AM I SUPERMAN?

As Kaius and Oliver Queen flew over Star City, they saw the army blocking the Star City Bridge below. The sight immediately put Oliver on edge.

"What the hell are they doing?!" Oliver muttered angrily, unable to contain his frustration.

Kaius glanced at him, puzzled. "What's wrong, Oliver?"

Oliver gestured toward the bridge. "The troops blocking the bridge—they're part of the Joint Investigation Team on Superpowers, or as we know them, the Sky Eye Society. At a time like this, they should be helping rescue efforts in Star City, not locking it down!"

The Sky Eye Society, also known as A.R.G.U.S., operated similarly to S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel Universe. Its leader, Amanda Waller, reported directly to the President of the United States and often took drastic measures in the name of national security.

Kaius's mind drifted back to his past life. Though it had been more than a decade, he could still recall the DC Universe's lore. Amanda Waller—pragmatic, cold, and calculating—often prioritized the "greater good," no matter the cost.

"Clearly, someone's planning something big," Kaius remarked with a faint smile.

The two returned to the Arrowcave, Oliver's base of operations, where they learned that Digger and Roy had brought back the Mirakuru antidote. Alongside Dinah and Sara Lance, they were preparing to confront Slade Wilson's Mirakuru-enhanced army. With this news, Oliver felt some relief.

However, the bridge blockade still troubled him. Picking up his phone, Oliver dialed a number. The line rang several times before a sharp, irritated voice answered.

"How did you get this number?" Amanda Waller snapped.

Oliver didn't waste time explaining. He thought to himself, My bodyguard's wife works for you—getting your number wasn't hard. Instead, he got straight to the point. "Amanda, what are you doing? Why are you blocking the exits to Star City?"

Amanda, head of A.R.G.U.S. and the person responsible for the operation, didn't bother with pretense. "Slade Wilson's followers are too dangerous. I can't let them escape Star City. I'll do whatever it takes to contain the threat."

Oliver's voice rose with anger. "If you know how dangerous they are, why aren't you sending troops into the city to take them down?"

Amanda's response was chillingly pragmatic. "They're too spread out, and I don't have enough manpower for a full assault. Instead, I've deployed a drone armed with six GBU-43/B bombs. The firepower will level the city and neutralize the threat."

Her calm tone made it sound as though she was discussing fireworks rather than a deadly bombing. Oliver was outraged.

"What?! There are more than 1.5 million civilians in Star City—"

"1,576,000, to be precise," Amanda interrupted coldly. "They're innocent, yes, but I have to think about the bigger picture. If Slade's enhanced soldiers spread beyond Star City, they'll become a threat to the entire country and the world."

"This is mass murder, Amanda!" Oliver yelled. "You'll face a military tribunal for this!"

Amanda chuckled darkly. "No, I won't. The missiles are being launched from a facility under Slade's name. If anyone faces a tribunal, it'll be him."

Oliver clenched his fists. Amanda's ruthless logic and willingness to sacrifice Star City for the "greater good" infuriated him. He realized he was dealing with a woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, no matter how devastating the consequences.

As always, the so-called elite decision-makers showed no concern for the lives of civilians. The Star City incident was a glaring example, following closely on the heels of the destruction caused by the Metropolitan Destroyer. Their priorities were clear: complete the mission at all costs, regardless of collateral damage.

The military's actions reflected this mindset. They attacked indiscriminately, with no regard for the innocent. They had even arranged a scapegoat ahead of time, so when Star City was reduced to rubble, they could publicly condemn the "terrorists" and pacify the masses.

"Felicity, did you record it?" Kaius asked, gesturing toward Oliver's phone while watching Felicity work at her computer.

"Of course," Felicity replied confidently. "I started recording as soon as I heard Amanda's second sentence. But, Kaius, what are you planning to do? Are you just going to call President Ellis to expose her?"

She handed a recording device to Kaius, who took it with a smirk.

"Expose her directly? Where's the fun in that?" Kaius said. "I hear A.R.G.U.S. has some hefty black-budget funds. If we don't squeeze some of that money out of them, it'd be an injustice to Star City!"

Oliver, who had just ended his call with Amanda, shot Kaius a look. "We'll deal with Amanda later. Right now, can you handle the missiles?"

Kaius nodded casually. "Sure. I'll handle the missiles. You go help Roy—he seemed to be losing control again when I passed by earlier. Should I record my voice for him?" Kaius asked with mock seriousness.

Oliver sighed. "Roy's already traumatized enough by you. The sight of you pointing to the sky and saying you're here would snap him out of anything."

Felicity chuckled. "I know Roy's situation is tragic, but the way you say it, Oliver, it just makes me want to laugh. Can I laugh?"

Oliver shook his head in exasperation. Changing into his Green Arrow suit, he left to assist Roy. Meanwhile, Kaius stepped outside, scanning the skies until he spotted the drone carrying the payload of GBU-43/B bombs.

Without hesitation, Kaius launched into the air, accelerating toward the drone. As he closed in, he used his incredible strength to forcibly alter the drone's trajectory. He pushed it upward, climbing higher and higher until the drone reached an altitude of 10,000 meters. With his thermal vision, he remotely detonated the drone.

BOOM!

The detonation triggered a massive explosion, lighting up the sky with fiery brilliance. The shockwave dyed the heavens in hues of red and orange, and for a moment, Kaius's figure disappeared into the flames.

Seconds later, a black-clad figure burst through the inferno and shot back toward Star City, unharmed.

At the A.R.G.U.S. Command Center

The room was tense. Technicians stared at the screens, their faces pale. "Amanda, the drone has been destroyed!" one technician reported, his voice shaking.

"What?!" Amanda Waller barked, her cold demeanor cracking slightly. "Who did it? Was it Oliver Queen?"

"No," the technician replied, pulling up footage from the drone's cameras. "It was… someone else. A man in black."

The room fell silent as the image was displayed on the main screen. It showed a dark figure speeding toward the drone, grabbing it with one hand, and pushing it into the stratosphere with ease.

Amanda's brow furrowed. "Who the hell is this?"

The footage froze at the moment of the explosion. Amanda's icy gaze hardened as she turned to her team.

"Five minutes," she ordered. "I want everything we have on this man. Now."

.....

This chapter is dedicated to ShadowXK and Ashywar Bhardwaj.

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