Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 85
by
Jason Richard
This...this was good...this was better than he could have hoped. He checked over the equations on this notepad as he sat in that prison cell, and then he checked again. This was it. This was...perfect. Not only had Edward Lytener figured out the missing element that gave him an edge over Superman, he also figured out something else, something that he hadn't given to Luthor that could potentially let someone fight on the same level as Superman.
The first step, now, was to escape, and fortunately for him he already had a plan to do so. Given that he had made anti-Superman tech the other inmates were more than willing to give him what he needed...though he didn't mention it was for an escape attempt. A few tools, some electronics, and access to some wires connected to the lights, and the escape would begin.
It was a late night and all was quiet. The guards patrolled the prison corridors, the cells were closed, and the prisoners were going to sleep. That is, except for one, who had a remote device in his hands, which he turned dials on.
Throughout the prison all the lights began to flicker. Everyone who noticed look at the erratic bulbs wondering what was going on. That prisoner, who was of course Edward Lytener, waited a few seconds, and then turned another dial, keeping his own eyes down.
The flash of light that erupted from the bulbs blinded everyone who looked at them, which in this case was everyone but Edward Lytener. Even outside the guards in the watch tower had been blinded by their own searchlights.
And it was in this environment that Edward Lytener used a small laser to cut through the bars and walk right out of the prison, nothing but a bunch of blind men to stop him.
When the blindness finally cleared, the scientist was nowhere to be found.
…
Within the Ark of Krypton Kara Zor-El lay on a sick bed, still regenerating. Superman had watched over her for a little while, but then decided to go to the ship's bridge to review a few more of the archives.
Specifically he wanted to learn more about the cousin he had just discovered he had.
The video Braniac showed him revealed a young girl, only thirteen at the time, at the Kryptonian science academy, pacing back and forth in a testing room, filled with rows and rows of chairs at tables, not unlike the classrooms in Earth Universities...though with much more alien designs and holograms over each table.
Standing over the young girl were a man and a woman, presumably her parents.
"Oh you don't have to be nervous my child," said the father. "You will do splendidly. I just know it."
"No I won't," said Kara, still pacing nervously. "I won't. I'm going to do terribly."
"You don't know that," said the father. "This is fear talking. Nothing more, nothing less. All that fear is telling you is how much you want this. I mean if you didn't want it you wouldn't be afraid lose it failing, would you?"
"He's right dear" said the mother. "Don't let your fears tell you that you aren't one of the most skilled, talented, and beautiful young girls on all of Krypton, because I'm telling you that you are."
"What does beauty have to do with science?" asked Kara.
"Our point," said her father. "Is that you're going to do fine."
She hesitated, then asked, "Could you turn off the recording pod? I'm nervous enough with just the scholars watching. I don't need that too."
"Alright," said her father. "But I'm turning it back on the moment you're done. I fully intend to capture your moment of glory."
She seemed a little reassured by this, and then the father reached over to the flying pod this footage obviously came from.
The footage shut off, and Superman took it in. He was amazed at how...ordinary it was. A young girl nervous about a test? He'd been a boy about to take a test plenty of times.
In truth Superman had felt nervous about helping her adjust to life on a strange new planet, but he was feeling much better about the idea now. Even helping her learn to use her powers didn't seem like it would be difficult.
He's was actually looking forward to such an ordinary problem for once.
"Sir," said Brainaic. "Something's just happened."
Superman had a very bad feeling about that. He just knew it was another complicated problem.
…
"He escaped," said Bruno Mannheim in disbelief to his henchman. "He actually broke himself out of prison? For a nerd he sounds pretty legit. Maybe Luthor had him working on the wrong side of the law this whole time. So where is he?"
"Sir," said the Burly lackey. "He's here to see you."
"Well why didn't you say so?" asked Mannheim. "Send him in!"
The lackey left, and quickly returned escorting Edward Lytener, still in an orange prison jumpsuit.
"Edward Lytener," said Mannheim with a pleased grin on his face. "It's an honor. I mean I rarely hear about guys who get out of prison that quickly without a lawyer. You must have some serious brains up there."
"I do," said Lytener, who in truth was a little humiliated being in a den of thieves. Still, if he got done what he wanted to get done all would be well. He took a look at the man who escorted him in and realized he didn't want him there.
It would be better if Lex Luthor didn't catch wind of what he was about to do.
"Can we talk in private," asked Lytener.
That did set off a few alarms for Mannheim, but he had a gun hidden under his table, and wasn't directly involved in anything that had ruined Lytener's reputation, so he decided it was fine and sent the goon out. He also reached under his desk and pressed a button to activate the Lexcorp sound dampening devices.
"So," asked Mannheim. "What can I do for you?"
"I want to build some Anti Superman tech," said Lytener. "And I figure you have the resources to help me do that."
"Didn't Luthor..." Mannheim began.
"Yes," said Lytener irritably. "Luthor had my memory erased. Doesn't matter. I figured it out again, and something else that can help us beat Superman. Something good. And the best part?"
He inched in closer and whispered, "You wouldn't even need Lex Luthor anymore."
Mannheim grinned, "Oh that's dangerous ground mister. I'm not going to start a coup lightly. Tell you what. I'll help you make this stuff. If I'm impressed we can go into business. If not I'm giving everything you've got to Luthor. Deal?"
Lytener figured he could make that work in his favor, and said, "Deal."