James continued his analysis. The technology was beautiful in its complexity. Elegant equations describing reality-warping physics. Materials that shouldn't exist holding impossible energies.
This was what James needed to study. Not to copy, but to understand. To let those principles inform his own future enhancements.
If New God technology could pull infinite energy from quantum vacuum, what else was possible? What other physics-breaking achievements could be adapted to human-scale applications?
His enhanced intellect worked through the implications. Faster-than-light travel. Dimensional manipulation. Matter creation. The New Gods had mastered all of it.
James couldn't reach that level. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But he could take steps in that direction. Build technology that bent the rules even if it couldn't break them completely.
Third priority: physical preparation. James spent an hour in his training area. Ran through combat drills. Tested his enhanced speed and strength against progressively difficult scenarios.
His body responded perfectly. Compound Alpha and Compound Beta had transformed him into something beyond human. Four times baseline strength. Three times baseline speed. Senses that could track a whisper across a city block.
But tomorrow's fight would test more than just physical capability. Intergang would have numbers. Weapons. Defensive positions. This wasn't a street-level operation anymore.
This was war.
James finished his training and checked the time. Six hours had passed since meeting Batman. Twenty-four hours remained until the raid.
His communicator buzzed. Message from Barbara.
"Hey, still good for sparring at 10 AM tomorrow? I really want to test these new techniques."
James smiled. Barbara's dedication never wavered. Even with an alien weapons raid happening in less than thirty-six hours, his civilian life continued.
"Absolutely. See you then."
Maintaining his James Carter identity was crucial. If anyone connected James to Sovereign, his entire operation would be compromised. Batman was already suspicious. Adding more evidence would be dangerous.
James changed into civilian clothes. Headed to his penthouse apartment in downtown Gotham. The place he kept for appearance's sake. Expensive but not ostentatious. The kind of residence a successful young investor would own.
He ordered takeout. Reviewed financial reports to maintain his cover as an active businessman. Made a few calls to associates about investment opportunities.
Normal life. Boring life. The life James Carter was supposed to be living.
But tomorrow night, Sovereign would go to war.
---
At eleven PM, James received an unexpected alert from AEGIS.
"Motion detected at secondary Intergang facility. Single individual approaching from rooftop. Grappling equipment identified. Matching movement patterns to known subjects."
James pulled up the surveillance feed he'd hacked into Gotham's traffic camera network. Focused on the industrial district.
There. A figure in black moving across rooftops with fluid grace. Heading directly toward the warehouse Viktor Dragunov was using as Intergang's backup facility.
Catwoman.
"Damn it," James muttered. "She's going after them again."
Of course she was. Selina Kyle didn't give up easily. She'd seen the alien technology. Knew its value. One device wasn't enough for someone with her ambitions.
But if she hit that warehouse tonight, Intergang would go to maximum alert. Tomorrow's raid would be compromised. They'd relocate. Change schedules. The entire operation Batman had planned would fall apart.
James made a decision in three seconds. Suited up as Sovereign. Grabbed his equipment. Headed out into the night.
He had to stop Catwoman before she triggered a response that would derail everything.
---
Selina reached the warehouse at eleven twenty PM. The building was more heavily guarded than her intel suggested. Thermal cameras. Motion sensors. At least a dozen armed guards on patrol.
Interesting. Intergang was taking security seriously after the last breach.
She studied the patrol patterns from a rooftop across the street. Looking for gaps. Weaknesses. There was always a way in if you were patient enough.
A ventilation shaft on the north side. Blind spot between camera coverage zones. She could reach it if she timed the guard rotation perfectly.
Selina moved into position. Waited for the right moment. The guards changed posts. Thirty-second window.
She fired her grappling line.
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