บท 49: Chapter 49 (edited)
At the moment, Kara, Bruce, and Lieutenant Gordon stood together, gazing at the chaotic remnants of Naihe Island behind them.
Naihe Island wasn't entirely consumed by Arkham Asylum. In fact, other civilians still resided on parts of the island.
"I have no backup here. All of Gotham City's special police units have been deployed, but as you can see, everyone's been incapacitated. I was only able to hold out because of the antidote Miss Rachel gave me," Gordon said grimly, his expression growing darker with each word.
It made sense why there were only three people standing now. If Kara and Bruce hadn't arrived, Gordon wouldn't even have a shred of support.
"That's why we're here," Bruce replied in his distinctive gravelly tone.
Kara glanced at Bruce. Did he really have time for reassurance? Clearly, the bond between them ran deep.
"Do you want me to step aside so you two can enjoy a heartwarming reunion?" Kara quipped. "Please, this is hardly the time for casual chit-chat."
This was Gordon's first encounter with Oracle Woman, Kara's alter ego, as this marked her official debut. He found it difficult to process her sharp tongue.
To prevent Kara from continuing her sarcasm or conjuring up bizarre mental images, Bruce steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Naihe Island is just the beginning.
A group plans to spread the toxin across Gotham City by contaminating the tap water and underground pipes. They'll then use the Wayne Enterprises' main hub and the microwave emitter to release the poisonous gas citywide," Bruce summarized Ra's al Ghul's plot succinctly.
Gordon's heart sank, and he exclaimed, "If that happens, Gotham City will be wiped out."
Indeed, Ra's and the League of Shadows intended to destroy Gotham entirely, taking its citizens down with it.
In their fanaticism, they believed Gotham was irredeemably corrupt and beyond saving—perhaps even convincing themselves that their actions were justified.
Kara pursed her lips. While she leaned toward radical solutions herself, she never involved innocent people.
She judged only the guilty, and there were countless ordinary people in Gotham who didn't deserve to be dragged into this.
That's why Kara rejected the League's ideology and Ra's al Ghul's approach outright.
It was also why she agreed without hesitation to help Bruce. She couldn't just stand by and watch.
"How do they plan to get the emitter to Wayne Enterprises?" Gordon asked, now firmly focused on the urgent situation.
Bruce, ever the strategist, had already deduced the plan. "They'll take the monorail straight to Wayne Enterprises."
There was, indeed, a single-track train that connected Naihe Island to Gotham City.
Kara smacked her forehead. She couldn't help but criticize the lack of foresight. Why hadn't Gotham authorities raised the bridge or temporarily closed the elevated railway?
And if the bridge existed, what was the point of an elevated railway?
More importantly, why did it have to be a single track? A single train running back and forth felt unnecessarily risky.
In short, this part of the scenario seemed deliberately rushed, but it was what it was.
"I won't even bother with the logistics. But seriously, if that microwave emitter evaporates all the city's water sources, wouldn't Gotham basically turn into a giant steam room? You'd end up with everyone dried out like jerky," Kara muttered, unable to hold back her commentary.
Bruce and Gordon shot her a look. Was she actually upset that not enough people would die?
If it weren't for her partnership with Batman and her impressive record, Gordon might have suspected her of working with the enemy.
Bruce, accustomed to Kara's sharp humor, ignored her and turned back to Gordon. "I need your help."
Gordon blinked, surprised. "What can I do?"
Bruce handed him the keys to the Batmobile. "My car has the firepower to destroy the viaduct. I need you to get to Wayne Enterprises as fast as possible and take it down."
Gordon stared at the keys, dumbfounded. Was Bruce seriously asking a cop to destroy city infrastructure?
But Gordon understood. Bruce's plan was a last resort. The League of Shadows couldn't be allowed to reach Wayne Enterprises with the emitter. If they succeeded, Gotham was doomed.
The antidote was limited. Only four doses had been made so far—one each for Bruce, Rachel, and Gordon, with a backup for emergencies. Mass production wasn't feasible in time.
If the enemy's plan succeeded, the entire city would succumb to the madness induced by the fear toxin, leaving no one to save it.
After considering the dire stakes, Gordon made up his mind. He grabbed the keys and took a deep breath. "I'll handle it."
Bruce nodded.
Kara, of course, couldn't resist another jab. "You sure you know how to drive that thing?"
Gordon almost groaned. He'd watched Bruce and Kara jump over the broken bridge earlier. Now he realized he'd have to do the same.
And to be honest, he wasn't sure about piloting the Batmobile.
Bruce shot Kara a warning glare before walking Gordon to the vehicle. "Don't worry," Bruce reassured him. "It's just an ordinary manual transmission."
Gordon eyed the console filled with unfamiliar buttons. Ordinary manual transmission? Sure.
After a quick crash course, Gordon grasped the basic controls and the weapon system.
"I'm going," he said firmly, grabbing his radio. "This is Gordon. Lower the bridge for me."
It was a futile request, of course. The other side wouldn't dare lower the bridge, given Naihe Island's dire state.
In the end, Gordon would have to summon the courage to make the jump.
Kara smirked silently. Gordon was turning out to be unexpectedly entertaining.
Bruce shrugged. He knew the lieutenant would eventually rise to the occasion.
Once Gordon was off, Bruce turned to Kara.
"Now, it's our turn," he said.
Kara cracked her knuckles, the joints popping audibly. She rolled her neck and shoulders. "Been waiting for this."
บท 50: Chapter 50 (edited)
Although Gordon had been tasked with destroying the viaduct, Kara and Bruce did not relax. They still needed to uncover the true source of the incident—Lars and his associates.
If simply destroying the viaduct was enough, wouldn't it have made sense to do it immediately? Kara questioned the decision aloud: why did Gordon have to travel to the city to destroy the other end instead of handling it nearby on Naihe Island?
Bruce sighed helplessly. "Can't you stop complaining about me?"
Kara shrugged, effortlessly kicking an attacker who had suddenly lunged at her into the air. "It's just a rant, don't take it too seriously."
Her complaints, however, gave Bruce a headache. Kara wasn't wrong. If the viaduct needed to be destroyed to prevent Lars from leaving, why not destroy it from the island itself? That would also have avoided the potential devastation of Gotham City.
Still, what was done was done. Gordon was already in action, and arguing about it further wouldn't change anything.
The chaos on Naihe Island had reached new heights. Everyone had been infected with the fear toxin, driving them into madness.
People fought each other in the streets, trapped in hallucinations of their deepest fears. When their fear became unbearable, they lashed out violently, hoping to destroy the source of their terror.
Kara frowned as she observed the carnage. Innocent civilians were attacking others in their hysteria, forcing her to intervene. She knocked them unconscious one by one, though her strength meant they would likely need to recover in the hospital for a few days.
Bruce was also busy. Armed with a variety of gadgets, he incapacitated attackers without causing permanent harm. Perhaps even then, he had already committed to his no-kill principle.
Suddenly, Kara grabbed Bruce's cape, nearly pulling him off balance.
"What?" Bruce asked, not annoyed but curious.
Kara closed her eyes briefly, listening intently. Then she opened them with urgency. "Your Miss Rachel—is she on the island?"
"What?" Bruce's eyes widened in shock. "Rachel?"
Kara nodded. She had picked up on the Scarecrow's voice, catching it amidst the chaos. A sinister tone had given her the information she needed.
"I'm not just any scapegoat," the voice had said. "I'm the Scarecrow."
Kara's enhanced senses had allowed her to pinpoint the speaker's location. In doing so, she also detected Rachel.
"Follow me!" Kara called as she darted through the streets.
Bruce didn't question how she knew where Rachel was. His concern for Rachel overpowered his curiosity. Together, they navigated Naihe Island's chaos, eventually reaching an alley.
There, they found Rachel huddled with a young boy, trying to evade a group of armed prisoners who had escaped from Arkham. They were clearly under the influence of the fear toxin, wielding makeshift weapons and closing in on Rachel.
Bruce charged forward, using his combat skills to take down the assailants with precision and restraint. However, he didn't notice that Kara had slipped away.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a horse galloped wildly through the streets. Its rider, wearing a crude burlap hood and armed with gas canisters, clung desperately to its back. It was the Scarecrow, fleeing in a panic.
Moments earlier, he had attempted to capture Rachel, only to be repelled by her self-defense stun gun. Now, he was frantically trying to escape his pursuer.
Kara soared through the air, her cape billowing behind her like the wings of a great bat. Her eyes locked onto the Scarecrow as she descended rapidly.
The Scarecrow let out a terrified scream, mistaking her for Bruce. He had already faced Batman once and wasn't eager for a rematch. Little did he know, Kara was far more dangerous.
As she approached, Kara deactivated the gliding function of her suit, dropping straight into the Scarecrow's path. She landed with a thunderous crash, startling the horse and causing it to rear up.
The animal instinctively lashed out at her with its front hooves, but Kara responded swiftly, grabbing the horse's head and flipping it over her shoulder.
The horse, dazed and confused, lay on the ground, and the Scarecrow was thrown off its back, landing with a painful thud. He scrambled to his feet, attempting to crawl away, but Kara stepped on his back with immense force, pinning him to the ground.
"Who are you?" the Scarecrow croaked, gasping for air.
Kara smirked coldly. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you're going to pay for what you've done."
She pressed down harder, causing the Scarecrow to cry out in pain as his spine cracked under the pressure. Kara didn't kill him immediately. Instead, she let him experience the slow, agonizing approach of death.
"You like to use fear against others," Kara said with venom in her voice. "Let's see how you handle your own medicine."
The Scarecrow's screams filled the air as his internal organs were crushed. Kara's expression remained impassive, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
At the edge of death, the Scarecrow managed to choke out one final observation. "You're… not him. Batman wouldn't… do this…"
Kara's smirk widened. "Congratulations. You got that right. Here's your reward."
With a sickening crunch, Kara ended the Scarecrow's life.
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