"Look—it's a town." Dick pointed ahead, relief creeping into his voice as they broke through the last stretch of woods. The sky had turned dark now as the sun went down.
The town ahead wasn't exactly bustling—it looked like one of those quiet in-between places, somewhere caught halfway between Gotham's urban sprawl and Metropolis's cleaner reach. A few flickering neon signs marked a gas station, a diner, and a row of parked trucks humming under dull streetlights.
"Follow my lead," Jason said, his tone low but firm as they approached the gas station. The air smelled faintly of gasoline and wet asphalt. Jason tucked his Red Hood helmet under his jacket and zipped it up, making sure the crimson crest on his chest was completely hidden.
Dick frowned. "What are you doing?" he asked, watching Jason pull out a black ski mask and slip it over his head.
Jason shot him a look over his shoulder. "Shut up, circus boy, and just follow my lead."
Dick groaned. "That's never a good sign when it comes from you."
Jason ignored him, walking up to one of the parked sedans. Its paint was faded, the kind of car you wouldn't look twice at. The owner was probably inside grabbing snacks or paying for something. Jason grabbed the door handle, gave it a little tug—and it opened without resistance.
Dick's voice dropped into a tense whisper. "Don't tell me you're doing what I think you're doing."
Jason slid smoothly into the driver's seat. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
"Stealing a car!" Dick hissed, crouching beside the vehicle, trying not to be seen.
Jason glanced around the dashboard, searching for keys that weren't there. "Then it's exactly what you're thinking." He reached under the steering column, pulling a small blade from his belt. "Either get in or find your own way back to Gotham. You're sticking out like a sore thumb in that black-and-blue circus suit."
Dick clenched his jaw. "You are unbelievable."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," Jason said, fiddling with the wires until a spark flickered—and the engine roared to life. The headlights flicked on, throwing light across the pavement.
"Wait for me!" Dick muttered, running around to the passenger side and hopping in just as Jason shifted into gear.
"Good choice," Jason said with a faint smirk. "You should be grateful. Without me, you'd still be wandering in the woods, talking to squirrels."
Before Dick could respond, an enraged shout came from behind them. "Hey! You're dead, you hear me?!"
Both of them turned in time to see a man storming out of the mini-mart, groceries spilling across the pavement as he bolted toward them.
"Looks like he noticed! Drive!" Dick yelled, eyes widening.
Jason stayed perfectly calm, one hand on the wheel, the other tapping his finger rhythmically against it. "Seat belt first," he said flatly.
"Jason, I swear—"
"Seat belt."
"Fine!" Dick clicked his belt into place with a snap. "Happy now?!"
Jason smiled faintly beneath the mask. "Ecstatic." He threw the car in reverse, spinning it in a perfect U-turn before flooring the accelerator. The tires screeched as the car fishtailed, and the angry owner hurled a glass bottle after them. It shattered harmlessly against the road as they sped off.
"That was fun, right?" Jason said casually, leaning back as the headlights painted the empty road ahead.
"You're out of your damn mind," Dick muttered, slumping in his seat.
"Probably," Jason replied, his tone sounded dry but distant—like someone only half joking about their own sanity.
Dick's eyes narrowed. "Why the mask, anyway?"
"I don't want security footage showing Red Hood stealing a car," Jason said, pulling off the ski mask and tossing it on the dash.
"Shit," Dick cursed, slamming his hand on the dashboard. "I was so caught up with your bullshit, I forgot about the cameras."
Jason chuckled, sounding low and unbothered. "That's on you. My bullshit just got us a ride back."
Dick glared at him. "You knew this would happen."
Jason shrugged. "Don't look at me. You brought this upon yourself."
"And whose fault is that?" Dick asked through clenched teeth.
"Uh… yours," Jason said without missing a beat.
"Motherf—" Dick stopped himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You didn't tell me we were stealing a car. You just said, 'follow my lead.'"
"A—technically, the car was unlocked so blame the owner for his carelessness. And B—it's your mess, not mine," Jason replied with mock seriousness, his tone dripping with amusement.
Dick exhaled sharply, slumping deeper into the seat. He realized arguing with Jason was like trying to wrestle smoke—it only wore you out. Outside, the road stretched endlessly ahead, the occasional flicker of highway lamps casting stripes of light across the windshield.
Jason kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on the window frame.
After a long silence, Dick sighed. "You really are something else, you know that?"
Jason smirked faintly, eyes never leaving the road. "Yeah. I've been told."
The stolen car cruised deeper into the night, two silhouettes framed by the glow of the dashboard lights—one tired, one unreadable—as Gotham's distant skyline began to glimmer faintly on the horizon.
- - -
[The Batcave]
Still dressed in his Bat suit but with his cowl off, Batman was seated at his console still combing through the city digitally for either traces of Red Hood or Nightwing after the field detective approach hielded no fruit or even a shred of positive result.
"Still nothing yet?" Alfred asked Bruce as he stepped onto the console, holding in hand a tray which carrried cup of tea.
"Nothing at all." Bruce replied, as he picked up a porcelain teacup from the tray. "Thank you, Alfred." He said, taking a sip from it as Alfred accepted with a nod.
"It's been two nights now, nothing has turned up, not even a clue to go by." He said to Alfred, unable to mask the worry in his voice even as he spoke calmly.
"You have raised master Richard to be very tanatious, give it a bit more time and hopefully he would turn out just fine." Alfred place his arm on his shoulder, unable to assure him with full certainty that Dick would be found, especially not after what happened with Jason five years ago.
"After lossing Jason five years ago, I am not sure what I would do if I loose Dick this time around." He tried to gather his thoughts so they don't stray into ones that elevates his worry.
He had just returned from Arkham not too long ago, right after an interrogation with Scarecrow who claimed he had no idea what Batman was talking about. Said he works alone and was the only mastermind in his creative gift to Gotham that night.
While he was out, Damian tried sneaking out to do his bit at contributing to the search, but his father had a system in place to keep him in the compound. He did almost make it out, but after making it through one trap after another, he was lightly electrocuted by the last setup and was caught by Alfred who ensured he returned back into the building.
While Bruce and Alfred were having their talk, he stood by the entrance which lead inside the manor and listened with his arms crossed. Still racking his brain on if Jason had really taken Dick captive and if so, why did he?
Does he hold a grudge against his father or against Dick? Or was it due to something else? Either way, he has been trying Jason's line but it has failed to connect since that night.
His thoughts were disrupted by Bruces's conversation with Alfred. "What if my theory is right and Red Hood did kidnap Dick, and he kills him? Do I go on the haunt for a kid who was once the son I mourned for months, but now returned as something else?"
"That fate would be way too cruel." Alfred said to him. "Master Jason might have become the fierce and murderous Red Hood, but I doubt he would go as far as to kill master Richard in his right sense."
"That's the thing, Alfred. Something in Jason changed when he was brought back to life, a taint on his soul, marked by the Lazarus pit." He voiced made it clear that this was one of his many concerns.
"You've seen his works so far, there's no telling what he might do or how far he would go to achieve his delusional goals." His eyes narrowed as he looked into the cup of tea, and as if shrugging off the picture that crossed his mind, he let out a sigh and took a sip of his tea.
"I am sure something would turn up soon." Alfred encouraged. "Even if he did take master Richard hostage, he would most likely make some kind of demand, instead of killing him for no just cause." He added, feeling like they kept repeating that same talk.
"I hope so Alfred." Bruce replied, just as Alfred tapped on his shoulder before heading off, a voice came from cave's entry.
"Wow, what a gloomy atmosphere you guys have going on here." They turned in anticipation to the direction of which the familiar voice came. "I've gotta say, it really does warm my heart to see you all worried about me."
"Dick!" Bruce called out.
"Welcome home, Master Richard." Alfred welcomed.
"Thank you, Alfred." He replied, making his way unto the console.
"Glad you are safe." Bruce said to him with a grateful heart as he earned an understanding nod from Dick who proceeded to take a seat on another chair.
As happy as he was to have his son safely return home, Bruce went straight to business. "What happened? Who took you?" As he asked his barrage of questions, Dick gestured for him to relax. Bruce's eyes narrowed, suddenly having a more serious expression as he went on to ask the question that bothered him the most.
"Were you taken by the Red Hood?" This question from Bruce had both him, Alfred, and the concealed Damian, all in suspense as they awaited Dick's response to it.
"You mean Jase." He said to clarify as Bruce answered with a nod. With a deep inhale and a calm exhale, he shook his head, giving them the answer to that which everyone has been asking themselves since the night both sons had gone missing in the sewers.
"No, he didn't." Dick replied. At the sound of his answer, a visibly wave of relief could been seen on Alfred's expression as he gave a subtle sigh in relief. While the fierce look in Bruce's eyes, seemed to relax, appearing to be glad Jason wasn't the culprit behind Dick's disappearance.
"We were both taken." He replied.
"Both taken?!" Surpised, Bruce and Alfred asked in near unison.
"Yes, we were cellar buddies. Brothers in captivity." Dick replied. "Cellar buddies?" Alfred responsively asked, confused by that statement.
'That explains why he's been AWOL.' Damian thought to himself.
Shocked by Dick's answer, Bruce wondered who could possible carryout a successful capture of both of his sons who are more than capable of handling the most dangerous criminals of Gotham city. "How were you both taken, and who took you?" Bruce went on with the questions.
Dick went on to explain how he had lost conciousness after feeling a prickly sensation on his neck, and Jason who said he had also lost conciousness when he got struck by one of Scarecrow's toxin darts.
He briefly recounted how Jason had saved his life, rescueing him from the flames of the burning cellar. As for their captor, his identity remained a mystrey.
'Thank goodness you made it back safe." Alfred chipped in with a gratful heart, looking towards Bruce with a look that says…'Told you he would be alright, sir.'
Understanding his expression without even speaking a word, Bruce gave him a slight nod in confirmation.
"Looks like you spent a lot of time with Jason." Bruce said to Dick, hinting for a walk through on his thoughts about his son who had gone rogue.
"Yes. He might be prickly, murderous and seeming inapproachable, but the kid you raised is still in there" Bruce. Somewhere." He replied with a faint smile seemingly appearing on his face, recollecting their time shared together.
While Bruce thought on what he had told, he was relieved by the news that Jason wasn't completely gone, and hopefully good was still in him even with Ra's' brainwashing.
Alfred was happy to hear what Dick had said. Right from the moment they found out Jason was the Red Hood, he had hoped and prayed that even if the boy had lost his way, he shouldn't loose his heart.
"If you'd excuse me, I need a bath and a long night rest." Dick said to them, stretching his arms and then cracking his neck.
"Certainly, Master Richard." Alfred replied.
With a permissable nod from Bruce, he headed to his room without bumping into Damian who had already left.
Although grateful for Dick's safe return, Bruce was left to wonder just who was capable enough to capture both of his sons and almost succeeded in killing them both without a trace of either themself or the location of his sons captivity.