Disclaimer: wow! I own Batman and Robin? Superman too? what world do you live on because I wanna go there too! Dude, all jokes aside, here on earth, DC comics owns them all.
Thank you all for playing my code cracking guessing game. Some people's guesses were so good, I had to add them. Didn't think of those but they were right anyway. The real code cracking comes now.
Slade Plan B
Ch. 12 – Hidden Messages
Batman poured over the recoding again and again, much to the Titan's chagrin. Despite the man's confidence in their friend's ability to send a message to them in this depressing feature, they did not want to be told they were hated over and over again. They stayed in the room only because Batman insisted. He might need to question them further.
Superman had trouble watching it the first three times through, but soon stayed with the dark knight as he played it again and again, analyzing each frame.
"That's make-up," the Boy Scout muttered, realizing now why Robin looked so odd.
Batman nodded. "Covering bruises and a few cuts."
"He's hunched over a bit," he added, concern growing on his face. "This Slade's beating him onto submission."
Batman nodded, his scowl growing. Raven had to look at the man for a moment to make sure he wasn't turning into some kind of vengeful demon. The spikes of anger towards Slade kept coming from him every few minutes. At one point in the vid, he paused and zoomed in on Robin's neck. "See that?"
Superman squinted a bit then blinked in horror. Robin had tugged down his collar just a fraction, but it was enough for the two of them. "Is that a…"
"Electric collar." He growled as he pointed to the teen's wrists next. "And those bracers, they're specially made. Electro-magnetics. I bet they usually keep Robin's hands away from his neck."
"This is sick." Superman gaped at the boy on the screen and realized something else. "He's lost weight."
"Probably refusing to eat," Batman offered, returning the picture to normal.
"You think he's that stubborn?"
The detective glared his annoyance at his comrade. "He ran off in a leotard and yellow cape when he was nine. Of course he's that stubborn."
"What?" Half the team turned in curiosity, never hearing before how Robin behaved as a child. "He ran off?"
Superman gave a tired sigh, not really wanting to talk about it. Batman kept his eyes on the screen as he spoke. "Being Robin was his idea. I just stopped him from getting killed."
"Duuudeee…" Beast Boy started. "That's amazing!"
"Yes!" Starfire started, very interested. "Tell us more about friend Robin as a child."
"Another time." Batman leaned back into the chair, reassessing the facts he had before him. He already figured out Robin's physical condition. His mental seemed to be holding for now. And judging by the brave face and trust he had in Batman to figure this out, his emotional wasn't doing so well. The day Robin lost hope would be the day he finally cracked. The kid already experienced two weeks of hell. It was high time he was given a chance towards heaven.
Key words. That's what he needed. The fact he started with something cheery and normal told Batman he wanted to go home. Reverse psychology. Every bit of his message dripped with it. 'I hate you all' and 'it goes double for Batman' were clearly opposite of what he truly felt. He trusted his friends and more trusted him. It was almost a plea for them to work together.
The list of traits Robin 'hated' were almost word for word from a lecture Batman gave about sidekicks when he was mad one day, many years ago. He said it to protect Robin, to convince him to stay in that night and not go off with his friends. Now Robin understood them and used them in like manner.
'Go back to Gotham,' meant, just in case the Titans called Batman in first, go back and get everything I gave you on Slade. Batman needed to know what was going on entirely and the Titans didn't keep that many files on the criminal. They just wanted to keep Robin away from him.
'Opened my eyes' and the references to masks, confirmed one of his fears. Slade knew who Robin was. More than likely he knew who Batman was too. It was likely whatever Slade was using against Robin came from his past. His personal past.
It was the list of villains Robin mentioned that stumped him. Why mention so many people he's faced over the years? Two-Face being referred to was obvious. The man had beaten Robin within an inch of his life with a bat, in front of Batman. It traumatized the kid and he had nightmares about it years later. It traumatized Batman just as much. He tried to bench the kid back then, but that stubborn kid, who would run out without any protection and pixie boots, would not be benched for anything short of a life crippling injury. Yes, mentioning Two-Face was a clear message of him being beaten over and over again by Slade. As if twitching slightly every time he mention the man wasn't enough in the video.
But the rest of the list…
He went over that part again.
"I mean, he's not like any of those others. He's no Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Mumbo Jumbo, Gorilla Grod, Jonny Rancid, Killer Moth, Brain, Madam Rouge, or anyone else."
He played it again. Something was off about this one bit. "I mean, he's not like any of those others. He's no Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Mumbo Jumbo, Gorilla Grod, Jonny Rancid, Killer Moth, Brain, Madam Rouge, or anyone else."
"Something wrong?" Superman only asked because of Batman's thinking glare.
"Yeah." Mentally he identified each of the rouges. Joker, Two-Face, and Penguin they fought often together in Gotham. The rest had to be from Jump. He turned to the Titans. "Tell me about these people."
The Titans jumped to attention, not quite sure what he was talking about until he played the piece again. Slowly they answered, according to their own memories.
"Well Brain and Madam Rouge are part of the Brotherhood of Evil," Beast Boy informed him. "We fought them until a few months ago."
"Jonny Rancid is a biker who broke Robin's arm," Cyborg imputed.
"Killer Moth held the city at ransom and forced Robin to take his daughter Kitten to her Prom," Starfire said with a small bite. She didn't like Kitten.
"And Mumbo Jumbo's a magician who's caused quite a bit of trouble around here," Raven put in, not pleased about it.
"Aren't the rest from Gotham?" Cyborg concluded.
Batman blinked for a moment, then looked back to the video. He remembered the ending phrase. 'Bite me.'
"Clever, clever boy." A smirk grew on his face as he left his seat. He had all the information he needed. A plan was forming in his head. He turned to the team, ignoring the confused looks on their faces. "Keep searching for Robin. Pretend you never saw this video."
"What?" Everyone looked at him, completely confused. Even Superman had no idea what was going on in the man's head.
"Superman and I will take care of what Slade's using against Robin. You find out where he's keeping him. We'll be back in two days. Don't move to rescue him until we return." With that, Batman swept out of the room, leaving the teens very confused.
"Hey wait up!" Superman quickly followed, but stopped the door to offer the kids an apology. "Sorry, that's Batman for you. Looks like he found a lead, and he doesn't waste any time when it comes to Robin. Never did. Guess we'll see you in two days."
The teens all stared at each other once the world's finest were out of the room, completely baffled at the two legends' actions. Batman had a lead, and wouldn't share it. Superman was apologizing on his behalf. No wonder Robin never talked about either of them.
Once the two were outside, Superman spotted the car Bruce had bought for this city. The man was changing back into street clothes before getting back to the car, a perfect opportunity to demand answers and get them. "Alright Bruce, what's going on?"
"We're going to the circus."
Superman blinked and stared as Batman put his cowl and cape into a briefcase. "Come again?"
"Robin never fought Gorilla Grod." Bruce snapped the case shut, tucking it under his arm as he made the long trek back to the car. "But Dick was bitten by a monkey when he was four. Been scared of them since, but he managed to control it before he left."
"Bite me…" Things started to click in his head. Only Bruce would know this little piece of information, so only he would figure it out.
The billionaire nodded, a grim line for a mouth. "Slade knows who Robin is. He wouldn't risk someone in the superhero community, and anyone in Gotham is asking for trouble. I didn't see it before because few people think of Dick as a Flying Grayson anymore."
"And you weren't sure if Slade knew who he was." He was catching on to this madman's thinking.
"No one keeps constant tabs on a circus unless there's money involved or your family performs there. I try to know where they are in case I need to talk to them about Dick."
"And how often do you do that?" Superman floated next to his friend, hoping for a good answer.
"Not as often as I used to." Bruce could nearly see his car. "Haley's a trusting sort. I'm sure you'll like him, but you'll have to interview the performers first."
"What?" Superman wasn't sure if he liked being used this way, but Bruce always had a good reason.
"We need to know who's been added in the past two years. Three to be on the safe side. I'll run a background check on the newcomers and anyone we can't place, we'll investigate."
"Or I could use my X-ray vision and see who's packing heat."
"We'll do both," Bruce informed him, a hint of a growl in his voice. "Circus performers have some strange hobbies. And don't forget the extra hands. No one is above suspicion."
Superman nodded. "You really think it'll take two days to get this done?"
Bruce nodded, glaring forward. "Haley's Circus is in Utah right now, just outside of Richmond. A two hour flight and a two and a half hour drive will get us there. That's if we go through Salt Lake."
"We just unpacked here," his friend objected. "You should have warned me."
"Only Bruce Wayne has to go through proper channels," he pointed out, taking his keys out of his pocket. "It's best if this time we use different routs. Just rent a car when you get there. I'll reimburse you later."
Superman couldn't help but smile when he heard this. Things were moving quickly in their world. It would only be a matter of time before Slade paid for what he was doing to Robin.
A/N: for those who don't watch Batman - The Brave and The Bold, there was an episode where Bats and Batwoman swapped bodies and bats had to convince Nightwing and batgirl he was himself and not katrina. His solution: a string of embarrassing facts on Dick, all with a straight face. "You're favorite color is blue, you used to sleep with a nightlight, and you're deathly afraid of monkeys." NW "it's him." Babs "Monkeys?" NW "Shut up" I've used the nightlight in other fanfics for YJ. XD Anywho, I had to give a logical explanation for that fear, so as a kid he was bitten by a monkey at the circus! Who on earth would remember that clearly but the kid involved and their parents? Since parents are dead, and Dick has his pride, the only person he'd ever have to tell that fear to is Bruce. Story doesn't leave the family and voila! A secret Slade can't know about.
Richmond UT is a real place. I have a brother and his family there. My parents live over the mountain from it. I might be wrong though on how long it takes to get there. Been a bit since i've had to drive from Salt Lake to the dead center of UT. XP
Again, thanks for the help with the reverse psychology bit. I hadn't thought to bring it up much, nor about the masks. makes more sense now.
Unfortunately, Titans won't be appearing again for a few more chapters. tee hee! More of a batman story I'm finding. Long road home for the two to be family again. =P
