บท 116: Poor Harley
Once the team checked the Jet for any tracking devices, and disabling all 6 of them, Lex directed them to an abandoned airfield near Gotham. Iron Man left a signal scrambler behind just in case, at Matt's insistence.
J'onn surrounded them all with his mental aura of forget you see me as they moved on the street according to Luthor's directions. Eventually they came to an old fenced in factory with a big sign that spelled-out TOYS on the roof. Lex pushed open the gate and walked to a smaller side building.
The brief walk along the streets filled the group with sorrow and frustration. The first to speak was Ororo, "These people have no hope in their eyes, its like they have given up and only go through the motions of a life."
"If they don't have the strength to protect what they earn, what use is hope? Working hard to earn something for yourself only to have it taken away from you, breaks people after a while. They stop trying or even caring Miss Ororo." Luthor responded.
"What a pitiful existence." Silverflash says.
Lex opens a small metal box on the wall and types in a code on the keypad it revealed. After a moment, a door opens, and Lex rushes them into the room. As he walks past the group after closing the door he calls out, "Lights!"
Once the large room is illuminated, the group sees a veritable fun house of stuffed toys and ball pits that look like they would cushion the exit from a rather intricate enclosed slide. The many loops and sharp turns promise the slide to be fast and pulse pounding.
The opposite side of the building shows the makings of a rollercoaster that appears to be mid construction. A giant Jack in the Box draws the attention of many that have had run-ins with the Joker of their world.
Logan spoke up, "This is a bit creepy Lex, I assume it is not your safehouse?"
"This was The Jesters base." Lex walked over to the tools beside the rollercoaster, picking one up. "He though that if he made life fun again, them people would fight the Syndicate to keep it in their lives. The sentimental fool."
"The people need to see an example of what could be, in order to want it. Or at least see someone fighting for it." Devilbat pointed out.
"The Syndicate knows that, and that's why they tried to keep all their battles with my Justice League in the dark. Anyone that tries to promote the idea that someone is fighting back, they are met with an unfortunate accident. Or change their tune quickly when loved ones go missing."
Walking as they spoke; Lex leads them to a comically large computer of overly bright colors. Before Lex could start typing on the keyboard, there is a noise of squeaking and chattering. Suddenly a small figure of a Capuchin monkey dressed in a colorful jester outfit complete with a belled hat. It runs excitedly towards Lex and leaps to his shoulder.
"Quite the hidey hole Lex my boy." Ironman said.
Lex looks at the excited monkey, ignoring Tony, "I'm sorry Harley. The Jester's never coming back."
She must have understood because she looked sad, and a tear fell from her eye. She jumped down from Lex's shoulder, running off.
"We should consider ourselves lucky there's any place left to hide." Lex said in response to Tony's comment.
Superman countered, "We're not here to hide, Luthor. We're here to clean up your planet's mess."
"Then by all means, let's get started. And call me Lex." Typing away for a few minutes Lex brings up images of 6 individuals. Two of them Logan recognized from their earlier fight as Superwoman and Owlman.
"These are the heads of the Crime Syndicate; I told you all about them and their made men. So, I will spare us all by not going over them again. We'll conduct a series of attacks, Coordinated by me. I have a backdoor to the Syndicates computer system so we will know where they will be and what their next deal is. The seven of us will hit specific Syndicate operations, one after the other."
Superman interrupted, "That's a waste of time."
Lex looked surprised at the interruption, "I beg your pardon?"
"We're going to hit multiple targets at the same time. Teams of two." Superman brought his hands to his waste, elbows out. He looked a bit like the old drawings of Peter Pan as he stood like that, Logan thought to himself.
"We'd be hopelessly outnumbered. When my Justice League fought them…"
"All due respect, LEX. We aren't your Justice League." Superman dropped a level in his tone.
Silverflash spoke up to cut the building tension. "What's the call blue?"
"You and J'onn, Ororo and Tony, Lex is with me."
Lex choked, "That's insane!"
"No worries Lex, he's got your slack." Silverflash taunted.
With a sinking feeling in his gut, Logan asked, "What about me?"
"You will stay here and coordinate through the computer with us." Superman said.
"That won't be necessary, Logan will be with me." Devilbat spoke out.
"I was wondering why you were left out of the assignments." Lex said.
"I don't take assignments. I fix the holes in other's plans!"
Walking towards the computer, "I am hearing a news report where some girl is talking out against the Syndicate, pull it up. Sounds like a live feed,"
Lex hits a few keys and pulls up a news broadcast, barely making out the sound he turned it up.
A young red headed woman is standing at a podium with four men behind her. In any world Logan would pick them out as CIA bodyguards. "The most important thing to remember, is that we don't have to be afraid of the Crime Syndicate."
"If that's true, why do you have bodyguards?" A reporter asked.
"Come on, I'm the Presidents daughter, I had guards before I started speaking out."
"Isn't it irresponsible of you to be out here making speeches in direct contradiction of your father's policies?" A female reporter asked.
"I love my father, but we disagree about this, and I have the right to free speech."
"If we leave the Syndicate be, they'll let us live our lives. We don't have the power to fight them."
"No, might does not make right. It may seem that way sometimes, but in the long run it's the other way around. We are always stronger when we're doing the right thing."
Lex spoke up, "That's Rose Wilson, President Slade Wilsons daughter."
"She is setting herself up to be a target. I assume she is a chip the Syndicate are using to keep your President under control?" Devilbat asked.
"Yes, her mother was killed by Ultraman. The bastard used his Ultra heat ray right through the roof of her limo in a motorcade. Just to show the President and the world he could."
Devilbat plugged a USB into the computer, "I am downloading my user software so I can use this computer. Who is going where for the operation? We should hit them tomorrow during the day so there are plenty of witnesses."
Lex started typing, "It looks like out best options are Johnny Quick and his crew are doing a arms deal with the Middle East, some Prince wants his neighbor's land. Ezekiel Stane looks to have a drug shipment rolling out in multiple trucks tomorrow, using rush hour traffic as camouflage. Owlman is at his private server and Superwoman is no doubt nearby. Lastly is Ultraman. I know a way to get his attention any time I want it."
Superman spoke up again, J'onn and Silverflash, you get the missiles, Wonder Woman and Iron man, deal with the drugs. Lex and I have Ultraman. Get some rest, we move out first thing."
About 30 minutes later as Logan was exploring, Devilbat called for him. "Logan, with me."
Superman asked, "Where are you going Matt?"
Not even turning his head in Superman's direction, "It's night and we are in Gotham. I am going out."
Logan followed Matt out of the building, "What are we looking for Bat's?"
His eyes narrowing at the shortening of his name, "I want independent information. Time to see if the criminals here are as talkative as the ones back home." As soon as he finished speaking, Devilbat shot a grapple line out and pulled himself to the top of a nearby building.
Logan shifted into the shape of the Owl he usually used when following Nightwing and followed along.
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