INTERLUDE 3: DETONATOR

[Location: Mayor's Office]

Thomas was dealing with the random explosions in the industrial district. He received a call from Bruce. He informed him about Black Mask's death and someone named John with a remote detonator and the bombs spread throughout the city. A single press and boom! Everything will be over.

Following Bruce's instructions, he turned on his computer and viewed the map he had mailed, which showed the locations of the bombs.

Thomas did not waste any time. He called the bomb disposal squad and sent word of the imminent threats all throughout the city. Every ticking time bomb indicated an impending disaster.

"Listen carefully," He instructed the bomb squads, his voice steady despite the urgency. "I'm sending you a map with the locations. Move fast, but proceed cautiously. We can't afford mistakes. Lives are at stake."

With the bomb squads coming into action, he went through his contacts and called Elana.

"Elana," He began as soon as she picked up, his tone conveying the gravity of the situation, "We've got a critical issue on our hands. There's a man named John from the GCPD traffic unit, armed with a remote detonator. Find him and secure that remote before it's too late."

"How much time do we have?" She inquired as she dashed out of her apartment and jumped on her bike.

"Not much. Black Mask, dead. And without him controlling his men, chaos is about to break out any moment and if I am not wrong, that detonator is their failsafe plan..." He sighed rubbing the corner of his eyes. "Bastard planned to bury us all... I am sending you the bombs' location. Send your team to assist with the bomb squat. We must cover as much ground as we can..."

"I will do my best..." She disconnected the call. Then she called her team and instructed them to take care of the bombs as fast as possible.

'And just when I was getting bored... Never a dull moment in Gotham...'

Elana opened a small device, strapped on her wrist. It's an advanced hacking device, Thomas created back when he was the Devil Bat. Her fingers danced across the holographic interface. She bypassed firewalls and encrypted security protocols.

The system's defense was strong, but she persisted, leveraging her expertise in cyber infiltration. She traced the GPS signals of GCPD officers, filtering through the data in search of John's whereabouts. Each passing second intensified the urgency of the situation, the weight of countless lives hanging in the balance.

Finally, a blip on the map caught her attention—a signal originating from the industrial district. John's location flashed on the screen, a beacon amidst the chaos.

"Got him," She murmured to herself. "What the hell are you doing there, fucker?"

Rapidly typing commands into the hacking device, she extracted real-time footage from the surveillance cameras in the vicinity. A live feed appeared, showing John, disheveled and desperate, sitting and drinking on the third floor of a new construction site in the eastern part of the residential district.

'Lex Corps new branch! Whatever...' She revved the engine and sped through the bustling streets of Gotham, navigating the labyrinth of alleys and shortcuts with the expertise of someone intimately familiar with the city's layout.

The bike roared as she navigated the intricate streets of Gotham. She maneuvered through the bustling chaos. Her eyes were fixed on the holographic display projected by the hacking device, tracking John's position in real-time.

The Lex Corps building loomed ahead, its sleek design standing out amidst the surrounding structures. Elana screeched to a halt, hiding the bike behind a nearby construction dumpster, not wanting to alert anyone to her presence.

She unstrapped the hacking device, slipping it into her pocket. The flashing lights from police vehicles were already converging on the area, bomb squads and officers fanning out to secure the district. The urgency in the air was palpable.

Elana darted toward the construction site, weaving through the maze of half-built structures and scaffolding. The chaos seemed to intensify with every step, the gravity of the situation pressing against her with unbearable weight.

She reached the third floor, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of John. In the dimly lit corridors, she spotted a figure sitting against a wall, a bottle in hand.

"John!" Elana's voice echoed through the emptiness, urgency lacing her tone.

Startled, John bolted upright, fumbling with the bottle in his hands. His gaze landed on Elana, confusion spreading across his features.

"You? What the hell are you doing here...?" He slurred, clearly drunk.

"Give me that detonator, John!" Elana approached him slowly, her hand extended, palm open.

"Ah! You are here for that thingy..." He swayed slightly, struggling to stand on his feet. "Well, here... take it... I don't need it anymore..." He tossed the detonator toward Elana, stumbling forward and collapsing onto the floor.

She deftly caught the detonator, relief washing over her. She quickly messaged Thomas about the situation.

He took another gulp from the bottle in his hand, muttering under his breath, "Fucking bastards killed Karla before my eyes... I just fucking had no other choice... They offered to provide treatment for my daughter... Promised me to make that bitch wife of mine pay the price... How could I refuse...?"

"Who?" She questioned sternly, crouching beside him, her gaze boring into his eyes, demanding answers. "Who offered you this deal?"

"Some guy in a mask... Hahaha... But what's the point now...? Karla is dead... My baby girl... You know Lily calls me her hero. And look at me... I made a deal with a criminal and even watched my partner die before my eyes and now they called me, told me to press the button... How could I ever stand before my daughter again...?" Tears streamed down John's face. Sorrow and anguish were evident in his expression.

Elana frowned as she listened to him.

"That's why..." He took out a handgun and placed it under his chin, tears flowing freely as he gazed at Elana. "Don't tell Lily that her dad was a coward... Please..." With these words, he pulled the trigger, splattering blood and brain matter across the floor.

Elana stood there motionless, staring at John's lifeless form. There was no expression on her face, just cold indifference. She searched through his body and found his wallet and a mobile phone. She opened the wallet. A picture of a ten-year-old girl smiling brightly greeted her. On the back was written: Lily, Dad's little hero.

Elana let out a sigh, shaking her head sadly. 'Karma is such a bitch..." She took out her knife, "I will do you a favor... Make it look like you went down fighting..." She began to stab and cut his body, making sure to inflict enough wounds to disguise the suicide.

After finishing her work, she took the gun and pointed it at the right door, "How long do you think you can hide there?" She fired, intentionally missing. "Talia..."

A tall woman stepped out, a stoic expression on her face. She wore a black dress, a mask covering her face, and her hair tied in a tight bun.

"And here I thought you went rusty after leaving the league..." Talia commented nonchalantly. "But looks like you still got it..." Ten more men dressed as ninjas appeared around her from the shadows like ghosts.

Elana smirked, twirling the knife in her right hand, "Oh, you are all grown up, huh? So what brings the league to Gotham? Or are you here for something else?"

She laughed, "Aren't you the curious one?"

Elana blinked and appeared behind Talia. Her movement was so fast that the trained assassins didn't even catch it. Her left arm circled Talia's neck, the blade pressed against her throat. She slightly leaned over, "Whatever you do, don't even think of looking toward the Waynes..."

Talia chuckled, unfazed, "Don't worry. The League will keep its word till the end... Besides, I am here on a vacation..."

Elana blinked toward the exit like a shadow moving through the darkness, "Welcome to Gotham..."

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