Marinette moves to Gotham when Bunnix warns that Lila will ruin her life if she stays in Paris, giving Hawk Moth the chance manipulate Marinette's emotions and akumatize her. But Marinette won't let that happen. She wins the Wayne Foundation full-ri...
Slow breathing techniques failed to calm his pounding heart. Shaking hands clenched his phone. Damian had finished changing into his Robin suit, and was now attempting to call Marinette for the third time.
No answer—
No answer—
No answer—
Robin shoved the phone into one of the pockets of his utility belt. If Marinette was unable to answer his calls, then she must be in a dire situation! Robin's mind was overwhelmed by thoughts of what might be happening to his precious Habibti at this very moment.
He would do anything to keep her safe.
Robin lifted his leg over the seat of his motorcycle and started the engine.
"HOLD UP!"
Robin turned his head to see his three brothers racing across the Batcave's garage... all of them dressed in their vigilante costumes.
"WE'RE COMING WITH YOU!" Red Hood shouted as he climbed onto the back of his red motorcycle.
It took a moment for Robin to process what was happening. "What—"
"That's right!" Nightwing did an unnecessarily complicated sequence of backflips before jumping onto his own motorcycle. "The Gotham Marinette Protection Squad has to stick together!"
"You guys started a Marinette Protection Squad without me?" Red Robin gasped as he calmly sat down on his motorcycle like a normal person.
"Never too late to join." Red Hood offered his hand.
Red Robin high-fived his brother's hand without hesitation. "Sign me up."
"Sign me up too."
The boys turned their heads towards Selina's voice. She strutted across the Batcave garage in her skin-tight catsuit. The black leather reflected the ceiling's fluorescent lights as she climbed onto the back of Nightwing's motorcycle.
"Huh? You're coming with us?" Nightwing leaned forward and started his motorcycle.
"Of course!" Catwoman rested her hands of Nightwing's shoulders. "My darling Parisian kitten is danger—"
"WAIT!" Red Robin shouted over the revving of motorcycle engines. "When did you meet Marinette?"
"Girl's night at Ivy and Harley's place." Catwoman shrugged a shoulder. "They're Marinette's neighbors. And speaking of the girls, I called to ask if they could check on Marinette... but no answer. Which is unusual. Harley ALWAYS answers."
"Oh yeah," said Red Robin, "that's definitely weird."
"Tt, then we shouldn't waste another second!" Robin's motorcycle raced across the Batcave garage and up the ramp that led to the main vehicle exit.
His family members followed.
As Robin maneuvered through the dark Gotham streets that lead to Marinette's apartment, he may have run through a red light... or two... or five. He might have also driven slightly faster than the appropriate speed limit— just slightly— as they approached Crime Alley. But at that moment, Robin couldn't care less about traffic regulations.
No one dared to comment on his reckless driving through the family's vigilante comm system.
Robin clenched his jaw. He gripped the motorcycle handles until his calloused hands ached. But Robin was thankful for the dull soreness. It kept his mind distracted from the internal panic that threatened to break through his mask of calculated calmness.
His heart was anything but calm. Robin attempted to call Marinette a fourth time as he drove down the last street. The phone rang and rang and rang.
No answer—
He shoved the phone back into his utility belt and gripped both motorcycle handles.
Anxiety overwhelmed him as he remembered the texts his Habibti had sent. Marinette needed his help! She was dying!
Robin cursed himself for not reading the texts sooner.
Obviously, Robin's motorcycle was the first to arrive at the apartment complex. He quickly killed the engine, kicked down the parking brake, and abandoned his vehicle in the middle of the parking lot. His cape flew in the dark night as he dashed across the concrete.
Robin didn't bother with the doors.
He pulled the grappling hook out of his utility belt and aimed for Marinette's apartment balcony. His aim was perfect. Robin scaled the side of the brick building as naturally as if he were rock climbing.
In the parking lot below, his brothers' motorcycles finally arrived.
While pulling himself over Marinette's rusted balcony railing, Robin cursed himself again for failing to protect her from the dangers of Gotham. He couldn't confirm the identity of the individual who had dared to cause his Habibti distress, but one particular villain instinctively came to his mind: Joker. The green-haired clown and his goons had to be the ones behind this!
Robin quickly picked the lock on Marinette's balcony door. It was concerningly easy to break into the apartment. Robin made a mental note to himself to help Marinette upgrade the locks on her doors after he rescued her.
And he would rescue her.
In just a few minutes, she would be safe in his arms. His hands wrapped around her small frame. Her head resting against his chest with a beautiful smile on her lips.
Robin charged into the apartment room.
The room was empty.
Marinette wasn't there.
"No..." Robin hissed in a shaky voice.
He was too late. They took her. THEY KIDNAPPED HER! But where? WHERE HAD THEY TAKEN HER?!
The apartment door swung open.
"Damn, that lock is way too easy to pick," said Red Hood. "Sunshine needs to update her security. Maybe we could... Demon Spawn? What's wrong—"
"She's gone." Robin's throat tightened. "We're too late. She's been kidnapped."
[Ch 20 - 883 words]
Thanks for reading!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
