Time is Running Out
Disclaimer: Unfortunatly i still dont own.
A/N- just a little piece i through together cause there really isnt enough supermanxlightninglad love out there!
Time is running out
"Legion of Superheroes, I have a little game for Superman." They stared at the screen in surprise. Mect stared back, smirking. "I won't go into details about how I hacked into your system as that's not what this is about. Superman," Lightning lads older brother directed his attention to the teen. "We're going to play a little game."
"And if I chose not to play?" Clark rebutted, giving Brainy time to trace the signal.
"Well then, I suppose Garth is the one that will suffer." The image on the screen shifted to show lightning lad chained to a wall, head lolling against his chest, hanging by his arms.
"Lightning lad! Let him go." Mect merely grinned at Saturn Girls outburst as the screen shifted back to him.
"But that would take away the fun of the game." Clark clenched his hands, nails biting into skin.
"What do I have to do?" He grit out, wishing that the other teen were there so he could show him what he did when people hurt his friends.
"Simple really, find him. In the meantime this room will fill with water. If you find my dear brother than you win, but if you don't- well, that's one less Superhero for me to worry about."
"He's your brother! You're willing to kill him?" He hadn't seen Bouncing boy this angry before- it almost matched what was going through him at the moment.
"Oh he seemed fairly sure that he would be found when I explained the game to him. But he was too vocal so I had to give him something to keep him quiet." A sick feeling went through him as he remembered the image of Garth's head lolling against his chest. "Now, Superman- time is running out." The screen went blank, but Clark was already out of the room, on the move.
If you make it, you can save him.
He slammed his fists down on the table in frustration, splitting it in two with a massive 'crack'!
"I'm sorry Superman, but the signal was untraceable. He bounced it to six other places around the galaxy."
"Well, keep trying!" Clark sighed, hanging his head. "Sorry Brainy."
"It's okay." The other teen hit a few keys on the keyboard. "I can eliminate one of these planets, because it has no water and the room that Lightning lad was in was supposed to fill up with water."
Superman looked up, giving him a weak smile. "Any other way to narrow the search?"
"There are two places on earth, and the one on the border of this black hole seems unlikely." Clark nodded, glancing over the screen.
"I'm going to try that one anyways. Just in case, keep searching Brainy. We have to find him." He turned, walking quickly out of the room.
"We will."
Are you going to make it?
The planet was deserted. Not even the slightest sign of life. His stomach was churning uneasily, wishing that he had some idea where Garth was.
"Superman, come in." He tapped his earpiece, as he tried scanning the area again.
"Anything Brainy?"
"Maybe." He paused, every part of his being focused on the possibility that they may have a clue. "I tried tracking Lightning lads communicator, but didn't come up with anything. So instead I searched for the large electrical signatures."
"Electrical signatures?" He repeated, clinging to the hope that they might have found something.
"Yes, Lightning lad gives off a large electrical signature whenever he fights. At first I didn't find anything, but then I found something. There was a large burst of electricity near an old abandoned lab, so I went back to Mect's message, there was a seventh signal hidden in the data stream. Guess where it leads?"
Clark grinned, already heading for earth. "Superman, you have to get back to headquarters!"
Times almost up.
"We have a situation." Superman ran through the halls of the tower, coming to a halt inside of Brainy's lab. "Mect left a message." He watched as the image of Lightning lad appeared on the screen, water up to his waist. Red numbers ticked down at the corner of the screen, reading 29:07.
"What's he saying?" Clark glanced up, confused. Saturn girl pointed at the screen. "His lips are moving."
"I think he's saying…" Brainy trailed off. "Superman?"
"Yeah?" Clark replied, staring intently at the screen.
"No, he's saying Superman." Something fluttered in his chest, but was quickly forgotten at the sight of the glowing red numbers at the side of the screen.
"Can you get a lock on the location now?" Brainy tapped a few keys, bringing a map of the city up.
"The warehouse where I found the residual energy. I'll send the-" Brainy glanced around, Clark had already disappeared.
You're not going to make it.
The door to the warehouse crumpled under his fist. Peeling aside the metal he stepped inside. Time was running out. His hearing could pick up the faint trickle of water, but it sounded far away.
His x-ray vision swept the area, then as an after thought he scanned the floors below. Something was blocking his vision.
"Lightning lad! Garth!" He called out, speeding to the stairs and down them. "Where are you?" He came to a large room, entering it cautiously. The walls were lined with television screens all lit up with Mect's laughing face.
"Superman, oh, so sorry. You're just a little to late." His fist destroyed the first screen, already heading for the second when the image shifted to Lightning lad again, straining his neck to keep above the water level.
"Garth!"
"So, Superman, when were the two of you going to tell the rest of the league. It's not like you could keep it a secret forever. So, the question is, can you save your lover?" Mect's voice came through the television, falling on deaf ears as Clark punched his way through the floor to land on the level below. Concrete flew as his fist broke through again and again.
Then he found the water.
Times up.
He dove into the water head first, forcing his eyes open. Through the murky water he spotted the red head, still chained to the wall, now completely submerged. Kicking forwards, he propelled himself to the other teen, pulling the chains from the wall in one smooth move.
Wrapping an arm around the slim waist, he pulled Garth to the surface, pushing him through the hole in the ceiling, before hoisting himself up and through.
"Garth, Garth, come on. Wake up." He leaned over, frantically searching for any sign of breath. "Come, on. We've been through worse. Wake up!"
A hacking cough escaped from the other teens lips, rolling onto his side, the water that he swallowed coming up until all that was left was violent dry heaves.
"Garth?" The red head slumped backwards, blue eyes staring up at him blearily. "Hey." Clark broke the chains on Lightning Lads wrists, lifting him up. "I'm going to get you back to head quarters."
You made it.
Blue eyes fluttered open, wincing at the fluorescent lights. "Whah?"
"Hey, he's awake!" Four faces appeared above him, grinning down. "How do you feel?"
"Clark?" His eyes focused on the dark haired teen above him.
"I'm here." The others backed away from the bed, exchanging knowing glances.
"See, I told Mect that you'd show up." Garth grinned, tugging so Clark was sitting on the bed.
"We didn't find him." Garth shrugged, threading his fingers with Clarks, eyes slipping closed again.
"I'll find him." The red head shifted over, making space for Clark to lie back next to him.
"I'll be there to help." He didn't reply, just rolling over to nestle into Clarks side.
