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#22
DEC 11 |
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“Cracked Mirrors”
Connor stretched and cringed as he felt the pull in his shoulder. He looked over to see sunlight streaming in the window of his room at the Kents’ farm. It felt good to be home, even if his shoulder was still sore. He hopped out of bed and scratched his head as he headed to the bathroom. Maybe today he could test his powers a bit without the Kents telling him to take it easy. After all, it had been a couple of days since he’d been discharged and he was sick of staying in bed.
After a quick shower Connor was grinning as he flew above the cornfields of the farm. He landed as he neared a tractor Jonathan had parked outside the barn. He knelt behind it and started lifting it, but he frowned as he realized that it seemed heavier than ever.
Connor nearly dropped it as he heard a shout from behind him. “What are you doing?” Martha Kent shouted from the house.
Connor eased the tractor down and turned. He nonchalantly ran a hand through his hair and smiled. “Well, Ma, I was just testing my powers out…”
“You’ve been out of the hospital for two days and you’re trying to pick up a tractor?” Martha’s arms were folded and her tone would tolerate no dissension. “Get back in the house! You’re supposed to be taking it easy!”
Realizing he’d lost this one, Connor headed back to the house, kicking an errant piece of gravel as he went.
Superboy’s eyes went wide as he studied the ruins of a shopping center outside Metropolis. “Match,” he muttered as his teeth gritted. He dove downward and landed gently among the rubble, running over to a woman who was trapped under a fallen beam. “Don’t worry,” Superboy said, “it’s going to be okay.” He threw the beam aside and checked her pulse. “Don’t move,” he said gently. “You’re going to be fine. Just wait for EMS.”
Superboy headed back into the debris to search for more survivors.
Connor hovered above the couch and flipped the TV from channel to channel as quickly as he could. “Why is there nothing on?” he groused.
Suddenly something caught his eye. He found himself watching a news report of an attack on a shopping center where one of the survivors was being interviewed. She smiled as she said that Superboy had saved her.
“Superboy?” Connor asked. He frowned. “But I haven’t been anywhere near Metropolis.” A quick peek showed that Martha was still in the kitchen, washing dishes. He walked in and gave Ma a quick peck on the cheek. “Gonna go for a walk,” he said.
“Just take it easy,” Martha warned. “And don’t be late for supper again. I’m going to make a pot roast and I know that’s your favorite.”
“No worries,” Connor assured her. He walked outside and took off into flight, changing into his Superboy costume as he went. Next stop: Metropolis.
Match sneered as he hovered over the memorial park in Weisinger Park in Metropolis. “Let’s see if this will get his attention,” he said. He turned on his heat vision and started burning a challenge to Superboy into the concrete sidewalk, scattering pedestrians.
Match laughed and rammed himself into the sidewalk, creating a crater. He turned his attention to the golden statue of Superman that stood majestically over the memorial plaza. “Let’s see if this gets his attention,” Match said as he focused his heat vision on the statue.
The metal of the statue was beginning to glow when Connor dove down and rammed into him. Match skidded across the plaza and vanished into some bushes. Connor took to flight and started searching for him, but he was unprepared when Superboy flew into him from behind and sent him crashing into a tree.
Superboy grabbed the dazed Connor by the shirt and pulled him upright. “Where is she?” Superboy asked as his voice cracked with rage.“Where’s Spence?” Superboy pulled Connor closer. “She killed Tana and she’s going to pay. You’re not going to hide her, Match!” Superboy threw Connor across the plaza, sending him skidding to crash into the base of the statue.
Connor got onto all fours, his mind spinning. Match was talking like he thought he was Superboy, and he was still devastated over Tana’s death. But that had been so long ago…
Connor stood. “Listen, Match,” he began, “you don’t have to do this.”
“Don’t call me that!” Superboy yelled as he pointed at Connor. “I’m Superboy! You won’t be able to confuse me, Match!”
Great, Connor thought. He’s more powerful than me and he’s gone completely around the bend. I might be in trouble here.
Suddenly Superboy screamed and grabbed his head. Ignoring his worries, Connor started forward. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Match spun around and grinned “Never better, boy,” he said. “Time to die.”
Connor dove out of the way as Match fired heat vision beams at him that carved into a tree. Match sneered as flames licked at the tree. “I wondered how long it would take you to see my challenge,” he said. “I knew you couldn’t stay away.”
Connor grabbed at his shoulder as pain ricocheted through it again, reminding him it still wasn’t healed completely. “So he’s even crazier than I thought,” Connor muttered. “Wonderful.” Connor turned as he heard Match flying toward him. Connor dodged and Match overshot him, plowing into the sidewalk yet again.
Connor grinned as he dropped to the ground and put his hands on the concrete. “Looks like it’s time to shut you down,” he said. Connor’s tactile telekinesis began flowing through the concrete which rose up and slammed into Match. “Now let’s see if we can work this out,” Connor said as he stood and started walking toward his fallen foe.
Connor fell backward as his doppelganger erupted out of the mass of concrete. “Die!” Match screamed as he fired his heat vision at Connor. Connor was barely able to raise an earth barrier before the burst of heat set him ablaze.
Now what? Connor thought as fear began creeping into him.
And then he was gone. A man in a hat watched the scene from across the plaza as Connor and Match froze.
“Where am I?” Connor asked as he looked around. He appeared to be in an eerie white emptiness. Match hovered in front of him.
“I believe I can explain,” a familiar voice said from behind him.
Connor turned to see Dubbilex walking toward him. “Dub!” Connor yelled as a grin split his face. He rushed forward and embraced the DNAlien.
“It is good to see you as well,” Dubbilex said as a smile crossed his rocky features.
“Where are we?” Connor asked as he looked around.
“Inside Match’s mind.” Dubbilex clasped his hands behind his back and approached the motionless Match.
“So…what now?” Superboy asked.
“Now you see this.” Dubbilex said. He placed one hand on Connor’s shoulder and the other on Match’s.
Connor screamed. He was naked and lying on an operating table, heavy straps cutting into his skin. Men in full surgical gear bearing DEO logos were experimenting on him. Samples were scraped and needles were forced into his skin. He was nothing more than a lab rat as drug cocktails were pumped through his veins.
Still, while his entire body was being violated by the scientists, there was one face that kept him alive. It kept him sane.
Connor gasped. “Tana,” he whispered.
Connor snapped back to reality to discover that he was on his knees. “What was that?” he asked.
“That is what happened to Match after his last capture,” Dubbilex replied. “He was imprisoned by the DEO and drugged. The drugs and the pain caused his mind to splinter.”
“What do you mean?” Connor asked.
Connor blinked as two Matches appeared before him. One was in his traditional yellow costume while the other was in Connor’s original Superboy costume. “When the Agenda cloned you and created Match, it appears that a copy of your psyche was transferred to him as well,” Dubbilex explained. “However, the Superboy part of him was kept buried by his programming to obey both the Agenda and Amanda Spence, who we will need to discuss later.” Dubbilex paused but then continued. “That part of him is now separate from the Match persona.”
“What can I do?” Connor asked.
“Match’s personalities must be reintegrated or he will continue to slide into madness. You are the key, Connor. You were the blueprint that created Match.”
Connor studied the Match in the Superboy costume. “But what about him?” he asked. “Match could change. He could be more than just another villain.”
“That would be his decision,” Dubbilex said. “I warn you, however, that removing the Match persona would be just as dangerous as omitting the Superboy one.”
Connor stared into Match’s face. “He looks like me,” he said as he reached up and brushed Match’s hair out of his face. “I forget that sometimes. I’m usually so busy fighting for my life that I don’t think of it.” He turned to Dubbilex. “Can you let the other one loose for a second? Just so I can talk to him?”
Dubbilex nodded and the Superboy Match opened his eyes. “Where am I?” he asked.
“Hang on,” Connor said. “I’ve got to explain a lot to you.” He quickly outlined what had happened.
Superboy thought a moment. “Then if I go back into him I might die?”
Connor shook his head. “No, you’ll still be there.”
Superboy sat down. “It’s not fair. He killed Jim. I finally get to live and now this.” Superboy’s eyes began watering and he lowered his head. “I’m afraid. What if you’re wrong? What if Match kills me?”
Connor knelt before Superboy. “And what if you’re able to change him? Maybe you could help him free himself from the Agenda’s programming. Maybe you could become a hero.”
Superboy nodded but didn’t look up. “All right,” he said, standing up. “Let’s do this before I change my mind.” Superboy embraced Connor, who awkwardly patted him on the back. “Just don’t forget me,” Superboy said.
“I promise,” Connor replied.
Superboy released him and the two stood on opposite sides of Match. “We’re ready, Dub,” Connor said.
Dubbilex nodded once and Match’s eyes flew open. “What is this?” he demanded.
Superboy and Connor grabbed Match, who tried to fight free. “Do it now, Dub!” Connor yelled.
“I don’t know how long we can hold him!” Superboy added.
A line formed between Dubbilex’s eyes as he concentrated. A halo of purple energy seemed to form around his head before firing in a laser beam into Match’s head. Superboy, Match and Connor all screamed as the light became blindingly bright.
Connor opened his eyes to discover he was lying on the cracked concrete of the memorial plaza in Weisinger Park with Dubbilex kneeling over him. “Are you all right?” Dubbilex asked.
Connor nodded. “Feel like I’ve been hit by a truck,” he said as he pushed himself up. “What about Match?”
Dubbilex turned to where Match lay on the ground. “Unconscious. I have taken the liberty of contacting STAR Labs; I think that they may be able to help him more than the DEO.”
Superboy rubbed the back of his head. “You’re probably right.” He glanced at his watch as, behind him, a STAR Labs van arrived and personnel began loading Match aboard. “After we get him set, let’s grab a coffee. I want to hear what you’ve got to say about what Amanda Spence is up to now.”
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Next: In Superboy #23: Connor goes back to school, but there’s a surprise waiting for him! Plus, Shauna makes a decision that will change several lives in Smallville forever.
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