by Richard Dean
As Aquaman’s troops stand down and return to their ships, the invaders gather their forces and prepare to travel back to Apokolips.
BM
(turns to SM)
Are you okay?
SM nods his strength is returning.
BM
I have to check on some people. I’ll be back.
BM scales the building to his jet and hovers as he turns to the Daily Planet.
DS is at the opening of his ship, the league is now on top of a nearby building. They watch in silence as the invaders start to return into the boom tubes back to Apokolips.
Orion finishes talking to GL and the rest of the league.
SM approaches, they shake hands,
SM
Thank you.
O
I was hoping to meet you one day, I’ve heard a lot about you. You now know how to reach us, don’t hesitate if you need to.
SM
I will
Orion gets on his vessel and hovers, the boom tube opens.
O
Oh, and you’re welcome.
He turns and flies into the tube it closes behind him.
DS stands on a platform of the ship
DS
I am the creator and destroyer of worlds. You are merely ants and I am a God. Never forget how quickly I can destroy your new world Kryptonian.
DS then scans the horizon and sees the large globe atop the daily planet. His eyes glow bright red as he fires at the globe destroying it. It explodes right in front of BM’s jet he swerves to miss some debris. He looks on in horror.
The door closes behind DS and his ship disappears into the boom tube, the last one to close in the sky. As the debris crashes down on top of the planet building SM hears a scream, a familiar scream. Struggling to hear he removes his com link.
BM circles in the jet as SM approaches. He knows what is about to happen.
BM
WW, we need everyone back to Star Labs now.
BM flies away as SM slings the debris aside looking for Lois and Jimmy.
In dimly lit room at an undisclosed location several shadowy figures sit around a table monitoring the events of the day.
Amanda Waller, Director of Cadmus
Gen Eiling what is your assessment, from a military standpoint?
GE
We would not stand a chance, especially since they have developed the technology to counter our only weapon against them. I have said from day one that this place is wide open.(slams his fist on the table) How did this happen? We spent more money than we could hide developing those robots and now they are worthless!
LL
(Luthor leaning forward into the light)
Calm down General. If money is your concern then I will simply write a check. As far as who the leak is, there is only one empty seat at the table.
AW
Palmer, I’ll have him picked up immediately.
LL
Why, he is with them now. You want to take them on? They know who we are now.
GE
And we know who they are too.
AW
That’s right. And what they are capable of. But they don’t have any idea of our capabilities. We will have to expedite all of our secondary initiatives.
LL
Agreed.
BM lands on a nearby building and fires his cable to help Superman. He knows that it is hopeless, there is no way that anyone could have survived.
SM
Found ‘em!
BM hurries over, SM pulls Lois from the debris, her body is limp.
SM
Lois. Lois.
He scans her body with his x-ray vision. He does not like what she sees.
BM
She covered Jimmy. He is alive but barely. Superman you have to get him out of here! Superman!
SM stands with his back to BM holding Lois filled with agony.
BM
Superman.
CLARK!
SM turns there is no emotion in his face.
BM
(on the com link)
Flash. I need you at the top of the Daily Planet now.
A few seconds later Flash arrives. BM places the nearly lifeless body of Jimmy Olsen in his arms.
BM
Get him to the army field hospital now. Then meet back at the lab.
Flash does not say a word as he evaporates into a blur, streaking down the side of the building.
BM turns to SM he is now on his knees weeping. BM approaches from behind and places his hand on his shoulder.
BM
I’m sorry Clark but we have to save the ones that we can. And there are still more to save.
SM does not respond. BM returns to his jet. SM flies away with Lois. As BM flies away. He returns to Star Labs where the league awaits he and SM’s return.
BM walks in.
F
I think we got the kid to the doc in time.
BM
That’s good news.
WW
Batman, what is going on?
BM
That final blast from Darkseid killed Lois Lane. Lantern do you still have that mother box?
(Gl removes it from his belt)
Give it to me. (He puts into a compartment in his utility belt and removes the one from the warehouse.
he tosses it to Flash)
What ever happens, do not let SM get this.
WW
By the gods. Do you think he would go there.
AM
I would.
JJ
Then let’s try to reason with him.
GL
Agreed. He can’t take this personal.
They then hear a sonic boom off in the distance.
BM
Here he comes.
SM is in the process of landing as he comes through the door, he heads straight for BM.
SM
Give me the motherbox that you found at the warehouse.
BM
Going somewhere?
SM
To kill a murderer.
SM steps aggressively in BM’s direction. He grabs BM’s uniform and lifts him off the ground.
SM
Give it to me.
BM
No.
SM
I’m not gonna ask you again.
GL
He can’t!
(SM drops BM then turns to face GL)
Why not?
GL
Because he doesn’t have it.
SM walks toward GL, AM and WW stands in his way.
WW
Don’t do it.
SM
Or what?
AM
No good is going to come from this. Just take a minute and calm down.
They each take one of SM’s arms.
He quickly flings them aside.
GL
If that’s the way you want it.
GL fires a burst from his ring in the shape of a battering ram that slams SM into the wall.
As he stands JJ transforms into a serpent like dragon and coils around him. He quickly breaks free.
SM
Where is it?!
BM
Why?! What are you going to do? He nearly killed you.
Gen Hardcastle enters the room.
What in the hell is going on in here?
SM
It’s not your concern.
BM
Going there will not bring her back.
Just then the communicator that Orion gave GL starts to flicker. Then his image appears.
O
If you go to Apokolips it will break the treaty. If by some miracle you kill Darkseid, then that planet will descend into chaos that will spill over across the universe. There is no one that wants to see Darkseid dead more than me but he is a necessary evil. I’m sorry but you cannot go.
SM
I don’t remember asking your permission.
SM backhands the device off of the ta
ble.
Green Lantern wraps a huge green fist around SM.
GL
I can’t let you go Superman. You heard the man. Trust me when I tell you this, there is a great big universe out there. Its problems can quickly become ours.
Gen Hardcastle has now called the President and has told them what is going on
GH
That’s right sir, he is attempting to go to Apokolips. If he does the treaty will be broken. I don’t think they can stop him. What do you want us to do?
There conversation is being monitored by Cadmus. The members at the table discuss what can be done.
AW
Now what? What do you think General?
GE
I think I see an opportunity.
AW
What do you mean?
LL
No, he’s right. Let SM destroy the rest of them and let our robots take care of SM.
GE
Exactly.
Eiling contacts the white house and informs them of their plan.
Pres
I’m not sure. General Hardcastle?
GH
That is your call Mr. President.
Pres
Where is Faraday?
CF
I’m on my way to the lab now sir, I think I can reason with him, he trusts me.
Pres
What is your ETA?
CF
Ten minutes.
GH
This thing will be over in five.
Pres
Gen. Eiling, hold until further notified.
LL
We can’t wait General, when he leaves we will not be able to get him back. We need to go now.
Eiling ponders, then presses a button on the console in front of him.
Milo?
Milo
(voice)
Yes sir?
GE
Activate the robots.
Milo
(voice)
Which ones sir?
GE
All of them.
LL
We are doing the right thing, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
The distant building, on the outskirts of Metropolis, roof opens and a dozen robots almost a story tall launch into the night sky.
Superman strains against the grip, GL strains as he increases the power of his rings to hold him. Sweat starts to form on his brow as cracks begin to form. The fist explodes in a green flash as GL is knocked into a wall and falls unconscious. AM delivers a right cross the staggers SM, followed by another and another as AM gives him all he has. SM finishes the winded AM with a solid punch. WW tries but soon falls to SM’s might. BM turns to see blips approaching on the radar. He runs outside and fires up his jet to intercept the incoming threat. Flash is now whizzing around the room.
SM
Give it to me!
Zipping back and forth briefly stopping each time.
F
Gotta catch me first.
SM studies the motions and begins to focus on Flash, he can see him clearly now, SM’s Body begins to mirror Flash’s moves, the chase ends with Flash against a wall, SM’s hand around his neck. He squeezes just enough for Flash to stop thrashing and calmly removes the mother box from his hands.
SM
After that race you should have considered the possibility that I let you win.
(He squeezes just enough for Flash to stop thrashing and calmly removes the mother box from his hands.)
Thank you.
SM crashes through the roof to find himself surrounded by 12 hovering robots. He looks over the shoulder of one to see the Bat Jet approaching.
From inside the cockpit BM locks on and fires the four remaining missiles and takes out four robots. SM Grins when he realizes that he is there to help.
The remaining league members go outside and watch the battle. BM is evading four pursuing robots and SM is locked up with the rest. They are flying circles around him blasting him with green laser beams.
WW
What do we do?
GL
After that beating he just gave us, I’m inclined to sit this one out.
JJ
They are our teammates.
AM
Our friends.
GL
(Shrugs)
What the hell.
Flash breaks up the circle by creating a tornado. WW lassos one around the neck as it flies by, she anchors the other end around a tree. The head snaps off and the body crashes into the ground. JJ phases out and one robot blasts through him destroying the other. He then enters the other and comes out behind it with one hand still inside. The robot freezes, raises an arm and begins to fire at the ones chasing BM. He takes out two and then rips out the wires, causing it to crash to the ground. Superman sees the break he needs and activates the mother box, the boom tube opens and he vanishes.
Apokolips
The mother ship is being unloaded as the light appears in the sky. SM flies by it as he circles the planet gathering momentum. He bears down and punches through the ship, with each lap around the planet he punches a new hole. The ship starts to fall with smoke coming out of every hole. SM hovers above as he rips the roof open. Darkseid and his minions stand away from the vessel as it crashes to the ground. SM sees the group as he passes over head. DS now has all of his crew, all of the ones he took to Earth and several others.
DS (Steps back)
DS
Finish the kryptonian.
They all look up as SM streaks across the sky. On his next pass he flies through the neck of DS’s giant statue that stands about ten stories high.
The head pops off and starts to fall to the ground, SM catches it on the next pass. The giant rock head slows him down but it does not matter. On his next pass he hurls it to the surface. The bad guys begin to flee but they are too late. The head hits like a meteor. Dirt, rocks and dust are scattered for miles. When the dust clears the bodies of Darkseid’s forces litter the terrain. SM scans the bodies for DS, he cannot find him.
SM
Darkseid!
DS is now hovering behind him
DS
Looking for me?
SM
You are going to pay for what you did.
DS
I doubt it, I never do.
His eyes glow red but before he can fire SM flies into him, Punching holes into the surrounding buildings as he flies through them. SM Uses DS as a battering ram and starts to destroy the whole city.
Star Labs
Flash catches one of the robots on the ground as it tries to capture AM. Using a cable from a fallen tower he speeds around the robot and when he is finished it is wrapped from head to toe with the cable.
F
He’s all yours.
AM leaps and delivers a mighty punch and the robots head disappears in the nearby woods. GL has knocked one down and is slamming it into the ground with a giant anvil. BM’s jet is struggling after being hit, “warning, warning” repeats itself from inside the cockpit. BM slows letting the robot catch up. “Remote detonation activated” is heard before BM punches out, as his seat tumbles upward he activates the EMP on the jet that knocks out the last robot.
He descends slowly and lands near the lab, the rest of the league joins him.
WW
So the jet was an EMP too. You do think of everything.
GL
What do we do about Superman.
BM
Give me your mother box.
GL hands it over.
F
Yeah lets go get him before he does something he regrets.
JJ
If he hasn’t done it already.
Apokolips
SM is working DS pretty good but he will not stay down.
DS wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
DS
You seem more determined this time Kryptonian.
SM
A man once said something to me about being afr
aid of how powerful I really am. He was right, but there is another fear. Losing someone close to me. I have you to blame for that. By the time I am through you will know what it is like to be afraid. You will also know how powerful I am, too bad you won’t be alive to tell anyone.
They mix it up some more, DS gets one in and sends SM hurtling back through a wall. DS stomps repeatedly on SM’s face it gets further into the stone floor. He stops and grinds his foot in SM’s face.
DS
This is it Superman. As I said, you are but an ant and I am a God.
DS’s foot begins to smolder and glows red as SM’s heat vision burns through his foot, causing him to hop backwards on one leg. SM takes off and flies straight up, stopping at the top of his loop, straight down and about six feet of the ground, after he breaks the sound barrier he hones in on his target. DS has no chance as SM delivers both fists to his chest. The impact causes a crater as dust and debris fly out in all directions.
Metropolis
BM hands the box to Flash
BM
Enter every possible sequence.
Flash’s hand is a blur
F
Got it.
WW
Lets go.
