Ra's al Ghul quietly looked out across the sea from the balcony of his manse.
Fate was ever a strange thing.
He raised a hand and studied the Scyillithan emerald resting in his palm. Its cut was marvelous, and its size and purity were beyond compare. It could easily fetch hundreds of millions of dollars.
Yet it was not the value that had drawn him in. Ra's al Ghul had wealth to spare.
Nay, it was not something as lowly as wealth that drew him, but sentiment. This gem was one he had personally cut and shaped all those many years ago.
He had been a younger man then, with but a single century behind him. A better time, when the world had not yet been so thoroughly overrun. Long had he believed such treasures lost, so it had been a pleasant surprise to learn that one had been offered up to his own League of Shadows.
Thus, in a rare move, he had opened a contract using his own wealth to ensure the job's completion. Rare were the objects in this world that still held such sentiment for him.
Ra's al Ghul had sent his operatives to Gotham, though he had no real interest in the Detective this time.
Yet despite it all, it was the Detective who had completed the task. Perhaps the man would grow from this and, in time, shed some of his more misguided notions of justice. To master the depths of violence was to step into a spiral; he hoped this would be a wake-up call for his potential heir.
He chuckled softly.
A pleasant surprise indeed, especially when the contractor had been so satisfied with the results that they had forwarded the other gem as well. Threefold success had been achieved: the clown humiliated, the Detective emboldened, and a prize returned to him without payment.
If only all his other plans enjoyed such fortune.
"Master, your meeting is beginning soon."
"Thank you, Ubu."
Ra's turned from the view and strode through his mansion.
Deeper and deeper he went, until Ubu opened a heavy metal door that concealed the secret communicator of his so-called allies.
Ra's stepped forward toward the interface and the waiting chair within. It had luxurious seating and a sleek appearance, housing some of the most powerful computing systems in the world. Much as he loathed Luthor, he would openly admit the man made useful toys.
Even so, Ra's found the device dreadfully ugly, though necessity was necessity.
"Authentication complete. Welcome, L-2," the machine stated in a faint feminine voice, and the screen sprang to life.
Moments later, it connected to several other near-identical systems scattered across the globe, and one by one, the screens of the other members came online.
"Am I the last to arrive?" Ra's asked. Only four other screens were lit.
His fellow immortal, Vandal Savage, gave a slight nod. "Ocean Master and Queen Bee have both chosen to abstain from this meeting."
"As if either of them would have had anything worth adding." Luthor snorted. "Shall we get to business? Unlike some of you, I have responsibilities."
Ra's restrained himself from disparaging the young upstart. Did the fool think that knowing a few things made him superior?
He lacked wisdom, as all the youth did.
Fortunately, Ra's was in a good enough mood to let it pass.
"Very well. Let us begin," Vandal said, ignoring Luthor's remark. "As you already know, our partner has violated our agreement. Apokolips attempted to form a Boom Tube in Gotham last night. Though the effort was foiled, exactly what stopped it remains unclear."
"Can we get concessions as we did last time, mon ami?" Brain asked. "The gifts from the last debacle in Metropolis were quite the steal."
Ra's had to admit the technology and access to Boom Tubes had been a considerable boon. Still, they could not afford to be seen as doormats. "I vote for retaliation. We cannot be treated as mere baubles for this alien warlord to stride over at his leisure. We have Mongul and the Reach to influence. Set them upon him and remind him that the Light is not to be tested."
"Some of us have plans there, if you don't remember. The Reach is serving a purpose right now." The brat dared to sniff at him. "Still, I do not disagree with the broader idea. Earth cannot be taken lightly, nor seen as something that can be bought off. Perhaps we tip off the Green Lanterns. We have mapped several of his bases, and we could always sell that information to the Green Lantern Corps."
Ra's sneered. As always, the businessman failed to grasp the point. Slithering away from open confrontation and refusing to display their strength against the warlord. "Cowardly as always."
"It is not my fault your—" The upstart turned toward him.
"I believe Darkseid has completely reneged on our agreement," Vandal said.
Ra's twitched, and even Luthor fell silent as both turned toward Vandal.
He frowned. That was not good. Much of the Light's influence among the stars stemmed from their cooperation with Apokolips.
"Is this confirmed, mon ami?" Brain asked, the note of worry in his voice plain.
"My sources on Apokolips tell me he is readying for war," Vandal said with a shrug. "None of the other fronts suggest Darkseid is making a move there."
"Naughty, naughty. New God tried to kill me as well!" Klarion interjected for the first time. "Opened a big portal and shot me. Likeee, kabooom!"
The magical abomination quite literally exploded across the screen, much to the child-monster's delighted cackling.
"That as well," Vandal said dryly. "I suggest we do not rely on any Apokoliptian technology we have been given unless it has been thoroughly checked. Boom Tubes are likely unavailable to us now."
"What was the cause of this break? This will set back several of my projects." Luthor scowled.
"I do not know. Darkseid has refused any direct communication with me. Desaad merely pretends to play along." Vandal shook his head. "I have attempted to uncover the exact cause of these events, but I have found only rumor and fantasy. Absurd claims that some gang boss has magic dog powers, or that he used alcohol to seal a god. Each more absurd than the next."
"Should we prepare for war, then?" Ra's al Ghul frowned.
He had always known the day would come when they would betray the alien. How else could he ever hope to achieve his verdant utopia with such a beast looming over their planet?
"Perhaps I require more time to analyze his movements. But one thing is certain. Darkseid has agents in Gotham, unknown to us." Vandal's brow creased. "I have few free hands and little influence in the city. We require more intelligence on what occurred that night."
"Several of my shadows remain in Gotham. I shall have them scour the city," Ra's said.
Perhaps this was an opportunity. Both his grandson and the Detective made their home there, and with a careful measure of selective truth, he might finally convince them both of the greatness of his cause.
"Ooo, I'll help too. It's been forever since I've been to Gotham. Isn't that right, Teekl?" Klarion said as he scooped up his cat.
Ra's made a mental note to warn his shadows to keep their distance from Klarion.
"Luthor?" Vandal asked.
"I shall abstain. Gotham is of little interest to me."
"Very well." Vandal nodded. "Then the Demon Head and Klarion shall oversee the Gotham operation for the foreseeable future. I will forward you the relevant information."
Ra's opened the file, and one detail made his eyebrows rise.
Jean Valjean? How comical.
Perhaps he would let Lady Shiva take the lead on this operation, seeing as her daughter was in the city as well.
With that thought in mind, Ra's turned his full attention back to the meeting, already considering how best to move his pieces into place and uncover the secrets of this so-called Goonion.
***
Darkseid got jumpscared asf.
Comments and Thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Likes are like a drug to me and boost my creative juices.
I have advanced chapters on Pa tre on/daisyberry if you wanna read ahead.