Lex sat in his office, eyes glued to the computer screen. Just behind the chair in which he sat, framed on the wall, was the front page of an issue of The Daily Planet, the headline reading
“Lex Luthor: A shining light of hope for Metropolis’ future”.
As he observed the many articles and opinion pieces, he had to frequently glance back over his shoulder to look at that article, to remind himself that the man who’s picture was on that cover was him. HIM. Not some... Alien oddball brute in red and blue spandex! As he continued to make his way through the latest news, all the stories began to blend into one narrative...
“Mysterious saviour of Metropolis declares himself as ‘Superman’”
“Does Superman’s arrival signal a return to the Golden Age of Superheroes?”
“Metropolis hit by Superman fever”
“Metropolis: safer than ever”
No, no, he couldn’t, he couldn’t possibly subject his eyes to this any longer. These were the kind of headlines that were written about him when Lexcorp exploded to the centre stage of Metropolis’ affairs!
Was he... being replaced???
“Ungrateful... singing the praises of whoever their current messiah is...”
He mumbled, cursing the changing tides of public opinion.
Lex Luthor couldn’t let something like this get him down!
He instantly got back to his computer, searching for more... alternative takes on the Superman story.
“President confirms Metropolis invaders to be extraterrestrials!”
“Superman: Metropolis’ Saviour or Alien Invader?”
“Superman and General Zod: Is there a connection?”
“Superheroes: Too much power? Should something be done?”
Yes... there was more to this situation. People were scared. The government agencies, more than anyone. His contacts down at ARGUS had already informed him that both Superman and Zod were of an alien race known as Kryptonians. But after that display, a battle of two titans, what could humanity do to possibly get rid of such a being, especially one right on their front porch? He could practically do whatever he wanted, and no-one would be able to stop him... people knew that, and it terrified them. They could never completely trust such a powerful, inhuman being. Lex felt the same, but Lex Luthor is not a man to sit idly and quake in fear. No... he was a man of action.
He thought back... to what his father had told him so long ago.
“Aliens, i tell you!”
Lionel Luthor ranted as he scratched his beard, sitting by the side of his son in the Metropolis Observatory, a younger Lex staring up into the starry night sky through a telescope.
“Yes, you’ve said this whole spiel many times before fathe-“
His father quickly interrupted him before he could finish, his usual tone of enthusiasm in his voice as he spoke about his favourite subject.
“Honestly boy, it takes an absolute fool to think that in such a vast, beautiful universe, us humans would be the only things living in it!”
Aliens, space travel, the infinite potential out there in the universe, all were Lionel Luthor’s favourite things to ramble on about on their frequent visits. He owned a major share in the Metropolis Observatory, and had been influential in upgrading it’s top of the line array of telescopes, all for his own passion of staring up into the sky in hopes of finding something. He often took his son along on these excursions too, ever since he was little, saying it was necessary to ‘breed a curious mind’ in the boy. Despite being dismissive of them at first, Lex had eventually grown to enjoy the visits, albeit not for the same reasons as his father. In his ageing state, he had been slowly losing himself, so he cherished these moments with the man he had known before Alzheimer’s had set in.
Sometimes he wondered if even Dementia would be able to take away the man’s passion for the great beyond, but it had not weathered it in the slightest.
Lex simply nodded, lost in his own thought as he stared down the telescope and pretended to listen, which prompted his father to continue.
“I tell you, the people of Metropolis will be going to Mars on holiday before my lifetime is over! And Lexcorp will be there through all of it! Commercial space travel, just think of it Alexander!”
Lex held back a slight groan in his throat at his father referring to him using his actual name, attempting to reason with him.
“It’s hardly cost effective father...”
Lionel let out a chuckling laugh.
“Ah, you always thought too much about the money. It’s the advancement for all mankind that matters, son!”
Lex stopped looking through the telescope, looking to his father, an expression on his face that indicated he took slight offence to that.
“D-don’t think of me as some corporate stooge who just wants money for the sake of over-indulgence, father. I just do not find it wise to waste money on what could be a pipe dream, when it could be spent bettering Metropolis itself-“
Lionel interrupted once again, staring Lex in the eyes and beckoning him to sit down next to him, which he promptly did.
“I understand, son. You’ve always loved this city, more than anything, just like me, and just like your mother. And I know that... whatever you do with the company, it’ll be for the best of Metropolis.”
Lex looked taken aback.
“B-but father, don’t you want to continue investing funds into the space exploration proje-“
Lionel sighed deeply, making one final interruption.
“While I am... still around to invest, yes. But... once I have... passed, that choice will move to you.”
Lex furrowed his brow, as he realised exactly what his father was referring to.
Some time later...
Lex held his father’s wrinkled hand as he lay in the hospital bed, face dishevelled and eyes glossed over with tears. Contamination from substances he had most likely come into contact with at Lexcorp’s space exploration division had only made his condition worse...
“It seems like the angels are here to take you upwards, Father...” he spoke solemnly.
Lionel Luther looked up to his son, his hand shaking slightly, prepared to be wheeled off for surgery.
“After some of the things I did in my younger days... more like the demons.”
He rambled, shaking his head to the side to meet his eyes, as he spoke the last words he would ever hear his father say, the words that stuck with him for the rest of his life.
“Remember, son...
Devils don’t come from Hell beneath us. No... they come from the sky...”
With that, Lex stepped aback from his father’s bed, staring wistfully at him as the doctors surrounded the bed to wheel it away.
Lex turned off his computer, looking back around to stare at the article framed on the wall. Lex Luthor... was a man of action. Yes, a man of action. He took his phone from his pocket, and headed to contacts, calling the particular author of that same article.
“Yes, Miss Lane? I’m here to talk about scheduling the interview of the century! A meeting of the minds, if you will. Now... am I correct to believe that you talked to Superman?”
Clark Kent finished up at his desk in the Daily Planet building, heading through the halls on his way out for lunch, the ever-so enthusiastic and seemingly omnipresent Jimmy Olsen chasing after him.
“But it was so cool! I wish I’d been there to take some photos or something! Now THAT would get me a REAL job!”
Clark grinned at the boy’s enthusiasm over the Superman incident, and how he had somehow managed to find a way to weave that into him getting a “real” job at the Planet. With his eyes so set on it, he was sure the kid would make it soon enough.
“And apparently, Miss Lane’s got a big interview with him coming up! Lex Luthor’s gonna be there and everything!”
Olsen continued excitedly.
Clark nearly froze for a second. Because he WAS Superman, and he had heard absolutely nothing about this. He quickly tried his best to regain his composure.
“Really?”
Olsen took a turn on the hall, bringing them to the same room Clark had visited earlier, where Lois Lane worked.
“Yeah! Hey, Miss Lane! You got an interview with Superman right?”
Lois stood up from her desk, nodding.
“Indeed I do. Public invitation of course, so it’s up to him if he shows up. You gonna be there?”
She nodded to Clark.
Clark grinned sheepishly, because he had to stop himself from saying something like ‘Oh I’ll be there’. As funny as that would have been, he was a lot more concerned about protecting his identity after how easily the Gotham Bat had deduced it, so he instead offered a simple, open-ended reply.
“Maybe, I’ll see if I can make time.”
He then promptly left from the doorway, continuing on his way out to get lunch.
Lois followed his exit with a skeptical glance.
This was practically the most newsworthy interview to happen in the city ever, why wouldn’t the budding journalist be all over it?
Lois Lane and Lex Luthor both sat in chairs on an elevated platform in the city square of Metropolis, flanked by cameramen and reporters on their side, a similar chair on the more empty opposite side of the platform reserved for their... guest of honour. Crowds of people milled around the platform, a low murmur rippling through the crowd, as the same collective thought passed through everybody’s minds... would he really show up?
That question was quickly answered, as to triumphant applause, and the hurried clicking of cameras, Superman descended down from the sky, landing dead centre in the middle of the platform.
As he smiled and waved to the public, Lois gave a coy smirk.
What a boy scout, he was certainly more in line with the heroes of old than modern vigilantes. Lex simply gestured towards his seat, Superman simply heading over and sitting down, a strange aura of uncertainty from the imposing superhuman.
Lois decided to lead straight into the questions before an awkward silence started between the Lexcorp head and the city’s new protector, and raised her microphone.
“Lois Lane here for the Daily Planet, and today I’m live here in Metropolis City Square, in the company of two men who could be described as some of the most influential people in this city: Lex Luthor, CEO of Lexcorp, and Superman, who needs no introduction.”
As the crowd broke out into more applause, Lex furrowed his brow a little at this comment. Sharing the spotlight wasn’t his style... but he couldn’t get worked up. This interview would soon be... cut short anyway.
“So, Superman, what do you have to say about-“
Before Lois could finish her sentence, a huge crashing sound echoed throughout the city, as the
platform collapsed in on itself.
Superman coughed up blood onto the tangled support beams of what had once been the platform, his side having taken the brunt of the attack. What convenient positioning... it was basically only him there. It took a few seconds longer for Clark’s vision to clear, and the sharp, searing pain in his chest to kick in, and for him to look behind him... to see the long, pointed metal device jabbed directly into his back. A pumping sound came from the hulking beast that had caused this destruction... a stocky suit of metal armour, with a rectangular cockpit, a blacked out glass window up the middle of it.
He struggled to his feet, knees still straining against the rubble, until he managed to twist his body around, the almost proboscis-like tube withdrawing. His eyes fell upon the visor of the metal monstrosity, panting as blood dribbled down his chin.
“Nice save. That was getting awkward.”
Immediately after that, faster than the eye could track, he threw a jab with his left arm, hitting the Mech square in the visor, causing the metallic joints in it’s legs that latched onto the mess of steel supports it had crushed below its feet to strain, attempting to stand it’s ground.
Clark quickly took advantage, as he swung his right arm around, making a fist as he smashed directly into the left side of the Mech’s cockpit, sending it jolting to the side with a screech, almost like the impact of metal on metal as it leaned over, nearly tumbling off the platform.
After it regained it’s footing, the left arm of the mecha moved forwards again, the needle appendage firing forward, this time jabbing itself into it’s targets chest.
Then, in an instinctual and panicked move, the Mecha’s other arm, more like a silver metallic fist than a needle like the other, swung forward, a hissing release of pressure as it made impact, hitting forward in one swift movement, directly into Superman’s gut. The held-in-place Kryptonian shook around, only causing the needle to become more deeper lodged in his chest.
Clark could feel his head getting light, buckling to his knees, quickly withdrawing his arms as his head rang like a bell from the impact. Despite this, he grit his teeth, and moved his hands up, grasping onto the blade of the needle-ended arm of the Mech, and slowly pushing forward with as much effort as he could muster, grunting out as the sound of the metal grinding against his flesh screeched in his ears. With one last heave, the entire needle was forced out, only to attempt to retract itself back into the left arm of the Mech with a hissing sound. However, before it could complete the action or make another swing, Clark leaned all his weight forwards, and clasped his hands onto the blade again, not giving up. However, this time he put his force the opposite way. Dragging the needle out of it’s socket, he tugged at the mechanical limb in a way it was definitely not trying to go, the counterforce causing another unpleasant grinding sound, like nails on a chalkboard. However, as the mechanical limb began to give out, the Mech struggling for control of the situation, cracking and sparking could be heard from the blocky joint that connected the left arm to the cockpit. Perfect. Clark let out an even louder grunting sound, as with a final pull he ripped the robot’s left arm directly from the socket, holding it in the air triumphantly with both hands, only to toss it aside into the rubble, smirking as the dust around him cleared.
“NOW it’s a fair fight.”
Lois picked herself up from the rubble, looking up to see a very frightened and disheveled Jimmy Olsen and her camera crew, humans still intact, technology less so.
“M-Miss Lane? Are you okay?”
Lois sighed, dusting herself off, with not much success.
“Yeah kid I can handle myself. But you can’t. Follow the others to the police line.”
Jimmy turned to leave, but quickly jolted back, confused.
“W-Wait, what about you-“
She winked and cut him off, as she flung a camera strap over her neck.
“Well, I’m about to go show the world why i’m Metropolis’ best reporter.”
Meanwhile, security guards hustled Lex Luthor along to a convoy of armoured cars, that had been waiting for him.
“This way, Mr Luthor.”
He smirked as he stopped by the open door, looking down at his wristwatch, a green line of text blinking across the screen.
“DNA EXTRACTION COMPLETE”
He pressed a few options on the watch, until he found his way to the button labelled “DESYNC” and tapped it. His new... employee was now on his own. He hopped in the car, sliding across to the seat on the far side, and looking forward to the woman opposite their driver.
“Mercy, call a team in. I want them to be there in time for the aftermath.”
She gave a curt nod, and the convoy of vehicles began to roll away.
Superman hammered down blows upon blows on the reinforced metallic shell of the one-armed mecha, sparks flying out from all directions. Whenever it’s metallic fist would jut forwards, he would quickly lean to the side, dodging it, only to use his momentum to lean back in closer to the machine, raining another blow directly on the visor. It began to stumble after one particularly heavy hit, legs unclamping from the rubble to take steps back as it’s attacker closed in, but Clark seized the opportunity. He stomped forward, his own foot pressing onto the claw-like “toes” of the machine, holding it in place as it struggled to move. He pulled his arm back, winding up a final blow, before he struck forward, his fist finding a home directly in the centre of the visor of the mech’s cockpit. There was a thunderous cracking, as the body of the machine detached from its left leg, the one he had pinned down, the entire robot sparking as it toppled down, falling off of the ruined remains of the platform, and crashing to the floor. Superman grinned, having released his foot from it just in time for it to fall. Judging from its reactions, this was definitely the work of a human pilot. But now, it was time to find out exactly WHO that was. With a renewed energy and vigour, he hopped over to the edge of the platform, landing on the stone beneath. Below him was a mess of metal plating and sparking wires, the rectangular cockpit missing both a leg and an arm, the other arm flailing around against the floor uncontrollably. He stared down into the visor, where the blacked out reinforced glass had cracked open upon the final punch, staring inside to see a barely conscious face of a man, his hair messy and his cheeks bloodied. He... recognised him. Yes... John Corben. So this was a grudge match. Had he known that, he might have tried harder. Or... less harder. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for his defeated opponent. The mans lips managed to form words, mumbling to himself.
“Never... again...”
Before Clark had time to ask any questions, armed Lexcorp guards stormed in, quickly surrounding the destroyed mecha and gathering its parts.
Clark quickly took the hint that now was the time to leave, but as if he didn’t one of the guards shot him a quick “We’ll take it from here, Superman”, like it was still necessary. He took off into the air, hoping to finally get his lunch once he found a suitable spot to land and change. Hopefully that sandwich place downtown was still open. Something had to make up for the disaster today had been.
Lois sat down in her office, sorting through articles on her computer. Despite attempting to get on with writing up an article with the photos she had gotten of the fight, to salvage the failed interview, a constant lingering thought in the back of her mind, her journalistic instinct, refused to leave her be.
She sighed as she gave in, opening up a private file.
“Leads to look into”
She scrolled down, and began typing. It was just too convenient how it had all happened...
“Lex Luthor: ARGUS connection?”
Her fingers tapped away at the keyboard as she put down those final, climactic words.
“Conspiracy against Superman?”
She sighed as she saved the document and closed it, rubbing her still ringing head with one hand, picking up her hot cup of coffee with the other. Metropolis’ top reporter had a lot of work to do, that much was for certain.
Lex Luthor sat in his office at the Lexcorp building once again, having a conversation over the phone.
“Yes, we’re going to need a good spot in the city for a new research lab, top of the line, maximum security. Buy one out if you have to. Also... try and keep this one... off the books. Will you?”
He nodded in agreement as he listened to the other end of the call, before he added on.
“Oh, and tell our contacts at the docks we’re going to need them to... modify a few records. We’re going to have to import in some new chemicals and equipment, and some of them are rather... elusive.”
After hearing the response on the other end, Lex ended the call, spinning his chair around to look out the glass panes and upon the cityscape. The CEO of Lexcorp also had a lot of work to do. That much... was far more than certain.
“Lex Luthor: A shining light of hope for Metropolis’ future”.
As he observed the many articles and opinion pieces, he had to frequently glance back over his shoulder to look at that article, to remind himself that the man who’s picture was on that cover was him. HIM. Not some... Alien oddball brute in red and blue spandex! As he continued to make his way through the latest news, all the stories began to blend into one narrative...
“Mysterious saviour of Metropolis declares himself as ‘Superman’”
“Does Superman’s arrival signal a return to the Golden Age of Superheroes?”
“Metropolis hit by Superman fever”
“Metropolis: safer than ever”
No, no, he couldn’t, he couldn’t possibly subject his eyes to this any longer. These were the kind of headlines that were written about him when Lexcorp exploded to the centre stage of Metropolis’ affairs!
Was he... being replaced???
“Ungrateful... singing the praises of whoever their current messiah is...”
He mumbled, cursing the changing tides of public opinion.
Lex Luthor couldn’t let something like this get him down!
He instantly got back to his computer, searching for more... alternative takes on the Superman story.
“President confirms Metropolis invaders to be extraterrestrials!”
“Superman: Metropolis’ Saviour or Alien Invader?”
“Superman and General Zod: Is there a connection?”
“Superheroes: Too much power? Should something be done?”
Yes... there was more to this situation. People were scared. The government agencies, more than anyone. His contacts down at ARGUS had already informed him that both Superman and Zod were of an alien race known as Kryptonians. But after that display, a battle of two titans, what could humanity do to possibly get rid of such a being, especially one right on their front porch? He could practically do whatever he wanted, and no-one would be able to stop him... people knew that, and it terrified them. They could never completely trust such a powerful, inhuman being. Lex felt the same, but Lex Luthor is not a man to sit idly and quake in fear. No... he was a man of action.
He thought back... to what his father had told him so long ago.
“Aliens, i tell you!”
Lionel Luthor ranted as he scratched his beard, sitting by the side of his son in the Metropolis Observatory, a younger Lex staring up into the starry night sky through a telescope.
“Yes, you’ve said this whole spiel many times before fathe-“
His father quickly interrupted him before he could finish, his usual tone of enthusiasm in his voice as he spoke about his favourite subject.
“Honestly boy, it takes an absolute fool to think that in such a vast, beautiful universe, us humans would be the only things living in it!”
Aliens, space travel, the infinite potential out there in the universe, all were Lionel Luthor’s favourite things to ramble on about on their frequent visits. He owned a major share in the Metropolis Observatory, and had been influential in upgrading it’s top of the line array of telescopes, all for his own passion of staring up into the sky in hopes of finding something. He often took his son along on these excursions too, ever since he was little, saying it was necessary to ‘breed a curious mind’ in the boy. Despite being dismissive of them at first, Lex had eventually grown to enjoy the visits, albeit not for the same reasons as his father. In his ageing state, he had been slowly losing himself, so he cherished these moments with the man he had known before Alzheimer’s had set in.
Sometimes he wondered if even Dementia would be able to take away the man’s passion for the great beyond, but it had not weathered it in the slightest.
Lex simply nodded, lost in his own thought as he stared down the telescope and pretended to listen, which prompted his father to continue.
“I tell you, the people of Metropolis will be going to Mars on holiday before my lifetime is over! And Lexcorp will be there through all of it! Commercial space travel, just think of it Alexander!”
Lex held back a slight groan in his throat at his father referring to him using his actual name, attempting to reason with him.
“It’s hardly cost effective father...”
Lionel let out a chuckling laugh.
“Ah, you always thought too much about the money. It’s the advancement for all mankind that matters, son!”
Lex stopped looking through the telescope, looking to his father, an expression on his face that indicated he took slight offence to that.
“D-don’t think of me as some corporate stooge who just wants money for the sake of over-indulgence, father. I just do not find it wise to waste money on what could be a pipe dream, when it could be spent bettering Metropolis itself-“
Lionel interrupted once again, staring Lex in the eyes and beckoning him to sit down next to him, which he promptly did.
“I understand, son. You’ve always loved this city, more than anything, just like me, and just like your mother. And I know that... whatever you do with the company, it’ll be for the best of Metropolis.”
Lex looked taken aback.
“B-but father, don’t you want to continue investing funds into the space exploration proje-“
Lionel sighed deeply, making one final interruption.
“While I am... still around to invest, yes. But... once I have... passed, that choice will move to you.”
Lex furrowed his brow, as he realised exactly what his father was referring to.
Some time later...
Lex held his father’s wrinkled hand as he lay in the hospital bed, face dishevelled and eyes glossed over with tears. Contamination from substances he had most likely come into contact with at Lexcorp’s space exploration division had only made his condition worse...
“It seems like the angels are here to take you upwards, Father...” he spoke solemnly.
Lionel Luther looked up to his son, his hand shaking slightly, prepared to be wheeled off for surgery.
“After some of the things I did in my younger days... more like the demons.”
He rambled, shaking his head to the side to meet his eyes, as he spoke the last words he would ever hear his father say, the words that stuck with him for the rest of his life.
“Remember, son...
Devils don’t come from Hell beneath us. No... they come from the sky...”
With that, Lex stepped aback from his father’s bed, staring wistfully at him as the doctors surrounded the bed to wheel it away.
Lex turned off his computer, looking back around to stare at the article framed on the wall. Lex Luthor... was a man of action. Yes, a man of action. He took his phone from his pocket, and headed to contacts, calling the particular author of that same article.
“Yes, Miss Lane? I’m here to talk about scheduling the interview of the century! A meeting of the minds, if you will. Now... am I correct to believe that you talked to Superman?”
Clark Kent finished up at his desk in the Daily Planet building, heading through the halls on his way out for lunch, the ever-so enthusiastic and seemingly omnipresent Jimmy Olsen chasing after him.
“But it was so cool! I wish I’d been there to take some photos or something! Now THAT would get me a REAL job!”
Clark grinned at the boy’s enthusiasm over the Superman incident, and how he had somehow managed to find a way to weave that into him getting a “real” job at the Planet. With his eyes so set on it, he was sure the kid would make it soon enough.
“And apparently, Miss Lane’s got a big interview with him coming up! Lex Luthor’s gonna be there and everything!”
Olsen continued excitedly.
Clark nearly froze for a second. Because he WAS Superman, and he had heard absolutely nothing about this. He quickly tried his best to regain his composure.
“Really?”
Olsen took a turn on the hall, bringing them to the same room Clark had visited earlier, where Lois Lane worked.
“Yeah! Hey, Miss Lane! You got an interview with Superman right?”
Lois stood up from her desk, nodding.
“Indeed I do. Public invitation of course, so it’s up to him if he shows up. You gonna be there?”
She nodded to Clark.
Clark grinned sheepishly, because he had to stop himself from saying something like ‘Oh I’ll be there’. As funny as that would have been, he was a lot more concerned about protecting his identity after how easily the Gotham Bat had deduced it, so he instead offered a simple, open-ended reply.
“Maybe, I’ll see if I can make time.”
He then promptly left from the doorway, continuing on his way out to get lunch.
Lois followed his exit with a skeptical glance.
This was practically the most newsworthy interview to happen in the city ever, why wouldn’t the budding journalist be all over it?
Lois Lane and Lex Luthor both sat in chairs on an elevated platform in the city square of Metropolis, flanked by cameramen and reporters on their side, a similar chair on the more empty opposite side of the platform reserved for their... guest of honour. Crowds of people milled around the platform, a low murmur rippling through the crowd, as the same collective thought passed through everybody’s minds... would he really show up?
That question was quickly answered, as to triumphant applause, and the hurried clicking of cameras, Superman descended down from the sky, landing dead centre in the middle of the platform.
As he smiled and waved to the public, Lois gave a coy smirk.
What a boy scout, he was certainly more in line with the heroes of old than modern vigilantes. Lex simply gestured towards his seat, Superman simply heading over and sitting down, a strange aura of uncertainty from the imposing superhuman.
Lois decided to lead straight into the questions before an awkward silence started between the Lexcorp head and the city’s new protector, and raised her microphone.
“Lois Lane here for the Daily Planet, and today I’m live here in Metropolis City Square, in the company of two men who could be described as some of the most influential people in this city: Lex Luthor, CEO of Lexcorp, and Superman, who needs no introduction.”
As the crowd broke out into more applause, Lex furrowed his brow a little at this comment. Sharing the spotlight wasn’t his style... but he couldn’t get worked up. This interview would soon be... cut short anyway.
“So, Superman, what do you have to say about-“
Before Lois could finish her sentence, a huge crashing sound echoed throughout the city, as the
platform collapsed in on itself.
Superman coughed up blood onto the tangled support beams of what had once been the platform, his side having taken the brunt of the attack. What convenient positioning... it was basically only him there. It took a few seconds longer for Clark’s vision to clear, and the sharp, searing pain in his chest to kick in, and for him to look behind him... to see the long, pointed metal device jabbed directly into his back. A pumping sound came from the hulking beast that had caused this destruction... a stocky suit of metal armour, with a rectangular cockpit, a blacked out glass window up the middle of it.
He struggled to his feet, knees still straining against the rubble, until he managed to twist his body around, the almost proboscis-like tube withdrawing. His eyes fell upon the visor of the metal monstrosity, panting as blood dribbled down his chin.
“Nice save. That was getting awkward.”
Immediately after that, faster than the eye could track, he threw a jab with his left arm, hitting the Mech square in the visor, causing the metallic joints in it’s legs that latched onto the mess of steel supports it had crushed below its feet to strain, attempting to stand it’s ground.
Clark quickly took advantage, as he swung his right arm around, making a fist as he smashed directly into the left side of the Mech’s cockpit, sending it jolting to the side with a screech, almost like the impact of metal on metal as it leaned over, nearly tumbling off the platform.
After it regained it’s footing, the left arm of the mecha moved forwards again, the needle appendage firing forward, this time jabbing itself into it’s targets chest.
Then, in an instinctual and panicked move, the Mecha’s other arm, more like a silver metallic fist than a needle like the other, swung forward, a hissing release of pressure as it made impact, hitting forward in one swift movement, directly into Superman’s gut. The held-in-place Kryptonian shook around, only causing the needle to become more deeper lodged in his chest.
Clark could feel his head getting light, buckling to his knees, quickly withdrawing his arms as his head rang like a bell from the impact. Despite this, he grit his teeth, and moved his hands up, grasping onto the blade of the needle-ended arm of the Mech, and slowly pushing forward with as much effort as he could muster, grunting out as the sound of the metal grinding against his flesh screeched in his ears. With one last heave, the entire needle was forced out, only to attempt to retract itself back into the left arm of the Mech with a hissing sound. However, before it could complete the action or make another swing, Clark leaned all his weight forwards, and clasped his hands onto the blade again, not giving up. However, this time he put his force the opposite way. Dragging the needle out of it’s socket, he tugged at the mechanical limb in a way it was definitely not trying to go, the counterforce causing another unpleasant grinding sound, like nails on a chalkboard. However, as the mechanical limb began to give out, the Mech struggling for control of the situation, cracking and sparking could be heard from the blocky joint that connected the left arm to the cockpit. Perfect. Clark let out an even louder grunting sound, as with a final pull he ripped the robot’s left arm directly from the socket, holding it in the air triumphantly with both hands, only to toss it aside into the rubble, smirking as the dust around him cleared.
“NOW it’s a fair fight.”
Lois picked herself up from the rubble, looking up to see a very frightened and disheveled Jimmy Olsen and her camera crew, humans still intact, technology less so.
“M-Miss Lane? Are you okay?”
Lois sighed, dusting herself off, with not much success.
“Yeah kid I can handle myself. But you can’t. Follow the others to the police line.”
Jimmy turned to leave, but quickly jolted back, confused.
“W-Wait, what about you-“
She winked and cut him off, as she flung a camera strap over her neck.
“Well, I’m about to go show the world why i’m Metropolis’ best reporter.”
Meanwhile, security guards hustled Lex Luthor along to a convoy of armoured cars, that had been waiting for him.
“This way, Mr Luthor.”
He smirked as he stopped by the open door, looking down at his wristwatch, a green line of text blinking across the screen.
“DNA EXTRACTION COMPLETE”
He pressed a few options on the watch, until he found his way to the button labelled “DESYNC” and tapped it. His new... employee was now on his own. He hopped in the car, sliding across to the seat on the far side, and looking forward to the woman opposite their driver.
“Mercy, call a team in. I want them to be there in time for the aftermath.”
She gave a curt nod, and the convoy of vehicles began to roll away.
Superman hammered down blows upon blows on the reinforced metallic shell of the one-armed mecha, sparks flying out from all directions. Whenever it’s metallic fist would jut forwards, he would quickly lean to the side, dodging it, only to use his momentum to lean back in closer to the machine, raining another blow directly on the visor. It began to stumble after one particularly heavy hit, legs unclamping from the rubble to take steps back as it’s attacker closed in, but Clark seized the opportunity. He stomped forward, his own foot pressing onto the claw-like “toes” of the machine, holding it in place as it struggled to move. He pulled his arm back, winding up a final blow, before he struck forward, his fist finding a home directly in the centre of the visor of the mech’s cockpit. There was a thunderous cracking, as the body of the machine detached from its left leg, the one he had pinned down, the entire robot sparking as it toppled down, falling off of the ruined remains of the platform, and crashing to the floor. Superman grinned, having released his foot from it just in time for it to fall. Judging from its reactions, this was definitely the work of a human pilot. But now, it was time to find out exactly WHO that was. With a renewed energy and vigour, he hopped over to the edge of the platform, landing on the stone beneath. Below him was a mess of metal plating and sparking wires, the rectangular cockpit missing both a leg and an arm, the other arm flailing around against the floor uncontrollably. He stared down into the visor, where the blacked out reinforced glass had cracked open upon the final punch, staring inside to see a barely conscious face of a man, his hair messy and his cheeks bloodied. He... recognised him. Yes... John Corben. So this was a grudge match. Had he known that, he might have tried harder. Or... less harder. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for his defeated opponent. The mans lips managed to form words, mumbling to himself.
“Never... again...”
Before Clark had time to ask any questions, armed Lexcorp guards stormed in, quickly surrounding the destroyed mecha and gathering its parts.
Clark quickly took the hint that now was the time to leave, but as if he didn’t one of the guards shot him a quick “We’ll take it from here, Superman”, like it was still necessary. He took off into the air, hoping to finally get his lunch once he found a suitable spot to land and change. Hopefully that sandwich place downtown was still open. Something had to make up for the disaster today had been.
Lois sat down in her office, sorting through articles on her computer. Despite attempting to get on with writing up an article with the photos she had gotten of the fight, to salvage the failed interview, a constant lingering thought in the back of her mind, her journalistic instinct, refused to leave her be.
She sighed as she gave in, opening up a private file.
“Leads to look into”
She scrolled down, and began typing. It was just too convenient how it had all happened...
“Lex Luthor: ARGUS connection?”
Her fingers tapped away at the keyboard as she put down those final, climactic words.
“Conspiracy against Superman?”
She sighed as she saved the document and closed it, rubbing her still ringing head with one hand, picking up her hot cup of coffee with the other. Metropolis’ top reporter had a lot of work to do, that much was for certain.
Lex Luthor sat in his office at the Lexcorp building once again, having a conversation over the phone.
“Yes, we’re going to need a good spot in the city for a new research lab, top of the line, maximum security. Buy one out if you have to. Also... try and keep this one... off the books. Will you?”
He nodded in agreement as he listened to the other end of the call, before he added on.
“Oh, and tell our contacts at the docks we’re going to need them to... modify a few records. We’re going to have to import in some new chemicals and equipment, and some of them are rather... elusive.”
After hearing the response on the other end, Lex ended the call, spinning his chair around to look out the glass panes and upon the cityscape. The CEO of Lexcorp also had a lot of work to do. That much... was far more than certain.