Rising Robin

Chapter XXIX: Raid

Dick rode in the passenger seat of the black off-road Jeep. Dick stared out the window. They drove out to Metropolis, but the base was set towards the outskirts of the city, away from the wandering eyes of the public. The area was a vast barren dry plain, almost near some mountains. Were they the Appalachian mountains? Dick shook the questions from his mind. He stared into the dark sky. He could see the stars lighting up the night from above. Dick smiled. It was a really beautiful scene. Dick would have to remember to take Barbara out one night to a place like this & watch the stars.

Dick turned to Roy, who was driving the Jeep. "Are there any girls in your life?" Dick asked.

Roy, with both hands gripping the driving wheel tight, glanced at Roy, but then turned back ahead. "Dude, are you seriously asking me this now?"

Dick shrugged. "Why not? I'm curious."

Roy rolled his eyes. From behind his seat, Dick could hear Rachel scoff. "Cut the guy some slack, dude. He wants to get to know you before we all die."

"Shut the fuck up," Roy grunted. "We're not going to die."

"Hmph," Rachel murmured. "Whatever."

Dick looked up ahead. "Stop, Roy."

Roy slammed his foot on the brake, sending the car to a skirting stop. Dick, Roy, & Rachel's bodies were both pushed forward, but were held back by their seatbelts.

Dick glanced at Roy, grinning. "And you weren't gonna wear that."

Roy turned to Dick, panting. "Okay," he said slowly. "Why did we stop."

Dick pointed ahead. In the distance, there was a small bright light shining. A sort of spotlight spun around every few seconds, acting as a sort of illuminating sonar. "That's the base," he said. "We should go onward on foot, otherwise we'd be noticed."

Roy nodded. "Okay," he said softly. Roy turned back to Rachel. "Are you ready to die?"

Rachel gave an ugly face back to Roy. "Yeah, but not before you."

Dick rolled his eyes. "You guys are the worst," he joked, stepping out of the Jeep.

The three stepped out of the car & went around to the trunk. Roy opened it up, then opened the floorboard of the trunk. In the hidden compartment, there was three black duffel bags laying there. Roy handed one to Dick, one to Rachel, & hoisted one up & set it down beside his feet. Dick looked up at Roy & Rachel.

Rachel had begun unpacking a black suit that she had insisted on bringing herself. Dick hadn't seen it until now. It was open & flowy, which Dick wasn't sure would be good for this mission. It resembled a cloak. He glanced over at Roy, who began strapping on a dark black body suit with a small hint of red when glistened in the light. Roy removed a pair of red glasses & set them on his face, which then glowed for a brief second. He unpacked the red bow & arrows. He slung the quiver holding the arrows around his shoulder, then strapped it tight to his back. The bow retracted into a small staff, which then shrunk into a foot long stick that he slid into a bracelet on his left wrist. It was a hell of a set up.

Dick smiled, satisfied with the preparation for the raid, then opened his bag up. He had his own body suit to be fitting himself into. His had a hint of blue. He didn't know whose idea it was to add that color, but he didn't mind. He liked it. Dick then removed a long black staff from the bag. It was the weapon he asked Harper to design for him. He felt like he would know how it worked. After all, he specifically asked for it himself. Whether or not Harper had added modifications to it, Dick had no idea.