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To the attention of the readers who enjoy reading an intelligent main character like Miles will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Watchtower
Starro had been left in a star system far from any civilization. There, it could float in a vacuum without the fear of being abducted and experimented on.
"What is the government's reaction?" Superman asked. His voice was flat, shoulders slumped, and face blank.
The League was still reeling from the mess in Corto Maltese.
Miles pressed a button.
Two images, one of the President of the United States and the other of the head of Cadmus, Amanda Waller, and the recording played.
"No, Mr. President, we don't know how these insurgents took control so quickly," she said.
"And the project?" the president asked.
"The specimen is gone," Waller reported, "along with everything else," she added after a second.
There was a hiss on the other side before the president spoke again, "I don't want this blowing back on us, Waller. Not even a single word," he warned.
"I understand, Mr. President," Waller said, her voice low.
"Can't believe I voted for this guy," Flash grumbled, looking away.
"That's not all," Miles said, playing a video recording this time.
"Amanda, how is our dear president doing?" Lex asked as he entered Waller's office.
"He is not happy, just like me," Waller said, pushing her chair back. "How did your weapons get into the hands of a bunch of fishermen in Corto Maltese?" she demanded.
"Someone very good at their job stole them in the middle of the Atlantic, all without Deathstroke realizing anything until the last moment."
"Though, I wonder," Lex said, leaning on his palm, "what was it that Cadmus was doing in Corto Maltese?"
"Nothing," she replied, narrowing her eyes.
"Ah, of course."
"Find the culprit, Luthor. I don't want any excuses," she ordered.
"Don't worry, Amanda, I am investigating it."
"Someone good enough to steal weapons mid-shipment? Who could it be?" Hawkgirl asked, glancing at Miles.
The League turned to Miles at once. "Miles, anything you want to tell us?" Wonder Woman queried.
"Here is the target list if the experiments achieved their purpose," he replied, opening the file showing a list with the Justice League members at the top. The number one was Batman, with Superman the second and Wonder Woman the third.
"That's not all," he continued.
"I narrowly missed intercepting a transaction between Dr. Krill from Metropolis Star Labs and Cadmus agents." He showed the woman's image next to the list.
"Do you remember those DNA samples I told you to retrieve?" he asked Superman.
"Damn it," Clark scowled, dropping his head on the table.
He looked at the rest of the team, who were looking at Superman with sympathy. "Any other questions?"
"Are you going to let the Corto Maltese keep the gear?" Inferno asked. The island nation could have undue attention due to the highly advanced weapons they possessed.
"I already retrieved it all," he said, showing the images of the weapons surrendered to his forces. "The new government doesn't need it now since the Herreras are gone. It would also bring undue attention from Luthor and Cadmus."
"Did you find where those samples were taken?" J'onn asked. The DNA could be used for many purposes, none of which were good.
"Unfortunately not. Cadmus does not keep anything about the base on their servers. But I am looking for them," he assured. All known locations were searched, including the ones he knew from the shows, but nothing had shown up regarding the DNA samples.
"Thank you," Superman said, raising his head.
"I have a question. Will you be interfering in the internal affairs of other countries as well?" Tornado spoke up next. His question was an important one, because what Miles had done was technically very illegal.
"Yes," he admitted.
Because of one simple reason.
"You see, my grand plan is to accelerate the unification of Earth. It requires me to dabble in politics. Which is why I am a member, but not at the same time," he revealed. The slouched members straightened up, and even Batman was interested enough to move his chair.
"That is… a great undertaking, enormous even. Do you think it is possible?" Diana asked.
World unification was not in anyone's mind or agenda.
"Thousands starve to death on one side of the planet, and millions die from obesity on the other. America, the wealthiest country on the planet, doesn't have public healthcare, not because it couldn't, but because no one is lobbying the senators for it. There is also an incoming environmental crisis due to fossil fuels," said Miles, running through images of starving children, and then obese ones, the numbers on American citizens' healthcare debt, and the impacts of global warming.
"You can solve the issue of evil gods, demon lords, and villains that desire world domination or mindless destruction with your fists. You can't do the same to the internal issues of humanity," he added.
"Can't argue with the last part," Flash muttered.
The members were silent, looking at different places and objects. Miles would give his teammates as much time as necessary.
"Anyway we can help?" Green Lantern was offered.
"You all are already swarmed with hero work, and your personal lives are important. If something truly urgent comes up, I'll be sure to ask," Miles responded. He would ask for help when he had to, but they already had a hard time with keeping the world safe and living a life.
"Then there is one last matter. All this information we have on Cadmus and the government's actions in Corto Maltese. I believe we should release it to the public," Tornado suggested.
"I agree, but not now," he nodded.
"Why?" Superman asked, losing control over the volume of his voice.
"This is Robert Kerdon, an independent candidate for the elections next year. Among his promises, creating a public healthcare service, bringing heavier regulations against the megacorporations, and reducing the influence of the lobbies are the most important ones," he explained.
"However, he won't win," Miles added, showing the surveys, with Kerdon in last place even if he got through all the hurdles of being an independent candidate.
"Unless, say, he becomes a public hero," said Superman, realizing where Miles was going.
"Exactly."
"Do we truly want to use the suffering and deaths of all those people to create a political hero?" Wonder Woman asked. It left a sour taste in her mouth.
"If we release them, it will only make the next government more paranoid of us," Hawkgirl said. Things were already bad enough behind the scenes.
"Does it truly matter how or who releases those files, as long as they are released? Also, there isn't enough evidence to indict everyone affiliated with Cadmus. Amanda Waller, for all that she is useful, can be replaced," he said. It would be a simple matter for Waller to be blamed for everything and sent to prison.
Cadmus would be rebranded, everything would become more secretive, and the new organization would continue as it was.
"I think we should let Miles handle this," Flash said. "I want to agree that none of us should be meddling in politics. I truly do. But how can we just sit here and do nothing while the government makes plans to turn us into mindless slaves? The President of the United States, the man we shook hands with in a photoshoot for publicity, is enabling an organization that commits these atrocities," he added with none of his energetic personality.
"I used to think that just by putting a madman like Joker in prison, I was saving lives. Even if I patrolled the streets of Gotham nonstop, how much difference would that make?" Batman mused out loud.
Miles raised an eyebrow.
"Then, the project to turn Crime Alley into a safe place where the people could live and work came before me. Do you know what it did?" asked the Dark Knight.
"Reduced the crime rate of Gotham for the first time in years. Because it gave people something that they desperately needed."
"Hope that things will get better," he finished after a second of silence.
The League agreed that they would let Miles handle the release of the information. It was his business to support which candidate he wanted, but as that support included the information they gathered from Jotunheim, the members wanted to be kept up to date.
The elections were next year, and it was time he started to work.
—
The information, once released, would need to be complete with names, locations, experiments, and plenty of proof that would burn Cadmus.
Compartmentalization of the organization meant that not everything could be found in one place.
It would take time, but there were regular shipments between Cadmus bases and labs. Total isolation was not possible if Waller wanted to keep the organization afloat.
More NEXTINSECTs were spread around known locations to infiltrate the rest of Cadmus through the shipments.
—
Brooklyn
Miles rang the doorbell, waiting. Today was a day off for Robert Kerdon, and he should be in his home.
"Hello?" A woman in her forties opened the door. Abigail Kerdon was a brunette with brown eyes and had aged gracefully.
"Mrs. Kerdon, I am looking for your husband," Miles said.
"Robert, it's for you," she called out, waiting for her husband to come down.
"Can I help you?" Robert asked. Close to her wife in age, he too was a brunette. While his green eyes were still lit with determination, the stress of the work had marred his face with wrinkles.
"Me? Not particularly. But I believe you can help the people of the United States," he said, pointing at Robert.
"How so?"
"By becoming the president this country sorely needs," he explained, holding his hand out, "Miles Beckett, the founder of EnviroCorps."
"Oh," Robert's eyes widened. "Please, come in then," he invited them in.
The living room was cozy, with down-to-earth-toned furniture and a lot of cushions.
"Can I get you two anything?" Robert offered as they sat down.
"No, thank you. This is Claire, my bodyguard," he introduced. Claire gave a small nod and took a glass of lemonade.
"Thank you, dear," Robert smiled, taking his own glass.
"You said I could help the people of the United States. I am listening," he continued, curious as to what this man meant.
"This country is going downhill. Medical debt is increasing, as are the prices for basically everything. Our senators are more worried about what the lobbies want than what the people need. I would like nothing more than seeing a man who would truly work for a solution to all these problems," Miles explained. He leaned back, watching Robert.
"I would like that too," he nodded, fingers through his hair. "However, money alone can't make me a president."
Though it would certainly help.
"You are right. Being a public hero, on the other hand, would. Especially if both the Republicans and the Democrats are discredited," Miles replied, pulling out the flash disk out of his pocket.
Robert glanced at the disk. "That sounds dangerous."
"It is. Then again, nothing worth doing is ever easy or safe, is it?" he asked.
"Robert…" Abigail's voice wavered. She put her hand over his eyes.
"I understand your reluctance, Mrs. Kerdon. I can't ask your husband to risk his life," he assured the woman.
"But I can give you the best security on this planet and ensure anyone that wants to come after you will be stopped," Miles added. There would be bullets with Robert's name on them, but he would keep the man alive through it.
Alive and well.
Robert grasped his wife's hand, giving her a shallow nod. "How do you intend to make me a public hero?"
"I am sure you heard about the events at Corto Maltese? And how the pizza index went up following the coup?" Miles asked. Anyone who followed politics and military news would have seen the pizza index.
"Yes. People suspect that the government had a connection to the island, especially to that secret base," Robert said. He had asked around, but no one knew anything or was willing to talk.
"They do have a connection. A rather dark and grim one," he confirmed.
"So terrible, in fact, once these files get out, every president since the end of WW2 will be indicted for crimes against humanity," said Miles. Ever since the Nazi scientists at the end of the war were killed by the Herrera family for the bounties on their heads, the US government has been making use of Jotunheim.
For decades, the prisoners of the Herrera family were used as test subjects. Radiological, biological, and chemical experiments. Previous attempts at mind control. Brainwashing. Super soldier serums.
All with the knowledge of the presidents.
"That's… that would cause a political nightmare for the States," Robert exclaimed. Indicting so many presidents would ruin the image of the country across the globe.
"Exactly. We need change, and the sins of our leaders cannot be hidden. Otherwise, how could this country be any better than the ones we berate?" he asked.
He would knock down several birds with one great stone.
"Let's say I agree, and I am elected the president. What do you want out of this partnership?" Robert asked.
No one did all of this just because.
"For you to carry out your promises. The United States has a lot of dark secrets it would like to keep hidden. I want them to be brought to light," he listed.
"Claire here," he grasped her shoulder, "was trained from a young age to be a weapon under a secret government project. And she is not the only one. Metahumans are treated like monsters at worst and potential weapons at best. I want that to change," he added.
Claire looked at her boss, remembering how he had claimed the idea of putting a sympathetic person in the White House as the president.
"Nothing else?" Robert asked, "No political or financial gains?"
Any donor would usually want those in return for campaign donations.
Miles smiled, "I am richer than you can imagine. While money is one of the fundamental powers in this world, and I am rather fond of it, I can't take it to the grave with me. Might as well use it for the people," he said.
Money was a tool to him, not the end goal. No, the end goal was a unified Earth to stop the myriad of threats out there.
"As for political gains, I'll have the president as a friend. It does not get any better than that."
Robert, after conferring with his wife, agreed to the deal. He would start the proceedings for his candidacy, which included creating a party. It would solve several issues at once, such as ballot access and media legitimacy.
It would also create a third pole and permanently break the two-party system in the future.
Miles had left the choice of name to Robert, along with the promised campaign funds. Now, he had to arrange a security detail for the candidate, and there was another thorn that needed to be removed.
—
In the next chapter:
Discovering Ivo's location was easy. LexCorp was kind enough to keep the address on their servers. The scientist had taken a leave for one week due to medical reasons, and Lex was too occupied with the mystery of the missing weapon shipment.
By this time, Lex would have been ousted as the CEO of LexCorp, leaving Mercy to take his place. She would then fire Ivo to save money, but seeing as neither of the previous events happened, it left one option available.
Ivo was most likely dead, with only his creation inside.
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