6. Once the dark shades are on.
After Jason and Peter left, inside the Batcave.
“Sir, you haven’t slept for twenty-six hours straight. Unless you plan to sit here and evolve into a vampire, I suggest you get some rest,” Alfred said.
“Let’s first go over the intel on that man from last night.” Bruce rolled up his pajama sleeves, revealing his wrist communicator. A projection played the video recorded by the Red Hood of his encounter with the mysterious figure in black.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t really a confrontation, as the other party had maintained a friendly demeanor throughout.
Though silent, Bruce managed to gather many clues.
“He’s immune to Joker’s gas,” Bruce noted, pointing out the most obvious and crucial discovery, something no Gotham vigilante could achieve. “Most likely, he has physical enhancements. There haven’t been any new vigilantes or villains making waves in Gotham recently. Is he from out of town, just passing through? Or does he reside here permanently?”
Alfred quickly jotted down Bruce’s deductions.
“His mode of movement is similar to ours, or rather... he might be able to fly. A real ‘winged rat.’”
Alfred’s pen paused. “Is that a joke, Master Bruce?”
“…Not funny?”
“I wouldn’t recommend making that joke around the kids unless you want to freeze the atmosphere—though they’d probably still humor you.”
Bruce sipped his coffee, slightly annoyed. “Body mutation, no-kill principle.”
Alfred suggested, “Maybe Gotham got lucky this time. Don’t forget, he’s mute and possibly hearing-impaired, which could help him resist mental attacks.”
Everyone knew that Gotham’s psychotic criminals were adept at using words to disrupt vigilantes’ minds.
Bruce said with implication, “As for the luck part, I’m not so optimistic. He’s not mute—he spoke to Joker.”
The projection froze on the moment Peter approached Joker, replaying the scene. There was movement around his mouth. “He might be worried Jason will recognize his voice, perhaps because his true identity has come into contact with the Red Hood.”
“Should we inform Master Jason?”
“Let’s wait for now.”
Unable to use the Red Hood’s motorcycle that Peter had ridden, Jason decided to pick a Wayne family vehicle from the garage: a silver-gray Lamborghini—the exact one Alfred had recommended Peter drive to school, which had taken him to the used car market.
It was early, and the used car market was nearly empty. The owner drooled as he circled the Lamborghini, barely attending to customers.
Looking at the dusty old cars in the lot, Jason crossed his arms. “Don’t you think this is unnecessary? You can drive the old man’s car however you want—why insist on a used car?”
---
“I’ve already accepted a lot of help,” Peter stubbornly moved toward the low-price section, soon covering himself in dust.
Jason tapped the roof of a black car nearby, making it shake slightly and causing a plastic tarp covering half the hood to slip off, revealing a yellow-painted front.
“Wow, cool.” Peter’s attention was caught. The car was a quite old Camaro, with the sharp lines characteristic of the 1970s. Its main color was black, accented with bright yellow on the front and rear, making it look very stylish.
Not to mention it was even a manual transmission, unlike the popular new energy cars today.
Peter eagerly sat in the driver’s seat, turned the key, and listened to the vintage engine’s roar. Suddenly, the radio turned on by itself, tuned to an unknown channel, broadcasting the phrase, “Welcome aboard, Captain!”
“Wow.” Peter was pleasantly surprised. He gently wiped the dust off the radio and asked the owner, “How much is this car?”
The owner reluctantly tore his gaze from the Lamborghini, glanced at the Camaro Peter had chosen, and immediately found it more dilapidated and unsightly. “Three thousand bucks, and if you let me drive this beauty, I’ll knock off five hundred.”
Jason coldly said, “Here’s five hundred more—take your hands off.”
The owner choked and grudgingly withdrew his hand.
University orientation day was always a gathering of all sorts of characters, but this scene was new: the silver Lamborghini roared as it swept into a parking spot with a stylish drift, followed by the old Camaro pulling up beside it, wobbling slightly.
The Lamborghini’s door slowly lifted, and a leg wrapped in leather pants stretched out, drawing all eyes. Jason stepped out, removing his sunglasses with perfect timing to reveal his signature blue eyes.
BKing Jason felt confident, as if he were the prince of Gotham. But the next second, his effortless cool was completely ruined by the little curly-haired boy emerging from the Camaro: “Wow, this is Gotham University! So cool! I love this gothic style! Jason, did you graduate from Gotham University too?”
Jason studied him for a few seconds, then sighed and put his sunglasses back in his pocket. “I never went to college.”
Peter fell silent for three seconds, then stammered, “S-Sorry...”
Jason shrugged. “What’s there to be sorry about? Don’t act like I’m bullying you.”
Peter grew even more flustered. “I-I’m really... really sorry!”
Jason pinched his lips with two fingers, warning, “Say sorry one more time and I’ll…” He looked around and pointed to the top of the engineering building. “I’ll hang you up there.”
Peter struggled, turning his head, just in time to see the engineering building’s rooftop, which had a striking gear design—perfect for perching and overlooking the whole campus at night.
Although violent robbery at university was rare, who knew? This was Gotham, where anything could happen.
Peter whimpered and tried to speak, so Jason finally released him, a bit pleased at how completely he had taken control of the new “younger brother.”
“That’s my college!” Peter didn’t mind Jason pinching his lips and was excited. “Have you seen my acceptance letter?”
---
The Engineering College—Biomaterials major.
Peter had no other choice regarding school or major; they were printed on his acceptance letter. But knowing Stark had chosen this for him, and that it was precisely the field Peter excelled in and wanted to pursue further, made him comfortable with the arrangement.
This was just a ticket in. Peter Parker silently vowed to himself that whether it was finishing his studies, being a good Gotham vigilante, or repaying the Wayne family for the car, he would have to do it all on his own.
They planned to head straight to the freshman assembly point at the Engineering College, but Peter felt a vague discomfort, like a sharp needle pressing between his brows. He frowned and looked around.
He noticed many young people who looked like luxury brand showcases stepping out of various lavish cars he couldn’t name. They cast hostile glances at Peter’s Camaro and whispered disdainfully about the used car to their companions.
On the surface, these seemingly refined and elegant wealthy students didn’t resort to physical bullying like Peter’s high school tormentor, Fries, who threw basketballs at him and chased him into bathroom corners to pour dirty water on him. But their hidden arrogance and malice made Peter itch all over.
Ignoring the baseless, childish hostility, Peter greeted Jason as usual: “Let’s go.”
But Jason didn’t move. He climbed back into the convertible’s driver’s seat, revving the Lamborghini’s engine fiercely.
The loud noise startled the rich kids nearby, drawing all eyes to Jason. He coldly asked a freckled boy, “What are you looking at?”
“That’s Jason Todd… Wayne’s adopted son,” Peter overheard someone whisper. “Let’s go.”
“He’s black-haired and blue-eyed too…”
“When was he adopted? How come I never heard of it?”
“He was adopted long ago but disappeared for years. Wayne thought he was dead but recently found him again.”
Jason’s identity spread among the wealthy students like a virus. The whispers soon faded, and Spider-Sense quieted. Jason calmly left the Lamborghini, showing no sign of being bothered by being the subject of gossip.
“Thanks,” Peter whispered.
They toured the campus together, picked Peter’s courses, and found all the classrooms he needed. Club recruitment would start Sunday, and Peter felt shy asking Jason to accompany him again, so they returned to the parking lot.
Peter froze.
The newly bought Camaro was gone.