CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - JACK

The air was thick with tension as Superman landed with a dull thud, his boots cracking the fractured asphalt beneath him. Smoke billowed from nearby fires, casting flickering shadows across the scene. 

Jack Slash leaned casually against a broken lamppost, his lanky frame relaxed and wrapped in an effortless confidence. Blood stained the cracked pavement around him, the remains of some poor souls reduced to unrecognizable shreds. Bonesaw knelt a few feet away, humming softly as she tinkered with something—a mechanical spider, its legs twitching unnervingly. And behind them, her monochrome form a stark contrast to the blood trailing down her mouth, was the Siberian.

Jack straightened, spreading his arms wide in mock welcome. “Ah, Superman! The man of the hour. I have to say, the stories don’t do you justice. You’re even shinier in person.”

Superman's voice was calm. "This ends here, Jack."

Bonesaw giggled, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, he's serious! Look at him, Mister Jack. All stern and heroic. Isn't he just adorable?"

"He is, isn't he? Such a dramatic entrance.” Jack grinned, his teeth unnervingly white against the grime and gore on his face. “Tell me, Superman, do you rehearse those lines? Or do they just come naturally?”

Superman took a step forward, the ground beneath him cracking slightly under the pressure. "I’ve seen many men like you—all assured in their power. They think they’re untouchable, that no one can stop them. But they always fall. It's over."

Jack's grin widened. "Over? My dear boy, we've barely begun. Do you think you can stop us? Stop her?" He gestured to the Siberian, who stood silently, her glowing yellow eyes fixed on Superman.

Superman's gaze shifted to her for a moment. “I've faced worse."

Jack chuckled, low and dark. "Oh, I'm sure you have. But she's not like the others. She doesn't bleed, she doesn't break, and she certainly doesn't lose."

Bonesaw skipped lightly on the broken ground, her blonde curls bouncing, a child’s glee mismatched with the bloodied tools she carried and the cheerful tune she hummed. "You're not scared of her, are you? You should be. She's amazing! She can do things you wouldn't believe."

Superman didn't flinch. "She's just another bully, like you."

Jack's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Oh, you wound me, Superman. We aren't bullies—we are artists. And this," he gestured to the destruction around them, "is our masterpiece."

Superman’s eyes narrowed. “You call this art? This is mindless slaughter.”

"Call it what you like. But you can't deny it's effective.” Jack shrugged, unbothered. “Look at you, standing there all high and mighty, thinking you can fix the world with your fists. But we both know you can't."

"I can stop you," Superman said, his voice firm.

Jack tilted his head, studying him. "You really believe that, don't you? That you're strong enough, fast enough, good enough to save everyone." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But here's the thing, Superman—you're not. And that's what makes you so fascinating."

Bonesaw giggled again, twirling her scalpel. "He's like a big, shiny toy, isn't he? All strong and unbreakable, but so easy to twist and bend."

Superman's eyes didn't leave Jack. "You won't twist me. You won't bend me. And you won't get away with this."

Jack sighed theatrically, shaking his head. "You're no fun, Superman. Always so serious, so self-righteous." His grin returned, sharper than before. "But that's okay. We'll see how long that lasts when she gets her hands on you."

“What’s your excuse for this?” Superman gestured to the destruction around them—the smoldering buildings, the scattered bodies, the death left in their wake.

Jack’s expression was almost childlike in its glee. “Excuse? Oh, Superman, I don’t need an excuse. I do this because I can. Because it’s fun. Because watching people like you squirm is the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Bonesaw clapped her hands together, her eyes bright with excitement. “Don’t you see? We’re making something beautiful!”

Superman’s jaw tightened, his voice cold now. “I will stop you.”

Jack tilted his head. “Stop us? Oh, I don’t think you understand how this works. You’re the outsider here, the anomaly in a world that’s been ours for years. And you think you can change that just by defeating Leviathan?”

The Siberian growled, a low, guttural sound that rumbled through the air.

Bonesaw clapped her hands in delight, skipping backwards to give her space. “It seems Simmy’s eager to educate you.”

Jack also stepped aside, hands in his pocket. “You’re out of your depth, Superman. Let me show you why.”

His laughter echoed through the ruins as the Siberian lunged.