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See No Evil: Falling Up (ch. 67)
🕑 Added 2021-12-01 14:33:39 +0000 UTC“We almost lost you,” Tifa muttered to me, her breasts pressed against my back as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, her chin resting on one. I paused my typing, reaching up to place a hand on hers. I wish I could give some comfort that that hadn’t been the case, but I couldn’t. The words felt too much like a lie for me to say them to her.
Now, I lied as easily as I breathed, but I didn’t want to lie to Tifa. Or Revy, or Miranda, or 2B. I would add Cass to that list if I could actually lie to her.
Instead, I could only offer platitudes, “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. I’m still here, Tifa,” I reassured her.
I had slipped into old habits. Habits that had been formed long before I came to Gotham, habits that I had relied on when Lowtown was a handful of homeless people to turn it into what it was. When I was feeling pressured, my response was to dig deep and just… work. To work and push myself for however long it took until the problem went away or until I had fully capitalized on an opportunity.
And in this case, I… let go a bit. I was never particularly a moral person, less so now, but even after No Man’s Land was over, I was still doing the things I had been back when there were no laws. I was treating people as if they were nails and I had a belt full of hammers. I did things without a care that I might have otherwise found a different way to accomplish. A better way. Possibly a bloodless way. I gave those orders simply because I wasn’t giving myself the time to think on any problem more than a quick minute.
I wanted to make the most of the windfall, but who knew how many opportunities I missed simply because I hadn’t recognized them at the time? It was wasteful and short-sighted. I only realized that after a solid sixteen hours of sleep. 2B hadn’t moved the entire time, so I woke up on her lap, refreshed but the building being down an elevator for a day had been a huge hassle for everyone else. And I’d do it again if I had the chance.
“Still too close,” Tifa argued the point, knowing that she had already won the argument. Mostly because I knew that she was right. At the start of it all, I promised that I wouldn't lose myself in what I would have to be to get through No Man's Land. And I came dangerously close to breaking that promise. "And you still work too much," she tacked on, getting swept up in her victory.
"I know," I agreed, "but not for long. I have something in the works that'll lighten the load." Hiring an entire team of secretaries wasn't feasible. Too high of a chance that they'll stumble on something that they shouldn't, just like Miranda had, and I didn't feel like testing my luck on the others turning out like Miranda did. "With some luck, all of us can take a step back and relax."
"Relax. I didn't know you knew that word, Vergil," Tifa remarked, sounding pleased as she gave me a kiss on the cheek. She shouldn't be throwing stones in that glass house of hers.
"Course I do. I'm dating the most prolific pimp in the city," I shot back, giving her a winning smile. I had been so focused on my own progress that I missed Tifa's. During No Man's Land, normal prostitution collapsed. Pimps couldn't provide for themselves, much less their girls and guys. Corners were taken over, and people changed hands as if they were commodities. Some left for Lowtown with horror stories of what it was like being a working girl in a city with no laws. Tifa went on her own personal crusade to do something about that.
The end result was that Sainthood Enterprises now had an escort division, with Tifa at the head of it. There were thousands of men and women that answered to her. Street corner prostitution was a thing of the past in Gotham. It was all corporate now, and they had even unionized.
"Which is why it's weird that you don't use my… services at all and instead keep yourself in this office all the time," she pointed out. I hit send on a memo that would be sent out to everyone in the company. Basically telling everyone good job for motivational purposes.
With a blink, the hardlight desk began to shrink to a normal height. "Not all the time," I pointed out. "Are you ready?"
Tifa stepped back, giving me a wan smile. "Absolutely not," she answered, locking her arms with mine. "I'm good with my fists, but I feel out of place at big parties," she admitted. I couldn't blame her there when I felt the exact same way. "It was different with the Wayne gala. We weren't the stars of the show then."
Stepping forward, we moved through the hardlight desk, which shifted to make sure nothing hit the floor. "I doubt that we are now. We don't have the international footprint the others do. Yet," I added as we headed for the door. The invite was a formality -- we weren't on the level as the various giants yet, but we would be. Soon. Very soon. "So, for us, it's just like last time. Shake some hands, trade numbers, and make inroads."
The stage was just bigger. The Wayne Gala was just Gotham's elite. This? This was something far larger.
The UN was hosting a summit for the stated reasons of bringing the US and China back to the table. Which was surprising for me, mostly because I had vastly underestimated the soft power of the UN in this universe. In my original one, the UN was an absolute joke. A paper tiger incapable of doing anything meaningful. In this universe, the UN had some teeth. Part of that was they were the governing body that gave the Justice League their charter, but the changes went back even further than that. The UN had been player 3 during the Cold War and a force for mediation even back then.
So, it had some teeth. Enough so that neither America or China were telling them to get fucked outright.
However, there was an unspoken second reason for the summit. Economic troubles. Which is why people like myself, Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, Lex Luthor, and others were being invited. The same went for British, French, Russian, and Chinese companies. The ones that made the world go round.
No Man's Land was an international event with international consequences. Chief among them was the supply chain issue that came with the destruction of major cities, particularly in China. Prices for goods that they exported suddenly shot up, because they became a lot more difficult to get since the other ports were struggling with the excess and disruption.
Secondly was the economic slump that was happening. Stock prices were plummeting across the board. A month after the start of the catastrophe, small businesses were closing en masse. Major businesses were selling off assets in preparation for the slump while they could. Both were signs that made normal people clutch their money a lot more tightly, because they worried about the global economy and what it meant for them. All of which made the economy fucking explode in the worst possible way, to the point that world leaders were calling in CEOs to help unfuck the world economy.
And we were all answering the call. Some out of self-interest, because not all multi-billion dollar companies were created equal. The slump could put them under if they didn't play their cards right. For myself, and many others, we chose to attend because this was an opportunity that only came once in a lifetime.
The words 'too big to fail' came to mind.
"Hmm… I suppose it could be fun," Tifa reluctantly decided. "But this still counts as work, not date night," she pointed out as we stepped into an elevator and ascended to the top floor. Another two weeks had gone by in a blink of an eye. The Sainthood Enterprises HQ was completed and it dominated the Gotham skyline at two hundred and fifty floors, making it the world's tallest building by whopping one-hundred floors.
In that time, I made concessions to appease Tifa and the others. Of which, date night was a non-negotiable demand. One day a week that I set my work down and focused exclusively on them.
"Figured. I already made plans for Saturday," I remarked as we arrived at the top. The howling wind was kept at bay with invisible hard light walls, letting us walk onto the landing pad without having to worry about getting blown off the building. A sleek-looking plane was already on the pad -- I based it on the vertibirds from Fallout. Just with jet engine thrusters instead. That way there was still a decent amount of space inside outside of the cockpit.
I looked out at Gotham to find that I almost couldn't see it from where I stood. As if I was completely above the city. If it wasn't for the other buildings I had under construction, I might not have seen any at all.
{PB}
Gotham was nearing completion. There was still plenty of work to do, but my workforce was chipping away at it by the hour. For some projects, we were even ahead of schedule.
Stepping inside, I saw 2B was already within, seated in a luxurious faux leather chair. One of four that were seated across one another. She wore a black dress with a slit in the side that went all the way up to her hip. For the first time since I've known her, she wore traces of makeup -- eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick. The image was complete with a pearl necklace that was nearly the same shade of white as her skin.
"You look fantastic, 2B," I told her, taking a seat across from her while Tifa sat next to me. The doors of the plane closed, the interior pressurizing before we took off. 2B nodded, already knowing as much.
"Cassandra helped me," she admitted. And Cass seemed to have a knack for fashion. Though, I knew that 2B was venturing to buy her own clothes now. Before, she only wore the combat attire she had arrived in. Now, it was increasingly rare to see her in the same clothes twice. I was happy to see it. "What are the likelihoods of an attack on the summit?" she asked me, her tone serious, making Tifa sigh softly.
My contacts calculated the odds. Something that they had once been incapable of. But, that changed when I combined my contacts with something else and for the first time, I had created an S-Rank item.
A-Rank optic contacts and an S-Rank Batcomputer.
The sheer processing power of my contacts was borderline obscene. I had hesitated to combine them because I was worried about backdoors and the like, but Pod had cleared it for me. The data on the computer was heavily encrypted to the point it was like Batman expected the Batcomputer to be stolen at some point. Pod was making good work on decrypting everything, but even for him, it was going to take time, and our cyber security was his focus.
I sent the results to her and spoke aloud to Tifa, "Pretty high. This kind of event is just asking for something to happen. So much is riding on it to succeed." Which made it likely that someone's agenda was for it to fail. Maybe a warhawk in America or China, or a terrorist that wanted to see someone brought low. An arms dealer that wanted to sell weapons, or an anarchist that wanted the global economy to go kaput. Either they would take action themselves, or in the more likely case, they would hire someone to take action for them.
It was just a question of who would benefit and what they stood to gain.
"Everyone knows it too. That's why there's a date and a bodyguard policy," I added, which is why I couldn't bring everyone else to the summit. Not that I could in the first place -- Lowtown still needed the others. And, so far, the attendance list was impressive to say the least.
We traveled rather quickly, heading to Switzerland where the summit was happening. A statement of meeting on neutral ground.
It was a funny and deeply unsettling thing, just how much in common global politics had with street politics.
We arrived not more than a few hours after we left. A mixture of antigravity tech and force thrusters to grant incredible amounts of speed. After all, strap a rocket thruster to a rocket and you'll go pretty fast. Strap it to a bike, and you'll go really fast. We touched down lightly, the doors flipping up to open, revealing an unfamiliar landing pad. A red carpet marked the way to the interior of a villia, two armed men in suits guarding the door. I took in a bracing breath and stood up, Tifa interlocking her arm with mine with practiced ease as 2B followed behind, her weapons ready to be summoned at a moment's notice.
There was no checking or IDing. Which seemed dangerous.
As I walked by, the doors opening for us, I felt Pod do his thing. My contacts broadcasted a signal that pinged off the earpieces the men wore and the security system. It must have been a really incredible firewall, because it took Pod an entire minute to bust through it, granting me access to the event's security detail and cameras. I shared that access with 2B, who didn't miss a beat as we headed down a long hallway. Off in the distance, I heard classical music being played behind a set of double doors that were being guarded by a half dozen men.
They opened the doors for us, revealing a ballroom filled with people.
Technically, the summit didn't begin until tomorrow. Until then, the world's elite would mingle and make plans in a villa that was only accessible by air, deep in the Alps. It was also funny and unsettling just how much reality had in common with a James Bond-esque drama movie. People looked at us and instantly, I some recognized faces. CEOs from international companies, diplomats and world leaders, all of which were affiliated with the UN. So, no Bialya. Thankfully.
A waiter walked by, offering a plate of champagne, and I took a flute with Tifa. I took a quick sip, eyeing everyone like they were pieces of meat, just as they eyed me. I spotted more intimately familiar faces, one of which was approaching, and I put on a pleasant smile.
"Mr. Luthor, a pleasure to see you again," I greeted the man dressed in a sharp tux, a supermodel on one arm, and his secretary Mercy behind him. I saw the young brunette look at 2B, a message being passed between them. 2B upped her threat ranking because of it.
"St. Jude," Lex Luthor returned, shaking my hand. "I can say the same, and I so rarely mean that," he remarked with a charming smile. "And you must be Tifa Lockhart -- charmed."
The event was throwing hardballs right out the gate, huh? The last time I saw Lex Luthor, it had been during the start of No Man's Land. He had been there for my failed expo, arranging things so the League of Shadows could steal my designs. He had been amiable then, no different than he was now. However, things had changed since we last met. Significantly.
Lex Corp. was an international powerhouse. They were Amazon, Verizon, IBM, Ford Automotive, and Walmart all rolled into one company. One company that made a percentage of the world's GDP. They were a company that made a hundred billion dollars a day -- Lex Luthor gained a million dollars in his bank account every hour. There was no company that was more diverse and profitable than Lex Corp.
Not even Sainthood Enterprises. Not yet, at least. However, since we last saw each other, I went from a local company to international demand and attention. The rise of my company could only be compared to one other… and so far, we were on Lex Luthor's previous market numbers beat for beat.
"You certainly know how to make a deal, St. Jude," Lex said, turning his full attention to me. "I was shocked when I heard that you were being made tax-exempt by the US," he said, and I think I detected a note of jealousy. Which was completely fair. There was no way that the US would give him the same deal. I'm pretty sure there was a pie graph that depicted the US tax revenue somewhere in the IRS, and there was a slice with his name on it.
"It was a lucky break. Convenient leverage was there and I made a deal that couldn't be refused," I responded -- that was a deal I was damn proud of. And I would absolutely murder anyone that tried to make me pay taxes. "But I'm not the only one that's been doing well. Your numbers only seem to climb higher when everyone else is plummeting."
Lex offered a smirk, "Simple prudence. Everyone believes that there can't be another great depression until it's already too late. That being said, your own numbers have been doing quite nicely. I was with the secretary-general when Lockheed was informed that the contracts they were vying for had gone to you instead. I've never heard a politer 'fuck you' to the president in all my life." Yeah, the military company wasn't happy with me. Enough so that they had launched a corporate espionage war with me.
Given how expansive my viewing was now, they weren't doing too good on the offensive. And I had yet to properly launch my offensive to see if their defense would be any better.
"Ex-president. Sadly," I added with a theatrical sigh, earning a chuckle from Lex. The president I had spoken with had been removed from office. Which is probably why the UN called the summit in the hopes that the new president would be open to cooling hot tempers. "He pulled through for me, at least. And you as well, I suspect."
"You suspect correctly," Lex responded. "A toast to a shared friend?"
"To the fallen," I responded, lightly tapping my glass against his. As the sound rang out, I took a moment to reflect. Not on my past actions, but how far we had come. Little more than half a year ago, I had been sleeping in the sewer, homeless. And now I was rubbing elbows with Lex Luthor, and sharing a joke about what we got out of the President of the US. It wasn't the first time I had been stunned by the heights I had reached.
And it wouldn't be the last. After all, it was important to stop and take in the view.
"You've been moving into South America rather freely. I've gotten my hands on a sample of your cocaine -- a fascinating substance," he continued, casually mentioning that he examined what he, by all rights, shouldn't have. But I already knew that. I had witnessed the lab tech that he paid off slip an eightball into his pocket. "I don't expect you to give away your production secret -- it wouldn't be any fun if you did -- but I have to ask… divine cocaine?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I smiled and offered a shrug, "We live in incredible times. The god of cocaine is hardly the most outlandish thing on the news right now," I pointed out. I could see Lex Luthor processing that, accepting it as fact.
"Hm. Sadly, my understanding of the realm of magic is lacking. It always appeared too… illogical to me. But, you have clearly reaped the benefits of it." he said, proving that he knew the greatest ace hidden up my sleeve. I shouldn't be surprised. At this point, the secret wasn't much of a secret anymore. Even though I had taken painstakingly careful steps to prevent Cobblepot from learning about what my cards could do.
But the spotlight came with downsides. I'm sure that it wasn't a widespread secret, but it was no longer a secret kept only amongst my inner circle.
"It's not so illogical once you get used to it. It just functions on a different set of logic," I said and I wondered if he knew I would be considered a novice at best. A true one trick pony… but it was a damn good trick. "As for South America… the cartels will dig their heels in, but it's a minor annoyance." Mexico would be getting its first cases of 'medicinal cocaine' in the coming months. FDA approval was an easy thing to get, for me.
Especially when you knew the board's dirty laundry. Blackmail and extortion were old hats at this point. The only thing that changed was who I was blackmailing or extorting.
"It will destabilize the region rather significantly. The cartels reach where the government cannot. What timeline are you looking at?" he questioned, thinking nothing of me taking on all of the Mexican cartels. He was treating it with the same casual disinterest as one would hearing about a chore, like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash. He wanted to know my timeline for his own plans in the country.
"Three months is the generous estimate," I answered, and I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "It's a natural thing for others to rise when others fall." A simple admission that he would suspect anyway.
The cartels would collapse. Cocaine was their main export and it generated most of their wealth. But, it would not be the killing blow. That would be the systematic assassination of the major cartels' leadership, the theft of their cash reserves, and the destruction of their product. And in the ashes of the cartels, other gangs would form.
Some would be backed by the US government. Or Russia. Or China. Or the Mexican government itself.
And some would be backed by me. Just like the major gangs left in Gotham all worked for me and the mysterious conspiracy Checkmate. Only, just like my company, my conspiracy would go international. Branches of Checkmate in South America, Europe, and Asia.
And once it was functioning as it should… I would begin a new conspiracy. One that pulls the strings of the enemies of Checkmate. It would be a simple thing to set them against each other, because then I would control both sides of the board. All the while, I would check the temperature of the Light. Perhaps use one or the other against the Light as proxies.
"That it is," Lex returned as his gaze slid over to Bruce Wayne, who was laughing loudly at a joke from the British Prime Minister. Walking by them both was another familiar face -- Jade Nyugen. Her wild mane of black hair was tied off into a braid, and she wore a dress that marked her as a member of the staff. Her dark eyes flickered to me, meeting my gaze.
She gave me a smile that was as sweet as poison before moving on.
"Mr. Luthor-" I began, but Lex looked back at me with a charming smile.
"Please, Lex," he offered, and I matched his smile.
"If you'll call me Vergil," I returned. "I think we have mutual interest in the outcome of this summit, but your influence far outstrips mine when it comes to swaying the decisions in our favor. I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to… help things along?" It might sound like flattery, but it was the truth. Lex Luthor had the money and the influence that I didn't. Simply because I was a rising star, which meant I had enemies that didn't want me to rise any further and a lack of friends.
It meant putting myself in a… subordinate-like position, to use Lex for my benefit, but that was something I could swallow easily enough. Because if Lex saw me as a subordinate that he had influence over then he would be less likely to fuck me over as a business rival. Likewise, Lex knew what I was doing -- gathering up my resources and influence until I could stand as his equal in terms power, wealth, and influence.
Because he understood that I was well on my way to being his equal. And if I didn't give him a reason to kill my company in the cradle, he would undercut me long before I reached that point.
He was ruthless enough to do it now, but there was one thing I was betting on.
The Light.
Klarion was my friend. Ras Al Ghul had yet to respond to my attempt to reach out, but I suspected that would change soon. Lex Luthor was a wild card, but I was expecting another to sway things in my favor. Vandal Savage.
The mandate of the Light was to guide humanity's destiny until it took control over the universe. So far, I've only given the Light reasons to keep me around, because I was accelerating that goal for them. To the point that if they thought they could not control me, then they would likely kill me. But if they could…?
Then why not use me?
Lex offered me a hand and a smile that betrayed his intentions to use me for all that I was worth. All the while, I wore the same exact smile on my face as I shook his hand. "Vergil, I do believe I have just the task for you." he said with a warm chuckle.
And with that, I had officially entered the big leagues…
And the world was mine for the taking.
Comments
Christopher Thokar
"playing with the big boys now"
Aconitum
Or a Worm Tinker SI into DC😂 that would be nice too.
Aconitum
Love this story^^ and i hope we see some day a HP/DC Story from you.^^
Pakisabi
Excited to see where this is going.
