Top Speed

Beyond Talia's line of sight, across the boundless snowfield, a red streak raced over the deep snow.

Countless clumps of snow were flung high into the air, shooting straight toward the sky like Celestial Scattering Flowers. Yet before they could fall, the person who had kicked them up was already gone. At the head of that streak of light was the Cloaked Figure, Bliss slung over one shoulder as his legs pumped madly.

Time itself seemed to have stopped around them. They were simply too fast, and the world was too slow.

"How is it? What do you feel? I've never taken anyone running through the Arctic Circle before."

The Cloaked Figure asked with concern, never slowing his stride. Not even snowflakes could cling to him; both of them were wrapped in golden lightning.

Bliss merely looked coldly at the path ahead that did not exist. The pitch-black polar night stretched endlessly through her vision, and though she had no idea where the snowfield's horizon lay, she knew she was rapidly approaching the coast.

"If you know another version of me, then you should know that I have my own ways of enduring pain."

"Uh, I mean, if it isn't necessary, you don't need to endure anything. Batwoman... Uh, it still feels so awkward saying that." As the Cloaked Figure ran, a corner of his cape flew up, revealing the red uniform beneath.

"Actually, this so-called Speed Force of yours wraps us in a special force field. Just like all those previous times, I don't feel anything."

Bliss answered faintly. The world had become unfamiliar to her. Something she had never imagined could happen had actually happened to her. If the Cloaked Figure had not produced proof, she never would have believed in that so-called future other people spoke of.

"This environment where time is practically frozen relative to the outside world is called the Bullet Time zone. I temporarily shared a bit of the Speed Force with you, so our communication is synchronized. When our speed and acceleration match the Speed Force field—uh, you don't seem to care."

The Cloaked Figure immediately launched into an endless explanation of Speed Force theory for Bliss. It was knowledge he had accumulated over many years of applying his abilities.

But he realized Bliss had completely checked out. She seemed lost in thought, utterly unconcerned with anything he said. This version of her was somewhat different from Batwoman; Bruce would never zone out like this around someone else.

"All right, stop your relativity research report for now. We have real business to handle. Once everything is settled, I can pay for you to talk your heart out at Gotham City Stadium. I can hire however many audience members you want."

"Um... why would I tell unrelated people about my abilities?" The Cloaked Figure looked confused.

"Then there was no need for you to tell me, either." Bliss shook her head. If she wanted to know something, she only trusted the results of her own investigation, not something offered up voluntarily like this. "So take me back to Gotham first. Home."

The Cloaked Figure sighed. One after another, they were all like this. Were Batwomen in every world this awkward about dealing with people?

"All right. Bats are always the boss. We're crossing the ocean."

With Bliss still over one shoulder, he reached the end of the snowfield without breaking stride and charged straight into the sea. The floating ice and waves around them appeared completely motionless in their view. He ran directly across the water's surface, kicking up massive sprays behind him.

In the darkness, they seemed to be constantly running toward the sunrise.

"Is it really all right to leave the butler on that island?"

As he ran, the Cloaked Figure's mouth seemed as incapable of stopping as his feet. He asked another question. Bliss rolled her eyes, though it was precisely this man's chatterbox nature that had made her believe him.

No one would send someone who talked this much to deceive her. The more someone said, the more likely they were to slip up; a liar had to weigh every word carefully to ensure nothing went wrong, especially when their target was her. Someone this talkative could not possibly watch every sentence that came out of his mouth. Everything he said had to be true.

"I'll say it again. That is Observation Post 7, not some deserted island. Alfred is safest there." Bliss corrected him. "If I'm not mistaken, your Batwoman would probably take a liking to that place too."

"Yes, Miss Bliss. As an old man, a tropical island near the Equator may indeed be good for my legs. But we cannot have coconuts and bananas for breakfast again tomorrow. You may need to improve the menu."

Alfred's voice came through the pointed ear on Bliss's head. That ear was both a walkie-talkie and a bat radar.

"Don't worry, Alfred. I know what I'm doing."

Bliss accepted his goodwill, but habitually insisted that she could handle things herself. Over the past month, the Cloaked Figure had taken her around the world several times, visiting many places and making all kinds of preparations. Generally speaking, however, they still returned to the island for dinner.

Alfred had strongly insisted on being responsible for providing nutritionally balanced meals.

The island's specialties were coconuts and bananas. Over the past month, they had tried every recipe combining seafood with coconuts and bananas. Though Alfred's cooking was excellent, people were not monkeys. No matter how tasty bananas were, one could still grow sick of them.

"Then, Miss, could you perhaps come to the Observation Post and pick me up first? The manor has gone nearly a month without being cleaned. As a butler, that is a serious dereliction of duty."

"Gotham's situation is still uncertain."

Bliss intended to refuse. To avoid sensitive areas, she had not gone near her own home before this. Although she had taken down Bane and stolen his nuclear bomb an hour ago, that had been underground in the city.

As far as she was concerned, until she had filled in the past month's city surveillance footage and learned what had happened in Gotham, the city's situation remained unknown.

That was why she wanted to return to Wayne Manor this time.

The butler was not in a hurry. Instead, he continued in his elegant, proper tone, "But don't you already have a plan, Miss? The matter will be resolved, as it always has been."

Bliss fell silent for a moment. Thought flickered in her blue eyes.

"Yes, you're right. The preparations are nearly complete." She patted the Cloaked Figure on the shoulder. "To the island first, then Gotham."

"Then we'll need to speed up. Give me ten seconds." The Cloaked Figure did the calculation in his head and named a time with a smile. "This trip has really been a weight-loss journey. I've gotten way too thin."

Though the Cloaked Figure said that, he accelerated anyway. His stride became too fast to see.

More lightning burst from his body, completely enveloping them both. Like a golden comet, they carved a deep wake across the ocean and turned toward the Equator.

No living creature could see them pass, because the interval was so brief that they could not even form an image on the retina. Perhaps only gods knew what had happened.

As if his words had only just left his mouth, they appeared on a tropical island. The sun had not yet set there, and Alfred was beside a grill, preparing butter-roasted bananas.

The Cloaked Figure caught his breath, grabbed a cooked banana from the side, and stuffed it into his mouth. He felt that if he did not eat something soon, he would pass out. Even though bananas reminded him of gorillas, and he had once fought a war against a nation founded by a gorilla.

"Allow me to remind you, Mr. Allen, that you have not washed your hands."

The Cloaked Figure merely shrugged, his mouth stuffed with golden banana. The heat made him shift the food around in his mouth as he mumbled, "Actually, I did wash them. I just washed them too fast."