Part 9

Roy carefully looked at the rows of glasses that were lined up on the shelf above the counter..After studying them for a while he decided they were too high up to reach, and he didn't know where they kept the milk here anyway, so he would just have to go back and sit down and wait until someone else could get him another drink to replace the one he'd split.

He limped back around to the front of the counter, frowning at the pain in his little foot that was still sore from the weight he'd dropped on it the previous day, and wandered back over to the booth he had been sitting at earlier, scrambling back up onto the seat, pleased that the milky mess had been cleaned up. He sat quietly for a few minutes..then stood up and looked around for Bruce wondering were the big man had gone..After a moment he sat back down deciding Bruce must have gone to get that replacement glass of milk he wanted.

He sat quietly, smiling at the occasional person that walked past and glanced his way..afer a while the waiting was beginning to become tedious and Roy was starting to wonder if Bruce was ever coming back when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey little guy!"

Roy jumped to his feet on the seat and smiled broadly..his big green eyes flashing happily. "Bossman...Oliver." he chirruped excitedly.

Ollie dumped the bags and boxes he was struggling to carry on to the seat opposite the child, and reached out to grab him as the little boy scrambled along the seat and launched himself into the Archers arms. Ollie grinned at the boys joyful greeting and the little arms that wrapped around his neck, tightly hugging him. "I missed you too kiddo." He said, giving the little boy's ribs a playful poke and delighting in the giggle that bubbled forth from the boy.

Sliding into the seat with the little boy still in his arms Ollie frowned as a slow realization dawned on him. "Where's Bruce?" he asked.

Roy smiled happily."Gone." he replied helpfully.

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Bruce's normally stoic facade was beginning to slip slightly as he continued to search the crowded stores and sidewalk near the diner..How could one little boy move so fast?..How could he not have seen him leave the diner? The boy would have had to walk right past him to get outside...Bruce found himself listening out for the sounds of car horns or the squeal of brakes that would signal that his fear the child would somehow make it out onto the road had become a reality...His mind had been racing through all the possibilities of what could happen if the boy wasn't found quickly..but he put all those thoughts from his mindto concentrate on the task at hand.

"Excuse me..have you seen a little boy about three years old..with red hair and a green t-shirt. He's..." Bruce's voice trailed off as the woman he was asking shook her head negatively and continued walking.

He was beginning to realize much to his annoyance that he might be in over his head here..tracking down criminals and villains was more up his alley..but little boy's lost in busy city streets?..This was out of his league and he reluctantly had to admit he needed help... He pulled out his cell phone, flipped it open and dialled a number...drawing a deep breath to push down the feeling of concern that threatened to rise as he waited for the call to be answered.

"Queen speaking."

"Oliver...we have a problem." Bruce replied, running a nervous hand through his hair as he scanned the crowd for signs of the little boy.

"We have a problem?" Ollie asked.

"Yes..the boy..The boy is the problem."

"The boy?...Nah he's no problem..he's a good kid." the Archer replied jovially.

Bruce frowned at the amusement that Ollie's voice seemed to hold. "I'm serious Ollie...the boy's missing!" he said firmly.

There was a momentary silence on the other end of the line.."You lost the kid?" Ollie replied.

Bruce couldn't quite place the emotion he heard in the Archers voice. "I didn't lose him...He spilt milk everywhere and I had to go get some help to clean it up...I told him to wait for me and he didn't..I didn't lose him, he lost himself." Bruce explained..frowning again as he waited for the Archer to explode.

"Kids don't lose themselves..I toldja not to take your eyes off him!" came the indignant reply.

Bruce drew a deep breath.."We don't have time for this..he's lost, anything could have happened to him..Someone could have taken him or he could get run over..anything." Bruce said.

"Alright alright..meet me at the diner and we'll work out what to do next.' Ollie said.

Bruce closed the phone and shoved it back in his pocket as he headed towards the diner taking large determined steps and looking around as he walked for a little head of red hair.

Ollie put his cell phone down and sniggered slightly..reaching down to ruffle the boy's hair.."No harm done kiddo..you're safe and sound..and I've got one up on the big bad Bat." he said, chuckling wickedly at the thought of how much he could pay Bruce out with this little bit of knowledge.

end 9