Little Bird's Vengeance Chapter 36 Family Ties
Throughout all Tim's time as a Bat, from when he first decided to step in and act to the present day, there was one core principle he would never compromise on. Protect their own. Even the two 'brothers' he had no love for. He would stand for and protect any member of the family from any external threat.
So with the news that Red Hood, Jason, was going to be neutralized even if it meant killing him, he knew he had to get to him first. Fury gave him one chance, but Tim would keep going until Jason was safe.
They had established a rather uneasy alliance some months before Tim's unexpected journey. Tim had been tracking some gun runners, and ran into Jason on his personal mission to remove heroin from Gotham's market. After trying to crack each other's' skulls, they exchanged information on the various smuggling routes they'd investigated and parted company. A few weeks later, Tim came into possession of some gossip regarding tensions in a drug gang, and passed it to Jason. The next week, that gang split in two and two thirds of the members were arrested when they started a turf war. Two days later, Tim found a note on his windowsill that led him to a storage unit filled with stolen goods. And so on and so on.
So it seemed reasonable to think he could reach an agreement with the rogue Robin. If Tim could bring Jason in peacefully, he could probably persuade Fury to spare him. Tim would not let Jason get killed again.
With that thought, Tim finished suiting up and launched himself into the city.
Red Hood had been sighted within a number of neighborhoods in the same area - predictably enough, one of the more rundown and crime-ridden areas. He'd taken out a number of small-time drug dealers, and their bosses had been found with bullets in their skulls. A quick skim of the post mortem reports matched the bullets with the one found in the crystallized webbing. By mapping out the locations where Red Hood had been, Red Robin saw a pattern. The older vigilante was moving south through the neighborhoods, targeting the local street dealers. The next most likely location for him to appear would be either in the territory of a gang known to be slightly less vicious and slightly closer to his previous target, or near a middle school believed to have a drug problem.
Red Hood didn't like drugs, but he hated them being sold to kids.
Red Robin watched the school. Classes would end sometime in the next half hour, and that would be when the dealers would come out. Therefore, that would be when Red Hood would show himself. It was fairly unlikely that Red Hood would kill the dealer; he preferred to injure and interrogate the grunts.
Red Robin wondered if Red Hood had realised all the drug gangs answered to Wilson Fisk yet.
So, wait until Red Hood strikes, then track him down to somewhere private, and work out what to do next.
Red Robin lay on his belly, watching the school gates. Skimming the surroundings, he had yet to spot a possible target, but the bell hadn't rung.
The background murmur of the school got louder, and the bell rang. Red Robin straightened, looking harder. He spotted a shady looking figure on the corner, and glanced around the best lookout points to watch the person. He couldn't see any lurkers, but there could be someone on the other side of the corner, or just hiding too well.
The streets filled with children. The figure started moving among them, and paused. He stayed talking to one boy for a while, and reached into his coat.
A shot rang out. The man dropped. There were screams.
Red Robin stood in one fluid motion, following the line of the bullet from the direction the victim fell. He took a slightly circuitous route, and came towards the spot with his target. It was a condemned apartment block, and Red Robin could just make out a silhouette.
He crashed into the building, staying crouched, watching warily. There, standing before him, was Red Hood. The older vigilante had his guns trained on him, and his body was tensed, ready to fight. Red Robin stood, raising his empty hands in front of him. For fighters of their calibre, being unarmed was no great difficulty, but it was the implications that mattered.
"Red Hood," Red Robin started. "Brother. I know you don't like me. I know you want me gone. But we're both stranded in this world, not in our own city. I don't want to fight you. I want to get us home, for our father's sake if nothing else."
"Why should I listen to you?" Red Hood demanded. "Why should I trust that you want to help me?"
"If I try to take you on, it'll be long, messy, and I don't know for sure I'd win," Red Robin responded. "I have nothing to gain by trying to fight you."
"So you're tricking me into your captivity instead?" Red Hood interrupted.
"Brother," Red Robin said, emphasising the relation. "Do you honestly think I could look our dear eldest brother in the eye if I betrayed you like that? Whatever else, I will respect our kinship. Whether you want to deny it or not, it exists. All I want is to keep the family safe. Our father, our brothers, our sister, O, the other girls, you. That's my priority."
"You have a way back?" Red Hood asked curiously.
"Not yet." Red Robin took a step forward, and Red Hood levelled the guns at his head.
"Then why are you here? Why not let me be until you do?"
"We don't have time." Red Robin let some of the desperation he was chaining inside seep into his voice. "Your activities have been noted. I was asked to pass along your file to the two agents who are to neutralize you, which is suspected to need to be termination. I managed to get myself one chance to bring you in. One shot. Please. I just want you to be safe."
"And you think I believe you?"
"I think you can read when I'm telling the truth."
The two stared at each other. Red Robin closed his eyes and dipped his head, demonstrating that he was letting Red Hood decide. The gesture in itself helped prove his intentions. Red Hood lowered his guns slightly.
"You've hooked up with the Avengers," Red Hood stated. "Why?"
"Best chance to get home." Red Robin opened his eyes again. "I've recruited the best in the world in interdimensional travel. They're not the most fun to be around – well, I'd rather be home. I think I can give you a chance. At least a chance to get home."
"Are you answering to these SHIELD guys?" Red Hood asked.
"They offered me a position, I turned it down," Red Robin answered. "I took a consultancy in exchange for access to their resources. It's two of their best assassins I was to give your case to."
""They want to neutralize me. They gonna lock me up?"
"Possibly," Red Robin admitted. "I'll do what I can. I certainly won't let them just put a bullet in your head. If they do lock you up, they'll treat you well enough, and I'm sure they'll let you come home."
"I won't be put in a cage," Red Hood said through gritted teeth.
"I can't promise that," Red Robin said softly. "I will do everything I can. I can definitely get the assassins called off. Just please come with me."
Red Hood slowly lowered and holstered his guns. "I'm not sure I trust you," he said. "I definitely don't trust those SHIELD guys. But you got a deal."
Red Robin felt his breath whoosh out. "Thank you Jason," he whispered.
"Betray me and die."
"If I did, I could never face Bruce and Dick again."
AN: In case you're wondering, the chapter title is a nod to my ongoing story of the same name. This chapter fills in the gap between the last two sections of last chapter. Next week I'll show what happens next. Bringing in Jason seems to be the most popular thing I've done with this story.
Now, I honestly can't recall if I've posted this notice here before, but I'm thinking of upping the updates by actively writing a few of my planned stories and updating one of those every week in addition to the current stories. I have a list of planned stories on my profile, and I'd be delighted if you lovely readers would have a look and tell me which stories you like the sound of.
Also this week, there's a bit of action in Family Ties, and next week will see a rather serious discussion take place.
As always, please review!
Katara