Family Ties : A Batfamily Story

Chapter 4

POV Robyn

We drove fast along the streets of Gotham. I wish I had worn a jacket as my arms feel frozen around Red Robin's waist. Cars fly past my vision as we slip past traffic with ease. The ride out of the city is short. I lift my head and see that we are the only vehicle on the street.

"Where are we going?" I yell at him with wind muffling my voice.

"Ever heard of the bat cave?" A least I think that's what he said.

The bat cave. Is that the famed base of operation of Batman? Story on the streets is that it's right bellow Gotham City, like a hidden bunker. I guess they're wrong about that though seeing that we are a good mile outside the city.

Suddenly, a separate path leading off the main road appeared. It looked like a bridge leading inside the mountain. The motorcycle turned fast onto the other path and with one last glance at the sky, we were swallowed by the mountain as the entrance closed behind us. Overhead lights pass us as we sped down the path. The narrow path opened up into a huge cave with multiple levers of steel floors built into the walls. I looked down to see that the cave floor was at least four stories below us.

Red Robin swerved the bike to a stop and popped the kickstand. I stood up in awe at the cave and pulled my helmet off.

"Woah," I breathed.

"What the hell are you doing!" Screamed a voice behind me.

I whipped around to who I could only guess to be Robin in full costume. His short black hair on edge and teeth bared in a growl. He towered over Red Robin from the floor above.

"Relax, Robin," Red Robin started up the stairs towards him. "Batman's orders,"

"Batman's orders?!" The kid screeches, he's like a human mini pitcher, but I feel like his bark is nothing compared to his bite. "You're lying!"

"You think I like this?" Red Robin spits at him from the stairs.

I want to ask what's going on but no one here appears to be friendly right now.

"What the hell are you two yelling about?" A much taller man in a thin Nightwing costume comes through an elevator on this floor. He spots me and raises an eyebrow. "Okay, what the hell, Tim-"

"The fuck, dick, you just outed me!" Red Robin shouts looking down.

Robin leans over the railing of the platform to look at Nightwing. "He brought Robyn into the cave!"

"Batman's ordered me too!"

"And he didn't tell us?"

"Oh, fuck you!"

"Shut up!"

"Fight me, kalbeh baqara!"

Robin lungs at Red Robin and knocks him down the stairs.

"Oh, shit," Nightwing gasps as the two wrestle on the floor between us.

That's when a custom black car zooms into the cave and parks next to Red Robin's bike. Batman jumps out of the car. He's much taller than I imagined and ripped too. Impressive but mostly terrifying. The very presence he brings with him demands dominance. The first thing he sees is me. I can't see his eyes under the cowl, but I can still feel them burn me through. I flinch as a result. Then he sees the two robins battling it out on the floor.

"Damian, Tim," He shouts in a low voice.

They jump off each other in surprise. Red Robin just stands up quietly while Robin runs to Batman and points his finger at him in anger.

"How could you let him bring her here." He demands.

Batman ignores him and turns to Nightwing, "Dick," He says calmly, "Take Robyn to Alfred, tell him to find her a room."

Nightwing does and mocking salute, "Sure, B," and then walks over to me. "This way,"

I follow him blindly into the elevator. It closes and automatically starts going up. The silence is thick and awkward. So many questions to ask but I decide to remain silent. I don't know why I'm so afraid, I just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, very wrong. Why else would I be here?

The elevator opens into a spacious den. Nightwing steps out first and I follow soon after as he leads me through the house. It's almost as impressive as the basement, elegant floors and furniture, expensive paintings and rugs. He leads me to what I guess is the grand hall. A decorative door leads to outside and a pair of staircases line the walls.

Nightwing turns around and yells, "Alfred,"

He walks up one of the staircases and navigates through the halls yelling for this Alfred dude. After about ten minutes of just wondering around aimlessly, we end up in the kitchen.

"Alfred!" He calls on last time giving me and forced smile. "I guess he must be out somewhere."

I look away. I have had more social interaction today than I have had in the past month. It's overwhelming and starting to freak me out. The more I think about what's going on, the move I can feel my throat tightening. Nightwing notices my discomfort.

He took off his mask to reveal blue eyes, "My name's Richard," he stated, "but most people call me Dick."

I laughed a little, "Dick?"

He smiled warmly, happy to hear me laugh, "Yeah, pretty stupid,"

"Well, I'm named after a kid that found crime in neon green shorts." I joked.

"You know," He leaned a bit closer, "I'm the original Robin."

"That's embarrassing," I blurted out without thinking. This is why I don't talk to people, I always end up saying the wrong thing.

Much to my surprise, he laughed. "Yeah, but Red Robin, well, Tim, was Robin too."

"Both of you were Robin?"

He nods, "Damian is the newest one. Fair warning, the kid's feral."

"Is that why he attacked him?" I asked.

"That and because those two are always trying to kill each other," Dick explained.

Part of me trusts Dick, I guess that's because I really want to able to trust someone right now. If anyone was gonna answer my questions he would.

"Why are you telling me this?" He raised an eyebrow, "I'm guessing you don't tell everyone you meet who you are."

His smile faded. "I'm sorry, Robyn, I'm not sure how much I can tell you."

"Can I at least know why I'm here and where is here?" I plea to him.

He takes a deep breathe, "You're on the outskirts of Gotham, in ah-" he pauses as if unsure, "in Wayne Manor." As in Bruce Wayne? "You're here because your mom is a friend of Batman and asked us to keep you safe while she sorts out her business with some people."

He's not telling me something.