A Spectacular Web Of Justice: Invasion

Under The Red Hood Part 2

"Maybe my last request was too subtle. I want this man dead" Black Mask said looking at his assistant and second in command.

During the last days Gotham became a hell much bigger than normal. Black Mask declared war on Red Hood. The streets were infested by a gang war. Constant attacks by Black Mask's men towards Red Hood's territory.

Batman was out of control. Appearing much more than normal. Questioning every criminal, thief, member of the underworld, or whatever, on where to find the Red Hood. Ransacking every bar, hideout, heist. Anything that could lead him to the man in the red helmet.

Everyone inside and outside the League was worried about him. They hadn't seen him like this since Jason. Some had their facades arranged so that accused members could go to trial in Rimbor, with the help of friends and family to cover for them should their absence go on too long. It would be foolish to assume that Batman wouldn't have a plan in case he was gone for a long time. But this case seems to have gotten under his skin.

And to top it off, criminals began to disappear. It would not be something out of the ordinary if it were not because those criminals were Firefly, Scarecrow, Calendar Man, Poison Ivy, among others. Anyone who wasn't in Arkham or Belle Rave was officially missing. Even Penguin himself was missing. His men acted as if his boss was still there, so as not to appear weak to the other crime families, but inside the entire organization was a mess.

Batman and Sionis agreed on one thing. Red Hood was behind this. Making criminals disappear was a great way to take territory away from them. This made the actions of the other bosses more desperate, thus more dangerous for anyone caught in the middle.

"When I say dead, I mean seriously dead" Black Mask said clenching his fists for all the mess this new face was causing "beaten up, broken! His head mounted on my wall! That kind of dead!"

"Understood, we will take extra precautions in every transaction and-"

"To hell with that!" yelled Black Mask getting to his feet "it's time he learned this is a contact sport. We'll go on the offensive. We'll make it difficult for him to do business, something big. Something loud! When he shows up to close it, a party will be waiting for him, and when I say party I actually mean a lot of people who are going to kill him!"

"I imagined it" said the assistant writing everything down on her tablet.

"I was just being clear" Black Mask walked between his men and left the office. As soon as the door closed, his second in command and his assistant relaxed their bodies and let out a sigh. They should be given a raise just for standing up straight in the presence of his boss.

...

Anyone who saw Batman squatting on the gargoyle, looking out over the city, would think he hadn't moved from his chair in days. When he wasn't out on the streets trying to get information. On the holographic display on his arm was the recording of the Red Hood calling Batman by his first name.

He didn't show anyone. He was risky not to. If he knew who Batman was, surely he knew who his other companions were or would have the resources to find out. And he wasn't just referring to those in Gotham. But they would all panic. If it went on like this he wouldn't go to Rimbor. Clark or Diana would say that it was important that he clear his name, and that Dick and the others could handle whatever the city threw at them. But this new Red Hood. There was something that gave him a feeling down the spine.

The way he anticipated his movements, his measurements, his own movements and manner of combat. When five of them chased him, he took one of the tools from Barbara's belt and Robin's badge from her suit. It could be a fetish of yours. Taking objects from his enemies like Wally used to do. But when he talked about them, he did so as someone who knew them. And his voice. He heard it somewhere. It was a voice that he heard many times on different occasions, but different. A voice that he couldn't remember whose it was.