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raze_flynDisclaimer and notes on prologue.
Gifts
Chapter 5 of 10
He sat on the beach watching the waves as he waited for the woman he contacted to get here. He hadn’t bothered with the glasses but the time as Connor Kent had rendered the way he sat on the beach so different than he how he used to no one had recognized him. “Hey S.B. good to see you,” a familiar voice said and he glanced up to see Roxy in her police uniform heading towards him.
“I had heard you got back on the force once you found your dad,” He said glad she had managed to get back on the force once all that alien possession, search for her dad and other mess had been resolved. “I hope you weren’t in the middle of any important cases.”
“No, I would like a bit more warning before you drop in unannounced though or it might make catching up kind of hard to do.” He had really missed her and wished he’d done a better job of staying in touch over the last few years. “You alright kid you look kind of down?”
“A lot is going on Roxie and I have no idea where to begin telling you about it,” He admitted honestly. “I guess I should start with the fact that tomorrow Tana may be coming back to life.” After that he had to lay out the whole story which he did only leaving out the bits related to secrets he couldn’t tell her despite the fact that in some ways she was as close as a sister to him.
When he was done she just looked at him and said, “Wow that’s some heavy shit S.B. I wish I could help but I have no idea how to even begin.” He had to smile as she started nervously playing with her hair as a result.
“It’s okay Roxy, I just needed to talk to someone outside of the whole Super hero thing,” He said glad to get stuff off his chest. “Plus I really want to thank you for wearing that Bikini top when I met your dad cause in the world where I never signed with him things turned out really bad.”
“Don’t make me arrest you S.B.,” She said laughing and sobered quickly. “Are you going to tell Tana’s family about her possible return?” He shook his head no. “They have a right to know their daughter might be coming back to life S.B.”
“Yeah they do but I don’t want to tell them until I know for sure it’s really her,” He said picturing her family. “They don’t need to know if this is just an imposter being sent to screw with my head.” He didn’t want to put them through that if he could help it.
“I guess your right, it would be cruel to get their hopes up but promise me you won’t wait too long.” Once he assured her that he wouldn’t wait too long she got up. “Why don’t we go see Dubblex’s Krypto and see if he remembers you?”
“That’ll be fun I should bring the actual Superdog to meet his name sake some time.” He had to admit it was kind of weird how he had such mixed experiences with two dogs named Krypto over the course of his life.
_____
Cassie set awake in shock at the flash of light in her room. She hadn’t felt completely comfortable in the room since the visit from black zero. She reached out and hit the lamp on her bedside table and frowned at the shiny gold robot in her room. “Who are you and why are you here?” She asked as she gripped her lasso hidden out of sight under her pillow.
“I am an extension of Kelex and we need to talk immediately,” the robot said. She recognized the voice but she still felt wary. “I have expended a great deal of power to send this piece of myself to you to return something that I should never have taken.” The chest of the robot opened and a familiar vial popped out and floated over to her. “You must take away Kon El’s powers with this solution or his and the rest of your team’s lives are forfeit.”
“What?” She could barely keep her voice down to avoid waking her mother. “You can’t seriously be saying that we will all die if I don’t inject Kon with this.” She said snatching the floating vial and resisting the temptation to smash it on the floor.
“That is exactly what I am saying,” Kelex said with a grim tone. “I have finally managed to calculate how the visits are changing your time line and Black Zero’s next visit after the pod containing Tana Moon opens will result in this future.” A floating square image appeared in front of the robot. She stared in horror at the tower laying in ruins and the woman Kon had identified as Amanda Spence stood laughing over the dead Titans. She had to look away when she saw the woman tearing Kon’s head off to put on a pike. “This future is unavoidable unless Black zero stops coming to this time line which can only be accomplished if you take the deal he offered.”
“No way, there is no way I can take Kon’s powers away from him,” she said looking at the robot. “There has to be another way I can’t do that to him.” She saw the robot lower it’s head as if it was sad which reminded her of Kelex’s fluctuating emotions during that tour of ten worlds.
“If there is another way I do not know of it,” Kelex said sounding incredibly sad. “As it is this was my one chance to correct the situation as anymore travel to this world will bring about that disaster.” He looked over at her looking as sad as a robot could. “However, now that you know about it there will be a few survivors but in no possible future is Kon ever one of them.”
She wanted to object some more but after everything that had happened recently she just didn’t have the energy. “I’ll think about it.” She wondered if there was anyone who could possibly give her another way out of it.
“You have until Tana Moon emerges from the pod that was when Black Zero is planning to appear to deliver his next gift.” The Kelex robot vanished in a flash of light then and she was left alone staring at the vial. She immediately headed to her communicator and started to call Tim but stopped at the last minute. She knew if she told Tim he’d never let her use the solution on Kon even if it was the only way to save him.
She found herself thinking about those ten worlds that they’d been shown and how often someone close to her had died in each of them. That was the real reason she’d hated remembering them because it made it clear exactly how likely it was that some of her friends would die soon. She looked at the vial and made up her mind she would do what was necessary to save Kon even if he hated her for it.
_____
She looked at the eight tubes containing the clones she’d created for Black Zero. They were beautiful works of art that would have made her father proud. “Don’t awaken them yet,” Her new partner said form behind her. “One of my other projects has potentially born fruit so the attack on Titan’s tower might need to wait.”
“Of course,” She said resting the urge to show her annoyance. She was only about twenty five percent done isolating the virus he’d installed inside her systems for insurance. She needed more time before she could make a move against him. “May I ask what kind of project?” She saw him turn and head toward one of the monitors in the room. He attached a device and suddenly she was watching the Titans tower as Superboy touched down on the roof. She saw his girlfriend walking up to him deliberately and then suddenly she threw something his face. “What just happened?”
“She thinks she just saved his life by taking away his powers,” Black Zero said sounding almost disappointed. “All she really did was delay his meeting his new brothers and sister for a month while I let him deal with knowing I tricked his girlfriend into taking his powers.”
She found herself laughing uncontrollable. “I have to hand it to you Black Zero that is definitely inspired.” She wasn’t even angry anymore over her own revenge plans being delayed again this was just too good to miss. “Do you need me to do anything during this month?”
“Just work on fixing Digamma’s problems and make sure Alpha is exposed to enough solar radiation to trigger her Kryptonian powers so far she’s lacking in that regard.” He said as he removed the device causing the image of Superboy listening in shock to his tearful girlfriend. “I will return to check on your progress from time to time and we will reschedule your attack for one month from today.”
She quickly agreed and watched him vanish. She had no intention of waiting an entire month before she got her revenge but another week or two should allow her to get the virus he planted completely contained. Then she could work on her little surprise for him that would guarantee that he’d never be a threat to her.
_____
She arrived to find the Titans tower in chaos as Connor was yelling at Cassie angrily. “What’s going on here?” She asked as she looked around at the shocked heroes. She’d shown up because Clark had told her how much Tana Moon had meant to Connor and she wanted to be there for him during this unsettled time.
“She just took my powers away because Kelex told her too.” Connor said angrily pointing at Cassie. “I can’t believe you’d make the decision to do that to me Cassie.” She glanced at Cassie who looked guilty but resolved.
“Don’t be too hard on her,” A familiar voice said. “She was conditioned during that ten worlds trip to instinctively trust Kelex.” She turned to see Black Zero standing there smiling. She could tell some of the others wanted to attack him so she moved between him and them. She wanted to hear what he had to say.
“You can’t be here,” Cassie said clearly shocked. “You said you wouldn’t come back ever again if I took away Connor’s powers and I did just like you asked.” She was confused Connor said Kelex had told her to do it.
“Our deal only applied if you’d used my original vial and the real Kelex took that away with another agent of his shortly after I gave it to you.” Black Zero said smugly. “The new vial my fake Kelex gave you wasn’t the one referred to in the deal.” He then smiled darkly. “That’s right Cassandra the Kelex that showed up in your room was a fake I created to set up this latest gift for Kon El.” She had heard enough she flew forward trying to grab Black Zero but he was gone. She looked around and saw Cassie had collapsed in shock and grief on the ground.
To be continued...
REVIEW HERE
Gifts
Chapter 5 of 10
He sat on the beach watching the waves as he waited for the woman he contacted to get here. He hadn’t bothered with the glasses but the time as Connor Kent had rendered the way he sat on the beach so different than he how he used to no one had recognized him. “Hey S.B. good to see you,” a familiar voice said and he glanced up to see Roxy in her police uniform heading towards him.
“I had heard you got back on the force once you found your dad,” He said glad she had managed to get back on the force once all that alien possession, search for her dad and other mess had been resolved. “I hope you weren’t in the middle of any important cases.”
“No, I would like a bit more warning before you drop in unannounced though or it might make catching up kind of hard to do.” He had really missed her and wished he’d done a better job of staying in touch over the last few years. “You alright kid you look kind of down?”
“A lot is going on Roxie and I have no idea where to begin telling you about it,” He admitted honestly. “I guess I should start with the fact that tomorrow Tana may be coming back to life.” After that he had to lay out the whole story which he did only leaving out the bits related to secrets he couldn’t tell her despite the fact that in some ways she was as close as a sister to him.
When he was done she just looked at him and said, “Wow that’s some heavy shit S.B. I wish I could help but I have no idea how to even begin.” He had to smile as she started nervously playing with her hair as a result.
“It’s okay Roxy, I just needed to talk to someone outside of the whole Super hero thing,” He said glad to get stuff off his chest. “Plus I really want to thank you for wearing that Bikini top when I met your dad cause in the world where I never signed with him things turned out really bad.”
“Don’t make me arrest you S.B.,” She said laughing and sobered quickly. “Are you going to tell Tana’s family about her possible return?” He shook his head no. “They have a right to know their daughter might be coming back to life S.B.”
“Yeah they do but I don’t want to tell them until I know for sure it’s really her,” He said picturing her family. “They don’t need to know if this is just an imposter being sent to screw with my head.” He didn’t want to put them through that if he could help it.
“I guess your right, it would be cruel to get their hopes up but promise me you won’t wait too long.” Once he assured her that he wouldn’t wait too long she got up. “Why don’t we go see Dubblex’s Krypto and see if he remembers you?”
“That’ll be fun I should bring the actual Superdog to meet his name sake some time.” He had to admit it was kind of weird how he had such mixed experiences with two dogs named Krypto over the course of his life.
_____
Cassie set awake in shock at the flash of light in her room. She hadn’t felt completely comfortable in the room since the visit from black zero. She reached out and hit the lamp on her bedside table and frowned at the shiny gold robot in her room. “Who are you and why are you here?” She asked as she gripped her lasso hidden out of sight under her pillow.
“I am an extension of Kelex and we need to talk immediately,” the robot said. She recognized the voice but she still felt wary. “I have expended a great deal of power to send this piece of myself to you to return something that I should never have taken.” The chest of the robot opened and a familiar vial popped out and floated over to her. “You must take away Kon El’s powers with this solution or his and the rest of your team’s lives are forfeit.”
“What?” She could barely keep her voice down to avoid waking her mother. “You can’t seriously be saying that we will all die if I don’t inject Kon with this.” She said snatching the floating vial and resisting the temptation to smash it on the floor.
“That is exactly what I am saying,” Kelex said with a grim tone. “I have finally managed to calculate how the visits are changing your time line and Black Zero’s next visit after the pod containing Tana Moon opens will result in this future.” A floating square image appeared in front of the robot. She stared in horror at the tower laying in ruins and the woman Kon had identified as Amanda Spence stood laughing over the dead Titans. She had to look away when she saw the woman tearing Kon’s head off to put on a pike. “This future is unavoidable unless Black zero stops coming to this time line which can only be accomplished if you take the deal he offered.”
“No way, there is no way I can take Kon’s powers away from him,” she said looking at the robot. “There has to be another way I can’t do that to him.” She saw the robot lower it’s head as if it was sad which reminded her of Kelex’s fluctuating emotions during that tour of ten worlds.
“If there is another way I do not know of it,” Kelex said sounding incredibly sad. “As it is this was my one chance to correct the situation as anymore travel to this world will bring about that disaster.” He looked over at her looking as sad as a robot could. “However, now that you know about it there will be a few survivors but in no possible future is Kon ever one of them.”
She wanted to object some more but after everything that had happened recently she just didn’t have the energy. “I’ll think about it.” She wondered if there was anyone who could possibly give her another way out of it.
“You have until Tana Moon emerges from the pod that was when Black Zero is planning to appear to deliver his next gift.” The Kelex robot vanished in a flash of light then and she was left alone staring at the vial. She immediately headed to her communicator and started to call Tim but stopped at the last minute. She knew if she told Tim he’d never let her use the solution on Kon even if it was the only way to save him.
She found herself thinking about those ten worlds that they’d been shown and how often someone close to her had died in each of them. That was the real reason she’d hated remembering them because it made it clear exactly how likely it was that some of her friends would die soon. She looked at the vial and made up her mind she would do what was necessary to save Kon even if he hated her for it.
_____
She looked at the eight tubes containing the clones she’d created for Black Zero. They were beautiful works of art that would have made her father proud. “Don’t awaken them yet,” Her new partner said form behind her. “One of my other projects has potentially born fruit so the attack on Titan’s tower might need to wait.”
“Of course,” She said resting the urge to show her annoyance. She was only about twenty five percent done isolating the virus he’d installed inside her systems for insurance. She needed more time before she could make a move against him. “May I ask what kind of project?” She saw him turn and head toward one of the monitors in the room. He attached a device and suddenly she was watching the Titans tower as Superboy touched down on the roof. She saw his girlfriend walking up to him deliberately and then suddenly she threw something his face. “What just happened?”
“She thinks she just saved his life by taking away his powers,” Black Zero said sounding almost disappointed. “All she really did was delay his meeting his new brothers and sister for a month while I let him deal with knowing I tricked his girlfriend into taking his powers.”
She found herself laughing uncontrollable. “I have to hand it to you Black Zero that is definitely inspired.” She wasn’t even angry anymore over her own revenge plans being delayed again this was just too good to miss. “Do you need me to do anything during this month?”
“Just work on fixing Digamma’s problems and make sure Alpha is exposed to enough solar radiation to trigger her Kryptonian powers so far she’s lacking in that regard.” He said as he removed the device causing the image of Superboy listening in shock to his tearful girlfriend. “I will return to check on your progress from time to time and we will reschedule your attack for one month from today.”
She quickly agreed and watched him vanish. She had no intention of waiting an entire month before she got her revenge but another week or two should allow her to get the virus he planted completely contained. Then she could work on her little surprise for him that would guarantee that he’d never be a threat to her.
_____
She arrived to find the Titans tower in chaos as Connor was yelling at Cassie angrily. “What’s going on here?” She asked as she looked around at the shocked heroes. She’d shown up because Clark had told her how much Tana Moon had meant to Connor and she wanted to be there for him during this unsettled time.
“She just took my powers away because Kelex told her too.” Connor said angrily pointing at Cassie. “I can’t believe you’d make the decision to do that to me Cassie.” She glanced at Cassie who looked guilty but resolved.
“Don’t be too hard on her,” A familiar voice said. “She was conditioned during that ten worlds trip to instinctively trust Kelex.” She turned to see Black Zero standing there smiling. She could tell some of the others wanted to attack him so she moved between him and them. She wanted to hear what he had to say.
“You can’t be here,” Cassie said clearly shocked. “You said you wouldn’t come back ever again if I took away Connor’s powers and I did just like you asked.” She was confused Connor said Kelex had told her to do it.
“Our deal only applied if you’d used my original vial and the real Kelex took that away with another agent of his shortly after I gave it to you.” Black Zero said smugly. “The new vial my fake Kelex gave you wasn’t the one referred to in the deal.” He then smiled darkly. “That’s right Cassandra the Kelex that showed up in your room was a fake I created to set up this latest gift for Kon El.” She had heard enough she flew forward trying to grab Black Zero but he was gone. She looked around and saw Cassie had collapsed in shock and grief on the ground.
To be continued...
REVIEW HERE
