Disclaimer – You recognise it, I don't own it.
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Jason shifted in his seat slightly as he directed the detectives to Tim's place. He really wasn't comfortable in the back of a police car. Unmarked though it was, it still brought back way too many memories for him.
"Where are we going?" Montoya asked.
"Nearly there." Jason replied, "Take the next left."
"This doesn't seem to be the sort of place a rich kid should be." Allen remarked.
"Funny," Jason snorted, "Used ta be quite swanky round here. Before my time, of course. Turn right, then pull up at the end. Ya can park in the street. Should be alright. Your car's not too flashy. And it's better than it used ta be round here."
"Really?" Montoya blinked, "I never worked this beat."
"Yeah," Jason nodded, "I used ta sleep in that side alley. Don't look like there's anyone sleeping there now."
"You slept rough?" Allen almost turned to look at him, before remembering the road.
"Yeah," Jason shrugged, "Wasn't that in your files on me? I slept rough and then got put into a school for troubled kids. Turns out the headmaster was trying ta train criminals. Might as well have called him Fagin. When that got shut down, Bruce took me in."
Allen pulled the car to a stop, directly outside a fairly large building. Certainly larger than anything else on the street.
"Crime Alley?" He remarked as he got out the car, "Seriously? He lives on Crime Alley?"
"It used ta have a different name." Jason stretched as he got out the back seat, "Used ta be called Park Row."
"But why here?" Montoya asked, "This doesn't make any sense."
"It makes perfect sense." Jason replied, "If you know Timmy. Besides this place is important. At least ta us… Give me a moment, I just need ta open the door."
He walked confidently towards the big building, before kneeling down to look at the lock.
"Do you have a key?" Montoya blinked, "Because you aren't acting as if you do."
"I have a key," Jason replied, "Timmy's security system on the other hand… Well, I prefer unlocking it from this height."
"Why?"
"Because it means that if Timmy's home, he can't kick me in the groin again."
"Again?" Allen coughed, "You mean he's done it before?"
"Little lesson," Jason snorted, "Timmy's small. But that don't mean he won't fight. It also don't mean that he won't fight dirty! I swear he got taught fighting by a woman. Because he will do whatever it takes to win a fight… If he wants to win."
"So whoever is holding him…?" Montoya tailed off.
"They don't play fair." Jason nodded, "And they ain't amateurs. Amateurs would have underestimated Timmy. He's just a business man after all."
Jason pushed the door open, only rising to his feet once the door was open sufficiently to allow him entrance.
"Intruder alert. Intruder alert." A computerised female voice announced, "Please state your authorisation code. Intruder alert. Intruder alert."
"No man is measured by the love he gives to others but by how much he is loved." Jason spoke clearly and precisely, his accent disappearing for a moment.
"System deactivated." The computer declared, "Welcome, Jason Todd."
"Unusual pass phrase." Allen remarked.
"From a book," Jason shrugged, "One of the Brother Cadfael series. I think it was a dig at me at first. A quote from a series I don't particularly like, nor consider good literature. In my opinion it is no better than most murder mystery series. However, Tiny Tim enjoys it. Anyway, welcome ta Casa del Timmy."
The two detectives looked around. Jason watched them.
He watched as their eyes skipped over the hidden nocks and crannies of the place. The hidden catches and switches that led to a world the detectives had never seen before. That hid weapons and computers. That hid secrets that many people would die and kill to know.
He watched as they dismissed the decorative swords on the walls. The display of Legolas' dual knives ignored as simply a homage to the film trilogy. Few would consider testing the keenness of the blades to discover that they were not only sharp, but potentially deadly. Perfectly balanced for fighting, and able to fit perfectly into Timmy's grip.
Equally the replica of the sword from the Legend of Zelda had an edge, and the matching shield was designed to complement it. There were others hanging from the walls in strategic locations. Including a Klingon Batleth, something that Jason was still trying to figure out how to permanently borrow. He didn't recognise where some of the weapons came from, but knew they were all things that firmly established Timmy's geek credentials.
They didn't overpower the décor, but certainly they were a visible presence in the space.
Turning, he smiled as he noticed a new addition to the collection. Gandalf's staff stood in the shadow of the door.
Jason had no doubt that the replica could be used by the missing hero to fight as well as any bo staff.
Timmy knew what he was doing, and he had created a home that was fully armed, and yet easily dismissed as harmless. Indeed, even the owner would be dismissed as harmless, because how could such a geek be dangerous?
Jason knew the truth though. Timmy was very much crouching geek, hidden badass.
"This is a pretty impressive pad for a kid." Allen whistled as he looked around, "Wayne money, I presume."
"Drake, actually." Montoya corrected.
"I thought his father went bankrupt." Allen frowned
"According to the files I found, he did." Montoya nodded, "But they'd shuffled a large amount of money into a Trust Fund for Tim and other things like that. Tax dodging, I think. However, when Mister Drake had no money of his own…"
"He couldn't touch Tim's." Allen laughed, "Ironic."
"Yeah, sounds 'bout right." Jason agreed, "Timmy never told me where he got all the money from. But I know Bruce didn't foot the bill. The brat would have caused way too much fuss if he had. Woulda demanded his own place. Plus, I'm not a hundred percent sure Bruce knows where this place is. Not sure he'd approve of it either."
"Not fond of all the weaponry?" Montoya waved a hand.
"That wouldn't be the problem. If Timmy wants to decorate with replica movie props, Bruce couldn't give two hoots. But converting this building? That cuts a little too close ta home."
"What do you mean?" Allen frowned, "I mean I can see this used to be a theatre. But it's a good conversion."
"Also the place that the Waynes were attending 'fore they got killed." Jason reminded, "I like what Timmy's done with the place. But Bruce lives little too much in the past with regards ta it. I ain't sure how he'd take Timmy replacing the place that has the last happy memories of his parents for him. Tainted though they are by what happened only moments later… I'll let ya investigate as ya will. I'm taking the couch."
"You could leave us here and go home. I'm sure your family will be missing you."
"Like Hell I will." Jason snorted, "I know Timmy well enough ta know that he don't really like people in his space. 'Specially strangers. So at the very least, I'm staying here, so that when he comes back he don't completely slaughta me. I won't get in your way."
Jason slumped on the sofa. He wasn't worried about the detectives finding, accessing or activating anything hidden around the place. The code he'd used locked down all of them. None of the panels would open until a different code was used. One Jason didn't actually know.
Jason had thought Timmy was being paranoid setting up a security system like that, one that Jason had partial control over. But it was coming in handy.
Slumped on the couch, Jason let his fingers sneak into the nocks and crannies of the couch. It was a habit he still had from childhood, looking for dropped change. He didn't find any, but his hand closed around what seemed to be a strap of some kind. Jason quickly released it and let it be. No need to reveal any secrets to the detectives.
To be honest Jason didn't expect the detectives to find anything of any use. It was clear to him that whoever had grabbed Timmy had managed to catch Red Robin. And it would be the Bats who brought Timmy home.
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"What do you know?" Bruce cut straight to the chase, as Dick came down the stairs into the Cave.
"Probably less than you do at the moment," Dick shrugged, "Given that you've got the report open. I don't know anything that's not in that. Last contact I had with Tim was two months ago. I don't recall anything more recent. I've got Babs looking for more details."
"My last communication was nine weeks ago." Bruce put in, "Jason might have more information. He went with the detectives to show them Tim's home."
"His home is here." Dick snapped.
"Is it?" Damian challenged.
"Of course it is!" Dick returned.
"When did he last come here, Grayson?" Damian asked, "When did he last eat here? When did he last get a medical here? When did he last sleep here? This hasn't been his home in a very long time."
"When did you last see him?" Bruce redirected the conversation.
"Nine weeks ago." Damian shrugged, "However, Drake sent me some information regarding a case six weeks ago."
"You didn't know he was missing." Dick wanted confirmation.
"If I had known, I would have looked." Damian stated firmly.
"Would you have told us?" Bruce frowned slightly.
"Tt." Damian chuffed, "Depends if you had asked."
"Any information you can give us?" Bruce tried again.
"I do not know anything, Father." Damian replied, "This is nothing of my doing. Nor do I believe it has anything to do with Mother or even Grandfather. Neither of them would keep him in Gotham."
"True enough." Dick agreed, "But… Why didn't you tell us about Tim drifting away?"
"Why should I?" Damian challenged, "By the time I realized the importance of his role in the family, he had already drifted so far that I could not bring him back. He would not believe anything I said about his importance. Besides, if I brought him back and you abandoned him again… We would never get him back a second time."
"He chose to distance himself." Dick reminded.
"I would not phrase it that way." Damian returned, "Drake left after your failure to communicate with him and my failure to realize what Robin meant to him. He may have left to find Father; however, he never fully came back from that incident."
"He said I was his brother." Dick protested.
"He lies to Batman." Damian countered, "It is something he is particularly proud of. A fact I was told by the Titans. Can you not comprehend the idea that he would lie to you? Particularly given that you were attempting to get him psychiatric help not too long previously? I would not be surprised if he feared you placing him in Arkham."
"I wouldn't do that!" Dick was outraged.
"Tt. Why not?" Damian's voice was calm and steady, "You did place Todd there. If I recall correctly, it was Drake who got him out."
If he recalled correctly? Dick knew that Damian never stated anything he wasn't absolutely certain about. The worst part was that Dick couldn't really argue with him. Everything he was saying as to the facts was true.
And it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that Damian was right about Tim's view of everything. He certainly wasn't wrong about Tim leaving them completely if he felt left out twice. Tim certainly subscribed to the belief of "Fool me once, shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me".
"Do we have any trackers in his gear?" Dick addressed Bruce.
"None that I can activate." Bruce replied, "Alfred, did you have any input in the Red Robin costume?"
"I am afraid not, Master Bruce. I have not properly interacted with Master Tim since he left to locate you."
"I'm going to investigate the crime scene, tonight." Dick declared, "Hopefully I can turn up something the police missed."
"Damian and I will check Tim's base for information on his current cases." Bruce stated.
"Do you know where his Nest is, Father?" Damian challenged once again.
"No." Bruce admitted, "However, I strongly suspect that you do. If not, I am certain that Jason does, as he accompanied the detectives to show them Tim's house."
"I know the location of his Nest." Damian stated, "I do not know how to access without Drake though. I have never actually entered his Nest, only the home above it… At least not consciously at least. I believe he may have brought me there when he was tending my injuries four months back."
"Something I never properly thanked him for." Bruce sighed, "We need more information. Dick, contact the Titans. See what information they can add to the situation."
"Of course." Dick agreed, "I thought you would have already started on that, though."
The questioning tone in Dick's voice was obvious.
"I was attempting to track Tim through the developments in those cases, which have his particular touch. In particular the action against the League of Assassins, which do appear to have been Tim's ongoing focus for quite some time."
"How are you doing?"
"I can find traces of his work up to approximately a month ago." Bruce stated, "He also hasn't swiped into the WE for the last month."
"Pretty good indicators that he's been missing for a month." Dick nodded, "But how did we not notice, B? I mean… It's Timmy!"
"I know." Bruce's voice was sombre, "I know. I just hope that this is all a misunderstanding. That Tim got away. That he's safe."
"He would have come to us." Dick reminded.
"Would he?" Damian challenged, "I am not certain that even if we can recover him, that we will be able to bring him back into the family. I doubt he will trust us again. Certainly he has never trusted me."
"Master Damian," Alfred interrupted, "If you are heading out on patrol tonight, it is best that we ensure you have proper sustenance."
Dick knew that Alfred was simply getting Damian out of the discussion. He was fairly certain that Damian not only knew, but was only going along for the promise of cookies that he could get out of the aging butler.
Damian's words were cutting to the quick. The youngster clearly wasn't pulling any punches. And Dick slightly despaired.
If Damian could see fractures in Dick's relationship with Tim, then it was more than likely that Tim saw huge gaping chasms. The intelligent teen always had had a habit of seeing the worst case scenarios when it came to his own personal relationships. Of always seeing the bad side, rather than the good, which was where Dick preferred to live.
Sometimes Dick wondered if that was why Tim was able to forgive hurts against himself so easily… The kid had been expecting people to hurt him. So why wouldn't he be able to forgive? He had always known the blow was coming. But that didn't mean that he forgot. And he certainly never forgave hurts to those he cared about.
One day Dick was going to fix all the mental issues that Tim had gained, due to his parents. But that was for the future.
First of all was the far more important job, of getting Tim home.
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Please Review.
I write stories because I can't draw. I have all these images in my head that I cannot reproduce. So I try and describe them with words. If anyone else would like to try to translate what I have written into what they think I saw in my head, they have my permission. I only ask that I be notified of it, so that I may look and go "OOoooh!".
Many thanks to my reviewers:
Rehabilitated Sith – Yeah, Tim's a bit of a pushover for those he cares for.
Inthenightguest – That section (sort of) comes later. Thanks for your compliments.