Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with DC Comics, Batman, or the production of Under the Red Hood
The cackling would haunt him forever. That much Jason knew already.
The young man lying on the concrete floor weakly scanned his surroundings, eyes squinting painfully. Jason stood up, clutching his tattered side in agony, hissing in pain as he looked down. He noticed the pool of blood flowing out of him in messy lines and rivers, eventually flowing to one spot underneath him similar to a lake. Some amazing lake. He thought bitterly.
He glanced up into the dark warehouse, trying to find evidence that his captor was still there. His green eyes narrowed at Joker's outline, the madman hidden in the shadows just a mere 10 feet ahead of him. The Arkham Asylum resident smirked, his lips outstretching almost painfully, as he glided towards Jason. Under normal circumstances, the rowdy teenager would have attempted to fight the madman, but memories of earlier that night flooded his thoughts.
Jason's eyes cracked open, confusion evident on his face when he did not recognize the setting. His hands were handcuffed behind his back, his utility belt and boots missing. The teen wonder smirked, taking a pin from his gloves and attempting to pick the handcuff's lock. In less then ten seconds the handcuffs dropped to the floor behind him. Jason leapt to his feet, making his way towards the only visible door in the dark warehouse.
"Its locked," a familiar voice cooed from behind Jason, causing the teen to turn around. He had no reaction time before he was brutally hit across the face with a crowbar, the metal object splitting his cheek open with ease. Jason's body hit the ground in an unconscious heap, his head hitting the concrete harshly. The Joker smiled, raising the tool above his head to deliver a few more blows to the boy's torso and legs.
"Having fun, bird boy? I know I am," Joker teased. With speed that would make the Flash jealous, the older man took Jason's uniform in one hand, bringing his other hand back in a tight fist to punch the boy. Jason hit the floor of the warehouse for the third time that night. His vision going blurry as his head made a deafening crack against the concrete. In a last attempt to save himself, the sidekick brought his arms up to shield his face, but that proved to be futile as the madman decided to kick his side instead.
"Can I tell ya a secret? Promise not to tell the big bat? Promise not to tattle?" Jason couldn't speak, and he was willing to believe it was for his reputation, not because his lungs were filling with blood. The oxygen was growing scarce for the young teen.
Joker bent down to Jason's level and ruffled his jet black hair, smiling when the younger boy gasped in pain. Jason registered a long time ago that he was going to die by Joker's hands.
"The secret? I'm planning on killing you and whatever Robin replacement comes after you," then the Joker cackled. Jason didn't have enough energy to attempt to block any more attacks from the elder. The Joker stood up and forced one last, miserable kick to his enemy's partner. He laughed at Jason's painful outcry.
"Now be a good boy, do your homework and be in bed by nine. And tell the big man, I said 'Hello'," Joker teased as he walked out of the warehouse, locking the heavy metal door behind him. Jason was finally alone and he planned quickly what to do next. That's when he heard it.
He heard a repetitive beeping, a sound that was surely coming from a bomb. If he didn't believe it before, he believed it now: he was going to die.
Jason looked down at his uniformed chest, glaring hard at the 'R' insignia. "Damn," Jason cursed, a pain filled laugh following. Some replacement. Jason snatched off his domino mask and ripped open the latches on the Robin vest, tossing both into his ocean of crimson. If he was going to die, he wanted to die being him.
Jason counted down with the bomb cynically, the last three seconds causing him to shiver in fear and anticipated pain.
Three. Jason's arms shook as he brought himself up to his legs painfully.
Two. Behind the beeping of the bomb, Jason's ears picked up on the angry growl of his adopted father's motorcycle whirring outside.
One. The young boy smiled as he choked out his final goodbye, "Hello, Bruce."