Chapter 20: Factory

3:45

Batman and Jason stood atop a tall building, looking down upon the shattered streets and burning car wreckage. The police cordon stretched several blocks away, the aftermath of Arkham still lingering.

"A lot of people escaped," Jason said, hovering high in the sky, monitoring the area. "Less than half were caught,"

Bruce observed the drone feed on the terminal.

Alfred's voice rang through the headset:

"I just checked the surveillance footage inside Arkham Asylum. There were no signs of anything unusual before the power outage."

"So I checked the patient records at Arkham Asylum last week, and I noticed Jonathan Crane has requested the cooling system in his room be cleaned two days in a row."

Batman frowned.

"Do you think he's providing cover?"

"Yes, I suspect this is very likely related to this massive prison break, perhaps a coordinated operation between Scarecrow and an unknown force."

Alfred added, "I've hacked into the nearby street cameras and noticed a suspicious Ford. It may have been parked near Arkham for nearly five minutes. I'm tracking its movements."

Batman's expression was solemn.

Scarecrow's fear gas-generating technology could have unpredictable consequences if it fell into the wrong hands.

He couldn't let Gotham fall.

Jason listened quietly to the communication channel. He asked, "Sounds like we can only consider capturing Scarecrow first?"

Batman nodded and pulled up the route data.

Just then, the air trembled slightly, and a gust of wind suddenly blew from the rooftop. Then

, accompanied by a cloud of dust, a red and blue figure slowly descended.

"...Superman?" Robin looked at the newcomer in surprise.

"I've noticed something's happening in Gotham," he nodded, and said to Batman, "I can help search for and capture the other escapees."

Batman looked at him for a few seconds without saying anything.

Superman's expression was calm. He added, "This will help quell the unrest more quickly and minimize the damage."

Batman finally relented and agreed to Superman's plan. He assigned Robin to Superman's assistance while he tracked Scarecrow.

"Keep in touch," he reminded him.

Then he deployed his glider and leaped off. At

4:10

, with Alfred's remote support, Batman tracked the Ford's trail and found an abandoned chemical plant.

He noticed a trail of scraggly footprints outside the factory, and the back door looked like it had been forced open.

He knew he had come to the right place.

The factory was dimly lit, and large, abandoned instruments, some of them rusted, were scattered everywhere.

Batman used his grappling gun to silently descend onto the second-floor platform and peer down.

Scarecrow stood at a workbench, test tubes in hand, apparently mixing some reagent.

The next moment, Batman swooped down and delivered a punch to Scarecrow's shoulder, slamming him into the workbench.

Glassware shattered and chemicals splattered everywhere.

The Scarecrow gritted his teeth and struggled, trying to get up and fight back, but was kicked down by Batman again and hit the metal bracket.

He lay on the ground, one hand struggling to reach the gas release valve on his waist.

His little movement did not escape Batman's eyes, and he was quickly subdued.

"Don't move."

The Scarecrow struggled violently.

Batman did not give him another chance, grabbed his two arms, and handcuffed him to the ground.

"Who helped you escape?"

The Scarecrow did not answer.

Batman pressed him hard into the floor, and his forehead kissed the ground with a dull thud.

"Speak."

"I don't know!" Scarecrow cursed angrily: "I only know that they were a bunch of idiots, did they think I would cooperate obediently?"

He laughed viciously.

"I taught them a lesson with my poison gas."

"Where are those people now?" Batman demanded.

The Scarecrow turned his head and said with difficulty:

"...I threw their bodies into the river."

Batman's face turned cold in an instant, and he raised his fist and hit the Scarecrow hard in the face. He grabbed the Scarecrow's collar and roared:

"You evil lunatic, tell me! What agreement did you reach with them?"

The Scarecrow screamed, his nose was broken, and his face was covered with nosebleeds.

"...They want me to help develop drugs, but the formula is incomplete and I don't know anything!"

Batman let him go. He handcuffed the Scarecrow's hands and confiscated the device that the Scarecrow used to store fear gas.

He stood up and dragged the Scarecrow out.