Lynn let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"But, Lynn." Bruce's voice dropped half an octave.
"I'll continue observing you. Not because I don't trust you, but because someone whose abilities keep growing with no known limit needs to be watched."
"I'm honored."
Lynn extended his right hand.
Bruce looked at his hand.
A handshake.
In this context, it was both a continuation of trust and the beginning of a new stage.
He took it.
The instant their hands clasped, the Batcave's alarm system went off.
Red warning lights flashed across the cave walls.
The Batcomputer's main screen automatically switched to live surveillance footage of Gotham City.
Multiple feeds popped up at once.
On Fifth Avenue downtown, an armored transport vehicle had been blown onto its side.
A section of Wayne Tower's glass curtain wall had shattered.
Two stone pillars at the entrance to Gotham Central Bank had been knocked down.
And standing amid the ruins was a massive humanoid silhouette.
Over seven and a half feet tall, his muscles were swollen to an extreme degree.
His face was covered by a mask connected to tubes.
Bane.
At least forty fully armed mercenaries followed behind him, dressed in matching black tactical gear with an emblem of a skull and octopus tentacles embroidered on their chests.
Hydra.
Bruce had already released Lynn's hand and turned toward the suit display rack.
"Looks like our conversation will have to be put on hold."
Twelve surveillance feeds were displayed across the Batcomputer's wall of screens.
Gotham's downtown situation deteriorated sharply within five minutes.
A huge hole had been blasted through the first-floor lobby of Wayne Tower, scattering shattered glass and chunks of concrete across half the street.
An armored vehicle had smashed directly through the Central Bank's doors, while the shrill blare of alarms