Hustle

chapter fourteen

Jason stood before the Justice League and the team, a blank expression on his face. He was in his Hood suit, minus the face mask, waiting for their questioning to begin. Damian was drawing at the table a few feet away from him, music playing in his head phones.

That was one of the conditions Jason had. Damian had to be within his line of sight during the questioning but he was not to hear what Jason was saying. He didn't want Damian's view of his grandfather to be skewed by what Jason was sure an order from Savage.

Jason smiled at Damian as he watched his younger brother color in the sketch he was working on. He would literally do anything for that boy and to protect him. After all, it was his entire life's purpose.

Jason looked away from Damian, his expression souring when Batman cleared his throat. "Are you ready to begin questioning, Jason?" Jason nodded. "Alright, Zatanna is going to place a truth spell on you, is that alright?"

Jason scoffed. "Like I have a say."

Zatanna pointed at Jason and uttered her backwards spell. Jason felt tingly for a moment before he looked to the heroes with an expectant look. Zatanna nodded. "He's ready."

"Alright. Let's start easy. What is your name?" Dick asked, eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"Jason Peter Todd, my alias is Hood."

"Why were you sent here out of the blue?" Tim asked.

"Mother said Ra's was going to kill me. Fearing for my life, she sent Damian and me here to protect us, knowing I would return to the island if Damian was not with me." Jason looked at Damian, his expression softening. "I would do anything for Damian."

"Even betray Ra's al Ghul?"

Jason's eyes flickered to Artemis, who was the one to ask the question. "If it met protecting Damian, yes. I would take on Ra's al Ghul for Damian."

"Why does Ra's want you dead?"

Jason looked to Damian to make sure he wasn't listening. He wasn't, his headphones still firmly on. "I'm not sure, mother didn't say. I believe he is working with Savage again and Savage wants me dead for trying to find a way to kill him."

"Are you a deep cover operative for Ra's, sent here to infiltrate us and take us down from the inside?" A blonde girl asked, one Jason vaguely recognized as the princess of Markovia, Tara.

Jason scoffed. "If I were a deep cover operative, I think I would know."

"Where are your loyalties?"

"Where they have always been, to my mother and brother." Jason rolled his eyes. "That doesn't just suddenly change because I am living with Batman."

The heroes turned to each other, murmuring under their breaths to one another. Jason couldn't be bothered to listen to their conversation, instead he wandered over to Damian's table where he was still drawing. He looked over his shoulder at the drawing, a smile spreading over his face when he saw that Damian was drawing their little family.

"Jason."

Jason turned around, walking back to the middle of the room. He stared expectantly at the heroes. "Well?"

Everyone looked at M'gann, who sighed. "I'm sorry, but they want me to do a mind sweep, make sure Ra's didn't plant anything in there."

Jason tensed. "That is incredibly invasive and a breach of my privacy."

"Are you hiding something?"

"No, I'm just stating my distaste for your methods." Jason glared. "Go ahead, you'll find my mind is completely my own."

M'gann's eyes began to glow as she started to do her mind sweep, Jason feeling a pressure in his mind. He kept a straight face, staring at the heroes as M'gann invaded his brain. Once she was done, her eyes stopped glowing and she turned to her fellow heroes. "If Ra's planted anything in there, it is hidden beyond my reach. Jason is clean."

"Like I told you, I would know if I was a deep cover operative." Jason sneered. "Anymore questions or can I go hang out with my little brother?"

"One last thing." Jason groaned. "Will you comply with a body scan?"

"For cripes sake!" Jason threw his hands in their air in an exasperated motion. "Do you want a urine sample too?"

"No, the body scan will suffice."

"That was a joke, you should learn to take one." Jason rolled his eyes. "Fine. Make it quick, I want to spend time with Damian."

"Done."

Jason narrowed his eyes at Superman. "You used your super vision thingy didn't you?"

"X-ray vision and yes, I did. You're clean."

"I told you that." Jason grunted. He looked at Zatanna. "Take the truth spell off me, we're done here."

Zatanna nodded, undoing her spell. Jason shot the heroes a glare before stomping off to sit with Damian. He sat next to his little brother, watching Damian color in their eyes. Damian didn't notice him, or he didn't acknowledge his presence, as he continued with his art, bobbing his head to the music streaming through the headphones.

Bruce watched his sons for a moment, the ache of longing filling his chest. He knew he was damaging his relationship with Jason by continually questioning his motives, but he needed to protect the rest of his children and his team. He just wished there was a better way to do it.

Infinity Island

Ra's al Ghul grinned, listening to his peers talk through his tablet about their various machinations. He waited until Vandal looked to him to speak and he cleared his throat.

"Hood is in position. He has passed the first phase of scrutiny from the heroes, they don't seriously suspect anything yet as they could not detect the biochip I implanted in his spinal column. Thank you, Ultra Humanite, for modifying it so it works on regular humans as opposed to just metas." Ra's nodded to his fellow Light member. "He is well on his way to destabilizing the Justice League from the inside."

"Excellent. And the trigger phrase is set up?"

"Of course, I am no amateur. And to ensure our plan does not go off early, I even bound the trigger phrase to a certain person."

"Perfect. Keep us updated."

The screens went blank and Ra's exited his office, heading to the dungeons. He walked inside, going to the farthest cell where his daughter was being held. She stared at him through the opening in the door, a blank look on her face. "Talia, Talia, Talia. Whatever am I going to do with you?"

"Father, I swear, if you hurt my boys-"

"Ah, save that motherly rage. It will be the key to everything." Ra's chuckled.

"Whatever you have planned, I won't be a part of it."

"You, my dear daughter, I'm afraid don't have a choice."