DC PARENTS BOOK 2: A second Chance Death.

Death in the Family

2021

"Robin, if I find you out again I will be provoking patrol privileges." Bruce said through the coms. 

Damian swiftly kicked Riddlers Flanky, hearing a satisfying crack when his foot made contact. Damian basked in the glow of moon light for less than a second when he turned back to running, running right off the side of the building, landing onto his bike and powering out of the warehouse district as fast as he could.

Damian came up tot he entrance of the batcave and watched as his bike was covered in the dark shadow of the cave. He came in with a screeching halt and parked his bike. He took off his helmet and messed with his hair as he walked up to the bat computer. He brought up the Riddler file and started to look through it, not even noticing Bruce in the chair of the computer. Damian kept looking through and finally sighed, turning his glaring eyes to look straight into Bruce's.

"If you are going to yell at me or discipline me, then do it. But sitting there just staring is only making it harder for me to concentrate on the Riddler Case." Damian then went back to looking through the case file.

"You can't go patrolling on your own. If you had just asked me I would've gone out."  Bruce said.

"To quote you on this, you said 'I will not go out to find information on the Riddler Case. If you want more information you will have to get it yourself.'. I believe I am just following orders." Damian smirked at Bruce's face.

"Well-"

"I have voice and video recording with lip synced guarantee." Damian smiled evilly as Bruce's face went blank. "It seems the student has finally out witted the master. Now, I have a case to finish by the end of the week." Damian pulled the document into a holo-file and pulled it over to a couch in the cave.

He laid out and started to read. Bruce smirked and pulled the holo-screen back to the main computer and started to look at it.

"Hey-"

"Explain the case to me." Bruce interrupted. Damian looked curious about what Bruce's motives were, so he took back the holo-screen and brought it up tot he big screen.

"Three of the last villains to be put away in Arkham have been taken in because of crimes that are unlike them. Riddler being the first. Riddler starting a mid-day shooting, Ivy found killing environmentalists, and Black Mask going in for a public threat to Jim Gordons life. Riddler only works at night, Ivy is always on the side of nature, and Black Mask isn't dumb enough to threaten someone under such heavy bat protection. Either they got caught on purpose, they all had a personality switch, or someone sabotaged them. And from what I've gathered, it's the latter of the three." Bruce nodded.

The two started to work at the case, it got to about 1 A.M. when the bat computer started to flash with a distress signal. Bruce and Damian sprinted to their costumes and into the Batmoblie. 

They were about to leave the back door opened and Jason came rushing in on a bike with Cass behind him on hers.

"Riddler escaped and is harassing a cougar near the edge of the woods next to a nuclear plant." Jason said, not even taking his helmet off. "Dick and Tim are already heading over there, let's go." Jason then kicked off, Bruce, Cass, and Damian following. 

The battle lasted for hours. It was finally coming to an end by the breaking of dawn. The Bat's had gotten through the many waves of henchmen and Harlan girls. All of the bat's suits were tattered in different places, Damian's mask being ripped on one side. They all looked straight at the Riddler, his green suit shining in the evening moonlight. 

Jason and Cass ran forward, Dick right behind them.  They went full out. Bruce went forward, but stopped as he saw Damian running and jumping up to the rafters. Tim did the same, both of them starting to blend with the shadows. Bruce ran forward but stopped for the second time when it happened.

A gun shot rang out.

The room lay still and silent.

Everyone starred at Riddler as he cackled away mad.

"No one looks out for the small guys. I was a small guy! I robbed one bank and I didn't get caught. A friend snitched and I got sent to prison. The next night, I was in prison, and what do I see? I see that little boy, that old friend of mine. He was on the news, said his folks were killed. I laughed, no one else laughed, but I laughed. To think, that boy is standing right here right now. Hi Bruce. It took me a while, but just as I was going to slit my throat in that cell, an old fella looked right at me and said 'Wanna make a deal?'. I said yes to that crazy man, and here we are!

"Now I wanted to get revenge, but what he had planned, oh, I would've never thought of this. And the only price was that I deliver a message to a certain little Tweedy bird. So here it is. 'You still haven't learned like the first boy blunder, but at least you're as good a shot as I am!"

ching

The gun fired.

The gun fired right into Jason's chest.

Nothing.

Nothing could be heard. 

Nothing could be heard over the scream from above.

The scream of two Robin's. 

A second of silence finally came and a slight ticking could be heard. 

Everyone realized the sound and ran for the doors as fast they could. 

Making the entrance just barely when the building went up in flames.