Chapter 15

"Message in a Bottle"

New York – 1940

Dian Belmont had been kidnapped.

She was just the latest in a string of high profile kidnappings. The D.A. was pressing the police hard to find her. The fact that she was his daughter only heightened the need to a quick resolution. Extra manpower was called in along with many favors.

All the previous victims had been found, after the ransoms had been paid, but they were only shells of their former selves. Things had been done to them, horrible, unspeakable things. A shudder went through the D.A. when he thought of those things happening to Dian.

It made finding her all the more desperate. As he looked over the map of the city, trying to coordinate the search, the D.A. couldn't help wondering why she'd been in that part of town? No decent people ever went there, especially alone. Certainly, young, well-bred women don't go to that part of town, ever. What were you thinking, Dian? I just pray we're in time.

New York - Across town

At the Dodds mansion, another man's thoughts were filled with Dian as well. Wesley Dodds needed to find her. Unlike the D.A. or the police, he knew why she'd been in that part of town. She'd been looking for him.

The kidnappers somehow knew that. It was a trap. When he'd revealed himself to save her, they had struck. The poison should have killed him on the spot. He fought against it. It was Dian that made it possible for him to escape, but now she was in their clutches. They would make her pay for his meddling. He couldn't allow that.

As he tried to stand another bout of spasms tore over his body. He collapsed back on his bed, the poison burning through his system. He gasped for air, his body covered in sweat. He felt weak and helpless, unable to save the woman he loved. The poison was just too much for his overtaxed system and he fell into unconsciousness.

The dreams started again.

Wesley wasn't like ordinary men in this regard. Wesley Dodds possessed the power of prophetic dreaming. His dreams often came to him as cryptic, ambiguous visions. That was the case this night. They started with visions of Dian chained in a cellar. Her dress was ripped and there was blood running down from her nose and mouth. Wesley could hear laughter, the laughter of her capturers. They were enjoying this. Rage boiled up inside of him.

Then the visions shifted.

The scene was unfamiliar to him, Images of people and places flashed in and out. It was all so disjointed, yet they all seemed to be centered on two individuals.

Lovers.

He could see them in each others arms suspended high above the clouds. How this was possible he didn't know. It was new love, he instinctively knew, the first blush of deep emotions. They probably didn't even realize it yet. They looked so perfect together.

Some sort of translucent tentacles reached out and began to pull them down towards the ground. They didn't seem to notice at first, but as the ground approached they began to resist. The pull was too strong and they hit the ground hard. They were pulled from each other's arms.

The images shifted again. Wesley saw angry faces, unfamiliar to him, but somehow the lovers seemed to know them. At first the faces weren't of enemies, but people close to the lovers. More and more faces appeared, as the lovers were pulled further and further apart.

Fear.

It wasn't coming from the lovers, but Wesley felt it all around them. How could love inspire fear, he wondered?

Another spasm of pain lanced through his body. The bed was soaked down to the mattress with his sweat. The dreams kept coming.

Wesley saw the man struggling to get back to the woman. They were both so young, much like Wesley and Dian. He could sense the man was powerful, beyond anyone Wesley knew it his daily life, yet there was nothing menacing about him. Wesley got his first good look at the young man's face. He wasn't sure why, but there was something about that face that inspired trust. The young man seemed to be calling to the woman, but his words were lost in the wind. The dream pulled back and Wesley suddenly realized the young man was at the center of what looked like a spider web. It was massive, stretching out further than Wesley could see. Each of the strands seemed connected to a multitude of people and places.

Every time the young man moved, vibrations went out along those strands and affected the others, which in turn sent more vibrations out along other strands.

The visions swirled and suddenly Wesley was seeing the young woman again. She was chained up like Dian, yet just as beautiful. He felt a strength and defiance coming from the young woman. The laughter came again, but it was joined with jeers and shouts. Insults and vulgar jokes were hurled at her, yet she stood unbowed. Why was she such a threat, Wesley wondered? Why was everyone trying to keep her away from him?

A shadow fell over both the young man and woman. Buildings, skyscrapers shot up from the ground. It was a city, but the design and look was much more modern than Wesley had ever seen before. Parts of it reminded him of Gotham, but the landmarks weren't the same. There was an evil that seemed to permeate the city. Crime was rampant and innocence's were suffering, just like Dian.

Standing on one of the highest buildings, silhouetted against the ominous sky, Wesley saw the dark figure looking down over the city. There was fear associated with him, yet Wesley felt no evil. The man in black was some sort of protector. He was a good man at heart, Wesley just knew.

Just like the other young man, threads seemed to radiate out from the dark figure. Wesley couldn't help noticing that several in particular ran directly to the figure's heart. They seemed so battered and gnarled, Wesley knew only unbearable pain could have caused that. A woman's face flashed through Wesley's mind and then he saw one of the threads connected to the dark figure's heart shake violently. The pain sent him to his knees, yet he struggled to stand again. The dark figure turned and seemed to look off towards the horizon. The threads that connected to his heart didn't stop there, but ran through his body and stretched out and connected with others. One of those connected was the first young man. As he struggled to get to the young woman, it sent vibrations along the thread back to the dark man. The woman's face appeared again and just added to the vibrations. The dark man valiantly tried to stand, but the pain was too much.

Spasms rippled over Wesley's stomach, doubling him over. He coughed violently, blood spraying out from his lips. Sweat ran down his forehead, stinging his eyes as he finally collapsed back on the bed.

The visions continued. A young teenage woman stood alone with ruins all around her. Wesley's heart went out to her as everywhere she turned, her world seemed to turn to ash and dust. The loneliness and despair were palpable. The threads connected to her were mostly severed. One lone strand stretched out to the young man at the center of the web. He was her only connection. As he struggled to get to his lover, it caused the strand to pull at the teenager. Wesley felt her fear rise as she thought the young man was trying to pull away from her. The teenager fought desperately to hold onto the strand and pull him back to her. She didn't realize he wasn't pulling away from her, but struggling to reach his lover. Wesley's heart went out to her, wishing he could help but then the vision changed.

A vision of beauty suddenly appeared. She may have been the most stunning woman Wesley had ever seen. Raven locks tumbled down around her shoulders framing her gorgeous poised face. The threads were connected to her as well. They were so thin he could barely see them. They were similar, yet different from the others. The one at the center of her being seemed to stretch back almost as if it were reaching into the past, yet at the same time it stretched out into the future. It seemed to be a constant tug of war between the two directions. There were also strong threads that stretched out to the two men, the young man at the center of the web and the dark man. These seemed to pull constantly at her as well. It was as if she didn't know where she belongs and thus was always alone.

Wesley felt as if he were falling, unable to stop himself. The visions seemed to be racing away from him. The strands running from the young man at the center spread out further and further. More faces appeared, some friendly, others menacing. Strange, alien faces, unlike anything Wesley had ever seen appeared and they were all focused on the young man at the center. He either didn't notice or care, his whole focus on getting to his lover.

The vision shifted and Wesley saw Dian scream.

"No!' He shouted, sitting upright in bed. His body was still racked by spasms, the sweat hot on his skin. He gasped for breath, trying to will himself to get up, but there was no strength in his arms and legs. It was hopeless.

The bedroom was dark, but suddenly Wesley realized he wasn't alone. Standing in the doorway was a figure. A tall, thin man with bone-white skin, black hair, and two distant stars looking out from the shadows where his eyes should be silently stood looking at him.

"You," Wesley gasped. "Is this your doing?"

The man shook his head no.

"The visions, you know about them, don't you?"

The man nodded.

"I need to find Dian, but I'm so weak. I just need to rest awhile," Wesley said, his voice faltering.

"No," the man finally spoke. "Your time to sleep is passed. Go to Dian, Wesley, find her."

For some reason the man's words seemed to resonate inside Wesley and slowly he managed to stand. He was shaky, but Dian needed him. Stumbling weakly, he moved over to his clothes and began to dress. As he pulled on his muted green suit jacket, he turned once more to the man.

"The visions? They're all of the future, aren't they,' he asked.

The man nodded.

"Someone should let them know, all of them," Wesley said.

The man seemed to think about if for a moment.

"You'll warn them somehow, won't you?"

"Perhaps," the man smiled. Wesley reached down for his hat and when he turned back, the man was gone.

"Morpheus," Wesley said with a shake of his head. He picked up his trench coat and gear and headed out.

New York - The Lower East Side

Fear filled Teddy Boyle and he ran for his life. A career criminal, he was hardened by his time on the mean streets. He had believed that there was nothing out there that could scare him. Tonight he found out he was wrong. He was frantic, fear propelling his legs faster and faster. That thing behind him wasn't human, it was a nightmare, Teddy wildly thought.

He made a mad dash down another alley, but in is panic he tripped and fell. A shadow stretched over him.

"OH, God, please, don't kill me! Don't kill me," he begged. He looked around desperately, but there was no escape. The figure moved closer and in the shadows Teddy could barely make him out. The figure stopped right in front of Teddy and then pointed what looked like a gun at him.

"Where. Is. She," the figure said, emphasizing each word. The voice was distorted, but the menace in its tone was clear. The figured moved closer, his shadow engulfing Teddy.

"I'll tell you, I swear, just don't kill me!"

New York – The Bowery

The police finally got a tip on the location of Dian Belmont. They had twisted enough arms and broke more than a few bones, but someone finally talked. The commissioner ordered the riot squad out and they now surrounded the building where she was being held. The D.A. was arguing that storming the building might get Dian killed, but the commissioner didn't want to wait.

There was an eerie calm coming from the building.

The commissioner finally agreed to give the kidnappers one warning before he sent his men in.

"This is the commissioner of police. We have you surrounded. There's no escape. Come out with your hands up!" He said over the bullhorn. There was no response, just more silence.

"All right, boys, get ready to storm the building, " he said to his men. Just as he was about to give the order, the front door of the building opened. Every gun was pointed at it, as a figured stepped outside. Floodlights flashed onto the figure. It was Dian. She was wrapped in a blanket and held one hand up to shield her eyes from the light.

"Hold your fire," the commissioner shouted. Dian slowly made her way down the steps, her legs shaky. As she reached the bottom, two officers swooped in and whisked her away. The signal was given and the building was stormed.

The police didn't know what to make of what they found. The kidnappers were all asleep. Several had bruises as if they'd been in a fight recently. As the commissioner walked around the scene he didn't believe it.

"What the hell is going on here," he said. "This is too weird."

"It's better than they deserve, if you ask me."

"Jeez, Corrigan, is all you care about revenge," the commissioner ask the detective.

"It's vengeance, not revenge, there's a difference," Corrigan replied.

"Hey! I think we found one awake," an officer said. "Well, sort of."

Everyone rushed over to the officer. He held open a closet door and huddled on the floor inside was Teddy Boyle. His knees were pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. He was shaking all over, his eyes wild with fear.

"All right, who did this," Corrigan asked. He got no response.

"I guess we'll have to beat it out of him."

"Can't you see the man's in shock," the commissioner said. He gave Corrigan a look and then slowly knelt down next to Teddy. His voice was soft and calm.

"It's over, you can relax now, you're safe. Just tell us who did this?"

At first it seemed Teddy didn't hear him either, but then he slowly turned and looked at the commissioner. His wild eyes blinked and then a tear ran down his cheek. His voice was faint and filled with fear.

"The Sandman."