Infinite Crisis
Sky High science lab 1978
Young Steve Stronghold yawns as he, and his red haired lab partner Rex Mason work on a ray gun. Mason works hard constructing the little needed pieces to the gun, but cocky Steve Stronghold daydreams about fighting some villain. Steve leans back in his seat, and then closes his eyes and begins to imagine himself in a drag out fight with a monster. Rex notices this, but realizes Steve won't listen to him anyway. Their Lab teacher MR.IQ slowly makes his way around the class room, checking on the students progress. Mason begins to rush and Steve is still in a daydream. Their teacher IQ may look like a normal glasses wearing Caucasian male, but he was cold and had a tough grading policy. Rex finishes up the gun, and Steve emerges from his dream state as IQ comes by their desk.
"Okay gentleman, lets see how you did." says IQ with almost no emotion.
Steve gives a confident smile, which irritates the hardworking Mason to no ends.
"MR. IQ….um…..we…have constructed a standard class ray gun." Mason says with a smile.
"We will see how standard it is Mr. Mason." IQ responds.
As Mason is about to hand IQ the gun, Steve grabs it up first.
"I got this one Rex let me show cue ball how it works." Steve says with a grin.
IQ shook his head in dissatisfaction , and then folds his arms. Rex panics knowing Stronghold couldn't work a toaster let alone a Ray gun.
"Alright everyone watch and be amazed!" Steve yells out.
Steve proceeds, but presses the wrong button on the gun and then aims it the wrong way. He aims it towards Mason who has no time to evade the ray! .The Ray sends Mason flying through the wall and into the next room!
"oops. Are you okay Rex?" Steve calls out.
IQ and the class rush into the next room, now ruined by the blast which hit Mason. Mason lies his face nearly ruined buy the blast. Steve rushes over to his side, and throws the debree off Mason easily.
"Rex…you okay?" Steve wonders sadly.
Rex manages to say 3 words "I… hate you." Then Rex falls back unconscious.
"You…hate…. Me?" Steve wonders.
The words more then anything struck accord with Steve he had always been popular and liked by all. The notion that a friend could hate him was more hurtful then anything a supervillian would ever do to him In the future. Mason was eventually dug out the ruble, and was sent to the nurse. Even though Steve made the mistake…Mason was blamed for making the gun to powerful for school. That was the last time Steve or the now scarred Rex Mason spoke to each other on good terms.
28 years later ……………..
Maxville Metropolis
A nearly beaten Commander lies on the floor inside Mason Towers. His arch Nemesis now billionaire Rex Mason stands over him, and dressed in a black suit and holding a very familiar Ray gun.
"Hahaha. All these years Commander and I finally have you." Rex states with a smirk.
The Commander trys to stand up, but Rex shoots him with another Ray gun blast!
"Please Commander don't get up on the count of me." Rex sarcastically remarks with a devilish smile.
The weakened Commander struggles to regain his power.
"Listen Rex…you only have seconds before I beat You." A surprisingly confident Commander states.
"Oh really. Is their no limit to your confidence!" Rex yells out angrily. "I have you beaten and down, and you still act as if you have the advantage!" Rex angrily adds.
"Give..up now..Rex." A still weak Commander demands.
Rex angrily blasts The Commander yet again.
"Tell me Commander. How do you plan on getting out of this one?" Rex Wonders with a grin.
"Easy…with the help of a Jetstream." Commanders answers.
Rex scratches his head, and then realizes what Commander meant. As Rex Looks up Jetstream crashes through the glass wall! She fly's into a surprised Rex and knocks him down to the ground! She then lands near her now rejuvenated husband, and the two stand hip to hip in their signature pose.
"Well Rex you lose again." Commander says.
"And this time its for good. I gave the cops evidence of all your past criminal works. Their on their way up as we speak. Its over Rex." Jetstream adds equally confident.
Rex then hears many footsteps as the police raid his Tower.
"No….this can't be! I had you Commander. I had you!" Rex angrily yells out.
A frantic Rex then leaps up from the ground, and then runs over to his oval desk. The Strongholds look on in amusement. Thinking there is not way out for Rex.
"Give up Rex, im sure 10 to 20 years will go by fast." Commander remarks with a smirk.
Rex franticly opens up his draw, and then sees what he was looking for. With a huge grin on his face…Rex looks up at his foes.
"It appears this fight will continue another day Steve." Rex says.
With that he presses a button in his draw, and a trap door opens up sending Rex falling through the floor!
"What the Hell?" Commander wonders.
The duo rush over to the desk, but the trap door has vanished with Rex. Commander and Jetstream stand their in shock and disbelief.
………………………………...
2 DAYS LATER
Will easily benches the 500 pounds on his bench press. Ever since he got his powers His life has improved. As will pushes up and down on the bar his dad comes into his room smiling as usual. Will places the bar back down as his dad sits down on his bed.
"What's up dad?" Will wonders.
Steve just proudly smiles.
"Nothing son. Just so proud at what you've become." Steve says.
Will smiles, and Steve pats his boy on his back.
"So kiddo. How are you and Layla?" Steve asks with a wink.
"We are fine." Will answers returning his dads weird wink.
"That's good real good..um son I think its time for the talk." Steve says with awkwardness.
Will knows where this is going, but plays along anyway.
"What talk would that be dad?" Will asks while rolling his eyes.
Steve sighs, and then begins pacing around the room.
"You see son….its about the reporter and the lonely superhero." Steve awkwardly says.
Will was expecting birds and bees, but I guess his dad has the "heroic version".
"Uh..sorry dad I gotta go catch the bus." Will says as he leaves the room.
"We will talk later then son!" Steve calls out.
Will breathes a sy of relief, and makes his way to the busstop. He arrives their with Layla and Zach eagerly waiting for him.
"What's good son." Zach energetically says.
"What's up guys." Will reply's.
Layla and Will share a short kiss, and the bus arrives right on time.
………………………………...
Pandemonium prison :
Gwen, Speed, Lash, Penny, and Stitches all sit in a maximum security group cell. The prison is filled of supervillians, all which Gwen and her gang look down upon. Stitches hops around the cramped cell as Lash and speed play chess. Penny Talks to herself about what they should wear to lunch. Gwen sits their in deep thought wondering how she could loose to Will Stronghold. 17 years of planning down the drain, and all she has to show for it is prison time. Gwen knows she will get out and she will destroy the Strongholds for good. She then just sighs, and then lays back down on her cotton bed.
BOOM!
The walls to their cell gets blasted down. The Pain gang all fall to the ground due to the blast. The prison alarm sounds and all the criminals are in an uproar. Through the hole Rex Mason fly's through wearing an armored black super exoskeleton. His face hard and cold. The Pain gang rise to their feet in share amazement of this site. Gwen recognizes her former classmate and friend, and smile comes on her deadly face.
"Rex Mason. Its been far to long." Gwen comments with a smile.
Rex hovers down to the ground.
"Hello Royal Pain. I see you've grown back up again." Rex says with a smirk.
"Whatever. Are you here to bust us or what?" Gwen wonders.
Rex sighs. "Ofcourse my dare, why else would I be in this hellish place." Rex remarks coldly.
"Well lets get going Rexy!" Gwen eagerly yells out.
"Before we leave I must know something. How bad do you want to see the Strongholds pay?" Rex asks with is arms folded.
The entire Pain gang looks at Rex and all shout out "Badly!"
"Good….good." Rex replies with a devilish grin.
Rex then presses a button on his suit, and a bubble surrounds the group. They fly out the hole and into the sky.
……..The infinite Crisis has begun……………………………..see you soon