The End Always Ends

[nation_gothampc]

Ah! The joys of modern convenience,Alfred Pennyworth is unpacking the assorted delivered foodstuffs that have been shipped in this afternoon. He shakes his head as he once again hides the coffee Master Bruce insists on using instead of sleep

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[fanboy_power]

With a smile, Eddie's helping Alfred out as usual. Carrying the food from where it was left to the kitchen, he's happy to help even if he is concerned over Bruce. He shakes his head at the sight of the coffee and again when he sees more in the bag he just set down.

Pausing to tie his show, the teen with the Wonder Woman-Logo t-shirt glances over as Alfred reads what he thinks is the bill. When the radio clicks to life, Eddie looks up quickly.

"Oh m-man..." he trails off, looking to the intercom as Alfred speaks into it. "That s-s-sounds bad..."

[nation_gothampc]

"It is a place of pain, Master Edward," replies the bulter. "And on those rare days the sun does shine on Arkham, Master Bruce and his companions are often not awake to witness it."

[mr_bruce_wayne]

"On my way." comes Bruce's curt reply. It takes him a few moments to get up to the kitchen, and when he does, it's evident that he's probably not slept since the night before.. or the night before that. He's got at least a day's growth of beard on his face and that crazy look in his eye of a man compelled.

At the doorway he slows, his head tilted to the side as he listens to the ass-end of the report. "Damn." is all he has to say, his voice grim and full of displeasure.

[nation_gothampc]

Alfred, from habit, rechecks the box. Sure enough, there is a well-hidden DVD there.

"You may wish to examine the contents before leaving, Master Bruce. I had received a farewell missive from Master Jason in the same box."

[mr_bruce_wayne]

The DVD was disturbing enough in it's own right. Bruce watched it three times before he finally sits back and scowls at the screen, deep in thought. Tim. He needs Tim.

Reaching out to the console, Bruce pushes a single button to turn on Tim's alert signal and then speaks aloud, recording his message, "Get here now. It's Jason."

[tim_drake89]

Tim was in class when he got the signal from Batman. His university had returned to normal fairly quickly after Robin had resolved the hostage situation the night before. He frowned, Bruce rarely contacted him during the day unless it was very serious. He ducked quietly out of the lecture, thinking this was becoming too much of a habit, and headed to where his car was waiting. Listening to the message he realised it was indeed serious, he'd briefed Batman on the events of the night before but they hadn't expected Jason to try anything else so soon. He jumped in and headed for Wayne Manor at top speed. Parking in the conventional manner, Tim rang the doorbell and waited to be let in.

[fanboy_power]

"I got it, Mr. Pennyworth!" Eddie called as he heard the doorbell. He had just been washing some dishes in the kitchen. Drying his hands quickly, he scurried to the door. He wanted to be helping in the cave but he'd been told not to come down unless called down there. Opening the door, Eddie smiled when he saw Tim.

"H-hi, Tim," he greeted, stepping to the side to let him in. He had a decent idea of why Tim was at the manor. "Mr. Wayne c-c-c-called you?" he asked even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.

[needs_a_robin]

Tim nods. "Where is he?"

[nation_citizens]

Meanwhile, two others heroes have followed inky trails of crime and deception from all over the world, trying to find the roost of the Red Hood. The breadcrumbs he's left all seem to come back to the state of New Jersey and its largest cities.

[nation_titanse]

He can barely stand to be here. Without Barbara, Sandy or even the cat, the Clocktower he lovingly disassembled in Gotham and reassembled here in Bludhaven is just a collection on bricks. It's not home and it won't be until he can return them here.

Once again, he looks around the low kitchen counters and the corner space of slagged electronics that once was the loft apartment he shared with his wife and child.

"You really think I missed something back here?" he says to the companion he's been trying to ditch for weeks.

[aiminghigher]

"Maybe. You'd know better than me."

Roy stays where he is, leaning on the wall, watching Dick move around the apartment retracing his old footsteps.

[nation_titanse]

"That's not what you said on the freeway," he groused. The exact wording was that Hood was screwing with him, doubling back on his movements and undoing the work he'd done. It was a snake eating its tail. Arsenal pointed out he wasn't the only target either. Hood hadn't attacked Sandy - yet. The bastard had moved on Lian and Cerdian to get to both of them, however and it was only by the grace of Cheshire the whole of Arsenal's family hadn't died.

"You said Diablo's MO was to destroy everyone and everything around a target. No anchors. I thanked you for the news flash and then you said you had a hunch about Jason being here, despite the fact this place is more wired than the damn Batcave. What makes you think he's doubling back here exactly?"

In Arkham

[nation_citizens]

The corridors of Arkham are frighteningly empty and echo with the sound of water running through pipes and the low hum of security measures which have oddly been left on. Outside, there is some kind of shielding that allowed Batman entrance to this place.

Re: In Arkham

[needs_a_robin]

And Robin. Don't forget Robin. "This screams 'trap.'"

[nation_titanse]

Nightwing's mind of whirls; trying to calculated where the madman known as Red Hood would place the key to a deadly set of bomb set to destroy the city of Bludhaven. And that's when things get stranger...

[nation_gothampc]

Bludhaven's air raid sirens, a holdover from the second world war, crackle to new life.

"Hey, Bludhaven, Red Hood here. As you've been able to see, you're locked in and pretty much fucked. There's one thing you can do to open the city back up. The guy that finds Nightwing and brings him to City Hall gets a big shiny prize of non-traceable money."

[nation_titanse]

His city begins to break down in chaos. He begins to stand up.

[nation_titanse]

Roy grabs the back of Dick's costume and pulls him back to the ground. "Dude! The fuck are you doing?!"