The fluorescent light inside the back of the armored van flickered on, the burning sensation in Jason Todd's eyelids awakening him from the unconscious stupor he was just previously in. As his blurry vision slowly cleared, he made out a figure sitting on the opposite side of the van in front of him. Jason tried to stand, suddenly aware of the slightly chafing handcuffs attached snugly to his wrists, chained to the metal bench he was sitting on. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. When he looked back up, he realized the figure sitting across from him was no one other than an unmasked Dick Grayson, otherwise known as Nightwing.
"Jesus. They messed you up, didn't they?" Jason asked almost insultingly, the large bruises and cuts lining Dick's face and the damage on his suit distinct in the new light.
"You should...see yourself. Face is...messed up." Dick mumbled slowly, exhausted and injured.
At Dick's words, Jason realized the stinging pain on the bridge of his nose, chuckling lightly.
"What happened? All I remember is that a bunch of guards broke into my apartment...they overwhelmed me." He looked at Dick, hoping for an answer.
"Mayor Gordon's...been impeached. Someone new came in...overnight, City Hall ruled that...vigilantes...are just as bad as criminals. They ruled to throw...us all in with them. The proposal...happened within forty minutes." Dick said laboriously.
"All in where? I guess it happened so fast, I didn't even know." Jason responded.
"Arkham...Asylum. New wings...larger than before. They've been planning this."
"They've been planning-" Before Jason could finish, the van screeched to a stop, the two of them bouncing slightly. The doors flew open, two armored guards rushing inside to unlock their cuffs, grabbing Jason and Dick roughly by the necks and pulling them to the outside of the van, throwing them both into the mud and cold rainy terrain of Arkham Island. Jason looked up through the splashes of icy rain obscuring his vision, seeing the outline of the gothic facilities through the darkness.
"Get up!" He felt the hard yank of a gloved fist against his hair, yanking him to his feet. Jason shoved his head into the stomach of the guard, pleased at the painful grunt of the man as his grip slackened, jumping over his arms to free his hands behind his back. Jason quickly got himself behind the guard, throwing his cuffs over the head of the man and beginning to choke him with the chain of his binds. As the man gurgled, he felt the butt of a gun against his temple, suddenly and swiftly falling into unconsciousness.
When Jason awoke again, he was being dragged. He saw his mud-covered legs leaving behind a trail of dirt and flecks of blood inside the rusty prison floor, being taken further and further into the asylum.
"Red Hood!"
You're gonna die in here, Arkham Knight!"
"No army to protect you in here!"
"Scarecrow's gonna kill you!"
The prisoners spewed insults at the bloodied Jason, smirking at the name of Arkham Knight. After all, he was used to the confines of this prison, having been trapped and tortured in this place by none other than the late Joker. He knew where he was. The large paneled door opened, and Jason was thrown roughly inside the almost arena-like section of the colossal new wing, almost a parking ramp in size and design with levels of prisoners on each floor trapped in cells with a massive ground floor that could hold near hundreds, the supposed luncheon area. He was pulled up by his neck once again, swaying slightly as he stood.
There were a good twenty men on the ground by Jason's count. As he viewed the swarming masses, all shouting boasts and jabs at him.
"Jason Todd!" A voice on the intercom shouted, greeted by uproarious heckling and boos. Next to Jason, a battered Nightwing stood weakly.
"Dick Grayson!" The boos were met with shouts of 'Nightwing!', his identity revealed to every prisoner in the asylum.
"Feast." Jason was suddenly pushed off of the platform, dropping several feet below to join the prisoners. He quickly scaled to the ground, landing on his feet to glare at the cautiously approaching enemies. Next to him fell Dick, landing hard on the floor with a pained grunt.
"Guys, guys, guys! If you wanted a piece of me, all you had to do was ask." Jason said slyly, cracking his knuckles.