Forgotten Bonds – Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine
Meridian

October 11th, 2008. Saturday, 7:32 pm.

That single act of kindness from Slade lasted Dick for about two weeks. During those two weeks, he did pretty good. He held his tongue more and found that Slade was pleased with that. But there were times that Slade seemed displeased with his progress and during those times Dick was on the receiving end of the man’s temper. Dick tried to be calm through it all, but he was quickly getting fed up. Getting used to the situation was terribly hard. There were days that seemed just that – a day. While other times, Dick felt he was internally going insane from being a prisoner of Slade.

He missed going outside – the sunshine, the fresh air, or just a simple breeze to flutter through his hair. He missed his friends. Some days he felt acceptance over his situation, but other days his brain protested viciously at its lot in life. He was terribly homesick, not to mention lonely. Wintergreen was warm at times, but after that ‘senior moment’ event, Dick was extremely wary of provoking the old man. The stress was beginning to build up inside Dick, threatening to burst at any moment and he was sure he’d probably unload it all onto the old man – just for the mere fact that he was the only possible candidate. No way he was going to bare his soul to Slade.

What a laugh that was.

Dick was already tired. The schedule that Slade held him to daily was very wearing on him. The physical part of it was getting better since he was getting stronger, but the studying was making him go crazy. Not that he couldn’t understand it all or anything – not at all. He was highly intelligent and had already graduated high school exceptionally early just a few months ago. While he was thankful for the consistency at times, he was also irritated by it. He didn’t want to learn certain things – like hacking into a computer or like learning how to shut down security systems without being detected.

He just didn’t want to learn those kinds of things because he knew full well that Slade would one day make him do what he had learned. He was absolutely terrified by that possibility. He didn’t want to be a criminal – at all. He didn’t want to fight on the opposite side of his friends. The mere thought of having to fight the Teen Titans in a clash like that made him sick to his stomach.

He was miserable, completely miserable. But he wanted to be happy, or in the very least be content with his lot in life. A part of his soul accepted that he was stuck and that he should make the best of it. He shouldn’t always be unhappy. But, except from the tiny glimpses of softness from Slade, there just wasn’t anything that could make Dick content with his situation.

There were times that he found himself wanting to please Slade. Being one of the only two people he interacted with daily, Dick couldn’t help but want—need to please the man. After all, if the man was happy with him, Dick was in less danger of finding himself nursing another bruise. It felt extremely strange wanting things from Slade.

But… There were times Dick felt guilty – guilty that he wanted to be happy here; guilty that he wanted Slade’s approval. He was living with a criminal, a mercenary, an assassin who made his income contracting under other criminals to do things that Dick didn’t even want to think about. But being unhappy and miserable was not pleasant or fun. Dick was tired of being sad about things in life. He just wanted to be normal and happy – just a normal teenager.

But as he was studying how to make an explosive right at that moment, it just wasn’t quite possible.

“Stop,” said Slade, putting a hand up irritably. “You do that and you’ll be peeling yourself from off the walls when you try to set it off.”

Dick growled and shoved the equipment forward, folding his arms tightly. He obstinately turned his head away. The large gears constantly clinked loudly overhead; only to serve as an aggravator to his annoyance. He was sick of this. He didn’t want to learn how to make this junk. He could just afford to keep plenty of these things in his utility belt. There was no need to learn how to create makeshift explosives. It wasn’t like he was MacGyver!

“There’s no reason why I have to learn how to make this crap,” snapped Dick. It was nearly dinnertime and he was probably getting hungry. Hunger, plus one long day, equaled a very cranky Dick – which also meant his rein on his mouth suffered. Slade growled lightly and shook his head.

“That is for me to decide and not you,” said Slade; his grey blue eye glinting firmly. “I am, after all, the teacher here.”

“Could’ve surprised me,” muttered Dick, sliding down low in his chair unhappily.

“What was that?” breathed Slade.

“Nothing… sir,” said Dick, adding the ‘sir’ very grudgingly. Slade’s chest heaved in aggravation as he placed his hands on his hips for a moment. He then pointed to the equipment.

“Try again, Dick,” said Slade, emphasizing each word carefully. Dick could tell the man was trying to hold back his anger. He grumbled a deep sigh and sat up, grabbing the supplies back again. He didn’t want to do this. He wanted to go back to his room and just ignore everyone. He was sick of all this.

Slade shook his head and grabbed a chair; pulling it up next to Dick. His large shoulder bumped into Dick’s as he leaned in and pointed out instructions. Dick flinched lightly at the sudden contact, but then silently followed the man’s directions; stopping or redoing when the man told him to do so. He was uncomfortable with the closeness. Anytime he was close with this man, it was usually with a fist causing him pain.

But Dick continued to pay attention. Not paying attention would not make the man happy with him, after all. Dick reined in his irritation as best as he could; listening to Slade’s instructions quietly. The man was taking him through each step carefully, warning him of multiple dangers. Slade emphasized the dangers for quite a few minutes. Dick fought not to roll his eyes. Once again, he was being treated like a little kid. He knew the dangers of explosives. He used them all the time, for crying out loud – and usually Slade’s robots had received the brunt of them.

“And don’t you ever try to do this without me around,” said Slade. “Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

Dick sighed, hating the honorific Slade had been forcing him to use lately. It was okay when Dick offered it up, but it just annoyed him when Slade expected it from him.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy. You’re improving very well. Keep going,” said Slade, nodding once. Dick fought against the urge again to roll his eyes; trying to ignore the glow of pleasure in his chest that he felt over receiving the man’s praise. He hated being so conflicted with his feelings. His soul wanted praise no matter who it came from, while his mind screamed at him for accepting such praise from a criminal.

So, Dick only nodded in acknowledgement and continued working. The table he was working at had been set up in the main room. While he could understand not working in the basement, he couldn’t stand the constant endless sounds of the gears. It was so annoying. Grinding, grating, irritating sounds.

But despite his complete aggravation, he tried his hardest to understand the parts and equipment in front of him. It was soon that he began to get the basics of the device and it was then that he was stopped by Slade.

“Excellent work, Dick. That’s enough for now,” said Slade, his tone filled with approval. “See? When you stop griping about it, you can learn well.”

“Wow, praise mixed with criticism. Whatever will I do?” drawled Dick sarcastically with a light smirk; his chest glowing in pleasure at the praise again. Slade chuckled in a low voice as he shook his head.

“Soon, you’ll be using explosives of your own creation to infiltrate whatever place sets your fancy.”

Dick frowned and narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by that? I’m not going to steal.”

“You will in time.”

“I don’t want to be a criminal, Slade,” said Dick in a serious tone. “I don’t want to learn how to steal or how to destroy things.” He avoided saying that he also didn’t want to learn how to kill. After all, if he didn’t want to steal, he sure as heck didn’t want to kill anyone. It was implied and he really didn’t want to hear the man’s counter opinion on the matter at that moment.

“Time erodes all feelings,” said Slade. “It will come with time. You will learn and you will enjoy it – of that I have no doubt.”

Dick’s heart quickened as anxiety flooded his chest. No, he would not enjoy stealing. He would not enjoy being a criminal. He didn’t want to even think about the possibility of his nature changing to that point.

“No, I won’t,” said Dick flatly. “It’s wrong. I want to do the right thing.”

“Morals are relative and fluctuating. Humans change them all the time to suit their needs,” said Slade; his tone sliding into his even, impassive one. “No matter what ‘morals’ humans place upon themselves, they will ultimately do what pleases them.”

“Then, I want to do what I think is right,” said Dick. “I don’t want to steal. I don’t want to kill. I don’t want to be a criminal.”

“You are just repeating the morals that were drilled into your head by that bat,” said Slade with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You’re young; you haven’t lived long enough to understand the reality of life and the contemplation of morals.”

Dick folded his arms in frustration and turned his head away from the irritating man. Slade could think whatever he wanted, but he was wrong. Batman had taught him some things on the matters of morals, but he wasn’t his first teacher.

Dick had noticed that Batman displayed a lot of controlled anger towards his enemies as he took them down. When Dick had questioned Batman why he never killed his enemies, Batman had quipped dryly, “Too much paperwork.” But then, he had turned serious, “If I killed them, then that would make me just like them. Killing is not the answer.”

Dick had accepted that answer from Bruce. He did find it interesting that while the man had said that, it hadn’t stopped him from sometimes sending some of his enemies to prison in casts – sometimes even full body ones.

But it had not been Bruce that had brought up the subject of morals first in his life. After all, the man wasn’t his father.

No, it had been his dear mother who had gently taught him right from wrong. Mary Grayson had been a Christian, and therefore, Dick had a basic understanding of such doctrine. His mother was a very gentle teacher and kindly nurtured him as she had taught him things. His father had not been a religious man, but he had supported his wife in her beliefs.

Dick breathed in deeply, overwhelmed in the memory of his mother. She had been such a soft and tender woman. He could remember the warmth of her body as she held him in her arms. He could still remember how she always managed to smell like gingerbread – probably because she baked it often. There were many times when her nurturing hands would envelop his face as she looked kindly down at him. Even when she scolded him, she had done it gently with those hands; like surrounding him in her love and protection.

She had been so kind, so gentle, so soft in the way she had taught him principles of life that Dick didn’t want to disappoint her, even so many years after her death. He knew she would be sad if he disobeyed the things she taught. Although he wasn’t exactly religious like she had been, he still wanted to please her no matter what.

Dick was overwhelmed by nostalgia in a powerful, sweeping wave of emotion. It rose up high in his chest, nearly overpowering him to tears. He needed to get out of here. Slade was making him remember things that were painful. He had to escape. He just had to get out of here. He was getting complacent; inattentive and even apathetic with his situation – that was perilous.

No more sitting around. No biding his time. He had to get out. Slade was going to change him in ways he couldn’t and wouldn’t change in.

He had to escape.

Dick looked down at the project he had been working on; his mind racing wildly. Wintergreen had said the entrance or exit had been sealed at his arrival. Well, Slade wasn’t too smart for teaching Dick how to make an explosive. If the exit was sealed off, then he’d just have to blast his way through.

“You’ll understand with time,” said Slade, breaking through Dick’s thoughts. “I know—”

Slade stopped as he stood up. Dick glanced up at the man, his eyes following in the direction of the man’s gaze. He was staring at the main computer frame. He pushed the chair back more and pointed at Dick.

“Stay there; don’t move. Something’s come up and I’ll only be a moment,” said Slade, turning away from him and walking over to the computer. He sat in the chair, turning to face the computer screen. Dick craned his neck to see what was going on, but he couldn’t see anything at all.

He looked back down at the device in his hands; his eyes flittering back nervously to Slade.

What he was thinking was absolutely crazy. If it even worked, he doubted he could get far. The man could overpower him in strength and probably speed. Was Dick willing to risk enraging the man if it didn’t work?

Dick gritted his teeth. He was tired of being content and comfortable with his captor. He had to try; in the very least try. His friends wouldn’t forgive him if he just contentedly stayed and accepted his fate without a real fight. Bruce would be greatly annoyed if he didn’t take a chance at his freedom from the madman.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins. This was crazy. This was absolutely crazy. If it didn’t work, Slade would be raging mad at him. There would be no word on the planet to describe the pure rage that would be completely directed towards him. Slade would kill him – completely and totally kill him.

Was it worth that risk?

Carelessness tore through Dick’s soul as he grabbed the device and activated it. He jumped to his feet; his heart palpitating in its excitement. He hurled the activated device across the room towards the nearest wall.

There was a brief second before there was an enormous explosion.

Dick was blown back from the force of the blast; the heat terribly hot against his skin. He skidded along the floor on his back until he came to a stop. He laid on the floor, heavily panting from his insanity.

He had done it. He had actually tossed that thing against the wall. It had exploded. He had built it under Slade’s watchful eye and had actually built an explosive that worked. A small bit of pride rose up in his chest for a moment.

But it was fleeting as he remembered the reason for his lunacy. He quickly sat up; relatively unharmed from the blast as best as he could tell, thankfully. As the smoke faded away slowly, Dick’s eyes widened in shock.

The wall was completely intact, undamaged by the blast. The only remnant of possibility that an explosive had been tossed at it was the marking of the fiery blast; spider trailed upwards in black soot. Dick’s chest settled slightly in disappointment. He had failed. It hadn’t worked. He was still trapped.

Then, panic flooded through his heart as he turned his head to glance at Slade.

Slade was terrifyingly infuriated.

The man was slowly standing up from his chair by the computer. The blast hadn’t reached that far. Even with his mask on, Dick could feel it from across the room: the pure fury that emanated from the man as his only visible facial feature was wide and furious.

Slade marched over to him. Dick scurried backwards on the ground, but Slade was on him in a second. He clasped Dick by the underarm in such a tight grip, Dick thought his arm would go numb. In a fluid movement, Dick was pulled to his feet and dragged away. The panic rushed over him like a flood. He had just done something very stupid – he knew it. He shouldn’t have done that. Slade was furious. Why’d he go and do that? How stupid could he get?! Slade was going to kill him now. Dick wished the man would loosen his grip on his arm; his hand was hurting him.

Although Dick knew full well that when the livid man did let go, he was in for a whole other world of hurt.

“S–Slade—please, I’m—”

“Shut. Your. Trap,” said Slade, emphasizing each word in a low, icy tone. It sent a wave of chills to slide down Dick’s back. His thumping heart began to palpitate anxiously. Dick’s eyes began to water as the anticipation of what was about to happen started to overwhelm him. He was dead – so dead. Slade was gonna kill him.

Or, at least, Dick would wish that Slade had.

Slade stopped suddenly near a wall, far away from the explosion area, and turned a very sharp eye on him. He grabbed Dick by the upper section of his arms with both hands as he stared at him. His single grey eye flittered up and down, and Dick got the distinct impression that the man was, perhaps, checking for injuries.

That couldn’t be right…

Right?

“Are you injured?” asked Slade extremely slowly; his voice soft and all encompassing in pure foreboding. Terrified by his tone, Dick quickly shook his head silently. To be honest, he was too scared to death at that moment to really notice if he had been injured at all by the blast. He didn’t feel injured, though. Slade’s chest heaved deeply after a moment.

“I… see. Good.”

Then, Slade slammed Dick against the wall, sending a fierce punch into his stomach immediately afterward. As Dick doubled over in pain, a knee slammed into his chest. A cry tore from his mouth as the wind blasted out. He gasped as he was slammed back against the wall. Slade leaned down slowly, coming face to face with him.

“What were you thinking, boy?” snarled Slade in a low voice.

“I–I—”

“What were you thinking!?” shouted Slade, shaking him once. “You could have killed yourself! Or Will! Tell me, I’d love to know. What. Were. You. Thinking?”

Dick gasped and closed his eyes; his breathing erratic and heavy. The man had a terribly frightening grip on him and he wasn’t letting up anytime soon either.

“Answer me!”

“I–I’m sorry!” cried Dick hurriedly; hot beads of tears sliding down his face. He was scared; oh, so terribly frightened beyond anything he had ever felt before in his entire life. He had never felt this much pure cold wrath from the man ever before. The man was livid – totally livid and enraged.

“That’s not the answer I’m looking for, Dick!” snapped Slade. A hand cracked across Dick’s face; pain flashing through his cheek afterwards. He was forced to look back at the masked man.

“I don’t know!” cried Dick hysterically, the words tumbling from his mouth in a hurry. “Yo—you said I was sealed in here, s–so I just thought I could blow a hole in the wall and escape.”

Another blow punched into his stomach. Soon after, a kick smashed into his side; sending Dick flying to the side to crash, skidding, to the floor. He shuddered as the pain ravaged through his entire body. Slade walked over to him; grabbing him by his upper arms. He pulled Dick up to his feet as if he weighed nothing more than a feather and slammed him against the wall again. Stars popped in his eyes from the impact.

Dick’s pounding heart couldn’t calm down. Sweat poured off his skin; pain throbbing terribly throughout his body. He was hot. He was hurt. He was scared.

Oh, was he so terrified.

“So,” drawled Slade, his extreme displeasure evident in his tone, “you got it into your head that you could use that explosive as if it were perfectly useable, without any previous training in the field whatsoever, and just toss it against the wall in the hopes it would explode? Have I got that right?”

Dick nodded jerkily, thinking it best to stay silent.

“You idiot boy!” cried Slade, shaking Dick once against the wall in his rage. “Do you have any idea how stupid that was!”

Dick glared through his tears of fear and pain.

“I’m not a freaking child, Slade!” snapped Dick, momentarily forgetting the frightening possibility of his outburst. “How many times do I have to repeat myself? I’m not stupid. I knew what I was doing.”

“Is that right?” snarled Slade derisively. “So, you have years of experience in this? You knew everything I was teaching you? Tell me your dear Batman educated you in this field, hm? How many years now? Tell me, boy!”

The fear flooded back through Dick as he bit his lip and averted his eyes. This only gained him a harsh slam against the wall again.

“Look at me!” snapped Slade. “Look at me and answer the blasted question!”

Dick whimpered as he tried to form the words in his mouth. “I–I—he di–didn’t! You only just taught me!”

“And what on this earth gave you the idea that you could use it to blow yourself up!” demanded Slade. “I thought I made it perfectly clear of the dangers! Were you even listening to me?!”

“I didn’t blow myself up! I was only trying to blow the wall away!”

“You could’ve been killed, you idiot child!” hissed Slade piercingly through gritted teeth. “You could’ve killed yourself; you could’ve killed Will – or in the very least permanently injured yourself.” Slade grabbed Dick by the shoulders and shook him once; his tone turning into deep exasperation and almost desperation. “Why can’t you think before you act?!”

Huh…?

Dick blinked; his eyes widening as he stared up into Slade’s infuriated grey blue eye. He could see the deep fury inside it; but as Dick continued to study it, he noticed a glimmer of worry and fear. Mixed with the cold rage, there was an anxious, fearful, and concerned look deep within the man’s eye.

Slade was… worried? About him?

That was it. Shockingly. The man had been worried – actually worried that Dick would’ve hurt himself or killed himself. He was worried for his safety. Dick had made the man almost frantic with worry. That was it.

Wasn’t it?

Tears overflowed. Hot beads streamed down his face. His lips trembled uncontrollably as he tried to hold back the sobs that were dying to break forth. The tumultuous emotions poured and overflowed within his heart. He quickly lifted a hand to his face and wiped at his cheeks in attempt to stem the flow. But the tears didn’t stop.

“I’m—I’m sorry,” choked Dick finally. “I’m so sorry.”

Dick’s chest heaved as he coughed once; the tears ever streaming down his face. He must look totally pathetic to Slade; crying his eyes out like this. But the thought of making the man worry over him made Dick feel ashamed. His heart wanted to make it up to him. If Slade forgave him right now, then Dick would do everything he could to be cooperative.

But that just wasn’t going to happen.

“Oh, you will be. Very sorry indeed,” said Slade in a terribly icy tone. “So sorry that you can’t even begin to imagine.”

“Wa—wait, please,” cried Dick, holding his hands up protectively. “Please, you don’t have to. I–I understand. I swear I won’t do this again. Pr–promise! I’ll do better. I swear—”

He was cut off by a thump as a fist crushed into his stomach; all sounds disappearing in his throat as the wind was once again blown out of his lungs. Gasping, Dick collapsed to the floor; curling up into a small ball. A sharp kick came into his side and he cried out in pain.

“Slade, stop this at once!” cried Wintergreen’s frantic voice. Dick hadn’t even realized the old man had entered the room. “You don’t need to do this to him! There’s another way!”

Tears of pain slid from Dick’s eyes and down the bridge of his nose as he lay on the floor. His vision was fading slightly. That was good. That meant he would pass out from the pain soon. He’d be free from it for awhile, then. He wouldn’t have to think. He’d just be temporarily safe in the blackness.

He hoped it would come soon.

“I have, numerous times, been soft with the boy,” said Slade in a slow, exact tone; darkness flowing from it. “But it is obvious that this is ineffective. He asked for it. I am merely gratifying his request.”

“He didn’t ask for this and you know it!” snapped Wintergreen. “Please, Slade—”

“You are not needed here, Will. Be on standby, though,” said Slade tightly.

Slade bent down and grabbed Dick by the arms again; pulling him back to his feet. Dick whimpered as he squeezed his eyes shut; waiting for the inevitable blow. There was no bother fighting back. It would only make it worse. If Slade had softened like Wintergreen wanted… Dick probably wouldn’t have been able to refute his commands any more. He would’ve obeyed him – perfectly. No more rebelliousness. No more back talk. No more fighting. No more nothing. Dick would’ve finally accepted that he was never going to escape.

But now, Dick hated the man – hated him with everything in his soul. It hadn’t mattered if he was sorry for his stupid mistake. It was too late now. It had to be too late. There was no going back. The man would never change, never be soft. It was all a trick – a trick to get Dick to obey and be under the sadistic man’s control. Slade didn’t care about Dick’s safety. He only cared about his perfect obedient ‘apprentice’.

What a joke. There was just no way Slade actually cared about Dick.

The blow cracked into his chest, while a second smashed into his side. He collapsed to the cold floor in a heap of pure, throbbing sharp pain. He was pulled up on his feet again. Dick swayed, blinded by the pain; his chest heaving in soft sobs and gasps. A sharp backhand cracked across his cheek, then another. With one final punch to his stomach, Dick collapsed to the floor. Blackness faded over his eyes just before he felt another kick to his side.

He welcomed the darkness thankfully as the hot tears streamed endlessly down his cheeks.

ooOOOOOoo

Keep Reading –>