The next day, I gathered the heads of all Grey Apple departments, and proposed my new plan for employee security.

Basically a walled city, within a city. New apartment buildings, schools and kindergardens, even a high-school and a hospital.

And around it, 10 meter-high concrete barriers with guard towers and various defence systems. Total projected cost: 1 billion dollars for 20000 employees, unless cost over-runs brought the final price higher.

People looked at me like I was an alien overlord.

"Isn't this a bit...much?" The HR director muttered for himself.

"Back to the days of corporate towns?" the Advertisement director asked out loud.

"I kinda like it. It would make protecting our people far easier." the Security director said in a confident tone.

"Exactly my point. In the past month there had been 19 robberies, and one murder among our people. The police gave us no suspects." I added with a shrug.

Considering the numbers, it was actually a good thing. The low casualties, I mean. But it wouldn't last, even if I trimmed the criminal world. The System had already warned me of more wide-scale attacks to come.

"I suspect funding is not a problem, Lord Wizard?" The CFO lady, Miss Ruby asked in a mild voice.

I nodded. "I would not burden the company with the building costs. Only maintenance, once everything is ready."

"We should also purchase extra land, for later expansion. Land prices will go much higher once the Appletown is built." the Acquisition Manager proposed while pushing up his eyeglasses, with an evil glint.

I smiled towards him and nodded. "Get on it then, Mr Gord. Director Zimmer, my office!" I demanded and walked away, leaving the conference room in turmoil.

Then again, Grey Apple was a private company, not listed as IPO. No point in allowing spies and competition on my company's board.

As the Security director entered my office, he changed demeanor.

"Boss, you kept me out of the loop for this thing? I could have helped with a security assessment. And other things, like our firefighting department, trauma team and so on. I suspect you want a private road for the Appletown?"

he asked in a flurry of decent observations.

"Yes, but that's not all. I will need every single employee given a gun and training to use it. Citizen-soldiers, so to speak. You have 6 months to complete the training." I added on his shoulders, making him fall into a chair, already deep in thought.

"Military training?" he asked a minute later.

"No need for parade and maneuver stuff. Simply defending the Appletown in case of attack. Also, personal training with a concealed weapon, for when they go out. The rifles and machine guns will stay on site. Maybe a few missiles too." I concluded with a wry grin.

"We're going to need guns. Lots of guns!" he exclaimed with a familiar line.

I snorted. Looting the cartels had my storage dimension filled with guns and ammo. "Safety and handling rules first. Plastic and cardboard weapons will do. Don't point the barrel at your dog stuff. Or peek inside it..."

He grinned at me with a knowing smile. "I'll have to recruit a hundred NCOs from the Army. As for missiles...are those even legal?" he wondered in a doubtful tone.

I shrugged without care. "We'll emplace them into metal boxes on the rooftops. If they aren't needed, nobody will know. And if they are needed..."

"Right. Just don't shoot a passenger plane, Boss. The FBI would not be pleased." he added and saluted in a casual manner on the way out.

*Quest received

-Construct a safe haven for your employees. Make sure you provide NBC shelters for 50000 people.

Sure thing, System. Glad to know you think nukes are a problem. Fuck sakes!

This comics universe was a deathworld.

"Emilia dear!" I spoke on my phone.

"What now?" she answered in a harsh tone. Unlikely she was mad at me, possibly a bad moment at her job.

"I'll need an Army Engineers team available. NBC shelter." I asked in a careless voice, then hang up.

Much better to skip the normal channels in such cases. It wasn't like I would go at the Mayor's office and request plans for an NBC shelter. Bureaucracy liked to be oiled heavily with cash to work, plus the Mayor was some kind of cultist.

Very likely one of the attackers in the future.

"Buy a couple of construction firms, one of them with heavy equipment able to reach 100 meters." I demanded on the phone, making the Acquisition director giddy.

"At once, my Lord!" he answered in a deep voice, and possibly holding the fist on his chest, as if I was a Sith Lord.

Well, he wasn't completely wrong, to be fair.

I may need to rob another cartel tonight. Columbia most likely. I kinda fleeced everyone north of Panama.

And set fire to the impaled corpses on the way. Superstitious locals were leaving the corpses up there, letting them rot and spread disease. Possibly thinking the mass-impalment was an act of God, maybe a demon.

A week later, the land was purchased and construction began on a gravel road and the main gate, which would be 20 meters tall and thick, basically a concrete bunker able to withstand explosions and most metahuman powers.

Sure, it was played as a medieval rebirth thing, with a raised chain-bridge over a deep moat and cute crenelations, but this was both by design and as masking.

Castle gates were built this way for a reason, and that was to prevent easy attacks. Plus I was a Lord. I could afford to build a castle if I wanted.

We only had chain-link fences around the land for now, mostly to keep curious and squatters from trespassing. Later, we will begin assembling the walls, 1 meter wide and 10 meter tall concrete barriers, backed up by gravel and earth from the moat.

While waiting for the gate concrete to dry, I showed the Army Engineers my own plans for a shelter, and they dismissed most of my project as fantasy.

"Look, Lord Wizard. I get it, you have money and ideas. Also, friends high in the agency. But holding 50000 people in a single place is bad, no matter how grand it is. At least 10 smaller shelters, and even better 100. Not only you reduce the need for air and water, but also reduce the risk of infection or radiation leaks. It is one thing if a shelter fails and 500 people die, or 50000." the lead Engineer spoke in a grave voice, and all his team nodded in concert.

"Fine. I make phones, not nuclear shelters. Make 100 of them. But they still need to have a pool, 100 meters long. Swimming in a pool is a basic human right! " I demanded in a noble tone, then walked away in a proud manner, like a wealthy rich noble with no brains.

I also wanted a cinema, but they nixed that too. Structural risks.

What I got was a shallow moat, 5 meters wide and 100 meters long, to serve as an underground pool. Also, a spare reservoir in case of water scarcity.

Once the shelters were built and covered back with gravel and earth, the real Appletown began to rise, terraced 7 story buildings with wide balconies spread out like flower petals, both to gain extra sunlight and provide coverfire in case of attack. The terraces also grew grass and flowers, even small trees.

Defended by 20000 armed adults, Appletown could hold off a horde of low level enemies, without artillery or air support.In the city center, we built the firehouse, hospital and high-school, with room to build a mall and a cinema later.Just as the inauguration ceremony was ready, the ugly head of the comics universe rose up.

At the same time with our private ceremony in the new Apple Tower in Star City center, the Chinese triad attacked a nearby venue hosting an award ceremony for one Malcom Merlyn, compounded by an assassin named Deathstroke and the Hood showing up one after another.

"Aren't you glad we all carry weapons these days?" I asked rhetorically as I made my way to the fire escape, marked with a clear green Exit even with the electricity down.

Nervous chuckles emerged from my team, while the Security took point to cover the stairwell and evacuate our employees back to Appletown.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I had already teleported away, the second I was beyond the escape door.

First to the trap lair to equip in my Apple suit, then back to the roof where Deathstroke was just holstering his rifle.

I instantly pushed out my Shadows and tried to bind the assassin while shooting him with my wrist-mounted Butterfly cannons. Surprisingly to me, the half-orange criminal broke the Shadows with pure strength and jumped onto another building, while firing at me in mid-jump.

Ding, ding, ding.

Bullets bounced off my armored suit, only once finding a weak spot between plates and striking the grey suit underneath. -10 THP.

Right, I had temporary hit points too, to act as a minor armor. Chasing the guy a little, I returned the favor and drew blood, but his Mirakuru enhanced body shrugged off the damage and kept running.

Then I noticed the Hood entering the nearby building through the skylights and sighed. Might as well keep an eye for the idiot archer.

*Ding

-10 THP. (poisoned)

I frowned at the notification and glanced down, noting the bullet was stuck in my grey suit and leaking some kind of green stuff.

*Curare poison detected.

Not cool, Deathstroke!

I didn't even use Vertigo on him, I realized with a frown.

Chasing after the Hood, I found him at the side of the shot victim.

"Tommy, you must give your father a blood transfusion, or he will die!" The Hood claimed in a pseudo-medical mumbo-jumbo.

"Isn't this guy the Dark Archer? A known criminal and assassin?" I asked at random, as my Observe came into play.

"What?" both of them yelled at me.

"As for the other guy, it was Deathstroke. Shot me with a curare bullet too." I continued with a grimace, then fired my wrist-gun at the dying man, blowing up his brains.

I waited for a moment in silence, but the Undertaking quest didn't end. Damn it.

"What did you do?" the Hood shouted in outrage.

"Killed the Dark Archer...I'd have to check what his bounty is. Damn, curare sucks..." I muttered as my HP ticked lower, but still managed to take some blood samples and a few fingerprints from the dead man.

"Apple...if you're wrong..." the Hood warned me in a deadly voice, with his bow at the ready.

"Am I wrong, Tommy?" I asked in a mild voice.

"...Probably not. Father had plenty of dark secrets." the son groaned as I patted my target for some loot, but finding nothing incriminating.

"M-Moira should know more." Oliver muttered, almost saying mother.

"Find out what is the Undertaking. Some sort of large scale attack." I asked the Hood and ran away, vanishing in Shadows and then into teleport.

Damn it! Now I had to research some kind of curare antidote, before my HP ran out. Luckily I also had 50 Medic points, so I wasn't completely lost.

A minute on my computer and -100 HP later, I found the cure: administration of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as pyridostigmine,[43] neostigmine, physostigmine, and edrophonium.

Nothing as silly as a blood transfusion, stupid Arrow.

Two teleports later, and looting from a hospital in the process, I injected myself with the cure and waited. Damn it, Deathstroke. I could have died!

Or wasted a limit break, most likely.

*Ding.

For withstanding a lethal dose of curare and treating yourself, you gain +1 End and +10 Medic Skills

I just sighed inward. Game logic was flawless as always.

*Ding

For killing the Dark Archer before the Hood could save him, you gain +1 Awareness and +1 Intimidation.

Really? You mean to tell me a blood transfusion would have worked?

Stupid comics logic.

I just crashed on my couch in the trap lair and fell asleep. Will deal with this Undertaking tomorrow.

I woke up fresh and restored to full, with the curare bullet on the table. Thanks for the idea, Deathstroke!

I could add curare to my Vertigo darts, making my targets both paralyzed and incredibly in pain.

And keep some antidotes in my inventory next time. It wasn't like I was limited in carry capacity.

Stupid Pef! Prepare better, next time.

One hour to make myself present at Appletown, then reassure the company I was fine, only hangover from last night, and then skipped work today.

As a teenage billionaire, getting wasted all night long was kinda expected of me. I dare say nobody was surprised, or even upset. My Sith sidekick even winked at me and held a thumbs up.

So I gave him a 1% raise, for moral support. Stay on my good side, and I might even grant you a Miracle, Mr Gord.

"Long night, Pef?" Emilia asked on the phone, as I was making some coffee.

"Don't even ask. Some douchebags assassins fought in my town. Got one of them the Dark Archer, but Deathstroke escaped."

"Are you hurt?" she asked in a wary voice.

"My love. Keep an ear out for something called the Undertaking planned in Star City. Massive stuff, city-wide." I said in a softer tone, then hanged up.

'At least give me a clue, System!'

*Update quest.

Stop the Undertaking, by disabling or destroying one or more of the Markov_Device

See? Now I had a lead of sorts. A device able to affect a city. Maybe more than one device.

That Malcom guy was possibly involved too. Also Oliver. Since this was Star City, everything eventually lead to the Arrow.

An hour of searching through various databases got me nothing, so I hacked the Queen Consolidated servers, and found the thing almost immediately.

A company called Unidac_Industries was producing some type of new energy devices, and they just got purchased by the Hood's mother.

And then, everyone working there was killed by the Dark Archer, and all research was burned. Excellent stuff.

Also, Brion_Markov was a scientist working with energy and vibrations, specialized in seismic infringement. Bingo.

Something that could damped earthquakes could just as well create them, by reversing the polarity. Elementary logic.

"Supergirl. This is Grey Wizard." I called next.

While I was quite capable, I also didn't want to risk an entire city on my watch.

"Supergirl here. Problem?" she asked in a cheerful voice.

"Come here, I need your eyes and ears." I asked in a level voice, and began to dress up like the Grey Wizard. Even had my Nth_metal tonfa and knives prepared.

Probably not needed, but better be safe.

With a crackle of energy, Supergirl arrived, this time wearing a partial armor suit like I advised her. Not a full power armor, but she will learn, eventually.

Or maybe she was inspired by Wonder Woman? More likely.

"Wonder Woman has no weakness. She can stroll naked into a volcano or the North Pole, and be just fine. However, you are mostly human, Kara. Take away the yellow sun boost, and you're weaker than Emilia." I explained while holding out a ring with a green stone in its crown.

"What is that..." she muttered in fear.

"This is green kryptonite. From planet Krypton. Some kind of conceptual connection, I was told. Since the origin is also Krypton, it can harm someone from Krypton, like you." I answered with a careless tone, then stored the ring again.

"I felt so weak...couldn't even fly away." Supergirl murmured as she walked into sunlight near the window.

"Well, the green one is kinda poisonous. The blue one instead, is far better. In contact with your skin, you will lose the yellow sun powers and be a normal girl. You know, should you ever want to have sex without breaking the boy's bones." I added with no ulterior reason.

*Affection +5, 5/100.

Kara Zor El stared at me for a second, then blushed heavily. "I don't have a boyfriend. Not yet."

"Anyways. Some evil guys planted a few Markov devices in Star City, aimed to level every building via earthquakes. Let's find them!" I proposed in a cheerful voice.

"Earthquakes...that sounds bad. I'll need to fly over and listen carefully. Or see through the earth." she said in a thinking voice.

"Like I said, eyes and ears. Fly, Supergirl!" I exclaimed in a joking voice, and opened wide my window.

"...Indeed." she murmured as she flew past me.

Not even a minute later, Supergirl stopped over the Glades, the worst neighborhood in Star City and pointed down.

I teleported beside her, and hanged with my shadows from her shoulders.

"After you, Supergirl." I offered politely.

"I will need a bit of this blue kryptonite, please?" she asked in a shy voice.

"Hmmm. Not that you're not pretty and all, but I have a girlfriend. Ask Emilia if she wants to share. And anyways, we have a city to save. Duty first, pleasure later." I offered with an innocent tone.

*Affection +5, 10/100.

The level 2000 powerhouse turned towards me with glowing eyes. "I don't want sex with you, idiot!"

"Okay? I don't want sex with you neither. Only if Emilia asks me. I can never refuse her. " I answered with a careless shrug.

"That's not the same thing at all...." she countered while blushing heavily.

*Affection +5, 15/100.

"It kinda is though? People today are all into bi and tri and all sorts of things. And like I said, you're not ugly, so I won't refuse you. But Emilia comes first..." I said with a hopeless voice.

Her eyes caught fire and she blasted a hole, deep into the ground.

"I have to punch someone." she growled and flew down.