I don't own Batman or Robin or Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson. Though I wish I did. This idea sort of ambushed me, so I figured I should write it. Sorry for the long absence from fanfic…..hopefully this is the start of a return.

-ff-

"Mr. Wayne, your meeting is in five minutes." Emily, his receptionist's voice came through the intercom.

Bruce picked up the files and stood from his desk. He didn't particularly want to spend the next three hours in a meeting, arguing over foreign policies, but it was one of those deals that would help stop the flow of illegal weapons. Something that would be extremely helpful in the long run.

"I'm on my way." He left his office.

In the conference room, the screens held the faces of four older men. Bruce sat down with a smile and spread out his papers.

"Gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to meet with me."

Dick sat with his friends at the lunch table. They laughed and joked along with all the other boys in the cafeteria, talked about how hard that English test was. Dick noticed the man that stepped into the room, but few others did. There was something about the way that the man held himself that made Dick wary.

When the man pulled out a semi-automatic gun and fired twice into the ceiling, Dick was the only one who wasn't caught completely off guard.

All the boys dove for the floor and the room got eerily quiet. One of the younger boys whimpered. Dick wished he were wearing his Robin uniform, rather than his school uniform.

Two more armed men walked into the room. They all wore black and had dark sunglasses and black fabric covering their mouths.

"Bring the boys into the gym. Shoot if they try to run." The first man said.

The boys were taken from the cafeteria in groups of ten. They were brought to the gym where the rest of the students and faculty had already been held hostage. Dick wanted to fight, he figured he could take out at least five of the men, but there were fifteen men holding guns and he didn't want any of the boys to get hurt.

Everyone was forced to lie down on the gym floor. Five of the men stood on the stage while the others patrolled among the boys and teachers. It was understood that if anyone so much as moved, they would be shot without question. Dick heard some of the boys stifle sobs, but all he wanted to do was something. Anything. Bruce hadn't trained him to lie on a floor while evil men did evil things. But he couldn't get the others hurt, he had to keep his head down until he knew what they wanted, until he knew there wouldn't be any casualties from his actions.

"Don't worry." The man obviously in charge of this entire hostage situation addressed the crowd. "We won't kill most of you, unless you give us reason to. We come here only for three boys."

He paused for dramatic effect, his hands clasped behind his back. He was charismatic, in control, psychotic.

"Can I get one of you boys to help me?" He smiled. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

One of his men laughed.

A boy near the front was grabbed and dragged onto the stage. Dick recognized him, one of the younger boys, maybe ten years old. He was doing his best to be brave, but his breathing was fast and his hands shook.

The man in charge knelt down in front of the boy. "What's your name, son?"

"Kyle." He whispered.

"My name is Sean. Do you think you could help me?"

Kyle didn't answer, he didn't know what the right answer was.

Sean rested his hand on Kyle's shoulder and the boy flinched. "No need to be afraid. I won't hurt you if you help me." He looked out over the crowd of hostages. "Just help me find some people."

Sean stood and held Kyle in front of him. Sean jumped down from the stage and took the boy in his arms.

"I'm going to tell you some names, Kyle, and you're going to point out those boys to me. Understand?"

Again, Kyle didn't answer.

Sean tightened his grip on the boy and Kyle whimpered a little. "Do you understand?" The friendly tone was gone. He pulled a gun from a holster and held it up for Kyle to see.

"Yes." Kyle whispered.

Sean smiled again. "Good. Very good. Ready for the first one? Nathan McCallister, age 16."

Kyle looked out over the crowd of boys lying on the floor.

"Do you see him?"

Kyle barely nodded.

"Well, point him out to me, son." He leisurely aimed the gun towards Kyle's head.

The boy raised a shaking hand and pointed to a boy. Nathan McCallister was doing his best to keep his head down, but one of the men grabbed him off the floor anyway. He was pulled up to the stage, wisely he didn't fight back. His wrists were tied together and a gag was tied over his mouth.

Tears fell silently down Kyle's cheeks.

Sean smiled. "Good job, Kyle. Only two more names. Ryan Jones, age 13." He rested the barrel of the gun against Kyle's chest.

Again, Kyle pointed to a boy and sealed his fate.

Ryan was pulled from the crowd and bound just like Nathan was. The two chosen boys stood together on the stage. One of the men had his gun aimed at them.

"What are you going to do with those boys?" Mr. Reynalds sat up.

Dick glanced over at the teacher. "Christ, just stay down." He whispered.

"Sorry?" Sean turned to Mr. Reynalds. "Did you misunderstand me? Anyone who moves, dies." He cocked the gun.

Kyle covered his ears and Sean fired. Mr. Reynalds was dead before he fell back to the gym floor. Blood ran from the hole exactly between his eyes. The room had gone even more silent, nobody had dared even to breathe.

"Don't worry, boys. We're almost done here. Just one more name and you can all go back to your classes and your homework and your school day. Unless someone else wants to play hero. Anyone? Anybody want to be a hero?" The smile slid from his face. "Because a hero is only somebody who gets other people killed. As you all have seen. You should be grateful I didn't shoot more of you to make sure you stay quiet." He shifted Kyle on his hip. "One more name, Kyle. Richard Grayson, age 15."

Dick's breath caught in his lungs. He looked up and saw Kyle pointing at him. Kyle mouthed the words "I'm sorry" as Dick was grabbed and pulled up to the stage with the other boys. He was bound and gagged like the others.

"Thank you so much, Kyle." Sean set the boy down and Kyle's knees nearly buckled. "You've been a great help. Go on and lay back down with the other boys."

Kyle climbed down from the stage and pressed himself against the floor. He shook with silent sobs.

Nathan, Ryan and Dick were patted down. Pencils, pocket cars, watches, and other things that boys keep in their pockets were taken from them. All they had were their uniforms and the rope that tied their hands together.

Sean touched each boy on top of the head, like he was fond of them, like he cared about them. "It has been a pleasure. See, I kept my promise, most of you weren't hurt. Have a nice day."

The three chosen boys were pulled from the gym, Sean went with them. Three of the men stayed behind to make sure nobody moved.

Dick instantly knew why he and Nathan and Ryan were chosen. They had the wealthiest and most powerful fathers of any of the boys in the school.

The phone rang in the middle of the meeting. Bruce hated interruptions and Emily knew better than to call him.

He smiled at the men on the screens. "Gentlemen, if you would excuse me for a moment." He picked up the phone. "Emily, I said to hold all my calls until after this meeting."

"Sir." Her voice broke a little. "There has been a hostage situation at St. Matthias, your son's school."

Bruce's breath caught in his lungs.

"Three boys were kidnapped, your son was one of them."

He hung up the phone and turned to the men, waiting for him to continue the meeting. He swallowed, his heart pounded in his ears.

"Mr. Wayne, is everything all right?" One of the men asked.

Bruce took a slow breath. "Family emergency." He looked up at the men. "If we are unable to settle this within the next half hour, may I please request that we convene at a later date?"