The Competition Mission Re-Write

Roll of the dice

"I promise," I replied, "You know I'm an expert secret keeper."
"Yeah, I guess I do," He let out a small smirk, "Jesus. Okay. Here goes nothing...
I think I'm in love with Richard Grayson."
I had to stop for a moment. I was expecting many things, but that. That was not one of them. He was in love with me. Well, not me me, but the other me. Did that mean he loved this me as well? But he couldn't tell me that? Is that why he made up the date thing? Because he actually wanted to go on a date with me? Do I feel the same?
"Rob?" He asked and I jerked away from my thoughts, I could ponder them at another time.
"Sorry, you just kinda, took me by surprise," I admitted, "So, this has been hard on you?"
"I've been in love with him for ages, since I first heard about him on the news when I was eleven," Wally continued and I had to really focus on not turning red or letting anything show, "I followed his life, I still do. But now I've had the excuse to get close to him and he might be the one we have to turn into the police. Like, I know him. I'd be able to recognise him whatever. My gut tells me when he's there. And, well, those news articles about the thief, that's him. I know him, and he is the one doing it and I can't tell the rest of the team because they'll try to arrest him. And, well, I know it's selfish but I just want one day with him before that."
"So, it's him?" I asked, my heart starting to drop as he said that, "For certain."
Wally nodded and I saw a tear drip from his chin.
"Hey, come here," I moved over to the ginger and brought him in for a hug as he let the silent tears fall.
This mission just kept getting more and more complicated.

I lay awake in bed that night, my mind flitting from one thing to the next like a TV. Keeping my identity secret. Being the main suspect. Being framed. Who was framing me? Wally loved me. Did I love Wally?
It was 1am when my phone buzzed and I picked it up to see a message from Wally. I quickly sent a reply and got dressed, taking care to note my hair wasn't a mess. I left a note for Bruce on the kitchen top for when he returned from training and headed out to the restaurant again.
"Hey," I said as I approached him.
"Wasn't sure you'd be up," He replied as we started heading off towards his mystery location, hopefully not my arrest, "You been doing anything tonight?"
"Nope. Just lying and doing nothing, thinking mostly. It's been a day," I explained, "Why are you up?"
"I've been thinking too," He said.
We settled into silence, and I took in a breath before linking my arm through his. A small look of surprise crossed his face but he didn't seem to argue with it. And, for me, well, it felt right. But did I love him? I mean, I can't picture life without him but he's my best friend, how could I?
"So," I started, "Where's this surprise location?"
Wally didn't respond to that, just kept walking and that's when the gut feeling arrived. This wasn't him trying to scope out if he could make a move. This was him scoping out if I'm the bomber.
And I'd walked into a trap.
I felt movement behind me, sounded like M'ggan, but I didn't respond, I had to let them think I wasn't the bomber. I had to act oblivious, even as she snuck up behind me. Even as she was practically hovering over me.
"You okay?" Wally asked, "You look tense."
"I'm fine," I lied, "Just, something feels a little off. Maybe I'm tired. Imagining a monster in the dark corners."
"Maybe," Wally said and I felt another presence coming up around the corner we were about to take.
A test of my reactions and fighting next I presume. We rounded the corner and I let the attacker land the hit to my face. I stumbled back, not letting my legs catch me, had to act untrained. I took a moment to look at who had hit me, Conner. Not that I should recognise him because of the full face mask, but it's me. Of course, should have guessed he'd be the one doing the punching. I felt Wally's arm tighten around mine to catch me and stop me falling.
Not at all embarrassing.
"Well what do we have here?" Conner asked, and I'd never heard him sound so dark, "Give me your wallets and phones."
"Sure, sure," I stammered out, reaching into my pocket, "Whatever you want dude."
"What are you doing?" Wally hissed as I pulled out my wallet.
"You want to be killed. This is Gotham, you don't say no to someone stronger than you," I explained, "Give him what he wants."
"Or you could give them what they want."
We all froze at the voice. Metallic, modulated. No idea who said it or where they were.
"Who's there?" Conner asked.
"Come on Grayson, give them what they want, or will we have to finish setting up the game, as Bruce so put it."
"Who are you and what do you want?" I asked, this was not good.
Not good at all.
"You have ten seconds, and then we'll start."
"Dick, what's going on?" Wally asked.
"I don't know," I replied, though I had a feeling, "Maybe we should just, give this guy our stuff and go."
"Just go mate, I'm out," Conner said and began to walk off.
That was when time seemed to slow. He walked past a door and it slowly started to open, a man with a kryptonite knife lunging at Conner. It was a split second decision, keep the cover and let Conner potentially die, blow the cover, save Conner's life and potentially get arrested.
There was never a choice.
I lunged towards the man, knocking the knife from his hand which went scattering across the alley, and threw the man against the wall, digging my knee into his groin and my hand around his throat. I didn't recognise him, and he wasn't in any sort of Uniform, no way to identify him. I didn't look at the others, scared to see what would be written on their faces.
"Who do you work for?" I growled.
"None of your goddam business," He replied and bit down on something before foaming at the mouth and going limp.
"What was that?" Wally asked as he came towards me.
"I don't know," I replied honestly, "I- I've gotta go."
And with that I didn't look back as I ran out of there, scared they'd see the tears running down my face.

I arrived back at the flat just after Bruce had gotten in.
"We gotta go," I said as a greeting.
"What happened?" He asked.
"The team are probably confirming I'm the bomber as we speak," I explained, "They tried to do their own setup to get me to reveal myself with Conner mugging us. But then whoever's been framing me came into play. Modulated voice that spoke directly to us like he was there and someone came out with a Krypotonite knife at Conner. I had to save him. They took some form of poison and died before they said anything. I ran, I didn't even look to see them. I just ran."
"Okay, pack a bag, only what you need. Let's go," Bruce said as we both headed to our respective rooms to pack.
I quickly shoved everything I could in a bag, it's not like we had much left anyway, and met Bruce back in the kitchen. I followed him out of the hotel room and out into the streets where we headed to the nearest Zeta beam.
"Where are we going?" I asked as he entered in a set of co-ordinates.
"Somewhere safe," He replied as it started up and we stepped through.
We came back out somewhere I didn't recognise and followed Bruce as he moved towards the Chinese. We walked straight in and I quickly scanned the actual place. It was a small safehouse. Two beds, a bathroom, a kitchen and a tech station that worked as a remote Batcomputer.
"Welcome to our new home for now," Bruce said, "I'm going to need to head to see the league to see if I can get ahead of what's happening with this now. I recommend going to see the team, but I understand if you'd rather stay here."
"No, I'll head up. I need to speak to Wally anyway," I said, "Can I have the location?"
"I'll send it to your hologlove, don't let anyone else see it," He said, "Be back by the morning. Resolve what you can, because we need to find this real bomber."