Chapter 310: Jack Monroe's Good News
Times Square—also called "The Crossroads of the World"—sits in Midtown Manhattan's northern district.
Most times, the area teems with pedestrians and endless vehicle traffic. But with the dinosaurs' arrival, it had descended into complete chaos.
Vehicles of all sizes sat abandoned on roads. Human crowds filled every street gap, flowing in all directions.
A completely scarlet red T-Rex lay at the intersection's center. Though barely clinging to life, its occasional involuntary tail movements sent nearby cars flying dozens of meters.
Unlike other areas being actively destroyed by large carnivorous dinosaurs, this location wasn't under direct attack. But the crushing crowds, trampling, and collisions made it no better than anywhere else.
After leaping from Baxter Building, Batman found this location without much difficulty. He now stood atop the most prominent building—One Times Square—overlooking everything below.
One minute. Two minutes.
Batman remained completely still. He made no move to jump down and haul away that red T-Rex, nor to descend into the streets directing crowd evacuation.
At two minutes twenty seconds, a piercing shriek echoed from the distance. The Batwing launching from Bat Island descended from the sky, diving straight toward the red T-Rex.
Batman raised one hand. A webline shot out, precisely grabbing the diving Batwing. He didn't even deploy his cape, allowing the Batwing to pull him down at speeds far exceeding free fall toward the red T-Rex.
The Times Square crowd fleeing deliberately avoided the red T-Rex. This saved Batman from needing to separately clear civilians.
His hands fired webbing from both sides, forming a sturdy massive net that bound the T-Rex, then attached to the Batwing. Total elapsed time: under twenty seconds.
Batman even used this window to perform a full-body scan of the T-Rex, confirming that despite weak breathing, the creature hadn't reached a dying state.
"Lunella said this T-Rex possesses mental telepathy. But it hasn't demonstrated the ability so far. The Lizard Professor also wasn't affected by it."
Batman stood directly before the T-Rex, observing two wounds atop that massive head.
"Like the giant one the Lizard Professor fought—its mental telepathy came from the horns on its head. But with those horns removed, it lost the ability to rival the giant, becoming helpless to manipulation?"
Batman didn't ponder this question long. He simply noted the discrepancy, planning to address it after handling current matters.
BEEP BEEP BEEP.
The armor on Batman's right outer forearm shifted aside. A portable computer extended.
After Prophet AI Barbara went offline, Batman could no longer use voice control for Batcave and Bat Island tools. He'd reverted to initial manual operation.
"Activate stealth mode. Destination: Bat Island."
Batman rapidly input a series of commands to the Batwing through his Arkham suit's armor interface. The Batwing received instructions and quickly ascended skyward with the red T-Rex, vanishing into cloud cover.
Manhattan's sky currently held NYPD armed helicopters and aircraft from other locations. Batman wouldn't let the Batwing fly directly to Bat Island.
Per Batman's settings, the Batwing would first carry the red T-Rex toward the Adirondack Mountains, make a wide circuit, then return to Bat Island from the Bronx direction.
From Batman and the Batwing's descent to the Batwing's skyward departure—total time under one minute.
Just as Batman prepared to leave Times Square for other Manhattan areas to hunt dinosaurs and save civilians, he glanced toward Fifth Avenue.
A delivery truck sat tilted on the road there. Unlike other street vehicles whose occupants had long since fled, the truck's driver remained seated in the cab, both hands gripping the steering wheel.
Batman recognized it as the runaway truck he and Venom Robin had stopped several days ago. He even remembered the driver's name: Jack Monroe.
He was a Columbia University student who'd recently gotten a girlfriend. His father's poor health meant resting at home. To prevent his father from losing work, Jack Monroe had chosen to temporarily substitute, completing the company's transport assignments.
Batman had investigated him afterward, confirming this young man named Jack Monroe had no involvement with any factions like Hydra, SHIELD, or the US government.
Under these circumstances, Jack Monroe hadn't chosen to flee immediately upon seeing the T-Rex blocking Times Square like ordinary people. Either he valued the truck's cargo over his life, or he'd been paralyzed by fear.
Either way, Batman needed to investigate what was happening.
Batman immediately changed his action trajectory, swinging from Times Square's center to land beside the delivery truck.
"Hey, Batman. I saw you jump down from the sky earlier."
The moment Batman reached the cab, Jack Monroe rolled down the window, greeting Batman with a smile across his entire face.
"Jack Monroe." Batman stared at him expressionlessly.
This guy hadn't been scared stupid. Nor did he show anxiety about continuing cargo transport. This made Batman even more puzzled why Jack Monroe wouldn't flee despite knowing dinosaurs were present.
"Why aren't you running?" Batman asked.
Jack Monroe looked genuinely confused.
"Run where?"
"The transport company. Home. Your girlfriend's place. Anywhere that needs you." Batman said.
Jack Monroe's face still held that smile.
"My girlfriend dumped me. Ran off with a guy richer than me, with more time than me."
Batman's brow furrowed slightly.
"Your father still needs your care. At home he can't handle dinosaurs that might break in at any moment."
"Got some good news. Mom finally doesn't have to fight with Dad every day. Because Dad already died. Yesterday morning." Jack Monroe said. "Plus Mom left New York this morning. Didn't leave me a single word."
His face still wore that smile. Batman couldn't detect what hid beneath it.
Two days ago, after confirming Jack Monroe's background was clean, Batman hadn't paid him much attention. But somehow in just two days, his family and life had undergone such tremendous upheaval.
"But now this delivery truck is mine!" Jack Monroe looked at Batman's expressionless jawline. "I own my own vehicle and a job! Not temporarily substituting for Father anymore!"
"Sounds like good news." Batman's voice rumbled low.
"Right? Right?" Jack Monroe patted the truck's center console. "So I won't abandon my truck and run. It's the only thing my family left me."
***
20+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces