In the laboratory on South Brother Island, the three scientists stared at each other with wide eyes, listening to the symbiote in the ecological tank call out "Dad" over and over again.
For a moment, their brains couldn't quite process it.
"Batman, tell me the truth…" Dr. Banner carefully chose his words and asked cautiously, "Under that mask of yours, are you also made up of a big mass of symbiote in human shape?"
Dr. Otto quietly took a few steps back, ready to bolt out the door at any moment.
Professor Connors, the only one who knew Batman's true identity, rubbed the stubble on his chin with his single hand, his gaze constantly shifting between Batman and Venom.
"No," Batman said in a low, gravelly voice.
"It could be," Venom said, mimicking Batman's deep tone.
The three scientists stared at each other again, dumbfounded.
They knew symbiotes had incredible learning abilities and could imitate human speech. They had even mentally prepared themselves for that to some extent.
But the idea of a humanoid bat and a pitch-black symbiote being father and son? The scene still left the three scientists' brains short-circuiting.
Batman didn't pursue the topic further and instead asked Professor Connors:
"Professor, has the analysis of Robin's material composition been completed?"
Professor Connors stood still. "Who's Robin?"
"It's me!" Venom immediately perked up inside the ecological tank. "I'm Venom, and I'm also Robin!"
Professor Connors shook his head slightly, trying to convince himself that the absurdity in front of him wasn't that ridiculous, and stuck with calling it "Venom":
"It's done. And based on Venom's composition, we reverse-engineered how the anti-Venom manages to dissolve it instantly upon contact."
Seeing that no conflict was about to erupt, Dr. Otto let out a small sigh of relief and pulled out a thick stack of neatly printed research notes:
"According to our analysis, there are three possibilities for why anti-Venom causes Venom to dissolve the moment they touch… These three aren't independent; they all point to one defining trait of anti-Venom: 'purification.'"
Batman took the documents, scanning the three scientists' week-long research findings and mentally comparing them to his own analysis.
After a long pause, Batman set the stack of papers aside and looked at the three scientists.
"Thank you. This is a huge help to me."
A week earlier, in the Adirondack Mountains, Batman had already formulated a concrete plan to deal with anti-Venom. Now, with the three scientists' research combined with his own, that plan was more refined and far more feasible.
"When are you planning to move? Are you sure you don't need my help?" Dr. Banner confirmed once more.
"No need," Batman said with a slight shake of his head. "Tomorrow, for the entire day, no matter what noises you hear, do not leave this island."
Professor Connors let out a relaxed chuckle. "You said the same thing last time, and we didn't hear a single sound."
Dr. Otto, ever cautious, asked, "Are you using the Adirondacks as the battlefield again?"
"No. This time it's the neighboring North Brother Island," Batman replied.
"North Brother Island?" Dr. Banner looked at Batman in confusion. Having spent years traveling across the United States and the world, he wasn't familiar with New York's local islands.
"It's directly north of us, Banner," Dr. Otto explained. "A hundred years ago, North Brother Island was used as a quarantine island."
Professor Connors added, "Tuberculosis, cholera, yellow fever, smallpox… Back then, New York sent almost every patient with a contagious disease to that island. It went on for decades. The place became a focal point for every kind of viral disease."
"Fifty years ago, North Brother Island was turned into a drug rehab center, taking in addicts of every kind of drug under the sun… But in the end, it basically collected every drug in the world."
Dr. Banner shook his head repeatedly at this fantastical-sounding history lesson and couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, that sounds about right for America."
"Nowadays, forget setting foot on North Brother Island—even getting close risks catching a deadly virus. No one in New York dares go near it anymore," Dr. Otto said.
Connors was the only one present who knew the man beneath the mask was Peter Parker. He looked at Batman with a trace of worry. "Are you sure you want to use North Brother Island as the battlefield against anti-Venom?"
"Across all of New York—hell, all of America—there's hardly a place more suitable for taking on anti-Venom than North Brother Island," Batman said. "I'll be fully prepared."
"Be careful, Batman," Professor Connors still cautioned.
Dr. Otto and Dr. Banner exchanged a glance at Connors. This was the first time they'd seen him show such concern for Batman.
"I will."
With that, Batman left the lab with Venom and walked to the shore of South Brother Island.
A flicker of reluctance crossed Professor Connors' face. He knew the person inside the suit was Peter Parker, and he couldn't stop picturing Peter lying on the ground, infected with hundreds of lethal viruses, gasping for breath.
"Wait!"
The thought spurred Connors to chase after him. Fortunately, Batman hadn't left yet and was still standing by the shore.
Hearing Connors' voice, Batman turned to look at him.
"You have to survive, Peter!"
Professor Connors stared at Batman, his one hand gripping Batman's arm tightly.
If he could, Connors would rather go to North Brother Island himself to face anti-Venom—he could turn into a lizard, after all. But he was a walking time bomb.
"Professor, don't worry," Batman said, patting the back of Connors' hand in Peter Parker's youthful tone. "I'll be back."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the calm surface of the East River suddenly splashed with a loud whoosh.
Water sprayed everywhere. Connors raised his one arm to shield himself, while Batman stood motionless.
BOOM!
Amid the thunderous roar of an engine, the massive Arkham Batmobile—its tires alone 1.6 meters tall—emerged from underwater. Its armored plating locked tight, river water rolling off in droplets. In the blink of an eye, not a single trace of moisture remained.
Under Connors' stunned gaze, Batman leaped into the air, his cape snapping like a flag in the wind.
The Batmobile's cockpit slid open automatically. Batman landed perfectly in the driver's seat. The next second, the canopy sealed shut without a seam.
BOOM!
With a roar of the engine, the Batmobile whipped around in place and charged straight into the East River, leaving only a swirling wake that quickly vanished.
Connors watched from the shore until Batman disappeared completely, then returned to the South Brother Island lab with a heavy heart.
The Batmobile sped through the East River, slipping into a drainage pipe a few minutes later. It twisted and turned through the sewers before bursting onto New York's subway lines.
Ten minutes after that, in the Batcave beneath City Hall station, Batman stood at his workbench, assembling a brand-new suit. Ever since returning from the Adirondacks, he had been building this suit specifically for anti-Venom, according to his plan:
The Anti-"Anti-Venom" Suit.