Legends of Superman #11

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Legends of Superman #11
World’s Finest
Part 1:
Day and Night

Written and Edited by Daniel Dyer

Night falls over the shining city of Metropolis. Normally a bastion of prosperity, it is not without its criminal element. Meet Ray. Ray’s a drug dealer, preying on the young, the easily deceived. Even with the arrival of Superman, Ray still has prospered down in the Slums. That’s all about to change tonight. Tonight, Ray has become the prey.

“Huff... huff. I... huff.... think I... huff.... lost him.” Ray stops his run to evaluate his situation. “Who was that?”

“THAT WHICH STALKS THOSE WHO PREY ON THE WEAK AND THE HELPLESS!” came a booming voice, echoing through the alley way.

Ray begins his sprint again, hurrying back out in to the street.

“I AM THE DARKNESS THAT CONSUMES THOSE WHICH AVOID THE LIGHT!”

Ray hurries through another alleyway, hoping to cut through to the other side of the buildings, only to find a dead end.

“I AM THE THING THAT THE FRIGHTFUL FEAR!”

Ray turns from his dead end, seeing a dark figure standing at the mouth of the alley, a jagged cape draped around him.

“I AM THE BATMAN!” As the Bat says that, almost as if it was planned, lightning strikes in the distance, highlighting his face.

“Wh... what do you... want?”

The Batman grabs Ray by his shirt and forces the dealer against the wall which blocked the low life’s escape.

“Freeman! Where is he?!”

“H... how sh... should I know?”

The Dark Knight hears the tremble in Ray’s voice. He knows Ray’s lying. Its become second nature for the dark defender of justice. The Dark Knight tosses the hood hard into some trash cans. “Freeman!”

“Look, I... I did a few jobs for him. Really just errand work. He... he’d show up.....dunno where he’s at!! I promise!”

The bravado gone, the Batman believes Ray this time.

As the Batman appears to advance on the low level dealer, Ray pulls back, holding his hands up and turns away, yet, nothing happens. When Ray looks on, the Bat is gone. “Gone? Hehe. Guess I’m too small time for the big bad Bat.”

“RAYMOND CARTER!” came a voice through a megaphone. “COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP! WE HAVE THE ALLEY SURROUNDED!”

“Wond-a-ful.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The next day.

“The Batman, sir? Isn’t he Gotham City’s problem?” asks Clark as he sits in Perry’s office.

“Where you been, Kent? Under a rock? Sightings have been coming in all day. He’s in Metropolis and considering you got the inside scoop on Superman, I want you to find out why the vigilante is now setting his sights here.”

“I doubt he’d be quite as forthcoming as Superman was,” came Clark’s response.

“You’re a reporter, Kent! GET REPORTING!” Perry yells as he slams the door behind Clark.

“Way to go, Smallville,” Lois smirks as she passes by.

“‘Smallville’? At least you haven’t forgotten your roots, Mr. Big shot reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper.” came a voice from behind him.

Clark turns and finds, Chloe Sullivan, one of his best friends from High School. “Chloe?”

“That’s right, blue eyes,” hugging Clark. “Been awhile, huh?”

“Too long. I heard you got a job in Washington. How’s that going?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” laughs Chloe, even though it’s a bit close to the truth.

“How long are you in town for?”

“A couple of days,” answers the cute blonde. “I’m on vacation.” Kinda.

“You doing anything for lunch today?”

“Nope, I’m all yours, ‘Smallville’.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Across town, in the apartment of Clark Kent is where we find our Caped Crusader. He’s in town to protect the Man of Steel from a group of metahuman criminals. Yet, how does he know the Man of Steel’s true identity? Maybe that’s a mystery for another time. The Dark Knight scours the apartment. Not sure what exactly he’s looking for. He knows that Clark Kent is secretly Superman, but does Deathstroke? Having determined the apartment clean, the Batman turns to leave when something from the bedside drew catches his eye. He looks closer and finds an odd ring with an “L” on it. He pockets the ring in one of his pouches and is gone.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“You look good, Clark,” Chloe states as she sits at an outdoor table at a small café.

“You, too. Government job. So, you working on any X-File cases?” Clark laughs a bit.

You’d be surprised. “Naw. Pretty boring desk job actually.”

“I’d imagine you’d create your own X-Files, no matter what the job.”

“Hey, I’m not the one interviewing aliens.”

“Oh,” Clark looks away. “Superman. Yeah, yeah. It kinda landed in my lap.”

I just bet. “So, what’s he like?”

“Well, he seems like an upstanding guy. Surprisingly down to Earth.”

“Like you?” Chloe says smiling up at Clark.

“Huh?” but before the conversation can continue, Clark hears yelling and a cry for help. “Chloe... I have to go.”

“But we just got here.”

“I know....it’s just... hard to explain.”

Not as hard as you may think, thinks Chloe as she watches Clark run off.

“Chloe,” comes a voice from her communicator.

Bringing the communicator to her mouth, “What is it, Harper?”

“We sent the Bat cause we can’t get involved. I don’t want to see you lose your position over this?”

“I’m just monitoring the situation. If anyone asks, I’m seeing a childhood friend.”

“Is that the geek you’re having lunch with.”

“Clark’s not a geek.”

“Yeah, well, your boyfriend sure looks geekish to me.”

“Do I detect a bit of jealousy, Mr. Harper?”

“Jealous. HA!” and without another word, he breaks contact.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“Help!! Help!!”

“Shut up!” yells the Batman as he punches the guy. “I need information. Freeman’s planning an attack. Where’s he operating from?”

“Let him go.”

The Batman turns and sees Superman, hovering, arms crossed. “Stay out of this,” the Bat says as he turns back to the hood.

“I can’t do that.”

The Batman turns and the hood runs off.

“I heard you were in town. Hoped the rumors were false.” Superman, focusing his X-ray vision, sees beneath the cowl of the Batman. “Bruce?”

“You peeked, Kent.”

“Regardless, you have no business in Metropolis.”

“What do you know about Torval Freeman?”

“Who?”

“You’re lucky you got those powers,” and the Bat turns to leave.

“Stop,” Superman says as he grabs the Bat’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch me,” and using Big Blue’s weight against him, the Dark Knight flips him, throwing him into a wall. “And don’t underestimate me, either.”

Getting to his feet. “Who’s Torval Free...”

But before Superman can finish his sentence, both heroes hear screams in the distance.

Superman uses his telescopic and x-ray visions to see the disturbance. “Some costumed maniac, with what appears magnetic powers.” He then turns back and finds Batman already gone. “Sigh. Guess this looks like a job for Superman.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“Ha ha ha ha! Run before the magnetic might of Dr. Poloris!”

“Poloris, huh?” says Superman as he descends from the air.

“Rather prompt. I like that.”

As Big Blue’s attention is focused on Poloris, Livewire sends a powerful electrical blast toward Superman.

“AARRGH!!” screams the Man of Steel.

“Fry, Stupidman, Fry!”

As Superman regains some composure, Poloris sends a bus crashing into him.

“Ugh,” Superman groans as he pushes the bus’s debris from himself.

“Here, allow me to lend a hand,” a purple bulking humanoid being states as he takes Superman’s hand.

“AARRGH!!!” screams the Man of Steel.

“Feel the drain of the Parasite, Superwimp!” the man once known as Rudy Jones declares.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

On a distant roof top, Deathstroke aims a high powered rifle. The target Superman. His bullet specially designed to take down this particular target. A bullet made from a rare meteorite, which radiates a green glow.

Continued...