God Of The Omniverse-Chapter 340: It’s All A Game (Part 5)

Pete's mildly relaxed demeanor hardened in an instant the moment Superman mentioned Arias's name.

His faint smile disappeared, replaced by a sharp focus as he straightened and flicked the remnants of his cigarette off the balcony. It tumbled down into the darkness below, the ember glowing briefly before vanishing.

He then stepped closer to the railing, leaning against it with both hands. "What do you know?" he asked, his voice steady but urgent.

Superman sighed softly, his gaze briefly shifting to the entrance to the balcony. His ears caught the faint shuffle of hurried footsteps, and before he could respond, the door burst open with a **bang**, two secret service agents stormed out with weapons raised.

"Mr. President!" one of them called out, his tone commanding. "Radar detected a—" The agent stopped mid-sentence as his eyes locked onto Superman's unmistakable figure, hovering inches above the balcony floor. Both agents hesitated, lowering their weapons as recognition dawned.

Pete turned to them, his expression calm but firm. "It's fine," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This is a private conversation. Please excuse us."

The agents exchanged glances before stepping back. One, a stocky man with a buzz cut and a scar running across his right cheek, spoke into his earpiece. "President is safe. Code blue."

With that, both agents retreated, shutting the door behind them. Pete turned back to Superman with a sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Superman replied evenly, though his gaze lingered on the door for a moment. Then, his expression shifted to one of concern. "Is it even safe for you to be back at the White House?"

Pete shrugged lightly, offering a weary smile. "Who knows?" He ran a hand over his face and exhaled. "But I can't keep moving from site to site, Clark. How does it look to the people if the President is hiding away while the biggest threat to the country plays philanthropist right under our noses?"

Superman nodded slowly, his arms crossing over his chest. "You make a good point," he said. "Which is why I felt the need to tell you this—Arias might be planning to take over Gotham and Metropolis."

Pete's head snapped toward him, his eyes narrowing as his expression darkened. He leaned forward over the railing, gripping it tightly. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

Superman began explaining, recounting Batman's concerns and theories regarding Arias's influence over the two cities.

As he spoke, Pete's face shifted from confusion to deep thought. He stroked his chin absently, his eyes fixed on the horizon as Superman finished.

After a moment of silence, Pete asked, "Do you have proof of this?"

Superman sighed, his arms lowering to his sides. "It's only speculation," he admitted. "And you know as well as I do how hard it is to find solid evidence against Arias Markovic."

Pete's shoulders sagged slightly, disappointment flickering in his expression. He stared at the ground for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, he raised his gaze to Superman again. "Is that all?"

Superman's brows furrowed slightly, his voice firm as he asked, "Do you think I'm withholding something from you?"

Pete shook his head quickly, holding up a hand in a placating gesture. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I know if it were important, you'd tell me. It's just... I'm not so sure the rest of your Justice League would feel the same way."

Superman crossed his arms again, his cape shifting slightly in the cool breeze. "I can't really blame them for not trusting the government," he said after a pause. "But trust me—when it comes to saving lives, they'll cooperate. Doesn't matter how they feel about you or the U.S. government."

Pete's expression softened slightly, but his weariness was still evident. "I appreciate that," he said quietly.

Superman continued, "Count yourself lucky. Batman doesn't even want the other League members knowing about this yet."

Pete raised an eyebrow. "Then why tell me?"

S

uperman began to hover higher, his figure backlit by the faint glow of the city lights in the distance. "So neither of us gets blindsided by Arias Markovic," he said, his tone steady. "And so you can keep an even closer eye on Gotham and Metropolis, in case Batman and I miss something."

Pete let out a soft chuckle, his lips curling into a tired smile. "Thanks, Clark," he said, nodding. "You can count on me."

Superman gave a brief nod in return before turning upward. Within seconds, he disappeared into the night sky, leaving Pete alone on the balcony.

———

The sun streamed through the windows of the Oval Office, casting streaks of light across the polished wooden desk where President Pete Ross sat.

His shoulders were slightly hunched, his focus directed toward the laptop in front of him. The screen displayed a video conferencing interface, with a series of tabs representing live microphones for each cabinet member.

Labels like V.P, S.O.D, and S.O.H.S were illuminated, their icons flickering periodically.

Beside the President stood one of his advisors, a thin, bespectacled man with a furrowed brow. He held a tablet in his hands, occasionally glancing at it as the conversation unfolded. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

The first microphone icon to flicker was the one marked S.O.D. The Secretary of Defense's gruff voice came through. "With so many of our defenses in shambles, it's risky to hold a meeting like this. What's the emergency, Mr. President?"

Pete let out a deep sigh, leaning back in his chair briefly before straightening his posture. He rested his forearms on the desk, his hands clasped together as he addressed the virtual room. "Well, ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice steady but carrying an unmistakable weight, "the reason I called for this meeting is simple. I think I've found a way for us to get an upper hand on Arias Markovic... and test something."

A brief silence followed, each microphone icon remaining static as the cabinet members processed his words. Then the icon labeled V.P lit up, and the Vice President's voice came through, calm but focused. "I think I speak for everyone when I say you have our full attention, Mr. President."

Pete nodded subtly, his gaze narrowing as he prepared to elaborate.

———

The next day, Monday, around 4 p.m., a convoy of vehicles approached the gates of the Ark Academies.

The centerpiece of the convoy was an armored luxury SUV, its black exterior gleaming under the evening sun. Crowds had gathered on either side of the gated campus, their voices rising in a loud blend of cheers and jeers.

On one side, protesters held up signs with phrases like "Devil in Disguise" and "Leave Gotham Now!"

Their voices were loud and angry as they shouted curses and waved their placards. On the other side, students from the Ark Academies had assembled in support of Arias, many of them chanting his name and holding up banners that read "Savior of Meta-Humans" and "Our Future, Our Hero!"

Inside the SUV, Arias sat comfortably in the back seat, his posture relaxed as if he were merely out for a casual drive.

To his right, Cheshire lounged with her usual nonchalant demeanor, one leg crossed over the other. On his left, Tala peered out the tinted window at the protesters, her lips curling into a disdainful sneer.

She clicked her tongue sharply, the sound breaking the comfortable silence within the vehicle.

"Noizy little fliez," Tala muttered, her thick accent full of annoyance. "Don't mind them, Master."

Arias chuckled softly, his voice low and smooth. "If I cared what people had to say about me, I wouldn't be where I am today," he said, his tone carrying a faint edge of amusement.

He reached for a tumbler of water resting in the cup holder, taking a slow sip before continuing. "The public's support always shifts depending on which media outlet lies to them best."

Cheshire, leaning back in her seat, glanced at him with a knowing smirk. "The truth has a funny way of making liars squirm."

Arias's gaze flicked toward her, his lips curving into a faint smile. "And unfortunately for those who run these media organizations..." He swirled the water in the tumbler absentmindedly before setting it back down. "...the truth will come to light. Very soon."