Avenging Justice 2:

Caught Between an Ultron and a Doomsday

Part XIV

Earth, Delaware, Metropolis

Rising from the landscape, a new gleaming tower. At that moment it was just the skeleton, beams of steel interconnected and secured by rivets. From a distance the people working on it looked like tiny ants. Up close the buildings floors still dwarfed the construction workers.

One of these workers was former engineer, one who had forsaken that life. That life had been full of mostly pain, only one sliver of light remained. John Henry Irons smiled as he thought about his niece, Natasha. On his phone, a picture of her and a first prize ribbon at her school science fair. He quickly put the phone away as the bell blew, signaling the end of his lunch.

The foreman, a guy by the named of George, was arguing with a shifty looking person. One who dressed like they were in one of those old spy movies, complete with hat and trench coat. Not the most subtle costume, if the person was trying to keep a low profile.

"Listen, nobody ignores the Kingpin," Irons heard the person whisper a little too loudly.

The foreman, for his credit, seemed unimpressed, "He may be a bigshot in New York, but this is Metropolis. Now scram before I call the cops."

The not so subtle intimidator growled and walked off, a middle finger raised as he left. George immediately went back to work, while his assistant, who had been ignored, sent pictures to Metropolis PD. They'd be very interested, as keeping organized crime out was a big priority. There was no want to become like Gotham across the bay.

John continued on, throwing a wave at Felip. Their newest hire, he was from Puerto Rico. The guy talked constantly about starting up his own business, and just working this job till he could afford to. The foreman like him, most of the workers did. He was charming, a bit of a dream, but also a hard worker.

One thing that really made John like the guy, he had a young wife pursuing her dream of being a doctor. While she went to school and worked at hospitals, Felip worked extra shifts and overtime. He also found the energy to take her out on the town from time to time, which cut into his savings for the company. However, he always said it was worth it, for his love. It was people like them that gave John hope for people in general.

Despite trying to repress it, an image flashed of people decimated, obliterated. Victims of his genius, his want to help his nation stay dominant. He had been too successful, the outcome not worth it. Seeing the horrors his weapons had unleashed, he had left, destroyed the prototypes and the schematics.

Since that day he'd just worked jobs like this, working a simple job and forgoing the riches his genius could build on pain. A humble life building, instead of destroying, and one he could be proud of. Yes, that was a life he could get behind.

"Hey man! Alejandra just finished her residency!" Felipe clapped John on the back excitedly. "She's a doctor man, a real honest to goodness doctor!"

John smiled back, "Congrats, I'm taking you're going to take her out to celebrate?"

"Not tonight, all she asked for was one night to sleep," Felipe laughed. "We're going out day after tomorrow. My queen is going to have a celebration of her lifetime."

John shook his head, "Just keep your head while up there, don't want you missing a step while that head is in the clouds."

Much to his amusement, Felipe spent the next few hours doing his job, while literally dancing. No matter how many of the other workers teased him, the happy man literally didn't care. John admitted it would be nice to have such a relationship with someone, but he hadn't found someone that he could share his life with, yet.

Unfortunately, an hour later, John Henry Iron's life would change, forever. One of the newer guys, came up to Felipe. John was working nearby, and he couldn't believe what he saw. The new guy shoved Felipe, and the happy dancing man tumbled. The new guy walked on, and it took a few moments for the other workers to realize what had happened.

John, though, immediately lunged forward and grabbed Felipe's flailing arms. His grip as strong, a death grip, and he felt his shoulder shoot with pain. Still, he held and pulled, barely able to swing Felipe back towards the building. He saw his friend haphazardly land, and his heart soared with victory. Then defeat came with a vengeance. His grip slipped and John tumbled down the side of the building.

Above the city Superman heard sirens wailing, and crashing glass. Diving towards the city, he made out the police radios. A white chalked skinned man, with angular features was walking around in a homemade Superman suit. He was also crushing cars like soda cans. That brought back memories he'd rather not revisit.

Something caught his eye, or rather someone. A worker from the new Nakamura Tower building was now plummeting to the ground. Quickly, Superman changed direction, quickly catching the man. He gently put the man on the ground, scanning him quickly with his x-ray vision. There didn't seem to be anything broken, or any seriously injured.

"That was quite a fall, you okay?" Superman floated off the ground, his ears picking up the increasing disturbance.

John nodded, "Yeah….Superman, thank you."

"Anytime," Superman said as he flew off. "We all have to make our lives count for something. See you around."

With a stunned John Henry Irons left behind, Superman rapidly flew towards a scene that gave him déjà vu. There below him, was a chalky white figure, with angular facial dimensions, wearing a backwards "S" in a shield on his chest. He'd dealt with Bizarro years ago, and he was supposed to be on his own Bizarro World.

Down below Metropolis PD was trying to cordon off the area from onlookers, and missing one intrepid reporter. The daughter of Sam Lane had gained her own notoriety, both with authority figures and her own editor. It also made Lois Lane one of the top reporters, if not in Metropolis, but the country.

"Must fine Lois, protect Lois!" screamed the deformed being. "Me Superman, me protect Lois."

Superman slowly touched down in front of the rampaging being, "Bizarro, what are you doing here? I thought we had found you a good world."

Bizarro II quickly turned, "Imposter, you imposter!"

Immediately he rammed into Superman, raising his fist to launch an attack. Superman caught the fist, and twisted around. He flung Bizarro II to the ground, gently, but still with enough force that car alarms went off down the block.

"Enough, stop it, before you hurt anyone," Superman calmly said. "I remember you saying you wanted to protect, not harm."

Bizarro II launched off the ground, "Destroy imposter!"

Superman dodged the first two punched, but missed the rising knee. Catching himself in the air, he flew back, and attempted to grapple this bad clone of him. For his trouble, he found himself flung against a building, and only by the slightest of chances did he slam into it without doing damage. Well, the peaceful approach wasn't working, time to try another.

This time he led with a wide haymaker, sending Bizarro II across the skyline. Growling the imperfect clone opened his mouth and fire erupted out. He blinked, not seeing Superman, and was about to go about his search for Lois, when then sky began tumbling again. The massive uppercut sent him tumbling about. This time he saw Superman charging at him. Bizarro II unleashed his ice vision, and it was met by the Man of Steel's heat vision, creating an explosion in the sky.

Temporarily blinded, Bizarro II lashed out, only to find nothing. This time he saw Superman coming and hit him with a quick one, two punch. He felt a rage building inside, this imposter was trying to keep him from Lois! Even worse, the imposter just kept coming back at him. Furious he swung again and again, and each time the imposter rose to meet him.

"Leave! Metropolis safe!" Bizarro II yelled.

Superman shot back, "You're destroying the city! You're making Lois unsafe!"

Bizarro II started to argue, but the sight of broken windows and crushed cars caught his eye. There were broken fire hydrants, which were spewing water forth into the air like geysers. Several of the streets had craters where they had crashed, with half a dozen lampposts bent in odd angles. Then there was the basketball court, about a block away, with one of the concrete walls about to fall in on itself.

"Me did this?" Bizarro II looked confused, and then bolted for the soon to be imploding wall. "Lois!"

Quick as a speeding bullet he slammed into the ground around her, pulling her tight against him as the wall fell in. The woman screamed in anguish, and Bizarro II held on tight, still the rubble stopped. Then she began to mournfully wail, and her voice changed. He was confused, he had saved Lois.

Light burst over them, as rubble was thrown away, and there was Superman. He quickly yanked the woman away, then turned to Bizarro II. The look had changed from calm to angry in a flash.

Superman's voice carried the anger brimming inside, "Her ribs are crushed and you nearly snapped her neck!"

"No, Lois! Me hurt Lois?" Bizarro II murmured as he sunk into himself.

Superman shook his head, "She's not Lois, just a regular woman caught in the crossfire."

With the failed clone seeming to shrink into himself, Superman rushed the woman to waiting paramedics. They quickly stabilized her and he went back to where Bizarro II was. Sadly, the being was slumped still in the wreckage of the wall. The despondent wreck looked broken.

Superman felt pity for the being, he could see a part of himself. A part of him exaggerated to the nth degree, the part that would do anything to protect those he loved. He landed softly and walked over to the deformed being.

"Me monster," Bizarro II pitifully said.

Gently pulling him up, Superman said, "You mean well, but with power like ours, you have to learn how to use it."

"Monster!" Bizarro II yelled, and took off into the air at full speed.

Superman followed, making sure that Bizarro II didn't run into any aircraft, or anything else for that matter. He kept his distance, no need to get the other being into an antagonized state. Eventually Bizarro II landed in the subzero areas of Antarctica. There the deformed clone dropped to the ground, shoulders heaving, but no tears coming.

Superman approached, "It's okay, we can work this out."

"Me want to die, me monster," Bizarro II exclaimed again. Unable to cry, he bashed his hands onto the ground splintering it by several feet.

Backing up, Superman countered, "My father told me, that each person has to find their place. It may take time, and it may take work. Each one must find what makes them special, and share that with other, so that we are all made better for it. I think you have something to share, something good."

"Me no monster?" Bizarro II slowly turned.

Superman bent over, "No, there was another like you. He found a world where he belonged. I thought you were him, but your obviously someone new."

"Time. Me need time, stay here," Bizarro II stood and started ripping sheets of ice.

Soon he had the start of an ice shelter, crude but workable. He retreated into it, and for the first time that day, looked calm. He looked at Superman and then back at himself. Seeing the backwards "S", he started by trying to rip it off. However, he found Superman stopping him.

"Don't," Superman said. "My symbol means something, yours can too. It can be more than a twisted version or parody of me, it can inspire hope just as well."

Bizarro II looked confused, but then nodded. Superman gave him a smile, and held out his hand. Unsure, the deformed clone grasped that hand and shook it, a little harder than he intended. Still, Superman took it and then dropped the hand, knowing he had more to do.

"Do you mind if I check up on you later?" he asked Bizarro II. The other being nodded, and Superman added, "What do I call you?"

"Me is Bizarro. Maybe me find better name," Bizarro II shrugged. "Superman..not me, so confused. Stay here."

Superman nodded, "Stay here, stay away from people and I'll try to help you as much as I can."

Bizarro II wasn't paying attention, instead he meekly said, "Me so sad."