Chapter 127: CHAPTER 125
[Jason Todd's POV]
The evening began with me on patrol, overseeing a territory I had recently claimed as my own. As I scanned the area, I noticed the unmistakable figure of Tom stepping out of a sleek car. His shock of white hair marked him clearly in my memory. I couldn't forget the times we had clashed when I was Robin; he possessed an unbelievable strength.
Normally, I wouldn't concern myself with his daily activities, but standing beside him was a criminal who didn't belong in Gotham. This was Central City's problem, not ours. "What the hell is their relationship?" I muttered, observing as they entered a nearby bar.
From a distance, I watched them drink and laugh, appearing as old friends. I had never seen a genuine smile on Tom's face before. Usually, he wore a sly grin or a mischievous smirk, but this time, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself with Captain Cold.
If I wanted to understand the nature of their relationship or uncover the purpose of their meeting, I had to follow them. Carefully stalking them at a discreet distance, I stumbled upon them by chance. But uncovering Captain Cold's activities in Gotham couldn't be left to chance.
As they turned a corner and their car came to a halt, a sense of unease washed over me. "Hello, stranger." A voice, dripping with mockery, came from behind. It was a voice I knew too well, one that sent a familiar chill down my spine as my helmet was flung from my head.
I turned to see Tom and Snart, the latter pointing his cold gun directly at me. I was clearly at a disadvantage if I engaged in a fight with the two of them on equal footing. So, I shot my grapple hook, utilizing my expertise in rooftop maneuvering to gain an advantage. Surprisingly, Tom intervened and asked Snart not to attack me. I couldn't fathom why, but the Tom I knew would have taken me down before I even reached halfway up the building.
"Hey, kid, what's your business with Snart? Are you two related or something?" I questioned Tom, who lazily stared back at me.
"Kid?" He snapped. "You're only a few years younger than me, Jason. I should be the one calling you 'kid.' Just because you've got a cool-ass costume doesn't automatically make you part of the grown-ups." His statement left me puzzled. How did he know my name? It was a complete mystery to me. "You know this guy?" Snart inquired, but Tom brushed off the question.
"How do you know my name?" I asked, attempting to maintain composure. "Do you think just because Boy Wonder has a new get-up, I wouldn't be able to recognize him after I kicked his ass twice in a row?"
"Wow, you kicked his ass? Maybe he's here to settle the score. His new outfit does give off a rogue vibe," Snart remarked.
I was speechless. There was no way he could have known my identity as Robin, let alone recognize me beneath the red mask. Unless he had X-ray vision too. Given the display of power he had shown me years ago, it wouldn't be surprising if he did.
My cover had been blown, both as Jason and as Red Hood. Nothing was going well for me that night.
"Why don't you come down from there, and let's head back to my place to talk this over with a few bottles of beer. Leo and I have already had our fair share tonight, but you seem like you really need a drink," Tom suggested, tapping Leo before both of them started walking toward their car.
Returning to Tom's place didn't sound like a terrible idea. We needed to get off the streets before Batman took notice. He should be on patrol at this time. "No thanks, I'm good," I replied, attempting to vanish into the night.
"I wasn't asking," I heard Tom say before losing control of my motor skills. I was frozen in place, unable to move or even open my mouth. Slowly, I was lifted into the air and carried down the alley toward Tom's car. "Leo, ice this sucker," Tom ordered, while a narcissistic smile played on his face. "Finally, I thought you would never ask." Those were the last words I heard before being engulfed in an extreme cold, leaving me numb and unconscious.
...
[Leonard Snart's POV]
I always knew Tom was wild, but I never realized he was this crazy—a level of insanity that surpassed most villains in the world. As Ace, he had created chaos throughout the country, performing acts almost on par with the Joker's madness.
On our way back to Tom's place, we encountered a minor obstacle. The way Tom spoke about certain information regarding the foolish boy who had been foolish enough to stalk us made me wonder just how much Tom knew that I hadn't bothered to find out myself.
He possessed knowledge that most people would consider a closely guarded secret, yet he remained silent, never revealing how he obtained such information. Perhaps it was through the extensive network he had built in the criminal underground. He had become known as one of the most reliable brokers in the underworld.
Strangely, I felt a sense of pride when I first heard top bosses praising the work of Ghost. I had played a part in bringing that persona to life, and his growth exceeded my expectations.
Now, this once seemingly fragile bartender had casually asked me to "ice" someone, without a hint of hesitation. We stowed the frozen body in the trunk of the car and drove straight to his place, though I didn't know why.
Later that evening, we arrived at Tom's home, where he effortlessly used his powers to levitate the frozen corpse. It hung in the air, suspended like a frozen artifact of a bygone age.
"Damn, we forgot to get some beer because of that little detour. I could really use a bottle right about now," I commented, turning my gaze toward Tom. "Why did you bring him along? He's already as good as dead."
"Right now, he's just frozen at a cellular level. He's preserved, not dead. I can undo it and bring him back to life since it happened in an instant and without causing any damage," Tom explained, as he carefully placed the frozen kid near the bathtub.
"You can do that? You really are something," I remarked, eager to witness his ability in action. "But I have one more question that's been bothering me."
"Feel free to ask, Leo. I'll answer the ones I can," Tom replied, his focus shifting as he concentrated on melting the ice surrounding the boy.
"Good, because I have a lot of questions swirling in my mind," I said with a sigh, crossing my arms as I leaned against the bathroom door frame. "Why do you want to unfreeze him? He's literally Batman's kid, and he already knows too much."
"He was Batman's kid. Robin died at the hands of the Joker almost a year ago," Tom revealed, emphasizing the word "was."
"Died? Then how is he here now?"
"To make a long story short, he was brought back from the dead. Right now, I'm certain he holds a grudge against Batman for not avenging him by killing the Joker. But Ace did." As Tom uttered those words, a sly smirk formed at the corner of his lips, followed by a mischievous chuckle.
"Something tells me you want to recruit him as a member of the Outlaws," I surmised. Tom gave a subtle nod and placed his hand on the frozen kid.
"I like him because he doesn't care about what he does to criminals. He doesn't hold back at all. This makes him a more effective fighter, as none of Gotham's villains ever hold back. Jason isn't afraid to get his hands dirty for a cause he believes in, and he'll fight as brutally as necessary. He sounds like a perfect soldier to me. The only problem is that he is hot-headed," Tom replied.
I watched in fascination as the ice began to melt, reverting back to a liquid state. Tom closed his eyes, focusing his energy on thawing the boy. Just a few hours ago, I would have deemed such a feat impossible for him. But earlier this evening, I witnessed him using telekinesis, even experiencing it myself as we flew in the air. It left me wondering about the true nature of his powers and the extent of his capabilities.
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