Retrograde

Volume 1: A sacred bond

Part 1/4
"Not now, Alfred", said Bruce as he tucked the comforter above his face. You know I stayed up late last night"
"Busy in the batcave?" replied Alfred, in his cheeky British accent.
"Perhaps it would seem" replied Bruce as he rolled into another position, facing away from Alfred.
The batwave rang
"Never mind the slumber" said Bruce as he got up from his sleep. "I've got work to do"
"Incoming" said Alfred through the communication systems as Bruce speed through with his bike.
"2 suspects spotted near the main bridge. Signal is detecting energy of unknown magnitude"
"It's visible energy" replied Bruce. "some sort of electromagnetic light"
As Bruce got closer to the crime scene, his eyes shut, he felt the energy penetrating from a single point
"Hello Batman". "Nice to finally see you show up"
The perpetrator was tall, lean. Streaks of gray were visible through the ends of his mustache. The mask covered his nose and his breath was staggered.
"Lets go" said the perpetrator as he dragged Bruce through a tunnel which seemed to have originated from the palm of the perpetrator's hand. A tunnel that opened wide enough to fit both of them in as the perp jumped through the tunnel. A tunnel that started from a single point.
It wasn't until later that Bruce discovered that it was a holographic cube that was harnesing the energy, not magic.
With his eyes shut, Bruce couldn't fight the perp. With his strong arms, he resisted, but the energy from the portal seemed to be magnetically pulling him. Before he was dragged inside, all Bruce could say was: "Alfred help me"

Part 2/4
Alfred watched Bruce get dragged into the portal through the city cameras. He felt his blood boil, but couldn't think fast enough to save his beloved Bruce.
"There must be a way"; Alfred thought to himself. How can I get past this utter mess?
Alfred desperatly phoned Barbara Gordon, who was on her way back home from a messy dinner with her boyfriend, James Henrickson, who her commisoner dad hated.
"Whats up, al?"
"It Master Bruce. He seemed to have disappered through a portal. Oh! It all happened so quickly. I wasn't fast enough to call you before"
"What? How? Where"
"At the main bridge. A man with a tall build, similiar to mine, dragged him through this tunnel of electromagnetic light"
"I'm on my way"
Back at the cave, Barbara watched the footage as Bruce was dragged through the portal.
"Gee Alfred, how are we going to find him if he's disappered through a portal?"
"That's the real question, Maam"
"I'll start by searching through the area of attack. There must be some clues" said Barbara as she zoomed out of the batcave in her motorbike.

Part 3/4
"Hello Batman" "Please, make yourself at home"
"heeheehaahaahaa"
"Where am I?" murmured Bruce as his eyes adjusted to the new light. He realized he must have become unconsious, but soon remembered everything that happened.
Bruce tried to stand up, but noticed that he was tied up. And his utility belt was gone"
"Why are you doing this?" Whatever you are doing it for, I'm telling you, there's got to be another way!"
"You can stop with your peptalk, Batman." "I'm not falling for that b**shit"
"First of all" said the perp. "You won't be needing your stupid cowl, Bruce" as he ripped Bruce's cowl away from him, exposing him more vulnerabily.
"Since you exposed my identity, why not show yours"
"Oh that won't be nessasary" deemed the perp.
I'm more of a let's say...well wisher.
"Shut up with your nonsense", said the perp. Your silly little team is not finding you here.
"I woudn't be so sure of that" said Bruce.
Bruce's eyes weren't seeing clearly, but he noticed how there were no windows nearby. No sunlight was ever going to reach this place again. And how the perp smelled odd. Looked pale. Pale as a ghost.
Bruce felt the fear rise inside him. Like a flame just lit up.

Part 4/4
Barbara Gordon studied the footage of Bruce being sucked into the hologram repeatedly. She watched the recorded video as if it was a lecture from university she couldn't understand.
"It's not possible", she claimed to Alfred.
We..can't replicate that.
Alfred looked with a stern look.
"Whatever Bruce is stuck in...He has to come out of on his own." "He has to somehow find the device and reverse it, or something"
"I'll speak with Wayne industries quantum and molecular physicists", said Alfred. "See if they would be willing to investigate the technology for--curiosity's sake"
Dick Grayson entered through the self driving batmobile that he was waay to keen on driving. Just a few more years until I get my license, he thought.
Not understanding much of the situation, he understood that his foster father was in soo deep a trouble, that this time, it was likely that the team won't be able to save him.
Bruce himself understood the magnitute of the situation.

(characters copyright to DC comics)