ISSUE #2 (May 2018)
Written by Jake Hawkins Featuring: The Red Hood
Midnighter
Shiva
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*Writers note: This story takes place after the current events in Red Hood and The Outsiders
CLUB VICTORY DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES THEN Joseph Lentz was slammed face first onto the desk in his office by Jason, whose identity was concealed only by the half black half red domino mask he wore. “What the hell Is your problem man?” The confused club manager yelled as his fingers scrambled toward the emergency button on his desk phone. No sooner had he pressed it that Jason’s familiar curved blade pierced the middle of his hand, pinning it to the desk. “You been loaning these girls out to anyone who comes in here waving a stack around. The pieces of shit you’ve been giving your employees to have been trafficking them down through Mexico. I can’t think of a better reason to smear the inside of your head all over this desk, can you?” No sooner had Jason cocked his gun that the door to Lentz’s office burst open and four armed bouncers entered the room. Jason immediately turned and fired, catching one of them in the chest as he drew his other glock. He rushed at the group of gunmen, sliding as he went and catching one of them off guard with a leg sweep and another with a bullet that pierced his throat. As he rolled to his feet he grabbed the last bouncer by the wrist of his gun hand and wrenched him forward directly into a leaping knee that caught him flush under the chin. Jason turned just as Joseph aimed the shotgun he stored under his desk at the vigilante, having painfully wrenched Jason’s knife from his bleeding hand. Before he could fire however the very same knife came slashing across his throat from behind. Lentz fell the floor, his throat spilling blood all over the room. Jason locked eyes with the woman who saved him, a dark haired girl with the most beautiful almond eyes he could remember seeing, and he would know. He had spent the last couple of years under the gaze of Talia Al Ghul, who despite all her mental shortcomings was one of a kind in her beauty. But even to this girl, she was a very distant second. Jason shook himself from his musings as this was far from the time or moment to be in lust. He dashed past her and looked down out the large one way mirror to the packed club floor below, where he saw more bouncers forcing their way through the crowd in their direction. He looked at the blood that stained the girl’s hands and without another thought grabbed her by the elbow and they tore out of the room. They ripped through the hallway, reaching the emergency stairs just as the elevator and the other end of the hall opened. “Downstairs. Black Cadillac. Go.” Jason ordered succinctly as he turned and began to open fire at the bouncers before they had a chance to act, gunning down two of them before they could step out the elevator. He quickly reloaded both his glocks before he dashed after her down the staircase. He bounced out the door and into the alley where the girl stood waiting, her head swinging back and forth in an effort to catch any more danger. “Get in.” He ordered as he hopped into the drivers seat and started the engine. After a moments hesitation, the girl shrugged her shoulders, realizing she had nothing else to really lose at that point and got in as well. The Cadillac sped out of the alley just as a couple of the bouncers exited the building, firing erratic shots in the vehicles direction. As they sped down the streets, police cars passed them heading in the opposite direction, surely responding to the shots fired at the club. Only the low hum of Schoolboy Q’s Groovy Tony playing on the radio cut through the silence between them. He reached behind him and grabbed a rag, tossing it to her. She took the hint and began to wipe the blood caked on her hands. “So just out of curiosity, what the fuck made you think that was a good idea?” Jason asked, finally daring to place his eyes on her as he drove. “One of the his new clients tried ripping me off, and I wasn’t having that shit. Then when he realized I wasn’t one to get over on he tried to strangle me. So I figured I’d pay Joe’s ass back in kind since my life meant so little to him.” She seethed as she stared out the window, refusing to look at the strange man in the mask. Jason couldn’t help but be intrigued by the train of thought that led to her actions, so he decided to delve further. “The way you were shaking and the size of your pupils kind of gave it away but I suppose I’ll ask for posterity’s sake at the very least. That the first time you ever killed somebody?” Jason continued his line of questioning as they pulled into the parking lot of Hank’s Diner and he put the Caddy in park. “It sure as fuck wasn’t the first time I thought about it, but yeah.” She grumbled. Jason smirked before getting out of the car and heading around to her side to open her door. “I usually like to get a steak and some coffee in me after I handle business. Since I need to make sure you A. don’t end up in jail and B. don’t end up dead,” He looked around to make sure the parking lot was quite empty before pulling off his domino mask and offering his hand to her as she got out of the car. “I figured a working women such as yourself wouldn’t turn down a free meal.” She took his hand and stepped out before heading into the diner with him. “I’m not the kind of person who lets people I don’t know do me any kind of favors, that’s usually how you end up in all the wrong situations.” She admitted as he held the door open for her. “Well I appreciate you breaking from your usual code of conduct so frequently tonight.” Jason replied as the pair took a seat in a corner booth near the kitchen. A waitress set a couple of menus down in front of them as she approached. “Let me get some coffee, a steak medium well and some hash browns?” He orders without a glance at the menu, handing it back to the waitress as he kept his eyes on the woman across from him. “Just some tea, thank you.” She said as the waitress left to put in their orders and the pair were alone once again. “You going to tell me your name or are we going to have to stay unfamiliar all night?” Jason needled as his coffee was set in front of him. “I wasn’t the one running around in a mask twenty minutes ago so I don’t see why I have to go first, but I guess I can be polite for once.”She joked as she slid the sugar across the table to him. “Karlee. There, those are the extent of my manners for the evening.” She lamented as she took a sip of her tea before grabbing the sugar back and pouring a healthy amount into the mug. “Well excuse me if I’m not as forward, although I appreciate the trust.” He said with a smile that made her flush a bit. Karlee was taken aback by the way this peculiar, intimidating human being made her feel. She had been around plenty of men, most of whom weren’t worth more than two dead flies. But there was an aura about him, a budding aggression that she felt the need to be around. It was like he kept something bottled up inside him, something she saw him tap into when he was tearing through Lentz’s office. “So how does someone with your tenacity end up in a place like Victory? Cuz it’s obvious you weren’t there for the entertainment or the company.” She pressed for as much as she could get out of him as possible. “I was down in Juarez a few months ago, caught wind of a string of brothels filled with American girls who were forced to be on duty 24/7 for pennies at that. “ Jason began, his tone hardening as he went on. “They had them separated by preference, some of the clientele that were rolling through ranged from the lieutenants of every major cartel in the country to some of the world’s greatest hit men.” The waitress returned once more, setting Jason’s plate in front of him. He pulled a fifty from his jacket and slipped it to her, giving her a wink to let her know to keep the change before putting his focus squarely on back on Karlee. “The cartels? You spend time in those kind of circles?” She asked as mischief filled smile came across her face. Jason took a bite of his steak before continuing to humor her budding interest. “I wouldn’t say that.” He answered briefly before swallowing a forkful of hash browns. “Well what would you say?” “I’d say the kind of circles I have rolled in kept me, you, and the rest of your co-workers from the type of fates movies usually love to dream up. So let’s count our blessings for lack of a better term and leave it at that.” He shut her down there, but she wasn’t the least bit put off by his sudden bit of gruffness. Jason finished the last of his steak before standing up and leading Karlee back out of the diner, nodding to their waitress as they left. “I live four more blocks that way if you don’t mind giving me a ride.” She asked as he opened the passenger door. “Unfortunately even if I did mind, I’d be a damn fool to say I did now wouldn’t I?” He said with a smile as he hopped in the car after her. “Yeah, you sure would.” EGON’S MANSION SANTA MONICA NOW Midnighter rained down right hands with furious speed, eventually completely cracking Jason’s helmet in half. Jason managed to block a chop aimed at the crown of his head and threw a kick that Midnighter swatted away with ease. He launched himself forward, catching Jason with a kick to the ribs that sent him crashing through the glass I’m pretty sure that was at least two or three ribs he just broke. Add that to the concussion and I’d say I’m in a damn good bit of trouble. But whoever’s behind this high end garbage has the weight to get the fucking Midnighter in my face, which opens up a whole avenue of questions I’m not sure I’m going to live to find the answers to. Dick told me about this guy once, told me he was up there next to Bruce and Slade in terms of pure skill. And that’s without all his crazy enhancements. “I watched you scrape away from the drones. Ran through how this here would go about a dozen times and not a single one of them went well for you.” Midnighter explained as he stepped into the darkened pool house, his enhanced vision scanning the room for the slightest movement. From his left Jason’s curved blade came from the shadows but Midnighter picked it out of mid-air by its hilt before it made contact. He looked down just as the grenade he felt bump against his boots exploded, freezing his legs in a block of ice. Jason sprung from the shadows, tackling Midnighter and mounting him before hitting him with a flurry of punches around the head, eventually managing to break the orbital bone in his face with a loud crunch. I have to keep him off balance, stay a fraction ahead of his precognitive abilities if I want to walk off this property alive. Jason drew his glock and quickly tried to put a bullet square in Midnighter’s forehead, how he managed to smack Jason’s hand away and causing the bullet to narrowly miss it’s mark. He caught Jason in the jaw with and elbow before grabbing him by the vest and tossing him overhead and into the billiards table near the center of the room. The Midnighter used the brief reprieve he’d created to smash his legs against the ground with such force that the ice around them shattered. He stood up and began to close the gap between him and his opponent just as Jason reached his feet. Jason sidestepped another chop from Midnighter that left a sizable crack in the wood of the pool table. Jason fired his glock at as he rolled away, however not a single bullet found its mark as Midnighter ducked around each shot, grabbing a pool stick in the process and cracking it in half over his knee as he effortlessly closed the gap between them. Jason’s eyes went wide with shock as Midnighter came in, driving half of the broken pool cue into his side. Jason stumbled back, clutching his wound as blood seeped from his mouth. He fired a shot that just managed to clip the unsuspecting Midnighter in the shoulder, much his surprise and anger. Midnighter grabbed Jason by the throat and slammed him through the glass table in the entertainment area, leaving him motionless. He picked up the gun Jason had dropped and cocked it before aiming it directly at his head. Before he can pull the trigger, Midnighter turned his head slightly as he heard something move behind him. Before even he could react he was whacked across the head by a steel nunchuck that caused him to drop the gun. He steadied himself quickly and turned, tossing a handful of throwing stars in the direction of his new adversary. Lady Shiva stepped forward and swatted away each projectile with her nunchuck before attacking Midnighter again. He struggled to avoid her flurry of attacks, catching her with a back fist across the jaw once he saw the slightest opening. “I never figured you for the save the day type. It’s a shame you felt the need to get involved here Shiva.” Midnighter admitted as he pulled his nightstick from his waist. “Leave the boy and go while you can still breath.” Shiva threatened as she spun her nunchucks. Midnighter smirked as he rushed forward and Shiva ducked under a swing from his nightstick. She caught him in the chin with straight kick before smacking him across the face with her nunchuck. Midnighter took each blow in stride and managed to nail Shiva in the face with a straight punch followed by an uppercut that rocked her. Shiva stumbled but her instinctively dropped down and caught Midnighter with a leg sweep. Midnighter rolled through and regained his balance, but just as he got back to his feet Shiva launched herself at him, nailing him square in the chest with a kick that sent him back through the same doors he put Jason through and out into the yard. He got to his feet just in time to see Shiva with one of Jason’s guns trained on him. “I was led to believe you were a far more honorable opponent than this.” Midnighter said with a smirk. “Under any other circumstances I would want nothing more than to find out which of us has the skills necessary to win this battle. Fortunately for you, the current situation calls for less selfishness on my part. I wouldn’t be so disappointed, we both know you’ll survive this.” Shiva explained before putting him down with five shots. Without another wasted motion, she rushed back into the pool house and tossed the unconscious Jason over her shoulder before getting as far away from the property and Midnighter as she could. She tossed Jason into the backseat of a clearly stolen Taxi parked in front of the mansion before hopping in the driver’s seat and speeding off just as emergency service vehicles began to arrive on the scene. She pulled a burner phone from the glovebox without taking her eyes off the road before calling a number on her speed dial. “I have him. He took quite the beating, but I’m almost positive he’ll live. I’m bringing him to you, then we’re done, do you understand?” She hung up abruptly, a subtle look of exasperation on her face as she sped through the streets of Santa Monica. Back at the mansion, a paramedic examined the body of Midnighter, who he found to still be breathing. “I’ve got someone over he-“ Midnighter crushed the young EMT of no more than twenty-two years of age’s windpipe with absolute ease, stifling his cry then and there. He tossed the young man aside before sitting up and wiping a spot of dried blood from his mouth. He stood up and began to hobble out of the yard as he heard police sirens drawing nearer. “The kid’s gone, but as far as I know he’s got nothing substantial to work with.” Midnighter spoke into his communicator as he smashed the window of a Nissan parked on the street and unlocked it from the inside. He hopped in the driver’s seat and began to hot wire the vehicle as he continued his report. “It was Shiva for sure, but as far as I know she’s not an official G.O.O.D agent.” Elsewhere a man speaks to Midnighter through a small handheld radio in the office of an old factory as he watched a crew of undocumented workers in the midst of the arduous process that goes with creating cocaine. “Is there anything left of the drone strike team we sent in ahead of you? Ideally we would like to use them as the basis for future models.” The man explained. “Negative. Whatever was left of them after their encounter with the Red Hood is in that fire.” Midnighter croaked over the radio, the bullet wound in his throat still healing. “Return to base immediately, we’ll regroup and progress from here.” The man put down the radio as a large robotic man clanked into the room, the sound of metal stomping across the steel floor echoing throughout the room. “Your creations were not enough. I need better than not enough if I’m going to reshape this country.” The man demanded as the being known only as the Machinist stood in front of him. “You wanted a prototype that could handle one of Batman’s followers.” The Machinist pulled a small device from his pocket and a video began to emit from it directly in front of the pair of them, showcasing footage from the mansion battle between Red Hood and the clad in all black robots created by the Machinist. “And you got exactly what you requested on such short notice. However, your displeasure was expected and prepared for. I have improved upon the initial base design you saw in action tonight. You will have the unyielding army you seek sooner than you anticipated.” The Machinist assured him before pocketing the device and ending the video. He began to leave when he paused for a moment and turned back to the man. “My intel has informed me that the FBI is moving David Parker into witness protection within the next few hours. Apparently he has struck a deal, not that you should be overtly concerned given the minimal role he played in this entire operation. Nevertheless, I assumed the information would be of value to you.” And with that the Machinist left the room without another word. The man watched him leave before picking up the radio once again. “Midnighter, I have your next assignment…” Jason sprang up right, yanking the tubing from his nose and grimacing as he remembered the ribs he’d broken not too long ago. He placed a hand on his side and realized that someone had taken him to receive much needed medical attention. The only questions were why, and who? He ripped the IV from his arm and swung his legs off the bed before the voice of Shiva startled him slightly. “You’re lucky to still be amongst the living, I suggest you lie back down.” She scolded as she approached the bed, her expression a mix of annoyance and intrigue. “You’re so much like your master, but I suppose we all carry a trait or two from the one’s who leave indelible marks on our lives. It’s only human nature.” “Where am I Shiva? And why the hell haven’t you killed me yet?” He asked as he hopped off the hospital bed and pushed past Shiva, studying the room they were in for any signs that could tell him his whereabouts. “For me to end your life while you were anything but at your very best would be insulting to me and the legacy I have carved for myself over these long years. I once brought you very own teacher back from the brink forced retirement, I have no need in my ego for victories over tainted opposition.” She explained as the door to the room slid open. Two men entered, one clad in the most expensive suit Jason had laid eyes on not owned by Bruce Wayne, the other in a black Gi with green accents. A large dragon went down the right sleeve of the man’s Gi, and it was this particular symbol that alerted Jason to his identity. “You’re Richard Dragon.” Jason blurted out, unable to control his shock. He was standing in a room with two of the greatest martial artists in the entire world, and he hadn’t the slightest clue how or why. “A pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard nothing but great things when it comes to your resolve from the Batman himself.” Dragon and Jason shook hands, much to the disgust of Shiva, who chose to ignore the camaraderie going on in front of her. “Not that I don’t appreciate the assistance from Satan’s favorite spawn here,” Jason started as he gestured towards Shiva, “But I need to get back on the streets before whoever is distributing that garbage through bums like Egon gets more people killed.” Jason shoved past Shiva and headed towards the door when the man who came in with Richard caught his attention. “Mr. Todd I am afraid we can’t allow you to continue interfering in our investigation.” The man stated flatly. Jason turned around, his temper beginning to boil immediately. “I didn’t ask for anyone’s permission, nor do I need it.” Jason said matter of factly as he got in the man’s face. “And who the fuck are you, anyway?” The man extended his hand as a means to diffuse the hostility radiating off Jason, who ignored his attempt at a handshake. “My name is Barney Ling, I’m a personnel director for the Global Organization of Organized Defense. We’ve been after the distributor of these lethal batches of coke for the better part of the last year. Thanks to your brash actions since you entered the city, we’ve got our first solid lead in months.” “The agents I saw at the apartment complex, they weren’t with the FBI…” Jason began to realize as he thought back to the scene around Karlee’s death. Although he was distraught from the sight he was forced to witnessed as they rolled her body out of her building, Jason recalled the pair of operatives he’d noticed taking a sample of the cocaine residue left on her kitchen table at the crime scene. “Mr. Todd we understand your personal stake in the matters at hand-“ Ling began before he was abruptly cut off by Shiva. “What the puppet in the expensive and ill-fitting suit was about to mumble is that you aren’t the only one with a personal vendetta against the men responsible for this filth tearing through the city. And your attitude nor your ability to draw a crowd through your antics will not be the reason these animals slip through my, our grasps.” She barked, unable to control her temper. “You know Shiva I would be more inclined to give a shit about all that garbage you’re spewing if you weren’t trying to help Talia raise a genocidal sociopath from the the grave not too long ago. Guess my memory is just a tad too sharp for my own good, but oh well what can ya do?” Jason said with a smirk, which caused Shiva to grab him by his shirt collar and pull him face to face with her. “I saved your life because for the time being I had no choice in the matter but make not the slightest mistake: If you get in the path between me and the vengeance I seek, I will kill you and drop your body on the Wayne manor front lawn myself.” She threatened, releasing him once Dragon placed a hand on her shoulder. “If we can keep level headed for just a moment, Mr. Ling and I were hoping to fold you in on this Jason. We have been led to believe through your actions over the past day that you could be a valuable asset to this investigation.” Richard admitted, doing his best to defuse the tension between Jason and Shiva. “I’m not sure if I feel comfortable working alongside anyone who decided to place their faith in this heap of trash.” Jason said as he tilted his head towards Shiva, whose own anger was close to boiling over once again. “Shiva is here not only as a personal favor to me, but because like you, this drug has taken someone dear to her as well.” Dragon explained to Jason, whose position on Shiva’s presence in the room began to soften slightly. The idea of someone with the legacy and reputation of Shiva feeling the type of pain he was feeling right now baffled him, and he knew he needed to stifle the recent history between the pair of them if he was going get to the bottom of this entire situation. “How did you manage to find me?” Jason asked, attempting to move forward amicably after the hostility of the last few minutes. “We’ve had eyes and ears on Egon’s home for quite some time. Those drones that attacked you were giving off a transmission signal that interfered with out surveillance equipment on site, so we sent in Shiva to investigate and pull you of a fight you had no business being in the middle of.” Ling began to fill in the gaps. “Anyone who has had anything to do with pushing this stuff on the streets is ending up dead, which mean’s whoever is bringing this stuff in or making it is getting ready to flood the market. What’s worse is that each sample we’ve managed to get tested has come back more potent than before. If more of this trash gets into another nightclub or college dorm, we could be looking at dozens of bodies night after night piling up in the streets. People losing brothers, sisters, son’s and daughters.” “Tell me what you need from me and let’s get down to business.” Jason informed the three of them, much to Shiva’s surprise, who raised an eyebrow curiously. “We’re trying to bring in as many distributors as we can. The only problem is with Egon gone there are only two people left who have been moving this stuff in large quantities. David Parker, who you ran into not too long ago, and the Ghost Dragon’s working out of Compton. I know you and Batman have had quite a few scuffles with Mr. Dorrance and his men, I thought you might like to look into them personally while Shiva and I convince the Bureau that Parker is much safer in our custody.” Dragon explained as Shiva watched the conversation from a distance, her mind elsewhere at the moment. She had no one to blame but herself for what she had lost, and she couldn’t decide what was the worst outcome. That she hadn’t realized what she had until it was gone, or the fact that nothing she did from this moment forward could change the past. Her daughter was gone, a victim of the life her mother led just like Cassandra. “Parker’s useless, you guys should know that already.” Jason advised as he began to leave the room. “He’s better off with us for now then dead or in a witness protection program.” Ling stated plainly. “I know some folks out in Compton. Contact me in twelve hours and I’ll let you know what I manage to dig up.” Jason informed the trio, tossing a communicator to Shiva as the doors slid open and he disappeared from sight. “You’re bringing in a wild card we don’t need right now. Should your heart get in the way of my vengeance Richard, I have no problem going through you or the boy.” Shiva threatened. “Calm down Shiva. If he can help us save lives and bring the people responsible for this epidemic to life, we owe him the opportunity to do so. Let’s go, Parker’s detail will be on the move by now.” Richard and Shiva left the room, followed closely behind by Ling. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES NIGHT A police car cruised through the streets of LA as David Parker smacked his head in frustration against the backseat window glass at the run of luck he’d had recently. Not too long ago he was in the middle of the greatest game of spade’s he’d ever played, now he was being transferred into federal custody with a broken jaw and severely bruised ego. Word had gotten to him in his holding cell about Egon, and moments after that footage of the mansion fire was played on every television set inside the precinct. The only silver lining he could find to his entire predicament was that he had to be safer here than anywhere else. Four throwing stars pierced the front left tire of the police cruiser, causing the vehicle to skid erratically and hop the curb before crashing through the front window of a convenience store. The pair of officers managed to extract themselves from the front seat, the driver noticing the cause of their crash and drawing his weapon instantly. Before his partner could pull David from the backseat, another throwing star sunk right into his eye and he dropped dead, his face smacking against the back of the car. Midnighter leaped across the car and jammed a throwing star directly into the jugular of the officer repeatedly, blood spraying across the white paint of the police cruiser. David watched in stunned horror as the monster of a human being that had just laid waste to his escorts with relative ease smashed through the glass of the backseat window and wrenched him out by the collar of his shirt. “There are people who need you silenced. Although we appreciate the considerable time and effort you put into the cause.” Midnighter quickly wrenched David’s head around, snapping his neck with barely any effort. He walked out of the convenience store without a second look at the mayhem he’d left behind, continuing down the street as siren’s wailed in the distance. TO BE CONTINUED IN ISSUE 3! |