Chapter Text
Dick hated Galas; they were boring, long and full of rich people against fun. Bruce was the exception, though, because he's Batman.
Not that anyone here knew that, but he digressed.
The former circus brat thought it was going to be another boring party. The Gotham Museum was displaying a large rare Jewel of Xenothium called the Red Queen's Heart. It most likely would be stolen tonight's or the next days to come; this is Gotham after all.
Again this is what Dick was sure of.
A click and a flash suddenly caught Dick's attention. The jewel hadn't been unveiled yet; so no one was really taking pictures. Especially since there was a 'no pictures allowed' signs on certain exhibits.
Dick guessed this one kid didn't get the memo. Since he was taking pictures of the displays.
"Hey kid, " the kid jumped three feet in the air and turned around to see Dick. He was younger than Dick. He is maybe six, or seven? (Dick would be turning sixteen soon.) Had hair as black as his but had timid baby blue eyes. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to be taking pictures yet."
The boy looked apologetic, "er, sorry. My parents said they wanted me to take shots of some of the historical stuff. They like things like that. They're also funding the museum, so they said it's okay."
Dick wasn't sure if he believed him. He was about to ask the kid's name, but an announcement drew his attention away from the small boy.
The lights went out as the PA built mention and had spot lights dancing about.
"Now introducing Gotham museum's newest addition to the geological department. The world's largest Xenothium ever discovered: The Red Queen's Heart!"
The lights stopped at the display case as the cloth covering the jewel lifted. Red sparkles the room as people stared in awe.
"Nice rock, I think I'll take it."
Then with out warning three streaks of red flew toward the case making the glass shimmer. Someone covered in the shadows of darkness, that only Batman and Robin could see. They flipped over to the case and grabbed it's contents without even breaking the glass.
The thief landed right in front of Dick. Red glowed ominously. Then, the kid next to Dick then let off a flash, and that's when Dick saw the white mask with the red 'X'.
Red X turned his attention to the kid and said in a distorted voice: "Big mistake there, shrimp."
That said the boy with camera ran off and Red X gave chase. Dick was going to follow but the lights came back on and people scrambled about blocking his path.
"Dick!" Bruce suddenly called him. Said boy then called out to his guardian and said.
"I saw the thief got out through here, he's chasing a kid with a camera."
"That's Timothy!" a woman with mouse brown hair shouted and then shoved he husband. "Jack go after him!"
Jack had dark hair and gray sides. He didn't look to thrilled to go chasing after a thief that was terrorizing his son.
"I'll go with you," Bruce stated and the told Dick to stay put. Then they left.
Bruce and Jack Drake looked around the exhibits looking any sign the thief or Timothy.
Bruce knew of Jack Drake back in college. They didn't travel in the same circles, last he heard was Jack had taken over his family's business.
Drake Industries was a very vague company. They funded many different projects from medicine to historical discoveries, amassing a well-off fortune along with absorbing his wife's family company.
The thief that had his son calls himself Red X. He started showing up a month ago. He mainly stole from randomized companies and then out right burning them to the ground.
Bruce passed by the literature exhibit that display Great Expectations' Estella as a child with Miss Havisham. That's when he spotted the thief gripping the Drake boy. The child was bound and gagged with red bindings.
Trying to sneak up on the two between the displays, Bruce had caught the kid's eye. The boy let out a few muffled sounds. This alerted the thief as he threw shurikens towards Bruce.
"Bruce Wayne. Well, I wasn't expecting you. This kid yours?" The thief said tucking Tim Drake under his arm. "He's pretty light for a rich kid. Seems his folks don't feed him enough."
Bruce took a cautious step forward tries to reason with X, "look. You got the camera and the Red Queen's Heart. Now why don't you let the kid go."
"You're in no position to be making demands, old man. Who do you think you are, Batman?" This made Bruce take a step back from what he was implying. Before Bruce could comprehend what was going on Jack Drake came in and tried to charge in after the black clothed fiend.
To keep out of reach, Red X took a large leap on to a humongous open book statue that led to a skylight window.
"You masked freak give me my son back!" Jack yelled as his face contorted in rage.
Red X's stance grew casually pensive, "hm. Nah, I think I'll keep him, after all I could use a sidekick. What do you say kid want to be my Robin?" The masked villain asked Timothy.
"Sorry that name's taken." Red X turned his head to the glass ceiling to see Robin above him. The boy Wonder then kicked him in the head as he flew backwards. then Tim and the Jewel flew out of his grip. In the flash of a second, the white masked vigilante lifted a palm and shot out another red X forming an elastic net around the around the open page book statue catching Tim Drake.
On the other hand, it had sent out an elastic whip grabbing the large jewel. As the whip retracted to his waiting Palm, the thief disappeared suddenly in a wave of static.
Confused Robin looked around on top of the statue to figure out where he had gone. Then as Bruce Wayne and Jack Drake were trying to untie Tim off the statue, Red X reappeared behind Robin and kicked him off the side of the statue.
Taken by surprise Robin quickly took out his grappling gun and shot it off. This allowed him to safely land on the ground.
Then Red X once again resurfaced around Robin and tried to attack him each masked vigilante blocking each other's punches and kicks.
Red X was taller than Robin. His attacks held more force, while Robin relied more on his agility by flipping and kicking. Robin and Red X right now were at a stalemate. That's when Robin started to question him.
"Who are you and why are you after this kid?"
"If I wanted you to know that, you think I'd be wearing a mask? And as for the kid..." Robin suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground and then flipped over a red X's shoulder and slammed on his back against the hard floor. Knocking the Boy Wonder out. "That's also personal."
Bruce and Jack almost had him free when suddenly Red X jumped in between the two and then quickly grabbed the ball by the shirt of his collar and tearing him away from the elastic red net. He then jumped through window. Before he left though he turned around and gave one last taunt.
"So long Drake, I'll make sure a Timmy's well taken care of and by the way thanks for the suit." Then he, the boy and jewel disappeared in a flash of light.