Red Robin Revamped

Ch. 7

It all adds up to…

A/N: apologies about not updating in so long. But thank you to all of you who have stayed with this story and I hope that I can make the wait worth it (at least a little bit).

Disclaimer: premise is mine; but nothing else.

The court has his parents tailed, that was the explanation. No other fit. But why?

The Drakes moved away from analytics and information. The Court probably wanted a family in their nest to guard their names from scandals and potential threats. One who would be loyal to them. But it didn't matter in the end. The data is monitored and kept by GSA, a publicly owned company. An impenetrable one, apparently.

SO in the end the Court of Owls still lost, Tim thought. Running hand down his face and closing his eyes. He'd been up for two days trying to piece this last piece into the puzzle. (Caffeine packets and pure will power.) He'd been working this case for close to a month now. Each passing day without solving it only made his resolve that much stronger. No case had ever taken this long (no case had been this tied into his pride before…) and it had gained the attention of all sorts of unwanted company.

Damian loved to bring it up, asking in a sickly high voice if Tim was ready to admit defeat. Dick had taken to calling almost daily now and after trying to squeeze through an air vent to get into Tim's room to see him, had finally left a week ago. But not before blabbing to Jason and Cass. Cass hadn't shown up yet, but Jason…

If Sanders was a member sent to watch my parents, why did he stay in the company and by my parents if they weren't what the Court wanted? Sanders didn't leave until retirement. He stayed well after my parents began a life around the globe and even a year after they were murdered.

Tim couldn't find that final piece of the puzzle; the motive was so unclear. Nothing made sense. He poured over his research, connecting even ridiculous clues together and came up empty handed each time. There was nothing. Why the book, why the shadow, why bother if they lost in the end? Why was there no other family to take control of the gap left by the Drakes?

A board of changing directors and one head director controlled GSA. The head director was in his late 40s from what Tim could find, but no photos seemed to circle. (At least, none with a clear indication who the head director was.)

And it wasn't as if I could go back and try to get into GSA again, Tim groused to himself. After a, wonderfully unexpected visit from Jason over the weekend, he'd decided he was getting in to the building, starting with areal recon. But instead of doing the smart thing and having Kori fly by or going at night, that dumbass decided to fly a freakin' drone in the middle of the afternoon up to the building and spy on a meeting. It was seen, it was shot down, and it was a mess.

Jason had promised to send whatever footage survived to him, but at this point Tim was ready to throttle anyone else who tried to 'help'. That asshole even had the nerve to ask why he was pissed. By now, the building was on lockdown and security even evacuated the top levels so they could be sealed.

Why couldn't they evacuate the lower, more easily accessible for a guy in a bird costume levels?

Tim had never been so frustrated with Jason before, and that was saying something. He couldn't wrap his head around this damn case! Why the stuff, what mattered, what was a diversion, because at this point he knew that half this junk had to be a damn diversion. Why hadn't anyone noticed before, why-

Was the room always this fuzzy?

Tim sank onto the bed, holding his head in his hands as he focused on remaining upright. He needed to breathe.

The (mad) genius was just considering how to get back at the thunderhead when he got an alert on his phone. Scoffing at the email from Jason, he made his way back to his laptop left open on his desk. At least he could watch the drone fall and burn. It might help him feel a little better, or even give him-

What.

Tim rewound the footage. There. The meeting.

His breathing stopped.

The reclusive director was there, Tim knew it was him. Back originally to the windows clearly speaking to the group in front of him. But as someone pointed out the drone, he turned, just for one frame. The view of his face, surprised (a little scared?) just as the drone was shot down. Brown hair and eyes, with a full face and beard with longer hair, but Tim knew that face.

The same face.

The grandfather, the father, and this guy… it was starting to make sense.

Tim had to get up there.

It was starting to make sense now.

Sorta.

Could it be- wait. I know the answer to that.

Is it really the same man, he should be in his 80s or 90s by now, and Court members didn't use the serum. Tim suited up, organizing everything he'd learned from this case together in his mind. He needed to focus. This mission could be ugly, and it sure wasn't going to be easy. But he would do it. It was time for answers.

Red Robin waited on the roof of the Eucalypia LLC, adjacent to the GSA for the building to clear out. It was almost 7pm and people were still making their way out and home from the day's work. But he wasn't about to mess this up like before.

The plan was simple. Get into the building( don't get caught), search the Director's office (without being seen) and find out more about this guy, anything linking him to the Court, his wearabouts, and whatever else was linked to this case. Then it was time to find this loser and end this.

Tim watched as the last person walked out the building and checking that he was clear, activated his gliders. He'd sent a stealth batarang over before to overcharge the roof of any motion sensors. Landing, he ducked and checked around again. Nothing. Good.

He made his way to the edge. Leaning over, he pulled the glass cutter from his belt and carefully cut away a rectangular piece near the top, just big enough to squeeze through.

Red Robin paused, cameras. He thought for a moment before pulling out a small EMT device. Activating it, he waited for it to charge to 50% (angering his suit, belt and ears) before tossing it through the hole before him. Hearing the tell-tale static, he flung himself through the hole and landed in a crouch.

The steaming floor and corners told him he was right. Cameras, and a grid flooring, almost cost me, He scowled.

He crept across the floor to the set of double doors near the end of the room. Opening led to a small hallway with four doors and a private elevator, same as Bruce's downtown office. And if it's set up the same way as all these swanky offices always are, the big guy's office is the last one.

Slipping in proved his point. The office was dripping in power plays. Large tinted glass windows, behind a large oak desk with –

That desk.

Tim immediately was next to it. He ran his hand down the width of the wood and to the seat front. He could hear a murmer of people on the floor beneath him, but he ignored it. Finding the hidden latch Tim popped the secret compartment, same as before.

"It's empty."

Red Robin shot up, looking towards the voice.

There was Mark. Leaning back against the wall as he swirled the drink in his hands. He was the practiced nonchalance he'd seen Bruce use before; completely unfocused on the small, insignificant person before them, while waiting for them to act as you know they will, right into your plan.

Tim refused to be played.

"I will say, I'm impressed you made it in. But I guess I shouldn't be, seeing how you clearly aren't on a high enough level. You didn't even search this room before waltzing in. Pathetic. I could have just rigged it to blow, save me the time of having to kill you."

Tim scoffed, forcing his body to fake relaxion, "And risk your cover for the Court? We both know that isn't how you do things."

"You have no idea what we do or don't do! Your boss couldn't even handle our Talons before."

"Clearly, we did."

Tim slowly made his way around the desk, eyes unmoving from Mark's. He was still leaning in his spot, but Tim could tell he'd either been drinking heavily before now or was suffering from Gotham's specialty coo-coo cocktails.

Mark chuckled darkly, " You know, I've been watching you. All of you. And I was under the impression that you were the smartest of his minions. Yet I've spinned you around this whole time." He paused to chug the last of his drink. " Did you notice the desk? I think it looks better in here than you're father's study. You can really see the woodgrain in the light, you know? He wanted you to use it when you took over, but I'm sure you failing to uphold the company is the least of his disappointment in you at this point."g

Well there goes the secret identity. Tim clamped his jaw to keep from retorting. Got to turn this around to him. "…And did you steal it before or after you noticed I already stole your diary?"

Mark blew air into his drink, "You really thought that mattered? You're just as gullible as your parents were, aren't you? That was a gift to your father. An antique, he deciphered some of it to go find other secret organizations" in Asia, He laughed. "It was nothing more than a trinket to keep him entertained."

Tim pressed on, "While you took over GSA for the Court, keep the communications for the members hidden, and to find their other targets. But clearly they didn't want to leave it to a family who could die out or leave the influence of the Court, so they elected to have one person, serum-enhanced, to do the job."

Tim felt himself smirk at the look of surprise on Mark's face. He hid it with a sip from his drink. "Regardless of the Court's… reasons, you still haven't worked everything out. Shame you never will."

The glass broke behind Tim and he was suddenly hit from behind. Red Robin reacted immediately, falling to his knees from the force and rolling out of the way. It was a Talon, and already back on his feet as well. Tim could hear the door open to his left, Mark making his well-planned exit.

I don't have time for this! Charging at the Talon, Tim grabbed his knife strap across the Talon's chest and dove through the man's legs, pulling him down. Twisting himself around, Tim vaulted onto the man's back and grabbed for the neck as he was thrown off.

Landing in a crouch as he'd planned he readied his weapon when he saw the Talon's face. He scowled as the old janitor from the Opera building charged at him with inhuman speed. Red Robin forced his palm up to the man's nose, temporarily stunning him while Tim forced the ice gas tablet into his open mouth, twisting his body around and once again trying to force the Talon to the ground. It worked. Reacting the tablet immediately began freezing the Talon, slowing his moments as his body became encased in ice. But Red Robin didn't wait that long. As soon as the Talon was staying down for a good 5 seconds, he bolted out the open doors and after Mark.

Tim found him in the meeting room once again, and without a second breath pulled his bow staff and brought it down in an overhead attack.

Mark seemed to have anticipated this as he shoved himself back and out of the way, maneuvering to face Tim with his back to the doors and Tim's to the glass.

"Were. My. Parents. In the Court. As well." Tim growled. He was done with this. Clearly, Mark wasn't a Talon. He couldn't beat him one on one, and Mark knew that.

Mark, still trying to catch his breath, gave a small laugh. "Really? Of all the… things you… could have asked, you ask that? You really don't know? Not… why I'm the one… in control here? How I found out…who you are? Why…why now I lured you…out? Why I chose to use… the serum? I… I'll tell you! To keep the Court's involvements in mob wars and crimes secret. To- to generate the data for… for the Talons to kill. " He chuckled, catching his breath at last. "And you ask me the most obvious question about two totally pointless-"

Red Robin was aware of the little red dot on the man's chest. Watched it slowly make its way to his head. Tim even debated letting the sniper, or whomever take the shot. Red Robin lunged at Mark, trying to grab him by the shoulder and thrust them both out of the way. Tim heard the shot as it went off and froze. He immediately focused on the man as he dropped to the floor.

….

The Talon was already gone by the time Tim made his way back to the office. It didn't matter. Red Robin had a more important task of covering up everything that happened there that night. After destroying the security footage, monitors, and anything linking him to the building, Tim made his way back to the bat cave. He could feel the beginning of bruises that would last weeks and for the first time since starting the case, Tim felt ready to collapse into bed. He was no closer to any sort of answer about his family than he was when he started this mess. The enemy knew how to get under his skin. His previously thought impervious, analytical, skin. All that; for nothing. He hangs his head in his hands, exhaling loudly. This was a mess.

There was the soft swoosh of a cape on stone floor as Tim felt a strong hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Bruce, dressed in his Batman suit minus the cowl staring down at him with a surprisingly soft look on his face.

Tim sighed and dropped his head again.

He felt more than heard Bruce sit next to him.

Bruce cleared his throat "… I read your report." He started. "How are you doing?"

Tim groaned, "How do you think? I completely botched this mission. I fell for every trap and red herring he set up. I failed to even find out if my parents were involved or not, and in the end… I failed to do anything."

"You didn't botch the mission. You followed the trail and still managed to find what he didn't want you to find out." As for your parents," Bruce cleared his throat. "You did not fail them. They would be proud of you for all that you've done, with the Titans, and in Gotham. You did well, Tim."

"I didn't stop them. That Talon got away, and the Court is still functioning."

"I don't think they'll ever be defeated." Bruce started quietly, "but they did lose their place in GSA. And I'm sure Wayne Enterprise will be able to suggest a strong replacement to their board."

"I didn't find out about my parents." Tim looked up. "I failed as a detective. I had all the tools, I have an IQ of 184 and I couldn't put 1 plus 1 together to see they were dragging me along. They did this to get to me, and I let them. I let them toy with me and get away without giving me answers." Tim let his head drop. "I failed as a son." He added to himself quietly.

"No. "Bruce said, making Tim look up. "You did not fail. You followed the evidence, you kept a level head in an emotional case. That's an impressive skill." Bruce looked at Tim, making sure to catch his eye. "And, you didn't fail them. They would be proud of how far you've come." So am I.

"Yeah, "Tim exhaled with a shaky breath, "Besides. I've got more than one family."

There was a 'ttch' from somewhere above them on the steps.

"Do not include me in your 'additional family', Drake." Damian sneered, "I will not be insulted in such a way."

"Don't worry I wasn't" Tim shot back. "I only include people over 5'3 in my family."

"I will grow! What's your excuse for being so abysmally short?! I will be taller than you…"As the bickering continued Dick and Alfred made their way down the stone steps to get ready for the night's patrol. Oracle sent the data on a shipment of a new drug coming in to the Gotham port that night along with a strange pattern of test flights of experimental jets and the path of a prominent Japanese businessman visiting Gotham to protect against alleged assassination attempts.

As Tim began to suit up while tuning out Damian's continued assaults he couldn't help but think how his Sunday mornings with cinnamon rolls or quiet evenings with his father's guests in the study was replaced with propelling himself from buildings with a rope with people dressed up as birds and bats.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

….

EPILOGUE:

Agent 12, are you there?

Go ahead, agent 67.

The target was taken down. All evidence was destroyed

Good, report back to base for debriefing.

It wasn't me.

What?

Apparently Batman Inc. was also on the case.

… do they know?

Hard to say. One might.

…monitor the situation and report back, agent 67. Was it the Bat himself?

No, the new detective.

Then I may have a new target for you.

….

A/N: So I think this part is finished. What did you think? Did you like it? I was trying to show the difference between Tim and Red Robin when he was acting in the situation, and how Mark was becoming more unstable as time went on. I know it was rushed, but I did want to upload it. I'm content with most of it, but I know it wasn't what I originally wanted. But please tell me what you liked and didn't. Was it too obvious, was it rushed, does it need more detail, etc.

Thank you to everyone who's read, commented, favorited!