Robin's Shadow (Batman OC)

Chapter 15: Fear

We were about to go out on our first official Halloween in Gotham. Not for any sort of candy gathering or trick or treating, but because Gotham sees its worse crime rates on Halloween. Bruce didn't let us go out the last two years since we were still new or in training, but we remember how bloody and broken he was when he came home each time.

"Ana, those upgrades you requested are done. Try them out." Bruce says to me once I'm changed into my uniform, handing me my new knives. We had Lucius add an electric charge that can be activated in them, which meant my gloves had to be adjusted to have a new layer of insulation.

I activate one to see what it looks like. "They're great! Hey Jason, go long, I want to test them out." I smirk at my brother who just deadpans at me.

"I'm not that gullible, Ana." He rolls his eyes at me while I giggle, putting the new knives and carrying pouch onto my thigh.

"Thanks Bats!" I grin cheekily up to Bruce, who just turns away while we all get on our rides to head out. I never stopped calling him Bats after the first day when he warned me to stop, and he's long since given up on correcting me.

"Tonight, we are all going to have to spread out." Batman tells us through the comms as we speed towards Gotham. "There's word that Scarecrow is out tonight, so we have to spread out and find him. Halloween is his favorite night, a night that's supposed to symbolize fear. He won't resist the temptation. If he is out there, his fear toxin will cause mass hysteria when combined with citizens in costumes. Find him, and report in when you get his location." 

"Yes, sir." Robin and I both reply in our ear comms. We haven't come across Scarecrow yet, so this will be interesting if we run into him. I'm covering the East side of Gotham tonight, Robin has the West while Batman gets the North and South.

"Report in, any disturbances?" Batman asks two hours into our patrol.

"Nothing on my end besides some bullies, but they were easily dissuaded." I report back, perched on a roof keeping a look out. I had stopped a bunch of bullies and thugs from trying to rob candy from kids over the night so far.

"Only some vandalism on my end, I stopped it easily. Got some candy as a reward though from the home owner." Robin reports back happily with the sound of him chewing the candy obnoxiously.

"Did you save some for your favorite sister?" I respond back with sass.

"Focus." Batman growls out. I then spot something moving in an alley below me. I drop nearby and find what was the source of the movement.

"Think I got something." I report back to Batman. "There's a trail of straw on the ground."

"Follow it, I'm on my way. Robin, keep lookout on the streets, Shadow and I will handle this." Batman reports to us.

I follow the trail of straw into a warehouse. I always wonder why Gotham needs to have so many abandoned warehouses, but it's like a staple of the city. I find an entrance, a window that's broken, and I enter silently inside. I follow the sound of speaking, and find a man working on a lab table, talking to himself. It's Scarecrow, he has his mask on and he's mixing up a big vat of what is likely his fear toxin. I watch as he takes it and mixes it into small items. I chance a closer look, and see that it's small candies. I retreat quickly so I can radio out to the others without getting overheard.

"Batman, Robin, Scarecrow is infusing his fear toxin into candies. He's wrapping them into small purple wrappers. Unsure if it's been distributed yet." I report to them in a whisper.

"Uh-oh." Robin says in a small voice. "Did you say purple?"

"Tell me you didn't." I say in shock, realizing he just had candy. "Candy and strangers, Robin! We went over this when we were toddlers!"