Chapter 12: The Real Threat
Dr. Desmond was in the lab where he had been attempting to enhance the muscular resequencing formula he had effectively smuggled from S.T.A.R. Labs, and he had one last step to complete before it was ready. He poured a drop of artificial protein into a vial containing the formula, which also held a crystalline stimulating additive. In seconds, the stimulator dissolved away at the touch of the artificial protein, and the formula began to glow a clear, bright blue as the two catalysts dissolved in it.
Desmond grinned coldly as he watched the process finish, but he had no time to consider the potential of worse side effects following the enhancement of this formula, for the door to his lab opened. Lex Luthor walked in with a mildly impatient look and Mercy Graves followed him like a lost puppy as usual.
"Is the formula ready, Dr. Desmond?" asked Luthor in an uninterested tone.
"Of course, Mr. Luthor," replied Dr. Desmond. "The formula is complete and contains every modification you requested. Once it's inside the body, the receiver will gain enough muscle mass to match Superman himself."
Luthor's arrogant smirk returned at this, and then he said, "Are you prepared to risk the more dangerous side effects?"
Dr. Desmond answered, "No fear of that, sir. The stimulation additive will prevent the receiver's heart from breaking under the strain. It will potentially decrease the emotional and intellectual processes of the frontal lobe of the brain, but it's a risk I am willing to take."
"Then take that risk," Luthor said with finality in every word. "If Superman comes back to Metropolis, break him in front of the public's eye. I can double your salary afterwards if you succeed."
With a sinister grin, Dr. Desmond took the vial in hand and drank the glowing formula without a second thought. Suddenly, he began to convulse and clutched at his skin until it seemed like he would cut himself with his own nails, and then Desmond was on the floor. Then his muscle fibers began to expand and tear through his lab coat and dress shirt, and his pupils began to shine red and dilate until they completely filled his eyes. His skin even began to pale and crack at the joints of his form. When the transformation was complete, Dr. Mark Desmond no longer resembled the scientist he used to be. He had grown to six feet and ten inches tall, his skin had turned dull gray and had the texture of concrete, and his muscles had expanded to five times the normal size for the average human. Despite that Luthor was not cowering in fear, Desmond roared and then stood huffing like a miniature freight train.
"It's done, Dr. Desmond," said Luthor. "Your test of the formula for LexCorp's new Project Blockbuster is a success here. Now let's see if it performs as S.T.A.R. advertised. Go into Metropolis and destroy everything that stands in your way. When the police and the Special Crimes Unit come up against you, they will be no match for your power."
An evil grin spread over Desmond's face and he growled, "Let them come. I'll break any who try to stop me."
"And while you're at it, leave the name of Mark Desmond behind you. From now on, your appropriate name will be… Blockbuster."
The newly dubbed Blockbuster only continued grinning, and then charged through the door of the lab toward one of the windows of the fiftieth floor and jumped through it. He jumped from one building to the next until he crashed into the streets of Metropolis, and several citizens gasped in fright upon seeing him rise from the relatively small crater in the road.
…
Superman was only forty miles from Metropolis by the time Luthor had set his master plan in motion. He was hoping to find Luthor quickly and have a word with him about the fake hostage scenario, and he was certain that Luthor's immense wealth and haughty mindset would not pull the wool over the eyes of Metropolis' citizens.
Suddenly, his super-hearing detected a police transmission coming from Metropolis. "Mayday! Mayday! Downtown Metropolis is under attack!"
Increasing his speed to that of a rocket, Superman saw the skyline of Metropolis rapidly appearing on the horizon. To his horror, he saw the fearsome glow of raging flames and dense plumes of smoke beginning their rise into the night air, and his superhuman hearing picked up the frightened screams of civilians and the thunder of weapons ranging from rifles to tanks. Another transmission from the ground told him that the most vulnerable citizens were in danger from the threat: "All units, be advised. The creature is en route to Metropolis General Hospital."
This encouraged Superman to fly faster still, and he soon had the hospital in his sights.
On the ground, the hospital staff were evacuating patients to the nearest hospital on the other side of town. However, there were few ambulances available, so the Special Crimes Unit had dispatched troops and vehicles to ensure that all patients made it away safely. Suddenly, someone shouted "Look!"
Everyone watching quickly took fright, for Blockbuster was tearing his swath of destruction directly toward the hospital. Several police officers lay injured in his wake, police cars and armored transports lay in smoking ruins, and the SCU was exhausting its strength trying to slow the mutated creature down. Blockbuster pushed a tank into another building and stomped forward as one nurse ran back into the hospital to get a brother and sister to the next available transport.
The nurse and the children looked at the terrifying Blockbuster as he cracked his knuckles and sneered, "I can have a little fun smashing skulls before I tear the hospital down."
He never got the chance, for Superman soared in from the sky and shoulder-tackled him with incredible force, knocking the monster off his feet and launching him a hundred yards from the hospital.
The civilians and law enforcement units all cheered for gladness seeing Superman, though he only gave them a nod and a smile before hovering over to deal with Blockbuster, who was now picking himself up from the heap of bulldozed rubble and wondering what hit him when he saw the Man of Steel land.
"Superman," growled Blockbuster, and grimly he rushed to fight.
The monstrous Blockbuster broke into a charge, leaving enormous footprints in the street as he ran at Superman with his arms raised to deal a double hammerfist. Superman took off at a run and then resumed flying, and before Blockbuster knew it, the blue-clad hero had caught both fists and then flung the hulking villain away from the hospital with a mighty heave.
Blockbuster charged Superman again, only for the hero to grapple his waist and push him back. However, Blockbuster managed to strike Superman in the back and knock him to the ground. Then the ugly super-creature began trying to stomp the Man of Steel into the street, but every pounding of his massive right foot was only enough to daze Superman. After a good three stomps, Blockbuster tried again, but his foot was caught in a grip like a constricting vise. Before the villain could stop him, Superman pushed him forty feet away and rose out of the hole to resume the fight.
At the Daily Planet, Lois had gotten wind that Superman had returned to stop the attack, and she was determined to give the city the news with a little extra help from Professor Hamilton's data. She called Jimmy Olsen on her cell phone, saying, "Jimmy, meet me on the roof in fifteen minutes tops. Bring your camera."
A/N: How's this for the beginning of a climactic battle, folks? Feel free to review, and keep an eye out, 'cause Chapter 13 is when it gets really rough!