The city really wasn't that far away and we found a man in a skin tight suit, almost like the video game Tron, with a wicked grin.
I flicked a switch on my glove, perching on the edge of the building. "Nothing on his neck," I muttered, pretending to be to myself. "Whoever the heck he is."
"That's Dr Light," Raven groaned, cracking her knuckles. "And one of my least favorite people. Right after beast boy."
"Hey!" BB cried.
But as Raven turned I saw the hint of a smile on her face.
"They are so in love," I rolled my eyes.
"What?" Raven and Beast Boy turned red.
I stood on the edge of the building with a mischievous grin and fell over the side, cackling the whole way down.
"You know what?" I heard Cyborg say. "He is like you Robin."
My dimensional counterpart grumbled something back which I didn't catch.
At my insane laugh this Dr. Light looked up, confused.
"Where are you?" He called out. I ran quickly and quietly, always staying in his blind spot.
The titans landed in perfect formation in front of him.
"Ah," he turned from his confusion to the team. "I see you're here to stop me. But I've had a few upgrades."
And, to my insane astonishment, he shot a bright white shot of light at them. They dodged with ease and were left wondering if physics were the same in this place.
The man moved and I had to flit quickly to stay in his blind spot. Coming up behind him I eyed his complex system. To my great amusement I saw it ran in solar power.
Silently muttering to myself I reached a few fingers out to disconnect something.
But he whirled around and I had to scramble for safety.
"Who's there?" He cried. His face whirled back to the Titans. "What's going on? I'm not stupid."
"We could argue that point Light," Raven waked forward, her eyes shooting flares of black powers.
I heard him whimper, an honest to goodness whimper, and back up.
Matching his steps I reached for the cord again. This time I got a good grip. But, because of my concentration I missed his hand creating behind him.
Just as I flicked off his power source I was shot back.
Several back flips were made to keep balance and I was back on my feet.
"I wasn't aware you had a younger brother Robin," light grinned turning back to the titans who seemed to be held at bay by something.
"I don't," he growled.
Light laughed, unaware that his power sources were spilling out. My chest hurt, agitated from the night before and from my most recent blast. But, thankfully for me, my uniform was bullet proof and apparently blast proof.
Faster than a whip I shot forward, a boomerang in my hand.
Before I came down I saw my shadow fall over Dr. Light. It was thin as a rail, the cape billowing and the small weapon in my hand looking almost like a style attached to my arm.
Then I fell to the earth.
"Robin!" shouted Beast Boy, his eyes wide open.
I brought down the blade on dr. light's backpack and kicked off, scraping along the concrete as his backpack blew.
I think I must have blacked out for a moment because the next thing I saw was Robin above me, hand extended. "Good job kid," he complimented.
"A very good job!" Starfire cried. Cyborg nodded and Beast Boy gave me a thumbs up.
Raven was talking to police as they dragged Dr Light away.
"Thanks," I said breathlessly. I couldn't manage a good breath. As I stood my lungs seemed to collapse in on themselves.
I was fit so it wasn't exhaustion. Could I have broken a rib? That didn't seem likely either.
What was wrong with me?
"Other Robin is something the matter?" Starfire looked at me concernedly.
I shrugged with one side of my body and I couldn't breathe.
"Here," Robin stuck a small device over my face.
Inhaling deeply I found I was wearing an oxygen mask. "What's this for?" I asked, sounding metallic through the plastic.
"That mask is to make sure you don't suffocate," Cyborg said. "I told you it would be hard because you're breathing different air. I just didn't think you'd have such a big problem."
"But I can't wear this for the rest of my time here."
Raven nodded. "Yes you can. You need to go back to your dimension."
I argued all the way back to the tower, Beast Boy taking my side. "But," he argued lamely. "What about the fun we had? He can't leave yet."
"Cyborg," I said calmly as we walked into the tower. "We need to finish the serum first."
He reached for the device on the counter and paused.
"After then I promise I'll go back."
"You want to stay just to help?"
I nodded at the skeptical Cyborg. He nodded. "Fine. We finish the serum and get you home before this air kills you."
I smiled.
The serum, the strong one, we tried watering down to no affect.
"What about if we took a small piece of it and added this," Cyborg took a bottle out.
I nodded. "I suppose that could work but in all honesty I think wine would be better."
"We're minors," Cyborg chuckled.
"And I have fake ID."
"Which won't work," Cyborg tapped on the breather strapped to my face.
"I could take it off for a couple minutes," I argued.
"You'd die," Cyborg growled. "We'll use this."
"Fine."
It worked.
"Come on," Cyborg jumped from the table, hitting the leg with his thigh.
The table shook and I grabbed the serum with one hand and the chips with another. Cyborg gasped as the dimensional device fell to the floor and shattered.
"No!" We both cried.
With the items in my arms I looked down at the floor.
"Don't mess with it now." I shook my head. "We'll worry later. For now we need to show the serum to the others."
"Alright," Cyborg nodded numbly.
"What is it?" Robin asked, swirling the liquid around in the bottle.
"The cure to the mind control chips," I explained. "They'll get stronger. Trust me I know."
"Does this mean..." Beast Boy paused, brows furrowing. "Does this mean you have to leave now?"
I glanced at Cyborg who sighed, shaking his head. "I broke the dimensional transporter."
"Can you not make another one?" Star asked.
"No." He groaned, not daring to look at me.
"Why?" I stood from my cat like position on the couch.
"The main processor," Cyborg rubbed the back of his head. "I only had one. It will take weeks to get the right parts again."
My heart was pounding and I felt short of breath. "I'll help," I offered.
Again he shook his head. "It's a personalized machine. I'm the only one who can make it."
I nodded, my chest still heaving. "Fine. I can wait..." I tried to say more but I couldn't breathe. Something was wrong.
Raven threw her hand out and a black glow appeared under my chin. "Guys, the breather is short term. He needs a new one. He's going to–"
I didn't hear the rest.
Wally held completely still, which in itself would've concerned his girlfriend. But there was everything else. His face was grim, dark green eyes swirling with concern.
"Come on," Artemis tried to smile, her own nerves jangling. "We'll go out for lunch, get your mind off it for a while."
"Not hungry," he mumbled.
That was the last straw.
She slapped him across the face.
"What was that for?" He groaned, rubbing his red cheek.
"I'm not going to sit here and watch you worry yourself to death. Either you help look for him or you try to do something else!" Artemis yelled.
"Oh..." he blushed.
"You don't even have a good excuse, yes you're worried. But everyone else is helping. So get of your a–"
"Wally...?" M'gann walked in, her eyes swollen.
"Yea Miss M?"
"You know Robin's secret identity right?"
Reluctantly he nodded.
"Do you think you could tell Batman he's gone?"
"No!" Wally jumped up. "We can't tell him! He'll kill us."
"I just..." M'gann's eyes began filling with tears. "I know he's going to be mad. And I don't think I could stand it... if..." she dissolved into panicked sobs and Artemis put her arms around the other girl.
"Go," ordered the archer.
"You're kidding," Wally gaped.
"You wish," she pointed to the door. "Go tell Batman. Now."
"Yes ma'am," he grumbled.
He grabbed a bag of cookies for the trip. Running across the entirety of the united state would take at most three hours.
He would be tired.
Later that day Wally stood outside Wayne manor, his heart in his throat. He said a small prayer and texted his goodbyes to his mom, to be sent in about an hour if he didn't stop them.
With a deep breath he rang the door bell.
"Yes?" Alfred asked, seeing the red head.
"I need to talk to Bat– Mr. Wayne."
"Is it about Master Dick?"
"Ah... Yes?" Wally squeaked.
"Please come in. He'll be down in the cave. I assume you know how to get there?"
"Thanks."
He couldn't feel his legs. Maybe he should've gone to Flash first. Flash could've phased through the punches Wally was about to receive.
"Yes?" I dark voice called from the large computer screens.
"Batman?" Wally heard his voice shaking.
"Yes?" He turned around.
Wally never knew a man in spandex could be so intimidating. "It's about Rich–Robin. He um..."
"Tried to repair the zeta tubes and now you can't find him. Yes I know."
"You do?" Wally felt his heart rate slow. "How."
"I'm Batman."
Of course.
"Have you found him then?" Wally asked.
"No." Batman typed in a few more keys. "He's not on earth."
"Then where is he?"
"That's complicated."
Batman hit one last key and a small scene popped up on the computer. It was a security camera.
On it the a little Robin and Wally spoke. The Robin stepped inside the zeta tubes and the screen Wally crossed his fingers.
'Location not found,' the female voice spoke.
"What!" Screen Wally yelled, his molecules vibrated and his feet began to sink into the ground.
'Relocating to nearest DNA source.'
"But Robin doesn't have family here." Screen Wally's face turned white.
Then it turned off.
"You have security camera in the mountain?"
"Naturally. But that isn't the point." He waved it off. "You heard it. Robin has been sent to his nearest DNA source."
"Rob doesn't have any family."
"Exactly." Batman got rid of the video. He typed in a few more things. "Have you ever heard of the multiverse theory?"
"Hasn't everyone?" Wally wondered where he was going with this.
"I believe when Robin was relocated to his nearest DNA match it sent him to a different dimension. The zeta tubes have this capability and it takes less power than sending him back in time."
"The zeta tubes can do that?" Wally gasped.
"In theory." Batman paused, rubbing his head. He sighed like a very tired old man. "But the problem is that there are so many universes that it will take a while to find him."
"How long is a while?" Wally's gut twisted.
"A week; at least."
"Oh."
"You should go tell the team." Batman sighed.
"I'm not running across the whole United States again." Wally bristled.
"The zeta tubes are working again."
"Are you sure?" Wally spoke carefully.
"Always."
enjoy!
five more reviews and i'll post the next chapter