Chapter 55 : The walking dead ?
[Author note : As always, you can visit my Patréon page (e instead of é) by looking for Cathbel on their website. If you want to read ahead that is... or you're interested in some of my other stories. Enjoy !]
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While his machine were studying Superboy's blood in great detail, Ned watched the screen, waiting patiently for the results. Already he found out that the clone's lack of Kryptonian power wasn't because of any defect… If, inwardly, he thought of calling him the Almost-Super-boy, now he decided it would be childish. Not to mention potentially dangerous.
The reason why he only had a modicum of his genetic donor's was… Simply because he was a baby. They forced his growth artificially, and kept him mostly out of the sun. Naturally, this would affect how much power the boy could wield. The fact that he had this much power was already a feat in itself, considering the fact that Superman's body had been flooded by the sun's rays for decades before he reached his full potential.
Granted : Clark probably always had an increased healing factor, a sturdier and stronger body, but perhaps not to the extent of his clone. Whether the secret lied in his hybrid physiology or somewhere else was still left to be determined. Ned's study in biology and genetics, although advanced, weren't advanced enough for him to decode what his computer soon showed.
And his initial thoughts were confirmed, along with another more surprising discovery. If what he was seeing was correct, Superboy had the potential to become much stronger and versatile than Superman… And that was saying something with the Swiss army knife of Superheroes. Ned suspected that, once Superboy's body was saturated enough with the sun's radiation, he would possess most, if not all of Superman's powers. In addition, he would be able to use the matrix field instinctively generated by Kryptonians. However, unlike them he could consciously use it as another power. A sort of touch-based telekinesis… Once he applied his field on something or someone, he could move it or manipulate it even from a distance. The implications were… crazy !
The reason for this was unknown. Mostly. He had a suspicion, but as things were, it was difficult for him to be sure… He presumed that, the human from which the second part of the DNA came from was either a Wizard or an Homo Magi. It could also be a Meta with an energy manipulation power… Problem was, he was only able to study the DNA of wizards and witches (his sister and parents), but was unable to procure any sample of the others. And of course, there was also the fact that studying their DNA was significantly more complicated than that of regular humans. It was kind of like the difference in complexity between dynamite and a hand grenade. Now, add this to the crazily inscrutable secrets of Kryptonian's DNA and you got a mystery hybrid cocktail. A cocktail he had difficulty making heads or tails of… Even if he made a few guesses.
The thing was though, those guesses didn't come out of nowhere. The results of his machines hinted at it, but his foreknowledge even more so. Unless this Superboy was the broken version of the Young Justice, which he didn't believe him to be, then he had yet to reach his true potential. And in the comics, Superboy did have TK and telepathic powers in addition to the Kryptonian package.
Suddenly puzzled, Ned scratched at his head.
« Why the hell do I remember this but I don't remember who's leader of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. ? Same thing for the mercenary girl… Who the hell was she ? She looked like a female version of Deathstroke… »
His memory was quite spotty. Then again, it was probably because his interest lied not in the villains, but rather on the heroes. Especially the powerful ones. And Superboy… Well, he was up there in terms of power, normally. The Teen Titans… It was more of the same thing, probably. He couldn't remember them all, and depending on how things turned out in the future, there might be more or less.
He shook his head and decided not to dwell on those things any longer. This life and his former one… There were two completely separate life. He never considered this one fictional before finding out what kind of messed up universe he landed in, and he didn't after learning about it. Sure, he used his foreknowledge and it was useful to guide him. But, like a prophecy, he shouldn't try to follow it blindly, or try to prevent it stupidly. He should forever and always assess each and every situation… Otherwise, he might end up dying prematurely, especially with his mind playing tricks on him when fighting these days.
Anyways, while this was all very interesting, this wasn't the reason why he was studying the clone's DNA… Unlocking his potential, and more importantly for him at the moment, locking it away, that's what Ned was searching for !
* * * * *
« Dios mio ! » Miguel breathed out from the rooftop of the freight train. The vision in his eyes was both terrifying and unbelievable. It was one thing to watch it all on the big or little screen, but seeing it with his own two eyes… Now, this was difficult for him to just swallow. The sight of human acting like mindless zombies, trying to reach them in order to rip them apart.
They cared neither for their own well-being, nor for those around them : climbing one another, clawing blindly at the train, or the bodies before them. The worst of it all might be how eerily silent they all were. Not even moans or groans were heard, despite some of them being quite injured by how they behaved.
On the side, Robin observed the situation for a while before he went on the move. Retrieving a pistol-looking device, he aimed at one of the zombie and fired. Some kind of cable was sent after whatever projectile the vigilante fired, and it somehow latched onto a body. Robin braced himself backward, using all his weight and strength in order to pull back the flailing… thing. When Miguel saw the boy get dragged forward, he instantly, and without thought went to help him, even though he didn't understand what the hero was trying to achieve.
Once the zombie fell flat on his belly atop the wagon, the boy wonder escaped Miguel's arms and ruthlessly kicked the downed brain-eater in the jaw. Despite his expectations, this blow actually had an effect : it was out cold ! Puzzled, he eyed the body warily, while Robin retrieved yet another gadget from his costume and passed it a couple of times over the body. After a short while, he stopped and pushed the man's shirt ('cause it was a man) down to uncover his spine. Embedded in it rather nastily, they could see a mechanical and techy device. Miguel knew before Robin spoke…
« Some kind of mind or motor control… As expected. » The boy still sighed in relief. He was glad that he wasn't dealing with some kind of bioweapon or dark magic. He hated those !
Miguel looked at the unconscious body and the device, then back down at the crowd still trying to claw their way up there with them and his eyes widened in realization. They were at least a hundred of them !
« All of them have this device implanted ? Great… » He said the last part sarcastically and asked the following with a slightly despairing tone :
« Any idea what we should do ? »
« Be careful… Also, if you can, prevent them to get inside the container. »
« Why ? What's so important in there ? »
Robin shook his head :
« Although it's important, I'm more worried about the danger it could pause… Cecile's in there. »
« And who's Cecile ? »
The first controlled minion managed to hoist himself up on the roof at this point, making Robin both thankful and regretful. Thankful because he didn't have to answer Miguel's incessant question and regretful, because… No need to say it, really.
Retrieving his short stick from his hips, the vigilante twirled them once before bracing for the coming fight.
Before he could move however, a purple light construct somewhat similar to a brick flew from the side and slammed into the man's gut. Then, another fell on the back of his head, knocking him out.
Scanning his surroundings quickly because of this new development, Robin noticed his new 'friend' glowing in the same purple light, his hands covered by gauntlets formed of an amalgam of the same bricks.
« So, that's your power… » Robin muttered.