Chapter 11:
State Pen Cafeteria – 4:30:
"I went to check on him earlier. Batman's up there and he didn't leave. I watched for almost half an hour. The guy just sat on the floor, reading some kind of paper or something."
"Even Batman has to eat sometime, though. Take the apples and water up there and stay out of sight. When the man leaves to eat dinner, give the boy his dinner."
"It's just scary, I mean, he's Batman!"
"Don't be such a baby."
"Then you do it!"
"Fine, I'll take care of it. You let our man know what's going on."
"Uh, never mind, I'll feed the kid."
The two men left the cafeteria, one on the way to Cell Block N, the other to block M.
Cell Block N – 4:35:
Neither member of the Dynamic Duo had spoken since Robin had decided to take a nap. Outside the cell, the Caped Crusader had read an old copy of "The Daily Planet". Inside, the Boy Wonder had slept for twenty minutes and then spent the majority of the next three hours staring at the wall, watching a rectangular patch of sunlight move slowly toward the west.
"Robin, I'm going to grab something to eat in the cafeteria. What do you want me to bring back?"
"You really think they'll give you something to bring back?" the teenager laughed while stifling a yawn. "Besides, the only thing they have is gray mush with cubed meatballs. And they'll bring me dinner soon. You should go somewhere else to eat, trust me."
"I'm not leaving the State Pen until you're out of isolation, Robin."
"Seriously, Batman, don't eat the food here. Alf…someone will be very upset if you get food poisoning. At least go to a gas station and get some kind of snack."
"I'll be back in ten minutes, chum. The cafeteria isn't that far away."
"When you start throwing up, don't say I didn't warn you!"
"Did you throw up after eating it?"
"Um, no."
"Then I think I can handle it, too. Ten minutes."
Batman strode out the door, heading for the cafeteria. Suddenly, the slit at the bottom of the door popped open and in came the Ziploc bag.
"If a certain person asks," a deep voice growled, "you had a peanut butter sandwich. Or I can come in there right now and show you how I learned to use a nightstick."
"This peanut butter sandwich looks delicious," Robin quickly replied, a touch of fear woven through the words.
"Three minutes," the voice grunted, satisfaction surrounding the words.
"Three?!" Robin exclaimed. "But I…"
"Two minutes and fifty seconds."
Robin ripped open the bag – apple slices and water. No sandwich, not even bread.
"Two and a half."
He didn't know if Batman would be able to get any more bottles of water, so the Boy Wonder chewed as fast as he could. The more apples that went in the better, but he had to make sure he had enough time to drink the water.
"Forty-five seconds until I teach you a lesson."
Eyes wide with terror, Robin grabbed the small bag and gulped the water as fast as he could. The guard was counting down from twenty when the teenager zipped everything up and pushed the bag through the slot.
"Have a fun night."
The man with the deep voice chuckled as he walked away. A fun night, indeed.
Five minutes later Batman was back. Robin was sitting in a ball against the back wall of his cell, his body trembling from the lingering feeling of terror.
"You're right, chum. I'll have someone send up some Bat-bars tomorrow."
The taste of mud was caking his mouth and Batman understood why Robin had needed so much water. He had already finished a bottle and a half, saving the rest for his partner.
"I, uh, already ate," Robin said quietly. "It was a pretty good peanut butter sandwich. They should, um, just serve those instead."
Batman narrowed his eyes. Robin would never call a peanut butter sandwich 'pretty good'. The Boy Wonder only liked peanut butter on bananas and celery, not slathered between two pieces of bread. Also, the teenager's voice was shaking noticeably.
"What happened, Robin?"
"Huh?"
"While I was gone, what happened?"
"A, um, guard brought dinner and I ate it."
"Then why do you sound so scared?"
Robin took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. It was over, the guard was gone and he was safe. For now.
"I'm fine, Batman, I just ate quickly and my mouth is sticky."
"You need some water, kiddo? I have half a bottle out here for you."
"Maybe later. I'm fine for now. Thanks."
His partner had made a valiant effort but Batman could still detect a trace of fear in the boy's voice. Someone had either threatened him or gone in and done something to him.
"Whatever he said, I'm not going to let it happen, chum," Batman said firmly.
"Nothing happened, Batman, I'm fine!"
Now there was guilt mixed in with the fear. But the Caped Crusader understood why Robin would lie about something like this. Whoever had threatened him had the power to follow through. The Boy Wonder had enough enemies in this place; he didn't need a guard added to the list.
Batman heard heavy breathing, rhythmic pounding and counting. Robin was doing cardio. He grinned slightly; the boy was going to be stronger than any villain in this place by the time this was all over.
Several hours later:
The bell screeched for the final time – lights out.
"Uh, Batman, I think I see part of the Bat-signal. It could be a cloud, though."
Batman stood up and glanced through the window. The Bat-signal was indeed glowing brightly in the night sky.
"Interesting," Batman commented as he sat down and leaned against the wall.
"WHAT?!" Robin yelled.
"Robin," Batman sighed, "I'm not going out there to help them for several reasons. First, they are the ones that put you in here. Second, they can find out for themselves how much they need us. Third, I'm not leaving you here alone. Fourth…"
"Come on, Batman! Something bad has happened and they need your help! They didn't have a choice about me, they already know that they need us and I'm here alone whether you're out in the hallway or not. Are you going to let something bad happen to the innocent citizens of Gotham City? I'm fine but obviously somebody out there is not. GO!"
Robin had made some good points, Batman conceded. Could he really let an innocent citizen be hurt because he, the hero, was mad at the entire police department? But was he really going to leave Robin, who had sounded almost terrified after dinner?
"I. Am. Fine!" Robin declared. "I can hear you debating in your mind. All I'm going to do is go to sleep. Both a certain someone and I will be disappointed if you don't do your job!"
"Fine," Batman ground out, "but I'm back here right after I've fixed it."
"You should get some Bat-bars on your way back," Robin stated, attempting to sound indifferent. "Then you won't have to eat the mush."
And you won't have to eat peanut butter sandwiches.
Batman almost chuckled at Robin's tone. Bat-bars were better for both of them, anyway.
"Good idea, chum. Try to sleep."
"Yeah," Robin responded. "You, too. Maybe in the Batcave. It's much more comfortable there and you need a good night's sleep."
Ignoring the comment, Batman said, "I'll be back before you wake up."
And then he was gone.
Two hours later:
Someone was whispering outside his cell. Robin sat up and quietly moved toward the door. He caught the words 'watch' and 'ready' but then the voices stopped. There was a different sound now – fingers flying across a keyboard – and then the creak of a solid steel door slowly opening.
Robin immediately jumped to his feet. He was in the exact center of his small cell, legs apart and arms folded across his chest. Both his body language and his eyes oozed confidence and strength. The small, rectangular patch of moonlight fell across his chest, highlighting the spot over his heart where the golden 'R' usually resided.
"Well, hello, Robbie-boy."
Joker. How had Joker been able to get up here and open the door?
"Howz yur head, kid?"
Oh. He had a guard in his pocket. Of course he did, he was the most dangerous villain in this place. No wonder this particular guard had always been so short with him.
"It's fine," Robin answered casually. "How's your nose, Joker?"
"It's fine," the villain mimicked. "You know it was ketchup, right? Yours, however, was real blood."
Robin rolled his eyes in the near-darkness. It had obviously been a trap and he, novice prisoner that he was, had walked right into it.
"How many guards do you have in your pocket, Joker?"
"Oh, two or three," the man replied flippantly as he strolled into Robin's cell.
Joker stopped when he was a foot away. He poked Robin's shoulder but the boy didn't even flinch. So, the man slapped him lightly on the back. Again, Robin didn't make even the tiniest movement.
"Let's go, Boy Blunder," the villain cackled quietly. "Just you and me, like you yelled in the yard. Close the door!"
The last sentence was a loud command and the door slammed shut.
"Let there be light," Joker whispered menacingly.
Through the small hole near the top of the door, a bright ray of light burst into Robin's cell, momentarily blinding him. Joker got in a lucky punch, his fist slamming into the right side of the boy's face. But that side was numb, and Robin didn't even feel it.
The light softened as his eyes adjusted and Robin saw Joker's next punch heading toward his already broken nose. He ducked and shoved his right shoulder into the villain's chest, just as he had done in the previous riot. Joker stumbled back but the wall saved him from tumbling to the ground.
Robin was fast and his fists were flying around the body of the villain before Joker even had a chance to stand up straight.
"Wait, stop, please!" Joker began whining as he started sliding toward the ground. "I'll leave, just stop, please."
"Right," Robin grunted sarcastically.
His next punch hit Joker's nose and this time it wasn't ketchup that spurted out.
"Owie, help, help!" the villain screeched as he landed hard on his back.
More light flooded into the cell and the side of the guard's nightstick hit the back of Robin's head. He saw double but knew he couldn't let up. So, he turned to confront his new attacker.
The guard was taller and had the advantage of not already being injured. He pushed the broad side of his nightstick against Robin's throat and shoved the boy into the wall that was two feet behind him.
"Hold it, Joker," he snarled.
Joker was suddenly there again, blood streaming out of his nose, and pushing the black weapon against the boy's throat as hard as he could. Robin was trapped and running out of air. He grabbed the nightstick and tried to pull it away but his hands were instantly yanked behind him. When the teenager felt the cold, biting metal of handcuffs, he knew it was his day to die.
He was choking, had no way to defend himself, the guard was on Joker's side and Batman was answering the Bat-signal. Black spots were filling his vision and his legs felt like jelly. One Joker became three wobbling clowns right before the nightstick was ripped away.
Robin fell to his knees and curled into himself, gasping for air.
"Leave us," Joker demanded and the teenager heard the door close.
Grabbing the dark hair, the villain lifted Robin's head and glared into his eyes. He expected to see terror, or at least a little bit of fear, but the boy was glaring back in defiance.
"Aw, come on, it's not fun if you're not scared," the villain complained.
Yanking his head away, Robin rolled onto his side, twisting his body through the circle created by his arms. He was instantly on his feet again, his cuffed hands in front of him and raised in defense.
"Wow, that was pretty impressive," Joker commented, a touch of surprise in his tone. "Well, let's try again."
The villain advanced but Robin was already prepared. He swung his arms up, a satisfied smirk flashing across his face when the hard metal of the handcuffs connected with Joker's chin. The man's head snapped back and the boy didn't waste time. Swinging his arms sideways this time, he whipped the villain's head over the man's right shoulder.
"He…lp," Joker whimpered as he crumpled to the ground.
Robin, however, cut him off before he could say anything else. Dropping to his knees by the fallen villain, the teenager placed his hands over the man's mouth. Joker's blood was dribbling over his hands but the young crime-fighter didn't care.
"Just you and me, right?" Robin snarled softly. "Even with my hands tied I can beat you."
"But canya do it with yur hands tied behind yur back?"
The guard had re-entered without Robin noticing it. His nightstick connected with Robin's upper back and the boy arched in pain. Joker's deceptively strong hands grabbed the teenager's wrists, preventing him from avoiding the next hit that collided with his right sight. Everyone heard the loud 'crack' and Robin grunted as his already-aching chest began throbbing.
His attention was diverted as the Boy Wonder attempted to breathe through the pain. Before he knew what was happening, his hands were behind his back again. This time the guard crossed Robin's wrists and slapped the cuffs around his forearms. There would be no circle to escape through.
Standing up, the guard pulled Robin to his feet then helped Joker stand up.
"Leave…"
"I know," the guard interrupted. "Can you actually do it this time?" he muttered quietly.
Joker didn't hear the comment but Robin did. He grinned through the pain in his torso as he straightened up. The villain was going to win in the end, the teenager had already accepted that, but that didn't mean he had to make it easy.
Robin remembered Joker's creepy song, about not leaving the baby bird alive. He, Robin, had taken some of Batman's attention and for that he was about to die. But not before he did some damage of his own.
"Ready to try again?" Robin asked defiantly.
Joker stared at the boy, furious. He was supposed to be down already, but he had beaten the man twice! It was embarrassing and infuriating, knowing that he couldn't beat a mere boy unless the kid's hands were literally tied behind his back.
"You and me, kid," the villain growled as he stepped forward.
Robin's high pain tolerance and continuous inability to listen to his body allowed him to momentarily forget the throbbing of his ribs and face. Lifting his right foot, the teenager kicked the man in the gut. Joker's torso curved in and the Boy Wonder had his knee ready. He shoved it up just as the man's head was going down. Kneecap and forehead connected and Joker screamed in agony. The mop of green hair flopped back as the villain's head snapped back for the second time in less than five minutes.
Robin calmly followed it up with another kick, this time with his left foot. In one fluid movement, the Boy Wonder switched his weight onto his right foot and swung his left leg up, hitting the side of Joker's head and causing the man to collapse to the ground. Sighing in relief, the teenager bent over and gasped for air through the pain of his broken ribs. He heard movement and was surprised that the villain was getting up already.
Joker, blood sliding down the side of his head, unsteadily made it to his feet. Glaring daggers at the young crime-fighter, he staggered toward the boy and swung. Robin ducked then shoved his shoulder into the man's chest. Again. Joker stumbled back but was able to grab the boy's arms as he started to fall. The villain's back hit a wall so he pushed off and spun them around, slamming Robin's body into the wall.
There was another 'crack' from the boy's chest. Joker grinned and tossed Robin away from the wall. The teenager's feet got tangled and he fell, hitting his head on the edge of the toilet before landing hard on his left side. Blood streamed from the wound but Joker wasn't done.
Using Robin's upper arms, the villain pulled the boy to his feet and shoved him back. The teenager was dizzy from the hit to his head and he tripped over nothing, landing on his back this time. His head bounced off the hard ground and he couldn't breathe.
"Thirsty for more, Boy Blunder?" Joker cackled as he knelt by the limp body.
"Joke's on you," Robin retorted.
He abruptly sat up and slammed his own forehead into that of Joker. Fireworks exploded in his mind but he knew this was a fight for his life. Shaking his aching head, Robin unsteadily got to his feet, using the wall for support. Joker was sitting against the wall that was six feet away, groaning.
"Give up?" the Boy Wonder whispered.
"Never to you," Joker growled back.
He, too, was unsteady but the villain wasn't going to allow a sidekick to take him down. Standing up, he decided to take the direct route. The boy wouldn't be able to defend himself against Joker's trusty knife. Reaching into his pocket, Joker was surprised to find that it wasn't there.
"Looking for this?" Robin murmured with a smirk. "Joke's on you again."
Robin was leaning against the wall, standing on his left leg. His right was bent, with his foot off the ground. The short, easy-to-hide knife was perfectly balanced on the Boy Wonder's right knee. Before Joker could even move, Robin tossed it in the air and snapped his right foot out. Both his timing and aim were perfect, and the knife flew through the bars of the rectangle that led outside.
"Noooooo!" Joker whined loudly. "That was my best one!"
Furious and frustrated, the villain went on the offensive. Robin had inadvertently trapped himself in the corner where the solid door met the wall. This time it was Joker unleashing a flurry of punches and the teenager was soon on the floor, gasping for air.
He had nothing left. Several ribs were broken, his face and torso were on fire and he couldn't see through the blood streaming from his head in several different places. But he was Robin, the Boy Wonder, and he wasn't going to give up.
Joker, however, wasn't going to waste time talking. He picked Robin up again and slammed him against the wall. Then he shoved him toward the toilet and the teenager's head connected with the edge for a second time. The Boy Wonder dropped limply to the floor, still conscious but lacking the strength to continue the fight.
"Stay," Joker commanded, stepping over the motionless form and pushing the button to flush the toilet.
"We want to use nice, clean water, right?" he cackled.
Robin stared blankly at the villain through cloudy vision and wondered why the man wasn't punching him anymore. He received an almost immediate answer when he was yanked to his knees right next to the toilet.
"Bye-bye, Robbie-boy. I'll miss you…for two seconds."
Joker shoved Robin's head down into the water but snarled when he realized there wasn't enough to cover the boy's face. All he had accomplished was smacking the teenager's forehead on the metal side and opening a new wound.
"Wait here," the villain commanded again, leaving the Boy Wonder slumped against the outside edge.
He walked away and started talking to the guard at the door. Robin idly watched blood slide into the water and wished he hadn't been so adamant about Batman leaving. But, at least the innocent citizen would be safe.
The Boy Wonder was startled when Joker returned. He was carrying two water bottles, which he immediately dumped over Robin's head. Then he pushed the teenager's head down again, and this time it was deep enough to cover his face.
Robin's sluggish mind yelled at him to fight back. Every muscle was on fire and begging for oxygen. He was exhausted, but he was Batman's sidekick. So, he pushed against Joker's hand, his neck muscles screaming in agony as he tried to lift his head. The man pushed harder and the boy's vision went dark. Just before he faded into nothingness, he heard:
"The Bat! Joker, let's go!"
"Just a little longer," Joker hissed but the guard was pushing the door closed.
"Okay, wait!" the villain yelled.
He stood up and kicked the small torso. The boy's limp body twisted slightly but only from the force of the kick. With a satisfied grin, Joker fled out the door just before the guard shut it. Finally Batman's attention would be back on him and they could play games forever.
Unbeknownst to either man, the slight twist had allowed half of Robin's face to exit the water. Both air and water flowed through his mouth with every shallow breath. It was only a matter of time before the elements decided which one would take control.