Ghostwriter

Chapter 12

So, Jason's ditching Dick. He called ahead of time to let Barbara know, just to make sure that Dick didn't abandon his post when he saw that Jason wasn't there. Dick could handle trouble if anything came up.

Red Hood nods to himself as he packs the bazooka gear. He's got work to do involving the case, anyway. Black Mask and Holcomb Fuse treasured some tea-time together, and Jason's upset that they didn't invite him to the party. 

Jason heaves the pack on over his back and struts out into the night. He'll pick up supplies for the crib on the way back. Jason slinks across the rooftops, using the skills the old man taught him to stay hidden. He keeps his eye open for spies, cameras, and guards. He pauses about halfway when he spots another on the rooftops.

She's hidden, sitting under the shadow of a standing vent of a small hotel. Jason turns his hood onto night-vision to see who it is.

...She's not supposed to be outside, right? House arrest and whatnot? Jason grins and glides over to her. She spots him in the shadows and scrambles up before he can scare her. Jason's chest deflates a little.

"Red Hood." Her French accent flies through her lips, unfiltered.

Jason nods and wonders how much she knows. He crosses his arms and towers over her. "Yep. Aren't you supposed to be back at the manor, Manon? Where Dick's staying?"

Manon Roux shrugs and glares up at him. "I need fresh air too."

"Go somewhere else. Gotham's air ain't fresh." He should probably tell Dick that his convict soulmate escaped, but that would be assuming that Jason approved of the method Batman imposed on her, which he didn't.  

Manon's lips, pouty by nature, pull back to her cheeks and she takes a step back. "You're not going to zell me I have to go back?"

"Nope. I am going to ask why you're geared up, though." She wears her red and black "Wander" suit and domino mask, but she dons none of her weapons. Batman probably put all knives under heavy lockdown during her stay.

"Just in case." She shrugs.

She looks away. "He's with zat red one of his."

Jason huffs and adjusts the gear on his back. Of course Dick is. He hums and schemes a little. 

Jason scans her up and down, then takes a knife out of his boot. "Now, it's not one of your fancy-pants throwing ones, but listen up. I give you this, and you promise to stick with me until you give it back, hear? I don't care if you kill people, so long as they're thugs. No civilians or innocents."

"Psh. I never have killed zimpletons. Just targets." Her lips curve up into a smile. She twirls the knife around.

Jason grins. "Atta girl. Come on, my bazooka's itching to get some action."

She follows him, and he explains the mission on the way. Blow up Black Mask's office (again, because Jason had so much fun last time), drop in, kill whoever charges at them, and pin down the Black Mask. Then, he'll ask some questions in a rather impolite manner, and Manon/Wander can keep watch.

Jason avoids talking about Dick, because heaven knows that the two can't get along too well with his "killing is bad" and her "I'll ztick a knife between your eyes if you zay zat again" attitude. Jason bets Antigone and Dick would click as soon as their eyes met. He bets that if he was Dick, then Antigone wouldn't have gone ballistic when she found out he was her soulmate. Jason bets that if he was Dick, he would jump in to take care of his soulmate's baby and welcome the thought of being a father.

Jason pushes the thought away and refocuses. Manon trails him as she's not too familiar with the territory.

Two killers with stuck with two saints. Whoever decided that this was a good idea must be really bored.