...Hey! It's the weekend!
Chapter Eight: Battle of the Birds (And Bats) part One
The Justice League Headquarters was amazing. The Titans find themself in an small room waiting as the big heroes talked quietly with each other, they hardly acknowledge them. Robin had been missing for over two days now and everyone wanted it all be be over.
"If they know were Robin is, why don't they just get him?" Asked Starfire watching them carefully
"He probably underground somewhere and Bludheaven is almost as big as Gotham" said Batgirl "They have to pinpoint were Robin is, so they can get to him before the Talons change locations and we have to start all over again" Batgirl clearly knew how the Legend worked. It was clear that Robin had be trained well.
"Why can't you find him, Raven" asked Beast Boy once again.
"He was blocking me out" said Raven at once. She tried to get to him, to talk to him, but she was unable too "He's doing times table in his head to clam himself down. But at the same time blocking me out completely..." Robin had been trained well, too well. Raven knew he was somewhere there but not as actually as everyone wanted.
Kid flash didn't look happy "He only used trick as an last resort, all the attempts at escaping have failed"
"It means he is still fighting, that he hasn't gave up" said Batgirl quickly. She was an stubborn as Robin and Batman "He's not called Boy Wonder for nothing..."
...
Robin didn't know how long he was in the darkness for, he didn't know how long he been gone for. A day? A few days? A week? He had no idea.
He could no longer concentrate on numbers, his brain refused to work with him. Robin knew he had to stay clame he knew some information about sensory Deprivation and hallucinations were common... He was no stranger to them, increased anxiety... Or was that sleep deprivation? Or was it both? Maybe if he went to sleep... If he slept the Talon could get him and drug him again. He wasn't sleeping...Robin thought he saw something move in the darkness...
Robin shook his head violently to try to clear it, it didn't help much...
Number, numbers were good. Numbers unlike people followed rules and patterns...
Robin closed his eyes and try to think straight, to stop his racing thoughts "One times thirteen is thirteen, two times thirteen is twenty six, three times thirteen is..."
...
"There is miles of underground tunnles as old as Bludheaven it self, its like an labyrinth down there" said Wonder Women as they looked at a map. Marking off areas in an pen.
"I need to find him" said Batman at once
"We are doing our best, Bruce" said Wonder Women "You aren't the only ones who care about him. He's got good friends here, lots of them"
"Having firends didn't stop the Court getting him" snapped Batman
"Bring trained by you didn't stop them, they won't let him go easily you know"
Batman didn't show any emotions. "You were on if the people against me training him. If I hadn't of train him they would of took him an long time ago. And we would be dealing with an full blown assassin not Robin"
"He was eight years old Bruce of course I'm against it" said Wonder Women at once "And I don't believe he would ever been able to become an Talon. I remembered an young boy filled with angry and sadness who safe the life of an man he hated more than anything..."
Batman paused remembering when Robin save his family killer. They was an moment Batman wasn't sure himself what road, Dick was going to go on. It was an never ending battle he knew this himself. "He's alway been an better man than me. But right now he needs help, and I am failing him"
"It won't be long" said Wonder Women "You know we can't rush this... If we want to get Dick out as soon as possible..."
"I know" growled Batman
...
The door opening made Robin confused the fire light hurt his eyes. "Richard Grayson" called the Talon
Robin wasn't going to pay the Talon any attention. He wasn't going to let him know he had mess with his head. He had to keep all his anxiety and panic hidden away... He couldn't let them show "One times twenty three is twenty three. Two times twenty three is forty six, three times twenty three is sixty nine, four times..."
"Richard Grayson"
"Do you mind I am reciting my time tables... I'm getting an little rusty"
"You're next part of your training awakes"
Robin didn't move, he didn't even look at the Talon "I'm quite comfy in here"
"You are lying, Richard Grayson" said the Talon. "Why are you fighting this so hard? You belong here we are your family..."
"I have a family"
"Why haven't they come for you let then? Surely with all their power and resources they would of got here before now"
Robin eyes narrowed "I know what you are trying to do, its not working" or maybe it was a little, But Robin wasn't going to tell them that. The Titans wouldn't give up on him, they haven't yet not after becoming slade's Apprentice and being Red X. Batman... Batman would come, he alway come for him when he was in trouble... Maybe he was too much trouble after all...
"They let to show any signs of even looking for you" said the Talon "Your family doesn't care"
"And what? You do?"
"Why do you think we went to all this trouble to get you, Richard?"
"Because you want another assassin"
"If you are so keen on not becoming one of us, why haven't you escape yet? You belong in the shadows, you belong in the night..."
"...I belong to the Bat-Family"
"You belong to us, Richard Grayson. You always have done and alway will, now you will come with me, or I'll lock you in here for a few more hours, you won't like that would you?"
"You can't change who I am"
"You can't escape your destiny"
...
"They would be somewhere in this area here" said Batman narrowing down were Robin could be. Under the oldest part of the city
"That's an large area" comment the Flash
"We wasted enough time, I'm getting him now, you can even come with me or stay here. I really don't care" said Batman bluntly
"Bruce you need to think. Do you think going in without an plan is going to do Dick any good?" Asked Wonder Women
"I can't see how waiting around, looking at maps is doing any good either, he was injured and exhausted before he went missing. Its been over two days"
"We know and Dick is not going to be thinking straight, Bruce, So you have too"
...
Robin was shocked how unsteady he was on his feet, as he walked though the tunnels. He was weaker than he relised. He wasn't sure we could take another of the Talons training exercises with out seriously injured himself or worst... Dying...
They wouldn't let him die right? They wanted him to become an Talon that badly they won't kill him...
...They might, if they got fed up with him...
...Maybe he been good for an little while...no, he couldn't that was what they wanted him to do. He had to fight, no matter what he had to fight the Court of Owls, he had to fight the Talons...
...He wanted to sleep, have the longest sleep he ever had, then eat... He even eat Starfire cooking... Starfire... The Titans...
Robin was annoyed his thoughts were all messed up. He hardly knew were he was going... He should of been mapping out the tunnels in his head...he coming up with an escape plan...
...He wasn't going to become an Talon...
...No matter what...
...
Kid Flash come rushing into the room "They going after Robin... They going to get him"
"What now?" Asked Cyborg as everyone jumped to their feet.
"Yeah, they think they know whereabouts he is, they going to get him... the league..."
"Then we got to come too" said Beast Boy
"Only official league members are allowed to come" the teenage all turn to see Black Canary standing looking at them "you will stay here, when Robin gets back he will need his friends."
They were left alone again "I'm fed up with waiting" moaned Kid Flash
...
Fighting an army of creepy looking hybrids was one thing, fighting an army of creepy mask wearing assassins is another...
...It was worst than fighting one mad psychopathic clown...
...This was it, he was going to die fighting his childhood fear... He should of stay away from the Owls...
...He was going to die...
He was going to die...