Spider-Man: Nobody Home (18+)

Chapter 48: Outmatched

Peter looked up in horror at Slade's perch atop the massive pipe above them. He looked and sounded exactly the same as he always did. Yet, the possibility of Slade being alive was slim to none.

Slade was dead.

Terra had crushed them both.

Cyborg stared up at him wide eyed in disbelief, "You...how did you survive?"

Beast Boy gritted his teeth and pointed up at him with a threatening glare, "Terra took you down. Way down!"

Dick eyed their former enemy and pulled out his electric batons. "Slade..." He said through his teeth, "I don't know where you've been, but you shouldn't have come back. I'm still ready."

Suddenly, Peter could see on Slade's forehead, a glowing mark appear, a small red symbol that resembled the letter 's'. However, he had no idea what it meant.

Slade chuckled at that, not moving from where he leaned against the pipes above them, "That's precious, Robin. Or is it Nightwing now?" he laughed again in a condescending tone. "Change your name all you want, you'll always be little Robin."

Peter clenched his fists and took a step forward. "Enough shit talk." he said. "If it's hands you're after, we've got plenty."

Slade glanced casually down at him without moving, "But I didn't come back for YOU, Peter." he said calmly.

Then before they knew it, his hands started flaming, and with a feral yell he sent a thick snake of fire out toward the Titans. Thinking quickly, they all scattered to dodge the blast. However, as it passed them, the fiery serpent bent up from the floor, and as Raven gained her footing, she found it barrelling toward her.

The fire snake lashed up toward Raven, whose red-flickering eyes widened to the point of being ready to pop out of their sockets. With less than a second to spare before it struck, she conjured a portal and escaped through the wall.

Meanwhile, Starfire carried Dick away and Cyborg raced across the floor to stay ahead of Slade's blast. Roy joined them soon after, carrying Wally. Peter ducked behind massive machine a few feet from them. His eyes darted around the room searching for the others. However, the only one he didn't see was Raven, which caused him to panic more.

Peter looked around the corner between blasts to see Slade jump clear of the next pipe and go over the railing near one row of giant pistons, sending blast after blast toward them all the while.

Suddenly, Slade stopped his assault and looked down at them, his fists still smoldering, "Ever have one of those days where you just feel happy to be alive?"

He warmed up again and targeted Beast Boy, flitting nearby as a hummingbird, zipping through each blast. Peter gritted his teeth and immediately took his first opening without hesitation. Instead of jumping directly at him, Peter jumped to the right, swinging under a nearby catwalk for cover so he couldn't be hit. Then as he got close enough, he jumped out and landed directly underneath where Slade stood. Peter landed behind Slade, attempting to punch him in one of his pressure points. However, the villain seemed to be far quicker than he remembered. Quickly, Slade turned around and fired a blast directly at Peter, causing him to retreat across the room. He landed beside where Beastboy and Raven now stood catching their bearings.

Beast Boy panted as he took cover, "Dude!"

"For real!" Cyborg shouted incredulously from below, "Since when can Slade do that?"

Peter watched as Slade leapt down from his vantage point and squared off against the others in the center on the room.

"Not sure," Dick replied, "but he won't be doing it for long. Titans! Go!"