Alright, so I know it's been a month, but I can explain. Well, I can't really, it was a bad case of Writer's Block, my own laziness and the fact that I'm a little shit, for which I sincerely apologize. Anyway, here's the 40th chapter - DAMN, to be honest, I didn't expect the story to be more than 20 chapter max, and yet here we are.

Disclaimer: I don't own Superman, unfortunately. Or Lobo. Or any DC Comics material. Damn.


Chapter 40 - Lobo

„Come on, come on, come on," Clark whispered frantically as he was flying towards his hometown where an unidentified alien aircraft landed almost a minute ago. Cyborg has already sent some of the members closest to the area to check it out, but Clark's instincts were screaming at him to get there as fast as he could.

Dinah's almost there," said Cyborg through the comm. Clark accelerated. He knew Dinah, and he knew that the heroine was capable of handling her own, but he was also aware of the fact that some aliens were very powerful, and not at all peaceful.

And he felt bad for interrupting her date, even if unintentionally and indirectly.

Ten seconds later, Clark slowed down, as the outline of Smallville was already within his normal, non-telescopic sight. He focused his ears, blocked almost everything out, and heard screams – some of the voices he recognized, such as Mr Avery who owned a hardware shop downtown. He sounded terrified, and Clark wondered who the hell these aliens were. Clark stopped mid-air when he heard ... heavy-metal?

„What the—?" Clark's words died on his tongue when he saw the aircraft – or rather, an alien motorbike – hovering three feet in the air. He landed quietly and walked over to the bike, quickly examining it with his X-Ray vision – the technology was alien, that was certain, but it wasn't as advanced as Kryptonian or Oan technology, though it was still far more advanced than anything humans can create. As Clark was observing the motorbike, he didn't notice the owner's fast approaching footsteps – he, however, did notice when the owner punch him in the face. And he felt it.

Clark immediately turned around, his eyes blazing deep scarlet – the alien didn't look the least bit intimidated. In fact, he seemed to be amused. He put his arms up in mock-surrender. Clark's eyes changed from red to their usual inhumane blue, which then immediately changed to a lighter hue once he activated his X-Ray vision – the guy was definitely an alien, if the red eyes, the white skin and the fact that he was even taller than Clark didn't demonstrate the fact. His physiology was unlike anything he'd ever seen – granted, he only saw the physiology of a few Green Lanterns and maybe the Guardians, but still ... this guy's was different.

„Ya done?" he asked. Clark eventually nodded.

„Who are you and what are you doing on Earth?"

The alien looked both surprised and offended at Clark's question. „Who am I? Who am I?"

Clark, with his no-shit attitude and a completely deadpan look, answered, „Yes."

„I'm Lobo! The baddest bastich the galaxy has ever seen! 'Course you'd know nothing about me, Earthling," he mocked the last word, „you barely made it past your own friggin' Moon!"

„So ... you're a bounty hunter?" asked Clark.

„Yer about to find out," he said, and then grinned, making Clark stop in his tracks.

Clark heard it before he saw it coming, but he also saw the civilians around watching in great interest. He suspected most of them were frozen in fear. He knew that if he dodged the thing that aimed at him, it'd most likely hit Mrs Camilla, an elderly lady and a friend of his mother (What was she even doing here?). So, with that in mind, he didn't dodge, and felt a little sting on his back. He turned around and saw a hook – or what was left of it, anyway. It was bent in a weird shape after colliding with him. Clark looked at Lobo and saw him with his mouth hanging open. His expression then quickly changed from puzzlement to anger.

„Shit just got personal, Kryptonian," he growled, „nobody does that to the Main Main's hook!"

Lobo moved inhumanly fast and punched Clark in the face – and it hurt. And it also sent Clark flying about 100 feet away from him, destroying part of the road with his rough landing. Quickly getting up, Clark realized that yes, he was a bounty hunter, and yes, he was most likely after him – Lobo knew he was a Kryptonian, which was not a good sign. Clark also realized that someone must have hired him.

„Who hired you, Lobo?" Clark asked after wiping a little bit of blood from his already healed lip.

Thank you, sunlight, he thought.

„Ye'll find out soon enough, I can promise you that – and the Main Man keeps his promise!" he shouted before moving to try another attack – this time, Clark anticipated it, and with the use of his super-speed, he was able to dodge Lobo's attack and effectively punch him in the face – Lobo shouted curses at him the whole time he flew away. Knowing he was dangerous, Clark immediately flew over to him and punched him again, this time sending him straight to the ground. A few seconds later, Lobo was already up, no wounds visible. He was tougher than he looked, which was saying something.

„Dinah," said Clark into his comm, „I'd advise you not to come. The guy's crazy strong, and very, very dangerous."

Don't even think about it, sweetheart," she said, „my date was already screwed up because of this guy. The least I can do is participate in the fight."

„Dinah, you don't get it," Clark said as he narrowly dodged a what would most likely be a painful right hook, „he's strong enough to break through my invulnerability."

A few seconds of silence, during which Clark kneed Lobo in the gut and elbowed him in the back, and then, „One more reason for me to come. I'm already in Smallville, Clark."

Clark knew not to fight with the woman, so with a overly dramatic sigh, he resigned. „Okay. But be careful."

Always am."

Apparently, Clark didn't listen to his own advice and was less careful than he should've been, because at that moment, Lobo tripped him, and Clark, realizing too late that he didn't plant himself properly on the ground, got his ass planted on the pavement.

„Seriously?" he asked incredulously.

Lobo shrugged and started punching the Kryptonian in the face over and over. Clark accidentally bit the inside of his cheek and would've cursed out loud if Lobo's first didn't connect with his face at that precise bounty hunter then turned around and pulled something out of his motorbike.

„Red sun radiation emitter," he said with a crazy grin.

Clark rolled his eyes and stood up. It was evening, but the sun was still shining bright, and Clark let his body absorb as much of Sol's rays as possible. Superman was fully healed and ready to fight.

Lobo turned the emitter on, and Clark knew he didn't have much time before he would lose most of his powers – it would take a long time under normal conditions, but by exerting himself, he'd use up all the stored energy in his body.

And then Lobo did something Clark didn't expect at all – he threw the emitter at him.

„What the—?"

With no time to finish his sentence, Clark quickly dodged an incoming attack, but couldn't help but wonder what species this bounty hunter was. He was almost as strong as him, and apparently had a healing factor even stronger than his. However, he didn't have a few things Clark had, such as x-ray vision and super-speed. With another quick scan of the alien, he was able to locate at least three weak points he could explore.

It was then that Dinah arrived ... and then almost broke her arm when she punched Lobo in the face. She swore and shut her eyes in pain.

„Well, well, well," said the alien as he looked at Black Canary, „aren't you a pretty one?"

Dinah opened her eyes to glare at him. Lobo whistled.

„Yeah. But I can also scream," she smirked before screaming her Canary Cry, a noise so loud every bystander covered their ears with their hands. Clark started to feel a little woozy – both from Rao's radiation and Dinah's Canary Cry, which didn't go well with his enhanced senses. Clark fell down on his knees and tried to take deep breaths, his ears ringing so loud he couldn't hear anything else. With his blurry vision, he was able to see Dinah knocked out on the ground and Lobo advancing at the scared bystanders. Seeming to make a decision, he turned back to Clark with wicked gleam in his eyes, before turning around again and making his way over to the innocents. Clark didn't know what to do, only watch, frozen, woozy, as Lobo approached the one bystander he knew he shouldn't have.

Arianna Wilson, the aunt and guardian of his girlfriend, and a mother-to-be. Lobo caught her roughly by her arm. Ria looked at Clark, with not only fear in her eyes, but at pure anger directed at Lobo.

„Imma have some fun, since the self-proclaimed Man of Steel is giving up so fast," he cackled.

Time for me to stop playing nice, thought Clark, his body full of anger, effectively shutting everything out, including the pain. With that thought, Clark stood up faster than human's eyes could register. He caught Lobo's wrist and when the bounty hunter looked at him in delighted surprise, Clark started to squeeze. He could feel Lobo's bones groan under the pressure, but he kept going.

Lobo may have been as strong as him, but he wasn't as invulnerable. He had a healing factor, but he could still feel pain on some level.

„Ler. Her. Go," said Clark, his voice cold, but unmistakably angry. Clark, and probably everyone in close proximity, could hear the loud pop Lobo's wrist gave. Lobo, out of reflex, released Ria.

„Go," he said to Ria, his voice much softer than before. Ria nodded with a small smile, rubbing her sore forearm, before whispering, „Kick his ass, Clark."

And so, he did. With the mix of his speed and strength, Clark started punching Lobo all over his body – his back, his front, his sides, the strength of his punches slowly increasing by every second. Lobo, on his account, only groaned in pain, but Clark could see the convulsing muscles. It hurt him. A lot.

„Don't. Ever. Come. Back." Clark said, every word of his sentence accompanied by a punch to the face, before he caught Lobo by his throat and threw him at his motorbike. „Got it?"

Lobo spit up blood – it was green. „I underestimated ya, Kryptonian. And so has he," he said. Clark had no idea who this he was, but he knew that it was the one who hired him.

„Get the hell out of my planet, Lobo. And tell him, whoever he is, that Earth is under my protection. Now and in the future," growled Clark.

Lobo sat on his motorbike, the bent hook in his hand, and smirked. „Is it? Won't be for much longer."

„What are you talking about?"

„Oh, ye don't know?" he asked, and then started to laugh. Once he stopped, he said, „Passed a big-ass asteroid on my way here heading straight for Terra. Or Earth, whatever. By the way, ya can keep the emitter, the shit ain't working anyway. Friggin' Desaad said that it would make him weak. Make you weak my ass."

„Go, Czarnian," said Clark. He finally remembered the species Lobo was. Lobo grinned in response.

„Or what? Ye gonna punch me again?"

A few seconds later, Lobo was leaving Earth's atmosphere without the bike.

„" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „"

After Clark made sure that everyone was alright, he picked the still unconscious Dinah up and carried her towards the closest teleporter.

„Cyborg, you there? Dinah's hurt, I'm teleporting her to the Watchtower. And call every available member – we have a problem."

„" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „"

An hour later, every available member of the League – Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Flash, Zatanna and Aquaman. Green Arrow was with Black Canary in the mad bay – watched as Clark entered the Monitor Womb. Barbara Gordon, also known as the Oracle, formerly Batgirl, was also in the room.

„I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here," he started and watched as the other Leaguers nodded. Taking a deep breath, Clark then explained everything that happened today – from the bounty hunter through the fight until he eventually told them about the asteroid Lobo's mentioned.

„And you believe him?" asked Batman.

„Not necessarily, but if there is even a small chance that there is indeed an asteroid heading towards Earth, we have to take action."

„You're right – there is an asteroid coming to Earth," said Barbara. Clark immediately supersped to the computer Barbara was working on. And there was indeed an asteroid – the satellites picked it up a few minutes ago.

Approximately a million kilometers away, with a diameter of 30 kilometers and the speed of approximately 50 000 kilometers per hour. Clark turned around and looked at the Leaguers, all of whom were looking at Clark.

„The asteroid's fast and big enough to destroy the planet should it hit it. We have to stop it, there's no other way," he said eventually.

Batman spoke up. „We need to divert it, as destroying it would put Earth in danger yet again, "he looked at Clark, „you've already done the calculations, haven't you?"

Clark nodded. „I have."

„What calculations?" asked Zatanna.

Batman looked at her, and without missing a beat, he said, „The speed Clark will have to reach to divert the asteroid."

„What do you mean, for Clark to reach it?" asked Aquaman.

„What he means, Arthur," said Diana, who was quiet until now, „is that Clark is the only member of the League capable of surviving in the vacuum of space for prolonged periods of time, and the only member fast enough besides Wally and me to be able to reach the speed required to divert the asteroid.

„I am able to survive in space longer than humans, but not long enough to reach the asteroid and then come back to Earth. The Javelins also aren't fast enough – by the time we'd met it halfway, it'd already be too late."

Clark smiled at her appreciatively, as he couldn't have explained it better. „Indeed. Based on the size and speed of the asteroid, its mass is approximately 1,31*10^17 kilograms and its kinematic energy is approximately 1,18*10^25 Joules. For me to successfully divert it, I'd have to hit it at at least 4,86*10^11 meters per second, which is approximately 135 000 kilometers per hour, or 83,8851 miles per hour."

„Can you fly that fast?" asked Cyborg while Batman double checked Clark's calculation. Clark felt his phone buzz.

Clark nodded. „Yes."

„We don't know what its made out of," said Batman eventually, „while your calculations are correct, there is a chance that its mass is actually bigger than you assume. I'd advise you to fly faster, if that's possible."

Clark nodded once again. „It's possible. Thank you, Bruce."

Bruce nodded. „We'll prepare everything we need. You should go and absorb as much sunlight as you can, just in case."

„" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „" „"

After Clark told his parents everything and made them promise not to tell anyone as to not cause any panic, he made his way over to Sarah's and was surprised to discover that she was the only one home.

„Sweetheart, you there?" he asked as he knocked on her window. The window opened and her head poked in. Sarah immediately ushered him inside and closed the window.

„Did you get my message?" asked Sarah after she hugged Clark. He was still clad in his supersuit, which was unusual for her.

Clark nodded. She was concerned about him – the fight between him and Lobo was on every news station in America. „How's Ria?"

„She's fine," she smiled, „she's tougher than she looks."

„Guess the Wilson girls have that in common. Listen, there's something I need to tell you."

Clark then told her about the asteroid and the fact that he's the only one capable of stopping it. „You can't tell anyone, okay? We don't want anyone panicking."

Sarah nodded, though he didn't miss how her shoulders tensed and the crinkle in her brow appeared. Clark put his arms around her. „Hey, I'm gonna be okay. I'm Superman," he said in a cheesy voice and she started to laugh.

Sarah fiddled with her necklace – the silver insignia of the House of El glimmering in the light. They were standing near the window so that Clark could absorb as as sunlight as he could – he discovered that despite him basically absorbing the sunlight passively 24/7, even at night, still did not compare to the sensation of having the rays caress his skin.

„Alright, Kent. Give me the data, I want to double-check your calculations, just to be sure," she said eventually, picking up a pen and a notepad.

„Batman already double-checked it."

„Then I'll triple-check it," she retorted. After Clark gave her the data, she hummed.

„Your calculations are correct," she said after about 10 minutes, „how long did it take you to calculate it?"

„0.47 seconds," Clark answered immediately. Sarah whistled and muttered something about Kryptonian brains.


Alright, so - if the calculations aren't correct, I'm sorry. A fellow author calculated the kinetic energy for me and I converted the speed myself. If the calculations are wrong, just let me know in the PMs and I'll edit it.

Anyway, this was my first time writing a full-on fight scene, and as I discovered, I can't write it for shit. I hope you like it anyway.

See ya around:)