When Schiller landed in the laboratory of Florence Supermax Prison, the scene before him was this—
Bruce Wayne lay face down on the operating table, bare from the waist up. A massive wound ran down his back from below his neck to his lumbar spine. The muscles and skin above his vertebrae had been dissected with exquisite precision, as though blood had draped him in a veil.
Bruce had turned his head toward the workbench on the other side of the operating table. His black, shoulder-length hair, soaked through with sweat from the pain, clung to the side of his face and completely covered his closed eyes. Judging by the rise and fall of his chest, he had already passed out.
And Bane stood beside the operating table, holding a scalpel.
Schiller did not need to deliberately search through his memories to recall Bane's deeds in the comics. This infamous enhanced mercenary was one of the few villains who had severely injured Batman physically.
In the comics, Bane broke Batman's spine—Schiller knew perfectly well that had not happened in this universe, but it was a virtual record of heinous crimes, and a prior offense sufficient to serve as evidence in a trial.
Bruce, lying on the operating table with his eyes closed, heard a voice that was both familiar and strange. Familiar because it belonged to Schiller, strange because he had never heard Schiller speak in such an icy tone.
"Sir, may I ask what you have done to my student?"
A dress shoe stepped forward. Through the reflection on the floor, Bruce could clearly see Bane suddenly float into the air, countless wisps of Gray Mist wrapping around him and lifting him aloft.
Then the seemingly powerless mist abruptly began squeezing inward, like an enormous, irresistible hand gripping Bane