,
8:00 PM. Dusk deepened over Gotham.
The Illinois Center Tower blazed with light.
A luxurious gala was just beginning. Elegant elites floated through the crowd with their beautiful partners, speaking in soft tones—every bit the image of champagne-soaked decadence.
Alfred Pennyworth, the elderly butler currently serving drinks with a tray in hand, was momentarily distracted by the voice of a certain mysterious guest in his earpiece.
Across from him, Rachel was teasing her current boyfriend.
"Harvey Dent, slayer of organized crime… yet still nervous around a room full of rich snobs. Maybe I should get you a drink to calm those nerves."
She grabbed a champagne flute from the tray and pressed it into Harvey's hand with a smirk.
"Hang on, I see someone I know."
With a wave, Rachel drifted toward another elegantly dressed woman, leaving the two men behind.
Alfred watched Bruce Wayne's ex and her new flame flirt from across the room, feeling a complicated cocktail of emotions that was hard to describe.
Usually it was his young master stealing other people's girlfriends.
Now the tables had turned…
Harvey wasn't loving the gala either. He took a sip of the drink—lightly acidic, delicate, and layered, it helped him relax a little.
Trying to break the awkward silence, he turned to Alfred and said:
"You're Alfred, right? Rachel talks about you a lot. Says you've known her her whole life."
"Indeed, sir. Though if I may point out a flaw in that sentence—her life isn't over yet."
Alfred's wry humor drew a laugh from Harvey.
He was hoping to chat more with Gotham's hotshot new District Attorney—if only to help Master Bruce out a little—but the mysterious voice buzzed in again, impatiently urging him to act.
"If you'll excuse me…"
But before he could slip away, Harvey cut in with a smile:
"Since you and Rachel are so close, mind telling me if there are any… crazy ex-boyfriends I should watch out for?"
It was just a joke, meant to match Alfred's earlier banter.
But the butler's expression almost cracked.
A crazy ex-boyfriend?
Well… maybe. Though Alfred preferred to call him intensely focused.
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you."
Alfred gave a meaningful smile and turned away, heading toward the other guests.
Of course, it was just a cover.
After handing off the tray to another server, he slipped into a quiet corner and pulled out his phone to check the Batmobile's interior cam.
[I'd prefer if you stayed in the car until Batman finishes his business.]
Alfred's voice echoed from the Batmobile's speaker, clearly altered by a voice modifier.
Leo smirked. Spotting the central camera, he raised both hands high, flashing his high-tech cuffs.
"Oh come now, Alfred—or should I call you Alfred Pennyworth, loyal old gentleman? Life's too boring without a little laughter, don't you think?"
[You know who I am?]
"Of course I do. I know Batman's identity too. You think I'd miss his most trusted butler? Now then—shall we get to the magic show?"
He rattled the cuffs for dramatic effect.
"State-of-the-art Batcuffs. GPS-tracked, shock-capable, audio-logging. No keyhole. Only Batman's special gear can unlock it. And now…"
Leo raised his hands. "I'll show you the disappearing trick. Watch closely. No need to count to three—my skills are that good."
Clack!
A sharp snap.
Right before Alfred's eyes—and the camera—the cuffs vanished into thin air.
"Ta-daa! Wasn't that amazing?"
Leo flexed his wrists, stretched his arms, then nonchalantly slid into the driver's seat.
[How did you do that?! No—what are you planning?!]
Alfred was genuinely rattled. Those cuffs were one of Bruce's custom creations—expensive, secure, and unbreakable.
And now? Gone.
Worse than the magic trick was this man climbing into the driver's seat of the Batmobile.
Without hesitation, Alfred locked down the vehicle remotely.
Clack-clack-clack.
The red LOCKED icon lit up on the dashboard.
But Leo? Still smiling.
Sure, Batman's tech was impressive… for 2010. But compared to Night City's 2077?
Primitive.
"Really now, Alfred—both you and Bats are so stingy. I've never driven a car this luxe before. Just one ride—c'mon. Wayne won't even notice the gas bill."
Batman was away. Leo wasn't worried about consequences. He was here to enjoy himself.
"Now then… time for a real demonstration—"
He lifted his left hand, subtly covering the cybernetic interface on his wrist.
Then, from his personal space storage, he pulled out a carefully acquired data adapter—a relic from a bygone era, sourced through deep digging on the Night City net.
Slightly used, but still functional—he'd tested it beforehand.
Following Shironeko's instructions, he slotted the adapter into a matching input port on the Batmobile's console.
[Shironeko—jack in!]
[Give me 15 seconds. I'll enable basic systems so you can drive.]
Alfred watched, dumbfounded, as Leo hacked Batman's car in mere seconds.
LOCKED → UNLOCKED
"Hahahaha!"
Leo slapped his knee and laughed.
"How's that, Alfred? My hacking skills aren't half bad, huh?"
[What the hell are you planning?! I'm warning you—Batman—]
The aging butler clutched his chest. His pulse was up. Panic crept in.
He wasn't just worried about the car. The Batmobile held weapons—powerful ones. In the wrong hands, it could cause catastrophic damage.
"Calm down, Alfred. I'm a law-abiding businessman. I just want to go… settle a little score with the Joker. We've got some history to resolve. And hey, maybe I'll save Batman while I'm at it. He's not exactly invincible."
Without waiting for a reply, Leo leaned on the horn—startling the gawking bystanders.
"Didn't Batman leave? Why's the car moving?"
"Autopilot, dummy. Wait… I think there's someone still inside…"
"I got him on camera! It's—uh…"
"Are you using a potato to film?! It's all blurry! All I see is a silver suit!"
Leo saw the crowd gathering and narrowed his eyes.
Then he laid on the horn.
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The screech was ear-splitting—like an air raid siren. The onlookers backed away in fear.
Leo gently pressed the gas, bumping past barricades and onto the sidewalk.
[Shironeko—are you sure about this route?]
[Absolutely. It's optimal. As long as you don't hit pedestrians, you'll reach Illinois Center faster than any street route.]
[Perfect. And hey—this is Batman's car. Not my bill.]
Leo grinned wickedly, mowing down trash cans and light poles as he shot forward, leaving chaos and confusion behind.
After all, Gotham was owned by Bruce Wayne.
Why so serious?
"Hahahaha! Hold tight, Bats—I'm coming to save your ass!"
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