I glanced about tiredly at the defeated militia men piled around me, twirling my staff in my hand. The struggle to reach this bunker alone had physically drained me, especially that deadly game of run-from-the-giant-drilling-machine that had resulted in the loss of the Batmobile. I was glad it was all over. I turned to Commissioner Gordon where he sat in his restraints and approached him.

"Let's get you out of here, Commissioner," I said as he looked up at me warily. Man, he looked worse for wear, the bruises and cuts on his face no doubt the price he'd paid for going against the Arkham Knight and Scarecrow on his own.

"Robin? Is Batman with you?" Gordon grunted as I got to work on the wires strapping him to the chair. I tried not to scowl at his inquiry. The memory of Bruce trying to throw me in that cell in the studios was too fresh in my mind.

"He's a little unfit for duty right now," I replied, trying to sound upbeat. "But don't worry, we-"

"Turn around."

I froze, hands hovering over the Commissioner's wrist. I took a deep breath and turned to find the owner of the synthesized voiced, the so-called Arkham Knight, standing behind me. On top of that, he had a pistol trained on me. Great, and we were so close to escaping, too!

I drew myself to my full height in an attempt to mask my exhaustion and the aching of my muscles. I couldn't afford to show any weakness to whoever this enemy was.

"Who are you?" The million-dollar question. I didn't expect a straight answer.

"You really have no idea," The Knight sighed, pressing a button on his mask to raise it away from his face. "Do you, Robin?"

I froze in shock when I saw the man's face; that same tired and anguished face I had seen in that terrible video file I wished I'd never found in the Batcomputer. Even after all this time, the letter J remained branded on his cheek, a cruel proof of ownership.

"You-you're Jason Todd," I stammered, both in amazement and fear. How that hell was this possible after I'd seen Joker put a bullet in him?

"What's the matter, kid?" Jason-no, not Jason, that's impossible-sneered, circling around me like a predator. "Lost for words? The old man never mentioned me? I'm hurt.

"You're dead," I replied in disbelief. "Batman told me-"

"LIAR!" the man before me snarled, shaking his firearm in my face. "How long did he wait before replacing me with you, huh? A month? A week? I trusted him...and he just left me to die!"

"No way," I denied adamantly, taking a step back. "I'm sure Batman did everything he could to get you back!"

"Well he lied to you, Boy Wonder!" the Knight shouted angrily, "Just like he lied to me." He trailed off, his expression softening somewhat. "Tell me something, kid, how much faith do you have in the old man? Would you trust him with any secret, your life? Is that how tight you are?"

In any other situation, I would have given an automatic response. However, the sight of my mentor's deranged green eyes and the sound of his powerful fists banging against the glass gave me pause. How long had he been planning to let the Joker's blood corrupt him from the inside out? How much did he really know about Oracle's whereabouts? Was she really fine?

Jason grinned cruelly, noticing my hesitation. "Having doubts? Good. You should listen to your gut and stay far away from the Bat. He might be coddling you now, but he'll ditch your sorry ass the second you outgrow him." He ceased pacing, never lowering his weapon. "Don't you see? Robins are replaceable to him. He doesn't care about you. He never cared about me, or Dick. Once you screw up and lose your title he'll just hand it over to the next little shit."

My eyes narrowed and my hands curled at my sides. I knew what the Knight was trying to do. If I let his words consume me, who would be left to stand against Scarecrow and his diabolical plan? If I could best Jason in battle, his militia empire would collapse underneath him. It would make saving Gotham all the easier.

"I don't plan on giving up my mantle anytime soon. Batman's not here, so it's up to me to sort out the destruction you and Scarecrow have caused," I hissed, "Besides, it's obvious to everyone that the third time's the charm in this situation, isn't it?"

An animalistic growl tore from Jason's throat. Before I knew it, his hand was wrapped around my neck, his gun pushing against my chin. "You little punk," he snarled, eyes burning with untamed rage. "You're just as bad as him."

It was then, with his face so close, that I understood the full extent of the Joker's torture. He was insecure and unstable, a shadow of the man he'd been under Bruce's tutelage. He wouldn't rest until he saw all of us suffer and perish at his hands.

"Get your hand off him, scum!" Gordon yelled from his chair, struggling to break free. In the intensity of the moment, I'd forgotten he was in the building with us. Jason's glare turned to the Commissioner, gun poised to silence him for his outburst. At that instant, I knew I had to act.

I struck with my free hand, knocking his hand from my neck. Before the Knight could regain his balance, I smashed him over the head with my baton, damaging his Batman-esque mask. Jason flew back, and I used my grappling gun to swing over the railing, finding a hiding spot near some escalators.

"YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!" Jason roared, "I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!"

From my position, I caught sight of him brandishing a sniper rifle and grappling up to a nearby vantage point. There was no way I could charge him head-on. I scanned the bunker's area, looking for vents and nooks I could use to get close. Finding a suitable path, I took a few calming breaths before leaping into action.

I couldn't afford to think about how Jason used to live in my shoes, how he had trained and fought alongside Batman to bring the wicked to justice. Now, he was just another threat that had to be neutralized to ensure Gotham's safety.

Even as I moved through the vents, however, a deep feeling in my gut told me that this confrontation was about to get personal.