Haunting Past.

Chapter Three

...

"Who is Slade?" Garfield asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

With a heavy sigh, Richard leaned forward and tapped on the keyboard, the soft clicks echoing in the dimly lit room. He navigated through encrypted files until he found what he was looking for—a compilation of images displaying the enigmatic figure known as Slade Wilson.

As the screen flickered to life, mugshots of a rugged, bearded man filled the monitor with a very distinguishable eyepatch. Alongside it were official military photographs showcasing a clean-cut younger, more disciplined version of the same individual. But it was the image of Slade in his full masked suit, an imposing figure radiating an aura of danger, that captured their attention.

"Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke, is a mercenary and assassin for hire." Richard explained with a mix of caution and unease. "He has no qualms about crossing lines to get the job done, no matter where those lines are drawn. During his time as a formidable operative for the U.S. military, Col. Slade Wilson agreed to undergo an experimental process that increased his mental and physical abilities to superhuman levels. Not long after that, he retired from the military to pursue a career under the masked mercenary known as Deathstroke."

"Slade Wilson ultimately defers to whatever benefits himself, finding loopholes in his own code of honor to justify betrayal and manipulation." Donna added, her voice crackling through the speakerphone. "We used to cross paths with him back in the old Titans days."

"It's been years since he has been spotted anywhere. I guess I just hoped he was gone for good." Richard said, his tone heavy with a mixture of frustration and bitterness. His eyes remained fixed on the picture displayed on the screen, the image of Slade Wilson igniting a fierce vendetta within him.

"Wishful thinking." Donna remarked, her tone laced with resignation. The mere mention of Slade's name seemed to cast a shadow over the room, a reminder of the darkness that lurked just beyond their reach.

"Okay, so Slade is back. So what? We can take him down like any other villain." Garfield declared confidently, his eyes flashing with determination.

But Richard's response was swift and unequivocal. "Slade is not like any other villain." He countered, with a hint of urgency. "He's not just dangerous—he's lethal. He doesn't just rely on brute force. He's a master strategist, always one step ahead of his opponents. He studies you and analyzes your every move. He finds your weaknesses, and then, one by one, he takes you down."

"There's something you aren't telling us." Raven interjected, her tone calm yet insistent. She could sense the turmoil brewing within Richard, the weight of his past experiences with Slade bearing down on him like a heavy burden.

"Richard, you need to tell them." Donna interjected firmly from the speaker.

Richard's shoulders tensed at the reminder, the weight of his past decisions pressing down on him. He turned to face his teammates, his expression a mixture of regret and determination. "Tell us what?" Kori's voice rang out, her concern palpable as she searched his face for answers.

With a heavy sigh, Richard braced himself to relive the painful memories once more. "Slade is the reason we dismantled the team." He admitted, his tone low and somber. The confession hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the room as his teammates exchanged worried glances.

Kori took a step forward, her eyes wide with shock. "What happened?" She asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

Richard closed his eyes briefly, bracing himself for what was to come. "We had been studying Slade for months." He began, his words measured as he recounted the events that had led to their downfall. "We thought we had the perfect strategy—we were going to take him down once and for all. But while we thought we were two steps ahead of him, he was actually five steps ahead of us." As he spoke, Richard's voice grew increasingly strained, his memories flashing before his eyes like scenes from a nightmare. "He singled us out, one by one, exploiting our weaknesses." He continued, his jaw clenched with the effort of suppressing his emotions. "We thought we could outsmart him, but we were already defeated before we even started. And in the end, it nearly cost us Garth's life."