Helping a Hero


A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I do have a reasonable excuse. I got into a bike wreck, my computer restarted while I was working on this (which deleted most of the work I had prepared), and my schoolwork was piling up. Don't worry though, I'm back in business and ready to write. I have some pretty cool ideas that I'm working for with this story and I'm trying to follow my timeline, but after a certain point (I refer to it as Act 1) I don't have anything wrote down. I'm completely open to new ideas and suggestions, so please feel free to add in anything on a review. Also (and I'm just warning you) I have a tendency to get off track and distracted but I'm still trying to keep on that schedule I was talking about. As a reward for being so patient with me I should be posting again sometime in the next few days just to make it up to you all.


Chapter 3- The Meeting

Industrial District, Gotham City, 12:30 AM (Earlier that night)

Robin POV:

"See anything yet?" I radio over the communicator.

"I told you to maintain radio silence until I give the signal." A menacing voice radioed back.

"Sorry, Batman…but have you?" Sometimes my bravery astonishes even myself.

"Yes, I'm in the rafters of the building, and there have been two groups that have come in. One with four men and the other with five. Looks like we're going in on maneuver three on this round, bud, still waiting for the ring leader, but so far we have seven guns." So he isn't too mad at me, that's good.

"So definitely maneuver three, do you want me to prep the EMPs?" A simple mission it was then—now if only the ring leader would get here. We've been after this group for months now because of their particular MO. We only uncovered this group after one of their own got arrested after participating in one of Joker's schemes and claimed he had information for us, if we could get his sentence reduced.

Long story short: instead of serving three sentences, now he only has to serve one. We learned that this group is relatively small and new, but it is up and coming in Gotham's criminal. This group had been infiltrating all the big gangs in Gotham for months now and had footholds in and filled major positions in many different gangs. This gang was so well hidden though that if the informant hadn't squealed than it would have took us a few more months to find its existence—we weren't looking for them after all.

"Yes, but don't go in yet. We need to do a bit more surveillance before we can take them down, but make sure you have the Alfred Alert on if anything goes down okay?" Batman's voice breaks me out of my thoughts; they shouldn't be wandering during a mission anyways, anything could happen, and I've got to be at my best.

"Yeah I got it—." Something like Gotham's unpredictable nature striking again.

A huge explosion came from a tall building a few blocks over. I heard rather than saw people running and screaming away from what used to be a Falcone warehouse and is now a big flaming bonfire. Holy Habana, Batman! That's huge!

"Maneuver three, Robin, now!" Batman yelled into the communicator as he ran towards the burning warehouse.

I'm guessing that's the signal. Alright, Robin, go time. I quickly made my way down to where the up and coming gang were waiting for their leader before Gotham decided to make our life harder. I made sure I stayed cloaked in the shadows, after all I'm not an amateur.

After making sure that the ghost was clear, I silently slipped inside the calm warehouse through an open window, unnoticed by the occupants that we have been watching for over an hour.

***Line break***

I'm ghosting around the warehouse staying in the rafters—in the shadows, like how I was trained. This a really important mission and I can't afford to screw it up.

As I get closer to where they are gathered together, I can make out voices and the dim flicker of a computer screen.

"…you…project…coordinates?"

"Not yet, boss, but we're trying."

I face palm while listening to the conversation below. Let's see: electronic voice, no one interrupting, and has a strong and compelling attitude. This coupled with the fact that the person responding is saying "boss" points only to one thing: we were waiting for nothing, the boss was never going to show because they were going to have a long-distance meeting.

"I don't pay you f…othing have you found Lex L….or Batman yet?"

The voice coming across the computer is a bit low, so I can't really hear what the voice is saying from my position, but that is easily fixed. I get out my mini-computer to locate the signal of the computer, and easily find it. Okay here we go, Robin, time for you to shine. I started hacking the computer signal that was letting the "boss" talk to his minions, hopefully I can hack in undetected and listen in.

"Not yet, boss, we done made him an offer though." The person answering his questions has a strong Northern accent. Locals, then.

It takes me only a little bit of time before I can listen in on their conversation.

"How have you made him an offer if you can't even talk to him?" I can hear the sigh that wants to be let out after that statement. I wonder—.

"Oh, Robin, how nice of you to get our invitation!" How did he even know I was here? I'm basically a ninja for crying out loud! "I was expecting Batman, so I had made sure to have some people here to convince him to listen to my proposal, but this is even better. We won't be needing the guns after all, boys, since Robin's here. He'll listen. So here's the thing Rob—."

"I don't usually do what criminals want me to. It's part of the hero code or something." I interrupt as I jump down in full view of everyone and can finally see the computer screen and the person who apparently had known I was there and listening in. As the goons see me they tense with their hands on their guns…this is about to get difficult. I get a birdarang in my right hand and prepare to press the EMP device to disable their weapons.

"Wait!" The computerized voice startles us from our stand off. "You haven't even listened to what I have to say yet. They'll leave if you just talk to me, right boys?" At this the more skittish goons who had had run-ins with the bird in the past nodded emphatically.

"They'll leave if I say that I want to talk?" I ask for clarification, a bit of disbelief in my voice. I mean who gives up a perfectly good hideout that was connected to the main hideout anyways? Either a new player to the game, or someone who actually wants to talk. That's very…strange.

"Yep. Lower your weapons boys, and do me a big favor: get out…now!" At the raised voice the goons take off from the warehouse. I wait for a moment, tense and unsure of what exactly to do. Well at least until a cheery but disarming smile breaks out across my face.

"Well what do ya' want to talk about?"

Batman's POV:

"Maneuver three, Robin, now!" I yell as I run towards the explosion. I run off the side of the building I had been standing on jump into the air. Shooting a jump line as I do.

Scenarios and questions race through my head as I fly through the air. Who could be behind it this time? Joker? Pamela? Arsenic thugs just trying to get an adrenaline rush? Or maybe something wasn't stored properly?

When I stop, I'm a few meters away from the warehouse. Of course…it had to be one of mine. I'm probably going to have to go through a lot of red tape because of this tomorrow. Sometimes…

I start looking around for any culprits or clues still at the scene of the crime, but there was no sign of anyone being there other than some recent foot prints that could have come from the odd passerby. I hope Robin is having better luck than I am.

Speaking of Robin, he should have reported in by now. After the last time he was kidnapped he has took to a habit of reporting in every five minutes just to tell me what he was doing. I better check up on him.

"Robin do you read?"

Nothing, but silence filled my communicator.

"Robin do you copy?"

Usually this kid would be talking my ear off, unless—

I quickly pulled out my Robin locator and homed in on Robin's utility belt…and blew out a sigh of relief. He was inside the warehouse, right where I left him.

A flash of anxiety washes over me…maybe I can go and check on him—just in case. He can help me collect soil samples when we get back and help tell me what kept him, usually he would have done defeated them and come looking for me. Yapping his head off about how he force fed a man his kneecap the entire time.

I make my way back to the warehouse to search for my little bird.

A/N: *Mental squeals* I absolutely love Robin. Anyways...who is the person that Robin has met and will Batman make it there in time to meet the mysterious figure? You don't know, but I do. :D

Published: 2/29/16