FRIENDS FOREVER
By Desertgal
Copyright 1994

Forward

FRIENDS FOREVER is a "Lois & Clark" crossover, not a SUPERMAN crossover. For those of you who haven't watched "Lois & Clark", but who've seen other incarnations of SUPERMAN, this story might seem a little strange. "Lois & Clark" starts with Clark not knowing anything about where he came from, or why he is different from other people. Gradually, during the first season, he learns about his heritage. I've set FRIENDS FOREVER very early in the "Lois & Clark" series. Clark has learned he is from Krypton, but doesn't yet know anything about why he is on Earth.

"Lois & Clark" is warm, funny, and full of "family". The feelings are real. The subtle humor is very much like "Starman". The agony Clark feels because he is so alone is gut-wrenching. Clark has a very close, loving relationship with his parents. When he's troubled, or needs a listening ear, he calls on them. Jonathan and Clark Kent share the same kind of bond that Paul and Scott have.

.

This story was written in 1994. A lot has changed since then:

- This story was written before cell phones came into widespread use. There's a scene where people are fighting over a phone, and it's a landline.

- Digital cameras did not exist. There is film developing in this story. Of course a few die hard professional photographers still use film, but may have joined the 21st Century by the time you read this.

- There was no such thing as self-adhesive stamps at the time the story was written. You had to lick them - and they only cost 29 cents.

- This was written before the days of significant airport security, when one did not need a picture ID to get on a plane. Hence Paul and Scott can easily fly under false names in this story.

Wednesday, May 14

Scott Hayden shifted the weight of the duffel bag on his shoulder and gazed out across the open prairie. "Hey Dad, I thought Kansas was supposed to be flat. This is the third hill we've crossed since we left Hays this morning."

Paul Forrester smiled at his seventeen year old son. "I guess that means you should have paid more attention to your geography lessons, doesn't it? 'Most of Kansas is a rolling plain that increases in elevation from east to west. The state has three…'."

"Ah, Dad, quit quoting the book. I studied, I just can't remember everything the way you do." Scott gave his father a disgusted look, but seeing the sheepish smile on his face, had to smile in return. He'd gotten used to the total recall his alien father possessed, but his half-human brain just didn't seem to work the same way. Clenching his fist, Scott gave his dad a playful punch on the shoulder. "Okay, I'll try to do better. But right now, I'd like to 'study' lunch. Do we have enough money to stop some place? Maybe we'll be able to get another ride if we find civilization."

Paul sighed as he contemplated his son's question. A boy shouldn't have to worry about whether he's going to get his next meal, but being on the run makes a normal life impossible for us. Two nights before, they had narrowly escaped George Fox in Denver. After hitching several rides, they now found themselves in western Kansas. "I think we can do that, if we find a place, but all I've seen for the last several hours is miles and miles of grass. No buildings and no people."

Scott's laugh was long and loud. "Well, now I get to teach you something. And it was in the geography book, too. That isn't grass, it's wheat. Kansas grows more wheat than any other state in the country and before it gets ripe it looks like grass."

Paul chuckled as he put his arm around his son's shoulders, marveling at how tall he'd become in the three years they'd been together. "I guess I missed that fact. Thanks for the lesson. You know how I like to learn new things."

Father and son walked in silence for another hour before they came upon a small town. On the single, main street, Paul saw a few houses, a gas station, a cafe, and a post office. The biggest structures in town were two odd-shaped buildings with a sign painted on them: Sunflower Wheat Cooperative. He concluded they must be storage structures for the wheat they'd seen so much of during their walk. Paul pointed. "Look, Scott, a cafe. Let's get that lunch you wanted."

"Yo-ho, fantastic! I'm starving."

Upon entering the cafe, father and son took seats without discussion or comment in a booth where they could see both the door and out the windows. Paul felt a twinge of pain as he realized that the years together on the run had given them a sense of preservation that tainted even a simple action like finding a seat in a restaurant.

After he placed their order, Paul turned his attention to the only other customers in the place. The two men seated at the counter were engaged in a heated discussion. Paul noticed what appeared to be a great age difference in them.

"Sam, I tell you there's a twister coming. I feel it in my bones."

"Zeke, you're always feeling things, but that doesn't make them happen." Sam shook his head. "The weather conditions are all wrong. The skies are clear, it's cool, and there aren't any winds. Does that sound like a storm is coming? Besides, the Weather Bureau would let us know if something were brewing anywhere in the area."

"Ah, you young city guys, all you trust are your measurements and technology." Zeke slapped the counter with his large, wrinkled hand. "Warning systems aren't good for anything unless you get the message. Even if you do hear something, usually you have only a few minutes to react."

"I know that, I'm not stupid. And even if I am from the city, I've lived in Kansas all my life. We have more tornadoes, and stronger tornadoes than anywhere else on this planet, but we also have the most sophisticated system of detection and warning in the country." Sam shrugged. "I know sometimes a tornado will form and hit before they can get a warning out to the public. All I'm saying, is there are signs beforehand."

"Yeah, like what I'm feeling right now. I tell you we're in for a big one and it'll be worse than the Harvey County tornado of 1990. I was in Hesston when that one hit and I'll never forget it. A half mile wide and lasting two hours, it was the most awesome twister I've ever seen in 71 years of living in Kansas." Zeke shook his head at the memory, "The aches in my bones are the same now, as they were then. You can sit here if you want, but I'm going home and get ready." Zeke slid off the stool and walked away from the counter without a backward glance at his young friend.

Paul watched the older man leave, and then thought for a moment. Remembering the definition he said, "'Tornado—a turbulent, twisting column of air extending from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud to the ground with winds that can exceed 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and fifty miles long. Tornadoes are nature's most violent, destructive storms over a small area'." Tilting his head sideways, Paul said, "Scott, tornadoes are dangerous. Do you think that man was right? He seemed very sure of himself."

"How should I know? I've never been here before." Scott had spoken sharply and after a few minutes of sullen silence he looked at his father with regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but talking about the weather doesn't seem very important." He took a deep breath. "What are we going to do now? Fox found us after only a couple of weeks."

Paul sighed and gazed sadly at his son. "I thought we'd be safe in a city as big as Denver but…. Maybe we should try staying low profile around here. There sure is a lot of open space."

#####

"Hey, honey, that blame-fool turkey is out of his pen again. I've got to go round him up."

"Well, don't be long. I'd like you to pick some peas for dinner."

As he grabbed a jacket and started out the front door, Jonathan turned to look at his wife. He shook his head in disgust. "I don't know why I keep that bird. He's nothing but trouble."

"Where do you suppose he's gone?"

"Out in the corn where he always goes. I'll be back as soon as I can." Jonathan walked out onto the porch and squinted in the sunlight. Scanning the sky, he saw some fluffy white clouds gathering in the west and felt a light wind blowing. Hmm, he thought, I wish those were rain clouds. The corn could sure use a good soaking.

#####

After leaving the cafe, Paul and Scott hitched a ride that took them about sixty miles farther east. They'd seen no towns since the man had let them out, about three hours ago. Though they wanted to avoid the cities, Paul knew if they were to stay in the area, he'd need to get a job. He also knew the prospects of employment weren't good here in the country. He was deep in thought when he realized Scott was talking to him.

"…hot all of a sudden. There was a cool breeze when we left the cafe, but now, everything seems so still. Can we find some shade and rest for a minute?"

Paul looked around the flat plain. "There are some buildings over there," he said, pointing towards the horizon, "but other than those, I don't see anything that would give shade. Do you want me to make some?"

"No, Dad," Scott chuckled. "I don't think that would be a good idea. I just wish it weren't so muggy."

"Muggy?"

"It means humid, sticky, sultry, wet, moisture in the air. I don't know how to explain it."

"Yes, I've noticed 'muggy'. It doesn't feel very good. It makes it seem hotter than it really is. But, you know, Scott, I've also noticed something else."

"What?"

"There are no…sounds."

"Huh?"

"There are no sounds of insects, birds, animals, nothing. Doesn't that seem odd?"

Scott stopped walking and listened. "Yeah. I wonder why?"

"I don't have any idea, but it just doesn't seem right. I don't like it." Paul nodded towards the buildings. "Maybe we'll find someone up there to ask. Let's go."

After a few more minutes of walking, Scott felt the wind start to pick up. He pointed at the sky, "Look at that big, black cloud over there. I have a feeling it's going to rain soon."

"I think you're right, but I've never seen a green sky before. What do you think that means?"

Just then a flash of lightning cut across the sky, followed in a few seconds by the rolling of thunder. "I don't know what the green means, Dad, but I know we're going to get wet. Run for it!"

#####

"You stupid turkey, will you move it? The barn's that way." Jonathan walked behind the bird waving his arms. The turkey stayed just out of reach, but never walked more than a few feet at a time. He would then stop and stare off into the distance. "Now, I wonder what's gotten into that bird. He's never been this hard to herd before." Looking at his watch, Jonathan realized he'd been out for an hour and a half. He studied the sky for a moment and saw the clouds coming closer and getting nasty looking.

Suddenly, a roar like a freight train filled the air. Jonathan turned toward the sound just in time to see a funnel cloud touch the ground about a quarter mile away. Realizing he was too far from the house to be able to reach shelter, Jonathan threw himself into a ditch and put his arms over his head. "Jonathan! You fool! You should have seen this coming. I just hope this ditch is deep enough that the twister will pass over me."

"Dad, look," Scott shouted as he pointed towards the thin, white funnel reaching down from a lumpy-bottomed, mushroom-shaped cloud, "a tornado! It's coming this way! What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Paul said, pulling the sphere from his pocket, "but I won't let it hurt us." Just then, the twister touched the ground five hundred feet from them, instantly turning an angry black color as its swirling winds picked up dirt, wood, and other debris. It bounced once, rose into the air and moved away rapidly.

"Wow!" Scott pointed towards the receding funnel. "It just appeared out of nowhere. And that sound, it was like a giant sucking on a huge straw. I've never seen or heard anything like it."

"Neither have I, and I don't want to again." Paul hugged his visibly shaken son and shared the feeling of relief at their close call.

Breaking the embrace, Scott asked, "What did you do to stop it?"

Paul held the sphere up between his thumb and forefinger. "Nothing. Father Earth did it all on his own."

At first not understanding what his father meant Scott frowned for a moment. Suddenly he grinned. "That's Mother Nature, Dad."

Paul wiggled his eyebrows up and down a couple of times and smiled. "I knew that," he said as he placed the sphere back in his pocket. "We'd better move faster. It's starting to rain and we need to get to those buildings before the storm gets worse."

Jonathan stood up and watched the last wisps of the funnel disappear. "Hey, old man," he mumbled, "that was close. You better get yourself to the house." He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath. "I can't believe I got caught out here, but then, there were no signs of a storm when I started after that silly bird." He stared at the turkey sitting on the ground in front of him. "So are you coming with me, or do I leave you out here to drown?"

As they ran across the open ground, Paul and Scott caught sight of a man in the middle of the field and changed direction to meet him.

It startled Jonathan to see the man and boy appear out of the rain. "What are you two doing out here?"

"We were walking towards those buildings when we almost got caught in the tornado," Paul said. "Is there someplace we can get out of this rain?"

"Yes, we'd better get to the house. It's too wet to talk out here and that's dangerous lightning." Looking at the bird, Jonathan shook his head. "I can't make the stupid turkey move so we'll just have to leave him."

Paul took notice of the animal for the first time. He was sitting quietly with his head hanging down and his eyes closed. The Starman extended his hand to the turkey and after a few seconds the bird stood up, gobbled a couple of times and trotted towards the buildings.

Jonathan's jaw dropped. "Well, I never... What did you do? I haven't been able to get him to move at all."

Before Paul could respond, Scott yelled, "Dad! There's another tornado, and this one's bigger!"

Looking in the direction Scott pointed, both Paul and Jonathan saw the massive, black funnel coming towards them. It was already on the ground and only two hundred feet away, with winds many times stronger than those in the previous twister.

Without a second thought, Paul pulled the sphere from his pocket and connected with it. He projected the blue energy beam at the base of the twister and lifted it forty feet above the ground. With the immediate danger stopped, he next equalized the temperature and pressure in the funnel, which caused the winds to slow. As the twister died, Paul closed his fingers over the sphere and put it into his pocket. He turned and saw two pairs of eyes watching him.

"This time, I know it wasn't Mother Nature. How'd you do that?" Scott asked.

Paul shrugged. "A tornado is nothing more than energy in motion, so it wasn't difficult to make it stop."

Opening and closing his mouth a couple of times, Jonathan finally managed to speak. "That was quite something you just did." Certain what he'd just seen was not of this world, he asked, "I guess you must not be from around here?"

Since there didn't seem to be any reason to try to hide the truth, Paul spoke quietly. "No, I'm not."

"Then you're a visitor?" Jonathan glanced towards the sky.

"Yes." Paul paused, wondering what the man's reaction would be.

Jonathan let out the breath he'd been holding and offered his hand. "Welcome," he said as he shook Paul's hand in both of his. He continued to hold Paul's hand and gazed into his eyes for a moment before remembering more pressing things. "We really have to get to the house. My wife will be worried. You two can stay with us tonight because traveling in this storm would not be a good idea. Come on, follow me." Jonathan headed off towards the buildings, catching up to the turkey and shooing him along as he went.

Paul and Scott exchanged a look of wonder at how casual this man was about the things he'd just seen. They both knew that normally when Paul told someone about himself, there was a period of disbelief or even fear. Though the man's attitude was a puzzle, Paul felt no danger when he took his hand, and decided they'd be safe here. Father and son followed along behind the man in silence.

#####

FSA agent George Fox sat on the edge of the bed in his dimly lit Denver motel room, mumbling to himself. "Two hours, it was just two hours. They couldn't have been gone any longer than that. How did we miss them? If that incompetent cop and that imbecile Wylie had been at their posts, they never would have gotten past us."

Reflecting back on the failed capture of the alien and its offspring, Fox knew staying in Denver was probably a waste of time. If they managed to get a ride, getting a lead on which direction they took will be more difficult, but if they had to walk for any distance, maybe someone will have seen them. At any rate, I'm going to ask some more questions in the morning. The last six hours of searching haven't turned up anything. He switched off the light, and lay back on the bed.

"What was that?" At a persistent 'knock, knock, knock' he sat up again. "Who's at the door at this hour?" Fox went to the door and shouted without opening it, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Mr. Fox, Wylie."

"Wylie? What do you want?"

He knew his boss would be angry no matter what he did, so Wylie said as confidently as he could, "I have something I think you should see."

Fox pulled open the door with an angry jerk and screamed, "What? Is it something from Washington? Or is it a lead on the alien?"

"N-no, Mr. Fox," Wylie stammered. "It's a newspaper article, about another alien, back east. I thought…"

"The problem with you, Wylie, is you never think. I don't want to see any of your tabloid trash about space aliens. I'm only interested in the real thing." Slamming the door, Fox walked to the bed and flung himself down. "Imbecile!"

Wylie looked again at the headline, "Alien Invasion of Earth", then folded the paper and walked away dejectedly. He admitted to himself that when he'd gone to the hotel gift shop earlier in the day he was looking for a paper of the type Mr. Fox would call a tabloid, but the lady at the desk said they didn't carry that kind of paper. She'd been very nice and promised to see what she could do for him.

When he returned to his room a short while ago, Wylie found this three month old copy of the New York Daily Star along with a note from the lady. 'I found this buried behind the counter. I hope you like it. Take it, complements of the hotel. Ellen.'

The New York Daily Star is one of the most respected papers in the world, Wylie thought to himself. It isn't a tabloid. The report of this alien sighting is too well covered by the mainstream press to be just another hoax. I've tried to tell Mr. Fox about it before, but he won't listen and I know eventually, I'm going to be in trouble.

#####

As Jonathan, Paul, and Scott entered the house Jonathan called to his wife, "Martha, we have guests for dinner."

Rushing out of the kitchen, Martha exclaimed, "Jonathan, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, honey."

"When the radio broadcast the tornado warning and you weren't here, I was worried. I looked for you, but when I saw the funnel coming all I could do was go to the shelter and hope you'd be all right. As soon as the winds died down I came out to see if you were back and when you weren't, I was really scared."

"There was no need. I'm okay."

"But I had no way to know that." Martha smiled at her husband, and then took notice of the tall, handsome man and teenage boy standing beside him. She extended her hand and said, "Welcome. My name is Martha Kent. We're happy to have you here. No one should be out in this storm."

Paul felt a pleasant warmth, similar to what he'd felt from her husband, as he shook the woman's hand. "I'm Paul Forrester and this is my son, Scott. I'm glad we found your husband, er…"

"Jonathan. Jonathan Kent. I guess in all the excitement I forgot to introduce myself."

"Thank you for taking us in, Mr. and Mrs. Kent. I've never seen weather like this before."

"Please, it's Martha and Jonathan. We're not very formal out here in Smallville." Martha put her arm around Jonathan's waist. "Well, maybe you haven't been in a tornado before, but this husband of mine sure has." Martha pounded one fist lightly on Jonathan's chest and said scoldingly, "haven't you lived in Kansas long enough to know better than to be outside when there are tornadoes around?"

"Honey, you know when I went outside there was hardly a cloud in the sky. This storm came up suddenly." He hugged his wife and gave her a quick kiss. Jonathan glanced at Paul as he remembered what he'd seen in the field. "Dear," he paused momentarily, "Paul and Scott aren't from here."

"Yeah, I figured that out already."

Jonathan put both his hands on his wife's shoulders, "No. I mean they really aren't…from…here." Jonathan gazed into his wife's eyes, and then glanced upwards.

Martha looked from her husband to the strangers several times, then, she understood. "Oh." A friendly smile came to her face. Breaking away from her husband, she again took Paul's hand. "I'm so happy to meet you. Is it true?" She glanced at Paul and Scott, and then asked, "Are you really visitors?"

Even though he felt sympathy, compassion and mounting excitement coming from Martha, Paul still hesitated before speaking. "Yes, I am a visitor to your world."

As Martha shook Scott's hand, she said, "It's such a pleasure to have you here."

"We're the ones glad to be here," Scott said quietly, as he glanced between his father and Mrs. Kent.

No longer able to contain herself, Martha's enthusiasm spilled over. "Where are you from? Is it in this galaxy? How long have you been here? Are you the only two here or are there more? How long…?"

"Martha! Give Paul a chance to talk. Don't get so excited."

Paul put his arm around his son. "I think we should sit down and talk. I will answer what I can of your questions. But, first I want to know one thing. You two seem to welcome the idea of alien visitors. Have you met 'visitors' before?"

Martha looked at her husband. She realized they couldn't tell all they knew about extraterrestrials, but they had to say something. "We've known for many years that we're not alone in the galaxy. We saw a spacecraft over twenty-five years ago."

Paul glanced at Scott. "It must have been a good experience, since you both seem so at ease with this."

Jonathan took his wife's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Yes, Paul, it was a very good experience. Neither of us would change anything about it." He paused to share another silent moment with his wife, then said, "Martha, don't you think all these questions can wait until after we eat? Besides, all three of us are soaking wet and need to dry off."

"Yes, of course, dear, we'll have time to talk later." Martha smiled warmly as she faced their guests. "The two of you can share Clark's room."

"Clark?" Scott asked.

"Our son. He's a reporter in Metropolis and doesn't live here anymore. But we still have his room made up for when he's visiting. Come on now, let's get you settled." Martha turned and motioned for them to follow.

"Are you guys ready for dinner?" Martha shouted down the hall, as she took a pot of soup off the stove. She smiled when she saw Jonathan come out of the bedroom, but that smile quickly faded as she heard the radio broadcast.

"The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch effective until 10:45 p.m. Central daylight time for the following locations: Rice, Ellsworth, and Saline counties. Be prepared to…" The announcement was interrupted by the sound of the Emergency Broadcast System alert tones. "Attention! Attention! At 5:10 p.m. Central daylight time the Ellsworth County sheriff's office has indicated a tornado on the ground, that's a tornado on the ground three miles southeast of Smallville moving northeast at fifteen miles per hour. By 5:20 p.m. Central daylight time this tornado will move through Smallville.

"People in the projected path of the tornado should move to a shelter below ground if available, otherwise go to a small interior room on the lowest floor possible. Avoid windows. Abandon cars and mobile homes for a steadier building or get into a ditch or culvert. This is a very dangerous storm. Act quickly. Besides numerous tornadoes being reported in the area, expect very heavy rains, strong winds, deadly lightning, and the possibility of golf-ball size hail. Repeat: If you are in the path of this dangerous storm, seek shelter immediately."

As the message repeated, Jonathan ran outside and Martha dashed down the hall to Clark's room. "Paul, Scott, there's another tornado in the area. We have to get to the shelter, now." She knocked on the door, and then pushed it open. "Come on, I'll show you the way." The three of them sprinted to the back of the house and met Jonathan just as he opened the shelter. The single, heavy door started at the ground and slanted upwards, meeting the house about two feet above ground.

Jonathan entered first, turning on the battery-powered lantern sitting at the bottom of the stairs and the battery-powered radio on the shelf. Standing behind Paul and Scott, Martha urged their guests to enter the shelter. "Down the stairs you two."

Paul turned to look at the angry sky. "I don't see a tornado."

"You don't have to see it. It's close, and is coming this way. Now, hurry!"

After everyone had scrambled inside and the door was latched, Paul surveyed his surroundings. The room was small, dug into the earth about seven feet deep and eight feet square. They sat on benches pushed against the rough, wood-lined walls. A piece of old carpet covered the floor. Cupboards along one wall contained various supplies including some tools, flashlights, jugs filled with water, and some food staples.

Paul scanned the faces of the Kents. "You don't seem very excited or upset. Does this kind of thing happen often?"

"We have our share of twisters, but they don't usually come this close." Martha smiled reassuringly. "Also, having three of them one right after another is quite unusual."

Scott, not as calm as his adult companions, felt this room was too much like a cell where Fox might put them. It reminded him of being locked in the pantry at Antonia Weyburn's. "How long do we have to stay in here?"

Martha walked over to the father and son and placed a hand on Scott's shoulder. "Not long. You listen for the winds to get quiet, and for the radio to say it's all clear, and then you know it's all right to leave. It just pays to be safe, so we use the shelter whenever an alarm is sounded, or whenever the sky gets threatening."

Scott cocked his head sideways and listened to the howling wind. Hail stones hitting the shelter door sounded like gunfire and the thunder crashed almost constantly. "It sure is spooky in here." He smiled weakly. "But I suppose it's better than taking a ride to Oz like Dorothy." Jonathan and Martha joined Scott in his laughter.

Not understanding the joke, Paul looked into the faces of each of his companions, then asked, "Who's Dorothy?"

Scott grimaced, "Dad! Not now."

Martha and Jonathan exchanged a look, and then Jonathan grinned. "I suppose our myths and stories would seem a little strange to you. Dorothy was a character in a story about a tornado."

"Oh." Paul said.

"Scott, you seem to understand more than your father," Martha stated. "How's that possible?"

Scott wasn't used to talking about himself or his father so openly. He glanced at his dad and saw him nod slightly. "My mom's from Wisconsin. She had to give me up when I was three to keep the government from putting me in a test tube."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked.

"The government wanted to take me away from her, to experiment on me, to try to find out things about my dad. It was too dangerous for me to stay with her, so she left me with a foster family. They took care of me until my dad came back three years ago."

A stab of pain pierced Martha's heart. As the adoptive mother of an exceptionally special child, she felt an immediate kinship with this unknown woman.

Paul saw a look of pain, or maybe understanding pass between the Kents and wondered why he felt these people were so interesting and different. He took up the story and told of his first visit to Earth, meeting Jenny, and traveling across the country with her. He described how they came to care for each other and told of giving her a baby.

Paul looked fondly at Scott, and continued his story by describing his return to Earth, the meeting with his son, and ending with a description of their capture and escape from Peagrum, and their most recent escape from Denver. "Since my return, we've been trying to stay ahead of the FSA and find Jenny. George Fox thinks I'm a threat to the world."

Martha reached out and grasped Paul's hand. "But you're not." She paused and gazed deeply into his eyes. "I know you're not. Why can't people understand that just because someone is different, they aren't necessarily a menace? It just isn't right."

#####

"Hey, C.K., look at this." Jimmy Olson turned up the volume on the television in the Daily Planet newsroom. It was after seven and most of the staff had already left. Both Clark Kent and Lois Lane joined him in front of the set just as a picture of the Smallville city hall appeared on the screen.

The roof and one side of the brick building were gone and the other three walls were broken at jagged angles. Shattered glass, furniture, and wood was scattered in the street. "This is an LNN special report. Southwestern and central Kansas has felt the fury of at least ten major tornadoes and several smaller ones since mid-afternoon. Most of downtown Great Bend, Smallville, and Salina have sustained severe damage. There are five confirmed fatalities and hundreds of reported injuries. Property damage from these storms will reach into the millions."

The screen changed to show a picture of a huge funnel cloud advancing upon a house and barn. "We now go to June Paulson at the Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Missouri, for an explanation of what we're seeing in this amateur video taken near Hays earlier today. Go ahead, June."

"The tornado you see here came from a squall line of thunderstorms that contains supercells. It's being fed by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and a cool, low pressure system moving in from the Rockies. This tornado has already traveled 150 miles and shows no sign of weakening."

The announcer asked, "I didn't think a tornado lasted that long?"

June continued, "You're right. It's unusual for a tornado to last more than a few minutes. Also, most are less than a quarter of a mile wide, and travel no farther than fifteen miles. In the United States, only about two percent of all tornadoes are classified as violent, but those few account for almost seventy percent of the nation's tornado deaths."

The announcer broke in again. "June, could you tell our viewers what makes these tornadoes different from the average?"

"To do that, you have to understand something about the weather phenomena that creates them. A supercell is a large, rotating parent thunderstorm of exceptional violence that often spawns several strong tornadoes in succession. Though rare, these storms are the most dangerous because they travel great distances without losing much of their strength."

"Thank you for the update, June. We'll be talking to you again later in the broadcast. We go now to a live interview with a survivor of one of the tornadoes that touched down outside Smallville. Go ahead, Marty."

A middle-aged woman appeared on the screen standing beside the correspondent, a pile of broken and twisted wood and glass visible in the background. "Can you tell us what happened, Mrs. Williams?"

"I saw this huge black cloud coming right at us, my grandson and I. The wind began blowing, and the sky got blacker and blacker. We ran inside the house and crowded into the shelter, just as the tornado hit. The whole house exploded. It was like a bomb going off." She paused and looked around. With a quiver in her voice, and tears in her eyes, she continued, "We're lucky to be alive. There's nothing left."

"I know her!" Clark exclaimed. "She lives only a few miles from my parents." Grabbing at his tie, he started toward the door. "I've got to go to them."

"Wait, Clark," Lois called. "You can't go out there now. I'm sure all the flights will have been rerouted or delayed."

Jimmy placed a hand on his friend's arm, "Lois is right, C.K.. Try calling first. Your parents might be fine. These things can demolish one place and completely miss one only a few feet away."

Clark looked from Lois to Jimmy, and then back at the television set. His emotions were in a turmoil as he thought, I don't need a plane to get to Kansas, but I can't explain that. Rushing out now will raise questions I can't answer, so I'll make the phone call. A few more minutes won't matter.

"Okay guys, I guess you're right." Clark went to his desk and managed to punch the phone buttons at normal speed. When he heard a message saying all lines were down, Clark knew he had to go to Kansas. However, in order to give himself an easy exit from the building, he pretended to be talking to his mother. "…Bye, Mom. Love you."

"Now, wasn't that easier, C.K.?" Jimmy slapped his friend on the back. "Instead of standing in a line somewhere, you already know your parents are fine."

"Yeah, you guys were right. I just panicked. In all the years I lived in Kansas, we were only threatened by tornadoes twice. Lots of them came close, but we never suffered any serious damage. I guess the Kent luck is still holding. But I'm going to my apartment now. It's late and I'm tired."

Clark grabbed his suit coat from the back of his chair, and entered the elevator. As soon as he was alone in the alley, he took flight as Superman. He'd be home in just a few minutes.

#####

"Martha, don't you think we could have dinner now?" Jonathan asked. "The hail has quit and the winds are much quieter. I believe the worst is over."

"Yes, I think you're right." She laughed. "It's a good thing I cooked something easy to reheat. We've been in here almost two hours, so I know the soup is cold."

Just then, as if in confirmation, the radio announcer said, "The severe storm system has moved out of the area. However, there still are gusty winds, some flooding, and heavy rain continuing. Be extremely careful as you leave your shelter. If you are in an area where hail is still falling, remain inside."

They all stood and Jonathan went to the ladder. He climbed up a couple of steps, released the latch and pushed the door open, then studied the sky. The clouds were mostly a medium gray, with some lighter patches where the setting sun was trying to peak through. He decided the worst of the storm was past, even though it was still raining fairly hard. He climbed out of the shelter and reached down to help his wife.

Just as Martha started up the steps, a strong gust of wind blew through the yard. Hearing a loud groan and creak, she looked up and saw a large limb dangling from the oak tree. She yelled, "Jonathan! Look out!" It was too late. The limb, broken from the tree during the storm, came crashing down, knocking Jonathan to the ground.

"Jonathan!" Martha shouted, as she scrambled up the ladder. "Jonathan, are you all right?" Seeing her husband lying motionless, she bent over him, ignoring the rain that came down in sheets. Blood was pulsing from a large, ragged cut on the side of his head.

Quickly climbing out of the shelter, Paul and Scott knelt beside the Kents. Scott tried to shield Jonathan from the rain but wasn't having much success.

"I've got to call the doctor," Martha yelled. "Please, stay here with him," she cried as she ran into the house.

Martha returned in less than a minute and saw Paul examining her husband. Kneeling beside them, she said, "The phone lines must be down. I can't get through." She scanned the sky and saw the clouds were lighter, but knew that could change quickly. "We have to get him inside. If the hail starts again, it can be as dangerous as a tornado."

Paul looked deeply into the distraught woman's eyes and said quietly, "No, Martha, we can't move him."

"But we have to! He can't stay out here."

"Please, listen to me. It would not be good to move him right now. He has a concussion, and this arm and leg are broken. But the worst injury is his back. It's twisted and if we move him, he could be paralyzed."

Martha knelt by her husband and brushed the wet hair from his face. Turning back to Paul, she asked, "How do you know what's wrong with him?"

"I just do," Paul replied calmly.

Not really sure she understood, Martha said, "Okay, but if what you say is true, it just proves we have to do something and now!"

As she began to pull at Jonathan's shirt in an attempt to move him, Paul reached out and took Martha's hands. She struggled to avoid his grasp, but could not. After a brief moment she relaxed as the tension vanished from her body.

"Scott, I'm going to need your help. Would you take care of Martha?"

"Sure, Dad." The boy stood and took hold of the woman's shoulders, helping her to her feet. He watched his father pull the sphere from his pocket and connect with it. Almost instantly, the rain stopped hitting them as Paul projected an energy dome above their heads.

"Now, son, take out your sphere and maintain this shield. Do you think you can do that?"

Seeing a look of encouragement in his father's eyes, Scott took a deep breath, removed the sphere from his pocket, and connected with it. The blue glow appeared, at first shaky and weak, but soon it grew steady and bright.

Martha gazed up in wonder. She'd seen her son do many unusual things, but this was completely different. When she looked back at Paul, she saw him touching Jonathan gently with his left hand while the blue glow from the sphere in his right completely enveloped her husband. Martha was so intent upon watching what was happening in front of her, she didn't notice the arrival of the man in the red, blue, and yellow suit.

Superman flew toward his family's home at top speed, scanning it with both super-vision and super-hearing. He saw his father's accident, and was frustrated because he was too far away to prevent it. As Superman landed beside the barn, he saw his parents and the two strangers surrounded by a softly glowing blue light. He wanted to rush in and carry his father to safety, but this visitor seemed to have everything under control. Superman decided to stay out of sight and wait, watch and listen.

Jonathan opened his eyes and blinked. He saw a strange blue glow overhead, and wondered where he was. When he saw the face of his wife and Scott above him, he realized he was on the ground and remembered the fall he'd taken. Feeling a hand on his side, Jonathan turned to see Paul seated beside him. He put his elbow on the ground, and started to lift himself, "What…?"

"No," Paul said decisively, "don't move, and don't try to talk. When I'm finished, we'll get you inside. You had a bad accident." Paul worked for a few more minutes, then closed his fingers over the sphere to extinguish its light, and placed it in his pocket. He helped Jonathan to a sitting position and asked, "How do you feel?"

"I guess I'm okay." Jonathan patted his arms, legs, and chest. "Nothing hurts." Pointing upwards, he asked, "What's that?"

Scott looked at his father, then at Jonathan. "It's just a…" pausing briefly, he finished in a rush, "just a way to keep the rain off."

Because of the experience of raising his own special son, Jonathan understood the boy's unease at talking about his alien heritage. He didn't ask for more of an explanation. Putting his hands on the ground, he started to stand.

"Oh, honey, please be careful," Martha exclaimed. "That was a close call." She and Paul reached down and helped Jonathan to his feet. "Let's get you inside where it's warm." Martha placed Jonathan's arm across her shoulders and started towards the house, but stopped when she realized their guests weren't following. "Come on, you two. What are you waiting for?"

Paul sensed a presence unlike any he'd felt before. "You go on, Scott; I have something I need to do."

"What is it, Dad?"

"It's nothing, really. You go on to the house."

Scott closed his fingers over the sphere and let the shield drop. He sprinted to the house to get out of the rain, and arrived at the door in time to open it for the Kents.

Paul removed the sphere from his pocket, connected with it, and began scanning the area. He focused for a moment, and then walked straight to the barn. Opening the door, he found a strangely dressed man inside and remembered recently seeing pictures of this person in a newspaper. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long, but I've been watching for quite a while." Superman wondered how this man knew he was in the barn, since he was certain no one had seen him land.

Though he felt he already knew the answer, Paul still asked, "You're not of this world, are you?"

Superman looked at the man in front of him and contemplated the things he'd seen in the last hour. He shook his head and smiled. "No, I'm not." He paused briefly. "And I don't think you are either."

Paul lifted the sphere to illuminate both their faces. "We are a couple of strange ones, I guess. What are you doing here?"

"When I heard about the devastation from the tornadoes, I came to help. But it looks like you already have these problems under control."

This wasn't the answer to the question Paul was asking. However, sensing the man didn't want to say more about why he was on Earth, or how he came to be in the Kent's barn, Paul let it drop. "We just had a little accident. I did what I had to do."

"That's quite some talent you have. They call me 'Super'man but I can't mend broken bones or heal wounds. I can see the injuries with my x-ray vision, and can do some things with my heat vision, but nothing like what I just saw you do."

"Well, I can't fly or do the kinds of things the newspapers say you do. I think…"

Superman turned quickly towards a scream he heard with his super-hearing. He said, "I'm sorry, but someone's in trouble and I have to go. Maybe we'll meet again."

"I'd like that. We can talk more about…about things we might have in common."

"Yes, we could. Thank you for helping my…er…for helping these people." Walking outside, he raised his arm and flew into the night sky.

#####

Lex Luthor leaned back in his chair and took a long pull on his cigar. He glanced at the man seated beside him then turned towards the flickering television screen. A beautiful woman held a ring in her palm as the announcer described the item. "This magnificent ruby and diamond ring is part of the Eddie Levian Designer Collection. It can be yours for only $1195.99 or six easy payments of $199.34 for credit card customers only. Call 1-800-555-5776 and ask for item number A4221. For fastest service, have your credit card ready, or send check or money order to the address listed below. Sorry, no COD's." As the address flashed on the screen, the announcer continued, "This is LSN, the Luthor Shopping Network, bringing you twenty-four hours of home buying opportunities. Stay tuned. We'll be right back."

Luthor hit the mute button as the commercial started. "Will this plan of yours really work, Gregson?"

The short, thin man fidgeted with excitement. "I'm sure it will, Mr. Luthor. The lab results with the chimps have been excellent. Anywhere from ten minutes to an hour after ingestion, LL485 affected their brains as predicted. Of course, we can't be completely certain LL485 will have the desired effect on humans until we do some testing."

"And when will that be?" Luthor snapped as he took another pull on his cigar and stared at George Gregson. With the smoke curling around his head, Luthor thought, several months ago this irritating little chemist came to me with the idea for LL485. I almost threw the wimpy nerd out, but his plan intrigued me. If it works, LexCorp will earn millions in profits, so I'll put up with him, for a while, anyway.

"We're in production now. The first test will be at the World Gymnastics Championships later this week."

"Why there? Wouldn't someplace in Metropolis be easier?"

George Gregson sighed. Lex Luthor is an intelligent man, but sometimes he doesn't seem to have the sense God gave a goose. Why do I always have to explain the simplest concepts to him. "If LL485 works on a group of the most dedicated athletes in the world, it will certainly work on your average housewife, teenager, businessman, anyone. It's the perfect place for our test."

"Good." Luthor indicated to Gregson the interview was over by standing. "I'm anxious to hear the results."

#####

The conversation during dinner centered mostly on the storm and tornadoes, as the lightning continued to illuminate the night sky and the rolling of the thunder seemed never to stop. The hard, driving rain that had started coming down earlier continued to fall.

With everyone helping, the dishes were done quickly, and the four of them went into the living room. Martha and Jonathan sat side by side on the couch, holding hands. Paul and Scott were in chairs facing them. Looking first into her husband's eyes, then into Paul's, Martha began, "I don't know what you did out there, but I know you saved Jonathan's life. Thank you."

"I did what needed to be done," Paul said. "Even though it exposes my son and me to greater danger, I can't look past people who are hurting, people in trouble, knowing I could help. I just can't do that."

Jonathan thought, That's interesting. That sounds a lot like something Clark would say. "You know, Paul, that's twice today you've saved my life. I wish there was something I could do for you and Scott, but nothing can compare to what you've given me."

"What he's given us, you mean." Martha squeezed her husband's hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I know what I've done today may seem miraculous," Paul said, "but I have to ask you not to say anything about it to anyone. We've already told you about the government agent who's after us. He wants to put both of us in a cage, experiment on us…"

"…and dissect you like a frog," Jonathan finished. He paused for a moment and glanced at his wife. "You can be sure no one will ever hear about you from us. We've already told you we had an experience with a visitor many years ago. You and Scott are the only people we've ever told about that. It's very important to us, for you to keep our secret as well."

Paul sensed there was more to the Kent's previous encounter than they were willing to share. Not wanting to pry, he changed the subject. "Actually, there is something you could do for us." Paul looked at Scott, then his hosts. "My son and I would like to stay away from large cities for a while. Do you know of any work in the area?"

"What kind of work?" Jonathan asked.

"Paul Forrester was a photojournalist. I've often found work in his field. But actually, I'll do anything."

"Yeah," Scott laughed, "my dad picks up things really quickly. He learned how to repair computers by reading a book."

Just then the phone rang and Martha went into the bedroom to answer it. After a moment, she shouted, "Honey, it's Clark. Pick up the other phone."

"Excuse me for a moment. It's our son calling from Metropolis. I'm sure he's worried about us with all the news about the storms around here."

After the Kents had both left the room, Scott moved closer to his father. "Why don't they think we're weird?"

"I don't know Scott, but I sense an understanding unlike anything I've ever felt from humans before. The Kents are special people."

Martha carried the portable phone into the kitchen to be with her husband, listening to the conversation as she went.

"Dad, are you all right?" Clark said excitedly. "I saw what happened outside the shelter."

"I'm fine, Clark. But I didn't know you were here."

"I've been in the area for several hours, helping people and clearing up some of the storm damage, but I really wanted to talk to you guys. When I saw you had visitors, I stayed out of sight. I didn't want to just appear out of a tornado because that would have been a little hard to explain."

Martha laughed. "Yes, I suppose it would have been. How much did you see, honey?"

"Everything, Mom."

Martha gazed up into her husband's face and realized again what a close call they'd had. "Where are you now, Clark? I thought the phones were out because of the storm."

"The long distance lines are down, and some local lines, but I finally found a pay phone that works about fifty miles away. When I…Hold on a second, I'll be right back."

As the phone dropped, Martha and Jonathan heard squealing tires and a crash, followed by a splash. Next they heard a familiar swishing sound. For several more minutes all they could hear was the wind howling and the hail pounding, until Clark returned to the phone.

"Sorry about that. There's still heavy rain and hail falling out here, and the rain is washing the hail into huge drifts. When a bus swerved to miss one of them, it slid into the river, and I had to pull it out and carry it to higher ground." Clark thought about his conversation with the man in the barn. "When I was at the farm, I met your visitor. How much do you know about him?"

Jonathan looked at his wife before answering, "Not much, but he's very nice." The elder Kent thought quickly of the government agent who was pursuing their guests, and of the story they'd told about being captured and studied. He knew his son could be in the same danger. "I'd like you to talk to him. After seeing what he did, you've probably guessed the two of you have some things in common."

"Yeah, I know. We talked in the barn."

Realizing she wouldn't be breaking the promise to Paul to not tell anyone about him because Clark already knew the truth, Martha said, "Maybe he could tell you something about your world, about Krypton. He said he's a navigator and mapmaker of the universe."

"I'd like to talk to him, Mom, but I don't know if I should. He can't find out who I am because it could be dangerous for you and Dad."

There was a brief pause as none of them quite knew what to say next. This was a fear they'd all lived with for over twenty-five years and having Paul and Scott visit had made it even more real. Suddenly, Jonathan's face brightened. "Clark, we owe Paul a favor. You don't suppose there would be a job for a photographer at the Planet?"

"I don't think so, Dad. Why?"

"Paul needs work and he said he's a photojournalist. Working at the Daily Planet would seem like a good place for him."

Clark paused, deep in thought.

Concerned at the silence on the other end of the phone, Martha asked, "Honey, are you still there?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'm just trying to remember where I've seen your guest before. What's his name again?"

"Paul Forrester."

"That's it. I knew I recognized him. I've heard people at the Planet say he's quite a rogue. I could certainly believe it too, because I saw him lecture once while I was in college. He was, I don't know, arrogant, cocky, conceited. You say he's a nice guy?"

"Yes, son," Martha said. "But remember, this Paul Forrester isn't…the original. He's different. You'd like him."

"Maybe so. I want you to tell me more about him the next time I visit. I should go now, if you're sure you're all right."

"We're fine, Clark," Jonathan assured him. "Paul took good care of us."

"I'll call you guys in the morning when I get back to Metropolis. And I'll come back in a day or so and clean up the mess in the yard. Bye, now. Love you."

After saying their good-byes and hanging up the phone, the Kents rejoined their guests. "Sorry for abandoning you, but Clark was worried about us," Martha said.

Smiling with the understanding of a parent, Paul said, "It's not a problem. I know what it's like to be separated from your child."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose you do."

A few minutes of awkward silence was finally broken by Jonathan. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired. What do you say we call it a night? We can continue this conversation in the morning."

Standing to indicate his agreement, Paul said, "That sounds like a good idea to me. Come on, Scott, let's go to bed."