Robin: The Boy Wonder
Sins of the Mother
By George Jones
Tim Drake strolled down the steps of the Batcave sheepishly. A worried expression raced across his face. Tim found his mentor at his work bench fixing the dented blade on his gauntlet. The boy wonder walked over and leaned against the railings next to the work area.
"Yes Tim" Bruce said without moving his eyes away from his work
"Y'know that 'spoiler' girl we bumped into the other night"
"Yes"
"Well I kinda know her from school"
"I know, I searched her name through the computer. School records showed she attended at least two classes each year with you since the tenth grade. Therefore I felt it safe to assume you knew the girl"
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Mhm, she has potential, she moved well but her combat skills were poor"
"What are you suggesting?"
"Nothing. Her father is the cluemaster and from what appears, she has no intention of following his path. We will keep an eye on her, monitor her progress. With you being in her class only benefits this"
"You're asking me to spy on her?"
"To a degree"
Tim rubbed his forehead with his hand and sighed.
Later that night
The Narrows
The GCPD patrol car pulled up on the sidewalk and the officer in the passenger seat stepped out and lit a cigarette. The cop stood waiting for just under five minutes before he was approached by a sleazy looking guy, he chewed on a tooth pick and had his long hair greased backwards. His suit was stained with alcohol and sweat.
"You got it?" The cop asked impatiently
"Jeez, you eva heard of manners?" The man replied as he pulled a brown envelope from inside his suit jacket and passed it over to the GCPD officer
"Better all be here" The cop remarked as he inspected the contents
The cop then smiled and tossed the envelope into in the patrol car
"Now keep your end of the deal up" The sleazy man declared
However before the bent cop could reply the silence of the night was interrupted by a heavy thud from the roof of the patrol car. Both men spun around to find a slender costumed figure kneeling on the roof of the car.
"I'm outta here!" The sleazy man yelled as he began to run away but was stopped in his tracks by a well-aimed grappling hook around the ankles.
"You Bitch" The cop muttered as he pulled out his pistol and fired but the mysterious figure leapt from the roof and landed behind him. He spun around again but was met with a hard kick to the crotch. The cop tumbled to the floor holding his crotch in agony. The attacker readjusted her purple face mask and was about to scurry off into the shadows before a voice came from the darkness.
"Don't move Spoiler"
"You again" Spoiler remarked as Robin the Boy Wonder emerged walking out from the shadows
"Listen, this thing you do isn't going to end well, you're not properly trained-"
"Then take me to him, ask him to train me, I can be like you"
"It's not that easy" Tim answered lowering his voice in an attempt to disguise his identity further
"Then I'll keep stepping on toes till it happens"
Spoiler leapt onto the roof of the car and away into the shadows of the nearby back alley.
The next day
Drake household
Jack Drake sat in his wheelchair on his back porch, the last of the snow was being melted by the hot evening sun. The back door opened and his son Tim, walked out and sat himself on the garden wall.
"Finish your homework?"
"Yurp"
Tim looked down, which was strange considering he was a generally happy go lucky type of kid
"What's up son?"
"Dad, can I ask you summit?"
"Sure, you know we can talk about anything"
"Why don't you ever talk about mom? And there's no photos of her in the houseā¦"
"Your mother left us Tim, she left us and she made it clear she didn't want me to look her for so that's what I did. I know that's not easy to hear but it's the truth"
"Why did she leave? I deserve to know"
"You do son, you came and asked so I'll tell. When you were born, you're mother found it hard coping with a newborn. Obviously I did my share of the work but it just wasn't something she found easy, even before then your mum was getting herself in with the wrong crowd and it got worse after she found coping with a baby difficult. As much as I loved her, she was a destructive person, she hurt people and not just me. She got involved with bad people, small petty gang crime. When you were one she trashed the kitchen because you wouldn't stop crying. That was Janet. Then one morning, about a week after your second birthday she packed her stuff, told me she didn't love me and never had and left. She never contacted us again. You deserve better than her son, that's tough to hear but it's the truth and now your older you deserve to know"
"Why didn't you search for her?"
"There was nothing to find"
Tim stood up and hugged his dad, he then walked back inside regretting he had ever asked about his mother in the first place.
The next night
The Batcave
Tim sat alone, Bruce and Cassandra Cain were out on patrol together. Alfred Pennyworth came walking down into the cave holding a tray.
"Hot chocolate Master Timothy? A sure ailment for a sore heart"
The Englishman walked over and sat next to Tim and warmly placed his arm around the teen.
"If I may be so bold to say, brooding isn't your best skill" Alfred said with a slight smile
"I found out last night my Mother never loved me Alfred" Tim replied
"Ah, I presume you inquired to your Father about her?"
"Yeah and I got the truth and it sucks. I mean what did I do to make her not love me?"
"That, even if it were true, I do not know the answer and I wouldn't presume to know either. But there are some things that this old fool does knows, I know that you Master Timothy are one of the smartest, bravest and caring young man I have ever been so fortunate to meet. I also know, your father loves you dearly and only has your interests at heart. May I suggest to focus on treasuring what you have, then worrying about what could have been?"
Tim looked up at Alfred and save a warm smile.
"Let's not mope around all night, Master Bruce and young Cassandra will be home soon, fresh cuts to be sown and blood stains to wash out"
Alfred sprang to his feet and left the hot chocolate for Tim.
To be continued...
