Alfred's Apprentice

Mayhaps a young man needs a job

Danny passed Yonkers on the way out of the hideout. As he did he noticed the approving look he got.

Apparently Yonkers had Zack on probation of sorts. He wasn't allowed to go into the main house for while.

Danny had a wad of cash stored in his hidden zipper pocket to protect against  pickpockets.

He made his way from place to place. It didn't matter what job it was, if there was a Help Wanted sign he applied.

Unfortunately without a diploma and the fact that he was only sixteen, nobody would hire him.

It was strange how picky people were despite being Gothamites.

Danny had lost hope for the day and went in a shortcut through some untouched territory on his way back to the hideout.

Yonkers probably had a job for him.

The sudden ring of a gun shot stopped Danny in his tracks.

It was close, very close. Danny's eyes skipped back and forth assessing the situation.

There were several men hiding in and on the rooftops of a parking garage and nearby adjacent abandoned buildings.

"Oh shit!" Danny said to himself. It was a gang fight with guns. They weren't being subtle about it.

Of course civilians didn't usually pass through here, but somebody could still get gunned down.

Danny hid behind a car ready to make a quick escape and not die on the street when something caught his eye.

A shiny black car, definitely expensive sat at the end of the street. In the middle of the street was an elderly man.

He was lean, wore a suit and had a bald spot on the top of his head.

Danny could tell he wasn't.exsctlt the owner of the car because in each hand was a bag of heavy looking groceries.

Danny cursed to himself. That man would be dead on the sidewalk if he didn't intervene.

Still, Danny wasn't too keen on the idea of running through an open bullet zone.

Another gunshot rang out and Danny shook his head before getting up and sprinting towards the old man.

"Gang war, need assistance" Robin said into his communicator.

He flew over building, landing on the next of each expertly.

"Copy that" Night wing said as he sped towards the scene on his motorcycle.

There was silence from Batman.

Robin got there first. He sat on the top of a building and began his own observations of thr situation laid out before him.

That's when he noticed a civilian. As he peered closer the breath caught in his chest.

As another shot rang out a second civilian ran from out of behind a car. But it wasn't in the direction that would be expected.

Robin watched with frustration. He had also noticed that the younger civilian was the one that had disappeared back at the crate weapons smuggling incident.

Danny ran in panic for the elderly man. He winced at each gunshot.

Danny ran faster.

Robin sat still on the roof watching as if in a trance. He quickly snapped out of it and began his takedown of the two gangs. Nightwing arrived shortly after.

But before Nightwing could apprehend the other side another shot rang out.

Danny from the corner of his eyes noticed someone take aim. His eyes traced the trajectory the bullets path would take and felt sweat roll down his forehead.

Ina split second Danny threw himself in front of the elderly man. The bullet clipped him in the shoulder.

"No!" Robin shouted as he watched the bullet hit. As he ran closer he noticed the bullet had been blocked from hitting the elderly male.

He stared ins hocked silence gawking st the kid who he had thought was just some punk out for money seconds earlier.

The kid was gritting his teeth trying to fight pain. The elderly man made a tourniquet and tried to assist him in getting up.

"No, I can do this" Danny said through clamped teeth.

"Let us take you to a hospital" Nightwing said.

"No, just go. I can handle this" Danny said.

The elderly man approached Robin and Nightwing.

They seemed to show a level of respect for the man and then they left.

"I'll take you to the Manor, we have a good medical system there. There won't be any hospitals" the man explained in a soft, soothing voice.

Bewitched by his kind demeanor, Danny got in the car with the elderly man.

Back at the Manor the man dressed Danny's wound after taking out the bullet cleaning area. He had also stitched it up for him.

The man was supposed by Danny's ability to sit still despite being worked upon. Of course he had been given pain medication.

"What can I call you" Danny asked as the ma. Finished bandaging the bullet wound.

"You can call me Alfred, young sir"

Alfred smiled slightly in a warm way that made Danny feel instantly safe.

He knew right away that he could trust Alfred.

"My name is Danny"

Alfred nodded.

"What were you doing on that street?" Danny asked.

Alfred looked up at the ceiling for some time before answering in a calm tone.

"Same thing as you I presume. Its a nice short cut"

Danny scoffed "yeah, it was a nice shortcut"

"May I explore as to what your business was?"

Danny flashed Alfred a toothy grin.

"I was job hunting, it's difficult to get a decent job that pays decent wages"

Alfred raised a gray brow.

"A job, if that's all follow me" he paused, "after redressing your upp r half" he added.

Danny looked at his bloody shirt and was surprised to find a clean one next to it.

Danny smirked inside his head. Magic butler must've gotten when he went to get the medical supplies.

Danny grabbed the shirt and slipped it on before following Alfred into the kitchen area.

"I want to see what you can do" Alfred said.

Danny eyes grew in size. This was beginning to sound like a job interview.

Danny y wasted no time. He scrubbed his hands clean and started following every instruction given to him.

He made dishes, scrounged around cleaning, organized things and answered basic interview questions while doing each task.

"How curious would you say you are?" Alfred asked.

Growing up the way he had, Danny knew how to turn a blind eye. If he did happen to see something he quickly ignored it.

"Not at all" Danny answered firmly.

Alfred nodded.

"Your a fine young man, come here tomorrow at seven o'clock in the am" Alfred stated.

Danny nodded.

"Thank you!" He beamed with excitement.

Alfred just sipped his tea. The new butler would turn out very interesting.