Shadow Monarch in DC-Chapter 49: Luthor’s Offer

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Arthur crossed his arms, watching Kara with narrowed eyes. "Try focusing. See if you can do it again."

Kara shut her eyes, brow furrowing as she concentrated. A few seconds passed in silence, the distant roar of F1 cars in the background. Then she sighed, opening her eyes and shaking her head. "I don't think that's how it works, Arthur."

Arthur exhaled through his nose, tilting his head slightly. "Alright, fine. Just tell me if it happens again."

Kara smirked, placing her hands on her hips, chest puffed out in that signature prideful stance. "Don't worry!" she declared with a grin. "I'm Supergirl! If there's some creepy mind stuff going on, I'll handle it."

Arthur glanced at her, his expression unreadable. 'I have some theories, but I'll keep them to myself.'

****

The streets of Italy were nearly empty now, the night air carrying the distant echoes of laughter and faint chatter. Kara stood in front of Arthur, her blue eyes warm under the streetlights, but something lingered between them, something quiet, something unspoken.

She let out a small, content sigh. "I really needed this."

Arthur tilted his head. "A rigged race?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, dumbass." Her voice softened. "A night like this. It's been too long since I did something just because it felt good. No battles, no responsibilities, no world-ending threats...just fun. Just... being me."

Arthur smirked. "I probably needed this as well, honestly."

Kara shook her head, still smiling. "I kinda forgot what this feels like, y'know? To just... be. Not Supergirl, not some hero with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Just me. Hanging out. Laughing. Being a little reckless. It felt nice."

Arthur glanced at her, studying the way her eyes softened as she spoke. There was something sincere in her voice, something that made him pause.

Then, before he could say anything...she stepped forward.

without warning, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Arthur stiffened for a fraction of a second before exhaling, letting himself relax. She was warm, softer than she looked, strong, but gentle.

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In that moment, he made a decision. 'I'm sorry but, i have to do this Kara' Arthur thought to himself.

His shadows flickered, imperceptible even to her sharp senses. A soldier detached from the darkness under his feet, silent and unseen, embedding itself into her own shadow. An unnoticeable guardian, one that would always watch her back, whether she knew it or not.

Kara pulled back just enough to look at him, still holding onto him, her face inches from his. Arthur caught the way her eyes flickered between amusement and something else, something thoughtful.

Then, she leaned in.

Soft lips pressed against his cheek, fleeting but warm, before she finally stepped back, grinning at his reaction.

"We should do this again soon, Stay out of trouble, Arthur!"

Before he could even react, she took off, rocketing into the sky.

Arthur barely registered his own hand lifting slightly, instinctively reaching for something that was already gone. He blinked, staring at the now-empty sky, his mind catching up to the moment.

Then, reality hit.

"...Wait."

Silence.

Then it hit him.

"...Shit."

He slowly looked around, the foreign streets eerily quiet.

"I'm in another damn country, and I can't fly."

A long sigh left his lips as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Guess I'll just Shadow Exchange back."

With that, the darkness at his feet swallowed him whole.

****

Jump City -

The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mixing with the quiet hum of conversations and the distant clatter of cups against saucers. Arthur sat alone in a corner booth of a dimly lit café, a steaming black coffee in front of him, untouched.

His gaze was distant, locked onto the TV mounted on the wall, where the news anchor was reading in her usual, rehearsed tone:

"After quite sometime of being missing, billionaire industrialist Lex Luthor has made a public return. Officials state that despite his unexpected disappearance, no criminal charges hold against him at this time, and he remains a free man..."

Arthur's fingers tapped rhythmically against the wooden table, his eyes narrowing as they flickered with a faint glow.

'Justice League...'

His jaw tensed. They let him walk...again.

His thoughts were a tangled mess, spiraling between the different pieces of the puzzle that refused to fit together.

The Joker's last words.

The exact same thing as what the Joker in the Tower said before it vanished into nothingness.

What did it mean? Was it a coincidence? Or was he missing something bigger?

His fingers drummed faster against the table.

Then there was Kara.

He exhaled, leaning back in his seat, rubbing his temples. That night had been... different. It was rare to let his guard down, even rarer to actually enjoy someone's company. Although that last vision she saw bothered him, But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

His gaze flicked back to the screen. Luthor was back.

This world had been too calm these past few days. And a world like this? Calm never lasted. Something big was coming.

He could feel it.

Arthur exhaled through his nose, eyes flickering as he considered his next move. "The Tower or not?"

Going back in meant uncovering more, getting stronger. But something told him "now wasn't the time."

His foot tapped against the floor impatiently.

Then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Arthur pulled it out, glancing at the screen.

Unknown number.

His eyes glowed faintly as he stared at it.

"...Well. That's new."

Without hesitation, he answered.

"Who is this?"

"Arthur," the voice on the other end was smooth, confident. Calculated. Arthur knew exactly who this is "You've been making quite the impression lately."

Arthur leaned back in his seat, exhaling through his nose. "Well, I do try to leave a mark, let me guess they are not very fond of me in the league and you've heard something there while you were in their custody."

Luthor chuckled. "Oh, you've done more than that. You destroyed my lab, ruined months...years of research, and turned my most promising experiment into a complete disaster." Luthor paused then continued "but to that last part, yes, they are not very fond of you which is why i think we can reach a mutual agreement."

Arthur smirked. "Now you want to be my friend? You of all people ? After i found you experimenting on a human."

A pause. Then, Lex's voice turned sharp. "Not a HUMAN!—A KRYPTONIAN!"

The sheer venom in those words was enough to make Arthur's eyes flicker with amusement. Lex had always been obsessed, but hearing the frustration crack through his polished exterior? That was satisfying.

A moment later, Lex cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "But let's not dwell on the past, shall we? What's done is done. I'm reaching out because I believe you and I... we might be of use to each other."

Arthur remained silent, waiting.

"I'm offering you something that I think you might actually want."

Arthur arched a brow. "And what could that possibly be?"

Lex chuckled. "Now, now, Arthur. That would ruin the fun. But trust me, you'll want to hear what I have to say."

Arthur's fingers drummed lazily against the table. "The Justice League can track this call if they want to. You do realize that?"

Lex scoffed. "Who do you think you're talking to? If they could track me that easily, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Arthur hummed. "I'll think about it. But if i want to meet you it will be on my own terms and whenever i want."

A pause.

Lex's tone flattened. "Arrogant bastard.."

Then, smoothly: "Fine. But don't take too long. Opportunities like this don't wait forever."

Arthur smirked. "We'll see."

Click.

Arthur set his phone down, staring at the dark screen. His fingers hovered over it for a moment before he let out a small exhale, leaning back into his seat.

Lex Luthor, reaching out to me? Offering something I "might want"?

Arthur scoffed, shaking his head.

"This is a trap. A damn good one, too. The kind with actual bait. Something real."

He rubbed his jaw, eyes narrowing. 'Lex Luthor doesn't throw offers like that for free. He doesn't negotiate unless he thinks he's already won.'

Arthur let out a low chuckle, tapping his fingers against the table again.

"I think he hates me now on the same level as his hatred for Superman."

The thought amused him more than it should have. He could practically feel Luthor's blood boiling from the other end of the call, the sheer rage he barely kept in check.

Arthur grinned to himself. "Good I'll take the bait."

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