TW: Threats of Violence
It's been hours—actually, it's been 4 hours and 36 minutes to be exact—since Danny's message was sent. Jazz was pacing back and forth in her hotel room. She knew she should sleep, but she couldn't bring herself to. She told herself that she was going to wait up until her brother got back.
But she didn't need to worry… Right? He's fine… he's just not answering her messages, or her phone calls, or has given her any indication whether he is okay at all! No, Danny is fine, she just needs to keep telling herself that.
He's been gone for two days at a time before, and he didn't tell her then. But that was mostly because he was kidnaped or something really important and life-threatening came up. But he always tries to tell her first.
He has been through a lot and has fought against people and creatures that could squash her in a second. He's just taking a breath. He couldn't be hurt, he could take care of himself. It's only been 4 hours and 40 minutes. Nothing is wrong. His phone must have died. It does that sometimes. He forgets to charge it often before he leaves. He was listening to music in the family assault vehicle to drown out their parents.
He just needs his space. It's common for teenage boys to want space, especially if it is from overbearing sisters, or parents that are always talking about dissecting him and the rest of his species. Ahhh, why can't she be a better sister and help him!?
Okay, he will be back soon, Gotham is a big place, maybe he got lost. There is no way he could have been captured by the hundreds of hunters in the city at the moment. He couldn't have flown too close to Wayne enterprises and gotten kidnaped. He couldn't be strapped down to a dissection table right now and screaming for help, or being carted off to a government lab at this very moment. No, he was fine. And that was what she was going to keep telling herself until he got home. 4 hours and 43 minutes.
)-(
Okay, first things first. Phantom had gotten them kidnapped. Okay, Tim could deal with this. He has been kidnapped before, as a vigilante and as Tim Drake. Even twice before he was taken in by Bruce. The second time his parents didn't even pay the ransom fee cause they didn't even know that he got kidnaped cause they were out of the country. The goons ended up taking pity on Tim and letting him go after about a week.
But now, this seemed to Tim to be Phantom's first time being kidnaped. Well besides the interrogation that Bruce was trying to give him in the cave. Tim needed to walk him through it before he panicked even more. That was the last thing he needed right now. If Phantom panicked it could make this whole situation a lot worse. And it also seems that when one of them panics they both do. Which makes coming up with a plan a whole lot harder for Tim.
The blindfold was ripped off harshly, not like they would do it any other way. Phantom was as stiff as a bord, he was frozen as he looked up at the man. He was tall and muscular and had a cheap ski mask on over his face to hide his features. Good, that means for sure that they want to let them go after. Now they just had to get through this.
Phantom narrowed his eyes. He was trying to push down the fear he was feeling. "What do you want with us!?"
"Alright kid, listen up." Good, he missed Phantom's slip. "If you cooperate it will be easier for us and a lot less painful for you." The man leaned forward and put his face right in front of Tim's. "Maybe you won't even have to lose a finger." He could see rotting teeth from the hole cut in the mask and the man also had brown eyes. Phantom bit his tongue and leaned back into the chair at the man as he got closer. Tim could tell he was trying to bite back a remark.
"We just want our payday." The man continued with a shrug. "As soon as Daddy dearest pays the bill you can go prance on home to your cushy mansion." He stepped back, he put his hand on the assault rifle that was hanging off his shoulder. "So no funny business, got it brat?"
Phantom looked down and growled slightly. "no funny business." He mimicked.
The man smirked and spun around. "We'll be right back with the equipment, don't go anywhere." He waved his hand in the direction of two gunmen. "You two watch him." The man quickly walked out of the room followed by three other men.
One of the men, which Tim remembered as Jake, narrowed his eyes as he got close to them. In a split second, the man punched them in the gut, causing Phantom to lose wind in their lungs and slump forward. "That's for earlier, brat." He then dusted off his hands and went back to standing on the other side of them. Both hands now on his rifle.
The other man next to them, which Tim did not recognize from their earlier kidnapping, had no reaction to his partner's abuse of the teen. While Jake just stood there looking smug. "So you're rich then?" Phantom's voice cut through.
"How'd you figure it out?" Tim felt amusement. "Was it the gigantic mansion or the fact that we've been kidnapped for ransom?"
It was obvious that Phantom was trying to get the whole kidnapping thing out of his mind so Tim was happy to distract him so he didn't panic. "A bit of both I think. But I should have figured that the son of Batman would be rich. How else would he get all of that gear."
"Well, I'm not really his son," Tim admitted, not as if he could really hide anything about himself from the ghost now.
Phantom was confused. "No? But aren't those other guys your brothers?"
"Well I was kind of adopted into the family but I'm not B's real son."
Phantom scoffed. "Yeah, but that still makes you family. Family isn't always by blood, trust me I should know. It's who you make your family. And if freaking BATMAN doesn't count you as a son at this point I would eat my foot."
Tim was kind of shocked by what the ghost said. And he really hopes that Bruce does see him as a son but there is no real way to tell. He could never be sure. He would always care about the others more. Tim was just a placeholder. He just needs to prove himself. But right now being possessed by a ghost isn't helping his argument. But if he-
"-Danny." Tim froze, he could feel apprehension coming from Phantom in waves. Maybe even some worry.
Tim was confused. "I'm sorry?"
"That's my name, Danny." Phantom elaborated. "Or, I guess it's Daniel but people call me Danny."
"But why are you telling me?"
Phantom (or Tim guessed Danny now). Shrugged before looking down at their lap. "I don't know, I guess… I guess it's because I know your name now and I want it to be fair? And If we're stuck together for who knows how long, you might as well know my name."
Tim paused for a moment thinking it over. "So you became a ghost and picked Phantom as your name?" He chuckled.
Danny stuck his lip out in a fake pout. "Hey, give me a break, I was fourteen when I died. I wasn't the most original. And what about you, you went from, what? Robin to Red Robin?" He had an amused tone.
Tim was about to retort but stopped abruptly when there was the sound of the men coming back. The man from before walked over and placed a camera in front of them. "Alright." The man turned back to face them. "You better not try anything funny here." He narrowed his eyes.
Jake and the other guy were still standing next to them at attention holding their rifles. The cameraman held up three fingers and counted them down before pressing the record button on the camera. A red light popped up on the corner.
"Hello, Mr. Wayne."
Danny's eyes shot wide open. "Wayne?!"
"Wait, you mean you didn't put it together yet?! You were literally escaping Wayne Manor."
"Well I wasn't looking at a map now was I?"
"As you can see we have your second youngest." The man continued. "If you want him back alive and in one piece I suggest you have five million transferred to us within the next 12 hours." He paused and glared at Tim. "Anything to say to daddy, boy?"
"Okay you got to sell this, You are scared and want help, you don't want to be hurt," Tim said.
Phantom nodded. "No Problem, that is what I am feeling anyway." He took a deep breath in. "I'm so sorry Dad, just please get me out of here!" He cried out. Tim was surprised by his sudden change. "I don't know what to do. Don't let them cut off my fingers or something, I-… I-." Suddenly they were hit from the side of the head by the butt of a rifle shutting Danny up.
"Like I said you have 12 hours." The camera was turned off.
Danny winced at the ache in their head and looked up to glare at Jake who was the man that hit him. Still looking as smug as ever. "How was that?" Phantom narrowed his eyes at the man.
"Perfect." The men quickly picked up the camera and started to leave. Probably to do something else while they waited for their money transfer. Tim's wrists were chafing a lot more now that Phantom kept fidgeting, which was rubbing them raw.
There were about 20 minutes of silence before Danny got bored and decided to speak up. It seemed his confidence was coming back. "Is there anything to do around here?" He whined. "It's so boring, all you can do is watch the strangely large rats run across the floor and listen to that annoying water dripping." He tilted his head back to look up at the two men who were still keeping watch over them.
They seemed annoyed. "How's about you shut up kid. Cause I'm this close to putting a bullet through your knee and telling the others that you tried to run away."
Phantom shrugged. "How in the world am I supposed to run away when these ropes are so tight?" He struggled to pull on them to make a point. "I mean what do you expect a scrawny kid like me to do?"
Jake growled. "Well seeing as the video is already taken care of we don't have to protect your pretty little face anymore, do we."
"Ahh, I kinda see a flaw in my plan," Phantom said as he looked up at Jake with widened eyes.
"What kind of plan was that!?" Tim yelled back.
Phantom shrugged. "I don't know, I was working on it!" He winced for impact as Jake pulled his hand back to hit their face.
Suddenly a gunshot rang out, quickly followed by a scream right above their heads. Danny opened their eyes to see some blood splatter on their clothes and Jake cradling his now holey hand in his other arm while spinning around to see who shot him. Phantom looked up as well, and standing there in the shadow was...
The Red Hood.
Authors notes
Beta read by: gamma_radio (ao3)
He he he, I'm so hyped! Y'all I have been waiting for this moment! I am so excited about my boi Jason. Also, we get to see a little input into what Jazz is feeling back at the hotel, we haven't checked in with her for a while. Poor girl. :(
Also, I'm hoping the pacing doesn't feel too rushed. Whenever I read over it I always feel like it moves way too fast. But that might just be because I know what happens and I end up speed reading... I hope it is okay for you guys.
Also thank you so much for all of your comments I love them so much and they always help me continue writing! Please tell me what you thought of this chapter, and what do you want to see next? :D
