Chapter 69 Misunderstanding

Adam turned around slowly, staring in disbelief at Alfred, who was holding a Glock with a look of equal confusion.

“Grandpa Alfred, did you just shoot me?” Adam asked, incredulously, his voice tinged with both shock and humor.

Alfred, usually composed and amiable, seemed momentarily at a loss. He glanced at the smoking gun in his hand, then at the bullet on the ground—flattened and harmless. The old butler’s face turned from confusion to contemplation, as if debating whether he should file a complaint with Glock’s customer service.

“You… are you really Adam?” Alfred finally asked, his voice cautious, his sharp eyes scanning Adam from head to toe.

Adam sighed, the corners of his lips twitching with amusement. “Of course, it’s me! What’s with the gun? I mean, you’re the one who’s always preaching about manners.”

Alfred frowned, visibly unsettled. “Well, Master Adam, when one comes across a man in the Manor gym who appears to have, shall we say, doubled in size overnight, shooting first and asking questions later doesn’t seem unreasonable.”

Adam couldn’t help but laugh. “Touché. But it’s really me, Grandpa Alfred. Something just… happened during one of my experiments.”

“An experiment?” Alfred raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Young master, science is no excuse for recklessness. Look at you! You’ve grown a head taller, bulked up like a professional athlete, and, apparently, bullets now bounce off you. What exactly have you done?”

Adam scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, I took a… strengthening serum. It worked better than expected.”

Alfred sighed deeply, his posture stiff as he considered the implications. “Master Adam, I don’t care how miraculous this serum is. Reckless actions like this could have left you permanently damaged—or worse! What if something unpredictable had happened?”

Adam softened, hearing the genuine worry in Alfred’s voice. “I know, Grandpa Alfred. I’ll be more careful. I promise.”

Alfred studied him for a moment longer, then nodded. “Good. But we need to think about how we explain this to the public. If word gets out about your… transformation, there will be questions—dangerous ones.”

Before Adam could reply, Bruce Wayne’s voice echoed through the room. “What’s going on in here?” Bruce walked in, rubbing his shoulder, his expression a mixture of irritation and curiosity. His gaze fell on Adam, and he froze.

“Who is this?” Bruce asked, looking between Alfred and Adam suspiciously. “And why does he look like Adam on steroids?”

Alfred groaned audibly. “Not this again. Master Wayne, this is Adam. He’s had… a bit of a growth spurt.”

Adam stepped forward, trying to defuse the tension. “It’s me, Bruce. I can prove it.”

Bruce narrowed his eyes, skeptical. “Prove it how?”

Adam gestured to Skynet, and a holographic display appeared, playing back footage of his transformation. The room went silent as Bruce watched the video, his expression shifting from confusion to amazement.

When the video ended, Bruce turned to Adam, his face lit with astonishment. “This is incredible. You’ve… enhanced yourself.”

“Yeah, but not without some risk,” Adam admitted.

Bruce’s amazement quickly turned into envy. “Do you have any more of this serum? Imagine what I could do as Batman if I had this kind of strength.”

Adam raised an eyebrow. “Bruce, you already have the Extremis injection. That’s not exactly shabby. Plus, this potion was a one-off. I don’t have the resources to replicate it anytime soon.”

Bruce looked disappointed but nodded. “Fair enough. But if you ever figure out how to make more—”

“I’ll let you know,” Adam interrupted, smirking. “Don’t worry, Bruce. I wouldn’t leave you out.”

Bruce seemed satisfied with the promise, though Alfred still looked wary. The butler finally spoke up. “Master Adam, this transformation will require careful management. We’ll need to consider how it affects your public persona, your safety, and—”

“Grandpa Alfred, relax,” Adam said with a reassuring smile. “I’ve got this under control.”

Alfred sighed again, clearly unconvinced. But before he could press further, Bruce spoke up. “By the way, Adam, I need your help with something. There’s… a situation in Gotham, and I think you’re the only one who can help.”

Adam frowned. “What kind of situation?”

Bruce’s expression darkened. “It’s about Harvey. Something’s happened to him. Something bad.”