Chapter Text
Red hood ran across the rooftop of an old warehouse on a rainy night. It was cold, and he wanted to just go back to his place and sleep. As he ran, his comm suddenly crackled with a familiar voice
“Sup hood! How is patrol?” came the voice of the annoying(but helpful) hacker Datastream.
Datastream, ah yes, the hacker who seems to only bother Jason. But when it comes to it, Batman hates him for some reason, and Nightwing, he just agrees with Batman. So it makes science why Datastream would bother him.
“Shit, as usual,” Jason responded as he jumped down onto another roof silently. “The Bat keeps pestering me ‘bout some stupid drug ring”
“Oh that, yeah that's about 10 blocks north from you in an old pet store” Datastream said, followed by the sound of what could only be chips being opened.
Red Hood had no clue what to say, he had been searching for days, and Datastream is here like ‘oh yeah i know’! That would have been helpful days ago!
“And how long have you known where this gang is?” Red Hood asked Datastream dryly as he ran a hand through where his hair would have been if not for his helmet.
“Eh, like, a couple hours. Ya know, since this morning, but you're not in contact at that time so I waited till now!” he responded through a mouthful of chips.
Jason sighed as he started running in the direction that Datastream had given him. “Exactly what I needed, a new problem” he muttered as he ran faster over the rooftops.
Over the comms, the sound of what could only be described as a microwave dying was coming though, besides the sounds of the young hacker eating chips.
“What are you doing right now, it sounds like a cooking disaster happening back there” Jason said into his comm as he swung over a block.
The sound of something falling onto the floor, most likely Datastream, was heard before panicked shouting, also Datastream “ShIT My AlMosT FooD! B.R.B!” he yelled, cutting out at some points as he cut off.
Red Hood could only shake his head. Honestly? This was normal. He would cut out at random times saying things like “my food is burning!” or “shit my essay!” and he would leave.
Jason had no clue who this hacker could be. All he knows, based on the insane things this kid says, is he is either in high school or some sort of university and or college, he lives alone, and he is running on pier spite, caffeine, and the literal will of god. And also that he likes cats, but that does not help him in his quest to find out his identity.
Jason kept running until he got to the old abandoned pet store that Datastream told him about. He perched on the rooftop across the street from the place. He debated on whether to call the Bat or not, and Red Hood, as usual, chose not to.
He grabbed his grapnel gun and swung his way onto the rooftop of the old pet store. He landed with the grace of a mouse? Moose? Cat? Just think of a very graceful animal, and that's how he landed.
He put his gun away as he looked around the rooftop. Damp. Real fucking damp, and only getting wetter as it kept raining. Also very empty, with the only sign of past movement being the slightly ajar of the door.
Jason slowly makes his way to the door, the sound of his steps swallowed by the drumming of the rain on the rooftop.
As he reached the door, he could hear faint voices from inside the building. Hushed voices speaking.
“It's here—no I was not followed—don't worry, the bat won't find us here” the voice of a young man was faintly heard from where Jason was.
Red Hood slowly opened the door and walked in, keeping out of sight and in the shadows.
Now that he was inside, he could tell how many there were. About 7 men, all armed, and all looked like perfect ex husband material. The main one, a broad man with tattoos all over his neck and arm, stood by a crate, most likely the drugs. He must have been the one on call, as he had a phone in his hand, which he put in his pocket.
Jason watched for a moment, taking in all of the thugs and weapons. Then, he charged in, going for the guy closest to him. The guy made a surprised sound as all the other thugs pulled out their weapons.
And honestly? For some low life thugs, they had decent weapons, Jason would give them that. Guns, knives, and even a bo staff! “One down, 6 to go” Jason muttered as he pulled out his own guns.
The guy with the guns attacked first, followed by 2 guys with knives who lunged at Red Hood.
He dodged to two on coming knife attacks by ducking and spinning, getting behind them and knocking them out with the blunt end of his guns. The first guy shoots at Jason, who barely dodged it, grazing his shoulder.
He hissed in pain as he fired back at the man, hitting him in his left leg. The man goes down with a pained yelp as he hits the floor.
“That’s 3+1=4, which means 2 left,” Jason muttered as he looked around. The other two, the leader and assumed right-hand man, were gone. But not gone gone, more like, ‘hiding and waiting to strike’ gone.
After a moment of silence, a voice crackled though his comm, Datastream.
“Sup Hood! On your left!” the hackers voice came though, fast and like it was said though a mouthful of food.
Jason ducked, trusting Datastream, and true to it, as he ducked, the leader's right-hand man had come at him with a bo staff, right where his head would have been.
Jason spins around fast and punches the guy straight in the jaw. The man stumbles back, dropping his bo staff. Jason takes this opportunity to strike the man again in the gut, knocking him out and onto the ground.
“Thanks I guess" he said into his comm after a while.
“No prob! Also the leader is getting away on your left” the hacker responded, the sound of what could only be instant ramen being consumed coming through.
Jason pulls out one of his guns and shoots the leader in the leg as he runs. The leader goes down hard, knocked out from the impact.
“So~ now what? You should prob get them to the police station or something.” Datastream said as he slurped the noodles loudly.
“Yeah yeah, whatever. You always eat at like what, 3am?” Jason asked as he walked over to the leader. He zip tied the leaders wrists behind his back and dragged him to the others, who he had already zip tied.
“Nah, I was feeling peckish so I got a midnight snack, I normally eat at ‘bout 9-10” the young hacker said through a mouth full of noodles.
“Anyhooo~ I’m off, I got to at least try to sleep. See ya Hood! Don't die whilst I’m gone” and with that, the comm cut, leaving Jason in silence.
He sighed as he pulled out his communicator and pulled up Batman.
“Sup B, found that drug ring you were talk’en ‘bout, took care of ‘em, so I'm heading home now” he said to the communicator.
Batman's stern voice came through, cold and sharp.
“Understood, are you okay?” he asked.
“Oh yeah, just a small scratch on my shoulder, nothing to worry ‘bout.” Red Hood said as he looked over at his shoulder, which looked much worse than he had let on. It was bleeding slowly, staining his leather jacket red around it. It was not that deep, but it definitely would need a proper cleaning and wrap later.
“Very well, I expect a full report tomorrow” Bruce said, then he cut the comm, once again leaving Jason in silence.
Jason put his communicator into his pocket again and looked around at the mess. Blood, rubble, and 7 criminals tied up and unconscious.
He sighed and walked out. As he walked out, he sent a quick text to Gordon about the criminals before he swung away, into the night and to his apartment.