It Runs in the Family 7:
Robbie ran his hand through his hair, he had to think fast. "Okay Donavan, if we're gonna do this, give Jack and me twenty minutes. We'll take out the guards and then the rest of you can move out the guns."
"We don't need ya to do that Robbie. That's why we got our pieces," Donavan replied waving his gun before Robbie's face.
"Yeah, man, that's what worries me. Going in here like this is just stupid. People are gonna get shot. I just got shot last night, I don't want that to happen again," Robbie said as he got in Donavan's face. "Use your head man, we don't need no murder rap. We need those guns, let's get 'em -- the smart way."
Frankie and Dice watched the confrontation. They looked at Jack who watched as intently as they did. It seemed Robbie was right, but they didn't want to buck Donavan, so they quietly waited for the outcome.
"You scared to use a little firepower Robbie?"
Robbie pushed Donavan into the wall, "Hell no. And you know it," Robbie growled. "I just don't wanna take another bullet for you."
Donavan smiled, "Oh yeah, the store. Okay, we'll play this your way. Who else you need?"
Robbie glared at Donavan before he turned toward his brother. "No one else. Come on Jack. We'll open the side entrance once we take out the guards," Robbie said to the Vicelords before he and Jack disappeared into the shadows. They quickly made their way further inside the building as the Vicelords retreated out to their van.
Jack looked at Robbie, confusion on his face, "So what are we gonna do?"
"We take out the guards and take the guns," Robbie replied as he started to walk further into the warehouse. Jack grabbed Robbie's arm, stopping him.
"Are you crazy? Are we really gonna help them rob this place?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Yeah, we are. We can't stop 'em so unless we help, a lot of people, especially the guards, might get hurt. That's not an option."
Jack shook his head as he followed Robbie deeper into the darkness of the warehouse.
*********************************************************************
Oracle sat at her computers when Batman's channel opened up. She looked at the cowled countenance of Gotham's Dark Knight.
"Any ideas on this 'job'?" he asked.
"Nada," she replied. "What about you, have you had any luck finding the Ventriloquist?"
"A few people have been 'cooperating' tonight."
She smiled. She knew how he persuaded people to cooperate. "I'll contact you if anything comes up."
***********************************************************************
"Freeze!"
Jack stopped in his tracks at the command.
"Raise your hands and turn around slowly," the security guard said.
Jack raised his hands and turned to face the security guard who stood there, his gun drawn, both hands holding on to it.
"Aw man," Jack whined.
"What are you doing in here?"
"It was just a dare, ya' know," Jack said. "Mister, I don't wanna get in no trouble."
"Too late, you're already in trouble now."
"Don't call the cops mister, I don't wanna go back to JDC."
The security guard was watching Jack, which was exactly what Robbie wanted. He moved out of the shadows and towards the back of the guard. Robbie and Jack looked at each other. Robbie winked at Jack. Robbie moved quickly and disarmed the guard. His movements were fluid. Using pressure points around the man's neck, he rendered the man unconscious. Grabbing the slumping man, Robbie gently laid him on the floor.
"One down, probably three more to go,"
"Yeah. Well, with the next guard you play decoy and I do the take down," Jack said with a grin.
"Let's move."
***********************************************************************
Eighteen minutes after they had entered the warehouse, Robbie and Jack opened the side entrance.
"Anyone wanna come in?" Robbie asked with a reckless grin as the Vicelords entered the warehouse.
They found Jack sitting on a crate of guns. Similar crates stacked all around. They didn't notice the two crowbars lying on the floor near a tarp covered pile.
"Donavan, I think we can fill our order now," Jack said as he hopped down.
Donavan and the other Vicelords moved to the crates and opened the lids looking at the weapons. Donavan smiled. He looked up at his men, blond hair falling in his face, "Damn, Robbie, this is good. Frankie, Dice, start moving this stuff to our van. We gotta meet our buyer. We're gonna make a ton of dough with this sell."
***********************************************************************
"Oracle to Batman."
"Batman here, go ahead," he responded.
"A 'B and E' was just reported near the waterfront. Warehouse owned by Dawson manufacturing."
"Guns?"
"A lot of guns," she replied. "Due to be shipped to GCPD next week."
"Any suspects?"
"Two. We know the descriptions very well. I'd say the Malone boys, who I haven't heard from since they left their apartment, are on the move."
"This is going down now. Move our operatives into the location I gave you earlier."
"You got it Boss. Oh, and Boss," she said almost hesitantly, "watch out for that oldest Malone boy, I don't want him hurt again."
"Batman out," he said as he closed the channel, his lips starting to quirk upwards. It stopped as soon as it had began. There was business to tend to. He shot his jump line into the night as he went in pursuit of his quarry.
***********************************************************************
Donavan was the first to enter the abandoned factory building off of Moenuch Road. Robbie and the boys stayed out by the blue van. Frankie paced nervously. "Ya think he should'a went in there alone?" he asked as he looked to Robbie. The five of them had met up with additional members of the Vicelords
Robbie's blue eyes observed the men around him. He was starting to have the feeling that the Vicelords were beginning to look up to him as a leader. He must really be playing his role well. "Yeah Frankie, he'll be okay." As he said this, he caught sight of a shadowy form overhead. Robbie started to smile but stopped himself.
"How long before we go in?" Dice asked.
"Not too long, if everything goes as planned," Robbie responded as he walked over to Jack. He wrapped his arm around his brothers shoulders, "C'mere, I wanna talk to you 'bout that girl you been hanging with," he said as he moved them away from the gang. They heard the gang's laughter in the background and comments about 'Jackie's girl'.
"Somehow I don't think you wanna talk about Cassie," Jack whispered.
"Nope. He's here."
"Who?"
"Who do you think?"
"Oh," Tim replied as he realized who Dick meant. "Cool."
"Yeah, but things are gonna move fast. I wanted to tell you to be careful."
"Aren't I always?"
"No. That's why I'm telling ya. We gotta help them out, but we gotta stay in character. He doesn't want us compromising our cover, understand?"
"I do. Don't worry. I'll be careful. You just be the same."
"Aren't I always," Robbie smiled with a wide grin.
Jack moaned as they walked back to the gang. As they did, Donavan came out of the building.
Donavan strided over to the van. "Unload the merchandise, we've got a deal to do."
With that, the Vicelords started obeying their leader and pulled the heavy crates of automatic weapons and took them into the building. As they entered through the factory's large metal doors, Robbie and Jack saw the Ventriloquist and his Dummy standing on a metal landing in the center of the room. His men stood all around, semi-automatic guns in hand. The Vicelords set the crates down and stepped back a few steps.
"These are the guns," Sean Donavan began as he opened one of the crates showing the black and gray weapons to his buyer. "Where's our money?"
"Youse'll get yer money," Scarface answered. "Voys, show 'em the money." As he said this, his men pointed their weapons at the Vicelords.
Robbie had a bad feeling about this. He signaled Jack with his left hand. "Donavan," Robbie whispered as he moved closer to the Vicelords leader.
"Shut up Malone!"
"Donavan," Robbie growled.
Donavan looked at the Ventriloquist, "Don't play games with us," Donavan said as he pulled a gun from the crate. It was then that he realized their where no clips in this gun. "What the ... Malone?" he growled.
"Down!" Robbie yelled at the Vicelords as the Ventriloquist's men started firing their weapons. Jack pushed Frankie and Dice down behind the crates.
Donavan crawled on the floor toward Robbie. "What the hell kinda games are you playing man. Where's the clips to these guns?"
"Hell if I know," Robbie yelled back. "These are the crates Jack and I found. What are ya thinking, that we took the clips?"
"Yeah man, that's exactly what I'm thinking."
"Why would we do that?"
"Yea, why would'ya Malone?" Donavan asked suspiciously.
A large crash stopped the argument. Instantly and all eyes titled upwards at the broken glass. Down from the factory's skylight came the dark form of the Batman. Ventriloquist's men turned their guns from the Vicelords to the Dark Knight. The Vicelords used the distraction and started scrambling from their vulnerable positions on the floor. Donavan took off toward the door followed by closely by Robbie.
Azrael appeared on the left side of the factory. He started moving toward the center of the room. The Ventriloquist's gunmen turned their attention to the red and gold clad hero. With amazing speed he took down the gunmen, leaving the unconscious men scattered in his wake.
From the other side of the factory, the Huntress appeared. She blocked the way of the escaping Vicelords. "Nice seeing you boys again," she said playfully as she started moving through the mob. She smiled, this was fun. She shot her cross-bow out, nailing two gang members to the wall by their shirts. Huntress punched an approaching Vicelords and kept wading through other gang members in her trek to the room's center.
Batman landed on the metal landing in the room's center, his cape billowing around him. He squared off against Scarface and the Ventriloquist.
"Vatman," Scarface said pointing the mini Tommy gun at the Dark Knight, "you're in the way." He started firing the automatic weapon at Batman. Batman calmly jumped into the air, spun, and landed behind the Ventriloquist. With a quick kick, he knocked the dummy from Arnold Wesker's hands. He watched as the dummy and the gun fell onto the factories floor some twenty feet below. The man who's psychosis was tied to the doll huddled on the floor staring down at the Dummy. "Mister Scarface is going to be mad when he wakes up."
Batman secured Wesker before moving on into the darkness of the factory.
Frankie and Dice headed toward the factory's interior. Jack Malone was behind them. Batgirl swooped down from the landing above blocking their way. Frankie and Dice started to pull their guns at her when Jack Malone ran into them. They fell to the floor.
"Sorry, guys," Jack said as he tried to get up. But Batgirl's hands sent him into the wall. He gave her a quick wink as he rolled into the throw.
Batgirl jumped, extended both feet, and caught Frankie and Dice under their chins as they were rising to their knees. She looked at Jack as she handcuffed the unconscious Vicelords. "You escape; I follow."
"Why do I keep getting stuck with you beating me up?"
"You need work out."
"I do not," Tim said indignantly as he headed back toward the action.
"Do," Batgirl said as she waited a few minutes before following him.
Donavan skidded to a stop as he heard police sirens approaching the building. He turned and headed back into the building and found himself facing Robbie Malone. "Get outta my way."
"No. You 'n' me are gonna settle what you started back there."
"This ain't the time Robbie, we gotta leave." Donavan pushed Robbie in an attempt to move him out of the way.
Robbie grabbed Donavan by the arm and threw him into the wall. "You're not going anywhere. You're not leaving me and Jack and the rest of the gang to take the fall for your screw up."
Donavan punched out at Robbie, who ducked and came up hitting Donavan hard in the abdomen. With lightning speed, Robbie had landed three other punches on Donavan, knocking him back into the wall again.
"Man, you just messed up," Donavan sneered at Robbie as he pulled a knife from behind his back. He swung out at Robbie who jumped back, narrowly escaping being cut.
Robbie stood there, a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. A wide grin forming on his face. "You're a sleaze Sean, ya know that. Well, bring it on Donavan, bring it on," Robbie said, his hand outstretched in front of him, palm up, fingers daring Donavan to come toward him.
Donavan did. He lunged at Robbie who skillfully avoided contact. Robbie laughed at Donavan as they fought.
"You a narc man?" Donavan asked.
"Yeah I'm a narc, that's why I shot that convenience store clerk. All narc's commit murder," Robbie said. "All narc's drag sixteen year olds around with them. I've just had enough of you and your screw ups, man. You got me shot last night, and this big deal of yours hasn't panned out. You ain't done nuthin' but mess with me and my brother."
The sirens were closer to the building. The red and blue lights from the squad cars were flashing through the factories windows. Gunshots sounded from the factories interior.
Donavan was moving along the wall, the knife still outstretched before him. His green eyes never left Robbie Malone. Robbie was still daring Donavan to move closer. Donavan bumped into an industrial size can. Grabbing the lid he threw it at Robbie. Robbie jumped avoiding contact with the object. As he did, Donavan lunged at him, stabbing the knife in Robbie's shoulder. The same shoulder that had been shot the day before.
"Damn!" Robbie yelled. He spun and landed a roundhouse kick into Donavan's chin.
"I know what you are man." Donavan yelled as he hit the wall. He lunged at Robbie.
"You have NO idea what I am," Robbie replied as he hit Donavan hard in the face. Donavan fell into the wall and slid down. Donavan's hand moved to his now swollen face wiping the blood away.
Robbie grimaced as he pulled the knife from his shoulder. Blood trickling down.
Gotham's finest were entering the building, guns drawn. "Freeze," shouted one of the uniformed officers at Robbie and Sean as many more officers filtered past them further into the factory. "Drop the knife!" they ordered Robbie.
Robbie complied with the order. He heard the knife hitting the floor as his hand went to apply pressure to his wound. A police officer moved to Robbie, grabbing him by the arm.
Another officer grabbed Donavan and pulled him up. Then he and Robbie were pushed along behind the other officers. As they entered the main room of the factory, they saw the Ventriloquist tied up. Many of his men as well as Vicelords littered the floor, unconscious. Obviously the work of the Bat. He caught sight of Detectives Bullock and Montoya overseeing the investigation.
Robbie caught sight of Jack standing with his hands raised and managed to get himself pushed over near his brother. "You okay," he whispered as he came beside Jack.
"Yeah. What happened to you? You're bleeding," Jack whispered back, a look of concern on his face.
"It's just a little cut, nothing much," Robbie replied as he looked up and saw a large detective approaching them.
"Malone, now why aren't I surprised to see you in the middle of this?" asked the detective. "Ready to go back to Blackgate, I see."
Robbie, his hand still applying pressure to his bleeding shoulder, groaned at the man. "Detective Hawke. How'd I get so lucky."
Hawke pulled Robbie's hand from the wound and examined it. He turned toward Bullock, "I'll take these two in. This one needs medical attention." Hawke pulled out a pair of handcuffs, handcuffing Robbie's left wrist to Jack's right. Standing behind them, he pushed them towards the door.
***********************************************************************
Barbara Gordon entered the examination room of Leslie Thompkins' clinic. She moved past Bruce and Tim to the table where Dick Grayson sat receiving medical attention. She looked Bruce. "I told you not to let him get hurt again."
"I didn't let him. He did it on his own."
Her green eyes bored into Bruce for a second, before she smiled. Turning her attention to Dick, she said, "You are impossible, you know that."
"I try," he replied with a wide grin. The grin turned into a grimace as Leslie applied more antiseptic to the wound.
"You need bed rest for at least a day," Leslie said sternly as she started applying bandages.
Bruce moved closer to Dick, "Youse did good kid," then turning to Tim, added, "Youse both did good."
Tim grinned widely.
"Thanks Pop," Dick said in his best Robbie Malone voice.
"You're both pretty good at de family business," Matches voice replied with a slight smile.
THE END ...
***AUTHOR"S NOTE***
Detective Hawke was Bruce's police "identity" during Cataclysm. He was the officer who "arrested" Robbie before Robbie went to Blackgate in "Robbie Malone" the first of the Maloneverse stories.
Robbie ran his hand through his hair, he had to think fast. "Okay Donavan, if we're gonna do this, give Jack and me twenty minutes. We'll take out the guards and then the rest of you can move out the guns."
"We don't need ya to do that Robbie. That's why we got our pieces," Donavan replied waving his gun before Robbie's face.
"Yeah, man, that's what worries me. Going in here like this is just stupid. People are gonna get shot. I just got shot last night, I don't want that to happen again," Robbie said as he got in Donavan's face. "Use your head man, we don't need no murder rap. We need those guns, let's get 'em -- the smart way."
Frankie and Dice watched the confrontation. They looked at Jack who watched as intently as they did. It seemed Robbie was right, but they didn't want to buck Donavan, so they quietly waited for the outcome.
"You scared to use a little firepower Robbie?"
Robbie pushed Donavan into the wall, "Hell no. And you know it," Robbie growled. "I just don't wanna take another bullet for you."
Donavan smiled, "Oh yeah, the store. Okay, we'll play this your way. Who else you need?"
Robbie glared at Donavan before he turned toward his brother. "No one else. Come on Jack. We'll open the side entrance once we take out the guards," Robbie said to the Vicelords before he and Jack disappeared into the shadows. They quickly made their way further inside the building as the Vicelords retreated out to their van.
Jack looked at Robbie, confusion on his face, "So what are we gonna do?"
"We take out the guards and take the guns," Robbie replied as he started to walk further into the warehouse. Jack grabbed Robbie's arm, stopping him.
"Are you crazy? Are we really gonna help them rob this place?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Yeah, we are. We can't stop 'em so unless we help, a lot of people, especially the guards, might get hurt. That's not an option."
Jack shook his head as he followed Robbie deeper into the darkness of the warehouse.
*********************************************************************
Oracle sat at her computers when Batman's channel opened up. She looked at the cowled countenance of Gotham's Dark Knight.
"Any ideas on this 'job'?" he asked.
"Nada," she replied. "What about you, have you had any luck finding the Ventriloquist?"
"A few people have been 'cooperating' tonight."
She smiled. She knew how he persuaded people to cooperate. "I'll contact you if anything comes up."
***********************************************************************
"Freeze!"
Jack stopped in his tracks at the command.
"Raise your hands and turn around slowly," the security guard said.
Jack raised his hands and turned to face the security guard who stood there, his gun drawn, both hands holding on to it.
"Aw man," Jack whined.
"What are you doing in here?"
"It was just a dare, ya' know," Jack said. "Mister, I don't wanna get in no trouble."
"Too late, you're already in trouble now."
"Don't call the cops mister, I don't wanna go back to JDC."
The security guard was watching Jack, which was exactly what Robbie wanted. He moved out of the shadows and towards the back of the guard. Robbie and Jack looked at each other. Robbie winked at Jack. Robbie moved quickly and disarmed the guard. His movements were fluid. Using pressure points around the man's neck, he rendered the man unconscious. Grabbing the slumping man, Robbie gently laid him on the floor.
"One down, probably three more to go,"
"Yeah. Well, with the next guard you play decoy and I do the take down," Jack said with a grin.
"Let's move."
***********************************************************************
Eighteen minutes after they had entered the warehouse, Robbie and Jack opened the side entrance.
"Anyone wanna come in?" Robbie asked with a reckless grin as the Vicelords entered the warehouse.
They found Jack sitting on a crate of guns. Similar crates stacked all around. They didn't notice the two crowbars lying on the floor near a tarp covered pile.
"Donavan, I think we can fill our order now," Jack said as he hopped down.
Donavan and the other Vicelords moved to the crates and opened the lids looking at the weapons. Donavan smiled. He looked up at his men, blond hair falling in his face, "Damn, Robbie, this is good. Frankie, Dice, start moving this stuff to our van. We gotta meet our buyer. We're gonna make a ton of dough with this sell."
***********************************************************************
"Oracle to Batman."
"Batman here, go ahead," he responded.
"A 'B and E' was just reported near the waterfront. Warehouse owned by Dawson manufacturing."
"Guns?"
"A lot of guns," she replied. "Due to be shipped to GCPD next week."
"Any suspects?"
"Two. We know the descriptions very well. I'd say the Malone boys, who I haven't heard from since they left their apartment, are on the move."
"This is going down now. Move our operatives into the location I gave you earlier."
"You got it Boss. Oh, and Boss," she said almost hesitantly, "watch out for that oldest Malone boy, I don't want him hurt again."
"Batman out," he said as he closed the channel, his lips starting to quirk upwards. It stopped as soon as it had began. There was business to tend to. He shot his jump line into the night as he went in pursuit of his quarry.
***********************************************************************
Donavan was the first to enter the abandoned factory building off of Moenuch Road. Robbie and the boys stayed out by the blue van. Frankie paced nervously. "Ya think he should'a went in there alone?" he asked as he looked to Robbie. The five of them had met up with additional members of the Vicelords
Robbie's blue eyes observed the men around him. He was starting to have the feeling that the Vicelords were beginning to look up to him as a leader. He must really be playing his role well. "Yeah Frankie, he'll be okay." As he said this, he caught sight of a shadowy form overhead. Robbie started to smile but stopped himself.
"How long before we go in?" Dice asked.
"Not too long, if everything goes as planned," Robbie responded as he walked over to Jack. He wrapped his arm around his brothers shoulders, "C'mere, I wanna talk to you 'bout that girl you been hanging with," he said as he moved them away from the gang. They heard the gang's laughter in the background and comments about 'Jackie's girl'.
"Somehow I don't think you wanna talk about Cassie," Jack whispered.
"Nope. He's here."
"Who?"
"Who do you think?"
"Oh," Tim replied as he realized who Dick meant. "Cool."
"Yeah, but things are gonna move fast. I wanted to tell you to be careful."
"Aren't I always?"
"No. That's why I'm telling ya. We gotta help them out, but we gotta stay in character. He doesn't want us compromising our cover, understand?"
"I do. Don't worry. I'll be careful. You just be the same."
"Aren't I always," Robbie smiled with a wide grin.
Jack moaned as they walked back to the gang. As they did, Donavan came out of the building.
Donavan strided over to the van. "Unload the merchandise, we've got a deal to do."
With that, the Vicelords started obeying their leader and pulled the heavy crates of automatic weapons and took them into the building. As they entered through the factory's large metal doors, Robbie and Jack saw the Ventriloquist and his Dummy standing on a metal landing in the center of the room. His men stood all around, semi-automatic guns in hand. The Vicelords set the crates down and stepped back a few steps.
"These are the guns," Sean Donavan began as he opened one of the crates showing the black and gray weapons to his buyer. "Where's our money?"
"Youse'll get yer money," Scarface answered. "Voys, show 'em the money." As he said this, his men pointed their weapons at the Vicelords.
Robbie had a bad feeling about this. He signaled Jack with his left hand. "Donavan," Robbie whispered as he moved closer to the Vicelords leader.
"Shut up Malone!"
"Donavan," Robbie growled.
Donavan looked at the Ventriloquist, "Don't play games with us," Donavan said as he pulled a gun from the crate. It was then that he realized their where no clips in this gun. "What the ... Malone?" he growled.
"Down!" Robbie yelled at the Vicelords as the Ventriloquist's men started firing their weapons. Jack pushed Frankie and Dice down behind the crates.
Donavan crawled on the floor toward Robbie. "What the hell kinda games are you playing man. Where's the clips to these guns?"
"Hell if I know," Robbie yelled back. "These are the crates Jack and I found. What are ya thinking, that we took the clips?"
"Yeah man, that's exactly what I'm thinking."
"Why would we do that?"
"Yea, why would'ya Malone?" Donavan asked suspiciously.
A large crash stopped the argument. Instantly and all eyes titled upwards at the broken glass. Down from the factory's skylight came the dark form of the Batman. Ventriloquist's men turned their guns from the Vicelords to the Dark Knight. The Vicelords used the distraction and started scrambling from their vulnerable positions on the floor. Donavan took off toward the door followed by closely by Robbie.
Azrael appeared on the left side of the factory. He started moving toward the center of the room. The Ventriloquist's gunmen turned their attention to the red and gold clad hero. With amazing speed he took down the gunmen, leaving the unconscious men scattered in his wake.
From the other side of the factory, the Huntress appeared. She blocked the way of the escaping Vicelords. "Nice seeing you boys again," she said playfully as she started moving through the mob. She smiled, this was fun. She shot her cross-bow out, nailing two gang members to the wall by their shirts. Huntress punched an approaching Vicelords and kept wading through other gang members in her trek to the room's center.
Batman landed on the metal landing in the room's center, his cape billowing around him. He squared off against Scarface and the Ventriloquist.
"Vatman," Scarface said pointing the mini Tommy gun at the Dark Knight, "you're in the way." He started firing the automatic weapon at Batman. Batman calmly jumped into the air, spun, and landed behind the Ventriloquist. With a quick kick, he knocked the dummy from Arnold Wesker's hands. He watched as the dummy and the gun fell onto the factories floor some twenty feet below. The man who's psychosis was tied to the doll huddled on the floor staring down at the Dummy. "Mister Scarface is going to be mad when he wakes up."
Batman secured Wesker before moving on into the darkness of the factory.
Frankie and Dice headed toward the factory's interior. Jack Malone was behind them. Batgirl swooped down from the landing above blocking their way. Frankie and Dice started to pull their guns at her when Jack Malone ran into them. They fell to the floor.
"Sorry, guys," Jack said as he tried to get up. But Batgirl's hands sent him into the wall. He gave her a quick wink as he rolled into the throw.
Batgirl jumped, extended both feet, and caught Frankie and Dice under their chins as they were rising to their knees. She looked at Jack as she handcuffed the unconscious Vicelords. "You escape; I follow."
"Why do I keep getting stuck with you beating me up?"
"You need work out."
"I do not," Tim said indignantly as he headed back toward the action.
"Do," Batgirl said as she waited a few minutes before following him.
Donavan skidded to a stop as he heard police sirens approaching the building. He turned and headed back into the building and found himself facing Robbie Malone. "Get outta my way."
"No. You 'n' me are gonna settle what you started back there."
"This ain't the time Robbie, we gotta leave." Donavan pushed Robbie in an attempt to move him out of the way.
Robbie grabbed Donavan by the arm and threw him into the wall. "You're not going anywhere. You're not leaving me and Jack and the rest of the gang to take the fall for your screw up."
Donavan punched out at Robbie, who ducked and came up hitting Donavan hard in the abdomen. With lightning speed, Robbie had landed three other punches on Donavan, knocking him back into the wall again.
"Man, you just messed up," Donavan sneered at Robbie as he pulled a knife from behind his back. He swung out at Robbie who jumped back, narrowly escaping being cut.
Robbie stood there, a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. A wide grin forming on his face. "You're a sleaze Sean, ya know that. Well, bring it on Donavan, bring it on," Robbie said, his hand outstretched in front of him, palm up, fingers daring Donavan to come toward him.
Donavan did. He lunged at Robbie who skillfully avoided contact. Robbie laughed at Donavan as they fought.
"You a narc man?" Donavan asked.
"Yeah I'm a narc, that's why I shot that convenience store clerk. All narc's commit murder," Robbie said. "All narc's drag sixteen year olds around with them. I've just had enough of you and your screw ups, man. You got me shot last night, and this big deal of yours hasn't panned out. You ain't done nuthin' but mess with me and my brother."
The sirens were closer to the building. The red and blue lights from the squad cars were flashing through the factories windows. Gunshots sounded from the factories interior.
Donavan was moving along the wall, the knife still outstretched before him. His green eyes never left Robbie Malone. Robbie was still daring Donavan to move closer. Donavan bumped into an industrial size can. Grabbing the lid he threw it at Robbie. Robbie jumped avoiding contact with the object. As he did, Donavan lunged at him, stabbing the knife in Robbie's shoulder. The same shoulder that had been shot the day before.
"Damn!" Robbie yelled. He spun and landed a roundhouse kick into Donavan's chin.
"I know what you are man." Donavan yelled as he hit the wall. He lunged at Robbie.
"You have NO idea what I am," Robbie replied as he hit Donavan hard in the face. Donavan fell into the wall and slid down. Donavan's hand moved to his now swollen face wiping the blood away.
Robbie grimaced as he pulled the knife from his shoulder. Blood trickling down.
Gotham's finest were entering the building, guns drawn. "Freeze," shouted one of the uniformed officers at Robbie and Sean as many more officers filtered past them further into the factory. "Drop the knife!" they ordered Robbie.
Robbie complied with the order. He heard the knife hitting the floor as his hand went to apply pressure to his wound. A police officer moved to Robbie, grabbing him by the arm.
Another officer grabbed Donavan and pulled him up. Then he and Robbie were pushed along behind the other officers. As they entered the main room of the factory, they saw the Ventriloquist tied up. Many of his men as well as Vicelords littered the floor, unconscious. Obviously the work of the Bat. He caught sight of Detectives Bullock and Montoya overseeing the investigation.
Robbie caught sight of Jack standing with his hands raised and managed to get himself pushed over near his brother. "You okay," he whispered as he came beside Jack.
"Yeah. What happened to you? You're bleeding," Jack whispered back, a look of concern on his face.
"It's just a little cut, nothing much," Robbie replied as he looked up and saw a large detective approaching them.
"Malone, now why aren't I surprised to see you in the middle of this?" asked the detective. "Ready to go back to Blackgate, I see."
Robbie, his hand still applying pressure to his bleeding shoulder, groaned at the man. "Detective Hawke. How'd I get so lucky."
Hawke pulled Robbie's hand from the wound and examined it. He turned toward Bullock, "I'll take these two in. This one needs medical attention." Hawke pulled out a pair of handcuffs, handcuffing Robbie's left wrist to Jack's right. Standing behind them, he pushed them towards the door.
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Barbara Gordon entered the examination room of Leslie Thompkins' clinic. She moved past Bruce and Tim to the table where Dick Grayson sat receiving medical attention. She looked Bruce. "I told you not to let him get hurt again."
"I didn't let him. He did it on his own."
Her green eyes bored into Bruce for a second, before she smiled. Turning her attention to Dick, she said, "You are impossible, you know that."
"I try," he replied with a wide grin. The grin turned into a grimace as Leslie applied more antiseptic to the wound.
"You need bed rest for at least a day," Leslie said sternly as she started applying bandages.
Bruce moved closer to Dick, "Youse did good kid," then turning to Tim, added, "Youse both did good."
Tim grinned widely.
"Thanks Pop," Dick said in his best Robbie Malone voice.
"You're both pretty good at de family business," Matches voice replied with a slight smile.
THE END ...
***AUTHOR"S NOTE***
Detective Hawke was Bruce's police "identity" during Cataclysm. He was the officer who "arrested" Robbie before Robbie went to Blackgate in "Robbie Malone" the first of the Maloneverse stories.