Justin Claybourne is everything but an honorable man, and as such, he fits right in with the elite of Star City. The CEO of Claybourne Pharmaceuticals only wanted what was best for his family. He had worked hard to reach the top, to lead one of the best companies in the city. Everyone uses the drugs he produces, no matter the costs, and this has kept him in Star City.

His big masterpiece was going to be a medicine for tuberculosis. They cost around ten dollars a pill, but that was going to change soon. Justin Claybourne had asked his operatives to weaponize tuberculosis, and they did. After releasing the virus, the price of these pills would increase a hundredfold. It was the quickest way of becoming a billionaire and becoming a part of the super elite.

But most of all, Justin had grown tired of working even the minimal hours. He looked forward to spending more time with his family, once the virus was released and he had enough money to last him and his next of kin until their deaths. Half of their time they would be in Star City, the other half they would spend in their second home on the island of Hawaii. Life wouldn't just be good anymore, it'd be great.

However, his secret activities had come to the attention of the New Reich. They did not see a corrupt businessman, but someone who specifically targeted the inhabitants of Star City, most of whom were hard-working white citizens of the Reich.

Dark Arrow, just a few months shy of becoming the new Führer, paid Claybourne a visit the night before the virus was set to be released.

Justin Claybourne, after a long night, wandered on the balcony on the roof of his office building. He leaned against the safety railing and looked down and took a deep breath, a smile on his lips. He remained there for a couple of minutes before turning to go back inside.

His way had been blocked by the Dark Arrow, having appeared in a mask and full costume. He had drawn his bow, an arrow placed on it. It pointed at Justin's throat. Standing just four yards apart, there was no way the Dark Arrow would miss. Dark Arrow never missed.

Claybourne glanced in the air and later sighed. The archer's girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. I can imagine it must have been comforting to know only one half of the New Reich's power-couple had bothered to show up. It wasn't an improvement per se, but seeing one of them was considerably less terrifying as facing the both of them.

"Justin Claybourne," the young man in the mask declared, "You have failed the Reich."

"But I'm obeying the law!" Claybourne protested. "I'm–"

Dark Arrow released the arrow. Claybourne staggered backward, the arrow lodged in his throat, and fell over the railing. Bystanders yelped when the body smashed into the concrete sidewalk down below. Some of them recognized his face, but they left the body where it lay. The man was dead, there was nothing they could do except to call someone to clean up the mess.

The next day, Mr. Merlyn acquired the tuberculosis virus. The following week, he released it in Africa.

You might wonder why this man is included in this part. I have included this particular story because it serves as the prologue to the story of Claybourne's illegitimate son. His name is Simon Morrison and he wasn't in Star City at the time of his father's death – he learned of it the next day through the news.

His last name was never Claybourne. Instead, he grew up with the last name of his mother's husband, who did lift a finger to help and raise him after learning he wasn't Simon's father. Simon always did have a better bond with Claybourne, who had wanted to name him the heir to his pharmaceutical empire. His son agreed.

Simon saw no fault in his father's plans. He had known beforehand the virus was meant to only target those areas where the rebels and vigilantes and not the entirety of Star City. Instead, he blamed the Dark Arrow and his misinformation source for his father's demise. As soon as Simon heard the news of his father's death, he disappeared. Simon Morrison was no more.


The courtroom was in a state of excitement, all eyes carefully watching Clyde Mardon. This meta-human from Central City had committed several crimes all over Star City until the police caught him. Since his crimes weren't against any authorities or persons affiliated with the New Reich, Mardon appealed to his right to have a trial.

Mardon got what he wanted. He pleaded not guilty and for months, his lawyer tried to convince the judge meta-humans should have the right to train their powers individually and anonymously, without the Reich's intervention. New Reich facilities were good, but some meta-humans – like Mardon – did not want to sacrifice their anonymity for a decent training. Often, these metas wanted to stay law-abiding citizens without being prejudiced against because of their powers.

The judge declared Mardon guilty and sentenced him to ten years in prison, without the possibility of an early release.

Cameras flashed and journalists rose to ask all sorts of questions. Mardon was taken away by the policemen for his drive to Iron Heights, but not before he could sneak one last comment to his lawyer, lost in the noise of the courtroom.

His lawyer, also known as District Attorney Adrien Chase, had a soft spot for defending metas who became criminals. He often found himself defending these hopeless cases, mostly because nobody else took them. As such he became a thorn in the New Reich's side.

Adrien's name was on the Reich's hit list, but they could not kill him. One reason was that the Reich did not want to risk riots in Star City and Central City protesting the death of their beloved meta-human lawyer. The second reason was his political immunity. As a District Attorney, he worked for the New Reich in a public office, which granted him his immunity for as long as he held that office. The New Reich couldn't hold him accountable for the cases he defended and they couldn't kill him for it.

Because they couldn't harm him, the New Reich turned to his friends and family. They killed his girlfriend, and a young girl named Evelyn whom he had inadvertently inspired to become a vigilante. Adrien always reacted publicly to these deaths, hoping to send the message that he knew how they died and hoping to remember them.

Adrien Chase did not have a happy life and even if he had, the Reich would have taken those good moments from him. The one positive was that the Reich and its citizens had no idea he was Justin Claybourne's illegitimate son. Claybourne's name was dragged through the mud when he died and they discredited him in every way that they could. The company went bankrupt, anyone with the same last name changed it or asserted they were not related to the deceased traitor. The Reich also kept a close look at any pharmaceutical companies, to make sure they wouldn't make the same mistake. Despite multiple efforts made, they never could find Justin Claybourne's immediate family.

They never found Adrien because he covered his tracks extremely well. As far as the state was concerned, one Simon Morrison had never even existed. Adrien Chase, on the other hand, had never been more alive. He had a birth certificate, a diploma and a Master's Degree in Law; his parents had gravestones in his hometown. Deleting Simon Morrison from the internet as harder, but doable. Until the New Reich acquired someone who is skilled in using a computer, Simon would not resurface soon.

Adrien Chase survived the fall of the New Reich. With the majority of the New Reichsmen gone or deceased, the more open-minded people of Star City declared him their new Mayor. Chase kindly accepted a candidacy for a mayoral election and encouraged citizens of Star City to run as well, so the process would be fairer. In response, three more candidates rose. It led to the first fully democratic elections in a long time. Adrien would eventually lose, but he confirmed he was more than happy being the District Attorney and he endorsed the newly elected Mayor.


Adrien Chase, throughout the multiverse, is no good man. Most of his doppelgängers have taken up arms against their enemies, and their vengeance has led them on a path of destruction. I pray the Simon Morrison/Adrien Chase on your Earth will stay anonymous throughout his life. This man is similar to the Chases of the multiverses in the sense that he chose to follow up on his vengeance.

However, as you may have noticed, there are key differences, too. Mr. Chase never took up any physical weapons, not even after his father's death. He never let the quest for revenge consume him. He never became a serial killer or a monster capable of killing a loved one who knew too much. That is one of the reasons he made the shortlist of vigilantes.

His attacks against the New Reich are unique, having chosen a way that none of the other vigilantes in this document have chosen. He never outright battles the New Reichsmen in a glorious fight to the death. No, Adrien Chase became a District Attorney and often acted as the lawyer of those individuals the Reich would either see dead or on their side. Trials made the time of his clients are free men longer and Adrien more often than not publicized them and allowed the press in, which meant the Reich couldn't do anything without cameras flashing. Yes, the media is on the Reich's side, but even the people would see the pattern of Mr. Chase's clients dropping dead during the trial, they'd draw conclusions which would not have favored the Reich.

But I digress.

Instead of turning to weapons, Adrien Chase turned to his mind. Luckily for him, the Reich never had the chance to attack his mind.