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Jason loved undercover missions. He got to utilize just about every skill he’d ever accumulated in his entire life to deceive, swindle, and beguile everyone he encountered for a worthy goal. A purpose that others approved of. He did good work, and people told him as much. His family was proud of him when he succeeded, and of all the Bats, he was the best undercover operative.
However, sometimes it felt like he only enjoyed these missions so much because in his real life he felt like a fraud and people accused him of having ulterior motives, but that wasn’t anyone’s business but his own.
This particular mission saw him donning the identity of Viktor Ivanov and infiltrating the Russian mob on the outskirts of New York City. Between his dark hair, massive build, and perfect Russian, he was the perfect man for the job.
Batman had picked up whispers that this mob had some sort of plan to seize control of all crime along the Eastern Seaboard and eventually even beyond that. Usually, it’d be dismissed as nothing but big talk to intimidate the competition, but they’ve somehow slowly but surely made rival gangs and crime organizations bend to their will. It was concerning, to say the least.
That’s why Jason was sent in. He was deployed for reconnaissance, intel gathering, and infiltration. Overall, he was supposed to get in and get out. However, if the situation called for it, he was also tasked with removing whatever the source of their power was and dismantling the organization altogether if necessary.
It’s been nine long weeks since he’d been deployed here, and while he’d taken much longer jobs, he was starting to get antsy. To be honest, this wasn’t the most exciting assignment on the face of the planet. It was slow going squeezing his way into anyone notable’s trusted circle, but it seems like the work is paying off because he’s finally made a name for himself in the mob. Between his strength, skills, and competence, he’s getting some attention. After all, finding someone who’s both strong and smart who won’t get themselves killed or attempt to usurp the boss is rare. And no one has suspected Jason of anything untoward because he’s done a phenomenal job of putting on a laid-back and unambitious facade.
Tonight, he’s being assigned to the operation Dmitry Kozlov is running tonight. Kozlov was the right hand man of the second in command. So for a large mob, he was pretty high up there in rank. The operation involved purchasing and transporting several stolen artworks of various origins and potentially some drugs if the rumors he’d heard proved true. It was relatively low risk (for Jason at least) and was unlikely to involve any civilians. It was the perfect, smooth operation to get himself on the big guys’ radar.
It was dark when Jason pulled up to the warehouse with a few other thugs. The rusty door they were supposed to enter through was illuminated by waxy moonlight and their headlights before those were shut off. As they stepped out of the car, the moonlight disappeared too as a massive dark cloud foretelling rain slid over the moon. “That’s a bad omen,” a skinny thug beside him said, and Jason couldn’t help but agree. A bad feeling had started making itself known when he’d first gotten in the car, and it was squirming like an eel in his gut now. He hoped beyond hope that tonight would go well, but he was starting to think that wouldn’t happen.
The door screeched as the little group’s leader led them into the building, alerting everyone within to their presence. Nearly a dozen heads turned to look at them as they entered, and Jason damn near froze when he recognized one of the faces.
Standing near Dmitry in a smart suit and expertly hiding his own shock was none other than Timothy Drake. He’d gone undercover roughly a month before Jason had, and his operation was highly sensitive so only Bruce and a select few other individuals even knew what region Tim had been stationed in, let alone the city or position. The same went for the most problematic missing bit of information at this exact moment: what his alias was. Jason was not one of those people.
“Welcome, comrades!” Dmitry boomed in a voice that would seem jolly if not for the diabolical smirk on his ugly mug. “You’re just in time for the party!” The next few minutes were a blur. Dmitry barked something in Russian, to which everyone responded by swarming Tim. As for his little brother, he must not be able to break cover because he let out a pathetic squeak of surprise and went down like a ton of bricks beneath the swarm of mob members. Jason absently realized that Tim’s alias must not have any skills in self-defense. So, he had to keep up the charade unless he wanted to blow his cover. The squabble left Tim expertly tied and on his knees and Jason hovering anxiously nearby while appearing like he was preparing to knock their prisoner around.
Dmitry walked casually up to Tim and leaned down to be almost eye level with him condescendingly. “You think you could pull the wool over my eyes? How foolish. I have eyes everywhere, so of course I’d know if the FBI sent their little pet after me. Too bad I’ll have to send you back to them in pieces.”
While time before seemed to blur, now it seemed to crawl by as Jason watched Dmitry pull out a handgun and aim it at Tim’s forehead. Ice cold panic spilled down Jason’s spine as he launched himself forward with a horrified ‘No!’ Before Jason could fully register what he’d just done, a bullet was in the ceiling and Dmitry was frothing in rage. Before Jason could figure out what to say to try and salvage his cover, he was clubbed over the back of the head.
Jason collapsed to his knees but just managed to retain consciousness. While he was still dazed, he felt his hands wrenched back behind him and bound even as he attempted to free himself. Now, Dmitry was towering over him and booming, “What do you think you’re doing?! Are you sympathizing with FBI scum? I heard you were the perfect addition to my crew, but you’ve been here for less than five minutes and you’ve already betrayed me!”
Swallowing thickly, Jason replied, “Not at all sir, there’s been a mistake! I acted in haste because I was worried for him.”
“Why would you be worried for this mutt , Viktor?!” Dmitry scowled fiercely as he shoved his gun back in Tim’s face.
Jason glanced sideways at Tim nervously, hoping he wasn’t about to disrupt his brother’s entire mission with this little stunt. “He’s my brother.”
“Your brother works for the FBI?!” Dmitry roared, to which Jason shrugged and replied nonchalantly, “Different career paths. I blame it on his witch of a mother. If we had the same one, he would’ve turned out better. But despite that flaw, I couldn’t let you blow his brains out. Our dad would have my head.”
Tim let out a put upon sigh as Jason teasingly asked, “What’re you going by these days? You know, if you ran to the FBI to hide from someone I could’ve taken care of them for you.”
“Neal,” Tim sulked. “And I know you would’ve, that’s why I didn’t tell you anything!”
Scoffing dramatically, Jason replied, “I’m hurt! I don’t hear from you in what, years? And this is how you treat me!”
“Enough!” Dmitry roared before pinching his nose in exasperation. “Fine, I’m a reasonable guy, so I’ll give you two a choice. You can choose which of you dies, and the other can walk out of he-”
Instantly, Jason said, “Me,” and everyone looked at him in shock. Tim tried to protest, but Dmitry simply shrugged and said amiably, “Fine by me.” The gun was casually brought up to aim right between his eyes as Tim struggled and snarled beside him.
For a second, the only thing on Jason’s mind was wondering if the family would be proud of him for dying in Tim’s place. Maybe they’d actually love him again if he died for a second time.
And then he got over it as the doors slammed open and the cry of “FBI! Drop your weapons!” echoed throughout the rickety old building. Everything erupted into chaos, and Jason took full advantage of it. He threw himself forward into Dmitry and used the movement to grab one of his hidden knives. While the bigger man was momentarily stunned, Jason quickly cut his bonds and leapt into a defensive position.
Dmitry lumbered onto his feet cursing and raging as he attacked Jason with his own knives since his gun had tumbled away when Jason barreled into him. His swings packed a punch that could shatter bones into dust, but they were also slow, which made Jason’s job delightfully simple. He danced around Dmitry’s blades effortlessly as Tim kept up his cover and cried out ‘Be careful, Viktor!’ and ‘Watch out!’ Both of which were highly unhelpful and would be distracting to a lesser man.
Thankfully, Jason wasn’t a lesser man. He was the Red Hood, and this was child’s play to him. It took him but a moment to knock Dmitry out and let his limp form slump to the floor. Once that was taken care of, he raced to Tim’s side and started cutting him free.
How badly did I screw your op up? Jason asked in a long dead offshoot dialect of Greek that Bruce somehow picked up and decided to use as a version of Batcode.
Grimacing as he shook out his muscles, Tim replied, There will be questions, but I think I can salvage it. They know nothing about ‘Neal’s’ past or family.
Nodding in understanding, Jason left without another word to take down the thugs still resisting the FBI. Several were hiding behind random crates and firing off rounds towards the various agents stationed on the other side of the room. Jason should just leave, but if Tim was going to maintain his cover, he’d have to remain docile and vulnerable. And Jason couldn’t leave him like that.
It was stupidly simple to clean house. All it took was a couple shots to various thugs’ legs, knocking several guys over the back of the head with his Glock's handle, and gently pushing the last man into the wall face first.
…gentle if you ignored the resounding bang and the resultingly unconscious goon.
Letting the last guy slump to the floor, Jason was thanked by a loud ‘Put your hands in the air!” Jason simply rolled his eyes, gave the befuddled agent an unimpressed look, and booked it out of there. His retreat was greeted by several cries of outrage and a couple haphazard shots, but Jason slipped out of there easily enough. And as soon as he was out of sight, he doubled back, scaled the side of the building, and slunk onto the rafters high above the FBI’s heads. While he didn’t strictly need to know what kind of op Tim was on, he wasn’t going to pass up on the opportunity to pick up a few of the puzzle pieces. Besides, if Tim’s cover did get blown, Jason would graciously help extract him.
“Neal!” the guy Jason gave The Look to earlier rushed over to his little brother’s side and quickly checked him over. Once the older man was sure Tim was okay, his face morphed into a deadpan expression and said, “You almost died.”
Tim shrugged and gave a nonchalant smile. “Not the first time,” he chirped cheerfully with just a hint of a teasing lilt.
“And you failed to mention you had a brother…”
“Alleged brother,” Tim snapped out like it was second nature before he straight up beamed at the agent. “I fail to mention a lot of things!”
“Yes, but you should have told me if you were related to a member of the Russian mob! Neal, this could get you sent back to jail!” The man rubbed a hand down his face in a move that screamed stress. Jason could tell Tim had endeared himself to the guy (he had a tendency of squirming his way into your cold dead heart), but he wouldn’t play loose with the law for the kid.
Shaking his head and tsking in a jokingly condescending way, “That won’t be a problem, Peter. I haven’t spoken to my brother in years. Sure, he was a criminal back then, but he wasn’t in the mob. Especially not this one.”
“What exactly was he doing last you saw him?” the newly revealed Peter asked suspiciously. His voice tinged with a nervousness, obviously not wanting to know the answer.
Tim’s smile was absolutely delighted with an undertone that was borderline sinister. “Allegedly he was a crime lord!” Peter straight up choked at Tim’s chipper reply.
“What did you just say?! You’re nonviolent, how can your brother be a crime lord??? And if he’s a crime lord, why’s he working for someone else?”
A nonchalant shrug was the only reply Peter got until the older man hit him with a disapproving “Caffrey!’
“I’m nonviolent. I never said anything about my family, and I have no accountability over their actions. And if I had to guess, his gang went under, he’s investigating his rivals, or he’s attempting to steal something or headhunt someone from them. Or just generally hunt someone in their ranks. You know how it is!”
Peter blinked dumbly for a minute before asking, “So what you’re saying is he’s a killer and likely still a crime lord…”
“How should I know? I haven’t spoken to my allegedly beloved brother in several years! Besides, he’s more active overseas than in the US, so I didn’t expect him to randomly appear here.” Tim shrugged again before starting to wander towards the doors. “Now that that unpleasant business is over, I seem to recall you promising me Thai if we pulled this bust off. I see the paintings over there and those appear to be drugs in that corner, so it looks like a success to me!”
Stumbling after the eagerly exiting conman, Peter sputters out, “Neal, wait!” to which Tim does not and walks right out the door. And now that the excitement was over, Jason took that as his cue to also make his exit.
Besides, he needed to get busy. Now that his cover was blown, he had a mob to take down with extreme prejudice. And if he kept an eye out for ‘Neal Caffrey’ that was nobody’s business but his own.