This story is one chapter ahead on my Patreon!

---

Prologue

“I haven’t seen you before. You new around here?”

Vandal Savage spared the bum only a quick glance. Then he turned his attention back upon the ruin that surrounded him. 

Ruin. There really was no other way to describe it. Hub City was infamous for being little more than a corrupt, pathetic, shell of a city. But the outskirts? Out at the very edge of the rotting metropolis had to be the foremost example of American urban decay. And at night it looked even worse.

This neighborhood was a slum. Hollow carcasses lined the cracked and patchy road, the remains of homes, stores, the things that made a community. Over there, Savage could see a small, burned-out market. And there, he could see what used to be a school. A sad waste.

Savage frowned. This would be his new project. He would turn this derelict neighborhood into someplace that was worth a damn.

“On the contrary, I’ve been around a very long time.” The living relic finally spoke. He turned his steely gaze onto the hobo that waddled up to greet him. A scrawny vagabond who looked like garbage and smelled worse. But even a wretch like him could be useful, Savage knew. His next words were blunt, harsh. “This town is a slum.”

The hobo snorted, more incredulous than offended.

“Of course it is.” The man shot back, smirking under his long, unkempt beard. “What, have you been living in a cave?”

“Not recently, no.” Savage answered honestly. But the hobo only gave another snort, thinking it was a joke.

Savage said nothing more, moving along the sidewalk. He took slow, measured steps, drawing his eyes along the empty, dilapidated homes. He made sure to get a good look at each one, reminding himself that each was once home to a couple or a family. But no longer. For years, they had been left to rot.

The towering brute gripped the amulet in his pocket. A supposedly ancient necklace set with a glossy black stone. It had come into his possession the previous week, just a few short days ago. A gift sent from a mysterious friend, so said the letter it had come with. A prized amulet that held the power to control minds. And indeed, the amulet pulsed with primordial magic power. Savage could feel it. But other than that, he knew nothing about the damned thing.

Even more curious, it came to him right on the heels of his most recent defeat at the hands of Justice League. Savage had escaped capture, but the same could not be said for his allies. And his resources, his technology, the wealth he had built up under his current alias, all of it had been confiscated. The amulet in his pocket was now Vandal Savage’s only possession - other than the clothes on his back, of course.

Savage could use it for revenge - use the amulet to destroy the so-called heroes who defeated him in battle. But that was getting ahead of things. Small steps, that would be the smart choice. The disciplined choice. Vandal Savage was no simple-minded barbarian. He had spent a thousand lifetimes learning from the mistakes of mortal men. 

First, he would need to test the amulet out. And his testing ground would need to be isolated - or otherwise far away from the attention of any authorities. He needed a place no one cared about - he needed people no one cared about.

And that brought him here. 

Hub City.

The bearded hobo came shuffling up beside him, but stopped dead once Savage turned his eyes on him. 

Enough nerve to get close. Just not too close…

“I don’t mean to sound like some weirdo, but you’re a pretty big fellow.” The shorter  man said, his breath coming out as a faint fog. His observation was correct, if a little odd. Savage was clearly the larger of the two, standing a full head-and-a-half taller than the skinny hobo. And not even the heavy coat the immortal wore could hide away his bulk of muscle. Savage said nothing and the hobo took the silence as permission to continue. “You wouldn’t happen to know where a guy could get a bite to eat?”

An annoying question. But it was one that Savage had anticipated. Even with his assets frozen and seized, he still had enough money to buy some food - he had learned long ago that it helped to keep some cash money on hand just in case things went sideways.

From his other coat pocket, Savage drew out a small half-loaf of seasoned, herbed bread. The bum’s eyes lit up as Savage offered it to him. The hesitation the shorter man once possessed was gone, replaced with the excitement that came with sated hunger. He took the bread with a grateful smile, wolfing down his first bite with gusto.

Vandal Savage simply watched. He had experienced the same kind of hunger before. Thousands and thousands of years ago. Back when the Earth was young, wild, and untamed. He knew better than any man living that food was never free. Savage didn’t believe in charity. The bread was an advanced payment for loyal service. And Savage was going to collect.

“How many others live here?” The immortal asked.

The hobo chewed his mouthful of bread, lips smacking. Savage’s face remained like stone. Finally, the bum swallowed.

“What do you mean?”

“Others like you. Homeless.” Savage clarified. Then he added, frowning. “Destitute. How many of you live in this slum?”

Savage may not have meant it as an insult, but the shorter man took offense all the same. But not enough to try and start something with the towering, immortal caveman. Still, the faintest hint of self-respect that the hobo showed in that moment was enough to rid Savage of his reservations. Even impoverished, the other man had some pride. Savage could use that.

“I can’t say, really. Quite a few, I suppose.” The hobo answered after a moment.

“Then make a guess.” Savage shot back. His voice was firm, authoritative - something he perfected over the millennia. Just by using his own presence, Savage could make lesser men fall in line. Tonight was no different.

“A few dozen.” The hobo gave a small shrug. “About fifty or so. I don’t know for sure.”

Fifty or so. Vandal Savage could work with that. He’d laid the foundation for empires with less.

Savage nodded at the other man’s answer, satisfied.

“You have your own tribe of homeless.” He noted, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Savage hadn’t meant offense, but it was taken all the same. The hobo gave a small scowl… And took another bite of the herbed loaf of bread. He spoke with his mouth full.

“Hey, times are tough. Especially in Hub City. Even worse here than it is over in Bludhaven, according to the paper. Can you believe that?”

Savage stared at the hobo. Then he looked over at the run-down shell of a house just behind him.

“I can see it.” Savage answered bluntly.

The bum snorted out an obnoxious laugh, bits of bread falling from his mouth. The immortal felt disdain churning up inside him, but kept his face like stone.

“That’s the Hub City charm!” The shorter, scrawnier man guffawed. He turned and gestured towards the row of empty, ruined houses. “Where else are you going to get scenery like that?”

Many places, Savage thought bitterly. Everywhere in the world you can find poverty like that. But they don’t all have someone like me.

The time for chit-chat was done. Savage decided then that it was time to start building his new kingdom. But first he needed his loyal subjects. And he had just the tool for the job.

“Do you have a name?” He asked the hobo.

The scrawny, bearded fellow was taken aback for a moment. To Savage, the shock made sense. How many well-dressed men - men who looked like they made something of themselves - ever bothered to learn more about the man who lived among trash and refuse. The shorter man blinked, mentally shaking himself out of his stunned state.

“Name’s Eddie.” He answered hesitantly, like he was giving up a part of himself. He was, Savage noted, but not in a way that he should fear.

“How would you like a job, Eddie?” Savage stood tall, chin held up. He wanted to show that he was serious, that these particular words carried a particular weight.

Eddie the bum stared up at the towering Vandal Savage… and laughed.

“You making a joke?” Eddie gave the immortal a wide, incredulous smile. Savage could see then that the other man was missing quite a few teeth.

“No.” Savage answered quickly, firmly. His voice was like steel, unyielding. His words were heavy with conviction. Enough to kill the other man’s laughter in his throat. “Work for me and you’ll never go hungry again. You have my word.”

But even with the iron certainty in Savage’s voice, Eddie was hesitant. Savage could see it clear in the other man’s eyes. He was debating with himself, surely: should he trust this strange man. Were their roles reversed, Savage knew he’d feel the same way.

Eddie shook his head, backing away a couple steps.

“Nah. I know how this story goes. Bum gets offered a job, the next morning he wakes up in a tub full of ice and his kidney is missing.”

Savage frowned. It seemed his skill in persuasion had slipped in the last century. He would need to work on that. It was most fortunate then that he had the amulet, wasn’t it?

“I don’t want your organs.” Savage said flatly, advancing on the retreating bum. “Just your obedience.”

Vandal Savage drew the amulet from his coat pocket, the glossy black stone glimmering against the light of the street lamp. He held it up, right in front of Eddie’s face. That was how the letter said to use it. 

The letter turned out to be truthful. Instantly, Eddie the bum went still, his eyes going wide and glassy. His arms that he had held up defensively fell to his sides. The shorter man stared at the amulet as it swung back and forth under Savage’s hand. The black stone had him transfixed. Mesmerized.

“What…?” Eddie murmured, unblinking, unmoving. “What is this?”

“Will you serve?” The words came from Savage’s lips more like a demand than a question. The immortal watched the scrawny wretch, awaiting his answer. Savage knew what the answer would be, but he wanted to hear it.

“I… I will serve.” Eddie gave a faint nod.

Savage gave a small huff, the slightest bit impressed. Satisfied, he lowered his arm and clutched the black stone tight in his fist.

“Good.” He said, a small but very pleased smile on his hard, severe face. “Now bring me the rest of your tribe. Tell them I offer work. Food.”

Eddie blinked, wincing. He rubbed at his temple, but otherwise seemed no worse for wear. The bum narrowed his eyes at the mass of muscle before him. Savage noted some anger. 

“Do you want me to tell them about… that jewelry you got?” There was a hint of distaste in the shorter man’s voice. And his tone: accusatory.

Curious. 

The amulet afforded the wielder control over subjects… but it didn’t suppress the subjects’ personalities or emotions. At least not entirely. 

Very curious.

“No. They don’t need to worry about it. Now go.” Savage commanded.

Eddie’s face twisted into a sour grimace, but he gave an obedient nod all the same.

“You're the boss, boss.” He said. Then he turned and left with his orders.

Savage had almost forgotten the thrill that came with domination. The sense of triumph a man got when he wielded uncontested power.

No, Savage thought with a grin. Not a boss. I’m going to be much more than that.