The offices of Aeternum Industries had finally settled into a steady rhythm. The initial chaos of securing permits, bribing officials, and outmaneuvering LexCorp had given way to the relentless drive of innovation. The company was still small but nimble, pushing boundaries with every project. Yet, as Alex Kent sat in his office reviewing reports, he couldn't shake the feeling that the real battles were only beginning.
Across from him, Evan Drake, his business partner and acting CEO of Aeternum, adjusted his tie and sighed. "LexCorp's tightening their grip on the supply chain. We've had three shipments delayed this week alone."
Alex leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk. "That's deliberate. They want to strangle us before we establish ourselves. A classic corporate chokehold."
Evan nodded grimly. "And that's not all. Wayne Enterprises has been keeping an eye on us. They haven't moved against us, but I've noticed the background checks they've been running. We're on their radar."
That caught Alex's interest. "Wayne Enterprises?" he murmured. "That's unexpected. We're not competing with them."
"Not directly," Evan agreed. "But they don't like unpredictability. And an upstart company with breakthrough tech, backed by someone with no known history? That's a red flag in their books. You might as well have sent them an invitation to be suspicious."
Alex smirked, but there was no humor in his eyes. "Let them watch. We have work to do."
A New Frontier
Later that evening, Alex stood in the research lab, watching as his lead researcher, Dr. Lena Vasquez, carefully adjusted the controls on a large cylindrical chamber filled with a glowing, translucent liquid. Inside, a self-repairing polymer—one of Aeternum's latest experimental materials—was undergoing stress tests.
Lena tapped the glass casing. "This stuff could revolutionize infrastructure. Roads, bridges, even skyscrapers—if we can prove it works on a large scale, we're talking billions in government contracts."
Alex examined the data on the monitor, scanning through stress test simulations. "Investors don't throw money at theories. We need something dramatic. A live test—one so convincing that even skeptics have to believe it."
Lena raised an eyebrow. "You're thinking something big, aren't you?"
Alex nodded. "A real-world disaster simulation. Earthquakes, high-impact forces—show that our material can take a beating and heal itself instantly."
Lena smirked. "That's going to cost a fortune."
"Then it's a good thing we're not broke." Alex turned to Evan. "Reach out to our contacts in Metropolis. Find a site where we can run this test without raising too many questions."
Evan gave a sharp nod. "On it."
Lena crossed her arms. "Just tell me one thing—how the hell did you get this smart about corporate warfare at your age?"
Alex chuckled, but there was a sharp edge to it. "Let's just say I had a very good educational path."
Lena rolled her eyes. "Right. Mysterious as always."
The Shadows Stir
As Alex left the lab that night, his phone buzzed. A message flashed on the screen.
Meet me at the docks. Midnight.
No sender. No explanation. But Alex recognized the message structure. Someone wanted to talk, and they didn't want to be traced.
At exactly midnight, he arrived at Gotham's East Docks. The place reeked of salt, rust, and danger. The air was thick with the scent of oil and damp wood. A lone figure stood beneath a flickering streetlamp—tall, wrapped in a heavy coat, face obscured by shadows.
"You came," the figure rasped.
Alex folded his arms. "You went through a lot of trouble to get my attention. Start talking."
The figure took a slow step forward, just enough for Alex to see the deep scars running along his jawline. "You're making enemies, Kent."
The name sent a jolt through Alex, but he kept his face unreadable. His heartbeat didn't spike. His breathing remained steady. "Not many people know that name," he said evenly. "Which means you're either very well-informed or very stupid."
The man chuckled. "I do my homework. And so do the people watching you. LexCorp isn't your only problem. You've pissed off people in Gotham who don't like disruptions to the status quo."
"Let me guess," Alex said, voice calm. "The kind of people who operate in the shadows?"
The man's grin widened, revealing a row of uneven teeth. "You're smart. But smart doesn't mean untouchable. Watch yourself. Gotham has its own rules."
Alex met his gaze without flinching. "I make my own."
The man grunted, then reached into his coat. Alex's muscles tensed, already calculating his next move—strike the arm, disarm the target, vanish into the night. But instead of a weapon, the man pulled out a small flash drive and tossed it onto the pavement.
"Consider this a courtesy," he said. "Proof that you're already in deeper than you think."
With that, he turned and vanished into the darkness, leaving Alex alone with a sinking feeling in his gut.
He crouched down, picking up the drive. Whatever was on it… it was important. And it meant that his enemies weren't just in Metropolis anymore.
Gotham had taken notice.
The Warning
Back at Aeternum Industries, Alex plugged the flash drive into an isolated system. The files inside were encrypted, but that was child's play for him. He cracked the code within minutes.
The contents? Surveillance footage.
It showed images of him, taken from angles no normal person should have been able to capture. Footage of him entering and leaving his labs. Clips of his interactions with business partners. A photo of him and Evan Drake, meeting outside a private investor's office.
But that wasn't what made his blood run cold.
At the very end of the file… there was a black-and-white image of Jonathan and Martha Kent, standing outside their farmhouse.
A warning. A message.
Alex's hands clenched into fists. His mind was already working through the implications. Someone had done their homework. Someone had traced him back to Smallville.
His first instinct was to act—to track down the source, erase the threat before it could escalate. But he forced himself to breathe. Think. Plan.
No rash decisions. Not yet.
Whoever had left this message wanted him to know he was being watched. That meant they weren't ready to make a move yet. Which gave him time.
Time to turn the tables.
The First Move
The next morning, Evan walked into Alex's office, dropping a stack of reports onto the desk. "Bad news. More delays on our shipments. And our permits for the next phase of expansion? Mysteriously stuck in review."
Alex didn't respond immediately. Instead, he slid the flash drive across the table.
Evan picked it up, plugged it into his laptop, and scanned the files. His face darkened. "...Shit."
"They've done their homework," Alex said. "They know where I come from."
Evan exhaled sharply. "This is worse than LexCorp. This is Gotham's underworld, isn't it?"
"Most likely," Alex admitted. "And if they're watching me this closely, they either see me as a threat or a potential pawn. Either way, we need to move fast."
Evan frowned. "Move how?"
Alex's lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "We do what they least expect. We expand."
Evan blinked. "You want to poke the bear?"
Alex chuckled. "No. I want to set the whole damn forest on fire."
Evan sighed. "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"
"Absolutely."
Alex leaned back in his chair, his mind already ten steps ahead. The game had changed. The stakes were higher.
But that just made it more fun.
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