Vigilante Struggles

Chapter 28

Unknown Location

She didn't know where she was. She didn't know where Dick was, and most importantly, she did not know why she had gone through with this deal, well, without proper planning, and backup, the reason was justified. However, she was currently in a risky and almost hopeless situation with only a little hope that Tim had seen her distress signal and figured out her clues. Definitely not her brightest hour.

Oracle looks around the room she was being held in. It was simple and small, dull walls, no windows, the usually bad-guy, kidnapping vibes. The lighting was dim, but it managed to keep the shadows away. A little lightbulb, hanging from an old cord. There was no visible switch to turn on and off the light, so Barbara decided that this was truly a holding cell, giving its prisoner no control over even the most simple things, like darkening the room. The person on the other side would decide when the occupant slept, woke up, ate. The room also had no bathroom. They would slowly drive their prisoners to insanity with irregular sleeping patterns and schedules. Soon days will meld together, leaving the prisoner disorientated and lost, lacking structure ands losing themselves slowly and.....

Where was he?

The only reason she had ever agreed to this arrangement was because she was promised Nightwing. Was he driven mad in one of these rooms? Closing himself off in a the corner of a little boxed room like Barbara's? That was what Slade wanted....right? Well that's what Barbara believed and many others thought. She knew that Slade hated Dick, or was he obsessed? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She had researched Deathstrokes old apprentice, she confirmed that Renegade was not any of Slade Wilson's own children, his sons were much older than this new boy, and well, his daughter was out of the picture. She was Ravager, and rebelling against her father. Now that she knew who was under the mask, it made her question Wilson's intentions. Was he obsessed with ruining Dick's life or was he obsessed with Dick Grayson. It was a question she intended on finding the answer to.

"That wall won't budge miss Gordon, no matter how long you stare at it for."

The voice had no distinct position, "There must be multiply speakers" Barbara observed. The owner of the voice was obvious however. A familiar speech pattern, of slow flowing words with an emotionless tone. The fact that this person knew her identity, even through her disguise. The speaker was none other than Slade Wilson.

" Where is Nightwing? I believe I was promised to see him." Barbara spoke, fiddling carelessly at her wheelchair arm.

"Correct miss Gordon, a deal is a deal, Richard why don't you make our guest feel welcomed."

That was a surprizing turn of events. Richard? Our guest? What was going on? A deep groan, and a screech of metal, startled Barbara as the walls around her began sinking into the floor. A disturbing cackle, that was once so familiar to her came from a distance. " Nightwing?" Barbara whispered.

"No, not Nightwing, Renegade"

Barbara jumped at the voice behind her. No one had ever snuck up on her! How had she not heard him? How had he gotten behind her so quickly? Who was Renegade? All these questions and no answers! But this was still Dick right?

"Dick " Barbara whispered to him, his figure still hidden by shadows as the little lightbulb dimmed and dimmed. " Are you ok?" she asked, confused by his silence and lack of action to the situation. We have to find a way out, now"

" Why would you care?" Dick asks, almost casually, like that was an expected sentence from him. Like being a snarling individual was who he was. " Why would I.....go anywhere with you?" he spit.