CHAPTER 1

He loved the feeling of flying. Even the coming rain couldn't dampen the mood of tonight. At least not to him. But to Batman, anything out of the ordinary was cause to worry about his new ward.

"Robin, slow down. The criminals can wait, but a broken neck cannot." Robin heard the worried undertone to the normal growl of his voice. He does this every night, can't he see I'm free out here? I want to please him, but I'm tired of having to be careful. I'm eleven years old now! Can't he see that a year of training is enough for a little trust. Enough to fly and be free for a short time?

"Copy that Batman," came the terse reply. It had been like this for the past week. Something seemed to have happened in the news that Bruce wouldn't let on about, but he become even more worried and more protective than normal. And even though Dick loved the extra feeling of strength and protection his mentor always gave him when he was around, it was becoming a little tiring. All he wanted to do was feel free and fly. But he listened to his mentor and stopped on a nearby rooftop to let him catchup.

"What's the plan tonight?" Robin piqued from the corner of the building.

Batman shoulders tensed as he pressed his earpiece and listened to the police chatter. His response was the same gravelly voice he always used when he was out hunting for the plague that haunted Gotham city, as was always put by the news after another break-in or crime spree.

"Play it low and safe. A break in was just reported from the Viracorp Labs over on 8th and Nall. A small bio tech firm that specializes in organ donation matches and blood tests."

Robin's ears picked up. Bio-labs had been hit harder this week than he could ever remember. He wondered briefly if that was part of the reason Bruce seemed more cautious. He hummed to himself as he thought but soon concentrated as Batman finished re-listening to the broadcast and summoned him to start towards the lab.

The journey there was short and uneventful. The tall buildings in the middle of town made for easy grapple line work and too soon Robin touched down on a tall bank building across from the labs being robbed.

"No one looks like they are here…" Robin said loosely. The only reply was silence. And after a brief look around from his vantage point he noticed why no response was made. Batman had landed on the other side of the bank and from his point of view he could see into the lab front windows. Robin looked again and sure enough saw a brief sweep of light.

Someone's inside but did it without breaking windows or doors. I should have thought of that….I should have known better. What a stupid mistake to make.

He was still beating himself up when batman clicked in his earpiece. "You stay here and watch to make sure none escape. I am going to go in and sweep the inside. I have counted at least three crooks, and there are most likely others guarding the entrance and exits ways."

The only reply he think of was to agree, still feeling ashamed that he didn't see the criminals like batman had done just a few minutes ago. As he watched the dark knight jump from the building and using his cape as a paraglide, coast down to the lower roof of the lab right across the street. He saw Batman land quietly, then make his way to the rooftop entrance and in thirty seconds had the lock picked and was inside.

As Robin waited he grew anxious. Anything having to do with holding still always made him jitter. His mom use to call him a little steam engine, just watching him bounce around made her always smile and stand up straighter. As he paced back and forth he suddenly saw one of the burglars come out the front door.

"Batman, do you read?" Robin whispered while leaning over the ledge to watch the crook. A little more forcefully he repeated, "Batman, one is outside, do you read? Should I engage?" Once again silence only answered him.

He bit his lower lip while fighting internally about what action to take. I don't want the guy to get away, but I'm not supposed to engage enemies without Batman nearby in case I need help. But he is just inside, and I'm sure he could get to me quickly if I pressed the emergency signal.

With the final thought going through his head, he did one final sweep of the lab front, climbed up onto the ledge and jumped off, deploying his grapple to slow his descent for when he landed.

The burglar hadn't gone far from the front door. Robin noticed that the man looked like he was waiting for his companions. The crook's back was to the street while he fumbled around in a bag he was carrying that Robin didn't notice before. This will be easy, all I have to do is sneak up and do a silent choke takedown just like I've done tons of times.

Just as Robin was about to leap on the back of his opponent something happened. The burglar sneezed, causing him to duck his head. Robin missed his aim and overshot the neck/head he was aiming at with this arms and instead grazed the guys hair and part of his ear. This caused both to be thumped to the ground and for Robin to be disoriented for a second. But it was enough time for the guy to pull something out of his bag.

Robin quickly leaped up and did a back hand spring to gain some distance from his target and to better let him assess the situation. The guy stumbled backwards while pulling out a sort of heavy metal vial.

"Dammit, that's not the gun, stupid job, stupid boss. Who doesn't allow a gun in an armed robbery!" the man shouted in anger at no one in particular. The outburst was just what Robin needed, and he quickly ran and launched himself at the thug, this time aiming at the man's head with his boot. The satisfying crunch and grunt that followed made him smile. The man crumpled to the ground but he involuntarily grasped the metal canister before hitting the pavement.

A hissing noise could be heard after a few seconds of silence that always follows when a body hits the floor. Robin quickly tried to back away from it but he fell over the fallen bag. He saw a greenish mist coming toward him and smelled an acrid chemical smell, one that burned his eyes and nose. He quickly scrambled up and away gasping for fresh air as his throat felt tight from the fumes.

He was bent over gasping and hacking when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He tried to turn around but the coughing made it hard to do much but concentrate on breathing. Uh oh. I don't want him to know I screwed up, he already has been babying me, this will just make it worse. But I promised him I would always tell him if I was injured in any way on patrol. This sucks.

"Gotcha," came a dry heavy voice. "Time to ruin the man's life who ruined mine." And before Robin could finish comprehending what was going on he looked and saw a huge round man holding a spray can at his face, smile, and depress the trigger. The smell of fake strawberries hit him like a tidal wave, and the last though he had was how strange for a spray can of chemicals to smell like candy.