Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 51: Ch.50 The Bat Always Has a Plan

As Alfred was cleaning up the leftovers, he noticed a yellowish burn mark on the table, accompanied by scattered ash. The same was on the floor.

His gaze sharpened instantly.

"Miss, if you\'re considering befriending Deathstroke, I suggest we order a batch of ashtrays for the Batcave. Perhaps we could go with natural crystal ones. What do you think?"

Bryce didn\'t turn around, continuing to study the information on the screen. Something about Indian Hill seemed familiar to her, but there were only a few lines of historical records in the intelligence reports. That in itself was an issue. Why hadn\'t she noticed it before?

"No one befriends Deathstroke. I just want to negotiate a business deal."

Alfred tilted his head, raising his eyebrows to show understanding. He calmly cleared away the clutter, spread out the tablecloth, and set up the new food.

"Oh, but I would advise having a lawyer present when dealing with mercenaries like Deathstroke, and the contract must be airtight."

"Barry will go with me." Bryce spoke calmly, leaving the surveillance mainframe and sitting at the large table. This table was actually her workbench, where she usually assembled her gadgets. She typically took care not to let it get greasy or dirty.

But today, the workbench had been repurposed by Deathstroke and was already dirty, so she might as well eat there.

"Um, I\'m more of a forensic scientist, and though that\'s sort of like being a coroner, contracts aren\'t my specialty?" Barry instantly appeared beside the table, having already set up his own napkin and cutlery, ready for the meal to be served.

Bryce gave him a look that said, Are you serious? Barry was very smart, possibly the best photonic physicist and materials scientist she\'d ever met. But like all scientists, he seemed to be missing a piece when it came to daily life.

"No need for documents; just wearing your uniform and being with me will be enough."

"Oh, you mean that." Barry\'s face lit up with a smile as he understood. "Got it. You\'re even harder to understand than Diana—uh, our Diana."

"I get it. Our Wonder Woman is a self-centered, deceitful jerk. I feel nauseated just watching her interviews on TV."

Bryce laid out her napkin, and Alfred served the appetizer first: a plate of fresh, green fish salad.

"So, what about your Aquaman? I mean, the Aquawoman." Barry eagerly took a bite, finally feeling his tongue come back to life.

"She\'s trying to create a world ruled by the Atlanteans. To achieve that, she\'d make the whole world her sacrificial grave." Bryce answered his question while eating, using a fork to pick at the food and put it in her mouth.

Alfred, standing nearby, watched her intently. Bryce was chewing while talking; he couldn\'t remember ever teaching her to behave like this.

Barry nodded, starting to get the picture. "With all due respect, Bryce, I don\'t think you\'re going to become the person I used to know anymore. But if a large-scale war breaks out between the Amazons and the Atlanteans, I\'ve seen what that looks like, in a wrong timeline. The world would be destroyed all the same."

Bryce\'s expression remained calm, the darkness of the Batcave seemingly ingrained in her very being, her cold demeanor ever-present.

"I can guess. If the world\'s situation continues to worsen, I would likely consider Arthur a global threat and act against her. I once had a very similar plan."

"The old you would have been the spark that ignited the world. Now I\'ve changed your mind, but I can\'t change Barbatos\'. He\'s still carrying out his evil plans, using the power of the Dark Multiverse to try and drag the Light Multiverse over. If he succeeds, we\'re all doomed."

Barry had finished his food and was waiting for the next course. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and continued from where he left off.

"I\'ve heard your theories about cosmic balance and rebooting the universe. Even though it\'s just a hypothesis, you can\'t prove it. But as long as there are Amazons and Atlanteans in this world, the threat will always be there. Maybe our world is incomplete, destined for destruction."

Bryce put down her knife and fork, signaling Alfred to continue serving without waiting.

"That\'s what Barbatos wants you to believe! No world is destined for destruction. People can change their destiny!" Barry\'s tone grew serious, his childish smile replaced by a stern expression. "Don\'t let him influence you. He might show up in your dreams, spouting lies. We\'ll stop this war soon, and the world will continue."

Bryce glanced at him, showing an ambiguous expression: "I know. First, we need to find Deathstroke. I\'ve wanted to go all out and fight her to the death several times. She\'s the person I despise most. But now, the situation is different."

"He\'s not your typical villain. He\'s done good things. Maybe one day he\'ll reform, though even I find that hard to believe. I know you\'re incredibly strong when you don\'t hold back, but we don\'t kill people, and that\'s a principle for both of us. I\'m done eating. When do we leave?"

With a flash of lightning, Barry sat beside her, picking his teeth. He had eaten half of all the dishes in an instant and had already changed into his red-and-yellow Flash suit.

Bryce sighed, stood up, and donned her Bat-helmet, restocking her various gadgets.

"Alfred, I\'ll eat the rest when I get back. Barry and I are heading out."

"Of course, Miss. I\'ll be waiting for you at home."

Alfred bowed slightly, showing a gentle smile as he watched a red streak take Bryce away, just like he had watched her leave countless times before, heading off to fight crime.

Indian Hill Underground Research Facility, third floor.

Su Ming and Cindy faced a barrage of gunfire. They had just come down the stairs and barely walked a few steps before being hit with a full-scale firestorm.

It looked like a dormitory area for employees or perhaps a place to hold people who were about to become test subjects. The hallway was as bright as day, lined with small rooms on both sides.

The moment they were attacked, Su Ming pushed the three unarmed people into one of the rooms, while Cindy quickly ducked into a small room on the opposite side of the hallway.

"Forty-seven personnel, submachine guns, rocket launchers, large-caliber shotguns, a small anti-tank gun... and some weapons I don\'t recognize. What\'s your decision?"

Cindy peeked out from the doorway, taking in the situation on the other side in a single glance. Amid the relentless gunfire, she quickly signaled Su Ming with a series of tactical gestures. Vick was beside her, trying to get Pete to take notes, but the big guy\'s legs were like noodles. In desperation, Vick had to hold the camera herself.

Su Ming\'s mind instantly conjured up a structural diagram of this type of building. It was like symmetrical leaves growing on a vine. The rooms on both sides of the hallway were like those leaves. Each room contained only a battered stainless steel bed, nothing else. The walls were soundproofed, and despite decades of neglect, the quality still seemed decent.

"Flashbangs." Su Ming responded with a tactical gesture. The enemy\'s fire was making the concrete near the door splinter and fly. In just a few seconds, even the floor of the hallway was shredded.

Cindy nodded slightly from the other side of the hallway. Countless bullets streaked past their vision, the heat causing the air to shimmer. This tactic suited her perfectly.