CHAPTER 2

ROBIN'S JOURNAL

Okay, it was a long and boring stakeout, just like I expected, except I was crouched on a rooftop watching Batman watch a hotel. Neither of us saw a thing. Finally, when it looked like Batman was getting ready to go, I shot a line and started moving as fast as I could. It was a long way to Bristol and I didn't have a batmobile.

When I got back, I planned to sneak into my bedroom upstairs, hoping that Bruce would assume I'd come home and just gone to bed. This is what happens when you've been adopted by the World's Greatest Detective. As I climbed over the sill of my window, the room light flashed on showing Bruce sitting in the chair, waiting for me. And he didn't look happy.

"Explanation?" He demanded. When Bruce uses single word commands, you know that you're in deep doo-doo.

Best defense is a good offense. "I was worried about you," I said, standing in front of the window, arms folded. No way was I gonna feel guilty about this one. "You were all alone out there."

"What was it about my instruction to 'go home' that you didn't understand?" Bruce's voice would make vacuum sound warm, but I was used to him.

"I'm fourteen years old, Bruce. I've been your partner since I was nine and in YJ for a year. Even Superman respects my skills. Why can't you?" I found myself looking up as Bruce unfolded all six foot two of himself out of that chair. When Bruce stands like that he doesn't stand, he looms. Still, not gonna work.

"Hasn't it occurred to you that I am responsible for your well-being? Or that I have more experience than you do in the field? Harvey Dent is a whole other level of dangerous and you aren't ready to face him," Bruce growled.

"Yeah, so he's another crook with a gimmick," I said with a sneer. "C'mon, with Penguin, it's birds or umbrellas, Catwoman it's cats, Riddler, it's riddles, Poison Ivy, it's plants..." I ticked them off, finger by finger on my gauntlet. "Even the Joker tells a good joke every now and then, before he tries to jokerize you."

Bruce's teeth clenched. "With the exception of Joker, they're all lightweights. Harvey Dent isn't a crook with gimmicks, his obsession with duality goes to the center of his madness. He's dangerous. I don't want you anywhere near him. And even more dangerous," Bruce leaned in. "Now that I have a partner, that makes two of us, more likely to trigger Harvey's obsession. No." Bruce's face changed as though he'd just decided something. "You're going to Mount Justice and you're staying there until I get this case wrapped up."

"Wait a minute! You're exiling me?" I shouted. I saw the room door open a crack. Undoubtedly Alfred had heard the raised voices and came to check on us.

"It's not an exile, but if I can't trust you to follow orders, you need to be elsewhere," Bruce had noticed the door, too. "Come in, Alfred. I'd like you to pack a bag for Dick. He'll be going to Mount Justice for an extended stay."

Alfred shot a worried look from Bruce to me and back again. He never likes it when Bruce and I argue. "Very well, sir. Is there a special occasion?"

"Dick will be on an extended assignment, at least a month if not more. Once he's packed, please escort him down to the cave, would you?" Bruce undoubtedly saw the anger and hurt in my eyes, but I couldn't read any triumph in his.

So, like a five year old sent away to summer camp, Alfie packed my bags and walked me down to the zeta tube in the batcave. The last thing Batman said to me before he activated the beam was, "I'll send for you when it's safe, but until then you are to stay at Mount Justice. You will sit out any Team assignments; I don't want you travelling back here. And don't try to zeta anywhere. I've locked you out of the system."

The next thing I knew, I'd been dumped at Mount Justice.

ALFRED'S JOURNAL

I saw the lad off into the zeta tube. Master Bruce's face was like a thundercloud; I have rarely seen him so upset as he was that night. I fear that the young boy he had taken in as a child was beginning to grow up and have his own opinions.

"Was that really necessary, sir?" I asked in a voice, which may have been cooler than is my wont.

"I had to, Alfred," he husked. "He wouldn't obey me," Master Bruce said and turned away from me, toward one of his computer stations.

"Perhaps if you had explained to him..." I faltered and was cut off.

"He wouldn't listen. And, in any case, the issue has been settled. Once Harvey is back behind bars, I'll send for Dick." He began typing.

Master Bruce has always been brilliant, even from boyhood. But in one area he has a considerable blind spot, and that is in the area of human emotion. Sometimes I think that he is not only blind, but willfully so, refusing to see anyone's viewpoint but his own.

"Sir, you hurt the lad by punishing him in such a high-handed manner. You've even forbidden him from pursuing investigations with his team. Worst of all, Master Dick was only trying to protect you from danger. How will you ever be able to mend fences with him when this is all over?" I approached the man whom I regard as a surrogate son and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Said shoulder tensed under my touch, then relaxed. He looked away from the computer screen and at me.

"But he'll be somewhere that Dent can't get at him, Alfred. I don't care if he hates me, as long as he is safe," he said.

ROBIN'S JOURNAL

I guess my suitcase fell over or maybe I kicked it but anyway, Wally came out of the kitchen munching on a cookie.

"Hey Rob! 'Bout time you got here. M'gann's latest batch of cookies is pretty good. You want one?" He offered me a peanut butter and M&M cookie (my favorite) but I was just too mad. Instead, I heaved my backpack over one shoulder and started to drag the suitcase with the other. (Alfie never uses the one with the wheels; the idea is that I should be strong enough to haul it myself. Another one of Bruce's 'training' techniques.)

"So," Wally munched some more, dripping crumbs on the carpet. "You gonna stay awhile?" He eyed my suitcase curiously.

"Yeah," I said shortly as I tossed the case into my room and threw the backpack after it. "For the foreseeable future."

"Hmmm...Bat trouble?" Wally sat down at my desk. "What happened?"

"Nothing important," I said, feeling suddenly ashamed. I mean, really. Batman had locked me out of the zeta transporter, which meant I couldn't go anywhere. I was benched from any assignments. Talk about being treated like a little kid! It was...embarrassing. Of course, everybody would be sympathetic if I told them all about it. Batman's a slave-driver, everyone knows that. I have to meet impossible standards, be better than the best if I ever hope to be even close to good enough. I shouldn't have wasted my time worrying about Bruce. He'll do just fine without a little kid like me dogging his heels...

Who am I kidding? Bruce thinks he's infallible, but he isn't. And I really want to know just why he's so bugged about this "Two-Face" person. Think I'll do a little research.

Since I was stuck at Mount Justice, I might as well put the time to good use. I first hacked into the bat computers when I was ten years old. Since then, Batman has upgraded them a couple of times, but always with my input. Thing is, my skills as a hacker surpass Batman's and just about anybody in the League as well. I cracked my knuckles and got working.

After I hit the firewalls that I, myself, had designed and installed, I used a couple of backdoors to get into the good stuff. I've gone trolling in Batman's restricted files before and found some pretty gruesome villains there. This? Not so much.

Harvey Dent is a former District Attorney for Gotham County. In combination with Batman and then-Captain James Gordon, he spearheaded an anti-crime initiative that cut the organized crime rate in Gotham in half within a period of about three years. Dent was known as a fierce and implacable prosecutor and was at the top of the local mafia's list of outstanding jobs. The only person in Gotham who had a bigger price on his head was Batman. Impressive...So what happened. Must look some more...

Later-Grabbed a sandwich from the fridge before Kid Glutton could eat everything. Anyway, the file says Dent was in court when some mobster he was prosecuting got him with a vial of acid, straight to his face. It scarred half, but left the other half intact. Drove Dent nuts. Looks like Dent already wasn't sewn too tightly and this was the last straw. Batman was there but wasn't able to prevent the attack and the judge that day was...yup...Lawrence Watkins.

Now to hack the Arkham files and find out some more about ol' Harvey.

ALFRED'S JOURNAL

The Master spent the rest of the night huddled over the computers, then appeared at breakfast dressed for the office. He said nothing over his coffee, although I caught him eyeing Master Dick's empty place a few times.

I did try to reopen the discussion about Master Dick several times. Master Bruce's first response was the snap the newspaper open and bury his head therein. His second comprised what Master Richard and his friends term the 'bat glare'.

I did telephone Master Richard before I began my morning dusting, just to make sure that he was settling in well.

"Oh, Hi Alfie!" His normally perky voice sounded somehow...off. I suspected that the lad was planning something, but had no proof.

"How are you, Master Dick," I replied. "I neglected to pack provisions for you last night. I know how you...er...suffer from young Master Wallace's appetite. I have just expressed a box of cookies and other comestibles to you."

"Aw, thanks Alf! I really appreciate it. Wally did a run through the cupboards here and all that's left for breakfast is oatmeal. Not even any cold cereal," he replied.

"So, do you have any activities planned since you are there?" I asked, hoping he might let something slip.

A short silence, then a laugh. "Who, me? Nope. I'm benched, remember? I'll probably spend some time reading, working out, maybe see if I can beat Wally at some videogames."

I heard a faint voice in the background, Master Wallace: "Yeah, you'll try!"

"Well, I just wanted to see if there was anything more you needed..." Such as, perhaps, a sympathetic shoulder to lean on...

"No, it's okay, Alfie. Really. Batman does what he does. But thanks again for the cookies and stuff..."

Master Wallace in the background again: "Food? He's sending you a box of food? Great!"

Master Dick's voice, muffled: "It's not for you, Kid Mouth! Those cookies are mine!" Snort of laughter, then Master Dick was back on the phone. "Sorry about that Alfie, but no, I'll be fine. I'll see you soon. Bye."

As I set the receiver down I felt a sense of foreboding, but couldn't identify it. Master Dick was safe in another city, some distance from Gotham, and right where Master Bruce had put him. I had no need to worry.