Band of Blue TOCDisclaimer: From chapter 33 onwards there are chances of certain phrases and situations coming almost directly from The Death and Life of Superman novel. In each chapter there could be anything from a couple of words (phase) up to whole choreographed scenes. I do not claim these as my own work, but have just inserted them into my narrative. Some of these may not even be noticeable to someone who
has read the book, and especially to those who have never read it (why have you not read it?). Still I would not wish to claim that these words were mine when someone far better than me penned them years ago.
Chapter 36 Lois was running; trying to find a cab ... even a car she could hijack. Anything.
I need to get to Smallville. She’d watched the disastrous attack over Chloe’s shoulder, still in shock at the truth of her cousin’s moonlighting. She’d explained as well as she could that Superman could be missing for up to seven years but it didn’t go down very well. And she could understand why.
I need to find this way to get to his fortress through Smallville. Maybe his parents will know. She ran down the street holding out her hand to hail a cab, but there were none. She started to check the door to every parked car she passed but blasted conscientious drivers had all locked up correctly.
“The Planet!” She suddenly stopped and shouted out. “The Daily Planet’s helicopter.” She set off running again; sprinting, pushing pedestrians out of her way. “Move it,” she shouted whenever they were in her path. She didn’t care if they gave her dirty looks ... she was saving their lives even though they didn’t know it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark flew faster than ever before. He glanced behind to check that Kara was following.
This feels so strange, but I don’t have time to explore that now. Jor-El said there was some kind of doomsday monster loose in Metropolis. In very little time the Metropolis skyline came into view. The afternoon sun was blazing down and reflecting back from the many glass windows and steel structures. From high up in the air he could see the trail leading from Reeves Dam all the way through the countryside and in to Metropolis.
“Looks like our bad boy is that way,” came the female voice from just to his right. He nodded and they both flew down to the gigantic crater just on the edge of the city. Clark landed in the centre of a giant crack on the sidewalk. There was chaos all around. Car alarms were blaring into the air; a fire hydrant spewed water onto the road; shop windows were shattered. He turned around to survey the scene and opened up his senses. He was beset by sound and information. So much confusion, so many screams.
“Superman!” came a young voice. “Superman, there was a monster.” Clark turned to look and saw a teenage boy. His arm was hanging at a strange angle and blood was dripping off his fingers.
“Which way did it go?” he asked.
“I don’t know. There were other heroes trying to fight it but they failed.”
“Other heroes?” Clark said surprised and worried.
The lad pointed over to the right and Clark turned. He saw a group of people gathered round a pile of bricks. “Some of them are under that building. It collapsed when the monster jumped off.” Clark sped over and started to lift chunks of brick to uncover the downed heroes. He used his x-ray vision to discover that it was A.C. and Victor. He heard a whoosh and Kara was beside him, also helping to move the rubble. In less than a second the area was clear. All the bystanders stepped back and Clark and Kara knelt down to pick up the two unconscious men.
“Did anyone see which direction the doomsday monster went?” Clark asked authoritatively. He hoped he was expressing confidence and that everyone would feel safe and calm. He turned around and lifted a little off the ground with A.C. in his arms. He saw Kara do the same with Victor. Shocked gasps came from the crowd when they saw her raise into the air and Clark heard some whispers.
“Who’s that girl with Superman.”
“She can fly too?”
“Is she related to him?”
“Is she a Supergirl?”
“I think he jumped up to the top of that building.” One elderly gentleman turned and pointed upwards.
“Thank you.” Clark replied. He and Kara sped to the nearest medical centre and dropped off Aquaman and Cyborg, taking their communicators. Clark activated his and made contact with Watchtower.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois’s voice was hoarse with all the shouting and screaming she had done, not to mention the speedy running. Panting furiously she had, somehow, managed to convince Perry to give her the helicopter and, luckily, it was ready for use. She climbed into the co-pilot seat and shouted at the pilot whilst putting on her headset.
“Can you get me to Smallville? A farm on the outskirts. I’ll show it to you from the air once were close.”
“Sure thing, Miss Lane,” came the reply and the rotor blades began to turn.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Superman, thank goodness. But Lois can’t possibly have got to you yet. She only left ten minutes ago,” Chloe spoke into the com.
“Lois. What do you mean –
Lois – Watchtower?” Chloe could hear the worry in Clark’s voice.
“She went to try and find you when the League were taken out by the monster.”
“My father ended the training early when he detected the doomsday monster loose. I have brought some help. We just need to find it.”
“Doomsday monster? That doesn’t sound good,” Chloe said. “Not that it was going well anyway.” She shook her head at herself. “So what’s this help?” Clark didn’t reply. “Superman?”
“Um. A Supergirl. I’ve brought a Supergirl to help.” Clark’s voice sounded wary.
“Ok, well you and Supergirl better head for the Plaza as Doomsday is about to visit the multiplex cinema, and I don’t think it’s to see the latest blockbuster.”
“Yes, but block busting sounds about right. We’re on our way.”
Chloe collapsed into a chair behind her and let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding. Everyone was down, the assault was a disaster, but Superman was here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kara saw the monster from the air. It was pounding on the wall to an electrics store. Kal-El put his arms out ahead and flew straight into it at full speed. He and the monster disappeared from view into a pile of rubble. Kara landed moments later intending to follow them into the gaping hole in the wall but she was knocked to the floor by her cousin as he came shooting back out uncontrollably. She turned to see him slam into a large neon sign above the multiplex then he dropped to the floor. She stood to her feet then turned back to face the hole. A loud, deep growl preceded the monster coming into view.
Kara felt her face drop in shock at its ugly, bony visage. Unprepared, she did not ready herself for the blow to her stomach and she shot backwards. She felt herself hit the wall behind. The shock winded her and she dropped to her knees to catch her breath. It was still strange, to be invulnerable, to be able to fly. She had yet to get used to it and, already, something was making a mockery of that invulnerability.
She managed to pick herself up just in time to raise her head and see a spiky fist aiming for her head. She tried to duck but it caught her across the cheek and she spun round and ended up face first in the pavement.
“Doomsday!” She heard a deep, authoritative voice call. Kal-El had dug himself out of the rubble pile that had collapsed on him. Kara heard an answering roar and as she rose to her feet again she saw the monster striding towards her cousin.
Kal-El readied himself against the coming attack and Kara watched him trade massive blows with Doomsday. She heard the grunts coming from each of them and knew that they were damaging each other. She watched Kal-El in terror.
I've just lost everything in my world. What will I do if I lose him too? I've only known him for a few hours but he is all I have now. She gritted her teeth together and barrelled into the centre of the fight. Trying to find a weak spot she punched and punched at every spot on its back whilst it faced off against Kal-El. She felt a rage building inside and heat shot from her eyes. She poured all she could into the flames but all it did was cause the monster to stop and turn round to her. It looked her straight in the eye and growled. She reached back her arm then struck with all her might into its face but it just shrugged off her attack then seemed to laugh. She frowned and attempted another punch but found her arm captured.
Training, I needed more training, came the errant thought.
Doomsday lifted her off the ground and spun her round and round, eventually letting go and projecting her straight up into the air.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois felt a little of her tension ease once the helicopter took off. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.
“What the ...” came the pilot’s voice over the headpiece intercom. Lois opened her eyes and scanned around. A jolt hit behind her and she turned. Craning her head to look out the window to the back of the helicopter she took in the scene in less than a second, then the copter started to drop.
Something had shorn off the back of the helicopter, there was no rear rotor blade and Lois began to lose focus as everything twirled round and round. She put out her hands to hold onto the frame but knew it was a futile gesture. As the spinning increased she saw the sky ... buildings ... ground ... buildings ... sky ... buildings ... ground ... sky ... ground ... sky ... ground. The ground was getting too close. She closed her eyes and squeezed them shut then braced herself.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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