"Three… two… one!"
A flash of light—and Shironeko's smiling face vanished from Leo's sight.
What replaced it… was an alley—no, wait. What the hell is this!?
Leo's eyes went wide as he looked around, utterly stunned.
Wasn't it supposed to be impossible to change the return location of a dimensional jump?
He clearly remembered leaving Gotham from a small alley beside the bank. But now? This was clearly an indoor space… and the entire vibe was completely off.
Cold, colorless walls stretched around him, totally bare. The smooth concrete floor held nothing—no furniture, no markings. Only the unfamiliar material under his feet broke the monotony.
The air smelled clean. But not the fresh, invigorating kind—more like the sterile cold of death.
Shit…
Where the hell am I!?
When in doubt, Leo went straight to emergency backup.
[Shironeko! What the hell is going on? Is this really where I left?]
[One moment… attempting to connect to local wireless… success. Satellite positioning confirms: you're exactly where you left. That bank is just west of you.]
[Then what the hell is this—]
Click.
BZZZMMMM—
A sudden mechanical sound cut off his thoughts.
A blinding light followed.
Oh shit!
Leo shielded his eyes, trying to recover from the flood of brightness.
He activated the scanner in his cybernetic eyes and peeked through his fingers.
With full lighting, he instantly spotted the massive iron door at the far end. Then he looked up—and froze.
The ceiling was absolutely packed with electronics: high-def security cameras, floodlights, and various unknown devices.
When he first arrived, everything had been dormant.
Now? Every single piece was active.
Floodlights lit up the room from all angles—brighter than an operating room. Cameras swiveled, scanning for movement.
Luckily, he still had cognitive distortion shielding active. For five minutes, these devices couldn't detect him.
But this setup…
Leo's mind spun.
Don't tell me…
Did Batman build a cell right on the spot where I left!?
Seriously, how much did this guy hate him?
It's not like he even successfully robbed the bank. Was this really necessary!?
[Leo, you've got four minutes of distortion left. Snap out of it.]
Snapped back by Shironeko's reminder, Leo jolted upright.
Just as he was about to move—
A low, chilling voice echoed from the ceiling speakers:
"I see you."
Chills ran down his spine. Of course it was Batman.
That voice—so deep, so menacing—it sounded straight out of a horror movie.
All he could think was: Please don't say "I want to play a game."
Thankfully… Batman didn't.
"I know you're here," the voice whispered, "Even with your invisibility trick."
"Look at your feet—that's a weight-sensor pressure plate. You weigh 75 kilos. Very healthy… 'Mr. Magician.'"
Leo looked down—and nearly blacked out.
The pressure plate was active. A glowing digital display lit up like a bathroom scale.
Which meant… Batman had known he was back the very second he arrived.
That's bullshit!
Cheater Batman with his wallhacks…
Still, this was a wake-up call. Cognitive shielding wasn't invincible. Good to know.
Frustration aside, he had to face reality.
A quick scan of the room confirmed only one exit—the electrified iron door.
No way a few frag grenades could crack it. Even if they did, Batman would hunt him to the ends of the Earth.
And this was Gotham. Batman's home turf. Definitely not worth it.
Besides, he hadn't committed any major crimes. Maybe they could talk this out.
[Shironeko, drop the cognitive distortion early. And… didn't you copy Bartmoss's Rabid virus? Upload it. If Batman wants me dead, let's make sure everyone pays. Let's start a new season with a bang.]
The Rabid virus—capable of leaking every classified file on the web. Even if DC didn't have rogue AIs, it could still wreak global havoc.
[Understood. Upload in progress. But don't be too grim. According to all the intel I've found online, Batman's still the same justice-obsessed hero. Your best bet is to cooperate.]
[Yeah, yeah, I know.]
He still hoped Batman would become his angel investor one day. Better not burn that bridge.
Leo deactivated the cloaking.
Batman's voice returned instantly.
"Stay there. No tricks."
Leo rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll wait right here. Let's talk this out… Mr. Bruce Wayne."
He switched the name deliberately.
If this was going to be a business conversation, best start with some courtesy. The guy might be a major investor, after all.
Batman said nothing. He was probably already on his way.
Leo sighed and stepped off the pressure plate, casually pacing the room.
He touched things here and there—testing materials, double-checking the walls.
Yep. This cell was solid as hell. Lightweight explosives wouldn't even make a dent.
No other options. Just had to wait…
A few minutes later—Batman arrived.
Same old look: black armor, grim face, the corners of his mouth downturned.
"Mr. Bruce Wayne… so not nice to see you again," Leo sighed as he walked forward.
But before he could get close, Batman raised his arm—same net-launcher primed and ready.
Leo stepped back. "Whoa, whoa, chill! We're not enemies. Can't we just talk?"
Batman stared at him.
A long pause. Then finally—he lowered his arm.
"So… I'm 'Mr. Bruce Wayne' again, huh? I take it your little teleportation trick has a cooldown."
Shit.
This is why I hate smart people. You try to be civil, and they start dissecting everything…
Before he could reply, Batman tossed a folder at him.
Leo caught it, flipping it open.
The top was full of surveillance photos—shop cams, traffic cams, bank security, and even cell phone snaps from his former coworkers.
All of them… of him.
Leo was stunned. He'd only been in Gotham for 24 hours. How the hell did Batman already compile this much on him?
Further down—testimonies from the arrested bank robbers. All the red-inked portions?
Details about their "new recruit."
By the time he finished reading, a wave of cold terror washed over him.
Holy shit.
He really is that kind of guy…
No mistake about it now—Batman was doing his thing.
Inserting surveillance bugs into everyone he meets. Goddamn bastard.
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