Lex Luthor Pt 24: The Challenge

[WorkoutLA]

On the night when Lex Luthor gave Batman the vial of super-serum and flew off the Caped Crusader held it in his hands and realized that the villain had actually given him the weapon with which to defeat him. Batman didn't have to think about it: he wasn't about to use the serum on himself. There was only one man who should and must use it and Batman needed to see him right away.

After leaving the Daily Planet that evening Clark Kent went to the gym for his second workout of the day. He found that the morning routine just wasn't enough of a workout and the mixed martial arts class was only held at night. He was hoping that with this new training he could learn a few things just in case "Super-Jimmy" came back to bully him again. In the class Clark had learned that for some odd reason he was pulling his punches. The instructor didn't get it either but took a little time after class to try & help get Clark to loosen up. The muscular trainer had a breakthrough with Clark, literally. After repeated attempts to get Clark to punch the heavy bag without holding back the reporter drew back let out an explosive yell (as the trainer asked) and landed his punch directly into the bag. There was a huge cracking sound and both Clark & the instructor looked up to see the bag hardware coming loose from the ceiling.They both jumped back at the whole thing crashed to the floor with a chunks of plaster and a cloud of dust. Everyone watching laughed & applauded and Clark sheepishly grinned. The instructor was laughing too although he was a little upset that the people who installed this bag obviously didn't do a very good job for it to do this.

When Clark returned home he received an unexpected call from Batman who told him he was minutes away & needed to see him. Clark knew that if Batman wanted to see someone in person there had to be some important reason. Clark was actually excited: he figured Batman probably had a news story & he was going to get an exclusive. He turned out to be right but not in the way he thought.

Batman came to Clark with what the reporter thought was an outrageous & dangerous proposition. He wanted Clark to take a sample of the serum, pose as Batman, and fool Titan into thinking he used it. Remarkably Clark accepted after very little convincing. Batman had noticed the physical changes in Clark but there was something else now: a kind of confident & dynamic attitude. Batman didn't tell Clark that he was planning on giving him the full dosage, nor did he express the hope that this serum's effects would be permanent. Essentially Batman was thinking that this serum might reactivate Superman's dormant powers.

In the middle of the night Batman drove Clark back to Gotham City & took the precaution of blindfolding him before they reached the Batcave. Of course Clark already knew the location & Batman's secret ID but that knowledge was somehow buried inside his brain. After a good night's sleep Batman wakened Clark early to make an important call to Perry White and tell him he had a hot tip in Gothan City & might be gone for several days. Then they began to prep for the injection & the aftermath...if there was the one that Batman anticipated. Alfred remained his usual cautious all the way up to the point where Batman injected Clark.

Clark Kent was nervous but not to the extent he thought he might be. In fact at times during the last 12 hours he had surprised himself with his actions: he agreed so quickly to be a part of Batman's plans; his nerves were quite calm; and when he stripped down to a pair of loose fitting boxer shorts he did it without any shyness or reserve. Clark almost felt as though someone was pulling his strings. He watched intently but unafraid as Batman gave him ALL the serum--because he realized he DID want it all.

There was no pain. Just a feeling of warmth, then heat which started from the point of injection and spread through his whole body. Clark looked and his forearms and watched them thicken, his biceps bulge, and his chest expand. He could hear Batman saying something to him but he wasn't paying attention nor could he hear clearly---it was as though Clark was though someone and mufflled his ears and he could only hear the sound of his heart beating and blood rushing through his veins. Clark looked down and saw the material on his boxers was skin tight on his huge quads and watched as they split and tore. He flexed each bicep separately looking directly at them as the peaked & split. His shoulders widened, his arms moved away from his sides as his lats spread. And there was the feeling inside of growing strength ---and something else.. power.

He looked up at Batman standing there looking at him with the strangest smile and Clark flashed on a memory of Batman flashing that same smile. Another flash & he recalled Batman holding out his hand to shake his saying "Good job!" . Then Clark looked over at the mirror in the Batcave's lab. As he grew he wasn't shocked by his appearance because he realized he once had that body. And then the flood of memories engulfed Clark-- voices, sounds, faces, incidents, etc. Batman would later tell him that when Clark stood up he knew exactly what was happening because his entire stance changed.

All of Superman's memories returned along with his powers. The good memories and all the horrific ones of being captured by Lex Luthor, drained of semen, violated and nearly destroyed. Superman was back but he was not the same man. For one thing, thanks to working out as Clark & being injected with the super-serum he was bigger and miore powerful. Batman also saw a look in his eyes he had never seen before: determination mixed a little bit of anger. And it was true. Superman wanted to get back into action again but he also wanted to fight Lex Luthor & defeat him as never before. Revenge? Yes that was there but it was also a sense of retribution. Superman had always wanted to stop crime, save lives, & do other good deeds but he had never wanted to personally mete out punishment before as he did now. And he wanted to do it with people watching. He wanted to expose Titan as the fraud who had tortured him & stolen his powers.

Superman impulsively wanted to go out right then & there to find "Titan" but Batman calmed him down & they devised their plans. First, they needed the element of surprise. It was then that Batman explained that earlier in the day he was having second thoughts about giving Superman the injection and was thinking about scrapping his plans.--until he received a call from Commissioner Gordon.

Gordon had received his own call from the Metropolis DA and told him some shocking news that they were keeping from the press. When the autopsy was performed on Lex Luthor his body literally changed in front of the eyes of the coroner. Detectives recognized the body as that of fugitive Benny Truett. Yet here he was tagged as Lex Luthor. They didn't know how it was done but given Luthor's scientific genius they knew he could pull off this kind of switch. They really had no idea that as Titan Luthor had this extraordinary power to morph other people's physical appearance. As for Luthor he hadn't a clue that the effects of this power were temporary. The authorities agreed though that they wanted Luthor, wherever he was, to believe he had succeeded in faking his own death & lull him into a false sense of security. The DA did want Batman informed & with his detective skills help them track Luthor down.

When Batman heard this news he realized he had been right about Titan from the beginning. He WAS Luthor. That's when he knew he had to try & restore Superman--he was the only man who could stop Luthor/Titan.
They carried out their charade of Superman posing as a super-powered Batman for two days then laid low. They wanted Luthor to think the powers had worn off. In fact the serum merely re-activated Superman's dormant powers & increased them--something Luthor never anticipated. Luthor was also unaware that Superman had discovered Luthor's mountain sanctuary a long time before and kept it to himself. He allowed Luthor to believe it was a perfect hideout.

Superman was willing to go to the sanctuary alone to face Luthor but Batman insisted otherwise. Superman would fly them there, use his heat vision to disable the security system, and then once inside get to work. Superman had convinced Batman that although Jimmy Olsen had made some horrible choices he wasn't a criminal & would never have sided with Titan if he knew he was Luthor. On a surveillance mission a few days before Superman had used his x-ray vision and found Jimmy back to normal & imprisoned by Luthor. Thus while their mission was to confront Luthor it was also to set Jimmy free. Superman may not have had a forgiving nature towards Luthor but he wanted to reach out to Jimmy & make amends.

Once Batman sprang Jimmy from his cell the plan was for Batman to pretend he was going to steal serum & get caught by Luthor, setting up the revelation of Superman's return. After all the drama Luthor had caused it would be good to give him a taste of his own medicine. And once distracted Batman & Superman could proceed with their plan.

-------------------

Lex Luthor wasn't offered any of this explanation as he stood there looking at Superman revealed as the "super-Batman". The veins on his forehead stood out as he glared at his nemesis, now bursting with more muscle than before, stretching out the dark gray Batman costume.

"You may be restored Superman but now I am the one who is bigger & stronger. Titan is far and away your superior. After all this time away Superman's name no longer commands the respect that Titan now does." He puffed out his chest again & flexed his arms. Superman was impressed to be sure but wasn't afraid.

"I don't think you'll reveal to the world that Titan is Lex Luthor either. I think your heroic pride won't allow the world to know how I captured you, milked you dry like a prized bull, and fucked you repeatedly"

Superman did flinch at this last statement but recovered his look of determination.

"Luthor, it doesn't matter to me what you reveal, if anything. I may not even take the trouble to reveal that you are Titan. In fact I want the world to see Superman back and take down Titan and see he may be a hero on the outside but is anything but that inside."

" What, editorials or an expose written by you? That hasn't worked in the past. And when they find out Clark Kent is Superman they'll chalk up such a story as petty jealousy from a has been super-hero, out-shined by a new one."

"On the contrary Luthor. I will take you down physically. Man-to-man. in public--or starting now if you prefer."

Luthor laughed. "You can't be serious, super-fool. As I just said I am bigger & stronger than you. And smarter. Your new combative persona is no substitute for raw power. Let me show you"

He lunged for Superman and put him into a bearhug lifting him off the ground. Just as he had once done with Jimmy Olsen Luthor squeezed hard and met with little resistance. Then he dropped him to the ground. At that moment the door to the vault slammed shut and Luthor turned to see Batman standing in front of it. When he caught Batman a short time before he hadn't realized that the Dark Knight had actually unlocked the vault. It didn't matter though--even if he had sneaked in & taken samples Luthor wasn't going to let him escape with them. Seconds later Luthor was dealt a huge blow.

As Superman attempted to get up they all heard a muffled explosion from with the vault. Luthor angrily rushed over and using his recently developed x-ray vision saw what had happened. The super-serum samples were all intact & undamaged --at least the containers were. For as Luthor could see Batman had thrown some kind of small bomb in the vault. It had about as much physical damage to the vault as a cherry bomb, but the shattered casings revealing a chunk of green kryptonite and the radiation was soon filling the vault. Luthor couldn't go in and retrieve it because he was not impervious to its rays. Besides the damage was likely already done---the radioactive element was destroying the serum samples.

Luthor turned back to Batman with a look of complete & indescribable rage on his face. His every muscle flexed, veins popped out across his entire body and his eyes began to glow red. He looked directly at Batman ready to unleash his heat vision and incinerate him.

[big alpha brute]

Am I the only one who wants Titan to win?

[pittgymguy]

Well he bear hugged Superman with no problem and he was on ground for awhile. Wonder what Titan will do without any back up serum? Go Titan! Kick the shit out of everyone!

[iluvbigmen]

Come on Titan!! Kick their asses, and take Clark's costume... THIS IS A JOB FOR SSSSUPERLEX!!! Hope Jimmy changes sides and begs to be Super Jimmy too!!

[z95336]

NO... I can't wait for Superman to get his ass kicked.... I love this story....

[www1969]

Well, call me a weenie, but I'm rooting for Superman. Truth, justice and all that. I won't be disappointed either way, though, this is such a good story!