LOST HOPE
PART 1. BROKEN HEART
LOIS
She paces back and forth worrying all night and when Clark does not return she gets dressed and drives to Star Labs. "Lois."
"Professor Hamilton."
"Lois please Emile."
"May I speak with you in private?"
"Of course this way." He takes her to his office. "What is it?"
"Have you heard about the Alien who came to Earth."
"I have."
"Can you pull up satellite imagery on the fight?"
"Of course I can." He types on his computer and then they watch the epic fight and then watch as Lobo flies off with Superman.
"You need to get to that sight and get that Kryptonite before someone else does." They fly to the fight scene and scoop up the Kryptonite just before the military arrives.
"What do we do now? We can't let people know that Superman has been kidnapped." Lois says.
"Lois have you ever been to the Fortress of Solitude?"
"Of course why?"
"Come with me."
FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE
Emile and Lois fly by helicopter to the Fortress of Solitude and land a mile away. Dressed in warm thermal clothing they walk the rest of the way. "Welcome Professor Emile…Welcome Lois Lane…" Jor'El's hologram says to them. "…I know what has befallen my son…"
"Can we help him?" Lois asks.
Jor'El smiles, "The love you bare for my son overwhelms me Lois Lane…I calculate a sixty percent chance you and Emile would be successful if I sent you…However my son and wife would never forgive me if I sent you into harm's way…"
"Jor'El what about the Bounty Hunter who took Superman? Cannot we hire him to bring him back?"
Jor'El smiles, "A clever plan Professor Emile. You do your race credit. But Lobo despite his crude behavior is a being of honor. He would not accept a contract against one he has completed…"
"Then what are we to do?" Lois asks.
He points to the glyph on his chest, "Lois did Kal'El tell you what this means?"
She nods, "He did…It means hope."
"Then you must have hope Lois Lane that my son will make it through this."
"What about the Kents?"
KENT FARM
JONATHAN AND MARTHA
The two of them are getting up for the day. Abigail is already up with baby Connor. "We have company. Professor Hamilton and Lois Lane are here." Abigail announces.
"Emile, Lois…What are you two doing here?" Jonathan asks.
The news about Clark is hard to take by Jonathan and Martha. They both decide to stay home and Abigail works the fields by herself.
PART 2. SLAVE
When Superman awakens he is in chains and has a device across his chest with a red disk. He tries to break his restraints, but is unable to. "Don't bother Kryptonian. You are not the first of your kind to grace our presence. The device on your chest mimics your red sun."
"Where am I? AAAHHH!"
The Alien shocks him, "Do not speak slave!"
"I…AAAHHH!"
"You are a slave of Game Master One-Two-One…You will fight in the arena of War World for the amusement of the Imperial Warlord Mongul and the spectators of the arena."
He is shoved into a holding block with other slaves. "Look everyone! A Kryptonian graces our presence." An Alien says.
"Korvax…Shut up!"
"Apologies Korvax has lost his manners after years of fighting in the arena."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Barda."
"You are from Earth."
She frowns, "I am no Earthling! I am native of Apokolips…And if I survive my next fight then I will be worthy to join the Furies."
His feet and hands are unchained and he is free to walk around his cell block. Some of the fighters have serious wounds that have yet to heal. Those who are strong are given food. The weak ones are left to starve. As Superman walks around he becomes disgusted.
MONGUL
The Warlord Emperor Mongul is eight feet tall, heavily muscled and has pale yellow skin. He has fought many wars and won many crowns. He has even faced off against Darkseid of Apokolips and other beings including members of New Genesis. Whenever he sees a worthy opponent Mongul will challenge the warrior himself.
The people cheer as he comes out with four women from his harem. He sits down and two of the women stand at his side and the other two sit at his feet. "Orvus, is there any new blood among the fighters?"
"Yes My Lord A Kryptonian from Earth…Bought to us by Lobo and sold to Game Master One-Two-One."
"A Kryptonian…Put him in the last round tier one battles against Ryne."
"Yes My Lord."
Mongul stands up, 'Welcome to War World…Let the games begin!"
Tier one fights like all fights are to the death, but Tier one fighters can yield. Tier two fighters can ask for mercy and will only receive it if the crowd asks for it. There is no reprieve for Tier three fighters. One by one the fights occur to the roaring crowd. There are five yields, most of the fights hold no entrance for Mongul.
SUPERMAN
He still wears his Kryptonian garbs of a one-piece blue suit, with his family's crest on his chest, a red cape, with red boots and grieves on his arms. The disk turns yellow as Superman enters the arena. The crowd boos him like all new fighters. Then the announcer calls his opponent. A Bolovaxian named Megawog. "Let blood flow!"
The People cheer as Megawog runs across the field swinging his axe. He swings and Superman dodges the axe. The humanoid-warthog grunts and swings again and Superman dodges. The crowd boos, but then it cheers as Mongul stands up, "Kryptonian…Fight! Or I kill you both." When Megawog swings again, Superman ducks and knocks him out with a light hit to the top of the head. The crowd boos, "Mark my words Kryptonian…You will fight."
They take him to room and strip him naked, the red sun device is still on his chest. Then he is whipped by Game Master One-Two-One. "AAAHHH!" He is given twenty lashes.
"You will learn to obey slave!"
He is thrown into the cell block after being dressed. "Kryptonian! Why do you not fight?" A Thanogarian asks.
Superman is slow to sit up, "Because this is barbaric! Slavery is wrong!"
"Where I come from the strong rule the weak!"
Superman looks at him, "You're Thanogarian?"
"I am Katar Hall of Thanagar…What have you never seen a Thanagarian before?"
"Yes I have on Earth…A woman who calls herself Hawkgirl."
"What is she like?"
"Red of hair…Green of eyes. Fierce like all Thannogarians. She fought beside a Green Lantern."
"A Lantern!"
Superman notices his reaction, "What?"
"Nothing."
