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Solar Complications, chapter 3

1.

"So, all I have to do is project this wavelength of light?" the Ray asked.

"Yes," Batman said. "Have you practiced enough?"

"I've got it down. I'm ready."

2.

Conner looked up to see Ray. He smiled weakly.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"I'm here to help," Ray answered. "They think that if I give the two of you more solar energy, it'll overcome the bad stuff in your systems."

"If it makes me feel better, I'm all for it."

Conner looked over to see Clark propped up in bed. Clark noticed and gave him the thumbs up signal.

"We're ready to begin," Batman's voice came from a speaker. "We're monitoring their conditions, and if there's any change, we'll know immediately and tell you."

Ray started to project light onto both of the sick heroes. Conner started to feel better. He smiled.

Suddenly, he and Clark doubled over in pain, screaming in agony.

"Stop!" Batman ordered. "Their conditions have deteriorated."

Ray stopped immediately. "What happened? What went wrong?"

"The corrupted energy seems to have infected this new energy," Dr. Charles reported. "We've made their conditions worse."

3.

Max was visibly upset. Dan tried to calm him.

"They'll be okay," he murmured. "They've lived through worse."

"If they fell in battle, I could accept that," Max said. "For their bodies to betray them like this is worse. I can't do anything. I can only watch while they get weaker."

"You have to trust that someone will figure out a way to save them. They've got the finest minds in the world working on it!"

"Conner came through for me when I was dying. I have to figure out a way to save him."

Dan held him close. "If it were a regular illness, we could just nurse them back to health. I'm no doctor, so I don't know what else we can do."

Max stared at him.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Nursing, that's it!"

Max gave Dan a passionate kiss. "I know how to save them! It's all because of you!"

Dan looked confused. "What did I say?"

Max sprung up. "I've got to get to the Watchtower right away!"

4.

Match felt calm for the first time since Conner had fallen ill. He walked through the Watchtower with purpose.

"What is it, Match?" Batman asked, noticing the change.

"I figured out how to save them," he stated.

"How?"

"We'll flush the contaminated solar energy out of their systems. Then, we'll immediately transfer some of my stored energy to them. In essence, I'll be nursing them."

Batman thought about it. "Since the energy will have already been processed, they'll be able to accept it right into their systems. Do you think that the transfer will be quick enough?"

"Yes."

"What about any danger to you?" Oracle asked.

"By my calculations, it will be minimal. I'm willing to risk it."

"Then we should proceed at once," Batman said.

5.

Conner was unconscious. His condition had deteriorated to the point where if Match's idea was not attempted, he might not wake up again. Match put diodes on his own body and looked at the machinery. He also took a look at Clark, who was ready to undergo the same process after he had finished with Conner. He was unconscious and did not look well.

"Everything is ready," he told Batman. "We should begin."

"Starting the process now," Batman responded, as he threw the switch.

Match gasped in pain as the solar energy was ripped from his body. He kept his concentration on Conner, though. Conner's face contorted in pain as his remaining solar energy was taken from his body, but it relaxed when Match's processed energy entered his.

Conner's eyes fluttered open. "What happened? What's going on?"

Batman threw the switch the other way. "It worked! The process is a success!"

"It took more from Match than the calculations estimated," Oracle said. "He's down to forty percent of his reserves."

"We'll have to wait to do this for Superman until he's had the chance to recover," Batman said.

"There's no time for that," Match said. "Start the process again."

Batman shook his head. "Doing so would most likely kill you."

Match looked down a moment. He weighed his options and then looked up with a determined gleam in his eyes. Before Batman knew what was happening, he found himself being carried out of the room by an unseen force.

"Stop it, Match!" he ordered as he beat on the door to the medical lab.

Max ignored the noise from outside and turned to Conner. "Are you better now?"

Conner looked alert. "I think so. What happened?"

"You and Superman were sick. Do you remember how to perform CPR?"

"I think so. Why?"

Match smiled. "You're going to need to use it. If things don't go as I planned...I love you."

Match flipped the switch as Conner went over to him. Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Conner. He saw his brother in agony, yet with the hint of a triumphant smirk on his face. Clark screamed out in pain, but seemed to recover. Max went limp.

"Idiot!" Conner hissed as he ripped off the diodes from Max's body.

He blew air into Match's lungs and compressed his chest. There was no reaction. He did it again. Still, there was no response from Max. Tears in his eyes, he did it a third time. Apparently, the third time was the charm as Max started coughing and reacting.

Conner hugged him. "Don't ever do that again! Promise me!"

Max patted him on the shoulder. "It's over."

-----

The epilogue is forthcoming.

Any and all comments welcome!