บท 23: Chapter 23 War Of The Bounty Hunters 7
United States.
Central City.
"So the mole was caught, huh?" Lex asked thoughtfully as he looked at the encrypted message he had just received.
He wasn't really asking anyone in particular, as it was more of a statement than it was a question. The message clearly explained that the mole implanted in Area 37 military base was arrested not long ago.
Apparently, he was caught in the act by General Lane himself and taken into the torture room for intensive questioning. As for who sent the message, it was clearly another mole.
"What do you think of this Mercy?" Lex threw a question to a rigid female sitting in front of the limo's steering wheel. His voice didn't sound the least bit emotionally moved by what happened as he asked the female figure without turning his head in the slightest.
Mercy drove the classic black limousine that was being guarded by heavy security casually.
Her short dark hair was parted to the side and her face carried a trace of indifference.
Assistant, driver, and bodyguard of the famous CEO of Lexcorp, Mercy Graves.
"I don't know". She replied indifferently, her face covered in a tinge of frost.
"Oh come on, Mercy, haven't you ever played guessing games in your life?" Lex asked with amusement.
"I have".
"And?"
"I don't like them". She replied with a hint of grumbling in her tone. Honestly, working for somebody like Lex Luthor was a serious pain in the ass.
The headaches her boss gave her over the years were enough to turn her into a cherished customer at the pharmacy.
Lex didn't mind her tone when she spoke. After all, even if they were just employer and employee, they had a somewhat close relationship that had been forged after years of working together.
Mercy Graves was his only employee who could casually call his name without consequences.
"Besides, I assume you already have your thoughts on the matter, right?" Mercy asked sarcastically.
"Oh Mercy, you know me so well". Lex similarly replied in a sarcastic tone.
"You already expected him to fail, didn't you?" Mercy suddenly asked with interest. She had been with Luthor for a long time to glimpse into his usual train of thoughts, alongside his way of thinking.
"That I did. From the information he delivered, I expected nothing short of an 86% chance of failure".
Lex said casually. His tone was light, as if he hadn't just condemned a man to a terrible fate. To him, the mole was nothing more than a chess piece to analyze his assumptions.
What happened to him after he got caught was something he couldn't be bothered to think about.
"So what was the point?" Mercy asked.
"Information my dear assistant, Information. The key to everything". Lex replied with a smile.
"The recent happenings in the past week are very intriguing to say the least. And although not the main character, General Lane is a noteworthy figure in this regard. Worthy enough to keep an eye on. Now it appears that he needs to be paid more attention".
Lex's eyes beamed with interest.
Mercy's eyebrows narrowed.
There it is again. Her boss was planning something.
"But you didn't get anything valuable".
"Oh! That's what you think Mercy". Lex chuckled as he raised a small canned beverage to his lips.
He raised the tablet in his hand and tapped a few times. The tablet showed the picture of a majestic looking city far out on the outskirts of Gotham city.
".... What the hell is that?" Mercy, who was looking at the tablet through the rearview mirror, was surprised. Since when did her boss like watching sci-fi movies?
"That my dear, is a city, a small one but a city nonetheless…" Luther said with his signature smile.
"Right on the outskirts of Gotham". His words left Mercy stunned in disbelief.
"....you…. but… that can't…" Her lips trembled while bringing out incomplete sentences as she struggled to believe what she was seeing. Her eyes were wide open in shock.
"..... You're kidding, right?" She asked astounded.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Lex frowned slightly without turning his head. Mercy instantly regained some composure.
Yes, Lex wasn't the kind of person to make such types of jokes. But the fact that he wasn't joking made it harder to believe.
"But how is that possible? I didn't hear any news of a city being built outside Gotham. When did this even happen?"
"My little assistant, we live in a world where gods and fishmen exist. Aliens capable of lifting buildings and men who can run faster than the speed of sound are seen every week. I can proudly declare that at this point, nothing surprises me". Lex said casually.
"As for your other question.... This city was built this afternoon. Well... Let's just say about three hours ago".
Another casual statement left her doubting her life. Build such a place in one afternoon? Did she forget to wake up this morning?
Lex didn't respond to her.
Another picture appeared, but unlike the last one that was from the Gotham News Network, this one was satellite imaging.
It wasn't hacked, of course. As a very successful businessman and heir to the Luther wealth, it was only normal to have a few private satellites under his control, right?
The scene of a city appearing out of thin air three hours ago played itself on the tablet. Luther continued to rewind to the time before the city appeared, and a figure was shown standing on a clear field.
"It's him!" Mercy exclaimed. After what had happened recently, only people who lived in the forests wouldn't recognize that face.
"Yes, him". Lex said lightly. His face carried a small smile, but his eyes were relatively gloomy.
"Considering that this was the work of an alien, I don't find it even a little surprising. After all, Superman's fortress appeared out of thin air in similar ways".
Mercy listened to his words and couldn't refute. When it was all chalked up to alien tech, things became much easier to understand and believe.
But when that thought disappeared, a new one sprung up.
"Is he your actual point of interest?" She asked Lex after piecing some loose ends together.
The government had publicly legalized Amari's stay on Earth. It wasn't just America but more than half of the countries in the UN.
Sam Lane was a General who worked for the government. Although she didn't know much, she could still guess some possible relations.
Perhaps General Lane had some kind of connection to the mysterious alien.
Mercy thought so as she continued to drive smoothly.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. It's none of your concern, and there are some things you shouldn't concern yourself with, my little assistant". Lex replied.
The smile on his face was gone, replied with an icy indifference as he relaxed in his chair while staring at the screen.
Small thoughts appeared in his mind occasionally as he took a gulp.
Lex was a.... complicated person. The keywords to describe his personality followed a similar pattern.
Self obsessed, jealous, egotistical, ruthless, petty, power driven and paranoid. He was a literal power - hungry maniac who wanted to have everyone and everything under his grasp.
In terms of being a paranoid entity, he was second only to Batman in that regard, while his arrogance was second to none.
That arrogance, resting on the shoulders of his ninth level intellect, was what fueled his superiority complex. He saw himself as a superior race, subconsciously looking down on everyone else around him.
So lex Luther couldn't and wouldn't stand the possibility of anyone being more powerful or more important than he was.
This, among other reasons, was the constant drive behind his hatred for the man of tomorrow, Superman, and caused him to become Clark's archenemy.
To him, Someone like Superman with all his Godlike abilities was unqualified to wield such power.
An extraterrestrial parading about as the hope and savior of humanity? How outrageous. The fact that the world seemed dependent on one being, during times of trouble, always waiting for Superman to arrive and save the day, it honestly sickened him.
In his view, humanity was simply placing their lives in the hands of an alien alongside his band of merry do-gooders instead of doing their best to solve their problems.
What was the difference between this and seeking death? Instead of advancing, the earth would decline, with its people always thinking that everything would be fine as long as they had the Justice league.
Only he, Lex Luthor, was qualified to become the Champion of humanity. To lead mankind on the path of true evolution and conquer the stars.
Superman was definitely doing more harm than good. Plus, who knows when the almighty Man Of Steel will decide to turn his face against mankind.
What would the people of earth do then? Who could possibly stop him then?
Countless thoughts were encased in his brain. Lex Luthor, in a way, was both jealous and afraid of the Man Of Steel.
In a head-on confrontation, Superman would crush him ten times out of ten.
He knew it subconsciously in his heart, but that didn't mean he would admit it. And so, in his quest to destroy Superman and all he stood for, he created Cadmus, a biological research facility burdened with the goal of creating the world's greatest biological weapons.
All so he could one day defeat Superman himself.
This was his goal, his driving force. And now, something interesting had appeared within his world.
Something all too similar to Superman, yet in the same way, vastly different from him.
An alien with powers and abilities which he had no clear estimate and could possibly be an obstacle in his path to world dominance.
Lex's eyes narrowed slightly.
This was a variable, a dangerous yet intriguing variable.
".... That being the case… He could serve some use for the Light". Lex said to himself inwardly while in deep thought.
That however, was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.
"A call?" Lex wondered, as he wasn't expecting anyone. Moreover, the caller was unknown.
Still, he picked up the phone and answered without much thought.
"This is Luther".
"Your recent stunt is getting on my nerves, Lex". The deep voice on the other end of the phone growled in displeasure.
Lex's eyes widened imperceptibly for a moment before regaining composure.
"I wonder what gives me the honor to receive a call from the esteemed general Lane himself?" Lex asked casually.
He had a good idea of what Sam was calling about.
The voice on the other end was silent.
"..... You need to learn to respect yourself, Lex. Although the military and Cadmus are partnered, that does not give you the right to involve yourself in state affairs". Sam remarked coldly.
"What in god's name are you talking about? Please speak clearly…." Looks like he was right.
"Peter Quill". Sam interjected before he could finish. "An employee recommended by Cadmus was caught trying to hack into our servers. Should I believe this has nothing to do with you?"
"Believe what you will, Lane. What difference does it make?" Lex responded nonchalantly.
"Why a Cadmus recommended personnel decided on such an act is beyond my knowledge. But to take such a risk, tsk... tsk.... Whatever he wanted to obtain must be significant".
"Especially for who put him up to it". Sam's face was gloomy. Listening to Lex, who was playing word games, he inwardly scolded all the ancestral generations of the Luthors.
The calm, composed voice of the bald egomaniac truly irked him to no end.
Currently, there was nothing he could do to Lex and both of them knew it. Firstly, there was no substantial evidence. Secondly, even if there were, he couldn't do anything with it.
The council wouldn't allow him to take any action due to their cooperation with Cadmus. At present, the government, and military still needed them to produce weapons for the United States.
Alongside ordinary weapons of war, projects created to counter the justice league were under Cadmus's supervision. How could they possibly put Luther in jail?
Lex could just cut off the supply of advanced weapons to the military? Who would suffer then?
And finally, even if he put Lex in prison, the latter would still find a way to get out. Lexcorp could run just fine even if Luther was incarcerated.
Coupled with a few luxuries granted by pulling some connections, he would just treat his imprisonment as an extended vacation.
No matter how he played it, Lane could gain a small win at most, but lex would never suffer a loss.
Still, he couldn't just let Luther go just like that. Otherwise, he would lose face.
At the end, he could only issue a deep warning.
"There is only so much the council will tolerate, even from you".
"Whether this has anything to do with me remains to be clarified. And to be honest, this topic no longer interests me". Lex finished his soda with satisfaction.
"I am, interested, however, in the recent happenings pertaining to a certain extraterrestrial resident. And certain sources inform me that you have some dealings with the person in question".
Hearing his words, Sam frowned slightly. What the hell is Luther up to this time? He couldn't have possibly set his sights on Amari, could he?
Thinking of Lex attempting to scheme against the latter, Lane shuddered slightly. The thought of the outcome was not the least bit amusing to him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, General, but I believe we have a problem on our hands". He was about to speak when the sweet voice of the Loli AI sounded in his ears.
A concern? Lane frowned deeply.
"I warn you, Lex. It's in your best interests to stay away from Amari. Don't have any funny thoughts on this matter, or the results will be tragic. It would be best for everyone if you just focused on your election".
Lane issued his final statement before unceremoniously ending the call.
Lex pulled the phone away from his ears. His face didn't give off any abnormalities, but those who knew him would instantly spot the frigid coldness emanating from his eyes.
Hidden within Sam's words was a subtle threat.
This alone made Lex rather unhappy.
"If I can't get the information I want the easy way, then I'll just have to obtain it from the General himself". He tapped his fingers on the chair rhythmically. Deep in his mind, a sinister plan was brewing.
"Lex, we're here". Mercy, who was listening to his conversation the whole time, informed him.
The car had come to a halt and the door was opened by a bodyguard. Lex stepped out of the car and what greeted him were the constant flashes of light from the cameras of countless reporters.
"Mr Luther, over here…."
"Mr Luther..."
Lex didn't even squint as he took in all the fanfare that was in front of him.
The cold light in his eyes was gone, replaced with a standard casual expression as he began to walk forward.
The plan to deal with general Lane could be finished later. Now, he needed to pose for the camera if he wanted to win this thing.
.....
Sam's POV
"What's the problem?" Lane asked the Red Queen, his frown present on his face.
Judging from the words she used, Sam felt a burst of uneasiness in his stomach.
"It seems like the earth is about to be invaded". The soft, nonchalant voice of the red loli sounded in his ears, but it was akin to thunder for him.
Before he could even ask what she meant, she played a satellite reading right in front of Sam's eyes.
Seconds Later.
"Shit!"
.....
Lex's POV
Lex stood behind the podium with a graceful smile on his face. The mayor of central city stood a short-distance away to his left, and the flashing of the cameras never stopped.
The sounds, the chants, the cheers. This moment was being broadcasted across the whole world.
Looking at the large number of people who had gathered, Lex felt relatively indifferent deep within. Although he enjoyed being the center of attention, Lex didn't find much accomplishment in his heart.
After all, he wasn't the president yet. But on the outside, he still retained that sickening smile.
After all, a poker face wasn't suitable for a presidential campaign. Seeing the large number of people, waiting for him to speak, Lex cleared his throat and began.
"My fellow Americans and residents of this wonderful city, it is with great honor that I stand before you all today as a freestanding citizen...." Lex began to recite the speech he had memorized earlier for this event in front of dozens of cameras.
".... However, although the American nation has thrived continuously in many areas of economy, technology and business, under the leadership of our current president, the same can't be said for our national security".
Lex said deeply, his words bringing about an aura of gloom.
The reporters from various newspapers all began taking notes or recording seriously.
Just from the starting momentum, they could already smell a big scoop coming along.
Among the crowd of reporters, a certain Iris West stood in the crowd, completely inconspicuous in the sea of news hungry journalists.
"Five years ago, according to professor August Ackerman, the golden age of the supernatural began in our world. Individuals…. with powerful abilities appeared out of nowhere, ushering a new era into our blue planet".
"Some stood as a symbol of Justice, upholding peace and harmony, such as the Justice league. Others, not so much". Lex said casually.
"Men, women, children, aliens, underwater creatures from myths we were told as children. Many with powers and technology far above what we regular humans five years ago couldn't even begin to imagine".
"And now five years later, we see the result of this 'golden age' in our lives". Lex's face turned cold.
"Alongside this Golden age of superheroes, a new age of crime, villains, and disasters followed suit. Death tolls have skyrocketed several times in the past five years than it has in decades".
The crowd was silent. The massive number of people, clicking reporters and large procession had all been engulfed in an aura of depression. Not just the people on the scene, even the people watching through their TV screens all over the world felt depressed.
There was only the calm, clear yet surprisingly loud voice of Lex Luthor.
"And yes, we all know the famous saying that whenever the sky falls, there will always be people to hold it up. And so it did happen, that the golden age of the supernatural turned into the era of heroes and villains, constantly battling each other time and time again for supremacy".
"And where do we, the common people, fit into that equation? What category do we find ourselves in when these two forces do battle? What happens to the regular humans who weren't blessed with godlike gifts to stand up for ourselves in troubled times?"
Lex Luthor pressed a button on the podium.
A holographic chart appeared in the background behind him.
"I'll tell you what category. The Unfortunate…."
The screen changed to show what happened in 1998, the whole disaster of everything that happened all over the world with the incident of the Wonder Woman and the wishing stone.
"The Victims…" The screen changed again to show the showdown of Metropolis just last week. The stats on the graphic chart changed to show the tragic death toll.
"And… the slaughtered". His tone was solemn as he pressed another button. The screen change again to show the scene that led to the emergence of the Justice League.
Stepphenwolf's invasion.
The attack of the parademons
The death toll on the chart, this time, went through the roof.
The atmosphere had reached a suffocating point. Everyone witnessing this event felt a bout of oppression on their moods.
The display kept changing, showing one disaster after another. Zod's invasion, Gotham's nuclear reactor incident, Parallax in coast city, not just American citizens, everyone watching all over the world seemed to have their minds enlightened.
The world they lived in was a terribly dangerous place.
In these accidents, although they were ultimately thwarted, how many people died in those disasters? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?
Luther saw the effect his speech had on the crowd and was inwardly satisfied. Don't look at his casual remarks, all this was for building momentum.
"My fellow Americans, how many of you notice that in all these incidents, the most frequent reappearing country is ours?" Lex said grimly.
The choking atmosphere was at its peak. The death toll chart was suddenly replaced by another, crime chart.
"This, is what the crime statistics looked like before the golden era. And this, is what it looks like now". It was even worse.
"Citizens of America, we are not alone in this universe. There are more powerful, advanced civilizations in galaxies light-years away from us, capable of annihilating us as they please. How many more people have to die in such disasters? How many more invasions do we have to endure? Today it might be your neighbor, tomorrow, will it be you? Well, no more". He slammed his palm on the podium indignantly with an expression portraying anger, patriotism, and righteousness.
"I have a dream, a vision, if I may. Where the citizens don't have to hide their heads, don't have to worry about whether they will suddenly die in an accidental collision battle between heroes and villains. Where people can live in peace and not worry about their safety in this new era. Where parents don't have to hear the news of their children's death on their way home from school".
"I and my company, Lexcorp, plan to curb the crime rates of Gotham, permanently eliminate the superpowered villains of metropolis, and strive to make sure that such horrible events will be stopped before they even begin. The people of the United States have suffered enough". Lex's impassioned voice made a loud, bold declaration as he swung his arm in the air vigorously.
The depressing atmosphere was swept away instantly, followed by a burst of passionate enthusiasm. Americans, watching the scene, also burst out in excitement.
Many even cried.
How many people have lost someone they care about in crime attacks, superhero battles and alien invasions? How many more had their lives ruined on such occasions? Their livelihoods destroyed, their bodies crippled….
Countless.
It hadn't been that long since the battle of Atlantis, when would it stop?
The large majority of the American population had their inner fears dug out by Lex. Who wasn't afraid of death?
"We will all work together, to build a better, safer future for ourselves and our loved ones. This is my promise to you all, so vote me, Lex Luthor for President of the United States". Lex finished with both arms stretched out. What greeted him was a burst of passionate cheers, applause and flashing cameras.
A smirk appeared on Lex's face.
Step one complete. It was all moving perfectly. All that was needed now was time and simple planning, and it all starts with Lex Luthor becoming president.
Soon, the people of the world would come to hate and resent the very heroes they've come to adore.
Lex thought to himself as he waved at the crowd.
Suddenly, there was a loud boom in the air. The sound was so loud that countless drivers were disoriented, leading to a series of road accidents.
Countless mirrors, window glasses, glass cups..... they shattered all over central city. The glass panel behind Luther shattered to pieces.
Mercy immediately shielded Lex while pushing him to the ground. The crowd below immediately began to panic at the sudden events.
What was going on.
The question in their minds was soon answered when a dark shadow feel from the sky, covering almost half of central city.
Everyone lifted their heads to look at the sky. Luther gently pushed Mercy aside as he too turned his gaze upward.
Lex's face changed drastically as he saw the last thing he expected to see.
Flying above the skies of Central City was a gigantic, circular spaceship.
The oppressive aura reappeared out of nowhere as all of central city fell into panic.
"Oh my God.."
"What is that?"
"It's a spaceship!"
"Damnit! Another invasion!"
Everyone froze in horror.
Lex looked at the flying spaceship and blurted out six words.
"You've got to be kidding me".
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