Evil without conscience is rare and generally exists only in the minds of the insane. This fundamental truth of crime was a little harder to see for a Gotham crime fighter. Many of Gotham's criminals were insane.
Batman's every muscle was tense as he explained Robin's (Tim) discovery to the League. "Lex Luthor conspired against his criminal illuminati style organization the Light when Robin (Dick) was captured. He rescued him out of the hands of the likes of the Joker and teamed up with at least one other who could be convinced to be like minded."
Batman had worn himself out trying to solve this case over the years. Whatever had happened to Dick happened five years ago now. It was hard to imagine how finding him now would do anything but give a little empty closure but Batman would not let this go, ever. He owed Dick that much at least.
Luthor's thinking had always been self-serving. The Joker and Gotham's other crazies had to be controlled and Batman was the best man for the job. Lex wanted a new world order but had no interest in having madness at the foundation of his world order.
Batman had yet to uncover the exact identity of the second conspirator. They were known to be based out of Bludhaven, the city nearest Gotham. Operating in proximity to Gotham, the second conspirator also had acted in self interest.
Gotham was like a disease held in check by a rare and expensive medicine. Destroying the boy might break the Bat. Neither Luthor nor his co-conspirator wanted to risk it. Clues were left that the boy was still alive but it wasn't like they just gave him back. At first Lex had kept the boy on ice in cryogenics. When the Bat started to get too close thanks to the information the new Robin uncovered, the boy was offloaded to become someone else's liability.
Superman went with Batman to confront Luthor. Superman and Lex had too much history for Superman to step aside and let Batman investigate solo.
"He was safe when last I saw him," Lex spoke smoothly. He'd known the Bat would figure out to come to him eventually. He was a little surprised it had taken this long.
"WHERE IS HE?!" demanded Batman.
"I don't know. Charity and good conscience inspired me to aid him when I saw he was in trouble but I am not foolish enough to anger the kind of enemies the Justice League seems to collect like postage stamps." Lex Luthor was always careful with his words. The Bat would use anything and everything in a court of law. Superman was just floating there looking self righteous. They had nothing solidly incriminating on him.
"I could only help so much." Lex eyed the new Robin, the third Robin if Lex was correct. Lex had heard number two had been killed but the Bat hadn't bonded with the second Robin so strongly as with the first and it had still nearly destroyed the Bat when number two was killed. This reinforced Lex's belief that he'd been right to interfere. A third Robin popping up and then uncovering evidence to lead the Bat here was just bothersome.
"Luthor, it's not like you to go against a child," scolded Superman.
Luthor of course orchestrated it so he now had no direct knowledge of what had finally become of the boy. The league had access to telepaths. "He was alive when I got him out of there. I don't have him. I saved the child. I'm no monster."
"Do you know how to find him?" demanded Batman.
"I am a very busy man of incredible resources. I am certain I could help you find him but there is an election underway and…"
Batman frowned while listening to Luthor list off his multitude of charitable goodwill ventures that of course regrettably prevented him from devoting time to finding one lost boy when the world's greatest detective was already on the case. Helping would be a disservice to those others who so desperately needed help but had no one but Luthor to aid them. Lex fancied that he'd saved the poor boy on more than one level. Vigilantism was dangerous and illegal. He pointed out as much to Batman while still looking pointedly at Robin 3.
Superman listened to Luthor's traitorous heartbeat and focused on the man's breathing, trying to detect lies and misdirections.
Robin also focused on Luthor with every ounce of his training.
Luthor spoke no lies but he was, as always, hiding the truth. Tim, still feeling awkward in Robin's colours, glanced over at Superman in frustration. He really wanted this to be his thing. Dick had been the first of any of the young heroes. His acrobatics were unmatched, as was his ability to make friends and inspire goodness. Jason had been tough. There was never a bully that cowed him and he stood up for the little guy no matter what it took. Tim wanted to be the detective that solved the unsolvable cold case. He wasn't as strong as Jason or as outgoing as Dick. Dick had been his babysitter when he was little sometimes. Tim remembered thinking he was great. Finding these clues had been what finally convinced Batman to take him on as Robin.
Though the Bat tapped lines and spied on Luthor and pressured him in every way he could think, it offered no further leads.
Tim, sent back to cool his heels at Mount Justice after a frustrating visit with Lex Luthor, shared what had been learned with the team and Red Arrow who had come specially to hear what had gone down as the situation with the first Robin hit close to home for him.
"He was quick to admit he had helped Robin escape from the Joker but he started sprouting misdirection when asked about Robin's current whereabouts. I think he knows or knows how to find Robin but …" Tim spread his hands in frustration.
(Background info DC. Red Arrow is Will Harper, the clone of Roy. He was manufactured and programmed to act as a mole in the Justice League. His programming was broken after it was eventually discovered. He is on the side of the good guys. Arsenal is Roy Harper the first Red Arrow who was captured by the light, lost an arm and was cloned but was eventually rescued by the new Red Arrow.)
Red Arrow nodded gruffly and disappeared to investigate. If Luthor was involved and they hadn't killed Robin outright, Red Arrow suspected what had happened to his donor Roy might have happened to Robin. He knew the old members of the Light wouldn't bother with cloning again now that their ruse with him and Roy had been uncovered. Roy was wrong, thought Will. He wasn't just making this personal. No one knew more about Luthor's extensive network of secret facilities than Will, otherwise known as Red Arrow, the clone of Roy Harper.
Red Arrow was retired and devoted to his daughter Liam but after finding Roy, this one last case still tugged at his heart strings.
Roy insisted Will was too out of shape to be of help. Will was determined.
Red Arrow and Arsenal would work together for this. No young hero deserved Lex Luthor.
Luthor had long ago unmasked Robin in private. Learning Robin was Richard Grayson was disappointing. It left him no closer to learning who Batman was. Robin was a small fish in a big pond. Lex had thought Batman was the boy's father and not just mentor but he'd seen Bruce Wayne and Batman in the same place before and besides Brucie could be a real airhead when he wasn't in the middle of a business deal. It surprised Lex not at all that Richard was Robin with his vacant foster father none the wiser. Maybe Batman had a circus connection or contacts in Juvie?
Lex had no interest in using physical coercion on a child. He turned to Genomorphs who said the boy's mind was too well guarded to steal League secrets and that fighting for the weak and strong morals was at the child's very core. Lex didn't have a problem with the concept of strong morals and fighting for the weak. Lex fought for the weak. So much of the world would be a better place if more people would follow my guidance, thought Lex. The League intelligence information would have been nice but intelligence could be gathered from many other avenues. Most of the child's secrets were likely tied up in Gotham's power struggles. Lex thought on a more global scale.
When it came time to defrost the Boy Wonder, Psimon was willing to be hired for the job. He left the boy's mind a complete devastation of proper names and recent memories. What was left was disordered, full of trivia but lacking in substance. Lex did not fancy himself a monster. The child would be able to function. He wouldn't be a gibbering idiot or any such thing.
No asset should be thrown away entirely. Lex was pleased to learn that his co-conspirator who would be relocating Lex's asset, did not recognize the young Mr. Grayson thanks to something as simple as a new close cropped buzz cut. Grayson had been out of the news for a little while now and that helped. Lex preferred being the sole proprietor to secrets.
What was done with Robin would have surprised Luthor. It was exactly what they had agreed upon though Luthor had strongly suspected Robin's disposal would have ended up being more harsh. (Harsh was a good word. It covered a whole range of possible unkind outcomes. Lex had washed his hands of possible unkind outcomes.) Robin was treated compassionately but not left where the heroes were likely to find him.