The Old Man Without Time

Kai sits down next to the campfire. Slade is wearing his black and orange suit. His mask is next to him on the ground. He has a long grey beard, and has a calm look on his face. He is poking the fire with his sword.

Slade: It's been a while kid.

Kai: It's been about six years, hasn't it?

Slade: I've been counting the days. I'm guessing you have a few questions?

Kai: Why are there two Slades.

Slade sighs.

Slade: I'm not the original Slade. Slade worked for an australian organization, and they intended on making more Slades as a way to have an army of unbeatable soldiers. B.L.A.D.E, another organization, found out about this. They tried many times and failed. After years of tests they created me. I was exactly what they were looking for, but that's when B.L.A.D.E struck. They killed everyone that worked there, and burned the building to the ground. They recruited me as their soldier, and I worked with them for years. Then on one mission they believed I died. They assumed this, and never tried looking. Once I learned that I was expendable I got angry. I had worked for them for years without pay or question. I became a hitman, and killed only high paying contracts to make money. I made millions. Then I met a man named Stick. During one of these contracts. He was amazed at my skills, and tried recruiting me to his team. I denied because I was getting old. See, while the real deathstroke has regenerative abilities. My abilities are flawed. I can heal from wounds, but not from age. As I got older I wanted to settle down. I bought a house, and I lived a normal life. Slade called me years later, and asked me to take care of a young kid. At first I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to take care of some child I don't know. If I wanted to do that I would have adopted a kid long ago, but I had never really thought about it. Then I realized I could pass down my skills onto this child as if they were my son. I learned that in a way I would live beyond my death. So I agreed to take you in. You know the rest from there.

Kai: Then why did you leave, and why does nobody know that you exist?

Slade: You were gone for a year kid. The real Slade showed back up in america a few months after you left. His face has been shown to the authorities. I had to leave, and I knew you were on the right path so I left letting A.R.G.U.S clean up after me. They believed I went rogue, and I thought that you would have kept doing good with A.R.G.U.S.

Kai: Why wouldn't you have told A.R.G.U.S before leaving?

Slade: A.R.G.U.S wouldn't have let me leave. They would have tried to make me take down Slade, or I would have been labeled rogue anyway.

Kai: After all this time you didn't even want to reach out to me?

Slade: You're my son. Of course I wanted to reach out to you. I just couldn't bring myself to leave this mountain. When you sit in silence for so many years you think back on your life, and there are some things I regret kid. I regret not living. Even after wasting most of my life at B.L.A.D.E I still worked to get millions for years. Only then did I get to relax and enjoy life. I knew you would be mad about my disappearance so I hoped that you just believed I was dead.

Kai gets tears in his eyes, and Slade stays not making eye contact. He just stares at the fire poking at it with his sword.

Kai: That's selfish! I never thought you would be dead! You were always stronger than me! There was no one who could have taken you down! I thought you abandoned me! I found out there was another you! I thought you left because you were done with your mission!

Slade: You are my mission. My mission is to live forever. My mission as a father.

Kai: Maybe you should have told me that before you left!

The room stays in silence. All they can hear is Slade picking at the fire as the fire cracks. Kai wasn't paying attention to the fire, but now that he looks at it the fire is weak, and barely staying lit.

Slade: Why don't we take a walk kid?

Slade gets up leaving his sword. He grabs his ballistic staff, and uses it as a cane to walk around. Slade slowly started walking out of the cave. Kai follows behind him as they keep walking. Soon Slade and Kai make it to the dead female polar bear. Slade drops to his knees, and starts praying. Kai can barely hear him.

Slade(whispering): God please, take care of this poor woman in heaven. She didn't deserve the fate that she got. She had babies that could have grown up with her. So all I ask is to please take care of her.

Slade stands back up.

Kai: You pray about a polar bear you killed.

Slade: I pray everyday. She was sick. She left the cave and collapsed. The father couldn't bring her back to the cave, and she was suffering. I gave her mercy, and the polar bear understood that.

Slade starts walking down the mountain with Kai. They go into the big polar bears cave.

Kai: Won't he attack us?

Slade: No, this polar bear and I have known each other for years, kid. We have grown a relationship.

The polar bear opens its eyes to see it's Slade and Kai. Slade lays down next to the two cubs petting them. Kai goes to pet them, and the father growls. Kai decides to just stand there, and the polar bear goes back to sleep.

Slade: I killed the mother a year ago, and I have gone to see these babies everyday since. I have named this one Kai, and the other Slade jr.

Kai: You named a bear after me?

Slade: It gave me peace taking care of their babies.

Kai: What do they eat?

Slade: They don't. They're mutated. One day A helicopter just dropped them off here, and they have been here ever since. There stuck here just like me.

Slade sighs.

Slade: I guess it's time to go back to the cave.

They walk back to the cave, and sit down in the exact same spots as before.

Slade: I'm so tired.

The fire has only a few sparks left.

Slade: I hope you can forgive me Kai.

Kai starts crying.

Kai: Slade, when my father died you were the only one there. I barely even remember my parents. You trained me how to fight. You even got me the A.R.G.U.S job. I just wanted to see you. I wanted you to explain why you left.

Slade: I love you Kai.

Kai: I love you too Slade.

Slade: Here.

Slade holds up his staff, and Kai takes the staff from Slade.

Kai: Your staff? Thank you-

Kai looks back to see Slade laying on the floor. His eyes are shut, and the fire is out. Kai puts down the staff, and stands up. Kai uses his hand to dig out the snow and dirt. Kai carries Slade's body, and then puts him in the hole. Then Kai puts slades swords in an X pattern over him, and then in the middle of the X he puts down Slades mask. Kai pushes the snow and dirt over Slade. Kai then finds the biggest rock he can, and then puts small rocks around that big rock. The father bear walks in, and snuggles his head against the rock before leaving.

Kai: God, he made mistakes in his life, but he has also done good. He deserves to go to heaven, and be able to find his peace in the afterlife. Take care of him.

Kai puts his mask on the grave.

Kai: He was loved.

Kai goes to sleep, and wakes up the next day. He changes his clothes into normal clothes again. Then he goes to see the bear one last time, and goes to the edge of the mountain. Kai starts climbing down, and after hours and hours he finally makes it to the bottom. Kai starts walking off to try to find a town. It takes him a while of walking before he finds a small town. The town has a few people, but mainly looks kind of dead. Then Kai sees the people looking at him like they're scared, but confused at the same time.

Kai: Ok, where the fuck am I?