Morden Man

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

As he spoke, Thor placed Mjolnir upon Corben's back and let go. The weight of the hammer sent Corben's body to the floor and pressed his face into the rubble; try as he might Corben could not shift the hammer even a fraction. The situation, as far as Thor saw it, was contained and his message was clear.

"What say you?"

@TimeMasterX

New Troy, Metropolis

Clark had no idea what Thor was doing there, let alone why he thought Superman meant Corben any harm. It had been Corben that had called Superman out by name. He'd sought out the conflict, not Superman, so the idea that he ever intended to hurt Corben left Clark completely confused. He was many things but vengeful was not one of them. He'd learned a long time ago that vengeance never worked. Plus there were still so many questions that Clark needed answered. The "creature" would go unharmed.

"I'm not sure what your employer has told you but that's not my style, Thor."

Corben struggled beneath Thor's hammer in vain as Clark strode over to him, extending a hand in the hammer's direction, and wrapping his palm around the handle. Thor looked nonplussed as the Man of Steel bent his wrist in an attempt to lift Thor's hammer free of the defeated Corben.

"Though I appreciate the gesture, Corben is leaving with me. He won't come to any harm, that much I can promise you, but he does have things he needs to answer to. Like why he thought blasting half of Downtown Metropolis to pieces was a good idea and what he thought he was going to achieve by doing it. Or who put him up to it."

A muffled groan left Clark's mouth as he struggled with the weight of Thor's weapon. His face turned red with exertion as he pulled on it, desperate to yank it free, and Thor watched on with a self-satisfied smile. For a fraction of a section the hammer seemed to move a hundredth of an inch, so briefly that the movement could have been lost between blinks, but Thor noticed it. His smile disappeared. It was only until the hammer refused to budge an inch further that the Asgardian allowed himself to smile again. The Kryptonian was aware Diana was watching on and suddenly became conscious of his failure. He looked to Thor with a coy smile and gestured to the hammer resting on Corben.

"I'm going to need you to move this thing."

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

I've not been as active (IC, but mostly OOC) as usual because I started a new job this week. I have Fridays off so then - if not tomorrow - I'll make sure I'm all caught up.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

Yeah, though the details are still pretty vague to the average person.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

LexCorp Building, Metropolis

Lex smiled as he heard Thor's hulking footsteps making their way from the elevator and into his office. Thor Odinson was the closest Lex had to a Superman. Luthor had spent tens of millions searching the Earth for superhumans that would help him take the metahuman arms race to the next level. Thor was his walking deterrent. If it ever came to it and Luthor's Cold War between Lex and Superman turned hot, Luthor could only hope the Asgardian had the power at his disposal to take the Man of Steel down. In their conversations about the subject, Odinson seemed to revel in the thought of breaking Superman. Whether he could actually do it was another thing.

"Ah, there you are. Stopped causing international incidents, I hope? I had a rather irate Kahndaqi on the phone this morning complaining about your foray into Africa. Isn't it amazing how quickly the temper cools when someone offers you ten million dollars?"

Odinson stared emptily at Luthor as the billionaire smiled at him wryly.

"I digress, I obviously didn't call you in here to talk compensation."

Luthor gestured towards the television on which he'd been watching Corben and Superman fighting. A third combatant had arrived some seconds before Thor's heavy feet found their way to Lex's office. Wonder Woman. She had stonewalled Lex, given him a shoulder colder even than the one Superman had given him, and her disdain for the Justice League and Luthor was was apparent. For the time being, that was the least of his worries. All Luthor cared about, all Luthor wanted, was Jonathan Corben back in his possession.

"You see that man, Thor? His name is Jonathan Corben and he is very dangerous. Very dangerous, indeed. So much so that he made short work of the Man of Steel a few moments ago. Were it not for Wonder Woman, our old friend Superman would be but an unpleasant memory."

A grin appeared on Odinson's fiercely Nordic features. It was a grin Lex noticed and pounced upon in seconds. He needed Thor hungry, he needed him motivated, and there was no greater way to motivate the Thunderer than to challenge him.

"I need Jonathan Corben, Thor, and I need you to get him for me. He's too dangerous to be left on the streets and far too dangerous to fall into the hands of that false god Superman. His powers are radiation-based. You understand radiation, I hope? Well, if he's not brought here before the hour is out the entire city is going to be turned into a nuclear wasteland. You might survive it but us mere mortals certainly will not. You can see the dilemma. I need Corben back and Superman and Wonder Woman want to keep him to themselves. If they do, innocent people will die. You don't... intend to let that happen, do you, Thor?"

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

New Troy, Metropolis

Clark was as dumbfounded by Wonder Woman's appearance as he was grateful. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he'd come scarily close to unconsciousness there. Perhaps even worse. Her sudden appearance had gifted Clark an opportunity to catch his breath back and knowing Corben aside as she had done allowed the Man of Steel a brief reprieve for exposure to the meteor radiation. His powers had flooded back to him as the warmth of the Sun's rays washed over him. He felt strong again, if somewhat bruised, and Diana's question hung in the air for a few moments before Clark looked at her with a bemused expression on his face.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

In the distance Clark saw Corben, who had crashed into a parked car down the road, pushing himself to his feet.

"All I know is that he's powered a fragment of Kryptonian meteor rock that seems to weaken my powers."

"My name is John Corben."

Corben spat as he strode towards Superman and Wonder Woman.

"I was... I was a soldier before I was turned into this abomination. I helped people too, believe it or not, I even tried to do good things. When you're dead and I'm me again, maybe I'll even be able to do good things again. First you need to be in the ground, Superman, and if I have to go through your little girlfriend to do it, then so be it."

One of Corben's hands extended in their direction and he unfurled a blast of energy towards them. Wonder Woman stepped in front of Clark, crossing the enchanted bracelets around her wrists, and parried the blast away without breaking a sweat. Clark could feel himself weaken for a second as the energy passed by him. He looked to Diana slightly sheepishly.

"I... I hate to break it to you, Diana, but I don't think I'm going to be much help on this one. I can't get close to Corben without my powers being sapped. I'll use my heat vision to try to distract him but you're going to have to do most of the heavy lifting this time around."

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

New Troy, Metropolis

It had taken Clark Kent all of two seconds to realise the trouble he was in. As he’d pierced Corben’s aura, he’d felt that same feeling he’d felt in Lex Luthor’s office. The life and strength had been sapped from him in an instance, the nausea that ran bone-deep set in, and when the two men crashed against the ground there was actual pain. He didn’t know how but Corben was powered by the meteor rock. That meant he’d bitten off more than he could handle. He was no longer in a fight but a struggle for survival. Each blast of energy Corben let loose, every punch, brought Clark to the edge of unconsciousness. It took everything he could to bop and weave drunkenly around them. His punches were like feathers against the man’s chin and the pounding headache in his head made it near impossible to aim his heat vision. Clark was in a fight for his life. And it was one he was losing.

Worst of all was that Jonathan Corben knew it. He pounded on Clark, seemingly taking no pleasure in it, and with every opportunity for a coupe de grace would stall. Finally as Clark puffed for air desperately the metal man loomed large over him and let out a sigh.

"You’re a good man, Superman, I know that much. You help people. It’s why I feel bad that I have to do this. I hope you understand that I take no joy from any of this. The opposite, in fact."

Clark frowned through the pain as the word “have” caught his attention. At last the reluctance seemed to make sense. He’d had Kent at his mercy more times than he could count without finishing it.

"H…h-have? Who… who’s making you…?"

Corben shook his head, the last vestige of skin clinging to his skull shaking loose as he did so, as he lifted a glowing green hand in Clark’s direction.

"Tsk, if I tell you that I can’t imagine my benefactor is going to be very pleased with me. He seemed pretty fond of his anonymity."

From the ground, Clark reached out a shaking hand in the man’s direction.

"You don’t… you don’t have to…

Corben gritted his teeth a little and lowered his hand. He watched as Superman, the Man of Steel, writhed in pain in his very presence. As the cars had been stripped of paint and paints had withered, Superman seemed in anguish in Corben’s very presence.

"What’s wrong with you?"

Clark reached up and pointed towards the green energy pouring from his attacker.

"It’s… the…"

Corben sneered and pulled open a metal panel at the centre of his chest. It contained a green, beating heart impaled by shards of meteor rock that throbbed and beat without rhyme or reason.

"Oh, you mean this old thing?"

Clark shook his head at the sight of it. It wasn’t possible. There was nothing else inside of Corben’s chest. No lungs, no organs, just a beating green, meteor-rock studded heart. The only one with that kind of meteor rock was… Lex. Could it be a coincidence that he’d shown it to Clark and that this had appeared but a day afterwards to make Superman’s life Hell? Before Kent had the chance to ponder the thought, Corben was on him, his metal hands clamped around his throat as he lifted him to his feet.

"I wasn’t always like this. I was a man once, a normal man, but… someone made me like this. Don’t you worry though, once I’m done here I’m going to make sure they get what’s coming to them too…"

As he struggled for breath, Clark coughed and spluttered as he tried to push a word from his throat.

"No..."

Corben frowned and loosened his grip some to let Superman speak.

"No? No what?"

Clark’s piercing blue eyes, turned bloodshot red with stress, stared at Corben earnestly despite his vice-like grip.

"It doesn’t work… revenge. It… it never works."

For a moment there was a look of reluctance on Corben’s face. He pondered Clark’s statement for a second before thoughts of what had been promised him in return for killing Superman crept back into his mind – a normal life, love, his body restored to what it had once been. All of that awaited him if only he poured every ounce of meteor energy coursing through his body through Superman whilst clamping down on his neck. Were Corben a stronger man he would have let Superman slip from his fingers but… he was not. Fewer men were. Instead of loosening his grip, he tightened it and willed the meteor energy to overload the Man of Steel’s cells.

"You’re a better man than I am. When it’s my turn to account for my sins, I’ll tell them that, Superman. I’m… I’m sorry about this. I really am."

With a wince Corben clamped down and the green energy around him slid along his arm and enveloped Superman. Clark cried out in pain, writhing in Corben’s hands as he struggled to break free of the metal man’s grip, but it was no good. The meteor rock had weakened him to the point that he couldn’t muster the strength to pry Corben’s fingers apart. A futile blast of heat vision missed its mark and Kent’s leg kicks became more frenzied, more desperate, before slowing some as the life began to drain from Clark altogether.

His whole world was going dark. He felt the life slipping away from him, the warmth slipping from his limbs, as thoughts of Lois, Martha, and Jonathan began to creep into Kent’s mind. He had let them down. He had let them all down. Not by failing but by leaving them alone. Clark prepared to say a silent goodbye to his loved ones when suddenly a red blur knocked Corben’s hand from around his throat. Clark fell to the ground with a heavy thud and Corben was spent sprawling away from him. Kent felt the life rushing back into him and his strength returned to him in almost an instance. He said a silent prayer as he pushed himself up from the ground and opened his eyes to find that it wasn’t God he needed to thank for his salvation.

It was a Goddess.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

A Superman post should be coming tomorrow and (depending on whether Time is feeling better - again, no rush) a Lex post or two could be along with it too.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

@Dedonus Yeah, I don't think that's going to work. Sorry about that.

@TimeMasterX Don't worry about it, man. Take as long as you need. Real life always takes precedence. Especially when real life is being depressing as fuck. You'll get round to it whenever you get round to it.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

LexCorp Building, Metropolis

Lex Luthor muttered under his breath as he watched Jonathan Corben marching his way through Metropolis on the television screen. Someone had broken into LexCorp for the second time and this time they had gotten away with much more. Corben was Lex’s most prized possession, it was his ability to channel the meteor rock energy that powered Luthor’s generator, and now he was gone. Luthor was going to do whatever it took to change that. From beside Lex, Mercy Graves watched on nervously, the seriousness of Corben’s absconding from the generator room not lost on the bodyguard. She looked to her employer with a concerned look.

"What do we do, sir? If word gets out that Corben is the product of a LexCorp exper-"

Lex scowled.

"I am the most intelligent man on Earth, Mercy, do you not think that might have occurred to me?"

An exasperated sigh left Luthor’s lips and he held his bald head in his hands for a moment as he formulated a plan of action.

"We need to get Corben back. If he were going to tell the world what was done to him, he would have already done so. Someone set him free. We need to get him back and figure out who it was. The generator won’t run for long without Corben there to power it. Once we have Corben back and the generator is stable again, we’ll make him talk and make whoever set him free pay with their lives."

Mercy smiled.

"I like the sound of that."

Luthor ran through the roster of the Justice League in his head. None were privy to Corben or what Lex had done to him, Lex made sure to keep that part of his work away from them, so it would require careful choosing on Lex’s part. He’d worked too hard to put the League together to have it undone because some agent provocateur had decided to let Corben free.

"I can’t risk sending Rogers on something like this. Corben is far too powerful and he seemed too chummy with the so-called Man of Steel for my liking. He might get to asking questions. We cannot afford that."

Mercy nodded in agreement.

"What about Captain Marvel?"

"No, she’s too inquisitive, too curious."

A smile appeared on Mercy’s face as the right candidate popped into her mind.

"You need someone to which everything looks like a nail in need of hammering."

Lex glanced up at his bodyguard and grinned.

"Exactly that. Get in touch with Thor and tell him I want him in my office, would you? I do believe the Odinson’s unique blend of brawn and bravado make him the right man for this job. And do try to be as discrete as possible, it simply won't do to have the others knowing about this."

Mercy nodded and left the room to track Thor down. Lex waited until he heard the door click shut behind his bodyguard before letting out a heavy sigh. As the sigh tailed off a red-blue blur on the television screen caught Luthor’s attention. There looming over Corben was none other than Superman. Lex’s blood began to boil at the mere sight of him. Superman had turned him down, turned down Luthor’s Justice League, and spent years trying to undo the work Lex had done to repair his once dirtied reputation. His presence complicated things some. Apprehending Corben was one thing. Doing it without arousing the suspicion of Superman was another thing.

“The ever-present white knight appears just in the knick of time.”

Perhaps Corben would do Luthor a favour and kill Superman. Lex wasn’t sure how he’d feel about that. He’d always imagined the Man of Steel felled by his hand but in the grand scheme of things it didn’t make much difference. Whatever happened Lex needed Corben back and he needed Corben back soon. Otherwise his vaunted generator would wipe every human life in Metropolis out.

The New Frontier: A Marvel/DC One Universe RP

The Daily Planet, Metropolis

A day had gone by since Clark had spoken with Reed Richards. Since then he’d tried his best to suppress thoughts of the effect that little green rock had had on him. He was going to do exactly as Reed said and stay away from the meteor rock until they knew more about it. Thankfully it seemed to be in short supply outside of LexCorp and Latveria so that wasn’t the hardest task. Last night had been uneventful. He’d stopped a bank robbery Downtown and put an end to a shootout a few miles out of Metropolis but little else had happened. In truth, Kent was thankful for that. Between Henshaw and the meteor rock, the Daily Planet reporter was beginning to feel a little out of his depth. Thankfully he had people on his side that helped him stay grounded. Chief amongst them at the moment was Perry White.

White chomped at an unlit cigar between his lips as he thumbed his way through the transcript of Clark’s interview with Luthor from yesterday morning. On White’s desk were several pictures Jimmy had taken, each of Luthor looking grander and more striking than the last, though White seemed more concerned with the words than Olsen’s images. After a good few minutes of reading he set the papers down and looked to Clark with an impressed smile.

“This is some good work, Kent.”

Jimmy had promised not to mention Clark’s little wobble in Lex’s office. Clark was thankful for that. He could only imagine the stick Perry would have given him for it. It was bad enough that everyone at the Daily Planet, from the cleaners up, knew that Clark was as clumsy as they came. With Jimmy’s lips sealed, Clark’s writing could do the talking. A delayed smile appeared on Kent’s face as he shuffled forward in his seat.

“Thank you.”

“It would seem Luthor took something of a shine to you too. Some called from his office this morning looking for your contact details. Does the name Mercy Graves mean anything to you?”

Clark nodded.

“She’s Lex’s bodyguard.”

For half a second a look of shock appeared on White’s face. The concept of a man having a female bodyguard was clearly lost on him, as it would be on most men White’s age, but once he’d got his head around it he shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I gave her your cell phone number and she said that Lex would be in touch. Who would of thought it, eh? A Metropolitan multi-billionaire and a Kansas farm boy as thick as thieves. They do say opposites attract.”

If White knew how considered Clark’s efforts to ingratiate himself with Lex had been he’d have been doubly impressed.

“What can I say? I must have a way with people.”

White rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Well needless to say I expect you to make the most of this newfound friendship of yours. I want the skinny on every development at LexCorp and the Justice League before they happen, Kent.”

Clark opened his mouth to speak but as he did so the door to Perry White’s office flung open and a breathless Jimmy Olsen appeared.

"Sorry to interrupt, Chief, but I think you’re probably going to want to see this."

White let out a sigh and followed after Olsen.

"This had better be good, Olsen."

Clark frowned a little and scampered after the two of them. He found them and the rest of the Daily Planet newsroom gathered nervously around a large television set in the corner of the room. On the screen was a robotic figure of a man, only portions of skin left dangling from his face and arms, marching his way through Metropolis. As he passed cars and buildings his mere presence seemed to strip the paint from them. Flowers and weeds around him withered and died. The man’s metal feet shook the Earth beneath him as he clambered forward. A SWAT van appeared in front of him and the man let out a shout as he shot a ray of green energy towards it. The van was sent careening away by the force of the blast. Once it had stopped screeching along the road the man shouted at the top of his voice.

"Where... is... he?"

Clark’s hands balled into fists as he suspected he knew which “he” the man was referring to.

"What the hell is that thing?"

Lois Lane’s voice sounded from behind Perry White. She made eye contact with Clark for a second, aware he’d disappearing any moment, and gave her partner a knowing nod.

"I have no idea. From the looks of it though it’s heading in this direction."

"What do we do, Chief?"

Perry lifted his hand to his mouth as he pondered their options. By now the staff’s silence had been overrun by a muted, nervous hubbub as the sound of the glowing green blasts could be heard not through the television but by their own ears. He was close. White stared around at his building sentimentally before placing his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

"Everybody out. Leave your things and head for the fire exits. We’ll meet outside by the back entrance."

The shocked reporters seemed frozen in place by confusion until White once again placed his hands over his mouth and shouted at them. This time his voice was considerably louder and more urgent.

"Come on, people. Get moving!"

Suddenly the newsroom burst into life and the Daily Planet reporters began to file their way out. White watched as they made their way out and kept a silent count of each one. He had a duty of care for his employees and he had every intention of seeing that every last one of them made it out. Lois was amongst the last to file past him, he was almost sure she would have stayed behind if he’d allowed it, and Jimmy Olsen brought up the rear as he made his way towards the exit. Perry had one foot through it when he recalled not seeing Clark Kent amongst those leaving.

"Clark?"

There was no answer from the newsroom and Perry lingered for a moment, trying to remember the reporter passing by him, before shaking his head slightly, assuring himself that Kent must have slipped by, disappearing through the exit.

The Daily Planet reporters had made it halfway down the fire escape when a powerful gust of red-blue wind sped past them. Superman hung in place over the Daily Planet building for a moment. He squinted his eyes as he searched amongst the city’s streets for the attacker but it was his ears that helped him locate him. The man’s cries, pained, remorseful even, could be heard over the sound of sirens and bullets. The Man of Steel burst towards the origin of the sound and found himself floating some twenty-feet above the assailant. Like Henshaw he was more machine than man, but Henshaw’s body was the result of surgical precision, planning to the extreme, whereas this was something else. The man’s skin clung desperately to him like that of an animal reluctant to shed its skin.

"Where is... Superman?"

There was a despondency to the man’s voice, he was absent of Henshaw’s rage, but he seemed no less dangerous. Clark needed to end this. He’d try carrot before stick. He hovered down in front of the man, who glowed with green energy, and lifted his hands up as if to signal that he meant him no harm.

"I’m going to give you one chance and one chance only: stop this senseless violence and hand yourself in. Nobody else needs to get hurt here."

The man shook his head.

"That’s where you’re wrong, Superman. You need to get hurt."

Clark gritted his teeth as he went barreling towards him.

"So be it."