The Bat cycle roared to a stop in front of the large brick building in the center of campus. It was hard for the Boy Wonder to go anywhere in Gotham without causing distraction but in the middle of the afternoon on a college campus full of coeds, his presence immediately drew the attention of those meandering from class to class. He swung his strong leg over the tail of the bike and strode confidently up the steps to the large oak doors of the Philosophy Building, his well-muscled legs bunching and flexing as he moved.
Dressed exactly as his mentor had demanded of him, Dick Grayson ran quickly up the winding staircase to the seventh floor. In perfect shape the 104 steps didn't even cause him to change his breathing pattern. Turning left at the top of the staircase and down a narrow hallway to the small office, as he raised his gloved hand to knock on the door he stopped himself and thought. "What is it that Professor Raynor could possibly want? I can't let Batman know that I have blown my identity, at least yet, not until I know what the professor wants." With a firm fist he rapped four times on the dark oak door.
Raynor had spent several weeks preparing for Grayson's first visit to his office. It had been a productive last few days and he realized that the exam paper was the perfect hook to lure the young stud to the seventh floor room alone. He'd be curious but not necessarily suspicious so his guard would be at a different level than it typically was while he was hunting Gotham's criminals.
As the top of the hour neared, Raynor finished the preparations for his visitor and took a seat in the high backed leather chair. At precisely four the expected knock at the door occurred.
"It's open," he called out.
The door opened slowly and there, in the office entryway, darkened by the heavy maroon colored drapes that blocked the afternoon sun stood the absolutely flawless form of Robin. The professor caught his breath as the physical perfection of his student, Dick Grayson stood just feet before him dressed as Robin, the Boy Wonder. The uniform clung to his broad chest and tapered to his narrow waist. The short sleeves clung tightly to the large, flexed biceps. The tight green, Speedo like trunks clung to a high, tight waist and the nylon covered legs rippled with muscled perfection. He was here, in the presence of his professor. A fantasy comes true for the older man.
"Please", the professor gently called to the superhero, "close the door. Come in."
The receiving chairs that normally sat in front of the professor's desk had been moved to the side of the room. The Superhero instinctively scanned the room. It was, for all intents and purposes, just a lushly appointed academic office. A large oak desk sat in the center of the room with bookshelves lining the back wall behind it. The professor sat behind his desk in a large leather chair. To his left, below the heavily curtained windows was an oak credenza. A slight scent of paper and old leather filled the room. As he turned to survey the front wall of the office, which was behind him as he faced his professor, he found only a coat rack and a large wardrobe mirror framed in the same oak finish that graced the desk. The wall to his right held fancily bound volumes in towering oak bookcases. Turning back to the professor, with all the confidence he could muster knowing that he'd blown his cover he asked the question that had haunted him since opening his exam paper. "How professor, how did you know who I am?"
The professor immediately sensed the hesitation in the young man's normally confident tone. Trying to contain himself as he took in the sight of the young stud in his uniform he cleared his throat. "I wasn't completely sure that you were Robin, Mr. Grayson, but your presence here validates the suspicion I had when I heard you answer a question on a television broadcast. Human communication traits are nearly unbreakable and yours stand out to me. Partly because they are subtle and partly because of the attention you draw from me in class."
The professor had moved the receiving chairs aside to assure that his guest would be required to stand upon entry into the office. He wanted a full-length view of the young man, head to toe from the front and, from the rear with the mirror behind him. Slowly he walked from behind his desk to and leaned against the front of it, just a couple of feet from the physical perfection of the young Adonis standing before him.
"You seem a little out of sorts Mr. Grayson. I certainly hope you understand that I have no intention of harming you." The professor leaned forward on the edge of the desk slightly; the scent of the young man was that of a clean musk, his athletic prowess seemed to surround him.
"Sir, I cannot allow my identity to become public. We, I mean Batman and I, work very hard to keep the citizens of Gotham safe", his voice quaking with audible nerves Grayson continued. "I don't want you to… I can't let you tell anyone who you suspect that I am. I came today because I respect you, as a member of the faculty of Gotham University and I implore you…"
"Mr. Grayson", the professor interjected, "as I said before, I have no intention of harming you. I do however want you to know that, like a professor is naturally programmed to do, I have done my research. I not only know who you are but I also know where you live. My guess would be that your "boss" is also the man whose home in which you reside. Who better than Bruce Wayne to be able to fund the escapades of a rouge team of crime fighters on Gotham's streets? Again, I have no intention of doing you any harm Mr. Grayson." The professor stood now and stared up into the shocked but still beautiful deep green eyes of the young man before him. "Your secret is safe with me Mr. Grayson. I have no intention of harming you, Mr. Wayne or your reputation as Gotham's crime fighting duo. I do however want for you to agree to assist me in exchange for my silence. Oh, and before you speak, know that I have your identity, as well as that of the Batman's stored at my home. It will, should anything happen to me, be found. If that occurs I can assure you others will go public with your identities. I would suggest you agree to my, shall we say, requests."
Next chapter