Later
Planet Spewge
Lobo reclined in a luxurious yet tacky chair holding a massive frosted mug filled with alien brew. He took a long swig before slamming the mug onto a nearby table. "And that's how come I was so late getting back here, Spewgie." Lobo leaned back with a smug grin.
Emperor Spewge lounged lazily in an enormous pool of murky water. Sqweek was reluctantly scrubbing Spewge's slimy body with an oversized brush, clearly miserable.
The Emperor took a big gulp of the bathwater, then spat it out in a violent spray.
"I knew you'd never let me down, Lobo, despite rumors to the contrary," Spewge sneered.
Gnaww, shackled and covered in suds, was mopping bitterly near the pool, while another clumsy bounty hunter accidentally splashed dirty water onto the Emperor's slime-coated form.
Spewge growled and flicked his hand, sending a splash of slimy water right at Gnaww's face.
"Buncha morons," Spewge muttered before turning his attention back to Lobo.
He shifted in his slimy pool. "But what about Superman, the shapeshifter, and the Preserver?"
Lobo took another long swig of his drink before answering. "Me? I'd have offed that Preserver freak for locking me up. But Supes and the shapeshifter convinced me it wasn't worth my time."
Spewge raised a slimy brow. "Convinced you?"
Lobo shrugged. "Yeah, Supes is a sucker for all that 'non-violence' crap. Couldn't stop yammering about second chances and all that. And the shapeshifter, Ark or Punk Buster or whatever, he's got a soft spot for 'hard luck cases.'"
He twirled his finger in the air mockingly. "Boo-hoo, last of his kind, yadda yadda. They felt sorry for the guy."
Spewge snorted, slime bubbles popping at the corners of his mouth. "Hah! Pathetic."
Lobo chuckled. "Yeah, well, I got my payday. That's all that matters."
He lifted his mug, taking another swig before glancing over at Gnaww and the other bounty hunters still scrubbing the filth-covered floor.
"Oh, and thanks for giving me their cut of the bounty too. Fraggin' amateurs didn't deserve it."
Spewge cackled, causing a ripple through his slime pool. "You always deliver, Lobo."
Lobo smirked, kicking back in his chair. "Dang straight. I'm the Main Man."
Sqweek, still scrubbing Spewge's back, muttered under his breath. "You're also a grade-A bastich…"
Lobo raised his mug in toast, ignoring the comment. "To another job well done!"
Spewge laughed heartily, slime splashing everywhere.
Earlier
Superman made the final adjustments to his ship. With the help of the Preserver's drones, the structural damage had been repaired. His spacecraft was ready for the journey back to Earth.
One of the drones hovered beside him, extending a mechanical limb to assist in reconnecting a circuit.
"Thanks," Superman said, tightening the last panel into place.
Through the window of the Preserver's lab, he saw Ark was still chatting animatedly with the Preserver.
Just as Superman started walking over to see what they were up to, the lab doors hissed open.
Ark and the Preserver stepped out.
Superman raised a brow but decided not to pry. "I'm ready to head back to Earth."
Ark nodded. "Cool. I'll meet you back there soon. I've got to iron out some of the details regarding our little agreement."
Superman crossed his arms. "You're sure about this deal?"
Ark grinned, giving a confident double thumbs-up. "Trust me, Supes. Everything's under control."
Before Superman could respond, the Preserver stepped forward, raising a hand. With a soft wave, one of his drones floated into view, carrying a transparent containment unit.
Inside, Superman immediately recognized the white-feathered dodo he had seen earlier in the Earth habitat, the one that had unknowingly helped him recharge under the artificial yellow sunlight.
But now, there were two dodos.
One male and one female.
Superman blinked in surprise. "I only saw one dodo in the habitat... Did I miss the other?"
The Preserver smiled gently, bowing his head. "No, Superman. There was only one. But thanks to Ark's assistance, we were able to replicate its genetic material and create a compatible mate."
Superman glanced at Ark, who shrugged with a mischievous grin.
The Preserver continued, "Please, accept them as a token of my apology for the inconvenience I've caused. Ark has assured me that you would do well in acclimating the last of the dodo species to a new environment on Earth."
Superman narrowed his eyes slightly at Ark. "He did, did he?"
Ark nodded enthusiastically and gave Superman another thumbs-up.
Superman sighed, but couldn't help the small smile forming. "Right… I think I can whip something up. They're herbivores, after all. Shouldn't be too hard."
The two dodos fluffed their feathers inside the containment unit, one pecking curiously at the glass while the other waddled in circles.
Superman turned back to Ark, giving him a final glance. "Make sure this deal holds up, Ark. I don't want to be called back here because something went sideways."
Ark grinned. "Don't worry, Supes. I've got it handled."
Superman gave a final nod, lifting the containment unit into his ship. "I'll see you back on Earth. The League is going to want a full debrief on this mess."
"Yeah… That'll be interesting."
Superman boarded his ship, and moments later, the craft lifted off from the hangar, soaring back to Earth.
Later
The Preserver's deck projected a three-dimensional model of Earth, slowly rotating, highlighting various landmasses and oceanic regions.
Ark and the Preserver, who observed the map. Ark swiped his hand through the air, zooming into the Pacific Ocean. He pointed at a small, uninhabited island.
"Right here. This island will be a safe zone."
The Preserver stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It could work. But why this specific location?"
Ark leaned in closer. "It's remote and isolated. Perfect for keeping everything contained." He paused, then added sternly, "But it's herbivores only. No predators, nothing aggressive. And nothing that can fly or swim off the island."
The Preserver raised a brow. "Why such specific limitations?"
Ark sighed. "Because I'm not setting up a Jurassic Park scenario here."
The Preserver tilted his head. "Jurassic Park? I am unfamiliar with this place."
Ark chuckled. "Just trust me, it's bad. Carnivores got loose. You can fit the pieces from there."
The Preserver nodded slowly. "Very well. No predators. Only herbivores."
Ark smiled, tapping the rotating island on the hologram. "Good. We'll start small with some mammals."
Earth's Orbit
August 6, 13:21 EDT
Superman's ship glided into orbit. It docked with the Watchtower, and before the clamps had even locked in place, the Man of Steel was already on the move.
Cradling the gifted bird in one arm, he stepped into the corridor and moved with purpose through the gleaming halls. He passed by teammates and support staff without a word, heading straight for the central communications hub.
With a swift motion, he brought the console to life.
"This is Superman. Emergency League meeting. All available members report to the main conference hall. Immediately."
#
It didn't take long for League members to arrive. Some teleporting in, others making their way from different sections of the Watchtower. The main conference room, one level above and enclosed in reinforced glass and polished steel, sealed itself as the final hero stepped through the doors. With a soft hiss, the room activated its privacy protocols.
Most of the founding members of the Justice League, including Batman, Flash, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, were gathered around the central holographic table.
It had been a day since Superman and Ark left to confront the bounty hunter known as Lobo. Shortly after their departure, John Stewart accessed the Lantern database and ran Lobo's name through the system. Unsurprisingly, the Czarnian was flagged as one of the most wanted criminals across multiple sectors. Murder, destruction of property, smuggling, you name it.
The moment the others were briefed, concerns arose. John had offered to go after them, but Batman had been reluctant to send another Leaguer out solo. He reasoned that he would've sent a signal if Superman had encountered something he couldn't handle. If another day passed without contact, then he'd authorize a search.
Thankfully, that search wouldn't be necessary. Superman was back. But now, there were questions. Lots of them.
Batman teleported to the Watchtower and entered the conference room. Superman was there, and he assumed Superman told Ark to wait for them to contact him for more details on their excursion.
A moment later, Wonder Woman walked in and sat beside him. "You don't call emergency meetings lightly," she said, her gaze sharp. "What happened?"
Martian Manhunter phased through the wall rather than using the door from the monitor room.
Green Lantern John Stewart arrived next, as he landed and folded his arms across his chest. "Got the signal. What's going on?"
The Flash zipped in last, coming to an abrupt stop beside an empty chair, still munching on a protein bar. "If this is about the satellite's coffee machine again, I swear I didn't break it this time."
The team's attention drifted to the strange bird nestled in Superman's hands.
Flash arched an eyebrow and smirked. "Nice bird. New pet?"
"Not exactly," Superman replied.
Batman stepped closer, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the creature. "Is that a…?"
"Yes," Superman said.
Batman blinked at the sight. Superman returned from a space mission with a Dodo bird. "How?"
"It's a long story."
"One we're all going to hear," Wonder Woman added.
Superman gave the League a concise recap of the events leading up to now. He and Ark had been on patrol in Metropolis when they responded to a disturbance at the local police station. Upon arrival, they were ambushed by bounty hunters Lobo and Bedlam. Strangely, the attackers hadn't come to kill them but to capture them. At the time, neither Ark nor Superman knew who had issued the order.
Though they managed to drive the bounty hunters off, Lobo and Bedlam escaped. Superman and Ark pursued Lobo, hoping to get answers, but instead, they were ambushed and taken by an alien entity known as the Preserver.
"Ark and I were captured," Superman explained, standing near the display screen. "The one called the Preserver specializes in collecting what he considers 'unique lifeforms.'"
Wonder Woman folded her arms, her expression hardening. "He thought you and Ark were trophies?"
Superman nodded. "He locked us in separate containment cells. Like animals in a zoo. I don't know what happened to Ark after we were split up."
He tapped a few commands, pulling up another file. "As it turns out, Lobo was also taken. Being the last of his species earned him a spot in the Preserver's collection. Though, he didn't exactly get along with the staff."
Martian Manhunter gave a slow, thoughtful nod. He had sensed something was wrong when contact with Superman and Ark had gone dark for over a day.
"Bedlam never made it into the collection," Superman continued. "I managed to escape, even though I was depowered under red sun lamps. As much as I hate to admit it… I couldn't do it alone. I teamed up with Lobo to get out."
Flash leaned forward, eyebrows raised. "Hold on. You and Lobo? As in, galaxy's-most-wanted, space-biker-from-hell Lobo?"
A faint smile tugged at Superman's lips. "Let's just say we shared an interest in not being part of a space zoo. Once we got out, he went his own way."
Green Lantern folded his arms. "And Ark?"
Superman's expression darkened. "After the escape, I-"
BWAHH-BWAHH-BWAHH.
The Watchtower's alert klaxons blared, bathing the room in a pulsing red light. Every head snapped toward the ceiling.
Batman raised his gauntlet, tapping into the alert feed. His eyes narrowed.
"Superman…" he said quietly.
Wonder Woman turned. "What is it?"
Rather than answer, Batman keyed in a command. The lights dimmed slightly as the central table flickered, switching from archived footage to a live surveillance feed.
The League leaned in.
The image stabilized, revealing the view from one of the Watchtower's external stealth cams, pointed at the asteroid's surface to which the station was anchored.
A red-and-black winged figure had just landed on the rocky surface of the Watchtower foundation, scanning his surroundings.
Flash squinted. "Uh… is that?"
Superman's eyes widened. "Ark."
Wonder Woman's brows drew together. "That's Ark?" She had never seen this form of his before.
Flash stood up abruptly, pointing from the screen to Superman. "Okay, more importantly, why is Ark on our front lawn? And how the hell did he find us?"
A beat of silence fell over the room.
Batman finally spoke. "The Watchtower is cloaked. And not just visually. It's shielded by Lantern-level stealth systems."
Five Minutes Earlier
Jetray streaked through the vacuum of space. Ahead, the curve of Earth grew steadily larger.
Inside his headset, the Azmuth AI spoke. "I didn't expect we'd be tangling with galaxy-class collectors," Azmuth said dryly.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I planned for us to get abducted by a Universal Zoo manager," Ben replied, his tone casual. "Apparently, the alien exploits on Earth get around."
"Mmm. And I suppose that makes it better," the AI responded, unimpressed.
Ben shrugged. "For what it's worth, he wasn't trying to hurt anyone. Now, instead of all those creatures slowly aging to death in captivity, they've got a shot at actually living. Less cages, more cloning, and ecosystem reconstruction."
"Oh, splendid," Azmuth replied in a deadpan. "I'm absolutely thrilled."
Ben smirked. "You saw the files. A lot of those species were nearly wiped out by wars, solar flares… or, y'know, black holes."
"Yes, yes, very heartwarming," Azmuth muttered. "I am glad you showed restraint and foresight, regarding the potential dangers."
Ben nodded. "Nothing classified was shared, so it's all good so far. I'm not dumb enough to hand out Galvan-grade tech to a guy who collects things in jars."
"Good," Azmuth said, nodding slowly. "Because the last time someone did that, we had the Galactic Plasmacrab Crisis. Still haven't recovered from the tourism fallout."
Ben laughed. "Okay, that one wasn't my fault."
His HUD pinged, a blinking dot appeared just ahead, keyed to Superman's DNA.
But as he neared Earth's orbit, Jetray frowned.
"That's weird."
The HUD zoomed in on what should've been the right location, just empty space.
"No ship. No Superman. He should be floating, right... there."
Azmuth finally glanced up, rubbing his chin. "Odd. Stand by. I'm sending another scan pulse."
A soft shimmer pulsed out from the Omnitrix. A few seconds passed. Then Azmuth's eyes lit up. "There's something there. Large mass. Most likely cloaked with advanced tech."
"Cloaked?" Jetray echoed.
Azmuth nodded. "And not some amateur job, either. It's blocking both standard and exotic sensors."
Jetray grinned. "Secret Super Hero Base in Orbit. Nice." Adjusting his course, he surged forward. The space around him shimmered faintly. Then, without warning, the illusion broke.
A massive station materialized before him on what appeared to be an asteroid.
"Bingo," Jetray said, angling for a smooth descent.
He touched down lightly on the asteroid's surface. Scanning his surroundings, he began walking toward a nearby structure, eyes searching for a hatch or access point.
"Let's see if they've got a doorbell," he muttered.
Unbeknownst to him, red warning lights were already flaring to life.
#
It didn't take long for the Watchtower's hangar bay doors to slide open with a low mechanical hum. A flicker of blue energy shimmered as the force field adjusted, allowing Jetray to pass through. His wings folded in as he glided into the chamber, landing with practiced ease. Overhead, the bay lights snapped on. Behind him, the blast doors sealed shut.
With a soft thud, Jetray touched down on the polished metal floor.
A moment later, a set of interior doors opened.
To Ben's surprise, several members of the Justice League entered wearing some mix of concern, suspicion, and mild disbelief.
Still in Jetray form, Ben raised a hand in a sheepish half-wave. "Uh… hey, guys. Nice place you've got here."
Superman pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ark… how did you find this place?"
Jetray shrugged with casual innocence. "You told me to meet you on Earth. So... here I am."
There was a brief silence.
Then, in near-perfect unison, several League members turned toward Superman, brows raised.
He gave a helpless glance around at them. "How was I supposed to know he'd take that literally?"
Batman crossed his arms, his voice low and dry. "Just one more question for the debrief. We were hoping to do this at the Hall… but that ship has clearly sailed."
Jetray's form disappeared with a green flash, revealing Ark in his usual attire. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… okay. In hindsight, maybe flying into my friend's/ally's secret orbital space station unannounced wasn't my best move. Sorry."
Flash leaned over to Green Lantern and whispered, "Gotta admire the guts, though."
Wonder Woman stepped forward, her voice steady and welcoming despite the circumstances. "We'll get to the details shortly. For now… welcome to the Watchtower, Ark. Officially."
Ben gave a nervous smile. "Cool. Just, uh... point me toward the bathroom when you get a chance."
#
The holographic table in the Justice League's main conference room displayed several images of the aliens that had been encountered. Ark stood near the far end, arms relaxed at his sides, picking up where Superman had left off.
Ark had made a bargain with the Preserver.
Batman's eyes narrowed beneath the cowl. "What kind of deal did you make, exactly?"
Before Ark could answer, Wonder Woman spoke. "A cosmic collector isn't someone we should trust lightly."
Ark didn't flinch. "I negotiated our release. Peacefully. No weapons, no threats. And he agreed." He let the moment hang, letting that settle into the room. "I offered my expertise in biology."
Flash raised an eyebrow while Green Lantern leaned forward slightly, arms still crossed.
"You did?" Flash asked, half-curious, half-skeptical.
Ark gave a wry smirk. "When you've got my kind of transformation, you need to understand what's going on under the hood. Knowing how they work and how they don't has saved my life more times than I can count."
Batman's jaw tensed. "What kind of help did you give him?"
"First thing I told him: no weapons, no labs full of test subjects, no twisted science. That was non-negotiable."
Batman didn't blink. "And you trust him to stick to that?"
Ark shrugged lightly. "About as much as I trust a meteor not to change course mid-flight. But he kept his word on me and Supes. That's more than I expected."
John Stewart's gaze narrowed. "Even if you're okay with that, we're not. Not without more intel."
Ark nodded. "Fair. I wouldn't trust him blindly either."
Flash made a loose circling motion with one hand. "So... keep going."
Ark gestured toward the center of the room. "His current project ties into our new friend."
All eyes turned toward the creature nestled in Wonder Woman's lap, preening its feathers.
Wonder Woman continued stroking its soft feathers. "I meant to ask... it's been a very long time since I've seen one of these alive."
Ark chuckled. "Depending on how things go, you might be seeing more."
The room stilled.
Batman narrowed his eyes at Ark. "Pallate aside. You're helping him bring back the Dodo bird?"
Flash grinned. "Sweet! Do they taste like chicken, too?"
Ark paused. "Huh. I actually didn't think about how they tasted."
"Wait. This means we can bring back the Galapagos tortoise."
Manhunter raised a brow. "Tortoise?"
"You know the Giant Galápagos Tortoise? They're basically extinct because people couldn't stop eating them. I swear, in all the old logs and journals from like… 18th-century sailors and explorers? They didn't shut up about how good it tasted."
John gave a knowing nod. "Oh yeah. Supposedly, it tasted better than lamb, beef, pork, everything. Everyone who tried it back then said it was the best meat they'd ever had. Like, almost unanimously."
Ark blinked, genuinely surprised. "Damn… now I want to try it."
John chuckled. "You're not alone. The thing is, it wasn't just the flavor. The tortoise evolved to store water inside its body. Like, a perfect biological canteen."
Flash grinned. "So when people ate it, they basically got meat and a drink. Nature's combo meal."
Wonder Woman gave them all a dry look. Of course, one of the first thoughts on bringing back an extinct animal was how they would taste. Granted, even she was curious about how the Tortoise tasted.
"Among others. I'm helping the Preserver with a repopulation initiative. Placing extinct or endangered species from his collection into safe, viable environments."
Batman and Green Lantern exchanged a skeptical glance.
"I dunno. That sounds like Jurassic Park waiting to happen." John Stewart leaned back in his chair.
"That's what I said." Ark didn't look away. "I get it. I do. That's why I'm keeping it simple. Herbivores only. Nothing invasive."
Batman was already turning over the implications in his mind. Repopulation. Genetic engineering. Possible Cross-species biology.
The capacity for good was enormous. So was the potential for abuse.
Ark wasn't a threat. Not now. But Batman was already modifying his contingencies, just in case.
Ark shrugged. "That's why we keep him at arm's length. I'll keep you in the loop if he reaches out again or asks for another meeting."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Around the glowing conference table, the Justice League exchanged quiet, thoughtful glances. Martian Manhunter's face was unreadable as ever. Flash distracted himself by fidgeting with a datapad. Green Lantern leaned back in his chair, his jaw clenched just slightly.
Then Superman spoke, his tone firm but even. "We won't take action against the Preserver for now. But we'll monitor the situation. Closely."
Batman gave a short, clipped nod.
Wonder Woman rested a hand on the table, her gaze unwavering as she looked to Ark. "We're holding you to your word, Ark."
Ark nodded without hesitation. "You should. I'm holding myself to it, too."
A beat passed between them. The League wasn't sold. Not yet. But they were giving him space to prove himself.
In the end, The Preserver was added to the Watchtower database under Persons of Interest. At the same time, Batman added Ark.
#
Infinity Island
Date Unknown
Jerry made his way down the corridor of the stronghold. Just as he reached the door to the interrogation wing, someone came up from behind.
"Uh, where are you going?"
Jerry sighed before even turning around. "Dean."
Dean jogged up beside him.
"Uh, Lord Ra's wants me to threaten the doctor we kidnapped into building that new weapon for us," Jerry explained, trying to wave him off.
Dean's eyes widened. "Dr. Serling Roquette?"
Jerry gave a slow nod. "Yeah. I'm gonna be stuck in that tiny cell with her for like hours."
Dean hummed. "You know, Jerry, uh, why don't you let me take this one? You've had a long day."
Jerry frowned. "What do you- My shift started three minutes ago."
"Yeah. Yeah. I know." Dean waved his hand dismissively. "Assassin stuff. Cool, man."
Jerry stared at him. "You just want to take this because you have a thing for the prisoner."
Dean scoffed, visibly offended. "What? No. Pfft. Come on. I am a professional."
Jerry folded his arms.
Dean held up his hands. "Okay, listen, I just. I feel like I have a better vibe for this. You know? Psychological manipulation, mind games." He tapped his temple, giving Jerry what he probably thought was a knowing look. "It's all about finesse."
Jerry rubbed his forehead. "You once got locked in a broom closet for two hours because you were trying to intimidate a janitor."
Dean pointed at him. "And that janitor resigned, didn't he?"
"He was ninety-six, Dean. He was going to retire anyway."
"Yeah, well, I helped speed up the process." Dean clapped a hand on Jerry's shoulder. "Come on, buddy. Just let me have this one."
Jerry considered it for a moment before shrugging. "Fine. But if you screw this up, I'm telling Lord Ra's you spent last week's mission in Egypt at the kebab stand instead of carrying supplies."
Dean gasped, clutching his chest as if personally wounded. "You swore you'd never speak of that."
Jerry smirked. "Good luck with the Doctor." With that, Jerry walked away.
Dean grinned like a fool as he straightened his uniform and practically skipped toward the interrogation room.
#
Dr. Serling Roquette sat cuffed to the metal table.
The heavy door creaked open, and Dean strolled in. He pulled out a chair and sat across from her, tossing a notepad onto the table. "Well, well, well, Doctor. We meet again," he said, leaning forward.
Dr. Roquette blinked. "We've never met before."
Dean frowned, tilting his head. "Yeah, yeah, no, we did. Remember? The day you were kidnapped? The elevator was taking forever. I made a joke about it. Said I liked your hair and shoes." He nodded to himself as if recounting a fond memory. "You were in my dream that night."
Dr. Roquette's face barely twitched, but there was a deep regret behind her eyes.
Dean clapped his hands together. "Anyway! As a loyal soldier of the League of Shadows, I will remain in this room with you for as long as it takes for you to give us-"
"It's in my portable hard drive," she interrupted.
Dean blinked. "What?"
"The Portable Hard Drive that you took along with me and my computer," she repeated. "The information you need is all in there."
Dean nodded slowly, absorbing the words. Then he straightened his back. "Uh. That's good, but I'm not leaving just yet. There's more to discuss. "
Dr. Roquette's head tilted. "What more do you want?"
"Well, uh, standard protocol says I have to ask you stuff."
"Like?"
Dean cleared his throat and looked down at his notepad. "How are things?"
Dr. Roquette's face remained impassive.
"What kind of music are you into?" he asked.
She started reevaluating her life choices.
He leaned forward slightly. "Your eyes are like sapphires."
Her gaze sharpened. "That's not even a question."
Dean blinked, then quickly corrected himself. "Your eyes are like sapphires?"
"That's creepy."
He cleared his throat. "It was rhetorical."
"That's not how rhetorical questions work."
"Hey!" Dean huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm the one asking rhetorical questions here."
Dr. Roquette's patience thinned visibly. "You really aren't. Do you even have any real questions?"
Dean hesitated, flipping through his notepad. Instead of interrogation notes, he landed on a surprisingly detailed doodle of the two of them riding a unicorn together. He quickly turned the page and nodded. "Yes."
Dr. Roquette pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's not reassuring."
Gathering himself, Dean cleared his throat and tried again. "Uh, your answer to making the weapon is… uh… is what again?"
Dr. Roquette stared at him, unimpressed. "That was your first question, and the phrasing was terrible."
Dean exhaled sharply. "Quit stalling! You have forced me to activate… intimidation mode!"
He slammed a button on the table. The lights dimmed dramatically. Spotlights flickered to life, rotating in slowly. And then… smooth jazz began playing over the speakers.
Dr. Roquette's eyes narrowed.
Dean gestured proudly. "This is my band."
She winced as if she had just been physically assaulted. "You really shouldn't play this for people."
Before Dean could respond, the cell door swung open. Dean scrambled to turn the lights back to normal and silence the music.
"Did you guys hear a noise?" Jerry asked, looking around.
"Nothing," Dean said too quickly. "Ongoing information collection. Looks promising. Very affirmative."
Dr. Roquette, clearly at her limit, slumped forward. "I was lying. The Hard Drive does have the data, but it's encrypted. If you access it without my passcode, it'll self-delete. Please, I'll do whatever you want. I'll build the best weapon I can. Just, please, keep him away from me."
Jerry's eyes widened. "Whoa! Nice work, Dean! That's record time."
Dean leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, you know what they say. I'm great."
Jerry clapped him on the shoulder before stepping out, clearly impressed. Dean stood, smoothing his uniform. As he reached the door, he glanced back at Dr. Roquette, his confidence still intact. "Call me."
She stared at him in exhausted disbelief. "What?"
"Call me!" he repeated, pointing at her before shutting the door behind him.
Dr. Roquette stared at the door. This was somehow worse than torture. Dean would continue to pester the poor woman for the next few weeks as she worked in the lab. She needed to get out of here. Where were the superheroes when she needed them?!
#
AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, Dragon lord, Shooter1344, Ajax Roranson, trey, Asaf, DJC, Alex, nighnight, SpeX, Smoking_ash12, AF360, Adam, yosief, VaneixusPrime, Bowsmen, JamPoe81, Lord McDeath, Alex, Mystbornwolf, A Nameless Hobo, BigTyson, Andr, A Vlogs, Nezih, Giorgie, Mahomed, puggle, Awesomesauce, Blacklionpride24, eric, Space core, asdo, Satan King, Dale, Elemental Lord, Rad Bman, Tyler, Spartano, THEREAL, Peter, Jose, WeirdoNerdo, Adam, Gage, Anthony, Louis, Homicidalbunny, Mariom, Jonas, The Main Man, Jackson, Marc_13, Erudual, Hunterruin, Zero, Thanatus, W01F, Mishary, Jan Osa, Lemon, Nicholas, Michael, Hydro, Jack, SirSlaps, Seraphtor, Dplet, Sky, Aaron, Lettered Wolf, Just Graham, Peter, Wing!
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