The Super Killer

Ch.13

"Palmer...it's Gordon. We have him...goddammit, Palmer, we had him the entire time. We ran the number you sent us and linked it to an inmate who squealed the second we questioned him. It's Strange, Palmer. Stephen Strange. We think he's using a time stone from his cell. He's willing to confess, but he wants to talk to you first. Christ, Palmer. Where are you?"

Palmer listened to the message once more. A time stone makes sense, but when is it ever this easy? He looked out the window of his Cessna Citation S+. He was somewhere over the rolling hills of Kentucky. It won't be long. He called Gordon and said, "I don't trust this."

"Do you think he's telling the truth?"

"We've had cameras on Stephen this whole time. He hasn't had any visitors, and he hasn't gone anywhere."

"But I spoke to him. He knows too much about the murders to not be involved."

Palmer agreed and lit a cigarette. "My ETA to Arkham is one hour and thirty minutes. Have Stephen in a clean room. No cameras, microphones, or any mirror tricks. Failure to comply is a federal crime. Understood?"

"Understood. See you soon."

Palmer ended the call. See you soon.

Stephen looked healthy. No blemishes or wrinkles on his bright face. No facial hair. His plump muscles ripped the seams in his orange jumper. A normal look for the body of a super, but this was concerning given that Stephen Strange had been in solitary confinement for over a decade. He must have a time stone. Could he be? "Hello, Stephen. I'm Super Investigator Palmer, super number 6765."

"And I'm Sorcerer Supreme, inmate number 6969. Glad to make your acquaintance."

Palmer continued as if nothing had been said. "I see the time stone you've crafted still has some bugs to work out. Tell me, is it fun to be sixteen and on death row?"

"It's a wonderful life."

Palmer took a cigarette from his breast pocket. "So, how'd you do it?"

"Do I get a smoke?"

"You're not old enough to smoke."

Doctor Strange became upset but quickly calmed himself. He closed his eyes and entered a trance that produced a glowing orange force field around his body. Palmer leaned forward and pressed his cigarette into the orange glow. It lit the smoke with ease. Just like at Robin's apartment. Palmer inhaled as Stephen came out of his trance. He was older, as if time only moved for him.

"How about now?" Palmer tossed him a cigarette. "Thanks, but I don't smoke. Those things will kill you."

"Neat trick," Palmer said, "but I don't know how it proves you killed Superman, Batman, Robin, and Supergirl in the same day. Sounds like you're trying to buy time from the inevitable."

"Aren't we all?"

"Answer the question."

"I would love to, but you got it all wrong. Supergirl was technically the first even though her death was prolonged. You could say she was weighted down à la Buffalo Bill style. And once Robin learned what he did, he killed himself. That sped things right up, didn't it?"

Supergirl was the first! "So you can access the powers of the infinity stone with your mind. You can manipulate time and even stop time for everyone but yourself."

"I told the Justice League not to put me in solitary."

"And that explains how you killed Superman with a Kryptonian knife."