Little Bird's Vengeance Chapter 34 Web of Crystal
"Where exactly do you think you're going, Rob?" Cassie called out icily, freezing the Bat in his tracks halfway across the lounge towards the balcony and launch pad.
"Out," he said shortly, before resuming at a somewhat faster pace.
"Out where?" Cassie asked, zooming over to block him.
"Oh, you know," he said evasively. "Here and there."
"Patrol," she accused flatly. "While injured."
"I'm fine," he protested. Cassie stared at him disbelievingly. "Even if my standard of fine isn't quite the same as yours," he allowed slightly sheepishly.
"I know," she sighed. "Can you not give it a rest for a few more days at least?"
"I had a thought I want to check out," he shrugged. "How about I promise to call you lot if I get into trouble?"
"Trouble by my definition, not yours," she counter-offered.
"Do you count muggers as trouble?"
"If there's a greater than thirty percent chance they'll get you, yes."
"Fine. Deal."
"You better keep to it."
"Of course." Rob dodged around her and onto the launch pad, jumping off and flaring his wings.
Cassie sighed. Unfortunately, she trusted him to keep his word about as much as she trusted Medusa not to turn men to stone when she looked at them. "Kon?" she whispered. "Keep an eye on him, please."
A breath of wind blew past her. "Sure," it whispered in the voice of her boyfriend as it passed.
Kon hovered in the air above New York, probably out of sight, but if someone was looking for him (someone like Rob, for instance) they'd probably see him. Hopefully no one would be looking.
Rob glanced upwards, fixed on Kon, and huffed a sigh. Kon flinched, focusing his hearing on the young vigilante. "Wonder Girl sent you after me, I assume," Rob muttered. "I'm tempted to do something stupid just because you're babysitting me." He shook his head and continued on his path.
Kon watched him, flicking his x-ray vision on and off as Rob weaved between buildings. He dropped down and examined something, then paused on a rooftop and touched his comm. "Jarvis, can you see him?" he asked.
"Five blocks west, sir," the AI replied.
Rob jumped, setting off westwards.
Red Robin flung himself into the void, automatically aiming and firing the grapple in his right hand even as he flared his wings behind him. He'd been examining the crystalized bullet again, when a sudden thought had struck him.
They'd been assuming that whoever broke into Titans Tower had created the crystal, and that it was a local who fired the shot. What if it was the other way around?
Searching back through camera data, news and police reports had indicated the presence of New York's most divisive superhero; one who the 'net and general public seemed mostly supportive or ambivalent to, but the NYPD and the papers (the Daily Bugle in particular) hated.
Spiderman.
Jarvis' direction was fairly straight-forward; even when the AI called back to tell him to adjust his course northwards. In only a few moments, the red-and-blue webslinger was in view. Red Robin followed, pursuing him.
After a minute, Spiderman ducked out of view. Red Robin jumped onto the roof he'd last seen him on, and stilled, watching and listening. His hand drifted to his staff.
A noise behind him made him whirl, staff coming out and extending. He saw Spiderman in the air, coming to land before him, both hands raised, shooting webbing. Before Red Robin could avoid it, the sticky substance congealed around his hands, gluing them in place around his staff. He lowered it as best he could, and inclined his head politely. "Spiderman," he said in greeting.
"Red Robin. Why are you following me?" Spiderman asked defensively. Red Robin read his posture, and blend of fear and anger showed no malicious intent.
"I just want to talk," Red Robin reassured him. "Good work with the webbing, by the way."
"Thanks," Spiderman said warily, not used to praise. "You do know someone's watching us?"
Red Robin frowned slightly, mildly impressed that he'd noticed Superboy, but aware that it showed a lack of trust. He glanced up at the speck in the air. "It's okay; you can go now," he murmured, knowing the sharp Kryptonian hearing could pick him up, but the tiny figure far away stayed put. Red Robin sighed. "Can you please give us some privacy? Just…move away and stop listening." After a moment, the speck moved up and away slightly. Red Robin turned back to Spiderman. "Sorry, slightly over-protective teammate. Better?"
"Um, yeah," Spiderman said. "What did you want to talk about?" He relaxed his stance a little. "Isn't the 'Red' in your name a bit redundant? And the 'Robin' kinda girly?"
Red Robin half chuckled and sat down, Spiderman hunkering down opposite. "Yeah, and a bit, but it wasn't my idea," he answered. He pressed his staff to the floor and anchored it with his boot, before wrenching his right arm backwards. His fingers protested, then his hand popped out of the glove that remained stuck in place. "It's a long story for both," he finished, repeating the process with his left hand.
"You do know that stuff will dissolve in about twenty minutes?" Spiderman informed him conversationally.
"Will it? Hmm," Red Robin mused, flexing the sore joints. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something that happened a few days ago. You were near Central Park. In an alley, you encountered someone who shot at you. You encased the bullet in your webbing. You both left. Correct?"
"Wha- how do you know that? Why are you interested? You're an Avenger, isn't it kinda beneath your remit? And it was more complicated than that," Spiderman protested.
"I dare say it is, and I know that because I have an interest in it," Red Robin answered dryly. "And no, I'm not an Avenger." That misconception was getting old. "I'm working with them for the moment, that's all. I found a bullet surrounded by an organic crystal. I hypothesize the heat and friction of the bullet caused the webbing to solidify."
"Really? That's never happened before. Might want to study that," Spiderman murmured.
Red Robin raised one concealed eyebrow at the reaction. That was the response of a scientist, although how good a researcher couldn't be told. But it opened up an interesting possibility. "Tell me, have you ever heard the parallel worlds theory?"
"That guy was from another world?" Spiderman whistled. "No wonder you're interested in him."
"He's not the only one," Red Robin said, wondering if the other would pick up on his hint.
He did. "You too? That's so…woah," Spiderman said, leaning forward in fascination. "I mean, I suppose you could be spinning a load of trash, but what would the point be? Other than to attract my interest. How did you get here?"
"I think I like you," Red Robin chuckled. "I honestly don't know how it happened. Someone modified our teleport, and I ended up here. A couple of days ago, three of my teammates came through chasing someone who broke into our base. You met our intruder."
"And you're trying to round him up?" Spiderman asked. "That sounds fair enough. So what do you do back where you come from?"
"Well, I actually do more of the kind of stuff you do," Red Robin explained. "Tackling street crime. Muggers to mafia to serial killers. When I'm with my team, the Titans, we deal with the sort of things the Avengers do."
"How long have you been doing…this stuff?" Spiderman asked. "'Cause you look pretty young. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but, I'm curious."
"I've been active for just over six years," Red Robin replied. "I started young. You?"
"Couple months," Spiderman shrugged. "It…hasn't gone too well. There was this guy, the Lizard, who I was kinda responsible for, and someone got killed, and everyone hates me…"
"Things happen," Red Robin said, reading a slight despair stealing over Spiderman. "People get hurt; you can't always stop that. And the public doesn't understand. They're just naïve."
"I guess," Spiderman said doubtfully.
"You know, maybe we should work together some time," Red Robin suggested.
"I don't need your pity," Spiderman blustered. "I can handle myself."
"Of course you can," Red Robin agreed. "But I'm a Gothamite, not a New Yorker. This isn't my city; it doesn't even exist here. I don't know this place. You do."
"Ah," Spiderman nodded, ruffled feathers smoothed. "Sorry. That sounds good. Uh, you should know there are two other people out there the papers haven't picked up on yet. There's Daredevil, he's in Hell's Kitchen, and Moon Knight. I'm not sure exactly what his area is yet.
"Daredevil and Moon Knight," Red Robin repeated. "I'll remember that."
"You want to start now?" Spiderman asked, springing to his feet. "Your gloves are probably nearly free by now."
"I'd like to, but over-protective teammates, remember? They seem to think I can't fight properly if I get a slight owie," Red Robin said with just a touch of irritation. "I look forward to it. If you need me, call by Stark Tower. There should at least be someone who can call me."
"Sure," Spiderman nodded. "Good to meet you."
"Same," Red Robin agreed, scooping up his gear and standing. "By the way, almost forgot, can you give me a description of the guy you ran into?"
AN: Duh Duh DUH! Now, I know someone (BriannieBee64) was after Darkseid. Sorry, no.
I am sorry that it took an extra week, but I was having so much fun with Black and Red.
In answer to questions I have been getting on and off for some time, there will be no Bruce/Batman or Dick/Nightwing/Batman for at least a good long time. Nor will Dami, Steph, or Cass be dropping by. Just in case you were wondering.
So, also this week, a trio of Bats are walking into a potential death trap in Family Ties, and next week will see more of both this story and that one.
And finally, please review before you go.
See you next week,
Katara