Chapter 57: Build me a Bridge!(1/2)
It was mid afternoon when the clouds finally cleared from the sky. A nice spring time rain to wash away the filth found in Gotham. Though many would argue that Gotham would need a power wash more than anything. 30% of Gotham had been brought to its knees during the attack. Leaving hollowed out husks of buildings, businesses, and homes. Lash created a few places to sit down for everyone made from recycled wood and steel. Everyone sat around each other looking off in a daze. As the adrenaline wore off their exhausted bodies screamed at them to either eat food and sleep or just sleep.
Lash created several projected windows and started to message several people. Specifically the Warden information agency, that he had a confession from Joker for what it was worth. Along with a family token of Valenthia of house Sex'Ilia. He uploaded about 80% of his entire experience during the Siege after some editing. The League watched him work for a few minutes before logistical and auxiliary units from the 'UNWS', Military, and GCPD showed up on their location.
The military and GCPD had tried to arrest them until the UNWS told them all to stop being fucking idiots. Aside from Diana and Wraith every one else in the League was technically an illegal vigilante. Even though the GCPD and Military personnel had fought side by side next to them only half a day ago. A debacle was slowly unfolding as more people with authority started to show up.
“Lantern, can you make a construct and fly everyone home, or at least out of the city?” Lash asked John. GL smiled and gathered all the 'vigilantes' up and created a green jet plane.
-I'll send invites to the dinner and drinks later. Lash sent a telepathic message to them. As there was now to many people near by.
They all said their goodbyes and flew off into the afternoon sun. Batman, Robin, and Barbara all fit into the Bat-Wing jet and flew off into the distance. Wonder Woman, and Dia Nyx stayed next to Lash as the Amazon unit kept the idiots at bay. Lash stood up and smoothed out his Wraith disguise though he stopped half way through after realizing he hadn't done anything. Nyx laughed at him then hid behind Diana when he looked at her. Diana just smiled at her then smiled at Lash.
“Let's get to work...” Lash said softly.
Wonder Woman had diplomatic immunity and didn't have to answer a single question that she didn't want to. Nyx was sheltered under her as the mundanes all assumed she was with the Amazons. Wraith however was under the full scrutiny of the GCPD and Military. They demanded a full explanation and Lash gave them vague details about what happened. They all knew he was dancing around the subject but they couldn't nail him down. Why, because Lash wasn't sure what he was allowed to say and not say. He told them as much, they tossed security clearance and validation left and right at him but he kept his mouth shut. A one star general even tried to arrest him, which only made Lash laugh hysterically as he cast Invisibility on himself.
==============================================================
“What do you mean he disappeared!?” One star general Fargo, screamed at his subordinate.
“General Sir, the moment we tried to hand cuff him he laughed at us then faded from sight. Literally, like a ghost he just faded from sight. We haven't been able to find him since.” His subordinate replied.
“What a surprise! General Fargo you tried to arrest an American hero and he gives you the middle finger.” A cold feminine voice sounded from the corner of the office.
“Save it, Waller! I don't have time for your shit!” General Fargo screamed at Amanda Waller. Waller sat on a folding chair wearing a suave business dress suit. Her legs were crossed as she had a electronic pen in hand working on an tablet.
“You mean you don't have time to deal with the fact the Black Mask was using advance military hardware that you sold to him?” Waller said with an amused tone, as she signed another E-Document. Not bothering to look up at General Fargo.
“I did no such thing! I am a patriot I would never sell under the table you bitch!” General Fargo screamed at her as he stood up from his command desk. General Fargo was 5'9” with a sturdy build, salt and peppered brown hair and a bushy mustache. His winkled face was red with fury that Waller would even accuse him of such a thing.
Then the Generals tablet beeped at him...As did Wallers...So did the every phone, tablet, and computer in the military camp. A notification email with read immediately priority, everyone who could read it did so. Inside was the bank account information of General Fargo along with several hundreds of millions of dollars transactions to Swiss and Cayman islands banks. Along with what he sold. The gear, weapons, tools, vehicles, along with the shipments and scheduling. No word about the ammunition as that had come from some one else. General Fargo went purple with rage as he pulled his side arm and pointed it at Waller, assuming she was the one that sent the email.
“Fucking bitch! I kill you!” Fargo shouted at Waller. Waller however just sat there and watched the 'General' as his subordinate now had their sidearm out but had it pointed at their former general.
“Sir! Put it down! Put it down now!” Fargo's former subordinate yelled. Several other MP's rushed into the command tent and tried to position themselves to take him down alive.
“I have served my country for decades! I have done hundreds of things I am not proud of! I deserve the money that they paid me! Now! Now I'll have nothing! Now you will have nothing!” Fargo screamed and squeezed the trigger.... But nothing happened...He tried several times only on the fifth try did MP's tackle him.
The former general screamed and cursed at Waller for ruining his life as he was dragged out of the room. Waller now the commanding officer in the field told everyone to leave the tent. She stood up and walked over to the command desk and took the former general's seat. She took several deep breaths to try and calm her racing her heart. Despite her appearance, Waller had no idea who had sent the information. Neither did she understand why she didn't feel the need to defend herself. Waller glanced at corner in the tent for a brief moment then a smile tugged on her lips.
“It's been a while...Agent Wraith.” Waller said softly, as a ghost materialized in the tent with her.
“Hello Miss Waller. May I sit down?” Wraiths reptilian and animalistic voice sent a chill down Waller's spine.
“Please do...” Waller replied...
==============================================================
“How did you know about General Fargo?” Waller asked Lash.
“The hardware all had destroyed US military grade serial codes and stamps that most human science wouldn't have been able to track. But once I had them, it was easy to back trace the where, when, how, and who.” Lash made a dismissive gesture and Waller's phone got an email.
Waller looked through information and licked her lips more then once. Her manicured eye brows went a notch higher with every passing minute. A smile grew on her mask of indifference as she read more and more. She uncrossed and recrossed her legs more then once then planted her feet in the end so she could read her phone better. After she finished she leaned back in the command chair like a cat who drank an entire saucer of milk.
“Commander Waller! City officials have arrived, may we come in?” A soldier called outside the tent. Waller took a moment to adjust her seating. Wraith hadn't disappeared and Waller made no move to tell him to do so.
“Enter!” Waller called out.
A soldier walked in first and saw Wraith sitting in the room with Waller. The soldier went from surprised, to aggressive, to understanding, to cold and indifferent. Both Waller and Lash noticed the change and made a note of his name. Good soldier. Next came Gotham City Mayor, Misses Edwin, Captain Gordon of GCPD Major Crimes Unit, Lucius Fox from Wayne Enterprises, and Torloth Shi'Word of Shield and Sword Law Firm. Lash created several well crafted pieces of furniture for them all to sit down on.
Mayor Edwin was a late thirties early forties beauty, with blond hair and blue eyes who wore a pale blue pencil skirt business suit with a silk buttoned up blouse, suit jacket, with her hair done up in a bun. She got a pale oak chair, with brown leather seats, and a golden plaque with her name on it. The Mayor looked at the chair that simply materialized out of thin hair then back at Wraith. Then sat down in the very comfortable chair.
Captain Gordon looked much the same, with his bushy mustache, salt and peppered gray hair. US army special forces built body, with a MCU Swat gear on. He got a minimalist cherry wood, and leather cushion seat with a golden plaque written with Gordon. Gordon bit his tongue to keep himself from shouting then took his seat.
Lucius Fox wore a expensive tailored suit with dark browns, white shirt, and a bow tie. He looked a little dashing with his manicured mustache, and old man hair. He smiled wide his pure metallic chair with white leather, a cell phone and battery port. With a holographic name of Fox glowing above it. Mr. Fox tipped an invisible hat towards Agent Wraith, who nodded back.
Mr. Shi'Word got a huge mountain ash wooden throne, with red velvet seats, intricate designs of a dragon stomping entire armies of knights. Torloth had a casual business attire which looked comfortable but Lash was sure still costed thousands of dollars to wear. Torloth smiled at the throne like chair that was closest to Lash. He nodded gratefully at Agent Wraith.
“Would you like your own chair, Miss Waller?” Lash asked, his voice made Mayor Edwin jump in surprise. Waller took a moment to look at the different chairs, she stood up and pushed the desk chair aside. She looked at Lash with expectation...She wanted to see what kind of chair she would get.
Lash crafted a chair with reinforced steel for the frame, but soft snow skin fur for the cushion. The arm rest had several phone, tablet, battery ports like Fox's chair. Carved into the foot of the chair were depictions of hell rising up to fight a host of angels that were carved into the top. The design on the back rest was a woman knight split down the middle one side being an angel, the other side being a demon. Waller looked at the chair, back at Lash. Then sat down, Waller couldn't help but admit that it was incredibly comfortable.
Now Lash? He just sat in a reinforced metal fold out chair. Had room for his tail, could take his weight, and he honestly didn't care for anything else. Lash created coffee or tea for anyone that wanted some including the soldier that stood on standby. Corporal Williams who took a cub of black coffee after he got permission from Waller. The atmosphere in the command tent was a little odd. They had come to discuss blame, responsibility, and damage on a first come basis. But ended up with a pleasant atmosphere thanks to a lizard wraith creature.
“Alright that is enough... Shall we begin?” Waller said to them. She had used the respite as a means to gain an awareness of everyone, and made a note to thank a certain alien later.
“Aside from General Fargo do we know who is responsible for this attack?” Mayor Edwin asked.
“The mercenaries worked directly for Black Mask, we still haven't found him. As for the rest...Its a coordinated effort of Gotham's worst of the worst criminals, convicts, and Arkhams all stars. Where they got the man power, resources, and money is unclear. Though hardware came from Fargo but only Black Mask's men used that. Everything else was supplied by another source.” Captain Gordon said.
Lash created an illusion of a computer keyboard and monitor in front of him. But in truth all he used was Virtual Intelligence, and Connectivity. The room paused to watch him for a bit, except Torloth who was on his tablet looking up information as well. When it was clear Lash wasn't going to share anything they continued on. Though Mr. Fox continued to glance at Lash as he worked on his 'computer'.
“Who among the criminal elite would have the ability to pull something like this off? I personally heard 'The Riddlers' voice during the first few minutes of the attack. Have we found him yet?” Mr. Fox asked...Before any of them could reply.
“Edward Nygma is dead. He was pulled apart by the joker zombies inside of the carnival. I have a video file here. Be warned he is pulled apart limb by limb.” Lash interrupted and created a 'screen' for everyone to watch. It even had sound!
Mayor Edwin turned green and had to swallow her vomit several times. Everyone else in the room simply watched with a careful eye as Batman tried to save Nygma but was in the end he was to late and had to retreat to save himself or he would have been killed next. Lash collapsed the screen and sent the video to who ever needed it.
“What about the Joker? I don't suppose he is dead to?” Gordon asked with both accusation and a bit of hope that sicko was dead.
“Yes he is dead as well. I have a video of that too. Want to see it?” Lash asked.
The whole room nodded even Mayor Edwin. Lash created a edited version of the scene. It was first person perspective who the person was clear when they saw the scaled hand go straight into Joker's chest and pull something out... A stone idol. Torloth who had stayed indifferent the whole time flinched at the sight of the idol. Something that only Waller and Lash noticed. The video didn't include the Kalima joke, or the coin being flipped. Just the Joker laughing at his own demise, and crumbling like burnt paper.
“What about that statue, where is that?” Torloth asked, his interest was again noted by Waller.
“The statue broke into pieces about a minute of it being outside of Joker's body.” Lash replied, but sent a telepathic message to Torloth. -Talk to you later about it. Torloth looked disappointed at the destruction of the idol and leaned back in his chair.
“Any other KIA's you would like to admit to?” Gordon ground his teeth. Mayor Edwin whispered to him in an attempt to mollify him.
“Do you want a list? Or do you want me to name them? It will be a few minutes if I name them.” Lash said nonchalantly. Waller's lips tugged up just a bit, while Gordon fumed in anger.
“We can discuss Agent Wraith's kill count at another time. Do we know how Joker created the bubble around the East Gotham Carnival grounds?” Mr. Fox asked a very important question.
One of Waller's eye brows arched at the mention. Something that could keep Superman out was an important asset to claim. Beep...Beep. Both Waller and Fox got an email from Wraith. Two words, Project Cadmus that answered a question but brought up so many more. Fox nodded and kept his mouth shut. While Waller looked at Wraith expecting more information, it was at that moment that Lash realized she didn't know what Cadmus was. -I'll tell you later about it. Lash said into her mind. Waller's eyes went wide for a brief moment before she regained her calm.
“So...Do we know how?” Mayor Edwin asked. The whole answering the question and replying only took a few seconds. She had seen that both Waller and Fox received an email but Mr. Shi'Word, Gordon, and herself didn't.
“Kinetic absorption barrier, the more kinetic force applied to the barrier the stronger the barrier becomes. I'll send you the full description....” Lash said, the barrier along with Project Cadmus was a complete lie. But only Torloth and Lash knew that. After a moment everyone in the room got an email about the Kinetic barrier. Though Fox and Waller got the mathematical equation for it.
“Thank you Agent Wraith. It is nice to see that the rumors of you being honest are true. How did Joker get the barrier?” Mayor Edwin asked Lash directly.
“That I am still looking into. However, when I receive the answer I'll send a report to you straight away. I hope that is sa....wait.” Lash stopped at the end as he received a bullet point report from his Virtual Intelligence.
“Lord Technologies had been researching Kinetic barriers. A few months ago their latest engine was stolen from their R&D labs. Here is the updated information, we still don't have confirmation if the tech was used in this situation.” Lash sent another information file to everyone present including Torloth.
Waller's face went cold at not having any idea about Lord Technologies using Kinetic barriers. Especially the fact that Lash knew about it ahead of her. When Lash sent the packet everyone in the room stopped to read the bullet point brief on the barrier, the engine, what it could do, and how big. The engine used would only allow for something the size of a car to create a barrier. Not a fifteen mile radius dome. Everyone looked up and saw that several of the computer 'screens' Lash had created were looking through the web with the key words Kinetic Barrier. Several new pages of information had been found and were being sent to them. After the third update Mayor Edwin was happy with Lash's honesty.
“Agent Wraith may the Gotham people assume you will be helping with the reconstruction of our home?” Mayor Edwin asked.
“As long as I am not pulled away by something. I plan to help rebuild our home. That is if I am allowed to help? Politics, jurisdiction, and contractors that would rather squabble about the lowest bidder then rebuild peoples homes.” Lash replied, the Mayor no longer flinched at his voice.
“Captain Gordon, has GCPD been able to arrest all of the escaped convicts from Black Gate, and Arkham?” Lash asked.
“We've accounted for about 30% of the total inmate population. The rest have escaped into Gotham. As horrible as it sounds the bridges being destroyed have kept them inside the city limits.” Gordon replied as he read through his report.
“Before we continue...Agent Wraith can you make it a priority to repair and rebuild the bridges? Or is that to much?” Mayor Edwin asked.
“Before you answer, Shield and Sword have already contacted the different companies that will take part in the Gotham reconstruction. It's been agreed that any reconstruction on your part will not be pulled down by politics, and jurisdiction. So do as much as you can for as long as you can, Agent Wraith.” Torloth cut in. Mayor Edwin smiled wide at that.
“In that case do any of you have any specific questions for me? Otherwise I'll leave now to rebuild the bridges.” Lash asked the room.
They talked for a few more minutes, then as Lash left the room he asked everyone if they wanted they could keep chairs. Gordon said no flat out, everyone else said yes. Even Torloth admitted the chair was comfortable. Lash ran into Diana, Nyx, and the Amazons. They were headed back to Themyscira. Nyx was admitted to the first year of Amazon training. She hugged Lash and kissed his cheek, she blushed red after the kiss and hid behind the Amazons who laughed at her. Lash gave a warrior hand shake to Diana and the Amazons then said goodbye to his 'Sisters'.
Lash dropped to all four, his Adaptation adjusted his form and he sped off. He went from zero to sixty in less then a few seconds. His claws propelled him forward as the field base faded from sight quickly. He quickly cast Nature's Passage, and Chameleon on himself, though the battle was over that didn't stop assassins from trying to end him. Gotham city was in pieces as he ran. Sometime he ran through a city intersection that was still put together, other times entire sky scrapers had fallen over. He would have to swim through the gravel or climb over the debris. But he would always check for life along the way.
Lash made it to L-train, and road way bridge. More then half of the bridge had fallen into the river below and the debris could even be seen sticking out of the water. Thousands of cars were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic as they attempted to leave the bridge. Though now nearly every car was empty of its passengers except for a few who had stubbornly stayed behind. A lot of the cars looked wrecked with broken windshields, crushed trunks, ripped open trunks, and flat tires. Lash slowed down and stood up straight, his bones and muscles adjusted for the change.
Lash reached out with his Intermediate Energy Manipulation, and Machine Control. Then one by one he activated a car, drove it backwards and off to the side. Then he cast Renew on the cars returning them to near perfect condition. One by one by one until his Machine Control leveled up and he could control two machines, then three, then four.
A few people watched this whole process at the start. They had no idea why the cars started up, moved out of the way, then suddenly like magic put themselves back together. Over a thousand cars in a pile of chaos soon found themselves neat and organized. After a few hours as the sun slowly began to set in the sky someone saw a flicker of light and there stood a seven foot tall lizard man with a nazgul shroud wrapped around him.
Lash continued the long process of moving, repairing, and settling the cars. As the sun set Lash created several floating orbs of Daylight that glowed above the city. The main power to the city was still off, so no street lights. But people soon showed up with flash lights and came over to the cars that were still stuck. They called out the condition of the cars, and what was wrong with them. Tiny blue 'robot's came over then fixed the cars and started them up. The people didn't actually do anything, but Lash wasn't going to tell them that. A couple of hours later a red and yellow lighting streak ran across the river and appeared in front of Wraith.
“Hello Flash, everything alright in Central City?” Lash asked.
“Yes it's fine! I just went back for some food and rest. Now I'm here to work! What are you doing?” Flash asked, Barry Allen was about six foot even with a pure red suit that looked like a cross between spandex and armor. Only the bottom half of his mouth was exposed so you could see his healthy pink skin, and flashing smile.
“I need to repair the bridge, and the L-Train. One way or another the cars will need to be moved. I would prefer the cars be in one piece and not trashed by a tank as they come over. If you are looking to help go to this address. I'll tell them you are coming.” Lash replied. Flash nodded and sped off towards a Warden control center who was notified that 'The Flash' was headed over.
Lash continued to till about eleven in the evening. At last there was enough room for two lanes. He used Manifestation to create two Saurus Warrior's to ensure the bridge on this part stayed cleared. He ran up the bridge to the very end and double checked to see if any cars remained. Then he jumped off the bridge and dove into the water below. He performed a perfect swan dive and dove straight in only to go down about three feet before he went BAM! Straight into a ruined part of the bridge. Thankfully his head was thick so he broke through, but he had a sever head ache for the next hour.
Lash swam under the Gotham river and used Recycle, and Decomposition on the different parts of the bridge that had fallen into the water. The ambient magical energy in the water went up several times, he absorbed a portion of that energy. After a few more hours he had cleared out the debris so he swam to the other side of the bridge. On this side of the bridge there was no huge pile up of cars. Just a police line of barricades that kept people away. Lash cast Manifestation for two guards on this side then he picked up a ten pound of concrete and made more Nth metal.
Lash spent the next hour looking up the bridges architecture, diagram, and designs for modern bridges. Material Shaping, Artist, Intermediate Enchanting, Machine Control, Superhuman Intellect, Intermediate Energy Manipulation, Minor Science, Trickery: Bending, Transmutation: Fabrication, Synthesis: Renew, Immaculate, Technomancy: Alteration, Compression Transformation, Nature: Essence Imbuement, and Growth. All got huge amounts of experience and levels as he started to alter and build the bridge, and L-Train.
Because of limited time and the fact that the L-Train had to be connected he couldn't go crazy on the aesthetic design. So he made it a polish chrome color that would constantly keep it self clean and pretty. The chrome would not be glaring if the sun hit it, but it would be noticeable. When a train would go over the sound would be dampened, when the wind blew across it a wind chime noise would come over it. Hundreds of solar panels were attached to the sides to ensure even in a black out or an EMP electricity would still work on the bridge, it would also collect energy for the city. Lash sprinkled just a bit of Nth metal into the construction which reduced the whole bridges weight by about 5%. But it used up all two of his ingots in the process. Then as the sun rose once more over Gotham a brand new bridge was born.
Lash sat on an observation deck that he had built onto the bridges main suspension towers. He sent a message to the Warden's about the bridge. They told the military and GCPD, Lash recalled his manifested Saurus Warriors and decided to take break. One by one tanks, APC's, armored trucks drove over the newly crafted bridge. Something that should have taken up to a year or more was done in a single night. A flare of lighting zipped across the bridge and ran up the bridges deck to the observatory. Flash appeared next to Lash, who had a cup of coffee waiting. Flash smiled and took a seat next to him, and had a long pull on the coffee.
“Hmmmm! Wow that is tasty! This is amazing Wraith! Even if I had all the pieces next to me I couldn't have made this bridge in one night! I don't suppose you build homes for a friendly speedster?” Flash asked as he had another cup of coffee.
“Sure, I'll make sure to add a baby room for you and Iris.” Lash said with a smile. Flash spit out his coffee and began to cough.
“Wo!...Co...Wow! Me...and I...I mean! Iris...Wait!? How do you even know about Iris? She's like my sister! We grew up together! I...I mean...Wait! Oh that's right we met at Oliver's bunker. But...” Barry was flabbergasted at the turn of events.
“Is Iris a Web Blogger or a cop? I can never remember?” Lash asked, he could look it up but he was testing a theory. Barry seem to pause....In that brief moment Lash noticed the Dream seem to slow down by a faction of a second. It was deciding on a characters back ground....Interesting.
“She is a journalist! Or...She is trying to be... Oh hay! I know you do interviews with Lois Lane. Feel like coming to Central City and talking to her?” Barry asked, after the brief moment in the world sped back up to normalcy.
“I don't mind, but we'd have to come up with a plausible reason why the United Nations World Security Agent Wraith came to speak to a brand new journalist. It may draw unwanted and dangerous attention to her. Unless she is aware you are The Flash?” Lash asked, genuinely interested in the answer. Barry scratched the back of his neck.
“That would be a no... I mean. Joe does... I...He's like my adopted Dad...Oh wait! How did you get my Dad out of prison!?” Barry asked, he was a little absent minded it seemed in this version of the Dream. Maybe that would change in the future.
“I didn't break the law if that is what you are asking. I just went over the original case file with a better understanding. Superman has the ability to pull down the moon! A yellow blur doesn't seem that far fetched now.” Lash told Barry what he wanted to hear. Though he had completely broken the law to get Henry Allen out of jail. His Acting skill got experience and Barry nodded his head with a smile on his face.
“Do you know who....” Barry let the question hang in the air.
“I don't. I can tell you that the one who did it was a speedster just like you. Or, was able to create an illusion of moving fast. But evidence points to a speedster.” Lash said honestly. Barry nodded his head as he thought about the words.
“I know you were born on Earth, but do they have Meta-Gene people on your home planet?” Barry asked.
“Yes, the Meta-Evolution era is normal growth for most advanced civilizations. Just as I said in that report I gave you. Though it normally happens through natural growth and not through a particle accelerator explosion.” Lash replied, Beep! Beep! A communication came through Flash's head piece.
“Go home Barry, thank you for the help.” Lash said to him. Barry smiled, drained his cup of coffee and zipped off. A trail of red and yellow lighting in his wake.
Lash finished his coffee, then went down the stairs from the observatory. At the door to the observatory staircase was humvee with soldiers. They opened the door for Lash as he stepped in with a thank you. They started up the car and drove across the new bridge towards City Hall. The Mayor had requested that he rebuild it after the bridge. The ride over was quiet the soldiers in the humvee didn't talk and Lash didn't speak. About ten minutes from the construction site they radioed that he was coming. They were let through the security check point with out stopping, a few soldiers saluted as he drove by.
City hall was w-->>