The sun dipped low over casting a golden haze across the skyline. People bustled through the streets, carrying groceries, chattering about the weather, or rushing to evening classes. In many ways, nothing had changed. But beneath that everyday normalcy, something unspoken lingered—something that couldn't be ignored any longer.
Because everyone had heard about Aeternum.
Verdant Dust was on the news again. Another farm in Kansas had produced an entire season's worth of crops in under a month, with no disease, no pests, no waste. Then came the wave: similar stories from Nigeria, Brazil, the Philippines. Rural economies were bouncing back with ferocity, wiping away decades of imbalance in weeks.
The world was shifting—and fast.
---
Location: Hall of Justice – Private Conference Room
"This can't be ignored anymore."
Arthur Curry's voice was stern as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. The conference room was dimly lit, only the League's core members present—Bruce, Diana, Clark, Arthur, Barry, and J'onn.
"He's not breaking any laws," Diana said, flipping through the file in front of her. "Not legally."
"Laws aren't the problem," Bruce added, tapping the table. "It's influence. Aeternum isn't a company anymore. It's a power bloc."
Barry frowned. "But… he's Clark's brother. Shouldn't that mean we trust him a little?"
Bruce met his gaze. "I trust Clark. But even Clark has limits. And from what I've seen—Alex doesn't."
There was silence for a moment. Then Clark finally spoke.
"He's not trying to control the world. He's trying to fix it."
"And that's what worries me," Bruce said evenly.
J'onn, calm as always, folded his hands. "We've all read the same reports. Hundreds of agricultural monopolies dismantled. Major players going bankrupt. Leaked documents that exposed years of corruption—just days before they collapsed. And no digital trail."
"Not even a fingerprint," Diana added. "Whoever's running his intelligence division… they're on another level."
Arthur grunted. "Makes me wonder if we're looking at a one-man regime in the making."
Clark stood. "He's not like that."
Bruce stood too. "Then prove it."
Clark's fists clenched. "You're forgetting something important. You all wear masks. He doesn't."
The room grew still.
---
Location: Aeternum Tower – Main Office
Alex stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his top floor suite, watching the city light up below. His mind, however, was elsewhere—already calculating three steps ahead.
Casey entered quietly.
"The League's begun to stir," she said, setting down a folder. "We intercepted their secure line. They're not planning anything… yet. But Batman knows."
Alex smirked. "Of course he does."
She crossed her arms. "Should we change strategy?"
"No," he replied, voice calm. "This was expected. Everything up to this point was the introduction. Now comes the delicate part."
He turned toward her.
"Send quiet offers to the following politicians, NGOs, and journalists," he said, handing her a list. "They don't need to be bought. Just made aware that they're being watched, and that we're on their side."
"Soft influence?"
"No. Assurance. Everyone's waiting for the catch. Let's show them there isn't one—yet."
Casey nodded. "Understood."
---
Location: Smallville – Kent Farm
Martha Kent sat on her porch, a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Beside her, Jonathan leaned back with a glass of sweet tea, boots resting against the wood.
"Never thought I'd see the day," Jonathan muttered.
Martha smiled. "What, our boys changing the world?"
"No. Our boys being the topic at the League's table."
They both chuckled quietly. But then Jonathan turned serious.
"He's pushing hard. Maybe too hard."
Martha nodded. "He's doing what he thinks is right. But I do wonder… who's looking out for him?"
"Clark will," Jonathan said firmly. "He always does."
"I hope that's enough."
---
Location: Gotham – Alleyway Outside a Bar
A young man in his twenties leaned against the wall, smoking. He wore a mechanic's uniform, grease stains on his sleeves, a tired look in his eyes. His phone buzzed.
[Text from Sister – "Got the Aeternum job! Starts Monday!"]
He blinked. Then smiled. Just a little.
He'd applied a dozen times to different companies, never heard back. But Aeternum had sent an offer. Said they were building a tech hub in Gotham. Said they believed in second chances.
He took another drag and looked up at the stars.
"Guess someone's doing things right."
---
Location: Metropolis – News Channel
Lois Lane sat at her desk, typing fast. The headline was already forming:
"Aeternum: Savior or Sleeper Threat?"
She didn't know how she felt.
Alex was kind. Genuine. At least, he seemed that way during Clark's wedding. But what he was building… it was enormous. And dangerous.
She had files spread across her desk—leaks, economic analysis, think tank warnings. None of them could pin a single misstep on him. Every project was clean. Transparent. Publicly beneficial.
That was the scary part.
She stared at her monitor, hands hovering over the keyboard.
"Where's the flaw?"
---
Location: Daily Planet Parking Garage – Later That Night
Clark found Lois in her car, sitting silently.
"You okay?"
She nodded slowly. "Just… thinking."
He got in on the passenger side.
"You think he's dangerous, don't you?" she asked.
Clark hesitated. "I think he's powerful. And that scares people."
"It scares you?"
He paused again.
"No," he said honestly. "What scares me is that everyone else is afraid of him. And they might try to stop him before understanding what he's trying to do."
Lois looked out at the city lights.
"And if he isn't what we think he is?"
"Then I'll stop him," Clark said softly. "Brother or not."
---
A week later, the world adjusted to its new rhythm.
Verdant Dust was no longer a secret or a rumor—it was becoming a cornerstone of agriculture. From suburban backyard gardens to massive industrial farms, everyone wanted in. And Aeternum was prepared.
No gimmicks. No overreach. Just results.
That was what made it unstoppable.
---
Location: Washington, D.C. – Agriculture Reform Committee Hearing
The Capitol's hearing chamber was full, and not just with politicians. Representatives from farming coalitions, NGOs, global food programs, and economic liaisons filled the rows, all facing one young man seated calmly at the center table: Alexander Kent.
He wore no tie, no designer watch. His suit was clean, practical, and unbranded. He looked like someone there to talk—not sell.
Senator Goldstein adjusted his glasses. "Mr. Kent, are you aware that Aeternum now supplies over 42% of all agricultural inputs to five continents?"
Alex didn't flinch. "Yes, Senator. And I'm aware that the number is expected to rise. Not because of monopoly, but because our product works."
Murmurs.
Another senator leaned forward. "How do we know there's no long-term damage to the soil or climate?"
Alex pressed a button. A screen behind him flickered on, displaying side-by-side comparisons of soil samples, greenhouse gas emissions, and crop yields—each verified by international watchdogs.
"Third-party evaluations," he said. "Random sampling across 61 countries. And our R&D is open-source. Anyone can audit our data."
Silence followed. Then applause—not from the politicians, but from the public crowd.
The kind that couldn't be faked.
---
Location: Chicago – Family-Owned Farm
Ellen Torres wiped her forehead, staring at rows of tomatoes thicker and healthier than she'd ever seen. Her family had nearly sold the land last year. Now, they were turning profits that hadn't been possible since her grandfather's time.
Her teenage son ran over. "Mom! The co-op wants us to teach the Verdant Dust method! Said we'll be paid just to talk!"
She blinked.
A few months ago, they were drowning in debt. Now they were being asked to share success.
She looked up at the sun and whispered, "Thank you."
She didn't know who she was thanking—God, fate, or Alex Kent. But she meant it.
---
Location: Metropolis – Aeternum Internal Briefing
Casey stood at the front of the sleek boardroom, the glass wall behind her dimmed for privacy. Alex sat at the far end, silent as she walked through the latest global data.
"Major production hubs have stabilized," she said. "Competing firms are trying to reverse engineer the compound, but none have cracked it yet. We're still secure."
Alex gave a slight nod. "And the academic pipeline?"
"We've started partnerships with university labs. Framed as scholarships and open-access research."
"Good. Keep the brand ethical. No exclusivity clauses unless someone tries to play dirty."
She smirked. "They always do."
He leaned back. "That's when we remind them we play cleaner and better."
---
Location: Gotham – Police Department
Commissioner Gordon sipped his coffee as he flipped through a report.
The GCPD precincts had received anonymous shipments: new protective gear, forensic tools, clean lab equipment—donated by Aeternum, apparently under a new social initiative. He'd checked twice. It was all legitimate. No shady strings, no contracts.
He glanced at the attached note:
"Sometimes good people need better tools. Use them well. —AK"
Gordon scratched his head and muttered, "Who the hell just… gives this stuff away?"
Still, he wasn't complaining.
---
Location: Aeternum – Top Floor Office
As dusk painted the city in deep purples and golds, Alex sat by the window, sipping tea. Behind him, a giant digital display showed hundreds of live graphs: weather patterns, crop rotations, market stress signals, and humanitarian metrics.
He wasn't watching them. Not really. He was feeling them—adjusting threads in his head the way a composer hears a melody.
This wasn't domination.
It was orchestration.
His plan wasn't to control the world.
It was to fix the imbalance. Quietly. Permanently.
He had dubbed it the Everlight Framework—a reference to the guiding principle he'd chosen: empower, never enslave. Illuminate, never blind. Operate from the shadows, but never become them.
Power meant nothing if it wasn't earned. And influence meant nothing if it wasn't wanted.
His eyes wandered toward the drawer beneath his desk, where a ring-shaped seal lay hidden—the first prototype of something new. A symbol that would one day carry a deeper meaning.
But not yet.
The world wasn't ready for that part of the plan.
---
Location: Central City – Café
Barry Allen was trying to read a report while sipping coffee. Iris sat across from him, raising an eyebrow as she noticed him fidgeting.
"You're doing it again."
"What?"
"The speed-reading thing. You're on the same paragraph for ten seconds. That's like… a month in speedster time."
Barry chuckled and leaned back.
"It's just—Alex. The way things are moving. It's insane. But also… amazing?"
"You don't know whether to be impressed or worried."
"Exactly."
Iris sipped her coffee. "You ever think maybe it's okay to be both?"
---
Location: LexCorp Tower – Private Lab
Lex Luthor watched the data streams with a blank expression. Every simulation, every model—each pointed to the same conclusion.
If Aeternum's influence continued, LexCorp's global assets would be rendered obsolete in five years.
Verdant Dust had done what no bioengineering project had ever achieved: not just yield, not just sustainability, but affordability and scalability.
Luthor's jaw tightened.
"This isn't charity," he muttered. "This is checkmate disguised as compassion."
He turned to his lab assistant. "Begin Project Harrow. Quietly. I want alternatives. Better ones."
And somewhere deep inside, he promised himself:
Alex Kent would not win.
---
Location: Metropolis – Daily Planet Office
Lois Lane leaned over her desk, sorting through the pile of interview requests and reports flooding in about Aeternum's impact. She had covered humanitarian crises, alien invasions, and political corruption—but this? This was different.
Clark walked up, coffee in hand. "Still going through them?"
She nodded. "I'm trying to decide if I should write this as a tech revolution… or a social one."
"Why not both?"
She smiled at him. "Because when someone makes this big of a move, it's usually followed by a price tag."
Clark leaned against her desk. "You don't think it's real?"
"I think Alex is sincere. I just wonder if the world can stay that way once it realizes how dependent it's becoming on one person."
Clark looked thoughtful for a second. "He's not trying to lead people. He's trying to give them the tools so they don't need leaders."
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Spoken like someone who believes in him."
Clark smiled. "He's my brother."
---
Location: Metropolis – Elementary School, Southside District
Ms. Carter didn't expect much when the school received an anonymous donation. Most of the time, it meant a check, maybe some supplies.
But when the new community garden began producing enough vegetables to feed every student lunch twice a week—healthy, organic, fresh—she knew something was different.
Parents volunteered. Kids stayed after class to learn how to tend the crops. It wasn't just about food. It was about pride. About ownership.
"Where did it come from?" one student asked her.
She smiled. "Someone who believes in planting more than seeds."
---
Location: Coast City – Public Forum on Technology and Environment
A speaker finished his presentation, sweating from the glare of the lights. As he stepped down, the crowd buzzed, waiting for the keynote panel to start.
In the front row, Hal Jordan, in civilian attire, crossed his arms and leaned toward the man beside him—Oliver Queen.
"You believe in this Aeternum thing?" Hal asked.
Oliver tilted his head. "Not really a matter of belief. I saw it work with my own two eyes. Farmers we used to donate to? They're donating to others now."
Hal grunted. "Still feels like it came out of nowhere."
Oliver glanced at him. "Sometimes solutions do. Doesn't make them less real."
---
Location: Aeternum – Sub-Level Lab
The soft hum of centrifuges and nutrient processors filled the air. Alex stood before a group of researchers—PhDs, engineers, thinkers from all over the globe—who now worked in tandem under Aeternum's innovation wing.
"Today," Alex said, "we finalize Stage Two."
A scientist raised her hand. "We've completed the nutrient tracer system. If deployed properly, we can eliminate artificial additives in food worldwide within a decade."
Alex nodded. "Make it accessible. Translate it into fifty languages. No patent locks."
Another researcher said, "We're working on atmospheric supplements to support arid regions. Deployment timeline?"
Alex looked at the map projected onto the wall. "Begin trials in western Africa and eastern Australia. Prepare mobile labs to support regional partners."
Everything was moving. Systems within systems. Innovations nested inside public benefit. And not one action was wasted.
---
Location: Themyscira – Council Hall
Diana stood before the elder council, holding a scroll marked with the Aeternum seal.
"It is a gift," she explained. "A tool for those outside. But its spirit echoes with the harmony of our lands."
Queen Hippolyta regarded her daughter. "And what do you see in this man?"
Diana was quiet for a moment, then said, "I see intent unmarred by ego. A rare thing."
Another Amazon warrior stepped forward. "Tools can build empires… or enslave them."
Diana met her gaze. "Then we remain watchful. But we do not ignore opportunity out of fear."
The queen nodded.
"Then let us observe the Weaver from afar."
---
Location: Gotham – Rooftop, Late Evening
Bruce Wayne crouched near the edge of a rooftop, cape fluttering behind him. Below, a black van with the Aeternum logo was distributing relief packs to a struggling neighborhood. No cameras. No press.
Robin landed beside him.
"Didn't think I'd find you spying on charity work."
Bruce didn't look away. "Just verifying intentions."
"Still don't trust him?"
"I don't trust anything that moves this fast."
Robin leaned on the railing. "Well, this fast is feeding people and cleaning water in places even the League can't reach."
Bruce didn't answer immediately. Finally, he said, "I'm not his enemy. I just want to make sure he never forgets the cost of momentum."
Robin nodded. "You think he will?"
Bruce narrowed his eyes. "If he does, I'll be there to stop him or Dave him in any way possible because as of right now people might not realize Alex Kent has already become hope for so many people and nothing good will come if anything happens to him."
---
Location: Aeternum – Private Room
Later that night, Alex sat alone.
No data streams. No emails. Just silence, broken only by the wind brushing against the tall glass windows.
On the desk beside him was a photo of his family: Martha, Jonathan, Clark, Lois… and himself. Taken at the wedding. A moment of peace.
This was why he moved so carefully. Why he'd built the Everlight Framework around more than just power or innovation. It was meant to be… permanent. A foundation, not a kingdom.
He whispered, "No more false gods. No more broken systems."
---
Location: Aeternum Tower – Midnight
The lights inside Aeternum Tower shimmered faintly as if the very building was alive. It stood as a shining pillar of modern innovation and quiet power. At the top floor, within the dimly lit executive office, Alexander Kent sat alone—his sleeves rolled up, a cup of black coffee untouched beside him, and ten different holographic screens circling around the dark wood desk.
Lines of data scrolled across each display—financial charts, global agricultural reports, private messages from investors, encrypted logs from anonymous sources, and more. With a casual flick of his fingers, he manipulated them, pausing occasionally to mark anomalies, confirm shipments, or dispatch instructions.
This was his sanctuary, where the facades dropped, and the true architect behind Aeternum operated in full.
A subtle beep sounded. Alex pressed a key on the console. His assistant's voice came through.
"Sir, the satellite scans from Sector Delta show unusual heat signatures in a remote patch of Siberia. Should I flag it?"
He leaned back slightly, thinking. "No. Just monitor for now. Log any spike beyond baseline activity."
"Understood."
The line cut. He stood up and walked over to the large window, staring out into the sleeping city. For all its chaos, Gotham now had a rhythm—one that Aeternum had subtly influenced. Crime rates had fallen in districts his company funded. Homeless shelters now operated on tech-enhanced agricultural food supplies he'd recently released. And education programs—quietly funded and supervised—were opening new paths for underprivileged youth.
He wasn't building an empire just for the sake of power.
This was Project Evernight—the master plan he had conceived the night he realized he wasn't meant to survive in the DC Universe as a background figure. If he was going to live, he would control the narrative. Evernight wasn't domination. It was survival. The creation of a world that would never be able to turn on him or the ones he loved. A world where even gods had to play by rules he designed.
Every move mattered. Every resource acquired, every partnership made—even every act of charity—all served a long-term function.
He returned to his desk, tapping a single icon. The screen transitioned to a new schematic.
It was a city map.
Not of Gotham.
Not entirely.
It was layered—showing every major metropolis connected by key Aeternum facilities. Global logistics were converging into hubs. He was quietly setting up infrastructure strong enough to support not just tech, but influence. Influence that could shape economies, elections, and even League decisions—if done right.
He still remembered what it felt like to be powerless. A stranger in a world of titans, forced to act, to adapt. A child of fate in a game he didn't ask to be part of.
Now, he was the one making the moves.
A second icon blinked.
This time it was a feed from a covert drone in Metropolis. An image of Lex Luthor, pacing inside a private lab, hands twitching with irritation. Aeternum's agricultural success had caused the stock value of LexCorp's agro-divisions to plummet in weeks. And Luthor had taken it personally.
"Still clinging to pride," Alex murmured to himself.
He watched as Luthor slammed a screen shut. Rage. Humiliation. The predictable downfall of men who tried to win through force alone.
But Alex wouldn't make that mistake.
He didn't want enemies. He wanted believers. Partners. And if not that—then competitors too focused on playing his game to realize it wasn't theirs anymore.
A subtle knock came at the door.
He turned. "Come in."
It was Clark.
In his usual casualwear—flannel shirt, jeans, and tired eyes. The farm boy still visible beneath the superhero.
"You're still up?" Clark asked, stepping inside.
"Barely started," Alex replied with a faint grin. "Need something?"
Clark looked hesitant, then said, "Lois wanted to thank you again for the wedding. She won't stop saying how magical it was. Honestly, I don't even know how you pulled off half of it."
Alex chuckled and waved the compliment off. "Just called in a few favors."
"She also said it looked like the whole Justice League showed up… in disguise."
"It's amazing what happens when you send out handwritten invitations," Alex said. "People take that seriously."
Clark studied him for a second longer.
"You're doing a lot," he said. "I know you say it's for everyone, and I believe that. But I can tell... this is more than just helping the world."
Alex paused, not denying it.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "It is."
Clark approached, stopping beside the desk. "You're building something. I don't know what it is exactly—but I see the effort. I see the weight behind it."
Alex's gaze didn't shift from the holographic map.
"I just want to make sure no one we care about ever has to feel powerless again," he said finally.
Clark smiled faintly. "Then just remember… you don't have to carry it alone."
Alex looked at his brother and nodded once. "Thanks."
They shared a quiet moment.
Then Clark added, "Also… Mom says you're still not visiting enough. She threatened to come drag you herself."
Alex smirked. "Tell her I'm free this weekend. I'll bring pie."
Clark laughed, gave him a light punch on the shoulder, and left.
Alone again, Alex turned back toward the window, gaze sharpening. Below, his city was alive. Breathing. Changing.
And at the center of it all—he stood, watching.
This was only the beginning.
Project Evernight was awake.
---
-----------------------
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