Going Out With a Bang

Part 1

        Bats swarmed around Bruce Wayne as he sprinted across the rocky surface. He stepped onto a platform in the Bat Cave and a glass casing emerged from the floor beneath him. Inside rested a jet black suit with spots of green on the wrists and chest. The kryptonite glowed against the glass, casting angular shadows on the rock wall beside it.

I never thought the day would come when I would have to actually use this. Bruce thought as he opened the doors of the glass casing. 

The globe atop the Daily Planet teetered. The entire city was shaking. Superman cut through light posts and cars with the laser beams shooting from his eyes. He burst up from the pavement and flew to the top of the Daily Planet, where the twenty-ton bronze globe spun. Superman stood under it and pushed against the metal with all of his might. He began to hover in the air, carrying the globe.

A sleek black jet cruised over the horizon. Superman didn’t need his x-ray vision to know who was the pilot. Batman. His aircraft glided through the sky flawlessly. A turret emerged from the nose of the plane and emblazoned the sky. Superman dodged the shots and dropped the globe on the roof, sending shuddering cracks across the concrete. He shot into the air straight towards Batman, who opened the throttle. Red lights blinked inside the cockpit, warning him of an imminent crash. He disregarded them.

The black aircraft barrel rolled to the left once it was merely yards from Superman’s thundering steel body. Batman quickly looped back around, his turret spraying bullets at Superman. He saw Superman’s eyes begin to light up blazing crimson and knew what was about to happen. He pressed a green button on his console and slightly pushed the steering wheel in. The plane began to descend slowly.

Superman sliced through the air like a knife cutting into warm butter. He leaned down to mirror Batman’s descending plane. He was only fifteen yard away. This has been a long time coming Bruce. Superman braced for impact. You’re not spinning away this time.

Suddenly he stopped. He was no longer flying, he was falling. He looked up to see a glowing green light inside the cockpit, then he shut his eyes. 

        Batman pushed the steering wheel in all the way, stationing himself at a ninety degree angle downwards, following Superman’s falling body. He pressed another button and the turret on the nose of the plane was replaced with a claw. He positioned his finger over the target on his touchscreen weapon guidance system. The claw ejected from the nose and grappled onto Superman’s body. Batman jerked the steering wheel back toward him and the jet swung back, flying parallel to the ground. 

He landed on the street just outside of the Daily Planet. The glass windshield of his aircraft slid up and he leapt out. Superman’s limp body was in a heap on the pavement by the nose of the jet. Batman knelt on the ground beside it and rolled the body over. Superman’s eyes fluttered open and looked around at the catastrophic hell surrounding him. 

Buildings were crumbling into piles of rubble on the sidewalk. Cars were nothing more than burning scraps of metal. If any people had been around still, they would be running in terror of the monster that reeked the havoc around them. 

Superman sat up and looked over at Batman. Under his cowl, he was darkly grimacing. Not a surprising expression for the Dark Knight.

“W-what happened?” Superman stammered.

“I was about to ask you the same damn question.” Batman said solemnly.

“I don’t remember any of this. I-the Joker. He did this.”

“No, Clark. This is on you. The police will be coming soon.”

Superman eyed the green patches on Batman’s suit. “Y-you said you destroyed Luthor’s kryptonite. You lied.”

“I kept a small amount. I thought one day you may lose control and rampage, and no one would be able to stop you. I was right.” Batman looked into the distance. Sirens became audible and were quickly growing louder.

“No, no Bruce I need you to believe me. I didn’t do this. Here, test my blood.” Superman extended his arm. Batman turned back to him and looked into his eyes. He had an itch in the back of his skull that wouldn’t go away. He gave in. Batman pulled out a syringe connected to a canister and injected the needle into Superman’s arm.

        “Ouch, how did you break the skin?” Superman asked.

        “Kryptonite needle. It may sting a bit.”

“Thanks for the warning.” The glass canister at the end of the syringe began to fill with dark red blood. Batman pulled the needle out and unscrewed the vile of blood.

“I’ll analyze it, but Clark even if it proves to be something, you’re looking at serious jail time for this.”

“I can take it. Stop the Joker. He’s planning something big, I know it. He told me I was only phase one.” 

“I will.” Batman said. He climbed back into the cockpit of his jet. The engines roared to life and the aircraft lifted off the ground. It cruised into the distance until it was only a black dot in the sky. Superman felt his strength come back, but it would be of no use. Police officers surrounded him and trained their pistols on him. 

He didn’t fight back.