LSH: THE EVIL DR REGULUS

By Bruce Wayne

Based on the plot in Adventure Comics 348 "Target: 21 Legionnaires"
by Jim Shooter

Disclaimer: The characters that appear in this story belong to DC Comics.
I am writing this for pleasure, and sharing it with friends. I am, in no
way, getting paid for it.



CHAPTER 9 - A COLOSSAL BATTLE


Gim Allon was known as Colossal Boy. He had acquired the ability
to grow into a giant quite by accident. He was just an ordinary Science
Police cadet when he took a trip to Mars. While on the "Red Planet," a
radioactive meteor landed right at his feet. This injured him and put
him in the Science Police Academy's infirmary.

Soon after being released, he spotted a crime in progress. As he
chased the criminal, who tried to get away by using the turbo-lift in a
building, Gim managed to catch him anyway -- by growing to a height of
fifteen feet tall. Colossal Boy was capable of growing to much taller
heights if need be.

It was his mother, an important and aspiring politician in
EarthGov, that suggested his new found power would be best put to
use in the Legion of Super-Heroes.

For at least twenty minutes, Colossal Boy in his normal
form, had been climbing ladders and staircases. He then went down
dark passageways and checked into large rooms. In one door and out
through another. To say that he was lost -- was putting it mildly.

Though he had no idea where he was, he did know that as
long as he kept going upwards in the massive ship, he most likely
would achieve his objective.

Once more he opened a heavy metal door. This one looked
more like the door to a vault, he remarked to himself. He cautiously
peered into the dark room and moved slowly toward the center. The
only light came from behind him through the open door ... that was
now closing slowly on its own!

With a loud CLANG! the door locked shut and bright lights
bathed the huge room. Gim ran to the door and tried to open it. It
was locked. He quickly turned around to survey the room more closely.
It would had been better described as a huge gladiator pit with a
ceiling of at least 60-feet. He could also see several closed metal
doors along the walls.

Not knowing if he was in or could face some sort of danger,
Colossal Boy thought it might be a good precaution to grow into some
sort of fighting form. Plus he could use his additional strength to
get one of these doors open.

Eight feet ... twelve feet ... fifteen feet ... he kept
growing until he reached a giant-sized 25 feet tall.

At his new height, Gim was able to gain another perspective
at his plight and now looked for an avenue of escape. As he was
slowly moving from one end to the other in the gigantic room, Colossal
Boy was startled when a portion of a wall he was near slid up at
rocket speed. Before Gim could even look to see what happened, he
was sucker-punched in the jaw!

Colossal Boy was thrown to the floor. What on earth could
throw a 25-foot giant to the ground? He shook his head to clear the
cobwebs. His eyes then focused on a 30-foot tall metal robot.

A heckling laugh came from an unseen speaker system in the
room. "Colossal Boy, I presume?" a deep voice said.

Gim rubbed his jaw and looked upward trying to figure out
where the voice was coming from.

"Why don't you come out and show yourself, chum?" Colossal
Boy called out.

The mysterious voice laughed again. "Why would I want to
face a giant such as yourself?" He snickered again. "No, I think
not. Dumb I am not you Colossal Fool." The attempt at bad humor
caused the voice to chuckle again.

"You find something amusing?" Gim asked.

"Oh, not yet, Colossal Boy," the voice replied. "Colossal
Boy I want you to meet my ... Colossal Robot, if you will. I'm sure
that you'll find him a very worthy opponent in this ... this ...
Colossal battle!" He laughed again.

Gim's eyes just squinted as he looked toward the giant
yellow robot.

"I prepared this robot just for you, Colossal Boy, you
should be honored."

"You could've at least given him a more original name,"
Gim said in an insulting tone.

"Enough of your insolence!" the voice shouted. "You may
notice that my creation appears to be made out of gold. But why
should I've wasted such a precious metal on the likes of you?
Besides, in order for it to move as fast as it does, gold would've
added extra weight and slowed it down."

Colossal Boy slowly rose to his feet. He looked upwards
and told the unseen voice, "It takes a real coward to just hide
and let some "creation' of yours to do your dirty work -- pretty
typical of you mad scientist types."

Gim licked his lips, listening for some kind of reaction.
"You wouldn't have the guts to try killing me yourself."

What may had sounded like amusement came from the voice.
"I am Doctor Zaxton Regulus -- you should know this before you
die."

"Well, I can't say it's nice to meet you," Colossal Boy
said.

"Enough! Enough of this banter. My robot will now dispose
of you!"

Gim looked over to the giant robot and added another five
feet to his 25-foot height -- just to even things out a bit. He
looked into what was supposed to be the eyes of the robot. They
were probably video cameras which Regulus was using to watch him.
The robot just looked like a powerful, metal version of a human
with two arms, two legs and a head.

Colossal Boy had to admit, it looked formidable. The
message seemed to be clear: Regulus wanted to kill him.

"All right, let's do it," Gim whispered.

Colossal Boy's fists flexed open and closed, not taking
his eyes from the robot. He could've grown taller but this was
now a matter of pride.

His jaw still hurt from where the robot first hit him.
He wanted Regulus angry so he wouldn't be able to think straight.
Colossal Boy stopped slightly more than 15 feet from the robot
and said, "You know this was a real dumb play on your part. Any
Legionnaire worth his salt could take out a dozen of your clownish
robots with just his fists. We learn how to handle ourselves. We
grow up polishing off a half dozen crazies like you each morning
before breakfast."

Gim never saw the lightning fast slap that hit him on the
side of the head and sent him flying again.

This time the whole ship shook when he landed. Cosmic Boy,
who was walking down an empty corridor, stopped and slowly tilted
his head upwards as if making sure the ceiling wasn't coming down
on him.

On another part of the ship, Duo Damsel whispered to Phantom
Girl, "Grife, what was that?" Tinya could only shrug her shoulders.

Colossal Boy shook his head to clear it again. Now it was
him that was angry. That was twice that metal contraption had gotten
him and he never saw either punch.

He got up and this time kept a respectable distance away
from the metal monster. The robot swung another right cross and
this time Gim managed to dodge the blow. Colossal Boy was trying
to get a feel for the speed of the robot.

The robot lunged again and Gim dropped to his right knee.
He stuck his right hand out for balance and swept his left leg against
the robot's "legs."

The robot stumbled back, but didn't go down.

Colossal Boy rolled out of the drop and to his feet.

The robot was already advancing, its fist slicing the air with
a sickening whistling sound as Gim jumped back.

Colossal Boy swung a punch of his own. The robot leaped back
as though it were on springs, wheeling half left, and planted a kick
against Gim's rib cage.

The ship shook again. Duo Damsel and Phantom Girl had to grab
one another to steady each other.

The impact caused Invisible Kid's foot to slip off the rung
of a ladder he was climbing. Luckily, he was able to hold tight on
the ladder before he fell.

Colossal Boy was dazed by the last blow. The robot continued
to advance on him. Gim reached out and grabbed each wrist of the robot.
The two titans grappled with each other.

Gim was just trying to hold on -- much like a punch-drunk boxer
in the final rounds of a heavy-weight fight. Colossal Boy attempted to
put a bear hug on the robot but the mechanical monster was just too fast
for him.

The robot, with incredible speed, double-punched Colossal Boy
in his already smarting ribs. Then it was a final left cross to the
jaw that did in the Legionnaire. Gim went flying, once more, to the
floor.

This time Colossal Boy didn't get up.

The only sound that was heard in the room was a hysterical
laugh over the speaker system.



TO BE CONTINUED ....


***

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