Act II, Scene XIX
Metropolis in chaos.
Gang members wearing full body armour and packing the weapons we saw Morgan Edge with in the previous scene are swaggering down Metropolis' avenues. They empty several discharges into one of the larger department stores, completely destroying the entire glass storefront.
Police cars arrive. One car is hit almost immediately by a discharge and flips over crazily into the air, its gas tank igniting, the cops inside spilling out in a desperate attempt to save themselves. Other cops are pinned down by fire from the weapons, but even diving behind cover doesn't help matters much because repeated fire from the weapons simply obliterates whatever they're hiding behind.
We see an ornamental fountain in one of the boulevards be systematically taken apart in such a way, causing the cops hiding behind it to flee.
The weapons have the rapid firing rate of handguns and the power of RPG's. There's simply no way for the police to stand against their power.
One item in the midst of battle seems curiously unaffected, however. A WGBS news van is untouched. Gang members give it a wide berth. We see several camera crews out filming the carnage and none of the looters and rioters seem inclined to target them.
Tania Moon is there, reporting as ever live from the midst of the chaos.
MOON: Tania Moon, WGBS News! Metropolis under siege!
A huge explosion blooms from two hundred feet or so behind her as the gang move on to a gas station and empty discharge after discharge into the fuel tanks, creating a spectacular fireball that billows high into the Metropolis skies.
MOON: Large numbers of a group identifying themselves only as 'Intergang' have taken to the streets, armed with…some kind of portable cannon…and are intent on wreaking havoc across downtown Metropolis!
We cut to Clark Kent's apartment. Clark, Lois, and Jason are watching the news report.
MOON: And still Metropolis wonders - where is Superman? Is he dead? And if not, why isn't he stopping this?
CLARK: Because I can't!
He switches off the television. Distant explosions can be heard through the apartment windows. Clark turns his head away from them. Lois comes to comfort him. Jason doesn't move. He just keeps sitting on the sofa, staring ahead.
LOIS: Clark, it's not your fault-
CLARK: I was the one who got into that chamber.
LOIS: For me. You did that for me, remember? So if anyone's going to be blamed-
He touches her cheek. She can't finish the sentence. She looks up at him and he looks back with love and not a hint of blame. She smiles, wanly but a smile nonetheless.
CLARK: I have to get them back, Lois. My powers. You know it's the only way.
LOIS: Why? Why you, Clark? Why always you? Batman has your powers. Why can't he stop this?
CLARK: Why don't you go ask him? He doesn't seem inclined to lift a finger beyond Gotham's borders. It's like he's fencing it off from the rest of the country. Building his own little kingdom.
Lois looks away. Tears are brimming in her eyes.
Jason watches all of this exchange but says nothing.
LOIS: I liked having you around all the time. You know it's strange; there you were as Clark Kent all that time, with me so in love with Superman and barely noticing Clark existed. And yet now…now all I have is Clark, and…the thought of Superman coming back, I realise a part of me, a big part, wouldn't care if I never saw those tights again. You'll be away from me, from us, again.
CLARK: I know. Believe me, I know. Being here for you...with you...
He touches her shoulder and she melts into him. He closes his eyes for a moment, savouring her nearness, but then, gently but firmly, pushes her slightly away so he can guide her into a half-turn to allow him to look into her eyes as he speaks.
CLARK: Clark is who I am. Superman is what I do. But I can't exist without him. I can't be the same man. Look at me, Lois. Look at me.
He holds up his red and swollen left hand and his right hand, now with multiple cuts and plasters.
CLARK: I'm great at pretending to be human. I suck at being human.
LOIS: (softly) You're the most human person I've ever known.
They kiss.
LOIS: (sighing) So…how does this work? How do you…?
CLARK: I have to go back there. To the Fortress. To the Eradicator. If there is a way, it'll be there. I know it.
LOIS: Clark, that's…that's thousands of miles away! You can't fly…
CLARK: I can. Anyone can. (gently) They're called aeroplanes, Lois.
LOIS: How are you even going to find it when you get there? And how do you intend to get around the small problem of the homicidal, potentially insane computer system?
JASON: I can find it.
Lois & Clark stop talking. They look at the boy, who has snapped out of the seeming stupor he had before. He is looking at them calmly, looking very much like his real father.
JASON: I know I can. I can always sense that crystal stuff and the whole place is built of it, right? And as for that Eradicator guy…well, I'm strong.
CLARK: Jason, no.
JASON: I'm stronger than you are now! And you know it!
He's on his feet now, jabbing his finger accusingly at Clark and Lois, angrier than we've ever seen him before. This has been building in him for some time, and when he releases it, he does so with gusto and with passion, a little volcano of determination erupting before them.
JASON: The last three years, all I've heard is how important it is for me to learn to use these powers I have! Well, for what? Why did you take me out for all those lessons as Superman, Clark? I kinda thought it was because you wanted me to help you out, when I grow up. And you know something? I looked forward to that more than anything. You help people. Batman was cool, but he wasn't my hero. You were. So I'm gonna start acting like one. I'm coming with you to find the Fortress and help you get your powers back and you're gonna stop Intergang. Because that's who you are. And that's who I wanna be.
He stops talking, now red-faced with anger and embarrassment, and looks as if he expects Lois or Clark or both to explode right back at him.
But all that surfaces in the faces of both adults is pride.
Without a word, Lois walks forward and envelops her son in a hug. When she lets him go, there are more tears in her eyes.
LOIS: I am so proud of you.
JASON: So I'm going?!
CLARK: You're right. I need your help.
JASON: Great! And um. You mentioned a plane?
CLARK: Yes…?
Jason's face breaks out in a nervous, hopeful smile.
JASON: Well, I um, I know where we can prob'ly get a really good pilot…
Act II, Scene XX
Gotham City. A stack of Gotham Tribunes are dumped from a truck onto a pavement outside a newsagent. The headline reads DARK KNIGHT PARDONED! with a sub-headline of BATMAN CLEARED OF COP KILLINGS!
In an alley, Batman lands in the midst of a mugging in process. The two would-be muggers look up in terror, their victim scampering away. The lead mugger drops his knife.
Both are dressed in crude clown outfits, similar to those worn by the clowns in Act I, Scene I.
CLOWN #1: You got us.
BATMAN: Clowns.
Batman advances on them.
BATMAN: I hate clowns.
Both muggers raise their hands in surrender.
CLOWN #2: Uh, take us in. We don't want no trouble. Like the man said, you got us.
BATMAN: Pathetic.
Batman now towers over the terrified men, a black silhouette of vengeance against the darkness of the alley.
BATMAN: Put your hands down.
The muggers comply.
BATMAN: Kneel.
CLOWN #1: Uh…?
BATMAN: Kneel!
He lashes out with a fist and propels the mugger who dared question the order into the brick wall of the alleyway. The man's neck snaps like a twig. He falls lifeless to the ground.
Batman looks down at his fist. He holds a hand to his head, as if dazed, and when he looks up at the second mugger, his voice is noticeably different; much more like Bruce Wayne's natural voice rather than the Batman voice persona.
BATMAN: Run.
CLOWN #2: Whuh...?
BATMAN: GET AWAY FROM ME!
Not needing to be told again, the clown runs away, not looking back, making for the safety of the end of the alleyway.
Batman falls to his knees, his hands at either side of his head, as if he's trying to keep it from exploding. He lets loose a howl of anguish and then slumps forward, as if exhausted.
His head lifts. The clown has almost reached the end of the alley. When he speaks, it's back in the Batman voice again.
BATMAN: You will all kneel before me.
Heat vision sears from his eyes, sizzling through the air between Batman and the mugger, striking him on both heels. He screams in pain, collapsing to his knees. On the ground, in agony, he can only continue to whimper in fear even as we see the black-suited visage of Batman drawing closer to him.
Fade out.
END OF ACT TWO