Part 10 – Ultraman Family Reunion
Luthor dragged himself out from under the rubble. Although his armour was badly damaged and an almost uniform blanket of pain had seized his body, he was alive. Although he hadn't experienced it yet, he was pretty sure being dead didn't hurt quite so much.
Having established that he was alive, Luthor tried to work out what had happened to the building. It was as if it had been hit by an explosive, or…
That was when he realised what had happened. It wasn't an explosive that had hit the building. It was something far worse.
It was Ultraman.
Ultraman held the unconscious form of Ultragirl. He had travelled all the way from Centropolis with murder in his heart, and then the Ultragirl went done with one punch.
It was pathetic.
He couldn't even be bothered killing her now. Better to just get back to the Flying Fortress so that he could begin the experimentation. There was no challenge to be found here…
"Put her down, Ultraman."
Ultraman turned to face Luthor, who was standing in the remains of the building he had just ploughed through. Like he thought, no challenge.
"Luthor, what a pleasant surprise. I'm sorry I can't stay and maim you, but Ultragirl and I have things to discuss in private."
"I won't let you take her, Ultraman."
"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter, Luthor." Ultraman's eyes flashed a dangerous shade of red. "You should be thankful you've been given a reprieve. I'm not terribly good at mercy, you understand."
"I understand that you only want Ultragirl for your own selfish purposes, Ultraman."
"And what about you? It was so altruistic of you to create a female version of me you could have your way with, wasn't it?" Ultraman cast a suspicious eye over Ultragirl's form. "Tell me, Luthor, when you were screwing her, where you secretly thinking of the real thing?"
Luthor was about to respond, when his words were drowned out by the sudden arrival of the Flying Fortress. It descended on Stanhope University like a metallic insect, coming to rest only slightly above the rooftops of the universities taller buildings.
"Sorry, Luthor, we'll have to pick this conversation up later," Ultraman smirked as he flew towards his Fortress. "For once, I don't have time to play our little game."
Luthor glared at the figure of Ultraman as it disappeared inside the Flying Fortress. "Like always, Ultraman, you have no idea what sort of game is being played here today."
Ultraman casually tossed Ultragirl's body aside, where a Brainiac drone quickly retrieved it. "Prepare the ultra-laboratory, Brainiac," he announced, holding out his arms. Two more drones obediently slid a lab coat onto him.
"AND WHAT OF LUTHOR, MASTER?"
Ultraman considered this for a second. "Relax security, not so that he'll be suspicious, but enough that he'll be able to reach me without too much incident."
Ultraman flew towards the entrance of his ultra-laboratory, where Brainiac drones were already re-calibrating the terrifying equipment for another of Ultraman's experiments. "After all, he created the Template in the first place. He deserves the chance to see it taken to the next level."
The door to the ultra-laboratory slid closed behind him, letting his final words ring ominously through the trophy room. "Even if it's the last thing he ever gets to see."