Brightest Doom

Chapter 26

By: BigToFu

 

Metropolis - LexCorp

Alexander Luthor

Suppressing a snarl, Luthor slammed the tablet he was using down onto his desk. Columbia was turning out to be a lost cause and he would have to change some of his plans. Even now, reports were informing him of the disappearance of his moles.

Again, Doom had made a move to block a portion of his reach, this was the second of such a move. It was clear that they would be at odds against each other and Luthor would be prepared for their inevitable clash.

~[With the defeat of Bane and the dismantling of the world's largest drug trade, the world wants to know what will Doom do next. With his move to repair the planet's climate and his company fixing the oceans, is there anything that he can't do?]~

Luthor could only snort at the foolishness on display, pressing the power button to turn the TV off. With a sigh, he leaned back in his seat allowing himself to get lost within his mind before motion in his private elevator tripped the sensors. Shifting his attention to the blinking LED, Luthor brought up his security display to witness Mercy and a few lawyers standing inside of the elevator that came straight up to his floor.

With a raised brow, Luthor turned and checked his schedule but found nothing of particular note for such an interruption. With a minor shift of his wrist, Luthor deactivated some, but not all, of his office's security measures as the elevator smoothly arrived at his floor.

Luthor settled into his chair knowing that they arrived without a ping warning him of their presence since such a thing would be very distracting. A distraction that would have him react with contemplation of utmost finality of the interruption's existence.

Rising from his seat, Luthor turned his back to the door of his office as he cast his gaze across his city. As he stood there in contemplation and Luthor took in the sight before him. On the left was a direct sightline to the coast and on the right was a direct sightline to the Daily Planet's building. Such a perfect display of his power, there was no need to use such brute force as his other colleagues did. Such a thing was unnecessary when all it took was proper planning and foresight to flex his power. That same power shifted a city due to his whims, that was how power was used.

While he was deep in his musing Mercy had arrived and while she waited on the lawyers to gather themselves, she gave the door two sharp knocks.

"Enter."

Casting one last look behind her, Mercy gave the head lawyer, Gavin, a sharp nod before bracing with one leg and opening the door. Walking into the room, Mercy stood before Luthor's desk and waited the sixty seconds it took for the lawyers behind her to finally stop their fidgeting. For a moment, Mercy wondered if the lawyers even noticed that Luthor's eyes flicked their way in the reflections.

Of course, they didn't, the fools were falling over themselves not wanting to be the bearer of bad news.

Seeing where things were going, Mercy felt that it only meant that she needed to take the lead. Best to get things over with then. "Sir, there has been a recent development."

Lex allowed the silence to stretch for a time forcing those that had gathered within his office to sweat. Of course, he wasn't worried about Mercy since this was part of her job. No, this was to force his lawyers to sweat because it was obvious that he was paying them for nothing. He allowed them to sweat for another few minutes before turning around to seat himself at his desk.

As he seated himself, Luthor said nothing as Mercy took a position at his back leaving the cowardly lawyers to stand before him with nothing to obstruct his view. Leaning forward in his seat, Lex stapled his fingers together before giving the lawyers a raised brow.

"Well?" He stated and made sure that his singular word was filled with loathing and command of the people before him. No one said anything and Luthor held a firm gaze with the lawyer pushed to the front of the group. As he stared them down, Mercy walked from behind him to take her position at the right of his desk, half a step away and over his shoulder.

Before she had taken her position, Mercy had placed a red folder on his desk marked very important. Ignoring the folder, Lex kept his gaze leveled at the lawyer that he just might be paying far too much for considering he had such a weak spine.

Leaning forward in his chair, Luthor folded his hands together, fingers lightly tapping against each other. The man that was pushed forward already had sweat stains on his collar, but he was already better than the rest. Those behind him were already wiping their brows due to the stress of standing in his presence.

"Sir, there are…." The Lawyer started before losing what little courage he was able to muster.

"Spit it out already!" Luthor spoke his voice low with a menacing growl tinting the edges.

The lawyer standing before him whimpered once before wiping his brow a second time, "Someone has filed an injunction against you for child support."

The room went deadly silent as Luthor was allowed to simmer on that little bit of information. With barely contained fury, Luthor placed his hands on his desk inches from activating the office laser systems.

"Child support?" Luthor hissed his voice sibilant with waspish venom.

"D… D… DNA test from Star…. Star Labs."

"Enough." Alexander Luthor drawled out once more fully in control of his emotions as he opened the folder on his desk. Opening the folder, Luthor was greeted with three pictures, one of himself, one of Superman, and the third of Super-boy, the clone, the sheer audacity.

Reading the papers over, it clearly stated that Power-Girl was informed on the status of the clone that was stolen out of Cadmus labs. From the video footage recovered and reviewed, she of course had not paid it any attention until it was mentioned that the clone carried a genetic match to Superman.

From the reports, the boy was placed in protective custody with the Titians. That of course, changed with the discovery of his genetic donors and with someone behind him to make decisions trusted by the public.

His hand inched closer to the seamless button that was hidden in his desk to activate the lasers, but Luthor had to smoother the urge. It wouldn't be proper to kill this buffoon before him and have witnesses. They were on the top floor and the alien could be watching after all.

"Why has this travesty been allowed to take place?" Luthor asked even as an idle finger slid the folder forward on his desk.

"Sir…" The buffoon stated before wiping a hand across his brows. "Sta… Star Labs findings are covered underneath governmental security clauses. Which… Which allows them access to the national genetic information database... And with you being… being the founder."

"Yes, it's already been established that they were able to access the founder's genetic material which would already be there on file." The bumbling lawyer gulped and wiped his brow before continuing to speak. "Powergirl claims Superboy as his aunt, Superman's genetics showed up as the mother and yours showed up as the father."

Mercy takes up position behind Lex and watches as the lawyers sweat and shift awkwardly. Then they pushed a slightly balding man in a suit that cost at least ten thousand dollars forward as their sacrificial lamb. Standing in her position, Mercy idly notes the sweat stain around the man's collar.

The letter he hands over is obviously papers signed and motorized by the metropolis family courts. From her position, Mercy read a few lines, her eyebrows shooting upwards.

Lex snarled in rage as he stood up, demanding clarification on why he is being served child support papers. The sacrificial lawyer stutters that Superboy's DNA test came back from star labs and Lex was the other half. With that information in the system, they were federally obligated to contact the authorities. Yet, because the situation involved Superman, and since he is an alien, things were even more complicated.

Luthor was not pleased, not when there was an upcoming fundraiser being held by That blasted Doom. IT also didn't help that with him being listed as the father, there was a good chance he would be on for a large amount of money. That he could not allow, especially when the clone wasn't even a year old if that, but he was being charged with at least 17 years of child support back pay for damages and lifestyle obligations.

Crushing the paper in his hands, Luthor stood and faced the windows to his office. The scene was perfect, everything was lined up properly and leading towards the Daily Planet. And from the daily planet, the sun shone from it at the perfect angle to complement his view over the rest of his city. Yes, this was his city because not even Bruce Wayne himself could save Gotham the way Luthor had saved Metropolis.

Even now the evidence of his meticulous work showed in how the streets lined up, not a driver on the road as he had made sure to rebuild this part of the city into a park. It was such a shame the villain that Superman was fighting at the time had such a disastrous effect on the location, beautiful park though.

Just like the park before him and the perfect sunshine from the Daily Planet, he would also craft the perfect plan for this situation.

 

[o.O.o]

 

Vincent Von Doom

Entertained

Chucking to myself, I picked up the TV remote and increased the volume of the news that was playing for all to hear. Harley was laughing uproariously while Talia was just shaking her head in exasperation.

{BREAKING NEWS! }

This just in! Metropolis Superior Court is suing Alexander Luthor on the behalf of Superboy, the son of Superman also known as Kon El. Alexander Luthor is verified as the genetic donor by our very own Star Labs. Kon El was made without the input of knowledge of Superman.

The Justice League corroborated this as Superman's lawyers have not disclosed any information. The suit was filed by the aunt of Kon El, a Miss Kara Zor-l also known as Powergirl the cousin of Superman. She is also noted to be in possession of the boy and is also asking for custody due to the nature of Superboy's conception.

The News was laying it on a little thick but that was alright, they would get what I wanted done anyway. Luthor, the League: they were all just a means to an end and I would crush them beneath my heel. This was just another domino falling down along the path to my domination: because in the end, DOOM RULES ALL…

To Luthor money was just a means to an end and to me, removing him was also the same. Leaning forward in my seat, I moved the playing card with Luthor's face underneath the one of Ras Al Ghul. The one that completed my trinity was the card of Vandal Savage, but he would come later. Already feelers were out in search of his location.

Ras had a way to contact the man, and even that was just a drop box. Quick, easy and simple, but I wasn't going to use it. I would rather handle things my own way instead of relying on his knowledge all of the time. Leaning back in my seat, I chuckled once more as I watched the shifting fluctuations of data.

The street price of cocaine and its by-products were going through the roof and I was the one with the stocks of the stuff. Honestly, the drugs left a bad taste in my mouth, but one does what one has to. With the death of Snowflame, there was no use calling to the elemental that wanted to rule over cocaine. I snorted at the thought because I was the only higher power and I refuse to supplicate myself to any within the universe.

Taking a deep breath, I released it slowly, frost lightly coating the table. I was pulled from my contemplation by the drink placed beneath my nose, frost coating its sides. I noticed the pale hand before looking upwards and meeting the bright ruby smile of Harley Quinn.

"Thanks for the chill drink." Harley quipped with a smile.

I raised a brow at her, "Have you finished with Bane?"

"Oohh, that big lug," Harley popped, then waved her hand to the side, "Lots of abandonment issues there, easy peasy."

I gave her a nod and then waited for her to continue speaking.

"Yeah, don't worry about it, I even looked into that stuffy General," Harley stated before just draping herself across the table and my lap. "He wants power but his machismo doesn't really speak to me, you know?"

I raised a brow at her, "So, he'll fold from outside pressure?"

Harley smirked back at me, a foot dangling off my shoulder. "Like wet cardboard left out in the rain shugha."

With a hum, I ran a hand idly over her calf muscle as I thought about who I could use to replace the President since the General would turn out to be a disaster. Granted, I only wanted to use him to give a little homage to my roots as an American. I would have to forgo the tradition of replacing one dictator for another it would seem.

Then I guess the Financial Minister would need to get a promotion. With that thought in mind, I summoned over my tablet and gave the orders for someone to bring the man to me. Luckily, I had all of their systems under a watchful eye and already found the man trying to get out of the county with his wife, kids, and mistress. Taking a moment to look over the images of the woman in question, I gave the universal head nod of approval. The man might have been a money launderer and a sleazeball politician, but at least he had great taste in women and didn't decide to only save his skin.

Some might say that you can tell the measure of a man by how he treats those beneath him, and that is true. Yet, you can also see the measure of a man by what he doesn't do with his back against the wall. This just might be the person I am looking for. With the money and resources at his fingertips, the finance minister could have easily left his wife, kids and mistress behind. Hell, he didn't even have to try and save his damn mistress, but he was putting in the effort and that said a lot for his character.

So yeah, I could definitely use a guy like him.

{ o.O.o }

Relaxing into my seat, I ignored the vibrations of the phone I placed on the table of the interrogation room as the President of Colombia gave me another call. I let it go to voicemail as I stared down at the man that sat across from it. He was in his mid to late forties, and had a head full of silky black hair. He also had a slight dad body that was slowly showing he was not as active as he used to be.

I sat silent and watched as a bead of sweat slowly dripped from the man's forehead, and again my phone rang. He gulped, looked at the screen, and saw that the Colombian President was calling me once more, and again, I did not answer. It went to voicemail and the finance minister before me gulped, it would seem that he was finally starting to understand the dynamics of the situation here. I wasn't a supplicant to the country, it was the other way around, and with my clear display of disregard for the very president of this man's nation.

"Senor?"

My hand went up to interrupt his speaking, then I placed a finger to the metal lips of my mask before giving him a shhh for silence. The finance minister clammed up and went silent, beside me Talia had a gift that bored into the man's soul. On the table before her was a sharpening slab, a kunai slowly going over it back and forth, back and forth.

With the man having finally sweat halfway through his shirt, the armpits damp and stained from his perspiration, I raised my hand and snapped my fingers. Instantly two of my ninjas snapped forward and grasped the finance minister by the arms. Picked him up from the seat and held him against the far wall, his cry of surprise going ignored. Slowly, I stood from my seat, picked up my once again ringing phone of the president, and made my way to stand before the finance minister.

And as I did all that, Talia stood along with me, the blade in her hand kept going swick, swick over the blade sharpener in her hand. The ninja on the left grabbed the man's face and made sure he was looking at me.

I held up the phone as the twentieth call was ignored, "This man has displeased me, and I need a replacement."

The finance minister blinked at me confused… *SLAP!*

"That is not an answer that Doom likes," I stated, then raised my hand once more, palm open.

He cried a little then begged, "Why?!"

His eyes were wide as he slowly tracked my hand as it raised and turned. My backhand went across his face, swift as hurricane-force winds… *SLAP!*

"That is not the answer that I am looking for," I stated, this continued three more times before I got bored of playing with my food. Lowing my hand and taking a step back, the finance minister's eyes went truly wide as Talia took a step forward, the kunai gleaming in her grasp. "Maybe we should try something else."

Talia ran the blade lightly over his chest, then a quick hand jerk made the top button that was keeping his shirt closed disappear.

"Senior, I'll do it, I'll do it," The finance minister started to babble, and I could feel the disappointment radiate from Talia.

"Ohh and what will you do, hmmm?" I asked with a hum and did nothing to stop Talia from scaring the guy.

"Anything you want! Anything!" The finance minister screamed as Talia lightly drew the blade across his jugular.

*SIGH* "It would seem that you weren't listening, I don't want you to do anything for me, I have a very specific task for you." I stated, then stepped forward and stood before the finance minister's face.

"Then I'll do it, whatever it is, I'll do it." The finance minister gushes at me, his words rapid, the fear clearly showing.

I raised a brow at him and waited for his cries to end, pathetic. The whimpers died down as the man cried himself out, his breath ragged and labored as his tears faded out. I nodded my head, then looked at one of my ninjas. "Clean him up and give him the talking points, Talia, with me."

It was time to remove El Presidente and build my own cabinet.

{ o.O.o }

The greatest Butler in Existence…

Pulling stray lint from his shoulders, he flicked towards the side, the corners of his lips going up as the elevator finally reached the Bat-Cave. The doors to the elevator opened and Alfred pushed the tea cart smoothly out as he made his way towards the Bat-computer.

In the seat of the Bat-computer sat Bruce and, on the screen, Alfred could see that an active scan was in progress. Coming to a stop just outside arm's reach of Bruce, Alfred proceeded to prepare Bruce's afternoon coffee just how he liked it. On the cart sat a coffee bean roaster that was not only slow roasting the beans but also slowly refining the beans with a grinder.

Taking a look at the counter, Alfred gave an appreciative nod as the counter hit the perfect mark of fifty grind rotations. Switching off the flames, Alfred transferred the ground coffee into a micro filter and placed it within the press holder. Holding that over Bruce's favorite coffee mug, Alfred proceeded to pour water that was just above hot but not at a full boiling point, but all from the filtered systems of the manor.

With a slow pour into Bruce's favorite coffee mug that was also warm to the touch. Alfred smiled as he made the perfect coffee. With a swift and light movement, he picked up the previous cup of coffee that was empty from the desktop of the Bat-computer and replaced it with the perfect cup that was just made. Then with a slight push, Alfred had the cup move to the optimal location so that Bruce would be able to reach it with minimal movement.

The cup that he removed from the desk was placed on the second level of the pushcart and into the lukewarm container, then he activated the sonic cleaner to get the stains out of the porcelain. Bruce grunted his thanks but Alfred paid it no mind as he moved the pushcart to the side and out of the way. Taking his customary position at Bruce's right, he finally gave the Bat-computer a look now that his immediate task was over. On the screen, he could see that Bruce was investigating the cause of the recent spike in conflict over the local narcotics.

It was turning into a horrible case of supply and demand in which the demand was ridiculously high and the supply was far lower than expected. From the estimated projections, there might only be four months left of the current street drugs. That wouldn't last though with the current actions of the street gangs. Drugs were being lost in the ensuing battles and that only inflamed the situation even more.

As he was reading the screens, Alfred noticed a window pop up on one of the side monitors, the news playing instantly, urgent written across the bottom, and scrolling in large red blocky letters was the phrase.

"BREAKINGS NEWS: ALEXANDER LUTHOR DEADBEAT FATHER, POSSIBLE SECRET LOVER OF SUPERMAN! Kristine Heart with the scoop of a lifetime at the possibility of Alexander Luthor knocking up Superman and leaving him high and dry. A lot of questions are being asked; currently along with, what do we truly know about Kryptonian physiology?

This comes on the heels of a suit being filed over backlogged child support naming Alexander Luthor as the father, with the young hero going by the name Superboy it was unclear who the mother was until Star Labs was subpoenaed for the information. The people had a right to know with them being publicly funded."

Alfred pursed his lips and noticed the tightening of Bruce's fist. Ohh, dear, it would seem someone has laid claim to Bruce's lifelong partner. Maybe it was time to don the trench coat that he wore for her majesty's army. Fetch his trusty shotgun from its place in storage and deal with a certain ruffian.

Bruce swiftly stood from his chair, perfect coffee long forgotten as he jumped into the Bat-mobile and sped out of the cave. With a sigh, Alfred gave the computer screen one last look before gathering his thing. Maybe, just maybe he should let Bruce handle this one. It wasn't like he was at a loss for lovers anyway, even if it was unfortunate that the young man Viktor Doom had taken both Talia and Salina.

Like all things in life, Bruce must learn to improve himself from such setbacks. With a sigh, Alfred pulled out a sticky note as he started to write down a word of advice for his surrogate son.

-It's clear that money isn't the issue, I do think that it's finally time you worked on that personality. It would be remiss of me to not consider all aspects of why you might be coming out on the losing end when it comes to love and war. The saying is that all is fair, but alas, someone must tell you the truth that it is not. I am rooting for you, Master Bruce.

Good Luck.

With that written, Alfred turned and made his way out of the Bat-cave, Bruce did like apple pies when he was sad.

Authors Notes:

Okay, after losing the chapter I had written, not going to lie, I didn't want to come back to this not for some time at least.

Anyway, here is the chapter, ENJOY.