Chapter 11: A Good Man Does A Crime

Everyone turned to stare at James.
"Well I—"
"Did you switch the lottery numbers!?" Joe asked, confounded.

"No." James shook his head. "Let me explain:

I was at a convenience store yesterday before I found the killer's lair. I noticed that someone had bought a lottery ticket there. It was for a big jackpot, one of the largest in Moneyball history. However this guy was being a real jerk to everyone. He was insisting that he had the winning ticket and that he was going to do these things with it. He was gonna buy a car, a jet, a yacht, an island, and move away from and I'm quoting here "this f—king country and its lame ass high taxes and sh—ty government." The guy then went on a tirade about "moochers, lazy Americans, and the elite" and all this crap. So I bought my own ticket and 'accidentally' bumped into him and knocked him over. In the confusion, our tickets got switched and I ended up with his. And then today, I'm here."

Everyone sat there stunned as James finished his story.
"You know that could've easily backfired." George said. "What if the ticket YOU bought was the winning one and his was the losing one?"
"Easy. I manipulated the lottery balls on the show."
Everyone groaned.
"So you did switch the numbers." Leslie said finally.
"No! I just hacked the machine from my Ari1 and had it spit out the numbers I wanted." James insisted. "Big difference."
"But why switch ze' tickets then?" Georgina asked.
"To teach the bastard a lesson, isn't that right James?" Joe figured.

He nodded. "Hey the guy was out of control. He's now either at home contemplating suicide or—"
"Alright enough." Joe interrupted. "Just out of curiosity James, how much was the winning jackpot?"
"$625 million." James revealed.
"WHAT!?" Leslie exclaimed. "That guy probably is gonna kill himself! Or you if he ever finds you!"
"Uh James…?" Joe asked. "Who's gonna pick up the jackpot? This is an enormous sum, and it's likely you'll have a target on your back if you went yourself."
"He's right James." Alcor said. "You are going to need a disguise first and then you can go pick up the jackpot, but that won't be enough as you'll need to store this money."

"Hmm…" James pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Simple." He spoke. "We'll disguise one of us, and we'll also set up multiple bank accounts. I was already planning to split the money with you guys, but I'm planning to use my share to buy equipment for our new base. So—"
"Ah no." Leslie interjected. "Keep the money. That's dirty money and I'm not getting tangled into that."
"I feel ze same way." Georgina nodded.
"Same." George agreed.
"I'll use some of the money as well." Joe said. "However we can't use all of it. I suggest we invest. Then we'll have far more to use later hopefully."
"That's a good plan." James nodded. "And since your brain runs faster than anyone on this planet, then I think it's a sure bet you should take the reins here."
Joe chuckled. "My brain's not that fast."

James scoffed. "Really? Want me to test you again?"
"Go for it."
"152 times 33."
"5,016

"226126 divided by 25."
"9,045.04"

"Describe the composition of Glucose."
"C6 H12 O6."

"I think you'll do just fine on the Stock Market." James folded his arms.
Leslie sighed. "All right then. At least we can start renovating this place."
"Yeah and—"
Suddenly, James's Ari1 rang. Curious, he took it out and read it was a video call from unknown.
"Yeah I'm not answering that—"
"Hello James."
He gasped and looked at the screen again. He saw a figure with her face hidden by the hood wearing a black robe.
"Hey I didn't answer—"
"I know you didn't. I did." The figure replied. "I'm guessing you know who I am?"

"Lana."

The figure paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Correct." She said. "I'm betting you're wondering how I reached your communications? Well that doesn't matter right now. What really matters is who we are."
Everyone stayed silent as James replied.
"And that is?"
"Let's just say that I've had a particular interest in you for a long time. I've noticed your Solarium powers and I have…knowledge of your abilities."
"How is that?" James asked angrily. "You and I have never met!"
"Oh?" Lana questioned. "Are you sure?"

"Well I—"

"Maybe you should do your research." She interrupted. "Because I know all about you."
"I know your name, and I know what you went through." James answered. "And what's with the secrecy? I've seen how you look like and—"
Lana suddenly stood up and spat angrily.
"You have NO IDEA what I went through!" She growled. "If you felt what I felt all those years ago, you would've joined me."
"Yeah right." James shook his head. "You're insane. You—"
Suddenly Lana laughed. "Call it what you want, but it's justice. There are so many people who ruined me, and all I'm doing is repaying them. Besides, I bet you would agree that the world is better off without them."

"I'm not playing that game." James said angrily. "Even if that was true, killing them will only make things worse."
Just then Lana laughed again. "Worse!? You have no idea how the system works do you James? I thought you were supposed to be a Political Science major!?"
"Don't question what I know." James spat out. "Unlike you, I actually did my research. You only murdered your way through."
"Is that so?" Lana challenged. "Then how about we fight and see if you're right?"
"Fighting won't make me anymore right or wrong." He argued. "You're like the bully who attacks people for not agreeing with him. If you really are one searching for justice, then you should quit acting like the ones you are hunting."

"You cannot compare me to them." Lana stood up. "The difference is that I know my place. I know facts. I know truth. I am beyond the fools that run this country and this planet; plus, I bet you think yourself as the same way."
James scoffed. "Don't bother comparing me to you, it won't work."
"Really?" Lana crossed her robed arms. "Then it wasn't you who rigged the lottery today?"
He blinked, unable to contain his shock. "He was asking for it."
"Exactly. He was." Lana smiled under her hood. "And I am following that principle to the best of my ability. Have you read my poem?"
"You mean my poem?" James shot back.

She chuckled. "Ah so you know. That must give you a clue in who I am right?"
"Red herring." James growled. "Only two girls would know that poem existed, and they're both still missing."
"Don't be so sure they'd be the only ones." Lana replied. "And don't be so sure that they're both missing."
"What?" James gritted his teeth. "You're telling me that you're one of them?"
"Now now James you're smarter than that." Lana chuckled again. "Guess again."

"You have them captured!?"
"…Possibly."
"Where…is…my…sister!?" James shouted.
Lana was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"Dead."
"And I'm supposed to believe that!?" He yelled in a rage.
"You want proof? Here." Lana reached off screen and held up an item. James gasped and nearly dropped his Ari1.
"No…NO!" James shouted. "SHE'S NOT DEAD!"

Joe and Leslie looked. In Lana's hand was Hanna's class ring.

"Where…did…you…get…that!?" James's grip on the Ari1 was tightening.
"Let's just say that I met the sorry bitch in Africa." Lana smiled. "She was cold and afraid. She had just been taken away after spending the night with her friends. One day she's in America, the next she's in Uganda. Scary trip is it not? Well after I met her she told me her story and I really couldn't care less—"
As she spoke, James was getting angrier and angrier. Alcor soon intervened.
"James! Keep calm!" He begged. "She's trying to make you lose control! If you hold the Ari1 any tighter you'll break it!"
Shaking his head for a moment, he relaxed his grip on the phone, but he was still enraged.

"So I plucked his little trinket from her before she was to be auctioned off while pretending to be shot dead." Lana said. "It's pretty. So why not take it?"

"Where…are…you!?" James barked. "When I find you…I will kill you."
"I don't think you will." Lana grinned. "You see, you've had those powers for barely a year, and I've been training with mine for 6 years. I think you can see where I'm going with this."
"How can you be so sure if you never fight me?" James questioned. "Besides, someone like you has nobody to train with. You are alone with no friends, no family, and no real masters. So technically, you're unproven. Fight me, and I'll show you how much you don't know."
"Ooh. A challenge is it?" Lana continued to grin. "Why not settle this in the place where you received your powers? How about the old abandoned and burned out factory where you not only gained your Solarium, but also where you fought Nero?"
James gritted his teeth. "So she knows about Nero now huh? Fine then."

"Deal."

"No James you must not!" Georgina protested. "Iz vot she vants!"
"Listen to her James." Joe added. "If she's been training with her powers for longer than you have, then you will be at a disadvantage."
"So you say." James shook his head as he walked towards the exit.

"You underestimate me. I'll fight her and I'll win."

James as Nightshroud floated down to the wreckage of the old factory. He remembered the first time he was here when the black van dumped him here with the Mad Hatter and Penguin. He also thought back to the time when Nero nearly destroyed him had it not been for Pamela Isley's help.

"So you made it." Lana's voice sounded.

He quickly turned around, and saw Lana wearing a black robe with gold designs around the edges. She was still hiding her face from him.
"So I finally get to meet you." Lana folded her arms. "So are you gonna prove me wrong then?"
"I'll do more than that." Nightshroud replied darkly. "I'll destroy you."
She laughed. "Then come at me."
While she was speaking, Nightshroud had already closed the distance between them. But he suddenly slammed into a red barrier.
"Surprised?" Lana grinned. "Well my powers are pretty potent."

Just then, the barrier exploded in front of him, forcing him backwards. Nightshroud quickly rebounded and fired a large blast of Solarium at her, but it was blocked by another barrier.

"Energy armor." She explained. "Multiple layers of pure energy are surrounding me at this moment. They block all attacks and can regenerate after some time. Unfortunately for you that means you're out of luck."
She snapped her fingers, and the ground beneath Nightshroud exploded, sending him into the air. Lana suddenly materialized above him.
"Remember this James?" She smiled. "This is the very move Nero did to you that nearly killed you. Let's see if you can handle it this time."
More red energy flew up from the ground towards him. Nightshroud attempted to use his own Solarium to block it, but the red energy pierced through it and smashed into him, sending him higher into the air. Lana then reappeared above him and used her fists to smash down onto his stomach. He cried out in pain and hit the ground with terrifying force causing a shockwave.

Immediately, Nightshroud flew out of the ground with full speed at Lana. He slammed into her barrier but this time managed to shatter it, forcing her back.

"Not bad." Lana flew around him. "One barrier down. 9 more to go. You know, since your powers are called Solarium, my powers are based on molecular energy. So perhaps I'll call it "Kinetium."
Laughing, she raised her finger and Nightshroud suddenly dodged downwards as a hailstorm of red energy flew over him.
"She's tough. Really tough." James thought.
"She's very powerful James." Alcor said. "I'm reading her energies. She's very well focused and concentrated. Maybe you could break that concentration?"
Lana suddenly charged at him, when Nightshroud did something unexpected.

"You know." He started. "Why didn't you just stay in Africa?"

She stopped. "What?"
"There's nothing for you here." Nightshroud/James said. "Honestly there was really no point in you coming back here."
She blinked. "What did you say!?"
"There must've been a reason why you were gonna be sold away into sex slavery, and that's because nobody cared for you here." James folded his arms. "Usually girls who are captured and sold this way are usually disconnected with their families and have nothing really to live for. In reality—"
Suddenly, a blast of red energy struck him in the stomach. He flew backwards into one of the old buildings near the factory and crashed. Shaking off the dust, he quickly flew back outside.
He could see her hands shaking. She was losing her usual calm demeanor.

"What the fuck does that mean!?" Lana spat angrily. "You're trying to say—"

"I'm trying to say this." James interrupted. "You being captured was nothing special. And to be honest, I really don't care."
Screaming in rage, she let loose a powerful blast of red energy directly at him, in which James dodged easily.
"You…hideous…bastard." Lana yelled. "How heartless can you—"
"How heartless can I be?" He yelled back. "I'm not the one committing random murders and taking that as justice! You wanna know what I think of you after learning your story? You're a sorry bitch who wants to be noticed. You acquired these powers somehow and now you're showing them off. You're needy, and it's pathetic!"
More energy flew by him, forcing James to dodge rapidly before floating closer to her.

"She's losing control…but I'm not sure—" Solarium started, but James didn't pay attention.

"So what does that make you?" He started, looking at the furious girl in front of him.
"You are a whore."
"That was very misogynistic what you just said there!" Alcor scolded.
Just then, red energy started flying around him. He flew upwards but suddenly slammed into another barrier.
He looked and saw Lana laughing.
"I know what you were trying to do." She started. "You were trying to break my concentration, but that won't work. Even if I'm enraged I can still control my powers better than you!"

James looked around him and saw he was encased in a red ball of energy. Firing his Solarium did nothing to penetrate the barrier.
She laughed again. "My you are similar to me! That was one of the harshest, sexist, and most heartless insults I've ever heard anyone say. Now then…"
Suddenly the large encasement of energy started to shrink. Nightshroud was having difficulty trying to keep it expanded.
"Let me tell you how your sister died." Lana smiled. "I saw her about to be sold into sex slavery and I took her class ring as you know. But I said a few things to her as well before then."
Nightshroud struggled to keep the energy encasement open while she spoke.
"I went up to her and I whispered in her ear: You're fucked." Lana said. "She was barely wearing any clothes, and she was going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, who then will probably rape her or make her cook for him or both."
Nightshroud/James could feel his blood angrily pumping in his veins, but the barrier was still taking all his energy to leave open.

"I laughed at her pathetic sight." Lana continued to smile. "I thought: someone as weak as that doesn't deserve to go home. Let those shitty people serve their lives in a shitty country; it'll be perfect for them!"
Lana snapped her fingers, and James screamed loudly as his arms finally broke from holding the barrier up. They fell limp to his side, and his legs were next.
"As for me?" Lana continued. "I hoped he made her his. I hoped that he annihilated her so much that she'd commit suicide when she wants to. Natural Selection will do its job then."
James's blood was boiling. Rage was taking over his body, but he suddenly cried out in pain again as his legs finally broke from the pressure. He fell to the bottom of the barrier still closing on him.
"Aw…does that hurt?" Lana floated close to him. She could hear more bones crack and James screamed in pain.
"And one hell of a slut she became believe you me." She grinned. "Every handler wanted her from the beginning. So what did they do? They shared her! They took her to the presidential palace and just gang-banged her. They could go there because the President was in on the sex trafficking! He was bribed to look the other way and sometimes he even took part!

More bones cracked, and James screamed more which prompted Lana to move to the best parts.

"Oh and by the way, this barrier you're in gets smaller and smaller every time your rage is provoked. So you won't last much longer." Lana explained. "Anyway, they shared her and you know what happened next?"
James yelled out in pain.
"They SHOT her!" Lana burst out laughing. They fucked her and then shot her like a whore on the streets of Gotham! So she still got the American treatment without being there!"

CRACK.

The barrier suddenly disappeared, and James's broken body fell down to Earth. He smashed into the ground and lay there motionless as Lana floated down to him.
"Yep, definitely dead." She smiled and turned to walk away.
Just then, a powerful blast of rage energy tore through her back and out her chest. Stunned, she slowly turned around and saw James standing as Nightshroud but with red eyes. She could see his teeth had bared into fangs and his body become more animalistic.
"I'll…kill…you…" James growled, and he let out a powerful animalistic roar that shattered nearby glass windows.
"H-h-h-how!?" She coughed and blood spilled out of her mouth. "All…your bones…"

Lana could see blood leaking from his mouth as Nightshroud readied his position. And suddenly with a roar he charged forward like an animal.

"I WILL END YOU!" Nightshroud roared as his mouth opened toward her head…

How interesting...What we've seen now is another side of James beginning to manifest here. First he finds Lana's kill list and doesn't feel remorseful towards who she killed (despite denying it to Lana herself), then we see his overconfidence nearly kill him, and now misogyny? He may have done it to provoke his enemy but damn...how harsh. And now his rage energy has returned in full force. What is happening to young James? Find out next time!