THE ATOM GREEN LANTERN JOHN STEUHRT SUPERGIRL RED TORNADO POWER GIRL Cup SHAZAM PLASTIC MAN BOOSTER GOLD BLUE BEETLE ZATANNA UIXEN mETHmORPHD ETRIGAN THE DEMON FIRESTORM HUNTRESS
CHAPTER 1 GOLD STANDARD On a beautiful sunny day in Metropolis everyone wanted to be outside Children and pets played in the grass under a cloudless sky Adults ate their lunches on park benches enjoying pleasant conversations Shoppers casually strolled the city’s bustling sidewalks gazing through store windows filled with the latest fashions A well-dressed man and his wife gazed into the window of Steffany’s jewelry store The man pointed at the sparkling diamond necklace worn by the mannequin His wife smiled at the choice You should stick with gold said a deep voice behind them It’ll soon be worth more than those diamonds The couple turned to see who had spoken but they only saw a door slam shut on a black stretch limo The car pulled away heading down Sixth Avenue Using side streets to avoid busy midday traffic the limo soon arrived in front of a high-rise building Aside from LexCorp and the Daily Planet Building this concrete skyscraper was one of the tallest and most secure in Metropolis It also catered to a very select client The limo driver walked to the back of the vehicle Dressed all in black he wore a top hat and reflective round sunglasses He also carried a black walking cane Only his skin looked pale against his dark clothing When the driver opened the back door a set of leather shoes touched the sidewalk first Then the passenger’s broad chest came forth wearing a finely tailored double breasted suit His diamond cufflinks sparkled and his familiar bald head gleamed in the sunlight
Billionaire Lex Luthor had arrived As he walked toward the building’s entrance the doors opened to accept him Mister Luthor said a man rushing forward to greet him Welcome to the Metropolis Federal Gold Reserve Bank To what do we owe the honor Business replied Lex interrupting the bank manager Always business Lex brushed past him walking toward the back of the bank Luthor’s driver followed along quietly The bank manager jogged to keep up Are are you here to open a new account asked the bank manager nervously Lex stopped He scowled at the manager In a manner of speaking Now show me to your vault ordered Lex Flanked by multiple guards the manager led Lex and his driver down a long hallway At the end of it stood a round steel door with a wheel All along the hallway video cameras peered down from the ceiling Motion sensors lined the floor The bank’s security system even included 24-hour satellite monitoring technology All in all the vault had enough security to protect the 100,000 gold bars it held in reserve How much do you wish to deposit asked the manager rubbing his hands together Them said Lex motioning behind him With a tip of his hat Lex’s driver stepped forward He raised his walking cane and waved his hand A black teleportation portal opened out of thin air Cheetah a feline criminal with spotted fur and sharp claws emerged from The Shade’s portal first She landed on all fours as a purple glow followed her out of the darkness That light cast by a crystal stone in her mask carried Star Sapphire She was an enemy of the Green Lantern Corps who took on any job if it meant she’d get rich Close behind Star Sapphire came Solomon Grundy and the Ultra-Humanite One was a soulless zombie whose torn clothing barely hid his huge pale frame The other was a mutated albino gorilla whose oversized forehead held a vast intellect
