| Santa Prisca - September 26
"There's a message for you." Lady Shiva said to Vandal Savage as she walked into the room with a tablet.
"Play it." Savage replied, from his seat in a hidden base.
A monitor extended from the ceiling and played the recording. The Joker appeared on the monitor, laughing.
Savage sighed. That was already bad news. If not for his use as a suitable distraction to the Light, Savage would've already killed Joker. Now that the Light was exposed and the plant creature attack plan had been foiled, he'd ask Ra's to send someone to kill him.
The Joker's message to Savage continues.
"Savage, old boy! Imagine my surprise when little Miss Green-Thumb whispered in my ear that our merry little band of misfits—the Injustice League, ha!—was nothing more than your patsy act. A distraction! A curtain call for the real show. And everyone knew it. Even Eddie! Eddie! Can you believe it? The Riddler knew, and I didn't. That burns, old man. That burns.
Because you see, chaos, carnage, senseless violence—that's my shtick! My punchline! And you—you stole it. Nobody steals the punchline from the Clown Prince of Crime. Oh, but don't worry, I'm not pouting. I've cooked up a new routine. And, since Eddie's so fond of riddles, let's play along:
'What's round as the world, filled with hot air, and will go pop if I have my way?'
…Oh, I can't stand it, I'll just tell you—THE U.N.! Hahahaha!"
Dread pulled in Vandal Savage's gut. This did not bode well for the Light's plans.
He'd kill that clown!
**
| New York City - September 26
At the United Nations Headquarters Joker cackled atop the main podium as the delegates look on in horror, Joker venom bombs suspended from the ceiling above them.
"And that's why I'm doing this. Any questions?" Joker asked as he finished explaining is actions to the Secretary-General of the United Nations who was frozen in fear.
"None? Okay!" Joker said giddily detonating the bombs.
The room was filled with the yellow-green gas.
Everyone rushed towards the doors but it was too late and all entrances were locked. They started laughing uncontrollably until the point of death, leaving them with a permanent grin on their faces.
Joker of course was immune to its effects but laughed with them. It was rude to not laugh at a good joke.
Another comedy routine complete. This is why he did what he did. To spread joy to the world.
He laughed even as he left the building. Now it's time to play hide-and-seek with ole Bats. Today was so fun! He'd tell Harley all about it!
**
| Metropolis - September 27
Lex Luthor sat at his desk, glancing at his watch before returning his gaze to the newly repaired windows. He hated waiting.
He was still seething over Savage's revelation. Not because of grief in the conventional sense, but because Savage had manipulated him. Kept a massive piece of information hidden. Moved pieces on the board Luthor didn't even know existed. Lex despised being made into a pawn, and this reveal felt like someone had yanked his strings without permission.
Lex was not a man prone to guilt, but Hope had been one of the few people he trusted. Learning she had died because of Savage gnawed at him—not out of romantic love, their relationship had been purely physical, but out of insult. Hope had once been loyal to him. Losing her to Savage's machinations was intolerable. He took it personally. And, in due time, Savage would pay for it.
The bigger revelation—that Hope had borne him a son—cut deeper. Lex didn't "do family" in the sentimental sense, but he understood legacy. The thought of a blood heir growing up outside his control unsettled him. He felt robbed of the chance to mold the boy into a successor. His first instinct was simple: claim and control. Erase the lost years by ensuring his son became an extension of his will.
Then came the bitter truth. His son had suffered through one of Lex's own experimental procedures. The nanites that marked his "brilliance" had scarred the boy. Lex tried to frame it as necessary progress, collateral damage in the march toward evolution. But the thought lingered: his own genius had hurt his child. That was a blemish he couldn't polish away.
He would never admit it out loud, but this kind of wound could crack his facade. The one person he should have shielded had paid the price of his ambition. That stung—not just at Savage, not just at Superman, but somewhere in the hollow pit where Lex kept what passed for his conscience.
And the insult piled higher. His son wasn't just alive; he was a hero. Experimented on by aliens. Aligned with Superman's ilk. Everything Lex despised.
Superboy was different. He was only a clone, a weapon engineered by the Light using genomorph and Kryptonian DNA with the human part only used to fill in the incomplete DNA sequences that had resulted in the failure of Project Match. He could've been a useful pawn, but never truly could be his son.
But Joseph was flesh and blood, born to two human parents. His son. And worse, a son who had chosen the "wrong" side.
Still, the potential was undeniable. BellCorp was newly established, yet some bureaucratic processes had been expedited faster than normal—likely the work of his son's psychic abilities. Joseph had already shown he could bend morality when needed. That meant there was still hope. In time, Joseph would come around, even if he had to be forced.
Lex tapped a key and the newsfeed played across his computer screen.
Ted Donner's voice cut through the static, crisp and urgent.
"The paper released by Lois Lane yesterday—compiled in cooperation with the Justice League—has sparked global outrage. The exposé revealed the existence of a secretive organization known as the Light. Among those implicated are high-profile figures including Queen Bee of Bialya and Lex Luthor himself.
"Earlier today, Luthor issued a statement stepping down as CEO of LexCorp. He also revealed the existence of his hidden son, Joseph Bell Luthor, owner of BellCorp, who he has named as his successor and will be inheriting his position when he reaches the age of majority next year.
"Amid the controversy and backlash, tragedy struck last night when the Joker attacked U.N. headquarters, killing everyone inside, including the Secretary-General, with Joker venom. The United Nations has condemned the act and urged immediate cooperation between world governments and the Justice League to prevent further catastrophe.
"Many speculate this atrocity is linked to the Light's activities. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor faces mounting scrutiny. Families of alleged victims of his experiments have come forward demanding justice. The U.S. government has formally issued an arrest warrant, citing charges that include—"
Lex paused the video. His reflection in the glass merged with four dark silhouettes behind him.
"Open the window Luthor," came Superman's voice, here to arrest him.
Lex sighed. Of course. The Kryptonian always had a flair for the dramatic.
But the absurdity of his demand amused him.
'As if I would install a window this high that actually opens. Even I don't trifle with insurance companies and lawyers. OSHA guidelines exist for a reason.'
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as the shadows loomed larger.
"Superman," he said smoothly, without turning. "Take the stairs."