Honeybee || Jason Todd

Chapter 1

He was panting, heavily. His lungs were on fire as they were aching with every gasping breath. Jason leaned his back against the bloodied cargo unit, bringing his two index fingers up to his neck where the buttons of his helmet rested. Pressing them in with a swift movement, the helmet clipped off and Jason tugged it off his head, clasping it close to him.
The air was beyond polluted, but he couldn't be feeling better to be receiving Gothams air.

It was a quiet night as far as Gotham standards go. Jason had been routing by the quieter parts of the Bowry, hearing gunshots in the distance that were too frequent to just be a one-on-one dispute.

And of course, when Jason approached said-location, it was a blood bath between two gang groups. Bodies flooded the floor and men were struggling in the murky polluted waters of the harbour. They all appeared rabid-- as if they were just craving blood and didn't have an ulterior motive.

Although, Jason doubted the case. This was too drastic to just be the average spar-in.
He observed the scene from a safe enough distance and recognised some of the thugs.
They belonged to Roman Sionis-- known as 'Black Mask'. He and Jason had been having a silent war with eachother for months, over things such as turf and leadership over the drug business.

However, they never had a direct encounter. And that was about to change if what he thinks is true.

If Sionis wanted a selection of his turf it was going to be a huge problem for Jason and maybe even Batman if things go south. So Jason Todd being Jason Todd, rushes in to the gut-churning scene with only two clips of ammunition. Not his greatest idea but it was doable.

He wasn't hesitant this time to pump lead into the thugs. And yes, he had been using rubber bullets for months now-- although this wasn't going to be the case tonight. He could listen to Batman's pointless lectures anytime over having a bullet through the head.

It had been going steady as far as shootings go. Roman's men were scarce now, as most had fled the scene upon seeing Red Hood. Jason found it odd. Black Mask wanted nothing more but to rid the Red Hood out of the picture-- so why not order his men to kill him on sight?

Unless Black Mask wanted to do the deed himself, Jason might have understood that to a certain degree. To say he and the Joker weren't on good terms had to be the understatement of the century.

In his peripheral vision, Jason could make out a scope through one of the older buildings in the distance, it was trailed directly on him. And against his better judgement, Jason actually paid attention to them as tonight was a bit different to the usual thug or gunner.

Yes, he doubted the overall abilities of Black Mask's little crusaders, but he didn't want to take any chances.
Although, that being said, he was in the middle of doing someone's face in, so maybe the sniper could wait.

And that's where Jason ultimately screwed up that night.

Once he finished shoving his knee into the ruffians nose (and permanently giving him a fairly good nose-job), he turned his back and scanned around for the sniper.
He felt eyes on him from behind but it was too late by then, the thug had already fired the shot.

In that second, Jason's mind circuited and he stood there in awe. He pivoted to the right and tried to clutch onto an unfortunate offender to use as a human shield. But that second he lost cost him too much already.

The lead ripped through his armour, kevlar and then shredded into the skin of his mid-section. Dangerously close to his right lung.

White searing hot pain flushed through his body and he felt as if all the air had been sucked out of him.