Wayne Manor.
Alfred entered the Batcave with a quiet urgency, holding a tablet.
> "Sir," he said calmly. "It's him again. Another acquisition—this time in East Africa. A string of mineral rights. Three shell companies, but they all trace back to the same node: Argon Ltd. And Argon is Jacob."
Bruce didn't respond immediately. He was standing in front of a three-dimensional map of the globe—red dots marking Jacob's growing influence. Starling. Gotham. Mexico City. Lagos. Tokyo. Amsterdam. Star City. Dubai. The lights were multiplying like an infection.
> "He's not just growing. He's building something," Bruce murmured.
"A shadow empire," Alfred added. "If I may say, sir... this is not ordinary ambition."
Bruce's eyes narrowed.
> "No. This is something else. He's positioning himself to be untouchable."
He turned away from the map and strode toward the Batcomputer.
> "Get me Lantern. I need his eyes on orbital-level movements. And tell Constantine to look into the arcane—Jacob's connections are too far-reaching for this to be just tech or money."
---
Meanwhile: Beneath Geneva – The Light Council's Inner Sanctum
The room was dim, circular, carved deep into the Earth. A table of black stone sat in the middle, surrounded by some of the world's most dangerous minds. Vandal Savage sat at the head. Beside him, Lex Luthor adjusted the knot of his silk tie as he stared at the live satellite feed.
A hologram displayed a projection of Jacob's holdings. They were no longer just a corporate tree—they were a living web, influencing energy, biotech, defense systems, and data channels. Even underground smuggling and legal policy.
> "He's too fast," Lex said. "Too clean. There's no media footprint. No political resistance. He's walking through borders like they're mist."
Vandal Savage folded his hands and leaned forward.
> "You underestimated him."
> "No. I evaluated him. There's a difference," Lex replied coolly. "Now I want to meet him."
> "And if he doesn't want to meet you?" asked Klarion, voice like ice.
> "Then I'll make him need something I own."
---
A Discreet Summit: Zurich. Neutral Ground.
Jacob walked into the old bank vault-turned-luxury meeting space wearing a tailored midnight-grey suit. His walk was relaxed, but his eyes missed nothing. He had no guards. No assistant. Just his presence.
Waiting inside: Lex Luthor in a deep green suit, Vandal Savage in an obsidian-black coat.
> "Mr. Jacob," Lex said, rising.
> "Lex," Jacob nodded, then glanced at Savage. "And the caveman."
Savage gave a small, toothless grin.
> "You've made a lot of noise for someone who claims to work in silence."
> "I don't claim silence. I claim precision," Jacob said. "The world's messy. I clean up."
Lex poured himself a drink, then another, and offered one to Jacob.
> "You've bought your way into a hundred hidden circles in less than three years. Now you're appearing in ours. You want something."
> "No. I want options. And you want to know whether I'm a threat."
> "Are you?" Savage asked.
Jacob paused. Looked at the glass in his hand. Set it down.
> "Not yet."
Lex smirked.
> "That sounds like a threat wrapped in silk."
> "I don't speak in threats. I speak in truths," Jacob said. "You fear chaos. I use chaos. That makes us opposites."
Vandal Savage studied him carefully.
> "You've done what few others have: caught the Bat's attention. He sees you."
Jacob leaned in slightly.
> "Then he should look harder."
---
Back in Gotham – The Tower Rooftop
Night. Rain. The rooftop glistened as Batman stood overlooking Gotham's sprawl. Green Lantern floated beside him, reading a device constructed from hard light.
> "His networks are tied to former Kord industries, WayneTech satellites, and a piece of LexCorp research I thought went cold," Lantern said.
> "He's not stealing. He's buying. Legally. That's what makes him dangerous," Batman replied. "He doesn't hide in the shadows. He owns the lights."
> "So what's the play?" Lantern asked.
> "We wait," Batman said. "But the moment he crosses a line—any line—I'll be there. The others may think he's a businessman. But I see the predator inside the suit."