Not As It Seems

unmasked

Dick sat up on the medbay cot with a groan, feeling as if he was thrown through a brick wall. He looked around himself, noticing Bart on another cot but nobody else in the room.

"B-bart?" The speedster looked up from his phone, waving halfheartedly at Dick. "What...argh, what happened?"

"We got our asses handed to us by Red." Bart winced. "He broke my knee, but don't worry, its almost healed. Lucky me."

Red...

Dick grimaced, the memories of the battle yesterday (or was it two days ago...?) flooding his mind. He remembered going to Taos, the bioship being shot down...and those eyes.

Dick gasped, startling Bart. "What is it?"

"Jason! Where...where is he?" Dick blurted out, making Bart sigh under his breath.

"Batman said the last week, not the last few years."

Dick narrowed his eyes at the young speedster. "Jason...is Red." Bart nodded slowly, like one does when talking to a delusional child. Dick grunted in frustration. "I saw him behind the mask! Well, his eye, but still! He's Jason!"

"Dude, Jason has been dead for years. There is no way Red is Jason. Besides, why would Jason be with the Shadows? Doesn't make sense."

Dick rolled his eyes, pretending to believe Bart. He knew someone who would believe him and boy, when he got to the Batcave there would be hell to pay.

He dragged himself out of bed, almost collapsing when he put pressure on his injured leg. Bart gave him an incredulous look. "Where are you going? You were just stabbed and poisoned!"

Dick snarled. "I have to visit Batman."

With that, he limped his way to the zeta tubes, ignoring his teammate's worried expressions as he punched in the coordinates. A moment later he appeared in the Batcave.

Bruce was sitting at the computer, turning around when he heard the noise of the tubes. He had his cowl down and gave Dick a face. "Dick, you sh-"

"Save it." Dick spat, eyes narrowed at Bruce. He limped his way over to him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "How long?"

Bruce stiffened, knowing exactly what he meant. He decided to play dumb, see if he could get away with it. "How long what?"

Ultimately, he failed.

Dick's face contorted into one of disgust. "How long have you had Jason working for the Shadows? And don't even try to deny it, I saw him under the mask."

"Dick, the antidote messes with mem-"

"Oh cut the bull! Can't you just be straight with me for once?" Bruce had never seen Dick this outraged. "How. Long?"

Bruce sighed, motioning to the other chair at the computer. Dick sat down, begrudgedly so, to continue glaring at Bruce. "Since he came back to life."

Dick scoffed. "You purposely got my brother killed just to have an inside man? You are despicable."

"His death was supposed to be faked."

"And that makes this any better?! He was fourteen."

"It was his idea." Dick clammed up at that. "He came to me with the idea of faking his death in order to infiltrate the League. Except, we didn't have a chance to fake it. When he came back to life, he was in the League. He communicated to me through his mask, where I have cameras and a comm unit installed. Ja-"

"Let me see him." Dick demanded.

"Dick-"

"Doesn't have to be current footage, just let me see my brother, please. You owe me this."