"Come on Kyle, you can do it!"
"I wouldn't be too sure about this!"
"It's just another round of burpees, you won't die from it."
"Jill, let me just tell you how much burpees are hell!"
The woman laughed and watched Kyle fall flat on his face. He growled loudly before he tried to stand back up but failed miserably. He decided that rolling on his back would be a good idea. The young man was sweating and panting and before he could even ask for one, a bottle of water landed heavily on his chest. Kyle looked on the side and saw Red Hood's boots right next to him. "I told you, you need training."
"This is not training. This is torture."
Jill laughed again. "Get up," Hood sighed.
"No, let me die here."
"Alright then. You are really setting a good example for a second-in-command. Jill?"
"Yes sir?" she replied.
"Is there still a free ring behind you?"
"Oh come on, Hood," Kyle whined.
"Yes sir, one ring is free."
"Excellent." Hood removed his leather jacket and laid it on a small bench. He also removed his gauntlet only to wrap his hands in a pair of white handwraps. "Now get up, that's an order."
Kyle muttered under his breath but got up as best as he could, his arms and legs on fire. Hood handed him another pair of handwraps that the young man slowly wrapped around his hands. Once ready, he climbed on the ring where Red Hood was already waiting for him. "Are we really gonna fight?"
"Yes."
"The match is unfair, I've been working out for an hour and a half."
"Life is unfair. Would you say this to your enemy if he showed up right in front of you? You have to be ready for everything because it doesn't matter if you are tired or not, your enemy will attack you with only one thing in the head: killing you. So suck it up, Barnes, because they'd be pitiless."
Kyle straightened up and stretched his back slightly. He noticed Hood adopting a fighting stance in front of him from the corner of his eyes. The young man lunged at Hood, his fists forward. Jason swiftly blocked the attack, grabbed one of Kyle's arms and sent him flying into the ring's cords. Kyle growled loudly as he fell on his butt. However, he reacted quickly enough to duck Jason's fists. He rolled forward and got back up just behind Hood. He spun his right leg, wishing to trip him up but Jason jumped over it. The latter was now facing Kyle and close enough to side whip kick him in the side. The young man yelped out in pain.
"Don't wait for the blow to happen, Kyle. Have you forgotten everything I taught you?"
"Oh no," he smirked, "I didn't." Swiftly, Kyle grabbed Jason's arm. He spun it and pinned it behind his back. Now standing behind the man, Kyle kicked his knee and forced him to kneel. With a proud smile, Kyle leaned forward. "Don't ever let your guard down was one of the first thing you told me," he whispered.
"Well played," Hood admitted. Kyle outstretched his hand and helped Jason up. From the other side, Jill, who had been watching the whole match as well as a small group of henchmen, had an amused smile on her lips. She handed Kyle his bottle of water and looked at Hood who simply shook his head. Underneath his helmet, Jason was smiling as well. His phone started to vibrate in his pocket so he excused himself and headed to his own office to pick up the call.
"That was well done," Jill told Kyle while he sat on the same bench Hood had left his leather jacket on. She sat down next to him and noticed the group of men that had been observing the match between Kyle and Hood headed to the elevator to meet the rest of the gang at the level below.
"Thank you," he smiled.
"But don't be too proud, I once beat him too," she said with a mischievous glow in her chestnut brown eyes.
"You did?"
"Yep. He takes a bit longer to defend his left side than he does with his right one. Not from much, so you have to be really swift," she whispered before she highlighted, "and well trained."
Kyle snorted and laughed. "Thanks for the tip. Jill?"
"Hm?"
"Has he trained you a lot?"
Jill thought for a second and unconsciously reached for the small silver necklace around her neck. "After what happened last year, with Aaron and everything, and also when you left, he changed a bit. I don't know how to explain it but he acted more on his own. Of course he kept sending us on missions for him, but he liked to take care of the most dangerous on his own. There is a rumor going round that he was helped by the Bat's allies, exactly like during the gang war when Nightwing and all the others showed up." Kyle said nothing but kept listening to her while she was still playing with the necklace's chain. "At the same moment, I had troubles with my family. My little brother was sent to jail because he has been caught in the middle of a hold-up on a small grocery shop not far from where my family lives."
"I'm sorry."
"I've never been really close to my brothers, you know? All four of them were jealous because I was a good student and was always bringing home good grades while they were constantly making troubles... They were all bullies except for my little brother because I was trying to protect him from their influence." She stopped playing with her necklace and her sight drifted away. "One day, last year, the oldest of my big brother showed up at home after being absent for over three years, all buff and covered in tattoos, and grabbed my little brother by the arm. He was twelve and was working really hard at school because he wanted to be a vet..." She laughed lightly but Kyle noticed the small tear that had formed itself in the corner of her eye. "My big brother wanted to introduce him to his so-called friends so I tried to step in and stop him. I just wanted him to have a future, not like the rest of us, y'know?"
"Yeah..." Kyle briefly put his hand on her shoulder.
"Zac and I started to shout at each other. He wanted Ethan to come with him while I wanted to protect him. Ethan kept telling my mom he wanted to be like me when he grew up. He thought I was in college and that's why I wasn't home often anymore..." She couldn't hold the tear anymore and it rolled slowly on her cheek, leaving a wet trail behind it, and was quickly followed by another "But Zac knew my real 'job' and he told him everything... Ethan couldn't believe it but then Zac grabbed my jacket and found this wristband in my pocket. All the girls of the gang have it and Hood is forcing us to wear it." Kyle studied the wristband. It was rather discreet and yet, one could hardly miss it. It was made out of brown leather and had a tiny red bat in the middle.
"He gave it to all of you? Why?"
Jill shrugged. "He said it's a warning for all the guys who would try to mug us in Gotham. If a girl wears one of those and a dude tries to do anything to her, he can be sure Hood will personally take care of him as soon as he would be aware of what happened. I was used to remove it every time I came back home and put it in my jacket. Only Zac knew about the fact that I had joined Hood's gang so he revealed it to everyone this day. I was so angry. I pounced on him and hit him but I quickly understood that I wasn't strong enough to face my own brother. I couldn't resolve myself to hit him even though he clearly was. Though, before it turned into a bloodbath, Ethan stopped Zac and looked at me. I could see all the violence of his anger in his eyes. It was terrifying, Kyle." Her voice cracked, "he glared at me and from all of his twelve years of age and he hissed at me to leave and never come back home..."
She swallowed and wiped away the tear from her eyes before she clenched her jaw and talked again. "I shoudn't be telling you all of this. We should be celebrating your victory right now."
"It's okay, Jill," Kyle replied softly with a reassuring smile, "keep talking if you need to. Don't keep all of this inside of yourself. Hold on." The young man rummaged through the pocket of Hood's jacket just next to him under Jill's boggled eyes and took a packet of handkerchiefs out of it. He handed it to Jill and smiled. "I don't think he would mind."
She giggled and grabbed a handkerchief before she blew her nose. As the memories played in front of her eyes again, her face darkened slightly. "So after this, I had nothing left and decided to give all my time and energy to the gang. I think Hood noticed this change and he one day asked me what was wrong. I told him everything and right when I was done, I got a phone call from my mother telling me that Ethan had been arrested by the police. I was so angry. I could feel my fists shaking. Hood stood up and asked me to follow him. He took me to the gym and climbed on the ring and asked me to punch him with all my strength. Obviously, I refused, but he kept on insisting. So I finally did it. He let me hit him once, twice and then he hit me. Not strongly but enough to annoy me. So we fought until I couldn't stand on my feet anymore. I was exhausted but surprisingly relieved after it. And since this, he trained me every day without any exception. He started being more present for the gang too, just like it used to be."
Kyle smiled, "he is a nice guy, right?"
The woman smiled back. "I really admire him. He's committed to everything and everyone. I wish the world could see him as he really is. He is not a real criminal, I know he kills, but he cleans up Gotham. At least he does something, not like all these stupid people leading the city."
"I agree with this."
***
"Robin, I told you to listen to me. It also meant that you were supposed to wait for me before leaving."
Robin sighed and rolled his eyes under his domino mask. "You are too slow, Red. I went ahead to find something."
"And?"
"Nothing for the moment. I'm a few blocks away from the hotel. A building not far from the Cloud Gate."
"Don't move! I'll meet you there."
Damian sighed and crouched down. He took out his binoculars once again and scanned the area in the search of clues. He saw nothing but a couple laughing and kissing each other in front of Millenium Park. The young boy winced and looked away. He observed the Cloud Gate more carefully. It was a miracle it hadn't been damaged by the attack. It only had a few scratches but that was all.
Chicago's sky was clear that night. One could have seen the stars if the sight hadn't been obstructed by all of the city's lights. The green cloud of smoke which had been covering the city had totally vanished by now and all of the city's inhabitants could enjoy the full moon.
"Next time I tell you to wait for me, you wait for me!" Red Robin hissed as he landed just next to his brother on top of the building. "It was our deal, wasn't it?"
Robin sighed and glanced at his brother, "And what do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? Because I'm not. And I found nothing anyway."
"Whether you like it or not, you are my brother and it's my duty to protect you. If anything was to happen to you, I'd never forgive myself. So you will listen to me or I call Bruce to come pick you up, I don't care. This is your last chance."
Robin rolled his eyes and sighed, "fine."
Tim shook his head and let out a sigh as well. "So, what do you suggest?"
"I don't know where we could start. I've scanned the whole area and beside a couple that's most certainly gonna have fun tonight, there's nothing here."
Red crouched down next to the young boy and took out his own binoculars. While he did so, he said, "So, there were two areas in the cities that got attacked, right?"
"Yes. This one and Magnificent Mile. Basically some of the most crowded areas."
"I know..." Red whispered, "And yet, the terrorists managed to attack the both of them simultaneously without being spotted by anyone..."
Robin thought for a second. "So it happened in the evening, it wasn't dark enough for them to not be spotted, even more if they bombed the place. Immediately after, the cloud of smoke rose and stayed above the city for six days straight. Of course, no one knows what was inside the damn cloud..."
"I should have come here earlier to get a sample..."
"Probably. Have you checked the CCTV?"
"It was the first thing I did. Got nothing either... It's as if they were ghosts." Red zoomed in next to the Cloud Gate and frowned. "Hold on a sec." He rose on his feet and climbed down the building, followed by Robin. Swiftly, Red ran towards the back of the sculpture. "What if they weren't actually here?"
"What do you mean?"
Red Robin walked in direction of the long row of drain covers and pointed at them. "What if no one saw them because they weren't actually here, mixed with the crowd? What if they attacked from underground?"
"The explosion should have damaged, if not destroyed, the drain covers."
Tim thought briefly while stroking his chin. "You're right..." All of a sudden, his eyes flicked open. "The cloud! It wasn't caused by the explosion! It was the explosion!"
Robin stared at his brother, "the bomb was composed by a chemical product which reacts with upon contact with air!"
"Yes! Now, all we have to do is make a list of those products..." Tim closed his eyes to try to remember all his chemistry classes, "In aqueous solution, the ions of Vanadium III, Chromium III, Manganate VI and Nickel are green..."
"Hold on," Robin cut him, his sight intense and serious, "Wasn't the Sarinide green?"
Red blinked, slightly surprised by the question. "Jay and Dick said they destroyed it completely."
Robin rolled his eyes, "what if there were still some somewhere that no one knew about? Those guys found it, managed to modify its chemical composition to use it against the world. It already was a weapon of mass destruction, Red."
Tim opened his mouth to reply but all that could come out of it was, "Holy shit..." he sat down on the floor and put his hand on his forehead. "We have to call everyone. I bet they won't stop here."
_________
What? Two updates in two days? What's happening? No idea xD I'm apparently on a good writing roll and let me tell you that action is coming in the next chapter (yay \o/). I hope you liked this chapter as much as I loved writing it :)