I know it's short, but I have homework!

Chapter 23

After seeing Robin mope around for three whole days, Randall couldn't take it anymore. Ignoring the little niggling voice inside him that was saying he should not be doing this, he pulled on a jacket and crept to where the Boy Wonder was dozing in the library and woke him.

"Wanna get out of here for a little while?" he asked.

"Where could we go?" Robin asked, confused.

"Out," Randall said, grinning in the dim light of the room.

It hadn't taken any persuading on Randall's part, and within a few moments Robin was ready. They tiptoed out of the house together and crept to the garage where Randall kept his car. It was a normal-looking car, but Robin could tell that Randall took very good care of it.

"Your wheels or the organization's?" he asked as they pulled on safety belts.

"Mine," Randall answered with a self-satisfied smile. "I worked for and paid for this car myself. Represents my coming of age, you could say, and a bit of my freedom."

"Sounds good," Robin said, leaning back in his seat. "So where are we going?"

"To see some friends of mine," Randall said. "If you'd like to. If not, we can go somewhere else."

"I didn't think you knew anyone outside of Haven," Robin admitted, a little surprised.

"That's what they think."

Space

Randall's friends occupied a large, rambling boarding house on the outskirts of London. They were a mixed bag of actors, entertainers, students, and other people who were deciding what they wanted to do in life and having a lot of fun while deciding. Most were young, but the woman who met them at the front door was a motherly woman complete with an apron.

"Wale, if it ain't Randall hisself!" she said, delighted. "We're that pleased ter see yer, ducks, that we are. Ye two are jist in time fer supper, if ye like. Who's yer frien'?"

"This is Robin, Maggie," Randall said, introducing them. "This is Maggie, who likes to mother you all you like."

"Go on wi'ye, Randall, go on wi'ye!" Meggie said, shooing them with her apron but looking pleased all the same. They joined the others in the dining room, and it seemed to Robin that this large house couldn't even hold this many people. Randall went about introducing everyone, and when he got to one girl he stopped and gave her a very long kiss, stopping only when the other people started shouting and teasing him.

"What was all that about?" Robin asked, surprised.

"That was Rosemary," Randall explained.

"She your girl?" Robin asked, feeling that this was something he could safely tease Randall about.

"No," Randall said, shaking his head. "I'm her boy."

Supper was spaghetti and meatballs, and when everyone was stuffed, dishes were done, that was when everyone took a seat out on the porch with mugs of hot cocoa in their hands. Robin could hear several different arguments going on at once, and they were as different as the people who were having them. He could hear a discussion about Grecian philosophers, London's West End, the stocks that weren't doing so well, if an apple was really an apple or if human beings only perceived it to be, and if Charlie had really passed Go or was cheating. Rosemary was seated next to Randall, and Robin could hear them discussing Shakespeare while Meggie was knitting something. It was very different from Haven. These people weren't worried about Slade, they were simply living, and he found himself wishing he could do the same.

Space

Beast Boy was under the porch, placidly munching a marshmallow. Robin was okay, he'd sent a signal to Batman (actually, he'd sneaked into the house and used the phone, but it was technically the same thing) and he and the Teen Titans were on their way. Life was good. As a mouse, things didn't get much better, especially when everyone up on the porch wasn't too careful with the marshmallows. He was getting a veritable feast down here!

Space

Slade had been rooted to the computer terminal since arriving home. Karlton had wisely taken himself off to his quarters and left his employer alone since he was in a bad mood. He'd lost an apprentice, been imprisoned by a flying rodent, and harassed by a group of children. The Slade dignity was severely tarnished. Only by exacting revenge could his outraged sensibilities be assuaged, and Karlton knew what he would do first: he would get back what had been stolen from him.

Author's Note: How's that for sinister? Shall I write more?