Avenging Justice 2:

Caught Between an Ultron and a Doomsday

Part IV

Earth, Delaware, Metropolis

The hum of his laboratory kept Lex's attention. Machines moved around, intricate pieces positioning as the continued to produce what he sought. The green grow radiated around, and Lex Luthor smiled. The heart of his new armor, fueled by his hated rival's home world. The irony of the place of his birth being now deadly to him, was the biggest joke the universe played on Superman.

Lex had his own issues with the Man of Steel. The thought of why never really crossed his mind. The bald man only focused on his goal, to bring this supposed savior down, and how he had tried. Creations galore had flooded Metropolis, some were monsters of nightmare, common criminals given great power, but most were weapons. Each time he had learned, adapted and continued on his crusade.

He turned, anger flared as he looked one of the more recent failures. His people had managed to get some blood from the New York fight three years ago. From that he had quickly tried to develop a clone of his hated enemy, but it was wrong. Where Superman could easily pass for Human, this atrocity's chalk white skin and angular features made this impossible. Worse, the sloped forehead, made it look very neanderthal like. The sign beneath it read, "Bizarro."

Luthor still figured the mistake had promise. It seemed to be as strong as Superman, near impervious to damage, but the powers were reversed. Heat breath instead of vision, ice vision instead of breath, and the idiotic thing kept going on about saving Lois. The one thing it had gotten right, was calling itself by that inane moniker. Unfortunately for the employee that made the original sign as a joke, Lex explained to Bizarro that they were responsible for Lois' disappearance. It took a week to clean the room afterwards.

Lex pulled his phone out and immediately found the contact, "Mercy, our mole in Cadmus, all coming along properly."

On the other side of the phone, a very assured voice responded, "Yes, Mr. Luthor. They are unaware of your contribution, and they report everything is going according to plan."

"Very well, and our investigation into the seismic activity?" Luthor was very interested.

That activity had been very pronounced, and then had died off. He had gotten a fix on it though, and had sent a crew to investigate. However, it wasn't good enough for an exact pinpoint of the location. No, it had been two years of testing, machines and material. All because the seismic activity was improbable in that area. Improbability intrigued Luthor, ever since a flying man dropped in on the city.

Mercy explained, "Dr. Taggart says they're about ready to try a new vein. On the plus side, they found a small amount, tiny from what he tells me, of this thing call Vibranium."

"Excellent, I want that here immediately!" a new vision washed over Luthor's eyes. What he could do with that rare material. "No matter what, even if he can't find the source of that activity, you tell him to find more of that."

A small laugh came over the phone, "I already have what we have recovered on its way to Luthor Corp now. Dr Taggart isn't sure there will be any more found, but I'll pass your directive on."

Lex hung up the phone, "It is so nice to have good help." Taking a look at Bizarro, "Maybe its time to keep Superman busy, while I work on my next project. Maybe its time to tell you where Lois went."

Vic Stone paced along his father's home. Beneath his sweatshirt's hood, a glowing red light was where his eye should be. The other was very human, but very much showing his frustration. He stepped lightly to prevent the pounding of his feet on the wood floor. Once they had been flesh, now they were metal, and he felt trapped. Trapped in this body of circuits, metal and skin.

For three years he had relearned all the things many people took for granted. Walking, eating, making this new body his again. Yet, there were things he still couldn't do, like going out in public without drawing stares. He had escaped before, sneaking out before his father found out. Always back before the sun came up, he had quickly adapted to roaming the rooftops.

He quickly made his way up to the rooftop of the building. Below the sounds of the city went by. Each big city had a similar vibe, even if slightly different. There was an energy, you couldn't put that many people in such a small area, and not get an intense feel. New York was more chaotic, Metropolis order, and Gotham was just wild.

For Los Angeles and San Francisco, there was a duality, like that villain, Two Face. During the day, bright and sunny, almost inviting. At night, things changed, and suddenly you feel like a large predator is right behind you. Then again, this could all be his own point of view. Before being turned half machine, he'd had a flair for the artistic.

A rustle behind him made Victor turn, and a squeak reached his ears. He nearly laughed as he saw a young teen, maybe thirteen at most. Her ears were leaf shaped, like an elf from Lord of the Rings. Four fair wings jutted from her back, and were extended out ready to fly away. She couldn't be more then four feet eleven inches, and probably would grow maybe half a foot more if she was lucky.

"Easy, you startled me," Victor said, turning his face to show off the more human looking side.

The girl squeaked again, "I startled you! You scared the dickens out of me!"

She went to fly off, but he called out, "Stop, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

She turned, her eyes, they were very wide, too wide for a regular person's. Vic chided himself, he should know better than to think like that. Thanks to his own condition, he didn't very much look human. It just showed how much more he had to go, how much more he had to learn.

"Listen, I'll leave, you seem like you need some time," Vic said sadly.

Her gaze fell upon his face, "Don't go. You're different like me. Exactly what are you?"

"I don't know anymore," Vic said. "Maybe I'm the new version of the Terminator. 'John Connor, if you want to live come with me.'" The last bit was said with his best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice.

The pixie girl laughed, and nearly bowled over, "That's two. In one it was 'Sarah Connor.' BOOM." A fresh bout of laughter sent her toward the side of the building. "My big brother loves those movies. Well, anything with aliens, science fiction and fantasy."

"Well, I can tell you that living in one of those stories isn't all that great," Vic said, feeling comfortable around her. She didn't look at him like others did. She was curious, but not in the way he had come to despise.

"Oh, you're not a mutant," she said, again looking him over. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to stare, but I don't get to see others very much."

"What about friends?" he said.

She quickly frowned and turned away, "I haven't had many since I changed. Now its my brother and my cat. I come out here to get out, I need to see the world."

"I can understand that," Vic held out his hand. "Name's Vic Stone. As you can see, I'm a little different now too."

She smiled, such a pure and beautiful smile, "Raiyna Jovovich. Pleased to meet you, Vic."

"Look at us, two weirdos watching the normies go about their day," Vic kidded with her.

She turned and her voice was very stable, "Maybe we're not so weird after all. Maybe the world is just getting weirder."

There they sat, two beings, different from one another, their shared loneliness bonding them. Two humans, in need of contact with another, a simple need. It is one that is commonly forgotten in the modern world. So used to having so many around, sometimes it's the outliers that remind us of this simple truth. People need one another, families, communities, and upward. Despite orientations, physical appearances, or even who you pray to, this need is constant and worthy.

"Vic, are we friends now?" Raiyna asked, quietly.

Vic raised his fist up motioning for her to do the same, "You betcha, fist bump time!" As their fists met, he shouted, "Booyah!"

The girl laughed, "What is this Booyah?"

"You say this when you do something great, something good, or just when you want the world to know, all is awesome" Vic explained. "Used to do this when we scored a touchdown, my team and I."

"You're a funny guy," Raiyna said, and she leaned in. It was nice to have a friend again.