Under the Mask

Chapter 8: Revealed

-ROBIN-

5:15 P.M., Tuesday, Wayne Manor (Gotham)

Dick and his brothers were running, with the team close behind him. 

They needed a place to hide.

Fast.

"Is anyone home?" Dick heard the Joker muse from somewhere behind them, "No?"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Harley sang.

Dick racked his brain. Where else could they hide apart from the Batcave? He wanted to slap himself. He was risking his life, all of their lives, just to keep his identity. 

Breathing fast, he made his decision, "I know a place to hide."

"About time," he could hear Tim mutter under his breath.

"Father's study," Dick huffed, almost out of breath from all that running.

All three brothers turned to him.

"Are you insane?" Jason yelled.

"Father will flay us alive," wailed Damian, his voice pitching an octave higher.

"If we survive the Joker's attack," Tim glared at Dick, "we definitely won't survive dad's punishment."

"What's so wrong about your father's study?" Artemis asked.

Dick sighed, "You'll see."

That answer did not please her.

After 5 minutes of running (Dick forgot where the study was), they finally reached his father's study, or in other words, the Batcave.

Dick rushed and opened a book with a leather casing, flipped through the pages until he came to the last page. There was where Mr. Wayne kept the remote.

"Could you be a bit more quick?" Tim hissed, "They're getting closer."

Ignoring Tim, Dick yanked out the remote and pressed a red button. Instantly, the fireplace slowly lowered down, revealing a dark staircase.

"This way," Jason grabbed Damian's wrist and led them down the stairway.

The stairway was long and dark, and Dick almost bumped his head on the low, stone ceiling. Finally, finally, they reached the Batcave.

"Woah," Miss Martian breathed, lightly touching the stone wall, "what is this place?"

"Welcome to our father's real study," Dick announced, "also known as the Batcave."