Present Day.
Bruce had decided to stay in Metropolis for a couple days more, just until the situation with the alien cleared up. He never expected a full on war, a catastrophe of destruction would bestow on the city of tomorrow. For a whole day after the alien's surrendering, the city of Metropolis was held captive and under attack by the aliens and their giant machine that was supposed to destroy Earth and construct the new Krypton. The city's buildings were destroyed, the streets were filled with glass and broken shards, there were broken buildings parts on the sidewalks, the cars crushed, the windows shattered and pavement cracked. Metropolis looked like it had been through nuclear war, something one sees in a video game like Fallout, or Call of Duty.
The city of tomorrow was turned to a city of absolute havoc. It was Downtown Metropolis that suffered the worst damage, although the further parts of the city remained the same and untouched, it was downtown Metropolis that got hit the hardest.
What was strange, though, was when the destruction stopped. The last time anyone had seen the aliens were when they were fighting, the alien Kal-El and General Zod, up in the skies above. The alien Kal-El took it upon himself to stop the general from destroying Earth and all its people, and reconstruct the dead planet Krypton. He was trying to be some sort of savior of Earth, or so many thought.
Would a savior really destroy a city and cause so much annihilation and destruction? That doesn't sound like a savior to me, sounds like a massacre, an eradication.
When the destruction and the fighting stopped, no one knew what had happened to the aliens. The cameras of all news outlets couldn't find them or sense any of their activity for a long period of time. They all stood idly by as the two aliens took to the skies, helicopters and cameras all looked up but there was nothing visible to them, not even the two men were visible, it was like they had disappeared into thin air. They all waited for a sign, a victor, an outcome to come down to them but they all just stood frozen there staring at the skies.
It was when what looked like an asteroid came crashing to Metropolis when the wondering and the suspense, the scare, it had all stopped and the cameras all caught on and raced to where the thought asteroid would drop to.
Metropolis Subway station.
That's where the asteroid crashed into. Everyone raced to the station to try to catch a sight of what had happened, all the eyes were strapped into the TVs waiting for any news outlet to inform them of what had happened and who had won between them.
As they all raced to the station, they were all shock to see absolutely none of the aliens there, not even a sign. Did they even land here? The hole on the roof indicated that they did indeed crash here and were here but must have left soon after. All that was left in the station was a family shaken up in the corner of the stairs. The cameras and reporters all raced to the shaken family to ask questions and get some answers and further information into what had happened.
The attention that bestowed upon them took them by storm and they couldn't quite comprehend what had occurred or what they were asking.
"What happened to the aliens?"
"Who won?"
"Are we doomed?!"
"Did you see anything?!"
The questions, as simple as they were, proved to be impossible for them to answer. The lights of the camera and the rush of people towards them had scared them even more, more than enough that their lips couldn't figure out what to say.
Do they dare answer? What if they do and the alien gets angry and come after them? They almost got killed by one and he wasn't even trying! If they say anything, they will be the prey and be the hunted, they don't want to live in fear! But then again, they didn't see anything special. What they saw was General Zod about to burn them with his eyes when the other alien had stopped him and snapped his neck. It was after that that they decided to run and get away from there, away from them, away from the reminder of what was going on. They made it to the back of the stairs and stood there panting, the kids began to cry and they all stood there waiting for the place to clear. They stayed there hidden for a while and when the coast became clear they approached and made their way outside. The destruction proved to be too much for them that they had collapsed on the base of the stairs and were reminded how precious life is and how they were almost killed.
"All we can say is that we are very happy to be alive, and it's all thanks to the alien", said the mother, she stood in front of her family and was the only one to speak out.
After her statement, the reporters began to bicker them more and ask them for more information. They began to be baffled again and frightened by the attention and that's when a man's sudden arrival and announcement was heard. The questions quickly stopped and the attention was released from them and into the man that had just arrived.
"People of Metropolis, you have nothing to worry about!"
"Look, its Lex Luthor!", cried all the reporters. The cameras and attention immediately swayed to him like a massive tidal wave totally dismissing the family that were shocked as well.
"Did you see what happened?"
"Where did they go?"
"Did you scare them off Mr. Luthor?"
Lex raised his hands signaling for their silence and gave the people a gentle smile to assure them everything is fine and under control.
"Yes it is I, Lex Luthor and I am here to inform you guys that you have nothing to worry about. I made it here and I saw everything. The aliens were in a fight together and the general seemed to have lost the battle and paid with his life, I saw it all. He got his neck snapped by the other."
Everyone in the room let out an astonished gasp. The cameras kept rolling and focused on Lex.
"The alien that stands for hope, that says he doesn't want to hurt, that doesn't want to be seen as a threat, that wants to inspire and help just caused the death of one of his own. His own people! He grabbed him and snapped his neck! Imagine what he can do to us? We don't have any powers, we aren't capable of the stuff that they are, he can easily destroy us and let's not forget, we are not his people. I don't know about you but I wouldn't feel safe if we were living among a super powered alien that has KILLED and caused an entire city to be destroyed."
The reporters were recording and jotting down his words while the cameras stood rolling. Lex's message was being broadcasted around the U.S and even some parts of the Earth, everyone was listening to one of the most powerful men on the Earth's words. They took in his words and listened to them real well.
Lex was one of the most powerful men on Earth, he had the power, the money, the resources, everything. People believed him as the man of the people, the smartest and the most successful, of course they were going to believe him and take in his saying. He knows what he is doing, of course they should take what he is saying seriously.
Who else can they trust?
"Now I don't know much about the alien, but I want you to know that he is a threat, he is not to be trusted. I saw him take the lifeless body of the general with him and fly away. Doesn't that strike anyone as shady and suspicious? Why would he take it? Perhaps he needs to create more of his own people. It's obvious he is hiding something, something that we ought to know. He has to answer for his crimes! He took the body, he is trying to hide the evidence of his crime."
The reporters wrote his words and started murmuring among themselves. Is he telling the truth? The alien, how could he? He doesn't look like an evil person, he said he would try to do good, was that all bull and a way to drop their guard? These were the questions on the minds of the reporters and on the public, among them, Bruce Wayne.
Bruce Wayne watched the news obsessively in his hotel room. He knew and trusted Lex and believed his words. All of it made sense and the actions of the alien were very suspicious. He continued to watch.
"I assure you that I, Lex Luthor will do whatever I can within my power to capture the alien and make him answer for his actions. People of Earth, I will not stop until we can feel safe again, until this alien is captured and responds to his crimes." The reporters and the cameramen all stood by shaking their head in agreement. "Thank you all and have a good evening."
Lex turns away and makes his way back to his car, the cameras and the reporters slowly follow him still bickering him with questions annoying Lex. Lex doesn't show his annoyance and walks along with them until they reach his car, his bodyguards waiting. Before he gets in the car, he turns to the reporters and gives them a bow and raises his arms to the air and gives the crowd a smile.
The family were taken back by what had just happened. They didn't want to believe that the alien was a bad person, he did in fact save them but Lex did point out some very interesting things and some facts. Could he be the monster that Lex pointed him out to be? No, no, no? They sat there and saw the massive crowd follow the billionaire to his car.
He finally gets in the car and as the car rolls out away from the reporters and cameras, he glances to the back of the van. The body of the general Zod lies in the back of the car. He stares at the body and gives a little laugh, feeling very proud of his actions.
They bought it all! How foolish of them. He thought with the people behind him and supporting him that he can capture the alien and kill him. How dare anyone try to make him seem weak? Lex was the most powerful man on Earth, no the universe and he needed everyone to know that. No alien can out master him, make him look weak, he would never allow that, absolutely not. He needed this body and he needed to study it. He needed a way to stop and kill the alien, and the body of the general was going to help him achieve that.
Bruce Wayne stood outside his hotel, his arm up trying to hail a cab. In Gotham, he would never ride a cab, he had all his luxurious cars at his choosing and a butler that was always ready for him, but this wasn't Gotham and hailing a cab in a destroyed city proved to be harder than he thought.
For once, he thought Gotham was the safer place. In comparison to this place, Gotham seemed like Beverly Hills and Metropolis the complete opposite.
As he rode the cab around the city, he noticed the destruction of the city more. Downtown got it the worst. It was so terrible and atrocious to his eyes but he couldn't turn away. People were in panic, buildings destroyed, windows shattered and there was dirtiness everywhere. He passed by the Daily Planet and saw that the building got it the worst of all.
The Daily Planet. That's where Lois Lane worked, I need to talk to her, she has the answers.
The planet that usually hung in the top was no longer there, it had fallen on its side and the planet looked so destroyed, sort of mimicking the business it stood under from. The building that usually stood at 12 stories was down to a barely 2 story building. Bruce walked out of the cab and approached the building, trying to get a better look and perhaps an idea to what had happened and how close they were to the fight. He saw the rubble and couldn't make out anything, the desks and chairs were thrown to the ground and looked like absolute trash.
"Mr. Wayne?!"
The outcry of someone caused him to turn away. It was Perry White, the editor in chief of the Daily Planet. He had been interviewed by Perry before for some articles for the Daily Planet about the world's most powerful people and he had been chosen to be in the article. Perry looked as if he had made it out of the building just in time. His shirt and tie were still in place but his pants showed that he had been on his knees.
"Mr. White! How are you?", asked Bruce, approaching the man.
"I am a little shaken and scared but grateful that I wasn't in the planet, thankfully everyone made it out on time before the destruction happened."
"Looks like the Planet got it the worst. The whole city looks terrible, I cant believe two beings caused all this."
"Yes I know, but I am just glad it's all over. We owe it all to that alien."
Bruce turned his head to Perry, surprised to hear his support to the alien. "I never thought that aliens would be real, and then these ones come out of nowhere and cause this? Wow, I think now I've seen it all. Pinch me Mr. White, I must be dreaming."
Perry gave out a little chuckle but didn't pinch Mr. Wayne. How could he? This guy is royalty. "So what brings you to Metropolis? Have you been here for a while? I saw that you came to talk to Lex."
"Mr. White, have you been stalking me?", joked Bruce. He couldn't give a hint on why he was here, everyone knew him as the billionaire playboy that joked around and he needed to keep that persona.
"No, no, my apologies Mr. Wayne, you know, journalist mentality, we got to take note of everything".
"Don't worry, I am just kidding. And you've got it right, I've been here for a couple of days, catching up with old Lex you know, the usual."
"Well, you got here just in time to see the chaos that erupted on the city." He looks at the rubble that is the Daily Planet and sees the mess. The destruction saddens him and his eyes begin to get watery. Bruce notices the look on his face and gets an idea.
"Perry?"
"Yes, Mr. Wayne?"
"I would like to offer my full help to you."
"What?"
"Perry, you know I am a billionaire, right? I have so much money that I don't know what to do with it. How about I pay for the rebuilding of the Daily Planet? I can see how much it meant for you and how much people rely on your news, myself among them. I swear that you won't have to worry about anything, I will handle it all myself."
"But Mr. Wayne, that's so much, I can't ask that much of you."
"I insist, and besides the world needs the Daily Planet and as do I. This place needs to be kept alive."
Perry's face shots up. He can't believe it, like an angel, Mr. Wayne offers to pay for it all. "Oh, thank you so much Mr. Wayne. In behalf of all us at the Daily Planet, we send our thanks and deep appreciation to you. We can't describe how grateful we are for you. Thank you so much!"
"Its my pleasure, I will send some people over here tomorrow so rebuilding can start right away. In the meantime, how about I rent you guys an office space in one of Lex's buildings. I was there not to while ago and I saw that he had two floors empty. I can ask if he would let you stay there and work there for a while, I am sure he won't mind. He shares the same love for the Daily Planet."
"My god, Mr. Wayne, I seriously cant thank you enough. Seriously from the bottom of my heart, we thank you and are very grateful of you. Thank you so much!"
"Its my pleasure. Tell all of your employees that their jobs are safe and that they will be all working in no time. And tell them that I would love to drop by and check in on them, figure out what else I can do to help."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Wayne!"
"No problem, I am going to go see more of the city and see of what else I can help out with. I will catch you around. Bye Mr. White." He walked away from Perry and back into his car. Great! He needed to keep an eye out for Lois Lane and having the Daily Planet under his belt was going to help him get to her. She possessed all the answers to the alien, if he talked to her, if anyone knew information about him, it had to be her, his plan was going by smoother than he thought.
Kal-El flew back to Smallville. He had just entered a fight with a Kryptonian general, one of his own people and was forced to snap his neck in order to save a family from being burned alive. What he had done shocked him, he never thought of himself as a killer and never intended to kill anyone. He hated people who murdered and he had become one of them. He had no choice. Zod couldn't be kept alive, he just couldn't! He would seek out the destruction of Earth and cause the death of billions of people. He did the right thing, right? He needed to stop him, he wouldn't be able to be held in a jail, no, he's much too powerful and wouldn't be confined. His death was the only solution. But why didn't he feel right about it? He felt so guilty but he knew he had to be stopped and that was the only way he could have thought of in those instances.
He flew around the Smallville fields and decided to fly elsewhere. He flew all over Earth trying to calm himself down, ease his nerves down a bit and figure out what he can do.
He thought of surrendering himself to the authority, right that can be the solution, that will show how human he is and that he innocent and guilty. Then he remembered his fathers, they both told him and believed that he would cause wonders, change and cause great things to Earth. They had died for him so he can be a better person and inspire people to do good, help contribute to the world, that's what they died for and believed in. If he were to surrender himself to the authorities, then his fathers' death would have been meaningless. He couldn't surrender himself, it would dishonor them and their memories.
He just started being their savior, he needed to help people and become the inspiration that his fathers wanted him to be. It was what he stood for, hope. He couldn't stop here, this was barely the beginning!
He flew back to Metropolis and saw the city. In order for him to keep the identity of Clark Kent, he needed to be down there and look unaffected by the chaos he had done. As Superman he had to help restore the city, he had to show that he was a good person and that his intentions were always for them and he was going to be their protector.
He flew around Metropolis observing the city and taking in what him and Zod had done, what he had caused. He kept his distance far from the city, far enough for him to see everything but not for anyone else to see him. Having super vision, he was a pretty far distance, like 3 miles away from the city, and no one could have spotted him with the naked eye. He flew all over the city, trying to spot anyone that needed immediate help, perhaps a building falling down, that sort of thing.
All of a sudden his senses picked up something near him. Near him? How can that be? No one else can fly, he is the only person in the world that can fly. He started to glance all over the place, trying to locate the senses he had sensed. With his mind on the city of Metropolis and all of the people, his worries and concerns on the people, he couldn't keep hone on the senses' exact location.
He knew that all of what was left of the Kryptonian race were wiped out, Zod and his father had told him that Zod and his army were all that was left and with them wiped out, he was the last of his race, but he still didn't want to eliminate that possibility of another Kryptonian. With the heartbeat approaching very fast, he couldn't keep his attention in check. He looked up and then down, to his left then his right. When he turned back to his left, he saw where the senses were coming from at a distance.
Is that, is that a woman?!Is that a woman flying?!
And with the blink of his eyes, the woman was gone.
Clark rubbed his eyes together, could he be seeing things? Women don't fly, only Kryptonians fly and he was the last of his kind. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Perhaps, he was very tired and worn out and stressed, he was probably seeing things, probably a bird of some sort.
But he could have sworn that he saw a woman! A very beautiful woman, for that matter, with long black raven wavy hair and a very long body, he couldn't have just pictured that, could he? Then where did she go, Clark? She couldn't have just disappeared into thin air, that doesn't happen.
Clark decided that it wasn't important and that his mind was in fact toying with him, he was in fact very tired, his stress must have made him see things. He decided to leave it alone and go back home, he needed a rest. He needed to go check back on Lois and his mother. Those were all that he had left, probably the only people that would want to see him.
AN: Surprise! :)