Chapter Four

Drake got back to his apartment to find his computer in a state of alarm. He rushed over to the desk and discovered the reason; someone had run a search on Allen Smitheson's name. And not only one person, but two! He tsked and went to work. His first order of action was to shut down the school system's mainframe completely due to 'technical difficulties' perhaps he could still salvage what he could from the situation and reinforce the proof of his identity. Maybe he should forge a doctor's receipt for a cold or something. He hated dentists. An hour later and he still hadn't gotten around whoever was searching on him. He was worried his cover would be completely blown worse than he could fix. He was downright terrified when he began to be hacked by a hacker of much greater skill than him. He pulled the plug. He collapsed back in his seat and rubbed his forehead. What to do now? He couldn't go back to Gotham Heights where Tim would be. It was most likely Bruce Wayne who ran one of the two searches on him. He would tell his son that Allen Smitheson wasn't a real person. Imaginary friends were only for little children. He beat the back of his head on the chair's headrest. What to do? What to do? Ran like a mantra in his head. He glanced out of his window to see the sky beginning to brighten. Maybe he should sleep it off? He shook his head. He couldn't sleep when he was as agitated as he was. He needed a distraction.

After watching Batman and Robin flying through the streets of Gotham City, it was a little disappointing for him to have to walk. He decided that if he had no jobs waiting for him after this one, he would teach himself to fly. Just for the fun of it. He again turned his coat collars up and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, shivering slightly. He wandered the streets for a while with no particular destination in mind and before he knew it, he was deep in Crime Alley. The name was self explanatory and as he continued on, Drake found the crimes being committed to be horrible and more gruesome. Even he felt sick in his stomach. But he continued on.

It was nearly morning when he felt a pair of sharp eyes on the back of his neck and turned. "You can come out and approach me if you need something from me, Sir." he stated, staring hard at a shadow on a wall.

"Not bad, not bad at all." a half-interested voice droned. "Three meters and you know I'm here. You're good."

Drake crossed his arms. "Do you need something from me?" he asked abruptly. "Because if you don't, I would like to go on my way... unaccompanied."

The man walked out of the shadows and Drake saw that he wore a domino mask and had white streaks in his hair. "I want to know what you're doing here." The man demanded.

"I didn't know there was a masquerade going on in Gotham, I guess I missed the note." he taunted, tilting his head to the side. "And to answer your question. I'm lost." he stated unabashedly. It wasn't exactly true but it wasn't a lie at the same time.

The man stared, evaluating him and for the second time, Drake felt a vague sense of deja vu. Then the man burst out laughing. "You're obviously not a normal person. Who are you?" he asked. "Maybe you're the one who's going around asking strange questions about Batman?"

"And the Joker, Poison Ivy, Two-face, and many others, yes."

"So you're the one who hacked into the police case files?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Hold on a tick! I admitted to asking around about various costumed persons. I mean, I'm from out of town and don't get to see stuff often. I'm curious, so sue me! But I didn't do nothing to the police... whatever!"

The man narrowed his eyes at him warily, as though studying his micro-expressions. "Liar." he hissed.

Drake shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "So what if I am?" he asked. "It's none of your business."

"It is my business when someone who had stupidly gotten himself on Batman's radar comes wandering into my grounds! He'll come chasing you and that'll be bad for me. So prove you're useful to me or get out." he towered over Drake. "Or I will throw you out in less than one piece." he threatened.

"You seem to know alot about Batman. Mind sharing some information to this stupid person who got himself on his radar?" he smiled.

"I don't like it when people repeat what I say."

"But I do that alot. See, words shape a person, says alot about them. But someone with no name, no real identity, has no need for them. I don't have the imagination to stretch out a conversation in which I don't repeat someone else's words." The masked man raised an eyebrow at him. "That particular speech was made by my mentor, who in turn heard it from his mentor. I have no idea if that man has a mentor or not. It's not my place to know." Drake shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"What's your name?" the man asked.

"Allen Smitheson."

"Liar. Your cover was blown. I want your real name."

"You wouldn't find my real name in a search engine. My name wasn't entered into the system. And Allen Smitheson is an alias, it doesn't have to be proved legit to serve it's purposes." he frowned. "Although it is troubling that it was blown. I was hoping to get in and out without any chances of future recognition." he explained.

The man thought about what Drake said for a moment, then finally extended his hand. "Alright, Allen Smitheson. I'm Red Hood." he turned to leave, motioning for Drake to follow him. "I don't suppose you'd want to talk over a few drinks?"

Drake followed him a little hesitantly. "You know I'm underaged." Jason gestured pointedly at their surroundings, Drake didn't want to drink but couldn't think of a reasonable excuse for himself. "Alright, as long as they don't ask for ID as you're already aware of my problems with that." Jason snorted and led him to a nearby bar.

"If you're with me, they won't ask any questions." he assured him and nudged him to a stool near the end of the bar, Jason sat beside him. "Beer." he motioned to the sorry excuse for a bartender. A second later, two bottles appeared in front of them and Drake suddenly remembered his throbbing headache. He waited for Jason to begin drinking before taking a powerful swig from his own bottle. Jason just watched him amusedly. "Careful there, tiger." he warned. But unbeknownst to him, Drake was used to the Custodian chugging down bottle after bottle of straight vodka and luring him into being his drinking partner. Beer was a beverage he could handle with no problem. It was like drinking water. If he was honest, he would need stronger stuff to get him slightly tipsy.

"My mentor claimed to be a Russian ex-military, what can I say?" he said at Jason's look.

"Sorry, kid. When you said you 'came from out of town' I instinctively thought you came from Metropolis or something."

"Never been there. Sorry."

Jason quietly nursed his bottle before finally speaking. "So, you want to talk information?"

Drake looked up at that. "If you're willing."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

Jason looked away. "I guess it doesn't." he sighed. "Alright, kid. What don't you know about who?"

"Batman."

"Costumed vigilante, skilled in fighting, investigating, and deduction. Has a policy of never killing people." This was information that Drake already knew. Hell, it was information that everybody knew. Red Hood knew how to give information without being informative.

"Ra's al Ghul."

Jason started but didn't react much more than that. "Arabic. Occupation; terrorist and assassin. His ultimate goal is to create a world with perfect environmental balance... that would mean destroying the majority of humanity. He's a nut."

"Penguin."

"He may be one of the only sane villains in Gotham. Commits crimes for the thrill of it and because he knows Batman can't testify in court against him in costume."

"The Joker."

At that, Jason glared at him much like the Custodian did sometimes when Drake made a comment that sounded like he knew something he wasn't supposed to know. In situations like this, Drake knew to let the man navigate the conversation. So he waited patiently and returned to gulping down his beer. Jason studied him for a few moments longer before finally also drinking his beer in silence, seemingly unaffected. He finally opened his mouth to speak. "Lets not talk about that."

Drake didn't miss the referral of the Joker as 'that' not 'him'. Jason wasn't entirely talking about not speaking of the man. Just of a certain incident concerning him. "Alright." he replied quietly. He tucked the information away safely in a cozy nook of his memory saved mostly for secrets he had the power to know but wouldn't pursue. The secret passageway in the Wayne Manor was also stowed there. "Alright." he repeated quieter to himself.

"I'm not in the mood for conversation anymore. Go down the street until you reach a two-lane road, follow it until you reach a safer part of town. From there you could find police to ask for directions." Jason ordered him, not looking up from his drink.

Drake nodded, thanked him for the drink, and left. "I'll be back if I want to get killed." Jason had to smirk at that. Allen Smitheson was someone who had the potential to be noteworthy. He called for the bill.