Diabolical | T. Drake ✔

[06] Meeting The New Kid

Richard had heard that Bruce had taken in yet another child and brought him to the Manor. However, upon coming to Gotham, he found out that it was not just any orphan but Timothy Drake, the boy who had apparently died in a car crash two years ago.

His parents were alive but no longer living in Gotham and Richard was curious about how Bruce found him. He knew after Jason's death, Bruce had been stuck in a rough phase and had vowed not to take in any other kid again. But then Steph had come to the family although she wasn't technically adopted and now there was this Tim kid.

He and Barbara reached the Manor and were welcomed warmly by Steph and Alfred. Bruce was at work and Tim was nowhere to be seen.

"So where's Tim?" He asked Steph, somewhat curious to meet their newly adopted younger brother.

However, as Tim was officially dead, there hadn't been any legal paperwork involved in his adoption. So just like Steph, he too was staying with the family on his own will without any ties to hold him there.

"He's working," she replied, taking him by surprise, "remember how Bruce let you have a circus set up in the cave because you wanted to stay in practice? Timmy has a science lab because he's very passionate about studying toxins."

"Okay..." He and Barbara exchanged a glance, "sounds interesting."

"Oh no doubt," Steph laughed, "you're going to find him very interesting."

"Seems like you have befriended him already," Barbara remarked, observing how enthusiastic Steph was to talk about Tim.

"Yup. I like to say we're besties. He'd disagree with that though, he's a bit reserved."

She led them down to the cave, knowing they would find Tim there. Ever since he had gotten his lab, he spent most of his time working.

"Does he not go to school?" Barbara asked.

"Nope. He says he would like to keep the fact that he's officially dead. He self-studies using my books but Bruce says he will arrange a tutor for him soon."

She knocked on the door which had several signs pasted including Danger, Stay Out, Do Not Disturb. A short while later a voice came from inside, "who's there?"

"Steph," she replied.

"Okay, come in."

She pushed open the door and the three of them stepped in but Richard felt a sharp object point him near his jaw. He quickly spun around to see a boy holding a dart gun, standing behind the door.

"You're not Steph," he spoke up, not yet removing the dart gun.

"Woah, Timmy, calm down. It's Dick and Barbara, remember? I told you about them," Steh had come to the rescue, taking the gun away from him.

"Oh... Sorry," Tim mumbled, leaving the door so that they could come in. 

"What is in this dart though?" Richard asked, curiously eyeing the dart gun that was now in Steph's hands.

"It's a sedative I had been working on," he explained, taking the gun back from Steph and removing the dart to show it, "it can work on humans and if I had fired it at you, you would have gotten paralyzed by now."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't worry, it wouldn't be permanent," he shrugged off the worrisome looks the three of them were giving him, "last I checked, its effects lasted for fifteen minutes. Plenty of time to escape in case it is ever used on an opponent. You wanna try?"

"No thanks," Richard refused the offer, turning to look at Barbara who seemed just as surprised by the new kid.

He was nothing like what they had expected.