Son of Cadmus
Chapter 7
Connor soared over Metropolis, his head angled downward and his eyes glowing a pale white as he used his x-ray vision to search for Lois.
Car exhaust mixed with smoke from factories and restaurants, clogging Connor's nose, making it impossible for him to track his aunt by smell.
He paused in a row of warehouse is, near the docks. The sound of his aunt's heartbeat was barely audible over the crash of the waves against the stone pillars holding up the peer a few blocks down.
His nostrils flared, burning with the scent of curry powder from a nearby restaurant. Slowly, he began filtering out the other scents until he caught hers, just under the Korean spice. The scent of roses and vanilla washed the smells of the city from his nose.
Crossing his arms, the young hybrid drifted lower, his white cape billowing about him. The warehouses tin walls were covered in rust, broken windows were covered over by rotting plywood. Chains stretched across the plywood in an X shape.
Crouching on the roof, Connor mimicked the energy of the chameleon, shimmering out of existence. Once invisible, the young hybrid wiped the years of accumulated grime off the skylight and peered inside.
Thousands of people rich and poor and a variety of different clothes huddled around the 20' x 20' ring surrounded by a titanium fence.
"Now where did these people get a titanium fence from?"
The young hybrid's eyes locked onto a blonde in a white blazer, "Alright Aunt Lois, I won't interfere with your story unless you get yourself in trouble, but by the look of this place I think you're in seriously over your head."
–XX–
Lois Lane strode through the mass of bodies surrounding her, the sound of her footsteps slapping against the concrete floor lost in the chatter of the crowd.
The smells of bodies packed together filled her nose, reminding her of the scent of onion rings and making her eyes water.
Her slender hand drifted inside her pale white blazer, gliding over the tape recorder hidden within her bra, before moving up to the flower brooch pinned over her heart. She did all this while keeping her eyes locked on the large ring in the center of the room.
People pressed up against the wire cage surrounding it, eager to get a look at the next combatants.
Lois stopped before the cage, watching a man in a sharp business suit wash the blood from the gray mat covering the ring floor.
The diluted red liquid ran down the sides of the ring in thin rivers, creating grisly puddles.
A woman strode into the ring, her curly blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. A pale white dress shirt tied in to a not just below her breast exposed her tan muscled stomach. She stopped in the center of the ring, the bracelets adorning her wrist glinting as she spread her arms wide.
The muscles of her arms bulged against the rolled up sleeves of her shirt.
Her green eyes scanned the crowd, "Well, wasn't that an interesting match folks?"
The crowd roared and Lois angled the camera hidden inside her brooch on to the woman's heart-shaped face.
"Our next contestant," the woman continued, her voice booming from speakers hidden in the four corners of the warehouse, "just escaped from Stryker's Penitentiary.
I am proud to introduce," she began her white teeth gleaming in the spotlights mounted above the ring. She gestured to her right, "Atomic Skull."
Lois tensed at the name. Taking a few steps backwards, she hid herself behind a large muscular man with flame tattoos snaking their way up his neck. Keeping her camera angled at the ring, Lois ran a hand through her bleach blonde hair, wishing she had worn something with a hood instead of just dying her hair.
The crowd roared as a man six foot tall with broad shoulders covered in green armor stomped on to the ring, his black combat boots sending vibrations through its gray mat.
There was no face, just a skull bathed in green energy.
Atomic Skull spread his large arms wide, his head snapping back to release a jet of green flames from his mouth, the green energy wreathing his skull flaring with the action.
"Wasn't that an impressive display folks?" The blonde woman asked as Atomic Skull stopped two feet away from her, his fist planted on his hips, the silver spiked wristbands he wore flashing in the light.
The blonde walked forward, running her slender fingers across Atomic Skull's broad shoulders, "Now, I bet you're all wondering who's going to fight this big man."
Moving away from Atomic skull, the blonde stopped in the center of the ring and gestured to her left, "Help me welcome, Solomon Grundy born on a Monday," she sung the last bit.
The doors on the left side of the cage swung open.
A man 7 foot tall with gray skin and pale white hair stomped into the ring, the scent of death wafted off him, making those closest to the ring step back. His body was at least three feet wide, his arms like tree trunks.
He stopped in the center of the ring and thrust his fist into the air roaring like a beast, spittle flying past his gray teeth, Grundy going to win! The creature boomed his yellow eyes shining with an otherworldly light.
The blonde step forward, "place your bets now people, I guarantee you this is a once-in-a-lifetime match. Who will win?"
Men in dark suits began moving through the crowd, taking money and handing out betting slips. One of them paused before Lois. The reporter could feel the eyes behind the dark sunglasses scanning her up and down.
"You want to make a bet?" He asked his voice gruff, with just a hint of boredom.
Leaning forward, Lois smiled sweetly, resting her hand on his chest, "Who would you recommend?"
Grinning, the man leaned forward, Lois had to fight to keep from gagging at the smell of his cologne, "Well personally," he whispered, "I would go with Solomon Grundy," he leaned back, running a hand across his brown buzz cut, "I mean you can't really kill something that's already dead."
Lois nodded, her pleasant smile still plastered on her face. She reached into the inner pocket of her jacket, pulling out two crisp hundred dollar bills, "Then I will put two hundred on Solomon Grundy."
The guy nodded, writing it out on his notepad, "Alright, that's two hundred on Solomon Grundy, name please?"
"Lucy Mitchell," Lois replied.
"Alright Miss Mitchell, if Solomon Grundy wins, take this slip of paper to one of the booths in the back," he smiled, "and come see me afterwards."
Smiling coyly, Lois fluttered her eyelashes, "You got it."
Grinning, the man walked away, a pleased swagger in his step.
Once he was far enough away, Lois took a few deep breaths through her nose, clearing the smell of his cologne out.
Even the smell of human bodies packed together in a large space was better than that.
The blonde began making her way out of the ring, "All bets are off folks, now it's time for the main event." She slammed the gate behind her, wrapping a chain and padlock around it.
With that done, to more men in suits wheeled in generators with jumper cables attached to them. They attach the jumper cables to the fence surrounding the ring. Blue electricity arced along the metal.
"Let the match begin."
With a roar Solomon Grundy and Atomic Skull charged forward. They slammed together with enough force to send a shockwave out of the ring, pushing people back.
The blonde announcer moved to stand beside Lois, her green eyes locked on the two battling Titans, "So," the woman asked tucking her strand of curly blonde hair behind her ear, sending the diamond earring dangling from it splaying, "who'd you bet on?"
Slipping her hands into her pale blazer, Lois nodded towards Grundy, "One of your boys gave me a good piece of advice, said it's hard to kill someone already dead."
The woman nodded, "True enough."
Solomon Grundy slammed his basketball sized fist into Atomic skull's head. He roared as the green energy seared his gray flesh black.
The smell of burnt rotten meat wafted out of the ring.
Atomic skull slammed a fist into Solomon Grundy's gut, causing him to hunch forward over Atomic skull's arm with his mouth open struggling to regain his breath.
Atomic skull backhanded Solomon Grundy, sending him flying to the far side of the ring. Electricity snapped and popped along Solomon Grundy's moldy suit, causing it to smoke.
Laughing, Atomic skull through his fist in the air, "Nobody beats Atomic skull," grinning, he turned his attention back to Solomon Grundy. Leaning forward, he opened his mouth.
Green flames washed over Solomon Grundy's half of the ring.
People backed away with the scream as flames exploded through the fence.
Dispersing the flames with a mighty clap of his hands, Solomon Grundy roared, his eyes burning a piss yellow. He charged forward, spittle flying past his gray lips. He ignored the flames burning the upper part of his body, slamming a fist into Atomic skull's head, driving him back into the fence surrounding the ring.
Electricity arced off the fence, flowing into Atomic skull's body, causing him to cry out. His muscles spasm, and his back arched, the current coursing into his body making it impossible for him to fall from the fence.
Solomon Grundy closed the distance between them. He began hammering away at Atomic skull's ribs, the sounds of bones breaking echoing over the roar of the crowd.
"It appears you made a good bet," the announcer remarked, keeping her green eyes locked on the cage.
"I really owe my success to…" Lois was cut off when someone bumped into her, causing the brooch clipped to her blouse to fall off, revealing the wire connected to it.
The announcer turned, her green eyes narrowed, she leaned forward, "Well what do we have here?"
Before Lois could say anything or react, she was surrounded by the men in suits, guns trained on her body.
A bead of sweat ran down the side of her face, "What's the meaning of this?"
"I think you know perfectly well what this is about, Lois," the announcer hissed, "I thought I recognized you."
She ran a tan finger down Lois his cheek, "You're Lois Lane, Superman's number one groupie."
She smiled at the widening of Lois's eyes, "Oh yes, I remember you from back in the day."
Lois pulled away her blue eyes hard, "Who are you?"
The woman shook her head sadly, "I keep forgetting the world forgot all about me after my accident."
The woman stepped back. A crowd had made a circle around them when the guards pushed through them with their guns drawn. She spread her arms wide, "I am Casey Krinsky."
Lois cocked her head to one side, a dark eyebrow raised, "The crazy woman who was obsessed with Firestorm? I thought you were stone in star labs."
"I am not crazy," Casey snarled a wild look in her eye, "Firestorm just didn't understand my affection."
A smirk turned one corner of Lois's lips upward, "Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night."
Red blotches appeared on Casey's face, her lips twisted into a snarl. She gestured to her men, "Kill her," she looked around her, "and if anyone of you says a word, your families will pay the price."
As one the men in suits raise their guns, their black metal glinted in the harsh industrial light of the building.
"What's the matter," Lois blurted out, "not woman enough to handle me yourself?" She shook her head, "It's no wonder Firestorm wouldn't give a coward like you the time of day."
Casey raised her hand, her guard stepped back, "You know, you're right, it has been a long time since I got my hands dirty."
She stepped forward, her skin becoming gray like Solomon Grundy's and her hair turning into green flames.
Lois's eyes widened..
Everyone ignored Solomon Grundy pounding on an unconscious Atomic Skull, their eyes completely focused on the transformed announcer.
"What's the matter," Casey cooed, "not expecting me to have any powers?"
Lois took a step back, "Well yeah considering you turned to stone."
"That just cause my powers to change, now I can copy any power by touch," she raised her fist, green flames enveloping it, "interviews over, time to die."
She thrust her fist forward, green flames flying outward.
Lois closed her eyes, knowing if she moved that Casey's men would shoot her.
Suddenly, the skylight above the ring exploded, glass and bits of metal rain down into the room.
People dived to get out of the way, but before the debris could land on anyone, it transformed into liquid metal that slid up the walls of the ring, hardening until the ring was encased in a giant metal box.
Connor stretched out his hand, pulling the energy flying towards his aunt into him. His eyes flared a brilliant green as he touched down in front of her.
"You know," he said keeping his gaze locked on the transformed announcer, "you really should bring back up when you go to places like this."
Lois stared at him, her blue eyes incredulous, "What the hell took you so long?"
"I told Big Blue you could handle yourself, so I wanted to see how this played out."
Lois shook her head, "Whatever, just don't let her touch you she…"
"I know, she copies powers by touch."
The young hybrid's eyes flared pink, as he mimicked the energy of Hector Hammond he took all those years ago, "I've got something else in mind to deal with her." He raised his arm, frowning at the difficulty of the action. "Sleep," he commanded, his voice resonating through the tin building like the sound of a bell.
Instantly, the spectators filling the warehouse fell to the ground, light snores filling the wide open space.
As Casey Krinsky fell to the floor, Connor lowered his arm, the pink light in his eyes blinking out.
Lois stepped up beside her nephew, "You're getting good at that. If I didn't know any better I would say you were born with telepathic powers."
Connor scanned the tin walls of the warehouse before looking up to the broken skylight, "I just wish it wasn't harder to move every time I used Hector Hammond's powers. I don't know why I picked up his muscle weakness anyway."
Lois pulled out her cell phone, "The power may have some drawbacks, but at least you didn't have to fight that crazy bitch."
Connor snorted, "Gee Aunt Lois, tell me what you really think."
Lois ignored him, "Hello Metropolis PD, this is Lois Lane, I found something I think you might be interested in."
While his aunt gave the police the address, Connor walked forward, peering into the metal box he had created out of the ring with his x-ray vision.
Solomon Grundy was still pounding on Atomic skull.
Knowing it would look bad if he allowed Solomon Grundy to kill the meta-human. Connor placed his hand on the box and closed his eyes. Concentrating on the air inside the cube, the young hybrid transformed it into sleeping gas.
Within moments, Solomon Grundy fell to the ground, Earth rattling snores echoing from inside the cube.
With that done, Connor transformed the sleeping gas back into air and moved over to his aunt.
"Well I think this was a job well…" The young hybrid was cut off when a black blur smashed through one of the warehouse windows and slammed into him, carrying him out of the warehouse through another window so fast that the glass didn't hit the ground until after Connor was already gone.
"Connor!" Lois cried, standing in the middle of a building filled with unconscious bodies.
–XX–
Connor and the mysterious blur rolled through the air, wind whipping around them.
Red beams flew from Connor's eyes, slamming into his assailant.
A feminine scream rent the air as she flew backwards.
Connor righted himself, getting his first good look at his attacker.
Long wavy waist length black hair flowed behind her. Sharp blue eyes stared at him from behind crossed silver bracelets that steamed from the heat of his blasts.
A leather top, stretched taut over an impressive bust that went well with her curves. Leather pants with silver stars traveling up the legs covered her shapely thighs.
The young hybrid whistled, "You are one attractive woman, but your pickup tactics need some work."
Lowering her arms, the young girl's sharp blue eyes narrowed, "Do you always flirt with people that attack you."
"Only the pretty ones."
The young woman inclined her head, "Fair enough." She shot forward, lashing out with a fist.
Connor raised his arm, a shockwave echoing through the air from the force of the blow. The young hybrid lashed out with a foot, but the black clad woman jumped back.
Connor shook out his arm, "I'm impressed, not many people could make me feel pain, who are you?"
The woman inclined her head, "I am Wonder girl."
Blue white eyes scanned up Wonder girl's body, Connor nodded, "the name fits."
Wonder girl inclined her head, "Thank you." She shot forward, lashing out with another punch.
Connor leaned his head to the side, easily dodging the punch, but grimaced when a knee slammed into his ribs.
Wrapping his right arm around the leg buried in his ribs, the young hybrid began to spin. In a blur of motion, he released Wonder girl, sending her flying through the air.
Summoning a golden lasso, Wonder girl roped Connor around the neck, using her momentum to pull him towards her.
Connor choked, his hands flying to the rope squeezing his windpipe.
Wonder girl slammed her feet into Connor, jarring his body as the momentum of the blow tried to send him flying backwards, only for the rope around his neck to stop him.
Together the two heroes tumbled through the air, Wonder girl stopped just short of slamming through a cannery window. Connor smashed through it the rope still tight around his neck.
Yanking on the rope, Wonder girl hauled Connor out of the window. Loosening the rope around Connor's neck Wonder girl began wrapping the excess around Connor's body.
The moment the rope loosened, Connor's hand lashed out, his fingers closing around Wonder girl's neck. His eyes widened in surprise when no energy flowed into his body, "What are you?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Wonder girl choked lashing out feebly with her fist.
Connor blocked the blows, but released her and floated backwards, "I am Superboy, apprentice to Superman."
Wonder girl's eyes widened, "So you're not part of the underground meta-humans fight ring."
Connor snorted, running a hand through his shaggy blonde hair, "No, no I'm not."
Wonder girl's eyes narrowed, "Then what were you doing in that warehouse?"
Connor crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her with board eyes, "I was looking after Lois."
"Lois?" Wonder girl asked, cocking her head to one side.
"The blonde lady I was standing in front of, she's Lois Lane, Superman tasked me with looking after a while he handled a volcanic eruption in Hawaii. She was undercover in the warehouse when she got into a bit of trouble, so I intervened."
"Oh," Wonder girl said, her cheeks turning a light pink, "sorry about that."
Uncrossing his arms, Connor drifted forward, "don't worry about it. I was standing in the center of a bunch of unconscious bodies. That had to have looked suspicious."
Wonder girl opened her mouth to reply, when a scream from the warehouse cut her off.
In a flash both were back in the warehouse, descending through the hole in the roof Connor made when he first arrived. Just in time to see green flames enveloped Lois Lane.
"That'll teach you to call me an insane groupie," Casey Krinsky snarled, green energy flowing from her hands.
"Lois!"
