It was at a philanthropic event for a mental health fundraiser where the good doctor first encountered the mogul. Edgar read Richard’s thoughts during their introduction, and learned of his powers. Richard instantly detected Edgar poking around in his brain, and tried to flee, so as to not have his secret exposed. The doctor, however, was kidnapped as soon as he exited the building, and was immediately taken to the headquarters of the tech company Edgar owned and funded, Universal Intelligence.

There, Edgar’s scientists, led by Dr. DeMarco Scienza and Robert Kilby, experimented on him, extracting his brain cells and uncovering the root of his telepathic powers. The scientists then duplicated it, and created an AI software program that would primarily be implemented as a security system for all of Edgar’s personal computer networks. The program synchronized with Edgar’s brainwaves, and simulated the patterns to form a cyber-security lock that could only be opened if Mr Lockhart manipulated his brainwaves to match that of the system. Furthermore, the brainwave patterns changed at a regular interval, so as not to allow any other telepathic beings to catch on and learn the unlocking sequences. The system was literally, and virtually hacker proof.

After Richard was experimented on and used to create the system, he was held in a facility with dozens of other telepaths from all over the world that Edgar’s company had kidnapped and used for a variety of procedures and artificial intelligence-based projects and products. Over the next decade, he lived a miserable life as a prisoner of U.I. His luck would change one day, however, as the facility was attacked by the Sista Clique (Cybernetica, Girl Six, Kharma Lucky, Madam Deadhead and Ember Brook). The villainous trio of Mania!, Blindspot and Shanga were there to confront the heroic ladies. The two groups clashed in an epic showdown!

Though the battle was nowhere near Dr. Dubanowski’s holding cell, many of the evil scientists began to panic. In the midst of the chaos Dr. Scienza accidentally disconnected the device that controlled Dr. Dubanowski’s telepathic powers from the network. Richard took advantage by instantly hypnotizing him. Next, Richard made DeMarco release him and several other telepaths from their cells, and escort them safely away from the battle. When they were clear, the other prisoners thanked him and ran for freedom. Richard, however, was not finished. He forcedDeMarco to lead him to the control room that contained the AI servers for Edgar’s security system. There, he hypnotized the tech team and forced them to connect him to the program, so he could see what they produced from his experiments. Since the security program was made from Richard’s powers, he was able to hack the system. Once inside, he unearthed all of Edgar’s secrets. He quickly downloaded the information onto a small virtual-tech device, then fled the compound.

Over the next few months, Richard plotted his revenge on Edgar. He knew he couldn’t go to the press or authorities with the damning evidence he had, because Edgar owned most of them, and he didn’t know whom he could trust. Additionally Edgar, in anticipation of Richard’s attempts to bring him down, had begun to flood the airwaves with telepathic disruptors specially designed to interfere with Dr. Dubanowski’s specific type of power. Furthermore, he knew recruiting heroes to directly attack the facilities (like the Sista Clique had) would only continue to scratch the surface of Edgar’s many, many underhanded dealings. This information had to get out to the public, in a way that would ruin Edgar’s public image and political strongholds. Therefore, he derived an intricate plan, involving the greatest espionage organization in the world, the Iga Clan.

Richard actually learned about the ninja through a stroke of bad luck. One night, Sylvia Black, an old acquaintance, had called and asked him to come visit her at a Senior Citizens Home in Northern Platinum City. He went and sat with her for a couple of hours, but little did he know that a trap had been set for him by RC Allen, a member of the Blue Zone Killers, who was working as a bounty hunter at the time. Edgar Lockhart had put a very expensive price on Dr. Dubanowski’s head, and when the doctor left Sylvia to head home, RC came after that head with a vengeance. The senior citizen super-villain cornered Richard in an alley, and was ready to finish him off, when suddenly a civilian jumped in and saved him. This civilian just happened to be Hideki Nagao, a member of the Iga Clan.

After the battle, Richard thanked Hideki. But upon discovering he was a ninja, the good doctor hypnotized him, and extracted all of the secrets of the Iga Clan from him. He then instructed the ninja to tell his master Danzo a man named “Confidential” was planning to sell the secrets to their mortal enemy, Daichi Matsuzaki.

Later that night Hideki did as he was hypnotized to do, and told Danzo of the informant. The supreme ninja master was preparing to send one of his most trusted warriors, the ninja known as Faceless, to intercept Confidential and stop the sell of the secrets, when the super soldier Lt. Rashard Bonds, and samurai superhero Musashi showed up at Danzo’s Temple. After realizing they all shared common enemies, the heroes agreed to join Faceless on his mission. They traveled to the site of the exchange, and encountered Daichi, as well as the Godfather of Godfathers, Luca Bandoni, and the hyper-human mafia enforcer, Jupiter Brigante, along with a few dozen goons and henchmen.

When all hell broke loose, Richard was able to grab the duffel bags of money meant for payment, while still possessing the device with the information on it. As he ran, Faceless tracked him down. Since Lou and Musashi were locked in battle with Luca and Daichi and their respective armies, neither they, nor Brigante were able to give chase.

When Faceless finally caught Richard, he demanded the device with the information be turned over. Richard did so without hesitation, which surprised Faceless. The doctor introduced himself as “Confidential”, and explained to the ninja his entire plot of revenge against Edgar Lockhart for being kidnapped and held captive, and how the device never actually contained the Iga Clan secrets; instead, it contained damning evidence against Edgar.

Richard then said he knew he had to draw out a high-ranking member of the Clan to ensure his plan worked, which is why he used the ninja who saved him – Hideki Nagao – to pass the message along. Faceless was still not completely following Richard, so the doctor gave the duffel bags of money to Faceless, and said he was hoping the $5,000,000 would be enough to not only have the Iga immediately forgive him for involving them in his plot, but to also hire them to use the information to take down Edgar, by infiltrating his operations, and releasing the evidence to the right people. Faceless was shocked, but he did indeed use his rank to solidify the deal in Danzo’s stead. And with that, the two parted ways.

Richard Dubanowski quickly disappeared, went into hiding, and waited patiently for the dominoes of Edgar’s empire to begin falling. And fall they did.

Back at Danzo’s Temple, Lou, Musashi and Faceless filled Danzo in about what happened. The ninja hacker Interface uploaded the device to their computer network and quickly decrypted the files. All of Edgar’s secrets were right there. It was incredible! The information of his bank accounts, transactions to bogus shell companies, payments made to international arms dealer Ramses Hondo‘s off-shore accounts, data from Universal Intelligence experiments, information on illegal weapons manufacturing, details of his support of Platinum City crime families, and much more. Finally, they had concrete evidence to bring Edgar Lockhart down!

Interface promptly began sending the information to all the news outlets across the country, including every police station, the CIA, FBI, IRS, the Dept. of Homeland Security, and the Pentagon. They knew this would crumble Edgar’s empire, but they also knew Edgar was not going to go down so easily. Lou said they would have to catch the man themselves, as Edgar was likely to flee. And they knew that even if traditional law enforcement personnel did catch him, there would be an army of hyper-villains and assassins to protect him. Not to mention the strength of mastermind villain Ramses Hondo and his squad of hyper-powered mercenaries, who would certainly be present to back up their partner in crime.

In other words, even with Edgar’s public image crumbling AND the collective strength of Lt Rashard Bonds, Musashi, Danzo and the Iga Clan, it would still be highly unlikely they’d be able to take him down without considerable help and, quite frankly, a miracle. Bonds was already in the process of getting some of that help, as he had been building a team of superheroes ever since he had come into possession of Captain Noble’s journal, which contained information about a dark prophecy from the Zhibdean master, Hosho.

The miracle, however, would come courtesy of Dr. Dubanowski. As Interface continued to hack through all of the information on the device he provide for them, he came across a file titled “London”. They thought maybe it was a plan of Edgar’s to attack the city. Yet, when they opened it, they discovered it was actually information about Edgar’s one true weakness: his twin sister, London Lockhart.

In this file, they discovered that when Edgar was first beginning to gain power, he killed anyone that could be used as leverage against him, with the exception of “his heart”, which was London. Instead, he kidnapped her, and locked her up in a secret location. London had been held captive for many years, and constantly moved around to keep anyone from finding her. The file also contained information surrounding her relocation schedule, as well as the security details. London was held in a containment unit that prevented her from using her own considerable telepathic powers on anyone outside of the cell.

The cell was also retrofitted with the AI security program made from Dr. Dubanowski’s powers. In addition, the file also intimated if anyone tried to bust London out or hack their way in, London would be teleported to a maximum security space station, with the cell located inside a vast maze riddled with ungodly creatures.

Lou knew that London was the key to bringing Edgar to justice. If they recruited her, they could possibly get Edgar without incident. Rescuing her, however, was seemingly impossible. Nevertheless, they had to do it. Musashi volunteered himself and his assistant, Yoshi, to be part of the Lou’s team. Danzo agreed with that course of action as well, but he was unable to commit himself, or the iga Clan, as the war against Daichi and Luca still needed to be finished, and an additional threat from a dangerous group of ancient beings called ghost orphans loomed over Platinum City as well. Lou, however, requested the services of Interface. Danzo gave his blessing, and the ninja hacker happily and eagerly accepted the invitation.

Thus, Lou told the heroes to get their affairs in order, and prepare for what was sure to be the fight of their lives. He then set out to continue the process of recruiting more heroes and hyper beings to join his super squad – a process that would be greatly assisted by a list found in the files that Confidential had provided them with.

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