You pick up the bullet and load it into the gun, your hands steady. The Riddler laughs. "You don’t scare me. You heroes are all the same…"

Before he can finish, a bullet flies through his skull, blood and brain matter splattering across Santa’s face. Santa looks shocked, his usual calm shattered for a brief moment, and a hint of fear flickers in his eyes.

"Why can’t you make normal trains like everyone else?" you say coldly to the lifeless Riddler, your voice steely. You untie Santa, who stands there, still reeling from the sudden violence.

"Don’t worry about your friend," Santa says, his voice calm once more. "I can help him." With a gentle wave of his hand, Santa drops some Christmas magic onto the floor, and a festive-looking portal begins to form. "Jump through it, and everything will be okay."

You glance at him one last time, a deep trust in your heart, and leap into the portal.

You wake up on Christmas morning, the sunlight streaming through the window. "Spudley!" you yell, rushing to the living room. Under the tree, there’s a gift with a bow on it, and when you open it, your eyes widen in disbelief—there’s Spudley, safe and sound.

Was it all a dream? You bend down to pick up Spudley, your heart racing, and just as your fingers brush against him, two jingle bells fall from the tree, bouncing off your face.

You saved Spudley... and Christmas.

Don’t worry about the Riddler. I’m sure he’s fine.

Bump