He slammed down another whisky, and stared at the television. Once again images of the King of England giving a speech and being met with cheering crowds made his blood boil. He would never understand how the people of that god forsaken island could stand to be subjects of a monarch. Did they willingly give themselves over to slavery, just as their ancestors had enslaved his people all those years ago? When the boy's great-grandmother had been ruling, he'd done his best, played the courteous President, the charming man, the charming negro who would give the world what they so desperately wanted. Not anymore. He was done with that. Superman and his ilk threatened the world and he would have them dealt with.
"What word from the Saudis?" He asked.
"The King has agreed to rouse the coalition forces and to invade Egypt and Kandhaq, if Superman gets involved he will be stuck. Our forces are primed to invade Britain and Europe as well. They just await the order." Replied Secretary Duvall.
"And the Marines?"
"Prepared and waiting for orders." Replied Secretary Durant, Secretary of Defence.
"They know that David and his men will be joining them in their invasion?"
"Yes Sir. They know and they are more than happy with that."
"Good." He replied, he poured himself another whisky and drank it down in one. He looked at the two secretaries. They'd been preparing for this for three years. Ever since Lois Lane had died and the search for the amulet had turned up empty. David, Black Manta, the man who would take Atlantis and give their people what was their due. An invasion of the absolute terrors of Egypt and Kandhaq, taking their resources and their treasures, making the US richer and restoring pride in the system of government that had seen a black boy from Hawaii get elected President. He could already hear the crowds cheering his name. he could hear the UN praising him, giving him another peace prize. He'd overthrow Victor of Savoy next, and install the republican government. Once that was done, he'd get Congress to remove the term limits and run again and win. He looked at Duvall, and smiled. He knew the woman wanted to run for President, she'd have to wait.
"Give the order. Tell my brother it is time to claim what is his." He said, the Secretary nodded and gave the order over the phone. He looked at Duvall again and said. "Tell the Saudis to get their forces in order and to invade." The woman nodded and made the call.
He poured himself another drink and poured the others drinks as well, he raised his glass and said. "Here's to us, to the United States of America, the greatest country on Earth. The defender of democracy and liberty. And the country that will kill Superman and Aquaman."
"Here here." Came the response, they clinked their glasses together and he smiled and laughed. Revenge was sweet when mixed with bourbon.
They had come in their submarines, the king tide dragging them further down. They had launched their missiles, and Arthur had known then that the day he had always feared had come. The United States of America had declared war on Atlantis. He had dressed in his armour, summoned the armies and launched them at the beasts of the machines that had come into his home. They had taken down five when missiles had been launched. Arthur had barked commands, he didn't want to use the monsters he had at his command, but he knew that soon he would have no choice. The monsters of the land and machine were growing more powerful, more disruptive. There were so many of them.
He dodged a missile, then grabbed it with his hands and broke it with his hands. He moved and grabbed another missile and threw it back at the submarine. And another one and another one. These fools were going to keep firing these things and there would be nothing that could be done. Already dozens of his men and women had died in the fighting. He barked a command at his subordinates and watched as they moved away from the field of battle toward the defences. Arthur powered through, destroying the machines that were in his way, ensuring that the people also drowned. They were fighting for a hostile state; they knew what they were getting into.
Just as he was about to reach the command submarine, he heard a roar. "ARTHUR CURRY!" he turned around and found a grotesque monster coming toward him, dressed in black, with red glowing eyes, like something out of a child's horror story. "You are dead. You have infringed upon the rights of the surface and your life is forfeit."
"Who are you?" Arthur replied.
"I am your death. I am Black Manta." The beast replied.
For a brief moment Arthur felt something form in the pit of his stomach. So, this was the famed destroyer of Atlantis. It seemed that the President had found his monster. Then he snorted. This man was a marine, but he did not know how to fight under water, not like this. "Then come, Manta and prove yourself worthy." Arthur watched as the beast came charging toward him. The first mistake Manta made was in leaving his left side open. Arthur smashed his trident into the man and watched as his blood started pouring out. Manta roared and smashed his weapon into Arthur's face. Arthur's own blood came out.
"You have grown soft." Manta taunted. "Your wife and children will die before the might of my men." Arthur smashed his trident into the fool's face and then pushed the prongs of the trident into his chest.
"You talk far too much." Arthur replied. He continued with his assault, Black Manta might have been a marine, but he was also someone who it seemed put too much stock on bluster. Every time Arthur hit him, he swore and cursed, but could not answer in response. Arthur continued pushing, he hit what appeared to be Manta's tank of air, and watched as the man started pushing back. "You are not of the Sea. You shall never be of the sea and you shall die on land." Arthur grabbed Manta and hauled him up over the waves over the fighting that was still ongoing. He threw him onto the beach of somewhere in the United States and he roared before all who stood and watched. "No land dweller will ever threaten Atlantis ever again." He smashed Manta's helmet, then took out his eyes, and as the man was screaming he buried his trident inside the man's chest. Satisfied he left the man to the crows, pulled his trident out and returned to his home. The fighting was still going on, but without Manta there to lead them, it seemed the United States were without a spine.
"Your leader is dead. You are not of the sea, no matter what badges you might pin on yourselves. You are not Atlanteans be gone from here. Leave and you might live to kiss your wives' tomorrow. Stay and you will die." Arthur roared.
The men didn't stop and turn around, he could give them credit for that. They were brave men, if not slightly foolish. He sighed, he summoned the creatures of the deep. The krakens, the sirens, the nymphs, he summoned every beast of lore he could think of, and with one command ordered them to destroy the submarines and the ships and the fleets stationed across the world that belonged to the United States. This they did. He watched as the monsters, his monsters tore through ships in the Atlantic, the Pacific, in the Arctic and the Antarctic. He watched as they ate men and women alive. He watched as this all unfolded and he sighed. Then when the devouring got too much he found that his brother was there, staring at him. Ocean Master brought back one last time it seemed.
They engaged in a fight briefly, before the man was killed as well. Arthur emerged onto land when the destruction was done. He stood and waited as Clark landed. The man was dressed in his suit, but he looked different. "Who?" Clark demanded.
"President Matthews." Arthur replied. Clark nodded. "What are you going to do?"
"What I should have done a long time ago." Clark said. He turned and flew away. Arthur knew then that things would be a lot more complicated, and for once he was glad he maintained little to no ties to the surface world.
He returned to Atlantis, where his wife and children were waiting for him. he looked at them and said. "We shall shut the seas, they are ours, unless something changes. The surface world is doomed to tear itself apart." He was glad when none of them protested, this would be hard enough to do, but it needed to be done. Let Clark handle the troubles of the world above the water. He was done with it.
Clark flew and as he did he thought. President Matthews was a dangerous man, he'd been laundering money, he'd looked for a way to bring a monster back. He might have had a hand in Lois's death. He was unstable and he needed to be removed. Clark knew he should have acted before now, but he was acting now and that was what mattered. He landed on the lawn of the White House. The secret service agents came toward him, but before they could do anything, Matthews himself stepped out. Dressed in a neat and elaborate suit, the man looked smug. "Clark Kent."
"Matthews." Kal responded. "You know why I am here."
"I honestly have no idea." The President responded. "You are a unpredictable man and someone who I have made a habit of avoiding."
Kal's patience was beginning to wane. "Do not lie to me, I can hear when you lie. Your heartbeat changes. So, why did you send those troops into Kandhaq and Egypt? Or rather why did you tell the Saudis and their allies to do so? Do you know how many innocent men, women and children died during the fighting? How many people died for your hubris? And then there is the attack on Atlantis which cost you an entire Marine Corps. You are not a rational man."
Matthews laughed. "You cannot see it can you? You with all your abilities, you are blinded by the one thing that you cannot see. People are terrified of you Superman. Oh the common man might adore you and worship you, but the politicians, the real people who make things run, they are scared of you. And so long as they are scared of you, they will make plans to remove you. Already Batman is planning to remove you, and imprison you. There are others as well. Lord is still out there you know, and he is coming for you."
Clark said nothing, instead he grabbed the President and flew him to the UN headquarters where the other nations were all gathered. Kal placed the man on the ground and spoke before them. "This man, President Matthews has committed a crime. He has declared war against three sovereign nations without providing a reason for doing so. In the process, thousands of people have died. Thousands of young men and women will never get to experience the beauties of life. I ask that the UN sentence this man to judgement for his crimes."
"And who would lead the United States in his place?" Asked one lady.
"Who would deal with the barbarous nature of Kandhaq and Egypt if not for the United States? You must admit that being ruled by the same people for thousands of years is not right nor fair. For Christ sake Superman, the people of Kandhaq have no human rights." Another lady said.
Kal looked at them and sighed. "Have you lost sight of what is right in front of you all? Kandhaq and its people have lived happily for thousands of years, Egypt has been ruled without fail by the same people and is an economic powerhouse that has no poverty. That is the not the case in Germany, in Italy, in the US, in Canada or anywhere save for Britain where that matter is being addressed now. Tell me, by what right would you claim to invade another nation if not for some political or economic gain?"
"If it meant defending our own country and expanding our own chances of prosperity then I would do it in a heartbeat." Answered the Prime Minister of Canada.
Kal bit down the angry retort which was forming on his lips. Instead he listened as Queen Hippolyta spoke. "Superman is right. What is happening on this planet cannot be allowed to continue. We were all made in the image of Zeus, we cannot allow some petty grievances to get in the way of unity." She pointed at the man, the President and snarled. "That man has done more to upset the natural order than anyone else in my entire life on this planet. It is time for him to face punishment. I vote for his trial and imprisonment."
The Greeks, Italians, Cypriots, Turks, and countless others voted in favour of Matthews trial and imprisonment, whilst only a few countries voted against. The trial was soon arranged, Kal presided over it, watching as the judges of the court declared President Matthews guilty of war crimes, of in sighting violence of money laundering and countless other things. He was declared a prisoner for life. His Secretary of State was declared the New President. Kal got up and spoke then. "Justice has been served, and whilst it might not be palatable to many of you, I feel that it is the right move. From this day forward, the people of Earth shall work together, not against one another. nations will continue to exist, but you shall all answer to me. The time has come for someone to make sure you are doing your jobs of providing for the people." There was surprisingly little protest to this, instead someone asked.
"What should we call you? Emperor?"
Kal shook his head. "No, nothing so pompous. I am merely a chancellor acting in good stead for the people of Earth."
"High Chancellor, it is then." An acclamation went across the hall, and Kal nodded. He turned and left before the politicians could start arguing. He flew back to the White House, where the former President's family was waiting. He watched as they walked out and moved back to their own home in Chicago, he felt bad for them, being associated with a crook. It would not be easy for them, but they would come to appreciate it in time. From there he flew to where Secretary Duvall was just receiving the news. He landed and watched as she smiled and hugged her husband. He would need to keep an eye on her. she was President now, and Bruce was working with her. One of them would perhaps need to die before Brainiac came. For that monster would not care about petty feuds.