Chen Tao dashed across the rooftops, switching between legs when he needed agility and wheels when the ground was smooth.
No matter how hard Bane pushed himself, he simply couldn't catch up.
Fight?
Fight what? Win how?
Hell no, I'm running.
Speed climbing past 70 mph, wind in his face, freedom in his chest.
Bane?
Rockets?
Eat my exhaust fumes.
---
"Bane, we're not chasing anymore?"
The pale guy nicknamed Zombie, still holding a rocket launcher, was sweating bullets. His face had bruises of every possible color.
He had chased too far ahead earlier. Batman—no, the dinosaur—turned around and punched him right in the face.
How dare he block my escape route?!
If Bane hadn't caught him in time, Zombie would be in intensive care right now.
He had never seen someone — sorry, some dinosaur — run like this.
This entire situation was beyond human comprehension.
The other two—Caveman and Birdman—looked just as miserable. They weren't fast enough to keep up, and Deadshot kept sniping them every two seconds.
So when Bane finally said stop, they all exhaled like they had been saved.
---
Bane stood quietly in the middle of the street, staring toward the rooftops where Batman had disappeared.
He looked like some poetic summer-night youth, opening his arms toward starlit fireflies and cool wind.
"Caveman. Situation has changed."
Caveman wiped sweat off his bald head:
"I understand, Bane. I'll prepare a full report on Batman's weakened condition and his unknown abilities."
"No. No report. We're changing plans.
We need time. So we make sure Batman has plenty of other things to keep him busy."
---
Meanwhile.
Thud.
After almost thirty minutes of high-speed flight, Chen Tao finally dropped Deadshot, Cheshire, Killer Croc, and Ventriloquist in a quiet alley.
The chase and battle felt like a fever dream.
"Ugh…"
Their minds were blank.
Thoughts? Gone.
Cheshire rubbed her temples:
"I don't remember Batman doing any of that."
"Clearly, the guy spent years struggling between being Batman and being Dino-Man," Deadshot said, grinding his broken teeth.
"So what, he just dumps us here?" Killer Croc growled. "Where's the employer? Where's Batman? Where's my money?!"
Deadshot ignored him.
For the first time, he was seriously considering leaving this job.
He had seen Bane.
He had seen Batman the Dinosaur.
He had seen Tattoo Man.
In the past, he would do anything if the money was good enough.
But now?
He had a daughter.
When Bane had his hand on his throat earlier, Deadshot kept thinking:
If I die… what happens to my girl?
The answer was: nothing.
She would cry a little.
Then move on.
Forget him.
His entire existence would fade like smoke in sunlight.
He couldn't accept that.
Deadshot knew he was trash — a villain — but his love for his daughter was territorial, selfish, desperate, ugly, and deep.
He wanted to see her grow up.
He wanted to live with her.
He wanted to see her graduate, marry, have a family.
He wanted to die in old age while she cried beside him.
That was the weak, pathetic wish of Floyd Lawton.
So he chose to live, even as a coward.
He turned to Ventriloquist:
"That's enough, Arnold.
Tell your employer — I'm out."
---
Ding!
The elevator doors opened.
Chen Tao arrived at the top floor of the GCPD.
A clerk girl saw him, froze, and dropped her files on the floor.
Trying to look cool, Chen Tao silently stepped into the stairwell and climbed up to the rooftop.
(Damn it, why is this grappling gun so hard to use.jpg)
Commissioner Gordon was already waiting.
"I turn on the Bat-Signal. I turn it off… I turn it on again… I turn— oh God!"
Chen Tao walked up behind him.
"Gordon."
"AAAH— I WASN'T PLAYING WITH IT!"
"…Right."
"So. What was so urgent?"
Gordon sighed.
"The city is overrun with lunatics. The situation is beyond control."
No kidding.
Chen Tao waited.
"You already did a lot. You caught Mad Hatter and Zsasz, but—"
"Skip the filler."
"…Fine." Gordon inhaled deeply.
"The mayor has decided to deploy the National Guard."
The National Guard — a real military force authorized to fight on U.S. soil.
This meant Gotham's leadership had completely lost confidence.
Chen Tao's reaction:
Great!
Send fifty thousand troops!
Crush Bane!
Execute every villain!
I, Bruce Wayne, retire peacefully and enjoy my rich life!
But Gordon kept going:
"They don't understand Gotham. They'll treat these maniacs like regular criminals. It won't end well. And—"
He hesitated.
"They've labeled you as a target too. Shoot-on-sight."
"So you want me to stay out of the National Guard's operations?"
Yes!
Chen Tao cheered in his mind.
Gordon continued:
"You can keep working on the Bane case. Not that I could stop you anyway."
"No, you misunderstand. I actually won't—"
BEEP BEEP BEEP
The Bat-Communicator cut him off.