Paranormal Evil

Four months have passed since Red Hood's identity was revealed and the Dynamic Duo finally ended his reign of terror on the world's criminal underworld. Jason hasn't been seen in the four months since that night, but Jordan knows that he will change. He knows that he is still alive. Now, Jordan watches the monitor, looking for his little brother. The door behind him opens and he hears his metal friend yawn.

"You're still up?" asked Cyborg.

"I've got work to do. It's too early to go to sleep," said Jordan.

"It's midnight," said Cyborg.

"I thrive in the night," said Jordan.

"Well, whoever you're looking for is probably asleep like you should be," said Cyborg.

"Criminals don't sleep. Especially at this hour," said Jordan.

"Whatever you say, bro. I'm initiating lockdown. Good night," said Cyborg.

"Good night, Vic," said Jordan.

As Cyborg initiates the lockdown, Jordan waits for a couple minutes and exits the living room. He then walks towards the basement and opens the door. He only sees the dark abyss as he starts to walk down the long flight of stairs. He reaches the bottom in a few minutes and walks towards a crate. He opens the crate and the things in the crate are Slade gear. He picks up the mask and stares at it.

"We saved Jason from you and himself. Trash like you will never hurt him again. I don't care if you come back as he did. We will take you down and send you right back to Hell where you belong," said Jordan.

"He won't be coming back anytime soon. He isn't immortal after all," said Cyborg.

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Jordan.

"Since you came in here. This tower is practically an extension of me," said Cyborg.

"People don't stay dead in this universe. I thought that you would already understand that concept," said Jordan.

"Not everyone is revived via advanced technology," said Cyborg.

"But, there is always a chance," said Jordan.

"It's over, Jordan. Slade is gone," said Cyborg.

"Jason was gone, but he came back. Slade has connections to the man who brought back Jason. We'll be seeing him soon," said Jordan.

As Jordan places the mask back in the crate, the alarm sounds. Has Slade returned or is it just another villain attack?

"There's a villain attack. Let's go," said Cyborg.

"Perfect timing. I wanted to go out anyway," said Jordan.

Thirty minutes pass. On the other side of town, Cinderblock steps on a car in front of guards with shields.

"I'm tired of dealing with this crap. Every night, we deal with some supervillain who randomly decides to ruin our night. I'm tired of losing gigs," said a guard.

"Relax. The Titans will save us," said another guard.

"Maybe the Titans wouldn't have to save us if our luck wasn't so trash," said a guard.

"Stop complaining and let's take down this big brute," said the commander.

The guards try to shoot the towering villain, but the laser bolts don't do any damage. Cinderblock gets angry and smashes the ground with both of its fists, cracking it and sending the guards into the air. The guards fall, but most are unconscious.

"Our luck is absolute garbage," said a guard.

"This may be the only time that we agree on something my friend," said the other guard.

Cinderblock tries to pick up a car and throw it at the guards, but it is blasted by a barrage of Starbolts.

"Don't throw that car or we will throw you into a prison cell," said Jordan.

"A massive one," said Beast Boy.

Cinderblock doesn't care and throws the car at the Titans. The Titans quickly move out of the way to dodge the car. Starfire takes to the skies and sends another barrage of Starbolts towards the towering villain. Jordan pulls out his grappling hook and grapples to the head of the brute. He then kicks the brute in the face as Beast Boy, now transformed into a Triceratops, smashes into the villain. Before it is pushed off the edge, the stone villain grabs the Triceratops and throws him far away. Cyborg tries to hit the villain with his sonic cannon, but he is nearly smashed by the villain. Before he is though, Raven uses her magic to create a giant claw to grab the villain, and the Titans gang up on him. Even with the teaming up on the villain, the towering villain escapes his restraint and deals with Raven and Starfire.

"He's gotten stronger since the last time we dealt with him," said Jordan.

"But, we won't lose," said Cyborg.

Jordan and Cyborg decide to team up to take down the stone beast. Jordan grapples back to the stone villain's head and starts to slash at its head with his two blades. Cinderblock gets tired of this annoyance and grabs the leader. He then launches him into the forest.

"Jordan!" exclaimed Cyborg.

"Just focus on him! I'll make my way back!" exclaimed Jordan.

Jordan is sent flying for nearly a couple hundred feet before he crash lands into a tree and slowly falls to the ground. He hears someone's hop and quickly gets up. Lighting strikes and reveals Slade?

"Slade. I knew it," said Jordan.

"Hello, Jordan," said Slade.

"How are you back? Lazarus Pits? Deal with the Devil? Nerve Gas?" asked Jordan.

"You would love to know," said Slade.

Slade turns around and starts to run. Jordan follows him through the dark forest. Slade hops onto a large tree and starts to hop on the large branches. Jordan follows the mercenary and does the same actions. He pulls out a Claw and throws it at the Terminator, but he somehow dodges it.

"Too slow, Jordan. You always were," said Slade.

"Why have you returned?" asked Jordan.

"I can't spoil the surprise. It won't be fun," said Slade.

Jordan grapples to the branch that Slade stands on and tries to kick him, but the kick seems to phase through him. Jordan tries multiple times to kick or even attack Slade as they jump from branch to branch, but none of his hits land.

"What's wrong, Jordan? Are you getting fatter? You're already out of breath," said Slade.

"What are you planning?" asked Jordan.

"Seismic generators. They will break your city in three hours if you don't find them. Breaking Cinderblock out of jail was just the beginning. You will be begging me to stop after we're done," said Slade.

"I make you beg for mercy first," said Jordan.

Jordan charges at Slade and tries to slash him with his blade, but Slade hops off the branch. Jordan tries to throw his blade at the mercenary, but Slade somehow disappears before he is stabbed. Jordan hops off the branch and graves his blade.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your little nature hike, but where were you? We had to deal with that beast by ourselves," said Beast Boy.

"Slade's back," said Jordan.

"Are you sure it's him? You have been thinking about him for a little while," said Cyborg.

"I'm fine. I saw him. I talked to him. It's the real deal," said Jordan.

"What does he want?" asked Starfire.

"He is going to destroy the city with seismic generators in three hours. We have to stop him," said Jordan.

"I just don't get it. He fell into lava. How is he back?" said Cyborg.

"We don't know if he fell in the lava. We didn't see what happened in his base. We should have made sure that he was dead. We were stupid and careless," said Jordan.

"So, how do we deal with these generators?" asked Beast Boy.

"We go to different spots in the city. Victor, you take the bridge. Garfield, the pier. Starfire, the park. Rachael, we're hunting us a dead man," said Jordan.

Forty minutes pass. Jordan and Raven now walk through the forest as the rain pours on their heads.

"This shouldn't be possible? How is he back?" asked Raven.

"I don't know, but we have to deal with him. He's too dangerous to be allowed to walk the streets of this city," said Jordan.

Jordan pulls out his communicator and Cyborg's voice is heard.

"I didn't find the generator," said Cyborg.

"Keep looking," said Jordan.

"I've searched this bridge a hundred times. There's nothing here," said Cyborg.

"Then, look in another location. We have to find them before Jump City becomes the next Pompeii," said Jordan.

"I haven't found anything here either. Maybe he's playing us," said Beast Boy.

"Playing us? Slade's a master manipulator, yes but he doesn't joke about doing things like this. He just does it. Keep searching. We don't have much time," said Jordan.

Jordan turns off his communicator and places it in his utility belt. He starts to walk faster as his expression becomes an angrier one.

"I should have gone to look for them myself. I know him better than anyone here," said Jordan.

"Have some faith, Jordan. We will find them," said Raven.

"Yeah. They will. I'm just overreacting. Ever since Jason came back, I guess I've been more pent up than usual," said Jordan.

"You should meditate more. It helps," said Raven.

"Maybe, but-," said Jordan.

"But what?" asked Raven.

"He's here. Let's go," said Jordan.

Jordan runs deeper into the forest as Raven follows closely behind. Jordan continues to run until he sees the mercenary standing in the center of a section of the forest with no trees.

"This is going to be easier than before. You have gotten sloppy," said Slade.

"I will destroy you!" exclaimed Jordan.

Jordan pulls out some explosive disks and throws them at Slade, but the proceeding explosives don't affect him. Jordan runs into the smoke and tries to kick Slade, but his foot is grabbed and he is palmed. He stumbles back for a few seconds but regains his footing. He looks forward, but he doesn't see Slade. He turns around and is punched in the face. He falls to the ground and tries to get back up, but Raven has come to his rescue.

"Jordan!" exclaimed Raven.

Slade hears the voice of the sorceress and runs towards her.

"Raven, stop him! He's running towards you!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Where! I can't see him!" exclaimed Raven.

"Just fire at him!" exclaimed Jordan.

"Ok! Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" exclaimed Raven.

Raven picks up a couple trees and throws them at the invisible mercenary, but it doesn't affect him. He just runs past the mage. Jordan gets back up and runs towards Raven.

"Did you get him?" asked Jordan.

"I don't know. I couldn't see him," said Raven.

"Odd. Only I can see him, but I can feel his attacks. That's the real deal somehow," said Jordan.

"I don't know what he is, but it can't be something physical. I would have been able to see him or at least sense him. He may not even be a spirit," said Raven.

"I guess there is only one way to find out. Check my mind," said Jordan.

"Huh?" asked Raven.

"When I went into your mind a couple years ago, we kind of had a mental link for the rest of that year. Maybe we could do something similar to that to find out what's going on," said Jordan.

"I'll try," said Raven.

"Just place your hand on my head. That should work," said Jordan.

Jordan takes off his cowl and Raven places her grey hand on his head and takes a look into his mind. She sees what Jordan sees and now she becomes confused.

"Do you see him?" asked Jordan.

"Yes, but I also sense something infecting your brain," said Raven.

"What is it?" asked Jordan.

"Something microscopic. Maybe that has something to do with you seeing Slade," said Raven.

"But, who broke out Cinderblock? What would doing this help Slade?" asked Jordan.

"I have no clue, but maybe Cyborg will know. Let's get back to the tower. It's cold out here," said Raven.

Thirty minutes pass. Jordan now sits in a chair with a head scanning device on his head. The Titans stand around him as they wait for the results.

"This is so stressful. Are the results permanent?" said Beast Boy.

"It seems that you are free from Slade's manipulation. You're good," said Cyborg.

"So, what was wrong?" asked Jordan.

"You were attacked by a reagent. The reagent must have infected you when you picked up his mask," said Cyborg.

"Who triggered it? It wasn't affecting me until tonight," said Jordan.

"I don't know, but someone had to trigger it from outside of the tower," said Cyborg.

"Or outside this living plane," said Jordan.

"What are you trying to say?" asked Cyborg.

"No one knew about that reagent in the mask except for Slade. No one knew how to trigger it, but Slade. No one would want to trigger it except for Slade. The paranormal exists, so there is a big possibility that he could be doing this from beyond the grave," said Jordan.

"Why would he do this?" asked Starfire.

"I don't know, but whoever allowed him to do this isn't a good guy," said Jordan.

The "guy" who is allowing Slade to do this is not good. From the deepest layer of Hell, Slade stands before six demon eyes as they watch the Titans.

"Do you see how effective I am? If I had been serious, I could have destroyed the Titans with ease," said Slade.

"Maybe, but you didn't," said the demon.

"But, I could. Allow me to serve by your side and you will control this universe with no opposition," said Slade.

"You are on my good side, but you still have to prove yourself if you want to help me. Only a year is left until my daughter turns 18. When that time comes, I will use her to invade that dimension and conquer it. You only have a year to become my right hand. Do you understand, Slade Wilson?" said Trigon.

"I do, my master," said Slade.

"Good. Prepare, my servant. Hell will break loose in no time," said the demon.