"Are you 100% sure of this, Batman?" Clark asked, his face more solemn than ever.
"No, I'm not". Bruce denied. "This is, once again, just speculations. Without true Intel, plotting our next course of actions on mere assumptions will only cause unwanted damage. What's most important right now is to gather the league and try to find him".
"Is there any way we can talk to Lobo? See if he knows anything?" Diana asked, causing Bruce to shake his head before bringing back the picture of lobo. With a few finger taps, a hologram of someone's face appeared in their view.
Half of his face was brown skinned and very short black hair, making his African American descent obvious to see. The other half, however, looked robotic with the eye showing a gleaming red color.
The rest of his body as far as the camera could see was fully covered in various mechanical armor, with the Motherbox being the final component used in making up the half human, half robot entity known by the Justice league members as Victor Stone.
Cyborg.
The league's half machine, half man member was bioengineered by his father in an attempt to save his life after experiencing a horrible accident with mechanical parts, leaving him more machine than man.
"Batman? What do you need?". Victor asked.
"Cyborg, status on Lobo". Bruce replied.
".... Sigh! Nowhere near good". The reply he received made Batman frown as Vic continued.
Victor's left eye glowed red as reports filled the screen, completely mapping out Lobo's present state.
"We ran some tests on him. He's still alive, luckily, but barely. His body has remained completely unresponsive since the moment flash dropped him off. While his cells are experiencing... odd circumstances. Honestly, what all that's happening right now in his internals, I'm surprised he's still alive".
Cyborg said with a click of his tongue.
"What situations? Clarify".
"And why is he still like this?"
"Well, the cells within his body are going through a phenomenal degeneration sequence where....."
"Hold on Cyborg. Barry isn't here to translate, so why don't we try this again. But this time, in the language of the people". Superman hurriedly interrupted as his brain hurt just thinking about listening to all the scientific mumbo jumbo that would soon spew out of his mouth.
Batman and wonder woman didn't say a word, but their dark expressions said it all.
'In English Please'.
Cyborg looked at them with an urge to click his tongue.
"Tsk…. Fine. Technically, from what we could tell from his DNA, his cells are healing, trying to fix all the damage it's suffered from". They all nodded, finding no surprise in his words.
"Here comes the twist. His healing rate doesn't match the data you gave me, Bruce. It's slower, like dozens of times slower than what he should actually be capable of". Vic said, causing everyone to have furrowed expressions.
"So the new guy did this if I'm to judge correctly, huh?" Cyborg asked with intrigue.
"Looks like we have to amp up the security risk level of our resident alien". Batman said, his face ugly.
"I think I know how". Clark suddenly said with a solemn tone.
"It was when I came back from space, I didn't even have an opportunity to fully process when I saw Lois's helicopter about to crash. I rushed and saved it from falling, and then I saw it when I turned around. He had Lobo by the throat, seconds before Lois arrived with the camera. He seemed to be siphoning something out of him.... the same kind of energy that he infused in those pills earlier".
Clark was growing restless.
"What happened after that, Clark?" Bruce asked him with a sharp gaze.
Superman shook his head.
"I stopped him. Or at least I tried to, but his body went intangible alongside Lobo. I passed right through them, but I think it stopped whatever he was doing. He looked pretty annoyed right after". After clarification, Bruce tapped his fingers on the chairs' armrest repeatedly.
This simple action alone showed how much irritation he had pent-up within him.
"So he siphons whatever energy that was, out of our immortal alien and now, so-called alien has lost a large part of his immortality".
"And then can transform that energy to grant abilities in inanimate objects". Bruce started, Diana finished, leaving everyone's faces grim.
"How long until we find him?" Clark asked restlessly.
This was getting more dangerous by the second.
The more they knew about him, the more scared they felt. Clark urgently wanted to find him and lock him up in a Belle Reve to appease his anxious heart.
With such abilities. What's stopping him from going on a world-wide metahuman hunt, draining the abilities out of people? Lobo was already a prime example.
"I've set up the facial recognition software all over the globe. As soon as he appears, we will find him". Batman replied grimly.
"What if he's left the planet?" Diana couldn't help but ask.
"I don't think it's that simple. I have no idea what his plans are, but that phone call shows that he has contacts with people on Earth. As for who it is, that's another cause for concern".
"It could be with Luthor, or Intergang. Maybe he's an emissary under Darkseid". Batman and Superman immediately began drawing out the worst possible conclusions.
"Um… Guys... there's something else you need to know about". Vic interrupted their worrying session as he pulled out another file.
"Lobo's healing speed has decreased sharply. With the level of healing he now has, he should have already succumbed to death as a result of the beat down he experienced, but that's not the case".
He brought out a microscopic feed of Lobo's internal cell structure.
"Lobo's physique is somehow still keeping him alive. His cells are mustering every source of vitality it can procure to prevent his demise, the result, however, is what's happening right now". Vic said with a blank tone.
"His cells are rapidly aging... being overclocked for vitality, causing them to rapidly speed up their life advancement. His cells have aged in hours, what they should have in months".
"Your point cyborg?" Batman asked a little impatiently. He wanted to hurry back to his surveillance to find this dangerous factor that was now roaming on the earth somewhere.
"... In the files you gave me, Lobo's cells, while they aged, never showed such vitality loss". Cyborg finally said.
"What do you mean, Vic?" Superman asked.
"Lobo is growing old". Batman responded to him, his expression was flat, showing how little the fact that Lobo would soon die of old age mattered to him.
"So what Vic is saying is…. He'll probably die of old age soon?" Wonder woman asked.
Cyborg nodded. "At his rate, he'll most likely die of old age in a few months. Two to three years if the overdraw somehow stops. The point being, Lobo is no longer immortal". Cyborg said before cutting off the feed.
Silence reigned in the watchtower as no one had any words to say.
"What would happen if he used what he could do on normal people?" Superman asked the obvious.
"They would turn into skeletons in seconds" still Batman responded to the somewhat idiotic question.
"Can we call Zatara to see if we can track him with a locator spell?"
"We already tried. Giovanni couldn't get a trace without an anchor to him".
"I'm going to search. Call me if there's anything valuable in the meeting". Superman turned back towards the way he came from, heading towards the Zeta tube to return.
Batman didn't do anything to stop him and just turned back towards the monitor.
Wonder Woman sighed, walking towards the Mess hall. She needed a sandwich.
...
The Pentagon, United States
Virginia.
"I must say, this situation is most intriguing".
"Intriguing indeed. This is probably the first time earth has come across such a situation. Alongside a particularly interesting extraterrestrial".
"And what do you make of this... Proposal, this unidentified alien is pitching us General Lane".
In a secret room fully lined with lead, state of the art cloaking tech, soundproof walls Meta dampeners in every possible corner, non-reflective surfaces and laced with kryptonite, General Sam Lane stood at attention with his hands behind his back.
In front of him were a set of chairs evenly spread out over a round table. The chairs, however, were empty of any living organism whatsoever, but in its place was a holographic projection of men and women of different ages.
All of them wore solemn expressions and sat elegantly with grace and poise, each with the aura and temperament capable of pulling off the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cloths hung on their bodies.
These men and women were well-known politicians and influential figures in their various countries. However, few knew them for who they were aside from their original identities.
Made up of various Heads of state of elected countries, together they formed the World Security Council. [WSC]
Created to issue response orders in relation to threats regarding the safety of the world.
The Idea for the WSC was created a few years ago after Stepphenwolf's invasion on Earth, promptly alerting the word that they weren't alone in the vast universe, and they would soon face more threats from extraterrestrials.
It was formally implemented when the Justice league decided to establish themselves as Earth's guardians, promising to shield the earth from Otherworldly threats and fight injustice within it.
On the surface, its main focus was to fight alongside the league to protect the earth from hostiles, but that was only part of their agenda.
The other half of their goal was to band the resources, manpower, and authority of many countries together as a form of resistance against the overpowered protectors of their planet. Protectors whom they had little to no control over.
For the leaders in high places who have literally grown intoxicated to the feeling of being at the top of the pyramid, having someone existing literally powerful enough to step on their heads made them more restless than ants in a frying pan.
It was basically a group of children deciding so seek strength in numbers so they could have the leverage to speak on equal grounds with the dreaded neighborhood bully.
The league with its purpose of enacting justice had turned into a bone in most of their throats. Added to the fact that humans always feared what they didn't know and couldn't control, many sought to subdue the members of the league. Pity, a hundred ants can't bite a single giant to death.
An example being the government's failed attempts at capturing Superman in the early days.
No one would be at ease with a wild tiger laying in their living room, even if it doesn't bite.
The fact that the league was growing with the addition of new members, many possessing powerful abilities, made them even more uneasy.
And now, here they were, discussing another possible world shattering catastrophe similar to Superman, that had made his mark in Metropolis a day ago.
Numerous eyes shifted towards the old general, who now had to withstand the joint pressure of several men and women with statuses above him.
Lane's face was expressionless.
This wasn't his first rodeo with these wolves in sheep's clothing who were his superiors.
To be honest, Lane didn't have too many good feelings for the Justice league, who declared themselves guardians of earth on their authority. He was a man molded in the military and served under its rule.
His duty was to his motherland and his family.
Someone like Superman, however patriotic he may be with his love for mankind, was a dangerous entity in his eyes as long as he wasn't under the military's control.
Take that principle, apply it to the many members they had and his affinity with the league, an organization not under governmental control, could be imagined.
But compared to these two faced bastards who hid their tail feathers behind the facade known as politics and had influential positions they didn't deserve, his dislike for the Justice league wasn't even worth a drizzle.
He'd happily go for a drink with the man of steel than stand here with these hypocritical bastards any day of the century.
Unfortunately, he had a job to do.
"The alien has decided to leave his origins a mystery. Other than his..... self picked name and him calling himself an Energy Sentient, we have no clue where he might be from due to our information of the universe beyond earth being fundamentally insufficient. He is a high-risk factor which could become significantly disastrous. However, the benefits he has proposed regarding cooperations are..... rather promising for Earth's development".
"With what he can provide, both the technological sector and security sector of the planet can be enhanced multiple folds".
General Lane said with a straight face as he listed out the advantages of this whole charade.
The room grew silent as the council members spoke within each other, but lane heard nothing. This was deliberate, as they didn't want the old General to listen in on their conversations, not like Sam cared.
He just silently stood there, awaiting their decision.
After a while, another hologram spoke. A female, to be precise.
"What exactly do you make of this... Amari, general? How far are the extent of his abilities? Are there any possible weaknesses he has displayed?"
"None that we know of. His ability of teleportation is rather exemplary, as he has proved capable of teleporting himself from Metropolis all the way to the Pentagon in a split second. The extent and number of his abilities remain unknown, except for us knowing he is capable of taking on an opponent at the level of Superman".
Lane shook his head and replied.
"Oh yes, we all know the incident of Metropolis general. But how do we know this proposal wouldn't come around to cause us affliction on the chance we do accept it? He is an extraterrestrial after all, a powerful one at that".
"Humph, I suggest we capture him. Alert the Justice league of his presence and let them handle it. This is what they signed themselves up for, after all".
An old man with a gray mustache and full beard said with a huff.
He didn't like the idea of adding another dangerous individual they didn't have total control of into this equation.
"Even if we give him to the league, the casualties it will cause if a battle broke out within a populous area will be astronomical".
As if they cared. Sam thought inwardly with a snort. They just didn't want anything capable of staining their names.
"Let's not forget the possibility that the League might not be able to keep him. According to NASA, there was no entry into the earth besides Superman and the white alien. Meaning, He can decide to just leave the same way he came, currently unknown. The benefits for Earth would be practically non-existent if that happened. If he is inducted into the league for one reason or another because we handed him over, it wouldn't do well for our favor".
Another one of them kindly pointed out this point, making the room fall into silence once more.
Yes, they were trying their hardest to gain more power so they could rise to the same level as the League.
For this reason, many countries had long since begun human experimentation on Meta humans and alien DNA, trying to create their personal attack dogs capable of battling the Justice league.
Thinking of how those so-called superheroes prancing about in colorful spandex usually ignored authority, it made many clench heir fists.
And now they wanted to chase another one right into their arms? Dream on.
This one was as powerful as Superman. Another Superman? Not to mention the benefits in his proposal. It was already unanimously decided without even having to speak. The league wouldn't get involved with this one, no matter what.
"What do you think are our chances of apprehending him, general? I believe the military has some special means capable of withstanding enemies if they are by chance caught of guard. It would be of great help to the military's research if the DNA of this alien could be acquired, don't you think? ".
A female middle-aged woman said with a slight upturn of her lips. Her holographic hands held a glass of champagne, which she readily raised close to her lips.
The ears of the council perked up at the possibility, while once more looking at the general with high intensity.
Lane said, without a change of expression.
"I sincerely believe we wouldn't be here if our military had the capability of taking down someone at the level of Superman. Even if it's by surprise. The chances are limited, and I would rather not sacrifice the lives of countless brave soldiers and hidden weapons on a fruitless endeavor to apprehend and extraterrestrial even Superman couldn't lay his hands on".
His bland tone had a particular biting edge to it.
The middle-aged woman frowned at his words. No matter how bland they may be, his words indirectly insinuated that she was stupid for offering such a proposal.
"General Lane, I advise you to watch your ....."
"Actually, I would have considered the possibility of your words, Secretary Argent, however the reveal of an ability under the arsenal of the alien Amari promptly left me to discard this thought". Lane said, interrupting her, which made her somewhat angry.
She twirled her fingers around her glass angrily.
"And what might that be, General Lane?"
Another member asked.
"The ability to see the future". He said with his lips curling upwards, finally revealing some emotion since the minute he entered this room.
Time seemed to stand still as everyone in the room turned stiff in their seats. The middle-aged female who spoke earlier was particularly frozen in place, her eyes widened to a slight bulge.
"In the case of such an ability, any kind of attack against him or plan to do so will be revealed beforehand, hence destroyed before it even began. An example being Secretary Argent's proposal to apprehend him for his DNA".
The sound of glass shattering entered everyone's ears, causing many to turn and see that the champagne glass in Argent's hands had slipped off while her eyes had widened in horror before her body started trembling.
Fear seeped into her bone marrow causing her elegant aura to dissipate, replaced with pure trepidation.
If Lane weren't in the room, he would surely laugh his beard off. Seeing Argent's' frightened expression was worth more than a million bucks, making him incredibly satisfied.
"I'm liking this alien already". He thought inwardly.
Looks like coming here wasn't a total waste of time after all.
Silence pervaded for many seconds before someone said in an urgent tone.
"Did you verify the authenticity of his words, General".
Lane said nothing but took out a crumpled piece of paper in his pocket. After a few seconds of straightening, what appeared was a crumpled page with ink writings on it.
Lane placed the page on the table, where a blue light flashed, scanning the page.
A second later, a document appeared in front of the eyes of everyone in the room. All those pairs of eyes widened in horror as they took in everything they read.
It was precisely the discussion they were having right now. Starting from the moment, Sam initiated the conference call.
Not a single word was missing, with the only change being the fact that a certain part of the writing was circled with red ink.
[What do you think are our chances of apprehending him general? I believe the military has some special means capable of withstanding enemies if they are by chance caught of guard. It would be of great help to the military's research if the DNA of this alien could be acquired, don't you think?]
Looking at it, Argent trembled even further as she muttered under her breath.
"What the hell have I done?" The whole room was silent. If they didn't understand who or what they were dealing with before, they certainly did now.
Someone who knew their every move before it even began. Provoking such a person was not possible.
The idea of informing the Justice league of his presence once again arrived in their minds but was squashed just as fast.
If the Justice league got a member who could predict the future, then their lives would get significantly harder.
"Amari also asked me to say a few words after letting you read this. The words saying, 'It's your choice whether you want me here or not. I won't lose anything either way. Furthermore, Secretary Argent! I might just drop by one of these days so we can have an in-depth discussion on your suggestion of studying my cells'. His words, not mine".
Many members turned to look at secretary Argent. Many of their eyes held pity, while others held gloating. Some were thoughtful, others indifferent.
Having a Superman level figure paying attention to you was basically bad for your health.
Mrs. Argent, on the other hand, was rather pale at this point. The silence lasted a while longer before a man who looked to have the most authority in the room finally spoke.
"Tell this... Amari, that the world council finds his proposal intriguing. Cooperation is a certain possibility. Update us on the follow-up general Lane, you have authority to operate in full discretion".
And as he finished his words, his hologram cut. The others had their hologram disappear as well. Some faster than others, as if fleeing for their lives.
When the room was finally empty with only Lane being left.... Nothing happened. With his face still serious, he turned around and walked towards the exit.
But was there some kind of jolly spring in his step? Or is this author's eyes mistaken?
Oh well, who knows.
...
SORRY it's late. Had a lot of stuff to do.
Appreciate the support.
Keep the Powerstones coming.