Two Birds and One Stone [Red Hood]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Like every night on the call it seemed of late. The thugs knowing his name by now. Word spreading like wild fire through a forest. Nightwing was out there and this was becoming his city more and more.

He knew the ins and outs over every alley. Knew people on the streets that would give him a word if he needed it. Knew the scum and thugs he could get information out of. And he had put away quite a good many since then.

Dick was learning fast how the city ran. The corrupt police not making this city any better. He'd fix that. He had ideas of how to, but still wasn't sure how to commit to it.

Nightwing wasn't his fully time job and he needed to make sure people would lead to thoughts like that. Him and Kory spent plenty of time out within the city and New York since the move. But he wanted Nightwing to be the full time job. He just was trying to find the right way to go about doing it as Dick Grayson.

Like most night patrolling and patrolling leading to more information like always. He had his work cut out for him. He was picking up and cutting down the criminal activities in parts of town one by one. Setting a warning out there that he was watching.

But it seemed there was something that got under the radar until the police spotted this one man a few days ago. And Nightwing got more information on his own. The police did not know of it though with the man's civilian identity. But the man was an assassin. And Nightwing didn't play light on that information.

He knew what assassins were like. And this man was at the top of his game a long while back. But there was rumor of something being held over him that he wanted out of the way. And course it could only be in Bludhaven.

Nightwing stayed in an alley was for a bit. His bike park a bit deeper within the way. But he kept his ear piece on, listening in on the police calls. Waiting to find the man's location. The police wanted him for questioning, but as always were taking there time with the work. Something else going on there as well.

But Nightwing wasn't going to let that stop him. He got to the fire escape and started doing some acrobatic moves to get up to the roof quickly. Within a few swings and flips, it didn't take long.

[jasont]

Blüdhaven was a dump. Government and authorities seemed even less interested in cleaning it up than Gotham, and that was definitely not something Jason had ever thought he’d see in his life. But technically he was on his second one, so maybe it all worked out in the end.

He had come to the city to once again save the life of one of its crime bosses, Mark Marano. Not that Jason wanted his safety, or even for the criminal to continue breathing at all, but the guy had been targeted four times in the last month. All of those attempts had been carried out by increasingly dangerous assassins and the data-trail always vanished in an extremely complicated web of intermediaries before Jason could track it back to their contractor. One of Red Hood’s contacts had also been hit due to looking too deeply into the matter, which made him start suspecting it to be an underground group – though not the League or Talia would’ve probably tried to throw him off by now, plus they’d have better people – maybe The Society trying to eliminate competition and get one of their own to rule Blüdhaven as Black Mask rejected their help with Gotham after the Captain Nazi fiasco. Time would tell, as they would have to either give up or expose themselves more directly if Jason kept taking out their killers. Which he would.

As of now, Red Hood found himself in the secret underground level of the abandoned building that had been serving as his main base in the city, monitoring Marano’s and the Police’s communications using the new toy Waynetech had produced especially for him. He had paid some visits to the criminal’s various hideouts and planted bugs – and obviously bombs – in all of them, so if all else failed he’d at least know when the assassin attacked, and hopefully Marano’s men would hold him off long enough. – [But probably not, so I better find the new bastard before he finds them.] – This particular guy went by the name John Blaine, which was obviously fake as it was police information and they were a bunch of incompetent losers, and had been sighted enough times that he was forced to throw the cops a bone. His record painted an image of a mildly dangerous gangster with connections to some unknown party. That made Jason smirk. – [I’d hate to be the guy to find out the hard way in how many moves Blaine can kill a person.] – In the underground he was known as Deathshot, a big name back in his day, but now Jason considered him a cheap version of Gotham’s finest hired gun and so a name the Red Hood refused to call him by, though Marano could very well be seeing the real deal soon enough if this mysterious organization kept stepping up its game.

While waiting Jason used the free time to work on his gear, sitting on a motorcycle with his feet on top of the table with all the computers and Waynetech’s device, having already cleaned the Desert Eagles and now working on his helmet, which being the Red Hood’s symbol had to live up to what he wanted to represent. The “hood” itself worked with a cushion system designed to create a perfect fit and distribute impacts; could take sniper rounds at close range; had night-vision; light, gas and sound filters; could record or transmit sounds; worked with mechanic locks and was rigged with explosives only capable of activation when not being worn. The current intention was upgrading it with thermal-vision and adding a voice modulator to mimic others, and maybe one of Bruce’s countermeasures against people trying to remove it. While doing so, however, the monitoring device called his attention to someone else listening in on the cops, and Jason felt his anger rising up. If someone else was after Blaine the cops could get pulled in through their amateur work, or worse, it could be someone who actually knows what he’s doing – like Nightwing or Bruce – who would then get to Marano, and the bigger fish would be lost. - [Calm down. First find out the exact situation, and then I’ll act on it.] – He tapped into this new guy’s comm link, tracking his signal down. It was coming from Blüdhaven, travelling pretty fast through rooftops. There was a high probability it was Dick. – [The prodigal son, cleaning up after his new city, saving Blüdhaven when Gotham’s Dark Knight is otherwise preoccupied with his own. I hate him.] – Well, whatever the case, it was clearly time to start moving. Jason put on the helmet and wrist line-guns, his version of The Belt, crossing the pistols on its back, before getting the detonators, the Kris and then starting his Ducati Eleven-Ninety-Nine Panigale. As a departure gift he transmitted an extremely high pitch to whoever it was, hoping it was Dick and he was wearing an ear-piece. And then he was off, the haven’s exit closing behind him as the Ducati’s lights chased away the night.

---------------

Jason hid the bike in a random alley, quickly getting to the rooftops. In the distance he could see the black-and-blue figure, moving with extreme speed and ease. – [Show-off…] – The police was following an anonymous tip – Jason’s anonymous tip – to one of Marano’s backup hideouts, and Dick was following them. Kneeling down on his chosen spot, Red Hood pulled out the detonators, arming all but the one where Marano was currently staying and a few others, just in case. Then he blew everything up. It reminded him of a scene in the past as the city was bathed in light and falling concrete. – “Go along now, hero, save everyone and help the surviving thugs.” – Smiling a little too happily, he then proceeded to turn his back on the scene and jump away.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

After he had made it to the rooftops and took a moment or so to gather more information by computer networking. He was linked with his own system with the Batcave's main computer. A system used often in the batmobile. As well as the withing a smaller screen on their masks.

Thanks to Barbara and Tim the systems were being upgraded rather fast. And in a very useful way to keep the equipment small and strong. With the help of Bruce of course on the part of what it would fit in with best and the way it was designed.

But as he got the chance to listen in, there was a sudden high pitched signal being picked up on the frequency. Dick grimaced at the sudden attack of sound on his ear as he removed the ear piece for a moment before checking his own settings of it.

It was then that it didn't take him long to find out someone else had been on the line as well. And it had to be someone with similar equipment. And there weren't mean with this type of gear. Beside close allies like Kory.

Dick glare at the ear piece for a moment before he readjusted it and placed it back in position. Fixing the settings on it by computer to protect and patch work in the system. Hopefully a stronger signal from his own would help to block out any further interferences.

And after a bit of time had passed, it was then that the scenery around him started to glow with fiery embers of building material as several surrounding areas quite a distance apart went up in flames. Dick stopped for a moment. Someone was attacking his city. Either that or someone in the city. That didn't set well with Nightwing at all.

He had a feeling he knew who might behind this. But his focus turned to the many emergency calls between police squad cars and officers in action. Taking on and rushing to the several locations. Nightwing wouldn't be able to hit all of them before the police. He'd have to go after one and get there quickly.

The fury and rage smoldering within Nightwing's mind. This attack may not be personal. But who ever did this just took on a new level of a challenge. Dick picked up speed as he took off running toward the building and rushed towards the flames. To get there and get people out.

It didn't matter who they were. People were not going to die on his watch. As he ran and got closer to the scene, he sent a signal out to whomever had been tapping into his system. His own computer system being able to reverse the signal to a near by monitoring one.

"If you're trying to get someone's attention...you've got mine. But you've got it in a bad way." Dick said over the comm link. Only the other sender would be able to hear him. And maybe if anyone was picking it up on the batcomputer.

He knew someone would answer. And he'd hunt them down after he took on the challenge of getting as many people out of the building as he could.

[jasont]

Things had been set in motion. If Blaine was being cautious based on the intel that someone had taken out all his predecessors, he’d definitely throw that away now. Jason was completely sure of that, the man was an assassin, and any major turn of events that could interfere with an assassin’s job was either dealt with or taken as reason to immediately reach their target, be it a trap or not. That meant that while Dick was jumping around to save that scum, Marano would be hit, probably with a not-so-great attempt as Blaine’s preparation would’ve been sent out the window. It was the best possible situation. – [Well, I am the best, no denying that.] – While feeling pleased with himself, Jason jumped down to where he had parked his Ducati, getting on it and preparing to speed away. He had set the police’s and Marano’s frequencies to a secondary channel meant to filter intel, as they would probably have too much useless things being said after the explosions, so if any actually important keywords were picked up Red Hood would know. Dick’s frequency was still on, however, and Jason heard him loud and clear when Nightwing made his little speech.

Red Hood knew he shouldn’t answer. It was obvious. But even as he sped away, it was just too much fun to pass up. – “And what exactly are you gonna do, Dick? Lock me up in Blackgate? They tried that once in, back in Buthan, didn’t end well for the other inmates.” – Jason dodged a car, easily weaving through traffic and increasing his speed with each passing second. – “Or maybe Arkham? I would actually prefer to take care of those bastards, and any of the other guys’ attempts to escape would become mine, we both know that. There’s nothing you can threaten me with, ‘brother’, even if you were capable of following through.” – Suddenly, as the vigilante neared his destination, his reflexes kicked in, making him turn the bike to the side as a ballistic knife penetrated the metal where his leg would’ve been. – [What the hell?!] – Jason ditched the ride, launching a line at a nearby building and letting it pull him to its top. On the other side of the street he could see a shadow, but before moving to intercept it, Jason felt someone behind him, spinning around and catching the new man’s wrist and stopping him from firing his gun with a well-placed punch to the face. Number two, as Red Hood immediately labeled the new attacker, started getting up, but Jason was already using him as a stepping stone, throwing him down once again and somersaulting to his back. As the vigilante turned, the one who seemed like Blaine was already there, as well as a third assassin. – “…”

Blaine smiled at him for a moment before jumping down to the street, and the three men left launched themselves at each other, Jason’s Kris-draw cutting the armed one’s barrel off before the man knew what was happening. As they fought and scored hits, Jason started taking mental notes, realizing they were keeping him from reaching for any of his guns, which made him rely solely on the Kris. – [Too bad this knife is worth a lot more than bullets.] – Just to prove that point, he parried a punch from Number Three with one hand, slashing deeply at his wrist with the other, letting him fall down bleeding out before engaging Number Two. One-on-one, things were considerably easier, and after a few exchanges Red Hood kicked the men’s legs from under him, preparing to stab him, before he simply dissolved in a shadowy-mist. – “…What the hell!” – Walking over to Number Three, Jason knelt over him, ready to torture out information. Before the vigilante had a chance to say anything, the assassin reached into his pocket, pressing something that beeped. Red Hood immediately jumped back, spinning in the air and pushing the ground with both hands to go further back. He was ready to get off the roof, before realizing Number Three was laughing. Jason made his way once again to the downed opponent, realizing all he had was a smartphone. – “…You better hurry.” – Taking the phone, Jason could see it was receiving a live feed of several people tied up inside a room, a window nearby showing a red neon sign, and a timed bomb counting down. He looked at the man, taking one of the Desert Eagles and pressing it against his head. – “You’ve got me mistaken for someone who cares.” – The trigger was pulled.

[They were ready. And they did all of this really quietly. Who are these people?] - Looking around Jason quickly noticed the neon sign from the feed on the distance, immediately heading off to that direction and quickly making a decision. – “Nightwing, forget the criminals, the police’ve got them, the assassin’s got accomplices. One guy can turn into shadows, fights like he’s from Ra’s’ League, but isn’t. The other’s dead. They’re going after Mark Marano, it’s the fifth hit on him, someone’s running this show from the dark. Whoever it is got the other two completely anonymously into the city while choosing someone with a rap sheet just to make me focus on the thought that there’d be only one.” – He then proceeded to give Dick the address, ignoring if he wanted to help or not, Jason knew he still would. – “I’m headed for a residential building, it’s rigged up, I’ll defuse the bombs and meet you later.”

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

As Nightwing is within the building. Rescuing several people that had either blacked out because too much smoke inhalation or on the brink of holding on to everything. He had done what he could in the few moments he had been there.

It was during this time he got a voice on the other end. He knew that voice. He knew exactly who that was on the other end. Jason. Of course he would try something like this.

"There's other places that can handle someone like you. And you've forgotten...you're in my town," Dick replied.

Then after that, he heard not further word from Jason at that point. Dick would hunt him down then. He wasn't going to allow him to get away with trying to strike terror in his town on the people on the streets.

Sure Jason's work was different. But this was Bludhaven. And the Haven belong to Nightwing. Not the Red Hood.

Nightwing went on for some time before he actually heard Jason's voice again. But this time he wasn't trying to taunt him. What was Jason getting at? Was Jason actually looking for his help? That was different.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're crazy," Dick replied to him at the end of all this. The sarcasm there.

Dick noted the address. And he'd be there. But he wouldn't let his guard down around Jason. For all he knew this could be away to turn this into a trap against him. Jason was never one to trust. And Dick wasn't exactly a fan of the idea of helping him out.

Besides he still owed him for that lovely little set back the last time he had been helping Bruce chase him down. Jason really did like those explosives of his.

And in his town, that didn't set well with Nightwing.

Dick left the scene of the smoldering building. Getting his motorcycle to locate and met at a point. And he raced off to meet with Jason. He was ready for him.

And not longer after, Nightwing was at the location.

[jasont]

Jason would’ve laughed at the comment if he wasn’t otherwise preoccupied with his opponents. If any of that was true, people like that goddamned Joker wouldn’t repeatedly wind up inside Arkham’s cells. And if Dick meant somewhere in Blüdhaven, it’d be even more laughable. Someone could probably get out of jail in that city just by offering the cops a round of donuts. But that was exactly the problem, wasn’t it? Dick and Bruce would always take their chances relying on systems as corrupt and useless as those ones, instead of taking some more final measures. So people should thank God for the Red Hood.

After that little fight and being already en route to the building with the civilians in danger, the vigilante started thinking about what that new guy meant for the situation, completely ignoring Dick’s comment. In the end, if Marano did get killed, Number Two’d probably just teleport Blaine and himself out of town - maybe even out of the country - and that’d be it. So if all went to hell, Jason had to make sure the teleporter was either too dead to take Blaine away, or taking a tracking device with him. Keeping that in mind, Red Hood quickly covered the distance to the building, launching a line at the neon sign and swinging around it to get a good look at the windows as he prepared to enter the right one. Going by memory, and probably a little luck, he crashed straight into the room where all those people were tied up, rolling over his shoulder and looking around. – “It’s alright, I’m here to help.” – Maybe not the most comforting entrance, with all the making glass rain on them and all, but whatever. Jason knelt near the bomb, looking it over and realizing it was total amateur work, going about defusing it while ignoring the bound-and-gagged people around as they tried unsuccessfully moving and made muffled noises. – “Nightwing, I’m almost done here. They can show up at any time, and maybe already materialize inside the building, so keep an eye out. If they kill Marano, they’re gone the next second.” – He knew Dick would handle it if they did, and finished his work calmly and efficiently. Maybe Jason should consider training a partner, it definitely got a load off his shoulders to have some back-up.

Once all was done, Red Hood got up, taking a few of the C4 charges with him, and thought about what to do for a moment while analyzing the still sort of panicked ex-hostages around. – “Well… No offense, but in this dump, being tied-up indoors is probably the safest situation ever. So… See you around.” – He jumped out the window then, as they “yelled” at him, getting to the next building and making his way through the roofs. – [Gotta find an older model.] – Jason looked over the streets as he went, eventually spotting a black Honda Accord and making his way towards it. He broke into the car, quickly hot-wiring it before speeding off, cursing the fact he couldn’t go around the other cars as fast as when he had his bike. Those bastards owed him a Ducati. As he neared his objective, Red Hood left the Honda in a random street, getting to the roofs once more and covering the rest of the distance with as much speed as possible. As Jason finally neared his objective, he spotted Dick and jumped down, landing still standing at the back of the other vigilante’s motorcycle. – “Guess the party hasn’t started yet.” - Jason considered hitting Dick, just to have something to pass the time, but there'd be plenty of chances later.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"Jason, just worry about what you're doing. I can handle this," Dick said over the link one last time between their conversation.

After that, he ignored all other contact until he had made it to the location. There had been no action since he got there.

He waited for Jason, but kept tabs on the building surrounding them. And he was going to get Jason back for rigging his city's buildings. And just as he had gotten there and shut the motorcycle off for a moment.

Dick knew he wasn't alone. He waited one more moment. And within second the company showed themselves. And of course it was the Red Hood...Jason. Removing his helmet and placing it on the front of the bike, he was half tempted to pull out of the alley as Jason stood on his bike.

"Do that again and you'll be flat on your helmeted head the next time you land like this," Dick replied, glaring at the once member of the Bat-Family.

For some reason even being around Jason or hearing from him, ticked Dick off to no end. He could not stand the arrogance and ego of the ex-Robin. Even as Robin, he still couldn't stand the kid. And back then, Jason had been the one to pick the fights between them, And many times, Dick had proven Jason was out matched again him.

[jasont]

A small smile made its way to Jason’s face as he watched Dick getting annoyed at his actions. Life was about enjoying the simple pleasures, and anything that aggravated the older one was a joy in the vigilante’s day. – “Sure.” – He paid no attention to the comment in itself, Nightwing was too much of a boy scout – or putting it plainly, a wuss - to actually follow through with any of those threats, it’d be always “next time” and “if you do it again”, and Jason wasn’t worried about any of it. Focusing more on the matter at hand, Red Hood went back to scanning the surrounding roofs, his hands lightly touching the two Desert Eagles, waiting for Blaine and his cursed associate to show up so he could quickly kill them and go back to tracking down their employer. The thought of leaving one of them for Dick had obviously occurred, and that meant Bruce’s detective skills and the Batcave would be on his side on this one. But it also meant Jason would be completely cut off from the investigation, and whoever was on the bottom of it all would maybe get six months fighting in court until all paper trails had been exhausted and couldn’t be traced back to him, and any stupid charges the prosecutors made stick would be useless against bail and probation. Red Hood had seen that story a million times, and a million times Batman and his sidekicks offered themselves again to play the part of the idiots. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

“…Man, you guys… God, how stupid can you get?” – Jason stepped on Dick’s back, jumping off the bike and to the front of it. He then turned around, arms spread wide. – “Come on, I want to kick your ass. Nothing to do, and I hate you as much as you get ticked off by me.” – Maybe that’d look completely insane to most people, but there was something more in there, something most people wouldn’t get. All the other people he hated – with the exception of Joker – were dead. Dick was his brother, the only brother he’d ever had and ever would have. Be it an adopted one, or even an adopted one out of convenience for the mission, that didn’t change it, the one true fact about family remained: Jason hadn’t chosen him to be the first Robin, the one who’d someday legally be his “big bro”. And you don’t choose family. You just beat the crap out of it once it drives you past that insane rage point.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"You wanna bet on that," Dick mumbled under his breath as he glared at the helmet head standing on his bike.

At Jason's next comment, Dick was about to speak up again. But he was cut off by the younger one's actions of stepping on his back and jumping over him and to the front of the bike. If it hadn't been so quick of an action for the kid, he would have grabbed him by the ankle and caused him to lose that focus on his landing. He didn't get the chance.

Dick glared at Jason as he stood there in front of him. Taunting him like always. But his patience had worn thin with the brat since he had already taken lives in his town. And from their last meeting before this. Dick owed him at least a twisted arm or even a broken rib if he got angry enough. What was he thinking? He was starting to sound like Jason on that.

But last time after that leg injury, he had to lighten up on his work for a bit, but pulled through it. Though it would serve Jason right for messing with him and his town. And after Bruce had shut him out on the case when Jason first came back, even then it had been hard to sit back on that one. But Bruce had wanted to take care of things himself. And it seemed he still had issues over the new Red Hood.

"Wow, your head must be as thick as that helmet you wear. You're still as much of a pain in the ass as you were when you were Robin," Dick replied. But he didn't back down from the challenge.

Normally he would have talked a bit more. But his anger level was a bit high after seeing what Jason had done that night. So without warning, in one quick movement it seemed, Nightwing was upon the other as he sprung off his bike and lunged at Jason.

Starting off with a powerful spin kick. If he landed the hit, it would knock to Jason's head. And even if he didn't, he would land then turn and strike back as quickly as he had come after him. A good right hook waiting for him.

And by Dick's movement, Jason would have seen that he had stuck a nerve with his earlier actions that night. And in hacking into Nightwing's frequency. Dick would make sure to get a read on Jason's gear and find a way to block out his signal.

He'd teach him a good lesson it not taking on more than he could handle. Dick would channel that anger and control it. Something Jason wasn't able to do. But if Jason kept running his mouth the way he did, he'd get another side out of Nightwing that hadn't been seen in a while.