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—
The next several weeks were spent with the usual business of setting up a network, dealing with company-related issues, such as more demos, and assisting the Justice League wherever it was necessary.
Just as he was doing now.
"Miles, do you know anything about a speaking gorilla?" Since it was Flash asking the question, Miles guessed Grodd had made his debut.
"I have a feeling it does not communicate with sign language." Miles asked dryly. Even if he didn't have his meta knowledge, Flash wouldn't call for something simple, so Miles could afford to be
"Nope, words, just like humans do."
"Could be from Gorilla City in Africa."
"The what?" Even Flash, with his superior capability of disseminating knowledge, was taken aback.
"There is a hidden city of hyperintelligent gorillas in Africa. Unless it is a genetically modified specimen that escaped from a lab, it could be a fugitive from Gorilla City." Miles explained. Honestly, Wakanda itself was a better thought-out premise than sapient gorillas, but whatever.
Flash snorted, not in disbelief, but at the ridiculousness of the idea. "Right, hyperintelligent gorillas, great. Anything about mind control in there, or Dr. Sarah Corwin from River Bluffs Research Labs?"
"Give me a moment." Miles quickly messaged Zalika to gather all available information on the doctor and send it to Flash.
"She has been in a romantic relationship with someone over the internet, and, well, you won't believe this, but her partner is actually a gorilla, your target, I assume."
Flash was exasperated now. "You've got to be kidding me."
"I wish I was. It would have been preferable to witnessing something so morally questionable. And the photos, my god, some people are deplorable." Miles would have to bleach his eyes, because seeing Dr. Corwin's photos, where she had worn revealing lingerie that had been sent to Gorilla Grodd, was disturbing.
Good thing it was a show aimed at children, and this part wasn't included on the TV.
"Well, damn. Thanks, man."
"You're welcome." Flash would handle Grodd, so there was no need for Miles to intervene.
—
Following two rather explosive demos, interest in EnviroCorps had grown considerably, resulting in several offers of investment, which were being reviewed, but Miles wouldn't have anyone tell him how to direct his company or the projects, and requests of cooperation from several non-profit organizations, as well as other tech companies.
In a grand ceremony, thousands of Recyclus had been released to the Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean to clean the Great Garbage Patch, with the King of Atlantis once again in attendance, as well as several ambassadors.
Fortunately, this time it was a more peaceful affair.
Zalika's call, on the other hand, was wrought with worry.
—
Beckett Residence
"What did you discover that stresses you so much?" Miles asked, having made his way home straight after receiving his charges call.
"So, I was just surfing on the net and came across news about a missing woman…." Zalika began, explaining how she had stumbled on a possible sex trafficking ring while trying to see if she could help by tracking how the woman had gone missing.
The technopath had first investigated the missing woman's browser and call histories and found a number she had received from the internet. The number wasn't in the woman's phone contacts or call history, most likely deleted, but following the trail had led her to the owner of the number, Trent Blackwell, who was dating another woman.
Just to be sure, Zalika had trailed the man, both in cyberspace and through CCTV, only to see him go on a date with the said woman, who had just been declared missing.
Zalika had called 911 and kept her eyes and ears on the situation, only for nothing to come out of it. She had hacked the call center and discovered her call was deleted, with no record of it anywhere.
More suspicious now, the young woman had delved deeper, finding several figures, including police officers, tied together in a network, which Trent Blackwell had been a part of.
Distrustful of the law enforcement, she had called Miles.
"Hmm, what you say might be correct. Give me names, addresses, and descriptions, and I'll investigate. In the meantime, stay on your computer; I might need your help." A fictional universe or not, this Earth was plagued by the very same atrocities that his Earth had been, and Miles would do something about it.
"Got it. You'll stop them, right?" Zalika looked hopeful.
Miles patted her on the shoulder. "They'll regret ever committing these crimes in the first place."
—
Metropolis
EnviroCorps
Zalika wasn't the last one to call him that day, though Mary's tone was calmer. Whatever it was, it wasn't something to be spoken on the phone, and here the trio was in her office, and Mary explained her reason for calling right after the room was scanned again.
"Miles, there is a situation."
Miles took his hat off and sat down. "I am all ears."
Typing on her computer, she turned the screen to Miles. "Several military figures approached me, off the record of course, on developing androids for military purposes."
On the screen, there were several photos of Mary speaking to different men, all with the rigidity that came from being a part of the military.
"Turn them away." He had no intention of selling weapons.
For now, anyway.
"I have, but they made some rather threatening remarks." Miles could guess what they were.
"The government can't afford an outright seizure; we are becoming too beloved by the population for it, and they can't afford a fallout with Atlantis. They will resort to more covert operations to acquire the tech. Have Thomas set up androids disguised as humans to aid the security, and my associate will keep tabs on any possible cyber attack, as well as a raid. In addition, start lobbying the relevant parties, and tell the law firm to be ready to sue the government to hell and back."
Any move from the government would include cyber attacks and black ops, most likely through Cadmus, to steal the necessary tech and research.
"Understood. What if we catch someone?"
"There will be no evidence left of an intruder." Any assets sent for espionage and theft would be deniable assets, and if they didn't exist for the US government, then they didn't exist for Miles.
Mary nodded, understanding that they were slowly swimming into dangerous waters. "Got it. I'll start working, and before I forget, that new researcher you brought has started working, and I put out feelers. There is interest in artificial rains and the manipulation of other weather events, but not without a demo."
It was expected, and Miles had no doubt the creator of the weather control device could deliver, perhaps an even better product this time.
"Ben did mention the need for ionic energy. Do our friends from afar have anything for it?"
"They did share with us the schematics for a device capable of generating ionic energy; as soon as a prototype is ready, we'll inform him."
"Good, anything else?"
"Administrations from several cities all over the world reached out to us for the Cryo Towers, and for cooling down data centers."
"What about Gotham? I made a promise to Bruce Wayne." Once you give your word, you have to keep it.
"I'll put them at the top of the list, but it's Gotham. Are you sure about it? There is a good chance one of those nutcases from Arkham will just wreck the tower out of spite, or for some grand reason." Joker alone might decide to blow the tower up, just because he lost to Miles.
"Cryo Tower's security is the business of the city, not yours." If the city couldn't protect it, it meant more work and more income for them.
"Works for me." If the villains damaged the structure, EnviroCorps would charge Gotham for the repairs.
"I won't be available for some time; in case of an emergency, you are the one in charge."
"I am not even going to ask, but alright."
—
Going after criminals was fine, but their new target wasn't some rabble like Anton, so preparations were required.
Miles had gathered his operations unit and visited Thomas to get some much-needed upgrades.
"Your bodyguard is already a pyrokinetic, and it makes my job easier. This suit will give her increased firepower and offer protection against weapons fire up to .50 cal, and even that is limited due to the time constraints. So don't push your luck."
It was an armor that looked similar to Red Inferno but was tailored to Claire's size and meant to boost her considerable metahuman powers.
"Got it." Claire nodded, and the android Thomas took her away to further explain the armor's functions.
"As for your other request, I have prepared laser rifles with both stun and lethal mods, as well as grenades." Synthetics, meant to be simple workers to keep everything inside the lab a secret, brought four crates full of rifles and grenades.
"That was quick." Miles took one of the rifles out, inspecting the red, sleek weapon. Its barrel was split in the middle, with red glowing panels covering the insides, and its battery was located at the top.
"I made use of the production line for the Recyclus." With several thousand of the androids already out in the oceans carrying out the task they were programmed to, modifying the production line to make rifles and grenades was a simple matter for a genius like Thomas Morrow.
"Excellent work, Thomas, both of you, and as you know, none of this happened." There was no need to give the government more ammunition, and if the laser weaponry were discovered, it would do exactly that.
"Now if you're done, I need to get back to my work. Your CEO certainly keeps me busy." The old man grumbled.
Miles nodded and waved his hand to Captain Neumann, and his men began to load the crates into the trucks before driving away in the dead of the night.
—
Kidnapping Trent Blackwell was laughably easy. After Zalika had led him on the internet, he had agreed to meet the persona created by the technopath, only for armed men to stuff him inside a van and drive him to the abandoned warehouse they were using.
This world had a serious problem when it came to abandoned places the villains could make use of.
Trent was tied to a chair with a gag and a blindfold, waiting to be questioned to see which dark hole this trail led them down to. He was mumbling something, and Miles waved his hand to the men standing on both sides of him.
"Who the fuck are you?!" Miles was getting tired of all the little dirtbags he encountered swearing.
Couldn't he have a more distinguished enemy for once?
"Good evening, Trent. Though, seeing your current state, perhaps not a good one? Especially since your latest target isn't in sight." Only people around the room were men armed to the teeth.
"Shit." Trent swore, seeing as he was surrounded with no way of escaping.
"Now, I know you go on secret dates with women, and they end up being kidnapped. I want to know why, how, and all your contacts." Miles listed his demands, and of course, Trent had to refuse, because god forbid a crook ever have a shred of common sense.
"I'm not telling you anything."
Miles smiled, looking at the broken window at the top of the wall. "A classmate of mine had congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. The condition itself was a dangerous one, especially as a child. He had at least a dozen major scars and constantly had to check his body for swelling, bruises, cuts, and whatnot. He had to monitor his temperature round the clock to avoid dying from cold or heat, as he couldn't sweat. Do you want to know what happened to him?" Miles asked after finishing his little tale, while the room listened attentively.
"What?" Trent was confused as to why the man suddenly started monologuing.
"He died from an infection caused by a splinter. Such a bright person, gone so early." Miles lamented.
Trent's pupils dilated as he began to sweat, having an inkling as to where the man was going.
"Why are you telling me this?" Miles stopped smiling and jabbed the shock baton to Trent's stomach, causing him to seize up.
Pulling the baton back, Miles leaned in to whisper to Trent's ear. "Because you are about to suffer in agony, Trent, unless you speak, and I wager you don't have the same condition as my classmate."
"Do your worst."
"Very well." Miles ordered the guards to waterboard Trent, but they had to stop.
"Sir, we caught him crossing the perimeter." Two men came in, dragging a very curious-looking man they had cuffed.
A man dressed in a dark blue suit with a yellow shirt, a black tie, a blue coat, and a hat.
A man that didn't have a face.
Wonderful. Now he had to deal with one of the most talented detectives in the world, and the most paranoid by far. "You didn't capture him; he let you. Uncuff him and stand back." The men were confused but attempted to do as they were ordered, only for Question to get up and dangle the cuffs before handing them to the guards, who stepped out of the room.
"Question, what a pleasant surprise to see you in Metropolis of all places. Tell me, what brings you to the city of tomorrow?" Seeing as he chose to be let in rather than fight his way through, Victor Sage must have been after the same target as him.
"He does. I've been tracking the organization he works for, and the trail led me here." So it was an organization and not some small-time criminal enterprise.
"Then we are fighting for the same cause." Not that Victor would buy it. The man inhaled paranoia and exhaled conspiracy theories.
Well trained and with the fleshy mask covering his face, reading the question was impossible. "We'll see. What have you found out so far?"
"He convinces women to meet him for secret dates, citing the need for anonymity, and takes them to expensive places. The rest is evident. Whoever he works for may also have moles in law enforcement." If the trail led Question down to Metropolis from Hub City, then the detective vigilante must have been investigating them for a long time.
"This isn't just happening in Metropolis. They are quickly expanding all over the East Coast, and I already linked more than thirty missing women to them. Has he talked yet?"
Quickly expanding, organized, and clearly had ties to law enforcement. Whoever the enemy was, they weren't amateurs.
"No, Trent is insistent on being a tough little walnut, but we'll crack him open to reveal the rot inside. Care to join us?" Question used subtler methods of interrogation, through psychological pressure and obsession, to disturb his target into confessing the truth.
"Why not?"