The dimly lit room was silent, save for the faint hum of fluorescent lights overhead. Kayn, now fully donned in his Harbinger suit, stood near the lifeless bodies of the bank robbers.
His sharp gaze traced their bodies, trying to discern any clues. The way they were killed—efficient, almost surgical—spoke of a highly skilled individual or group.
There were no signs of struggle, no evidence that these men had even seen their killer coming. Whoever had done this had done so with a purpose, and that purpose was more than just silencing potential leaks.
This was a statement, a chilling message to anyone who dared to cross this mysterious group, but unlucky for this group, Kayn loved challenges like this, and was eager to test out his new power-ups in real fights.
The sudden arrival of John Jones, Director of the Department of Extra-normal Operations ( DEO ), didn't surprise him. Kayn had sensed his presence long before he entered the room.
John was a tall, imposing figure with an air of authority, his dark skin and sharp features giving him a no-nonsense demeanor. His presence was commanding, his dark skin and sharp features accentuated by the dim light.
His eyes, serious and calculating, surveyed the room, taking in the scene with the practiced ease of a man who had seen far too much death in his lifetime.
"Harbinger," John began, his voice deep and authoritative. "I'm sure you've already noticed that these men weren't killed by ordinary means."
Kayn turned to face him and just nodded, "This wasn't a simple execution. It was clean, efficient, and almost... too perfect. Whoever did this wasn't just trying to cover their tracks; they wanted to send a clear message to anyone who might be listening."
John nodded. "Indeed. And that's why we need your help. The Department of Extra-normal Operations is responsible for handling threats that go beyond the capabilities of normal law enforcement—threats that involve meta-humans, aliens, and other supernatural entities."
John's eyes narrowed slightly for a second before he continued, "We have reason to believe that the individuals behind this attack and the bank robbery were after something other than cash, and when it failed, these men were quickly silenced....supernaturally."
.Kayn crossed his arms, his mind already racing through the possibilities, this assumption did have a-lot of weight to it.
John met his gaze. "We've been monitoring your activities, Harbinger. Your abilities are…unique, to say the least. You've managed to stay off the radar for the most part, but we know you're more than capable of handling threats that others can't. We're offering you an opportunity to work with us—on your terms."
"I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I'm quite comfortable with being a part of governmental organizations. No offense to you but I'm quite sure you understand how deep corruption flows throughout the higher political powers. At best, we can just coordinate together." Kayn responded and explained.
In truth, even if the government wasn't corrupt, which was impossible, he wouldn't join the DEO, as he was already confident in his own organization, AEGIS, but he didn't want to say that.
"Coordination can work. I can handle the political side, all we need is someone powerful enough to actually take down and deter these threats." John said before outstretching his hand, which Kayn shook.
"Now that all that's over." Kayn said, looking around the room and activating a magic ward that stopped all sound from going out of the room and sent the cameras into an illusion.
Once Kayn had fully confirmed that no-one was listening in, he leaned against the wall and chuckled before he spoke,
Kayn and John sat across from each other in a quiet corner of the Justice League's headquarters. The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the walls as they spoke, "You know, John, you don't need to keep up the whole 'secret identity' act with me. We've met multiple times before, and I can always recognize your Martian signature."
John's eyebrows shot up in surprise, even powerful Magic users like Zatanna weren't able to see through his secret identity, yet Kayn did so easily. John chuckled and spoke, "I should've known. You're sharper than most, Kayn. Still, it's a bit shocking that you figured it out so easily."
Kayn grinned. "What's even more shocking is your choice of secret identity. I didn't expect you to be a Director in a secretive government operation. Don't you want a normal life away from the entire Superhero gig?"
John leaned back in his chair, his laughter fading into a thoughtful expression. "I chose it to protect the world from threats both as a superhero and in my day job. It gives me a different perspective, a way to help people that the Martian Manhunter can't.`Plus, this allows me to learn more about Human culture, as I interact with many every day."
Kayn nodded, understanding the duality of John's life. "Makes sense. By the way, I appreciate you keeping my identity under wraps. I know you, Wonder Woman, and Batman know who I really am, but you've kept it to yourselves."
John gave a small smile. "Your secret is safe with me. Besides, it's not like the League shares everything about themselves. Even we didn't reveal our identities to each other—Batman did it for us on a mission."
Kayn chuckled. "Of course, Batman would. As for me, I just like my private life. It's nice to have something that's just mine, you know?"
John nodded in agreement. "I do. It's a delicate balance, living between two worlds. But I think you're managing it well."
The duo eventually kept talking about miscellaneous stuff, and also reminiscing about past moments where they shared the battlefield together against APEX.
After the long discussion, Kayn eventually prepared to leave, "Contact me privately with anything you find. I don't believe I can work under the government without politics becoming a big factor, but we can still work together privately."
Kayn said. Aside from Batman, and maybe some of the more cynical, annoying less popular Justice League members like Constantine, he wasn't adverse with working with individual members, of course still prioritizing himself.
Martian Mahhunter was probably Kayn's favorite Justice League member in his past life, which definitely influenced his decision to work with him. In Kayn's eyes, J'onn J'onzz, is the heart and soul of the Justice League.
Not only is he immensely powerful, capable of going toe-to-toe with Superman depending on the story, but he is the most empathetic member of the Justice League due to his deep understanding of emotions from having lived through his past trauma, making him a unifying force in the team.
He's also one of the wisest superheroes, and is a fantastic leader, the the League even occasionally appointing him as de-facto leader in certain stories. All of these qualities made J'onn his favorite JL member in his past life, so he was still happy to work with him in this one.
As they exited the room, Kayn slowly floated away.
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Kayn stepped into the main building of the AEGIS headquarters, a sleek structure outfitted with the latest technology, designed for both aesthetics and function. The air buzzed with a quiet hum of activity as his team worked on their respective tasks.
He made his way down the corridor toward the central operations room, the walls lined with screens displaying real-time data feeds from their various projects and missions.
Francis was already there, standing in front of a holographic display that showcased a map of National City with several red markers indicating recent crime scenes. As Kayn approached, Francis turned to him, his expression serious but calm.
"Kayn," Francis greeted him with a nod. "I've been reviewing the data from the recent murders in National City. I know we initially suspected CADMUS, but... I don't think that's the case anymore."
Kayn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What makes you say that?"
Francis tapped a few controls, zooming in on one of the crime scenes. "The evidence doesn't add up to CADMUS's usual methods. They usually use very overwhelming power, monsters and over-aggression, however this was different." Francis said, going on to explain more.
"The precision, the type of injuries—it's different. After comparing it with our database, I believe we're dealing with something extraterrestrial. The wounds suggest energy weapons, and the patterns align more with what we'd expect from an alien attack."
Kayn narrowed his eyes, studying the hologram. "Alien, you say? That's a complication."
"Indeed," Francis continued, his tone measured. "If it's an alien force, they're operating with a level of subtlety we don't usually see. No widespread destruction, just targeted eliminations. We might be dealing with something more dangerous than CADMUS—a threat that's potentially much harder to trace."
Kayn folded his arms, considering the implications. "This changes things. We'll need to adjust our strategy. Keep this under wraps for now. I don't want any leaks until we know exactly what we're up against."
"Understood," Francis replied. "I'll keep digging and see if I can pinpoint any leads. But be careful out there, Kayn. This kind of precision suggests they're not just powerful—they're also smart."
Kayn gave a sharp nod. "I will."
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Author's Note:
- Give some ideas for potential original Villains
- Also give some ideas for some potential original apocalyptic attacks, where Kayn groups up with his entire team, and maybe for one he works with some JL Superheroes and allies like Zatanna.