What if Robin stays Slade's apprentice? What if the Titans don't find the nano-bugs?
Robin is alone. No one can save him from the situation he's in. It's up to him to somehow make contact with the Titans, or better still... Batman.
Robin steps forward, bathed in the orange glow of Slade's lair. A shadowed figure sits on a throne of metal, surrounded by giant rotating cogs and wheels. In Robin's hand is the spiked metal cylinder he'd been told to steal. Slade spots it and stands, walking towards him with slow calculated steps.
"Well done, Robin. You're advancing far faster than I had initially imagined." He says. "Now, hand me the weapon."
Robin's vision narrows in on the device as he holds it out to Slade. His expression darkens and his hand twitches closed, but the motion is interrupted by one of Slade's throwing knives slicing across the back of his hand.
"Gah!" Robin cries and drops the machine, which Slade catches before it hits the ground. The master's eye narrows, and he turns away to place the device on his worktable.
"You were planning on destroying this before I could ever use it, weren't you, Robin. How very cruel." He says, turning back and coming closer. "That is why I chose you as my apprentice. I took you in as the other Titans were beginning to doubt you... to see you for what you really are."
Slade grabs Robin's wrist and pulls it up. Robin groans in protest, the grip pressing into his cut, and watches Slade put a USB drive in his hand.
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"I have another mission for you, Robin." Slade says, letting him go. "As a former... assistant... of the Batman, you know the whereabouts of his hideout. Download all of the contents of his supercomputer onto that flash drive and return it to me before midnight."
Robin's eyes widen in surprise. It takes a moment to process the demand, then his face twists into a grimace. "I won't. I won't do it!"
Slade's demeanor is unchanged. "Oh, I believe you will, Robin. If not for your friends, then for the thrill."
Robin's pride sets him on edge. He won't let himself be pushed around any further. Robin lets his anger out in a roar and rears his arm back for an attack. The punch is caught by Slade, who fakes a jab to his face to distract him, then strikes Robin in the ribs. The breath is knocked out of him, and stays out as his muscles contract tightly around his lungs, but he doesn't let that slow him down. Robin reacts quickly, using Slade's grip on his hand as leverage to jump and kick him in the stomach with both feet, forcing them apart as his legs snap straight. He fishes into his tool belt and throws a handful of metal beads at the ground, smoke exploding from them and obscuring both their vision. Finally, he takes a shaky breath. He's going to make Slade regret forcing him to reassemble that thermal blaster.
Slade chuckles as his eye scans for movement. The glow of Robin's blaster pierces through the smoke, but misses Slade's shoulder by inches.
With his position given away, Robin jumps down from above, trying to land another kick. Slade steps out of the way and grabs his ankle, using the momentum to swing him over his head before slamming him to the floor. The master lets go and watches his apprentice struggle to get back on his feet.
"Your strategy is developing, Robin. I see it in every fight. Hone the trick with the smoke, and it could be formidable."
Robin holds his aching side and turns to Slade, seething with rage. If he thinks he can dismiss Robin's mutiny, he's got another thing coming. Robin fuels his stare with all his hate, power, and conviction. "I'm going to stop you, Slade. I will find a way to save my friends."
Slade meets his gaze coolly. He steps around Robin, circling him slowly. "As my apprentice, I expect no less from you than to try. However, I've been perfecting this plan since I first saw you fight. I can monitor your every movement, every second, everywhere. You cannot stop me, Robin. You can save your friends only by obeying my every command."
Slade pulls back one of his metal arm guards to check the time. It's 7 p.m. "Tick tock, Robin. Gotham is far, and the deadline is approaching. Return the flash drive to me before midnight, or I kill your friends one. by. one."
Robin grits his teeth. He knows he has no choice but to bite his tongue and pocket the drive.
