The Kryptonite Collar
Author: Lcross.
(originally posted at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SuperheroesDefeated )
Part 3 “The K Collar”
Zach looks down with satisfaction at the familiar god-like, red and blue clad figure now on his knees in front of him soaked in sweat. His hair is disheveled and matted down and his head hangs in utter defeat. Zach laughs wickedly and reaches forward and with both hands grabs two fists full of the wet blue elastic fabric of Superboy’s jumpsuit. He pulls up but is not strong enough to raise the much larger super hero.
“GET UP!” he snarls, “GET UP AND DO IT NOW!”
Superboy seems unable to resist and weekly struggles to his feet as Josh pulls up on his shirt. Once Superboy stands weakly and swaying, Josh roughly shoves Superboy back hard against the lead wall with a dull thud. Zach steadies the helpless superhero leaning exhaustedly against the lead wall for support and steps back to admire his prize. Superboy leans unsteadily as his head drops and hangs on his chest. Zach reaches forward grabs a fistful of Superboy’s wet hair and raises his head and examines the tight fitting kryptonite collar he has tightly locked around Superboy’s strong neck.
“Superboy, the Boy of Steel, harnessed at last! I’m afraid you’ll find that you’ll remain quite powerless with the kryptonite collar locked around your neck Superboy!” laughs Zach. Zach declares, “A collar: the universal symbol of domination Superboy!” Superboy is completely dazed and his muscled body leans unsteadily in front of Zach as he wonders how this has happened to him, the mighty Boy of Steel. The kryptonite rays from the strange meteors continue to wash over him making his arms and legs feel like heavy concrete blocks; Superboy stutters in bewilderment, “Zach…what…is…kryptonite? How… can a green rock….effect…my…superpowers?” Superboy grabs weakly at the edges of the steal collar vainly trying to break it, his powerful biceps bulge impressively within the tight blue elastic fabric of his bodysuit but are ineffective.
“You might be good for heavy lifting but you certainly fall short in brains department Superboy!” replies the boy genius sarcastically. Zach eyes the defeated superhero up and down and decides Superboy is obliviously no longer a threat to him…he has been completely subdued by the meteor rocks and harnessed by the kryptonite collar. He roughly grabs one of Superboy’s muscled arms and puts it around his neck for support. Zach guides the dazed Superboy inside the lead cubical. Zach struggles to support the bigger muscled frame of the stunned Superboy. Superboy moans in agony as Zach drags him past the green meteor rocks. A few feet into the dark lead room Zach releases Superboy’s arm and he falls to the lead floor like a rock raising the dust on the floor.
“There was no Cold Fusion Experiment Superboy,” announces Zach.
Superboy gasps at the revelation and he tries to raise himself but his powerful muscles have no strength to support his strapping frame and he falls to the floor helpless, his face buried in the dusty floor.
“This whole cold fusion story was a rouse to lure you here to expose you to kryptonite Superboy!” laughs Zach. “We suspect you are a student at MU. We spread a word here and there to the dozen or so students that have Superboy’s physical features. With professor’s Cho’s help I used MU’s student database and ran a program using the parameters of Superboy’s physical features – height –weight-eye color- hair color. About a dozen students matched the parameters. I wonder which student you will turn out to be Superboy. Once we have your identity we will own you. Well, there will be time for that discovery later. Mind you, it’s hard to imagine how you could disguise your pretty face or bulky body …
Once we had a list of potential Superboy candidates it was just a matter of spreading disinformation to each of them to lure Superboy to this lead cubical containing kryptonite. Of course only the real Superboy would be able to follow our trail of breadcrumbs!” explains Zach.
Superboy moans as his chest, arms and legs move restlessly on the dusty lead floor as Zach circles Superboy and continues to brag. The lead cubicle’s lights are off but the room is illuminated by the eerie glow of from the kryptonite meteors that sucks relentlessly at Superboy’s remaining life force.
The teenager stands proudly over Superboy sprawled out helpless before him on his stomach motionless and continues, “Brains over Brawn…Mind over Muscle Superboy!”
Superboy does not have the strength to respond; he can only lay powerless on the lead floor listening to the teenager’s tormenting rant.
“Which student are you Superboy?” asks Zach as he nudges Superboy in the ribs with his sneaker. “Shawn Peterson…Jeff Crane….Clark Kent. They are my top three potential Super boys’. Am I getting warm, asks Zach? “We’ll find out who you’re pretending to be now that we have you in the flesh; we can compare you to student pictures in the student database.”
Superboy uses all his remaining strength and raises his head from the lead floor and looks up at Zach through sweat soaked eyes and asks, “What… do… want…with me?”
“To study and examine you Superboy. You are the only extraterrestrial known to be at large on Earth. I…or we, intend to examine you quite thoroughly Superboy and scientifically document our findings…it’ll make me, or us, famous. Imagine Superboy exposed. I hope you’re not modest Superboy…a significant portion of the examination will be of an aggressive physical nature,” explains Zach as he eyes the strapping young man hungrily. “Medical probes of all types, blood and sperm samples, and so forth.”
Superboy’s head suddenly drops back down to the lead floor and his head cranes to left. Zach sighs loudly and rolls his eyes in feigned frustration as he kneels down next to Superboy, and roughly grabs a handful of his sweat soaked hair and pulls back hard raising his head. His bright blue eyes look vacant and are rolled back in his head. A stream of drool runs from the corner of his open mouth; Superboy’s breathing has suddenly become very shallow and labored as the green glowing studs of the collar illuminating his handsome young face begins to dim in intensity.
Zach looks quickly over towards the meteors next to the lead container. The green glow from the meteors and collar has begun to diminish in brightness and intensity. Clearly the kryptonite has drained Superboy of all his discretionary energy and is now sucking at his very life force, Zach concludes; he’ll die very soon if I continue to expose Superboy to the kryptonite meteors.
“I think the “K” has just about sucked you dry of your disposable energy muscle boy. I don’t want to kill you, loser … at least not until I’ve completed my physical examination of your alien and extraordinary body.”
Zach releases his hair and Superboy’s handsome face hits the lead floor with a thud. Zach walks back to the wheeled cart and pushes it out of the lead cubical. He quickly tosses the green meteor rocks one by one into the lead truck and closes the lid, snaps the hasp and closes the padlock. He moves to another switch inside the room and closes the switch and the lead door begins to slowly slide shut; the lead door slams shut echoing loudly through the lead room. The room is now bitch black and Zach can only make-out the green glowing collar of the floored Superboy. Zach closes another switch and there is a loud mechanical thud and 10 seconds later the overhead lights flickered on. The lights are dim at first but gradually get brighter and brighter.
Zach decides there time for a quick break while he waits for the lights of the lead cubical to fully illuminate. He pulls out a pack of Marlboro Lights, shakes the pack, and pulls a cigarette out with his mouth. He pockets the pack of smokes and produces a lighter and lights the cigarette. He inhales deeply and then exhales a bloom of smoke. Taking another drag, he walks over to the prostrate hero and looks down at the helpless young champion with satisfaction as he enjoys his smoke.
Several minutes pass; Zach is just butting his cigarette out on the floor of the room floor when the room lights came to full illumination. Superboy remains motionless, head levered sideways on the floor with a dazed and blank look on his handsome face, staring into empty space. His breathing is less labored since Zach encased the meteors in lead but Superboy still lies motionless on the lead floor. It appears he is ever so slowly recovering from the intense blast of kryptonite rays he was exposed to when he unwittingly opened the lead door. Superboy’s head begins to clear slowly as the intense pain deceases, but Superboy can still feel the burning effects of Zach’s kryptonite collar. Superboy’s mighty superpowers are extinguished until the kryptonite collar is removed!
Continue…
