Monday 2 PM
"You know you aren't supposed to wear a beanie stretched that far down?" Jude said.
"Shhh," Damian was hoping to avoid any more problems, Jude started laughing. "I don't get what you find so funny…"
"Oh quiet down. Hey you, want to get some ice cream?"
"Ice cream?"
"Hold up… You know what ice cream is right?"
"Yeah the frozen milk stuff right?"
"Wealthy people suck at parenting," Jude murmured to herself.
"What was that?"
"I said we're going to get ice cream!" Jude grabbed Damian's hand and started running toward the ice cream parlor. An embarrassed Damian is dragged into the parlor.
"Well hello there Jude, you want the usual?" The worker says,
"Yes and one for my friend here."
He looks at Damian, "I'd be careful she's a feisty one."
"I know that too well," Damian sarcastically replies.
Jude punches him in the arm, "Let's get a seat." They both find an vacant table near the back. Jude had insisted on getting a secretive place. The majority of the parlor was all empty, it felt sort of sad but Jude pranced around nonetheless.
"You know the ice cream guy?" Damian asked.
"He was my dads college mate, I call him Uncle Clyde," Damian wondered why his dad didn't have many friends, wait he's my dad. "Seriously how have you never had any ice cream? I know your dad is fancy or whatever but never anything?"
Damian looked through the window outside. "My father can be a little… Uh cold?"
Jude looks down, "Yeah mine too."
"How so?"
"We used to be so close… Now I rarely see him…" Jude also looked back up, now peering into Damian's, eyes. Her frown returned to an innocent smile, "enough about the depressing stuff."
"Yeah I was wondering a few things from before…"
"Me too but ask away."
"You said you had connections?"
Jude looked around, "Yeah but it's a big secret," Damian nodded. She raised her hand motioning him to come closer. Damian leaned over the table. "You know that Aces gang, well my mom is with the current boss."
Damian thrusted back, "What?!"
"Hey you know I don't bite or anything."
"Do you work with them?"
"Nah, they tried hiding it from me but I'm a pretty snoopy person." Jude held a menacing smile. "Now it's my turn to ask questions."
"What could you possibly want to know about me?"
"Well for one, why were you in a Robin costume?"
Damian hesitated to respond, "I uh, am a fan. I don't really get to express myself at home. What's with these useless questions?"
Jude eyes flashed a skeptical look, "Chill out you just don't sound so sure, and your reaction to my background was pretty weird too."
Sweat started forming at the top of Damian's forehead, why am I so nervous? Is it the idea of failure? Was father right about me…? "W-well it was pretty surprising."
Jude leaned over the table. "Batman would require a lot of funding, that means he needs money, lots of it. He would also need motivation… Both of which Bruce Wayne has," Jude's smile faded into a serious look, "are you the real Robin?"
Dozens of thoughts flew through Damian's head. "No… Would the real Robin miss a fall? Would the real Robin be all alone without Batman?"
"Yeah I guess you're right," she returned to her side, twirling her hair as she looked outside. "I guess I got hopes up a little too much…"
"What do you mean?"
"I understand right from wrong; my dad raised me to be good. He was a Batman fan, and I inherited that… I thought I might be able to help stop this gang nonsense."
Damian had gone through thorough training from the assassins; he knew when someone was lying… She's telling the truth. This is my chance, I can prove myself. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Uhm sure…?"
"It's a big secret," Damian mimicked the motion she gave to lean over the table. She followed. "I'm Robin."
Jude's face lit up, "Wait seriously!?"
"Yeah but my dad doesn't know,"
"So Bruce Wayne isn't Batman? But his son is?"
"Could you say it a little quieter?"
"Relax the whole place is empty," Jude once again leaned back. "Do you want to go on a mission?"
"Me yes, you no."
Jude crossed her arms, "My information my rules, you let me come along and we spy the Ace."
Should I do this? Bring her into this whole situation… The thought lingered in Damian's head. "Fine but I'll do the dangerous stuff."
"Deal," Jude spat, "we'll meet here tonight, I'll send you a text."
"Sounds good," Damian responded with a smile.
Clyde walked over, "Two mint sundaes with sprinkles," he placed both down on the table. Clyde walked away.
"To our new partnership," she announced.
Damian took up his spoon and took a scoop, and stuck it in his mouth. Damian's eyes widened and he began relentlessly digging in, "This is amazing!"
"I know right!"
Monday 2:15 PM
Bruce Wayne stands in front of his mansion. When Bruce arrives at the door, he is met with Alfred. "Hello there Master Bruce."
Bruce enters. "Alfred, I need you to take this down to the batcave," Bruce puts the vile into Alfred's hands,
"What'll you be doing?"
"I just want to check up on Damian,"Alfred blocks Bruce from going upstairs,
"Uh you can't do that…"
"What why not?"
"Master Damian is um fast asleep."
"Ok then let's go straight to the batcave," Bruce walks over to his grandfather clock.
Alfred swipes his forehead, "That boy…" Batman inputs a code and the entrance to the batcave opens up. They both come before the batcomputer, "if I may ask what is that stuff?"
Bruce shrugged, "Bad news." Bruce placed the vile into the computer. The results pop off on the screen.
"This is very similar to Bane's venom."
'Yes it's a modified version," Bruce's grip on the batcomputer increased as he read the results, "with a heavy dosage it can awaken a metagene." If a small dosage gave Calendar Man that much power how much could such a heavy dosage do?
"Master Bruce what if they don't have a metagene?"
"Something really bad. Alfred I'm going to need all the help I can get… Where's Tim?"
"Master Tim is off with the Titans."
"Barbra?"
"Field trip," Alfred met Bruce's eyes, "I will not sit by as you continue killing yourself, please just rest."
"Alfred I did, and when I did the city was taken hostage by a gang." Bruce walked toward to the exit up to the manor, "and I won't let that ever happen again." These two…
Monday 2:30 PM
Damian climbs up into his room. As seemingly annoyed Alfred stands by the door tapping his foot. "Master Damian you never answered any of my texts." Damian had completely forgotten about his promise. "Not only that but you came back even later…"
"Sorry Pennywise I got held up."
"That is no excuse Master Damian. What were you even doing?"
An idea popped into Damian's head, "I was trying to be a kid…" Alfred was stunned, "I tried ice cream for the first time today!"
"Mast-"
"Not only that but I've found a way to help father; Alfred, I need to do this."
"Fine Master Damian, but you will notify me on everything!"
"I promise for real this time."
"Remember to rest your arm." Alfred leaves closing the door behind him.
