Red Hood and Company; My Life as an Outlaw –

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Chapter 4: Home Sweet Relief – For Now…

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They'd find us in a heart beat if I hadn't tipped off the watchdogs that rodent kicks around. They swarm in, I sit back and watch while Dami walks to find the state of things hopefully to his liking.

~It's unlocked. ~

~Well? Did he open it and –

~Bruce….~

I listen in while Dami just sits off to meditate in the corner of the room.

……..

……………

3…..

2…..

1…….

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~ Empty. ~

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Bats thought I was headed to that safe house, but I knew he'd come looking. And besides, I don't want to owe that loser anything I don't need to. Dami and I relocated about a few days earlier, to what you might call, our new base of operations that an old buddy owed me in this city before we even got here.

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The bike revs up to an abandoned where house just as isolated as my feelings for the caped crusader. Dami is still clutching my jacket, so I nudge him to ease up, that we're finally where we need to be. Deathstroke won't get to this place. It's up for demolition and I just poured every old Red Hood bit of charm into acquiring it on the same night. Who said an anti – hero can't be super?

Dami wobbles a bit, never having had the luxury of riding on a bike made for gettaways. Not on the open bumpy ass roads of Gotham City. I smile and he frowns up at me, like I should just keep talking. "We're here. Don't worry."

"Where is here, Todd?" He barks back a little, still looking tired – out, like a child, dozing off from our midnight ride. "Home, for now." I simply tell him with a sideways grin. He'll get the idea, I have to be a responsible mentor to the kid after all. It's on my to – do list. Even if Talia tries to take back her promise, I outrank her always.

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This fun house has only crates of the things I need, some old crap from a past bit of painful searching, and ammo. Lots of it, if the kid and I are ever going to make buck in this city. "Our funds right now will be tight, so I'll need you to learn the ropes quickly."

"What you do as Red Hood?" The boy is picky, but he can't be any less a prince when the Shadows finally do get wise enough to cull Deathstroke from his makeshift throne. "I'm here, and if I can teach you how to mess with a bat, then you're in good hands."

"Why should I just… give up all of what my lessons are supposed to mea –

" Because." I cut him off; a reminder of what he's doing. Where we are, right at this very minute. "In one month, Deathstroke will keep his promise and you can't use the same stealth teachings to run and hide or fight him off."

"I can use my weapons –

"Swords won't cut it, not enough."

"Bullets cannot graze through his armor!" The kid again fights me on this. "I refuse to be a part of learning about those violent metal canisters without some proper explanation in how they can help us to beat Deathstroke."

"You're right, not with guns, lil' D."

I admit it. He knows my lies well enough to show me up. "Not that, but explosives. My name was made right here by how much chaos I struck into the heart of this city in a single week." I'm boasting, but he's learning too. It all adds up.

"I blew up anything and everyone that got too loud...the thing is, I'm not just an anarchist, kid. I was an arsonist. Big time. Bit of a terror, and I can teach you to keep him out of your hair. Anyone here off and on their backs."

"Wilson does hate unpredictability…" Dami mused as if he'd gone hand to hand with the man before. "Yeah, and that is why if I bring back up my façade, my face as the Hood and keep you out of their life, into mine, you might be ok. For a whole month, we have to get started." My boots tap over as the sounds bounce from wall to wall. Just the two of us. Student and teacher.

"The first thing I want from you…" I'm so, so close to him and he doesn't even flinch. He trusts me, I fucking did it! I have a protégé…

"Is no matter what you do, that leap of faith is what saves you just a little in this city. You can plan, strategize all you like, but these clowns; if you want to survive here, you have to get inside their heads a little. Be the thing you hate." I bend down to tell him the real kicker.

"That is only something I mad man would say." Dami tells me, and I melt on impact. However, I don't falter. He's my student. I have to teach him how this battleground functions. "Do you trust me, Damian?" I finally say. "Do you trust me to get you out once Slade is dealt with. To finish your training and add a little extra on top so you can succeed over your Grandfather, someday."

He snorts, and I know there is some fire in that pose. " Someday, shall be once Deathstroke is tried for treason." The boy grins at me rather impishly. "I WILL have his army, and then nothing will stop us from realizing my Grandfather's vision….with you, as my personal advisor."

I like that, yeah, a bit of a risk, but a new name. A new set of threads for the occasion?

If only, Dami. Oh, little brother. If only you knew…

That empire is going down long before you get your chance to subjugate anyone. You belong at my side, and I'll prove it to you. (Todd is crazy…..run, Dami! Run!!)

When Talia pays for keeping me away for longer than I needed to get to know, you. My new underling.

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"Is it done?"

Dami comes out of his stance and I smile back, hand to my scalp as the spar was definitely well needed while the bats came up empty handed, another search mission and they have nothing. "Yep, you and I are finally free of those jokers. Are you up for a snack, I know that last hit had you –

"I was taken off – balance." The boy pursed his lips, disappointedly. "It will not happen again."

"It's cool."

"It is not fine, not at all..." Dami is starting to twist this into a life or death situation. That's when my words and actions can really have an impact. "Slade has grandfather's army at his disposable and we only have…this run down house of ammunition and no funds to replace them, should we not…"

A ping on my burner goes off and I scramble to answer. "Yu – huh? Oh? Really?" I have that grin that the old me could only muster. Dami is still in anxiety – ville but the news will snap him back in no time. "We got a gig, and the good news is you can tag along if you're up for it."

"What kind of job allows a minor to –

"It's more like a party, and you'll have kids your age there. I promise."

This is the mob boss's ten year old's big bash. I shouldn't talk but to start low, you need your connections in this city, and I just got a bit fat invite as "Danny Esposito and his kid, Dani."

Oh, the irony in that one.

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"You are going into the house of a well known criminal and….negotiating territories??" Dami's jaw is on the floor as I fix his tie and kid friendly suit. He glares at me and shoves my hands away to keep explaining the "meaning behind" all of my motives. I keep telling him the same thing, and it's getting kinda old. We'll go over the whys later, right now…

We have a ride and an invite. I even got something for the kid with the funds we did have. As long as those cannot be traced back to DS's main base, I'm fine for not going loco on the clown Rossetti had hired to entertain his youngest bambina….

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Just before we pull up, just as ready to live as we are to duck and hide from a bunch of wise old gangsters, Dami and I go over the steps to get things started. "Then, I will not inform the girl of the hour of her…father's or our activities."

Yep."

"And should I be asked to….join in with the children's merry making, I must prostrate myself before the don's youngest and should not ask too many questions."

"You got it, kiddo."

While YOU, easily gain access to the spots and locations where the most of our funds might be realized…yet this is a criminal –

"We are just getting by." I tell him curtly. "Look; from here on out till the party ends, there is no wait and see. I have a feeling we have to be on our guard all night - so that is why you need to put on a…bit of an act. With your voice."

While I go over the drawl of a kid I once knew like Dami's going to be, he picks it up like a super – computer. Flawless, is the example Talia has tries to rub in the dark knight's face. Or would have…had I not stepped in at the moment needed to keep his cover up.

"Ya' just gonna answer the door, pops? I ain't got all night to sit here!"

By George, he's on his way to the Oscars with that pitch. Could scratch a bullet proof glass window of one of Lex's towers if I got him in close proximity. We are greeted by the don's wife. Dolled up in too much makeup and Dami has to hold back the insults as her knockers nearly give me a black eye. (My Italian family is way too in your face and yes. Lots of chest, I got the short end from my Ashkenazi side sadly though but the pear side is all dad's mama! Anyway, enough of the easy stereotypes and here we go!)

"Pops, where is the birthday girl?" Dami whispers when we are left to the main living area to co mingle. "Ey! Esposito and son….my god! He's a looker, this kid. Just like his old man!"

The man isn't too hefty, but he's definitely gotten his kicks for staying in the game. I'm gonna rattle his chains tonight….

"Your kid an' my kid can do some uhh, catchin' up. Why don't you have a drink with me an my fellas….We even got a pool out back?"

"You had me at that, Ernie."

"Yeah, that's better, ya smug gavone. Kid. My girl Dani is in the Tv room with her friends. You can see if she wants ya' to go and play her lil' games, while daddy an I talk business out back."

Out back, was not where the pool had to be, but in the cellar where it was kinda cozy. For a place to murder people and dispose of their bodies under the GCPD's nose.

"You sent yourself an invite, an' you know that's rude in my house ta' do…"

The man lights up a cigar as I take to my coat, pulling out a collapsible version of the red hood helmet. I had my fixes but he just grumbles back.

Poor Ernie.

"I was just getting used to being considered royalty." I tell him and, I can see his goons want in on the stuff I've got to offer. Nice and quiet. Time to drop the face and break the ice as my old skin is revisited after years of being at the bottom of the totem pole.

"Red's back, boys! The legend that went toe to toe with Joker an' the Bat….but, why not keep this private between us…. eh?'

Locked in, we start talking.

Shipments.

Traffic.

Bat sightings.

Owls, even. I get a kick out of that. Dick, a bad boy? As close to this reality as the writers could ever make im'

But I'm far more in that hot seat than Dickie will ever get through his fluffed up lil skull.

Erne and I shake on it, the smoke down here is making my eyes water even behind the metal piece covering them.

"So, I supply my ammo to your guys on Friday night; the docks get a new shipment and we take the biggest slice, fifty - thirty for now since we're layin' low."

"Your boy?'

"My, protégé." I grin and everyone should have heard my smile. Ernie even joins in, being he's a family man too. Dami is my little star I wished for, and he's meant to stay grounded for as long as it takes to keep our peace of mind. Long enough, until I can gut Deathstroke, the Bat , Talia, or anyone that tries to question that distinction.

Ernie had better not fall out of line. He has a nice life, and I'd hate to see him commit himself for a few bodies left on his doorstep. (Red Hood is brooding and just as dark when Dami is not around. It's like an alter at this point since he has to put on the mask, but what happens if his little trick can't protect everyone?)

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Dami is stuffing his first piece – well, actually, he was dared to do it and is now hocking his cake back up as I now apparently have to explain "food intolerances" to the young don's whining, Daniella. Ernie is having a ball as we leave with our party favors and Dami holds on tighter until we get him some antacid to curb the grumbling. "I….will never have a female companion who is…. ulp….that forceful….in my life…"

"You won't have to worry, lil D." I help him to bed as I roll out a sleeping bag and he snuggles into it. Note that, invest in something a bit more like a futon from an specialty shop. Imported. I checked the bank account of Todd and there is enough for a bit for food, and a mini fridge if we are lucky. By this week? We get paid, and I mean. In quadruple zeroes.

"I've got your back, always…." I tuck him in and continue to formulate tomorrow's plans ahead of schedule.

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Next will be Red Hood's return and a few characters find out about it too. Ones that want to….convert Jason?? Find out! Also, not so much a food intolerance. Dami is Vegetarian. He's not a fan of dairy mostly or things he's never been exposed to. That was why I said food intolerance because even removing foods like that and adding them back in can lead to pains. Very similar when I only took out milk but not yogurt or fine cheeses and still I have a poor digestion of the stuff due to their content not being like the other. So, science rocks! And antacids can help in milder cases to avoid. I use it for flares only if it is not bile because no gallbladder "bile" is more alkaline in nature and can mimic acid reflux symptoms or combine with acid to wreck the gut lining. Thus, avoid spicy foods, fat, high sugar, crunchy foods and most importantly? High fiber at times and the wrong herbs for the job and stress or autoimmune flares persist for an hour – not fun. Don't eat like cows, kids! Eat them greens but don't over do the processed crap. Trust me. And then, we have chapter 5 to come so stay tuned! Find out more.