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dollymixturesDick spends a lot of his life in a lot of very secure locations, the window for anybody wanting to cause him any sort of trouble was pretty narrow, and even in those narrow windows, who was going to bother him? Dick Grayson wasn't even on the radar of the kind of people Nightwing caused problems for, and he didn't exactly have enough of a routine for run-of-the-mill villains to catch him out.
Captain America, on the other hand, had plenty of enemies who were very much not run-of-the-mill, and they were low down and dirty enough to go to some pretty extreme lengths for their revenge - like paying off one of Dick's work colleagues to tell them where he'd be.
An after-work trip to a bar for a bunch of cops is the last place you'd expect a kidnapping attempt to go down, but all it took was a little careful engineering, a solo trip to the bathroom and a sharp baton to the temple that a half-drunk Dick wasn't quite quick enough to react to, Nightwing or no Nightwing.
So when Dick next woke up, he came to several realisations.
One, these guys definitely did not know what they had.
Two, his communicator and one or two other gadgets he kept secreted about his person were still exactly where he thought they'd be, because his kidnappers also did not search very thoroughly.
Three, number one was slightly negated by the fact that they definitely knew who might be coming for what they had, because he was pretty heavily trussed up and definitely well guarded.
and
Four, while the distress beacon in his communicator was hopefully still functional, the stabs of shattered plastic located by his questing fingers suggested that the communicator itself was most definitely damaged.
In short, he was in a very bad position - but not nearly as bad a position as his kidnappers were going to be in, that he knew for certain.
The second Steve entered the apartment, he would be swooped upon almost immediately by a very large, angry vigilante, and one single growled sentence.
"They've taken Dick."
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Date: 2015-11-25 06:21 am (UTC)"Who has Dick?" He asked, taking a step towards the other man. If Dick was in trouble, Steve needed to know about it and he needed to know about it right now.
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Date: 2015-11-25 03:00 pm (UTC)If there was a tiny, approving nod from the imposing figure at how quickly Steve was ready to act that was neither here nor there, and it wasn't followed by anything other than a businesslike briefing.
"We're not sure exactly, they ambushed him in a bar, we found the security footage from the building across the street," he held out a folder to Steve, containing several grainy images of black-clad men dragging the unconscious Dick into an unmarked van, in the folder was also a profile obviously from a police database "we could only enhance the footage enough for facial recognition to pick up this man. He's just a hired thug, but the last person that hired him... you took out their operation." he leaned (loomed) forward to tap the file, pointing out the latest notes that mentioned that him and several others had been brought in by Steve, before he'd been busted out of prison along with a number of his cohorts.
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Date: 2015-11-25 03:44 pm (UTC)"The man who hired him is part of a HYDRA cell me and Dick took out a few months ago." It'd actually been right before they'd been outed, but that didn't really matter at the moment. "I don't think they know he's Nightwing. Otherwise, they would've sent more men and more firepower."
He looked at Bruce. "I can find him."
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Date: 2015-11-25 04:32 pm (UTC)Batman made a small noise of agreement when Steve mentioned them not knowing he was Nightwing, that was something at least, but it also meant that there wasn't a lot Dick could do to help them at his end.
"We can find him." he corrected firmly, and in a strange way, despite his accusatory stare, this was almost his way of letting Steve know it was okay. He could have done this himself, but he knew Steve would want to be involved. Of course, it could just be that he couldn't be seen, as Batman, to be helping the rescue effort of a random Bludhaven police officer, but it was probably the first one. Probably.
"You should go to Gotham. Bruce Wayne will need your help."
"So I'm pretty hungry, how about something to eat?" In costume or out, Dick wasn't going to let the opportunity to wind up his captors go to waste, no matter how murderous they were beginning to look "No, seriously, I'm starving, long day at the precinct you know, there's got to be a takeaway near here somewhere right?" It could also be the concussion talking, he was pretty sure he had one of those, there was no way the alcohol should still be effecting him, it had to be concussion.
"Shut up." One of the goons hissed, waving a gun in his direction, before he turned to his fellow. "Any reason we can't just kill him? Captain boyfriend ain't going to know one way or the other."
"Because that's not the plan. Anyway, he'll probably want to see proof he's still alive before he walks into our trap, won't he?" the other one argued.
So... this was aimed at Steve. He thought the goons looked familiar. Of course, he didn't know what to do with this information now he had it, but every little helped. Unfortunately, his intel-gathering plan was quickly foiled as the two guards decided that, while they couldn't kill him, they could definitely gag him.
Now...what was the most annoying song he could hum while he waited for Steve...
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Date: 2015-11-25 05:03 pm (UTC)"I'll leave tonight," Steve said, meeting the other man's eyes. He was intimidating in the suit. Steve might have found it off putting if not for the clear regard and concern he was showing about Dick. Steve respected that, if only because he felt it himself.
--
It was a good thing Steve didn't need much sleep. He wasn't sure he would've been able to get any, even if he had. Bruce was waiting for him when he reached Gotham and Steve handed over all the Intel he could gather about the HYDRA operations he'd been targeting in his search for Bucky. Tony had helped him narrow things down to this one HYDRA leader. He'd even tried telling Steve that this wasn't his fault, but they both knew that Steve believed it about as much as Tony did when Pepper was put in danger.
By morning he and Bruce were hitting different spots that could be potential holding areas for the thugs involved. There hadn't been any kind of ransom or calling out yet, but that didn't mean they couldn't be proactive.
Random cameo ftw
Date: 2015-11-25 05:19 pm (UTC)It was mid-morning by the time they heard from the kidnappers, though there were plenty of rumours already flying around on social media ever since Steve had been spotted leaving the house with Bruce, ranging from 'OMG HE IS TOTALLY ASKING FOR DICK'S HAND I CAN'T EVEN MY HEART' to slightly more accurate theories about Dick going missing. The notification came in the form of a phone call from a friend of Bruce's, one Clark Kent from the Daily Planet, who advised that their newsroom had been called by somebody using a voice synthesizer - them and several other news outlets, it seemed - demanding that Captain America come to a pre-determined location, alone, and they would return Dick.
"Obviously a trap." Bruce growled as soon as he had finished explaining the situation, slipping briefly into his Batman persona. It had obviously been difficult for him to stay out of it when he was so worried, he clearly desperately wanted to yell at everything until it told him where Dick was. "We have more places to check, we should try them first before this meeting, in case we can find him before walking into it."
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Date: 2015-11-25 05:45 pm (UTC)They also knew that they'd be looking for Steve to bring back-up and seeing any would be bad for Dick's safety. Still, Steve trusted Bruce to stay out of sight.
"We should check around the rendezvous point. If you find him first, let me know and I can either come help you, or provide a distraction."
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Date: 2015-11-25 11:00 pm (UTC)It wouldn't do for Bruce to disappear into the shadows the way he normally would, so instead he wandered off as if he was just an ordinary billionaire looking for his son (you know, like you see every day), it would take somebody very observant indeed to see how cautiously he moved and how methodically he was checking, all the while looking like he was just poking about. When he found a guard, he knew he was on to the right track, and it was easy enough to sneak up behind him and take him out without anybody seeing - others would not be so straightforward, so he did something that Batman had always been loathe to do - he called for backup.
"I think I've located them, warehouse 17, there's one too many armed men loitering about outside for it to be anything good."
"What if he doesn't come alone?"
"He will, if he knows what's good for him. If he doesn't...well, he's going to get his boy here killed, isn't he?"
"I think he's probably going to get you all killed. Or at least arrested. Definitely arrested, probably pretty badly injured too."
"For the last time, the plan's going to- wait, how did you get that gag off?"
"How do you think I managed to date Captain America? I'm very good with my tongue."
"....I'm going to enjoy killing you, and we're going to make him watch."
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Date: 2015-11-26 04:58 am (UTC)He drove up, the motorcycle announcing his arrival better than anything else could've. He shut off the engine and took off his helmet as four guards trained assault rifles on him.
"Where is he?" Steve demanded, loud enough that his voice would carry to let Bruce and Dick know he was there.
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Date: 2015-12-07 09:24 am (UTC)"He's here, he's not supposed to be here!"
"How did he find us? Where is he?"
"He's outside. Jack's not coming in, he must have brought back up."
"Shit, is it the avengers? Did he bring them?"
"I don't-wait, wait, where's the captive? Who has the captive?"
One pissed off Captain America + Batman and Nightwing (albeit as their alternate identities) + a bunch of poorly organised Hydra thugs = things not going very well at all for aforementioned thugs. Bruce and Dick couldn't do much to help, but Dick managed to take a couple out before they realised he was missing, and a third with an 'accidental' well-placed punch when they appeared to try and grab him again.
Unfortunately, even poorly organised Hydra thugs become much more effective when their more organised bosses show up, and while the majority of them were left in various groaning piles, things took a turn for the worse. Dick was dragged out of the shadows, held by a couple of goons too firmly for him to break out without attracting attention, the boss walking ahead of them.
"Captain Rogers. I believe you are here looking for this?" he tutted "I am sure we gave you another location to retrieve him, didn't we?"
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Date: 2015-12-11 02:37 am (UTC)"What ever you want, it has nothing to do with him. So let's just talk this through before more of your people get hurt."
He didn't know where Bruce was, but he doubted that he was very far. And while he knew Dick had his back, he also knew that he couldn't out himself unless completely necessary.
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Date: 2015-12-11 11:34 am (UTC)Dick looked a little woozy but otherwise unharmed, and he was looking more alert by the second, so it was obvious that whatever they'd done to subdue him was wearing off. Though he kept his head down, his eyes flicked up, taking stock of where the few remaining men were coming out of the shadows.
"Oh I think it has everything to do with him," the boss started smugly, and Dick tensed up in sudden panic that they'd figured it out. "He is important to you, as long as we have him, we can ensure you cooperate.... unless you just want us to kill him?" He waved a hand to one of the goons who shifted his grip slightly to lift his gun, holding it to Dick's head. Despite the sudden introduction of the gun, it actually made Dick relax slightly on realising his identity wasn't compromised. While everybody's attention was on the man with the gun, one of the three remaining guards behind Steve was dragged silently into the shadows.
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Date: 2015-12-21 02:40 am (UTC)Steve stiffened, his jaw locking at the threat to Dick. He stepped forward, dropping his helmet as the gun was pulled. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice tense.
Even with Dick's skills, it was near impossible to escape that kind of threat. Steve wouldn't be able to get to him in time and while Bruce might have a shot lined up, Steve wasn't going to risk Dick's safety on a maybe.
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Date: 2015-12-29 10:55 pm (UTC)"We have a little job for you. Do what we say, and maybe we'll give him back.. mostly unharmed.." the man explained with a nasty smile, his focus entirely on Steve - allowing the second of the guards behind him to be pulled, unnoticed, into the shadows. Now there were only four enemies left, unfortunately that included the one still holding a gun to Dick's head.
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Date: 2016-01-09 08:25 pm (UTC)He was careful not to look directly at Dick or the guard being dragged off into the shadows. The clock was clicking down and there was only a few minutes left before someone noticed they were being picked off one by one.
Still, out of the corner of his eye he could see a dark figure emerge. Now was the time. The guard holding Dick cried out and that was all he needed to know that Dick had a chance at getting away. The crime boss was only a few feet away and so Steve charged at him, slamming into him as his gun went off. He barely felt anything at all as he took the man down, knocking him out with a pair of solid punches and grabbing the gun in order to shoot one of the other men in the knee.
"Dick you good?" He couldn't risk taking his eyes off the man who had dropped his gun to grab at his knee. He might have another gun hidden on him.
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Date: 2016-01-25 04:37 pm (UTC)"I'm good," Dick confirmed tersely, driving an elbow into the gut of the last man standing, whirling around to take him out with a neat punch that was probably just a little more forceful than he really should be able to do, but his frustration overrode his attempts to keep his secret identity. If anybody wanted to question it, he'd say Steve taught him some tricks. The man clutching his knee lifted his other hand in surrender, clearly understanding his odds of surviving if he decided to fight.
Bruce came running out of the shadows looking appropriately shell-shocked, fussing faux-worriedly over Dick with careful precision, checking for injuries as the younger man batted him away. Outside, the sound of sirens drew in, and Dick glanced at Steve with a weak smile.
"Ready to take the credit for single-handedly taking down this entire cell in the daring rescue of your wonderful boyfriend? How well do I play damsel in distress?" he put a hand to his forehead dramatically.
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Date: 2016-01-31 10:19 pm (UTC)He strode forward, holding out a hand to help Dick up and into a rough hug. "You didn't have me fooled for a second," he said with a small grin as he hugged him tight.
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Date: 2016-02-01 04:25 pm (UTC)Dick laughed slightly and hugged Steve back, clinging to him tightly. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the fight, or the fact that things had been touch and go for all of them for a moment there, but it was even tighter than he usually did. During the following flurry of activity as the bad guys were taken into custody and various law enforcement agencies took their statements about four times, Dick held tight onto Steve's arm, like he was afraid to let him go. It was probably just for the cameras who were circling, waiting for a chance to swoop in and get their interviews. Probably.
Once the swarming paparazzi were mollified (or rather, once Alfred turned up with the car and Bruce forcefully piled them all into it before any more questions could be asked), they were swept off back to Wayne manor, where Alfred bullied all of them (even Steve) into letting him check them over for injuries and made them all dinner. Dick would be taking a few days off from work and staying there at the manor, it was announced, and it was unclear whether the decision came from Alfred wanting to keep an eye on him, Bruce wanting to keep up appearances, or Dick just wanting to stay home, or maybe a little bit of all three.