How far can you go? Jason Todd one-shot

How far can you go?

"Where is he?" Jason called over his comm, his boots pounding on the wet pavement. The crashing waves just below the docks didn't help with staying dry as sheets of rain pelted down on his jacket. Jason's eyes was narrowed and glittering in the half-light. Rain slid down his helmet in rivulets.

"Hood, stop and think! Wait for backup." Dick's voice over the comm was staggered with bated breath. He was probably swinging towards the docks now with Bruce. "We're still too far away, we'll never make it soon enough!"

"I know! That's why I'm moving."

Bursting through the door, the hinges broke and the wood clattered to the floor, skidding to a stop. It was dark and quiet inside.

"Come on out, I know you're here." Jason said. His voice was uncharacteristically controlled. The common edge that roughed his voice had been cut. In its place, there was underlying darkness. The interior of the old building was not up to code, that much Jason could tell. There were squatter mats and in the corner rats rummaged through discarded clothes and trash, unafraid of the human in the room.

A shadow flickered on the wall to his right and the Red Hood tensed. He reached for his waist.

A cackle shocked Jason into moving faster and he drew his gun, the pistol's weight in his hand familiar. Though he would never admit it, the vigilante was on edge. This was a difficult case and he probably just messed it up. Jason hid the regret in his gut under steel resolve.

"Well, my favorite baby bird." Jason held still as the Joker appeared from the gloom, darkness covering every corner of the large warehouse. He clicked off the safety. "Where's your babysitter Hood?" Joker asked, his white skin standing out. It made him look like a ghost.

"Don't need one. Now where is he." Jason retorted. Joker raised his hands, a obvious façade of alarm on his face.

"Oh Hood, you wouldn't shoot me, would you?" Jason tightened his grip on the gun. After a moment of silence he holstered the weapon, the safety switched on. It made the villain grin. "That's more like it. Seeing me, I know you miss your uncle J."

Jason smirked under the helmet. "You're right. I won't shoot you. I'd much rather beat you to death with my fists. Now," Jason's face hardened. "Where's the kid." At that, the gloves around his hands crinkled into fists. Joker waved a finger.

"Nu uh. See, I only show my prize to people I've killed and-oop." Joker's grin doubled in size and he put a hand over his mouth dramatically. "Since they're all still dead, I guess you're the only one left." Two out of the 15 goons in the shadows walked forward, holding a child, the boy looking to be only 10.

The part that shocked Jason the most was the similarities. Black hair, tanned skin, green eyes, hungry frame. This kid looked like him. "I see you're catching on then Hoodie." Joker said sweetly, the kid dropped at the madman's feet. Jason could only hope that the boy was unconscious.

"Whatever you're planing, I'll always be one step ahead. I'll always beat you." Jason said, his voice firmer than the tremble in his chest. He took one step forward before a gun was pressed against the kids temple. A groan and shaky sob told Jason that the boy was in fact, not unconscious.

"Are you sure? Because not too long ago this was you buddy boy. And guess what?" Jason gritted his teeth. Where was Dick? "No one came to save you. You didn't win." Where was Tim? Even the demon spawn Damian? It didn't really take that long to get here from the Bertinellie's apartments district.

"Even if the rest of the bats do show up on time, it'll still just be you and me. Like before, in that warehouse just like this one." Joker didn't know for sure he was sending shivers up Jason's spine but he knew to laugh when Red Hood drew his gun again.