Chapter 29: Deals with Devils
Ethan Cross stared at Lex Luthor, feeling the weight of the billionaire's words settle in his gut like a lead weight. "You know where I come from?"
Luthor's smirk was unwavering, his confidence absolute. "I do. And more importantly, I know what you can become."
Superman took a step forward, his presence a silent but forceful warning. "Ethan, don't listen to him. Luthor thrives on manipulation."
Ethan exhaled slowly. His mind was a battlefield of doubt and curiosity. If there was even a chance Luthor had real answers about his origins, could he afford to ignore it?
Luthor clasped his hands behind his back. "You don't have to decide now, of course. But when you're ready to understand your full potential, you know where to find me."
Ethan didn't reply, his expression unreadable. Luthor gave him one last knowing glance before turning on his heel and walking away, his enforcers flanking him like shadows.
Superman placed a firm hand on Ethan's shoulder. "You don't need him."
Ethan met Superman's gaze. "Maybe not. But I need answers."
The Man of Steel hesitated, then gave a slow nod. "Then let's find them the right way."
**Later, in the Batcave…**
Ethan stood before the massive computer screens, watching as Batman analyzed everything they had on LexCorp's latest experiments. The Dark Knight worked in silence, his fingers flying over the keyboard at inhuman speeds.
Finally, Batman spoke. "Luthor isn't lying. He's been researching genetic anomalies—beings with irregular chromosome structures. It's possible he has information on your abilities."
Ethan crossed his arms. "So what's the play?"
Batman leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing beneath the cowl. "We infiltrate LexCorp."
Ethan let out a low whistle. "That easy, huh?"
Nightwing, who had been observing from the sidelines, smirked. "Nothing about breaking into Luthor's stronghold is easy. But you've got us."
Ethan nodded. If there was one thing he was starting to learn, it was that he didn't have to do this alone.
**Hours Later – LexCorp Headquarters**
The night was quiet, the streets of Metropolis bathed in the neon glow of the city. From a rooftop across from LexCorp Tower, Ethan watched as Batman, Nightwing, and Oracle coordinated their next move.
"I've disabled security on the south wing," Oracle's voice came through their earpieces. "You have a five-minute window before the system reboots."
Batman signaled. "Move."
Ethan launched himself forward, his fusion ability kicking in as he enhanced his gloves with an added layer of stealth nanotech. He landed silently on the glass exterior of the tower and began his descent down the side.
Inside, security was thick, but Batman and Nightwing took point, disabling guards with precision. Ethan moved quickly, his heart pounding in his chest as he neared the secured data vault.
Breaking through the reinforced door wasn't going to be simple, but Ethan had never done things the easy way. He placed his hands on the metal, activating his power. The steel shifted, molecularly bonding with a small explosive charge he had prepared. The result—a silent but effective entry point.
The vault opened, revealing rows of data terminals. Ethan and Nightwing got to work, extracting files while Batman stood guard.
"Got it," Nightwing confirmed, loading the files onto a secure drive. "Let's move."
But just as they turned, alarms blared through the facility.
Luthor had been expecting them.
A mechanical voice echoed through the vault. "You didn't really think I'd make it this easy, did you?"
The walls began to shift, revealing automated turrets and reinforced security drones.
Ethan cracked his knuckles. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
**To be continued…**