Becoming Batman

Raised Stakes

We quickly and silently infiltrated the "abandoned" warehouse. Myself, extremely happy to take the vents, even if it was a bit tighter squeeze than usual, but not by much since I'm still pretty small for my age. I dropped down next to Artemis, making her jump. "Sorry." I mouthed and smile at her.

I quickly composed myself and sobered up. This was still a mission, I couldn't throw out responsibility completely. The team snuck around the warehouse and found spying spots of different advantage points. I snuck up into the rafters and waited for the right time to jump out for a surprise jump takeout. Bane comes into view and starts barking orders to his henchmen in Spanish.

Time to shut them down.

. . .

A few hours later we all arrived back at the mountain. Bruised and sore, but mission accomplished. Artemis and Wally flop down on the couch while Connor and Megan go to the kitchen to bake, well, Megan bakes while Connor just watches. Kaldur goes to join Wally and Artemis on the couch, they seem to be watching some reality tv show in which some character named Eric and another named Donna are arguing about Donna having big feet and Eric agreeing. Strange.

I look around at them and smile. Realizing just how much I've missed this wipes the smile right off my face though. I sigh and remember the good times when I'd randomly disappear on them, echoing a signature cackle just to make them groan and laugh.

"Old friend, are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to relax with us?" I turn and look at Kaldur, the smile returning to my face. I walk over and take a seat next to Wally on the couch.

"So, how's your top secret mission going to far. Must be important, we don't ever get to see you anymore." Artemis said looking at me. Kaldur also turned to look at me as well as Wally, Wally's face however held a sad expression in his eyes. One that only I could see.

"My mission is..... going as well as it can I guess?" Two of the three in front of me cocked their heads to the side in confusion. I sighed. "Well, we've kinda hit a rough spot in the mission."

"We?"

I mentally face palm at my stupidity but use what Batman taught me and don't show any outward emotion. "I'm working with two partners on this, friends of mine. We-"

My sentence is cut short by a beeping sound. I pull up the hollow-screen on my glove and examine the message. It was from Jason;

Dick, we've got a lead on where Slade and Joker are. Get to the Batcave pronto.

I stand up quickly, startling my friends. "Gotta go, it was great seeing you guys." I called as I ran to the zeta tubes. I heard a chorus of bye(s) and good luck(s) as the bright light engulfed me and I was transported to the cave.

Jason and Star were sitting in swivel chairs staring at the many monitors on the wall. Star looked over at me, her face grave. My face contorts with confusion as I walk over and peer at what they were looking at.

It was the Joker and Slade. They had a person strapped to a chair, he was blindfolded and bloody. The blood however, came from the katana that had been stuck through his head. In one side and out the other. The poor man had a sign around his neck, the sign said that for every day the 'Circus Boy' doesn't figure out the riddle, someone dies.

"They just raised the stakes." I said softly as I turned to look at Star and Jason. Nodding, they both turned to look back at the screen. I heard Jason sigh and he leaned back in his char.

"We better figure out that riddle." Star said, her eyes still glued to the screen. I turn my attention to Jason and Starfire, they were both still looking at the screen. Jay looked like he might puke. I hit a key on the board which turned the many screens to a blue resting screen. 

"We'll start in the morning." I said turning to walk up the stairs. "It's late, we won't get anything done tonight." I stopped and let them pass me to get to the stairs. Little did they know, I'd be back down here as soon as they were asleep. Batman doesn't get to rest.

. . .

I was high up. I was in a tent. It was the circus, Haley's Circus. It was nearly my time to go, I finally convinced Mami and Papi that I was ready to do the act, without a net! I felt the butterflies in my stomach but they were from excitement. I was ready. I surveyed the crowd for a moment, I heard Bruce Wayne was going to be here tonight. My smile faltered a little when I saw the man from before in the crowd, he had been asking for money. Protection money, but I don't know why. 

I looked back at Mami and Papi, she was swinging towards me with her arms out. My turn. I readied myself to jump but I heard a sound, the rope had snapped. My eyes went from her to the rope and back to her, the beautiful smile that had been plastered across her face disappeared and her expression was one of horror. Down she went. And I screamed...... I didn't even look away when they hit the ground.

When I snapped out of my trance  I climbed down the latter to the ground. The screams and cries of the audience were muffled as I dropped to my knees next to my parents, their blood staining my circus attire. I screamed as Mami's head turned towards me, her eyes dead and the bones in her neck cracking as she turned.

"Dick........"

"Dick......."

"Dick!"

I gasped as I jolted up in my chair. I panted as I scanned my surroundings. I was still in the Batcave, I must've fallen asleep while surveying evidence. I jumped when a hand was placed on my shoulder. Jason. He was calling my name to wake me up.

"Are you ok?" The worry lacing his voice and spilling out of his eyes was unmistakable. I nod and take deep breaths to calm my racing heartbeat. I wipe the sweat from my head and lean back in my chair, closing my eyes.

"I'm gonna go take a shower and freshen up." I said slowly easing myself out of the chair. Running my hands through my hair, as if that would somehow soothe the headache I have. Jason nods at me as he takes my place in the char, staring at the monitors. He wasn't fooling me though, I could feel his eyes on me as I climbed the stairs.