Wake Up Call.

tag, jason

Batman grapples up the building grabbing me with him. We're zooming through the air, I wish more than anything I was in my costume. I wanted to be included in the witch hunt for this girl.

"She's cutting down crime alley. Bruce, she's fast. I can't keep up with her on my own." I hear Dick in my ear.

Bat drops me on the roof and is off before I know it. I find a bag on the ground and smile. Of course, Bruce would never leave me out.

Quickly, I change into my suit and I'm following the trail to crime alley.

"I'm at the corner. I'll keep up as much as I can." Selina now. I'm grateful for these people although I don't show it often.

"Jason, whats your location?" Bruce is running. He's not panting, but he's controlling his labored breathing.

"I should be catching up with Selina." I fly through the air and land on the opposite of Selina. She doesn't take her eyes off of the target.

"The factory." Bruce says as if it's just a realization to him. But even when he says it. It makes perfect sense.

"I'm going there now." I say and I change my course. She knows we're following her so she's trying to throw us off.

"Do not go alone, Jason!" Bruce says calmly. Yeah right, when have I ever listened to him. Besides what's the worst that could happen .. oh right.

"Jason, do not go alone! You wait for me! JASON!" Bruce is screaming in the ear piece.

Whatever. I don't need him to babysit me.

I make my own decisions now.

Landing on the same building that I did before, I look down. There's no activity except maybe a small light coming from one of the upper windows. That wasn't there before.

Silently, I make my way to the building and step on the ground.

The air is thick and it's suffocating me. Maybe it's my nerves or maybe it's just the fact that something bad is happening here.

Quietly, I step into the factory. There's no doors. There's nothing shielding the weather from stinging the inside.

It smells of old chemicals. I didn't rightfully know how long it had been abandoned, but it was haunting to think about.

"Dick, I need your eyes on him!" Bruce is trying to remain calm.

"It's going to take a minute. I'm too far away." Dick is trying. I know he's really trying.

What kind of person am I that I just allow my family to worry about me? Hadn't I caused them enough grief over the last six or seven years?

"I'm fine. I'm inside the factory." I say clearly irritated by their constant nagging.

"Please, just don't go in any further." It's Bruce again.

I feel bad for worrying him, but did he feel bad when he left me for dead or when he let that idiot live?

No. The answer has and will always be no.

So, I take another step forward. My feet crunching under the steps as I go in deeper. Even though there's windows literally every couple square inches, it's still dark.

Which is odd. Why is it dark?

I hear footsteps behind me. I turn quickly pulling out a few toys ready for the fight.

"Oh, Jason. I thought it would take you at least a little more time to figure it out." That voice cold as ice, but familiar.

I don't want to believe it. I don't want to turn around and see the person I know that voice belongs too.

"Hello, Clay." I turn. There he was in flesh and bone.

He looked a lot worse than he did before. He was practically skin and bone at this point.

His face was sunken and discolored. He had found his true love. He had found drugs and by the look of him, he wasn't going to last long.

"Is that anyway to treat and old friend? To treat your brother?" He hisses. He doesn't even have any teeth left and if I'm not mistaking, he's got himself mixed up with a very bad gang.

I can see their brand on his neck, but if that's the case. Why is he targeting me? They usually just steer clear of any dangers. Especially of the batman kind.

"I'm just surprised. I thought you died." I say rudely. I didn't want to be rude. It really was bitter sweet to see him again.

But this shell of a man, that doesn't make for a good reunion. He's clearly had some issues since our days back then.

"Well, you left me for dead, didn't you?" He spits at me. I think he's freaking out. His eyes keep darting back and forth.

"I didn't leave you for dead. I didn't ask for Bruce to take me in." I yell at him. How can I be blamed for something that wasn't even my fault?

"You could have came back for me. I was so sure that you would that I waited for you! I knew you would. But no, the rich kid went off and bettered himself all the while forgetting where he came from!" He's taking steps closer to me.

I don't budge. I know that I certainly could take this idiot. I have the training. I have the knowledge. What did he have? A few needle marks.

There's no contest here.

"So how far away is Batman?" He's twitching moving from the moonlight.

"No clue." And I don't. They're listening on my end. The least I could do for Bruce is let him know what's happening.

"Clay, we can get you some help. I don't know what's become of you, but you look like death." I'm trying to reason with him.

I don't think I'm shocked at what he's become. I mean I knew he was a nasty dude even back then. I guess I feel responsible.

"Now you care?! I don't need help. I need revenge for what you've done to me. This is all your fault. All of it." He's slowly cracking. He's clearly unhinged. He takes steps towards me.

"There's a cast iron door in front of you, walk. We're going underground." He pulls a pistol from his jacket. He points at me, how fitting. I have my own gun.

We could have an old fashioned shoot out.

I do think about removing my outfit. Really he's at a huge disadvantage here. I could fight my way out of this mess if I really wanted too. But I needed to know what the Clown had to do with this.

"Okay, I'm going." I make my way to the door and pull it out. A gust of cold air rushes against my hood. I try to make out what's down here.

"I'm going to take my hood off, Clay." He doesn't say anything so I take it as a good sign.

I remove it and step further inside. I turn to ask Clay where I'm going now, but the door is slammed in my face and I hear the clicking of the lock.

Well, I can't back out now.

"Bruce." I say though the microphone.

"You hold tight Jason, I'm on my way." He's panicked. He may not be willing to show it on the outside, but I know inside he's a hot mess of emotion.

I rushed into something that could potentially be my second falling.

How cool am I posting two updates in the same week? I promise to get more updates up in a lot better timing!