Happy 4th of July!
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As the Javelin approached the Watchtower, I could see the children of the Royal Flush Gang sitting quietly in the back of the aircraft. The Flash was sitting with the children, trying to keep their spirits high. I could hear that he was telling them stories about his adventures and even showed them some of his super-speed tricks, which had them all laughing and clapping. The Flash was great with kids, being a child at heart at times, and it was clear that he was making a real connection with them.
It warmed my nanomachine heart to see them happy.
Once we touched down smoothly in the Watchtower's docking bay, the League members on board quickly disembarked, the Flash escorting the rescued children in tow.
At the entrance to the docking bay stood Martian Manhunter, who had been overseeing our mission from the Watchtower's command center. "What's the status?" He asked.
Batman stepped forward to explain, "We found the children being held at a Cadmus facility. It was just as Amazo said, a facility dedicated to unethical experimentation on children. He was somehow able to infiltrate and extract them. We also managed to get some data on Cadmus' operations."
Manhunter nodded, his expression thoughtful as he turned to me with a small smile on his face, "Well done, Amazo." he acknowledged.
While I wasn't one who cared too much about what others thought of me, which was ironic considering the effort I'd put into making the League think positively of me, it felt nice being recognized for doing good, "Thanks, but I was just doing my duty as a citizen, helping children when I see them in places where they shouldn't be."
After entering the Watchtower proper, Batman took the kids off to do some medical checks on them, in case of any lingering effects from the experiments that took place. In the meantime, Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern were off catching the other League members up on what happened at the facility.
In the medical bay, I tapped Batman on the shoulder and indicated that I wanted a word. I nudged my head in a way to make it clear that it was to be away from the prying ears of the children.
Batman looked at me briefly before nodding and walked over to a secluded corner, "What is it?" he asked. His tone was the same as usual, but there was an undertone that hinted that he'd be rather displeased if I was up to my usual shenanigans.
I assumed a serious demeanor, reflecting the gravity of what I was going to say, "I did some scans and I found something rather concerning. There seems to be the start of what seems to be some kind of aneurysm starting to develop in Ace's head. Now while this might be a false alarm limited to Ace, I'd like the others to be tested for something similar." Neither my x-ray vision nor scans showed that anything was truly off with her brain at the moment, but better to be aware of the possibility and ready to handle it as soon as it shows itself. And considering how the rest of the Royal Flush gang were never seen again after likely having been recaptured by Cadmus, they likely suffered similar fates to Ace, dying from overuse of their powers or through over-experimentation.
They won't be dying young if I have anything to say about it.
"An aneurysm?" Batman asked in surprise, but that gave way to thoughtful consideration, "Her power as a psychic is a mental ability, it wouldn't surprise me if Cadmus was pushing Ace beyond what would be healthy for her in a rush to weaponize it."
"...I'd hate to keep them in the medical area considering what they've been through, but it's critical to ensure there'll be no potential complications."
"Hey, Amazo. What's going on?" Ace asked, curious about our conversation.
"Not much, just doing some checks to make sure that you guys are in good health. I doubt that those hack job scientists were all that good at taking care of you guys. Then the League and I are gonna discuss where you guys are going." I answered.
"We already talked about this, we're sticking with you," Scott interjected, the determination clear in his voice. The rest of the children nodded in unison, their resolve unwavering.
"We can't exactly leave you with the Android-" Batman tried to object.
"His name is Amazo, use it." Ace cut him off with a piercing glare, not happy with me being referred to as an object. She and the others weren't treated as humans but as test subjects and weapons, only referred to as designated, which had her understandably upset.
Batman seemed to realize this as well as he just nodded, "I'm sorry, but we can't leave you with Amazo."
"Why not? Amazo's the one who found us." Ben questioned.
"As Amazo said, we'll need to run medical checks to ensure that there are no lasting negative effects from the experiments done on you. We have some of the best medical technology that money can buy to ensure that this won't take long." Batman explained patiently.
"Plus, I am more of a bodyguard than a healing android, otherwise I'd be a lot more fluffy," I added in.
Ace's face brightened as she responded, "Your hands are still nice." I did give good headpats, didn't I? Speaking of, she'll get some more here.
This time it was Scott who spoke up, "...Alright, that's valid. But what about after?"
"Yeah, what about the government, Cadmus? Won't they still be looking for us?"
Realizing the need for reassurance, Batman met their gazes, projecting a sense of security, "We understand that you all have been through a lot, and we want to make sure that you are safe and taken care of. The League and I will be discussing your future and making sure that you are placed somewhere where you can receive the care and support that you need."
"Can we stay together?" Ace asked, her eyes flickering with hope.
"We'll do our best to make that happen," Batman promised, his words carrying the weight of sincerity.
The children all seemed to relax a little at that, their shoulders dropping as they released a breath they had been holding. It was clear that they had been through a lot and the idea of being separated was a frightening one for them.
"Don't worry, we'll make sure that everything turns out alright," I reassured them.
Eventually, Batman made out to join up with the rest of the League once everything checked fine for the most part, I followed along as I wanted to know what the League would be doing going forwards. He noticed, and after a bit of staring, nodded his consent.
We arrived at a bit of a debate raging on within the confines of the Justice League's meeting room, things being a bit intense as they grappled with the dilemma presented by Cadmus. Wonder Woman, her passion evident, pounded her fist on the table in fury.
"It's obvious what we need to do regarding this Cadmus! Such a group committing vile acts cannot be allowed to continue," she declared with conviction.
Superman, equally upset but maintaining his composure, responded, "As much as I agree with you Wonder Woman, that isn't something that we can just do."
"Are we not the Justice League? Clearly, we must bring them to justice!" she countered with indignation.
"Despite their actions being villainous, they're still acting under the government's authority. We still have to respect that even if we don't like it." he reasoned, trying to strike a balance between justice and the rule of law.
"Has man not already committed atrocities under the name of the government's authority? We cannot stand idle and allow Cadmus to continue with performing such actions on innocents. If they're willing to involve children, then their depravity already knows no bounds."
"You're right in that we won't allow anyone else to be experimented on like the children were, I'll break down every Cadmus facility to rescue more if I have to. And if we catch them doing evil, then we'll stop them like we have with every other villain, but it's not our place to just remove government-sponsored groups because we disagree with them."
"Superman's right, as much as it might pain me to admit it. We can't just go around dismantling government organizations that we don't agree with. It sets a dangerous precedent." Batman chimed in, pragmatic as always.
Wonder Woman looked around the table, her frustration was apparent in her expression. "What is our course of action then? We can't just let this continue."
The Flash spoke up, "We can investigate them, right? Find out what they're up to and make sure they're not hurting anyone else."
Green Lantern nodded in agreement. "And we can use the data we stole from the facility to help us figure out what their endgame is. Maybe there's a way we can stop them without resorting to extreme measures."
Superman stood up from the table, his expression resolute. "That's what we'll do then. We'll investigate Cadmus and its operations and ensure that they're not posing a threat to anyone else, metahuman or otherwise. But we won't take any drastic actions until we know more."
Wonder Woman didn't look entirely convinced, but she conceded nonetheless. "Very well, we shall investigate. But we keep a close eye on them, and if they try anything, we stop them. We cannot afford to let them hurt any more innocents."
The Flash chimed in with his trademark optimism, a smile adorning his face, "That's the spirit, Wonder Woman. We'll make sure Cadmus doesn't get away with their actions, but we'll do it within the boundaries of the law."
The responses here are similar enough to how it was when the League would find out about Cadmus years later. Difference here being that they didn't have the Justice Lords yet to serve as an example of what not to do when dealing with delicate problems involving the government.
Now that wasn't to say that I was afraid of this version of the League transitioning to the Lords. Of course, there's the obvious that I'd stop them if they tried, since fuck fascism and the open dictatorship of the Lords would be worse than the disguised kind that was already going on. And besides that, nothing too extreme had happened to push them over the edge, and nor will I allow it, be as small as Lex killing the Flash or as large as the Joker nuking Metropolis and killing Superman's unborn child.
Still, it was something to keep an eye out for, if only so I could nip that in the bud by smacking some sense into them.
As for my response to Cadmus? Ensuring that nobody at the top gets away scot-free as they did in canon, since they barely escaped judgment for their actions after Cadmus was shut down, save for Tala. She possessed formidable magical abilities that would help me get over my one weakness and lacking area in magic, plus I knew I could easily persuade her to join me by showing my power (as seen when she ditched Lex for Grodd) and easy to keep loyal by just being decent to her (which Lex screwed up on resulting in her freeing Grodd and later bringing Darkseid over Brainiac back out of spite). Of course that would have to be done in secret since practically no one would approve.
And speaking of approving, I doubt that my plan would be one that the League would entirely agree with, since this could potentially put lives at risk and cause massive civil unrest; Leaking everything about Cadmus right when they fuck up massively in public. With both the knowledge of and live demonstration of their misdeeds, the public would be rather outraged and demand a stop be put on the organization. Making sure that the news didn't get swept under or outright crushed so it couldn't be ignored would take morally ambiguous measures that'd edge closer to black than white.
Though to be honest, the League's active involvement wasn't truly necessary beyond what they'd already been doing; cleaning up Cadmus' messes in the first place and discrediting Cadmus' purpose.
Hawkgirl, curious about my presence, interrupted, "And not to risk getting off-topic, but what's the Android doing here?"
"Despite not being a full or part-time member, I do find myself to be pretty involved with these kids. So I'd like to know what you guys are going to do for them." I spoke up, "Besides, Batman let me in here."
"He's the one that led us to the Cadmus base and the children in the first place, not to mention he provided some valid insight regarding the group," Batman explained. While I'm flattered, I'm pretty sure that the real reason was so he could keep an eye on me. "Now, with our current stance on Cadmus decided, we still need to handle the victims we saved from them."
"I could offer Erica and Ace asylum in Themyscira," Wonder Woman proposed, "but I am unsure about the males."
"That won't be necessary," Batman interjected, "For now I'm keeping them here for medical examinations. Once those are cleared up, I'll see about finding some means of residence that'll be suitable for them but also out of the way of any government surveillance."
"How about a mountain?" I suggested.
"A mountain? Why exactly would we leave them there?" Green Lantern questioned, looking puzzled. Though that look could apply to everyone else sitting here.
"I don't mean anything like how the monks live it, I mean that if you hollow out the inside of the mountain and reinforce it, it could be a brand new and secure home for them." I clarified.
I was ripping off Mount Justice from Young Justice. Even if the exact mountain or Happy Harbor didn't exist here, there'd be plenty of other places that could work in place of it. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it did considering that this is DC after all, and the writers did bring in Miss Martian from Young Justice over here despite it having been long since established that Manhunter was the last one.
Speaking of who, I really oughta try finding her once I head off to space. Perhaps Saturn would be a good starting point if a YouTube theory is to be believed.
The team considered my suggestion, realizing its merits. Green Lantern spoke up, "...it could work. Not only would it be a remote location to keep them hidden, but it'd also be able to handle their powers should they lose control. Plus it'd be spacious, meaning that if we find any more metahumans and free them from Cadmus they'd have a safe place to go."
Hawkgirl agreed as she added, "It's not a pleasant thought but we can't discount the possibility that there's more metahumans in captivity."
"We would also need to keep an eye on them. Just because the location is hidden from Cadmus doesn't mean that some other problem could find itself there, not to mention to ensure that they're alright."
"Does anyone have any objections or alternatives to suggest?"
"Honestly my only complaint is that a mountain might be too remote for them, considering that they spent most of their lives in a remote desert. But I can understand it being necessary in this case." Flash said.
"If it helps, we can find a mountain near a tropical area. The ocean should offset the sand and give them a nice way to handle the heat." I offered. As a city boy in the last life, I had some fun times at a beach, so I'm sure there'd be nothing wrong with a long time stay besides the bane of Anakin Skywalker's existence, sand.
"I have no complaints; a tropical island alone would be a suitable home." Wonder Woman supported, not at all biased towards islands.
Green Lantern said, "It should be good for now, but we can't keep them there forever. Eventually, they're going to want out and go elsewhere. Now I don't have any kids or sidekicks, but I have a good inkling of what they're like having seen recruits in the military and the Lantern Corps."
"As someone with sidekicks, I can tell you that you're right." Batman agreed as if reminiscing.
"Since they'll remain here for the time being, we can always come back to this another time. With that issue taken care of, we still have one more left to take care of. We need to announce Luthor's death." Batman stated, shifting the focus of the discussion.
The mention of Luthor's demise cast a somber tone over the previously upbeat atmosphere. Even with Batman's eyes hidden behind his cowl, I noticed a brief flicker towards me. Now the all-whiteness of the eyes in Batman's cowl meant that his irises were unseeable, but I was more than able to spot a brief flicker of them towards me.
"We'll need to schedule an announcement with a major news conference." Batman continued, "And we'll have to talk with Mercy Graves, just to make sure that neither Brainiac nor Luthor left anything for us to deal with from beyond the grave."
Superman added, "We'll also need to talk to her for any info she might know about Cadmus, since she was Luthor's closest confidant she might know what his involvement with them would entail."
"And if Luthor was indeed funding Cadmus, we can persuade her to halt their financial support, dealing a crippling blow to their operations," Wonder Woman suggested.
"True, but we shouldn't assume Mercy will comply, nor should we discount their ability to act independently," Batman cautioned.
"Perhaps we could see this from a different angle. Rather than cripple them, we could have her use the funding as a means of control. Threaten to pull back funding if they misuse it," Superman suggested for an alternative approach.
"She seemed rather spiteful of Luthor; she might just go along with it to stop whatever plan he had. Though for all we know this could've been purely Brainiac's." Batman said with a measure of skepticism.
"Speaking of Brainiac, I have an idea. Now I'm just suggesting since I'll leave this whole thing to more experienced folks." I suggested while acknowledging my limited experience, I didn't really have much of it in these situations as either Amazo or my old self.
"Your insights regarding Cadmus have proven keen so far, despite your lack of experience." Batman pointed out, a compliment with a hint of allegation (which was fair since all I supposedly did was just watch television), "So continue and we'll tell you if it's feasible."
Accepting his approval to continue, I outlined a course of action, "If we give them some proof that Luthor, a man planning to run for president, was being controlled by Brainiac via technology that even he, for all of his intelligence, couldn't detect, they'd probably focus all of their efforts on anything to do with that. Notably, anything Luthor was involved in like the officials he interacted with or tech he supplied, and made technology to detect and counter such a thing. And if the President along with every sponsor of Cadmus was aware of this, they'd have to focus the bulk of their funding and efforts towards that."
Batman took a moment to consider my plan before acknowledging its potential, "…that plan could work rather well. However, we need to ensure we possess concrete evidence, which may be hard to do considering what happened to the last piece that we had. Simply relying on our words would be insufficient to convince those that we need to."
Ah right, the only evidence was now a mess of man and metal that was disintegrated.
Though, I did recall that Brainiac hid an entire fucking spaceship within LexCorp tower that he'd use a year later. Brainiac may be stupidly smart, but I doubt that even he had the ship finished at this point if he still wanted to hide from Lex, so it may still be in construction there.
"Perhaps you guys should investigate LexCorp to find anything Brainiac could've left behind. I imagine that Lex would keep some of his most valuable things there, and in turn, so would Brainiac."
"It serves as both evidence and a precautionary measure." Batman agreed, finalizing the next course of action, Superman, your enhanced vision will be invaluable in uncovering hidden compartments, and Manhunter, we will rely on your telepathy to ensure Mercy isn't withholding any information. Amazo, your ability to locate Brainiac initially makes you a valuable asset in finding any other traces of his presence."
"Sure, I wouldn't mind helping out," I replied casually, ready to fulfill my role as a metal detector.
—-
"...he's dead?" Mercy Graves, current CEO of LexCorp and former head minion to Lex Luthor, asked in shock.
"Yes, I understand if it must be hard to hear-" Superman was about to console,
"Good!" Mercy interrupted, "Bastard nearly choked me to death the last time I saw him."
'Although there is some sadness in her, she is genuine in that statement.' Martian Manhunter said through his comm. The man was intangible as to hide his presence from her. After the last time Batman and Superman spoke with her, she was less than honest so it was a m
"I'm sorry that you had to go through such a thing," Superman consoled empathically.
"Eh, it's not the first time I almost died because of Lex," Mercy shrugged off, "Besides, I'm here, and he's rotting in hell."
Superman looked uncomfortable at her dismissing such a thing but continued the conversation, "But that's not all we're here to talk about with you."
"We plan on holding a conference to announce Luthor's death, but what we plan on telling the public will be different from what we'll tell you."
Mercy's curiosity was piqued as she asked, "So, you finally did it, didn't you?". To anyone aware of the history she was a part of with Lex Luthor and Superman, the question hardly needed to be said.
Before Superman could reply, feeling a complicated mix of emotions at the assumption, Batman corrected her, "No, it wasn't. It was a flight of stairs, actually."
"What?" she blurted out, rather taken aback.
"Yes," Batman continued, having expected the interruption, "His heart acted out while he was on a flight of stairs. He fell, then broke his neck and died."
"That's... quite the coincidence," she replied, her tone laced with a mix of surprise and skepticism, "Are you expecting me to believe that Lex Luthor, of all people, had a random accident on a flight of stairs?"
Superman sighed, understanding her skepticism, before chiming in, "I know it sounds unlikely, but it's the truth. We have investigated thoroughly, and there's no evidence of foul play. It seems to have been a tragic accident."
"I have photo evidence of the aftermath, found at Professor Arthur Ivo's home," Batman said as he reached into his ever-handy utility belt and provided evidence to support their explanation.
Mercy's eyes widened at the reveal of the location, the place where she sent Lex to find Ivo. Her eyes then subtly flickered to her drawer, where she had the device that Batman gave her earlier before looking back at Batman. He didn't give any tells, but she knew that he knew that she was the one who sent Luthor there. That she lied to him and Superman by telling them that she'd let them know if Lex called.
As she examined the photos, Mercy's skepticism gave way to surprise and acceptance. Finally, she let out a laugh, realizing the implications, "This is what you're trying to cover up? From how you were making it sound, I thought that Superman finally killed him. Listen, if you're trying to preserve his dignity or something, don't bother. He doesn't deserve it. Hell, I'll pay you to spread this info for the world to hear, for someone as obsessed with legacy as Lex, he'd be seething for the rest of time at being remembered that way." she finished with spite.
Batman denied before clarifying their motive, "That's not the reason why we're covering it up. Though we have a crime scene, we don't have his body to back anything up. Since we had to destroy it."
"What, did his suit explode after falling down the stairs or something?"
"No," Superman interjected, "Because it turns out that for the past couple of years, Luthor was under the influence of Brainiac."
Mercy's eyes widened in shock as she processed Batman's revelation. Her expression shifted from amusement to a mix of disbelief and concern.
"Brainiac?" she repeated, her voice filled with surprise. "You're saying that Lex was being controlled by Brainiac all this time? How is that even possible?"
Superman nodded solemnly. "We discovered evidence that Brainiac had infiltrated Lex's mind and was manipulating his actions. A nanochip was implanted into him. It seems Lex wasn't fully aware of it himself. We believe Brainiac's ultimate goal was to use Lex as a vessel for his own purposes."
Mercy's skepticism melted away as she realized the magnitude of what Batman and Superman were telling her. The pieces started falling into place, if anyone would've noticed then who else than the man's right-hand woman, she couldn't help but feel a mix of anger and sympathy for Lex.
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath. "Lex was always so obsessed with power and control. I guess in the end, he became a pawn himself. It's a twisted fate, one he'd probably be more enraged about that than the stairs."
"We understand that this news may be difficult to accept," Batman said. "But we need to handle this situation delicately. Revealing the truth about Brainiac's influence could cause panic and undermine the trust people have in their leaders. We want to ensure a smooth investigation and prevent any further chaos."
Mercy took a deep breath, processing the implications, "Alright, I can understand why you're covering this all up now. The stairs are something so ridiculous that people are going to want to investigate, and we can't spread panic that Luthor was infected with a killer robot. Besides, LexCorp stocks will take a hit once that comes out."
"But what happened to Brainiac then?"
"The League fought and defeated him, which resulted in an explosion that destroyed Lex's body. We had to ensure there were no remains for Brainiac to come back from. Which is why we're here since he was trying to flee from us and run towards LexCorp Tower." Batman explained.
"Shit," Mercy cursed harshly at the realization that she almost had to deal with that, "There's some hidden locations here that only Lex and I could enter. But if there's anywhere that Brainiac would have left something, it'd be the one place even I couldn't go. Lex's secret lab."
Batman nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "That lab could hold a threat if Brainiac has any more nanochips in there or any contingencies. We need to secure LexCorp Tower and prevent any further manipulation or infiltration."
Mercy's eyes narrowed, her determination resurfacing. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect LexCorp and ensure that all traces of Brainiac are eradicated. Just let me know how I can help you."
Superman and Batman exchanged a concerned glance, realizing the potential danger that lay within Luthor's secret lab. Likely where some of his most dangerous inventions lay.
"We need to access that secret lab," Superman said firmly. "If there's any trace of Brainiac or his technology there, we have to find it and neutralize it before it falls into the wrong hands."
Mercy nodded, her expression determined. "I'll take you there, but be warned, it has some of the best security in the country, if not the planet. Lex never liked unexpected visitors, especially ones who threatened his secrets."
"And I guess this is where I come in," I said, walking out of the balcony.
Mercy looked at me in shock, which was the understandable recitation to 10ft tall mandroid.
"...and who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm Amazo, the greatest and final creation of the guy you fired, Professor Arthur Ivo." I introduced myself, "By the way, since Lex broke my doors and stairs, I'm sending you the bill."
Mercy's eyes widened further as she took in my presence, processing the unexpected arrival of this rather intimidating android belonging to someone she fired due to costing too much money. Batman minutely twitched an eye at the mention of Lex breaking my stairs.
"Amazo? Professor Ivo's final creation?" she repeated, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of concern, her next words with confusion. "What brings you here, and why should I be responsible for the bill?"
"If you could recall, Ivo was one of the best when it comes to nanotechnology, and being an android entirely composed of the stuff and the guy who found Brainiac in the first place, I'd be quite helpful in finding any other traces of him." I explained, "As for the bill, I figured that since you'd be so used to cleaning up Lex's messes that you'd do so one last time."
"Hmm, in that case, help root out anything with an ounce of Brainiac and I'll not only pay you for your doors and stairs, but I'll also compensate you for your assistance in this mission," Mercy replied, "Hell, I'll give the whole place a renovation if you want, free of charge. But for now, let's focus on this."
Oho, that'll be quite useful. Adding five rooms came to mind along with a variety of other neat things.
"Deal. I'll assist you in locating any remnants of Brainiac within LexCorp Tower. Afterwards, we can discuss some renovations."
Superman and Batman exchanged a glance, likely surprised at our little interaction. Though I could also see a bit of a scowl from the Dark Knight at the mention of renovations, likely from the possibility of having to remove every bug in my house to avoid detection and putting them all back in again.
Superman cleared his throat, bringing the focus back to the task at hand. "Thank you both for your cooperation. Now let's work together to ensure the safety of everyone and put an end to Brainiac's influence once and for all."
As we ventured deeper into the secret lab beneath LexCorp Tower, we found ourselves on a leisurely stroll. Though the gawking from the employees might've put a damper to it, but it wasn't like I could blame them. It must've been strange, seeing the Dark Knight so far away from Gotham and just walking like an average man along with the CEO. Though the reactions with Superman, Lex Luthor's greatest enemy, were a different story considering how often Mercy had to tell the security team off and reassure them that she wasn't being threatened.
Besides the walk, getting to the sub lab was simple as Mercy had all of the codes that handled any security measures that would've been easy for me or Superman to walk through or for Batman to solve.
As for the secret lab itself,
"To be honest, Lex never expected anyone to get this far, baseline or metahuman. Well, except for you, Superman. So behind this wall and door of 10-inch thick titanium, I think you'd be able to guess what's behind here."
Superman scanned the door and the wall behind it with his X-ray vision, yet seemed to find it blocked, as neither could I. Seems that it was lined with lead, which while not very good for personal health was rather good for Superman-proofing. He then turned to Mercy and asked, "Do you have any idea what he might have kept behind this door?"
Mercy shrugged, "I can only speculate. Lex kept a lot of his most sensitive and dangerous projects hidden away in here. It could be anything from experimental weapons to advanced technology. But given our current situation, I wouldn't be surprised if there's something related to Brainiac."
"Then let's find out," Superman said as his eyes began to glow red. As he used his heat vision to cut open the door, we were greeted with a dimly lit room filled with advanced technology and machinery. The air was tinged with a metallic scent, and the hum of electricity filled the space. The room seemed much larger than expected, extending farther than the eye could see.
"Welcome to Lex's secret lab," Mercy remarked, her voice echoing in the vast chamber. "This is where he worked on his most ambitious projects, away from prying eyes."
As we stepped inside, our footsteps echoing on the polished floor, we began to explore the lab, searching for any signs of Brainiac's influence. The many screen displays showcased schematics, experiments, and theoretical calculations. Glass cabinets held prototypes of advanced weaponry, and computer terminals flickered with data.
And standing proud was a large stockpile of Kryptonite.
Despite being a distance away, the vast quantities of the rock were having their effect on Superman, as he took a knee and was straining to keep himself in that pose at all.
As for me, fucking hell I got lucky when I scanned Ben. The guy was as durable as Superman while also lacking the ability to feel pain. So while I knew that my body was getting weaker the closer I was to the Kryptonite, I could ignore the debilitating effect they usually had on Kryptonians.
To say why it'd be problematic to have to explain away my reaction would be a bit of an understatement.
That said, I was also happening to bask in the radiation. After all, while I could gain strengths and weaknesses, I can also adapt with what I had gained.
Meaning that by the time I reached the cache, I was at the very weakest I could be. Though I suppose that it'd be a lie since I could still use my other abilities, but I am currently without my Kryptonian powers.
"I can destroy it if you'd want," I asked Batman, Superman being a bit too busy reeling on the ground to voice anything but pain.
"You can?" Batman asked, intrigued at a display of my capabilities. No doubt something he'll go over in length to add to my threat assessment.
"Yep, I can shoot lasers. You know, standard robot stuff."
Batman seemed a bit conflicted, not too keen on destroying what was likely the largest amount of Kryptonite he'd ever seen, though I'm sure that Lex had more elsewhere since so much of the remnants of the far away alien planet found its way here.
He then looked at Superman and any reservations he had were gone, "Do it. This much Kryptonite being around is just asking for it to be stolen and misused."
I nodded and held my hand out, generating the energy to use Scott's power and blasted the pile of space rocks.
By the time I was done, not a single pebble remained. And I was now immune to Kryptonite, though it remains to be seen if that would apply to the colored variants, but I should resist those at the very least.
Now with my attention away from the Kryptonite, I scanned the surroundings, my advanced sensors analyzing every inch of the secret lab. Some of this being tech I would remember Lex using later on in the show. Annoyingly enough, what could've been an absolute game changer in being one of the most powerful devices Lex made wasn't here, not a blueprint or even a sketch could be found of it. The weapon he used to remove the powers of the Justice Lords.
I suppose that a weapon like that would have to be kept as close to the chest as possible, this being his head with that photographic memory of his, lest anything risk revealing its existence to the world. People, hero or villain, tended to be quite fond of their powers and would stop at nothing to keep them, be it within the confines of morality or perfectly willing to commit massive acts of damage and death, and the reverse could be said for those who would want to strip said powers away.
So even if the weapon's effect was temporary, since Justice Lord Superman became a threat later on after his defeat, it's a good thing Lex never shared it with anyone other than himself. As while I was confident in my ability to adapt to things, up to the Anti-Life Equation and a superior version of myself, I didn't want to risk being powerless for however long it'd take me to adapt from that and gain my powers back.
Anyway, I would've doubted my ability to find anything despite being a nanotech machine, but after having scanned the Brainiac that was inside of Luthor, I was part Brainiac. Not truly since it wasn't the true and complete version of him, so I lacked the more impressive features that version had. Regardless, It wasn't long before I detected a trace of Brainiac's signature.
It was certainly larger than a nanochip. So that could only mean that it was the spaceship, as I had expected.
My attention was now drawn to a peculiar structure tucked away in a corner. (while saying tucked made it sound small, this place was the size of a football field). It resembled an incomplete spaceship, constructed with Earth materials instead of alien technology.
As I approached the spaceship, my sensors scanned it for any signs of hidden compartments or concealed devices. The rest of the team gathered around, their anticipation growing.
As I completed my analysis, I relayed the information to the three. "The ship appears to be a genuine construct of Brainiac's design, without a hint of Luthor's input, but there are no traces of his presence or any hidden devices within it. It seems to be a vessel meant for space travel, equipped with an active power source. Most likely made for the event that he gets found out and needed to leave the planet."
Superman's brows furrowed as he processed the information. "If Brainiac had a contingency plan for escaping Earth should he be found, it likely means he was prepared for the possibility of defeat. We need to disable the ship and ensure it can't be used against us or anyone else."
Batman nodded in agreement. "Agreed. Even if Brainiac was either truly gone or unable to reach it, we can't take any chances and allow this ship to fall into the wrong hands. Amazo, can you dismantle the ship's power source and render it inoperable?"
I nodded, analyzing the ship's power source with my sensors. "I should be able to disable it. Give me a moment."
With precise movements, I accessed the power source and began the process of dismantling it. Despite not being Brainiac himself, I did gain a better idea of his tech, giving me a structural analysis type of sight that allowed me to know how to disable the power core.
After a few minutes, I disconnected the power source and confirmed its complete deactivation. "The ship's power source has been neutralized. It won't be able to function now without it or something capable of its output, which not many things on Earth could."
Superman's expression relaxed, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. "Thank you, Amazo. Your help has been invaluable."
"Oh you're welcome, all in a day's work and that," I replied a bit hammily with a nod and my hands on my hips.
Mercy nodded approvingly, "Well done, Amazo. I can certainly understand why Ivo was costing LexCorp so much money now if it meant getting out quality such as yourself. Say, if you happened to be looking for work, I could use someone of your talents…"
I tilted my head while placing my fist under my chin, considering the offer. It was an appealing one, working directly, for now, one of the most wealthy individuals on the planet. And should she learns the truth behind Lex's 'accident', she'd be rather grateful about him no longer having to worry about her new life being taken away.
Didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes, something she likely figured by now with me eyeing her a bit, to which she only offered a knowing smirk.
On the other end, Batman was not too happy about the offer or the fact that I was even considering it. Likely due to his suspicions of me killing Luthor, with a new element to that in Mercy being the biggest benefactor from the man's death. It could even be stretched to go as far as that this whole event was a plan of hers; Luthor gets injured and his disease gets bad enough, gets desperate for medical help, goes to a remote area looking for Ivo, finds me, and then is found dead. Though her surprise at seeing me and that I belonged to Ivo was genuine, and something he'd be able to tell.
Or he was just grumpy at the fact that with my scanners being able to scan nanotech, I'd be more than able to notice his bugs when I got back home, hehe.
Now, I could just read his mind rather than speculate such things, but Batman was one of the few people I didn't want to risk such an attempt on. The guy has contingencies on all of the League, including the mind-reading Martian Manhunter, so he might have some form of counter; like say filling his surface thoughts with nonsense while hiding his actual thoughts deeper in his mind. And even if he didn't, yet, he was able to resist Ace's insanity-inducing power, so he might be able to notice when someone is reading his thoughts or resist or even guard against such a thing.
And out of the three present, two were known not to possess telepathy while I was very much an unknown. Wouldn't be too hard for him to have as a prime suspect. Plus Manhunter was still trailing us so he'd definitely would be able to notice, just keeping away in case any of the meatbags here showed any gained influence from Brainiac,
Yet, regardless of confirming or disproving the Dark Knight's suspicions, my decision on the offer was more towards what I wanted rather than the thoughts of others.
"While I happen to be built as a rather decent bodyguard, if I do so say so myself, and the idea of working under you sounds as fine as yourself, I do find myself as more of a wandering soul at the moment. But perhaps we could discuss temporary arrangements should you need my services, while also discussing my doors and renovations?"
Mercy looked a bit disappointed at my decision but nodded nonetheless. "That's fine. I understand the desire for independence. If you ever change your mind or find yourself in need of a new opportunity, don't hesitate to reach out as the offer still stands. And certainly, we can discuss your doors and renovations. I'm always open to exploring mutually beneficial arrangements."
Mercy then turned to Batman, her expression growing grim, "I hope you two didn't find anything in the secret lab that would threaten the world. I'd rather not have any more incidents like this."
Batman nodded, "No, we found nothing else that could actively be a threat. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that Brainiac is completely gone. Still, we have much to discuss regarding Luthor; the announcement of his death and his involvement in a threat we just discovered. Tell me, does Project Cadmus ring any bells for you?"
-XXXX-
Cadmus Headquarters, New Mexico
Headmaster John Lynch stood before Amanda Waller, head of Cadmus, his expression a mix of anxiety and apprehension. The room was filled with tension as Waller began to address him, her displeasure evident in her stern demeanor.
"So, somehow an android managed to enter your facility without detection while also contacting outside individuals undetected," Waller stated, her voice dripping with disapproval. "Those two alone would be reason enough to have you called into question, but can be excusable considering the kinds of technology out there and that the facility was more to keep the metahumans in rather than hide them from the outside world."
Lynch's palms grew clammy as he nervously fidgeted, realizing the gravity of the situation. He had anticipated Waller's anger, but the weight of her disappointment was crushing.
"What isn't acceptable," Waller continued, her tone turning icy, "is that not only did you lose five metahumans, three of which had the potential to be vital assets to us, but also allowed every ounce of data in the facility to be stolen. And to top it off, now the Justice League knows that we exist."
The beads of sweat on Lynch's forehead grew larger, his heart pounding in his chest. He struggled to find the right words to defend himself, knowing that his explanations might fall short. He had failed in the worst possible way—by exposing Cadmus and its operations to the world's most powerful superhero team.
"I... I understand the severity of the situation, Director Waller," Lynch stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "We faced unforeseen circumstances, and the android's arrival took us by surprise."
"That's not good enough," Amanda declared, her voice authoritative and unwavering. "Effective immediately, you are relieved of your duties as Headmaster. An internal investigation will be conducted to determine the full extent of the damage and the necessary steps to be taken. You will cooperate fully, and any attempt to impede the investigation will only worsen your situation."
"Consider yourself fortunate that we have alternative assets to compensate for the loss of the metahumans and that your service history has been stellar, otherwise there would be no future in Cadmus for you. Despite your failure here, Project Genesis has been doing well since your reassignment."
"...I know that I am not in the position to ask, but, is my son-"
"Burnout, along with the rest of Gen 13, is doing well," Waller interrupted curtly. "That is all the information you need to know."
Before any more could be said, the door was slammed open by an out of breath yet hyperventilating agent.
"Ma'am!" The agent yelled with a hasty salute.
"What reason do you have for interrupting our meeting? It better be a damn good reason!" Waller demanded.
"It's the news! On national television!" the agent exclaimed, presenting the headlines.
'Breaking News! The JUSTICE LEAGUE has announced the DEATH of ALEXANDER "LEX" LUTHOR!'
The room fell into a momentary silence as Waller processed the shocking news and neither man wanted to disrupt it and risk her ire. Her mind raced laps rapidly, assessing the implications along with recent events.
"…get the conference room ready. Now!"
—
"This is an act of war! First, they steal our assets, now they take out our major source of funding!" General Wade Eilling, head of Cadmus' military division, cried out.
"Luthor is dead? While he was diagnosed with radiation cancer from Kryptonite, it shouldn't mean that his body would be irradiated enough that it'd require disintegration. This seems more like a cover-up. I knew that it was only a matter of time before Superman would fall!" Professor Emil Hamilton, director of S.T.A.R. Labs and head scientist of Cadmus, said.
"Interesting. Nothing before suggested a breaking point for any of the League. I wonder how this will affect Batman. If he can kill Luthor, or allow Superman to have done it, this may spread to how they'll handle other villains." Doctor Hugo Strange, a rogue of Batman and head of Cadmus' psychology division, mused out loud.
Tala, the head of Cadmus' supernatural division, remained largely indifferent to the news, displaying little concern for Luthor's demise or the Justice League's discovery of Cadmus.
"Enough!" Waller commanded, silencing the room. "While Lex Luthor's death is regrettable for various reasons, primarily the loss of a major funding source, we have managed without him and will continue to do so. Besides, his money is not gone yet; it's most likely in the hands of Mercy Graves. We'll just need to convince her to continue funding us."
"She's Luthor's guard dog, she'll likely throw money at us just so we'll have a better shot at taking down the Justice League. Because let's be real, it's clear that they're the reason that he's dead. This whole incident reeks of a cover-up," Eilling scoffed.
"That remains to be seen whether she'll fund us, and it'll be a matter that I'll handle personally. In the meantime, we need to deal with a more pressing problem. The Justice League knows that we exist." Waller declared, "However, they have had no idea about our existence besides that one base and whatever data it may have held, which is only a fraction of the greater whole, otherwise they would've come for all of us rather than bothering with that press conference. Still, we have a problem with the Android that led them to us."
"And that Android is absent from the rest of the League, so he's not some new member of theirs." Eilling mused, "Which means that he's on his own."
"Precisely," Waller agreed, her mind racing while formulating a plan, turning over to Hamilton, "Hamilton. Tell Galatea that she has a new assignment," she instructed.
"What should I tell her?" Hamilton asked.
"Tell her that the android has one chance to cooperate with us and explain how the hell it knew about the base, if not then she's to turn it into scrap and bring it to Cadmus for use. She's to look in Metropolis, as that's where the Android supposedly lives, gathered from the few bugs that survived. Her x-ray vision will be helpful in detecting the Android quickly."
Before further instructions could be given, an urgent alert sounded, drawing Waller's attention. She swiftly answered the call upon noticing who it was coming from.
"Hello, Mr. President. What can I do for you?" she asked, her tone respectful.
"Waller, I trust that you're aware of recent news." the President inquired.
"Yes, that Lex Luthor is dead." she confirmed.
"Yes, however, there is more to it. The Justice League has revealed to me why they haven't told the truth in their announcement and I'm rather thankful for it."
Waller's intrigue grew, and she leaned in, eager to hear the President's explanation, "What reason could there be?"
"Because Lex Luthor was under the influence of Brainiac for years." the President revealed, his voice filled with astonishment and alarm.
"What!?" Waller exclaimed, shocked by the revelation.
"I was just as surprised as you, but they've shown me proof that seems to back that up. Of course, I'll have our own scientists and S.T.A.R. Labs look into it for further confirmation, but the League has given me no reason so far to doubt their word. And apparently, this was done through a nanotechnology implant that no one has been able to detect." He ended in way that expressed his worry alongside an accusation, at her for missing a thing of such significance. "I don't think I need to tell you how much of a clusterfuck this would've been if the public were aware of this, with how close Luthor and LexCorp are to major industries in the country, not to mention various politicians of both parties. I wanted Cadmus on this yesterday! The Imperium and Apokalips were bad enough but we could somewhat hope to fight them conventionally, tech like this isn't!"
"I understand Mr. President, I share your concern in this as well. I assure you that Cadmus will spare no effort in ensuring that something like this won't slip past us again."
"You better," the President warned sternly, "And all funding given to you will only be for that purpose. Even a single cent out of place will not make me happy with you. Is that clear." He ended with a question, but the tone made it expected that it was one that was already answered.
"Yes, Mr. President," Waller affirmed. After that, the President ended the call.
The room was silent at the revelation.
"Strange, I will prepare a list of everyone of note that I can find who has interacted with Lex Luthor following Brainiac's attack along with what we have on their personalities. I want you to look for even the slightest change following even a single word shared between the two." Waller said, breaking the silence.
Dr. Strange nodded in response to Waller's instructions. "Understood, Director. I'll analyze the behavioral patterns and interactions of those individuals to identify any potential influence or changes resulting from the encounter with Brainiac. It might shed light on the extent of his control and the implications it could've had on Luthor's actions."
"Eilling, the same goes for any interaction Luthor has had with the military, be it the high-ranking personnel or any sort of technology that LexCorp has provided to it."
General Eilling nodded in response to Waller's directive. "Yes, Director Waller. I'll gather a team to thoroughly investigate any military connections and interactions with Lex Luthor and LexCorp. We'll review contracts, communication records, and technological exchanges to determine if there were any hidden agendas or manipulations at play with this context in mind."
"Tala, while I don't know how much of this will apply, I need you to find a way to magically detect if a person has been changed or influenced mentally by another."
Tala nodded curtly as she considered the request, "Detecting mental alterations resulting from magical influence can be a delicate endeavor, for matters involving the mind often necessitate, but I shall delve into a range of divination and scrying methods to unveil any remnants of mental interference or manipulation on such a small scale."
"Hamilton, how familiar are you with nanotechnology?" Waller inquired Hamilton last, shifting her focus to the step of her plans that was the most immediate.
"It's not something that I'm intimately familiar with… and neither are the scientists in our employ. I can check around S.T.A.R Labs-" Hamilton offered.
"Tell me the scientist most proficient in the field, it's a matter of national security."
"Hm, the first that comes to mind would be Professor Arthur Ivo. The man was one of the best in his field, however, he is working for Luthor if I recall correctly."
"This means that provided that he isn't compromised by Brainiac, he'd be able to notice any discrepancies between Luthor's technology and Brainiacs. As well as make something that we can use to detect him. And if he happens to be compromised, he needs to be eliminated to prevent the spread of any more Brainiac nanochips."
"Do you happen to know where he lives?"
"I don't have that information on hand, but we have a catalog with details on potential subjects of interest," Hamilton replied, gesturing to an assistant to retrieve the necessary information.
Waller called an assistant of her own before relaying orders, "Send a strike team to bring Professor Ivo to us. Start with persuasion, but if necessary, use force. We need his expertise."
"Location, ma'am?"
An assistant rushed in with the catalog opened on the page containing the relevant information about Arthur Ivo.
"Within the city of Metropolis, 421 Briarwood Mountain View,"
—XXX-
"421 Briarwood Mountain View," Galatea, Cadmus' elite operative and clone of Supergirl, murmured, intrigued as she observed the opulent residence nestled in the serene woods of Metropolis, "An awfully nice place for an android of all things to live in."
She had been tasked with locating the mysterious android that had compromised Cadmus' operations and led the Justice League to one of their secret facilities. Either to drag it to be questioned and then turned to scrap, or turn it to scrap here and now.
It took her some time, but eventually, she managed to find the android in a relatively remote area. Simply sitting in a chair watching television of all things.
Galatea descended gracefully, her feet lightly touching the ground as she landed near the residence's entrance. With a swift motion, Galatea pushed open the doors, though it was too swift as they flew off the hinges before crashing to the ground.
To her surprise, the scene that greeted her was not what she had anticipated. Instead of a lifeless, and rather dusty, abode, she found herself facing a group of fallen Cadmus agents sprawled at the bottom of a flight of stairs, with all of their necks broken.
With the android now standing at the top of the stairs, gazing upon her with bright red eyes.
"In my defense, these guys broke into my home and got surprised when I told them to fuck off," the man stated matter-of-factly, gesturing towards the fallen Cadmus agents. "And turns out that tactical gear ain't too good when one's falling down the stairs."
Confused, and having expected none of whatever this situation was, Galatea blurted out, "What?"
#######
XXXXXXXX
Second chapter of 2023! And the longest one so far! (that outta make up for the long wait I hope.)
so, it has been quite a while, hasn't it? Tbh, eeirdly enough, part 2 was significantly easier for me to write. In that it took me a week to write out as opposed to the about a month it took to have part 1 done (aculmulatively speaking that is) So I would be surprised if part 1 is the one with the most changes. And the first half of the chapter has mostly been done for quite a while but I just wasn't too happy with it on its own. Funny enough, the second half was a lot easier for me to write lol. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter as it's been a while since I've been in the head space to write for it. So I expect to be doing quite a few edits and fixes, or even an addition or reduction or two, I just finished writing this thing out event wise.
Now due to the length, I was considering spilitting this up into two parts. Part 1 being Amazo with the League, and part 2 being Amazo, Bats, Supes, and MM (in the background since I just remembered he was there lol) with Mercy followed by a Cadmus POV followed by a Galatea POV. But I feel that the first part worked better with the 2nd than without.
Now, for the chapter you've all waited for, for so long; Amazo and the League discussed their next course of action in regards to Cadmus and the living situation for the Royal Flush Gang, Bats, Supes, and Amazo payed Mercy a visit and Amazo is now immune to Kryptonite (leaving just fire as his only weakness). On the Cadmus side of things, they'll be busy with what the League dumped on them, also dropped in an AU element with Gen-13/Wildstorm, and what I'm sure what many of you have been looking forward to; Galatea meeting Amazo. Followed by a cliffhanger, sorry about that but it seemed the best place to end things.
Next chapter will pick off right where we left off from. Now for a bit of a debate/situation for both Amazo, to either try to talk the clone into leaving Cadmus on his own or have the League come along to handle her. I'm kinda leaning on having Amazo deal with Galatea on his own since he'd be a lot less hostile towards her being a clone of Supergirl plus both being created 'machines' can relate and empathize more to each other. Then there's whether or not to make encounters out of this to turn her slowly or to have it be a one and done thing for her joining team Amazo.
now, for whether or not it was Amazo or the stairs that did the mooks in, you'll have to wait and see for that.
Anyway, I hope that you guys liked this chapter and leave me your thoughts/critique/feedback on it.
