Avenging Justice 3:

To Infinity and Anti-Life

Part XXXVIII

Earth, California, Coast City

Rhodey woke up in pain, that cyborg thing could hit really hard. His suit was damaged, way more than he had expected for it to still work. Work still it did, but it was busy. On his HUD, he saw something that looked like an old school game called Pac-Man. This sickly yellowish green thing was gobbling up little bits of information, and the suit's antivirus sending out items to stop or slow it down. He had played enough of the game to know it was losing.

"Suit open!" Rhodey ordered.

His suit's A.I. responded, "I'm sorry Colonel Rhodes, but that would be unwise. There is higher than normal radiation levels. The suit is shielding you."

Rhodey felt that cold feeling in his guts. He wasn't wanting to die, but he couldn't stay here. Especially if his instinct about the HUD view was correct, and he didn't want to stick around to find out. Still he was immobile, the trick was getting out. Since he couldn't exit the suit to look it over, he'd have to think about ways, quickly.

"What is the status at the moment?" he asked.

His suit quipped, "Oh, you know dire. This alien A.I. is strong, but I have a few more tricks up the sleeve."

He'd have to talk to Tony about the personalities, "Okay, what can I do to help? I seem to be immobilized."

The suit was quiet for a moment, "No, currently 'Last Stand Directive' is offline. Suit is immobilized."

"Do you know what it is trying to do?" Rhodey asked.

The suit sounded tired, "It wants to use my programming to infect everything across the globe. It would change their take over time from a few months to a few weeks."

"Shit," Rhodey struggled. "Well, let's see. We have a little bit more information, do you know anything else?"

The A.I. was silent for a second, before it responded, "This is taking a lot of resources, the more we talk the quicker it gets through my defenses. However, I do know their creator was looking for several people. You, were designated primary, as you would be easier to take out."

"That's insulting!" Rhodey said. "Alright, we need to get out of here. You fight, I'm looking around."

Unfortunately, he only saw one option, it wasn't a good one. Energy flowed all around, but here on the inside, it wasn't shielded. A good short circuit or electromagnetic pulse would do a lot of damage. However, he knew working along side Tony for so long, that it would bring dangers to him. At the very least he might lose his shielding, at the most would be death, and every option in-between. However, one didn't sign up to fight for their country, not knowing the risks. He had to save them.

"I wouldn't recommend this Colonel Rhodes," the A.I. voice said. "The energy could kill you."

Rhodey nodded to himself, "I know, but then we could do this 'Last Stand,' save a lot of lives."

How crazy must he be, nodding when there was nobody to see but him. Taking the most long shot of a plan to save everyone, that's not how things normally went, but it was the hero's way. Going from officer to superhero took a little change, but not much. Most of all, the spotlight was the biggest change. Before he did his job, and he was part of a team, that nobody would ever see. Now every time he went out on a mission, the world watched.

Oddly this was more familiar. His sacrifice here would be unnoticed, but necessary. He would save the world, and only his suit would know. It was sad, but not to him. This is what every soldier, marine, airman and sailor knew could happen, when they took the oath. Only thing that mattered were the lives saved, and the enemy defeated. He wouldn't let that cyborg monster win, even if it took all he had.

"Do it!" Rhodey said.

The suit redirected energy and War Machine's arms stretched out. Energy blasted into them and journeyed through the metallic parts. Rhodey screamed, and almost instantly it froze in his throat. Every nerve, muscle and cell was energetically being manipulated all at once. It felt like several lifetimes passed as the energy passed through him and the suit. Then everything went coldly silent.

Rhodey was ejected and his suit encased body slammed into alien architecture. He groaned again, which was the first sign that he was still alive. That was a great thing, but with the amount of pain radiating up and down his body, not a great thing. When he and Tony had a sit down again, he'd be talking about upgrading the suit's insulation.

"We survived," the A.I. said. "There is minor damage to some memory sectors, but we are ninety percent effective."

Rhodey cough, "And energy levels?"

"Nearly fully recharged," the A.I. said. "We can fly out, and some weapons are online. Other will not function till damage to memory sectors is repaired."

Rhodey smiled, "Good, let's beat a strategic advance in the opposite direction, and come back with enough firepower to blow these assholes to smithereens."

He knew they had to find a way out, luckily, if you take disastrous implosions as lucky, it found him. The walls shuddered and started to crumble. Life giving air was quickly being replaced with ocean water. Cracks in Rhodey's suit began to fill, only for the suit to start to push in a hardening agent, to seal them. Next came overwhelming pressure, making Rhodey believe the suit was trying crush him, till water enveloped everything.

Instinctively he pushed upward, beginning to rise, as dark water quickly replaced with ocean blue. Frightened fish scattered as the metallic torpedo of a man blasted through the various zones of the ocean. A pod of dolphins squealed as he went by and then the surface of the water erupted out, gallons of water behind him as he blasted into the sky.

Earth, California, Highway Twenty Miles out of Coast City

Fairchild kicked the Cyborg Superman and got a blast of energy for her troubles. Almost entirely impervious to physical harm, she still had to admit that burned. She sent a huge piece of debris back at him, only for the Cyborg to smash it to pieces with a flick of his wrist. He was on her again, faster than she could anticipate. His punches landing hard, she changed strategy and grabbed the imposter, wrapping him up. It took all her strength to hold him, and do what came next, as her head smashed into the flesh part of his face.

Note to future historians, the skin was stretched over a metal skull. It didn't feel nice at all, and his mocking laughter sent a shiver through her. The ground rising up to meet her, and the metal foot against her spine sent Fairchild into a wishful dream. One where the rest of her team was here, she missed them. They should be here with her, and she was grateful they weren't.

The Cyborg was on her, bringing his foot down and it stopped. He looked up to see the floating pest from earlier. Despite his enhanced senses, he almost didn't dodge the adamantium claws of the woman from earlier. He went for a backhand, only for her to swing off of it and send a kick to his midsection. It didn't phase him, only too late did he realize she was using him a springboard.

An explosion the size of a MOAB hit the Cyborg Superman, but in the size of a small .223 round. Blown back, the Cyborg looked, instantly locking onto a big man holding a rifle, that glowed yellow as another round came at him. He caught it, again it exploded, but little to no damage to him. A burst of heat vision streaked towards the man, the Cyborg's fleshy mouth turning up in a smile. That was till the beam of energy passed through the ship.

As he studied it, he understood. More precisely it passed through a portal in front of the shooter and out another. So, he'd have to do this the physical way. Up he went, feeling the metal parts of his body being pulled by the floating hero. Then came the scraping of metal claws on cyborg implants. Following this was a concussion level smash that sent him to the ground.

It was a good showing, but they were not match for him. Fairchild was pitched right into the woman with claws, and heat vision blanketed an electromagnetic field around the floating man. It protected Templar from being killed, but even his shield would only hold for so long. The cyborg was sure he could out last him, for it was a sunny day.

"I need to get down there," Iron Man said. Beside him Steel already had his metal hammer at the ready.

Fury was looking at Captain Marvel, "Stark, we'll leave Captain Marvel. I'm going to need you to focus on finding a chink in that technology, being half machine, there has to be a way to hacking into it."

"Sir, we have incoming on two fronts," one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. technicians called out. "One is very fast, the other is all over the place."

"Give me updates," Fury commanded.

The tech called back, "One is sending out an IFF registered to War Machine"

"I'm on it," Tony was already half way to the exit.

Fury waived off the guards, Stark had to do this his way, "The other?"

"Readings are similar to Superman, sir, but this one's a bit smaller," the tech replied.

Cyborg Superman heard the incoming figure. Thinking it another one of those pathetic heroes, he paid it no attention. The need to barbecue the floating annoyance all consuming. He could see the EM shield weakening, he could hear the man's labored breathing as heat began to seep in. This one would die horribly for trying to deny him his revenge. This world would be remade, and the one who sent him would have what he needed. Darkseid always got what he wanted.

A primal scream, quickly followed by the hardest hit the cyborg had ever felt, sent him rocketing across the sky. A rage filled teen girl, in blue and red, the house of El symbol proudly displayed, laid into him. Her own heat vision scouring his metallic body, and his sensors registered that many were getting heating up beyond their ability to operate. He punched back, connected, but still she came. Fury came with each hit, along with precision.

"You are not worthy to wear his face or his crest," Supergirl screamed, sending a knee straight into the Cyborg Superman's metal chin. Despite the alien metal, a dent form, giving him a noticeable divot in the chin area. "You disgrace his memory and I will wipe your stain from his legacy."

The Cyborg Superman laughed, "You fight with passion and emotion, soon you'll tire yourself out. Then Lord Darkseid will have you as tribute to his greatness. I hear the Furies are looking for another member, or maybe Lord Darkseid will take a special interest in you."

"Eww, gross!" Supergirl pounded on him.

She took a quick burst of heat vision to her eyes, and she was blinded. It made her easier to hit, till her vision started to return, but for everyone one she took, she returned in full. Both combatants retreated back, sizing each other up. Despite him being half machine, Supergirl didn't care. She was going to rip him apart if it was the last thing she would ever do. Even as he seemed to not even be winded, she could still make out damage done to him.

"Listen, sweetheart, you did good, now let the real man show you how to end this fight," came the cocky voice of what the media had dubbed "Superboy." Though he and Lex Luthor claimed this was the real Superman.

Superboy came in fists flying, each one connecting. The Cyborg though struck back and Superboy felt as if his fists were not causing much damage, something underscored as the cyborg caught on hand in his open palm. Squeezing his palm shut, the cyborg could feel the teen's hands start to give, and Superboy began to feel like his hand was bring crushed. All cockiness gone, he smashed his limbs into his opponent, only the dead stare of the cyborg's cybernetic half returned his gaze.

"That's enough!" Supergirl opened her barrage again.

It was enough to make the cyborg let go of Superboy, who fell away, clutching his hand. Pain giving way to focus, he was going to kill this thing. Nobody hurt Superman, he was the real one, he wasn't just some copy of the real thing. He flew up after Supergirl, he didn't mind her helping out with this fight. At least till he figured out how to take this clown out.

"Alright, how about we do this together?" he asked.

Supergirl didn't take her eye off the cyborg, "Attack his flank, I'll keep him busy. When you see an opening go for the joints. One thing about metal, it gets bent in the wrong way, it doesn't like to move."

"I see! Lock him up like a boss, and then pound on him," Superboy grinned. "I like it. You're not half bad at this, Supergirl."

Over his communication earpiece, Superboy heard Fury's voice, "Can you two handle this imposter? I've got incoming of something big going down in Oklahoma."

"Oh yeah, we got this guy, he's toast," Superboy responded back. "Why we've almost got him beat."

Fury's voice sounded tired, "Sure, kid. Maria take us out at full speed. Launch the Quinjet with our guests. They'll get there faster that way."

"Good, this is personal," Supergirl said. "keep that comm piece nearby, they're going to need to pick up some recycling."

Superboy grinned, "Oh, now you start to trash talk. I like it!"

"I'll deal with you after this imposter, in the meantime, stick to the plan," was her reply. Then they were on the Cyborg Superman again.