"Mmmhmmm..." Roy moaned, lead lolling to the side against the seat belt. He felt nauseous, heavy...
He felt himself being dragged,then, the seat belt had been taken off and someone was dragging him out of the car. His eyes flew open and he thrashed, or, rather, trued to, but only succeeded in squirming piteously as the man dragged him across the cement. It was dark, her, and cold...
"What t' hell are you doin'..." his tongue felt thick, really thick, and it was all he could do to get the words out.
Surprisingly strong arms picked him up, carrying him to a chair and setting him down. He relaxed into the cushions for a minute- there was no way he could make a break for it when he could barely speak. And then the leather strap was pulled tight around his midsection, so tight it was hard to breathe.
It pinned is arms to his sides, then, so he could do nothing to undo it as it was buckled. The chair was reclining, somewhat like a dentist's chair, and his flailing legs were forced onto it and strapped down, as well.
And then the duct-tape. It was wrapped around him, as well, just to be sure he couldn't escape.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked, getting more coherent by the second. It was useless, now, the man bungee corded his hips down, as well.
He didn't get a good look at the man's face, seeing him return to the car. A moment later, he came back, carrying Dick in his arms.
"No..." Roy whispered. Dick remained completely unconscious as he, too, was bound to another chair. He could see the cushions, now, torn, decrepit, and moldy. This building was falling down around them, broken boards hanging, exposing the place to the open air. A winding staircase to the right, mold on the carpet, peeling pain, and was that dried... blood?
He started to feel slightly sick, then.
"Be careful with him!" Roy yelled, when the man pulled the leather belt on the bly a bit too tight. The man turned, glaring at him, and Roy sighed. "Please. Just, please... don't hurt him..."
The man's appearance shocked him most. Blonde hair, eyes rimmed red, from what he could only assume was crying and sleep loss, making them bloodshot. His hair was messy, but the rest of him looked- professional. He said nothing, turning back and finishing tying Dick down.
Roy watched him stand and head for the car looked pale, but he didn't look hurt, at least. "Dick. Hey, Dick, can you hear me?" he prompted.
Dick moaned. "Hang in there, kid..." Roy said, praying the drug, whatever it was, wouldn't hurt his brother.
It was then he saw the man turn from the car with Scarlet in his arms, bridal style. Her face was hidden by her long raven hair,which fell out of control, and her school uniform was ruffled. The man, to his horror, started to carry her away from him and Dick. And he lost it.
"Hey! HEY! Where the hell are you going!? Put her down! I said put her down! Let her go!" he strained against the bonds, screaming and thrashing long after they'd vanished into the darkness, a million horrible endings to this running through his mind.
His yelling must've helped revive Dick sooner, as he saw the boy looking around, wide-eyed.
"Dick! Dick, we have to get out of here! They took Scarlet!" he was nearing panic, now. He'd heard of sickos. They might've been kidnapped for ransom, but this sick bastard could be doing anything with Scarlet right now...
Dick swallowed. "Roy- we have a bigger problem."
"What the hell do you mean? They took Scarlet!" Roy yelled, horrified.
"I mean... we're in Arkham Asylum."
Bruce was pacing up and down the halls of the Gotham police department. He wished Batman could make an appearance, but if he did people would wonder why Batman had been on such a low-profile case and jepordize everyone's secret identities.
But he'd never forgive himself if they were found, dead, or worse...
Just then, Oliver Queen burst into the room.
"Bruce- someone took Roy." he got out.
Bruce stared for a moment. This was developing into something interesting, now. "All we can hope is that they're together. And that they're safe."
"This place is... holy shit." Roy looked around, shocked. Suddenly it all made sense. The chairs they were sitting in right now...
He shuddered. "How the hell is this Arkham Asylum?"
Dick looked equally rattled. "Before the new asylum was built in the nineties, this place was used. They didn't know a lot about mental health back then... Most of their 'treatments' were just torture that left the patient subdued at the end. God, I hate this place."
It was freezing, and Dick shivered.
"Do you have something to cut us out with? Anything?" Roy asked, desperate.
"No. It would look a little suspicious if I carried my utility belt around... We'll just have to wait, Bruce will come through. And Scarlet will be alright... maybe..."
Scarlet awoke in someone's arms and groaned. Her head felt like lead. And then the reality of what'd just happened hit her.
She gasped, sitting bolt upright. Someone had her clutched tightly to their chest, though, otherwise she'd have fallen onto the concrete floor. Strong, muscular arms, and she relaxed. this was Bruce. She was okay.
Until she saw the man's face. He was anyone but Bruce- blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, he stared down at her with a concerned look on his face.
She screamed, thrashing and struggling for all she was worth, trying to break free of those arms, the arms of a stranger, that clutched her tightly.
"No-no-stop! Calm down!" the man ordered. She didn't though, just kept kicking and screaming and fighting, and he let her- until finally, she was panting, exhausted, in his lap.
"L-let me go." she said, shaking slightly, staring at him. "Please."
"Shh, sweetie. I'm not going to hurt you." his voice was surprisingly calm.
"Then why did you KIDNAP ME!? I wanna go home- I want my Dad!" and she started struggling again, though it was weaker, less forceful than before.
"Really. I won't hurt you." He ran a hand through her raven hair, trailing fingers across her forehead, in a soothing gesture Bruce often did when she'd wake up screaming from nightmares.
"I promise I won't." the man assured her. "Here." he held her tightly in one arm, pulling a photograph from his pocket. He handed it to her.
"That's my daughter, Teresa. She's about your age- and my wife." the man smiled, but there was some dangerous undertones lurking on his expression. She'd seen that look in the psychopaths of Gotham before.
She studied the picture for a moment. A woman with auburn hair and high cheekbones, obviously his wife, and a little strawberry blonde girl grinning...
And she had this feeling to dejavû, like she'd been to this place before... It still sent shivers uo her soine, she remembered it from nightmares, but she'd banished the name from her mind. Still, she'd know soon enough.
"There's a dress over there." the man pointed to a corner. She could see the sihoulette of a gown. "Put it on."
"What?"
"Do as I say." the man ordered.
She hesitated.
"Do it!" he ordered, suddenly vehement, and she walked over to the gown, uncertain.
"I'll leave so you can get into it, sweetie." he smiled, suddenly complacent again, and the heavy oak door swung shut behind him with a thud.
She took a breath, running her hand over the fabric. It was beautiful, with a poofy skirt and smooth, velvety white straps that went around the shoulders, with an aqua belt. It was so out of place here, with the decaying wood and moldy carpets. She unzipped the back, though, realizing, slightly shocked, that it was the dress a flower girl would wear. She didn't know why she'd been taken, but the man hadn't hurt her yet...
It'd be best if she went along with him now, until she knew where Dick was, and she pulled off her skirt and school blazer, stepping into the gown.
The man knocked on the door. "Are you dressed, sweetie?"
"I-I can't zip it up." she struggled to reach the zipper in the back of the dress.
The man stepped inside. "I'll get it, precious."
She couldn't help but shake, slightly afraid as the man knelt down and zipped up the back of the dress.
"You look beautiful, sweetheart."
"Thank you." she whispered, not sure what else to say.
He took her hand, leading her down the hallway until she reached a large room.
It was then she saw the two torn up chairs, with Roy and Dick in them.
"Scarlet, are you alright?" Dick demanded, eyes wide.
"You sick bastard!" Roy saw her in the dress and assumed the worst instantly- that this man had just used her for his own sick pleasure. "I'll fucking kill you! You hear me!? I'll skin you alive!"
The man stepped forward easily and backhanded Roy. The ginger's head snapped to the side, and a red mark appeared.
"Finished yet?" the man asked, looking down, eyes dull and sadistic.
"Hell no! I will tear you apart!"
"Roy!" Scarlet took a step forward but the man held his arm in front of her. "He... he didn't hurt me... yet..."
Roy realized it and went limp, so relieved. "Thank god..."
"Why do you want us?" Dick asked suddenly, trying to get to the heart of the matter. He wanted all of them OUT of there.
The man said nothing, but instead fiddled with a digital camera for a moment before smiling murderously.
"Hello, Bruce."
"Something's broadcasting on every TV station in Gotham." Bruce said, staring.
"How is that even possible?" Oliver asked. He fell silent, horrified, when he saw what it was broadcasting. Roy and Dick, strapped down in torn, decrepit old chairs, and a blonde man with his arm around Scarlet's shoulder. she was, for some reason, in a dress.
"You're probably wondering who I am, and why I took your children. My name is Simon Mast. My wife died in a car crash two years ago. All I had left was my beautiful daughter, Teresa. I'm sure your out of the corporate loop, here, so let me inform you. You rich bastards probably forgot you made the deal- Queen Corp and Wayne tech partnered in pharmaceuticals. Teresa got sick. We couldn't afford treatment, and we were offered and experimental drug. My beautiful baby, my Teresa, she died. BECAUSE OF YOU! BECAUSE YOUR DRUG! I watched my baby girl waste away!"
Simon screamed into the camera, hatred and rage burning in his bloodshot eyes as tears coursed down his cheeks.
"I lost my child. The only thing left I had to love in this world. See that dress she's wearing? See it, Queen, Wayne? Do you SEE IT!? It was the dress Teresa wore to a friend's wedding. She'll never have one, now- my Teresa. And neither will your daughter. I lost my daughter, Wayne- today you loose yours."
Bruce's knuckled were white, now, he was staring, shocked. Scarlet studied her feet from where she stood, but she was visibly trembling.
Simon pulled a gleaming pistol from within his suit coat. "The other two are just bonus." he cocked it.
"You've probably realized I'm at the old Arkham Asylum by now- and I want to make you suffer. You have three minutes before she dies- you'll try so hard, Wayne, but you'll never make it in time."
And with those last words, Simon raised the gun and shot the camera. The screen went to static.
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