Chapter 257: Surveillance & Shadows
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Arthur stood at the center of the chamber, his eyes tracing the trails of light still dancing across Gotham’s map. His voice broke the silence, low and commanding.
"Owl," Arthur said, his tone sharper than usual. "Can you track them. Their last location, the most recent point they touched. Can you isolate it?"
From his seat at the control panel, Owl’s fingers glided over the keys in quick strokes. His eyes glowed faintly as he processed streams of encrypted data. After a mont, he leaned back, voice flat, as though delivering a verdict.
"Yes. Earth’s orbit."
Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He let out a quiet breath through his nose, the faintest flicker of annoyance passing over his features. "...Not very helpful."
Raven shifted beside him, her face turning in his direction. There was a sharpness in her gaze, but also suspicion like she was reading more than his words. "Wait." Her arms uncrossed, her hand brushing against her chin. "I know you said they’re Kryptonians... but the way you spoke earlier, you seed like you already knew them. That wasn’t just a guess."
Arthur didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he began to pace across the floor, his cloak brushing silently behind him.
"I don’t know them personally," he said finally, voice low, thoughtful. "But I’ve read enough, studied enough, to recognize these things. And what we’re seeing here... it doesn’t match Clark, or Kara. Not exactly." He stopped pacing, turned slightly toward her, his expression grave. "If this isn’t an alternate version of them, then there’s only one answer. Phantom Zone prisoners. Kryptonians exiled and locked away for cris against their own people."
His eyes burned brighter now, his tone hardening. "General Zod... and those loyal to him."
The chamber seed to grow colder at the na. Raven’s eyes widened, her lips parting before she caught herself. She’d read enough, glimpsed enough knowledge in hidden corners, to know of what Arthur had just spoken.
"I’ve heard of the Phantom Zone," Raven said slowly, her voice edged with disbelief. "A dinsional prison sealed away, beyond even ti. If that’s what you’re suggesting... how could they possibly escape? That place is supposed to be impenetrable."
Arthur’s jaw tightened. He shook his head once, sharp, dismissive. "I don’t know how. Not yet. But since they’re here. On Earth. Moving in shadows, spreading weapons they are not openly wielding themselves. And their intent is clear." His voice dropped, lethal in its certainty. "They want Clark. They want Kara. Dead or Captured."
Raven’s gaze lingered on him, searching his face for sothing doubt, hesitation, anything. But there was none. Only the steady burn of violet certainty in his eyes. She finally exhaled.
Arthur turned back toward the monitors, his tone shifting into calculation. "I’ll dispatch my shadow Lanterns into orbit. If they’ve made it here, they’ll need vessels to navigate space. That leaves a trail, no matter how carefully they move. And while they’re still fresh from the Zone, they’ll be weakened. They haven’t had the ti Clark and Kara have under the yellow sun."
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing on the streams of light across the map. "The faster we cut them down, the better. Before they beco sothing... harder to contain."
Raven’s brows furrowed, her lips curving into the faintest grimace as she considered his logic. "You’re right. If they were already at full strength, they wouldn’t be handing out scraps to Earth’s cri lords. They’d do the killing themselves." She folded her arms again, her voice soft but edged with steel. "That kind of desperation... it’s a weakness. And if you’re right, we need to strike while they’re still vulnerable. I need to let the others know about this."
Arthur allowed himself the faintest hint of a smile cold, resolute. "Exactly."
"they’ve already sealed their fate."
Arthur’s shadow stretched, and the air in the chamber thickened with a violent hum. The shadows around him stirred like restless beasts. From the shadowy floor, violet light flared, and figures began to rise, clad in shadow lantern uniform and glowing with that sa spectral fire.
Atrocitus erged first, his jagged teeth gleaming through the veil of shadow, rage eternal even in death. Sinestro followed, tall and austere, his presence radiating pride as if kneeling were a choice he deigned to give. Then Greed, his form flickering like a fla that could never be quenched. More shadows followed soldiers of every lantern shade Arthur had claid, their violet eyes unified, bound only to his command.
The weight of their presence pressed down on the underground base. They dropped to one knee in unison, heads bowed before their Monarch.
Arthur’s voice cut through them.
"I should get going." His violet gaze swept over the gathered phantoms. He raised a finger, pointing toward above. "Spread out. Space is vast, but I want every corner near this system covered. Find the Kryptonians. Any unusual vessel, anything lurking too close to the sun. Engage imdiately if you find them." His tone dipped, a low growl at the end. "And I will co to finish what you start."
The shadows slamd fists to their chests in acknowledgent. Then, with a sound like rushing air being torn apart, they vanished rising upward, dissolving into streams of violet light that cut through the ceiling holes that was specially made by Lex like cots. The chamber fell quiet once more, their absence leaving only the sound of machinery.
Raven tilted her head, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She watched the violet streaks fade from sight, and when she spoke, her voice carried a dry bite.
"A one-man Lantern Corps." Her lips twitched as if to suppress a smirk. "I still can’t get used to it."
Arthur glanced sideways at her, his expression softening into a faint smile that didn’t last long, but long enough. "You are part of that Corps."
He turned back to the monitors, then pivoted toward the two shadows who remained in the chamber. His voice fird again. "Keep watch. Any trace of movent, I want to know."
Lex bowed, precise as always. "It will be done, my king."
Owlman gave only a curt nod, but sothing about the tilt of his head suggested he had anticipated Arthur’s words long before he spoke them.
Arthur was about to move, but then he paused. A crease ford between his brows, the thought striking him out of nowhere. He slowly rubbed the back of his neck, muttering aloud, "Hold on a second... I don’t have a satellite, do I?"
Raven turned her head sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Seriously Arthur? Then..."
There was disbelief in her tone, but also that faint, reluctant amusent she tried hard to hide.
Arthur glanced at her, then at Owl. "Well? Do I?"
Owlman didn’t blink. His voice ca out flat. "No, my king."
Arthur’s eyes narrowed further. He stepped closer to the console, his tone sharpening. "Then how did you pull that feed? All of this.." he gestured toward the sprawling satellite maps, the shifting displays, "..where did it co from?"
Owlman’s fingers tapped lazily on the console, almost disdainful of the question. "I hacked into Batman’s satellite. I’ve been doing so for so ti now." His violet eyes flicked toward Arthur. "Do you require
to stop?"
There was no sha, no hesitation in his tone. Just calm inevitability.
Arthur’s hand dragged through his hair, a sigh escaping him. He muttered, half to himself, half to the chamber, "Of course. Bruce probably already noticed." He shook his head, resigned. "Doesn’t matter. Carry on."
Raven couldn’t help it, she laughed. Not loud, but genuine, enough to make Arthur’s eyes flick toward her in mock irritation. Her smirk curved as she looked back at the screen.
"No wonder you two don’t get along."
Arthur stared at her for a beat, then let the corner of his mouth curve upward despite himself. He exhaled, shaking his head. "He doesn’t get along with anyone."
Lex, ever silent but listening, allowed himself the faintest ghost of a smirk, quickly hidden behind his bowed head. Owl said nothing, his attention back on the console.
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If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support
than check out my patreon at
"spatreon/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want
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