There is rare sunshine in Gotham in this universe. The rooms in Wayne Manor are kept very clean, and the bedding exudes the smell of sunlight. When morning comes, Schiller stands by the door and hands over the clothes to be ironed.
Alfred.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Butler." Schiller smiled at Alfred. Alfred took the clothes, glanced down slightly, and couldn't help but praise him.
"You have very elegant taste in clothing fabrics, doctor. I tried to get the master to accept silk clothes, which would match his coat better, but unfortunately he refused."
"Then I'm afraid he can't explain why every one of his silk shirts has snagging." Schiller said with a smile: "He probably just doesn't want to expose the gun calluses on his hands through this method."
Alfred instinctively looked at Schiller's hand.
Although he knows that for surgeons, their hands are very important and they will never neglect their care, Dr. Schiller's hands are so flawless that even when smoothing extremely delicate silk fabrics, they will never leave any traces.
Every trace.
Perhaps the same is true elsewhere. Is this really just the professional quality of a surgeon?
Alfred retracted his gaze, nodded to Schiller, took the clothes and left. A figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Tim walked over unhurriedly and said, "I want to talk to you."
"For Batman? Please come in."
Tim walked into the room, but he kept his hands on his chest and didn't walk very far, showing his nervousness. When he sat down, he didn't lean back, but stood upright.
Schiller did not sit down, but turned around to pour tea. Seeing his unprotected back, Tim should have felt relaxed, but for some reason, he couldn't even sit still.
"I'm really here for Batman, and I'm a little worried about his condition." Tim said: "I know that if the time comes when he has to rely on an outsider for surgery, then his condition must be as bad as possible.
.”
"Sorry, Master Tim, as a doctor, I have no right to reveal any information about my patients, and Batman won't like me doing this. Tea or coffee?"
"Tea."
Schiller paused for a moment, but still reached into the drawer next to him to get the tea bag. He still turned his back to Tim and said: "Batman told me a lot about vampires yesterday, which was completely beyond me."
It’s hard for me to believe that these monsters have developed to the point where they can pose a threat to humans.”
He turned around and put the tea in front of Tim. Tim raised his eyes to observe his movements, but all he saw was that the man walked over to him and sat down opposite him. When he picked up the cup and drank the tea, the water
The steam condensed on his eyelashes, but it did not reflect any light in his eyes.
"People have been missing in Gotham recently, and we are all investigating the matter. Did Batman say anything else to you?"
"He is not a very good chatterer." Schiller shook his head and smiled softly and said: "I was just a little curious about the so-called vampires, so I asked a few more questions, but my time is very tight, and most of them
Most of it is used to prepare for tomorrow night's surgery."
Tim wanted to open his mouth but didn't know how. When he asked about the surgery, Schiller told him about vampires. When he mentioned vampires, Schiller talked about the surgery again.
It always feels depressing to talk to this person. You feel that he may be beating around the bush, but you also feel that he is trying to imply something, but when you think about it carefully, there is no definite evidence whether it is a roundabout way or a hint.
"I don't want to beat around the bush with you." Tim had to take a more direct approach. He said, "I strongly disagree with performing surgery on Batman at this time, no matter what the surgery is."
"But I also know that Batman should know this better than me. He won't like to expose his weaknesses in troubled times, unless he has to do so. Can you tell me how far he 'has to'?
?”
"So smart, boy." Schiller couldn't help but admire. He put down the teacup and stared into Tim's eyes, making Tim break out in a cold sweat.
"Batman told me something yesterday - whoever asks this question first, I mean, the question you just asked, I can reveal some truth to him."
Tim's ears perked up.
"But I'm very sorry, you're not the first."
Tim was simply stunned. He felt that he must have heard wrong, because there was some indescribable childlike cruelty in this man's tone, as if he had been laying the groundwork for so long just to tease Tim.
"Who is it?" Tim couldn't help but ask.
"A smart young lady, eloquent and hard to resist." Schiller sighed helplessly and said: "I have never been able to do anything about such a smart girl. I can only tell you that she seemed to be hesitant before leaving.
Not sure, maybe I discussed it with someone."
Tim immediately thought of Barbara and Dick. This smart girl must be Barbara.
Although there are two girls in the Bat-family, the other one is Cassandra. The Bat-family assumes that she is Batman's mouth substitute. In short, she is mute.
The word eloquent would never be applied to her, so that leaves only Barbara Gordon. Ms. Oracle inherited some aspects of her father, and also had the qualities of Batman, which was indeed always the case.
It's overwhelming.
And if you want to say who Barbara will turn to first when she encounters a problem, it must be Dick.
Thinking of this, Tim couldn't sit still. He didn't have any prejudice against this elder brother, but the result that the two of them could discuss would definitely not be a good solution from Tim's point of view.
To put it in detail, it is probably more than just and rigorous, but not flexible enough, which may delay things.
Tim left in a hurry. Schiller looked at the steaming tea on the table and shook his head gently, as if talking to the air, "I told you, this method won't work. It won't work for you."
To the children, I am just a stranger, and their vigilance is not low enough to drink the tea served by a stranger when they meet for the first time."
Schiller walked to the table next to him and took out a Bible and a small cross pendant from the drawer. Batman's voice sounded from deep in the drawer.
"This can protect you." He said: "There is still a lot of holy water. If someone wants to take action, this can at least help you delay for a while."
"I am confident that even if there is more than one vampire in your Bat Family, they will not attack me. Again, don't underestimate your children."
Batman fell silent. Schiller picked up the Bible and looked through it. Instead of wearing the cross pendant around his neck, he put it in his pocket.
Today he was wearing a rare black suit with dark patterns, which was much lower-key than usual, but the marlin brooch on his chest was still shining.
Soon there was a quarrel in the corridor.
Tim slammed the door and walked out, Dick chased after him with a somewhat anxious expression, and Barbara followed closely.
The noise not only disturbed Schiller, but also attracted the attention of Jason and Damian downstairs. Even Cassandra looked up.
Everything fell silent when Batman walked out of the room.
"It's tea time." Alfred announced, "Today I have prepared rich chocolate cherry cake, almond biscuits and Sri Lankan black tea. Does anyone want more sugar?"
Robins have different needs for sugar content. Damian has a stronger taste and often yells for more sugar. Dick will try his best to dissuade him, but during Barbara's menstrual period, she needs hotter tea and more sugar.
, he would personally help her, which would always provoke some ridicule from Damian.
Barbara nodded slightly to Alfred, Alfred understood, but Damian felt a little strange looking at Dick who didn't move, his eyes rolling.
Schiller opened the door, but did not come out immediately. Instead, he went back to the room, seemingly to get something.
Tim, Dick and Barbara were having some trouble. He sat down on a chair and said nothing. Jason looked at him and he pretended not to see it.
Originally, there was already a commotion, but it seemed that because there was a stranger suddenly in the Bat Family, everyone kept silent, and some questions that should be asked were not asked, and the atmosphere seemed a bit strange.
This is how the afternoon tea, each with its own ulterior motives, began.
Batman sat in the main seat, Dick sat on his right, Schiller sat on the left, and the others sat in order of age.
"The operation will be scheduled for tomorrow night. I won't show up after three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. You must take care of the security of Wayne Manor and the Batcave, Cassandra..."
"I'm here." Cassandra signaled with her eyes.
"You have to guard the manor tomorrow, and this place will be left to you. Alfred will assist you, and everyone else will go to the Batcave."
Batman glanced around and said: "Barbara still goes to the control room, Dick is responsible for guarding the door, Jason and Tim go to the weapons warehouse, and the other is waiting outside the laboratory door."
"I'll go outside the lab door." Jason and Tim said almost in unison.
Jason usually likes to go to the weapons depot the most. He also knew that it was a bit strange for him to change his responsibilities at this time, so he said: "If anyone wants to invade here, it will be for you. Batman, only I can take the responsibility."
This important task.”
"But the arsenal is also very important." Batman looked at Jason and said, "I believe Tim can protect me."
Jason's fingers tightened, but surprisingly, he didn't speak, seeming to acquiesce to this arrangement.
Batman felt at ease and almost ruled out the possibility of Jason, because Jason Todd had thousands of excuses to explode, but there was only one reason that made him endure, and that was love.
Tim crossed his hands together and tapped the fingers of one hand lightly on the back of his hand. He said, "Why not let everyone get together? The isolation will only be broken down one by one."
"Breaked by what?" Batman asked.
"Stop playing riddles at this time." Tim was very impatient and said, "Since you already know that the answer to the riddle is a vampire, don't let us waste time making meaningless guesses."
"Why do you say that, Tim?"
"Of course, because this is an answer that anyone with a brain can guess, we will face a formidable enemy, but because this time the intruders are more cunning and secretive than any criminals."
"I don't think so." Barbara said: "Vampires are afraid of sunlight, holy water and crosses. Their weaknesses are too obvious."
"That's why I said you have no vigilance." Tim revealed exactly what they were arguing about in the room before. He said: "There are many ways to block ultraviolet rays, and it is easy not to touch holy water and crosses, so
It is completely crazy to give up a careful defense plan."
"Tim, don't say that about Barbara." Dick said: "No one ever said not to prepare. I believe Batman has prepared holy water and crosses. We can also install a few more ultraviolet lights in the Batcave.
, they won’t stand a chance.”
"There's no need to argue anymore." Batman said, "Let's have a meal first. Then I will prepare the equipment for everyone. I believe there won't be any big problems."