I leave my car parked discreetly in an empty alley in Hell's Kitchen, ensuring it is out of sight. With a Bluetooth earpiece connected to my phone, I am ready to receive updates directly from D.A.I.S.Y.
Approaching a nearby dumpster, I touch it with my hands, activating my power, Metal Constructs, allowing me to manipulate metal with my imagination.
Focusing, I conjure up a heavy, condensed half mask, envisioning it forming from a portion of the dumpster. As the mask takes shape, some trash bags spill out from its gap, but I pay them no mind.
Placing the half mask on my face, I use my power again to mold it further, covering half my face and fully encasing my head. This ensures my striking red hair is concealed.
Thankfully, there is no dumpster smell coming from inside the helmet!
Pulling out my mobile phone, I use the camera to inspect my new appearance.
"I am Batman" I say aloud doing my best Christian Bale impression.
I admire my new look in the camera. Smirking at my impromptu Batman mask, I find it a bit heavy but manageable. After taking a few selfies, I focus again, touching the dumpster to conjure up a weapon.
The metal moulds into two sturdy Batons.
I craft metal straps to secure them around my legs, enabling me to holster the batons on the outer part of my thighs, one on each leg.
With my phone tucked away in my pocket, Bluetooth earpiece in place, and clad in black attire, I blend seamlessly into the night, minimising the risk of attracting attention. The bracelet on my wrist provides an additional layer of security.
I eye the sizeable metal pipe ascending to the roof and decide to emulate Matt's technique from the video.
With determination, I begin my ascent. Surprisingly, in less than 20 seconds, I find myself on the roof, gazing down at the ground in astonishment. My newfound agility and nimbleness leave me pleasantly surprised.
"D.A.I.S.Y. guide me," I whisper softly into the night.
"Go straight through 3 rooftops and then jump to the right building," D.A.I.S.Y. instructs through my Bluetooth earpiece.
With D.A.I.S.Y.'s guidance ringing in my ears, I take a running start to the edge of the rooftop. Momentum propels me forward as I leap the ten-foot gap to the adjacent building. In that fleeting moment of mid-air suspension, my gaze instinctively darts downward.
Despite the dizzying height, an unexpected calm washes over me. The absence of fear catches me a bit off guard, a lingering effect, perhaps, of my prior encounters with Anti-Gravity. Indeed, by all logical accounts, I should no longer harbour any trepidation of heights.
I reach the other roof easily, the rhythmic beat of my heart syncing with the rhythm of my footsteps as I follow D.A.I.S.Y.'s directive.
My Tesla, sleek and modern, was far too conspicuous to drive through Hell's Kitchen unnoticed, especially at this late hour, so that's why I have to run on rooftops. And although I haven't designed any of my 'Super Suits' yet—an endeavour that seems increasingly necessary now that I possess powers—the impromptu helmet I have fashioned will have to suffice for now in hiding my identity.
As I traverse the rooftops, I ponder the limitations of my abilities. Full-body Invisibility, while formidable, is not a sustainable option, its duration limited to just a few fleeting minutes.
The thought crosses my mind that perhaps it is time to devote some practice to mastering my powers, acclimating myself to their nuances and pushing their boundaries.
"You will reach Matt in 5 minutes," D.A.I.S.Y. announces as I gracefully bound across the rooftops.
"Alright, don't say anything unless it is urgent. He will definitely hear you," I whisper as I activate my Power: Invisibility.
After precisely 5 minutes, I come to a stop and I peer ahead at the rooftop in front of me.
There he was ... Daredevil in his iconic Black Mask suit, standing as if he was expecting me.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Watson, and why are you following me?" his voice echoes across the rooftop.
I was taken aback. The question came from Matt, who stood on the next rooftop that too a considerable distance away. What surprises me even more was that he isn't even looking in my direction as he spoke. It dawns on me that his superhuman senses are no mere exaggeration – they are finely tuned beyond belief.
I undo my Invisibility, considering its minimal impact on someone like Daredevil. With his heightened senses, it is likely that he has detected my presence through the sound of my movements or other subtle cues.
Then, I leap and cross the roof. "I could ask you the same question, Mr. Lawyer," I say with a friendly smile.
Matt stands up and looks straight at me, as if he could see me through his black cloth covering his eyes.
He stares at me silently, his expression grave. "If jumping on rooftops at night is some hobby of a rich man like yours, then I suggest you leave me alone and go elsewhere," Matt says, his attention refocused towards the front.
I can sense some urgency in his voice.
"No, it is not a hobby. It is actually my first time doing this," I reply awkwardly. "I have recently been blessed with some... gifts, like you, and I thought I should use them for some good … just, like you," I say sincerely. "Though I am usually very busy, meeting you today made me feel like this is as good a time as any to start." I chuckle nervously.
"So you already knew about me and had some kind of surveillance on me?" Matt's voice carries annoyance. "Leave it. Right now I don't have time for this. Look, I know you are powerful, but this is different. They are real gangsters. They will kill you first and think about it later," he says in a grim tone.
"How do you know that I am powerful?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"Today morning when we first met, I could hear your heartbeat before you even entered the building. It is very strong, loud... powerful, and even your body—it feels like it is hiding a powerful strength within it," Matt replies seriously, his gaze fixed on me. "But what I am about to do is very dangerous, and I don't think a young billionaire like you, who has such a bright future, should risk your life away," he adds, shaking his head in denial.
"I don't think I am going to be in any danger tonight," I assert confidently. "And now that I am here, why not include me in whatever thing you are doing? I have heard rumours of how a man in the black mask is saving innocent people all around Hell's Kitchen. And if you don't include me, I will just follow you," I say with a cheeky smirk.
Matt sighs. "Alright, can you see the huge warehouse in the front?" he asks, pointing his face ahead.
This was the pier area of Hell's Kitchen, so there were many huge warehouses here, and this one didn't look any different to me.
"This warehouse is the place where the Russian Mafia keeps all their 'products', before they send them away by boat or ferry," Matt says seriously.
"Products?" I ask, raising an eyebrow under my mask.
"Girls, women... underage, young, old whoever they can kidnap, they bring them to warehouses like this, stuff them in containers, and ship them," Matt says with a chilly calm.
I was stunned hearing him talk about human trafficking. I had seen it in movies, heard it in the news, but this was reality, raw and unfiltered. It was real, and it was happening in front of me, right inside that building. My teeth clenches hard, and I ball my fists. Inside my heart, a fiery ember starts to burn.
"I had pried this information out of a guy's mouth yesterday. Tonight might be shipping night, so if I don't stop them, many innocent girls' lives will be ruined forever," Matt says with determination.
"What about the police?" I try to ask.
"These Mafia people have rooted in this place for years. They have contacts everywhere. Before the police can even arrive here, they would have shifted to a different place. Trust me, I have tried it," Matt says with a heavy sigh. "That is why sometimes you have to become God's fury and punish these evildoers yourself," Matt says, making a fist with his hands, anger palpable in his voice.
In my mind, there were a lot of different ways I could handle this information. I was very close with the Police Commissioner, and I am sure that at least he wouldn't sit still if he knew about this happening. But Matt had a point. They would have to dispatch personnel, and that would definitely alert the thugs here.
In the end, the simplest way to end this was to take matters into my own hands. Now that I know that there were innocent girls trapped so near me, I couldn't sit still.
"You can still back down if you want. But if you want to help me, then follow me. We have to hurry as I don't know when they are going to ship them away," Matt says with urgency as he goes to the side of the roof to go down.
I follow him down the roof. In my mind I debate if I should showcase most or any of my powers in this upcoming scuffle.
It was my firm belief in using the right tools for the job. The Russian mafia may be dangerous and ruthless, but they were, in the end, normal humans, not some Super Humans.
Employing my full range of powers against them seemed like overkill—a misuse of the extraordinary abilities I possessed. Like the popular saying, 'You don't hunt rabbits with a bazooka'. I would most probably adjust my strategy to match the threat level, keeping my capabilities in reserve for true emergencies.
There is also a deeper, more logical reason for not using my powers. This operation was likely a one-night alliance between me and Matt. I am normally busy with so many different things, so I can't keep going out every night for this vigilante business, especially when I don't even live in Hell's Kitchen. Ultimately, I am not the real 'Batman,' and this is not my 'Gotham'.
Although I will definitely help Matt out if he needed it, or do some vigilante work when I am free. Like if I ever hear news like this kind of human trafficking business, I would go to solve it, but it would be just limited to that.
So revealing my powers tonight could escalate future conflicts for Matt. If the Mafia knew they were dealing with Super Humans, they might enlist powered individuals themselves, complicating Matt's solo efforts.
Keeping my powers hidden will preserve the status quo, making it safer for Matt to operate independently in the future.
"Lets go in silently through the roof," Matt says as we both near the building from the side.
Well, I had come out tonight for some fun, but it looks like things are getting serious now.
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Secret Roll Number 1: 39/100
Secret Roll Number 2: 59/100
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