The battle that followed would be talked about in whispered tones for years to come. Superman took the lead, forcing himself through waves of kryptonite radiation that would have killed any other being instantly. His movements, though slowed by the mineral's effects, still carried that impossible grace that had made him Metropolis's protector. His eyes blazed red as heat vision lanced out, not in wild blasts but with surgical precision.
"The joints!" he called, his enhanced vision picking out vulnerabilities despite the pain. "Primary servo connections at the knee and hip - they're reinforced but not fully radiation-shielded!" Another precisely aimed blast struck home, super-heating metal that was already stressed from their earlier attacks.
The drone's targeting systems registered the new threat, bringing its main weapons to bear on Superman. But Batman was already moving, his years of experience evident in every fluid motion. Explosive gel deployed in precise patterns, each detonation timed to force the machine to shift its weight at the worst possible moment. The Dark Knight's arsenal seemed endless - sonic disruptors that confused its sensors, smoke pellets that fouled its targeting, high-tensile lines that wrapped around limbs and joints.
"Keep moving!" Batman ordered as he grappled past another energy blast. "Don't let it predict your patterns!" His cape snapped like living shadow as he changed direction mid-swing, dropping more explosives that detonated in carefully timed sequences.
Tony worked through the chaos, his fingers flying across holographic controls while JARVIS ran increasingly complex calculations. The containment field would have to be perfect - any fluctuation would flood the area with lethal radiation. "JARVIS, reconfigure the power matrix. We need every bit of juice we can get."
"Perhaps sir would like to consider a less suicidal approach?" JARVIS suggested dryly. "The probability of successful containment is—"
"Just do it!" Tony had to break off as the drone's shoulder-mounted missile rack acquired a lock. The barrage that followed would have turned him to scrap if Superman hadn't intercepted, heat vision detonating the missiles mere meters from their launchers.
The explosion rocked the battlefield, but it revealed something crucial. "The targeting system!" Batman called out, already analyzing the drone's response patterns. "It's prioritizing based on perceived threat level - Superman's powers register highest, then Stark's energy readings, then conventional weapons."
"Then let's give it something else to think about!" Superman's eyes flared brighter as he poured more power into his heat vision. The beams struck with devastating accuracy, melting through armor plates that had been shrugging off their physical attacks. "I can't maintain this level of output much longer, but—"
His voice cut off in a gasp of pain as the kryptonite core pulsed, sending out a concentrated wave of radiation that drove him to his knees. The drone immediately seized the advantage, its main cannon rotating with ponderous certainty to deliver what would surely be a killing shot.
"Not today!" Tony dove between them, his suit's shields barely deflecting a blast that would have vaporized conventional armor. "Fifteen more seconds! Just keep it busy!"
Batman's response was immediate and precise. His grapple line sang as he swung in low, momentum carrying him through the drone's minimum targeting range. More explosive gel found its way onto already damaged joints, each detonation synchronized perfectly with Superman's recovered heat vision. Metal screamed as the combined assault finally breached the outer armor layer.
But the drone was evolving, learning from each exchange. Its weapons fire became more erratic but exponentially more powerful, each shot now carrying enough energy to level a city block. One blast caught the edge of Batman's cape as he rolled clear, the reinforced material actually burning despite its protective treatments.
"The core's radiation is increasing exponentially!" Batman warned as he shed the damaged cape section. "The containment field—"
"Almost there!" Tony's HUD was a storm of warnings and power calculations. "Eight seconds! I just need—"
The drone suddenly shifted tactics, all weapons reorienting on Superman simultaneously. The Man of Steel was already moving, but the accumulated kryptonite exposure had slowed him too much. The impending barrage would tear him apart at the molecular level.
Batman reacted without hesitation, his grapple line wrapping around Superman's chest to yank him clear of the killing zone. The motion left him dangerously exposed, but the choice had been instantaneous - saving Superman was worth any risk.
Tony seized the moment, repulsors firing at maximum power to keep the drone's targeting systems divided. "Five seconds! On my mark!"
Superman's face was a mask of pain, but his eyes still blazed with unshakeable determination. Kryptonite radiation burned through his cells like acid, but he forced himself upright through sheer willpower and iron-clad determination. Energy crackled around his form as he gathered his remaining strength, preparing for one final effort.
Batman's hands moved with lethal efficiency, combining components from his belt into what appeared to be an improvised EMP device. Years of preparation for every contingency were paying off in ways he'd never anticipated. "Ready. Awaiting your signal."
The drone's systems were approaching critical mass, its targeting becoming increasingly erratic as it tried to track all three threats simultaneously. Armor plates shifted and warped as the kryptonite core poured more power into its frame, trying to compensate for accumulating damage. Green energy arced between joints like deadly lightning, making the air itself taste of ozone and burning metal.
"Three seconds!" Tony's armor screamed warnings about power fluctuations that threatened to tear his suit apart, but he forced his systems to hold steady. "Superman - hit the primary sensor array! Dead center!"
The Man of Steel's heat vision lanced out one final time, striking with microscopic precision despite his deteriorating condition. The drone's visual sensors overloaded in a cascade of sparks and molten metal, creating the opening they desperately needed.
"Two seconds!" Tony's voice carried over their comms. "Batman - NOW!"
The Dark Knight's improvised device detonated against the drone's compromised leg joint, its electromagnetic pulse temporarily disrupting already strained stabilization systems. The massive machine staggered, its weapon fire going wild as emergency protocols tried to compensate.
"One second!" Tony's suit was redlining, power systems pushed far beyond safe limits. "Superman - everything you've got, right into those breaches we made!"
Despite the kryptonite's devastating effects, Superman's eyes flared brighter than ever before. The heat vision that struck the drone this time wasn't just powerful - it was perfectly aimed to exploit every weakness they'd created together. Melted armor sagged and flowed, compromised joints finally giving way under the relentless assault.
"NOW!" Tony shouted as his systems finally achieved alignment. "Push it back, right... there!"
Batman's last grenades detonated simultaneously, the shockwave stunning the drone for a crucial second. Superman summoned one last burst of strength, actually lifting the massive machine and throwing it exactly where Tony's targeting reticle indicated.
The containment field sprang to life - a dome of pure energy that trapped the drone and its lethal core in a bubble of controlled force. Inside, the machine thrashed as Tony's hack began shutting down its systems one by one.
"The core's going critical!" Batman's warning came just as Tony's sensors screamed the same thing. The kryptonite was overloading, its power turning in on itself, green energy arcing in patterns that defied physics.
"Field's holding," Tony reported through gritted teeth, watching power levels climb toward red. Warnings flashed across his HUD as the suit's systems strained against forces that shouldn't exist in conventional science. "But we've got about three seconds before—"
The explosion lit up the morning sky like a second sun. The containment field held - barely - but the effort of maintaining it drove Tony to his knees. Warning lights flashed across his HUD as systems redlined, the suit's power cells draining to keep the field intact until the last echoes of the blast faded. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer energy being contained, leaving spider-web patterns in ancient stone.
When the light finally died, all that remained of the drone was a smoking crater. Well, that and the core itself - somehow still intact, though its glow had dimmed to almost nothing. The air around it shimmered with residual radiation, making even Tony's enhanced sensors fluctuate.
Batman approached the dead machine cautiously, his cape swirling in air still charged with residual energy. With precise movements, he extracted the core using some kind of shielded container from his belt. Every motion spoke of someone who had planned for even this possibility.
"For research," he said simply when he caught Tony watching. But there was something in his voice, some edge that suggested other purposes. A contingency, perhaps, against the day they might face a threat wearing an S-shield. For just like the Iron chancellor, otto von Bismarck, Batman must always have a plan.
Superman either didn't notice or chose not to comment as he joined them, his strength already returning as the radiation levels dropped. "That was... different."
"Different?" Tony's faceplate retracted so they could see his grin. "That was awesome! I mean, terrible and terrifying, but awesome. We should do this again sometime. Form a club maybe, get matching jackets?"
"I don't do clubs," Batman growled, but there was the slightest hint of amusement under the gravel.
Tony's sensors suddenly picked up multiple approaching signatures - both ground vehicles and aircraft. "Speaking of clubs, we've got company. Military response teams, about six minutes out. Plus, what looks like every Ten Rings fighter in the region converging on our position."
"Then we finish this from above," Batman stated, already moving toward where the Batwing waited. His cowl's sensors were clearly picking up the same incoming threats. "The weapons caches need to be neutralized."
"Agreed." Superman rose into the air, his cape catching the morning light despite its battle damage. "We can't let any of this tech leave the area."
Tony fired his repulsors, joining them in the air as his targeting systems mapped out the compound below. "JARVIS, mark all weapon storage locations. Prioritize anything with unstable power signatures."
"Multiple caches detected," JARVIS reported. "I'm also reading significant instability in the modified weapons. A coordinated strike could trigger a chain reaction."
"Perfect." Tony's HUD highlighted optimal targeting points as he gained altitude. "I love it when things blow up exactly how they're supposed to."
They coordinated their attack with the same precision that had taken down the drone. Superman's heat vision struck the largest caches first, his enhanced vision letting him target the most dangerous weapons. The Batwing swept low over the compound, Batman deploying precisely targeted explosives that would destroy evidence while minimizing collateral damage. Tony's repulsors picked off smaller targets, his targeting systems ensuring nothing dangerous would survive.
The destruction was methodical and complete. Modified weapons detonated in controlled chains, each explosion carefully contained to prevent civilian casualties. Storage bunkers collapsed in on themselves, burying stolen tech under tons of rubble. Years of careful weapons accumulation disappeared in minutes of coordinated precision.
The explosion lit up the morning sky as Tony shot upward. Through his HUD, he caught a glimpse of Superman methodically destroying other weapons caches with surgical precision, while the Batwing swept low across the compound, Batman no doubt gathering evidence even in the middle of combat.
Raza arrived with a row of trucks, stopping in dismay at the scene before him. His eyes tracked upward, catching the glint of red and gold armor disappearing into the clouds. But what made his face truly pale was the sight of Superman rising parallel to Iron Man, with the black silhouette of the Batwing following close behind.
—
The Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Edwards Air Force Base erupted into controlled chaos as their monitoring systems registered the aftermath of massive energy discharges in Gulmira. Multiple screens lit up with warning indicators as surveillance feeds captured residual signatures unlike anything they'd seen before.
"What the hell was that?" Captain Davis leaned forward, adjusting his headset. "Were we cleared to go in there?"
A young analyst shook his head, fingers flying across his keyboard. "No sir, they were using human shields. We never got the green light."
"Sir!" Another analyst called out, his voice tight with urgency. "Three contacts just appeared on radar, ascending from the target area. One matches known metahuman signatures - it's Superman."
Major Allen moved between stations with practiced efficiency. "What about the other two?"
"Second contact appears to be some kind of advanced UAV, sir. Minimal radar cross-section, but the energy readings are off the charts. Third contact..." The analyst frowned at his screen. "Third contact keeps disappearing from our scopes. Some kind of stealth aircraft we've never seen before."
"Put me through to State," Major Allen ordered. "They're going to be all over this. And get CIA on the line - find out if that UAV is one of theirs."
"Got Langley," Captain Davis reported. "They want to know if it's us."
"Negative," the first analyst replied firmly. "This definitely isn't one of ours."
"Wasn't Navy."
"Wasn't Marines."
"The UAV's energy signature doesn't match anything in our database," another tech added. "And the stealth craft is actively jamming our targeting systems."
The main screen showed the three contacts rising through cloud cover. Superman's flight pattern was unmistakable, but the other two moved with precision that suggested incredibly advanced guidance systems.
"I need answers!" Major Allen's voice cut through the growing tension. "Can I please get eyes on target?"
"Negative, negative. The UAV's using some kind of experimental propulsion system - our tracking can't get a clear lock. And the stealth aircraft might as well be invisible."
"Sir," Captain Davis interrupted, "we're getting calls from State Department, Pentagon, and three separate intelligence agencies. They all want to know what's happening in Gulmira."
"Get me Colonel Rhodes from weapons development down here now!"
Rhodey arrived moments later, immediately taking in the situation on the main displays. The three contacts had already reached high altitude, preparing to split off in different directions.
"What are we looking at?" he asked, studying the radar signatures.
"We ran an ID check and cross-referenced with all known databases," Major Allen reported. "Got nothing. The UAV's design is like nothing we've ever seen. And with Superman operating in a no-fly zone..."
"Any high-altitude surveillance in the region?"
"We got an AWAC and a Global Hawk in the area," Captain Davis confirmed. "But these contacts might as well be ghosts."
"So this thing just appeared out of nowhere?" Rhodey asked, eyes fixed on the UAV's signature. "How come it didn't show up on radar until now?"
"Got a minimal radar cross-section, sir," one analyst reported.
"Is it stealth?"
"No sir, it's tiny. The movement patterns suggest incredibly advanced drone technology, but nothing in our current inventory could maneuver like that."
Major Allen's jaw tightened as he watched the three signatures climb higher. "Scramble the F-22s. I want eyes on these bogies before they leave our airspace."
"Colonel Rhodes," he turned to Rhodey, "what are we dealing with here?"
Rhodey studied the radar signatures for a long moment before reaching for his phone. "Let me make a call."
"Sir," one of the techs called out, "F-22s are closing in. Visual confirmation on Superman, plus the two unknown contacts."
The phone rang twice before connecting.
"Hello?" Tony's voice came through distorted by wind noise.
"Tony?"
"Who's this?"
"It's Rhodes."
"Sorry, hello?"
"I said it's Rhodes."
"Speak up, please."
Above Gulmira, the three heroes maintained their formation - Iron Man in the lead, Superman matching his pace, and the Batwing providing high cover. The morning sun painted their unlikely alliance in stark relief against the cloudless sky. Through their private comms, Batman tracked the approaching F-22s, his advanced systems already detecting multiple radar locks attempting to paint their position.
"We've got company," Batman's gravelly voice came through their secure channel. "Six F-22s on intercept course."
"Just six?" Tony quipped, though his HUD was lighting up with the same warnings. "I'm almost insulted."
"This isn't a joke, Stark," Batman replied, the Batwing's stealth systems automatically adjusting to counter the fighters' targeting attempts. "Military engagement could complicate things."
Superman maintained perfect formation despite flying at speeds that would tear conventional aircraft apart. "We need to avoid escalation. These pilots are just doing their jobs."
"Eagle One to Command," one of the F-22 pilots radioed in, their transmission easily picked up by all three heroes' systems. "We have visual on Superman and some kind of experimental aircraft. No transponder, no IFF. Request instructions."
"Maintain distance but do not engage Superman directly," Major Allen's response crackled through. "Focus on the armored bogey and the stealth craft. They're our primary concerns."
Back in the CAOC, Rhodey winced at the noise interference coming through his phone. "What in the hell is that noise?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm driving with the top down," Tony replied casually, even as his HUD highlighted three more F-22s joining the intercept pattern.
"Yeah, well, I need your help right now."
"It's funny how that works, huh?"
Through their private channel, Batman's voice carried increasing urgency: "They're deploying standard intercept tactics. Stark, your three o'clock."
"I see them," Tony confirmed, watching the F-22s spread out in textbook formation. "You know, we could probably outrun them."
"And risk them firing on us?" Superman countered, his cape somehow maintaining perfect form even at these speeds. "We need to avoid any accidents."
The F-22s entered visual range, their pilots getting their first clear look at not just Iron Man, but Superman and the mysterious black aircraft as well. Warning shots streaked past all three heroes - standard military protocol for unauthorized aircraft. The tracers looked almost beautiful against the morning sky.
"Unknown aircraft, you have entered restricted military airspace," Eagle One broadcast, his voice carrying professional authority. "Superman - you have no jurisdiction here. Land immediately or we will be forced to engage."
"Warning shots had no effect," Eagle Two reported, a note of frustration evident. "Black bogey is showing some kind of advanced stealth tech - having trouble maintaining lock."
"They're cycling through targeting frequencies," Batman reported through their private channel. "My countermeasures are holding for now, but they're adaptive."
"Yeah. Speaking of funny," Rhodey continued over Tony's phone, unaware of the growing tension in the sky, "we've got a weapons depot that was just blown up a few clicks from where you were being held captive."
"Well, that's a hot spot," Tony replied smoothly, even as he adjusted his flight path to avoid another warning burst. "Sounds like someone stepped in and did your job for you, huh?"
Rhodey noticed Tony's labored breathing. "Why do you sound out of breath, Tony?"
"I'm not, I was just jogging in the canyon."
"I thought you were driving."
"Right, I was driving to the canyon, where I'm going to jog."
In the sky, more F-22s were arriving, responding specifically to the unknown stealth aircraft. The Batwing's presence had escalated what should have been a simple intercept into a major military response. The fighters split into pairs, trying to bracket all three bogies with practiced precision.
"Their response time is impressive," Superman noted, watching the fighters maneuver with obvious respect for their skill.
"Eagle Three and Four moving to engage the stealth contact," a new pilot reported, his voice carrying the excitement of pursuing something unprecedented. "This thing's maneuvering like nothing we've ever seen."
"Superman is not responding to radio calls," Eagle One added with growing concern. "Moving to intercept pattern delta."
"You sure you don't have any tech in that area I should know about?" Rhodey pressed.
"Nope!"
"Bogey spotted!" an analyst called out over the military frequency.
"Whiplash, come in hot."
Through his HUD, Tony watched the fighters moving into attack position with growing concern. His targeting system highlighted each F-22's approach vector, calculating probable weapon solutions. The military jets were executing textbook intercept patterns, but they had no idea what they were really dealing with.
Batman's voice came through their private channel, all business: "They're setting up a classic intercept pattern. Be ready. Superman - they're going to try to box you in. Don't let them force you down."
"Okay, good," Rhodey was saying over Tony's phone, "'cause I'm staring at one right now, and it's about to be blown to kingdom come."
"That's my exit." Tony cut the connection, already calculating evasive options.
The lead pilot's voice filled the CAOC: "Ballroom, this is Whiplash One. I've got the bogey in my sights."
"Whiplash One, what is it?" Rhodey asked.
"I've got no idea."
Major Allen leaned forward. "You have radio contact?"
"Non responsive, sir."
"Then you are clear to engage."
"Eagle Squadron, weapons free on the stealth contact," Major Allen added, his voice tight with tension. "Use extreme caution around Superman - we don't want an international incident."
"Hit it," Tony ordered through their private channel, pushing his suit past the sound barrier in a burst of repulsor energy that left a sonic boom in his wake. Superman kept perfect formation beside him, his cape barely rippling despite speeds that would tear conventional aircraft apart. The Batwing demonstrated impossible agility, its frame somehow withstanding forces that should have ripped it to pieces.
"That bogey just went supersonic. I got a lock!" One of the F-22 pilots called out, their targeting systems finally managing to paint Tony's suit.
Inside the armor, JARVIS's calm voice cut through the chaos: "Inbound missile. AIM-120 AMRAAM, tracking clean."
"Flares!" Tony released countermeasures, the bright decoys creating a spectacular light show against the morning sky.
The missile detonation created a temporary white-out, overwhelming visual tracking systems across the board. Taking advantage of the confusion, the three heroes demonstrated why they were in a class of their own. The F-22s were now fully committed - missiles streaking toward Iron Man's position while cannons fired deterrent bursts near Superman. The Batwing seemed to flicker between visible and invisible as its advanced stealth systems adapted to the increasing threats.
Wait a second," Eagle Four cut in with sudden realization. "Bogey deployed flares!"
"Black bogey just went dark," Eagle Three reported, frustration evident in his voice. "Some kind of active camouflage. Nothing like this should exist!"
"Superman is not responding to warning fire," Eagle Four added, clearly unnerved by how easily the Man of Steel matched Iron Man's course. "He's matching the armored contact's course perfectly."
"Deploy flaps!" Tony executed a high-G turn that would have knocked out a normal pilot, his suit's inertial dampeners barely keeping up with the strain.
"Holy!" The exclamation burst from one of the pilots as all three heroes split in different directions, each performing maneuvers that defied conventional aerospace engineering. While Iron Man's repulsors let him pivot on a dime, Superman's natural flight ability allowed him to ignore physics entirely. But it was the Batwing that really shocked them - the black aircraft pulled a 9G turn that should have been physically impossible, executing the kind of maneuver that would render any human pilot unconscious.
"Sir," an analyst reported frantically, his voice carrying both awe and concern, "stealth contact is demonstrating thrust vectoring beyond anything in our inventory. Whoever built this thing is decades ahead of us. The energy readings we're getting... they don't make sense."
"That thing just jumped off the radar, sir," another analyst called out. The Batwing's stealth systems were adapting to their tracking attempts in real-time, making conventional lock-on impossible.
"The sat visual has been lost."
"No way that's a UAV."
Major Allen's voice was tight: "What is it?"
"I can't see anything."
"Whatever it was, it just bought the farm. I think bogey's been handled, sir."
With the UAV seemingly neutralized, the F-22s shifted their attention to the remaining threats. Superman maintained his position at high altitude, deliberately staying visible while keeping clear of the fighters' paths. The Batwing continued to demonstrate capabilities that had Pentagon analysts scrambling to update their threat assessments.
The phone rang again in the CAOC. "Hello?"
"Hi, Rhodey, it's me."
"It's who?"
"I'm sorry, it is me. You asked. What you were asking about is me."
"No, see, this isn't a game. You do not send civilian equipment into my active war zone. You understand that?"
"This is not a piece of equipment. I'm in it. It's a suit. It's me!"
Meanwhile, in the sky, Eagle Squadron maintained their pursuit of the Batwing, their targeting systems struggling to maintain any kind of lock on the mysterious aircraft. Its hull seemed to absorb their radar signals, while its maneuverability made visual tracking nearly impossible. Superman's presence complicated matters further - they had to be careful not to force him into a position where he might feel compelled to intervene.
More F-22s were arriving, drawn specifically by the Batwing's presence. The black aircraft's advanced technology had set off every alarm in the Air Force's threat assessment protocols. Each new scan revealed capabilities that shouldn't exist, forcing rapid updates to their engagement parameters.
"Sir, we've got two more squadrons inbound," a tech reported, his voice tight with tension. "Pentagon is classifying the stealth contact as a tier-one technology threat."
"Eagle Squadron, push Superman away from the engagement zone," Major Allen ordered, trying to simplify their tactical situation. "Use warning shots only. Focus main weapons on the other two contacts."
"Mark your position and return to base," he added to his original pilots.
"Roger that, Ballroom."
Eagle One was running through his mental checklist, trying to make sense of everything his instruments were telling him. The Batwing kept flickering in and out of his radar like a ghost, while Superman's presence made his threat computer have what amounted to a nervous breakdown. That's when he saw it - a flash of red and gold in his belly camera. Something was clinging to his aircraft. Something that looked disturbingly like a man in armor. His wingman had pulled in close, both of them moving through maneuvers they'd practiced a thousand times. But nothing in their training had covered this.
"On your belly! It looks like a man!" The wingman's warning came too late. "Shake him off! Roll! Roll!"
Then everything went wrong. The pilot initiated a violent barrel roll, trying to shake off his unwanted passenger. The sudden maneuver sent Tony flying - directly into his wingman's aircraft. The sound of metal striking metal rang out as the armor slammed into the F-22's wing, the impact sending the fighter into an uncontrolled spin.
The collision had already done its damage. The turbulence from Superman's attempted rescue pass only made things worse, catching both aircraft in their already compromised positions.
"I'm hit! I'm hit!"
"It's confirmed. He has been hit."
"Punch out! Punch out! Whiplash One down."
"Whiplash Two, do you see a chute?"
"Negative! No chute, no chute!"
"My chute's jammed!"
Through their private comms, Batman quickly took control: "Superman - get the one with the jammed chute. Stark - take the other. I'll keep the fighters off you."
The Batwing executed a series of impossible maneuvers, forcing the remaining F-22s to break off their attack runs while the rescues were in progress. The black aircraft's presence had turned this into a major incident, but right now saving the pilots took priority.
"Eagle Three to Command - black bogey is actively jamming our targeting systems," a pilot reported with barely contained awe. "It's protecting the other two while they attempt rescue."
"Sir, I've got a visual on the bogey," another pilot reported.
"Whiplash Two, reengage. If you get a clear shot, you take it."
"Major," Rhodey protested, "we don't even know what we're shooting at. Call off the Raptors."
"That thing just took out an F-22 inside a legal no fly zone! Whiplash Two, if you have a clear shot, take it!"
JARVIS's voice was calm inside Tony's helmet: "You've been reengaged. Execute evasive maneuver."
"Keep going!" Tony called to his allies as they maneuvered through the incoming fire.
"Black contact is screening the rescues," Eagle Four reported. "I've never seen ECM this sophisticated. Can't get a weapons lock through it."
"Superman has reached the first pilot," another voice cut in. "He's... he's actually slowing the pilot's descent by hand!"
Then came the best possible news: "Good chute! Good chute!"
Back on the phone, Rhodey's relief was palpable: "Tony, you still there?"
"Hey, thanks."
"Oh, my God, you crazy son of a bitch. You owe me a plane. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, well, technically, he hit me. Now are you going to come by and see what I'm working on?"
"No, no, no, no, no, no, the less I know, the better. Now, what am I supposed to tell the press?"
"Training exercise. Isn't that the usual BS?"
"It's not that simple."
As they regrouped above the desert, Superman pulled alongside Iron Man while the Batwing maintained a covering position above them.
"Next time," Superman suggested with a slight smile, "maybe we coordinate before entering an active military zone?"
"Where's the fun in that?" Tony's faceplate retracted so Superman could see his grin. "Though I gotta admit, the rescue went smoother with backup."
"The military's already scrambling response teams," Batman's voice cut through their moment. "I suggest we clear the area. Now."
"Always a pleasure, Tall, Dark, and Brooding," Tony called as the Batwing banked away. "We should do this again sometime. Maybe form a club?"
Superman shook his head, but there was amusement in his eyes. "Something tells me our paths will cross again. Though next time, let's try not to start an international incident?"
"No promises, Boy Scout." Tony's repulsors flared as he prepared to break off. "But hey - nice save back there. You're not bad in a crisis."
They separated, each hero vanishing into the morning sky. But in the CAOC, the crisis was just beginning.
"Sir," one of the techs called out, his voice tight with urgency, "we're getting calls from State, Defense, and the NSA. Secretary Ross is demanding immediate answers about the unauthorized entries into the no-fly zone."
Major Allen stood before the main display, watching the three signatures disappear in different directions. Behind him, the Combined Air Operations Center buzzed with controlled chaos as analysts tried to process what they'd just witnessed. The room's multiple screens showed different angles of the incident - Superman matching speeds with what appeared to be powered armor, while a black aircraft that shouldn't exist demonstrated maneuverability that made their best stealth fighters look primitive.
"Get me everything we have on that suit," he ordered, years of military discipline keeping his voice steady despite the situation's unprecedented nature. "And I want a full analysis of the black aircraft. Nothing that advanced should be flying without us knowing about it." His eyes narrowed at the last radar ping before the stealth craft vanished completely. "Especially not in a designated combat zone."