Metron accosts the JLI blaming them for the loss of his information retrieval unit. Captain Atom begins smarting off to Metron, little realizing that Metron is in fact a God. Mister Miracle holds Atom back and apologizes to the New God. Metron makes psychic contact with the retrieval unit and discovers that it has developed sentience.

Meanwhile at the Dome, Green Flame and Ice Maiden decide to quit the Global Guardians in the hopes of furthering their careers as members of the Justice League. They fly to Rio de Janeiro and consult with Ernesto Lopez, the bureau chief of the Justice League embassy.

Back at Maxwell Lord's place, Max is disturbed to find the body of his personal assistant, Ms. Wootenhoffer lying dead before him. The computer intelligence that once belonged to Metron (Kilg%re), informs Lord that Wootenhoffer was a Manhunter, and had to be destroyed. Max stares at the computer monitoring station, as the A.I. converses both on the screen and in Max's mind.

Max reflects upon the dark choices he has made in his career. He remembers plotting the death of his company's former President, and how those very circumstances first brought him into contact with the Kilg%re. With no idea of the device's Fourth World origins, Max interfaced with the machine and used its abilities to acquire financial power. From there, he insinuated his way into the Justice League, and manipulated events to gain the team an international charter.

Now however, Max feels sickened by everything he has done. Picking up an iron bar, he smashes the control console of the retrieval unit, ending its existence, and by extension, its hold over him. Exhausted and injured, Max falls over unconscious. He awakens the next day in a hospital bed. Mister Miracle and Oberon visit, confident that Max is going to be okay.

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