Black and Red Chapter 51 Missed Morning

Tim's face felt sticky with half-dried sweat, tacky blood and a few smears of mask glue. The polymer strip across his eyes had become dislodged sometime while he slept, but it still covered enough of his face to sufficiently obscure his identity. He pushed himself up, feeling his muscles protest from overuse followed by the side-effects of the toxin that made his muscles spasm from imaginary trauma. He pushed the mask back into position while glancing around for the camera. He found it, and noted that the little green light was indeed off.

He stretched, his joints creaking, then retrieved his fallen can of spray. He got to his feet, and rapped politely on the door. A minute later, the spy-hole slid open.

"You awake at last?" Allen asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Tim replied, rubbing his neck where he'd stuck the needle in his jugular. "What time is it?"

Allen started sliding the bolts back and undoing the locks. "Just gone one in the afternoon." He held the door open, and the young vigilante stepped out. "We weren't sure if we should wake you, but the Commissioner said you were under sedation."

"Well, he was right," Tim muttered under his breath. "Is Montoya…?"

"She's fine," Allen reassured him. "Came to about an hour ago. She's a little shaken up from the experience, but there doesn't appear to be any lasting damage. Your serum really helped."

"First time exposure," Tim shrugged. "No reason why it shouldn't work."

Allen paused outside the locker room. "I can have the boys clear out, give you a bit of privacy to clean up," he offered. "Get that blood off you before you go see the Commissioner's daughter and the blonde kid you pulled in."

Tim paused for the barest second to consider it. He'd been going full tilt, without sleep or a shower for several days, and he was overdue a wash. He could cover the cameras, jam the door, and get himself looking less like the psychopath he might arguably be.

He gave a curt nod, and let his hand drift to his staff in his belt.


Red Robin felt mostly back on form when he dropped down in one of the chairs by Gordon's desk. There was food, and coffee, and Red Robin had half a cup down his throat before he had much time to think.

"You're looking more alive," Babs commented. She, however, looked more than beat.

"Marginally," Red Robin quipped. "Have you been to bed yet?"

"Dropped off for about an hour round about sunrise," Babs shrugged.

Red Robin examined her. Dark shadows under her eyes and a drooping head. "You need sleep," he told her.

"Yeah, well, we were busy," Babs shrugged. "We identified Mask's mole, an officer Galloway, and have him under surveillance. Dad says he haven't enough to arrest him just yet. And we also have Cluemaster in custody. The cops sent to ambush him got 'im."

"That's great," Red Robin smiled. "I can see what we can get to pin Galloway with. Has Crystal Brown, Cluemaster's wife, been contacted?"

"She's out of state; we couldn't contact her," Babs shrugged. "Stephanie is still in our custody. Mom has her right now."

"Speaking of your mom…" Red Robin started, hoping Babs would pick up the rest of the sentence before he had to say it outright.

She did. "I may have been avoiding her?" Babs replied sheepishly. "I have no idea what to say to her."

"You can't avoid her forever, and the longer you leave her to stew, the worse she'll be," Red Robin told her sternly. He hated the position he'd unintentionally put her in, but it really couldn't be helped now. There was a time for reflection, and the midst of a crisis wasn't that time. Besides, the actions that were damning Babs in her mother's eyes had saved lives.

"I thought you wanted me to sleep," Babs said sulkily.

Red Robin glared. Playing his instructions off against each other was such a childish tactic. "Get some rest, then speak to her."

"And what will you be doing?" Babs asked, slightly accusingly.

"Catching up on what I missed this morning," Red Robin answered. He pulled the computer towards him and started to eat.

"But I can-" Babs started.

"Not if you're too tired to think clearly," Red Robin cut her off.

Babs mumbled inaudibly, but slunk off.

Red Robin refocused, and started running through the Sionis surveillance tapes. Because of the rendezvous with Joker, there wasn't so much to watch, but there were lots of hours to flick through. Mask heard about Cluemaster's arrest, but not that Galloway had been identified. He thought that he'd been successful in wiping his phone before anything incriminating could be retrieved from it.

"Rob Jackson."

Red Robin paused the playback and looked around. He'd known who was coming, but hadn't wanted to give away his skill. "Mrs Gordon."

"Little vigilante boy," she accused. "You have any idea what your kind do to this city?"

"'My kind'? That's really very vague," Red Robin shot back. "Some would count Joker and Scarecrow as 'my kind'."

"If it weren't for the Bat, my family would still be safe!" Mrs Gordon hissed. "You've had my husband doing crazy things at all hours and endangered my children and now you've corrupted my daughter!"

"Barbara chose to help me," Red Robin replied curtly. "Are you denying her the right to make her own choices?"

"She is in my care, so yeah, I can deny her these choices," Mrs Gordon retorted. "And when I find out just what my husband was thinking when he let you into our lives-"

"He's doing what he thinks is best for the city," Red Robin retorted. "I can't exactly speak for why he thinks what he's done is best, but he's trying to protect people. Including you. And your children. And by the way? He didn't know I've been training Barbara until two nights ago. All she's doing for me is back room work. I'm keeping her safe."

"And who are you to decide how to keep people safe?!" Mrs Gordon yelled.

Red Robin stared up at her, implacable. He'd faced far scarier things, but knowing how personal this was for Babs made it almost heart-breaking. "I'm the one who told her what to do when Joker came to kill or cripple you and your children," he said calmly. "In the past month, I have dealt with a serial killer, a gang war, and now I'm dealing with some of the most dangerous people in the city. Some of, because I know full well that I am myself one of the most dangerous. And I am telling you that the moment Barbara chose to aid me, her safety became one of my top priorities. I will not let her put herself in danger, and right now, giving her back room work is keeping her from deciding to follow my onto the streets – which I'm sure you agree would not be safe for her. The other alternative would be locking her in one of the cells downstairs, for nothing more than wanting to help out."

"You think you're so right," Mrs Gordon spat.

"I think that any desire I have for a safe, healthy life is inconsequential next to all I can do for others," Red Robin said flatly. "I made that choice when I was younger than Babs, and I will not deny her the right to make the same choice. To do so will only breed resentment."

"Stay away from my daughter," Mrs Gordon commanded, and turned on her heel, and left.