Chapter 43: Strategy 2: Team Warfare
Strategy 2: Look for people to fill your voids of knowledge, rely on them.
Star City, Queen Industries
Oliver Queen wanted to do more, much, much more. This Luthor and Ghul business had left a sour taste in his mouth. Since when did men send killers after pregnant women? As far as Ollie was concerned, no real man would ever do such a thing. But they had, and Diana had lost a child as a result.
Fists balled. He would give anything to take the assholes out himself, show them how real men took care of business. But Diana had asked him and the others to fight using different methods. The kicking ass part would come later and would be done by those more skilled than Ollie. Still, perhaps he should've paid Lex Luthor a little foot to ass visit before Ollie and Dinah boarded the return flight to Star City.
Well, Ollie reminded himself with a contented grin, at least Dinah's Birds of Prey would get some action. Before leaving Gotham, Dinah, Phillipus, and Diana had huddled together and finalized a final strike list. He'd glimpsed a few of the names, and from what he'd seen, it was a beautifully dangerous list of hardcore kickass women.
If he couldn't do the ass kicking himself, he could at least live vicariously through the stories he knew he would hear.
"Ah, well," he cracked his knuckles and began to type on his laptop, "time to put the Queen charm into action."
Logging into Skype and dialing, Ollie waited. It wasn't long before the person on the other end picked up.
"Right on time, Mr. Queen," the older woman drawled. "I do like a punctual man."
Young ones too, Ollie knew. The gray-haired woman was a cougar if he'd ever seen one. He'd learned, on good authority, that the woman made her lovers call her "Granny Goodness" while engaged in the sweaty deed of pleasuring her.
Ollie shuddered at the revolting thought. Despite the woman's efforts to lure him to her bed, Ollie had no taste for wrinkled, old woman flesh, no matter how "good" she proclaimed herself. Besides, Ollie had learned the lesson of infidelity the hard way. He'd given up such juvenile pursuits. He wouldn't risk his marriage and Dinah ever again.
Goodness reached down and patted the big, black head of her massive hound, Mercy. The gigantic dog was always about, apparently, the old woman's best friend.
Goodness' eyes lifted. All shrewd businesswoman stared back at him over the webcam. "Tell me, Queen, why should I care about LexCorp? It's one of many companies I have stock in. Luthor is a smart businessman."
True, Goodness did not own much stock in LexCorp, but that wasn't the reason why Ollie had contacted her. He'd contacted her because the woman was a powerhouse. If Diana ever lost her own goodness and sense of justice, Goodness could rightly claim her as a long lost daughter. The woman was a cougar in more ways than one. She made things happen. People did either as she said or got the hell out of her way.
"Trust me, Goodness, when the shit with Luthor hits the fan, you're gonna want to be as far away from him as possible. Not only will you lose money, the FBI and IRS may just decide to look into the business dealings of all of LexCorp's stockholders."
Cold eyes narrowed. Ollie knew that would be her reaction. While he didn't know all of Goodness business dealings, he did know they weren't all legitimate or tax deductible.
"You're correct. But I assume you didn't warn me out of the goodness of your heart, Queen. Because I know your heart only loves three things—that pretty, blonde wife of yours, Star City, and Queen Industries. So tell me, what is the fee you will extract from me?"
Ollie twisted one end of his long, blonde mustache and considered the woman. She was good at cutting through the bullshit and getting straight to the point. Good. He liked that in a business partner. And, for this one thing, they would become partners.
"After this conversation, I assume you'll dump your LexCorp stock."
"In a New York minute."
Perfect. "I need you to get as many of the other stockholders to do the same."
Her laugh was husky and not at all attractive. "You must think highly of me to presume I can convince others to dump stock in a company that has made them so much money."
"You saw the documents I sent you." Ollie had forwarded Goodness a couple of pages. No way would he give her the entire file. "In a week or two, those stocks will be as popular as a two dollar bill, and those stockholders will lose a whole helluva lot more money than if they get out now."
"So the rumors are true, then?"
"What rumors?"
Another husky laugh. "Don't play dumb, Queen. You know - rumors about Bruce Wayne. Like you, he came to me three years ago, asking about Luthor's business dealings. Then, the next thing I hear, the man is dead."
There was nothing for Ollie to say. Goodness kept her ear to the ground.
Goodness lowered her hand once more to her dog's head. "I'll see what I can do."
"That's all I ask. Thank you."
"Don't thank me, Queen. If you want to repay me properly, you know where I live."
Yeah, that wouldn't be happening.
"I'm not doing this for you, not even for the tip you gave me, though it's much appreciated."
"Then why?"
Ollie watched as Goodness' eyes softened for a heartbeat, her words low and gentle when they came. "No woman deserves to lose her husband and baby in a single night. And if Luthor had anything to do with that and she's finally decided to go after him . . . well, that's one ballsy bitch I can get behind."
With a hiss and a wink, the connection ended.
Ollie scratched his head. "Well, damn."
Gotham City, Wayne Manor
"We haven't done this in ages, Martha. Thank you for having us to your home."
Alfred poured tea for the three ladies, bowing himself out of the living room when he'd finished.
Martha smiled at her old friends. True, since Bruce's death, she didn't get out nearly as much, but she still thought of Patricia Hill and Lucy Wilberton as dear friends. And, on occasion, they ran into each other at one charity function or another.
Pat looked at Martha and smiled. Martha remembered that smile. It was the same sympathetic smile she always wore when they were together. Martha despised that smile, even though she understood the good place from where it came. Pat still had her husband, the outgoing governor, two successful sons, two daughters-in-laws, four grandchildren, and a daughter who graduated from Harvard Law School in May. From a woman of Patricia Hill's perspective, Martha Wayne had very little. And, for a long time, Martha would've agreed with Pat.
"Where is that daughter-in-law of yours?" Pat asked, looking around the living room as if Diana would miraculously appear.
"She is the sweetest, prettiest thing, isn't she?" Lucy said, her gray-blonde hair short and thin after a vicious bout with chemotherapy and breast cancer. "Even after all these months, she still checks on me, calls, and sends flowers. My husband adores Diana . . . so does Kenneth. He asks about Diana all the time."
Which Lucy never failed to mention whenever she saw Martha. Kenneth Wilberton was Gotham's District Attorney and a tall, handsome man. He would make a woman an adequate husband and the city a fine mayor, like his father. But the man, unlike his parents, was an opportunist with allusions of grandeur. As far as Martha knew, Diana had never glanced twice at Kenneth.
And now, with Clark Kent in her life, she never would.
"Diana is at work. I'll be sure to let her know the two of you asked after her." Martha said a quick, silent prayer for the little white lie she'd just told. Diana wasn't at Wayne Industries. And while Martha didn't know exactly where Diana had gotten off to, she knew Clark was with her and that whatever they were doing had nothing to do with work.
Martha smiled. Finally, her daughter was truly beginning to live again. She would help her with that. That was, after all, why she'd invited Pat and Lucy to her home today. Diana's idea. "You're the perfect person, Mom. No one else knows the inner workings of Gotham society better than you."
"I know," Martha began, not bothering with the tea Alfred had given her, "both your husbands have endorsed Lex Luthor for governor."
"Yes."
"Of course."
"You must know how much I've always admired and respected your husbands. Diana, Bruce, and I supported their campaigns. They've been good for our city and our state. It won't be the same without them in office."
The women nodded their heads in agreement, clear pride in their husbands shining through.
Martha did take that sip of tea now. "But Lex Luthor will not be the next governor of this great state."
Pat sputtered then lowered the cup from her mouth. "Why not? He's the best candidate for the job. He believes in the same things our husbands believe in." She pointed to Martha. "The same things Thomas believed in. He's capable of moving this state forward."
"I know that's what everyone thinks, and your husbands have staked their reputations on what they believe is Luthor's rising star. But they are wrong, my friends. Like us all, they have been duped."
Both women put their teacups down, eyes gravely serious and all for Martha.
"What do you know, old friend?"
She leaned in. "Let's have a bit of real talk, shall we ladies?"
Detroit, Michigan, Stewart Residence
"When will Mom be back?"
John glanced down at his daughter, Anansi, all long, thin limbs, bright, coco eyes, and pouty lips.
"Next week." He lifted the seven-year old in his arms. Her frown deepened. John kissed her forehead.
"I'm not a baby, Daddy."
"Then why are you acting like one?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck, legs around his waist. Her head went to his shoulder and she sighed. "I don't like it when she goes away."
Well, John couldn't disagree with that. But John and Mari had been away from home and their daughter for four days. And while Anansi was used to their monthly treks to Gotham, enjoying time with John's parents while they were away, John and Mari decided that John should return to Detroit to be with their daughter while Mari would go on to Zambesi without him.
They both had their missions, which, unfortunately, meant they would be spending a week or more apart. John hated it, but he could handle the separation. Anansi, well, his daughter was a bit of a momma's girl.
"We'll have fun while Mom's away."
"But you have to work, you told me."
John turned in the foyer of the house he'd built for his family and walked up the staircase. Once up the stairs, John headed to the master bedroom where he placed his daughter on his bed. Immediately, like she always did, the girl moved to her mother's side of the bed.
John couldn't help but smile. She was so much like her mother—beautiful and spirited. And he cursed the day when boys would come knocking on his door, thinking to take his daughter away from him. If Mari were here she'd tell him to stop frowning and enjoy their little girl while she was still a little girl and her father was the only male in her life she cared about.
"Tell you what, sweetie; I need to make a couple of phone calls to business associates. Once that's done, I'm all yours. Whatever you want to do, we'll do."
She perked up. "Anything?"
"Within reason, Anansi."
"Movie and popcorn?"
"We can do that."
She jumped from the bed and began heading towards the door. "I'll check the times on the iPad. May I invite a friend, Daddy?"
"Sure, who?"
"Brian."
The frown was back. "Who in the world is Brian?"
"A boy from camp."
"No boys, Anansi. Pick a friend."
"He is a friend."
Dammit. "A girl friend."
"I don't get it, and why are you rubbing your temples? Mom says when you get like that—"
"No friends. Just us, okay. Now go find a movie you want to see, get the times, and I'll make my calls."
The look his daughter shot him was, what John could only imagine, would be the same my-father-is-a-crazy-man look she'd give him when she became a teenager and wanted to date and he'd tell her, "Over my cold, dead body."
Looking too much like Mari when he did or said something stupid, John's daughter ran from the room in search of her iPad.
Ten minutes later John was deep in conversation with Wally West, the best construction contractor in Metropolis. He was good and fast.
"Everybody knows West Construction is slated to begin work on Lex Towers."
"Not just that, John. If he's pleased with the work of my crew, he said there's plenty more work for us. The man is gobbling up as much of Metropolis as he can. A real life Pac-Man, if you know what I mean."
Yeah, John knew. But Pac Man was about to be caught and devoured.
Wally laughed. "Based on what you told me about your plans for Luthor, I guess that makes you, Ollie, Arthur, and Victor Pinky, Blinky, Inky, and Clyde."
The man had jokes. But would he be down with the plan?
"If I do this, I want you to introduce me to the delectable Diana Wayne."
Of all the things Wally West could ask for. The man really needed to stop thinking with his di-"
"So, how about it? I wanna meet the lady. I heard that speech she gave the other day. And, damn, she's hotter than ever. I gotta meet her. Tell me you can hook me up."
John sighed. Diana wasn't a piece of meat.
"That and an honorary membership into the Justice League. If I do this, will I get one of those cool pendants?"
Now that was something John didn't mind doing. Despite his Hound Dog ways, Wally was a good, dependable guy. His word was golden, and he would do well on their team.
"Do this for me then we'll see how it goes."
"Sounds like a plan. But, John, I'm serious about meeting Wayne."
"I know you are. You'll meet her. She meets with all her new contractors face-to-face."
Wally snorted. "Yeah, right, I don't have a contract with Wayne Industries."
"You do now, with Wayne Yards and Wayne Shipping. Diana doesn't believe in anyone taking a financial loss for doing the right thing. A Wayne lawyer will have the contract forwarded to you by close of business tomorrow."
"Just like that, huh?"
"Yeah, just like that. Thanks, Wally."
"No problem."
John was about to hang up but stopped. He had to ask. "So, which one am I?"
"Which what?"
"Pinky, Blinky, Inky, or Clyde? Which one?"
Hysterical laughter ran through the receiver. "Jeez, John, Blinky, of course. That red ghost is totally badass."
Atlanta, Georgia
Arthur pulled up the property deeds on his laptop, Mera on the bed next to him.
"I can't believe a man as intelligent as Lex Luthor could miss this."
Neither could Arthur, but Luthor was also an extremely arrogant man. And arrogant men often missed the little things. In this case, his oversight was about to come back and take a chunk out of his worthless hide.
"Do you want to write the non-renewal of lease letter, Arthur, or do you want me to do the honors?"
There was frosty satisfaction in Mera's voice. That was something he understood. Purchasing property leases these past few days had given Arthur much satisfaction because he knew exactly how such a seemingly small detail would have major consequences on Lex Luthor's pride.
And what Diana had requested of Arthur was intended to go to the heart of the villain's ego. He only wished he could be there when Luthor received the letters.
Arthur leaned over and kissed his wife on the lips. "Why don't we do it together?"
"I like that idea."
"Good, because afterwards, I can think of one other thing we can do together."
Mera blushed.
Arthur smiled, and then began typing.
To Mr. Lex Luthor,
It is with regret that I must inform you . . .
Los Angeles, Paradise Island Resort and Spa
Martin Gruenberg, FDIC chairman and Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve System, sat across from Hippolyta in her office, grave expressions on their faces.
They flipped through the documents she'd given them only twenty minutes ago, their pallor growing grayer with each page they read.
Finally, Martin spoke, drawing the only conclusion possible. "If these documents are accurate," –he shook his head— "it would mean serious breaches in financial regulations. Truth in lending. Relations with foreign banks and bankers. Transactions between member banks and their affiliates."
"Nonconforming extensions of credit to insiders," Ben added. "Illegal credit extensions to directors, officers, employees, and principal stakeholders." Ben turned another page. "There's even a record here of so-called loans to the former members of Wayne Industries board of directors."
Hippolyta allowed the men time to absorb all the documents revealed, an iceberg of illegal banking activity. The documents she'd given them just the tip of a much larger trail of broken regulations beneath the water's surface.
"Luthor has controlling interest in Metropolis Mercantile Bank, Commerce Bank of Metropolis, and First Metro Security, all members of the Federal Reserve System." Ben looked as if he wanted to hit something . . . or someone.
"We'll have to begin a formal investigation, Hippolyta," Martin said. "While I trust you, I can't go to my board of directors with questionable evidence. We have to have our own investigators go in and find out what's really going on with those banks."
The correct and predictable response, Hippolyta nodded.
"I'll have to do the same. If any of this is true, it makes the whole damn system look bad." Ben dropped the folder of papers on her desk. "Consumers are supposed to be able to trust banks. Without that trust, we have financial anarchy."
"That's why the regulations are so important. That's why they exist. To protect the people."
The men went back and forth, grumbling about one boring governmental regulation after another.
"Provisions of Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act places restrictions on loans and dealings between member banks and their affiliates . . ."
Mission complete.
Hippolyta rose and left the men to their discussion. She'd promised their wives a personal tour of the resort. And Hippolyta Prince always kept her promises.
Metropolis, The Daily Planet Building
Lois Lane sat in the office of Perry White, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Planet. The man hadn't changed since the day Lois had resigned. His hair may have had less black and more gray but he was as irascible as ever.
"Great Caesar's ghost, Lois, I can't believe what I'm looking at."
Yeah, and she couldn't believe he still said stupid lines like that.
"And you're telling me I can't run with this story now?"
"Not yet, chief. That's not the game plan. If you can't wait then I'll have to take it someplace else. Maybe the Times or the Post."
Lois reached for the manila folder she'd handed Perry, knowing precisely what the man would do.
He snatched it away from her. A disapproving snarl followed. "Those incompetent fools at the Times and Post wouldn't know what to do with a story like this. They'd mess it up, spin it all wrong. Bunch of amateurs."
That was her Perry.
"Besides, Luthor's been sniffing around lately. He's already bought one of the local television stations now he's on the hunt for a newspaper to add to his conglomerate."
"So I've heard."
Perry looked from the folder, to Lois, and finally to the man standing several feet behind her.
"What's your angle here, Lane?" He lifted his chin in the direction of the uniformed man. "And what's with the silent Wayne sentry you got there? What's your role in all of this?"
Perry wouldn't believe it if she told him. But this visit, this mission, was Lois's way of making amends. Three days ago, Diana and Clark had come to her, giving Lois an opportunity to regain Diana's trust. She'd jumped at the chance, not only because she still felt guilty, but because it was the most exciting thing she'd done in a long time.
"Does he talk? Hey, kid, do you have a tongue to go with that stoic mug?"
"Leave him alone, Perry." Lois glanced over her shoulder at the huge bodyguard Diana had assigned to her. "His name's Billy Batson."
"Batson, huh? Well, he looks like a twelve-year old on steroids."
Lois smiled. Batson was very young. He couldn't be more than twenty-one. But Diana had assured her that he was an excellent bodyguard.
"Anyway, back to this folder and the story. Diana Wayne wants me to sit on the biggest story of the decade. Luthor is running for governor, you know. Everyone knows he's just using it to springboard himself into the presidency." He thumbed the folder. "After this hits, he'll be lucky to get a seat on a bus. He won't be worth a damn around these parts. And that's if he can keep his chrome dome out of the clink."
"So, chief, what's your decision?"
"Don't call me, chief, and you damn well know my decision, Lane. Tell Wayne I accept."
Reaching into her purse, Lois pulled out a small gold pendant. "Diana asked me to give this to you when you agreed." She handed the pendant to Perry.
He took it then frowned. "That sure of herself, was she? Am I that predictable?"
"Not at all, Perry. Not at all."
He grunted. "You've always been a piss poor liar, Lois. Now get out of my office and take the mute with you."
Gotham City, Grayson Residence
"That's stealing."
"It's not stealing when it's going to charity."
"Who's the detective and who's the computer genius?"
Barbara swiveled in her desk chair to meet the censuring gaze of the detective.
"Do you intend to turn me in?" She held out her wrists to him. "Go ahead, Detective Grayson, use your cuffs and take me in."
He grabbed her wrists and hauled her to her feet, and then kissed her soundly. "It would serve you right if I handcuffed your smartass and then turned you in to your father. How do you think Commissioner Gordon would like that?"
"You're no snitch, Dick, but you are a wonderful husband."
"Yeah, you only ever say that when I catch you doing something you know you shouldn't be and I don't give you hell over it."
He let her go, but she stayed close. Barbara wasn't entirely joking about the handcuffs. She so liked when they played horny cop and slutty robber.
"Did Dr. Wayne approve the extra program you added to her websites?"
Dick knew Diana hadn't approved a thing, but Barbara and Donna were friends and one discussion had led to another and . . .
"I really hope you know what you're doing, Barbara, because, no matter what you say, it is stealing."
Technically, Dick was right. It was stealing. But she wouldn't get caught, and not just because her program was flawless.
"Do you honestly see Lex Luthor going to the Children's Defense Fund and saying, 'Hey, sorry kids, that fifty thousand dollar donation I sent you, I need it back, please.'?"
"Fifty grand, Babs? God, how many fifty grand donations are you taking the guy for?"
She didn't really want to tell her husband. The truth would just disturb him. "For every ten thousand hits on the Justice League of America and the Justice League International sites, Lex Luthor donates fifty thousand dollars to one of the charity foundations I've programmed into the site."
And the money would come directly out of his personal savings and checking accounts. Barbara thought it best not to tell Dick that either. That part had been Donna's idea. And since Donna had somehow managed to get Luthor's checking and savings account numbers, including the offshore ones, it made Barbara's job quite easy.
"What are the other charities?"
Barbara didn't know a lot about charities but she knew tons about research. So she'd done a Google search and found the top thirty-five children's charities in the United States and abroad. Lex Luthor was about to make a lot of needy children very happy.
"Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America," she said, knowing her husband's soft spot for that particular charity.
He hugged her. "I miss him, you know. Bruce was the only family I had after my parents died. He took me in, taught me how to be a man. And when I graduated from high school and didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, he introduced me to your dad."
Barbara knew all of that. That was how she and Richard Grayson had met, her father providing the introductions when she'd found the scrawny teen waiting in her father's study. And while he'd filled out since then and knew exactly who and what he was, Dick had never forgotten all that Bruce Wayne had done for him, a big brother to an orphan.
And neither had Barbara, which was the reason she intended to bleed Lex Luthor dry.
Gotham City, Wayne Manor
"How many confirmations does that make?" Clark asked, looking over Diana's shoulder and at the cell phone in her hand.
"Five."
"We need six. Who's missing?" Unable to help himself, he kissed her neck.
"Mari. But I'm not surprised we haven't heard from her yet. She had to go all the way to Zambesi and speak with different tribal and governmental leaders."
"I get the others - Ollie, John, Hippolyta, Martha-, but not Mari. John told me his wife was a vet."
Diana turned to face him, as serious this night as she'd been since the board meeting several days ago. He wished she would lighten up, smile more. But she was in combat mode. She'd sent out her troops, and like a good commander, was patiently awaiting the fruits of their labors.
"I guess, she could be considered a vet. When Mari moved to the States from Zambesi, she became a model. She was a very good one, made tons of money."
Clark could believe that, the woman was model gorgeous.
"After modeling, she refocused her attention on her home country. I guess she always had a love for animals, so she founded a couple of wildlife preserves with the aid of the Zambesi government. She has many connections there. People like and respect her. She can get things done, go places none of the other board members will be admitted."
"And you think she can talk the Zambesi government out of selling anymore oil to Luthor?"
"With the proper inducements, I'm sure Mari will be able to talk those men into just about anything."
"You have a lot of faith in her."
"I have faith in all of them. Mari will single-handily bring down LexOil and LexAir."
Ah, there was the smile he'd been looking for. But it wasn't from pleasure or happiness, just the beam that came from a well-made chess move.
Diana was full of them, the woman an expert strategist.
"After you hear from Mari, that will take us to the third strategy."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and wished he didn't know the answer to his question. "Spend the night with me, Diana? Just this once."
They couldn't leave the manor this time of night. After Diana's speech, it just wouldn't be the smart thing to do. So the hotel was out.
"You know I can't. I'm sorry. I really am."
Yeah, so was he.
Clark couldn't wait for all of this to be over, so he and Diana could be free. But if she thought he was letting her off that easily, she had another thing coming.
He crushed his mouth and body against Diana's, quick and relentless, and then pulled her to the kitchen floor.
She didn't resist, just said, "After tonight, I'll never be able to look at Alfred mopping this floor in the same way again."
TO BE CONTINUED
