YJ: Finding Robin: Chapter 4
"I need to talk to each of you. Separately." Batman said sternly noticing that Superboy seemed to have attached himself to Robin while the others eyed the boy wearily. Batman eyed the unconscious man that had infiltrated Mount Justice. Bruno Groft was not a mere henchmen, Cadmus must really want Robin. "I will start with you." Batman said looking pointedly at Aqualad. "The rest of you return to your rooms and rest for now."
Superboy followed Robin back to his room. He could feel the others' longing gaze follow them down the hall. Robin had heard them. The words Robin said over the intercom were not a mere distraction for Groft. It was not hard to hear the hurt in Robin's voice. Shame and guilt kept them from approaching the boy. At the same time it worried them how Robin had known, Artemis was the only one ever voice her feelings towards Robin's condition. Fear kept them from calling out to stop him. Even as they questioned the boy's intentions he had saved them, again.
Once Robin returned to his room he collapsed. Good thing Superboy was only a step behind him and caught him. Worried Superboy scanned the boy for injury and was relieved when he found nothing but fatigue on Robin's face. Superboy brought the boy to the bed but he kept Robin in his arms and the boy let him.
"Did you mean it? That you would leave with him?" Superboy asked the boy in his arms.
"Kill them all he thought… Regardless of whether or not he got the prize." Robin murmured tiredly. "He would kill them all to celebrate. He is bad man. Can't stay here. It's not safe."
"The others won't hurt you." Superboy said holding Robin close. "I won't let them."
"No... " Robin whispered as tired lids closed over blue eyes. "Not safe... For them..."
After speaking to each of the kids with the exception of Robin Batman had most of the events that took place and the video surveillance filled in the rest. If Cadmus had sent Groft after Robin it meant that they were serious, there would be more to come. Robin needed to be hidden and Mount Justice was no longer safe. Batman knew that the team would not let him just take Robin away, and with the boy's condition so unstable it was important to have him under twenty-four hour surveillance. To top it all off the Kryptonian clone seemed to have become really attached to Robin and vice versa. Batman didn't like the development but it seemed that Superboy's presence stabilized Robin. On the move would be the safest for children, for now the league will watch over them while they rest.
"You will have to stay on the move." Batman told the kids in the briefing. "You will have to be split into two groups. You will travel in different directions. Superboy and Miss Martian will travel with Robin. Kid Flash, Artemis and Aqualad you will be the decoy team. You will travel with your civilian identity and stay below the radar."
"With all due respect Batman, do you think it's a good idea to put two aliens together with Robin in this state?" Kid Flash said throwing up his arms at the Kryptonian and Martian to emphasize. Batman said nothing, he simply glared at Kid Flash.
"I... mean" Batman's glares made Kid Flash lose his gusto. "I mean... if you want to hide among civilians shouldn't you send him with the humans who knows how to blend in?" It was like waiting for a nuclear meltdown. Superboy looked livid at the suggestion that he should be separated from Robin, but to everyone's surprise it was not Superboy who blew up first.
"Do you really think just because we conveniently forgot to mention our vote to lock Robin up that Batman wouldn't know about it?" Artemis yelled. "How do you expect the kid to trust us enough to travel with us?"
"No! YOU were the one who wanted to lock him up." Kid Flash shouted back.
"I didn't see you defending him either!" The two teens fuelled by their own guilt and frustration would have continued if Batman hadn't step in.
"Enough!" Both teen fell silent and shrunk back a bit. "This was not a discussion. You will carry out your mission as per my instruction. I do not need to explain myself to you. The consequence of failing this mission is death, yours or your teammate's. Do you understand?" All the teens looked at each other with a sombre look.
"Yes sir."
Bruce walked into Robin's room only to see the boy sat leaning against the wall, face pale, shivering. The Dark Knight crossed the room swiftly and placed his hand on the boy's forehead. Fever.
"Robin..." Robin opened his eyes at the call.
"I know... " Robin said softly. "I am going on a trip."
"You will need to stop being Robin for a while." Bruce told him.
"No... No... Not safe... Can't I just go home?" Robin said softly a tear slipping down his cheek. "I will stay hidden... It's not safe... They are coming for me... Can't go back there...please I just want to go home Batman... So tired..." Bruce couldn't keep up his emotionless image anymore, he pulled Robin into a tight embrace the little boy disappeared entirely beneath the large cape.
"Just a little longer and I will take you home." Bruce promised. "I can't protect you and hunt down the people who did this to you at the same time." Bruce stroked the boy's hair. Feeling the scars from the many incisions on the boy scalp only made his anger burn stronger.
"Two by two hands of blue..." Robin murmured. "They will come for you... Two by two..."
"Be strong Dick." Bruce whispered giving Robin a final squeeze. "Just a little longer."
Conner and Megan stood beside Batman watching anxiously while the man tried to calm the boy down enough to sedate him.
"I don't want to go to sleep... Please don't make me go to sleep..." Robin begged pulling away from the man backing himself into a corner.
"It is just for the flight to Metropolis. You will wake up when you get there and Superboy and Miss Martian will be there with you." Batman explained as he pressed the needle into Robin's arm.
"Don't... No... Sleep..." Robin's head lulled and he fell forward into Batman's arms. The stoic man lifted the boy and placed him in a padded container that was made to look like a suitcase. Batman placed an oxygen mask over Robin's face, his finger lingering on the boy's pale cheeks tenderly for a moment before closing the container.
"You two will use your Earth names. Here are your travel documents. Robin will travel under the name Robin that seems to be all he can handle right now. He will be sedated and hidden for the flight. We can't risk having him clear security and keep calm through the flight." Batman said with a sigh. "Keep under the radar and frequently move between the three safe houses. Superman will be nearby if you need back up. If anything happens contact me. I will be there. Understood?" The teens nodded. Then in a pleading tone that the teens had never heard before Batman said, "Please, take care of him."
Conner walked through the airport carefully pulling the luggage containing Robin. The container was small and fit Robin very well, personally Conner would have thought it was quite comfortable, but Robin had looked so afraid knowing he had to be in there it made Conner uneasy. What if Robin didn't remain asleep? What if he ran out of oxygen? Hundreds of scenarios crossed Conner's mind making Conner was to turn around rip the container open and pull Robin out. Megan seemed to have sensed his worry and put a comforting hand on his arm. It took all of Conner's will power to check the case with the airline attendant. As Conner boarded the plane he couldn't help but feel like this hour long flight was going to be the longest hour of his life.
The three teens had been in Metropolis for a week. Each night they went to a different safe house like Batman told them. Although it was the first time Conner and Megan got to live in human society yet they did not have an opportunity to marvel at its wonders. The teen's days were spent mostly inside the flats that acted as their safe houses. Conner was always with Robin and Megan only left occasionally for supplies. Their days were full nothing but tense periods of hiding and waiting.
Conner stared almost longingly out the window at the cityscape. Metropolis was his city, Superman's city. Not once since they've been here did the Man of Steel come to visit. Surely he must know that they were there.
"You should go." Robin's voice made Conner turn with a start. The boy stood there wringing his hand nervously. "If I wasn't broken you could go.. I understand… you don't think I do but I do..." The boy's face scrunched in frustration he clutched his head mumbling, "I remember what I am suppose to be… I remember so many secrets… not supposed to know… memories… made up… I am ruining everything!"
"Hey." Conner said putting his large hands on either side of Robin's face and tilted the boy's head up to meet his eyes. "I don't want to go. I don't need to go see him. We are here to keep you safe. We are here for you." Conner said pulling Robin into his arms holding the boy tight. "You are all I need."
The touching moment between the two boys was broken by the sound of the door opening. Conner and Robin both turned to see Megan and to their surprise Artemis walk in the door.
"Hey guys look who I found." Megan said with a huge smile the blond girl behind her did not share the same expression.
"Batman sent me to back you guys up." Artemis told them. Conner didn't think anything of the statement but he noticed Robin stiffen in his arms.
"Why did Batman send you?" Conner asked narrowing his eyes.
"I don't know?" Artemis exclaimed. "He's Batman, I didn't ask." Conner moved to say more but Robin clutched Conner's shirt tighter silencing him.
"Well the more the merrier right?" Megan said trying to clear the tension in the air. "We got dinner, Artemis could you help me in the kitchen and Conner could you set the table?" Conner and Artemis nodded their gaze lingered on each other for a moment longer before they set to do the task Megan asked for.
After dinner, when Megan asked Artemis to go and pick up drinks that she had forgotten to buy that morning Artemis agreed almost too quickly. Artemis was certain that she wouldn't get a chance to slip out so when the opportunity presented itself she took it.
"They are moving him to 776 Oak Lane tonight." Artemis said into the payphone receiver. "I've told you, now let my mother go."
"We will let her go as soon as we successfully retrieve the subject." Artemis's heart sank.
"You promised!"
"We will let her go, but we can't have you warning them of our arrival. Now run along back to your little friends so they don't get suspicious. Oh yeah, don't forget to pick up the drinks." Artemis froze at the man's words, they were listening. "We will see you tonight."
Artemis walked numbly back to the Metropolis flat they were staying at, thoughts and feelings swirling through her head. Could she really betray her friends? Were they her friends? They were so cold to her... But Megan was nice... And Robin had saved her from Groft. Artemis shook her head she could not afford to have her resolve broken by these thoughts. Cadmus has her mother. Artemis friends or not her mother was the most important. As Artemis opened the apartment door she nearly jumped. Conner and Robin's heads snapped up and stared at her intently. Robin's unrelenting blue eyes seemed to stare deeply into her soul.
"What are you two starring at?" Artemis snapped.
"Goddesses can't be trusted..." Robin murmured still starring at her. Robin's gaze felt like it saw right through her, but the boy did not say anything more.
"Hey!" Megan's cheery voice broke the tension in the room. "Are we ready to go?" Conner gave Artemis one last distrustful look.
"Yeah let's go."
It was dark in the apartment on 776 Oak Lane. the teens had gone to sleep shortly after arriving and securing the apartment. Everyone had gone to sleep, everyone except Artemis who simply lay on her bed quietly waiting. She wanted so much to warn the others, but she couldn't, all she could do was wait. Suddenly a blood curdling scream came from the boys' room across the hall. Artemis bolted up right and dashed over to the other room followed closely by Megan.
"No! So many minds not speaking! Crying out but they are not heard." Robin was flailing trying to get out of Conner's grasp as the older boy tried to hold him still. "The head… is broken… need to be cut out!" All of a sudden everything stopped when they heard glass break in the living room. Robin looked straight at Artemis. "They are coming."
An explosion from a concussive grenade shook the walls of the small apartment then smoke began to fill the rooms and the halls. Masked figures came through the windows, guns drawn, trampling on the broken décor in the living room. As they tried to head down the hallway that led to the bedrooms an unseen force pushed a group of them back into a pile of tangled guns and limbs. With a roar a large form came charging out of the hallway jumping on two men sending those two crashing to the ground while a punch sent a third through a wall into the kitchen.
A scream of horror directed everyone's attention to Robin who staggered out into the living room.
"Artemis! Take him and run!" Megan cried only to be hit by man who came up and swung at seemingly empty space as her voice gave away her position.
"Megan!" Conner cried as the girl went down. Eight men have started to pile onto him now making it difficult to move. A piercing pain on his back caused Conner to scream in agony. For some reason he felt his strength leaving him and the pain did not go away, his body was not healing, confused Conner collapsed to his knees.
"NO!" Robin cried watching in horror as Conner and Megan went down. It was as if something snapped inside him. Robin broke free from Artemis's grasp and ran towards his fallen friends. One of the men tried to grab Robin but the boy ducked slipping through his grasp landed a swift punch in the solar plexus knocking him out. Another came from behind trying to grab Robin, without looking back Robin pick up a large chunk of broken glass and threw it behind him. The shard of glass lodge itself deeply in the man's throat and he went down. From his lowered position Robin got on his hands and with a spin kick took out another man approaching him. Seeing Robin take three of their men down in less than a minute the rest of them began opening fire on the boy. Robin turned and pulled Artemis with him behind a couch as the gun fire began. Artemis was too stunned to react. Robin peered over the couch for a second, just a second before ducking back down. With shaky hands the boy unstrapped a handgun from an unconscious man on the ground.
"Can't look… can't look… killing is bad… can't look." Robin took the gun squeezed his eyes shut stood up and fired seven shots in quick succession. Then all was quiet. Artemis stood up in surprise she could hear sirens approaching the building. From the light that filtered in from the street Artemis could see crumpled bodies lying on the ground. Robin looked over at her with a small smile that shook her to her core. "There is no force in this verse that can stop me."