A Matter of Life and Death. Chapter 3
By Marcie Gore
Summery: Dick Is kidnapped.
It's now 11: 25 AM; he heads up stairs to wait for the call. It comes at exactly 11:30.
He has the tracer set to go. A rough voice says, "Good, you're here Wayne. Listen
carefully the kid's life depends on it. Bring 6 million dollars to the Auto graveyard on the
old college road. We will give you 72 hours to come up with the money .Put the money
in gym bags nothing lower than a ten nothing higher than a fifty. Come alone, any sign of
the cops and you'll be burying another son."
" I saw the photograph you sent. I know you kidnapped him, but I want to know he's
still alive. Let me speak to him. Bruce says, trying not sound like he is begging. That's
the only way you'll get the money."
"OK, but just for a minute, he's taking a nap, he laughs evilly."
One of my captors tells me, "Daddy wants to talk to you." He removes my gag and
tells me "we'll be listening to every word you say. Say something we don't like and
you're dead!" He points the gun to my head again.
"I'm still groggy from the drug they shot me up with a few hours ago, Bruce I'm ok.
They somehow got into my apartment last night. They held a gun on me, and then they
put something in my arm. I'm still trying fight it off. You know me, I'll be ok. I lo..
I'm cut off.
" OK, Rich guy you know your boy's still alive. Now you'll do what we say right?
Although it'd be poetic justice if you lost both of you "sons" after what you did to that
poor ex-employee of yours.
"I knew I recognized your voice Kemper! So this is your game I fire you, you abduct
my son? I did what I had to. If you harm him you'll rot in prison. I'll spend the rest of my
life making sure you do. I'll do what I have to do to get Dick back.
" Good, I always knew you were a smart man. Remember though, one slip up and say
good bye to your heir." he hangs up.
"I couldn't get a trace, Alfred. He must've used a Cell phone!" With that he rips the
phone out of the wall and throws it across the room.
" My Word!" Alfred says .The loyal butler quickly picks up the phone and reconnects it.
" You were a good boy, Dicky. You just bought yourself another day of life. You might
just live to see your cute little crippled girl friend again. If you don't. You don't have to
worry. I'll look after her. She's so helpless, but I like 'em that way!"
" I bet you still don't know why we did this. It isn't just about money. Bruce Wayne
ruined my life. Now I know how I can ruin his. He fired me, when he had no reason to
fire me! He had it in for me ever since he hired me! I never did anything to him. I did
my job well. I was the best in my whole department! After I was fired my wife left me
after 15 good years of marriage. She took my boys with her. She refuses to let me see
them! Sure I hit her a FEW times but only when she deserved it. I never hit the kids
though. I had to get even, so I decided to exploit his greatest weakness. When I worked
for him I could see how much you mean to Bruce. His office is full of your pictures. He's
always talking about how proud he is of you to Mr. Fox. So I figured a son for my sons.
It's a shame someone else got to his other kid before I could though. Anyway, he'll be all
alone after I'm finished."
"I talked to some of my old buddies from Juvenile hall. They said they'd help me for a
cut of the ransom. I wasn't sure I wanted money at first. Then I thought I need something
to live on, besides The Bruce owes me! I always thought my wife would take me back if I
was rich, if she doesn't maybe I'll just take your little redhead. "You listening to me
kid?"
He slaps me hard and I fall over. I'm lucky I didn't hit my head. I somehow managed
to catch myself, even if my hands are bound, he slams the door and locks it behind him.
This guy is nuts! I have to get out of here before he or one of his buddies kills me! He
will not get anywhere near Babs or Bruce! I'll kill him before I let him hurt anyone I
love. I'm just glad he didn't mistake Tim for Bruce's son
I'm sure one of kidnappers will open the door to my pseudo-cell again soon. . When
they do I'll knock him out and escape! Hold it Grayson, you have to find something to
cut these ropes first. I feel around for a sharp object or something I can tip over and
break. I can't find anything; if I wasn't gagged I could bite the guy. I pass out again.
I wake up to the sounds of footsteps again. One of my captors must be coming to check
on me. I hear something metal hit the ground. Then I hear him leave. After he closes the
door I feel around to see what he dropped. It's a pocketknife, great! I use it to make a
small slit in my ropes. I think I can break them and escape but I'll wait till I'm sure I'm
alone.
Unfortunately I think I cut myself in the process. It doesn't seem to be deep though.
I grab a rag and press it against my wound, the bleeding stops in a minute or so. I'll clean
it later when I get a chance. The ropes are holding together just enough to make them
appear they haven't been tampered with, now I just have to wait for the right moment to
escape.
A short time later I hear the ringleader say they are going to drive by Wayne Manor
to make sure there are no police. If there are the deal is off. He laughs. The tone of his
voice terrifies me. One of them has to stay behind to make sure I don't try anything.
When those two are gone the other one says, "I'm going in the other room, maybe take a
nap. Your ropes look secure. Just to make sure you stay put, you're going to take a nap
too. He forces my mouth open and sticks a pill in. The idiot doesn't even check to see if I
swallowed it. When he closes the door I spit it out. PLEASE fall asleep quickly! I wait
till I hear snoring then work on my ropes some more. It takes longer than I thought
would. Now I have to pry the lock open with the knife. I'm losing valuable time. It finally
works. Next I do the same to the front door. It's open.
By Marcie Gore
Summery: Dick Is kidnapped.
It's now 11: 25 AM; he heads up stairs to wait for the call. It comes at exactly 11:30.
He has the tracer set to go. A rough voice says, "Good, you're here Wayne. Listen
carefully the kid's life depends on it. Bring 6 million dollars to the Auto graveyard on the
old college road. We will give you 72 hours to come up with the money .Put the money
in gym bags nothing lower than a ten nothing higher than a fifty. Come alone, any sign of
the cops and you'll be burying another son."
" I saw the photograph you sent. I know you kidnapped him, but I want to know he's
still alive. Let me speak to him. Bruce says, trying not sound like he is begging. That's
the only way you'll get the money."
"OK, but just for a minute, he's taking a nap, he laughs evilly."
One of my captors tells me, "Daddy wants to talk to you." He removes my gag and
tells me "we'll be listening to every word you say. Say something we don't like and
you're dead!" He points the gun to my head again.
"I'm still groggy from the drug they shot me up with a few hours ago, Bruce I'm ok.
They somehow got into my apartment last night. They held a gun on me, and then they
put something in my arm. I'm still trying fight it off. You know me, I'll be ok. I lo..
I'm cut off.
" OK, Rich guy you know your boy's still alive. Now you'll do what we say right?
Although it'd be poetic justice if you lost both of you "sons" after what you did to that
poor ex-employee of yours.
"I knew I recognized your voice Kemper! So this is your game I fire you, you abduct
my son? I did what I had to. If you harm him you'll rot in prison. I'll spend the rest of my
life making sure you do. I'll do what I have to do to get Dick back.
" Good, I always knew you were a smart man. Remember though, one slip up and say
good bye to your heir." he hangs up.
"I couldn't get a trace, Alfred. He must've used a Cell phone!" With that he rips the
phone out of the wall and throws it across the room.
" My Word!" Alfred says .The loyal butler quickly picks up the phone and reconnects it.
" You were a good boy, Dicky. You just bought yourself another day of life. You might
just live to see your cute little crippled girl friend again. If you don't. You don't have to
worry. I'll look after her. She's so helpless, but I like 'em that way!"
" I bet you still don't know why we did this. It isn't just about money. Bruce Wayne
ruined my life. Now I know how I can ruin his. He fired me, when he had no reason to
fire me! He had it in for me ever since he hired me! I never did anything to him. I did
my job well. I was the best in my whole department! After I was fired my wife left me
after 15 good years of marriage. She took my boys with her. She refuses to let me see
them! Sure I hit her a FEW times but only when she deserved it. I never hit the kids
though. I had to get even, so I decided to exploit his greatest weakness. When I worked
for him I could see how much you mean to Bruce. His office is full of your pictures. He's
always talking about how proud he is of you to Mr. Fox. So I figured a son for my sons.
It's a shame someone else got to his other kid before I could though. Anyway, he'll be all
alone after I'm finished."
"I talked to some of my old buddies from Juvenile hall. They said they'd help me for a
cut of the ransom. I wasn't sure I wanted money at first. Then I thought I need something
to live on, besides The Bruce owes me! I always thought my wife would take me back if I
was rich, if she doesn't maybe I'll just take your little redhead. "You listening to me
kid?"
He slaps me hard and I fall over. I'm lucky I didn't hit my head. I somehow managed
to catch myself, even if my hands are bound, he slams the door and locks it behind him.
This guy is nuts! I have to get out of here before he or one of his buddies kills me! He
will not get anywhere near Babs or Bruce! I'll kill him before I let him hurt anyone I
love. I'm just glad he didn't mistake Tim for Bruce's son
I'm sure one of kidnappers will open the door to my pseudo-cell again soon. . When
they do I'll knock him out and escape! Hold it Grayson, you have to find something to
cut these ropes first. I feel around for a sharp object or something I can tip over and
break. I can't find anything; if I wasn't gagged I could bite the guy. I pass out again.
I wake up to the sounds of footsteps again. One of my captors must be coming to check
on me. I hear something metal hit the ground. Then I hear him leave. After he closes the
door I feel around to see what he dropped. It's a pocketknife, great! I use it to make a
small slit in my ropes. I think I can break them and escape but I'll wait till I'm sure I'm
alone.
Unfortunately I think I cut myself in the process. It doesn't seem to be deep though.
I grab a rag and press it against my wound, the bleeding stops in a minute or so. I'll clean
it later when I get a chance. The ropes are holding together just enough to make them
appear they haven't been tampered with, now I just have to wait for the right moment to
escape.
A short time later I hear the ringleader say they are going to drive by Wayne Manor
to make sure there are no police. If there are the deal is off. He laughs. The tone of his
voice terrifies me. One of them has to stay behind to make sure I don't try anything.
When those two are gone the other one says, "I'm going in the other room, maybe take a
nap. Your ropes look secure. Just to make sure you stay put, you're going to take a nap
too. He forces my mouth open and sticks a pill in. The idiot doesn't even check to see if I
swallowed it. When he closes the door I spit it out. PLEASE fall asleep quickly! I wait
till I hear snoring then work on my ropes some more. It takes longer than I thought
would. Now I have to pry the lock open with the knife. I'm losing valuable time. It finally
works. Next I do the same to the front door. It's open.