Starting With Batman

The headquarters of the Ninth Special Service Division, an immense aircraft carrier, floated 8,000 meters above the earth, a leviathan in the sky. It was a fortress in the clouds, a moving citadel that defied both gravity and the conventional understanding of military bases. The carrier's massive structure bristled with advanced weaponry, radar systems, and the latest in defensive technologies, making it one of the most secure locations on the planet. Yet, despite its impressive stature and state-of-the-art design, Charlie couldn't help but refer to it privately as a "flying grave."

Charlie had always been wary of the carrier, finding the idea of living so far above the ground unsettling. The thought of this enormous vessel hanging in the sky, supported by nothing but the invisible forces of engineering, made his skin crawl. He had tried to avoid being aboard the carrier whenever possible, preferring the relative security of solid ground. However, his superiors and the Ninth Division clearly didn't share his concerns.

The aircraft carrier was more than just a military platform; it was a self-contained world. Thousands of personnel lived aboard the carrier year-round, rarely touching the ground below. Among them was Ross, the Ninth Special Service Division commander, who had made the carrier his permanent residence. Ross and the senior staff had everything they needed onboard—cafeterias serving hot meals, recreation areas with state-of-the-art entertainment systems, workstations equipped with cutting-edge technology, and sleeping quarters designed for comfort during long deployments.

For those onboard, the carrier was home, and no one ever questioned its safety. The vessel's altitude alone, several thousand meters above the earth at its lowest cruising point, provided a formidable defense. On top of that, its position was never static; the carrier constantly moved, following a carefully randomized flight path that made tracking it nearly impossible. Any potential threats would find themselves chasing shadows in the sky.

Dr. Hines, the lead engineer behind the carrier's design, had confidently reassured Ross on the day of its maiden flight. "Ross, you can rest easy," he had said with a grin. "I've accounted for every possible safety loophole. Suppose anyone ever manages to breach this fortress while it's in the air. In that case, I'll personally lead the charge to capture the intruder."

Ross, now seated in his spacious office with the best view on the carrier, stared out at the endless sea of clouds. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow across the cloudscape, making it look like a vast, snow-white blanket stretching to the horizon. Despite the serene view, Ross's mind was anything but calm. Across the room, Professor Miyazaki was using the projection screen to explain a series of complex theories that seemed to have no end.

The professor's voice droned on, a monotonous hum filled with scientific jargon and speculative conclusions. Ross, who had heard this kind of talk many times before, struggled to follow the professor's train of thought. His mind wandered, seeking an opportunity to steer the conversation toward something more concrete. Finally, sensing an opening, Ross interrupted, his voice cutting through the professor's explanations like a knife through butter.

"So, you're still telling me that this 'Batman,' according to your analysis, is just an ordinary person?"

The name Batman had become a sensation online, circulating through forums and social media like wildfire. According to rumors, when the mysterious figure in the bat-suit had taken down a group of gangsters, he had declared, "I am the night, I am vengeance, I am Batman." The name stuck, spreading across the internet like a viral meme.

"Yes," Professor Miyazaki nodded, his expression serious. "I'm now 100% certain of it."

"But you said it's impossible for ordinary humans to resist that level of infection," Ross pointed out, recalling the professor's earlier statements.

Professor Miyazaki's eyes lit up with excitement as he leaned forward, his hands gesturing animatedly. "Exactly! That's the mystery. I've proposed several theories to explain it. It's possible that his armor employs advanced defensive mechanisms that we've only theorized about—technology that shouldn't even exist yet…"

"Okay, enough," Ross said, cutting the professor off before he could launch into another lengthy exposition.

"Everything you've said is hypothetical. It's meaningless without evidence."

"Yes, but if we can find Batman, all of these hypotheses can be tested," Professor Miyazaki responded eagerly. "Think about it—he has an advanced suit, sophisticated gadgets, not to mention that incredible plane. There aren't many people in the world with the financial resources to create something like that. Even fewer have the ability to acquire it without leaving a trace. If we narrow down the list, it should be easy to determine who he is…"

"Yes, in theory, it should be easy," Ross agreed, his tone flat. "But we've already tried that, and it got us nowhere."

Professor Miyazaki froze, confusion and disbelief spreading across his face.

"Impossible. What about the Bat-signal? Did we find out where it came from?"

"We couldn't," Ross said with a sigh. "The Bat-signal appeared in the sky without any traceable source. We used every method at our disposal, but we couldn't pinpoint its origin."

"What about his weaponry? There are only a handful of people and organizations in the world capable of developing such technology. We could have contacted each one…"

"We've already done that," Ross said, his patience wearing thin. "None of them know anything about Batman. Our agents confirmed that they're telling the truth."

“But… but…” Professor Miyazaki stammered, his mind racing to process the information. "That's impossible. A person with that kind of equipment, that level of skill, it's inconceivable that they could just appear out of nowhere…"

His voice trailed off, his thoughts spiraling into the absurdity of the situation.

"Yeah, it's impossible," Ross said, turning his chair to face the window once more.

From his vantage point, he could see the endless expanse of clouds, the sun shining down from a crystal-clear sky. It was a view that few ever saw, a reminder of the carrier's lofty position far above the chaos of the world below.

After a moment of contemplation, Ross spoke again, his voice quiet but firm. "We held a meeting about this earlier. After considering all the possibilities, we came to a conclusion: Batman can't be just one person."

"What do you mean?" Professor Miyazaki asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I mean, although he appears to be acting alone, there might be an organization backing him—an extremely large, well-resourced organization that we know nothing about," Ross said.

The idea seemed preposterous at first, but as Ross explained, it made a disturbing kind of sense. In the past, they had dismissed the existence of such organizations as mere fantasy. Mysterious, hidden groups were the stuff of movies and novels, not the real world. But after ruling out all other possibilities, they were left with a single, unsettling truth.

"There's also the footage of Batman," Ross continued. "Have you seen the videos that have been circulating online?"

"I've seen some of them," Professor Miyazaki admitted.

"We've compiled every video of Batman's actions that we could find—footage from citizens' mobile phones, road surveillance, security cameras. But there's hardly any clear footage of him in action. It's like he's a ghost. He moves too fast for the cameras to catch. Sometimes the surveillance in the area goes dark before he even arrives. Other times, he uses flashbangs or smoke bombs to obscure the view. He's quick, precise, and methodical. His style is unmatched—even our best agents can't compare."

Ross leaned forward, his voice lowering to a near-whisper as he added, "And from Ivan's perspective, after the source of infection was destroyed and the mental storm cleared, Batman vanished. Our experts analyzed that video for days, but no one could figure out how he escaped. It's as if he evaporated into thin air."

Ross's gaze sharpened as he locked eyes with Professor Miyazaki.

"But the scariest part," Ross said, his voice cold and measured, "is the conclusion you just presented to me… he's just an ordinary guy."

Professor Miyazaki fell silent, his mind racing to grasp the implications of what Ross had just said. The sheer impossibility of the situation made it all the more terrifying. If Batman was just an ordinary person, what kind of organization could produce someone like him?

"The question now is," Ross continued after a pause, "are there more like him in that organization? Or worse… is he just an average member?"

A shiver ran down Professor Miyazaki's spine as the full weight of Ross's words sank in. The idea that Batman might be just one of many, a soldier in a much larger and more powerful force, was almost too much to comprehend.

Ross shook his head, deciding to change the subject. The implications of Batman's existence were troubling enough without delving deeper into the unknown.

"Let's leave Batman aside for now. What about the source of the infection?" Ross asked, his tone shifting back to a more businesslike demeanor.

Professor Miyazaki blinked, snapping back to the present as he refocused on the task at hand. "Ah, yes. The source of infection. According to the information gathered by Ivan, the infected individual was a man named Greg."

As he spoke, Professor Miyazaki tapped a few buttons on his tablet, and Greg's photo, along with his personal information, appeared on the projection screen in the office.

"According to Ivan's report and the footage from his personal equipment, Greg was indeed the source of infection at the scene, and Batman was the one who eliminated him."

Ross studied the image of Greg on the screen, a middle-aged man with a gaunt face and hollow eyes. "I know this," Ross said, still gazing at the screen. "Is there a problem?"

"There is," Professor Miyazaki said, his expression shifting to one of discomfort.

"I received a report from our investigators just before this meeting. It turns out that Greg… died over a month ago. His body was found decomposing in his apartment, killed by his landlord."

Ross's eyes widened in shock.

"If he's been dead for a month, then who was the source of infection two days ago?"

"That's the question we're trying to answer," Professor Miyazaki replied, his voice tinged with unease. "And right now, we don't have any answers."

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