DC Genesis: Mr. Terrific
Chapter 1:
Reporter Izquierdo and a camera crew for the Daily Planet stood outside the white marble and Plexiglas structure; she struggled to speak over the wind and the commotion of the crowd.
“Were here at the Conscientia Institute in Los Angeles, Where Michael Holt, C.E.O of Holt Industries and renowned genius, has called a meeting of some of the world’s most influential businessmen and scientists in order to sell them on a new invention, which he says will be controversial but more importantly revolutionary. Billionaires such as Bruce Wayne, Karen Starr, Oliver Queen, Will Magnus and Ray Palmer have gathered here to hear out one of their brightest contemporaries. Let’s hope this invention is worth it. This is Izzy Izquierdo signing off”
Michael Holt and Aleeka Okafur observed the chaos of news crews and distinguished guest through the tinted windows of a nearby limo. The separation glass between the driver and the car’s patrons rolled down slowly
“We’re here sir, madam”
“Park here for a second; I need to write my speech”
Holt closed his eyes, focused and was 300 words into his opening argument within 5 seconds but his conclusion was interrupted by a nagging voice.
“Michael, your late to your own party, it’s time to go……are you alright?”
“This is going to get a lot of resistance, but it will change the world, suicides numbers will drop, the standard for living will rise dramatically, the world will have a better future.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I’m not sure that the opposition will be entirely inaccurate, just give me a few more second to finish my speech, cover all the angles”
There was a sharp tap on the window and a grinning blonde man in a green suit was waving at them.
“Looks like I’ll have to make my speech up as I go along”
Michael opened the door and shook Oliver Queen’s hand
“Thought that was you Mike”
“Michael if you wouldn’t mind”
“I always keep an eagle eye out for the competition, you know, when were in the same room”
He looked around
“Or sidewalk, anyway not surprised I found you first. C’mon say hi to Bruce and Karen before the news hounds sniff you out.”
Michael and Aleeka warily followed Ollie back to where Bruce Wayne and Karen Starr stood casually discussing future advancements their companies would be revealing in future months.
“Karen, Mr. Wayne, I’m glad you could be present for this little presentation, hopefully both of your companies will become involved in this campaign to change the future.”
“Yes Mr. Holt I hope I can get the pleasure of working with you in the coming months on….whatever this project is, first do you mind telling me what it is?”
“Soon Mr. Wayne soon, I hope to unveil my plans in a matter of hours”
“And Karen, how are you doing?”
“Honestly, a little tired of waiting and standing outside this building.”
“Well I hope we can remedy that” Hostility almost visibly dripped from Aleeka’s voice
Karen was about to address Aleeka’s obvious enmity when a loud shout for attention and the sound of imminent feet cut her off.
“Mr. Holt what can you tell my viewers about your upcoming announcement”
“Only that it effects how the world will handle education from now on.”
“I see you’re in the presence of likeminded entrepreneurs, what can you tell us about the rumors of the relationship between you and Ms. Starr”
“Ms. Izquierdo I hardly-“
BANG, a second interruption, one of a significantly more insidious nature, sent the assembled crowd scattering in every direction Michael became aware of a constant sound in the background of all the chaos, He turned to see a woman standing stunned and screaming at the top of her lungs standing over a dead man.
“Ohmygodohymgodohmygodohmygodohmygod” emanated at a high pitch from the scene
“Gods got nothing to do with this” muttered Holt under his breath
He ran towards the incident intent on helping the wounded man when suddenly Michael was floored by a powerful right hook
“Ugh”
A pair of thugs in black clothes and ski mask stood over Holt with strange guns.
“Michael!” screamed Aleeka
“Shut up” said the second thug as a powerful jab knocked her to the ground
“You B*st*rds”, growled Queen, “You killed that man, and punched a woman what kind of pathetic trash are you?”
“No” said Bruce “There guns seem to just a cover for the real shooter”
“But they did punch a woman, even if she deserved it” said Karen
All three advanced on the thugs
“Not so fast” barked the first man as his the second thug pushed some kind of laser mesh net over Michael, Thug one brandished his gun “unless you want to leave some very rich corpses all over the ground.”
Karen glanced at Bruce who shook his head no and backed up, reluctantly Ollie and Karen followed.
“Good” said the thugs turning to run
“We can’t just let them go” said Ollie
“Don’t worry, Mr. Terrific patrols these streets” Bruce smirked as if sharing an inside joke with himself. Ollie didn’t get it.
Holt feigned unconsciousness while being carried over the second thug’s shoulder, but in reality he mentally mapped out the surrounding area and counting the steps measuring the distance with each passing second, when he knew they arrived in the part of town full of back alleys he opened his eyes and head-butted the thug carrying him.
“Gahh” yelled out the surprised thug
As the captive man fell to the ground he ceased being billionaire Michael Holt and became the champion of fair play Mr. Terrific, mid fall he found the standard catch on the net, freed himself and landed in a crouch.
“Next time you want to kidnap me do two things, first”
He punched the stunned man in the gut “don’t use Wayne tech nets, Ollie isn’t the only one to watch the competition” He dashed over the unconscious man’s limp frame towards the remaining threat “And second, ask nicer” he said while delivering two rapid jabs to his opponents jaw “It’s only FAIR” he yelled out while delivering the final devastating kick to the man’s solar plexus.
“You guys ruined my big day” he called after the unconscious men as he tossed their bodies into an alley
Michael thought hard and his T-mask materialized on his face, he glanced at his clothes and they took on the white, blacks, and reds of Mr. Terrific, finished with his T mask and his fair play jacket in place he reached for the special container on his pants and released the 5 T-spheres that buzzed to life. He commanded one to stay behind and mask the unconscious bodies with a hologram and jumped on 2 others flying off back to the institute.
“Ahhhhh,” screamed the poor woman who had been next to the deceased at the time of death “Fire, fire somebody get help”
A smirk came to Mr. Terrific’s face as the crowd work itself into a panic over the holographic fire set by his T-sphere’s, as expected the paramedics stopped examining the corpse and moved to help manage a fire that wasn’t there, It would only buy him 2 or 3 minutes but that was more than what he needed. Or maybe not, Bruce Wayne was still by the body, having glanced at the fire dismissively the returned to his examination.
Terrific cleared his throat, “Mr. Wayne”
“Mr. Terrific, I expect you want to examine the body.”
“Maybe later, right now I only need to examine this” he reached down and took the assassins bullet. “Strange, this is far more advanced than anything any military on earth uses,” His T-sphere took a quick scan “guidance technology, a dispenser to discrete untraceable poison in cases the bullet fails, even though with as heavy as this thing is it never should, perfectly angled for max damage, it’s meant to extend razors to tear up the body and prevent extraction, but for some reason it didn’t deploy. And…” He l looked genuinely impressed. “A second shoot inside the first one meant to secrete Nano bots so the shooter can confirm death.” Terrific placed the bullet in a jacket pocket and directed a sphere to scan the blood on the ground. “The deceased is Mark Benedict, no records other than the plane ticket to get out here, which he paid for that with cash.” A concerned look passed his face causing his T-sphere’s to waver slightly “This wasn’t a direct shot, the bullet has twisted and turned across this city remote controlled by the murder, My T-spheres can recreate the Trajectory” A light shown from the nearest sphere and it revealed there was a clear path through the normal particles in the air, however it was already beginning to close.
“If you will excuse me Mr. Wayne” Mr. Terrific stood up and hovered away on his sphere’s the fire promptly faded away. Through the confused crowd Ollie and Karen approached Bruce.
“I say we go after the dogs that did this” spat Ollie
“Looks like we don’t have to” said Karen looking up
Ollie followed her gaze and saw Mr. Terrific flying off in pursuit of a cold trail.
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