I almost forgot about this scene. You'd think I wouldn't.

Well, I was wrong. You won't see Lucy until the next chapter. For now, enjoy.


3rd POV

Bruce is staring at the glass holding Jason's Robin costume. He recalls ever since he was a boy, fighting by his side. Sometimes he was a little to aggressive. 'But this?' Bruce wonders, 'how is this Jason?'

He turns away, shaking off the memories for now. The bat computer beeps. He walks over and finds out a club had been ransacked by what looked like Black Mask's men. Upon further investigation, Bruce deduces that Red Hood had taken over that part of Black Mask's business.

'Taking the fight to him now?' Bruce muses. He pulls his cowl up and takes the batmobile to investigate.

He arrives on the scene, keeping to the shadows. He finds a trail of blood come from one of the doors. He follows it to where a car used to be. There are skid marks, proving a fast retreat, but they disappear after a few feet.

Batman takes to the rooftops and runs down the street the car must have gone down. In the distance, he hears a fight in progress.

Sure enough, in an abandoned lot, four armored assassins are taking on Red Hood, and winning. "I thought you'd put up more of a fight," one of the assassins comments.

"Oh.. the fight hasn't started yet," Red Hood says, even though he's kneeling on the ground. He looks up at them, "I'm just stalling." Bruce doesn't watch any longer. He throws a pair of batarangs, which embed themselves in a blue clad assassin's arm. The other three look up.

Batman glides down and lands. He stands up, waiting. The largest of the four rush him. But Batman deflects the blow, jabbing him in the throat. He pushes the large man away.

Red Hood stands up behind him. "What the hell took you so long?" He asks, taunting the caped crusader.

Batman turns to look over his shoulder, "Shut up and fight."

They separate, taking on different members of the group. The switch opponents every few hits, never staying in one place for too long. Red Hood comes in contact with the girl of the group. She swings one of her light swords at him. It pierces through his jacket sleeve, making him yelp in pain.

Meanwhile, Batman is fighting off the Cyclops character, keeping the largest of the bunch in his peripheral vision. Said assassin is lifting up a car, ready to throw it at either of his opponents. He chooses Batman as Cyclops jumps away.

Batman rushes forward and takes the route through the car's back seats. He comes out the other side and places a device on his shoulder. The green clad assassin looks at the device, but it goes off, carrying him up into the air and away from the battle.

Cyclops jumps at Batman again, but he gets the same treatment. Only, he hits a wall before he's blasted too far away.

Red Hood is still taking on the swordswoman, flipping off of a column for an advantage. He twists her arm around and elbows between her shoulder blades, stunning her. He turns her around and head butts her for good measure. She falls limp to the ground.

Batman takes on the final opponent with the light up bo staff. He clocks him in the chin, then breaks the staff in half. He falls unconscious.

"I gotta say, I missed watching you work," Red Hood comments. Cyclops lands behind them, near the edge of the area. He sends a blast from the one eye of his suit at the pair. "Look out!" Red Hood pushes Batman to the side, but gets hit in the chest from the blast.

Batman throws batarangs, but they are all dodged. He weaves back and forth as he rushes the assassin, avoiding the blasts aimed at him. He throws smoke bombs, but they do nothing as Cyclops runs through the wall of vapor. They go hand to hand, and Batman falls to the ground.

Cyclops looks at Batman a moment, but then his attention is deterred by the image of Red Hood sitting up. He walks over, kicks him so he's back on the ground, then pins his arms and legs.

"Awful close. You afraid you'll miss?" Red Hood taunts.

"Black Mask just wants a body. We don't need your head," Cyclops answers, charging up his eye.

"Let him go," Batman says. Both look at him. "And step away." Batman is holding a taser out in front of him, charged and ready.

"A taser?" Cyclops stands up and holds Red Hood in front of him. He keeps his hand on Red Hood's throat, who's struggling. "Nail me and you electrocute both of us."

Red Hood takes out a taser he had up his sleeve. "Maybe that's what he has in mind." With that, he sticks the taser into the single eye of the armor and turns it on. Cyclops lets go of him and screams. His blood splatters the wall behind him.

"No!" Batman yells. The body hits the ground.

Red Hood looks at it a moment before turning to Batman. "Just be happy I only killed one of them. They're all assassins."

"And what are you?" Batman asks.

"I'm cleaning up Gotham." Red Hood turns around, "More than you ever did."

"You're stealing territory from Black Mask and killing anyone that gets in your way," Batman corrects.

"Black Mask, is just a part of the plan," Red Hood says over his shoulder.

"Plan? You're becoming a crime lord."

"Yes!" Red Hood turns around. "You can't stop crime. That's what you never understood. I'm controlling it. You want to rule them by fear. But what do you do with the ones that aren't afraid. I'm doing what you won't, I'm taking them out."

'Is this really Jason?' Batman wonders. "Tell me what happened. Let me help," he tries, taking a step forward.

Red Hood looks surprised for a moment, even with his helmet, but then he looks away, "It's too late. You had your chance," he takes a small canister out of his jacket.

He throws it between them and it sends out a screen of smoke. Batman puts his cape up, covering his mouth and nose.

Before he completely disappears from view, Red Hood says, "And I'm just getting started."

Batman walks out of the smoke with a breather on his face. He doesn't see Red Hood anywhere. But he spots one of the swords used in the fight.

The same one that injured Red Hood, with blood on it.


And now I'm up to the point I thought I was at last chapter.