7 Saving a cosplayer

Down by the docks, Robin was tied up. While he was conscious, there was not much he could do. All his equipment had been taken while he had been knocked out and he was securely tied to the chair. As much as he hated to admit it, he was going nowhere until backup arrived. A heavy hand on his shoulder reminded Robin that he was not alone as well. He had the wonderful fortune of having Sportsmaster keeping him company.

"Just got word that someone's coming over for a visit," he said smugly, no doubt smiling behind that hokey mask of his as he brought out a knife and hell it close to the boy's throat. "Seems like you'll be reunited with your mentor soon enough, and I'll get that amulet."

If Robin had been able to, he would have given a comeback to that. Alas, that would not happen anytime soon, not with that infernal gag in his mouth. So he just had to settle with glaring murderously at him, prompting a dark chuckle from the man. But both their attention landed on the door leading inside as someone entered. And the moment Robin saw just who it was, he could practically feel his heart leaping up into his throat from shock.

Someone else was here. A gas mask-wearing villain? Sportsmaster merely observed this stranger with a clinical look while raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Never seen you before. Are you new in the hero business?" he asked in curiosity. The blank expression of the gasmask was all he received in answer. Maguire meanwhile was also taking the moment to analyze the masked man facing him. He looked imposing enough, but Maguire had not come here for a fight. Silent as the grave, Maguire reached inside his greatcoat, an action that caused Sportsmaster to tense up, and brought out the amulet. He summoned swirling crimson lightning his fist, he in held it up in plain view, and Sportsmaster loosened up with another dark chuckle.

"You heroes can be painfully predictable. Threaten an innocent or someone you care about, and you start dancing to my tune," naturally, he just had to gloat a bit before he held out an expectant hand.

"Now get out of here and the kid goes free," but Keled made no move to comply, he just stood and stared and Sportsmaster. An action that irritated Sportsmaster quite a bit.

Crimson lightning swirled and covered his whole body. Maguire stood.

"Bad move there, now the kid has no value to me anymore. So I suppose I'll just kill him," he growled out in anger. He never liked it when someone messed up his mission, and this new face had the balls to destroy his objective right in front of his eyes. That could only be interpreted as a taunt in Sportsmaster's eyes, and no one taunted him.

"Do that, and none of us will walk away from here alive," Maguire stated monotonously. While at first looking confused underneath his hokey mask, Sportsmaster eventually snorted at his claim.

"I am capable of a surge of lighting that can blow up this entire dock, surrender or you all die, " Maguire explained in that same dull voice. He truly sounded untroubled by his actions. Robin's eyes widened in both shock and terror. Was that guy seriously threatening to blow them all up?! But Sportsmaster was not about to fold just yet.

"You're bluffing," he countered heatedly. Keled answered that claim with one single word.

"One," tension grew with the crimson lighting as Robin's eyes darted nervously between Sportsmaster and Maguire, wondering who would blink first. While he had always known the inherent risks in the hero business, and was prepared to pay the ultimate price to protect the innocents, he was in no absolute hurry to do so. Besides, getting blown to bits by his "saviour" did not sound all that appealing.

"Two," even Sportsmaster was feeling the tension now. Sweat began to gather on his brow as he eyed the guy in the gasmask. He was bluffing, he had to be. There was no way the guy was serious about blowing himself to kingdom come. But he could not help but feel doubt. He had always been good at reading a person's thoughts by observing their body language, and this guy's calm posterior all but screamed deadly seriousness.

"Three," with that last word, Maguire released a barrier of lighting, volatile to the look. One thought went through two minds simultaneous. 'Holy shit, he was going to do it!'

"Wait!" Sportsmaster called out, cursing both Maguire and himself over how desperate he sounded. "Alright, you win here," he punctuated this by dropping his knife and began stepping away towards a small boat. But even as he admitted defeat, he glared hatefully at the gasmask. This punk had made him look weak, and that could not stand. As he climbed on board his boat, being constantly observed by Maguire, he swore to himself that he would make him pay. Nobody disrespected Sportsmaster and lived to tell about it. Nobody.

"This ain't over, pal," those were his parting words before he speeded away. And with the threat gone, Maguire extinguished and strode over to the still bound Robin. And even though Maguire just saved him, Robin could not help but feel a sliver of unease travel through him as Maguire approached. Who was to say that he had not come here simply to finish what he started back at the museum. But he had nothing to fear, as Maguire picked up Sportsmaster's discarded knife and began cutting through the ropes binding, Robin. The moment his hands were free, Robin tore off the gag in his mouth while Maguire began working on cutting his legs loose.

"Thanks for the save, man," Robin said gratefully as he stood on his own two feet again, feeling his stiff joints after being bound to that chair for hours. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but why did you do it?" he really was curious on that point, seeing as last time they met they fought each other. Maguire just shrugged his shoulders.

"To be honest, it was more of a spur of the moment more than anything else," he admitted as he sheathed his new combat knife in his belt, a fact that did not sit well with Robin. Though he did not say anything on the matter, not wanting to provoke him. Changing the subject, Robin let a grin split his face.

"Gotta admit though, that bluff with the bombs that you pulled off was good. For a moment, I was actually convinced you were going to do it," he complimented. Obviously, he was thinking now that Maguire had just been trying to trick Sportsmaster. For as he reasoned, who would be crazy enough to blow themselves up for no reason? Not counting the Joker, mind you! Maguire turned his full attention to Robin at the compliment, making Robin feel a little nervous under that cold and unchanging visage of the gasmask.

"I wasn't bluffing," Maguire simply said before walking away. It took a moment for his words to be processed by Robin, at which point he just stood where Maguire left him, eyes wide in disbelief. 'That guy has some serious issues,' he thought before he hurried to catch up with him.

"I have some questions," said Maguire.

"We have some questions." a voice came from behind. Maguire knew the voice and so did Robin.

"Superman..."