and hair a bit disheveled in plain camo for the night.

Dick had a hand on the fridge door, he had to make it look less suspicious.

"Kid?" Slade moved the corner as his protégé made sure to let the light of the refrigerator show. "Sorry, did I scare you?" Dick moved his head, eyes of blue coyness looking the dead one right back. "Was thirsty, water got warm. Sorry, sir…" Dick made his best apologetic stance and looked embarrassed as a plus. "Go." The man ushered the kid to refill a glass as he passed one over from above the sink. "You're still detained right now, you know this means you can't come back out."

"What about –

"You have your own bathroom." The man reminded, Dick somewhat huffing at the fact he'd stalled. "Sorry, but I really am not "assassin" material."

"You can do for other acts, but you won't be able to reject this offer." Slade chuckled. "Sorry, Renegade. Read the fine print next time."

Dick chugged down the glass and gasped at the cold chill of his mini victory.

Avoiding a far worse punishment than a time out. Robin – One.

Slade…

"Back to your room, I'll be there to check on you in a few hours." Slade looked up at the clock on the stove. "It's not that late, you're used to pulling all nighters anyway." The man teased, Dick feeling the blunt of that remark to be rather true. "I don't think it matters. I went through a lot today, and I should..." Richard forced a yawn. "Get some shut eye…. night…." Dozing as he walked out, Dick made sure Slade was in the other room before he soundlessly got back to the back porch, his hands to the latch.

Shit…

The titans' rescue heroic was outside…. how was –

He waved to the African boy in a black and red suit. Had to be…. he squinted past the glass….

" Dick?"

Dick turned around with a smile on his face, a hand up as he waved one last time.

Hot Spot got ready to power up.

Slade's eye was shadowed by a streak of white locks as he yelled and Hot Spot, then fired away.

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Dick had his hands over his head as the broken glass was the least of his ills for tonight. Slade had a gun. He had a gun, and Dick…. He had the darts!

"Are you ok?"

"On my signal…" Dick gritted his teeth and swayed, not letting Hot Spot get too close. The world was still too hot, the global temps were more like may in Florida!

"One..."

Slade raised his weapon, and then his other hand.

Dick blinked, the one behind Slade a big shock as they were now out on the destroyed deck. There, in the open.

To freedom.

Wildebeast charged into the man as the gun fell from his grip, Slade snarling as twisting the beast to look it in the eye like a tiger. Dick's eyes went wild as he saw the fury in the other meta's eyes. Hot Spot used a low dose of embers to zap Slade's fingers, the beast companion of the hero's getting free long enough to join the other two teens. "Wilde! You take Robin." Hot Spot powered up his energy reserves to max.

" I'll handle the hunter…."