"I see why it's just you and that bug appearing now."
"That fellow Batman must be out there, desperately hunting for the bombs, trying to dismantle them one by one, isn't he?"
Hovering over a dozen meters above the ground, Garrett sat astride a Pegasus, maneuvering against Tony Stark, the Iron Man. His winged steed couldn't match Tony's thrusters in raw speed, and it was even less a match for his agility.
However, by relying on his extensive combat experience as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Hydra spy—coupled with a variety of bizarre weapons and explosives—he was actually managing to keep Tony Stark at bay for the time being.
In terms of pure firepower, Tony's repulsor blasts didn't even need to be at full strength; simply switching to anti-material mode was enough to rival the energy lasers Garrett fired from his scepter.
Yet, Garrett's combat style was ruthlessly pragmatic. He repeatedly smashed through windows and walls to dive into apartments and high-rise buildings, or used the Pegasus's speed to swoop down and circle the few panicked pedestrians remaining on the streets.
This forced Tony Stark to refrain from using high-powered weaponry. He was relegated to firing precision pulse bolts from his palms while pushing his flight speed to the limit, hoping to catch and apprehend Garrett as quickly as possible.
Though it sounds like a long ordeal, barely ten seconds had passed since Manhattan was turned into a massive Faraday cage—neutralizing all remote detonators and forcing the bombs into their ticking countdowns.
Inside the Empire State Building, Max Dillon—Electro—remained at a total loss regarding the bombs there. Meanwhile, Spider-Man stood atop the building's spire, seemingly dazed.
Whoosh!
With the sound of rushing air, the Pegasus and Iron Man grazed the edge of an apartment complex. Just as they rounded a corner, Garrett violently yanked the reins, veering into a nearby commercial skyscraper.
Tony Stark followed in hot pursuit. He kept up a steady stream of repulsor fire to harass Garrett while accelerating to close the gap with the Pegasus.
"This is the Daily Bugle reporting. Less than twenty minutes remain until the three-hour deadline set by the mysterious Black Knight, yet Batman has still failed to appear. According to authoritative experts, he may have chosen to avoid the conflict entirely. The NYPD is currently deploying bomb disposal units, aiming to locate and dismantle all explosives before time runs out."
In the Daily Bugle studio, the host was facing the camera for a live broadcast.
"According to information provided by our reporters and a handful of witnesses, the world's wealthiest man and superhero, Tony Stark—Iron Man—is currently engaged in a fierce pursuit of the Black Knight. We advise—"
Before the host could finish, a wall of the studio blew inward with a thunderous roar.
"Ah!" The host screamed, instinctively diving to the side.
The other staff members in the studio were equally terrified. They scrambled and lunged under desks and into corners—anywhere they deemed safe.
In the chaos, the camera lost sight of any people, broadcasting only the empty background wall. But across Manhattan and the other boroughs of New York, tens of thousands of viewers watching on televisions and computers cursed in unison.
No one knew where the bombs were. Garrett wouldn't reveal them, and Batman hadn't shown his face. The only source of first-hand information for the average citizen was the news stations.
Amidst the dust raised by the collapsing wall, the sound of hoofbeats approached. Moments later, Garrett rode his Pegasus into the studio. He swept a quick gaze over the environment and the host cowering on the floor.
After less than a second of thought, Garrett vaulted off his mount. In a few strides, he reached the still-functioning camera and pointed it directly at his metal-helmeted face.
"People of Manhattan, I am the Black Knight—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, Tony Stark burst into the studio, both hands raised and repulsors locked onto Garrett.
"Don't move, or I'll kill her!" Garrett smirked, aiming his energy scepter at the host hiding under a nearby desk.
The host, already trembling from the wall's collapse, had been looking for any chance to flee. But the moment she heard the Black Knight say "her," her heart sank. Her jaw quivering, she slowly turned her head. When she saw the glowing tip of the energy scepter pointed at her, her legs went weak, and her heart skipped a beat from sheer terror.
"Don't... please..." The sweet-faced host stammered. Looking at the bright light gathering at the end of the scepter, she couldn't even force out a complete sentence.
"Black Knight, let her go," Tony Stark said, eyeing the villain who had taken a hostage without a second thought. He quickly lowered his hands, and the white light of his repulsors began to fade.
Garrett let out a cold laugh. With a flick of his wrist, he swung the scepter toward a cameraman crouching in a corner.
"You. Get up."
Time was too tight; the camera crew hadn't even had the chance to crawl away before the Black Knight arrived, freezing everyone in place.
Seeing the scepter pointed his way, the cameraman's heart thudded. He froze for a split second before scrambling up and bolting for the exit. He moved with such agility that Garrett was momentarily caught off guard.
"Faster, faster!" the cameraman screamed internally, wishing he had an extra pair of legs.
But the moment his hand touched the studio door handle, Garrett reacted.
Hum—
The scepter emitted a low drone. A blue laser beam pierced straight through the cameraman's shoulder. The extreme heat charred the wound instantly, and the intense pain wrung a piercing scream from the man.
Thud!
The cameraman hit the floor hard, rolling in agony.
"Shut up!" Garrett barked. The scepter glowed blue once more. Seeing the cameraman clamp his hand over his mouth, not daring to make another sound, Garrett turned away in satisfaction. He pointed at another member of the camera crew. "You. Get to that camera. Point it at me."
This is bad. Things are spinning out of control. What the hell is Peter doing? Tony Stark cursed inwardly, watching Garrett's every move with hyper-vigilance.
"Jarvis, monitor Garrett's movements at all times. I need a link to Peter Parker," Tony whispered.
"Understood, sir," the JARVIS AI replied, keeping its voice equally low.
"Peter, where are you?" The moment the connection to Batman went through, Tony demanded, "Tell me your plan. Right now!"
"I'm disarming the bombs, Tony." Batman's voice sounded remarkably relaxed, lacking any of the tension one might expect from someone who had just sabotaged a detonation system, and devoid of the brooding, heavy tone Tony usually heard from him.
"Disarming, my ass! You—" Tony's words cut short.
He watched as Garrett used both hands to heave the news anchor's desk aside, revealing what was hidden beneath: a ticking bomb on the verge of exploding!
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my pa-treon:
pat reon .c-om/windkaze