A/N: Hey guys, back again with another chapter. Chapter 22...wow. Made if so far. Joys of joys.
Big thanks to everyone reading this thing. Still got a ways to go, and I'm just hoping you're all enjoying the ride? I hope so anyways.
Also I think I've reread this chapter to edit it so many times now... there is probably still mistakes but it's late and it looks ok now. Ughhhhh...
Anywho! On with the story!
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People were screaming.
They were running for their lives.
He could hear their cries, their shouts, their pleas.
And he could hear the gun shots.
Why were they doing this? All to get to them? This was all a bit to much for his heart to bare. People were dying because they were looking for him, looking for Sariel... Why the hell did he even get involved with the woman? But... even if he didn't... even if he was here or elsewhere, what could he do?
It was a grim realization when the answer was nothing.
The trio was making their way across the city on rooftop. The fire was spreading. Before long there wouldn't be any place to escape to. At least in this district of the city. Over 800 thousand people lived in out there day to day lives here. They didn't have much to begin with, and these fires could leave many homeless... and tis ben Elohim didn't care. People's lives didn't mean a thing to them. The mere thought angered the young man. How could this all go on out here? These people lived in fear of private militaries such as these ben Elohim that came in and just took and took. And not to mention the Civil war. There was no Superman to save the day, there was no Batman to swoop in and beat up bad guys. Sariel was right, all they had was themselves out here. What damn good were heros for if they just protecting one country? And not to mention country, no, they protected a singular city. Robin became angry at the mere thought of the idealism behind the "superhero". Shouldn't they help everyone? Why didn't he help everyone when he could? Robin looked back on his days as a Titan. He thought the world was so much simpler back then, and so much smaller.
Robin was so lost in his thoughts he almost leapt to the next building with or without his companions. "Wait." Sergei placed a hand on the boys shoulder, halting his jump. Robin looked down and watched as two men entered the building across from them. Both with gasoline in their hands.
Two shots bellowed through the air and one child ran outside. Crying and screaming the child put itself in a corner across the street. It wasn't long before the building beside them went up in flames. What they didn't expect was the sudden explosion and the building they were standing on started to catch fire.
"We need to move!"
The structure they were on was a bit larger then the others. But the fire began to spread regardless. The flames engulfed them. The building itself began to sway...
"Let's go! We can jump down to-"
"You will be going no where moy malen'kiy shpion."
Sariel turned to her companions. She briefly wondered how Madaline had gotta here so fast. But then again she shouldn't expect anything normal from this group to begin with. Everything about them was surreal. "Go, get out of here. I'll take care of her."
Robin shook his head. "No, we do this together or not at all."
"This isn't up for debate!"
"It does not matter little one. I'm not here to fight you." Madaline began to walk towards them as the fire seemingly rose up around her.
Sariel eyed the woman with suspicion. "Then what do you want?"
"You. Aurora would so easily forgive you. She knows talent when she sees it. As for Robin... One of Americas young heros. That is worth something do you not think so? I wonder how much the little hero would sell on the black market?"
Robin flinched a little when he realized she had said "Robin". How was he so recognizable without his mask? The mask itself was the ideology of Robin, without it he was just Richard Grayson. It was not a thought he'd want to dwell on, if they knew who he was then Bruce...
"Let me guess it's join or die, right?" Sariel answered.
"You do not have much of a choice moya kroshka. Aurora wants to speak with you."
"No thanks... but tell the red headed bitch I say hi."
The building was started to burn around them, and the roof was beginning to gave way. They needed to get out of this place before they all fell into the flames. "I see there is not other way then." Madalines right arm raised to her left shoulder and stipped the coat off and let it flutter out into the wind. "If you do not come then I will take you both by force. And I will kill your companion."
Sergei looked to the woman. "What a thing to do to a comrade yes?"
The laughed at Sergei's input. "Russian or no, it does not matter to me. I turned my back on my homeland years ago. The motherland will get no such sympathy from me."
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One punch was swung by Robin himself, starting the fight, but as fate would have it the building began to fully erupted. The flames engulfed them all, the roof tore open and they began to run leaving Madaline behind. The woman stood her ground as if nothing could ever begin to bend her will. The flames behind her giving her a deathly look.
"RUN!" The building was falling apart, the choice was clear. So they ran as the building began to deteriorate beneath them.
The roof was tearing itself apart. It was almost like an earthquake, the ground beneath them splitting apart. They could make it. Almost... It only took one fatal step. Robin heard a yelp, he turned and ran back towards Sariel, his hand extending to find hers. Her footing didn't quite make the crumbling foothold beneath her, and she fell into the burning void of the building.
"SARIEL!"
Robins eyes searched for his companion amongst the burning floors beneath him. He screamed for her again and again. He nearly fell into the collapsing building itself if it wasn't for a steady arm that grabbed him and pulled him away from the crumbling edge.
"If she is alive, she'll get out on her own." Sergei pulled him away. "We need to move now!"
"No... no... I can't... I can't loose her to."
Sergei shook his head and moved the boy against his will knowing full well if they didn't move now they would surely fall to the same fate as Sariel. Well Robin would, and Slade would have no such thing happen to his apprentice.
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It took them awhile, but they had made it to a safer area. It was dark, there was very few lights on in the area. They couldn't feel the flame anymore but they could still see it as it devoured the city. The military was already being called in to evacuate the people and to bring water in by air.
Robin was still in shock. His breathing was heavy, his eyes were ablaze.
"Why...?" The boy looked down to the ground. Robin was taking a chance here, but at the moment he had nothing to loose. If Sergei was Slade he'd find out soon enough.
"Why what?" Slade was keeping a eye on the streets in case any of their little friends found them, he had thought the boy was in shock after loosing Sariel. He did hope the girl survived however, regardless of her being Jillian's Granddaughter, the girl had talent. But he didn't expect the next thing that came out of Robins mouth.
"Why did you bring me here Slade?" Robin was exhausted, he leaned his form against a cement wall. But the glare he gave the man spoke volumes more.
The older man smirked. So the bird had figured it out. Slade dropped the act all together, suddenly shifting from Sergei to his much more usual darker aura, and loosing the accent completely. "How long have you known?"
"I've had a hunch for awhile."
"And you've been waiting this long to call me out on it? I must say I'm impressed, you've grown Robin, to be much more patient. Taking your time to gather information rather then just rushing in? Impressive."
"You didn't answer the question Slade."
"I brought you here so you could see the truth of the world. That not everything is so cut and dry as it were."
"SO IT'S OK THAT THEY'RE ALL DEAD!?" the young man panted. " Sariel, Asif, all gone and for what!?"
"I never said that." the boy was being irrational he knew.
"I HATE YOU! You brought me here to this HELL!" Robin threw the first punch, the man easily blocked him. "I'm tired of running away!" Another punch and another block from the mastermind. The two continued in this fashion as Robin screamed at him.
"I'm tired of always playing your games!"
"I'm tired of losing people!"
"I'm tired... just so goddamn tired of everything!"
Rounds of punches kept being thrown at the man, they were hard and fast Slade had to admit, but Robin was being sloppy, he could understand with the boys sudden loss of someone he perhaps considered a friend. But this would simply not do. Therefore, Slade began to counter attack, a single punch is what it took to send Robin across the street.
The boy shook himself from the sudden jolt of pain that had sent him flying, but it didn't stop him. Robin gritted his teeth and pounded the ground beneath him as it to deserved punishment.
Robin stood up and instantly took off in a sprint before leaping at the man to plant a roundhouse kick into the criminals chest, but his leg was easily grabbed by the mercenary and his body was thrown against a stone wall. Slade still had a hold on him when Robin kicked the man in the face with his free limb. Causing the mastermind to let go of the boys leg and stumble back a bit, more so out of surprise then of actual pain.
He then attacked the man out of sheer malice. He punched and kicked at Slade so fiercely it became hard to predict the boy. His attacks became brutal and deadly as if he wanted to kill the man. The boy wasn't even playing by the Bats rules at this moment, he was just a sheer figure of rage. This part of Robin was the one he wanted at his side. The boy could kill. So easily with the right training.
The boy kicked him and he staggered back a little. A small smile had graced the masterminds lips.
"Excellent form Robin."
"SHUT UP!"
His breathing was heavy, he hadn't had to fight like this in quite awhile. Any battle against Slade always took so much out of him, and with everything that had gone on that night... he just let it all go. He didn't care anymore.
"Was this all you're plan to, let me guess all these ben Elohim work for you? Was Sariel working for you to?" The last question hurt. Sariel had worked for Slade in the briefest of moments back at the cabin, would she be doing it again out here?
"No." The answer was simple. "My arrangement was much more simple for you Robin, but it would seem the world had other plans."
Slade looked to the burning city. "If you're done fighting with me, we should get going."
Robin shook his head. "And go where? I'm not leaving Sariel behind. If-"
"I didn't say we were out of this quite yet."
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She had fallen about 5 stories into a burning building. How was she still alive? The fire, it was burning all around her.
Sariel coughed, the smoke was thick in here. Looking down she felt the cuts that were bleeding out on her body, and thankfully she felt her legs as she began to move them. Nothing seemed to be broken which was amazing in that of it self. But it did seem like she had twisted her ankle.
It mattered little, she began to pick herself up, coughing all the way. She had to find a way out of this building. The young woman began to stumble, she looked all around for a exit but did not seem to find any. A window or a door would be great, but she didn't see one. She just saw a figure walk towards her. Her eyes narrowed at the sight, trying to see more clearly in the smoke.
It couldn't be, but it was undeniable. But how... how could...
"Asif?"
"Sariel."
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Yeeeeepppppppp
Robin finally called Slade out on his disguise. About time, the kids known for awhile now. XD
Anywho please please give me a review and let me know what ya think.
And yes is Asif back or is Sariel seeing and hearing things? XD FInd out next chapter.
Also! Here is some translation for Madaline's dialogue.
*moy malen'kiy shpion means My little spy.
*moya kroshka means My little one.
Again I don't know the language so I'm trying to translate things as best as I can, but I'm pretty sure I've made mistakes. Wish I knew someone that actually knew Russian. =P
Thanks again all!
-Fangs