Damian's POV...

Slade locked me in a well guarded cell. My hands were chained above my head and my feet shackled to the floor. At least he wasn't hanging me from the ceiling or forcing me to stand.

I desperately tried to pull my hands through the chains, but they were too tight. My feet where freezing and so was my back against the cold, stone floor and wall. There were no windows, a hidden door and not even a toilet like a civilized cell.

I was bored oit of my mind. At least talking to Slade was something to do. Here, alone with only my thoughts, was getting awfully boring.

The door opened and Deathstroke walked in. "Hello, boy," he said.

I rolled my eyes at him. "What do you want?" My voice slightly shaking from the cold.

"I told you that I'd kill you slowly," the mercenary said. "And today I'll start slow for you, all right?" I could almost hear his smirk. He unwrapped a whip from around his belt and unrolled it. "I'll admit. I'm going to enjoy this." And with that, he rose the whip over me and let it fall.

Batman's POV...

I searched frantically for my son. I only inferred that Deathstroke had kidnapped him from the Batcomputer's history. I was guessing Damian had tried to delete the information, but was unsuccessful. I found a conversation between Damian and Deathstroke where he had told Damian he would capture him.

I tried to find Deathstroke's hideout no matter how hard I looked. It was as if I was being taunted, being so close to Damian's location but not hitting it directly.

I knew that Deathstroke wanted to kill Damian. If I knew the mercenary, he would probably but my son through every painful torture he can until Damian finally breaks, which if I knew my son, could be whipped, burned, drowned, brainwashed and whatever else Deathstroke could torture him with for weeks. Months even. Damian was just as stubborn as me, maybe even more.

I hadn't slept for three days and I knew that Alfred was worried about me, but I refused to abandon Damian like that. He's my son. I can't rest until I know where he is.

I heard the elevator announce Alfred's arrival. I ignored it. "Master Bruce-"

"You can't change my mind, Alfred," I growled. "I have to find Damian."

"You won't be any used to Master Damian if you show up exhausted and unable to fight."

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Who knows what that monster might be doing to him."

"I know, Master Bruce," Alfred said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I was just trying to help, that's all." With that, he left.

I rubbed my temples. Maybe I should get some rest. Alfred's right. I'm no use to Damian if I can't even keep my eyes open.

With one last glance at my scanners, I changed into civilian clothes and went to bed.

Damian's POV...

I cried silently in the corner of my cell. I hadn't started until Slade had left. I couldn't show signs of weakness, but it just hurt so much. My back had been ripped open by the whip and he had rubbed alcohol into it. My hands were still chained to the wall and I was lying in a slowly growing pool of my own blood. Every time I moved, a new pain would emerge, and I couldn't help my constant shivering.

"Please...father," I whispered. "Get me...out of this...hell."

"How sad," said a voice behind me. Slade didn't leave. He was just standing in the shadows, watching me bleed. "You're such a weakling. How did Ra Al Ghul chose you over me?"

"I'm not an...insane...psychopath..." I forced out.

I heard footsteps and an awful pain shot through me. It was electricity racing through me. I screamed in pain. It finally stopped and he rolled me over onto my back, causing me more pain. I tried to get up, but Slade placed a foot on my chest, pushing down, forcing my torn back into the floor of my cell. Black spots were dancing in my vision.

"Do you really think that your father can save you? He may know I kidnapped you, but I left no clues to where you are. You don't even know where you are. You will die, I can promise you that, but it won't be a pretty one. You think a simple whipping was hell? Just wait...you'll look back on this as a day in paradise."