More texting and work

Hours flew by and work came to a close. It was Tuesday and not too busy but Aaron was told to stay by his supervisor. Going down the elevator, he received a message.

< Hadiyah: White Rabbit took me to her apartment and showed me the metal she stole. It's the God Killer blade made of Eighth Metal.

< Hadiyah: It is the purest metal of the gods of Greece and other pantheons. 1 step from Nth Metal, the Ninth Metal, & 2 steps from Xth Metal, the Tenth.

< Hadiyah: Deathstroke the mercenary and Cheetah, Wonder Woman's nemesis, wielded God Killer according to the Guild of Detection's library. I scanned it and found traces of magic on it too.

'Well, that's one hell of a bombshell to drop on me right when I'm going home. Also, she stole a god killing sword? I have to give White Rabbit credit, that is insanely impressive.'

< Aaron: Nth Metal is one of the 5 metals that Leviathan is searching for but this isn't that?

< Hadiyah: No. This is Eighth Metal. Nth Metal is above it as the Ninth Metal. Its functions are different. Eighth Metal is an energy amplifier. Nth Metal is a non conducting metal capable of negating the laws of reality such as gravity and the limiters within one's soul. It is also super reactive.

< Hadiyah: God Killer's purpose is to slay gods and channel magic. It was last left in the Amazon Armory of Themyscira before it was stolen by someone, not White Rabbit.

< Aaron: So someone stole the God Killer and White Rabbit stole it from them? Is that what happened?

< Hadiyah: I believe so. The Guild of Detection only knows so much. I tried asking Vol about whether the blade could be used for something. Nothing.

< Aaron: How much did you tell him?

< Hadiyah: Very little. We both work for Jace's Batman and he knows I like to do my own field work. I tell him to do something and he hacks and researches without question.

Good. He didn't need an unknown breathing down his neck.

He exited the elevator and loitered at the entrance. The outside chill tickled him as the doors opened and closed.

< Aaron: What's the guild of detection btw

< Hadiyah: A group of the world's greatest detectives. Batman, Martian Manhunter, Detective Chimp, Elongated Man, Hawkman, Sue Dibny, Hawkgirl, The Question, and many others. I was recently introduced to it.

< Aaron: They must have a robust library then.

< Hadiyah: The information is all physical. Paperwork, files, etc. The guild's headquarters is a four-floor library.

< Hadiyah: It has existed for tens of thousands of years. Nobody knows who founded it or when it was made.

< Aaron: So I assume you took the case of the stolen God Killer blade?

< Hadiyah: With Batman's permission, yes. He doesn't suspect a thing.

< Hadiyah: My theory is Leviathan needs Eighth Metal for their plan. Meaning, they need more than the just five metals of the Dark Multiverse.

First it was Batmanium, Dionesium, Electrum, Nth Metal, and Promethium; and now Eighth Metal and Tenth Metal? What kind of plan were Leviathan concocting? What was the connection? The end goal?

< Aaron: Keep working.

< Aaron: I'm counting on you ☆

'Was that too corny?'

He pushed past the embarrassing thoughts and shoved his phone in his pocket. The streets of Gotham were the same. Dark, moody, and in a sort-of rush as nightfall came upon them. Aaron called up a taxi much to the surprise of the folks he normally tagged along with. They didn't speak since it was a silent, unacknowledged relationship but he could see the betrayal in their eyes.

'My bad,' he said in his head. Getting in and reducing the fifteen minute walk to a five minute drive felt alleviating. He checked his contacts which just three weeks ago had only consisted of his supervisor. Now, rather than an empty list, there were names: Tam Fox, Tanya Fox, Vicki Vale, Iman Avesta, Riko Sheridan, Shrug-R, and Hadiyah.

He gave the taxi driver a hefty tip of a thousand dollars. He was feeling good about himself today and watching the old driver burst into tears moved his heart. He shook his hand, awkwardly hugged and comforted the older male, and left.

'It's darker than I thought.' The clouds were turning into a deep and terrifying shade of grey. Rain was imminent and he suspected thunder too.

Droplets fell on his head. To an ordinary person, it wouldn't have been noticeable, but to Aaron it felt like a light sting.

'I should get going–'