"He didn't say much," Alfred explained with a helpless shake of his head. "He was eccentric, anxious. The surveillance footage shows only a figure wrapped in bandages like a mummy. I doubt any face recognition system will find a match for him."
Bruce took the letter Alfred handed him, brow furrowed with curiosity. Breaking the seal, he unfolded the paper and read aloud.
"I need your help. The entire world needs your help. We have met before, and I hope you remember me. My name is Andrew Bennett. I am at my most desperate moment, seeking your aid. As a vampire, I am being hunted. I do not know who pursues me; everyone seems hostile. They grow closer every day. Vampires are preparing for war on the human world, and they plan to sacrifice me before that war begins."
Bruce's expression darkened as he processed the message.
"I know him," Bruce murmured. "Andrew Bennett. A vampire."
"A vampire?" Selina gasped, surprise flickering across her eyes. "They actually exist? Do they drink human blood, fear garlic and crosses, or turn into bat creatures?"
She had rarely left Gotham City, so hearing of real vampires struck her with equal parts disbelief and excitement.
"Of course," Bruce said quietly. "Magic and the unexplained exist beyond ordinary perception."
Alfred stood by his side. "Master, your old childhood friend Zatanna, she came from the magical world, did she not?"
Bruce hesitated. "I haven't spoken to her in years."
He took a breath, composing himself.
"Years ago, I encountered a deranged monk named Nikola Tepeš. Though it has been a long time, the memory remains vivid. That was the first supernatural event I truly witnessed. I was young and naïve, but it was also the last time I experienced something truly unknowable with innocence. Since then I have seen many strange things. I did not expect them to become more threatening."
He gazed out the window, eyes distant.
"When I first knew him," Bruce continued, "that monk's power and insatiable hunger could have been a threat to all humanity. I fear those suspicions may finally be confirmed."
Selina watched him closely.
"So," she asked softly, "you think he is behind all of this?"
"No," Bruce shook his head. "I cannot be certain yet. With only one letter, I cannot draw solid conclusions. But something in Gotham's darkness is beginning to stir."
Selina frowned. "Bruce, you just told us you broke your back. You should be resting."
Bruce gave her a faint smile. "Sitting still has never been my strength. For my own sanity, I need coffee. Does either of you want a cup?"
Alfred and Selina chuckled and agreed.
While Bruce pondered Bennett's letter, a thought nagged at him. Selina had vanished for a long time before returning today. Bruce couldn't help but wonder if she was connected to the vampire situation. Something in her return timing felt… significant.
Later, as Selina sipped her coffee, her phone buzzed. The caller ID shocked her.
It was Adrian.
Her heart jumped, but she maintained a cool tone as she answered.
"Adrian Kent," she said lazily, "I thought you'd forgotten your old Raven in Gotham."
"I never forget either the cat or the crow," he replied, voice steady.
Adrian stood atop Wayne Tower, clad in a black trench coat, staring in Lois Lane's direction through enhanced vision. Even from afar, he could see Selina's every movement.
"So," Selina asked with a small smile, "what brings you to call me?"
"Can I trust you?" Adrian asked quietly.
"What?" Selina paused, then glanced at a mark he had carved on her previously. She nodded firmly. "Of course. We've been in this together longer than most."
"Check your phone. I sent a message."
Confused, Selina opened her messages and froze when she saw the title.
You killed the female students at your school?
Adrian's voice came through calm but grim.
"To be precise, they were vampires. But that doesn't matter anymore."
Selina's eyes widened.
"The Metropolis Police Department, the university, and the media are all watching. If they decide I'm a perverted killer, it won't be hard for them to pin it on me without evidence."
A bitter sneer touched Adrian's lips.
Later that evening, the news outlets indeed labeled the sorority house massacre as a campus killing spree. Adrian had learned that Betty and her roommates had not told the police what they knew. He suspected the vampires embedded within government and law enforcement were using their influence to stamp him as guilty.
But since these vampires clearly enjoyed chaos, he decided they could have it in full measure.
"So how can I help?" Selina asked, her tone now serious and engaged.
Adrian fell silent for a moment, then said, "Keep an eye on Bruce Wayne for me. And trust no one. Especially not Green Lantern or Supergirl."
With that, he ended the call and vanished in a blur of super speed.
—
Kent Farm — That Same Night
Adrian appeared instantly at Baron Winters' residence, standing in the doorway. Inside, Martha and Jonathan were anxious, having seen news of their son listed as the suspected killer.
When they saw Adrian, both rushed forward with relief and worry.
"Martha, Jonathan…" he greeted quietly.
Martha immediately hugged him fiercely, eyes red with tears.
"Adrian, what happened? Why are they saying you're a killer? I know my son wouldn't do that."
Jonathan's voice cracked with emotion.
"Yes, Dad," Adrian said gently, "I did do it."
Both parents froze.
"But they weren't human," Adrian continued softly, "they were vampires."
Martha and Jonathan exchanged stunned glances — disbelief, surprise, then relief as the idea of supernatural attackers seemed easier to accept than the thought of their son being a cold‑blooded murderer.
"Are you sure?" Jonathan asked, cautious. "I've only heard of vampires in myth."
"They exist," Adrian confirmed, his voice steady, "and these are not typical ones. That's why I asked you to stay here for now."
"What about Clark?" Martha asked worriedly, "He no longer has powers. If he encounters vampires…"
Adrian paused, recalling Clark's current state.
"No," he said, "Clark believes losing his powers was not a burden he cannot bear. If choosing between talent and normality comes with too high a price, he chooses normality."
He looked up toward the second floor, footsteps echoing.
"If he truly realizes that his abilities are an inalienable glory, then he will become the Superman who shocks the world. I want him to understand what responsibility and glory mean — on his own terms."
Just then, a tall man with a neatly groomed goatee stepped down the stairs, leaning on a cane and holding little Rachel.
—
Kansas Central University — Same Time
Clark was pacing in his dorm room, anxiously dialing Adrian's number over and over with trembling fingers. He had been trying to reach his brother for hours.
Suddenly there was a knock at his door. A delivery person handed him a package.
Clark's eyes widened when he opened it.
Inside lay an object he knew well — Adrian's Star Scepter.
Gently holding the familiar artifact, Clark's heart raced.
Did Adrian send this? Why not deliver it himself?
Was he afraid Clark would be implicated?
But Clark refused to believe his brother could be anything other than who he was.
____
Send your Powerstones, now !!
Pretty please (´ε｀ )