Enemy Action
Dick and Tim have no idea what’s coming up. They’re only focused on two things right now, catching the mysterious killer running free in Gotham and finding Bruce.
It seems Dick gets some clues about the first one, but for the second, none of them getting anywhere.
It’s not like Jason is hundred percent sold on the idea that Bruce is dead. Like he tried to kill the old man, multiple times, with green colored madness and no holding back, before they finally reached some truce. If there is anything Jason learned from the failed attempt murders is that Batman is hard to put down.
And he is not meant to be put down. There is no peace in that man’s mind and peace is nothing he’s seeking.
Hell. He won’t believe Batman is dead until he sees it with his own eyes. Maybe until then, Jason still finds himself hard to believe it even he is holding Bruce’s dead body.
It’s not like he is looking forward to it okay?
No. He never image it. Maybe that’s the exact reason he’s used to hit Bruce so hard because deep down Jason thought Bruce could never die. That’s delirious.
People like Bruce won’t allow himself to stay dead. He will cheat death and crawl back to life to finish his job. Bruce is not the kind of guy who lets others do his own job. He is a man on a mission and never let it go.
One day, they’re going to need to wrestle the mantle out of him to carry on Batman’s legacy. Tim is probably more than willing to do the job. If the boy lives long enough for that day to come.
There is a difference between believing Bruce is alive and let Batman be missing.
People definitely notice. The entire Gotham knows. It’s just a pure miracle the entire city has not yet degraded to chaos and shambles.
Guess the mysterious killer did a good job keep the bad guys in check with blood spilled down the streets, doing what’s supposed to be the Bat’s job.
Jason kind of likes this guy. Killing takes out the causes of chaos and crime in an efficient way. He is used to this means and method when he just came back. It worked for a while but couldn’t permanently remove the evil from this fallen city. The killer has yet to learn this fact, he assumes.
There’s a reason why Batman needs to patrol the city every night to keep the worst monsters at the bay.
Dick needs to take the mantle. Or he will. Someone must do it before it’s too late.
But Jason is afraid they have already run off time. He has not yet heard anything, but the assassins are not supposed to warn you before they strike.
There’s only quietness when a storm comes.
Jason can feel it, but he is not going to announce it. Not like the two is going to believe him. Well if they actually believe, that’s worse. Dick will get so worried about Jason gets back to the League of Assassins and distracted from the real issue. He needs to prepare for… whatever is coming up.
Meanwhile Jason also has a traffic ring needed to bust as soon as possible. The mysterious killer cut down his source of info not only once, but twice this week. Hard to believe is coincidence. There is no coincidence in their line of work. This is an enemy action. Jason doesn’t enjoy getting beaten in his own game. He needs to make a move and make it fast.
In the past few days, Jason caught the wind that a new delivery was about to arrive in Gotham. Took him some effort to pin down the time and location. This time, nobody jumped out from nowhere to cut down his lead or mess up his plan. Almost like fate finally favors Jason for once. But Jason knows better. The mysterious party has been quiet these days. Either they leave the town or plan something big. None is good. He will think about it after he finishes punching some bad guys tonight, letting some steam out.
But things aren’t right.
It’s not like Jason expects those crooks could throw some real punches, but the job gets suspiciously easy. The gangsters make too many rookie errors. They are in some mess before Jason comes in. They forget where their big guns hide. The communication is interrupted. The electricity is down during the middle of the fights and that’s not Jason’s doing. Someone calls the cop earlier than Jason is expected and the cop is on their way when Jason is punching out the number and locations of the victims from some henchmen.
There is not enough time to scoop the entire place up before the cop arrives. Jason barely has time to make sure most victims are physical okay despite been roughed up a bit.
Most of them. The number does not line up. There is one missing. Probably the most valuable “good” tonight. A pregnant Omega male. Truly rare sight, but also very difficult to go missing in any circumstance.
But here he is, still out looking and running out of time. Jason curses under his breath. He only hopes the crooks didn’t transfer him to other location in such short time. They shouldn’t have time to do it.
The siren is getting dangerously closer. Jason must leave soon if he doesn’t want be caught. Busting traffic ring or not, Red Hood has made himself on the GCPD’s wanted list. He is not going to change it tonight. He need to go.
Jason had secured an escape route before he comes in. How coincident, someone shares same thought with him, patiently hiding in the dark corner waiting the final chaos breaking out when the cop enters the front door causing even more chaos than Red Hood does so he could use it as cover to run away.
Jason almost collides into him, barely missing the other when the other steps around at the very last second. Without thinking Jason twists and throws his entire weight to push the other on wall next them. His arm crashes into the other’s chest to pin him down.
Jason bares his teeth at the other in instinct. Anger and burning Alpha scents is rolling off of him and declaring dominance, but he is hit head on with a sick sweet and familiar scents and it’s so strong making his head spin and the growling comes out of his mouth becomes a half confused whine.
“What the fuck...?”
Eyes widen, Jason stares the one he pins against the wall.
The light has broken over their head and the only light to lit up the passage in from the door far away left half-open. Everything is dim but he knows who he is looking at.
But he doesn’t understand. It couldn’t be.
Unconsciously sniffing, Jason inhales another lung full sweet Omega-ish scents. Yes, with close inspection, that’s not Omega if you know where to look, but close enough to fool the most, even Alphas and Omegas with sensitive noses. It’s still hilarious. So he lowers his eyes. Being this close should be hard to see but pressing hard into the other makes him technically “feel” the bump. It’s there. No shit.
“You’re fucking kidding me...”
Looking into the familiar and silent blue eyes, Jason is definitely about to lose his nuts, if not saved by the tumult coming their way.
Shit! The cop must be in.
“Come! We’re not done!” Grabbing the other, Jason darts to the exit and lead the way to his bike hidden in the dark corner. He almost pulls the other to the back seat with too much force than necessary. The other doesn’t bother so Jason won’t care. The bike roars in life and shoots into the dark alley, speeding away, leaving the mess all behind.
At this moment, Jason doesn’t really think too much about where he’s supposed to go, other than the answer would obviously be the Manor. Like hell he is going back to the cave and dump the old man in front of Dick and Tim just to mock them in the face. He probably needs to inform Alfred, in a proper way the English butler truly deserves. Jason doesn’t know how Alfred deals with all those ridicules everyday. It gives him headache just thinking about it.
Why everything is so messy and complicated? Even death couldn’t make anything in this family simpler.
Jason isn’t even sure he is mad or relieved or frustrated or something.
He needs to let the steam out before he gets to decide his next move, which, frankly, may not be as plenty as he might like.
Twisting the handle, it’s satisfied to see the speed racing climbing higher. Wind howling around him, Jason finally feels like hold on to some control.
It’s toxic. Feeling he could let everything go in blinking of eye and having absolutely control over it. That’s madness talking.
But there is a constant presence hugging him, radiating warmth, keeping pulling Jason back to harsh reality, holding him down to the earth like an silent anchor.
“You can’t let anything go, huh?” Jason murmurs, knowing the other won’t hear him in the back seat. He almost signs, changing his direction to the suburbs of Gotham, trying to enjoy the quiet before the storm.
Unfortunately, Jason doesn’t make very far.
Superman floating in the middle of empty road, waiting, is something very hard to ignore.