A Different Game Part 1 c



Tim Drake sat behind a glass partition in Gotham's JDC. He watched as his father walked down a row of similar cubicles holding other juveniles and their visitors. Tim weakly smiled at his father as Jack Drake sat down.

"Tim?"

"Hi Dad," Tim said, trying desperately not to sound upset.

"I've got our lawyer trying to find out exactly what's going on, " Jack replied.

Tim looked at his father, then down to the gray metal table beneath him. Without looking back at his father, he responded, "They want to kill us."

"What?"

"They want to kill us. Dick and me. They're going to ask a judge on Monday."

"Tim, are you saying that they're going to try you capitally?"

"If that means they're asking for the death penalty, yeah. Dad, I want to go home," Tim implored as he looked up at his father.

Jack Drake felt his chest tighten as he watched his son's pleading eyes. Tim was only sixteen. He was a child. How could the state want to kill a child? Home. Bail. If this was the State's plan, they wouldn't give him bail. "Tim, son, I don't think that'll be possible right now."

"Why? Dad, I promise. I'll do whatever you tell me. Please don't be mad at me. Please take me home with you."

"Tim, I am not mad with you. Disappointed, but not mad."

"Dad," Tim started with a sigh.

"No, listen to me. You're my child, I don't care what you've done. I'd take you home if I could. But, if the state's proceeding capitally, they won't give you a bond."

"So I'll have to stay here?"

"For now."

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Dick Grayson lay on his bunk. For now, he was in a cell alone. He didn't know how long that luxury would last. He thought about everything that had happened. The day had moved at a fast pace and yet, at the same time, seemed to happen in slow motion. They said Bruce was dead. But he knew he wasn't. If Bruce were really dead, he'd know. He'd feel it. Wouldn't he? It had only been a few short months since Bruce had officially made him his son, legitimizing what they had known in their hearts for years. He couldn't be dead. They still had so much to do, to say, to live.

"Stop thinking emotionally Grayson, think rationally. Think the way you've been taught. Okay, they think Bruce is dead. They're wrong, but let's go with the thought. Why do they think Tim and I are suspects? Naturally, you always try to rule out family first. I'm Bruce's only legal family so I'm suspect number one. But Jacobs didn't try to rule me out. He's been operating like he knows I'm guilty. Why would he think that?"

Dick thought back to his apartment. The clothes. The clothes have blood on them. Bruce's blood. "Just great." But they couldn't know it's Bruce's blood yet. They would be able to figure it out, but they wouldn't know yet. So why arrest them now? "He knew Tim's name," Dick said aloud as he sat up on his bunk. "He knew who Tim was and he expected him to be at my apartment. How?"

Fingerprints? No. Dick had prints on file, but Tim didn't. How did they know about Tim? How was Tim? How was he handling being in JDC? Dick thought back, so many years ago. Twelve years ago, he sat alone in a cell in JDC. If it hadn't been for Bruce, who knows how long that scared little gypsy boy would have stayed there. What would Dick have been if not for Bruce?

Dick felt a tear fall from his eye, "Bruce," he whispered, "where are you now?"

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Barbara and her father arrived in Gotham City on their non-stop flight from Chicago. Alfred Pennyworth greeted them in the airport.

"How's Dick?" Barbara asked as she wheeled herself over to the older gentleman.

"I'm afraid they will not allow me to see him, Miss Barbara."

"Because Saturday's not visiting hours," Jim chimed in. "I may not be commissioner anymore, but I do still have connections. I'll see what I can do to get the two of you in to see him tonight. If not, I know I can get you in tomorrow."

"Thanks Daddy," Barbara said with a weak smile. Then turning back to Alfred, she took the old man's hand, "Any news?"

"I'm afraid not. Neither Doctor Thompkins nor myself have been allowed into the Manor. The police have sealed it off while they do their investigation."

"Who identified the body?" Jim asked as the three of them moved through the airport.

"The coroner contacted Doctor Thompkins for a DNA sample of Master Bruce's. The tests won't be back until Monday morning. Master Dick's arraignment is Monday afternoon."

"Why DNA?" Gordon asked, although he had a sickening feeling he already knew the answer to the question.

"The body is supposedly beyond human recognition. It was burned."

"I just know it's not Bruce," Barbara stated. "When the DNA comes back that it's not Bruce they'll let Dick and Tim go. Then we can all get to the bottom of this. I've contacted Dinah, Cassie and Jean-Paul, they should have already started a search for Bruce."

Alfred stopped in his tracks at Barbara's words. Both Gordon's had continued moving and then stopped when they noticed Alfred was no longer beside them. Turning around they found him stopped where he was. Jim Gordon approached him, "What's wrong?"

Alfred looked Jim squarely in the eye, "You know."

"I've known for years," Jim responded as he placed his hand on Alfred's shoulder. "Now lets see what we can do to save the men and boy who've saved this city so many times over the years. What about the Wayne lawyers, have they been able to see Dick?"

"I'm afraid the Wayne lawyers will not be assisting Master Dick."

"What? Why not?" Barbara yelled. "I called and left a very clear message ..."

"The prosecuting attorney has placed an injunction on all the Wayne holdings preventing Master Dick from having any type of access whatsoever to the estate. Something called a slayer statute."

Barbara crinkled her nose at this. She knew about this. Should have known they would use it in this situation. But Barbara wasn't exactly thinking very clearly now. "That's okay, Dick can afford good representation. I have his power of attorney. He gave it to me, in case something happened where I'd need it. Lets go back to my place, I'll start researching who to hire. Alfred, why don't you call Leslie and have her meet us there. I...I don't think any of us should be alone."

"I quite agree Miss Barbara," Alfred replied, then with a tired look in his eyes continued, "but I'm afraid all of my charges are alone right now."

Barbara took his hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

To be continued ...