Luthor sat in his office. He was awaiting an important business call. After his visit from Batman last week, he'd decided to step up plans. Project Doomsday was to go live within the year. Of course, first, the initial test subject had to be deployed.
He'd tested the effects of the Lazarus concoction on Human cells, but today they were exposing it to the Kryptonian cells of subject B-0. He'd only seen the clone once. So similar to Superman, yet some subtle differences. The figure had been given a costume similar to the Man of steel's, but with a darker colour pallet and an inverted symbol. Something to differentiate him from Superman, to tell the world that this was something else.
Something better.
As he leant back in his chair, there was a tremor. Then another. And another. After a moment, Lex saw something in the distance. Smoke, coming from the direction of the underground Cadmus lab he'd appropriated for the use in project Doomsday. It could never be traced back to him, but it could cause unforeseen complications.
"Mercy," He said as he picked up the phone "bring the car round. I want to get to the bunker immediately."
"Sure thing, Lex." Came the voice of his assistant.
Lex sighed. It looked like the wish of his partner to get an adversary for Superman was going to come to fruition sooner than planned.
...
Clark stepped out onto the roof of the Daily Planet. After the tremor a short time ago, he'd made an excuse about going to the bathroom. He ripped open his shirt, revealing the symbol underneath, before spinning on the spot, changing into his uniform.
He crouched down, before shooting up into the air. He began scanning the skyline, looking for some sign of things. After a second, he spotted smoke coming from down by the docks. He angled himself and shot down towards it, faster than a speeding bullet.
As he got within range, an object struck him at high speed, sending him hurtling into the STAR Labs building. Clark shook his head, slightly dazed; whatever had hit him had hit hard. He looked up at his attacker and gasped.
It was like looking at a distorted image of himself. It wore a navy and crimson version of his suit, the 'S' shield inverted. The figure's skin was white and cracked, as if made of stone. The figure roared before charging Clark, this time having it's attack deflected as Clark threw it up into the sky, charging after it and smacking it back down to Earth.
"Stand down!" Clark said, his eyes glowing red as he descended to the level of the figure, which was shaking off his attack like it was a bee sting "If I wanted it, you'd be dead already."
"B-0 like big man." The figure said, it's voice deep "B-0 keep you alive!"
"Well, that's nice, all things considered, but-" Clark began, before the figure, B-0, flew at him faster than a speeding bullet, smacking him into the ground, before firing blue beams at Clark's chest, ice quickly forming on it "What the-"
B-0 threw him across the city before Clark could finish his sentence, tackling him down into the heart of the city. B-0 spat flame at Clark, Clark taking the brunt of the attack. It was easily as hot as his heat vision, possibly hotter. He stood there, facing down the figure
"Kent," Came a voice over the Justice League communications earpiece Clark had inside his ear "you've got incoming. ETA now."
Clark looked around, before seeing a red and yellow streak hitting B-0, followed by another beige and red streak impacting the figure. The two streaks slowed, revealing Barry Allen and his new partner, Jesse Chambers, or Impulse as they were calling her. Clark was glad to see they'd taken his advice on using the last Impulse suit seen as opposed to the costume design she'd come up with, which had been much closed to Wonder Woman's; it had sacrificed practicality for style, something which Clark had done himself in the past.
"Thought you could use help." Barry said with a grin "Impulse, get the civilians out of here."
"You all the back up that's coming?" Clark asked, before a pair of glowing green bird shaped shuriken impacted B-0, glancing off him "Guess not."
"You're welcome." Dick Grayson said as he glided down, his cape retracting back into the back plate of his suit "Batman's on his way, and so's Supergirl."
"Good to know." Clark said, looking at B-0 "What's he doing?"
"I don't know, but he should be on the floor in agony by now." Dick said "Better stay back. That green glow? It's not aesthetic."
"Kryptonite." Clark said "What's he doing?"
B-0 took the objects, picking them up. As he did, their green glow dissipated, his eyes glowing bright green. A second later, he fired a massive blast of his cold vision at the group, Barry grabbing Dick up and sweeping him away whilst Clark was sent flying. Clark picked himself up just in time to see Kara descending, firing her heat vision at B-0
"Kara, be careful!" Clark called, not before Kara was knocked back by B-0, Jesse making an attempt to catch her only to be sent flying back with her "Damn it! Any other ideas?"
"I have one, Kal-El." Came a voice over the comm. link, this one belonging to his Fortress' AI, BRAINIAC "Bring him to the Fortress. The Phantom Zone will contain the creature."
"Got it." Clark said "Kara, give me a hand!"
"With what?" Kara asked as she came up beside him, her suit showing as much damage as the rest of them.
"We need to get him north." Clark said "Let's go!"
Clark charged B-0, tackling him and beginning the flight north. Every time he lost grip, Kara took over, the pair of them juggling B-0 all the way up to the North Pole and the Fortress.
...
Bruce sat in the Batwing. He'd just left Jason behind at Wayne Manor in Alfred's care; Barbara was downstairs, she'd keep him there. However, right now, he wasn't too worried about Jason.
He was concerned about what he was seeing on the display in front of him. That and the comm. line he'd been monitoring. The backup AI from the Fortress had conveniently known what to do to get rid of this Bizarro Superman, after Kryptonite had failed. He had a bad feeling
"Barbara, send me the communications frequency used by Apokolips, and match it against the one used by BRAINIAC." Bruce said, not taking his hands away from the controls "I've got a bad feeling..."
"You never talk about what happened that day." Barbara's reply came through "Why is that?"
"It was a bad day." Bruce grimaced "What have you got?"
"It's a match." Barbara said, her tone sombre "One hundred percent. BRAINIAC is not a part of the Fortress by design."
"Then I don't have a choice." Bruce said, cutting her off before connecting to the Watchtower "J'onn, get down to Earth. Bring the new prisoner, we could use her help."
"You do not have sole authority to have prisoners released, Batman." Came J'onn's response "It requires authorisation from at least one other League member."
"Damn it, J'onn, sometimes you need to break the rules!" Bruce yelled "Computer, activate Watchtower emergency security protocols. Authorisation Batman 1939."
"Authorisation accepted." Came a computerised voice similar to Bruce's "Watchtower now under the control of programme Brother Eye."
"Release Donna Troi. J'onn, you and I can discuss this later, but right now, we need you and Wonder Girl down here." Bruce said "I hope I don't regret this..."
...
Clark threw B-0 down into the Fortress, shattering several of the crystals. As he did, he and Kara shot downwards, landing hard. Several feet away, BRAINIAC's avatar was working the controls.
"Opening Phantom Zone." It said, Kara looking at it, her expression one of shock "Kara Zor-El, please remain calm."
"BRAINIAC?" She said "Kal, do you know what this is?"
"The Fortress' back up AI." Clark said, stopping Kara as she tried to charge the avatar, watching as B-0 was sucked into the zone "Okay, BRAINIAC, shut it down."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Kal-El." BRAINIAC said "My master isn't here."
"Your master?" Clark asked, suddenly having a bad feeling "What's going on?"
"Engaging restraint protocols." BRAINIAC said, crystalline arms descending from the corners of the Fortress and gripping Clark and Kara, bringing them high into the air, holding them in place whilst they began to glow blue "Power inhibitors online."
Clark struggled, but it was no good. He turned to Kara.
"What's going on here?" He asked, turning back to BRAINIAC "What's happening?!"
"Krypton's reformation." BRAINIAC said as a figure began to slowly approach in the distance of the Phantom Zone "He is here."
The figure finally emerged. It was a man, in his late thirties to early forties, wearing tattered robes and a black bodysuit similar to Clark's, a stylised 'Z' on it. The man had a goatee and a scar over his right eye. Slowly, he levitated himself into the air, the blue glow around Clark's wrist disappearing as he approached Clark, gripping him by the throat.
"Son of Jor-El," The man said, his tone calm and soft "your time and that of the Earth is over. Now, you and it's inhabitants shall kneel before Zod."
...
So, now the next section of the fic begins. I will admit, this is going to be walking the line of a Superman fic and a Justice League one, but it does fall on the side of the former. Sorry for the short chapter. R&R, please, no flames. B.