Inside the Helicarrier's command deck, Nick Fury stood with both hands pressed against the control console.
He had removed his eyepatch, exposing the bomb disguised as a prosthetic eye to the open air.
He was asking himself a single question:
"Black Widow is in position, Garrett has commenced operations, and the Daywalker has arrived in New York... but where is the most critical component of Project Owl? Where is Hawkeye, Clint Barton?"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Nick Fury's encrypted comms flared to life. Someone outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. was attempting to contact him.
Director Fury did not hesitate. He immediately granted the communication request, and the voice of the "Daywalker"—the vampire hunter known as Blade—came through the line.
"Nick Fury, I'm calling off the hunt for Batman."
"Reason?" Fury demanded.
"He isn't a vampire, and he isn't Hydra. I have no reason to get involved in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s private grudges," Blade said, his voice low and gravelly. "If it comes down to it, I might even team up with Batman to take S.H.I.E.L.D. down instead."
"Reason?" Fury repeated, a hint of anger seeping into his tone.
"Because... Garrett has planted a massive number of bombs at random across Manhattan, and he's one of your S.H.I.E.L.D. agents," Blade said. "I suspect you've lost control of your man."
"He is Hydra," Nick Fury replied, explaining Garrett's behavior in a single sentence. "According to the plan, you and Hawkeye were supposed to move in sync with Garrett's operation. As of now, Hawkeye is nowhere to be found."
"And the bombs? Whether Garrett planted them to flush out Batman or not, the fact remains that they're there, and they could level half of Manhattan at any moment." Blade's tone was hostile.
Nick Fury fell silent for a few seconds before speaking. "I'll send someone to handle it."
"It's too late for that."
"No, it isn't. Because I'm sending Ant-Man and the Wasp," Fury said.
Blade didn't say another word; he simply cut the encrypted connection.
Nick Fury replaced his eyepatch and stared at the data and light pulses flickering across the various screens in the command center.
According to his plan, Garrett's arrival in New York would inevitably lead to a confrontation with Batman. Black Widow and Hawkeye were supposed to use their specialized skills to swoop in and reap the benefits while the two sides were occupied.
But Hawkeye's absence forced Fury to pivot. He had to deploy Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Before this operation began, it would have been difficult for Fury to convince Ant-Man and the Wasp to take the mission. But things were different now; Batman's two previous break-ins at Pym Technologies had thoroughly offended the size-shifting hero.
The Penthouse of Stark Tower
"Which Mark is this?"
"The Mark VI."
"I haven't even seen you wear the Mark V yet. You skipped straight to six?"
Tony Stark was currently stepping into the Mark VI armor. It was visibly bulkier than previous iterations, seemingly built specifically for heavy combat. He looked at Max Dillon and replied, "The Mark V was a portable suit. It was too weak in terms of actual combat capability."
Max Dillon studied the Mark VI. Built around the triangular Arc Reactor on the chest, the armor featured inverted-triangle plating. It was less rounded than previous models, possessing a sharper, more aggressive edge.
"That black-clad knight has planted bombs all over New York. We need to team up, find them, and give that guy a hell of a beating," Tony Stark said. "Batman still hasn't made a move. We don't have time to wait for him."
Max Dillon nodded. "Those bombs are likely remote-controlled via radio. I can merge completely into the power grid now; I'll be able to find them quickly."
Tony Stark snapped his fingers. "Then it's simple. I'll handle signal jamming, and you handle the localization. Once we have all the coordinates, I'll use my drones to dismantle them all at once."
"Three hours? I only need thirty minutes."
Max Dillon smirked. Golden sparks of electricity began to bleed through his dark skin, and his physical form rapidly transformed into a being of pure energy.
A few minutes later, Tony Stark landed with a heavy thud on the edge of the Empire State Building's roof. He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the Bat-Signal projected from the Manhattan Police Department onto the dark clouds above.
Before starting the operation, Tony contacted Batman.
"Peter, the light's been on for a while now."
Batman had just finished his current task. Hearing Iron Man's voice over the encrypted channel, he let out a short laugh. "I know."
Tony felt a sudden jolt of apprehension. "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm guessing you're on top of the Empire State Building, right?" Batman's laughter vanished, replaced by a low, serious tone.
"That's right."
"Do me a favor, Tony," Batman said. "Haul my Batmobile up there. I've made some... minor adjustments to it."
"Oh? Care to share?" Tony asked, his interest piqued.
"I've converted the Batmobile into a wide-range radio signal detector," Batman explained.
Tony rubbed his metal chin. "I don't think that's necessary. They're just some radio-controlled bombs. I can cover Manhattan with broad-spectrum electromagnetic interference to jam all signals. Electro has already merged with the grid; we'll have the locations soon."
Batman's heart skipped a beat. He immediately warned Tony: "Don't do that, Tony. I have a complete plan to deal with these bombs."
"Even if you jam the radio signals, I suspect those bombs have a secondary trigger... Listen to me: only use the detector to lock onto the locations. Do not touch those bombs."
Tony Stark scoffed, about to dismiss the encrypted call.
But in that split second, he remembered what had happened at the Baxter Building. He pressed further, "What's your plan? Detecting the locations via radio alone isn't accurate enough; we still need Electro's help."
"I'm sending you the coordinates. Get the Batmobile to the top of the Empire State Building. Someone will meet you there to coordinate the next phase," Batman said. "A young man."
"A young man?" Before Tony could ask for clarification, Batman cut the transmission.
Back in the Batcave, Batman stripped off his Arkham tactical suit. Under the bewildered gaze of Venom Robin, he pulled on a skin-tight, red-and-blue suit covered in a black web pattern.
Watching Batman, clad in the sleek spandex, perform a series of light, agile hops to test the fit, Venom Robin felt a profound sense of cognitive dissonance. The image of the grim, stoic "Old Bat" inside that mask combined with the colorful suit was jarring, to say the least.
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