LexTower

Dan Turpin stepped out onto the balcony attached to Lex Luthor’s office. He saw the small, damaged plane and knelt down, picking it up with latex-gloved hands. The Lieutenant Inspector turned the plane over in his hands, squinting as he examined it.

“What’ve you got?”

Turpin rose as his partner, Inspector Maggie Sawyer, approached him on the balcony, moving carefully to avoid stepping on the shattered bits of glass. He held it out for her to see. “Closest thing we got to a clue, it seems. Luthor don’t strike me as the kinda guy who plays with toys.”

A throat-clearing drew the attention of the two officers. Mercy Graves, wearing her chauffeur’s outfit, stared coldly at the best Metropolis’ Special Crimes Unit had to offer. “Are you quite finished yet, Inspectors? I do believe LexCorp has tolerated your presence for long enough.”

Turpin grumbled, but Sawyer held a hand up to hold him at bay. She stepped closer to Luthor’s bodyguard, her expression just as steely. “Ms. Graves, this is a crime scene. Despite LexCorp’s significant security, someone managed to not only get past the tower’s defenses but also kidnap the most powerful man in Metropolis. And for a bodyguard, I must say that your reluctance to cooperate with us as fully as possible is a bit suspect.”

Mercy folded her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes. “I’d be more willing to cooperate if I believed the Metropolis Police capable of locating their own shadows on a bright summer day. Frankly, Inspectors, LexCorp’s private security firm is far more efficient, far more well-funded, and far better suited to finding our boss. We can take it from here.”

“Yeah, yer so tough that yer CEO got nabbed from right under your noses in the most-heavily guarded building in the city,” muttered Turpin.

“Doesn’t work that way, ma’am,” said Sawyer, ignoring her partner’s jab. “You see, the law mandates that we investigate all crimes. LexCorp’s military contracts doesn’t grant you the right to seek out vigilante justice. Do not interfere in an SCU investigation, or we will have problems. Do I make myself absolutely clear?”

Mercy held Sawyer’s gaze, neither woman willing to be the first to blink. Their conflict ended at a stalemate when the Bluetooth earpiece Mercy wore began to buzz, the light flashing. “Excuse me.” She turned her back to Sawyer and stepped outside the office, accepting the call with a tap on the Bluetooth. “Graves.”

“Ms. Graves, we caught a reporter trying to get past the barricade out front.”

Mercy sighed. “Don’t tell me…”

The elevator reached the lobby of LexTower and the doors opened. Mercy stepped off and saw two LexCorp security guards flanking an attractive young woman with long, dark hair. Mercy clasped her hands behind her back and stepped up to the woman.

“Lois Lane, why am I not surprised? Are you here with a new false scandal we can sue the Planet for?”

Lois scoffed. “Listen up, Graves, I wanna know what the hell’s going on here.”

“A press release will be issued in due course, once we determine the exact nature of the situation. Until then, LexCorp’s official position is ‘no comment.’” Mercy looked at the guards. “Escort her out.”

Lois struggled as the guards took her by the arms and called out to the departing Mercy. “Maybe you’d care to comment on the whereabouts of Clark Kent?”

Mercy stopped, allowing the reporter to continue, but kept her back to Lois.

“You picked him up off the street for a meeting with Luthor. Wonder why the infamous recluse would suddenly have an interest in a reporter from the middle of nowhere?”

“We’re finished here, Ms. Lane.”

Lois pulled free of the guards. “I know the way out. Think this is the first time I’ve been booted from LexTower?”

TERROR OF THE TOYMAN

Part II

By Dino Pollard

LexTower

“Well, this is certainly a fun little playdate,” said the self-described Toyman. He was a short man, barely reaching five feet in height. The molded plastic mask he wore was larger than his body and Clark wondered how the man could even keep his head up. The fixed, childlike expression of it coupled with the eerily high-pitched voice reminded Clark of the time he caught Child’s Play on TV and had nightmares for weeks.

The Toyman held a rubber ball between his hands and bounced it on the ground a few times. Both Clark and Lex were at his mercy, and affixed to the bean bag chairs they awoke in through some kind of adhesive. The Toyman stared at Clark for a few minutes.

“I’m sorry you got involved in this. But you see, I couldn’t leave any witnesses when I took Luthor.” The Toyman stepped over to the bald man who was his target. “Do you remember me, Mr. Luthor? I used to work for you, after all.”

“Half of Metropolis works for me, you sniveling little cretin. You’ll have to be more specific.”

“You ruined my life,” said the Toyman. “Sent me to prison. It was not a fun place. They took away all my toys, and the prisoners and guards liked playing different games. Games that I found distasteful.”

“Schott…” muttered Luthor, his eyes narrowing.

“I’m free now, Lex. And we’re going to have oh-so much fun together!” The Toyman bounced the ball as he spoke. “And I built all new toys!”

He threw the ball at Lex and it bounced off his face. The Toyman caught it again and Lex just had a look of annoyance. “Is this how you’re going to get your revenge, Schott? By irritating me to death?”

As the Toyman and Lex were occupied with each other, Clark tried again to test his bonds. The adhesive was no match for his strength, but he couldn’t risk them discovering his identity. He had to find another way to get free, then separate from Lex so he could change to Superman.

“You shouldn’t talk that way, Lex. It isn’t polite!” The Toyman threw the ball at Lex’s face again, harder this time. It bounced off and flew into the air where it exploded. Both Clark and Lex flinched at it, looking up in horror.

“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with already,” said Lex. “Let Kent go, he has nothing to do with this.”

“I’m afraid I cannot do that. But don’t worry, we’ll play our game very soon.” The Toyman stepped back. “But it’s not ready just yet. I’ll be back.”

The Toyman turned and scampered off, running from the room like an excited child. Once he was gone, Lex’s demeanor softened. “I’m sorry, Clark. You wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had Mercy bring you to my office.”

“You had no way of knowing what would happen. But I don’t think I completely understand what’s happening here.”

“His name is Winslow Schott,” said Lex. “He was an inventor working on some of LexCorp’s defense projects. He was a creepy little bastard, surrounding his work area with toys and whispering to himself. But despite complaints from coworkers about his behavior, we kept him on staff because he was an engineering genius. That’s when we discovered some of his weapons ended up in the hands of Intergang. I had him arrested, and it looks like he’s now out for revenge.”

“You did the right thing, Lex.”

“Hence my reward.” Lex gave a chuckle. “We have to find a way to get out of here. Schott’s clearly lost his grip on reality and there’s no telling what he’ll do to us. Can you pull free?”

Clark lied by shaking his head. “Whatever this stuff is, it’s pretty strong. I can barely move.”

Lex looked around the room for something they could use, scanning his gaze across the various toys that were scattered about the multicolored room. Nothing jumped out at him, though. Despite his clear insanity, the Toyman seemed intelligent enough to keep them from escaping.

While Lex was looking in another direction, Clark concentrated on his arm. He raised it as much as he could and tilted his head so his glasses slid down just enough. He hoped this would work, and that he could manage the kind of careful control needed. Clark’s blue eyes started to change color, a dim red glow appearing as he used just a bit of his heat vision. He hoped the heat could dissolve the adhesive and free him without arousing suspicion.

“Do you smell something?” asked Lex.

Clark cut off his heat vision and raised his head. “Sorry, what?”

“Thought I smelled something burning.”

Clark sighed. This was going to be more challenging than he thought.

Daily Planet

Jimmy leaned against Lois’ desk as she stared at the computer monitor, searching through whatever records she could dig up. He sipped a cup of coffee and looked over his shoulder at the screen before shaking his head. “I dunno what you think you’re gonna find, Lois. Guy like Luthor’s got a lot of enemies.”

“My contact in the SCU tells me they were brought in because there was some interesting tech found at the scene,” said Lois. “Apparently someone made a toy plane into a death machine and there were traces of some sort of neurotoxin. Narrows down the list a bit more.”

“So what, you’re looking for a genius inventor who plays with toys?” asked Jimmy. “Doesn’t that sound like the kind of freaks who operate in Gotham?”

“Olsen, think you can cut the commentary and try being helpful?”

“Now we’re talking!” Jimmy stood upright. “What is it you need me to do? Want me to follow someone, maybe that sexy bodyguard of Luthor’s?”

Lois continued to read the screen, keeping one hand on her mouse to scroll. With her other hand, she picked up her mug and handed it to him, which was half-filled with coffee that had gotten cold. “No cream, three sugars. And I mean sugar-sugar, none of that artificial crap.”

Jimmy sighed and took the cup. “I live to serve.”

Lois looked up from the screen as he started to walk away. “Jimmy, wait.”

He stopped and turned towards her, a hopeful look on his face. “Yeah?”

“See if there are any more of those donuts left, would you?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And—”

“I know, no sprinkles.”

As Lois continued to read through the articles, she came across a particularly interesting headline: “‘LexCorp Engineer Accused of Arms Dealing.’” She remembered the story now, came out a few years ago before she’d worked her way up in the Planet. The article mentioned a man by the name of Winslow Schott, who was found guilty of selling weapons to Intergang. She continued a search and discovered Schott had recently been released from prison.

“Okay Mr. Schott, let’s see what you’ve been up to since you got out…”

The Toyman returned carrying a large water-gun. He pumped the lever on it and shot out a blast of some sort of foul-smelling liquid that drenched both Clark and Lex in short order. The two men closed their eyes and moved their heads, spitting out any of it that got into their mouths.

“Just what the hell is this, you freak?” asked Lex. But then he realized that he could move again. He rose from the bean bag and Clark followed suit. Lex took a menacing step towards his would-be tormenter. “That was a mistake, Schott. I’m going to tear you apart with my bare hands!”

“Ah-ah, I don’t think so,” said the Toyman. There was the sound of whirring and heavy, plodding steps. Two giant toy soldiers stepped up behind Clark and Lex. When the men turned to see them, the soldiers raised their bayonet rifles and pointed them.

“If you boys will follow me, we can begin the game.” The Toyman turned around and began walking towards the door. Clark and Lex exchanged glances. Lex felt the point of the bayonet pressed into his back and started walking. Clark moved quickly so his guard wouldn’t do the same.

The Toyman led them down a long corridor that ended at a pair of doors, which opened on approach to reveal what appeared to be an elevator. The guards pushed the two men inside and the doors closed behind them, leaving them alone.

Luthor pounded on the doors. “Schott, open these doors, or I’ll make your life even more miserable than it already is!”

Clark looked around the small room, activating his x-ray vision as he did. He could see mechanisms behind the walls and followed them, seeing switches connected to the floor, which was a separate piece. Below them was a short tunnel. The floor dropped beneath them and they fell a short distance down the shaft before hitting padded mats. Another door opened, revealing a large, open space.

“Lex, come on.” Clark climbed off the mats and went through the door with Lex following. The door shut behind them and they examined the wide open space. At the far end of the room was a digital display high up on the wall, the number zero lit up, with the word SCORE painted next to it. Above the display was a large monitor that was shut off. There were arrows and designs painted on the floors and various posts jutting out at different parts of the floor. At the other end of the room from the display were two, giant swings.

“It looks like a pinball machine,” said Clark.

The monitor turned on, revealing a giant projection of the Toyman’s plastic helmet. “Do you like my game, Luthor? I thought we could have some fun together.”

The sound of gears turning echoed in the large room and then a boom. A large, metal ball came around the lane, barreling down on them. It struck the posts, bouncing back and forth as the score began increasing from zero. Each target strike sent out a deafening sound that caused both Clark and Lex to clutch their ears in pain.

The sound was worse for Clark with his super-hearing. He tried to focus in on something small, tried to drown out the noise, just as his father taught him when he was younger. The sound came from different points in rapid succession, and the ball moved so quickly that it was tough to see where it was. Clark tried to focus his hearing in on the sound of it rolling on the ground, and then he saw that it was barreling down on them.

Clark released a burst of air from his lips, blowing the ball off-course, the effect that it narrowly missed them. It struck one of the bumpers on the wall and came streaking right back towards them. Clark moved towards Lex, pulling him from the path. The ball curved as it rolled past them, heading towards the flippers. One of the flippers swung, sending the ball rocketing back up the play field. It streaked past them and landed in a small hole, where it rested for a minute before being shot up into the air.

Clark and Lex watched as the ball reached its apex and held for a moment, then fell rapidly back to earth. “Run!” Lex shouted and the two parted as the ball fell between them, instantly rolling back down. The flippers swung again, throwing the ball past them once more. It went up a ramp and the score rocketed up, with the monitor displaying a flaming comet and the words FIREBALL appearing over it.

“Oh goodie, I got a fireball!”

Clark could smell smoke and then a new ball shot up the lane. This new ball, however, was covered in flames. Clark pursed his lips to cool the air and extinguish the fire, but it seemed to have some sort of internal generator that kept them coming.

“Move, Kent!” Lex lunged for Clark, grabbing the collar of his jacket and pulling him from the path of the fireball as it streaked between the flippers.

“Oh fiddlesticks. Ah well, at least I have another ball!”

Lex stared at the darkness between the flippers. “We have to get out of here, and I think I see the only shot at it.”

“Don’t you think he has some kind of defense planned for that?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

Clark shook his head. “No, you’re right.” And he thought this might give him an opportunity to get away from Lex so he could change.

“Follow my lead.”

Lex darted for the flippers and Clark followed. He tilted his glasses slightly, eyes glowing brightly and burning out the motors in the flippers, disabling them so the men could get past them without problem.

“No, stop! What are you doing? You’re ruining the game!”

The Toyman’s tortured screams echoed as Clark and Lex moved into the darkness. There was a sudden incline and they stumbled, sliding deeper into the black. They came to a stop in the area where a number of the balls were loaded, but there was no light to see where to go next.

Lex began climbing over the stationary balls. There had to be a place for them to be loaded in. He followed the wire rims that held them in place, climbing up. He could see light at the end and he kept climbing. Once the frame ended at a wall, he climbed inside the frame, moving out the tunnel and onto a conveyor belt where other balls were waiting. Getting off the belt, Lex was in a small room of some sort, with a door at the end.

“Our ticket out of here, Clark.”

For the first time, Lex realized he was alone. He went back to the tunnel and called into it. “Clark!” No response came. Lex turned back to the door and ran for it, but they opened before he could go through, and the toy soldiers stood waiting for him. They raised their bayonet rifles and Lex backed away. He closed his eyes as they opened fire.

The bullets never reached him, though. Lex opened his eyes and saw a clenched fist held in front of his face, a fist that was attached to a man in a blue costume with a flowing red cape, and a stylized shield emblazoned on his chest.

“Mr. Luthor,” said Superman. “Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”

Superman flew at the two robots, wrestling the gun away from one of them and drove the bayonet into the soldier, sparks and wires flying. The second one raised its gun and tried to stab him with its bayonet, but it crumbled against Superman’s steel-hard skin. Superman turned to him and drove his fist through the robot’s head, tearing it in half as he pulled his arm up to get it free.

Superman turned to Lex with a smile and gestured to the doors. “I think you’ll find this is the way out.”

“How did you find us?” asked Lex.

“The entire city’s been looking for you, sir,” said Superman. He then chimed in with a lie. “What do you mean ‘us’?”

“Clark Kent, the reporter who was with me when I was taken.” Lex pointed to the tunnel. “He must still be down there.”

“Let’s get you out of here, and then I’ll go back for Mr. Kent.” Superman raced over to Lex, picked him up, and flew up. He shielded the business mogul as he rocketed through the roof, breaking through it with his outstretched arm. Superman left Lex standing on the roof and then flew back into the hole. Lex tried to look back down to get a glimpse, but Superman had moved like a blur.

Sirens were heard in the distance. Lex looked over the edge of the roof and saw cars with the Metropolis SCU logo painted on the side pulling up in front of the building.

The Toyman slammed his tiny fists on his control console. “No! No! No!”

Superman’s fist broke through the wall and the Toyman fell from his chair, sliding under the console and curling into the fetal position. Superman walked up to him, staring down and crossing his arms over the shield on his chest.

“I’m not in a hide-and-seek mood, Toyman.”

Daily Planet

A fresh newspaper was thrown on Clark’s desk, with the headline reading “TERROR OF THE TOYMAN.” The byline under it read “By Clark Kent.” Lois leaned against Clark’s desk, smirking.

“Barely here a month and already you got a front-page article. Not too shabby. Too bad you only got it by sheer dumb luck.”

Clark pushed his chair away from the desk and leaned back in it. “Did I detect a compliment somewhere in there, Lois?”

Lois stood and circled around him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned down, then whispered in his ear: “Just don’t get used to it, Smallville.”

She walked away and Clark turned back to his desk. He held up the paper and smiled as he read the headline once again.

Lex Luthor sat in front of his large fireplace in his mansion, swirling around the brandy in the large glass. He looked up at the sound of soft footsteps accompanied by the voice of his bodyguard.

“The glass company said they’ll have the windows in your office replaced by tomorrow, sir.”

“And what about the other matter?” asked Lex.

“Schott’s back in prison. And he has no idea that you were the informant who told him when and where you could be found, as well as guarantee security would be light,” said Mercy.

“Splendid.”

“If I may, sir?”

Luthor looked at her and nodded.

“What was the purpose of having Schott take you captive? And when Kent was with you?”

Luthor turned back to the fire and sipped the brandy. “Call it a test.”

NEXT: Curse of the Atomic Skull