-Gotham Precinct-
6 A:M next day. Working a double is easy when you have spirit energy. Both Vega (Max) and Slade moved around easily. The others more or less petered in and out of sleep.
Det. Bullock just came out of the Commissioner's office. Max, Slade, Mac, Hill, were waiting. The other officer was in the hospital. In the cells, the Triad were waiting on an arrangement. A lot of stalling from someone. Max had a contact already pushing things forward from higher up than them.
"Commissioner said to lose the paperwork. That these guys are tied to something bigger." Bullock said. He did not look them in the eye. Ashamed for once maybe.
"That sucks. He will have to get that another way. An officer took one and might die. What kind of example are we setting if we let them go?" Max said with a shrug. "The paperwork has already gone forward. The ADA has what they need."
"It was done in your little meeting. We are very efficient with our work." Slade said. He had a smirk on his face did not go away. At that time, a few others came over. The office heard most of what they were saying already. "You look like crap Gordon."
Lt.Gordon had a man cuffed and was moving him along. Flask, his partner was covered in sewage waste as well. Gordon gave a smile and went to process his suspect.
*Bring! Bring! Bring!* Commissioner Loeb's phone rang. He answered and did not like what he heard. Giving Slade and Max a frown, he beckoned them inside. Max walked in, he signaled Mac and Hill to follow along.
"What is it, Commissioner? We were just getting ready to head out again. After resupplying of course. Lack of cuff's we just learned." Max said with a smirk. Loeb hung up the phone angry.
"I do not know how you did it. Or who you bribed!" He said with an accusatory tone. "But this is my precinct, My city!"
"No, it is the people's city. The law-abiding ones anyway." Max said. "So what do you have for us?"
"Your task force is approved. You report directly to the ADA. But as cops, keep us in the loop still." He turned to Slade. "Det.Wilson, your new Badge. Try to keep it longer than the last guy." Seeing the other two, he had know idea why they were there. "What are you two doing here?"
"Taking them into my Task Force. Have several slots available. Good old private funding." Max smiled broader. "It takes the burden off the city a little to. Officer Hill and Mac welcome. Unless you want to stay with Loeb?" Both shook their heads no. "Good. Let's go then." Stepping out, he looked at Gordon. Hey, you have been reassigned. Leave that guy to Flask."
Gordon looked to Loeb at the door fuming. He gave a nod and followed along. Hill told him to go change first. Loeb sat down and got to work. Calling his "friends" to see what they could do. Max needed to be tailed before anything to drastic happens.
-Office East End-
"So, welcome fellas. We are here to take care of crime and.. well a whole bunch of other crap." Max said. Slade hit the lights for the place. Inside were computers and a weapon rack to the side. "Never leave your badges, you can not enter this place with out it."
"Woah.. sci-fi as hell." Mac said. "But why me? I am not that skilled."
"Not yet. But your ties to the Falcone family is needed." Slade said. Mac jumped and step back afraid. He thought it was a kill order or something. But the relationship they had with Loeb would suggest otherwise. Calming down instantly was enough to give Slade a better understanding of him. "We know you are not with them. But you have info that can help take them down."
"I stayed clear of that all my life." Mac said.
"Maybe, but that does not stop the fact you know things you think you might not know." Max gave the man a shrug. "Not like they are the only organized family we are going after."
"This is something else. You are definitely government type." Gordon said to Slade. "I have just gotten out of the service, but I still remember enough." He took a seat and opened a laptop. The camera eye scanned him and started up. "This is really something else. What are we doing here really?"
"Taking out the corrupt and getting ready for the future." Max said moving over. He made it to the center and activated the screens. A holographic map showed Gotham. Several hot spots and territories that belong to different gangs. In a light blue light, the names of cops showed up. "The dirty cops."
"The light red?" Mac asked. "Dirty firefighters I take it."
"Light green.. Emt's." Gordon added. "I know a few of them. What are these in black?"
"Criminals of the highest order. Those who have done stuff that can not be forgiven." Max said. "Learn those names, and go on guard near them. We are building cases to take them down. So far, we have nothing substantial. The light gray are those we can lean on. Also, the ones who are close enough that we need to be mindful to not get them killed."
"This operation is top secret. Talking about it, will get you killed. Not a threat but a guarantee." Slade walked over and handed a confidentiality agreement. It was actual spirit contracts but disguised for regular people. "Loeb is as dirty as they come. Our job is to clean things up. We are authorized to kill the ones who are ruining things. The city has to be saved." They both signed and looked up. Gordon spoke first.
"How dangerous will it get?"
"For now.. not that dangerous. But in the future.. crazy." Max said. "Part of this group, you will learn things you do not want to know. But it is needed."
"Training starts at the end of a regular shift day. We will start slow of course. Your loved ones.." Slade looked at Gordon. "You have a daughter in preschool. I do as well. Nothing wrong with getting her moved to a private school. As well as moving to a safer place. Even in the East end."
"Can't afford.. wait it is covered isn't it?" Gordon received a nod. "She would kill me if I didn't take this chance. Promise we are doing good work."
"You are defintely doing the good work. I will handle the dirty stuff." Max said with a smile. "Like I did today already."
"Yeah, that is definitely going to be something." Slade added. "The "plant" is picking something up." Slade's job was to also test the recruits. Key words were said to gauge actions. As well as plant information.
-Gotham Harbor-
"We have it all secured sir." A Triad member said over the phone. Looking at the ship, he wanted to get the drugs and money moved and loaded hours ago. The shoot out earlier, just slowed things down a little. "It was hard getting the crime scene cleared up. But those on payroll did good enough."
"That is good to hear. The Mayor is happy to hear that. As for those officers. The city will deal with them." Loeb walked over to the window and looked out. Several factories in the distance still running full steam. The backbone of Gotham City at one point. But that was changing. If the mob had anything to say about it drugs, smuggling and prostitution would run Gotham. "Call me once you have everything tucked away."
*Clack!* The phone was closed. Loeb kept looking out, and felt a shiver run down his spine. At that time, the office door opened.
"What is it?"
"The Triad members that were arrested, they were moved togethor as you wanted. But a traffic accident happened." Flask said a little uncomfortable. "They are all dead sir. The driver was some drunk. Brian Kyle, a pimp that had one to many."
"Dammit! They left one fine mess after only one day." Loeb grumbled. Just when he thought Max, getting his own task force would get him from under his nose, this happens.
"Vrrr vrr!" The phone in his pocket vibrated. Answering was more bad news.
"What is it?" Loeb asked.
"Sir the government is here. Blacksite types. They have seized everything. Said it is part of a Cartel case they have been building." The Triad member said panicked. "It was hard getting out of there. A lot of the guys who were padding their pockets have been arrested. This has gone crazy!"
"Calm down! It is just one shipment." Commissioner's Loeb said. Behind him, Flask stood agitated. A few suits were coming in from the lobby. One was the ADA. The other two, CIA agents on the take. Both were threatened with some unsavory material to get down here by Max. "Flask see what they want!" Flask went to go stall.
"Pow!" Gunfire rang out on the other end. It wasn't long before multiple fire went off.
"What is going on over there now?!" Loeb yelled.
"Sir, the officers started shooting the suits with the Triad. It is not looking pretty. Even a few dockworkers have been caught in the crossfire" The Triad cop kept running to not get involved still. "What ever is going on, will not be pretty. You may want to get those papers out of your office."
"Dooop!" The line went dead.
"How can I help you folks?" Commissioner Loeb looked up. Face twisted with a force smile on his face. He would have to get back with the one officer later. 'That damn Flask!' He could see Flask talking to the ADA. Flask was sweating bullets and trying to explain something as bets he could. But the ADA was not taking any bs.
"Here about some allegations. That have long-reaching effects." The agent said sitting down. He opened a briefcase and passed documents over. "I am gonna need you to read this over carefully." On top was a message saying they were forced to do this. That nothing really was going to happen besides a big stink.
-Office East End-
"They did what we expected. They are not going to arrest Loeb. But he knows someone is gunning for him now." Max said. Outwardly he frowned, but smiled internally. 'It is not that easy to take him down. Or the others involved. But we can play the long game just fine. A little pressure to help hone everyone's skills suits me just fine.'
"He might get desperate and paranoid." Mac said. "That means he can mess up. We will be there when he does." Slade gave the young man a nod. "So what do we do in the meantime?"
"We start taking out the bottom feeders and the others causing trouble. Giving people hope." Max said. He flipped the screen showing several areas of logged complaints that went unanswered. "Small crimes to get information and the people helped. We need them on our side. As well as making sure little boys and girls do not end up like this."
On the screen was a meth lab. Several children hard at work getting things ready. The children ranged from 9 to 13 or so. A few adults covered in bruises worked on the bigger stuff.
"Like I said, we need to help the middle and little guy." Max gave them a smile. "Whi is ready to get these people out of there and into a hospital for treatment?"
"I am so ready!" Mac said happily. Gordon was renewed with vigor and ready to go. "This is the stuff I joined for." Max nodded and they made an attack plan with the notes they had available. The A.I. alerting him to the scenarios mixed in.
(Meth Lab contains future heroes and villains. Caution is needed.)
'Nothing to be done about that. I am not perfect. Some things can not be altered easily. How much longer can my changes protect Bruce?'
(A few months at best. Possibly a year if you do not use your power to change others' fate to much. Bruce has changed to have a stronger mind and soul. Sense of ethics is stronger from your influence and his father still alive. More contracts are needed to resist.)
'That will to do then.' Max shook his head internally. Batman and a few others could only receive a little help. Just a few more good memories to tide them over. Considering how much time he spent changing Lex and Oliver it would have to do for now. 'What is that funny feeling?'
(Selina has influenced a scenario. She has made contact with Claire Selton aka Volcana)
'Well she should be fine.'
-Selina & Claire-
"Wooohhooo!" Claire cheered running in the park. She was happy out in the fresh air. With the help of Selina she escaped the place she was in for a bit. She couldn't each her parents for help. The people who "helped" her had the preteen do all sorts of things in the last few months. "Can not believe yo can keep up with me."
"I am no slouch!" Selina beamed a smile back. She did feel a little tired though. 'We have run for miles! Where is she trying to go?' Ahead of them was a small bathroom. 'Oh guess she wanted some privacy.'
"Be right back!" Claire said. She darted in the bathroom to get who knows what. Selina played with her phone. Trying to decide to get Max involved or not. After thinking it over she decided to wait. Max said they are helping people, and that it up to her to decide how to do it for the people she works with. "What's this?"
On Selina's phone an icon appeared. She clicked and watched it beep behind her. It was an alert to let her know that someone had a transmitter nearby. Selina turned the phone and watched the outline show Claire's body.
'They put a tragic device in her! Those bastard! I should have clawed their eyes out!' Selina was furious. Coupled with how they treated Claire now this made her lived. Her cultivation started to channel in response to her thoughts. 'No time for anger! I need to get her out of here!'
"Pew!" A sniper round went off hitting Selina in the back. The force carried her into the wall knocking her out. With the last of her strength, she pressed the panic button on her phone.
"They are going to pay for this!" Selina mumbled as she played possum. The round was still in her body as she kept her healing back and sloe her breathing to an almost standstill.
In minutes a few suits came running past her towards Claire who just stepped out. The girl never had a chance as she received several tracer rounds that knocked her out. In her hand she had some cash. It was everything she saved up. It was for when she escaped. She planned on giving it to Selina as thanks.