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

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Chapter 10: Knives and Arrows and Rocks

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Improper use of "and," but it sticks. Sticks, lol. Fun pun there. Sticks and stones. Get it?

Throwing it out there…Dick's mission is with Red X and one more – to go to Star city??? Find out! Terra's training will come at an even worse hour as Slade moves all of his pawns and once.

Titan Rising?

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She didn't mind turning up the dial and having Slade wail on her if she skipped a step in her training regimen. That only made her more willing to take what she needed to stay afloat in this cavern without end.

Dick was practicing his Katas in the dojo, when Slade slipped by and through sliding twin doors, he'd obviously come to show off Terra's new look.

That was…

A "T" on her long-sleeved mock neck crop top. Dick's eyes were locked in place on it for a few more seconds.

She wore beige, rugged cargos and dark boots that were more equipped to getting dirty. Her hair was kept long down her back to pair with the design and the goggles she'd always worn since becoming Slade's little protégé.

Dick wiped a brow as he reached for a water bottle on the mat. "Sir, she looks…normal." Dick hinted his suspicions and Slade understood just what the kid was catching on to.

"You'll need a proper distraction when you go into the city, my dear."

Slade spoke to Terra with the same or less sweetness as he had when he'd doled out Robin's praise to him. Dick nodded when it came time to being praised at all, even congratulated. The hand that he'd rip off eventually once she was –

"I'm going to be a Titan!"

Dick dropped the bottle, his eyes wide below the dark rimmed mask.

"Slae…"

"Not for you to worry about –

"She's not! –

"Renegade?"

"No!" Dick got into a defensive stance, more to attack if he could, yet Terra was ready to do what she did best.

Follow her master, as Dick's bottom hit the mat. Yet, he'd let her soak in the victory as she was patted on the back.

"You may practice here for the next forty minutes, Renegade. Your mission will be of a different need."

Dick cocked his eyes to the man's words and thought. Then, spoke.

"She's facing the Titans. Can she even handle Raven or Beast boy? They'll –

"They won't." Slade let go of Terra's arm as he took hold of Dick's upper arm to direct his attention upwards.

"And they don't have to know a thing. They'll miss her. Welcome her, once she impresses your former team…" he whispered it, so Terra was without an idea of what the two were discussing, before Slade let go.

"Raven might." Dick frowned. "She can feel you, and if –

"Then, Terra?"

The teenaged blonde blinked over to her master and competition.

"Win over the goth, and the rest will follow."

She nodded, yet Dick had heard that line rephrased in the beginning. When he'd refused to shoot a gun at the mercenary's skull.

/

Dick paced as Slade set up the line for their informant to finally come alive in hi – def.

"Grant will be a part of this; he's not going to let you fail my expectations as you've masked what you can do from me since the girl came along."

Dick opened his mouth to interject, yet a voice came to the line. Not a face.

~ What's happenings' Ds? Is mini – merc number one with you? ~

"He is." Slade's eye led back over to Robin, who just stood and clamped his jaw shut.

~ This operation involves big tech. I mean, big. You're playing boy scout now? Well, wait till you see what I've got planned for your route into the facility. ~

"Theft? Of what?"

"Technology I'll need to give our star pupil a chance at fame." Slade seemed to think "Terra" on this one, yet Dick had to worry more about who was able to break down the security of STAR Labs's best offices.

~ Then, if Ravager comes in to disarm any security, you can send Mini – merc numero uno inside to swipe the –

"It's weighted. My bots will be accompanying you."

Dick looked at the squiggle line of a voice recognition file.

~So…I just disarm the inside and we have a shot if he works faster to get them set up. The bots, I mean. ~ The voice wavered a little as Dick felt this was…. more covert for a piece of tech. How valuable was the part Slade wanted Renegade to snatch up? What if he got caught?

~Only thing; that city is Arrow territory. ~

Dick's blood froze over.

"Speedy…"

He knew, as did Slade as the man's fists clenched painfully at the dash of the computer.

"Is the league member all that we'll find in Star City, R?"

R…. must be an initial of whoever this younger informant by his voice, actually was.

~As long as Canary stays in her cage, then no Bats. ~ The voice must have been smiling. It sounded to relaxed and even giddy on the other line. Just by the speed of its words…

Nervous.

"Wonderful. See that all goes according to plan. And if one obstacle falls into our path, eliminate it." Slade demanded with a snap forth. "Immediate, and without delay."

/

"How long is the trip? Why can't I fight with her? Are you really worried that the Titans –

"Can an oath tell me everything about a person?" Slade interrupted as the kid felt undermined for this time. "She's going back to them, but what about if I fail? Will you still harm my team if I can't reach you?"

Slade was sure Robin knew the answers. He was just being clear that their bargain was still one hundred percent legit at the moment.

"Your team won't be harmed. I want them to trust Terra. She's the only one I want who can break the heroes from the inside; she won't look up to even you if you keep fighting back, do you understand?"

"She's been stripped of her rights. Yet, you're justifying it by making her like her role here. I won't go along with hurting my team, but I can go with Grant. I can keep my part and do your dirty work." Sniffed the hero with arms crossed over his chest.

"Grant won't babysit –

"Won't have to." The boy said, smugly. "I'm the one who might teach him a thing or two about teamwork."

"See that you don't come home a wreck." Slade shrugged off the thought of two beaten brats at his doorstep, fist fighting it out as Slade was made to whack them both upside the noggin.

As fun as that would be, the boy had his own problems, and it wasn't Grant.

"Speedy used to work with you, in that other team you palled around with."

Dick felt his jaw slip a bit as his eyes narrowed ahead. "Don't bring them into this."

He warned, yet Slade had a point to make clear. An even greater threat should Speedy's pity be so endearing towards Slade's little Renegade.

"During the length of this mission, as with the Titans before, you are to NOT make contact verbally, even to mime your way back to base – I can have the bots on a fixed location, and they'll pull you out in a heartbeat. You are not to disobey an order from Ravager or the informant." Slade commanded. 'They are your superiors, and you will follow the rules or be disqualified as being my heir."

"But…." Dick didn't understand. "You said, Terra wasn't –

"Views do change." Slade turned with his hands clasped behind his back. A mocking tone as he let Robin know that the threat was as real as his masked presence.

"At any rate, if you fail me here or on this mission alone, I'll have the ability with your consent to destroy the Titans. You may not have tried to leave but defecting and failing are often signs that you will not DO the work. That you will not surpass your master's expectations long enough – that we can't keep the oath alive unless you try to make it work between us. As my apprentice." Slade hissed, seeing Dick's skin bristle. His hair standing on end as the wave hit, and he was fully unprepared to face it.

"I…understand. Master." Dick swallowed.

"Nmm…are you sure you have it in you to strike down your opponent?"

Slade's screens showed Speedy with his patrol just starting. He was on a rooftop overlooking Star city. His eyes all like how Robin's used to be.

"He's a rival to you, as he was to Robin." Slade told the boy, analyzing his work over of the kid's mind for a moment.

"I…. just have to keep him away, knock him out –

"What if he resists." Slade slithered up from behind and tilted the kid's chin up to see the screens in such a powerful scene of futility.

"Then, you'll know what I want for you to do, Apprentice."

Slade reached down and handed Dick something metallic in his grip. Knives, and very old by the looks of their style for martial arts. It was a gift, even if he'd get kicked out.

Dick nodded, a lump in his stomach as his jaw was released.

"Your ride is here."

Dick turned around to see Wintergreen at the exit. His eyes shut, as if not wanting to worry anyone, including himself of the consequences of all of this criminal activity going on.

"Be safe." Slade let the kid go off with a bit of a prayer; to that and being, that he wasn't the one who had to stay away from falling buildings.

/

Terra was going to be a member of the same team that had temporarily given up on him.

Of course, he wanted to spit! Grant was elbowing Dick in the ribs to stay awake for the briefing as the jet took them a few kilometers off from Jump in no time.

Military jet. Covert operation for a –

"Is this a hit?"

The jet jutted before Grant could reveal the rest. Getting up, he went to talk sense to the robot pilot up front.

"Can't go over the vantage points with the new guy if you doofs keep rockin' the boat!" He blared in the pilot's ear. "Wanna go for a swim?"

Dick scrunched up into a ball as one pilot ended up in the bay, while the second was…

"If I gotta fly this crappy heap all by myself, I'm getting double Ds's cut. So? He hired robots to get his gear together. Make papa proud, metal head!"

The bot was woken up as it took over. "Slade's gonna piss himself when he finds robot "number 0097868" out to pasture." Snarked the gutless whelp of a son.

Dick just looked at the ground but knew what was coming.

"Turns out that we aren't stopping' this jet. So, wanna talk about how you'd die? I already know how I'm gonna go." The Ravager seemed gleeful when bringing up the topic of his own hypothetical demise. Dick's lip curled up in disgust.

"Do you hear yourself? Slade gave you a job and we all –

"You're nothin' to papa, prince." Grant snorted and sat down in a seat opposite from Richard's seat.

"He's already got one, and you could end up on your last limb if I have to save your dying ass."

"Wait." Dick took one look at Grant as the kid frowned at his superior.

"Isn't this a plain old, theft?? Why are we in a military craft?? Why are you holding swords for this??"

"Finally got your head out of the sand, huh."

Grant lifted his blade to swing out and cut through the air. Dick didn't flinch, though he should have. This was a true thrill seeker. He was no such person. Slade had made a mistake, this was Grant trying to ruin his dad, right? Just…

"Kid. This is what he's training YOU for. Terra's the mole to one side operation. The thing we gotta take, is literally locked up tight. You might get killed twice. And guessin' from your background with the Batman...I'd say broken arm, tops."

The jet jumped again, making Grant annoyed as he unsheathed one of his weapons and stomped over to the defenseless Slade bot. With a blade to the back of its thick skull, his smile was nothing but if not, dastardly.

"Nighty – night."

And off went its head, as Robin sat and did nothing to remedy his situation, out of plain shock.

"That." Grant sheathed his blade and tossed his masked skull back for Richard to see him with a serious expression for once.

"Is what we do, and eventually…that may "be" what'll become of pops if he lets us get too close."

/

Speedy; A.K.A Roy Harper and adopted son of Oliver Queen of Queen Industries, had his own scouting mission. He'd gotten a tip off that some very volatile substance was going to end up pillaged by a rather sneaky older enemy of the league. Ollie was keeping the board members busy, while Aqua lad had decided to send a buzz over at the very worst of times…

~ Any sign? ~

"Bad time." Grumbled Speedy through his comm unit. ~Call you when this is over –

~ What about the earthquakes in the Titans city?? Seismic disruptions are literally pushing the fish up on land! You said you were going to check it out. ~

"What am I? An intel dealer to you, sea - people?" Snipped the archer, earning a growl from his old compatriot from younger years ago.

~ I'm an Atlantean! How DARE you try to say we are a primitive species… Maybe I shouldn't tell you that your perp is coming by air –

"What??"

Speedy was irked, but curious. "Fine! You're fantastic! I've never seen a fish so equipped to start a war! So, Where is it??"

~ Up. ~

"Huh?" Cocking a brow, that had to have been the worst snub off of any hero from one hero to the other, as the screen went dark.

"Dang it! Argh!"

~Roy? ~

"What?"

~Don't get sassy, young man. ~ Ollie sniffed . ~What's gotten into you? It's a bomb we're practically stopping this group from taking. You know how to handle this sort of operation. ~ The billionaire chastised his ward, who was certainly as red as his uniform.

"Sorry, Olls. Aqua lad just…. I never want to work with him. But he said they are coming by air –

~The craft is way off if you or I can't sense it. Must be telepathic. You know the kid's race has that kind of ability. ~

Roy thought.

"Does Garth know who's gonna rob the lab?? I mean, could it be someone –

~Don't jump to conclusions. ~ Ollie warned. ~ You've been like this since Bats had the league on alert to stop Deathstroke. ~

"And maybe that's connected." Roy shook his head. "I don't know, but heck. One Wilson Way has a nice ring to it if a man with that last name is wearing the pants in this "master of all plans." Roy crouched down and pulled a pair of binoculars from his pack he'd brought along. He didn't have a utility belt like Robin's…robin…. Was he still out there? Was he aware of what was going on with his team?

"I'll keep watch, but you'd better send back up if I'm set up by that creep who left Wayne his calling card. The code said here, and here we are."

~Just don't lose em. I'll be out of this stuffy meeting real soon. ~ Oliver Queen sighed, knowing it was far from over as a few members had just taken a short break and were jumping back into a rather interesting slide of dark matter and fuel sources to replace electricity –

Oh crap. He ran a tech giant! No way!

"Sorry kid…. hang on for me. Arrow's, currently on hold."

/

Slade's eye scanned a screen from Terra's bugged outfit.

A rumble, but it wasn't geo – gifted child who'd shaken up the Titans' world.

His little shocker would pull the heroes right to him. Raven surely was too busy reprimanding the blonde, yet that would be over very soon.

Terra was not the only thing about today…

Huh.

Slade saw a bit of footage that bothered him.

He shouldn't be there.

Slade made sure to reprogram a bot from miles away.

"Subdue and incapacitate the Batman. By any means, avoid severe injury to Renegade…"

Grant could handle a near – death experience, yet Robin had to understand just what his role in society would dictate. That he WAS still a candidate, and Slade wouldn't be so sure until Robin passed one exam he'd set up just in time.

Dick was out of the craft. Sneaking towards the air vents, while Grant…

Good. Harper was left to face the wrong talent.

Dick swiftly replaced the grated top. Slade's smirk really had shown in the one time he'd thought it impossible to be given a second chance.

"That's my boy…" Slade chuckled and imagined the Bat seeing how deadly Robin would be with another mark across his heart. An S to curve right towards the center.

The shattering of rock from behind came quickly as he was there in the center of this mass destruction.

"Slade."

No Robin to fight. No matter. Beast boy with his paws all over Terra and her damsel in distress act.

Oh ,this was going to be a fun ride if the rest followed as he'd hoped.

"Going up."

Slade got into the mine's elevator of a sort. There was no upper floor, there was just his way out as the heroes went to stopping his machine.

Now, to get back to some decent public viewing.

He'd already seen this part, so it was easy to want to miss.

"Very good, my dear…You make an excellent diversion in my escape." Slade spoke under his breath and meant it. Terra was not fodder, but she wasn't one to have all he had crafted without first being broken.

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