Protecting our leader.

Chapter Thirteen.

P.O.V of Tim.

We were all eating the evening meal, the last meal Damian would be having with us. The plan was he was to go and 'join' the Owls so that he could bring Dick home and we could get our actual brother back. I heard a knock at the door and Kaldur excused himself to answer it. A minute later he came in followed by Batman.
"Team," He greeted the horror-stricken team then turned to us, "Boys, follow me."
He turned from the room and we all went to follow him, leaving behind the team who were still trying to figure out how they were going to make it through the night with a failed mission and the Batman. We went down into the Batcave where he removed his cowl and sat in his chair. We all stayed silent, watching as he treid to reign in his emotions, but if you looked at his eyes their was such deep greif there that I couldn't imagine it.
"I need to know exactly what happened." He said, "And then we will create a plan of action."
"We already have a plan of action father." Damian said, "I'm going to 'join' the Owls and bring him home."
"No you're not." He growled, "Now tell me everything that you can."
And so we spent the rest of the evening going over what happened and showing Bruce the clip of Dick when he visited last night, where he had to excuse himself to gain his composure and get control of his emotions.
"What we need is the identity of his master." Bruce said after a moment of silence, "Then we need to make a threat to him, that should send him into a frenzy. And then we can grab him."
I could see that it pained him to refer to Dick as having a master now, but it was the harsh truth.
"What if his master has given him orders to not go after him?" Jason asked, "What if he was ordered to accept another dose from a differant Owl?"
"We'll get to that when we get to it." Bruce replied, "Now everyone to bed. I need you all up at six tommorrow, no later."
We nodded and did as we were told, one day gone, six to go.

P.O.V of Wally.

Batman came back up to the team about an hour later.
"The boys are up in bed." He said, "Now we need to discuss any details I might need."
"Wally had a great brainwave, didn't you Baywatch?" Artemis pushed me to the front of the group and Batman turned his gaze to me.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Well, I kind of struck a deal with Deathstroke." I said, rubbing the back of my head, "He told me all the details about the serum, and said that if we brough Richard to him he would cure him. But unless we can tell him both of Robin's identities he said he'd just create a toxin instead."
"If we get Richard back I will get both Robin's to tell you their identites." He said, "Does anyone have anything else to add?"
"I have a question." Megan said and Batman indicated her to continue, "Will Robin be joining us for this mission?"
"No," Batman replied shortly, "He's somewhat occupied with his current work." And I could swear I heard emotion underlying his voice.
But I didn't get to comment as a knife came flying through the window, only Batman shoving me out of the way stopped it embedding in the back of my head. I turned to the window as a cackle echoed around the walls, one that was unnervenly like Robins. But Batman said he wasn't coming for the mission.
At that moment a figure came through the window, his deep blue pools giving a gaze full of harted towards me, "Hello Wallace."
"Dick, that is no tone to speak to him." Batman said, stepping in front of me.
"Ohhhh, look who's come back." He sing-songed, "The dark knight. Maybe the dark monster would be more accurate."
He was speaking like he knew him, which was odd.
"Why are you here?" Batman asked.
"None of your business, now if you'll excuse me." And he whipped around so fast that Batman didn't have a chance to stop him as his fist connected with the bottom of his jaw.
He stumbled back but came back, lunging at Richard with far too much force for the young boy to stop. But I stood corrected as Richard used Batman's momentum to swing him over his head and through the wall. Then he advanced on me, only my superpseed stopped the hit from landing. But he came back again, this time the entire team came to advance on him, realising he had more skill then we gave him credit for. But as quickly as he came he was gone, where and when was a mystery, but he had dissapered with another Robin cackle ringing out.
Batman came back in, "Where did he go?"
"We do not know." Kaldur replied, "He has just dissappered."
Batman let out a shout of fustration, flipping the dining table and shattering all the plates and the glass top. It was then that he noticed a piece of paper on the windowsill, he picked it up and read it over.
"I'll be back in the morning." He growled, handing the note to Kaldur and leaving.
"What does it say?" Artemis asked.
"'Bring me the speedster and I'll consider letting the others live.'" Kaldur read out.
"He thinks he can kill all of us?" Conner scoffed.
"He did a good job of showing us up just then." I countered, "Maybe he can."
"I do not mean to make connections where there are none." Kaldur then said, "But he fought and sounded strangly like Robin does."
"What, you think that Robin's current work is helping out Richard?" Megan asked, "Why would he do that?"
"No, I believe that maybe Richard is Robin." He said, "I know I do not have much evidence-"
"I have some." I cut in, "For our first date Artemis and I headed down to the training hall but we saw him doing tricks like Robin does on the bars at the cave, they can both do the Quadrupile flip and as far as I know, there is only one person alive who can do that."
"And my first P.E lesson," Artemis joined in, "He was fighting his brother with expert skill. And a style like Robins."
"And when he was orginally taken by the Owls." Megan said, "He was so calm as if he'd done it before or been in a similar situation. He handled it better then even I did."
"He used one of Robin's words as well." Conner said, "That first day after school, you asked how it was and he said asterous but quickly corrected himself."
"It would make sense then that they are the same person." Kaldur said.
"They are." A voice said from behind us and we turned to see Jason in the doorway, "Richard is the original Robin."
"How do you know this?" I asked.
"He's my brother." He said, "And I know the identities of all the Batfamily."
"Jason, Bruce said no." Tim came up behind him.
"I don't care," He turned to face Tim, "They said that if they told Slade both of Robin's idenities he would free him."
"I back up Jay on this one." Damian said as he also came through.
"Suit yourselves," Tim muttered, "Don't blame me when Bruce kills you."
"Who's Slade?" Conner asked.
"Deathstroke is Slade Wilson." Jason told us, "And both of Robin's identities are Richard and myself."
"Prove it." I said, becuase I think he's just having a joke.
"Sure." He said, and we followed him to the living room where he put a time in the clock and it opened up the wall.
We followed him inside and down more cautsoly now until we came into a great cave, only to be stopped by Batman.
"And what do you think you're doing bringing the team down here?" Batman asked Jason.
"Saving my brother." He bit back and shoved past him.
"Is this the Batcave?" Megan asked in wonder.
"Yes." Batman said, the word clipped short, "Now get out."
"No," Damian stepped up for us, "They can go and see Slade and tell him they know."
"Damian-"
"Shut up father." He growled, "Now team, this way."
We went deeper into the cave, an irritated Batman following behind and everything finally fell into place for me.
My best freind was Richard Grayson, and now he was a puppet to the Owl's and we had no chance of beating him. And we had been with him all week but I couldn't tell. If I knew it was him I would have treid so much harder, but instead I treated him like a rich kid who I hated. I was a terrible best freind.
But now, now we can at least stand a fighting chance of getting him back.