Everything was set, the plan was ready to be initiated. The three lads were in their positions, awaiting the go signal from Alex. Clark was hovering around about a mile off, hidden from anyone observing. Alex pulled a remote control out from his pocket and activated the devices he had Wally place around the square. An invisible shield appeared, stopping people getting into the square. The only way in and out was from the sky. But you might ask, what about those who were still within the confines of the shield. Wally sped down at his signal and ran them all out through a small gap Alex had left, as Alex's holographic machine replaced each human with a virtual copy.

When Wally had finished, the gap in the shield was closed and the entire area was civilian free. The next stage of the plan could be initiated. Alex pushed another button on his remote control and the 'nemesis' that would be 'taking down' Superman materialised in the centre of Times Square. There were screams from those outside the boundary as they saw the monster that Alex had created. It was like a large Tyrannosaurus Rex, but even uglier and much more powerful. Taking his cue, Superman flew in and came face to face with the monster. To add to the 'reality' Alex had not shared the design of the creature with anyone, so this was the first time that Superman had come across it.

They fought for several minutes, Alex detonating several of the blood packs he had embedded into Superman's suit, to add to the effect. And then came the killer blow. Alex activated the final trick up his sleeve. He brought the hologram's arm down and in it was a bar of 'Kryptonite'. Superman reacted as expected and crashed down to the ground, the bar 'embedded' into his chest. The suit did its desired effect and made it look like Superman was no more. There were cries of shock from the crowd. TV cameras had arrived to watch the devastation evolve. The hologram fizzled out of existence, looking as though it had teleported. The holographic citizens remained, cowering in the corners.

Alex moved from his hiding place over to Superman and placed his watch against his skin, hoping the suit had managed to cancel out the heart beat. It worked. The watch began to beep and another hologram emitted from its face.

"Well done son, you have managed to do what I asked of you. I will be with you momentarily."

The hologram disappeared and the next moment, Alex's dad materialised next to him.

"Dad!" Alex cried, running over to him and embracing his father.

"Alex my son, you have managed to do what I couldn't, you are truly worthy of what is to come."

"Where have you been, mum and I missed you?"

"I knew I could never defeat Superman, but you could. I left you clues as to my true profession and knew your love for me would lead you to do this. I needed to be sure your powers were working."

"I have powers?"

"You didn't know? You have gifts that also you to manipulate technology. That is why you were always so good building machines and other mechanical things."

"That explains a lot."

"And now you have defeated Superman,my oh and I can rule the world."

"Sorry, I don't think you will be," Kid Flash said as he skidded to a halt in front of the father and son.

"What makes you think I won't," Alex's dad said.

"Because we will stop you," Superboy said flying in.

"Oh, the super freak had a son, I see. You will be no problem to defeat, you are no doubt weaker than your father. Alex, if you would do the honours."

Alex stepped forward towards Wally and Jason and turned to face his dad again.

"Sorry dad, I am not here to stop Superman or Superboy and Kid Flash. We are here to stop you."

"What are you talking about? I have watched you take on Superman. You defeated that Spiderkid!"

"That was before I knew what you were really up to. I was only out to get revenge for your death, but when I knew you had faked it and intended to take over the world, I knew I had to stop you."

"I anticipated you never completing your destiny and planned for it. It is no matter, I can still do what I want without you. What a lovely place you have chosen here. Times Square, the largest collection of technology in a public place in America. Perfect!"

The Tinkerer lifted his arms above his head and the chaos started. The screens around Times Square began to come alive, transforming into twenty foot tall machines, wires twisting round to form the components of each limb. They jumped down to the ground, the concrete cracking under the force of their descent. They started to stomp towards the assembled group.

"Do you really think that they are going to stop us?" Alex asked.

"They are no ordinary screens. I have laced them with components designed to stop the very best heroes in their tracks, I am even you will be unable to stop them."

Jason suddenly bent double as one of the screens moved closer towards the group.

"You've put Kryptonite in them!" Alex shouted.

"Well done, you are clever."

Wally dashed forwards to start attacking, but he suddenly slowed right down, so much that by the standard human eye, it looked like he was going at a snail's pace.

"And I have affected the speed force. It was designed for the Flash, but seems to be working just as well on your friend."

And what about me, how will they affect me?"

"They were never designed to damage you, but you will never be able to get close enough to damage them, they will crush you before you do."

There was suddenly a loud crunching sound as one of the screens began to collapse down to the ground, a large hole in it's chest.

"What is happening, how is that possible?!" the Tinkerer cried in disbelief.

Superman flew overhead and threw himself at another screen, also bringing that one down to. With in minutes, he had destroyed every screen.

"How is that possible, the Kryptonite should be slowing you down?"

"That is because that isn't the real Superman, he is just a solidified hologram. The real Superman has never been here. Do you like it, it seems I anticipated your anticipation. When I asked Kid Flash to place my shield devices around the square, I slipped in some scanning probes and they detected alien substances lying around the square. I planned for it and kept the real Superman away. He is currently having a fake fight in the League's holo room."

"You will pay for what you have done to me!" the Tinkerer shouted as he began to charge at his son.

However, before he could do anything, Superboy came up behind him and stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh and I also placed devices in their costumes to protect them from the various gadgets you had put in place. All they had to do was act and they did very well."

"I have called the League and they are on their way," Kid Flash said coming towards the group.

"You are a disgrace to the family!" the Tinkerer shouted.

"Oh shut up," Superboy said as he lifted a syringe to the Tinkerer's neck and pushed the fluid into his blood stream.

It took a moment, but then he was knocked out, flopping in Superboy's arms.

"Thanks for that," Alex said.

"Any time." Kid Flash said. "But next time, tell us your plan, instead of sending messages to us through our suits. I only just spotted it in time."

"Sorry, but I needed you to react as though you had no idea what was coming and you did. It needed to be real, so he didn't expect anything to go wrong with his plan."

As they were talking, the cleanup team from the League arrived and took the Tinkerer into custody. Alex to one last look at his sleeping father.

"Goodbye dad, I wish this could have gone differently."

Alex turned and handed the shield deactivation device over to the head of the clear up team and went to join Jason and Wally.

"Ready to go back to Mt Justice?" Jason asked.

"Ready."

Alex jumped on Jason's back and try flew off into the air, Wally following after them on the ground, running up the side of the shield to get out of Time's Square.