The ubiquitous little rats became the heroes of the hour.
Alarms still shrieked deep within the passage, and electric currents scorched the metal walls, but those little gray figures showed no fear. They climbed along pipes and cables, darted through gears and hidden locks, gnawed openings through sealed doors, and chewed defensive lines into ruins.
Their small, supple bodies could squeeze into every tiny crack and hole, and their sharp teeth could gnaw through any wire in seconds.
The once-impregnable stronghold became a sieve in an instant before these unassuming heroes.
After a brief adjustment period, the humans and rats grew increasingly coordinated, greatly accelerating their advance.
This extraordinary team rapidly converged on the heart of the stronghold, each using their own strengths. Every obstacle in their path would be brought down without mercy.
A blinding red light suddenly flared ahead-
The Mad Hatter's ultimate defenses activated. High-voltage grids, energy barriers, and ranks of guards sealed off the final massive mechanical gate. Countless enormous gears turned; one wrong move, and the gate would seal shut, never to be opened again.
All the remaining guards in the stronghold seemed to have gathered here. Wearing rabbit heads and playing-card soldier masks, they wielded all kinds of weapons and attacked the would-be intruders with frenzied abandon.
Batman's brow furrowed.
Most of these guards were ordinary people. Even if some were guilty of petty theft or similar offenses, none deserved to die. He even spotted a few familiar police officers among them!
The Mad Hatter was growing increasingly reckless.
[You have to play by my rules! Now you're my hunchbacked little Batman! All it takes is a little... a little trick... and you'll belong to me forever!]
Batman ignored the voice entirely. Since he had confirmed these were merely recordings, there was no point