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Chapter Text

2003

Gotham City

One Month after the Formation of the Justice League

Miles opened his eyes, seeing nothing but darkness and his nose was immediately assaulted with the stench of trash. Gagging, he pushed himself up, his head hit the lid of the trash container but he pushed himself up, taking a deep breath of fresh air and gagged again.

Wherever he was, the air was choked with smoke. He coughed a couple of times to get the accursed taste out of his mouth, finally surveying his surroundings. He remembered going to sleep last night in his bed, but had no idea how he ended up here.

He walked out of the alley he found himself in, trying to get a bearing as to his location. The bustling street, and the air heavy and black with smoke wasn’t familiar to him, but at least he was in America.

He decided to take a walk around, memorizing the signs, shops and everything easily recognizable to find this place again, should he need to. 

No sign of the famous brands he knew, nor anything remotely familiar. His stroll eventually took him to a building, more of a tower really, with a giant “W” at the top, glowing neon green.

Him standing there cluelessly had drawn attention, as a woman approached him.

“Hello sir. Do you have any business at the Wayne Tower?” She asked, her guard up and smiling in a way that told him she wished his answer was to the contrary.

“Terribly sorry. I am new to the city, and seem to have gotten lost while trying to meet a friend. Can you point me to the nearest public library?” His smile seemed to have disarmed her a bit, as she relaxed her shoulders and pointed across the road.

“Continue down the road and take a left turn at the end. It will be straight ahead”

“Thank you, miss” He waited for the green light and crossed the street.

He knew a Wayne Tower, but last time he checked it wasn’t more than a piece of fiction. Implications of its existence were troubling.

Perhaps further information could shed light on his situation. Now, he needed to find that library, and there it was.

“Gotham Public Library” it read, confirming his worries.

This wasn’t good at all.

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Gotham.

The hive of scum and villainy like no other in the DC Universe, bar some extreme places like Apokolips.

Several lunatics and deranged monsters running the streets, from the Clown Prince of Crime, Joker, to Scarecrow and Professor Pyg, it was a city where only people in a comic book would live, as no sane person would want to be anywhere near them.

Such as him.

But his ID, no matter how real back at home, did not exist in this universe, and he barely had two hundred dollars in his wallet.

He needed currency, a real ID and the earliest plane out of this place.

He had no superpowers, no knowledge and experience in acrobatics and close quarters combat -such as Batman- and his only possessions were the clothes on his back.

Not even his phone.

But solutions to his predicament existed. That is why he was in the library, surfing on the internet to see if the killer of Thomas and Martha Wayne was found. So far, no news of it existed, and their murderer was still at large. 

Fortunately for him, he began to search the GCPD database for Joe Chillton, as the criminal in question already had a record, as far as he knew.

Bingo.

Joe Chillton, forty six years old, did jail time for mugging and assault. Worked for known mobsters and there was even a photo. Printing the necessary information, he unplugged the computer and poured the cup of water inside the old case.

No need to be tracked by the GCPD.

He took the print and headed to find a cab.

Ten million dollars sounded like a reasonable amount for the value of this information.

He just needed an account.

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Seventy five dollars and an hour in a cab smelling of cheap smoke, he stopped before the gates of the Wayne Manor. Taking the cardboard he had written his message in, he showed it to the nearest camera, along with his face, got back on the cab and left.

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Wayne Manor

The security system flagged the man, sending an automated message containing the video to the Batcave. 

Several hours later, when Batman returned from his patrol and checked the computer in the cave, he saw the message and played the video.

His eyes narrowed at the writing on the cardboard the man was holding.

“Mr.Wayne, identity of the criminal who murdered your parents for $10 million, one million in cash. Find me if you are interested”

He very much was.

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Miles was eating a cup of cheap noodles from a stand, waiting. He had already spent 150 dollars on the cab, found a cheap motel for a couple days and only had enough money for noodles with questionable ingredients.

Heads of the patrons and the chef turned around, wondering. After all, a limo in a neighborhood like this was rare.

Miles paid for the unfinished noodles and approached the limo, coming face to face with the handsome and charming Bruce Wayne, who looked as if he wanted to question him Batman style.

“I received your message. Get in” His voice was flat, as it would be expected when a man is about to learn the name of his parents’ killer.

“I apologize for the smell, I found myself in an undesirable situation and had no time to clean up”

Bruce Wayne did not comment, watching him like a falcon watching a prey.

“Who is it?” 

Anyone else and he would ask for the payment upfront, but Bruce Wayne or rather Batman wasn’t the type to play around, and he was reasonably sure the detective wouldn’t just forget about it.

“Joe Chillton, here is a photo of him, as well as his last known address. I am sure you can make him confess. As for the payment you can find me after confirming it, and we can talk it out”

“How did you learn this when I was investigating it for years with no leads?” Bruce asked, memorizing every detail in the paper.

“I hear things, Mr. Wayne. I am sure we both have secrets we’d like to keep hidden behind a mask”

“If this is a joke, I will find you” It wasn’t a warning, so much as a promise.

“I have absolutely no doubts about it” Miles smiled, getting off the limo. Batman would definitely find him as he had no means of hiding from him in his own turf.

He expected an interrogation, perhaps Batman straight up kidnapping him, but Miles was sure the Caped Crusader was more interested in finding the man responsible for the traumatic event that created him.

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“Master Bruce, are you sure it was wise to not question him further?” Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s butler and father figure asked, in that rich tone of his.

“This is more important. I will find him after this either way”

“You or Batman, sir?” If this was a deception on the part of that man, he wasn’t sure what Master Bruce would do.

“Depends on what I found”

“Master Bruce, when he said “we both have secrets” do you think he meant anything specific?” Alfred asked, referring to his crime fighting persona.

He didn’t receive an answer

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Miles always had a flair for learning important things and as such he idea of an information network alway fascinated him, but he had neither the capital, connections, nor the reason to start one.

In highschool, for example he kept the bullies in check with embarrassing blackmail material, and did not hesitate to do the same to the teachers if they were unreasonable people unfit to be teachers. It was personal, to ensure he did not have to deal with their childish antics, but in college it wasn’t necessary, so he tried not to poke his nose into other people’s business for a paranoid need to be in control of everything.

Comics, though, were a guilty pleasure of his, he even had some memorabilia. His knowledge was detailed, more than most other fans but he was at a crossroads.

DCU wasn’t a nice place nine out of ten times. Unhinged and unstable criminals, people with delusions of grandeur who wanted to take over the world or rule it from the shadows, assassination cults, metahumans, alien invasions, changes to the timeline making everything worse, beings capable of destroying the universe, and more. 

Ten million dollars was good enough to live the rest of his life in comfort, he could just bury his head in the sand and ignore the world, live in some isolated place. 

But Darkseid, the Reach, the Anti-Monitor, Trigon, the Light, and others would not just let this planet be, however many of them existed in this particular timeline.

Unless he was living deep beneath the Earth where their actions couldn’t affect him, or wouldn’t matter in the case of the Anti-Monitor, he would always be in danger.

So, no matter how alluring it was, it just wasn’t feasible. 

His other choice was to use his information for the betterment of this world. Acquiring advanced alien technologies, earning the loyalty and assistance of super powered individuals, along with financial backing and intelligence, he could prepare this planet to fight against them.

Most of them anyway.

He would have to get some dirt on the government, whether on individuals or about their less than moral and legal actions.

Such as Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad she would command.

With the careful manipulation of the media, it could be an excellent way of negating any government interference in his business.

Hackers, and metahumans with technopathic powers, such as Zalika if she did exist, could be used to gather intelligence and he could frame it as the basis of his knowledge.

Geniuses whether villains who were made into monsters or  just people down on their luck can be used to create a research base that would create advanced technologies as well as reverse engineer alien technologies, should he acquire any.

Mr. Freeze, for example, just wanted to save his wife, offering him a way to do it would see the man turn over a new leaf. He could stop the melting of the polar caps and cool the earth through artificial means.

Hiro Okamura, a child genius in robotics and Cyborg with his ability to interface with technology could be valuable additions as well, once they were old enough and existed of course.

Poison Ivy, in her own twisted way, wanted to save nature, and with her control and knowledge over plants she could be used to stop desertification of Earth and solve world hunger through super crops, not to mention if she could grow vast forests it could do wonders against global warming.

Clean energy, a sustainable environment and scientific and technological growth could see Earth resist the alien invasions along with the super heroes, as well as solve the internal problems the planet faced.

For now, he would sleep and start planning as soon as possible.

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Miles slowly woke up, feeling unusually sluggish and found himself tied to a chair as he came to be.

“Did you drug me, Batman?” he slurred, moving as much as he could with his limited movement range to gain control of his body.

“Your information was true, he confessed to everything. Which makes me even more curious as to how you knew everything” Batman, with his mask down, glared at him, throwing away any pretenses.

“I am an information broker, Batman, this is my job” he replied with as much confidence as he could muster.

“You could have just requested a meeting by the way, drugging and kidnapping me from my bed was unnecessary”

“I know all the major information brokers, yet I have never heard of you. Why?” The famous batglare was in full force now, and Miles was sure anyone else would soil themselves right now.

“I am better than them, obviously”

“Is that why you came to my door and revealed yourself?”

“Ever heard of the Reach?” He asked, ignoring the question.

“No”

“They are an alien empire hell bent on conquering the galaxy and already have done so to tens of thousands of planets. They have plans lasting longer than the lifespan of a human, and use their technological advantage to secretly conquer a planet” Miles explained, earning Batman’s interest.

“Why tell me that?”

“Because it is a very real threat and Earth is on their radar. But you know what is even worse?” Batman didn’t move, waiting for Miles to answer his own question.

“They are just one of the many threats this little blue ball we call our home faces. I revealed myself to you, because we either work together or fall alone” 

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Notes:

So here is the first chapter of DC:Blacklist, as it won more than half the votes. 

It is going to be the Justice League with the Imperium’s invasion, while Young Justice will be a task force led by Miles, where he acts as an advisor/intelligence gatherer for the League.

Usually when a SI reveals their knowledge, it is either I can see the future, or they reveal the comic books but I wanted to go down the info broker route after watching Blacklist with my sister.

Now, tell me which villains or anti-heroes you would like to see redeemed? What heroes do you think would fit the Young Justice team? Any particular plotlines from other continuities you would like added to the main story?

Your feedback and support is , as always, appreciated.

Edit: Uploaded the wrong draft in my hurry, and had to remove the part about the ID, as it presented too many problems.

Chapter Text

Gotham

“Let’s say I believe you, what can you do about these dangers?” Batman asked after releasing him from the chair.

“The League's very existence will bring forth challengers, with my information network we can respond to them better and more prepared ” Miles explained.

He didn’t have an information network as he claimed but he would build one.

Fast.

“You don't exist in the system, in fact there is no evidence of you before today” 

“Anonymity is my shield and information is my sword, but the events are in motion now, and staying in the shadows any longer will not be helpful to any of us, least of all me”

“I’ll inform the League and see what they think” Batman walked back, sinking into the shadows and disappearing. 

“Do invite me sometimes, I am sure I can convince them that my addition would be worth their while”

There was no answer, but Miles was sure Batman heard him.

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Ten million dollars was more money than most people would see in their lives.

For now, it would be enough, but a lot more was necessary. 

A fake ID card from a forger, an bank account - though he would have to get the fake ID on the system before the bank reached the authorities and realized it- a change of clothes, a phone and a betterplace to stay later, Miles pondered his next move.

Approaching Poison Ivy or Mr. Freeze - or rather Victor Fries who was really close to starting his villain career- without anything solid to offer would be unwise. 

From the cartoon show, the first hurdle the League had faced after thwarting the Imperium’s invasion was the trial of John Stewart. Accused by an Alien Tribunal and tricked by a space pirate into believing he somehow managed to destroy a planet, it all turned out to be a plot by the Manhunters to draw the Guardians away from Oa to stage their attack. With his knowledge, solving it would be easy and this presented him with an opportunity.

Yrra Cynril, a member of the Star Sapphire Corps now, had a troubled history with the said Green Lantern before her induction. 

She had the power to heal a person depending on how much love their partner had for them, even capable of resurrecting the dead.

And Victor Fries loved his wife enough to go down a path few would.

Now, he would just play the waiting game.

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A week later, he entered his hotel room to rest after a day of reconnaissance and felt something was wrong.

“Is that you Batman?” He asked to the shadows and was rewarded with the Dark Knight himself coming out. 

No surprise criminals were scared of him, he looked like the shadows themselves.

“The League is unsure but they agreed to meet you. Are you free tomorrow?” 

“I am, and here is my phone number in case you need to contact me, assuming of course you don’t already have it. No need to come all the way here” He offered a piece of paper with the number written on it.

Developing trust was necessary after all.

Batman silently took the paper before pocketing it.

“Be at the Wayne Manor tomorrow morning” He said, blending into shadows again and disappearing.

Finally, it was time.

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Wayne Manor

Miles pressed the buzzer and the gates were open in just a couple of seconds. He walked inside, and was greeted by Alfred at the door.

“Master Miles” Impeccable as always, the gentleman that was Alfred Pennyworth led him inside, and into an elevator heading to the Batcave.

“I must thank you, Master Miles. Master Bruce has finally found solace about the matter of his parents” Alfred was grateful, knowing how much of a weight it was on the shoulders of his son figure.

“You are welcome Alfred” 

“Though I must admit your knowledge of Master Bruce and his secret identity are a bit concerning to me”

“I have no secret identity to reveal, nor any other great secret to even the playing field, but I will try to see what I can do” Miles offered. 

Trust was a two way street after all. Giving Batman some information about him would show his intentions.

Alfred thanked him again as the elevator finally made it to the cave.

“You are here, get in” Batman was already in the legendary Batmobile, waiting for him.

Miles took a seat on the back, and shut the door. Immediately, Batman hit the gas, driving them to their rendezvous point, probably to a secure place with a Javelin waiting.

“I am 24, born in Massachusetts to a workaholic father who cared more about his career than his family, and an alcoholic mother who attempted to drink her sorrows away everyday, knowing she was stuck in a loveless marriage. I understood the value of information because I was too scrawny to fight back against the bullies so I had to resort to other means, such as blackmail, to keep them in check. My father died in a car accident when I was 16 and my mother disappeared with a lover after that with most of my father’s wealth. Haven’t seen her since that day, nor did I have the desire to. I have a particular dislike for alcohol, and try to achieve a work-life balance. I have a degree in management, and that’s just about it” Miles explained, changing some parts to fit the narrative.

“Yet there isn’t a single record of you in any college” Batman said, having checked it thoroughly. 

“I made sure my information wasn’t in their system after graduation, and only bothered to attend the exams” This one was a lie, but a necessary one.

“No mandatory attendance?”

“Perk of digitalization, if you know your way around a computer it is easy to manipulate those things to your advantage” He did do that a couple of times. A person’s birthday did not make a strong password after all.

“Anything else?”

“Nothing immediate comes to mind, but if you have any questions feel free to ask” He would tell the truth as much as he could, but telling everything wasn’t possible.

“How did you know my identity?”

“Batman has to be wealthy to afford all the high-tech gadgets and tools he uses, which leaves several possibilities, with only you being clean enough to be a crime fighter. Weird enough, both of you never appeared at the same time in the same place. Now, that alone is just conjecture, but Bruce Wayne is too well built for a playboy, and I checked the route the Batmobile took” It was actually well reasoned enough to be true.

“You mentioned Reach, how many other alien threats are there?”

“In the interest of not repeating myself, I believe it is best if I explain myself at the Watchtower”

“Should I be worried you know that too?” 

“A giant space station, no matter how good you are, is not easy to hide, though don’t worry, if anyone gets the wind of it I’ll be sure to let you know”

The rest of the short drive was in silence with Batman contemplating.

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“So this is the guy, huh?” Flash said, leaning on the Javelin with his arms crossed as Batman and Miles came out of the Batmobile.

“Flash, a pleasure to meet you” It was one thing to watch it on TV, it was another thing to see a man appear in front of you at super speeds.

The red and yellow spandex wearing hero leaned forward, coming uncomfortably close to his face, watching him.

“Nice to meet you too” The hero straightened himself and held out his hand, demeanor suddenly changed.

Miles took the offered hand.

“Nice suit by the way” Flash complimented. It wasn’t anything expensive, but Miles still liked dressing well.

“Yours too, friction resistant I believe?” 

“Bats you didn’t tell me he was a fan” Flash turned to Batman, surprised that someone knew about that.

It was expected with his power, but still it was nice.

Batman headed to the Javelin and the other two followed.

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Miles wasn’t the type to easily get excited, yet seated in a craft heading out of Earth, his heart threatened to burst out. To leave the cradle of humanity behind, and see the stars so clear without the atmosphere ?

It was breathtaking. 

“Great isn’t it?” Flash commented, noticing his undisguised wonder.

“Indeed” he simply said, watching the planet as they got closer to the Watchtower.

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Watchtower

Hall of Justice

The trio walked into the meeting area where the remaining five members were.

Superman and Wonder Woman were making small talk, Martian Manhunter was on the computer and Hawkgirl was trying to talk to Green Lantern who looked sullen.

“Batman, Flash, welcome, and you must be our guest” J’onn J’onnz greeted, having noticed their arrival first.

“Miles Beckett, a pleasure” he said and thought “ Please do not read my mind, I value my privacy” 

Whether the Martian did or not, there was no outward reaction.

“Welcome to the Watchtower, Mr.Beckett” Superman greeted, gesturing to the empty chair.

Slowly, the team gathered around the table, and he followed Batman and Flash to sit down.

“So, how good are you?” Hawkgirl asked, breaking the ice.

“The reason he is not responding to your flirting is because he believes he somehow managed to destroy Ajuris 4 with a stray shot from his ring” Miles gave an example, causing John Stewart to sharply turn to him. 

“How the hell do you know that?! I didn’t tell it to anyone” Green Lantern asked incredulously.

“Information broker, as I said”

“Wait, wait, back up. Destroyed a planet? What is that about?” Flash asked, as dumbfounded as the others, save for Batman.

“To make a long story short, Manhunters, a robotic peacekeeping force created by the Guardians of Oa before the rings were, are rather incensed at having been sidelined and are planning to attack Oa. They wanted to pull the Guardians away by paying that pirate, Kanjar-Ro, to fake the destruction of Ajuris 4 and blame him over it. Now, he thinks he killed three billion people and is waiting for judgement to come” Miles said with a straight tone.

“That’s not possible. I saw the planet blow up” Green Lantern denied, his guilt stopping him from seeing reason.

“Okay, first of all, Green Lantern rings are strong, yes, but to destroy a planet, even with a blow to a faultline is well out of its scope, unless you were in a state of extreme emotional duress. Were you?” Miles asked, remembering Hal Jordan.

“No” It was just another day on the job for John.

“Another reason why you could not have done it is because the moon is still on a stable orbit and there is a giant projector inside it, accessed through a cave, one you could have easily found if you were in a stable emotional state”

“You are serious” Green Lantern, now that someone pointed out the flaws in that event, began to realize the truth.

“Dead serious”

“That son of a bitch” John rose, slamming his fist on the table and taking a green glow. 

“Before you go, you should inform the Guardians of the attack, with them still at Oa, Manhunters won’t stand a chance” Miles urged the Lantern as he was the only one capable of contacting them.

“Fine” John sat down, still furious but relieved at not being responsible for the destruction of a planet for the second time, and dialled Oa.

“Was that enough, or do you require more?” Miles asked the stunned Thanagarian, who shook her head.

“No, good enough for me”

“Pretty sure this was your first time leaving the planet from the way you looked at it in the Javelin. How come you have an information network in space?” Flash asked, quick to make the dots connect.

“Just because it was my first time leaving the planet did not mean it was my first time coming across extraterrestrial life” 

“There are aliens on Earth, other than the ones we know about I mean?” Superman asked, suddenly curious to see if he knew of any Kryptonians.

“There have been aliens on Earth, or their remains for a long time, Superman, but I assume you are asking about your species specifically? While there are none on Earth, I know of one Argonian, which are basically Kryptonians with a different name”

“Where?” He asked, suddenly feeling hope.

“She is stuck in stasis on Argon after the planet was sent spiralling out of orbit due to Krypton’s destruction. The planet is still somewhere in the former Krypton space, and while I can’t give you any coordinates their distress signals should still be transmitting” Miles supplied. Supergirl would arrive early, which would give her more time to acclaim to Earth.

“Thank you, I’ll check it out as soon as possible” He said, already wondering what it would be like to have another of his species around.

“Happy to help. Now, while I would love to answer any questions you might have, the Manhunters will be coming to pick up Green Lantern soon, and it would be best to go and clear his name out, least the galaxy starts to think the cops can get away with destroying a planet” Miles suggested, all the while Batman watched him without a blink.

“Damn, he is good” Flash muttered as the team went to deal with the Manhunters and clear out John’s name.

“Are we bringing him with us or what?” John asked, anxious to go.

“ I have no combat abilities and would only be a burden on you during combat. Best I stay behind” Miles gently refused. If he had superpowers he would join them but as it was his presence would only make things harder.

“We should go, he will be fine here” Batman said, as he had security systems in case Miles tried anything.

The Dark Knight was even more curious now.

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Edit: I uploaded the wrong draft on chapter 1, and had to add the part I originally removed here.

Chapter Text

Watchtower

Miles decided to explore the Watchtower since waiting for the team while they cleared Green Lantern’s name was bound to be boring. During his little visit to the kitchen, he checked the fridge, and was making himself a sandwich when an idea came to him.

In the Suicide Squad’s second movie, there was  Ratcatcher, a woman with the ability to communicate with and control the rats. 

Either her or her father should still be out there, and if he could recruit them it could be an excellent way to infiltrate secure places, like Lexcorp or secret government sites and bug these places.

Rats could sneak in, drop the listening devices to somewhere secure and get out. If they were caught, it would be a rodent problem, not a spy problem.

If not, at least the gadgets they used to control the rats could be acquired and with a clever enough mind he could have an army or rat spies.

He should also look into Starro, to see if the US government was experimenting on it. 

Zalika, the technopat from Korogoro slums in Kenya would be his first recruit however, as her abilities could be used to steal from the criminals, such as Black Mask, Penguin and Luthor, once he was reasonably sure they wouldn’t be caught by him. 

But first and foremost he would need a bodyguard, preferably someone with powers that could protect him when things would inevitably get dangerous.

A name came to mind. Volcana, a super villainess with pyrokinetic abilities, currently an unwilling participant in the Project Firestorm, a government program intending to train her to be a living weapon, and as there were no news of her, she had yet to escape. 

Superman should be willing to help, though it would have to wait after the situation with Victor Fries was resolved.

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Worn and torn but victorious, the Justice League was back. 

“So, how did it go?” Miles asked,

“You were right, about everything. We did find the projector, and the pirate confessed to everything. With the Guardians at Oa, Manhunters failed at their assault. They are also thankful to you” Green Lantern said, a serene smile on his face.

“Wonderful” Miles responded.

“And I owe you my thanks too” he held out his hand, and Miles took it.

“You are welcome, but even without my interference I am sure the Justice League would have revealed the truth. They don’t leave a teammate behind after all” He commented.

“Still, thank you. Let me know if you need help with anything”

“Actually, there is a matter I could use your assistance with. I need to get in contact with Yrra Cynril to stop a man with a good heart from turning to villainy” 

“If you know her, then you know she hates me” Green Lantern looked uncomfortable at the mention of the name, due to their shared history.

“She has been inducted to the Star Sapphire Corps. She is, in fact, not capable of feeling any hatred, even towards you” Miles insisted.

“How about tomorrow then?” John agreed. Dealing with her was well worth the help he received.

“That would be fine”

“Before you two plan another trip to space, perhaps you should mention those dangers you spoke of?” Batman interrupted.

“If you have the energy for it, by all means” Miles took a seat while the team slowly gathered.

“Can you give more details on this Reach?” Batman asked, the detective in him wanting to know more about these threats.

“As I said before they are an empire, one of the several in fact, with the intention to conquer the galaxy. They had a war with the Green Lantern corps but it ended in a stalemate. The two sides signed a peace deal, where Reach wouldn’t conquer anymore planets, but of course they decided to use covert means of doing so to not start another war” Miles began, explaining the Reach, their advanced technology, their centuries long underhanded plans and the Blue Beetle.

“Yeah, he is right. War with the Reach is ancient history in the Corps, but the Guardians don’t trust them at all” Green Lantern supplied, as learning about the big players in the galaxy was a part of his training.

“So, aliens on Earth thousands of years ago? Conspiracy theorists would love to hear all of that” Flash commented, listening attentively for once.

“I am afraid they aren’t the only ones. There is Darkseid, the Dark God of Apokolips, which is a planet that does the name justice, the Gordanians, though we aren’t on their radar right now as they are at war with Thanagarians. These are the current threats from space we will face

“From space?” Wonder Woman noticed the emphasis on the last part.

“Indeed. There are organizations on this planet that want to control it, as well as transdimensional threats. One of them is Trigon, an extremely powerful demon lord who enslaved a lot of worlds. Klarion the Witch Boy, a Lord of Chaos, and a counterpart to Doctor Fate, a Lord of Order, who as the name suggests wants to cause chaos on a planetary scale”

“Sheesh, that’s a lot. How are the seven of us supposed to deal with all that?” Flash asked taken back.

“Most of those threats are far away for now, which gives us time to prepare"

“Which one would you is the most pressing one?” The Martian Manhunter asked. He was monitoring Earth from the Watchtower and any information on where to focus would be helpful.

“For now? Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, R’as al Ghul and the usual criminal individuals you deal with everyday”

The discussion continued for several hours, each member realizing the tribulations the future would bring.

Eventually they agreed to continue later when the members had enough time to process the info dump they received.

The Martian Manhunter approached Miles as the rest of the team were heading to their respective homes to rest.

“J’onn, how can I help you?" Miles asked, stifling a yawn.

“Did you know I was reading your mind?” He asked. Usually it was rude to do so without the other party’s consent but as Miles was an unknown, and a potential risk, he had done so but retreated once the man had asked.

“I suspected you might do so for security” 

“I see”

“I will make you a deal, J’onn. You agree to never read my mind without my permission, no matter what, and I’ll tell you something lifechanging” Miles offered. He would tell it anyway but best to secure the Martian’s compliance beforehand if possible.

“If your information is as important as you say I can promise that” J’onn didn’t know how a human, whose species had yet to achieve interstellar travel, managed to build an information network stretching across the galaxy, but it seemed to be genuine.

“There is a hidden facility in Mars, deeper beneath the surface than all the others with survivors” Miles revealed, watching the Martian’s eyes widen.

“That, how?” J’onn asked, before shaking his head and sinking through the floor to go and check.

Miles headed to the hangar as well, it was late and he wanted to rest for tomorrow’s journey.

By the time he reached the hangar J’onn was already gone with a Javelin, and only Batman was there to take him back to Gotham.

The Dark Knight grilled him on the way back, from Vandal Savage to Darkseid, wanting to know every detail that could give them an advantage. 

When he entered his apartment and crashed on the bed, sunrise was but two hours away.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. Sitting on the bed, he rubbed his eyes, and answered the call.

“Hey, got your number from Batman. Should I come to pick you up, or do we meet on the Watchtower” came the voice of Green Lantern.

“Best you come pick me up, it will be faster that way” He said, getting up to prepare

“Got it, will be there in five minutes” Lantern replied and the call was disconnected.

Washing his face, changing and buying a couple of sandwiches and orange juice from a shop for breakfast, he waited for the space cop.

“Morning. You ready?” John Stewart approached in his civilian attire to not draw attention.

“Good morning to you as well. Had breakfast yet?” Miles offered a sandwich from the bag and a box of juice.

“Thanks” 

“John Stewart by the way, but I guess you already know that?” The former marine gave his name as a gesture of trust.

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of calling any member by name unless they give it first” Miles would respect their privacy, provided it was reciprocated. 

“So, you know what happened between me and Yrra, but still want me to bring you to her. Why?”

“Victor Fries is an accomplished cryogenicist whose wife suffers from a fatal disease. The corporation he works for has no intention to continue funding his research, and in his desperation to save her, he will walk the path of a villain. Yrra is capable of resurrecting the dead if there is enough love, she should have no problem curing Nora Fries. I can then employ Victor and his scientific mind could be used to address several environmental issues, such as stopping the polar caps from melting” Miles explained himself, but didn’t bother to mention other, more lucrative fronts to employ the would-be villain.

“Well, I can take you to Yrra, but you gotta convince her yourself. Even if she doesn’t hate me anymore, she won’t listen to me”

“Don’t worry, I have an idea on how to do that”

“Let’s go then” John offered, throwing the empty box to the trash can.

They went into an alley and after making sure there weren’t any eyes watching them John put on his ring.

A green light enveloped the man starting from his finger and in a couple of seconds he had the standard uniform of the Green Lantern Corps on.

“Really convenient” Miles muttered as John enveloped him in a bubble and shot upwards at neck breaking speeds.

“It will take a couple of hours to reach there even with the ring” John informed him after they left the atmosphere.

“Understood” Miles nodded. 

Perks of advanced technology, you can cross thousands of light years in a couple of hours.

“Yesterday you asked if I was under extreme emotional duress. What did you mean by that? Do you know something about the ring that I don't? "

“I know a lot about your ring and the emotional spectrum, but I was referring to the fact that if a ring user feels emotions such as desperation to an extreme degree, many things that may sound impossible becomes very much possible”

“Like what?”

“Where are you from, John?” Miles asked.

“Detroit, Michigan, why?” The Green Lantern answered, wondering why he changed the subject.

“Imagine that your hometown is destroyed and you believe it to be your fault. You are so grief stricken over it you decided to re-create Michigan with your ring, and very well could do it, including everyone who died in the attack”

“You’re kidding me, right?” At least John hoped he was.

No one should have that kind of power.

“No, I am not. These rings are much more than just weapons of justice, John, they are a part of the universe. Green for Will, Violet for Love, Indigo for Compassion, Yellow for Fear, Orange for Greed, Blue for Hope, Red for Anger, Gray for Sorrow, White for Life and Black for Death. They each represent a part of the emotional spectrum” Miles explained. 

There was the invisible spectrum as well but no need to go in there for now.

“ Black and White Lantern Corps?” The Green Lantern asked, he was aware of the other corps, but it was his first time hearing the last two.

“In brightest day, in blackest night parts of the Green Lantern oath refers to them, though I doubt even the guardians are aware of the latter, beyond the prophecy”

“I just feel like you told me something I wasn’t supposed to know”

“Instincts of a former marine I suppose” Miles shrugged.

“Can you open that a bit? Or else I am going to lose my mind obsessing over it”

Miles told him the tale of the entities such as Parallax, Ion and the most important ones, The Entity and Nekron, and how the latter would unleash Blackest Night to destroy all life in the universe while the former would attempt to prevent it.

“Shit” John summed up the whole thing with a single word.

“Don’t tell the guardians, please. I intend to sell that information to them”

“What the hell could they have to offer you for that? You are literally giving spoilers for the end of the universe”

“There are several beings capable of eradicating the universe, and have done so to countless ones, Nekron shouldn’t worry you that much as means to defeat it exist. As for what, enough gold to make Earth a better place” 

And massively increase his influence across the planet, but it was neither here nor there.

He considered demanding technological and scientific knowledge, but right now wealth was more paramount, and the technology related to power rings wasn’t of particular interest to him.

Around fifty thousand tonnes should do. No need to flood the market and crash the prices.

“You don’t play small do you?” John shook his head, amused at the thought someone would try to bargain with the Guardians.

“When the universe is ever so large, how could I?”

“Fine, but I don’t know if they will agree to negotiate ” John said, still salty over the lack of trust most of the corps had towards him, bar the Guardians and Ganthet. 

“I think they would be extremely interested in what I have to offer” 

Individuals, no matter the species, were always interested in knowing the future after all.

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Notes:

I don't know about you guys but extorting the space cops sounds like fun to me.

On unrelated news, the world currently has around 200,000 tonnes of gold mined.

Your support and feedback is welcome, please let me know what you think:)

Chapter Text

Sector 2813

Zamaran

Headquarters of the Star Sapphire Corps

While Miles was fascinated at stepping foot on an alien planet, he had the much more important hurdle of convincing Yrra Cynril to assist him.

“Green Lantern Stewart, welcome to Zamaran” as the one familiar with John, their target had been sent to greet them, her tone completely neutral.

Guess that happens when you can't hate someone anymore due to external reasons.

Black hair and eyes, a lovely face with a violet mask and dressed in a violet colored suit sticking to her body with a keyhole leading down her chest, she was a sight to behold.

“Thank you” John said, taking a couple of steps back to stand behind Miles. He had informed them beforehand of their visit as doing so otherwise would lead to issues between two corps. 

“Miss Cynril, I am Miles Beckett, and may I say what a pleasure it is for me to meet a proponent of love such as yourself. I have always been a fan of the Star Sapphire Corps and what they stood for” Miles complimented with a smooth stone.

“Yet you are with a Green Lantern” Her tone wasn’t accusatory but neither was it  just a statement.

“He was the fastest method of contacting you that I had. Otherwise, who would prefer to listen to some ancient virgins who desire to suppress emotions because they had no luck with women, when you and your compatriots spread the greatest force in existence?”

Yrra began to laugh, covering her mouth and holding her stomach.

“What are you doing?” hissed John, displeased at having his corps insulted.

“Oh, I like you already” She said, calming down.

Miles winked at John. A bit of flattery could get you anywhere with the right woman.

“I am afraid I came with an urgent request. There is a man, one whose love burns brighter than a star about to lose his wife to a terminal illness and in an effort to save her, he will walk down a very dark path”

“There are millions of lovers across the galaxy with the same story, and while we try to help as much as we can, what makes it so special for me to go across the galaxy?

“To stop that great love from turning to obsession and extinguish itself, of course. I know how busy you are but as the Green Lanterns are incapable of anything other than violence, I had no choice but to come to you.”

Her heart might have been filled with love, but that did not mean pride was absent.

“Very well, I will assist you, after all no one should suffer like that just because of the Green Lanterns” Yrra agreed, she would have helped anyway where lovers were concerned, but the chance to show up to John Stewart no doubt made it easier.

“Man, you are the worst” The insulted lantern muttered as they got ready to move.

On the way back, he told Yrra about Victor and Nora, and what the man was planning to do to save his wife.

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Gotham

Back just an hour after noon, they landed on Gotham near the home of Victor and Nora Fries. John took on his civilian disguise and stayed back, while Yrra didn’t have one, and naturally caught a lot of eyes.

Miles knocked on the door, waiting for the Doctor.

“Yes?” A tired voice answered behind the door. After all, in Gotham you did not open your door to anyone who knocked.

“Dr. Fries, I am Miles Beckett, I was hoping for a bit of your time”

“I am not interested in whatever you are selling”

“Not even if I bring salvation to your door?” Miles had the doctor’s attention as the door was opened slowly.

“Salvation?” 

“Yes, for your wife, Nora”

“And how do you propose to do that?” Victor wasn’t even going to ask how the man knew, seeing as he came this far.

“My companion here is Yrra Cynril from Zamaran, a member of an order known for their healing abilities across the galaxy”

“An alien? She does not look like one, except for her attire” Victor was naturally sceptical of that. While she did look out of this world with that revealing outfit, it was no reason to believe she actually was.

“Many extraterrestrial life forms look alike, but perhaps we should take this conversation inside?”

“Very well, but be warned, I am armed” Victor warned and opened the door, revealing a disheveled and exhausted man with black hair and eyes.

The fearsome villain Dr.Freeze was now but a desperate scientist trying to save his wife.

“Thank you, Dr. Fries”

They were led to the living room and the duo sat on a couch, while the good doctor sat on a chair.

“Now, how is your companion supposed to help me, and most importantly, why?”

“I believe your talent and scientific genius is being wasted working for an imbecile like Ferris Boyle, and I have reasons to believe he intends to stop funding your research, and pull the plug”

“What?! He wouldn’t dare” Victor denied, more out of desperation than believing in any shred of humanity Ferris might have.

“Boyle cares more about money than lives, Doctor, and you know this as well”

Victor froze, knowing he was right.

“As for how my companion can assist Nora, I am sure you are familiar with the Green Lantern?”

“Who isn’t?”

“Miss Cynril’s abilities are similar but where the Green Lantern’s ring is powered by his will and is used to fight crime on a galactic scale, her ring is fueled by love and gives them incredible healing abilities, even as far as to resurrect the dead, if there is enough love”

“Resurrecting the dead with love?” Victor didn’t even try to hide his disbelief. 

This was starting to sound more and more ridiculous to him.

“Your scepticism is understandable, Doctor Fries, but I can assure you they are true. Perhaps a small demonstration?” Miles offered to ease the doctor’s worries.

“That would be appreciated” Victor leaned forward, intent to see what he would do.

Miles pulled out a switch knife from his pocket and cut his palm, not too deep but not too shallow either and held it out to Yrra. For a wound this small she wouldn’t need anyone’s love. 

Her ring glowed and a violet light cowered the bleeding cut, sewing the wound shut in the blink of an eye. Miles took a tissue and wiped the blood, presenting his hand to the doctor.

“Fascinating” Victor said, inspecting the hand.

“I can guarantee her powers will work, but on the off chance we fail, I can fund your research much better than Boyle”

“My research is rather costly” Victor said, as that was one of the two reasons he endured Boyle and didn’t quit, the other being his contract.

“Depends, how much is 50,000 tonnes of gold worth these days?”

“That’s… over five hundred billion dollars” Victor quickly calculated from the top of his head.

“Perhaps I should demand twice the amount from the Guardians then, being a trillionaire sounds rather exciting”

Victor wanted to ask the details of who these Guardians were and why they would give an absurd amount of gold to him, but he had more pressing matters for now.

“Very well, it is not like I have anything to lose, especially knowing Ferris and the kind of man he is”

“Let’s go then, shall we?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They let the Green Lantern go back, and  took Victor’s car for the sake of not standing out anymore. Victor was silent, worrying but Yrra intervened.

“You are worried, rightfully so, but don’t be. I can feel the love you have for your wife, and it burns bright. She will be saved” The Violet Lantern 

Victor nodded but said nothing. His house was close to the research lab so it didn’t take long before they arrived. 

“Dr.Fries, you know you cannot enter the lab on Sundays” The security at the gate, two burly men, stopped them.

“It is urgent, please let me in” Doctor requested, trying to push past.

“No can do, doctor, you know our orders” The guard didn’t move, knowing how hissy their boss would get.

“Allow me” Miles said.

“What do you want?” The security asked.

“Ten thousand dollars here for each of you to let us pass” Miles pulled out two stacks from inside his coat, waving it before the two underpaid guards, who had their eyes glued on the stacks.

“Knowing the kind of man Boyle is, this is a lot of money to you two, so what will it be, Charles?” Miles asked, reading the man’s name card.

The two guards looked at each other before shrugging and accepting the gift.

“We didn’t see you” Charles took the money and went back to his friend, counting the stack.

“Let’s not make your wife wait any longer, doctor” Miles patted Victor on the shoulder and moved, Yrra following behind silently.

Passing through the hall, Victory led them to the entrance with quick steps, impatient. He scanned his ID card at the door but the scanner gave an error. He tried again, getting agitated but it did not work.

“Boyle must have blocked my ID outside work hours so I wouldn’t come in”

“Oh dear. Miss Cynril, this isn’t exactly what I requested your help for, but if you could open the door without destroying it?”

“Stand back” Yrra said, a thin line of violet light sprung up from her ring, forming two hands and forcing the door open.

“Much appreciated”

Victor moved inside, stopping before the pod containing his frozen wife and watched with sorrow.

“We should hurry, I would rather not have to shoot someone in such an open place” Miles urged the Sapphire Lantern who nodded and moved forward.

“I need you to focus on your love for your wife, think of all the happy moments you two spent together, and of how you fell in love with her” Yrra put her hand on Victor’s shoulder and focused.

The scientist nodded, and closed his eyes, remembering how they had met at the boarding school and their budding love. 

All those tender and blissful moments they had spent together and just how much Nora had changed him.

Yrra’s ring glowed with an intensity she rarely witnessed and the beam struck the woman inside the pod. 

The glow of it was enough for Miles to shield his eyes.

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Watchtower

Hall of Justice

“So nothing on the guy, Bats?” Flash asked, swallowing his fries. 

The team had gathered to discuss Miles Beckett and his supposed information network.

“Nothing, it is as if he did not exist before that day”

“Could he be from the future? I mean how else could he know about the Martians, and the Argonian, not to mention Ajuris 4?” Superman asked, wondering about the possibility.

“Possible, I guess, but there is something he told me. Apparently there is a prophecy the Guardians know, about blackest night, but even they had no idea what it meant. Miles told me it includes two Lantern Corps I have never heard of, White and Black, representing life and death, and how the Black Lantern’s would try to destroy all life. If he is a time traveler, there is a chance he comes from a point in time we can’t even begin to guess” Green Lantern explained. The information Miles revealed were worrisome, and while they sounded outlandish enough to discredit, his knowledge so far has been proven to be correct.

“Damn” Flash muttered.

“We should have Martian Manhunter read his mind. I am aware it is a taboo but an exception could be made for him” Hawkgirl joined. Her reasons for doing so were more than just worry for the security of the League.

“Unfortunately I cannot assist you. I have promised not to enter his mind without his permission in return for the information about my surviving kin” Martian Manhunter shook his head. He had searched non stop until he stumbled on the survivors, and couldn't simply go back on his word.

“The Lasso of Truth then” Flash suggested.

“We could do that, but is it a good idea to breach someone’s privacy like that?” Superman, ever the boy scout, wasn’t going to do something like that, especially not after what Miles told him.

“How about we ask him as a condition for joining the League?” John wondered if Miles would make that kind of a compromise.

“And if he refuses? We could lose access to all the information he has” Hawkgirl said, wanting to keep miles in sight.

“You know, maybe he sees the future? That could give him all the information he needs, and he could be out of the grid without anyone knowing” Flash thought out loud.

“Whose future though? His own or other people’s? I mean if it was just his own future, he should have no way of knowing our secrets, and if it’s other people’s futures then things get a lot more complicated” Superman said, uncomfortable with the idea of it.

“I checked his DNA, he is ordinary, no metagene, no experiments, no foreign substances in his blood. He has no powers as far as we understand” Batman said, dismissing the idea of any powers Miles might have.

“Perhaps magic? All those myths and legends are filled with prophecies and divination right? Maybe he uses magic to see the future?” Green Lantern said, turning to Wonder Woman. 

“While means for it exist, there is none that I have ever heard capable of seeing the future reliably, much less to this extent” Wonder Woman, as the closest expert on magic they had, put her own two cents.

“So, no powers, probably not magic, could be a time traveler, has never left the planet but has an information network spanning the galaxy” Flash summed up the situation.

“It is also possible he is from an alternate universe” The Lantern added, Miles’ comments about Nekron and other universe destroying entities coming to mind.

“Do they even exist, I mean we have no proof, right?” Superman asked, sceptical.

“He said there were things out there capable of destroying universes and have destroyed  countless ones. Maybe he is from an alternate universe where we knew each other?” The former marine offered.

“I don’t think so. Nothing in his demeanor to us suggests intimate familiarity. He may know of us but he doesn’t know us” Batman disagreed. He watched closely how Miles interacted with the team, nothing suggested he knew them personally.

“Maybe we should just go and ask him how he created his network?” Superman proposed, but even he knew it was a long stretch.

“An information broker who reveals his secrets wouldn’t be a good one” Batman told with his usual flat tone.

“So, it all comes down to whether we ask his permission to use the lasso on him in which case he could refuse and won’t join the League or we invade his privacy and force him to. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t feel comfortable with it” Superman shook his head at the thought.

“I suggest we ask him and if he refuses, we still let him join but watch him closely. Better to have him near us then hidden again” Wonder Woman said, unwilling to use the lasso on a potential ally, but also not wanting a possible hostile to disappear.

They all agreed verbally except Batman, who silently nodded, planning.

Chapter Text

Gotham

GothCorp Research Lab

The violet light slowly died out, and Miles lowered his arms. Victor immediately rushed to the medical console to check on his wife, muttering.

“This, this is incredible. Her vitals are stabilizing, and there don’t seem to be any symptoms of MacGregor’s Syndrome.” 

“Wonders of advanced technology”

“Give me a couple of minutes to finish my diagnosis; we can wake her up and leave after that.”

“Understood.”

“So what do you think?” Miles turned to Yrra, who was watching Victor.

The doctor was operating the console with speed and precision; all the while, he had a euphoric smile.

“It is rare for me to see love like this, though it would have been poisoned by his desperation,” Yrra answered. Victor’s love might be rare, but desperation turning sapients to monsters was not.

“He is fortunate you were willing to help.” Miles nodded, well aware of it.

“I wouldn’t even know about him without you,” Yrra shrugged.

“Then let’s say we both did a good job.”

“Very well.”

“I am bringing her out now, but it will take a bit for her body to warm up completely,” Victor called out, completely engrossed in his work.

“Stop right there!” came the voice of an overweight guard, probably the one responsible for the security room, holding a pistol at them.

“Oh dear,” Miles responded sarcastically before a violet spectral hand ripped the gun out of his hand.

“You, you have powers?” The guard panicked.

“You would have known that if you were doing your job. Now, please get over there and be quiet.” Miles took the weapon from the ground and pointed it at the guard.

The now weaponless security chief raised his hands and sat where Miles pointed.

“Doctor, how long?”

“In a minute”

“Good. Now you have two choices, either I put a bullet in your leg, or you enter that pod after it is vacated. Either way, you won’t be following us or alerting anyone.”

“I’ll enter the pod,” he said, hyperventilating.

“Take deep and slow breaths. I don’t want to deal with you having a heart attack because you lacked self-control and couldn’t stop yourself from eating one too many donuts.” 

The guard did as he was ordered, trying to get his breathing under control.

He usually wouldn’t care, but these were employees who he was sure were paid minimum wage at best, and he didn’t want the first thing Nora Fries saw to be a corpse.

“Okay, she is waking up now,” Victor said.

Right on cue, the figure inside the cryogenic device began to move slowly, and soon enough Victor was there to open the pod and held his wife as she fell forward, slowly sitting down on the floor and holding her.

“Dr. Fries, while I hate to interrupt this tender moment, it is best if you two make up for the lost time later. Can you carry her?”

Without a word, Victor gently lifted his wife, carrying her bridal style, and nodded.

“Excellent. Now if you would move inside the pod, and don’t worry, you will be released once Boyle discovers what happened,” Miles told the guard as the large man moved and awkwardly entered the pod.

“What now?” he asked, but Miles pushed the button without saying anything, freezing the guard.

He took a tissue and wiped the gun clean before dumping it inside a coolant vat.

“You three should go and wait in the car while I erase the security footage.” 

The couple, guarded by the Lantern, moved out while he took the ID card of the chief and headed to the security room. Erasing the footage, both local and backups, was easy, and before long he too joined them, taking the wheel while Victor and Nora were sitting at the back.

“A rather eventful day, but one worth it, I’d say,” Miles commented, starting the car. He and Yrra kept their silence for Victor and Nora during the rest of the ride. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victor took his wife to their room so she could sleep off the effects of the cryogenic suspension. 

“Once again I appreciate your assistance.” 

“And once again, you’re welcome,” Yrra said as they shook hands and she got ready to leave.

“Do look for me if you ever stop by Earth,” Miles offered, having found her company pleasant. 

“Thank you, I will,” she replied and took off, out of sight in a couple of seconds.

He went inside the house, where Victor was sitting on the couch, relaxed and smiling, for the first time in a long while.

“Doctor, I believe it is best you spend some time with your wife before we start talking business, as I have several other things to handle. Here is my number; feel free to call me when you are ready.” It was best to let the doctor approach him without being overly pushy.

“Yes, thank you, but there is the matter of my contract with Ferris Boyle. It has a two million dollar termination fee,” Victor said, having signed the contract in his desperation.

“Two million? Done,” Miles said; he barely spent two thousand dollars of the ten million.

“Yes, I suppose that wouldn’t be an issue for you.” Victor smiled, referring to the amount of gold Miles mentioned.

“Indeed. As I said, do call me when you are ready, or when your soon-to-be-former employer tries anything.” Miles wouldn’t put it past people like Boyle to do something idiotic because their pride took a blow.

“I will, and no matter how many times I do it, it still wouldn’t be enough for what you and Miss Cynril have done for me, but thank you.” Victor shook his hand again.

“You are a brilliant man, Dr. Fries, and I simply wish to use that intelligence to help the people.” After all, gaining the public’s adoration would be very easy if there were someone out there actually addressing their problems.

“Please, call me Victor.”

“Miles, then, Victor” 

He left after that, having to see to other business.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles answered his phone on the road to his apartment after having dinner in a nice restaurant serving Italian cuisine.

“We need you to come in. Green Lantern will pick you up,” came the voice of the Dark Knight.

“Hello to you too, and very well, I will be waiting in my apartment.” 

It appears the league made their decision.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watchtower 

Hall of Justice

After John picked Miles up from his apartment in Gotham, they made their way to the Watchtower.

Miles already had an idea of what they wanted.

“Miles, please take a seat,” Superman offered as the whole team seated around the table watched him.

“Thank you. So, what is the verdict?” 

“I am sure you understand someone just coming out of the shadows with intelligence on the end of the universe is more than just suspicious.”

“It has more to do with Earth than me, I can assure you. The secrets were there; I just unearthed them first.”

“We will turn back to that, but your information so far has been true, but we wanted to ask if you would consent to answering some questions with the Lasso of Truth.” 

“I can answer your questions to the best of my abilities, but I am going to have to refuse the lasso.”

“Why?”

“Superman, do you know, no matter how good your intentions are, there are thousands of people who don’t trust you and see you as a danger, just because they don’t know who is beneath the suit?”

“Yes?” He answered hesitantly.

“You don’t trust me because you don’t know who I am, and this worries you, completely understandable, and just as you can’t go and expose your civilian identity to the masses, there are matters I can’t and won’t talk about. You wish to save people; I wish to assist you in doing that. The problem is, can you agree to let my actions prove my intent, or not?” Miles made his speech.

The team stood silent, considering his words. They had all faced the distrust of the public, Superman even had a radio vilifying him daily, and just as he said, they couldn’t address that problem without putting their families in danger and constantly being haunted by the masses.

“I say we let him join, though does he become a core member or not?” John, as the most likely to be on his side due to Ajuris 4, readily agreed.

“Best if I don’t; too many people to vote, and you won’t get anywhere.”

“I say yes as well,” Wonder Woman agreed, watching him with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Yes from me as well.” Martian Manhunter voted, agreeing with his compatriots it was for the best to keep him near the Justice League.

“Yes,” Superman said.

“I believe his information is worth letting him join us, so yes.” Hawkgirl 

“How can I say no when a fan is concerned? I say we let him join,” Flash said with his usual cocky tone.

Batman nodded, and Miles couldn’t help but wonder what was going on under that mask.

“With unanimous approval, I welcome you to the Justice League.” Superman got up and offered his hand.

Miles took the offered hand with a smile.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Unless we have anything to discuss, I want to go and see if I can find Argon,” Superman said after the congratulations were done.

“Yes, and I wish to go and check on my niece.” Martian Manhunter took a step forward. 

“And I got patrol, and before I forget, when do you want to meet the Guardians?”

“I have some business to handle first; I’ll let you know as soon as I am available, but can I use the computer to put my ID back on the system? The bank will eventually realize I legally don’t exist,” he said, turning to Batman to ask permission. 

It was his tower after all.

At Batman’s nod, he went and added his fake ID card into the database and went to handle the rest of his business.

He needed a depository for all that gold. Good thing ten million dollars meant a lot of money in 2003.

The remaining members of the team had their own affairs to handle as well, and the Watchtower was soon empty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Massachusetts 

Fifty states meant a lot of places he could deposit his gold. Gotham was out due to obvious reasons, and Superman’s gallery of villains was renowned for their destructive nature. So he chose his home state but had to admit it felt as if he stepped into a parody of the place he was born. 

Finding and buying a large enough underground storage area was not simple, but money could open a lot of doors. 

So here he was after a couple of days, in an underground depository styled from a self-made nuclear bunker of an overzealous conspiracist who didn’t trust the government.

It would do, after some security measures were installed, of course.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His next course of action was to wait until Superman returned to go and break out Volcana, or Claire Selton, and convince her, which was easier said than done as the fiery woman had trust issues, first her parents, then the institute, and finally the government.

Miles had an idea on how to convince her, but he needed to make a withdrawal first.

His phone had other ideas before that.

“Ah, Victor. I hope everything is alright with your wife.”

“Yes, but Boyle is threatening me since I haven’t been going to work, as well as about the means we used to cure Nora. When can you be here?” The scientist sounded more irritated than scared.

“I will see you in an hour.”

Javelins were fast after all.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gotham

Using the communicator he received from Batman, he called a Javelin for pickup and chose Gotham as his destination.

They were truly user-friendly and even came with automated piloting.

Tipping the cab driver generously, he stepped out, spying Victor and a man he assumed to be Ferris Boyle arguing.

“Gentlemen, what seems to be the issue?” Miles approached, noticing two men standing next to the CEO, one with a briefcase who looked to be checking some documents and a guard who stood menacingly.

Or at least tried to.

“This doesn’t concern you.” Boyle waved him off, continuing to argue with Victor.

“I think it does. I am here for the termination of Doctor Fries’ contract with your company,” Miles intervened, standing next to Victor.

“Even if you pay the fee, it can’t be cancelled as long as I don’t agree to it, and I am not going to do it.” Boyle knew the cryotech Victor Fries was developing would be worth a lot once weaponized, not to mention the cure to MacGregor's Syndrome.

“That is perfectly understandable.” Miles had a predatory smile. 

Either the contract or the CEO would be terminated.

“What, are you giving up?” Victor sounded confused, not expecting it.

“Oh, heavens, no. I am simply going to put a bounty on his head for one million dollars. I guarantee you, rats will be feasting on his still warm corpse before the day ends,” Miles said with an insulted tone. 

It took a couple of seconds for it to register amongst the others.

“What the hell did you just say? You better stay back.” The bodyguard pulled out his sidearm, aiming at Miles, who didn’t look bothered in the slightest.

“You know what this country’s problem is? Even dullards like you who don’t know how to turn off the safety can acquire a gun.” Miles indicated the side of the gun with his eyes.

The guard looked confused for a second and checked the safety, taking his eyes off Miles, which gave him the opening necessary to wrench the gun away and knock the bodyguard to the ground with a punch before turning the weapon on Boyle.

“My mistake, you clearly seem to know how to turn off the safety.”

“You think you can get away with murder?” Boyle took a step back, raising his hands, voice shaking slightly.

“What will you do, call the GCPD? They barely have a dozen officers who wouldn’t look the other way for some loose change,” Miles asked, enjoying the fear in Boyle’s eyes.

“Batman will hunt you down. You think he’ll let you be after killing someone in his city?” The CEO changed tactics, as merely the mention of the caped crusader’s name was enough to make people reconsider.

“Is that so?” Miles asked, taking his phone out and dialing the Dark Knight’s number.

“Yes?” came the gravelly voice of Batman on the speakers.

“Hello Batman, I just realized I never received Superman’s phone number; could you message it to me, please?” Miles asked, watching the color drain from the CEO’s face.

“Sending it over now. Anything else?” 

“No, thank you,” Miles said, and the call was disconnected.

“You were saying, Boyle?” His tone was almost smug at this point.

“Look, we can talk this through. Just pay the two million, and the contract is terminated, okay?” Boyle saw how much trouble he was in and realized agreeing was his best course of action.

Not that Miles was going to let him off the hook so easily.

“Two million dollars was before you refused and your bodyguard pulled a weapon on me. Now, we have to renegotiate. How does a hundred dollars sound to you?”

“Hundred dollars?! That’s robbery.” Boyle shouted, as the expensive car he rode cost more in fuel than that while coming here.

“I would watch my words if I were you, Boyle; they could very well determine your accommodations for the rest of your life,” Miles warned, bringing the weapon awfully close to the man’s chest.

“O-okay, okay.” Boyle panicked, feeling the metal touching his chest and his guard on the ground.

Fries or his contract wasn’t worth dying over.

“I am glad to see we could reach a mutually beneficial agreement. Well, beneficial for me and Dr. Fries at any rate. I believe this fine gentleman is your lawyer. Start drafting the new agreement then," Miles ordered at the terrified man after receing watching him nod like a woodpecker.

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A new agreement had been written and signed, and after he paid one hundred dollars, the corporate jackals scurried off with their tails between their legs.

Miles was even generous enough to give the gun back after dismantling it and taking the bullets, of course.

“That was enjoyable,” Victor commented, inviting Miles in.

“What can I say, Victor? People like him bring it out of me.”

Chapter Text

Gotham

Meeting Nora Fries has been an experience to say the least.

Sweet, kind, caring and sincere, it was no surprise Victor would go so far for her.

"Victor told me he will be working for you now?"

"Yes, your husband has an extremely keen mind for medicine, as well as cryotechnology. I intend to have him work on treatments for incurable diseases as well as cancer, and use his technology to combat climate change" While they weren't very lucrative businesses, they would earn him something far more valuable.

Reputation.

"Speaking of, when will I start working?" Victor asked, not out of a desire to work, but to spend more time with his wife.

"It will take some time I am afraid, I have yet to set up a company. I will inform you as soon as possible" He would need to find a person capable of building a company from the ground first, of course.

"Yes, understood" Victor nodded, leaning closer to his wife.

"Now, while I would love to stay and chat, I have an appointment in Metropolis" It was best to give the lovebirds some space and time.

"Thank you again, Mr. Beckett. I can't tell you how grateful I am" Nora thanked, and the couple saw him off.

"Don't mention it Mrs.Nora. I am just glad to be of assistance"

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Metropolis

Superman, it turns out, already busted the Project Firestorm, and Claire was in the wind. He had no idea how to find her, other than she would be robbing a yacht club, but he wagered her fencer, Donnie, would be easier to locate, provided she had already contacted him.

Before that though, steps would have to be taken to deal with Agent Kurt, permanently. Fortunately, he was on the FBI's wanted list.

He found an abandoned warehouse, wrote down the address, and bought a burner phone.

Finding Donnie was simple, just a small payment was enough for the location.

"Welcome to Donnie's Antique Store, how can I help you?" Blond, laidback man said, leaning back on his chair.

"Does the name Volcana or Claire Selton mean anything to you, Donnie?" Miles asked, moving to sit on the empty chair.

From the way his smile fell, Miles could say it did.

"Look" he began, clearly intent on denying.

Miles ignored him and dropped twenty thousand dollars on his desk.

"I am aware she is set on robbing a yacht club, and I am also aware nautical memorabilia is hard to sell on the market. So why don't you make things profitable yourself, and tell me where she is?" Miles said, dropping another twenty grand on the table.

"Let me write down the address" The fencer took a pen and paper, writing down the address of Volcana's target. He knew that rich people who could drop money like that only did first before resorting to more painful means.

He had enough scars to know it wasn't worth it.

"Good. Now some renegade government agents after Volcana will be here to threaten you. I want you to give them this address for your own sake"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles sat on a bench, waiting for the fiery woman to arrive, and enjoying the scenery. It wasn't long before a woman covering herself was walking towards the yacht and Miles moved.

"Miss Claire" He called out, stopping the woman in her tracks.

"Who?" She said, playing the fool, lowering her sunglasses just a bit to take a clear look at him.

"Perhaps you would prefer Volcana?" She twitched, assuming he was a government agent sent after her.

"What do you want?" She turned, pulling her hands out of her pockets, ready to torch him no doubt.

"Miles Beckett, I am here with a job offer you" He said, ignoring her hostile attitude.

"A job offer?" She asked confused.

"Yes, much more lucrative than robbing memorabilia, I mean you would be hard pressed to find a buyer for nautical items, much less one willing to obtain them illegally" Mention of her heist plan threw her off her game.

"You know?" She took on an even more guarded stance now, ready to fight or flight.

"Knowing things is my business, now, are you interested in hearing my offer or not?"

"Why should I trust you?" She had no reason to trust anyone after all.

"Here is one million reasons for you" Miles opened the briefcase, showing her the Benjamins.

"What offer?" She asked, stopping a moment to check if they were real and reached out for the case. Miles handed it to her without a fight.

To her, someone willing to give this much money like that was worth hearing.

"Perhaps we should speak in a less conspicuous place over lunch? My treat"

"Lead the way, rich boy" She said, one hand holding the briefcase, the other ready to attack should it be necessary.

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Sitting in a small restaurant watching over the abandoned warehouse, Miles ordered half the menu and as the table was slowly filled, he took out his phone.

"Hello? I am calling regarding Kurt Baker, the one in your wanted list. I just heard him and his associates talking about capturing someone in the abandoned warehouse down the Founders Street near the docks. Yes, I am sure it was him, he had an eyepatch and one of the men called him by name. You're welcome" Miles ended the call, broke the phone in half, removed the battery and crushed the card.

"You know Kurt, where is that bastard?!" Volcana rose from her chair with a vengeance, a second away from bursting into flames.

"Kurt will be arrested by the FBI very soon, you don't need to bother yourself about him any longer"

"I want him dead" she hissed, her hands steaming.

"Kurt Baker was the head of a government sanctioned black ops project which failed monumentally, and if he talks a lot of high ranking officials will be in a heap of trouble. I can assure you, Kurt will be dead before he appears in front of a judge" Miles said with such conviction Volcana slowly sat down.

"You should try the lobster and enjoy the show"

Three cars approached the warehouse soon, all black and nondescript, and men wearing fire retardant suits immediately rushed out, along with Kurt who was waiting outside.

Right on time, FBI vehicles rushed down both sides of the street, intent on cutting the renegade agent off. Hessler tried to find a way out, but nothing sort of running on foot would save him, and so he started running.

The FBI surrounded the area really quickly, and seeing as they were outnumbered and outgunned, Kurt's men surrendered.

Two agents rushed after Kurt while the rest cuffed the prisoners, and moved inside the warehouse to check it out, coming out with the team sent to capture Volcana.

Kurt wasn't in top shape it seemed as the agents who went after him dragged the one eyed man to the car.

All in all, the FBI was very efficient and the agents were gone before anyone understood what happened.

"I wanted to kill him myself" Volcana muttered, taking a scoop of the oysters.

"Only thing that would achieve is you would be landing in prison and handing yourself to someone worse than Kurt" After all, people like Amanda Waller existed in this world.

"You think they can stop me?" She scoffed with a challenging tone.

"FBI? No, but Superman? He could swim in the sun and come out without so much as a single hair strand singed, you would stand no chance against him" Miles shook his head, and Volcana stood down, knowing it was true.

"Yet he didn't even come for them" The red headed would be villainess said.

"He isn't in the solar system right now" Miles mentioned off handedly, finishing his lobster.

"How do you know that?"

"Operating covertly when there is a man who can hear everything going around the city would have been impossible. So I gave him some valuable information and he is out there in a different star system, seeking the last remnants of his kind" Miles wiped his hands and mouth, satisfied with his food.

"You know Superman?" She sounded sceptical, knowing how secretive the Man of Steel was.

"We are friends, I even have him on speed dial" Miles said, calling the waiter for the check.

"So what is your offer exactly?" Matter of Superman was left aside in favour of money.

"I am in the dangerous business of information and I require protection. Specifically someone with powers who could take down large groups of armed personnel as well as other powered individuals" Miles explained himself, tipping the tired waitress generously enough for her eyes to widen.

He knew how hard it could be for college students like her.

"A bodyguard huh?" Volcana said. She could be a bodyguard.

"Indeed. I mean think about it, you could go and rob a bank right now, but Superman would send you to jail before you can spend even a single dollar of your ill gotten fortune. Alternatively, you can work for me and earn more money than you know what to do with" Miles made his pitch. It was actually something he considered before finding himself in Gotham, as to why the villains did not just use their powers or intelligence to earn money the legal way rather than try to rob a bank.

Besides the usual lack of opportunities the majority of the people faced, it also had to do with the lack of common sense in comic books and cartoons.

"How much are you offering?" If the amount he already handed her was anything to go by, the man certainly didn't lack money.

"One million dollars a year, with another million as a bonus depending on your performance" It might sound excessive, but Miles fully intended to make use of her abilities.

"Does the briefcase you give me count?" Volcana hoped not.

"As I said, that was just for you to hear my offer. If you agree I will give you another as your first paycheck"

"Damn, you must be rich to hand out that much money" She whistled, impressed.

"Rich enough. So what do you say, Volcana, or should I call you Claire?" Miles held out his hand.

"Either is fine, boss" She took it.

"Wonderfull, now let's head to the bank"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting for his number to light up was annoying, but Claire didn't have a bank account, in fact, she didn't have an ID, so here he sat on the comfy chair the bank had with Volcana next to him, reading a magazine.

"Everybody on the ground now!" A voice shouted from the door as three armed men in ski masks entered the bank, carrying heavy weaponry. One of them slammed the stock of his LMG on the guard's face and took his gun, and chaos erupted.

Everyone but Miles and Volcana screamed and laid themselves on the ground, trembling with fear clear in their eyes. But they also had hope that Superman would come and save them.

If only he wasn't in a whole different star system.

"You have got to be kidding me" Miles put his hands over his eyes, sighing.

Bank robberies, the bread and butter of the villains and in his opinion one of the least profitable businesses out there, as most ended up in jail without spending a single dollar.

"I said get on the ground, do you think I am joking?!" one of the robbers shouted, pointing his gun at Miles.

"Don't kill them" He told and watched as his new bodyguard blasted the attacker with an exploding fireball, sending him crashing to the wall and turned her attention to the two other attackers and was faster on the draw, blasting both with fireballs as well.

Amateurs.

He got up and nudged the weapons away from the criminals with his foot, while the occupants of the room got up slowly and began to cheer for their savior, some even taking photos.

"Congratulations, you are a hero now"

Volcana looked like a fish out of water.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fortunately, it wasn't all bad, as the bank and the people in line agreed to let him go first as a gesture of their gratitude to the woman they perceived as a hero.

He withdrew the money, and left, just in time for cops to come and take the criminals away.

"I didn't expect you to be a softy" She commented, examining the money. Not to count it, but to marvel at the amount she held in her hands.

"Softy?" He gave her a side eyed glance.

"Yes, isn't that why you didn't want me to kill them?" Volcana asked, puzzled. If he was friends with Superman, the biggest softy of all, he should be one too.

"My dear, here is a piece of advice for you, free of charge. Burning three people alive, armed or not, in broad daylight with a room full of witnesses and cameras is a terrible idea" He said with a straight tone.

God, did people in this world lack common sense.

"Wouldn't it be self-defense?" She asked, realizing he was right. No need to go to jail when she just earned two million dollars.

"It would be, I suppose, but Superman and the rest of the Justice League frowns upon killing, and that would land me in trouble with them" Miles said. He had no trouble killing  someone for crossing him, but in a world with a detective like Batman, mind readers, objects that could make you confess the truth, people conversing with the spirits of the dead, and a myriad of superpowers that could expose him killing someone existed, it wouldn't be worth it.

Didn't mean he couldn't send them to the Phantom Zone, or lock them up somewhere with no possibility of escape.

"You just don't want your friends to hate you" She said with a mocking tone.

"Those friends are necessary to stop this world from becoming a toy in the hands of cosmic monsters and dark gods, so yes" He could trade barbs with her, but no need to break the fragile trust she had.

"No killing then?" she said after a couple of minutes, stunned at his proclamation.

"Don't worry, dangerous individuals will die, but not by our hand" He said, calling a cab.

"Whose?" Was he just going to use other people for his dirt work and absolve himself off the crime?

"Governments of course"

"Government? I wouldn't trust the government for anything" They had taken her life away, stuck her in a room where she was trained to be a living weapon everyday. If he was working for them, millions or not she would kill him.

"Neither do I trust a government whose president I didn't personally put on the White House" He gave her a look that told Volcana she wasn't as scary as she thought.

"Go on" She actually was intrigued by his words.

"Simple really, we won't kill, not unless it is unavoidable, but we will change the laws to ensure dangerous individuals like Joker or Lex Luthor will face the death penalty for the sake of public safety. We get to keep our hands clean, and they will still die, but it will take time to put my own men in the positions of power necessary to change the justice system so fundamentally "

It was a long but doable plan, a president who would see things his way in the White House, as a friend of his.

"You don't do small, do you?" She snorted, almost bursting to laughter.

"No, I don't"

They got on the cab, driving to a hotel.

Chapter Text

“ My research, in the short time I have been in this world so far, showed me that the timeline in this world is a mess.

There is no Supergirl, and Superman hasn’t met Darkseid yet, but Queen Maxima did apparently pay a visit to Earth to find a mate several weeks before the founding of the Justice League. 

There was no intergang attack on Metropolis Gold Exchange, but  Mr. Mxyzptlk did appear to torment Superman for his own amusement.

Which makes me curious what the Dark God of Apokalyps is doing, since he has yet to set his sights on Earth.

So this world, as far as I figured out, was a fusion of the Superman: The Animated Series and the Justice League cartoon.

This makes me question the accuracy of my knowledge, but Joe Chill was a spot on, and the events of the Justice League seem to be progressing as expected.

I claimed to be an information broker, because I honestly had no idea how to tell living, breathing, real people that they were merely cartoons in my world, meant to amuse the masses for profit.

How would one react to this? With disbelief? or perhaps anger? maybe they won’t even be able to comprehend my words due to some meta effect?

Nonetheless I will build an information network, as the events of the future are bound to change due to my intervention.

For now, acquiring capital is my first order of business, after I find a bodyguard. Fortunately, Superman has yet to meet Volcana again, and her pyrokinetic abilities would be perfect”

Chapter Text

Metropolis

Metropolis Grand Hotel

Spacious, gleaming from floor to roof in marble and crystal chandeliers, with a staff sharp as glass, every single part of the hotel was made to leave a lasting impression.

“So, what is the plan now, boss?” Claire asked, enjoying the rather lavish breakfast that laid before the two, having slept in the comfiest bed of her life.

A woman could get used to this lifestyle.

“Just Miles if you would, boss doesn’t feel like me at all” He replied without lifting his head from the newspaper.

“Fine, Miles. What’s next?” She leaned back, watching the area from the private booth.

“We are going to get you proper identification first before it becomes an issue. After that, I have business in outer space, and you will be staying in Metropolis” Getting into the hotel without her ID required a bit of coercion and cash, which would only take a single honest to god man to be a problem.

“Business in space?” She asked, blinking, wondering what could the man possibly be doing in space.

“Yes, I am selling information for a rather hefty price, and I need to be there in person”

“To aliens? You are even better than I thought” She said, impressed.

“Thank you. Now, while I am otherwise indisposed, you are not to cause trouble. Spend some money, enjoy the hotel, I paid for two weeks in advance, but do not do anything that may draw attention to you unless your life is in danger. You already had enough media coverage due to the bank robbers”

“Understood, and you don’t have to worry, I’ll keep myself occupied in a shopping mall”

“Excellent. All goes well, I’ll be back with enough wealth to start my ventures”

“About that, how much are you expecting to earn from this?” She had no frame of reference for what information would be worth to aliens.

“A bit over a trillion dollars worth of gold, and some favours” Gordonians and the Citadel had to be eliminated, and he knew just the means to do it. Coincidentally, he was sure Thanagarians would be amenable to share their technology if he destroyed their enemies, or he could just blackmail them. Either option worked for him.

Claire almost shouted at hearing the amount, but a look from Miles stopped her.

“I can understand your enthusiasm, but there is no need for the entire hotel to hear it” He said with his ever calm tone.

“Sorry” She apologized, having almost lost control.

“It is fine, however do keep the matter quiet, the last thing I need is the IRS to come knocking on my door” He didn’t want to draw the attention of the federal government, not while he wasn’t powerful enough.

“You know, you just hired me but seem to be too trusting, don’t you think?” She trusted the authenticity of the money, but humans were another issue.

“Claire, I believe dealing in honesty is a good way to earn a person’s loyalty, but in the event you betray me, well, I am not one to suffer traitors, not for long” Miles stopped reading, his tone low and steady.

“Message received. What about after you return?” Claire could understand where he was coming from, having been betrayed by her parents, the institute and the Project Firestorm herself.

“I will need an individual who can build a company from scratch and we will move on from there” 

“Here, I believe this column will have your interest” He handed her the newspaper and leaned back.

Suspicious Death of a Renegade Agent Under FBI Custody

Kurt Baker, a former government agent accused of treason who had been arrested yesterday following a successful operation by the FBI, has been found dead in his cell. Investigations are underway, but for now the cause of death is unknown. However, questions arose as to whether former Agent Baker had been silenced by the government….

“Huh, I still wanted to kill him myself” Claire said, feeling strangely unsatisfied. She thought with Kurt’s death there would be a sense of relief, of freedom, but she didn’t really feel anything besides emptiness.

“My dear, if it wasn’t for the unwritten rules of the Justice League, I would have been all too happy to hand him over to you for due revenge, alas, you will have to make do with this” Miles didn’t have an issue with killing people, but the League did. 

“As long as he is dead, I suppose” She handed the newspaper back.

The jolly ringtone of his phone stopped Miles from getting back to reading.

“Yes? Good morning. I am glad to hear that, how is she? Good, let me know if you require any help with her, teenagers can be handful, even ones from a more advanced society. You’re welcome” he said, ending the call.

“Who was that?” The last part of the call was strange enough for her to ask.

“The boy scout, apparently he found himself a surrogate cousin” Miles didn’t want to openly say Superman, not even in a private booth like that. 

“Really? So another hero like him flying around, saving kittens from trees?” Claire said, not meaning anything insulting by it. 

“This one is a teenager with the trauma of losing her entire race stuck in a more primitive society” Supergirl would make her debut as a hero soon anyway.

“That sucks” What else could she say? What she had gone through was bad, but that? Claire couldn’t imagine how bad it would be.

“Indeed” He nodded, finishing his orange juice.

“Now, as you are already in the system, it should be a simple matter to get a new ID card issued to you” He put down his empty glass, and called for the check.

“I am ready when you are”

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Claire Selton filled the forms necessary for a new ID card, paid the fee and they headed back to the hotel. They saw Superman on the way back, as the Man of Tomorrow was busy saving civilians from a fire.

“Do you happen to know how to drive?” He didn’t want to hire a chauffeur and increase the number of people he would have to explain his business to.

“Project Firestorm didn’t really have any extracurricular activities” Claire said, just remembering those days took her back to the small room she was locked in whenever they didn’t run tests or trained her till her bones cracked.

“You will have to learn until we have a faster method of travel” 

“Like what?”

“Teleportation if possible, or portals” Thanagar did have teleporters in this continuity, it shouldn’t be hard to acquire the technology.

“I thought you meant something like a private jet” Then again, she should have expected it, as Miles didn’t do small.

“Justice League has Javelins, which are space capable crafts traveling well beyond the speed of any private jet”

“Spaceships huh?” Figures that the Super Friends League would have advanced toys like that.

“A step in that direction more like”

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After returning to the hotel Miles called Green Lantern to inform him he was ready.

“Hello John, I just wanted to say I am available to meet the Guardians at their earliest convenience”

“Alright then, I’ll give them a call and come pick you up” John said, as he had been waiting for this.

“Do tell them I am not giving the information for free this time” Miles said, reminding the Green Lantern of their previous conversation while on the way to Zamaron.

“Got it, I’ll call you later”

“I’ll be waiting”

Miles readied his briefcase of wonders, to bluff in case the Guardians decided this matter was too important to play ball, and waited. Not long after the call had ended John called him back.

“Man, you got the Guardians in a frenzy, they want to talk to you now, where are you?” John had never seen or heard the usually stoic and emotionless Guardians act like this.

“There is an abandoned warehouse down the Founders street on Metropolis docks, we can meet there ” It was out of sight enough for them to meet without drawing attention.

“Be there in ten minutes, and you better be ready, we’ll have to go really fast this time” John said, having received orders from the Guardians to make full speed to Oa.

“I am always ready”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They took a taxi down to the docks, stopping near the cafe where they had lunch. They got off, while the driver waited for Claire to get back in.

“You sure you don’t need me to come?” She couldn’t let her precious source of money die.

“Claire, believe me if the Guardians decide to do anything to me, you would not be able to stop hundreds of Green Lanterns. You will stay back for now, it shouldn’t take more than a day or two” 

“How are you going to get out of there if you end up in trouble?”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan”

Claire blinked.

He was going to get himself killed, wasn’t he?

“Have it your way”

“Before I forget, go buy yourself a phone and call me” Miles handed her a card with his number on.

“Understood, I’ll be waiting, and please don’t get yourself killed out there. That would be a terrible look on my resume”

“I am reasonably sure nothing will go wrong, now off you go”

She nodded and got back on the taxi, heading to her spa appointment.

Miles walked to the entrance of the warehouse, spotting John leaning on a street lamp.

“John, there you are”

“Miles, gotta say you really kicked of a hornet’s nest, the Guardians almost came here but I convinced them it wasn’t worth the trouble”

“Seems I have their attention”

“Yeah, they also ordered me not to speak of this matter without explicit orders again. Real hush-hush”

“Let’s not keep them waiting”

They moved to the alley and seconds later shot upwards to space, heading to Oa, Headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John was focused during the entire journey to Oa, moving way faster than last time the two of them had traveled together. 

Miles didn’t want to disturb the Lantern, and decided to recap his knowledge regarding the Guardians.

Having created the Green Lantern Corps with the sole purpose of bringing order to the galaxy,  they all acted without emotion, only caring for the Lantern Corps as a whole, while Ganthet, the outlier, cared about individuals as well. 

Chances are, they would use force to learn what Miles knew if they couldn’t reach a deal.

Oa came into vision soon, a planet of white and blue, located at the center of the galaxy, with the extremely advanced technology of the Guardians and their beliefs making itself present on the planet.

The Guardian’s city, with architecture so alien and skyscrapers taller than any on Earth doting the planet, was beyond the imagination of humanity. They entered the atmosphere at full speed, heading straight to the square where the Main Power Battery and the Guardians were.

John landed first, gently lowering the bubble to the ground and letting Miles out, who 

Already, a group awaited them, Kilowog and the future leader of the Yellow Lantern Corps, Sinestro amongst several other aliens.

“So this is the human that warned us huh? He doesn’t look like much” Kilowog, a towering alien with bulging muscles, a face remnant of a bulldog and a skin like a porcine, many considered the geneticist alien a brute with no intelligence, a fatal mistake on their part.

“Appearances can be deceiving Kilowog, you should know better than me” Miles rebutted, watching the alien nod in agreement.

“I am more curious about what you said that has the Guardians acting so out of the norm?” Thaal Sinestro, a tall Korugarian with a pencil moustache who looked extremely similar to a human with his red skin being the only difference, asked, watching Miles like a hawk.

“You couldn’t meet my price Sinestro, best leave it to the Guardians” Miles said, while didn’t have anything against Sinestro yet  he definitely would if the alien came to Earth causing trouble.

Sinestro just turned his head to the right, watching the hundreds of Lanterns going and coming. 

“Let’s go in before the Guardians get impatient and come themselves” Kilowog said, leading them inside. 

“Hey, don’t piss them off” John called out in a joking manner.

“I’ll try not to” He replied back.

He didn’t come here to cause trouble after all.

Chapter Text

Oa

The Guardians’ Council Chamber

If Miles had to describe the Guardians to a human who had never heard of them before, Papa Smurfs without the hats would be his first choice.

“Miles Beckett of Earth, welcome to Oa.” One of the Guardians greeted. Miles wasn’t even going to pretend to know their names.

“Thank you.”

“Lantern Stewart has informed us regarding your knowledge of Blackest Night. We are listening.” Miles was sure they forgot to ask what he wanted in return on purpose.

“Has he not informed you it wasn’t free this time?” Half the reason he informed them about the Manhunters was to prove his reliability. 

“You would bargain for the future of the universe?” The voice would have sounded offended if the Guardians weren’t such staunch advocates for not feeling emotions.

“I am not bargaining. I have my terms: you either accept them and I relay to you what I know, or you don’t and I leave, simple as that.” Miles said this was a business transaction with clear terms; if anyone was bargaining, it was them.

“What are your terms?” One of them said after they discussed it for a couple of minutes amongst each other.

“100,000 Earth tons of processed gold in bars—now I know it is insulting to beings like you who are beyond material need, but Earth has barely learned to crawl, and we already have to deal with a ridiculous amount of threats, and that gold will be necessary. Also, I require a Green Lantern ring, and I need to take Larfleeze out for an errand. Of course, I will convince him myself; I just want you to not interfere.” Miles knew the first part was easy; in fact, he could have asked for a planet made of gold, and the Guardians would have given it. It was his second and third terms that presented a problem.

“You know Agent Orange? Then you know it is vital he stays where he is.” Larfleeze was a one-person Lantern Corps, which made him an extremely dangerous and lethal opponent, and the Guardians had to make do with convincing him to stay in the Vega system, as they had no other option that was worth the price they would pay.

“And he is vital to my plans, so if you want to know what will trigger Blackest Night, you will let him out, or you can try to figure it out yourselves.” Miles said, knowing convincing the other side you will walk away if you don’t get what you want would press them into a corner.

“Perhaps we should contain you until you are ready to speak.” One with a receding hairline suggested, receiving contemplating glances.

“Do you know what is in this briefcase?” Miles held it out. If the Smurfs resorted to threats, so would he.

“Our scans detected nothing in it.” Source of valuable information or not, the Guardians weren’t going to let anyone walk into the Council Chambers before guaranteeing their safety.

“Because the object inside is from the Antimatter Universe, and your rings cannot scan something that shouldn’t exist, you should know that, after all, Krona was the one who created it,” Miles said, ruffling the figurative feathers of the Guardians.

“What is in it then?” The Guardians became alert. What the human said was correct: after Krona created the Antimatter Universe, they had ceased all the activities that might give their lost brethren a way back into this universe, and their knowledge of the inner workings of that universe was lacking.

“A beacon to summon the Anti-Monitor for a short while to this universe, and I won’t hesitate to use it if you think you can imprison me.” Miles said,

“Anti-Monitor? We are not familiar with it.” The one who suggested imprisoning Miles said knowing anything from that universe would have dire effects on this one.

“An extremely powerful being capable of destroying universes, and already innumerable universes have met oblivion at his hands. Now, since he will be here for a short amount of time, the universe will be safe, but I can’t say the same for Oa.”

“You are bluffing.” Miles could see the beginnings of worry in their demeanor. He had them.

“Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not. The only way to find out is to open the briefcase. If I am bluffing, nothing happens; if I am not, you will have to fight and risk your lives. So let me ask you, is it worth the risk? After all, Larfleeze is a known quantity, whereas Blackest Night and Anti-Monitor are not. Miles steered the conversation back to the matter.

The Guardians started to discuss the pros and cons of whether imprisoning the human was worth the trouble. The human knew things he had no business knowing; who could say he didn’t have the means to actually bring a creature from the Antimatter Universe? 

Better to fight the enemy they knew than the one they did not.

“You have made your point; you will have your gold, and we will allow Agent Orange to leave the Vega system for this one instance. However, rings are not given; they choose their bearers.” The one with the Elvis Presley hair agreed for the entire council after they finished their discussion.

“You are the creator of the rings; I am positive you can hand me one.” Not like he was going to use the ring.

“What is it that you want the ring for if you cannot use it?” Yoda’s blue cousin spoke, wondering what fate awaited the ring.

“Personal business” Realizing Miles wasn’t going to explain further, the Guardians looked at each other for confirmation; eventually, they all gave their consent.

“We agree to your terms.”

“Then ask, and you shall receive.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three Hours Later

Miles explained everything he remembered about Nekron, how he was in a dimension of his own, his powers, and how the death of an immortal would create a paradox and unleash the Lord of the Unliving into the universe so he may bring blackest night and end all life. He mentioned the Entity, which the Guardians were aware of, and how it created the White Lantern Corps by fusing with any existing Lantern, regardless of where they stood in the Emotional Spectrum. 

As killing what was basically the ultimate death wasn’t possible, the only way to defeat him was to seal the rift between dimensions with Nekron on the other side.

He couldn’t mention Krona’s death explicitly but did warn them that since the Maltusians were immortal, they should be extremely careful when putting themselves in mortal danger.

Even for the Guardians of the Universe, it was a lot to take, so they decided it was for the best if Miles stayed on Oa for a couple more days.

“I must say you have given us a lot to consider.” A Guardian followed him, and from the way he looked troubled, Miles reckoned he was Ganthet, probably the favorite Guardian of many Green Lanterns.

“The multiverse could be a dark and dangerous place.”

“Indeed.” The immortal Maltusian sighed, knowing it was their scientific research that created it in the first place.

“I have also wanted to speak to you regarding your payment. When and where do you want us to deliver the gold?”

“I’ll give you the coordinates, and I cannot stress this enough, but be extremely discreet. I don’t want the Justice League or the government questioning why the Green Lanterns delivered thousands of tons of gold to me.”

“Are you not allied with them?”

“I am, but I also have my own methods to ensure Earth’s survival.”

“We will be discreet then.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes in groups, sometimes individually, the Guardians came to ask questions about the prophecy, and he did his best to answer. At the end of day two of his visit to Oa, the Guardians had enough and thought it best to send Miles back to Earth.

“Miles Beckett, we are grateful for both instances you have supplied us with your knowledge, and you will have your negotiated fee. To that end, Ganthet will coordinate with you regarding the delivery. This communication device will allow you to contact him directly.”

“That is wonderful to hear; nothing like a clean and simple trade deal to satisfy both sides.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Finally done?” John was taken off duty for the duration of Miles’ stay in Oa and had spent time with his fellow Lanterns while waiting.

“Yes, with how sensitive the whole matter is, no surprise it took a couple of days, but I am ready to go back to Earth. The sky here is dreadfully boring,” Miles complained in a mocking tone.

“Hope you didn’t tell that to the Guardians,” John shot back, smiling.

“I am not daft, John.” 

“Let’s go back then.” John began to levitate, raising his ring.

“You did keep this matter silent, right?” 

“The Guardians wanted it that way.” John would have spoken to the League about the deal, but his bosses told him to keep it quiet, and it's not like he saw any harm.

“Well then, my interstellar chauffeur, take me back to Metropolis, please.”

John shook his head, enveloping Miles in a green bubble.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Their journey back to Earth didn’t require any haste, and John took the opportunity to ask more questions.

“So, how do we defeat this Nekron if he gets out?”

“You drag him back to the dimension he crawled out from and seal the breach.”

“No other way?”

“John, Nekron is an embodiment of death; every single soul that dies passes through his dimension, regardless of their religion or lack of one. He is the physical manifestation of the concept of death as a cosmic certainty. As long as there is death, he will exist, so no,” Miles replied, quoting the description he had read from the wiki.

“And here I thought dealing with the Imperium was bad.”

“They are but a blip in the cosmos, John.”

That didn’t fill the Green Lantern with confidence.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

Landing back on Earth after two days on Oa, Miles checked his phone for a call from Claire. He called the number back, and Claire answered after a couple of seconds.

“Hey, Miles. Glad to see you’re alive.” She spoke with a drawl, sounding incredibly relaxed.

“Claire, I hope you’re not indulging in recreational substances out in the open.” 

“What?! No, I am just getting a massage, that’s all,” she replied, flustered and suddenly fully aware.

“Already enjoying the luxuries the capitalist system provides, I see. I will be at the hotel in half an hour; be ready by then.” They would be heading to Massachusetts for the gold shipment. 

“Understood.”

Miles ended the call, calling for a taxi to the hotel.

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Metropolis Grand Hotel

Claire opened the door for Miles as the young man got out of the car.

“What do you think?” She posed with her hands on her waist. 

In a two-piece black and red suit showing her belly with a keyhole and no arms, along with red gloves and high-heeled boots, she cut a rather eye-catching figure.

“If you can fight in those boots, then I have to admit you are smoldering.” Miles made a pun, watching Claire roll her eyes, but still pleased.

“So how did your business go?”

“Swimmingly, we need to be at Massachusetts for the Green Lanterns to bring the gold.”

“Right, you did mention that last time, but who exactly did you meet out there?”

“They are called the Guardians of the Universe, immortal aliens who made it their goal to bring order to the galaxy, and the leader of the Green Lantern Corps.“

“So, space cops?”

“Yes, most would describe them as such. Now, have you received your ID yet?”

“Here.” She held it out, happy to have a part of her life taken by the society back.

“Perfect timing.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis International Airport

Renting a private jet and burning quite a bit of money to expedite the process, Miles and Claire were in the air in an hour.

Metropolis and Massachusetts were relatively close, so their flight wasn’t going to take long.

“Mmm, this is rather good. Are you sure you don’t want a glass?” Claire sipped the champagne, enjoying the expensive brand.

“No, I don’t have good memories when it comes to alcohol.” He refused, lying on the cozy seat with his hat covering his eyes.

“Why? Drunk father or something?” She asked, swirling the glass.

“Mother, actually, she married the college genius, unaware he only married her to fulfill the expectations our circle of acquaintances and my grandparents put on him. She resorted to drinking when I was four years old or so,” he explained, seeing it as a good way to build rapport with Claire.

“What happened after that?” She lost her smile, seeing Miles was in the same boat as her.

“My father died when I was sixteen, and she disappeared with her young lover, taking most of the estate,” he explained. Miles, having seen what a real family was from his friends in school, didn't shed any tears over either event.

“You too, huh?” She was sympathetic to his struggles, not that Miles saw them as such.

“Indeed.”

“What did you do after that?” Knowing him, it was definitely something grand.

“I blackmailed a high-ranking banking executive, graduated college, and I am now busy trying to save the world.” Claire blinked at the blunt admission, wanting to know the details, but she was more curious about the rest of his family.

“What about your grandparents? Didn’t they offer any help?”

“Anything they offered would come with a leash around my neck, and I might have just strangled them with it.” While they were worlds apart now, he still remembered the elitist, stuck-up old coots who cared more about their status than their children and ended up raising single-minded garbage in human form.

“That’s brutal.” She too had considered revenge against her parents but didn’t know if she could do it, though something told Claire that Miles would.

“Suddenly getting cold feet, Claire?” Miles teased her guard.

“No, actually I find it rather hot. What about your mother? Aren’t you worried she might show herself if you get famous?” She winked, bantering for the fun of it rather than any desire.

“We won’t be seeing her again, ever.” Miles said with certainty, knowing Claire would take it the wrong way, but it would stop her from getting nosy.

Chapter Text

Massachusetts

They would be spending a couple of days at the bunker; as such, supplies were necessary.

Food, water, entertainment, beds and furniture, replacing the kitchen cabinets, cooking utensils and cutlery, a gas stove, getting utilities back on, and, most importantly, an AC unit.

Miles rented a truck and hired people to carry and set up the furniture first while he and Claire were having a conversation away from any potential prying ears.

"How are you going to sell that much gold? I mean, is there anyone who has the money to buy it all at once?" Claire asked, leaning on the wall, observing as the workers lowered a bed down the hatch and hauled it off inside.

"Selling that much gold in a single transaction would make it virtually worthless, shake up the economy, and draw undue attention to us, not to mention it is impossible. I'll sell it over time, piece by piece; that way gold retains its value, and I will have insurance for decades in the event of financial struggles," Miles explained, having already planned to visit the local branch of Metropolis Gold Exchange to see how much they could buy.

"Thinking really long term then. What are we doing next?" She asked, getting bored just lazing around.

"Set up a secret operations base, recruit some more people, and start building the foundations of a spy empire and a company." Miles would need an operations base for a spy network, somewhere where people couldn't track him.

"Who is first on the list?" The pyrokinetic asked, itching for action.

"Zalika from Korogoro, Kenya. She is working with a gang right now and will be our hacker. Ratcatcher is currently stuck in Belle Reve, but I should be able to get her out with a good enough lawyer." Miles was sure Zalika could be convinced, whether by saving her brother if he was alive or offering her revenge if he was not. As for Ratcatcher 2, he had no information regarding the nature of her incarceration, but people with worse crimes got off with a slap on the wrist, provided they knew who to bribe or blackmail.

"Ratcatcher? What do you need her for?" Claire asked, having heard of the metahuman mentioned during Project Firestorm, as there were plans to weaponize her rats.

"Think about it, if a rat enters LexCorp to bug the place, will they think it is a spy problem or a rat problem?" Miles asked rhetorically.

"Can her rats do that?" She asked, They were rodents, after all.

"Strap a well-camouflaged harness on the rats with a camera; they can carry and drop the bugs somewhere discreet." He was going to need to find someone to work on surveillance devices. Perhaps he could find Ivo?

"Provided you can get her out and she agrees to work for you." She shrugged. Someone sent to Belle Rive wouldn't agree to play that easily.

"There is no shortage of people with meta powers to recruit Claire."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Close to night, when the city was slowing down, and after everything was settled, Miles activated the comms device given by the Guardians.

Ganthet answered, and a green hologram of his smiling face appeared over the device.

"Greetings, Miles Beckett. I presume you are ready for your end of the bargain?"

"Indeed, I am. You can bring the payment to my current coordinates." Miles nodded; he was running out of the ten million he earned from Bruce Wayne.

"Very well, several Lanterns will be bringing the gold and the ring, and worry not, as promised we will take great care to be discreet." Ganthet assured him, as the Maltusian wasn't as much a stickler for rules as his brethren were.

"I will be waiting then."

The hologram winked out, leaving him alone in the area they had designed as the living room.

"Good news, the Guardians are bringing the gold," he said to Claire, who had already started on the Chinese takeout.

"Really fancy place you found, Miles, besides the lack of sunlight." She swallowed the noodles, motioning around the room with her fork.

"Well built to withstand a nuclear winter and alien invasions to some degree, such a tragedy the man in question went bankrupt during the construction." Miles sat down as well, opening his noodles and taking the chopsticks out of the packet.

"You know, I was wondering something: why didn't you just convince Green Lantern to help you get the gold?" She was puzzled; after all, if those rings were that capable, why go to all that trouble in the first place?

"Ask him to hand me enough wealth to beggar the richest individuals on this planet, just because we happen to be friends? I don't know about you, but I am not the type to enjoy the thought of owing debts, much less to my friends," Miles said after swallowing his bite.

"Would it be a debt though, since you are asking a friend?" Come to think of it, she didn't have any friends, not since middle school.

"Asking a friend to buy you coffee is fine; asking him to give you a trillion dollars, even if it doesn't cost him anything, is not."

"Guess you're right." She shrugged, deciding her food was more important than a philosophical discussion over friendship.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orbs of dim green light appeared in the distance after a couple of hours, approaching the bunker.

Ganthet and Green Lanterns of several different species carrying tens of thousands of gold bars with the power of their rings slowly floated down.

"Hello, Miles Beckett," Ganthet greeted with a shallow nod, examining the surrounding area as this was the first time he visited Earth.

"Ganthet, wonderful to see you again. You can start moving the gold inside; Claire here will guide the Lanterns," Miles said, gesturing to the fiery young woman with his hand.

"You as well." The Maltusian nodded, and the Green Lanterns began to follow Claire down the hatch.

It was a scene straight out of a cartoon as gold bars floated inside the bunker in a line, going on and on.

"This has been an interesting first experience for me and the rest of the Guardians as well," Ganthet commented, standing next to Miles and watching.

"One should always aspire to try new things to avoid a monotone life."

"Well said. Here, your ring, but as you had already been informed, you cannot use it, not unless the ring chooses you," Ganthet warned, handing him a green box.

Miles opened the box, seeing the ring sitting on a black cushion, before it floated up, glowing green.

"Miles Beckett of Earth," it began, before Miles raised the box and shut the ring back in.

"Oh my," Ganthet said with wonder, eyes shining. He was curious if the ring would choose the human; after all, someone with a weak will would not be able to stand before the Guardians and threaten them.

"Don't look too hopeful; I am not good at taking orders from anyone." Miles had no intention of playing space cop.

"Pity, I believe you would make an excellent Lantern." Ganthet smiled, delighted at Miles' displeasure.

"And I believe in having a good relationship with law enforcement; it doesn't mean I want to be a direct part of it." The profession, no matter the scope, had too many rules and regulations for him.

"Well, here is hoping for a fruitful future," Ganthet said, thinking along the same vein.

With the speed of the Lanterns, it took barely an hour for the entire fortune to be settled in the bunker, and they prepared to return to Oa, with wishes of further cooperation.

"You know, even watching this was tiring," Claire muttered. Seeing all that wealth float before her eyes, she was ecstatic at first, but after a while it got tiring.

"Take a room and rest, Claire; we have much to do tomorrow."

"My pleasure."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Miles had awakened early and prepared breakfast, since Claire's skills in cooking were nonexistent.

The said woman came out, looking as if death warmed over, before sitting down and laying her head on the brand-new dinner table.

"Morning," she muttered, yawning.

"Not a good one, it seems," Miles commented, flipping the last pancake.

"Sue me, I had to adhere to a strict military schedule for years, but now I feel like I could sleep for days," she mumbled contentedly, eyes closed.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I have to exchange some of this gold, and you are coming with me." Placing the last sweet goodness on the top, he added berries and poured maple syrup over it.

"How are we going to get it all out anyway? Are we hiring people again?" Claire raised her head, watching the man work his magic on the kitchen counter.

"No, that would be just putting up a sign asking to be robbed. There is a service lift at the back that needs repairs. We'll get it fixed, buy a forklift and a truck, and handle everything ourselves," Miles explained while adding a touch of butter on the top of the pancake tower.

"Maybe you should hire someone with enhanced strength?"

"You didn't think this job would be one of leisure and indulgence, did you?" Miles turned to her, giving a deadpan look.

"No." She yawned, eyes widening with appreciation as Miles passed a plate of fluffy pancakes to her, along with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Hacker, information broker, an excellent cook, and rich? Whoever marries you is going to live like a queen."

"I will take that as a compliment."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting an entirely new supply lift was not easy, as the nearest shop was twenty miles away and booked for weeks.

Thankfully, money had a mysterious way of solving problems. Miles offered to pay thrice their hourly rate if they could bring his appointment forward and be at his address as soon as possible.

An hour later, the mechanics already started working on dismantling the old lift. Miles wanted it done fast, and they were delivering.

Once it was operational and the mechanics had been paid their due, they visited the nearest car dealership for a truck with a large enough trailer to transport literal tons of gold.

Thankfully he had the mind to register himself in the NDR and just had to pay a small fee to get a brand-new and, most importantly, legal driver's license.

A red semi truck later, they headed to a trailer dealership this time, buying one with a twenty-ton cargo capacity, which would mean about two hundred million dollars' worth of gold.

Next they bought a forklift and loaded it onto the truck, and at noon Miles and Claire stood before the Massachusetts branch of Metropolis Gold Exchange with a briefcase carrying a single gold bar as a sample.

A large, golden-brown building with a dome, it had two statues in front of it, one on the right and the other on the left.

The entrance had four columns of the same color, as if they were protecting the building, though none attempted to rob the place as it was well protected, and all the gold was shipped to the HQ at Metropolis at regular intervals.

The inside was noticeably cooler than the outside, but not to the point of being uncomfortable. The ground was pure white marble polished enough that one could see their reflection clearly.

Taking a ticket, Miles waited for his turn, watching lines slowly but steadily trickle away, and eventually his number lit up.

"Hello and welcome to Massachusetts Gold Exchange. How may I help you today?" The clerk smiled, though it did not reach her eyes.

" I wish to exchange large quantities of gold. Can you inform someone with the appropriate authority?" Miles said, and the clerk went on full alert now that such an important client had come.

"How much gold do you wish to exchange? Depending on the amount, we can call our branch manager," she mentioned, taking him seriously now.

"Depends on how much this fine establishment can buy." Miles leaned on the counter while the clerk—Samantha—hastily dialed the phone and called her superior.

Next chapter:

​

"Orm, King Arthur's brother, has been planning a coup for a long time, along with General Brak. He also has a WMD called the Doomsday Thermal Reactor and probably is using the plutonium to power it" Miles said after thinking for a couple of seconds, remembering the names.

"That doesn't sound good" Superman said, dread settling in his stomach.

"It was a last resort to melt the polar caps and flood the globe, should the worst befall Atlantis due to us surface dwellers. We need to inform King Arthur of the coup and put a stop to this" Miles warned, his tone making the team feel the danger the situation presented.

"How do we do that? We would just be strangers accusing his brother of treason" Wonder Woman asked, having met the King of Atlantis first hand, and saying he was aggressive would be a misunderstatement.

"Arrange me a meeting with him, I am sure I can convince him" Miles offered. Aquaman didn't hesitate to cut his own hand off to save his son, and would definitely take any threat against him seriously.

​

Chapter Text

Metropolis Gold Exchange

Massachusetts Branch Office

The manager, one Anthony Laster, invited Miles and Claire into his office to discuss business. The duo sat on the leather seats while the branch manager took his seat on his desk. 

“So, what can I get you two? Tea, coffee, something more stiff?” He offered it as a business. 

“I’ll take water, Claire?” Miles said, turning to his bodyguard.

“No thanks.” She shrugged.

“Alright then, you said you wanted to exchange gold, Mr.Beckett. How much were you interested in selling?” Anthony Laster asked, after making a quick call and ordering a glass of whiskey for himself and a glass of water for Miles.

“Ten billion dollars worth, for a start.” Miles said with a straight face, and the branch manager was taken aback at the amount, handing over the briefcase carrying the sample he had brought.

Opening the briefcase and taking the heavy bar, the professional began to examine it.

No hallmark or letter mark to identify it, which suggested it was most likely melted and cast privately.

Running some quick tests, the gold was real as far as Anthony could see.

“That is way more than I am authorized to buy, and I will have to call my superiors. May I ask how you acquired that much gold?” He asked, someone who wanted to sell one thousand tons of gold for a start couldn’t have appeared out of nowhere.

They kept an eye on all the wealthy individuals, such as him.

“My family, using their considerable fortune and resources, has been hoarding gold for a long time due to their inherent distrust of government and fiat money.” Miles lied, as the truth was inconvenient.

“I see, fascinating that we did not hear such a wealthy family’s name uttered around our circles.” Anthony poked further, trying to find any fault with the story.

“They did not go around bragging about their wealth, lest they draw unwanted attention.” Miles continued his lie, not giving away anything. Establishing a cover story for his wealth was vital to cashing the gold through legal channels to avoid the problems that would arise from illegal dealings.

The door opened, and a young woman carrying a tray with the requested drinks handed Miles his glass.

“What changed your mind?” Anthony took the whiskey, sipping a little before placing it on his desk, watching Miles.

“I did not like the frugal and illogical lifestyle they led, not when all that gold could be put to better use.” Miles shook his head, appearing to be frowning at the memory of it.

“An entrepreneur at heart, well, I can say with confidence you came to the right place. Now, if you can excuse me, I need to make a call. In the meantime, please call my secretary, Ms. Addams, if you need anything.” Anthony smiled, taking his phone and leaving the room to make the call.

“Thank you.” Miles said, watching the man leave. 

The manager asked an awful lot of questions, but it was expected for him to ascertain the source of his wealth to not step into anything illegal.

Not even ten minutes later he returned, pearly white teeth shining in the sunlight, giving him a blinding smile.

“Good news, I have been authorized to make the purchase at market price while our chief operations manager comes here within the next twenty-four hours.”

“Excellent. Now I can only bring about twenty tons of gold at a time, so we have plenty of time.” Miles informed. By his estimates, he and Claire working together could make three to four transports a day, earning between six and eight hundred million dollars, and the entire sale would take close to two weeks.

“We can assist in the matter of transportation for a modest fee.” Anthony offered, holding out his hand.

“I’ll have to pass, I am afraid.” Miles refused; he couldn’t allow anyone to see the inside of his bunker and took the offered hand.

“You are the customer; how soon can you start bringing the gold?” He would have earned a significant bonus from the fees, but considering the amount he would get, Anthony wasn’t going to push it.

“We will go and bring the first batch immediately.” Miles said, the sooner they start, the better.

“Very well, I will inform the security, and you will be directed to a weighing station, and I will prepare the necessary forms to ensure a smooth transaction.” The happy branch manager said, showing them to the door.

“Then let’s not delay any longer. Come on, Claire, we have much to do.” If they were quick enough, they could make two trips before the branch closed for the day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two Weeks Later

Bunker

After two weeks of loading thousands of bars onto a trailer and then driving the truck to the exchange center and signing endless papers, Miles and Claire were sitting around the sofa, resting.

“So how are you going to find someone to build a company like that?” Claire asked, eating a spoonful of ice cream from a tub.

“Advertisement in a newspaper.” Miles said, checking his finances on the phone and paying his damn taxes.

He was definitely going to evade taxes rather than let the politicians use his hard-earned money to fill their own pockets.

“Isn’t that dangerous?” She didn’t think it was a good idea to let the whole country know you were rich and hiring.

“I would like to believe I possess the necessary abilities to choose someone trustworthy to lead my business.” Miles didn't have the time to go and search for a qualified person, so why not let the person come to him?

“If you say so.”

Miles’ phone rang; checking it out, he saw it was a call from John Stewart.

“Green Lantern, how can I help?” 

“You need to come in; there is a situation we need your help with.” He sounded worried and angry.

“Understood, can you please pick me up?”

“I am on my way.” The Lantern ended the call.

“Business calls, let’s go.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watchtower

Green Lantern was obviously skeptical about having Claire in the Watchtower, but Miles vouched for the young woman, and the rest of the League agreed as long as he was responsible for the pyrokinetic.

Superman was surprised to see the woman he had saved long ago working for Miles, and the said woman didn’t hesitate to flirt with the man of steel, but it was cut short.

“So what happened?” Miles asked, but he already had an idea since, after the whole debacle with Ajuris 4, came Aquaman and Atlantis.

“USS Defiant, a nuclear submarine of the Navy, was sunk to the bottom of the ocean and sent a distress call. When we responded, we were attacked by Atlanteans of all things. Long story short, they released the crew but are keeping the submarine. What’s more, I went and checked, and the plutonium was gone. Do you know anything that can help?” Green Lantern asked, concerned about the possibility of a nuclear attack.

“Orm, King Arthur’s brother, has been planning a coup for a long time, along with General Brak. He also has a WMD called the Doomsday Thermal Reactor and probably is using the plutonium to power it.” Miles said after thinking for a couple of seconds, remembering the names.

“That doesn’t sound good.” Superman said, dread settling in his stomach. 

“It was a last resort to melt the polar caps and flood the globe should the worst befall Atlantis due to us surface dwellers. We need to inform King Arthur of the coup and put a stop to this.” Miles warned, his tone making the team feel the danger the situation presented.

“How do we do that? We would just be strangers accusing his brother of treason.” Wonder Woman asked, having met the King of Atlantis firsthand, and saying he was aggressive would be a misunderstatement. 

“Arrange me a meeting with him; I am sure I can convince him.” Miles offered. Aquaman didn’t hesitate to cut his own hand off to save his son and would definitely take any threat against him seriously.

“Well, you are in luck.” Superman said, gesturing to the screen where an anchorman was reporting how Aquaman forced his way into the World Assembly.

“An audience with royalty is coming up.” Green Lantern said, watching the screen.

“We should hurry; this is the perfect opportunity if Orm finally decides to kill his brother.” Miles warned, heading to the hangar.

“What do you mean?” Superman asked, wondering just how bad this situation would get.

“King Arthur died on the surface when he went there for peace. Orm will have all the justification he needs to usurp the throne and start a war.” 

The grim look on their faces told him they understood what was at stake.

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Metropolis

Miles and Claire, along with Superman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, quickly made their way to the building where the meeting was held.

“Claire, go out and watch the rooftops for any assassins; take no chances.” Miles ordered, if they could stop Deadshot before he wounds Aquaman, Orm wouldn’t have the time to take any action before Aquaman returned to his throne.

“Understood.” The fiery woman replied, bursting into flames and flying up.

Miles followed the heroes inside the building to talk sense to Aquaman. He was left behind as all four of them could fly and decided to wait for Aquaman to come out. 

With long, blonde hair and a muscled frame half covered by a green cloak, King Arthur certainly cut an impressive figure.

“Your Highness.” He greeted the ruler of Atlantis with a nod, who stopped to look at him for a moment before ignoring him and continuing on his way.

“Orm has stolen the plutonium from the submarine and intends to use it to power the thermal reactor and melt the Arctic Circle.” Miles said, stopping Arthur in his tracks.

“How do you know that?” The blonde Atlantean asked, walking up to Miles with a threatening posture, furious that such a secret had been discovered by a surface dweller.

“Simple really, I keep an eye on important places, such as Atlantis,” he informed the furious king, who narrowed his eyes. 

“Orm would do no such thing without my permission.” Arthur denied Miles’ claims, his trust in his brother absolute.

Or so he thought.

“Your love for him has blinded you to his true nature. Orm, in cahoots with General Brak, intends to stage a coup and take your throne while killing your son to ensure nothing can threaten his reign.” Miles explained, angering the royalty. 

“You dare?! I come to the surface for peace, and you accuse my brother of treason?” Arthur punched the wall right next to where Miles was leaning, and though he was powerless, he did not feel fear.

“Think about it, King Arthur. How could I know these things unless someone told me?” He asked, wanting the Atlantean to reach that conclusion himself.

“That’s.” Aquaman fumbled, unable to answer. He did not know how this mortal knew his brother, much less General Brak and the Doomsday Reactor.

“You need to go back to Atlantis and rally your men to stop Orm and General Brak before it is too late for all of us.” Miles urged the royal, as the Justice League approached, listening to their conversation.

“Can you take responsibility for those words?” Arthur seemed conflicted, his gaze wavering. 

“You can take my life if I am wrong, but if I am right, Orm will take your son’s life.” His words left the king with no choice but to consider the possibility of betrayal, especially at the mention of his son being in danger.

“Very well, follow me then; I will take you to Atlantis, and we will see the truth.” Aquaman conceded, walking with a hurry in his steps that wasn’t there before.

“Take the Justice League along with you; I guarantee you will need their assistance.” Miles offered he was going too; after all, if they got caught like they did in the show, he and Claire could cause enough trouble to free them.

“So be it.”

The sound of an explosion came from outside, and the League hurried to intervene.

Chapter Text

Metropolis

The scene outside was chaotic. Claire had captured someone, keeping the person on the ground with the threat of her flames, while there was a rocket launcher next to him and a crater left on the road.

Security forces surrounded them while cordoning off the area, demanding both to stand down.

"Claire?" Miles asked; he knew what was happening but wanted to let her explain to avoid suspicion.

"Found him on the rooftop with the rocket launcher; don't know his target though." She reported, the playfulness in her voice gone, reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

The man she had subdued wore a red suit with a gray mask that had a red visor on the right eye, a vest, boots, and two guns strapped to his forearms, which were damaged by Claire's pyrokinesis.

He was Deadshot, one of the best snipers in this world.

"Floyd Lawton, what an unpleasant surprise to see one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Tell me, who was your target?" Miles said, letting the man's name out as the Justice League convinced the law enforcement to stand down.

"I've got nothing to say to you," Deadshot muttered, refusing to speak as a professional.

"Really? You know, I always wondered, does Zoe know her daddy regularly kills people for the money she spends every day?" Miles smiled, crouching to look closer at the assassin, who thrashed at hearing the name of his daughter. Claire punched the ground next to him with a flaming fist as a warning, and Deadshot stopped.

"If you harm her," He spat with venom in his voice. Miles knew Floyd Lawton's one and only weakness was his daughter, and while he wouldn't stoop low enough to harm her, he would definitely use her to make Floyd more cooperative.

"My god, Floyd, I am not a monster who would target a little girl, though I won't hesitate to empty all those accounts you no doubt have for her." Miles said, offended by the implication, and then threatened the man with something that would hurt him. After all, without all that money and no one else to look after Zoe, she would be put in foster care.

"It was Aquaman." Deadshot gave up, weighing his choices, ultimately deciding it wasn't worth the threat.

"Who paid you?" Aquaman asked, pulling the assassin up with a single hand around his neck, eyes narrowed.

"I don't know; I don't ask these questions." Deadshot wasn't scared; he knew the Justice League wouldn't let him be killed.

"What did your employer pay you with?" Miles asked, though as they weren't close to the car the gold was in, he had no idea how Floyd would prove it.

"In gold, there is one in my belt," he said, and Miles nodded at Claire. Taking the message, she rummaged through his belt, eventually pulling a single gold coin out and flicking it at Miles.

Catching the gold coin, he raised it to get a better look before flicking it back to Claire.

"Spanish doubloons, you can either find them in the possession of a collector or at the bottom of the sea; my guess is it's the latter," Miles said to the King of Atlantis, who threw the assassin towards the waiting law enforcement.

"Orm," Aquaman said, sorrow in his voice, which gave way to anger.

"Yes, now, it is imperative you rally what loyal soldiers you have before Orm, in his idiocy, destroys us all," he urged the king while the Justice League gathered around, waiting for his choice.

"We must hurry."

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Atlantis

Taking the underwater craft the League had to Atlantis, they did not meet any opposition on the way, as Orm was likely too busy taking control to send his troops out.

Miles had a different plan in mind, including Queen Mera and her son. He and Claire would ensure their safety, because as hostages at Orm's hands, they would be Aquaman's weakness, but safe and away from the fighting, the League and Aquaman, provided the King of Atlantis rallies his men, should have no problem dealing with Orm.

Docking in Atlantis, members of the League, along with Aquaman and Claire, quickly made their way to the palace.

"Your Highness" An Atlantean soldier bowed, worried at seeing King Arthur walk with a vengeance.

"General Alen, there is a great chance my brother Orm and General Brak have betrayed us; gather your soldiers, for they won't go down without a fight." Arthur ordered the general, who stood rigid at the claim, before saluting.

"Yes, Your Highness," he said, turning around and ordering his men to call their soldiers.

The city of Atlantis was straight out of a fairy tale, and any other time Miles might have stayed around to appreciate its beauty, but now wasn't a good time.

Martian Manhunter, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman followed Aquaman inside, Miles and Claire trailing slowly behind.

Soldiers, gathered by General Alen, began to converge on the palace, and using the opportunity, they slipped away to go and secure the remaining royalty.

An idiot admires complexity, a genius admires simplicity, and whoever designed the palace certainly wasn't an idiot. Finding their way to Royal Quarters wasn't hard, if a bit time-consuming, but Miles and Claire knew they were at the right place upon hearing two Atlanteans talk about the infant prince right around the corner.

"Why do you think Lord Orm wants the Prince?" One of them said, carrying the baby,

"We don't ask these questions; just obey the orders. We'll take the prince to him, and that'll be that."

"Get ready," Miles whispered, and Claire nodded, hands at the ready.

The soldiers turned the corner, one carrying the infant, the other holding a weapon, and found two fists covered in a fireball inches away from their faces.

"You move, you die." She threatened with a bloodthirsty grin on her face.

"I am going to ask you only once to hand the prince over to me gently," Miles said, ripping the weapon out of the soldier's hands, who only put up a token resistance.

The soldiers looked at each other before the one holding the baby slowly held him out for Miles, who took the sleeping baby, checking him over.

"Excellent. Turn around and run now."

"Aren't they going to alert that Orm guy?" She asked, but an explosion rocked the palace, cutting her off.

"I have a feeling he will be too busy fighting."

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Roaming around the palace in search of a safe place to bunker down, they came across Queen Mera, who was taken hostage at gunpoint by two soldiers.

"We will see if your husband is willing to fight once he sees you and your son in danger."

"I am sure he won't."

"Who?" They turned around, and a continuous torrent of fire pinned them to the wall.

Screaming in pain, the soldiers thrashed around, almost waking up the prince nestled in Miles' arms. Once their cries of anguish ended, Miles stopped Claire to avoid killing them.

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Green Lantern blasted a soldier away and then manifested a shield to protect himself when several soldiers opened fire.

"I have your wife and son; surrender now, or they'll pay the price!" Orm screamed, swinging the trident at Aquaman, who ducked before punching his traitorous brother in the face.

"If something happens to them, you won't live long enough to regret it, Orm." Aquaman shouted back,

"Green Lantern, come in," Miles' voice crackled from his earpiece.

"Not the time, Miles," John said, focusing on keeping his cover-up.

"I have secured the Queen and the Prince," the latest addition to the League said, and John smiled.

They couldn't risk pushing Orm too much, fearing the traitorous prince would do something drastic if he was backed into a corner.

"What? Alright then, no need to hold back." He answered, pushing the shield forward and knocking the soldiers out.

"Aquaman, your wife and child are safe." The Lantern shouted over the sound of the fighting.

"What" two brothers shouted , one in relief, the other in fury. Aquaman, knowing they were safe, went on the offensive. Dodging another strike from his own trident at the hands of his traitorous brother, Aquaman reared his fist back and punched with all his might.

Orm's face contorted from the strength behind the punch, a tooth was knocked out, and he was sent flying to the wall, crumpling down unconsciously. The soldiers, upon seeing their leader down, were demoralized, giving the loyalists the upper hand.

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"I am Queen Mera of Atlantis. Who are you, and what do you want?" She asked the strangers, watching them warily, before the male approached, handing her a bundle.

"Your Highness, we are friends of your husband, here to save you and your son from Prince Orm," he warned, being careful to not make any sudden moves and irk the Queen.

Mera's eyes widened as she hurried to take the bundle, seeing her son, who should have been in his nursery, sleeping peacefully.

"How?" She asked, cradling him in her arms, worried how something could have happened to him.

"We found soldiers taking him to Orm and intervened. Now, while your husband puts down this little rebellion and takes his throne back, we should get you two somewhere safe," Miles warned, while Claire was busy making sure the soldiers were out.

"Yes, you are right."

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Gradually, the sound of fighting began to die down, while the two of them waited outside the room the Queen and the Prince were in, because the little one got hungry and started crying, and it wouldn't do for two of them to be inside while the Royal Queen herself fed her baby.

Hearing the sounds of people running, Miles and Claire readied themselves. Holding the weapon towards the end of the hallway, they waited to strike.

"We must take ships and head to the doomsday device; that is our only chance." A voice came, and three Atlanteans came running. Claire filled the hallway with flames, and no matter how resistant they were in general, the running soldiers didn't stand a chance, passing out from the heat.

"What is happening?" The Queen's voice came from behind the door, worried.

"Just some runaways, Your Highness, nothing to worry about," Miles called, assuring the woman of her safety.

"Very well."

Checking the soldiers closer, Miles recognized one of them from his garb in the show and that amusing-looking beard, which was burnt.

General Brak, Orm's supporter in the coup.

"Miles, Miles, come in." Green Lantern's voice came from the earpiece, and he answered.

"I am here; go ahead," he said, taking the weapons away in case they woke up and decided to take a shot.

"We have Orm, but General Brak managed to escape with soldiers. We don't know where he is going, but stay put with the Queen until we capture him." Green Lantern warned him, having just noticed that the Atlantean was missing.

"Don't bother, he and the escapees are neutralized; we are holed up at the eastern wing," Miles replied, and there was silence for a second as Green Lantern informed the others.

"Understood. Superman and Wonder Woman are on the way" Green Lantern ended the call, leaving Miles alone with Claire once again.

"So, satisfied with my performance?" She asked, quite proud of herself.

"Very much so."

"Good," she said; the part about her bonus went unsaid.

"Don't worry, Claire, you will receive your payment at the appropriate time," Miles said, hearing the whoosh in the air as Superman and Wonder Woman came flying.

"Are you two alright?" Superman asked, worried about Miles and Claire, though not so much when he saw the unconscious soldiers.

"Peachy. Can't say the same for the general, though." Miles looked at the downed Atlantean in amusement, his burnt beard and eyebrows making him look quite funny.

"Okay, are the Queen and the Prince safe?" The Man of Steel asked, gathering the fallen general and one of the soldiers, while Wonder Woman took the other.

"Not even a single scratch on them."

"We should go then; things are safe now, and I am sure Aquaman would like to see his wife and son," Wonder Woman said, holding the soldier up from his armor.

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Soldiers were everywhere on the way to the throne room, with traitors tied up and taken away while the loyalists were ensuring the security, saluting their queen as she passed them, followed by the Justice League.

A herald announced her entry, and Aquaman rushed up to meet them after ordering his soldiers to return the stolen plutonium, leaving Orm to the Green Lantern.

"You are alright," Arthur said, his forehead meeting his wife's in a tender moment, while checking over his son, who giggled at seeing his father.

"I am in your debt, as is Atlantis." He said to the Justice League with a neutral tone that he was grateful, of course, but needing the help from the surface dwellers, when it was more of their kind who polluted the oceans, was still hard for him.

"There is no debt; we only did what was right. The only thing I ask is that you give diplomacy a chance," Superman said, attempting to establish a permanent peace between Atlantis and the surface world.

Aquaman looked at his son, at how close he had come to danger, and nodded resolutely.

"Very well, inform your leaders that I wish to initiate negotiations," he said to Superman, choosing peace for the sake of his son.

"You should join the Justice League." Martian Manhunter suggested. As a stranger to this world himself, J'onn thought he could help Aquaman acclimatize to the surface.

"What? Why do you want him to?" Green Lantern was obviously not pleased with the offer, given that he didn't like Aquaman very much.

"Simple, if you become a hero in the eyes of the masses, the politicians won't be able to dismiss you so easily if it means earning the ire of the populace. You can't be a full-time member due to your responsibilities, but helping every now and then shouldn't be an issue." All the eyes were on Miles as he explained the practical side of the offer.

"You are certain it will work?" Aquaman wasn't familiar with the culture and intricate workings of the surface world and wasn't sure if risking himself to help them was worth it.

"Superman's very presence scares the government, but they fear public backlash and are unable to act out against him openly." He added, and no matter how much he didn't like it, the Man of Steel knew it was the truth.

"He is right; you can show to humanity that Atlantis only wants peace." Wonder Woman added her piece, as she herself was trying to prove to Themyscira that mankind wasn't the same as before.

"Sounds reasonable enough." Queen Mera added, giving her husband a look that said it all.

"Very well, I will join your League." Aquaman conceded, still not sure, but at the least he would give it a try.

Chapter Text

Atlantis

Aftermath of the Orm’s coup required clean up, which the Justice League had volunteered for. Soldiers had been taken to dungeons, awaiting trial, while the masterminds behind the coup, Prince Orm and General Brak had been brought before the King of Atlantis, so justice could be rendered.

“Prince Orm, General Brak, you have betrayed your vows, your king and all of Atlantis by staging a coup, targeting me, my wife and child, and almost doomed the whole world because of your foolish ambition. How do you plead?” Aquaman asked, his deep voice booming across the throne room.

“I only did what had to be done for the safety of Atlantis, which you have been too weak to do so.” Orm spat out, unapologetic for his actions. 

“Your Grace, Prince Orm forced us to do this! We are loyal to you, please, show mercy.” General Brak cried out for his life, jumping ship the moment his life was in danger.

“Yet, when I returned you did not stand down as I had ordered, and took arms against me” Arthur glared at the general, who shrunk in on himself.

“I…” Brak stumbled, his excuse as weak as his courage was lacking, and hung his head.

There was nothing he could say to avoid punishment.

Aquaman conferred with his advisors and his wife, before tapping his trident on the ground to silence the murmuring crowd.

“The guilty shall be sentenced to death, for the severity of their crimes demand nothing less” The King of Atlantis decreed, to the shock of the many, who thought the General and the Prince would be imprisoned at worst.

Arthur, on the other hand, wasn’t going to let the people who wanted to kill his son walk away with their lives.

“For trying to save Atlantis from the surface dwellers? You are a coward, one who will doom us all!” Orm shouted, struggling against the chains held by the soldiers.

Murmurs rose from the crowd, and while it was hard to pick up, Miles did not like how some of the crowd seemed to be agreeing with Orm.

“Once, there was a village. They decided to eradicate the snakes, believing them to be dangerous. But instead of the safety they were seeking, the villagers found something much worse, a rat infestation. The vermin ate the crops, spread disease, and made life miserable to humans, all because they wanted to be safe from the snakes.” Miles said to the crowd, who were confused as to why the human was telling this.

"Now, I will explain it in terms so even an imbecile like you can understand. If you had succeeded, you would destroy the surface, yes, but Atlantis would soon follow. Why? Simple, human nations possess hundreds of nuclear warheads - a number far cry from its height due to the Imperium- and power plants. When you melt the polar caps and drown the continents, all those reactors will most likely go critical, releasing enough radiation to poison the world, including the very waters you live in. Now, you may have what you desire, but you will consign Atlantis to a very slow and agonizing death” Miles explained, his tone not wavering even for a second.

Just like most other villains, Orm did not think about the long term effects of his actions, only caring for the immediate gains he could have.

The crowd stopped murmuring as the realization came crashing down, and all those agreeing with Orm suddenly changed their minds, realizing how close they had come to danger themselves.

“And I can say with sincerity, the transparentness of your desire to take the throne due to your inferiority complex is hilarious, and it is only matched by your pathetic attempt to act as if the safety of Atlantis was your priority all along. ” Miles finished his tirade, further galvanizing the crowd against the soon to be dead Prince of Atlantis.

Orm gnashed his teeth, furry bubbling up inside like a volcano, and with a show of strength threw the soldiers off, running at Miles, screaming his hatred out. The whole room tensed, ready to stop the Prince. Soldiers ran after Orm, and the Justice League got ready to protect Miles.

The human in question did not even bother to move, as a pillar of fire blasted the treacherous Prince away, sending him flying towards the soldiers.

“He can't even handle the truth, yet wanted to be the King. I swear, some people are just irredeemable” Miles shook his head, moving back to stand with the Justice League.

“Was that necessary?” Superman asked, leaning over to whisper to Miles.

“Some amongst the crowd looked sympathetic to Orm, I thought it would be best to nip it in the bud” Miles whispered back.

Superman nodded in understatement, watching as the soldiers took the Prince and the General away. He wanted to protest the punishment, but his friends thought it wasn’t a good idea to try and influence the outcome of a trial in a foreign nation.

“As for the Justice League, they have proven to be allies, assisting me in taking my treacherous brother down, as well as saving my wife and son from grave harm. To that end, we will be initiating diplomatic relations with the surface world to air out our grievances regarding the water pollution” King Arthur declared, making the gathered Atlanteans wonder if the surface dwellers would even listen, much less do something about it.

“We are grateful to hear that, Your Highness, and it is my pleasure to inform you that  as a sign of our personal commitment to ensuring warm relations between both sides, I will launch a project to clear the pollution in the oceans, though it will be a while before it comes to fruition” The Atlanteans gazed at Miles as the human stepped forward again. They had no reason to trust the surface dweller, but their King did and they would follow him regardless of their doubts.

“That is good news indeed, Miles Beckett.” Arthur nodded. He too had his doubts, not that he would let his people see it, but Miles did not appear to be a liar.

“How are you going to do that?” Man of Steel asked, as it was no easy task to clean the different types of waste that polluted the oceans.

“I am starting up my own company to address environmental issues.” Miles revealed his plan, though only a small part of it.

“Where?”

“Metropolis, since it is the city of progress.” Miles wasn’t entirely sure of it at first, as  Superman’s villains were known for their destructive capabilities, and it wouldn’t do to have his holdings or employees face the heat.

But compared to other possible cities, Metropolis offered significantly more advantages in the forms of a highly educated workforce, a logistical heaven, ease of setting up a company and operating it, and it was a tax friendly city, making it the ideal place.

“There aren’t many people willing to spend money for that.” Superman, of all people, knew that rich people would do what filled their pockets, not what is good for the people and the environment.

Lex Luthor was proof of that, as the rich businessman would rather use his considerable wealth to bring Superman down, rather than do something helpful to the public with it.

“I have a substantial family fortune that I intend to put to good use.” Miles continued his cover story with a straight face.

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As Orm and Brak were taken away, Superman and Green Lantern spoke to Aquaman in the name of the surface world, agreeing to relay his desire to establish proper diplomatic channels to the appropriate authorities.

After that, it was time for the Justice League to leave while Arthur set his kingdom straight, though not before seeing them off.

“Once again you have my thanks for your assistance.”

“We are glad to be of help.” Superman said, giving his brightest boy scout smile, glad that this particular crisis ended without much trouble.

“Go well, and should the Justice League need my help, I will be there”

“Thank you, Your Highness”

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Back on the underwater craft, the Martian Manhunter was taking Miles and Claire to the surface, while Green Lantern, Superman and Wonder Woman retrieved the submarine and the plutonium.

Miles wanted to talk to the Amazonian about Felix Faust but it would have to wait. 

Shores of Metropolis and the sunlight were a welcome sight, and the duo were off so Miles could buy a resident, as the interviews were going to happen in two days at the Metropolis Grand Hotel, and Miles wanted to get it out of the way.

A nice, two story modern manor with a large backyard later, Miles headed to the Hotel, as it was the only address he could give at the advertisement. He didn’t even have the chance to read the CVs of the applicants, and was going in blind.

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Two Days Later

“Next” Miles said bluntly to the man smiling like he was the only reason the sun rose each day. 

The man’s smile fell as he got up and headed to the door.

Some of the applicants were good, some were not, and some were rats who thought themselves lions.

Final applicant entered the room while Miles checked her CV.

Mary-Anne Lorein, born in Metropolis, has a bachelor's degree in Management, and a master’s degree in Business Development, her grades were excellent, if all he cared about was the result of some exams.

She had two recommendation letters from mid-level administrative positions with glowing reviews, a promising candidate so far.

Black hair tied to a ponytail, electric blue eyes, and a heart shaped face, she was dressed in a knee length black skirt, a cream blouse and a black jacket, and black heels. 

From her face and stance, Miles could tell Mary-Anne was a serious individual.

“Miss Lorein, please take a seat.” Miles gestured to the chair in front of him, while Claire yawned in the back, bored out of her mind.

“Thank you.” She said with a calm and confident voice, sitting down on the chair and establishing direct eye contact.

Good.

“Excellent grades from excellent colleges, your academics are impressive, your work experience less so.” Miles turned the pages of her CV, scanning through the important sections.

“Some people can’t handle a woman doing their jobs better than them.” She said, and, well, this was 2003, so Miles wasn’t that surprised about it.

“Must have been frustrating.” He commented, checking the rest of the CV.

“It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.” Whether she was frustrated or not, Mary-Anne did not let it creep into her voice.

“The job will be demanding, Miss Lorein, as everything will have to be built from the ground, and I have other commitments, meaning I won’t be able to oversee everything. I will give you objectives and resources, and expect you to carry them out.” Miles explained, as he still had to negotiate with Thanagar, find Professor Ivo, who hopefully was working at Luthor Corp and could be convinced to work for Miles.

“Which field will we be entering first, provided I am hired?” Mary-Anne asked after considering the pros and cons, before deciding it was well within her capabilities.

“Clean, cheap, renewable energy and environmental pollution issues at the beginning, and then branch out from there.” Miles explained, putting down her file, and giving Miss Lorein his undivided attention.

“There isn’t much, if any, profit to be made from cleaning the environment.” She noted, as even the clean energy sector was relatively new, with coal, oil and other fossil fuels dominating the market.

“Wealth is not an issue, Miss Lorein, and I am after something else.” Miles wanted to let Mary-Anne reach her own conclusion, so he didn’t give out much.

“Well, then what you most likely want is public recognition. The man that addressed the problems no one else would.” She said, pondering on what the man could be aiming for.

“Sharp, I like it.” Miles nodded, he always appreciated people with sharp instincts and minds, and Miss Lorein was proving the latter, and time would tell whether she had the former.

“How much is your capital?” 

“For now, five billion dollars.” Miles wanted to keep half the money for his own expenditures, and he could always exchange more gold later on.

“That is impressive, especially for someone so young.” She wondered how the man acquired a fortune like that, but didn’t want to risk anything by asking directly.

“Family wealth that I wish to use for the benefit of this world, rather than letting it collect interest in a bank, or invested somewhere just for the profit.”

The interview continued for a while on matters such as the state of the clean energy sector, how to break into it, problems they would face, and each minute it was more likely Miss Lorein would be hired. 

Half an hour later, the deal was sealed, and the new CEO of EnviroCorps would begin to set the company up from tomorrow on.

Chapter Text

Metropolis

Miles was good with computers, especially at hacking, but he couldn’t spare all his time with it, and who better than a technopath to do the job?

Finding an individual from Kenya selling information on the dark corners of the internet wasn’t particularly challenging, though they wanted the payment in person, rather than through banking, completely understandable to Miles. 

He wasn’t going unarmed though, so he had called Victor up.

“Victor, I hope I am not disturbing you and Nora?” Even if he was, Victor was going to have to make some time for Miles.

“No, of course not. How can I help you, Miles?” Victor answered, his voice warm, and Miles could faintly hear Nora asking for something.

“I have business in Kenya, and the slums there are dangerous to go unarmed, so I was wondering if you could make something for me?”

“Sure, what exactly do you need?” Victor was puzzled, as the scientist doubted Miles was asking for his expertise in the medical field.

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Metropolis International Airport

Private Jet

Acquiring two passports was easy, with a bit of incentive to grease the wheels, and hiring a private jet from the same company as last time since Miles did like their service, they were off to Kenya.

“That woman, Lorein, don’t you think you trusted her a bit too fast?” Claire asked, putting down the remote after changing the TV to a news program.

“I checked her background, she is clean, and one constant matter the student counsellors say about her is that Marry-Anne is an ambitious young woman, one who wants to prove herself. I simply gave her the opportunity, though, I will be keeping an eye on her just in case.” Miles wasn’t going to hand anyone the task of starting up a company with five billion dollars capital without knowing the person in question extremely well.

“Ah, if you say so. So this Zalika, what makes her so special?” Claire remembered Miles mentioning her before, but he didn’t give much in the way of details.

“Zalika is a technopath, a powerful one at that. I intend to liberate the wealth of less than desirable individuals, and use it for a good cause, and with the advanced tech I could give her, Zalika will be an extremely useful hacker in acquiring funds, evidence, and blackmail.” With a technopath in his employ, the cyber front of his future operations would gain a valuable individual.

“How old is she?” She asked, because that sounded like a lot of responsibility and work.

“A teenager.” To be honest, Miles wasn’t sure of her age at all, since it was not mentioned, but by her appearance in the Suicide Squad comics, Zalika was in her twenties, since she had spent some time in prison after a Russian named Karla set a trap for the young technopath.

Right now though, she was still working for a gang, and if her brother was alive, there was a chance he could be useful as a hacker too, and if not, a way to earn the teenager’s trust.

“What’s the plan, then?” Claire naturally wanted to know how they were going to proceed to best protect Miles.

“She is working for a gang, forcibly, along with her brother. We take out the gang, offer the two of them a choice, and take them with us if they agree.” Miles explained the barebones of his plan, as the details would be fleshed out later when they knew more about the gang.

“What if they refuse?” Claire might have agreed to join Miles, but that was because of the money he handed her, and the young pyrokinetic doubted he would just hand two teenagers the same amount of money.

“Not like they have anywhere to go.” Miles said, as if the choices would be between working for him and moving to the States, or refusing and being out in the streets, where someone will definitely try to take advantage of them. The likely choice, especially if the brother was still alive was obvious, but if they refused, he wasn’t going to force them.

“How are you going to get them to the states?” 

“Getting out of Kenya is simple, as for entering the States, I made arrangements.”  Since this was 2003, the airport security was lax, and he already had a forger waiting for photos to prepare a passport, and creating an actual ID for Zalika, and her brother if he is still alive, would be simple.

“Alright, any idea what we are going to face when we hit the gang?” 

“We’ll be debriefed by the man I contacted.” Depending on the numbers of the gang Zalika was being forced to work for, employing the weapons he had Victor built would be useful.

“How long are we going to stay there?” Claire realized that Miles was extra careful the ever since

“I just sold one thousand tonnes worth of gold, Claire. We are going to spend a couple of weeks outside the States while the heat dies.” Selling that much gold wasn’t a good idea, but Miles needed the initial capital, and spreading it over the years in smaller amounts wasn’t possible as time was of the essence.

Alien invasions, super powered villains, and a myriad of other disasters wouldn’t wait for his pleasure after all.

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Nairobi

Kenya 

The private jet landed at the airport in the morning, and after going through customs, Miles and Claire were greeted by the guide he had hired, Mohammed Otioeno, who was waiting for them with a black sedan.

Miles had done his research, and chose the most trustworthy one, one well worth the price.

First impressions mattered, and Juma had come dressed in a three piece black suit, well groomed black hair and a bright smile.

“Mr. Beckett, welcome to Nairobi.” Juma held out his hand to Miles, and then to Claire.

“My pleasure, Mr. Otieno, this young lady is Claire, my bodyguard.” Juma was curious as to how a young woman like her was supposed to protect anyone, he kept it to himself.

“You are here on business, yes?” Juma asked, opening the door for Miles and Claire, and getting on the driver’s seat.

“Yes, here is the first address we need to visit.” Miles handed the guide a paper with the address written on it.

“Of course, right away.”

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Miles had Juma stop the car away from the location his contact had given him, to keep the anonymity of the vehicle in case something went south. 

Two muscled men were guarding the door to an unassuming building, looking quite bored out of their minds.

“Miles Beckett, I have a meeting with your boss.” Miles introduced himself, and the guards looked at each other in the eyes, standing straight and alert now. 

“Get in.”The one on the right pushed the door open, allowing Miles and Claire to enter.

Entering through the door, they walked to the end of the hallway, where another guard was waiting, this one armed with an AK-47. He opened the door, and the duo came across the man Miles had contacted.

Sitting behind a desk with his feet up, dressed in khaki shorts, an aloha shirt and sandals, Joseph Masai was busy talking on the phone, while peeling an apple.

“Yes, yes, I told you, it will be done in time, now I have to go, there is a customer.” He put down the phone, and then his feet, gesturing to them to sit.

“So, Miles Beckett, I have found the girl you are looking for, though I can’t help but be curious as to why you want her.”

“My dear parents, who have recently passed away, apparently owed her parents a debt, their last words were for me to find them and repay that debt. I don’t have much to go other than the name of the girl, and that a gang had forced Zalika and her brother to work for them after their parents died.” Miles fabricated a bullshit story, knowing the man wouldn’t buy it, but in case either of them were questioned, they would have a cover story.

Not that he was going to be captured.

“Ah. I see, well, at any rate, here is the address of the gang’s main hideout, along with everything you asked for. There are about fifty of them, so good luck getting them out.” Joseph held out the dossier containing the information and Miles dropped the promised amount on the table.

“I am sure we can come to an agreement with them.”

“Let me know if you need anything else.” Joseph said, counting the stacks, happy with the haul.

“I will be sure to.”

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“So, fifty armed gang members. How do we deal with them?” Claire, no matter how much she hated to admit it, had learned a lot about tactics in the Project Firestorm, and while the young pyrokinetic could take them all by herself, they would all end up dead, which they wanted to avoid.

“I had Victor Fries, a friend of mine and an expert in cryo-tech, build a cryo-bomb, capable of neutralizing an entire building. We are going to deploy it, take Zalika and her brother before the ice melts, and we will be out before anyone knows what happened.” Miles had Victor build several cryogenic weapons, in fact,  including a beam weapon, grenades, and the cryo bomb, which were all stored in the cargo section of the jet.

He began to examine the photos of the hideout. It was a warehouse before they took over it after the building was abandoned, and now it was too much trouble to get the gang out, so the owner didn’t even bother.

There were patchwork of repairs, wooden boards covering the broken windows, steel and iron bars welded to nails to close the holes in the walls. A thick steel door guarded the entrance, the rooftop had barbed wire at the edges and guards with concealed weapons stood guard around the building.

There was a small hole in the roof, but climbing there with the guards around, and the barbed wire, would be a problem, and there wasn’t a building close enough to zipline on the warehouse.

It was time to get creative.

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Buying a beat up truck, Miles had converted it to a self driving battering ram after duct taping the steering wheel with steel bars to ensure the truck would go straight and having two thick steel beams welded at the front to make it easier to punch through the wall of the warehouse.

“Ready?” He asked, waiting for confirmation from his bodyguard.

“Let’s go!” Claire called out, sending two walls of fire through the roads, blocking the vehicles from crossing, and giving the truck a straight, empty line at the warehouse.

She had expected some sort of cunning plan from Miles, but citing something called the Occam’s razor, her boss chose to go forward with brute force.

Already having secured the cryo bomb at the back with straps, Miles put a brick on the accelerator, and quickly closed the door.

Speeding up down the line and through the ineffective gun fire of the guards, the truck rammed through the wall, continuing inside the warehouse, before Miles pushed the button on the detonator, readying the Cryo Gun in case he needed it.

At first nothing happened, before a blizzard of ice and cold covered the building, blowing a hole through the middle of the roof, freezing everything in and around the hideout.

Quickly moving before the cold did any permanent harm, Claire melted the ice that had covered the hole left by the truck, followed by Miles. Ignoring the frozen but still alive gangsters, they quickly searched for the only female in the entire building.

Most of the members were gathered in the middle, where a man, the leader of the gang, who seemed to be beating a young man with a baseball bat, was frozen mid swing, his eyes darting around wildly, and their target was there, frozen while screaming, being held back by two gangsters.

“And just in time for the rescue.” Miles said, motioning towards the girl, Zalika and the boy, whose name wasn’t in the file since he didn’t seem to be that important to the gang.

Claire melted the girl first, with Miles putting an emergency thermal blanket on her, followed by the boy, who didn’t have the strength to stand because of the bruises on his face and body.

“Gentlemen, I will be taking those two with me, and while I would love to send you all to hell, I am a bit constrained for time.” Miles winked, checking the remnants of the bomb, and deciding not to leave high tech like this laying around and ordered Claire to target the remaining parts.

Cold air and ice, exposed to Claire’s fire, expanded too rapidly, causing an explosion that destroyed the remaining bomb parts.

Miles picked up the boy, and Claire hauled Zalika on her shoulders, heading outside so she could melt the ice to avoid any deaths.

They needed to hurry, because besides the chattering of their teeth due to the cold, Miles could hear the boy’s wheezing, meaning he required immediate medical assistance.

Claire sat at the back with the teenagers, huddling them close to herself to raise their body temperature, and Miles hit the gas, speeding away from the crime scene before any law enforcement could even hope to arrive.

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In the next chapter:

Baraka was going to be discharged today, so Miles and Claire made sure to pick up something extra nice for the occasion.

Entering through the clinic’s door, the duo came across a pandemonium. Phones were ringing constantly, the computers were acting up, the screens were going on and off, and tabs were opening at random.

Heart monitors and every single digital medical equipment were operating on their own, and the staff panicked, unable to deal with the chaos.

“Come on.” Miles hurried to Baraka’s room, already having an idea of the cause.

Inside the room, Zalika was on the ground, heaving as she grasped her skull with both hands, and Baraka was shaking her, trying to bring his sister out of it.

“Zalika, look at me.” Claire held the teen by both arms, looking deep into her eyes.

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Chapter Text

Kenya

A smash and grab in a slum meant there was no chase by the law enforcement or the defrosting gangsters. 

“How is he?” Miles asked, focused on the road as he slowed down to not draw attention.

“Not good.” Claire shook her head. She may not be a medical expert, but all that wheezing couldn’t be good.

“First aid is not going to cut it. He needs a hospital.” Miles knew enough to stitch a bullet hole; he had learned that much, but he couldn’t treat internal bleeding.

“Isn’t that going to draw attention to us?” Claire asked, as keeping their heads down was crucial to avoid problems.

“I am a businessman who was doing on-site research for investment when we came across gangsters beating the boy for trying to protect his sister. The gang members locked them up in a freezer, so we intervened.” Miles came up with the excuse just now, and if it did not work, they could always bribe the hospital.

“Got it.”

Five minutes later they found a private clinic, and Miles parked the car right at the entrance. Taking the boy in his arms, he rushed in, calling for help. The nurses brought a gurney, and Miles placed the boy on it, while Claire followed in behind with the girl still wrapped in the thermal blanket.

Explaining the situation as they took the boy away, Miles sat down on the chair, with Claire bringing Zalika to sit down as well.

“W-who are you?” Zalika asked, leaning into Claire for heat. 

“Someone with a job offer for you, though it will have to wait until you and your brother are well enough to make a rational choice. How are you feeling?” Miles knew how some villains became so because too many people took advantage of them, and he wasn’t interested in being the kind to exploit a teenager.

“Cold. Where is Baraka?” No matter how sleepy she felt, Zalika forced herself to stay awake for her brother.

“The doctors are looking after him.” Miles assured the young girl, who nodded after a couple of seconds.

A nurse approached Zalika, asking some questions, before taking her away for a check-up.

“You know, this could easily blow on us.” Two white people claiming to have saved two vulnerable teenagers from gangsters?

No matter how true it was, the whole situation looked like an amateur attempt at human trafficking.

“Let me worry about that.” 

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Turns out Baraka did have internal bleeding, but since he had no insurance, the clinic was going to transfer him to a public hospital before Miles intervened, offering to cover the treatment costs for both teenagers.

Seeing the money, the hospital administration was all too willing to treat them.

Waiting in the hospital with nothing to do was boring, so Claire decided to question Miles.

“I noticed something. You seem really experienced when it comes to subterfuge.” Claire was forced to take lessons in the subject, not that any of it stuck, but seeing Miles be ruthless enough to threaten a man one second and play the good Samaritan the other was something else.

“When you have to fend for yourself from a very young age, it becomes vital to deceive people.” Miles may have learned these lessons the hard

“Like who?”

“Like my parents, grandparents, teachers, the IRS, and law enforcement.” Blackmailing a banking executive wasn’t his first illegal act, and naturally, he had to deceive a lot of individuals.

“Excuse me, about the teenagers you brought?” A female nurse with a chart in her hand approached, looking mighty suspicious.

“Yes, how can I help?” Miles rose slowly, establishing eye contact with the nurse, using his smile and body language to disarm the nurse.

“We need to ask you some questions for official forms.” She said, smiling back weakly at Miles, her thoughts clashing over the charming smile and the suspicious situation.

“Of course.”

“Are you their guardian?” The nurse asked, and Miles shook his head.

“No, me and my bodyguard were checking the site of my latest investment when we saw them assaulted by gangsters, who locked them in a freezer after they were done beating the boy. We couldn’t just stand by and do nothing, and here we are.” Miles said, his face laced with worry.

“Please tell me they will be alright.” He asked with such innocence, even Batman would be taken aback.

The nurse smiled, lowering her guard now, and nodded.

“He had some minor internal bleeding, and we are treating him now. The girl, Zalika, can be discharged as her vitals are normal now that she warmed up, but Baraka will need some time to recuperate. He could be discharged within a week.” The nurse explained, relaxed now that she believed Miles didn’t have any ulterior motives.

“That is wonderful. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”

The nurse shook her head, saying the staff were just doing their duty, and left after informing Miles and Claire they could see Zalika.

“For a second, even I believed your act.” The bodyguard quipped, following her employer to the patient’s room.

“What act?” Miles asked, smiling with his eyes closed.

Claire huffed, amused, but kept silent on the matter.

Zalika was on the bed with the thermal blanket still around her and an IV drip giving her the nutrients and liquids she needed.

“How is my brother?” She was barely coming to her senses, yet the first thing on Zalika’s mind was her brother.

“The nurse said he will be fine; he just needs to rest for a week.” The words comforted her, and Miles could see the young girl visibly relax on the bed.

“You said you had a job offer? What do you think I can do for you?” Zalika’s only talent, and the sole reason the gang even kept them alive, was with technology, specifically, hacking to steal.

“Hacking.” He replied, as if reading her mind.

“I am good with tech, but not that good.” Zalika wanted to ask how this man knew her enough to come all this way to offer a job when she wasn’t even an expert.

“Your true potential will surprise you, but as I said, let’s wait until you are on your feet.” Miles said, plunging the room into silence again.

Zalika blushed as her stomach grumbled, which was natural since Miles didn’t think the gang cared enough to feed the siblings enough. 

“Claire, could you go and get some food? No need to expose her to the sludge the hospital calls food.” Miles didn’t really know what Kenyan hospitals offered as food, and he didn’t want to find out.

Snatching the offered stack of dollars, Claire headed to the pizza place she had seen across the road.

“Who is she?” The teen obviously didn’t want to talk more about business, so she changed the subject.

“My bodyguard.” Miles didn’t elaborate, instead choosing to go for a demonstration when Claire returned.

“You look stronger than her; how is she supposed to protect you?” Zalika did believe him, since the woman deferred to Miles, but it didn’t make sense to her.

“Appearances can be deceiving.” Hearing the cryptic answer, she just decided to wait for the food rather than waste her energy trying to solve it.

Miles and Zalika continued their small talk until Claire returned with three boxes of large pepperoni pizza and some beverages.

Handing one of the boxes and a drink to the teen, Miles noticed that his pizza wasn’t exactly hot.

“Claire, if you would be so kind.” He held out the pizza box. Rolling her eyes, Claire held out her palm, and flames bloomed into existence, heating pizza in a matter of seconds. Blowing on the sizzling cheese and pepperoni, Miles took a bite, nodding in appreciation, while Zalika watched with an open mouth, amazed.

“How?” She asked, reaching out to hold Claire’s hand to see what the trick was.

“Claire is a pyrokinetic; she can will fire into existence as easily as she breathes.” Claire looked happy at the attention, since most of the time people looked at her with fear rather than amazement, as the younger girl was doing.

“Do you have powers too?” Zalika was still inspecting the hand but saw nothing besides the leather gloves.

“No, but I might get some down the line.” Miles shrugged. Even if he didn’t go out to fight crime every day, it would be necessary to have the means for self-defense. Perhaps he could find Professor Ivo and have the robotics genius build an Iron Man armor for him?

“You can do that?” Zalika might have said it, but Claire was thinking it as well, from the way she looked at Miles.

“Knowledge is power, and I do know quite a bit. Now, eat up and rest; we can talk further after you and your brother are up and ready.”

“Okay.”

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Baraka was ready to receive visitors after three days. Miles and Claire stood behind to not interrupt the teary reunion of the siblings, watching from outside as tears flowed like a waterfall.

After letting the siblings have their moment, Miles stepped inside with a basket full of food and drinks.

“Didn’t know what you would prefer, so I brought a little bit of everything.” Miles approached the bedridden teenager, offering the basket to his sister.

Baraka and Zalika were similar in appearance, as the only thing keeping them apart was the gender difference. Both had black, curly hair, brown eyes, and diamond faces.

“So you saved us, why?” Baraka was mighty suspicious, as Miles expected, but at his sister’s urging, he took one of the wraps and began to eat.

“I have a job offer for your sister.” Miles sat down on the empty chair, while Claire was leaning on the door side, keeping an eye out.

“What kind?” 

“Hacking.”

“And what is she going to hack?” She was already forced to steal for the gang without seeing a single cent; no way was he going to allow it to happen again.

“Why don’t we speak of the specifics away from any possible prying ears?” Claire might be keeping an eye out, but this was still too public for his tastes.

“If she refuses?”

“Then that’s that. I’ll just drop you off somewhere safe and be on my way. Do you have a place in mind?” The question from Miles had the siblings looking at each other. A silent conversation took place between them, agreeing that there wasn’t a safe place they could go.

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The next three days were routine. Miles and Claire brought food to the teens, talked about mundane matters, and generally spent their time building a rapport.

Claire’s powers were fascinating for the teens, and the young woman was happy to show off her skills.

It was the last day that proved to be interesting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baraka was going to be discharged today, so Miles and Claire made sure to pick up something extra nice for the occasion.

Entering through the clinic’s door, the duo came across a pandemonium. Phones were ringing constantly, the computers were acting up, the screens were going on and off, and tabs were opening at random.

Heart monitors and every single digital medical equipment were operating on their own, and the staff panicked, unable to deal with the chaos.

“Come on.” Miles hurried to Baraka’s room, already having an idea of the cause.

Inside the room, Zalika was on the ground, heaving as she grasped her skull with both hands, and Baraka was shaking her, trying to bring his sister out of it.

“Zalika, look at me.” Claire held the teen by both arms, looking deep into her eyes.

“Take deep, slow breaths, and focus on here and now.” Project Firestorm had taught her control, and in this moment, Claire Selton remembered those lessons all too clearly.

The authoritative voice got to her, and Zalika began to take deep breaths, focusing on Claire’s voice.

Slowly, the out-of-control machines began to stop one at a time. Phones stopped ringing first, then the computers and the medical equipment, leaving the staff even more confused.

“What the hell was that?” Baraka asked, turning to Miles for answers.

“Your sister’s technopathic powers just came into play, and since it was the first time, things went out of control.” Miles kneeled down to make sure Zalika was okay, and aside from the elevated heartbeat, she was fine.

“You knew this would happen?” There was an edge to Baraka’s voice, and Miles knew the wrong answer would set him off.

“That she would have metahuman powers? Yes. The little, unintentional outburst? No.” 

“If that offer is still available, I’ll take it.” Zalika slowly got off the ground with Claire’s help, ready to go.

In the next chapter:

They were one of the larger gangs in the slums, but still, this was getting tedious.

“It’s a matter of pride. They won’t let us go until one side is dead. Damn it, there is a police checkpoint ahead.” Baraka didn’t know what to do and considered ramming through at full speed rather than being caught by the gang.

Several vehicles with heavy weapons mounted at the top were waiting ahead, and the dozens of heavily armed police were directing the vehicles to the side road.

“Slow down, Baraka; they know we are coming.” Miles put the rifle back into the bag before reaching down and taking another bag, waiting.

“They are?” Claire didn’t know anything about cops that were supposed to wait for them.

Miles smirked. “Of course.”

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Sorry for the delay. I've been out of the city for a couple of days, and only got back Tuesday.

Chapter Text

Kenya

Baraka was quickly discharged, and the group was heading out to the new SUV Miles had bought.

“There they are!” Miles turned to see the gangsters he had frozen a week ago, who were armed and ready to shoot.

And they came in force.

“Do either of you know how to drive?” He turned to the teenagers because two guns were better than one.

“I do.” Baraka raised his hand, hesitant and worried, memories of his treatment at the hands of the gang flashing through his mind.

“Get in the driver’s seat. We are going to the airport.” Baraka did as he was told, and Zalika followed her brother and sat at the front, tying her seatbelt. 

Baraka turned the ignition on and hit the gas, but before long three pickups were chasing them, and they weren’t shy about making their displeasure known to Miles with guns.

“Keep your heads down.” Miles warned, reaching to the duffel bag and pulling out a cryo-grenade.

“Ready?” Claire nodded, and Miles rolled down the windows and dropped the grenade. Three seconds later it detonated, covering the asphalt in ice and sending the vehicles out of control. 

“That was easy.” Claire had to jinx it, as more vehicles came after them. 

“Just like that time I visited Vegas." Miles took out his cryo-gun this time and targeted the lead vehicle, while Claire melted the tires of two other pickups. 

A white beam lashed out of the rifle, and the vehicle he was targeting veered to escape, but it was futile, and in a matter of seconds, he had frozen the engine block, stopping the car.

“What happened there?” Claire asked, taking cover inside as several shots passed where her head used to be. 

“I cleaned out several casinos, and the owners took issue with that. We had a chase just like this, though at the time I didn’t have weapons.” Miles threw another grenade, and one more vehicle was knocked out of the chase.

“How did you escape?” The name Volcana was truly apt for the young woman, as she almost melted the asphalt while knocking several more vehicles.

“You’ll see soon. Would you look at that? We must have really gotten under their skin.” Miles commented on seeing more and more vehicles chase them. 

They were one of the larger gangs in the slums, but still, this was getting tedious.

“It’s a matter of pride. They won’t let us go until one side is dead. Damn it, there is a police checkpoint ahead.” Baraka didn’t know what to do and considered ramming through at full speed rather than being caught by the gang.

Several vehicles with heavy weapons mounted at the top were waiting ahead, and the dozens of heavily armed police were directing the vehicles to the side road.

“Slow down, Baraka; they know we are coming.” Miles put the rifle back into the bag before reaching down and taking another bag, waiting.

“They are?” Claire didn’t know anything about cops that were supposed to wait for them.

Miles smirked. “Of course.”

The SUV came to a stop, as did the gangsters. There was a tense silence before Miles peeked out of the window, knowing the gang members couldn’t do anything with the police here, not unless they wanted the law enforcement to come down on them.

“Captain Vincent, a pleasure.” He had contacted the police captain beforehand to arrange a secure exit from the city. 

“Ah, Miles Beckett, just in time, as you said.” Vincent was a tall man with a belly courtesy of all the bribes he took. He had risen to his current position by playing his cards right, and Miles had offered him more money for a single favor than the gang did in a year.

“Time is money after all, Captain.” He opened the door and handed the duffel bag out to the police captain discreetly, who peeked inside for confirmation and nodded.

“Arrest the gangsters.” He ordered his men. Dozens of rifles were aimed at the gangsters, outnumbering them significantly.

Since they were surrounded, and a shootout with the police would be a monumental mistake, the pursuers surrendered one by one.

“We had a deal, Vincent!” A gangster still holding onto his weapon shouted in protest, and the police captain snorted in return.

“He offered a better deal.” After that, the gangster appeared to value his life enough to surrender, considering it a futile attempt.

“You may continue; I informed my officers ahead; you’ll pass without an issue.” Vincent took the bag to his car, motioning his men to open the road, and the vehicles ahead pulled to the side.

“Many thanks, Captain. Baraka, drive.” Baraka took a look at Miles, shrugged, and drove, happy to be away from the gangsters.

“You know him?" Claire asked, relaxing into her seat now that the danger had passed.

“No. I did some research and found him to be highly susceptible to receiving gifts.” The man’s bank account told it all, really, because if Vincent earned it all with his pittance of a salary, then Miles was Darkseid himself.

“Huh, really?” Claire crossed her arms, as Miles hadn't told her anything about bribing the police.

“Of course, after all, knowing your audience is the key to success.”

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Airport

Private Jet

“So are we going back now?” Claire asked after sending the teenagers to the small cabin in the plane to change into the clean and brand-new clothes they had bought.

“No, we are taking a small Africa tour.” Miles pulled out a folder, showing several contact numbers, payment amounts, locations, etc.

“To let the heat die?” Though she didn’t think all those documents were necessary for a vacation around the continent.

“I may have excused myself to the Gold Exchange, but the IRS and the FBI are different beasts. I need to create proof that the gold is legally mine.” Even Joker wouldn’t mess with the IRS, and there wasn’t a limit to what crimes the Clown Prince of Crime would commit.

“I have a feeling that won’t be easy.” Her teachers at Project Firestorm didn’t teach her how to do taxes after all.

“Once, my father brought me along for work, as he wanted me to carry on his legacy when the time came. He was going to inspect a construction site due to an anonymous tip. On paper, everything was up to the regulations. Yet, even I, with no knowledge of those regulations, could see that it was a barefaced lie. The construction site was in an appalling state." Miles stopped to let Claire absorb his little story so far. It was an eye-opening experience for him and one of the only times his father had passed on a valuable experience to him, even if it wasn’t the lesson he was teaching.

“Two people, Claire, the foreman who cut corners to fill his own pockets, and the city inspector, who took bribes, gambled with the lives of all those workers with no one the wiser. And the only reason they were even caught? The foreman didn’t pay a witness for their silence. Had he, my father wouldn’t have done a surprise inspection, and the foreman could carry his corrupt little scheme to the end.” 

“Acquiring what you desire is as simple as that, if you know how to do it right.”

“What are you two talking about?” The teen siblings, dressed in matching blue jeans and white t-shirts, 

“Business. How are the clothes?” Miles could see that Zalika and Baraka were delighted to be finally leaving their old life, with all its hardship and pain, behind.

“Real nice, thanks again, Miles and Claire.” Zalika was glad to be rid of the rags the gang had given them; now if only she could have a shower.

“Don’t mention it. Now, enjoy the flight. There is a TV, food, and some magazines.” His phone rang just as Miles finished his sentence.

“Need to take this. Wonder Woman, is it a bad time?” Miles could hear the fighting from the phone.

The siblings, on the other hand, couldn’t believe their ears. Wonder Woman?

“No, I can speak. How are you doing, Miles?” If she was comfortable enough to call, then it was nothing to worry about.

“Same as usual. I heard a concerning rumor and wanted to warn you beforehand.” An imminent attack on someone’s home was more than a concerning rumor, but there was no reason to give everything away so easily this time, as he had already gained enough trust.

“What rumor?” His words must have worried her, because Miles could hear the fight end with a bang.

“Themyscira is about to have a very unwelcome guest.”

“Who and for what purpose?” After all, while it was a paradise to the Amazons, it also didn’t have much to offer to the outside world.

“Does the name Felix Faust sound familiar to you?” Faust was an annoyance, but one with the potential to be highly dangerous, and it was best he was dealt with now.

"No, I don't believe so."

"A former archeology professor who dabbled in mystic arts and seeks more knowledge on the subject."

“And he believes the Amazons can give him that?”  Amazons were warriors, not magicians, so this Felix would have to be disappointed.

“No, not the Amazons.” There was silence for a couple of seconds as Wonder Woman racked her brain before realizing what Miles meant.

“It can’t be.” There was only one other entity in this world that would require someone to come to Themyscira.

“I am afraid so.”

“I must go. Thank you, Miles.” 

With Diana on Themyscira, Felix Faust was in for a nasty surprise.

“You know Wonder Woman?” The teens asked at the same time with bright eyes, getting close to Miles’ face. They were two of the many fans the League had all over the world for their heroics.

“He is a member of the Justice League.” Claire let the cat out of the bag, enjoying the look on their faces.

“Keep it quiet, especially the events in Kenya, specifically, me bribing a police officer. That won’t sit well with the League.” 

“Yeah, okay. But can you introduce us?” Baraka definitely wanted an autograph from Flash, the coolest member in his opinion.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

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Two Weeks Later

Metropolis International Airport

Two weeks of work, and Miles was finally satisfied enough to return to the states. Zalika and Baraka at least enjoyed the trip, treating it as a vacation since they had nothing to do with his business yet.

Felix Faust, courtesy of Wonder Woman, had been caught without even having the chance to step on the island and had promptly been handed over to Olympos for trying to free Hades.

Since the Olympian gods were known for their over-the-top punishments, Felix was going to regret his choices for the rest of his life.  And with how cruel the Greek gods could be, the punishment could last for an eternity.

Mary-Anne was working hard at setting up the EnviroCorps, and soon enough, they would be ready for the grand opening.

The ride home was uneventful, but the arrival was not so much.

A car was waiting across the road, and as soon as Miles left his car, two FBI agents left the vehicle as well. Dressed in the usual FBI attire, with the blue hat, jacket, and their badges hanging down their necks, they looked like the textbook definition of FBI agents.

“Claire, it appears my meeting with the feds is here. Take Zalika and Baraka inside, and help them settle in.” The teens looked worried, but seeing as Miles himself wasn’t, they followed Claire inside without any protest.

“Miles Beckett? FBI Agent Morris, and this is my partner, Agent Delecrux. We have some questions regarding your transaction with the Massachusetts branch of Metropolis Gold Exchange.” Calling a lawyer would have been the right thing to do right now, but Miles didn’t have one yet or need one for now.

“By all means, agents, let me pick up my bag, and we can go.”

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The agents weren’t conversationalists, and Miles had to endure a dreadfully boring ride to the FBI branch in Metropolis.

Now, he was waiting in an interrogation room, while the agents no doubt watched from the one-way mirror.

“Gentlemen, my time is valuable, so unless I am under arrest, I will be leaving if you don’t start asking your questions.” They simply wanted to question him, meaning he wasn’t under arrest, nor was he charged with anything.

The agents that brought him in, Morris, the obvious veteran, and his rookie partner, Delecrux, entered the room.

“Miles Beckett, father David Beckett, deceased in a car accident; mother, Meredith Beckett, deceased due to alcohol poisoning. A master’s degree in management, and sold ten billion dollars worth of gold, which is about one-eighth of the United States gold reserves. Tell me, Mr. Beckett, where did you find all that gold?” Agent Morris asked, getting real close to Miles’ face in an attempt to unnerve him, which did nothing as the sole member of the Beckett family smiled blankly at the agent’s face.

“Family wealth.” Miles said without missing a beat, watching as Delecrux leaned forward with a frown.

“Your family had that much gold stashed away?” Delecrux did not believe it for a second. A family with that kind of wealth, and the FBI could find nothing on them except birth and death certificates dating back several generations? This stank.

“My direct ancestors mined more gold in Africa during the colonial era than the imperial powers of the time did.” Miles had worked on this cover even before he received the gold from the Guardians of the Universe. He spent weeks hacking his family records into the system, along with creating fake references, such as people and places, for the feds when they would inevitably research his background.

“How much exactly?” Miles didn’t have to reveal the amount, but it wouldn’t take a genius to piece together the amount from the records he handed over.

“Too much that if the amount was ever leaked, I would begin to worry for my life.” Not that Miles was scared of anyone coming after him; it just would bring too much scrutiny for him to work behind the scenes.

“Bold claim. We will need to see proof of that.” Dulacrux slammed his palms on the table, but Miles didn’t even blink and just smiled at the rookie agent, unnerving him. He found the young agent's terrible act amusing enough to not call it out.

 They owed him entertainment after that dreary car ride.

“This case should contain everything you need.” Miles heaved the briefcase he had brought along on the table, opening it to reveal hundreds of tightly stacked documents.

“Mine property deeds along with mining, transportation, and delivery records.” He took out the individual stacks, handing them over to the stunned agents, who slowly began to inspect the documents.

“These will need to be verified.” Morris held back a groan, knowing this meant weeks of wrestling with bureaucracy, which he wasn’t looking forward to.

“Countries in question should still have the relevant records.” They actually had the records, since Miles spent enough capital to create them from scratch and ensure they were inserted in the correct places when someone—like the FBI—came asking.

“Speaking of records, we had a difficult time finding anything on your family history. Your parents had school records, but your paternal grandparents and those before had nothing but birth and death records.” Meredith Beckett was an orphan according to the reports and had a more detailed background compared to the rest, but it yielded nothing.

“The Beckett family were staunch isolationists before my father. They had private tutors, doctors, and everything else you can imagine to keep themselves out of the system as much as possible to protect the massive family fortune.” America was filled with all kinds of people, and isolationist nutcases like he made his family out to be were nothing new.

“So, they just sat on all that gold without doing anything? No investments or starting a family business?” To Morris, they were either idiots or totally mad, but if Miles Beckett was telling the truth, then it was the latter, and not the fun kind.

“No, and if you ask me, it was a total waste. My ancestors could have built an empire that could sway the world but chose to do nothing.” Miles shook his head, his smile not wavering even for a second.

The empire remark caught the attention of the agents, as that would mean the amount of gold Miles Beckett had might be higher than their estimates.

“What changed your mind?” Delacrux was still playing his little game, but Miles just leaned back, relaxing even more to irritate the agent.

“I want to make this world a better place, that’s all.” Neither of the agents believed it, but there was no sense in antagonizing the man before them without evidence to the contrary.

“How altruistic. Is that why you chose to name your company EnviroCorps?” The company was still in its infancy, so there wasn’t anything to find besides the name and the amount of money spent for it.

“Spot on, Agent Morris.”

"And you trip across Africa? Was it also to make the world a better place?" Delacrux ceased his painful act, sitting across from Miles and just examining the documents now.

"I was doing on-site research for investment." It was a plausible excuse.

"Really? Any tips for someone interested in investing?" Ian Morris wanted to see if Miles would falter.

"The mining sector is saturated with big corporations; you should focus on clean energy and infrastructure. If you wish to learn more, I charge two hundred dollars an hour." It's a good thing he did study the investment opportunities in Africa.

The interrogation continued for two more hours, with the FBI agents trying to find holes in his story, but Miles had an answer for everything, and in the end, he was let go, while the investigation still continued.

Before he left, though, Miles had a choice of words for the young FBI agent.

“Agent Delacrux, I don’t know who taught you how to act, but either you were a lousy student or they were a terrible teacher. If you ever need or want lessons, I know just the place for you.” Delacrux's eye twitched, but Morris squeezed his arm, telling him to stand down. Miles would 

“Good day, Mr. Beckett.”

————————————————————————————————————————

"So, what do you think?"

"Either Miles Beckett is the greatest liar I have seen in twenty years as an FBI agent, or he is telling the truth. Don't know which is worse."

In the next chapter:

“I can’t begin to imagine the pain you are feeling right now, but it is up to you to leave that part of your life behind and move forward.” He finally got through to Claire as the flames slowly died and she began to take deep breaths.

Tears of rage, which were evaporating before, slowly trickled out, and Claire turned back, marching to the car without saying a single word.

Leaving him, Supergirl, the teens, and a lot of terrified civilians that he had to silence.

“My apologies for the damage and scare this family issue caused to everyone. Allow me to make up for it. I’ll pay for everything you fine citizens of Metropolis buy for the next hour as compensation.” His declaration was met with hesitant silence.

Miles motioned the siblings to go out after Claire while he cleaned up this mess.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

Miles closed the door behind him, hung his coat and hat, and walked to the living room, where Claire and the teens were watching TV while eating pizza.

“Hey, how did it go with the Feds?” Claire asked after swallowing her bite with some soda.

“Nothing to worry about; it was just the FBI. How about you three?” This wasn't his first tango with the federal authorities, and most likely wouldn't be the last.

“They picked their rooms, and we’re going shopping in an hour.”

“Good. In the meantime, here are your IDs as citizens of the United States of America.” Miles handed the teens two envelopes containing the beginning of their new lives.

As Zalika and Baraka tore the paper apart with grins, Miles took a slice of pepperoni pizza and sat down.

“I have documents to sign for the company while you take Zalika and Baraka to the mall. I don’t believe I need to warn you about keeping a low profile.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be back without a fuss.” Claire waved away his concerns, sure that a shopping trip couldn't end badly unless a villain attacked.

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Mary-Anne Loraine had already bought a medium-sized building for EnviroCorps, and the paperwork for the company to begin its operations only lacked the signature of the corporation’s owner.

“Mr. Beckett, great to see you again.”

“Just call me Miles, Mary; Mr.Beckett was my father.” He couldn't help but feel as if his father was there whenever someone called him Mr. Beckett.

“As you wish. I have all the relevant documentation here, and then we will have to talk about who you want on the Board of Directors and how to enter the market.” Mary had several documents in her hand, most likely her plans and ideas.

“In order, I don’t have any names for the Board of Directors except myself and you, obviously. If you feel it is necessary to fill any positions, ensure the candidates don’t cross me. As for the market, we are going to break in with advanced fusion reactors, starting with hydrogen, and when we have orbital infrastructure, we will switch to deuterium reactors.”

He was legally obligated to have a board of directors by law, but no pencil pusher would tell Miles how to run his company.

“Research into fusion reactors is new and nowhere near ready to be commercially available.” Mary did not make any plans for that, thinking they would be doing something less complex than fusion reactors.

“You let me worry about the scientific and technological part; I want you to focus on preparing the groundwork and facilities and gathering the closest thing we have to experts on the subject.” Miles sounded so sure that the CEO could only shrug in response.

If he could not deliver, Mary did have several backup plans.

“Yes, sir, now, here are the documents requiring your signature.”

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Reading and signing the documents took less time than one might expect, as Miles was a fast reader. 

He was riding to the Metropolis Mall to meet with Claire and his new charges while planning to talk with Hawkgirl about assisting Thanagar in winning the war against the Gordonians.

For a price, of course.

But it could afford to wait while he perused the mall.

A heatwave hit him as soon as he entered through the door, and coupled with people running in terror, Miles had an idea who the culprit was.

Avoiding the panicking masses, he eventually came across Claire, who was shooting up a pillar of fire to the sky in her fury.

Zalika and Baraka had taken cover in a shop, shouting at her to calm down, which did nothing.

The target of Claire’s flames was none other than the couple standing before her, a brown-haired man dressed in a suit and a woman with hair coloring eerily similar to the pyrokinetic, and seeing as she was totally out of control, his bodyguard had crossed paths with her parents, and she wasn’t happy about it at all.

“Claire, enough.” His voice cut through the screams and the chaos of the situation.

“They abandoned me, and now here they are, strutting around as if nothing happened.” Clare screamed, hoarse and hurt, and she was about to make it someone else's problem.

“You can’t kill them because you will regret it, and you, rightfully so, can’t forgive them. The only choice you have is to get over them, because any other decision you make will only harm you, no one else.” 

“He is right; stand down now.” Just as he thought this day couldn’t get any worse, Supergirl had to come floating down, and if he did not manage it well, the two volatile, superpowered individuals could start a fight.

“Supergirl, sorry to ruin your debut, but it would be for the best if you let me handle it.” This couldn't have been a worse time for the young Argoan to make her first appearence as a hero.

“Who are you?” Kara hadn't even introduced herself and wondered how the man even knew her.

“Miles Beckett, perhaps Superman mentioned me?” At least he hoped Clark did, otherwise convincing her could be a hassle.

“You are him?” She said, not expecting to meet the man so soon and like this, “ Alright, I’ll let you handle this.” Kara backed off, thinking about how her first attempt at being a hero went in a completely different direction.

Miles slowly approached Claire through the blistering heat, getting between her and her parents.

“I can’t begin to imagine the pain you are feeling right now, but it is up to you to leave that part of your life behind and move forward.” He finally got through to Claire as the flames slowly died and she began to take deep breaths.

Tears of rage, which were evaporating before, slowly trickled out, and Claire turned back, marching to the car without saying a single word.

Leaving him, Supergirl, the teens, and a lot of terrified civilians that he had to silence.

“My apologies for the damage and scare this family issue caused to everyone. Allow me to make up for it. I’ll pay for everything you fine citizens of Metropolis buy for the next hour as compensation.” His declaration was met with hesitant silence.

Miles motioned the siblings to go out after Claire while he cleaned up this mess.

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He talked with the manager of the mall, paying for the damages Claire caused while also guaranteeing to pay for all the purchases the visitors did in the next hour, which caused a frenzy as people rushed to buy the most expensive things they could.

When the officers arrived, people were too happy and busy to be making a complaint, and they left after trying and failing to get a statement from anyone.

Claire’s parents, John and Natalie, however, stalked him like bloodhounds, asking questions about their daughter.

“Look, you saw how Claire reacted. Unless she approaches you first, going near her will not end well for you.” Miles warned. He was more worried about Claire going to prison than anything else at this point.

“But…” Natalie Selton started to object, but Miles cut her off.

“No buts, you left her to the mercy of an institute that gave her up to the government.” He didn’t know how much Claire’s parents knew about what happened to her, but unless they didn’t check at all, they should have known about her disappearance.

“We only wanted to help her.” John Selton said, his voice so small and broken at seeing how much his little girl hated him.

“Unfortunately for you, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” They nodded helplessly, leaving without further objection.

“So, who was that, and why was she so angry?” Supergirl asked, dressed in a white blouse with the red S at the center and a red cape, a blue skirt, red shoes, and white gloves.

“My bodyguard, Claire. Her parents sent her to an institute so she could control her powers, only for the government to try to make a weapon out of her.”

Perhaps those Kara and Claire could be friends rather than enemies in this timeline.

“I see.” Kara didn’t know what to say to that and chose to say nothing at all.

“At any rate, while I would love to stay and chat, I have to go and make sure she is fine.”

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Claire was sitting inside the car, her head leaning on the window, her puffy eyes looking far away with barely dried tears.

Miles drove home without saying anything, stopping to pick up some ice cream on the way.

She did not make a sound the whole way and immediately went to her room, silent as a grave.

“Miles, do you think she is alright?” Zalika was worried, but seeing Miles keep his silence, she and Baraka did the same to give the young woman some time. 

“Claire is strong, and I believe she will be fine, eventually. In the meantime, get settled in your rooms while I go see how she is doing.”

He knocked on the door to no answer and went inside anyway.

“I am not in the mood to talk, Miles.” Claire was lying on her back with an arm over her eyes, not even having bothered to change her clothes.

“Then let’s not talk. Here.” He held out the ice cream and a spoon, and after a couple of seconds, Claire slowly moved her arm to look at what Miles was offering.

“Ice cream?” She might have found it irrelevant to the current mood but still took the offered bucket.

“What better way to increase your dopamine levels?” The amount of sugar and chocolate in the bucket certainly would.

“Thanks.”

“You know, I once had the chance to taste Turkish ice cream in a local restaurant. They make it with goat milk, orchid bulb flower, and sugar. It is dense enough you can cut it with a knife and eat it with a fork like a steak. Perhaps it was the best ice cream I have ever eaten.” One side of not having mandatory attendance to college was he could go and travel the world while only coming back for the exams.

“What are you, a connoisseur of ice cream?” She took a spoonful, enjoying the taste.

“I enjoy the finer things in life.” 

The ice cream was eaten in silence after that, and while she wasn’t ready to talk yet, Miles could see Claire was feeling a bit better.

“When you are ready to talk, I will be there to listen.”

“What a generous and thoughtful boss I have.” Claire snarked with no bite behind it.

“Don’t think of me as your employer right now, but as someone you can lay down your troubles to.”

Claire nodded, laying back down, and Miles left to give the young woman some time to get her thoughts together.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Do we have to go to school?” Baraka asked out of the blue, since they didn’t want to talk about Claire without her present.

“Do you want to?” With all the teenage drama, hormones, bullying, and the current state of the American public or private schooling, it was an unappealing thought to Miles.

“Not really.” Zalika shook her head. The only education she and Baraka had was what they picked up while trying to survive. Luckily, their parents had taught the two how to read and write before their deaths.

“I can hire you private tutors for any subject you wish to learn, and you can go to college if you wish.” It would be good for the siblings to study subjects they were interested in. All work and no fun made for a terrible habit and lowered productivity.

“We’ll get back to you on that.” Baraka didn’t have any dreams beyond saving Zalika and himself from the gang; now that he was in a whole different country, he had no idea what to do for himself.

“Understandable. Now.” Miles pulled out the laptop he had bought, booting up the high-end device. “It is time to see what you can do with your powers.” He pulled the chair next to him for Zalika. She took a deep breath and sat down, ready to test herself.

“I am going to run you through some exercises so you can get a feel for your powers.”

First, he had her open random tabs and hack the camera and some of the neat little hacking techniques he had learned, all without even pressing a single key.

Interfacing with the computer was like a second nature to the young technopath, as if it was just another part of her, and half an hour later she had already accessed his banking information, highlighting just how dangerous her ability could be.

Of course, since the laptop wasn’t exactly secure, Miles kept Zalika from going into more dangerous places. In this world, you might never know what was lurking on the internet.

With a supercomputer, Zalika could possibly watch every city, every street, every unencrypted phone call, message, and basically every place on this planet that had CCTV or access to the internet. 

Surveillance capabilities the technopath could offer would be invaluable.

That wasn’t all, though. She could empty bank accounts, track financial trails, and hide Miles’ activities.

Zalika could be the master of the internet.

Working for him as a loyal friend.

In the next chapter:

Since Batman was unlikely to not monitor every room in the Watchtower, going down to Earth was their best choice.

They were in his car, driving to a place out of sight, when Sheara spoke, “You may have offered to help, but Thanagar already has plans in motion.” which Miles shook his head at.

“Ah yes, the insipid little Hyperspace Bypass Generators plan. Really, it is something straight out of the plot of a second-rate sci-fi movie.” There was actually an old movie like that, but he couldn’t remember its name now.

Shaera's confusion was understandable, though what General Talak was thinking when he sent in an agent to infiltrate a planet's defence forces without giving clear mission parameters wasn't clear.

Explaining the plan to Shaera, who had thought she was only here to assess Earth's defences to prepare them against the Gordonians, Miles offered a better alternative.

“Fortunately for you, I have a much better idea to defeat the Gordonians. I just need to speak to your commanding officers, someone with the authority to make deals.” Shaera naturally had her doubts, as it was her promised who had sent her here, though she agreed to relay his offer.

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Chapter Text

Watchtower

The Javelin docked in the hangar of the Watchtower, and Claire followed Miles out to go and find Hawkgirl.

His reason?

To help Thanagar win their war against the Gordonians.

Claire had a suspicion it wasn't for purely altruistic reasons.

Said alien woman was in the training room, turning metal training posts to scrap with her Nth metal mace. Miles decided not to interrupt the heroine's training, and the two sat down in the observation lounge, waiting for Hawkgirl to finish.

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"Miles." Shaera nodded at him while cleaning her face with a towel.

"Shaera. We didn't really have any opportunity to talk. How are you doing?" Miles couldn't read anything from Shaera's face, as years of war and military training gave her an excellent poker face.

"I am well."

"And how is the war against the Gordonians going?" That got her eye to twitch, and he could guess it wasn't good.

"I thought you knew everything." Snark was strong with this one, though Miles couldn't blame her.

"I know a lot of things, certainly, but I am not omniscient."

"How can I help you?" Miles shook his head at Sheara, "Actually, I was going to offer my help, though perhaps we should speak somewhere more private?"

"Agreed."

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Since Batman was unlikely to not monitor every room in the Watchtower, going down to Earth was their best choice.

They were in his car, driving to a place out of sight, when Sheara spoke, "You may have offered to help, but Thanagar already has plans in motion." which Miles shook his head at.

"Ah yes, the insipid little Hyperspace Bypass Generators plan. Really, it is something straight out of the plot of a second-rate sci-fi movie." There was actually an old movie like that, but he couldn't remember its name now.

Shaera's confusion was understandable, though what General Talak was thinking when he sent in an agent to infiltrate a planet's defence forces without giving clear mission parameters wasn't clear.

Explaining the plan to Shaera, who had thought she was only here to assess Earth's defences to prepare them against the Gordonians, Miles offered a better alternative.

"Fortunately for you, I have a much better idea to defeat the Gordonians. I just need to speak to your commanding officers, someone with the authority to make deals." Shaera naturally had her doubts, as it was her promised who had sent her here, though she agreed to relay his offer.

"And why should we agree to this?" The Thanagarian female did not pull her mace but was still holding it tightly.

Miles stopped the car as they had arrived. "Why? Because you can't deceive or defeat the Justice League if they know you are coming." and turned around to give Shaera an "isn't it obvious?" look.

He spent the next hour explaining his plan.

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Four days later, General Hro Talak came to Earth on a shuttle built for clandestine operations.

Shaera had to burn a lot of goodwill to convince the general to step away from the war and come to Earth, claiming it could end the war faster than the Hyperspace Bypass program.

He finally agreed against his better judgment.

"General Talak." Miles gestured to the seat, but the Thanagarian general preferred to stand.

He was tall, muscled, and wore green, black, and red armor with the golden-winged helmet covering his head and, most importantly, his scar.

"So, you are the one Shaera says can end this war. Tell me, why should I even bother to listen to someone whose species hasn't even left their solar system?" Talak was angry at having been taken away from war, all just to listen to a human.

He only agreed because of Shaera but wasn't happy about it at all.

"Because Gordonians will take Thanagar before you can finish your generators. Even if you defeat the Justice League and take Earth without any issues, it will be too late." Hro's eyes narrowed at the mention of their secret plan, though he opted to observe for now. "I, on the other hand, offer you a much faster and more immediate solution to this war." Miles explained, and the general finally took a seat.

"Even if your Justice League agreed to help, it wouldn't be possible." Shaera had sent him records on the Justice League, as it was her mission, and while they were impressive individuals, they weren't enough to defeat the Gordonians.

"What if a Lantern Corps decided to help you, General?" Miles had the general's attention now as Hro began to consider it, especially if the human was as dangerous as Shaera reported him to be.

"Green Lanterns? They can defeat the Gordonians, but the Guardians would never agree to it." They had, in fact, reached out to the Guardians before but were met with refusal.

"I had the Orange Lantern Corps in mind." His claim was met with confusion. Claire didn't know any other lanterns than the green ones,

"Orange Lanterns? Never heard of them." Hro had heard rumors of other lantern corps, but not these Orange Lanterns, and if they existed and were strong enough to destroy the Gordonians, they should be well known across the galaxy, just as the Green Lanterns are.

"You wouldn't. The Orange Lantern Corps has only one member, as he killed the rest and took all the power for himself. He is extremely dangerous and volatile, so much so the Guardians had no choice but to make an arrangement with him rather than destroy him and his rings." Larfleeze had some ridiculous feats, and for all their strength, Gordonians shouldn't be able to match him.

"Who is this individual?" Anyone the Guardians were wary enough of would make a worthwhile ally.

"His name is Larfleeze. He is one person Lantern Corps, and believe me, Gordonians won't stand a chance against him." Miles was confident enough that General Talak decided to listen more.

"Let's say I am interested. What do you want in return?" Nothing in this galaxy was ever for free, and Hro didn't think this human was an outlier in that regard.

"Here is a list of what I need."

Hro Talak took the list written on Sheara's data pad and began to read. It was a list demanding technical and scientific assistance in developing several technologies this planet did not have yet.

"You want a lot of things." They were not important enough to outright refuse, but Hro didn't trust the human.

"General, are you telling me winning the war is not worth that list?" His offer was too good for the general to not at least consider it, but he was just playing coy right now.

"It is, and I can guarantee everything you need. The problem is, can you deliver on your claims?" Hro took a couple of steps forward, staring the human right in the eye with a cold gaze.

"I need Gordonian prisoners and transport to Okaara, and you will see." Miles returned it with equal force.

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Vega System

"If this does not work, I will kill you myself." Tolak warned as the small ship, with a much larger prison ship following, approached the Vega system.

The human's plan was simple and, if his knowledge of Larfleeze was correct, could have a reasonable chance to succeed.

"Duly noted, general."

General Tolak gave Miles a scrutinizing look before getting back to guiding the ship to Okaara. Hra started to scan the planet for large energy sources to detect the Orange Lantern central battery, which didn't take long due to the sheer power it was radiating.

The prison ship's engine suddenly blew up due to a malfunction, and it was caught by the gravitational pull of the planet.

It began to accelerate out of control, heading close to the cave entrance leading to the energy source they detected while the Thanagarians evacuated the ship.

All part of the plan.

Thanagarians aboard the ship had already evacuated, and upon crash, all doors unlocked, letting the serpentine aliens out. They watched as the aliens tried to commandeer the vessel, only to find out all systems were dead, before abandoning it as one of them took charge.

Hro opened fire on the prisoners, missing on purpose to herd them towards the caves and into the tender mercies of Larfleeze.

Gordonians scattered, following their leader away from the ship and into the cave ahead.

Now, it was time to wait.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without a strong enough mind, it was easy to be corrupted and drawn by the orange power rings.

The unassuming Gordonians felt the pull and moved deeper into the cave, a primal desire in their hearts guiding them forward.

Too bad Larfleeze didn't like to share.

When one of the serpentine aliens picked up a ring and almost put it on, Larfleeze woke up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Larfleeze blasted an orange beam from his ring and destroyed the top half of the last thief before he noticed the vessel landing close to him.

Thinking it was more enemies, he got ready for a fight but stopped when he detected a green power ring.

Four people came out of the ship, though only one was carrying a ring.

"Green Lantern! Why are you here?!" Larfleeze approached, snarling at having the deal he made with the Guardians broken.

They would leave him in peace, and Agent Orange wouldn't leave Okaara in return, but one was here now.

"I am no Green Lantern, Larfleeze. I came here to warn you about a danger to your treasure, but it seems they got here first." The pink male said, raising his hands in surrender.

"Danger? Them?" Larfleeze scoffed; the thieves weren't dangerous to him, they were mere bugs.

"That was just a scouting force. Gordonians want to use your rings to fight the Green Lanterns, and as soon as they are done with Thanagar, "The one speaking motioned towards the Thanagarians, 'they intend to target you.'"

Larfleeze growled. No one would have his treasure; it was all his, his, his!

He would kill anyone who would try.

"Here, an offering of peace." The pink male held out a green power ring, and Larfleeze's eyes glowed, well, glowed even more, as Agent Orange desired the ring. He snatched it from the human, who didn't offer any resistance, and he began to corrupt the ring, slowly turning it from green to orange.

"What will you do now?"

Larfleeze snarled. He couldn't let those thieves attack him, but the deal with the Guardians forbade him from leaving the planet.

"If you are worried, I have cleared it with the Guardians. You can leave Okaara for this instance, though you will have to make your decision now, as it won't be possible after I leave, and the Gordonians will be too close to your treasure." The pinkie said, "A human," his ring claimed, and took out a datapad from the Gordonian corpse and held it out. Larfleeze scanned it, revealing the Gordonians' plan to target his treasure, including the time of their assault, which was approaching closely.

"They'll die; it's all mine!" An energy blast sent wind in all directions, and the pinkies covered their eyes.

"Yes, they will, but why risk one of them getting lucky and taking a ring? Why not destroy the Gordonians before they even have the chance?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Larfleeze began to pace up and down, considering Miles' words.

Agent Orange was most likely stuck between agreeing to destroy a danger to his treasure and being away from the said treasure.

"We are leaving now, and remember, this is your only opportunity to destroy the Gordonians before they come for you." Larfleeze was getting more unhinged, greed fueling his fury at the thought of the Gordonians coming.

"Where are they?" Agent Orange growled, and Miles smiled.

So easy.

"I am sure he can give you the coordinates to their homeworld," Miles nodded at Hro, who held a datapad out to Larfleeze, letting the ring scan it, "but you should start with the Citadelians, their allies who are in this star system and won't hesitate to target your rings when you are gone." Taking the Citadelians would leave the Psions in a place to take over the Vega system, but that was a problem to be solved later.

Perhaps he could convince Larfleeze with something valuable enough later on to destroy them as well.

Larfleeze blasted off to space, turning to an orange streak so fast Miles was sure he would annihilate the Citadelians before they even reached there.

"General, shall we?"

In the next chapter:

As he entered through the door and showed his ID card, something on the noticeboard caught his eye.

A photo of a blond preteen with dark grey eyes was pinned under the banned section of the library.

Artemis Lian Crock.

"Oh dear, what did Artemis do to be banned from the library?" He asked the librarian, who took her eyes off the computer to look at him.

"Destroyed one of the computers. You know her?" She sounded irritated, either at his interruption or at remembering the destroyed computer.

"Why yes, I actually knew her mother. Would it be possible to rescind her ban if I were to donate computers? I mean, I used them once, and they are too outdated to be used in any library." He wasn't joking about the computers being outdated, as it was a miracle he even managed to hack GCPD with them.

"Well, sure. How many are you going to donate?" The librarian stood up, smiling now that the library was getting donations.

"How many do you have?"

​

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Chapter Text

Vega System

Claire whistled, really impressed and more than a bit scared.

Citadel Homeworld was surrounded by a ring of asteroids that had been turned into fortresses, offering an impressive amount of defense for the planet.

Larfleeze had smashed through everything, turning the fortresses and the ships into wrecks floating freely in the vacuum, and the planet was burning right now.

Hro and Shaera were monitoring Larfleeze through the sensors and long-range visuals. They watched as he summoned hundreds of energy constructs of the dead Orange Lanterns, sweeping the Citadelians’ defenses aside like they were nothing, and no amount of weapons, which were familiar to the Thanagarians as the Gordonians used them as well, did not seem to deter Agent Orange at all.

The Citadelians fought and died in droves, and Hro Talak could imagine the same thing happening to the Gordonians.

Perhaps he had judged the human too harshly.

Overall, the attack was short but extremely brutal, and Larfleeze once more blasted off into space, heading to confront the Gordonians.

“Shaera, you will take the humans back to their planet while I monitor the situation with the Gordonians. If the situation changes, I will contact you.” This could be the end of their long war, and Hro would not miss it for anything.

His promised nodded, and Hro left for the prison ship.

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Earth

“Will you tell the Justice League about Thanagar’s plans?” Shaera still had her mission, and unless the Gordonians were destroyed, it would proceed, though she would stand against Thanagar if victory came at the cost of innocent lives.

“There is no reason to, for now.” There was still time for Thanagar’s invasion, but none of that mattered with Larfleeze out there, fighting the Gordonians.

“Then let’s hope your plan succeeds.”

“It will.”

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Miles wasn’t idle while waiting to hear from Hro Talak. Talking with Claire regarding her parents, testing more of what Zalika could do with her powers, and helping Baraka find out what he was good at.

What he didn’t expect was to get a call from one Roman Sionis.

Black Mask, one of Gotham’s most notorious gangsters.

“Am I speaking to Miles Beckett?” A voice he did not recognize came, which he expected to happen sooner or later, as this number could be accessed easily through public channels.

“Depends on who you are?”

“Roman Sionis. I have a business pro…” Miles ended the call, wrote down the number, and snapped the phone and the SIM card before pulling out another phone.

“Zalika, see if you can track every call this number has made.” He handed the paper to her, and Zalika nodded, starting her first official business for Miles.

She had made great strides getting used to her powers in a short amount of time, and this job should be simple for her.

“This number is only used once, but I am tracking other calls made from the same location.” Her eyes were glowing blue now as her powers gave Zalika unmatched power and speed on the web.

“Check any numbers registered to Roman Sionis and calls made from his company.” She nodded before more tabs began to pop up, showing phones registered to his company, though 

“Got it.” She began to inspect the numbers. “There are a lot.” and most of them were for the legal front of his business.

“Any calls with someone from Metropolis Gold Exchange or its branches?” It was either them, or the FBI had a leak, but Miles had his bet on the former one.

Where there was money, there was a way.

“Found one. It’s a call made last week by Charles Lopez, a mid-level executive at the Metropolis Gold Exchange.” So, Roman had informants to keep an eye on wealthy individuals.

Miles could appreciate the idea, though not when he was the target.

“Well done. Claire, let’s pay a visit to dear Charles.”

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Metropolis Gold Exchange

Autopark

Charles unlocked his car and got in, ready to go home. He cracked his neck and put his key in to turn on the ignition.

Just like every other day, he had been working in this company for the last ten years.

“Neck troubles, Charles? Sitting too long, hunched before a computer could do that. You should be more physically active.” A distinguished voice came from the backseat, startling Charles.

“What the fuck!” Charles jumped on his seat before the passenger’s door opened and a red-haired young woman sat down.

“Who are you people, and what do you want?” He scrambled to open the door before the woman held him by the collar, and her hand burst into flames, a clear warning to him.

“Sit down, Charles.” The man in the hat warned him, and Charles took a good look at him from the rearview mirror.

“Shit, you’re that Miles guy.” Charles had seen the photos and didn’t think he was more than just another rich boy but obviously was mistaken.

“Yes, and you seem to have a second job, working for Roman Sionis. Doesn’t the company have rules against that?” He said playfully, though Charles guessed it was just a front.

“It’s nothing personal, I swear. Roman Sionis isn’t the type of person you can say no to.” He pleaded. Black Mask had made some very real threats he wouldn’t hesitate to carry out, and coupled with 

“I know, that’s why you are alive. But we can’t have you going around telling people about my wealth now, can we?” The men held out a gun, though it looked nothing like any weapon he had seen before. Charles didn’t think the man would just wave a toy to scare him.

“I swear I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“Not enough.” The man shook his head, and Charles could feel dread pooling in his stomach. “Tell me, Charles, how long have you been working for Metropolis Gold Exchange?” Charles gulped, realizing what the man was going to want.

“Ten years, going on eleven.”

“Any ambition for higher places?” The woman next to him lowered her hands, though she still kept an eye on him just in case.

“I wish. Too much corporate politics for that.” He attempted to be a branch manager several times, but it didn’t work, and he stopped trying.

“Maybe we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement where you won’t have to worry about Black Mask anymore.” Miles offered, and Charles knew he was in dangerous waters now.

Refusing Miles could see him dead at worst, or the man could oust his deal with Black Mask, and he would be in a heap of legal trouble, not to mention Black Mask wouldn’t just let him live long enough to testify.

On the other hand, if Black Mask was gone, working with Miles could offer him better prospects.

A man as wealthy as Miles could definitely have Charles rise in the ranks of the corporation.

“I am listening.”

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“You think that’s going to work? What if he just runs to Black Mask?” Claire asked as she and Miles were sitting at the back while Baraka drove, as he was the only one besides Miles who knew how to drive.

“Charles will either sink with the ship or change ships; there is no alternative. I have a feeling he isn’t the type to go down with it.” The man was practical, and when Miles got rid of Black Mask, that would leave him in a position to have Charles work for him.

“Is that so?” Miles was observant, and Claire would take his word for it, though not without doubts.

“I also bugged him.” Miles pulled out his phone, giving it a little shake.

“That’s more like you. What now?" Claire chuckled at the admission.

"I should probably take out Black Mask. He is too unhinged to accept my refusal.” Considering the man had burned down a mansion with his parents inside, Roman Sionis didn’t take kindly to no.

“Take out as in?” Claire knew about his no-kill rule, but there was more than one way of taking out someone.

“You’ll see.”

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Miles set up a higher-end computer for Zalika and had the teen try tracking Black Mask’s operations, accounts, calls, and everything else she could, down to hacking his company’s security system to access the cameras and servers.

Sionis was smart enough to not keep any record of his illegal dealings on computers, but money still could be tracked.

His offshore accounts, as well as the accounts of his shell companies, couldn’t escape Zalika, who, with each dive into cyberspace, was getting better.

The problem was to get evidence to put Sionis behind bars permanently. 

Without operators on the ground to trail and gather evidence, Zalika’s efforts would not be enough.

It was time for him to start building his network, starting with Gotham.

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Gotham

His first step was the library, not for any business reason, but he did set up a computer for sabotage, and with how busy the library was, someone must have burned the computer when they plugged it in.

As he entered through the door and showed his ID card, something on the noticeboard caught his eye.

A photo of a blond preteen with dark grey eyes was pinned under the banned section of the library.

Artemis Lian Crock.

“Oh dear, what did Artemis do to be banned from the library?” He asked the librarian, who took her eyes off the computer to look at him.

“Destroyed one of the computers. You know her?” She sounded irritated, either at his interruption or at remembering the destroyed computer. 

“Why yes, I actually knew her mother. Would it be possible to rescind her ban if I were to donate computers? I mean, I used them once, and they are too outdated to be used in any library.” He wasn’t joking about the computers being outdated, as it was a miracle he even managed to hack GCPD with them.

“Well, sure. How many are you going to donate?” The librarian stood up, smiling now that the library was getting donations.

“How many do you have?”

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Contacting a local computer shop, he had all the old library computers changed with brand new ones in a couple of hours, paying extra for fast delivery and installation.

“Thank you so much. We’ll give her a call and return Miss Crock’s library card.” The librarian shook his hand vigorously.

“I am heading to her home right now; would it be possible for me to deliver it?” 

“I mean…” It was official business, and handing it over to someone, even if it was a donor, was against the regulations.

“Please, I insist. You are already busy enough; let me take this off your shoulders.” Miles smiled charmingly, bending his knees a bit to look the aging woman in the eyes.

“Alright, but she’ll have to sign some papers when she returns.” She blushed a bit, handing him the library card.

“I’ll be sure to let her know.”

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“Who is Artemis Crock, and why are you so interested in her?” Claire asked as they stood before the entrance to the apartment.

“Her father is Sportsmaster, and her mother is a former criminal named Huntress. She hates her father and has the makings of a hero if carefully guided.” Miles hadn’t intended to seek any of the future members of Young Justice, but one had been affected by his actions and sought to remedy it.

“Planning to recruit a sidekick?” Claire asked humorously as Miles told her to wait outside.

“No. Just helping an aspiring hero to be.”

Miles unlocked the door of the apartment building entrance and walked up to the indicated address. He was about to leave the laptop and the library card on the door before going down and ringing the bell from outside, but to his luck, Artemis herself opened the door, ready to go out.

“Are you Artemis Lian Crock?” He asked, pulling his phone out to check the information, posing as cargo delivery now that she had seen him.

“Who are you?” She nodded, half ready to shut the door, suspicious of him.

“Special delivery from one Miles Beckett to you.” He held out the package, waiting for her to take it, though Artemis did not even reach out to accept it.

“I don’t know who that is.” She shook her head. Perhaps it was someone her mother knew?

“It has already been paid for, and there is a note for you, as well as a library card, I believe.” Artemis finally took the bag, confused about who the man was and why he would send her anything. 

“Have a good day, miss.” Miles walked back down to the entrance without looking back.

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“Wait a minute.” Artemis muttered to herself, thinking this might just be something from her father, and ripped the package apart, finding the mentioned note inside and her library card.

“My apologies for the little mishap at the library. Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with your father. Say hi to your mother and enjoy.” There was nothing else on the note, besides a smiley face at the end.

She gently pried open the box, finding a brand-new laptop inside, and whistled.

“Mom, you need to see this.”

In the next chapter:

The crew of the ship was brought out at gunpoint, and the leader spat at his feet. “I don’t know who you are, boy, but you made the last mistake of your life.”

The mercenary behind the man slammed his face to the dirt in return. “That is rich, coming from someone stupid enough to sell drugs in Batman’s territory. Perhaps I should hand you over to him and see how long it takes before you sing like a canary.” Miles mocked, knowing these criminals didn’t have the mental fortitude to resist the Dark Knight.

“We aren’t afraid of the Bat.” Another one scoffed, and Miles just shook his head.

“Yes, I wager you aren’t smart enough to feel fear, but an interrogation session with him would do wonders for your intellect.” Miles turned to Captain Neuman, handing him a piece of paper that would lead them to a safe place to hide the ship. “Take the ship to this location, and keep them locked inside until I call you.”

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Chapter Text

Gotham

After handling Artemis' little gift, Miles started to gather enough evidence on Black Mask's illegal activities to get him put away forever.

Then empty his bank accounts and every other source of wealth he possessed to remove his influence.

Which would start with the GCPD because Zalika had caught something interesting. She was following Roman through the CCTV while monitoring his phone calls and caught something really interesting.

For operations of less than legal status to proceed smoothly, such as Sionis' crime empire, you either had to have good relations with law enforcement or informants.

With James Gordon leading the GCPD, the first option was not possible, and in a city like Gotham, having informants in the police department was relatively simple.

One of Roman's lieutenants, Thomas, was meeting with one of their informants in the GCPD, Officer Lang, and Miles was currently posing as a waiter in the small diner.

Miles put down the coffee cups and the pies on the table. Can I get you anything else, sir?" He asked, smiling at the gangster's suspicious look.

"Are you new here?" Thomas watched him like a hawk. "Yes, sir, just taking over the shift of a sick friend." Miles nodded, completely innocent.

"Jonathan's shift?" The gangster baited him, and Miles, for his part, acted confused. "I don't know any Jonathan, do you mean Tony?" He had done his research before coming in and paid Tony off to call in sick with someone else to fill in his shift.

"Nothing else." Thomas dismissed him, his suspicion abated for now, unaware Miles had bugged him.

He nodded, moving to the next table to handle their orders, at least until the two of them left.

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Minimum wage work in the United States was not something to behold. Annoying customers constantly complaining about something, Karens, and the heavy workload.

Fortunately, his targets had left the diner after an hour, unaware their conversation had been taped.

Paying the owner to keep quiet, Miles headed out back to meet Claire, who was waiting at the car and monitoring the listening equipment.

"We got everything. GCPD got wind of a drug smuggling operation and is going to hit it tomorrow." Claire reported as she sat in the car with Baraka, who they had agreed to bring due to lack of manpower.

"And now, Sionis knows about it, meaning GCPD's operation is going to be a bust." The drugs could be found later; right now it was best to let Sionis lower his guard.

"Should we warn them?"

"No, we don't want Sionis alert for any possible leak; we will continue to gather evidence, and the GCPD can be informed at an appropriate time. Now, let's see where Thomas went." Besides bugging the gangster, he had also stuck a GPS tracker in his car and was receiving transmission now.

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Thomas stopped his car before a warehouse, handed the keys to another gang member, and walked inside.

"Boss, we've got a problem. Gordon learned about the drugs coming to the docks; there is going to be a raid tomorrow night."

"Hmm, call our contacts, tell them the delivery location changed; we'll take the shipment at the shore rather than the docks."

"Yes, boss."

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Tomorrow Night

Miles had bought a camera for this event, and he and Claire were situated on a hill watching over the shore as a small ship approached with Roman Sionis and his men waiting, while Baraka was waiting with the car to act as their escape plan if something went south.

They had to ditch the car far away and make their way to the hill on foot several hours ago and were hidden under a thermal blanket to avoid any possible surveillance.

The ship approached enough for the sailors aboard to put down a walkway, and a man dressed in a suit with a fedora hat, much like his own, came down the stairs, with pallets loaded with packages following.

"Roman, what's with the last-minute change?"

"Just the GCPD being nosy. You got the stuff?" Roman asked, and Miles could see on the camera as the other man handed over one of the packages. One of Black Mask's men took the package for testing, and

"Yeah, let me see the money." Sionis nodded, and several pallets filled to the top with dollars were brought forward.

"It's clean, boss." The tester reported, and Roman grinned, his mask giving him a terrifying appearance. More pallets filled with drugs were brought down from the ship while Roman handed over the money.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Their transaction concluded, and both sides left happy with their haul.

Miles was content too, as he had gathered significant evidence on Sionis, but it was nowhere near enough for him.

Roman left with his truck full of drugs, and the ship sailed away, but Miles wasn't done yet.

That ship carried a significant amount of cash, and it would be oh so terrible if someone took it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later, the ship sailed back to the shore, men in snow masks coming down, a small but competent mercenary outfit he had gathered and armed.

He had considered hiring more distinguished names, but it would be an overkill, and his name would no doubt travel around.

"Gentlemen, I assume there was no trouble?"

Captain Matthew Neuman, leader of the mercs, shook his head. "No sir, we got them all alive as you said." He had armed them with non-lethal weapons, as he was sure James Gordon would appreciate having the opportunity to interrogate the drug sellers.

Miles clapped his hands, pleased to hear the raid on the ship was going without a hitch. "Excellent."

The crew of the ship was brought out at gunpoint, and the leader spat at his feet. "I don't know who you are, boy, but you made the last mistake of your life."

The mercenary behind the man slammed his face to the dirt in return. "That is rich, coming from someone stupid enough to sell drugs in Batman's territory. Perhaps I should hand you over to him and see how long it takes before you sing like a canary." Miles mocked, knowing these criminals didn't have the mental fortitude to resist the Dark Knight.

"We aren't afraid of the Bat." Another one scoffed, and Miles just shook his head.

"Yes, I wager you aren't smart enough to feel fear, but an interrogation session with him would do wonders for your intellect." Miles turned to Captain Neuman, handing him a piece of paper that would lead them to a safe place to hide the ship. "Take the ship to this location, and keep them locked inside until I call you."

"Yes, sir, what about the money? There is at least fifty million dollars there." If every operation was going to be this rewarding, Neuman knew he made the right choice.

"Keep it for now; I'll have it retrieved later."

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The mercenary group wasn't the only people he contacted. People that were in positions to come across information of value were contacted to work for him in return for payment, though some with ill reputations had to be convinced through other means.

Zalika's technopathy came in very handy during the negotiations.

Evidence on Roman Sionis was moving along well, as his lieutenant Thomas wasn't still aware of the bug, and Miles kept tracking their illegal deeds across Gotham, which included protection rackets, weapon smuggling, and drug sales for the most part, along with several smaller hustles.

Now, it was time to act.

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Gordon's Residence

James Gordon, commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, released a sigh in contentment, as he was finally home after a long day.

Barbara, his beloved daughter, opened the door, greeting him with a hug. "Welcome, Dad, how was your day?"

"Same old. How was yours?"

Barbara shrugged, as Jim knew school was rather easy for her. "The school is the same as always. Oh, you got this envelope. I think it is a flash disk, but I didn't open it."

"Thank you, sweetheart; I'll open it after dinner."

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Dinner was one affair where father and daughter worked together for some bonding time, and after they were done, James sat before the television and opened the thick envelope. Inside it was a phone number on a piece of paper and a flash disk, which he inserted into the television and played, wondering who sent them and why.

His eyes were glued to the TV when it played a recording of Black Mask in the middle of a drug deal. GCPD was after evidence like this for months but had come up empty-handed, and with Batman busy with the Justice League and metahumans that were popping out of nowhere, the caped crusader didn't have the time to target Roman Sionis.

James Gordon rang the number.

"Good evening, commissioner. I believe I have your interest." A suave and captivating voice answered the call, one that was foreign to James. "Yes, you do. Who am I speaking to?"

"Miles Beckett, we have a mutual caped associate." James was inclined to believe the man, because it would be pretty stupid to claim to know Batman to the one man in the GCPD that was known to work with him.

"Batman, huh? I don't remember him mentioning you before." Not that the caped crusader talked much about his friends.

"I tend to stay out of his territory, you know how protective he could be, though I had to make an exception as Roman Sionis came to me first."

"What did that bastard want from you?"

"Tried to offer me a business deal, though I am afraid I didn't listen to the details before ending the call. Now, if you wish to hear what I have on Sionis, we should talk face-to-face.

"Come to the department then." The man should have no problem coming to GCPD, as James could ensure his safety. If not, he would go prepared.

"You have a rat infestation, Commissioner. That is why your raid on the docks failed."

James clenched his hands, remembering the smug look on Black Mask's face as they didn't find anything at the docks. "I knew something like this was possible, but not who. Got a name for me?"

Which soulless bastard had sold them out to someone like Roman Sionis?

"Officer Lang, I have him on video informing Thomas Moore of the raid." Lang was a pretty unassuming face, all things considered, and James guessed if it was true, that must be the reason why Sionis picked him.

"Fine, do you have a place in mind?" He would take precautions, of course, but this was an opportunity he could not miss.

"I'll pick you up." On cue, a car horn blared outside, and James got up to go and look, seeing a black limo outside.

"Give me a minute." He ended the call and dialed Batman's contact to verify the man's claim.

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Claire opened the door, letting Commissioner Gordon inside, and Miles gestured to the seat across from him as Baraka drove for a tour around the block.

"I called Batman; he didn't know you would be in Gotham."

Miles smiled, ignoring "I wanted to work without his glare at my back."

"Well, what do you have on Sionis?"

The man pulled out several flash disks, handing them over, each one labeled with the crimes Black Mask was suspected of and a couple more they didn't know, and photos of Lang sitting with Thomas Moore, eating pie. "These should be more than enough for you to put him behind bars for life."

The man had a cold look in his eyes now, with a smile that was more threatening than assuring, and leaned closer to James. "Though, I happen to have something more interesting in mind. How would you like to catch Sionis red-handed?

James smiled, imagining that bastard in cuffs. "Very much so."

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Gordon had reviewed the evidence, including the moles they had in GCPD, and planned according to that.

He had sent Barbara out of Gotham for the duration of the operation, since Roman Sionis was just the type of scumbag to target her in retaliation.

Tonight, Roman Sionis was going to sell weapons to a warlord from Africa, and if the intel provided by Miles Beckett was true, it would open the doors of the continent's black market to Sionis.

Which could not be allowed.

Moles inside GCPD were called to the department for an impromptu operation against the Penguin and were arrested, cutting Sionis off from his informants.

It was an all-hands-on-deck operation, and right now, dozens of vehicles were making their way into the docks where the meeting would take place.

Roman Sionis was just about done.

In other parts of Gotham, Miles' mercenaries were getting ready for an operation of their own.

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In the next chapter:

"What do you mean the money is gone?!" Jim screamed at the phone as the district attorney gave him the bad news.

"We don't know anything except that all of his accounts have been emptied before we could freeze his accounts. It is being investigated, and I will be sure to keep you informed, Commissioner." The district attorney's tone was calm, but it was clear he did not appreciate being shouted at.

"Thank you." Jim ended the call, pressing the button with a lot more strength than necessary.

Wonderful.

"What happened?" The Dark Knight appeared from the shadows of his office, irking Jim Gordon slightly, though he was getting used to it.

"Sionis' money is gone; he must have some contingency in place if he was arrested, but I don't understand how he could have moved this fast. It doesn't make sense." It was barely a couple of hours since they put Black Mask in a holding cell; no way anyone could have moved that fast unless they were informed.

"I'll let you know what I find out." And just as silently, he disappeared, leaving James Gordon to his thoughts.

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Chapter Text

Gotham

Black Mask’s business may have a legal front, but that did not mean he kept all his money in the financial system. A considerable sum was stashed all around Sionis’ territory in Gotham as a precaution in case of asset forfeiture by the authorities.

Roman had four locations where he hid his wealth: a church, two warehouses, and a vault beneath a fast food restaurant—places people wouldn’t exactly think to search for millions of dollars of cash.

Captain Neuman was handling the warehouses with his men; armed with cryogenic weaponry, they didn’t have to worry about collateral damage.

Miles, along with Claire and a couple of mercenaries to move the wealth Sionis had hidden, was to deal with the fast food joint and the church.

Dressed in Gotham City Fire Department uniforms, with the helmet and mask covering his head, along with an engine and an ambulance, Miles barged inside the restaurant. “There is a gas leak on this street; everyone evacuate and get away as far as you can right now.” He ordered, and the people stood still for a second, processing his words, before launching themselves out of the store in a stampede.

Cameras in the store were shut down by Zalika, and the group got to work immediately. 

Claire melted the door hidden inside the storage area, and the crew began to carry the bags filled with money out of the vault and into the fake ambulance they had brought, with the remaining crew making sure no civilians were in sight.

Ten minutes, and they had moved out millions of dollars belonging to Roman Sionis before anyone even realized there was no gas line in that street.

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The church was a somewhat trickier affair, since there was a mass going on, so Miles had to resort to more direct means.

A dispersal device, filled with a condensed, fast-acting anesthetic gas, was deployed inside the church beforehand, and when the time came, all it took was the push of a button, and the members of the church began to fall asleep one by one, unaware anything was going on at all.

Cleaning out the vault took noticeably longer since Sionis had hidden more of his wealth there than at the fast food restaurant, though they were long gone before anyone even woke up and called the police.

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They didn’t just target the physical wealth he had on hand but his accounts as well. Zalika, working through the new computer he had installed, began to siphon Sionis’ wealth, directing it to offshore accounts and wiping out any trace of the transactions from the system.

When someone checked the accounts, it would appear as if the money had simply vanished.

And he had just the perfect scapegoat.

“Sir, we found Sionis’ accountant. What should we do with him?”

“Bring him to me.”

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GCPD 

Commissioner's Office

GCPD had arrested Roman Sionis on a list of charges as long as Batman’s cape, who had arrived as soon as Jim Gordon requested his assistance, citing the danger Roman posed. 

Black Mask’s would-be business partners were arrested as well, putting an end to any aspirations he might have toward expanding his weapon smuggling network.

“What do you mean the money is gone?!” Jim screamed at the phone as the district attorney gave him the bad news.

“We don’t know anything except that all of his accounts have been emptied before we could freeze his accounts. It is being investigated, and I will be sure to keep you informed, Commissioner .” The district attorney’s tone was calm, but it was clear he did not appreciate being shouted at.

“Thank you.” Jim ended the call, pressing the button with a lot more strength than necessary.

Wonderful.

“What happened?” The Dark Knight appeared from the shadows of his office, irking Jim Gordon slightly, though he was getting used to it.

“Sionis’ money is gone; he must have some contingency in place if he was arrested, but I don’t understand how he could have moved this fast. It doesn’t make sense.” It was barely a couple of hours since they put Black Mask in a holding cell; no way anyone could have moved that fast unless they were informed.

“I’ll let you know what I find out.” And just as silently, he disappeared, leaving James Gordon to his thoughts.

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Trucks full of money stolen from Roman Sionis were making their way out of Gotham, since the further away from Batman, the better.

Speaking of the Dark Knight, he was calling right now. “Batman, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He must have gotten the news of the disappearance of Sionis’ wealth by now.

He got straight to the point with his gruff voice. “Black Mask. His accounts have been emptied. Do you know anything about it?” He wasn’t exactly accusatory, but Batman was no fool and no doubt considered that Miles may have a hand in it.

“I’ll have to make some calls.” Which was just an excuse to say he didn’t know.

Batman did not just take him at his word. “You already helped the GCPD. Weren’t you keeping an eye on his finances as well?” His suspicion was understandable and expected.

“I don’t keep much of a presence in Gotham in respect to your territorial possessiveness. But I am sure I can find the one responsible for it.” It was well known that Batman didn’t like other heroes and vigilantes entering Gotham without his permission.

“Understood.” Batman ended the call, and Miles just had to wait for now.

“I have a feeling you are not going to confess to Batman that you were the one responsible.” Claire had enjoyed robbing one of the top criminals of Gotham.

There was something enticing about the concept of heroes stealing from the villains for their own ends rather than for any altruistic reason.

Miles smirked in response. “Of course not.” 

Half an hour later, he called Batman back.

“That was fast.” Batman’s tone did not convey any praise, only suspicion.

“Please, I am a professional.” Miles sounded offended just to play along. “Turns out Sionis’ accountant, Saul Whiteman, did not relish the thought of working for him for a lifetime. He took what he could to offshore accounts and is already on a private jet heading to Dubai.” 

Miles, in fact, had a jet with the man’s name on the list fly to Dubai, since Batman would no doubt investigate.

“Any idea what he is going to do with all that money?”

“A hedonistic lifestyle consisting of prostitutes, drugs, and alcohol.” Batman wouldn’t chase someone who didn’t intend to do anything villainous with that money and leave it in the hands of the authorities.

“That’s all?” That was a lot of money to just waste like that.

“He is not a man of greater aspirations.”

“Thanks.” Batman would research, but since it was Gotham he had to deal with, Miles would erase any footsteps left behind.

The said accountant, who was tied to the seat and gagged, listened with sweat darkening his clothes as he was basically handed over a death sentence.

If Roman Sionis thought Saul was the one who stole his wealth, the crime boss would not stop until he had his revenge. He had seen enough dead bodies to know the fates of those who crossed Black Mask.

“Don’t worry so much, Saul. As the name suggests, he is a bat, not a rat, and won’t tell Black Mask anything. Though, with you in the wind while everyone else is arrested, I am sure your boss will put the clues together and reach a conclusion, albeit a wrong one.” Miles nodded, and Claire removed the gag and untied the man.

Saul looked as if he had given up on life and looked seconds away from fainting. 

He put his hands on the man’s face, raising his head to look him in the eyes. “But, it just so happens a man of your talents could prove useful to me.” 

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His final business in Gotham was the ship belonging to the drug dealers. He had the money switched with counterfeits, and the ship experienced an accident that sent it to the bottom of the sea, with the criminals seeing that the money was still inside the ship.

One of the fake bills made it to the shore as they watched the ship sink, and Miles picked it up in front of the mercenaries and the drug sellers. “Well, there goes all your ill-earned fortune.”

They were handed over to the GCPD, and the money was moved out of Gotham with the rest of the amount plundered from Roman Sionis.

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Metropolis 

Three-quarters of the money was moved into the banking system with the help of Charles, who was elated to hear of Black Mask’s downfall. The rest was kept on hand in case of an emergency.

While waiting to hear from General Talak, Miles decided to get Victor back to his old job.

“Mary, how are you?” He called the CEO of his company, and Miles could guess she was hard at work with all the background noise.

“Busy but fine, Miles. How can I help you?” 

“Have you heard of GothCorp?”

There were a couple of seconds of silence as Mary racked her brain since the name did sound familiar. “The cryogenics company?” She asked, continuing to type on her keyboard.

“Yes, that one. I want you to acquire it and then fire the CEO, Ferris Boyle. I’ll wire you the funds.” He didn’t want someone like Boyle in his employ in any capacity.

“Understood. Anything else?”

“After you fire Boyle, make sure to shut down the weapons research program he is running and secure everything related to it. I’ll have it picked up later.” He didn’t intend to continue the research since there were a myriad of options when it came to weapons tech. 

Mary stopped any weapons research. “I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s done. Anything else?”

“No, not for now. Have a pleasant day, Mary.”

“You too.”

“GothCorp?” Claire was watching a reality show on the TV, but Miles’ phone call was more interesting.

“The company my friend used to work at. It’s time his vacation ends.” Miles believed Victor must have had enough time with his wife, and it was time to start working.

The company would have to be restructured and start focusing on medicine and commercial applications for cryogenics tech after Miles shut down the weapon research.

A phone call to inform Victor he would be returning to his old workplace, this time with a different management and in a new position, Miles and Clare boarded the private jet, heading to Manhattan.

He was going to need defenses against telepathy to avoid having his mind read and his plethora of secrets revealed, and Madame Xanadu, the ancient sorceress, would provide the means for a fee.

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Manhattan

Downtown Area

Greenwich Village

“Hokus & Pokus Occult Curioso?” Claire read the ridiculous name, turning to Miles. “This sounds like one of those stalls you would see in an amusement park.”

The windows of the shop were covered with occult symbols and did not seem very magical to her at all.

“That is precisely the point. I mean, who would think to look for a magician in a shop with a name that screams scam except for those who can actually use magic or know about the place?” It was undoubtedly a clever game on Nimue’s part to name her shop this way to keep nonbelievers at bay.

“Guess you’re right.”

Miles pushed the door open with Claire right behind, ready in case something went wrong.

Rows of books filled the walls, with weird and curious-looking objects placed all across the interior, from weird-looking animals to substances they could not identify.

“Welcome.” Madame Xanadu greeted simply.

Dressed in a simple pink dress with a keyhole, she was a tall woman with black hair and green eyes, and a circlet adorned with around her head holding a blue diamond in place on the middle of her forehead.

“Please be seated.” She gestured to the seats, taking her left hand off the tarot cards. “What brings you curious guests to my shop?” Nimue must have sensed her guests, at least Claire due to her metahuman nature, weren’t here for fun.

“May I say what a pleasure it is to meet you, Madame Xanadu? Or would you prefer Nimue? Miles responded with his suave voice as he took a seat, accepting the offer graciously.

Claire chose to stand, keeping an eye on Madame Xanadu while she perused the shop.

Nimue smiled, her eyes watching the two sharply. “It has been some time since I had guests like you here. I believe the pleasure is mine.” The tarot cards slid across the desk and returned to their deck.

“Now, how may I be of assistance to you?” Nimue wasn’t playing around, it seemed.

All the better for him.

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In the next chapter:

“So, what do you think?” Nimue called out, waiting for her companion to come out. 

“Etrigan didn’t like him at all.” Jason Blood’s smooth voice responded as he stepped out of the back room.

She had called him to get a second opinion on Miles Beckett, as none of her means of investigating the man had yielded tangible results. “I don’t know what else to tell you, Nimue. He is a human, but other than Etrigan not liking him, there isn’t much I sensed. Want me to look into him?” He offered, but Nimue shook her head. 

“I only wanted to get your opinion since you were close, though Etrigan’s dislike of him does confirm something is weird with that man. Thank you nonetheless.” The man did not mean any harm, and she could always try other means. 

Miles Beckett was becoming increasingly intriguing with each passing moment.

Curious about the next chapter? Check out my reddit account.

Chapter Text

Manhattan

Downtown Area

Greenwich Village

“My companion and I need protection against telepathy and all other kinds of mind reading.” Miles would have loved to stay and chat with the sorceress, but he was, as always, strapped for time.

Nimue played with the tarot cards in her hands, her eyes glued on Miles. “That can be arranged.” She was one of the oldest sorcerers in the world, and while creating defenses against telepathy was not a commission she had received before, it was simple for Madame Xanadu to do. “Though, I have a question first.”

“No questions, two briefcases.” Miles put the briefcases on her desk, opening them to reveal the money inside, “and you threw in that Incan Conopa. I am a sucker for effigies like that.” He nodded at the small figure placed on the shelf behind Nimue.

Miles had gathered quite a decent collection in his travels, but it was all gone now, and this was a stellar opportunity to start again.

She took the small Conopa, putting it on the table. “The effigy is charmed to bring prosperity.” Nimue explained. It was a small token she had picked up in her travels as a nomad, though it was not something she was attached to.

“Three cases, then.” He upped the offer.

Nimue considered the proposal. She knew a guest would arrive; her tarot cards had said that much, but the man sitting before her was not included, and it was rare for her cards to fail. She was curious, but it was also rare for a customer like this.

She finally acquiesced. “Very well. Come back in a week, and I’ll have two amulets ready for you.” It would be wonderful if the man became a regular customer. She handed over the effigy, since it was a mere curiosity she had picked up, and put it in a box and handed it over.

“Splendid. We’ll be back in a week.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So who exactly is that woman?” Claire asked after they got in the car. Miles had not told her anything about Madame Xanadu beforehand, and he wondered what brought him to this little shop.

Miles started the ignition and drove. “She is King Arthur Pendragon’s half-sister and was a pupil of Merlin himself.” 

Claire blinked, recognizing the names as part of a legend, not actual history. “Those people are real?” Then again, there were aliens and Amazonians who worshipped the Greek gods on this world; perhaps the existence of King Arthur wasn’t that shocking.

Miles nodded, stopping at the red lights on the way to the hotel. “Very much so. Nimue is old and one of the strongest sorcerers alive.” There were others, but none worked with money, except maybe Constantine.

“Damn. How did you even learn about her?” Someone that old must have been excellent at hiding her tracks.

“She left her marks on history; it was just a matter of putting the clues together.” That was another excuse, of course. He had no doubt Nimue could be traced, but it wouldn't be easy.

They drove in silence for a while before Claire had another question. “I have a question about this no-killing rule of yours. How long do you think it could last?”

“If I go and kill Joker right now, Batman would not stop until he finds the one responsible for it. If a gangster or a small-time criminal in some random place dies, neither he nor anyone else will think of it more than just another homicide.”

It was a complex affair, the Justice League’s no-kill rule. Their reasoning for it was to not take justice into their own hands, but it was just an excuse created by the comic book writers. If the villains died, they would have to create new ones, which would be unprofitable.

“So, it’s just the big names we can’t kill.” It’s not that she wanted to go out of her way to kill people; just the thought of someone more dangerous than Black Mask coming after Miles was bothering her.

“Yes, although leaving a trail of bodies in our wake is not a good strategy either. Law enforcement is bound to see a pattern, and a criminal that leaves patterns isn’t a very good one.” Patterns meant someone could easily be traced and caught.

“You are the boss. I was just curious.”

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There wasn’t much to do for a week while waiting for Madame Xanadu to finish her amulets, except make connections and bug some government offices.

The day before they would return to receive the amulets, Shayera called Miles. “We need to talk. General Talak is here; send me your location and we’ll meet you there.”

Moving to a remote location where her shuttle wouldn’t be seen, Miles and Claire waited for the general to come down on his ship, which didn’t take long, though he wasn’t alone.

Hro Talak was following another Thanagarian, most likely a superior who walked with an air of entitlement few could match. “So you are the human Hro told me about. The one responsible for the defeat of the Gordonians.” The alien measured Miles before clicking his tongue. “You don’t look like much.”

Miles smirked. “Appearances can be deceiving, you, though, are exactly as you appear.”

The Thanagarian was confused at the remark, crossing his arms. “What does that mean?”

“I’ll leave that to you to figure out.” He turned to Hro Talak, who was watching the exchange with annoyance. “Now, General, I wasn’t aware we were having a guest.” 

“This is Councillor Uru Zedak; he is here concerning the deal we made.”

“Yes, General Talak seems to have reached an agreement with you, yet Thanagar’s laws prohibit us from giving advanced technology to other races.”

Miles turned to General Talak. “I do remember you being authorized to grant my part of the deal, General.”

Hro nodded in agreement. “I am; I just did not expect the Council to have such a strong negative reaction to it.” And in truth, he thought the Council would agree to the deal regardless of the law since defeating the Gordonians was worth anything in his opinion.

“I wonder why. Gordonians are defeated due to my interference, and Thanagar is saved from an imminent defeat. Yet they are unwilling to honor our agreement.” They were being unreasonable, and Miles had no patience for it.

Uru Zedak did not appear to care. “The law is the law.”

Miles got on the Thanagarian’s face, looking straight into his eyes, making the winged alien unnerved. “Make an exception for me, Councillor.” He insisted, but Uru stood his ground, barely.

“If we make an exception for you, it will set a precedent.” Councillor weakly excused himself, and Miles could smell fear. 

Miles took a step back, his eyes still on the Thanagarian politician. “Councillor Uru, I defeated the mortal enemy of Thanagar with some forged evidence that took ten minutes to prepare. What do you think I’ll do to you if I don’t get what was promised to me?” His words were met with shocked silence from the Thanagarians, and Claire realized things could quickly devolve into a fight.

“Is that a threat?” Uru Zedak watched warily.

Miles smirked, enjoying scaring the Thanagarian. “No, it is a warning. There are worse entities in the galaxy than Larfleeze, and if you renege on our agreement, I’ll rain hell on Thanagar.”

“Worse than Larfleeze?” General Talak had watched as the Orange Lantern tore apart the defensive line the Gordonians had. The line Thanagar could not hope to pierce through even with all their might brought to bear on it.

He did not show any mercy and, after the defensive line had collapsed, proceeded to burn the planet, one city at a time.

It was terrifyingly beautiful and so satisfying to watch.

“There is something Darkseid has been searching for a long time, something that will give him complete control over all life. Just the rumors that it might be on Thanagar would be enough for him to burn your homeworld to ashes and enslave whoever remains.” The Anti-Life equation was most likely beyond the Source Wall since he was in the Justice League Animated universe, but there were discrepancies, so he couldn’t be entirely sure.

Not that Darkseid would care, since even the mere mention of the Anti-Life Equation would send the Dark God of Apokolips on a warpath.

And he was bluffing, because not only did he not have any way of reaching Darkseid, he also wouldn't do it in the first place for any reason.

Councillor Uru reconsidered his earlier statement at the mention of Darkseid. “General, see to it that the deal is carried out as you agreed to it.”

“Not so fast.” Miles stopped the Councillor from leaving.

He would not let him get off so easily.

“What?” Uru asked, puzzled as to what the human wanted now.

“You just tried to make a fool out of me, Councillor. I want you to make amends.” Miles implored. He would not let anyone take advantage of him, much less walk away scot-free after attempting to.

“What else do you want?” The technological assistance that was part of the deal would be invaluable to a planet grappling with environmental issues and poverty, and Uru Zedak didn’t know what else the human could want.

“An Nth metal sword as compensation.” Gravity negation, healing acceleration, increasing the strength, and protecting the user from extreme temperatures. Nth metal had all those properties, along with many unknown ones, and now that Uru Zedak gave him the opportunity, Miles would definitely take a weapon made of it.

Uru Zedak visibly recoiled. “That’s too much!” Nth metal was only known to exist in Thanagar, and giving it to an outsider was not something done lightly, if ever.

“Enough for you to risk a war with Apokolips over it?”

Uru Zedak was conflicted, his face contorted as he considered what to do before nodding, knowing that the threat of Darkseid was not something they could handle, and by General Talak’s accounts, the human was dangerous enough to carry out his promise.

The Councillor nodded and went back into the ship.

Hro was glaring at him now. “I like the way you dealt with him, but I don’t appreciate you threatening Thanagar at all.” The Thanagarian General was naturally displeased at his warning, though Miles didn’t give a damn.

“And I don’t appreciate someone trying to make a fool out of me. Now that the Councillor knows better than to step on my toe, I am sure our interactions moving forward will be much smoother.”

If not, it would be at Thanagar’s expense.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, after sending the Thanagarian Councillor packing, Miles and Claire visited Madame Xanadu to pick up the amulets.

They were two golden chains with a Celtic shield knot hanging at the end. “As agreed, two amulets to protect you from telepathy.” She held out the cushion, and Miles picked the amulets, handing one over to Claire.

He put the amulet on, hiding it beneath his white shirt to keep it concealed. “Pleasure doing business with you, Madame Xanadu.”

She escorted them to the door. “Be sure to come back if you need anything else.”

“I’ll be sure to.” It would be inevitable for him to need assistance of an arcane nature, and Madame Xanadu was one of, if not the best, choices he had.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, what do you think?” Nimue called out, waiting for her companion to come out. 

“Etrigan didn’t like him at all.” Jason Blood’s smooth voice responded as he stepped out of the back room.

She had called him to get a second opinion on Miles Beckett, as none of her means of investigating the man had yielded tangible results. “I don’t know what else to tell you, Nimue. He is a human, but other than Etrigan not liking him, there isn’t much I sensed. Want me to look into him?” He offered, but Nimue shook her head. 

“I only wanted to get your opinion since you were close, though Etrigan’s dislike of him does confirm something is weird with that man. Thank you nonetheless.” The man did not mean any harm, and she could always try other means. 

Miles Beckett was becoming increasingly intriguing with each passing moment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

The living room of his house had been burned down, though the rest of the house was fine. The inspection showed they had overloaded an extension lead, and the insurance did not cover that.

Not a problem for Miles.

Curious about the next chapter? Check out my reddit account.

Chapter Text

Metropolis

Beckett Residence

Miles was placing the Incan Canopa in a glass casing when the doorbell rang. Claire went to check it since she was closer. “Miles, it’s those FBI agents with a tagalong.”

“No need to be rude, Claire. Invite the nice gentlemen inside.” Miles got up to greet his guests, leaving the effigy on the table.

Agents Morris and Delecrux came in, along with another man in his fifties with greying buzz-cut hair, dressed in a suit and holding a briefcase.

“Mr. Beckett. We are here to inform you that the FBI has validated your ownership of the gold you sold to the Gold Exchange.” A string of communications through proper channels had established that the young man did in fact own all that gold.

Which had drawn the government’s attention.

“I am Anthony Coleman, representative of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Mr. Beckett, we are interested in buying your gold.” He held out his hand, and Miles took it with a smile that actually reached his eyes.

“By all means, Mr. Coleman, take a seat and let’s talk business.” A literal golden egg-laying goose had stepped on his porch, and Miles was going to take advantage of it to the fullest.

“What is the amount the Federal Reserve is interested in?”

“For now, ten thousand tonnes, the same amount you sold to the Gold Exchange, each year.”

“That is wonderful to hear.” Since it was a federal contract, there would be no taxes, meaning no working overtime to evade taxes.

The man pulled out a document from his briefcase, putting it on the coffee table. “However, the Board will need assurances that you will not conduct any transactions regarding your gold with any third countries.” They didn’t want all that gold going to the hands of anyone not in line with the United States. 

Miles took the document, scanning it. “In that case, the Board will have to offer me incentives.” After all, free market principles dictated Miles could sell his gold to whomever he wanted.

“Such as?”

“Twenty percent above the market rate.” His demand had caught the representative off guard, and the man was silent for a while to think on it.

That was a steep price, and Anthony would have to call that in. “I’ll have to discuss that with the Board. If I may?” 

“Of course, perfectly understandable.”

Anthony stepped out of the house to relay Miles’ demand to his superiors, and he turned to the FBI agents. “Can I get you anything to drink? I have an excellent jar of Cranberry Cosmopolitan Mocktail in the fridge.”

“No, thank you.” The agents refused, which he did expect since Delecrux was not good at hiding his expression yet. He must have been still sore about Miles’ comment on his acting.

The representative of the Board returned not long after he had left. “The Board can only offer five percent at most, Mr. Beckett.”

Miles leaned back, calm as one can be. “Do tell the Board that is nowhere near enough, and that the Federal Reserve will sooner run out of gold to buy than I’ll run out of buyers. If they can’t make it worth my time, I have no reason to accept. I mean, the Russians and the Chinese made more incentivizing offers.” They had not, but the Board had no way of knowing it, and he specifically mentioned those countries, as they were technically the enemies of the United States.

His claim seemed to have rattled Anthony, who stood straighter. “How incentivizing?”

“Russians offered ten, the Chinese fifteen percent above the market rate.” Miles put his hand over his heart. “Now, just as any other patriot, I would love nothing more than to sell my gold to the United States Federal Reserve, but I need to think of my interests as well.” Patriotism would not resonate with the man, but if the Federals believed Miles had a nationalistic bone, they would be less inclined to further suspect him of anything foul when he did sell his gold to other buyers if he became strapped for funds.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Anthony went out again, staying out for longer this time, while the FBI agents sat in silence, watching Miles as he moved the glass container to the shelf he had prepared for his collection.

Ignoring the agents, Miles went and got himself a glass, bringing Claire along. The FBI would most likely bug his house, so he gave Morris and Delecrux the opportunity.

Ah, such fun he would have with that.

Hearing the door open, Miles and Claire went back to the living room.

“The Board will agree to buy your gold twenty percent above the market rate if you agree to not sell your gold to anyone not approved by the Board.”

The agreement was amended, and Miles signed it, with the details of how the Federal Reserve would take the gold to be discussed later.

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Shushing Claire as she opened her mouth to speak, Miles began to check the probable places one might put a listening device.

Under the coffee table, between the cushions, around the TV stand, and on the shelves.

He found three of them, one under the glass display, one beneath the sofa, and one stuck to the back of the TV stand.

Cute.

“ Are you going to destroy them?”

“No, play along.” Miles took a notebook out of the table and began to write, ripping the page and giving it to Claire.

“So, are you just going to sell all that gold to the Federal Reserve?”

“Of course, who else would I sell it to? I would have done the same even if they hadn’t offered more than Russia or China.”

“Miles Beckett, a patriot to the end.” 

“To the USA.” Miles held out his glass, and Claire brought hers closer.

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“How are you going to get rid of those devices now?” If the devices went silent right after Miles talked about being a patriot, then only a fool would believe it wasn’t fabricated.

Miles smirked. “We are going to eat out tonight.” 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They found a cozy little authentic Italian restaurant in the city center and had sat down to order. Since Claire, Zalika, and Baraka had no idea about the Italian kitchen, they ordered Fettuccine al burro as Miles had done.

Now if only that infernal Karen could shut her trap and let them eat in peace.

“I want to see your manager!” The blond woman screamed for some insipid reason, and Miles just had enough of her. He put one hand on her shoulder and another to discreetly push the butter knife on her back. “Miss, you look faint; perhaps you would like to take a seat?” He jabbed the knife, not enough to draw blood but enough to make her feel it, and seated the frightened woman.

“ There are people here, having come to unwind after a long day's work, and you are making it a miserable experience for everyone, especially the workers. Now, you will eat your food in silence, pay, leave, and never come back, or else no one will ever hear your shrill voice again. Nod if you understand.”

The woman nodded, trembling like a leaf in a hurricane.

“Just drink some water, miss; I am sure you will be fine.” 

Going back to his table, Miles continued to eat.

“That was cool.” Baraka wanted someone to tell that woman to shut up, but seeing Miles go and scare the life out of her was definitely better.

Miles put down his fork as he was done with his lunch. “Some individuals think they are entitled to everything, like that woman, but life doesn’t care who you are; other individuals do, and I don’t care who she is at all.” Calling her a woman was too much, as she acted more like a spoiled child, but Miles didn’t want to get into the semantics of the matter.

They finished, and he paid the check, along with a very generous tip, and searched for ice cream outside, but his phone rang before he could find a place.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The living room of his house had been burned down, though the rest of the house was fine. The inspection showed they had overloaded an extension lead, and the insurance did not cover that.

Not a problem for Miles.

Coincidentally, all listening devices had been incinerated. There would no doubt be suspicions from the FBI, but they couldn’t prove anything, so Miles was safe from any more espionage, for now.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis Forest

General Talak was back with Shaera in tow, and half a dozen scientists along with a codex containing the technologies Miles had demanded in return for his assistance.

“This is Mra Hedat, the chief researcher in charge of this unit. Per our agreement, he and his team will stay on Earth to teach your people.” Said scientist simply nodded, dispirited at having to teach what they perceived as primitives.

“Marvellous.” Miles simply said, waiting for the general to hand over the sword, which he did with great reluctance.

“And an Nth metal sword, as promised.” Miles pulled the sword out of its sheath. It was four and a half feet long, and just like Shaera’s battlemace, the sword was of a dark grey color, with two hawk sigils on the handle. Sheathing the sword, he gestured at the van for the scientists to get in, which they did after pulling their wings closer to their bodies.

He had made sure it was as large as it could be, but for now they would have to make do.

Hro’s grimace had turned into a small smile, the best a warrior like him could make, and Miles had an idea why. “Now that our agreement is concluded, it is time we leave this planet, Shaera.” 

General Hro was no doubt looking forward to having his promised back with him since her mission was technically over with the destruction of the Gordonians, rather than being stuck on a primitive world as a spy.

Miles hated getting between lovers ever so much. “I am afraid not.”

“What now?” In the short time they knew each other, Hro had learned it wasn’t a good thing if the human before him had an objection.

“You are a Thanagarian of your word, general, but you cannot guarantee the Council won’t do something monumentally ludicrous like breaking our agreement. Until the task of your scientists is over, Shaera stays on Earth as insurance.”

“That’s!” Talak started to object, but Shaera stopped him. “He is correct. We cannot allow Council to make all the sacrifices made by our people worthless just for their agenda. I can stay for however long it takes.” Shaera had worked with all that she had for years to see this war end; she could afford to do more.

Shaera also wanted to have some to think about Hro's deception in not telling her the real reason she was sent to Earth.

Hro seemed to be considering an alternative offer before he spoke again. “I can send someone else to take her place.”

“You may, but there is no one else in this galaxy you would fight the Council so ferociously for as Shaera.” Shaera was his fiancée after all, and Hro Talak would stand before the Council to the end if it meant she would be safe.

Hro snarled, but Shaera nodded, and he backed off reluctantly.

“Very well. I will return on regular intervals to check on the progress.” Which was his way of saying he would come to visit Shaera at every opportunity he could find.

“By all means, General, though do inform us beforehand.”

The Thanagarian general left without a word after sharing a tender moment with Shaera.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EnviroCorps Clean Energy Research Center

Mary-Anne informed him that she had gathered several of the prominent researchers on fusion technology and on components relevant to the field, along with the location of the pristine research center where he was taking the Thanagarians to.

He drove the car right into the underground garage, one he had specifically requested to avoid any prying eyes. Parking the vehicle, he went to greet Mary, who was waiting all alone, while Claire opened the door for the Thanagarians.

Miles had a satisfied smile as he shook her hand. “Mary, well done once again. You certainly meet my expectations.” He had read the files on the scientists, and their acumen, combined with the Thanagarians’ advanced scientific knowledge, would mean they would be the saviors of humanity from its greatest adversary.

Humanity itself.

“Thank you, Miles. You will also be happy to know EnviroCorps bought GothCorp, and Ferris Boyle is out of work. Your friend, Victor, has also started working again.” He didn’t have the opportunity to call Victor and noted to rectify that later.

“Serendipitous news, in the meantime, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Hedat and his fellow scientists, who will be educating our research team on the fields we have spoken about.” As the Thanagarians slowly left the van, Mary took a step back in shock.

“My god.”

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In the next chapter:

Without even offering any greetings, the Dark Knight went straight into the matter. “That alien healer you contacted, can you bring her to Earth again?”

“Hello to you too, Batman." He greeted the Dark Knight. "And yes, I’m confident I can persuade her to come for another visit." If love was involved, Yrra Cynril would be bound to come.

"Though perhaps you should explain what this is about so I can see if there is an alternative solution that does not require anyone to travel light-years?” Seeing as the man in question did not need any medical assistance, it must be someone else, someone he cared about dearly.

Which was a short list.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

EnviroCorps Clean Energy Research Center

After gathering the scientists and Mary-Anne, Miles stood up to give a small speech to explain the situation. “I am sure you are all surprised to see the presence of Thanagarians here. However, there is no reason to worry; they are our allies, and the fine selection of experts they sent in will be educating you in advanced science as part of an agreement I made with their government.”

Watching the reactions of the scientists, Miles continued. “Now, I am aware some of you might be uncomfortable with the idea, but just as the Justice League saves the Earth from extraterrestrial invaders and extremely volatile villains, you will save humanity from poverty, environmental collapse, and diseases.”

“You will be heroes, not the ones who fight in the light for the amusement of the masses, but the ones who toil in the labs to safeguard our future.” There was no clapping, no shouts, but silent, resolute nods, as the people gathered in this room understood the dangers Miles spoke of more than anyone else in this world.

After introducing the Thanagarian scientists and encouraging both teams to get along, Miles instructed Mary-Anne to do whatever she felt necessary to keep the Thanagarians a secret. 

The scientists were convinced to sign non-disclosure agreements, as well as non-compete agreements for the next ten years in the event of termination of employment.

Naturally, their salaries and benefits reflected the importance of this matter.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Federal Reserve contacted him for the first gold sale and told Miles they were ready to receive the agreed amount at a location of his choosing, and since the gold was safely stored all the way back in Massachusetts, Miles took Claire and Baraka to start loading the gold onto the truck, and with Baraka able to drive, it meant they could transport the gold twice as fast.

“How are you doing, Claire?” Miles asked as he lowered the pallet onto the truck, with Baraka pulling and securing it with straps to avoid any accidents.

“I have a feeling you’re not trying to make small talk.”

“Your observational skills must be improving.” Claire rolled her eyes at his teasing as she secured the pallet on her truck. She sat on the edge of the trailer, her feet dangling with a forlorn look in her eyes. “It still hurts to think about them, so I try not to, but every now and then I have these intrusive thoughts.”

“Violent ones?” His tone was non-judgmental, more aimed to learn her inner thoughts than to render any verdict.

Claire shrugged. “Sometimes, and sometimes, I just want to yell at them until I can’t anymore.” Miles had been straight with her so far, and she would not lie, though the nature of the matter made it hard to speak to anyone.

“You know, going to therapy might help.”

Claire crossed her arms, the dry look on her face revealing her thoughts on the offer. “See a shrink? Really?” 

“Don’t be ignorant, Claire. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I mean, more than half the people inside Arkham might not have to be there if they received mental health support before.” Then again, they might just turn their psychologists to villainy, like Harleen Quinzel.

“Jeez, Miles, I just want to punch them, not roast them alive.”

“It was just an example, Claire; I wouldn’t have offered you employment if I thought you were some violent, irredeemable criminal.” There were already enough of them running around in the world, foremost being the Clown Prince of Crime himself.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

“Hey, are you two are done?” Baraka’s head peeked out of the trailer, frowning. 

Miles turned to him, driving the forklift to load another pallet. “Do be patient, Baraka; it is one of the most important virtues after all.”

Baraka pulled the pallet to secure it, hurrying up as they were almost done loading both trailers. “You know, I bet you would make a good teacher.” He commented, earning a small chuckle from Miles.

“I don’t think the Federal Government would appreciate me educating people on how to evade taxes or launder ill-earned wealth. Speaking of education, have you decided what you want to learn, besides the basic education?” A person without education would be vulnerable to being taken advantage of, leading to the person falling into a life of crime or becoming another cog in the capitalist machine.

Baraka jumped out of the trailer, dusting his hands, and closed the doors, locking them in place. “I’ve been watching Zalika work on the computer, and I am beginning to actually enjoy it too.” The two almost always did everything together, since for so long, Baraka and Zalika only had each other to depend on, and naturally, he began to watch his sister work, and she in turn had taught him some really cool things.

“Which aspect? Programming, cyber security, or just the machines themselves?” Each area would make an excellent addition to his employee roster, though if the young man chose another field in the end, it was fine as well.

“I'm not sure about that yet.”

“How about I hire you tutors on all three and we see which one interests you the most?” 

“That would actually be nice, thanks, Miles.” He would have been worried about the expenses, but the literal mountain of gold meant Miles wouldn’t have to worry about money.

If ever.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The final shipment had been made, with twelve billion dollars in his account, and no taxes had to be paid.

It was a dream come true.

“Mary, I hope there isn't any friction between the scientists.”

“No, it’s not that; I just wanted to inform you that the machines and supplies our friends require will cost a lot in the long run.” Making fusion reactors wasn’t an easy task, not to mention some of the more discrete orders she had received.

“Proceed with them, as I said before, I have more than enough wealth to fund all these projects.”

“I already have. I’ll keep you informed of any developments.”

He next called Victor to see how he was doing.

“You have no idea how nice it is to be able to work without someone like Boyle breathing down my neck.” The new chief researcher of GothCorp's cryogenic and medical departments sounded delighted on the phone.

“I am glad to hear you are doing well. Tell me, how are your research projects proceeding?”

“You will be glad to know I finished the cure for the second stage of MacGregor’s disease, though those cryo field generators you want will take some time.” Owing to once-in-a-lifetime geniuses being a dime a dozen, this Earth had grown faster, both in population and in its wide spectrum of industrial fields.

So, its ecological collapse would come faster, and the blistering summer heaths were ample proof of that.

As usual, politicians made commitments but took no concrete steps, so Miles had to do it himself, through channeling the talents of geniuses like Victor Fries to more productive endeavors.

“I am sure you will figure it out, Victor. Keep me posted if you need anything, and say hi to Nora.”

It wasn’t even half an hour later when his work phone rang, with Batman of all people calling. 

Without even offering any greetings, the Dark Knight went straight into the matter. “That alien healer you contacted, can you bring her to Earth again?”

“Hello to you too, Batman." He greeted the Dark Knight. "And yes, I’m confident I can persuade her to come for another visit." If love was involved, Yrra Cynril would be bound to come.

"Though perhaps you should explain what this is about so I can see if there is an alternative solution that does not require anyone to travel light-years?” Seeing as the man in question did not need any medical assistance, it must be someone else, someone he cared about dearly.

Which was a short list.

There was silence on the other end for a while, which meant the matter was serious if it took Batman this long to reach a decision. “Alfred is sick; the doctors discovered he has MacGregor’s disease during a routine checkup.”

Miles stopped, as this was another discrepancy in the timeline, since he did not remember the loyal butler of Batman having MacGregor's disease, except in the movie. “What stage?”

“Stage one.” Which meant it wasn't actually a problem.

“Then there is no need to bother the Star Sapphire Corps. I know a guy who just finished the cure for stage two. Why don’t we drop by your place tomorrow night?” It was already getting late, and the plane would take a couple of hours to reach Gotham, and Victor would be working.

“I’ll be waiting.” Batman almost sounded relieved.

Almost.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gotham

Wayne Manor

As he was back in Gotham once more, Miles didn’t want to leave with empty hands. Since he was doing a great favor for Batman, why not do more and take out one of his more dangerous adversaries?

Telling Nora he needed Victor’s help and having the scientist bring all the relevant equipment to treat stage one MacGregor’s disease, Miles had Baraka drive to the Wayne Manor.

Alfred opened the door, and at first sight, you wouldn’t think the man was sick at all. He still had his professional face on and stood strong. “Master Miles, welcome. Master Bruce is waiting for you and your companions. This way, please.”

“Thank you, Alfred.” 

“May I take your coat?”

“Certainly.” Miles let the distinguished gentleman take his coat and hat and moved to see Batman sitting on the sofa, agitated and impatient.

They shook hands. “Bruce, this is Doctor Victor Fries, the man I told you about.” Miles gestured to Victor, who Bruce held out his hand to.

“Welcome, Mr. Fries. Miles spoke highly of your talents.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Wayne. If it is alright with you all, I would like to start my diagnosis and proceed with the treatment right away.” Seeing as Miles had interrupted his date night with Nora, Victor no doubt wanted to go back as soon as possible.

“That is perfectly fine.” It was easy to see the usual poker face of Bruce Wayne was gone, as he was itching to have Alfred treated quickly.

Victor started his diagnosis, confirming Alfred’s status, and prepared a dose of the medicine, injecting two bright blue liquids into the Wayne Manor butler intravenously.

“The cure will show its effects within twenty-four hours, and by the end of the week, there will be no trace of it left. It is fortunate that your condition was caught in the first stage.” After a shower of gratitude rained on him, along with offers from Bruce to further fund his research, Baraka took Victor back to his home.

Now, he was left alone with Bruce as Claire left to give them some space. “I owe you, Miles.”

“And you don’t like owing anyone.” 

“I don’t.”

“Allow me to save you the trouble. We’ll call it even if you can arrange a meeting with Poison Ivy and get her out on probation, provided she agrees to my offer.” Breaking one of Batman’s villains out of prison was not wise, for the Dark Knight would not stop until Pamela Isley was back behind the bars.

“What offer would that be?” Miles already had a scientist like Victor Fries and a powerful pyrokinetic working for him. Someone like Ivy would be dangerous on the wrong side, one that could funnel her abilities for more than just destroying a chemical plant or a coal mine.

“Bruce, more than thirty percent of the American food supply is wasted, and the same percentage of its people are obese, yet people on the other side of the world starve to death. Poison Ivy’s control over plants means she can cultivate highly resistant crops that can grow anywhere, yet she tries to destroy a part of Gotham every couple months and ends up in Arkham.” Miles leaned closer. “Let me convince her that there is a better way than eco-terrorism.” 

Of course nothing was certain before he talked to Poison Ivy, but Miles was reasonably sure he could convince her.

“You don’t think I tried?” Batman had tried to convince some of his villains, those sane enough to be convinced anyway, but did not have any success.

“I know you have the interpersonal skills of a toddler, your observational capabilities notwithstanding. Just arrange the meeting for me, and if I fail, we’ll still call it even.” Batman understood the situations but, owing to his personality, did not tend to react appropriately. 

“Alright.” If Miles succeeded, it would be a venue to keep an eye on him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Usual business continued while Miles waited for Poison Ivy to make up her mind, but he had an issue now.

A group of gunmen came out of a van and started shooting at Miles and Claire in daylight. 

“This wasn’t in the plans, was it?” Claire asked as they took cover, with the shots peppering the brick wall.

“They are just some rubble, Claire, nothing compared to what we dealt with until now.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” She kneeled and peeked out of the corner to launch a torrent of flames at one of the shooters, sending him flying off with a painful burn on his chest.

Miles pulled out the cryo grenade he always kept on himself, as well as the cryo pistol, and threw the grenade right into the midst of the shooters, sending half of them to the ground, frozen.

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Chapter Text

Gotham

Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane

Batman had Alfred checked by his family physician, and after confirming that his father figure was getting better, he arranged a meeting with Poison Ivy.

Entering the interrogation room where Pamela Isley was cuffed to the desk in all her green glory, Miles sat before her with two guards stationed at the corners of the room, weapons ready in case Ivy tried something.

“So, Batsy brought you here, huh? Why don’t you introduce yourself, handsome?” Ivy’s flirtatious voice would no doubt ensnare men with less self-control, like Miles and Batman.

Ignoring her for now, Miles turned to the one-way mirror. “Can we have the cuffs and the guards removed? There are no plants in the vicinity for Miss Isley to manipulate, so all of this is quite unnecessary.”

The guards frowned, but after a minute the phone rang, and they left after uncuffing Poison Ivy.

“My, what a gentleman you are. Not worried I might kill you?” She rubbed her wrists and rested her chin on her hands, watching Miles with a predatory gaze.

“I try to be, and compared to some of the other inmates, you are not actually insane. Miles Beckett, a pleasure.” He held out his gloved hand, and Ivy took it with a smile.

“You already know me, so why don’t you tell me why you are here?” The super villainess seemed to be at ease, since Batman wouldn't bring someone who would harm the inmates to Arkham.

“I read your psych profile and your criminal record. I must say, for a woman as intelligent as you, your actions are quite senseless. Is it possible your powers are affecting your mental faculties?” She was taken aback by his frankness and the implication of his words.

Poison Ivy leaned forward, no longer having fun. “Are you calling me crazy?” 

Miles rolled his eyes deliberately. “Miss Isley, if I wanted to call you names, I would do it straight to your face without any innuendo. I am simply wondering why you use your powers to fight environmental pollution through such ineffective means. I mean, destroying a factory for releasing chemicals to the water isn’t going to do anything but cause a small setback.” Which was the latest entry to the list of felonies she had committed. 

Pamela crossed her arms, scowling at Miles. “Oh, and you would know how to save the Earth better?”

“Why yes.”

“Enlighten me then.”

“If I must.” Miles took out a folder from his coat, pulling out several photos of deforested and polluted landscapes. “I bought these lands for almost free, owing to their current condition.” He handed the photos to the green woman, who frowned at the state the land was in.

“Tell me something, Miss Isley, with all that remarkable power coursing through your veins and the encyclopedic knowledge of botany you possess, couldn’t you restore this land to its former glory, perhaps to even greater heights? Reawaken the soil, coax life from decay, and breathe green into grey? I find that hard to believe. No, what I think is that you're not lacking in ability. You're lacking in vision. And perhaps—just perhaps—the will to create rather than destroy.”

His words had struck a chord in Poison Ivy, as she did not speak for some time. “I could.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Miles asked aggressively, and Ivy flinched. 

“I—I don’t know.”

“Pamela, may I call you that?” At her nod, Miles continued, this time more gently, his shift in demeanor throwing Poison Ivy further off. “You possess a truly exquisite gift that is desperately needed in this maddened little world we share. And yet, here you are,” Miles gestured to the cell” locked up in an asylum for the criminally insane because you were wasting it on blowing up factories and coal mines, as if it would solve anything.” 

Pointing at the photos spread across the little desk, he continued. “Have you ever considered—really considered—using that gift to change the world, not just burn it down? Because believe me, the world doesn’t need another arsonist. It needs a spark—not of fire, but of hope. Hope that Earth will survive and that humanity can be educated to embrace nature, not destroy it in the name of unchecked capitalism."

Poison Ivy grasped her head; the irrationality of her actions was laid bare for her to see. Thinking about all her previous attempts, it made Pamela Isley realize for all her claims of wanting to save the environment, she had accomplished nothing.

She finally looked at Miles again. “What do you exactly want from me?” 

“Me? Nothing. Mother Nature, on the other hand, cries for a savior, and I simply offer you the chance to be that.” This wasn’t about him after all, but the world itself.

“I have a long prison sentence.”

“You will appear before a judge, prove that you intend to change your ways, and be released on probation. By this time next week, you’ll be working to restore that land, if you accept that.” With Batman convincing James Gordon to talk to the judge to give Ivy a chance, she would be out of Arkham, with safeguards to avoid her going on a crime spree.

“I’ll need time to think.” No doubt Poison Ivy was having conflicting thoughts and didn’t know if she could trust Miles.

“Give Commissioner Gordon a call when you make up your mind; he'll contact Batman." Miles left Pamela to her thoughts.

She was quiet as the guards led Ivy to her cell.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Nice speech.”

“My, another compliment from Batman himself; Flash is going to be beset with jealousy.”

The Dark Knight just gave him a blank stare. “Do you think she will accept your offer?”

“Most likely. She is shaken up by the realization of her folly, though there is always the chance she could lash out in resentment.” Ivy had her heart in the right place; it was her method that branded her a criminal.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Batman already had enough on his plate with his gallery of villains; there was no need to have Ivy cause trouble elsewhere.

“Regardless, we are even now.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

He had no further business in Gotham for now and took the private jet to Metropolis and began to seek tutors for Zalika and Baraka. 

Metropolis University was one of the finest institutions on this version of Earth and possessed many departments, including the fields he sought, so finding private tutors was not an issue.

Most of the eligible postgraduates were already employed, and Miles thought college students would be adequate for now. Miles also always aspired to assist students wherever it was possible.

He had already seen the part of their basic education himself, and it would be enough to avoid the tutors asking why the siblings knew so little, except Zalika when it came to anything related to tech.

So three students were hired on probation, with Logan Moore on programming, Daniel Taylor on cybersecurity, and Stephanie Blaese on mechanical engineering, to teach the siblings everything in their respective fields starting from the very basics. Depending on which subjects the siblings preferred, the students would be hired as full-time tutors.

They were paid well for their secrecy on the matter.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Usual business continued while Miles waited for Poison Ivy to make up her mind, but he had an issue now.

A group of gunmen came out of a van and started shooting at Miles and Claire in daylight. 

“This wasn’t in the plans, was it?” Claire asked as they took cover, with the shots peppering the brick wall.

“They are just some rabble, Claire, nothing compared to what we dealt with until now.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” She kneeled and peeked out of the corner to launch a torrent of flames at one of the shooters, sending him flying off with a painful burn on his chest.

Miles pulled out the cryo grenade he always kept on himself, as well as the cryo pistol, and threw the grenade right into the midst of the shooters, sending half of them to the ground, frozen.

Seeing the opportunity, Claire launched herself into the air with a blast from her feet and hands and fell right into the ground where he had thrown the grenade, an expanding dome of flames erupting and taking out the remaining shooters.

“Your training is paying off, I see.” He commented, taking the guns away, freezing the feet of the out-cold assailants, and nailing them to the ground.

“Who do you think sent them?”

“Let’s find out.” Miles emptied out a trash can and froze the inside of it with a block of ice, and getting the idea of what he wanted to do, Claire melted it.

She kicked one of the assailants in the head, waking him up. Before he could react, Claire grabbed him by the neck and shoved his head into the can, holding him down as the shooter thrashed in an attempt to break free.

Gesturing for Claire to pull the man out, the pyrokinetic did so, taking her hands off the man as he gasped for breath. 

“Now, there are two ways we can do this. The first way is you tell me what I want to know, and I’ll just lock you and your companions inside the van. The second is we find out how long you can hold your breath before breaking, and if you happen to die? Well, perhaps one of them could answer instead.” 

The man hesitated, and Miles hummed in understanding. “That didn’t seem to have convinced you.” Upon cue, Claire hauled the man to his feet and dunked his head once again, and Miles let him stay like that longer this time.

At his nod, Claire pulled the man out again. “It was Anton; he sent us to take you out. Please, no more.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard. Now, his location.”

The man hesitated again, weighing his options, though he blurted out an address as Claire took a step towards him.

Knocking the man out, they proceeded to tie the shooters with their own clothes and lock them inside the van. Just to be sure, Miles froze the door shut and threw away the keys, as well as taking their phones.

No need for Anton to get a warning.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles didn’t have time to bring his mercenary squad, and since he couldn’t dispose of Anton if he called Superman for help, Miles and Claire decided to go at it alone but well armed and with a plan.

Standing before the entrance guarded by two meatheads, Miles spoke. “I believe your boss is looking for me.” The meathead one frowned, not expecting any company. “Bricks isn’t seeing anyone.”

“Bricks? What a creative name. Is it because he has the intelligence or the looks of one?” The guards didn’t appreciate Miles mocking their boss, and Claire didn’t appreciate anyone trying to attack hers, and her flaming fists won the contest of strength.

Taking his rifle out, Miles moved in with Claire right in front of him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The inside of the building was guarded well since the basement was a cocaine lab, and naturally, Anton wanted it well protected.

Not that it worked, as all his guards were out with either second-degree burns or were frozen in a block of ice.

As for Anton, it turns out he was called Bricks because he was built like a brick wall.

Which didn’t really work when Claire nailed him between the legs. Miles winced as the man fell to the ground holding his groin, a silent scream between his lips.

Since Bricks was out, Miles helped himself to his computer and found emails ferrying information to Anton. Growth of his network had gotten his attention, and Bricks didn’t enjoy healthy competition in his field.

Neither did Miles.

Calling Zalika, Miles connected her to the computer to track down everyone working for Bricks to inform them there was a change in management, with ample proof of their illegal dealings as ammunition should any refuse.

Anton eventually got up on trembling legs while still holding his groin, and Claire pulled a chair, forcing the much larger man to sit.

“I am curious about something, Anton. I heard steroids shrink your penis. Have you found that to be the case for you, or did you always lack in that department?” Anton tried to rise in outrage, but Claire pushed him down with a glare, and he sat back down, gulping in fear.

Shaking his head as if chiding a child, Miles continued. “And it seems to have affected your testicles too, with how scared you are.” Claire chuckled at the joke, and Miles began to go through the drawers of the desk, eventually finding Anton’s gun.

A gold-plated Desert Eagle sat inside the drawer, and Miles took it, checking the chamber to see if it was loaded, ready to end Anton.

In that moment, Superman flew through the doors, floating as he checked the room. “Superman, my friend, what a pleasant surprise.” Anton was alarmed at hearing Miles call Superman “my friend” and visibly gulped when Superman greeted him back.

“Miles, nice to see you too, though what is happening here?” He asked, watching as Miles removed the magazine and pulled the slide back to dismantle the pistol in his hand.

He pointed at the crime boss sitting on the chair, cursing his luck between winces of pain from his groin. “Anton here had a drug lab in the basement, and I was just warning him on the dangers of weapons and addictive substances.” Miles completely dismantled the pistol and put the parts on the desk.

One more second and Miles would have been caught.

He needed to be more careful in the future.

Superman glared at the crime boss, who looked ready to wet his pants, and called in the authorities. Miles, after messaging Zalika to wipe everything from the computer, left the matter in the hands of the Man of Tomorrow.

Anton kept his mouth shut about ordering a hit on a man that was friends with Superman out of self-preservation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

A very interesting piece of intelligence from Metropolis had reached him, concerning someone purchasing rare and expensive materials related to robotics being shipped to Yellowstone National Park of all places.

Which could mean a lot of possibilities, but the only one he knew of was Thomas O. Marrow, the genius robotics scientist who for some reason made it his goal to destroy the Justice Society and then the Justice League for reasons that weren’t mentioned in Young Justice.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

“Are you sure Superman didn’t hear us?” Claire asked as they entered the car and sped away from the scene.

“Believe me, he is not exactly the most subtle of caped individuals; if he had been, that conversation would have gone in an entirely different direction.” Unlike Batman, Superman preferred direct approaches, and if he thought Miles may have intended to shoot Anton, he definitely wouldn't stay silent.

“He has super hearing, right?” Claire did remember Miles mentioning how hard it would be to do business with Superman in Metropolis.

Miles nodded, slowing down as they were now far enough to not have to worry about the police. “Superman holds back a great deal owing to his upbringing. He has to consciously use his super hearing, as listening to a city the size of Metropolis all the time would cause sensory overload.”

“Now that the musclehead is bound for prison, what are we going to do?” She saw him using the computer in that room and knew Miles wouldn't do it for no reason.

“Take over the remnants of his network, and then have Poison Ivy start on her little gardening project.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Officer Mason Carter groaned as he opened the door to his apartment, dropping his groceries in the kitchen before walking to sit down on the couch.

Mason’s hand went to his pistol as soon as he saw the man in a suit sitting in his place, before someone twisted his arm from behind and took his pistol, slamming the MCPD officer on the ground, and giving the pistol to the man.

“Adult magazines, Mason? You couldn’t find a partner with all that bribe money you took from Anton?” The man put down the magazines he was waving at Mason and took the pistol from the woman who now stood next to him, while Mason slowly got up, wiping his nose.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He denied the accusations, mindful of his own gun pointed at him.

The man chuckled, taking the remote from the coffee table and turning on the TV. 

Dread pooled in his stomach as a video record of him taking bribe money from Anton played, with his face very recognizable.

“Would you like to keep playing the fool? Because your former employer did have a rather substantial archive of your activities.” In addition to recording his bribes, Anton also had videos of Mason’s sexual activities to use in case the police officer tried to double-cross him.

“You’re the one who sent him to prison; what the hell do you want from me?” The man pointed at the single seat, and Mason slowly sat down.

The man put down the gun, though the red-haired woman was still watching him. “I just came to inform you in person that there is a change in management.”

“You want me to work for you?” Not that he had a choice, because a dirty cop going to prison wouldn’t end well.

“And to inform everyone else that there is a new man in charge.” Most of Anton’s network were familiar with who worked for the small-time crime boss, which was just terrible management if you asked him.

Mason nodded; after all, it didn’t matter to him who had Anton’s place, as long as he got his money. “What about my agreement with Anton? Does that pass to you?” 

“Mason, you prove your value to me, and I’ll make you rich beyond your dreams, and in that same vein, betray me, and prison will be the last of your worries.” The woman’s fist lit on fire, and even with the distance, Mason could feel the intense heat.

He visibly gulped, stretching the neck of his t-shirt. “Understood. Do you need anything from me now?”

“Just keep your eyes and ears open for any investigation into metahumans, the Justice League, and mentions of alien activity.” This was Metropolis after all; something along those lines was bound to happen, especially with Lex Luthor looking for new ways to kill Superman.

“Got it.”

“Well then, I am sure you need your rest.” The man got up, handing him the pistol after taking out the magazine and the bullets.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was at the end of the week she had been given that Ivy finally made her decision.

“Commissioner Gordon, I pray you’re well.”

“Thank you, Mr. Beckett. It’s regarding Pamela Isley. I talked with the judge and put my neck on the line for Batman, so I want to be assured that there won’t be any problems. There are already enough people in places of power that don’t want me here; if Ivy does something to break her parole, I’ll be the one who faces the music.” James Gordon warned him, and Miles understood the position the GCPD Commissioner had put himself in, vouching for the good behavior of a repeat offender villainess.

He would be sure to not let the man down. “Batman wouldn’t support this endeavor if he didn’t believe that Miss Isley could be redeemed.”

“One more thing. The places Ivy attacked, their owners are pushing against her parole. There is literally a small army of lawyers at the courthouse.” Remembering her criminal record, Miles knew he would have to smooth some ruffled feathers.

“Fret not, Commissioner, I’ll convince them to back off.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gotham

After James Gordon gave him all the details, Miles called Mary to find him the best lawyer in Gotham and started tracking all the places Ivy wrecked and paid them off to drop the charges.

Ten million dollars lighter, Miles stood before Arkham as Commissioner Gordon escorted Pamela Isley out, with the guards of the asylum standing at the ready if Ivy tried something.

“Commissioner Gordon, Pamela.” They shook hands, though the green-skinned woman did seem to be in a sour mood.

“Terms of the parole have been explained to her; Miss Isley can inform you later. Now, Batman did mention some of your plans, but until her parole is over, she can’t leave Gotham, so whatever it is, you will have to do it here.”

“Noted, Commissioner. Shall we?” He turned to Pamela Isley, who nodded and got in the car.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Care to tell why you look so down, Pamela?” Miles asked as he turned on the ignition and drove.

“I heard you paid all those rich bastards for the damages I caused.”

“Why yes.” Ivy scowled at the admission, angry that those people would continue to pollute the Earth, using the money of a man who claimed to want to save the world.

Patience was the key to dealing with a person who was very set in her ways. His speech at Arkham might have convinced Pamela Isley to reconsider her approach, but that didn’t mean she was there yet. “Pamela, I understand what you are feeling, but focus on the bigger picture. You can save this planet faster than the populace can pollute it, and when the time comes, the very people you want punished will be punished through legal means.”

“And when is that going to happen?”

“Patience, Pamela, you have work to do in the meantime.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles took Pamela to her new house in Gotham, a large and cozy prefab on the plot of land he had shown her, where she would work and live until her parole ended.

He also brought in some animals to keep her company, along with a small staff, including a chef and a chauffeur so she could meet her parole officer as necessary.

She would rest for now before starting on her task of turning this dead soil to a lush grove, painting a piece of green land and clean blue sky on the grey and dreary canvas of Gotham.

The staff would also keep an eye on Pamela, but that was a given.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles answered his Justice League comm device. “This is Miles.”

“We have a problem. You need to come up.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watchtower

Hall of Justice

Miles walked in to find all the members of the League except Superman and Martian Manhunter gathered in the room.

Long story short, it was time for the Warworld, where Superman and Martian Manhunter were taken away by a slaver ship to fight in Mongul’s arena, with the League asking if he could find their location, as Hawkgirl and Green Lantern wanted to ask him first rather than go and investigate.

Since he technically wasn’t aware of where Superman and Manhunter would be right now, Miles would implore Lantern and Hawkgirl to follow the ship that took their missing members. “There is one place that comes to mind, but I can’t be sure of it without further investigation.” 

“Where?” Batman asked in that calm voice of his, wondering who would visit their solar system, much less kidnap people, and for what reason.

“In this part of the galaxy, when individuals who show great talent in combat are somehow captured, they are usually taken to Warworld, a planet ruled by an alien named Mongul. He forces people to fight in his arenas to keep the populace distracted. Seeing as Superman is one of the two remaining Kryptonians, and Jon is a Martian, they could have been taken there, but following the trail might be our best bet.” That way, they would find Draaga and put him in the seat of Warworld, preferably with the giant death ray out of the equation.

John frowned, having heard of the Warworld only by name and not being familiar with its location at all. “Damn it, it will be hard to find someone to take us there. Could you manage something?” 

“Not in a sensible timetable.” Not that he could at all, except maybe call in a favor from the Thanagarians, but it would be best for the things to progress according to the canon timeline, and he wasn’t going to owe Thanagar anything.

“Alright, I and Lantern will follow the ion trail then.” Hawkgirl wasn’t looking forward to spending more time with the Green Lantern, but if it was to save friends, she would do what was necessary.

“One more thing: Warworld has a death ray, a weapon meant to be used to destroy planets. Should you find Superman and Manhunter there, destroying it will have to take priority, as Mongul won’t hesitate to use it as leverage.” Small adjustments could be made; after all, there is no need to let Superman take a beating from Mongul any longer than he had to.

“A death ray? What’s next, alien starfish?” Flash said ironically, unaware how on the mark he actually was.

Speaking of Starro, Miles would have to check which origin the creature had on this dimension and its current whereabouts.

“Let’s go; the sooner we leave, the faster we’ll find them.” Lantern left, with Hawkgirl following after him.

There wasn’t much else Miles could do for the Boy Scout and Jonn, so he left the Watchtower.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

A very interesting piece of intelligence from Metropolis had reached him, concerning someone purchasing rare and expensive materials related to robotics being shipped to Yellowstone National Park of all places.

Which could mean a lot of possibilities, but the only one he knew of was Thomas O. Marrow, the genius robotics scientist who for some reason made it his goal to destroy the Justice Society and then the Justice League for reasons that weren’t mentioned in Young Justice.

It would be for the best for Miles to go and see if he could be convinced to turn over a new leaf, but going there just with Claire would not be wise, which meant he had to find someone to help him.

And he just had the person in mind.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finding Supergirl was simple, as he just had to wait for a crime to occur and for the young heroine to swoop in.

And since bank robberies were so common, it meant he had to wait for her to arrest the criminals inside before nodding at her and turning back for her to follow.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As he waited in a dead-end alley a couple blocks down with Claire on the lookout, Supergirl came flying down. “Miles, right? Where is Superman? I can’t reach him for some reason.”

“He is outside the solar system, but he is fine. In the meantime, there is a matter that I came to request your help with.” No need to mention the whole debacle with the Warworld, since the League had not.

“So did you want to talk about something?” 

Miles nodded, explaining his reason for being here. “Thomas O. Morrow is a genius roboticist with a grudge against the Justice League. Recently I found some tracks that may lead to him, and if I am on the right trail, I’ll need a heavyweight fighter, and I thought you could use the experience of fighting more than just robbers with guns.”

Supergirl considered it shortly before agreeing. “Well, I can’t say I am against it, though what about the League?"

“Don’t tell me you never rebelled against authority? What the League doesn’t know won’t hurt them, and it's not like we are doing anything illegal.” A hotheaded teenager like her wouldn’t refuse the opportunity, especially with a protective cousin like Clark Kent.

Supergirl grinned. “I’m in.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“Am I interrupting something important, Madame? I can return at a further date.” The task at hand was important, but there was no need to draw the attention of someone like John Constantine.

“Just a gathering among old friends. May I assume you are here for another commission?”

“Indeed, though, this one will take you away from the comfort of your shop for a while, if you accept.”

“As long as the price is right. Please, take a seat while I bring you tea.” Nimue left for the kitchen while Miles, Claire and Kara sat down on the offered chairs.

“Miles Beckett. It’s rare to see an honest customer like you.” Jason knew from experience that the more expensive a commission was, the more dangerous it got, especially with some customers looking to swindle the mages.

“I am an honest businessman, Mr. Blood.” That is, he would treat people as they treated him.

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Chapter Text

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful

There was no Red Volcano yet, and Morrow did not have any of his other creations with him, so it was just a simple elevator ride to the secret base. There were cameras, so Morrow knew they were coming, but since his greatest defense, his secrecy, was gone now, the scientist couldn’t stop them.

The real T.O. Morrow was an old man, moving around with a nasal cannula tied to an oxygen concentrator on a trolley, and currently was working on an android, a younger version of himself, and seeing his condition, Miles knew it wouldn’t be long before he fell into a coma.

Thomas stopped his work, turning his chair around to face the trio. “So, you found me. How?”

Miles just took a seat. “I know a great matter of things, Morrow, but not the reason behind your vitriol at superheroes and humanity.” He didn’t know, because the writers of Young Justice had not provided T.O. Morrow with a background to justify his hatred for the Justice Society and then the League, as well as his plan to destroy the Earth.

The old scientist just coughed, modifying his oxygen intake. “You wish to hear my story? That’s a first.” None had bothered to ask him that question before.

Miles pointed around the room to some of the most sophisticated samples of robotics on the planet. “I simply refuse to believe a man as brilliant as yourself would one day just wake up and decide to destroy the world for the sake of it.”

“You’d be correct.”

“We are all ears, Thomas.”

Morrow’s tale was one that concerned his wife, Isabella, dying in a fire that the Justice Society of America tried to put down. Thomas blamed them for not rescuing his wife, as they had managed to evacuate all the other tenants, and swore revenge.

As his androids began to develop outside the parameters he had set up, Morrow became more and more obsessed with controlling his creations.

And here they were.

“Though, it doesn’t matter anymore, does it? You found me, and all my attempts will mean nothing now.” Morrow began to press more buttons, and from the look in his eyes, Miles knew he was most likely trying to kill himself rather than go to prison.

“Tell me, would Isabella agree with your actions? Trying to destroy the heroes and the world?” His words stopped Thomas, though his glare did have Claire and Kara on alert.

It was the glare of a man with nothing to lose, and that kind of man was the most dangerous.

“You know nothing about her.” The seething words sent the scientist into a coughing fit, and Miles had to wait for it to finish.

“But you do, Thomas. What would your dear wife think, seeing you become a monster with no regard for human life?”

“I…”

“Shall we ask her?” His offer was met with confusion from Thomas and Supergirl, while Claire just wondered how he would even do that.

“Does he have short-term memory problems?” Thomas asked the girls, with Kara considering the possibility, while Claire just kept an eye on the scientist.

“No, but I know sorcerers who can summon the spirit of your wife to the mortal realm for a short duration. Thing is, Thomas, do you have the courage to face her after everything?”

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greenwich Village

Hokus & Pokus Occult Curioso

Javelins were a godsend, because even if it was on a private jet, he did not relish the idea of a flight from Wyoming to New York, Greenwich, to enlist the assistance of Madame Xanadu.

“Miles Beckett, welcome once again, and so soon.” Madame Xanadu greeted him and the girls, though she too had guests, as John Constantine and Jason Blood were seated inside, sipping tea.

Constantine narrowed his eyes, while Jason simply watched him.

“Am I interrupting something important, Madame? I can return at a further date.” The task at hand was important, but there was no need to draw the attention of someone like John Constantine.

“Just a gathering among old friends. May I assume you are here for another commission?”

“Indeed, though, this one will take you away from the comfort of your shop for a while, if you accept.”

“As long as the price is right. Please, take a seat while I bring you tea.” Nimue left for the kitchen while Miles, Claire and Kara sat down on the offered chairs.

“Miles Beckett. It’s rare to see an honest customer like you.” Jason knew from experience that the more expensive a commission was, the more dangerous it got, especially with some customers looking to swindle the mages.

“I am an honest businessman, Mr. Blood.” That is, he would treat people as they treated him.

John reached for a cigarette before remembering how Nimue didn’t like it and put the box back. “So what’s your commission this time?”

“A séance to summon the soul of a dead woman so her husband could have closure.” Constantine and Blood were great sorcerers as well, so any of the three could carry out the commission.

“Curious. Did the husband not consider resurrection?” Every now and then, someone would come trying to resurrect a loved one through magic, only to be turned away and end up going to less reputable sorcerers, which would end in a tragedy and a mess for them to clean up.

Jason hated those occasions.

Miles knew even if he asked and offered to pay the world, neither of the sorcerers would accept that task. “If I wanted someone resurrected, I would be talking to higher powers.” 

“Which powers would those be?” The term “Higher Powers” could mean a lot of entities, ranging from Gods of Death across different pantheons to more esoteric beings. John knew none of them could be trusted even on the best of days.

“Here you are.” Madame Xanadu’s timely arrival meant no more questioning from either Constantine or Blood.

She handed them the cups, along with biscuits, and a calming fragrance wafted from the tea. Miles took a sip, and the girls followed, seeing no harm, though the way Kara drank half the hot tea without burning her tongue did raise some eyebrows.

Now that they were properly welcomed as guests with refreshments, Nimue went into business mode. “So, how may I offer my assistance this time, Miles?”

Miles put down the cup. “There is a scientist with deep hatred against the Justice League and the world. I am hoping to bring him closure so he may consider changing his ways. To that end, your commission would be to summon the soul of his wife for a short duration.”

Nimue nodded. While not common, she was hired for seances every once in a decade. “Well, a more sensible approach than resurrection. You said this would be away; how far exactly?”

“Yellowstone National Park.” Not a long distance when it came to magic.

John had doubts, but Yellowstone wasn’t a location of any magical accidents, nor a place for rituals. “That’s a bit far, isn’t it? Why not just bring the man here?” It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to bring one of them to a trap.

Miles held out his phone, showing Morrow’s photograph and the man’s current condition. “He is over ninety years old and needs constant medical assistance.”

“Distance is not an issue, though; I will need to prepare for the séance.” Summoning the souls of the dead required careful preparations to avoid any mishaps.

“Understandable. As for your fee, let's say two million dollars, and the matter is kept silent.”

“My, I see why Nimue values you as a customer now.” Jason would happily keep his mouth shut in consideration of Nimue.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yellowstone National Park

Nimue took her tarot cards, a basin with runes carved in it, and candles. They didn’t have to take the Javelin again, thanks to John Constantine creating a teleportation circle that took them straight to Yellowstone.

He and Jason decided to hang around, most likely to keep an eye out to make sure no funny business happened.

Miles took them to the secret base, where Morrow was still working on his android as they came in.

He stopped, turning away from his work to assess the newcomers. “These are the sorcerers?”

“Yes, Madame Xanadu, John Constantine, and Jason Blood. If you are ready, we can start immediately.”

“Let’s do this then.”

Constantine summoned a table and chairs for the three of them, while Nimue prepared the table, filling the basin with a green liquid, lighting the candles, and laying out her tarot cards.

Miles wasn’t familiar with tarot and simply opted to watch.

“Now, please state your full name, as well as your wife’s.” It was best to be precise in these matters to avoid summoning the wrong spirit, or something worse.

“Thomas Oscar Morrow and Isabella Morrow.”

“For your wife to be summoned, it has to be voluntary. I will guide you and provide the necessary power, but it will be up to you to bring her here.” A soul summoned by force to the mortal realm tended to suffer and go mad. As it was, Nimue would just be the medium while Thomas called for his wife.

Thomas just looked at Miles with eyes promising retaliation if this was a dud. “Fine. This better work, Beckett.” 

“Just focus, Thomas.” 

Nimue began to chant, and her tarot cards floated, turning round in a circle over the basin, which began to glow. He couldn’t pick up the words, but Thomas ’and his wife’s names were uttered somewhere during the middle of the chant.

When the sorceress finished, her eyes glowed white, as did Morrow’s. There was silence for a couple of minutes before Thomas uttered a single word. “Isabella?”

The liquid in the basin rippled before turning clear white, and the visage of a woman appeared. “Thomas? Is that you, dear? What is happening?”

“We summoned your spirit so you may converse with your husband.”

Thomas wasn’t still sure about how real this soul-summoning séance was and decided to test his wife. “Tell me, what flowers did I bring you for our first date?”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “Nothing, because I have a pollen allergy.”

“My god, it is you.” Thomas began to cry, for the first time in a long while.

But Nimue warned him they couldn’t keep Isabella’s soul here for a long time, and he had to speak now.

“I—I just wanted to say that I am sorry.” 

“Thomas, you have nothing to apologize for. You couldn’t have known about the fire.” Isabella’s tone was gentle, which further broke Thomas’ heart, his past choices weighing heavy on his soul.

“But…”

“No buts, mister; what happened, happened, and I don’t want you to blame yourself over it.”

Thomas nodded, swallowing the knot in his throat, before explaining his actions following her death.

Isabella was silent for a while, absorbing the bullshit her husband had gotten up to in more than sixty years.

“Could you ever forgive me?” Thomas didn’t know whether he was asking forgiveness for failing to save her or for the crimes he committed.

Isabella shook her head. “Thomas, it's not me whom you have to apologize to, but all the people you hurt.” She was dead for decades, and while his actions did disappoint her, it wasn’t her place to forgive him.

“I understand.”

The water rippled, and Isabella’s reflection got blurry. “It's time for her to go; any longer and her soul could be cast adrift.”

Thomas nodded, tears gathering in his eyes, and Isabella left with some parting words. “You have a great mind, Thomas; use it for good, and remember, I will always love you.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All six of them agreed that watching an old man cry over his wife was a heartbreaking sight, even if it was a villain like Thomas O. Morrow.

“Come on, Thomas, let’s get you out of here for some fresh air.”

“Just leave me be.” Thomas seemed all too willing to drown himself in his tears, but Miles wouldn’t let him off so easily.

“Now, now, remember what Isabella said. You still have time to leave a better world than the one you found, and wallowing here in your pity won’t be conducive to that.”

Thomas didn’t object, but he didn’t resist as Miles and Claire gently dragged him out of the base.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once outside the base, Claire handed over the promised payment to Madame Nimue, and she left with her companions.

Miles and the girls took Thomas to sit in the shade of a tree, giving him time to face his renewed grief.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Mary left to deal with the charges against Thomas, and seeing as the scientist was too busy working, Miles and Claire left the research lab for dinner.

Though, the communication device the Guardians had given him, which he always carried on him, had a different idea.

He answered it once inside the car and could guess why the blue spacemen were calling him.

“Ganthet, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Ganthet’s surly face told him he didn’t feel the same way.

Another hologram appeared next to Ganthet, showing images of Agent Orange’s short-lived war with the Gordonians. “Perhaps it has something to do with Larfleeze wiping out the Citadelians and almost doing the same to the Gordonians?”

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Chapter Text

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful

After he was emotionally drained, Morrow was ready to talk. 

“You came all the way here and reunited me with my wife, even if it was for a short while. Tell me, to what do I owe this favor?” Thomas had lived long enough to know even when it came to the heroes, not everything was for free.

Miles helped the aging man up. “I already told you. You still have time to leave a better world than the one you lived in.” 

Morrow huffed. “I may have given up on my plans, but I don’t feel like playing the role of a superhero and fighting villains.” The enmity he felt towards superheroes spanned decades, and it wasn’t gone that easily.

“You don’t need to fight villains to do good deeds, Thomas. Earth has more problems than some jumped-up idiot in a leotard drunk on power thinking they could wreak havoc without consequences.” If superheroes were the only ones who committed good deeds, then humanity as a whole would have gone extinct a long time ago.

“What do you want then?” The only other thing Thomas could offer aside from his androids was his scientific knowledge and expertise.

“I promised a friend that I would launch an initiative to clean the pollution in the oceans.” Which was just something Miles wanted out of the way, since he did not want to make Aquaman wait for too long. Just cleaning the Pacific Garbage Patch would do wonders to improve the relations between Atlantis and the surface world.

It might not affect Atlantis itself directly, but just its existence drew contempt from the underwater kingdom, and cleaning it would be a show of their commitment to the environmental issues.

Of course, not causing them in the first place would have been preferable, but there was nothing he could do about it.

“That’s it?” Cleaning garbage wasn’t what Thomas had in mind.

“For now.” There were many other fields Morrow’s robotics would be game-changing. 

Medical assistance and disaster relief androids, climate control systems, and incredible advancements in AI that would carry humanity forward by decades were just some of the good deeds Thomas O. Morrow could have done if he had chosen to walk a different path.

Better late than never.

“I can do that, but I don’t know if I’ll live long enough for that. However, I can finish my android and reprogram him for a better purpose.” Thomas didn’t have that long left, and as the young man had asked him, he at least wanted to be able to stand straight before Isabella.

“Very well, but perhaps we should move your laboratory to somewhere else where you can have access to medical care in case of an emergency?” It wouldn’t do if Morrow just keeled over and died because of the emotional exertion.

Morrow thought about it for a while before agreeing.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Superman was back, so Kara left complaining about the lack of action after exchanging numbers with Claire, and they took Morrow for a checkupin a private clinic.

He would have to do something nice for Supergirl.

In the meantime, the lab had to be moved out in pieces at nighttimeto avoid discovery, because the moment someone high up in the government caught wind of it, like Amanda Waller, everything would be confiscated.

With Morrow directing the crews, the lab was packed up in a week, loaded into trucks, and transported to a new lab Mary bought for the robotics department of EnviroCorps.

One more thing Morrow wanted was the return of his other creations, Red Torpedo and Red Inferno.

Morrow would leave with guards to retrieve Red Torpedo, who went by the name Jim Lockhart, since the android did not know it was an android in the first place and had moved to the Windward Home.

Which left the business of exhuming the grave of Danette Reilly, a.k.a. Red Inferno, to Miles and Claire. 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York City

Queens Memorial Cemetery

“We are digging a grave?” Claire asked as she helped Miles climb up the metal fence. She offered to melt the lock, but that would just draw more attention, so the two chose to exert some physical force.

Miles handed her a shovel once on the other side. “Of an android who didn’t know she was one.”

“Wow, I can’t tell if that is sloppy work or a really good one.” Making an android that didn’t know it was one all that time, who died and was buried like a human.

What a twist.

“Morrow made his androids as human as possible to infiltrate the Justice Society; however, every being with self-determination is bound to go outside the directive of their creator, human or not. That’s why Morrow failed.” Many scientifically minded villains made the mistake of ignoring the factor of self-determination and ended up with their creations rising against them.

“Danette Reilly, there she is.” Claire pointed to the gravestone, and Miles took his jacket off, ready to dig.

Two shovels made digging much faster, though they were careful to not damage the upper layer. After taking the damaged android out, Miles and Claire filled the grave again, and unless someone looked closer, there would be no trouble.

Moving the body to the car, Miles sped away without looking back.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

EnviroCorps Robotics Lab

They had the body sent to the lab with another truck, which carried robot parts as far as the driver knew, and the two took the jet to Metropolis. 

Mary greeted them at the door, while the parts from the secret lab were assembled inside.

“So who exactly is this person you are bringing in?”

“Thomas O. Morrow.”

The name sounded really familiar. “Pretty sure he has an arrest warrant.” She did look up the top names in the industry after Miles wanted her to prepare a robotics lab.

“His only crime is being inept at villainy, nothing we can’t solve. Call the law firm to take a look at his case and get that warrant rescinded.” It was an apt description, seeing as none of his attempts as an evildoer showed any fruit nor caused damage.

In fact, Morrow inadvertently created heroes.

“Understood. What are we going to do with him?” She had seen the android they had brought in, and for a machine created about sixty years ago, it looked to be in stellar condition.

Morrow’s tech would be a great edge for the company to have.

“I promised a very influential person that I would start to clean up the pollution in the oceans. I am sure Morrow can create something to carry out that promise without us pouring money into a bottomless hole. After that, I am sure we can find more uses for him.” Unless he needed something specific, Miles was content to leave Thomas to work on what Mary wanted.

“If he lives that long.” The man’s one foot was already in the grave.

“Don’t worry, Thomas will have a successor just as capable, and it will be very soon.” 

“We are not patenting his inventions, right?”

“Of course not.” The U.S. government would come down on EnviroCorps like the wrath of Darkseid if the prize was advanced technology.

“What is the status of the cure for McGregor's disease?” Victor was already working on a cure for the third stage, but Miles didn’t have the time to keep an eye on the release proceedings of the cure.

“FDA tests went without a hitch; we’ll be releasing it next week.” EnviroCorps would distribute the cure for free, and since the disease itself was not a widespread one, it wouldn’t be a great loss.

“And the cryo towers?” This Earth might have been two decades behind in date, but global warming was exacerbated by the rapid advances in technology, and even for summer, the temperatures were high.

Victor’s cryo towers would cover a whole city and manage the temperatures to more reasonable levels. 

And since it would reduce the energy consumption on the strained grid, they would sell for a hefty price.

“It will be announced with the cure. Are you going to be there?” 

“We’ll see. What about our foreign friends?” It would be a while before they saw any gains on that front, but Thanagarians were a matter he kept a close eye on.

“Things are good when they are not looking at our guys like they were troglodytes.”

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morrow was in an isolated room working to bring Red Inferno into an operational state, while Red Torpedo, with his synthetic skin off, stood to the side, probably having an existential crisis.

“Hello Jim.” Miles greeted the android, and even without his skin present, the synthetic life form looked depressed.

Red Torpedo snorted, a gesture too human for a robot. “Jim? There is no Jim anymore.” 

“Ah, just because your looks changed did not mean your heart did as well.” Miles didn’t want the robot to spiral down into a rabbit hole of existential crisis and end up as some other synthetic the DC Universe was known for.

“I don’t have a heart.” 

“Please, I am not talking about an organ of flesh and blood, but of beliefs and ideals. Superman is called the Man of Tomorrow because of what he believes and represents, even though he is not a human.” Jim looked hesitant at Miles comparing him to Superman but still was not sure.

“I just don’t know.”

Miles patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Jim, I am sure the answer will come to you eventually.” The best way to stop a synthetic from going rogue was to treat it as one of your own, and Miles endeavored to do exactly that.

“If you are done with your philosophical debate, here is a list of materials I need.” Morrow handed over a list to Miles, who handed it to Mary.

“You will get your order, Mr. Thomas.” Thomas didn’t even hear, immediately resuming his work.

“Let’s hope we don’t get in trouble for this.” 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soon enough, Red Inferno was online and, predictably, had an existential crisis as well, which Miles intervened to resolve with Torpedo’s assistance.

Which only left Red Tornado to complete the trio of siblings, and Miles had no idea where he was right now, only knowing the synthetic was deactivated for a long time before becoming a member of the League.

Morrow would no doubt have a way to track his creation.

Mary left to deal with the charges against Thomas, and seeing as the scientist was too busy working, Miles and Claire left the research lab for dinner.

Though, the communication device the Guardians had given him, which he always carried on him, had a different idea.

He answered it once inside the car and could guess why the blue spacemen were calling him.

“Ganthet, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Ganthet’s surly face told him he didn’t feel the same way.

Another hologram appeared next to Ganthet, showing images of Agent Orange’s short-lived war with the Gordonians. “Perhaps it has something to do with Larfleeze wiping out the Citadelians and almost doing the same to the Gordonians?”

“Almost?” So the Orange Lantern missed some of the targets. 

Miles would let the Thanagarians know.

“Yes, some ships could not return in time, so there is a small enclave of Gordonians left, though they are all male.”

“I see. To be frank, there is not much to talk about.” While the origin of the Psions and the Citadelians wasn’t some heavily guarded secret, it wasn’t common knowledge across the galaxy either, as the Vega system was blockaded for a long, long time. “You left the Psions to their own devices after rejecting them as their creator, which led to them creating the Citadelians, and I am sure you know the atrocities they committed better than me.” 

Slavery, experiments, executions, and more, all done by the Gordonians with the directives of the Citadelians.

Ganthet frowned. If the galaxy knew, then the trust and impartiality they strove to cultivate for thousands of years would be shattered across several hundred sectors. “Truly, your knowledge of galactic history is impressive, but the Guardians, me included, are not happy with this matter.” 

“And I am not happy to be the one who has to clean the mess you created eons ago, yet here we are. How about we forget this matter and continue the mutually respectful relations we have?” Miles insisted, as it was best to not make enemies out of the Guardians.

“I’ll relay that to the remaining Guardians.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

The expo turned into a chaotic mess of screams and cries for help. Miles took cover behind a wall, and Claire followed him.

“What’s the plan?” Claire asked, peeking out to watch Metallo.

Miles shrugged. “I don’t have one.”

Claire looked at Miles as if he had grown a second head. “What do you mean you don’t have one? You always have a plan.” All this time, her boss always executed meticulous plans, and now he came up empty?

“When I had time to prepare, yes, I wasn’t exactly expecting our uninvited guest.” Metallo threw a car towards a stand of energy systems, causing an explosion and starting a fire.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

“EnviroCorps, a newly established company, announced the release of a cure for the first two stages of MacGregor's Syndrome. A disease known to fill up the lungs with liquid and cause organ failure, previous research on the subject has been aborted due to lack of funding. EnviroCorps CEO Mary-Anne Loraine has stated that the cure will be dispersed for free, in line with their vision to serve humanity rather than chase profit.”

“In addition to their medical expertise, CEO Loraine has announced the first prototype test of a Cryo Tower, a device meant to fight the warming climate by artificially cooling down an entire city. Now, for a takeaway from Ms. Loraine’s speech.”

The screen showed the CEO giving her speech during the press conference. “The climate crisis is approaching fast. Rapid industrialization, increased use of fossil fuels, and deforestation have increased the average temperatures, with dire consequences of more forest fires each year, melting polar caps, and droughts. Cryo Towers are meant to be short-term solutions to cool down an area the size of Metropolis and will be powered entirely by renewable energy.”

“Experts' concerns regarding potential environmental impacts have been addressed with a comprehensive report from the company, and so far, everything appears favorable.” If these towers can be made operational, the benefits to the environment and our lives would be well worth the taxpayers' money. This is Claire Donnovan with the Daily Planet, bringing Metropolis the news you can trust.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I must say, the results of the press conference are marvelous.” Miles raised his drink to Mary, who accepted the toast with grace.

“Yes, with the mini fusion reactors and the high COP of the towers, energy consumption won’t be an issue.” While the Thanagarians were teaching their scientists the advanced scientific and technological knowledge they had, the alien guests also produced anything the humans weren’t capable of doing yet.

“A temporary but welcome solution for the stifling heat.” They had cranked the AC on full, and Miles pitied anyone caught outside in this heat.

“You don’t have to tell me twice. I mean, I come really early to work just to not stand in the sun anymore than I have to. Imagine these towers all over the planet. The company had even received inquiries from wealthy Arab oil tycoons regarding the feasibility of constructing these towers in their countries.

“Serendipitous work, Mary. Have there been any demands for the cure?” Curing MacGregor’s disease wasn’t as groundbreaking as curing cancer, but EnviroCorps would eventually get to that point too.

“There are about four million people in the world with MacGregor's disease; less than half are stage one and two, so just about a million and a half, and yes, the clinics we have distributed the cure to so far are already receiving inquiries.” 

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, and we have already taken that step.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The perfect place to display the Cryo Tower was the Tomorrow Expo, the bi-annual technology fair in Metropolis. Of course, it wasn’t just the towers but also the new advanced materials and power relays designed for the tower itself.

LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises were also present, along with several billionaires, oil tycoons, and government representatives, all there for their own purposes.

The rich visitors wanted to see what could bring them more wealth, while the governments searched for any tech that might give them an edge over the rest of the world.

Miles wasn’t going to let them weaponize the cryo tech, of course.

He didn’t stand and visited other stands to see what they had brought. Robotics, AI, and space-related technologies from some of the most prestigious higher educational institutions from all corners of the world had graced the expo.

One of the most outstanding displays belonged to Wayne Enterprises, with a wide array of satellites, space shuttles, and plans for a more advanced ISS.

Bruce wasn’t playing around.

Lex Luthor came with advanced robotics, since he was a master at creating synth-organic monstrosities like Metallo. His stand was also the grandest and the shiniest, a testament to the bald genius’ ego.

“Sir, there is a message from Bruce Wayne. He wants to speak to you.”

“Bruce is here? I should go and see him then.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dressed in a tuxedo with Diana Prince on one arm, Bruce Wayne was the envy of many men, and his date, of many women.

His colleagues greeted him at the same time. “Miles.” 

“Bruce, Diana.” 

“You didn’t bring a date?” Claire was busy guarding the display site, and it's not like Miles had anyone to bring.

“This is a science fair, Bruce, not a romantic getaway.” Miles winked at the couple, and while Diana grinned at Bruce, the Dark Knight himself did not lose his composure at all.

“We are here as friends.” His date, on the other hand, did react to his words with a roll of her eyes.

“If you say so.”

“Cryo Towers, huh? An interesting idea, though, won’t it be hard to implement?”

“Victor Fries is an expert on cryogenics, and with the new developments my company provides, it solves many of the issues that would have been expected.” Just turning it on like an AC would lead to fatal problems, and Victor had prepared the tower and its operational manual according to it.

Bruce looked at the twenty-foot tower, a smaller version built for the fair. “If this works, I might just talk with the mayor of Gotham to have one installed.” The heat difference between the outside and the expo site was easy to feel, and he appreciated the comfort.

If Bruce Wayne endorses the towers, that would be an excellent PR stunt. “I’ll keep a tower ready just for you.”

“Perhaps I should leave you two to talk business?” 

“No, I believe we are just done. How are things at home, Diana?” It wasn’t proper to ignore the lady in question, but talking business was necessary.

“Tranquil as always, thank you.”

“Displays are about to start, so I’ll see you two later. Have fun.” With his Bruce Wayne persona, Batman would at least engage people in conversations to keep his act up so Diana wouldn’t have to cover for him.

“You too.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was surprising to see Bruce bring Diana of all women as a date, remembering he turned her advances away because of his worries over losing another loved one.

Valid in the case of another human, but anything that could kill Wonder Woman would have a real shot at killing Batman too.

Perhaps something could come out of it in the future.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LexCorp's display was slated to go first, with him introducing a new line of robots that could be used for any purpose, ranging from medical to military, something that the U.S. military brass in the audience was mighty interested in.

Luthor gave a rousing speech about the specs of his robots, how they would take on tasks too risky for humans to do, and how they would save lives.

Not that Lex cared about saving lives, but it was a good pitch.

Wayne Enterprises was more honest in their approach to preparing humanity for the stars.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was time for the display of EnviroCorps, and Mary took the stage. 

“I am sure everyone here is enjoying the expo too much to notice that they are not sweltering under the blazing summer sun. It is all due to the Cryo Tower behind me, running for the last 24 hours to lower the temperature around us to seasonal normals. With a coefficient of power of 20, the power draw is miniscule.”

“Has your company considered using cryo tech in other sectors?”

“If you are asking for military purposes, then no, we have no intention of weaponizing it. However, we welcome all other sectors for cooperation.”

The generals frowned, leaving after a hushed conversation. Some foreigners also left as well, most likely spies meant to scope out what the expo had to offer.

“You said a CoP of 20—how did you achieve it?”

Scientific questions on his creations were left for Victor to answer, and there were a lot, such as how to avoid thermal shock and minimize fog, condensation, and ice formation, but he was happy to answer.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The expo was going on well, and it would have ended on a splendid note had Luthor not decided to make his presence known to him.

“An impressive structure, Mr. Beckett, but I find it hard to believe a man of your vision would just use the towers as glorified ACs.” Luthor had his philanthropist mask on as he approached Miles with the press following him.

Lex wanted to play, and so could Miles. “There are many sectors that need cooling, and with how energy efficient our systems are, towers will be just one aspect of it. That aside, you can’t tell me you don’t enjoy the current atmosphere here.” The press would be all too eager if there were any implicative language to speculate on, so both sides spoke with clear words.

Luthor nodded sagely. “True enough, we humans are creatures of comfort after all, and future collaboration between our companies might be possible.”

“I already agreed to work with Wayne Enterprises on cryo tech; if you can convince Bruce Wayne, I see no reason to refuse a three-way partnership.” Bruce would play along as soon as the reporters found him.

“Perhaps another time then.”

“Enjoy the expo, Mr. Luthor.” Just shaking hands with Lex Luthor irritated Miles, but they had to play along now.

“You too.”

Just as he thought the day might be done without any further complications.

And in the usual DC Universe modus operandi, it came with a bang.

“Luthor!" A cyborg, with half the face skin of a man crushed through the LexCorp stand, locked eyes on the shiny chrome dome of Lex Luthor.

Wonderful.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The expo turned into a chaotic mess of screams and cries for help. Miles took cover behind a wall, and Claire followed him.

“What’s the plan?” Claire asked, peeking out to watch Metallo.

Miles shrugged. “I don’t have one.”

Claire looked at Miles as if he had grown a second head. “What do you mean you don’t have one? You always have a plan.” All this time, her boss always executed meticulous plans, and now he came up empty?

“When I had time to prepare, yes, I wasn’t exactly expecting our uninvited guest.” Metallo threw a car towards a stand of energy systems, causing an explosion and starting a fire.

“Do we wait for Superman then?” If Miles didn’t have a plan, then the boy scout could handle the tin can.

Miles shook his head. “Metallo has a kryptonite heart; Superman will have a hard time dealing with him.” 

“Then you better think of something.”

Miles pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Victor, waiting for the scientist to answer. EnviroCorps' display stand was far enough away so Victor and Nora should be safe. “Victor, can you get the tower to deliver a cryo burst?"

“Yes, what for?”

“You said thermal shock was dangerous, so we are going to use it on Metallo.” 

“I don’t know the metal composition of that body; I can’t promise it will work without knowing that.” 

“You just make the cryo burst as cold as possible, and Claire will heat him as much as she can, and we all will hope it works.” If not, it would at least weaken Metallo enough for Superman.

“Fine, I’ll call you back.”

“Avoid his attacks, and just focus on hitting Metallo as much as you can.”

“Got it.”

Claire rolled out of cover to blast Metallo on the back with her flames, which did nothing except irritate the out-of-control cyborg, who ignored the security shooting at him to turn around and run at Claire. 

The fight turned to a game of cat and mouse. Claire ran and used her flames on Metallo, while the cyborg chased her like a bull in a china shop, smashing everything in his way, but couldn’t catch the nimbler target.

Having had enough, Metallo ripped out a lamp post and threw it. Miles shouted at Claire to duck, and the young woman rolled forward, but the post still caught her in the foot and threw her roll off.

“Got you now.”

Miles was going to pull out his cryo rifle to help, but it became unnecessary as Supergirl swooped down, slamming both fists on Metallo, sending him crashing into the trash cans.

“Supergirl, he has a kryptonite heart; keep your range and just heat his body. We have a plan.”

Supergirl nodded, already feeling slightly weakened by the radioactive material, and added her ocular beams to the equation.

Claire didn’t stay down, freeing her legs from the post before resuming the plan. 

Metallo was taking heat from two directions now, and whenever he targeted one girl, she would run and the other girl would keep attacking. 

His phone rang, and thankfully, it was Victor. “Miles, the tower is ready.”

“Claire now.”

Claire grinned. “Hey tin can, I heard Superman kicked your shiny metal butt so bad you had to go home crying to your mama."

That apparently was the right thing to say, because Metallo forgot all his words about presenting Supergirl's corpse to Superman and ran after Claire with murderous intent, right towards the tower.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes: I made a liberal use of ChatGPT to write the parts regarding the Cryo Tower for the concept to be close to reality, but didn't want to put down all the details to not bore you dear readers with all the jargon.

If there is any demand for it, I can release a supplemental containing the information ChatGPT provided.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“Ben Mardon?” Miles asked to be sure, since seeing someone in a cartoon wasn’t quite the same as real life.

Ben closed the door a bit, no doubt ready to bolt inside if he feels danger. “That’s me. How can I help you?”

“I am here regarding your creation of the weather control device.” Miles went straight to the point, because he had wasted enough time trying to locate Mark.

Now Ben was extremely suspicious. “Are you with the government?”

Miles shook his head. “Believe me, the government would have knocked your door down with a battering ram and dragged you away in cuffs to a secret research facility. No, I am here because we share a vision.”

Perhaps not so violent, but organizations like Cadmus would not waste time having a conversation on the doorstep.

“What vision?”

“The vision of using technology for the betterment of mankind.”

Ben opened the door, inviting Miles and Claire inside. “Come in.”

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

Tomorrow Expo

Claire rolled to the side to avoid the stall the tin can villain pursuing her had thrown as she led him to the tower.

She didn’t know if the whole thermal shock plan would work; Metallo didn’t even flinch from all the heat she and Supergirl had exposed him to.

But just in time, Superman joined the fray.

“Sorry, I am late. There was a traffic accident.”

Claire snorted. Of course there was. “Glad you could join us, boy scout. We need to heat his body as much as possible and lead him to the tower over there.”

“Got it.”

One final turn, and they arrived at the EnviroCorps stall. The tower was covered in frost, and the temperature noticeably dropped near it.

“Keep heating him up!” Miles shouted, standing ready to engage the modified tower after sending Victor away.

Claire’s flames, combined with the heat beams of Superman and Supergirl, stopped Metallo in his tracks, and the villain’s body began to glow red.

“Now.” Miles shouted, and Claire jumped out of the way, and Miles pressed the button, running away from the tower as a cryo beam pushed out of the open panels over the main coolant line, covering Metallo entirely, and freezing asphalt down to the end of the street, and the small buffet too.

Even encased in a giant block of ice, it didn’t take Metallo long to break out, having pulverized the ice.

“Do you think ice could stop me?!” Metallo’s scream was accompanied by his body groaning due to the thermal shock, and as he tried to walk, joints warped under the stress, the rapid and violent expansion and contraction creating microfractures, and entire sections of his plate began to snap and splinter apart.

Three steps and Metallo was lying on the ground, his left arm having splintered and fallen off, his back plates gone, exposing the inner circuitry.

The supervillain was still alive, and Miles approached to assess the situation and take the chunk of kryptonite from Metallo’s chest. 

The situation with the kryptonite was getting ridiculous. At this rate, every two-bit mugger in Metropolis would be carrying a chunk of the supposed-to-be rare crystal.

“Claire, help me.”

They pushed Metallo on his back, and Miles grasped the kryptonite where it was embedded in the chest section, pulling it out in chunks as it too was damaged due to the thermal shock.

He put the kryptonite chunks into a briefcase, taking it away before the authorities came for Metallo and the government had another weapon to use against Superman and Supergirl.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“We need to find a lead-shielded box or something else that could block the radiation. You can go and throw it in the sun afterwards.” 

“Okay, I’ll go find one now.” Superman blitzed away, anxious to get rid of the kryptonite as fast as possible.

And just in time, the government decided to make an appearance, late as always. An agent in a suit came out of the lead SUV, quickly approaching the downed cyborg.

“Take him away; make sure he is well restrained." Four men rushed out of the truck at the command, lifted Metallo onto a gurney, secured him with thick metal restraints, and then rolled the cyborg into the vehicle.

One of the agents inspecting the melting ice walked up to the man in charge. “Sir, the kryptonite is missing.” 

The agent in question turned to Miles. “Excuse me, have you seen any green glowing crystals around here?” 

Miles pointed to the sky in the direction where Superman had flown off to. “I believe Superman just left with them, something about throwing it to the sun.”

“I see, and what is inside that briefcase?” The agent was suspicious of Miles’ calm demeanor at having a villain attack the expo.

“Confidential files related to my business as the owner of EnviroCorps.” The agent wouldn’t be able to conduct a search, especially before Superman returns, and they would be forced to retreat.

“Sir, we are ready to leave.” The lead agent frowned and turned around to get back into his vehicle.

Just as fast as they came, the government packed up and left with Metallo in tow, and Superman returned once they were out of sight.

“Where is Metallo?”

“The government took him away, and they wanted the kryptonite too. Seems like they aren’t fans of yours.” Various organizations within the US government made regular plans to replace or kill Superman, all because neither he nor the rest of the Justice League were under their control.

“The government? Why?” 

Superman didn’t know the problems the government would cause, especially Cadmus.

“Isn’t it obvious? They want to have weapons to use against you.”

“But…”

Displeased at having to fight a villain so closely, Miles cut Superman’s sentence off, not in the mood for his naivety. “But what? You are a hero? You save lives? I can assure you, they don’t care. As far as the government higher-ups are concerned, you are a dangerous variable not under their thumb. You could be a saint, and they would still look for a way to kill you.”

Clark cast his eyes down, wordlessly leaving the lead container on the ground and stepping away. 

Miles opened the lid and poured the contents of the briefcase inside and closed it for Superman to take it away.

“A piece of advice: don’t leave your, or her, DNA lying around, no matter the circumstances.” While Superboy was a hero, Galatea and a myriad of other clones of Superman didn’t tend to share that disposition.

And who knows what else the government could do with Superman’s DNA?

Clark took barely a second to realize what Miles was insinuating. “They wouldn’t, would they?”

“The United States government employs people who don’t believe in innocence, ethical values, or moral lines not to be crossed. They absolutely would.” Amanda Waller was chief among them, but Miles wouldn’t utter her name to Superman.

“Here I was having a good day so far.”

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Cryo Tower brought for the expo would have to be scrapped since it had gone way beyond its operational parameters, and the extreme temperatures turned it into a giant block of ice.

On a positive note, using the tower to defeat Metallo had resulted in excellent publicity.

Mary had even given an interview to Lois Lane; the heroic actions of the scientist and her staff in assisting Supergirl and Superman had made the headlines, and interest in EnviroCorps had surged like a flood.

Superman had disposed of the kryptonite by throwing it to the sun as suggested, since any other method was liable to leave residue.

Miles and Claire had left the scene quickly to avoid having their faces plastered on the evening news.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Central City

Mark Mardon, a.k.a. the Weather Wizard, was an idiot of the highest order. Having the technology to control the weather, instead of using it to start rains on states facing droughts in return for a hefty fee, he chose to try and extort the government.

He could have gone even bigger, offering aid to countries like China and India in return for millions, perhaps even billions of dollars, or to African countries for their raw resources, such as diamonds and gold.

Miles wouldn’t make the same mistake.

So right now, he was busy tracking the Weather Wizard.

The device he used during the charity race between Superman and Flash had been destroyed, but as it was his brother who created the tech, Mark should still have the schematics.

No need to let such a valuable technology collect dust in his hands.

But finding Mark was proving to be hard after he escaped from prison, with no leads on where he was, so Miles instead chose to go for the next best option, Mark’s brother, Ben Mardon, the creator of the weather control device.

Locating him was a far easier endeavor.

Knocking on the door, Miles waited for the man to answer.

“Yes?” A soft-spoken man in a high-collar blue t-shirt and large glasses opened the door, looking at them from the small gap.

“Ben Mardon?” Miles asked to be sure, since seeing someone in a cartoon wasn’t quite the same as real life.

Ben closed the door a bit, no doubt ready to bolt inside if he feels danger. “That’s me. How can I help you?”

“I am here regarding your creation of the weather control device.” Miles went straight to the point, because he had wasted enough time trying to locate Mark.

Now Ben was extremely suspicious. “Are you with the government?”

Miles shook his head. “Believe me, the government would have knocked your door down with a battering ram and dragged you away in cuffs to a secret research facility. No, I am here because we share a vision.”

Perhaps not so violent, but organizations like Cadmus would not waste time having a conversation on the doorstep.

“What vision?”

“The vision of using technology for the betterment of mankind.”

Ben opened the door, inviting Miles and Claire inside. “Come in.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ben was a gracious host and had brought them some of the tea he had brewed for himself. “What exactly do you want from me?” 

“I want you to make another weather control device to combat the environmental issues the people of the world face.” The younger Mardon brother was an idealist who wanted to help people, and Miles would give him exactly that.

“Why should I believe you?” Ben was burned once, by his brother no less, and wasn’t in the mood to take a stranger’s words for it.

Miles pulled out his phone to show some photos to Ben. “Have you seen the Cryo Towers, the ones meant to cool down entire cities to fight the rising global temperatures?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with you?” 

“I happen to be the founder of EnviroCorps.” Miles showed him the photo he had taken with the staff after the expo to commemorate the rather adrenaline-filled experience.

“Oh.”

“What I am offering you is a job. Come work for EnviroCorps to build a better future for humanity, just as you had wanted.”

“I… still haven’t found a way to generate ionic energy to power the device.” Miles remembered it being necessary to power the device, which was the whole reason for the charity race.

“We have access to extremely advanced techs, and you will have more than enough resources for your work.” Thanagarians were bound to have something useful, and if not, there were other avenues he could pursue.

“Okay, I am interested, but there is something else. My research notes were on my computer, and it was stolen a month ago. I made a complaint to the police, but they haven’t found anything yet.”

“Any idea who could be responsible?” It was either the government or the rotten apple of the two Mardon brothers.

Ben sighed. “Mark, my brother.”

It seems finding Mark was a necessity now, rather than an option. “How about you think on my offer while I find your brother and retrieve your computer?”

“That works for me.” Ben looked hopeful that his device could finally be used for the benefit of mankind.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How are we going to find this idiot?” Wherever Mark was, he knew how to keep a low profile.

“Mark is an extortionist, so we find the people he extorted and try to catch a lead.” There was bound to be a pattern between the people Mark Mardon had targeted, and if Miles could find it, he could track the man himself.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed Zalika. “Zalika, how are you doing?”

“I was in the middle of my lesson. What happened?” She knew Miles wouldn’t have interrupted a lesson if it wasn’t important.

“It is. Do tell your teacher you are done for the day; I need you to track someone.” The lesson would have to be rescheduled, but Miles would pay the full lesson fee for the trouble.

“Got it, give me five minutes.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five minutes later, Zalika was ready. “Who am I tracking?”

“Mark Mardon, the villain known as the Weather Wizard. I want you to make a list of the people he extorted, their addresses, and whatever dirty laundry you can find on them.” The last part was just in case he needed to convince someone to come forth.

“Okay, I’ll call you back when I am done.”

“Understood.” Now, it was time to wait.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“My dove, I am here.” Luke opened the door, practically singing in happiness. Dressed in a business suit on a Sunday when it should have been his day off, Luke must have lied about having a business meeting to leave home.

Too bad for him. Miles was here to rain on his parade, at least for a short while.

“Come in, Luke, though ‘your dove’ is otherwise indisposed.” Miles would have found the romance almost sweet if it wasn’t for the fact it was an extramarital affair.

“What the?!” Luke backtracked, closing the door to leave, before Claire pushed him from the back, sending him stumbling through the door.

“Sit down, Luke. I am afraid you will have to take the bed, because I only brought one chair. I didn't really want to sit down anywhere else. Who knows what bodily fluids this room was coated in during your countless visits? I mean, did you know even in five-star hotels, pillows and blankets are rarely cleaned? Don’t even get me started on the duvets and mattresses. So unhygienic.” Miles rambled off while his unwilling hosts had no choice but to listen.

Luke spoke once Miles was done. “What do you want?” 

Business it is.

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Chapter Text

Central City

The Monarch Hotel

Luke Harris had some interesting fetishes he would rather keep hidden, just like he kept his mistress a secret from his wife.

Mark Mardon had discovered that secret and used it to extort the local businessman.

And Luke Harris wasn’t the only one.

Over a dozen different names faced the same treatment from Mark, who was intelligent enough to not demand exorbitant amounts to avoid putting his targets in a desperate situation and risk detection.

The police reports had suspected those names, and they tried to obtain confessions, but risking their secrets wasn’t worth getting rid of Mark, so they had kept quiet, especially after he was put in prison by Flash and Superman.

It took them a week to track Luke, and they discovered he was meeting his mistress at the Monarch Hotel for a session of passion.

Far be it from Miles to judge.

“My dove, I am here.” Luke opened the door, practically singing in happiness. Dressed in a business suit on a Sunday when it should have been his day off, Luke must have lied about having a business meeting to leave home.

Too bad for him. Miles was here to rain on his parade, at least for a short while.

“Come in, Luke, though ‘your dove’ is otherwise indisposed.” Miles would have found the romance almost sweet if it wasn’t for the fact it was an extramarital affair.

“What the?!” Luke backtracked, closing the door to leave, before Claire pushed him from the back, sending him stumbling through the door.

“Sit down, Luke. I am afraid you will have to take the bed, because I only brought one chair. I didn't really want to sit down anywhere else. Who knows what bodily fluids this room was coated in during your countless visits? I mean, did you know even in five-star hotels, pillows and blankets are rarely cleaned? Don’t even get me started on the duvets and mattresses. So unhygienic.” Miles rambled off while his unwilling hosts had no choice but to listen.

Luke spoke once Miles was done. “What do you want?” 

Business it is.

Miles pulled out a photo, showing it to Luke. “Mark Mardon extorted you after he discovered your mistress. I need to know how you delivered him the cash, because using the banking system would have been out of the question.” Any bank transaction, and all of Mark’s victims would be out in the open, and if the secrets were out, no more payday for the villain.

“You were extorted? Is that why you are so stingy?” Luke’s mistress, Anna, rose from where she was sitting with fury. Miles raised an eyebrow, and Claire approached the seething woman, silencing her with a fist covered in flames and forcing her to sit down.

“How do you manage to have a relationship with a woman who has such a shrill voice? I can’t imagine. Now, what were you saying, Luke?” Either Luke’s wife was worse than his mistress, or his actual taste in women ran wildly different.

Luke shook his head, clamping down in fear. “Look, if I tell you anything and Mark talks, then I am done for.”

If his secret got out, his life would be over. His boss was a very family-oriented man, and as soon as it got out Luke was having an affair, he would be fired. Not to mention, his wife would take everything in a divorce, leaving Luke penniless.

“Good point. Let me just call your wife and see if she thinks the same.” Miles pulled out his phone, speaking Luke’s wife’s number out loud as he dialed up the number.

Luke was perspiring now, scared out of his mind that his carefully kept secret would be revealed now.

“Okay, okay, I’ll talk, please don’t.” Luke begged, and Miles was just going to end the call when Meredith decided to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Hello madam, I am calling you regarding your car’s extended warranty.” There was an annoyed “ugh” on the other end before the call ended.

“Go on.” Miles rolled his hand for Luke to continue.

Luke gulped, seeing no choice but to speak now that his affair was one phone call away from being out in the open. “He has a drop point; I make monthly deposits there. If anything happens, Mark calls me from a different number every time, and I make sure to delete it afterwards.”

“When is the next deposit?” Hopefully, not that far off; otherwise, he would have to find other leads to follow the Weather Wizard.

“Tonight.”

Miles smiled, taking out a pen and his small notebook. “How fortunate for us. Give me the address and time. You will deposit the cash tonight as if nothing happened and forget this conversation. If you are lucky, Mark won't be a problem for you anymore.” 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We should call his wife and let her know.” Claire suggested while buckling her seat belt.

Miles turned on the ignition, amused by how much Claire was displeased at the situation. “Feeling solidarity with your fellow women, Claire?” 

Betrayed by her own family and then by the institute, his bodyguard despised how easily Luke had broken his vows.

Claire frowned. “You always value loyalty. Why should an asshole like him get away with an affair?”

“Because his wife is having a secret affair too, and I am too busy to bother with the lives of people like Luke and Meredith.”

Claire slapped her forehead. “Like husband, like wife.”

Miles nodded. “Exactly. Now let's focus on finding Mark. Up for lunch?” It was barely noon, and they still had time before Luke would make his drop.

“As long as you’re paying.” 

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Red Lightning Grill

Sitting in a restaurant themed after Flash, Miles and Claire ordered their dinner, enjoying the cool air inside.

Thank god for people like Willis Carrier.

Ordering steak and several side dishes, the two waited for their food while making small talk.

Cue the DCU effect striking again.

“Everyone on the floor, now!” An idiot kicked the door open, firing his shotgun at the ceiling as two more goons entered. The screaming civilians threw themselves to the ground, though neither Miles nor Claire followed along.

The lead goon pointed his smoking gun at them, and Claire got ready to teach him a lesson. “Didn’t you hear me, dumbass? Get on the ground, now.” 

“The only dumbass,” Miles quoted the word with his fingers, “here, is you. It will take Flash mere seconds to get here after the silent alarm, on a bad day, and here you are, trying to rob a restaurant themed after the fastest man alive, in his own turf. You are either desperate or didn’t plan this robbery at all."

“You fucking…” The angry robber spat out before he and his buddies were on the floor as a red blur knocked them down and tied them up.

Flash must have put all the competent ones behind bars if these amateurs were the ones left.

“Come on, guys, really? Robbing a restaurant this beautiful? That should be a whole other felony.” Flash dusted his hands, mocking the groaning criminals. He turned to Miles, about to ask what he was doing in Central City, but his colleague shook his head, and soon the superhero was swarmed by fans.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having left the restaurant, they waited in an alley for Flash.

Miles would rather leave the city before Flash even knew they were here, but alas.

In the signature red blur, the fastest man alive was leaning on a wall with a cocky grin. “So, what brings you two to Central City? You know it's common courtesy between heroes to let one another know when you are visiting his city.”

Miles shrugged. “It’s just a business trip; I thought I would spare you the details.”

“Still, it would have been nice of you to say hi.” 

“I figured we would meet, especially with my penchant for finding myself in the middle of a robbery.” First the bank, now the restaurant, but Miles knew it wouldn’t be the last one.

“Fair enough. I have to go; crime doesn't rest after all, but it was nice seeing you.” Flash patted him on the arm and winked at Claire, who didn’t even blink.

“You too.”

Flash blitzed away with the farewell, and Miles sighed.

At least he didn’t catch Miles in action like Superman almost had.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting outside the Central City Park, Miles watched Luke discreetly secure the cash under an old bench and leave.

Even at night, there were several civilians in the park, each busy with something else, and from the distance it was difficult to see which one was Mark Mardon.

Minutes passed by as they waited for the Weather Wizard to show himself, and voilà, a figure dressed in a black jacket, black pants, and a hat who tried not to draw attention but did the opposite by dressing like that on a summer night sat on the bench.

Acting as if he was tying his laces, Mark took the money from under the bench and quickly left the scene, getting on a bike and pedaling away.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trailing a biker was much harder than trailing a car, so Miles and Claire had to be careful to not overtake Mark.

Eventually he led them to a sealed-off, decrepit house, an excellent place to hide within this poor urban area.

Parking the car on the end of the street, they observed Mark as he checked the area before opening a window and quickly getting in.

“How are we doing this?” Getting through the window could be risky if Mark had set up any rudimentary alarm systems or traps, so an alternative entry point would be preferable.

Flushing him out would result in detection, leaving stealth as the only option.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles gently pried the window open and used a stick to check for any trap wires. After moving the stick around for a bit, he was satisfied enough to climb inside, still using the stick to check for anything.

Claire followed, hands ready in the event she had to neutralize their target. Painstakingly slow, the duo combed the house, coming up empty-handed.

There were wrappers everywhere, from fast food to snacks, as well as takeout boxes, but no sign of Mark.

Which left only one place they could check out.

The basement.

Slowly opening the creaking door to not alert their quarry, a small light source could be seen down the stairs.

Vigilant, they walked into the basement and eventually were close enough to hear Mark’s mumblings.

“Can’t believe I have to live here like a rat. Damn Superman, and damn Flash to hell.”

Miles nodded, and Claire kicked the door open, alerting Mark, who dove for his gun near the bed. 

He was too slow, however, as Miles froze him on the spot with his cryo-pistol, leaving the criminal with his hand reaching out to the gun.

Claire quickly went and took the pistol, ignoring Mark’s chattering teeth.

“Melt him out of the ice; he can’t talk like that.” Nodding, Claire handed the pistol to Miles before coating her hands in flames and slowly melting the ice covering Mark.

Miles checked the basement but couldn’t see the computer anywhere. “Where is the computer, Mark?”

“What computer? Who the fuck even are you?” Mark screamed, looking like a cornered animal.

Though, seeing as the villain called himself a rat, it was an apt description.

Miles rolled his eyes. Villains and their pride. “Your brother’s computer, the one containing his notes on the weather control device.”

“Fuck you, I don’t have the computer.” Mark denied the accusation, and had he not been the person he was, Miles would have believed it.

“Someone broke into his home and stole the computer and nothing else. You’re the most likely culprit; speak up now.” Miles pointed the gun at the villain, who chose to spit at his shoes.

Blinking at the audacity, Miles put his cryo weapon away, and took the revolver from Claire. "Here I was afraid you would make this easy on yourself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Aquaman grasped Miles’ forearm, a broad smile on his usually serious face. “My friend, you have carried out your end of the bargain, and I couldn’t be more grateful to you for it.”

Miles squeezed the offered arm back. “We are just beginning, Arthur; you can thank me when it's done.” 

Arthur shook his head, mirthful. "Nonetheless, there are grumblings from within Atlantis, and your efforts will go a long way to silence them.”

“Believe me, it is my pleasure.” The fewer antagonists in Atlantis, the better for both worlds.

Another guest approached, and Arthur excused himself to go and talk to some senators. “I must congratulate you again, Miles; your work for the environment is certainly consistent.” 

“How kind of you, Bruce.”

“You must have excellent employees to design and build these robots.” Inwardly, Miles sighed. He would have to up the security around the robotics department and keep all names confidential.

Outwardly, he was smiling. “Asking for business secrets? That’s just rude.”

Bruce shook his head. “Merely a compliment.” 

“My, the ladies will be jealous at this rate.”

“Hopefully not.” Anything more he had to say was interrupted when explosions, followed by screams, cut through the atmosphere.

What was it now?

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Chapter Text

Central City

Abandoned House

Miles took the six bullets out, only to put one back into the cylinder and rotate it with his palm.

Pointing the pistol at Mark, Miles asked. “Where is the computer?”

“Fuck you.”

Click! Miles pulled the trigger and released the cocked hammer, with the first chamber empty.

“Where is the computer, Mark?” Miles repeated his question, and he could see sweat beginning to gather on Mark’s forehead.

“You’re lying. I saw that woman on TV; she is a hero.” 

Claire snorted. “Wrong, dumbass. I am his bodyguard.”

Click! Mark jumped in fright, sweating like a pig, as the second chamber didn’t have the bullet either.

“That’s two. Your chances of survival are decreasing, Mark; speak now. Where is it?”

“I… uh…” The third time wasn’t the charm, and the Weather Wizard—though Miles struggled to call the trembling sorry excuse of a human before him that name—survived again.

Suddenly aware of the danger he was in, Mark began to crawl away, eventually leaning back on the wall with nowhere else to run.

Miles pulled the trigger again, and Mark closed his eyes and raised his hands to protect himself.

And pissed his pants in fear.

Miles scrunched his nose. “You know, Mark, with all your willingness to cross Superman and Flash, you could at least afford to die with dignity.”

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk! Please stop.” Mark begged, and Miles lowered the pistol.

“See? You only made this matter harder on yourself for no reason. Now, where is the computer?” Miles would look into his enemy’s eyes but did not want to subject himself to the stench any longer than he had to.

“There is a hidden compartment in the living room, under the old couch.” 

“Were you really going to kill him?” Claire asked once they were near the door, ready to go up.

Miles showed her the cylinder. “No, the gun was empty. A sleight of hand to fool him.”

“Nice.”

Mark jumped to his feet, pointing an accusatory finger. “I knew it! I knew you heroes wouldn’t kill. Just wait till the cops hear this.”

Miles sighed and put the bullets back into the revolver. 

“No, wait!” Mark screamed, but it was for naught as Miles pulled the trigger, and with a flash, a bullet tore through Mark’s head, and after thinking about it for a second, Miles emptied the cylinder on the corpse.

“I am going to have to burn these clothes.” Miles took out his glove, dropping it and the weapon on Mark's body. “Burn the corpse to ashes; leave no evidence we were here.”

“I think you went a bit overboard.” Claire didn’t see the need for the extra five bullets.

“I didn’t want the bullets to go off when the weapon melted. No need to die a death reserved for people like Mark.”

Claire nodded and raised her hands, two searing fire blasts quickly carbonizing the body as the smell of cooked and then burnt meat covered the room.

The duo left the basement, with Claire welding the door shut, and found the computer where Mark said it was. “Time to leave.” No one should have heard them in the basement, but this was the DC Universe; who knew what could go wrong?

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I am surprised you actually did it.” Claire was startled by the first shot but had controlled herself quickly.

Miles gave her a dry look. “Why? I couldn’t allow Mark to talk to the law enforcement.” Not like anyone would investigate the missing villain.

Not like, say, if Joker or Lex Luthor was missing, presumed dead.

“Just a bit unexpected, that’s all.” He did say their hands would eventually get dirty.

“Now we can give Ben the good news.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You guys are back, and you found my computer too.” Ben opened the door, fixing his glasses, and reached for his missing life’s work.

Miles smiled. “Happy to be of service, Ben.”

“Did you see my brother too?” Ben asked, hesitant to actually mention Mark.

Miles shook his head, his smile not even wavering for a second. “No, we found his hideout, but there was no sign of him.” 

“Oh, okay.” Ben didn't have it in his heart to care, not after everything his brother had done.

“Now, let me know when you are ready to pack up, and I’ll send over some people to move you to Metropolis.” Miles didn’t want to rush the genius before him, but the sooner he was working on the device, the better.

“Where will I be staying?” Ben’s current house was rented, seeing as his brother destroyed the previous one, so he would appreciate any assistance in that regard.

Miles pulled out a pair of keys out of his inner pocket, dropping them into Ben’s palm. “Here are the keys to a brand new house in your name, as a signing bonus.” It was a modest, two-story house he had bought for Ben.

Wealth was great; loyalty, however, even more so.

“That’s generous, too generous actually.” 

“I am asking you to leave everything behind for a new start; it’s the least I can do.”

“Alright, I’ll call you as soon as I am ready.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

EnviroCorps

“Am I interrupting you, Mary?” Miles peeked inside, seeing Mary on the phone, who quickly put it down after saying she would call back the person on the other end.

“No, of course not; please come in.” Mary called her secretary to bring in refreshments, but Miles stopped her.

“I won’t stay long; I just came to inform you of a recent development.” He explained, pulling out a device from his pocket, and began to point it around the room.

“What is he doing?” Mary whispered to Claire, who came closer to answer.

“Scanning for bugs.”

Miles lifted the desktop phone and pulled a small round device out, crushing it.

Mary scowled. “God damn it. Good thing I don’t say anything important here.” It was a warning from Miles to not speak anything sensitive on the phone or in her office.

“Take the detector and scan the rest of the building.” Miles handed the device to Claire, satisfied that the room was clean.

He had requested it from Thomas Morrow during a personal visit after Central City, because this kind of espionage was to be expected after the Tomorrow Expo.

“Got it.” Claire left quickly, since there were several rooms to inspect.

“So what did you want to inform me about? Another genius scientist you recruit? Or more aliens to help us?” Anything would be better than dealing with having a listening device in her office.

“The former, actually. Do you remember the villain, Weather Wizard?” His debut wasn’t something people could, or should, forget easily.

“The moron that started a storm in Metropolis? How could I not?”

“His brother, Ben Mordon, was the genius behind the tech. With his weather control device, imagine the problems we can solve.” That was one example of how the wondrous device could be useful.

Mary’s eyes brightened, the possibilities of controlling the weather and the profit it would bring rushing to her mind. “That is actually a good idea. We can charge countries a yearly subscription based on their needs.”

She was already in business mode, and Miles saw no reason to stay anymore. “I’ll leave the finer details in your very capable hands. Here is Ben’s contact. You can apprise him of how to move forward.” He handed her a card with the number on it.

“As for the bugs, I want random but consistent scans, and I will get you in contact with a cyber wizard; she will run background checks and keep our systems secure.” His tone was more serious now, and if someone planted a bug, then chances are, their systems would be under cyber assault soon.

“Who would that be?”

“Someone trustworthy and extremely good at her job.” Zalika didn’t have much to do besides her schoolwork, so this would alleviate her boredom.

“Alright.” If Miles wanted to keep this person a secret, she wouldn’t ask.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only Mary’s office was bugged, and Miles wasn’t even going to bother searching for the source.

This was the DC Universe. Most villains tended to take more direct action when subtler means failed, and those that didn’t were numbered.

He would eventually find them.

Another reason was he intended to start his own surveillance network, aside from Zalika, which was the next project he entrusted to Thomas.

Right after the genius roboticist was done with his android and the project for robots to clean the ocean.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EnviroCorps Robotics Research Lab

“Thomas, I see you’ve finished your android,” Miles said, noticing the old man beside his creation, which looked like a younger version of himself.

Old Thomas pointed at the robot standing on the table. “Yes, and with his help I have also completed the prototype for a pollutant-cleaning marine bot.” It was a six-foot grey metal fish, reminiscent of an eel with wide jaws and a modular body.

“I am listening.” Two pairs of hands, especially when one was an advanced synthetic, were infinitely faster than one pair.

It was the android who spoke, while his creator sat down, adjusting his ventilator. “First is the Molecular Dissolution Gills. They break down the polymer chains of plastics, reducing them to base elements—carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.” On command, the jaws of the fish opened and closed.

“Next is the Element Conversion Chambers. Hazardous byproducts, like chlorine gas, are neutralized into harmless salt or stable ions.” Miles had no idea what the schematics were showing him and would take the explanation.

“Free carbon becomes carbonate for coral reefs and shellfish, while the robots use the hydrogen to fuel themselves.” The android seemed pleased with himself, and Miles smiled.

Arthur would love this.

Thomas, the original one, spoke again. “I have taken your warnings regarding my previous work to ensure these fish don’t get out of control and become a swarm capable of devouring everything in the ocean.” He could have done exactly that, but neither considered the risk, no matter how slim, worth it.

“Much appreciated, Thomas. I am sure neither of us wants to accidentally end the world while trying to save it.” He had known enough self-replicating and adaptive synthetic creations that got out of control to know how dangerous the situation could become.

At least in fiction, but he had no intention of trying it.

“Indeed.”

“How soon can you start mass production?” Time was of the essence, and there were funds from governments and organizations all over the world waiting for EnviroCorps to collect. 

“I avoided the idea of self-replication for the aforementioned reasons, so I will need to set up an automated production facility, not to mention the materials." The real Thomas explained as his android displayed a chart that outlined the overall costs.

“Funding isn’t an issue with me, Thomas; I’ll wire the necessary amount. How soon can it be done?” He had promises to keep, and the oceans wouldn’t clean themselves.

“If I have the money now? Two weeks.” 

Miles was impressed. That was a lot sooner than his expectations. “That fast?”

“With the assistance of my creations, yes.” 

“Sublime news, Thomas. The world will be forever grateful to you.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True to his word, with his tireless creations working alongside him, Thomas had finished the production line in two weeks, bringing another model to clean the buried macroplastics in the seabed and mesh systems to be installed on rivers.

His highly advanced technology allowed less than ten thousand robots to clean the oceans in five years, with upstream tech and river interception, which were critical to prevent further plastic from reaching the oceans.

Studies showed that 80%-90% of marine plastic came from a few hundred heavily polluted rivers, especially in Asia and Africa, which also required policy changes.

Where there was a flow of money, there was influence, which would be used to enact those changes.

Mary had already applied for the multinational grants and regional, national, and local programs to fund the project, which, with what they had already achieved, mostly meant profit to stay in their coffers.

A demonstration was slated to be held in Gotham Harbor, which made it the perfect target with how polluted it was.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gotham

Gotham Harbor

There were several important people in attendance, so the security was high.

Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy; Mayor Hamilton Hill; several visitors from the World Bank and Global Environment Facility, the UN Environment Program, the EU, China, India, several African leaders and, of course, King Arthur of Atlantis.

Miles had personally invited Arthur to show that he had kept his promise, and the King of Atlantis was all too eager to be there in person.

Since Mary was busy, she had sent the new head of the robotics department, Dr. Josiah Engelby, a man who had worked in the field for decades, eventually settling with EnviroCorps due to what they stood for. "Good afternoon, Gotham! Take a look around—this is our reality. Plastics, waste, debris—our harbor is suffocating."

"But today, that changes." He pressed the button on the podium, and the giant screen behind him came to life.

At the same time, a school of fish suddenly broke through the surface of the Gotham harbor, swimming in unison before diving again.

The live video feed showed the fish carrying out their program, targeting floating debris, plastics, and any other pollutant they found, while another group worked on the seabed.

"Meet the newest product from the EnviroCorps, the Recyclus—six-foot autonomous guardians that hunt pollution like a predator hunts prey. Plastics are collected, neutralized, and safely returned to the ecosystem."

"No more floating islands of trash. No more microplastics poisoning our waters. Just clean water, thriving wildlife, and a city that takes responsibility."

"Gotham, the future is here—and it swims beneath your feet." Engelby finished his speech with a grand line, and the crowd applauded, some actually hopeful, others more interested in other applications.

Following the speech and the demonstration, it was time for questions while Miles entertained his guests.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aquaman grasped Miles’ forearm, a broad smile on his usually serious face. “My friend, you have carried out your end of the bargain, and I couldn’t be more grateful to you for it.”

Miles squeezed the offered arm back. “We are just beginning, Arthur; you can thank me when it's done.” 

Arthur shook his head, mirthful. "Nonetheless, there are grumblings from within Atlantis, and your efforts will go a long way to silence them.”

“Believe me, it is my pleasure.” The fewer antagonists in Atlantis, the better for both worlds.

Another guest approached, and Arthur excused himself to go and talk to some senators. “I must congratulate you again, Miles; your work for the environment is certainly consistent.” 

“How kind of you, Bruce.”

“You must have excellent employees to design and build these robots.” Inwardly, Miles sighed. He would have to up the security around the robotics department and keep all names confidential.

Outwardly, he was smiling. “Asking for business secrets? That’s just rude.”

Bruce shook his head. “Merely a compliment.” 

“My, the ladies will be jealous at this rate.”

“Hopefully not.” Anything more he had to say was interrupted when explosions, followed by screams, cut through the atmosphere.

What was it now?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“Good afternoon, Gotham! Imagine my heartbreak when I heard all these important people gathered here, and you didn’t even send an invitation to the good ol’ me.” Dressed in a purple suit, the most insane and dangerous criminal in Gotham stood on top of the van that just dove into the crowd.

“But worry not; now that I am here, this party will be a blast!” Joker’s maniacal laughter was cut by the colorful explosives spewing toxic fumes that were slowly moving over the crowd gathered to watch the demonstration.

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Chapter Text

Gotham Harbor

“Good afternoon, Gotham! Imagine my heartbreak when I heard all these important people gathered here, and you didn’t even send an invitation to the good ol’ me.” Dressed in a purple suit, the most insane and dangerous criminal in Gotham stood on top of the van that just dove into the crowd.

“But worry not; now that I am here, this party will be a blast!” Joker’s maniacal laughter was cut by the colorful explosives spewing toxic fumes that were slowly moving over the crowd gathered to watch the demonstration.

“Hey circus freak.” Joker stopped laughing, looking down at the person who just insulted him, and jumped down to the back of the car to shield himself from the raging flames.

“Somebody’s angry.” The Clown Prince of Crime cackled, pulling out a cigar from his pocket. Holding it up, he let the flames ignite the tip of the cigar before tossing it over the van in the direction of the woman.

The flames ceased after the explosion, but the woman was nowhere in sight.

Opening the back of the van, the clown pulled out a box of grenades and began to launch them towards the fleeing crowd.

Only for an interloper to freeze the grenades before detonation.

Joker’s grin turned into a frown. He didn’t like party poopers. 

“If it isn’t the savior of Gotham Harbor! Tell me, can your fish clean up blood and corpses, too?”

“Tell me, aren’t you tired of losing to Batman?” Even if the jab infuriated Joker, the clown did not show it, still grinning.

“Ah, Batsy. I am sure he will be here. In the meantime, why don’t we have some fun, hmm? You are so serious; why don’t we put a smile on that face?” Joker’s laughter was interrupted when Batman came swinging down and planted both feet on the clown’s face, sending him flying away, right into the arms of Aquaman, who clotheslined the madman to the asphalt.

Coughing and spluttering, Joker still laughed. “Batsy, you didn’t mention you had friends besides me. I’m hurt.”

“Surrender, now.” Batman warned, ready to beat the clown within an inch of his life.

“If you had, I would bring some friends too. Oh wait, I already did.” The sick grin on Joker’s face had all four of them alert, and it wasn’t for nothing, as Killer Croc came tearing through a warehouse, followed by Bane, who calmly strutted out with a grin on his face, ready to fight.

“BATMAN! Croc appeared more deranged than usual, his eyes glowing with a sickly green hue.

Joker must have done something to draw Waylon to the Harbor.

“Aquaman, you deal with Bane; Croc is too focused on Batman. We’ll deal with Joker and then assist you.” Miles suggested as he watched more vans and pickups ride to the harbor at full speed, all graffitied in various clown themes.

Arthur nodded. “Very well.”

“Claire, get ready, and don’t hold back. I am calling in reinforcements.” It was time to see if Morrow’s androids were willing to play the hero once again.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Batman was parkouring and grappling through the harbor, drawing Killer Croc away from the citizens, while Aquaman and Bane were in a fistfight.

Venom in Bane’s veins was doing a good job of standing against Aquaman, but Miles was sure the King of Atlantis would pull through.

“What is it now?” Morrow, the android one, answered the phone with an irritated tone.

Miles was going to do something about the synthetic’s attitude. “I need the siblings at Gotham Harbor. Joker staged an attack, and his goons are swarming the place.”

“They aren’t exactly feeling the desire to be heroes again.”

“Tell them they have a choice to either be useless tin cans waiting to rust or heroes following the beliefs they once carried. Just because they are not flesh and blood does not mean they aren’t a part of humanity.” Miles snapped the phone shut.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” Joker sang, strutting around with a revolver in his hand. His henchmen were searching the area while causing as much destruction as possible.

Peeking out of the cover, Claire’s flames sent several goons flying away and out of action, while Miles targeted Joker, but the clown dodged.

Miles could finally hear the police sirens as the GCPD came in with force, though Joker's little army was spread out and had good cover, so any firefight was bound to be costly.

“Look at this, boys, Gordon’s late to the party, as always.” Joker chuckled. “Kill them.” 

The goons ran, taking cover and firing at the approaching police cars.

Miles pulled Claire back. “Forget the goons; they will be too busy with the GCPD. We are taking down Joker.”

“Let’s go.” Claire leaped out of the cover again, but Joker was ready.

“Two on one? That’s not fair.” The Clown Prince of Crime dropped canisters, covering the whole area in purple smoke, and Miles only hoped the clown wasn’t crazy enough to poison himself in the attempt too.

Standing back-to-back, Miles and Claire waited for Joker to show himself. “Can you fly us out of here?” 

Claire shook her head, hands aflame and ready. “Not without burning you. We could just run out of this smoke.”

“The clown’s watching; he’d probably hit us in the back.” With how many canisters the pale villain had dropped, he must have planned for Miles and Claire to run while leaving their backs unguarded.

If the clown wasn’t coming out, Miles would find him. “Tell me something, why are you targeting us and not Batman?”

“Why? Because unlike him, you’re actually helping Gotham, and I can’t have that now, can I?” Joker’s voice echoed, making it difficult to pinpoint his location.

Not to mention the echo made the crazy villain’s laughter more grating.

Shadows danced around them in the fog, accompanied by Joker’s vile cackling, and Miles didn’t have a plan.

Running out would leave them open to the clown, and staying in wasn’t an option either.

Claire tackled Miles to the ground as something flew towards them, exploding as it slammed into the podium.

Miles pointed to where the RPG round had flown from and fired, but missed, causing Joker to laugh even louder. Claire got up, snarling, and held out her hands to the sides, releasing two deadly bouts of flame, and began to twirl around.

There was a scream of indignation and pain, indicating Claire must have nailed Joker.

“Do you have any idea how expensive this suit is? I am going to take it out of your hide.” The first shot of the machine gun missed, and Claire set herself on fire, quickly flying up and firing towards where the shots were coming from to draw Joker’s attention.

The clown kept firing, somehow dodging Claire’s attacks, while Miles lay down, waiting for an opening to take out the clown.

Permanently, if possible.

“Hey, you pale bastard.” Green vines surged forth like a tidal wave, flowing around Miles. There was an “omph,” and the two quickly ran out of the smoke, seeing Joker entangled within vines.

“If it isn’t Harly’s bestie. She will be so heartbroken when I get out of here and clip your branches with an axe.” Joker’s grin never faded, but it turned to a murderous one even as he struggled to free himself from the vines.

Ivy scoffed. “Dream on, clown.” She could kill the clown now but didn’t want any trouble from the heroes or the police.

Miles picked up the machine gun and slammed the stock to Joker's temple, knocking the clown out.

He would have loved to finish the job here, but there were too many witnesses for him to kill a restrained man, even if it was Joker.

Even if it was self-defense, someone would use it against him, and the clown's time would come.

“Get them.” Joker’s henchmen came to the rescue and were swatted away like flies by vines thick as tree trunks.

“Ivy, what a pleasant surprise. Didn’t think you’d be interested in playing the hero.” Miles greeted the green woman, half wondering what she was even doing here when her accommodations were on the other side of the city.

Ivy looked insulted by the insinuation. "I am not, but who is supposed to help me save nature if this clown kills you?”

Miles smirked. “Your concern over my well-being is duly noted.” 

“How the hell did he find so many goons?” There was literally a small-scale battle going on between the GCPD and Joker’s little army.

“Good question.” Unless Joker robbed a bank and got away without anyone knowing, which was impossible because the clown was an attention seeker, unless it was a long con.

Or someone could be financing the Clown Prince of Crime.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aquaman ducked Bane’s punch, responding with a quick strike to the liver and an uppercut when the drug lord bent in half.

The uppercut sent him flying off, but the luchador villain shook his head, returning to the fight. 

This Bane was unknown to the king of Atlantis, but he was a durable opponent, and the rabble brought by the clown did not make this fight easier.

Bullets pinged off his skin, making Aquaman more annoyed than anything, so he took a large piece of wooden debris and threw it at the gunmen.

The improvised projectile knocked them about, and Bane took the opportunity to nail Aquaman in the face, barely causing the Atlantean to turn his head.

Grabbing the wrist, Aquaman twisted it, headbutted Bane, and kicked the back of his knee to force the villain down before drop-kicking him to the ground face first.

Not down yet, Arthur took the luchador by the ankles and twirled around, sending the villain flying to the murky waters of the harbor. 

Dusting his hands, the victorious hero turned his attention to the goons.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Batman backflipped, and Killer Croc’s punch left a small hole on the ground where he just stood a second ago.

Pulling out a respirator, the Dark Knight threw a ball containing anesthetic gas to Waylon’s face, followed by more to force the rampaging meta-human to sleep. 

Croc just shook his head and charged, razor-sharp claws trying to shred Batman to confetti, but the nimble hero dodged each and every attack and took out a pair of brass shock knuckles and nailed the metahuman right in the forehead.

Killer Croc couldn’t even scream as the voltage ran through his body and paralyzed him. Not done yet, Batman kept raining a flurry of punches, slowly but steadily beating Killer Croc to submission.

Eventually, Croc slowed down, his nervous system too stressed, and one last punch from the shock knuckles sent him down.

Batman left the meta-human where he was lying and jumped between several goons, dismantling them in a heartbeat, leaving behind broken bones and guns.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GCPD was moving slowly to neutralize the armed gunmen Joker had brought, in part because they had dug in and were heavily armed.

Miles and Claire were assisting, having left Ivy to contain Joker since the former villainess wasn’t interested in anything more than saving Miles.

Fortunately, reinforcements were here.

Red Tornado, Red Torpedo, and Red Inferno came to the harbor, each using their respective elements to fly, and began to help the GCPD mop up the goons.

Red Tornado grouped the gunmen together, dropping them down from high enough to knock them out. His brother, Red Torpedo, flooded buildings and anywhere else the goons had taken cover, while Red Inferno targeted vehicles and heavy weapons.

Three siblings working in unison made quick work of the goons.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aquaman hauled Bane to where Poison Ivy kept the Joker entangled in her vines, while a special unit from the GCPD restrained Killer Croc and took him away, and the henchmen were marched to prison buses to be moved to a detention center to await trial.

“This was a disaster.” Miles commented as the emergency teams rushed to put out fires and render medical aid to any injured civilians.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “I had thought your job was to know these things?” Surely, if Miles knew so much about Atlantis and its plans, then this attack should have been expected as well.

“I tend to keep out of Gotham since Batman is too territorial.” 

“Who are the synthetics?” The said hero approached, turning to the androids as they landed near him.

“I am Red Tornado.” Tornado introduced himself, and Miles wanted to ask when they had found him, because the aerokinetic had not been at the lab last time he visited.

“That name sounds familiar.” Leave it to Batman to remember a robot from around sixty years ago.

Tornado nodded. “I was a member of the Justice Society of America.” 

“And your companions?” The other androids stood to the side, seemingly disinterested.

“My siblings. These are Red Torpedo and Red Inferno.” Tornado introduced his siblings.

“What brought you here?” Batman asked, and Miles decided it was time to intervene.

“Common courtesy dictates that you thank them for the assistance, rather than starting an interrogation. I am sure someone has taught you these manners.” At least he hoped Alfred had, because if it was Ra’s Al Ghul, then they had a long way to go.

Batman just gave a small nod and left.

“In his place, allow me to relay to you the gratitude of the people you had just saved.” Miles thanked the androids, shaking hands with Tornado.

“We are pleased to be of service. Would you require assistance with the cleanup operations?” The synthetic offered, and Miles gestured to James Gordon, who was organizing the GCPD forces.

“You should ask the GCPD; tell the Commissioner you’re with me.”

“I shall do that.” Tornado turned to his siblings. “Would you two like to stay or return?”

Red Inferno and Red Torpedo looked at each other before agreeing. “We came all this way; we might as well do more.”

“Thank you.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The androids had the clear from James Gordon and began to assist the emergency teams as best as they could.

They cleared debris and patrolled the perimeter for any escapees, and Miles had given them a card to go and get food and drinks.

Beyond lending a helping hand, it was a good debut, or rather, re-debut for the androids, and some people had even asked for autographs, while the reporters were vying for an interview.

Miles had quickly made himself scarce, taking Ivy with them so the reforming villainess could avoid publicity and not cause a panic.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles had dropped Ivy at her little corner of heaven in Gotham while chatting along the way.

Pamela had seen the news of the demonstration and had come in to see it with her own eyes, intending to quietly leave before anyone could see her.

Good thing too; her timely assistance had saved them the headache of fighting Joker on the clown’s terms.

The demo was left in the background following Joker’s attack, but the organizations had promised their support, and Miles had directed them to finalize the deals with Mary-Anne.

Overall, it was a productive affair, if a bit more adrenaline-filled than expected.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“Why are you telling me this?” Miles stopped smiling and jabbed the shock baton to Trent’s stomach, causing him to seize up.

 Pulling the baton back, Miles leaned in to whisper to Trent’s ear. “Because you are about to suffer in agony, Trent, unless you speak, and I wager you don’t have the same condition as my classmate.”

“Do your worst.”

“Very well.” Miles ordered the guards to waterboard Trent, but they had to stop.

“Sir, we caught him crossing the perimeter.” Two men came in, dragging a very curious-looking man they had cuffed.

A man dressed in a dark blue suit with a yellow shirt, a black tie, a blue coat, and a hat.

A man that didn’t have a face.

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Chapter Text

The next several weeks were spent with the usual business of setting up a network, dealing with company-related issues, such as more demos, and assisting the Justice League wherever it was necessary.

Just as he was doing now.

“Miles, do you know anything about a speaking gorilla?” Since it was Flash asking the question, Miles guessed Grodd had made his debut.

“I have a feeling it does not communicate with sign language.” Miles asked dryly. Even if he didn’t have his meta knowledge, Flash wouldn’t call for something simple, so Miles could afford to be 

“Nope, words, just like humans do.”

“Could be from Gorilla City in Africa.”

“The what?” Even Flash, with his superior capability of disseminating knowledge, was taken aback.

“There is a hidden city of hyperintelligent gorillas in Africa. Unless it is a genetically modified specimen that escaped from a lab, it could be a fugitive from Gorilla City.” Miles explained. Honestly, Wakanda itself was a better thought-out premise than sapient gorillas, but whatever.

Flash snorted, not in disbelief, but at the ridiculousness of the idea. “Right, hyperintelligent gorillas, great. Anything about mind control in there, or Dr. Sarah Corwin from River Bluffs Research Labs?”

“Give me a moment.” Miles quickly messaged Zalika to gather all available information on the doctor and send it to Flash.

“She has been in a romantic relationship with someone over the internet, and, well, you won’t believe this, but her partner is actually a gorilla, your target, I assume.”

Flash was exasperated now. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“I wish I was. It would have been preferable to witnessing something so morally questionable. And the photos, my god, some people are deplorable.” Miles would have to bleach his eyes, because seeing Dr. Corwin’s photos, where she had worn revealing lingerie that had been sent to Gorilla Grodd, was disturbing.

Good thing it was a show aimed at children, and this part wasn’t included on the TV.

“Well, damn. Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome.” Flash would handle Grodd, so there was no need for Miles to intervene.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Following two rather explosive demos, interest in EnviroCorps had grown considerably, resulting in several offers of investment, which were being reviewed, but Miles wouldn’t have anyone tell him how to direct his company or the projects, and requests of cooperation from several non-profit organizations, as well as other tech companies.

In a grand ceremony, thousands of Recyclus had been released to the Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean to clean the Great Garbage Patch, with the King of Atlantis once again in attendance, as well as several ambassadors.

Fortunately, this time it was a more peaceful affair.

Zalika’s call, on the other hand, was wrought with worry.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beckett Residence

“What did you discover that stresses you so much?” Miles asked, having made his way home straight after receiving his charges call.

“So, I was just surfing on the net and came across news about a missing woman….” Zalika began, explaining how she had stumbled on a possible sex trafficking ring while trying to see if she could help by tracking how the woman had gone missing.

The technopath had first investigated the missing woman’s browser and call histories and found a number she had received from the internet. The number wasn’t in the woman’s phone contacts or call history, most likely deleted, but following the trail had led her to the owner of the number, Trent Blackwell, who was dating another woman.

Just to be sure, Zalika had trailed the man, both in cyberspace and through CCTV, only to see him go on a date with the said woman, who had just been declared missing.

Zalika had called 911 and kept her eyes and ears on the situation, only for nothing to come out of it. She had hacked the call center and discovered her call was deleted, with no record of it anywhere.

More suspicious now, the young woman had delved deeper, finding several figures, including police officers, tied together in a network, which Trent Blackwell had been a part of.

Distrustful of the law enforcement, she had called Miles.

“Hmm, what you say might be correct. Give me names, addresses, and descriptions, and I’ll investigate. In the meantime, stay on your computer; I might need your help.” A fictional universe or not, this Earth was plagued by the very same atrocities that his Earth had been, and Miles would do something about it.

“Got it. You’ll stop them, right?” Zalika looked hopeful.

Miles patted her on the shoulder. “They’ll regret ever committing these crimes in the first place.”

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metropolis

EnviroCorps

Zalika wasn’t the last one to call him that day, though Mary’s tone was calmer. Whatever it was, it wasn’t something to be spoken on the phone, and here the trio was in her office, and Mary explained her reason for calling right after the room was scanned again.

“Miles, there is a situation.”

Miles took his hat off and sat down. “I am all ears.” 

Typing on her computer, she turned the screen to Miles. “Several military figures approached me, off the record of course, on developing androids for military purposes.” 

On the screen, there were several photos of Mary speaking to different men, all with the rigidity that came from being a part of the military.

“Turn them away.” He had no intention of selling weapons. 

For now, anyway.

“I have, but they made some rather threatening remarks.” Miles could guess what they were.

“The government can’t afford an outright seizure; we are becoming too beloved by the population for it, and they can’t afford a fallout with Atlantis. They will resort to more covert operations to acquire the tech. Have Thomas set up androids disguised as humans to aid the security, and my associate will keep tabs on any possible cyber attack, as well as a raid. In addition, start lobbying the relevant parties, and tell the law firm to be ready to sue the government to hell and back.” 

Any move from the government would include cyber attacks and black ops, most likely through Cadmus, to steal the necessary tech and research.

“Understood. What if we catch someone?” 

“There will be no evidence left of an intruder.” Any assets sent for espionage and theft would be deniable assets, and if they didn’t exist for the US government, then they didn’t exist for Miles.

Mary nodded, understanding that they were slowly swimming into dangerous waters. “Got it. I’ll start working, and before I forget, that new researcher you brought has started working, and I put out feelers. There is interest in artificial rains and the manipulation of other weather events, but not without a demo.” 

It was expected, and Miles had no doubt the creator of the weather control device could deliver, perhaps an even better product this time.

“Ben did mention the need for ionic energy. Do our friends from afar have anything for it?”

“They did share with us the schematics for a device capable of generating ionic energy; as soon as a prototype is ready, we’ll inform him.”

“Good, anything else?”

“Administrations from several cities all over the world reached out to us for the Cryo Towers, and for cooling down data centers."

“What about Gotham? I made a promise to Bruce Wayne.” Once you give your word, you have to keep it.

“I’ll put them at the top of the list, but it's Gotham. Are you sure about it? There is a good chance one of those nutcases from Arkham will just wreck the tower out of spite, or for some grand reason.” Joker alone might decide to blow the tower up, just because he lost to Miles.

“Cryo Tower’s security is the business of the city, not yours.” If the city couldn’t protect it, it meant more work and more income for them.

“Works for me.” If the villains damaged the structure, EnviroCorps would charge Gotham for the repairs.

“I won’t be available for some time; in case of an emergency, you are the one in charge.”

“I am not even going to ask, but alright.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Going after criminals was fine, but their new target wasn’t some rabble like Anton, so preparations were required.

Miles had gathered his operations unit and visited Thomas to get some much-needed upgrades.

“Your bodyguard is already a pyrokinetic, and it makes my job easier. This suit will give her increased firepower and offer protection against weapons fire up to .50 cal, and even that is limited due to the time constraints. So don’t push your luck.”

It was an armor that looked similar to Red Inferno but was tailored to Claire’s size and meant to boost her considerable metahuman powers.

“Got it.” Claire nodded, and the android Thomas took her away to further explain the armor’s functions.

“As for your other request, I have prepared laser rifles with both stun and lethal mods, as well as grenades.” Synthetics, meant to be simple workers to keep everything inside the lab a secret, brought four crates full of rifles and grenades.

“That was quick.” Miles took one of the rifles out, inspecting the red, sleek weapon. Its barrel was split in the middle, with red glowing panels covering the insides, and its battery was located at the top.

“I made use of the production line for the Recyclus.” With several thousand of the androids already out in the oceans carrying out the task they were programmed to, modifying the production line to make rifles and grenades was a simple matter for a genius like Thomas Morrow.

“Excellent work, Thomas, both of you, and as you know, none of this happened.” There was no need to give the government more ammunition, and if the laser weaponry were discovered, it would do exactly that.

“Now if you’re done, I need to get back to my work. Your CEO certainly keeps me busy.” The old man grumbled.

Miles nodded and waved his hand to Captain Neumann, and his men began to load the crates into the trucks before driving away in the dead of the night.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kidnapping Trent Blackwell was laughably easy. After Zalika had led him on the internet, he had agreed to meet the persona created by the technopath, only for armed men to stuff him inside a van and drive him to the abandoned warehouse they were using.

This world had a serious problem when it came to abandoned places the villains could make use of.

Trent was tied to a chair with a gag and a blindfold, waiting to be questioned to see which dark hole this trail led them down to. He was mumbling something, and Miles waved his hand to the men standing on both sides of him.

“Who the fuck are you?!” Miles was getting tired of all the little dirtbags he encountered swearing.

Couldn’t he have a more distinguished enemy for once?

“Good evening, Trent. Though, seeing your current state, perhaps not a good one? Especially since your latest target isn’t in sight.” Only people around the room were men armed to the teeth.

“Shit.” Trent swore, seeing as he was surrounded with no way of escaping.

“Now, I know you go on secret dates with women, and they end up being kidnapped. I want to know why, how, and all your contacts.” Miles listed his demands, and of course, Trent had to refuse, because god forbid a crook ever have a shred of common sense.

“I’m not telling you anything.” 

Miles smiled, looking at the broken window at the top of the wall. “A classmate of mine had congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. The condition itself was a dangerous one, especially as a child. He had at least a dozen major scars and constantly had to check his body for swelling, bruises, cuts, and whatnot. He had to monitor his temperature round the clock to avoid dying from cold or heat, as he couldn’t sweat. Do you want to know what happened to him?” Miles asked after finishing his little tale, while the room listened attentively.

“What?” Trent was confused as to why the man suddenly started monologuing.

“He died from an infection caused by a splinter. Such a bright person, gone so early.” Miles lamented.

Trent’s pupils dilated as he began to sweat, having an inkling as to where the man was going.

“Why are you telling me this?” Miles stopped smiling and jabbed the shock baton to Trent’s stomach, causing him to seize up.

 Pulling the baton back, Miles leaned in to whisper to Trent’s ear. “Because you are about to suffer in agony, Trent, unless you speak, and I wager you don’t have the same condition as my classmate.”

“Do your worst.”

“Very well.” Miles ordered the guards to waterboard Trent, but they had to stop.

“Sir, we caught him crossing the perimeter.” Two men came in, dragging a very curious-looking man they had cuffed.

A man dressed in a dark blue suit with a yellow shirt, a black tie, a blue coat, and a hat.

A man that didn’t have a face.

Wonderful. Now he had to deal with one of the most talented detectives in the world, and the most paranoid by far. “You didn’t capture him; he let you. Uncuff him and stand back.” The men were confused but attempted to do as they were ordered, only for Question to get up and dangle the cuffs before handing them to the guards, who stepped out of the room.

“Question, what a pleasant surprise to see you in Metropolis of all places. Tell me, what brings you to the city of tomorrow?” Seeing as he chose to be let in rather than fight his way through, Victor Sage must have been after the same target as him.

“He does. I’ve been tracking the organization he works for, and the trail led me here.” So it was an organization and not some small-time criminal enterprise.

“Then we are fighting for the same cause.” Not that Victor would buy it. The man inhaled paranoia and exhaled conspiracy theories.

Well trained and with the fleshy mask covering his face, reading the question was impossible. “We’ll see. What have you found out so far?” 

“He convinces women to meet him for secret dates, citing the need for anonymity, and takes them to expensive places. The rest is evident. Whoever he works for may also have moles in law enforcement.” If the trail led Question down to Metropolis from Hub City, then the detective vigilante must have been investigating them for a long time.

“This isn’t just happening in Metropolis. They are quickly expanding all over the East Coast, and I already linked more than thirty missing women to them. Has he talked yet?” 

Quickly expanding, organized, and clearly had ties to law enforcement. Whoever the enemy was, they weren’t amateurs.

“No, Trent is insistent on being a tough little walnut, but we’ll crack him open to reveal the rot inside. Care to join us?” Question used subtler methods of interrogation, through psychological pressure and obsession, to disturb his target into confessing the truth.

“Why not?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Jump City

Jump City was a major urban hub, but not the powerhouse Metropolis was. Beaches, suburbs, and industrial areas dotted the city, and it possessed a much brighter and more colorful aesthetic compared to Gotham.

There was no Titan Tower yet, of course, but the city itself rarely saw any villain attacks, for now.

Zalika had discovered only a name before she was repelled: Arrival.

Miles was inclined to believe the enemy utilized arcane means to protect themselves and their systems.

What “Arrival” meant, whether it was a location or a date, was unknown to them, but no secret could stay buried forever.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

“Trent Blackwell. You help an organization kidnap innocent women. Why?” Question’s inquiry was rhetorical.

“Because you have been rejected so many times. All those women, who didn’t even give you a second glance, who were repulsed by you, and now, you are seeking revenge.” The detective’s interrogation style was to destabilize his target, seed paranoia, and cause emotional outbursts so the person before him would make mistakes and let information slip.

Question leaned in, bringing his featureless face on level with Trent. “Tell me, Trent, how many women have refused to date you because they knew what a waste of space you were?”

“Fuck you.” Trent was struggling against his bonds with gritted teeth, trying to reach for Question.

“Dozens. You are so hapless; even prostitutes didn’t look your way. But now, you are getting revenge on them, aren’t you? Does it make you feel powerful, Trent? Do you feel vindicated when those women are taken away?”

“Fuck you.” Trent’s struggles became furious, which meant Victor had done his research well. Milex expected nothing less.

Question leaned closer to whisper to Trent’s ear, not even bothered by the man’s frantic attempts to kill him.“And the only reason those women even date you? Because of all the wealth you are suddenly touting around. We both know that if you had the last bucket of water on Earth and any one of those girls was on fire, they would rather sit down and wait for death.” 

The deduction was on point, and Trent lost it, falling down with the chair he was tied to.

“Fuck you, and fuck those whores! So what if I helped those guys kidnap them? They deserved it. What did I lack for them to treat me like dirt?!”

“I can count a lot of reasons, but time is short, and I can’t spare any more for a pawn like you.”

“Pawn?! I am not a pawn. My handler knows I am the best he has.”

“Your handler? Do you mean the one that I found with a bullet in his head?” Miles understood what Victor was doing now.

Trent was out of control now, so fishing information out of him had become a lot easier.

“Eddie is dead?” The bound man stopped his struggles, suddenly afraid. 

And without even realizing, he had given up the fact that he had a handler and that his name was Eddie.

“Oh yes, the cops just found his corpse in a trash bin. I was going to go after him first, but someone was quicker.” Question pulled out a photo from his coat, showing the decomposing body of a man inside a garbage bin.

The photo was a fake, obviously, but Trent was too scared to realize it.

“Shit.”

“He was a liability, Trent, and now that you’ve been caught, so are you. Sooner rather than later, the police will find your body in a trash bin too.” Question tapped on the photo, forcibly raising Trent’s head to make him look.

“Speak, and maybe, just maybe, you might rot in prison, rather than be food for rats in the sewers.” And the final line, offering salvation.

“Okay, okay. I’ll talk. I only know Eddie and his group. I take the women to a bar in New Troy, the Shade. It’s an expensive place, so they fall right in. When they were drunk enough, Eddie and his boys took them away. I don’t know where.” Question let go of Trent and continued his interrogation.

“How did you let Eddie know you were ready?” Miles had checked his phone, and it was a bust.

“They contact me over the internet through a program they uploaded to my computer.” That would explain it, and with the computer turned off most of the time since Trent was too busy spending his wealth outside, it wasn’t surprising that Zalika couldn’t find anything.

“Sounds like a visit to his home is in order.” Claire was itching for a go at the bastards, and Miles nodded.

He turned to Neumann while Question left the room. “Have your men keep Trent confined here until I order otherwise.”

“Yes, sir.”

Miles leaned into Neumann’s ear. “And Captain, your weapons must be on stun mode all the time. I don’t want any deaths with Question here.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trent’s apartment was a mess, and he definitely heard Claire gag.

Question took a look around the room and headed straight for the computer, having decided there wasn’t anything more valuable than their original target.

“Password locked.”

Question typed in something and unlocked it.

“Let’s see.” He muttered and clicked the chat app, which required another password, but Question found it too.

It seems Trent wasn’t very concerned about security.

“A private chat app. These guys aren’t playing around.” This matter was getting more serious by the minute. 

“We can lure him into a trap.” Claire offered, but Miles shook his head. 

“Not without Trent, and we don’t have anyone his size.” Trent was three hundred pounds after all.

A shapeshifter would have been useful now.

“Give me a minute to make a call.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zalika had managed to track Eddie thanks to her meta abilities, rendering the security measures the other side had set up useless.

Miles had sent his team ahead to raid the hideout and take the criminals away to be interrogated.

On the ride, Question had turned his attention to Miles. “Miles Beckett. Appeared out of nowhere, founded a company that quickly rose to fame, and is working with the Justice League."

He wondered when Victor would ask. “Question, I didn’t know you were a fan. Would you like an autograph?”

“I would like answers.” Question’s sense of humor was not with him today.

Perhaps it was because Miles wasn’t as pretty as Huntress?

“Any answer I would give, you can find it on your own.” Since there was nothing to find except his activities in the last several months, there should be no reason for Victor to be suspicious.

Of course, the lack of information on Miles would only make Question dig deeper.

“So why not tell me?”

Miles smiled. “Why should I waste my breath when we both know you wouldn’t believe it?”

“Touché.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they arrived, the raid was over, and the targets were in custody. “Captain, have you found anything inside?” 

“Several items belonging to the kidnapped women, a lot of cash, and computers.” Neumann reported, gesturing to a room.

“And our guests?”

“Tight-lipped.”

Fat, just like Trent, Eddie was tied to a chair, wearing a dirty Hawaiian shirt and shorts. “Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. Why can’t you play nice? Now, we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”

Eddie snorted. “Go scare a kindergartener with that attitude.”

“Captain, have one of your men find me a rat.”

“Yes, sir.” Neumann nodded, no matter how odd the order itself was.

“A rat?” Claire asked, while Question was no doubt running scenarios in his mind. The detective did not have the time to do any research on Eddie to exploit the man’s weaknesses, so this interrogation required a bit more of a hands-on approach.

“Do you know what makes humanity truly dangerous in my humble opinion? Our creativity. In the direst of situations, in the depths of darkness, we always find a way out, through our creative minds. Of course, it’s not always used for noble purposes.” Miles shook his head.

Ignoring the disturbed looks he received, Miles continued. “Throughout our history, several people and organizations have used rats as a torture method to inflict fear, pain, or death on captives. One method was to put a rat in a bowl and fasten it on the prisoner’s stomach, then heat the bowl. In an effort to escape, the rat would burrow into the bowels of the victim.”

The monologue was not over yet, and Miles turned sharply, looking Eddie straight in the eye. “A truly cruel idea, and what else but our creativity, a tool both wonderful and terrible, could have created it?”

“You’re bluffing.” Though he tried to appear confident, Eddie did avert his eyes.

“We will see as soon as they are back with a rat, won’t we? Alternatively, you can speak and spare yourself the pain.” He should just find himself a mind reader and save time.

“Here it is, sir.” Half an hour later, two men brought a rather large and menacing rat in a large plastic container.

“Now, do any of you gentlemen have something to use as a bowl?” A metal bowl was handed to him, and Miles nodded.

“Hold Eddie down, and take off his shirt.”

Eddie began to struggle but couldn’t escape from the four men pushing him to the ground.

“Last chance before I take the rat out, Eddie.” Afraid, but not enough yet, the handler did not fold.

“Your choice.” Miles shrugged before opening the lid of the container. He brought the rodent closer to Eddie’s naked chest, and the man finally yielded.

“Wait, wait.” He begged, and Miles raised an eyebrow, still holding the container. “Oh?”

“We take the women to a mysterious backer in Jump City in return for cash.” Eddie confessed, which confused Miles and the others.

“Jump City? That’s on the other side of the country. Why gather women here?” That side of the country had fewer heroes and villains compared to the east coast, which meant the chance of discovery was lower.

Unless there was a specific reason for the women to be from the East Coast. 

Or this was just the tip of the iceberg, and this web was much larger than what the investigation has revealed so far.

“I don’t know. They gave us specific targets and told us to ship them to Jump City.” So the targets weren’t random, meaning this chain of kidnappings wasn't just a sex trafficking operation.

“Tell me everything you know about this mysterious backer of yours.”

“He looked and spoke weirdly. Wore some sort of robe with a red S on it.” Since Eddie did not specify it, Miles didn’t think it was related to Kryptonians.

Taking out a pen and paper, Miles handed it to the half-naked man, ordering the operatives to let him go. “Draw it.” 

With three strokes, his worst fears were confirmed. “God damn it.”

“You know them?” The question was asked, and Miles nodded with a heavy heart.

“I know the symbol. It belongs to Trigon.” The Mark of Skath was carried by Trigon’s children, a warning sign that they must end the world.

A cult carrying the symbol meant something weird, and most importantly, not canon, was happening.

“Trigon?” Claire racked her head but didn’t remember him being one of the villains Miles mentioned.

“He is a demon from another dimension who has an insatiable hunger for evil and seeks to conquer and enslave entire universes.”

“You are kidding, right?” Question’s unreadable posture broke due to the ridiculous explanation.

Government conspiracies, shadow wars, and connections between secret societies were all in his field, and all were human-made schemes.

This was something too outlandish even for the most paranoid detective on Earth.

“I wish I was. If this cult is attempting to summon him or something along those lines, then the whole universe is in trouble.” Either something had happened to Raven, or she did not exist here at all, leaving Trigon to search for other means of expanding his dark reach.

“Shouldn’t you call your buddies for help?” That sounded exactly like the kind of thing the Justice League had to deal with.

“Not right now. We still don’t know exactly who we are dealing with. As soon as we have substantial knowledge on the exact location of the cult, they will be informed.” Sending the League to search for an aversive group would only force the enemy’s hand, and it was not a desirable outcome.

“Wait a second, summoning a demon? Nobody told us anything about this.” Eddie exclaimed, and Miles considered shooting him before remembering why he couldn’t.

“Were they supposed to? You might have just doomed us all to an eternity of suffering.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So what are we doing now?” 

“We are heading to Jump City while the computers are scanned to track the cult.” Zalika was working round the clock to locate the main base of the cult, but something had been stalling her.

Miles turned to their tag-along. “Question, are you coming? The League has extremely advanced methods of travel.”

While the detective was not exactly equipped to fight cultists who had a high probability of possessing arcane abilities, Vic Sage still was an expert tracker.

“Alright.”

Once in a remote location, Miles called a Javelin, and the trio was off to Jump City. Miles had called J’onn to keep the members of the League on ready, warning the Martian that there was a potential interdimensional incursion.

“Were you actually going to torture him?” Shooting someone dead was not comparable to letting a rat gnaw through his intestines.

“Of course not, I just needed to scare him into spilling the beans.”

“And if you had failed?” Question didn’t prefer the heavy-handed methods Miles and Batman used but wasn’t above them if the situation called for it.

“There are less gory and fatal ways of extracting information out of someone. Rat torture is for terrorizing the populace through an example, not to interrogate.” Such as starvation or waterboarding.

Sufficiently satisfied, for now anyway, Question turned his attention to the matter at hand. “Tell me more about this Trigon.”

“My information is limited. He is extremely powerful, dangerous, and has an unending hunger to feed on pain, suffering, and souls.” Honestly, it was his mistake to not keep an eye on someone vital like Raven, provided she was even on Earth by this time.

“How is he supposed to cross into Earth?”

“All I know is that he supposedly had a daughter, a half-human one, meant to open the way for him, but she detests her progenitor. It is possible that Trigon is looking for other ways to cross into Earth.

“So what? They are going to sacrifice those women to open a portal to hell?” Claire almost snorted at the absurdity of it.

This was becoming something straight out of a horror movie.

“Possible. The cult also might just send those females to Trigon so they could be impregnated.” Provided they failed, which he did not intend to, the second option might at least give them time to thwart Trigon.

“I don’t know which one is worse.” 

His answer chilled the pyrokinetic. “They’ll either die during the conception or commit suicide afterwards.” 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jump City

Jump City was a major urban hub, but not the powerhouse Metropolis was. Beaches, suburbs, and industrial areas dotted the city, and it possessed a much brighter and more colorful aesthetic compared to Gotham.

There was no Titan Tower yet, of course, but the city itself rarely saw any villain attacks, for now.

Zalika had discovered only a name before she was repelled: Arrival.

Miles was inclined to believe the enemy utilized arcane means to protect themselves and their systems.

What “Arrival” meant, whether it was a location or a date, was unknown to them, but no secret could stay buried forever.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Miles knocked on the door to the appraiser’s house. They had scouted the area first to see if Cassius was keeping an eye on the resident, but the coast was clear.

“Mr. Dorrel, may we come in? There is a profitable matter I would like to discuss with you.” Percival’s primary objective was money, and the way to convince him was to offer exactly that.

“How profitable?”

“Very.” Miles answered, opening the briefcase he was carrying to reveal the stacks of hundred-dollar bills inside.

“Welcome.”

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Notes: I am aware we are having Miles work too hard like a machine, but there will be a break soon.

Chapter Text

Jump City

Question had disappeared into the city to do his own investigation, leaving Miles and Claire to their own devices.

“Any word on what this Arrival means?” With how much her boss knew about the superhero world, she was sure they would be following a lead soon.

Miles handed her a leaflet.

“Arrival Nightclub

Grand Opening

Welcome to a New World.”

The leaflet also included some other information on what the nightclub offered, along with the Mark of Skath, used as the logo, something that people most likely considered a homage to Superman. One other thing on the leaflet was the bold warning that it was invite-only and a partner was necessary.

Claire chuckled. “That was easy.” 

“All we need is an invite now.”

“Any idea on how to get it?”

“They are a cult with deep pockets, and there have to be wealthy benefactors who keep these pockets full. Let’s see if Zalika can find anything.”

Opening a nightclub like this without significant financial resources wasn’t possible, and while Jump City was no Metropolis, it still had wealthy elites residing there.

It was just a matter of finding the correct lead.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cassius Korrin was an industrial magnate primarily operating in Jump City, and he had made several transactions that Zalika couldn’t find the end point to. However, she did notice that the security system keeping her from tracking the transactions without revealing herself was the same as the system in the computers recovered from Eddie’s hideout.

The multimillionaire did not leave his penthouse, and there were too many guards, cameras, alarms, and sensors for Miles to even consider infiltration.

But Cassius happened to be an avid collector of rare artifacts.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stealing an artifact and selling it to Cassius would draw too much attention, but a subtler means of getting inside the penthouse had presented itself.

Cassius had an appraiser, a gentleman in his thirties by the name of Percival Dorrel, who had authenticated many pieces for the magnate.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miles knocked on the door to the appraiser’s house. They had scouted the area first to see if Cassius was keeping an eye on the resident, but the coast was clear.

“Mr. Dorrel, may we come in? There is a profitable matter I would like to discuss with you.” Percival’s primary objective was money, and the way to convince him was to offer exactly that.

“How profitable?”

“Very.” Miles answered, opening the briefcase he was carrying to reveal the stacks of hundred-dollar bills inside.

“Welcome.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I am listening.” 

“I am aware you work as an appraiser for Cassius Korrin. He will call you soon for another job. I want you to make an excuse and suggest an acquaintance of yours to handle this work.”

“Mr. Korrin is a valued customer; can you match the price?” Percival wasn’t asking if he could match whatever Cassius paid, but rather, if Miles could offer enough for him to sell out.

Miles held two fingers up. “Two million dollars for your assistance, in cash.” 

The offer was impressive enough that Percival sat straighter. “Such an offer is certainly worthy of consideration.”

“Cassius is part of a cult who are kidnapping women for who knows what.” Percival raised an eyebrow. He had seen some shady-looking individuals during his last visit to Cassius Korrin’s penthouse but, as a professional, had not pried into his client’s business.

“Are you trying to appeal to my conscience?” Miles didn’t know whether Percival Dorrel had one or not and didn’t need to know.

“No, but to your common sense. Your client’s time is almost up, meaning your primary source of income is about to be gone. Two million dollars would set you for life.” Certainly, with the Justice League out there, Cassius would soon be arrested if the whole matter with kidnapping women was true.

The logical conclusion was apparent. “Who will this acquaintance of mine be?”

Two million dollars plus his savings and investments would mean an early retirement for Percival.

“A colleague of yours from Metropolis. You two met during the Native Exhibit at the Metropolis History Museum. His name is Theodore Marchand.” Miles didn’t go into too many details since Cassius wasn’t running any illegal enterprises that required him to be so paranoid about security, except being a financial backer of a cult.

Just in time, Percival’s phone rang, and he answered, looking at Miles as he spoke.

“Mr. Korrin, such a pleasure to hear from you. Unfortunately, I had a small accident and won’t be able to come to you, but should you be interested, I can direct you to a colleague of mine, a trustworthy one.” Percival played along as instructed, and Miles could hear Cassius’ well wishes.

“Of course, here is the number.” The appraiser read the number written on the card.

Now that he had finished his part, Percival excused himself to Cassius. “Once again, I am truly sorry for this. I can assure you, it won’t happen again.” 

“A pleasure doing business with you.” Miles handed the first suitcase to the gentleman and told Claire to bring the rest of the payment.

“Get the remaining suitcases.”

After the transaction had happened, Miles gave one last piece of advice to the man. “Oh, and Mr. Dorrel? You should leave the city as soon as possible before this matter turns apocalyptic."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hello?” Miles answered the foreign number from the burner phone he acquired for the plan.

“Am I speaking to Theodore Marchand?” The British accent was unmistakable, and Miles wondered if it was customary for the extremely wealthy individuals to have a British butler.

“Yes, how may I help you?”

“You have been recommended to my employer, Mr. Cassius Korrin, for the appraisal of a piece of antiquity, in the absence of our usual contractor.” Things were going according to the plan now, but just in case, he had Percival tailed in case he had a change of heart.

“Ah yes, Percival did mention the matter to me. If Mr. Cassius intends to requisition my services, I would be honored for the opportunity.” 

“Do you work for the same rate as Mr. Dorrel?”

“Indeed.”

“Very well, here is the address…”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Let’s say we got in. How do we interrogate this guy or get him out of the penthouse?” Claire asked, straightening her white skirt suit, only worn for the occasion.

Miles was checking his own attire in the mirror, along with a bag of items necessary for an appraiser, taken from Percival’s residence. “If Cassius disappears, it would draw too much attention, just as interrogating him would do. This requires a bit more finesse than the pawns we have dealt with so far.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cassius Korrin’s Penthouse

“Mr. Marchand, welcome. Master Cassius is inside; allow me to escort you.” The British butler welcomed them in, and Miles wondered if he should hire the man after Cassius was gone.

“Thank you. This lovely young lady is my assistant; I hope it won’t be a problem.” Percival did not have an assistant, and not having Claire with him would be unpreferable.

The butler did not seem to mind it, once they were searched for any weapons. “Of course not, this way, please.”

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cassius’ study was on the second floor, and he was pacing inside, impatient.

“Mr. Korrin, I truly apologize for the situation my colleague has put you in.” Miles was so sincere. Cassius seemed hesitant to make a scene.

The overweight man sighed, gesturing to Miles to sit. “Whatever. Percival didn’t really give details; what was it that stopped him from coming?”

“As far as I understand, it is something private, and I don’t pry into people’s private business.” 

Now that elicited a smile from Cassius. “That, I like. Now, let’s see if you are as good as Percival was.” 

Taking out a wooden box with a statue inside, Cassius held it out to Miles. Quickly wearing a pair of gloves, he gently took the bronze statue, not because he was playing the appraiser, but because he genuinely recognized the piece.

“My, my. You certainly are a lucky man, Mr. Cassius. You don’t see a Marsyas bound every day.” It was a statue of a satyr bound by Apollo to be tortured, and as far as Miles had learned during his trips over Europe back on his Earth, they were rare.

“Is it the real deal?”

“Most are either in museums or in private collections as family heirlooms. Knowing its origin could help in that regard.” He had gone to great lengths to acquire a Marsyas bound and was familiar with the statue as a result of it.

“It has been acquired in a small treasure hunt.” Meaning an illegal dig site.

“How fortunate. Patinated bronze, with markings consistent with Giambologna’s work, though there were no records of him casting a statue depicting such a grotesque punishment. Tall, slender, and graceful proportions.” Miles had the rare pleasure of closely examining several of the artist's works after greasing the relevant wheels a bit. 

“Giambologna loved the Serpentinata pose, and the statue itself is smooth and refined, owing to the man’s mastery as a goldsmith. The grotesque origin of the statue is offset by the serene and courtly face.” Rather than a face twisted in agony, this statue had a serene face, with a body twisting around, as the sculptor loved figures that twisted upward.

Another thing he knew was that Giambologna in his Earth had never cast a statue like this, as they were more focused on divine figures.

Chances are, this was a special statue that only existed in the DC Universe, and not his own.

“So?” Cassius was getting impatient, and Miles loathed the idea of leaving this priceless antique in the fat, greasy hands of a man like him.

But he smiled, in full control of his feelings, as he could always retrieve the statue later on. “This isn’t just rare, Mr. Cassius; this might just be the sole Marsyas-bound cast by Giambologna, which raises its value at least tenfold, somewhere around twelve in low estimates to over twenty in the high end.”

“Huh.” Cassius did not seem to expect it, and Miles wasn’t surprised either. He most likely collected antiques for the monetary value they offered and not the historical importance they carried.

“It will make an excellent addition to your collection. Why, I have several clients who possess Roman marble copies of lost Greek bronzes and would be burning with envy if they saw this.” 

Miles, for one, was definitely itching to take the statue, by any means necessary.

The magnate leaned forward, suddenly more interested now that the statue’s price was known to him. “Who would they be?”

Miles shook his head. “I am sure you can understand the need for client privilege, and that I cannot reveal those names to you. One of them is actually going to be in attendance during the grand opening of Arrival, but alas, I heard it is an invitation-only event. I would have loved to introduce you to him otherwise.”

He was a professional after all.

Cassius clapped his meaty hands. “Today is your lucky day, as I happen to be good friends with the owner of Arrival. I can get you an invitation if you can introduce me to this client of yours.”

Acting surprised, Miles thanked the gentleman for the most generous opportunity. “I am sure he would be delighted by the opportunity, as I am.”

“Alright, I’ll have my butler call you when the invitation is ready.” Cassius said while handing the promised amount to Miles.

“Many thanks, Mr. Korrin. It is such a privilege for me to work with men of culture such as you.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“For a second I thought that guy was going to die from a heart attack with how much you buttered him.” Claire gagged. She was sure if that man had burned, he would have gone off like a bomb.

“All part of the plan. I bugged him and got an invitation.” Sleight of hand was truly an underestimated skill.

“Yeah, we just need to find you a client now.”

“No, we just need Cassius to be delayed.” Finding a client would require another invitation, and it was easier to have Cassius never arrive in the opening.

"How did you know so much about that piece?"

"Luck. Giambologna is the extent of my knowledge in the matter. I was just going to make it up as it went."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that they had a way inside, all that they had to do was to sneak inside and find out what this cult was planning.

He had made arrangements for an anonymous tip to the police that Cassius possessed drugs in his limo on the day of the opening, while his mercenaries would raid the penthouse, disguised as SWAT, to take Cassius’ private collection.

No need to let such a valuable, if small, collection go to waste.

Zalika was on watch duty to keep the cops from realizing something was amiss until it was too late.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Returning to the hotel, they found Question waiting for them.

“Found anything interesting?” 

“The Arrival is a nightclub with several wealthy benefactors and is about to have its grand opening tomorrow. We found a way in to scout the building and see what this cult has in store. You?” 

Question wouldn’t have returned empty-handed.

“They are hunting someone, a girl, but she is elusive. I also discovered this.” He pulled out blueprints from his coat, and in bold letters at the top was the name of the club.

“Building plans? And would you look at that, an underground base.” Now, they had a more transparent target.

“Whatever they are planning, it must be happening there. Several leads on kidnapped women point to the club, but without an inside man, it’s impossible to know what exactly.” Security was unnaturally strong for a mere nightclub, which only fueled Question’s suspicions.

“I’ll tell the Justice League to be on standby, as well as reinforcements. We’ll need all available hands should the worst happen.” Such as the cultists summoning Trigon to Earth.

“What’s the plan now?” Claire did feel kind of useless in this cloak-and-dagger business and was itching to bring retribution to the cultists.

“We sneak Question inside, and the three of us find a way into that underground space. Depending on our findings, we either call the Justice League or the local law enforcement.”

“Good thing this armor turns into a briefcase.”

“Their target—do you know anything about her?” Tracking the girl had proven to be a nightmare, and while he wouldn’t admit it, Question was impressed.

“Raven, Trigon’s daughter.” A cult hunting a girl in Jump City? 

There weren’t many names that came to mind.

"If the cultists worship Trigon, why are they hunting his daughter?" Was she a rogue? Or did the cult have a different plan in mind regarding her?

“Because Raven hates her father and is actively trying to stop him from descending on Earth.”

“That’s right.” A voice came out of the shadows before hands created out of darkness slammed three of them to the wall with grunts of pain.

“So how do you know about me?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

Raven was a couple of years younger than she was in Teen Titans but otherwise looked much the same.

“I won’t ask again. How do you know about me? Who are you working for?” The young girl was haggard, most likely due to being chased by the cult, and it showed in her demeanor. Rather than the dispassionate look she carried, Raven looked irritated.

Not good.

Miles didn’t let it deter him from talking the girl down. “I am working with the Justice League; I am sure you have heard about them.”

His answer only made Raven increase the pressure. “Everyone knows the Justice League, but I don’t remember seeing you with them on the news.”

“I work behind the scenes. You know what? Why don’t I call Superman or Flash here and we settle this matter?” That calmed Raven slightly, and breathing became easier. 

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Chapter Text

Jump City

Raven was a couple of years younger than she was in Teen Titans but otherwise looked much the same.

“I won’t ask again. How do you know about me? Who are you working for?” The young girl was haggard, most likely due to being chased by the cult, and it showed in her demeanor. Rather than the dispassionate look she carried, Raven looked irritated.

Not good.

Miles didn’t let it deter him from talking the girl down. “I am working with the Justice League; I am sure you have heard about them.”

His answer only made Raven increase the pressure. “Everyone knows the Justice League, but I don’t remember seeing you with them on the news.”

“I work behind the scenes. You know what? Why don’t I call Superman or Flash here and we settle this matter?” That calmed Raven slightly, and breathing became easier. 

“Maybe.”

“As for how I know you, I make it my business to know about people of interest such as yourself.” 

“That doesn’t explain how you know about my father. In fact, only me and those damn cultists know about Trigon.” Red, thin cracks appeared beneath Raven’s eyes, a sign that she was getting significantly volatile.

If she lost control now, they were definitely in trouble.

Miles spoke through the gradually strengthening grip the sorceress had on them. “Raven, I know you don’t want to hear it, but you cannot afford to lose control now.”

The pressure increased more before it eased off, and Miles knew there were going to be bruises. The cracks disappeared, and Raven took deep breaths to calm herself.

“We are not your enemies; in fact, as far as I see, we are fighting for the same cause: ensuring Trigon does not lay waste to Earth.” 

Raven observed them beneath the shadow cast by her hood before setting the three of them free. 

Rubbing his throbbing ribs, Miles gazed at Claire, who was getting ready to retaliate, and the young pyrokinetic stood down.

“Thank you. I am Miles Beckett, this is my bodyguard, Claire, and Question is one of the greatest detectives in the world.” Miles introduced himself and his companions, though Raven only had her eyes on Question.

“I realized from the way he followed me.” Leave it to the most paranoid man on Earth to track an elusive person like Raven.

“You hid in my shadow while I was tracking you in the warehouse.” Victor had noticed something he had not encountered before happen in the warehouse but could not locate the source.

Who had just shown herself.

Raven narrowed her eyes, promising to keep an eye on the faceless person. In fact, half the reason she was suspicious of Question was him having a literal blank face. “Yeah, you weren’t easy to dupe. I thought those idiots hired you to find me and decided to use you to find where they were hiding. I didn’t expect this, though.” 

“Now that the hostilities are out of the way and we are acquainted, there are more important matters to discuss.” Raven was safe, which meant they did not have to worry about the cult having her, and if she agreed to join them, infiltrating the club would only be a smoother endeavor.

“You guys are infiltrating the club, right? I am coming too.”

That was quick.

“And you are welcome, provided you can avoid detection.” She could hide in a person’s shadow, but there was still the possibility that the cult possessed arcane means of tracking individuals, and being detected would not end well.

They had limited firepower and no intel on what the cultists had in store.

Raven, however, felt confident in her abilities, and Miles had no option but to take it.

“Then we should discuss our plan…”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arrival

Grand Opening

Miles exited the limo, tying his suit’s buttons, followed by Claire in a red dress. Question was lurking around, waiting for Miles to help him inside. Holding his arm out to his date of convenience, Miles presented his invite to the bouncer.

Checking the invite, the beefy bouncer handed it back before looking at the briefcase Miles was carrying. “We need to see the inside of the briefcase.” 

“Of course.” Miles smiled and opened the briefcase, revealing the antique statue inside.

“Some wealthy shareowners of the club are interested in this piece. I hope it won’t inconvenience you.” It was the same piece as the one Cassius owned, except it was a well-made plastic copy.

Not that the guards could tell the difference, since they were smuggling a briefcase, not an antique.

The guards knew better than to ask questions and let them pass. “It’s fine; you may go in, sir and madam.”

Hiding in Miles’ shadow, Raven had her free ride inside.

The club was full of deep, dark colors, lights flashing on and off, and loud music. Employees, whether cultists or unwitting ordinary citizens, all wore the same uniform, with the Mark of Skath.

Navigating through the densely populated club, Miles finally found a place out of sight. The entrance to the underground space was in the largest VIP lounge, only reserved for the cultists and their wealthy backers.

Getting inside would be difficult, but first he had to help Question.

Miles checked his phone and saw the message confirming that the delivery truck had stopped near the club, ready to unload its cargo, with Question hiding inside a crate that was supposed to contain high-quality alcoholic beverages.

It was time to head to the storage room, and the building plans had proven useful.

“Sir, this area is staff only; please turn back.” The guard in front of the storage room stopped them.

“Ah, my date and I were just looking for a private place since the lounges are occupied.” Even in the dim light, Miles noticed the hickey on the guard’s neck. “I’m sure you understand.”

The guard did not waver. “You should just wait for one of the lounges to be empty.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t wish to get you in trouble.” Miles smiled, turning back as if ready to leave. Taking out his wallet, he wanted to see if the guard was a cultist or just an employee. “Ah, where is that business card of Mr. Cassius? Perhaps he can arrange something.” He made a show of searching for the card, and the guard’s eyes were stuck on the thick stack of bills.

“Maybe we can arrange something, sir.” The guard’s demeanor suddenly changed at seeing the money.

Miles took out five hundred dollar bills, discretely holding them out to the guard, and passed another five hundred, seeing that the guard wasn’t satisfied.”

“I didn’t see you.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting inside wasn’t as simple as getting out, because the guard would only be expecting two people to leave.

Searching in silence, they found Victor quickly thanks to the neon bright orange fragile sticker on the crate. Quickly helping him out, Claire sealed the crate to avoid suspicion.

“I’ll distract the guard; be ready.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting for a couple of minutes to avoid suspicion, Miles and Claire left the storage room. Standing diagonally to the door, Miles pulled out five more bills. “For your discretion.”

“Thank you, sir.” The bouncer quickly pocketed the cash, and Question slipped out of the room like a ghost, quickly disappearing into the shadows.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question was inside, ready to sabotage the club to disperse the visitors, while Miles and Claire looked for a way inside the VIP lounge. Cassius, being a wealthy backer, had a standing reservation but was too busy with the police to attend the grand opening.

“Excuse me, I had a meeting with Mr. Cassius Korrin; is he in yet?” Miles asked the man standing guard in the VIP lounge. There were two cameras watching the entrance on each side, connected both to the lounge and the security room, making any forced entry result in discovery.

“No. What was the nature of your business?” Of course getting into the VIP lounge without an invitation from inside wouldn’t be an easy matter, but that’s why Claire was dressed to draw attention.

He had done his research on the group Cassius was a part of.

“Mr. Korrin has a keen eye for valuable antiques; I had an excellent piece for him. Would it be possible for me to wait inside for him?” Spending as much time in front of the cameras to draw attention was not something Miles would do under normal circumstances, but this was an exception.

The guard’s answer was as expected. “Not without confirmation from him.”

“Understandable. I suppose we will have to wait.”

“It would be a shame to let such a gorgeous woman wait outside. Come inside; you can wait for Cassius here.” A voice from the other end of the room called, and they were allowed in.

“Theodor Marchand, and you are?”

“Jason, I am acquainted with Cassius.” Jason Kalden was a playboy, an old-money kid, and could never resist a pretty face.

That was probably how he was ensnared by the cult.

Now that they had a proper invitation, all they had to do was wait for Question to act.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Claire was getting angry, though she had a lot of experience in hiding her true feelings.

Miles would make sure Jason Kalden paid for it.

Two more wealthy clients entered the lounge, and Miles was beginning to wonder what Question was even doing. As if the detective had heard Miles, the lights went off, plunging the already dimly lit room into total darkness.

“Finally.” There was a thump, followed by another as Claire slammed Jason’s face to the table, ruining his face, before slamming the playboy’s head to the wall, knocking him out.

“What the hell is going on?!” The other clients screamed, and Claire was quick to get up and neutralize them while Miles sipped his drink.

“Done.”

“It’s time then.”

“Aren’t we waiting for Question?” Raven asked as she slowly rose out of the ground.

“No.”

Raven ripped the secret door open, exposing the entrance while Claire’s armor quickly unfolded on her body.

With her at the front, the trio moved inside the tunnel.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Claire’s flames gave them just enough light to see where they were going. There were a lot of stairs to climb down, and so far, they hadn’t encountered any guards.

Which quickly changed as the door to the underground area was finally in sight. Two men, dressed in blood-red robes, stood guard, and using the darkness to her advantage, Raven slammed them to the wall rather brutally.

Beyond the door was something out of a horror movie.

Chained to the floor, hundreds of women dressed in some sort of ceremonial robes were looking at the ceiling. There were no cries, no desperate words to save themselves. Silence reigned as they stood on their knees, motionless.

“Azarath Metrion Zintos!” Raven was not inclined to show mercy, and her attack reflected that as the cultist in the center of the women was obliterated.

“Claire, help her. I’ll get the Justice League.”

The Justice League communicator worked even so far down underground, and Miles gave the signal.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

“Sister, sister, sister. Here I was looking for you all over the city, and you came to me. Had I known, I would have waited.” A demon, because the red-skinned creature with claws, sharp, long ears, teeth jutting out of his mouth, and, of course, the scalp covered in flames could be nothing else.

“Ruskoff.” Raven growled, slowly losing control at seeing her half-brother.

“So you do remem—” Ruskoff was cut off short as Raven attacked. The demon was agile and kept dodging Raven’s magical beams, though that did not deter the young girl from continuing.

As if the demon itself wasn’t enough, the cultists brought out automatic rifles, opening fire without hesitation but making sure not to shoot the dazed sacrificial women.

Too bad he didn’t have the time to smuggle weapons inside.

“Claire, leave the demon to Raven; focus on the cultists.” 

Her armor offered plenty of protection, and Claire was already stomping the cultists. “Got it.”

Ruskoff, after dodging Raven’s latest attack, stood behind one of the women, and the young sorceress faltered for a second. “Our father sent you to this world for a reason.”

“Not going to happen. Now shut up and die.” 

“Is that so?” Ruskoff challenged while Raven chanted her incantation, before two hands grasped the red-skinned creature, slamming him to the ground over and over again, before he had enough. Flames, far hotter than what he had seen Claire ever create, exploded out of the demon, dispelling Raven’s magic.

Ruskoff counterattacked, sending out a continuous pillar of flame, meeting Raven’s attack halfway. Slowly, the son of Trigon pushed his sister back, sending Raven to her knees, with sweat pooling on her head.

With one last scream, the flames overpowered Raven, sending her flying back. Barely able to raise her head, Raven looked at Ruskoff as the brother taunted the sister.“You think you can beat me, sister? You are weak, and Father should have never given this task to you. You and your mortal allies can’t beat me.”

Miles walked out of the rock he was hiding behind, sitting on it as he looked at the demon. “You’re right, the three of us can’t beat you, not without resorting to extreme means anyway.” It was obvious that Ruskoff was stronger than Raven now.

“See? Even your ally understands the futility of your actions.” Ruskoff grinned, only sparing the human as he admitted to the truth.

Claire was still busy with the cultists.

Miles grinned, which set the demon off. “That is why I called in the cavalry.” He confessed, and the demon looked confused. “The cavalry?”

The entrance exploded, sending pieces of concrete flying away, and the Justice League appeared as the dust dissipated.

Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter stood shoulder to shoulder.

Miles walked away from where he was standing between Ruskoff and the League. “Gentlemen, ladies, I’ll leave them in your tender mercies.”

Ruskoff was frozen like a deer in headlights and couldn’t even attempt to dodge as Wonder Woman, upon seeing the chained women, flew across the room and nailed the demon in the face, sending him crashing to the wall.

Diana’s golden lasso flashed out and caught Trigon’s son by the neck before she pulled him towards Hawkgirl. Planting one foot behind, Shayera swung her mace with all her might, caving Ruskoff’s face in with red, boiling blood splattering through the air.

The demon went flying once again, and Diana pulled the infernal creature closer for the finishing move, pummeling the demon to the ground with one earthshattering punch.

The rest of the League weren’t idle as well and turned their attention to the cultists. Nothing more than armed goons, they couldn’t do anything as the superheroes folded them in half like paper.

“Explain.” Batman demanded.

“Cultists trying to summon Trigon. The demon is one of his sons. The women are sacrifices.” Miles summarized the situation as curtly as possible since Batman seemed grumpier than usual.

It was understandable in this case.

“Why didn’t you say so before?” 

“We weren’t entirely sure what was going on.” Since he was sure nothing like this had happened, Miles didn’t want to jump to any conclusions.

Not like it wasn’t over anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“We are missing some of the women.” The question counted the rescued females and came up short compared to the number he had gathered.

Had they missed some? Or were they not brought to Jump City yet? “Superman, can you check with your vision to see if there are any hidden alcoves?” Miles requested. The building plan was detailed, but you could not be sure with anything when it comes to a cult.

“Give me a second.”

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Chapter Text

Jump City

Arrival

“We are missing some of the women.” Question counted the rescued females and came up short compared to the number he had gathered.

Had they missed some? Or were they not brought to Jump City yet? “Superman, can you check with your vision to see if there are any hidden alcoves?” Miles requested. The building plan was detailed, but you could not be sure with anything when it comes to a cult.

“Give me a second.”

“What the?...” Whatever the Man of Tomorrow saw stumped him, and in that second, the Arrival was wiped out of existence as a pillar of red energy burst out to the sky, leaving a gaping hole behind, killing all the people inside the building.

The release of energy created wild gales that whipped around before settling down and leaving its place to a feeling of dread that gripped the air.

The sky turned red, and the people ran away in hysteria, trampling each other in a bid to be as far from the source of evil as possible.

“Oh no.” Raven saw the figure flying above the hole and fell on her knees. 

Above the hole, a red figure dressed in black armor with golden antlers, hoofs, and a wild mane of white hair floated, eyes closed as he squeezed his fists.

Miles gulped. They—he—had screwed up big time. “Is that?” Not that it could be anyone else, but he could hope.

“Yeah…”

“What do we do?” There had to be a way to defeat Trigon, but he struggled to think of one.

Raven, who was in a daze and terrified, did not have an answer for him.

Trigon opened all four of his eyes, grinning as he surveyed the area, and came down to look at Raven. “Ah, my treacherous daughter. Consider yourself fortunate that my time here is limited.”

Raven’s eyes widened as she saw a glimmer of hope. “Of course. Even at full power the ritual wouldn’t be enough to bring you to this world completely.” She turned to Miles. “Trigon’s form isn’t complete; if he takes enough damage, he will go back to where he belongs.”

Trigon’s laughter sent reverberations through the air. “Indeed, the question is, are the warriors of this world strong enough to stop me before I destroy this city as a prelude to what is to come?”

Superman answered the question by punching Trigon in the face, barely causing the demon’s head to turn to the side. Still grinning, the four-eyed entity punched Superman in the gut, folding the Kryptonian in half and sending him flying away with spit flying out of his mouth.

“Don’t attack one by one; charge together!” Miles screamed. They needed to keep Trigon occupied as long as possible, because the demon lord would curb stomp the Justice League in a one-on-one fight.

He and Question were directing what sane people were left in the vicinity away from the fight, since there was nothing they could do.

Watching their arguably strongest member get harmed so easily, the remaining members of the League attacked as one.

Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Flash attacked, getting in close range, while the Martian, Green Lantern, and Batman gave fire support.

Trigon caught Diana’s punch and Shayera’s mace, slamming both women into each other, but Flash was able to distract him, allowing his remaining teammates to attack. Lantern’s beam, a large piece of debris thrown by Jonn, and several batarangs hit the demon, and again, it barely flinched.

“Is this the best Earth has to offer? Here I was looking for a challenge; how disappointing.” Trigon taunted the League, which only fueled their resolve.

Superman came flying out with a scream, fist extended, and this time, his attack flipped Trigon through the air with dark-red blood leaking out of his nose.

“Better.” Trigon wiped the blood with the back of his hand and launched himself at Superman.

Diana and Shayera blindsided the demon with a double attack, and Green Lantern brought a gigantic cross down on the staggered Trigon, bringing him closer to the ground. Superman brought his hands together and slammed a hammerfist on the back of the demon’s head.

A small cloud of dust rose from where Trigon met the ground, and there was only laughter as he rose again.

“Good, good. Give me more.” Trigon’s eyes glowed, and Miles knew what was coming. 

“Dodge!” The League scrambled with the warning, and Trigon’s ocular beams split into seven parts, each one carving deep trenches on the asphalt as well as slicing entire buildings down.

Raven, seeing that the Justice League was actually inflicting damage on her father, joined the fray, her dark beams, joined by Claire’s flames, slamming onto Trigon’s face to disrupt the destructive red energies.

It worked, as the ocular beams ceased with the demon grunting in irritation, which was all the Justice League needed to attack back.

Using the momentary lapse, Diana wrapped her lasso around Trigon’s right arm, pulling it back while John did the same to the other arm, giving Superman an opening to rain a flurry of punches.

Diana and Shayera were straining to keep Trigon contained, and the demon had enough, kicking Superman away. Holding the lasso, he swung it around, slamming Diana into John, breaking the Green Lantern’s focus.

“Hey four eyes, smile.” Flash was a blur on the battlefield, attacking Trigon while the demon was otherwise occupied, and as he got faster with each passing second, his punches became that much more powerful.

“Annoying pest.” Trigon shook his head after Flash nailed him in the temple and made to catch the speedster, but several ranged attacks from Claire, Martian Manhunter, and Batman stopped him, followed by several war constructs from John and Raven’s attacks.

Superman was back in the fray with Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl, a three-pronged attack that the demon could not stop. Clark and Diana went for the eyes, while Shayera’s mace glowed, and she slammed it into Trigon’s chest while he was trying to repel the heaviest hitters of the League.

“Keep going; he is weakening.” Raven said. She felt her father’s avatar weaken with each blow from the heroes and knew that he would soon disintegrate.

After batting Trigon’s hand away, Superman grabbed the demon’s head and blasted heat beams straight into his lower eyes, while the rest of the League restrained the demon.

The thermal energy cut through the eyes after meeting resistance for a short while, and Trigon bellowed in that baritone voice of his. 

But it did not last long.

An explosion of energy sent the heroes flying away, and Trigon stood there, slowly disintegrating, with a bloodthirsty grin that sent shivers down their spines. His avatar was breaking apart into red flecks of energy, but the sense of danger he exuded was not decreasing in the slightest.

“This has been,” Trigon stopped, searching for the correct word. “Amusing. Consider yourself fortunate, interloper.” The evil incarnate looked at Miles, and the human knew it wasn’t about stopping the ritual.

With those final parting words, Trigon’s avatar broke down into ashes, and it was over.

One thousand, three hundred and fifty-seven.

That was the total casualties, including the women that were used as a sacrifice to bring Trigon to Earth in a lesser vessel, along with the guests, the workers, and the law enforcement that was inside the club when Trigon arrived. Civilians were evacuated quickly enough from the area once the fight started, but not everyone had made it to a safe distance.

Considering how strong Trigon was, these losses were light.

The Justice League was battered and tired, but they still helped with the rescue efforts, saving civilians trapped under debris, while Miles brought medical supplies and food and promised new accommodations to the displaced people.

Watchtower

“This was a disaster.” John, who was running on fumes, commented, breaking the silence.

Flash looked down, a somber atmosphere around the usually upbeat speedster. “We failed, and the people paid the price.”

“You did not inform us of everything.” Batman turned to Miles, the one who was supposed to keep an eye out to prevent anything like this from happening in the first place.

“Because I did not know everything. There was no news of a cult trying to summon Trigon until the last moment, and nothing in the building plans about an underground base below the one where we found the kidnapped women.” An oversight on his part, one that cost dearly.

That wasn’t good enough for Batman, apparently. “But you had suspicions.” 

He had feared that was the intent behind the kidnappings, but moving on suspicion alone was not advisable. “Connecting what appears to be sex traffickers to a cult intent on summoning an entity such as Trigon is notoriously difficult when the cult members cannot be bribed, threatened, or subverted and operate in total secrecy.” The downside of claiming to have an advanced network when, in truth, one did not have one was that when something slipped through, it did not end well.

Jonn stepped in, feeling the rising tension in the room. “Blaming each other won’t do any good. I am sure Miles did his best.”

“Manhunter is right. No matter how difficult it is to admit, we cannot save everyone, every time. What we can do is to be better next time so a tragedy like this does not repeat itself.” Superman advised. He knew that not a single person in this room had a perfect track record of saving civilians, but just because they could not reach perfection did not mean stopping altogether.

“Well said. I will keep track of everyone that has the slightest of connections to the cult and see that they are brought to justice.” One way or another, Miles would see it done.

“Keep us informed on how it goes. Does anyone have anything else to say?” The fight was short, but Trigon was a brutal fighter, and Diana needed time for the bruises to heal.

No one spoke up, and Hawkgirl rose from her seat. “We all should get some rest then.” 

Metropolis

Beckett Residence

Miles sat down on the couch without a word, tired. He had just helped Raven settle in a guest room and would soon go to sleep himself.

He has been running himself ragged ever since his arrival in this world without proper rest, and Trigon’s short-lived incursion was the final nail in the coffin.

“Miles, are you alright?” Zalika asked, having already been awake. It was rare for Miles to come home looking so tired, especially in the morning, which further showed how dangerous things had gotten at Jump City.

“I will be. How are you two doing?”

She nodded, holding out a folder. “Good. I made a list of all the people tied to that club.” 

“Thank you, Zalika.” Now that he had a list of all the vermin that had a hand in that atrocity, Miles was going to stick each and every single one into a prison, without their individual wealth and connections.

Money transformed even something as grueling as a prison sentence into a smooth experience for the rich, but seeing as most individuals on this list were softened by their posh life, prison would be a true hell for them.

After he rested, of course.

Every single news channel was running the same story, with constant debates ranging from questioning Justice League’s effectiveness to how this cult came to be, the wealthy elite suspected of funding it, and of course, Trigon himself, or the Devil, as the news called him.

The way he had fought the Justice League had drawn more than one villain’s attention, unknown to the heroes themselves.

Fortunately, Trigon was gone, but Miles couldn’t help but wonder if it was his interference that caused the whole mess with the cult.

Most of its members were either dead or in a mental asylum after their minds were corrupted by their master, so there was no one left to interrogate.

“Raven, good morning.” Miles greeted the young girl, who still looked tired even though she had slept for more than twenty-four hours.

“Morning.” Raven laid her head on the table and stayed like that until Miles put her breakfast plate on the table.

Claire had already gone out, saying she wanted to spend her downtime on a shopping spree.

Miles took his seat as well and got straight to the matter. “As I said before, you can stay as long as you want, or I can prepare accommodations for you in a place of your choice.” It was best to have Raven somewhere close and safe rather than out there on her own, but he would not alienate her by forcing anything.

“Are you sure it is fine?” Being around Trigon’s daughter was a dangerous prospect.

“Yes, of course.” 

“Thank you.” Raven started eating her breakfast, content that she was secure.

His charges came down for breakfast and were curious about the new guest. “Hey, we didn’t have the chance to talk yesterday. I am Baraka, and this is my sister, Zalika.” Baraka introduced his sister, who was still sleepy.

She swallowed her food and nodded. “Nice to meet you.” 

“Are you going to stay here from now on?” It would be nice to have more people around the home, though Raven was younger than Baraka and his sister.

“For now, I guess so.” Raven didn’t really plan to stay with humans in the first place and still wasn’t sure of the idea.

There were more important matters for the young sorceress to think about now. “Miles, how did you even know about him in the first place?”

“I was aware of some other cults who worshipped him, but none that had the intention, or the knowledge, to summon him.” This cult wasn’t the only one, and Miles would be sure to keep a very close eye on the rest, starting with Brother Blood’s church. Trigon already knew Miles had something to do with the way things changed, which meant that the reason the cult summoned their master was because of his interference in possibly stopping the demon’s arrival in the future.

He needed a very blunt instrument to bludgeon these cults to death, without exception.

Zalika was awake now that the events at Jump City were being discussed. “What exactly was that guy? He gave the League a hard time.”

“It is a long story, but to summarize it, he is evil incarnate, and his favorite pastime activity is to destroy worlds.” Miles explained. He believed it was for the best if the two knew the danger world-shattering entities like Trigon posed for Earth and the universe at large.

“Oh.” Zalika and Baraka were stunned. What could they say, knowing that the apocalypse had come knocking?

“This one was a mere avatar, far weaker than the real deal.” Raven added, still thinking about what would have happened if Trigon had arrived as a whole.

“Good thing the League was there.” Zalika, unlike Raven, did not even want to think about the consequences.

In the next chapter:

Metropolis

Beckett Residence

“What are we doing now?” Claire handed over a bottle of pomegranate molasses to Miles, having been chosen as the kitchen assistant.

“Barbecue.” Miles took the bottle, pouring it into a dish with some other ingredients.

She held out the chopped black garlic. “Why?”

“Exhaustion doesn’t come crashing down on you like a sledgehammer but worms its way in like a parasite. I learned that in Hong Kong. I’d been working for days on end, trying to recover a portion of my father’s investments, which included a diplomat with a fondness for pricey gifts and a womanizing portfolio manager.” Miles explained, not letting the words stop him from preparing the sauce.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

Beckett Residence

“What are we doing now?” Claire handed over a bottle of pomegranate molasses to Miles, having been chosen as the kitchen assistant.

“Barbecue.” Miles took the bottle, pouring it into a dish with some other ingredients.

She held out the chopped black garlic. “Why?”

“Exhaustion doesn’t come crashing down on you like a sledgehammer but worms its way in like a parasite. I learned that in Hong Kong. I’d been working for days on end, trying to recover a portion of my father’s investments, which included a diplomat with a fondness for pricey gifts and a womanizing portfolio manager.” Miles explained, not letting the words stop him from preparing the sauce.

“Each day was a game of deceit. One day, I woke up, looked in the mirror of my hotel room, and couldn’t remember what web of lies I was supposed to weave.” Now, he added the spices, and Claire got the gist of the story.

Orange zest and crushed coriander finished the sauce. “But I pushed on, too persistent to consider resting.”

“What happened?”

“I felt I was drowning and left the table. The deal was over, and the sheikh bought my father’s investments, a nice little vineyard in Douro Valley, Portugal.” It wasn’t because of any sentimentality towards his father, but Miles genuinely enjoyed the serenity of the little vineyard. 

“You don’t like alcohol.”

Miles finished mixing and tasted the sauce, nodding in appreciation for the taste. “It wasn’t about alcohol; it was about history. Douro Valley is ancient, with stories of smugglers, explorers, and monks carving vineyards into the cliffs, and I lost it to an oil-rich fool with no appreciation for beauty, all because I burnt myself out.”

“Point taken, and it’s not like I’ll say no to barbecue, especially if you know what you are doing.”

“Take a seat and wait.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey Miles.” The smell of the grilling meat made Baraka’s mouth water.

Miles took the offered soda. “Baraka. How are your studies proceeding?” The hero business was too time-consuming, and while Miles made sure to have time for his charges, it wasn’t always possible.

“Good, good. Stephanie says I am a genius when it comes to engineering.”

“Now that I have some time, I already let your tutors come tomorrow to see how you two are doing, and if the day comes when they have nothing else to teach you, I know a once-in-a-millennium roboticist.” Then again, there was also Ivo, but Miles didn’t even know where to look for him.

“Who?”

“Do you remember the androids that came to rescue Gotham?” 

Baraka’s eyes shined. He, just like most of the people in front of the TV, had watched the androids mop the floor with Joker’s lackeys. Yeah, they were really cool.” 

Miles smiled. “Their creator is working for me.” 

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It smells good.” Raven commented. The young girl had been a bit of a recluse, preferring to keep to herself, but agreed to join the barbecue party.

“Take a seat, Raven; it will be ready in a moment.” Miles was already piling up the plates, and the side dishes were ready with the drinks.

“Sure.” 

He had no idea what Raven liked and gave her a diverse plate. “Getting used to your room?”

“Yeah, it’s way better than sleeping in abandoned places I found.” In a foreign world, with no identification, Raven’s life wasn’t easy.

“I already started the process for your citizenship. Papers and ID should arrive in a couple of days.” Rachel Roth was Raven’s civilian name, and he had the papers filled out as such.

“Don’t I need to be there in person?” The young sorceress asked, and Miles smirked.

“Raven, I am a professional.”

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The household dived into the barbecue with gusto, enjoying the rich, flavorful, and smoky sauce on lamb skewers, ribs, hamburgers, and eggplants. They had even sent several plates to neighbors, as the diverse amount was too much for them to eat in one sitting, and appearing as good neighbors dispersed suspicion.

Beckett Residence was too quiet and withdrawn; it's best to break it now with a mouthwatering bribe.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Claire leaned on her chair, rubbing her stomach.

She had eaten too much, but Miles had outdone himself, and the American in her could not say no to barbecue.

Zalika and Baraka did not fare any better, but Raven and Miles had eaten in moderation. 

“We should do this every once in a while.” Zalika sighed in contentment. The sauce was really good, if a bit spicy, but in her opinion, the chance to be family was the greatest pleasure.

“My thinking as well. Time spent on ourselves is time well spent.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next Day

Zalika and Baraka’s results were exemplary. 

Logan and Daniel were baffled by Zalika’s comprehension capability and speed, but she hadn’t shown much interest in engineering, so Stephanie only taught Baraka.

Baraka, in contrast to his sister, was more talented in engineering and had developed a keen interest in robotics, able to easily visualize any mechanical creation down to its smallest parts.

Either he was a budding genius, or he had a less apparent meta-human power. 

The tutors even suggested she consider attending college, but Miles would not put Zalika and Baraka in the spotlight unless they wanted the experience, fully aware of the dangers exposure would bring on geniuses.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the tutors left with glowing recommendations, Miles had a curious guest.

Shayera Hol.

She wanted to speak about the war and Thanagar’s plan to utilize hyperspace generators. 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I have broken my connection with Hro and resigned from my position.” Shayera came out with the truth, but Miles wasn’t surprised in the least.

He told the heroine as much. “Honestly? I expected it to happen.”

Shayera’s dry look told him the Thanagarian did not appreciate it. “Keeping an eye on my relationship, Miles?” 

“No such thing. It was simply inevitable. You two had one common point, and it was the war. With it over, the differences in how you and General Talak conducted war would lead to clashes.” In addition, Shayera was also not quite willing to go as far as Hro Talak was in an effort to win the war, and it was bound to create friction in their relationship.

“I still can’t believe they had planned to destroy so many worlds.” Earth was just another link in the chain, with several inhabited planets already having the hyperspace bypass generators hanging over their heads.

Ones that Thanagar was dismantling right now.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures. Not that I would let it succeed in the first place.” The Justice League, as the foremost defenders of Earth, would not let Thanagarians just walk over, and there were the Guardians in addition. 

“I want to tell the League, but I am not sure.” The usually confident Hawkgirl seemed so indecisive now.

“By being honest. The League will understand your conundrum, and they will appreciate hearing the truth from you. Though, you should definitely keep my involvement out of the equation. Gordonians are almost extinct; it won’t sit well with them.” Invasive aliens or not, the Justice League would not take it well.

“Sure.” Shayera agreed. It was the least she could do.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watchtower

The League had gathered in the Watchtower when Shayera had called, saying she had something extremely important to share. The members sat around the table, waiting for Shayera to start.

“As you know, I was sent to Earth by Thanagar Military Command to defend this planet against a possible Gordonian invasion.”

“Yeah, how is that going by the way?” Flash was still shaken by Trigon’s arrival, and an alien invasion was the last thing he needed. 

“I have recently resigned from Thanagar’s military after learning the real reason why they had assigned me to Earth.” Shayera explained how she had learned the truth of Thanagar’s plans to use a hyperspace bypass generator to strike the heart of the Gordonians, which would have destroyed Earth along with many plans.

Batman, who suspected foul play in regard to Thanagar’s benevolence, was not as surprised as the others.

John broke the stunned silence. He didn’t know if the League alone could push back an invasion from Thanagarians. “What about the Gordonians then? Did Thanagar just give up?”

Shayera shook her head. “No. The war with the Gordonians is over in Thanagar’s victory.”

“How did that happen if your military had to resort to such a desperate plan?” Once again, the galaxy had proven to be a ruthless place, and it weighed down on Clark Kent’s soul.

“The Gordonians attempted to steal an orange power ring and paid the price for it.”

“Orange power ring?” All the eyes turned to John, who raised his hands, just as clueless. He knew about the Star Sapphire Corps and the Blue Lantern Corps, but the orange was news to him. “I don’t know anything about that.”

Miles stepped in since he was the only one who knew all the details. “Because the Guardians keep it a secret, and they have an accord with Larfleeze, the sole member of the Orange Lantern Corps.”

“How could it be a corps if it has only one member?” The Martian Manhunter asked. If Larfleeze was dangerous enough to bring down an interstellar empire, he had to be monitored, if possible.

“Each color on the emotional spectrum represents a different aspect of it with varying side effects. Green is the color of will and the most balanced one, as it has no side effects, but orange is the color of avarice, and it makes the wearer desire in its most primal form.” Which was also the reason why the Green Lanterns were the strongest corps overall, because they did not suffer the destructive side effects that the others did.

Except for the weakness to the color yellow, but then again, almost everyone in the League had a glaring weakness, and Miles wasn’t one to judge.

“Larfleeze killed the rest, didn’t he?” Her people had many stories of how greed could ruin lives, and to Diana, this sounded eerily similar. 

“Yes. He keeps the rings as a part of his hoard and summons the dead wearers as constructs. Larfleeze is one of the strongest entities in the galaxy, and defeating him proved to be an arduous task. So the Guardians reached an accord with him. Larfleeze would not leave Okaara, and the Green Lanterns would not enter the Vega system.” This was ancient history, one that would lead people to seek out Larfleeze if the knowledge of it spread.

“If Larfleeze is so dangerous, why would the Gordonians go after him?” It was illogical to go after such a dangerous enemy when victory seemed so close for the aliens.

Batman was, once again, suspected of something underhanded but could simply not prove it.

“Because Gordonians are pawns, used by the Citadelians, who were created by the psions through genetic experiments, who, in turn, were the abandoned experiments of the Guardians.” And rather than clean up their mess, they had let it fester, and Miles had to step in.

“Damn.” John grumbled. His bosses were looking less and less impressive with each deed revealed.

“Citadelians wanted a weapon that could stand against the Guardians, and what better than power rings?” The Dark Knight did not give any indicators whether he bought it or not, but Miles didn’t expect any less.

“Thank you, Shayera, for sharing the truth with us. What do you plan to do now?” Clark asked. He truly appreciated hearing the truth from Shayera rather than from a secondary source.

It showed that she was sincere. 

“Stay on Earth and continue to be a member of the Justice League, if you allow it.” Because she didn’t want to return to Thanagar and had already begun to like Earth.

Flash looked at the other members and spoke. members, and “I think I speak for all of us when I say, we are happy to have you with us.”

“Thank you.” Shayera’s face lit up. She would have understood if they had refused but was glad it did not come to that.

“Since we are all gathered here, I would like to make a suggestion.” J’onn said. The Martian had been looking for new recruits for the League, and there were already several people who had proven to be heroes.

“Go ahead.”  

“The androids that joined Batman in Gotham against Joker, and Question, who was vital in tracking Trigon’s cult. I believe they would make worthy additions to the League. Trigon, even in his weakened form, caused the death of over a thousand people. More hands on deck could reduce future casualties.” While J’onn did not go down to Earth much, if at all, he still researched better methods and techniques to respond to emergencies. 

One problem the League had was numbers. Seven people, eight if Miles’ network were to be counted, were not enough for the whole world.

There were discussions among the members for some time, but the idea itself made sense.

“I won’t say no to having more heroes around.” Even the fastest man in the world could not be in dozens of places at once.

“Miles, could you contact them?” Since he was the one who called the androids in the first place, Superman was sure he could do so again.

“Torpedo, Inferno, and Tornado will most likely be willing to join. I can’t say the same for Question. He is paranoid; perhaps Batman would be able to strike an accord with him.” The Dark Knight’s interpersonal skills may be lacking, but he still knew how to convince people.

By giving them a good reason.

Like the Green Arrow and the Canary.

“Send me his address. I’ll talk to him.” 

“He doesn’t have an address or a phone, but I am sure Question will show up if he knows we are looking.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beckett Residence

“Miles, come quick.” Zalika sounded worried, and since they were at home, it made Miles tense.

“What is it?”

“Someone is going through our trash.”

His tense shoulders relaxed; Miles knew this was inevitable. “Of course he is.”

“You know him?” Was he helping some homeless person or something?

“Yes. It’s nothing for you to worry about.” He left the young woman to her devices, quickly stepping out of the kitchen door to find Question standing in front of the trash can.

“Question, we were just talking about you in our clubhouse.” Miles leaned on the wall, crossing his arms to watch the detective, who didn’t even turn around.

“Hmm, anything interesting?”

“They thought you might make a good addition to the League, or if not, we could keep a line of communication open to cooperate.” Batman was supposed to handle this, so Miles would just give his business number to Question.

Victor wrote down something in his notebook. “Let’s go slow first and see how things work out.”

“Understood. Now, could you please stop going through our trash?” Miles requested. During the entire conversation, Question did not even stop for one second, trying to decipher some great secret through the remains of yesterday’s barbecue.

“Who are the kids?” Question asked, having finally stopped. 

Miles would need to update his already strict security measures, but nothing short of an energy field would keep Victor Sage out.

“My charges. I would love to explain the tragic story behind it, but I am sure you have other matters to be suspicious of.”

“I’ll see what you are planning yet, Miles Beckett.” Question turned around, ready to leave, but faltered for one second with Miles’ parting words.

“I am an open book, Victor Sage.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the next chapter:

“Oh shit, it’s him.” One of the rich boys screamed, scrambling to his feet, but a cryo beam near his feet stopped him.

Someone told them Miles was coming?

That did not bode well.

“Gentlemen, you are under arrest. If you could kindly put your hands behind your neck and get down while I call law enforcement, that would be appreciated.” 

“We are changing the script?” Claire whispered, keeping her hands ready to attack in case anyone got smart.

“They knew I was coming; there is a chance we are under surveillance.”  Question must have an inkling about what Miles did to Cassius to plan this, unless there was a third party.

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Chapter Text

I have posted a new work, titled Pilot Chapters by Samael61 (pending a more creative name) where you can check my latest ideas for stories.

Chapter Text

Good morning / afternoon / evening to you all.

To the readers celebrating Christmas, I wish you all a merry Christmas. I hope you all enjoy your holiday in good health, warmth and plenty of joy.

To the ones that don't, I wish you all a happy new year, and a 2026 with none of the problems of the last few years.

I know that no matter where you are in the world, these last years weren't easy for anyone. Corona, war, scares of nuclear armageddon, the economic hardships, and scandals that shook us all.

I can't do much, except to give you all a couple of minutes away from the troubles of the world with my words, and wish that these trying times be nothing more than bad memories in the near future.

Thank you all for your support, with your likes, comments and suggestions.

Once again, happy new year and merry Christmas.

Chapter Text

Jump City

In the interest of finishing off the cult supporters entirely, Miles and Claire were back in Jump City, on the trail of the wealthy elite, who had gone missing for some reason. But their next steps were obvious.

With arrest warrants on their heads, the millionaires had no choice but to make it to a country that doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the USA, and that required fake documents.

Moving between states would pose a risk, so they would have to acquire everything close to home.

It just so happened there was an excellent forger in Jump City.

—

Markus Koffman froze as he entered his home/workshop, realizing someone was inside.

“No need to be shy, Markus; this is your home after all.” The voice called out, and Markus took a deep breath, unnerved that someone would get through all his security measures.

The man in the hat was sitting on his favorite chair, inspecting Markus’ latest work in progress. “If you want documents, there are other ways of contacting me.”

“I must say, your work is flawless. Truly a master of your craft.” The man praised genuinely, taking another passport.

Markus moved away from the doorway, putting his keys on the drawer near the TV. “Is this going to be about a commission, or something else?” 

“Fourteen of the fourteen richest citizens of Jump City had a hand in the events at the Arrival. I am sure you saw what happened there.” The man would literally have to be living under a rock to not be.

“I did.”

“Now, thirteen of them are scrambling to disappear, and they can’t do it the legal way.” Since Cassius was already in prison, having sold out all his conspirators for a lighter sentence.

“What makes you think they came to me?”

The man just waved one of the passports at Markus. Chuckling, he leaned back on the small drawer, discretely pulling out a gun, and pointed it at the man, who merely removed his hand from his pocket, dropping bullets on the carpet.

“Shit.” A hand grabbed Markus by the neck and slammed his head on the same drawer, taking the gun away and pushing him to the ground.

Dizzy, Markus could do nothing but watch as the man got up from the chair, checking the outside through the blinders. “I once had to get into a prison in order to find the location of a stash of diamonds stolen almost a decade ago. It was a dangerous experience, but there was one moment that was unforgettable to me. Peter, this lone, intelligent young man convicted of fraud, was stuck between the inmates and the wardens. The wardens wanted him to snitch on his prison mates and weren’t kind in their treatment whenever he refused.” 

Miles had made arrangements with both sides to be left alone and did not find himself in the middle of any trouble.

“The hardened criminals on the inside, however, did not like snitches, and you know what they say: snitches get stitches.” Moving away from the window, the man sat back on the chair, crossing his legs.

“Do you know what Peter did?”

“What?” Both options did not look stellar to the forger, and he understood where the man was going.

He pointed at the bathroom and then his neck. “Couldn’t manage the stress and hanged himself in the bathroom.”

Markus’ throat bobbed, and he got up from the ground, wiping his nose on a handkerchief. “Are you going to hang me if I don’t speak?”

The man in the hat looked offended by the suggestion. “Murder a talented person like you in cold blood? I would rather not. On the other hand, do you think you can handle prison if all the people that commissioned your talents are revealed?” 

Ah, now the forger understood where his unexpected guest was going.

“Well played. I think they are all in one place, since the delivery is supposed to be done by one person. He will be here tomorrow morning.” Far be it from Markus to question how his clients conducted their business, as long as he was paid on time with the agreed amount.

The woman handed him a small rectangular device, barely the size of a penny. “Excellent. May I count on your discretion to slip this in among the documents?”

“May I count on your willingness to keep this a secret?” Prison did not look appealing to him; neither did death.

“Markus, this might just be the start of a beautiful relationship, once my targets are behind the walls.”

After the two left, Markus checked on his evidence locker, finding all his safeguards against his clientele turning on him gone.

—

One day later, Markus handed over the package with the tracker hidden well inside, leaving Miles and Claire nothing to do but trail the SUV. It was truly bizarre for all the fugitives to be hiding in the same place, but then again, they had been supporting a cult for some reason.

The reason he even was tracking them in the first place was because their finances, the ones that weren’t seized by the government, were nigh impossible to track with a certain degree of accuracy.

Otherwise, Miles would have just had Zalika empty the accounts, followed by Saul losing the trace and laundering the money back into the system.

Three miles later, the car stopped before a nightclub, and the courier quickly made his way inside. The bouncer at the door allowed him inside, but Miles and Claire needed to employ other means to pass.

Such as threatening the bouncer with a cryo-gun to enter the club before Claire knocked him out.

Which caused the several workers inside to panic and take cover, thinking it was a gang attack.

“Gentlemen, ladies, may I have your attention?” He calmly requested, and some of the workers raised their heads hesitantly, seeing no hostile action from the man.

Moving aside, he gestured to the door. “Please exit through the door behind me in an orderly fashion, now.”

Not questioning their goodwill, the workers quickly ran out. “Thank you, and my apologies for the scare.”

Down the stairs, the rich boys were gathered in a VIP room, discussing the way forward, when the courier barged in, screaming there was an intruder, before Claire kicked him down.

“Oh shit, it’s him.” One of the rich boys screamed, scrambling to his feet, but a cryo beam near his feet stopped him.

Someone told them Miles was coming?

That did not bode well.

“Gentlemen, you are under arrest. If you could kindly put your hands behind your neck and get down while I call law enforcement, that would be appreciated.” 

“We are changing the script?” Claire whispered, keeping her hands ready to attack in case anyone got smart.

“They knew I was coming; there is a chance we are under surveillance.”  Question must have an inkling about what Miles did to Cassius to plan this, unless there was a third party.

“You heard the man; get down before I turn you into naked moles.” Claire threatened the panicked fugitives non-lethally, knowing to play along. 

Several bottles were knocked over, covering the carpets in expensive alcohol, and some of them had to lie really close.

Walking over to the terrified fugitives who knew they were done, Miles prodded one with his feet. “Anyone care to reveal just who told you I was coming here?”  His plans to take their remaining assets had gone up in the blink of an eye.

He wanted to be sure of the one responsible.

“We just got an anonymous tip, that’s all, and moved here instead.”

Most likely, Question was trying to see what Miles would do while also helping him catch all the fugitives at once, and if it was the faceless detective, they were definitely being watched.

He definitely had to give this one up.

The room was dark, but he still checked the possible places, coming up empty-handed. Quentin was paranoid to the end, so it must be in the least place he would think to look.

Taking the briefcase from the courier, Miles opened it, rummaging through the documents, only finding his tracker, before he smashed the briefcase itself, revealing a listening device hidden inside the hollowed-out handle.

“Not bad. Question, not bad.” Miles muttered, crushing the device. “Where did you get this briefcase?” He asked the courier.

“I had it for a while; I just used it today.”

“Any break-ins? Someone suspicious around your house?” Not that Question would be caught unless he didn’t want to, but there was no harm in asking.

“No, I swear.”

“Hey, is that the cops?” Claire asked as the sound of sirens and running came really close.

“Seems someone saved us the trouble of calling them.” 

“Shouldn’t we escape?”

“Why? We are heroes with the Justice League, helping the law enforcement catch these fugitives.”

The door was already open, and several SWAT units pointed their weapons inside, ready to use lethal force. “Officers, I was just about to call you.” 

“Hands in the air, don’t move.” The law enforcement ordered, and Miles raised his hands without a protest, followed by Claire.

“Of course.”

“Who are you?” The SWAT demanded as he cuffed Miles.

“I am with the Justice League, tracking these criminals responsible for the tragedy a week ago.” Miles said with a straight face.

“Uhhuh, do you know how many people claim that? We are going to have to solve this in the station.”

—

“Miles Beckett, residency: Metropolis. What brings you to this side of the country?” The chief of police, seeing as Miles was a high-profile individual owing to his previous accomplishments, came to ask the questions himself.

Miles leaned forward on the desk, his cuffs stopping him from moving any further. “As I said to the officers at the scene tracking the fugitives, though, it appears one of my colleagues had already tipped you off.”

“Who would that be?” They did indeed get an anonymous tip with plenty of evidence, but not the person behind it.

“The world’s most paranoid detective. Even if I gave you a name, you would never find him unless he wished to be.” The chief seemed to be considering the information before reaching to his belt to uncuff Miles.

“I see. At any rate, there is no suspicion of you working with these bastards, so you and your friend are free to go.” 

“Thank you.”

—

Outside the police station, the first thing that greeted Miles and Claire was an older model dark blue Pontiac GTO driving away.

“So it was him in the end.” Miles chuckled. If Victor Sage wanted to play, Miles could play.

Claire narrowed her eyes, considering whether it was worth the trouble to go after him. “What the hell was that faceless guy doing?”

“Playing with us.” 

“We are going to get him back, right?” She just got arrested by the cops and wasn’t about to let Question slip off that easily.

“Yes, and I have a splendid idea.” If Question was suspicious of Miles having ulterior motives, then he would give the detective the opposite.

“Let’s just go; I’ve had enough of this city for a lifetime.”

—

Metropolis

“Welcome back.” Zalika greeted them as she got up from the TV, noticing their lackluster mood. “Things did not go well over there?”

Miles smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Nature of business. How are you three doing?”

“Good, though Raven has been stuck in her room, meditating.” 

—

His plan to get back at Question was simple and brilliant at the same time. If the detective wanted to see what Miles was planning behind the scenes, he would conduct his business in the open.

“Hey Miles.” Mary answered her phone quickly, and Miles was already wiring the money to the accounting.

“Mary, I want you to find the immediate families of all the deceased in the Jump City disaster and the women kidnapped by the cult. Cover their entire health bill, give scholarships to siblings and children for their entire educational life, and assist the rebuilding efforts; spare no expenses.” He ordered, skipping the niceties. Mary was busy enough; he didn’t want to keep her occupied any longer.

The CEO was silent for a couple of seconds as the sound of pen on paper was heard. “Alright. Anything else?”  At this point, Mary knew better than to ask why.

“And make PR campaigns. “If the good citizens of Jump City need help, we are here, no questions asked, no matter how many miles away.” That would definitely get Question’s attention.

“Got it.”

“That’s your plan?” Claire asked. She would have preferred to rough that bastard up for a bit over a PR campaign.

“Question is seeking our ulterior moves; we are giving him the complete opposite.” And the more he dug into Miles’ business in search of any shady business, the more philanthropic acts he would show the detective.

—

In a city far away, a ginger-headed individual sitting in his house chuckled at the advertisement on the TV.

Not bad.

—

EnviroCorps

Robotics Research Lab

“What do you need this time?” Thomas grumbled. His androids had joined the Justice League, leaving only him and his duplicate in the lab.

“A satellite connected to a supercomputer to monitor the world’s communication grid.” This one was for the next step of his plan. Zalika, with her technopathic abilities advancing each day, could use a supercomputer to hack into the satellite network without the need to infiltrate the vendors.

Their satellite would act as a relay, and as she could simply access any digital device by merely being in range, the usual protocols and measures against tampering would not work.

“I’ll start the work.”

“How are you doing healthwise?” The exact date of Morrow falling into a coma wasn’t clear, but it was obviously soon.

“Not long left in me now, but my android won’t let you down.” Thomas turned to his younger, synthetic version, imbued with all the knowledge he had, who was working on some new conduits.

He gently patted the old man on the shoulder. “Remember, Thomas, it’s not for me, but for the world.”

“How exactly is hacking into the planet’s comm network for its good?” It was an obvious attempt at spying across the world, and Thomas wasn’t going to believe it without a good reason.

“Because the governments of the world are not to be trusted, and I have reasonable suspicion that the United States government is experimenting on an alien life form to develop mind control capabilities to be used on any enhanced individual not under their thumb.” Miles explained, revealing just one of the highly unethical projects run by the USA.

He wasn't even going to mention Amanda Waller, and her crimes in the name of national security.

Thomas blinked, definitely not expecting it, though his previous run-ins with the government were proof enough that they would dabble in mind control. “Huh, you know what, forget I asked. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

Miles thanked the old man before leaving.

Now, to prepare a base.

—

In the next chapter:

“What happened?” He asked, and Superman pointed to a screen where Batman, covered in bruises with both arms in a cast and a neck brace, was being tended to by the Martian Manhunter.

“Batman is in a coma. He has been severely wounded. The witnesses report a blond woman who overpowered Batman quite easily.”  The Kryptonian pressed several buttons, and the pictures of five villains popped up.  “Also, Copperhead, Shade, Solomon Grundy, Star Sapphire, and Tsukuri were seen with her.”

Green Lantern looked furious at the state one of his teammates had been reduced to. “Heard anything about this?” 

“No, definitely not.” What the hell was Aresia doing? She should have just knocked Batman out, not sent him to the ICU.

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Chapter Text

Metropolis

Having nothing to do while waiting for Thomas to deliver the satellite and the supercomputer, Miles was working on expanding his network when a call came, urgently summoning him to the Watchtower.

—

Watchtower

“What happened?” He asked, and Superman pointed to a screen where Batman, covered in bruises with both arms in a cast and a neck brace, was being tended to by the Martian Manhunter.

“Batman is in a coma. He has been severely wounded. The witnesses report a blond woman who overpowered Batman quite easily.”  The Kryptonian pressed several buttons, and the pictures of five villains popped up.  “Also, Copperhead, Shade, Solomon Grundy, Star Sapphire, and Tsukuri were seen with her.”

Green Lantern looked furious at the state one of his teammates had been reduced to. “Heard anything about this?” 

“No, definitely not.” What the hell was Aresia doing? She should have just knocked Batman out, not sent him to the ICU.

“I’ll go and get Yrra Cynril.” Miles made to turn around, but John stopped him, shaking his head.

“I called the Star Sapphire Lanterns several times; they were busy fighting someone and did not answer.”

Miles ran the famous and lesser-known healers in his mind, but the ones easy to locate were not likely to be helpful, while the rest were difficult to locate.

There was Raven, but he would not let the young girl take Batman’s pain to heal him unless no alternative could be devised.

Doctor Fate was his best option.

“Doctor Fate, he should be able to heal Batman.” If not, he would get Raven.

Superman’s eyes widened, remembering the mystical hero. “I know where he is; I’ll go talk to him.” He quickly left the tower to bring the Lord of Order, as every second mattered to Batman.

“In the meantime, I’ll look into who that woman is.” And make sure her plan failed, utterly and completely.

—

Metropolis

“How do we find her?” A blonde woman in a white dress with super strength didn’t exactly narrow it down. 

“I just sent out a message for everyone to keep an eye out for the blonde woman and her accomplices. Even if she isn’t well known, the rest of the villains are.” But Miles knew their next target and would be there before them.

“Shouldn’t we go to Gotham?” That was where the woman was located, and chances are, she was still there after Batman was gone.

“No use, she can’t afford to stay in Gotham, and I can coordinate things better from Metropolis.” He was actually going to Metropolis because Aresia’s next target was a gem vault in the city, and he needed to find and secure it quickly.

He made sure to inform Charles of that while checking the locations of the banks to find the location from the show. Finding the branch of the Metropolis Gem Repository, a subsidiary of the Metropolis Gold Exchange, was enough for Charles to find the owner and send his number to Miles.

—

The gem’s owner was an elderly man who was keeping it as a family heirloom and who dragged his feet in selling it, trying to raise the price.

Miles wasn’t in the mood to negotiate and offered a million dollars, far more than what the gem was worth, and even had the man picked up to immediately sign the deal.

Minutes after they left the bank with the gem in tow, Aresia and her gang attacked, unaware they were already beaten to the punch.

The most secure place to hide it was the Watchtower, and he immediately called for a pickup.

—

Watchtower

“How is he?” Miles asked, carrying a briefcase with the gem inside. Doctor Fate was inside the med room, legs crossed and floating as a golden glow covered the Dark Knight.

“Fate says it will be a while before Batman wakes up, even longer to be ready to fight; his wounds were quite severe.”  Superman 

“The woman, an Amazonian named Aresia, was after this, though I don’t know why. She did not seem to be intent on sharing her plans with her team.” He remembered how the Amazonian crushed and spread the gem into her bioweapon, but its effects were not clear, perhaps to add a magical side to the virus.

“That can’t be.” Diana gasped as she watched the video recording he had Zalika extract while boarding the Javelin.

The Amazonian was raging through the vault, searching for a gem that was already gone.

“More importantly, where is she?” Green Lantern cracked his knuckles, ready to dish out some punishment to the Amazonian, regardless of her connection to Wonder Woman.

“She was seen in the Metropolis industrial district.” Now that Aresia was out in the open, Miles was having Zalika keep an eye on her through the CCTV.

“Someone must go to Themyscira to find any possible leads on what she is after.” Hawkgirl suggested. The Amazonian may have beaten Batman, but neither she nor the villains following her stood a chance against the League.

Even if she was caught, there wasn’t a guarantee her plans would be discovered, and they could afford to spare a member.

“Aresia always had a hatred for men, more so than any other Amazonian. Whatever she is after, it must be related to it.” Diana had hoped her time in isolation would have helped Aresia give up her unnecessary hatred, but it had apparently not worked.

J’onn’s eyes widened slightly, and he used the computer to show the first sight of the break-in. “Her first target was Gotham Biotech. Could she be trying to wage a biological war against the male populace?” 

It was a reasonable hypothesis, especially since Wonder Woman could not refute it.

“That’s not good. If she is actually doing it and has the weapon ready, even in a non-complete form, any male could be infected and taken out of the fight.” Green Lantern frowned. That knocked out most of their remaining fighting force.

John wasn’t sure of Superman’s idea to recruit the androids, but it turned out to be a good decision now.

“Wonder Woman or Hawkgirl can’t go to Themyscira; they are our only chance. I suggest Claire. The Amazonians will be less hostile towards a female.” Miles wasn’t really willing to send her to Themyscira, but the sooner they had the notes, the better.

There was a quick, nonverbal agreement among the superheroes before John agreed. “Alright, get her here and up to speed.” 

“We know where she is, and it’s time to bring her to justice. Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and the androids will go. The rest of us will watch from outside.” Superman laid out the plan.

“Green Lantern should be able to quarantine the entire area to prevent the attack from spreading if there is an outbreak.”  J’onn suggested, pointing at the location.

“Let’s go, people. Batman will be fine, and it’s up to us to stop Aresia.” John wasn’t happy to be out of the fight, but he would at least get to watch Aresia being demolished.

—

Metropolis

Claire was sent to Themyscira with a javelin to request the Amazons’ assistance in figuring out what exactly their rogue member was after, while the rest of the team went to confront Aresia.

Miles was situated far away from the building covered by a green dome as John kept the place secure while the five-person team was fighting Aresia and the Injustice Gang. Torpedo, Tornado, and Inferno were able to easily subdue the gang except Grundy, who soon began to weaken due to the exposure.

“I think she released the virus.” Green Lantern informed him over the comms, which meant taking the gem must have slowed Aresia down.

“We can’t let the girls and the androids out. Even if they are not affected, they are carriers now.” Unknown to the Kryptonian, that was how the Martian had gotten infected, by touching his cape.

“Everyone inside has to be decontaminated along with the building. I’ll call someone; keep them there.” Good thing they were in Metropolis; otherwise, the matter would have to be left to the authorities. And who knows just what kind of a problem that would lead to?

“Victor, no time for small talk. We need equipment to decontaminate a three-story building and twelve people. Three androids, two Amazonians, and the rest are enhanced individuals. I am texting you the address.” Miles shut the phone, waiting for news from the Green Lantern.

“Ouch!” Green Lantern called out, “That’s going to leave a mark. Aresia is down; they are now subduing them.” Miles sighed in relief. The rogue Amazon made several escapes in the show, but not in this universe.

“I called in medical support for decontamination. Ladies and synthetics, you’ll have to stay inside for some time.”

“This dome does allow oxygen in, right?” Shayera groaned.

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

—

Viktor came in with three trucks, each carrying the latest tech of the Medical Branch, a decontamination ray.

Miles was too busy to keep an eye on the details, but he would take what he could get.

“The dome is secure, and the villains are neutralized. Green Lantern will let you in.” Miles pointed at the dome, and Victor nodded in his hazmat suit. John created an extension to cover the scientist’s team before merging both, allowing the operations to proceed smoothly.

—

After three excruciating hours, when Green Lantern’s power ring charge began to run out, Victor gave the all clear. The city hazmat units, however, weren’t willing to let anyone go unless they ran their tests first, which took another hour.

The dome was finally lifted, and the citizens of Metropolis cheered the heroes while the villains were led away. 

Wonder Woman, dragging her sister by the arm as both her arms and legs were cuffed, stopped before the remaining members of the League. “I’ll take Aresia to Themyscira so she can be judged for her crimes against the world of men.”

Miles allowed a small smile as he noticed the bruise on Aresia’s face, courtesy of Shayera’s mace.

Apparently, the rogue Amazon wasn’t happy about it and struggled to escape before Superman stood in front of Aresia, daring her to try anything. 

Unable to fight, Aresia resorted to words. “You should have let me finish it. The men are the real enemy; you have spent too much time in their company to see it.” 

“It was a man who informed us of Felix Faust’s attack on Themyscira.” Diana spoke to her sister, trying to make the younger, bitter woman see that her path wasn’t right, but it did nothing.

Aresia sneered, the idea that a man had saved them only further infuriating the Amazon. “I know. Which one of you was it that had been watching us, keeping an eye on our paradise?”

Miles blinked, understanding that if the Amazons knew it was a man who helped them, then Aresia must have learned it, and rather than changing her mind, it only fueled her flames of vengeance.

Hence, Batman’s current condition.

Stepping forward with his face carefully masked, Miles revealed the identity of the man she was seeking. “None, I keep tabs on individuals like Felix Faust; I simply caught wind of his actions and informed Diana.” 

“Pity, I had thought it was Batman.” Aresia grinned cruelly. “How is he, by the way? Dead yet?”

His hand lashed out, and Miles grabbed the Amazon by the mouth and cheeks, leaning forward to speak.

The suddenness of the movement had caught Aresia off guard, and cuffed as she was, there was nothing for her to do but glare. “Had he died, I would have stuck you in a coffin half your size and kept you locked up in some deep, dark hole no one would ever find. No one to hear your screams as you go insane from the isolation, no one to come to your rescue as you drown in your own filth. Don’t test me, little girl; it won’t end well for you.”  He whispered to the woman, shocking his colleagues with enhanced hearing. 

That erased Aresia’s smirk, and she was taken away by Diana with a sullen expression.

“What did he say?” Green Lantern whispered to Superman, since it was too loud for him to hear anything.

Superman shook his head, hoping it was just to scare the Amazon, and it told John all he needed to know.

Thankfully, this situation had resolved without half the population of the world dying.

—

Watchtower

Claire had returned to the space station several hours after she had left for Themyscira with Queen Hippolyta in tow and Aresia’s notes on her bioweapon. Now that the threat of a viral outbreak was gone, the notes weren’t useful, but the League had decided to develop a cure anyway to have it in hand.