On a vibrant Friday night in Gotham City, Jason Todd the Red Hood, Gotham's resident vigilante, sat atop of a bar called Tommy's. On his fifth stakeout day and eleventh dive bar viewing. Recently there's been a string of murders around bars and nightclubs in the south side. Eight men have been found dead in alleyways. That may sound pretty average in Gotham, but these stood out. The men had chunks of flesh missing. As if someone, or something got hungry after a few cocktails. Gotham police were stumped as usual. Or maybe they just didn't care. One connection Jason made, was that every man killed were in relationships or married. How did he know? One of his associates became a victim. Arthur Blue, his gun dealer. That information didn't make this personal for Jason, as this would be a situation he'd have to handle at a certain point. Sometimes there aren't even enough Bats to go around. Jason had spent the last five hours camped out at this particular spot, running on Red Bull and Tetris.
"Come on, come on. NO! Damn L piece." Busting on level 17, Jason tucked his phone away and peeped the scene. The same two girls from an hour ago were outside smoking again. An underpaid security guard also played on his phone. It sounded like a drunk guy was singing along to 80's rock inside. Usual activity for the past few days.
"This sucks. It's almost ten thirty and here's another night wasted. Hope I can make it to Pistachio's before they close. Hold on, what do we got here?
A couple exited the bar and headed down Trent Ave. A black dressed brunette, arm in arm with a tall fellow sporting a blazer/jeans combo. Even though Jason didn't want to assume anything, it wouldn't hurt to at least check on them. After downing his fourth energy drink, he followed closely, jumping from roof to roof like Super Mario on a sugar rush. The couple walked from street to street, getting further away from any crowded areas. They turned down an alley which led to an old storage facility. Definitely not an area for a romantic escapade. Jason had to reach ground level to continue the chase. It got darker towards the other side, with a few light posts scattered around. Most of them busted by street punks with nothing better to do. Jason activated his helmet's night vision to scan the area.
"Lost em. They can't have gone too far." A few junkies were getting in their fix. Stray cats stalked rats for dinner. Just when he thought they had vanished, a blood curdling female scream pierced the air. Jason ran towards the cry for help. Around a corner and past an open gate, he found the woman with a foot pinning her against an abandoned car. Her male companion reached under his blazer, pulling a black pistol from his jeans. Jason followed suit, pulling his newly modified Desert Eagle from the holster.
"Hey! Drop the gun buddy. This is your only warning!"
The man looked over his shoulder, unfazed by this would be cop. Neither man budged. He suddenly aimed at Jason, leading to both men simultaneously firing a shot. The bullets collided in midair, breaking their trajectory.
Jason charged forward, dodging a couple of shots. When things became close range, the man threw a roundhouse kick, Jason blocked it, throwing up his gun arm. Jason threw a forward elbow which got blocked. He added a mid-level thrust kick to the gut. The man ate the kick but was unfazed. Responding by grabbing Jason's leg and throwing him into a brick wall with ease. The impact knocked the wind from Jason, but he quickly rebounded.
"Damn. That guy's stronger than he looks."
The man turned around to find his victim, who still cowered by the car. Before he could finish the job, Jason dove in with a dropkick to the face, sending his adversary flying away. Jason landed back first on the ground, recovering with a kip up. Even though she couldn't see the Red Hood's face, he stared at her with a look of confusion. "What the hell are you doing lady? Get out of here!"
Out of nowhere, the man dashed at him with immense speed. Jason had little time to react, blasting off another round. The man dipped low, sliding around and chop blocking Jason's knee. Jason dropped down and was put into a headlock. A very strong headlock. Despite his slim build, this stranger's grip was as tight as Bruce's, and Jason struggled to get free.
"You have no idea what's going on here, do you?" Asked the man.
"Actually, I do. You're in my city trying to kill people. Can't have that." Jason reached into his jacket, firing several shots from his second gun in the holster. Through his jacket and into his adversary's chest. One, two, tree, four, five shots. The man stumbled backwards and fell flat onto the ground.
Jason panted on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath. That dude hit like a truck, which was unexpected from some stranger in a bar. His skills would give Deathstroke a run for his money. Did Jason accidentally stumble upon an assassination? A contract killer on the clock? What was his beef with this woman? Jason intended to find out.
Speaking of which, she ran over to check on her savior. A beautiful young lady. Lovely hazel eyes, complimented by her silky brunette locks. "Oh, my goodness. Thank you so much!" She hugged Jason tighter than Wonder Woman's lasso.
"I appreciate the sentiment lady but sticking around here was dangerous." He managed to peel her off and took another look at the dead body. "Any idea why this man tried to kill you?"/p
"I-I don't know. We had been talking all night and he seemed like such a sweet guy, and I don't know what happened. I was so scared." She burst into tears, once again clutching Jason in her arms. This started to get weird.
Jason lowered his tone and rubbed her back. "It's...all right ma'am. He won't hurt you. Did you need me to call you a ta-GAAAHH!" He winced as a sharp pain stabbed his left shoulder. The same woman he saved now bit through triple layered, armored Kevlar and into his flesh. Nothing about this felt right. Using his right hand he yanked at her hair, trying to pull her away. She was in deep and wouldn't let go.
Jason slid a hidden knife from his sleeve and stabbed her in the ribs. She released the bite, letting out a banshee esqe scream. She tackled Jason to the ground, giving him a horrifying view. Red pupils. Two horns pointing from her forehead and large fangs dripping with his blood. No longer an innocent damsel in distress, but a demon of the night.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Was the only thing on his mind.
She went for a second taste. Jason gripped her jaws. Fighting her off like a rabid dog with no control. The wounds in his shoulder didn't make this struggle any easier. Thank goodness all of the caffeine kicked up his adrenaline or it would hurt ten times more. She gripped his helmet, digging her claws inward. The sights began to malfunction. Alerts going off while the crunching sound of metal increased his heart rate. In a last-ditch effort, Jason pulled a small taser from his belt, taking it to her throat.
"Eat this!" A surge of white static torched her flesh. She wailed once more, releasing the hold. Jason rolled away and slowly rose to his feet, watching this woman, or whatever she really was, flail around. It lasted a second before she returned to the offensive. Jason readied himself for the next attack.
*BANG*
A bullet struck her face, knocking the right side of her jaw loose. It hung off in a grotesque manner, lightly swaying. Holding on by a few strands of skin. Upon noticing the injury, she went into full panic mode. Screaming and crying. She hunched over and a small set of wings grew from her shoulder blades. She immediately took flight and Jason made an arm motion, as if he silently cursed her name. A name he didn't know. He watched her fly off into the night.
"I tried to warn you." Said a familiar voice. Jason looked over to see the man he killed moments ago, sitting up with a silver pistol in hand. Fresh smoke drifting from the barrel.
Jason went bug eyed in complete shock of what he was seeing. This gun for hire stood up with five bullet holes in chest. Brushing off his pants as if nothing happened. These weren't any regular bullets. These were hand crafted flex rounds. Bullets molded in a spiral fashion, similar to a soft serve ice cream cone. This made each bullet harder to remove and did more damage by twisting and tearing through the skin. In short, the average Joe would need a miracle to survive one, let alone five.
Now Jason wasn't one to ignore the impossible, he's met Superman before, but something bigger was going on here. This guy must have a superpower of some sorts. The last thing he needed is another wacko running around Gotham. Jason pulled out his second desert eagle with his good arm, keeping it locked on the man.
"I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?" The stranger chuckled and shrugged. "It sucks being the nice guy."
"Well, you didn't save anyone. I could have taken her. But I suppose a thanks are in order." Jason replied. "Regardless, you're in my city. So, I'm going to need some questions answered. For starters, who are you? What was that thing that attacked me? Why were you trying you kill it? And how the hell are you moving with five reinforced flex rounds in your chest?"
The man made his way over to collect his black pistol. "Don't move!" Warned Jason. He ignored this request and picked up his gun. He tucked it away and turned to Jason.
"Okay my friend. I'm willing to talk if you're willing to listen." He mockingly did jazz hands. "See, no weapons."
"Yeah, doesn't work that way."
"Fine, but you're looking pretty bad, and if you haven't noticed, bullets don't work on me."
Jason considered what he said. His trust circle wasn't exactly large. Then again, this guy could have attacked him in a weakened state. While it's the opposite of what your average criminal would promise, he at least appeared to be sincere. Jason put his gun away and clutched his shoulder. "Speak."
"The names Dante. I'm a freelance demon hunter. I got a job offer to hunt down what was labeled as a black widow. Where I come from, we call it a succubus."
"Aren't those ancient demons that prey on the souls of men? Those exist?" Asked Jason.
Dante pointed at him. "Correct! Except there's nothing ancient about this broad. Her name's Vanessa. At least that's the name she gave me. Been tracking her for a while. That's what led me here. First time being to Gotham by the way. Can't say I like too much."
"Me neither. Now care to explain how you're alive?"
Dante sat on the hood of the old car. "I'm a half demon. My father was the king of them. My mother was a human. They banged and here I am."
"And?"
And? And bullets don't hurt me. Well, normal ones anyway. Sprinkle a bit of magic on there and maybe you'll do some damage. Can't say what a grenade would do. In other words, there isn't a human walking this earth that can take me down."
"That's a bold statement. You willing to test that theory?"
"Sure. That is while my opponent is at one hundred percent."
Jason nursed his shoulder. Dante's relaxed demeanor eased his mind a bit. This clearly wasn't you're average contract killer. He could see a difference in Dante. A very humble soul or an empty shell using humor to cope with his occupation. He still wasn't sure about the demon aspect. As of now it's the only thing he can believe. Jason sat on a stack of tires, a couple of feet away from Dante. He removed his helmet. Cracked in several places, courtesy of Vanessa. It was an old model that needed to get replaced anyway. His black face paint was smudged from all of the sweat. He offered his hand, which Dante happily shook.
"Jason Todd. Also known as the Red Hood."
"Red Hood. Is that some kind of alias? I got one of those."
"It is. Believe it or not, it's pretty common in Gotham for people to have two identities. Ever heard of Batman?
"Nope."
"Superman?"
"Nope."
"Green Arrow? Flash? Wonder Woman?"
Dante smiled and shook his head. "Are these friends of yours?"
"Nope."
Both men began laughing at the absurdity of this conversation. Jason grunted, trying not to agitate his wound. Dante swept his hair back. "I got to admit, you're taking this whole demon thing a lot better than most people. I expected you to whip out a cross and try to exercise me.
Jason continued to laugh. "Sorry to burst your special bubble, but freaks with weird powers and abilities are pretty common around these parts. No offense."
"None taken."
"Here's a fun fact for you," Jason sighed before finishing his sentence. "I'm actually a zombie."
Dante leaned back, resting on his elbow. "This I gotta hear."
"I used to work under Batman, Gotham's resident crime fighter. One of those freaks that I mentioned is the Joker. A psychopath in clown makeup. He caught me one night. Beat me with a crowbar and set off a bomb. Killing me. Batman was too late. I was dug up from my grave by a group of assassins and dumped into a giant pool of green juice called the Lazarus Pit. Now here I am. Hunting down criminals in effort to clean up Gotham the right way."
"What's the right way?"
"With a bullet to the head."
"Wicked story. I've had a few close calls with death as well. Thankfully never died. Anyway, I'll have to hear the finer details some other time." Dante jumped from the car and stretched his legs. "Jason it's been nice chatting but other than ruining my nice sports coat, we have no issues. And I have a demon to kill. After I find her...again. Arrivederci!" Dante pocketed his hands and began walking off.
"Dante!" The demon hunter paused. Jason approached him with a small, square electronic device. "Before she got away, I tagged her with a tracking bug. I know where to go."
"All right!" Dante reached for the tracker and Jason moved it away.
"I'll tell you on one condition. Let me help you."
Dante rubbed his chin. "Are you sure? This isn't just a bunch of drug dealers. You could die."
"Listen, I'm not a chump out here playing crime fighter. I do this for a living, like you. Just because I wasn't prepared for a succubus, don't mistake a demon chick catching me lacking for weakness."
"Don't get me wrong, you got sick moves. Can you still go with a bad shoulder?"
"This is a bee sting compared to what I've been through. I'm going to patch this up. Then I'll be on my way to personally deliver a bullet to that bitch. With or without you."
Dante could see the determination in Jason's eyes. Similar to his own when he fought Vergil not too long ago. This kid had a warrior mentality. Jason's offer had two choices, and the answer was set before he even asked.
"Let's do it! What exactly did you have in mind?" Asked Dante.
"We head home and meet back here in thirty minutes. Bring your best toys and be ready to party."
A devilish grin slid across Dante's face. "I love to party. See you thirty amigo."
They separated at 11:02 PM. Jason returned their meet up point at 11:25. This time from above as police had set up a crime scene. Thankfully he had arrived early to clean up the blood splatter from his wound. He even cleaned up Dante's as a nice gesture. His shoulder wound wasn't too bad. The thick armor stopped Vanessa's long teeth from digging deep. After adding peroxide, bandages and a week of healing, it would look like scars from a wild one-night stand. He already had those.
Jason grabbed a black, sleeveless version of his armor. Made specifically for humid days out. With no time to fix the red helmet, he decided to don the tried-and-true Robin eye mask. It's not like anyone was going to recognize a dead man anyway. Jason checked his watch. As the clock changed from 11:31 to 11:32, Dante showed up without a second to spare.
"It's about time you...what's up with the guitar case?"
Dante, now sporting a long red coat, threw down his case. "Can't just walk around with the kind of gear I'm sporting. Ready for a little show and tell?"
Jason nodded, prompting Dante to lightly kick the case, popping it open. Upon looking inside, the masked crusader's interest peaked. "These are...unique to say the least. I would make an overcompensating joke about that sword. Too easy. No way, did you buy that back in 1942?"
Dante pulled out the short stock, double barreled shotgun. "I assume you mean this bad boy. Found it in a bar. No one else was using it. Still packs a punch." Jason reached for it, but Dante pulled back. "Sorry bud, this one's mine.
"Got anything for me?"
"Oh yeah." Dante pulled out a pair of black gauntlets with matching boots. Each piece carried a light under glow. "You seem to know a thing about martial arts. These should fit you perfectly. They're called Beowulf. Weapons made from a demon soul."
Demonic armor was a step above anything Bruce had in the Batcave. As Jason slid on the gloves, a surge of energy flowed through his veins. His pain vanished and he physically felt amazing. Was this the power of a demon? Or was Jason trying to convince himself otherwise?
"Can't wait to put these to work. I brought a few grenades. I also got you something." Jason handed Dante a device similar to his own.
"Sweet. Is this one of those tracking devices?"
"Yeah, but that one's a prototype. Been cooking it up myself with a little "borrowed" tech. Don't worry, no one will be looking for it. All you need is blood sample of the person you're trying to find and that will point you in the general vicinity. The closer you get, the stronger the signal.
"Bad ass my friend. I've been considering the idea that Devil May Cry needs a tech guy."
"What's Devil May Cry?"
"The name of my business. Right now, it's just me but I've been looking to expand."
Jason double checked the clips on both guns. "If we're a team, then maybe we should have a team name."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Hm, what about the Red Devils?"
"Nah, sounds like a sports team." Dante rubbed his chin. "Hoods Never Cry?
"That's worse than mine."
Dante scoffed. "I like it."
"Let's figure this out later. We got demons to hunt."/p
"Right on. Any questions?"
"One. Where's your shirt?"
Dante looked down at his bare chest under his jacket. "What can I say? Chicks dig the pecs."
"Sure. We need to get going. Follow me." Jason led the demon hunter to the opposite side of the building they were standing on. That's where he parked his maroon, red motorcycle. He turned to Dante. "Guess who's riding bitch?"
Dante leaned in and said in a soft tone. "I'll hold you tight."
Jason playfully pushed him off as Dante chuckled. They eventually hit the road, blazing through Gotham streets. Jason slid in and out of traffic while Dante leaned on Jason's back. Giving directions off the tracking device. Neither man bothered by the cars honking as they swerved the right lane. It led them three and a half miles out, ending up at a gas station under the southeastern highway. While not isolated, this was the kind of place that drunks and truckers stopped at for a late pit stop. Tonight, they seemed to be the only ones there.
"Are you sure this the right place Dante?"
"I followed the signal. Check it out if you want." Dante passed the tracker. Jason read it over and it was indeed the right location. They hopped off and walked inside. The lights were on. Light music played from a nearby radio. No one behind the counter. Pretty much a ghost town. Jason opened the fridge and helped himself to another Red Bull.
"An empty gas station with everything still running. This isn't suspicious at all." Said Dante.
Jason went into the back. Nothing really looked out of place. Cleaning supplies, extra stock and an employee bathroom. All bundled in a room the size of a coat closet.
"Hey Jason, come here."
He returned to Dante by the counter, who held a half-smoked cigarette.
"This cig is fresh. Smells like it was lit not too long ago. Probably earlier today."
"Meaning someone is definitely here." Added Jason.
A loud bang made them draw their guns. They moved back to the supply area with Jason taking point. The noise came from over here for sure. Dante started feeling across the wall. Slowly moving his hand inch by inch.
"What are you doing?" Asked Jason.
"Secret passage."
"A secret passage? What makes you think there's hidden doorway?"
"There's always a hidden doorway." With a smug smile, Dante pounded a fist against the left wall, opening a door shaped section. Jason shook his head and moved forward. The Red Hood once again took point, turning on a flashlight attached to his belt. A dark stairwell resided on the door's opposite side, going who knows where. As they went deeper into the unknown, the smell of blood hit their senses. Getting stronger as they traversed further. The bottom of the stairs led to an underground cavern the size of a gymnasium, holding a very disturbing sight.
Male body parts strewn across several areas. Blood splatter and claw marks across the wall. Random assortments of clothes and personal belongings thrown into a pile. Small puddles of water turned dark pink from being contaminated by the human entrails. All of this on display by dimly lit lights placed in various positions. Turning a beautiful site into a tragedy.
"Damn." Is the only word Jason spoke upon seeing this.
"This is the norm for demon hunting my friend. I don't expect anything less." Dante checked one of the dead bodies. The man's eyes were yanked from his sockets. "Poor guys. A succubus typically goes after committed men. Apparently, it makes their souls taste sweeter. At least that's what they say."
"Or they're trying to find a nice wine and dine before they kill a mark. I can't believe this slipped under our radar."
"It's unusual for one succubus to rack up this many dead bodies running solo."
"So, what you're saying is-" Before Jason could finish his sentence, Vanessa dove from above, attempting to strike Jason. His instinct was top notch and he rolled away. Vanessa perched herself on a mound of bricks in a dark corner. Her jaw sewed together with a thin string.
"Hello again Dante." She said in a slithery, but sultry voice. "Did you come back hoping I would give you a second chance?"/p
"Sorry babe, I'm already spoken for." Dante pulled out his twin pistols. "Meet Ebony and Ivory."
Jason folded his arms and snickered. "Dude, you name your guns?"
"Of course. You don't?"
Jason looked at each of his own handguns. "Uh, I guess this ones Barney and this ones Fred."
"Really?"
"I don't get paid to be a standup comedian."
"Don't you two ignore me!" Shouted Vanessa.
"You know what, you're right." Said Jason, taking aim with his gun. "I owe you an ass whipping for tearing up my gear and biting my shoulder. Dante, let's finish this."
To their surprise, another succubus crawled out from a hole, wearing an oversized hoodie that drooped over her knees. Once her face came to the light, they saw her as a splitting image of Vanessa. Except this one carried a hole where her right eye should be.
"Twins, oh my. Looks like we got a double date." Said Dante. "You get the ugly one."
"You don't remember me Son of Sparda?" Asked the twin. "You took my eye last year, and I've been waiting for the opportunity to rip out yours!"
Dante rolled his eyes, mockingly pondering a memory. "Wait, wait. It's on the tip of tongue. Um, uhhhh...Abigail, right?"
"ANGELA!"
The twin demons attacked, prompting the hunters to split up. Jason went low with Vanessa right behind. She was faster than he thought, coming within arm's reach in a matter of seconds. To create some distance, he blind fired from under his shoulder while running, similar to his tactic against Dante. Vanessa evaded each shot, gliding in between the rocky pillars.
"Why are you running handsome? You don't like it rough?"
She'd be surprised on the few scratches Jason had on his back from nights spent with a couple of wild ladies, but biting was where he drew the line. Jason hit a dead end. Instead of stopping, he put the Beowulf armor to use. Running up the wall and backflipping over Vanessa, who came to a halt. Jason released a hail of gunshots from above, emptying the clips. He dropped from the air, landing on a rock. Vanessa had vanished, leaving behind a few drops of blood. Letting Jason know he landed at least one shot.
Dante went high, jumping from foundation to foundation with a smile as Angela gave chase. Despite him joking earlier, Dante knew exactly who Angela was. Similar to Vanessa, he met her in a bar outside of Gotham. Running the same operation as her sister. Unfortunately, Angela picked the wrong guy that night. Lucky for her, a nosy police officer interrupted the fight and she fled. At the time Dante didn't realize she had a twin, so when he met Vanessa, he assumed it was Angela in a new form. No matter, them being together made it easier for him.
Angela flew on his left side, waiting for a perfect moment to attack. Dante started shooting like a character from a John Woo flick. Shot after shot. Every bullet making a small whistle as they flew by her head. Angela pushed forward instead of dodging. She swiped the spiked pillars from above. Each one cinematically falling in line. Dante pulled out Rebellion, his beloved sword inherited from his father. He sliced one horizontally, the next one vertically, the third with a diagonal swipe, keeping the path clear. Dante cut through a fourth pillar, revealing Angela waiting on the other side. Flying in and stabbing him in the chest with her razor-sharp claws.
"I got you!" She drooled in excitement, forcing Dante against the wall, creating a small crater as he dropped Rebellion. Dante's head hung low as Vanessa cackled in victory, which echoed through the cavern. "How the tables turn demon hunter. I can't wait to suck you dry!" Her cocky attitude faded when she noticed Dante's shoulders shaking. He peered up and was laughing. A static red aura formed around his body.
"Didn't they teach you anything in bad guy school?" Dante gripped her arms. "You don't celebrate until you confirm the kill."
Angela tried to pull away but would be embarrassed to know that Dante held on with the strength of holding a soda can. His aura increased, building up to a crescendo. Dante activated his devil trigger. The transformation released a large burst of his demonic energy, incinerating any demon within a five-foot radius. Angela caught all of it. Her skin peeled away in a blaze, charring the succubus from head to toe. Dante snapped her burnt arms off and tossed the crumbled limbs into the air. He charged up a shotgun blast and fired a demonic buckshot, turning Angela a pile of dust that gently withered away.
"Sssick."
Jason heard the shotgun blast, signaling the Dante had cleaned house. Now it's his turn. He stepped around the multiple dead bodies, continuing his search for Vanessa. His heart was beating like normal, compared to an hour earlier. Now confident since he knows the enemy. One particular lesson he learned from Bruce, is to convince your enemy that they're the predator, giving them a false sense of security. An unexperienced combatant's worst trait. Jason tucked his pistols away and stopped in front of a pond. He kneeled down, staring into the dirty water. It was clear enough for Jason to see Vanessa's refection on the ceiling. He slid a hand towards his belt, pulling the pin from a grenade. He tossed it in the air. It exploded, knocking Vanessa down and into the bloody liquid.
"You chicks are amateurs. To be honest, I'm pretty disappointed. The only thing you managed to "suck" was the fun out of this fight."
Vanessa emerged like a bat out of hell, splashing water everywhere. Jason anticipated this, tossing another grenade over her head. That one exploded from behind, tearing both wings to shreds. She hit the ground hard, landing right at Jason's feet. The Red Hood had many people die in this same position. Despite Vanessa being a demon, she was vulnerable like any human when knocking at death's door.
"Mu...mercy." She uttered.
Jason grabbed her by the throat, raising her up. With Beowulf's power, he was able to deliver proper vengeance for the fallen men. He released the hold and let off a super combo of body shots. So incredibly fast that Vanessa floated in midair as she took one blow after another. Every punch creating a loud thud with every landing. Jason held nothing back, feeling like Mike Tyson on his worst day, which was better than ninety percent of boxers on their best day. After fifty plus punches, Jason loaded his right arm. The gauntlet shined bright. Jason threw a right hook to the face, obliterating Vanessa, who suffered the same fate as Angela
Jason clinched his fist, reveling in the silence of victory as the last amount of the succubus disintegrated. A hand touched his shoulder. It was Dante back in his human form. He held a thumbs up and Jason nodded.
With the succubus threat eradicated, Jason put in a call to Gotham police to discover the scene, once he and Dante left of course. With the time hitting 12:17 AM, Jason was able to make it to Pistachio's. A local pizza joint that stayed open till 1:00 AM. They picked up a large cheese and a couple of drinks, then headed back to their favorite spot to eat. The rooftop. Nothing felt better for Dante than a box of grease and cheese after a night of demon slaying. A sentiment Jason happily agreed with.
"So he falls backwards and when I try and grab him, he slices my hand and falls into the abyss. To possibly never be seen again. I hope he's alright." Dante took a sip of coke upon finishing his story.
"Virgil sounds a little like me. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't really know. You know Dante, I had my doubts, but you're alright."
"Thanks man, I try." Dante finished off the last piece and chucked the crust for the birds. He grabbed his guitar case and stood on the edge of the building. "You might do things a little bit different than me, but I can tell you have good intentions. I wish you the best of luck Jason."
Jason, who was already standing, shook Dante's hand. "Same to you, my friend. If Devil May Cry ever needs an extra pair of hands. Give me a ring."
"Will do." Dante turned to leave, then looked over his shoulder. "We never figured out our team's name by the way."
"Right, right." Jason did have a few names in the back of his mind. One in particular stood out. "What about Devil-"
"-under the Hood?" Finished Dante.
They disagreed at the same time. "Nope."
They'll figure it out another time. Dante leapt from the roof, and Jason watched as the half demon disappeared into the night. Gotham has seen it fair share of strange individuals, but the infamous Red Hood had yet to meet one like Dante, the Son of Sparda./p
