"That's cute, but let's save the pleasantries for later." Selina smiled, circling the officer on the ground and putting a heeled boot to his face.
"Why are all the vigilantes being locked up with the criminals?" She asked dangerously, applying pressure.
"Your bat-buddy isn't in office anymore. Gordon's probably floating around a river somewhere. With Kase as Mayor, things are changing." He grunted.
"Kase?" Dick said aloud, unfamiliar with the name.
"Terry Gene Kase. He was just sworn in two hours ago. He's a billionaire from some fuckin' country. Been supplying GCPD with all our new toys, and been giving paychecks all around. Batman ain't got no power with the cops anymore."
"Batman saved this whole city's ass on many occasions. Nice way to repay us." Dick snapped back, pulling a radio out of his pocket.
"Oracle. Tim is in Arkham Mansion. He's already been unmasked."
"That's better than nothing. Please get him." Barbara Gordon pleaded. Dick bent down, pulling an access card out of Branden's coat pocket and scanning it into his wrist gauntlet.
"I don't have my Cryptographic Sequencer. Can you use the clearance codes off of this card to give us access?" Dick asked.
"One second...done. I don't know how long that's gonna last, since network administrators can remove the charge at any time. I'd say you're good as long as no one figures out you're using it."
"Thanks Oracle. Heading to the mansion now."
"Well." Jason said. "Looks like we've got our way in. I get that you need to find birdboy and all, but don't forget the main mission. We need to figure out what's really going on here."
"And we can do that, after we find Tim." Dick responded firmly. "But right now let's hurry. Where's the supply vault?" He asked the still sprawled captain, nursing his broken hand.
"Same place Robin is. Should be a big ol' vault door."
"Is that where they keep all the vigilante's belongings?" Jason asked. Branden laughed.
"Good luck trying to get anything from in there, you fucking freaks-" The captain was interrupted by Selina, suddenly dropping a knee on the man's head, knocking him out instantly.
"That answers our question. Can we hurry up now?" She said. The two nodded and began jogging with her towards the opposite side of the island.
"Where'd you get a Disruptor, by the way?" Dick said.
"Parting gift from Bruce." She said simply, keeping pace. Dick wondered silently what the nature of their relationship really was.
"So why are you helping us, Hood? Last time I checked it was your militia trying to control Gotham." Selina said.
"Change of heart. I should have never put my trust in Crane, that crazy fuck. He wanted to control the city with his gas. I wanted to kill Bats."
"But not anymore?" Selina wondered.
"Well, it's kind of hard to kill somebody that's already dead. But we did make peace a short time before that." Jason snickered.
"He's not dead." Dick interjected. Jason rolled his eyes.
"He's dead, buddy. Get over it." Jason responded.
"You're telling me he blew up his mansion with Alfred inside and really killed himself? And Alfred was okay with this plan? You know them. They faked it to escape. It's a Batman move he pulled. He'll be back-"
"So where is he right now?" Selina interrupted, looking up at the night. "If it was all a setup, then why hasn't he come back when things are this bad?"
"Because he trusts us." Dick said. "He knows he had to pass the mantle on. He knows I'm here, and Tim's here, and-"
Jason laughed. "I think you put yourself a little too high on that list. He only passed the mantle to one person, and right now that person is gassing criminals in the streets."
"Azrael will get his one day. Bruce will return." Dick insisted.
"Change of subject! We've arrived." Selina pulled out her whip, cracking her knuckles. Jason walked up, scanning the key card to the door mechanism. A chime issued out and a green light flashed, the door unmagnetized. Jason grinned, opening it up and walking in alone.
"I'm home!" He shouted, taking in the familiar view of the interior mansion. To Jason's surprise and dismay the Quincy Sharp statue was still standing, but without a head. Six armed guards turned around, dressed in riot gear and carrying heavy assault rifles. Jason put his hands above his head, smiling as the men approached carefully with their guns drawn.
"I surrender." He chuckled, waiting for the right man to come into close enough proximity. As they approached in a close-knit circle, Jason grabbed the nearest gun, pulling one of the guards into a chokehold and seizing his rifle, putting an expert hand on the trigger and jamming the end underneath his riot helmet, the barrel directly poking the man in the neck. Jason smiled, taking steps back with the hostage as Selina and Dick walked into the house.
"Jason!" Dick called out, already formulating a plan in his head to escape. Selina watched with interest.
More guards stormed into the room and down the many steps, filing into position and taking aim.
"Any of you move, this little piggy gets it." Jason counted in his head how many there were, coming to a bakers dozen. He realized he couldn't fistfight his way out of this, and there weren't any vantage points in the building to escape to for a stealth approach. He shrugged, kicking the man forward and unloading into his back, picking off two more guards with clean headshots that punctured their helmets before diving under cover.