/SUPERBOY/

Lex stood up at the circular table and examined the many faces of interest. He looked to his right, at a young woman with dark skin, Amanda Waller was her name— a warden and scientist at the sanatorium and penitentiary known as Belle Reve. On his left was seated Doctor Hugo Strange, a psychiatrist at the same penitentiary with some agendas of his own.

What an odd bunch of people, thought the billionaire. But he had to. His immense curiosity demanded it. For Lex Luthor, Founder and CEO of LexCorp, leading scientist in so many fields and self-proclaimed arch nemesis of Earth's Man of Steel, has discovered something. An awesome power of unkempt potential but with one problem that Lex could see…it wasn't his.

The building that he had chosen to have this meeting was nothing more than an empty storage warehouse with rusty metal walls, chains and crates. Quite cliché if anyone asked him. Alas it was not just any rusty old warehouse. The walls were lead lined, the windows on the walls were bullet and shatterproof and there was a small device in his pocket that jammed scanners and radars in case the superhero Cyborg was looking. This was now the most secure place on Earth, every entrance was guarded by inmates from Arkham Asylum—the world's most deranged and dangerous criminals stood watch from Bane to Mr Freeze.

Around his table he saw some others not of his company but his allies nonetheless. Alan Rikkin was the CEO of Abstergo Industries—a multinational corporation Lex had found out had strong ties to the Knights Templar. Next to them was a daughter branch of CADMUS Labs called NOWHERE, both owned by Lex Luthor.

There were at least five other groups with three representatives. He, Waller and Strange represented LexCorp. Rikkin, Mitsuko Nakamura and another member represented Abstergo. Then there were the faces Lex had only seen in profiles. Three members of the Gormagon Brotherhood—a secret organisation hell bent on eradicating The Freemasons and The Illuminati, they had been summoned to listen in on a proposition and Lex was very persuasive when he had the right leverage. Then there were some other corporations as well including the Coca Cola Industry.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Luthor started, grabbing the attention of his talkative guests. 'As I have said, we are looking to build an alliance of the world's most powerful groups…with the exception of Wayne Enterprises which turned down my offer before I even entered the building.'

'Why?'

Lex looked at one of the Gormagons with annoyance at the interruption, 'Why what?'

'What do you want from any of us that you feel the need to create an alliance? Or has LexCorp fallen on hard times?'

Lex shook his head and laughed. 'Desire, Mr Lucian. I desire to share in my plans and build an alliance of reason and progress. An alliance is the only way we can effectively gain power and influence and not to mention it would also boost our chances were we to go up against the Justice League or the Assassins.

Now back to the point—Apple has just accepted the proposal, so has our nameless brotherhood responsible for Pepsi and Coca Cola. Now, are you and your brethren in or out?'

'We need time to think—'

'Fine…you have ten seconds and counting.'

Lucian grunted and aggressively banged his hands on the table and looked Luthor in the eye almost challengingly. 'Fine then, we're in. But I want your full support and cooperation and that we be treated as more than just your pawns for disposal.'

'You have my word, Lucian, I have no intention of using pawns. That entails that I use pieces with so little to do. No I am more of having my entire side of the board fill with queens.'

'It is settled then,' spoke Waller, 'every organisation here has pledged their allegiance. Now we must talk about the operation.'

The room erupted in disbelieving roars. 'What do you mean, "Operation"? We barely got settled into this team and now we have to get started?'

'Actually we have already begun five days ago. We have Belle Reve and Arkham Asylum doing missions across the globe trying to track down a very powerful device of unknown power and potential.' Luthor stopped there. In truth he was less than sure on whether he should disclose more information. Lex was not a man so easily trusting like his nemesis in blue, no Lex was taught by his father to question everything and everyone he was to associate himself with. He had no enemies or friends because to Lex Luthor, everybody on Earth had the potential to become his enemy. But now he was looking to gamble. He nodded a signal to Hugo Strange whom returned the gesture and propped out a small object resembling an iPhone.

Strange placed the device on the table and tapped the screen which then turned on and projected a holographic image of a ring like shape with symbols around the face. It was obviously not to scale but also had a man standing one third smaller in height next to it.

'This is the device that I have mentioned. It is an ancient tool that by my understanding works somewhat similar and maybe linked to the Boom tube devices used by the Justice League.' Luthor waited again for a reaction—there was none. 'The problem is that it has fallen into the hands of the United States Government of America.'

They all looked around at each other. They all guessed what would be asked of them eventually. 'Am I to guess properly that you want the Gormagon to steel it?'

Luthor shook his head at him. 'No. The device is being held in a secret US military base, location unknown, designation unknown. I want you to find these information including who runs it and who are involved. Find the device but do nothing until you find out how to operate it.' Luthor then paused, secretly it was for effect and a chance to allow his allies to think. 'After that I want you to turn—'

CRASH!

BANG!

Something from the ceiling shattered, glass from the skylight rained down upon them in shards. Then came a loud crash of an object as heavy as a wrecking ball breaking their table. They were thrown back away from the round table and when the dust cleared out from their vision they saw it. The red S-shield was more than redundant enough to kick them into action.

But it was not Superman. 'Ah Conner, how nice of you to drop in, a cliché line but warranted nonetheless.' Luthor chuckled as he got himself up and moved to help Amanda Waller up. 'Tell me, Conner, how have you been lately, son?' he asked the magnificent success of cloning in front of him, now in a black tight but long sleeved shirt with the red S-shield on his chest, light and dark blue camouflage army pants and boots.

'That's enough, Luthor. You and everybody else in this building is under arrest and—' BOOM! Conner was punched in the face from the side. Bane smirked or tried to under his mask as he felt his knuckles hit the boy's youthful head.

'I don't think so, Senor Superboy. In fact I'd—' KABOOM!

With even more strength and ferocity, Superboy retaliated. His punch threw the VENOM fuelled villain across the warehouse and out through the front door leaving the entrance in splinters. 'I guessed that makes us even.'

'Bravo, my son, bravo, your strength has doubled since the last time we met.'

'I said enough, Luthor, now you are all coming with me to The Metropolis Police Department.'

Luthor did nothing— he just stood there and smiled. His grin was what angered Conner the most. It screamed of his arrogance and unwillingness to face defeat. 'I noticed that you haven't been using those Shields I've been sending to you. You've used one satchel's worth and have since stopped.'

'I don't need them, Luthor. I don't need to supress my human DNA to be "Super". Superman taught me that, Luthor. And I though he taught you that too. I maybe human but I am not you.'

'Admirable sentiment, son, but I personally would have taken them for a spin tonight.' With that as a final word, Luthor clicked a button on a remote looking object in his hand and instantly everybody had disappeared in a show of bright light. Luthor, Amanda Waller, Hugo Strange, practically every criminal that was there had vanished. Was it a Boom Tube?

Then his attention moved to another matter for now he heard a ticking echo around and in less than a second he ran for the door. But alas it was too late and the building exploded in a brilliant ball of red light and combustion. Conner jumped into the air and fisted his way through the metal doors and into a river outside.

'Argh, blast it!' Superboy grunted in pain as he swam up to the surface and toward the river bank. He could hear the roar of the flames behind him, the clanks of the metal foundations toppling over.

Soon Conner was back on his feet and looking over at the flaming building, panting with exhaustion and annoyance. He put his hand to his left ear to turn on the earpiece that he just remembered wasn't there. In fact he didn't need one, for he no longer had anyone to report to.

Alas he just had to play along with it, even for a little while for habit's sake. 'Superboy to Team, Luthor escaped. I've failed.'

-Superboy-

All rights and ownership goes to DC Comics and the creators of their fine comic books as well as to Assassin's Creed and other corporations that I've thought to include here.