Chapter 2
Helena woke up slowly but surely, and winced as all of her many bruises made themselves known to her. She felt as if she'd been hit by a speeding car and didn't even have the energy to move her body much at all. Honestly she really just wanted to go to sleep again.
But instead she lied awake thinking of who had managed to beat her down like she was nothing. Only three people had ever managed to do that to her before: Dinah when trying to prove a point, Bruce when he'd decided Helena had gone too far and needed to be taken down, and finally Lady Shiva, the latter managing to put her in the hospital after beating her within an inch of her life. This wasn't as bad as that but at the moment it felt like it was.
"Son of a…"
Her voice caught the attention of her savior, who made his presence known. Helena recognized the warm smile, young face, blue eyes, and black hair anywhere. It helped that of all the members of Batman's little family, he was one of the only ones who was ever willing to work with her.
"Hey Helena. Take it easy. You got hurt pretty bad"
"Richard...please tell me you didn't take me to Bruce…"
"It was either that, a hospital, or I tried to patch you up. Not a hard choice to make. But don't worry you're in your place now and I've been watching over you since. You were out for a couple hours"
Helena did her best to suppress her annoyance. Richard meant well and she really should have been grateful that he was considerate enough to not expose her identity by taking her to a hospital, but grateful was not a word that described Helena often. Not to mention that her current pain did little to help her mood.
"Helena who did this to you?"
"A man around your height and build. Wore a red helmet over his head, dressed like a biker punk. Fought like Lady Shiva. Used her style"
Richard's eyes widened as he heard this. "That's...that's not possible…"
"I know that fighting style. You would too if you saw it. It was Shiva's. Whoever this guy is, he's been to her. According to him he's been to others too. Says this is his 'homecoming' whatever the hell that means. I have no idea who he is and he wouldn't tell me"
Richard allowed himself to form a slight smile. "And I take it you tried to find out the hard way?"
"Yeah, and I got turned into a punching bag for my troubles"
Richard shook his head. "We really need to work on that temper of yours"
"Shut up. My temper's fine" Richard decided to say nothing about how obviously false that was as Helena continued. "He's dangerous Richard. I could see it in how he carried himself, how he spoke, the things he said...I know because I used to be just like that. He's out for blood Richard. And he's not going to stop until he gets it"
-X-
He was surprised to realize that he was still thinking about her even now.
She was a real hard-ass tough-as-nails bitch, he could tell. He could see it in her posture, her glare, her tone, and how he so effortlessly exploited her incredibly bad temper and fierce rage and used them against her. He knew without even knowing who she was or what her history was that she was damaged goods, just as much as he had ever been.
He smiled. That was it. She was a kindred spirit.
It helped that she was also very easy on the eyes. He guessed her to be of Italian background, and with blue eyes and long thick black hair. She dressed nicely too with that exposed belly of hers. Probably not the most practical wardrobe choice, but Red Hood figured that if you got shot or stabbed a thin line of cloth wouldn't make much of a difference either way. And he'd have been lying if he said he didn't enjoy the sight. She had a very nice body that complimented her costume quite well. She had muscle too and knew how to fight, enough to break most men in two. But he wasn't most men.
He had felt just a bit of guilt at bruising up that pretty face and also almost breaking her cute little nose, but she hadn't known when to call it quits. Yet another thing the two had in common.
His smile widened. Truth be told he was hoping he'd see her again, but also knew she would be out for his head after the way he'd pounded on her last time. Still, he could always taunt her the way he had that night. He enjoyed seeing her face go hot with embarrassment.
But as it was, Red Hood had other more pressing matters to attend to. He'd been back in Gotham a few days now and was making sure nothing in the city had changed in such a way that his plans wouldn't be able to work. To his pleasant surprise he'd found that they had not changed. At least not so much that things would have to go counter to how Red Hood had planned them. Crimson vengeance would still come to Gotham City, and he would still be it's shepherd.
No, not a shepherd. An Angel of Death.
-X-
"That's him" Huntress said, pointing to the frozen image of Red Hood as he continued to evade Batman and Nightwing during their pursuit of the vigilante across Gotham City's rooftops.
"I figured as much" Nightwing said. "He was good. Really good. I didn't get much of a handle on his fighting style from what little I saw of it but if this is the guy who went to town on you I'm not surprised. I mean look there…" Nightwing paused at another section of the recording. "He cut the line Bruce shot at him before it went taut. You don't just do that. It has to be practiced, learned"
"There's the knife too" Oracle noted. "Not many knives can cut Bruce's lines"
"I know that from experience" Huntress said before asking: "So who is this Red Hood anyway? What's he doing here in Gotham?"
"We're not sure yet" Oracle admitted. "All we know is that he clearly has a real axe to grind against Gotham's criminal underworld. He's already been blamed for the deaths of almost a dozen different members of Black Mask's gang and some of Penguin's as well"
"That will sure make him popular" Nightwing said sarcastically. Huntress though was silent. So Red Hood was a killer of criminals? Someone who employed a more lethal means of dealing with the scum that plagued the city? The similarity to herself was something Huntress recognized immediately. Like her this man, whoever he was, clearly knew the way her people had been operating long before Gotham even existed: that blood cries for blood.
The question then was: what wrongly spilled blood was being paid for?
-X-
Red Hood winced as he continued to apply treatment for his injuries. As had been expected, Batman had not allowed him to just walk away after becoming a mass murderer overnight. That all of the people he'd murdered were scum who had done just as much to others and worse was of no consequence. For the Dark Knight a killer was a killer, and as such Red Hood knew going in that he'd be faced with opposition. The old man had nearly caught him too. He had the bruises to prove it.
Red Hood snarled. More than even the criminals that plagued Gotham Red Hood had a deep-seated hatred for the Dark Knight and his antiquated sense of morality. What made it even worse was that Red Hood also knew he still couldn't beat him. He'd travelled the world as Batman once had, and learned from many different teachers, as Batman once had, but it wasn't the same. With just one look Red Hood knew immediately that for all of his going on a similar odyssey to him he still couldn't hope to match Batman in a fight. At least not yet.
But Batman wasn't getting any younger. Neither was Red Hood true, but he still had plenty of years left to be in his physical prime, whereas Batman's prime was nearing it's close if it hadn't already. In time Red Hood's skills would increase and the Dark Knight's age would catch up to him. And when those two things reached their inevitable conclusions, Red Hood could at last take his revenge.
But such events were not going to happen for a good long while at least. For now, Red Hood had no choice but to bide his time. No matter. As the small pack of idiots he'd left riddled with bullets before Batman had discovered him clearly showed, there was a neverending supply of thugs and crooks for him to visit his lethality on, both big and small. Much like how Batman had long ago made clear that no criminals were safe from his wrath, no matter how many dollars, suits, and badges they hid behind, so too would Red Hood make clear that no criminal was safe from him and his wrath. Be they murderer or mugger, rapist or junkie, he wasn't about to differentiate. To him they were all the same. And besides that, criminals tended to only get worse in their actions over time. Best to take them out now before they really started to hurt people.
Red Hood couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he re-dressed himself following his tending to his injuries. It was ironic really. He and Batman were after the exact same thing in many ways. The only difference was that Red Hood believed that a more...forceful approach was required. That the only way to guarantee the safety of the innocent from the monsters was to get rid of them for good. And if Batman and his disciples were unable to accept this, then so be it. Red Hood would wage this war on his own. He didn't need anyone else.
Though having said that he couldn't claim to mind the idea of fighting alongside a certain ill-tempered woman who he'd fought once already...
-X-
Following Red Hood's "first impressions" the entire Batman Family had been put on high alert and told to keep an eye out for him. It was also stressed that if anyone other than Batman himself found him they were to call for back-up, as Bruce had decided that Red Hood was too dangerous for any one of his proteges to tackle alone.
Though she was still black and blue all over and it hurt just to slip her costume on, Huntress nevertheless did exactly that and took off in search of Red Hood. Deep down she knew how stupid she was being. She was demolished by him in top condition and now she was in considerably less than top condition. Her only chance would be to call for back-up, which her pride wasn't about to let her do, especially since she knew she'd get an earful from Nightwing and Batman about how she shouldn't be out and about when she was still recovering.
But in spite of all of that Huntress continued to make her way through the city, not entirely sure what was sustaining her. Was it rage and a desire for payback? Curiosity and a desire to learn more about who this man was and why he did what he did? Helena quickly decided that the answer was both as she continued to navigate the city atop her violet motorcycle as best she could, her cape whipping in the wind along with the hair that spilled out from beneath her helmet. Normally she would be traversing the rooftops instead since they afforded her a greater view of the city, but again, given her current condition she figured she'd be better suited travelling more distance with less physical effort, hence the motorcycle.
With any luck I'll still be able to find him…
Swerving around and going down another road, Helena kept her eyes peeled for any sign of that distinctive red helmet of his when the sound of gunfire tore through the air. Deciding that dealing with that took priority but also secretly hoping that Red Hood had something to do with it, Huntress revved the engine of her motorcycle and took off in the direction of the gunfire. Sure enough, she saw up ahead Red Hood behind cover as quite a few armed goons were shooting at him, with several others already dead with bulletholes in their bodies.
Deciding to lend the beleaguered psycho a helping hand against her better judgment, Huntress took aim with her crossbow and let fly, hitting two of the four gunmen in the shoulder area before they realized she was there. By the time they thought to aim and fire at her Huntress was behind the cover next to Red Hood.
"Well hello again beautiful. Miss me?"
"Shut up. You owe me for this"
Smirking beneath his helmet Red Hood pulled a grenade and hurled it at the remaining thugs from behind cover. They saw it coming in time to bolt, but that gave Red Hood time to pop out from behind cover and gun them both down as they were fleeing.
Deciding to take her chances then, Huntress aimed her crossbow at Red Hood as he clambered over the now thoroughly shot up car he had been hiding behind. "Don't move. You're not going anywhere until I get answers"
Red Hood chuckled. "Come on toots we did this already. I kicked your ass before and now you can barely stand up. You don't seriously think you can beat me do you?"
"No, but Batman can"
"And you've got him on speed-dial?" Red Hood asked condescendingly. "Don't try to play me. I've been around and I know when someone's bluffing"
Huntress cocked her crossbow. "You really think I won't shoot you?"
Spinning around before Huntress could fire, Red Hood kicked the crossbow right out of Huntress' hands, the arrow she managed to fire off before being disarmed flying to the side and missing it's intended target completely. Next thing Huntress knew Red Hood had pressed her up against the shot up car, pinning her to it and restraining one of her hands while the other pulled her head back and forced her to look at him.
"You're one glutton for punishment aren't you? Lucky you I'm not sadistic enough to beat on you while you're still black and blue"
"Who are you?" Huntress demanded. "Why are you doing this?"
Red Hood shook his head. "So we're back to that are we? Man you're persistent as hell. But hey, I can't fault you for being determined. Doesn't mean I'm actually going to tell you though"
"You know I'll just keep coming back until I find out" Huntress challenged.
Red Hood pulled her close to him, so that only his helmet was keeping his breath from going right into her face. "Or until you die beautiful. And if that happens trust me when I say it's no skin off my nose"
"Batman won't stop until he knows either"
"Touche, but no offense, I expect him to do a way better job of figuring things out than you. You don't really strike me as the...detective type"
"That's because I'm not" Huntress admitted. "But I still know how to get what I want. And I'm not going to stop until I find out what I want to know about you"
"Why is it so damn important to you anyway?" Red Hood demanded, his previously smug tone taking on a hostile edge.
"Because I know the way you think" Huntress said simply. "I know that blood cries for blood. I know what blood your crying for, but now I want to know why"
Red Hood said nothing at first in response to this. Huntress for her part gave no ground as she gave him a withering death glare. Finally, he chuckled and said: "We really are kindred spirits" Releasing his grip on Huntress, Red Hood stood up and said simply: "With that in mind I'd let you take a peek, but I can't risk you telling the bat. He can't know who I am. Not yet"
"I'm not with him" Huntress admitted. "Not him or his little family. He's already made it clear he wants nothing to do with me. He only sees what he wants to see of me, and probably you too. I'd keep your secret"
"Forgive me if I don't take you at your word. I haven't lasted this long by trusting people and neither has the old man"
"And you think I have?"
"Then why are you asking to be trusted now?"
"Because like you said, we're kindred spirits. And besides, if I did sell you out we already know you could just kill me. And believe me when I say I don't want to die. I've come close enough to it a couple times already now"
"I've done more than come close. I've actually been there"
Huntress rolled her eyes. "Spare me the dramatic crap"
"Oh I'm quite serious. You want to know who I am do you? Well here it is"
Before Huntress could say anything further,, Red Hood removed his helmet, exposing his face. He covered his eyes with a red domino mask that reminded Huntress of Nightwing and Robin's masks. He looked to be around Nightwing's age too, only maybe a little younger. There was also a white streak in his black hair for some reason.
"My name is Jason Peter Todd. And I used to be Robin"