I Saw, She Saw

Part Two

Dick followed her directions, intending to just pull up to the front door and let her out but when they got there, “You're coming in, aren't you? I know my mother would want to meet you; she insists on meeting anyone who brings me home.”

“I have to get home, myself.”

She gave him a hard look. “It will just take a minute, Robin.”

Sighing and barely containing his anger, he went inside with her. The house was a big one, nothing like Wayne Manor, of course, but still a good twenty rooms on a couple of acres. It was a new place, one of a dozen or so in an upscale development of McMansions and running in the five to seven million dollar range. This one was pretending to be a 'cottage' in the Newport Astor's kind of way, minus the ocean view but heavy on carved stone, fifteen foot ceilings and heavy furniture.

“Mom?”

“Out here.” The voice came from the back of the house, the woman was sitting by the pool doing something on a laptop. She was a small woman, dark hair and eyes weighing maybe 110, dripping wet and smiled when she saw the two kids. “And who's this?” She looked like one of those hyper-efficient people, the kind who manage the law form whole heading the Cancer Society and raising three kids on her own.

“This is Dick Grayson. Dick, this is my mother, Mrs. Wilson. He asked me to go to the movies tomorrow, is that okay?”

“No, I didn't.” Screw this; he'd take rude over sap any day.

Britney laughed, “Okay, I didn't tell him I'd go, but I will—that's okay, isn't it Mom?”

Mom looked halfway between confused and amused. “It's fine with me, so long as you're back by twelve; you know the rules, Britty.”

“I already have plans for tomorrow, maybe another time.” Like maybe never would be better.

“But I'd love to go to the movies tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it.”

“I said I already have plans and I can't change them, maybe another time.”

Her other caught the weirdness in the conversation. “Britney, I think another time would be fine, honey. If Dick has something else he needs to do then he has other plans.”

The girl gave the woman a look to kill but forced out a smile anyway. “Of course, Mom, I was just teasing him, he knows that, right?”

“It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Wilson but if you'll excuse me, I have to get home.”

“It was nice to meet you, too, I hope we meet again, Dick.”

Britney walked him out to his car, seething. “Don't try that kind of bullshit again or you'll pay, you understand?”

He gave her an appraising once over. “You don't seriously think you'll get away with this, do you? You believe think I'd let you get away with it.”

“Uh-huh, and what are you going to do about it? I have pictures, remember? I've got you by the short-hairs, as my father would say and you'll do what I want when I want it.”

“Britney, you're making a mistake.” His voice was calm.

“No, you're the one who made the mistake Dick, and now you're going to have to live with it.”

 

* * *
 

“Everything all right, chum?” Batman and Robin were returning home after a routine patrol, Robin quieter than usual and minus the bad jokes he known for.

“I...” A pause while Robin decided what path to take here. “No, I've got a problem and I think that you're going to get mad about it so promise that you won't, okay?”

“That's a pretty open ended request.”

“I'll take what I can get.” The Batmobile pulled into it's usual spot, Batman cut the engine, released his seat-belt and sat, waiting to hear what the situation was.

“A girl at school saw me changing from Robin back to Dick Grayson and has pictures. She's trying to blackmail me.”

Batman stared straight ahead through the windshield then pulled the door latch, getting out of the car, every line of his body radiating his anger. Robin followed, closing the heavy car door and waiting for the explosion while he removed his mask and started undoing his cape and tunic. Bruce, his cowl pushed back looked daggers at the boy.

“How the hell could you allow something like this happen?”

“I didn't allow anything; it was an accident and sooner or later someone was bound to get caught, it just happened to be me.”

“After all the warnings you've had, the training—I can't believe this.”

“C'mon, Bruce, we all know this was bound to happen, that's why we have a plan set to go; all we have to do is implement it.”

“...Are you suggesting that we murder a girl in your high school?”

Dick shook his head and rolled his eyes, probably in disbelief that Bruce could actually think he was going there. “The other plan, remember?”

“I refuse to ask J'onn to run interference for you. I also refuse to suggest one of the JLA members cast a magic spell on the girl to clear out her memory.”

“Jesus, why—who aren't you speaking to this week?”

“Dial back the attitude a few notches, old chum, we have a problem because you were careless and so you're the one who's going to clean up this mess.”

What? “'A little help, maybe?”

“Who is she and what does she want?”

“Brittney Wilson, she's two grades below me. 'Quiet, average grades, doesn't have many friends, keeps to herself, isn't a joiner in clubs or sports, 'lives over in that new development by Brixton Pond. I'm not sure what she wants—I suspect she's thinking about that as we speak. 'Probably just to have me under her thumb. She semi-forced me to give her a lift home after school today and then strong arm me into taking her out this weekend.”

“Does she have a crush on you as either Robin or Dick Grayson?”

He shrugged. “If she does I don't know about it.”

“So, no big demands at this point? No threats about selling the pictures to the media or any of that?”

“Not yet, no, but she might if I don't play ball with her.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “Play if you wish, but I'd suggest that you stick to Trivial Pursuit.”

“Not funny.”

“All right.” Bruce had made a decision. “We'll find out what we can about her and her family and I'd suggest that you contain those pictures if you can. Find out what she intends to do, ask her if you have to and we'll take it from there.”

“You're kidding; you're letting this ride? What about having the Bat or maybe Superman or Green Lantern drop in to have a talk with her or her parents? I bet Commissioner Gordon would be happy to lend a hand with this, explain to her that she's not only breaking the damn law, but she's putting the entire hero community at risk with this game she's playing.”

“I'll start on background. It's only ten o'clock, she's probably still awake; you deal with Miss Wilson.”
 

* * *
 

Dick Grayson called Brittney's cell phone, the number listed in the Brixton Student Directory. Ten minutes later he sat beside her on a lawn chair next to the Wilson's pool. “All right, let's talk.”

TBC

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