Cypher wants revenge against Batman and his former third Robin. What better way to get revenge than to use the Wayne Family to lure everyone to their doom.

Subliminal Death

By

AJ

Part 19: Cypher Springs the Trap

Cypher could hear the special sensors go off. He checked the monitors. 'Good, he came.' Cypher was pleased with himself. Isolating "Robin" had not been an easy task. He thought trying to destroy the Waynes would have brought the boy out of hiding. 'At lease he finally did come, and now I can get my revenge on that brat for ruining my voice. Now to really have some fun with him and to find out what his deepest wish really is.' Cypher started his special music. 'Let's see what it is you are afraid of.'

Red Robin leapt down into the factory, pulling out his bow staff. It was odd that no one was around because the factory didn't appear abandoned. And yet, it was totally empty. From the outside, the factory looked occupied, but from the inside, it was as quiet as a tomb. He had to be cautious. As Red Robin looked around, strains of music reached his ears. He followed the sound to another part of the factory. It led him to a lower level. Once he reached the end of the ramp, several henchmen were rushing toward him from behind and in front of him. He had been cut off. Red Robin prepared his bow staff and stood waiting to crack a few heads.

Dick arrived in Bludhaven earlier than expected. He hopped off and went towards his apartment walking slowly. His mind worked on what he had been told. He felt bad for snapping at Tim, but he couldn't fully understand why he snapped. He knew he was going to have to apologize to Tim at some point, but right now, he just needed time for himself, which he hadn't really had much lately. He'll return in a day or two and patch things up with Tim then. 'Kori is right, Haley's in good hands. I need this.'

'We'll all need to check on Haley since Dick isn't going to be here for a while. Hopefully, he won't be gone for days. I'll speak with Alfred about it.'

Bruce got up from the rocking chair and went over to Dick's room. He kept the door open so everyone could come by. He placed Haley in her crib. He wanted to make sure Haley was there when Dick returned. Bruce felt a breeze. The window was open. He looked outside to see someone flying away in the distance. 'She must have stayed to know if Haley would be all right.'

Bruce walked out of Dick's room and went to find Jason.

Jason went into the living room to find Damian was watching TV. He was still perplexed as to what happened between the two. He also felt a little shut out. He tried not let it bother him. Instead, he turned his attention toward Damian. It was surprising to find Damian sitting in the living room. Damian doesn't usually watch television. Jason sat down and started watching with Damian. They both felt Tim and Dick's feelings, but they couldn't do anything about it.

^They must have forgotten we could feel them,^ Damian said through the link they shared..

^I know what happened,^ Jason said. ^When they were explaining things to each other their minds were completely open. At first, I was pissed at Dick, agreeing that he really hated me. If he did, he wouldn't have accepted our bond. He wouldn't be there for me.^

^Richard is a complicated person. He might have felt that early on, but now, he doesn't. Even so, Cypher looks for a weakness to exploit, even something from our past.^

^I can see that. What are you watching?^

^I'm doing research,^ Damian stated. ^I'm seeing if Cypher has affected anyone else. The news would have that information.^

^Good point.^

The henchman totally disappeared when Tim dressed in his older uniform tried hitting them. An illusion? He didn't recognize the trap until too late. A screeching sound assaulted his senses and Red Robin covered his ears. He dropped his bow staff then fell through a trap door only to be knocked out when he hit the floor below. He didn't know how long he had been out when he finally stirred.

"Wake up boy," Cypher crooned in Robin's ear. "What are your fears and wishes? Tell me and I shall grant them."

Red Robin couldn't help himself. The voice was so compelling. He told Cypher, and yet deep down he held back from telling Cypher his deepest secret. "Being alone," he heard his own voice saying. "Wanting my parents to be proud of me."

"Good. Come with me. You will never be alone, again. You will be with them forever. And they will be proud of you."

Red Robin didn't know where Cypher was leading him. He was in some kind of trance. His thoughts were only on his parents, and not on his current family. He didn't realize his thoughts were being spoken out loud.

"Tell me more," the voice compelled.

"I want my parents to be proud of me, but I'm afraid . . . Afraid to be alone . . . Afraid to die alone in the dark . . . Buried."

"But you will not be alone . . . And your parents will be proud of you."

Red Robin shook his head. Something deep down told him this was wrong, a small familiar voice. 'Don't listen,' the voice said. Red Robin should his head.

'He's fighting me,' Cypher thought to himself. He increased the strains of music. "You want your parents to be proud of you?" Cypher led Robin to a van. He had the boy climb in and lay down inside of a pine box. "Lie here and sleep. Soon you will be with them."

Red Robin did as Cypher compelled him to do. He lied down in the box and closed his eyes. He wasn't aware that Cypher had sealed him inside.

Cypher drove to the cemetery to a secluded spot under some trees that very few were even aware still existed. The gravestones in this area had been long forgotten.

'No one should find him here until it is too late.'

Cypher ordered the six men who were waiting in a trance-like state to remove the box and place it on the straps that were across the opening in the dirt. They were attached to a mechanism to lower the box into the ground. Cypher pressed the button and the box lowered. He watched it until it was completely inside. Then he grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it onto the coffin.

"Cover him," Cypher said, and he switched off the mechanism that kept Red Robin entranced. His work was done here.

Red Robin suddenly woke from his trance and found himself in the dark. He felt around and realized he was within a wooden box, a make-shift coffin. He heard machinery and dirt being poured on top. ."NO!" He was being buried alive. Red Robin started pounding on the lid. "NOOO! . . . HELP!" He screamed mentally as well. Tears streamed down Tim's face. Somehow, he had been tricked. Despite Caine blocking his mind, it wasn't enough, and now he was trapped, trapped in the dark. "HELP ME!" Tim pounded on the lid, then started clawing at the wood. This must have been how Jason felt when he came back to life, trapped, buried alive with no one to hear him screaming. Not knowing why. 'Jason.' Tim thought. "JASON! DICK!" Tears continued to stream down Tim's cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Above ground the men continued to pour dirt over the lowered coffin, not hearing the pleas of the person who was being buried. As far as they knew this was an ordinary funeral with mourners and the dead being laid to rest. Once the hole was filled in, Cypher went to each person and gave them some money. He told them where to go and what to do. Then he stood over Robin's make-shift grave and laughed.

Continues with Part 20: The Sudden Discovery