"What's wrong?" Brand asked as he poured Schiller a cup of coffee. "You don't look to be in a very good mood."
"Mrs. Cobblepot's condition isn't looking good." Schiller was clearly distracted. As he pondered something, he said, "Of course, given her mental state and physical condition, it's already remarkable that she has held on this long. What worries me is that if this continues, Cobblepot may end up having problems too."
Brand sat down beside Schiller, shoulder to shoulder with him, and said, "He hasn't been able to make up his mind about getting a biopsy because once he does, he won't be able to hide it from his mother. It could further aggravate her mental state."
"How likely is it?"
"In my experience, there's more than a ninety percent chance."
"Then it must be lung cancer."
"To be honest, I suggested he find a way to get tested without alerting his mother."
"Is there equipment for that?"
"Even if Wayne Hospital doesn't have it, Batman certainly does. But he told me that even if he knew the result, he might not be able to take it. It would be hard not to show it in front of his mother, so the outcome would be the same."
"Cobblepot relies on his mother too much." Schiller took a sip of coffee and felt much better. He continued, "All these years, his mother has been his only outlet for emotional release. That's very unhealthy, but his mother truly needs meticulous care. No one can blame him for being devoted to her."
"Everyone has to go through that stage, when they realize that at the end of life's road, they will be left alone." Brand sighed. "If they have a wife and children, perhaps they can shift their emotional attachment. If not,