Chapter 268: Lizard Professor's Evolution
Things rarely went as planned. Batman was training Robin at the abandoned shipyard. Just as the night was nearly ending, Lizard Professor on Bat Island had an incident.
Fortunately, this had nothing to do with Norman Osborn. He was currently hugging his dwindling food supply, having climbed into a tree—his daytime-selected shelter.
Norman Osborn didn't even know what was happening on Bat Island. He only knew that—like last night—endless reptiles were once again crawling from water onto shore, rustling toward the island's center.
He didn't know. But Batman—having already installed countless miniature sensors on the island—clearly understood Bat Island's changes:
Lizard Professor was molting.
Professor Connors was a reptile biologist. After injecting himself with regeneration serum, his transformed appearance was reptilian lizard.
But unlike previous "Spider-Man" Peter not spinning webs from his body, or Green Goblin not being true goblin—
Connors's transformed Lizard Professor resembled genuine lizard, possessing nearly all physiological characteristics of cold-blooded animals. Now adding one more: molting.
"Dr. Banner, immediately activate Emergency Plan C."
Noticing Lizard Professor's changes, Batman didn't hesitate. He immediately used Arkham suit's remote communications contacting North Brother Island.
"Understood." North Brother Island had also simultaneously discovered Lizard Professor's abnormalities. Dr. Banner immediately responded.
The communicator remained open. Batman heard Banner's voice replaced by Hulk's heavy breathing sounds.
"Robin, return to the Batcave. Protect the second level's confined gamma monsters." Batman addressed the diligently-training Robin.
"What happened?" Robin looked toward Batman bewilderedly.
Batman rapidly explained:
"Lizard Professor shows abnormalities. I need proceeding there handling it. Plus I need you guarding the Batcave."
"I want going too!" Venom Robin instinctively believed this represented one excellent opportunity demonstrating his capabilities.
But Batman simply shook his head toward him:
"I'm uncertain whether Lizard Professor's changes are good or bad. Therefore, beyond North Brother Island's Emergency Plan D, I also need you in the Batcave, ready activating Alfred Protocol anytime."
Venom Robin grew more bewildered:
"What's that?"
"Alfred AI isn't completely written yet. But already possesses protocol activation functionality." This time Batman didn't explain. "When necessary, I'll tell you through communication channels."
Venom Robin blinked. He felt somewhat curious about this mysterious Alfred Protocol.
Seeing Batman finish instructing him yet standing motionless without departing intentions, Venom Robin urged:
"Isn't this urgent? You're not moving?"
Words barely finished—Venom Robin suddenly raised his head toward night sky.
Through pitch-black cloudy night sky, subtle humming sounds approached from distance. One second still distant—next instant already arrived above abandoned shipyard.
Darkness hadn't blocked Venom Robin's vision. He saw clearly—rapidly arriving above both parties was one aircraft with design completely different from conventional flying vehicles.
Precisely the second Batwing that Parker Industries had simultaneously acquired heavy industry, producing according to predetermined procedures when Batman had departed for New Mexico.
The Batwing didn't hover. Didn't even decelerate. It simply swept low over the abandoned shipyard, then front-and-back flipping mid-air, turning toward arrival direction and flying away.
WHOOSH!
Venom Robin only heard cloak-flapping sounds beside his ear. He rapidly turned observing.
Batman—just standing beside him—had already raised his hand. One pitch-black web strand grasped the Batwing, enduring that completely-undiminished flight momentum while rushing into the cabin.
Precisely as Batman entered the cabin—Batwing's speed surged again, breaking through layered clouds, exposing one obscured moon, disappearing in one eyeblink toward Bat Island's direction.
"Old Bat didn't give me a lift?" Venom Robin gaped dumbfounded.
---
Bat Island. Norman Osborn drowsed. But Batwing's takeoff-generated winds made island forests rustle, re-awakening Norman Osborn.
He stared wide-eyed at surrounding darkness. After hesitating briefly, he discovered he could no longer hear previous nights' strange hissing sounds beside his ears.
Just as Norman Osborn's mind produced thoughts like "did something happen to the island's monster"—but hadn't yet acted—
BUZZ BUZZ—
The Batwing hovered at under one-kilometer low altitude. Batman descended from sky, precisely landing beside the tree where Norman Osborn sat.
Without half a sentence explanation, Batman's web strand yanked Norman Osborn downward, then grabbed his rear collar.
WHOOSH—wind sounds blew past ears. Norman Osborn couldn't see surrounding scenery clearly. But from violent turbulence, Norman Osborn knew Batman was carrying him while rushing forward considerable distance.
Only after rushing to island shores did Batman stop.
Norman Osborn—jostled breathless—hadn't managed asking questions when Batman suddenly kicked ground with both feet.
BANG!
Amid sounds, one half-meter-radius shallow pit appeared in position. Batman—gripping Norman Osborn—leaped into hundred-meter altitude.
The Bat-cape could glide. But long-distance gliding with Batman plus Norman Osborn's combined weight was obviously unrealistic.
But Batman still chose gliding across the East River. One hand gripping Norman Osborn, another hand throwing backward, making the Bat-cape instantly electrify.
Then Batman's hand fired consecutive pitch-black web strands. These strands rapidly adhered together through air—weaving layer upon layer. In eyeblinks, they wove one small parachute.
Relying on parachute plus Bat-cape, when Batman descended from air, he'd already stepped onto North Brother Island.
"Hulk, help me watch him."
North Brother Island shores. Hulk had already awaited long.
"Leave to Hulk." Hulk rumbled deeply, rubbing fists while observing Norman Osborn.
Norman Osborn couldn't restrain retreating half a step. He looked upward at the three-meter-tall Hulk. Observing the ferocious face plus highly-bulging muscles—fearful yet feeling déjà vu, as though he'd seen similar individuals somewhere.
But Norman Osborn couldn't contemplate excessively. Hulk plopped down on ground while pointing at nearby ground, addressing Norman Osborn:
"Sit down."
Norman Osborn didn't dare refusing. He turned wanting asking Batman what happened. But Batman had already soundlessly vanished without trace.
---
North Brother Island laboratory. Batman currently faced Dr. Octavius across worktables, each observing display screens before them.
"Simultaneously placing Norman and Connors on Bat Island inherently meant synchronously observing both."
"According to our expectations, potentially-problematic Norman Osborn remains obedient throughout. Conversely, Connors developed situations."
Dr. Octavius's ten fingers flew—rapidly transmitting consecutive Bat Island-transmitted data to Batman's screen.
"Night before last—nothing happened. Last night—transmitting pheromones, attracting reptiles. Tonight—molting..."
Octavius's mechanical tentacles similarly busily controlled other experimental equipment. He always felt Connors's condition appeared somewhat ominous:
"If using one word describing it, I believe Lizard Professor is 'evolving.'"
Professor Morbius wore black trench coat with red interior lining. This clothing should have made him appear stylish and handsome. But currently he couldn't concern himself with image or grace.
As scientist Batman had accepted onto North Brother Island, Professor Morbius similarly knew Batman's emergency plans prepared for the island's four scientists—respectively ABCD.
Professor Connors showing abnormal situations naturally corresponded to Emergency Plan C.
Professor Morbius also wasn't idle. He demonstrated his professional biological expertise, mixing reagents at extreme speed before experimental platforms.
***
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