Chapter 14: The Bitter Truth
Batman, now wearing the XE suit, went back into the GothCorp building. He eventually ended up where he left off and ended up at the cryovapor filled room that kept him from getting to the lab, but now he can. He jumped down into the vapor and saw the controls for the fans. He hit the controls with a thermal batarang that turned on the fans that cleared the room of the vapor. Batman then proceeded to the lab where the cryodrill was. The entrance to the lab was blocked by ice. He used his thermal gloves to break through the ice and enter the lab. As soon as he entered the lab, he saw the drill on a desk, but he also saw the destruction of the lab such as a ruptured tank with ice sealing the gap in it. As well as equipment in pieces all over the floor along with some dry blood. It looked like some kind of struggle happened here and he became determined to find out what happened in here. He started by getting on one knee and used his glove to heat up the dry frozen blood on the floor. Once it was heated up, he took a sample of it and inserted it into his suit in order to figure out whose it was. "Alfred, I'm sending you a blood sample I just uploaded to the Batcomputer. I need you to tell me whose it is.", Batman said to Alfred through intercom. "Let me see hear, Master Bruce. The results are in. It belongs to one Victor Fries. Interesting. As in Mr. Freeze. Well, it seems like we've deduced the identity of this arctic adversary.", Alfred said. Batman thought about it for a second and he remembered the fact that that name was mentioned to him once before. "Ferris told me that's the name of the scientist in charge of GothCorp's cryogenics program.", Batman. "So, maybe ferris fired him for something and now he wants revenge.", Alfred said. "I'm sure it's revenge alright. But I'm not 100% sure it's over being fired. I'm in the lab now and it looks like some kind of fight occurred in here. I believe there's more going on than just meets the eye. I'll check back with you soon.", Batman said. "Very good, sir.", Alfred said and then went off. Batman looked up and saw that there were security cameras in the lab. He thought if he accessed their footage, he might figure out what happened in here. He was able to hack into their footage by using his cryptographic sequencer and figuring out the code which ended up being 'HEART OF ICE'. After he hacked in, he saw that the cameras captured the whole accident that created Freeze and watched in horror at what happened. After he watched the whole thing, he became less angry with Freeze and more with Boyle. He hated to think of his old friend doing such a terrible thing, especially after of how much of a good man he thought he was, but Freeze was actually the victim here. "My God! All this violence, he's just trying to save his dying wife.", Batman said to himself. He then went over to the desk and put the two components needed for the cryodrill together and it was now ready for use. Batman then exited the lab and got in touch with Alfred. "Alfred, send Gordon the evidence I've gathered on Boyle's crimes.", Batman said. "Oh, dear! I'm so sorry, Master Bruce. I know you had high hopes for what Ferris could do for Gotham.", Alfred said. "That doesn't matter now. Victor's plan was never to kill Boyle. He needs Boyle's security access to get his wife out of GothCorp. That's all he wants.", Batman explained. "And now you're going to stop him.", Alfred asked. "I have to.", Batman answered. "And are you still going to need that gurney?", Alfred asked. "I am, but not for Victor.", Batman said and then went off. He made his way back to the huge ice wall that Freeze made. He started to put the cryodrill to work and used to cut open a hole in the ice. After an opening in the ice barrier was made, Batman continued onward to deal with both Boyle and Freeze.