Chapter 20 - Discarded version

Alright guys, I eventually decided to go with the first version of the chapter I just posted because it set up a lot of what I wanted to do, and revealed some of what happened to Kara while under Psion's experiments, but I had an alternative here.

This isn't canon, but I believe some of you may like to know how the chapter could have turned out. Perhaps you'll think this is the better version, perhaps you'll enjoy the version I used a little more, who knows.

Have to say only the later half of the chapter was changed.

Also, it isn't very polished, and I'd probably write a little more about Superman's reaction to what Kara did at the end if I was gonna keep it.

About the way he was sad she did it, but far more interested in her well being than yelling at her at the time.

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"Ah, shit!" Kara repeated herself, her muscles straining uselessly against the chain wrapped around her body.

Standing only fifty meters from her was the giant and shirtless form of Lobo, DC's most infamous bounty hunter.

Lobo was just… huge. While Kal had more if a swimmer's build, the bounty hunter was made of muscles upon muscles with arms as large as Kara's waist, he also looked like an 80’s heavy metal singer on steroids.

The very end of his chain was still wrapped around his bulging arm and the pale man was pulling her slowly towards himself with a smile on his face.

"Lobo, what the hell are you doing here?" Kara grunted, equal parts fear and anger.

"Heh, it seems like even Kryptonians know to fear the Main Man. You guys really are as smart as they say!" Lobo mocked, but continued to drag her closer

In a hurry, Kara grabbed at the chain and tried to break it, but the metal was able to resist her strength somehow and only released a groan.

Trying to fly away was useless so Kara did the opposite. Rushing Lobo caused the chain to give her enough slack she managed to fly out of it and kick him in the face as hard as she could.

Lobo took the hit without even trying to protect himself and went flying, skidding across the ground for a hundred meters before his hand grabbed at the floor and he stopped himself.

"Feisty! I like it!" He laughed as he snapped his nose back into place and snorted a glob of blood out. "I'd offer Ya a…"

Kara hit the asshole with the strongest blast of heat vision she could manage before he could finish the sentence.

The attack hit him with physical force, driving his body back and through the ground for nearly a kilometer and incinerating a path of destruction. The farmland around her attack caught fire, its flames spreading rapidly through the crops.

Kara cut off the attack and turned away from the Kent farm. Before Lobo could recover she started fleeing.

A single command activated her panic button, sending a message to the Justice League, Kori, Kal and even Batman at the same time as her leg started reconfiguring itself into her emergency teleport.

Kara was just starting to think she had escaped when her ears caught a sound that chilled her blood.

From the Kent's direction she heard Kon telling Martha he was gonna check out a noise he heard.

"Fuck!" Kara didn't know if Lobo had come specifically for her or if any Kryptonian would do, but she wasn't willing to risk it.

Stopping herself in the middle of the sky Kara turned around to see Kon taking a huge leap towards Lobo's location.

The bounty hunter himself was just getting up and seemed in no hurry to follow after her. Kara wanted to scream.

"Bastich, I think I'm in love!" Lobo shouted as he got back to his feet, his burned face already starting to heal and his black hair to grow back.

Pulling a giant cigar from his back pocket, Lobo bit the tip off and used the fire around him to light it up. He took a huge drag on the cancer stick and finally looked up at Kara, lifting an eyebrow when he saw she wasn’t running. "Heh. And I thought I'd have to hunt you down."

Kara was paralyzed with indecision. She wanted nothing more than to fly away but, with Kon coming here and Lobo seemingly disinclined to follow her, she couldn't do it.

She considered catching Kon before he arrived, but she also didn't know how fast Lobo was and couldn't risk leading him any closer to the Kent’s farm, the man had no compulsions against killing innocents.

"Why are you here Lobo?" Kara repeated herself, hoping that she could get him talking and delay him.

“Seems like you stole something from some pussy-ass lizard people and they put a bounty on Y’head. Something about their progenitors or some shit.” He pointed at her with two fingers while puffing out a huge cloud of smoke. “Always wanted to bag myself a Kryptonian so I took the bounty, and the Main Man always delivers.”

Shit, how the hell did they find out about her? She and Kori had made sure to destroy all the data in the ship when they took it over.

Also, Kara hadn’t stolen anything from them. Well, maybe the ship itself, but it was just a common ship damnit.

Kara took the chance to release every drone she carried in her pockets, the little round devices weren’t really weapons, but she could overload their self-destruction and turn them into low power grenades.

Not like that would hurt someone like Lobo, but it could distract him.

Damnit, Kara just knew things had been going too well. Why didn’t she bring an actual weapon?

Lobo started calmly walking towards her, twirling his chain in his hand and causing it to sing as it cut through the air.

“Now come here, Princess. The damn Lizards are mostly interested in some bullshit organ they put in Ya, so let the Main Man make your insides into the outsides and find it.”

The chain flew towards her faster than she could see. Kara was ready and still managed to dodge to the side, but Lobo pulled on the chain and whipped it towards her almost taking her head off.

On reflex Kara ducking under the swing, but she wasn’t fast enough to dodge Lobo himself as he jumped up and grabbed her boot.

“Gotcha. Now let me punch your face in for Ya!”

“Fuck off!” Kara stomped down on the brute, but Lobo only grabbed her other leg and squeezed, his strength so great it actually caused her pain.

Looking at Lobo, Kara tried to burn his face off with heat vision again. The Czarnian just leaned his head away and swung them around in the air causing her shot to go wide, burning a line through the farmland and hitting a barn a few kilometers away, setting it on fire.

Fuck, even here she had to worry about collateral damage!

Lobo took the chance to grab at her shirt and pull himself up her body, laughing in amusement the entire time.

Using the interface on her eye, Kara ordered one of her drones to fly into Lobo’s eye and explode.

“Argh.” He finally took a hand away from her body to protect his eye.

Kara acted fast. Twisting her body she ripped the leg of her pants off and caused Lobo’s remaining hand to slid off her body holding only a piece of cloth. His body started tumbling down to the ground fast.

With a shout of rage she took the chance to punch him in the kidney and accelerate his fall. He hit the ground with a shockwave and immediately turned around, but Kara was already on top of him, delivering a knee to his stomach.

She used her speed to punch him in the face twice before activating her heat vision again and trying to burn through his neck. The blast so hot it vaporized the crops around them and scorched the ground.

She just managed to burn her way to his spine when he grabbed her face, his enormous hand blocking her vision.

Kara felt herself being lifted as Lobo got to his feet and ordered all her drones to bombard him, forcing the bounty hunter to use his other arm to destroy her small army.

Having never stopped using her heat vision, Kara’s drones brought her enough time to burn through Lobo’s hand and amputate two of his fingers, loosening his hold.

Before Kara could take her distance, Lobo kicked her in the chest, folding her body in half and sending her flying back.

“Feetal’s Gizz what a rush! I ain’t had this much fun since I stitched my granddad’s eyes shut and sent him walking through traffic!” Lobo screamed. A giant smile in his face.

A hundred meters away, Kara held her chest with a hand and tried to recover her breath, heat vision was probably her most costly ability and she had been abusing it.

“Kara!” Kon shouted when he finally got close enough to see them.

With another giant leap the boy dropped by Kara’s side in a superhero landing. Putting a hand on her shoulder he checked her for any wounds before looking towards Lobo.

“Bastich. Another one of Ya Kryptonians, I knew I wuz gonna have fun t’day! Just fraggin’ KNEW it!” Lobo Laughed out loud as he shook his wounded hand, his fingers already starting to grow back.

“Kara, who’s that.” Kon asked as Kara finally righted herself, her chest still hurting.

“Lobo, a psychotic bounty hunter.” Kara glanced at Kon and saw the boy was tense, his eyes glued to the enemy as if he just wanted to charge in and start punching. “Don’t, I already called for help, we just gotta delay him.”

For a second, it seemed like Kon wasn’t gonna listen to her, but then he released a breath and nodded causing Kara to smile.

“Alright punks, it’s kinda tragic fraggin’ waste, but the Main Man is on the job.” Lobo cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. “Tell Ya what, the more Ya struggle the more it’s gonna hurt so, Y’know, feel free to go crazy!”

Lobo exploded into action, his speed much faster than before. Both Kara and Kon ducked under a swing of his chain and Kara barely had time to cross her arms in front of her chest before getting hit by a flying knee.

Kon tried to punch Lobo in the face, but the hunter reacted instantly. Grabbing his hand Lobo pulled Kon out of balance and head-butted him into the ground.

Kara recovered and attacked with a kick which Lobo blocked with his chain wrapped around his arm. Kara managed to avoid getting grabbed again but Lobo’s hook hit the side of her head with enough strength to disorient her.

The Czarnian turned towards Kara, giving Kon enough time to jump to his feet and punch him twice in the side, then climb on his neck and try to put him into a sleeper hold.

“What’s this, amateur hour?” Lobo grabbed at Kon, but it left him open for Kara to strike him in the balls. “Gah!”

No matter how Kon tried to hold on, Lobo still managed to pry his arm away from his throat with a single hand, then swing at Kara, using her little cousin’s body as a weapon.

Kara managed to dodge it and kick at Lobo’s arm, but the bounty hunter didn’t release his new club.

“Aaaargh!” Kon screamed and grabbed at his arm with his free hand.

“No!” unable to keep her mind calm Kara charged right in, tackling Lobo and causing him to drop Kon, but earning herself a knee to the face.

Before Kara could recover, Lobo lifted both hands and delivered a devastating hammer blow to the back of her head, burying her body deep into the ground.

Under the ground, Kara realized they may not be able to buy enough time. The fight had only lasted for a few minutes and Kara really doubted she could survive another.

She thought about the teleport in her leg. It was already ready. Activating it would be so easy. A single command and she’d be away from here and safe inside the Fortress.

Unfortunately, it could only take one Kryptonian to the Fortress. She couldn’t even take Kon with her or send Lobo instead.

A huge arm dug into the ground and grabbed her by the hair lifting her up with barely any resistance. Bringing her head up Lobo stared into her face with a grim. “What’s the matter? Y’Done already?”

“RAAAAAAAA!” Kon screamed as he rushed from the side and punched Lobo in the head.

The Czarnian dropped Kara and took two steps back, but Kon didn’t stop there, raining a flurry of blows at his face and screaming all the while.

Kara lifted herself, she was still disoriented from the last blow, but she managed to float up and attack Lobo with a scream.

Kon ducked under a swing of Lobo’s arm and punched him in the side while Kara attacked from the air, punching him in the face while he was still distracted and driving him to his knees.

An uppercut from Kon actually lifted the Czarnian back into the air and Kara interlaced her fingers and returned Lobo’s own attack, delivering a hammerblow to his head.

Finally, Lobo had enough. Grabbing his hook he swung up, forcing Kon to stop his attack and jump back and breaking their tag team attack.

Unable to fly, Kon was caught in the air by a second hook strike. Not being fully Kryptonian he wasn’t as resistant as Kara and the hook cut into his side splashing blood all over Lobo’s arm.

When Kon fell back to the ground he stumbled back and fell to his knees, his teeth gritted in pain.

Lobo threw his hook at Kon’s head forcing Kara to stop her own attack and block the weapon, the impact sending her flying, her back hitting Kon and driving them back for a few meters until they finally recovered.

Together, Kara and Kon grabbed at the chain and started pulling, their combined strength just enough to match the Czarnian man.

“Huh.” Lobo looked at them with a lifted eyebrow, then shrugged and grabbed the chain with both arms. “Y’know, Ya both punch like chumps but Y’re tenacious I’ll give you that!”

Both sides struggled for a few moments, Kara willingly entering into the contest of strength if it meant buying a little more time.

“I’m almost sorry to have to kill Ya… Ah, just kiddin’. I’m not sorry at all!” Taking a hand off the chain Lobo’s feet dragged into the ground “Now, I’ve never fragged a Kryptonian, Y’fella gonna be my first. I’m almost shy!”

The bounty hunter put two fingers on his mouth and whistled so loud Kara almost had to protect her ears.

Unable to defend herself Kara was caught by surprise as a huge flying motorcycle with a metal skull in the front hit them from the back, sending Kon sprawling and Kara flying towards Lobo only to get punched in the face.

Kara bounced off the ground twice before managing to right herself. Seeing Lobo advancing on Kon, Kara pulled out her prosthetic eye and flew towards him.

She activated the bomb inside the eye and threw it at Lobo while embracing Kon and flying away from it.

On reflex, Lobo lifted his chain and casually batted the small bomb to the side. Then it exploded.

The Defective teleportation device didn’t have a large range, but it had a devastating destructive power, taking the space for several meters around itself and just… cutting it to pieces before teleporting those pieces to random locations on the planet.

When it exploded all three of them were dragged closer to the bomb for a second, then it sent a shockwave so powerful they went flying in different directions.

That must have done it right? Even her cousin couldn’t survive such thing going off so close to his body!

“Hey Ya fraggin bitch, those chains chains cost money!” All color fled from Kara’s face as she heard the Czarnian’s voice.

Kara saw the bounty hunter. Lobo hadn’t escaped the explosion unharmed. He was missing his entire right arm and his head was only connected to the rest of his body by a small strip of flesh, but the rest of his body was too far away from the bombs area of effect.

He also didn’t really seem to care.

Blood flowed freely through the ground, but he seemed to feel perfectly fine. Soon even the blood stopped and his exposed flesh started squirming as it regenerated.

Lobo grunted, spit some blood to the side and used hand to hold his head in place until it grew enough flesh to stay on his body. It must have taken an entire minute, but Kara just stood there, looking.

No, she just refused to believe it.

She refused to believe this utter asshole was just gonna kill her newest little cousin.

“Y’know, I was gonna do you the favor of killing Ya, but nobody gets away with breaking th’ Main Man toys like that, now I’m just gonna hand Ya to the bastards alive.”

Fear gripped Kara’s heart even as Kon, still holding his bleeding side, put an arm on her shoulders.

“Oh really.” Came a furious voice from above then. “Please, tell me more about that.”

Kara looked up and her face opened into a huge smile as she saw her cousin. A frown on his face and his eyes shining with barely contained heat.

“Y’know, Ya kind was supposed to be extinct, and here I find three of you in the same place.” Lobo commented as he just started walking towards his own motorcycle. “Alright, let’s not say the Main Man isn’t willing to do a little extra work!”

Pulling a giant shotgun from his motorcycle he turned around causing all three of their eyes to widen. “And to think I ain’t had a foursome this fun since I ended up in the future and dated Triplicate Girl!”

Kal was just gonna take the shot but Kara kicked him away causing the bulled to graze him and take off a small piece of his arm.

They separated, Kon running to the left while Kara flew to the right and Kal himself flew up, shooting back at Lobo with his heat vision and forcing the mercenary to jump aside.

Kal’s heat vision hit Lobo’s motorcycle and melted a line through the metal causing the Czarnian to let out a scream of pain, then he started focusing only on Superman giving both Kon and Kara the chance to attack.

Kon ran at him from the side and kicked at his leg so hard even Lobo was forced to drop to his knee.

“Why Ya little pansy-ass…” He grumbled and headbutted Kon away.

Kara herself attacked, grabbing at the arm holding the Gun with both hands and kneeling it right on the elbow, even then it didn’t break but Lobo’s fingers lost their strength and he dropped the gun.

Kara picked it up and turned it around towards the mercenary. “Aww fuck!”

Lobo threw himself aside dodging Kara’s first shot and punched her in the side so hard she was sent spinning, then it was Kal’s turn and he didn’t hold back.

Kal fell on top of Lobo with more strength than both Kara and Kon could manage together.

Kal blocked one of Lobo’s punches with an arm and grabbed him by the throat pushing his body into the ground. “Now, I normaly hold myself back when I fight, but you can take it right big guy?”

Then he punched him, Kal punched Lobo so hard only the shockwave almost sent Kara flying back. Lobo tried to strike back but Kal dodged the second punch and continued to lay into the bounty hunter his punches causing tremors into the ground.

Lobo finally managed to kick Kal away and took out a tire iron from the same place he had kept the gun. Then they started fighting.

Even with only one arm Lobo put up a great fight, but it was clear that Kal wasn’t playing around, every punch he delivered broke the sound barrier and caused loud explosions when they hit the Czarnian.

Kara thought about all Lobo had done, about the way he was just gonna hand her back to the Psions, about the pain he was gonna make her go through.

Almost without conscious thought, she flew towards the gun and grabbed at it.

Lobo had almost regenerated his arm back, but he was still sent flying when Kal grabbed at his tire iron and punched him in the nose breaking it once again.

“I don’t really like fighting.” Kal said as he calmly walked towards the stumbling Lobo. “But nobody, and I mean nobody is gonna hurt my cousin again.”

“Hey, I like yer attitude m’man! And damn me if yer ain’t stronger than those chumps!” the bounty hunter laughed, a few missing teeth in his mouth.

Kal just shook his head in anger and punched him again.

Grabbing Lobo by the shoulder, he lifted the man up into the air and pulled back his arm for another blow when Kara pointed the gun at Lobo’s head and pressed the trigger exploding his head and showering Kal with blood and bits of bone.

“Kara!” Kal shouted and dropped the headless body.

Turning towards her Kara expected to see horror or anger in his face, but she could only see compassion, understanding and love.

Still, she pointed the gun at the rest of Lobo’s body and pulled the trigger, screaming in rage until the gun clicked empty and Lobo’s body had been reduced to tiny little pieces.

“Kara, enough.” Kal put a hand on the barrel of the gun and forced it down. Then took it away from her and threw it over his shoulder. Strong arms enveloped her and pulled her closer to a chest covered with the red symbol of house El. “Shhhh, it’s alright, he can’t hurt you anymore.”

She looked up to see Kal, his face concerned but also filled Lobo’s blood .

He released a deep sigh and embraced Kara again, holding her tightly against his chest. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

A second set of arms hugged her from the back. Kara turned her eyes to see Kon, a huge gash on his forehead, an eye already starting to swell up, but otherwise fine. She cried.

Gently, Kal lifted her into his arms and cleaned her face with a thumb; still crying Kara buried her face into his chest and shook as the Kryptonian equivalent of adrenaline left her body.

Lifting his eyes, he considered the destruction around them, his face turning into one of utter furry, his eyes shining red with barely contained power.

Kal quietly whispered. His voice sadder than Kara had ever heard before. “I won’t allow this to happen again, I can’t.”

“FRIEND KARA!” Kori shouted as she finally arrived.

The Tamaranean princess dropped right in front of Kal and was quickly followed by Wonder Woman.

With some of her regained strength Kara managed to push her face away from Kal’s chest. Her cousin reluctantly released her, letting Kara float under her own power for a brief second before Kori hugged her.

Kara buried her face in Kori’s shoulder and held on with everything she had, the Tamaranean hugged her back, her hands carefully supporting Kara in case she lost her power.

“It is alright, I am here for you.” Kori said and held Kara’s head in her hands. She adjusted Kara’s hair away from her face with a finger and kissed her in the forehead. “I will always be here for you.”

Kara let herself be held in Kori’s arms, enjoying the sense of security she could bring. She knew she’d have to let go, but she really wished they could stay like that forever.

“So, what are you doin’ after? Cuz bastich, that fight was hot!” Said someone from the ground.

Everyone reacted, Kori held Kara in her arms and floated up, and getting some distance from the sound while Kal put himself in front of Kon, his eyes shining red.

Without anyone to protect, it was Wonder Woman that advanced, finding a pool of blood and pieces of meat with a half regenerated head inside.

“What’s the matter? Ya never seen a guy regenerate himself from his own blood before?” Said Lobo’s head, still missing most of its left side. “Hey that bomb Ya hit me with, was that a teleport? Cuz I tell Ya that’s gonna be a pain to deal with in a week or two.”