Chapter 71: Graphite Dust Bomb

Adam stared at the scene unfolding before him, his eyes narrowing at the precision and coordination displayed by Two-Face’s men. This wasn’t the chaotic and disorganized behavior typical of Gotham’s gangs. The graphite dust bombs had been deployed perfectly, their effects immediate—every piece of armor Jason brought to the fight had been rendered inoperable.

Two-Face stood above, an air of smug satisfaction about him. The man seemed more confident than Jason expected, and his familiarity with military-grade technology only raised more questions. Something didn’t add up.

“Graphite dust bombs?” Adam’s voice carried a note of disdain, even as he processed the situation. “Impressive, I’ll give you that. But where does a low-level thug get his hands on something so specialized? That’s not your typical black-market fare.”

Two-Face chuckled, his disfigured face twisting into something resembling a grin. “You think I’m just some common criminal, don’t you? Do you really believe I’ve been running this city’s underworld with sheer luck and a coin toss? There’s more to me than you realize, boy.”

“Clearly,” Adam replied coldly, taking a step forward. The armor he wore hummed with latent energy, unaffected by the graphite dust. “But let me make one thing clear: you’re not walking away from this.”

Two-Face raised a hand, signaling his men to hold their ground. “Do you think I don’t know who you are, Adam Wayne? The boy genius of Gotham, hidden behind the shadow of Bruce Wayne. Oh, I’ve done my homework.”

Adam’s body tensed at the mention of his name. He had taken great precautions to conceal his identity, operating under anonymity even while donning the advanced armor. How could Two-Face possibly know?

“You’ve been watching me,” Adam said, his voice dangerously low. “That’s a mistake you’re going to regret.”

Two-Face laughed again, the sound echoing through the factory. “You and your father both like to play gods, don’t you? Building your suits of armor, fighting crime from the shadows, thinking you’re untouchable. But you’re just men—men who bleed, men who make mistakes.”

Before Adam could respond, Two-Face flipped his signature coin, catching it with a practiced motion. “Let’s see how this plays out,” he muttered. Then, with a snap of his fingers, his soldiers raised their weapons.

“Skynet, activate emergency protocols,” Adam muttered, bracing himself.

Before the soldiers could fire, Adam’s armor deployed an electromagnetic pulse. The lights flickered as the pulse disrupted electronic systems in the vicinity, momentarily stunning the armed men. In that split second, Adam lunged forward, closing the distance between himself and Two-Face’s men with startling speed.

The first soldier was downed with a single punch, the strength of Adam’s enhanced body sending the man flying into a stack of crates. The others scrambled to regain control of their weapons, but Adam moved too quickly, disarming them with precise strikes. One by one, the soldiers fell, groaning in pain as Adam’s calculated efficiency left them incapacitated.

Two-Face watched from above, his confidence faltering. “Stand down!” he shouted, trying to rally his men. But the soldiers hesitated, clearly outmatched.

“You should’ve stayed in the shadows,” Adam said, his voice cutting through the chaos. “You’re not dealing with ordinary cops or vigilantes anymore.”

Two-Face’s smug demeanor cracked, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a remote detonator. “You think you’ve won? You don’t understand who you’re dealing with!”

Adam’s eyes locked onto the device. “Don’t do it, Harvey,” he warned. “Whatever you’ve rigged this place with, it’s not worth it.”

Two-Face hesitated, the coin flipping once more in his fingers. His scarred face betrayed a moment of uncertainty, but the darker side of his personality took over. With a snarl, he pressed the button.

A series of explosions erupted around the factory, sending shockwaves through the structure. Adam’s armor absorbed the brunt of the force, but the building began to collapse. Two-Face made a run for it, disappearing into the shadows as debris rained down.

“Skynet, initiate structural support protocols!” Adam commanded, his voice steady despite the chaos. Automated systems in his armor deployed stabilizers, holding up sections of the factory long enough for him to locate the exit.

As he navigated through the crumbling building, Adam’s thoughts raced. Two-Face’s access to military-grade tech, his knowledge of Adam’s identity—it all pointed to a larger conspiracy. Someone powerful was backing him, someone with resources and information.

But for now, Adam had bigger priorities: escaping the collapsing factory and finding Two-Face before he vanished into Gotham’s underbelly again.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.