Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

Part 14: Hood

(Present)

John woke up late after a busy night of fighting crime as Nightwing. He tumbled to the kitchen and put the coffee pot on then went to the bathroom to put a face on. The coffee was brewed by the time he returned and made himself a quick egg and toast breakfast. John was awake enough to use a clean mug and took his food over to the television. All he was missing now was a potbelly.

Man he needed a day job fast! He woke up his laptop and it opened already set to a job search website. He sat scrolling through page 6 when the latest news report caught his attention. The news anchors found it pretty amusing that a gang of children went on a robbery spree. John turned up the volume and watched intently as he absentmindedly attempted to put food to his mouth. The psychos just keep getting younger.

By the end of the news reel, John was caught on the hook. The half of his sandwich that wasn't in his hand lay crumbled across his lap. Well, this should be fun! There was a LOT of ethical questions that applied to this mess.

The train of dealing with disturbed juveniles landed on the station of That Kid from the Diner, and John "Richard Grayson" Blake decided he would visit the foster home on his day off. What else did he have to do? Right, check up on Red, and then find out who's got a vendetta against his friend's wife.

John managed to find a clean pair of pants  and a light shirt cause holy heatwave! was Gotham melting hot in the summer. He wouldn't mind breakout out Victor Fries from Arkham for a day. He grabbed his helmet and the keys and stepped out. 15 minutes later the black Zero S ZF7.2 slowed by the gates of St. Swithins carrying a molten John Blake. He left the bike parked in front and quickly jumped steps inside.

"My, detective! What crime drags your face to this side of town?" The elderly foster mother teased with a pout.

"Hey Betty! Got ice?" John panted, helping himself to the kitchen with his hand already on the freezer door.

"In the pitcher!" Betty nodded to the pitcher of her signature summer drink, and John had enough solid brain to pour himself a cup.

"Sorry, Betts!" John sighed as he wiped his mouth. "Two bosses had me running across town. And they don't get along one bit! But, I got plenty of time since I got fired."

"Aww. Were you caught being a good cop?"

"Better than that warthog at least!" John scoffed and downed the rest of the drink.

"And what brings you back here?"

"Right! I came to check up on that kid I brought here a while back. Seen him around?"

"Who? Red? Good luck if you find him. But if you want to go looking, might I suggest you start at the docks? Something about his father."

"Thanks Bets! You're the best!" John grabbed the woman by the shoulders and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

He decided to have one more glass before he left, and a thought came up while he drank.

"Hey, what do the boys do around here anyway?"

"Well, since Bruce Wayne started giving us funds, they do pretty well. But all shut up round there fancy gadgets Mr. Wayne keeps sending in. Nobody plays good old ball games around here anymore."

"But don't you still have that semi annuals every year?"

"Sure. But no one bothers to practice."

"That's gonna change, Betty! I'm gonna go find Red, and you find Chris and tell him to get his butt off the seat. We're gonna play some ball when I get back!"

He left for the docks but detoured to the nearest Walmart first to find the kid a red helmet. At the docks, John asked around about a kid in a red jacket, and boy did he have some stories to hear. Eventually, he caught the kid trying to take on someone almost twice his size, and John had to intervene. Instead of a thank you, he got a grunt.

"I don't need you playing hero every time we meet."

"Well then you shouldn't be getting yourself in trouble every time I'm around."

Another scoff.

"We had a deal, Red."

"Only my friends call me Red. And I got none."

"Alright then, Mr. Todd."

"Was my old man. Probably dead in a ditch somewhere." He said, his hands shoved in his pockets as he kicked rubble.

"Can we talk, Jason?! Look, we had a deal. You'd stay."

"For a week, if I liked it. I didn't."

"Can I ask why? Cause Betty's the sweetest old girl."

"The lady's fine. It's the other boys. We don't get along."

"Well, I'm here to change that, for all the boys, not just you."

"You got a magic wand?"

"No, but I got a ball. Wanna play hoop?"

Jason threw his hands to his side and scoffed a smile.

"Sure."

"Oops. Left it at the house. Let's go."

"What's with the hood?" Jason nodded to the red helmet hanging off John's bike.

"Oh this old thing? Well, blue wasn't your color, so I got you red." He shoved the helmet to Jason. "You ain't getting on that bike without a helmet!"

John took Jason to the foster home where he and Chris rounded up the boys and played some sports. At the end of the day, he had landed a day job as a ball coach at the foster home, a favor from Mrs. Wayne.

Betty counted out the cash for the day and gave him his pay.

"February 17th, you came in an orphan. And today years later on June 20th, you've become a worker at the same foster home. Oh what secrets life holds!"

"Did you just say 20th?"

"Well that's today's date, isn't it?"

"June 20, as in 6 days before-"

"June 26! Yes... oh my! That's the anniversary of the Wayne murders."

Ah shit!

*******
Officially introducing Jason Todd!!