A/N: Well, kiddoes… When I said this would be the last chapter… I lied again! Okay, I didn't lie, I just didn't realize how long the last chapter would have been, and I don't want you readers to be like, "okay… this is taking forever"… so yes, the next chapter will be the end… Haha, sorry 'bout that! But now the next chapter will hopefully be the last.
Behind the Mask
Episode 5. (continued)
That morning, Adam Isle was driving from Jump City to the outskirts of Gotham. He was driving down an old dirt road until he saw a metal gate with the words "Arkham Asylum" on it. He parked and made his way inside.
"Do you have an appointment?" The guard inquired coldly.
"Adam Isle. I'm here to see patient James Fuentes." Isle stated. He looked at the secretary behind the guard, who checked her computer. The guard now turned to the secretary, and when she found Isle did have an appointment, she confirmed it by nodding to the guard.
"Right. If you could just wait for the doctor; he'll be out shortly." The guard said.
"Thanks." Isle waited for no more than five minutes when the doctor came.
"Good morning, Mr. Isle. Please follow me." The doctor and Fuentes stepped inside an elevator. "Were you a friend of the patient?"
"Not exactly." Isle replied coldly.
"So what is your relationship?" The doctor inquired.
"We worked together."
"Oh, I see. I hope you don't mind me asking."
"Standard procedure, I guess." Isle said understandingly. The elevator stopped at the third floor when the doctor replied, "Well, James is still recovering from his gunshot wound, and upsetting him with unwanted visitors would open some emotional wounds, if you know what I mean."
Isle nodded. "Believe me. This is a visitor he'll be glad to see. How's his recovery been?"
"It was a successful one. Most people would still be undergoing surgery for such an injury, but he pulled through. We were just about to put him on medication that would surely put him to sleep, but we'll put that off so you can say hello. He's in that room right there."
Isle turned to his left and looked at the door. He hesitantly grabbed hold of the doorknob and was about to turn it, but he found himself almost unable to. The doctor's hand rested on his shoulder. "I'll be out here if you need any assistance."
Robin was in a gym pulverizing a large punching bag, but it wasn't the gym from Titans Tower. Beads of sweat rolled off his body as he moved, his heart was pounding…
Starfire…
He paused for a moment, and when he did, he felt this immense aching in his entire body. 'Can't stop!' He thought to himself. Robin looked at his arch nemesis Slade that now took the place of the punching bag and began hitting it increasing force and speed…
He hadn't heard from Bruce in hours. It was now 7:00 AM, and Robin was beginning to worry. Did Bruce defeat Slade? If not Bruce, did the explosives work? Did his plan work? He wished he could have seen the battle through to the very end, but he had to save Starfire.
FLASHBACK
Robin was in his room, sitting down on his bed, contemplating what Raven told him. 'She's right. There's no way we can defeat Slade without some kind of plan of action.' Suddenly, the phone rang, and Robin answered. "Yes?" Pause. "Commissioner! What's going on?" Pause. "Mayor Moore can't!" Pause. "We're on it!" Robin hung up the phone. He had just received news from the commissioner that The Mayor would resign and appoint Slade as the new mayor in return for his daughter.
'This isn't good.' Robin thought. 'The four of us can't do this… without help…' Something triggered in Robin's brain, making him grab the phone and call someone.
"Hello?"
"Bruce."
"Dick. Problem at Jump City?"
"I need a favor." He paused for Bruce's approval to proceed.
"I'm listening."
"Natalie Moore, the mayor's daughter, has been kidnapped by Slade. I need you to come to Jump City and help me fight him."
Silence.
"Bruce? You there?"
"I think so." Bruce replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You actually want my help?"
"Not 'want'." Robin corrected. "Need. That is if you can handle it."
"Can you?"
"If I call all the shots, then yea, I can handle it. So will you back off?"
"He is your villain." Bruce agreed. "Fine. Where do you want me to meet you?"
"Caves outside of Jump City." Robin said. "Be fashionably late."
"But as you said the night on the roof. It's not my style." Bruce mocked.
"Just do it!"
"Hey! I know you're calling all the shots, but since when does it give you the right to forget your manners?"
"I learned from the best." Dick replied.
CLICK.
END OF FLASHBACK
Robin was now drenched in his sweat. He was panting heavily, and the punching bag was about to tear. But Robin didn't notice, and continued to hit the bag with full force. He was too busy recalling the events of the evening, particularly his showdown with Cyborg.
FLASHBACK
"Cyborg, listen to me!" Robin whispered to him as he had him in a headlock. "We're being watched. I'm still on your side."
"So what's with the whole Slade getup?" Cyborg asked, trying to break free. Robin's grip grew tighter and pushed Cyborg's head further into his arm. "Slade has the antidote to Starfire's sickness. He won't give it to me unless I destroy you and the others." Robin explained.
Cyborg growled. "So is this the part where you break my neck?"
"Cyborg, listen to me! I need for you to do something for me. It's the only way to save Starfire and to get us out of here! I need you to fake your death."
"Maybe I won't have to fake my death… maybe your strangling me will cut off the oxygen to my braaaiiin!" Cyborg wheezed.
"Sorry." Robin said, now loosening his hold. "We don't have much time. In a matter of seconds, the smoke will clear!" Robin explained. "I need you to fake your death so I can bring back your removable arm to prove to Slade that you're dead! And then…"
"I'm way ahead of you, Rob!" Cyborg said. "And when Slade's not looking, I'll control my arm into getting the antidote."
"Right!" Robin agreed. "Batman's coming to fight Slade for the cure, keeping him preoccupied, and that's where you come in and take the antidote from him unsuspectingly!"
"Where is it?" Cyborg asked.
"On Slade's belt." Robin replied.
"But what will you be doing?" Cyborg interrogated.
"I'm gonna find Starfire and get her out of here!" Robin replied. Both of them looked around, realizing the smoke was clearing. Robin grinned at Cyborg. "So… whaddaya say?" Cyborg grinned back and winked with his good eye. Suddenly, the humanoid growled and pushed Robin off of him.
"Forget it, Robin!" Cyborg yelled, now transforming his arm into a cannon. "You knew where Slade was. That's why you brought us here! So you could finish the job! Well forget it!"
END OF FLASHBACK
Robin's plan was perfect… too perfect… something could have easily gone wrong... what if Cyborg didn't get the antidote? What if Slade has both Batman and Cyborg right now?
"Master Grayson, Master Wayne has returned." A familiar Englishman said from the doorway of the gym.
"Thanks, Alfred." Robin nodded.
Inside the Bat Cave, Batman took off his mask, revealing his true identity, Bruce Wayne. He opened a compartment of his utility belt and took out the Tamaranian antidote. He began to examine it when Robin and Alfred entered the Bat Cave.
"Bruce! Did you get the antidote?"
Bruce showed Robin the antidote and replied. "You could have at least filled me in about Cyborg's part in your plan."
FLASHBACK
Batman watched from the outside the caves collapse. He looked down and sighed, realizing that Slade was right. After failing to retrieve the antidote, Robin wouldn't dare go back to the Titans, and he'd be so disgusted with him. "Dick will be so disappointed."
"Not for long." A voice replied from behind him. Instinctively, Batman was about to karate-chop the heck out of the person, but when he found the voice belonged to Cyborg, he stopped himself. "Whoa, whoa! Take it easy!" Cyborg assured him.
"Sorry." Batman apologized. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at Jump City?"
"Not if Robin asked for my help!" Cyborg grinned as he adjusted his removable arm.
Batman's eyes went wide. "You detonated the caves?"
"Yea!" His smile got bigger.
"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you more than likely burned your alien-friend's cure along with those caves!" Batman's voice grew low and intimidating.
"Chill out!" Cyborg retorted. He revealed the antidote and, like a coin, tossed it to the air. He caught it, and continued tossing and catching the cure as he explained. "It was all part of the plan. While you kept Slade busy, I controlled my arm into taking the antidote away from him unsuspectingly." Cyborg tossed the antidote into the air once more before Batman's hand snapped up and caught it. "Sorry if we had you worried."
"Whatever." Batman replied.
"So, did my explosives work?" Cyborg asked.
"See for yourself."
"Not what I meant!"
Batman crossed his arms, now looking at the wreckage. "Slade stepped on a detonator, and it exploded beneath him. Hopefully, the explosives worked, and this time, Slade really is dead."
Cyborg nodded, then yawned. "What time is it?"
"Almost six." Batman replied.
"I'd better head home."
"Need a ride?"
"In your Batmobile?" Cyborg asked excitedly.
Batman nodded.
Cyborg coughed and shook his head. "Nah. I'm good."
"Suit yourself." Batman said, now getting inside his vehicle. Cyborg began walking off when Batman rolled down his window. "Cyborg. Thanks." And he drove away.
END OF FLASHBACK
"But you got the antidote, so what does it matter if I did or didn't tell you about Cyborg's part in it? Anyway, there was no time to explain." Robin replied.
"There was time when I called you to tell you it went missing!" Bruce snapped.
"The point is you got it anyway, so what does it matter!" Robin replied angrily.
"Excuse me, but may I interject?" Alfred began. "Why don't we save the arguing until after I've administered the antidote to Starfire? She needs it now."
Bruce handed the cure and a syringe to Alfred, and both he and Robin waited until Alfred left the cave. "I was worried." Bruce muttered.
"What?"
"Don't be stupid. You heard me." Bruce replied.
"Then I'm sorry. I should have told you everything." Robin apologized. He was about to leave the cave when Bruce began. "You were in the gym?"
"Yea, and you might need a new punching bag." He replied. "How'd you know?"
"Alfred told me. He also mentioned that you've been in the gym ever since you got here."
"Your point being?"
"C'mon, Dick." Bruce said. "Stop being stubborn and tell me what's really going on with you!"
"Quite the hypocrite, aren't we?" The Boy Wonder growled. "Why don't you practice what you preach, Bruce?" Robin replied as he left.
James Fuentes was looking bitterly at his gunshot wound. He tried moving, however, his upper body, lower torso, and ankles were strapped to the table he lied upon with a brown leather belt, not to mention the itchy straightjacket beneath the straps.
"Comfy?" An all-too familiar voice mocked.
"Very." Fuentes snapped. He looked up at Isle. "What do you want, McCormick? Haven't grown too attached to me now, have you?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Fuentes. I came to check if you were still alive." Isle replied.
"And why is that?"
"Because if I had killed you last night, you would have gotten the easy way out. I want you to live and suffer in this hell they call Arkham. Have fun." Isle was about to walk out when he heard Fuentes call out to him from his table.
"So that's it? You think it's over? I've got news for you… it's only just begun. You can't possibly think you've gotten rid of me so easily."
Isle turned back around. "I am rid of you, and so is the rest of the world. Nobody wants anything to do with you. You have no one to go back to, not like you're getting out anytime soon. So if I were you, I would get nice and cozy in that straightjacket of yours, Fuentes, because you'll be spending most of you time in it!"
"They won't keep me here for long!" Fuentes cried, now struggling to break free from the belts. "I'm not insane!"
Isle smirked. "That's what's so great about Arkham. You're either admitted here because you're already crazy or you go crazy because you've been admitted here." He was about to walk away when he paused, turned back around and said before he left, "I left something for you with the doctor… call it a house warming present."
"How thoughtful." Fuentes snapped. "Now get out of my sight!"
It was now almost eleven in the morning, and Bruce had showered and was getting dressed. He was thinking about what Dick said as he fastened his belt. 'Practice what you preach,' thought Bruce. 'When did he become me?' He grabbed his black flannel shirt and threw it on. He was buttoning up the shirt when there came a light tap at the door. It was Alfred.
"Excuse me for the intrusion, sir. I only came to inform you that the treatment was successful. Starfire is in Master Grayson's room recuperating."
"Very good." Bruce continued to button up his shirt. Alfred commented, "If I remember correctly, you don't go into work today."
Bruce paused for a moment before buttoning up the last two buttons then replied. "I'm… taking Diana out to lunch." (A/N: Haha! This is for you JL fans!)
"You've finally agreed on setting up a lunch date with her!" Alfred smiled.
"Only to tell her that it could never work between us." Bruce corrected. "If my enemies knew I was involved with any woman, they'd go after her."
"I'm not quite sure I understand." Alfred said. "Diana doesn't need protecting."
"That's what Dick thought about Starfire." Bruce said after spraying himself with cologne. "Why do you think I remain uninvolved with women?"
"Perhaps because your brooding scares them off anyway!" Alfred chuckled.
"Funny." Bruce replied monotonously. He turned around, and his face went scarlet when he addressed his butler. "So, um, Alfred?"
"Yes, Master Bruce?"
"I already told you this wasn't a date… but h-how do I look?"
The two Titans were in Dick Grayson's bedroom. Robin had pulled up a chair beside the sleeping Starfire and watched the color slowly return to her face. Robin grabbed her hand and squeezed it a little. He brought her hand up to his lips and softly kissed her delicate skin before leaving the room. He saw Bruce coming down the hall and scowled.
Bruce smirked. "What's with the mask?"
Robin took off his mask with one sweep and became Richard Grayson. He looked up at Bruce and replied. "Forgot I had it on."
"What's with you today? Didn't get enough sleep?" Bruce mocked. When Dick didn't reply, he continued. "It's over. Fuentes is gone, Slade's dead, and Starfire's cured. So what's the problem?"
Dick shook his head. "I'm sorry about what I said this morning. It's just… none of this would have happened if it wasn't for me."
"Well, you're right about that." Bruce agreed.
"Hey!" Dick scowled.
"Go on." Bruce allowed Dick to continue.
"I mean… Starfire would have never been in this situation… she wouldn't be on the brink of death. I really screwed up." Dick sighed as he began to walk away.
"Dick you can't help who you fall in love with." Bruce said. "When you are in love with someone, it's only right that you want to show them how much you care. What happened isn't your fault. It's just human nature taking its course."
By now Dick had stopped walking and was somewhat impressed with Bruce's outlook on love. I mean, after all, this coming from the brooding Bruce Wayne's mouth makes someone kind of speechless. He turned around and smirked. "Are you getting ready to go out with Diana?"
"Not a word." Bruce gave him a half smile. He now approached Dick. "So listen, I'm inviting you to stay with me for the remainder of the summer. We're accepting interns at the Enterprises. I'm also sure Alfred's made a new Robin suit for you to wear when we patrol at night. So what do you say?"
Dick nodded. "I'd like that. But I think I need to discuss that with the other Titans first before making any ultimate decisions."
Bruce looked at his watch, and his eyes went wide. "Wow! I mean, er, I gotta go."
"Can't keep your date waiting!" Dick snickered.
"Shut up!"
Before Bruce left, Dick called after him. Bruce turned around. "If you need me, I'll be out and about Gotham."
"Your old Harley is in the garage. Alfred will watch Starfire."
"Thanks." He went back inside his room and took one last look at her. "Master Grayson." Alfred said from behind him. "I have a change of clothes for you in the wash room if you want to go into town." Dick smiled. "Thanks." Alfred patted the boy's back. "Don't worry. I'll take care of her."
Minutes later, Dick was no longer dressed in his Robin suit, but now in a gray Led Zeppelin shirt, blue jeans, and black Vans shoes. As he walked outside to the garage, he found his old Harley Davidson was still in perfect condition (like the many other vehicles in Bruce's garage). He put on his sunglasses, hopped on his motorcycle, and sped into Gotham.
"James… James, wake up. It's time to eat." The doctor's voice echoed in his head.
"Damn, doc… what'd you give me?" Fuentes yawned. He noticed his straightjacket was taken off.
"Medication. Now it's time for lunch." The doctor put the food tray aside and pulled out a card from his jacket and smiled. "Oh, and you got a nice little card. It's from your coworker that was just here."
"McCormick?" Fuentes snapped out of his drowsiness and became focused. He snatched the card from the doctor and opened it. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide and he went into a rage. He grabbed the food tray and threw it across the room. He began screaming and crying. The doctor quickly ran out of the room and locked it. He pressed a red button on the side of the door and called intothe speaker beside the button. "Security! I need security! Patient 1467D needs sedatives! Immediately!"
Inside the card was written in a cursive that James recognized as his dead wife's handwriting:
The baby is yours.
-M.
A/N: CHAAAA! If you didn't get what just happened… well then wow. Done with this chapter, and the next will (hopefully) be the last. I'm so glad this story was such a success (well, at least I think it is)… and it wouldn't have been possible if I didn't have any readers/reviewers… so thanks-much! I will post thank-yous next chapter, so get your reviews in so I can thank you, too!
-kiki!