Traumatised

Escape

'Here are the coordinates. Drop him and go to base 56. I'll meet you there in a couple of days.' He gave Joey the details for the drop off point. 'Tell Superman which sedative we gave Dick and how much. Just in case he has a delayed reaction to it.'

Joey nodded, when he saw that his father was done, he hugged him tightly. Slade hugged him back for a moment then pulled him away and gripped the younger man's face in his hands.

'Be careful.'

With a strange feeling of sadness, he watched Joey get in the car and drive away. It was a strange feeling because he couldn't really explain it. It felt like he was losing something. But he would see Joey in a couple of days and Dick...well, he would soon be back where he belonged.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

An hour later, the call came through to Slade's phone.

'Hello.'

'I told you not to play games with me.' Bane said.

'I'm not in the mood for games either. What do you want?' Slade growled. He really hated this bastard.

'You know it's very obvious once you realise who they are. And once you know who they are, it's even easier to work out what they are thinking.' Bane riddled. 'Did you think no one would notice? Robin disappears from Jump, Deathstroke disappears from Jump – rumours have been flying Wilson.'

'What rumours?'

'You've got yourself a new little pet.'

Slade couldn't hold back the growl that emanated from his lips. He gripped the phone in his hand so tightly, he vaguely wondered if he would crush it.

'I told you I had a score to settle with the Boy Wonder. Or should I say, Richard Grayson.' There was a wet chuckle. 'I didn't realise when I first met him. But the kid didn't break, he fought back in ways I'd only ever seen one other person do. I had a lot of time to piece it together in Arkham, but I know the truth now...but you already knew that.'

Slade said nothing, trying not to confirm or deny anything. After a few breaths, he once again asked the Gothomite what he wanted.

'You're boy, he's not very observant. It was easy enough to follow him to your base. You shouldn't have let him leave with my prize Terminator. I told you not to play games with me.'

Before Slade could answer, Bane had hung up the phone. His hand shook, and he quickly dialled another number.

'Tell me you have eyes on Bane!' he demanded into the phone.

'No, we lost track. We're searching now.' Said Batman, then sensing Slade's agitation he added. 'Why? What's wrong?'

'I think he's going after Dick.'

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He was becoming a little more lucid. He watched the other cars fly by in the opposite direction, becoming more aware of what they were and where he was. Dick scrunched his eyes closed and then opened them wide, trying to remove the remaining effects of the sedative. He then looked down at his arm, which for the first time he noticed was throbbing. It was bandaged up with a plastic splint. He raised it carefully to inspect it. He couldn't remember hurting it.

Looking to his side, he recognised Joey sat beside him, his eyes on the road. Sensing eyes on him, he glanced over and smiled kindly. With his hands occupied, a smile was the only comfort he could offer him.

Dick thought hard for a moment, trying to piece everything together. He remembered being carried, and Slade...he had put him in the car. But why? Something about...the League?

'Are we going to the League?' Dick asked.

Joey nodded.

'Is Slade meeting us?'

Joey shook his head.

'Is something going on?' Dick asked, immediately sensing Joey's hesitation. However, the older boy nodded again.

Dick knew Joey couldn't explain, but he was so confused.

'I can't remember what happened.' He said. He could remember Slade saying why he had drugged him, but he couldn't remember anything before that. He had been talking to Bruce, Bruce had said something that had upset him. But he couldn't remember what. Then he'd gone out to sit with the others...

Dick growled in frustration and put his palm to his forehead.

Joey glanced over at him and seeing his distressed pulled the car over, so he could sign.

Everything is going to be alright – he signed.

'What's going on?' said Dick, fear beginning to trickle into his voice.

If I tell you, I want you to remain calm and remember you are safe. – He waited for Dick to agree. The man who hurt you escaped, but we are handling the situation and getting you somewhere safe.

Suddenly it all came flooding back. Bane was free! He could feel the panic rising in his chest, a tightness that felt like it would suffocate him. But Joey tapped him lightly on the side of the face.

It's all going to be fine. Batman has it under control.

Dick took a deep breath, trying to calm his fast-beating heart.

'Thanks, Joey. I...' he is distracted by a light behind them, rapidly coming closer to them. 'Joey...?'

In the semi-darkness of the dusk, he could make out the lights were on a large truck that was heading straight for them, with no intention of going around them.

'Joey!' Dick cried, as the vehicle made contact. Joey's car was pushed forward, spinning back onto the road. Dick was thrown forward, crying out as he used his injured arm to stop himself from flying into the dashboard. They looked around for the other car but before they could react, the truck smashed into the side of them. The force of the impact sent the small car rolling. Once, twice, three times before coming to rest on its roof. The boys groaned, hanging upside down from their seat belts.

'Joey?' Dick groaned, straining his neck to look over at his companion. Joey's forehead was bleeding, his eyes unfocused, evidence of a concussion. Dick looked around, the blood was beginning to rush to his head. He pulled at his seat belt, trying to release it. 'Joey, are you alright?' There was no answer, no sound or other indication the other man was trying to communicate with him.

Dick pulled at the belt buckle harder and finally it gave way. Sending him crashing down onto the roof, landing on his injured arm. He cried out as white-hot pain radiated through his limb as the fracture was forced into a full break. He gripped his arm, breathing deeply for a few seconds to force down the feeling that he was going to vomit. When the feeling dissipated, he forced his attention onto Joey. Even in the darkness, he could see his friend was white aside from the blood dripping down his face. He crawled to his friends' side, shaking his shoulder. It took a while, but finally, Joey turned to him.

Dick smiled weakly. 'We need to get out.'

Joey smiled back, but his smile dropped as a shadow appeared at the window behind Dick. Suddenly, the glass of the window shattered, and a large arm reached in, grabbing Dick by his legs and pulling him from the car.

Dick screamed and tried to grab onto something, but he froze when the face of Bane appeared above him. The same sinister smile that had haunted his dreams, the face that had appeared above him each time his body lay frozen on his bed. Only this time the face was real, the man was real.

'Remember me, Grayson?' Bane snarled, before clamping his hand over Dick's mouth and nose.

Joey fought against his seat belt, his eyes not leaving Dick as the boy's fight began to leave him. When the belt gave way, he tumbled down but immediately crawled towards the open window. As soon as he was free of the car he stumbled to his feet and hurled himself towards Bane.

The brute caught him, punching him in the side of the head. Already concussed, Joey went down beside Dick. He looked at the boy beside him, who was unconscious but alive. He reached and wrapped his arm around Dick as his vision began to swim. Then, with Dick in his arms, he was swallowed by darkness.