Screech~
The advanced vehicle came to a smooth stop outside Arkham Asylum, its sleek form blending into the shadows cast by the imposing gothic structure. This was a support vehicle designed for tactical assistance, and it would be better not to reveal its impressive capabilities unless absolutely necessary.
Bruce and Selina emerged from the vehicle one after another, their movements careful and coordinated as they approached the ominous asylum building.
They needed to confirm whether Bane and his enhanced associates had returned to their previous hiding place within Arkham's underground levels.
Both vigilantes moved with practiced caution, but drawing on their previous experience infiltrating this facility, they were already quite familiar with the building's layout and security weaknesses. They navigated through Arkham Asylum's corridors with confidence, heading directly toward the location where Bane had first appeared during their last encounter.
The large hole that Bane had blasted through the asylum's reinforced wall had been professionally repaired, with new stonework and reinforcement that made it difficult to tell there had ever been damage. However, despite their thorough search of the area, neither Bruce nor Selina could find any trace of Bane's presence.
They even descended the staircase to the facility's lowest levels, carefully exploring the underground chambers where Dr. Strange had conducted his experiments. Apart from some scattered debris and abandoned equipment, the area appeared to be completely empty.
"They haven't come back," Selina concluded after their comprehensive search. "At least, they're not here anymore."
After methodically checking every corner and shadow in the underground facility, they had found absolutely no clues indicating that Bane had returned to this location. It seemed that the enhanced criminal had simply found some other place to recover from his injuries and plan his next move.
"Maybe he's too smart to return to a place where he's already been discovered," Bruce said thoughtfully as they made their way back toward the surface levels.
"Or maybe his injuries were more serious than we thought," Selina suggested. "He might need more time to heal before he's ready for another confrontation."
Through their earpieces, Alfred's voice crackled with concern and curiosity.
"Any sign of our enhanced friend or his associates?" Alfred asked from his position at Wayne Manor's control center.
"Nothing," Bruce reported as they emerged from the asylum's main entrance. "The place has been cleaned up and repaired, but there's no indication that Bane or the others have been back."
"That's probably for the best," Alfred replied with obvious relief. "Though I must admit, part of me was hoping for a chance to test some of the vehicle's defensive capabilities."
Alfred's protective instincts toward Bruce were clearly influencing his desire to demonstrate the advanced vehicle's combat systems against the opponent who had injured his charge so severely.
"Don't worry," Bruce said with a slight smile, "I'm sure we'll get plenty of opportunities to test the equipment. Gotham never stays quiet for very long."
As if summoned by Bruce's prediction, Alfred's voice returned with urgent information.
"Actually, Master Bruce, I'm receiving reports of unusual activity in the warehouse district. Multiple emergency services are responding to what appears to be some kind of enhanced individual causing significant property damage."
Bruce and Selina exchanged glances, immediately understanding that their patrol was about to become much more eventful.
"Enhanced individual?" Selina asked with growing interest. "Are we talking about another Beastman, or something different?"
"The reports are somewhat contradictory," Alfred admitted, "but witnesses are describing someone with apparent superhuman strength throwing around shipping containers like they're empty boxes."
Bruce felt his pulse quicken with anticipation. This was exactly the kind of situation their new vehicle had been designed to handle.
"Alfred, can you guide us to the location?" Bruce asked as they moved quickly back toward their waiting vehicle.
"Already plotting the most efficient route," Alfred confirmed. "The warehouse district is approximately twelve minutes away at normal driving speeds, but with the vehicle's enhanced performance capabilities, we should be able to reduce that significantly."
Both vigilantes climbed back into the advanced machine, feeling the familiar surge of excitement that came with responding to emergency situations.
"Let's see what this thing can really do," Selina said with anticipation as she secured her safety harness.
The vehicle's engine produced a deep, powerful rumble that spoke to its incredible performance potential. Under Alfred's expert remote control, the machine accelerated smoothly but dramatically, its advanced suspension and handling systems making the high-speed travel feel effortless and controlled.
"The sonic cannon and implosion systems are fully charged and ready for deployment," Alfred reported as they raced through Gotham's streets. "The magnetic restraint device is also operational and standing by."
Bruce watched the city blur past their windows, feeling more confident than he had since their encounter with Bane. Having this level of technological support made an enormous difference in their capabilities and tactical options.
"What kind of response time are the police showing?" Bruce asked, wanting to understand how much time they would have to assess and handle the situation before official law enforcement arrived.
"GCPD units are still approximately eight minutes out," Alfred replied after checking his monitoring systems. "Gordon appears to be personally responding to this call, which suggests he's taking the enhanced individual reports seriously."
"Good," Bruce said with approval. "Gordon's one of the few people in the department we can trust to handle this kind of situation properly."
As they approached the warehouse district, the scope of the destruction became clearly visible even from a distance. Several large shipping containers had been thrown considerable distances, some of them crushing parked vehicles and damaging nearby buildings.
"Definitely enhanced strength," Selina observed as she surveyed the scene through the vehicle's advanced optical systems. "But the pattern of destruction looks more random than targeted. Maybe we're dealing with someone who can't fully control their abilities."
Alfred brought their vehicle to a stop at an optimal position that provided good visibility of the incident area while keeping the advanced machine concealed from casual observation.
"I can see the individual responsible," Alfred reported through their communication system. "Male, approximately six and a half feet tall, wearing what appears to be improvised protective gear. He's currently attempting to lift an entire shipping container above his head."
Bruce and Selina prepared their equipment and checked their energy levels, which had improved significantly during their recovery period thanks to their dedicated Zenurik training.
"All right," Bruce said with determination, "let's see if we can resolve this without having to use the heavy weapons. Maybe we can talk this person down before the situation escalates further."
"And if talking doesn't work?" Selina asked, though she already knew the answer.
Bruce's expression became more serious as he considered their tactical options.
"Then we'll find out just how effective Alfred's modifications really are."
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