Another year had passed.
Jason was still collecting newspapers from trash bins.34Please respect copyright.PENANAeWIpWFFRVb
Nana was still at his side,34Please respect copyright.PENANAGLceDjrDhn
helping him search for anything about Batman and Robin.
They flipped through pages together,34Please respect copyright.PENANA54br3QpBOz
their fingertips covered in old ink and dust.
Today, Jason found a newspaper dated a month ago.34Please respect copyright.PENANANTqoHOYN94
That was recent—by trash-pile standards.
He looked down, skimming the content quickly.34Please respect copyright.PENANA3DGqyEL0nu
His brows furrowed.
Nana carefully pulled a few stacks of already-sorted papers from her backpack.34Please respect copyright.PENANAFmw1hb0ePk
All of them were about Batman.
The two of them crouched on the edge of the sidewalk,34Please respect copyright.PENANAi08ynvCahj
like they were holding a secret meeting.34Please respect copyright.PENANAWZPtkwpkzz
They laid the papers out in a long line, sorted by date.
Jason flipped through page after page and shook his head.34Please respect copyright.PENANADP6rUFtZg5
“Still nothing… no news about Robin.”
Nana nodded.34Please respect copyright.PENANAX0s4s3H8rP
She signed: “Three months now. Only Batman shows up.”
Jason went quiet for a moment.34Please respect copyright.PENANAAfu0W2V9jG
Then, softly:34Please respect copyright.PENANAgvbadw1m4p
“What do you think happened to Robin?”
Nana signed:34Please respect copyright.PENANAGBEUmMBsGx
“Injured? Captured? Needs help?”
Jason’s face grew serious.34Please respect copyright.PENANAqwkQSSbr7p
“That’s not good.34Please respect copyright.PENANAynd7citTyd
But only Batman knows for sure.34Please respect copyright.PENANAlcwAEFISgJ
We can’t wait any longer.”
He looked at Nana,34Please respect copyright.PENANAdpIwgSCXTa
and said, clearly and firmly:34Please respect copyright.PENANAIf1spl7q0I
“Tonight, we go to the southeast border.34Please respect copyright.PENANAHz1oUCcqsb
We’re going to find Batman.”
Nana nodded, her hand signs swift and precise.34Please respect copyright.PENANAurBZoue41q
She would sneak out—34Please respect copyright.PENANAwCL3EORuzi
climb down from her window.
34Please respect copyright.PENANAxGXHGpoL4v
The night was thick like ink.34Please respect copyright.PENANAWVkPVLavuh
In Gotham, the air was always damp and full of unknown dangers.
In a dim alleyway,34Please respect copyright.PENANAiJf9gq5YAR
Jason held tightly onto Nana’s hand.34Please respect copyright.PENANAoHdednpfeA
They walked slowly,34Please respect copyright.PENANAs6alPZZn6G
careful to stay hidden in the shadows near the buildings.
Their palms were sweaty.34Please respect copyright.PENANAVxjxlBQqau
Their hearts beat louder than the wind.
They turned a corner—34Please respect copyright.PENANA3SIm2GtM3P
and suddenly,34Please respect copyright.PENANACvpPEnc9Np
there it was.
The Batmobile.
It was nothing like the photos in the newspapers.34Please respect copyright.PENANAbsgGP3zfrp
Up close, it was black and gleaming,34Please respect copyright.PENANAdAEaBNUrCc
its cold, sharp lines like a beast lurking at the edge of the city.
“Whoa…” Jason whispered.
He pulled Nana closer.34Please respect copyright.PENANA4LYvutKvQE
They pressed up against the side of the car,34Please respect copyright.PENANAL6aELphffw
peeking inside.
The Batmobile sat silently,34Please respect copyright.PENANAJ93PoxAZA3
not a sound from within.34Please respect copyright.PENANAywKMVy0Mnv
The interior was pitch black—34Please respect copyright.PENANAQKnai16aVn
they couldn’t see a thing.
Nana signed:34Please respect copyright.PENANAaKS1Hm0kmn
“Batman’s not here. Should we wait?”
Jason thought for a moment.34Please respect copyright.PENANAPsCWllbXBD
But his mind was already on something else.
34Please respect copyright.PENANAFpkr0Zgqng
A shadow approached.34Please respect copyright.PENANA7XwW5CGrpz
Gotham’s Dark Knight stepped slowly into view from around the corner.34Please respect copyright.PENANAF8feVphzqM
His cape fluttered softly in the breeze.34Please respect copyright.PENANAXNcWt3V73n
The mask on his face showed no emotion.34Please respect copyright.PENANAxnmZo3zMsN
His footsteps were steady and silent.
Tonight had been quiet.34Please respect copyright.PENANAJ04DZTUIA3
Only three robberies and one armed thief.
He was planning to finish his patrol at 7th Street,34Please respect copyright.PENANAvv2bd98qmS
then return home to let his defiant son annoy him with a few more arguments.
But as he neared the Batmobile,34Please respect copyright.PENANAySkNVaTnRT
he stopped.
Two children.34Please respect copyright.PENANASMFUJlW5Ns
Standing next to the car.
His eyes narrowed.34Please respect copyright.PENANAF9RGSJE6gp
This wasn’t a place for kids—34Please respect copyright.PENANAUKF23Fu4fy
not at this hour.
He watched them carefully,34Please respect copyright.PENANAdlZAearspw
ready to speak—34Please respect copyright.PENANAroGFhBvbXY
but the boy spoke first.
“Batman, may I ask…34Please respect copyright.PENANA12NIvI5qAy
where’s Robin?”
Batman stared at the black-haired, blue-eyed boy.34Please respect copyright.PENANAUyc8dOTPqh
For a second—34Please respect copyright.PENANAORZ7hC9zLx
that look,34Please respect copyright.PENANA51ItBFW0P5
that determined tone—34Please respect copyright.PENANAbc1gNamhAI
it triggered something familiar.
His adopted son.34Please respect copyright.PENANA4JZ9LT1Dsf
The one currently giving him the cold shoulder day and night,34Please respect copyright.PENANACEyjm2HMWj
sleeping in the training room,34Please respect copyright.PENANAA7xQBH1HQ5
refusing to come home.
They fought.34Please respect copyright.PENANAb4H3wqbzUx
Gave each other the silent treatment.34Please respect copyright.PENANAu1JLGM9HdQ
Lost their rhythm, even on missions.
Batman’s voice softened.34Please respect copyright.PENANAmrcNwXyIgh
“You two shouldn’t be here.34Please respect copyright.PENANAbm91xc5jat
It’s dangerous.34Please respect copyright.PENANARuIVAR8W0M
Let me take you home.”
But as his eyes glanced toward the Batmobile,34Please respect copyright.PENANAyqO3O3fSQG
he froze.
The wheels?
Both front wheels were gone.34Please respect copyright.PENANAk1zZeOwGQi
The toolbox looked like it had been opened.
The two kids turned around,34Please respect copyright.PENANAZkSOtx78D8
glancing at the car.
Two wheels.34Please respect copyright.PENANAjWbZk4nAgE
Vanished.
Jason’s eyes were calm.34Please respect copyright.PENANA1uc7JaBKa9
Like he had planned for this all along.
“Batman,” he said,34Please respect copyright.PENANAfiCCCNkR9E
“do you have time now to tell us what happened to Robin?”
“I’ll put the wheels back afterward.”
Batman looked at the boy again—34Please respect copyright.PENANAuG3KGbDG1D
and in that moment,34Please respect copyright.PENANAJ80sk47a64
those rebellious, stubborn eyes34Please respect copyright.PENANAws8T7tw5hy
looked exactly like that little wild creature at home34Please respect copyright.PENANAmFW0bjEBip
who refused to back down.
34Please respect copyright.PENANAvZuAo2gOeL