Shane had imagined all sorts of reactions from Batman.
Among the scenarios he considered most likely, Batman would fall back on his usual silence to resist that ridiculous demand.
But he had never expected Batman to turn the question back on him.
"Do you actually want my apology, or do you want to take your anger out on me?"
Shane's brows tightened slightly, then quickly relaxed.
He felt he couldn't let Batman dictate the pace.
Yet Batman actually stepped forward and pressed him further, keeping firm control of the conversation.
"If all you want is an outlet for your anger, then that is indeed something I should personally suffer to atone for my sins."
Batman stood before Shane, barely a foot between them. Shane only had to raise his hand and press down lightly.
At this distance, taking this legendary figure's life would require little effort from Shane.
Did this guy have to be so damned defiant even when admitting he was wrong?
Shane shook out his arms, then shook his head with a mocking laugh. "You'd rather die than yield, huh? Fair enough. Otherwise, how could you call yourself Bat-"
Batman suddenly raised a hand to stop Shane from finishing, then did something astonishing.
He slowly placed both hands on either side of his helmet, forced the clasps open with his fingers, then let the heavy helmet crash to the floor.
Shane froze.
If he remembered correctly, this was the first time this utterly unyielding man had openly revealed both identities before him.
It had never happened before.
Whether it was his comrade Superman, his nemesis Joker, or Catwoman, with whom he had tangled romantic history.
They might know Batman's true identity, but without exception, they all played along with him, acting out scene after scene in which Batman