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Robin groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He attempted to stretch his stiff limbs only to find he was unable to move. Any residual grogginess immediately cleared as Robin’s mind raced to determine the cause of his immobility. He opened his eyes and scanned them over his body.
Crap.
Panic rose up in Robin as he realized he was strapped to a cold, metal chair. Thick leather belts wrapped around his ankles, legs, and waist to ensure there was no way he could escape, and – to his utter horror – his upper body was restrained by a straightjacket. Robin struggled violently against his bonds, but it was no use. He was completely and utterly stuck.
“Rob? Are you okay?” a familiar voice said. Robin whipped his head up and searched the room for the source of the voice.
What he found made his stomach drop.
His teammates’ conditions were just as dire as his own. Each was strapped to a chair with belts and a straightjacket similar to his, but what really made Robin nervous were the collars that encompassed each of his friends’ necks. Even Artemis had one, which led him to believe they were more than just inhibitor collars. Robin rotated his head and touched his chin to his chest, but he felt no indication that he had a collar as well.
He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“C’mon, talk to me, Rob. Are you hurt?” Wally pressed, his voice laced with concern.
“I-I’m fine, KF. Just a bit groggy. You guys okay?” Robin asked, scanning each of his friends for potential damage.
“We are all uninjured, Robin,” Kaldur spoke up. “But whether we are okay remains to be seen.”
It was then that Robin got a good look at their surrounding for the first time. They appeared to be in some kind of basement. There was a wooden staircase leading upward in the opposite corner that looked dilapidated and smelled of mildew. There were no windows in the place, making a single fluorescent bulb hanging from the ceiling their only source of light. In one of the far corners lay their weapons – Artemis’s bow, Kaldur’s water-bearers, Wally’s goggles, and Robin’s utility belt, gloves, and cape. The only furniture other than the chairs they were bound to was a metal table that was halfway covered in rust. Most of the Team was positioned in a straight line against one of the walls, but Robin had been placed in the center of the room. It was very unnerving.
“Yeah, I think we can officially call this mission a disaster – heavy on the dis,” Robin groaned as the memories of the botched operation returned to the forefront of his mind.
Batman had told them it would be a routine recon mission. Granted, their recon missions hardly ever turned out to be routine, but they usually didn't end this badly. Their orders had been simple: stake out an old warehouse on the outskirts of Gotham to see if Kobra was using it as a storehouse for his Kobra-Venom. However, when the Team had arrived, the place seemed abandoned. They had entered the building to check it out only to be met with knockout gas. Everyone had dropped instantly, and even Robin hadn't been able to reach his gas mask in time to stop the darkness from overtaking his vision. The last thing his senses registered was a maniacal laughter that was all too familiar to him.
Robin’s eyes widened. He began struggling against his bonds with new fervor, getting more desperate with each passing moment.
“Robin, we’ve all already tried to break free. It’s no use,” Artemis pointed out.
“You guys don’t understand,” he insisted, his efforts never lessening. “We have to get out of here. He’s probably close.”
“Who’s close, Robin?” Kaldur asked. Robin looked – dare he say it – distressed. And considering how the Boy Wonder never lost his cool in situations like these, seeing him struggle so violently was very disconcerting.
Before Robin could formulate an answer, the sound of a creaking door echoed through the room.
“Wakey, wakey, kiddies!” a man called out in a singsong voice. Robin froze and started breathing deeply in order to regain his composure. The stairs groaned as their captor slowly came down to face them.
“Guys, do not say a word in front of him. Let me do all the talking,” Robin ordered. Any trace of distress or weakness had completely disappeared.
“It’s about time you all woke up! I have been waiting for ages!” the man lamented as he stepped into the light. The Team – save Robin – gave a horrified gasp.
Joker.
Most of the Team had never seen him in person before. His greasy green hair fell unevenly over his unnaturally white forehead. His lips were so red it was as if he used blood to color them. He was wearing his signature purple suit with a green vest and orange shirt underneath. Over his shoulder was a large duffel bag that probably held unspeakable instruments of torture. The scariest thing about him, however, was his eyes. His irises were as green as his hair, and his sclera had a sickly yellow tint. They were full of insanity and held promises of pain and suffering.
“Hello, Robbie-poo, long time no see,” he said, allowing the duffel bag to slip off of his shoulder. It fell the floor with a metallic clunk.
“What do you want, Joker?” Robin spat, pure hatred lacing his voice.
“Now, now, is that anyway to talk to your old Uncle J?” Joker waved his finger disapprovingly. “Then again I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Batsy always was too lenient with you, in my opinion. He just doesn't seem to understand that teenagers require a firm hand and lots of discipline.”
“You can complain about his parenting skills when he gets here. That is, if you have time before he kicks your ass and sends you straight back to Arkahm.”
“Oh don’t worry about us not having enough time, Boy Blunder. I have taken several steps to ensure we get plenty of time together before DaddyBats comes storming in to save his little bird.”
The dark cackle that followed the Joker’s statement sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
“As for what I want,” he continued, “I just want to spend some quality time with my favorite sidekick. You’re growing up so fast, and now you’re spending so much time with your Junior Justice League I almost never get to see you. Old Batsy isn't nearly as fun to play with when you're not by his side.”
“So what? You planted fake information about the Kobra-Venom so Batman would send us to the warehouse?” Robin demanded. He hoped he could keep Joker talking long enough to give Batman time to find them because he really wasn't too keen on finding out what was in that duffel bag.
“Let’s just say old Snake Eyes owed me a favor. But let’s not waste precious time fretting over minor details. The important thing is you're here with me now, and I finally get to meet your little friends.”
He strode over to Robin’s captive teammates. He paused to study each of them, his eyes stopping on M’Gann.
“Well, aren't you a pretty little thing?” he cooed, his gloved hand coming up to caress her cheek. “Green is such a lovely color, and your hair complements it perfectly.”
“Get your hands off her!” Conner yelled, struggling violently against his bonds. M’Gann, to her credit, didn't make a sound or show any sign of weakness.
“My, my, somebody has quite the temper,” Joker tsked. “I’m sure the Blue Boy Scout wouldn't approve of you speaking to your elders in that tone. Then again, I don’t think he approves of you in general.”
Superboy roared with rage and struggled even harder to break free of his straightjacket.
Joker looked bored. “You’re just gonna wear yourself out struggling like that. That inhibitor collar you’re wearing makes you just as weak as the rest of us.”
“Then why do I have one? I don’t have any superpowers, Bozo,” Artemis said, looking defiantly at the madman.
“Artemis, don’t –”
“It’s rude to interrupt, Boy Blunder,” Joker scolded. “Blondie here asked a valid question. The answer is quite simple: these collars do more than simply take away superpowers. Allow me to give you a demonstration.”
Joker smiled darkly and pulled a small remote control out of his pocket. Before Robin could say anything to defend his friends, Joker pressed the button. The collars started buzzing as they sent out jolts of electricity into the young heroes’ bodies. They all screamed in agony, causing Joker to start laughing.
“STOP!” Robin yelled, feeling absolutely helpless. He wanted nothing more than to hep his friends, but no amount of struggling broke through his restraints. “JOKER IT’S ME YOU WANT JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE!”
That got his attention. He pressed another button on the remote, causing the electricity to stop and his teammates to breathe a sigh of relief.
“What was that, Robbie-poo?” he asked, leaning down so that he was face to face with the Boy Wonder.
“I said, ‘leave them alone.’ They aren't the ones you want. I am. So do what you want to me, but leave my teammates out of it.”
“R-Robin, no! You can’t –”
Robin quickly shut Wally up with a glare. The rest of his teammates looked at him with fear in their eyes. They were still breathing heavily as a result from their recent electrocution, which only hardened Robin’s resolve.
“You have a valid point there, my fine feathered friend. We need to take advantage of what time we have left together before Batsy comes barging in and ruins everything. So I’ll tell you what: you cooperate like a good little birdie, and I won’t turn on the mean collars again. Kay?”
Robin nodded, refusing to meet any of his teammates’ eyes.
Joker cackled with delight. “Goody! I have so many fun things planned. It’s gonna the best night ever!”
“No!”
“Robin, don’t –”
“Please, you can’t!”
“Let me–”
“Don’t let him–”
“QUIET!” Joker yelled angrily. “Normally, I would love to sit here and listen to you all sing your little hearts out, but tonight is Bird Boy’s time to shine. We can’t have you all trying to steal his limelight with your incessant jabbering.” He stalked over to the large duffel bag and unzipped it. His hand delved into its depths and pulled out a thick roll of purple duct tape. “This ought to help turn the volume down,” he chuckled. He ripped off a huge piece and slammed it over Wally’s mouth. He repeated the process with the other four teens then threw the duct tape over his shoulder.
“There, now we can finally get started,” he said with a sinister smile. “First things first. We can’t very well have fun when you’re strapped to the chair like that. How about we move you over to the table? It looks much cozier.”
Robin remained silent and forced his face to remain stoic. Joker simply shrugged and began loosening the belts around Robin’s body.
“Now I’m sure you won’t try anything stupid once I take this jacket off. After all, you did promise to behave, and I would hate to have to turn those collars back on. I’m not sure how much more electricity your friends could take before their little hearts gave out,” Joker said causally as he moved behind Robin’s chair. Robin felt the bonds around his hands loosen, and it took all of his willpower not to lash out at the villain. Joker finished unfastening the straightjacket and threw it on the floor, revealing Robin’s bright red tunic.
“That’s much better. Now come along.”
Joker grabbed Robin by the throat and dragged him over to the rusty metal table. Robin could hear his friends’ muffled screams as he was forced to lie down on the tarnished surface. He focused on their voices and tried not to think about all the way he could escape as Joker handcuffed his hands and feet to the table.
“Now the real fun can begin,” Joker said giddily. He retrieved his duffel bag from the other side of the room and brought it over to the table. He pulled out a dagger with a serrated edge and inspected it gleefully. “This one should be perfect for our opening act. Only, I’m not gonna be able to get much done with that silly bird suit in the way. I’d better take care of that. Hold the knife for Uncle J, would you?”
Joker plunged the knife into Robin’s right thigh with a cry of delight. Robin grimaced at the burning pain emanating from his leg, but he was determined not to make a sound. He didn't want to give Joker the satisfaction. Joker undid the yellow straps on Robin’s red tunic then slowly pulled the zipper down so that his chest was exposed.
“My, my, somebody’s been working out. I’m impressed, Boy Blunder,” Joker purred. A dark hunger crept into his eyes, causing Robin to gulp inaudibly. He could hear his teammates’ smothered cries get louder, but the villain paid them no mind.
“Go to hell, Joker,” Robin snapped.
Joker grinned. “Sorry, Robbie-poo, but I don’t plan on going anywhere for a while.”
He yanked the knife out of Robin’s leg, causing blood to begin flowing freely from the wound. Joker pressed his hand against Robin’s thigh until it was drenched with the teen’s blood. Then, he began painting dozens of smiley faces on Robin’s abdomen with the crimson substance.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but red really is your color,” Joker said with a wide smile. He looked at Robin’s heavily bleeding leg and frowned. “Oh dear, that doesn't look too good. Can’t have you passing out from blood loss before the real fun starts! But don’t worry, Uncle J’s got something that will take care of that.”
Joker searched through his duffel back for a moment before pulling out a handheld blowtorch and a large kitchen knife. Robin’s eyes widened behind his mask as he watched the Joker hold the blade over the open flame. He fought to suppress the panic that was flaring up in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to see Bruce bust through the ceiling and save him from the agony he was about to experience, but his mentor was nowhere to be seen.
Once the knife began to glow a bright orange, Joker switched the blowtorch off and hovered the searing blade over Robin’s wound.
“I’m not gonna lie to you, Bird Boy. This is going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me.”
With that, Joker pressed the knife onto Robin’s leg. The hot metal made a horrible sizzling sound as it made contact with the open stab wound. Robin couldn't stop the scream that ripped out of his throat. He struggled violently against the handcuffs, desperately trying to get away from the sweltering pain.
After what seemed like ages, Joker lifted the knife off of his leg. The wound was no longer bleeding, but the skin surrounding it was almost as black as Robin’s leggings. The repulsive scents of burned flesh and charred clothing violated Robin’s nose and caused his stomach to lurch. He barely had time to turn his head to the side before the contents of his stomach spewed from his mouth. It made a puddle on the floor at Joker’s feet, but he didn't seem fazed.
“Well now, somebody’s got a weak stomach. And to think, we’re just getting started,” he said with a cackle. He stuffed the kitchen knife and blowtorch back into his bag then turned his attention back to the serrated knife he had stabbed Robin with earlier. He wrapped his red-stained hand around the handle and brought it up to Robin’s chest.
“Hmm… I like what I did with your tummy, but your chest seems rather bare. What to do…what to do… I know! Let’s give you a little something to make sure you remember this night for a long time.”
Joker brought the knife down to Robin’s skin. He dug the tip into the exposed flesh and began carving the letter “J” into the teen’s muscular chest. Robin grunted as blood began trickling down his torso, but he gave no other indication he felt pain. Joker finished his “J” and moved on to his next cut. Robin assumed the villain was going to spell out his name, but the next slash of the knife did not form an “O.” It felt more like a lowercase “T.” Robin was confused for a moment, but the pain caused by the Joker moving on to his next incision forced him to return all of his concentration to not screaming.
When the Joker was finally finished carving Robin’s chest, he placed the dagger back on the table and took a step back to admire his work.
“J + R 4EVER,” he read proudly. “It’s perfect, isn’t it? I’m sure old Batsy is going to love it.”
“Sc-screw you,” Robin hissed. The cuts on his chest stung like crazy, and he had to fight to keep the tears pooling in his eyes from falling. There was no way he was going to cry in front of Joker if he could help it.
Joker shook his head disappointedly. “Still no respect for your old Uncle J. And after all I’ve done for you, too. It’s shameful, really. Anyway let’s move on. I can’t wait to hear you sing again!”
He reached into his bag once more and pulled out a long black crowbar. He ran is hand along the long, metal shaft and smiled widely. “I must say, I am a sucker for the classics.”
Robin barely had time to react before the crowbar slammed down onto his right shin. The sickening sound of bones cracking filled the room followed by Robin’s scream of pain. The newly broken bones combined with the burning pain of his earlier stab wound and cauterization left the entire limb encased in fiery agony.
Joker didn't give him any time to recover as he brought down the crowbar again and again. Robin couldn't stop screaming as he felt his left arm shatter, his ribs crack, and his muscles tighten. Traitorous tears streamed down his cheeks despite his best attempts to keep them at bay. He tried to think of something – anything – to get his mind off the pain, but his brain refused to acknowledge anything other than the incessant torture. He couldn’t even register the sound his teammates’ muffled yells over his own cries.
Suddenly, the sound of a clown horn filled the room. Joker looked at his watch, evidently the source of the noise, and pouted.
“Looks like we’re going to have to speed things up a little, Robbie-poo. It seems like Old Batsy has just jumped through the last hoop I had in place. He’ll be here any minute.”
Robin allowed himself a little smile as a feeling of hope rose within him. Batman was coming. He and his friends were about to be saved.
“But don’t worry. We may not have time for everything I had planned, but there’s still enough time for the grand finale,” Joker said with a dark chuckle. He reached into his duffle bag one more and pulled out a syringe filled with a pale ale liquid. “Of course, I usually prefer my Joker Venom to other means of chemical warfare, but I decided tonight we would shake things up.”
“W-what is that?” Robin rasped.
“Excellent question, my fine-feathered friend! This syringe is filled with stonefish venom. I got the idea from one of Snake Eye’s lackeys while we were discussing our little ruse. He was from Australia where the little guys run rampant and said a sting from a stonefish was one of the most painful things a human being can experience. Naturally, I couldn't resist! It wasn’t very hard for me to get ahold of some – your old Uncle J is very resourceful. But don’t worry, there’s a chance you’ll survive.”
Joker smiled widely as he approached Robin with the syringe. Robin squirmed as much as his broken body would allow. He had heard about stonefish stings and had no desire to experience one for himself.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash on the upper floor. Joker let out a whine.
“Dang it! I really wanted to watch what happens when I inject you!” he complained, sounding like a toddler whose favorite toy was being taken away. “Sorry our time together got cut short, Boy Blunder. Sometimes even the best plans get foiled by the Bat. But I don’t want you to miss me too much, so consider this something to remember me by.”
Joker plunged the syringe into Robin’s right forearm. Pain jolted up his arm and forced a scream out of his already raw throat. It was as if someone was repeatedly stabbing his arm with a red-hot needle while he was experiencing the worst muscle cramp of his life. More tears leaked out of his eyes from behind his mask as he struggled to control his breathing.
“Oh, there’s no need to cry, Robbie!” Joker said with a deranged cackle. “I’m sure one day you’ll get another chance to spend some quality time with your good old Uncle –”
Joker was cut off by a dark flash crashing into him. Before Robin could even register what happened, Batman had knocked Joker unconscious and restrained him with handcuffs. The Boy Wonder could sense the pure rage encompassing his mentor and was eternally grateful he wasn’t the cause of it. He figured the Joker would be spending the next few weeks in a full body cast at Arkahm Asylum.
But to his surprise, Batman didn’t start pummeling the clown. Instead, he slipped his hand into the villain’s pocket and fished out the remote to the Team’s collars. He pressed a button, and the contraptions immediately fell to the ground with a clunk.
“Free yourselves,” he growled. Robin was vaguely aware of Miss Martian untying herself with her telekinesis and Superboy ripping his jacket to shreds, but any other thoughts of his friends melted away as his mentor turned his attention completely on him.
“Ba’man,” he groaned. He could feel his forearm swelling as the pain began to creep up towards his elbow and upper arm.
“Robin, what’s wrong with your arm?” Batman demanded.
“St-stonefish venom. It really h-hurts,” Robin managed.
Batman cursed under his breath and began picking the locks on Robin’s handcuffs. Sharp tendrils of pain shot up Robin’s broken arm and leg when they were jostled, but he tried not to cry out. He didn't want to seem weak in front of his mentor. The slight movement it took to free Robin’s infected arm, however, was too much for him to handle. The smarting pain hit him like a tidal wave and caused nausea to assault him once again. He turned his head away from Batman and threw up over the other side of the table.
So much for not seeming weak.
He faintly heard Batman give his now free teammates orders, but his brain was too occupied with the pain to register what his mentor was saying. Suddenly, strong hands pushed under his knees and back and lifted him off the table. They were trying to be gentle, but Robin’s body protested the movement greatly. Pain exploded around his entire body as if he were on fire. He cried out in agony, digging his face into the familiar chest of his mentor.
“It’s going to be okay, Robin. Just hang in there.”
Batman’s voice was soft and full of concern. Robin figured his teammates must have left the room – there was no way his mentor would speak to him like that if they were there.
“Stay with us, Rob. We’ve got ya.”
To his confusion, the voice didn’t belong to Batman. Robin turned his head and saw Wally looking worriedly at him. Robin wondered why Batman would allow his friend to be so close while he was injured, but then he registered a hand that wasn’t his mentor’s supporting his lower back. The Boy Wonder deduced that that Kid Flash had been given the task of helping keeping him stable while Batman carried him out of the basement.
“Team ‘kay?” he asked, his voice weak and raspy.
“Everyone’s fine, Robin. It’s yourself you should be worried about,” Wally replied.
Robin didn’t respond. His stomach was churning from the pain and effects of the stonefish venom, and the last thing he wanted was to throw up on his mentor and best friend. The pain in is arm was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The torturous stinging had made his way up his arm to his shoulder. It almost made him wish someone would cut the entire limb off. He was starting to feel other symptoms of the venom as well. His eyelids were growing extremely heavy with fatigue, and his head was beginning to pound. It was also getting increasingly difficult to breathe, which scared him. It felt as if his airways were being constricted.
Even discounting the effects of the venom, Robin was in terrible shape. His right leg was an epicenter of agony – his broken bones in his shin and his cauterized stab wound on his thigh engaged in a fight for his attention that left him dizzy. His left arm was draped over his chest as Batman carried him, and Robin could see a sizable knot on his forearm where a piece of bone nearly pierced the skin. Breathing was made even harder by his broken ribs, so the Boy Wonder could barely get enough oxygen to his lungs. By the time they got outside, he couldn't handle the torment of consciousness any longer. So, he did what any sensible person would do in his situation.
He fainted.
*********************************************************************************************************************
Batman was pissed.
First, he found out that the intel regarding the location of Kobra’s warehouse had been false, meaning he had sent the Team straight into a trap.
Then, he found out who had set the trap.
It had taken hours to find out where Joker had taken the young heroes. Every time Batman had thought he was getting close, his lead turned out to be another wild goose chase set up by the Joker. By the time he finally deciphered the right location, night had already begun to fall.
He just hoped he wasn't too late.
He parked the Batmobile outside the old, run-down house and jumped out. It looked abandoned on the outside, but Batman knew he was at the right place. He kicked down the door and knocked out the Joker’s two henchmen before they could even reach for their guns. He handcuffed them to a table then quickly began searching the house for the missing teens.
Then he heard a scream.
Batman immediately knew it was Robin. He traced the source of the scream to a stairwell that led down into a dimly lit basement. Batman wasted no time and jumped straight down the stairs, landing gracefully at their base. He saw Joker leaning over Robin with a sick smile on his face.
“Oh, there’s no need to cry, Robbie!” he said with his deranged cackle. Unspeakable rage washed over Batman at the sound. “I’m sure one day you’ll get another chance to spend some quality time with your good old Uncle –”
Batman charged the Joker and tackled him to the ground. He knocked the villain out with one hard punch then handcuffed his hands behind his back. He would have preferred to spend a few minutes beating the living daylights out of the madman for abducting Robin and the Team, but he knew the young heroes needed him to stay in control.
The sound of muffled screams reached his ears and caused him to look up. He saw the five teens against the wall and took notice of the collars around their necks. He reached into Joker’s pocket and pulled out a small remote. He pressed the release button which caused the inhibitor collars to fall harmlessly to the ground.
“Free yourselves,” he said. His tone was harsher than it should have been, but at that moment the only thing he cared about was making sure Robin was okay.
When he got a good look at his protege, his anger returned with such ferocity he had to fight to keep himself from beating the Joker to a bloody pulp. There was blood everywhere on the rusty metal table, and a small pool of vomit lay on the floor next to the vigilante’s feet. There was a stab wound on Robin’s right thigh that looked like it had been burned shut, and his shin on that same leg was bent at a horrible angle. His left arm was obviously broken as well – Batman could see a place on the bare skin where bone threatened to poke through. His entire body was littered with dark red spots that would undoubtedly mutate into ugly bruises in the days to come. His chest had been carved to spell out a disturbing message: J + R 4EVER, and his abdomen was covered in smiley faces made out of his own blood. The worst part, however, was Robin’s right arm. His forearm was severely swollen, and it looked as if the rest of his protege’s arm was following suit. The skin on the forearm was red and covered in welts with a small but noticeable white spot near the center.
“Ba’man,” Robin moaned, his voice weak and shaky.
“Robin, what happened to your arm?” he demanded.
“St-stonefish venom. It really h-hurts.” Robin managed.
Batman let out a curse. Stonefish were extremely venomous - potentially fatal if left too long without treatment – and their stings were infamous for being unbelievably painful. Taking into account his many other injuries, Batman was a bit surprised his protege hadn't passed out.
He began picking the locks on the handcuffs that held Robin to the table, starting with his left leg. He was as gentle as possible when he freed Robin’s broken arm and leg, but he knew his protege was suffering. When it came time to free Robin’s right arm, Batman was extremely careful, but it was still too much for Robin to handle. He turned his head away from Batman and threw up over the other side of the table.
“We need to get him out of here now,” Batman declared. The rest of the Team had freed themselves and were eagerly awaiting his orders.
“Miss Martian, go outside and summon the Bioship. You all are only a couple of miles away from the warehouse, so it should be within range. Artemis, contact GCPD and let them tell them our location. They should be standing by with transport to Arkham Asylum. Aqualad, I want you to go upstairs and make sure the prisoners are secure. Superboy, you take the Joker outside and hand him over to the police when they arrive. And feel free not to be gentle,” Batman said with a low growl. Superboy nodded darkly and started roughly dragging the Joker up the stairs, making sure the villain hit his head several times on the way.
“What do I do?” Kid Flash asked anxiously as the others moved to carry out their orders.
“I want you here with me. I’m going to carry Robin out of here, but I need you to help keep him stable. He needs to stay as still as possible.”
Kid Flash nodded and quickly joined Batman at Robin’s side. Batman gently pushed his hands under Robin’s knees and lower back and slowly lifted him off the table, Kid Flash keeping Robin from moving too much as they went. The boy cried out from the pain and turned his head to dig his face into his mentor’s chest.
“It’s going to be okay, Robin. Just hang in there,” Batman said. He didn't even bother trying to keep the worry out of his voice. He was scared for his son and hated to see him be in so much pain.
“Stay with us, Rob. We’ve got ya,” Wally said. The teen seemed to be on the verge of panic as he tried to keep the Boy Wonder from moving too much.
Robin turned to face his best friend. “Team ‘kay?” he asked.
“Everyone’s fine, Robin. It’s yourself you should be worried about,” Kid Flash assured.
Robin seemed satisfied with his friend’s answer, but he didn’t speak again. His breaths were wheezy and uneven. He clearly couldn't breathe properly due to the combination of stonefish venom and broken ribs. Batman could only hope he wouldn't get a collapsed lung before they got him to safety.
“Robin, I need you to stay with me,” Batman pleaded, watching Robin’s eyelids droop lower and lower. They reached the top of the stairs. His protege gave no indication of hearing him.
“Robin?” Kid Flash tried, receiving the same result.
They both called his name several more times, but it was no use. Robin passed out as soon as they stepped outside.
Batman let out a curse. Robin was still breathing, but he desperately needed medical attention. The police had arrived and were loading the Joker and his henchmen into an armored truck to take to Arkham. The rest of the Team was waiting outside the door to the Bioship.
“Let’s go,” Batman ordered. Everyone scrambled into the Bioship and took their seats as Miss Martian hovered over to the controls. Batman gently laid Robin down on the bed in the back of the ship and raised the back so he wouldn't be lying straight back. He then instructed Kid Flash to keep watch over his protege while he used his wrist computer to send the Batmobile back to the Batcave.
“Should I set course for Happy Harbor?” Miss Martian asked.
“Robin can’t handle that long of a trip. He needs medical attention ASAP. Take us to the Batcave. It’s much closer,” Batman replied, giving her the coordinates. Miss Martian’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly recovered and lifted the Bioship off the ground.
“Batman, we need to soak his arm in hot water. It will help reduce the potency of the venom,” Aqualad said. Batman nodded and grabbed a bucket out of one of the medical compartments and gave it to Aqualad to fill with water. Once it was full, Batman took his acetylene torch and aimed it at the water until steam began to rise. He gave the bucket back to Kaldur who promptly took it to the back of the ship. Trusting Aqualad would get Robin’s arm settled, Batman turned to Artemis.
“Artemis, contact Black Canary and tell her to get Martian Manhunter and zeta to the Batcave. Make sure you mention Robin was injected with stonefish venom,” Batman ordered. Artemis nodded and brought her hand up to her comm. Batman also reached for his comm and adjusted the frequency for the Batcave.
“Alfred, prepare the infirmary. Black Canary and Martian Manhunter will be there shortly. Give them clearance for the zeta tubes.”
“Of course, Master Bruce,“ Alfred replied dutifully. After a brief pause, he asked, “How bad is it, Sir?”
Batman sighed, looking over his shoulder to where Kid Flash and Aqualad were watching over his injured son. “It’s bad, Alfred. Really bad. He’s got multiple broken bones, and the Joker injected him with stonefish venom. ”
“Oh dear, the poor boy must be in a substantial amount of pain. You should go and look after the young master. I will see to it that everything is prepared.”
The old butler’s voice was as calm as ever, but Batman could tell he was worried. They all were.
A sudden groan from the back of the ship grabbed Batman’s attention.
“I think he’s waking up,” Kid Flash said, his voice full of panic. Batman was at his protege’s side in an instant. Aqualad, with the help of Kid Flash, had placed the bucket at Robin’s side and lowered the swollen appendage into it. The combination of his arm being moved and the sudden heat of the water had been enough to pull Robin from unconsciousness.
“Robin?” Batman called softly. He pulled off one of his gloves and brushed Robin’s damp bangs away from his face. The Boy Wonder was sweating profusely, but his skin felt cold and clammy. Robin’s eyes slowly opened behind the mask, his face taking on a pained expression.
“Mă doare, tată,” he moaned. His lips had a horrible blue tint, and his breathing was rapid and shallow. {It hurts, Dad.}
“Wally, grab a blanket and cover him up. He’s going into shock,” Batman said, his voice grim. Robin must have really been out of it if he was no longer speaking English. Wally complied immediately, retrieving a blanket from a nearby cabinet and spreading it over Robin’s body in less than a second.
Batman gently wiped a stray tear off of the Boy Wonder’s face. “Știu, fiule,” he soothed. “Acesta va fi în curând peste. Suntem aproape acasă” {I know, son. It will soon be over. We’re almost home.}
Robin didn’t seem comforted by the news. Tears were streaming from his mask and trickling down his face. Batman couldn't imagine the kind of pain he was in. Batman wanted nothing more than to comfort his son, but there was nothing he could do.
“Miss Martian, what’s our ETA?” he demanded.
“The Bioship estimates we’ll arrive at our destination in five minutes,” she replied. She was clearly very distraught, but she did well in keeping her emotions at bay. Batman would have been proud if the situation hadn't been so dire.
“Tată?” Robin called weakly. Batman turned his attention back to the injured boy.
"Da, fiule?” {Yes, son?}
“N-nu pot…” {I can’t…}
“Robin? Ce s-a întâmplat?” {What’s the matter?}
Batman didn't receive an answer, however, because Robin had already lost consciousness. Batman called Robin’s name several times and even tapped his cheek a few times in an attempt to rouse him, but nothing worked. Batman put his hand in front of Robin’s nose and mouth and waited for a moment.
“He’s not breathing,” he announced with a curse. “Wally get back,” he ordered as he reclined the bed so that Robin was lying flat. Wally immediately complied and jumped out of the way so Batman could begin CPR. Batman winced as he felt blood from Robin’s cuts seep through his fingers and his broken ribs shift under his compressions, but he didn't dare stop. They were so close to the Batcave. He just needed to keep Robin alive a little longer.
When Miss Martian finally announced they had arrived at the Batcave, Robin had just begun to breathe on his own. When they landed, Batman carefully gathered Robin in his arms and allowed Kid Flash to retake his place at Robin’s side so he could hold the bucket steady and keep Robin’s arm submerged.
“Please don’t die, Rob,” he whispered. He had removed his cowl at some point and was practically vibrating with anxiety.
Black Canary and Martian Manhunter were waiting near the landing pad with a gurney. Batman and Wally rushed out of the Bioship as soon as Miss Martian opened the door.
“He’s having trouble breathing,” Batman informed as he handed Robin over to the other heroes. “I had to preform CPR for almost five minutes to resuscitate him. He’s started showing symptoms of shock as well.”
Without a word they whisked him away to the infirmary where Batman knew Alfred had everything ready. He followed closely behind, far enough not to be in the way but close enough that he could get to Robin if needed. Wally remained by Robin’s side and dutifully kept the bucket of hot water close by. Black Canary looked at Robin’s arm inside the bucket and winced.
“I’m assuming that’s where Joker injected the stonefish venom?” she asked as they push through the doors into the cold medical facility.
“Yes, we put Robin’s arm in hot water to reduce the toxin’s potency,” Aqualad explained.
“That was a wise move, Aqualad. We contacted Superman and explained the situation. He’s going to obtain some stonefish antivenom and meet us here. In the meantime, we need to stabilize him,” J’onn said as they prepared to move Robin from the gurney onto the table. He used his intangibility and telekinesis to remove Robin’s uniform so they wouldn't disturb his injuries. Once the Boy Wonder was down to his black boxer shorts, J’onn turned to Alfred. “Mr. Pennyworth, start working on Robin’s leg. We need to splint his tibia and fibula and tend to the stab wound. It looks like it’s been cauterized very carelessly, so it’s going to get an infection if we don’t clean it out soon. The cuts on his chest need to be cleaned and bandaged as well – thankfully, they do not appear to be deep enough to require stitches. Black Canary, set up a nasal cannula for oxygen and an IV of fluids while I get started on splinting his left arm. And Batman, I need you to find a more suitable container for Robin’s arm and fill it with hot water. That bucket is not going to work once we lay him flat on the table.”
Batman quickly obeyed. He rummaged through the cabinets until he found a fairly deep medical tray that would serve his needs. He filled it with hot water in the sink then brought it over to the table to where J’onn was moving Robin onto the table and used his telekinesis to lift the boy’s arm out of the bucket and into the waiting tray.
“Wally, grab the water heater. It’s in the second drawer to the right. We need to keep this water hot,” Batman ordered. Wally nodded and gave the bucket of lukewarm water to Aqualad to discard. He retrieved the water heater and was back at Robin’s side in an instant. He turned the heater on and put it in the water then stepped back out of the way, something Batman was thankful for.
As he got a good look of what Robin’s body looked like underneath his uniform, Batman started to feel thankful the boy was unconscious. His chest looked like one giant bruise underneath the Joker’s sick artwork, and the rest of his body didn't look much better. It was a miracle that no organs had ruptured under the psychopath’s crowbar. His breathing was less labored with the help of the oxygen, but it was still too wheezy for Batman’s liking.
Suddenly, Robin moaned. Batman let out a curse as he realized the boy was waking up.
“Can’t you give him anything for the pain?” he asked.
“Not until after we’ve administered the antivenom,” Black Canary replied as she finished cleaning the cuts on Robin’s chest. “It’s too risky, especially with his blood pressure so low from shock.”
Batman cursed again. What was taking Clark so long?
“Tată?” Robin called weakly. Batman immediately reached down and stroked his hair gently.
“Sunt chiar aici, fiule,” he soothed. {I’m right here, son.}
“Mă doare. Mă doare atât de mult.” {It hurts. It hurts so much.}
Batman wiped a stray tear away off of Robin’s cheek. “Știu, dar trebuie să fii puternic. Se va termina în curând.” {I know, but you have to be strong. It will be over soon.}
Robin whimpered as a fresh wave of pain pulsated through his body. “Vreau să se termine acum,” he whispered. {I want it to end now.}
Batman felt his heart break at his son’s words. He wished he could trade places with Robin and take his pain away. It wasn't fair that someone so young had to endure such agony.
“Tata?”
"Da, fiule?” {Yes, son?}
“Te vreau.”{I want you.}
“Sunt chiar aici,” Batman assured, “nu ma duc nicaieri.” {I’m right here. I'm not going anywhere.}
Robin shook his head, tears still streaming down his face. “Nu. Te vreau. Nici o mască.” {No. I want you. Not your mask.}
Batman froze. Never before had Robin asked him to take off his cowl in front of people who didn't know their identities. Sure, all the adults in the room knew who they were, but the teenagers, save for Wally, had no idea. He glanced up and found them all huddled in a corner together, staying out of the way yet still keeping a diligent vigil over their friend and teammate. Did he trust them? They had certainly proved themselves loyal and dedicated to helping people in the months since the Team’s founding, but was it enough to warrant telling them their biggest secret? Normally, he would never consider it. It was against Batman’s nature to reveal himself. He looked up to where Alfred was tending to Robin’s leg. The butler wasn't fluent in Romani, but he knew enough to realize what Robin had just requested. His eyes met Batman’s, and he gave a small shrug that conveyed a clear message: Batman was on his own on this one.
“Te rog, tată.” {Please, Dad.}
Robin’s feeble plea made his decision for him. His son had already suffered through so much, and Batman had a hunch that the worst was yet to come. If doing this would provide Robin with some semblance of comfort, then so be it.
“Bine, Dick,” he relented. His hand reached up and pulled back his cowl. {Okay, Dick.}
There was a collective gasp from the Team as they took in the new information, but Bruce ignored them. He tenderly stroked Robin’s temple and removed his domino mask.
Dick’s usually bright blue eyes had dulled considerably. They were red-rimmed from crying, and fresh tears were constantly pouring out. Bruce could see the pain and suffering reflected in the blue irises, but a flicker of relief passed through them as Dick looked upon the face of his adoptive father.
That alone made exposing their secret worth it.
“Mulțumesc,” Dick rasped. {Thank you.}
“Orice pentru tine, fiul meu,” Bruce replied with a small smile. {Anything for you, my son.}
Suddenly, Bruce heard the zeta beam announce the arrival of Superman. He arrived in the infirmary a few moments later carrying a small paper bag.
“I got two vials just to be safe,” he said. He paused a moment when he realized both Bruce and Dick had de-masked in front of the Team, but he didn't say anything about it.
“Thank you, Superman,” J’onn said, taking the bag. “Black Canary, have a syringe of epinephrine ready in case Robin has an anaphylactic reaction after the antivenom is administered.”
Black Canary finished draping ice packs over Dick’s ribs then quickly got the syringe ready. J’onn filled another syringe with the antivenom and positioned himself near Dick’s left thigh. He slid the needle into the muscle and slowly pressed down on the handle.
“We will monitor him closely and only administer the second dose if necessary. For now, we can finish treating his superficial wounds. His fractures will most likely need surgery, but that will have to wait until the swelling has gone down and he has recovered from the stonefish venom,” J’onn explained as he checked Dick’s vitals. “We also need to monitor him closely for a pneumothorax.”
“Master Bruce, regrettably the wound on Master Dick’s thigh is in need of debridement. I will apply a local anesthetic to numb the area, but he still may feel some discomfort from the procedure,” Alfred said as he put on a pair of clean gloves.
“Just do what you need to do, Alfred,” Bruce replied, holding back a sigh. He continued to stroke Dick’s hair and whisper encouragements to him in Romani in hopes of distracting him from what was going on around him. Dick moaned pitifully as Alfred scraped away the damaged tissue and charred bits of uniform stuck to his leg, and Bruce silently cursed the Joker in every way he knew how (which was a lot considering how many languages he spoke).
***
It was hours before Dick got any real rest. He had been to hell and back several times before Martian Manhunter, Alfred, and Black Canary deemed him stable. Leslie was going to come by later to double check everything and help Bruce plan Dick’s treatment long-term, but for now, Dick was finally allowed to rest.
Bruce rubbed his thumb over Dick’s too-pale hand. He hated seeing his son like this. Dick was a never-ending ball of energy. A free-spirit, born in the air with an inner light too bright for a city like Gotham. It was unnatural to see him so still and covered in wires.
“Uh, Batman?”
A timid voice pulled Bruce’s gaze from his son. Wally was standing in the doorway, his teammates huddled behind him. Bruce sighed. He supposed he had kept them away long enough, though he selfishly wanted to keep Dick to himself. Dick would want him to honor the bond he had with his friends.
“Yes, Wallace?”
Wally took that as his signal to enter the room. The rest of them followed suit and formed an awkward semicircle around Dick’s bed.
“How is he?” Wally asked, his eyes never leaving his best friend.
Bruce frowned. “Resting, finally. He’s gonna have a hell of a time recovering from this.”
Kaldur stepped forward looking somber. “Batman, I take full-”
“That won’t be necessary, Kaldur-ahm,” Bruce interrupted him. He stood up so he could properly face the members of the Team. “What happened tonight was not your fault, nor anyone else on the Team’s. You all followed orders exactly as you should have. If anyone is to blame, it is me. I should have vetted the Kobra intel more thoroughly to make sure it was sound. Or better yet, I should never have sent you all on a mission in Gotham, anyway. Joker is a madman, but he is not stupid. He knew exactly what to do to get me out of the way so he could get to Robin.”
“Why is the Joker so obsessed with him?” Connor asked. He had his arm around M’Gann, who was sobbing quietly at the sight of their fallen teammate.
Bruce glanced back at his sleeping son. “I cannot begin to decipher the mind of someone like Joker, but my best guess is that he’s jealous. Before Dick came along, it was just me versus a city full of psychotic villains. All of my time and energy was focused on taking down Joker or whoever else dared to oppose me, no matter what the cost. I was always willing to sacrifice anything for the mission, including myself. Joker knew that. He loved pushing me to see how far I would go. What I would give up. But when Robin came along… things changed. I got better. He made me better. He was the one thing in my life I was unwilling to sacrifice for the sake of the mission. Ever since then, Joker and the rest of Gotham’s rogues have been hellbent on using Robin to get to me.”
The Team was silent for a moment as they took everything in. Bruce took the opportunity to return to his chair by Dick’s bed and reclaim his son’s hand.
Finally, Artemis spoke up. “So what happens now?”
“We wait,” Bruce replied. “My hope would be that he sleeps through the night, but with how much pain he’s in, I doubt that will happen. I eventually need to debrief you all to get an accurate depiction of what happened, but that can wait. For now, you all should go home and get some rest. I promise to keep you updated on Dick’s condition.”
Wally shook his head. “I want to stay. I can’t leave him when he’s like this. Dick would do the same for me.”
Bruce sighed. He figured the young speedster would say as much. He had been extremely hesitant to let Dick share his identity with Wally in the beginning, but he had to admit the kid was extremely loyal.
Artemis crossed her arms. “If he’s staying, then so are we. We care about him, too.”
The rest of them quickly voiced their agreement.
Bruce could have gotten them all to leave. He could have. He had no issues with being the bad guy in situations like these. Still, he reminded himself, the Team had been through quite a bit of trauma themselves. Watching Dick get tortured by the Joker while they were helpless to do anything about it could not have been a pleasant experience. Bruce understood their need to be near Dick. To reassure themselves that he was still alive. He just couldn’t bring himself to deprive them of that.
“You can all stay upstairs,” he found himself saying before he could change his mind. “I understand you have spare clothes on the Bioship, and there is a locker-room with showers outside the medbay. Wally knows where. Once you’re cleaned up and out of uniform, you can go upstairs to the manor. Alfred will show you to your rooms and give you all something to eat. You all can take turns visiting Dick throughout the night if you wish, but I don’t want him being overly crowded when he wakes up. Understand?”
His answer clearly surprised them, but they recovered quickly and nodded.
Wally walked over to Dick’s side opposite of Bruce and squeezed his best friend’s hand. “Hang in there, buddy. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Wally gave Bruce a smile filled with gratitude before leading his comrades out of Dick’s room. Bruce leaned back in his chair, grateful for the new onset of silence. Dick, fortunately, was still fast asleep, his pain meds enough to keep him blissfully unconscious for the time being. He knew the road ahead was going to be a bumpy one for his son, but Bruce felt unusually optimistic. In his early days when he got hurt, he only had himself, Alfred, and his anger to depend on. But Dick had so much more. Not only did he have Bruce and Alfred but also a team full of teenagers willing to tell the Batman ‘no’ in order to stand by their friend. As much as it would have annoyed Bruce normally, it was a comforting thought.
Whatever the next few weeks held, they would support Dick through it. Together.