Todd: Killer's Grace
A sleeveless black and grey leather jacket blew through the wind, the bright red hood up, a red almost bird-like symbol messily spray-painted on the back of it. The same symbol was found on an armored chest underneath the jacket. The figure's entire arms were covered in white bandages accompanied by black ninja-like gauntlets. A dark brown utility belt was lowly slung across his waist. A medium sized sword strapped to the back of the figure. You would think Halloween was just around the corner. The figure sprinted through the rooftops. His black and red knuckle gloves tightened around his fists. Red camouflage pants rustled through the cold breeze of Gotham. Black combat boots crunched against the gravel of the roof. He stopped at a ledge only to lie on the ground. He took out two high tech desert eagles and shifted them into a sniper rifle. He found a drug lord in the process of abusing a young girl; she didn't even look past sixteen. He shot just near the ear of said drug lord, making him let release the young woman. The figure's guns shifted back to normal.
"Show yourself you coward!" The drug lord known as Talon shouted through the pain of being grazed by a bullet.
The figure hopped off the roof and landed in front of the girl. She cowered in fear. She couldn't help but be even more afraid because she was gazing into a red visor with white LED eyes.
"Stay right there, I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" The figure said softly through a digitally masked voice as he told her to hide in a corner.
He grabbed the scumbag's collar, dragged him across the pavement and shoved him against the brick wall.
He grimaced in agony when he heard a voice. The alleyway was almost pitched black making it very difficult to see.
"It seems you need to be taught a lesson or two, buddy ol pal." A voice spoke in a joking tone. He positioned his gun near his groin.
"YOU WANNA DIE?! There's much easier ways to kill yourself, you know!" The drug lord groaned.
The lightning struck as he looked up to see his worst nightmare.
It was none other than the Red Hood. The red helmet and jacket were a dead giveaway.
"Yeah, like yelling at the guy who's holding a high caliber pistol?"
The criminal shook in fear as soon as he saw who it was.
"Hood, buddy, how are ya—"
His sentence was interrupted by the sound of a pistol being whipped across his face. The drug lord fell to the ground but was shoved against the wall with Hood's forearm against his throat.
"I thought I told you not to prowling for kids, Marco. I did, didn't I?" Hood's tone took on a dark and menacing tone.
"Yeah, look I—"He began.
"So, why do I find you here with that little girl? Last time I checked we made a deal. I give you a nice cut of the profits from the drug ring, and you stay away from kids. Was that not good enough?" The vigilante ground his teeth harshly.
"The girl, look, she came by her own free will."
Hood simply gazed at him before aiming his gun slowly downwards and shooting him in the foot. His scream made the little girl flinch in horror. He sheathed his guns back in their holsters underneath his jacket.
"We both know that's a lie. You know how much I hate being lied to." Hood unsheathed one of his small knives and put the tip against his stomach.
"Look, we can work something out, right?" Marco began to sweat in fear.
"You're repulsive. It's bad enough you kill the innocent to profit off your drugs. But now you go after kids…innocent, defenseless children?" Hood gently pushed the blade deeper.
"You act like you're some saint, but you're really just a murderer. You're no different than us. You're just a deranged psychopath trying to be The Bat. You'll never be the Robin he wanted you to be." Talon spit on the vigilante's helmet.
Hood let a dry, humorless chuckle.
"What you say is partially true, I am indeed a murderer. But the difference between me and scumbags like you, is I've already died once. I lost myself to a maniacal clown who took my will to live away from me. I've learned a lesson, which was letting people like you live is a crime in itself. And unlike the Batman, I don't give out idle threats."
"If you kill me, it won't make a difference." Marco chuckled.
"Yes I think it will make a difference, you just won't be around to see it." Red Hood jabbed the blade into Marco's stomach in three quick but forceful successions. He let the drug lord slide to the down the wall as he crouched and looked him in the face.
"Oh and by the way. I'm gonna re-purpose your base of operations and go after your buddies if they try to oppose me. See ya in hell, Talon."
He walked over and tended to the girl.
"Are you OK, kid?" The hooded vigilante kneeled next to the girl.
"Please don't hurt me." The girl's cheeks were littered with running mascara and messy lipstick. Her body was littered with scars from abuse. Her dress was tattered and dirty.
"Poor thing," The vigilante thought sadly.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm just a normal guy." The vigilante pulled down his hood and removed his helmet. What was underneath was a young man in his early twenties, with bright green eyes, and red paint smeared across them. His black hair had a tuft of white, which was the cause of stress from torture.
"Do you know of a safe place where I can take you to get treated that's not the hospital?"
The little girl shook her head slowly.
"Damn it," He internally groaned.
"Do you know who I am, little lady?" He asked, clasping his fingers repeatedly.
"Yeah, you're that Red Hoodie guy. My mom says you're a bad man because you shoot people, but my dad says someone's gotta do what no one else will."
"What's your name? I need to know the name of the princess I just saved." He smiled gently.
"Gabrielle, that's my name don't wear it out. What's your name?" She laughed.
"Todd, Jason Todd…but you can call me Jaybird." He put his hand for her to shake. She instead hugged him. He was slightly stunned but awkwardly accepted the hug.
"C'mon, let's get you to the hospital." He carried her all the way to his bike and drove off into the night.