.®.®.®.®.®.Chapter 1.®.®.®.®.®.
You’ve Got a Job to Do

Mount Justice
August 11, 3:46 EDT

    “Hi Bat’s. What brings bạn to town?” the Boy Wonder cautiously asked.
    “A better question, what brings you?” Siêu nhân interjected, making the situation even thêm awkward.
    “Wha...” Robin began to ask.
    “Why were bạn in town??? Why didn’t bạn come back to base when bạn were summoned?! What if something had happened and...” Sups started, only to be stopped bởi Người dơi grabbing his wrist.
    Robin looked up, suddenly angered. “Oh com’on?! Don’t I have a right to take some chill time? And I would have know if something actually did happen, which it didn’t bởi the way.”
    “No! bạn don’t get time off! You’re no thêm special than...” Sups roared, but was again stopped bởi a very careful Batman.
    “Superman! That’s enough!” he scolded.
    “What’s this about, really? bạn can’t expect me to believe that bạn were worried just ‘cuz I missed curfew hoặc something! Which I didn’t.” he pointed a finder to Sups, not wanting to give the big guy any thêm reason to be mad.
    “You’re right. It’s not about that.” Người dơi said, somehow bringing the normal feel back the room and its occupants.
    “So then what?” Robin said, thrusting his hands out to his sides.
    “We have an assignment for you.” Bats stated, matter of factually.
    “Really? Wait, me? Just me? What about my team?”
    “Oh don’t bạn worry about us Rob. We’ll be busy.” Kid Flash said, wrapping an arm around The Boy Wonder’s shoulder.
    “You know who Doctor Edmund Ross is, right?” Người dơi continued.
    “Yeah, sure.” Robin responded, lifting KF’s arm from around him. “he’s that doctor who was blamed for helping Jenny Blye kill herself. There are death threats being thrown at him and his family all over the place. Well, were. Things called down about a week ago. But what does he have to do with me?” he asked.
    “JENNIFER BLYE IS DEAD!?!?!?” Kid Flash roared. “OH NO!!!! I am her biggest fan!”
    “Surprising.” Meghan said, as she joined the Leaguers.
    “She committed suicide like 2 weeks ago.” Green Mũi tên xanh đã đưa ý kiến as he teleporting into the building.
    “Allegedly.”Batman corrected.
    “Yeah. She ‘allegedly’ committed suicide. But her những người hâm mộ say that that theory’s bogus. But what does that have to do with me?!” The Boy Wonder asked again.
    “We’ve received information that Misses Blye wasn’t actually the model superstar that the world saw her as.” Người dơi clarified.
    “Surprising we know.” Green Mũi tên xanh đã đưa ý kiến as he crossed his arms and looked over the room.
    “We’ve been told that she was up to her elbows in gang violence. And not your normal đường phố, street gangs either. Some high-end, illegal, dirt-bags.” Sups interjected.
    “Illegal?” Robin questioned, looking back at Bats.
    “Sweet.” Wally said, interjecting himself into the conversation.
    “We have reason to suspect that she was a undercover spy for a dirty France mob that was stationed somewhere in LA.” The Dark Knight continued giving Wally a slight correctional glare.
    “They’re mad that they don’t have anyone to feed them their baby milk. Thus, the doc’s life is in danger.” Green Mũi tên xanh again interrupted.
    “Despite what bạn may have heard, we’ve heard different things about the Doctor. The Good Doctor Ross was one of the many psychiatrists of the deranged Joker. Thus, he knows... things. Things that we can’t allow to get in the hands of the French regime.”
    “Joker?! bạn sure???” Robin asked, wide eyed.
    “Wai-wai-wait, go back. Who’s this Joker dude?” Kid Flash asked, taking into account the worry of his comrade.
    “I have a retired Science teacher who has done her share of digging. It’s true.” Người dơi confirmed, referring to Robin’s once-was-a-public-school-teacher-but-quit-to-be-his-half-tudor-half-mother. Her name was Rocky Balentine.
    “What do I do?” Robin inquired solemnly.
    “The Doctor has a daughter, and we have reason to believe that the mob will use her to get to him.” Green Mũi tên xanh stated, not in the least trying to control his anger. He loved kids, both side of him, and this case cut deep.
    “So, basically I’m on protection detail.” Robin concluded.
    “Correct. If they get her the Doctor will do, hoặc say, anything. Make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ll be undercover, living with the family in their suburb home. The League has tracked down the regime’s HQ. Your team will be assisting members of the League (the Flash, Green Arrow, Superman, and myself) will take down the mob. We will keep bạn in constant contact. As soon as the situation is secure, bạn will be notified.” Bats reassured his teen prodigy, knowing how much Robin was scared of being alone... The Boy Wonder nodded in understanding. Slipping between Người dơi and Sups, he walked to his room to get ready.
    “Um, why don’t bạn send someone who, is... a girl maybe?” Meghan questioned, watching Robin.
    “No, Los Angeles, ticked-off mobsters with guns.” Kid Flash đã đưa ý kiến as sarcastically trying to raise her enthusiasm, though he was clearly not excited himself.

    A few phút later, Dick Grayson was prepared. He walked out into a larger, yet still circular room, wearing his ‘civ’ clothes. They consisted of a simple, single colored sweatshirt, green, with a black leather jacket. He wore tight black jeans, and giant black and white quần vợt shoes. Thin, black shades barely covered his blue, unmasked eyes.
    Batman stepped phía trước, chuyển tiếp handing him a small phone. Excitedly taking the device, he removed the back, thus revealing the battery, and took out an nearly microscopic ear-piece. Messing with it slightly, he fit it inside his ear. “Sweet” he smiled “What else do I get to play with?”
    “The rest is simple.” Green Mũi tên xanh chimed in.
    “Please, a protection detail is never simple. bạn have to literally stalk a person ngày and night, but without any else noticing. bạn have to adjust yourself to new surroundings, taking them in while bạn locate possible threats, and find all possible escape routes, all in an instant. Your senses are on high alert, and bạn have to revolve yourself entirely around their schedule, reacting to changes with a snap.” he corrected, snapping his right hand.
    “Told you.” Bats đã đưa ý kiến in the background. Green Mũi tên xanh rolled his eyes. “Sounds like you’re ready.” he đã đưa ý kiến with a beaten chuckle.
    “Sure looks that way.” Dick muttered.
    “You’ll be fine.” Người dơi assured his boy.
    “If bạn leave now, bạn can arrive at the house before she does.” Green Mũi tên xanh chimed, looking at a miscellaneous clock that hung on the wall.
    “Lastly, your alias...”Batman đã đưa ý kiến watching Dick’s head as he walked out.
    “What, you’re just gonna leave without saying good-bye???” Kid Flash asked, racing out to meet his friend on the yard outside.

    Walking down the street, Dick observed everything of the neighborhood. Large, two-story houses crowded each side of the two-lane pavement. They had spacious front yards, most of which contained ancient looking trees.
    Reading the numbers on the mailbox, he took a brief moment to observe the exterior of his new trang chủ from đường phố, street level. It was two-story, with a full sized porch. The walls had uneven siding, which was intentional. It had a slopping, dark green, tile roof.
    The yard was on a hill. A ring of pine-straw wrapped itself around a tall cây which swayed peacefully in the wind. It was a nice place. A really nice place. He wouldn’t mind living here, as long as he could just stay outside.
    But no, he was staying inside with a “foster dad” and a “foster sister” who he could tell was going to hate him. All this little excursion did for Dick Grayson was reinforce what he didn’t have. Even though his parents died leaving him as an only child, he sometimes wished that he had some sibling, other than Wally. He was the closest that anyone has gotten to Dick’s raised sibling expectations.
    Dick made his way up the drive-way, and soon came face to face with a two car garage.     Turning almost 90 degrees to the left, he picked his way along a curved cobblestone path which led to the long, white porch. There were smaller stones and pebbles hugging each of the larger steppingstones.
    Skipping up the four steps that led bạn up the porch, he examined it. It was good size, with the classic swinging bench on one end and a small glass bàn with two matching chairs sitting at the other. He looked at the big, ornate glass door, with a hoa design, matching that of the glass table. Expertly picking the lock, he noticed that the dead-bolt wasn’t locked. He would have to warn the Doctor about that.
    He slipped inside. Examining the room, he heard the familiar beep of an alarm.
    “Oh shoot! Why didn’t bạn tell me they had an alarm system?” Dick exclaimed racing over to it, sliding his backpack off and dropping it on the hard wood floor on his way. Removing the face of the alarm box, he began to mess with its wires. But his hurried work was interrupted bởi a very low growl. Glancing nervously over his shoulder he saw a shiny, full grown, long-haired Golden Lab staring at him. “Or a dog.”