บท 156: More Men
The situation in the Service Division's team was far from promising. The sudden shift in the ruins had thrown them off balance, leaving them with only radiation monitoring equipment to guide their way through the labyrinthine corridors. It was expected that Ivan, now leading his team through these depths, would eventually encounter the others along the radiation path.
Today had been particularly difficult for the group. Initially, they had two heavy hitters—one a veteran, the other a wildcard—but no sooner had they entered the ruins than they became separated.
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Not long after, a small detachment from the pharmaceutical group peeled away from the main force, each soldier carrying a pack of supplies. From their conversation, it was clear they had spotted Ivan's team on their monitors and were now racing ahead to set up an ambush.
Ivan, among Charlie's allies, had earned a reputation in the lunatic asylum for his ruthlessness and efficiency. Batman had no hesitation in following this pharmaceutical detachment. He knew Ivan could handle himself, but he preferred to take a more proactive approach.
The pharmaceutical squad reached their designated ambush point, deep in the ruins. The team leader huddled over a map, brow furrowed in concentration as he cross-referenced the intelligence they'd gathered on Ivan's expected route. The environment displayed on the dynamic map helped him finalize the ambush points in no time. A swift gesture sent the team into action. They split off into groups of twos and threes, each carrying concussion mines, ready to set their deadly trap.
Batman was already ahead of them. Silently, he tracked the last two-man group, his movements precise and predatory. In the low light of the ruins, his dark figure was practically invisible. He crouched low, advancing like a shadow until he was right behind them.
One of the soldiers was bent over, carefully pulling out a concussion mine from his pack, while the other scanned the surroundings, looking for the ideal spot to plant it. Neither of them realized they were being watched.
In one smooth motion, Batman lunged forward, his massive hand descending like an executioner's blade. The two soldiers barely had time to gasp before their heads collided with a sickening thud. The impact sent both crumpling to the ground, unconscious before they even knew what hit them.
Without missing a beat, Batman scanned one of the soldiers. From his uniform to his weapons, height, facial structure—every detail was recorded through the Bat-suit's advanced optics. The data was uploaded into the holographic camouflage module in real-time. Batman initiated the system reboot, and within seconds, a light blue shimmer rolled over his body. His dark knight form was replaced by that of one of the fallen soldiers.
"His name is Dave Arden, sir," Friday chimed in, confirming the identity just in case.
Batman, now disguised as Dave, blended seamlessly into the team. His movements became more deliberate, adopting the same body language as the man whose identity he had assumed. The holographic disguise not only allowed him to infiltrate but also gave him the advantage of moving freely through the team without suspicion. The fault tolerance for any minor slip-ups is much higher now.
With the mask of Dave Arden firmly in place, Batman moved silently through the team, observing their actions from within. None of the soldiers noticed the looming predator in their midst. The ruins' oppressive silence coupled with the disrupted communications meant that no one even realized their comrades had been taken out.
One by one, Batman made his way through the ranks, methodically neutralizing the pharmaceutical soldiers. The ruins swallowed their unconscious bodies without a sound, and by the time Batman was finished, no one had sounded the alarm.
Only the leader of the mine-burying squad remained, dutifully placing the last of the concussion mines. He completed his task and turned to rejoin his team, only to stop dead in his tracks. His eyes widened in disbelief. Where was everyone?
A cold chill crept up his spine as he turned around, scanning the area. That was when he saw it—a black figure rising from the shadows. Before he could react, Batman was upon him. His mouth opened in a desperate attempt to plead, "Wait—wait a minute—"
Wham.
One punch, and the leader's world went black.
Batman quickly disarmed the mines the team had placed, methodically removing each one with practiced precision. With the traps neutralized, the threat was completely eliminated.
As Batman finished up, he noticed movement in the distance—a soldier sprinting back toward the cave. Charlie surmised that the scout had been tracking Ivan Petrov's team and was now rushing back to relay their location. In these ruins, with modern communication equipment useless due to interference, human messengers were the only way to deliver information.
The scout barely made it halfway when a shadow flickered before him. Batman's fist connected with the scout's jaw in a bone-crunching hit, and he collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. He joined his unconscious comrades in silence.
Moments later, Ivan Petrov and his team of nine agents arrived, marching with purpose. Their path had been shockingly clear—no ambushes, no traps, no resistance. They had no idea that Batman had neutralized every threat before they could encounter it. Even the ghouls that should have crossed their path were now lying dead, dispatched quietly by the Dark Knight.
Ivan and his team strode into the cavernous heart of the ruins, where the pharmaceutical group had been camped. The two groups froze upon seeing each other.
The Service Division's team was shocked—they hadn't expected to run into anyone so deep underground. Their minds raced with questions. Was this some kind of treasure-hunting team? Tomb Raiders operating in secret?
The pharmaceutical soldiers were equally stunned. Their trap-setting squad hadn't returned, and the scouts seemed to have vanished. Why had they received no word of the approaching agents?
Instinctively, both teams drew their weapons, each side pointing rifles and handguns at the other. Tension hung thick in the air, like a drawn bowstring waiting to snap.
Meanwhile, Batman had circled back toward the cave. Cloaked in the guise of Dave Arden, he slipped unnoticed into the pharmaceutical group. The confusion caused by Ivan's arrival worked in his favor—everyone was too focused on the potential standoff to notice him.
In the growing chaos, Batman made his move. His gauntlet hummed with electrical charge as he disabled one soldier after another with precise strikes. In the blink of an eye, four soldiers collapsed, stunned and unconscious.
"Everyone, calm down!" a commanding voice rang out.
It was Siegel, the leader of the pharmaceutical team. He stepped forward, raising his hands in a gesture of peace, signaling his men to hold their fire.
In the confusion, Batman managed to knock out another soldier at the back of the formation, disappearing into the shadows before anyone noticed.
Siegel addressed Ivan, his voice calm yet authoritative. "I must say, Agent Petrov, I'm impressed. I assume you discovered and eliminated my mine squad and advanced team?"
Ivan's eyes narrowed as realization dawned. His expression darkened with anger. "You laid mines for us?" he snarled, his voice laced with fury.
Without hesitation, Ivan's arm shifted, morphing into the barrel of a machine gun that swung directly toward Siegel.
Siegel blinked in confusion. "Wait… didn't you take them out?"
Where had his advance team gone?
Behind him, Batman continued his quiet assault. The chaos provided the perfect cover. Each time a soldier turned away or became distracted, Batman was there, taking them out one by one. His movements were like those of a ghost, unseen and unheard.
The tension between Ivan's agents and the pharmaceutical soldiers escalated further. Both sides were on edge, and the threat of violence was palpable. The slightest misstep could trigger an all-out firefight, and the situation was growing more dangerous by the second. Everyone was too focused on the standoff to realize their numbers were rapidly dwindling behind them.
Batman's movements were silent, each step lighter than a whisper. His training allowed him to move with the precision of a predator, each target falling before they even realized what had hit them.
"You have thirty seconds to explain yourself," Ivan growled, his finger on the trigger.
The cavern was silent but for the tense breathing of the soldiers, each one ready to fire at a moment's notice. The atmosphere was suffocating, and the line between peace and violence was razor-thin.
Another soldier fell at Batman's hand, leaving him firmly in control of the situation.
Then, unexpectedly, one of the soldiers Batman was sneaking up on suddenly turned his head. Charlie was caught off-guard—why would this man, at the brink of a firefight, turn away to look over his shoulder? It was reckless.
The soldier's gaze swept over the cavern and his eyes widened in horror. His jaw dropped as he saw the bodies of his comrades sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
Before he could raise the alarm, a batarang sliced through the air, striking him with pinpoint accuracy. Batman moved in a flash, catching the man's body before it hit the ground and lowering him gently to avoid making a sound.
Batman was now fully in control.
"Don't be hasty, Agent Petrov," Siegel said, his voice smooth but laced with tension. "We shouldn't be enemies here. Besides, I know your journey to get here hasn't been easy."
Ivan's eyes were cold. "That's irrelevant," he snapped, his machine-gun arm still trained on Siegel. "You tried to lay mines for my team. Explain yourself before I decide to wipe the floor with your squad."
Siegel raised a brow, his voice calm but with a hint of condescension. "We have more men than you, Petrov. More firepower, more ammunition. If this comes down to a firefight, I guarantee it won't end well for your side."
Ivan, his body still coiled with tension, blinked once before a slow, almost menacing smile spread across his face. "More men than us?"
Siegel looked confused by the response. "That's right. We have the numbers advantage here."
Ivan chuckled, a sound that sent a ripple of unease through Siegel's squad. "You might want to count again, Siegel."
Siegel's confusion deepened. He turned slightly, glancing at his soldiers. And that's when he noticed something was wrong. His mouth fell open as he scanned the scene in front of him.
His soldiers—men who had been standing alert and ready moments ago—were sprawled on the ground, motionless.
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