The Apprentice

Success

With the alarm systems and security guards down, no one will be supervising the cameras. He pulls off the air vent grate and throws in a few smoke bombs. The grey smoke mingles with the green mist of the knockout gas he'd thrown in earlier. He pulls out a small grey cylinder that he bites into, feeling instantly the cool oxygen flowing into his lungs. Robin crawls through the air ducts, the smoke concealing him completely, and reaches for the grate that would lead to the main computer room. Slade's voice pierces the silence, reminding him that he is there.

"Your clever trick will not be needed, Robin."

Robin stops, and listens.

"You've by now realized the money does not concern me. This is training, Robin. Sometimes you have to do things the old-fashioned way."

Before Robin can even think of an answer, the static drops and Slade is gone. Robin curses to himself, knowing exactly what he means. Slade wants him to open the main safe.

Robin drops another smoke bomb down the grate into the computer room and jumps down, finally disabling the cameras and any other security he can access. As he expected, the safe door runs on its own electric generator and can't be accessed by normal computers.

He makes his way over to the main safe room and inspects the large round door. It has thick iron bars embedded in the steel, a keypad, a fingerprint scanner, and a keyhole. There must be an order. 

Robin checks his watch. It's already 3:20 am, he has to work fast.

In the security guard's monitor room, Robin speeds through a few old tapes, and in under 10 minutes he finally identifies not only the order but also the code on the keypad.

Slade had given Robin a can of high-pressure hardening foam, the only tool he provided for this mission, and Robin now understands its purpose is to replace the key. He uses powder and plastic from his utility belt to repeat the fingerprint, types the code, and sprays the foam into the keyhole, waiting for the pins in the lock to be pushed back before giving it a sharp turn.

A high-pitched alarm blasts through the air, practically knocking Robin off his feet from the volume alone. His balance is ruined without hearing, but still, he manages to stumble into the safe and grab one wad of cash as proof. His head is spinning, his vision a blur of light and movement. The air vent was to his left, he remembers. If he can just get away...

The alarm cuts out, and Robin tries to regain his composure. One step later he bumps into something— someone, and looks up.

"Gosh, villains really are just getting younger and younger. " A man's voice states above him. Instinctively, Robin whirls around and lands a kick on their thigh, finding it no more useful than kicking a rock. He jumps back, his vision stable enough to identify the iconic blue and red.

"Let's get you over to the police station, son, your parents must be worried sick."

Robin searches his utility belt under his hoodie for his grappling hook, when his fingers brush his previous spoils of the night from the Natural History Museum. Without Robin realizing, Slade had given him another tool for this mission.

Robin pulls out his stolen jewels and Superman instantly drops to the ground, no longer able to hover. Superman now looks half as bad as Robin feels. He throws a piece of kryptonite to Superman's left while the hero is disoriented, and keeps the others in his hand as he hoists himself up the air vent and crawls his way out of the bank. As he's driving, Superman catches up quickly, flying high above him in a not-so-subtle attempt at surveillance. He probably thinks he can follow Robin to his hideout this way, exercising caution now knowing that someone with kryptonite is no common thief. Robin had prepared a contingency, and with the effects of the alarm having worn off, he aims properly and fires his kryptonite-tipped grappling hook up at Superman. He sees Superman reach for it, then balk at the sudden power drain. The hook hits him in the chest and Superman plummets, smashing apart the concrete road.

Robin's mind races. If I throw the engraved knife at Superman, would he just melt, dodge, or crush it? Will he make the effort to read it like Batman and the Titans would?

3:45 am. No matter how hard he tries— the distance to the train, and from the train to the base, is over his time limit by an hour without even considering when the train will leave the station. He's not going to make it in time. He grits his teeth. What can I do?

Slade's time limits have always been tight, but never has he overshot it. He's been sloppy this time, and won't make that mistake again.

That is... if I get another chance to make a mistake. Starfire — all the Titan's lives rely on me right now. I can work through this.

He's left Superman in the dust, and debatably has time to think. If the train is too slow, what is faster? A plane. A civilian plane will be too difficult to access, for the same reasons as the train. Instinctively he thinks of the Batplane. He can kill two birds with one stone: get Batman the message and make it back in time. The only way to do this is to get him to come here.

Robin turns his motorbike around and speeds back towards Superman. The caped hero has recovered a little after the attack, but hasn't found the strength to get to his feet. Robin throws two more kryptonite pieces into the hole of broken concrete and gets off his bike. He can feel the static turn on in his coms, which means Slade is considering intervening.

"Not so strong without powers, are you?" Robin calls down to Superman, circling the hole cautiously. Superman gives him an unimpressed glare.

"Batman and I never needed powers to fight, and that's what makes us stronger."

That got the message through. Superman looks perplexed, then understands with fearful awe.

"...Robin? What happened to you?"

Robin puts on his best scowl and pulls off his hoodie in a dramatic costume reveal. "Gotham was getting cramped. I thought I'd trade cities for someone easier to handle."

That's the fourth time Robin has broken the no-voice rule. Almost every time it was for strategy only— to get what he wants, and so by extension, to get what Slade wants. Considering his friends are still alive, Slade understands that.

Robin pretends not to see, but catches Superman discretely raising his hand to his ear. He listens hard for what Superman whispers into it, but only catches bits and pieces.

Superman to Batman... Robin is in... kryptonite...

Who knew the man of steel could be so gullible? Robin gives a convincing snicker, but panics internally as he thinks of a way to attract Batman's attention without drawing the whole Justice League into this. The Batplane is extremely fast, he should be here in ten minutes, tops. Robin needs to trap Batman in a good spot, and upon realizing how, he smirks at his own genius.

"Who are you chatting with, big guy? Can't have that."

He exposes the rest of his kryptonite in his hand as he dashes towards Superman. Before Superman can properly react, slowed by his weakness, Robin smacks his hand away and removes his earpiece, crushing it in his hand.

Except I didn't crush it.