Chapter Text
Robin darted through the halls of Queen Industries, alarms ringing around him. Reports of a thief had been coming in over the radio for the past five minutes. At first, Robin had assumed it had been some new show-off villain, or someone with a grudge against Oliver just trying to make a point.
But the fact that he hadn’t caught hide nor hair of the thief meant that whoever it was, they were skilled and experienced. Someone who had made his presence known for some reason other than to make a point. Someone who was actually capable of stealing whatever it was they were after.
Robin skidded around another corner, scanning the doors. He knew this wing contained the vaults for many of the weapons Queen Industries used to manufacture. If the thief got their hands on any of these…
In front of him, a door slid open with a hiss and a strange creature stepped out. They were dressed in a heavy metal suit, an iron grate acting as their faceplate. It oddly resembled a furnace. Red light seeped through the slats of the grate, and illuminated the joints of the metal suit. Even from this far back, Robin could feel heat radiating off of them. A green and black hourglass emblem stood out on their chest.
He drew his bo staff and dropped into a fighting stance. “Stop right there!” The thief froze and turned to face Robin. In their hand, they held the core of an old missile prototype. Robin didn’t recognize it, but he knew it probably meant bad news. “Drop the core and put your hands in the air.”
“You must be one of the heroes!” The thief said, a thick Russian accent distorting the English slightly. “It’s nice to meet you, er…”
“Robin. Last warning. Put your hands in the air.”
“Sorry. No can do. I need to get this thing out of here before my boss loses his mind. Besides, I doubt you want me to just drop a miniature nuclear reactor.”
Robin’s eyes widened. “A nuclear reactor? How the hell are you even holding that?”
“NRG’s suit is designed for radiation,” the villain, NRG apparently, said with a shrug. “Stuff like this is no big deal.”
“Great,” Robin muttered under his breath. “Another one who talks in third person.” Then, louder, he said, “Well, either way, you’re not getting away with it.” With that, he leapt into battle.
NRG was surprisingly nimble for someone in a suit that bulky. Sure, Robin landed plenty of hits, but for every successful blow, NRG managed to sidestep three more, leading Robin further and further down the hall.
Robin feinted and brought his bo staff crashing down on NRG’s shoulder. NRG stumbled back, his shoulder drooping slightly.
“Dude! Don’t hit the arm holding the reactor!”
“Then surrender and I can grab it safely.”
NRG sighed tiredly. Before he could say anything, though, the hourglass emblem on his chest beeped.
“Shit,” NRG muttered. “I gotta go.” With that, he turned tail and took off through the corridors.
“Damn it!” Robin sprinted after the thief, already struggling to keep up. How the hell was the guy so fast?
Soon, they were on the roof of the tower. NRG stopped, just before the edge, evaluating his next move. Robin accepted the pause, grateful for the chance to catch his breath.
“You can’t get away in that suit,” Robin said.
“Don’t have much of a choice, dude.”
That got Robin’s attention. Cautiously, he lowered his bo staff. “You always have a choice. Trust me.”
“Normally, I would agree-” NRG folded over suddenly, the emblem on his chest sparking with electricity. Robin flinched back instinctively, the memory of nanites in his own blood catching him off guard.
“Damnit,” NRG ground out. Then, he stepped backwards off the roof.
Robin rushed to catch him, but by time he reached the edge of the roof, the mysterious thief was gone. Robin stared after him, unease settling deep in his gut.
It was dark by the time he got back to the tower. Everyone was probably asleep by now. It was wise of them. But with the place usually so lively, it was disconcerting to arrive to shadows stretching across the living area.
Robin knew he should have been in bed as well. He and the rest of the team had breakfast plans, and Cyborg would insist on getting them all up at the crack of dawn to make sure they got to the buffet nice and early. Besides, he had run into Cinderblock after wrapping up the theft at Queen Industries, and his entire body was aching.
But bats were nothing if not creatures of the night. So, Robin settled himself in at the central computer and began pulling the camera feeds from Queen Industries. It only took him a few minutes to hack into them. Really, most of what tonight had proved was that Oliver needed to hire better security.
Although…Queen Industries used to manufacture weapons. It was a long shot, but this thief were going after other weapons manufacturers…
Quickly, he rearranged the computer algorithm he'd been using, setting it to search through possible weapons that could be built with a nuclear reactor core. He really just hoped it wasn't the obvious option. While the algorithim ran, he switched back over to analyzing the evidence he'd gathered.
Robin spent an hour comparing security feeds, reviewing his fight with NRG. Something niggled at the back of his brain, but he couldn’t quite place it. NRG moved like an experienced fighter. His movements were laced with grace and agility, despite the bulk and weight of the metal suit.
Plus, there was that comment he had made: “NRG’s suit is designed for radiation.” Sure, it could just be the villain talking in third person. That was usually the case. But something about his cadence, the way he had said his own name so detached sent alarm bells ringing through his mind.
Then, there was that whole thing with the electricity at the end there. It had reminded Robin uncomfortably of his own experiences with being coerced. But…perhaps he was simply projecting. Bruce would have told him he was looking for what he wanted to see, not what was actually there. Of course, Bruce could go stuff it. But the truth was that he did know more about these things than Robin did.
Not for the first time, Dick considered calling his mentor. His hand was right over his phone, ready to dial the familiar number. The words were right on the tip of his tongue, ready to let everything about Slade and his time as the mercenary’s apprentice spill out.
Before he could make a decision, though, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Robin’s hands stilled over his keyboard. Then, deliberately, he closed out the files he had been reviewing. His hands drifted towards the Birdarangs tucked away in his utility belt.
Because the other Titans would have announced themselves by now. And there was only one villain who could break into their home so silently.
“Hello, Robin,” Slade said.
In the blink of an eye Robin had leapt back, three Birdarangs flying towards Slade's face. The mercenary had already ducked back into the shadows, though.
"Reactive as always," Slade taunted. "Already fighting before you even know why I'm here."
"I know enough to know you're bad news." Robin braced himself for the inevitable blow, but it never came.
"Really? Because despite what you may believe, Robin, I'm not here to fight." Slade stepped into the light. The shadows from the monitor still made his mask appear like half a face, but he was stood plainly and visible all the same. There were no weapons in his hands.
Robin knew better than to trust it. But still, if Slade were really here to talk, Robin would let him.
Slade tilted his head slightly in curiosity. "You've taken an interest in the robbery at Queen Industries earlier tonight?"
"The guy stole the core of a nuclear warhead. I'm not going to just let that slide, even if he is working for you."
"He's not working for me, though, is he?"
There was silence for a moment as Robin weighed his options. Then, he sighed in defeat. "No, he's not. He doesn't have any connections to you. As far as I can tell he doesn't have connections to anyone."
"Correct."
"So what I don't get is why you care."
Slade folded his hands behind his back.
"Come now, Robin. You're cleverer than that."
There was silence for a long time. Robin didn't dare take his eyes off of Slade. But he considered the prospect nonetheless. He doubted Slade was interested in the thief. The guy had been skilled, sure, but not to Robin's level. And he didn't have the same level of power as Terra. Or, if he did, he was way better at controlling it. Which meant…
"You're after the thief's boss."
"There you go." Now, Slade began to pace around the room. Robin watched him cautiously, but he made no move to attack. "But ask yourself, Robin, why I would be interested in this mysterious new mastermind?"
"Because they favor the same methods of control you do. And you either want to recruit them or scope out the threat to your territory. And you think I'm going to lead you to them."
Slade stalked closer, until his face was right next to Robin's ear. "I don't think, Robin. I know."
Robin's grip tightened on his bo staff. He tried to ignore the hammering in his chest. Slade was here. Right now. Was dangerously close. But Robin couldn't move.
"One warning, Slade." A familiar voice echoed through the room. "Leave. Or I make you leave."
Raven stood in the doorway to the residential hall, her cloak floating in nonexistent wind. Her eyes were glowing red. Slade stepped back, his hands held in surrender.
"Like I said, I'm not here to fight. But, Robin, consider what I've said."
Suddenly, the lights cut out. By time Robin and Raven had produced their own light sources, Slade was gone.
They stood in silence for a moment. Robin waited, tense, for the pounding in his heart to ease. Once it had, Raven drifted closer, her own light dimming, leaving only Robin's flashlight to illuminate the room.
"Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine."
"Maybe. But I asked if you were alright right now."
"Slade was in the tower, Raven. What do you think?"
Slowly, she set a hand on his shoulder. Without realizing it, he had leaned into the touch. With a smile that was far too smug, Raven tossed her cloak over him, encompassing both of them. It wasn't the same thick material as Batman's cape, but it would do.
Dick let himself lean into it for a few moments. Then, he muttered, "I should wrap up this case."
"You're in no state to think clearly, Robin."
"It still needs to get done."
"Maybe. But why don't we pick it up after a story?" Raven guided him towards the couch. "Why don't I tell you about my mother?"
Heh. She was always good at calming him down. "That would be nice."
The two of them talked until the sun rose, Slade and NRG momentarily forgotten.