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A Matter of Life and Death Chapter 4

By Marcie Gore

Story synopsis: Dick is Kidnapped by a revenge seeking ex employee
of Bruce's

Unfortunately I'm not the one who opened the door! Joe and his cronnie are
back how did they get back so fast, Wayne Manor is very isolated? Maybe I'm
being held somewhere close by.

"Larry, you let the kid get out how could you do that?!," He screams then he
starts hitting the guy.

Larry says, " I gave him a strong sedative. Either he's immune to it or he spit
it out."

"Why didn't you check to see that he took it, you lazy good for nothing?! I
just bet you were sleeping on the job." He keeps beating Larry as he begs for
mercy. He's saved when his assailant notices I'm headed out the door.
He then turns his full attention and fury on me. He starts beating me. I
think this is going to hurt later. I don't think the one I got from Two face was
this bad. After a few minutes I pass out.

It's time for Batman to do some investigating . He has just one case on his
mind tonight. First to the scene of the crime. Even he misses clues
sometimes. This time he lets himself in. He notices the clock on the
bedroom wall stopped around 4:35AM, that was probably about the time the
kidnappers took him. Dick said he was drugged. They obviously
remembered to take the needle with them. He has enough finger prints already.
Now he has to find a witness.

He questions every citizen of the night he comes across. He talks to
prostitutes, night watchmen, people going home after the late shift. No one
will admit to having seen anything.

Finally a waitress from the Bludhaven Café, Maybelle says she saw a young
man being forced into a van, on her way home last night. Her conscious has
been bothering her since she saw it but she didn't know who to report it to.
The BHPD isn't very effective.

She tells him, she'd seen the victim before. They'd talked at the café, he seems
so nice, but she didn't know anything about his family. All she knows is his
first name Dick. She barely got a look at the kidnappers, but one had dirty
blonde hair, the other two dark brown. They were all wearing black; the only
reason I could see them was a car stopped with its headlights still on.

The guy who seemed to be the leader was well spoken for a kidnapper. The other
two acted like hoods. The van they forced Dick into was metallic blue, an 97
Ford with Gotham plates The plate number was TZ 123A. I don't think they
saw me. If they had I might be in just as much danger as that sweet boy is. By
the way, Batman how did you get involved in a kidnapping in the Haven?,
Maybelle asks.

"As a favor to a friend" he says simply. Then he releases his jump line and is
gone. As he flies through the night air, he thinks, I won't fail you Dick. I
will find you ,find and make those men pay. I promise you son. Tomorrow
morning I will get the money released by Lucius Fox

He finds a van resembling the one Maybelle told him about. He gets his lock
pick kit but it's not needed. The back door opens readily. He uses a
magnifying glass to search for minute clues such as clothing fibers and
strands of hair, he picks up several strands with tweezers and places them in
a bag. He will perform DNA test on them later. He also collects tiny spatters of
blood to test . When he is through he returns to the cave for the tests. Then he
will try to sleep. He's even more tightly wound than usual.

The next day Bruce goes to Wayne Enterprises to see Lucius Fox to tell him
about Dick's abduction and to arrange the release of the six million dollars..
Mr. Fox tells him he can have the money an hour or two before the drop.
Bruce's long time employ and friend can see the strain on his face. He puts his
hand on Bruce's shoulder and says he and his family will say prayers for Dicks
safe return.

An hour and a half later Bruce's secretary hands him a box. Security has
already checked it out. It's a video tape. He puts it in the VCR and watches in
horror, he tries to keep his emotions in check. Those animals, he mutters
under his breath . As horrifying as it is to watch he can't take his eyes off
the screen.

His son was being beaten bloody by those savage monsters. When his boy
falls to the ground, he's eerily still. The only hint that he's still alive is the
slow rise and fall of his chest. They drag him to a closet and leave him there,
bleeding and apparently unconscious . They WILL pay!

He decides he better leave before he does something in public he'll regret.
Before he leaves Lucius tells him to call him if he needs anything more.
Bruce calls Alfred to take him home. He knows he shouldn't drive right now.
He puts the tape in his brief case to examine closer in the Batcave.


I wake up in the closet again. This time my feet are shackled to the floor.
The ropes around my wrists are tighter. There's dried blood all over me, and I
don't think there's a part of me that doesn't hurt, I'm pretty sure I have a
broken leg and a concussion. I most likely have a dislocated shoulder.

I guess another escape attempt is out of the question. Even if I was in the
physical condition to try , they'd probably kill me next time. I hate being
helpless, but this time It looks like Bruce will have to rescue me.

I'm beginning to think this kidnapping is only 10% about the money 90%
about revenge. If it were more about greed I'd be more likely to get out of this
alive I know he can take care of himself but I'm also afraid for Bruce. This
guy really hates him.

I know Bruce would risk his life for me. He has more times than I can
count. As difficult as our relationship has been I know he'd die for me and I'd
die for him.

I have to try to stay awake I know in my head I shouldn't go to sleep with a
possible head injury, but all I want to do is sleep. I have to use all of my self
control to stay awake. It'd be easier if there was any noise here, but it's too
quiet. I guess it's better than the alternative which could be gunfire. I just
want to go somewhere I'm not in pain.

TBC