Chapter Eleven

Jamie was tied to a chair. And it wasn't even a nice chair. It was old and the wood stuck up in places around, giving him splinters. Why was he here? Where was here? Why was he tied to the chair?

His head hurt. His hands were tied behind his back. His feet were individually tied to the front legs. He was also tied around the middle securing his butt to the chair.

"Help!" He screamed. "Somebody help me!"

There was an eerie silence that followed the outburst. And he didn't like it. He hung his head and a there was a small demented chuckle that jerked his head up again. He knew that chuckle. And he was afraid of it.

He pressed himself deeper into the wooden seat to get farther away.

"What boy? Are you afraid? I thought that Bats weren't allowed to experience fear?" He taunted.

Jamie bit his lip to keep him from yelling out again. He didn't want to be here. He should've let Ellie send him back home when she said so. No, he shouldn't have come in the first place.

"What do you say we have a little bit of fun while we wait for your parents to come?"

Jamie bit his lip even harder. At this rate, it'll be bleeding.

He felt as the man walked closer to him in the room. He felt the footfalls on the floor. Jamie closed his eyes tightly. He didn't want to see. Nothing good could come from seeing.

"Don't you know it's not appropriate to not look your host in the face?"

Jamie opened a single eye. His father had always told him to do what the kidnappers asked, to an extent of what he was comfortable. Daddy had always told him that doing what they wanted was the best way to minimize injuries gathered. Daddy said that he would always be behind him. He would always find him and bring him home. But he wasn't back home. Daddy wasn't here.

"So these are the famous Grayson blue eyes."

Both of his eyes jerked open in fear. He couldn't stop himself.

"I see what they mean; your eyes have the depths to lose anyone into them. Give you a few years and the ladies will be all over you." The man reached out and caressed the hair out of his face.

Jerking his head back, Jamie let out a yell. He wasn't going to make it out of there alive and there would be no chance for him even to get a girlfriend. He would die an eight-year-old, and not even in the right time.

"Don't touch me!" He yelped.

The man withdrew his hand from the child. Slowly, making the process as uncomfortable as possible. He succeeded. Jamie began to sweat, despite the cool interior of the room.

"I'll leave you alone with your thoughts then. " He walked out to the door and was about to shut it behind him when he stopped. "Don't let the rats scare you too much." He closed the door behind him.

Jamie had to breathe deeply to keep from hyperventilating.

He was thirsty. He was so thirsty. That was all that he could think about. Water. Water. And food. He wanted food. His stomach had been empty for what, three days? Four? Five? He was fed sparingly. And when food came, it was lowly, a piece of bread and cheese once, another time it was a slice of old sausage and two crackers.

He pulled his head up from his chest. He was slow and sluggish in his movements. Lack of nourishment and sunlight was draining his youthful eight-year-old energy. His eyes were dimming slowly and he was becoming an old man.

Water was dripping in the room. Somewhere off in the corner, there was water dripping. When he first came to awake in the room it was his way to tell the time. Then he became attuned to it. And as the hunger and thirst took its toll upon his body, every drip was like a gong. Mocking him with every splash.

His ears perked when he heard the lock slide out of place.

Jamie watched as he walked in and shut the door behind him. Jamie's eyes flickered to his hands. Trying to see if there was any food for him to eat. No food. Jamie's heart fell. He licked his lips anyway.

"Now, boy, you can't get everything that you want all of the time. I have a strict schedule to keep. Things to do and people to meet."

He walked around the boy. Circled, actually.

"I met your parents the other day. Well, the younger parents. Are you sure that they don't know that they are your parents? The way that they fought and yelled, one would think they knew. Are you sure that you didn't let anything slip out?"

Jamie grit his teeth. It took all of his concentration not to blurt out that he let it slip.

"Why do you not answer me? I swear, you are completely unlike your father. He wouldn't shut up when he was captured. It seemed his goal was to annoy the hell out of his captors. He got quite good at it, apparently. Once he was captured and the kidnappers themselves turned him in because they couldn't stand the talking."

Jamie licked his lips again. He needed for something to drink. Desperately.

"Where are my manners as a host? I brought you some water."

Jamie narrowed his eyes. This man never did anything without an ulterior motive. He was in the present company long enough to have figured that out. He was young, but he wasn't stupid.

"What do you want?" His voice was hoarse, and it hurt his throat to talk.

"Nothing."

Slowly water was trickled from a bottle. Jamie reached out with his neck as far as it could go. He stuck out his tongue and managed to sip little drops from the stream of water. The moment the cool liquid reached his tongue, some relief came. But also a burning desire for more.

When the water stopped flowing, he was disappointed. Was it over already? He looked at his captor. Even behind the mask, Jamie knew he was smiling. Something was about to happen. He could feel it in his gut.

He was expecting a punch to the gut like before. Or a yanking of the hair. He didn't expect to get water dumped on his head. His first thought was of the water. What a waste. Then he felt the heavy liquid running down his face and down his neck. Oh no. Ellie was going to kill him.

"Just as I thought. You're not a true ebony are you? Well obviously, look at the black running down your neck. I'm sure if you got washed up, you would have the beautiful red hair just like your mother."

"Go AWAY!" Jamie yelled.

"I don't think so boy. You see, I run the shots in this place."

A video camcorder was set up and Jamie screamed as the shocks began.

A/N: No, Jamie! It was hard for me to write this chapter cause I just love Jamie so much. And I could totally see Dick annoying the heck out of anyone who tried to kidnap him, or is that just me? Well, anyways, Review!