(Usual Disclaimer- I own absolutely nothing, DC owns everything, I just like writing stories).
Chapter 1
Everyone wears a metaphorical mask, but it's the type of mask that is being portrayed that is important. We are hiding who we are for a list of different reasons. If you're someone like Luther, then you do it for public approval and display a charitable inclination while in reality you're selfish, evil and careless, even cruel toward other people. Some people display an outward appearance of what they believe is expected of them, when that isn't who they are at all. Some use a mask because they are insecure and this is their way of becoming likeable or maintaining a less threatening stance so they can feel better. Either way, it defines our actions but not necessarily who we are as a person.
I'm someone who is easily capable of deflecting attention from myself or gaining it just as quickly. People don't understand or know how intelligent I am because I'm not quick to flaunt it. I value others opinions and believe it is vital that everyone who has a voice should be heard. I believed once that I could protect the people of earth alone but the harsh reality drove me to form the Justice League with six others and their cooperation meant everything to me. They're another reason I don't flaunt my intelligence, because my team mates are all very well endowed in that area in their own rights, with skills that I can't hope to match. But I digress, my original point being that I value all lives and even though I'm usually the most intelligent person in the room (unless at headquarters), I give other people a chance to feel valid.
The mask I wear is one of an insecure mild mannered man which I actually like the character of most of the time. Apart from the stammer, the slumping and the lack of confidence this is basically who I am. I was raised on a farm by two loving parents that taught me respect and how to act responsibly, I had a good childhood that made me who I am now. I detest foul language with a passion, and I always try to be a good role model. The difference between my mask and I is how I handle conflict. My mask would stammer along, try to get whoever it is to back down with a nervous voice trying to make a point while getting smaller with each word. I, however would act with confidence, explaining my reasons for wanting the person to stop what they are doing, but the real me can't come out anymore unless in a special costume.
Controlling my powers was always the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.
Because of the sun I have been gifted with very well enhanced:
Speed.
Hearing.
Olfaction (sense of smell) which isn't always great to have.
Vision (including microscopic and telescopic) (X-ray and heat vision).
Strength (I once suggested I could move the earth out of the way).
Breath (I can breathe great amounts of air with amazing force and can hold my breath indefinitely) (I can cool temperatures to freeze the air moisture).
Healing (after battles with Kryptonite or people that can actually hit me).
Intelligence (my brain operates much faster then humans).
Eidetic memory (or total recall).
Invulnerability (I can't be hurt or gain any sickness/diseases).
I have Flight.
I'm a master combatant trained by Justice League members and a few other people.
Whenever another power came in for the first time I was always petrified, never knowing what to expect with this new great ability. I used to wish I was human, I was afraid people would find out I'm not normal or worse be hurt by me. Without my loving parents who where always supportive when I gained a new ability, I might have gone mad. They comforted me when I felt I was a freak and helped me to learn control.
The heated lasers produced in my eyes was one of the worst I feared. It started with a headache at school and I knew it was a new power. After all, I had never felt the affects of a headache before, but on countless occasions had the symptoms described to me and had even read about them. I didn't stay in class for long after the symptoms started occurring, knowing I could endanger the lives of others, I looked for a secluded place and worked out what I could do. I learnt control quickly after the shock and fear went away, even found it, dare I say, an awesome ability. I was still afraid to open my eyes sometimes but my parents helped me through my fear.
Hearing was one of the hardest to control, it scared me and the sound waves only I could hear constantly got me wondering what humans could hear, I learnt not to ask questions after the strange looks I got but I found my way around controlling it and using it to my advantage.
I like checking in on those I care about sometimes, my mother at the farm, various team mates including those with black pointed ears, Lois Lane and those at the planet especially after loosing Dad. I just can't help it, and I only ever do it on certain occasions. I zone in to the area, find their heart beats, listen for a second then I stop. It comforts me to know they are alive, especially if they live in a cave and spend their nights so dangerously or if they constantly fall of buildings and get into trouble. It's also useful to check around the world for trouble, which I do frequently, I'm also able to hear my name when I'm not concentrating, much like when a human is automatically zoned in to recognise theirs in a conversation.
Humans are so fragile, they think they understand that but they haven't seen what I've seen. X-ray vision helps me to determine broken bones, concussions, any heart or lung damages they might have, how deep wounds are etc. I've rescued citizens and team mates from a great deal of situations in various states of mind and body but the sardonic way soft flesh is the only coverage for brittle bone always leaves me with a foul taste in my mouth.
The worst is when I have to get them some where and hearing their hearts stop. Knowing if I can't revive them then that's one less heart that will continue to beat, one less life. It's far worse then any physical torture I could ever endure. It haunts me sometimes, knowing that they called out but I was too late.
My strength and the fact that I'm invulnerable was the hardest to control and hide. I used to break things when I was a child, luckily never at school or nothing too noticeable. I'm constantly alert, so careful that even when I catch someone, they don't get so much as a bruise. I've taught myself to be so aware of how much strength I am utilising so that at any given time I don't accidentally hurt someone. My touch can be feather light or an unbreakable grip. I've also learnt that humans like to slap each other or play around, I usually either dodge these people or my body moves with their hands so that it's not unyielding steel they are slapping but soft skin, or to them that is what I would feel like. If it can be avoided then I do not hurt people.
Speed and flight are always the most fun and with control, there are limited ways of hurting people. When I was learning how to control my speed I would run slowly and build up, eventually passing vehicles faster then the human eye could ever hope to see. I'm always careful out of costume to walk at a human pace, and unlike flash I have developed an exceedingly great amount of patience. I first developed jumping before I could fly, careful of where I landed when I would jump so many feet in the air. Being able to fly is a freeing ability that I value greatly, sometimes I just do it because I can.
"Clark! Clark!" Slender fingers are snapped in front of my face and I blink behind glasses and turn my chair to the right to face Lois who's desk is next to mine.
"Sorry Lois, I guess I was day dreaming."
"Whatever Smallville, can you proof read this for me?" She hands me her laptop and I can already see a sea of spelling mistakes that I correct as I read. Raper not rapper, community has two ms, family not gamily, although that could just be the result of fast typing and missing the f, right not write, though not thought, charge not cargo? Victim not victime.
"Lois, what is this?"
"Offender?"
"No Lois, it's ofindere, how did you even come up with that word?"
"That is how you spell offender isn't it?"
"No Lois, it really isn't. How could you be one of the best on staff and not know how to spell words correctly?" She smiles at me.
"Because you and Jimmy always proof read my work."
"Yes, with good reason." She sticks out her tongue.
"I um, gotta go."
"Lois?" I see her get up and walk quickly to the bathroom. I look to my left to find a very tall man who just stepped out of the elevator wearing an Armani suit I know is hiding a great deal of muscle he worked hard on, holding a briefcase, with a cocky smile, deep blue eyes and styled black hair. I see the women in the building notice him and stare, their hearts betraying their excitement and lust toward him. Little do they know that, like me, he can choose to draw attention to himself or be dismissed just as quickly.
This man is not the idiot he portrays himself to be, his is a different type of mask that is just as affective. We both are the most intelligent people in the room, it's humorous and entertaining to see the man act.
He leans over a desk and flirts a little with a blonde woman named Vanessa. I smirk when he leans further and her heart beats skyrocket. It amuses me the way they all fall for him so quickly when they have no chance at all with him, he's only ever truly comfortable when at home, with friends or in a bat suit. The rumours about him sleeping with a lot of different people are lies, the drinks he tosses back, ginger ale.
Perry comes out of his office to survey the staff.
"Alright people, come on, back to work." He walks over to Bruce and they shake hands and talk.
I get back to proof reading Lois' story.
"Kent." The voice can only belong to Bruce, I turn around.
"Mr wayne, what can I do you for?"
"I'm just here to oversee my new company and get to know some of the employees. Is that your work?" He glances at Lois' laptop, and I pull my chair over so he can better see it.
"Has Lane ever heard of a dictionary? Spellchecks free, you just have to turn it on."
"Don't let her hear you say that, she's scary when she has to be." He smirks at that and lowers his voice significantly.
"Nothing compared to your mother I'm guessing, she may make good apple pie but once she says jump it wouldn't be wise to say how high, I suggest you jump..or else she calls your butler," he mumbles the last part.
"Finally someone who can actually put you in your place though."
"She's bossy."
"And you're stubborn."
"You've been listening to Alfred again." He shakes his head with a small smile.
"No, it's just an observation."
"Well then you're delusional."
"Paranoid."
"Profound Optimist."
"Deeply disturbing pessimist."
"Are we going to continue this? It could literally take all day."
"I believe both our vocabularies could take the strain, however I have work to do."
"I have others to see." He quickly grabs something small out of his briefcase and hands it to me discreetly. I nod at him, slipping the USB into my pocket and he walks away. As well as back ground checks on each of the employees, Bruce is trying to see what they are really like. He will probably be here the whole day, just trying to determine if all the staff are honest and hard working. Later he will probably sit back and listen to conversations, he can blend in even with that suit on.
"Is he gone?" Lois asks and sits next to me. I hand her the laptop back and shrug. He's behind us, but he obviously doesn't want to draw attention to himself anymore.
"Well, he's an idiot, I don't know how all those people could go for him. Sure he's good looking and his eyes are only rivalled by Superman's but hear him speak and it's like listening to a male version of Paris Hilton."
"I always thought I would be compared to Homer Simpson, but that's interesting." Lois' eyes go wide and she turns around in her chair. I can't help it, I laugh.
"Oh shut up Clark! Mr Wayne, I am so sorry." He has a smirk on his face at the reaction he got from her. Bruce has an IQ of between 190-210, insulting her and revealing all the information he has on her (which is close to everything) and painting her in a bad light would be child's play but that would also raise too many questions and I'm pretty sure he's amused so he puts his mask on.
"Don't worry about it. Can we get back to how you think I'm handsome? I rather like that part." He smiles charmingly and I laugh harder.
"Oh for goodness sake." She ignores us and goes back to work, Bruce walks off.
"Shut up Smallville!" She smacks me on the back and I slouch forward so it doesn't break her hand.
As the day drags on I see people growing tired, some people yawn or rub their eyes, for others the conversations begin to stop, people go to get coffee, others those awful energy drinks that taste terrible. I however remain unaffected, I am as energised as this morning, another benefit to being solar powered. Unlike humans I don't need anything to survive, I can go without food and sleep, I don't even have to breathe. I do these things to fit in better, I also eat because I like food and I sleep because it's nice to let go. I think keeping these things makes it easier to remember who I am, to keep to a routine and keep friends helps me to remember why I protect humanity.
Help Superman help! I hear it somewhere to the left far away and get up quickly, I glance over to Bruce who's in a corner observing people and nod once at him, he gets the message and walks toward Perry's office to distract him. I walk to the bathroom and shut the door behind me in a cubicle. Less then a second later and I bare the Kryptonian crest, I open the nearest window in the bathroom and fly out, fix my hair into the S curl which completes my costume. Neither cold nor heat affects my body temperature (which is a few degrees above human body temperature), so when I go into the below zero air temperature, I feel the wind in my hair but it doesn't cool me, it just feels nice.
Speeding toward the area where I heard the shout, it doesn't take long before I'm in the middle of nowhere surrounded by rock and desert. I widen my hearing and hear a rapid heartbeat which tells me where the person is and using telescopic vision to see, I fly toward a young thin shorter man in professional climbing gear, clips attached to his waist and a puffy red jacket to negate the affects of the harsh cold. The rope he was using appears not to have attached properly and he seems to have fallen a short distance and is hanging on by his hands, if he where to let go it would mean the end of his life. I grab him around the waist gently and get him to step on my boots. He looks relieved and puts an arm around me, adrenaline slowing as it isn't needed anymore.
"It's ok, you're safe, I always get here in time." I say to him in a soothing tone and smile, he nods. "Are you done for the day or do you want me to put you back on the mountain rock?"
"If you could just grab my equipment and take me home please."
"Ok, hang on and feel free to lean against me, the temperature is quite cold and I'm not affected by it."
I slow my flight quite a bit now I have him, he would suffocate with my previous speed and I discreetly X-ray him. Apart from where the gloves are torn and there's small cuts on his hands, he's absolutely fine. I grab his bag and gear from above where he was descending the mountain of rock and hand it to him.
"Please try and be more careful when securing equipment, this could of been disastrous if I couldn't of been here."
"I know, thank you so much Superman, you saved my life." I smile and take off again.
"Where should I take you?"
"I live in Star City, near Queen Industries." I have to smile at that, Oliver is a good person to have in the JL, Hal and him get along great. (AUTHORS NOTE- if you haven't seen Arrow you are missing out, it's an amazing show.)
"How did you get all the way out there then?" I say as we pass over sea, my speed is still quite fast and we fly over things quickly.
"I got a friend to drop me here yesterday, I was hiking and then climbing."
"Maybe from now on you shouldn't go alone."
"One incident isn't going to put me off." He says and smiles.
I slow down as we get to star city and head toward the large building Oliver owns.
"Just there is fine." He says and points to a street away from Queen industries. I fly down and carefully let go of him
And hand him his bag and gear. I smile at him and wave as I take off, he waves, smiles and screams another thank you. I've been gone ten minutes, necessary because of the passenger but if I fly faster I could get there... Now! I go back through the window, grab the clothes that are in a special pocket in my suit and put them on, making sure my hair is flat once again and my glasses are in place.
I quickly walk back to my desk and Lois looks up at me.
"Where have you been?"
"Ah bathroom."
"For that long? Are you sick?"
"Well I was f-feeling a bit n-nauseous but I'm f-fine now Lois."
"Maybe you should go home Clark." She leans over, her hand inching toward my forehead but I move away.
"Seriously Lois I'm fine."
"Ok Clark, but you're lucky Wayne kept Chief busy." She goes back to work and I don't stop her.
Two hours before end of day I get up and go to find Bruce. It isn't easy until I extend my hearing and search to find the familiar heart beat amongst everyone else, he's observing a few people who are talking near the coffee. I casually brush his arm on my way past him and head for the stairs.
I walk out onto the roof toward the railing and turn expectantly. Although we walked quite a few floors his heartbeat hasn't accelerated, further evidence of his unique training.
"I doubt we will be able to talk much today and I wanted to be able to talk to you freely. I am curious as to what is on the USB."
"Seriously? You came all the way up here to ask me about an electronic device you could of asked about over a Com-Link?" He walks over to the edge with me and leans against the railing, after all, why would he fear heights?
I look at him sheepishly and rub my neck. "Um, yeah I guess so."
He rolls his eyes and looks over the edge, admiring the city.
"Are we safe to talk here? No listening devices, no cameras? No evil robot waiting to use interesting information?"
I look around, analysing every part of the roof and trying to hear for everything, I find nothing of course.
"No, it's clean."
"The information on that USB contains everything I found in Amanda Waller's encrypted files, well, everything that doesn't involve me of course, naturally that information is for my eyes only. You will find information about you and other league member, identities, weaknesses and other information. Once I hacked her systems, which where pitiful for the government, I found out a lot of interesting information. Current projects and teams that the government has, current suicide squad, current threats against the league and the world that the government should not be funding, if they get out of control it could hurt a lot of people. I deleted all the information and hacked into any computers I thought would hold the same information and deleted that too, including hidden files. She will be onto us but I know she won't do anything, at least not now. I've updated security in the manor and made it so if anyone puts any hidden cameras or bugs in, I'll know straight away, I can give the technology to you if you wish." I nod my head.
"When did you have time to do all this?" He shrugs his shoulders.
"I was really bored yesterday, crime took a day off for once." I shake my head and smile.
"No one should ever underestimate you."
"Yet that's usually my enemies biggest problem." He says with a smirk.
"You have a gift for persuading them to underestimate you." He nods his head. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell me Bruce?"
"I'm firing Vanessa, she seems more interested in talking to others then getting her work done. I've checked up on previous work she has done and it's mediocre at best. She is also one of the most boring people on earth, the main reason I went to Perry to escape."
I laugh at him.
"She seemed interested in you."
"Huh! I may act like an idiot but I don't subject myself to people's stupidity, at my parties I try and talk with Fox the most."
"Unless you need a date somewhere."
"Do you know how many times I've wished for someone with something interesting to say? Most of them are only good for being a bobble head, all they do is nod and smile anyway." I smile at him and he smiles back, then he looks out toward the sky and suppresses a shiver. I look around and realise the current temperature, it may not affect me but even with how warmly dressed he is, it's beginning to have an affect on him.
"Anything else we need to discuss?"
"No, anything else can wait at the meeting."
"Than let's go inside." He says nothing but follows me silently.
"Superman please help!" I turn my head toward the screaming.
"Go Clark, I'll cover for you."
I nod my head and immediately locate the sound, Alaska. It feels like a while before I'm hovering over the snowy mountains searching for the source of the scream but I know it can't be more then a few seconds. Not good! The heartbeat I hear is one of panic and shock, they're underwater in freezing temperatures.
I grab her and fly upwards out of the water, making sure to be gentle with her. I X-Ray her and find fluid in her lungs but she's conscious so if she coughs she will be fine. It was good that she is wearing thick clothing appropriate for harsh weather but now if she doesn't get them off she could freeze to death. She coughs as I predicted and opens her eyes, she's a little unfocused and she's shivering, still in cold shock judging by the gasping and hyperventilation. She leans into me, seeking my warmth no doubt but my first action should be to calm her, then use my heat vision to slowly warm her. If it's not done properly I could kill her in two ways- my heat visions temperature being too hot or the blood rushing to her heart and stopping it.
"Miss, you need to calm down, I've got you, you know I don't let anything happen to anyone once I've got them, just relax please." My voice calms her a little and she nods and the shivering is to be expected.
"Miss, I'm going to need you to keep calm, I'm not going to hurt you, I have to heat your temperature back up, if I don't do it slowly it could hurt you, I just need you to close your eye, can you do that for me?" She nods and closes her eyes.
I use my vision on her upper body first, making sure to evaporate the water and dry her off. I have full control, I don't damage her clothing nor do I even singe it, I just dry her off. Her shivering eases but I don't expect it to stop. I warm her lower half next and I dry her off quickly but carefully. She leans into me again for warmth, but I check her over again and her body temperature has risen, she's not going to freeze to death.
"Miss I'm going to take you to a hospital where they can check you over." (I would take her home but I'm not sure if anyone will be there and it's best to have someone monitor her condition, I'm not sure how long she was in the water for after all.)
I take off again, flying toward the nearest hospital and dropping her off after explaining the situation. I head back to the Planet and finish the article I've been working on, handing it to Perry as I walk to the elevator.
"You wouldn't believe the things people believe here."
"What did you find out B?" I ask as the doors close. Bruce walks beside me but we don't look at each other, content to just make conversation side by side.
"Don't call me that unless at a secure location." I call him B while in uniform and he believes that if he doesn't distance himself from every aspect of his other persona, even the small things then someone will figure out who he is, even with something simple as being called B.
"Didn't answer my question."
"Do you have any idea why Hal has been in my face lately?" (AUTHORS NOTE: A reference to another story I'm creating at the moment, you'll enjoy it.)
"No, I could ask him if you would like?"
"Please do, it's like he's deliberately trying to irritate me."
"Sounds like something more Wally's style."
"Perhaps it is Wally he's doing it for, I'll get him to stop. I'm just surprised he's being so immature."
"Usually he is more mature." He nods in agreement.
"Apparently people here think I bought the Planet to impress the ladies and be able to take advantage of them. Some said they wouldn't mind being taken advantage of, others said they where hoping I would ask them out and then have sex with them in one of the work closets. Honestly, their fantasies scare me." I shake my head and snort at their ridiculous notions. We both get off the elevator and head separate ways, neither saying goodbye.