CHAPTER 1: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
The cold, brisk air blows strong against Commissioner Gordon, his brown trench-coat flapping against his khaki pants. He reached into his coat pocket, removing a lighter with his daughters named engraved into the casing. Gordon coughed and pulled a cigarette from another pocket began to light it, taking a few tries due to the cold air. Once he had properly lit the cigarette, he inserted it into his mouth and sighed, rubbing his arms to keep warm, looking into the night sky above the GCPD building.
"I see you still smoke," a gruff voice stated behind Gordon.
"Old habits die hard," Gordon responded turning around.
"Just like you will," Batman grumbled, his cape encompassing his body and flowing silently in the brittle air like a living shadow. Batman's white eyes pierced the darkness like two tiny flashlights
"…what do you mean?" Gordon mumbled, gritting the cigarette between his teeth.
"You have lung-cancer," Batman spoke in his powerful voice.
"And how would you know that?" Gordon questioned.
"As you should know by now Gordon, medical-records-anything for that matter-are all within my grasp," Batman grunted condescendingly.
"You know, I should shoot you wear you stand," Gordon mumbled. "Your public enemy number-one here in Gotham; all your other friends in you crime-family across the globe are wanted in their respective territories. Washington is even considering marching troops into the city to kill you."
"You and I both know they will never kill me, so the next time someone suggests that, tell them I dare them to," Batman pronounced. "And you won't shoot me because you know you can never do as good of a job as the Bat-Family does."
"Maybe," Gordon whispered, turning around. "Or maybe I WILL!"
Gordon spun around a pulled out his gun in one swift motion, only to find Batman gone.
The Commissioner coughed and spun the lighter around in his hands, pulling it to his chest.
"Why did you ever get involved in this Barbara," Gordon sobbed, tears streaming down his face.
MEANWHILE: In Egypt, the famous Reporter Lois Lane is followed by her fumbling camera-man Jimmy Olsen into a crowd of rioters in street garb, throwing all sorts of waste towards a government building, screaming and shouting vulgarities and raising signs in protest.
"Come on, Jimmy, get your camera ready," Lois rushed him, fixing her hair.
"Ready," Jimmy mumbled, his video camera to his face, handing Lois a microphone. "Filming in 5…4…3…2…1."
"Hello ladies and gentleman, this Lois Lane of the Daily Planet, here live in Egypt, where riots and protests are ensuing after political, economic and governmental control of Egypt was handed over to notorious dictator Teth-Adam, known widely as Black Adam to the rest of the world."
"Protestors are outraged as you can see," Lois ducked a flying chunk of rotten fruit. "They are deeply upset in their government's willingness to hand over control to Black Adam, who threatened to quote-on-quote 'Destroy Egypt in a rain of thunder', whatever that means or entails. The U.S. is in a very tricky situation. The citizens of Egypt are planning to construct a new state if worse-comes to worse, which would lead to a civil war that would likely have ripple effects across Africa and the Middle East, which have recently become docile for inexplicable reasons."
The skies began to turn black as large bolts of lightning crackled through the air like cracks in a dark mirror. A black figure emerged from the thunder and flew slowly onto the ground to the protestor's dismay.
The rioters gasped as Black Adam stood before them, the yellow bolt of lightning on his suit gleaming in the darkness as the thunder continued to rumble with his every word.
"I am Teth-Adam," he announced. "But you will call be Black Adam." He paused between the two words of his name.
"I am your leader-your ruler. There is nothing you can do to change this. Resistance against me will only spell death for you-death as certain as thunder follows lighting," Black Adam continued.
"Keep the camera rolling Jimmy," Lois whispered, her eyes trained on the muscular figure. "This is going to be gold for our careers."
"YOU CAN'T RULE US!" a rioter shouted. "WE WON'T-"
Black Adam disintegrated the protestor with a wave of his hand-a lightning bolt flying from his fingertips.
"Any more and I will kill you all," Adam shouted. "YOU!"
Adam pointed to Jimmy and Lois.
"I had declared that there will be no reporters or journalists in my country," Adam grunted, striding towards the two, the crowd stumbling out of his way. He stopped in front of them and continued. "Turn off the camera and surrender. Now."
"The world has a right to see what you're doing," Lois shouted at him
"I am claiming what is mine," Adam rebutted. "I am claiming what I deserve."
"The world deserves to see this so they can fight against tyrants and dictators like you," Jimmy shouted.
"Nobody will fight against me," Black Adam chuckled. "People will speak out against and condemn me, yes, but people of this time are cowardly-weak-lazy. They are consumed with their glutton and opinions and constant verbal warfare of politicians and lawmakers, always wishing to divide people-to separate them-all for the purpose of feeling different-of feeling special. I am the only special one. I am the strongest being to ever walk upon the surface of this wretched planet. When I ruled this territory-what you people today have proclaimed as the 'Middle East', my people were not separated, not as they were today. They were separated by opinions or beliefs but my their status in the society I had built up from the pestilent land. They were separated by choice; the harder they worked, the higher a place they were in society. It was beautiful, but the old Wizard banished me to edges of reality for avenging the deaths of my wife and son. I fought my way back to this planet only to find my land-my home-in disarray-plagued by war, famine, terrorists and the greedy clutches of bloated men who desecrate this lad with their greed. I will restore my land to its former state. All your news and reporting does is deliver these people a false-hope. I false glimmer of salvation. You are a false-prophet. There is no savior coming."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," a crisp voice shouted from up in the sky.
"WHAT IS THAT?", "Is that a bird?", "Is that a PLANE?" were the questions mumbled through the crowd as Black Adam turned towards the sky.
"Who dares defy my say," Adam questioned angrily. "WHO ARE YOU?"
"I'd like to call myself the Calvary," the man in the sky answered. "But the politicians like to call me a 'Superman'."
"Come down to the Earth, challenger," Black Adam.
"IIIIII think I'm pretty good up here," Superman mocked. "I mean if you want to fight, I'd be happy to. Oh wait, let me rephrase that; If you'd like to try to fight me, go right ahead."
"Hit me, challenger," Black Adam raged. "HIT ME!"
"Okay," Superman sighed.
A sonic-boom ruptured the sound barrier, a giant KA-KOOM rattling through the air. In an instant Superman was gone from where he hovered in the air but into a crater in the ground, one foot atop Black Adams chest.
"If you wanna' give up now, that'd be cool with me," Superman laughed. "I'll write in my report to m superiors that you put up a good fight."
"You are strong, challenger," Adam grunted as he grabbed Superman's legs. "Yet you let yourself be controlled."
Adam flipped Superman into the ground and they flung him into the air. Superman caught his momentum and flung himself into Black Adam who was in mid-air, launching them into the sky away from civilians.
"You are very strong," Adam continued as they punched each other in a brutal skirmish. "Who would have the power to control you?"
"They do not control me, Teth," Superman replied.
"Who is they?" Adam asked.
"The United States of America. Or as I like to call The Greatest Country in the Whole World."
"Your ignorance misguides you," Adam inferred. "If you really wish to make an impact on this world you would be your own keeper. Instead you serve the most corrupted and bloated country on this planet. If you fought for the mortals, you would fight on your own term, without a countries political and wealthy agenda blinding your moral-code. So I ask of you-what do you fight for, challenger?"
"I fight for truth," Superman landed a massive hit.
"Justice," Superman walloped Adam with his shoulder and sent him crashing into the pavement.
"And the American Way."
Adam stood up and pushed his arm out towards Superman and yelled, a bolt of lightning extending from his fist and into Superman's chest.
Superman grunted in pain as he crashed into ground where Black Adam charged his fists with the electrical energy.
"You are weak to my magic, challenger," Black Adam mocked. "Let's see how this battle will end."
Adam pummeled Superman across the city, hitting him continuously with his lightning fists.
"Enough!" Superman shouted, releasing a crimson blast of heat from his eyes, sending Adam across the city.
In the streets, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane followed the two, recording the epic clash.
"The camera still on?" Lois asked as they jogged over to Superman who slowly descended to the ground
"Yeah," Jimmy replied. "Why?"
"Because we are about to get the shot of our lives."
Superman collapsed on the ground; he had never felt this weak in his life. He didn't even know he had a weakness.
Lois and Jimmy rushed over in time to see Superman in detail, the shot that would make them famous.
They analyzed Superman's appearance; his costume was all blue ad his collar and cuffs had to v-shaped layers of red and blue, his boots were red with a blue outline, his cape was red, his belt was alternating red and white and a large S-Shield adorned his chest.
"Challenger," Adam shouted in the, preparing to throw a lightning bolt at Superman. "Get ready to die."
Adam threw the bolt into Superman's chest, where it exploded in a light-show of electricity, bringing Superman to his knees.
"NO!" Jimmy exclaimed. "His electricity interfered with my camera-its fried!"
"No…No...," Lois whimpered. " This was going to be our big break! The people of the world need hope from someone like this!"
Adam landed on the ground. Superman swung but his fist was caught by Black Adam who electrocuted Superman.
"This will kill you, challenger," Black Adam assured. "SHA-"
"STOP!" Lois shouted. "DON'T KILL HIM!"
"YOU DO NOT COMMAND ME, MORTAL," Adam shouted as he flew to Lois and grabbed her by the throat as Jimmy fell over.
Lois squirmed to try to break free. "You are determined a fearless, mortal. You will make an excellent slave. You are quite beautiful…"
"I wouldn't mess with her, pal," Superman joked. "For all you know, she may be Earths mightiest mortal."
Superman pulled him left arm around Adams throat and snapped Adams arm, releasing Lois who scrambled away.
"You have made a poor decision, challenger," Adam choked through Superman's grip. "Once I speak the magic word, you and all the mortals for miles will be eradicated."
"Well, the only magic words I know are 'Abracadabra', 'Hocus Pocus' and 'Please', so if it's not one of those, I don't really care," Superman stated.
"You should care, challenger," Adam grunted, trying to break free of Superman's grip. "Your life depends on it."
"I don't care," Superman explained. "You'll be dead in a minute anyways."
"What?" Adam questioned.
Superman burned two holes through Black Adams head, and snapped his neck for good measure.
Black Adams body flopped onto the dusty ground with a loud FWHOLP.
Superman rubbed his hands and prepared to take off.
"Wait!" Lois shouted as she and Jimmy ran towards Superman. "Thanks for saving me-I mean us-ALL of us."
"No problem Ms.?" Superman questioned.
"Lane. Lois Lane," she answered.
"Thank you, Ms. Lane, for giving me enough time to gather my strength by distracting Adam," Superman thanked.
"Uh, Superman, is it? My partner and I were reporting for the news live. When you arrived we began filming separately and not directly uploaded to the news station, but Black Adams electricity fried our equipment. We'd like to know if you would agree to do an interview with us?"
"Sure, Ms. Lane," Superman agreed. "When?"
"Next Tuesday, the Daily Planet," Lois responded.
"Alright, sounds like a date," Superman smiled.
"Before you go, I have a question," Lois stated.
"Can't it wait until the interview?" Superman inquired.
"I would just like to know why you killed Black Adam?" Lois asked
"It's the American way," Superman stated simply, flying into the now clear sky, the dark clouds of Black Adam gone.
