AUTHOR'S NOTE: John – I decided to go with Dick, not Robin, for two reasons: (1) Dick was the one attacked and needs to face his demons and (2) Yarsmith is expecting Grayson; it might give away a secret identity if Robin showed up. But thanks for your comments!
Chapter 31
Standing in the shadows by the trees, Yarsmith keeps an eye out for the arrival of Dick Grayson. Glancing around the park, he soon finds a small shadow moving toward the skating rink. Allowing the boy to pass him, Yarsmith steps out of the shadows and follows the boy into the semi-darkness of the rink.
This has to be a trap, thinks Dick, as he slowly steps onto the skating rink and looks around.
Carefully, the boy walks around the rink, checking the jumps, looking for his school friend. Not finding her, Dick wonders if he misinterpreted the note. Looking left, then right, Dick is completely caught off guard when he is slammed from behind. Falling, the boy skids across the ground for a couple of feet before coming to a stop. Raising his face, Dick can feel the burn of multiple cuts on his face and blood on the ground from where his face hit.
"She must mean a lot for you to show," says Yarsmith, as he watches the boy roll over and slowly get to his feet.
"Where is she?" demands the boy, keeping his eyes on the man before him.
"Pretending to be brave?" questions the older man, sneering. "Remember, I've seen you cry."
Clenching his fist, Dick tries to control his emotions.
"Scared?" taunts Yarsmith, as he steps to the left to circle the boy. "You should be."
Turning, so Dick can keep his eyes on the older man, the boy refuses to respond to the provocations.
"Where is she?" demands Dick again.
"Before I am going to tell you that, I'm going to make you do a few things," responds Yarsmith.
"I'm not doing anything until I know that Ashley is safe," replies the boy, glaring at the man before him.
The man stops moving and laughs. Suddenly lunging forward, Yarsmith grabs Dick by the front of the shirt and lifts him off the ground. Pulling the boy forward, the older man stares at Dick eye to eye.
"I've already proven that I can make you," whispers Yarsmith.
Breathing irregular and eyes wide, Dick raises his foot and, with as much force as his position would allow, kicks Yarsmith into the knee. Dropping the boy, Yarsmith stumbles to the right.
"You stupid fucker," growls the older man, as he glares down at the boy, while rubbing his knee. "Just for that, when I am done with you, I'm going to your little friend's house and, when I am done, she's going to wish she were dead."
"What?" demands the boy, getting to his feet. "Ashley's not here?"
"No," replies Yarsmith, forgetting about the knee strike and moves toward the boy again. "Oh, it's her hair. I cut it from her head while she slept."
Watching the older man move toward him, Dick is ready for the next grab and uses a hand strike to knock the grab to the side. Moving into hand to hand combat, Dick blocks out what this man has done to him and focuses on defending his body. But no matter how good the boy is, Yarsmith is military trained and better. Using one of the boy own moves against him, Yarsmith spins the boy around. Wrapping an arm around Dick's throat, the older man jerks the boy back against his body, the boy's feet dangling almost two feet above the ground. Raising his hand, Dick grabs at the arm around his throat. Digging his nails into the skin, the boy tries to move the arm.
"Does it make you feel better because you fought back?" whisper Yarsmith into the boy's ear. "The ending is going to be the same."
