No Nuance November

Spoiler v. Falcone

Working with Stephanie had always been a nightmare. She went purely off of gut feelings and what 'felt right'. Not in the way Dick did. He had a track record of anticipating the outcome of things before they happened. Steph didn't possess this track record.

Tim tried to keep an open mind, she'd asked for his help after all. So maybe she knew she needed some concrete evidence before going any further.

That was what he thought. That wasn't what he walked into.

He followed her instructions to some abandoned apartments just outside of the slums to find some guy blindfolded, tied to a chair, in the middle of the open room. It shocked him for half a second. Had he stumbled onto something else that he wasn't anticipating. Before he had a chance to probe the man for some information Steph (Well they're in the field so Spoiler) pulled him into a side room.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked her. His voice hushed but angry.

"Doing what you told me." She replied simply.

Robin stared at her for a couple seconds. "When did I tell you to do this?" He gestured back to the tied up man in the living room.

"You said follow up on leads."

"That doesn't mean kidnap them."

"He has information I need."

"What information?"

She pulled a cellphone from behind her, handing it to him. "He has connections to Falcone."

Robin didn't respond. He glanced back at the hostage. He didn't seem like the type of guy that would be involved with someone like Falcone. More like the stereotypical nine to five middle management type of guy.

"How do you know?" He asked her.

"I just do."

Robin huffed. "Spoiler, you need some sort of evidence that he's associated with Falcone."

She hesitated. "My dad keeps a backlog of people like him. I don't have any 'hard proof' that's why I need your help. I don't trust my father but I know he likes to be on the up and up of which crime lord is making some headway."

"Falcone has been nothing but quiet. Has been for years."

He'd been quiet since Dick's time as Robin. After Maronie went down Falcone wasn't far behind. Doing a lot more under the table things. Mobsters were less prevalent than the murderous clowns and man-eating crocodiles that ran around this city. Falcone knew how to play smart. Something Robin admired. Doing enough for everyone to know not to mess with him but not enough to draw attention from the Bat.

But Stephanie wasn't Batman. If her father was keeping track of him she was going to try and figure out why. And would likely get herself exposed or killed while doing it.

"Well maybe he was waiting for the right opportunity." She told him blankly.

Falcone was smart. Robin wouldn't put it past him. "Maybe. But that still doesn't mean that this is okay." He gestured back at the hostage. "Everything about this is illegal."

"We're vigilantes Robin. Everything about us is illegal. And besides you're one to talk. You've kidnapped people before."

No he hadn't, but Batman had. For the same reason she had. He had also done things of equal calibur to kidnapping. Privacy laws were a thing he just took them as a suggestion.

"Let him go. We'll hack into his phone and see what we can dig up that way. If he really is working with Falcone I'll deal with it-"

An argument formed on her lips.