Days passed and Dick continued to get better. He was still in the hospital and would need physical therapy once he got out of the hospital to deal with his broken limbs but he was doing better and that was all that mattered. Bruce hadn't heard anything more from Ra's not so much as a peep. And Bruce hadn't figured out anymore behind the meaning of the 'message'. So Bruce was keeping a wary eye out for any signs of danger but after a month had passed and nothing had happened he started to relax a little.
After 6 weeks Dick was finally released from the hospital into Bruce's care. The doctor had been adamant that Dick not live alone until his physical therapy was finished. Bruce was elated not only was Dick healthy but he was coming back home to live at the manor. This would really give them some time to bond. Bruce still hadn't heard anything more than Ra's and could only assume his greatest enemy was biding his time plotting. All Bruce could do was to be prepared and try to be ready when that time came.
Everything had returned to normal- or as normal as it ever gets in the Wayne household. Bruce had gone back to "work" full-time. He had been spending most of his time in the hospital while Dick was there and therefore had only been working part time. But now that Dick was home and doing better everyday thanks to his physical therapy he decided it was time to go back to work full time.
He hadn't heard from Ra's in two months, not even a peep. All Bruce could do was keep his eyes open but it made him very wary. Since he had only been doing part time for two months he decided to check in with Tim to find out what had been going on in his city.
"Not much just the usual you know-fires armed robberies and the like."
"Oh, The Riddler and Poison ivy broke out of Arkham and tried to rob Gotham national bank to bankroll they're next scheme but I stopped them cold." Tim said proudly. Bruce couldn't help but smile a little his little robin was really growing up.
"So that's it? Nothing from you know who?
"Nope not even a peep." Tim answered. "Weird huh?" But I figure he has to show up sooner or later."
"That's what I'm worried about" Bruce said.
"Alright well should we head out and see where the night takes us?" Tim nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh I almost forget." "There was something". Bruce stopped in his tracks
"There was a strange outbreak in the west end of Gotham near the gang hangouts."
"They all died of some weird toxin." It's nothing I've ever seen before."
"I went to doctor who did the autopsy and a chemist and both of them said it's like nothing they've ever seen before either."
"Hmmm…" Bruce was intrigued and a little scared.
"The doctor thinks It was a gas because of the way the lungs looked when he opened them up." He said people's lungs only look like that when they inhale deadly gases or toxins in a highly concentrated dose."
"You wanna know the weird thing though?" "All the people died but the plant life went crazy."
"It grew a tremendous amount like no one has ever seen before."
"And this was an isolated incident?" Bruce asked.
"Yah only people in that area were affected and so far there have been no other reported cases."
"Hmmm…" Bruce said. "Sounds like someone has a new weapon and wanted to take it out for a test run." Tim nodded
"I couldn't find any trace of who might've done this Bruce. Tim said looking glum.
"Well let's head out and see what we can find."
They went to the site and found…nothing absolutely nothing at least nothing that the police hadn't already found which was to say effectively nothing. They took samples of the plant life to be analyzed in lab in the bat cave.
"This is atrazine but in a configuration I've never seen." "Atrazine?" Tim asked questioningly
"It's a herbicide or a weed killer." "It usually doesn't have any direct effects on plant growth."
"A concentrated dose of this could definitely kill a person."
"We have to find out who imports stuff like this to the city and why."
"Tim look up all the companies that import or use Atrazine. " As I said it's an herbicide so it will most likely be agricultural companies."
After several hours Tim had found every company that imported anything containing or having to do with Atrazine. There were a lot but there was one that stood out in particular.
"Bruce, this one company had their load of pesticides hijacked three days before the incident." "I remember I saw it on the news.
"Ok then that's our next target when is their next delivery?"
"Thursday"
"Alright then that gives us a couple of days to investigate the company and see what we can find out about it."
Just then Bruce heard a noise behind him and turned to see Dick peering over his shoulder
"Whatcha guys working on?"
"Nothing" Bruce growled. "You're supposed to be recovering not spying on us." "Don't you have physical therapy?" Bruce said using his most menacing glare. It apparently didn't work. Maybe after all these years Dick had gotten immune to it Bruce thought.
"Oh come on!" Dick whined. "I'm going crazy all cooped up in this house!"
"Well too bad." Bruce retorted
"Pleeeeeease?" Dick half whined-half begged
"No you're still recovering."
"Pleeeeeeeeease?" Dick said begging even more insistently and giving Bruce his most pathetic looking face. "Come on I can do something!"
"Oh, alright." Bruce said finally relenting
"You can do research while Tim and I go out on patrol"
"Ok, cool." Dick said happy to finally have something else to do besides sit around the manor all day. He wanted so badly to go out on patrol he missed it so much. It had been two months after all. But he knew Bruce wouldn't hear of it and so he didn't even bother to ask. He was surprised to find that he was secretly jealous of Tim. I mean he got to go out on patrol and spend time with Bruce while he was stuck in the stuffy old mansion or rather in the dank cold cave doing research.
Bruce's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You can look up everything you can find on this company."
"You got it!" Dick said trying to sound cheerful and enthusiastic. He must have come off a little too enthusiastic because Bruce gave him a weird look. With that he watched Bruce and Tim jump into the car and ride off into the night.