Coins Have Two Sides
Jason ran around the corner into an alley, clutching his prize, which was a box of doughnuts.
"Come back here, you little street rat!" he heard the cop behind him shout.
He slipped under an old plank of wood that was in his way and kept going. Suddenly he ran right into an eight-foot-tall chain link fence. He was cornered. Jason turned, looking for a way out, but all he saw was that cop running towards him.
The cop ran up and saw his opportunity. "Now I've got you, you little brat." Jason had seen this cop in the neighborhood before and his favorite term of endearment was, "You little so and so." Jason could take being call names, but it was getting old.
Suddenly Jason saw his chance, and he took it. A dumpster lid had been closed. He took a step forward and went into a one-handed handstand. He then flipped cleanly over the cop's head and landed on the dumpster. Jason then flipped the fence and made a perfect landing on the other side.
The cop stood on the opposite side of the fence, surprise written all over his face. Jason looked at him and laughed.
"I'll get you next time, you little street rat," the cop shouted at him.
"There he goes again," thought Jason as he ran down the alley.
Nanananana
Jason climbed slowly up the fire escape. It was hard to do with only one hand, but he had done it before and he would do it again. He reached the fourth floor and climbed in through the window, it was good to be home.
Suddenly someone grabbed him and dragged him the rest of the way into the apartment room that he and his dad had been living in.
"Hey, you're Peter Todd's kid "Jason looked up to a man that reminded him of his father, because of the way he carried himself was like Jason's dad.
"So, kid where's your old man?" Great, there was two of them.
"Who wants to know?" The only reason Jason said that was he didn't know the answer himself.
"Let's go I don't think the kid knows what we're looking for" Jason suddenly had hope of getting out of the mess his father had gotten into. "But all the same we should take him to the boss"
That statement crushed Jason. No way was he going to stand there and do nothing. He had to get out of the apartment building and as far away as possible. They were between him and the fire escape and the only other way out was the front door.
Jason threw the box of dough nuts in the face of the man who had grabbed him through the window, and kicked the other man's leg. He didn't have to stop to open the door, because the men had kicked it in. He got to the staircase and slid down the banister for four flights of stairs. He could hear the men behind him running down the stairs.
Jason ran past the front desk, the clerk looked up from her magazine "Hey Jason, your father's rent is up, Jay, Jay?" Jason didn't stop for a second.
He ran out of the building and down the steps. He only got half way, when a dark shadow engulfed him It was Two-face.
"Morgan, Johnson, get out here." The murderer called loudly. The two men hurried out of the apartment, one of them was limping and the other one was covered in sugar. "Well, where's Todd?"
"He's not here, he must have left town." Two-face had murder in his eyes as he looked at his me. "But," (They hurried on, clearly scared of their boss and who wouldn't be.) "We found his kid." Jason had been trying to slip away the whole time, but one of the men had grabbed him by the arm and was not letting go any time soon.
Two-face looked at Tim for a moment. "Tie him up, and put him in the trunk of the car."
Jason at once began to thrash and kick, but it didn't do any good. After they tied Jason's hands behind his back, they dragged him to the car, and (none too gently) put him in the trunk. As they closed the top, Jason could have sworn that he had seen a tall dark figure, standing on the of the apartment looking down at him. The figure made Jason shiver as the small space around went black.
About ten minutes later, Jason felt the car come to a stop. He could smell salt water; the docks. Just great, of all the places murderers took people the docks were number one in Gotham.
The top to the truck was opened suddenly and Morgan and Johnson hauled Jason out of the car and walked out onto one of the old wooden dock that looked like it should be condemned. They made him sit on some old boxes that were scattered about.
Two-face stepped up to Tim and looked down at him. Jason wasn't scared, he was downright terrified, but he wouldn't let them see that.
"Kid, I'm only going to ask you once. Where's your father?" The evil man said each word slowly.
"I don't know, but if you find him would you tell him that the rent's up?" Jason said sarcastically.
Two-face just looked at Jason for a moment. He then took a step back and struck Jason across the face. The thief didn't make a sound even though he had been hit hard enough that he nearly fell out of his box.
The murderer turned to his men and said, "Empty his pockets." Jason know what they would find.
"Hey, Boss look at this," Johnson said after he had pulled a piece of out of Jason's pocket. (Jason didn't know which one was Morgan and which one was Johnson, but decided that one looked more like a Johnson than then other one.)
Two-face looked at the paper and read it out loud,
"Sorry, Jay I had to skip town for a while, keep an eye on this for me while I'm gone. Love, Dad" As he read the note, he had unfolded it and a key fell out. He bent over and picked it up. Two-face looked at it for a minute and then turned to Morgan and Johnson "Let's go."
"But boss, what about the kid?"
An evil smile spread across the murder's scared face. He took out his coin and flipped it.
Jason had no hope. He knew even before Two-face caught the coin what he would say, but knowing something is going to happen and having it happen are two very different things.
"Kill him," was the emotionless response. Jason couldn't breathe, how he felt at that moment was too awful to describe.
One of the men pulled out a gun, but suddenly something hit his hand and he dropped the gun. Jason lost no time in rolling behind the box he had been sitting on and getting his arms in front of him. Jason could hear guns going off, he had to get out of there. Suddenly he caught sight of a pair of boat cutters. Using a box to steady them, Jason cut the ropes. He started to look for away off the docks that didn't lead though the gun battle, when he saw the note that his dad had left him. Jason really wanted that note. He slipped out from behind the boxes, he drabbed the note and stuffed it in his pocket. Suddenly a blast threw Jason against the side of the boathouse and everything went black.
Nanananana
Jason was vaguely aware that someone was picking him up. He started to struggle and cry out, but a calm voice stated
"It's alright, I' am taking you to the hospital."
Jason moaned as he opened his eyes "What happened?" He jumped when he saw who was carrying him; it was Batman.
"Two-face's men shot some gas tanks." Batman said as he set Jason down gently inside his car and then got in himself.
The ride to the hospital felt like an eternity to Jason. The amount of pain in his arms and chest was all most unbearable. Bites of shrapnel from the explosion had hit him. His shirt was dotted with blood.
When they finally got to the hospital, Batman got out quickly and carried Jason though the emergency entrance. Every eye in the office was on they, doctors and nurses were everywhere. Jason was starting to get lightheaded, the light was so bright and every ones' voices sounded so loud.
Batman laid the young thief down on a bed that a doctor had brought over and wheeled him away. Batman went and sat down in the waiting room. He got anything from sideways glances to open stares.
A few minutes later one of the doctors come up to him cautiously "Excuse me, sir?"
"Is the boy alright?" Batman asked impatiently.
"His ribs are bruised and he has quite a lot of shrapnel in him. We have stared removing it, luckily none of it is in to deep." The man shifted uncomfortably "I' am sorry, but I' am required to ask. Is he any relation to you?"
"No, I don't even know his name," Batman answered shortly. "But as soon as it's possible I need to talk to him."
"I'll let you know when he wakes up" The doctor said as he walked away.
A while later the same doctor came over and motioned for Batman to follow him. When they got to one of the recovery rooms, the doctor stopped and turned to Batman "Now look his speech is slurred and he isn't thinking straight, because of the drugs. He keeps muttering about a key, a note, and a coin, whatever that means."
Batman nodded and walked into the room. He didn't stay long. The doctor was right about the kid not thinking straight. Two things Batman made note of, the larger bruise on the boy's check and the deep marks on his wrists where he had been tied. What could Two-face want with this boy?
After Batman left the hospital, he went to the apartment building where he had first seen Two-face and his men. He walked up to the front desk and addressing the clerk said "A while ago a boy about ten or eleven with black hair ran through here. What do you know about him?"
The clerk just looked at him before answering "That would be Jason Todd. Now, I don't know much out that boy and his father other than Peter Todd works for Two-face and hasn't been seen in three days."
"What about the boy's mother?"
"She died when Jason was young. That's why Todd works for Two-face, after his wife died his life just fell apart."
"Which room is Todd's?"
"Fourth floor, room six. I would give you the key, but the door has been kicked in."
When Batman got to the room, he found it a mess, clothes and newspapers were scattered about. The one part of the small, shabby room that had been kept clean was a wall that had newspaper articles of himself tapped to it, he smiled; he had a little fan.
Suddenly something caught his eye, one of the one of the picture had fallen off the wall. He bent over to pick it up. He at once saw words written on the back of it. It turned out to be a diagram:
BATMAN
R
U
C
WAYN E
Who had found out? How had they found out? How many people know? Was that why Jason had been taken? Had he told? Bruce had all the question, but no answers.
Before he left the apartment, Batman checked every one of the pictures, but he didn't find anything else. He took the picture with his name on it with him.
Nanananana
Jason laid very still and hoped that the doctor would think he was still asleep. He had heard some of the nurses talking and had learned that the police had been called and were waiting for him to wake up so they could talk to him.
After a few minutes of messing with the equipment the doctor left. Jason was up, and at the window in a second. He opened the window and started to climb out. Even throw he was on the fifth floor.
Suddenly the door was opened and two police officers and a doctor walked in. The officers were pulling Jason back in before he could get out of reach. They got him back into the room. Jason stared kicking and hitting, he even jumped up onto the bed and kick the doctor in the stomach. It didn't take long for the officers to pin Jason, but that didn't mean that he stopped fighting. His struggling got so bad, that they had to call in two more doctors to restrain him.
"Be careful, his stitches will tear," One of the doctors said loudly from out of kicking range.
When Jason finally stopped fighting, he was exhausted and in pain, the drugs were wearing off. He must have shown it, because one of the doctors took out a syringe and filled it with painkiller, but before he could put it in Jason's arm the thief stared struggling again.
"Would you stop! We're not going to hurt you," One of the officer panted.
After a few more kicks, Jason stopped, but not because he wanted to, but because he had worn himself out and the pain was getting worse.
"Are all your patients this cooperative," One of the officers asked sarcastically as he finished tying Jason's wrist to the side of the bed.
"Why don't you just go get the Commissioner?" The doctor who Jason had kicked in the stomach asked angrily.
The officer shrugged and walked out of the room. A few minutes later he came back with a man who look about 50 or so.
The Commissioner raised his eyebrows at the sight before him. Equipment was scattered about; a chair was laying on its side and pretty much everything not nailed down was on the floor.
"What happened in here?"
"The kid tried to go out the window," The officer who had stayed behind said matter- of- factly.
"He what?" Jason could think of a thousand places he would rather be when the Commissioner said that.
"He tried to climb out the window, Sir."
"We' re on the fifth floor!" Jason had kept his head down the whole time, but the Commissioner walked to the bed and gently tipped his head back. Jason would have tried to bite the man, but he didn't think he could do another battle right then. "Is your name Jason Todd?" The young thief jumped a little, he wasn't expecting them to know his name. He would have said "No", but he had already given himself away, so he nodded.
"Good, that's all cleared up. Now if a nurse wouldn't mind going, and getting some ice, we could put it on that bruise of yours, help the swelling go down," One of the nurses eminently left the room.
Jason thought it was as good a time as any to ask, "How did you know my name?"
"A minute ago, I got a call from a friend telling who you and how you got hurt. He asked me to make sure no one talked to you until he did."
They sat in silences until nurse back with some ice wrapped in a cloth. The Commissioner leaned over and was about to undo the restraints when he saw Jason glance at the window.
"Hey, Ryan go stand by the window," The officer at once went to the window and stood guard. The Commissioned then loosed one of Jason's restraint and before the boy could undo the other one himself the ice was put in his hand and guided it to the boy's face. Jason winced at the cold, but didn't remove it.
Not long after there was a knock at the door. The Commissioned got up and opened it.
"Why did you tie him down," Batman asked gruffly as he stepped into the room
"Jay here tried to go out the window," Ryan said annoyed, Jason was pretty sure he had kicked the office more than once.
The Commissioner and Batman talked for a few minutes before Batman asked Jason to tell everything that had happened.
Nanananana
When Jason finished, he was surprised to find that his voice was shaking a little.
"Jason do you know what the key was for?" The Commissioner asked gently.
"No, I just come home and found the note and key."
"When was that?"
"Three days ago."
"Do you know where Two-face might be?" Batman asked.
"Maybe the old Jackson theater, I fallowed my dad there once," Jason answered.
Batman turned to leave suddenly, "where are you going," The Commissioner asked.
"To stop Two-face and find Todd," Batman answered shortly.
After Batman left Tim looked at the Commissioner "What now?" He still had the ice on his face.
"Well, you are going to stay here tonight, so the doctors came make sure you're okay," The Commissioner said as he took the ice for Jason and put the thief's hand back in the restraints.
"But, what about tomorrow?"
"I don't know yet, but we'll figure something out."
Nananananana
Jason tried to pull his hands out of the restraints for what seemed the millionth time. He sighed loudly. He hadn't gotten out of the restraint, but he was successfully rubbing the skin off his wrists.
Jason suddenly got an idea. He relaxed as much as he could, after that it didn't take long to free. He stuck his head out of his room and looked around. There were only a few nurses walking down the hall, after they past Jason's room, he slipped out. He checked every exit, there were people at all of them and he didn't want anyone to see him leave. On the way back to his room, Jason found a hoodie and took it with him. When Jason got back he went to the window and climbed out. The second he reached the ground he started to run
He didn't really have a plan, but he did know where he was going. To the Jackson movie theater. He was sure his dad would be there.
Jason pulled the hood up over his head, so it would be hard to see his face. He hitched a ride on the back of a truck. It didn't take long for Jason to get to the bad side of town. He saw the theater and jumped off the truck. He decided to go in the back way. As he got to the door, he saw an old pipe laying on the ground that when he stood it up it was a few inches over his head. He took it with him.
The second Jason was in the theater, he jumped behind some old equipment. Not long after he heard three or four men passing his hiding place.
"I' am going out of a smoke," Jason's heart jumped in to his throat when he heard that voice; It was Johnson.
He had to stay calm. Jason knew that he could do this, but he was still scared. He had never gone out looking for a fight. Jason took a deep breath, all he had to do was hit the man's jaw on the first try.
Johnson was a few feet away. Jason stepped out and swung, he caught the goon right on the jaw. He was out like a light. Suddenly, Jason realized that someone was behind him. He turned quickly and swung the pipe out. To his surprise the person caught it. Jason was even more surprised when the man didn't call out for the others.
The man stepped into the light. Tim jumped out of his skin when he saw Batman. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?" The dark knight asked in a gruff whisper.
But there was no time to answer, because two more men came around the corner suddenly.
Batman at once let go of Jason's "weapon" and turned his attention to the goons. The second Batman let go, Jason jumped back into the shadows, hopping none of the goons had seen him. He thought he could slip out of the old building without being seen.
Jason was about to make a run for a nearby exit, when he glanced down saw a shadow coming around so that Batman 's back would be towards the unknown man. Tim sank deeper into the shadows when he saw that the figure held a gun.
The man came around the corner and raised his gun. Without thinking Jason jumped into action. He swung his pipe up and hit the man's arm. The gun went off and the bullet hit the ceiling. He swung again hitting the man in the stomach than the head.
Once the goon was down, Jason went for the exit. He was in the alley and jumping on the back of truck in a matter of seconds. He was shaking, so bad that he nearly fell off more than once.
He jumped off the trunk, when it got close to the hospital and climbed back in. Right before Jason pushed his hands back into the restraints he remembered the hoodie and taking it off, he stuffed it under the bed.
Nanananana
"Morning, kid," Officer Ryan said as he walked in the next morning "How are you feeling?" He asked sitting down in one of the chairs.
"Like crap," Jason answered. He hadn't slept all night. At first, he had been to freaked out to sleep than the nurses kept coming in at odd hours. "When can I go home?"
Ryan shifted uncomfortably "You're going have to talk to the Commissioner about that,"
"Can you let me out of these restraints?" Jason asked hopefully.
"Sorry, but I can't have you going out the window,"
Jason sighed "If you lock the window, I won't be able to get out," He doubted if could climb out the window again, not after last night, he was pretty sure he had tear some of his sticks.
"The door?" Ryan questioned.
"This is a hospital there are a bunch of people here, I would probably get ten feet before someone stopped me."
Ryan shrugged "Alright," He got up and restraints.
"Thanks," Jason said, "You would not believe how uncomfortable that is."
"Yeah, probably as about as comfortable as getting kicked in the stomach," Ryan said taking his set again.
A few minutes later the Commissioner came in "Ryan, I need to talk to Jay for a minute," After Ryan left the Commissioner sat down on the edge of Tim's bed "Jason, your father's body was found last night,"
Jason looked up at the Commissioner, "He was shot wasn't he, by Two-face?"
"Yes, we believe so."
"He wasn't coming back for me even if he had been…," Jason pulled his knees up to his chest and rocking himself, he began to sob.
Nanananana
"Jason," The Commissioner said shacking the boy gently. Jason had cried himself to sleep a while ago.
"What?" Jason answered rubbing his already red eyes.
"There's someone here to see you."
"Who is it," The thief asked sitting up.
"Mr. Wayne," The Commissioner answered as he went to the door and opened it.
"What could Bruce Wayne want to see me for?" Jason thought to himself, he suddenly had a horrible idea "What if he found out that I know who he is," He would have gone out the window if he could, but it was locked.
"Hello, Jason, I' am Bruce Wayne," Bruce said coming into the room.
"Jason, you've been charged with theft, breaking and entering, and evading an officer of the law," The Commissioner said, "Mr. Wayne has offered to take you, that way you won't have to go to Gotham's jive,"
"Would you like that?" Bruce asked kindly.
"I know I don't I really have a say, but yes I would.
Nananananana
That afternoon Bruce came back and took Jason to Wayne Manor.
"Jason, I went to your apartment and found this," Bruce said handing him the picture "Do you know who I' am?"
"Yes," Jason answered nervously.
"How did you figure it out?" Bruce asked, he was starting to panic. If some kid off the streets could figure out that he was Batman, what was stopping the Riddle, Freeze, or even worst the Joker.
"My mom took me to the circus when I was little, The Flying Grayson were performing, anyway I saw Robin do the same trick as Richard Grayson I put two and two together and figured it out,"
"Did you tell anyone."
"Of cause, not. Do you know what that key was for that my dad left me?"
"It was for a locker at the airport there were poison gages in it, Two-face was planning to hold the city for ransom that night in the theater. I know that was you,"
"So, what now?"
"You did save my life, and I saved yours, so how does a partnership sound to you?"
"I think that would be great," Jason said smiling.
THE END