Chapter 4:

Carefully wrapping an arm around his aching ribs, Robin stood up as he heard the familiar footsteps approaching him.

"Batman," he wheezed slightly, still attempting to control his breathing, "it's me. It's Robin. You know me, right?"

Batman paused for half a second upon hearing the name 'Robin'. Little bird, Robin. Why did he feel like he was missing pieces of a puzzle?

He's protecting his ribs. Good place to start.

Regaining his stride, Batman threw his fist toward the boy's ribs, only to hit air as Robin somersaulted to his right, popped up and executed a front handspring to land behind Batman.

He's even faster in person. Something to remember.

Robin stood still as Batman turned toward him. "So, you have been trained."

"By YOU, Batman. Don't you remember anything?!" Looking toward the shop the Boy Wonder yelled, "Catwoman, what kind of new drug did you give him? You will regret doing this. I will get him back!"

Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic….

Robin realized, too late, his mistake of taking his eyes away from Batman and was rewarded with a kick to the chest.

"Nobody threatens my lady and gets away with it," Batman shouted as Robin staggered back and hit the wall.

"Batman," he gasped, "don't do this. I don't want to fight you."

"That is your choice but it is not mine! You have caused enough trouble for my lovely sweetheart. You will not threaten her again," Batman roared as he advanced.

"Are you kidding?" Robin's chest was heaving as he clutched his ribs again. "Catwoman is a villain and you are a hero! She is not your 'lovely sweetheart' and she never has been. You are better than this!"

While he was speaking, the Boy Wonder slipped his right hand into the small pocket of his utility belt and was relieved that the object was still there. The teenager pulled the device out and prepared for the onslaught he knew was coming.

Batman loomed over Robin, who now had his arms up to protect his head. Clenching his hands into tight fists, Batman drove his point home by emphasizing each word with a hit.

"You." A jab to the ribs, causing Robin to double over and wrap his arms around them.

"Don't." An uppercut that snapped Robin's head up and against the wall.

"Insult." A punch to the face that Robin barely blocked with his right arm, causing him to drop the device.

"Her." Dizzily, Robin dropped to the ground, seeing double in his search for it as Batman's fist connected with the wall.

"Ever!" Finding and grabbing it, Robin felt the stabbing pain of a boot to the kidney, flattening him onto his stomach.

Batman, thinking the boy was out, turned to Catwoman and smiled. Taking advantage of the distraction, Robin unsteadily forced himself to stand as quickly as he could, leaning his back against the wall for support and covering his head with his arms again as he glared at Batman. Hearing the scuffling, Batman looked back at his prey. Furious that the boy had been able to push himself up, Batman moved closer and released a flurry of punches that rained down on Robin's head.

The Boy Wonder wasn't about to fight back and there was no room for him to block any part of the swift attack. Knowing he had no hope of defending himself, especially if he was going to accomplish his objective, Robin wrapped his left arm tighter around his head. Taking a deep breath, the teenager swung his right arm around as hard as he could and successfully slipped the Bat-tracking device into the back of Batman's cowl. He paid for that, though, when he heard a loud 'crack' and felt a burning pain in his left forearm.

"Holy…broken…bones…Batman!" he exclaimed breathlessly and dropped to the ground, cradling his now-throbbing arm to his chest.

That took Batman off-guard. Why did those words sound so familiar? Why did he feel like he had heard variations of that phrase a thousand times before tonight? That tiny crack in his mind opened a little wider as he recognized the yellow cape. He felt like it belonged to someone important to him. Was this bird, this 'Robin', connected to him in a different way than Catwoman had suggested?

"Batman, what are you doing? He insulted my honor; he called me a villain! I will probably cry myself to sleep tonight remembering those hurtful words," Catwoman whimpered weakly, hiding a smile. "Take care of him for me, please?" she pleaded.

Batman's focus was redirected at the sound of her voice. He glanced at her lovingly then looked back at Robin. Shaking off the feeling of recognition, he picked the boy up and tossed him through the store window. Robin closed his eyes tightly, feeling the sharp fragments of glass slice his body as it shattered around him. He slid across the floor and into a display table. The only thing he saw when he cracked his eyes open was the blurry black cape as its owner marched toward him.

This is it. I'm going to die. Alfred will lose both of us. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you Batman!

A tear of both pain and frustration slipped out of Robin's left eye as he lost his fight to stay awake.

"Batman," Catwoman was irritated. "We can't just leave him here for somebody to find! Do something with him!"

She watched as he marched over and picked up the small, limp, bloody body. "Why don't you take out the trash, honey? But first, I have a present for him."

She held out the ring that had been dropped on the ground near the corner of the block. "I knew that would fool the 'Boy Wonder' who really is a Boy Blunder. He focused on the owner dropping the ring, enabling us to easily move into position. That was quite observant of him, though."

She laughed condescendingly as she placed the ring on his finger. "Goodbye Robin," she said as Batman opened the dumpster in the dimly-lit alley, tossed the teenager in and closed the lid with a loud 'bang' that echoed around the area.

Alfred paced around the Batcave, alternately berating and reassuring himself.

I never should have let him go alone. He can handle himself. Not if he has to face Batman. He knows better than to engage him. What if Batman hits first? It will be fine; he is fine.

Alfred looked up as he heard a beeping noise. Walking quickly toward the repetitive sound coming from the Bat-tracking device receiver, he was relieved to see that the object had been planted successfully.

"I knew you could do it," he almost shouted. Now he just had to wait for Robin to return. The butler rummaged around in the medical cabinets, preparing for any injuries that he anticipated Robin would have. You don't get close enough to Batman to deposit a tracking device without sustaining some damage. Especially one made to slide into the narrow opening between his cowl and suit.

Several hours later:

Robin awoke slowly and blinked his eyes groggily. His one coherent thought before he closed them again was use senses, remember training. The smell re-awoke him. Old banana peels wrapped around rotten eggs. Deciding to skip the sense of taste, he carefully reached out his right hand, for some reason his left wouldn't respond, and touched cold metal. He became aware of pain wracking his body and, moving his right hand to his head, felt the combination of moisture and stickiness that indicated drying blood.

Well, at least I'm not bleeding out.

The teenager looked straight up and saw a crack of artificial yellow light a few feet above him. He hoped it was a few feet, anyway. It seemed more like a mile but he was having some perception problems and more likely than not it was the 'few feet' option. Finally, he heard buzzing. That was probably just in his head, though, because he was pretty sure that he had a concussion again.

The Boy Wonder attempted to sit up but only succeeded in raising his neck off the…whatever it was he was lying on. Maybe it was a pillow? It was much softer than the usual type of ground – cement, packed dirt, the rubber of a street, etc. He reached behind his head, again with just his right arm, and picked up…he had no clue. Bringing it over his head and trying to see it in the slim ray of light, he was dismayed to find that it was a small bag of trash. Was he in a…dumpster? The little sack dropped from his hand and he frowned.

Holy sarcophagus, this is so unfair. Okay, think. I'm stuck in a bunch of trash and hurting in every minute molecule of my body. How would Batman get out of this situation?

'He wouldn't be in it in the first place' gloated a small voice in his head. 'He's better, stronger, smarter, and more resourceful. You can't even free yourself from a dumpster!'

Robin shook his head and realized that wasn't such a good idea. "Stop," he muttered angrily. "I will find a way out of this, right after I take a short rest." He began drifting off when he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Yeah, I don't know why the store's alarm didn't go off. There's broken glass and blood everywhere. You would think with all that expensive jewelry our boss would want to protect it better."

"Well, whatever," a second voice stated. "Guess we don't have to work today. I'm hungry; let's go get an early breakfast and enjoy our day off!" Both men laughed as their voices faded away.

Holy sundials; it's almost time for breakfast?! Alfred is going to kill me! I just hope that I got that device in Batman's cowl. It's such a tiny space. Wait, Alfred!

Using his right hand, the Boy Wonder pushed a small, red button on the front of his utility belt.

"Robin to Batcave, Robin to Batcave, come in Batcave." He received only static in return.

Must be broken. Alfred is really going to kill me.

Catwoman's lair – one hour earlier:

Catwoman, her henchman and Batman had gone on a stealing spree after taking care of Robin. They had hit several other jewelry stores and, two hours later, had finally returned to her lair. Batman, having cleaned the dirt and blood off his hands, was now sitting on the floor next to Catwoman as she arranged all of her newly acquired prizes in a circle around her.

"There are so many that I have to make several circles and still can't fit them all in!" she exclaimed joyfully. She glanced at Batman, who seemed to be deep in thought. She couldn't let that happen.

"Are you feeling okay? You look distracted. You should be enjoying our bounteous good fortune."

Batman looked up and smiled. "Just tired," he replied. "That Robin kid was trained well, even though he cowardly refused to fight me at the end."

The man went back to his musings. The boy's fighting style was slightly familiar. He almost seemed to fly and he was really fast. It was a bit like watching a circus act. Robin, circus, yellow cape, fighting style, not even trying to defend himself against the onslaught of Batman's fury. Something was wrong; the images in his head didn't match up with what Catwoman had been telling him.

A robin is a bird and he's the 'little bird' she's been referring to, as she told me earlier. Where have I seen that type of athleticism before? What kind of kid has the strength and stamina to defeat three bulky men by himself? Since he is so strong, and can fight so well, why didn't he defend himself when I attacked him? When he glared at me he looked almost…protective? That phrase, 'holy broken bones'.

Frustrated, Batman stood up and started pacing. Nothing made sense anymore. Catwoman glanced up and started to watch him carefully, but then a dazzling ring caught her eye and her attention was diverted.

The Caped Crusader stopped pacing and sat down again, absently rubbing his sore knuckles where his hand had hit the wall. That kid really was quick; he didn't know anyone who could block the first punch and drop to the ground before the follow-up punch materialized. It was as if the boy had known exactly what was going to happen.

The puzzle pieces suddenly connected and Batman remembered everything. He had fought his young partner, had nearly killed him! And then he had tossed the boy in a dumpster like yesterday's trash! Almost gasping, but quickly recovering, he dropped his head and stared at a spot on the floor.

Robin, how could I do that to you? Why didn't you fight back; defend yourself? If he is…no, he is still alive. He's strong, he has to be alive.

He looked cautiously at Catwoman with lowered eyes.

I can't let her know that I remember. I have to keep up this charade while I search for a way to escape. I can't believe I thought I was in love with her!

His emotions almost burst out of him but he had trained his face to remain calm no matter the circumstances.

"I think I might just go to bed, my lovely lady," he declared, almost choking on the last three words. Was it in disgust or laughter? No matter, she was getting up so he did, too.

"You look like you need to relax. Take this pill; it will help you to fall asleep quickly. Sweet dreams," she murmured as she watched him put the tablet in his mouth and start down the hall.

She saw him slump as he neared the door and heard the 'plop' of a body landing on a soft bed. Smiling, she sat down again and went back to arranging her jewelry.

Taking the pill from her, Batman palmed it and pantomimed putting it in his mouth. He slumped as he neared the door to his room, needing her to assume he was falling asleep. Entering the room, he plopped on the bed and lay there, waiting for her to check on him. Impatiently, he waited for five excruciatingly long minutes. When he was certain that she wasn't going to disturb him, he slipped out the door, found a ground floor window and climbed out as quietly as he could.

The Caped Crusader didn't know that a camera had captured his movements. Catwoman stared at the screen furiously when she noticed him leaving. She should have put it in his mouth herself.

She called to her henchmen and said, "Fifty thousand dollars to the one who brings Robin to me and another fifty thousand to the one who retrieves Batman. Go!" she demanded.