And Injustice For All 2

Chapter 10: A Knight Alone

"Excuse me..." Connor found Batman unmasked, sitting in the monitor room. It was a mess. Pizza boxes, dinner plate, soda cups and more. "Mister Batman? Are you okay? Mom said the bad guys took your son?"

"Did Dinah send you here?"

"No, she actually told me to leave you alone. Dad says you were moping. I don't know what that means but he said were the best in the world at it."

"I'm searching."

"For your son?"

"And for those who took him. I don't know who they are. I'm trying to find out."

"This place looks messy."

"I'm not used to cleaning up after myself. Someone used to do that for me."

"I could help if you wanted. I finished my chores."

"Chores?..."

Bruce drifted in deep thought. "Yes, he hadn't finished his chores yet, said Alfred.

"They can wait."

"He needs skills. He needs to know how to make a cup of tea. If he doesn't learn self-reliance..."

"Yes."

"Well, he would become just as useless as you, sir."

"I'm sure I'll still breath without you, Alfred."

"Really? Which refrigerator do we keep the milk in? How many times have you eaten today? How many hours you've slept? Where's your wallet?"

"I..."

"Speaking of which, we need to discuss..."

"No, we don't."

"I won't be around much longer, Master Bruce."

"I fight homicidal maniacs every other night. You should outlive me."

"That's not actually a comfort, sir."

"And if I do somehow survive what I do, well, I have a lot of money, and I will my vast wealth to extend your natural life and keep you indefinitely."

"That's just cruel. Are you sure he's ready?"

"Not at all. He's stubborn, reckless..."

"Certainly a lot of his father in him."

"But my main concern is he's so... angry."

"You know I'm right here, yes?" asked Damian Wayne aka Robin.

"We know. But glaring at Alfred won't make you less angry."

"Master Dick didn't undertake the trial until he'd been with us far longer..."

"Dick wasn't already a trained assassin!"

"That's hardly the persuasive debate point you seem to think it is, Master Damian."

"We'll give him a chance, a night alone. We can't watch him all the time."

Outside the city on the rooftop, Batman is flying his bat-jet pointing at Robin.

"This is farthest point of Gotham City from the batcave. If you find the right way over and through the city, you can find your way back in the cave in under three hours."

"Is this a real test that's supposed to teach me something, or are you just trying to get some alone time for brooding?"

Batman flies away.

"Three hours, I'll beat two."

Robin begins by freerunning throughout the City until he found three thugs in the alleyway about to kill a young woman.

"This is gonna cost me," Robin said to himself. Robin sprang into action and made quick work on the thugs. "I've notified the GCPD. They'll be here shortly to take your statement."

"Are you going?"

Damian thought for a moment. "No, I'll wait with you."

The woman gave Robin 5 dollars, and that's when the police arrived. Damian continued almost 27 minutes since he started. He saw a man about to jump out the window.

"Hey!"

He stopped him from jumping.

"Don't."

"You thought I was gonna jump? I came out here to think, that's all."

"Sorry. You ah... wanna talk?"

"You look like you're in a hurry."

"It's fine. Is this your place?"

"Yes."

"How about a cup of tea?"

Robin enjoyed a nice cup of tea with the man, but lost track of time. Regardless, he helped a man who was stabbed twice in the right shoulder and even help a elderly woman with the city bus. It's been nearly 6 hours. During the seventh hour, he put two criminals outside the doors of the GCPD. On the ninth hour, he sat on the moving train. Finally, he reached the batcave. He sees Batman and Alfred

"10 hours, forty seven minutes."

"I know. I failed. I'm going to bed."

"Did you tell it was a time trial?"

"No."

"Was it implied?"

"Perhaps."

"It once took Master Bruce three days," Alfred told Damian.

"I'll take the 5 dollars. We don't take money from civilians."

"You were watching? You said the whole point was I was supposed to be alone."

"And now I've seen how you act when you think you're alone. Next time, you will be. You did well. I'm proud of you and I know I don't say that enough. Now finish your chores so you don't have to be useless like me."

"I'll do your chores. Go to bed. You've earned it. Your father can always watch if he can. It may feel like a violation, but he watches becausee he cares."

And now...

"So, can I help?" asked Connor.

"Actually, there is something you can do, Connor. No child should be without their parents."

"That would suck."

"I want to ensure that never happens to you, your mom and you dad. Would you like that?"

"Yeah."

"Good, but this needs to be our secret. This may pinch a bit...