Invincible // Superman

Chapter Forty-One: The Last Stand I

"...Our Silvia was murdered. She was...pregnant."

Clark froze. The words bit at him with such ferocity he feared it would leave him an empty shell. His chest ached and any doubt that people could die of a broken heart seemed, for a second, to fade.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you how he felt. As if it wasn't enough, a nuclear warhead levelled Metropolis. Millions died. It was the Joker...that psychopath." Lex recounted sorrowfully. The words stung him like daggers. "Clark...was my friend. But he was overcome with grief and anger. It made him cross the line. Bruce told me he tore through that madman's chest like he made out of wet newspaper. First I understood it. I didn't condone it...but I knew why. But it didn't stop. Then it was our friends, people you undoubtedly know and love. The only one left standing against Superman's regime is Bruce. It needs to stop."

Clark felt a shiver run through his spine. He thought losing those he cared about was his worst nightmare...but this news drove a stake through his heart.

Lex sighed. "Flash brought Silvia here. He thought it would help him heal."

"And it hasn't." Clark muttered.

"I don't know. He's changing, definitely, especially when she's involved... but I'm not sure if we have the time to wait and see if she can change him." Lex sighed as he paced to a chair and slumped into it, mind racing.

Clark, shaking his head, bore a bitter grimace. "I'll stop him."

"You can't, not on your own. He has followers; like-minded metahumans and super criminals that he's...rehabilitated. You need the League, Superman."

"Whatever it takes." Clark stated sternly, a confident and powerful look on his face. "If it's any consolation, I like you more than the Lex I'm used to."

Lex arched an eyebrow as he chuckled. "Yes, it would've been hard to top him, I'm sure."

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Less than twenty minutes later Booster Gold shrugged carelessly as he said "Were you planing on asking us about all this before yanking us over?"

"What exactly did he need to consult you about? People are in danger here." Hal Jordan rebutted.

"This isn't our planet. Why should we even--"

Diana rapidly chimed in, in an effort to both put her foot down and calm her colleagues. "A life is a life. A world is a world. Am I clear?" Her voice boomed, yet flowed like silk.

Silence followed as Booster bit his tongue.

"This may not be our world, but it is someone else's." She continued. "It is oppression and tyranny, regardless."

"She's right. If you were up against Supes back home, you can be damn sure you'd want help." John Henry Irons, Steel, remarked as he heaved his massive sledgehammer with the aid of his power armour's servo motors.

Booster rethought his stance on the matter. "Uh...yeah. Still doesn't explain why we gotta help. Whatever, just point and I'll bring the hurt."

Starfire furrowed her brow and spoke up "We cannot risk Silvia's well-being with an attack. They have her." She made sure to exaggerate Silvia's name in the hopes that Booster would notice.

Clark sighed as he walked back to his team from the next room... Starfire was right. This world's Superman may care about her, but Clark wasn't willing to risk Silvia's life on that. The only life he was willing to risk was his own. "We have the element of surprise. We should keep that until we know for absolute certain where Silvia is."