Meanwhile, at Metropolis City Hall, the Police Chief was in the middle of a meeting when his phone rang.
Glancing at the number, he gestured apologetically to the Mayor and excused himself.
No sooner had he answered than an anxious voice blurted out,
"This is bad, Chief! The guy from the video—you know, the one I sent you? He… he's already near Metropolis, coming from Smallville!"
"Fuck!"
Veins bulged on the Chief's forehead.
"Are you sure? It really is him?"
"I'm certain, Chief. He hasn't washed the blood off, he's driving a Land Rover with military markings, and he stole a car in the city this morning. Facial recognition triggered immediately!"
"Damn it!"
The Chief clenched his fists. "We only just entered his face into the system this morning, and it already flagged him this afternoon? When it comes to catching drug dealers, gangs, or smugglers, this tech is useless. It can't even spot a petty thief stealing hubcaps. Why, out of all things, did it pick up this… monster so fast?"
Sweat ran down his temples as he tried to figure out a strategy. The subordinate kept talking rapidly into the phone.
"Chief, he's turned from the highway onto the main city streets. Motorcycle police are on him. What should we do?"
"Bullshit! What else can we do? Don't provoke him! Let the higher-ups worry about that monster… Wait a second."
The Chief froze, lips pursed in thought.
"No, we can't ignore this. If he decides to stay in Metropolis, it'll be a disaster. This… monster belongs in Gotham! Notify all motorcycle patrols, plan a safe route to Gotham, manage the traffic, and make sure nothing blocks him. Green lights all the way if possible. Any accident, especially if he stays here, Deputy Chief, you can kiss your job goodbye!"
The Chief hung up, clasping the phone tightly, bowing twice toward the ceiling.
"God help us… let that immortal, insane monster leave Metropolis safely. I'll donate one hundred thousand Dollars to the Metropolis church if he makes it back to Gotham intact."
Out on the outskirts of Metropolis, Axel merged from the highway onto the city streets.
He glanced in the rearview mirror—one of the motorcycle police was tailing him, engine roaring.
"Exciting," Axel muttered with a grin.
From the passenger seat, he grabbed a pistol. To return to Gotham, a fight was inevitable.
Rolling down the window, he held the steering wheel with his left hand and aimed the pistol with his right.
The motorcycle officer closed in, accelerating to match Axel's eighty kilometers per hour—but then…
"What the hell?"
The officer didn't slow down. Axel's speed was moderate, yet the bike flew past him like a TT racer at over two hundred thirty.
Axel's eyes widened. Bullet holes, knife marks—he realized the bike wasn't just any cop; it was a military vehicle.
And then Axel saw it: the officer was clearing the road, herding other cars aside, opening a perfect path for him.
"Of course. Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane, leaves no detail to chance. Even Metropolis police follow a military vehicle without hesitation," Axel muttered, grinning.
He followed behind, speeding through the streets. Soon, more motorcycle cops formed a protective formation: four ahead, eight behind. Axel smoothly navigated Metropolis, approaching the Kane Memorial Bridge toward Gotham.
Then, just as he neared the last traffic light, a jam appeared on the bridge. Cars stopped abruptly, spilling the congestion back into the city.
Meanwhile, in Gotham City Hall, Police Chief Savage wiped sweat from his forehead.
"No, this isn't enough. We need a bigger chaos to block the Metropolis route! Kane Bridge is Akahara's territory. Gordon, send enough force to take him down—or at least make a commotion. Even if you fail, make it loud enough to stop that monster in Metropolis for an hour. If necessary, twenty minutes will do!"
Gordon hesitated. "But Chief… he'll eventually make it back to Gotham. Why waste the effort?"
"Bullshit!" Savage snapped. "You think he wants to return to Gotham? We have no proof. I've scoured archives—he's not even American. He showed up in Gotham by chance. If we can make him stay in Metropolis a little longer, maybe he'll get comfortable. And he likes that female reporter here—he went specifically to see her. Let him be Metropolis's problem for a while! If he goes back to Gotham, we'll never have peace."
Savage patted Gordon on the shoulder. "Look at these bastards in Metropolis—motorcycle police literally clearing the way for him! They're escorting him back to me! Shameless. I'll contact someone to stir up the Kane Bridge area, get some chaos going. God help us, if he leaves Metropolis safely, I'll donate two hundred thousand Dollars to the Gotham church!"