Tracking

Greetings, Readers. This is a prior notification; as my birthday falls on September 16, I will not be Updating from Sunday, September 15, to Saturday, September 21. 

I simply want to spend some personal time with... you know... not you guys.

lol

Anyway, Sword out!

---

Hearing Batman's cold, analytical voice echo in his mind like a game guide, Charlie couldn't help but fall into deep contemplation. The words were methodical and calculated, much like everything Batman did. It made Charlie question whether the Dark Knight had spent too much time with Arkham's security guards, perhaps even unconsciously adopting their rigid, procedural ways. The Batmobile—a behemoth of a vehicle, an armored tank with the wings of a fighter jet—seemed almost absurdly out of place in a mundane parking lot, like a warship in a swimming pool. The sheer strength it wielded was enough to tear through walls, yet here it was, about to be used for a simple on-site investigation.

Charlie couldn't shake the ridiculousness of the situation. The security guards stationed weren't blind, and they certainly weren't insignificant. How could such a massive, conspicuous vehicle sneak into a parking lot without raising an alarm? The idea seemed laughably impossible at first glance, a concept that defied logic. It was like trying to smuggle an elephant through a keyhole.

His initial instinct was that attempting something so bold would be akin to signing his own death warrant. In a moment of absurdity, Charlie imagined the guards standing around, completely oblivious as the Batmobile rolled in—a sight so strange that it would seem as though they'd seen a ghost. Yet, the more he pondered, the more plausible it seemed. After all, Batman had a way of making the impossible possible.

Even if things went horribly wrong, what was the worst that could happen? Charlie could always rely on Batman's tried-and-true method—when in doubt, blow something up and escape. The Bat Tank, as he fondly called it, was more than capable of breaking through any barriers. Batman, after all, had spent decades hunting down criminals in Gotham's shadows, his presence a nightmare for every lowlife in the city. The GCPD had been playing catch-up for years, but they were never quite able to pin him down.

If all else failed, Charlie could simply go offline, and Batman would vanish into thin air, his equipment whisking him away to safety in the blink of an eye. He could already imagine the look of shock on his pursuers' faces as they realized their prey had disappeared without a trace.

The more Charlie thought about it, the less it seemed like his problem. If Batman caused a commotion, it wasn't Charlie's neck on the line. Batman could play with death, dance on the edge of danger, and it wouldn't matter to Charlie. He wasn't the one out there in the thick of it. So why not push the envelope a bit and test the limits? After all, Batman faced worse odds and came out on top every time.

In the comics and the Arkham Knight game, the Batmobile could be remotely controlled with precision. Through the remote control, Charlie could tap into the Batmobile's systems, switching to its perspective as it navigated its way into the underground parking lot. The idea of piloting this mechanical beast from a distance gave Charlie a thrill, a sense of power he rarely felt in his own skin.

Even though sneaking such a massive vehicle into the facility seemed daunting, it was Batman's equipment, after all. If anyone could make it work, it was him.

First, Batman would need to neutralize the parking lot's surveillance equipment. With the cameras disabled, there would be no digital eyes to witness the Batmobile's arrival. The vehicle then engaged its stealth mode, becoming a ghostly presence, nearly invisible to anyone who might be watching.

This stealth wasn't like the high-tech cloaking devices seen in science fiction, where an object would blend perfectly into its surroundings. Instead, it was more akin to the Batmobile from the movie "Batman Begins." The roar of the engine quieted to a barely perceptible hum, all external lights shut off, and the tail propeller ceased its fiery bursts. The Batmobile, already painted in the darkest shade of black, now melded with the shadows, its silhouette becoming indistinguishable from the surrounding darkness. The built-in AI took over, carefully plotting a route that would keep the vehicle hidden in the shadows, avoiding the occasional sweep of any remaining lights.

In the heart of a brightly lit downtown area, this trick would be nearly useless. The Batmobile, despite its stealth capabilities, wasn't invisible—it couldn't hide in plain sight. But in the remote outskirts, where light was sparse and shadows plentiful, it became a phantom. And the secret asylum branch, cleverly disguised as a nondescript trade building, was likely tucked away in just such a secluded spot. The deception was part of its design.

On this dark, winding road, the Batmobile transformed into a silent specter, moving with a grace that belied its size. Even if it passed directly in front of a security camera, it would be little more than a fleeting blur, a shadow too quick to capture.

Charlie had Batman conduct a reconnaissance of the area. The biggest challenge would be the sentry post at the entrance, where the parking lot lights were so bright they might as well have been stage lights at a concert. Even in stealth mode, the Batmobile would be hard-pressed to slip by unnoticed. If the guards missed something that obvious, they must have been blessed with extraordinarily good luck in their past lives.

But Charlie wasn't too concerned. He knew that Batman had other tools at his disposal. Batman silently approached the guards, his movements as quiet as a whisper in the wind. With a few well-placed gestures, he used a technique that was almost second nature to him, a form of physical hypnosis that sent the guards into a deep, dreamless sleep.

With the guards neutralized, Charlie was able to guide the Batmobile into the parking lot without any further resistance.

Once inside, Batman entered the Batmobile and activated the vehicle's advanced scanning device. A bright blue beam swept out from the front of the car, illuminating the parking space in a cold, otherworldly glow. Within seconds, four distinct tire tracks appeared on the ground, as if drawn out by an invisible hand.

But this was just the beginning. The Batmobile's onboard systems continued to analyze the scene, processing the data at incredible speed. Charlie imagined Batman's mind working in tandem with the machine, calculating the vehicle's size based on the spacing of the tire tracks, cross-referencing the tire patterns with known models. Soon, a holographic image began to take shape above the tracks, its outlines becoming clearer with each passing moment.

The model started with the tires, then the bodywork began to materialize, piece by piece. In mere seconds, a fully formed holographic off-road vehicle stood before him, every detail painstakingly reconstructed.

In the driver's seat sat Ivan, his form restored to eerie perfection, as though he had never left the vehicle.

But the most remarkable thing was yet to come. The holographic vehicle, though intangible, moved with all the precision of a real car. Ivan gripped the steering wheel, his movements exaggerated as he drifted sideways with a sharp, stylish turn, the vehicle leaving a trail of virtual dust in its wake. He shifted gears, the transition smooth and seamless, and the blue off-road vehicle surged toward the exit with a roar of virtual engines.

Charlie, captivated by the scene, continued to guide the Batmobile in pursuit, following the tire tracks as they wound through the parking lot.

As the Batmobile scanned the area, more and more vehicles began to appear in the detective mode's display. Each set of tire tracks led to another holographic model, until a small convoy of virtual vehicles was following behind the off-road vehicle.

But one by one, they fell away.

Some vehicles faltered, their poor performance unable to keep up. Others, with chassis too low, became stuck, struggling to navigate the uneven terrain. A few drivers, overconfident in their abilities, attempted to mimic professional racing maneuvers, only to lose control and end up in ditches. Ivan's spiked belts claimed several more, flipping them over like toys. And then there were those who simply couldn't handle the chase, their lack of skill leaving them behind from the very start.

In the end, Ivan's off-road vehicle emerged victorious, having outmaneuvered every pursuer. The chase had taken them far from the city, where the dim light and lack of surveillance made tracking nearly impossible. The asylum branch, for all its resources, had lost him.

But the Batmobile was relentless. It followed not only the tire marks but also every other clue left in the off-road vehicle's wake—the broken branches, the crushed shrubs, the faint traces of paint scraped off in the chase.

Charlie, still viewing the chase from the Batmobile's perspective, felt like he was watching a blockbuster car chase, complete with heart-pounding special effects and stunning visuals. The realism was uncanny, every detail brought to life with a level of precision that was both exhilarating and unnerving.

The pursuit continued, the Batmobile driving relentlessly, its systems tracking every minute detail. Suddenly, without warning, the off-road vehicle was thrown violently into the air, flipping end over end before crashing down onto the ground, a twisted wreck.

Charlie immediately paused the scene, rewinding and playing it back in slow motion to catch what had happened. It was a rocket—a well-aimed RPG had struck the off-road vehicle, its explosion tearing through the metal and sending the car into a deadly spin.

But Ivan wasn't caught off guard. In the holographic replay, Charlie watched as Ivan kicked open the mangled door and crawled out from the wreckage, his movements swift and precise.

In the distance, another car appeared, its sleek form cutting through the night. The door swung open, and a shadowy figure emerged, standing tall and still, watching Ivan with cold, calculating eyes. The contempt in the figure's gaze was unmistakable, a silent challenge that spoke of more dangers to come.

---

If you're enjoying the story and want to see more chapters

- 50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter

- 100 Power Stones = 2 Extra Chapters

- Anything above 100 = 3 Extra Chapters

If you'd like to support my work even further and get early access to chapters, please check out my Patron at Patr_eon.com/OneSword (remove the underscore). Currently, I am nineteen chapters ahead on Patron.

Free Members can read up to 5 chapters in advance.

Thank you, and Sword out!