Two: You Could Tell Me the Story
You know my name and not my story
The things we've done and not what we've been through
The road is home a run for glory
A sweeter song but a taste of the Blues
(The Stories We could Tell- Mr Big)
Bruce was still angry with Cass, but it mattered not to her, she still patrolled though mostly with Nightwing or Red Robin. She also decided instead of keeping her stay at the manor, Barbara had graciously offered her an extra bedroom in her apartment, it was small but Cass assured Babs she had much smaller in Hong Cong. The Joker was quiet and no sign of Red Hood yet either, although they all knew neither party would stray too far from Gotham.
Cass enjoyed being back in the city, She had lunch often with both Dick and Tim. Tim started assisting Bruce more with Wayne Enterprise so he could break from it (although Tim would never tell Bruce that). Although Bruce frowned at her moving out she left most things there and still visited. Even Damian was ecstatic, though he hid it well with snark remarks and tutting at her when they sparred.
The summer air was warm with little to no breeze. From his seat Johnathan Crane felt the sweat threaten to drip into his latest concoction. he finished with the dropper and gave the bottle a quick swirl. As he did he heard the door behind him open and shut.
'What is it you've been working on?' Jervis asked sitting on his cot. Since their last run in with the bat some months ago, Jervis had offered a spot in his best hide out. They agreed to take a break to stay on the low radar. It was then Johnathan began to obsess over his newest idea for a new toxin, and Hatter of course became bored.
'An upgraded fear toxin, it'll work a bit slower but be more adaptable to the specific victim, and have their hallucinations grow even more as the time goes on.' he replied easily, jotting some notes in his book.
'And you?' Johnathan asked turning now to face his room mate. He eyed the box beside Hatter's feet.
'A new device to help my controlling.' Hatter said gleefully, Crane smiled, 'Well once I have this figured out perhaps we should combine it?'
Hatter's eyes bulged with excitement, 'Really? How so?'
'Well I was thinking, we use your device and my toxin to create the best control system, put the person under so much you will always control them.' Crane said. Hatter grinned.
'I love it.' Hatter replied, Crane continued, 'I have an idea on where we can find a good delivery service so it can release the toxin, I'm working on a liquid version rather then gas so we can maintain levels and usage easier.' Hatter nodded eagerly at his words. The talk turned to mindless chit chat after that and finally Crane felt the heat get to him. Standing Crane gave a stretch and decided to take a break and for a walk.
'Careful out there.' Hatter warned, with an eyebrow raised as he slipped his sunglasses on, 'Joker got out recently. Fun times down the hole are brewing.'
'Great.' Johnathan muttered taking his leave, he would never admit to anyone but himself, but the Joker could be a real nuisance for them all he felt.
He took a small jaunt around Crime Alley, stopping only when a strange noise met his ear, a child crying?
Feeling curious he turned down an alley and paused behind a garbage bin, finding a small toddler being forced in a garbage bag. The culprit was a large man who merely struck the children into silence with a hammer. He quietly tied the bag up with the toddler inside and moved towards the bin, Johnathan froze as a voice sounded from the other end of the alley.
'Well that's not nice, and disgusting.' The man said stepping into the light, his red helmet gleamed dangerously. Johnathan internally cursed as the beefy man dropped the child and rushed non other then the Red Hood.
It was only a matter of seconds, the Hood easily flipped over the man, landed surprisingly graceful for such a large bulk himself, and whipped out his knife. With ease his plunged it into the man's shoulders. As the beefy man kneeled in pain, the Red Hood glanced at over his shoulder, gun now raised.
'Whoever the hell you are, if you got nothing to do with this piece of shit you better scram.' He said easily, Johnathan didn't need this sort of trouble, he knew he was nearing a break through. He stood and booked it as a single shot fired.
He sighed dropping his hood and taking his shades off as he tumbled nearly into their apartment's hallway. he fumbled with the lock only to have the door spring open for him, a smiling face before him.
'Why hello there handsome.' Harley beamed. Johnathan glowered as he pushed her out his way entering his apartment. Hatter sat on a stool while the Joker himself leaned against the fridge.
'And four makes a family!' The Joker laughed.
'What do you want?' Crane snapped.
The Joker's smile widened, 'My my, you're testy tonight.'
'Bat trouble?' Hatter asked worriedly, Johnathan shook his head and answered, 'The Red Hood is back in town.'
'Some birdies never die ya know.' Joker said conversationally. Johnathan wondered what that meant when Hatter filled him in on the rest, 'Joker is here to offer a proposition.'
Johnathan raised an eyebrow.
'Well we have a little surprise party started for Gotham, want to join in the fun?' Joker said. Behind Crane Harley giggled, 'A real a bang ya'll could say!' she replied.
'I decided to stay low on the radar.' Crane said calmly. Hatter's eyes widened and when the Joker glanced his way, he nodded encouragingly.
'Well, don't forget to RSVP when you do decide to join, we're just getting started, but we know you'll enjoy the light show, or you know, die with everyone else!' Joker said chuckling. He and Harley then left.
Falling into the stool next to Hatter Johnathan let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding in.
'Well that went splendidly.' Hatter said sarcastically.
'He won't kill us.' Johnathan said shortly, 'He's knows he's been out of the loop too long, and with Hood in town they'll be a shortage of thugs to make his grunt work, so he'll wait.'
Hatter frowned, 'You think?'
'He always waits for that god damn punch line.' Johnathan said bitterly.
As the night went on Jason found himself soon on a roof top, waiting for the inevitable. He was expecting after the police were called to Crime Alley about the poor girl in the dumpster. Jason knew she had been killed instantly. He chose to not listen in to the obvious police making their stupid reports and headed to a location where the bat could find him and know he was back.
He was surprised to see a familiar black and blue suit before him.
'Nightwing.' He said taking his helmet off, surprising the elder, his red masks till in place but Nightwing took this as a good sign. He slipped his weapons away and faced Jason.
'Heard about the girl on my scanner from patrol earlier.' Nightwing said.
'I didn't kill her.'
'I know that, you wouldn't hurt any child.' Nightwing said, 'But the man that was killed-'
'You mean her murderer who was put down.'
'You saw him kill her?' Nightwing pressed, Jason nodded, 'From the roof top, slugged her then put her the bag. Fucking disgusting.'
Nightwing pinched his nose, 'Does B know you're back?'
'I just got back earlier this week, tonight was my first night out.' Jason answered. Nightwing nodded and then replied, 'I wont tell him, police have enough evidence to put it as a gang related killings. The guy was known for using kids as drug mules.'
Jason swore under his breath and Nightwing took a slight step forward, 'Do you want B to know you're back?'
'Like I need him breathing down my neck-'
'He's going to find out.' Nightwing pressed, Jason snorted, 'What do you want Golden Boy? Me to pop over for lunch? Have tea? No, I'm going to let him find my on our own way, this way.'
'How did you escape, and did Cass really talk to you?' Nightwing pressed.
So much chatter, Hood snarled, 'Listen, I got out, it isn't that hard you know I've done it before, and Bruce better not try to put me back, even if I don't have to listen to the clown's fucking laugh and signing songs to me-'
'He sang to you?' Nightwing said softly.
Hood paused to slow his breathing down, he was better then this, 'Yeah welcome to Arkham where family imprisons you next to the psycho who killed you as a kid. At least Black Bat was decent.'
'Just let us try to help-'
'No can do, just make sure Bats knows not to try sending me back. Or he will regret it.' At those words Nightwing nodded, he knew Jason was honest and he knew now that he had somewhat changed, he hadn't yet tried to kill him. That was a first.
'Why did you come back then?' It was a a simple question, but Jason knew the bright blue eyes behind the mask was filled with curiosity. And honestly Jason had no straight answer. He paused long enough to slip his helmet back on.
'It's Gotham.' he merely said and moved a hand to his belt, Nightwing bent into a defensive pose but holding back a chuckle, the Red Hood merely whipped out his grapple, and shot forward.
'Jay!' Nightwing said rushing forward but merely hung over the roof ledge, hair blowing in the gentle summer breeze.
Putting their plan into action was easy, Batman was so focused on the Joker (who was oddly being silent) and the arrival of Red Hood (yet to be caught) that finding out the perfect place was a breeze. Hatter had agreed the best course of action would be something high tech and military, they would break into the armoury and steal a newly developed and untested item that would strap to a victim and continually cause shocks at different intervals. Johnathan figured he could somehow have it so instead of shocks it would inject toxin at various times, controlled by another person. On top of that using some of nifty tricks from Hatter. The perfect weapon to control.
They set out in the night, it isn't hard to take down the military brats, it's even easier to steal the damn thing. And that was when Crane knew the shoe was about to drop. The moment they turned a corner into an alley, away from the scene of the crime, they came face to face with Police fighting a gang. The thugs wore various clown masks and Hatter gulped.
Joker's gang.
As if they knew, both parties turn to see none other then Scarecrow and Hatter. Police turned their tasers towards them and the Joker gang began to scatter, 'This way.' Scarecrow said and launched himself into the thugs, he slammed himself into one and flung him into a nearby office. Creating chaos would be their best answer.
Hatter followed suit going after another thug, a cop intervene and Hatter flung the boy into the cop.. Scarecrow managed to grab hold of a fire escape and climb it, Hatter leaped towards him and Scarecrow snagged his hand pulling him up. Bullets flew and one got Scarecrow in the shoulder.
'Don't drop me!' Hatter called, 'Drop the device, we'll get another one!' Scarecrow said and Hatter did, now with both hands Hatter climbed the fire escape much easier. They reached the roof with shouts below, they seemed to indeed be forgotten again by both police and the gang.
'You're hurt.' Hatter said.
'Obviously, ' Scarecrow said crisply, Hatter frowned, 'Go to that clinic, she'll help anyone. I'll meet you back at base.'
'What are going to do?' Scarecrow demanded wincing in pain, he never went to such a clinic though he had heard of it. Principle of the matter being a doctor of some sorts himself.
'Stop being stubborn and go.' Hatter said, 'I'll get the device back.'
Quicker then expected he was gone. Scarecrow cursed and headed to the next roof. He leaped onto it feeling woozy but he knew it wasn't far.
Meanwhile Hatter easily picked the device up. The gang gone and police too. He waited it out inside the building in fact. They were in Crime Alley and like most places there, it was abandoned. He smiled holding it and turned jumping in surprise at what was waiting for him behind. His terrified reflection shone back at him on the red helmet.
'So you got two options.' Red Hood said, 'You tell me what you're doing with that. Or I shoot your foot off, then you tell me.' Red Hood said.
'Like you know what this is.' Hatter snarled, 'Actually you'd be surprised.' Hood said simply, 'Choice is yours though.' he pulled his gun out and cocked it. Hatter merely sighed in defeat.
