Enter: Red Hood

[newoutsiders]

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. If there's one thing you can always count on, it's Batman ruining everything. Even when he's who-knows-where, the vacuum he doesn't even realize he's leaving rushes to fill up with garbage.

Two weeks ago, that kid of his kicked Two-Face out of Gotham Harbor. Great. Very nice for the harbor. A parade for Robin. But did he really think that would make things better for the city? Did he think Two-Face was just going to shrug his asymmetric shoulders and go, "Oh well, I guess I'll just take a smaller piece of the pie"?

No. He's going to expand elsewhere. Obviously. And that "elsewhere" is exactly where you don't want him.

After the last big gang war which left Black Mask in charge of everything, you showed up and redistributed. You've spent a long time pushing those dividers. Making crime controlled. Manageable. Keeping it away from the poor, hapless folks who don't go looking for it. And you've been more successful at it than Batman ever was, even with his whole "Matches Malone" shtick.

But now, Two-Face is questioning those borders he was never even meant to see. He's started expanding to racketeering small businesses. Arming otherwise harmless street gangs. And, if the rumors are true, Two-Face's outfit has begun breaking your number one rule: pushing drugs in schools.

It's time to send him a message. That's why you've called this meeting with your lieutenants. They're all waiting for your next move.

One of your men slinks into your conference room, and whispers a message to you. There's been an explosion down at the docks. One of your men, Rusty, has been undercover as a dockworker there. Batgirl was on scene- he didn't say which one. So many bats to keep track of these days. Rusty fired at her, but she got away. He did say that a tanker full of some weird, orange chemical arrived there and was driven away off the books, but then the explosion happened, and the guy who waved it out is laid up in the hospital.

Comments

[exdeadexrobin]

"Agggh!" Damn it. Jason manages to avoid most of the jet, but part of it still comes close enough to send searing pain across his right shoulder. The good news, at least, is that this flame seems... colder, than the one before. This plan might work yet. "Okay..."

Jason rolls to the side, gritting his teeth behind his helmet. He drops his gun as he does so. Damn.

"I'll admit..."

Jason stands cautiously, fumbling in his jacket with his good arm for another smokebomb.

"It's better... than 'Firefly'."

[newoutsiders]

The bomb lets loose as Cover Fire snickers and prepares another blast. The flame only makes it halfway to you before it sputters out.

"Oxygen's running low. Cutting down on my flames. Smart move, Hood."

He pulls out an uzi from his coat.

"But I'm still a capo, remember?"

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason drops to the ground and rolls, at the same time pulling a bolo from his jacket and flinging it at Van's legs.

[newoutsiders]

The bolo hits its mark, and Van cushions a fall to the ground with his right arm. He flexes his leg, snapping himself free, and starts getting up.

[exdeadexrobin]

The good news about leather is that it's not terribly flammable, especially when you've got kevlar woven body armor right beneath it. He knows it's a gamble, but it's the best shot he's got right now- Jason dives across the room and grabs for Van's gun.

[newoutsiders]

Van fires at you again as he scrambles to the wall, hoping to get you in close proximity. He does, and it hurts pretty bad- but you have his gun now.

"Another time, 'Boss,'" he says to you. "And next time, Two-Face will be ready for you."

He leans his right arm against the wall, blowing open a man-sized hole to the outdoors. He makes for a two-toned car with his right arm behind his back.

[exdeadexrobin]

Jason has enough presence of mind left to fire the gun at Van's retreating figure, not that it really comes terribly close. After Van is out of sight, Jason hurriedly pushes himself up - the blast of oxygen had brought several flames back to life - and limps through the hole. He hurts basically everywhere right now, but the full body protection did its job well enough - it's not the worst burn he's ever had. Not the worst nonfatal one, even. But he'll be spending some time at his nearest safehouse with some antibiotic cream before figuring out whether or not to track down a sufficiently bribeable doctor.

... ironically, he could really use a cigarette right now.

[newoutsiders]

You make it back to your safehouse in one piece. The conference room is no big loss- it's not like you didn't expect to move around if you got infiltrated. It comes with the job.

Your burns hurt, but they appear superficial. They'll heal in time, and might not even leave scars if you're lucky.

[exdeadexrobin]

All right. Well, he's alive and mostly intact - he's going to count this one as a win, considering the circumstances. He downs a few painkillers and gives bed some serious consideration before realizing exactly how much he doesn't want to wake from those particular memories with fresh burns everywhere.

He calls up Donny.

[newoutsiders]

"Go for Donny," says a gruff voice on the phone.

[exdeadexrobin]

"Something came up with the arms shit, " he says. "Not gonna risk prying ears, we need to meet. I'll be at the warehouse on 7th and Peterson in 15. Don't be late."

[newoutsiders]

"Got it, boss," he says, wavering almost imperceptibly. "I'll be there."

[exdeadexrobin]

"Good," he says, then hangs up.

Jason dials up Kenneth, his most trusted security guy.

[newoutsiders]

Two rings.

"Yo."

[exdeadexrobin]

"We have a security problem. I just sent Donny to a warehouse on 7th and Peterson. He shows up, bag him, but try to leave him alive, I need him for questioning. He doesn't show within 20, put out the word to take him down. I expect to hear back within half an hour, got it?"

[newoutsiders]

"Heh."

From Kenneth, that's a yes. No problem.

[exdeadexrobin]

"Oh, one more thing. He shows up with that capo of his, Van, you know the guy, white, 6 feet, red hair, douchey haircut - stay back and just call me.

Call me when it's done."

[newoutsiders]

"Yo."

He hangs up.

That Kenneth. What a fucking pro.

[exdeadexrobin]

Perfect. Jason pulls out his laptop and pulls up the security feed from a particular warehouse. He's got nothing to do for the next half hour but wait and watch.