Project Kr-X

Prologue: Finding Files

Moment from the Past

Batman's POV

I'd tell you I'm being completely emotionless as I watch Lex Luthor grab a file from a small box of papers given to him recently by the now departing Sportsmaster. But you're reading my mind I believe and there's little lying to that.

Lex pulled the file out, skimmed it and then closed it, satisfied. He took it with him and left for the bathroom. Here it was, my small window of opportunity. I slid open the window and quietly slunk towards the box. I checked it for traps, trackers, and other tricks but it seemed fine. I grabbed it and silently ran for the window.

Just as I pulled it closed, Luthor returned from the bathroom; though he had not yet noticed the missing box.

I ran away from his roof, lest I wanted to be caught by anyone he sent after me once he found the box missing.

I jumped off the edge and glided towards the Batmobile. I knew it was a bad idea to send Clark. He would have attacked as soon as he saw Sportsmaster, which was what they must have been counting on, as Sportsmaster returned with the box only the third time he returned. It was a possibility that this was a decoy, but I checked it and Luthor didn't seem to be hiding anything in his lessening of tense muscles as time went on.

I put the Batmobile on autopilot and had it direct me back to the Batcave. I pulled out a file and started to read.

▪️◾◼⬛◼◾▪️

32 files later and an hour and a half, I found the first file that wasn't completely out of date and didn't have old and already revealed information.

The file was only a month old, but not a cold case and not yet compromised. It was a target file, the Light had been looking for someone. A girl, about 12. It was unusual that the Light would want to find such a young child.

I continued on. No relations, no birthplace, no home, no school, no government files at all, only a small amount of spottings, no bank deposits, no nothing. Just wavy brown hair and blue eyes. Not even a name, seeing as instead of a name they wrote "Project Kr-X". The file didn't even state the reason they wanted her captured.

Not very much to go off of.

Unknown Time in the Past

Robin, or Dick, teamed up with Kaldur and Wally, against my orders, they ventured into Cadmus and found a cone of Superman. He now calls himself Conner Kent. I doubt he knows about the true reason "Kent" was suggested but I like it.

Anyway, in the files Dick downloaded from Conner's containment unit, I read that Cadmus called him, "Project Kr". It's suspiciously close to the Light's Project Kr-X. Especially since, as I found out, Conner was designed to take down Superman, or more accurately, Clark.

It's not unusual that X is meant as a symbol of termination. Conner was meant to take down Clark, would it be too much to assume that Project Kr-X was meant to do the same, but after the target went off the grid, they tried again and came out with Superboy?

Or perhaps Project Kr-X does not call for the termination of Superman, but instead is another true kryptonian. As, X, can also mean directly on point or as many people know it, "X marks the spot."

Of course, they may be completely unrelated, but it is unlikely. I highly doubt that this is really just a coincidence.

30 Minutes Ago

I've been trying to locate Project Kr-X for almost 3 years now. It's definitely no longer my top priority. However, I could have sworn I saw her face just now at this masquerade party. It's for teenagers, my business partner invited me to come to this masquerade party for his son's 17th birthday.

There she is again. It's definitely her. I'm sure there are cameras in here that would have spotted her and reported her presence to me by now. I weave through the crowd and head for the bathroom. I need to call the Justice League. If she was a target of the Light, and very well might still be a target of the Light we need to get to her as soon as possible.

No. I can't call the League. It would be unusual to have so many adults at the party, if my business partner saw them he would think he was being robbed. No, I need to call in someone younger. Robin. Er.

This is a League priority mission, but it would be conspicuous if they came.

Here, I'll send for the team. They'll fit right into the crowd and be shouldn't have much trouble staying with the target until the party is over, maybe befriending her, then follow her home and have the League intervene. I'll send for them and three Leaguers.

Diana, because she is a female, like the target and because she will be able to stop the target from lying if need be. Clark because though he is sometimes rash, I need someone especially strong in case the Light wanted her for a reason relating to power and she retaliates. Finally, I'll call in the Flash. Because he is the friendliest and least intimidating.

Now, all I have to do is watch.

If I wasn't alerted, the Light shouldn't have been either. But they do always seem to be one step ahead of us, let's hope for now, that I am wrong.

Time to finally find Project Kr-X.

All chapters will be longer than this, but this was just the Prologue so I didn't make it super long.

Word Count: 961