A/N: I Swore . . . can be read as a companion piece to this story. It is Dick Grayson's thoughts while in Hastings hands.

/

Forever Robin

By

AJ

Part 10

"What have we here?" Doc Hastings said. "I haven't seen this little bird since he was a thorn in my side those many years ago. Though he's not so little any more. Stopped me from killing Wayne. Nearly killed him instead. I owe him that."

"What should we do with him?"

"What's the weather going to be like?" Hastings asked.

"Looks like there's a heavy thunderstorm moving into the area. Might be here in a couple of hours."

"Perfect," Hastings said. "Should have thought of this before. Take our little bird up to Gotham Tower. Strap him to the repeaters. Then go back to Gordon's place and finish what you started. Gordon's the last man standing. I'll finally get my revenge after all these years."

"What about Batman? He's bound to out figure out our plan."

"Our plan?" Hastings said. "The plan has been mine all along. Your plan is to make certain this bird gets the shock of his life."

/

'My head's hurting. I can't seem to focus. I keep going in and out. My thoughts are disjointed. My mind keeps going back, remembering a flickering candle on a table, an oath taken in darkness. Thunder in the distance reminding me of my heart pounding in my chest during that time. I swore an oath . . . an oath . . . an oath. Then the voices.

"Tie him good. I don't want to be here any longer that we have to. That storm should be here in an hour."

"Don't forget his belt. He may use it to escape," the second man said as he filled a syringe.

"What's that for?"

"A little insurance."

"His arms are tied with zip ties. He's not going anywhere."

"Don't be too sure, you don't know these bat types," the man said as he pushed the syringe into Robin's arm.

Robin feels the pinch of a needle then his mind drifts once again into darkness.

"Look at that lightning. We better get our of here before we get fried."

CRACKLE BOOM!

Robin's eyes snapped open. He found himself spread-eagled and strapped to the repeater tower up on the tallest building in downtown Gotham City. A flash of lightning blinded him at that moment. It galvanized him into realizing that he was in grave danger of getting struck by lightning, which was what Hastings wanted. Robin flexed and pulled on the zip ties that held him in place. He remembered he had a small narrow saw blade in the lining of his gauntlet, but he didn't know if he had enough time to get it out. It was like playing Russian roulette. You didn't know when the next strike was going to happen. The rain was starting to pour hard and heavy, blinding him as it blew into his face. He worked feverishly, pulling hard as he could on the zip ties that bound his arms.

CRACK! BOOM!

He could feel the heat from that last strike. It made every hair on his body stand on end.

"HOLY ELECTRICUTION!' his mind screamed, but there was no one to hear it. He had to get out of this. He wasn't about to let Batman down by dying.

"ROBIN!"

"BATMAN!"

"When you didn't check in, I got worried. I followed your tracking device. Found it in the street five blocks from here. I'll cut you loose."

"Hurry that storm is right on top of us. I just felt the last lightning strike and it was a hair raising experience."

Batman swiftly sliced through Robin's bonds. They dashed to the stairwell opening just as another lightning strike hit the repeater tower head on.

CRASH CRACKLE SIZZZLE!

"Looks like a lot of people's cell phones will be out of commission in this area."

"Let's go handle Doc Hastings," Batman growled.

"I don't know where his hideout is," Robin exclaimed.

"I do. Your tracking device stopped at an abandoned substation before it came into this area. The utilities were moved underground. The device must have worked itself loose. I figured Doc Hastings had something planned like this if either one of us were caught."

"Why am I not shocked," Robin quipped.

"The batmobile is waiting below. We can take care of Gordon's home later. Here, you lost this."

"My utility belt."

Batman handing him his belt as they started down the stairs.

"And I brought these. I know you've been missing them lately."

Robin gave Batman a wide grin. In his hand were Nightwing's eskrima sticks.

"Let's give Doc Hastings the shocker of his life."

Continues with Part 11