Inverted Paradox

Powerless

"Finally. I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."

"I'm here now. So let my friends go."

"Oh. You'd think I'd let them go that easily. I can't have you escaping again."

I gulped.

I have to do this. For the team. They don't deserve this. This is my problem.

"Okay Slade."

"No tricks?"

"No tricks."

He still seemed skeptical.

"Remember one tap of this button and your friends die."

He held up the syringe. I recognized it in a heartbeat.

It would take away the one thing that could stop him.

My only defence.

Without them I'll be powerless.

I walked up to him.

Held out my arm.

Slade stabbed me with the syringe.

I could feel strength sapping away.

Despite this, I felt a sense of assurance.

Maybe part of me still blamed myself for the death of my parents.

I looked at Slade again.

That monster!

Putting my friends lives in peril all to get to me.

I looked down at my arm again. My vision starting to blur.

I felt the cold ground as my body slammed against it.

I have to get up.

But my arms were too weak.

Slade snapped his fingers and two guards appeared out of nowhere.

No! They can't take me.

I tried again to get up.

My arms pushed against the ground hard. Finally managing to get up I ran.

I couldn't even get out of the room before my body failed me.

I hit the ground. I felt my wrists gripped tightly as I was dragged away.

That's the last thing I remember before I blacked out.

I was hit with flashes of conciousness.

Being dragged down stairs...

Shoving me into a crevice.

Wait, crevice? Where the hell are they taking me?!?

Slade's minions shut some kind of hatch behind me.

This was different.

I wanted to start crawling, but what if that's what he wants me to do.

He was always big on mind games.

I looked back.

There really isn't anywhere else to go.

I started crawling through what seemed like some kind of tube. Which is strange since I just came from a crevice.

I fought the darkness. I was not gonna stop. I can't. If I black out again who knows where he'll take me.

Maybe he's still scared of me.

Maybe making me feel weak makes him feel stronger.

I'm not gonna give him the satisfaction.

Not today. Not ever.

Next thing I knew I was falling.

The tube-like thing collapsed under me and I was sent spiraling into the abyss.

***

"Ah, you're awake."

No. I told myself I wouldn't.

But I did.

"I see you're still that scared little boy from all those years ago."

I was strapped down on a table under a dim light. Barely enough to illuminate Slade's mask.

I could tell he was smiling though.

"I see you still haven't grown a concience."

"Acting tough will only get you killed."

"I'm not acting." I smirked at him. Even though on the inside I felt like I was dying.

I won't give him the satisfaction.

I internally sighed. I miss my friends. I miss Raven.

"At least they're safe now."

"Your friends?"

Crap. I said that out loud.

"Did you really expect me to let them go that easily?"

I glared at him.

"How dare you!"

Why did I believe he would ever change?

He punched me hard in the jaw. My mouth exploded with pain. I could feel my blood dripping.

"Like I said acting tough will only get you killed."

"Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Which way involves me leaving?"

He slammed his hand hard on the table.

He looked at me and grinned.

"I was hoping you would say that."