Disclaimer: I don't own the Justice League

A/N: Hi, everyone. I have for you the next instalment; it is filled with a lot of action. I'm kind of scared, worked on it for a long time but I hope it was worth the wait. Sorry for any mistakes that are made and like always-Enjoy!

The Last Crusade-4

Clark bit back a scream as the pair of tweezers dug deep into his flesh, sweat made his black locks limp. His laboured breathing and his shaking limbs were just some of the signs that showed how much suffering he was going through. The bullet was yanked out of his wound forcing him to let out a gasp; Luthor gave a dark smile as he observed the bullet than at his victim.

"I have always pictured you at my mercy, but I never thought it would actually happen."

Clark glared at his nemesis, ashamed that he was this vulnerable. He lay on the cool table a lab experiment to this mad man, the kryptonite was torture he couldn't move a muscle without feeling like he was hit by a freight train.

"You are a unique specimen superman. I have always marvelled at the strength that you posses it's overwhelming just to imagine all that power dwindling at the end of your finger tips. To be faster than a bullet being projected out of a gun, to see through walls, even defy gravity it's self." Luthor preached as he walked over to a tray.

"Let Batman go you can do whatever you want with me." Clark said turning his blue eyes to the ceiling above him.

Luthor laughed softly. "That is a noble sentiment, but to be expected from a hero."

The villain turned to superman a syringe and needle in hand. "I do hope that the world will come to see what you truly are."

"What is that exactly?" the alien asked spitefully.

Luthor filled the syringe full of the black liquid, flicking his fingers to make sure no air got into it. He looked down at the kryptonian his eyes holding a deep hatred, bending close to Clark's ear to the point he could feel his breath.

"A monster." he hissed sharply.

He straightened holding the syringe in front of the hero's eyes rotating it as he spoke. "It's beautiful isn't it, oh; you don't know what it is? Let me explain it to you, its kryptonite, as dark as night it's self, I found it deep in the artic sea. Beautiful, this mineral is rare, only found fragments of it but I managed to confiscate enough to do harm. The green kryptonite makes you weak, but… he looked at his enemy… "I wonder what this would would do to you."

Clark swallowed hard; as Lex gripped his arm tightly he desperately tried to break free of the bonds. The needle broke through the skin, the black kryptonite brought on another level of pain as his body involuntarily jerked as the mineral went through his blood stream. It was burning him from the inside out coursing through his veins, a turbulent wave of liquid fire that tore at his throat causing him to do what had been trying to prevent in the first place…

Bruce eyes opened slowly the metallic taste in his mouth becoming an all too familiar feeling. He couldn't remember anything pry to his hourly beating, he sat up slowly once more shackled to the wall. He leant his head back against the wall closing his weary eyes, then; a blood chilling scream reached his ears horror crossing his face. Clark! Another scream arose from the darkness, Bruce yanked and pulled on the chains letting out a yell as his efforts did nothing to free him from his prison, he cursed, his frustration getting the better of him. There was nothing he could do but listen to the pained filled scream of the strongest man in the world; he gritted his teeth, slamming his hand against the ground.

"Fight Clark. Fight it!"

The grinding of the door alerted his senses turning his head to see the red smile grinning eerily at him. The criminal sauntered in yawning.

"I'm just beat, how 'bout you?" he let out a cackle licking his lower lip… "Do you get it? Smile a little it's a joke!"

"Screw you." Bruce shot back

"So, serious. You and the rest of the world would be better off if you just laughed every once in awhile. Leading medical report says the more you laugh it helps you live longer. That is unless someone comes along and shoots you in the head than laughing…. He shrugged… "Does no good."

Bruce glared at Joker as he watched him snap his fingers signalling one of his servants to hand him something.

"I have something for you, but I won't give it to you unless you promise to behave."

Bruce didn't answer, Joker smiled waving his belt in front of him. "Look, familiar Batsy?"

"I'm no fool you tampered with it. It's no good to me." Batman noted.

Joker gasped dramatically. "Why Batman you cut me to the quick I would never do such a thing. Luthor demands that I give this to you and let you go free."

Bruce gave him an uncertain look. "I'm not going any where without Superman."

"Yes, yes, I know you're good buddies. Relax; Sups will be with you as well. We see no need in keeping you both here, after all we villain's have important business to attend to other than messing around with you hero's."

Two thugs' unhooked Batman from his chains holding a gun to his head. They escorted him roughly out of the cell and down the dimly lit hall way, Batman could beat these guys but to put Clark's life in danger even more would be too much to bear. Squinting, at the bright lights they threw him hard on the ground a pair of black loafers entered his view.

"Hello, Batman it's finally nice to see you again. I didn't mean to be impolite but I'm sure that Joker has treated you well." Luthor mocked.

"I'm not telling you anything." Batman firmly said.

Lex squatted down in front of him titling his head slightly. "I don't expect you too… he looked at Joker… "Give the man his belt and let him go."

Joker threw it beside the vigilante, Bruce eyed it. "You're wasting your time."

"This is your chance, take it or leave it." Luthor bribed.

Bruce gritted his teeth taking up his belt he got to his feet. He now saw that weapons were drawn and pointed at him, glaring, he reluctantly put his belt around his waist.

"You will pay for this." Bruce threatened.

The villain's held a smug smile on their faces; he turned running in the direction of the exit. Suddenly, he found himself flung into the air and was sent crashing into a wall sixteen feet away. The plaster had a spider crack from the harsh impact part of the ceiling crumbling on top of him, stunned, he winced gripping his side. His blue eyes widening at the person responsible, the kryptonian stance was strong where he once stood. His once dark blue orbs were in gulfed with an inky black, he had changed drastically his manner, his face, and even his uniform had been altered. This wasn't the same man he knew, he stiffly rose to his feet, the thing was fighting Clark was not going to be easy it was like setting up a wounded rat into a fox hole, but if he could play his cards right he might be able to pull it off.

Luthor laughed darkly. "I said you could leave but I'm not sure that your friend he shares the same idea."

Batman swiftly rolled out of the way of Superman's heat vision, he didn't stop moving running barely ahead of the searing heat gripping his batarangs he flung them at the alien but hissed under his breath as the man disappeared leaving the weapon to slice in the opposite wall across from him. He gasped as he was suddenly gripped by the throat; a punch sent him crashing through the roof and straight into the twilight sky and was sent tumbling over the dirt filled ground. Batman once more got to his feet pulling out his bat hook he shot it around a tree branch but was caught once more in the kryptonian grip. And was driven through tree trunk after tree trunk under tremendous amount of force and was kicked square in the torso that once more sent him crashing into the hard earth. He gasped barely having enough time to move out of the way as the super hero came crashing down on where he had been.

'Think, Bruce Think!' he screamed in his head.

He pulled out a gas bomb throwing on the ground the mist enveloped him confusing the alien. This gave Batman the opportunity to find a hiding place. He leaned against a tree giving him time to catch his breath.

"You can't hide for ever Batman. " Clark called out his voice matching an even darker one.

"Kryptonite." Bruce said to himself realizing the only thing that could affect him.

"Don't be a coward, come out and fight!" Clark yelled.

Suddenly, it dawned on the vigilante he couldn't hide from Clark. He heard a branch snap he dove down as a rock was zipped through the air crashing down the strong tree, Bruce once more started running. He skidded to a halt as Clark appeared in front of him; he clenched his jaw sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Clark, snap out of it this isn't you." Bruce tried to rationalize.

Clark chuckled darkly. "You're wrong Bruce this is me. I have never felt more alive!"

The crusader gritted his teeth he bolted forward tackling the other man, there they wrestled. The sky boomed above them as lightning streaked across the thunder clouds, Bruce took both his legs and sent Clark flying over top of him landing hard on the ground. Batman threw out his bat bombs where they exploded instantly at Superman's feet. Not leaving a moment open for the kryptonian to attack him, he reached into his belt pulling out a glowing radioactive mineral that weakened the man. He held it in front of Clark, but Bruce was soon horrified as Clark gave a dark smile as the kryptonite didn't affect him, Clark smacked the deposit out of Batman's hand gripping the man's wrist tightly. His other hand once more found his throat, Bruce gripped Clark's forearm as he was lifted in the air, his breath strangled.

"Clark…fight this…you know… that inside…you don't…want to hurt me."

Clark's glare darkened applying more pressure on the vigilante's airway. "That Batman is where you are mistaken."

Bruce let out a pained yelp as he was punched hard in the kidneys Clark lifted Batman above his head and flung him hard into the trees. The momentum carried Batman clear out of the forest; he grunted he hit the ground tumbling head over heels down an embankment and plummeted down to the jutting rocks below. In a last desperate attempt his hand managed to grab hold of a branch, using what strength he had he pulled himself onto a small ledge. He panted hard lifting his good hand to his face his cowl was torn on the left side of his face barely concealing his identity blood stained his hand from a flesh wound above his right eyebrow. His uniform also had evidence of his brutal beating, his cape was shredded along with the left side of his leg, and a gash was revealing another wound on his chest. His right hand was bare as well; he sat down draping an arm over a bent knee as he racked his brain for answer to why Superman wasn't affected by the green kryptonite. Luthor was a man who had unlimited resources it was possible that he could have found away to make Clark immune. Bruce looked up to see the possessed super hero floating in front of him; he scoffed softly rising gingerly to his feet he met the black eyes staring back at him. Neither spoke a word as the heavens opened up letting the down pour fill in the silence between them, Batman pulled out his bathook a sly smile gracing across his lips.

"I will break every bone in your body. You will not survive the night." Superman retorted

"…I'll take my chances." Batman stated

As quick as a flash Batman shot his hook, the rope wrapped around Superman's chest and arms. Letting out a yell he jumped from the ledge tackling Clark resuming the rapid descent down to the fog filled gorge below.

A/N: SO?

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