Forced Bonds

Chapter 48

Infinity Island
December 23, 08:43 EDT

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The concrete door slides open and Slade and Claude walk out. Talia follows behind them with a satisfied smirk on her face. She escorts them back to the main entry way, the reds of the room a sharp contrast to her green eyes. Dick silently picks up his mask and places it back on when they pass by.

"We will speak again when the job is complete," she speaks as they step onto dirt road. "Do not disappoint us."

Slade doesn't say anything in response as they head back to their plane. It is much more silent on the way back because Claude isn't carrying the bag anymore. As far as Robin knew, they had left it in the conference room. He is okay with that.

His thoughts drift back to Jason, and his blank expression must have changed because Claude notices.

"Is something wrong, Robin?"

The ex-superhero hesitates a moment, but answers none the less, "I... I spoke to a prisoner."

Slade glances over at Robin from where he navigates the controls. He can practically see the guilt radiating off of the teen. The mercenary isn't mad, now that he has the boy in the palm of his hand, he has to mold it gently. That is, unless he wanted to repeat the fiasco with his previous father figure.

"It is important that you follow my exact instructions, Robin," Slade says sternly, but lacking any anger. "Had you been caught, we could've lost the entire deal.

"We could've lost you."

Robin's heart starts to thud heavily in his chest. Claude wraps him in a hug when he notices his hands start to tremble. The teen sinks into it, a warm feeling filling his chest- a feeling that had been so evasive until now.

"I'm sorry," Robin says into Claude's suit. The butler runs a comforting hand through his hair and gives him a final squeeze before letting go. Wordless, but Claude didn't always need words.

"Well?" Slade asks, meaning clear. The League of Shadows only kept prisoners of use, so whoever was being held was important. If they were being held in the passage way of hidden doors- they had to be harboring a secret, and Slade wants to know.

"It was a kid. Maybe around my age. I think he was an apprentice..."

Slade doesn't even have to ask who it was. After he lost his inheritance for the League of Shadows, Slade has kept tabs on everything of importance. Bring back one of Batman's sons from the dead was one of them. He kept his face expertly calm and curious, not that it mattered behind the mask. "Odd for one to be a prisoner, don't you think?"

"Yeah..." Robin agrees, sensing he is being tested. "... I think it was," he hesitates again. Spilling secrets is still uncomfortable for Robin. I mean, he passed out when he told Slade his real name- that's just how well Batman conditioned him. However, he has nothing to hide from Slade anymore, "I think it was Jason Todd."

A smile pulls at Slade's lips and Claude gasps in faked surprise. Obviously, Slade had already informed his butler. "Jason Todd?!" Robin picks at the edges of the cuffs (underneath his gauntlets) nervously, still getting used to speaking freely. Claude quickly recovers from his instant of surprise, and adjusts his monocle in the most spectacular feat of acting.

"Whatever did the boy say?"

Robin smiles at the clone, comforted by the fact he isn't the only one bewildered by this development.

"Ah- he was very colorful with his words..."

"Sounds like a certain ex-hero I know," Slade comments off-handedly.