In the Shadow of the Bat

New York: Red Hood and Others

"Nightwing," Jason Todd nodded to the blue and black clad figure who had snuck into his apartment while he was out.

"Jase. Been awhile," Nightwing said politely.

Jason casually dropped his jacket on a chair, then pulled his guns from the shoulder holsters and set them on the table. "Rematch?" he asked, looking at his friend warily.

Several months back he and Grayson had fought, along side Tim Drake, over the right to temporarily be Batman. The whole situation had been insane, and honestly Jason wondered if any of them had been in their right minds at that point.

"I come in peace," Nightwing said wryly. "In fact, I may need your help..."

"Oh?" Jason went to the fridge and got out two beers, passing one to Dick. "Grab a seat."

"Thanks," Dick took the beer and say on the couch, Jason sitting across from him. "First there's the Intergang situation."

"High tech gang, and tied into that weird Religion of Crime," Jason noted knowledgeably. "Are they moving into New York?"

"Yeah. They're using a guy named Bennet as a front, along with an agent called Nil," Dick revealed as he drank some beer.

Jason did his best NOT to react to that. He had run into them several times, and hadn't been able to nail either of them. It was odd and worrying.

"We don't know their agenda," Dick conceded, "other than the usual criminal asctivities, but keep a eye out."

Jason sipped some beer. "I got contacted by the League of Assassins... is that related to you guys hitting them?" he asked.

"Probably," Dick admitted. "What happened?"

"Talia wanted to recruit me," Jason admitted, "I pretty much told her I wasn't interested. She vaguely threatened me, but I haven't heard from them since."

"Watch your back," Dick warned, "Talia has gotten a LOT more viscious."

"Hmm," Jason didn't exactly deny that.

After Jason had been revived from death by Superboy punching time (Long, long story.) he was found by the League. Talia had nursed him back to health, and re-trained him with the League's help. YES, admittedly, they had aimed him like a gun at Batman, but...

Dick finished his beer and got up. "We might need to call for your help if things escalate," he said, "but other than that we'll try to leave you alone."

Jason got up, then shook his hand. "Thanks," he said, smiling slightly.

Nightwing opened the window, stepped out onto the fire-escape and was gone, swinging out across the city.

"Well, that was nerve wracking," the Whip noted as she emerged from the other room, walking over to Jason.

"Don't kid yourself," Jason noted, "he knew you were there all along."

Shelly Gaynor made a face. "Lovely," she sighed.

Shelly was a D-list heroine who was recruited by the hero Vigilante to be part of a 'Seven Soldiers of Victory' revival. Sadly they were ambushed, and were all apparently slain. But Shelly's corpse was found by the League, and revived. While at first she had no memory of her past and worked as a generic killer, she eventually regained her memory and broke free.

"So you're hoping to assist me while regaining your memory," Jason summarized the situation.

"Yes," Shelly nodded. She paused before adding, "Though I should admit I don't know if my background is real."

"Huh?" Jason blinked at her.

Shelly ran a hand through her brown hair nervously. "The League has the ability to insert false memories or brainwash people," she sighed. "It's entirely possible the real Shelly IS dead and they just convinced me I was her, for whatever reason."

"Like convincing me to be more willing to take you in," Jason noted. He shrugged, "Okay."

"Okay?" Shelly blinked at him.

"If I think you're double crossing me, I'll shoot you," Jason shrugged pragmatically. "Simple."

"Ah," Shelly gave him a odd look.

"Come on. Stuff Nightwing said makes me thibng the Intergang situation is more urgent than we thought," Jason noted as he pulled on his gear, "let's check some things out."

"Right," Shelly agreed as she grabbed her high tech whip and mask and followed him out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

New York was a odd, odd city. In between the clean Metropolis and the dark Gotham, it was a place where hopes came and sometimes died. A heroic ;public defender became the murderous third Vigilante, here, and died by suicide.

And a fourth Vigilante roamed.

Pat Trayce had been a cop, until the criminal justice system let a multiple murderer beat the rap going into witness protection. She ended up allying with the mercenary Deathstroke and solving the murder of several cops... who were killed by a government agent.

"Miss Trayce, thank you for meeting me," Teresa Luflow-Dalt shook the blond haired woman's hand.

Pat was mildly annoyed that the black haired woman was taller than her. They both sat down in the small cafe as she said, "I was surprised to get a call from someone who knew I was Vigilante."

"Your costume wasn't THAT good at concealing your identity," Teresa chided gently. "And you started operating as Vigilante right after you left the Gotham PD."

"Point," Pat conceded. "What can I do for you?" she asked politely.

Teresa stalled a bit by ordering coffee for them. "Are you connected to the Golden Age Vigilante?" she asked cautiously.

"Who?" Pat answered blankly.

"Oh good," Teresa sighed. Sipping her coffee she explained about the crazy 'Seven Soldiers' club and the Vigilante (old west style) who tried to shoot her.

"The hell," Pat shook her head disbelievingly. "That's insane."

"Agreed, but it's what I'm dealing with," Teresa said. "Now, as I understand it you had a run in with my brother, the Spider..."

"The idiot tried to kill me with a bow and arrow," Pat noted wryly.

"Any idea why he went after you?" Teresa asked curiously. "I suppose it could be to test his skills or something..."

Pat nodded wryly. "He's REALLY obsessed with killing the Shade, huh?" she asked thoughtfully. "I thought he was pretty near immortal."

"The Shade? Yes and no. He's ageless, but he can be hurt or killed," Teresa answered honestly. "However, considering the things he can do with his shadow powers, I wouldn't cross him."

"True," Pat agreed. She didn't mention the bounty on the Shade, but... yeah. On second thought, she didn't want to get torn apart by shadow claws. Or worse.

They discussed details of the Spider's trip through town, then Teresa thanked her for her help. "I'll be in town a few days," she added. "If something else comes up, let me know."

"Will do," Pat agreed as they seperated.

Pat made her way to her car and got in, still thinking about the odd young woman. Using her lex-tel phone Pat googled Teresa, quickly confirming that yes, she was a heroine and yes, she had been jumped several times by costumed nutcases.

She dialed quickly, and a wary voice answered, "Yes?"

"Alix, it's Pat. Need your help on something," Pat smiled wryly.

Alix Harrower was a superheroine, if a somewhat reluctant one. Her husband developed a artificial metal skin that could bond to flesh, but it killed him in a accident. Alix survived the bonding, lost her job and became a super hero and bodyguard, more or less.

(She also found out her husband had been having a online affair with a superpowered porn star. That was why he wanted powers, apparently. AND said woman tried to murder Alix, later. Yeah, her life had gotten pretty insane since becoming Bulleteer...)

"Didn't I tell you not to call me again?" Alix asked.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault we got attacked by vampires that time! And it/'s not like they could bite you anyway," Pat defended herself.

Alix just groaned. "So what is it this time?" she asked.

"You remember that villain, Spider? His sister is in town...," Pat explained about her background and her regularly getting jumped by bad guys.

"And I should care why?" Alix asked.

"Because having an obvious trouble magnet walking our city will almost inevitably pull you and the other local heroes in to her troubles, too," Pat pointed out.

"... It says something about how fucked up my life is that that makes sense," Alix conceded after a moment.

"Yeah," Pat agreed. "I was thinking, you, I and Manhattan Guardian shadow her until she gets out of town. Just in case."

"Sounds like a plan," Alix started.

A massive explosion went off in the distance, back where Pat had left Teresa. "Shit," Pat cursed, then ordered Alix to meet her back there. Apparently trouble had come...

To be continued

Notes: The Whit was created by Grant Morrison in Seven Soldiers of victory and died in her first appearance. Thought it might be interesting to revive her. He also created Bulleteer in the same series, and she's interesting if very odd.