Caffeine Withdrawal | T. Drake ✔

[19] Almost A Heart Attack

Red Robin was perched at his usual spot, scanning the streets and alleys of Gotham using his binoculars. His patrol time had finished but he was waiting for Alex to come out of the Iceberg Lounge.

The sky had gone lighter as dawn was approaching but was still dark enough for him to stay hidden in the shadows.

Soon enough he spotted Alex emerging from the back door, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his trench coat and his head down as he walked back to his shop. Usually for Chinatown nights, Alex took his bike but since the Iceberg Lounge was not very far from his place, he preferred to save the fuel and resorted to walking.

He stealthily followed him and watched him go inside then as usual, he took the back route and dropped at the balcony. The grill was closed but soon as Alex stepped inside, he spoke up, "Al, can I have a minute?"

He looked up at him surprised but twisted the key in the lock, shifting the grill aside to let him in, "looks like even you are working overtime." His voice was lowered because Dora was probably asleep in her room and he didn't want to disturb her.

"I'm always working overtime," he replied offhandedly.

"Talk it over some coffee?" Alex asked as he knew his habits too well by then.

He nodded, "sure. But I'll brew it and you'll sit there and listen to me. I know you're tired and I shouldn't be bothering you right now but this is urgent."

His brow furrowed because never before had Red Robin dropped by for something other than coffee. However, he unlocked the door that led down to the kitchen and descended the stairs with the vigilante following close behind.

"Sit," Red Robin spoke up and took the cups from him, "I know very well where everything is, no worries."

"Right," he kicked off his shoes and slid his arms out of the trench coat, laying it aside on the chair, "so what's up?"

"Alexander, I need your help."

He was startled at the use if his full name instead of the usual Alex or Al like Red Robin normally addressed him, "what kind of help?"

"I figured out you've been a regular visitor at the Iceberg Lounge and let me tell you at first I was very suspicious," the boy resumed, stirring the milk as he added two teaspoonfuls of coffee powder into it, "but then after a little investigation, I learnt that you must have taken up a job over there. Stupid of you to be honest but not my place to judge..."

"And how does that concern you?"

"I am working on a case which has Oswald Cobblepot as the prime suspect so..."

His honey colored eyes widened in alarm, "Red, I won't be working as a double agent. The job in itself is risky enough and I don't want anyone to be on my tail due to you."

"Since when does tending a bar get risky?" He took his seat across from him and placed both the cups on the table.

"Ask Officer Grayson, he'll tell you exactly what you can expect."

"Oh yes, it's the Iceberg Lounge, the villain's pub, of course it's risky. Which leads me back to my suspicion of you of all people working there."

Alex shrugged but took a deep gulp from the cup which soothed his frayed nerves a lot, relaxing him after his long night of working at the club, "you've gotten better. Doesn't taste like oatmeal anymore."

His jaw dropped open in surprise, "Alex, when does coffee ever taste like oatmeal?"

"When you brew it," a small smile was playing upon his lips.

"Not fair," Red Robin huffed, "I may not be an expert like you but I make decent coffee."

"Which tastes exactly like oatmeal."

"Hey..."

"Anyhow, you didn't come here to listen to me criticizing your coffee so do go on with whatever proposition you had. But my answer would hardly change because I would never willingly take such a risk."

Red Robin nodded, "look I know it's a little overwhelming. You work there, Cobblepot pays you and you would rather not expose anything that goes on in there but I really need a little insider info." He held his thumb and index finger close as he elaborated his point, "I'm this close to finishing the case, Al, this close. would you not help out a friend in need? Please?"

He thought for a while before answering, "you know I want to help you out but I don't want to endanger myself or Dora. Why don't you go to the club yourself, start visiting there because obviously no one would know you're Red Robin if you went there as you, whoever you really are."

A short chuckle escaped him, "oh but I can't."

"Why exactly?"

"My ID won't be accepted. They will either kick me out or detain me in there forever. Can't take any chances."

"Why, aren't you like in your twenties or so?"

He laughed yet again, "common mistake, effect of the cowl trust me."

"So like you're eighteen?" Alex was looking at him in disbelief, "or nineteen perhaps... IDs above that can't be turned over until or unless you get in Cobblepot's bad books personally."

"I didn't say that but yeah you're close," he mumbled back, "point is that I can't get the info myself, perhaps I am already in Cobblepot's bad books. My friends who visit there are not on good terms with me either and had threatened to burn me alive as well so the only option left now is you."

"You have friends in the Iceberg Lounge?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I have friends everywhere, I'm not Batman."

A smile crept up on Al's face as well at the remark though he spoke up, "look, I will need time to think. And it also depends on what sort of information you need from me."

His face lit up though most of it was disguised by the cowl, "I'll let you know. And thanks."

"I haven't said yes. I just said I would consider..."

"Works for me. Your consideration will soon turn into an affirmation. At least I'm hoping on it so don't let me down."

However, they were interrupted by a short tap on the door and turned to see Isadora enter, still quite sleepy as her brown eyes were weighed down from drowsiness.

"Hi Alex," she mumbled as she went towards the refrigerator taking out a bottle of water, "hi Tim."

Red Robin almost spat out the coffee and his face paled. Though he quickly composed himself and spoke up not wanting Alex to be suspicious, "hey, how can you forget me so soon, Isadora? That's quite disappointing."

She was startled as she looked at him again, eyes widening a little, "oh, Red Robin... Hi. Got you confused with someone else maybe because I'm still half asleep."

"You can't confuse the costumed freak who broke into your kitchen with someone else," he remarked playfully though let out the breath he had been holding earlier. For a second it had seemed as if she had somehow guessed out his secret and he had felt his blood turn cold at the thought of it even.

"I bet none of us are going to forget that night." Then turning to Alex, she asked, "do you need breakfast or shall I go back? I'll wake up at the usual time though."

He nodded, "of course, we'll have breakfast at the usual time. And Red Robin was just leaving."

Taking the cue, Red Robin stood up as well, "yup, just leaving."

"Good," she mumbled, "and please get some sleep, Al. I'll wake you up at eight."

"Sure."

After she had left, he turned to face Alex, "all I want you to do for now is to look if any suspicious deals are being carried out. Drug deals, ammunition or similar sort of stuff. And don't bother about informing me, I'll find you myself at some convenient time."

"I hadn't said yes, Red."

"Take a day to think and no longer because as I said, I'm this close to finishing the case and can't afford to prolong it."

***