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Chapter two- Blackmailing the Little Bird

It had been awhile since the young bird had gotten a chance to hang out with the goofy speedster. As he punched the buttons of the game controller, hitting Wally's virtual butt. Ever since Wally and Artemis had gotten together after New Years Eve two years ago. They acted as if they were connected to the hip, eating off of each other's plates, and planning dates that left his and Wally's friendship in a rut.

Dick was still pissed about a few weeks ago that he and Wally had scheduled a night at the arcade only to walk into the living room, thinking he would find the speedster emptying out the contents in the kitchen waiting for him but in reality found the couple making out on the couch. He didn't bother to stop them as he walked out of the room.

He had received a phone call later that night from the speedster asking him why he didn't show up. In which he lied and said something about having to be on patrol. He remembered the long pause and the speedster snapped at him telling him that he was the reason that they hardly hung out anymore, and that he needed to go because Artemis was coming over soon.

Dick could recall the pang of loathing towards Artemis manipulating his friend like that, and he should have stayed calm like Bruce had taught him but he couldn't and he started cried, throwing his phone away from him. It hit against his bedroom wall and it snapped in two the screen cracked against the floor.

He didn't want Wally to be mad at him. He didn't want the speedster to be alone with Artemis. He wanted everything to stay like it used to be. When Wally would spend time with him and they would talk about their week. About school, their family problems or when Dick would wake up from a horrible nightmare Wally would be the first one he would call. He loved the fact that the speedster always answered never minding if it was late at night. He just listened to Dick's trembling voice about the dream and tried to do whatever he could to calm the bird down.

Everything just had changed between the two.

"Dude seriously?" Dick hears Wally whine out as the game on the television screen indicated that the game was over.

"That's makes it five to zip ." Dick shouts out punching a fist into the air, giggling at the face the speedster was making at him.

"Well, Dick I think you're cheating!" Wally teases the bird's name and reached over to grab Dick's controller as Dick pulls his hands away from Wally who has a hold of the controller trying to wrench it away.

"I'm not cheating you're just not a pro like me." Dick states pulling the controller back. Which the speedster pulls it towards himself. They play tug of war with each other both asking to let go and finally as if planned both let go of the controller. Dick feels something suddenly whack against his forehead and he groaned leaning down to hold his head in his hand, as he hears Wally asking if he was okay.

"Uh, I'm fine." he says rubbing the sore spot with his hand.

"Let me see." Wally asks and Dick feels Wally's hand softy grip his chin and lift his head upward a bit. He feels Wally carefully pull his bangs back and inspect the area, slightly caressing the light bump. The bird begins to shiver at the feel, watching as Wally leans in closer and the speedster's soft lips touch his forehead.

Blue eyes widen in shock behind his darkened shades as Wally leans back, smiling at him softy. "There might be a bruise. Sorry about that."

Dick opens his mouth about to ask what the heck just happened when a voice from the intercom stops him.

"Batman reporting to team. Suit up. It's him."

"Yeah you must be feeling the aster." Robin hears himself huff out still trying to wiggle free with his right hand and begins to figure out that its duck tape holding him there.

"Oh, dear boy I am, I must say. But if I were you I'd keep still." Dick tries turning his head in the direction the man went and heard him rustling around in the darkness.

"What are you doing?" he asks and the only response he gets is a light streaming above him, blinding his vision for awhile.

"A experiment little one." he hears then a steel box is set upon the floor next to him. He watches panicking as the man hooks up the device connecting it to the wires around his ankles, and he knows exactly what kind of experiment this man wants to try on him.

"No matter what you do. You cannot make me to talk." Robin snares out even though his heart is pounding against his chest.

"On the contrary Robin. I can make you sing…"

A horrendous shriek rattles around the room as the little bird squawked out his pain, as the electric current zapped through him. His nerves, all throughout his body, were screeching and begging the pain to end the stinging that stabbed each cell repeatedly.

When it ends. He is panting frantically, trying to gain his composure, to keep calm and breathe steadily. That's what Batman had taught him. To keep calm in a situation where his is being held captive. But he wasn't breathing steadily, it was ragged and it hurt to breathe in. he feels himself cough out and he hangs his head, feeling the tears water in his eyes.

"I'm not an animal Robin. I just want answers that isn't too hard is it?" the man asks and Robin feels his gloved hand stroke his face. He tries to wrench his face back but stops from the pain.

"Now tell me boy, who is Batman?"

'They sometimes will ask questions. To find out information pertaining personally to you. Captors will ask what they can against you.'

Dick tries to remember what his mentor told after that while looking around the room again, trying to find a way to get free, instead he is met with another charge of electricity from the pod. Dick cringes, and gasps out like a fish out of water.

Suddenly the charge stops yet again and fingers wrench his head back and Dick groans out, staring at the masked man above him,

"Hm, you're such a pretty boy, and your very young. How does one like yourself get pulled into a life of this? Tell me Robin where are your parents?"

"In the ground." Robin hisses out, keeping still knowing that a right amount of strength will break him free.

"As is mine." he hears Slade saying pulling strands of his ebony colored hair off of his sweat drenched face. Then advancing towards the controller for the shock.

That was when Dick pulled at his bonds one last time. With all the strength he could muster. And he felt himself get freed.

He watches as Slade looks up and Dick lets his arm swing at the man, knocking him down for mere seconds. Robin bends down hastily his hands shaking as he rips his ankles free, getting out of the chair and running towards the exit.

He doesn't even make it two steps before Slade's hand wraps itself around his ankle and he falls to the ground, covering his face for protection.

Dick feels Slade's body on top of his pinning him to the cold cement floor, tossing him onto his back pulling his hands off of his face.

"Oh, little bird I knew you would try something like this. I knew Bruce taught you well. But he didn't teach you everything."

Robin's eyes begin to widen as he looked up at the man who he knew for sure was smirking above him, "How did you?"

"Know? I know everything about you Richard Grayson." he hears Slade say in a harsh whisper getting closer to him and he lets out a gasp as he feels gloved hands begin to rip his uniform away from his body and he begins to struggle against the man's hold, which evidently Slade had him perfectly pinned.

He feels a nail run along his bare chest before discarding the top of his uniform completely. Dick finally cries out as he feels Slade's hands on his waist and the movement are halted. He breathes in deeply knowing he is about to cry and he jumps slightly when he Slade mouth next to his ear.

"Something wrong, Dickey?" He asks in a low voice, and Dick shakes violently as he feels the mask on his ear.

"Don't Slade, please stop." Dick said his voice is barely above a whisper but he knows that Slade is aware of his fear.

Slade smiles to himself, satisfied by the reaction. He places a single gloved finger against the bird's lips.

"It's okay little one. Just calm down. As long as you do what I tell you. I won't hurt you. Soon Richard you will become my apprentice. We'll start training tomorrow."

"I-"

"Hush, little bird time to sleep." he stands up suddenly and watches as the boy curls into himself, his body trembling and Slade knew it had nothing to do with the temperature in this drafty room.

Dick hears the door shut and he finally lets his cries of desperation out, knowing what this meant. He had to stay with Slade. His secret was at risk. He just hoped that when Batman found out he would know what to do, and save him from this nightmare.

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~Bodyinthegarden~