Wearing the Red Hood

Chapter 3:

This chapter is dedicated to  @laci301638 for adding the first book to her reading list (or was it library?) Hahaha either, way I hoped you enjoyed the first book <3

Jason

Before Croc could reach the bridal shop, I ran out and tried to distract him.

"Hey ugly!" I called, waving my hands in the air like a lunatic to get his attention. I don't know what worked- waving my hands or calling him ugly. Either way, his reptilian eyes seemed to zero in on me, and he bared his teeth in what looked like a grin.

"You," he stated with so much familiarity that I dropped my hands. "Jason Todd."

I cocked my head to the right in curiosity, forgetting for a moment about my plan of running away to preferably lead him out of the mall, and then kick his ass. But him knowing my name- my real name- made me pause. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that he'd been running towards the bridal shop in the first place. "I'm flattered that you know who I am," I drawled, trying to sound unbothered. "But aren't you supposed to be locked up with the other baddies at Belle Reve or something?"

Croc laughed, advancing on me. "Let's just say someone really resourceful got me out, and I never have to be Amanda Waller's pawn again. All she asked for in return was that I bring you back to her," he replied cryptically, cracking his huge knuckles as he advanced on me.

"She?" I echoed, catching the tidbit of information he unknowingly gave me. "Is she a psycho ex- girlfriend of mine? Because I don't have any of those."

"Why don't you come and find out," Croc answered, taking another step towards me. "Make it easier for yourself, and me. Don't run."

As soon as he said the words, my original plan of leading him away from civilians resurfaced in my mind. With a grin, I turned and dashed for the nearest exit. "As much as I'd love to do that," I yelled while Croc roared and chased after me in annoyance, "my soon to be sister- in- law has taken it upon herself to subject me to the horrors of a dinner date. So, you see, this isn't a good day. Can I take a rain check?"

Croc roared again as I pushed open the doors to the fire exit and hit the stairs, going down and hoping to lead him to the basement. All the while I prayed that Artemis and Asteria had called in help by now. I heard the door as it was ripped off its hinges and Croc's gigantic footsteps crushing the stairs as he caught up to me. Not really thinking about it, I leaped past the steps and rolled to a stop on the landing of the ground floor. Not bothering to dust myself off, I continued to take the stairs to the basement.

Just a couple more steps to go, I told myself, breathing hard. I always hated a chase sequence, and I wished I had my gun so I could put the zoo animal on steroids down and be done with it. Unfortunately, Croc must've seen what I'd done on the landing and decided to use my own moves against me. I know- a twisted form of poetic justice. Annoying.

He leapt towards me before I could climb down the last few steps and crushed me in his huge, scaly arms. "Come on," I said through gritted teeth as we finally crashed through the door of the basement and rolled into the parking lot. "You're supposed to be a crocodile, not a frog."

As Croc got up, I continued to struggle in his arms, hoping to escape. Black spots began to dance across my vision due to lack of oxygen from his bear hug- or should I say crocodile hug? And let's just say the stench coming off of him wasn't helpful either.

"Put him down, Croc," a firm and very familiar voice said. Finally.

Glancing behind me, I could see Dick dressed in his Nightwing ensemble and his ever trusty best friend, Wally by his side. "Yeah Croc," Wally said, the grin on his face opposing the serious look on Dick's. "Otherwise we're all going to start thinking you actually have a thing for this guy."