Dick awakened slowly, feeling his muscles aching. He opened his eyes and found himself in a darken room, and he was chained to the bed, spread eagled. A small watt light bulb sat in a small lamp on a tiny rickety table in a corner, near the door. Dick pulled on the chains but couldn't get lose.
'Bruce, where are you?' Dick could feel the despondency begin to weigh more heavily on him. Why should Bruce save him? He had run away after all. A nobody, that no one would miss. He remembered the time, when they had gone shopping, and the lady had referred to Dick as Bruce's son. Bruce had been quick to tell her he wasn't. When the woman apologized, Bruce had replied: Not that I wouldn't be proud, if he were.
Dick lay there looking at the ceiling. Then why hadn't he adopted him? He always said he cared about him, he did things with him when he could find the time. He and Alfred worked to turn him into a gentleman. Create a young man, that Bruce could take to functions, and to show off. Was it to show off his work of art? Taking a simple, boy who never had a thing, and turn into a society playboy, like Bruce. He had heard members of the ton, their whispers about Bruce's charity case. Perhaps when he turned eighteen, he would just turn him out. Dick was confused, and wanted so much to have a father, and a real home.
The door opened, and a middle aged tall man came in. He moved over to the bed, looking down at the teenager. "Well kid, we have sent that necklace you wore and a lock of hair to your guardian. He will pay up after we call him tonight."
"No he wont, he will be glad that you took me. Save him the problem of sending me away. He doesn't care, I ran away. You made a big mistake, I'm a nobody." The man looked down at him, and took a puff on his cigarette.
"You had better hope we are right. He will pay, wouldn't want people to talk about him. It wouldn't look good if he let you die. He will pay, all five million dollars."
"I have to go to the bathroom, can you unlock these chains?" The man pulled out a filled needle from his pocket and uncapped it.
"After I give you a shot, so you don't try running off." He came closer with the needle and Dick cringed, he hated those things.
Bruce paced the Batcave stone floor, dressed and ready for action. He had just tested the hair sample and it was indeed Dick's hair. He was wearing the necklace around his own necklace. It was one he had given the boy, A tiny trapese artist, that Bruce had specially made for him.
Alfred came in with a tray of sandwiches, that Bruce ignored. Alfred stood there watching. "Sir, you will find him, and he will be fine."
"I wish I believed that. If I had done things differently, Dick would be safe at home with us. I guess I have a lot to learn about being a parent, and I want to be that to Dick. My lawyers are already drawing up the papers, just need Dick to agree to it."
The phone rang and Alfred answered it, he listened and then held out the phone to Bruce. Bruce answered the phone and listened, as his super computer traced the phone call.
"Yes this is Bruce Wayne. I wont call the police, or tell anyone. I just want the boy back. I can get that amount in a few hours. Is the boy alright? Can I talk to him?" Bruce listened and he didn't like what he heard, the sound of Someone being tortured, and their screams. "Don't you touch that boy! No money if you do, you want that more that hurting him, don't you?" He heard muffled voices, and then silence of the screams. "I want him there when we make the switch, my butler will bring the money and take the boy with him." The man accused him of not wanting to endanger himself, and being too busy.Bruce wasn't going to mention who would be there as well...Batman. "Where, and when?"
Bruce hung up, and he turned to Alfred. "You are going to make the switch, and take Dick. Batman will handle the kidnappers. Alfred put his hand on his employers shoulder.
"Remember sir, justice must be served the right way, no vengence. Your own rules." Bruce nodded, though he didn't know if he could keep that promise.
Time came for the exchange and Alfred drove the limo to the location, and got out of the car and waited, for the small van that was coming towards him. It was the warehouse district, and in a bad part of town. He knew Batman was nearby, watching.