LIGHT AND SHADOW
CHAPTER II. IN BRIGHTEST DAY
(Disclaimer: Cranston, Lane, Scott, and their respective supporting casts are sadly, not my property. I'm creatively molesting them for my own sinister purposes.)
GOTHAM CITY
"Did you get those updates, Allan?"
"Got 'em ten minutes ago, Steve!"
The newsroom at GBS was, as usual, a chaotic scene. The news was due to go on the air in less than a minute, and an alert had just come in over the wire that the night watchman at the Gotham Scientific Institute had uncovered a huge theft when he'd come in that morning. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of cutting edge equipment had been stolen from one of the research labs, a lab funded by the government so, naturally, the specific contents of the lab were being kept under wraps.
"Run with it! We're trying to get more for the six o'clock."
"On it!"
When the broadcast had finished, Allan pulled the headset off and rushed to his desk in the newsroom.
"Steve, I'm headed out for the night, have Rex cover the six, I'm going to see what I can dig up on that museum heist."
Not giving his boss a chance to answer, Allan grabbed his overcoat and broke for the door. He'd called a cab before making his report, and it was waiting at the curb when he came out the front doors of the GBS building.
"GSI, driver. Quick, fast, and in a hurry."
"Got it, mac."
Outside GSI were a swarm of reporters and policemen, the law enforcement officers doing their level best to restrain the journalists. Things only got rowdier when, from the large stainless steel doors, a cadre of smartly dressed US Military officers emerged, obviously irate.
"All right, that's enough!" The crowd quieted. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we have a statement. Last night, at approximately 0300 hours, that's three am, for some of you, this Institute was broken into by a group of unknown assailants. We are not at liberty to reveal how they gained entrance, nor are we at liberty to reveal what was removed. We will be conducting an independent investigation, though we do expect the full cooperation of the GPD. More information will be released to you when we are able. Thank you."
Allan had stayed near the rear of the pack, not wanting to get caught in the throng. It was obvious that the military was going to tell them nothing. If he was going to get to the bottom of this, it wasn't going to be as Allan Scott.
THAT NIGHT
Allan hung his overcoat as he walked into his apartment and over to the alcove in the wall. At a touch, it slid open to reveal the glowing emerald lamp within. Allan held his hand out, clenching his fist, and the ring on his finger became visible as he willed it so.
"In brightest day. in blackest night. no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power. Green Lantern's light!" With a flash, his ring was fully charged and his changed into his red and green costume, then willed himself to flight, and leapt from the window.
Minutes later he was hovering above the Gotham Science Institute, then descending to the roof.
"We were wondering when you'd show up." A gruff voice came from behind the emerald avenger, and he heard the cocking of weapons.
He turned around and saw the officer from the press conference standing before him, five armed soldiers behind him. He flicked his eyes to the rank insignia on the man's shoulders and addressed him.
"Colonel, I don't know what you think I'm doing here, but I assure you, I intend only to help."
"I'm sure you do. We just want it to be on our terms." Follow me, if you would. And don't give me any reason to distrust you."
GL followed the men down long flights of stairs until it became apparent that they had descended to the Institute's sublevels.
"This level is top-secret, Lantern, as is everything that you are about to see. I know that the President sanctioned your 'Justice Society', but this goes beyond even that." He opened a large set of doors and they swung open, revealing a cavernous room, at the center of which was a pedestal which had, until quite recently, held something very large. "There's a similar facility like this elsewhere doing the same research, and we believe that it may be next to be hit. That is already being taken care of. However, the contents of this lab are vital to national security and the success of our war against the Japanese. Have you ever heard of fission?"
"It's a theory, isn't it? That atoms can be split, creating enormous amounts of energy. The potential for power production is immense. Or so I've read."
"You're correct about that. But equally as immense is the potential for destruction, which is what this project is about. We were building a bomb, Lantern. It was in the final stages of testing, and it's been stolen. We believe that they intend to detonate it within the continental US."
"Who is they?"
"That's what we don't know, and we need your help to find out. We have a suspect, as he is the only man outside of the project. until now. to know of the existence of the weapon. Several years ago, he was responsible for stopping a plot to detonate a prototype in New York City. He may know something."
"Who is he?"
"We don't know much. What little there is about him is little more than rumor and guesswork. All we know for sure is that people are afraid of him. He calls himself the Shadow."
CHAPTER II. IN BRIGHTEST DAY
(Disclaimer: Cranston, Lane, Scott, and their respective supporting casts are sadly, not my property. I'm creatively molesting them for my own sinister purposes.)
GOTHAM CITY
"Did you get those updates, Allan?"
"Got 'em ten minutes ago, Steve!"
The newsroom at GBS was, as usual, a chaotic scene. The news was due to go on the air in less than a minute, and an alert had just come in over the wire that the night watchman at the Gotham Scientific Institute had uncovered a huge theft when he'd come in that morning. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of cutting edge equipment had been stolen from one of the research labs, a lab funded by the government so, naturally, the specific contents of the lab were being kept under wraps.
"Run with it! We're trying to get more for the six o'clock."
"On it!"
When the broadcast had finished, Allan pulled the headset off and rushed to his desk in the newsroom.
"Steve, I'm headed out for the night, have Rex cover the six, I'm going to see what I can dig up on that museum heist."
Not giving his boss a chance to answer, Allan grabbed his overcoat and broke for the door. He'd called a cab before making his report, and it was waiting at the curb when he came out the front doors of the GBS building.
"GSI, driver. Quick, fast, and in a hurry."
"Got it, mac."
Outside GSI were a swarm of reporters and policemen, the law enforcement officers doing their level best to restrain the journalists. Things only got rowdier when, from the large stainless steel doors, a cadre of smartly dressed US Military officers emerged, obviously irate.
"All right, that's enough!" The crowd quieted. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we have a statement. Last night, at approximately 0300 hours, that's three am, for some of you, this Institute was broken into by a group of unknown assailants. We are not at liberty to reveal how they gained entrance, nor are we at liberty to reveal what was removed. We will be conducting an independent investigation, though we do expect the full cooperation of the GPD. More information will be released to you when we are able. Thank you."
Allan had stayed near the rear of the pack, not wanting to get caught in the throng. It was obvious that the military was going to tell them nothing. If he was going to get to the bottom of this, it wasn't going to be as Allan Scott.
THAT NIGHT
Allan hung his overcoat as he walked into his apartment and over to the alcove in the wall. At a touch, it slid open to reveal the glowing emerald lamp within. Allan held his hand out, clenching his fist, and the ring on his finger became visible as he willed it so.
"In brightest day. in blackest night. no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power. Green Lantern's light!" With a flash, his ring was fully charged and his changed into his red and green costume, then willed himself to flight, and leapt from the window.
Minutes later he was hovering above the Gotham Science Institute, then descending to the roof.
"We were wondering when you'd show up." A gruff voice came from behind the emerald avenger, and he heard the cocking of weapons.
He turned around and saw the officer from the press conference standing before him, five armed soldiers behind him. He flicked his eyes to the rank insignia on the man's shoulders and addressed him.
"Colonel, I don't know what you think I'm doing here, but I assure you, I intend only to help."
"I'm sure you do. We just want it to be on our terms." Follow me, if you would. And don't give me any reason to distrust you."
GL followed the men down long flights of stairs until it became apparent that they had descended to the Institute's sublevels.
"This level is top-secret, Lantern, as is everything that you are about to see. I know that the President sanctioned your 'Justice Society', but this goes beyond even that." He opened a large set of doors and they swung open, revealing a cavernous room, at the center of which was a pedestal which had, until quite recently, held something very large. "There's a similar facility like this elsewhere doing the same research, and we believe that it may be next to be hit. That is already being taken care of. However, the contents of this lab are vital to national security and the success of our war against the Japanese. Have you ever heard of fission?"
"It's a theory, isn't it? That atoms can be split, creating enormous amounts of energy. The potential for power production is immense. Or so I've read."
"You're correct about that. But equally as immense is the potential for destruction, which is what this project is about. We were building a bomb, Lantern. It was in the final stages of testing, and it's been stolen. We believe that they intend to detonate it within the continental US."
"Who is they?"
"That's what we don't know, and we need your help to find out. We have a suspect, as he is the only man outside of the project. until now. to know of the existence of the weapon. Several years ago, he was responsible for stopping a plot to detonate a prototype in New York City. He may know something."
"Who is he?"
"We don't know much. What little there is about him is little more than rumor and guesswork. All we know for sure is that people are afraid of him. He calls himself the Shadow."