Synopsis: Someone has stolen all the money from the Wayne Foundation Youth Charity Fund. Batman and Red Hood go after the man who did it. While doing research on the thief, Tim is hit by a mysterious beam from an odd weapon sitting on a shelf and is de-aged. Oh boy, what are they going to do with a four-year-old Tim?

Part 4 – Bad News

Tim didn't remember coming out of the bubble or being carried to his room. The last thing he remembered was being placed inside one of Sammie's healing bubbles. His muscles felt like jello and they ached. He tried to move, but he felt lightheaded. He must have been running on pure adrenalin, saving all those people. He didn't even know what time it was.

'I must have slept several hours,' Tim thought, though he didn't know that it had been several days that he was within that bubble. He was lightheaded because he needed food. He felt a weight around his waist. He looked to see that it was an arm. Why was Dick here? Then he looked around and realized this wasn't his room. This was the Talon's nest. What was Dick thinking? Or was it the Talon, again. Did the Talon save him? Had the Talon taken him to Sammie? What happened? Tim tried to think back on what did happen.

'Oh yeah, I had a building practically fall on to of me.' Tim tried to get up, but Dick tightened his grib around Tim's waiste. 'Now I've got an overprotective Talon on my hands, too. I need to get a shower.'

Tim carefully extracted himself from Dick's arms. Even though he still felt sore, Tim went back to his room and into the bathroom. He started the shower, undressed and climbed in. The shower felt great. Tim was wishing that Sammie could join him but decided against it.

'That would only delay me getting any work done,' he thought. Tim got done and wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed another for his hair then went to get dressed. The soreness wasn't totally gone, and neither was the weakness in his limbs, but at least he felt clean. Tim was partially dressed when a knock came on his bedroom door.

"Come in."

"Timmy," Jason said as he entered.

"Hey, Jay . . . What's up?"

"Okay, so I have some bad news . . ."

"Bad news?" All kinds of thoughts entered Tim's brain having to do with family, but then he squelched them. Bruce would be the one to tell him if it had to be about someone in the family.

"The money that was raised from your charity event, some bastard named Chester Farmington embezzled it."

"What? . . . Chester? No . . . " Tim at down on the bed, shaking his head. "He seemed like a nice guy and so willing to help."

"I'm assuming you knew the bastard who did it?"

"Yeah," Tim said, sounding disappointed. "His family was hit by that gang war a few years ago. It was before I became Red Robin. I gave him a job soon after I took over Wayne Enterprise to keep it out of Ra's hands. Thought he might do well at the Foundation. I didn't expect him to do this."

"He left the country as well. Dad said he would replace whatever was taken." Jason hoped Tim wanted to bring that asshole to justice. 'He shouldn't get away with taking money from Tim's efforts. He needs to be put behind bars. I can't believe I'm saying that. The old me would just kill him.'

"Damn. I want to go after him. That money was to fund all the youth projects to keep kids out of gangs."

"Well, you know you can't do that, right?"

"Why not?"

"How are you feeling today?"

"That's an odd question to ask."

"Just answer it, please," Jason said.

"Well, sore I guess," Tim answered. "And a little lightheaded, but I haven't eaten."

"Until you're cleared, you cannot go out," Jason reminded Tim. "Besides, Dad did give a suggestion. Use the cave's resources to find him. No one will pester you."

"That's not good enough," Tim argued. "Once I do find him, how am I supposed be sure I get him back to Gotham for justice. He could be sitting pretty in a neutral country with no extradition laws."

"Dad and I could go and get him. We're a team, remember. You're not doing this alone."

"All right. I'll get the evidence against him. You and Dad bring him home. I want that bastard. What really burns me is the fact that he would leave a wife with two young kids behind."

"He left family behind?" Jason questioned. "He's a no-good coward. Why build a family only to abandon them?"

"Yeah," Tim replied. "At least that's what he told me. I never met his family. Let me finish getting dressed and I'll meet you down in the cave."

"Alright." Jason wanted to kill that bastard, to take him off the Earth. 'No...I can't.' Samantha's words buzzed through his head. He was a family man now, and he had to think about his kids, and what he would be teaching them. 'Besides, she believes in me. She believes that I can . . . No . . . I am changing. I won't kill that bastard, but I know a couple of people in Blackgate who wouldn't mind having a new playtoy. After I get a few hits in myself.'

Tim waited for Jason to leave and finished dressing. He stopped briefly in the kitchen to grab something to eat then headed to the cave. He logged into the computer then began by doing research on Chester Farmington. He discovered something very interesting about the guy. He learned that Chester Farmington didn't have a family. He also learned that Chester Farmington didn't exist, except on paper. There was no record of his birth, no social security card, and no driver's license. There was, however, a match with another Chester. There was no mistaking that face. 'I wish I had done my homework on the guy before I hired him.'

Jason came up behind Tim. "What did you discover?"

"What I should have done three years ago but didn't," Tim said by way of an answer. "I trusted the guy's story. Turns out it was completely false."

"What's this dude's real story?"

"You're not going to like it. His real name is Chester Falcone

Continues with Part 5