Titans: Elemental

Chapter 19: Apprentice, Part 1

We see Dick is chasing Slade across a rocky landscape under the starry night sky. The masked villain leaps across a deep crevasse, then to a rock formation that completely blocks the view. With Dick still close behind him, Slade bounds over another fissure and drops over the edge of a mesa before making a beeline for a high, flat peninsula studded with several tower-like formations. There is a narrow path leading to it, but he forgoes this in favor of a single long, high jump. Dick does likewise, landing in a crouch, and comes up for a wary look around. Slade steps out from behind a rock.

Slade said, "dangerous behavior, Nightwing. You must be very eager to see me. I'm flattered."

Dick said, "I'm not here to see you. I'm here to stop you."

Slade said, "hmm. But how can you stop me, when you don't even know what I'm planning?"

Dick said, "like this."

He rushes in with a savage kick; Slade dodges easily, and the follow-up punch only smashes a chunk from one of the towers. The two spar a bit, after which Dick finds himself on the defensive and tries a charging punch. Slade catches his fist and hurls him against a tower, but Dick rebounds quickly and tries a punch that pulverizes more rock. One strike after another misses its mark but sends up clouds of stone dust. Slade's eye glows briefly during this string of attacks; at the end of it, he lands a powerful kick that staggers the Titan very badly. He is soon on his feet and fighting back, but his punches are blocked and he takes one that bowls him over again.

When he gets up this time, he has a wingding in each hand and lets them fly. Slade stands his ground, arms crossed in front of himself; there is a quick flash and clang of metal on metal, and we see each weapon in turn smash into a tower. The formations begin to crumble all topple in a cloud of dust that covers the entire area. Dick's silhouette appears within the haze, and he steps into the open to survey the place. His eyes pop when he looks off to his right; the dust clears as he slides off that way.

Slade said, "excellent, Nightwing. We appear to be evenly matched and equally ruthless. Not surprising. You and I are so very much alike."

As he finishes saying this, the dust clears to show him standing behind Dick; the latter whirls to face him.

Dick yelled, "I'm nothing like you!"

He throws an uppercut that connects squarely with the metal-covered jaw and sends Slade crashing to the ground.

Dick pulls him up, "you're a criminal, a psychopath! All you care about is destruction!"

Slade said, "and all you care about, you destroy."

He gestures off to one side; Dick looks in that direction and sees the shattered debris left from the brawl. All of the debris looks like the other Titans, smashed into pieces.

Dick yelled, "no! Who are you?!"

He reaches toward the face. The mask is flung up and away. Dick is staring in shock, as the face behind that smooth expanse of steel is his own. The duplicate laughs heartily in Slade's voice.

….

We are now in Dick's room. He is asleep at his work table, but sits bolt upright with a gasp of terror; the entire proceedings up to this point were a very bad dream. A nightmare. His face runs with sweat as he tries to catch his breath. The door is heard opening.

"It's him."

Dick turns to see Vic standing at the door.

Vic said, "it's Slade."

….

Moments later, in the main room. It is just before daybreak. The Titans are gathered before the window/screen, which shows Slade's face. He is in some sort of industrial area.

Slade said, "good morning, Titans. I do hope I didn't wake you."

BB yawned, "yawn, what are you, an insomniac? Who calls at five in the morning-?"

Raven elbows him in the side to cut him off.

Jack said, "not the time dude."

Rose is silently glaring daggers at her father. She was the only person in the room who hated him as much as Dick did.

Dick asked, "what do you want?"

Slade said, "well, that's precisely what you've been trying to find out, isn't it? And in spite of all your efforts, you're still in the dark about my intentions. Disappointing, Nightwing. I expected a little more from you."

Dick and Rose both said, "like we care what you-"

Slade said, "but since you've been unable to discover my plan, I suppose I'll just have to reveal it myself."

Two of his commando robots are standing next to a large object covered with a tarp.

Slade said, "I'm sure you're all familiar with the concept of a Chroniton Detonator."

The tarp is pulled away as he says this. Underneath it is a large, egg-like piece of machinery with a couple of red lights set into its surface. The upper portion telescopes toward the ceiling, giving a view of the circuitry inside and more sets of lights.

Vic said, "no!"

Blackfire asked, "how the heck?!"

Starfire gasps.

Raven said, "uh-oh."

Jack said, "you can say that again!"

Rose said, "I will, uh-oh!"

BB exclaimed, "no way", he turns to Starfire and asks, "um, what's a crouton detonator?

Jack said, "chronoton, not crouton."

Starfire explained, "it eradicates all chronitons within a localized area, utterly destroying the temporal component of the space-time continuum."

BB said in confusion, "hmm?"

Raven said, "it stops time. Permanently."

BB cries out and faints.

Vic said, "if he triggers that thing downtown, it'll freeze-frame the entire city."

Blackfire said, "that's one way to put us out of a job."

Rose said, "I know he's evil, but THAT evil?!"

Dick yelled, "tell me where!"

Slade said, "you're a clever boy, Nightwing. I'm sure you and your little friends can figure it out", he holds up a transmitter, "however, since I control the detonation, time is not on your side."

The screen fills with static, and Dick slams a fist down on the computer keyboard with a frustrated grunt. Now the window has cleared.

Dick yelled, "fan out! Find it! Shut it down!"

He storms toward the door, but BB, Rose and Vic move to block his path.

BB said, "hey, uh, maybe you should stay here and coordinate the search."

A big drop of sweat rolls down his temple on the end of this.

Dick growled out, "what?"

Vic said, "man, when it comes to Slade, you've got issues."

Vic has pointed a finger at Dick's temple and is twirling it in the classic "this guy has a screw loose" gesture.

Rose said, "even I have to admit that, and I wanna get him as much as you do, man."

Vic said, "might be better for the team if you sit this one out."

Dick said, "no. There's too much at stake for me to-"

Starfire said, "Richard…."

He stops at her mention of his name.

Starfire said, "we have not forgotten the last time you faced-"

Dick said, "I made a mistake, Starfire. It won't happen again. I promise."

Blackfire said, "we hope not."

Raven said, "would you at least like to know where to look?"

Everyone turns to look at her. She is at the keyboard, and on the screen is a freeze frame from Slade's message, the robots and the detonator.

Raven said, "Slade gave us more information than he realized."

The image fills the screen and zooms in on a patch of it as a set of grid lines is superimposed; a small blurry image on the metal surface stands out.

Raven said, "here, in this reflection."

BB said, "ooh, squiggly lines. Way informative."

As more keystrokes are heard, it refines and can be clearly seen as a backward text, "PIER 41."

This is turned around to read normally.

Starfire said, "Pier Forty-One!"

Dick said, "the docks!"

Raven glares at her detractor, who grins and chuckles nervously at having been shown up.

Jack said, "nice one babe."

Jack gives her a quick kiss to the temple, making her give one of her trademark small grins.

….

We see a sign marking that location and one of the warehouses at the waterfront. It is now closer to sunup. Dick runs to the doors, followed by BB, as a cheetah, returning to human form, and then the rest of the group.

Jack asked Vic, "did you tell Sarah about all of this?"

Vic said, "yeah. She's gonna leave the city until I give her word it's safe. Now, let's get this over with."

Vic whips out his sonic cannon and lets it speak.

The doors are blasted away, and Dick dashes in with his fighting staff in hand. He extends it as the others follow him, ready to slug it out. But there's nothing; no Slade, no commandos, no nothing.

Starfire asked, "empty?"

Blackfire asked, "how?"

Vic said, "oh, man!"

Dick shouted, "I don't believe this!"

To add injury to insult, those robotic strongmen show up out of nowhere, standing on the overhead beams as well as all over the floor. A few even move to block the exit.

BB said, "great. Now what do we do?"

Dick said, "we fight."

Rose said, "I've been wanting to hear that all day!"

We see a bunch of the robots, and we see just how badly outnumbered our heroes really are. The opposing forces start to close in.

Dick exclaimed, "Titans! Go!"

They do so. He moves so fast that he almost seems to be everywhere at once, knocking out one robot after another before they have time to react. A couple back up before Vic's headlong dash; he gets ready to deliver a real haymaker, but Dick moves in first and dispatches them.

Vic said, "hey! I was gonna do that!"

Jack is about to shoot one of them with some ice shards, but Dick moves in first, smashing them into the wall!

Jack asked, "uh, dude?"

Elsewhere, Starfire and Blackfire skid backward a bit and are quickly surrounded by the metallic musclemen. They warm up their star bolts and rise into the air to do two spinning strafes, but again Dick zips in and wipes out the lot. They stare incredulously after him once he has gone.

Now BB is hemmed in and gives a surprised little yelp; the enemies dog-pile on him, whereupon he turns into a bull and bucks them away. More close in, and he snorts in preparation to charge, but once again, Dick leaps into the fray and puts them all down for the count.

Rose manages to slice several robots, but as she approaches several more, Dick leaps in and once again does away with them!

We see Raven in midair.

Raven said, "Azarath Metrion Zin-"

She has no chance to finish the spell; the overactive Titan is there in a flash to beat the stuffing out of the commandos menacing her. She just looks around, deadpan but slightly bewildered, and sees him leap across the warehouse to engage another group.

The other Titans are up against the wall, watch in sheer confusion while the shadows of the battle play back and forth across them. A piece of a head tumbles past, followed by a beaten attacker and Dick himself. The others wince as the pounding gets louder.

Dick jumps onto the fallen robot whose head was partially smashed away. He starts bashing the remains of the metal skull with his staff.

Vic said, "uh, Dick? I think you got him."

Jack said, "yeah, you can calm down…."

Starfire said, "yes, please. You may stop now."

Only her hands on his bring the walloping to a close.

Starfire said, "we are victorious."

Blackfire said, "yeah, you got all of them."

Dick stands up.

Dick growled, "Slade's got his finger on the button, and we've got nothing! Does that sound like a victory to you?"

He stalks away, leaving the others staring after him and trying to figure out what could have turned him into a one-man wrecking crew.

….

Moments later, just outside the warehouse, just above the doors Vic blew out.

Vic said, "okay. We know the Chroniton Detonator was here. Now we just have to figure out where it went."

BB said, "no problem. We should split up and-"

Raven said, "waste hours searching only to come up empty-handed?"

BB said, "well, when you say it like that-?"

Starfire lands by them.

Starfire said, "Raven is right. We must find some way to track the device."

Blackfire said, "and we gotta do it fast."

Dick approaches, then cocks an eyebrow quizzically at the sound of echoing footsteps. At a distance, a man is walking between two of the warehouses; a large shadow is cat on the wall behind him.

Dick growled, "freeze!"

He is off like a shot; the spooked fellow races along the way, but a wingding flashes into view and embeds itself in the concrete, bringing him up short. Dick follows it down, throws him against the wall, and holds up a small crest with Slade's S insignia on it, taken from one of the robots.

Dick growled, "tell me everything you know about this!"

The frightened chap can only stutter and mumble inarticulately.

Dick yelled, "answer me! Now!"

He shoves the man to the wall, harder.

The man said, "I've never seen it before! I don't know anything! Honest!"

As he says this, Raven's powers spread over Dick's torso. The Titan is then slung across to the wall of the opposite warehouse and pinned to it as she maintains her hold, the other six approach.

Raven said, "you said you could handle it."

She releases him.

Starfire said, "you promised."

He slides down.

Dick said, "we're wasting time."

He strides off.

BB said, "you know, just 'cause we're trying to catch Slade doesn't mean you have to act like him!"

You could hear a pin drop after that.

Jack said, "uh oh…."

Dick stops in his tracks, as we have already seen, being compared to this man hits him in all the wrong spots.

Dick yelled, "don't you ever compare me to him! He's trying to destroy the city. I'm trying to save it!"

The rest of the Titans are, to borrow a line from the great Dr. Seuss, puzzling until their puzzlers are sore. Suddenly, Starfire and Blackfire let off two violent sneezes, accompanied by star bolts that shoot from their noses. When the glare clears out, all six of the others are stunned and smoking from the blast.

Raven said, "Gesundheit."

Starfire said, "forgive us. Me and my sister are allergic to metallic chromium. There must be a source near-"

Star gets ready to sneeze again; everyone bails out, as Blackfire joins in and they let it rip with two more nasal star bolts. At the scene, the smoke clears to expose them, standing alone. They sniffle, wipe their noses, and groan.

Starfire said, "sorry."

Blackfire said, "I haven't sneezed this badly since my thirteenth birthday!"

The others return, BB from behind a trash can, Dick rappelling down from the warehouse roof, Raven passing through the wall, Rose jumping out from a large crate, and Jack flies down from using the air to fly up. Vic is the only one to simply walk up; he looks down at his forearm.

Vic said, "interesting."

His perspective, looking at a graph readout on his panel. She wipes her nose again.

Starfire said, "not really. On our world, chromium allergies are quite common."

Blackfire said, "Starfire and I have had them for a long time."

Vic said, "no. The key component of a Chroniton Detonator is a metallic chromium core, which means…."

He closes the panel.

BB said, "you guys can track it!"

Rose said, "I like where this is going."

Starfire and Blackfire sniffle as they look at the others.

….

Later, we see our heroes traveling through the sewers.

From around a bend, Starfire unloads another high-powered sneeze.

Blackfire does the same moments later. They are slogging through the water and wiping their noses with groans.

Starfire said, "I believe it is this way."

Blackfire said, "I can confirm that statement."

The others have thrown up their arms to protect themselves from the blast. After a moment, they move out with Dick bringing up the rear.

Dick said, "look, guys, uh- about earlier."

They stop.

Raven said, "it'll have to wait."

She points ahead to show a small speedboat in the tunnel, with the detonator, back in its original compact form loaded in the back. A commando guarding the rig catches sight of the group.

Dick exclaimed, "Titans! Go!"

BB becomes a falcon as they charge. The robot moves to the instrument panel and hits the throttle, speeding off down the tunnel.

Dick exclaimed, "quick! We can't let him get away!"

A section of the wall smashes out next to him, and a large stone hand reaches through and drags him away.

Starfire exclaimed, "Nightwing!"

We see on the other side of the hole. As the other seven wade past, the sound of a fight is heard. They stop to watch. Dick is mixing it up with Cinderblock.

Dick exclaimed, "get the detonator! Go!"

All but Starfire follow the orders.

Vic shouted, "Star! You heard the man!"

Jack yelled, "we gotta get that detonator!"

Reluctantly, she sets off after them. Dick leaps from one support column to another and stays just ahead of Cinderblock, who destroys each one with a single blow.

Dick growled, "only fair to warn you: you caught me on a bad day!"

The stone behemoth growls and charges. Dick moves in as well, the Titan vaults high over Cinderblock and hurls a pair of bolas-weighted balls connected with a rope. These land on the head and tangle up around it, and Dick follows with a flying spin kick.

….

We see the speedboat zooming ahead. Starfire, carrying Vic, flies after it. Raven and BB are right behind her. Blackfire is flying beside Jack as she holds Rose by her shoulders. The robot presses one of a row of buttons on the control panel.

Computer, "defense mode activated."

These words appear on a small screen above the buttons. Now two lasers on the stern open up with a barrage of shots that forces everyone to swerve back and forth. The chase moves around a junction; Starfire keeps dodging the shots.

Vic breaks out his cannon, "I will not be having attitude from a boat!"

Jack yelled, "that makes two of us!"

They keep getting it, though, in the form of a new fusillade.

...

Back with Nightwing and Cinderblock; the former lands in a crouch, then pushes off from the ground for a flying roundhouse kick that staggers the latter. Another kick, a crushing left hook, and Nightwing touches down in front of the dazed enemy and seizes him.

Cinderblock is thrown down onto his back, and NightWing climbs atop his chest.

Dick growled, "where is he? Where's- huh?"

His attention is drawn by a beeping. The source: a small tracking device in Cinderblock's open hand. Dick climbs down and picks up the item. The device shows a map of the area with two flashing dots. One dot is an arrow leading to Slade's location.

Marked with an S.

A cold smile spreads across Dick's face. Now he knows exactly where to find his archenemy.

….

Meanwhile, the Titans continue their pursuit of the speedboat.

…

Slade is watching the chase from various monitors in his lair.

Slade said, "hurry, young Titans. Your time is running out."

On a high catwalk behind him, a door is blown out, but he does not even flinch. The smoke clears to show Nightwing's silhouette in the light from outside.

Nightwing said, "actually…. We just went into overtime."

Slade said, "Nightwing. Welcome. I've been expecting you for some time", Nightwing drops to the platform, "I was beginning to wonder if Cinderblock was too much of a challenge."

He turns around and holds up the transmitter seen during his earlier message.

Slade said, "looking for this?"

He holds the device at Nightwing's eye level and waves it around.

Slade said, "well….", he sets it down on a spotlighted patch of floor, "…. Here it is."

Slade said, "if you want it, come and take it."

Nightwing's teeth are bared in a silent snarl, and he charges straight at Slade and goes into a mighty somersaulting leap! As he sails closer, he pulls his right fist back and lets out one cry of pure rage.

….

We see the wake of the speedboat. It races down the sewer tunnel, unleashing a burst of laser shots at the other seven Titans. Vic returns fire with his cannon, then is whisked off by Starfire; one shot from the boat sends Beast Boy tumbling for a moment.

He rights himself and falls in behind Raven.

Jack is speeding along the water using his powers as Blackfire carries Rose along.

Now that cannon is blazing steadily away, and it puts both of the speedboat's guns out of action in short order. The commando at the helm opens up the throttle and zooms ahead, but Starfire gradually pulls even to hold Vic over the deck. The same goes for Blackfire and Rose.

Vic yelled, "thanks for the lift!"

Rose shouted, "what he said!"

The sisters let go of them and backed off. As soon as their feet hit the deck, Vic is running toward the commando, who starts punching buttons furiously. The screen above them is now blank.

Computer, "Autopilot engaged."

These words appear.

Vic's hand clamps onto the robot's shoulder. The others fly after the watercraft, a punch lands and the driver is flung over the stern. On the deck, the wheel is turning itself under the control of the automatic pilot program; Vic seizes it and tries to steer manually, and Rose grabs onto his shoulders to try and help, but only succeeds in tearing it out. Starfire and Blackfire land on the deck as Vic stares at it. Now he hammers several buttons.

Computer, "invalid code."

The display changes to show these two words. The speedboat begins to swerve back and forth, giving the four yelling Titans quite a ride.

Starfire asked, "how does one halt this vehicle?"

Rose shouted, "he better figure that out soon, before I lose my lunch!"

Vic's idea: by seizing the computer panel and ripping it out entirely.

The speedboat emerges into a large open chamber and comes to a stop. Starfire smiles placidly as Rose and Blackfire cling to one another and Vic regards the ruined hardware.

Jack, Raven and Beast Boy land on the deck. The green falcon returns to human form.

Raven said, "please tell me that's not how you're planning to stop the detonator."

Surprised, Vic chuckled a bit as a big drop of sweat rolled down his temple.

Vic said, "uh…."

BB asked, "you do know how to stop it, don't you?"

Vic asked, "how hard could it be?"

He throws the panel overboard and crosses the deck to the detonator.

Jack muttered, "this ain't gonna go well…."

Kneeling next to it, Vic reaches toward the surface and is surprised when the housing telescopes upward as it did in Slade's message.

He falls backward with a grunt. Vic looks as if he has just realized how far he is in over his head.

Vic said in a worried tone, "ooh."

Raven said, "whatever we're gonna do, we should do it before Slade decides to trigger this thing."

Rose said, "and if I know my dad, he's got an itchy trigger finger…."

….

Back in Slade's lair….

The transmitter sits on the ground. Dick tumbles into view at a distance, gets himself upright, and runs toward it. A huge leap carries him closer, but Slade hits him broadside with a flying kick. The two land facing each other.

Slade said, "come now, Nightwing. You'll have to do better than that. I haven't even broken a sweat."

He rushes, leaps, and does a midair backflip leading into a roundhouse kick that sends Dick reeling. The melee moves across the floor, with each landing blows in turn, and Slade plants another steel boot across Dick's chest. Snarling in rage, the Titan gets his head clear, and the two spar again until Slade catches Dick's fist.

Slade said, "good technique. The Bat taught you well."

He bends the arm sharply at the elbow; we hear bones grinding against each other as Dick yells in pain. The hold turns into a throw that sends the hero skidding across the floor to slam into a wall. He gets woozily to his feet.

Slade said, "good, but not perfect."

His head clear again, another yell of pure fury in his throat, Dick charges across the floor. He launches himself into the air, but one of those steel-gloved fists whistles out and hits home in the breadbasket.

We see Dick's stunned countenance, then Slade's quietly cruel one. The young man hangs in the air for a moment, supported by the fist that has just stopped him cold, and then slowly collapses.

Slade chuckles to himself.

….

We see the detonator core. A small square panel is at the heart of it, held in place by a screw at each corner. These are pulled out via Raven's telekinesis, and Vic reaches into view to remove the panel.

Behind it is a rotating, glowing red sphere.

Vic said, "the chromium core. Very unstable. No sudden moves."

He holds up the panel; Beast Boy quickly turns into an octopus, takes it from him, and sets it aside gingerly.

Rose and Jack are basically holding their breath.

As Vic reaches toward the machinery, Starfire and Blackfire get ready to sneeze, their allergy exacerbated by being this close to that much chromium, and throws everyone into a panic. Raven creates a shield around the Tamaraneans heads to contain the force of the coming blast; it holds, but just barely, and their hair is blown wildly out of place. They sniffle after the shields are taken down.

Blackfire said, "thank you."

Starfire said, "please continue."

They shake their hair back into place and grin widely with embarrassed little giggles.

Vic holds up his forearm, which now shows a panel with a circuit diagram of the device. Three lights come on underneath it.

Beast Boy resumes human form.

Vic said, "okay", he extends an acetylene torch from his forefinger, "now all we have to do is decouple the-"

He uses the torch to sever one of the cables running to the core. It begins to beep and rotate very quickly.

BB said, "well, that doesn't sound good."

Jack said, "no it does not…."

….

We are back in Slade's lair. Dick tumbles across the floor and stays down for a few seconds, pounding his fist against the tiles with a loud groan. Slade steps into view near him.

Slade said, "I understand your frustration, Nightwing. You hate losing as much as I do. One of the many qualities we have in common."

Once again, Nightwing's sore spot has been poked too hard, and he comes up into an uppercut that lifts Slade clear off his feet. Two more punches send the armored criminal genius to the floor, but he lands in a crouch and runs off. Giving him no quarter, Dick lands a string of savage blows to drop him flat on his back. The young hero steps into view nearby and picks up the transmitter.

Dick growled, "it's over, Slade!"

Slade said, "on the contrary, Nightwing."

The device starts to spark. It breaks apart in his hand with a small crackle of electricity. He stares down in total confusion. We see Slade, stepping out from a dark recess among the machinery.

Slade said, "this is only the beginning."

Dick asked, "where's the real trigger?"

Slade said, "trigger? There is no trigger, because there is no detonator."

Dick's eyes widened even more.

….

We see the detonator core, still beeping and spinning like mad.

Beast Boy's teeth are chattering a mile a minute as the girls stare over Vic's shoulders, and Jack is biting ice over his fingernails.

Vic said, "moment of truth, y'all", he held up his finger torch, "everybody ready?"

BB groaned, "I can't watch!"

He covers his eyes, but parts his fingers to give one of them a clear field of vision.

Rose puts her eye patch over her good eye.

Vic rakes his flame across a couple of other cables to cut them, and the core stops its activity entirely. The red glow fades to leave the sphere looking like an ordinary metal ball.

Beast Boy, Vic, Jack, Rose, Blackfire and Raven sigh loudly and visibly with relief as Starfire smiles; the moment is short-lived, though, as a loud, urgent alarm goes off and elicits gasps and wide-eyed stares from all seven. The core starts to spin and glow again, and red light spreads from it along the cables that have not been broken. Now the alarm slows down a bit as the red lights on the detonator's housing start to pulsate, and the topmost section retracts slightly.

Beast Boy screams shrilly.

BB yelled, "we blew it! We'll be frozen in time forever!"

Rose yelled, "I never saw Paris!"

The alarm gives way to a steady drone, and the whole device shorts out and crumbles into a pile of junk. Beast Boy is ready to have a fit, but stops when the rig falls silent.

BB said, "um…. Why are we not frozen in time forever?"

Vic said, "because this wasn't a Chroniton Detonator. It was a fake!"

Rose groaned, "ugh! Of course my dad would pull something like this!"

Behind them, at the prow, a weapon pops out and sweeps back and forth, strafing all seven Titans and knocking them overboard. One by one, their heads break the surface; no apparent damage from the assault. Beast Boy shakes off the water with a cry of revulsion.

BB said, "so aside from the nasty taste of sewer water in my mouth, I think I'm okay."

Blackfire groaned, "speak for yourself, ugh, I got some of it in my mouth. Ew…."

Rose said, "and this stuff is NOT gonna wash out of white hair easily."

Vic checks his forearm panel.

Vic said, "diagnostic sensors say I'm just fine", he knocks water out of his ears.

Jack said, "my magic doesn't feel anything…."

Raven said, "whatever that beam was supposed to do, it didn't do it."

Starfire asked, "then…. We are victorious?"

….

But deep within the tissues within her body, we see blood cells moving in an artery. With tiny metal spheres, marked with Slade's S, attaching themselves to these cells, deposited by the beam that hit the Titans.

….

We see a row of seven monitors, each marked with the name of one of these seven Titans, showing a picture of the blood vessels and a readout of vital signs.

Every cell is carrying a device along with it.

Slade steps into view; we are back in his lair, and these are his monitors.

Slade said, "nanoscopic probes. The Chroniton Detonator was merely the bait for a much larger trap."

As he continues, a small push-button device extends itself from the inside of his wrist and settles in his hand.

Slade said, "you see, with the push of a button…."

His thumb is poised above, and we see Dick glaring at it.

Slade said, "… my probes will destroy your friends from the inside out. I admit, it was a little hard for me to put them into my own daughter…. But I got over it…"

Dick growled, "you can't control them. No matter what you threaten, they'll never obey you."

Slade paces around Dick.

Slade said, "this isn't about your friends, Nightwing. It's about you. It's always been about you."

Dick asked in confusion, "what?"

Slade said, "sending trouble your way. Leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel. I was testing you. For some time now, I have been searching for an apprentice. Someone to follow in my footsteps", he leans into Nightwing's face, "and, Nightwing, I've chosen you. Congratulations."

Dick growled, "no way would I ever work for-"

Slade holds up the button, thumb just barely clearing it, and he falls silent.

Slade said, "if you join me, if you swear to serve me, if you never speak to your friends again. I will allow them to live."

Dick is staring in mute fear.

Slade said, "but…. If you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihilate them, Nightwing. And I'll make you watch. So, do we have a deal?"

Long, tense silence comes from the Titan.

….

We see a street in Jump City. It is now nighttime. The rest of the Titans are far down the block.

Starfire called, "Nightwing?"

Vic helps Beast Boy up from a manhole; Starfire has her communicator out and is speaking into it.

Starfire called on the communicator, "Richard? Richard, please respond", she lowers it and looks at the others, "why does he not answer?"

Vic said, "his locator's been deactivated."

Beast Boy brushes himself off.

Rose said, "so we have no way to find him."

BB said, "not good."

Jack said, "Beast Boy's right, not good at all."

Starfire said, "Richard, please. You must answer. Richard!"

….

"Please respond!"

We see Nightwing's outfit, draped over a pipe in Slade's lair, and pan to a pool of light cast from above. A tiny red dot glows through the utility belt, an incoming call signal from the communicator in its pouch. A hazy figure can be seen in the harsh glare.

"Nightwing, where are you?"

We see the figure. A black glove being pulled on; a steel wrist guard being snapped into place; a belt being buckled under a chest that is yellow on the left side and black on the right; a neck piece fastened under Dick's chin. He takes his hands away after this last action to reveal a silver S emblazoned over his heart, and we see his sullen, defeated face. If the abandoned clothing did not show his renunciation clearly enough, seeing him in this suit gets the point across beyond all doubt. Nightwing wears steel reinforcements just like those of Slade, who steps into the light behind him.

Slade said, "I know it seems bad now. But trust me", he moves away, "you'll learn to like it."

We linger on the former leader of the Titans, standing motionless in the white light from overhead. His expression has not changed one bit, nor does it do so as Slade passes in front of him.

The only thing that does change is a year going down his face under the mask

His new boss passes into the darkness, leaving him alone.

The light is then shut off, the area cast in darkness….

….

Reviews:

Bailey Radcliff: I'm so happy you're enjoying this story, and Alien Rebirth.

Canadude2029: yeah, this episode is pretty good.

Guest: glad you're enjoying it all.

SuperSentai199: thanks. And yeah, I agree.

pokemonking0924: ding ding ding! You are right. I WAS referencing Super-Babes from that movie. I hope to make it a running joke in various chapters and stories. Anyway, thanks.

….