Author's note: There will be some British slang in this chapter. You may scroll down for what they mean since… well, Starfire didn't really care to ask the meaning of most of them.
Standard disclaimers apply.
PATH TO TAMARAN
Chapter Five – Knight Vision
There were times in Starfire's life that she felt Robin to be perfection-incarnate; that he was everything a woman could hope for as a friend and lover; that he was everything a city needed to be safe; that his kindness and sense of justice was all the world could ask of a hero.
But then there were days Starfire realized that there was no such thing as a perfect person; that flaws were what made people admirable for their good qualities. Of course, to think so well of "flaws" only happened on hindsight; there was nothing pretty about flaws at the very moment it was making itself known.
Starfire pursed her lips, trying not to lose her temper as she watched Robin strap on his helmet and kick his motorcycle to life.
One thing about the Batcave, Robin considered it somewhat of a safe haven. Perhaps he wasn't as alert; wasn't as aware of his surroundings when he was in the protective enclosure of the cave of his mostly impenetrable mentor. It was the only reason he hadn't noticed her come through the door, furious as she was that once again, he was trying to make a trip to Bludhaven without her, and past midnight, too!
Perhaps he had no reason to suspect that she knew. She had, after all, only stumbled upon his plan by accident.
She had called him on his comm through the Bat computer, missing him, like she usually did when he was back in Jump City. Almost three weeks living in Gotham, she still hasn't gotten used to the long separations. So she called him, and for some reason, the signal was jammed. Her comm indicated that she would be connected to him in another minute, but she figured that the connection would not be as good as she'd want it to be, so she decided to use a more powerful communicator: the computer in the Bat cave.
Bruce, who would probably have kittens if he found out that Starfire was using the Bat computer to make calls to her boyfriend, had little power stopping her from using the computer, blissfully unaware as he was in that respect. He was certain that he had put enough guards in his system so that only he, and Robin, could use it. What he hadn't counted on was Robin teaching Starfire a thing or two about Bat-Security and Access. While Robin, probably to offer some kind of respect to his mentor, still kept most of the computer's functions inaccessible, she was given enough freedom into the system to suit her; contacting Robin was one of the freedoms she enjoyed. So she plugged her comm into the Bat system, hit the locator and was promptly astonished find that he was halfway between Jump City and Gotham. The reason her comm found it difficult to connect was because she hadn't set it to find the signal of an in-air-transit communicator.
She wondered momentarily if he was planning to surprise her, because he wasn't due to return to Gotham in another two days, but the more she thought about it, the more she grew suspicious. Robin didn't do surprises, unless it was to ambush an enemy. He wasn't the type at all to show up for no particular reason.
She wasn't at all suspicious by nature, but she supposed women's intuition was universal, Earthling or otherwise. Something nagged at her and in response, she promptly contacted Cyborg.
"Where's Robin?" she asked. There was no need to be roundabout with him. After all, she hardly ever did things deceitfully.
Evidently, Cyborg hadn't been prepared for her or her straightforward approach. He began to stutter. "W-Well—I—he…"
"I wish to speak to Raven."
Cyborg lost no time in passing the discussion over.
Raven was more composed. "Robin's not here."
"Where is he?"
"Somewhere else."
Starfire had to remind herself that whatever Raven was telling her was a result of Robin's orders, whatever they were. She also knew, of course, that Raven would be a formidable opponent on the matter. "He is half-way to Gotham; this I know. Why is he coming here and why has no one told me?"
Raven arched an eyebrow. "We assumed Robin would."
That, of course, only served to irk Starfire even more. She wasn't through. "May I speak to Beast Boy?" she asked sweetly.
Raven didn't even reply. She grabbed Beast Boy with her powers and dumped him right in front of the communication panel.
Beast Boy transformed into a mouse and tried to skitter to safety, but Raven held him in place, forcing him to stay put.
It was evident enough that none of the Titans desired to lie; not even for Robin, so Starfire understood why all of them were so reluctant to talk to her. She had no intention to yell at any of them, especially Beast Boy who was such a sweet guy, if not quite mature.
"Beast Boy," said Starfire. "Why is Robin coming to Gotham ahead of schedule?"
"He—um—" He whimpered like a dog. "Er… SURPRISE!"
Starfire sighed. She realized then that she would have to deal with Robin herself.
And now there she was, hiding in the shadows of the Bat cave and watching Robin take off into the secret tunnel leading to the city. She only assumed he was going to Bludhaven, of course. It was the only place he didn't like her being in, after all.
As the darkness of the tunnel swallowed him, she kicked off from the ground and followed. If he wanted a surprise, she would give him a surprise.
She could have followed him in stealth, but it wasn't her nature to sneak around. She flew up beside him and as expected, he saw her in a second. He turned his motorcycle, skidded to a stop and lifted his visor.
"You can't come with me," he said.
Her only response was the arch of her eyebrow. She couldn't believe they were having the same discussion as before.
"It's not because I'm protecting you."
That was most definitely a surprise to her. "Why did you not tell me about this?"
"Because if I told you, you'd want to come, no matter what, and I have to do this alone. I have people I need to meet that might not be cooperative if there's one too many of us."
It wasn't the least bit pleasant for Starfire to realize that she was going to be a hindrance, but it was certainly a more reasonable explanation than protecting her. She frowned. "You could have spoken to me about this."
He arched an eyebrow. "Would you have stayed in the Wayne Manor if I asked you to?"
She gave it a thought but he knew the answer even before she did. He sighed.
"One thing's for certain between the two of us, Starfire," he said. "We both want to protect each other. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't stay in the Wayne Manor either."
She was only slightly appeased. "But I would have talked to you about this matter."
Robin shrugged. "That's beside the point. Anyway, I know that no force on Earth's going to get you to turn around and wait for me at the mansion. Am I right?"
"Indeed."
"So here's what we're going to do. When we get to Bludhaven, watch my back; fall back when I tell you to; I'll do all the talking. Are we fine with this?"
She was aware that he knew she suspected Bludhaven, and that there was no point in hiding the fact. "We are, but Robin, we could have worked it out this way in the first place."
"Whatever."
She frowned. "You're still protecting me."
"Reflex. So sue me." He flipped his visor down and started his motorcycle again.
She left it at that, for the meantime. She could put off an argument as well as the next person.
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A hundred miles south of Gotham was Bludhaven, a city borne from the slaughter of whales and the profit its industry generated. Its dreadful beginnings could be easily associated with its unsavory existence.
With rivers polluted by factories, buildings ripe for condemnation and a government as rotten as the waters surrounding it, it was hard to imagine that anyone wanted to live in it at all, but just as rats thrived in sewers, the scum of Gotham, and perhaps the scum of many others, called Bludhaven home.
There were gang leaders and mob bosses; corrupt mayors and cops on the take; junkies one snort away from overdosing and prostitutes risking their lives to trade their bodies for money.
Starfire didn't like Bludhaven the first time she set foot in it; her opinion was only bound to go from bad to worse. However, she wasn't about to voice any complaints.
As she flew along beside Robin and his motorcycle, the dim lighting of the street lights reflecting from the surface of his visor, it occurred to her that it was places like Bludhaven that needed heroes the most, and perhaps she should be perceiving it from that angle, rather than wishing she were somewhere else.
Robin wove through the streets with deliberate precision, and while they haven't talked about it, Starfire knew he had a particular destination in mind.
Soon enough, Robin slowed his motorcycle and entered a dark alleyway. There, he parked his bike and whipped off his helmet.
Starfire turned gracefully into the air and awaited his instructions.
The streets in that part of Bludhaven were bare. It was past midnight, after all.
"Let's go," he said, walking out to the street. He led her across, stopping in front of an establishment that called itself Hogan's Alley.
Its neon-light sign suddenly blinked to a close and it was then that Robin went right up the door and knocked.
Starfire found it curious that Robin had afforded the bar that kind of courtesy. The last time she was in Bludhaven with Robin, he was jabbing an ex-pimp awake, breaking into apartments and barging into nightclubs. She wondered what was so special about this bar.
A man came to the glass door. He was big, burly and he wore a cap on his head. He had a mustache that curved to the corners of his lips and it made his frown of displeasure more distinct. He looked like he was about to yell at Robin for even bothering to knock, but perhaps recognizing who Robin was, he caught himself and arched an eyebrow in astonishment. The man's gaze traveled and he met eyes with Starfire. She smiled at him shyly. She figured that a man of Bludhaven who deserved Robin's good manners deserved her good nature.
After another second's thought, he began unlocking the door. He stood at the threshold, eyebrow arched. "Well?"
He was imposing in his green plaid shirt and grey pants. With the sleeves of his shirt folded halfway up his forearms, Starfire could see that in spite of the slight flab he had put on, he still had a formidable musculature beneath it.
Robin, however, was never one to get intimidated so easily. "Mr. Hank Hogan? I know this is an unlikely time to see you, but we need to speak to you. We need your advice. Would you help us?"
He seemed even more surprised. "My advice? About what?"
"About the Bludhaven PD."
His facial expression changed from surprise to that of understanding. His lips tightened to a line before he stepped back into the establishment. "Then it's best we talk in here."
"Thank you," said Robin. "We won't be long." He let Starfire walk through first before he followed.
Hank shut the door behind them and turned the locks.
Starfire surveyed the establishment. The look of the entire place was a slice of old-fashioned 50s Americana, oddly updated by the sleek cash register and credit-card machine at the corner of the bar. There was also a big and bulky 24-inch television hanging at the end of the room that would allow all of the customers in the small space a view of the screen. The chairs and tables were made of carved varnished wood, polished to a sheen where the scratches didn't mar the surface. The chairs were turned up on their seats, legs sticking up towards the ceiling to ready the floor for mopping. The clean water in the pail at the corner told Starfire that the mopping hadn't been done.
The ceiling was decorated with two antiquated fans.
Along the walls were pictures of actors of old and new, some in colored print, some in black and white. But amidst those famous faces were people Starfire didn't recognize. She realized that most of them were in police uniform, and that a lot of them were leaning against their police cars. Upon further inspection of the room, she could make out a gun, a badge, handcuffs and an old uniform hanging up inside a glass casing on the most non-descript wall.
Sliding the last bolt of the door in place, Hank walked past them and went behind the bar. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything non-alcoholic?"
Starfire exchanged looks with Robin. It struck her as odd that he sounded so…
… conscientious.
Perhaps understanding the look on her face, Hank shrugged. "Eh, plain to see you're not twenty-one. I was a cop; always followed the law. Old habits die hard."
"Not all cops follow the law like you do, Mr. Hogan," said Robin.
Starfire, who still wasn't sure what they were doing in Hogan's Alley, took careful note of what Robin said. Robin hardly ever engaged in small talk. Everything he said beyond his intimate circle of friends and family was deliberate and calculated. She waited patiently to see where Robin was headed.
He gave a half-shrug, his meaning not entirely discernable. "Comes from knowing the law a little too well, I'm afraid."
Starfire could hear him shoveling ice into a glass followed by the hiss and fizzle of carbonated liquid being dispensed. A moment later, he had three glasses of soda sitting on the bar, each with a slice of lemon hanging from the rim.
Hank gestured to the bar stools.
Starfire wasn't sure if Robin wanted to be sociable, but probably seeing the look of uncertainty in her eyes, Hank gave her an encouraging nod, followed by a kind grin. She took the offered barstool. There was no reason to be rude to the man.
Robin seemed to be of the same mind, taking the stool beside hers.
Hank leaned over the bar, tilting his gaze at Starfire. He gestured to Robin but spoke to her. "Him, I've seen a couple of times, though it's been a while back; you… I seen Batgirl before, but I've never seen you around these parts, missy."
She blinked in mild surprise. "I am not from around here."
Hank chuckled. "That's for sure. I seen you in the paper, though. You're Starfire. Am I right?"
"You are correct, Mr. Hogan."
"Call me Hank. You're a long way from Jump City, Starfire." He looked at Robin, nodding as he took a sip from his own glass. "So are you, Boy Wonder. This ain't your town anymore."
Robin's eyebrow arched. "Never was. This is Roland Desmond's town."
Hank sighed. "Ain't that the sad truth? What do you need from me, Boy Wonder?"
"Your guidance. I'm after a guy responsible for the kidnap and murder of some scientists back in Jump City. He disappeared for a while but one of my sources spotted him coming into the city yesterday and I've been tracking his activities since."
Starfire tried to attach pieces of information from her memory to what Robin was saying. She recalled the names significant to the case Robin was talking about. The suspect's name was Maxwell Victoria, college thesis partner of Joseph Greenwald and Jefferson Welles, both of whom are missing under suspicious circumstances. All three were scientists who possessed valuable knowledge regarding bio-nanotechnology that could be used to build very dangerous weapons. As of that moment, Maxwell Victoria was the only person who might be able to tell them who he was working for; a person Starfire had reason to suspect was her sister.
Robin's source would have to be Johan, the Gotham pimp turned Bludhaven informant who lived in the back-alleys of Bludhaven's St. Bernardine's church. She remembered Robin striking a deal with Johan before they fled Bludhaven before, pursued by the gang known as the Blue Monkeys. Johan had agreed to give Robin as much information as he could gather regarding Maxwell Victoria; feeding that same information through the powerful compact radio Robin had given him. If any of the information proved to be useful, Robin would reward him with money.
"Do you have enough on this guy to put him away?" asked Hank.
Robin shrugged. "I've turned over all my findings and data with the cops at Jump City before I flew on over here. My teammates in Jump City informed me that a warrant has been issued and that the JCPD are coordinating with the Bludhaven police right now. I'd gladly hand over Maxwell Victoria to the cops after I'm done asking him my questions, but I need for Maxwell Victoria to stay in jail. How's the detainment situation these days?"
Hank gave a non-committal shrug. "Not any better than before. Throw enough money in their faces and he ain't staying in jail for long. Any idea on who might dish bust-out money for him?"
"With the money he has these days, he could buy his own ass out of there, and the wardens will take his word for it, too. You know how it is around here… when you owe money to the mob; they know when you have the money to pay them, and then…"
"Word gets around. His credit gets a communal nod."
Robin made a gesture of agreement. "I just need for this guy to stay until someone comes to bail him out. That's all I need. I want nobody taking bribes from him."
"No bribing, but if he gets out on bail, that's fine?"
"Yes. My source tells me he'll only be staying here three days; said he told his landlord that he'd have to be gone for a while longer after he settles some accounts here. I'm guessing his boss still needs him and I want that boss to come on over here and bail him out."
"Ah… bait."
Robin nodded. "If after a week, no one bails him out and assuming he couldn't bribe anyone, it gets easier for me. He'd be on his way for a transfer to Jump City, so keeping his ass in jail won't be much of a problem anymore."
"How do you know it'll be his boss that will bail him out? He could have a sister; a brother; a lawyer."
"With the charges this guy has to face, his bail could go to millions if he gets bail at all, and only one person would have the money to post it."
Hank rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You need him to stay in jail… I don't know. I give cops their drinks and chips, but I don't have any clout with these guys. They hardly like me because I'm clean. They'll only trust the dirty guys."
"You don't have to talk to any of them. I'll do the talking. I just need a name and what he's like."
Hank nodded, comprehending. "What kind of guy do you need?"
"Someone like you."
Hank winced. "Ouch. Modesty aside, there ain't no one like me on the force since I left. You couldn't even trust the BHPD janitor."
"Work with me here. I need a guy who has the power to keep Victoria in jail even if the entire police posse is eager to let Victoria out on a bribe."
Hank gave it some serious thought before his eyebrows knotted. "There's a new guy… I've been hearing good things about him, but I don't know… I've met him, and I couldn't read a blessed thing from those cold eyes of his."
"What's his name and what have you heard about him?"
"His name is Dudley Soames; police inspector. I heard he came from London, but he's been around the States for quite some time. Word is he likes Bludhaven. That could mean one of two things: He's eager to clean up the streets or he's eager to fill his pockets. Anyway, I couldn't tell where his interests lie, as of yet. He's been putting away pretty important crooks, most of which were paying for the lifestyles of many BHPD cops. There have been two assassination attempts on Soames. Until now, nobody knows if it was the crooks or the cops who tried to do him in."
Robin tapped his fingers on the countertop ponderously. "Inconclusive. What's he playing at?"
"Well, he's playing good cop now."
"And what makes you think he's pretending?"
Again, Hank paused to think. "I don't know if he's pretending. He's very intelligent and he plays his cards too well. Call it a cop hunch: I don't trust him."
Robin nodded, accepting it. "Where could I find this guy?"
"The receptionist at the police station has his pager number and you could probably get them to page him and meet you somewhere. Heck, you're still Robin the Boy Wonder. More than half the force still crap their pants at the mere mention of you or Batman getting on their cases. And then again… " Hank took a pen from his ear that Starfire hadn't noticed was there and used it to scribble something on a napkin. When he was done, he handed the napkin over to Robin. "That's his address. Maybe he'd be easier to figure out if you ambush him at his apartment."
Robin read the address on the napkin, probably committing it to memory, before he folded it and put it in one of the compartments of his utility belt. "Thank you. I appreciate this. Good people are hard to find in Bludhaven. You're one of the few."
Hank took the compliment with casual disregard. He was going to say something when he hesitated then decided to continue. "I also heard that Soames responds better to… certain people."
Robin's eyebrow arched.
Hank's raised his own brow in response before his gaze swiveled to Starfire.
Starfire, however naïve she could be at times, immediately understood what Hank meant. Heat rose in her cheeks, but she kept her gaze steady. If she had to make deals with Dudley Soames, she would and she probably knew how to do it. She didn't survive slavery and a star system in anarchy by being meek and street-dumb, so she had to show Robin that she wasn't wilting at the mere thought of using her feminine whiles to get what they wanted from Dudley Soames.
From the sudden flush on Robin's face, it was evident he understood what it meant as well. Other than that, Robin showed no other emotion. "So he likes beautiful women; who doesn't?"
Hank chuckled. "Soames is especially receptive to them. Let Starfire give him what you would give him; same terms, no need for Starfire to compromise her virtue, but somehow, Soames is easier to manage when a woman asks him to do it. I still don't know what drives the guy, but at least with a woman holding the deck, he just might be more predictable than usual."
Starfire kept her opinion to herself for the meantime. There would be time enough to discuss it with Robin.
At the moment, his face was impassive, showing no hint of what he thought about it all. "Worth considering," was all he said. "You've been a tremendous help, Hank. If there's anything you need…" He gave Hank a radio similar to the one he gave Johan. "Call me on that. I may not be the one to respond, physically, but you'll certainly get the help you need."
Hank nodded, tucking the radio securely in his pocket. He let them out through the back, the darkness of the alley shrouding them in a second, and almost immediately, Robin and Starfire shrank into the shadows, heading to the next phase of their Bludhaven trip.
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Dudley Soames' apartment was in an old brownstone building relatively better looking than the buildings surrounding it.
Starfire stared across the street to the other apartment building from the roof of a condemned structure. A few of the windows in the complex were still lit. The only evidence of occupancy in the other apartments was the potted plants and the clothes hung out to dry.
Starfire already knew which window was Soames' and she gazed at the darkness beyond it. The window was ajar, a bit of curtain rustling in and out through the crack. It could mean he was home; it could also mean he was careless about locking his window when he left his apartment.
She looked at Robin beside her. He had one foot on the ledge, one arm propped on it. He leaned forward, his gaze on Soames' window; his ponderous posture betraying nothing about his thoughts.
Starfire cleared her throat. "I could speak to him."
Robin tilted his gaze at her for a moment before it went ponderously back to the building across. "So much for needing to do this by myself."
"He could not hurt me."
"I know he couldn't. Would you know how to handle this guy?"
She flashed a tiny smile, hoping he couldn't see the reddening of her cheeks. While she couldn't really call herself a smoldering temptress, she had her own way of getting men to do what she wanted. It was essential for her survival, living day to day in the harsh environment of space. "Oh, I believe I could."
His gaze turned to her again, searching. "You done this sort of thing before?"
"When it was necessary."
Robin's impassive expression became just a wee bit tense. It was evident he wanted to say something, but there was a cloud of uncertainty hovering above him.
There was little use in trying to find out what bothered him. If she was going to talk to Dudley Soames, she had to know a few things. "Tell me how this mission came about, Robin."
He nodded. "Johan called me; told me Maxwell Victoria came in this morning. Well—yesterday morning. Based on Johan's report, Victoria's not sticking around Bludhaven for long and it's possible that Victoria's not quite done with his work yet. If he's not back at work on time, Blackfire just might send someone over to pick him up, if she doesn't do it herself. What's important is that we keep Victoria detained until his boss comes to pick him up, and from there, we might be able to get a fix on where all this work is being done. I went to Hank because he was notorious in Bludhaven back in the day when he was still in the police force; because he was honest." Robin couldn't help smirk at that. "An honest cop in Bludhaven… takes a strong man to stay honest in a place like that. He left the force because he couldn't stand the corruption, and then he put up Hogan's Alley. Makes sense that it became a cop bar. He might not have any more clout in the force, but his bar gives him access to inside information, one way or another. The rest of it… you heard us talking about in the bar."
Starfire processed the information and began to get a clearer picture of it. "What will you be giving Soames in exchange for keeping Victoria detained?"
He chuckled softly. "See, that's the tricky part. I was going to play that by ear; now you have to do it, and the things he might ask of you… would be different from what he would have asked of me."
There was no need for Robin to elaborate on what those things were.
"Look," he began in a steady tone, his gaze averted from her. "I understand how tactically, it's better if you do this. Go as far as you're willing to go to seal this deal, but—" he paused, searching for the right word. His cheek twitched slightly. "If he asks unmentionable things of you, just walk away, alright? Just—"
Starfire put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't need to say it. "You must trust me."
After a moment's pause, he nodded. "I trust you. It's him I don't trust."
She smiled, and to make him feel at ease, she winked. "I am a big girl now, Robin. You needn't worry." She jumped off the building ledge, gliding to the fire escape of the building across.
He smirked as he watched her fly off. He jumped off the ledge after her with fearless grace, shooting a birdarang in the air to swing him to the other side.
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Starfire pushed the window open and glided into Dudley Soames' apartment. It was dark and she took a moment to adjust her eyes.
When she began to make out shapes in the blackness, she pieced together the landscape of the room. She was in the living room. It was spacious enough to accommodate a couch, two sofa chairs and a good size coffee table. He had a large plasma television against the wall where the couch was facing and even in the darkness, she could tell it was the best model out on the market.
She wondered momentarily how a policeman could afford such an expensive piece of machinery on his salary but shook off those thoughts, focusing on the matter at hand. To one side of the room was a table that looked like an office space of sorts. There was a desktop computer, papers, folders, books on a shelf suspended atop and a scatter of various pens.
To the other side of the room was a counter wall separating the kitchen-dining area. There were four doors; one looked like a small closet, another looked like the apartment entrance. She would have to find out which of the two remaining doors lead to his room.
There was no real need for stealth. After all, she was there to see him, but she didn't want to surprise him too much. She didn't like the idea that he responded to surprises by shooting them on the back.
The radio in her pocket beeped softly. It was Robin's signal that he was listening, and that just in case she encountered trouble, he would be there to make sure nothing happened to her. It was reassuring.
She came upon the first door and turned the knob as softly as she could. Cautiously, she opened the door a crack. It was darker inside.
Carefully, she stepped in and saw the unmade bed. Whoever had been sleeping in it was up and about, and judging by the imprint of a body on the mattress, the person hadn't left it for long.
There was a click behind her, like a gun being cocked. "Freeze," came the unfamiliar drone of a stranger's voice.
With her quick reflexes, she zipped out of the path of the gun and turned to catch Dudley Soames by the arm.
She twisted it behind him and his gun fell out of his grasp without even going off.
Starfire pushed Soames face down on the carpeted floor as he cried out in pain.
"Dudley Soames?" she asked in a cheery voice.
He swore profusely, his British accent coming through the mostly American lilt. "Who the fucken hell are you? What do you want from me?"
She grinned, sitting on him comfortably. "My name is Starfire and I have come here to speak with you. I do not wish to hurt you—"
"Well, it's bloody too late for that!" he yelled.
"I am sorry, but you had a gun to my back. I shall let go of you shortly… here, I will loosen my grip." She did and she supposed she wasn't hurting him anymore. He was merely incapacitated, but he was smart enough to understand that she was much stronger than him, and faster. If he tried to break free of her, she could very painfully show him how much of a mistake that was. He lay on his chest, passive.
She leaned over so that he could see some of her through the darkness. She smiled. "We shall talk nicely, yes? I have heard good things about you, Mr. Soames, that I find most interesting." It was the truth, however twisted it was.
He was still catching his breath when he spoke back. "Aren't you little too young to be chasing down guys my age, luv?"
She let him have his pet name without complaint because she had resolved to play the game and she wasn't about to turn away from the heat. She giggled, leaning a bit closer to him to whisper playfully. "Barely legal."
"So says the actress to the bishop."
She recognized his British slang but didn't understand it. Slang and idioms always stumped her, genetically built as she was to absorb languages. Nevertheless, it seemed he was relaxed now and she supposed she had him interested enough in her to get him to listen amicably.
"Are you willing to play nicely now, Mr. Soames? I will let you go. I will even let you have your gun, but it would please me immensely if you do not point it at me. Is that alright?"
He grunted as he fidgeted to make himself more comfortable, but his reply was the epitome of poise. "And hurt a pretty little thing like you? I wouldn't think of it."
She had to admit that she found that somewhat amusing. "Excellent!" She drifted off him, releasing her hold.
He pushed himself off the floor immediately, straightening himself in his undershirt and boxer shorts.
She saw a switch on the wall and she flipped it, hoping it was the lights. It was, and the room was suddenly bathed in brightness.
Starfire took a moment to look at Dudley Soames. He was lean and tall. He had straight, hardened features with a stubborn, uncompromising jaw. His light blonde hair was short, cropped to his head, following a nicely shaped hairline.
"You'll pardon me for being in my alans. I wasn't expecting company." He looked her over briefly and he seemed to like what he was seeing. "I know you. You're that superhero lass from Jump City. What are you doing in Bludhaven, luv?"
Starfire clasped her hands behind her back like a little girl hiding stolen candy, shrugging as she walked around and pretending the room interested her. A glint in Soames' eye gave her the distinct feeling that Soames rather liked his women young and somewhat childish. It wasn't a hard thing to play, considering she was, by nature, playful and cheery. "I've some things to do here… besides, it is places like these that need heroes the most, don't you think?"
Dudley Soames chuckled, letting his gun lie on the floor. He went to his bedside table and took the pack of cigarettes on it. He shook out a stick and put it to his mouth. He tossed the pack on the bed and reached for his lighter. He lit his cigarette and began to smoke it. "We have enough coppers in Bludhaven."
The smoke wafted to her nostrils and she wriggled her nose. It was irritating, but she wasn't about to be deterred by the papery, tobacco smell. Anyway, he seemed to like how shewasn't pleased aboutthe smoke. It made him smirk. She blew a breath from the corner of her mouth to flick some hair off her eyes and dispense the smoke that was coming towards her. "Cops and heroes do not exactly mean the same thing around here," she said, a sweet ring to her tone.
He blew out some more smoke, laughing. "You're a sly skirt, aren't you? Well, I like sly, and I like skirts."
She grinned. "I am glad to hear that, Mr. Soames, but I am probably not as sly or skirty as you'd like. I am Tamaranian and I am still getting used to the customs of Earth. You will forgive me if I seem inept at this. Certainly, I always mean well." It wouldn't be the first time Starfire played her other-worlder card, and she found that as much of a disadvantage it was at times, it also helped her earn the complacence of potential adversaries.
"I wouldn't think for the world that you mean offense, Starfire."
"Thank you. You are very kind."
"I try," he said, approaching her and picking his gun off the floor along the way. "Now… what is it that you want from Mr. Soames?"
She was not afraid of his gun. She could blast his hand off if she had to. It didn't bother her either that he was closing the distance between them. She knew she wouldn't let him touch her and if she hurt him for being fresh with her, he'd only have himself to blame. She looked him straight in the eyes, grinning. "A warrant has been issued for a man in your district; one Maxwell Victoria."
If he recognized the name, he made no indication. He smirked. "As much as I hate to lay out my cards, I have to tell you that anyone from the cop-shop could facilitate the arrest for this bloke; doesn't have to be me, you see."
Starfire blinked up at him in her best look of innocence. "Oh, but his arrest will not be a problem. I could get him myself and deliver him to the police station. In fact, this is what I intend to do, and he will be in the station in an hour or so, but what I need, Mr. Soames, is for him to stay in the BHPD detainment facility until he is transported to Jump City for trial."
"If he committed the crime, luv, he'll stay in jail."
"Mr. Soames…" she said in a gently chiding tone. "BHPD wardens aren't known for their integrity. Left to their own devices, it is not difficult for a prisoner to persuade them to look away while he makes his escape."
Amusement was evident on Dudley Soames' face. "And you think me different from these wardens?"
"You are at least smarter than they are."
"Oh? You think so? And how does that benefit me in this situation?"
Starfire pretended to be shocked. "Surely keeping a suspected murderer off the streets is reward enough for an upstanding policeman like you!"
Dudley Soames threw back his head and laughed. "Luv, if you really believed I was upstanding, you wouldn't be playing games with me."
She wasn't the least bit fazed, but she was in her element and she responded without flinching. "I suppose I do not completely trust you, but am I to be blamed for that? Remember, I am just a silly Tamaranian girl."
Dudley Soames was most definitely endeared by her "helplessness" and he came even closer, smiling like a predator. "Why don't you watch the prisoner yourself, then? You and your friends stick your arses into police business enough times. Besides, I think I'd like for you to be in the station."
Starfire tapped her chin thoughtfully, sweeping herself away from him with casual disregard. She saw that he didn't like her retreat, but she pretended not to notice it. "If I guarded the prisoner myself, it could deter certain people from showing themselves. I do not wish to scare anyone away."
He leaned against the wall where Starfire had previously been, eyebrow arched. "Ah, I see. You want to draw someone out. Very well, I'll accept that. But I don't baby-sit prisoners, you know."
"Indeed! My apologies if I implied such!" His cigarette had died out and as if eager to make up for any offense she may have dealt him, she reached for the lighter on the bed. Like an expert, she deftly flipped out a flame. She flashed a blindingly bright smile, as if she was pleased with herself and held the flame out for him to use.
He chuckled, relighting his cigarette on the flame. When his stub was properly lit, she clicked the lighter close and gracefully held the lighter out for him to take. He did, observing her with barely veiled delight.
"I could watch your prisoner for you if you do something for me," he said.
She smiled sweetly; saying nothing as she tilted her head to the side; waiting.
He chuckled. "Would you do anything I asked you to?"
She bit her lower lip, exaggerating a ponderous expression with her eyes, then she nodded. "If it was legal enough, I would."
"Legal, eh?"
"I am a superhero after all, Mr. Soames. If I did too many unsavory things to fight crime, then I should have just applied for a position in the BHPD…"
"Oh my, rather cheeky, aren't you, Starfire?"
She wasn't going to be deterred. "… but chose your favor well, Mr. Soames. It is not every day you have as much power over a woman who could do the things I do. Do not waste your opportunity on pursuits of temporary gratuity."
A broad grin spread across Dudley Soames' face. "Our view of what's a waste and what isn't is laughably reversed, luv. You obviously devalue yourself." He began to reach for her.
"Actually, I look at it as valuing myself to the utmost. On the same thread, do keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Soames. Have you no shame? I am young enough to be your daughter."
He blinked in surprise then he burst out in laughter. "Touché. Very well then, I have a particular project in mind, but I don't know if you could help me with it."
"Tell me what it is. Maybe I could help."
"Roland Desmond… you've heard of him?"
"A bit. A very promising crime boss, it seems. Many fear him already."
Dudley Soames nodded. "I need for him to trust me. I need to get close to him so that I could… better infiltrate his organization, so to speak."
Starfire couldn't help but arch her eyebrow in suspicion. How close did he want to get to Roland Desmond is what she wanted to know. Unfortunately, that was irrelevant at the moment, not to mention un-called for. All she knew of Dudley Soames was that he was somewhat smarmy, and such an accusation wouldn't hold up in any court. "And how shall I help you with that?"
"I believe you've met Prancer."
Starfire smiled. "Yes, I have. He's not very nice."
He cocked a grin. "No, he's not. I need for you to haul him in for me. He's been skimming money off the debt payments he collects for Roland Desmond. If I could get him to tell me who else among Roland's underlings does this, I could bring this information to Roland—among other things—and use it to my advantage."
"Hmm… that sounds like kidnapping, Mr. Soames. That is not part of my job description."
"Luv, a mere technicality. I know he's skimming off… I just need you to scare him enough to rat on his pals."
Starfire's gave it a quick thought. She certainly didn't want to get any deeper into Soames' business than was necessary, and she was sure Robin wouldn't want her doing his dirty work, either. There was a better and easier way to go about it. "I could give you a firmer hold on him, Mr. Soames, one that doesn't require me to scare him every time you need him. Show him what I'm going to give you and he will be very cooperative, I assure you."
"Oh?"
She nodded eagerly, lifting herself off the ground and flitting about the room like a curious pixie. "Uh-hmm! Besides, I have so many things to do right now."
Dudley Soames smirked. "When could I have this trading card?"
"It will be in your mailbox tomorrow, with instructions of its use, of course. Could you wait that long?"
"Certainly. Anything for you, my sweet."
"I knew you were a reasonable man, Mr. Soames! Maybe we will see each other again if you prove to be more… trustworthy." With that parting shot, she made for the door. He did not stop her, but as she began to swing for the window, Dudley Soames called out to her.
She looked over her shoulder at him.
"What? No kiss goodbye? I would be the laughing stock of the police force if any of them found out I had Starfire in my bedroom and I didn't even get to kiss her."
She was about to make a witty reply when her communicator began to beep incessantly.
Well, there you go: Robin hates that idea. She smiled. "I am sorry, Mr. Soames, but if you wish to kiss me, you must take a number and get in line."
Starfire flew out of the window.
888888888888888888888
Robin made it clear enough after Starfire got back from Dudley Soames' apartment. "I'll be handling Victoria." And that was the end of that.
He didn't sound angry. Certainly, he had nothing to be angry about, but she could tell that he was decidedly upset that he made her have to deal with such a slimy character like Dudley Soames.
She would have to remind Robin later to have Cyborg send a copy of Victoria's Bank Statement in the mail, explaining to Soames how Victoria's withdrawals corresponded to his due dates as far as his mob-debts were concerned. The Bank Statements would show that Victoria paid his debts in full, and since it was evident from their last meeting with Prancer that he had skimmed off that transaction, he would be just as powerless to deny Soames information as he was powerless when Robin and Starfire used it on him. Prancer, just like everyone else in Bludhaven, wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of getting on the bad side of Roland Desmond.
Robin first made a quick stop behind St. Bernardine's Church where Johan met them obsequiously.
Starfire, after having to deal with the oiliness that was Dudley Soames, suddenly didn't think Johan so bad. She felt a bit guilty for having subdued him with her cane, before. Certainly this man, however questionable his character was, seemed a lot more harmless.
Robin handed a wad of cash to Johan who was too immediately pleased by the thickness of it to lend legitimacy to any complaints he may have planned. He called Robin and Starfire all kinds of savory names and it became sickening really fast.
Johan was still heaping his praises of them when Robin urged Starfire to go, leaving Johan without a proper goodbye.
It did not take long for them to arrive at Maxwell Victoria's apartment building. The Seaside Apartments' sad view of the harbor was only made sadder by the dreary locale. During the day, the place looked grubby; in the dark of night, it was almost as dreary as a ghost town.
Starfire peered from the shadows at the dimly lit building lobby. She wondered momentarily if Andy, the boy they had met a few months back, manned the reception desk at that hour. He probably did not.
Robin crouched beside her, pointed upward. She didn't know which window was Victoria's, but it hardly mattered. Robin would be going through the window first. She would be right behind him, but only as back up. As Robin had so definitively claimed, this was for him to deal with.
"Do you think he is there?" she said softly. She wasn't sure why she was whispering. It was just that the streets were so hollow, and perhaps she felt that if she spoke any louder, her voice would be echoing in the emptiness.
Robin nodded. "Likely."
It would have to do.
She felt a tug on her hand and she looked at him.
"You did good with Dudley Soames."
"Thank you."
"He was a smarmy son-of-a… you-know-what. I wanted to sock him in the face, among other things."
She grinned. "I could have, but that would have compromised the negotiations."
He shrugged and smiled. "What's this about taking a number and getting in line?"
Starfire giggled. "Do not worry; I think I like my number one."
"That's comforting," he said, allowing a moment of tenderness when he brushed his knuckles on her cheek.
She blushed, because he could do that to her, and he took off first to make his appearance in Victoria's apartment.
She watched him swing himself up by his ropes and birdarangs, marveling at the grace and strength in his limbs.
She had it so easy compared to Robin. They all had it so easy; because he wasn't meta-human, but even by meta-human standards, he was extraordinary.
He alighted on a ledge.
Unlike Soames' apartment, the fire escape was at the side of the building, and Robin wanted to go through the window, not knock on Victoria's door.
Moments later, Robin cut a slot through the glass window, poked his hand through and undid the latch. He swung the windows wide and slipped through the opening.
Starfire kicked off the ground, and by the time she arrived at the window, Robin had a dim lamp open and Maxwell Victoria quailing, unrestrained, on an ergonomic chair.
The expression on Maxwell's face was one of fear and awe, staring up at Robin with his dark brown eyes. He had short and curly brown hair and he had a shadow of a beard along his jaw. His features were sharp and pointed, made sharper by the frail form of his body. The blue-striped pajamas only made him seem longer.
Starfire stayed well beyond the light, staying as invisible as she could while observing. Something began to stir inside of her at the sight of Maxwell Victoria. It probably had a bit to do with hate, that he could live his life while he had been the cause of so many others' death, but ashamed as she was to admit it, it had a lot more to do with her sister. This man knew her sister; spoke to her; followed her orders. He was so unspeakably repulsive and her sister so unspeakably traitorous. She didn't know how she managed to watch so calmly, betraying none of her feelings. She closed her eyes for a moment, lest her passion caused them to glow. When she was calm enough, she felt it safe enough to open them and watch.
Robin crossed his arms over his chest, grinning. "Hello, Maxwell. Know who I am?"
Maxwell nodded.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
He shook his head.
Robin arched an eyebrow. "You don't?"
Maxwell blinked, and he looked about ready to cry. "I swear… I didn't want to kill all those people…"
"Well," said Robin with a deadly kind of calm. "You couldn't apologize to them now, could you? Their families probably won't be very forgiving, either. You'll just have to go to jail."
Maxwell's jaw dropped. "J-Jail?"
"Where did you think it would get you, Maxwell? You should have known you were going to get caught."
Maxwell swallowed nervously, the vague shadow of his window curtains dancing on his face.
"I just bet your boss told you that you wouldn't get caught. I'm surprised you believed her, smart guy that you are, but I suppose she always had killer charisma."
Starfire wondered about what Robin said, describing Blackfire. Indeed, her elder sister was captivating. She had a mesmerizing quality to her bearing and for a long time, Starfire believed it would make her a wonderful leader. For a long time after the debacle with the Okaaran tests, Starfire couldn't understand how she passed what her sister had failed. It was only lately she began to gain some kind of comprehension. They had suffered the same situation in slavery, but their decisions showed how much they differed.
She didn't know if it made her better than Blackfire, but the difference was marked, and apparently, the tests of Okaara thought that difference significant enough.
"L-Look, I was just desperate for some money, and she was asking me to do work I was willing to do before, anyway, so—"
"So you killed a few people."
"I told you! There wasn't supposed to happen!"
"Then why did you keep helping her, Maxwell? You should have backed out the moment she brought in Cinderblock. You remember Cinderblock, don't you? How did you control him? Was it one of your nano-bots that did it?"
Maxwell was sweating bullets and Starfire didn't exactly understand what he was afraid of. It wasn't as if Robin was holding a weapon to him.
And then vaguely, staring at the dark silhouette of Robin's caped form, his spiked hair blown one way and another by the gentle breeze into a form reminiscent of another masked hero, she remembered a legend. It was about a boy who felt such sadness and regret for the loss of his parents that he dedicated his entire life to preventing other people from suffering the same fate. The boy became a man, learned, brave, wise and strong. He used his strength to become a hero among those who needed it; he had dark powers, because he struck fear in the hearts of his prey even before they saw him. He became a man who could see into the black souls of those who sowed evil and injustice. He watched over Gotham's streets from the carved gargoyles and parapets; he melted into shadow and rose out of it when they least expected him. He was almost supernatural; he was legend; he was Batman, and here stood Batman's pupil; his protégé; his son.
Starfire recalled vaguely how she had called Batman and Robin knights, because they were; noble soldiers whose valor could be depended on, especially when others couldn't fight for themselves. They threw themselves into battles that would not have been theirs to fight, without thought of reward, because it would have been a far greater crime to do nothing, where they could do something.
It was there, while watching Robin from the dark, that Starfire understood how Robin could compel such fear by his mere presence and how Robin would, forever, be using his power for the greater good. Robin would forever be a hero.
"Sh-She's too powerful," said Maxwell. "She flies. She shoots bolts…"
"But you still took her money."
"I needed it!"
Robin shook his head, grabbing Maxwell by the scruff of his neck and lifting him off the chair. Maxwell trembled as Robin held him up at eye-level. "Do you know what those things you're building could do? Do you know how dangerous they are?"
At this point, Starfire knew Robin was only guessing about what sort of things Blackfire was compelling Maxwell and his thesis partners to make, but it was a worthy bluff. Maxwell would call it.
Maxwell struggled to get free of Robin's hold. "The machines won't be used on us; she swore by it. She swore!"
"I'm not even going to go into how much of a lie that could be, but let's assume she won't be using it for Earth. Did she tell you what she was going to use it for?"
"No! I swear she didn't. I swear it!"
"And where do you do this work of yours?"
"It's in a contained lab. I don't know where it is. I have no way to find out where it is. All I know is that it's in outer space. She contacts me and tells me where to meet her. I get fetched by a pod that comes from underwater then it rides me out to the open sea. I don't know where and when it takes off because I'm always out cold when that happens."
Stasis, thought Starfire grimly.
"When I get to the mother-ship, no one says anything… I ask questions but no one answers; and like I said, there's no way of knowing where I am without someone telling me. I know nothing about space travel."
"How many people are involved in this operation?"
"Many people, from different planets…"
"Are your buddies alive? Are they being held against their will?"
Maxwell nodded. "I promise; they're alive. They're prisoners, but they're alive. They're being treated well, too. They're—"
"You might want to tell the police that when they question you. Right now, you're wanted for their murders, too. Not that you won't have to answer for the other deaths you caused—"
"Please don't turn me in. Please don't—"
"That's non-negotiable. You're going to jail, pal. I don't know if they'll set bail for you; we'll know in a couple of days, but unless someone comes to bail you out, your ass is staying in jail—depend upon it."
Maxwell began to struggle more insistently. "You can't put me in jail. You just can't!"
"Work isn't done yet? How much else is your boss paying you?"
"Dammit, no!"
Robin sighed, shaking his head and twisting Maxwell's arms to his back. Maxwell cried out in pain, incapable of getting free. When Robin had Maxwell face down on the desk, cuffs clamped firmly around his wrists, things suddenly took a very strange turn.
"You don't know what it's like."
Robin's eyebrow arched.
Starfire was just plain astonished. The words had been said by Maxwell, but the tone was totally gone of its earlier fear. The fear earlier had certainly seemed real; he hadn't been faking it, but this sounded like the enraged growl of an animal backed into a corner.
He wasn't whimpering; he wasn't trembling. His voice had taken on a low, savage timbre.
When Robin hauled him up, Starfire saw Maxwell eyes, and in it, she saw such loathing.
"You don't know what it's like to have someone ruin your entire life; a life you thought would be perfect in every way," said Maxwell, his tone menacing and resentful. "You don't know the indignities I suffered. You self-righteous son of a bitch!"
Robin's face tightened, any trace of compassion gone. He turned Maxwell to face him, holding him by the collar of his shirt. "Who are the machines for, Maxwell? Stop lying to me."
"Fuck you, Boy Wonder."
Robin shook his head. "You're really not my type." He shoved Maxwell backwards and Maxwell fell on his desk, crashing against his monitor and several stacks of disks. He complained loudly in pain and anger, but before he could scramble for purchase, Robin had both his booted feet up on the desk and he was gripping Maxwell's shirt once more. Robin crouched over him, lifting him from the table by his collar. "Whatever happened to you, Maxwell, you still had a choice and you chose very badly.I know people who suffered worse than you've ever known, Maxwell, and they've dedicated their lives to keeping good people from crooks much worse than you. You're going to meet one of those heroes in a second, and don't you dare compare yourself to her. You're not worth the dirt under her shoe. Do you hear me, Maxwell?"
With a mighty heave, Robin threw Maxwell full-bodied through the window.
Maxwell screamed and as deserving as Maxwell was of plunging to his death, Starfire's knew, for sure, that Robin was depending on her to be there to catch Maxwell Victoria. It was Robin's very words to Maxwell before throwing him out of the window that told her just what Robin expected of her.
A few seconds from certain death, she had Maxwell in her arms, carrying him like a sack on her shoulder. She made a landing, shoving Maxwell off her none too gently. Filled with panic, he managed to turn over and struggled to his feet without the use of his hands.
He stared at her, her piercing gaze meeting his.
"Oh God…" whispered Maxwell. "You're like her, aren't you? You're like Blackfire. You're Tamaranian!"
Starfire heard the roar of a motorcycle engine and she knew they would be off in seconds.
She glared at Maxwell one last time. "I am Tamaranian, but I am nothing like her. Do you understand that? I am nothing like her."
She rose into the air, gripping him by the thick material of his clothing. He gagged a bit, severely uncomfortable, but she didn't care.
Starfire zipped through the air, cargo in hand, making for the Bludhaven police station with Robin following close behind.
To be continued…
Author's notes: You do not understand how close I came to naming this chapter "Dark and Stormy Knight". As a joke, you understand, but then that would have utterly ruined the tone of the chapter, which is very serious. It was so tempting, though! Thinking of the title, I came up with names like "Knight in Gale" and "Fly By Knight." I was having such a ball! LMAO! But then I told myself to get serious, so I did. I started getting serious with "Knight Out" but that sounded like Robin or Batman coming out of the closet, or if not that, either of them going bar hopping to pick up some chicks. "Knight Vision" came to me, all of a sudden, and it was so perfect that I didn't even think twice.
Thanks in my bios!
For the British Slang:
"So says the actress to the bishop" – It's a jocular catch phrase that draws attention to an otherwise innocent statement by imbuing sexual innuendo, usually said, "As the actress said to the bishop…"
Alans is short for Alan Whickers. It's a noun and it's London cockney rhyming slang for underwear; because Alan Whickers rhymes with knickers.
Skirt means woman, but it's not a respectful term.
Cop-shop means the police station.