The day had been off to a great start, four hours of sleep before his very happy three year old woke him up. Then it was morning kisses and hugs before he got the boy a nutritious breakfast. The real challenge had always been getting Richie to eat the more nutritious foods. Like most kids his age he wanted nothing to do with it. Though, Jason was crafty with how he made sure Richie got it.
Then right outside for a walk. It was an easy routine. Just a quick walk to help get that early morning energy out so Jason would not be driven insane by the excess energy Richie had. He was not every sure where the boy got his energy from. He sometimes just chuckled a little and kept his head up while Richie practically dragged him all over Gotham to investigate anything and everything that grabbed his attention.
Everything was going like normal. At least until there was a very bright light in the sky. Then the man was suddenly shocked as Richie screamed in complete and total terror. He had looked to the sky to see bright flashing lights and something charging right at them from the sky.
He remembered getting down and pulling Richie into a hug, promising him that everything would be okay. And holding tightly onto to the boy, using his body to shield the defenseless little one in his arms. He remembered screaming and shouting, people running, cars driving and breaking, crying and calling for loved ones.
Then silence for sometime.
Slowly he came too, a gentle breeze blowing on his face. He grunted feeling the sunshine in his eyes. He could hear birds chirping, but really it was only causing him just as much of a headache as everything that happened before had.
"Oww. Well, that hurt more than I thought it would." Jason managed as he sat up slowly and looked around the area. "I don't know where we are Richie, but it seems wherever we are, we are safe for now." Jason reached next to him; and his blood ran cold. He felt his blood ran cold as he felt his guns and mask by him. He looked down and felt a moment of horror. He was somehow in his usual Redhood uniform. He could have sworn it was all in the satchel he carried with him but not on him. He could feel his guns on his waist, good at least those where in the proper place.
He moved his other hand around, desperately now. He could feel grass but not a small and warm body he had been expecting near him after what happened in Gotham. He felt his pulse increasing, his heart he could hear pounding louder than the chorus of irritating little birds. He finally jumped up and started to look around in fear.
"Richie!?! Richie!?! Richie!?!" He started to run around the clearing he was in shouting desperately for his son. "Richie where are you!?! Come on answer daddy! This isn't funny! Richie!" He stopped, tears rolling down his cheeks. He could only think of a handful of explanations for why Richie was not there. And he hated each and every single last one of them.
He walked over to his helmet and bent down picking it up. His tears where no longer sorrowful or worried ones, they where red hot tears of rage that was suddenly filling his body. Someone, or something had separated him from his son. And they would pay.
"Don't worry Richie…daddy will find you. And I will protect you. No matter what. Just like I promised the night I found you." He shook as the rage flowed through his body, tensing his muscles, adrenaline telling him it was time to run out there and hunt down his son, and who or whatever was keeping them apart. If even one hair on the boy's head was out of place he would make the responsible party suffer.
"They might not fear Jason Todd….but they will fear The Redhood." He hissed as he slipped the mask over his head. His vision was somewhat tinted to make it easier to see at night so he grunted some but shook his head. Richie was more important to him right now. He would take sometime to adjust, but then he had to move, and fast.
He stood there only a few moments and then he started to run. He only had his two glocks and nothing else. Oh well, he could survive with these weapons. He slowly drew them. Something told him he would need them here. He had no clue where he was, but his son was not near him despite having been in his arms as it seemed the world ended around them. He would have his retribution on whoever had taken the boy while he slept. He knew Richie was alive, in his heart. He just had to find him.
The sounds of twigs snapping under his feet and breaking on his helmet only further fuled him. This was his only chance. He would find his own people.
The wind somehow did not provide as much coolness as it had before. Perhaps he was moving too fast, or perhaps he was too angry to cool down any.
He knew he would have to find food and water eventually, but finding Richie came first. This world would be hard to navigate, but finding Richie was the most important thing right now.
He could not tell what was going on, but he would find out later. For now all that he was doing was booking it on out to find Richie. That was his only current goal. He had to do this. It was the duty of a father.
He could just see Richie's tear stained face as he ran around lost, trying to find him or someone he can trust. The boy must be so scared…but Jason would rectify that when he found him.
Don't you worry Richie. Daddy is coming, and if anyone or anything has hurt you, I promise they will regret it. May whatever god they chose to believe in have more mercy on them then I intend to. Jason thought to himself as he ran.
