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—
Metropolis
"Shocking news across the country. Morgan Edge, the CEO of Galaxy Communications, has been ousted as the head of the criminal organization known as Intergang. After his arrest, the company has been left without a leader, as the only possible replacement, Morgan Edge's father, Vincent Edge, had been taken into custody on the charges of sexual assault.
Justice League, as the sole organization that pulled off this operation, handed Intergang members to local law enforcement, while Wayne Enterprises and EnviroCorps have offered to assist the humans trafficked by the criminals.
Today is a good day for the world."
—
Watchtower
"Superman, are you alright?" Despite the success of the operation, the Kryptonian seemed downcast.
The superhero raised his head from his arms on the table, about to say he was alright, but shook his head, laying back down. "No, no, I am not."
"Things we saw there, I can't feel happy that we brought a large chunk of Intergang down." Even Green Lantern and Hawkgirl were affected by what they saw there but were more successful in not showing it.
"And that scientist, he killed himself just to not speak." The madman's last words as his mouth frothed flashed before his eyes.
Miles reached across the table, firmly squeezing Superman's shoulder. "He was a zealot and committed all those atrocities for his god. You are better off not searching for any reason behind it."
There was nothing they could do about the dead, so Flash chose to focus on what he could do.
"The government agents didn't get their hands on any tech samples, right?" They made sure to destroy every piece of tech from Apokolips in the mine, and the agents that came to take the gang members into custody did not seem happy about it.
Miles didn't want to think about what someone like Amanda Waller would do with Apokolips tech or the test subjects from the lab.
That woman—and he struggled to call her a human at all—was troublesome enough, and they had not even crossed paths yet.
Diana nodded. The depot was filled to the brim with weapons, explosives, and several enormous tanks. "The supply depot was flooded until everything was damaged beyond salvage, but just to be sure, we had everything else destroyed." Tornado and Torpedo had set the reactor in the base off, causing a chain explosion that tore everything apart.
"Same with the lab. Inferno turned everything to ash and slag." John didn't want to know what kind of mess the government would get into if they were allowed to have the research results and samples from the base.
Aquaman, who had joined them at the Watchtower for the first time, was equally successful in Atlantis' attack against Intergang. "We have recovered samples for examination, but there is nothing left of the base."
"Good enough for me." Hawkgirl shrugged. Perhaps they could even devise means of locating Apokolips technology.
"The financial front has taken more damage compared to the armed front, and it will be a long while before Intergang can attempt anything." Intergang had billions of dollars in bank accounts all across the planet, which Zalika had siphoned off.
There was nothing else to report for now, and Superman broke the silence. "Great. If it's alright with everyone, I would like to go and rest now."
—
Metropolis
Beckett Residence
Miles was waiting at home for the chaos outside to subside. Galaxy Communications was being torn apart by the federals, figuratively of course, so every single connection to Intergang could be revealed.
With Vincent Edge gone, the board was in disarray, trying to find an emergency CEO to keep the company together. The stocks had tanked, and the investors were pulling out with frightening speed, leaving Galaxy Communications in shambles.
And cheap enough for EnviroCorps to buy, but there was one issue.
Lex Luthor.
Miles knew he wasn't the only one ready to pounce on the company, and chief among them came LuthorCorp. Due to their significantly higher financial resources, Lex would outbid him and easily acquire Galaxy Communications.
Which is why he was going to play dirty.
The board, while mostly unaware of Morgan's activities with Intergang, was not innocent in other matters. Matters that his new but growing network had unearthed to some degree.
Like Carter Kelman's bribes to the inspectors and Peter Relon's gambling addiction, which, if exposed, would ruin both men.
—
Hyperion Hotel
"Mr. Relon, what are you doing here?" Carter asked his fellow board member, more suspicious than he was at seeing Peter here.
Not only did he get a damn letter with the photos of the bribes, but now Peter Relon had entered the room instead of whoever had told him to be in this room.
Relon, twitchy and sweating, was on edge as well. "I could ask you the same."
Without even a knock, another man entered the room, a stranger neither board member knew, followed by a ginger woman. "You can thank me for that."
"Who are you?" Both men were ready to attack, but the woman set her hands on fire, and they backed off.
The man took his hat off, followed by his coat. "Me? The future owner of Galaxy Communications."
"The board is not considering any sales at this time." Carter denied. It was actually an option, but they could not even find a CEO to take the reins, much less consider selling.
The man had an unimpressed look on his face. "Do you think anyone will trust your corporation from now on? Morgan Edge turned out to be the head of Intergang, his father was arrested for sexual assault, and the board members are not without dirty laundry either." The man handed Carter and Peter folders, and even without opening them, they knew what was inside.
"God damn it."
"I see you understand."
"We can't just sell you the company like that. There would be too many questions." They could convince the rest of the board to sell Galaxy Communications, but if it happened too fast and without waiting for offers?
It would stink and attract too much attention.
"You are not selling me the company; you are making sure Lex Luthor does not buy it." The man held out a flash disk to Peter, and he took it, suspicious.
"What is inside this?" Was it more blackmail?
"Proof incriminating several high-ranking executors of LuthorCorp of being in cahoots with Intergang. Which is more than enough for the company to refuse any offer from Lex Luthor, citing the connection." In truth, they were carefully crafted lies, good enough to cast suspicion over LuthorCorp.
Peter and Carter locked eyes, considering whether stepping on Lex Luthor's feet was worth keeping their secrets safe.
"Come now, I am sure you two don't want someone with possible ties to Intergang buying Galaxy Communications, do you?"
—
"More on the Intergang scandal. Managers at several different branches of LuthorCorp had been arrested on the charges of colluding with Intergang. Lex Luthor himself had this to say.
The screen cut to Lex Luthor, standing before the press.
"I was just as shocked as everyone else when I heard what had happened. We are fully in cooperation with the Metropolis Police Department, and I promise to all of Metropolis that we will unearth any and all criminals in LuthorCorp."
Mr. Luthor refused to take questions, citing his busy schedule, but we will be following the investigations very closely."
—
"You want to buy Galaxy Communications? What do you want me to do with it?" A communications company wasn't exactly something necessary for their portfolio, especially one as widespread as Galaxy Communications.
"Whatever is the best decision. I can't let Lex Luthor have it." Mary gasped in realization.
"What's with you and Luthor?" For all their professional conduct before the cameras, it was not hard to see Miles did not like the bald businessman.
"He is a petty man, unable to handle that Superman is more beloved than him." Essentially, Lex was jealous and insecure, and he made it everyone's problem.
The sudden news of LuthorCorp's possible ties with Intergang fit perfectly with Miles' decision. "Luthor can outbid us; how lucky we are that LuthorCorp can't buy the company right now."
"Indeed."
The funds liberated from Intergang, which, according to the investigations, were long gone by the time they entered the premises to make the arrests, had been circulated and would be used to buy the majority shares of Galaxy Communications.
—
The purge of anyone affiliated with Intergang continued in Galaxy Communications, and once they were satisfied, the board announced that they would be selling the company. There was a two-week window for offers, and once Miles knew what the remaining offers were, he bought the company for a fraction of its value.
As expected, LuthorCorp was nowhere to be seen.
—
"Everyone wants an interview with me." Mary rubbed her head, knowing she had to pick someone.
Miles took the Daily Planet paper, smiling as he thought of something. "Even Lois Lane?"
"Yes, why?" The star reporter of the Daily Planet was the first one to reach out, in fact.
Taking out his phone, Miles winked. This was going to be fun. "Mr. Kent, I hope I am not disturbing you."
"Excellent. I heard that the Daily Planet wants an interview with the CEO of EnviroCorps regarding Galaxy Communications. Would you be interested in being the lucky reporter?"
"No thanks are necessary; Ms. Anne-Lorain's secretary will contact you for the details."
There was only one Kent associated with the Daily Planet. "Clark Kent? Why not Lois Lane? She is famous for a reason."
Then again, Clark Kent was a rising star too.
"Clark is a friend, and it is so amusing to see him outshine Miss Lane." He couldn't help but remember when Clark confessed to Lois that he was Superman, only for her to not believe him.
—
A week later, when Clark Kent was ready to interview Mary-Anne Lorain and Lois Lane looked like she swallowed a whole lemon, the Kryptonian asked the question that was killing him.
"How did you arrange this?"
Miles gently pushed the taller man inside, who only moved because he wanted to. "My reach is long, and I know you will ask the questions everyone needs to hear."
—
The interview had gone without a hitch. Mary answered the questions without the usual empty commitments and misdirections, a breath of fresh air.
—
Having left the company business to Mary, Miles continued with his usual business, but he had one last knot to untie.
The red pills were released to the market by Intergang to find possible metahumans.
Its production plant was actually in Metropolis, in a metro station abandoned due to an earthquake that had caused widespread damage. The supply chain was disturbed, but not destroyed, and they would have to put an end to it before Intergang recovered, and from the first day, Miles was having them followed.
They had not moved out, since the equipment necessary for the pills was delicate, and moving it without proper arrangement would only cause trouble.
Superman was on the premises, ready to take Intergang out, while Miles had his men ready to reduce the section of the abandoned station to rubble, putting an end to this filth.
"Ready?" Miles asked the restless Kryptonian, who nodded, resolute to take another swing at Intergang.
"More than ever."
"Sir." Captain Neumann saluted, following Superman down the tunnel, while Miles would wait outside with several guards.
—
Clark had to pace himself to not leave the men following him in dust, but he was eager to be there as soon as possible.
"Sensors ahead." One of the men warned, but Superman pushed ahead. Turrets popped out of the walls, firing at him, and while they stung, he tanked them all, tearing the weapons apart with his thermal beams.
There were more traps in the tunnel, lethal ones in the usual Intergang style. Superman broke through every single one, clearing the way for the humans.
"Superman, it's after this turn, straight through the door."
"Got it." He sped up, turning the corner, already having seen the armed men through the wall. The plasma fire did nothing to the Kryptonian, and he slammed both Intergang members aside.
There was a thick, metal door blocking the way, and once Superman held it from the sides to rip it off, electricity coursed through, forcing him to let go with a scream.
"Careful, they trapped the door." He warned the men, rubbing his hands.
Captain Neumann kicked a piece of concrete at the wall. "What about the walls?"
His X-ray vision showed that the walls were old and decaying concrete, and there were no traps in sight.
An oversight on Intergang's part.
Rearing his fist, Superman burst through the wall. On foot, he walked to the gangsters, deliberately slow, ignoring the plasma fire once more, and slapped each one to unconsciousness.
It terrified the gang members, being so powerless with all their advanced tech.
"It's clear." Superman called out, inspecting the room. It was big, with devices he could only guess what for, and further in the back, there were stashes of pills, tens of thousands ready to be shipped.
They came just in time. If these pills had hit the streets, there would be chaos.
"Valen, secure the criminals for handover. Chuck, set the explosives; I want this whole place turned to ashes. Don't forget to incinerate the pills."
—
The men were quick, cuffing the Intergang members with zip ties, gathering all the weapons with the pills, and setting explosives in a matter of minutes.
"Superman, we are done." The captain informed him, and he nodded, hoisting two of the criminals up by the arms.
"Let's get out of here."
—
"Ah, I see you are finished with them." Miles was sitting on the hood of his car, waiting with a cup of coffee in hand, while Claire just watched the area.
He had no reason to be inside and was content to let the nigh invincible Man of Tomorrow handle it.
Carrying over a dozen criminals, with several dressed in hazmat suits, the cooks no doubt, the operation looked to be a smashing success.
Superman put down the Intergang members he was carrying, and they were dragged off to be handed over to the police. "Yes, a good thing too; they had stocked a lot of pills there."
"Sir." Captain Neumann handed the detonator for the explosives to Miles.
"Care to do the honors?" Miles held out the detonator to Superman, who took it with a nod.
He hoped it would lift Superman's mood.
Pressing the red button without waiting, there was a small gust of air from the entrance, carrying dust.
"That actually felt good." Clark smiled. It was not the end of Intergang, but he knew one day, they would get there.
"Come on, dinner's on me." Miles offered, turning to his mercenary outfit, "Captain, you and your men are dismissed. Go enjoy your time off." They already had stable funding through an account he had set up, and keeping the people working for you happy was the way to earn their loyalty.
"Thank you, sir."
—
In the next chapter:
Both sides agreed on a break, and they were directed to an open buffet. Miles was making himself a modest plate when Michael Holt came for the crab quiche next to the ravioli near him.
"The owner acting as the CEO's assistant? Why not directly contact me?" Holt asked, taking a slice of the quiche.
The man had chosen to wait until the proceedings were over to speak, in a place where it wouldn't be out of the norm for the two to speak. "Because the matter I wished to discuss is rather sensitive, and secrecy is of utmost importance."
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In addition, if you enjoy the premise of an overpowered genius protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story for much of the same in sci-fi, action, technological wonders and romance.