Chapter four
Ghosts and phantoms
Batgirl didn't know how she was going to tell Batman the bed news but she knew she had to be the one. Standing on the roof of the Gotham city police station, Batgirl pulled the heavy light switch down and watched as the old world war two spot light aluminate the sky with the bat signal. Batgirl looked at the mark and smiled some how the light gave her comfort. She knew Robin couldn't run to here any more for just a second she could imagine that he was.
She could still remember the first time she had meet the boy wonder. Her home had just been burned down by the Rupert thorn. She still was a bit singed but the only place to stay was the station. Barbra had begged her dad to let her come with him when he went to tell Batman. Robin had smiled at her kindly when he first saw her.
"And you must be the commissioner's little angel Barbs right?" he had asked as he had sat on the roof to be eye level to her.
Unable to surprise her giggles she had turned away. When she turned back he was gone but he left his cape with a note saying: this should keep you warm for the night. The cape had been returned upon her next meeting with him.
The sound of a cape pulled her back to the real world. Batman stood on the ledge scowling at her. Taking a big breath Batgirl steadied herself then began.
"I know you don't like it when I use the light and I know you don't like my help but I need to tell you something Mr. W- Batman. So please listen."
"So far I've only herd a little girl babble." Batman replied with a growl.
A shiver ran up her spine at Batman's harsh reply. "Dick's dead."
"Miss there are many 'dicks' in Gotham could you be a little more vague? The Riddler has been in Arkum for quite a long time."
"Dick Grayson a.k.a Robin the boy wonder your son is dead." Batgirl said showing little emotion. What good would it have done if she cried? Batman wasn't about to comfort her. She looked up at him and was surprised to see him with a look of disbelief on his face.
"Your lying."
"About what I know who you are and I know Robin's dead. My father called from Jump city about an hour ago. His wife should be here soon to tell you what I have. I sorry."
"Sorry? Why should be sorry? How did he die? Did you have anything to do with it?!?" Batman asked with every question getting louder so when he reached his last question he was yelling at the poor girl.
"I'm sorry because a good friend died to day and he died in a car crash. A drunk driver in a semi hit the T-car full speed. I don't know but don't think he was in pain." Batgirl blinked a few tears back not wanting to show weakness in front him. "I must go." before batman could stop her she had jumped off the roof heading for some unknown place.
Just then the door burst open as Mrs. Gordon ran out on to the roof. "Batman I-"
"I know Mrs. Gordon tell your husband the next time you talk to him thank-you and that I'll be in jump city as soon as I can."
Mrs. Gordon turned her back toward him "Is there anything I can- he's gone."
Batman had taken off in the direction of where Batgirl had gone. He found her sitting in her room wrapped up in blankets but still in her costume. Tears where streaming form her eyes.
"I need your help." he said quietly to the crying girl.
"To do what?"
"I'll need someone to go with me to Jump City. You called him Dick so you know who he is. If I'm right they'll need some one to identify the body. And an extra hand with his stuff would be helpful." the girl smiled and quickly scribbled a note saying her father had called and wanted her to go to Jump City. Within minuets she was ready to go.
Raven walked in to Robin's empty room it seemed almost alien now. By some work of magic every thing seemed to be covered in dust. She had never felt more alone then she had just then. It had been her that had suggested they go out that day and now...now he was gone. Slowly Raven walked over to the bed and sat down. It still smelled like him she could visualize what he had looked like earlier that day. He had shoved something behind his pillow what she had woken him up.
Picking the pillow up Raven found the raggedly stuffed bat lying dejectedly on the mattress. It's red eyes staring sadly at her. She picked it up and smiled a little. She would have had a hard time thinking of Robin needing such a silly toy at his age but now she could she it. Raven hugged the bat close to her in hopes of getting some the comfort it had given Robin some of the time. Once she had realized the bat she put it back where she had found it and felt a little better. She did not feel so alone any more.
A crashing sound from kitchen caused Raven to leave Robin's room to see what was going on. As she left she felt watched. What she didn't know was that the one she missed so much was sitting on the top of a book case invisible to even her eye. Robin had watch Raven sadly and wished he could have show himself to her but it was too dangerous at the moment. Later he would find a way to let his friends know he was still there even if was for a limited time. Moving quickly Robin when over to his computer and attempted to loge on.
Robin found that his hands went right through the key board and into the desk. Sighing Robin concentrated on trying to type again finding the task impossible. 'Why is this so hard? All I want to do is find out about Conner Medical". Suddenly the computer reacted and started typing all on its own. Soon web page after web page showed up about the Conner Medical case.
'Hum, it appears to have been about a drug they where making that would mimic the bubonic plage but have a different antidote.' Robin thought he. 'But what would that have to do with one of their trucks hitting the T-car in Jump city? As far as this thing goes it was only in Gotham.' Robin had the mouse scrawl down the page more. There it had the usual stuff; Batman apprehends mad Doctor, Conner Medical goes out of business, virus and cure vanish. Robin stopped to read that sentence over again. 'Could Father have hidden the virus and cure?' he wondered. Then he looked at a new page. The head line read : Doctor in Conner Medical case released! Families of victims out raged!. Robin looked at the date this had been published only a week ago.
Robin sat back in mid air and wondered 'the doctor is back. Is there any reason why one of the trucks his former company had is in Jump city and kills the son of the man who put him in jail. Well that would make sense after all if I'm dead then Batman would come here and not be watching Gotham. Maybe I should go find this Doctor.' Robin grinned a ghostly smile. He didn't buy the drunk driver story. There were too many coincidences for it to be mere fait. He frowned he didn't like what he was reading flipping back to the other page he looked at that date and had to blink the date.
'It has to be wrong. The date has to be wrong I would have remembered that battle if I had been Robin then wouldn't I?"
Robin sighed and floated there for a moment. Then heard the door start to open. Robin couldn't take seeing another one of his friends just now so he slipped through the wall and out of Titans tower.
The Bat Plain landed silently on the roof of the morgue. Batman and Batgirl stepped out into the night.
"Well let's go see what killed the Boy Wonder." Batgirl Said as they walked toward the door.
