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

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Chapter 34: Family Trees and Blood Unspoiled

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Grant hammered his hand on the door, his frantic hits were no more a cry to be let in from out of the cold than Batman stare in the foyer was to tell the teen off.

"You didn't tell me he knew this location."

"Joey??" Grant saw the proper blonde youth and gasped from the hall, Alfred there as he stomped up to the child, the telepathy still kicking, making Grant shoot back in confusion. Out of habit, he started to sign, Joey blinked back surprise tears and jumped over to hug his big bro. ~ I thought you'd been killed again…. mom…right! Come with me! ~ He nudged for the two older men to follow back to where the Titans were, Grant being dragged along by his kid brother's frail hands.

/

He took out what looked to be a small black and yellow compact. The Titans, Grant and Bruce with Al watched as the screen on the device came to life, Joey still smiling until the face that showed had him lower his eyes.

"Is –

" Sh." Babs stopped Tim from asking ant questions. A woman with dark brown hair and a black combat suit appeared on the screen. Bruce's eyes caught hers and then it made sense.

"Adeline Kane."

~ BRUCE. ~ Her steely green eyes narrowed a bit, Raven and the others, rapidly blinking.

"Your sons came here, to Gotham."

~ I know. Is my family well. ~

"Not all of us. What is their actual, purpose for being here; Grant-

~ Put him on. ~ The woman demanded as Grant stepped forth, all of that pride and cockiness gone from his civilian face.

~ YOU. Are going home, I won't have you dragging me back into a dilemma with that man, do you hear me!? Joe ran after you through customs and from meta – trackers….and I had to track you BOTH down! It's a good thing I'm a major in high security measures or…. god…. Grant…. ~ She shook her head. ~ Apologize to my cousin. BOTH OF YOU. ~

"COU-

" Shhhh!" Babs threw a hand over Tim's mouth.

"Distant cousin, my mother's branch was as a Kane. Once."

~ Once. ~ Adeline recited back, almost disdainfully. ~ Joey, Grant? Now. ~

"S – sorry, Mr. WAYNE!"

Grant; the proud, almost homicidal brat from two months ago, prostrated himself to put his hands up in forgiveness, while Joey scrunched his face and repeated this act with a furious Bob of his blonde mini fro. ~ Please, do not turn away our apology…I am sorry for ruining your event…~ Joey nudged his brother's elbow as Grant also nodded. "Y…yeah, you helped us, me most of all…Jason's been really cool about getting my life back on track so, thanks…cuz."

~ Fine, for now, you're both to report home in 0800 hours on a plane right into Luxembourg. I will. –

"You'll have to refund those tickets!" Cy turned to the window as a cold snap like nothing he'd ever seen blasted across the pane, freezing the outside over in a messy spill of crystal white.

"Oh! The wreathed outside is…frightful?" Kori gasped, Tim looking to Bruce, yet not in time with whomever had crashed the same window; suit in full bodied protection from the cold as Batman wasn't here to go to work.

Adeline sighed and turned her annoyed skull to Joey, the boy nodding to his mother as he was given permission to help out her cousin just this once.

~ CONTACT ! ~

The boy vanished beside Bb who turned into a hen and laid an egg out of surprise. Starfire pointed at Mr. Freeze as he gripped at his helmet and with his ray, began punching the thick glass that kept him alive.

"N - NO!! OUT OF MY…BODY!!"

It was surefire, as Adeline watched without blinking, Grant catching Joey as the older villain was toppled. The piling snow already had started melting as Freeze's gun had frozen his entire head in one shot, jutting the oxygen to keep him in a stasis with the rest of his now frozen form.

Bruce turned to Addie as she never bothered to keep a lowered brow, his eyes seeing not only Slade's meta gene at work, but of course his own distant relationship with the Kane woman had instead been renewed by one well-kept secret.

"Joe." Grant hugged his brother as Joey shut his eyes and smiled at his sibling softly. He was unconfirmed unconscious because of the energy took to become a spectral entity as he had, completely halting Freeze with a single blow, though rather brutally.

~ I rest my case. The ice won't be melted yet, so I'll be sure you two have –

"THE boys can stay, in our guest rooms." Bruce suddenly blurted out. "It's no trouble, Adeline."

~ Should they come to be any trouble, I'll see them on a plane much faster. Grant? Watch your brother. Get back in one piece this time. ~ The link died as Grant scooped up the contact and chewed his lip, thinking over his life thus far. If she had been the reason he'd gone after his father that long time ago during his military academy training. He looked to Bruce, his arm behind his neck as he sheepishly let a nervous grin poke its way out. "Heh…so, now you know…. I was the only one without Dad's skill…. ah… -

"Then…. they are your family, and do indeed have the right to celebrate this day of thanks with us!!" Kori was overjoyed as Joe's lean stomach grumbled, coming to with a small yawn, eyes still bleary until his stomach grumbled noisily.

"Now you've done it." Groaned Grant, Alfred taking note as he brought a hand out to the lad, Bruce nodding his approval. For now. "Do come into the kitchen so we might fetch you something to replenish your strength, is that alright."

Joey nodded, taking the hand as he was led to pick out a protein rich food despite preferring to eat all of his veggies as his mother had taught him.

Grant then took to Bruce while the rest prepared for their feast, the cave and the hall before it the only suitable spots to speak quietly about another matter. "I came all this way –

"Jason told me, you found where Slade currently is in Mozambique."

"Rural countryside, a town you'll not find on the map. Has an estate there. Just built last month to replacement his lodge from ten years ago in Kenya. I hated his idea of trophy hunting once, but it all was to gain his approval…mostly." Grant recalled not hating spending time with his teacher on those trips. His mother actually was, happiest in her appearances when they were together without guns in hand.

"My family is weird, you saw."

"Join the club." Bruce huffed, the cave opening up as they went down together.

"No bugging my systems, no sending unintended messages to your team." He continued until Todd's face was at the screen of the Bat cave computer bedside a file of Slade's. Grant smirked behind him as he hid his joy at dismantling the man's empire from the bottom rung to the top tier.

Bruce turned to Grant in the bat elevator, face to face. "Your mother has my thanks, but this problem started not only from your father's intervention; you've promised that your revenge is over."

Oh, he'd give up on violence for now, but to get under the father figure's skin? He'd use someone else's hands while his took a nice long winter vacation.

"A few miles from the city of Beira, Mozambique. An estate and range there, live game is allowed to be killed only during daylight hours. Satellite wi –

The bat didn't see Grant coming as he used a heavy weight with his meta strength to take the bat to snooze – ville. Too easy, seeing as he had his dad's stealth after all.

Todd looked at the unconscious bat, knowing Grant was ready to fire at will. The bats above chattered at their master's off presence yet the young man brought out a repellent to keep them off of him as he worked. His father already thought he was the known cause for rabies in their family.

"Send me there." He demanded to Jason, who snapped his jaw shut as the screen swapped. The coordinates exactly as they should be.

"I got Wildebeest on the line, courtesy of the HIVE's former headmistress." He shut the screens down, covering it all in a thin veil before giving his collarbone and neck a hit as it was lights out for them both. (Pressure points.)

Bruce woke and saw Grant groaning on the floor, his head lolled back as Bruce noticed that his new injury was just a faint bruise. He rushed to grip the kid to standing, bringing him to the bat computer chair as he turned it on. The rest was as he had left it…. the kid…what had attacked them?

"COMPUTER." He bellowed a bit, aloud. The bats chattered again, as if to warn the male of his brief encounter with a near concussion. "Show recent recordings of security footage in areas requested; location, cave, courtyard…." That wasn't right. Did anyone else notice? Was Grant going to wake up? Bruce brought a hand to his temples. This, was a holiday he certainly would live to regret. Adele had a lot of work cut out for her, single parent to parent.

"FRONT ENTRANCE."

To this, he saw zero evidence and slammed a hand to the keys.

"Great." He muttered and continued to wonder if another enemy was actually among them after all. No such thing as a perfect family. Not to the Dark Knight and not to Slade Joseph Wilson, as he went back to weeding out any bad apples from the bunch that he'd saved from being left out in the cold.

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Slade turned his head to see a very off result of their mock shots in broad daylight. A limping zebra that Dick had hit was already brandished with a bullet by a hunter well after Dick had left it to wake and be saved – yet the temporary sleeping aid was enough to make it completely vulnerable as it whinnied and whipped its tail before falling over, the gentle beast now a thought in Slade's brain. Dick had wounded it, that wasn't just his kill.

Swung over his shoulder were the boy and beast, as the game staff raised a gun before Slade explained the situation in the language they could both say " when in Rome" to.

~ We were careful; however, another hunter left a bullet in this poor animal's flank. I'll pay for the damage and if it would not be a trouble for my son, it is his first almost kill. I don't want to not compensate your group for the harm. Please consider our apology that this couldn't be avoided. We won't be coming back if –

~ No, no. Mr. Wilson. You are welcome to take the animal and any funds we will gladly allow; the boy passed out by the shock or the recoil? ~ He knew Slade from before, they'd been a good match to keep secrets in this remote place. For a price.

~ Heat fatigue mostly. ~ Chuckled the mercenary. ~ City kids don't have a right, but I'll see to it he's nothing new to the area but the next month or so. He's not a bad shot, a little polishing and he could help you with stopping poachers if you need a hand. He's had training, trust me. ~

The man pulled up with both of his prizes to the estate drive, the grass pricking his legs as the man walked up with Will looking out the window like the nervous nance he was.

"I had him, Will." The man was grinning at the door.

"The side effects of that leaf happen to be mild dehydration. I'll see to his electrolytes. Is that! – Not a drop in this house, Slade!"

Slade put up and arm as Dick was wrenched from his strong grip. "Relax, he didn't kill it. Another hunter left it weak after Dick did get his aim right. It woke up dazed, probably. It's his kill now. The hunter didn't even give the poor beast a proper send-off." He huffed, a bit strict when it came to game code, that no waste should be permitted.

"Are we eating this?? What do you expect me to do with twenty pounds of raw zebra meat??"

"AGAIN." Slade motioned to the shed on the side. I'm going to keep the pelt only, the head maybe. But not the rest. That is being sold later for the animal's organs. No waste, no want."

"A black-market buyer?? Are you-

"HE DOESN'T NEED TO KNOW YET." Slade warned with his eye tested, the boy still knocked out by that prior hit to his face.

"Well, whenever you believe it doable, I will not be there to "bail" you out. The boy was drugged, practically. You lied to him, and I was given no option otherwise –

"I know now, actually." Slade turned to the shed with the zebra well before its time to rot. "That the Bat taught the boy something about the killing weapon he hates. So, not all bad. He just needs to…. loosen the dead weight off of him." Slade left Will to tend to Slade's apprentice with a scowl the entire way to the pantry. The boy was out cold, yet that bruise left a nasty mark. He swiped it over with an antiseptic and any other cuts before giving the boy a shot of something to counter the leaf's properties. "Every time my back is turned, Slade Wilson." The man sighed and hoisted the teen to his bed, somehow even as Slade had returned to retrieve a drink and help him up the steps.

Somehow, this was going to be another unpredictable year for the both of them. And their newest addition to the household once Richard rose to spit insults at the man of the house. Will would be there; he had no choice. He was indebted to his saviors and his only friend left who would care for this poor old fool to share his company with.

/

Slade was not there when Dick did finally rise, from the sane bed he'd woken at 4am for. He rolled over. Groaning, the pitcher was refilled and a protein drink was beside it.

Apple and pumpkin…what had hit his face??

He ran down the steps, rational thought elsewhere and stormed into the only room other than the bathroom that he'd seen in this place.

"WINTERGREEN." He puffed. "Where is he?"

"Firstly."

The boy turned his head behind; Slade was right there, his hands holing onto something that made Dick gawk.

The tail ends of a tail, not just any. A dead, zebra tail key chain, ring and all. And it was not just for show. But, a gift as Slade's eye directed to Dick's dismay. "The zebra was hurt by another hunter, the price was given and the park will up any security fir those that don't abide by its code. We were granted the animal –

"I…can't except that…" Shaking his head, the nausea-

The…nausea!

"You…. the leaf…you lied to me! That WAS a drug!" Bile bubbled up as Slade just stood, the key chain dangling in his right hand. The animal pelt possibly the worst thing he'd see on Slade's wall. Complete with a beheaded favorite, the deed was done.

"You had an adverse reaction to it; it happens rarely to some. Will has no problem with the amount, yet it can dehydrate a person in –

"It was still sneaky, underhanded…. you could have…" Dick clutched his skull, Will running to get a crystal drinking glass from the cabinet.

"What else have you lied about?? Did Bruce call to ask how I was?? Are my friends even aware that you are still the same . …greedy, murderous piece of –

"THAT'S ENOUGH."

Dick snarled at the man and lunged, the key chain tossed into the air as Slade drove his elbow into the boy's shoulder, yet Dick crouched to roll from under, the boy's blood boiling and surely hisd head was on fire with the lack of control he'd had from in Shanghai. He hated this weather, his situation, and most of all…

Slade had used his insecurities to let them lie there in the beating sun while he just…fired the first shot he'd EVER have to make.

A cop didn't need to be so ever – vigilant, he had to be focused and Dick was far from where he wanted to go. The man shrank back as Slade crowded by, his grip moving out to the teen as Dick contemplated leaning on that monster. He didn't want to be here and go insane….to top it all off, the death of that animal was because he'd made it sleep for too long, it was murder, regardless of any accident.

He'd killed it, as the older man splayed out his hand to catch the key chain as it fell, right into his palm.

"Take it." Slade instructed, stern features morphing into a hidden pity. "To remind yourself that you aren't powerless as I've made you believe. You have a skill, hone it." Dick shaking as he was in the corner by the wooden table reached out to snatch up the worthless trinket. But…it wasn't. That was a life, a life he'd taken…Richard's stomach dropped rapidly as he groaned, Will coming over to help the boy to his glass of cool water. Dick took it and Slade stayed to be sure the boy was functioning. He nodded to Will, his work for now to a pause until the leaf's fading reaction passed. "No, more drugs." Dick rasped out, Slade humming in a low tone in understanding, in consideration… Dick hoped.

Slade stood taller, his frame moving to gaze out at the ten-o clock sunshine. "Wintergreen, we'll not be having a set lunch today. Not right now, anyway. Dick still needs his rest. I'll be staying in the shed." He sighed. "Working."

/

Really, he could be out and about the grounds. His intel and connections had told Slade of a budding young hero that wasn't so tiny; the creature was on the move as Slade stood in the dirt a few miles to its location. He wasn't a fan of hurting a beast he'd said.

Wildebeest's jaw opened with a bellowing roar as it charged, the merc doing his best via his slimmer vehicle to track it before jumping to set a few traps of his own. The high-powered electrical bolas and netting he used subdued the beast hybrid. It snarled and was unable to fight the shocks, so Slade dismounted and came with crunching boots as Slade over to the wild misfit.

"Who sent you? How did you detect my presence?"

He drew his machete, this close to cutting the horns off of this…whatever it was. A meta? A mutant?

"FFRr!! We know…. he does…. she will…stop you…" He was sure of it as Slade shoved his finger down on the button controlling the shocks. "Send a message back to wherever you're from. This region is MY territory, and for this month alone, I intend to make use of my time here." He hissed at the beast hybrid as its ears lowered, the next truck pulling in had been a call-in advance.

"I'm sure my helpers would love to gut you for secrets. I'll leave you to making that decision. Release the name of your authorized persons, or you'll become nothing but another meta to put in a cell deep underground. A lab, maybe." The man mocked cruelly as Wildebeest snorted back, his last resort being to try to just surrender with a careful eye on his later rescue team.

"Head…. Mistress…." (In this, Adeline was the former HIVE Headmistress so Wildebeest after defecting as well, they joined up to meet their own ends.)

The beast passed out to fake it, Slade not caring – as long as it didn't try to get any closer to his estate. That was all, all of it…

Had he just had eyes in the back of his head, however.

At the one guard he'd forgotten to check as the doors shut with a bang.

The mutant meta removed from the premises, and Slade knowing the rest about a single soul that would have him convicted in his own home…

/

So. You recall that Hot Spot is from Morocco in the show but Wildebeast was not. The whole thing is that though in separate regions, they watch out for one another and that will form Titans base in Africa and later north africa and the OTHER Titans will pick up on this before the Brotherhood does. Slade taking Robin spurred the heroes to act faster, quicker as he'd imagined he was the one coddling them too much and wasting his real potential. Being a decent threat to the bat clan and Slade's one successor. The black-market deal was for money, plainly and not to respect anything yet to stay incognito for as long as Dick is trained in Mozambique to get over his vendetta with guns. Slade also discovered that Dick knows how to hold one and shoot it to a degree BECAUSE the bat needed him to be well versed in the things the man also hated. Dick holding a gun would be a blow and even shatter their relationship as it almost did with Jason and Bruce. Tim thankfully is years off, and the Titans with Grant? Grant wanting to use Bruce's good will and resources he's "borrowed" to hunt down his own father and destroy him top to bottom?? The kid is a monster! And he used a trick to knock himself out, wow. Real gutsy to lie to your mother – but what!

Addie is actually doing the same thing, this time as an agent for Interpol. If she brings Slade in, he can't run, hide or make her look like an idiot for trusting his word. Grant is screwed, Rose may come to her senses, and Slade's youngest is a meta too?? Lot to unpack so there we are! And Dick had a premonition dream warning him about Slade's intentions. The reverse for cheetah is actually a short temper and a lack of control or warning which was his symbol of Slade in this case, his impatience and greed. The crane was an omen of danger to the ancient Greeks and it was also a symbol of hope and a need for being playful or less strict with one's self. Dick is a teen; a kid, and Slade is the ruling wild cat that is keeping him grounded. He even saw the two in their true forms as himself as a kid, and Slade as the one hunting him. So, dark as that analogy may be, it is their nature to persevere for whatever sake. Read on and find out!!