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Yes, this story was inspired by recent news reports.
Pedophile
"So whatever happened with that guy?"
Robin looked over at Roy with almost no interest. "What guy?" They were hanging out in Titans Tower, relaxing after a meeting and pizza and the movie on the TV was boring.
"That guy with the e-mails. You know—the one who liked your ass."
Garth looked up from his book with mild interest. "Someone e-mailed you about liking your ass?" Robin did have, in fact, a very fine ass.
"It wasn't anything."
"You didn't think so at the time." Roy wasn't going to let this go, Dick could tell. He was in one of his 'let's harass Robin' moods after a couple of snarky remarks about Roy's not always being 100 reliable during the meeting a little while ago. "In fact, as memory serves, you were a tetch on the creeped out side about it, Boy Wonder."
Wally looked like he was seriously disturbed about the whole concept. "You had some pervert e-mailing you? Why on earth would you let something like that slide? I mean, if he was bothering you then he might have been bothering other kids and…"
"I didn't let it slide and will you all lighten up? It wasn't that big a deal." No one said anything; just three pairs of eyes stared back at him, clearly not buying what he was trying to sell. "Fine." He hit the 'power/off' button on the remote and Wally got the light switch. "Okay, you know I have a couple of e-mail addresses, right? One that almost no one has, one I give out to you guys and friends I really want to hear from, one for school and one which is semi-public and which I almost never look at because it's all garbage and spam. "
Donna came back from the kitchen and sat down beside Roy who immediately draped his arm around her shoulder; she didn't mind this week. "You have a public e-mail address? Why on earth would you do that?"
"Because Alfred said it was rude not to answer the fan mail I get and for some reason he thought that I'd look at it once in a while. He was wrong but it was easier than arguing with him, I mean c'mon—I have that mail service that sends out pictures and acknowledgements for me, I don't need this too. But anyway, one day I was a little curious so I opened it up and there was this e-mail with a USGOV return address. It turned out to be from some old guy who went on and on about how he, um, how he really liked the way I move and I should be a professional athlete and if I ever got tired of being Robin he could get me a job."
"How long ago was this?" Wally was looking at Dick oddly, like he was almost afraid where this was going.
"About a year ago, I guess. Something like that. Anyway, I deleted it and figured that would be the end. Then about a month or so later I got another message which said pretty much the same thing, except this one said something about how he'd seen me in that gymnastics exhibition I did last winter down in DC. Then he mentioned some article about me in Time and kept going on about how …you know, he liked the way I look…about how he thought I sounded smart and then he asked me if I had a girlfriend." Dick was starting to blush; clearly this thing bothered him more than he wanted to admit. "I deleted it and blocked the address but he kept writing back using different accounts."
"What did Bruce say? He wouldn't take that well." Garth wasn't as clueless as most people though he was.
"I don't bother Bruce with stuff like that." The others stared. "…Because, he has enough to deal with and it's not like I can't handle things."
"He doesn't know? Rob, is this thing still going on?" Donna looked like she wanted to say more but restrained herself.
Robin was a little evasive. "It's mostly over. I hadn't heard from him in about six months but then I got another e-mail this week."
"And…?"
"He's back, that's all. I called the place he works and filed a formal complaint and they're going to deal with it."
"That's it? You called the personnel department and they're going to shuffle some papers and slap his hand? Jesus, man, you know better than this—who is this jackass?"
He gave Roy a dirty look. "It's not that simple, he's a public figure and if this gets out—and it would—then it would be all over the papers and TV and I don't need that. It's being taken care of."
Roy shook his head, "And pigs are scheduled to start flying this week, too. Bullshit, Boy Wonder—you're not this naïve; you have to follow up on this. And what do you mean he's a public figure? Who is this perv?"
"…He's a senator. A long time US senator from one of the Midwestern states." Robin was getting uncomfortable, he hated this and he hated talking about this, even to his friends—it made him look like he couldn't take care of himself and needed help when he didn't. He could take care of this on his own.
"Republican or Democrat?"
"What difference does that make, Wally?"
"None, I guess. It's just that if this came out now with everything that's going on and all that stuff about Christian values and family and all that stuff they've been pushing—it could sort of get awkward, that's all."
Robin was about to laugh but stopped himself in time. "Awkward for whom? Him or me? He's coming on to me, remember? I'm still a minor. I'm the victim here, you know."
"Well, sure you are, but if this makes the press it will be a feeding frenzy and you know it. First of all, Mr. Senator will be bounced out of there so fast he won't know what hit him. Then, assuming it isn't covered up, of course, you'll get the flack—we'll all get the flack about us being too young to be able to deal with all the nasty things we're exposed to. Next we get the old 'sidekicks should all go back home and just do their homework and leave the crime-busting to the grownups'."
"Thank you, Roy, because none of that ever occurred to me." The others were exchanging looks, embarrassed. This had potential of becoming a major mess and every one of them knew it. Each of them could imagine the reaction at the JLA if this was mentioned to any one of those guys. Clark would probably take the guy apart—and that was just for starters; by the time Hal or J'onn or Bruce caught up with the perv it would be seriously not pretty. Seriously. "I'm handling it. Just back off, will you? Don't worry about this; it's okay."
Then the e-mails picked up to two or three a day.
To: Birdboy
From: at nite here, saw you on TV 2nite. Blue eyes—luv ur blue eyes. Dreaming about them 2nite.
To: Birdboy
From: to be working, but keep thinking about u. Have I told you how much I luv ur ass? Almost as much as ur blue eyes. Need a Daddy?
To: Birdboy
From: ur coming to DC later this week 4 crime hearings. My committee. Meet l8r? Dinner? Perfect cover, no? Want to caucus with me?
To: Birdboy
From: 7. I'm hosting a dinner in G'town 4 crime hearing speakers. Cumming? U N me l8r.
To: Birdboy
From: me what you like to eat. For the dinner. N l8r.
To: Birdboy
From: I told you how much I like your ass?
To: Birdboy
From: shorts. Yuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmm
To: Birdboy
From: not the only 1 with moves. Let me show you? 2nite?
To: Birdboy
From: what else did you learn from the BigBat?
To: Birdboy
From: No 'no' 4 an answer
"Jesus, Dick—how long has this crap been going on?"
Anyone other than Dick would have jumped three feet; Dick Grayson barely blinked at being completely startled. He was in his room at Titan's headquarters looking over the e-mails from the Senate perv. "Knocking, Roy—you ever hear of it?"
"I did, you didn't hear me. So—this is still a problem? And you're doing what about it? And I'm assuming the Bat is still in the dark about this little romance you have going?" Dick gave him a dirty look. "Okay, sorry, but are you doing anything about this or not?"
"I reported it to the Ethics committee, I filed a formal complaint with the Majority Leader of the Senate and I filed a complaint with the FBI."
"And…?"
Dick shrugged, shaking his head. "Nothing much seems to be happening with that. It's being covered up."
Roy sat down, his eyes still on the screen, reading more of the e-mails. "You know that if he's hitting on you he's also hitting on other kids who aren't as together as you are or who don't have your resources about how to deal with this kind of crap. You don't stop him he's going to keep doing this."
"I know."
"So…? Since do you stay inside of approved channels? Put a lid on this guy, man." Roy turned to look at Dick and was taken aback by the look on his face.
"I went through all the channels you're supposed to go through, reported it to the people who are supposed to stop this kind of thing and nothing happened. Did you know he's on the senate committee to prevent child abuse?"
"You're shitting me?" This was rich, unbelievable, ridiculous.
Dick shook his head. "Okay. I'll pull the plug on this guy."
"No, I don't want publicity about this, but what else am I going to do? I told the people who are paid to stop this and they just covered it up." Dick was sitting on the table next to Bruce's computer. They were down in the cave and a routine patrol ended about twenty minutes ago but despite the hour and having to get up for school in the morning, Robin had asked Batman to take a look at something before they showered and called it a night. He was reading through the saved e-mails, his jaw clenched tighter with each one.
"It's beyond me that you would keep this to yourself all this time. Why the hell didn't you say something?"
"Because I thought it was taken care of, that's why. Besides, it's not like it's the first time I've been hit on, you know. Hard to believe, but some people seem to think I may even be hot." The only thing giving away the joke were Robin's eyes, but Batman didn't care. This wasn't funny. Period.
"All right, fine. Clearly the old boy network is in place and nothing is going to happen by just going through the proper channels. I'll call Clark to arrange a press conference for an interview and I'll do the talking. You stay out of the room—yes, you will. You're a minor and you're not going to be dragged through the mud with this kind of thing, at least not to your face, do you understand?" Robin didn't like that, but accepted that it was probably the best way to go. "Come to think of it, I'll just announce that one of the sidekicks was the victim without using any names. The press can speculate all they want but no one in their right mind would name any names without proof and this Senator Malcom can be grateful I'm not taking it out of his damn hide."
Dick knew this wouldn't work. "C'mon, Bruce, you know as well as I do that the press will go after this like piranha and they'll find out it's me involved in this."
"You know I could just go 'talk' to him. That usually works pretty well."
"But it won't stop him from hitting the pages or anyone else he takes a liking to, including the runaways no one gives a rat's ass about."
He was right and Bruce knew it. Damnit. "All right. But I make the statement and you stay out of the room and lay low for a while until this either blows over or is resolved. Is that clear?"
"If this is brought out to the press then it's going to lead to some kind of investigation and I'll probably have to testify." Robin didn't even bother saying that laying low wouldn't matter.
Bruce knew Dick was right. He may only be fifteen, but he knew how these things worked better than most lawyers did. "It can be closed testimony because you're a minor. In fact, I think I can convince the press—who will help convince the defense—that's the best thing."
Fine. Whatever. It was late and he was tired. Dick would be just as happy to have the whole thing disappear but now it was destined for the front page of every newspaper in the country and would be the lead story on every news broadcast as well. "You're going to do this tomorrow in time to make the evening news shows?" Bruce gave a curt nod. "Don't you think it would be a good idea to contact the senate ethics committee first to give them a head's up?"
"Do you have copies of your contacting them yourself over the last few months?"
"Of course."
"Then no need."
"Would you be willing to confirm that it was Robin who was involved in this pedophile stalking situation you've outlined, Batman? Practically speaking, why else would you be making this announcement?" Batman was talking with Clark Kent in a one on one exclusive statement/interview about the situation during the World News. Clark had been privately appraised of the whole situation and had, as Clark Kent, arranged for a rebuttal by the Majority leader of the senate but had gotten a 'no comment' until he had a chance to review the situation. The man had already spoken to deny that anything untoward had been reported to his office or, if it had, he knew nothing about it and would launch an investigation immediately. This sort of thing certainly wasn't tolerated but if a problem existed, maybe we should look at the out of control way those Titan kids rode roughshod over any kind of normal teenaged lives. In fact, seeing the way they ran around—and the way they dressed!—it was entirely possible that whichever kid was involved could very well have enticed a trusting and unwitting senator who would certainly be exonerated as soon as the facts came out.
The story was bigger than any of them had thought—and they knew it would be big. It was featured on not just the front pages of every reputable paper, but in the editorial pages as well, it lead every newscast for a week and was the cover story in Time, Newsweek, US News and World Reports, People, US, the Star, Superhero Weekly, Titan Tattler and TV Guide. It was debated on 60 Minutes and every Sunday news show. It was argued in the Senate and statements were made by major religious leaders who were appalled—appalled!—by such a thing happening.
Robin was quickly identified as the victim and the requests for comment or interviews were overwhelming, though none were accepted with the JLA—who ran interference—saying that he was a minor and to please leave him alone. A few of the reporters and producers listened, though most didn't, taking the position that if he couldn't stand the public heat, he should remove himself from the public kitchen. As it were. Old rumors about the real relationship between Batman and Robin were brought up again and rehashed. The propriety of allowing youngsters, even superpowered and highly trained ones, to work as vigilantes was questioned for about the millionth time.
On other fronts, the senate had gutted the power of their own ethics committee, but the heat of the accusations and the leak and publication of the e-mails Malcom had sent to Robin were self-incriminating. The man was forced into an immediate resignation, though he would receive his full pension and lifetime benefits. His wife left him.
In two weeks, though the story was no longer getting nearly as much coverage as it had been, was still being updated in the back pages of the papers. An election was coming up soon and the timing of the story breaking was questioned as a possible political move and an effort to sway the voting. The Minority party was publicly outraged by the suggestion and privately thrilled with the poll numbers.
Robin stayed quiet, went about his business with Batman and went to school everyday, ignoring the whole thing as much as he could, though there were comments about the scandal even in the lunchroom from kids who had no idea who they were really talking to. Another three weeks went by.
"So, Master Dick, is everything back to normal?"
Dick was doing homework after dinner. He and Bruce would be going out soon. "Hmmm?"
"Regarding the unfortunate situation with that elected official. Status quo, is it?"
"Pretty much, I guess. Did you know he tried to e-mail me to apologize? His address is blocked, but the FBI intercepted it somehow and told me." He looked down at his math book for a moment but then decided to go on. "I almost feel sorry for him, y'know? I mean, he didn't really hurt me or anything. I know he could have, or he could have hurt someone else, but he didn't do anything to me. Not really."
Alfred chose not to point out the upset and upheaval in the Manor as well as the saturation coverage in the press. If the young master felt it was largely behind him, well and good. "You were lucky."
"No, he couldn't have done anything to me; I'm not that naïve. Somebody else, maybe, but not me. It's weird to think it may have affected the election, though. I'm not that important."
"The issue is certainly of importance, Master Dick, as you're well aware. The consequences could have had lasting import on you and I needed remind you that the man in question is under indictment and facing a long period of incarceration. Alfred regarded him; a fifteen-year-old knowing he was too world weary to be considered naïve. How terribly sad. He started to leave but turned back. "The Master is ready for you whenever you're finished here."
"Thanks, Alfred. It'll just be a few minutes."
"Have you any final thoughts about any of this?"
Dick looked as though he wasn't quite sure what Alfred was asking him but tried to answer. "Not really. I mean, he's sick, right? I guess he'll probably get some kind of treatment which may or may not work and then he'll be registered as a predator and be on lists, won't he? Or maybe not if he's not actually convicted of anything. He's probably well enough known that he'll have a hard time blending in anywhere. This should be pretty much the end of it, I guess…It's good that he's probably stopped, at least for a while, anyway."
"Yes, I suppose so. Nothing else?"
Dick seemed not to know what Alfred wanted. Maybe… "I'm not upset by any of this. I'm certainly not having nightmares about what might have happened. I'm fine with this, I just wish the press would drop it, that's all. I'm tired of being asked the same questions every time I see a reporter. It'll die down pretty soon, though."
"Yes, I suppose you're right about that. Finish up now, please."
Dick really was all right with the way things had turned out. He was used to press and speculation about not just his own orientation—which he'd learned to ignore years ago, but he'd also learned how to tune out the rumors about him and Bruce or him and the various Titans. F'God's sake, according to the tabloids, on any given day he was having affairs with Batman, Speedy, Donna, Garth and three groupies. For some reason Wally seemed exempt, but it was probably just a matter of time before he was fair game too.
None of it mattered and he let it roll off his back. Privately Alfred marveled at Dick's continuing and amazing resilience, though Master Bruce just seemed to take it as just what he expected from the boy.
It was almost seven years later that he saw the report on the Internet, buried behind a dozen other stories.
"Former Senator James Malcom has been charged with soliciting sexual favors from a minor via the Internet chatrooms. He has denied all charges and says that his name will be cleared when the facts are made known. His alleged victim, a fifteen year old student at Minnetonka High School said that he has been receiving suggestive e-mails from Mr. Malcom for over a year."
"Did you see this, Bruce?"He nodded. "I knew about it a couple of days ago. The FBI says it has a pretty airtight case and he won't be able to plea bargain this time. He'll serve jail time."
"Then be a registered child molester."
Bruce nodded again. "There are three more kids he actually had relations with who have agreed to testify. He'll serve hard time."
"Good."
"Are you willing to testify if they ask you?" It was unlikely Dick would refuse, but Bruce didn't want the young man to be forced into anything.
Dick looked over at him sitting on the edge of the computer console and shrugged. "Sure, but I don't have anything to do with these new charges so I don't know what I'd have to say that would be admissible."
"Just in case."
"We going out tonight?"
"Why not?"
10/19/06