There's a new villain in Gotham.
He doesn't revel in the torture and the pain like the rest of them do. He cherishes a good, clean death. Not always quick, but sure and effective.
To strangle the life out of a man with your bare hands and watch him...
"So we know nothing about the dickwad that killed Tim? Absolutely nothing?"
"They were apparently wearing gloves and the lipstick that remained from the kiss gave us no DNA matches. We have no witnesses nor evidence that link to anyone. This person doesn't exist, Jason." Bruce retorted in exasperation. Jason threw his hands up in the air with a cry of frustration.
"I'm going on patrol."
"Jason, they're still out there. It's too dangerous."
"Bite me!" He hissed back. His hands raked through his hair as he began to suit up, pacing all the while. "He was... my best friend. My brother. I won't sit here and do nothing while his murderer is on the loose. I know how that feels."
He'd said it to sting Bruce, and stung it did. The older man's shocked frown should've given Jason the feeling of justice, penance, a tiny sliver of satisfaction for getting in a dig at him that it usually did. All it did was make his gut roll in regret and anxiety.
Who else would they lose to this villain before they could be stopped?
He wasn't going to wait and find out. Even if it hurt the old man to see him go, he couldn't hide from this.
Never could.
◊ ◊ ◊
"You should've stayed home, Red Hood."
That was most assuredly not a voice that Jason recognized, and it wasn't one he welcomed to pierce the groggy fog of sudden sleep.
What the hell happened?
"You look confused, shall I shed some light?" Without waiting for an answer, light bathed the room in fluorescent white, revealing a crappy warehouse.
Fear lanced through Jason veins.
"Familiar? I almost feel ashamed to have brought you back to this sort of scenery. Like I'm copying another's work, plagiarizing that magnificence. It's lazy, certainly. But I'd say it's also some beautiful, twisted irony.
"You're shackled and tied up in a dingy warehouse, bare but for what little remains of your uniform. Don't worry. I won't beat you beforehand, that's time and effort it don't care to exhaust. Besides the bang to the head it took to get you here, you'll be unscathed until you cease to exist."
Jason squirmed in his bindings, grinding his teeth into the gag and trying to get a good look at the person's face.
He was disappointed when he found himself looking at his own red helm sitting over the head of a male figure clad in a black blazer and skirt getup, soft soled flats on their feet and gloves on their hands.
"I'll cut to the chase. As I told Little Timmy, I'm here to create a rainbow of colors. Bright, vibrant, and deadly. I've completed Red quite artfully, if I do say so myself, and now it's time for a pop of Orange. And truly, who else was there but you to fit the role? You've already gone up in flames before, it seems a reprisal is in order. And then Yellow with follow in your stead."
Soft, heelless footsteps trekked closer to Red Hood's struggling form, placing a thin hand on his shoulder and squeezing. If it wasn't from his maniac captor that had murdered his brother it might've been a comforting gesture.
"I am, from the bottom of my heart, truly sorry that I'm making you relive this memory. I know it's unpleasant, Jason, but it'll be quick. And I'd like to say painless as I think you'll die instantly but, if I'm honest, I'm unsure how explosions kill."
Two more pats to his shoulder and the villain stepped away, walking around the vigilante's tied form towards something behind him.
"Well, ta-ta! No need to drag this on any longer than necessary. Though I am sad to see you go it's time to hang your art up on display. I'll turn on your trackers once I'm ready for them to see you in all your glory. Rest in Pieces, again, Jason Todd."
A door somewhere at his back swung open and slammed closed.
He'd barely had time to exhale before the world was awash with heat, noise, and light, flames bursting into existence and tearing at his flesh.
Jason's thoughts were drowned out with sensations, and he fell into darkness.
True to their word, it was quick. And anything but painless.
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