CHAPTER 143

[Clark Kent's POV] 

I awoke in an expansive, dimly lit space, the size of an underground bunker. My hands were bound, anchored to the ground by unyielding chains. A sense of weakness coursed through me, the insidious effects of the Kryptonite light that encased my transparent cell. The pain was bearable, but the weakening sensation was a constant reminder of my vulnerability.

Around me, guards stood in strategic positions, their eyes fixed on me with a mix of awe and caution. I strained against my restraints, attempting to break free, but the chains held firm. My attempts were futile, and frustration gnawed at me, amplifying my determination to escape this predicament.

And then he walked in – Lex Luthor, the architect of my current misery. His presence exuded confidence and arrogance, a man who reveled in his power over me. His smirk was insufferable as he regarded me, a caged animal under his gaze.

"Superman, my dear alien friend," he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Surprised to see me?"

I met his gaze, my eyes reflecting a simmering determination. "Lex, what's the meaning of this? What do you hope to achieve?"

He chuckled, pacing around the perimeter of my cell, his hands clasped behind his back. "You always saw yourself as the savior of humanity, didn't you? The beacon of hope? But you were wrong, Superman. You're nothing but an inferior being, shackled by your own weakness."

I clenched my jaw, fighting against the anger that threatened to consume me. "You can't hide behind your schemes, Lex. I'll find a way to stop you."

He let out a cruel laugh, a sound that resonated with malevolence. "Stop me? Oh, Superman, you truly don't understand, do you? I'm not here to be stopped. I'm here to claim what's rightfully mine – this world and all its inhabitants."

I strained against my restraints, the chains biting into my skin. "You're deluded if you think anyone will follow you willingly."

Lex's grin widened, a twisted expression of satisfaction. "Oh, they won't have a choice, Superman. You see, I've already planted the seeds of doubt, sown the fear that will pave the way for my ascension. I've always been the superior intellect, the one destined to rule."

My gaze bore into his, the weight of his words mingling with the frustration and helplessness that surged within me. "You're wrong, Lex. Humanity won't be ruled by fear and tyranny."

He paused, locking eyes with me, his gaze burning with a fanatical determination. "You underestimate me, Superman. Soon, the world will witness my true power, and they'll bow before me. You, with all your strength, are nothing compared to the intellect that guides my every move."

I struggled against my restraints, a surge of energy welling up within me. But the Kryptonite light held me captive, my abilities dulled by its presence. Lex's laughter reverberated through the air as he turned to leave.

"Farewell, Superman," he sneered. "Enjoy your last moments of defiance. Soon enough, the world will belong to me."

As he exited, the echo of his evil laughter lingered, a chilling reminder of the threat he posed. I was trapped, weakened, but my resolve burned brighter than ever. I would find a way to escape this prison, to thwart Lex's plans, and protect the world from his tyranny.

… 

[Tom Hendricks POV] 

"Well, this is shaping up to be quite the slaughter," I muttered to myself, surveying the hallway strewn with fallen soldiers. Some hung lifeless on the walls, others bled out on the floor, and yet the intel I needed to find Raven remained elusive.

It felt like I was strolling through a maze blindfolded, a frustrating game of hide and seek where I wasn't sure who was hiding and who was seeking.

The base itself was bathed in a cacophony of red warning lights and an incessant buzzing alarm. It was like a grand overture to their own demise, a symphony of chaos they had orchestrated. Gotta hand it to them, their dedication was impressive. Maybe I should've squeezed the location out of that general before leaving him on death's doorstep. Well, time to keep moving.

My eyes caught a security camera overhead, not the first I'd encountered on my underground journey. A spark of an idea flickered in my mind as an imaginary light build seemed to float over my head, something I should have done a while ago. "Gwen, think you can work your magic and hack into the facility's servers to guide me to Raven's location?" I spoke, fingers resting casually against my headphones as I addressed the camera.

"Consider it done, sir," Gwen's reply came smoothly.

"Good." A smirk played at the corner of my lips. In a controlled ascent, I hovered above the ground, levitating towards the camera.

Approaching the camera, I nimbly disconnected a few wires, hooking one up to a port in my specially designed wristwatch. A technology which this advanced verse had provided me, and one of my works which I was proud of. "Initiating data access," Gwen's voice resonated in my ear.

Standing there amidst the hum of chaos, more soldiers poured in. "Is there no end to these guys?" I rhetorically pondered. "Hang tight, gents. I'll get to you in a sec," I muttered under my breath, though I doubted they were listening.

"Open fire!"

A soldier barked the command, bullets raining down on me. But my retaliation was swift and required no effort—those bullets found their way back to their senders, punctuating the air with fatal punctuation marks.

"Gwen, got anything for me?" I inquired, bullets ricocheting around me like a deadly dance.

"Located her, sir," Gwen's voice cut in, displaying live footage of Raven on a medical bed, it seems like they extracted a lot of her blood. 

In that moment, the nature of their intentions was blurry— ritual or experiment. Considering her lineage, it was no surprise they wanted her for her blood , but right now it hardly mattered. What did matter was the simmering anger within me, a furnace of rage threatening to engulf reason. My logical side tried to wrestle my emotions into submission, but fury had its hold. 

"Gwen, coordinates now. And heaven help anyone who thinks they can stand in my way." My tone was measured, the calm before the storm.

She relayed the location, and I shot through the base like a comet streaking across the night sky. Directions materialized in my glasses, a crimson thread connecting me to Raven like a beacon.

Soldiers continued to pop up like daisies, and I dispatched them with calculated efficiency. Some met my telekinetic onslaught, crashing into walls, while I used the others bioelectricity against them to shut down their hearts. 

Then, a squad appeared, armed with electromagnetic-coated shields that fashioned an impervious blue barrier when locked together. "Impressive," I mused to myself. They obviously aimed to thwart my progression, not realizing the arsenal at my disposal. Well, I expected nothing less from a secret military base. 

Suppressing a laugh, an idea flashed through my mind—one that was both cost-effective and effective. A firm tap of my foot on the ground created a gaping hole beneath them, perfectly accommodating their force-field radius.

Shouts filled the air as they plunged into the hole, but I wasn't done. Hovering above, I gazed down at them, struggling to ascend. My feet found earth again, the terrain reshaping to hold them in place against the wall.

"No particular urge to off you guys, honestly. Killing's a one-note symphony, and I'm after a more intricate tune," I remarked, levitating upwards, leaving them to their confined contemplations. Killing has become quite a bore and once you snuff the life out of a person, that's it. There's nothing after that but a bag of bones and muscles. 

"Let us out!" their pleas rang out, a mix of desperation and hope.

"Chill out, folks. Help's on the way. That is if the base isn't a smoldering ruin by the time I'm done with the place," I called back, their expressions morphing from relief to dread. 

Closing in on Raven's location, another wave of soldiers surged forth. "Are you guys suicidal or something?" I quipped, met with a resounding order to prevent me from advancing.

"Hold him here, no matter what it takes!" their commander's decree echoed.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You've seen my résumé on those security feeds, right? Trying to box with shadows seems like a losing bet, don't you think?"

And then, a quartet emerged, soldiers bearing a symbol reminiscent of a modified version of Superman's emblem. Reinforcements, it seemed. "Ah, superhumans in the mix. Let's see if you're worth the hype," I quipped, anticipation dancing in my voice. Time to see how the government's attack dogs fared against a real wolf.

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