Chapter 37

Selina stood at the edge of 47’s private balcony, watching the sleek hover-cars glide silently between the towering structures that stretched impossibly high into the sky. The buildings here weren’t just tall—they were massive, some easily a mile wide and just as high, their surfaces gleaming with integrated green spaces that plateaued up their sides like stair steps. Everything was clean, everything worked, and everyone looked healthy and content.

It still amazed her, even after several trips to 47’s Gotham. No one sleeping in doorways, no one digging through trash for scraps, no boarded-up buildings or broken streetlights. This Gotham was everything her world wasn’t.

“Selina,” 47 called from inside the mansion’s command center, pulling her attention away from the view. She walked back through the floor-to-ceiling glass balcony door into the expansive room where holographic displays flickered with data streams from across the city.

47 stood talking to Alfred’s projection, the older man’s image crisp and clear despite being broadcast from City Hall downtown. Alfred looked every bit the efficient administrator he was, his hair perfectly styled and his suit immaculate.

“How are our new arrivals settling in?” 47 asked, his cape draped over the back of his chair.

“Quite well, sir,” Alfred replied with a slight smile. “The integration systems are functioning optimally. All forty-three individuals have received full medical and psychological evaluations. We’re providing housing, education, and job placement services as needed. Several have already expressed interest in becoming citizens of Gotham-x.”

“And what about Volkov? How’s that going?”

Alfred’s expression grew more serious. “Yes, we got as much information out of him as possible with the truth serum and the brain scans. The information about his connections and his businesses has been sent to Ms. Selina’s computer servers.”

Selina listened as 47 nodded approvingly. She’d seen this process before—his governance didn’t just rescue people, it actually helped them rebuild their lives. Another thing her universe’s Gotham could not manage.

“Are you ready to head back?” 47 asked, turning to her.

“By the way,” Alfred interjected before she could answer. “Ms. Selina, you should have all the information you need on your device now.”

Selina reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone—not the cheap, cracked thing she’d had in her old life, but a sleek piece of tech that 47 had given her. It connected seamlessly between universes, somehow. The screen lit up with files, schematics, and coordinates for their next operation.