Dante initially only wanted to have a good talk with John and this Teddy Bear.
But after he got their last known location from the FBI Academy's communications department, Dante, though surprised, ultimately accepted it calmly.
He managed everything under the sun, but could he control where others lived?
And just as Dante was about to take Lucifer and Chloe directly to Smallville, Wolverine arrived.
At the same time, he brought news...
"Dante, the FBI Academy has been robbed."
"I knew that Teddy Bear was trouble. He actually stole the Palladium Arc Reactor that Tony Stark replaced."
"Stop, stop, stop, what did you say?" Dante froze for a moment, then quickly raised a hand to interrupt. "First, when did Tony Stark put his Palladium Arc Reactor at the FBI Academy?"
"It was just a few days ago. The Palladium Arc Reactor has a toxicity that's hard for the human body to withstand, and Stark created a new element based on his father's designs, then used it to build new gear."
Wolverine spread his hands helplessly. "The old Palladium Arc Reactor was sent to the Academy for a seven-day internal exhibition. Today is the last day, then it would have been sent to the Sandbox for thorough research."
"Then how did a Teddy Bear manage to steal it?" Dante suddenly felt his vision go black. "No, Wolverine, you were a spy. How did you get stumped by a Teddy Bear?"
"What are you saying? What kind of talk is that?" Wolverine seemed flustered at Dante's words. "The entire internal exhibition hall, during non-exhibition hours, is covered by thousands of life-response detectors. But who knew that Teddy Bear, clearly alive, would have no life-response."
By this point, Dante had connected the dots.
It seemed the Teddy Bear was aiming for the Palladium Arc Reactor.
That guy named John must have been in on it, specifically there to assist.
No wonder when he called John earlier, something had felt off.
Like this. If a person suddenly gets a call saying his brother has been detained by Interpol, the first reaction would definitely be, "Dude, are you drunk?"
But that man named John rushed over without hesitation.
"Alright, Wolverine, I'll handle this." Dante did not continue to mock him. "You go explain things to Tony. Although it's obsolete, it is still his tech."
"...Okay, I'll go find my Nephew now."
Dante felt a bit embarrassed hearing that.
But Wolverine was absolutely correct.
He used to run with Peggy Carter and was a member of the Howling Commandos.
Howard Stark provided equipment and technical support to the Commandos year-round.
It was normal for the two to have a good relationship.
With that 'Nephew,' Tony really had no choice but to accept it.
"Alright, let's get ready to go too."
As soon as Dante finished speaking, his personal terminal rang.
It was a video call from Harley.
Dante gestured to Lucifer and Chloe to wait a moment, then stepped to a corner and answered.
"Aloha, Pudding."
Harley's stunning smile, flamboyant with a touch of madness, filled the screen.
"Harley, why do you suddenly have time to video call me?"
"I'm just reporting to my current guardian, you know? I'm going out with friends tonight."
"Going out? Go ahead, just don't kill anyone..." Dante agreed on reflex, then immediately reacted. "Wait, friends? What friends?"
"What other friends could I have?" Harley pouted, then tilted her terminal, revealing the loving couple beside her. "Of course, my good girlfriend and her younger man."
Dante watched the two, who had been hugging, spring apart at Harley's sudden ambush.
They pretended nothing had happened. It was pretty funny.
Even Dante could not help a gossipy sound.
"Well, well, well, Clark Kent and Lois Lane. When exactly did you two get together?"
"Pudding, you really don't know how to phrase things. How can you use the words 'get together'?"
In their back-and-forth, Dante and Harley made Clark and Lois blush.
But unlike Clark, Lois was an older sister type and a frontline reporter, so she quickly suppressed the sudden shyness and greeted Dante on screen.
"Agent Dante, I've heard a lot about you."
"Miss Lois, theoretically, you shouldn't know my identity. Let me guess, did this Harley on your left leak it? Or did this Boy Scout on your right let it slip?"
"Unfortunately, both of them did." Lois shrugged. "But even before that, I already knew of you. I was at the FBI Academy's Parents' Day and saw you subdue Lex Luthor."
Dante thought back. At that time...
Lois really did seem to be there.
It had been a bit far, and he had not looked closely.
"Of course, most importantly, my father has mentioned you too many times," Lois continued when she saw him thinking. "He has always wanted to thank you in person, because General Ross is a good friend of my father's."
"It was just a small favor." Dante raised an eyebrow. "But tell your father, in the future, never argue or bicker with General Ross. He is prone to turning red now..."
After a few seemingly casual but officially pleasant exchanges with Lois Lane, Dante finally brought the topic back.
"Speaking of which, when a couple is together, why do you have to butt in?"
"You have to blame Clark Kent for this." Harley wrinkled her little nose. "Originally, I was just meeting Lois, but Clark kept talking about how delicious his mother's honey-glazed roasted potatoes were right next to us."
"Am I the kind of person who'd be polite?"
"So I told him, if he is taking Lois back to his hometown to see his parents this time, he absolutely has to take me with him. I have to eat honey-glazed roasted potatoes today."
Dante heard that and thought, what?
Clark Kent is taking Lois Lane back to Smallville?
Isn't that convenient?
So Dante coughed twice, then said to Clark Kent, "Clark, then I'll trouble you."
"No, no, no, no trouble at all." Clark smiled gently. "Harley has always been a good friend to both of us, and I'm sure my mother will welcome her very much."
"No trouble? Good that it's no trouble."
Dante's face lit up with joy.
After speaking, he opened a portal.
And appeared in front of Clark Kent with Lucifer and Chloe.
"Then the few of us won't be polite."
(To be continued.)