The first thing Starfire did was run and sound the alarm. Instantly, the tower was flashing red and sirens went off. They lasted 30 seconds. The team met her in the common room.
"Dude, don't villains ever sleep?" Beast Boy said as he entered the room, followed quickly by Raven, silent, no doubt cranky from being woken up. Cyborg came in ready to go, his charging finished by an hour.
"Yo! Where's Robin? Is shorty still sleeping?"
"I'm afraid he is not." Starfire said, trying to be calm. "I sounded the alarm."
"What's wrong?"
"I found myself unable to sleep because of the storm, and I was sitting wake in my room. Suddenly, I heard Robin scream and then a sickening sound, like he had been hit. I went to investigate, only to find Robin gone." Her lip quivered, but she tried to be strong.
"What?" Raven asked.
"Dude..."
"No way..."
"Yes way! I looked everywhere in his room but I could not find him! I think he has been abducted!"
"We don't know for sure though; let's go check outside his window."
"Yeah, maybe he was leaning against the window while he was thinking and just fell?" BB suggested.
"Unless there was some way for him to summersault before he hit the ground to distribute his weight, he would die from that height," Raven said pointedly, "besides if he did save himself, he would be back inside already."
"I do not think that's what it was Raven. I've never heard such a scream of terror, such...desperation. Like he was calling for help."
"Let's just go see if this 'kidnapper' left any trace behind."
Outside the tower, Beast boy and Cyborg searched the ground, while Starfire checked the building for any sort of mark or scaling device. Raven looked inside the room, using her mind to detect things that would go unnoticed.
No sign of a struggle. The bed sheets were in a mess, but there was no blood or broken furniture. Star's search brought up nothing. Beast boy picked up a strange scent, but it was lost in the bay. The only clue they had was a boot print in the mud. Cyborg scanned it thoroughly.
"Any luck friends?"
"I picked up a scent of cologne, leather, and oil, but there's no trail to follow."
"I got nothing," Raven said, monotone.
"Neither do I." Star sighed.
"I found a boot print. I'm going to cross reference the design and see if I can find the brand. That way we can at least narrow it down. BB, why don't you go sniff around in the evidence room and see if you can match the smell. Raven, can you check the surveillance tapes for any sort of identification?"
She nodded.
"And what shall I do Cyborg?"
He turned and looked at her, only to see the restlessness in her face. She had bags under her eyes, and her usual bright jade eyes, clouded with worry. Tears threatened to fall and her smile was nowhere to be seen.
"I want you to go on back to bed. No offense, but you look horrible. We'll find him. I promise."
A single tear fell down her cheek as she threw her arms around him in a hug.
"Thank you, Cyborg."
He simply rubbed her head.
Robin blinked to wakefulness. He came face to face with a blinding light and squinted to block the rays. He suddenly became very aware that his mask was missing, along with the rest of his clothes. All that remained was the tight black shorts he wore under his uniform. A chill ran up his spine as he felt a cold metal table under him. He tried to raise his hand to block the light, but found them bound to the table, along with his feet and neck. He squirmed a bit, to get more comfortable, but found it to be in vain. The restraints were tight and moving around only chilled his back more.
"Did you sleep well?"
He knew that voice, and desperately wanted it to be someone else. But he remembered the attack just hours before, and knew it could be no one else.
A two tone mask leaned in front of him and blocked the light.
"Hello Robin. Did you miss me?"
"Slade..."
"Must you say my name like that every we meet? It makes it sound like you hate me."
"I do hate you."
"Now now, why would you hate me?"
Robin was quiet, only glaring at the man.
"Is it the countless crimes I've committed? No? How about the long, sleepless nights you've spent trying to stop me? Or maybe the crimes that YOU'VE committed for me? I know! It must be the fact that I get into your head, yours and all your little friends. The fact that I can control you like no one else has. Make you go back on your ethics and morals. Make you yell at the ones you love."
Instantly, images of all the times he yelled at Starfire while working came to mind. Then he heard her voice. But Robin, there was no one there. He grit his teeth.
"What do you want?"
Slade released a mock sigh. "Again? Must we go through this every time? I'll save your breath, I'll say something witty, then you'll say 'your mind games won't work' which I assure you, they do. Then I'll give a short lecture on patience and you'll yell at me to cut the crap, then through subtle hints I'll give away my plot. Then you'll get all pissed and reply with 'you won't get away with it' followed by a flying sidekick from the right side."
Robin had no words.
"Well now, since I have the upper hand this time, and you have no ability to do your signature flying kick, we get to do this my way."
"If this is some sort of plot to get me to be your apprentice, you can forget it!"
"Resilient, aren't we? Tell me, do you have any Tameranian in you?"
"Was that supposed to be a joke?"
"Why so serious?" An image of a white face, green haired psycho clown flashed in his mind. Slade's tricks were working, but Robin wouldn't admit it. He just growled.
"I sense a lot of anger. Oh, that's right. You hate me." He hummed. Probably with a devilish smirk.
"Are you going to tell me your plot or what?"
"Why don't you guess?"
"How about I don't."
"You know...you're not really in any position to bargain with me...Richard."
Robin's eyes widened.
"Ah! Now you see the severity of the situation, haven't you! And I must say…your eyes are stunning."
"Was that a compliment?"
"Take it with gratitude. I don't give them out often."
"Why do you keep dancing around the subject?"
"Why do you want to know so badly?"
"So I can stop you!"
"If I didn't want to be stopped, why would I tell you? Besides, you're strapped to a table."
"I'm well aware. Now tell me why!"
"Again, patience Dick. I assure you, you're going to be here for a long long time. Why don't you go ahead and guess what horrible scheme I'm up to."
Robin sighed. Nothing else to do, no harm in it. "Making me your apprentice?"
"Dear god, do you even listen? No. I told you before my luck with apprentices was bad. Especially with you."
"To control the city?"
"Tried it once, it was boring."
"Destroy the tower?"
"And what? Have you build it back up again?"
Robin paused. Slade had gone after him, and only him. "...without a leader, there is no team."
"Ah, now you're getting closer. Not right on, but closer. That's more of a benefit of the actual plan."
"I bet your real plan is to annoy me to death."
Robin would have smirked, but there was a fist that got in the way.
"Did I hit a nerve?" Robin asked.
"Hardly, I simply wanted to punch you."
"It's going to take more than that to break me."
"Oh, I know. I have a whole table of goodies over here for you." He leaned in close. "I don't expect to break you. I expect to shatter your world into a million pieces. No amount of training will help. No amount of Beast Boy’s jokes, or Raven's meditation. No amount of Cyborg's homemade meals or scanners or your precious Starfire's kisses."
Robin lightly blushed.
"No matter how many times Bruce apologizes. Not even if your parents came back, would you be able to walk upright or speak coherent sentences. When I'm done with you, you won't know which way is up or down, and all you'll see is my mask and my voice repeating in your head…Weak"
"I highly doubt that. You aren't so tough."
Suddenly, a jolt ran up his spine and made him emit a grunt of pain.
"And you think you’re invincible? I've killed thousands of people, effortlessly. It's my job. I've seen families rip apart and turn on each other. I've walked the path of hatred and tasted the bitterness of wrath. I've been so drenched in blood that I was unrecognizable. I've made those who loved me turn and want to destroy me. I’ve broken hearts to a point where one can no longer go on living. I’ve bought the blood of others to do my bidding. I’ve seen my plans go off so perfectly, that it seemed no one was trying to stop me. I've commanded armies and controlled the earth itself. I've shaken hands with the devil, and survived when he did not."
Robin could practically feel the anger pouring from him.
"Richard Grayson, I am not tough, I am everything that you fear. But let my actions speak for themselves."
Fear crept into Robin's mind as his face began to tingle where Slade and punched him, no doubt starting to swell.
"I'll keep that in mind." Robin said defiantly.
Slade chuckled darkly, "This is going to be so much fun!"