9 CHAPTER 8

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[Star City. February 9, 10:25 PDT. 2009

David Lance POV]

I was suspended from school, just for a week.

Apparently, beating a bully, even if he was the one to initiate the fight, was against the school's rules.

Not that I cared.

Dinah was proud I had kicked some ass.

So, I was basically having a week off in the house.

And what was I doing during this week? Taking the time to read, and paint. Two of my favorite things.

*BRRRRR*

[Wanna hang out later?] Dick.

I looked at the phone for a second before replying, [You mean, like… hanging out, hanging out, or…. "Hanging out".]

With Dick you had to be sure, sometimes his invitations were to patrol Gotham and such, so it was best to confirm before answering him.

[Hahaha, "Hanging out," and then, hanging out,] Dick replied, sending a bunch of custom emojis, most of them Robin-themed.

I sighed, [Is he aware of this?]

[He's aware of everything…] Robin replied, sending me a deadpan emoji.

[Fine, we can "hang out,"] I replied, I mean, I had nothing better to do, crime in Star City had been relatively slow, so what better place to keep my skills sharp than Gotham City, the city with the highest crime rate I know.

Seconds after I sent the reply, I heard a faint knock at my window, to which I sighed, I already knew who it was.

"So, let's go, Batman has the jet a few miles away from here," Robin grinned, opening my window, my locked window.

~Next time, use the door, maybe?~ I replied, pointing at the door.

"Where is the fun in that?" Robin snorted, waving me off.

~You are annoying at times, you know that?~ I smiled, kneeling on the floor of my room while reaching under my bed and grabbing my suit.

"I know, it's part of my charm," Robin winked as I rolled my eyes.

—--------------------

[Star City. February 9, 10:45 PDT. 2009

David Lance POV]

After texting Dinah I was going out with Robin for a few days, I exited my room with Robin, and followed him to the Bat jet.

Where Batman waited for us.

"Black Bolt," Batman greeted his tone as always cold and emotionless.

I waved at him.

"We have work to do, let's go," Batman said, opening the doors of his jet by pressing a button on his belt.

"I call shotgun!" Robin exclaimed, running towards the Jet.

All, while I gave Batman a look that said, how do you two even manage? I mean, they were total opposites.

Batman smiled, ever so lightly, before going back to his normal state saying, "I manage."

I smiled, I guess the Black Knight had a heart under all that military-grade kevlar after all.

Still smiling, I walked to the Jet, and sat on the back, as I looked out the window, wondering what kind of week I would have in Gotham, and why now of all times, Batman had invited me to go back.

I was before today, under the suspicion Batman didn't want me anywhere near Gotham, thanks to the Owl incident.

"Your sister asked me to take you," Batman said, almost as if reading my mind.

~How can you know I was thinking about that?~ I asked, perplexed, greatest detective and all, there was no way my face was conveying that much information.

"I have my ways," Batman's reply was short and to the point, I guess all can be summed to because he's Batman.

"He's Batman, just… deal with it," Robin chuckled.

~I guess you are right,~ I replied, going back to my window as the Jet to flight.

—--------------------

[Gotham City. February 09, 12:55 CT. 2009

David Lance POV - Day 1 -]

We arrived at Gotham quite quickly. Not only Batman's Jet was fast, but Star City was relatively close to the dark city, a few hours on the road, on a car, so it was only natural a Jet ride would take a few minutes at most.

Though I wonder why we hadn't used the zeta tubes, those felt like a more practical solution.

Then again, maybe Batman wanted to test flight his Jet for reasons he had yet to disclose.

I guess, in the end, it doesn't matter.

I got a ride a Jet, and that's always a cool experience.

Anyway.

Once we arrived at the Bat cave. The butler greeted us with some drinks, orange juices, for whatever reason.

All while I admired the cave and its design. The cave's centerpiece and the main piece of attraction was a supercomputer, that looked out of this world, and it probably was, the cave also has a collection of ancient armor including but not limited to outfits worn by European Knights, Desert nomads, and Samurai warriors throughout the centuries.

Additionally, on the levels below, from what I could tell, the cave contained state-of-the-art facilities such as a crime lab, various specialized laboratories, mechanized workshops, a personal gymnasium, a vast library, and much, much more.

I wonder how he managed to build all this without giving away his identity.

"Alfred," Batman said, snapping me out of my admiration tour.

"Master Wayne," Alfred greeted, with a fond smile gracing his face. It was clear to see, the old man loved Batman.

"Thanks, but I already had something to drink, four hours ago," Batman replied, his normally cold seemingly emotionless breaking just enough for me to know he loved the man in front of him deeply like a son would a father.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to go without your dose of Vitamin C, sir," Alfred bowed a bit, giving one of the orange juices to Batman.

"Thanks," Batman replied, grabbing the drink.

"Master Dick," Alfred smiled, offering Robin the next glass of orange juice.

"Thanks, Alfred," Dick grinned, grabbing the drink.

"And last, but not least, Master David," Alfred bowed, offering me the last cup.

~Thanks,~ I signed before grabbing the cup.

~You are most welcomed,~ Alfred replied using sign language, just before bowing and taking his leave.

"We will start our training in a few minutes," Batman spoke, his drink already gone, only leaving behind an empty glass.

"And after that?" Robin asked, tilting his head.

"We patrol," Batman replied.

I nodded, happy with that arrangement.

"Drink your juice," Batman added, without even looking at us.

At his request, I started drinking the juice Alfred had so graciously given me and found myself drinking the entire thing in under a second. Best orange juice I had ever had the pleasure of having, I can't help but wonder what kind of brand Batman uses?

—-------------------------

[Gotham City. February 09, 2:30 CT. 2009

David Lance POV - Day 1 -]

After training.

We took to the streets, with Batman patrolling the north side, and Robin and I, patrolling the west.

Later, we would move to the east and south, but for now, those were our positions.

"We could cover more ground if we separated," Robin complained under his breath.

I shrugged, in my opinion having a backup if something went south, sounded like a good plan, and in terms of experience Batman outclassed us, by a lot, so him being alone, and us being together made perfect sense from a tactical point of view.

"I know, I know, he's Batman, we are not," Robin chuckled, reading my face.

~I mean, you have to admit, my logic has no holes in it,~ I smiled at him.

Robin rolled his eyes, turning to look at the streets to see some people trespassing inside a warehouse nearby, "I think our night just got more interesting," he grinned, pointing at them.

I nodded, pressing one of the buttons in my custom radio that said, enemy spotted, to let Batman know.

{Robin,} Batman spoke through the com.

"Two men, around their thirties, trespassing a warehouse, they looked armed," Robin answered to his unspoken question.

{Proceed with caution,} Batman replied, {Do not engage until you confirm their range.}

"Roger that," Robin nodded, turning to look at me with a smile, "Let's kick some ass!"

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, do not engage, but if they happen to be simple goons, we can engage, right?" Robin chuckled.

I sighed, nodding.

"Let's go!" Robin grinned.

—------------------------

With our target acquired, we infiltrated the warehouse, separating in the process, because Robin was being a bit too excitable, so I had to use another route for the time being.

I wasn't as stealthy as the Boy Wonder, nor as small, so his route was not one I could use, I mean, I didn't fit in the vent he had used, the perks of being small, I suppose.

Once inside the warehouse, I sat in a dark corner, and turn the hearing augmentation device Batman had installed in my suit to hear everything around better, giving me the ability to hear everything, without having to get dangerously near to the enemy.

It served to assess the threat before engaging.

<The longer we stay here, the more likely the Bat will come!> I heard someone say, the moment I turned the hearing augmentation device. The voice sounded, scared.

<Let him, that's after all, part of the plan,> The second voice was gruff and deep, like that of a man that had seen things, it somehow felt, familiar. I just couldn't remember why it sounded familiar.

<You didn't pay us for that!> The first man complained.

<Silence, besides, it's not like you will fight him, that's what I was hired for. Also, it's a bit too late for complaining, his sidekicks are already here.> The second voice replied, startling me a bit, he knew we were here, we had to escape, whoever this person was, I felt he was out of our league.

"Isn't that right, kid?" A voice said behind me.

Startled, I spun around to find someone I didn't want to find standing a few feet behind me. Deathstroke.

Cursing at my luck, I pressed the SOS alarm on my belt, alerting Batman we were in deep trouble as I resolved to stale the obviously out-of-my-league villain.

"So, the question now is… will you do better than the boy wonder, or like him, you will disappoint?" Deathstroke said, taking a step forward.

He… he had taken Robin out already?!