The puddle rippled as the boot stomped into it. The alley was silent, the only sound was the buzzing of the flashing neon sign and the sound of rain falling and splashing. A thickly gloved hand raised the cigarette up to chapped lips and the owner took a deep drag. The man cowering in front of him whimpered as the embers flared to life. The burning cigarette was flicked, embers falling next to the mans bare foot making him wince. Smoke lazily wafted out of the chapped mouth as the mysterious man squatted down and scratched the side of his face. The two men stared at each other for a moment, bloodshot eyes versus eyes masked by white lenses.

"P-please."

"Shut up Tony."

Tony fought the urge to cry as the lit cigarette got closer to his exposed flesh. "I haven't worked the scene in months Hood! Please!"

"Tony, what did I say?"

Tony whimpered as the ominous red and orange glow came closer to his skin. Just before it touched down and he felt the heat from the embers he yelled. "PENGUIN! Penguin heard about the hit and wants in." The cigarette pulled back and was flicked into a puddle. Those chapped lips that would haunt Tony's dreams later split into a smile.

"See Tony? I knew you were on our side." Red hood popped his helmet back on, patching into the Batcave comms. He tapped the comm and sent a silent message quickly before shutting it off. He didn't wait for a reply before he switched to the comm link that Deathstroke gave him.

"Did you find who has been tapping into my messages?"

Red Hood pointed to Tony before pointing a thumb behind him. Tony took the hint and scrambled off. "Penguin wants in. He found out, but I didn't catch how."

There was silence on the other end then a crackle, "send him a message."

"Sure thing boss."

The comms clicked off and Jason sighed before sticking his hands in his pockets and exiting the alley. The pink neon flashed on him as he turned in the direction of the Iceberg Lounge. He was about two blocks away when the Bat comm cackled to life again. He paused and listened to the taps before tapping a reply. He started walking again, his eyes shifted from side to side making sure no one jumped him. Not that it mattered, Red Hood has gotten such a negative reputation in Gotham that even the thugs were scared of him. The blue and white neon reflected off of the red helmet as he walked up to the side door. Jason knocked on the door, watching the little viewing window slide open disinterested.

"What do you want?" The voice was disinterested before Jason saw the recognition flood his eyes. "W-What do you want Hood!? Penguin ain't here!"

"Let me in. I've got a message for Cobblepot."

The window cover slid shut and there was a scuffle behind the door before it creaked open slowly. Jason walked in and headed straight for the center of the restaurant where he knew Cobblepot was sitting on his throne. He stepped into the main area and locked eyes with The Penguin. He resisted the urge to laugh as Cobblepot squawked and tried to scramble away from where he sat. Jason scoffed and threw some caltrops at the pudgy little man. The rope wrapped around his knees and sent him tumbling on to the glass below him. Jason jumped down after him and watched for a minute as he tried to wiggle away. Red hood took two large steps forward and kicked The Penguin across the glass.

"Agh! You son of a bitch!" Jason didn't answer but followed him as he skidded. Penguin came to a stop and tried to get up again. A heavy steel-toed boot rolled him into his back and slammed down onto his face. Jason looked at the glass covered eye in disgust before adding more pressure to his boot, watching in satisfaction as Penguin squirmed with his face leaving greasy marks against the glass. From the corner of his eye he saw a couple thugs advancing with guns. Jason turned to them with a glare and got out his handgun, shooting them dead. They crumpled to the ground and the blood crept from their wounds, spreading across the glass.

Jason shot a few more warning shots to the ceiling before roaring, "everyone out!" He leaned down closer to Cobblepot. "I need to have a word with your boss." He sneered before picking up the short man and dragging him to the corner of the room. He threw Penguin into a heap and watched with satisfaction as Cobblepot scurried away again.

"What are you on about Hood!? I haven't done nothing to you!"

Red hood lurched forward and grabbed the little man again, lifting him against the wall. "Shut up Cobblepot!"

Cobblepot stared back at him defiance, his one good eye narrowed at the emotionless hood. "I ain't done nothin'! You're not going to make me talk!"

Jason sighed and let go of him, watching with disinterest as he crumpled to the floor. Penguin cried out as he landed wrong on his ankle. "Let's make this easy Cobblepot." He kicked him in the side again, Penguin howling in pain as he rolled away from Jason. "You realize I came here for a reason." Another kick, more broken ribs. "You tell me what I need to know." A punch this time, to the face. "You stay," Another punch, "from." Another punch, "Deathstroke's," ending with a kick, "HIT!" He roared the last word as Penguin went flying.

Penguin skidded to a halt and got up on his hands and knees coughing up blood. Jason looked down at his armored gloves with a sneer and wiped the blood on his pants. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Jason sighed, "Look man, you don't have many options left. I could stay here and keep beating you up until you die because you don't give me what I want." He paused and got up close to Penguin, squatting down to his level and tilting his head with Penguin looked at him with fear in his eyes. "Or, you tell me everything you know about Deathstroke's hit and I leave you with your thugs that are very nicely waiting outside." Penguin looked down and stared at the blood stained glass, his eyes growing wide when he heard the cock of a gun and felt the cold metal pressed to his temple. "I don't have all night Cobblepot."

"Alright fine! I heard people wanted to kidnap Wallace West, Bruce Wayne's new toy and I wanted a piece of it! I didn't know Deathstroke had taken the hit!"

"Kidnapping doesn't sound like you Copplebot."

"I didn't know they wanted him alive! I was going to get payment up front and kill him anyways!"

Jason cocked his head, "You interrupted a transmission to Deathstroke, where did it come from?"

"I don't know! Somewhere in Gotham but I couldn't be sure! It was bouncing around a lot, but it stayed in Gotham."

Jason paused before pressing the gun to his temple again. "Anything else?"

"No! I swear!"

"Good." Jason pulled the gun away and put it back in his holster. "Pleasure doing business with you Cobblepot. This is your last warning, next time I won't be so generous." Jason walked up the stairs to the door, Cobblepot swearing behind him as the thugs rushed in.

"I swear to you Red Hood I'll get you next time! You better not show your face around these parts again, you hear me?"

"I'll hold you to it dumbass." The door swung shut behind him and he walked back to the main street, his helmet coming off as he walked. No sane person was out this late at night in this city so there was no one to notice the blood splattered on his armor, the blood on his hands, or the blood on his boots. He brought another lit cigarette to his lips, taking a long drag before letting it out in a slow whistle. If you listened closely if a was a short tune, unknown to the masses as time moved on, but a tune that certain groups of people knew. The fanfare of Haly's Circus. He reached a trashcan and stopped as he threw the cigarette butt into the sand. Then he got out a piece of gum, let out a groan when he saw it was his last piece. Jason sighed and reached into his pocket to pull out some other trash he wanted to get rid of, tucking it into the thin gum container. Wrapped in the trash was a small recording device, too small for anyone to notice as he threw the trash right on the top of the pile in the can. Jason started walking again, the whistle coming back to the front of his mind while a rat in the darkness grabbed the trash he threw in.