On the pitch-black highway, headlights occasionally flashed by, their dazzling beams vanishing in an instant. The truck sped through the rainy night, sending up huge sprays from the thin layer of water on the road.
The shadow of a town flickered indistinctly along the distant horizon. The instant a truck stopped at the toll booth, a vine slipped through the gap in its window and pierced the neck of the police officer walking over to inspect the cargo.
Another figure had already darted into the toll booth. Before long, the barrier rose, and the truck
continued speeding toward the distant town.
When even the headlights vanished into the black rainy night, the sign above the toll station glowed with a cold light—"Bludhaven."
The truck drove unimpeded into an underground cold-storage facility. As Poison Ivy got out, she looked at Peter in disbelief and said, "Didn't you say you'd been in Gotham for less than a month? You even had a base prepared in Bludhaven."
"I didn't prepare it." Peter shook his head. "After I gained access to the Batcomputer, I discovered that Batman's first partner had operated here and set up more than ten safe houses throughout the city. I'm only borrowing the most secluded one."
"Ma'am, please give them another dose of anesthetic to make sure they don't wake up for twenty-four hours. Then you can choose whether to stay here or come back with me."
A trace of hesitation appeared on Poison Ivy's face, but to Peter's surprise, she said, "I'm going with you. I need to return to Gotham."
"May I ask why?"
Poison Ivy rolled her eyes slightly, then looked at Peter and said, "I know how dangerous you are, boy. No matter what kind of storm you stir up in Gotham tonight, you can't truly