Band of Blue TOCChapter 20 Clark stood in front of the wall in the caves.
The last time I came here ... His thought trailed off as he remembered the stream of information coming out of the wall. Somehow he now knew that there was an opening here, a chamber behind the wall. He held up the key and the wall slowly opened. A light emerged and Clark strode forwards into it.
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Chloe sat in uncomfortable silence. Clark had excused himself saying he had something important to do. When Superman said he had something important to do you believed him. But that had left Chloe in an awkward situation ... with a handsome billionaire ... and some other rather familiar people. She stared around the room and smiled awkwardly at Bart, A.C. and Victor. They’d all visited Smallville in the past and Chloe remembered some strange events surrounding them. Now they were all here, gathered together, along with a few unfamiliar faces and a famous billionaire ... and Superman. What was this team?
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Clark placed the pentagonal disk in the empty slot on the top of the pedestal. He remembered doing this once before and he knew what the result would be; a forty story igloo ... as Chloe had referred to it in his vision. As the disk began to glow Clark was engulfed in a while light. When the light faded he found himself surrounded by snow and ice. He felt the crystal in his hand. Somehow he now knew why Tess Mercer had referred to it as plural. The crystal was actually made up of three stones. He looked at them for a moment then pulled his arm back and released them in a long throw.
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Lois sat in the cafe and thought about her actions.
Kissing Clark had seemed like a good idea at the time. She had needed comforting and it had been lovely. Now she regretted it. Not the kiss itself, that had been wonderful, but the situation she now had to deal with.
Leaving the apartment this morning had seemed like a good idea at the time. She had, instinctively, run away from the awkward conversation that would have happened. Now she regretted it. She seemed like a coward. And she hadn’t really avoided the conversation ... just delayed it.
Visiting the cafe where they’d had their ‘sort of’ date had seemed like a good idea at the time. She liked the coffee and the ambiance. Now she regretted it. All she could picture was a handsome, kind, farm boy sat across from her, smiling as she prattled on ... but the seat was empty.
She wanted it filled.
By a cute butt; the second cutest in the whole world. Or maybe it was the first?
Lois groaned and held her head in her hands as realisation dawned.
I think I lo ... like him. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So, Miss Sullivan, how did you find us here?” Oliver Queen broke the silence. She opened her mouth to answer but he stood up and motioned for her to keep silent. “Actually, come with me please.” Chloe stood and followed him, confused. Oliver led her out of the room and away from the other guests. When they were out of earshot he turned back to her. “I’m guessing you know Clark is Superman but the rest of the team don’t. That’s why I asked him to come
as Superman.”
Chloe stared in shock. Oliver Queen really did know about Clark. “How ... how do you know?
“We share a, er, hobby.” He looked a little uncomfortable at that and Chloe logged the information away in her brain for further consideration. “So, how
did you find us then?”
“Erm.” She turned away shyly. “I tapped in to Clark’s messages.” Oliver led her back to the main room.
“Computer?” he asked. She nodded.
Once she was seated back with the rest of the team he spoke again. “As you seem pretty handy with technology maybe you could help us with something.” He walked over to her with a laptop. Opening it and turning it round to face her she saw encrypted data streaming up and down the screen.
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Clark wandered through the fortress looking at everything for the first time.
I know this place. He headed instinctively towards the control panel he knew was located in the centre. He stood in front of the panel and a clear oblong crystal floated out to him. He grabbed it and a voice spoke.
“Kal-El, you have travelled far. One journey has ended. A new journey is about to begin.” Clark spun round slowly looking for the source of the voice. “Welcome home, my son.”
“What is this place?” Clark shouted out to the disembodied voice.
“This is Krypton.”
“I thought Krypton was destroyed.”
“It was. But here, in your fortress of solitude, the geography of our planet has been replicated for your training.”
“Training! What training?” Clark demanded. He didn’t like the sound of that.
“You must spend time learning the ways of Krypton and the knowledge of the known galaxies.”
“Time! How much time?” Clark stepped forwards for dramatic effect.
“You will spend your next seven years here and return to the world ready to lead and protect the humans.”
“Seven years!” Clark shouted. “I know there’s a lot I can learn from you but I have to get home, that’s where I’m needed. I have a life. I have a calling. I’m already protecting people ... as Superman”.
“Just because you wear the suit that is your destiny does not mean you are ready to fulfil that destiny.”
Clark glanced down at the red and blue costume he was still wearing after leaving the meeting at Oliver Queen’s apartment. He looked back up and shouted out with purpose and feeling.
“I
am fulfilling my destiny.
MY destiny, not yours.”
Clark turned away from the control panel, dropped the crystal and flew out of the structure.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois felt a sadness in her heart as she wandered around. She didn’t want to like Clark. Not in that way. If she was to choose someone to lose her heart to it would be Superman. In fact she felt like her heart belonged to both of them.
“Lois Lane. You are stupid,” she scolded herself. “You like a nice guy. He obviously likes you back so why are you miserable?” She sighed and turned round. Continuing to walk backwards, arms outstretched, she shouted out her reply.
“Because I’m Lois Lane! That’s why.”
She turned back and stopped in shock. It was the alley. The one where she’d been mugged ...
almost mugged. Checking the shadows she made sure it was clear before entering. She remembered the sensation of terror when the guy pulled the gun but then her father’s training had taken over. She stood stock still as she replayed Clark coming up to her.
She flinched as she heard the gunshot. Clark had seemed to flinch also, tightening his arms around her. She’d thought he must have been shot but he was fine. She wandered a few steps down and then saw something glinting, reflecting the sunlight. She bent down and furrowed her brow as she stood up straight again. In her hand was a bullet. She rolled it over in her palm and pondered the familiarity of its squashed shape.
I’ve seen a bullet like this before. The one stopped by Superman was distorted just like this. She looked up again and stared around at the alley.
It can’t possibly be the bullet from the mugging, can it? It’s been over a week. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A tiny speck of light near the fortress console appeared. It began to pulse slowly and, ever so gradually, it brightened and widened until, eventually, it shone like the sun. The pulsing became a constant light and a voice spoke as a figure stepped out of the light.
“You think you are ready, my son, without even training. Well, you must face this challenge before I will fully trust you with the future of this world.”
The figure which had emerged from the light stepped forward. He was wearing what looked to be a designer suit but it had long since lost its charm. It was ripped and dusty. Mud and blood were dried on in patches. His face and hands were dirty with remnants of that hell-hole. He brought his hand up to his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He frowned and lifted his other hand to feel.
No hair! He turned around and noticed the console of crystals. Turning slowly he took in his whole surroundings and smiled.
Krypton. But how is this possible? Krypton was destroyed. I destroyed it. The slim, bald figure set off walking, in search of answers ... and a fresh suit.
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