Chapter 9: Operation In-Kryption
Lexcorp Tower Penthouse Office
"That's what we're calling it?!", Cheetah shrieks. "A ten year old made this mission name up, just tell me which one it is!" "It's a great pun and you know it!", Mercy defensively replies. "The name is not the important part, the important part is getting it complete", Wilson replies dryly. "Of course the boomer bootlicker would say that,—" "What did you say about me, hairball?", Wilson asks, putting a pistol on Cheetah's forehead. "ENOUGH", Lex berates, pacing behind his desk in place.
"Now, why hasn't Zoom come back yet from his patrol of the city? This should've been a quicker job than it is!" "Lex, relax. My little reality-defying man will be back any second." "You guys did one mission together, and now he's your man?", Mercy asks. "I liked him before, but now I got to love him after the raid." "Did someone say raid, because there's a place we're gonna have to raid ASAP to get Superman?!", Zoom bursts in from an open window. "Baby cakes!", Cheetah replies, squeezing the life outta him.
"Wait, what? What do you know, Zoom?" "Lex, the damn machine's not in Metropolis. He's not even in North America." "You're lying!", barks Wilson. "Wish I was, but footprint, exhaust fumes and forensic science don't lie." "How the hell do you know forensic science? That's what the first Flash was before he died!" "I can do a million things in two seconds flat. I taught myself it so I can prove I'm right on my theory, dingus." "What is your damn theory?", Lex demands, grinding his teeth together. "He's on his way to Antartica. He's tracking Superman before we can get to him, so there's not a lot of time to catch him since he should by…" "Scotland!", shouts Cheetah. "No, opposite direction, sweetie." "Wait, shouldn't you know basic geography for your science field?", Wilson questions aloud.
"I know this one: Argentina. That robot's made in Krypton assumably, so it should have the same speed and yellow sun dependency as Superman, and Aquaman clocks in the same speed underwater that Boy Scout does when he's flying. If it isn't swimming there, he should be flying, and from here to what I'm gonna say is the nearest research base in a straight diagonal path for simple math's sake, it should take him up to 5 minutes in air to steadily fly there, 2 if he's rushing down there like a suicidal AI riding a missile. The latter option is especially true if it started flying as soon as you started patrolling and tried to evade us or anyone in the Supers community, regardless of affiliation", Black Manta chimes in, shocking everyone into stunned silence.
"…Wow", Wilson bellowed. "I had no idea on God's green Earth you could think like that, Manta." "How else do you think I became the world's leading pirate and ocean terrorist?", Manta smugly replied. "I thought it was because your dad held that title first", Cheetah stammered. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY DADDY?", Manta shouts, grabbing his forearm dagger once again. "Hey, hey, take it easy! How many times do I have to split you guys up?!", Zoom berates. "No more, Zoom. We're leaving to Antartica now, but not as a full team. Wilson, Zoom, you're coming with me and Mercy to a research facility I'm funding on the northwest tip. Cheetah, go home. You're getting too emotional." "What?" "You heard me, furry. Stay off this mission."
"Mr Luthor sir, there's a problem in the lobby. Some gorillas are downstairs demanding your presence", blares the personal intercom. "Gorillas?…Oh, fuck", Lex nervously muttered. "Who forgot to invite Grodd?" "LUTHOR", Grodd firmly shouts in a scarily calm manner. "WHERE IS THE MACHINE NOW?" "Antartica—" "IN WHERE?" "You heard me, King Kong", Zoom sasses. "Now, Manta's gonna take a sub there according to Lex—" "Yes, but we don't name call anyone in our team." "You just called my girlfriend a furry!" "Girlfriend?", Wilson and Manta cry out. "Girlfriend! I really am your favorite, aren't I?!", Cheetah exclaims joyously, hugging him on the spot. "You betcha", Zoom smugly replies, grabbing her waist like a newlywed couple.
"…So we're going to the South Pole, Lex?", Grodd asks, slowly walking further from Zoom and Cheetah. "Yes. The sooner we leave, the better. Not everyone's going on this trip, however." "Please tell me we can vote someone out of this mission", Manta begged, clearly weirded out by Zoom's open affection towards his teammate. "Yes. All in favor of leaving behind the gross couple, say aye", Grodd announces. "AYE", the whole room shouts. "Wait a damn minute, why are you guys voting yourselves out?!", Lex asks while putting on his War Suit. "I'm gonna make a litter of speedsters tonight!", Cheetah and Zoom say together.
"We need new members if they're going to keep acting like this", Wilson drawled over the sounds of their intense affection. "I'll call Captain Cold, Livewire, Sinestro, and Poison Ivy once this is all over", Lex replies. "Gentlefolk, let's go kill some aliens. Manta, take Grodd to your sub—" "No need. My teleportation device can bring us all there without any delay." "So, can you use it now?" "Of course, human", Grodd dryly replies, activating the machine.
Fortress of Solitude Console Hall
"Father, why won't you answer me?", Clark sternly asks the projection of Jor-El, nervously pacing in place. "Son, you are in duress, it is not the right time to answer that question", he replies, dodging his question. "Your so-called 'greatest creation' is in the hands of someone who's ok with the murder of innocent people and tried to kill my friends. Why is an AI armed with cannons and jet boots?" "Son, he gave himself some upgrades to better protect the ways of Krypton. They were somewhat bold choices Zod wanted, but never done without Grand Council approval." "Bold choices? Father, I thought he was only meant for the advancement of science, but he is a killer! Innocent people were thrown off buildings!"
"…Kal-El, the Grand Army of Krypton could be considered cruel in their orders and expectations. Brainiac's reprogramming was no exception. They forced me to make sure his intensity was the most heightened aspect of his intelligence for colonized planets to understand how real the danger was if they didn't submit." "You did this?" "No, I didn't make Brainiac kill anyone, I just programmed him the ability to do so. Very big difference!" "You made him this, and you knew what would happen once he knew how to do that. There's not that much difference to me." "I do not allow innocents to die for no clear reason, and I have never allowed it on any of my works, Kal-El! That is FINAL", Jor-El furiously yet calmly replies.
"Hello, Father", nonchalantly proclaims Brainiac.
"Why do you talk to the Superman who has betrayed the Kyrptonian ways of life?" "Wh-what? Who has entered this Fortress of Solitude?", Kal-El befuddles. "Oh, no. Creature, state your name for us please", Jor-El begs. "I am Brainiac of Krypton, and I know you are Jor-El. You had a son named Kal-El that one of my drone bodies was sworn to protect during your death by sending him off-world."
"W-w-what did you say?", Clark stammers. "Did you say 'send him off-world', Brainiac?" "Yes, Superman. That is correct, but you are not in a position to know this delicate information. The child cannot be harmed", Brainiac states, as distant but somewhat near explosions can be heard in these halls. "You will kill all Kryptonians if you are willing to cast our army to the farther reaches of space. It is according to my advanced calculations concerning traitorous protesters and extremists with great power as yourself." "Brainiac, do not harm Superman under any circumstances!", Jor-El bellows.
"Reveal yourself in this very hall right now, or be gone from Earth forever." Explosions and breached walls fill the tundra mountain's audial atmosphere, as Brainiac slowly walks through these Earthly unearthly borders. "I must kill traitors to the Grand Council and all enforcement branches of it as per your programming. I cannot break core programming under any predictable scenarios", the automaton dictates, bursting through the final wall of frozen fortitude via a smoking arm cannon. "YOU SHALL NOT HARM MY SON KAL-EL AND THAT IS YOUR CORE PROGRAMMING!", Jor-El bellows with the force of a thousand lions as his hologram presence flickers, watching his greatest creations prepare for a collision of unparalleled power.
As Brainiac's right fist approaches Clark's left cheek, the machine stops halfway there; appearing as if he froze in front of Clark's own eyes. "The Superman is Kal-El, son of Jor-El, father of a traitor of the highest level", Brainiac processes, relaxing into a more neutral pose. "Traitors according to the studies of Jor-El are always taught their traitorous ways from family, immediate or distant. The Superman, son of Jor-El, Kal-El, is a traitor. Thusly, Jor-El is a traitor to Krypton for teaching traitorous ways." "How dare you call him a traitor, when you don't mind tossing away lives of living creatures for a defunct empire!", Superman cries, swinging a solid uppercut to the machine.
"It is scientifically true", Brainiac cements. "The House of El are traitors to their own homeward. They must be eliminated swiftly", he decrees, shoving Superman to the far right corner of the room and walking towards the console controls. "No! Brainiac, stop! Your father demands you stop this nonsense at once!", Jor-El begs, flickering more intensely.
"Stop this now—" Suddenly, the hologram of Jor-El fades into oblivion as the console shatters into countless flaking fragments, shimmering onto the icy floor.
"The House of El must be eliminated swiftly before the planet Earth is assimilated into the Grand Empire of Krypton", Brainiac determines as he blindly blasts away what remains of the console hall in front of Clark's newly traumatized face.
Outside The Fortress of Solitude
"Are we 100% sure this is the right trail, Manta?", Grodd politely asks, shivering in the Antarctic weather. "Absolutely; what other mechanical footprints are gonna be wandering around these parts?" "Could be tire tracks for Lexcorp Arctic R&D", Wilson drawls sarcastically. "No, you dip! They have stations on the other side. The footprints are getting fresher, too! I think he's not too far from here."
Suddenly, a massive, mountain shattering explosion fills the white, snow laden landscape; shaking the very ground the Legion stands on. "Well, he's dead. Let's go somewhere warm, like Tahiti!", Wilson barks in joy. "I got some clubs in Aruba that owe me a couple favors if you're interested, Deathstroke", Manta replies, egging his decision. "NO! He's not dead until we see his lifeless corpse", Luthor rebuts, shoving Manta and Wilson across the tundra. "Jesus, you're almost as bad as the furry lover", Wilson remarked, dragging his feet across the snow.
"Accept defeat at a machine built to destroy traitors such as yourself, Kal-El", Brainiac blares at a deafening volume, throwing Superman in front of the Legion. "Kal-El?", Lex repeats, not fully understanding the context of the name. "Lex Luthor of Earth, move out of the way. I must kill the being born as Kal-El, but known to your planet as The Superman", Brainiac states matter-of-factly. "Oh, fuck. You just said the wrong words, Space Terminator", Wilson said, drawing his sword in front of his chest.
"You don't get to kill Superman, you hunk of spaceship scraps barely resembling a broken humanoid!", Luthor berates, blasting Brainiac with Kryptonite energy palm cannons. "I, Lex Luthor, the golden son of Metropolis, will ALWAYS be the one to remove the absolute worst this city has to offer, and that damned alien is the worst of the worst to ever be born!", he bellows while swinging his fists with contempt and rage at the automaton.
"Hey, Big Blue. I know the Batman AND the first Robin like you a lot. I know they'd be devastated if something permanent happened to you", Deathstroke drawls sinisterly, holding his sword directly at Clark's stunned, nearly paralyzed face. "This sword, in case your popping veins don't reflect it, is magic. Drains the strength outta demons like Etrigan and the devil himself. Your Hairy Highness, ya mind holding him down for me?" "My pleasure", he snarls.
"LEX!", Manta shouts. "Lex Luthor of Earth, you are useless to me now", Brainiac cements, attempting to grab him by the neck before his hand cracks. "W-w-w-w-w-what?!" "This armor is designed by the New Gods, you shell of wires and CPU chips. Nothing will penetrate its force fields. Nothing!" "LEX! GET OVER HERE!", Manta further screams, this time more concerned than ever. "Remove yourself from my path, Earth organism. I will complete my life's task in eliminating traitors to the home world", Brainiac continues, grabbing Lex's ribs with both hands and tossing him aside like a small child.
"Oh, goddamnit all to hell. Don't touch him, Wilson!", Manta barks, throwing his forearm dagger at Wilson's wrists. "What's Wilson doing?", Brainiac and Lex question in unison. "Are you two hairy simpletons doing what I think you're doing?", he berates. "Not when there's a dagger in my joints, Mr Son of Metropolis!", Wilson sassily replies, ripping the dagger out of him. "You think too much on every single thing, and sometimes you just have to pin your prey down and end it."
"NO", Brainiac declares, launching himself into Wilson and tackling him into the snow. "By Gorilla City's stars! Do not touch my teammate!", Grodd roars vehemently, sprinting at Brainiac.
"Finally!", Lex heinously guffaws, casually sliding to Clark's barely functioning body. "Finally, I've got my life's greatest dream fulfilled: a weak, lame, ready for pasture Superman is just begging to be beaten by his obvious superior; me." "L-L-Luthor, why?", asks Superman, slowly regaining his strength. "What do you r-really think will happen when I'm dead-d?", he asks, limping to stand up.
"You took my social throne from me. You made the world see me as a wolf in sheep's clothing. YOU took my city and my Lois away from me. You took all these things away, with all your powers and fake morals about living in Happy Land. I made Metropolis the shining world capital it is, and you expect me to be fine with my dead legacy?! I am Lex Luthor, and I am the one who ends legacies, not YOU, DAD! NOT YOU, DAD!" Lex then rockets his right uppercut onto Clark's chin, knocking him out immediately.
END OF CHAPTER 9