See No Evil: Scheming (ch. 71) (Patreon)

Jason sat in the Mountain, looking at the TV that read out the latest news -- the economy kinda just vanished on Monday morning when the stock market opened. Money was something that Jason understood well. When you were so poor a few pennies could mean the difference between life and death, learning how money worked was a high priority. It was one of the first things he had sought to learn about once he was able to go to school. Unfortunately school didn't really teach you how the economy functioned, so he had to learn on his own.

The economy operated on two ideas -- value and debt. Basically, determining how much something was worth, and deciding how much of that something you owed for one reason or another. And if he could get his head around the idea, then a super mega genius like Lex Luthor could understand it. And target it. Why he would do such a thing was up in the air, but he had done it. The Light had officially destroyed the world economy.

Like a sandcastle, they undermined the foundation and it came tumbling down. Major corporations all over the world were fucked to the point that the mass layoffs they had arranged weren't enough to stop them from going bankrupt. Bailouts were being arranged, but combined with the dollar bill, or just money in general, essentially becoming worthless overnight, the various governments of the world were frozen in inaction.

Both because the economy had vanished, and because people were freaking out about the president or whatever being an alien. The trust in the dollar was broken, so it's value disappeared. Not to mention that in the wake of the Crash, there were a string of hackings that deleted records of debt, all the digital copies of the back ups were attacked and destroyed, causing a mass scramble for physical copies to replace them.

Jason tossed a gummy bear into his mouth, "Trade you three gummy bears for a cookie," he offered to Artemis, who watched the screen with a deep frown on her face.

"Deal," she sighed, making the trade. "Looks like I'll have to barter for a home for me and Wally," she muttered, eating the gummy bears. "How many sheep do you think an ocean-side view three bedroom and two bathroom house would go for?"

Jason shrugged, "I'd say about ten or so. Or you could try a mixture of goats and flat screen TVs," he answered, earning a playful shoulder check from Artemis. He might be fine with Dick, but he was decidedly less fine with everyone else. Dick took his lickings to prove he wasn't two faced. Nobody else had. So, Artemis was the only member of the Team that he actually liked and held any amount of respect for. "This isn't something we can fight."

It wasn't a bad guy that you could punch in the face to stop him. Instead of blowing up a building, the Light blew up the concept of money. They could go out and fight the side effects, but the actual cause? There wasn't much they could actually do other than sit on the couch, eat some snacks, and wait for their shift in dealing with the utter mess of an economic collapse.

There was a lot of rioting. Looting. Then the President got assassinated, which was pretty not great. The Speaker of the House was being sworn when it was revealed that he was a part of a child pornography ring along with a number of other wealthy celebrities, political figures, and industry leaders. It was bad. It was really bad.

Because there was another thing that money needed to function.

Trust.

And people were losing that trust. It was a targeted attack to make the biggest splash. It was true cyber terrorism in a way that the world had never experienced before. The blows kept hammering down on… just everything to the point that people didn't know what to do. They were scared. Scared that they were dirt broke, that their savings meant nothing. Scared that they were being led around the nose by aliens. Scared that the humans that led them were degenerate scum. That fear boiled over until the entire world went up in arms.

"It's not," Jason agreed. The Justice League was pushing back against the unrestrained tide of chaos. They were trying to plant themselves as a symbol that everything was okay and it was going to continue to be okay. However, there were nations collapsing as Jason sat on the couch, too exhausted to even reach in between the couch cushions to grab the remote and change the channel. "Change the channel?"

"I was hoping that you would," Artemis returned. Well, that sucked. At least until the remote control lifted itself from the couch cushions. Jason tilted his head back to see it was Megan, who despite her shape shifting abilities, looked every bit as exhausted as they did.

There weren't enough heroes for the entire world. Yet, they were needed everywhere. They also needed rest. Everyone was waiting for the next blow to land and if the heroes were too exhausted to react, then people would die.

"Thank you," Jason said, earning a tired smile from Megan before she changed the channel. Only for her smile to promptly fall when Jason's ears picked up the voice of a news reporter as they began speaking.

"-In a surprise move, Lex Luthor had announced that he is campaigning to become the next President of the United States of America during an emergency session with the senate. This comes off another shocking announcement that Bruce Wayne announced his intentions to do the same," Jason heard, making him look back to the TV screen to see Chrome Dome's slimy smile.

"What we need right now is a strong leader that understands how to recover from the chaos we find ourselves in. Whereas Bruce Wayne has proven himself to be an astute businessman, he's… well, my campaign team won't have to dig too deep to find a scandal. He seems rather proud of all the times he's been evicted from a strip club," Lex Luthor said, a polite smile on his face that Jason really just wanted to smack off.

A sigh escaped him while he sank deeper into the couch, wishing that it would just swallow him up. "So that's their play?" Jason asked, rubbing his eyes. "Seems a bit much just to get Lex elected president of the US."

Bruce made a snap decision to become a politician the moment that the Speaker of the house got dragged off the stage in cuffs in such a dramatic fashion that it had to be staged. He saw the direction that the world was heading and had decided to jump behind the wheel in a hope that he could steer the Titanic away from the iceberg that would inevitably sink it. But, as Lex was proving, the mask that he wore to throw off the scent that he was Batman was biting him in the ass.

It all came back to trust.

"We've spoken to Vergil," Megan started, floating over the couch and landing in the middle of him and Artemis. "He says it's a set up for what's to come. He knows where the Justice League went for the forty-five minutes they were gone," Megan said, making Jason go still. He hadn't been Robin, but he knew about the missing near hour -- a time when the Light had been in control over the Justice League and the whereabouts of the heavy hitters were completely unaccounted for.

"Do I want to know?" Artemis sighed, already knowing it was going to be bad.

"They attacked a planet called Rann. A capital for a trade conglomerate," Megan continued. "People died and the Justice League has been wanted ever since."

"Shit," Jason cursed, looking at the TV screen, barely hearing Bruce give an impassioned speech about why he should be the next President because the US government couldn't get its shit together. "What could the Light do with that?"

"Vergil thinks that it's either to force the Justice League to leave Earth to stand trial, to start a war between Earth and Rann, or to destroy the Justice League's credibility," Megan said, a frown in her voice. "And it seems sound. It was the same conclusions that we came to."

The Light was on the move. They usually have something in the works, but this was different. This was a huge shift in the status quo. Whatever the Light was planning, it was big. As much as he loved Bruce, all signs pointed to Lex becoming the next president simply because, as evil of a bastard he was, he didn't have about twenty years of scandals slapped on every tabloid cover.

"Are we any closer to figuring out what exactly they have planned? We caught some of their proxies, right?" Artemis asked, and Megan shook her head.

"No. We found a number of anarchist groups, but there's no connection between them," Megan answered. So, they were in the dark. On the defensive. With no clue what the Light had planned. There was absolutely no way that could go well.

Jason forced himself to his feet, "We can't wait for them to make the next move. I say we should be proactive -- we know Lex is a member of the Light. Let's let everyone know that he had a hand in the separation of worlds even a few years ago. I bet his approval ratings would go way fucking down then." Being a hero meant being reactive. For people to be saved, they had to be in danger first. That was the nature of the gig.

But, if you knew you were going to be punched in the nose that didn't mean you had to stand there like a lemming and take the hit. You could bob and weave. Or, even better, punch the other guy first.

"If Lex goes down, then so does Lex Corp. With everything how it is, the people can't take another blow like that," Artemis pointed out.

Megan nodded, "And it could be to our advantage. Lex has to step out of the CEO role of Lex Corp to become President."

"Except he'll cross his fingers and place some toady kiss-ass in charge that'll do whatever he says," Jason countered the point. They couldn't expect Lex Luthor of all people to play by the rules. Especially when they had the Justice League on a leash. The best case scenario was that the League left to defend themselves, and that best case scenario fucked them. "The Light is setting Lex up to be one of the most important people on the planet. And when whatever plan of theirs works to unfuck the economy or whatever, then he's going to be a savior."

Jason heard Artemis let out a sigh before standing up, "It's not all bad. We know that Lex is the centerpiece to the Light's plan. Their goal is going to be to seen as the ones that clean up the mess that they made. So, how hard will it be to hijack that plan?" she asked, offering Jason a small smile to reassure him. She made it sound so easy, but Jason couldn't help but feel like he was being led around the nose. He didn't like it. And he really didn't like how the Light maneuvered themselves into such a position that bringing them to justice would somehow make things worse.

They had to be smart about how they acted. Jason understood that. He also just didn't like it.

"I'm heading to Gotham," Jason decided. He figured it was time to recall a favor that was owed. He was sure that Superman and the rest of the League had their own plans of action. However, he'd be damned if he just sat around twiddling his thumbs while the bad guys tied the good guys' hands behind their backs.

"I'll go with," Artemis said, and she knew him well enough to know exactly what he had planned. "Megan?"

Megan offered a nod, getting up already. And, with that, they headed to the Zeta Tube.

…

Artemis had grown up in Gotham city. In the rough parts of town. She knew it like the back of her hand, but when she stepped out of the Zeta Tube and onto the streets, Artemis found that she could hardly recognize the city. It looked too new. Too shiny. Too… like you wouldn't get mugged if you went down the wrong alley.

"-Pay it forward! Lowtown's mandate is to help everyone that comes to it for help -- food, water, shelter! All for free! The only thing we ask is that you pay it forward! Only look to your neighbor's bowl to see if they have enough to survive!" Artemis heard a barker shout with a megaphone at all those that passed by.

Vergil was absolutely a bad guy, but he was an asshole on the side of the angels and Artemis couldn't be happier for it. As she walked through the streets with a disguised Jason and an invisible Megan, they were given a front row view as to why Gotham was shockingly the only city on the planet not having a panic attack over what the future held. Her gaze drifted up to one of the mega-buildings that had just opened, well over a hundred stories tall with the Sainthood Enterprises logo on it. At the base of the building was a line of people that were looking to move in.

"How rich do you have to be to not care about money?" Artemis questioned as they approached one of Lowtown's entrances. It wasn't as busy as she would have expected since everyone was going to the mega-buildings.

"Scrooge McDuck diving into a vault filled with gold rich," Jason answered. "But Vergil's never really cared about money. It's just a means to an end for him." he said with confidence. Jason knew him better than she did.

"Still, to give all that out for free," Artemis muttered. It wasn't like money just stopped being a thing. The dollar bill became worthless, but money would return eventually. People were too used to handing over a piece of paper to get something to go back to the Olden Days. Vergil was giving out a lot and he must have lost big when it came to it. People couldn't buy his cars and whatever now.

He was prepared. Megan remarked to them as they descended into Lowtown. Artemis hadn't visited too often, but after No Man's Land, when her mom took up residence, her visits became more frequent.

Vergil is a doomsday prepper. It's his shtick. Jason pointed out. And that was true. His tagline might as well be 'preparing for the apocalypse.'

How are we going to get in? Artemis asked, reaching the ground floor of Lowtown. It was busier than the city above. Cars on the road, people on the streets, people coming and going from the various shops. This was the one place that wasn't in an all-out panic. It was almost scary how cool and under control Lowtown was.

As if her eyes were a magnet, she found her gaze drawn to a mural painted on the side of a building in plain view. It was Vergil standing above the Joker with a gun pressed to his head. In flowery script above, it said 'One of mine' and underneath it continued, 'for all of yours.'

That probably had something to do with it, Artemis reflected.

The front door? That's what they're there for, Jason, the little shit, responded. Then he set off, proving himself familiar with the underground city. Artemis looked around, spotting small changes here and there. There were a lot more mom-and-pop stores and restaurants instead of major brand establishments. The closest she saw were shops run by Sainthood Enterprises and it would have been weirder to not see them down here.

"Download the Sainthood app -- it works on all phones. Download the app and you'll receive a thousand Saints Quartz that's usable for all Sainthood Enterprise merchandise and affiliated stores," Artemis heard an announcement ring out. She looked at a holographic billboard that flowed along the edge of a building, showing how to download the app it spoke of.

"He's already made up his own version of money," Artemis realized, feeling slightly stunned.

"His whales are going to be the richest men on earth," Jason remarked. Vergil did do that, didn't he? He made a real-life currency and named it after an in-game item for his gachas. And she hadn't done her dailies in months. "All their money is going to go back to him, so I guess that was the plan. Come on," Jason said, waving them forward as they reached a building in the heart of Lowtown. Jason opened the door and strode up to a receptionist.

"I'm here to see Vergil," Jason informed, and the receptionist nodded.

"You are free to head up. St. Jude has been expecting you," she told them, and that was a worrying sign. They were expected? Jason didn't respond and headed to an elevator with well-practiced movements. Stepping inside, they took a quick ride up, then found themselves standing at one end of a long hallway. Artemis' instincts kicked in, warning her that the hallway they were in was the definition of a kill zone.

But, Jason continued on, not even bothering to knock when he reached the door. "What are you gonna do about Lex trying to take over the world?" Jason began, swinging the door open to reveal Vergil St. Jude sitting behind his desk. His bodyguard, 2B, was standing behind him, watching them with an intent gaze. Artemis didn't know where Vergil found her, but she had heard that 2B had beat Kaldur. Part of that was she could turn invisible, but going toe to toe with an Atlantian was no small feat.

"Nice to see you, Jason," Vergil returned, his cold blue eyes flickering to her, "Artemis… and Miss Martian." There was a slight pause, all three of them realizing that he had somehow known about Megan. However, Megan took it in stride.

Megan revealed herself, her arms crossed as she sent an intense look at Vergil. Who offered a polite smile in response, "Don't be too upset. It's not like I wouldn't take precautions after finding out you were shadowing me." Which was Wally's fault. She loved him, but he sure had a big mouth.

"Right, not important -- Lex Luthor? He's about to take over the world," Jason interjected forcefully, striding forward and slamming his hands on Vergil's desk. "I know you're planning something. What is it?"

Artemis didn't think it would work, but it did. The Justice League and Team had an odd relationship with 'The Saint.' Something less than allies but something more than enemies. He helped them and fought against them at the same time, stealing the Batcomputer, learning their secret identities… while, at the same time, actively avoiding killing anyone and helping them accomplish their goals. He was a dangerous ally, but he would be a worse enemy.

"Right now? Help him," Came Vergil's easy answer and Artemis could see the tension in Jason's shoulders.

"Why would you do that?" Artemis questioned, not quite in a demanding tone, but not far off either. After all, if he knew about the heroes' identities, then he would know who and what Lex Luthor was.

However, it was Megan that answered, "He has something to gain."

To his credit, Vergil nodded, "I do. Lex believes that we are of a similar mind when it comes to the fate of the human race. For the most part, we are. I could just do less with the various forms of racism, but other than that, we're two peas in a pod," he admitted without a hint of shame or pause.

"Did you help him?" Jason asked, his tone hot with anger.

"No. I simply received a warning that everything was about to go to hell," Vergil answered with a small shrug. "Lex is using me. And I benefit from it, so I'm letting him. When he becomes President, can you guess what's going to become the new dollar bill?"

Artemis was actually speechless, "You have got to be kidding me."

Vergil chuckled, "Not at all. Saints Quartz will become a recognized purely digital currency. More than that, with his own connections, he intends to have it become the global standard." He had to be kidding her.

Megan frowned, "Why would he do that? Why use you to set up a new currency?" He's telling the truth. His thoughts confirm it.

"Because, in four years, when his term as president is done, he intends to steal my company from me. He's already making preparations for it now. You would not believe the number of spies and hacking he's done to infiltrate my company on pretty much every level. When he resumes his tenure as CEO of Lex Corp, he'll force a merger and I'll be left in the cold." Vergil explained, offering a small, almost uncaring shrug of his shoulders.

"So, your plan is to let him do what he wants?" Jason questioned, leaning back, and Artemis could hear the frown in his voice. The anger was still there, but it had boiled down to frustration. He wanted to take action. She understood. She did. However, there were times for action and times to be patient.

They had a layout of the Light's plan. They would use Vergil and his reputation as a proxy for their own ends for a time. Lex had a reputation of being a cutthroat businessman. Vergil, on the other hand, was a well-regarded humanitarian despite his bluntness about breaking the law when it suited him. People would have a much easier time trusting Vergil than they would anything from Lex Corp. It made sense. Artemis was sure that was just a small facet of the plan, but it was a clear course.

This plan the Light cooked up was years in the making and years in scope. Meaning that they had time.

"What do you intend to do?" Jason asked, but it was Megan that spoke.

"He intends… to steal Lex Corp from Luthor?" Megan said, the statement coming out as a question because it caught them all off guard.

To that, Vergil smiled, "It's pretty rude to read someone's mind like that without permission. I would have answered honestly," Vergil stated, and Artemis had a feeling that was a lie. "Lex, for all of his money and power, is still subject to the law -- he's not allowed to be a major shareholder in any company during his tenure as president."

Artemis nodded, "We know that much."

"He holds fifty-one percent of Lex Corps shares alone. When he becomes President, and face it, he will -- two percent of those shares will go to his bodyguard Mercy for safekeeping. But, there's a catch. Stocks are effectively worthless as of Monday," Vergil explained, a sharp grin tugging at his lips. "So, people are selling them to get even a little money back. Like they have since the Slump before it turned into a Crash."

Artemis got it, "You want us to help you buy Lex Corp stock. So when he's done being president, he loses his company." That was… one way to pull the rug out from underneath him.

"I already own about twenty percent through various aliases," Vergil admitted. "But it's slow going. Lex knows I would try something, so he's on the lookout for me. For you, however, not so much."

Jason didn't even need to think about it. She would need to bring the plan up with the Justice League, but strictly speaking, there was nothing illegal about the move. It was a hostile takeover of a supervillain's company, but all legal. Maybe insider trading? Artemis didn't know enough to say for sure. Jason was on board in an instant, "Sounds fun to me."

"Good. Now, go get some sleep. You all look terrible," Vergil dismissed them and Artemis heard it for what it was. There was more that she wanted to ask, but Jason turned around and offered a small shake of his head. She swallowed her questions and followed the youngest member of the Team out of the office and out of the building.

They traveled in silence as they started to leave Lowtown, mulling over what they had heard. However, that came to an abrupt end when Artemis heard a familiar voice.

"Artemis! Artemis!" She heard. Looking over, her eyes widened upon seeing that it was her Mom rolling forward in her wheelchair. Yet, that wasn't why she was so shocked. Because standing behind her Mom was another familiar face.

Jade Nguyen. Her older sister. The one that worked for the League of Shadows as an assassin.

"Hello, Artemis. It's been a while…," Jade said, coming to a stop just in front of her, a mysterious smile on her face.

“We have so much to talk about.”