Chapter 03 Return to Gotham

                                         On Dark Wings...
                                  Chapter 03: Return to Gotham




[Titan's Tower, The Next Morning]


Robin was staring at a video screen
his arms and expression emotionless.

he and the other Titans had been watching the security video
of the new, Hooded Robin's combat against Slade's henchmen for HOURS now.


"dude...that is AWESOME." said Beast Boy

"yeah, man...he's almost as good as YOU, Robin." said Cyborg

Robin narrowed his eyes.
Starfire then walked over to him.

"oh, do not despare, Robin.
  I still think your better than this "Off-Knock"

"Knock-Off." corrected Raven

"actually, Starfire...Cyborg is RIGHT.
  there is NO WAY this guy is some fake pretending to be me." began Robin

"the way he moved, the way he fought.
  you don't just DO THAT...it has to be Trained, Taught, LEARNED."

Robin then picked up a Boomerang object...

it was the Hooded Robin's "Birdarang"
however, it looked NOTHING like Robin's.

it was more metallic, with a round, blue lens at the center
and, the "wing blade" was thinner and sleeker

he hated to admit it...
but, THIS Birdarang was more advanced than the ones HE was using.


Robin then laid it down on a counter.

"SCAN."

a blue light slowly scanned over the Birdarang.
after a few minutes, data appeared on the large screen.

the words: "WAYNETECH" appeared on screen.

Robin's eyes became thin.
he then pounded on the desk.

"i knew it..."

"What is it, Robin??" asked Cyborg

Robin was silent...then, spoke.

"nothing.
  just pack your things...we're leaving."

"where are we going??" asked Starfire

Robin paused...then, spoke again.

"Gotham."




[Meanwhile, In Gotham City]


Atop the roof of the GCPD building was an aging man in a trenchcoat
he had a mustache, wore square glasses and was with a few police officers.

the "Robin Signal" was on, and he was looking up at the sky.

"commissioner..."

Gordon and the cops looked and saw a hooded caped teen approach them from out of nowhere.

"Robin..."

"you have something for me??"

Gordon nodded, then handed Robin a police file.

"We have another sighting..."

Robin's eyes narrowed at the photo clipped to the file.

it was the image of some young adult in a black leather jacket
who wore a Red helmet over his head, carrying twin assault rifles.

"red hood..."

"he's bombed MORE of Black Mask's businesses.
  dozens were killed, with only a few hostpitalized."

"how many of the casualties were civilian bystanders??"

Gordon didn't answer, he just looked away.

Robin got his answer.

"Red Hood has to be stopped....before things go too far." said Gordon

"it already HAS gone too far, Commissioner.
  remember, THIS is the guy who nearly killed Batman."

at that moment, a chubby man snickered.

"speaking of which...how IS the pointy eared freak??"

Robin just glared at him.

"Ignore Detective Bullock, Robin.
  but, I am curious as to how Batman is holding up."

"he'll live...
  but, I'll still have to be on the job, in case your wondering."

Gordon sighed.

"well...ANYWAY.
  we discovered something even MORE troubling."

Robin looked at him.

"what??"

"This..."

Gordon handed Robin a PDA device.
it appeared to be set on video, so Robin hit play.

the video footage showed what looked like
a man with paper white skin, ruby red lips, green hair and wearing a purple suit.

"joker..." said Robin

(("GREETINGS GOTHAM!!...")) began Joker

(("Joker here, with a special announcment...

    now, as you may know...Me and Harley
    have RECENTLY had a "new addition" to our happy family."))

Joker then showed a photograph, but it was upside down.

(("WHOOPS!!, silly me..."))

Joker corrected the photo...
revealing the picture of an infant with white skin, red lips and a patch of green hair.

(("ain't he just PRECIOUS??..
    he's got his PAPA's good looks, and his mothers, ehhhh...."))

Joker trailed off.

(("Well...he's CUTE, right??"))

Joker put the photo back into his coat.

(("I can tell that my boy will guarentee
    PLENTY of laughs for Gotham long after I am gone..."))

Joker's expression then became dark.

(("or, at least he WOULD....if that blasted, batman-wannabe RED HOOD hadn't of kidnapped him."))

the sound of a woman crying was heard in the background.

(("Harley's gone to pieces over it...and, ME??
    well, let's just say...that when someone endangers my legacy: it AIN'T funny."))

Robin watched the video intently
he could tell by Joker's scowl, that he wasn't "joking".

(("SO, here's the thing...

    if my son isn't back within the next TWENTY-FOUR HOURS
    then, I'll start raining bombs ALL OVER GOTHAM....THEN, I'll look for him through the wreckage."

    OH, and for every hour that passes...I'll bomb a random location in Gotham
    so, if any "Do-Gooders-in-Spandex-Costumes" are listening to this: you MAY want to hurry."))


the video then ended.

"That PDA was deliever to us an hour ago...
  since then, only ONE location has been hit: The Gotham Gazette Newspaper." said Gordon

"terrific...as if thing weren't hard ENOUGH." grumbled Robin

"Joker sounded SERIOUS in that video.
  if we don't get is son back in one piece, all of Gotham will die."

"Can't you track him down??"

Gordon shook his head.

"no, we already tried
  but, Joker is covering ALL his tracks...he's DEAD serious."

Robin narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"Look, Robin..." began Gordon, sounding less "official"

"Nobody knows how much of a Psychotic Monster
  that Joker is more than ME (or, Batman...)

  but, Red Hood HAS kidnapped an innocent Child...even if it IS Joker's Child.
  and, given Red Hood's personal vendetta against Joker...he's libal to do something TERRIBLE."

Robin paused, then nodded.

"your right...stopping Red Hood just became my NUMBER ONE Priority."

Robin was silent, then spoke once more.

"I'll find him."

Gordon nodded.

"good.
  oh, and Robin..."

Robin looked at the Commissioner.

"yeah??"

"when you see Batman...tell him I hope he gets well soon."

Robin grinned.

"sure thing."

Robin turned and left.
he took out his grappel gun and fired it, gliding away into the city.



Robin landed on the roof of the old Monarch Theater.
he immediatly pressed a hidden button on his mask, activating his COMM.

"Bruce..."

(("Yeah, what is it??"))

"things just got ALOT more serious...

  Red Hood has kidnapped Joker's Son
  and, Joker is threatening to bomb all of Gotham
  unless his son his given back to him within the next Twenty-three hours."

(("my god..."))

"Connect me to Barbara...I need a trail to follow."

(("okay...hang on."))

several minutes passed...
then, Robin's interComm beeped and a woman's voice was heard.

(("Hey, Robin...I'm here."))

"Hi, Oracle...I trust Bruce filled you in on the details."

(("more or less.
    SO...we REALLY doing Joker a favor??"))

"more like trying to save all of Gotham...but, yeah."

(("Okay...that makes sense.
    SO, what do you need me to do??"))

"I need to find out where Red Hood is keeping Joker's Son.
  since the only person who knows THAT is Red Hood himself...I need to find him."

(("I don't want to worry you, but was HAVE been trying to find Jason for MONTHS."))

"I know...but, he needs to be found NOW."

Robin could hear Barbara sighed on teh other line.

(("okay, I have an idea..."))

"listening..."

(("Since Red Hood is targeting criminals...
    then, we should probably stake out some TOP Criminal Hangouts."))

"Black Mask is running out of places...what do you have in mind??"

(("how about the ICEBERG LOUNGE??..."))

"Penguin's place??"

(("yeah!!...")) said Barbara

(("aside from being a profitable business to the public's eyes
    it ALSO serves as a place where many criminals, mob bosses and supervillains get-together."))

Robin muses on this.

(("It's TOO GOOD a target for Jason to ignore, Robin.
    and, you KNOW how impatient and aggressive he can be."))

"yeah, enough to wish I didn't..." muttered Robin

(("huh??"))

"I'll check it out....thanks, Oracle."

(("anytime."))

Robin released the button and sighed.
he then looked up...and saw a "T" shaped ship flying overhead.

Robin sighed sharply, knowing full-well who were piloting the aircraft.

"great...MORE distractions."



The T-Ship flew over Gotham City at a steady pace.

"well...here we are, y'all: GOTHAM CITY." said Cyborg

Raven stared at the Dark, shadowy metropolis.

"cool..." said Raven, her tone low

Robin narrowed his eyes.
a flood of memories coming back to him in one, single moment.

"YO!!
  check THAT out!!"

everyone looked to an odd symbol painted on the sky via a Searchlight...

Robin was expecing to see the emblem of a Black Bat.
so, he was SHOCKED to see the image of a "Red Bird", instead.

"what the..."

"looks like the New Robin has FANS." said Cyborg

Robin's eyes became thin as his mind brooded on this.

(("what the heck is going on!!?"))

Robin then looked down and saw a familure sight: a black motercycle with a horned helmeted rider.

Robin narrowed his eyes, then unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Cyborg, drop me off HERE.
  the rest of you find a place to land the ship."

"what!??"

"Robin!!, what are yo-"

"JUST DO IT!!" said Robin, cutting off Starfire

Cyborg hesitated....then, exhaled.

"okay, man....your the boss."

Cyborg pressed a red button, opening up a hatch.
Robin dropped down, and used his black/yellow reversal cape to glide down safely.

Starfire looked and saw Robin land on a random rooftop.

"robin...PLEASE, be careful." whispered the Tamaranian girl


Robin watched as the T-Ship flew away...
he then took a moment to take in teh surroundings.

"feels good to be HOME..."

Robin then looked down at the street
and, saw the Bat-Cycle speed down the road.

Robin KNEW that batman wasn't the rider...it was the OTHER Robin.

he narrowed his eyes, then ran across the rooftop.
he hopped over to other building rooftops, trying his best to follow the biker.