Chapter 12
Ma Graves house, downstairs
Robin met Batman in the hall. Batman had a look like thunder on his face, even moreso than usual.
"How did it go?"
"It went."
Okay, thought Robin, no more details forthcoming there then. He thought about upstairs, and realised that might be for the best.
Batman filled him in on the usual cover story. "We were never here. Ma Graves disturbed a burglar breaking into her private safe. He tied her to a chair, but dropped a great many private files on the floor all around her, before fleeing, most careless of him. He even left some still in the safe. When the Police come to answer the 911 call she's about to make…" He held up the cellphone he'd taken from her " …they'll find enough incriminating evidence to keep the DA happy for a long time. The children?"
"Upstairs, scared as hell and in serious need of some real care, I think.."
They were interrupted by a barely audible buzzing from their belt radios, barely audible that was unless you knew to listen for it. The computer in the Batcave was hooke dup to a police scanner and certain keywords triggered a signal to both of them.
Batman fed the signal through the external speaker module of his belt. "…. repeat a code-advanced-operative in progress. City Hall apparently inverted, repeat inverted, streets impassable due to…." The despatcher gave up trying to sound detached and professional "Oh, damned if we know why, just looks like all the roads have been rerouted back on themsleves. Holograms, evil sorceror, Mirror Master, take your pick!" It took a certain kind of mindset to be a dispassionate dispatcher in Gotham, This one was clearly on the learning curve.
Batman frowned "The Firefly escaped custody this afternoon, sounds like his sort of insanity."
Robin recalled the Firefly from a few months back, Garfield Lynns. Not a desperately dangerous criminal in his own right, but his knowledge of optics and illusions, coupled with the outlandish holograms his home made "prism-belt" could create, made him a serious nuisance. Not a killer, mercifully, but someone who could cause massive chaos if the mood took him.
"Should we check on it? Even if… 3.30am is a bit of a weird time to start your public crime spree."
Batman thought for a moment. "No, I'll. You stay here and keep an eye on the children until social services and the Police get here. Ma Graves is out of action, but it's possible that one of her associates might show up for an inspection, and I don't want the children left at risk. Stay out of sight unless you have to, us being here officially could prejudice the Police case against Graves."
Robin could see the logic in that, and didn't feel like he was being sidelined. It wasn't like Firefly really needed the two of them to deal with him.
"Lynn's shouldn't take long to sort out, quite possibly the Police will manage it by themselves. I'll be back if the authorities haven't shown up by then."
"The usual checks?"
Batman nodded "15 minutes, random, plus one response"
Robin nodded in reply. "Signal test?"
Batman confirmed and pushed a stud on his belt twice. Robin belt radio buzzed twice, and he pressed the matching stud on his own belt three times, which caused Batman's belt to buzz in return.
It was a new system of contact they were trying. Every 15 minutes, Batman would send a random series of pulses to Robin's belt, and he would reply. Any failure to signal or reply on either side and they'd check in on each other formally. It had saved time and distraction for both of them, so far.
With that Batman turned and was gone. Robin spoke to the post he'd been occupying a moment ago "Well, you take care Batman… Why thank you, I will too."
Anyone else might have been annoyed at Batman's lack of a farewell gesture, but Robin knew him better than that. He didn't tell Robin to take care because he knew he would. If he wasn't 100% certain of that he would never have taken him on as a partner and certainly wouldn't leave him alone on sentry duty.
He stayed downstairs only long enough to check that the guard outside wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon, and that the one laid out in the downstairs hall was secured. Then he poked his head around the door of the main study. He saw a red faced Ma Graves tethered to a chair with a long length of de-cel cable, a wad of papers stuffed in her mouth. She was mumbling furiously through the makeshift gag, and when she caught sight of Robin it only got louder. He waved in as annoying a manner as he could and left her there. If he had stayed he might have felt tempted for a moment of on the spot revenge for what she had done to the kids upstairs, but if Batman could resist that impulse, then so could he.
When he got back upstairs he explained the situation to the children.
"So we've got a little time before the rest of the good guys" He caught Paul's expression, "… and they _are_ the good guys believe me, show up. Until then, I'm babysitting… In a purely honorary capacity of course."
There was a moment of awkward silence. Robin sat himself on the dresser near the door, so he could see out into the hall, and listen for any unusual noises, and still keep an eye on his charges.
"So we told us about ourselves. Why don't you tell us about you?" asked Franklin.
"There's not really a lot I can tell you. Bataman's rules."
"Well, you're from Gotham at least aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Your accent."
"Well, l'il lady, now how do you know what ma real voice sounds like?"
A circus boy who lives in no town except a travelling one made of canvas and caravans can pick up any number of tricks if he pays attention. Dick had had the double advantage of both occasionally being babysat by "The Astounding Gretsky, Man of a Thousand and One Voices" and also spending time with a trained voice coach like Alfred. It had come in especially handy when he was creating his Robin persona, Bruce and Batman had very different voices, but both were clearly from Gotham. Dick and Robin had the same voice, but completely different accents, and only Robin was from Gotham. Dick used his original accent, as it reminded him of his parents, and he felt sounded better than the somewhat nasal tones of a native Gothamite.
At least his John Wayne impression got a laugh, and from the sound of it, it wasn't a sound his audience made often. "What sort of child forgets how to laugh?" Robin wondered to himself.
"And what about that costume of yours then?" Paul asked, not quite baiting him, but certainly looking far an opportunity to reassert his role as group leader.
Robin sighed, this was another thing he couldn't get used to about city folk. Growing up in the circus meant that he was used to wearing clothes that others might find odd, but he hadn't reckoned on it being such an obsession with them all after his almost-public debut as Robin.
"Well, put it this way, you see me wearing this, what do you think?"
"I think, what a dumb looking costume."
"Okay, sure you do, and you're so busy making fun of it that…" From his sitting position, Robin did a forward flip over Paul's shoulders, twisting as he landed to catch him in an arm-lock in less time than it took to blink "… you don't even realise how badly you've underestimated me. See, it worked again."
He released Paul, who attempted to recover his already wounded dignity by ignoring him. Robin did a small bow to the others before Paul had recovered enough to turn back round, but tried not to make too big a deal about it.
"You stand out like a traffic signal though." This came from Carlos, who had just sat staring at him up until now.
"In here I do, but in the dark, it's not much easier to see than Batman's, and with all the neon around the rooftops, a dark outfit can stand out more some of the time. And I just have to move quicker."
"The cape then, what if someone grabs you by the cape."
Robin grinned at that. "Try it then."
With that invitation, Carlos grabbed at the bottom of Robin's cape. He waited to see what Robin would do, but instead of darting away, Robin just stood there.
"See?"
"See what? You didn't move."
"No, but you did. You see, if you can reach the cape, then I know you're close enough to me for me to hurt you."
Carlos looked down and saw that Robin's boot was less than an inch away from his kneecap. He gulped and let go of the cape very carefully, his eyes wide.
"Never judge a book by it's cover Carlos."
Carlos looked him up and down again, and was about to say something when Robin forestalled him.
"And before anyone says anything, not a single word about the boots. They have a sentimental value to me, and that's all I'll say."
Somehow he had a feeling that saying "My Mom made them for me for the new circus routine she never lived to see me perform" would not win him many points either with his audience, or with Bruce, though for different reasons.
"Say, can you teach me some of those moves?" Franklin asked from spot on the floor he hadn't shifted from since Robin had first come into the room.
"I don't think I would have the time, but there's probably a class down the Y you could go to."
He saw the crestfallen looks on a couple of the faces.
"Well, I might be able to set a bit of time aside. But it won't be here. I can arrange to drop by the Home perhaps, see if you guys are okay, that sort of thing."
"We can take care of ourselves Wonder Boy." Paul was being nonchalant
"Speak for yourself Paul" came the rather annoyed voice of Franklin, "I know you look out for me, but I want to be able to look out for me too!."
His belt gave a soft beeping sound, Batman checking in right on schedule, and he triggered the requisite reply. By the time he turned his full attention to his charges again, there was a minor argument breaking out between Paul and Franklin, with Jewel telling them both to be quiet… and the dope smokers were now both snoring loudly and it was getting on his own nerves..
I hope that Social Services get here soon, thought Robin, I only have enough sleeping gas capsules for three!
- - - -
Ma Graves house, downstairs
Robin met Batman in the hall. Batman had a look like thunder on his face, even moreso than usual.
"How did it go?"
"It went."
Okay, thought Robin, no more details forthcoming there then. He thought about upstairs, and realised that might be for the best.
Batman filled him in on the usual cover story. "We were never here. Ma Graves disturbed a burglar breaking into her private safe. He tied her to a chair, but dropped a great many private files on the floor all around her, before fleeing, most careless of him. He even left some still in the safe. When the Police come to answer the 911 call she's about to make…" He held up the cellphone he'd taken from her " …they'll find enough incriminating evidence to keep the DA happy for a long time. The children?"
"Upstairs, scared as hell and in serious need of some real care, I think.."
They were interrupted by a barely audible buzzing from their belt radios, barely audible that was unless you knew to listen for it. The computer in the Batcave was hooke dup to a police scanner and certain keywords triggered a signal to both of them.
Batman fed the signal through the external speaker module of his belt. "…. repeat a code-advanced-operative in progress. City Hall apparently inverted, repeat inverted, streets impassable due to…." The despatcher gave up trying to sound detached and professional "Oh, damned if we know why, just looks like all the roads have been rerouted back on themsleves. Holograms, evil sorceror, Mirror Master, take your pick!" It took a certain kind of mindset to be a dispassionate dispatcher in Gotham, This one was clearly on the learning curve.
Batman frowned "The Firefly escaped custody this afternoon, sounds like his sort of insanity."
Robin recalled the Firefly from a few months back, Garfield Lynns. Not a desperately dangerous criminal in his own right, but his knowledge of optics and illusions, coupled with the outlandish holograms his home made "prism-belt" could create, made him a serious nuisance. Not a killer, mercifully, but someone who could cause massive chaos if the mood took him.
"Should we check on it? Even if… 3.30am is a bit of a weird time to start your public crime spree."
Batman thought for a moment. "No, I'll. You stay here and keep an eye on the children until social services and the Police get here. Ma Graves is out of action, but it's possible that one of her associates might show up for an inspection, and I don't want the children left at risk. Stay out of sight unless you have to, us being here officially could prejudice the Police case against Graves."
Robin could see the logic in that, and didn't feel like he was being sidelined. It wasn't like Firefly really needed the two of them to deal with him.
"Lynn's shouldn't take long to sort out, quite possibly the Police will manage it by themselves. I'll be back if the authorities haven't shown up by then."
"The usual checks?"
Batman nodded "15 minutes, random, plus one response"
Robin nodded in reply. "Signal test?"
Batman confirmed and pushed a stud on his belt twice. Robin belt radio buzzed twice, and he pressed the matching stud on his own belt three times, which caused Batman's belt to buzz in return.
It was a new system of contact they were trying. Every 15 minutes, Batman would send a random series of pulses to Robin's belt, and he would reply. Any failure to signal or reply on either side and they'd check in on each other formally. It had saved time and distraction for both of them, so far.
With that Batman turned and was gone. Robin spoke to the post he'd been occupying a moment ago "Well, you take care Batman… Why thank you, I will too."
Anyone else might have been annoyed at Batman's lack of a farewell gesture, but Robin knew him better than that. He didn't tell Robin to take care because he knew he would. If he wasn't 100% certain of that he would never have taken him on as a partner and certainly wouldn't leave him alone on sentry duty.
He stayed downstairs only long enough to check that the guard outside wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon, and that the one laid out in the downstairs hall was secured. Then he poked his head around the door of the main study. He saw a red faced Ma Graves tethered to a chair with a long length of de-cel cable, a wad of papers stuffed in her mouth. She was mumbling furiously through the makeshift gag, and when she caught sight of Robin it only got louder. He waved in as annoying a manner as he could and left her there. If he had stayed he might have felt tempted for a moment of on the spot revenge for what she had done to the kids upstairs, but if Batman could resist that impulse, then so could he.
When he got back upstairs he explained the situation to the children.
"So we've got a little time before the rest of the good guys" He caught Paul's expression, "… and they _are_ the good guys believe me, show up. Until then, I'm babysitting… In a purely honorary capacity of course."
There was a moment of awkward silence. Robin sat himself on the dresser near the door, so he could see out into the hall, and listen for any unusual noises, and still keep an eye on his charges.
"So we told us about ourselves. Why don't you tell us about you?" asked Franklin.
"There's not really a lot I can tell you. Bataman's rules."
"Well, you're from Gotham at least aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Your accent."
"Well, l'il lady, now how do you know what ma real voice sounds like?"
A circus boy who lives in no town except a travelling one made of canvas and caravans can pick up any number of tricks if he pays attention. Dick had had the double advantage of both occasionally being babysat by "The Astounding Gretsky, Man of a Thousand and One Voices" and also spending time with a trained voice coach like Alfred. It had come in especially handy when he was creating his Robin persona, Bruce and Batman had very different voices, but both were clearly from Gotham. Dick and Robin had the same voice, but completely different accents, and only Robin was from Gotham. Dick used his original accent, as it reminded him of his parents, and he felt sounded better than the somewhat nasal tones of a native Gothamite.
At least his John Wayne impression got a laugh, and from the sound of it, it wasn't a sound his audience made often. "What sort of child forgets how to laugh?" Robin wondered to himself.
"And what about that costume of yours then?" Paul asked, not quite baiting him, but certainly looking far an opportunity to reassert his role as group leader.
Robin sighed, this was another thing he couldn't get used to about city folk. Growing up in the circus meant that he was used to wearing clothes that others might find odd, but he hadn't reckoned on it being such an obsession with them all after his almost-public debut as Robin.
"Well, put it this way, you see me wearing this, what do you think?"
"I think, what a dumb looking costume."
"Okay, sure you do, and you're so busy making fun of it that…" From his sitting position, Robin did a forward flip over Paul's shoulders, twisting as he landed to catch him in an arm-lock in less time than it took to blink "… you don't even realise how badly you've underestimated me. See, it worked again."
He released Paul, who attempted to recover his already wounded dignity by ignoring him. Robin did a small bow to the others before Paul had recovered enough to turn back round, but tried not to make too big a deal about it.
"You stand out like a traffic signal though." This came from Carlos, who had just sat staring at him up until now.
"In here I do, but in the dark, it's not much easier to see than Batman's, and with all the neon around the rooftops, a dark outfit can stand out more some of the time. And I just have to move quicker."
"The cape then, what if someone grabs you by the cape."
Robin grinned at that. "Try it then."
With that invitation, Carlos grabbed at the bottom of Robin's cape. He waited to see what Robin would do, but instead of darting away, Robin just stood there.
"See?"
"See what? You didn't move."
"No, but you did. You see, if you can reach the cape, then I know you're close enough to me for me to hurt you."
Carlos looked down and saw that Robin's boot was less than an inch away from his kneecap. He gulped and let go of the cape very carefully, his eyes wide.
"Never judge a book by it's cover Carlos."
Carlos looked him up and down again, and was about to say something when Robin forestalled him.
"And before anyone says anything, not a single word about the boots. They have a sentimental value to me, and that's all I'll say."
Somehow he had a feeling that saying "My Mom made them for me for the new circus routine she never lived to see me perform" would not win him many points either with his audience, or with Bruce, though for different reasons.
"Say, can you teach me some of those moves?" Franklin asked from spot on the floor he hadn't shifted from since Robin had first come into the room.
"I don't think I would have the time, but there's probably a class down the Y you could go to."
He saw the crestfallen looks on a couple of the faces.
"Well, I might be able to set a bit of time aside. But it won't be here. I can arrange to drop by the Home perhaps, see if you guys are okay, that sort of thing."
"We can take care of ourselves Wonder Boy." Paul was being nonchalant
"Speak for yourself Paul" came the rather annoyed voice of Franklin, "I know you look out for me, but I want to be able to look out for me too!."
His belt gave a soft beeping sound, Batman checking in right on schedule, and he triggered the requisite reply. By the time he turned his full attention to his charges again, there was a minor argument breaking out between Paul and Franklin, with Jewel telling them both to be quiet… and the dope smokers were now both snoring loudly and it was getting on his own nerves..
I hope that Social Services get here soon, thought Robin, I only have enough sleeping gas capsules for three!
- - - -