A moment ago Edward had been standing on a bridge thinking about Chloe. But then he'd heard the car rushing towards him and he'd barely had time to take his scissors out of their pockets before the car smashed into him, crushing his legs. As he and the car broke through the side of the bridge and started falling towards the water, Edward looked at the car's driver. It was a face he recognized immediately - a face that had haunted his thoughts for the last twelve years. Of course it had gotten older, but it was still just as terrified.
As Edward entered the water, his mind went back to that day all those years ago. The day when he'd first encountered Lex Luthor. But, first of all, he'd encountered Lionel.
Edward's life had seemed complete at the time. All that was missing were his hands ... but that was about to change. Of course things had a nasty habit of getting in the way. First, his creator had been busy diverting a meteor shower that had been coming towards Smallville...
"Whoa again," exclaimed Clark. "Does that mean I'm in the story."
"No," said the stranger wearily.
"But if the meteor shower was diverted I must have ended up somewhere."
"Well, if you really want to know, Clark, the meteors landed in Gotham City. Unfortunately on that fateful day a young boy named Bruce witnessed a meteor killing his parents Thomas and Martha. Now, having your parents killed by a meteor affects people in different ways. Some turn to drink, some turn to pink, but this boy vowed on his parents' grave to destroy anything and everything associated with the meteors. Years later, teaming with Virgil Swann and wearing a silly outfit, he tracked you down. To cut a long story short, you never stood a chance, kid."
"Well, couldn't you tell me the long version of that story instead. At least I'm in it."
"No, it's dull. This one's got Lionel and Lex - bad guys are far more interesting. Which brings me back to the story..."
The second thing that got in the way of Edward's creator providing him with his hands was a meeting with Lionel Luthor. In fact his creator was holding those very hands as he went to talk to Lionel.
"So what have you been spending my money on all this time?" asked Lionel.
"His name's Edward," The Inventor replied, waving Edward's hand in Edward's direction. "He's the future of warfare."
Lionel beckoned The Inventor towards him with his index finger, and then in a hushed voice asked "So what makes him so special? Super-speed? Invulnerability? Can he fly? Shoot death rays out of his eyes?"
"He's got a heart," was The Inventor's reply.
"A heart. What use is a heart?" asked Lionel, raising his voice.
"All weapons should have a conscience. Otherwise what would happen if they fell into the wrong hands? They could be misused"
Lionel had heard enough of this nonsense. If weapons had consciences they'd never be used. Besides, androids were so last year. Genetics - that's where the future lay. "I'm sorry. Your funding's cancelled," exclaimed Lionel.
"But, but you can't. Please ..."
"I've made my decision. Now, if you'll ..."
But Lionel's words stuck in his throat as he saw The Inventor suddenly go pale, dropping Edward's hands on the ground, and grabbing at his chest. Then, in what seemed like slow motion, he started to fall, grabbing hold of Lionel's coat on the way down.
Lionel prised the dying man's fingers from his coat, leaving The Inventor to drop down on the floor dead, and then Lionel looked around the room. He noticed some cookies, of numerous shapes, lying on a nearby conveyor belt. He grabbed a handful and put them in his coat pocket - he'd be able to share those with Lex later. Then he picked up Edward's hands - there was always a market for high-grade prosthetics.
And then he looked over at Edward, who was looking back at him.
"Don't worry. I'll send a team over to clear up," he said, smiling, as he waved goodbye to Edward with one of Edward's hands.
After that, things were a bit of a blur in Edward's memory. He remembered wanting revenge on Lionel. He remembered attacking Lex in the cornfield. He remembered seeing the terror on Lex's face and knowing what he was doing was wrong. He remembered fleeing from Lex only to wander into the path of the Kents' station wagon. The Kents had looked after him - keeping him hidden for all those years, teaching him about the world.
And now he was at the bottom of a river, with his legs broken, looking at the older Lex trapped in his submerged car.
It was time to make amends for all those years ago.