"I swear something really flew by.."
Traffic was usually light on this stretch of road at night, so the driver had been relaxed, even a little drowsy. After seeing that shadow, however, he was fully awake, gripping the wheel and driving with complete focus.
Vroom~!
"Just past that bridge ahead, and I'll be on Sullivan Island."
Robin pushed the Batcycle to its limits, only a few minutes from his destination. The engine's low growl echoed off the empty lanes, wind whipping past his cape as he leaned into the turns.
As he reached the bridge, he gradually reduced his speed to avoid alerting Two-Face and his subordinates with too much noise. The structure loomed ahead, old steel girders faintly lit by distant city glow.
"Excellent. The criminal has stepped into the net. Time to reel it in."
Hidden in the shadows, Two-Face spoke into a walkie-talkie, voice calm and satisfied.
"We're in position, Boss."
"Make your move."
...
"I hope Oracle hasn't been captured yet…"
Robin, now halfway across the bridge, was still worried about Oracle's safety. The sudden silence from her end gnawed at him.
Then, without any warning, an explosion suddenly erupted.
Boom!
The entire bridge shook violently, and Robin began to fall.
Yes, he, along with the Batcycle beneath him, was plunging downward.
The bridge structure collapsed completely around him, caving in over a radius of more than ten meters. Twisted metal groaned and snapped, chunks of concrete tumbling into the dark water below.
Below the gaping hole, the river that had been empty moments before was now crowded with several speedboats, engines idling, waiting.
"It's a trap!"
By now, how could Robin not realize he had been played?
He reacted instantly. Before hitting the surface of the river, he pulled out his grappling gun and fired, trying to haul himself back onto the bridge.
If he fell into the water, he would be at a severe disadvantage.
Robin was no Aquaman. Fighting in the water would severely limit his abilities.
"The boss was right. You'd do exactly that."
Unfortunately, just as Robin fired his grappling hook, a figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the collapse, swinging an iron rod and knocking the line aside.
Sullivan Island lay in the middle of the Gotham River, not far from the city district. The Gotham River was not very deep, so the bridge spanning it was relatively low in structure.
As a result, the distance between the bridge deck and the river surface was short. Falling from the bridge into the water took only two or three seconds.
In such a brief moment, Robin managing to fire his grappling hook before hitting the water had been a critical move, but it was knocked aside by a subordinate Two-Face had planted in advance.
Now, he had no chance to fire a second shot.
Splash!
Robin plunged into the river.
The cold water swallowed him instantly. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a masked man aboard one of the speedboats throwing a ..sparking electrical cable into the water.
After that, he had no idea how much time passed.
Robin eventually regained consciousness, the numbness and pain in his body still lingering.
Everything around him was pitch-black. He could not see clearly.
He could only feel that he was strapped to a chair, but the sensation around his eyes told him that his mask was still on.
His identity had not been exposed, at least not yet.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a candle flame flared to life in front of Robin.
"Gentlemen, the trial may begin. Please light your candles."
Two-Face approached Robin, a candle in his hand, his expression solemn as he spoke.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
As his words fell, dozens of candles were lit at once, dispelling the oppressive darkness of the room.
Only then did Robin truly see where he was.
"Two-Face actually set up a court, and now I'm the defendant?"
Tables were arranged directly in front of him and to his side. Two-Face stood before the table opposite Robin, while twelve people sat at the side table, their bodies trembling.
"Twelve people. He even brought out a jury. Judging by their expressions, they were clearly abducted by force. Pitiful. Though I suppose I'm not much better off."
"I don't even need to look to know there must be a judge behind me."
Robin silently assessed his surroundings.
"There are electric lights on the ceiling, yet candles are being used. That means the electrical system here has been completely abandoned."
"The room is spacious, and although the floor is covered in dust, it looks like anti-corrosion material. This doesn't resemble a warehouse. It's more like a research facility or a chemical workshop…"
At that thought, Robin's heart skipped a beat.
"I think I know where this is. I didn't expect Two-Face to be hiding here. No wonder there were no traces of him anywhere."
Suddenly, Two-Face turned his head behind Robin and shouted with clear displeasure.
"Your Honor, why are you just standing there? Strike the gavel and open the court!"
So there really was a judge. Judging by Two-Face's attitude, the judge was probably just another unfortunate victim.
Thud!
A dull sound echoed as the judge awkwardly brought down the gavel.
"I… I struck it. I.. mean.. L-Let's begin."
The moment the court was declared open, Two-Face immediately slipped into his role.
"Gentlemen of the jury, I am the prosecutor, and this man, this masked individual, is a criminal. His crimes are too numerous to list, and he must receive a just trial!"
Under Robin's bewildered gaze, Two-Face launched into an impassioned tirade, accusing him of one crime after another.
Yet Robin could not make sense of a single charge.
"…Did you hear that, everyone? This man is not only guilty of countless heinous acts himself, but is also an accomplice to an even more evil criminal. I formally demand that he be sentenced to death!"
"If found guilty, I will personally carry out the execution—"
Before Two-Face could finish, Robin suddenly interrupted.
"Uh, may I request a defense attorney?"
"Overruled!" The words instantly enraged Two-Face, who pointed at Robin and shouted in protest.
"Then… is self-representation allowed?"
"You are openly showing contempt for court procedure. The crimes you committed are undeniable, and there is no defense."
...
While Two-Face was absorbed in his theatrical courtroom drama, inside the ACE Chemical Plant, one of his subordinates happened to be patrolling near the stairwell on the third floor.
The upper level had completely collapsed, blocking access to the fourth floor.
However, at the top of the rubble, there was a tiny, nearly imperceptible opening that allowed someone to climb directly to the floor above.
The 'subordinate' glanced around, then began to climb. He was exceptionally agile, scaling the opening in just a few movements without making a sound.
But when he emerged, someone was already waiting.
"You must be Kaitou Kid."
A woman wearing cat-ear goggles stood there. Her black, form-fitting leather suit perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure as she looked at him calmly.
"Oh? Catwoman?"
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "I didn't expect to see you here, my inspiration."
He seized his collar, spun in place, and in an instant transformed into the elegant, white-clad phantom thief.
"I'm curious. How did you see through my disguise?"
"The answer is simple. I didn't see through it, and I didn't need to."
Catwoman smiled faintly.
"This is the most concealed route and the least likely one to be discovered for infiltrating Two-Face's little stage play. Knowing that alone was enough."
____
🐰🐰🐰
12 Advance chapters:
Patreon.com/serioza