Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson

Author:Kevin J. Anderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Cold War, Fantasy Fiction, General, Fiction, Fantasy, American, Superman (Fictitious Character), Epic, Batman (Fictitious Character)
ISBN: 9780061662553
Publisher: Harper
Published: 2009-04-23T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

THE CAVE

IN THE DANK SHADOWS OF THE CAVE, THE MYSTERIOUS

mineral fragment emitted its own gemstone light, an eerie emerald glow, though no unusual radiation registered on Bruce Wayne’s sophisticated instruments. When he passed a Geiger counter wand in front of it, the device yielded no clicks, no static.

The rock shed no intrinsic heat; in fact, it felt cold and oily to the touch.

No wonder Lex Luthor was so interested in this sample. But why did it have such a dramatic effect on Superman, who seemed impervious to all other forms of attack? A simple exposure to the rock had nearly paralyzed him. Bruce had seen it with his own eyes.

After extricating himself from the debacle at Luthor’s mansion, he realized that too many things simply didn’t make sense—Superman foremost among them. Was the “Man of Steel” the personal watchdog of Lex Luthor? Superman had denied the accusation . . . but why else would he have raced in to protect the mansion and prevent Batman’s escape? On the other hand, why hadn’t he simply delivered Batman to Luthor and his goons, rather than flying off with him?

Did LuthorCorp have something to do with his superpowers?

And if Luthor could create a Superman, why would he waste time dabbling with the bulky and primitive battlesuits based on Wayne Enterprises technology when those suits were clearly inferior to Superman’s demonstrated abilities?

And what did this lump of green rock have to do with anything?

Bruce continued to run his tests. Researching the name “Ariguska,” he discovered an isolated region of Siberia, unremarkable save for the fact that a large meteor had hit there two decades ago.

Classified maps suggested, but did not confirm, that a harsh gulag was known to exist in the vicinity. Did the Soviets have some kind of mine there, the source of this rare and unusual mineral? And what could it be used for in a practical and industrial sense?

Around the United States, thanks to the burgeoning nuclear industry, prospectors were combing remote deserts and mountains using Geiger counters to locate natural uranium deposits, hoping to strike it rich. Atomic power showed great potential, and the nuclear weapons industry had a constant demand for new fi ssile material.

Bruce ran a fingertip along the smooth green face of the stone.

Had Lex Luthor or his Siberian cronies discovered a substance potentially more powerful than uranium?

Crystal ine spectroscopy had broken down the mineral’s content of heavy elements as well as strange inclusions of inert atoms and noble gases—argon, neon, even krypton. Other than that, the mineral itself seemed unremarkable. But if Luthor considered the green rock so extraordinarily valuable, there had to be something more to it. . . .

Studying the unusual rock under high magnification, he detected a shocked crystalline structure, which implied that this sample had been subjected to tremendous heat and pressure—an impact or a great explosion. Perhaps this was a fragment of the Ariguska meteorite. . . .

The mineral sample wasn’t the only mystery he had uncovered in Luthor’s secure private office, though.

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