Ean mē autos ethelē arkhein (Waller)

[Deleted]

αὐτοῖς ἀνάγκην προσεῖναι καὶ ζημίαν, εἰ μέλλουσιν ἐθέλειν ἄρχειν—ὅθεν κινδυνεύει τὸ ἑκόντα ἐπὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἰέναι ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀνάγκην περιμένειναἰσχρὸν νενομίσθαι—τῆς δὲ ζημίας μεγίστη τὸ ὑπὸ πονηροτέρου ἄρχεσθαι,ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὸς ἐθέλῃ ἄρχειν: ἣν δείσαντές μοι φαίνονται ἄρχειν, ὅταν ἄρχωσιν,οἱ ἐπιεικεῖς, καὶ τότε ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ ἄρχειν οὐχ ὡς ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθόν τι ἰόντες οὐδ᾽ὡς εὐπαθήσοντες ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ -- Plato

Faces in shadow, faces in light. The faces of peasants and soldiers, the faces of teachers and workers, revolutionaries and visionaries, they stood in rows as the lights threw their features into stark relief, a game of shadows and highlights as they wore the clothing of workers, jackets of soldiers. The people raised their voices, gathered in harmony, a scattered group stood in military rows, soldiers, peasants, craftsmen, workers, teachers, they sing together. 

"The people are heroes now, the behemoth pulls the peasants’ plow

The people are heroes now, the behemoth pulls the peasants’ plow

The people are heroes now, the behemoth pulls the peasants’ plow" 

Lex Luthor sat calmly in the box at the National Opera, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on the banks of the Potomac, opened as a living memorial for the dead president, although the idea of a National Cultural center dated back to President Eisenhower. Designed originally by Edward Durell Stone, who had already designed the interior of the famous Radio City Music Hall, The Claremont University and Stanford center, the Metropolis Museum of Industry, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the Museum of Modern Art and Schuster Plaza in Metropolis. The modernist style was derived, of course, from his Beaux-Arts education mingled with romantic historian that made him a perfect choice for the forward thinking mindset of the Modernist American Mind. In some ways it remained a vision of retrofuturism that Lex Luthor admired, in a way, despite the fact slightly more modern touches were being placed inside, he'd insisted on maintaining the Retro-Modernist structure oft he center during the recent refurbishments with the LexArt Grant. Luckily, the director of the center and the board had agreed with the idea of trying to maintain that balance, although the retrofit would remain in progress on and off for the next five years, and Lex Luthor had very little to do with any of it, except for signing the check and arranging for Metrosteel and Bakerline construction firms to be available at discount for certain key projects. 

Of course, some of the projects had special approval from a higher authority than the district's zoning commissioners, although with a city like DC such was easy enough. The city was in an odd place nationally, with all major decisions and plans controlled rather heavy handedly by the federal government. 

"When we look up

the mountain ranges rise beneath,

the moon and fields are white"

Luthor himself had arranged for box seating at the top row, near the side. It was a good seat and it allowed the harmonics of the hall to reach him without significant problem.  It was private enough though with the temporary additions that Lex had arranged for, and of course LexCorp security was subtly and quietly maintaining a secure perimeter nearby, the extra elements of the retrofit would, of course, allow for more secure conversation. 

Lex Luthor had taken a private jet from Gotham to the Capitol, arranging to have the briefcase that sat at his left delivered to the Kennedy Center. The LexCorps Officer had gone to the trouble of handcuffing the thing to his wrist, quite dramatically. Such was, of course, necessary, for purposes of delivery, although the case itself was not the important thing here. 



On stage the prop descended from the ceiling, a recreation of Air Force One, as the music swelled, an actor portraying the president stepped down with is wife. Lex smiled faintly. It wasn't a bad seat, however it was not the best seat in the house. No, that one was reserved. Lex Luthor looked at the middle box, set perfectly in the center of the box seats, where all the sound and music would reflect to achieve perfect acoustic saturation. While his seat was good, it was to the side. For the front row experience, one needed to achieve a more rarified status, as evidenced by the Seal of the President that sat in front of the box. 

On stage the actor portraying the prime minister sang "You're flight was smooth I hope?
"


The president on stage responded
"Oh yes!

Smoo-oo-oo

oo-oo-oo

oo-oo-oo-oother than usual.



I guess, yes it was very pleasant.

We stopped in Hawaii for a day,

then Guam to catch up on the time.

It's easier that way.



The Prime Minister knows about that.

He is such a traveler."

There would be an arrival. Of course the late arrival was the reason for the box, along with increased security. It would be a faux pas to interrupt a performance, but of course in a Box. . . well there was historic precedent for that sort of thing. In box seats at operas nobility would play chess and eat lavish meals and talk while the actors would sing below. Lex Luthor had no pretense for that sort of elitism, he was a man of the people, after all, risen from humble and harsh beginings, but then again. . . he was also a practical man, and at most times he needed to multitask.

It's why he reserved the entire floor, and arranged his own security.

"News has a kind of mystery;

When I shook hands with Chou En-lai

On this bare field outside Peking

Just now, the world was listening.

Though we spoke quietly

The eyes and ears of history

Caught every gesture –"

Lex Luthor glanced at the new arrival, and spoke with that drawn out voice he tended to use when being philosophical "Director. I hope you forgive the change in venue. I missed the last performance of this show when it was in Metropolis, and when it had come to Coast City, and it's so rare that it's put on, I couldn't miss the opportunity again. It would be Einstein on the Beach all over again. I'm not one for Opera, normally. It's such an opulent thing, full of frill and posture, but this is one of my favorites, you see. I heard it when I was younger, one of the first pieces of "culture" that actually had an impact on a young man in the Suicide Slums.  Minimalist, modern, It's about politics becoming history, and history becoming myth. I find that it speaks to me. "

[Deleted]

“The opera Nixon in China does seem rather fitting for such a man of your elite caliber to hedonistically indulge himself with. Though, I would’ve presumed that you’d be more apt in relating to the overall underlying message, the ends justifying the means – rather than taking keen interest in the theme of myths turned to legends. After all, legends lose credibility and depreciate with time; eventually becoming nothing more than a simple tall-tale popularly shared kumbaya-style at a campfire powwow.”

Words not just flatly spoken in some flippant response, no. They were words that purred with silky rich predatory strength in a calculated reply. Her voice trademark recognizable given the imminent commanding power and confidence that radiated out from her very inner core. The voice of a devil. The voice of a saint. Her voice, her words: Amanda Waller, Head Director of National Security and Special Forces for the US Military.

Holding such an incredibly prestigious and highly coveted position of power over the free world’s security and safety, Amanda Waller wouldn’t dare present herself as anything less than an unstoppable force of nature. She was the woman with the authority and unprecedented expertise to write and re-write the standard definitions for justice, law, and order to be unquestionably upheld by the US Government and Military. She made the soul-wrenching, heinously immoral, humanity stripping decisions only a daily basis. Decisions that good men would go bad and bad men would turn good for making. Decisions that make reality become a personal guilt-ridden nightmare to handle – making them all without batting an eye, keeping a stonewall face every time and still managing to sleep comfortably each night.

Her nickname around the Pentagon was in fact “The Wall” – a tribute to her merciless, penetrating steeled expression she conveyed about 99% of the time. No non-sense. No weakness. If she did have the actual ability to smile, the chances were 100x more likely to spot Big Foot riding piggy back atop the Lochness Monster, than the chances of witnessing Amanda flash a half-second long ghost grin. So, given the fact that Lex Luthor felt the need to switch up their original meeting location from a satellite command center expertly hidden and well-padded with security and any type of utility needed when it came to plotting and planning top secret agendas; instead he now happened to change plans last minute, switching their meet-up local to this god-forsakenly gaudy, overtly open and exposed (despite how many levels of vacant [privacy his trivial fortuitous amounts of money could buy.

All she knew was that this extravagant meeting had better not be a waste of time and energy on her part. And already the disdained lack-of-approval could be both heard and felt within her tone. Freshly plucked dark Coco bean colored eyes narrowed their razor sharp inscrutable gaze right down onto that specially handled briefcase sitting idly to Lex’s side. Good for him, having chosen a location and moment in time that would only serve to provide him happiness and comfort – perhaps it was a tactic he was using to help lessen the severity of the hurtful blows only SHE could deliver.

“Enjoy the sweet luxury of entertainment while you can, Lex.” Formal titles obviously meaning less than nothing to her.

“Because that will be one of the first pleasantries to be gone once Project Arkham City goes into full affect.” Her finely sculpted left dark brow now arched, “Seeing that handy-dandy little briefcase-fixture at your side only confirms my projections about a world where chaos and evil are granted the rights of existence and civilian ship by being anointed with their very own city to start their rule with. Go on, Lex. Tell me I’m being pessimistic. Tell me I’m wrong.”

[Deleted]

"I was taught as a teenager the importance of myth, although I'd imagine my tutors placed far too much emphasis on their importance. Humans are pattern seeking creatures, Director, they take the facts presented to them and they categorize them based on experiences; on education and on prejudices. We take the experiences we see, and we categorize them until they make a coherent story. The mind takes that story, it smoothes the edges until it becomes simplified, the lessons emphasized, the tragedies amplified, the victories sweetened, the dull and inconvenient parts discarded. In this way events become history, and eventually myth. Those myths become the guideposts for the minds and cultures of the future. It's why the battle for hearts and minds is always so important, Director. The myth guides the behavior of the man. That being said, the myth itself is never a competition for the reality. In the end the story is shaped by convenience and it's very hard to negotiate with hard science. The ends do justify the means, but myth is a means to understand, even if it’s just one tool in an arsenal."


He spoke quietly, with an almost even air, Lex Luthor admired the strength of will of Amanda Waller, her tenacity, her almost inhuman embracing of the archetype of her role. She had a personal life, he was certain of it, had even pieced together bits and pieces of her childhood. She was self made woman, she’d earned every inch of influence she’d ever gotten and gave not one inch in the face of opposition. She had a personal life outside of work, Luthor was certain. . . but if that was the case it was never brought into the professional sphere of things, which Luthor appreciated on an aesthetic and philosophical level. Whenever Luthor spoke with her, she was as always the director, wielding an internal power that was almost entirely divorced from her role in the United States Government. No, Amanda Waller would be influential and powerful even in a jail cell cut off from the world. It was an indomitable will, a strong personality and a clear mind. She was not a super genius, she was not super strong, but Lex Luthor saw that determined quality that in the end would change the shape of the world.


She was a woman of pure business. Then again she had to be, Luthor didn’t. It’s why they were meeting at an Opera, he was a Billionaire, he was entitled to eccentricities and frankly the food was better here and the decor was nicer. Besides, there was a method to his madness, and if he were correct in his assumptions it was safer than where they were to meet. After all, there were only a few people who could meet here, and he personally could check for security. That was important, Waller wasn’t as knowledgeable of the capabilities of some of those they might be dealing with as Luthor was. Luthor was intimately knowledgeable.


Nixon on stage was singing

“Achieving a great human dream.

We live in an unsettled time.

Who are our enemies? Who are

Our friends?”


“Ms. Waller.” He let the words languish on his tongue in that low purring baritone he had when he was in a toying mood. “You’re very wrong indeed.” There was quite a smile on his face as he said “Indeed, I can honestly and safely say that your views of the Arkham City Project and its larger scale importance is very misplaced.” He tapped the side of his watch, the holographic projection that spread over his lap was a confusing mess of light bars and numbers. Lex Luthor carefully traced his fingers through the correct spaces, and then twisted his fingers slightly.

Nixon sang:

"As I look down the road

I know America is good

At hearts. An Old cold warrior

Piloting towards an unknown shore

Though shoals. The rats being to chew

The sheets. There's murmuring below.

Now there's ingratitude! My hand

Is steady as a rock. A sound

Like mourning doves reaches my ears

Nobody is a friend of ours. . .


The music faded out as Richard Nixon seemed to fade slightly on stage shadowy. Like tinted glass over the box. Lex touched his lap, until it was silent and the stage was hidden, leaving only the Box, closed off like a room. Lex Luthor exhaled and then said “Any observant guests should be seeing you seething and watching the Opera, hearing an alternate conversation now as I assuage your fears and we discuss the situation in Khandaq. You are no pessimist. In fact, from what I’ve seen in Gotham you’re quite the optimist. The situation is far worse than the Intelligence Analytic Committee’s initial projections. The Arkham City project, while it will be a small scale and containable situation. . . fits some troubling predictive profiles. The box contains information and a small toy, don’t read into the information, it’s all false and the toy useless. It should buy some time, however, should anyone happen to waste time with it. I’d urge you to label it Top Secret, and very notably secure it, although that is entirely your choice.”


He reached into the front of the box and pulled out a bottle and two glasses, setting them on the table. He reached into his pocket, put a small device on the table, the dots appearing on it beat with continued perseverance the guards patrolled the area, none stood too close. No life signs detected in those hidden vents and underneath the box. It was secure, for now. . . although the subtle ping and red flash from one of the walls told Lex something else. “Which is for the best, as we do have guests nearby. Good, I’d rather know where they are, even if I’m uncertain who may or may not be compromised.”


He settled back, seemingly unconcerned as he poured one of the Chat Noir wines that Mr. Dahlmaine had provided him. It was a good vintage, dark red, good for meetings. “The Arkham City project is moving without any notable opposition, with great speed, with all local ordinances and laws working with efficiency to allow its development. There are currently no court cases pending regarding its legality, and Mayor Sharpe is using his own personal power to move the project forward.” That was unusual, a person couldn’t open a Lemonade Stand without some sort of environmental impact court case being filed and the Gotham Mayor’s authority was strictly limited even at the best of times. The fix is obviously in. Luthor’s choice in location made slightly more sense.

“I don’t think I need to spell out what this means, even Commissioner Gordon can see it, although I have to admit I’m not entirely certain who of our mutual acquaintances might be involved, although I do know that the League of Assassins has tended to be focused on Gotham as of late and Savage’s cronies have tried large scale projects like this in the past. . . for all I know it’s Ultragen or the Simian. . . or someone else altogether.“

[Deleted]

A thin lipped smirk spread crocodile style across her delicately gloss painted full lips. Eyes as dark as the space of the universe now focused on the entertainment acting so vivaciously across the Broadway stage while she listened excruciatingly close to Lex’s every given word.

In truth? There was a quiet, hidden, secretive side about her that relished the type of freedom only absolute power and knowledge could ever hope to offer. Finding complete solace and safety for top-secret discussions within no better place but the rented out box office floor of an otherwise fully packed theatre to a highly regarded Opera in play. A move she NEVER would’ve considered, let alone utilized when it came to securing a place of total secrecy for the specific type of uncouth meeting she had scheduled in private with the billionaire genius Lex Luthor, himself.

Yet? It was here now, in this auditorium of grandiose artistic creation and marvelous capacity set for total enjoyment whilst watching any Broadway show, Opera, or play, that somehow – admittedly even – appeared to outdo her own proffered secret meeting place outside the Pentagon to a fault… She now realized that due to Lex’s eccentric personality and behavior, his choice selection of a meeting place was far more superior than anything she could’ve initially offered.

It was this type of absolute ingenious brilliance Lex possessed as a God given gift that enabled him to become the multi-billion dollar success story in inventing, engineering, profiteering, building, and above all? Creating viable real-life solutions to extraordinary problems caused by the so-called “superheroes” of today. Lex was a champion was champion for the people, a true martyr for all of humanity. Despite his unique tactics in problem solving and focus, he always seemed to eventually show agreement on her same side – protect them all, no matter the cost.

Ends justify the means. Human survival was always the number importance in her objective plan – preserve humanity, preserve human society (as best as possible), and as always preserve the power that humanity itself has always brought to the table. Upon reading into Lex’s personal profile – understanding that he had been a boy who came from absolutely nothing, but persevered by achieving all by himself everything – she could easily identify someone like him as an embodiment of humanity’s strength. Humanity’s own given power. It was for that reason alone – understanding Lex had relied only upon his mind in order to create, build, strive, conquer, solve, provide – that earned him top merits within her track book.

He was a man who truly vied for the strength and will of humanity to rise above all else, meta-human and elsewise alike. And yet? Lex had also displayed flippant carelessness and wild card-type stunts when it came to implanting his flexing power from time to time… An indication that, even though the man was a living modern day Albert Einstein, he was also very capable of letting logic lose out to emotional needs and wants.

Not as stable as Amanda Waller would like when it came to a partner fighting on her side, but still just as valuable and desirable to have, none-the-less. It truly didn’t slip entirely past her that the man of incredible power sitting before her still regarded her with a title name of respect. Truth be told…? It was flattering. But not distracting.

“Hm, but that’s precisely where I’m coming from,” She finally retorted, silken soft voice held low in respect of the on-going production down beneath them on the whimsical stage. She still chose to stand, not making any movement or hint of one that she might take a seat of her pick – considering all were empty. No, standing physically gave her the psychological upper hand advantage, as if showing alpha to beta. Then again… Weren’t they both alphas when it came to rank…?

“The Arkham City Project has done something unprecedented – it has managed to gather up the entire lot consisting of the worst of the worst. Round them up altogether in one, neatly tied little packaged bow. You mentioned that you happened to actually see me as something of an opportunist, and to be frank? I not only agree, but feel the same about you. Whenever a problem presents itself – I’ve never known you to dwell and worry… I’ve only ever seen you respond with clear and calculated action – decisions made by you that seem to only truly serve for humanity’s best interest in the long run. Not gonna’ lie, Lex. I like what I’ve seen. I like what I see. It’s why I’ve requested this meeting… There’s a massive opportunity at front – the Arkham City Project. The collection of the world’s baddest of the bad all made to live and operate in one, isolated area…

“Rather than create more noise among the people and the politicians… How about we take active initiation? We take full and total control of any/all criminal inhabitants mandated to live within the Arkham City Project’s boundaries… We set up recruitment for them, make them our soldiers of duty – equipped to handle only the worst of the worst tasks at hand? Should they make a mistake or end up dead? Then they become nothing more than expendable collateral damage. Should they REFUSE the opportunity to be recruited…? Well, this is where you’d come in, Lex… I’m sure you’re no stranger to the term, ‘mind control’?

“And even if such an impossible feat proves to truly be impossible for a man of your brilliance and expertise? Then the next best form of maintaining absolute control is keeping a firm finger held over the self-destruct button – ready to be pushed at any given moment one of those scum dirt bags decides to test how far my authority is willing to go.”

Amanda now met Lex’s unwaveringly sharp gaze – eyes of two predators meeting in their safe ground.

“But don’t tell me that your unprecedented research in science and development, like the Woodrue Protocol, isn’t capable of producing any sort of effect in the research of mind control. I’ve been following you Lex – as I’m sure you’ve been keeping flippant tabs on me. You’re the number one man I have chosen to consult with when it comes to keeping the sanctity and preservation of all humanity alive. Only a certain rare few seem to understand and respect this special truth… You’re one of them. I know this, based on my findings of your rather… Lucrative career… Knowing that you hold humanity’s safe existence within your heart as a truth? It’s earned you my admirable respect.

"… I suppose you could say… Making you somewhat of a mythological legend in my eyes. Besides, such an idea both caters to the support and backing of both Sharp and Gordon, as well as enables my plans to go forth and obtain total control of those sentenced to the Arkham City Project. Taking mind control over the residents of the Arkham City Project should be done neatly, efficiently, quietly, and secretively. And yet? Both Sharp and Gordon will feel and see the overwhelming hand of support that I provide to them during that time. I don’t want to rock the boat, Lex. I want to smoothly sail it.”

Just then a purely genuine, warm smile flashed over her lips, her dark brown gaze softer in approach as she made eye contact with Lex in the shadowy lighting of the empty box office row. And just as quickly as she had chosen to reveal such warmth to the man of power sitting before her, she now cast her intent stare out towards the dazzling lights and glittering glam of the performance on the stage down below.

[Deleted]

Say what you will about Lex Luthor, there's always a method to his madness. He knew there was no safer place to be in a meeting than where everyone thought you were in plain view. And while he appreciated the spying and the skill of the League of Assassins, Luthor had learned their tricks years ago, and frankly they were nothing compared to Luthor's more modern nemeses. Lex Luthor had to learn quickly to find countermeasures to spies that could see the molecular bonds in his skin through buildings from low earth Orbit, who could move faster than the speed of sound and could hear a whisper from across the world. The League of Assassins frankly had nothing in their arsenal to compare with THAT unassailable factor. Skilled and integrated and fearsome as the League could be, the fact of the matter was that they were very much within the extremes of the contexts of the human condition. Superman was not. And Lex Luthor had learned through one thousand expensive minor lessons that knowledge was power, and the best way to lie was to do so right in front of your adversary, while they thought they were seeing a comfortable truth. 

The spies would see a conversation, a trade, an exchange and a shadowy discussion in a supposedly private place. They'd feel very clever, they'd have their recordings, their missives, their plans, and by the end of the day they'd have secured copies of the files and photos of the items that he was to give Director Waller. Perhaps they'd even steal the whole  briefcase. In the end, though, they would have nothing but lies to take home. Misdirection and theatricality are powerful tools, even to the initiated, and the secret to defeating a man who knew all secrets and held all of history, was to devise methods so far outside of the context of possibility that there was yet to be a response. Adaptation was the human way, and Lex Luthor was nothing if not human. 

He admired Waller, though, despite the fact that she was nowhere near as clever as he was, and they both knew that fact. . . she was tenacious. Just as Luthor had changed the world through clever applications of unknown possibilities, she'd risen just as far to have just as strong an effect, using willpower alone. Lex Luthor had some very heavy hitters on his side, but he always had to outthink them, to get them to act entirely within their interests and to establish a situation where their interests aligned with his end goals. The issue of Crane was one of those situations, even struggling with Ra's and whatever it was that Woodrue's subject was doing to him, he acted according to his nature, and as long as he acted according to his own nature Lex Luthor would profit. . . Waller, however, would be able to get the man to go against his own interests to achieve her goals. Luthor admired that in her, although her loyalties were entirely her own, they were partners of ideology which, in some ways, made them truer partners than anyone else. Even if he could never really predict Waller, he did understand her motivations, and in the end, underneath everything she was an idealogue, just like he was. They might (and have in the past) disagreed strongly as to appropriate courses of action, but in the end Luthor enjoyed a woman who wouldn't simply take him at his word. A follower was nice, a minion was useful, an asset was often vital, but a partner was honestly better in every way, and a true partnership had to be between equals. It was just rare that Luthor found equals, and despite every limitation that Waller had, her tenacity and cunning more than made up for it. Even as she stood and tried to dominate him physically, he relaxed in the chair as if holding an audience. Lex Luthor was not a man to be easily manipulated by something as simple as positioning and body language. He knew he was the smartest man in the room, any room. His name was engraved in lights throughout the world and in the belt of orbit that circled the planet. He appeared comfortable, lazy, as if he owned the room, which in some ways he did. 

“Yes, it's most certainly an opportunity. They're constructing the entire project over several LexCorp Gotham facilities, and looking to actually place LexCorp Gotham's headquarters in the middle of it. Considering the assets underground it's really no difficulty to operate within the area, bring personnel in and out. We've got equipment suited to building through Metropolis Shale, Gotham's mostly on Marshland which has certain complications but in some ways is quicker to tunnel through. There's a limited risk of causing structural damage above, although the expansive structural supports could allow for easy coating, letting tunnels be constructed in several months. The loam would absorb most of the vibrations allowing top secrecy, provided that local interests don't investigate and we're able to utilize non Gotham assets in the construction. We've already got construction crews in the city for the LexCorp Gotham epxansion. We could honestly establish ways into and out of Arkham City that will allow for hidden movement. We've already gotten several underground facilities within the city using the LexPod technology that I showed you last time. It's amazing what can be done with prefabricated 3D printing facilities, advanced computational software and holographic technology. We literally just had to move the LexPods into warehouses and buildings on the back of trucks and then bring them inside, let them burrow themselves down using high intensity lasers, and immediate underground facilities safely ensconced in soil."

He shrugged as he said "Frankly if I wanted to be more overt we could have a Direct Operations Observation Module in place at the top of Dini Plaza within 9 hours, integrated into the building's systems in 11, although that WOULD call attention to every APT within the city." Advanced Persistent Threat. It was a good intelligence term that had been easily applied to the rogue elements of the cities. Primarily utilized in the past to represent any continuing, focused threat,  the advanced persistent threat: (i) pursues its objectives repeatedly over an extended period of time; (ii) adapts to defenders’ efforts to resist it; and (iii) is determined to maintain the level of interaction needed to execute its objectives. It was a term previously applied to industrial powers, organized crime groups, government agents and terrorist agencies. As many of the more eccentric criminals of Gotham, Metropolis and Keystone became larger and larger persistent threats through metascience crime, metahuman power and applied Transnational Organized Crime, the term had been more applied to them. The one known as Oracle had already been seen moving through the most secure of cybernetworks with resources that often competed with the Chinese Government in terms of sophisitication, plus the ability of some to gain access to WMDs elevated their risk level from pleasant local threat to Homegrown Terrorist. Already classifications existed within the definition, with five levels ranging from 1) Criminal Agency, 2) Industrial Agency, 3) Terrorist or Activist group, 4) Government agency and 5) Insider. Additional levels were added ranging up to 8) Black Swan Entity (an entity that could only be predicted in retrospect)  and 9) Helvetica. . . 

Ragnarok Classifications did not exist in the scale. 

Still, the mind control idea was an interesting one. He listened and stroked his chin for a moment. "I've got assets at work on projects like that. Unfortunately one potential asset is . . . unavailable for recruitment. Despite my attempts to put Jeremiah Arkham into place and hopefully free Hugo Strange to recruitment. Hugo Strange, however, had his own motivations and goals and was . . . remarkably resistant to potential offers. He's off the table, and I'd wager that the actor behind the entire project is using him for his own ends. He's a high risk recruit anyway. Dr. Crane, if he were able to get past the primary chokepoint in his research could potentially develop the first strands of mind control serum, but as of right now he's mostly just researching and processing Sample Mara-10 into an aerosolized form, although he's working on altering qualities of it, and of course his further metahuman experimentation. He's close to a breakthrough, but whether or not he can achieve it or generalize it is impossible to say. As of right now he's also an unstable asset, although what little access we've had to his experimentation with sample Mara-10 has allowed for limited breakthroughs that can be followed up upon, should something happen to Dr. Crane. Unfortunately, he has yet to initiate the Memetic Influencer Protocols, nor does he show much interest in doing so. Not to mention his work focuses almost entirely on Amygdalic reactivity. . . Fear responses. Useful, but not universal.

"Jervis Tetch is another potential lead, but he is even more unpredictable and unstable than Crane, not to mention he's been remarkably difficult to get in touch with, but he is part of the Gotham Shortlist for the project."

Research into Memetic Capture will continue, but I can't predict any potential breakthroughs that might come on that front. I'm afraid we'll have to do things the old fashioned way for now. Although Doctor Sivana does suggest that the memetic capture is possible and attainable, we've yet to make significant breakthroughs. Memetic influence? Yes, that's just media presence and PsychOps and utilizing ground level influencers. I'm one of the most trusted names in the planet because of it, frankly. Perfect Memetic Capture is harder, although we have uncovered a promising thread of research, although this line of research is very strongly in preliminary phases." 

"So to answer your question, yes. We are engaged in significant research into the project, but have yet to come up with any verified and strong solutions." 

He took a drink as he continued the briefing. “As for a self destruct feature, I'm certain one can be established with limited investment of energy and work. If I'm right in my assumptions, that may in fact be a goal of the endeavor, although it's hard to say. Explosives are sloppy, but effective, bioweapons are easier to attain in Gotham with 100% deniability based on the local APT activity. Honestly, these are easily implementable options, although application is tricky.”

On the stage below Nixon and Mao were singing in cacophany, talking about something inscrutable, they were speaking at cross purposes now while a dischordant tone of Mao's female aids played counterpoint tot the whole piece. Nixon started to defend the virtues of Capitalism.