Broken Hood

Chapter 3- Truth is Out

Alfred pov-
I watched as Red Renegade was silently coming back and forth, taking a huge load of Master Jason's belongings away from the manor to wherever she lived. I could tell that she lived overseas because of how she smelled like the ocean.

When she had broken into the house, I had immediately knew who she was to Jason and knew it was okay for her to be here. I had seen the panic in her eyes as she had knocked on Jason's door, and when he hadn't answered, causing her to kick the bedroom door off the hinges, then carve the bathroom door out of the wall with her katana as effortlessly as cutting warm bread.

The scream she had let out when she had opened the door sent cold chills down my spine, but I had gasped in shock at what had been in the room.

I wondered who could have done it, and Miss Marinette had said that it was Master Bruce, and between loads, she told me everything she knew, and everything about my beloved grandson.

The story had made me feel sick with disgust and enrage, and guilt because I hadn't figured out that Master Bruce was abusing Jason, but the globally feared and worlds most wanted assassin had reassured me that it wasn't my fault, though I still felt guilty.

So, when she had finished moving Jason's belongings, minus the furniture, I was surprised when she came back.

"What? You didn't expect me to leave you to clean all of this mess, did you? Surely you wouldn't expect me to do that to you." She said, I'm and I saw her face rise in a smile behind the mask.

We spent the next couple of hours cleaning my grandsons room if all the blood. I was walking over to Jason's room, cleaning things in my hands, and Marinette was very quickly cleaning the blood up.

I saw that she was singing and dancing while she cleaned. I saw the headphones in her ears, and I simply smiled before going into the room. I was about to start helping her when a throwing star planted itself into the wall, a couple of centimeters from my hand and over the cleaner. "No, Alfred. I will take care of this. You can go find something else to do, or go get some sleep. I don't want you breaking your back trying to clean this up when I am more than capable of doing so." The assassin said, looking at me.

There was a look of no argument in her eyes, so I nodded. "Very well, Miss Marinette. Will I see you soon?" I asked. She was silent. "I will try to visit. I don't want the Wayne's to know if I do, so, can you call me when you're alone or the bats and birds are asleep? Oh, and don't be surprised if there's an anomaly in the kitchen in the morning, just want to warn you now." She said. I nodded, and I left.

This girl was truly the one for Master Jason.

I was glad that he had found someone to love.

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The next morning, I woke up and went to Jason's room. The room was empty and stripped, and not a spot or scent of blood was to be found. The bathroom looked brand new, and I smelled a lot of cleaner in the room.

I went to Bruce's study, which was still the mess it was last night. I saw a note with my name on it in pretty cursive, and I picked it up and read it.

Alfred,
I did not clean this room because I wanted to let the Wayne brothers see what their sorry excuse of a father- yes, Amour told me that you do not like swearing, so I am being mindful of that- did and does to my beloved. I wrote them a long note, and was not nice in it, and I will say that they are going to hate Bruce when they read it. I know that they don't know, because you didn't know, and Jay said that you knew all.

Well, I hear Bat coming, so I have to go, because if I see him, I am going to kill him, and I'm trying to change my ways. I will call you soon, Alfred, and I'll get you a trip out to where I am so that you can see Jason soon.

Love, Marinette Amira Rose, AKA Red Renegade

I smiled at the note, then left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen to start making breakfast for the boys. There was a large envelope on the kitchen island, and Jason's Red Hood helmet was with the letter, bloody and broken beyond the thought of repair.

I didn't touch it, but started to make breakfast.

Dick was the first to come downstairs, then Damian a few minutes later, followed by Tim a bit later.  The three boys froze when they saw the broken helmet and letter.

Richard was the first to move. He grabbed the envelope and opened it while Damian stared at the helmet. A few seconds later, Dick dropped the letter and shot back upstairs, no doubt going to the study. It wasn't long before a howl ripped through the air, making Tim and Damian read the letter, and they went after their eldest brother. I heard Tim's screech, Dick's enraged shouting and things breaking upstairs and the sound of World War 3 was breaking havoc up there.

I felt someone behind me, and I knew who it was. "Miss Marinette? What's happened, is Jason alright?" I asked, making her a cup of coffee. The teenager looked awful, and like she's been crying for hours and looked exhausted and defeated.

The girl was silent and clearly trying not to cry. "Jason, he- he lost too much blood. Nino wasn't able to save him in time. I'm trying to reach Talia Al-Ghul, but she isn't answering, so I'm about to fly out and find her." She said, and I completely forgot about the boys, not noticing when everything became quiet.

Horror ran through me as the girl started to cry. "Tell me you're lying... no... tell me my grandson is okay..." I whispered, not sensing the Wayne family in the room. Tears trailed down my face, and the girl shook her head, unable to speak. "I'm so s-sorry... I'm sorry, Alfred, I'm sorry..." she cried, apologizing uncontrollably as she broke down.

I wrapped her into a hug, and she stiffened and thought about pulling away, but she melted into my embrace and cried harder, letting her katana fall to the floor as she let me hug her, too upset to hug me back, though I didn't mind.

My world cracked, and I felt sick when my mind wrapped around the fact that Jason had died.

Again.

And this time, because of Bruce Wayne.

Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, had murdered his own son. My GRANDSON.

Jason Peter Todd had not been murdered once, not twice, but 3 times now. The first two by Joker, and this time by Bruce.

I zoned out while holding the crying assassin, and I didn't know what to feel at that moment. There was too many emotions running through me at once, and all of them were fighting for dominance inside of me.

All of a sudden, Marinette's phone rang, and she pulled away to answer it. "H-hello... TALIA! Please, Talia, I need to use the Lazarus Pit... it's Jason, he- no, something happened to him, and I wasn't able to stop the bleeding in time... last night... we did everything, and he's- Talia, he's gone... he killed him, and I wasn't fast enough... he's dead, again... please, you have to help him. He's everything to me, and I can't live without him. I'm begging you, I'll do anything. I'll join the LOA, blow the world up, I don't care. Whatever you want, I'll do it, but please, help him. You're the only one who can. Please, Talia. PLEASE!!" Red begged, desperation and pleading in her voice.

I watched as she practically melted in relief a moment later. "Thank you! Thank you so much," she breathed out. "Wait, what do you mean, Chloe and Nino are already there? All of them?! But... how did they find you... no! No, I'm coming. I'm bringing a guest though... Alfred... no, Alfred Pennyworth... really?! Okay, I'm coming! Thank you, I owe you everything!" She said, then hung up.

"My friends had found Talia and brought Jason to her when I left to find you... she's going to bring him back, Alfred! Now come on, I have to get to my beloved so I can smack him for leaving me again." She said, picking me up and carrying me outside. I was shocked that she could lift this much weight for such a tiny girl. She was smaller than Damian. But I saw the adrenaline rush in her eyes, so I knew that that was why.

Red Renegade snapped her wings out, and they gleamed in the sunlight. I saw the Wayne boys behind her, staring in shock, and I gave them a look. "Stay out of the kitchen, boys. And I will call you later." I said, and Marinette took off into the air, her katana in my hand.

I felt like the skin was being peeled off of my bones as she flew, and thunder and booms that sounded like military planes and glaciers breaking were roaring in my ears, but altogether the flight was quite exquisite and exciting.

Though I would never admit it.