Chapter 22: Interrogation

At midnight, five cars were parked sideways outside the hospital in Naxino City, forming a blockade. A group of masked criminals were using the cars as cover while firing at a figure in a cape who was darting across the rooftop.

"Shit, it's Robin! Where's Batman?" They had been firing round after round but still couldn't hit Damian. Instead, Damian had found time to toss a few Batarangs, striking several of his companions. Seeing the Batarangs lodged in his teammates, they knew it was a signature weapon of Gotham's Dark Knight. One of the gunmen, now in a panic, screamed out loud.

They weren't afraid of Robin still lingering on the rooftop. What they feared was Batman, who was still lurking in the shadows. No one knew where he might suddenly appear from, ready to leave them with an unforgettable encounter. What they didn't realize was that only Damian and Kaito Haruno were present. Batman wasn't coming.

Just as they continued to aim their guns at the rooftop, anticipating Batman's arrival, a metallic sound echoed from an alley beside them.

A strange figure, clad in blue armor, charged out from the alley, crashing into one of the parked cars with tremendous force. The impact sent two unlucky criminals flying through the air. After rolling on the ground a few times, it was clear from their twisted legs that their fall was severe.

"Damn it! What the hell is that thing?!" The sudden attack left the car blockade ineffective. The armed criminals quickly shifted their focus from the rooftop to the armored figure. Without hesitation, they opened fire.

Bullets clinked off the G3 armor. While the G3 armor wasn't the strongest in its series, it was more than enough to deal with a group of gun-wielding thugs. Ignoring the bullets coming his way, Kaito Haruno grabbed the undercarriage of a nearby car. With the strength of his armor combined with his own physique, he flipped the car, robbing the criminals of their cover.

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by Kaito flipping the vehicle, Damian fired his grappling hook. It latched onto one of the criminals, dragging him upwards with a sharp scream as the hook pierced his shoulder. Suspended in mid-air and wailing in pain, the sight drove the remaining gunmen into a frenzy, pouring more bullets at Kaito. However, the bullets were ineffective against the armored Kaito, who had even reinforced the suit with Haki.

"We're just 50 meters away from the Naxino City Hospital. We can see this blue-armored figure holding off the criminals at a distance of about 150 meters. Although we don't know his identity, we can also confirm that Gotham's Robin is engaged in this firefight as well," a news reporter narrated on live television.

Meanwhile, across town in the east district of Naxino, Jeremiah Danvers, the patriarch of the Danvers family, was sitting on his couch, watching the news. The diligent reporter was covering the shootout at the hospital. As the adoptive father of Kara Danvers, Jeremiah treated Kara as if she were his own daughter. He knew all too well what Kara was capable of — anything Superman could do, she could too.

"Damn city, I hope this doesn't give Kara any ideas." He angrily pressed the power button on the remote, cursing as he headed off to bed.

Upstairs, however, Kara wasn't asleep. For a Kryptonian, sleep on Earth was a difficult task. Their super hearing allowed them to pick up sounds from every corner, and while they could tune out the noise if they wanted, they could also listen in as easily as breathing.

Kara sat by the window, gazing outside. In reality, her super vision and X-ray vision were focused on the hospital shootout miles away. Although she couldn't see Kaito Haruno's face through his mask, she could see the chaos he and Damian were causing. The G3 armor was likely composed of materials that blocked her X-ray vision, as it contained lead.

"Cool!" Kara murmured, her heart pounding slightly as she witnessed Kaito's overpowering takedown of the criminals, with Damian cleaning up from the rooftop.

Back at the hospital, Middle, who had been transferred to a regular ward, was awakened by the sound of gunfire outside. The dark room filled him with anxiety. He knew all too well the precariousness of his situation. The only reason he wasn't locked up yet was because his backers were still pulling strings. As long as he didn't spill the details of his operations, he was safe.

But how long could this safety last? He didn't know. It could all end tonight. Suddenly, a large hand emerged from the darkness, covering his mouth before he could make a sound. Nightwing, having disguised himself, appeared before him.

"Good evening, Middle. You're quite the popular guy tonight," Nightwing said.

Terrified, Middle stared at Nightwing. He hadn't expected the hero to show up. Desperately, he pressed the emergency call button beside his bed, but nothing happened. It was as if he and Nightwing were the only ones in the hospital.

"I ask, you answer. Blink if you understand," Nightwing instructed.

Middle frantically blinked, and Nightwing released his hand.

"Tell me, where does your human trafficking channel come from?"

"I knew you'd ask that, but you know if I reveal that secret, I'm as good as dead! As long as I keep quiet, I stay alive."

Middle breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Nightwing was asking questions, he was safe — for now.

"Smart thinking. You believe your backers will protect you, right? Or do you think the gunfire outside is a rescue attempt? Wrong! They're here for the same reason as me — to get information. But unlike me, their methods won't be as gentle. My friend is holding them off for now, but if you really want to be 'rescued,' I can let them through. Hear that? Uzis, shotguns, Colts — that's firepower even heavier than the police. How do you think they'll 'rescue' you?"

As Nightwing spoke, Middle's face grew increasingly pale. He knew Nightwing wouldn't harm him, but the criminals? They'd tear him apart.

"But what do I get if I tell you? I'll still be dead either way!"

"If you tell me, I can guarantee that within a week, you'll see all those connected to your operation behind bars. Your backers will also know that the Naxino police won't tolerate human trafficking, and they'll have no more interest in this city."

"Can you guarantee that?"

"Do you really have a choice?"

There was a long pause. Middle knew he was finished. There was no turning back. Prison was his only chance at survival. If he held onto the secret too long, his backers would grow impatient, and his life would end.

"Fine, I'll tell you!" Middle said, gritting his teeth.

"Smart choice. I'm listening."

"There's too much information for me to remember. I've hidden everything in the basement of the Hellfire Bar, on the second floor beneath my office. There's a secret compartment under the phone with a code lock. The password is 52368521."

"Clever move, Middle. Sweet dreams, my friend."

After getting the information he needed, Nightwing gave Middle a mock blessing before disappearing into the darkness. Seconds later, the once pitch-black hospital room was flooded with light, and footsteps echoed in the hallway. The eerie silence Middle had experienced moments earlier now felt like a distant illusion.

(End of chapter)