Teen Titans - Renegade's Last Resort - Finding Pandora: Hope Chapter 33, a teen titans fanfic

Teen Titans- Renegade's Last Resort; Finding Pandora = Hope

Chapter 33: Injections of a Finer Truth

Blackmail at its finest.

~ Are you awake?~

Dick had to pry open an eye as the sun beamed in after him. Slade was wearing down his face, his fake eye back in its socket with a clean tee and slacks. He still looked casual and formidable in the same package as the man was blonde as Duarte's disguise had to stay. Dick grunted and sat up, his pain mostly gone as he'd seen on his wrist a small prick mark before Slade tugged him to look up. "Get dressed. You have some press coverage to settle."

Raven saw as Ivy donned her glasses with Harley in a black bob wig holding an oversized TV camera.

"Mr. Duarte."

"Mr. Duarte, is the boy –

"The trial was interrupted by Gotham's clown prince. Will you –

"We won't be answering any questions until my nephew has made a full recovery. He fell ill to a stomach bug. Maybe because of the crowds while we were about the city on errands. It would be in his best interest if you'd see to my answers, but leave the child be."

"Mr. Duarte." Ivy held up a mic as Vicky Vale held out her phone to record right beside. She was in different attire and wore her hair red instead of blonde.

"You're interested in speeding along the revitalization plan for Gotham's Park systems and have spoken with the mayor on working alongside top city heads of development. What are your thoughts once Gotham is made aware of what could happen? Will housing increase? Will development and infrastructures struggle? What will happen to small and large businesses; who do you support?"

"I support diverse change and that, is not what the one percent should be doing with the way Wayne's held the city's hand for this long. If you truly want change, it has to be through sacrifice, and my newest selection of advanced technologies will make the one percent nearly obsolete in the coming years. Imagine what that would do to the ground roots you've fought for! And why should there be those determined to delete Gotham's historic past as a fore runner in change? I want to embrace it, to gain trust in the next election because as a representative of the development from the start, we intend to make sure that no one is left out of a new tomorrow for Gotham. It could be sooner, if you'll have my support?"

His support.

The two wanted to spit.

"What about this supposed rivalry between you and Wayne last night? The city is abuzz " Wayne or Duarte. Who benefits " was the last column published in the Gotham Gazette.

Slade had a pause as he seemed too humbled to answer without that southern twist again. "I'd never dream of it, but he attacked my nephew. I had to defend the boy after all he'd been through. His parents died, and Wayne knows what that feels like! He has a white knight complex that shouldn't come after the innocent if they aren't consenting to it."

"What about the talk of Dick Grayson? Since he left this city, the change gradually has shifted to Raymond. Are you sure you won't become the new face if this city the way he way with his missing ward?"

"See, the fact that Wayne calls hos own son that, that. Ward. . It's an ugly reminder that his reputation over his love if family is grievous to his statement! My boy will be fully adopted under the law once we have this case under wraps. I won't have that desire ever to call the kid my nephew if he'd rather be my full son. I'd even welcome it!"

~ Of course you would.~ Ivy was livid by the remark as she held her own.

"Mr. Duarte. Cat Grant of the Gotham Chronicle. What else will be assisting in your new project? There are talks of this technology being very useful yet risky to –

" I apologize and appreciate the concern, and our team is working round the clock. Right now, we were in the middle of breakfast, so if you'd all be so kind to not let it get cold?"

"Mr. Duarte!

"Duarte!"

Ivy stepped back as Cat turned and had to grit her fists now. "He's a flipping cult leader." She breathed. "Get the staff. We're taking this a bit farther, to Wayne for now."

Kara Kent found them with the car as they headed down the hilly slope of road. "Miss Grant. I have Jimmy Olsen on the line from the Daily Planet for a Mr. Clark Kent." She waved it off as if she knew less, but the man had her name. Would Cat say a thing?

"I'll take it. Ivy? You can ride with her but I'm going to need absolute silence.

"Rodgers!" Harley saluted loudly.

Ivy nodded. "Anything to pull this man back into a cozy jail cell. I want him axed by his own competition already…"

Jimmy was just a regular caddy of a soft for Clark, who'd made it closer to Lois by how well things were going since the debacle of Lex's fall from his own building.

"Cat, yes this is…I see. Well. This was the reason why I tried to contact you. See, we could help. Dig up anything , and you know our work by now. Should I send Lois-

"I'll go. It's to help 'Him." Lois leaned over from her chair opposite Clark. "Wally filled me in." She had to be, after all, she was going to be marrying the man of steel once things grew quiet enough to validate the reception.

Jimmy kept up a hushed sign to his lips as they both nodded. "Let's go in the other office. I'm sure we might have two seconds to make this ..private." Clark rubbed the back of his neck as Lois slyly grinned.

"How – Dick is …"

~ The fact that former Gotham reformed villains are helping is slnething I'm keeping a lid on the best of can. Since my promise to come to this city and take the position…ugh.~ Cat put a manicured hand to her temples, massaging the space in between her knitted brows. ~ I do miss Kansas like mad, but here….I get action. More than you can shake.~ She grinned, putting her face back on. ~ In a few hours, we'll talk and I can conference you both in. Then, we'll know if the world's finest can tag it here in Gotham for the short term stay. The trial went. It was unexpected. I was told Joker had his own ideas of justice after all.~

" He actually listened to Bruce, because if he didn't fake exposing him, Slade wlukd have rolled into his territory to do the same at any cost to ruin Wayne tech. His competition has what he wants."

"That key that took out Lex? The fact he went mad as a hatter and nearly died. Amanda Waller clued Superman in." Lois told Cat. ~ Yoyr secret is ti the grave. No one can touch either wounder boys as long as I have the key to that safe of information. There is no written trail. There can't be. You need to be here, like I need a drink in the afternoon-

" It's only ten-

~ Somewhere in the world it's after hours.~ Cat smirked. ~ If Wayne gives the signal, then be my super hero and put that con man in to deep space. If Wayne's kid has been under our noses this whole time…~ She bit diwn on her nail. ~ What dies that mean?~

"Slade Wilson. You know the name, a list released if Lex's rather…shady affiliates." Lois pulled up a file on her computer.

"HE is Duarte."

~ I …~

" And Robin the boy Wonder –

~ Slade. ..the Titans' villain?? Same guy??~ She huffed. ~ Damn! I never made the connection but…they are one and the same. Same-

" Blackmail. Bruce and the Titans clued us in after Lex was hospitalized. Apparently, Robin was taken by Slade after Slade shot the Titans with special dose of probes. He'd used a chronological detonation device that would have stopped time within the local radius of Jump City. However, it was a weapon housing the probes and not that; he was tricked, along with separated from his team in the sewers. Probes that are killing them from the inside rifht now, and Bruce used a solution he's been working on to salvage what time they will have to stop the attacks on their bodies…if we don't stop this criminal, no one will be spared. Robin is only working for Slade to stop the man… yet he's got to have something on the kid. I want to know what myself."

~ THAT. Is where the bat comes in.~

Cat snapped up her bag and dug through it. ~ I can give you another number to someone in Jump City. They can gather something up if we wanted to work with the Titans –

"The old lair isn't there." Lois turned to Clark. " It was erased from the map to cover his tracks, I heard."

~ Well, was anything uncovered after the place went down?~

" No one knows. All rubble. The Titans have left the city to some runner ups. I hear they are very competent. Well, young but that's their thing." Lois shrugged. " Cat, keep this between the cluster. Right now the Titans are on two missions. Helping Batman, and seeing about the project that took out Lex's mind."

Cat let the call go as Ivy and Harley pursed their lips in a pout to ask the same questions anyone else might. "So?"

"It, we have a good communication going with them, and the fact that they know. You know….we can't risk another crime boss in Gotham pushing for more power. If there is a threat looming, I want to unmask it. Let's get that straight first, I'm not going to get my hands as dirty as you two would. Someone has to smile and wave at the camera." Cat sighed and leaned back into her seat, mentally torn.

"Fine, I can do a little investigation on the side, but Harley will help the kids. She doesn't trust what they're up against. Do you, pumpkin?"

"I never trust a guy that shows one eye like a pirate. Too many dirty secrets." Harley waved her hand at the idea as if it grossed her out. "Under that silver fox title, he's a killer. I'd wanna run fer the hills before I got spanked by my new…ah! I mean…hehe…he had a reputation in the rogue's gallery!" Harley joked. "I meant what I said, actually."

"We'll talk about this at home, babe." Seethed Ivy as Cat might have turned a bit red more than whiter.

Dick stared at his waffles and a flashback was never far off.

The Titans had been so obsessed with the perfect breakfast explosion that Cy had made sure Robin and Raven didn't have anywhere to crawl off to not enjoy the first feast in their new tower.

He remembered Raven laughing under her hood at Bb's disgust in the bacon Cy had waved in his face. He'd said vegetarian was his M.O. Cy had never really gotten that as they fought like crazy and Kori ate the entire plate of bacon thinking it was in fact fir her to gorgeous on. ~ In her culture, you ate or ate nothing. That was the way of her people.~

Dick rubbed his eyes as he knew the drugging would be nil for brunch.

"They bought it."

Dick was pulled back from that warm and fuzzy sugary feeling as the syrup turned bitter on his tongue. He gulped down some O.J in a glass on the table and tried to finish so that he could speak.

"You look more comfortable. Slow down. The press is isn't coming back here once I have papers to keep them off the grounds."

"You…" Dick bit into his next bite as Slade sat from the opposite side of the table and joined him. The plate was a bit larger. Then again, he could scarf down quite a lot and not show a pinch of flavor due to his abilities. Dick had to work to achieve the same, so they'd be working this off indefinitely.

"What's on the agenda for today." Dick chewed and swallowed as Slade cut his waffles and didn't try to leave the table earlier than Richard was trying to. "You'll stay until I'm done."

He motioned to the wall as a Slade bot came out with hands full of textbooks on the topic it was built off of. "There is a bit if that rocket science you might find comes in handy. You can eat and finish, then stay and study. If you need any feedback –

"I'll let you know."

Slade dropped his fork, only to raise it again. Dick bit into his meal a bit slower. "What?"

"What, indeed. You think I'll let this go on, boy. You know what comes later if you don't drop the attitude, apprentice ."

"You'll let my friends die. And why not someone else, like him?"

Slade ate silently after that comment had him thinking of a way to one up the kid's angst.

"Nothing to retort? You usually always throw up a threat, kind of like how I ruined your shirt with whatever crap I was fed that n-

Slade got up. His hand gripped the table and with the weight it took, tipped the whole thing the food, all but his plate lay on the ground in shattered sharp shards of China and metallic, gleaming silverware. The waffles found a boot on them as he used his own foot to imprint his emotions over the boy's back-talk. "Study time. Stay silent and don't make me rip that amount from your' tract. Would you rather I make you reach all of that syrup out over the sink?"

Dick didn't move as he stayed, his hands moving to the floor as he found the book. Slade got his only fork up from the drain and took the piece he'd not yet eaten from his own plate to place it in front of Dick's lips. "One more bite, for agreeing with me."

Dick stared at the piece of waffle, knowing there was no nose to this lesson. He opened his mouth as Slade pushed in the fork. Dick took the piece from the tines with no pleasure in doing so. It was survival, as Slade took the fork back and left it onto the plate. He picked up the table and put the plate where Dick could reach. "Finish every last bite." He commanded in a clear tone, pushing the plate right next to the textbook. "Be grateful it's not gone into the trash."

Dick nodded barely as Slade patted his head to ruffle the kid's hair and left the room. "The bots will monitor what I can't. I have work to finish, so if you need, notify the screen by waving at it and I'll be there. For a time."

Dick again, briefly nodded as Slade let that sink in. "We could get along much better if this defiance stopped. Think about your future, and his."

Raven meditated on her own, seeing figures and parts that were not a part of her unconscious mind. Paths of shadow led her into visions of pain and a familiar crying sound….

( RECALL, DICK WAS RAPED OUT OF SLADE'S DESIRE FOR RICHARD TO WANT TO KILL , YET THE ORB IS SLOWLY TRYNG

TO CRACK THE CODE AS TO WHY DICK NOT WANTING TO KILL. TO THEM, HE IS A CHALLENGE TO TOY WITH UNTUL HE SNAPS WHICH IS WHY THEY WON'T BOND WITH SLADE. THEY SEE NO REAL DESIRE OR CHALLENGES IN HIS PSYCHE. ONLY A THREAT.)

"Raven. I need you, R-

" Ah, she cannot be awoken!"

Raven lazily cracked open a violet eye as Bruce stoop over her as the bat, but cowl free in the cave. "Cyborg is upstairs. He says it's urgent he get to our ears immediately."

Cy thanked Alfred for seating him in the den as he tried not to be pulled like Bb over the swanky décor.

"You guess ya know why I'm here, but it's not all that great on how I'm gonna tell my part. Mr. Wayne. Cadmus, Amanda Waller and Silas Stone. How much do you know when the Pandora Project was in its infant stages?"

"I knew, about Waller handling the parts I needed, while I worked on the medical and energy storing potential of the core. Its how I vane up with the injection that's had you still walking."

"Yeah, well the key is the byproduct outfit that same experiment and they got pissed. They're alive abd we disturbed em they live like some hive entity and they're only doing this cause we took from their kind. The kids are all one source and the only core left on this close that I know of, Slade has locked up tight."

"He's still missing a key, otherwise it would be a definite war on our hands with whatever is hiding within the key's intelligence." Bruce sighed. "We subjugation them when there was no key. I found out how to use that energy to test it, and it was successful enough to produce another core. It wasn't until Cadmus's head of their department came to visit. Waller was convinced by them as sge is with anything meant to keep the earth safe that this would neutralize any threat."

"It'seen living with us, emulating human life. It drove Lex to kill himself and stop his enemies. It went after people and even takes on human form to do it. To gain 8ur trust. Like Bb."

"Beastboy….what has happened –

" He made a "wish" on Edward and it sort of came true."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "What outcome??"

"That Dick wouldn't be hurt anymore and we'd be able to save em."

Bruce thought about the trial. "Joker….his actions were unpredictable. I'm going to take a minute, out."

"Want! Are you saying the trial got stopped because of –

"I'm saying that a "wish" isn't always favorable to the one that makes it. The key implemented this outcome, and …." Bruce turned to raise the cowl. "I'm going to see if that's for certain. Stay here, be back when I am and don't go out there. The boys are in seek mode and I won't be there to save anyone that gets caught inside their range."

"What happened? Wait?? Bb made a wish, did it really-

"Master Bruce. They've come this way to learn what has occurred. You must not leave your allies alone in the dark, sir. It is most uncouth behavior." Alfred chided to his master.

"You're best left here with Selina until I've gotten back."

Jason listened around the corner as Bruce went to the cave, the boy following with the intent to do what Dick was unable to do any longer.

Maybe….he didn't have to be so useless if he knew Bruce was around the corner. He'd have his Robin back, wherever they were headed.

Selina saw the kid but not him sneaking out the cave's other entrance in the study. Bruce took the clock entrance down the hall, seeing as if anyone had to know the truth, they'd be locked out without the right required prints or scanners. His eyes were only his for a reason.

The one upstairs however was a switch, no scan. How Jason had sneaked into a locked room had later to baffle the billionaire. For today, Robin was going to be reborn in the back trunk of the Bat Mobile. At least knowing wgere he'd stolen the hubcap gave the kid reason to find every nook and cranny of the car, compartmentalizing the information he'd learned for a prank or sneak attack.

Instead, he was going to use his skills he'd learned in self defense to help…

Jason popped out his head once Bruce was out of the vehicle. He was already gone?

Jason checked to be sure he was safe in his plan.

"Well, well!~

The boy turbed to be gripped by the collar as if he were a mouse in peril. Kicking to get away, Harley yawned and started talking. "I got here a few minutes behind your pops. He went in, but you? This wasn't too smart –

"I put on a costume! This wasn't his idea…" Jason muttered. " Lemme go, or –

"If II do, the big man won't like it." Harley rolled her eyes with a dour expression on her face. She grumbled at the kid as he sneered in her direction from over his shoulder. "Did you ever get taller? I mean, that's not your size -

"I can help!" Jason pleaded. "And…I secretly made it fit. Alfred has no clue, neither does B do back off, "my - jokes- suck!"

"Heck, do you even know where you are, kiddo??" She turned him around to see the ominous backdrop that was Arkham asylum. The home of many of Gotham's villains of high I.Qs, yet high insanity as well. "And I know I ain't funny, I'm the acrobatics kinda clowning around but HIM? You'd better get your butt a cab and go the fuck home."

Oh, narcissistic personalities aside …. Harley didn't mind going back to guard the bat and bash her ex- man's head in if he misbehaved during an interview. Jason had no clue what lay behind those iron gates. What atrocities each inmate had committed.

"I can't play sitter all damn day while the Titans and my Ivy muffin need my help! And you are gonna give your butter an early death…and… Where are your damn pants??!"

Dick cleaned up as Slade let him sit back down, the first tv of the day going on by the wall when it had only been once used in the entire manor. Similarly, Alfred had one old picture box up that looked antique in a similar setting in the kitchen. The news tore them from study time and one hour to Dick was already seeming an entire lifetime of drooling over his textbook.

"I'll clue you in on what comes next, if you promise to sit, shut up and listen."

Dick frowned and looked at the mess his apprenticeship had caused, then back at Slade as the man expected a single reply.

"Wh…sure." Whatever lead to problems, while sure was a bit more responsive without that aggressive nature behind it as much from how they both sounded when spoken aloud. Even under his breath, Slade seemed to agree and started to explain his portion of what he'd be doing with his position beside the Mayor once Wayne was put away in his little corporate office to stew and replace one plan after another.

"Right now, Wayne wants evidence, and he's got it. A little something that if he thinks won't have its own repricussions, I want you to take part in burying under my guidance."

"I…don't think I follow, sir?"

"You'll be using the key to ask it, no. Command it to get rid of any evidence your team stole while we were in the courthouse the other night." Slade tapped a button on the TV remote as the wide-screen showed footage of Raven and Starfire in the mastermind's bed chamber. Dick watched aptly as Raven pulled open drawers in search of what they'd come to find. "Why would-

"Waot, that's not even the best part." Chuckled the mercenary. "The spiral bound is in fact wrong. Anything in it is by date so if they say I'll be staring some war on Gotham in a month, it simply won't happen. If that says you're being experimented on like some lab rat?"

"Is…it's not all true?"

"Not a one word, but. The fact that the probes in you are safe to be there is not from what is also inside the heroes by Wayne's actions. I chose to make them dead. You'll only need them if I don't get to removing them from you myself."

"S- Slade??" Dick got up and kicked his chair back. "The only fight was when I got kicked….I…I didn't remember –

He hadn't forgotten what a blur it was as Slade monitored his vitals that time too. Had it really…

"You…injected them?? Why?"

"Leverage. If your team us dying without my help in keeping them alive or Wayne's, you'll have to test that you have zero probes. Luckily, a device was developed to neutralize every last bug from your system through high powered magnetism. If they do pin me down, we'll be sure you take the process. The entire list will be ticked off."

"You'll be walking out, innocent. What about the blood? I saw her –

"Ah, that was….I think something I suffered greatly to grab from my hands but they won't tell from it. That blood will become useless since my ability won't permit live DNA to survive the transfer."

"So…it's going to come up –

"As unknown. Fun fact, if you get hurt badly next time, my blood can patch you up through a transfusion. Good as new."

"You'd never go that far, you said that was it. That….what are you planning to do?"

"This city. I want it taken from Wayne's hands while we build up our little war bot factory in secret. We can make sure the core gets the rest and because my mind cannot be directly linked to it…"

"You can't go crazy…are you sure? I can't-

"Likei told you. Boy." Slade reassured Dick as he sat back down, gripping his skull anxiously. "My blood could heal all mental wounds with a bot of, refining. You might even be willing to savor in carrying it some –

Dick jumped up as Slade caught his arm, pulled him to slam into the table top. "Stop it…you said you'd stay still this time. "

"You …. Wanted to change me, into someone like you…I did this for them, not –

"Doesn't matter. I need my equal, partner. If you can't keep up, you'll be a dead bird before the bat learns to reverse the process. It will happen, bit you aren't ready. It would take at least a year of taking the doses you need to reach that moment in time. You might even be laid up for a couple of months after that, but, the real reason the core exists is to tests its limits on what it can build. To rebuild a human body that cannot hurt or lose in battle." Slade smiled down at the kid with a sideways grin, making Richard's hairs stand up.

"N – no way! I'm not a super soldier…I can't hurt them…that wasn't-

"I freshly in my mind, could have sworn I'd fucked that last nerve out of you, Robin. Yet you still think he'll want you back once you declare yourself to me through a small, small act."

HHe's needed with a devil's grin. "You'll wish the core to burn the binder."

"No!" Dick spat back out.

"YOU WILL." The man tugged his wrists together and pulled the kid until his spine felt it could snap over the table top.

"Or the first to go, will be the first person you ever did vow to save before the rest. She's ill, Dick. Sick because of your bargain. I can end her suffering quietly while she sleeps if that makes it all better -

"Stop, don't you hurt her…!"

"DO as I command, then. As my apprentice, you have no other option." Slade growled back. "We'll have this city, I'll have you loyalty older his dammed name being hung over in MY house!"

Slade threw the kid back into his seat as his body moved as a snake, boots hit the tile as Dick was dragged by the back of his shirt minus the futile kicks, and pulled through the swinging doors to where Slade had another hall that house a similar secret passageway. "He has his cave, I have my haunt back. It all still worked ou, well. One wish, and we can escape to Haven if this place is torched. They still won't find the real doorway." His eye was scammed as Dick was tossed through into an elevator shaft. "Going down, hang onto me."

"no..!"

He was shoved to his knees as Slade's boot met the back of the boy's throat while his arms were slightly raised. "Making this difficult before a task so important won't make any difference. You're still burning that paper, and I'll even supervise so the key can't give you any bright ideas, like earlier."

Dick gasped. "I…I did that-

"No." Snorted the mad man. "Another key damned us both ND Joker was only off script partly through the trial. The rest, was predetermined by a different hand."

Dick narrowed his eyes as he shut them tightly. "You're already crazy…why more power than you have? Why me?"

"You're of equal measure should I not be wrong by those calculations. Your ever cell down to the one told me. You're fit to carry it. The same miracle that brought me from the grave, but in time. As I said." Slade smirked as his hand found the kid's hair to curl into it as if he were petting the boy. Dick felt the bilr rose as his motion sickness grew. If they came to whatever level Slade was waiting on, he'd have to be clear that he needed a drink and some air.

"It's quiet now, thank you for this, my apprentice."

Dick shuddered and didn't speak. He was…what was he doing?

"Y…You're….welcome….sir." He gulped, wanting to vomit what could be his last real meal in ages. It wouldn't follow him. That acid from before. If he was right…it was…wasn't all the key's doing.

What was he doing….anymore?

"Good boy. We're almost to the last floor."

Jason is gonna meet Joker and Bruce…is gonna have a shutdown I bet when Harley gets involved. Of course. So Slade is saying he "could" use the process of changing Dick into a meta but…but, he's not ready. It would only be those who have the capacity to keep up and he has a sweeper to remove the probes so why not the Titans with the JLA? If they are removed too soon, they either go off or can force the process to start up and go to accelerate their deteriorating states as a safe guard. If Dick can get cured before them it means Slade wants him alive at all costs but like the one shot of this sane story, "waiting from dusk till dawn," Dick will eventually test out a suit powered by the core as his second skin and trapped in it if he can't get away in time. Find out!!