Befriending The Enemy

Whereabouts

When Robin woke up, his mind seemed to be hazy. He couldnt remember what had happened. Searching his surroundings, he noticed the area was completely dark minus a few small lights emanating from some computers. Robin brought a hand up, rubbing at his eyes. It was then he noticed it. His arm were bare and he was no longer wearing gloves nor his mask. Robin moved, only to be met with searing pain in his abdomen.

  He looked down, noticing bandages and medical tape around him. Everything flooded back to him. They were on a mission and then it got compromised. He got shot and then... Deathstroke helped him. He grabbed his side, slowly trying to sit up.

  "Are you sure that's wise?" Asks a deep voice.

  Robin shot his gaze to a desk where Deathstroke was sitting at, leaning against his chair, sharpening a hunting knife with his feet on the desk. Robin gulped.

  "Wise? No. Needed? Yes." Robin replied, trying to sit up, but the pain was like nothing he has felt before. "On second thought maybe I should just lie down." He says, slowly lowering himself back down, turning his head to Deahtstroke.

  Deathstroke spotted his gaze, dropping his feet he stood up, walking over to Robin's side. "You sustained quite some damage. It required a lot of stitches. Whatever you were shot with right here," he pointed to the one next to his belly button. "Acted like a flower, blossoming the bullet to cause more damage. You are lucky to be alive, Grayson." He says.

  Robin chuckled. "Why did you help me?" He asked.

  Deathstroke thought for a moment before taking a seat on a stool next to Robin's bed. "I couldnt let a child die, now could I?" He says.

  Robin lifted a brow. "Anyone else would have, especially me."

  "I have a soft spot for children, believe it or not." He grabbed the hunting knife, twirling it in his hand. Robin smirked, watching the way his hand moved with the knife. Deathstroke spotted this, squinting his eyes, he shifted in his seat.  "Find knife tricks interesting, Grayson?"

  Robin nodded. "I've always wanted to learn some knife tricks but my Mentor never taught me." Robin grumbled, groaning when pain flared up in his stomach. "Hes only ever let me use Batarangs."

  Deathstroke smirked. "Rest, Grayson. You need it." He says, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder.

  Despite trying to fight it, Robin ended up drifting off to sleep. Deathstroke cleared his throat, standing up he walked over to the computers. He had a wicked idea and in order to accomplish it, he needed help.

*Mountain*

  "Let me get this straight. Not only did you fail the mission, but you lost Robin?" Asked Batman, his voice strangely calm despite the news.

  Kauldur nodded. "Everything was going so smoothly. We dont understand how they knew. When the shooting started, we all scattered, trying to stay alive. When we met, we noticed Robin was gone. He told us he was hit, that's all we know." Kauldur explained.

  Batman nods. "They most likely moved their operation. Find where it will be taken place and stop it. I will go back and search for clues on Robin's whereabouts. Do not fail me again." Snaps Batman, glaring at them before leaving the room.

  The team shivered. "That was unpleasant." Wally says, looking over at Artemis. "Are you sure Robin was with you when you escaped?"

  Artemis gulps nodding stiffly. "We escaped the roof together, then we got seperated. I dont know what else you want me to tell you, Walls." She snapped.

  Wally held up his hands. "Woah, no need to get angry. I was just getting confirmation." He says. "We should get going."

  "Hopefully Batman finds Robin. Hes probably hiding in the trees." Says M'gaan trying to lighten the mood.

  With that hanging on their conscious, they left on the mission.

Batman on the other hand, made it to the location their mission was at, getting out of the batmobile, he started to look around, taking in the many bullet holes. He made his way around, trying to see any signs of Robin.

  After a good hour of careful detailing, he finally spotted what he was looking for. A red blinking light was in the bushes, catching Batmans attention. He stepped forward, grabbing the device, he knew what it was immediately. One of Robin's smoke bombs. He scanned the area, spotting a small splatter of blood on a tree as well as a branch.

  Batman followed the blood trail which seemed to end a few trees in. The rain washing away any other evidence. He sighed, knowing Robin ran straight in. He had a general area to start with and he was determined to find him.

*A few days later*

  With the search dwindling by the day, Batman was getting frustrated. With both teams out looking, they were still coming up empty handed. They searched the area Central City and some of Gotham but they were coming up empty. Both teams were getting the same level of frustration, but Bats was worse. He felt some failure seep in and also some guilt on his coldly he treated Robin before he left. He needed to find Robin to tell him hes sorry.

  "Anything?" Asks Green Arrow.

  "Nothing." Replied Batman. "Around the building of the teams mission is forest. We dont know how deep that forest goes." He looked over at The Flash. "Grab Wally and search it again, report back what you find." He says.

  The flash nods, zipping out of the room. Canary sighs, reaching for Bats hand. "We will find him. He can't stay off the radar for too long, hes injured."

  Batman's stare darkened as he got up. "Or dead." He says, walking out of the room. The others getting a cold chill, knowing they needed to expect the worst.

A/N: this book will go back and forth between both, but I really wanted it to focus on Deathstroke and Robin's connection growing ^-^ so most chapters from now on will be both Deathstroke and Robin. We will check in with Bats and the others soon. Hope you enjoy!