Terry and his parents had gone to watch a movie together and night had fallen by the time the movie ended. Their house wasn't far off from the cinema as they lived in the crowded central district of Gotham so they chose to walk back home.

Little did they know that they were being followed and the consequences of that decision of walking back home could turn out to be deadly.

A figure in black with a scythe over the left hand was keeping to the shadows yet following the little family, waiting for the time they would take the turn to the alley that connected to their street. That alley was usually darkened so striking at them there would be much easier as compared to the busy streets.

They had just taken the turn and the figure grew alert, knowing the time had come.

But before the McGinnis family could be harmed, a vigilante in red and black swooped down, blocking the path of that mysterious figure with his bo staff. 

Red Robin had been keeping a very close watch on the McGinnis family too and right then, he had come in between to protect them.

Ever since Mona had told him about the weird instinctive warning she got from Andrea Beaumont, Tim had met the woman too and experienced the same. Therefore, he had dug out Bruce's old cases and found out about the Phantasm, a Grim Reaper like mercenary who focused on taking down crime families.

He took Helena's help to figure out more about the Phantasm since the woman had worked with her to eliminated Carmine Falcone's gang, the mob boss responsible for the murder of the Bartinellis.

And that was how he figured out that his assumption of Andrea Beaumont being the Phantasm had been right. Even though Helena told him that there was nothing to worry about considering Andrea, still he wanted to make sure that none of them came to any harm.

Hence from the past few days, he had himself being monitoring three families; the Meyers, the McGinnis family as well as his own.

That night, he had spotted the Phantasm following Terry and his parents so he had immediately left his patrol areas after telling Oracle that there was something he had to look after. Right then as the family had taken the turn to the dark alley, he knew it was time to block the Phantasm or else they could be at risk.

Andrea had not been expecting him to be there and took a step back. The voice from her communicator had gotten disoriented as she took it out and crushed it.

She knew Amanda Waller would be frantic at the moment but she could not let her know that she had been stopped by a Bat vigilante.

"Miss Beaumont, I would prefer if we talk the matter out rather than resort to bloodshed," his voice was low but very calm, as if he had carefully thought out each outcome.

She had gotten startled that he knew who she was and seeing that he wasn't going to let her take her mission to completion, she quickly changed her decision.

She lowered her scythe and nodded, agreeing to Red Robin's offer.

After all, he was the best person to be made aware of what Amanda Waller was planning regarding the future Batman. Because if Terry could not be the next Batman since Andrea had left the mission of killing his parents, there was already one of Batman's vigilantes who had the potential of taking the mantle.

And that vigilante was standing right in front of her.

***

"A future Batman?"

"Yes," Andrea had accepted the coffee cup he had held out towards her after perching on the rails.

"That's ridiculous..."

She shrugged nonchalantly, drinking the coffee she had been offered. 

Right then both of them were at Gotham Tower, still in their vigilante attire but both knew each other's identities by then so it didn't make much of a difference. Andrea had filled him in on Amanda Waller's mission and he had been surprised to hear that.

"But you were actually going to kill innocent people for a cause that makes no sense," Red Robin spoke up, "if it were any other person than you, I might not be here at the moment just talking to you."

"You feel obligated to hear out my side of the story just because I'm family to Dora and Alex, don't you?"

He shook his head, "a yes and a no. You did not kill Terry's parents but had I not been there, maybe you would have."

"I feel like in another case you wouldn't have been lenient."

He shrugged, "I am a protector of this city and all the citizens are equal for me. Anyone posing a threat to innocent lives would find me standing on the opposition, even if that person is from my family or close to them."

Nostalgia struck her at that statement and she removed the mask that was covering her features. "I don't think Waller has to worry about creating another Batman," she resumed, "Batman has people in plenty to carry on his legacy. One of them being you."

"Exactly what makes me wonder why you still took up the mission and was about to take it to completion if I hadn't stepped in time to block you."

She didn't reply just yet, brow furrowing in deep thought as if reflecting over the question. "I had no intentions of murdering the boy's parents," she took in a deep breath as she spoke up, "at least not after all I found out about him. But I am a mercenary and I agreed to take up that mission. If I left it without reason, that would have raised questions. So in a sense I am glad you came in between and stopped me."

Red Robin didn't quite understand what she meant by that. It was almost as if she was implying that there was some obligation for her to carry out that mission. "Miss Beaumont, I feel like you need my help but that can only be possible for me if you tell me everything. About this mission as well as Amanda Waller. Maybe then we can figure out a way to convince her that whatever she's planning to do to create a future Batman is useless."

Andrea thought about it for a while then nodded, "alright, I will tell you everything. But on the condition that you will accompany me and explain it to Waller yourself.

"And this is in no way a trap to get me out of your way?"

"I swear, Timothy, I am not deceiving you," she remarked and her features were blank as she looked at him, "Waller would need a good reason to abandon the project. And so far you're the only way to persuade her."

His brow furrowed slightly in uncertainty, "but why me?"

"Because she would need to see for herself that there is already someone who has the potential to take on Batman's mantle after him," she concluded.

The words didn't set right with him and he struck upon a point she had made right then, "I won't take up Batman's mantle ever."

She shook her head slightly, blue eyes focusing on him again, "for the time being that doesn't matter. You would want Terrence and his family to be safe, right?"

"Yes but..."

"Then don't refuse. Come with me to her headquarters. I assure you that if anything goes wrong, I will look after it myself."

He took his time to make his decision and eventually, he agreed to go with her. He knew he was probably risking himself again but that once he wasn't going to make the mistake of facing everything on his own.

He didn't know whether he could fully trust Andrea either so he excused himself for a while, reenabling his connection to the Batcave.

"Red Robin, why was your link down?" Barbara's voice sounded from the comm right after.

"Oracle, I need you to keep tracking me. And if I signal for help, send Nightwing and Robin."

That statement made Barbara worried but she kept herself composed and replied, "noted. Tracker enabled."

***