Jason held his foot to the man`s head, "You're going to drop it into the pear! I want nothing left of it. Got it!" He man let out a small whimper in reply and Red Hood pushed a little harder, "I didn't catch that."
"Okay! Okay, I`ll do it! Just don't kill me!" the man yelled. Jason instantly kicked him to his feet and pushed him in the other direction before grappling away. He had to leave Gotham once more due to a rumor that Black mask had bought and was auctioning an Amazo. He had to go all the way to star city just to change the destination of the cargo. This was bound to get him noticed.
He hit the roof of the building, and pulled his gun out, turned around and pointing it at Red arrow. The man had an arrow on him as well, but Jason noticed that one of his arms wore a red glove and the sleeve covered the whole arm while on the other it showed his whole arm.
"You were following me, why?" Jason snapped loading the chamber. Red arrow narrowed his eyes, "You're not from around here, who are you?"
Jason laughed, "You think I`m going to tell you? Your right I`m not around here, I think I`ll be going, after I teach you to respect boundaries Arrow." Jason shot Red Arrow who gasped and rolled to the side before he got hit.
"Arrow? Didn't you hear," Red arrow growled shooting the ground near Jason`s feet, Jason jumped back just as it blew up but the blast caught him and he staggered when he landed, he pointed the gun again missing the mark by a meter because of if, "I`m Arsenal!"
"You think I care what you call yourself?" He growled, he shot again clipping Arsenal's shoulder. He didn't waste time as he ran at him and jumped up and kicked his opponent`s chest. Arsenal pulled him with him as he hit the ground and flipped over and punched him in the face. Jason growled and pulled him into a head-butt and when Arsenal tried to get up Jason wrapped his legs around his waist and threw him off.
Red hood sat up and twisted where he sat, to point two guns at Roy`s head, who was on his knees glaring. Roy`s eyes widened, "I`m not Red Arrow, I don't know what you have against him but-,"
"What? What do you mean you're not Red Arrow, you look like him!" Jason snapped, and he did minus the buzz cut and the fact he looked just a little bit younger and skinnier. When he had met Roy as Robin, the man looked like he might be on drugs and in serious need of a haircut and a therapist. Now, he looked like something from a picture Dick had shown him from his days as the first Robin.
"He`s my clone, everyone knows that, now who are you?" Arsenal growled putting his hand on the guns and lowering them, Jason pulled his guns away and stood up, Arsenal did the same, "Just because you told me something doesn't mean I need to tell you anything."
"You don't believe me?" Roy asked narrowing his eyes.
Jason shrugged, "Maybe, you don't look one hundred percent like Roy."
"Okay," Roy said raising his head a little and folding his arms over his chest, "What do you want with Black mask? That Bat family territory, that's where you're from obviously, Gotham."
Jason tilted his head, "What do you mean obviously?"
The man smirked, "You have that dark syndical look about you."
"So what you're physic too?" Jason growled, He turned to leave but Roy grabbed his wrist. He had just about enough of this guy, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Getting away from you. If you're not Roy then I don't know you and I don't need to know you, I have other things to worry about." Jason said pulling his arm out of Roy`s grasp.
"I`m not leaving your side till I know who you are and what you plan to do with that Amazo." Roy said determinedly. Jason faced him fully again, "What do you know about the Amazo?"
"I thought I was just a rumor so I didn't try and presume it, but now I see some other people are interested I think I'll get into the action." Roy said, "Wait, why am I bearing my soul to you, I don't even know your name!"
"And that's the way it's going to say, listen it was nice talking to you and everything but I don't need some retard in a costume following me, specially one so brightly colored, it`ll make me practically a target." Jason said, Roy laughed, "You don't have a choice until I find out you're not a threat I'm glued to you."
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Jason snapped, shoving Roy away from him, god he was back for two weeks and he already had a fan boy!
Roy frowned, "All you had to do was tell me your name ass-hat."
Jason glared at him and Roy glared right back. He didn't like this boy one bit, he was a little to calm about the situation as if he thought he wouldn't kill him. Roy didn't back down and Jason growled, "Fine," he hissed threw gritted teeth, "I`m the Red hood."
Roy stiffened, "The Joker used that name, and a number of gangs, if I turn you in you could be arrested just for using the name." Roy growled reaching for and arrow.
"You don't need to worry about me," Jason growled putting his gun up just as Roy pulled his arrow out, Jason shot the tip of the arrow and it blew them both apart. Roy hit the building ledge and coughed. He looked up just as the smoke cleared, Red hood was gone.
XXX
Jason growled as he slid down the wall in his apartment and took off his hood, in the past few weeks he hadn't even taken it off, except to eat for a few seconds. He ran a hand slowly and soothingly down the side of his face.
His butt hit the floor slowly and his legs straightened out and his back straightened against the wall. Jason took a deep breath, he was starting to regret not buying a bed with the last of his money, but he couldn't sleep forever. He had just gotten back from blowing up a few of Black mask`s men, patrolling his territory, and beating a few of Black mask`s men when they decided to attack a few of his own men. Not to mention Arsenal, the other guy he met earlier.
By the time he got back the sun was up and his stomach was eating at itself. Right now he couldn't help missing his family, those who he had loved. Yet he had barley seen any of them, good. He wasn't about to drag them into his messed up war, yet.
They were bound to get involved and he couldn't hold back his curiosity at how they would come into it. He pushed his tired legs to move him to the restroom and turned on the shower. He stripped of his clothes and let the cold water hit his back like a whip, but it helped soothe his skin. He let it run along his arms and back and down his chest. He ran his hands over the multiple scars that the Lazarus pit had let his skin keep. A nasty red burn scar sat on his shoulder and slash marks were light against his thighs arms and chest, he even had a small almost invisible scar on the side of his face just along his jaw line.
He stepped out of the shower when he could no long feel his fingers. Jason pulled his black jeans on and put on a tank top and walked out into the living room rubbing his wet hair with a towel.
Jason sat down against the wall with a sigh, this was his new favorite spot obviously and picked up his helmet only to put it in his lap and fall asleep with the wet towel around his neck and his wet hair dripping onto his tank top.
XXXXXX
He narrowed his eyes and looked threw the binoculars and he saw Batman and Nightwing, his brother, his father, fighting Amazo. They should have let it go in the river, now they stuck their curious noses into everything.
Bruce looked as syndical as ever, and Dick looked his normal controlled look. They didn't seem too distraught over his death only four years ago, then again had they even cared, from what he remembered most of what he remembered was the fighting, the good times seemed like a blur.
He and Dick were close, brother like close. They had counted on each other so many times and it had panned out in the end. The second they had met it was an instant link; they might as well be blood. They were the dynamic duo when he wasn't with Bruce.
Bruce. His father figure. Someone he had worshiped over the years a being Robin. The funny thing was that he never even expected to even meet Batman, not to mention die by his side. They had their ups and downs every now and then yes but in the end they were still family.
Barbara, batgirl, how had she reacted to hear the man who had almost crippled her had killed the boy she knew? Killed him and yet she lived. She kept him grounded and never tried to force him to talk about anything. She was like a rock for all of them, even after she almost lost her legs she never lost what she had, in fact she was probably better for it.
Jason shook his head, he was losing himself in his thoughts again, he looked threw the binoculars to see Batman had tied up his men and was hanging the dead Amazo over their heads. Jason sighed and pulled out the sniper. They would talk, because they didn't know he was watching. He pulled the trigger three times and chuckled when he saw Bruce and Dick run for cover like ants.
He smiled and got up and started to run, he jumped down the fire escape and leapt into a car in the alley before starting it and taking off down the road.
He heard the Bat plane roar behind him and stepped on the gas. Bruce wouldn't give up, this was it, and he was bringing Bruce into the fight. Jason swerved and drove down the next road; it wasn't far from the chemical plant where the Joker hand turned. Batman`s biggest mistake.
Jason looked up as the plane grappled into the roof of the car and he floored it the roof tearing off like a piece of paper. The roof flung back at the plane and Jason saw his chance and made a sharp turn for the factory and crashed through the door. He jumped up and grappled into the beams at the ceilings.
It wasn't long before Batman crashed through the window and landed on the walk way. Jason watched his old mentor run his hands over the newest looking safety bar. Memories? He jumped down on to the higher platform.
"You know this was the sight of your biggest failure, but certainly not your last." Jason smirked behind his mask, he was handling things better than he thought he would, "ah memories."
Batman narrowed his eyes at him, just like he used to look at an opponent. Jason wished he could scream at Bruce and yell, I`m not the enemy! You let the enemy go, you let him live, I`m not going to make that mistake, but he didn't say that. He pointed his gun at the car, shot the slick metal and watched it spark before he ran.
XXXXX
He pushed the walk-e-talky back at his belt, "Sounds like a plan." He smiled, the drop shipment of guns was taking off in an hour, not only could he use the artillery but it work piss Black mask off to no end to find he had screwed him over again. Plus Batman would be there, there was chance of him not being there. The Red hood had spiked interest, lucky me.
The drop zone wasn't far off only a few blocks away, it wouldn't take long for him to take out what pathetic guards Black mask came up with and the takeoff with the goods.
Jason jumped down the building running one hand and foot along to the side to slow his descend until he jumped the last three feet down onto his bike. He kicked started it and burst from the alley way into the streets nearly missing a passing car.
The city seemed so bright on the streets more that in was the tower, in the shadows, not surprising. He raced down the street and the second he saw the build in the crashed threw the small wooden door with his bike and jumped off letting it hit three men and it crashed into the wall.
He shot two men in the chest and grabbed one of the bodies and pushed it into another guard, the man stumbled back and it was easy to take him out as well. Men started to rush down the stairs and he met them at the bottom pocketing his gun and going for the fun stuff.
The first man pointed his gun and Jason grabbed the top of the gun and pulled it away before hitting him in the face and spinning him around and kicking him into the together men trying to get past him. Jason held up the gun and shot out randomly up the stairs killing them as they tripped over one another.
Once they were dead he shuffled past them and made his way up the stairs and on to the roof, a few men were waiting with their backs turned to him and it was easy to come up behind them and take one guy out, the others turned readying their gun but he was fast and jumped up kicking two men in the face.
Once his feet touched the ground he didn't stop and leapt at two others tackling them to the ground and then rolling before letting go and letting the men hit the floor again.
He stood up, that was too easy. Did Black mask know Batman was probably going to show? Or was he giving up? Either way he still would get what he needed. He walked over to one man and took the jacket before; he started to tie hands and feet.
He pulled out his own Ak-47 and wait by the men who mumbled past their gags.
Jason looked around, Batman wasn't here yet, shocker. When he had seen him last it hadn't looked like he had changed, really in all honesty he hadn't. His death hadn't affected Bruce because it couldn't. Bruce had to look past the what was lost and had to keep going on because that's what this job brought, Death, no one could escape it, sooner or later every one dies. That's why Bruce couldn't grieve for him.
He let out a small puff of breath, look at him, he was sitting here making excuses for Batman. Why because he actually believed the things he was telling himself? That it was just the Joker`s fault one hundred percent. No, Bruce had failed trying to save him but Joker was the one he remembered. Joker was the one that would pay the price.
Jason shook himself out of thought as the helicopter started to land; he walked forward and jumped in, "What are they standing around for? Hey!" the pilots yelled as he walked in, "Protocol says were supposed to be on the ground for six minutes."
He pulled the gun on them and pulled the gray hood off of his head, "That okay, I won't be staying long."
He put the gun and down and pulled the men from their seats and pushed them out the door, making them run into their friends. He hoped into the front seat and blinked looking at the controls, sadly it wasn't the bat plane but it would do. He looked out the window and narrowed his eyes no bats…still? Was Bats getting too old for this?
He lifted the plane in the air, suddenly soothing the upper side of the helicopter and he snapped he head to the side again, to see Batman and Nightwing, the original dynamic duo, how sweet.
The plane growled at the effort as the electro shock from what they hit the plane with started to shock out the system. Jason struggled to hold the stick steady and he shook his head a smile playing at his lips.
"And I thought you wouldn't show." He huffed in amusement. His eyes locked with batman`s once more and he felt his shoulders tense in annoyance once more, "You wanna dance!? Let's dance!" He rounded the plane over the edge of the building.
Jason elbowed the window and used the seat the propel his way over to the building next door, his fingers barely brushed the edge but he was able to get a good grasp and jump up just as the plane and batman rushed over the edge.
Jason took two steps and watched narrowing his eyes as the copter started to clip the sides of the building and Batman grappled around the vehicle.
"Hey! Creep!" He felt a gush of air and turned just in time to grab the new attacker by the hands and flipped him over his head and slammed his back into the roof. Before Red hood could stop he picked him up by his cape and held him over the building. "And you are?" He growled, the younger boy growled thrashing around and gasping at the high drop. While the boy admired the view Jason`s eyes saw the yellow "R" on this chest.
Red hood pulled him back up and threw him onto the roof, "You shouldn't be wearing that!" He snapped. The boy jumped to his feet, "Well I don't think it`ll fit you." The boy joked narrowing his eyes. The boy ran at him and Jason looked over his shoulder to see Nightwing and Batman swinging his way. He jumped out of the boy`s reach as he leapt at him and felt fingers barley brush the back of his jacket, "Nice night for a run," He said looking over his shoulder as the three people started to chase after him.
Red hood ran across the roof and jumped down onto another seeing an easy route, the building next door was under construction and would be good. He ran over to the ridge and jumped, the air hit his side and he twisted in the air holding his breath as he put his feet forward and crashed through the wood flooring and stumbled on the second before rolling down to the third series of flooring and the second the bottom of his boots touched the wood he took off around the corner.
The sound of rubber on wood told him they were still following him. He looked over his shoulder at thee three, the three. He felt his stomach clench in anger and hate. He was so occupied looking at the boy that his almost missed Batman throwing a round of Batarangs at him.
He chuckled and jumped through the blue tarp before running into the room and prepping his shoulder as he crashed through the wood and grabbed the flammable tank sitting to the side and he crashed through the window.
Red hood spun around and threw the tank in the air catching a glance at Batman and the…boy, he pulled out his gun and shot the cylinder, he saw Bruce grab the kid and pull him back as it exploded.
He took the few second distraction to jump onto a metal, silver beam. By the time he made it to the third one Bruce, and the others were once again on his tail.
Red hood ran along the beam and took a flying leaped rolling when he hit the another building`s roof, but he didn't pause. He just continued to run and leap over small alleys. He raced over to the building`s edge and jumped down onto the blimp and spun around a shot. It was only luck that the boy was the first to show his face.
Even from so far away he heard the sound of ripping cloth and a hiss but and he narrowed his eyes, Jason turned to another older looking gray building and grappled over to it rolling to slow himself down as he hit the roof. Once on the other side he slid down the side and ran along the ledge.
He saw the end coming up and knew just over the was the train station, where he hid his bike after taking out a few men who thought it was a good idea to sell to kids. Jason jumped and suddenly felt something wrap around his leg. Instinctively he spread his leg and pulled out his knife bringing it down on the rope before it went taught. He smiled at the look on their faces and bounced off the building, landing on the side on the building below.
Jason quickly grappled the closest support wire swung down into the station and crashed through the glass.
Bats was going to be right on his ass so he had to hurry, Jason ran over to a column and pulled out a small homemade bomb, he duck taped it to the column and ran over to his bike that was hidden in the shadows.
He saw the other three came into the building and Jason saw the boy, but Bruce never saw him but he saw the bomb. "Get down!"
The second the bomb blew he revved the bike and drove past the boy, as he passed they shared a look, and he knew, there this wasn't some copy-cat punk kid on his first night out and once Bruce and Nightwing were done here they would tell him never to come back and to go back to a normal life, no, this kid, was Robin.
He stopped the bike a little further away and looked back, "You haven't lost your touch Bruce!" He snapped, he hopped Bruce could hear the ice in it. The train came around and he drove away.
XXXXXX
He jumped into his apartment and threw his helmet into the wall making a dent in the wood. What had just happened! A Robin? After him? Bruce wouldn't be that stupid! He threw his foot into the wall and but that only made him angrier.
Jason walked into the kitchen and pulled his computer to the edge of the counter. Having the police records on file came in handy. Even if criminals were brought in by hero`s aliases had to be filed, so he would go back to the day he died and go from there, when had Bruce replaced him.
He scanned the screen and went through the months, for the first thirteen mouths all he saw was Batman and Nightwing, maybe Huntress or Catwoman but them he found it. Only thirteen months, that was one year one month.
Jason hands curled around the computer and he picked it up throwing it at the wall, it smashed into tiny pieces but he didn't care.
New plan! They forgot about him so easily, replaced him so easily, and they let that boy come to them with open arm and let him in! They forgot about him! Well, he hadn't forgotten about them, never every day he thought about them, but now, he felt…betrayed. Well, no more he wasn't going to let them forget him again he was bringing them in to this war, it was going to be rough and dangerous and blood but the satisfaction he got out of it is that they would never forget him again.
XXXX
"You are most fortunate Master Bruce was there for you master timothy, or this could have been a lot worse." Alfred said taping the patch to the nick on Tim`s shoulder. Tim smiled, "Isn`t he always," The teen jumped off the examination table and put his shirt back on, "Alfie you should have seen this guy, he was like…like some ninja."
"Don't be observed Tim," Bruce said walking over to the computer as he pulled his cowl down, "He wasn't a ninja."
Tim only shrugged, "Not like we haven't dealt with those to, but get this, I think I have and arch enemy." He smiled meeting Bruce and being engulfed in the computer`s blue light.
"Arch enemy?" Bruce blinked a smile tugging on the corner of his lips. Tim nodded, "Yeah, I mean you have Joker, Super man has Lex luthor, Green lantern has that…yellow guy, The Red Hood is my arch enemy and I have proof mister detective." Tim challenged lifting his nose in the air proudly.
"It must be true to get you so excited," Alfred blinked rolling a ball for Ace to go and chase.
"Yeah, he clipped my shoulder," Tim said putting up a finger to count, Bruce raised and eye brow and Dick shook his head and Alfred started to wrap his leg, "I don't this one shot is going to count as solid evidence for your claim bro." Dick chuckled then winched as Alfred tightened the warping around his leg.
"Let me finish," Tim scolded and Dick lifted his hands in mock defense, Tim put up another finger, "When he drove past he kind of gave me the look, you know the on Lex Luthor give Superman," He nodded as the others listened to his observed claim, "And," Tim took a deep breath, "He got supper P.O when he saw me and said and I quote, You shouldn't be wearing that." He smiled pointing to the Robin symbol.
"Why would he say something like that?" Dick asked.
Tim shrugged, "He kinda caught me a little easier than I thought he would and I guess he expected more of a challenge."
"I suppose your right sir, now with that lovely thought in mind go brush your teeth and get to bed, you has school tomorrow." Alfred advised. Ace barked in agreement and begun scratching the back of his ear.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, But just remember, don't do anything against this guy until you tell me, I wanna be the one to turn him over to the cop," Tim childish smiled, "I`m dying to know who`s behind the mask."
"Yes, aren't we all." Bruce smiled, "Now get some sleep, we`ll go out on patrol tomorrow and try to find out his game plan."
Tim nodded excitedly and ran off to the elevator disappearing inside.
Once everyone had finally left did Bruce play the recording?
"You haven't lost your touch Bruce!"
A/N: My longest chapter yet, not by much but still :) Sorry I took so long I had a major writers block an I had this chapter all planed but it just turned over on me and this came out, anyway I might update a little less just to make the chapters longer. God this week has been crazy I can't wait for the weekend!