Two days are almost up. More prep work and the transfer goes on tomorrow. Enjoy it while I build a fort to hide in.


7 - Mailman, Mailman, Do Your Duty

Wally was bored, debating whether or not to have a popcorn war with Artemis. Dick was sick apparently, and Alfred had answered the phone (something about bad reaction to some else's cooking?[he knew the Bat's excuse was a lie]). Kaldur was still busy in Atlantis, so bugging him was out. [Clone]Roy was off with his mentor looking for clues for [original]Roy (boy that was a headache), so unless he wanted to run around Star or Cadmus for clues they weren't likely to find, he was out. Zatanna as visiting some family in Vegas, and his uncle forbade him to go there unless he was working a case. Raquel was doing training with her mentor, and he didn't know the limits with her yet so unless he wanted an earful from his gf, she was out. M'gann was in the midst of making cookies and Artemis was making arrows while watching TV. Only one left to bug was Connor, and he hadn't seen him in nearly two days.

An idea struck him and he decided to bother Mr. Chatty and see if he'd help him come up with something to do. After the surveillance was taken down on Luthor (though they learned nothing, at all), they really had nothing to do. Why did they spend all of the previous day, and most of that night, watching someone who was too clever to be giving out secrets? Maybe a chat with the boy of steel would clear those cobwebs out of his head.

"Kon! Yo! Conner!" Wally knocked on the guy's door for a couple seconds, solid. If his loud rapid fire knocking didn't wake the guy up, nothing would. Hearing nothing on the other end, he pressed the side panel to open it. "Dude, it's nearly one in the afternoon! It's time to wake... up..."

The room was empty. Well it had things in it at long last, but Conner wasn't there. The TV he convinced him to get to watch the static channel on was off. Everything looked powered down and his cell was gone. "When did he step out?"

Curious, the speedster went back to the kitchen where the other permanent resident was working on making a cake. "Yo Megs!"

M'gann jolted with her bowl of batter, forcing her to use her telekinetics to save her project. "Wally!"

"Uh... sorry about that." He rubbed his neck guiltily for a second before snatching the bowl in midair and putting it on the counter. "Here, let me help. There. So M'gann, where's Conner? I went by his room and-"

"Can you move at regular speed already?!" The Martian was starting to turn white in frustration at the guy. He hadn't even realized he was still moving and talking at a hundred miles an hour. It was quite irksome.

"Oh... sorry." Finally Wally slowed down to a normal rate. "I was just wondering if you knew where Connor was."

Sighing heavily, she pointed to a note on the fridge. "He put that there yesterday while we were gone. Says he'll be gone for a couple days to finalize the paperwork for his adoption."

"Oh yeah..." He couldn't help but grin for the guy as he read the note. Conner was so happy to finally be part of Superman's life officially, even if he couldn't tell his friends who was adopting him. He was still going to be living in the cave and going by Conner Kent, but to be part of a family officially went a long way. Dick was super happy for him, since he was for one part of his life just Bruce's ward; that status did not help him in any social circle and didn't make him feel secure about his relationship with the man who took him in. His adoption made him feel much better about everything and gave him the security he needed. It was doing the same for Conner.

M'gann and everyone,

I'm going to be out for a few days handling some personal business. It involves Superman and his secret ID, or I'd tell you more about it. It may take a while but I'll try to keep in contact. But if you don't hear from me, don't worry. The place I'm going to doesn't have much cell coverage. Would have told you in person but everyone was out. Say hi to everyone and don't go saving the world without me.

Later. Conner

Wally smirked. Well, this wasn't unexpected, but it was a bit of a downer. He kinda wanted a bit of boy time. He hadn't hung out with Conner much and with there being no missions for a bit (no serious ones at least) he wanted to do something the girls wouldn't agree with.

Oh well. At least this way he could have dinner with two beautiful women.


Steve Hawes heard something down the hallway. He was pretty sure it was an elevator. Well, they were in an underground part of the complex. It wasn't that surprising. Getting to his feet, he checked his watch. Eight pm, day two. Bit late for a food delivery, and the kid was winding down for the night. He could only mess with his head (which was both fun and not really working) for so long, and his workouts became boring after a while. The kid would be a horrible military soldier, but he was fourteen.

Looking down the hallways to see who was coming, he heard a voice he felt he'd memorized for the rest of his life. "Someone coming? Now?"

Steve shrugged. "Maybe they're delivering ice cream."

"As much as I'd like that, it's a bit weird." Robin put his face against the glass, adjusting angles to see who was coming. Other than the one light above him and the one right outside the room (both bright enough to fill just it), the place was dark. All he could make out were a few figures, one of them big and bulky.

The man shrugged. "I don't pretend to understand people either. They all do weird things. You there! Identify yourself!"

He hadn't had to shout that the entire time he was there, recognizing the food delivery person who gave them their sandwiches earlier. These guys though... "Stand down soldier. We're here for the boy."

"I have orders to protect him until authorized personnel relieve me from office." Steve glared at the big bulky one especially. He did not know any of these men, and he was not about to let the kid go to bad people. His job was to keep him there and make sure he didn't get hurt. The gun in the small of his back was looking mighty tempting at that moment.

"It's alright Hawes." A familiar voice came from behind the big guy. His boss came around but stayed in the shadows. He really needed a new job; slimy guy never felt right to him. "They're the ones taking care of him now. You can go home."

"Already?" A dark feeling grew in the pit of his stomach, and he could sense the boy tense up behind him as well. "But sir, it's only been two days. You said-"

"My client said more than two just in case the deal didn't fall through. You're free to go." As the two debated, the big guy and some thinner person, both with masks, came into the light and stopped in front of the cell. Robin took a step back, glaring at the bigger guy in recognition, and not the good kind.

"But the kid-"

"Won't be harmed, I assure you." His boss smiled greasily. "The deal was all about his return, no harm, no foul. He'll be back in Gotham before midnight."

He heard a large swish behind him, jerking him around. "HEY!" Robin cried out as thin layers of Plexiglas cut off the air holes before him. The thinner man tapped the control panel a few times and the room was filled with greenish smoke. Seeing the teen coughing and trying to remain on his feet, Steve jerked forward in an attempt to save the kid.

"What are you-"

"Knock out gas," the thin one informed him. "Can't have him exposing where he's been because he was awake during the transfer."

Anger built up inside the man, a hand going to his firearm. This teenaged hero did not deserve to go through this. His boss put a hand on him, stopping him from making any horrible mistakes. These were super villains! "Look, they're not hurting the kid, just knocking him out. No need to go postal."

"He's just a kid," he reminded him as he grounded his teeth. "And it was my job to protect him!"

"You've done a fine job of that too." They watched as Robin hit the ground, out cold. These guys didn't believe it quite yet and let the gas continue for another minute or so. "He's healthy, no one's touched him, and now he's ready for transfer. You've earned your pay soldier."

Steve took his hand off his gun and fell into an 'at ease' position, glaring at the men. This did not set right with him, at all. Carefully he watched as they typed in another sequence making some unknown vents appear and take out the gas in the room before opening the Plexiglas panels to collect the kid. Robin was definitely out cold now, floppy and loose instead of energetic and wild. This wasn't right.

But he watched helplessly as some big guy in a mask took the kid away from his post. He let the men take away that charming, witty lad. Why? Because it was his job to, and there was little he could do to help. As the elevator door closed, he couldn't help but feel he could have done more for the kid.

His boss let out a breath, releasing him. "Finally. Okay, you better head home. Take tomorrow off too. Spend it with your kids. And don't think about this ever again."

"You do realize you aided and abetted a kidnapping right?" Steve was not happy, glaring at his employer. The man only shrugged back.

"Who's going to prosecute? Batman can't bring down people who take Robin. He'd have to say who he was to push it, and you and I both know that's not how he works." The guy slapped a pudgy hand against his back. "Cheer up! Now that this is over and done, my partner will be leaving us alone!"

"Partner?" This was the first he heard of it. Too many secrets. Too many ops. Another reason he left the marines. He had to get a new job, a.s.a.p.

His boss waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry your head over it. Head home Hawes. You've earned it."

The guy passed by him, heading to the elevator on the opposite end. Steve glared at his back and turned another direction. He was taking the stairs, then heading to church. After all of this, he felt like confessing to someone, and who better than a priest?


A/N: Wave goodbye to Steve/Bob! He did a good job. No I do not know who the tall lean guy in the mask is. Pick some person who works for Luthor who fits that description. The other guy's Mammoth. Mr. Slimy's name is up in the air but I think I gave him one later.

Liked Conner's note? I thought after writing Where's Robin Conner would start informing M'gann when he vanished. Not really the same universe as that story (first time I had Wally know what was going on behind the mask with Dick) but I learned from that time. So much fun And up until Kon mentioned Supe's ID he wasn't lying, or thought he was.

Tomorrow's gonna be very emotional for everyone out there, so I'm gonna go hide. Enjoy!