As its magnetic fields worked on the air around it, the Dynacycle deccelerated as it swooped down through one of the Batcave's entrances. Negatively accelerated, if you're being pedantic, but that's Brainiac-level pedantry.
(I assume. I don't actually know if Brainiac is pedantic.)
The flight had been a lot smoother today- I'd taken the time to practice my fine magnetic fields on its engine earlier. If I wanted the psionics thing to at least resemble 'going right', practice would be a good idea- so I'd been practicing. A lot. As helpful as it was when combined with copious quantities of anesthetics, animal testing would be unfortunately difficult due to the threat of accidentally creating a reality-warping rodent of doom or something equally ridiculous. That had left me on the backup plan- using cloned brain tissue- but that would still limit the amount of work I could do before human testing (i.e personal testing) became necessary.
The tunnels under Wayne Manor were more extensive than you'd might expect at first. But the Batcave was a big space, and the long tunnels ensured that the cavern was deep enough to keep it concealed from prying eyes. It didn't matter all that much for me anyway- the bike nimbly cut the corners of the neon-lit subterranean road with the agility of a sparrowhawk and the speed of a... probably also a sparrowhawk, actually, since we weren't really going fast enough while I was indoors to compare it to a peregrine.
The brief transit ended as I startled the local volant mammals and the bike made some adjustments- I let the warnings of unexpected changes in its designated parking space pass me by. As I stepped out, I noted that the painted markers for my location had been replaced by a small and slightly raised platform. Neat. And it confirmed my visits were expected, too, at least in the long term.
I flipped out of the bike in the way Robin had been showing me, not quite getting the right angle of rotation- I ended up facing the front of my bike, rather than away from it altogether- but landing on my feet nevertheless. I smiled to myself- it was a work in progress, but I was getting better at it.
As I realigned myself to face the correct direction, I found my vision blocked by a large, pitch-black cowl.
He stayed still for a moment before he spoke. "You'll need more work before your acrobatics meets the standards of your footwork," he said. "You should work with Robin on your grip positions."
I nodded, taking his feedback into account and being somewhat pleased that it lined up with my own analysis. "I've been needing someone to say something like that today," I semi-grumbled as I followed on behind him.
"Like what?" asked Batman, not looking back as he brought me over to the Bat Computer. I took a glance at the screens- it was performing a rather slow analysis on some sort of wood fragment. Explains why he's available for greeting me at the door.
"Y'know," I said, shrugging as I sat down. "Something actually positive." Batman took a position to observe my work, just behind the chair.
"That's a funny thing to call positive." That was when I realised the Boy Wonder was also in here, making me jump slightly as I found him standing behind me in addition to Batman himself. I waved at him nevertheless, getting a wave back in return. "We saw you on the news," said Robin. "Apparently Metropolis is getting its own supervillain problems? You alright?"
"Oh, that got sorted out pretty easy," I explained. "Superman and that Question guy were both pretty on top of things. Nah, it's my father I've been complaining about."
"You got kidnapped by a supervillain..." Robin said, frowning, "and it's your dad you're complaining about?"
I gestured vaguely. "Supervillains aren't that big a problem when you're in a city with the world's most helpful flying brick," I explained. "Besides, I wasn't even conscious for most of it- it pretty much went from ice cream to figuring out where the guy came from. My father, on the other hand, specifically lengthened the trip so he could complain at me for something that was entirely his fault."
"What was he saying?" asked Batman. "I assume it's related to whatever security breach let that man access the genetic formula you've been working on."
"Security breach?" I said, almost incredulously. "Oh, it wasn't a security breach- he added genes to it, amplified it, went straight to testing it on the guy who'd messed up designing the security in his museum, tore out my lab because his serum mutated the guy and drove him nuts, and now my voice is cracking while I'm trying to rant about things." I huffed. "Always interrupts my rants..."
"Lex Luthor caused that mutation?" said Batman. "What was he intending to do with it?"
"The running theory's that he planned to either get Mr Volkner killed, or that he wanted to prove me right as a birthday present," I said. "So yeah, he tore out my lab, sealed my research- not that the seal's going to keep me out of it, mind- threw enough insults to get Mercy of all people to question him, banned me from doing any more genetics, and made me pick another project. Just to add insult to injury."
"He created a supervillain as a birthday present?" asked Robin, incredulously. "Wow, he must really suck at parenting. Couldn't he have just got you a pony?"
"He does. And the idea of a pony is appealing," I admitted, as I opened up the tutorial Batman had arranged on the computer... Spanish lessons? Huh. "But Metropolis isn't exactly a good place for animals- and besides, I'd end up making a unicorn first anyway if Ireally wanted a horse."
"It being a part of your birthday is a reasonable- if untested- hypothesis as to what he planned to do if he succeeded," Batman said. "But now you've confirmed he caused the mutation... I noticed a few other details that didn't add up, back when I was doing my own investigation on the matter. I don't think Lex was planning on it being a success in the first place."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why would he be counting on it failing?"
"Because he was expecting it to," Robin figured. "Duh."
...Well, I thought,that's technically correct. "...Y'know," I drawled, "I really should have expected that answer. Especially since we're talking about modifications on a project that wasn't even finished in the first place. But why do it now? Why not wait until it is finished?"
In leiu of an answer, Batman carefully pushed my chair aside- I shuffled it over a bit to assist him, though a six-year-old assisting The Goddamn Batman in any physical task is largely an insignificant factor. He brought up a map of the city, and layered a colour code atop it.
"I was looking into the waste disposal network as a location where Vital could have obtained the formula," he explained. "The green buildings are where biological waste is disposed of. The red one is where the apartment fire was. The central one is the LexCorp tower. Notice anything odd?"
I frowned, looking at it... "Not really," I admitted.
"The waste disposal's not that near to the tower," pointed out Robin. "That's where they would have disposed of your lab stuff. But the building fire was pretty close by- he'd have to have been going in circles to make the trip last long enough to throw all your stuff out first."
"And the news reports confirm that he wasn't," agreed Batman. "He'd discarded the lab equipment in advance." I looked up at him in confusion. "There were no signs of a breakout from LexCorp itself, either. This wasn't Vital's plan. It didn't make sense the first time I looked at it- I thought it was an inside man, or a backdoor, perhaps. But it wasn't."
Batman's face went stony.
"Luthor planned the attack," he said.
...
...What.
"I was the target of that attack!" I retorted. "Why would-"
Hang on, wait.
"...He had about three extra security guards hanging around," I complained, burying my face in my hands. "Three. How arrogant is he!?"
"I tracked his transactions," Batman said. "There were more than just extra bodyguards... He'd hired an assassin as well."
A picture appeared on the screen. "Deadshot," Robin said, whistling. "The guy's big money. But why even set up the attack in the first place...?"
"I'm guessing- 'Oh, look at me,'" I mimicked, pinning my fringe to the top of my head with my hands. "'My name is Lex Luthor and everyone hates me, look at this poor little girl being targeted.' Sniffle, sniffle. 'You should let me do what I want because I'm so, so persecuted by these people that totally aren't my fault.' Wink wink, nudge nudge."
I received an odd look from Robin. I replied with the omnicommunicative semi-shrug of I'm six, I can get away with it, don't judge.
Batman answered Robin's question properly after waiting for us both to be listening again. "Two reasons," he started to explain. "The first- he couldn't test the formula on humans without military approval, and he couldn't get military approval without testing it."
Robin frowned. "Sounds tricky to deal with. But if you can find a way to make the formula without getting arrested for it, you can just set up a fight and record it to show the investors later." He tilted his head. "And if your mystery formula was supposedly made by a little girl, and the test drove the subject insane enough to believe you when you say that... Who can you hold responsible for it?"
"Nobody," confirmed Batman. "Especially not Luthor. Which brings us to the second point- whatever Vital does, Luthor can't be blamed for it."
I piped up with the obvious. "He could try and use Vital to kill Superman?" I asked. It seemed laughable, but... How much do people know about Superman at this point in time, really?
"It's unlikely to be a coincidence that Vital seemed specialised to attack with acid," Batman confirmed. "The Superman has already proven immune to blunt force, armour-piercing projectiles, being buried under a large amount of weight and most other forms of conventional weapon. If he hates Superman as much as you say he does, he'd start looking for alternatives. Chemical weapons could be viable- but he can't manufacture a conventional weapon to use them, or someone would notice- it would leave too much of a trail to follow."
"So he makes an acid-spitting supervillain to manufacture it for him," I realised. "In-house, no exotic materials, no questions asked. Wonderful." Then I realised something. "But... I rewatched the fight on the news, and I saw Superman in person afterwards. He never actually hit Superman with any acid, did he?"
"...He's going to try again," Batman realised, going still and looking up towards the screen. With a flick of the mouse he cancelled the analysis on the wood fragments, then turned to me- "I'm going to need the chair."
I nodded with an understanding look, and moved. One does not simply deprive Batman of chair, regardless of how pissed off one is at certain bald idiots.
"What do you think he's thought of?" questioned Robin, as we walked off. "He usually limits himself to just Gotham."
"I don't know," I replied honestly. "Maybe he thinks Luthor's gonna hire someone from Gotham. Convince Joker to give Superman an acid spray to the face or something?"
Tim shivered. "I hope not," he replied. "...You okay? You seemed pretty angry at your dad."
"It's just put me in a bit of a mood again," I replied. "Entirely at him. I'll get over it. Again. For the second time today." With a frown, I paused. "In completely unrelated news... I assume Batman would get mad if we broke into the STAR Labs for entirely selfish reasons?"
"...Err, I don't think I need to answer that," replied Robin. I could almost imagine a cartoonish sweatdrop running down his face, and I was pleased. Sort of. (Being pleased is difficult when you're still pissed off.)
"Want to go visit a lonely old man to ask him about his field of work instead, then?" I questioned.
Robin stared blankly for a second. "Sure," he finally said, shrugging. "Why not? ...I'm going to regret this later, aren't I?"
"Oh, positively," I agreed. "But only because you invoked Murphy."
We walked in a pair as Batman scoured the Bat Computer's data feeds for clues in the background. The Dynacycle had received a few upgrades, recently- most notably the fact I'd added a second, larger seat in the background in case I needed to ferry a non-child around or something. Robin, being physically older than me, took that seat- I claimed my rightful place in the front.
Surprisingly, no questions were asked about the safety of a vehicles designed and created solely by a small child as we took off. "It's that entrance today," he said instead, pointing.
"Thanks," I replied, following his instructions. There were a couple of exits, and Batman preferred to rotate them- soon we were out under the open sky. I checked the front mirror- yeah, Robin wasn't quite tall enough to see over my seat. Sucks to be him, I guess.
"So, this guy we're visiting," asked Robin. "Who is he? Bad guy?"
"Nah," I replied. "At least, I don't think so. He's a nanotechnologist- my father says he's one of his best employees." I shrugged. "I'm not sure exactly what standards he's meeting, but I did some research and I think he's working on replicating observed effects via nanotech. Professor Ivo, he's called."
"Nanotech?" questioned Robin, as we left the borders of Gotham City. The gothic skyline towered behind us. "Doesn't seem all that related to genetic engineering. What do you think it can help you with?"
"Well, the problem I've been having so far is finding a way to implement things," I said. "So I'm looking for something that can mimic another organism's abilities- I heard there was some sort of chemical compound in STAR Labs that could do that, but if Professor Ivo's actively researching it..."
"...Then he'll be able to help you understand how to do it too," Robin realised. "Clever."
"As long as he actually wants to help, anyway," I added.
Robin leaned to watch as Metropolis appeared before us. We were headed to the other side of it, just on the outskirts- the mansion didn't take too long to come into view.
It's... a rather nice place, actually, I thought as we came into the final approach. It was a big, multi-layered building nestled into a small cluster of hills, with the entrance reminiscent of those old Greco-Roman temples. The walls were a soothing grey colour, neither too bright nor too dull, and a brook burbled in front of the well-cared-for trees that surrounded the place.
I checked the time- only nine o'clock or so, still a decent enough time of night to knock on a door. I'd specifically gone to the Batcave a little earlier than normal today- it wasn't like anyone in LexCorp was attentive enough to know I wasn't there.
We landed carefully (or rather, the bike did it for us)- I was first to hop out, since it took a little longer for Robin's section to open up enough to do so. I looked around for any security systems, just to avoid giving the poor guy a heart attack... at least, giving him one a few years earlier than canon, anyway. Robin saw me checking- "It's fine," he confirmed. "Go ahead."
I nodded gratefully, and went for the doorbell. It chimed pleasantly, and we both- wait, no, scratch that, just me, I thought, turning around to see that Robin had pulled the classic Batman 'disappear while you're not paying attention' schtick.
It took a few seconds before the door opened.
I almost flinched at the sight of the thing standing before me.
"...You are not Professor," said a towering (and utterly perplexed) colossus of silver, which I had most certainly not been expecting.
It wasn't completed, obviously. Its joints were robotic, and its skin was covered in the tiny scratches of day-to-day living. But one look at its eyes could tell you instantly what this thing was.
Two red specks, hovering in a black background. Professor Ivo's android.
Amazo.
