This is a submission is for the dragonbat challenge. I've never written a fan fiction before, so any criticism would be greatly appreciated.

That said, I'd like to stress the only reason I wrote this story, is because I'm polarizing the inaction in the book with "unrealistic" action. I know it's not justified, but regardless…

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Chapter 1

Metropolis is truly an amazing city. Poets have written of Babylon for thousands of years. Each of these words and more can be given to Metropolis. Whether a building is made of iron or concrete, the colors the city itself presents can only be found on an artist's palate.

The sun shines so brightly in this city that even in the heaviest downpour of rain; one must use UV protective eyewear. The city was specifically designed this way. Unlike Gotham or Star City, streets were designed wider as the building became taller. When old and crumpled buildings were replaced by towering sky-touchers, the city would move the buildings farther from the street to allow the light to pass between them. Three or four buildings would become two with up to five times their original heights. Metaphorically, if there were ever an alley that was deemed too dark, the city would have the ground raise up to meet the light.

And then there is the life. The life is not only captivating, but it is also engulfing. The people allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the extraordinary. A tourist would look at the citizens and say that they were desensitized by the redundancy of it, but they aren't. They are a part of the existence. Those that work on the city from the young teenagers working at the carwash to the middle aged road construction worker have a pride and inspiration. They have an icon. They have a Superman. The people allow themselves to be a part of all of it. From the amazing sights of heroes triumphing to the fearful (and frequent) nightmare of Armageddon to the absurdity of terrorists who use disco balls to threaten the animal kingdom of the local petting zoo, the people of Metropolis allow themselves to be a part of it because of the sense of security and compassion from the one most extraordinary being in known existence.

The last son of Krypton has well made this his home. Accepted by many, relented by few. His is a character that is rarely in question. In this city, more people have faith in him than in their own religion. Despite this, he has wrought unthinkable evils onto this city. Kalaback and Darksied. Brainiac and Gog. Lex Luthor. All things of this city evil were brought because of him. Yet the people still look to him for hope and courage. People have come here to cause destruction to this beauty. Some of them are justified. One such man was recruited. As of yet, his name is unimportant. He doesn't want to be here to attempt to deny the citizens their greatest inhabitant, but he has no choice in the matter.

One of the few abandoned complexes cited for reconstruction is where he is right now. His connections made it possible for him to work undeterred. His objective is capture. Dead or alive wasn't specified primarily because it isn't an option. Few can possibly kill him. No man can, though. The man in the room is a veteran in this business. He has a costume and everything. He is one of the best trained people in the world. He has no beams coming out of his eyes, telepathy from his mind or invulnerability to everything but a small green rock. All he has in advantage to the incredible Superman is summed up into two things. Intelligence and surprise. Intelligence isn't as far of an advantage as one would think. This Superman is by no means a rookie. Having watched Superman fight the good fight as long as he can remember, there is no way, he can be perceived as inexperienced.

Surprise in this mission is essential. Any little bit helps. The top half of his body is covered with a black cloth. None of his skin can be seen. His head is covered in a layered sash making it difficult to recognize any of his features. The quarry in question can look through everything but lead. The weave of this material is interwoven with traces of lead to mesh any attempted "through" view.

As the man in the wrapped face mask looks down from the fifth story window of the building complex four doors from the Daily Bugle Tower, he can't help but fear that his plan isn't perfect. After only having been given six days to plan and set up the stage for the coup, pressed doesn't even begin to describe it. If he fails, she dies. Being under constant surveillance himself, he can't delay or derail his tormentors. He was allowed to request objects or blessings from allies and close friends, but his requests were recorded and he was prevented from informing them of what he needed them for. If he escapes surveillance, she dies. He can't signal for help or send up caveat. Any radio waves they catch plotting betrayal, she dies.

Despite this, he was able to get one small message out. It wouldn't have been intercepted, but at the same time, he can't be sure it can be received at all. There's only one way out of this. And it requires his best friend to pay attention to the smallest detail…

And the tension builds.

Despite this one way out, he realizes that he needs to concentrate on making sure that he, himself succeeds. After all, the job of taking down Superman has been attempted more times than countable and rarely successful. There is a hope that Superman may have been informed and will play along, but that's a chance he can't allow himself to take.

He does a last minute inventory check. Half these toys were made built from scratch recently. They're untested on the field, but there are three other backup objects just in case of any one failing. Each item has a specific purpose. Those toys not on him now are laid on the playing field throughout the city. Planning the strategy was painstakingly complex. Timing's most important. He can move faster than a speeding bullet. He races with Flash for fun. If this plan is unsuccessful it is because one of the objects is too far away at the time it's needed or if backup arrives too early.

His JLA-coms informed him that he had returned from a "galactic conflict." Nonetheless, he is here in the city. Worldly matters happen so frequently to him. He has to look to make sure Superman enters the building.

Just then, he sees a large man running. He's dressed in a blue suit and thick prescription glasses. He's running after an MTA city bus. With one a newspaper under his left arm and his hand flailing frantically with his left, he's desperately trying to catch the bus. The man in black cracks a smile thinking to himself, "does he have to try this hard because his only mask is a pair of glasses, or is he just a social masochist."

He quickly remembers his situation and prepares. The man in black pulls a cell phone and dials the phone. From the other line he hears a female voice. "Hello, what is the basis of your emergency?"

"I've got a dirty bomb here at 2316 N. Luther Street. Give me…uh… 12 million dollars or I set it off."

He picks up two thick lead covered bucklers and puts them on. "They weigh more than I thought," he thinks.

"Where is your location sir?"

The man in black pauses and thinks for a second. "I said 2316 N. Luther Street."

"You're going to set off a bomb right next to you?"

The man in black suddenly realizes that he wasn't planning on a smart mouthed operator. "Look lady, get the money ready or I'll set this thing off wiping out the city block and maybe make a new super villain or two."

With a quick glance, he looks down at a small beeping light at the underbelly of the buckler. The message is still being sent, but there's no way to make sure it's working. Pushing it to the back of his mind, he picks up two batons and places them in his thigh guard. He begins the walk down to the first floor. Just inside the lobby of the abandoned twelve story building, he takes a deep breath. He steps outside to the crowd of people in the street. A few people notice the hooded figure and move away quickly, but some just ignore him either to busy to care or have seen it too many times in this city.

Within two minutes, he hears sirens in the distance. The people look at the man in black. More of the citizens keep their distance. That's good it'll keep the bystanders away. They need their space. He then sees two cop cars stop with four armed MPD in the back. He pulls out a devise and presses a button.

At that moment, Clark Kent, a mild mannered reporter, got into the 37th floor of the Daily Planet. The spacious surroundings filled with sounds clicking from the keyboards and the flickering of the computer monitors. All reporters acting busy because they believe people still read the newspaper. Mr. Kent breathes as if he'd just run a marathon. A loud "Damnit Clark" echoed throughout the office. Gray haired man comes storming across the room. "If I told you once I told you a thousand times," screams Perry White, the editor and chief of the paper. "You don't have to come in on time. I've given up years ago on you showing up here when you're supposed to."

"I know sir."

"Don't get me wrong, it's a welcome surprise to see you being here early; however I don't want you're showing up wheezing like you're having a heart attack."

"I know sir."

"And what's with this whole sir thing? There aren't any interns here, so we don't need this whole 'sir' thing."

"You're right sir… I mean Chief… Mr. White."

Perry rolls his eye and walks off.

"My God, it just goes in one ear and out the other with that…"

Taking deep breaths to calm down, Mr. Kent sits down at his computer. He then heard a whisper from behind him.

"Are you still doing the whole incompetent bit?"

Turning in his chair he sees the beautiful brunet Mrs. Kent smiling back. "I thought you gave up that routine."

"Too thick?"

Lois rubs his shoulders whispering. "You try too hard." She then kisses him on cheek and turns around to go to her wok place. Clark smiles. Lois sometimes isn't sure if the rubdowns she does really help at all, but Clark's smiling now. Even though he's the man of steel, he can still feel that tender touch. Most of the time it's even more important than the kiss.

His smile quickly fades as he hears sirens in the distance. Three blocks away and heading toward the planet. Usually, he tries to ignore those sirens unless there are three of them turning on at the same time. That's when there's a definite problem. These sirens are by the Bugle. He's always more jumpy around the ones he cares most about. Just then another siren blares on about seven blocks away. Clark's interest is peaked now. He starts to type unreadable gibberish on his computer as he concentrates on pinpointing the sound. They park outside a building a couple of blocks away. He hears a huge explosion. He looks through the wall to see two cop cars park in front of a costumed man. Eight floors above them, all the glass is shattered and the walls are on fire. Clark gets up and says loudly, "Okay Lois, I'll check out that lead." Then he notices; she's talking to someone else.

Lois looks up at Clark quizzically. "Um… I mean, that lead you told me about last night… with the… er… guy." She pinches her nose looks down and takes a deep breath. She then looks up at Clark again and mouths, "Just go… no one cares."

Looking around he sees that everyone is too busy working to even notice he's there at all. Nodding, he grabs a notepad and runs out the door to the elevator.

Outside, the man in black had knocked out two of the officers with one baton and tackled the one farthest to the right before it landed safely in his hand. He had set off an explosion on the eighth floor to either get the Superman's attention or to distract him later. He instead decided to scare away onlookers with the explosion, but they just wouldn't go away. The glass shards falling to the sidewalk hadn't prevented a single person from ogling the situation. Holding him he shouts out to the remaining officer. "I'm only going to say this once. Keep everyone back."

The remaining police officer ignores the command and pulls a gun on the masked vigilante. He lean back, leaps in the air and kicks the officer across the temple. A crowd had gathered around the fight. He quickly screamed, "Everyone back or I'll set off another one."

The crowd remained motionless. He raised his hand high above him with his thumb on the trigger of the same device that caused the previous explosion. Suddenly, as if by magic, his hands felt a searing pain. They were forced open and the device was removed from his hand. The man looked up above the crowd to see the Superman crushing the device above him. The crowd looked on in awe of their hero. He hovered high above a fairly good distance away.

The imposing figure above him made the man in black know that the challenge was on.