DISCALIMER: I own nothing. Nada. Not The Teen Titans, not Batman. None of it's mine except the story line, and I'm not making any money from this, it's all for fun...(I think that's everything...).
SUMMARY: When an old enemy of Robin's comes to town, so does Batman. The Titans learn of Robin's past, and much more... but what about his future?
NOTE: Thanks again for all the reviews! And I know I said I hate The Riddler, but he was the only way I could think of getting things sorted without dragging it on and on and on and on and on. There's still a lot of story to happen, so I thought 'Why the hell not. He'll only be in one chapter!' Sorry it's been a while between updates - stuoid reality again! Damn it!
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
CHAPTER SEVEN
Starfire and Beastboy stood outside of the gates of Arkram Assylum.
"Well," Beastboy said, starting forwards. "Let's get this over with." After a few steps he stoped and turned around to see Starfire still standing at the gate. "You OK, Star?" He asked.
"What if he know's nothing?" She asked. "What if he cannot tell us where Two-Face is hidding, and we cannot find him and..." She looked down at the ground. "And Robin dies?"
"Star," Beastboy said, walking back to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Even if this guy doesn't know anything, we'll find Two-Face. It'll be OK." He smiled at her. "So, are you coming in?" He asked, removing his hand.
She nodded slightly. "Yes." she said, looking around herself. "I do not like this place." She frowned. "Gotham is not as I expected." She found Gotham to be a dark, almost scary place.
"Yeah, I though it'd be a bit more," He shrugged. "Cheerful." Gotham wasn't like Beastboy though it would be either. He wasn't sure what he'd expected. Robin had never said anything to give then the impression it was a cheerful place, afterall Gotham had had it's share of bad luck, but he'd alway talked about it fondly -when he did talk about it. Which wasn't often. "Come on." He said, encouraging Starfire to enter the building.
She nodded once more, before following him in to the building.
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"Hi," Beastboy said as he approched the reception desk. "We're here to see Dr. Merridian, please."
The receptionist, a oldish woman with grey hair pulled back into a tight bun, looked at her computer screen, typed a few things in and looked back at them. "Do you have an appointment?" He asked, looking from Beastboy to Starfire.
"Erm, well, not really." Beastboy answered, scratching his head.
The receptionist sighed loudly.
"Please," Starfire said, stepping closer to the counter. "It is most important thet we speak with her." She pleaded, almost in tears. If they couldn't even get to see Dr. Merridian, then how could they see The Riddler?
The nurse looked at Starfire and smiled a little. "Okay." The nurse said, taking pitty on the young girl. "I'll see if she's free." She picked up the phone and dialed the extension. "Dr Merridian? There's a young lady and gentleman here to see you." she listened for a moment, then looked at them. "What's this in relation to?" She asked.
"Edward Nygma." Starfire answered before Beastboy had a chance.
"Edward Nygma." The receptionist repeated down the telephone. She listened a little longer. "Can you come back tomorrow?" She asked them.
"No!" Starfire shouted. "We must see her now!" With that she snatched the phone of the receptionist. "Please, you must see us!" She said down the reciever. "Batman has sent us. We need you're help!" She continued, ignoring the receptionist's proteset. Starfire listened for a while before handing the phone back to the older woman. She smiled apologetically.
The receptionist said somthing quietly down the telephone, before hanging up. "If you take a seat, Dr Merridian will be with you in a moment or two."
"Thanks." Beatsboy said, walking over to the small seating area. Starfire smiled again and followed him.
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"And so far you've found no trace of Two-Face?" Dr Merridian asked after they'd explained the situation to her.
Beastboy shook his head. "We're looking but so far," He shrugged. "Nothing."
"You will allow us to speak to him?" Starfire asked hopefully.
Dr Merridian nodded. "Although you should be aware that he suffers from paranoid delusions. And he's under the impression that he's Batman."
"Yeah, Batman warned us about that." Beastboy said. "So has he been geting any letter's or anything.
Dr Merridian thought for a minute. "He does get the occasional letter now and again, but not much else." She answered. "You're wondering if Two-Face had been in contact with him?" She asked.
Beastboy nodded. "Well, has he?"
Dr Merridian shrugged. "We're not allowed to open patients mail. We can X-ray it to ensure it doesn't contain anything that could pose a threat to either them or the staff, but that's all." She looked at Starfire then back to Beastboy. "Sorry."
"May we see The Riddler now?" Starfire asked.
Dr Merridian nodded. "Follow me." They left her office and walked down the hall to the stairs, walking down several flights in silence. They exited the stairwell on the third floor and walked down the corridor. Starfire stayed close to Beastboy. She liked this place even less than she had before. Nothing in the whole of the city seemed welcoming to her. The streets were dark, the tall building blocking out much of the sunlight. The Assylum matched the mood of Gotham. It had tall ceilings, with narrow walls. The corridors, although well light, had no naturel light. She did not like Gotham at all.
Dr Merridian stopped outside room 312. "Here we are." She said. "He's in restraints and he's had his meds, so you'll be OK if you go in." She looked at Starfire, noticing her expression, somewhere between shocked and scared. "Don't worry. He won't hurt you." She reasured her. She turned to unlock the door. "Look," She said, looking at both of them in turn. "I know Robin. He's a good kid." She looked at the floor, then back at them. "Good luck." She said, opening the door.
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Like the corridors, the room had no natural light, just a bare lightbulb hanging from the celing.
"Hello." A voice said from in the corner. "Can I help you?" It asked.
Starfire hid slightly behind Beastboy. It wasn't so much that she was scared of The Riddler, more scared of what he would tell them, or not tell them.
"Edward Nygma?" Beastboy asked.
"Yeas..." The voice replied. "But you can call me Batman!" He shouted as he lept towards them out of the corner. Starfire screamed slightly and Beastboy jumped back. Nygma didn't look to be that old, maybe early thirty's Beastboy reconed. He had short brown hair, was tall and thin, wearing black and white stripy trousers and a straight jacket. He looked at them and laughed. "What's the matter? Scared of bats?" He asked.
"We need your help." Beastboy said after calming himself a little.
Nygma grunted. "Sit down." He said. "Sorry, I don't have many chairs."
Starfire and Beastboy both sat on the bed. Nygma sat on the floor opposit them. "What can I do for ya'?"
"We need to know if you've heard from Two-face." Beastboy said.
"Two-Face?" Nygma asked, sounding confussed.
"Yes!" Starfire said. "Two-Face?"
"Ah, Two-Face." He pretended to think for a few moments. "Yes." He said finally. "Yes, I have."
"Do you know where he is?" Beastboy asked.
Nygma sighed. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."
"Please." Starfire said, walking over to him and kneeling beside him. The fear she had felt eairler had gone. Maybe it was because it was obvious to her now that he couldn't hurt them. Maybe it was her hope that he was telling the truth when he said he'd heard from Two-Face. "Do you know where he is?"
Nygma snapped his head round sharply to look at Starfire, making her jump a little at his speed. " To find him first you must look to where the Graysons life he took. It hides behind the disrepair. The rubble - you shall find him there." He snapped his head back to look at Beastboy.
"Dude." Beastboy said, looking directly at Nygma, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It is a riddle." Starfire said, looking at her friend. "If we work out the answer, we find Two-Face."
"Bingo!" Nygma shouted, looking again at Starfire. "Smarter than you look, eh?"
Starfire said nothing, she walked back over to Beastboy. "We have what we came for." She said. "We must return to Batman."
"I'm he-yare!" Nygma shouted, shaking his head from side to side. "How can you return to me when I'm already here?"
Beastboy stood. "Thanks for your help, erm, Batman." He said, heading to the door. Starfire followed him.
"No problem!" Nygma called after them. "See you again sometime!"
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"Dude, that guy was wako!" Beastboy said once they'd left the cell. "No wonder they call him The Riddler!"
"Indeed." Starfire said, sighing.
"How are we supposed to work this out?" Beastboy said. "The Grayson's? That could be anyone of a hundred people Two-Face has bumped off in his time!"
"We must return to the Tower and inform the others." Starfire said. It was Thursday. They only had four days left.
TBC...
Well, I guess you've already figured out where Two-Face is hidding, but I'm rubbish at riddles and the like! Anyway, they don't know Robin's name's Grayson!
Lataz, Jaybird0009
