Jason stands outside for some fresh air, still not believing he's alive. Fear in his eyes. But still the same rage. Right now, he's afraid. Jason is wrestling with his demons as they return to the surface. He feels the air against his skin. A chilling breeze. He's not used to this feeling. He feels like he has a second chance. At killing the Joker. And being a better person. But he isn't so sure about what to do right now.
Minutes later, Bruce comes by with his arm in a cast made from his cape, with help from Talia. "Let's go." Bruce commands as they head back to the jet, thankful he won't have to carry him this time.
They don't talk during the trek, and after they get seated in and take off, Bruce sets the jet on auto pilot back to the main Batcave. Finally, Bruce says something that's been gnawing at him since it happened. "What was it like coming back?" Bruce asks Jason. Filled with questions.
Jason is quiet for a moment, which is a first. "It was surreal. Like I wasn't in control of myself." Jason says, recounting the miraculous, supernatural event.
Bruce has never heard Jason talk like this. "Everything just felt…so bizarre. I heard someone screaming. I didn't know who I was.. where I was… what was happening…"
Jason looks out the window, still collecting his thoughts. "I only remember bits and pieces."
Jason takes a deep breath, wracking his brain trying to remember everything else. "What'd I do?"
"You jumped out of the pit and started attacking me. You were shouting about how I didn't kill the Joker."
"Oh." Jason says bluntly. "That son of a bitch." He then finishes, coldly.
Bruce then tries to apologize. Sincerely. "I'm sorry, Jason."
Jason doesn't answer back. Deep down, he still has the rage. "I've told you about why I never killed him." Bruce reiterates.
"Because of your damn rule, right?" Jason says bluntly.
"Because he can't feel pain."
Jason turns to Bruce. Slightly baffled. "I couldn't subject him to the pain he's caused if he's always laughing."
Bruce feels anger boiling up inside as he takes a moment to reassert himself. "I was a fool. I thought I could save him. But he's not the person I save. He's the kind of person that should've died a long time ago."
Grief coupled with his anger overwhelms Bruce as he remembers holding Jason's body after the explosion. "But no matter what I could do. What anyone could've done. Wouldn't have meant a damn thing." Bruce says, riddled with all kinds of emotions. "If no one could hurt him." He finally finishes.
He notices he has his hand in a fist. He relaxes his hand and looks up at Jason. "I'm sorry."
Jason knows he's sincere, but he still doesn't know whether to trust him yet. He looks back out the window and Bruce turns his attention back to the dark night sky. Upset at himself even more now. He almost doesn't know what to do with himself. Wishing he hadn't left. And at that moment, something snaps.
He then gets some text messages from Gordon. "We need to talk."
"Meet me at the pier."
"I'm not anywhere near Gotham at the moment." Bruce replies.
Seconds later, Gordon texts back. "The city is being militarized."
Bruce is then struck with a bombshell. "What are you talking about?"
"We can talk in depth later. I've been laying low."
In the news he just received, he turns on the jet's turbo and speeds his way back to Gotham. "What are we in a hurry for?" Jason asks.
Bruce doesn't answer as he pulls his mask back down. Not feeling up for conversation right now. The clouds speed by and the sound of the turbo is powerful. Almost invigorating. An hour or so later, Bruce reaches Gotham airspace again, and as he descends from the clouds, he sees missiles coming his way. He jerks the jet out of the way with one hand as best he can. He peeks into his rear view mirror and sees them following him. "Hold on Jason!" Bruce shouts. "They're heat sinking missiles!"
Jason buckles himself up and holds onto the armrests. Bruce turns off the auto pilot and activates the evasive maneuvers as he turns on the Batwing's defenses to fight back.
He was looking down to focus on the controls, and as he looks up, he sees another missile. The jet dodges out of the way, almost hitting a nearby building. Bruce is then met with anti-air defenses mounted on top of buildings, like with the missile launchers. "Holy crap!" Jason shouts as the flak cannons start pelting the jet.
The jet does multiple flips and turns to try and evade the projectiles and the missiles. He then activates a mounted gun to take out the missiles, pelting at air and windows nearby without the auto-lock on. Bruce isn't in the position to patrol the jet to navigate the auto-lock. He then makes a mental note to implement an auto-target lock.
The flak cannons bombard the jet, and the armor plating is strong enough to withstand it, but not for long. Bruce then launches the missiles back at the cannons, trying to steer with one hand and target the structure. The explosion is a little more volatile than expected, damaging the roof of the building. Another flak cannon is still active, and eventually it starts to penetrate the cockpit of the jet. Glass falls down and flies out with the flips.
Bruce veers into a flak cannon, attempting to ram it. Before striking it, he makes a hard left and a missile strikes it instead. The machine gun on the jet takes out another missile now. More missiles spew out and the launchers and flak cannons are few in numbers right now. Two more cannons and the launches still remain. "Still got the launchers!" Jason shouts.
Bruce was about to fire a missile, but he then remembers that the missile launches could cause a destructive blowback from the missiles inside it, leveling half the buildings they're mounted on. The jet begins to suffer substantial damage from the flak cannons, and the missiles keep coming. It starts to get overwhelming and Bruce is still trying to fight back. "Bruce!" Jason shouts back as the jet begins to suffer damage.
"Get ready to eject!" Bruce commands as he positions the jet to make an emergency landing on the pavement. Before the jet impacts the ground, Bruce and Jason eject out of the Batwing and roll across the pavement. The jet and the duo land, Batman speaks into his gauntlet to self-destruct the Batwing as a safety mechanism. Instead of exploding, the technology shuts down and shorts out.
Bruce and Jason look around, seeing Bane thugs atop buildings and Penguin thugs on the ground. Some smoking cigars, and some still with faded Two-Face paint under their Penguin masks.
Some start chuckling, and Jason and Bruce get ready for a fight. But Bruce knows this is more than a fight now. This is War.