The stroke of Robin.

Chapter Seven.

P.O.V of Robin.

I hated lying to the team about the serum but Deathstroke had started the lie and I had to play along. Now he was going to get a beating. Talking of beatings.
"You let him inject you with a mind controlling serum." Batman spat in my face, "What were you thinking?"
"I didn't mean it." I whimpered.
He punched me in face as he turned back to me, "I don't care if you meant it or not. You should have been more careful."
I stayed silent as he kicked me across the room and into the wall, "Go clean the Batmobile. I want to be able to see my reflection in it in an hour."
I scurried downstairs and into the Batcave.

An hour later the Batmobile wasn't clean enough so I suffered another beating but then Bruce remembered my mission for today and sent me off with a promise to finish the punishment later. I arrived at the Batcave and limped over to the team.
"Are you all ready?" I asked.
"Yep." Wally replied for them, "You feeling better?"
"I do believe that the aster is settling in." I said with a smirk, "Come on. Let's start at where you last saw him."

We arrived at the warehouse I pretended I was setting camp up in and saw the actual gang that had set up there, and in it was 2 of the last 8 people I had to take out for Deathstroke. Just my luck.
We need to take these guys out, they might have some clue as to where Deathsong went.
We will follow you Robin. Aqualad replied through the mind link.
I leaped into the building and the others followed as we took out the gang members, it was easy really.
"What do you know about Deathsong?" I asked one of them.
"Who?" He spat back.
"Deathstroke's new apprentice. The kid." I said.
"Just that he turned up two years ago, and that he's about fourteen." He replied.
"Anything else?" I growled.
"Ask Jerry," The man said indicating the man on his right, "He's been looking into him."
"Alright then Jerry." I asked moving over to him, "Spill."
"He's thirteen years old, was trained in combat before he met Deathstroke two years ago, was originally kidnapped but then became willing to help him, refuses to kill anyone, made Deathstroke change from killing for the money to killing for the sake and safety of Gotham and Star City, is not English and works undercover with a friend who is supposedly one of you." Jerry said, and it was frightening how much he actually knew.
"And how do we know you're not lying?" I asked.
"Oh," He smirked up at me knowingly, "You just know."
"What makes you think that?" I pulled his head back with his hair like Slade does before he slits someone's throats.
"A little Birdie found a Tiger. Then the card trick spread the word. I wonder when the Bat will hear." He grinned at me and I threw his head to the floor.
"Let's go." I growled.
"And the little Birdie would do anything to rescue his Tiger." Jerry sneered, "In fact, I'll be waiting here for the little Birdie, if he doesn't co-operate the Ice Cream will spill his sprinkles.""I said let's go." I growled at the team, looking back at Jerry before we left through the window.

The team spent the rest of the day trying to figure out who might know Deathsong in his other identity whilst I figured how I was going to get out tonight unnoticed.
"Rob?" I instantly pinned whoever had their hand in front of my face, my escrima stick at their throat.
"Sorry Wally." I muttered as I got back up, "I was distracted."
"Couldn't tell." He groaned as he stretched out his shoulder, "Do you think you know the boy?"
"What boy?" I asked.
"Deathsong's other identity." Wally rolled his eyes.
"Oh, yeah." I said, "I do believe that he goes to Gotham High. Artemis could you speak with Richard John Grayson tomorrow, find out what he knows."
"Sure." She said.
I looked at the clock, it was nine already and I didn't want Jerry telling the world who I was, "I've got to go. See you later."
Then I ran before any of them could question me.

Open P.O.V.

The team watched as Robin sprinted towards the Zeta beams.
"Should we follow him?" Artemis asked, "Deathstroke might have put something stronger in him. He could still be being influenced."
"I agree with Artemis." Aqualad cut in, "Let us see where he goes."
The team stood as Megan connected a mind link and they walked through the Zeta beams, letting them lead out to where Robin had gone.
Where are we? Megan asked.
We're near the warehouse we were in earlier. Maybe Robin is going to spy on Deathsong. Aqualad said.
I can hear Robin. He is just around the corner. Superboy said.
Aqualad nodded at Megan who went into camo mode and looked around the corner, playing the image to everyone else's minds. She could see a boy in the distance and hovered a bit closer to him. Once she was close enough she identified the boy was indeed Robin. And he was looking around. Once he saw no-one was there he removed his mask and stripped out of his Robin uniform, revealing all his scars from Joker and the others, and his identity as-
Is that Dick Grayson? Artemis asked.
I do believe so. Aqualad answered.
The team looked back to Dick as he opened up a duffel bag and shoved his uniform inside and pulled out another uniform. As he slipped on the mask everyone recognized it, the boy they had been looking for Deathsong.
Should I arrest him? Megan asked.
No, let us see what he does first. Aqualad stated.
They watched as he strapped the Katana's into his back sheaths, loaded his guns and put those in two holsters on his leg and strapped a belt of daggers and throwing knives around his waist. Then he re-zipped the bag, put it over his shoulder and headed into the warehouse. The team followed. Deathsong entered the apartment and the team saw him walk over to the men they had put down earlier.
"See, I told you he would come." Jerry said.
"What have you told everyone?" Deathsong growled.
"No-one knows anything boy, just us hear and anyone Joker told. But I did hear he was planning on telling the Bat tonight, wanted to remind him to get the adoption papers signed." Jerry said.
"No." Deathsong breathed.
"But, if you help us, we can free Slade for you and you can go free. No Bat's holding you down." Jerry said then added, "Literally."
Should we interfere now? Megan asked.
I believe that would be best. Aqualad said and the team rained down upon the gang and Deathsong.
The team quickly took down at the gang they had before but left Deathsong to the side as he unsheathed his Katana's and looked at the team, applying his full face mask.
Should we tell him we know who he is? Superboy asked.
No. I want to talk to him at school tomorrow. Artemis cut in.
"Do you guys really want to do this again?" Deathsong sighed and brought them back to the present, "Cause we all know I'll be long gone before you even know I've moved."
"We want to help you Deathsong." Aqualad said, "We can change you from this life of crime. We can get the Batman to protect you."
"Batman? Protect?" He scoffed, "Do you know what Batman protection is? I would guess not seeing that your trusty Robin isn't here. But ask him how he gets all those injuries, cause I can tell you, it's not from the Bat protecting him."
"What do you know about Robin and Batman?" Artemis asked.
"Not much," Deathsong replied, "But I do know that tomorrow he'll go into school in either a leg cast in arm cast with dark circles under his eyes from where he was made to clean something all night. He doesn't have a pretty life. Not like Deathstroke and I. Talking of Deathstokre and I, it would be nice to have him back."
"Tough luck." Wally said.
"We must go now." Aqualad said, "Batman is calling for us. We must make sure to report, hopefully Robin got the memo." Aqualad said and they left Deathsong alone in the warehouse.

P.O.V of Robin.

As soon as the team left I ran to the Zeta beams, changed back to my Robin uniform and entered the mountain to see an angry looking Batman.
"Where have you been?" He growled.
"With the team." I replied.
He hit me across the room and raised his leg to kick my ribs in when the Zeta beams announced the arrival of my team. His leg instantly lowered.
"What's going on?" Artemis asked.
"I was teaching Robin how to defend himself when he loses the ability of his legs." Batman lied.
"So you threw him into a wall?" Wally commented and Batman gave me a glare, telling me to explain.
"It's a new exercise." I lied as I stood up, "It helps me in different situations."
"Robin come with me." Batman ordered, "We are going home."
I followed him home, not sure if I was going to be walking into school tomorrow.