Diana stepped into the Founders' meeting room and couldn't help but pause at the sight before her.
Clark leaned back in his chair with a hand resting over his eyes, while Bruce stared out the Watchtower's windows, seemingly the implacable Batman as always. Yet Diana knew her friend well enough to notice the slight slouch of his shoulders.
Things must have been truly dire if two of the fiercest men she knew were flagging like this.
"Rough night?" Diana asked as she took a seat.
Clark chuckled tiredly. "Like you wouldn't believe."
Bruce turned and merely grunted in agreement.
"What happened?" Diana asked curiously. "I've not been back on Earth for long, but last I heard, you two were attending some party, I think?"
"...Oh, we did." Clark rubbed his face.
Bruce scowled as he waved a hand, causing a hologram to appear over the table. "At approximately 2200 hours, several key events began occurring within the same hour—"
Diana listened as Bruce gave his mechanical outline of events. It was a rather cold retelling for a fantastical story.
She didn't particularly feel any pity for the mobsters and assassins involved. In fact, she found much of it rather amusing. Frankly, Diana found many of her fellow Leaguers' views on punishment rather soft, so it was somewhat enjoyable hearing about criminals receiving their just dues, although... not quite in the way she would have expected.
Still, as the story progressed, she couldn't help but straighten in her seat when Bruce reached what had occurred on Apokolips.
"He really just gave him the job?" Diana asked in disbelief. "Was there perhaps some form of mind control involved...?"
The luck surrounding this Jean Valjean was rather terrifying. To be able to influence the mind of a being like Darkseid...
The New Gods were not the gods she followed, but Diana acknowledged that they were gods all the same.
That was a rather terrifying possibility hidden behind such a mundane request.
"Unknown," Bruce replied, obviously displeased at not knowing the answer.
She could understand why he was so discomfited now. Bruce was a man of tactics and preparation, yet Jean Valjean seemed almost beloved by Eris herself. If not for some of his achievements dwarfing even the goddess's influence, Diana might have thought him her champion.
"Are we sure he's not actually, well..." Diana motioned vaguely with one hand. "Doing his job? From what you've told me about his luck, that... may cause some issues."
"Thankfully, no." Clark blew out a breath. "He sent me a letter and gift basket addressed to Clark Kent this morning explaining everything. He even asked me to pass the information along to my 'Justice League' contacts."
"The same for me," Bruce said, drumming his fingers against the table. "I've already alerted Mister Miracle and Big Barda. The two of them are willing to convey the details of the recent conflict to New Genesis. I've also spoken with Doctor Fate and Cyborg about developing countermeasures for Boom Tubes. Several Leaguers have been placed on soft alert."
Diana hummed in appreciation, glad to see the two had not been too badly affected by the strangeness of the previous night. "I see. Then what do you need me for?"
"You are one of the most publicly recognized members of the Justice League. Due to your status as ambassador of Themyscira, you also have no secret identity." Bruce nodded toward her. "As such, I believe you are the best candidate to serve as liaison between the League and Jean Valjean."
Diana tilted her head. "I don't see how my identity being public helps."
"This is only conjecture, but..." Bruce gestured as the hologram shifted. "We believe Jean Valjean's luck is subconsciously directed. It favors him and those he likes. I saw several positive coincidences as Bruce Wayne, but notably none as Batman."
"I see." Diana nodded slowly. "You're hoping his luck will affect me and, through me, spread some of that benefit to the League."
"Yes," Bruce replied with a scowl. "It's a long shot, but having one of the Founders directly associated with him gives us the best chance."
"Wouldn't Batman or Superman be better suited, though?" Diana asked. "If you befriended him and drew his 'luck' toward your heroic identities, wouldn't things go more smoothly?"
"..."
Both Clark and Bruce simply stared at her as though she were mad. Diana quickly realized why when she noticed the exhausted look in both their eyes.
"...Am I the scapegoat?" She raised an eyebrow at her two friends.
"Yes."
"No."
Bruce and Clark answered at the same time before glaring at each other.
Diana snorted. "I'm hurt. Did you not consider anyone else?"
"...Shayera and Jean Valjean probably wouldn't get along," Clark supplied.
"She would probably try to smash his face in within ten minutes," Bruce said dryly. "Both John and J'onn are busy handling the Reach issue."
"Wally?" Diana asked.
"Pouring gasoline on a fire," Bruce replied.
"Wally isn't that bad..." Clark interjected.
"Magical alcohol."
Clark winced. "...Touché."
Diana fell back into her chair, giggling. "Both of you are overreacting." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Dealing with him shouldn't be that bad."
Bruce and Clark just gave her a pitiful look.
…It wouldn't, right?
—
Lex scowled as he strode through the stone halls. The caveman's base was disgusting, and it did little to improve his already foul mood.
Dealing with the various dilemmas born from the disappearance of his assets had been eating away at his time. Lex Luthor was still one of the richest men alive, of course, but... so many projects and plans had fallen into disarray with his personal funds seemingly disappearing into thin air.
He'd been all but forced to halt nearly all of his off-the-books projects. The wrath he felt as he was forced to budget like he was a pauper made his chest ache.
Reaccumulating the necessary funds was proving troublesome, forcing him to reorganize several of his branch companies. He could potentially recoup his losses by selling part of his stake in LexCorp, but... he would never give up any more of his company.
It was LexCorp. No one else's!
Still, not all was lost. Savage had made himself useful and managed to salvage their alien connection. It galled Lex to rely on an alien, but he would wring everything he needed from that monster to get his plans back on track.
Then he would hunt down and destroy that petulant little street rat.
Yes. Soon, he would make him regret ever taking advantage of Lex Luthor!
The metal doors snapped open as Lex strode into the meeting room. It was a simple, cavernous chamber with a long table at its center, the caveman himself sitting at its head.
"I've arrived, Savage. What did you need to discuss–"
"Oh?" A familiarly grating voice touched his ears. "What a fortunate coincidence."
Lex froze.
His head slowly turned to the left.
And there, sitting casually at the table, was him.
"Y-you—" Lex's words caught in his throat as rage surged through him. He thrust a finger toward the man. "How are you here?!"
"This man is the chosen representative of Apokolips, sent by Darkseid himself," Savage said sternly. "Watch your tongue."
"Hiiii~" Jean Valjean waved at him with a broad smile.
…This couldn't be happening.
"Y-you... Y-you..." Lex felt his teeth grind together, his nails digging painfully into his palms.
"Thanks for paying for my Tower, by the way!" Jean Valjean gave him a thumbs up.
That little brat dared to mock him!?
His face went red with anger as he opened his mouth.
"Ghk—!"
What…
Pain exploded through his chest.
Lex's hand immediately snapped to his sternum as a crushing pressure seized his chest. Lex crashed against the edge of the table before collapsing to the stone floor, one hand clawing at his chest.
His vision began to swim as he writhed on the floor.
Jean Valjean was staring down at him.
Their eyes met.
"Idiot."
Lex saw red.
***
Comments and Thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Likes are like a drug to me and boost my creative juices.
I have advanced chapters on Pa tre on/daisyberry if you wanna read ahead.
Sorry for the late! Headsup I won't be able to post another Goon Chp this week. So the next Goon Chp will be next Monday. Next week my post schedule should be back to normal.
Apologies for the erratic updates this month folks.
Lots of family health visits this month and I've just been swamped. Chaffeuring the sick members while also meeting the needs of my family's seemingly gazillion cousins, uncles, aunts etc who came to visit. Everyone should be gone by next Sunday so I'll get things right and proper than