Batman: Under the Hood Novelization

Prologue

Gotham City.

Gotham is a hard city, and hard cities make for hard people.

David "Tipper" Coates has been living on the streets for almost fourteen months. He ran away from an abusive environment. He was thick-skinned when he landed on the pavement of Gotham, and Gotham only made him tougher.

He's seen a lot.

He's seen beatings, drug use, sex of all kinds.

He's seen a few deaths.

Very little would surprise him, but if he could get the full view of the goings-on just five stories above him... He would indeed be surprised.

Five stories up from David, Batman has just been struck in the face by a new villain in town, the Red Hood.

Red Hood definitely has an interesting choice of style. He wears, of course, a red mask that covers his entire face and neck. The eye slits of the mask are blankly white, and the mask reflects like a mirror. Mirrors are easily broken, but this glass-like mask seems unbreakable. The rest of his clothes are simple: jeans, leather jacket, and boots. An uncommon sight that is in Gotham; most villains wear more colorful costumes.

"Tired?" The Red Hood asks as he pushes Batman down.

Batman collides with the wall, and is on the ground. Vulnerable. The raises his leg to kick the Red Hood as he approaches with his jagged knife.

He likes to talk, Batman tells himself.

Batman takes this valuable time to stand up once again and strike the Red Hood, now stunned by Batman's vehement strike. Batman grabs two batarangs from his utility belt, places them between his fingers, and slashes the Red Hood across his mask with them.

It's not ego, it's distraction. He thinks.

Batman strikes Red Hood with his batarangs once more, but almost instantly after, the Red Hood jumps up and uppercuts Batman with his knee.

He fights smart. He came ready.

The Red Hood swings his blade at Batman, and to his surprise, the blade not only sliced through his armor, but the utility belt as well.

That's no ordinary blade.

The Red Hood charges Batman and hits him directly in the stomach. This hurts, but Batman ignores the searing pain. Red Hood swings his knife at Batman, but luckily Batman brought the swing to a halt by grabbing the Red Hood's arm, which was wielding the knife.

He then manages to pick up the Red Hood and throw him over the side of a building, and Batman jumps down after him.

The Red Hood, to break the fall, thrusts his knife into the side of he building, bringing his fall to an abrupt stop. For a moment, at least. Batman falls down on top of him and sends them both falling to the ground.

He pushes Red Hood, during the fall, into a proper position where when they landed he would be on top. Everything goes to plan, the Red Hood slams into the ground with Batman on top, and unharmed.

"This is over." Batman says.

"No, not nearly." The Red Hood replies.

Then, the Red Hood reaches out to Batman and, shockingly, pulls off Batman's cowl, revealing his face.

Batman, now exposed, jumps back and prepares himself for another attack, but this new villain simply stares at his face.

"Look at you. I guess we should keep it even." He says.

The Red Hood reaches for his helmet, and takes it off. The sound of his helmet hitting the pavement echoes throughout the ally.

Batman, now completely stunned, speaks in response to this horrific sight.

"Oh God..."