Apokolips, Granny's workshop.
Kalibak stood in front of the heavily armoured door to apokolips most prized workshop. From the point of entry to her workshop, Kalibak met a total of three people, all furies on patrol. The whole wing was devoid of parademons as she preferred and trusted soldiers whom she personally created and conditioned to obey only two people in the whole of apokolips, her lord Darkseid and Granny Goodness. It was also the second most secure place, the first being Darkseids tower.
An orange beam shot out from above and scanned him once before retreating.
"Identity confirmed, General Kalibak." An automated female voice was heard then the door slid open.
He stepped inside the workshop. Two furies stood guard on opposite sides of the door, each holding a leash attached to a devilish-looking hell hound which growled at him. The furies acknowledged his presence by slightly bowing their head as he passed.
Looking around the room he saw various alien species in cages while some were strapped on top of surgical tables. Their eyes and demeanour lacked any sign of emotion, no doubt having been tortured and experimented out of them. He navigated through the huge room towards her personal laboratory which he entered without making himself known, sure that she was aware of his presence.
"What can dear old granny help you with?" she asked in her croaky voice, not lifting her head from whatever she was doing.
"I..." He stammered a bit, noticing what she was working on. "I need that earthling for a mission." He said. Cyborg was bound against a wall with hundreds of cables attached to every part of his body which was partially disassembled. Kalibak walked to her, trying to see what she was doing to him.
"My new toy?" She tilted her head to look at him. "NO! Go find your own to play with." She waved him away.
Expecting such an answer, he said, "I need him for a mission on earth. He is the only one who can get past the Justice leagues security measures."
"No. Can't you see I'm busy? I need to know what makes him tick so that my children can be upgraded the same way."
"That is something that Desaad can easily do for you. The parademons are made up of the same technology." He reasoned.
"Don't be naive. Desaad's work is crude compared to this. Two mother boxes have completely and efficiently merged with this earthling, something that we have never thought to incorporate." She explained, fascinated by whatever reading she was getting on her computer.
Kalibak didn't understand her infatuation with it but he knew he was going to need him for his mission. "Apologies for my assumption but I insist on the earthlings help on my mission."
At that statement, Granny's smile wavered and her demeanour suddenly changed while she straightened up from her bent position to face him. "What did I tell you? Should I have to help you clean your ear?"
Kalibak thought to steppenwolfs strategy. "I need him." He said, looking her dead in the eyes, clearly pulling rank.
"Don't make me punish you for your insolence, now leave me be!" She threatened. Granny had a couple of ways to punish Kalibak and Steppenwolf whenever they crossed her since they weren't so far off rank-wise. She made sure that none of her furies had sex with them, something that they couldn't get anywhere in apokolips. The lollies were too pathetic while every captured alien was converted to a parademon. Plus she also got the mother box to mess up with their boom tubes and send them to random locations throughout the universe with no way of getting back. Her most favourite was refusing to do them any favours, something that every high ranking person in apokolips depended on from her.
Kalibak, having no intention of further angering her, said, "As you wish, as long as you will be the one to explain to lord Darkseid why we can't use him." He watched surprise flash over her face before she regained her stoic expression.
Granny Goodness had a good mind on her to doubt what Kalibak was telling her, aware of his previous schemes on his partners. Her gaze moved from him to Cyborg then back to him. If he was pulling her leg, she wouldn't know and she couldn't confirm either because she couldn't risk Darkseid's wrath in case it was he who sent him. She noted Kalibaks subtle smirk.
"What do you need him for?" She asked.
Kalibak stood silent, pondering on whether to tell her or not, even though for their plan to work, they needed her help because their contact on earth vanished without a trace, (Black mask).
"We need to retrieve something from the Kryptonians home." He answered.
"What?"
"Krypton's database."
"Let me guess, you still need Granny's help." She grinned. Otherwise you would not have told me.
"We need to use your contact on earth." He revealed. "To check on the current locations of the Justice League members. We need to make sure he is nowhere near his home."
"Why would I help you?"
"It's lord Darkseid's will."
"I know that. What's in it for me?" She asked.
"What do you want?"
"A peak at that database." She stated, the furies who stood guard looked at her. "Only after our lord is through with it." She clarified and the furies resumed their duties. She would have to talk to Desaad about adjusting that part of their lackey's brainwashing. Any slave, be it a lowly, parademon or fury who sensed anyone going against Darkseid was programed to kill that person, no matter the rank.
"Deal."
"Shall I give you some of my furies?" She asked, smiling, while ordering the mother box to fix cyborg.
"I do not need help! I am the general!" He bellowed, angered that she thought so little of him.
"Granny's only trying to help. I mean, look at what happened to war world. How unfortunate, Mongul was such a lovely playmate." She said, smiling as a sudden realisation dawned on the young Prince, her subtle threat convincing him. If news of the kryptonian killing the war lord was true, then Kalibak, as strong as he was, would have a difficult time putting him down.
"Not that I need any of their help!" He clarified, looking at two furies stationed at the door. "I'll take these ones. They have to be good if you tasked them to your personal protection." He completely assumed what she said about 'playmate'.
"Oh, dear. All my furies are good." She said, suddenly getting serious. "Take one of them and Big Barda."
"Not Big Barda. We would not get along, long enough to complete the mission." Her also being Darkseid's master assassin complicated everything. She had developed an ego that she was past the level of being a mere fury.
"It is either her or take him and get out of my workshop." She pointed at cyborg.
"Fine." "Is he fixed?" Cyborg stood still, waiting for his orders.
"Yes. He'll obey everything you tell him." She said.
"Good, let's go. You too." He pointed at one of the furies. Both of them followed him out.
Granny sent Big Barda a message detailing her orders and smiled. She did not trust Kalibak to deliver, so Barda was to be her spy.
At an undisclosed location.
Yvonne walked briskly to her boss' office, with a folder marked 'confidential' held tightly against her chest. Amanda Waller put her trust in her to monitor everyone and everything going on in the office. Including all communications across every network they had. That's how she came across the sensitive information housed inside the folder. To be honest, it was all thanks to an algorithm she made for such purposes.
The occasional patrol officer she passed along the corridor stopped and saluted her, something she was still getting used to. She figured the respect came with her upgraded job title. She stopped in front of her office and knocked. After hearing an invite, she stepped inside to find her reclined in her seat, waiting for her report.
"What you have better be important." Waller said, noticing the folder she held tightly to her chest. She had to cut short a meeting with one of her moles inside the military who was monitoring everything general Lane was doing.
"It is. I found him." She said. "At least I think I did."
"How?"
"I found a paper trail of who was the most likely to leak out our information. These are the only people who had access each time we were compromised." She gave her the folder.
"There are only four names here." She stated.
"I know."
"No he wouldn't!" Waller was surprised. She was 100% sure the other three individuals couldn't have betrayed her.
"I hope so." Yvonne agreed, sad that it had to come to this.
"Should I revoke his security clearance?" She asked.
Waller thought about it for a few more seconds, suppressing her rapidly rising anger. "I want a list of everyone who he has been selling to."
"My assistant is combing through everything he ever did and is scheduled to do."
"Good. Don't revoke anything. Observe him and report to me the next time he duplicates anything from our server." She instructed. If Ivan was selling secrets, she wanted to identify all his customers before she killed them all. That would also explain why their system got hacked after every couple of days, something only possible if it was an inside job.
"What if he suspects something is wrong and makes a run for it?" She asked, confused Waller was so calm about it yet she'd been searching for the mole for the longest time.
"To where?" She asked, and clarified when she noticed the confused look on her face. "Where will he run that I won't find him?"
"True." Yvonne conceded. Unless you were dead or the batman, whom Waller has never identified or tracked down, there was no where you could hide from her. "What about the other matter?"
"What?"
"Black masks absence is leading to gang wars. Someone has to fill his shoes otherwise..."
"I already spoke to everyone about their new leadership structure, when I was dealing with the press issue." She informed her.
"It seems they didn't agree to your terms. Most of the gang leaders are stepping up."
"What about Luthor? Doesn't he want to take over?"
"I thought so too but his people have not deviated from their daily routine. His secretary is managing all his legal and illegal dealings. He has gone underground ever since you rejected his sit down." She explained.
"I need you to find him. Task a team to survey his secretary. She might make a mistake and lead us to him."
"That's not possible." Yvonne replied, shaking her head.
Amanda watched her.
"She has a well trained counter-surveillance team watching over her at all times. They think she's not aware of the team." She explained what their team found out. "Lex Luthor does not want anybody apart from him monitoring her."
Waller nodded. Lex was a problem that should be handled.
"Okay. You're dismissed." She said and Yvonne turned to walk out. "Make sure Ivan does not suspect anything."
"Yes sir." She nodded and got out.
This meeting had such an anti-climactic end. She thought her boss was going to throw a fit or break a few things or go and hurt Ivan but she was wrong. She took it so calmly. She guessed that was part of her job description, not to panic and make rush decisions based on emotions.
She, on the other hand, was wondering how they would continue working with him when they knew he was selling them out. Tech 2 thought it was because he was demoted and wanted to get back at Waller. She walked into their control room and found him telling Tech 2 a story about his dating experience.
"How'd it go?" Tech 2s attention was drawn to her. He also found it uncomfortable doing his work around him ever since they found out his secret.
Inside the office, Waller took out a burner phone from her desk and dialled it. It connected.
"I have a side job for you." She stated.
"I am going to send you a list of gangs. Make sure they know and never forget who sent you." She instructed. "You'll continue questioning Black mask later."
The line disconnected then she broke the phone in two and dumped it into the trash bin.
Ivan being the mole came as a surprise to her though it was to be expected. In her line of business, no one was to be trusted because everyone was for sale. You just had to find what the target desired most and they would be your assets to follow your every instruction. Before taking action, she had to be sure that, he indeed was the mole and someone was not using him as a scape goat given the demotion he had gotten.
The gangs on the other hand, would suffer for not obeying their new leader.
Fortress of Solitude
No sooner had he stepped in the middle of the control room than every program in his HUD paused.
UNCATALOGUED ALIEN DNA DETECTED...preparing to scan... flashed while the omnitrix lights turned orange and began flickering.
"What the..!" he stopped before he could curse and stood still while his gaze had a far-off look in it.
The two girls stopped flying around and hovered in one spot, watching him.
Clark and Diana turned at his incomplete outburst and noticed he was waving his hand around while the omnitrix was flickering orange. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Didn't it behave like that back at the door?"
SAMPLE ACQUIRED...processing... flashed in his HUD and the omnitrix regained its green colour.
"You've just scanned another DNA," Clark stated, putting two and two together. His feet lift up from the ground and he floated to him.
"Yes I did. I have never found two samples at once from the same place!" He said, grinning, waving his arm around in case there was another one hiding nearby. "This is awesome!"
"Who can that be? How many people have access to this room, Clark?" Diana asked, as she scanned through the emergency frequencies then the watchtowers live video feeds.
"Everyone I can think of has already been scanned by his watch."
"Not everyone." Cate mumbled, repulsed just thinking about him and his crude language. "Lobo."
Clark, Diana and Kara were surprised while Supreme grinned, remembering him from his hunt with Hal. He looked strong.
"I love this universe!" He declared, recalling the information Trixx had shown him about Lobo, the most notorious and wanted bounty hunter in the universe. "I just love it!"
"Don't be so happy about it. That guy was rude and obnoxious." Cate chastised.
"Oh, sorry about that. Then it's a good thing I'm not like him." He said, giving her an innocent smile.
"You just love the aliens that Trixx has scanned for you." Kara shot out. Thinking of Mongul and Lobo being added to his collection gave her a new perspective of just how powerful the omnitrix was. Especially after watching how easy it was for him to collect the samples.
"Of course I love them, who wouldn't?" He replied then added when he saw the looks on Clark and Diana's face. "I mean, I love being a hero while using them."
"Sure you do." Clark quipped while going back to his monitor.
"Kelex informed me of the breach in an attempt to steal my database. It's a good thing Thor managed to stop him." Clark informed them. "He must have left his DNA in the process."
"Lucky for me." Supreme was smiling broadly. At this rate, he would have a bunch of new powerful aliens to flaunt back at home. It won't matter what vilgax or any other villain did, he would clean their clock any day of the week. The difference between the levels of evolution of their universes was staggering.
"Let's go home." Cate suddenly announced, wanting to return ever since she'd heard they had been attacked.
"Okay. Teleport us to the embassy. We will use the portal there." Diana agreed, moving away from the computer. Maxima was still disturbing Thor, so everything was good.
"See you soon." Kara said to Cate who smiled, though sad. She didn't know when they would see each other again, it may be after 100 years or more depending on her mother's mood. Luckily for them, Kryptonians were extremely long lived, so they would meet, eventually.
"Bye." She said and vanished in a bright white light.
"The watchtower is still intact." Clark informed them. "Maxima is still disturbing Thor." He chuckled.
"This, I have to see." Supreme said, coming to stand beside him. The screen showed the queen pulling a reluctant god of thunder along the corridors. He chuckled, "it's a good thing we got of there. I wonder where she's taking him."
Clark chuckled and his gaze fell on the omnitrix. "Kelex, scan it." He pointed to it, as Bens mind took a moment to process what he said.
"That's not cool." He turned to Clark, angry, "I thought I said it shouldn't be scanned."
"Scanning..." was heard followed by a red laser scanning Ben twice, in rapid succession.
"Not really." Kara was the one to answer him. "I remember you telling me that it 'can't be scanned' not 'shouldn't be scanned'."
"That's what you told us too." Clark defended. "I never forget."
Supreme, now experiencing their eidetic memory, conceded. Not that it would succeed or anything, he thought as he nodded reluctantly.
"Incredible!" Jor El announced his presence in the room. His hologram stood next to Supreme, looking him over.
Supreme was a little startled at his instant formation. "Who are you?"
"That's Jor El. My father's AI." Clark explained, watching him.
Supreme was confused, "What about Kelex?"
"That's my assistant." Jor El spoke up, looking at him. "He helps out with mundane tasks around here. You are a Kryptonian!"
He declared and scanned Supreme's whole body, then Clark.
"Your cellular structure metabolizes the wavelength of yellow sun radiation more efficiently than my son and his cousin. Which should be impossible." He stated, aware that all of them processed the radiation at the same rate, at least according to the previous tests he conducted on Kara and Clark. Supreme was different. He was more evolved than any other kryptonian, if there were any others in the universe.
Supreme watched, amazed at how the AI behaved as a normal human would, able to initiate conversation just like Trixx. On his HUD, she could not figure out anything about Jor El or Kelex without hacking them, which would be frowned upon. She had detected the subtle poking of her firewalls, not enough to consider hacking and taken note on how advanced it was, possibly more than OAs system. Supreme looked around to try and locate where the Jor Els projector was situated. He didn't see one.
"Have you scanned it?" Kara asked, curious to know how it worked. She loved everything to do with science and technology, case in point why she spent so much time in the fortress.
"I can not identify the components used on it." Jor El said, slightly bending to look closer. "Interesting. Such a sophisticated firewall for a watch." He added, standing upright and turning to Clark, "I am afraid I don't have much to tell without bypassing its firewall."
"Don't do that." Supreme told him, abruptly tuning into the conversation.
"Meaning he can." Clark stated, wanting to gauge Jor El and Trixx, something that the dark knight constantly reminded him to do.
"Why don't you ask him?" Supreme replied, smiling, when Jor El turned to look at the watch again.
"I do not have a definite answer for that." He said before Clark could ask. The watches system was so complex and unlike any he had ever interacted with. "This technology is not from this universe." It was the most logical explanation.
"You're right." Clark agreed. "How did you know if you can't scan it?"
"Whatever materials used in its construction does not exist in this universe. My database is very extensive and the most versatile in existence. If I don't know about it, it doesn't exist." Jor El explained to them, getting an 'unknown' or 'error' after every physical scan.
"What if they exist and no one has ever identified them before?" Kara thought aloud.
"That is also a possibility."
"So you can identify them when you come into contact?" Clark asked, hopeful for a breakthrough.
"Yes, but that will hardly help." Jor El said, then added. "My scanners could only penetrate the first layer of the watch."
"Told you so. The omnitrix can't be scanned." Supreme, who had been nervous for the past few seconds, smirked at them.
"Who is the creator of this 'omnitrix'?" Jor El asked, surprised at the level of technology his earth was at in their universe.
"Azmuth. The most intelligent being in five galaxies."
"Do you have to add that last part? People might think you're bragging." Kara said, noticing he didn't fail to mention it every time 'Azmuth' was brought up.
"Cause that's exactly what I am doing. How else would you know about his intelligence? And that he's my friend." He stated, smug, that Galvan technology somehow trumped Kryptonian technology.
Kara rolled her eyes while Clark directed his attention at the monitor.
Jor Els projection vanished as fast as it appeared, then one Kelex bot flew into the room.
"For a moment, I thought that would work." Clark commented. "That watch is something else."
"Tell me about it." Kara mumbled, drawing her cousin's attention.
"You need to get checked out. Follow Kelex to the infirmary. I'll be right there."
"I told you I am fine." She insisted.
"I know. Just humour me."
"Fine." She conceded, walking out of the room.
"Wait for me." Supreme called out, not intending to spend his time in the fortress scanning over emergency feeds and frequencies.
"I'm just going for a quick check up, I'll be back in a few minutes." Kara said, surprised when he followed her. "You don't need to follow me."
"I know. I'm a gentleman, I can't let a lady wonder around these empty creepy corridors alone." He quipped, flashing her his smile.
She looked at him, sceptical, "You and Trixx want to snoop around." Came her accusation, noting how his gaze wandered about in every direction as they walked.
"It's not snooping if the co-owner shows you around."
"Nice try." She said, "I'm not a tour guide, plus who says you'll be here for that long." The fortress was so huge that it would take them at least a day and a half to properly tour every room.
"There's no emergency situation that requires the leagues attention, so possibly for a few hours. It also depends on Kelex's report about your check up." He smirked, and floated away when she attempted to hit him.
"Don't push me!" She warned, heading to the infirmary.
"Can't help it," he said, deciding to float along beside her.
"This place is huge. This mountain range must have been enormous." He looked around as Trixx scanned everything he saw because his x-ray vision did not penetrate the walls. She had been the one to suggest the fortress was housed inside a mountain range. He couldn't refute her theory because they were passing through the fortress' vestibule which contained two giant statues, Jor EL and a woman he guessed to be Clarks mother.
"Yes it is. I kept getting lost the first few times I visited." She thought back, smiling at the memory. Before learning to fully control all her senses, this was the place she came to unwind for a few days at a time. She looked up at the statues when she noticed his gaze.
"It's so cool. It reminds me of the guardians of the galaxy's sanctuary in OA. They use this same type of architecture, the only difference is theirs is themed black and green." He said.
Kara stopped walking, and her feet lift off the ground to hover while looking at him. "It's like you've already gone everywhere yet you joined the league after some of us." She complained.
He smiled, "I know, right? Struggles of being the greatest hero ever!" He gestured to himself, posing for her.
"You wish!" She said. "No one knows you here. You're just a shape shifter to them."
"Maybe to them, but to those who know the truth? I am..."
"If you finish that sentence, I will tell Kelex to kick you out." She warned.
"You can't do that!"
"Would you bet your watch on it?" She dared, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"No way!" He exclaimed, chuckling. "I'd rather continue escorting you." He added.
"Hmpf." Kara sighed, turned and resumed floating along the corridors. Supreme was lucky to turn down her dare, she thought.
She came to a halt in front of a huge door, camouflaged with the wall, which proceeded to scan her and Supreme then slid open. Another Kelex robot was waiting for them.
Watchtower.
For the past one hour, the avengers were held up in a meeting in Steve's room, discussing and coming to term with Banners unfortunate demise.
Natasha, Steve and Wanda had abandoned their mission and teleported back to the watchtower as soon as Tony relayed the news to them. Nat was sure batgirl would escape using the hook she dropped on the floor, so she wasn't worried about her.
Thor had managed to convince Maxima to let him attend the meeting while they retrieve some of their belongings from the ship before J'onn showed them to their sleeping quarters.
Nat was the most affected since she had known Banner for the longest period compared to the rest of the team. She had always been the one to bring him in or reign him in when no one else could locate him and calm him down respectively. "How long ago did he depart?"
"Give or take a few hours." Clint told her. "Let's wait for his report before we decide on what to do. If he's alive, Hals people will find him." He reassured her.
Natasha asked the very same questions they had put out. He couldn't be dead, she thought, her mind flashing back to every damage she ever seen the hulk take only for him to emerge unscathed. He was The Hulk!
"Banner did that?" Steve was still perusing the report on what took place in war world. "Who would have thought he was that strong." To think he could take down such a powerful weapon, he thought as he replayed the short video Kelex had recorded before his systems malfunctioned.
"I did." Thor spoke up. "The Hulk is the strongest being I have ever met on earth."
Everyone's gaze held a hint of scepticism on it, which forced him to clarify. "I mean the Midgard in our universe. This one has so many." He could think of at least six beings he'd met so far, who might be a challenge for him, not that he wouldn't emerge victorious. He was the god of thunder for a reason.
"True." Tony said, thinking. "I would not have believed that someone like Superman could exist if I hadn't met him here."
"Or J'onn." Wanda said. He had the most powerful telepathic ability the scarlet witch had ever sensed on a being, not even mentioning his other abilities.
"Or that Maxima!" Hawkeye added. He was happily married but was not sure if he could have said no to the queen in case she put out.
"She's here?" Nat asked, recalling their encounter at the fortress. "Does she know you're here?"
"Of course she knows." Thor said, "She has gone to confirm her accommodation arrangements."
"Who is that?" Steve asked. Wanda tuned in also interested in the conversation. She had only heard about her from conversations around the watchtower, which mentioned she had telepathic abilities among others. This universe had so many interesting people that she was sure mutants would not be hunted down like criminals as in their home world, something her and her brother went through.
"She's the most..."
"Don't spoil it for him." Clint cut Tony's revelation short. "It's better if they see her in person for themselves."
"He's right. That will be so much better." Tony said, and instructed Jarvis to make sure he filmed Steve's and Natasha's first reaction to the queen and Klaus. He once heard Natasha comment on Steve's lack of interest in the dating scene, which was backed up by his lack of interest in women in general. Lets see how advanced his self discipline is, he thought. Natasha's recorded reaction on video would be used as a bargaining chip for any favour he would need in the future. He smiled at his ingenuity.
"Or Doomsday." Natasha said, recalling her short conversation with Banner on that fateful day, instructing him to stand down lest they destroyed the whole continent.
Silence enveloped the whole room.
"That Doomsday justifies why they need people like Superman." Iron man said, cutting into the silence, which he never liked.
"You may be right, my friend. Doomsday was the toughest opponent I have ever faced, since becoming protector of the nine realms." Thor said, to their surprise.
"You literally just said the same regarding the hulk." Clint countered.
"I said hulk was the strongest, not the toughest." He replied.
"Is there a difference?" Tony asked, curious.
"When it comes down to strength, then no, they are both strong." He said. "Hulk and I have never really 'fought' so I can't rate his toughness," he explained when he saw their expressions.
"So in your opinion they are equal?" Hawkeye asked.
"I can't give you an answer to which I have no surety." Thor said. Both Doomsday and the hulk got stronger every minute they fought so he couldn't really know their limit.
"Let's hope Hal gets in touch soon. I hate not knowing what I should know." Tony said, not sure if he made any sense.
"All I know is that he is alive." No one could convince her otherwise.
"Should we go and check on that other thing?" Wanda whispered to Steve. She was not comfortable leaving batgirl tied up in an abandoned warehouse.
"Not necessary." He told her.
Clint, who was watching them said, "You never told us where you were." Wanda shrugged, not surprised he heard her. The room was small for such a large gathering.
"We were helping out on a mission in Gotham." Nat answered him.
Gotham, Clint thought about that name. "Isn't that Batmans city? He has been here with us." He said, confused as to why he wouldn't have known about the emergency.
"It's done, so don't worry about it." Nat replied, not wanting to discuss that. "We should know how the search for the hulk is going. I am going to talk to J'onn." She stood up and headed for the door.
"That won't help, but you can try it your way." Tony shouted after her, since Jarvis didn't detect any transmission from Hal to the watchtower.
"I'll go with her." Steve said, he had missed so much.
"Me too." Wanda followed him out. This way she could also asked about team arrows progress.
"That leaves the three of us. Cafeteria anyone?" Tony suggested. "We could meet Maxima there, or one of her guards."
Clint thought about it and nodded.
"I will be in my room." Thor said, walking out.
"I think he is afraid of meeting up with her." Tony whispered as they walked away. "Now I know how the normal people feel when I reject models on a constant basis." He added.
Clint looked at him, doubtful.
"What? I'm a billionaire!" He gestured to himself, his tone smug. Thinking on it, Clint conceded. Money was just as powerful as Maxima's influence.
Elsewhere
Thor entered his room, leaving the door to close itself automatically. No sooner had he placed Miljonir on top of his table and lay down on his bed, than a blur sped into his room through the small gap from the closing door.
He shut his eye in exhaustion as he thought it to be flash, who had been constantly asking him who he wanted to spar with and the time to do it.
"Now is not a good time, flash." He said, his usual answer for him, not bothering to open his eyes. He didn't hear the door open and close. Humans could be very persistent if they wanted to.
"Fine. Choose anyone you want as long as the sparring session will be a challenge for me." He conceded. It had also been a while since he trained or fought. Maybe a sparring match with Superman is what I need, he thought.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Maxima's enthusiastic voice had his eyes fly open then sit up quickly.
He saw her posing in the middle of the room looking down at him, her face beaming with a mischievous smile.
"What?" He asked, looking at her then at the door.
"Sparring. It's what you said and I accept. Though I am not aware of the flash you speak of." She answered, changing her pose.
"The flash? You've met him before. How can you not know him?" He asked, completely disregarding her first statement.
"I did?" She seemed surprised. "Then he must not have been memorable." She concluded, staring at him, noting due to the height disparity, how long his flowing blonde hair was. It only added beauty to his already perfect features.
"You shouldn't say that about other heroes." Thor chuckled at her comment. Maxima's personality was quite unique. It reminded him of Loki, who would only acknowledge a person if they added value to his wellbeing or was family. The rest were non consequential to him. He concluded it must be a 'royalty' trait.
"It's not my fault they are inferior." She defended herself, smiling at him. "Now, let us go and spar as you suggested." She was excited and stretching about, something that Thor definitely noticed from his sitting position.
He cursed, as he thought it would blow over. "I'm sorry my Queen, but I thought I was addressing the flash. I wouldn't want you to spoil your royal attire." He told her politely. In no way will he be blamed for causing a war because he beat her up.
Maxima's smile brightened and she did a twirl for him, "So you noticed." She said, happy that she had brought along all the Royal designers and dressers.
"I'd be blind not to." He replied, his gaze forced to scan her form while his Asgardian blood called him out for his lack of fighting and not indulging in sex for a long time. She had changed into another attire seemingly resembling Diana's outfit, but skimpier, if that was even possible. This queen was something else. "About the sparring match..."
"Let's go!" She sped over to him, grabbed his hand and pulled him off the bed. Thor was startled out of his train of thoughts when she did that and he found himself facing her.
"I am afraid I can't spar with you, no offense of course." He said.
"I am not taking no for an answer, since it is you who suggested."
"I thought..." he started but stopped, knowing arguing about it wont make a difference. He offered her another reason. "I know you pride yourself a warrior but what if you get hurt?"
She arched an eyebrow at him, "You think you are strong enough to hurt me?"
It was his turn to smirk, "trust me."
"Not yet," She shook her head, "at least not before sparring." She beamed.
"You're not getting what I'm saying." Thor sighed, he didn't have time for this. "Wait, how did you know where I am?" He asked. The queen was new here so she couldn't have known his room, let alone found her way to their wing.
He watched as her smile brightened again, "I am your next door neighbour!" She beamed, "it's a good thing I accepted their invitation."
After she had returned from her ship to retrieve some of her things, mostly clothes that she would be using, J'onn had shown them their quarters. The general got the room next to her but he had conveniently failed to mention this major detail about her soon to be neighbours. After changing with the intention of seeking out anyone worthy of her presence, her senses clocked Thor entering his room, which led her to this point.
"What?" He asked, shocked. "What happened to Ben?"
"That shape shifter? I don't know, why do you ask? Should he join us?" She asked, confused for a moment having thought it would only be the two of them.
"No!" He exclaimed and Maximas mischievous smile returned.
"I mean, what happened to the things you found in the room?" He asked before she could comment, no doubt something suggestive.
"There was nothing there." She looked at his confused expression. "Are you done? We have to fight." She said, before grabbing hold of his arm and drag him out of the room.
She felt resistance coming from him and they stopped in the corridor. "Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard and god of Thunder, either you come with me willingly or dragging you to sparring room will be a match itself." She threatened, not intending to let this chance slip away especially since she wasn't the one to suggest it.
Thor thought it over. He could refuse and subdue the queen before she made a ruckus but he was sure that would only spar her on. On the other hand he was curious to how strong she thought she was to insist on sparring with him despite the dangers.
"Alright." He conceded. "But at the first sign of blood I shall stop the session." He told her his condition to which she smirked.
"Mine or yours?"
Thor could only chuckle at the queen's overconfidence while he led the way, having an idea to where the training room was located.
Fortress of solitude.
Supreme floated around the infirmary, Trixx taking note of every device he could see, though the room was the same as the others, seemingly empty with Kelex retrieving the required equipment from hidden compartments inside the walls. He let him work in peace.
A hissing sound came from the regeneration chamber that was slowly opening to reveal Kara's form inside it. In order to clear her as healthy, Kelex had insisted her body needed a boost of solar radiation so she had no choice in the decision. The oval-shaped crystal structure stored solar radiation that they used in cases of emergency, especially when kryptonite was involved. It would flash it out of their system while replenishing their cells.
"How do you feel?" He asked, watching her as she floated out of it.
"Better than you." She stretched mid-air, mentally agreeing that it was exactly what she needed as the strain, tension and residual anger that were plaguing her had dissipated. She felt rejuvenated.
Supreme watched as she stretched gracefully with a subtle display of confidence and relaxation. Unbeknownst to her, the skin tight supergirl costume she donned, highlighted her posture, body language, and physicality in an effortless sensual way. His eidetic memory and telescopic vision did not help his cause. The gentle arching of her back, and the slight exposure of her toned yet curvaceous build invoked a sense of allure on him.
Kara noticed he didn't retort back at her thus her gaze sought him out mid-stretch, to see him hovering in place, watching her intently.
Supreme sensing something a miss, looked up and their gaze met for fraction of a second. He glanced away, feeling his face heat up with a mix of flustered emotions, knowing that he had been caught.
Kara was confused by his sudden action and traced his previous line of sight before her eyes widened, connecting the dots. She was so caught up in the moment she hadn't noticed what she was doing. A spontaneous rush of warmth spread across her face, accompanied by a sudden feeling of self-consciousness as she picked up on his racing heartbeat. She straightened herself in the air, while not looking at anything in particular, a million thoughts running through her mind.
Kelex, being none the wiser, spoke through the silence, "scans show you are back to normal. All residual effects of green kryptonite has been neutralised." It stated, pressing a button on the regeneration chamber which was lowered into the floor.
Supreme, who had been focusing on it, looked up to see her watching him, her arms folded on her chest. He cursed. I should say something, he thought, maybe apologize.
"We need to get back to Clark, something might have come up since he didn't show." He suggested, smiling, which seemed to infuriate her.
"You can stay if you want." He added when she did not answer him.
"You used your powers on me!" She accused, flying to hover near him.
"What!!?" He exclaimed, confused then gave her a once over. "I didn't do anything. You're fine." He argued.
"You did it again!" She pointed at him threateningly.
"What do you mean again? You're not hurt!" He said, intending to scan her form again.
"Don't!" She stretched out her hand in an attempt to cover his eyes. "You used your x-ray vision on me!" That must have been the reason for his extreme reaction.
It took a second for him to connect the dots. "What!!?" He barked, "Why would I do that?"
"You tell me!" She shot back, inching closer to his form. "Why'd you look away so fast then? I cant believe you told everyone you could handle being a kryptonian."
"Coz I'm an awesome kryptonian." He said, his tone smug.
"You wish." She retorted, rolling her eyes.
"Come to think of it, I wish I could have used it. That way, your accusations would be legit." He said looking at her suspicious expression.
"Wait, you didn't? Then why did you look away so fast?"
"I wish I could have used that one." He said, absentmindedly, not registering her questions due to his thoughts.
"I'm sorry. I thought that..." Her mind processed what he mumbled. "What do you mean by 'that one'?"
He tuned back and smiled at her. It can't get worse than this, He thought. He had seen Kevin 11 pull the same stunt with Gwen several times during their missions and got away with it. Reverse psychology.
Kara looked on, suspicious.
"You are not entirely wrong in your assumption since I might have zoomed in a little bit." He said, gesturing with his fingers then pointed at her, "it's your fault too, you know..."
Her eyes widened in disbelief, her lips parting slightly as she cut him off.
"Don't dare blame me for your lack of control!" how could it be her fault. The nerve of him, she thought.
"Stretching out like that in front of me with your perfect figure and hotness..." He rumbled on, stopping when he saw the various facial expressions flicker over her face.
"What?" A soft blush spread across her cheeks, her heart racing as she tried to process the unexpected confession. She stood frozen for a moment, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides, as if unsure whether to admonish him, smile, laugh, or just punch him for making her uncomfortable. The air between them seemed to hum with the weight of his statement, her gaze locked on him, filled with a mix of surprise and wonder. The sudden flair of anger turned to shock and something else.
Without thinking, she closed the gap and kissed him, stopping whatever he wanted to say.
What felt like hours to them, was a mere couple of seconds. Supreme overcame his shock and kissed her back before Kara placed her hands on his broad chest and gently pushed them apart. He was disappointed it didn't last longer. His heart was racing, he felt giddy and shy, unsure of what to do. A blush creeping up on both their faces as their gazes at each other was soft but intense, holding a mixture of vulnerability and connection. There was a lingering sweetness in the moment with a hint of hesitation, each wondering how the other person was feeling or what they were thinking.
Their trance was broken by a loud warning blaring from the fortress audio system.
"We should probably..." He gestured towards the door, regaining control of his senses.
"Oh, yes. Of course. Somethings happening." She said, regaining her composure then flew out of the door. Why the fuck did you do that!!? She groaned, as she felt his gaze on her all the way to the control room.
They entered the control room at the same time as Clark, whose hair was wet from taking a quick shower in his room. He had remotely checked in on them at the infirmary and decided that they didn't need his help, so he opted for a quick shower instead. The Watchtower's ones weren't up to his standards.
"What's wrong?" He asked aloud.
"What? Nothing happened!" Kara spoke up abruptly, earning an arched eyebrow from both of them. Supreme smiled at the way her heart was beating rapidly, unaware his was the same case, in Clark's point of view.
"I was asking Kelex." Clark told her, then turned to face the monitor.
Kara audibly groaned. Supreme's suppressed chuckles could be heard. One look from her was all it took to stop.
"Were you training?" Clark asked out of the blue, turning to Supreme. His super hearing clocked them at the infirmary before he went into the shower.
"No. Why?" He answered.
"A kryptonians heart doesn't pump as fast and loud as yours without extreme exercise." He answered, turning to look at the monitor. It was Kara's turn to smirk at him.
"Very funny." He said, "What's wrong?" He reiterated his question, changing the subject.
Kelex connected to the external cameras and displayed the problem its scanners had picked up. They stood in front of the computer, watching Lobo, the bounty hunter, using his space hog to float above the fortress, grinning and smoking a cigar. Kara gasped, recognizing him instantly.
Watchtower.
The training room shook, its wall developed a dent while the stabilisers strategically placed around it suppressed the force generated by the two warriors inside. Thor was in the process of standing up and stretching his mouth, as he eyed the Almerac queen across the room donning a smile upon her face.
After failing terribly at convincing her not to go through with it, he decided to humour her with a few harmless rounds. He had to admit that she hit harder than Volstagg, his second in command in Asgards army and a member of the Warriors Three.
"I know you're holding back." Maxima said, "Which is going to be a problem for you." She added, feeling a slight sting from the punch she landed on him. This is going to be fun, was her thought.
Thor grinned, "Okay, your majesty. You've made your point." He took off in a sudden sprint.
Maxima's enhanced perception made it possible for her to see him coming. She parried his oncoming left fist with her right arm, the force of his attack startling her for a second, but Thor never lost his footing and turned swiftly, landing a round house kick to her torso. The queen was propelled back violently against the sturdy wall, the force produced, making the room to shake as she fell on the floor with a THUD.
Thor moved back, smirking at the downed queen. His intention for the attack was to make the queen call the whole thing off. Most of his opponents mistook that his well-built bulky physique meant he wasn't agile or limber. "You look a little bit winded, my Queen. Are you alright? Do you need a break?" He couldn't help but taunt her.
Maxima took a moment to gather herself, adding superhuman speed to his abilities, while the pain she felt faded away. She smiled and attacked, not holding back.
Thor was also startled at her increased speed because she was almost as fast as Wanda's brother. That didn't stop him from blocking her initial attacks, while some slid through his defence. She swept him off his feet, causing him to tumble down then followed up with consecutive punches to his face the moment he flipped up, not giving him a chance to counter. Thor, being a master combatant with a millennium of experience, was blocking while tanking some of the hits that passed through his defence. He felt the sting of her attacks, which was increasing every minute due to the speed and effort put into them. Not bad, he thought amid her rampage.
He instantly recalled something that the hulk once did to him when they were fighting. He stopped trying to parry her punches and tanked the follow ups. He brought his hands together in a thunderous clap that generated a shockwave that threw them apart.
Maxima caught herself mid-air using her flight, then shot for the god of thunder intending to punch him into submission, noting how he couldn't reciprocate her ability to fly. The queen was confident that she was slowly overpowering the prince.
Thor took his defensive stand. Being a master combatant and tactician required to always be aware of his surrounding. That's how he noticed something flashing red at the corner of his peripheral vision, no doubt a warning of some kind.
Calling on his strength and nigh-invulnerability for a moment, he tanked her powerful punch thus making blood to spurt out of his mouth and flow freely from his nose. Maxima's momentum was neutralised while her wrist sprained from the punch. Thor moved swiftly and placed her in a choke hold, tightening his hold the more she struggled.
"Calm down!" he shouted in her ear, "This room will not hold for long." He said, his enhanced hearing picking up on the creaking stabilisers. That was why he never wanted to spar on earth, nothing was sturdy enough for people like them. Even though his Asgardian blood was excited at this little session, he had to put an end to it.
Maxima on the other hand was grinning as her mind was clouded by excitement, pain and intense arousal. The latter intensified when she tried prying his arm off her neck thus felt his durable skin and biceps not barge to her efforts while he held her in place despite using all her strength. She tried using her flight as an advantage but Thor's hold kept her grounded.
He is definitely worthy, she thought, feeling her sprained wrist heal. Her excitement lead to an idea popping up in her mind. Paying no mind to what he was yapping about, and having confirmed his blood was superior to hers, she started grinding on him, hard and held him in place, using his chokehold against him.
Thor paused, shocked at what the queen was doing even though he did nothing to stop it. "What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" She asked, finding a rhythm to her movement while Thor couldn't help but subtly jerk his hips.
"This kind of behaviour is frowned upon on midgard." He admonished, the feel of her firm yet soft backside too much for him to handle. His hold on her loosed a bit. It had been so long since he bed a woman now that he spent most of his time on earth, where humans were fragile and couldn't handle his physique to any degree. Maxima's physiology on the other hand made sure he felt every move she made, especially the non existence attire she wore.
"I can feel how excited you are." She said, focussing on his excited member, "This little session of ours was quite the foreplay." She purred, edging him on by placing her hand on his then forcibly lowering it onto one of her pert breasts.
Thor audibly sighed. "You're going to get me in trouble." He said, enclosing his palm on her flesh.
Fortress of solitude.
"I thought you said he was not on earth?" Clark asked Supreme, as Kelex zoomed in on him. The fortress had gone into lockdown mode.
"He left!" He defended himself. "He must have come back. I wonder why."
"Obviously to revenge his accomplice." Kara said as her anger returned in full force. "I'll show him...!"
Clark held her arm just as she was turning to head out the door, "you will stay inside here until it's safe. I'll deal with him." He ordered, his tone serious.
"What!" She tugged her arm away, "You must be joking if you think that I will stay here while you face him."
"You will, that's an order!" He barked. "Don't make me restrain you!" He wasn't planning on losing her again just after he found her in such a serious condition.
"That's a bit much, don't you think?" Supreme voiced out but hovered away from them at the glare he received from Clark. He didn't think he could be so serious if he wanted to be.
"In fact you will stay here with her." He ordered, pointing at him, "if I see her outside, we will have to spar in my combat room!" with that, Clark sped off. Kara still had a flabbergasted expression on her face
"I think superman just threatened me." Supreme mumbled disbelievingly. "Do you think he killed everyone that threatened your rescue in war world?" He reasoned.
Kara sped over to him and punched his arm, war world and her helplessness still being an issue to her. Plus her cousin wasn't a killer.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
She glared at him then moved to the monitor.
"Sure, punch the innocent guy!" he mumbled joining her.
Elsewhere
"The Main Man thought he would have to come and drag you out of there!" Lobo shouted, over the windy weather surrounding them.
"What do you want? If it's about Mongul then you'll suffer the same fate if you don't leave now."
Lobo looked at him, incredulous, processing his statement. He dropped his cigar stub and the space hog lit up another one for him. "The Main Man doesn't do revenge! He completes his bounties and gets paid." He smirked. Sure, he had abandoned his bounty to go and teach Mongul a lesson in the art of double cross but he had found the planet in pieces, literally. He spent a few minutes laughing his eyes out as he read about the war lords demise at the hands of the kryptonian. With him dealt with, he was free to take up his bounty again, which lead him to this confrontation.
"Why? Yet you won't get paid. Mongul is dead!" Clark told him, noting that he wasn't surprised or looked like he cared about that detail.
"Are you really the bastich that killed him?" he asked. His senses could tell that this guy was the kryptonian the war lord had come to enslave. Clark didn't look like much to him. His perfect memory also remembered the hulk rushing into the portal after Mongul, who was just as strong.
"What if I was?"
"Good riddance!!! I ought to thank you for that, saved me a lot of time." He praised, giving him a thumbs up. "Would have killed him myself." He said, the space hog lighting up another cigar for him.
Clark was surprised. If Mongul didn't hire him to attack them, then who did? "Who hired you? What do you want!"
"The Main Man doesn't steal and tell!" He quipped, then focused on the fortress. "Is the Martian still in there by any chance?" He would definitely fetch a high price among the collectors.
"I'm the only one here. So go back where you came from." Clark ordered, watching his every move.
"Bummer!" He mumbled disappointed. "I will have to search every inch of this planet for him after I'm done here." In an instant, his space hog formed a large weapon which he took, aimed and fired at Clark.
"Don't count on it." He said, grabbing whatever he fired at him out of the air and holding it in his grasp. He watched Lobo grin, then wink at him.
"I knew you'd do that." He revealed, putting his feet on top of his steering console and leaning back, the space hog handing him another cigar.
"So predictable." He said before adding, "I'd love to fight, but the main man has an over-due delivery to make. Plus hunting down that bastich Martian." He watched the kryptonian fall down onto the ground in a heap and lay still. He jumped down.