Blackbird

JOKERS ATTACK

The seaplane touched down gracefully on the water beside the yacht, its engine humming softly as it coasted to a stop. Alfred hurried over to where Bruce was reclining on a lounge chair, enjoying the view of the Russian ballerinas sunbathing on the deck.

"I believe that's your plane, sir," Alfred said, his voice tinged with dry amusement.

Bruce stretched lazily and glanced at Alfred, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You'll manage without us, won't you?" he replied, already preparing to leave.

Alfred raised an eyebrow, gesturing subtly for Bruce to be careful near the yacht's edge. "Well, if you'd be so kind as to tell me the Russian for 'apply your own bloody suntan lotion,' it would certainly help," he remarked.

Before Bruce could respond, Bryce chimed in, "Nanesi svoy chertov los'on dlya zagara." He grinned at Alfred, then turned to Bruce, who was already pulling off his shirt and heading for the railing.

With a swift movement, Bruce dove off the side of the yacht, cutting cleanly into the water. Bryce wasn't far behind, leaping after him and surfacing just moments later. Together, they swam toward the plane, already bracing themselves for whatever awaited them next.
—————————————

Bruce peered through a pair of binoculars, carefully studying the building in the heart of Hong Kong, his gaze sweeping across the windows and security measures. He barely registered the sound of footsteps behind him until Lucius Fox approached.

"There's a much better view from the Peak Tram, you know," Lucius remarked dryly.

Bruce didn't look away from the binoculars. Before he could respond, Bryce chimed in from where he was seated on the ground. "Pretty sure he's past the sightseeing stage at this point," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

Lowering the binoculars, Bruce turned to face Lucius. "What's the view like from inside LSI Holdings?" he asked.

Lucius shook his head. "Restricted. Lau's got himself locked down in there—tight as a drum," he replied, reaching into his briefcase and handing Bruce a small, sleek device.

"What's that?" Bryce asked, rising to his feet as curiosity got the better of him.

Lucius's expression shifted into one of subtle pride. "Had R&D whip this up. It emits a high-frequency pulse and records the response time, allowing us to map out the environment."

"Sonar... like a, uh..." Bryce started.

"Like a submarine, Mr. Wayne," Lucius finished, giving a faint smile. "Exactly like a submarine."

Bryce's gaze drifted to another item in Lucius's hand. "And what about the other device?" he inquired, now fully alert.

"It's already in place," Lucius confirmed with a nod. Bruce gave a brief look of approval, then turned to walk away, Bryce right on his heels.

"Mr. Wayne?" Lucius called out just as Bruce was about to descend the stairway. Bruce paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Good luck," Lucius said, his tone sincere.

Bruce nodded slightly in acknowledgment, a silent promise to make it count. Then, with Bryce beside him, he disappeared into the night.
———————————

Bruce and Bryce stood atop the high-rise, both clad in full armor. The city stretched out beneath them, a maze of neon lights and shadows. Bruce knelt down, adjusting his gear with practiced precision, while Bryce stood nearby, his eyes glued to his phone.

"Would you look at that? Joker's got himself a new Robin," Bryce said, reading the headlines aloud.

"Really?" Bruce responded, glancing up, his expression masked behind a steely calm.