Not As It Seems

bliss

When Dick came back to he immediately noticed Red pacing in the mission room. He went to move towards him but found himself tied back to back with Tim. He struggled against his bonds, making Red look up at him and give him a little wave.

"Nice of you to join the land of the living, Dickiebird." Red snickered. "Your precious team already woke."

Dick turned his head to see the rest of the team tied up in pairs, all glaring at Red. M'gann was in a ring of controlled fire, a low moan coming from her. Dick turned his glare on Red once more. "What are you doing, Red? Kill us and get it over with."

Red let out a throaty chuckle. "Oh, I will kill you all, don't you worry. But I want to enjoy it."

"You're sick, Red. Let us help you." Dick pleaded, knowing it was still his little brother under that cold, unfeeling mask.

Red scoffed. "Help me? Like Bruce helped me?" The team stiffened, which did not go unnoticed by Red. "I don't think so. I played my hand at being a hero and look where that got me."

"You were a hero before this? Who were you?" Tim asked, a sick feeling worming its way into his stomach.

Red kicked him in the thigh. "Wouldn't you like to know, Timothy?"

"How do you know who we are?" Artemis snarled, working on freeing herself and Wally to no avail.

"I can't believe none of you have caught on yet. Pathetic." Red shrugged, walking over to where his sword lay, discarded. "Even with my voice scrambler being broken, have you all forgotten what I sound like already?"

Dick paled. "Red, not like this."

Red cackled, holding the tip of his sword under Dick's throat. "And why not? Are you afraid of what the team is going to think, Dick?" Red let out a faux gasp. "Are you ashamed of little ol'me?"

Dick ignored his teammate's questioning glances. "No, never. But Red, let us help you. We know Deathstroke has control over you, let us free you."

Red faltered for a moment and the team held their breath. He scoffed, jabbing his sword into Dick's shoulder and making him cry out. "Nah, I'm good." The team watched in horror as he pulled the sword out, placing it back under Dick's chin. He tilted his head to the side, as if listening to something before he withdrew his sword and walked to the other side of Dick. "You're right, taking out his little brother would be so much more efficient." Red teased Tim with the sword on his throat, and even through his mask the team could swear they saw an evil glint in his eyes. "Brings back memories, eh, Dick? How does it feel to know you let two little brothers die?"

"Leave Jason out of this." Artemis snarled.

"Oh, trust me, he is very in this." Red was about to apply pressure when he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. "What the-"

"Enough, Red. Let them go." Everyone turned to the other side of the grate where Batman stood with the Justice League.

Red pulled the Batarang out of his shoulder, wincing when he saw the clear liquid dripping out. He looked up and saw the grim look on the Leaguer's faces while they tried desperately to bypass the security measures they installed.

Red went to snark at the League when he felt a burning sensation fill his body, starting from the point where the Batarang entered. He cried out, falling to his hands and knees as the heroes watched, curiously. He started to writhe on the floor, clutching his head in his hands.

"Batman, what did you hit him with? What was in that Batarang?" Wally asked cautiously.

"The cure." Everyone's eyes widened at that and they turned back to Red as he crawled to the far wall, away from all the heroes. He lifted his mask, back turned to everyone, and vomited on the floor before replacing his mask. He got up on his shaky feet, clutching his head. He let out a blood curdling scream.

"I am trying to fight it, master, bu-" Another scream tore out of him as he fell to his knees before going quiet, head facing the floor.

Conner squinted at him. "Are you okay, Red?"

A small laugh erupted out of the assassin, surprising everyone as it turned into a deep body shaking chuckle. His head snapped up and he looked directly at Batman. "Thank you, Bruce, for strengthening the bond between me and my master. Are you ready for me to strengthen the bond you have with your teammates and proteges?"

Batman growled. "Red, stop this."

Red shook his head, standing up and picking his sword up as he went. "There is no more Red, dear Batsy. Thanks to you and not supplying the right dose of the cure, the Control virus has doubled in strength and I can now see through his eyes. Guess I don't need this silly mask then, eh?"

Red reached up and ripped his mask off, revealing the smirking face of Jason Todd.

The team and the League let out a shocked gasp, all except Dick and Bruce, who narrowed their eyes at Jason who just laughed in return. "What? Shocked that I exposed myself so readily?"

"Ja...Jason, why?" Artemis was heartbroken over seeing her little brother turned into more of a monster than her sister.

Jason's face twisted into one of disgust. "Everyone loves to ask me that question. Well, I have a better one for you, dear Artemis; why not?" He lifted his sword and pointed accusingly at Bruce. "I bet dear old dad over here thought that before sending me off on a mission to fake my death and infiltrate the League. 'Why not send a fourteen year old into the depths of the League? That surely can't go wrong when you add in terrible parenting and brain damage.' Ha!"

The Justice League turned to glare at Bruce, who ignored them to stare at his wayward son. "Jason, Deathstroke can hear you. Be caref-"

"He already knows, Bruce. Thanks to you adding in those cameras and comm units to my mask, he discovered me right before this mission." Bruce paled at the implications. "But not to worry, we came to an understanding."

"Which is?"

"I take down the junior league here and he forgives my treachery. Their lives for mine? You bet your ass I'm going to choose me."

"Jason, are you saying you are working with Deathstroke now? For real?" Dick gasped out, staring up at his angry little brother.

Jason smirked. "I found a place where I belong, sue me."

"Ja-" Dick was cut off by the loud sound of metal grating on metal. Everyone looked over at the gates as they lifted and the Justice League entered the room, surrounding Jason.

Jason did not seem phased. He held the sword up to his neck and began to apply a tiny amount of pressure, just enough to draw blood and to let the League know he was serious. "Let me walk out of here or I end it all again. And be warned, Deathstroke isn't as generous with his Lazarus pits as Ra's Al Ghul was."

The League debated it, Wonder Woman taking a step closer to Jason, who dug the blade in a little further. Batman held his hand up to stop the other Leaguers from making a move. He nodded at Jason. "You are free to leave."

"What?" Everyone cried out in shock as Jason nodded and began to back up to the zeta tubes, blade still pressed to his throat.

"I knew you would see reason, Brucey."

As he was typing in his coordinates with his free hand, Bruce spoke up again. "Just know, Jason, I truly am sorry."

Jason hesitated for a second before winking at the group, backing into the zeta tubes. "You can shove that apology up your ass, Bruce."

And just like that, Jason had disappeared, leaving the team in shambles and everyone ticked off at a certain billionaire.