Hey y'all! So, here's a rather short update, but a huge turn in the story. Picks up where the last chapter left off, I suggest re reading the last chapter just so you can remember what's going on. Sorry for the ginormous wait, but I've dedicated my night to fanfiction, so you'll probably see one or two more updates tonight on other stories.

No more waiting!

I drove into the city, acutely aware of who I was looking for. Deathstroke the Terminator and his sexy daughter were the first two on my list I had to deal with. But where the hell was I going to find them in this god-forsaken city? Deathstroke typically worked out of Jump City, in southern California. Who here would know his whereabouts? I parked my bike at the back of an alley and, leaving my red helmet on, moved to the roof tops. I had forgotten what it was like to be so high up. The protector of my city, looking down on her. Gotham had its quirks and freaks, but it would always be home to me. I looked to the lower east side, my home. If anyone knew where Deathstroke was, they would be in crime alley. I had to go to the criminal underworld. The murderers, the thieves, the psychos, THAT is where I'd get my information. I knew from experience that Black Mask was the Crime Lord. He ran the drug trade, made the contracts, killed anyone who got in his way. He was a tyrannical ruler over the petty criminals trying to make a living.

I pulled a grappling hook from my belt and made my way across the rooftops of Gotham City toward the lower east side. At least down there I wouldn't have to worry too much about running into Batman or the others. Then again…they were probably following me anyway.

As I got closer, I began to pay attention to my surroundings. I'd never really been to the lower east side of Gotham since Bruce adopted me. Batman never let me come with him when I was Robin; he said it was too dangerous.

Screw danger.

I moved into crime alley. The murder haven of Gotham. The place Bruce's parents were killed. The place my mother, Katherine Todd, got pregnant. The place my father was killed.

My home. I looked up at the broken window that led to the ratty apartment we lived in way back when. Ah…memories.

I zipped up my jacket to hide the red bat symbol and made my way down the ally and into the hidden bar that the scum bags typically rendezvoused at. I removed the red helmet and placed the mask over my eyes for better vision. I'd definitely have to refine the helmet if I wanted it to work in my favor.

I pushed the creaky door open only to be met with dying conversation as every eye turned to me. I looked around and recognized a few of the villains: Catwoman, Arnold Flass, Victor Zasz, some of the GCPD force…

Wonderful.

I kept my head high and walked to the bar confidently. Catwoman watched me curiously as I sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. I heard threatening whispers and caught side glances from the scum bags.

I kept my eye on a group of particularly buff men sitting around a table with lethal smirks adorning their hideous faces. As if on cue, all three of them stood up simultaneously and made their way to me. Compared to them, I was absolutely tiny. They stood directly in front of me as I sat on my bar stool and leaned casually against the bar. The big blond in front chuckled and raised his fist back, ready to strike. I set my drink down and slid out of the chair smoothly, just as his fist splintered the wooden bar. They turned to me and attacked. For the first few seconds, I fought back hand to hand, but once a fist connected with my gut, I doubled over and laughed darkly. I drew myself up tall, a pistol in each hand trained on the dirt bags. They, likewise, drew their guns on me.

"Now now, fellas, can't a guy get a drink in peace?"

"Get off our turf, kid, and we won't kill you," blondie threatened as he cocked his gun.

"I didn't mean to impose on your little tea party," I replied sarcastically, shooting his knee cap without even flinching, "I'll leave, but first, I need a little information."

The other patrons stood up defensively and came toward me, drawing guns, knives, batons…whatever.

I rolled my eyes, slipped my guns into the waistband of my pants and went at it. I pulled the daggers from my belt and sliced my way through the crowd. The thugs went down one by one. Smoke bombs, stab wounds, and bullet wounds made their way to anyone who tried to get in my way. By the time the smoke cleared, the only ones left standing were me, the bartender, and a few stragglers who stayed back. Everyone else was sitting in chairs, or on the floor nursing wounds and trying not to catch my attention. I turned back to blondie and pushed him over with my foot so he was face up on the ground. I knelt down to him and smacked him back to consciousness.

"Wake up, Goldilocks, you whiny ass bitch," I spat as he came to.

"Who the hell are you?" he rasped.

I stood up and addressed the crowd:

"My name is Red Hood. I'm here for information on a current… annoyance known as Deathstroke the Terminator. Where can I find him?"

"Forget it, kid! We don't deal with Deathstroke. That bastard is way out of our league. You're a bloody imbecile for going after him."

I turned to the source of the voice, a man sitting in the corner, holding his bloody arm. I walked toward him menacingly, grabbing his shirt front and slamming him into a nearby table. I raised a gun to his head and spoke as darkly as I could.

"If you don't give me a name, a place, a clue, you can expect a bullet in your head in about ten seconds."

"Look man! Deathstroke don't even operate out of this city!" I lifted the gun to the man cowering behind a chair and pulled the trigger. The bullet imbedded itself into the man's shoulder, sending a cry of pain from him.

"Listen up, you dirtbags!" I yelled, "This is the darkest part of this damn city. I know Deathstoke has been here within the past year, and I know that someone here knows something about it! If that someone doesn't start speaking, I'll start burning gunpowder, starting with him," I said, pressing my gun into the man's head below me, "Now spill!" I roared. There was a moment of tense silence as everyone watched and waited to see if I was bluffing.

Well damn.

"Such a shame," I said simply before pulling the trigger and ending the man's life. I pushed him off the table and his body slumped to the floor. That was easy…

"Who's next?"

"Wait!" a scrawny man by the bar yelled, "Deathstroke was in town about two months ago!"

I pushed my way through the crowd and pulled the man up to my face. He was light as a feather but shaking like a leaf.

"Why?" I demanded.

"I-I dunno!"

"Then you're useless," I said as I put the gun to his head. He let out a terrified scream.

"Wait!" he squeaked. I paused and listened. "He….he s-said he-that he was working-no…looking into- dealing with…uh-checking up on a project he-he started a few months ago!"

"What project?"

"I dunno! Please don't kill me! I don't know…"

"What else do you know?"

"Nothing," he responded, his eyes darting around nervously. I raised the gun to his head again. I knew he was lying. One of the great skills Batman taught me. I cocked the gun and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"It's a shame, you know, having to kill such a rich source of information."

"STOP! PLEASE! He came here with a woman! His partner or something, I think!"

"Ravager…Who were they looking for?"

"Yeah! Her!They were poking around here looking for information on the Bats! He bought my silence! Don't kill me! Please! I swear that's all I know! He didn't tell me what he was looking for or who, just told me to be quiet about it and he left," the man said. I looked him in the eye, waiting for anything else before I let him go. He scrambled off the ground and backed away from me. I turned back to the crowd.

So, Ravager was here too. That sexy ass bitch who started this whole mess. So, if Deathstroke was checking up on his 'project,' she was probably going to be the face of the two. Deathstroke wouldn't want to be in public too much with a bounty on his head. There were probably plenty of people who would sacrifice anything to get their hands on him for that cash. How was I going to find them-the two people who could disappear without a trace in minutes-if they didn't want to be found?

"Where are they?!" I bellowed in frustration.

A tall woman stood up from the table where Catwoman had been sitting when I walked in. She had long blonde hair and stunning blue eyes.

"Put the guns away, hotshot. I'll give you the information you need. Deathstroke is in the city as we speak. I can show you where he's at, but that's all. Just stop this and I'll take you to him," she said with a strong stance. I eyed her up and down, debating whether or not she was telling the truth.

"I'm not going to stand here all night, if you want Deathstroke, come with me. Otherwise, you're on your own."

The woman sauntered out. I growled under my breath. This was a bad idea. Nonetheless, I walked out with her, pocketing my weapons and shoving aside anyone in my path. I followed her up to the roof tops where she stopped and looked me up and down like a piece of meat.

"Who the hell are you and what makes you think you can come in here like you own the place? Who do you work for?" she barked.

"I'm my own boss. Now shut up, bitch and stick to your offer before I kill you," I snapped, pulling a gun and leveling it at her.

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the subject. "Hang on," she said as the ground beneath us began to tremble. I tried to keep my cool as a section of the street rose up under us and flew over the buildings. I looked up at her, amazed.

"Who are you?" I asked sternly.

"My name is Terra. I used to work for Deathstroke a few years ago."

We rode on in silence. I watched as the buildings slid beneath us. Terra stopped at the edge of a building near the docks.

"Is Deathstroke after you, or are you after him?" she asked gently.

"Both. Now where is he?"

"He'll kill you, you know."

"Listen. I like you, and I don't want to hurt you. Now, where. Is. Deathstroke?"

She sighed and pointed to a small warehouse.

"That warehouse down there has a secret passage at the far west side of it. You can't find it just by walking inside, you have to get in through a hidden door on the floor. It will lead down a set of stairs and then you'll follow that path and end up under that small building over there by the docks."

I listened carefully.

"If this is a trap, I can guarantee it that you will not get out of this alive."

"You killed my partner at the bar. If I wanted you dead, you'd already be that way. You did me a favor back there, believe it or not. Now let me do you one."

And with that, she returned to her rock and glided into the night. I watched her go and turned my attention back to the warehouse. After considering her words, I made my way down there.

The warehouse was vacant save for the crates stacked inside. I made my way to the west side and, true to her word, was the door in the concrete floor. I pulled the flashlight out of my belt and made my way through, careful not to shut the door behind me all the way. The stairway was steep and long. I made my way to the passage and followed it to another door at the end. I pressed my ear up to it to listen, but didn't hear anything. Maybe this was a bad idea…

I tested the handle, surprised to find it unlocked and stepped through. The room was sparsely lit. Nothing sat in the floor. Up ahead was a desk with a single laptop sitting on it. The chair was turned away from me. I pulled a gun and advanced slowly. I approached the back of the chair, waiting for it's occupant to turn to me. Slowly, he did.

There I stood, standing face to face with a gun leveled at the head of Deathstroke the Terminator. He slowly raised his hand and gave a sharp snap with his gloved fingers. I raised an eyebrow, slightly curious. My curiosity quickly vanished, however, when I felt a sharp sting on my neck. I jerked back, but was too late. Already my head was spinning. I fell to the floor with a dull thud. Everything became white noise. I looked up, trying to make out the shapes above me, but all I could see were swirling colors of orange, black, and white. Someone spoke, but before I could decipher what was said, blackness took over and I fell into the waves of unconsciousness.

My head was pounding when I woke up. I was confused, and my shoulder buzzed with a slight ache. I looked around the almost empty room. There was a door to my right and another in front of me. There was an air vent directly above me, bringing in cold air that chilled me to the bone. What was the last thing I remembered? I got my suit from Dick and the others, then left the cave to find-

Deathstroke. This was his doing…

It was time for me to leave. I moved to sit up, but found my chest strapped down to the bed I was on. I looked down the length of my body; my jacket, belt, shoes, and weapons were gone, along with my helmet. I bit back a growl-the bastard. There was nothing to do but wait, so wait I did.

It wasn't long before the door to my right creaked open and Deathstroke came sweeping in.

"Jason Todd. I've long been waiting for this encounter. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, no thanks to you. Let me up, you coward."

"In due time, I assure you. Right now, however, I presume you'd like to know why you were resurrected from your grave, and if you are willing to listen, I will be glad to tell you."

"I'm listening."

"For many years, I've worked with and trained carefully selected individuals in whom I saw great potential. Some died, some used my teachings for their own benefit, and some were simply not cut out for my line of work. I've been watching the Bat clan for years. When the first Robin moved to Jump City, I took a greater interest in the skill he had. He, however, rejected everything I had to teach him with a vengeance unlike any other. I misjudged him. But you? I know better. You, with a few months of my training, could be a force to be reckoned with. I want to help you, but only if you're willing to accept my teaching."

"Why would I accept your help or teaching? What makes you think I need it? I've been trained by the best!"

"Is that so? Then explain to me why I managed to drug you and keep you restrained here? Would Batman have been as easily subdued?"

Jackass.

"Anyone can be "subdued" when caught of guard!"

"No doubt, but would Batman have been so easily caught off guard?"

No…he wouldn't.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"I simply want to instill in you a knowledge and power so that you may carry it on when I no longer can. What have you to lose?"

"This is why you brought me back from the peaceful throes of death?"

"Essentially, yes."

What. The. Hell. Deathstroke the Terminator, the man who topped every most wanted list in the USA, the most powerful assassin the world has to offer, brought me, Jason Todd, a dirty street rat who was born with a cocaine addiction, back from the dead so he could "instill within me knowledge and power"?

What kind of gullible imbecile did he think I was?!

"Do you think I'm an idiot? You think I don't think you have an ulterior motive for this? I'm a nobody. Hell, I couldn't even beat the fucking Joker."

"Jason, your past aside, with my help, you could have the Joker incapacitated in mere seconds."

"I don't want your help."

"To want and to need are two different things, Jason."

"I don't need help with the Joker, then."

He was right, of course. But I didn't need his help taking out the Joker.

"How about if we strike a bargain, hm?" he asked smoothly.

"Me first, you let me up, and we'll talk civilly about your bargain."

Deathstroke laughed darkly, but proceeded to unfasten the straps that secured me to the bed. I sat up and rubbed my wrists gently.

"Alright, what's your bargain?"

"I'll help you get rid of the Black Mask and let you take over the drug trade of Gotham City. In return, you accept my teachings and learn everything you can from me," he said, "Once I've taught you all you need to know, you may take on your task of disposing of the scum of Gotham starting from the very core."

I though about his proposal. Black mask wasn't exactly the smallest fish to fry. It wouldn't hurt to have one of the most powerful assassins as my backup. Once he passed on whatever he wanted, I could start my journey. He said it would only take a few months time, I could sacrifice that. I'd already been out of the picture for almost two years, so what was another few months going to matter? It all seemed very intriguing.

"I'm a man of my word, Jason. I'll help you, and in turn you will be helping me a great deal. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain," he said, holding out his hand to me, "do we have a deal?"

"Why doesn't your daughter learn what you have to teach? Why not pass you knowledge and power to your own blood?"

"Rose doesn't want to pursue this life any longer. She agreed only to help me find someone who would put the knowledge to use. Now that she has, she will no longer actively participate in this game you and I call life."

I laughed darkly. "Indeed, Deathstroke," I said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly, "All life's a game."

In case y'all can't tell, "All life's a game" is my favorite quote from batman, ever! I have it tattooed on the back of my neck-actually, it was my first tattoo. hehe.

Anyway, I have a general idea as to where this story is going, but i'm not definite on any details yet. So bear with me. The rest of my July is going to be busy and part of my august, but I'm getting back on my feet and ready to finish these stories!

As always, review with suggestions, comments, concerns, flame, anger, happy things, whatever. I love your reviews, even if you hate that it's taking me forever to get this stuff written.

Y'all have a nice night, and smile at a stranger!