The elevator came to a stop at the 27th floor of GCPD headquarters and a bell dinged when the doors slid open. Gordon walked out with his most trusted officers. Detectives Harvey Bullock, Renee Montoya, and young officer O'Hara kept pace right behind him. Bullock carried a large brown paper bag with the words To Gordon written on it in black sharpie.

The officers and personnel who worked on the 27th floor knew not to get in Commissioner Gordon's way when he was walking the hallway. They all parted, letting him through and watched them with some concern. What the hell was it this time, they wondered.

This floor gave direct access to the roof of the building via a small climb of stairs. Ever since they put that light up there a few years ago Gordon spends more and more time up there.

Up the stairs and through the door, Gordon's shoes crunched underneath loose gravel. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his keys and selected a single brass colored key among other silver colored ones. They turned past a ventilation unit, toward a concrete wall that housed a set of locked electrical boxes. Gordon stuck the key in one of them, opened it, and flipped a switch. A loud moan of electricity sounded a few feet away from them. A darked spotlight flickered to life with a struggle. A monster being awakened from its slumber. It shot a great beam of light at the sky. The eerie image of a bat bounced between the night clouds. Gotham's last tether to heaven.

Gordon, Bullock, Renee, and O'Hara all watched the great light silently together for a moment. Gordon took a cigarette out of his long coat and lit it with a match.

"It's the Riddler," a voice said from the shadow.

Gordon coughed hard and dropped his cigarette. The others flinched at the sound of the voice. Young O'Hara's hand instinctively went to his gun. It was his first time being up here. Up here in front of him .

Gordon adjusted his glasses and he noticed Batman standing near the edge of the building. And he also noticed the red and yellow kid hiding behind him. He stuck his hand out and Bullock passed him the paper bag. Gordon reached in and pulled out a cassette tape player. He had to force his eyes away from the kid and onto Batman.

"I popped the cover off of it," Gordon said. "In case there were any hidden transmitters or out of place microchips. Nothing."

"We should'a called in the Bomb Squad and then let our boys in the lab go over it," Bullock said.

Gordon rolled his eyes.

Batman took a step further into the light – his friend doesn't follow – and he pulled the cassette tape from his utility belt. He showed Gordon the green question mark drawn on it, then took the player from him and put in the tape. He pressed play.

In Barlow's glory of the snow a midnight fire blooms secrets and mad torenias singing a golden afternoon.

Batman recognized Edward Nygma's voice immediately. The tape repeated the same message, then repeated again and he stopped the tape.

"The Riddler indeed," Gordon said. "Wonderful. Is this the first Riddle so far?"

"The second," Batman said. "'When Rome's pillar's fell, who cried the loudest? And who cheered even louder? The Mad Hatter said that to me at the museum."

Officer O'Hara pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and wrote that down.

"Any idea what it means?" Gordon said.

"I'm working on it. What happened at WayneTech?"

Gordon was only a little surprised that Batman already heard about that. "Montoya," he said.

"Looks like a break-in and robbery," Detective Montoya said. "No one was hurt. They were quick. Seems like they knew what they were after."

"It's likely the two are connected," Batman said.

"Agreed," Gordon said. "And no other similar incidents have been reported yet."

Batman handed the tape recorder to Bullock. "I'll be in touch," he said. He turned back into the shadow.

"Batman, wait," Gordon said. He gave a look to Harvey Bullock next to him and Bullock immediately understood. The scruffy detective turned to Batman and made an ugly face at him. Even more ugly than usual. Bullock, Renee and O'Hara gave them some room to talk.

"Look Batman," Gordon said. He took another moment to prepare his thoughts. "You've done a lot of good for this city. And I've given you a lot of slack to do it. When I heard the rumor that you had a kid working for you I didn't believe it." He looked at the boy. "But then I see him, and this…this crosses the line, Batman. What do you think you're doing bringing a kid into this?" Gordon's voice got frustrated as he spoke.

"It's fine, Commissioner," Batman said.

"No the hell it's not fine, Batman. That's a child. What is he? 12? 13? That's a child you're putting in danger."

"Do you trust me?" Batman said.

"If it were my kid you had out there, I'd put a bullet in your skull."

"Do you trust me, Jim?"

Gordon searched himself for a moment. He hated this. "I want to, Batman. I really do. But this," he said. He waved a hand at the kid. "I don't know what to think about this."

"Trust that I won't let anything happen to him."

"Oh you better not," Gordon said. His finger was now just an inch from the pointed nose of Batman's cowl. "I swear to you, Batman, if anything happens to that boy right there I'm holding you responsible and I'll be the one leading the charge to bring you in, is that understood?"

"Understood."

Gordon took another look at the kid and turned toward his men and walked away.

Batman and Robin disappeared into the shadows and on the other side of them they bursted out into the open sky, leaping off the roof of the GCPD building. They go into a freefall dive for three seconds before expanding their capes to glide through the air. Batman lands easily in an alley the next street over. He doesn't stop for a single moment. He's already walking as soon as his feet touch the pavement. On the fire escape above him, Robin swung and slid along the rails. He did a somersault into the air and landed next to Batman. He was born a showman.

The Batmobile's cockpit hatch slid forward as they approached and they leaped in. The screens on the dash light up with each's vital signs. The seats were designed to conduct a minor medical diagnostic upon sitting.

"I hate to put you in a bad spot with the Commissioner," Robin said.

"They'll get used to it," Batman said. He stopped and thought to himself for a moment. "Are you still okay? With the work. With being Robin. Are you still sure you want to be a part of this life?"

Robin looked Batman in the eyes. "I've never been more sure about anything in my whole life."

Batman allowed himself a subtle smile. He didn't usually do that while wearing the cowl. "Alfred, we're coming home," he said.

"Very good, Sir. Lucius Fox has been trying to reach you," Alfred said over the Comm.

"I'm sure. Robin, you get some sleep and then start going over the riddles. Bruce Wayne has to go see about who broke into his building."

The atomic thruster on the rear of the Batmobile burst with a hot flame and the Batmobile rocketed into the street.