Work Text:
Rundown
“You look rundown,” Stephanie said as she handed her a cup of coffee before settling down in one of the chairs she kept for guests. “If you want to catch some sleep I can keep watch for the DNA results to come in.” The current Robin offered.
“I’m not waiting for that,” She said knowing that even with technology not available anywhere else on Earth it would still be several hours before they had dna proof that Tim was actually Tim. “I’m just amazed he had the restraint to only collect DNA samples instead of waiting in Tim’s home to confront him.” She looked over at the other girl, “you have to be tired too you were on the late shift yesterday weren’t you?”
“It is actually relaxing he doesn’t really do anything just spends time in his apartment and occasionally gives us the finger when he catches us watching,” Stephanie said with a shrug and a slight smile. “I’m glad enough that he’s alive that I can put up with the occasional fuck you from him.” Steph’s smile grew even wider. “I’m just glad I was there the first time he did it to Bruce it was priceless.” She found herself smiling at the thought. “I mean it is so rare to see Batman at a complete loss about how to react to something.”
She could imagine but before she could say as much the algorithm she was running finished. She began to skim the results and had to frown. “Bruce, isn’t going to be happy.” She said staring at the read out. She saw Stephanie staring at the screen in confusion. “Bruce wanted me to compare all the evidence I’ve found of Tim’s movements in South America to what we know about Stray just in case they are the same person.”
“So he still thinks that,” Stephanie said shaking her head. “I mean I know it is a bit weird that Tim finally shows back up alive just after Stray goes underground but wouldn’t Tim know better than that?” That was certainly true but if Tim was fucking with Bruce then it wouldn’t matter what would make sense. “Did you find any proof he was?”
“No, in fact if it was anyone other than Tim I’d say this conclusively proves he isn’t Stray,” she said pointing out the chart. “I’ve got him on camera in the Gotham airport a few weeks ago when he came for forty eight hours to finalize his purchase of that book shop.”
“Which is when Stray was on his theft spree in Europe,” Stephanie said looking at the information on screen. “You’ve also got plenty of financial records showing Alvin Draper was bouncing around Central and South America since a few weeks after he faked his death” She nodded, “Isn’t that enough proof to say he’s not Stray?”
“As I said ordinarily it would be but Tim knows how our investigations work if he really wanted to he could have set this up all along,” She said and saw Stephanie get it. “Plus he knows how our belts are built he could have easily faked the dna in the traps.”
Stephanie began to frown, “But why would Tim want to do this, I mean even if he could it seems way more vindictive than he ever was.” That was the big question, “Does Bruce really think Tim is that mad about what happened?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I don’t know if he’s possibly some how right, just being paranoid or if this is just his guilt over not answering when Tim called for help so he needs an excuse for Tim to be in the wrong.” She privately thought it might be all of them. She wasn’t going to make up her mind on the is Tim actually Stray possibility without seeing a bit more of how Tim was acting.
“Couldn’t we just go ask him with Cassandra?” Stephanie said after a moment. “She should be able to tell if Tim is lying or not based on his body language.” She knew the girl meant well with that suggestion but she shook her head no. “Why not?”
“Cassandra never met Tim before and given Tim’s stalker tendencies he probably already knows about her.” She looked at the screen, “Which means he may have found a way to fool her so Bruce wouldn’t put absolute faith in her reading if she said he wasn’t.” Which given that while Cassandra was more accurate than even the most advanced lie detectors she wasn’t flawless no human was and Bruce she knew would insist on one hundred percent accuracy.
“Then maybe he should just go talk to Tim and make up his mind,” Stephanie said after a moment. “I mean I know I said earlier that it was relaxing but we can’t keep taking shifts to watch him sooner or later he’s going to act if we don’t.”
She had to agree there but they both knew it would be up to Bruce when he confronted Tim. He certainly wouldn’t take it well if one of them did it first. “I think once the DNA is back he’ll be ready to confront him.”
The End.