"You're going the wrong way. You're leaving New York City."
From the Batcave, Jessica immediately noticed that the Batmobile had long since veered off course, heading beyond the boundaries of New York.
"The plan has changed."
Batman responded with just those four words, his tone indifferent.
"I think you'd better tell me your plan; otherwise, I'm completely unprepared."
Jessica voiced her protest to Bruce.
"Then be ready to remotely control the Batmobile at any time."
With that, Bruce cut off the communication.
Jessica wanted to curse him a thousand times over, but Bruce had already hung up. No amount of complaining would bring him back on the line.
"Damn it!"
Frustrated, Jessica yanked at her hair. Right now, she really wanted to drag Bruce back and give him a good beating.
"What's wrong?"
Aunt May, who had just finished washing some fruit, noticed Jessica sitting there with a head that looked like a bird's nest.
"That guy Bruce is up to something again. He just cut off our communication without any warning."
Seeing the one person in this world who might actually be able to rein Bruce in, Jessica wasted no time in tattling on him.
When it came to Bruce, Aunt May suddenly felt that her nephew was much less of a handful in comparison.
After all, Peter Parker had superpowers, but he only did things within his capability.
Bruce, on the other hand, constantly pushed beyond his limits.
At least, that's how Aunt May saw it.
"I know you can hear me."
The moment Aunt May's voice echoed through the Batmobile, Bruce frowned.
Clearly, Jessica had wasted no time in snitching.
But instead of responding, Bruce simply pressed down on the accelerator, pushing the Batmobile to an even higher speed.
"Okay, I don't know what you're about to do, but I know you must have your reasons."
"Ben used to say something all the time: 'With great power comes great responsibility.'"
"But what I want to tell you is that sometimes, even gods have things they cannot do."
"Just make sure you come back."
After saying that, Aunt May didn't say anything more.
She stood quietly in front of the console, looking somewhat wistful.
"Aunt May?"
Jessica was a bit worried about her, sensing that her energy was off.
It was clear that Aunt May wasn't in the best spirits.
"I'm fine, just suddenly thinking about some old memories."
Aunt May shook her head and smiled at Jessica.
"Let's just wait for him to come back."
She looked at the icon of the Batmobile moving farther and farther away from New York, her face still carrying a soft, knowing smile.
"I'll be back."
Suddenly, Bruce's voice came through the console.
Hearing those words, Aunt May's smile deepened.
But Bruce himself simply kept his eyes fixed ahead, his gaze unwavering as he drove toward his final destination.
On the speedometer, the Batmobile had already been pushed to its limits.
Even so, the gap between him and his target was only growing wider.
Still, Bruce wasn't worried—after all, his opponents had their own finish line to reach as well.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
"Looks like that last attack really did a number on America."
Stepping out of the plane, Stark glanced at the rather shabby-looking house in front of him and made a sarcastic remark.
They had arrived at their final destination—the place where they were set to have a serious conversation with the former Secretary of Energy.
"Hand over your weapons."
Carol didn't waste words. She simply gestured to the soldiers beside her, instructing them to confiscate Stark and Thor's weapons, as well as their armor.
Thor and Stark naturally allowed the soldiers to take their belongings.
This was something they had agreed upon with Carol from the beginning.
However, even after they entered, the area around the President was far from empty. A group of agents stood with their firearms aimed directly at Thor and Stark.
"I want to know—what exactly have you come to see me for?" Though he was only the acting President, the current Secretary of Energy still carried himself with great authority. He was convinced that these two had come to him with a pressing demand.
"I know that dealing with the Metropolis must be giving you a headache right now, but I have a plan that might just solve the problem," Stark said, hands in his pockets, speaking to the President with an air of nonchalance.
"Are you asking for permission? Do you want me to endorse your actions?" The acting President was still a staunch supporter of the Winter Project.
He had no trust in superheroes.
The only people he trusted were his agents, his soldiers, and the weapons he controlled.
"We're not asking for permission—we're seeking cooperation. There's a difference. With your help, this plan will be even more effective," Stark calmly refuted the President's words.
Thor, on the other hand, was much more direct.
"Whether you help us or not, we're going to crush that slug into a bloody pulp!" Thor still remembered how that creature had commanded the Sons of Tomorrow to utterly destroy Asgard.
To massacre his people.
Thor would never forget any of it. He would never forget the hatred that monster had burned into his soul.
The President simply stared at the two men before him with an expressionless face.
He made no immediate response, but he was interested in hearing exactly how Stark planned to deal with the Metropolis.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to explain my plan now."
Stark casually walked over to the President's desk.
"But before I begin, shouldn't you revoke the arrest warrant for the Ultimate Alliance?" Stark asked, even before starting his explanation.
The President waved a hand, signaling one of the agents to relay the order to other departments—calling off the pursuit of the Ultimate Alliance.
Meanwhile, Bruce had already arrived at the temporary presidential residence.
He had seen too much on his way here.
So much that Bruce had to focus entirely on the road ahead, making sure not to let himself get distracted.
For now, he remained still, controlling the Batmobile from a distance, observing.
Carol's tracker didn't just report her location—it also had listening capabilities.
At this moment, Stark had begun explaining his supposedly foolproof plan to the President in detail.
As for Stark claiming that the tumor in his brain had developed self-awareness, Bruce didn't doubt it.
After encountering so many superpowered beings, a sentient brain tumor hardly seemed like an impossibility anymore.
However, whether it was Stark's plan or the stance of the President of the United States, one thing was clear—everything hinged on negotiating with the Metropolis first.
They could wait. They had the luxury of waiting. But could the people still trapped in the chaos afford to wait?
Even as they put their plan into motion, countless people were dying in the turmoil, never to see the light of another day.
Bruce stopped listening. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator, pushing the Batmobile to its maximum speed in an instant.
By the time the guards at the entrance noticed the Batmobile, it was already too late to report it.
The Batmobile crashed straight into the presidential estate.
And at that very moment, the Bat onboard had already ejected himself using the vehicle's launch seat, soaring into the air.
A dark bat-like shadow cast itself over every face inside the President's office.
"Boom!!"
(End of Chapter)
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