ROBBIE MALONE CH.4
Dick slid down the wall onto the floor. Solitary cells didn't even have a bunk. His hand applying pressure to the bleeding wound at the back of his neck. As his vision started to blur, he closed his eyes shaking his head back and forth.
"You've accomplished a whole hell'uva a lot Grayson. You don't know anymore than you did your first day here, and now you're in Lock-up. Next time someone has to come to Blackgate, I volunteer Roy."
Dick groaned as he leaned his head over on his knees.
***********************************************************************
"Come in." Paul Drew said as he heard the tapping at his door.
"Got a minute Warden." Eddie Maltz replied as he entered the office.
"Certainly Eddie. Do come in. What can I do for you?"
"We was just wondering when we get to go out again? Oh, and I just wanted you to know that new guy got himself put in lock-up today."
"Robbie?"
"Yeah. Jeffers took him. Fight in the cafeteria. Funny thing, Malone wasn't involved, but then he butted in."
"Interesting. How has he fit in with you and the boys?"
"He ain't Torres. But we ain't questioning you."
"He has a lot of promise for our group. Thank you Eddie for the information. I'll let you boys know when I've got another job for you."
Warden Drew turned toward his window after Eddie Maltz left his office. Why had Robbie involved himself in an altercation that didn't concern him. Malone seemed to be a smart kid. He should have known better than to become involved in someone else's business. Malone didn't exactly strike him as the Good Samaritan type. So why involve himself in a fight that wasn't his concern?
***********************************************************************
Dick stirred himself awake as he heard the clanging of metal doors. Was I asleep? How long? He heard a key in the lock of his door. Turning toward the sound, Dick started to rise from the floor. As the door opened, he saw Jeffers.
"Did we have a good night, Malone?" Jeffers asked sarcastically.
Dick's steel blue eyes just stared at the guard.
"Well come on, warden wants you."
Dick walked out of the cell. It took all of his control not to use Officer Jeffers as a floor mop. 'I've got a job to do, and I'm going to do it,' Dick thought to himself.
As they entered the Warden's office, Dick observed the man. He always seemed preoccupied with the view from his window. It was a good view of the Gotham skyline. Dick noticed he could see the Clock Tower in the distance.
"Have a seat Robbie." Drew began, and then to the officer, "Thank you, that will be all."
Jeffers left the room with a grunt.
"I hear you got into a little trouble yesterday."
"It was just a fight." Robbie Malone replied as he slid down in the chair.
"That you weren't involved in."
"It was something to do."
"Don't do it again." Paul Drew growled across his desk at the young man. "Understand."
Dick could read the man loud and clear. Paul Drew could be a very dangerous man when crossed. No wonder Maltz' boys had so readily accepted him. He came from the warden and they didn't want to cross this man.
"Yeah, I understand."
"There's a job tomorrow night. Your specialty, as I understand it, is locks. You'll take Torres' place. Maltz will explain your duties to you. Good day, Robbie." Drew said turning his back on his 'guest'.
Dick stood up, taking that as his cue to leave. He opened the door to find Jeffers waiting for him. They walked in silence to the weight room.
"Hey, Robbie."
"Snake." he said nodding his head. Then turning to Maltz, " Warden says we've got a job tomorrow. "
Maltz explained how they planned on hitting a jewelry store on Moench Row. As Maltz explained the plan to him, Dick's attention was drawn to the weight rooms window. He saw the warden outside. From the weight room, one had an excellent view of the warden's private boat dock. Drew was leaving the island. Dick had an idea.
"Sounds like a plan." Robbie replied. "I'm gonna head down to the infirmary and get this cut Jeffers gave me checked out. Don't want nothing getting in our way tomorrow."
Dick left the weight room heading in the direction of the infirmary. Then, when no one was watching, he turned left instead of right and backtracked his way to the warden's office. He came upon the office as the warden's secretary was entering the supply room. He quickly slipped, unnoticed, into the office.
Approaching the desk, he switched on the computer. With a few key strokes, he searched the data base until he found what he sought. Files listing jobs Maltz' gang had done since Warden Drew came to Blackgate; the loot taken; how the money was divided and between whom. Jackpot.
"Just what I needed." he said as his eyes skimmed the data. "Damn, I don't see Jeffers' name. I was hoping ... "
Dick sighed, then attached the file to an e-mail. With a few more key strokes, he sent the e-mail to Oracle. That should be enough evidence. The Commissioner can now have Robbie Malone transferred.
Dick started to exit the email program and bring back up the computer screen Drew had left on when the door opened. Jeffers.
"Damn it." he stated under his breath.
"What are you doin' here Malone? What are you up to? Waite, Peters, get in here." Jeffers barked.
Dick slowly stood up as the other guards entered the office.
"What's he doing here?" Waite asked.
"This is not what it looks like." Dick started. "I'm not ..." He stopped. Paul Drew stood in the doorway.
"You're not what Robbie?" Drew asked.
"Doin' nothing, warden." he replied with a smile.
"He was at your computer warden." Jeffers spoke up.
"Really." the warden said as he walked around to the computer, the e- mail was seventy percent sent. Drew hit the power button disconnecting the computer and stopping the e-mail. "Officer Jeffers, I believe Robbie needs another night in lock-up. He seems to have forgotten his manners."
"My pleasure warden. Come on you." Jeffers said grabbing Dick by the arm.
"No! You don't understand about the warden. It's not what you UGH!" Dick fell on one knee as he clutched the back of his neck. Jeffers had hit him with his baton in the same spot as last night. Before Dick could get up, Jeffers hit him several more times with the baton in the same area.
"Stop it!" he heard Waite say before he lost consciousness.
"Take him to lock-up." Drew said as he sat down behind his desk. He cut on the computer. What were you looking for Malone? He searched the computer, then he saw the attachment.
"Well, who are you Robbie Malone?"
Paul Drew buzzed his secretary who had returned to her desk.
"Have Eddie Maltz sent to my office." He turned to the window. "It's a shame. I had such hope to rehabilitate Robbie. It's such a tragedy that he tried to escape and was killed." he practiced aloud.
***********************************************************************
"Ugh. Oh." Dick clutched at the back of his head. He was bleeding again. He blinked his eyes, clearing his blurring vision. He was in a solitary cell. How long had he been here? How long had he been unconscious??
"I've got to get out of here now." He searched the room. There was no way out. Especially since he didn't have anything to work with. He listened outside the door until he heard footsteps. "Gotta take a chance."
Dick started beating on the cell door.
"Hey! I'm bleeding in here. I need a doctor!"
He moved into position and hoped someone would open the door.
Officer Waite heard Robbie Malone's pleas for a doctor. Jeffers beating Malone earlier had deeply troubled him. The kid probably did need a doctor. He took out his key and opened the cell door. As he walked in, he was hit so fast, he was unconscious before he knew he had been hit.
Dick looked down at Waite's unconscious body.
"Sorry. You're one of the few decent guys around here."
Dick took off in a run. It was time to leave Blackgate. He began to maze his way through the prison's stone and cement walls. As he rounded a corner, he ran into Eddie Maltz and Snake. They each pulled a knife and began a threatening approach. Dick jumped high and level, both legs extended. His boots connected with each man's jaw and they fell unconscious at his feet.
Finally he was in the exercise yard. He started sprinting toward the wall, when Officer Jeffers saw him. Jeffers started shooting , drawing the attention of the guards in the watch tower. Soon Dick was dodging bullets from all sides. He reached the wall. With a desperate leap he gained his hold and began scaling the wall amid gunfire. Once at the top, he somersaulted onto the beach below.
He was only a few minutes ahead of the armed guards who followed him. He had to find Bruce's package fast. Then he saw it, the large rock with a midnight blue wing painted on it. He rolled the rock over, removing the back pack. He opened it.
"Thanks Bruce!" and took off in a run. He had to change, but the guards were closing in on him. He started up a ledge and into the underbrush. His breathing was heavy. He watched as the guards ran past on the beach below him. Dick quickly pulled off the green prison jumpsuit and even faster put on his uniform.
It was Nightwing who traversed the wall to Warden Drew's private dock. A few well placed batarangs and the guards who watched the boat were out for the night. Nightwing jumped in the boat, starting the engine. More guards ran up on the dock. Nightwing moved the boat from the island as bullets whizzed by his head.
The Warden was on the dock. He and the guards leapt into another boat pursuing Nightwing.
***********************************************************************
"Batman!" Robin called out across the cave. "The tracking devise you put on Warden Drew's boat shows the boat's left it's dock. And the tracking devise you put in Nightwing's costume is on the boat."
"Let's go." Batman said as he headed for the Batwing. Robin closely following.
The Batwing silently left the hanger and headed toward the harbor. They spotted the two boats. Saw the gunfire. The Batwing flew low hovering over the lead boat. A ladder extended down from the plane. Nightwing grabbed hold swinging up. The Batwing rose in altitude away from the pursuing boat.
***********************************************************************
James Gordon and detectives from the GCPD entered Warden Drew's office.
"Gordon." Drew said standing up behind his desk.
"I have a warrant to take possession of that computer. The State's department of corrections is sending in new administrators. Officer Waite will be in charge until they come in. There will be a lot of changes here."
"Yes, Commissioner, a lot of changes." Officer Waite said as he entered the office. "My first order of business is suspending Officer Jeffers for using excessive force against the prisoners."
"Good idea, Waite." Jim Gordon said remembering Nightwing's story about the brutal officer.
***********************************************************************
Dick and Bruce changed into their normal clothes in the cave. Their meeting with Gordon had went well.
"It's nice." Dick said.
"What?"
"Being at home. In my own clothes."
"Hard few weeks?" Bruce said with a wink.
"What do you think?" Dick said with a grin.
"Staying tonight?"
"I was thinking of heading over to a certain girl's place."
Bruce started to leave the room, then turned back to Dick. "Good job."
Dick smiled.
***********************************************************************
She smiled sweetly as she opened the door.
"Hey babe."
"Aren't you Robbie Malone?"
"That's what I've heard."
"You know, my Dad doesn't want me hanging out with known convicts."
"Really? I guess we just won't tell him."
"What? What's with that look? What have you got in mind?"
"You. You're on my mind. I've been without female companionship for almost two weeks. I plan to make you blush." he said with a wide grin as he entered the apartment and closed the door.
The End
Dick slid down the wall onto the floor. Solitary cells didn't even have a bunk. His hand applying pressure to the bleeding wound at the back of his neck. As his vision started to blur, he closed his eyes shaking his head back and forth.
"You've accomplished a whole hell'uva a lot Grayson. You don't know anymore than you did your first day here, and now you're in Lock-up. Next time someone has to come to Blackgate, I volunteer Roy."
Dick groaned as he leaned his head over on his knees.
***********************************************************************
"Come in." Paul Drew said as he heard the tapping at his door.
"Got a minute Warden." Eddie Maltz replied as he entered the office.
"Certainly Eddie. Do come in. What can I do for you?"
"We was just wondering when we get to go out again? Oh, and I just wanted you to know that new guy got himself put in lock-up today."
"Robbie?"
"Yeah. Jeffers took him. Fight in the cafeteria. Funny thing, Malone wasn't involved, but then he butted in."
"Interesting. How has he fit in with you and the boys?"
"He ain't Torres. But we ain't questioning you."
"He has a lot of promise for our group. Thank you Eddie for the information. I'll let you boys know when I've got another job for you."
Warden Drew turned toward his window after Eddie Maltz left his office. Why had Robbie involved himself in an altercation that didn't concern him. Malone seemed to be a smart kid. He should have known better than to become involved in someone else's business. Malone didn't exactly strike him as the Good Samaritan type. So why involve himself in a fight that wasn't his concern?
***********************************************************************
Dick stirred himself awake as he heard the clanging of metal doors. Was I asleep? How long? He heard a key in the lock of his door. Turning toward the sound, Dick started to rise from the floor. As the door opened, he saw Jeffers.
"Did we have a good night, Malone?" Jeffers asked sarcastically.
Dick's steel blue eyes just stared at the guard.
"Well come on, warden wants you."
Dick walked out of the cell. It took all of his control not to use Officer Jeffers as a floor mop. 'I've got a job to do, and I'm going to do it,' Dick thought to himself.
As they entered the Warden's office, Dick observed the man. He always seemed preoccupied with the view from his window. It was a good view of the Gotham skyline. Dick noticed he could see the Clock Tower in the distance.
"Have a seat Robbie." Drew began, and then to the officer, "Thank you, that will be all."
Jeffers left the room with a grunt.
"I hear you got into a little trouble yesterday."
"It was just a fight." Robbie Malone replied as he slid down in the chair.
"That you weren't involved in."
"It was something to do."
"Don't do it again." Paul Drew growled across his desk at the young man. "Understand."
Dick could read the man loud and clear. Paul Drew could be a very dangerous man when crossed. No wonder Maltz' boys had so readily accepted him. He came from the warden and they didn't want to cross this man.
"Yeah, I understand."
"There's a job tomorrow night. Your specialty, as I understand it, is locks. You'll take Torres' place. Maltz will explain your duties to you. Good day, Robbie." Drew said turning his back on his 'guest'.
Dick stood up, taking that as his cue to leave. He opened the door to find Jeffers waiting for him. They walked in silence to the weight room.
"Hey, Robbie."
"Snake." he said nodding his head. Then turning to Maltz, " Warden says we've got a job tomorrow. "
Maltz explained how they planned on hitting a jewelry store on Moench Row. As Maltz explained the plan to him, Dick's attention was drawn to the weight rooms window. He saw the warden outside. From the weight room, one had an excellent view of the warden's private boat dock. Drew was leaving the island. Dick had an idea.
"Sounds like a plan." Robbie replied. "I'm gonna head down to the infirmary and get this cut Jeffers gave me checked out. Don't want nothing getting in our way tomorrow."
Dick left the weight room heading in the direction of the infirmary. Then, when no one was watching, he turned left instead of right and backtracked his way to the warden's office. He came upon the office as the warden's secretary was entering the supply room. He quickly slipped, unnoticed, into the office.
Approaching the desk, he switched on the computer. With a few key strokes, he searched the data base until he found what he sought. Files listing jobs Maltz' gang had done since Warden Drew came to Blackgate; the loot taken; how the money was divided and between whom. Jackpot.
"Just what I needed." he said as his eyes skimmed the data. "Damn, I don't see Jeffers' name. I was hoping ... "
Dick sighed, then attached the file to an e-mail. With a few more key strokes, he sent the e-mail to Oracle. That should be enough evidence. The Commissioner can now have Robbie Malone transferred.
Dick started to exit the email program and bring back up the computer screen Drew had left on when the door opened. Jeffers.
"Damn it." he stated under his breath.
"What are you doin' here Malone? What are you up to? Waite, Peters, get in here." Jeffers barked.
Dick slowly stood up as the other guards entered the office.
"What's he doing here?" Waite asked.
"This is not what it looks like." Dick started. "I'm not ..." He stopped. Paul Drew stood in the doorway.
"You're not what Robbie?" Drew asked.
"Doin' nothing, warden." he replied with a smile.
"He was at your computer warden." Jeffers spoke up.
"Really." the warden said as he walked around to the computer, the e- mail was seventy percent sent. Drew hit the power button disconnecting the computer and stopping the e-mail. "Officer Jeffers, I believe Robbie needs another night in lock-up. He seems to have forgotten his manners."
"My pleasure warden. Come on you." Jeffers said grabbing Dick by the arm.
"No! You don't understand about the warden. It's not what you UGH!" Dick fell on one knee as he clutched the back of his neck. Jeffers had hit him with his baton in the same spot as last night. Before Dick could get up, Jeffers hit him several more times with the baton in the same area.
"Stop it!" he heard Waite say before he lost consciousness.
"Take him to lock-up." Drew said as he sat down behind his desk. He cut on the computer. What were you looking for Malone? He searched the computer, then he saw the attachment.
"Well, who are you Robbie Malone?"
Paul Drew buzzed his secretary who had returned to her desk.
"Have Eddie Maltz sent to my office." He turned to the window. "It's a shame. I had such hope to rehabilitate Robbie. It's such a tragedy that he tried to escape and was killed." he practiced aloud.
***********************************************************************
"Ugh. Oh." Dick clutched at the back of his head. He was bleeding again. He blinked his eyes, clearing his blurring vision. He was in a solitary cell. How long had he been here? How long had he been unconscious??
"I've got to get out of here now." He searched the room. There was no way out. Especially since he didn't have anything to work with. He listened outside the door until he heard footsteps. "Gotta take a chance."
Dick started beating on the cell door.
"Hey! I'm bleeding in here. I need a doctor!"
He moved into position and hoped someone would open the door.
Officer Waite heard Robbie Malone's pleas for a doctor. Jeffers beating Malone earlier had deeply troubled him. The kid probably did need a doctor. He took out his key and opened the cell door. As he walked in, he was hit so fast, he was unconscious before he knew he had been hit.
Dick looked down at Waite's unconscious body.
"Sorry. You're one of the few decent guys around here."
Dick took off in a run. It was time to leave Blackgate. He began to maze his way through the prison's stone and cement walls. As he rounded a corner, he ran into Eddie Maltz and Snake. They each pulled a knife and began a threatening approach. Dick jumped high and level, both legs extended. His boots connected with each man's jaw and they fell unconscious at his feet.
Finally he was in the exercise yard. He started sprinting toward the wall, when Officer Jeffers saw him. Jeffers started shooting , drawing the attention of the guards in the watch tower. Soon Dick was dodging bullets from all sides. He reached the wall. With a desperate leap he gained his hold and began scaling the wall amid gunfire. Once at the top, he somersaulted onto the beach below.
He was only a few minutes ahead of the armed guards who followed him. He had to find Bruce's package fast. Then he saw it, the large rock with a midnight blue wing painted on it. He rolled the rock over, removing the back pack. He opened it.
"Thanks Bruce!" and took off in a run. He had to change, but the guards were closing in on him. He started up a ledge and into the underbrush. His breathing was heavy. He watched as the guards ran past on the beach below him. Dick quickly pulled off the green prison jumpsuit and even faster put on his uniform.
It was Nightwing who traversed the wall to Warden Drew's private dock. A few well placed batarangs and the guards who watched the boat were out for the night. Nightwing jumped in the boat, starting the engine. More guards ran up on the dock. Nightwing moved the boat from the island as bullets whizzed by his head.
The Warden was on the dock. He and the guards leapt into another boat pursuing Nightwing.
***********************************************************************
"Batman!" Robin called out across the cave. "The tracking devise you put on Warden Drew's boat shows the boat's left it's dock. And the tracking devise you put in Nightwing's costume is on the boat."
"Let's go." Batman said as he headed for the Batwing. Robin closely following.
The Batwing silently left the hanger and headed toward the harbor. They spotted the two boats. Saw the gunfire. The Batwing flew low hovering over the lead boat. A ladder extended down from the plane. Nightwing grabbed hold swinging up. The Batwing rose in altitude away from the pursuing boat.
***********************************************************************
James Gordon and detectives from the GCPD entered Warden Drew's office.
"Gordon." Drew said standing up behind his desk.
"I have a warrant to take possession of that computer. The State's department of corrections is sending in new administrators. Officer Waite will be in charge until they come in. There will be a lot of changes here."
"Yes, Commissioner, a lot of changes." Officer Waite said as he entered the office. "My first order of business is suspending Officer Jeffers for using excessive force against the prisoners."
"Good idea, Waite." Jim Gordon said remembering Nightwing's story about the brutal officer.
***********************************************************************
Dick and Bruce changed into their normal clothes in the cave. Their meeting with Gordon had went well.
"It's nice." Dick said.
"What?"
"Being at home. In my own clothes."
"Hard few weeks?" Bruce said with a wink.
"What do you think?" Dick said with a grin.
"Staying tonight?"
"I was thinking of heading over to a certain girl's place."
Bruce started to leave the room, then turned back to Dick. "Good job."
Dick smiled.
***********************************************************************
She smiled sweetly as she opened the door.
"Hey babe."
"Aren't you Robbie Malone?"
"That's what I've heard."
"You know, my Dad doesn't want me hanging out with known convicts."
"Really? I guess we just won't tell him."
"What? What's with that look? What have you got in mind?"
"You. You're on my mind. I've been without female companionship for almost two weeks. I plan to make you blush." he said with a wide grin as he entered the apartment and closed the door.
The End
