Superman: The Ark of Krypton

Chapter 23

By

Jason Richard

Superman ran at high speed from the purple villain behind him. He wished he could just fly out of reach come up with a plan, but the energy that powered that only gave him enough of a push for the speed he was using. He was still going to come up with a plan of course, but that wasn't easy to think with the purple maniac right on his tail.

If he stayed and fought he risked getting the rest of his power stolen. If he kept running even he would tire out, and there was no telling who would tire out first.

Suddenly he didn't have time to come up with a plan. Rudy stopped and grabbed a car with his arms, his fingers digging into the metal. Heaving, he threw the vehicle at a pair of civilians walking down the street.

"Oh come on!" cried Superman as he rushed over and caught the car in his armsbefore flattened the couple, the force of it nearly knocking him over as he planted his feet firmly. Rudy ran over but Superman swung the car over his head and smashed Rudy with the trunk, sending him flying several feet away.

He put down the car, realizing he'd have to deal with this man sooner or later. If he could get him to a place where no one would get hurt.

He put down the car, wincing when he realized he dented it, then he wrapped his cape around his arm to avoid skin contact with the power draining man. He then ran at the assailant with full speed, hoping to turn the tables. Rudy stood up in a daze, then his eyes widened in surprise as Superman ran up and punched him in the face with his cape covered fist.

Rudy, of course, went flying. Before he landed Superman punched him in the gut and sent him flying a few more yards. They repeated this process for a few more blows, Rudy getting sent clear across Metropolis, until he was knocked clean through the window of an abandoned warehouse, smashing the glass and rolling to the floor.

He got up, still dazed despite the impact not hurting much, and then Superman ran inside, a peeved look in his face.

"Alright," said Superman. "What's the deal. What do you want my powers for?"

"Why wouldn't I want your powers?" said Rudy, his purple skin distorting as he grinned. "Goodbye Rudy Jones the loser, hello...Hmm…" he rubbed his chin. "What should I call myself now?"

"So that's it?" said Superman. "You're taking my powers because it's fun? Because it's a thrill ride?"

"Hey," said Rudy, shrugging. "I'm a simple man with simple tastes."

"A dangerous man, from what you just tried to do to those people," said Superman. "I can't allow you to take my power."

"Haven't you noticed?" said Rudy, grinning. "I already have."

And he rushed forward. Superman, meanwhile, wrapped his fist in his cape and rushed forward to meet him.

…

Lois, on her way to help Superman deal with a power absorbing mutant, had her Taxi stop for a moment at a pet store, with puppies in the window and everything. While Lois did have a plan, she did realize how odd it was for her to stop at this place, given what she was trying to do. It also occurred to her that her actual plan was a little...silly...but she still felt it was worth a shot.

She barged in, looked around at all the animals, and zeroed in on the one she needed. A small, spiny lizard. The sign on it's cage read, "Bearded Dragon," but any lizard would do really. She snatched the cage up and left.

"Hey!" cried the store clerk. ""You can't…"

"Sorry," she yelled as she left. "Need to borrow this. I'm going to help Superman."

The clerk gave her a confused look. "With a lizard?" he asked, bewildered.

"Yes," said Lois, rolling her eyes as she realized how silly it sounded. "With a lizard."

She left, and the Clerk just watched her go, completely unable to understand what was going on.

…

Superman darted and zig zagged around the room, trying to keep an equally fast Rudy Jones from getting his hands on him. He threw a punch with his cape wrapped fist, sending Rudy backwards with his feet scraping the floor, but Rudy was more prepared for the punch that time and planted his feet, then he pursuing his prey again in moments.

Superman circled Rudy at high speed and shot his heat vision, but Rudy countered with heat vision of his own. Superman ran in a circle around him and Rudy's eyes followed, their heat visions clashing in a flash of sparks.

When the heat vision ended Rudy took a deep breath and threw some ice breath at Superman, freezing his feet on the ground. Caught off guard, he was immobilized for a second, Giving Rudy time to get close.

Superman caught rudy's wrists right on the sleeves of his trench coat, pushing to keep the hands from touching his face. The impact of Rudy coming at high speed broke Superman free of the ice at his feet. Rudy pushed forward as Superman kept his hands at bay, Superman's feet scraping the floor as he fought to keep the villain back.

Then Superman planted his feet, leaving cracks in the floor as he threw his hands backward, swinging Rudy over his head. He then grabbed one of rudy's wrists with two of his own, avoiding contact with the bare hand, and swung rudy in a circle a couple of times then threw away, smashing him against the concrete wall of the warehouse.

Rudy tumbled to the ground, but got up quickly. He was just about to run at Superman again, but someone next to him spoke up.

Someone, Superman noticed, who was Lane Lane. What on earth was she doing here?

"Hey," she said to Rudy. "Catch!"

And she did the last thing anyone expected her to. She threw a lizard at Rudy Jones.

As surprised as he was, he caught the animal in his hand. It went limp as Rudy absorbed it's cells and energy. There was a moment of silence at both Rudy and Superman gave Lois very confused looks. She gave Rudy a look that was somehow half cautious and half smug. Then Rudy just looked at the unconscious Lizard in his hand, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Apart from a newly found, and very gross desire to eat bugs," said Rudy. "What was that supposed…"

And then Lois, who had walked up to him, took out a bottle of freezing cold water and threw it in Rudy's face. Superman couldn't believe his eyes. Was she serious?

Rudy, at first, just looked annoyed. "Okay," he said. "Playtimes over you…"

And then something even stranger happened. Rudy started to feel very tired all of a sudden, like all the energy had been sucked out of him. What the heck was going on?

"Confused?" said Lois. "Don't be. I may be no scientist, but it didn't take one to figure out that you absorb abilities from people you touch. I figured that would include being cold blooded."

As Lois thought, Rudy was confused, but he had forgotten about the lizard in his hand. Superman, on the other hand, could see it clear as day, and realized what she was talking about. Lizards were cold blooded, which meant they were sluggish in the cold. Lois had effectively slowed him down.

Not one to let an opportunity like this pass him by, Superman aimed a deep frost breath right at Rudy and let the cold air wash over his foe. Rudy, already cold from the splash of water, went to his knees, barely able to keep himself upright even that much.

Superman then ran to the back of the warehouse, grabbed a chain he had seen lying around before, and ran back, wrapping it around Rudy at high speed, pinning his arms and legs in place. Rudy, sluggish from his now cold blooded nature, didn't have the energy to break free as he fell face first to the floor.

Admiring his handiwork, Superman then turned to Lois, took a deep breath, and said, "It seems I owe you one Miss Lane."

He offered her his hand.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "You saved me from being crushed inside a falling building, so we're even."

And they shook hands.