Robin's POV

Were they here the whole time?! I needed to keep my nerves in check, or I'd blow it for sure. I readjusted my grip on my pole, which I'd hidden on the roof with my suit before coming here. Probably not... Will's not that observant... but how about...ummm...Chrystal? Chrissy? It didn't really matter right then. I wasn't supposed to know her anyway. Using my best Robin composure and trying my best to sound as disconnected and serious as possible I chanced a hopefully normal enough question, "Did you see anyone come by this way?" Was that ok? No, that sounded exactly like me, and Will would know it. I had to ask though. I wasn't supposed to have seen where Flash went. "Yeah," The girl with Will ...Christia? said. I really needed to focus. I was everywhere with this. I took a breath before continuing, "Which way?" That was better...

"That way." She said pointing toward the train tracks where I'd already known Flash went. I nodded stiffly and ran off after him. Christie! That's it! I ran over the slippery train tracks without so much as a second thought. I continued along, sticking to the shade and shadows as Flash came once again into view entering, what must be, his house. Hopefully... If not, this would get really awkward really quickly. Just as the door shut slowly behind him, I strained to hear a voice inside but couldn't make out the muffled words. It probably wouldn't have mattered if I'd heard it perfectly. It was only a few words. First goal complete. The first part of this mission was simply to identify and reach Flash's house. The second was to identify who all lived here. As far as I understood, it should only be Flash and his dad, but that was yet to be a proven fact. I walked inconspicuously around toward the broken wooden fence that was supposed to keep the backyard private. From here, I could barely see into the window which led to their living room. This would have felt creepy, except that I'd been at it for almost three years and felt quite comfortable and at home doing this. Far more comfortable than I'd been a minute ago trying to pass off as a stranger to my closest friend outside of family. I didn't know exactly what counted as friend vs family for me, but Will was up there either way. From where I watched, I saw what looked like Flash's and someone else's shadow moving on the wall of the hallway. The thing was that it didn't look like his dad's. Strange... There must have been someone else here. I was so focused on the shadows moving across the wall I hadn't noticed the source of sudden growling from around the fence. I froze realizing I had accidentally ended up in the backyard, and the large, darkly colored dog, that looked like some sort of giant bulldog, still eyeing me from the shadow didn't appreciate it.

Christie's POV

I had been watching Robin, who was in Flash's backyard, since he'd gotten there maybe ten minutes ago. I had followed him to Flash's house after he'd asked us where he had gone. I don't know why I'd followed him, but something in me was compelled too. Now he was being growled at by Flash's dog. It looked like the type of dog that should be a guard dog. And it was about to prove if that were true. It then lunged towards Robin who jumped slightly. I need to do something... but what can I do? I can't be seen here! I watched still unsure of how to react as the large dog jumped at him again, this time going for blood. Robin suddenly reached for his pole he'd left behind the fence. He told hold of it and thrust it further into the yard, where the dog's attention immediately went. From there, Robin quickly, and rather smoothly slipped through the hole in the fence and took a breath leaning on the other side. Seriously?! Did he really just throw his pole to the dog?! Is he actually planning to leave it there? I thought watching him start off, away from the house, apparently not planning on getting his weapon back. I moved closer to a different part of the fence, now only a few feet from Flash's house. I glanced back to Robin who had now paused in obvious realization of what he'd just done. He took a quick breath looking back to where the dog was successfully distracted by his new treasure. I moved my attention off Robin and back to the present issue scanning the ground for a replacement stick. Finding a rather large branch I tossed it into the yard, hopefully unseen. However, it did not go unnoticed by the dog who ran to my new stick seemingly satisfied. As soon as it did, I snatched Robin's, now slobbery pole, and ran back away from the fence. I did it! But the dog started barking. Loudly. He was not satisfied. He must have noticed me take it. Both Robin and I were a good distance outside the fence at that point, but this was bad. They'd hear it for sure. I noticed a pretty large maple tree not far from me. Good, I could leave the pole there, and he should see it. As I closed on my destination, I looked back toward Robin to make sure all had worked out with the dog, and he'd gotten away from it ok. Standing in the middle of the front yard and looking a little unsure of how to react, Robin had definitely seen me. I continued on regardless hoping Flash's family couldn't hear... or would ignore hearing... the incessant barking coming from their backyard. Right as I reached the tree, I realized that they did not, in fact, ignore it. I looked back to the front of the somewhat small house barely illuminated by two lantern lights on the front porch. One was partially out, giving a slightly ominous feel as the door slowly creaked open. A girl younger than Flash, but fitting Will's description of a creepy sister, scanned the outside from behind a half-closed door. She didn't have to look far to notice Robin's bright colors still in the middle of the yard. He jerked around to face her, clearly unsettled, but not handling it too badly. My heart sped up a bit as I realized this was my fault. I probably shouldn't have gone for the pole... "What are you doing?" her quiet voice spoke as she stepped further outside, beginning to close the door behind her. Her long, wavy, red hair lightly moved in the breeze, as her green eyes searched for an answer.

"Uhh, I was following a suspect down this way. He must have gone inside somewhere..." Robin answered sort of slowly.

"Lily! What's going on?" I could barely hear the rough voice yell from inside. She quickly glanced from Robin to the source of the question, "It's nothing. Everything's fine."

She offered Robin a slight smile before adding, "I'll be right back." As she closed the door completely, Robin nodded a quick "thanks" of sorts before explaining, "I followed behind your house, but... your dog didn't really appreciate it."

She smirked a little, her eyes going to the dirty, wooden porch floor. "Anyway, I'd better go." With that, Robin ran off out of sight. She went back inside and finally the barking had stopped. I left the pole leaning on the tree, slightly unsatisfied by how it all happened, but it had worked out alright. As I started back down the road I'd previously followed Robin down after Will had left the gym. I heard footsteps behind me, and stopped to see Robin, pole in hand, approach me. "Thanks," he said, slightly uncomfortably. He looked down, unsure of what else to say.

"Does Will know?"

He jerked back up to look me in the eyes, the slight discomfort, no longer slight. Oh, I thought he knew that I knew... guess not.

"No," he answered curtly, "and no one can" His stare was serious. I nodded quickly at his obviously stressed disposition. He looked away for a moment, then back, before running off, back into the dark.