27 Businessman Doing Business #27
Have you ever found yourself in a place or a situation where you wished to be anywhere else but there, while at the same time didn't want to be anywhere else?
Well, it just so happened that I found myself in such a situation, clinging to the back of Dinah's bike like a terrified koala, feeling the blood from my entire body rushing toward one specific point that shall not be named!
Damn you, my traitorous natural body functions and instincts! It was like my brain decided, "Hey, let's make this ride extra awkward with a boner, shall we?"
Luckily for me, we weren't that far off from our destination, and I could already see a towering skyscraper with the words "Kord Industries" hanging over its entrance like a beacon of salvation.
Whether Dinah didn't notice my peculiar situation or simply chose to ignore it, I didn't know and didn't particularly care. I just wanted to get there before I died of embarrassment or gave in to the urge to jump off the bike, whichever came first!
"We're here," Dinah declared, bringing the bike to a halt in the building's parking lot. Her words resonated like the sweet sound of salvation for my ears. I hastily dismounted, making a strategic adjustment to my pants to conceal the now-awakened Micah Junior before Dinah could spin around and catch a glimpse.
Fortunately, I managed to pull it off just in time, even throwing her an innocent smile as she turned back to me."Seems like it. You coming in with me?" I asked.
Dinah smiled and shrugged. "Not all the way, no. I'm Just gonna drop a quick 'hi' to a friend who works here, then hit the road," she explained. "No need to worry. I'm not here to poke my nose into whatever business you've got with Kord," she added, wearing a knowing expression as if she could see through my intentions.
Unfortunately for her, I couldn't care less about that, especially with my attention now focused on Micah Junior. I only threw that question her way to distract from the fact that I might have enjoyed the ride a bit too much.
Still, kudos to her for that conclusion! Anything to keep her blissfully ignorant of the shameful truth!
"If you say so," I replied with an indifferent shrug, holding back a sigh of relief as my blood circulation finally resumed its natural course. I extended my hand toward Rattigan, who appeared to relish the ride even more than I did.
He let out a reluctant chitter before scampering over my arm and settling on my shoulder. Yup, the damned rat was definitely a pervert! I wonder who he takes after?!
In any case, I followed Dinah into the Kord Industries building, and true to her word, she bid me goodbye halfway through, heading off to meet her friend while I continued my journey to the top of the building where Kord's office was located.
The interior design was impressive, to say the least. It skillfully avoided the pitfalls of extravagance, tackiness, or overdone aesthetics. Instead, it effortlessly emanated a rich, futuristic vibe that caught my attention.
Then again, I wasn't a seasoned décor expert; this was just my subjective take on the matter.
Once I navigated the bureaucratic hoops with Kord's secretary—a series of questions ranging from 'who are you?' to 'Do you have an appointment?'—I finally laid eyes on the man himself. Ted Kord looked just as I had pictured—brown hair impeccably combed, striking blue eyes, and an athletic build that seemed a bit out of place for a typical businessman or inventor.
All of this wrapped up neatly in a crisply tailored business suit. Kord's welcoming smile greeted me as he approached.
"You must be Micah?" he greeted, extending his hand toward me.
"It is. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kord," I replied, firmly shaking his hand.
"No need for formalities. Ted would do..." he said, gesturing for me to take a seat. After I settled in, he perched on his office chair, ready for our conversation. "So, what brings you here? A groundbreaking business idea or a revolutionary invention that needs financing, perhaps?" he inquired, tilting his head slightly. I shook mine.
"Not exactly. I'm here to offer you a chance to get your hands on a cache of Apokoliptan technology," I calmly stated, watching his expression shift rapidly from curiosity to shock, and finally to doubt.
"Apokoliptan technology, you say?" Kord probed, his eyes narrowing as the weight of the revelation sank in. "How in the world would you even know about such a thing...?" His skepticism hung in the air.
"Well, you know, the same way I know you're the Blue Beetle..." I tossed back casually, my calm tone playing hide-and-seek with Kord's increasingly horrified expression.
His face was like a rollercoaster of emotions—panic, shock, and maybe a sprinkle of regret—but I wasn't about to let him take the lead in this emotional orchestra. "I assume you're already privy to the fact that I'm from a parallel world?"
Kord hesitated for a beat, then gave a reluctant nod. "I do..." he admitted. "But the official reports claimed you knew nothing about the Justice League matters..." He mumbled, clearly stuck in the gears of processing.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "That was a lie..." I confessed, flashing him a grin. "Yes, I managed to lie to the Justice League and get away with it. Let's say I've got my ways and leave it at that," I added before he could even pull out the 'how in the multiverse' question.
"Who are you, really? And what's your purpose in coming to our world?" Kord's inquiry cut through the air, with no nuance of doubt or hostility in his tone.
I might have fallen for his poker face if not for the notification cheerfully declaring that my relationship with Ted Kord had taken a nosedive from Neutral to Hostile.
"I didn't come to this world on purpose, so even if you ask me about my purpose here, I wouldn't really know what to tell you," I replied, a nonchalant shrug accompanying my words. "As for who I am, it's pretty straightforward – Micah Foster, your typical nobody. Though, I do plan to change that..." I let the truth spill out, not in the mood for elaborate tales.
Kord's brow furrowed in response. "So, that's why you lied about your knowledge. Instead of using it to save lives, you just want to selfishly gather riches, is that it?" He questioned, not thrilled with his own deduction.
I couldn't help but chuckle at his accusation. "Who said I can't do both?" I quipped, raising an eyebrow. "In fact, I came to you of all people because I intend to save your life," I casually added, a touch of mystery lingering in the air.
Kord rocketed out of his chair in response to my bombshell. "What?! You mean that--" He stammered, cutting himself off mid-sentence as if reality had just sucker-punched him. "No... I don't believe you. If even Martian Manhunter can't tell you're lying, then I most certainly can't either..." he declared, shaking his head with a determined refusal to accept the truth.
A sly grin crept onto my face as I soaked in his disbelief. "Well, I didn't expect you to take my word for it. I did kick off this conversation by admitting I'm a liar, right?" I quipped, letting the irony hang in the air.
"But hey, that's why I didn't come empty handed," I continued, reaching into my jacket pocket and flicking a simple silver ring his way. He caught it with an air of indifference.
"Is this supposed to be the magical solution to change my mind?" Kord retorted, casting me a look that suggested he was questioning my sanity.
I chuckled, ready for this part of the show. "I know it will change your mind. That thing is no ordinary ring. In fact it's a magical item that will let tell lies apart from truth..." I explained, gesturing towards the ring. Indeed, it had been my most recent purchase, setting me back 200 points.
"It'll give you a prickly sensations if someone is telling you a lie. Put it on and try it for yourself..." I calmly added, as if the ring was a regula item you could pick up from any random garage sale.
...
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