Choices
Chloe pretends to stagger drunkenly as she makes her way downway down the alley, giggling. She is in the worst part of Metropolis where the police used to only come to in force, but she is desperate. Nothing else has worked. He knows her too well when she tries to bluff him into confronting her by threatening to jump from her new clock tower apartment or other suicide attempt. As she hoped the predators smelled blood in the water, and started circling. They aren't quite close enough yet so she pauses near a dumpster and pretends to be ready to sick up. Her too tight and too short skirt rides up a little more in the process but she tells her dignity this outrageous hooker getup is the only way for him not to recognize her until he is right in front of her. The Chloe Sullivan he knows would never dress this way.
"Well, hello there pretty" one of the predators announces, now that the rest of his gang has managed to surround her. He is the all too stereotypical greasy, scarred thug she has seen Clark take down a thousand times.
She smiles at him with such confidence that the thug actually pauses, and almost pulls away from her. His self preservation instinct is screaming to him that something is wrong. It tells him to flee. He almost listens, but then looks around at his gang. No way can he risk losing face with them by walking away because of a feeling. Beside this dish clearly has money from the jewelry she is wearing, and she is attractive. Why deny himself for just a feeling? She chooses that moment to start screaming, but that only draws him to her more. The helplessness and fear she must be feeling proving too much of a drug for him to resist. He grabs her and throws her down. While she is still screaming, she isn't fighting back. Again his instincts tell him to run, but he ignores it once again. "Let's see what you have to offer me and the boys." he says with a leer as he grabs her skirt and tears it off. He is disappointed not to find panties underneath but tiny shorts. "Why is she dressed like this, but wearing shorts?" he wonders for a brief moment before a fist explodes through his skull.
Brains, blood, and bone fountain from the now headless thug covering Chloe. Her screaming before was merely an act, but this site draws real screams from her. What happens next forces this harden report/crime fighter to cover her eyes. This does nothing to help block out the screams though.
"Chloe, it takes more than clothes to hide who you are from me. I know your skeletal structure like the back of my hand. Just get on with your lecture so I can go back to doing what I must." her former friend tells her so coldly, she swears he is not the same man she knew. Well, that is the trouble after all.
Recovering as much of her wits as she can after that horrific scene takes longer than she would like, so she stalls by carefully standing and wiping a bit of the gore off her. 68 people. 68 people Kal-El has killed since the day Clark Kent died. She still refuses to believe, but the events of this evening leave her no choice but to face the truth. "How could you just kill them?" she fires out stunned and angry that the man she believed in so much has fallen so far.
"They made their choice. It is not my fault, but theirs. If they didn't want to die in an alley they should have chosen something else than a life of crime." he calmly and coldly explains.
"This isn't you, Clark. The Clark I know would never make himself judge, jury, and executioner. He believed in people" she retorts getting right up in his face. He may be the most powerful person on the planet, but he will never scare her.
"Clark Kent is dead for exactly the reasons you mention. Clark was too wrapped up to see the big picture. He worried and hesitated and innocent people died for it. If he had done what was necessary from the beginning so many people who deserved to live would still be alive." he replies as he steps closer to her, forcing her back against the dumpster. His anger at his old self's pathetic weakness has not dampened even though it has been many months since he embraced his destiny.
"Please Clark see reason." she begs him as she starts to cry. She can find no trace of her friend in the cold eyes staring at her but she can't give up on him. It is just not in her to lose faith with Clark. She will find a way to save him from Kal-El.
"I see things more clearly than ever before. Tell me: what is the crime rate in Metropolis? How many innocents have died since I embraced my destiny?" he implores her. She will see this is for the best.
Reluctantly Chloe replies "The crime rate has never been lower. Yes, you have saved hundreds of people from accidents and other disastrous, but what about you? If you ask me the price is too high. You can't cut yourself off from your emotions forever. You forget I have seen other kryptonians too. They were not emotionless robots that you are pretending to be!"
"Again you make my point for me. Emotion is exactly what destroyed those other Kryptonians. Emotion drove them to evil. How can you encourage me to follow their path?" he reasons.
Stroking his check lovingly, she replies "Without them what is the point of living." With him this close she seizes the opportunity to make her point by kissing him as passionately as she can. Hope fills her briefly as she feels his body start to respond to hers. His tongue caresses her lips but before she can open her mouth he pulls away. She lost him again.
"Take care of yourself, Chloe" he says before flying off.
Chloe collapses against the dumpster and cries. Clark Kent must really be dead. Before this dreadful thought can overwhelm her, she shoves it aside. She will not fail him. She will find a way. Picking her way through the remains of the thugs, she exits the alley to find a police cruiser with two officers leaning against their car waiting for her. "Hi Jon." she says tiredly.
"It was a good try." he replies.
"It wasn't enough and worst of all it cost those poor men their lives. It is my fault they are dead. If I had just believed you." she tries to explain, but is overcome by her tears once more."
Jon wraps his trench coat about her sobbing form as he gently guides her into the back of the police cruiser. "I will take you home while my partner waits for the morgue crew." he tells her. He then climbs behind the wheel and slowly enters Metropolis' traffic to wind his way to her tower home.
Chapter 2Kal-El flew as fast as he could away from his one true weakness. Damn her for clouding his judgment. He deeply hates the fact that this small pathetic human has gotten under his skin. Wait, Chloe is never pathetic. In fact she is the bravest person he knows. She doesn't have his abilities to protect her, but she still dives into dangerous situations every day. In high orbit, he floats calming his mind. His logic firmly reasserts itself. Back in control, it is easy to see that while she means well she is misguided. She will see he is right eventually. A siren catches his attention and he zips off.
Chloe numbly makes her way into her apartment. She isn't even surprised to see the balcony doors are open. Looking around she finds her intruder draped over her sofa still in his green costume. She can smell the liquor from here. "Just what I needed another lost hero." she thinks.
"Good to see you Oliver." she quips. Her words dripping of sarcasm. She has far less sympathy for Oliver than Clark. Oliver never understood the price of being a hero. Green Arrow was always about his own redemption or competing with Lex. Sure, the end result was a better world but the trouble was he never truly believed what he told the others. When the shit hit the fan with Davis, the team figured that out and everything went to hell. To make matters worse, Oliver was forced to face his own mistakes. However, instead of stepping up and facing them, he retreated into a bottle. Green Arrow has become a joke. She has dragged his barely conscious ass to safety too many times to keep doing it. Oliver needs to save himself this time.
"It is always a pleasure Chloe." he says with a leer. He staggers up right and over to her. Up close his breath is even worse. She gently pushes off of him but he grips her arm and tries to draw her close to him. "Chloe." he whispers with hunger and need through his drunken haze. She freezes in his grip only slightly concerned he may go too far. Seeing her tense, the small part of him who still remembers who he tried to be releases her. "Chloe" he says this time in way of apology. Still unable to find the words for the mess he has made of his life, he runs once again, this, this time to the balcony where even hammered he easily shoots a grapple line to a far off roof top so he can glide away.
Before he can, her hand on his arm stops him. It takes a great deal of effort to meet her eyes as he knows he will see his failure in them but he has just enough left in him to do so. "You are better than this." she tells him before letting him run away.
"I wish you were right." he replies as the grapple pulls him away.
Anger washes over Chloe and she slams her balcony doors with such force their glass panes to explode. She ignores the shower of glass as she stalks back into her apartment. "How dare they do this to me!! Why is it up to me to save them!! What about me!!" she screams to her empty apartment. Tears pour out of her as her all too fresh wounds burst open once more.
Before she loses herself completely to her grief a voice which must just be in her head tells her "Because you can." With the voice comes the image of Jimmy, lifting her chin and wiping her tears. "Everyone needs help, but not everyone can offer it. You are one of the special people who helps others in spite of the personal costs. You are my hero Chloe." his ghost whispers to her.
"Oh Jimmy. It hurts so much." she whispers back.
"It will get better. You will heal. You will go on." he reassures her before fading back to where ever he goes.
Chloe cries herself to sleep once again praying he is right.
The next morning she forces herself out of bed and into the shower. She mindlessly moves through her morning routine and manages to get to work on time. Perry never gives her a hard time about her comings and goings because he knows she will eventually deliver him a headline story. He would never admit that he also understands the grief she feels for losing just about everyone in her life. He was lost for a long time too and Chloe helped him remember who he was. The least he can do is return the favor.
Several hours later, Chloe finds herself before crime boss Martoni. Before he would have tried to kill her instead of inviting her to lunch, but that was before several of the most powerful men in Metropolis died grisly deaths for daring to put a hit on her. It has become a well known fact that the blur watched over her, and no criminal in his right mind would lay a hand on her so Chloe had unparalleled access to Metropolis' underbelly. "The Fettuccini Alfredo was as excellent as you promised but I doubt that is the only reason you asked me to lunch." Chloe says after dainty wiping her chin with her napkin. The meal was excellent but she ate way too much of it. She needs to get her interview in before the food coma sets in.
Tony Martoni smiles at her directness. He is actually glad no one has wacked this scrappy little reporter. He enjoys their conversations. It is nice to speak with someone who is not afraid of him, and cares nothing for the bullshit that normally fills his other conversations. Even without her guardian angel, he has no doubt she would be just the same. She is a rare person. "I have known many women, but none of them are like you. You're a real treasure Miss Sullivan. I do wish I could say it was just for the pleasure of your company I asked you here, but we both know better. For one you have too much class for a thug like me and two I wanted to give you an exclusive. I am pulling out of Metropolis. It just doesn't pay to do business here. There is no need to pretend why. The blur was enough trouble before he went all psycho. Now, it just ain't healthy to stay here. I trust you will publish this information with your usual flare and style."
Compliments from a gangster being the nicest things anyone has said to her lately reminds her just what a mess her life is. Still it is nice to be appreciated. "I will be happy to spread the word. Is there a particular quote you would like me to put in the article.?article?" she quips back.
Smiling at her, he replies "I am sure you will think of something respectful to say. I really will miss our conversations ,soconversations, so I hope you will accept this small token." He pushes a small box across the table.
Reporter Chloe knows better than to compromise herself by accepting gifts from anyone related to her story but the woman just needs a lift. "There can't be any harm in opening it as long as I don't keep it?" she tells herself. Opening the box her breath actually freezes in her throat as the faintly green glowing necklace looks up at her. This much Kryptonite could kill Clark in seconds. "Thank you. You understand I won't keep this but I will find it a good home." she replies praying she hasn't let slip just how valuable this rock could be.
Tony hasn't survived this long without learning how to read people. There is fear on her face when she opens the box but she covers it quickly. She surprises him further by actually taking the box. She has never accepted or even passed on any gifts offered to her before from him or any of his associates. His source is right. There is something special about these rocks. He will be a good soldier and pass this tidbit along but he is still done with Metropolis.
After finishing her meeting with Tony, she takes 8 different cabs around the city before walking 4 blocks to the Metropolis First National Bank. There she takes the box deep underground and places it her safety deposit box. While doing some research she had stumble on the fact that way back when this Bank was built they used lead to reinforce the walls. Looking at all the meteor rocks in the safety deposit box, she realizes she will have to rent another one soon. Another benefit of this bank is it has no issue with conducting business in cash so as to respect their customer's privacy. She suspects there is a lot of illegal money and items passing through here, but that also provides extra security as no one wants to rock this boat. Far better protection than she could come up with on her own.
Chapter 3Kal-El's nightly patrol is interrupted by the sound of gunfire. This is unusual these days as Metropolis' criminal underworld understands how he will react. "More fools." he thinks as he alters course towards the sounds. Sure enough a few goons are exchanging fire with the police. Kal-El instantly notices something is odd about the situation. The goons are continuing the firefight even though they have an easy escape route through the alley behind them. Suspicious he x-rays the surrounding area. His vision reveals a group of men in an apartment on the third floor. One of the men holds a box he can't see through. "So someone has learned of Kryptonite. No matter." Focusing his heat vision this time he sweeps it through the room. The screams of pain as first the wave of intense heat burns flesh and then the new screams as the men's ammunition cooks off filling the room with shrapnel have no effect on him. What's left of the men in that room doesn't live long. Seeing the goons on the street start to run, Kal-El swoops over to them. He casually hits one goon as he passes. The force of the blow drives the poor goon's body deep into the brick of one side of the alley. He doesn't even have time to scream before he dies. The other Clark grabs and flies high into the air. "Tell them I will not tolerate this nonsense in my city. If something like this happens again, I will kill every single member of Metropolis' crime families no matter where in the world they are. Yes, I do know where they have all slunk off to, and no I don't care about the political repercussions. My city will be safe!! Understand?" he tells the terrified thug as he hangs the man on top of Metropolis' tallest building by hooking the man's coat over a radio tower. The man nods as his terror has completely robbed him of the ability to speak. The fact he soiled himself, he is too terrified to notice. They should never have messed with Metropolis' defender. As Kal-El flies away ignoring the crying goon, deep inside him Clark Kent is horrified at his actions. He renews his struggles to break free his mental prison, but alas he is unable too. The walls made from his fear, regret, and guilt are simply too strong.
Having finished with this pathetic attempt to trap him, Kal-El flies back to the Fortress. It is the only place on Earth where he can be left alone. His hopes for peace are broken by a flash of light. For a moment Lois appears hovering in the air but then she falls. She is in his arms before she hits the snow. Worriedly he examines her. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees she is merely unconscious and not injured. A flash annoyance passes through him at the emotions her presence stirs in him. With Lois alive, he didn't fail Chloe as completely as he feared. It gives Clark strength enough to crack the walls of his prison but then cold logic slams back into place. Lois is the perfect example of why he is needed. How many times would she have died if not for him? Never again will she know fear, he swears.
Lois wakes slowly and regretfully as the pain in her head defies any words her considerable vocabulary has to accurately describe. Blinking she fins herself in a strange place surround by glowing white crystals. "Is this heaven?" she wonders. Reality slams home when she sees a familiar face staring down at her worriedly. It's odd because she could have sworn he wasn't there a second ago. "Clark?"
"It's ok Lois. You are safe now." Clark tells her much to Kal-El's frustration. "Why does this human have such an effect on us? It is almost as bad as being near Chloe." he thinks as images of Chloe laughing or just smiling fill his mind for a moment. The images are accompanied by the look of horror, pity, and disappointment she gave him last they met.
"Clark, Whatwhat the hell are you wearing? Is it Halloween already?" Lois quips with her signature sarcasm.
Laughing for the first time in a long time, he replies "I'm not Clark anymore. I am Kal-El. The people call me Superman or at least at first they did." Clark stammers. Kal-El having had enough of Clark shoves Clark back into his box. He uses the fact that Lois was missing at all was all his fault to reseal the prison. With Clark safely back where he belongs, Kal-El explains "It is time to take you home. You must never speak of what you learned here. Lives are at stake including yours." He scoops Lois in his arms and flies off to Metropolis. He will drop Lois off at Chloe's. Chloe will help her adjust to the new Metropolis he is creating.
Lois almost laughs in Clark's face but stops when she sees the shadow cross his eyes. The Clark she knew is gone, and there is someone else there. Someone who lacks Clark's warmth and compassion. She has no doubt whoever this is just threatened to kill her if she talks. She needs to find Chloe and figure out what the hell is going on. All ready close to overload trying to figure out what happened to the kind farm boy she knew, her mind completely overloads when Clark jumps into the air with her in his arms. The fact Clark Kent is flying is just too much for her and she blacks out.
Chloe returns home after another long day not at all surprised to see her balcony doors have been repaired and the glass cleaned up. It gives her hope that there is still something of the man he could be trapped inside Oliver. She microwaves a lean cuisine to munch on as she finishes her latest article. She can't agree with his methods but it is hard to argue with the results. With Tony leaving town, there are only two crime bosses left. One of which is really just a small timer who is filling the void. The other, Boss Gino, is the only truly dangerous one. He had ties to the Luthors, which with Lex and Lionel gone makes her wonder what Gino has managed to get his hands on. Too many experiments floating around out there for Chloe to sleep well at night. She and the world need Oliver and his group to fight these monsters. Its funny she always used to think of Clark first when she thought of heroes, but now Oliver pops to the forefront. If only Oliver would embrace the man he could be. She hopes this doesn't mean she is giving up on Clark. She knows she can save him. Make him see the light. She just needs to get enough time to talk sense into him.
Apparently the universe was listening because she notices Clark's shadow glide down and land on her balcony. As usual he just walks in. She turns to speak with him but the burden in his arms stops her. He is holding Lois! Lois is unconscious but mumbling so Chloe realizes her cousin is just asleep. "Clark where did you find her?" she anxiously asks.
"She just appeared in the fortress, so I think it safe to assume the Legion returned her. She saw me. I didn't bother trying to lie this time. Lies are one of the things that held Clark back. He let himself become mired in them. If you could help convince her to keep my identity to herself, it would help keep you and Martha safe." he explains.
"She won't betray you." Chloe, suddenly concerned for her cousin's safety, promises.
"I know." Clark manages to say before Kal-El shoves him back once more.
Chloe swears she just caught a glimpse of Clark, but it didn't last. He is in there still though. It gives her hope. Before she can say anything else, he flies away. Perhaps she should try using the key to get to the fortress again. Maybe it will work this time. Turning her attention to Lois, she can see her cousin slowly waking so she goes to make some fresh coffee. It will be another long night.
A few days later
Lois knows she shouldn't have gone into that warehouse, and she shouldn't have snuck closer when she saw Boss Gino's number two walk in. She should have ran or called for help when she saw them about to kill that poor guy whoever he was, but she didn't. In true Lois fashion, she charged out from her hiding spot and started throwing kicks and punches. She fared pretty well until she caught the glint of metal in the second in command's hand. She heard more than felt the bullet rip into her chest but as she lay on the cold cement floor it was easy to see her blood flowing away from her. It flowed so freely she knew then and there she was dying. Oddly, she isn't afraid. Disappointed she won't be getting any more awards but not afraid. She hopes she bought that guy enough time to get away. Sounding far away she faintly hears screams and sees the men around running and falling. Arrows protruding from their bodies clue her into who her rescuer is. His strong arms wrap her and lift her. He is carrying her outside telling her everything will be fine.
Kal-El finishes pulling the last victumsvictims from the fire and then races to the source of the gunshot her heard a moment ago. The site of Green Arrow frantically trying to restore life to Lois' bloody and cold body enrages him beyond reason. All the months of repressed emotion explode out of him as he rockets towards the man responsible's home. Locked in his fury he kills all of Boss Gino's men in a flurry of punches and kicks. Clark screams from his prison, but for once he is encouraging the blood lust. Lois's heart no longer beats all because he was too weak. Kal-El was right. Now all that can be done is to make the man responsible pay.
Boss Gino nervously scrambles to open his safe. He needs the contents to stay alive. It is his only chance. He hears the screams of his men dying to buy him time and prays it will be enough. With a click the safe opens and the special gun is in his hand. Just in time as the reinforced steel doors to his office collapse inward. Turning he fires. To his horror he sees the bullets miss their target.
Kal-El/Clark shatters the last barrier between them and the man who stole Lois from him. He feels the kryptonite before he sees it. As the bullets race towards him, he dodges. Even slowed by their presence he is easily fast enough to avoid them. He grabs Boss Gino and lifts him high in the air. This is a mistake as Boss Gino had one round left which he fires point blank into Clark. Clark sees the bullet coming out of the barrel and even at this point blank range manages to move most of the way out of its path. The bullet does cut a painful path across his leg but not enough to stop him. The bullet ends its travel embedded in the ornate desk of Boss Gino. Close enough to still weaken Kal-El/Clark but far from enough to stop him. Smiling a grim smile, Clark throws the crime boss across the room as he taunts "Did you really think you could stop me!! Nothing can save you now."
Chloe makes her way through the wreckage of Boss Gino's home. It takes considerable amount of will not to vomit at the gore but she manages. She can't get the look on Clark's face when he saw Lois' lifeless body in Oliver's arms out of her mind. She never feared him before that moment. Now she knows she has to stop him even if it means losing her friend. She clutches the lead box tightly. This kryptonite will strip Clark of his powers forever. It is probably crueler than killing him with green kryptonite but she just couldn't bring herself to do that. As she approaches the study, she can see Clark stalking across the room towards Boss Gino who is trying feebly to crawl away. Something else catches her eye. Someone is sneaking up to door. In terror of what is about to happen, Chloe dives forward praying she is fast enough.
Clark barely feels the small frame that dives at him screaming "Leave my daddy alone." In fact he swats the fly and turns as he throws a punch to finish the threat before he has even understood the words. In horror he sees his fist rip through Chloe's chest as she just manages to push the small boy out of the way. Impaled on his arm she tries to speak but only blood gurgles out of her mouth. He feels her heart still. In shock at what he almost did to a child and in revulsion at what he did to the woman he loves,loves Clark/Kal-El screams. Everything he is released in that primal sound.
Slumping to the ground trying to will his love back to life, Clark cries as Kal-El screams in madness. "I am so sorry." He mummers to her corpse, completely unaware of the man and his son holding each other and crying behind him. Standing, he takes her body back to Fortress. Jor-El maybe able to help. He changed Lana's destiny once. Perhaps he can again. Even knowing the price, Clark demands Jor-El turn back the clock so this horrible day never occurs.
Chloe rushes into the barn terrified that something has happened to Clark so when she sees him standing in the hayloft just staring out her fear turns to furry. "How dare you! I have been trying to reach you for hours and here you are just watching the sky!!! I was so worried!!" she shouts.
He turns to her and the haunted look in his eyes stops her. All her furry at him for causing her such worry transforms into concern. "What happened?" she asks but he just wraps her in his arms and holds her. She feels hot tears fall on her check. Pushing away enough to raise her head, her eyes search for the reason behind all this pain. Something has shaken Clark to his core.
"I promise I won't ever do that, but if I do please stop me. Don't let me become that." he begs her.
Not understanding what he is talking about she still promises him and then she holds him awhile longer. She doesn't have to understand, she loves him. She hangs on to him as tight as she can while marveling how firmly but also gently he holds her. "Ssh, whatever it is, we will figure it out. Ok." she mummers into his shoulder hoping it is enough to comfort him.
As he fades from existence, the older Clark/Kal-El is pleased to know this time it will be different.