I don't own anything, but my Oc everything else belongs to DC comics...BTW everything from here on out will be in Jason's POV until I say so
It was supposed to be a simple mission. We dealt with things like this all the time. I shouldn't have been any different from any other time...but it was. The Joker interfered, I got captured, I was beaten and try as I might to block her out Charlotte suffered with me. That hurt more than any of my wounds or broken bones, more than my collapsed lung that was making it hard to breathe. I tried for her, I did, but in the end it wasn't enough. I was locked in from the outside and had there been more time I might have still been able to make it. As there was I only had seconds left on a bomb that would end it all. I knew then that I wouldn't make it and in the back of my mind I wondered...what would become of Charlotte without me? She'd have Bruce and Dick and Alfred and some of the League that liked her, but would that be enough to hold her together? I'd like to think so, but I had doubts.
We said our good-byes, we finally said I love you, and then I told her the one truth that I never had, If I could have spent the rest of my life with someone...it would have been her...it would have been her. And now it never would be. As the seconds counted down I closed my eyes and imagined her face, I imagined her long brown hair in messy curls, her bright and shining miss matched eyes, her infectious grin and laugh, I imagined us dancing like we had done so many times in the backyard, no music just us. She wore a cotton skirt and spaghetti strap shirt...she had flowers in her hair.
The image made me smile even though it hurt. I felt the melancholy of never getting to do any of that again. If I could have...it would have been her...always.
The bomb ticked off its last second and I knew nothing more.
For a time I drifted out of thought and consciousness, just floating there in darkness. Was this the afterlife? I was dead right? Was this all I had to look forward to? This endless expanse of emptiness? I didn't know, but I hoped not...and I hoped that Charlotte would never see a place like this.
Something changed, a tugging sensation and then I was wrenched forward. I didn't know what was going on, but the next thing I knew I was underwater covered in bandages. My first inhale only flooded my lungs with it and I burst from the liquid screaming and retching out the water from my lungs. I didn't know what was going on or where I was, but somehow I was alive. I tore the bandages from my face and ran from the green pool of water I had been submerged in taking out anyone that got in my way. I crashed through a window and free fell into the jungle.
When I finally got somewhere I felt safe I started to remember and I realized what had happened. I had died and I had been brought back. The first thought on my mind was Charlotte. Was she ok? Where was she? Why couldn't I feel her anymore? What did that mean? Was she...
I searched through my mind trying to find our bond, our link that had been there for the last few years, but felt like it always had been...I found nothing and that terrified me more than I would ever admit. Had something happened to her? I resolved to find out.
It took me five years, but I finally managed to get back there, Gotham, home. I created a new name for myself. I was going to clean up the streets of Gotham...for her. I hadn't given up...I just doubted that she was alive...she would have come to me...said something by now...wouldn't she?
I pushed those thoughts aside...I had work to do. I started by killing all the major crime lords top lackeys. It would send a message, it would strike fear into them, the only thing people like them respected. My only rule was no dealing to kids, I figured I'd start out small if you don't get them hooked early there less likely to do it at all and I'd seen too many of them die when I was a street kid.
Slowly I was taking turf away from the Black Mask, the crime lord that owned most of Gotham, I was going to kill him and contain as much of the bloodshed Gotham created as I could. Those who didn't fear me would fall at the end of a smoking barrel.
It didn't take too long for Brucey and Dickie-bird to butt in though. They just had to interfere when Black Mask tried to get Amazo. I had sent a few of my own men to get it, but it would seem they failed. I was watching the whole thing so when one of them talked I took them out. A dead man tells no secrets it was bad enough they now knew my name so they would be searching for me...good I needed some info only they would have.
As soon as I had fired the last shot I put my gun on my back and started running to where I had left a car. When I confronted him I wanted it to be on my terms.
Bruce of course, followed me. I swerved between traffic going as fast as I could. He launched a grappling hook at me and I released the roof as soon as it started pulling up the car. After a few more turns I made it to my destination, the old ink factory the sight of his first major failure as Batman.
I purposefully crashed the car into one of the vats so that it would spill out across the floor and waited for him. He didn't disappoint for once. I could see it in his face, he recognize this place and what it meant, but just to be sure I hinted at it while pointing my gun at him.
After I was done talking I shot at the car creating sparks and the floor ignited, the vat that had been spilling its contents onto the floor blew first and then the others in short succession.
I used the distraction to start getting away, but I knew it wouldn't be that easy. This was Bruce after all and he was stubborn...something we all had in common.
He chased after me, but one of the explosions launched the car threw the catwalk and Bruce was forced to go a different way or risk dying. I was able to escape, but I knew he'd be back. And I'd make sure I got my answers.
Tonight through a bug I had placed in Black Mask's office I learned about a shipment being sent in and Red Hood was going to get to it first and I'm sure Batman would follow.
By the time the helicopter got there with the shipment I had already taken out the guys meant to retrieve it and tied them up, but forced them to stand so the pilots wouldn't suspect anything. When they landed I got in and threw the drivers out. I started flying off only for Batman to finally make his move.
He launched a rocket into the helicopter shutting down the controls and I steered it over the edge to keep them busy for a while. I jumped out onto another building and watched as Batman dived after it, the cable would hold without him doing something. I watched as he and Dick secured the helicopter and then swung after me.
I started running and once I reached the end of the ledge I jumped onto some scaffolding that was attached to the nearby building under construction with Dick and Bruce right behind me. I rounded the corner and when Bruce threw a batarang at me I jumped threw the tarp and ran threw the unfinished wall breaking the boards they had put up and grabbing a tank they had left there. I crashed threw the window and tossed the tank back up and them and shot it making it explode.
I kept running, I knew that wouldn't slow them down for long and I was right minutes later they were back on my tail. I started jumping down floors with Bruce and Dick following, though Dick did it much fancier then necessary, close behind. I then launched myself of and started building jumping and when I reached the end of the last one that I would be able to make without using a grappling I jumped onto the conveniently hovering Gotham PD blimp. I took out both my guns and as soon as I saw them start to round the corner I started firing. I didn't expect to hit them, I just needed some distance and to put on a good show so they'd keep chasing me.
I jumped from the blimp to the next building and then the next Dick and Bruce following and gaining again. I had just turned the second corner when Bruce launched a bat-bola and just before it went taunt I cut it with a knife I had specially made just for this and jumped down a few stories.
Bruce and Dick looked down on me from their ledge and I could tell Dick at least was impressed and Bruce was trying to pretend not to be, he probably wasn't all that much though. I launched myself off the building towards the train terminal below and using one of the support ropes for the tower on top slowed my momentum to crash safely through the glass roof.
I waited for them at the bike I had placed here earlier and I was not disappointed they used the same enterence as I did where I had some low level bombs set to go off, they dove out of the way and as the train came I taunted.
"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch Bruce." But the last word was lost by the sound of the train that sped past me
I used that to get away, it would be easier now that he knew who I was he'd tell me what I want to know next time we meet...at least he better or this town will really see what I can do in a night.
