Chapter 965: The Butler's Heroic Action! (Patreon)

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"Approximately a dozen hours ago, one of my CIA agents relayed a message. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had apprehended the organizer of the Central American Revolution and was about to transport him to Washington for interrogation."

"At first, I believed it might be a diversion they set up. The situation was unclear, and I refrained from taking any hasty actions. However, subsequent reports indicated that both the transporting agent and the target had gone missing together. Now the Federal Bureau of Investigation suspects CIA's involvement."

A voice of resignation came through the telephone from Kayla, "Their suspicions are not baseless. The Federal Bureau of Investigation thinks that the KGB wouldn't act so swiftly. After all, the CIA had previously set similar traps to target them. Even if they received the information, they were probably observing the situation, just like me."

"Furthermore, judging by the KGB's modus operandi, they are more likely to interfere in Washington, especially concerning the interrogation. They can set a trap for the CIA in return."

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation believes that the CIA wanted to snatch the individual; that's why they acted so decisively. Regardless of success or failure, the CIA doesn't lose."

Alfred squinted and said, "You have control over both CIA and KGB intelligence. If you are calling me, it means you haven't found any information about that mysterious organizer in either of those intelligence channels, right?"

"Correct. This is the problem. I'm responsible for intelligence work for both CIA and KGB in the Metropolis area along the East Coast. This incident is clearly not the work of either the CIA or KGB."

"So, Alfred, do you think this could be a trap? Is it a Federal Bureau of Investigation orchestrated performance?"

"I believe you already have the answer," Alfred replied. "The Federal Bureau of Investigation dares not make a big deal out of this at such a critical juncture. They know how sensitive the situation is, and if anything goes wrong, everyone will suffer."

"Are you saying they actually took..."

"Schiller," Alfred interrupted. "Schiller Rodriguez. His butler informed me that just now, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents stormed into the Rodriguez Manor, and Schiller personally acknowledged to the agents that he is the organizer and leader of the Central American Revolution."

"What?!!!!!" Kayla exclaimed in disbelief.

"His butler reached out to me, hoping I could rescue him. But now it seems the situation is more complicated than we imagined. Are you saying that Schiller and the transporting agents have gone missing together?"

Kayla on the other end of the telephone remained silent for a moment but then spoke up, "Correct. The personnel sent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to pick them up haven't received anyone. All the transporting agents have gone dark. Now the Federal Bureau of Investigation is frantically searching, but there's no progress."

"I heard that there's something going on in Gotham. The situation in the city is complicated. Agents sent in for investigation have gone missing. Alfred, I called to confirm your situation. Please be careful..."

"No need to worry about me," Alfred calmly replied. "I've grown accustomed to all the anomalies here. Regarding Schiller's situation, I will investigate. Just wait for my updates."

"Thank you, Alfred," Kayla sighed with relief. But then her tone turned serious again, "If Schiller is indeed one of us and has made such a significant contribution to our cause, we must protect his safety at all costs."

"Don't worry, Kayla. He's also Bruce's former university professor, a genuinely good teacher. No matter where he is now, I will bring him back."

After hanging up the phone, Alfred looked at Merkel and said, "The good news is that Schiller hasn't been transported to Washington for interrogation yet. There's still a chance to salvage this situation. However, the bad news is that he and the transporting agents have disappeared together. We can only confirm that he is still somewhere in Gotham, but we'll have to find him ourselves."

"I'll go now," Merkel immediately offered, but Alfred stopped him, saying, "How do you plan to find him? Wander around Gotham? You need to ensure your own safety first before locating your employer."

With that, Alfred turned and headed towards the basement entrance, but instead of going into the Bat Laboratory, he turned in another direction and entered a room on the north side of the basement.

Wayne Manor had a vast underground area, with 70% dedicated to Batman's experimental laboratory and 30% used by Alfred as a storage warehouse for various items.

These two areas were completely separate and did not interfere with each other. Alfred almost never entered Batman's laboratory, and Batman had no interest in what Alfred stored in the warehouse.

So when Merkel saw a pile of heavy weaponry of questionable origin in the warehouse, he was almost in shock.

He pointed a trembling finger at the pile of items in the warehouse and stammered, "What is this? Could this be the rumored 'last resort'?"

"Last resort?" Alfred walked into the warehouse and shook his head. "No, this can't be called the last resort. It's merely a means to ensure self-preservation and ensure the success of the mission. Come on, pick something you like. How about this gun?"

Merkel swallowed hard and said, "During my butler training, I heard that the previous generation's conflicts were much more intense than now. People back then were also much more skilled. But I never thought it would come to this."

"You're correct," Alfred replied. "The conflicts of the previous generation were indeed more intense, but that doesn't just manifest in the quantity of weapons; it also involves understanding one's responsibilities."

"You have to consider yourself first as an agent and a spy. You can never use methods beyond that identity because you always have to be mindful of whether you've exposed your identity or leaked information."

Merkel looked puzzled and said, "But I have to consider these things. If I'm too careless and expose my identity, my employer will be at risk too..."

Alfred gently touched the rifle barrel and said, "Over the years, there have been attempts by FBI or CIA agents to infiltrate this city and break into this Manor to apprehend their targets."

"But over all these years, only the group of agents who came for Professor Schiller succeeded. Why do you think that is?"

Merkel hesitated for a moment, then wore a guilty expression and admitted, "Because of my negligence..."

"No, Merkel," Alfred interjected. "It's because you still haven't seen yourself as a butler, especially a butler in Gotham."

Alfred looked at the gun in his hand and continued, "As a butler in Gotham, how can you not have your own arsenal? Even the butlers assigned to the cheapest new manors on the outskirts of the South district have a small warehouse dedicated to storing weapons."

Alfred sighed and said, "Think about it. If, back when the FBI agents broke into the Manor, you were just in the middle of maintaining the weapons and accidentally discharged one due to excessive fear, producing some new fertilizer for the Manor's garden, who could they blame then? They could only blame Gotham itself for being utterly rotten."

"You diligently play the role of a Gotham resident, but in reality, there are no cautious Gotham residents, and certainly no Gotham butlers who reason with intruders."

"When that group of FBI agents kicked down the Manor's door, flashed their credentials, and announced their identities to you, you should have immediately retrieved a weapon from under the sofa and taken down the person who kicked the door."

"You should have told them that in Gotham, rules must be followed. Anyone wishing to visit the Manor, if they don't present an invitation or a gift, should expect not an evening of fine dining and wine but rather a hail of bullets."

Alfred turned to Merkel and said, "You should be thankful you're not from the previous generation. Otherwise, by the time you tried to reason with them, you would have already exposed yourself. Those folks I dealt with would have opened fire while you were still attempting to argue."

With a click, Alfred playfully tapped the trigger, causing Merkel to instinctively flinch. Alfred then continued, "I think your employer won't blame you. He's a very forgiving man. But remember, I recommended you for the position of butler. If you can't fulfill your duties, it would bring shame to your school and the Pennyworth family."

Merkel lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Yes, Mr. Pennyworth, I understand. Tomorrow, I'll tidy up the underground warehouse in the Manor and prepare some defensive measures that a Gotham butler should have."

Alfred nodded, handed a weapon to Merkel, and took an old double-barreled shotgun for himself. Then he said, "Let's go. Find Schiller and tell him face to face that you'll make a good butler."

As the two left the basement, just as they were about to exit Wayne Manor's main hall, a figure suddenly appeared outside the Manor's door. She reached out and tapped on the door railing, looking somewhat anxious.

Alfred handed the gun to Merkel, adjusted his attire, and approached the door. He opened it, revealing Zatanna's somewhat familiar face. Alfred paused for a moment and then tentatively said, "Zatanna Zatara? Miss Zatara, is it?"

"It's me... Oh, Alfred!" Zatanna called out the butler's name. Upon seeing the aging butler with graying hair, she had initially intended to say something, but she held back her words.

"... Alfred, how is your health?" Zatanna asked with concern. Alfred looked at her tired expression and replied, "I'm doing fine, Miss. But you seem tired. Come inside, and we can talk."

Alfred led Zatanna into the Wayne Manor's main hall, but Zatanna had no intention of sitting down. She had been contemplating how to explain Bruce's current condition to the butler.

Back when she first arrived at Wayne Manor with her father, young Bruce had just lost his parents, and Alfred had been the one taking care of him. Zatanna knew they weren't father and son, but their bond was even closer than that.

She couldn't find the words to tell such a father figure about her concerns regarding Bruce's well-being. Taking a deep breath and summoning all her courage, Zatanna was about to speak, but Alfred beat her to it.

"You want to tell me some bad news, don't you?" Alfred asked.

Zatanna paused for a moment, then confessed, "Yes, Bruce... he's not doing well right now. I was planning to go rescue him, but I need some help..."

"Where is he now?" Alfred inquired.

Zatanna's features contorted with pain. She couldn't bring herself to utter the word "hell" because she believed that the elderly butler wouldn't comprehend matters related to mysticism. If she said Bruce was in hell, it would sound as if he was dead. And explaining about rescuing his soul from hell would seem even more absurd.

"Are you saying he's dead?" Alfred asked, and Zatanna hesitated again. Then she sighed and said, "Mr. Pennyworth, please listen patiently to what I'm about to say. I haven't been drinking or talking nonsense. These are all true, even though they might be difficult for you to accept. Bruce's soul is now in hell, the same hell commonly known to people."

As she spoke those words, Zatanna didn't dare to look at Alfred. When she finally turned her head back, she didn't see any expressions of shock or disdain on Alfred's face.

"So, how did he end up there?" Alfred inquired.

"He... he jumped from the edge between the mortal world and hell, which is... Hell's Edge," Zatanna said, and Alfred reminded, "Ah, yes, Hell's Edge. He jumped from there... Wait!!!” Zatanna widened her eyes, staring at Alfred, and asked, "How do you know about Hell's Edge?!!!"

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 966: The Butler's Intervention! (Part 2)