Part2

Batman pulled his cowl back to reveal Bruce Wayne, he raised his hand and ran his fingers through his hair, he didn't know what to make of the information the Commissioner had just provided...He was grateful that he had been notified, but he had known instantly that all was not as it seemed. He had called Nightwing in, his son needed to know the situation and he would have a better idea of how this could have occurred.

"Bruce?...What is it ?"

Bruce turned to face his adoptive son and former protege. Dick Grayson now worked the streets of Bludhaven as his alter ego Nightwing...He had grown into a formidable young man and Bruce was prouder of Dicks achievements than he could say.

"How long has Harper been clean?" he asked the young man.

Nightwing removed his mask, and tossed it onto a nearby chair, he puzzled the question for a moment knowing Bruce was referring to Roy's time spent in drug addiction years ago. "At least ten years..." Dick stopped, uncomfortable with the question and wondering what had caused it to be asked. His eyes questioned Bruce, waiting for the older man to say more.

"I had a call...a warrant was issued to search Harpers apartment after an anonymous tip was phoned in and some information sent through to back the claim." Bruce paused for a moment, watching a flash of emotions flicker across Dicks face as the younger man began to realize what Bruce was about to say.

"No way!...Bruce no way would Roy have anything to do with junk again...The tip was wrong!"

"The tip wasn't wrong...heroin was found hidden in his room, as well as the equipment he needed..."

"This is bullshit Bruce..you know it and I know it..Roy wouldn't touch the stuff.." Dicks voice had begun to rise in anger, he knew his friend, he knew Roy would never slip back to a time that had been so dark in his life..Roy had Lian, she was his light...he'd never relapse, if only because of the love he felt for his daughter.

"I know he wouldn't..I'm not doubting that, I knew instantly there was more to this than meets the eye. But the end result is that the boy is in deep trouble...His past history has come back to bite him here..That and the junk found in the apartment was enough for the authorities to remove Lian from the home..they have her in care."

Dick stared at the floor momentarily, absorbing what he had just heard. "Where's Roy?...This must be killing him." he finally replied.

"That's why you're here, Roy's not home..Lian's nanny is still there waiting for him, apparently Roy called almost two hours ago to say he was on his way home, shortly before the police raided the apartment...I've sent Tim to talk to the nanny and I'm going to find out just what information the police have and as much about where it came from as I can...Barbara is already accessing the police files to see what she can find. I've called Cass in and I want the two of you to find out where Roy is and who he was with tonight." Bruce said.

"I know who he was with." a voice came from behind them as Cass walked in... She had heard the last part of Bruce's instructions, and was now staring at them looking puzzled. "He was with me." she added.

Bruce raised his eyebrows, ""Where?" he asked.

"We went to dinner." Cass replied, as she put her hands on her hips and stared defiantly at the two men if front of her, daring them to step out of line with their questioning.

Dick shuffled uncomfortably, he desperately wanted to know more about why Cass would be on a date with the flirtatious Archer who had a serious reputation as a womanizer, but the look on Cass's face made him bite back the questions that came to him. He would fire those questions at Roy when he found him, and the red head had better have some damned good answers lined up.

"How long since Harper left you?" Bruce asked.

Cass noticed the change in Bruce's voice instantly, no longer Bruce but the Batman, she shrugged, "Couple of hours." she replied.

"He say where he was going?" Dick chimed in.

"Home...Why are you asking?" Cass asked.

Dick began to recap the details of what Bruce had just told him, he watched as Cass's defiant facade began to crumble. The challenging look on her face melted away to become one of concern as the story unfolded, as Dick got to the end of the story, she walked silently past him and disappeared to change into her Batgirl costume, returning minutes later.

She glanced impatiently back at Dick. "Get your mask on..we have work to do." she ordered.

Bruce failed to completely supress the smile that played on the corners of his mouth as Dick jumped and quickly replaced his mask, hurrying to join the dark clad figure as she walked off. Cass was a strong young woman, and neither Tim, Dick nor Bruce would dare challenge her when she had the look she now had on her face... That same thought made the smile fade from his lips...Harper would need to explain why Cass seemed to have developed a sudden concerne for his welfare, he thought as he turned towards the huge computer that stood behind him.

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Batgirl followed the path she thought Roy was most likely to follow back from the restaurant they had visited earlier that night, it was only a few blocks from where Roy lived and she remembered he had relished the idea of the brisk walk home. It was snowing heavily now, and she knew that the likelihood of him being on the streets at the moment was poor, he would have most probably escaped the cold winter night by taking refuge one of the clubs that were scattered between his apartment and the restaurant, perhaps planning to wait inside until the snow cleared a little. Dick had chosen to check those venues out and had made a hurried dash back to change into civilian clothing before beginning his part of the search.

Cass shivered, it was almost Christmas and colorful decorations were everywhere to be seen, the light blanket of snow that now lined the streets added to the festive atmosphere that permeated the city. Cass was looking forward to having Roy and Lian join them all at the manor for the celebrations this year...She paused in her srutiny of the sidewalk below, thinking sadly of the little girl, she would be confused..she adored her father and to take her away from him was too cruel to think about.

She realized that she was almost to Roy's apartment and there had been no sign of the Archer so far, she knew that it was unlikely there would be...He would probably be home soon, having been unaware that they where looking for him utill he arrive there. They had tried his cell phone repeatedly, but it just went through to his messages, it was no doubt flat as always..Roy had a habit of forgetting to charge it..a habit she feared would catch up with him eventually when he needed it in an emergency...it was just as well Dick had made sure he had a communicator built into the gloves of his Arsenal costume.

She swung across to the next building and moved quickly to the front, checking the street below before following the edge of the building to the side that boarded the alley below. A light blanket of snow covered almost everything, but even from the top of the building Cass could make out the shape of a body huddled against the wall a the back of the alley. She scrambled down a nearby fire escape and approached the figure cautiously at first...until she caught a glimpse of fiery red hair that made her blood run cold.

She ran to him, not knowing what to expect..she crouched down beside him quickly checking his pulse..It was weak but it was there..She pulled him into her arms and began checking for other signs of injury as she called her location into her communicator, and requested the backup she needed. "Hold on...helps coming." she whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her, but finding the words somehow reassuring as she rubbed rapidly at his arms and shoulders, trying get bring some warmth to his body that was blue with cold...trying to keep herself moving...doing anything to take her mind of the deep burning ache that fear of losing him had formed in her heart...a feeling that worried and confused her.

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