When Slade heard Arias's question, he sighed loudly before taking a large sip from the nearby bottle of whiskey. Then he spoke. "Not much to tell, or rather I can't say much right now since he and his colleagues have bought my services more than once. Until I know for sure you and I can cooperate long-term, I don't plan on making powerful enemies."
That answer made Arias furrow his brows, but his composure remained. The openness of Slade admitting he had ties and didn't intend on severing them was surprising but not unexpected. Arias didn't dramatize the situation because he wasn't so foolish as to believe Slade would suddenly be loyal to him and him alone. If anything, Slade was around because he saw an opportunity.
After all, if it was only a matter of money, Slade would have turned on Arias already, and he knew this. Slade was ambitious and clearly didn't like being below others, hence his desire to create and run his own organization.
With that in mind, Arias didn't push the matter and rephrased his question. "Then what can you tell me about him and his colleagues?"
Slade chuckled, somewhat surprised that Arias didn't seem bothered by the fact he had ties to Ra's. Unable to discern what Arias was planning, Slade felt it was best to provide some useful information. "Well, to start, Ra's, along with Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, Klarion, Brain, Queen Bee, and Ocean Master, are all part of a group known as The Light. I can't get into individual details, but know that each one of them is a force to be reckoned with. As a group, there's very little they don't control worldwide… and beyond."
"In fact, the former employers you're about to meet have ties to the Light as well. That's all I can say."
Arias took mental note of each of the names Slade mentioned. It wasn't much to go on, but it was something. "It's enough. Although… if the people I'm supposed to meet have ties to this group, The Light, then why would Ra's allow for me to become a target? Isn't that a loss on their part?"
The connection left Arias puzzled. Why even bother inviting him if he was on bad terms with a group they apparently had ties to? Slade, though, already had an answer. "Simple, the two are separate issues. Ra's allowing you to become a target is a personal matter. If the other members haven't intervened, then it means either they don't care or… they support the decision. The latter, though, is very unlikely, or else one of us would already be dead." Slade said in a joking tone, but his expression showed he was dead serious.
Arias went silent for a moment and began to ponder the matter. He didn't like having obstacles he knew little about standing in his way. But as Slade had mentioned, negotiations weren't possible with Ra's. As for Lex, he was far too proud and egotistical to lower his head.
This left Arias only one option…
"Last question. Would the rest of the Light act as a whole if one or more of their members no longer had value?"
Slade could see Arias was thinking along a dangerous line, but he didn't dissuade him. Instead, he even encouraged it. "No way. Every single bastard in that group cares only about their gains. If a member loses their value, they'll be kicked out without hesitation… if lucky. Whereas if someone shows value and shares common beliefs, they'll be welcomed." He explained with a mischievous grin on his face.
Arias said nothing aloud and just nodded, but inwardly, he had already settled on what needed to be done. 'It's safe to assume the Light is a powerhouse in its own right. One that will need to crumble eventually…'
…
Nearing the thirty-minute mark, Arias and Slade finally arrived at the true venue they were supposed to be at. The venue happened to be another large yacht in international waters. Unlike the one before, this one had no visible guests on deck. Instead, the first thing both Slade and Arias noticed was the presence of heavy security.
Their sub stopped at the yacht's rear, where a place for it to latch on was present. Once aboard the yacht, the duo was let inside, where the security was just as heavy. Once all the precautionary measures were taken, Arias and Slade were led into the yacht's lounging area, where two individuals were present.
The first was a tall, broad-shouldered man with brown eyes and graying brown hair. He also had a brown mustache that extended to his chin, and his face was slightly wrinkled. What caused Arias to look at this man first was the overly extravagant attire he had on.
The second individual, a man of average height and body shape, with neat brown hair, a thin mustache of the same color, and dim blue eyes under a pair of spectacles, was more moderately dressed, sporting a simple yet smart-looking suit.
Before Arias could ask, Slade proceeded with introductions. "Meet Doctor Simon Ecks, a world-renowned geneticist, and Baron Bedlam."