The Apprentice

The Bat Cries Out

"Nng... ugh..." Robin groans, getting up and instantly reaching for his stinging head. He tries to make sense of where he is, and finds himself in a glass box by the supercomputer, in the same enormous chamber where he and Batman fought. After a moment of drowsiness, he suddenly gasps and checks the time. 9:30 pm. He's only been out for an hour. He reaches for his utility belt and feels it gone. He looks around and spots it on the supercomputer's counter.

To his surprise, Batman isn't there to interrogate him, and upon looking at the supercomputer screen he finds out there'd been an attack somewhere in the city and he's gone to deal with it. Coincidence?

Robin searches for a way to get out of the box and act before Batman returns. He removes his coms and puts them by one of the walls, then steps back and presses a button on his sleeve. He covers his ears and an instant later the coms explode, and there is a small but significant hole in the cell. He crawls through and grabs his utility belt, then uses the grappling hook to swing down and snatch the USB drive. He returns to the supercomputer and crouches under the counter, plugging it in.

Instantly the screen goes white, there are multiple warning signals of errors, then the screen returns to normal. Robin looks down at the drive. A bar has appeared on its side, tracking the download.

It has been a year since he left in search of leading his own team... Batman called it the 'next step in his training'. He smiles to himself a little... because nothing in the cave has changed. With his back to the supercomputer, he can see that the main platform for the Batmobile is surrounded by other platforms, some holding souvenirs like the giant dinosaur, the giant penny or even the giant Joker card. Batman calls them reminders, but really at this point, they're just there to liven up the cave a little.

Suddenly, Robin hears the roar of the Batmobile descending down towards him, and he freezes. What does he do? What can he do? The coms are down, so Slade can't speak to him, but Slade can still hear him through the microphone in his collar. He has to keep Batman from seeing the flash drive until it's done downloading. So he stands and fights.

Before the Batmobile can even properly stop, Robin throws a knife into its windshield. It explodes on impact, sending glass shards everywhere. Batman leaps out of the car through the broken window and throws a Batarang back, which is intercepted by another one of Robin's mid-air. Robin bites his lip. This fight is going nowhere fast. If Batman throws another one of his tranq balls, it's over. Robin has to disappear.

Robin throws smoke bombs and uses the cover to check on the USB. It's almost done. He just needs a little more time. Robin throws knives and keeps moving, never letting Batman know where he is.

"Robin, this isn't you. You know better than this. So tell me why." Batman finally says, on guard and waiting for another attack. They're both as still as the dead, Robin fighting his urge to reply. Batman straightens, guard down, his concern breaking through his mask. "Your coms are down. Talk to me."

You don't understand!

Robin looks over at the USB and finds it finished downloading. He grabs it and pockets it, then climbs up towards the exit.

Batman's yell echoes off the walls. "Robin!"

Robin turns around and aims his laser. He fires and brushes his cheek, close to Batman's left eye. Batman falls back, hand over his wound, and while he's disoriented Robin makes his escape. As he's driving away from the Bat cave, he realizes Batman isn't following him. Robin squeezes the motorbike's handles hard. Did he hurt him worse than he'd thought?

His heart is thumping hard. Is it anger, or adrenaline? He shakes his head. Slade is just messing with him, there's no way he could have... found that a thrill.