Chapter 51: batman and catwomen

After the events in Los Angeles, the Justice League began to develop a sense of camaraderie.

Batman, however, was still grappling with the idea of them interfering in Gotham's affairs. Though his resentment of them entering his city had softened, he remained resolute in his desire to protect Gotham in his own way.

Lately, he had been facing a mounting headache.

Following a massacre by Red Hood at Arkham Asylum, Gotham had experienced a brief period of peace. The citizens who had fled during the fear gas attacks began returning to the city, seeking a semblance of normalcy.

But Batman knew better.

While Gotham had seemed quieter, this calm was nothing but an illusion.

People mistakenly believed that with Arkham's inmates wiped out, Gotham would be free of chaos. But Gotham was a breeding ground for madness. The old crop of criminals might be gone, but a new one was already taking form.

The psychopaths weren't the problem; they were merely the symptoms of a city that gave rise to their madness.

As dusk faded into the night, Batman moved through the shadows, his form merging seamlessly with the city's dark underbelly. He had little time to waste.

Arriving at a dock near Gotham Harbor, he was aware of the ticking clock. The hostage was held somewhere within this very dock, and he had only 90 seconds to save them.

Thanks to his upgraded nanosuit, breaking through the door lock was child's play.

He moved silently, blending into the shadows as he approached the criminals holding the hostage.

He on the eyepiece, revealing the identity of the robber.

Niles Nathan, a former CIA operative, is now part of the Intelligence Section.

The way he holds the gun suggests that the man is right-handed. The toxin on the batarang can paralyze his arm, which would also affect his head.

Tommy Hubble, a former Republic of Ireland Special Forces sniper, still has a piece of metal shrapnel lodged in his skull. A magnetic object hitting the right spot could easily incapacitate him.

Carlos Valdeza, a Blackwater mercenary with a penchant for close combat, may seem intimidating, but he's big and slow, making him easy for Batman to deal with.

Spider Hancock, a Gotham City gangster, broke one of his ribs three days ago, and it hasn't healed quickly.

In just a split second, Batman had mapped out an action plan targeting everyone's weaknesses.

He had used his suit to hack the power grid here; he didn't build AI into himself because he didn't trust it.

So everything had to be done by himself. Fortunately, his technology was top-notch. The LAN was infiltrated, and the power supply was immediately cut off.

In the darkness, the bat's eyes opened. The mercenaries grew nervous, and one man said, "He's coming!"

Someone had spent a lot of money assembling this team, but it took Batman less than thirty seconds to make the them behind the scenes understand.

They hadn't spent enough. In the dark, Batman entered the cage where the hostages were held.

He blew open the cell door and rescued the little boy inside. The boy, stunned, couldn't believe his eyes—he was actually seeing Batman!

With thirty-seven seconds left, Batman glanced at the eyepiece and quickened his pace.

He used the web Launcher developed by Dane. Even Batman had to admit it was better than the Hook Gun, though he kept the hook gun in his tactical fanny pack just in case.

Batman made his escape with the hostages. What he didn't realize was that the little boy was as afraid of him as he had been of the kidnappers.

As Batman temporarily relaxed, the boy suddenly grew alert. Immediately, Batman dodged, and a crocodile-shaped "man" lunged at them!

His face changed—hadn't the Killer Croc been killed by Jason? Who was this new crocodile man?

"Batman!" the creature, its massive size pressing against him.

Batman quickly dodged, wrapping the hook gun's rope around the boy's waist. He launched it, hooking a building nearby, and the rope retracted, pulling them both out of harm's way.

Batman turned his attention to the rampaging crocodile man.

He could tell this "crocodile" was more violent and savage than the real Killer Croc. And it was more… not quite human.

He couldn't afford to gamble with the hostages' safety. The Croc Man was much stronger than Batman in terms of size and raw physical power, but he had weaknesses.

Batman tapped the touch screen on his batsuit arm, and two ultrasonic generators instantly appeared in his palms.

The intense ultrasound sent the crocodile man howling in pain as he covered his head. Batman seized the opportunity and launched a series of strikes.

The suit enhanced his strength and speed. Although the Croc Man was stronger than before, Batman was no longer the same.

He was so familiar with the crocodile man that he knew every reaction and counter-move the creature would make.

The crocodile man didn't last as long as the mercenaries, quickly collapsing. To ensure the crocodile man was truly unconscious, Batman administered a strong dose of anesthetic.

After making sure the area was secure, he lowered the little boy, who had been suspended in midair.

"Lemont Edward IV, you're safe now."

This boy, held hostage, was the future heir of the Lemont family.

Lemont Enterprises, a supplier for the Lex Group, had recently developed a special coagulant capable of disguising petrol bombs as lipstick.

It was only the day after the news broke that Lemont Edward IV was kidnapped.

Now Batman realized that the Killer Croc had been behind the kidnapping, but this left him even more confused.

Because the Killer Croc had clearly been waiting for a long time, even Batman into believing he had only 90 seconds.

But a creature like Killer Croc shouldn't possess such strategy.

Moreover, it was almost inhuman—what use would it have for money? Before he could resolve the confusion, the FBI arrived late.

"Maybe we should discuss using more legal means to rescue the hostages," suggested the female investigator.

Although Batman had assisted them numerous times, the FBI agents weren't thrilled to rely on him.

They were the "new recruits" recently assigned to Gotham and hadn't yet experienced the city's unique "charm."

Batman ignored her suggestion and replied coldly, "This is my city."

Before the investigator could respond, one of her subordinates interrupted.

"Boss you need to see this!"

"What's going on?" the female investigator asked, adjusting her headset.

"The money is gone!"

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath. "That was $10 million!"

Lemont Enterprises had agreed to pay the ransom to save the hostages.

Now that the hostages were rescued, the money had disappeared. Do you think Lemont Edward would believe that it wasn't the FBI agents who embezzled the ransom?

The female investigator snapped angrily, "Find it! That thief can't have gone far. Find her!"

"No, I've found her," Batman said.

Using thermal imaging, he located the thief: she was above their heads, holding a rope and swinging through the air.

And Batman knew her too.

"Catwoman."

"50 power stones for a bonus chapter."

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