reddeadbird (reddeadbird) wrote in newalliance, @ 2014-06-26 07:53:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | red hood |
tWho: Jason Todd/Red Hood; narrative
When: Two nights after this
Where: Gotham City
What: Following the Joker’s release, Jason ruminates on some things. Namely, Bruce, the Joker, Tim, Dick… and decides to send a message.
Rating High for violence
”...Once again, we have several sources telling us that the Joker has escaped from Arkham Asylum. We are trying to get confirmation from the Gotham City Police and from Arkham staff. The mass murderer is one of the most violent criminals in Gotham’s history… This is Angie Molina from GCN, we will be filling you in with more once we have confirmation… ”
**********
He didn’t bother ruminating over a beer or two at a local bar. Jason was beyond that now. He was outright pissed. He’d known - known! - it would only be a matter of time before the Joker would escape again.
And what had Bruce done? Nothing. NOTHING. He wasn’t surprised anymore. After he came back, after Talia told him everything… this didn’t surprise him.
He’d let that maniac live over and over… despite the lives he’d destroyed. If the situation had been reversed? If Jason had been the father and Bruce the son? He would have done everything -- EVERYTHING -- in his power to see his son’s murderer brought to justice. Because that’s what you did when you lost someone you loved. He would have done that for Grayson and Cass. Hell, Jason was pretty certain Bruce would have done that even for that new kid… Drake, the one he hadn`t met yet. And he knew without a doubt Bruce would have done it for his *biological* son, Damian.
Because a parent protects their children. Protects them… cares for them… and makes damn sure if tragedy befalls one, it does not happen to anyone else.
***********
Roland Daggett Jr. was usually accompanied by two armed bodyguards. As the heir of the largest chemical and ammunitions factory in Gotham (aside from ACE Chemicals), the need was necessary. Not to mention they were of greater assistance when he needed to make some underhanded dealings with some of the seedier Gotham element.
But lately, some of the ...folks he’d been dealing with had been going ...missing. And not underground or overseas missing like his known criminal associates were wont to do. No, Daggett had been hearing reports that someone had been taking them out.
And the reports were that it was not the Batman. No, it was someone else. Because although there were some criminals who believed that the Bat killed, those in the know -- like Daggett -- knew the truth. The Bat did not kill.
But this new player in town did.
And that was why Daggett was heading up to his own office today with six armed bodyguards. He had a meeting with a new chemist he had poached over from ACE in his office on the top floor. Daggett was running a little late and had called ahead to his assistant to ensure the chemist was kept comfortable in the waiting room.
The seven of them stepped into the elevator. Daggett paid little attention to his bodyguards, all hired thugs from his underground meth dealings. He smoothed out his greying hair in the mirror -- he was looking all too much like his father already.
The elevator dinged when they got out on the 30th floor and Daggett walked neatly in the middle of the bodyguards. Things were quieter than usual and his assistant, Allan, was nowhere to be seen at his desk. The chemist wasn’t there, either.
Daggett wondered if perhaps the chemist was running late, as well, as he looked around the waiting room, noticing that Allan’s computer was still on. Perhaps he’s just in the washroom… he thought as the bodyguards head into his office first. He followed, and heard a quiet ‘click’ before the lights were turned out.
“Who’s there? Hello?!” He called out. There was a soft ‘ch’ noise before he heard one big thud. “What - what was that? You --” he said trying to motion to the nearest bodyguard he could see, “find out what that was!” There were another couple of ‘ch’ noises and loud thuds followed. Daggett stood still, completely in shock, as the one bodyguard he could see fell to the ground.
The lights flooded back on and Daggett blinked, first seeing all the bodyguards on the ground, some of them looked like they were bleeding. He then saw the chemist, Quinton, he remembered his name was Quinton, sitting on one of the couches, mouth duct-taped and looking as pale as a ghost.
“What-what is going on here?!” Daggett finally stuttered out. His office chair swiveled around to reveal someone in a red face covering helmet.
“Oh this?” the man in the helmet said, “Just a casual intro prior to my takeover of your meth and illegal weapons distribution scheme.” The helmeted man sat back in Daggett’s leather chair, putting his feet up on the oak desk.
Daggett attempted to assert himself against this stranger: “Who the hell do you think you are? Do you even know who I am?!”
If the assertion had annoyed or angered the man, he certainly didn’t show it. He remained in his relaxed position. “Sure. You’re Roland Daggett Jr. Your pops started this business some forty years ago. Word on the street is his chemicals contributed to Clayface’s formation. And now dear old daddy’s sitting in jail on embezzlement and fraud charges. Apple doesn’t far too far from the tree, huh?” He turned slightly towards Daggett, so the businessman could see the helmet in full with its strange white eye slits. “As for me, you can call me the Red Hood. Scourge of the Underworld.” One could almost hear a smirk with that last comment. “So, as I said, I’ll be taking over the business from here on out. All your men now belong to me. And if I catch any of them dealing to kids, they’re dead.”
He then stood up and casually strode over towards where Daggett stood and took out an oddly curved blade. “But it’s not you I’m here for.” Daggett looked at him curiously and the chemist started shaking. “You? I’m done with. Now as for you,” he said, turning towards the chemist, “you worked for one Clem Rusty recently. One of the Joker’s many pseudonyms. Pretty lame, huh? So now you’re going to tell me where he is.”
In a quick movement, he knocked out Daggett and advanced on the chemist.
*****************
Daggett was strung up by his feet, left hanging upside down outside the 30th floor window. He was unconscious, but alive. And had a piece of paper tacked to his chest: “Guilty of drug dealing and weapons embezzlement. This is how you really clean up Gotham. ~Red Hood.”
The chemist, on the other hand, was tied to the office chair with a bomb strapped to his chest, one that Jason promised would go off if he’d lied about the whereabouts of the Joker.
It was hunting time.