Today I'll be updating twice, but I think tomorrow I'll start cutting it back to one a day.
Jason watched closely as the young vigilante typed in the necessary code in a secret compartment built into the headstone. The headstone moved to the right, revealing a downward spiral of stone stairs.
"Down we go. Watch your step and wave to the bats."
"Bats?" Damian scoffed. "In the Batcave? Clever."
"Not my idea." Dick reminded him.
It took approximately three minutes to get down to the actual cave, and Jason couldn't help but to stare in awe. He'd had no idea such a thing even existed in their backyard. The cave was huge, and there were several rows of gadgets lining the walls on shelves. An unfinished motorcycle sat in the center of the cave, and the biggest computer set up he'd ever seen took up an entire wall and seemed to be the focus of the cave.
"Very impressive, Grayson." Damian immediately set to work exploring every inch of the cave.
"Welcome to the Batcave. This is the first thing I saw before I became Robin. Pretty cool, right?" Dick kept a watchful eye on Damian, who had picked up a birdarang and ran his finger along the edge of the "wing", cutting himself. "Don't touch those. I don't want you to accidently kill yourself with them."
"Nice bike." Jason ran his hand over the handlebars.
"It's not done yet. I still the extra boosters. Not to mention the system isn't fully set up yet, so it'll be a bit before I can get it to ride without my controls. Once I hook up the GPS to it I'll be able to call from wherever."
"How did you make all this?" Tim asked.
"Believe it or not, but this cave is so empty. At least half of the cave was full of Batmobiles. Then you've got the T-Rex, the giant penny, I could go on forever."
"Dad got busy, huh?" Jason's attention was turned to the computer screen.
"Looks like a theft on 53rd. In the snow I won't be much help right now." Dick frowned.
"Then what good is it to go on patrol?"
"Patrol is different. I'm already out there and can easily make it across town. To try and take the R-Cycle out would be suicide. It's also broad daylight. I draw too much attention to myself." Dick pressed a few buttons on the screen. "Besides, 90% of crimes happen at night."
"So you're just going to let it go?"
"I didn't say that. I've already faxed the information to the Commissioner. He's close and they have a better chance at nabbing the guy."
Robin spent the rest of the day showing them how his gear worked. They took a break for dinner, each of them keeping their little secret about the future escapade. Nightfall came quickly after that, and when all the boys were in bed and Robin had "left" for patrol, their plan was put into action.
"Right here." Dick opened his arms up on the roof of one of the taller buildings. The snow was mostly melted and the temperature was about 40 degrees. "This is the best view in Gotham."
"How are we supposed to see you?" Tim asked, looking over the edge at the grungy Gotham.
"Wait for it." Dick smirked and counted down from five silently.
The door to the roof opened and a woman came through, hauling a chair, a blanket, a notebook, a walky-talky, and binoculars. She looked up and jumped, surprised to see them there.
"Barbara?" Jason quirked an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"
"H-How did you know?" Babs asked, looking extremely embarrassed.
"I know when I'm being watched." Dick crossed his arms and gave a playful smirk.
"How long have you known?" Babs pouted, setting up her chair anyways.
"Two weeks."
"From the get go, huh?"
"You have a couple pairs of binoculars these guys can borrow? They've been bugging me about patrol."
"Yeah, sure. You're okay with this?" Babs rummaged through her stuff and pulled out another pair of binoculars.
"I would've said something earlier if I wasn't." Dick adjusted his cape and gave a thumbs up. "Besides, with you monitoring, I don't have to email in my catches."
"So you noticed that as well." Babs took her walky-talky and pressed a button. "Cover blown, Dad."
"It was only a matter of time." Jim's crackled voice responded.
"He says he's fine with it. Oracle out."
"Oracle? What are you, a superhero too or something?" Jason shook his head. "At this rate the definition of superhero is delusional."
"It's a code name, Jason. Besides, you're in for a real treat tonight." Barbara waved off Dick. "Go, do your thing. Rumor has if 54th is going to be busy tonight."
"Thanks, Babs." Dick turned to the boys. "Stay here, don't fight, and don't get caught."
"Whatever." Damian huffed.
Robin jumped up onto the ledge of the roof, gave a mock salute, and fell backwards. The boys lurched, looking over the edge just as Robin pulled out his grappling hook and "flew" away. His echoing cackle was borderline creepy.
"We won't be seeing anything for another hour, so get comfortable." Babs wrapped the blanket around herself, a smile on her face. "It's been two weeks and I'm still amazed."
"We saw him take down Two Face," Tim told her, "but he was pretty beat up by the end of it."
"I could've taken him." Jason scowled. "I'm not helpless like you."
"But Dick's got his utility belt and that Batcave." Tim countered. "I don't think you could beat him."
"Grayson is just playing hero." Damian put his two cents in. "He takes out the small fry. Two Face got away and he ended up with a concussion. That's so heroic."
"Wait a second, Dick Grayson?" Barbara's eyes lit up. "You mean the one who died twelve years ago? The circus boy, right?"
"Shit." Jason swore, smacking Damian upside the head. "Way to go, moron. Now she knows."
"So? What's she going to do about it?"
"She's police… practically. The whole thing about superheroes is the secret identity bit." Tim growled.
"You're no help, either, gay boy." Jason snarled. "Mister Dick-took-down-Two-Face, yeah, you're just as stupid."
"Shut up. Kon and I are just friends, how many times do I have to tell you?"
"How many times do you tell yourself that at night?" Jason shot back. "Ten times as many should convince me."
"How's that even possible?" Barbara interrupted, abandoning her blanket. "I knew he wasn't normal. I mean, he saved Mr. Wayne like thirty years ago."
"He's from—" Tim started, but clamped his mouth shut. Jason was right; he was almost as big of a blabber mouth as Damian.
"From where?" Barbara's eyes narrowed. "What do you know?"
"Quit prying, fire crotch." Jason pulled Tim behind him. "It ain't any of your business."
"He talks to me just as he talks to you."
"Right, that's why he's told you everything and not us." Damian scoffed. "Gordon, you're better off playing watchtower."
"Is that right?" Barbara's voice reached a dangerous low, and her hand went to her hip. "I suppose you wouldn't mind me calling Mr. Wayne, then? I'm sure he knows exactly where you're at right now."
Damian's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
"Yes, it is."
Jason pulled his knife. "Yeah? Well now I'm threatening you back."
Barbara smirked, upholstering the gun she now kept hidden in the back of her jeans. "I wouldn't tango with me."
Jason scowled and returned his knife to his pocket. "Bitch."
Barbara holstered her gun and took out her cell phone. "Tell me what you know and Mr. Wayne doesn't know."
"Be specific," Tim answered, "or you're going to get vague answers."
Jason caught on to his brother's plan. They wouldn't have to answer if she didn't ask. Damian's focus was down on the streets. They were high enough that someone wouldn't be able to clearly hear their conversation.
"Is Robin Dick Grayson?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"He was born that way." Came Tim's witty remarks. "Do you want the details or not?"
"That's not what I meant. I meant how is he that young?"
"He told us time travel." It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't a lie either.
"Time travel? Seriously?"
"No." Damian answered irritably. "He's from another dimension. Now will you please shut up? I think I hear something."
Barbara wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or serious, but gave up on her questions and went to the side, pulling up her binoculars. Tim mirrored her movements.
"You don't need those, look!" Jason pointed to the left and the four of them watched enraptured as a boy in black in red did several impressive flips backwards out of the way of gunfire.
"Twenty rounds a second and you're still too slow!" Robin mocked, kicking the man down onto the ground.
The man cursed and reached for his gun, but Robin stomped on his hand before kicking the gun away. He pounced again on an unseen foe, but the four clearly heard his cries. Dragging out the two, he bound them together using strip ties.
"That was… underwhelming." Damian huffed.
"He's nowhere near done. That was only a couple of drug dealers, anyways. It's when he catches some of Two Face's men, or goes after the Penguin himself that things get exciting."
"Sure doesn't look that way."
"He flips and flies. I've seen him use his little bird things and a few smoke grenades. Once he used a flash bomb, but since I wasn't it expecting it, I didn't get to see him take out the four guys then." Barbara sighed. "There's something about watching him work. I don't know how he does it, but it's as if he knows all of their moves."
"Sounds like someone has a crush." Jason teased.
"Ew. He's thirteen."
"Whatever cougar." Jason rolled his eyes. "You're just as bad as Tim."
"If you say one more thing I'm shoving you off of this roof." Tim snarled.
"Grayson doesn't know what he's doing." Damian said, puffing out his chest and before Tim could reach out and grab him, climbed over the edge of the roof.
