Robin and Finch

Interrogation

 
   Batman pushed open the door to the cell block, observing the teenager. Finch was standing and facing the door, foot tapping quickly against the stone floor. His hands were behind his back, and Batman had a sneaking suspicion it was due to the now dried blood on them. Finch's face was calm, but Batman could see the turmoil in his eyes. Good. That would make it easier to get answers out of him. Batman opened the cell door without a word and turned. Finch followed him with a demeanor that to anyone else would seem calm; all Batman saw was a complete bundle of anxious nerves.

   Batman opened the door to the interrogation room and Finch walked obediently inside, sitting on the metal chair in the far side of the room so he would be facing the door. Smart. Batman acknowledged. Batman took a seat in silence. If he knew anything about speedsters, and he knew more than he'd like for the exact same reason, they could never keep their mouths shut for long. Batman, once again, was proven right.

   "How is he?" Batman could hear the barely contained panic and worst case scenarios that were undoubtedly flitting through Finch's mind.

   "Alive." Batman replied gruffly. The red-head visibly relaxed and Batman saw him mouth, Oh thank God. Progress. Now phase two. Batman thought to himself. He took out an energy bar from a pouch, the kind he had made specifically for a speedster's metabolism. He put it on the table and slid it over to Finch. It had been hours since the speedster last eaten, almost the full night. It was five AM at the moment, but he didn't want any of the Leaguers interrupting his interrogation nor did he want to wait any longer for answers.

   Finch looked at it doubtfully, eyes flicking up to stare at the Dark Knight for any outward signs of deception. Seeing none, but expecting nothing more from THE Batman, he picked it up and inspected the packaging. Looking for tampering of food in an unknown environment. Smart, but the kid was from Gotham. Then Batman's train of thought promptly stopped. He had never been able to find any information on the boys, including their civilian origins in Gotham. Maybe it was because they weren't from Gotham at all. Batman resisted the urge to smirk. His full attention returned to the kid who had, seeing no tampering with the packaging, started sniffing at the bar itself.

   Eventually, slowly, Finch cautiously nibbled at the edge. After a couple more hesitant moments he began to eat in earnest. Batman waited for him to finish, then waited for the inevitable speedster chatter to come. And come it did.

   "Geez, I was starving. Do you treat all your prisoners this badly. I mean, not that I've been in prison before, but I was kidnapped a few times but Robin just ended up kicking their asses or I frictioned my way out of the ropes which they were really dumb to use and burning rope smells bad too. Hey, why don't I have handcuffs? I mean I don't want them, but I also expect better from you, Batman. Does Joker get handcuffs? I bet he gets handcuffs. I call villain favoritism!" Finch yelled the last sentence and reminded Batman how much he hated speedsters. But he caught on to a part of his sentence and this time could not fight down the urge to smirk, and Finch looked horrified as Batman had another facial expression besides scowling?!? Batman quickly took advantage of the teenagers momentary stunned silence.

   "I think we both now you aren't on my villain roster." To anyone outside of the conversation, it would sound like a dig at Finch's ego. To the two people in the interrogation room (and one down the hall and to the left in the medbay), it was a challenge. Because to Finch's growing (but well concealed) horror, he realized that Batman knew. He knew what Robin and Finch had fought so hard to conceal from everyone; villains, heroes, anti-heroes, and civilains alike. The fact that they were playing them all for suckers as secret vigilantes on the side of good. No one ever knew. But now someone did. So, time to suck it up and make Robin proud. When in doubt, lie until they can't tell what's the truth anymore. Finch steeled his mental resolve and leaned back in the chair, put his feet on the table and his hands on the back of his head, and gave the cockiest grin he could muster.