8 PLAN B

I brandished my pistol at three victims who sat petrified on the ground. Such things were not hard to acquire in Gotham.

I was certain, however, that should we be arrested, it would definitely be linked to more than one murder or robbery with violence. But getting arrested was not on my agenda tonight.

The three contracted thugs acted their parts perfectly. Their hair was ruffled, and painted marks resembling bruises and blood covered their faces. I thought they had overdone it, but it wasn't a big issue at the moment; it was working.

"Remember, don't give him a chance to get into his utility belt," I whispered the last piece of warning to the count, moments before Robin's voice echoed around the almost empty alley.

"Stop!"

We froze dramatically before slowly turning to face Batman's sidekick.

"It's over. Drop the gun and let them go," Robin yelled in what should have been a commanding tone.

Except it wasn't

Dooku and I exchanged a feigned worried look. Then, slowly, I dropped my gun to the ground and kicked it aside. I nodded to our accomplices, who immediately ran off towards their car, shouting thank you to the young protege.

"See... no harm done," I said to the youthful wannabe hero. "Can we go now?"

Robin's eyes wavered between Dooku and me and then to the fleeing car. I was not entirely sure, but it appeared that he had spotted something suspicious. But at this point, I couldn't care less.

"No... get on the ground... the police are on their way."

The boy reached for the belt strung on his waist, but unfortunately for him, that move was Dooku's signal to step in.

His arm rose with terrific speed, catching even me, who had been prepared for the confrontation, by surprise.

Within a split second, Robin was uncontrollably flying towards the alley wall.

In another second, he should have crashed and certainly passed out, but that outcome never came.

Despite Dooku's quick attack, Batman's sidekick was able to regain composure and do a backflip on the wall before landing gracefully on the ground.

I could see him talking rapidly, and I was certain he was relaying the situation and asking for backup.

It had apparently become clear to the Boy Wonder that he had walked his ass right into an ambush.

This was not the kind of adversary he faced alone. I mean, people who used telekinesis and God knows what else was way above street-level crime that he thought he was responding to,.

Suddenly, his hands flew in and out of the utility belt, and out came the tiny bat-shaped menace. I immediately recognized the Batarang.

"Brace for an explosion!" I screamed a warning to the Sith a second before a shuddering explosion threw me several meters backward. I crashed painfully on the ground as I reached to cover my ears, which were filled with endless ringing.

I slowly struggled up to watch what had transpired. Dooku was still standing where he had been all along. The explosion did not appear to have affected him.

I would guess that he had potentially created a force barrier around himself, thus shielding him from the explosion.

Robin, however, was not that well.

Dooku's hands were outstretched, and his palms were curved into what resembled a claw. Robin, on the other side... well... you know what kind of shit happens when force choke is used.

The boy was dangling mid-air with one hand around his neck as he tried to fight the invisible attack. His other hand was on the grappling hook gun, which apparently he had been trying to use to escape before the sith attacked.

I could see the thrill Dooku was getting from the action just by the evil grin on his face. At that moment, the count resembled his master, Darth Sidious.

Robin's eyes bulged out, and he dropped the grappling hook gun. Now both his hands were trying to fight against the invisible attack. Veins were now evidently bulging from his neck, and from the fear in his eyes, it was obvious he had accepted defeat.

Looking at him at that moment, I was reminded that he was just barely a kid.

The count suddenly released his effect and the boy succumbed to the ground, having passed out.

I was instantly at his side just as the police sirens sounded from a distance.

I easily secured both his limbs and removed his utility belt.

"Good job," I commented without looking at the Sith. Truthfully, however, I was not sure he was back to his normal self; he was still in his murderous mode.

Our car was just around the building we had used for cover, but fetching the car first would take a while. I tossed the utility belt towards Ndoku, then I heaved Robin onto my shoulders, and off we went.

****

Dooku puffed yet another cigarette, filling the car with the smell of nicotine that I so loathed. I threw an icy look at him, and he rolled his window down and continued smoking. I was beginning to think this guy would need rehab before long.

We were seated in the car, having parked almost at the edge of the town. The Boy Wonder was in the boot but all his gear was inside the car with us.

"So what next?" Dooku asked, staring at the lines of parked cars that stretched in dim street lights that broke after a few meters.

"We wait."

We had avoided the police, and knowing how ill-motivated most of them were, it would take them forever to track us. On the other hand, Batman would find us, that much I was sure.

I had seen the Boy Wonder calling for help, and with most of his gear in our possession, which Batman would be tracking, it would lead him right to us.

I knew that the Sith still cherished a chance to confront the superhero that he had heard so much about. However, I had other plans. We could no longer afford a direct confrontation, especially not with Batman. Not because I had any doubts about Dooku's ability. Far from it, I was sure that should there be a need, the count had proven that he could handle the Bat Family.

The thing was, with the entire Gotham Police Department on alert, the rest of the plan called for discretion. Besides, I knew that if we went Dooku's way, Batman would most certainly end up bruised and maimed, something that I could not afford. Any physical harm to him, especially his face, would be a major blow to the laid plan.

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