CHAPTER 5
Graduation Day has historically been a time for celebration. This year’s graduating class from Metropolis University saw no reason to challenge tradition and so once the final speaker of the graduation ceremony ended his oration with his congratulations and good luck wishes the class erupted into a collective cheer and made ready for the evening’s festivities. Everyone that is except for one departing senior who though he rose from his seat with the rest of his class did not join in the screaming celebration.
Clark Kent took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the day and to take in the cheering crowd before breaking into a soft smile and begin walking away from the field heading back to his dorm. His smile faltered somewhat as he began weaving around hugging families and shouts of congratulations. He immediately clamped down on his initial feelings of gloom reminding himself that his father had always taught him that there was never a good time to feel sorry for yourself and even though his parents had been gone for four years their lessons had never left him.
“Grow or die,” his father had always told him. “Creatures who fail to learn that lesson don’t survive very long, Clark,” Jonathan Kent had said as he and Clark sat side by side on a fence overlooking their farm late one summer afternoon when Clark was ten. “Things change. It’s not a good thing or a bad thing; it’s just change. You have to adjust to them because they won’t adjust to you. If you spend all of your time wishing for what was you miss the opportunities of what could be. There are always possibilities, Clark. Don’t limit your options just because you don’t like the circumstances. Grow. You do that and you’ll never disappoint your mother or me and more importantly, you’ll never disappoint yourself.”
Jonathan Kent had been a simple farmer all of his life, but Clark knew that no matter what he did in life he could count himself lucky if his wisdom even came close to equaling that of that “simple farmer.” Clark stopped for a moment to say a silent thank you to the couple that he knew were somewhere watching him and resolved once again to never let them down. His smile returned even brighter than before and he continued on his way. He had arranged for an apartment in the city some weeks ago and packing still needed to be completed so that he could be out of the dorm by the end of the day. Monday morning he had an interview with Perry White of the Daily Planet. Then he would explore those possibilities his father had always told him about.
**********
Superman became aware of the apartment building fire while still several miles away from Metropolis. As was always his habit he had tuned his hearing to the nearest radio with an emergency band when he entered Metropolis’ airspace. He had just spent the day investigating rumors of a vigilante targeting high profile criminals operating on the East Coast and most of the evening dealing with an earthquake outside Tokyo. Returning home he had hoped for a quick shower and a little reading to help him relax from a long day at both of his jobs.
Four years, a couple of journalistic awards and many adventures after graduation Clark had found himself one of the Planet’s rising stars. He prided himself on his writing and enjoyed it whenever a story was won through his writing and tenacity in going after a story rather than through any use of his powers. It also helped to take the sting out of what he still considered as cheating to get the job in the first place.
Perry White had been a wonderful man to deal with during their interview quickly making Clark feel at ease and encouraging him to talk about himself and what he felt he could offer the Daily Planet. Clark could easily see why White was considered one of the nation’s foremost journalists because his easy going manner made Clark feel that he could open up to him about anything. Well, almost anything anyway. However, at the end of interview Perry had used those same skills to lessen the blow as he told Clark that there wasn’t a place for him at the Planet.
“Son, the Daily Planet is the best newspaper in the world. Read in every country in the free world and some that aren’t. I like your stuff. You have a great style and show potential, but I can’t put someone with your limited experience on the city beat when there are more experienced reporters out there who would kill for a chance to work here.”
“Mr. White, I don’t expect to jump right into investigative reporting. I know I lack experience and I’ll have to work my way up, but like you said I have talent. I know I can do the job and I know that I have what it takes to keep doing the job. And where could I get better experience than here? You could train me the way you want me to be trained and not deal with bad habits brought on from years working at inferior newspapers.”
Perry had actually smiled at that and sat for a moment in silence seeming to consider Clark’s argument.
“I know what you’re saying, son. Hell, I even agree to a point. I did exactly that with a girl two years ago and have never had the first time to regret my decision. But I knew her. She had been interning here since high school and all though college and even more importantly, when she came for her interview she came with goods already in hand. A major league story worthy of a veteran. That kind of initiative is what makes the Planet what it is. But, I don’t have anything to justify taking that chance with you.”
“What kind of story would convince you?” was Clark’s immediate response.
White had appeared momentarily stunned by Clark’s intense manner, but a smile begin to crawl slowly across his face and his eyes gained an eagerness as he leaned forward to answer.
“Something big.”
“How big?”
Perry settled back in his chair and thought for a moment. “You’re from Smallville, right?”
“Yes, sir,” Clark replied beginning to get a sinking feeling.
“One of your fellow townspeople began making regular appearances in our fair city a few years ago.”
“Superboy,” Clark said as though stating a fact not asking a question.
“Yes, Superboy. Now since the time he made his debut he’s been seen all over the globe taking care of problems, but its always been pretty clear that his base of operations was the mid-west and probably close to if not Smallville itself. Now about four years ago he’s suddenly on hand for every mugging and gang fight that takes place within Metropolis’ city limits. The question that comes to mind is why? Why is Metropolis suddenly ground zero for Superboy’s activities?”
“Maybe he just wanted a change of pace, Mr. White. Metropolis is the world’s biggest city. Surely you have a more interesting story in mind than just a celebrity’s choice of homes?”
White raised his eyebrows with that. “Don’t make me take back my compliments, Kent. An alien from another planet with the power to change the course of rivers and who has taken it upon himself to become the defender of truth, justice, and the American way has radically changed his pattern of behavior. That’s more than just some celebrity changing houses. That’s news, big news. When it first became apparent that he was operating primarily from Metropolis I put some people on it, but got nothing for my trouble. I even called some people at the Smallville Press figuring I could cash in on some hometown nostalgia on Superboy’s part. Again, I came up with nothing. You bring me the story of why he made the change and I’ll hand you your letter of employment. Deal?”
Clark sat silently for a moment cursing quietly to himself, but finally stood up and took the older man’s offered hand.
“Deal.”
Clark had returned home that day and one week later after a lot of soul searching, moralizing and out and out angst ridden conversations with himself he walked back into Perry White’s office carrying his “interview” with Superboy.
Clark had taken a lot of time with that interview because he wanted to make sure that certain points came across in certain ways. He had researched Metropolis crime statistics for several years back so he could claim that it was the increased awareness of urban crime which had prompted his relocation. Additionally, he stated his desire to be near the hub of global communication as Superboy was becoming more conscious of his standing in the world community. Both of these reasons were true in their own way, but left out the vital fact of his dual identity and desire for a job in journalism. Clark had also taken the opportunity to inform the world that referring to a twenty something male as “boy” was probably no longer appropriate. From then on he was known as Superman.
As Superman dropped though the city sky toward the blaze he quickly scanned the area and determined the positions of everyone in a two square block radius. Realizing that several people were still trapped in the burning building and in immediate need of assistance he couldn’t take the time to stop and speak with the fire-chief on the scene. In a split second every window and door in the building ceased to exist and Superman began to fly circles around the building varying his altitude from ground level to the height of the building itself.
Under normal circumstances opening the building up to more oxygen would have been a mistake, as it would have fed the fire. Superman, however, was quickly creating a low-pressure system outside and the air was immediately sucked out of the building as nature tried to equalize the pressure both inside and out causing the fire to die away.
Then came the arduous task of removing the survivors without upsetting an already unstable building. A quick scan told Superman the location of those in need of immediate medical attention and those he grabbed first and transported to awaiting EMS vehicles. The rest he left to the firemen as he busied himself shoring up the building’s faltering supports in an effort to prevent it’s collapse under it’s own weight.
After the last survivor was removed and Superman had assured himself that the building wouldn’t suddenly collapse once he looked the other way he turned to the most unpleasant duty of recovering the bodies of those not lucky enough to escape. A fire this size almost always claimed several lives unless Superman was on the scene almost immediately after it started. Even after years of functioning in his superhero role Clark still had difficulty reconciling himself as to those things he had no control over. He inevitably wound up playing the “if only” game with himself and berating himself for not moving just a bit faster, for not being aware of things just a moment sooner. He knew it was an exercise in futility because no one, no matter who they were could be in every place at once, but the voice that told him this was a small one and was easily drowned out by the shouts of his guilt.
Attempting to take his mind off of the gruesome duty he began composing his story in his mind. He would talk with the chief once the bodies were removed and find out if he had any idea what had caused the blaze. If nothing else he consoled himself that perhaps by writing a story outlining the events leading up to the fire he would be able to make people more aware of potential dangers that could be avoided in the future.
What Clark didn’t realize was that another Daily Planet reporter was on the scene and having the same thoughts. Under normal circumstances Clark made a point of scanning the spectators for his fellow reporters so as not to duplicate work or have to explain how he got a story without his co-workers being aware of his presence. It was a testament to his physical and mental exhaustion that he failed to do so in this case. Especially since it involved a reporter that truly detested being beaten to a story in general and by Clark Kent in particular.
TBC...
