Nightwing, seated in the very center, covered his eyes. Red Robin beside him sighed, while Red Hood folded his arms in speechless exasperation.
They watched as Schiller took the paint he had found in the supermarket and, without pause or even the slightest hint of thought, painted two enormous Magic Circles directly along the routes the two Batmen were bound to take.
"What's the point of this?" Nightwing asked in disbelief. "He was the first one to get a totem pole fragment, so he has a huge early-game advantage. He could have intercepted whoever got the second or third fragment, and even if he can't attack himself, he could call Hunter over. What the hell is he doing?!"
"I've heard Batman mention Professor Rodriguez." Red Robin tried to steer the speculation in a more formal direction. "Batman said he possessed extensive occult knowledge and was a professor at some magic academy in their universe. Could that Magic Circle actually work?"
Red Hood let out a deep sigh. "It'll work when pigs fly. He's a complete lunatic, a psychiatric patient. He once made Joker..."
Red Hood's gaze drifted to Jack beside him, then he glanced at the fully armed Batman and ultimately decided not to finish the sentence.
"What did he do to Joker?"
The moment that low voice rang out, nearly everyone shuddered. Red Hood even hunched his neck. He had no idea why, but although that Batman had not turned around, he felt that question had been aimed directly at him.
Red Hood pursed his lips and said nothing.
"Don't get sidetracked. We're discussing why Doctor Schiller drew this Magic Circle. His actions can't possibly give him enough of an advantage." Nightwing shook his head again. "So what if he tricks Batman? By the time they find the third