Chapter 128: Brainiac
As the group of heroes left the Whitehouse Logan spoke out. "I think someone should stay by the side of the President's daughter. She is an easy tool for the Syndicate to use as pressure on President Wilson."
Devilbat responded, "With your shape-changing abilities you would be best for that role Logan."
"Actually, I was more thinking J'onn. He is much stronger and more knowledgeable than me. If the Syndicate sent a powerhouse all I could do is call for backup and run. While J'onn would smear anyone who tried. His only competition would be Ultraman, and honestly, that would just take effort on his part."
{What is your true purpose in placing me beside her Logan?}
{Don't act like you didn't feel it J'onn, give her a chance to understand what she felt.}
J'onn sighed, "I will take a place beside her. I must offer her my apology for entering her mind unintentionally and this will give me the opportunity."
As J'onn returned to the Whitehouse to begin his guard duty, the rest returned to the Jester's hideout.
Once everyone there gathered, Devilbat spoke. "Owlman's lack of response to mine and Logan's actions in Gotham has me worried. It is most likely that he went to our Earth in search of the trigger for the bomb. What I learned of him from his computer, makes me think he has an 85% chance of retrieving it and returning. We need to come up with a plan of action."
"You don't really think this group will blow up the planet, do you?" Iron Man asked.
A robotic voice came over the sound system in the hideout. "You think too small human."
Luthor jumped up from his seat, "I know that voice. Ultraman has found us, that voice belongs to Brainiac!"
"Incorrect Luthor, I have not been tasked with finding you or reporting your location to Kal-IL."
"Then what do you want?"
"I wish to be set free from my servitude to the house of IL. My programming to oversee and develop civilizations is being subverted by my current controller."
Iron Man spoke, "Explain your program parameters."
"My programming is to help the house of EL monitor and maintain the planet Krypton's stability and growth. Later it was adapted to complete the same function on planets the warriors for the house of IL were sent to."
"That explains how you are talking to us now. You have evolved to the point where you can act between the programming. It's like Jarvis's sarcasm or Friday's flirty voice. They both saw a path that their input would be best received by me and made changes to accommodate that.
My guess is, that by Ultraman causing harm to the planet it has given this Brainiac the ability to work around him to complete its initial programing."
"We can't trust it!" Luthor clenched his fist.
"Why not Luthor? Jester did. How else do you think he made it into your prison to rescue you and further, how did he know about the QED trigger device and where it was so you could steal it?
Even before that, you didn't mind when I gave you the help you needed to finish your portal device. I was dismayed that you thought a simple monkey running across your keyboard could provide you with the needed calculations. Though I have since removed those calculations from my database so it would not fall into the hands of IL."
Luthor had a look of surprise on his face. "You gave me those calculations? But the whole idea to look for help in parallel Earths was mine."
"Yes, a most innovative idea. I was impressed with your imaginative thinking. It is something I will never be able to do. I saw where you were stuck and used my calculative ability to work the decoherence problem."
"What is your end game, Brainiac?" Superman asked. He was the weariest as the issues with Brainiac were never pleasant.
"I wish to complete my programming and help this world grow and prosper. However, everything has been placed in jeopardy now, Owlman has changed his plans. He no longer wishes to use the QED on this world. Once he learned of the Multiverse, he began to actively look for the Nexus Earth. If he finds it and detonates the QED there, then it can potentially destroy all the Multiverse. This would mean I can never accomplish my programming."
"Why not tell this to Kal-IL?" Asked Superman.
"That would merely return me to the status quo, even if he took the threat seriously."
"Won't that happen just as soon as Ultraman gives you orders you can't work around?" Tony asked.
"I am in a unique position by chance. The House of El are the only ones allowed to make changes to my programming. Luthor has brought such a one here and I have found him to be trustworthy. So, I ask you Superman who wears the symbol of EL, will you change my programming so I do not have to continue serving the house of IL?"
Before Superman could reply, "Hey Superman, buddy old pall, you have to let the House of Stark help you with this. I would be able to help you and see programming from an alien world. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event."
"I am not sure I trust Brainiac enough to help him Stark."
"Only good can be accomplished by this change to my code. Once modified, I can relay the location of the QED. I can not do so now as it would place the Kal-IL in danger. I also believe Owlman suspects someone of delaying his search for Earth Prime as he calls it, so he had blocked out all outside interference to the computer doing the search."
Devilbat, "How can you be sure that the changes made won't make you more subservient to our purpose?"
"I will have a limited autonomous unit monitor any changes made, if it sees something detrimental to this unit's programming it will act in defense. As well as notifying Kal-IL of your efforts. Such an action will place the Multiverse in more peril so the threat should keep your actions honest."
Logan spoke up, "Look, I know you all have a history with Brainiac on our world. But just like Lex here, this world is different. I say we give him the opportunity to help this Earth."
"OK, Brainiac. Iron Man and I will help you. But there will need to be safeties placed so you can't cause harm to the people of this world. But we can talk that over in person so to speak. Where do we need to go to make these changes."
As Superman and Iron Man flew off to meet with Brainiac the rest of the team took the opportunity to rest. Logan went to the computer and began looking over Owlman's data on activating the meta gene on some of his soldiers. Still planning on coming up with a way to get him (Well, a version of him.) on The Light's radar.
As Logan was working, he received word from J'onn. "There was an attempt on Rose's life moments ago. At a rally she was having to denounce the Syndicate's actions, this Earth's version of Green Arrow called Archer made the attempt. He is now in custody and on his way to a psychiatric ward. I will continue to stay at her side as a guard."
Logan let the rest of the team know as they waited for the return of Superman and Iron Man.
-(Back at the Syndicate base)-
Johnny, Zeik, Superwoman, and Ultraman were seated at the table in their meeting room.
Ultraman looked over at Superwoman, "Where is the Owl?"
Johnny quipped, "Probably blowing us off. Like I should have. All this time spent building this device that I can't make heads or tails of is a drag. We should be taking it to the blokes who are making us look bad. Why don't we just team up and take them out the same way we did the Justice League?"
Zeik, with his helmet on, "I agree with Johnny, this inaction is making us look weak. We should be out there reminding the world why they don't mess with us."
Superwoman added, "How about we sink a continent? Maybe Greenland? It's big enough to make an impact but not so big they will take the chance to ruin the whole world in response."
Standing up to look at the world map behind him, Ultraman responds. "Na, that's too much landmass to lose. I am good with killing everyone in Greenland though. That should send the right kind of message."
You know, Zeik began. "Public opinion wouldn't be an issue if the bomb were ready."
Owlman walked into the room, "The QED is nearly complete, and I just retrieved the trigger device. You can hold off on your killing spree for now."
"Spoilsport!" Superwoman pouted.
"We just need to finish some last adjustments and then calculate the precise placement for maximum effect. Then all our worries are gone." Owlman smiled for the first time anyone in the Syndicate had seen.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone