Metropolis Belle Reve: On week in the future
Nightwing lands outside a black Sedan as Amanda Waller walks towards her vehicle.
Amanda Waller: It's been a long day Mr. Grayson
Nightwing: I need your help, I wouldn't ask, but I don't have much time.
Amanda Waller: And you need…..
Nightwing: A room to keep a prisoner.
Amanda Waller: Just sign him in I will approve it.
Nightwing: I need solitary confinement, no people, no exercise, no doctors.
Just a room with a door that never opens.
Amanda Waller: Our solitary wing has automated systems, that will solve your people issue. The state wont let me just lock someone in without therapy and exercise.
Nightwing: If you can accomodate this prisoner, Wayne industries will pay for it. You can charge whatever you like.
Amanda Waller: Ill have to convince my staff, but I can accommodate you.
Nightwing taps a button from his belt, the Batwing flies over head and hovers down to the parking lot. Nightwing takes out his prisoner and carries the shrouded figure into Belle Reve with Amanda Waller.
All Castle headquarters Medical wing: 7 days pervious
The Red Hood kicks in the door, removes his helmet
A shocked medical tech is paralyzed with fear.
Red Hood removes his helmet.
Jason Todd: You know who I am?
Tech: Ye…yes.
Jason Todd: Can you put my mind right? The way it was before it was erased.
Tech: You asked for it to be erased. You asked…..I helped erase your memories.
Jason Todd: There was a reason, but a new reason has arisen. Can you put them back.
Tech: Yes mostly, but you said…
Jason Todd: I understand what I said, but I don't understand what's in my head now. My name isn't red hood, or Jason. I want my name back. I want to understand why my name….isn't my name. Once I understand that, I'll understand the rest…..
Tech: Sit down and lets begin.
5 days later
Wayne Manor: Exterior : Grave Yard:
Alfred pulls out his cell phone
Scrolls through his contacts until the name "Bruce" comes up
Alfred: "Its time sir"
Bruce Wayne: "Sigh, Already"
Bruce and Alfred Walk through the Grave Yard until the reach the huge gravestones of Thomas and Martha Wayne, they place flowers.
Bruce Wayne: "I don't like coming out here Alfred. The dead should be able to rest".
Alfred: Once a year is respectful sir. Your parents would be proud you kept the ritual all these years."
They turn and walk back into the manor.
Bruce turn his head and shouts to the darkness
Bruce Wayne: "You can just use the front door Dick"
Nightwing lands next to Bruce in full costume.
Nightwing: "I'll surprise you one day."
Bruce Wayne: "Call first, that will surprise me."
Alfred: "Master Dick, may I ready your old room."
Nightwing removes his mask:
Dick Grayson: "Yes Alfred that would be wonderful".
Bruce Wayne: "Your staying?"
Dick Grayon: "I need you help Bruce."
Bruce Wayne: "Now those words surprise me"
Metropolis Lex Luthors Limo
Lex Luthor: "Sell the shares at 420 dollars a share. ….I don't care what you think sell it"
Lex Luthor checks over his shoulder out the back window.
Lex Luthor: "Mercy slow down and take a right down the next alley"
Mercy: "Yes sir"
Lex Luthor: "Prepare to meet our guests."
Mercy gets out of the limo, pulls out her shotgun and straightens her dress.
Lex Luthor stands to her left.
Lex Luthor: "Come down, I prefer face to face intrusions into my life."
The Red Hood and Scarlet land in front of them in full costumes weapons drawn.
Lex Luthor: "You've come a long way from Gotham to ask us on a double date Mr. Todd.
The Red Hood removes his helmet
Jason Todd: "I wish that was still my name, but since you now who I am I'll drop the question. I have a proposal for you."
Lex Luthor: "You have nothing I need nor want. Mercy ready the car."
Scarlet grabs Mercy as she approaches the car. Mercy throws Scarlet into the alley wall.
Jason Todd: "She is still learning."
Lex Luthor snickers.
Lex Luthor: " As I appreciated watching your…assistant bested by my Mercy, I will give you five minutes."
Jason Todd: "I wish to trade the secrets of life and death for a clone."
Lex Luthor: "If you wish another maniac trained in martial arts I suggest you simply check Arkham Asylum.
Jason Todd: "Its not me I wish to clone. A man such as you dealing with highly trained supermen on a daily basis may enjoy the secrets of the Lazarus pit".
Lex Luthor: "Hmmm.. yes but cloning someone is not easy, they don't always perform as expected. Or with the longevity needed".
Jason Todd: "Not your concern. I'll worry about the clones longevity and personality. I only need him for a short time."
Lex Luthor: " Hmm…..Then we have an accord."
The two shake hands, mercy and scarlet look at the hands joined, not believing the accord happened so easily.
Wayne Manor: Interior sitting room near a fireplace:
Alfred serves drinks
Dick Grayson: "How's Damien?"
Bruce Wayne: "The same… What can I do for you Dick."
Dick Grayson: "The cemetery my parents are buried in is scheduled to be bulldozed. They say the bodies will be cremated and moved to another location. My parents did not believe in cremation. Its…..just not something they would want. I would like them buried somewhere else. I would raise the funds myself, but time is of the essence."
Bruce Wayne: "I'll have them moved here to Wayne Manor."
Dick Grayson: "That's too much to ask"
Bruce Wayne: "Those graves get disturbed so much its almost cliché. The family can take another disturbance if it will assist the Graysons".
Dick Grayson: "I'll pay you back for the costs."
Bruce Wayne: "If you wish. As a father myself, I would not want my son trifling with my remains. The dead should rest."
Dick Grayson: Thanks again Bruce."
Dick Grayson waives him the high sign and goes upstairs.
Bruce Wayne narrates: "I know he wont pay me back, I would have given him Wayne Manor if he asked. It'll be good to have him home more to visit his parents."
Lex Luthor's Laboratory in a Cargo ship
Red Hood: "Its perfect."
Lex Luthor: "As the lab is inside this cargo ship, we can dock it legally in Gotham harbor."
Red Hood: "That's why I said its perfect."
Lex Luthor: The deal is set then, 100 50 gallon barrels of Lazarus fluid for one clone."
Red Hood: "Almost set, how big is this boat?"
Lex Luthor: "A boat is a water vehicle that can fit on a ship, as this ship is to large to fit on another conveyance, hence it is a ship."
Red Hood: "Whatever, "I'll need a room to keep a prisoner."
Lex Luthor: "If it moves the deal along, use the captain's quarters. The ship has been upgraded to fully automated."
Red Hood: "Good I have Scarlet babysitting her, I'll tell her to bring her to these coordinates".
Lex Luthor: I'll need to know whom you wish to clone."
Red Hood: "There is no need for you to know his identity, not part of the deal"
Lex Luthor: "If it someone who will seek revenge, I will need to plan… defenses."
Red Hood: "It is not Batman or any other member of the Justice League. No costumed copies will be made from this deal. He died years ago."
Lex Luthor: "Good, that simplifies the operation."
Red Hood: "Just make the clone, I'll do everything else."
Red Hood opens the ships hatch door, Scarlet enters with a dark haired female tied up and gagged. Two Blackgater gang members assist her.
Red Hood: "Lex Luthor, meet Talia AlGhul,"
Lex Luthor: We have met, who are the rest.
Red Hood: Blackgater gang members that assisted me in the past. They are loyal, and keep their mouth's shut.
Lex Luthor: Too many actors make the play shorter Mr. Todd
Red Hood grabs the Blackgater leader.
Red Hood: Remember if your caught, delay as long as possible. Tell the rest of the Gaters, I need time. Time and nothing else, nothing else matters.
Blackgater leader: Understood.
Wayne Manor Graveyard:
A backhoe digs two graves.
Bruce and Dick watch as the ground becomes disturbed.
Bruce Wayne: "Damien, Dick, lets go to dinner and not watch this. Alfred ready the car."
Alfred: "Yes sir"
Damien: "I'm not hungry"
Bruce Wayne: "Then come for the company."
Bruce, Dick, Damien, leave in the limo. Alfred is driving.
Red Hood and Scarlet drop down from the tree line. The sky has become dark, the workers digging the graves for the Graysons have gone home for the day.
Red Hood: "We have to dig horizontally from inside these graves. Then put the dirt back when were done."
Scarlet; Which way do we dig?"
Red Hood: "Towards the large headstones."
Red Hood and Scarlet dig towards the headstones, removing some bones from a dirt tunnel under the grass. The headstones of the Graysons lie waiting for corpses empty. She tunnels towards the biggest headstones in the distance.
Scarlet brings out a Luthor Corp Scanner.
Scarlet scans a rib bone
Scarlet: "This bone has what Lex needs."
Red Hood: "You two on a first name basis now?"
Scarlet smiles and places the rib bone against her belt, securing it with a line.
Scarlet: "The sooner we get back the sooner Mr. Luthor can get started."
Scarlet and the Red Hood disappear into the tree line.
Red Hood takes a look back at the graves to make sure they look undisturbed.
At Dinner
Bruce Wayne: "You have been very quiet Damien, whats wrong?"
Damien Wayne: "I told you I was not hungry."
Dick Grayson: "Did I have this much angst when I was a teenager?"
Bruce Wayne: "Worse. Compared to you and Jason, Damien is a joy."
Damien slams his fist on the table
Damien Wayne: "I started talking to mom again. It has not been easy but she agreed to meet me. Mom was supposed to come see me this weekend. I have not heard from her."
Bruce Wayne: "We'll go out tonight and see if anyone has an idea or heard if she was in town. Alfred will be making calls, attempting to derive if her plane arrived on time."
Dick Grayson: "Ill go too."
Bruce, Damien, and Dick go through the mansion to the batcave, and adorn their costumes.
Bruce Wayne: "You and Damien take the car, Ill go from the air. You remember how to drive?"
Dick Grayson: "Damien and I have done this before."
Bruce Wayne: "This time Ill be here to see it"
The three took off into the night.
Alfred calls Bruce
Alfred: "Talia's personal jet did land in Gotham airport".
Damien: "Then mom is here, something is wrong"
Lex Luthors's Lab, Gotham Harbor
The Red Hood removes his helmet.
Jason Todd: here's your sample, make the clone. Get it done quickly, Ill need a day to give him some minimal training.
Scarlet throws the rib bone onto Lex's table
Lex Luthor: before I do this I will need half of the payment promised.
Jason Todd: No
Lex Luthor: How do I know you have it? I get the clone finished, and you swoop off into the night with your companion clone in hand.
Jason Todd: I had it moved to the boat last night. It's in the cargo hold.
Lex Luthor and Jason Todd move through the ship, Lex Luthor seems eager and wide eyed.
Jason Todd Opens a hatch.
Jason Todd: There, 100 barrels of Lazarus fluid from the Lazarus pit.
Lex Luthor: There's over 300 barrels here.
Jason Todd: The rest I need. 100 barrels is more than enough for you to do some experiments, figure outs its secrets. Or whatever else you science kids do.
Lex Luthor: Wont The Society of Assassins want this back?
Jason Todd: One of the reasons time is not on our side.
Lex Luthor: I can accelerate the clone's growth so it's done in a few days. Unfortunatley, the mental effects of acceleration are sometimes unfortunate.
Jason Todd: Understood, he'll be fine after I train him. If he's not I'm only out a few barrels of fluid.
Lex Luthor: Why not just have The Society make your clone?
Jason Todd puts his finger in Lex Luthor's Face
Jason Todd: They refused, that's why Talia is in the Captain's quarters. Don't waste anymore time with petty issues like payment or details. Get the clone finished and leave Gotham with your barrels and your science.
Scarlet and Jason go to the deck
Scarlet: You just sent Lex Luthor to bed without his supper.
Jason Todd: He's lucky I let him eat.
Jason Todd: puts the Red Hood helmet back on.
Red Hood: We need to set the bombs. Bruce needs to be distracted while Lex finishes. Between the bombs and looking for Talia, we might just have enough time to get away and finish the plan. We keep him busy he wont find the boat.
Scarlet and Jason go to some abandoned warehouses setting bombs.
Red Hood: Don't use the electric detonators Use the chemical decay detonators, This has to look like amateur hour, or he'll know were here.
Scarlet: Got it. That's a lot more work, will take us longer.
Red Hood: "Just do it"
Scarlet waits until the red hood walks away. Sets an electric bomb.
Scarlet narrates: One won't hurt. The blast will destroy the evidence.
Gotham Airport
Batman, Robin, and Nightwing check Talia's plane.
Damien: "She didn't get off the plane alone."
Damien picks up her bag under it a pistol with a silencer.
Batman: Agreed, lets start asking some airport employees.
Bombs go off in the surrounding warehouses
Batman: shoots a line half way up the airport tower, looks around.
Batman descends back to the ground
Batman: There are 20 or 30 explosions.
Damien: "Let the police handle it, we have to find mom.
Batman: We can split up, take Nightwing and find Talia. I'll work the bombs.
Damien: "Sigh"
Gotham Harbor:
Red Hood and Scarlet arrive back at the ship.
Red Hood removes the helmet
Jason Todd goes into the lab. The clone is beginning to form in gestation tube.
Jason Todd: How long?
Lex Luthor: You could have told me you were going to set Gotham ablaze
Jason Todd: No one died, we were careful. It was the only way to distract him. To stop the dominoes from falling until were finished.
Lex Luthor: He didn't even know we were here.
Jason Todd: He would have when he went on his next patrol. He would have seen the ship, checked the registry, found out it was a Lexcorp ship, we go to jail, I have to kill you….. dominoes falling.
Lex Luthor: We could just raise anchor and leave. If he's distracted. I could finish the clone at sea.
Jason Todd: No, I need to move the clone to an underground location after your finished. Then you raise anchor and leave. Besides if this does not go as planned I will need to be on familiar ground. I know Gotham better than…..almost anyone.
Jason Todd: enough talking, get to work. And you didn't answer my question, how long?
Lex Luthor: One more day.
Lex Luthor: What if he finds us before then?
Jason Todd: Scarlet and I beat the duo once, we can do it again.
Lex Luthor: Snickers and gives Jason Todd a head shake as he goes back to the lab.
Gotham City
Crime Alley
Nightwing and Damien head towards the center of Gotham
Damien: Where are we going? We have nothing to go on from the car.
Nightwing: When we worked the city, when Bruce was gone, where did we go to get information when we had no leads?
Damien: The Stacked Deck. Worst club in town.
Nightwing: Like old times kid.
Nightwing parks the Batmobile behind the stacked deck.
Nightwing and Damien exit the batmobile and throw some smoke bombs through the clubs window.
Damien: I always loved throwin in smoke, and seeing what runs out.
Nightwing: Look, Blackgaters…..
Damien: Lets get the big one.
Nightwing and Damien grab the leader of the Blackgater gang. They repel up to the top of the building with the Blakgater.
Damien: If you rejects are back together, I'm assuming Red Hood is in town.
Nightwing steps in front of Damien.
Nightwing: I could care less if Red Riding Hood is in town. What do you know about Talia Alghul.
Blackgater leader: I don't know anything. Havent seen the hood in a while.
Nightwing fires a line to the top of a nearby skyscraper. It hooks on about halfway up. Nightwing attaches the line to the Blackgaters belt while Damien ties his arms and feet. He hands the line to Damien.
Nightwing: Lets try this again. You morons tried to help Red Hood take over Gotham once. I'm not seeing the play yet, I don't care if your Red Hood's sweetheart. If you don't tell me something about a lady getting taken from the airport yesterday, I'm going to have my friend let go of the line. You wont die, you'll just hang there all night from that building. If the line holds….
Blackgater leader: OK OK. We helped Scarlet take her. We dropped Scarlet and the girl at a ship in the Gotham river. Haven't seen the red hood.
Damien: What ship? Where in the river, the river is huge.
Blackgater leader: I'll show you.
Blackgater leader narrates: Ill take them on a goose chase, they wont kill me. Red Hood will kill me if I don't give him some time. I'll keep them away from the harbor, and the Red Hood.
The Blackgater leader touches a button on his watch. A red light blinks. Nightwing and Damien don't see it.
Damien: Batman we got a lead on Talia, meet us at the Gotham river.
Batman: I'm on my way. The bombs were common, except one. The database says they are the Red Hood's….
Nightwing interrupts
Nightwing: Scarlet. No confirmation on the Red hood yet.
Batman: If Scarlet is here, Red Hood is not far behind.
Nightwing: Possible but we have a Blackgater that said he worked with Scarlet alone, no Red Hood.
Batman: All the same, I'm calling in some backup. Drop the Blackgater off at Gotham prison.
Nightwing: Batmobile out.
Damien: He wants backup?
Nightwing: He dosent want anyone hurt or worse…..
Gotham Harbor: End of Day two
Jason Todd receives a signal to his helmet while watching Lex Luthor work.
Jason Todd: We don't have much time Luthor, is he done?
Lex: No
Jason Todd: You said two days.
Lex Luthor: Yes two full days 48 hours. You've given me 36. I need another 12.
Jason Todd: You have 6. Ill take him how he is after that.
Lex Luthor: He'll be mindless, barley alive.
Jason Todd: Alive is more than I've been, and I'm here. Get it done.
Lex Luthor picks up his phone.
Lex Luthor: Mercy, come take the 100 barrels. Have the helicopter here for me in 6 hours. Set the C4 charges on the boat for 6 hours and 10 minutes.
Mercy: That's cutting it close.
Lex Luthor: I want this clean, no footprints we were here.
Mercy: Understood.
Red Hood puts on his costume, Scarlet gears up in another part of the ship.
Red Hood: Scarlet, take the Blackgaters and find our friends. I want them delayed not hurt.
Scarlet: No promises they won't get hurt.
Red Hood: As long as they don't die. No killing them or they wont see the finale. I'll set some bombs to your frequency to further delay them. Leave me four guys to move these barrels to the warehouse in the truck. The cave is dug out and finished.
Scarlet: Any preference on getting their attention?
Red Hood: I don't care…. rob a bank.
Gotham Bank:
Scarlet: Everyone on the ground!
Blackgaters fire pistols into the air.
Scarlet: Wheres the bank manager?
A teller points to his office.
Scarlet walks into his office.
Scarlet: Open the safe!
Bank Manager: The money in there isn't mine. It belongs to people…..people that will kill me.
Scarlet: I know this places holds dirty money. I don't want it. I want to put you and the kids out front in there, so you don't die. I'm about to set a few smoke signals out front to call some old friends.
Bank Manager: Smoke Signals?
Scarlet points to the front: The Blackgaters are setting up barrels of gasoline with wires and C4 attached.
The bank manager runs to safe, opens it.
Scarlet: Everyone in the safe!
20 people run inside.
Scarlet: Hopefully a hero will be here soon to let you out.
Scarlet and the Blackgaters run outside.
The bombs go off.
Scarlet: Establish a perimeter to keep the police off us.
Half the blackgaters begin moving cars and dumpsters making a wall.
The police show up: A gunfight between the Blackgaters and the police ensue.
Gordon hears the turmoil on the radio, he runs to the roof and sets off the Batsignal
Batman in the Batwing: The police ban says Scarlet is robbing a bank in Gotham square.
Damien and Robin in the Batmobile: were in route
Batman: I'll get there first, join the fun.
Batman pilots the Batwing towards gotham square, the smoke from the bank pillars into the sky.
Batman jumps from the Batwing into the pillar of smoke from the bank, emerges behind the Blackgater lines.
Gordon jumps out of his car near the police lines: Stop shooting! Stop Shooting!
The police stop shooting
The Blackgater gang see Batman hit the ground and put their guns away. They draw tazers, bats, and chains from their jackets.
Scarlet: Been waiting on you? Like the bombs? They didn't get your attention, but I figured this would.
Batman: Enough talk.
Scarlet: Talk to them.
Scarlet points at the Blackgaters that descend on Batman.
Batman battles the 6 blackgaters, dispatching them easily. Scarlet runs off into the city, looking at her watch.
Scarlet: 1 more hour, that's all I need. I can make it.
Batman assists the police in handcuffing and tying up the remaining Blackgaters.
Batman to the police: The hostages are locked in the safe
Nightwing and Damien arrive.
Damien gets out of the Batmobile and runs towards Batman
Damien: Where's Scarlet?
Batman: She went east on foot.
Damien: Why did you let her go?
Batman: I didn't let her… nevermind. Lets move east. Be careful, the Blackgaters were laying up.
Nightwing: huh?
Batman: When Scarlet left they put their guns down and pulled out non lethal weapons, tazers and chains.
Nightwing: They were trying to delay you while Scarlet escaped.
Batman: No it was something else….
Damien: Can we concentrate on finding Scarlet!
The three costumed heroes fire lines on eastbound building tethering themselves towards Scarlet.
Scarlet runs towards a construction site. She looks at her watch
Scarlet: 40 mins almost there Jason. Cant run anymore.
Scarlet: Ill wait here, make a stand.
The three heroes arrive.
Damien: SCARLET!
Nightwing: Well she knows were here now.
Batman: He's still learning.
Scarlet steps out onto the top steel beam of the construction area and turns on the lights.
Scarlet: Finally caught up boys?
The heroes pull out batarangs and advance on the construction site…
Lex Luthor's Ship: Gotham Harbor.
Jason Todd: Time's up Luthor
Lex Luthor: he's ready enough to be out of the tube.
Jason Todd walks over to the console, and hits a button that says release.
Jason Todd: Then your done. Leave
Lex Luthor: In 10 minutes this ship will sink into the harbor.
Jason Todd: I saw the explosives, I figured it was soon. I'll be gone in 5 minutes.
The Blackgaters take the naked clone, covered in fluid, and put a blanket over him. They carry him to the same truck that has the Lazarus fluid.
Lex Luthor: You never told me who I cloned. Any hints?
Mercy starts the helicopter. The noise makes it tough to talk.
Red Hood motions Luthor close to the helmet
Lex Luthor leans in and Red Hood whispers in his ear.
Red Hood tells him who the clone is.
Lex Luthor's face turns white, he runs to the helicopter.
Lex Luthor: Take off Mercy TAKE OFF. BLOW IT UP.
Jason walks off the mooring bridge with the clone, drives away in the truck with the Lazarus fluid barrels.
Mercy triggers a detonator that blows up the ship. It begins to sink.
Mercy: Who was it?
Lex Luthor: Better you don't know. Ready the penthouse defenses, were going to need them.
The construction site:
Scarlet goes to her belt and hits a button: Three bombs go off around the construction site.
Scarlet: Better go boys, people could be hurt.
Batman: Nightwing take Robin and check things out. I don't think anyone will be hurt.
Damien and Nightwing repel off towards the smoke and fire.
Scarlet: Are you sure?
Batman: You didn't hurt anyone at the bank, the other bombs didn't hurt anyone. So why would anyone be hurt this time.
Scarlet pulls out her retractable blade
Batman: So wheres Talia?
Scarlet jumps down towards Batman lunging with her blade.
Batman steps to the side and backfists Scarlet in the back of the head.
Batman kicks the blade away.
Batman cuffs Scarlet and begins tying up her legs.
Nightwing and Damien land.
Nightwing: You were right, no one is hurt
Batman: I'll ask you once, then, I'm going to let Damien beat it out of you.
Damien makes a fist.
Batman: Where's Talia and wheres Jason?
Damien and Nightwing's eyes become widened.
Scarlet: No Red hood, just me
Batman: You couldn't rally the Blackgaters, and your not smart enough to plant those bombs alone. Not to mention, Talia would have seen you coming a mile away.
Even If I gave you enough credit, you couldn't make this.
Batman pulls the bomb wreckage from his belt. Throws it at Scarlet
Batman: That's Jason. I know him better than I know myself.
Scarlett's watch starts beeping. She's given Jason the time he needs.
Scarlet: I did it HAHAHAHA I did it
Damien hits scarlet in the face
Batman: Did what? Where are they?
Scarlet: I did what was asked of me, so now I can tell you. They are both on a boat in the harbor. The one with the Lex Corp symbol. HAHAHAHA
Damien hits her on the back of the neck.
Batman: I could have sedated her.
Damien: You could have caught her at the bank.
Batman: Nightwing and I will go to the harbor. Damien take Scarlet to Arkham
Damien: I want to go to the harbor.
Batman: We need Scarlet where we can question her, in case this doesn't pan out. Take the car.
Damien takes off in the Batmobile with Scarlet
Nightwing and Batman fly towards the harbor in the Batwing.
Gotham Harbor:
The Lex Corp ship is aflame, sinking into the water.
Batman: There not here, we should not have left.
Nightwing: Where are they?
Batman: We will have to get it out of Scarlet…..
The Batmobile:
Scarlet wakes up.
Damien is driving, he does not see her eyes open.
Scarlet pushes a boot blade through the bottom of her boot. Uses the blade to cut her legs free.
Damien does not see her.
Scarlet kicks Damien in the head, his head hits the window and he passes out.
The Batmobile crashes into a guardrail.
Scarlet attempts to out her handcuffs.
Scarlet: "Great where are the keys to the cuffs."
Scarlet to Red Hood: I've got Robin, and the Batmobile.
Red Hood: Leave the car, he can track his own car. "sigh" Bring Damien I guess.
Red Hood shakes his head.
Red Hood's Warehouse
Red Hood narrates with disappointment: I wish Starfire would have come, she has more sense.
The Red Hood goes down a stairway in his warehouse to and underground pit.
The Blackgater gang is emptying barrels into the pit
The Lazarus pit glows green with magical energy.
Red Hood: Bring the clone, and bring Talia.
Talia's gag is taken off.
Talia: You can't put me in there, it will make me younger or kill me.
Red Hood pulls out a needle.
Red Hood: I just need some of you.
Red Hood takes some of Talia's Blood, and cuts some of her hair.
Red Hood takes off his helmet.
Talia: This will not work, my father spent years developing the process
Jason Todd: I've been through the process. Here's my theory. Your father's DNA was in the pool with the magic juice to bring me back. Hopefully your enough of a daddy's girl for this to work.
Talia: Jason this wont….. Jason replaces her gag
Jason Todd: hush Talia, I have no more need for you. If you wish to live to see how this ends, be quiet. Cause me no more disturbances towards the final act. I won't hurt you, I just want to understand…..what my name is.
Jason throws in the blood and Talia's hair clippings.
The clone begins to shake.
The clone arises from the fuid.
Jason grabs the clone
Jason Todd: Whats your name?
Clone: my my name…..
Jason Todd pulls out a pistol. Shoots the clone in the head. The clone falls into the Lazarus pit.
Jason Todd: Guess he needed more time in the tube.
Jason Todd: Get out the costume and the guns. He will need a few hours of training before the finale.
Talia weeps as she sees what Jason is doing, knowing she is responsible as she brought him back from the dead. Seeing the monster he is creating. The clone heals and begins breathing gain. It rises from the fluid screaming The lazarus fluid syphoins into his nose and eyes.
Batmobile Crash Site:
Batman: she got Damien
Nightwing: She didn't go far
Batman: how do you know?
Nightwing: No other vehicles. She went on foot from here. Plus she's carrying Damien.
Nightwing: Ill take the car, you take the wing.
Red Hood comes over the batmobile's frequency, appears on the monitor.
Red Hood: Bruce don't come after us. I'll have Scarlet kill Damien if you do. I'll meet you in crime alley in 24 hours. I'll give you Talia and Damien then.
Batman: I knew he was here…
Scarlet arrives at the warehouse with Damien
Scarlet: I heard the transmission, why not just take our chances he wouldn't find us.
Red Hood: I bought the time I needed. He wont be expecting our new friend here. The three of us can take the two of them. Besides, if you wouldn't have stolen Damien and the car he'd never find me and I could finish his training elsewhere. You should have just gone to Arkham with the other failures.
Red Hood takes off his helmet.
Jason walks down the stairs to the Lazarus pit
The clone gets up out of the pit
Jason Todd: Whats your name?
The clone whispers his name
Jason Todd: Good. What do you remember?
The clone: I remember my family, my company…..
Jason Todd: Your family is dead, your company stolen. The man who did those evil things pretends to be a villain named Batman.
The clone: Batman…
Jason Todd: I brought you back from the dead to help me capture him, to avenge your family. Will you help me.
The clone: I don't understand….
Jason Todd pulls out his gun and shoots the clone in the head.
Jason Todd: Only a few more tries, then well be out of time. Or out of his mind.
Jason Todd: Scarlet take Mother and son into the storage room in the warehouse make sure they stay restrained. Don't mess it up.
The clone emerges from the pit again, Lazarus fluid flowing from its ears, nose, and mouth. The clone screams from the resurrection. This time the clone's hair has developed a gray streak.
Jason Todd: What's your name.
The clone: I told you my name
Jason Todd: Do you know what were here to do?
The clone: Kill Batman, avenge my family.
Jason Todd: Good, to kill Batman you must become him. Put this on and take these pistols, you ever use a pistol?
The clone: Yes a lifetime ago.
Jason Todd: Show me.
Jason points at some targets
The clone took the pistols and shot at them hitting the targets half the time.
Jason Todd: Not too bad your first day alive. Let me show you a few things.
Scarlet sneaks into the cave when she hears the gunfire, watches in horror as Jason Todd trains a new sidekick.
Crime Alley one day later
Nightwing: I swept the alley for bombs…nothing
Batman: This is where I found Jason, that's why he chose this place. There won't be bombs. It's …..special to him.
Nightwing: then we wait
Red Hood: Wait no longer!
Red Hood lands in the alley. No weapons drawn.
Red Hood: I'm glad all the players are here. I didn't expect you Dick, but you're a non-factor, as usual circus boy.
Nightwing remained silent and drew his Eskirma sticks.
Red Hood: Scarlet! Lower the Talia and Damien. I reunited mother and son Bruce it's a day for reunions.
Bruce: What do you want Jason.
Red Hood: You don't talk anymore Bruce. I wanted to talk a bit. Just all of us crazy guys in masks having a conversation.
Batman: I'm taking them back Jason, you can leave now if you just give them to me.
Red Hood: Sending me away again Bruce. You wont send me away or dismiss me after this. My time as a sidekick never ends. This plan makes me an equal. I'm changing my name back.
Scarlet lowers Talia and Damien halfway down the wall.
Red Hood: Since you brought Nighwing Bruce, Ill bring a friend.
Red Hood: Comon down…
A large figure in a Batman Costume hits the ground guns drawn.
Red Hood: I need to reset all of our stories, reset them from the beginning. Were all here in masks because of a crime that happened a long time ago. A crime that made Batmans, Robins, and Villians rise.
Bruce draws 2 batarangs then drops one…..as he recognizes the figure. His eyes, his chin, the contour of his body, it can't be….
Bruce: Jason what did you…what did you do?
Red Hood Removes his helmet
Jason Todd: I hit the rest button Bruce, I wanted to change the past. It was the only way to get past your driven rage to destroy the shadows. To find that weak spot every costumed idiot in Gotham never found. I also did it for me….. To get my name back.
Batman takes a step back in fear and astonishment…..
Jason Todd: Finally Bruce I realized what was missing. No matter how hard I try or what I dress up as, I always be a Robin. You made sure of that. Every Robin needs a Batman. Without a Batman were incomplete…. So I made one. The Batman I always wanted. I'll finish training him. To kill when necessary, to be neither good nor evil. We will be a duo that exists neither in black or white but in the grey area of justice. Then my name will make sense.
Bruce Wayne: How? H.. H.. How?
Jason Todd: Those graves get disturbed so much its almost cliché. The recipe? A little token from your backyard, some of Lex Luthor's science, and some of Talia's DNA and Lazarus juice… and…. BANG.
Jason Todd: My new Batman THOMAS WAYNE
Jason Todd: Who's your daddy Bruce?
No sound was in crime alley for the first time in decades. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, all silent.
Until….
A figure comes down rom the rooftops in the Red Robin cape and cowl.
Jason Todd: uhoh
Tim Drake stands between Bruce, Jason, and Thomas Wayne. Time Drake is wearing his old Red Robin uniform with a cowl.
Jason Todd: Hey Tim? Why do you think the eyes turned red on Tom? I couldn't figure that out. Why you wearing my old duds?
Tim Drake: Too many Robin's here. Didn't wanna blend in. This is too much Jason.
Thomas Wayne looks over at Jason Todd in full Batman cowl and weapon drawn: Now?
Jason Todd: Hmmmm….. Yea Now.
Thomas Wayne begins spraying the alley with automatic gunfire.
Bruce Wayne throws a batarang knocking an uzi out of Thomas Wayne's hand.
The uzi continues firing as it flies through the air, the batarang wedged above the trigger. Batman, Jason, Nighting, and Red Robin are trained, they dodge the gunfire. Thomas Wayne has no such training.
Bruce Wayne: No…
Thomas Wayne looks down at his chest. A hole exists that did not exist before. He falls to the ground, lifeless, mystified.
Bruce walks over and kneels by his fathers body. He removes his cowl. Reliving the last time he was killed, again as an adult.
Bruce takes his fathers hand and pulls off the Batman cowl. His face is the same, his hands are the same… Bruce begins sobbing.
Tim Drake: Dick go get Damien free, were going to need him.
Nightwing: Why the three of us can take him.
Tim Drake: Were only two.. Jason just took out Batman….
Nightwing looks back and Batman is kneeled over Thomas Wayne, his hands shake over his newly deceased father's body..
Bruce Wayne: The dead should stay dead….the dead…..the…
Nightwing narrates: Tim thinks he's in charge…no time to argue or strategize. I just have to go….up
Tim Drake approaches Jason.
Jason Todd: We did this dance before Timmy. You ended up with a blade in your chest. Todd pulls his blade and begins to pull his pistol.
Tim Drake: I brought a friend of yours Jason.
Tim Drake pulls a crowbar from under his cape
Tim throws the crowbar at Jason that hits him in the chest. He drops his pistol and blade.
Jason Todd narrates: wasn't expecting a crowbar, especially one being thrown. Talk a minute gain my breath
Jason Todd: Hey Tim…ugh….
Tim had picked up the crowbar and hit him the head.
Jason pulls out a bomb, small, round, and silver.
Tim pulls back the crowbar for another blow.
Nightwing ascends the building towards Scarlet
Scarlet pulls out her retractable blade ready to fight.
A dart hits Scarlet in the neck.
Scarlet: I forgot you had a few of those darts.
Scarlet passes out.
Jason Todd quickly attaches his bomb to Time Drake's chest.
Tim stops hitting him with the crowbar.
Jason Todd: All Castle trained me too well Timmy. Better than Bruce ever did.
Time Drake grabs Jason into a full nelson.
Tim Drake: Go ahead blow the bomb and kill yourself and me.
Jason Todd: I should…
Nightwing Lowers Damien to the ground. Cuts his ropes with a blade.
Nightwing shakes Damien: Damien, get up we need you. DAMIEN….ROBIN!
Damien: huh… whats…
Nightwing: No time to explain, follow my lead.
Damien: I'll try
Nightwing flies in and kicks Jason away from Tim Drake.
Jason rolls around the alley corner, Nightwing follows grabbing his wrists. They struggle.
Jason: We dancing Dick?
Nightwing Narrates: gotta hold his wrists give Damien time to dislodge the bomb.
Damien goes to Tims chest and quickly dislodges the bomb, throws it behind a dumpster.
Jason Todd: One less Robin
Jason Todd shakes free of Nightwings hold, presses the detonator after separating himself from Dick with a high kick
The bomb goes off around the corner.
Tim Drake appears around the corner with Damien, crowbar in hand.
Jason Todd: Damn
Time Drake tries to hit Jason with the crowbar again.
Jason jumps dodging the crowbar, kicks Tim in the face, blood gushes from Tims's nose.
Nightwing punches Jason in the back.
Jason turns to to pary Nightwing's second punch with a left handed block.
Damien grabs a smoke pellet and quickly shoves it Jason Todd's mouth.
Damien wraps his legs around Jason, holding both hands over his mouth.
Nightwing and Tim Drake grab Jasons arms.
The pellet goes off.
Jason Todd begins choking.
Time Drake lets go and picks up the crowbar.
Nightwing: no Tim.
Nightwing fired another dart. The dart hits Jason in the face.
Jason Todd: Took three of you…..
Jason Passes out
Damien goes over to his mother and reunites her.
The two gaze at each other, a happy reunion.
They look over at Bruce standing over his father's corpse.
The happiness fades.
Tim and Dick walk over to Bruce:
Tim: Jason has a lazarus pit near here somewhere, whit Talia's help we could…..
Bruce Wayne: The dead should rest….The dead should rest…The dead should rest….
Tim Drake: Bruce I understand this is hard, you need to snap out of it. Tell us what to do…like aways.
Nightwing fires his last sedative dart, hitting Bruce in the back.
Bruce passes out next to his father. The two Waynes lie next to each other one dead one alive. Both wearing Batman costumes, without cowls.
Nightwing: Take Bruce home Tim, put him in bed. Tell Alfred the story, he will take care of him.
Nightwing: Damien and Talia, there's equipment in the graveyard from moving my parents. Bury Thomas Wayne in his grave.
Tim: What are you gonna do with Jason?
Nightwing: Ill take the wing, and put him somewhere…else
Tim: What do we tell him when Bruce wakes up.
Nightwing: Tell him it was a bad dream, that we took care of it like we were trained, that no one else is dead or hurt, that the dead should rest. Tell him a son should not trifle with his father's remains.
Damien: Whats this going to do to him, I've never seen him…..disabled like that.
Nightwing: He'll be tortured and haunted…..so he'll be the same.
Jason wakes up in a room, location unknown to him
Amanda Waller has an alert go off on her desk as the cell's camera detected motion.
Dick Grayson gets a phone call
Amanda Waller: hes awake
Dick Grayson goes to Belle Reve mental hospital.
He goes to Jason's room and pulls back the door slot.
Dick Grayson: Wake up time Jason
Jason Todd: Where am I? Why am I here?
Dick Grayson: You have to ask?
Jason Todd: Yes…. I'm not a villain Dick, you don't get to put me where villains should go.
Dick Grayson: Your not far off….
Jason Todd: How? I didn't kill anyone. I didn't hurt Talia or Damien…..I blew up a few old buildings? So what… No one was in them. I made a clone? You guys have a Superman clone in the Justice League, Damien may or may not be one. It's not illegal. I wanted my name back! I wanted to understand. That's why I went to All-Castle to have my memories returned. So I'd understand, now I do.
Dick Grayson: Name back? You gave Luthor Lazarus fluid, you know what he will do with it?
Jason Todd: I gave Luthor a hundred barrels of liquid soap. Maybe he will start a car wash.
Dick Grayson: "sigh" I just wanted to say goodbye. I doubt Bruce will come or Damien after what you've done. Tim is still angry about the batarang to the chest a while back.
Jason Todd: Yea well, I'm not too happy about the crowbar beatings. Makes me think of other things…..
Dick Grayson: You deserved someone to be here when you woke up. You were a Robin….once. Maybe one day you'll be one again.
Jason Todd: I'm always a Robin, so are you, so are the others. That's why I wanted my own Batman. When your running the streets of your city alone, something is missing, admit it. Other partners they…. fall short. You know I'm right.
Dick Grayson: True its not the same.
Jason Todd: So I made a Batman the same way he makes Robins…well not exactly the same. My way had more style and way better costumes, not to mention a dramatic reveal. He has no more right to make us into Robins and throw us into darkness, than I had to make a clone.
Dick Grayson: I have to go soon Jason, I'll check on you.
Jason Todd: Hey circus boy, what's your name?
Dick Grayson: You know my name….
Jason Todd: I used to know mine until my name changed. I used to be Jason, I had a last name as well. Then it changed. I have trained myself to once again answer to Jason, and now to Red Hood. I call myself something different, in my head. When you push yourself, tell yourself to get up and fight harder. The name you call yourself in your dreams…what's your name?
Dick Grayson: Nightwing…
Jason Todd: Be honest with me, at least to let me know I'm not the only lunatic in this red and yellow menagerie.
Dick Grayson: Robin…I….. call myself Robin.
Jason Todd: Me too brother….me too..
The two take a minute to look at each other.
Jason Todd: I did it though didn't I Dick? I took out the Batman! Everyone has tried Riddler, Two-face, even The Justice League. They all failed. But not me, I brought him to his knees. I beat him.
Dick Grayson: You did Jason, and maybe you are not a villain. You're an outlaw. Outlaws get locked up. I'll visit when I can, it's a long trip for me.
Jason Todd: Tell Bruce to visit, he's here near Arkham.
Dick Grayson: Your not in Arkham Jason, we wont make that mistake again. I put you somewhere special.
Jason Todd: Where?
Dick Grayson: If you don't know you cant plan, or call for help. No one else knows besides me and Tim. So if Scarlet gets out of Arkham and comes looking for you, she wont know where to look. Starfire or whomever, they will never know. There's no record, Bruce does not even know. Only me, and who would come to Nightwing to find the Red Hood?
Jason Todd: Where am I, TELL ME! TELLLL MEEE!
Dick Grayson: I'll visit for Christmas Jason.
Dick Grayson closes the door slot.
The screams of the Red Hood bellow through the hall with no one to hear them besides automated systems.
Dick Grayson goes out to his car. Tim Drake awaits.
Time Drake: You ok?
Dick Grayson: Yea he tried to shake me with words, like Bruce does. Get me to slip up the location. At least that's what I think he was doing….
Tim Drake: He'll brake out of Belle Reve eventually.
They both get in the car and begin to drive away
Dick Grayson: Yea but he wont have some master plan, or friends to pick him up. Maybe someone can catch him. Then find another solution.
Tim Drake: Maybe the time alone will give him some perspective.
Dick Grayson: Yea the same angry dark perspective Bruce has…..
Dick Grayson: Hey Tim….whats your name?
END