The Investigation Begins

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The city now stood at early morning, the sun already brightening up the various streets of Gotham.

The batmobile roared through the streets before shifting to a halt outside an alleyway.

GCPD officers and police tape filled the area as the Batman rose out of the vehicle. As he jumped down and walked towards the scene an officer greeted the Dark Knight and rose the tape to allow him entry.

The vigilante entered the alleyway to the sight of fallen corpses and the standing figure of the friendly Commissioner.

"Thanks for coming, Batman." Gordon said, turning to face him as he entered the alley.
"I wouldn't have called you out but this one's got the Mayor spooked so he's eager to get it solved."

"It's fine, Gordon. Bring me up to speed." The deep voice of the caped crusader spoke.

The Commissioner dropped his near-finished cigar and ground it against the floor before leading Batman towards the corpses.

"These two were standard kills, gunshots to the neck, stomach and liver." Gordon reported as Batman knelt.

"Ballistics?" He asked.

"Bullet was fired by a heavy pistol, could be a magnum or a semi-auto." The Commissioner responded.

"Send me the file, I'll take a look at it later."

"It's these two we need you to look at."

First, Gordon led the vigilante over to a corpse resting against the side of the alley, the eyes glazed over and half the jaw on his face missing; the rest of his mouth hanging ajar.

The Dark Knight immediately knelt before the corpse to get a closer look at the damage done.

"Despite the obvious injury, this one died due to the back of his skull caving in after being hit against this wall, there are impact marks on the wall there."

He looked up, there was a clear bit of missing brick where he hit the wall and a crack coming from that point.

"You said two." Batman stated.

"Yeah, the last one's over here."

The Commissioner led Batman towards the back of the alley before turning away from the body. Batman walked past the Commissioner and observed the sitting body of the melted man. His eye sockets empty with skin burned away, some parts of skull visible beneath the burned muscle.

"We've got people trying to figure out what chemical was used but we've had no-"

"This wasn't a chemical." Batman interrupted.

"What? What do you mean this wasn't a chemical? What COULD it be?"

"I'm not sure but these marks are from a substance of great temperature, not acidic in nature."

"So you're telling me that we're dealing with someone who can perfectly shoot 3 vital spots on the body, has enough strength to punch someone's jaw off and also has the ability to produce a substance that melts people's faces?" The Commissioner summarised.

"The Mayor's right to be spooked." The vigilante stated, pressing a few buttons on his gauntlet.

"Wai-you got some idea about what could've done this?"

"Maybe, but I'm getting a second opinion."

Gordon stood confused before hearing a woosh and turning to see a muscular man wearing a red and blue suit floating a few inches off the ground, a large "S" emblazoned on his chest.

"Superman?!" Gordon almost shouted.

"Nice to see you too, Commissioner." He laughed.

The Man of Steel then landed and walked to stand beside the Dark Knight, looking at the melted corpse.

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