Helena led Jay around and around, and in some uninhabited corner, they found a long-forgotten entrance to a sewer shaft. It's over a hundred years old.
Jay followed her down the rusted escalator and asked, "How did you find this old entrance?"
"I carefully studied all the structural drawings of the federal government building that I could collect, including the plumbing system that links below it." Helena jumped off the last three steps of the escalator below, saying, " As far as I can see, this is the only entrance. The Doomsday invasion destroyed half of New York City and rebuilt many things, but this pipe was there until then. It leads us directly to that forbidden area of the building, and while I don't know what we'll encounter there, it's the only way to go."
"That's reassuring," Jay said, jumping off. "Maybe there's an entire alien army from the war world waiting to take us to the alien arena."
Helena stopped, glanced back at him, and said thoughtfully, "It's possible."
"...I'm just kidding."
The two stopped talking for a while and began to move forward one after the other. Helena took o flashlight and used the golden beam to explore the rich darkness ahead. It seems that the information about this pipe has been correct for a long time. The circular inner wall is wrapped with pink-colored plants, and the narrow passage where the two stands are covered with moss. From time to time, the torch light shone on some dark animals, but when they saw the morning, they hurried into the darkness like frightened rabbits.
Helena remained silent all the way, not saying a word. The darkness followed the two of them, and although it didn't block Jay's vision, the eerie atmosphere made him uneasy. Helena may be a perfect partner, but she is not a first-class companion at this time, and her strange silence only sets off the darkness and depression of the environment.
But Jay knew that Batman was the same, and maybe she learned this from her dad—minimizing unnecessary communication during the mission. Jay couldn't help but think that every Superman in comics is destined to have a Batman as his best partner, so would his best partner be Huntress?
His attention began to shift to Helena. Looking at her face from the side, she seemed extraordinarily delicate, and the dark environment only highlighted her mature and confident aura. Although she has no superpowers, she undoubtedly has the keen detection ability and problem-solving ability inherited from her father, which makes her feel safe and reliable as a partner.
"You look distracted," Helena said coldly. Jay was stunned for a moment; he thought she had been turning her back to him. Could it be that she also had eyes behind her?
"Ah no, I'm... it's just that you haven't spoken; it feels weird."
Helena continued walking without looking back, saying, "Minimizing unnecessary communication as much as possible helps us focus, which is good for the mission."
"Sounds like Batman taught it," Jay asked casually. "By the way, should we at least let him know?"
Helena paused for a while and finally turned her head and gave him a blank look.
"Unless you are afraid, you can go by yourself." Helena said lightly, "I can continue alone later."
"Well, I know it's none of my business, but I think maybe you should try to fix your relationship," Jay said, "You said you didn't blame him for your mom, didn't you? After all, he's your father; you can't go on like this forever."
Helena turned her back to him, said nothing, and continued walking into the darkness ahead without stopping. As soon as Jay said it, he regretted it; he was nosy. Whether Helena was right or wrong in handling her relationship with her father, it was her housework after all, and he probably wasn't familiar enough with her to intervene in her housework.
But unexpectedly, Helena was not angry. She was silent for a while and suddenly said, "I have mentioned to you did I find her after my mother's accident?"
"...No."
"When I found her in the ruins of the ghetto where the Apocalypse was evacuated, her skin burned up to 40 percent. I could hardly have made her out if it wasn't for her tattered uniform. But she was still there. Tenaciously taking her last breath. I remember her touching my face with her bloody hands, telling me how much she loved me, telling me not to blame my father, saying she understood his choices for the bigger picture, and that, too, The reason she loves him."
She paused and said in a low voice, "She was lying on my lap at that time, and I watched her life disappear little by little, and I couldn't do anything."
"I'm sorry," Jay said. "I don't know..."
"She told me not to blame my dad, and I tried to do that. I understand my dad's choice; he's Batman, he has to look at the bigger picture, and I understand. I told him I wouldn't blame him for my mom; I tell myself that repeatedly...but I guess I lied. Maybe deep down, I never forgive him...maybe this is how I chose to leave Gotham, so long The time has come to distance himself from him."
This topic made the already dark and depressing atmosphere even heavier, and the two did not speak for a while. When they reached the end of the pipe and down the iron ladder to another line that looked newer, Jay couldn't help but say, "Well, maybe that's your reason. But have you ever thought about it?" However, why has he kept his distance from you all the time?"
"My Healing Game"
Helena froze, then said, "He kept his distance from the whole world. He shut himself up in Gotham's little world and became indifferent to everything except the Arkham madman."
"But you are different. You are his daughter, his only blood relative." Jay said, "You lost your mother, but he also lost his beloved wife, and even more. Could it be this time? Shouldn't he need you more?"
"...so why do you think it is?"
Jay shook his head. "I don't know; I can only...guess. I think it's possible that he feels guilty about your mother too. Maybe he thinks about his own every time he sees you. At fault, maybe he's just punishing himself, feeling like he deserves it. Maybe he feels . . . he can't face you."
Helena was silent. Involuntarily, her footsteps slowed down with her thoughts, and the golden beam of the flashlight swayed up and down in the endless darkness of the pipe.
"Let me tell you, he needs you as much as you need him," Jay said to himself. "After all, you only have each other left. What's more important than family?"
Helena pondered for a long time without saying a word, then breathed a sigh of relief and put on a relaxed and mocking tone: "Tsk, the old bat's opinion of you is indeed right; it's a naive and sunny idea. Is it you Kryptonians? Do you like to keep everything so simple?"
Jay smiled slightly. "I took that as a compliment."
"Indeed." Helena paused and said, "But it's bizarre to say you have only seen Batman once, but you know him as if you have known him for many years. Could it be that this is also a superpower ?"
Jay was secretly ashamed and hit, haha: "Who knows? Pure intuition."