Hustle

chapter eighteen

OOOOOOOH DAYUM. How is Dami going to react? Will Jason get out of Ra's grasp? And what is going to happen once the team finds Talia?

Let's find out!

The zeta tubes in the Watchtower announced the arrival of Superman and Martian Manhunter. They immediately noticed their fellow League members bruised and bleeding in the middle of the foyer. Superman made a move towards them but was stopped by Martian Manhunter.

"We are not alone here, Superman." Manhunter held up a hand, psi-scanning the Watchtower. "I am trying to find our foe but they are good. Blocking my psychic sweep."

"While you try to find them, I am going to tend to Canary, Arrow, and Batman. They are hurt." Superman approached the three unconscious Justice Leaguers, crouching next to them. "Who could've gotten here and done this to them?"

Neither Superman nor Martian Manhunter noticed Jason in the corridor with Green Arrow's bow and quiver. He aimed two arrows at Martian Manhunter, one a net arrow and the other an explosive one, as to trap him in a fiery net. Jason let the arrows go, hitting his target. Martian Manhunter fell, being trapped under the flaming net. Superman whirled around, having heard Manhunter hit the ground.

"J'onn!" He flew over to him and started to lift the net off of him.

"Clark, behind you!"

Superman dropped the net, turning just in time to be met with Batman's shard of kryptonite to the abdomen. He grunted, falling to his knees. He looked up into the cold eyes of Jason. "Hood...why?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that. The answer will always be the same. I have my orders." Jason shrugged. "You Leaguers should be grateful that the Light wants most of you alive."

"Most?" Jason just smirked in reply. "Jason, what do you mean by most? Who are you going to kill?"

"That is the wrong question, Superman. You should be asking who I've already killed."

Superman looked to the three Leaguers in the middle of the foyer, eyes widening. "No..."

"Oh, but yes. With one of the backbones of the Justice League dead and the rest under the Light's control, we will be unstoppable."

"How do you expect to control us?" Superman inquired. "We would never willingly work for you."

"That is where you are wrong. With the lives of your proteges and children at risk, you will find yourselves very...complying." Jason pat Superman's cheek. "Now, I have a call to make. Be a dear and stay quiet, will you?"

Jason walked back over to the computer, typing for a moment. A video call started and soon Ra's al Ghul's face filled the screen. "Jason. Is it done?"

"Yes, master. Everything is a go on my end." Jason responded. "The Batman is dead."

"Excellent. I have visitors to tend to, carry on with the rest of your mission, Jason." Ra's al Ghul ended the transmission, leaving Jason to turn back to Superman.

"Well, I suppose more Justice Leaguers will be here any moment. I must prepare for their arrival. Stay put." Jason walked away from Superman and Martian Manhunter, leaving the two Leaguers to lay trapped on the floor.

Superman looked to J'onn, noticing him getting weaker. He grunted, forcing himself to crawl over to where he was. "J'onn. J'onn! Stay awake. I'm going to get this off of you." Superman started to tug on the net, working on untangling his friend and colleague from his trap. It was then that he heard it.

The faint heartbeat.

Batman was alive.

Superman grinned slightly despite the pain coursing through his body. He continued to work on freeing J'onn, his mind going a million miles an hour.

Jason must've known that Bruce wasn't dead, so why did he lie to Ra's? If he did not want to kill Batman, why actually attack the League then? Unless he wasn't in full control of his actions. But the League had done a thorough sweep of him, he had been clean. Ra's must've found a way to get around the Justice League's scans and questions, either that or he had recently put Jason under his control somehow. One way or another he was going to get answers, as soon as he got help for the other Justice Leaguers that were attacked by Jason.

Superman dragged himself over to the computer after freeing J'onn from the flaming net, sending out a distress signal to the rest of the Justice League. Now it really was only a matter of time before the rest of the Justice League showed up.

Jason returned a few moments later, noticing J'onn was free from the net and Superman was nowhere in sight. "Crap."

"Oh, yes. Crap." Jason turned around to see Superman floating there with Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.

He started to back up towards the zeta tubes when Green Lantern encased him in a cage construct. Jason cursed. "I will find a way out of this, and I will kill you."

Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes. "Weren't your eyes blue before?" She reached for her lasso. "Who are you?"

"I am Hood, loyal servant of Ra's al Ghul and the Light."

"Ah ha!" Wonder Woman wrapped her lasso around Jason. "Before when asked that question, your answer was completely different. Now, who are you?"

Jason grunted, feeling a massive ache fill his body. "I...I...I am Jason Peter Todd, alias Hood."

"Good. Let the Lasso of Truth bring out your true self." Wonder Woman spoke softly yet sternly. "Now, where do your loyalties lie?"

Jason felt a burning sensation course through his veins. He groaned. "With...with my mother, Talia al Ghul, and my brother, Damian al Ghul Wayne."

"Why did you attack the Justice League? Your father?"

"I...I was implanted with a biochip in my spinal cord by Ra's al Ghul. He sends me orders through it after I was activated by my trigger phrase. I...had no idea I was a sleeper agent until now, I didn't know he had done that." Jason winced, blinking his eyes. Wonder Woman watched as the green faded from his eyes and they returned to their normal blue. "Oh, my god. I nearly killed Bruce. And I sent Dick and his team into a trap."

Wonder Woman, Superman, and Green Lantern exchanged a look. "What do you mean by that?"

Jason swallowed thickly. "Ra's plans on chipping all of them. He will have the entire team under his control."