Chapter 215: Hunting the Killer
Dr. Octavius. Professor Warren. Norman Osborn. Professor Connors. In less than six weeks, Oscorp had experienced too many incidents.
Behind every incident stood one common figure: Peter Parker.
Even though Peter's connections to each individual had occurred through different circumstances at different times, Dr. Strange saw only two possibilities: either the kid had catastrophically bad luck, or he was positioned at the center of something massive.
Strange favored the latter. Over the past month, Parker Industries' memory fiber had revolutionized materials science—applications spanning medical equipment, battlefield rescue systems, parachute technology, racing equipment...
Memory fiber had penetrated countless industries in barely thirty days.
Strange hadn't remembered Peter Parker's name because the kid had made any particular impression. He remembered because Metro-General had recently adopted the new material extensively.
Oscorp personnel kept getting hurt. Peter Parker—the only "outsider" connected to every single victim—was simultaneously using memory fiber to explosively expand Parker Industries.
He'd even purchased a sixty-six story Manhattan tower. Six floors taller than Oscorp's building.
Strange couldn't help wondering what exactly Peter Parker had done throughout this chain of events.
Arrogant but not stupid, Strange wouldn't confront Peter directly. He'd simply offered his private number and waited for the kid to expose himself.
What Strange didn't know: Batman had read his intentions the instant that card changed hands.
After barely a moment's hesitation, Batman understood exactly what value "Peter Parker" held in Strange's eyes.
"I'll call when necessary, Mr. Strange." Batman's expression remained neutral.
"Doctor," Strange corrected.
Batman ignored the correction, turning toward Warren's room.
Even fifteen meters from the professor's door, Batman could hear the discussion inside winding down, replaced by approaching footsteps.
Almost the instant Batman glanced toward the room, Warren's door opened. The sterile-suited, masked medical team emerged in sequence.
"I need to check on Professor Warren," Batman said. "Excuse me."
He turned toward the room without waiting for Strange's response, leaving the doctor standing with mouth half-open.
At Warren's bedside, Batman placed one palm gently on the professor's forearm, feeling blood pulse through vessels beneath skin.
Without the armored suit, Oracle AI mostly nonfunctional after the disposable Batwing's crash, Batman remained Batman.
His medical knowledge was comprehensive enough to immediately function as a world-class physician specializing in both internal medicine and surgery.
Combined with Peter Parker's enhanced senses, Batman could rapidly assess Warren's condition without external equipment.
"Just as Strange said. Professor Warren's past critical danger."
The instant his palm made contact, half Batman's concern evaporated. Warren would survive.
Batman couldn't determine brain function status through touch alone—couldn't predict when Warren might regain consciousness.
But that was acceptable. This wasn't purely a social visit. His primary objective was analyzing Warren's injuries.
"Bruising around the throat. Pattern indicates he was choked. The neck wound shows bite marks from some creature."
"Bruising on his chest and waist injuries indicate the creature threw him violently."
"Whatever gripped Warren's throat possessed elongated finger bones, prominent knuckles. Minimal muscle mass in the hands. Skin stretched over bone."
"Warren sustained secondary trauma during transport to the hospital, but I already know that resulted from Tony carrying him while flying."
Footsteps approached from the corridor. Batman withdrew his hand, dropped two listening devices beneath the bed, then turned and opened the window.
He didn't let himself freefall. Instead, hands pressed against the exterior wall, Batman descended rapidly while avoiding pedestrian sight lines before reaching the roof.
Through indirect routes, Batman—still as Peter Parker—reached Oscorp Tower's twentieth floor. He collected every piece of evidence from the obvious combat scene before descending into the sewers and driving the Batmobile back to the cave.
"Metro-General's records indicate Professor Warren arrived with severe blood loss."
"Minimal blood at the Oscorp scene. Warren lost blood before being thrown."
"Daredevil's 'Batman' appears to consume blood..."
Oscorp's twentieth floor lacked surveillance. Most laboratories containing core company technology didn't have cameras.
Despite that limitation, the evidence chain pointed toward exactly what Batman least wanted to confirm: the vampire "Batman" was either Harry Osborn or Professor Morbius.
Combined with the incident's origin point at Oscorp Tower, floor twenty.
The restraints on the electroshock therapy chair had been torn apart. Batman had discovered vampire bat organs missing from Warren's preserved biological specimens.
Without wasting excessive time, Batman narrowed the culprit to Professor Morbius.
This was simpler than Batman's early days in this reality—when finding a lawyer willing to oppose Kingpin had required visiting nearly every Manhattan law firm.
Batman grabbed paper and pencil, sketching rapidly.
Based on Warren's injuries indicating emaciated physiology, combined with blood consumption characteristics, a portrait of Morbius emerged—skin stretched over bone, fanged mouth, elongated features.
San Diego, California. Brock Beach House.
Inside the spacious, sunlit receiving room of the oceanfront villa, Tony Stark paced in his Mark III armor like an agitated rooster.
Finally, he raised his faceplate and stopped before a silver-gray case marked with a bald eagle emblem. Obviously SHIELD property.
"Jarvis, repeat what you just told me." Tony said.
"My apologies, sir." The Jarvis AI responded. "The villa's security systems genuinely detected no indication of when this case appeared."
Tony sighed, dropping to sit beside the case, upper body slumping across its surface.
"If I had more time, I'd upgrade you, Jarvis. Twice now you've been completely blind to SHIELD infiltration."
"If this were a bomb, if the delivery team had been the Ten Rings, I'd already be scattered across this floor."
"My apologies, sir," Jarvis said.
Tony started to respond when Jarvis interrupted: "You have an incoming call from Nick Fury, sir."
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