"Invasion?"
Wonder Woman looked at Adrian with clear surprise, a trace of confusion in her eyes. At this point in time, she could not understand how Earth could still be facing outside threats.
Did they not know the current situation on this planet?
"Who are the invaders?" Diana asked.
"Not confirmed yet," Adrian replied.
His gaze drifted briefly toward Shazam and the others standing at a distance before returning to Diana. "Have the Justice Society assemble."
"Understood," Diana answered without hesitation.
She immediately followed up, stepping forward as Adrian prepared to leave. "Adrian, let's go together."
"I'm heading to Metropolis first."
Without waiting for a response, Adrian shot upward into the sky with a sonic boom. The atmosphere rippled violently as the air was forced apart by his speed. Clouds above were pushed aside in a wide shockwave.
By the time Diana looked up, he was already gone.
Jenna, the Green Lantern, had been observing everything from a short distance. She quickly approached Diana after Adrian's departure.
"What just happened?" she asked.
"It's serious," Wonder Woman replied. "Looks like your weekend just ended early."
---
Metropolis, Daily Planet
Lois Lane sat at her desk, fingers moving quickly across her keyboard as she worked on a breaking report.
Her focus was Lex Luthor's recent aggressive expansion in the corporate world.
In just a single month, Lex had acquired three companies. At the same time, he had been recruiting top tier engineers and scientists from across the country, creating fierce competition even against LuthorCorp's own internal interests.
The conflict between Lex and his father's influence had grown so severe it was nearly headed for legal escalation.
Lois knew this story had weight. It was exactly the kind of investigation that could define her career.
Still, an interview would make it perfect.
She leaned back slightly and looked out the window. Sunlight poured into the office, bright and steady. A faint sigh escaped her.
"If Chloe were here, she'd handle this easily," Lois muttered to herself. "She always knew how to get information out of him."
But Chloe was out of town on assignment. That meant Lois was handling everything alone.
She grabbed her bag, preparing to head out toward LexCorp for the press event happening today. It was the perfect opportunity to get answers directly.
As she stepped out of her office, she nearly bumped into her editor, Hanks.
"Hey, Lois," Hanks said, adjusting his suit and offering a practiced smile. "Are you free tonight?"
Lois looked him over with immediate suspicion. "Let me guess. That's your way of asking me out?"
"Well, if you're not busy this afternoon, I was thinking maybe we could get dinner," Hanks replied.
"Sorry," Lois said instantly.
Her tone was sharp and unambiguous. "If your hormones are getting the better of you, I suggest the Sailboat Bar. Or better yet, the Rooster Bar a couple of blocks down. I'm sure you'll find plenty of company there."
The implication was clear. The Rooster Bar was known in the city as a gay bar.
Hanks blinked, but kept smiling awkwardly. "A bar sounds great. If you're interested, Lois, we could go together."
Lois exhaled sharply. "I haven't been drunk in a long time. And I don't trust your intentions at all."
Hanks went quiet, clearly realizing the conversation had gone nowhere in his favor.
Lois brushed past him with a polite, "Excuse me."
As she turned, her bag swung slightly and accidentally struck him hard in the lower body.
A sharp sound of pain escaped Hanks as he immediately doubled over, face tightening as he crouched down.
Lois did not notice. She continued walking as if nothing had happened.
For men like him, especially ones with a reputation for being overly forward, Lois believed consequences were sometimes educational.
Nearby, Jimmy witnessed the entire moment. He instinctively winced, sympathy and secondhand pain flashing across his face.
"Jimmy," Lois called out suddenly.
He straightened quickly. "Yeah?"
"I've got an interview at LexCorp. You're coming with me."
"Me?" Jimmy pointed at himself.
"Yes, you. Unless there's someone else sitting here I missed," Lois said flatly.
Jimmy swallowed and nodded quickly. "Right, I'm coming."
He had no intention of ending up like Hanks.
---
LexCorp Underground Laboratory
Deep beneath the surface of the building, Lex Luthor stood in a high security lab surrounded by advanced monitoring systems and research equipment.
Grayson stood beside him, observing quietly.
"I once collected meteor fragments from around the world," Lex said calmly. "Many of them carried unusual properties."
"They are gone now, but the data they left behind… it revealed something much larger."
He activated a screen.
A blurry video appeared. It showed a field recording of a woman speaking during an investigation. Before she could finish, something moved across the frame at extreme speed. The attack was instant and violent.
Grayson frowned as the footage ended.
Lex continued. "Before Superman and Homelander appeared publicly, there were already signs of extraterrestrial influence on Earth. Some of these beings carry abilities far beyond human limits."
"I began collecting evidence and conducting experiments. That work was interrupted when Lionel had me committed."
Grayson crossed his arms. "And how far have you gone with it now?"
Lex looked at him.
"Human trials."
He pressed a button.
A reinforced door opened far below.
A figure shot out instantly.
Fast. Controlled. Violent.
The masked subject moved like a weapon, dismantling armed guards with brutal efficiency. Gunfire erupted, but it was useless. The subject moved faster than reaction time itself.
A guard fired. The bullet never connected. In the next moment, the guard was grabbed and killed with a single motion.
Grayson stepped back in alarm. "Stop him. He's coming!"
Lex remained still.
The countdown began across the facility monitors.
10 seconds.
9 seconds.
8 seconds.
Grayson's panic rose. "Lex, we need to leave now. If he reaches us, we're dead."
"Relax," Lex said evenly.
3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.
The metal door exploded inward.
The subject stood in front of Lex, gun raised.
Silence filled the room.
Lex looked at him without fear. "Drop it."
Slowly, the masked figure lowered the weapon.
Grayson stared in disbelief.
"You almost got us killed," he said.
"No," Lex replied calmly. "I tested my subject under real conditions."
The subject stood motionless.
Lex stepped forward slightly. "Project Zeus is progressing as expected. We are relocating the facility to the Smallville Dam."
Grayson frowned. "What are you actually trying to accomplish?"
Lex paused.
"Prove one thing," he said.
"That humans are meant for greatness."
Grayson's eyes narrowed. "And Homelander?"
Lex turned away as he walked toward the exit.
"If he stands in the way," he said, "then he is simply part of the problem."