Batman's arrival cast a heavy silence across the lab. His cape trailed like a shadow behind him, boots striking the floor with deliberate weight. Pamela leaned in close to Barbara, her lips brushing the shell of her ear.
"Barbara… don't reveal your powers to Batman. We need to stay incognito if we want to escape unnoticed. After all, you and I did kill a lot of people back there. It's better if Batman never finds out."
Barbara nodded, her hand tightening around Pamela's. The warmth of Pamela's fingers grounded her, steadying the rush of adrenaline still coursing through her. Batman's eyes moved briefly towards their intertwined hands, but his face betrayed nothing. His focus stayed on Woodrue.
The professor's expression hardened, his voice low and bitter. "Batman… how did you find me?"
Batman's tone was quiet, but his words struck like a blade. "I'm the world's greatest detective. Did you think I wouldn't notice all the homeless disappearing around Gotham University? Or the sudden collapse of local wildlife?" He stepped forward, his gaze unblinking. "The wolf population was already endangered. Now there are none left near this school. You weren't subtle, Woodrue."
Woodrue's face twisted, his voice breaking into a frustrated snarl. "Damn it… I knew I shouldn't have abducted people so close to my lab!"
Batman's jaw tightened. "It's over. Your experiments end here. You're going to spend the rest of your life behind bars at Arkham Asylum."
Without warning, he lunged. Woodrue raised his arms, shouting in defiance. "You'll never defeat me, Batman!"
Glass shattered as nearby incubation chambers split open. Seedling hybrids tumbled free, snarling, their twisted bodies charging straight at Batman. He didn't hesitate. In one smooth motion he pulled bat-shaped boomerangs from his belt and hurled them. The projectiles beeped red before detonating mid-air. A spray of adhesive gel burst outward, coating the seedlings and slamming them to the ground. They struggled helplessly, pinned like animals in traps.
Batman's voice carried a grim weight. "Maybe these 'seedlings' can still be saved… turned back into humans."
Woodrue sneered, his lip curling. "You're weak, Batman. You won't even kill your enemies!"
Batman's reply was cold, his eyes hard as stone. "That's what makes me a legend."
He surged forward, landing a punishing blow across Woodrue's face. A gut punch followed, the professor doubling over before a roundhouse kick sent him sprawling across the floor. His limp body skidded across the ground and came to rest directly at Pamela and Barbara's feet.
Batman turned his attention to the seedlings, scanning them for any sign of humanity. Pamela dropped to her knees beside the unconscious professor. From her Midnight Rose bracelet, a single black bloom detached, its petals glowing faintly. With a delicate push, she slipped the rose between Woodrue's lips. It disappeared instantly, sliding down his throat unseen by Batman.
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