Chapter 86: Trinity Scientific Team
"Twenty dollars? Bought this entire island?"
On an island called "North Brother Island" in the East River between the Bronx and Queens in New York, Professor Connors widened his eyes in disbelief that in 2006, Batman could purchase an entire New York island for twenty dollars.
Batman nodded. Currently wearing the Arkham suit, he'd been completely upgraded from head to toe compared to before. Facing Professor Connors's astonishment, Batman remained expressionless:
"Actually, this is already double the price—in 1975, New York sold North Brother Island to a Long Island investment company for ten dollars. Now I've bought it for twenty dollars."
"As an investment, that investment company already achieved double returns. This is already quite remarkable."
This cold joke didn't make Professor Connors laugh. He looked at Batman with confusion:
"I assume you called me out here alone not merely to show off about this, right? Though this is indeed worth showing off."
Batman's face beneath the mask showed no trace of expression:
"No, Professor. Only you know I'm Batman. I hope you'll keep this secret."
"In return, I'll provide all the help you need."
Professor Connors shook his head, a trace of smile on his face:
"Peter, you've already helped me too much. Even without saying so, I'd keep your secret."
Without Batman having Professor Connors transfer Oscorp's core data in advance, without Batman creating chaos, General Ross very likely would have already used various biotechnologies to experiment with Dr. Banner's blood.
Without Batman's obstruction, Professor Connors transformed into a lizard would have headed straight to Metropolitan Hospital with regenerative serum, inevitably causing panic and chaos, even unintentionally killing innocent lives.
Even without the Batmobile attracting too many soldiers on Oscorp's tenth floor, evacuating research staff inside the building, many people would certainly have perished in the Lizard vs. Hulk battle.
Compared to everything Batman had done, keeping a secret was an insignificant request.
Receiving Professor Connors's assurance, Batman said no more, entering the building on North Brother Island together with Professor Connors.
During the three days Batman was forced by Harry to lie in a hospital bed, he'd purchased North Brother Island through a trust and reinforced and expanded the original buildings.
Originally a summer manor, Batman's expansion maintained the summer manor style. The ground portion was a living area; the first basement level was an experimental area.
When Batman and Professor Connors walked inside the manor, Dr. Octavius was excitedly crouching on the ground with Dr. Banner, using sticks and ground instead of paper and pen to discuss something.
After Dr. Octavius's tentacle removal surgery, his physical recovery showed no abnormalities. Now he'd also been brought to this island by Batman.
Seeing Batman and Professor Connors enter, both doctors looked somewhat reserved and stopped their discussion.
Dr. Banner proactively greeted them. Dr. Octavius only nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
Batman looked at these three scientists, taking the initiative to break the silence:
"Gentlemen, introductions are redundant. Your names shine brilliantly in your respective fields, albeit for different reasons."
"But in the coming days, you'll conduct your respective scientific research together here. Peter and I will provide all necessary support."
"Besides Peter and me, no one will know you're here. No one will discover you."
Dr. Octavius nodded slightly. He only knew Peter. His impression of Batman still remained at being beaten up once.
He'd come to this island entirely out of trust in Peter, with little connection to Batman.
Dr. Banner was simply confused. He had no idea who this so-called Peter was, but trusted Batman extraordinarily.
Nothing else aside, just three days ago confronting General Ross, exposing explosive material to bring him down—that alone sufficiently proved Batman and Ross weren't the same type of person.
Only Professor Connors was the sole person present who knew Batman's two identities. He glanced left and right, then nodded along with Dr. Octavius.
"Should we openly state our respective research projects? I need to ensure this doesn't involve those things I'm imagining."
Dr. Banner said. His "those things" naturally referred to what was previously mentioned—experiments like General Ross's creating various monsters.
Trust aside, Dr. Banner decided to make things clear in advance.
Dr. Octavius looked mentally far better than the other two. After lying in Metropolitan Hospital for five or six days, he was eager to begin his work:
"I'll restart nuclear fusion clean energy research. But before that, I'll conduct prosthetic research to raise funds."
"Nuclear fusion?"
"Prosthetics?"
Dr. Banner and Professor Connors reacted differently. Both heard things from their fields in Dr. Octavius's single sentence.
"My coming here to conduct limb regeneration research is secondary. Mainly to find methods to treat my mutation," Professor Connors said.
Dr. Octavius didn't understand what Professor Connors was saying, but Dr. Banner beside him understood:
"Perhaps treatment isn't the only solution. I used three years to learn how to communicate with my other self. Perhaps I can pass on the experience to you."
"I'm not here for any research, but if Dr. Octavius needs it, I can jointly develop nuclear fusion clean energy with you."
Dr. Octavius had an intolerance for stupidity, but facing Dr. Banner with seven doctoral degrees—one of the smartest people in the world today—his intolerance disappeared completely:
"Perhaps not just nuclear fusion energy research. I can also attempt whether prosthetic technology can combine with Professor Connors's limb regeneration technology."
Professor Connors's gaze moved. He'd just wanted to ask this question:
"Dr. Octavius, what thoughts do you have on limb regeneration?"
...
Once the three scientists—each top-tier in their respective fields—began discussing, they never stopped. Batman stood beside them from beginning to end without speaking, silently watching.
Dr. Octavius's nuclear fusion had Dr. Banner's help. Prosthetic technology coincided with Professor Connors.
Dr. Banner had rich experience controlling his other self while being a top nuclear physicist.
Though the three scientists came together through various coincidences, now the three mutually supporting each other instead formed a stable trinity scientific group.
Though experimental equipment on North Brother Island hadn't completely arrived, the living area was already constructed. Batman didn't excessively interfere with the three scientists' affairs.
Walking out of the summer manor to North Brother Island's east shore, Batman's knees bent slightly, then suddenly leaped into the air. Reaching the highest point, he spread the cape behind him, gliding toward Rikers Island nearest here.
Batman hadn't forgotten he'd once wanted to find Dr. Banner. He needed Dr. Banner's gamma radiation research to treat the evil personality inside Norman Osborn.
Unlike Professor Connors who transformed into a lizard without harming lives, obsessed with delivering medicine and treating illness, Norman Osborn was purely destructive.
"Ravencroft Institute in the northern suburbs—"
Changing out of the suit, Batman wearing a plaid shirt drove straight toward the northern suburbs.