Hey, peeps. So sorry for the confusion about the second chapter I tried to post. I was trying to be fancy and use the gadgets on here, but I think I just messed it up. Now, hopefully, this works and y'all enjoy something you can actually read, lol. Thank you, readers for bringing this to my attention, and now I will have the third and final chapter up soon. I may do an epilogue chapter, depending on how much people like or review. Speaking of which, any comments, criticisms, or just a short review is great for my confidence. Thanks!
-Bruce-
Bruce was just leaving the office when Alfred called.
"Master Bruce," he said in a rushed voice, totally unlike the usually calm Englishman he was, "I'm afraid I have some concerning news."
Bruce was mildly worried now. Alfred was never this upset.
"It's Master Dick, sir. He's gone."
If Bruce was worried before, he was past the point now. He was headed down the one way street of panicking.
"Alfred, what do you mean 'gone'?"
"I was in the store, sir, and I left Master Dick in the Bentayga. When I came back, Master Dick wasn't in the car. I looked everywhere for him. I even searched the store."
Bruce's heart was pounding ferociously. His son was gone.
"I'm going to call Detective Gordon; come meet me at the manor, please, Alfred."
"Of course, sir... And, sir?"
"Yes?"
"We will find him again."
"I know, Alfred. We will."
-Dick-
The rhythm of the car had somehow lulled Dick into dozing as he laid his head against the window. It felt like only a minute later that the truck stopped. Dick's eyes peeked open to see a rough hand reaching for him. Dick shot up with a gasp, trying to scramble back between the door and the seat.
"Stop runnin' away, kid," Blondie warned. "You know what'll happen if you don't listen."
Dick reluctantly stopped moving, but he couldn't stop his mind from screaming at him. Was this how all kidnappings went? Was he going to be held for ransom? Were all kidnappers so mean? And when was Bruce going to get him?
Dick was so, so frightened. He just wished he could voice his questions. The gag scared him. He needed to talk. Every time he tried to move his mouth, the tape pulled at his lips painfully.
Blondie wrapped an arm around Dick and hoisted him out of the car, pulling the boy against his own torso. Dick felt the man's chest against his back. He panicked and started wriggling, but the man raised his hand and struck the boy again. Dick let out a muffled yelp.
"I told you, boy. Stop fightin'."
Dick went limp.
He was hoisted over Blondie's shoulder, then carried away. Dick examined his surroundings.
The road was gravel, the grass an ugly yellow-greenish color, not like normal, pretty grass. He saw Brownie's -he knew, it was a stupid nickname, but he couldn't think of anything else- black boots in his vision, following Blondie. He couldn't see where they were headed, but the gravel suddenly turned to a sidewalk. Then he felt man under him take a step . Where were they going?
He didn't have to wonder very long, because he heard the creak of a door, and then saw old floorboards as the man walked forward. A house. It must have been an abandoned one, because other than the three of them, it was quiet.
Dick felt hands move from the backs of his legs to his waist, then being pulled down from Blondie's shoulder. And the man didn't do it gently. Dick grunted as he was plopped down on an old dusty couch. He looked past his blue-shirted captor and up into the brunet's dark green eyes. There was a glimpse of something in there... Pity?
Dick had no time to search further, because the man's eyes shifted to Blondie.
"What now?" Brownie asked.
"Now we call daddy Bruce," Blondie replied, watching Dick. "And we see how much we can squeeze outta the rich jerk."
Dick shrank back under the man's gaze. At least he confirmed that he was being held hostage. But that wasn't necessarily comforting. He just wanted to go home. He has no idea where he was, he missed Bruce and Alfred, and he didn't understand why these men were so mean. If they wanted money, they didn't have to take him. They could have asked Bruce for a job. Then they could earn the money instead of being so mean.
Dick was overwhelmed. His whole body was trembling, and he felt sick. He felt the urge to cry, but he wouldn't break down in front of these guys. He could be strong. He tried to be. But he had never been in this situation before. And he didn't know what to do. Dick felt a traitorous tear slide down the bridge of his nose. He sniffled, taking in a deep breath and trying to compose himself. Bruce would come get him. Dick just had to wait.
A few minutes later, Blondie knelt down next to Dick and peeled the tape off of the boy's mouth with rough fingers. More tears shimmered in Dick's eyes, mostly from the pain of the tape.
"You're going to tell me what his phone number is. And you know the consequences."
-Bruce-
Bruce was at Wayne Manor talking to Detective Gordon, Alfred standing by the side and relating everything that had happened. Not that he knew much of what happened, since he was in the store at the time Dick disappeared. All they knew was that Dick was gone.
"Could it be that Dick ran away?" Gordon asked.
"No, I don't think so," Bruce replied. "As far as I knew, Dick was happy here. He never voiced any problems with me or Alfred, never complained of anything."
Gordon hummed in thought. A terrible idea came to Bruce.
"What...what if he was kidnapped?" he asked slowly.
Alfred looked appalled.
"It's possible," Gordon said. "We can look into traffic cameras on that street and see if he was taken."
"Ye-" Bruce's phone rang from his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning at the unknown phone number.
"Excuse me."
He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Bruce, " a gravelly voice answered. "We have something of yours."
Bruce's heart leapt into his throat.
"Where is he?" he growled.
Gordon and Alfred gave Bruce worried looks. Bruce returned them with a grave one.
"He's right here with me. And he isn't going anywhere until we get what we want."
A ransom. Oh, Dick. This is exactly what he had told the boy a few days ago. Dick was probably scared, confused, worried. If he was even conscious.
"Is he alright?" Bruce asked. "I want to talk to him."
There were a few moments of silence.
"No funny business." There was a slight rustling on the other end of the line, then a small voice.
"Bruce?"
Relief flooded through him like a tidal wave.
"Dick. Are you okay? You're not hurt?"
"No. I-I'm fine. Bruce, I think they're holding me for ransom," he said with a worried tone.
Bruce's heart broke at the scared shakiness in Dick's voice.
"I know, buddy. I'm going to get you back soon. I promise."
"O-okay. Bruce...I...I'm scared. I don't like these men. One of them hurts me."
He could hear the boy was on the verge of tears.
Oh, Dick. Bruce was going to kill them.
"I know, Dick. It's going to be okay. You'll be back with me and Alfred in just a little bit. I'm going to get you. Do you know where you are?"
There was another moment of silence.
"No. But I'm in the country in an abandoned old hou-" Bruce heard Dick yelp, then scared cries from him.
"No! Let go! Bru-mmph!"
There was a sound on the other end that sounded suspiciously like skin on skin. Bruce heard a second yelp from the boy.
"Dick!"
The gruff voice came through again.
"I told you. No funny business. That'll cost you extra."
"Please, just don't hurt Dick. I'll pay."
"Four million. By tomorrow evening. Real bills, no tracers. We'll call you."
Tomorrow. He didn't have enough time to gather that much money.
"No, I nee-"
"Four million. Friday," the voice interrupted. "Or Dickie here gets it."
The line went dead. Bruce turned to Gordon with a shocked face.
"They have Dick. And they want four million dollars by tomorrow. He said he would call back."
Alfred's face remained stoic, but his eyes gleamed with anger. Gordon looked grim.
"Alfred," Bruce said, suddenly all business. He had a boy to save, after all. "We have phone calls to make."
-Dick-
Brownie set Dick back onto the couch, a new silver piece of tape stretched over the boy's now-chapped lips, and a bloody nose from Blondie.
Dick didn't bother holding back the tears now, even though Brownie was watching. He was so scared. He just wanted Bruce. He wanted Alfred. He wanted his parents.
Waves of tears burned his eyes, and it was hard to breathe with the blood trickling out his nose and the gag keeping him from inhaling. He couldn't believe he had to wait this long. He had to wait almost a whole day until he could be back with Alfred and Bruce. What was he even supposed to do? Sit there the whole time, just tied up?
Brownie looked away from Dick and back to Blondie.
"Hey, AJ. It's gettin' dark. We're gonna have to spend the night. We need blankets and stuff."
Dick inhaled sharply. AJ. That's Blondie's name.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I think I have some in the truck. We can look in here, too," AJ replied.
"I'll look out in the truck, then," Brownie said. "You look here."
AJ grunted in acknowledgment. He trudged up the stairs to another room, while Brownie went out the creaky door in front of him.
Dick looked around. The couch on which he sat was an ugly tan color, printed with red and blue flowers. There were a few holes and rips in it. To his right, there was a dusty circular table with two old chairs pushed in next to it. The old wood was clearly warped and the reddish paint chipped. Between the wall beside him and the couch, there was a bathroom, but Dick couldn't see anything but the toilet. He suddenly realized he had to use the bathroom. Badly. He hadn't noticed before, since he was a bit...distracted. But he wasn't going to try to get to the bathroom while he was alone and his limbs were all tied. Dick decided to wait until he could get one of the men's attention to untie him.
To Dick's left, a small kitchen with outdated appliances was there. A small window sat above the disgusting sink. Directly between the kitchen and the ugly couch, a doorway stood. That led upstairs. That was where AJ went. Clearly, the house had not been inhabited for some time. Dick doubted many people knew about this place.
Brownie came back in the house, holding a few faded blankets. He wiped off the table with a hand before he laid the blankets on it. Dick heard AJ's boots on the stairs, coming down them. He, however, was not carrying blankets. He held a small box full of candles, and a matchbox in the other hand.
"Found some candles. Figured we'd need 'em tonight," he told Brownie.
"Those'll work. I found blankets, too. Your truck is a freaking mess, dude."
AJ shrugged. "Never know when you might need stuff."
Brownie just scoffed. He looked at the poor kid on the couch. Dick used the opportunity to get the man's attention.
He gave the man a look he hoped showed his discomfort. Brownie just stared at the boy quizzically. Dick moaned low in his throat. The man still didn't get it. Finally, he reached over and pried the tape off of the boy's mouth.
"What?" he sighed.
"I have to go to the bathroom. Really, really badly," Dick told him quietly.
The man groaned.
"Fine."
He reached into the pocket of his ripped jeans and pulled out a knife, ready to cut the tape off of Dick's wrists when AJ's hand stopped him.
"Wait. He might try and escape if you cut his wrists. Just cut the ankles and knees. Leave his wrists tied, though," he said.
Dick's hope fell at the comment. He wanted the man to untie him so he could find a way to escape. An idea came to him, though.
"But...but how will I go to the bathroom?" he asked.
AJ had an answer for that, too.
"Tie his hands in front of him first. Then cut his legs free."
Dick glared at the man. Brownie gently grabbed Dick and turned him partly sideways so he could cut the tape. Snipping could be heard for a minute, and then Dick felt the pressure on his wrists loosen. He brought his arms around to his front, groaning when they twinged painfully.
AJ snatched the tape from the table, handing it to Brownie. Brownie tore another long strip and tightened it around Dick's wrists.
Dick sighed. He didn't like being tied. He was getting cramps. A circus acrobat who didn't stop moving when the sun came up to the sun going down needed to stretch his legs. Brownie moved down to Dick's legs, cutting off both sections of tape. Dick flexed his muscles and let his legs stretch across the couch.
He grimaced. That hurt.
AJ took Dick's arm, not as gently as Brownie, pulling him up from the couch and leading him to the bathroom. Dick's knees gave out the first step from disuse for so long. They must have travelled for longer than he thought. AJ yanked him up, waiting impatiently until Dick had gotten his feet under himself. Dick winced as he felt the man's fingers digging into his skin. AJ dragged him the rest of the way to the bathroom.
There were no windows in the little room, so he left the door open for light. There was a toilet right by the door, an old iron bathtub adjacent to it, and a small sink across from it. The whole place clearly hadn't been cleaned in years.
Dick stumbled over to the toilet, then stood there, trying to ignore his aching bladder as he waited for AJ to leave. He looked up at his captor. AJ just raised his bushy eyebrows dubiously.
"I thought you had to pee, brat. Go."
Dick hesitated.
"I...aren't you going to leave?"
"And risk you escaping somehow? No way, kid."
"There's no way for me to escape. There aren't any windows in here, and my hands are tied. I can't escape," Dick argued.
AJ gave him a warning look. "Just pee."
Dick looked down at the toilet. He really had to go. But he didn't want the man to watch him.
Apparently, he took too long deciding.
AJ shoved him with a hard hand closer to the bowl.
"Pee," he growled.
Dick flinched. He fumbled with his zipper, struggling since his hands were tied. Finally he got it undone and went, face burning the whole time. Dick fixed his zipper again. AJ didn't even wait for Dick to wash his hands or the blood from his face, though Dick doubted there was any running water here.
The man lugged Dick back to the sofa.
"Ray, tie him back up. I don't want the brat kickin' me in the shin again."
Ray. Now he knew both of their names.
Said man grabbed the tape dutifully.
"Wait," Dick said. "I'll be good, I promise. You don't have to use that."
AJ chuckled dryly.
"Nice try, kid. Do it, Ray."
He walked away, going over to the table. Ray forced Dick's legs together again, winding the tape around his ankles, giving Dick a sympathetic look.
"You know, you could just let me go," Dick whispered so AJ wouldn't hear. "You don't look like you want to do this."
Ray glanced at AJ.
"No."
Dick's shoulders slumped.
"I need the money more than Bruce Wayne. He's got tons of cash to blow. I'm over here struggling to pay my baby girl's medical bills while he sits in the lap of luxury with all his fancy sports cars and crap."
"But Bruce could help you. You could just ask him to pay your bills, then you could work for Bruce," Dick prodded.
"It's easier this way, kid. You just don't understand."
But Dick did understand. He wasn't sure Ray did. Why couldn't Ray just let him go? It would be so much better than this.
"I-"
"Look, kid, you need to shut up. You're not changing my mind."
"But-"
Faster than he could blink, Ray ripped a piece of tape off the roll and grabbed the back of Dick's head. Dick let out a small cry and ducked, wincing when Ray tangled his fingers in the boy's black hair and pulled his head up. Green eyes met Dick's blue.
"Please don't," Dick whispered, eyebrows scrunched and mouth pulled in a thin line. But Dick saw the determination in the man's eyes. He wasn't getting any mercy this time. Ray sealed the boy's lips together with the sticky makeshift gag. Dick slumped against the couch with a crestfallen look on his face. Ray's face softened a fraction.
"Come one, kid, don't look like that," he tried to soothe. "We're just going to get our money and then you can go back to Wayne."
Dick looked away, eyes burning suddenly. Ray sighed and got up, leaving Dick alone.
He was so tired of crying. Dick tried to think of other things to distract him from the tears. He thought of what ice cream he wanted when he got back, he thought of how awesome Bruce's car was today, he-
Wait. A thought occurred to him.
These men may have kidnapped him, but they hadn't planned it. They had asked if he was Dick Grayson. They didn't have the necessary tools for a kidnapping, and they didn't come prepared to spend a night in this old house. Was this a spur-of-the-moment kidnapping? Were they that desperate for money? So, if they weren't prepared, maybe he could use that somehow to escape. They wouldn't expect him to try to run away, and then they wouldn't be prepared to catch him again. Dick just had to wait for the right moment.
Yeah. He could do that.
Newfound hope blossomed in Dick's chest. Maybe he was going back to Bruce sooner than he thought.
-line break-
Still keeping an eye on Dick, AJ and Ray busied themselves with fixing their makeshift beds for the night, piling blankets high on the floor to make their 'mattresses'.
Dick watched them, mostly because he had nothing else to do.
AJ made his bed right in front of the door. Smart. These guys hadn't been prepared, but they definitely knew how to improvise.
Night was falling fast, and soon they had to light candles. Soft light flickered in the room, casting eerie shadows in the house. It was almost an hour later when the two men decided to go to bed. Dick was helped to the bathroom one more time, then back to the ratty couch.
Dick lied down, curling himself into a ball. AJ left him alone. A few minutes later, Ray started blowing out candles, and AJ pointed a finger at Dick.
"You'd better go to sleep, circus boy. I don't want to hear any whines, whimpers, groans, nothin'. I don't even care if you have to pee again. I'm gettin' my full eight hours, and you're not gonna interrupt. Got it?"
Dick nodded tiredly. He just wanted to sleep too. He tried to yawn, but the tape pulled and pinched, so he stifled it.
Ray blew out the last candle, and the room fell into darkness. Dick watched as the men lied in their beds, paying no mind to their hostage.
A few minutes later, AJ was snoring.
A breeze blew in through the creaky old house, and Dick shivered. It was colder without all of the tiny flames, and he was only wearing khaki shorts and a blue shirt and green striped shirt. It wasn't very thick.
Somehow, though, slowly, Dick fell asleep.
-flashback-
Dick flew. He flew through the air like a bird.
"Like a robin," his mother said as she caught his hands gracefully. They swung together, then Dick let go and performed a triple-flip.
Strong, but gentle hands plucked him easily out of the air. He looked up at his father, smiling. His father's eyes, Dick's same eyes, twinkled at him. Dick let go as they both swung up, landing smoothly on the high platform.
He thought his parents were going to land right next to him.
But Dick saw a dark shadow in the ropes and pulleys above them. A shadow that was slowly cutting the wires that held his parents aloft.
"No!"
Dick tried to scream, but no one heard him. The sound was muffled to even his own ears. He tried to run instead, but his feet were stuck to the platform.
"Mama! Tati!"
No one heard.
The last wire was cut, and Dick couldn't look away.
His parents flew.
But they didn't fly the right way. They didn't catch themselves. He couldn't catch them. He heard the sickening, frightening sound of bones cracking and breaking. A sound that no child should ever have to hear.
He saw their mangled bodies, bloody and lifeless. A sight no child should ever have to see.
Why couldn't you save them? Why couldn't you? Why couldn't you save them?!
Dick shot up with a scream.
He gasped and whimpered and trembled, trying in vain to forget the memory. Hot tears blurred his vision and cascaded down his cheeks.
He didn't even notice AJ until the man was upon him.
Dick's arms were gripped too tightly as the man hauled him off the couch.
"What did I tell you, brat?" he seethed. "I told you to shut up. Didn't I?"
Dick was too stunned to answer. He stared up at the man with wide, teary eyes, eyebrows scrunched in confusion and fright. A hand came down on Dick's other cheek.
"Didn't I?" AJ shouted.
Dick couldn't help it; he was confused, scared, tired, and sad, from his dream and from the present. He sobbed. Just as the man's hand was about to deliver another round of abuse, Ray stepped in.
"AJ, I'll take care of the kid. You go get some sleep," he said in a decisive voice.
The man looked from the still-sobbing child to Ray. Then his beady dark eyes glanced to his spot by the door.
"Yeah, okay," he said. AJ pointed a finger at Dick, who flinched. "He'd better not make any more noise. You know I need my sleep."
"Yeah, I know. Go back to bed; I'll handle this," Ray convinced him.
The man relinquished Dick to Ray, then lied back down in his bed, out in a minute.
Ray carried the petrified boy to the sofa. He left for a moment to get a candle, a little lighting in the room for the both of them. He stared at the hostage. Rivulets of tears flowed down his bruised face, mingling with the blood below his nose. Poor kid. Honestly, Dick reminded Ray of his own daughter. Small, smart, brave. Ray reached for the boy's face slowly, so he didn't scare him.
Tenderly, he peeled the tape off, letting Dick catch his breath and calm himself. He waited patiently until Dick was breathing normally.
"A nightmare?" Dick nodded, looking to the side; anywhere but Ray.
"Want to tell me about it?" Ray asked softly.
Dick shook his head, staying silent.
Ray sighed.
"I'm sorry about AJ. I know...I know you hate him. But he doesn't mean it. He wasn't raised in the best of places."
Dick finally looked up at the man, and Ray could see the remnants of tears still shining.
"I...I watched my p-parents die," the boy said with a shaky whisper. "And I didn't let that take away my happiness. I don't let their deaths take away from my life. You always have a choice on how you turn out."
Ray's forest eyes widened. He had never thought about it that way. He glanced down at the intelligence hidden in the little boy's blue, blue eyes, impressed. The kid was too smart for his own age.
"All the same," Ray said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I helped kidnap you. I don't want to hurt you."
The blue eyes blinked wisely at him.
"I know," was all he said.
Dick dropped his eyes to the floor.
"I-I don't want to go to sleep. I'll...I might get another nightmare." A single tear slid down his face.
The brunet man sighed.
"You can't just lie awake, kid. I'm not staying up all night with you."
Dick shook his head sadly.
"Do..." Ray started. "Do you want to sleep next to me? That's what I do with my little girl when she has nightmares. And this way, AJ can't get you again."
The boy hesitated. He definitely liked Ray better than AJ, and he definitely didn't want AJ to be able to touch him. He searched the man's green eyes and found nothing but concern in them. He decided to trust the man.
Dick gave Ray two tiny nods.
"Okay. I'm going to lift you and carry you over, alright?"
Dick nodded again.
Ray gathered up the small acrobat and carried him over, setting him gently on the pallet of blankets. Dick scooted between Ray and the wall, making sure there was no access for AJ to him. Ray lied down beside Dick, keeping a small distance between them. He draped a thick blanket over the small body, watching as Dick curled himself into a ball and snuggled into the blanket, getting comfortable. The boy's eyelids gradually slid closed and he breathing evened into sleep.
Ray blew out the candle.