A/N) Here's chapter two! Enjoy.
Tim groans as he straightens from his stiff curved position over his desk as the bell deafens above, his spine cracking between vertebrae and hair tickling his tired eyes as he swats at them and knuckles his eye socket.
Long nights. Long days.
Being Robin had its downsides obviously but it wasn't nearly as irritating and stressful as being smart average Joe Tim Drake. Robin could solve problems with brain's and-or intelligence.
Tim Drake has to downplay intelligence and physical strength and struggles to solve and balance everyday issues regularly. That and his Dad was making things harder by insisting he go out more with people his age or better yet, join the football team.
Insert eye roll that he hides behind his fathers back.
Ever since the man became wheelchair bound he seems to find an awful lot of interest in his son's social life. That hadn't been much of an issue before so Tim can't say he's used to it. Or that he likes the focus and attention and borderline nagging his Dad has taken to doing now.
"Mr. Drake, can I have a moment."
Tim stops in the midst of rustling paper and drops his Basics in Chemistry text that he memorized when he was like thirteen...
"Uh- yes?" Tim tries to tamp down the automatic list of excuses that bubbles in his brain for any possible late or missed assignments.
"I can't help noticing, but you seem tired, is everything alright at home? I heard about your father, terrible."
Oh.
That.
Well of course he'd heard about that, it was all over Gotham's news pages. Gotham Elite goes crippled.
Tim sighs. Play the part of the tired son trying to bravely keep it together.
"Yeah, thanks Sir, everything is fine, just get less sleep than I should like- what with dad's pains and therapies." Tim says with balanced amounts of fragility and maturity.
He can see when the 'adults' eyes light up, as intrigue and slight concern battle each other in his head. Being the confidant of a rich kid of Gotham, despite his father's down drop, could have benefits after all.
"Oh well, I hope it goes well. If you need anything, I'm happy to lend a hand."
Sure.
"Thank you, sir. Was that all?" Please, I just want to get in an hour of sleep before tonight's patrol.
"Hmm-" Mr. Albertsons seems lost for a second. "- oh yes, here, the office wanted me to give you this, a fundraiser ball is being held for the potent figures of our city and they wanted to know if your father could make it."
Probably won't.
"Sure Mr. A, I'll let him know." Tim says and takes the thick grey envelope form the teacher. "See you Monday."
"Have a good weekend Tim."
Sure, yeah. That'll be something if he could.
That night he finds himself way too distracted to bother with remembering the invitation stashed in his bag, that and his father had gone out on a late physical therapy session with that strange young lady named Dana.
He ignores the obvious signs that his father might be getting into physical therapy for the wrong reasons.
"You'll never take me alive bird boy!"
Robin sighs. It was a long night, Riddler broke out of Arkham yesterday and went into hiding, obviously planning tonight's caper... problem was, it's under the threat to get the entire city under lock down and possibly flood the bay into the city, which would be disasters use.
Also, Robin is pretty sure someone is helping him, but neither he nor Batman know who it is yet, Nightwing was going to come lend a hand if this got worse and the current Batgirl was rounding up henchmen in the south while Robin took the north side.
Oracle is keeping tabs on everyone and updating for the next riddle or explosive that she finds from her base.
"Keep a close tail Robin. This one might actually know something." Oracles digital voice crackles in his ear. "He was the one Riddler closest henchmen back on the maze case."
Robin sighs. "Got it." He swings his arm back and around and lets a rope boomerang go. It hits its mark and snags the crooks legs spinning round and trying his legs together sending the bags moth stumbling down with only his chin to break his landing.
"Get off a me, psycho bird!" The man squeals when Robin lands in front of him and grabs his jacket tightly, lifting the man up to wet level trying to appear fierce. He's tired. No mood for fun tonight.
"Ok Wolington, I'm only going to ask once." He sneers. "Where is the toddlers hiding this time?"
The thug scoffs. "I ain't squealing."
Robin catalogs the mans' fear levels. Not high. Hmm-
"Ok how about we do this another way?"
"You can't do nothin' to me- I ain't scared a ya. You ain't the bat-"
Robin's had enough. He drags the man to a suitably high place and shoved him off the edge.
The man screams for a choked second before he stops hard."
"How about now?"
"I-I ain't talkin'!"
Fear factor rising. Robin doesn't really care for these tactics but times running out and Riddler will make good on his threat and if this head henchy has info, they need it.
"Fine." Robin cuts the line."
The cable begins to fray.
The man quivers, blood rushing to his head, the height makes his stomach flip inside out, eyes sockets weighing by gravity and then he watches the strands snap one... by one... by one...
"Barstow Distillery! He's in-" the man chokes a son and squeak -"Gotham's old distillery!"
Robin nods. "Thanks."
And he walks away. The last strand snaps. The man curses to hell and falls... sheer panics laces his voice as he falls for what he thinks will be fifteen feet.
It's only five.
He hits his head on the fire escape below violently cracking sound and he's knocked out.
Maybe that was extra harsh but he has a mission to-
Robins senses skitter he spins around, cape fluttering to hide any graphed movements and shoots out a bird-a-rang.
"Hey!" A decidedly female voice squeaks when the object makes a loud clinking noise next to her head where she was hiding behind the AC unit.
The heck?
"Dude, tense much?" A purple clad girl reveals herself and Robin feels his irritation levels rise.
"I thought I told you to drop the cape."
He should have known better.
"You did. I took a break... and now I'm back."
Like that was supposed to make this better?
"Go home." He doesn't have time for this. He turns away ready to disregard the wannabe taps his head case. "Robin to Oracle, henchy said Barstow distillery."
"Copy that, Batgirl is en route. Meet her there. Another dam just burst, the west side is flooding, it's not looking good out there."
"Got it, I'll update you on anything we find."
He's ready to cast his line when a sharp 'ahem' stops him.
"Didn't you hear me?"
"I know who Riddler is working with."
That... gives him pause.
He looks at her fidgeting awkwardly at his sudden scrutiny.
"Who is it?" He narrows his eyes at her behind his mask. This girl just got way more suspicious.
"He calls himself Cluemaster."
Well... that was lame.
"I bet Riddler loves that." The man was an ego maniac, Robin doubts this partnership would end in anything but double cross.
"So yeah." She shrugs.
"What does that have to do with you?"
Her sock covered head tilts at him. "Conflict of interest well just say."
That doesn't make sense. Never mind, he doesn't have time.
"Robin where are you?"
Dammit.
"Okay thanks." He raises his arm and shoots it off.
"Wait!"
He doesn't. He swings off and heads to the distillery to hopefully end this nightmare.
Unfortunately, it gets worse before it can get better.
"Look out!"
Robin gasps as one of the new psycho's traps nearly cuts off his head. It would have if an eggplant clad body didn't barrel him over painfully, but successfully, saving his head.
Her hard shove sends them rolling across the debris ridden distillery floor. Somewhere Robin is aware of two things. This Cluemaster likes to talk... a lot. Batgirl doesn't have a problem getting to him and knocking his loud mouth out.
And two, a warm curvy lush body is pressed against his Kevlar and he kinda wishes he wasn't wearing any for a bleary moment.
Then he realizes this is all a distraction and Riddler is probably finishing the plot and they're wasting time here playing with a third rate jerk-wad wanna be criminal...
Also. Purple girl is here.
"Hey, I hope that fall didn't break your brain?"
"What are you doing?!"
She huffs and sits up, effectively straddling him in the middle of a battle. Not ideal for anyone.
"I was trying to tell you! I was coming. You're real rude for a 'superhero' you know." She has the nerve to sound offended as she air-quotes superhero.
"Are you crazy, you could get-!" He jerks and snatches her by her shoulders and yanks them out of the way of a falling piece of burning crate.
"Phew, that was a close one."
Oh my God. No.
"Get out get away! You'll get us killed!"
"No!"
"Robin!" Batgirl yells uncharacteristically.
Too late.
"Got you, Bird blunder!"
Purple girl gasps jumps in front of Robin as Cluemaster swings his weapon probably gifted to him by Riddler, and before anyone can stop her she barrels into the man and ends up in a messy tussle oblivious to the burning building around them.
"Batgirl get purple out of here!"
"Robin what's going on, connection is weak, Batman is-" Oracle buzzed out and in."Riddler has been apprehended, get out of there!"
"We gotta go!"
"Not until he pays for what he did!" Purple girl screams a she lungs for the taunting blond man in the ugly orange jumper.
"I don't know who you are little girl, but you and your teenybopper groupies are way in over your head here- I have full control and Batman will give me my due battle! Not send his pathetic children after me."
"Pathetic Children?!" Purple screeches and punches the man in the guts then effectively kicks him across the head, knocking him out...
Well... there's something to be unpacked her for sure.
The ceiling was burning and cracking above them. No time to unpack anything.
He grabs purple girl around her middle clamping her arms to her sides and lifts her up easily as she flails blindly in his iron grip.
"Get Cluemaster." He shouts above the roaring fire to Batgirl who's already grabbing the pathetic villain wannabe by the suit.
"Lemme go, lemme go! He deserves more than that!" Purple girl yells and kicks and struggles as Robin gets them out, Batgirl close behind just as the building caves in.
Gotham really needs to start getting rid dog empty warehouses around here. Villains like them too much.
He drops the girl unceremoniously on the ground.
"Hey!" She snaps, rubbing her butt and if her mask had holes he's pretty sure she would be burning holes in his face.
"That was incredibly dangerous who are you and what did you think you were doing!"
He's had enough. Batgirl stands a bit away, tying up Cluemaster but regarding Robin and the new girl calmly.
"Stop trying to tell me what to do! I had him!"
"The place is on fire and no, you didn't!"
"I knocked him out!"
Robin sputters, that had been mildly impressive he won't admit. "Well, you aren't supposed to be here anyway!"
"Hah! I don't take orders form you! You can't monopolize being a cape, bird boy." She snarls at him and Robin rubs at his forehead.
"You can't just jump in like this! It could kill you or someone else! Do you want that on your conscience?"
She pauses, her fire dies down a bit and she glances at the unconscious man they apprehended.
Robin hopes this is the end of it because if not-
"I had to get him. You don't understand, I had to."
Oh brother.
A vengeance thing then. Great. Because they needed another one of those in this city.
"Well he's got, whoever he is."
"Arthur brown a petty criminal that idolizes and hates Riddler and wants to be a big name in Gotham but he's so lame the only way he can do that is by being a worse criminal..."she says fluently like she studied this. Like being a deadbeat dad wasn't bad enough." She mutters at the end.
That... had so many implications.
"Listen. You're making this harder than it needs to be."
"Says the kettle to the pot."
"The only reason your still anonymous is because Batman doesn't know about you and I haven't dug into you." He continues. "But believe me if I do and if he does... you really won't have a choice to stop."
Her body language didn't like that. "Do I have one now?"
Robin valiantly doesn't sigh, "no, not really."
It's quiet except for Cluemasters groaned and the hot fire crackling behind them, making their shadows formed flicker in the orange light.
"Robin. Police." Batgirl says, voice soft against the blaze behind her black clad silhouette.
Right.
He doesn't have much else to say to the girl. He feels a bit uncomfortable at her silence because so far she didn't seem like a silent person.
But he really doesn't have anything to add, and he tries not to feel too much like a jackass as he and Batgirl tie Cluemaster against a lamppost.
"You should leave also." Batgirl says to Purple girl quietly as they make their way to the nearest shadows.
Robin doesn't know what happens to Purple girl after that.
But he'd be lying if he said he kinda wanted to know who she was... he probably would have figured it out if she pushed him a little further.
Too bad.
He never tells Batman any of that either.