A month of acclimating to Gotham's chaos had been anything but smooth, but Xander was starting to find his rhythm—even if it meant living a life permanently encased in a hyper-advanced suit of armor. Steel, ever the chatty and sarcastic companion, had become both his greatest ally and biggest headache.
As dawn crept over the city's jagged skyline, Xander stood on the roof of his loft, overlooking the waking streets below. The suit hummed faintly, feeding environmental data directly to his HUD.
"Air quality: suboptimal. Noise pollution: elevated. Pigeon droppings nearby: highly probable," Steel reported cheerfully.
"Thanks for the weather report," Xander muttered. "Got anything useful?"
"Observation: You could benefit from a morning jog. Cardio enhances tactical performance."
Xander rolled his eyes. "Pretty sure patrolling the city all night counts as cardio."
Steel's glowing form hovered beside him, flickering slightly as he processed more data. Despite their month together, Xander was still amazed by how lifelike the AI companion could be.
"So, what's the plan today, fearless leader?" Steel asked. "Foil a bank heist? Outrun the Batmobile? Or maybe just grab some waffles?"
"I'm leaning toward waffles," Xander admitted. "But first, I need to check out that warehouse near the docks. Something felt off about those thugs last night."
Steel's holographic eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Agreed. Their comm chatter suggested connections to a larger syndicate. Tactical assessment: high probability of illegal operations."
"Then it's worth a look," Xander said, activating the suit's flight mode. With a burst of energy, he soared into the sky, the city blurring beneath him.
The warehouse district was quiet, a stark contrast to the bustling city just a few miles away. Xander landed softly on a rooftop, his suit's sensors sweeping the area.
"Multiple heat signatures inside," Steel reported. "Standard patrol patterns. They're guarding something."
"Got a visual on any weapons?" Xander asked.
"Affirmative. Small arms and at least one crate of advanced tech."
Xander frowned. "Advanced tech? In Gotham? That's never good."
"Recommendation: Stealth approach," Steel advised. "Engage only if necessary."
"Got it," Xander said, activating the suit's camouflage. His form shimmered and blended seamlessly with the surroundings.
Moving silently, he slipped through a broken skylight and landed on a metal beam overlooking the main floor. Below, a group of thugs loaded crates onto a truck.
"Boss wants this shipment out by midnight," one thug grumbled. "No screw-ups."
"Relax," another said. "Ain't nobody dumb enough to mess with us."
Xander smirked. Challenge accepted.
Dropping down, he landed behind a stack of crates, remaining hidden as he assessed the situation.
"Steel, any chance you can jam their communications?" Xander whispered.
"Already done," Steel confirmed. "They're officially in the dark."
Xander crept forward, disabling two guards with precise strikes before they could react. The suit's enhanced strength made quick work of them.
"Two down," Xander reported. "How many left?"
"Four heat signatures remaining," Steel said. "One near the truck, three near the office."
Xander moved toward the truck, ducking behind cover as the thug there lit a cigarette. In one swift motion, Xander disarmed him and knocked him unconscious.
"You're getting better at this," Steel remarked. "Efficiency rating up 12%."
"Glad to impress," Xander muttered, making his way toward the office.
The remaining thugs were huddled around a table, unaware of their dwindling numbers. Xander activated the suit's energy pulse, sending a shockwave that knocked them off their feet.
"All clear," Xander said as he secured the area.
"Impressive," Steel said. "But we're not done yet."
Xander approached the crates, scanning their contents. His HUD displayed a detailed analysis—advanced weaponry and tech components far beyond what street-level criminals should have access to.
"This stuff looks military-grade," Xander said.
"Correction: Beyond military-grade," Steel said. "Some of this tech is alien in origin."
Xander's stomach tightened. Alien tech in Gotham? That's a game-changer.
"We need to get this out of here," Xander said. "Steel, can you call in an anonymous tip to the authorities?"
"Already on it," Steel confirmed. "GCPD en route."
As sirens echoed in the distance, Xander secured the warehouse and prepared to leave.
"Mission accomplished," Steel said.
"Yeah," Xander agreed. "But something tells me this is just the beginning."
They took to the skies, the city sprawling beneath them. Xander knew their work was far from over, but with Steel by his side, he felt ready for whatever came next.
Back at the loft, Xander landed on the roof and powered down the suit's flight mode. Steel flickered into view beside him, his holographic form glowing faintly.
"That went well," Steel remarked.
"Define 'well,'" Xander said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We've got alien tech on the streets and no idea who's behind it."
"Point taken," Steel admitted. "But look on the bright side—you didn't blow anything up this time."
Xander chuckled despite himself. "Small victories."
He headed inside, the loft's minimalist interior a stark contrast to the chaos outside. Monitors lined one wall, displaying various feeds and data streams.
"Any updates on the syndicate?" Xander asked as he sat down at his workstation.
"Preliminary analysis suggests connections to Intergang," Steel said. "Their recent activities have shown a spike in technological acquisitions."
"Great. Just what we need," Xander muttered. "Super-powered thugs with alien tech."
Steel hovered closer. "Recommendation: Establish contact with local heroes for intelligence sharing."
Xander frowned. "You mean Batman and his crew? Not sure that's a good idea."
"Statistical analysis suggests a 78% increase in mission success rates with allied support," Steel pointed out.
"Yeah, but that also means putting a target on my back," Xander said. "I'd rather stay under the radar."
Steel's tone softened. "You can't do this alone, Xander."
Xander sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I know. I just… need to figure out how to do it without giving away too much."
Steel nodded. "Understood. Tactical discretion is key."
As they sat in thoughtful silence, Xander's mind raced with possibilities. The world was getting more dangerous by the day, and he had a feeling things were about to get a lot more complicated.
But with Steel by his side, he was ready to face whatever came next.
How Xander Developed Flight Mode
A month prior, after one particularly rough mission involving a high-speed pursuit, Steel had casually suggested that their mobility options needed improvement.
"Dodging bullets on foot is so last season," Steel had quipped. "We need to go airborne, Xander."
"And how exactly do you propose we do that?" Xander had asked skeptically.
"Simple," Steel said confidently. "You've got enough TURBO-energy to power a small city. Channeling it through specific thrusters I can configure should give you lift."
"Thrusters?" Xander had blinked. "Wait, you can just add thrusters to the suit?"
"Duh," Steel had said as if it were obvious. "Modular design, remember? I just needed the right moment to pitch it."
After some trial and error—and more than a few crash landings—Xander had finally mastered the basics of flight mode. The sensation was exhilarating, even if Steel insisted on making commentary during every test run.
"Try not to look like a confused pigeon this time," Steel had teased during one session.
"Helpful," Xander had deadpanned.
Eventually, they had refined the system to the point where Xander could engage flight mode seamlessly, making patrols and tactical operations far more efficient.
"See?" Steel had boasted. "Told you flight mode was a game-changer."
Xander had begrudgingly agreed. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't let it go to your head."
Now, soaring above Gotham's skyline, Xander couldn't imagine operating without it.