Invaded
Chapter Thirteen: The Fix
Author's Note: I truly want to apologize for my horrible update schedule. From now on, I will update every week. I will try Thursday nights to Saturday mornings to update, even attempting multiple updates. I think I posted four chapters in the span of an hour so enjoy! Review!
This chapter and the next chapter will focus a lot on Harmony Sato and Phoenix. Enjoy.
Queen Manor, Star City
April 9
9:32 AN PDT
"Green Beetle checks out," Nightwing revealed. "That's good. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I know you'd rather me lead the investigation."
Nightwing sighed, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly, adding, "I know but what you're doing is just as important. We need Harmony Sato on our side. Speaking of which, any updates?"
"I'm following up a lead today." I answered. "I spoke to Harmony," Nightwing paused. I leaned forward, tucking my folded hands under my chin. "She refuses to speak to you," Nightwing said softly.
I exhaled sharply, leaning back in the large computer chair. "I figured," I mumbled.
Nightwing curtly nodded, "Well, keep me updated. Nightwing out." The holographic feed abruptly shut off. I stared at the large holographic monitor that displayed Hiroshi Sato's file.
The computer droned Hunter's presence as he descended down a flight of stone steps. "Did you get through to Harmony?" Hunter questioned, reading Hiroshi's file as he grew closer.
"No," I sighed, turning in my chair to face Hunter. "She refuses to speak to me without any evidence."
"Well, you are implicating her father of working for an evil organization and selling out his daughter, so…" Hunter trailed off with a shrug. I glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest, retorting, "You should change your name from the Hunter to Captain Obvious, in no relation to Captain Atom."
Hunter laughed dryly, rolling his eyes before asking, "Aren't you supposed to be following up on a lead today?"
I nodded, turning back to face the large monitor. "I am. When Nightwing and I first responded to the attack on Sato's house party, we didn't think much of it. But looking back, it was odd that Deathstroke and Mr. Sato were in Mr. Sato's home office while Harmony and Renegade were with the guests."
Hunter nodded, agreeing.
"I'm assuming Mr. Sato and Deathstroke were going over the contract."
Hunter caught on, "And you think you'll find evidence of that?"
I nodded, explaining, "Mr. Sato is a business man. If I've learned anything from Oliver it's that a business man always leaves a paper trail."
"How do you plan on finding a paper trail? Or, better worded, how does a paper trail look like?" Hunter questioned, crossing his arms over his broad chest. He wore a tight fitting, black shirt. I blinked, refocusing to answer his question.
"A paper trail can look like a lot of things. Money wiring to an off shore account, a large withdrawal, missing money from certain departments, or even over-funding for certain departments. The list really goes on and on." I explained.
Hunter nodded, silently taking in the information. "And since you're the tech savvy one, you'll be accompanying me at the Sato residence. Dick hacked into Mr. Sato's assistant's computer. Mr. Sato is scheduled to be in meetings all day."
Hunter furrowed his brows in confusion, "Wait, if we're at the Sato residence, who's investigating Sato Industries?"
The zeta-tube began to whirl loudly; I stood from my seat, walking toward the zeta-tube.
"Sorry I'm late," the Question apologized, "I was investigating how many flavors of ice-cream Baskin and Robins has."
"Aren't there thirty-one?" Hunter questioned.
"Thirty-two, actually." The Question corrected.
Hunter typed on his wrist computer, ever so often glancing back at the computer monitor. I slowly fingered through a pile of mail left on the large desk.
"When you said Sato Industries wasn't doing so well," Hunter paused, turning to face me, "you weren't kidding."
I leaned over Hunter's shoulder, squinting at the computer screen. Hunter had hacked into Mr. Sato's personal bank account. "He wired fifteen thousand dollars to an off shore account the day of the attack. Most likely to pay Deathstroke to abduct and train his daughter."
I asked, "Can you trace the account?"
Hunter nodded, "I can but it'll take some time. Looking at his personal records, he's also been skimming money from his company every month. He disguises them as budget cuts or funding for an unnamed science department only he has access to."
I exhaled sharply, returning the pile of mail where I had found it. I slowly walked towards the large filing cabinet placed in the corner of the somewhat small office.
"According to these contracts in Sato's email," Hunter continued, "Luthor had offered to buy Sato Industries to relieve Sato of his debt."
I slammed the metal filing cabinet shelf shut, retorting, "Luthor never does anything that doesn't benefit him."
Hunter nodded again, "You're right. From these emails, LexCorp would buy Sato Industries if Sato continued his research."
I scanned over printed reports of Sato Industries financial standings. They weren't in debt yet but, judging from these statements, by the end of this year they would be bankrupt. Their technology wasn't selling as well as they expected and a lot of their employees resigned.
"What are they researching?"
"Hyper-speed traveling." Hunter responded.
I closed the file, returning it back in it's designated spot. "They're investigating how to use the speed force?" I questioned. "Looks like it. Q linked Sato's office computer with this one. I'm seeing what Q's seeing."
I rubbed the back of my neck as I began to think. The Light had access to boom-tubes. Why would they want to be able to tap into the speed-force?
Wally had once explained a theory how the speed-force could lead to time-traveling… but it was almost impossible. No one on Earth had the technology. But the Light did have access to off world tech.
The security guard shut the door loudly behind Hunter and I. Harmony stood from her seat, ignoring Hunter to glare at me.
"I know you don't want to speak to me right now," I began, taking a small step forward. "But I brought evidence-"
"Are you serious?" Harmony questioned with wide eyes. "You actually took time to investigate my father? He's innocent!"
I softened my expression, taking another step forward. Harmony took a step back in retaliation. "Harmony," I stated softly, "there is a substantial amount of evidence that points to your father being a corrupt business man."
Harmony snarled, "And that makes him a bad man? For trying to support his family?"
I retorted, "It makes him a bad man when he sells you out to Deathstroke."
Harmony opened her mouth to argue but Hunter interjected, "Listen," his voice was hoarse, "you wanted evidence and we got it. Do you wanna see it or not? 'Cause I've got better shit to do then sit here and have a fifteen year old bark at me cause her daddy's a bad man."
Harmony closed her mouth, glaring at Hunter in embarrassment. After a moment of silence, Harmony finally spoke, "Fine. Let me see the evidence."
Harmony exhaled slowly as she finished scrolling through the holographic file we had created of her father.
"I knew he was a bad business man," Harmony admitted in a whisper, "I just didn't think he was an actual bad guy."
I responded, "I know it's hard to grasp. We believe your father wanted to sell you out to make you the ultimate weapon. There's a group of assassins that call themselves the Red Lotus. We believe your father wanted you to be a part of them, maybe as a double agent incase the Light turned on him."
Harmony leaned back, "The Light?"
Hunter answered, "The Light is an organization of criminals that strive to basically control the world and take out the Justice League. We defeated them once before― or so we thought. They have a partner now, the Reach, who is working on enslaving the human race by subduing the meta-gene."
Harmony stared at Hunter and me in confusion. "Meta-gene?"
"It's the biological component that gives people superpowers. It is activated under extremely stressful situations. Your family has a long genetic history of being hosts to the gene. We assume your father wanted to sharpen your abilities to their maximum capabilities."
Harmony nodded but remained silent. I glanced at Hunter, who in turn, shrugged. Harmony was handling this situation better than I had expected. I anticipated more screaming, maybe even a chair thrown. But Harmony was silent, lost in thought.
I stood from my seat directly in front of Harmony. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." I said.
Harmony stood, grabbing my arm as I walked past her.
"Please," she paused, "I want to speak to my father."