And Shiva refuses to tell him who the child is — or how the safe house works.
GCPD Rooftop — Midnight
The cold Gotham wind howled as Batman stood over a restrained Talon, frozen in a block of reinforced cryo-gel.
Even unconscious, the creature twitched.
Batman activated the holo-scan on his gauntlet.
Signs of fire damage. Exotic. Not chemical. Not magical.
More like… solar flame?
Bruce frowned.
"Someone burned you," he muttered.
"But not Mera. Not Flash. Not Lantern."
Someone else had been at the scene.
GCPD Rooftop — Midnight
The cold Gotham wind howled as Batman stood over a restrained Talon, frozen in a block of reinforced cryo-gel.
Even unconscious, the creature twitched.
Batman activated the holo-scan on his gauntlet.
Signs of fire damage. Exotic. Not chemical. Not magical.
More like… solar flame?
Bruce frowned.
"Someone burned you," he muttered.
"But not Mera. Not Flash. Not Lantern."
Someone else had been at the scene.
Lady Shiva Arrives — Uninvited
A soft tap-tap sounded behind him.
Batman turned instantly—
and Lady Shiva stepped out of the shadows.
"You're slipping, Detective," she said coldly.
"I've been here for seven seconds."
Batman didn't bother trading insults.
Instead, he spoke plainly:
"You were at the safe house."
"I was."
"You fought six Talons."
"Seven," she corrected.
"One escaped."
He narrowed his eyes.
"And the real target wasn't Queen Mera."
Shiva folded her arms.
"No."
Batman stepped closer.
His tone sharpened like a blade:
"Then who?"
Shiva Refuses to Answer
Shiva's expression remained perfectly unreadable.
"That information is above your clearance, Batman."
"Try me."
"No."
He clenched his jaw.
"Shiva.
A Talon detonated a building. Flash and Lantern barely survived. You don't get to decide who's involved in this."
Shiva raised a brow.
"I just did."
Batman stared at her like she was speaking nonsense.
"You're protecting someone."
Shiva didn't deny it.
"You don't protect people."
"I do," she replied coolly,
"when they deserve protection."
Batman Pushes Harder
Bruce stepped closer, voice dropping to a growl.
"That safe house—Shiva, you mentioned a place no one can track. No one can enter. Not even magically."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Not a League base. Not a Shadow cell. Something else."
Shiva didn't blink.
Batman continued:
"You said the Court was hunting a person hidden in that safe place. Someone powerful. Someone dangerous."
Shiva still refused to speak.
Bruce's voice hardened.
"Who are you protecting, Shiva?"
Her answer was simple.
"…A child."
Batman froze.
A child?
"Why would the Talons hunt a child?"
Bruce took a step back.
"A child," he repeated slowly.
"Shiva, the Talons only target threats. They don't go after kids unless—"
"Unless the child is more dangerous than any adult," Shiva finished.
Bruce felt something cold settle in his chest.
A child with power enough to attract a multi-faction kill order?
A child the Court of Owls thought could grow into an unstoppable force?
He spoke carefully:
"How old?"
"Old enough to fight," Shiva replied.
"But young enough that you would call it a tragedy."
Bruce swallowed.
Painfully.
"And this child is living in your safe house?"
"No," Shiva said.
"He has a place of his own."
Bruce tensed.
"Where?"
Shiva smirked.
"You could stand in front of the door and never know it existed."
This was the first time Bruce Wayne — Batman — felt genuinely at a disadvantage.
"What kind of place is it?"
Shiva answered:
"…A place you cannot access."
Batman Is Done Playing Games
Bruce stepped in front of her, voice low and dangerous.
"Shiva.
If a child is being hunted, I am getting involved. You don't get to stop me."
Shiva slowly reached for her sword.
"And I will stop you if you try."
They stared each other down.
Unmoving.
Unblinking.
Unyielding.
Then Shiva said:
"He doesn't need you.
Not yet."
Batman's Final Question
Bruce forced his voice steady.
"…Does the child have anyone else protecting him?"
Shiva hesitated.
Only for half a second.
But Batman noticed.
"Yes," she said quietly.
"And they love him more fiercely than you can imagine."
Bruce's heartbeat kicked once.
Hard.
"…Is it you?"
"No."
She turned away.
"But I will say this, Detective."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"The child you are searching for… reminds me of someone."
Batman stiffened.
"Who?"
Shiva stepped backward into the shadows.
"You."
Batman's breath caught.
Then she vanished.
Leaving Bruce alone on the rooftop, standing over a frozen Talon and one chilling realization:
The Talons are hunting a child who fights like him.
Moves like him.
Thinks like him.
But is not part of the Bat-family.
Someone he didn't train.
Someone he doesn't know.
Someone he is starting to fear—
and feel responsible for