"How is Professor Connors doing?" In the Batcave, Batman asked in a low voice about the situation on South Brother Island.
"It's not a major issue." Dr. Banner's voice exuded confidence. "Although he's comatose, Connors' brain activity is unusually high.
"I believe his coma was caused by excessive energy consumption after his lizard physiology completed an evolution. Dr. Otto is currently helping him intake nutrient fluids."
"Connors should wake up in his human form in three days at most."
With Dr. Banner present, Batman didn't need to personally handle many of the scientific research tasks, which saved him a significant amount of trouble.
However, since Lucius didn't exist in this world, the R&D for equipment, gadgets, and weapons still required Batman's personal attention.
"If my relationship with Tony Stark progresses in the future, I might be able to commission him to help create some tools, equipment, or even vehicles."
Tony Stark was, first and foremost, an exceptionally brilliant mechanic and engineer. Only secondarily was he the scientist who created a new element overnight, or the businessman who expanded Stark Industries into a multinational corporation.
But currently, the two hadn't established enough trust for Batman to feel comfortable letting him build his gear.
Unless Batman walked right up to Tony Stark, lifted his mask, and said, "Hey, it's me, your good buddy Peter."
That was obviously unrealistic.
As these thoughts raced, Batman was about to take off the Arkham suit and leave the Batcave, preparing to visit Professor Miles Warren at the Metropolitan Hospital as Peter Parker.
Just then, Tony Stark contacted Batman via an encrypted channel:
"Bat-boy, I talked to our Electro about your situation."
So fast?
Batman remained composed:
"And?"
"He agreed to help you protect Norman Osborn, but he has one condition," Tony said. "He wants to see Morbius and Harry Osborn."
"If that's not a problem, meet us on the roof of the Empire State Building in half an hour."
Batman glanced down at Venom Robin and refused:
"Professor Morbius is fine, but Harry Osborn is not."
Max Dillon's voice rang out over the encrypted channel:
"Did something happen to Harry?"
"He has fallen into a coma and is currently under my custody," Batman said.
On the encrypted line, Max Dillon fell silent for a few seconds:
"Does Professor Morbius know about this?"
"Yes," Batman replied.
"Fine, then I need to meet with Professor Morbius at the very least," Max Dillon said. Then Tony Stark's voice returned, "See you in half an hour."
With that, Tony Stark cut the encrypted connection without waiting for Batman's reply.
"Tony Stark on the line?" Venom Robin asked, seeing Batman end the call.
Since it was an encrypted channel, unless someone like Tony Stark opened the frequency to Max Dillon, no one else could know the specific content of the conversation.
Therefore, even though Venom Robin was standing right next to Batman, he still didn't know what was said during the call.
"Correct," Batman said. "Hold the fort for me. I'll be back soon."
Venom Robin sighed helplessly:
"I really don't know what's there to guard with those unconscious guys."
Half an hour later, the roof of the Empire State Building.
Tony Stark, clad in his Mark IV armor, was leaning against the broadcast tower on the roof.
Beside Tony Stark, Max Dillon hovered in the air, his feet off the ground, golden lightning flickering around his body.
Unlike his previous pure energy form, Max Dillon now retained his human appearance while maintaining his electrical discharge capabilities.
"Max, I just remembered there's one thing we haven't tested yet," Tony Stark said, opening his faceplate and looking up at the sky.
Max Dillon followed Tony's gaze toward the sky. Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly saw the clouds slice open like a knife through butter.
Breaking through the clouds was a jet-black aircraft shaped like a full moon.
Max Dillon had never seen such a strangely shaped aircraft. While he was stunned, Tony Stark also spotted the high-altitude craft and spoke:
"I'll tell you later. The Bat is here."
Bat?
Max Dillon examined the aircraft again, finally noticing that its overall shape was indeed that of a giant bat with spread wings.
Under Max Dillon's gaze, the Batwing's canopy opened, and two dark figures leaped out together.
After his mutation, Max Dillon's senses had improved drastically. He could clearly see the two figures jumping from the Batwing: Batman and Professor Morbius.
However, no matter how Max Dillon looked at it, he felt that the spot they jumped from wasn't directly above the Empire State Building at all—it was off by at least two hundred meters.
If they fell vertically from there, they would inevitably smash hard into the streets of New York.
"...Did they miss the jump? Tony, are you sure you don't need to go catch them?" Max Dillon asked with a frown.
One was Batman, who had indirectly saved him, and the other was Morbius, a former colleague at Oscorp with whom he had interacted several times due to his electroshock treatments.
Rationally or emotionally, Max Dillon couldn't just watch these two fall to their deaths.
"No need." Tony Stark leaned against the broadcast tower, looking too lazy to even move.
The golden lightning around Max Dillon grew brighter. Amidst the glare, his skin gradually became translucent as he shifted toward his pure energy form.
He was ready to fly out and catch Batman and Morbius the moment things looked wrong.
But evidently, Tony Stark's motionless demeanor was the correct response.
Just as they reached an altitude of five hundred meters above the Empire State Building—Snap!
The cape on Batman's back suddenly snapped open, transforming into what looked like giant bat wings, shifting his trajectory from a vertical freefall to a glide toward the Empire State Building.
Similarly, Professor Morbius spread his arms, and a pair of membrane wings extended from his pinky fingers down to the sides of his waist.
"Whoa, two vampires," Tony Stark joked from the side.
Seconds after he spoke, Batman and Professor Morbius glided across the sky and landed precisely in front of Max Dillon.
Then, one released his cape, returning it to a soft fabric fluttering in the wind, while the other retracted his membrane wings.
"Max, long time no see." Professor Morbius took a step forward, but his long black hair immediately stood on end due to the electric field surrounding Max Dillon, startling him into stopping abruptly.
On South Brother Island, the moment Professor Morbius heard that Max Dillon wanted to see him, he hadn't hesitated to board the Batwing with Batman.
Morbius felt a sense of guilt and an indescribable kinship toward those he had interacted with and who had mutated in the same accident.
After all, in every sense, they had gone through shared adversity... even though Morbius himself was the source of the disaster.
Likewise, Max Dillon wanted to see Harry Osborn and Professor Morbius for the same reason. Batman had understood his mindset the moment Tony Stark spoke up half an hour ago.
Because of this understanding, Batman hadn't refused Max Dillon's request and had even made an exception to bring Professor Morbius out of South Brother Island.
"Don't be afraid. I can control the discharge freely." Max Dillon's voice sounded relaxed as his body, which had been shifting into pure energy, slowly suppressed the lightning and returned to its human form.
"Are you sure you won't make my hair stand up again?" Professor Morbius seemed to be in high spirits as he teased with a smile.
"Of course," Max Dillon said, opening his arms.
The two men shared a fierce hug and then separated. Max Dillon looked at Batman:
"Alright, now I can go protect Norman with peace of mind."
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