Chapter 6

Superman saw her coming at him and he moved a micro second before she landed, blurring behind her.

The force of her landing cracked the earth. Her sword incised the ground.

She spun around after a moment as if taken aback at his speed. He hovered behind her, his face too a little bemused at her obvious strength. His eyes did a rapid scan of her DNA and he was stunned to see humanoid strands. He tried to see her face and found that he could not. Lead was the only substance his super vision could not breach. The helm was possibly made of some unique Apokoliptian metal. Before he could even think another thought she was coming at him.

The blade sizzled as it whipped at his head. He ducked and moved to catch her sword arm. But she anticipated him. She blocked his arm and spun with the grace of a dancer and her fist aimed at his jaw and he was flying backwards.

He flew backwards into the high, jagged wall, smashing it and falling beyond the area of the Citadel. Before he could rise, she was over him and her sword was coming at him again. This time, a burst of heat vision issued from his eyes.

She moved her blade up swiftly and deflected his blast. He rose and pushed her back into the air. Firing off sharp swift bursts. She was pressed backwards as she deflected each blast with her sword. He clocked her reflexes.

Her hand eye coordination and response time was amazing. She was well trained but she was also fast. Not as fast as him in raw, racing speed but she could give him a run for his money in this department for sure.

She looked up as they moved, now across Armagetto, surrounded by guard posts, fire pits, dwellings, pylons, bridges linking one quarter from the other. She slashed a high pylon with her sword. It teetered and he had to move swiftly out of its way.

She watched with some bemusement as it threatened to fall upon groups of Lowlies going about their business. He swooped down and caught it before it could hurt them and with an ease tossed it back at her. She had to maneuver swiftly, and launch out of its way. It smashed into a guard post, narrowly hitting her.

Parademon guards in the vicinity, with their pods and hounds, were now coming to her aid.

She waved them away imperiously and shouted, "Stay away!" She growled, "This one is mine."

Superman watched them stand down. Gathering on the ground with curious Lowlies, watching what was becoming an interesting contest of wills and strength. It was clear if she had wanted to catch him, with their aid she could. But something told him that she was pitting herself against him.

She twirled her sword and came at him again. He blew freezing air upon her. She faltered against it initially but seemed to push at it with extra determination. He blew harder at her, winds that could lift a tank and she was weighted to the ground. He came down at her. His hand on her throat, fist drawn back. Ready to knock her out.

She choked. She tried to heave him off but he was strong.

He suddenly heard growls behind him. Several demon hounds had tossed their riders and were coming at him. Jaws flashing. Breath hot and foul. He was dragged off her by the cape and she staggered to her feet and watched him dispatch the three hounds.

She watched as he took them down and noted he did not kill anyone of them. He mainly incapacitated their movements or knocked them out. Who was he? This man in blue and red with the crest on his chest like a golden serpent? She moved swiftly and lifted a large pillar from what was left of a guard post and smacked him with it.

He sailed across the city and landed on the edge of a series of fire pits.

Superman muttered as he saw her coming at him. "Okay, enough."

He ploughed into her. Taking the brunt of her sword and she gasped as it sliced down his chest, cutting the fabric of his uniform but bending even as it branded him. He wrung her wrist about her back and then she screeched as the sword fell out of her grasp. His arm was about her neck and pinning her back to him. She grabbed his shirt at the shoulder and used all the leverage in her arms, and suddenly like an eel was out of his grasp and he was tumbling over her head. The electrical sword fell into a fire pit below them.

It was bare hand to hand combat now and as fast as he was and strong, she proved agile, nimble and skilled at keeping him from getting her in a real hold. Fists flew, and legs kicked. The air seemed to reverberate with the exchange of blows.

He grabbed one gauntlet wrist while catching her other balled fist in his palm. They tumbled like two birds in deadly battle. The fire pits roared beneath them. Flames licking the air. She felt the heat coming under them.

Superman's irises glowed and this time she anticipated him. She grappled with him as sharp deadly Apokoliptian blades suddenly erupted from the fingers of her gauntlets. He gasped as the godly metal dug into his shoulder and the claws on the next hand slashed his face diagonally.

He grunted, feeling the pain and sting and his own blood trickle down his cheek. But he kept hold of her and cracked her wrist back. She screamed as her bones protested and he elbowed the crown of her helm sharply and suddenly. The helm cracked under the force, a jagged line running down the middle.

The blades of her gauntlet loosed and she suddenly plummeted.

He hovered a moment, holding his punctured shoulder, breathing heavily.

She was falling fast and did not seem to be recovering. She had blackened out it seemed from the force of his hit.

She is not invulnerable like you.

He did not know where that thought came from.

He felt a breeze on his neck. It was ticklish and incongruous with the heat of the pits.

He dove into the pit for her, catching her by the waist and sped upwards before the blazing flames could claim her.

He landed heavily on the ground and laid her down, turning her onto her back. The cracked mask was now showing parts of a nose and rosy lips.

His fingers grasped the crown of the helm and mask and tore it apart to check her for injury.

He felt his breath hitch as ebony hair spilled onto the ground and the face beneath was revealed.

He stepped backwards quickly, as if she were some coiled serpent ready to spring at him, as if wanting to put space between them. Not trusting what he was seeing in her striking face and form. It felt odd. He felt dazed. It was the feeling he often got when he sensed magic. Unbalanced and fogged in the brain.

He murmured stunned, "Rao…"

Her eyes fluttered open, almost at once. As if she had heard his voice.

Sapphire blue eyes met cerulean ones. For a spilt second they stared at each other. Measuring. Wary. Fascinated. Confused.

He could smell her. It was glaring because Apokolips smelled of death. This warrior smelled of flowers.

His eyes skimmed over the harmonious classical features set in a smooth oval face. Not a scar or blemish marred the olive smoothness. Her full lips seemed to part. Her own breath seemed to quicken as she looked at him. Her bosom rose and fell and he could hear her heart beating rapidly.

The mixture of bewilderment that he had saved her and that he had also bested her set her features into a mask of hostility. She tried to move right her hand but winced.

The sound of a boomtube cracked behind them.

Superman heard Barda's shout. "Superman!"

He turned to see Barda emerging and beckoning him. "Quickly!"

Barda watched him fly to her, his cheek bearing a long slash that was bleeding. She saw the one called Opaque stagger to her feet, holding her broken wrist to her in a grimace.

Their eyes met.

Barda whispered in shocked recognition, even as the boomtube closed, "Oh my Gods…! Diana…?"

Diana's eyes widened for a moment. "Barda…" Her face then hardened as she remembered the circumstances leading to Barda's defection. How she left her. Left Apokolips.

Barda hesitated. "I…"

Diana's lips curled disdainfully. "You have won this round, traitor. Savor your victory as it lasts."

The boomtube closed with a crack.

She let out a grimace as she held her wrist to her chest. She bent one hand to reach down for the cracked shell of her helm and after a moment flung it to the floor in anger.

"Who was that? You called her Diana. Do you know her?"

Superman turned and looked at Barda and Scott now for answers.

They had gotten back to New Genesis safely. Physicians sought to reverse the effects of the paranoia pill on Orion and attend Himon's damaged leg.

Now they sat awaiting Highfather before they left for Earth in one of the luxurious sitting rooms. Scott and Barda had a worried and pensive look on their faces since they had left Apokolips.

They both looked at Superman. His face and shoulder had healed up now. Not a scratch on him. But the memory of his battle with Opaque was still fresh. More so now that he knew Barda seemed to know her. And because something about her seemed to niggle at him. She seemed almost familiar to him. Which was impossible. He never saw her in his life.

Barda sighed. "Yes. She was one of the younger recruits there when I was head of the Furies. I mentored her for a while."

Scott said somberly, "Too well. She's the Head Fury now."

"She is powerful. Strong. Skilled. I scanned her DNA. She is human. How the hell can that be?"

Barda looked at Scott knowingly and carefully replied, "She is human but a creature of magic too. Forces we don't understand. Granny said Gods. I do not know. It is common for Apokolips to abduct would be recruits for the Furies. We did not know what happened to her. If she would still be alive, or dead. Most recruits do not make it beyond their eighteenth birthday when they run the Gauntlet. If they do, they are destined to be used as slaves or in the brothels. The ones who make the team of Darkseid's Elite are dangerous. Most are brainwashed and a mere shadow of their former selves. They are only there to serve him."

Scott said, "We would be best to be vigilant now. We took Orion. Opaque saw Barda. Darkseid will not be forgiving. We must be prepared for anything."

Superman rubbed his chin. "Will they likely follow us to Earth?"

"It is possible. They are already warring with New Genesis, that will continue. We had hoped coming to Earth, a planet Darkseid has no interest in, we would have been able to live in peace. Now…"

Superman said briskly, "I need to get back to debrief the League immediately. Prepare for anything."

Scott said, "We will not be staying much longer. If you want to go and check the ship for our flight home you can. I just need to say goodbye to Highfather…"

Superman nodded. "I'll see you down in the hanger." He left them.

Scott turned to look at Barda. "Why didn't you tell him the truth about Diana?"

She sighed. "What good would it do? Superman knows the Amazons and would feel obliged to tell them. She is not the girl we left behind. She looked at me with real hostility. I think she will never forgive me for leaving. I am just glad to know she is still alive, but…Oh Scott, we should have taken her with us!" Barda's face was pinched with sadness and guilt.

Scott said sympathetically and put his arm around his wife's shoulder. "I know but we discussed this, my heart. Taking her would have incited Darkseid's rage against her people. How could we justify that kind of carnage?"

She laid her head on his shoulder. "We have lost her."

Scott sighed. "Right now our problems will be Darkseid seeking retribution for taking Orion. We must be on our guard."

Before she could reply the sound of footsteps entering the room made them turn. It was Highfather. He had a look of relief and gratitude on his face. He was able to report that Orion and Himon were both stable and resting.

"Where is Superman?"

"He has gone to the hanger. He is anxious to return to Earth."

Highfather nodded knowingly. "You took a big risk exposing yourselves to Apokolips to help save Orion. If there is anything I can do to repay you and him, name it."

Scott said, "We do not want payment for a rescue mission."

Highfather held him by the shoulders. "Scott, I know we did not start off on the right footing. You must resent me for what I did…using you…"

He said calmly, "It is in the past. You did what you had to do to protect a planet and your kingdom. I understand the love of family." He looked fondly at Barda. "Good things can come out of bad situations too. I would have never met my wife but for that treaty."

Highfather smiled gently at Barda. "You have made Scott happy. For that I am grateful. It is odd indeed how in the darkest of places light can shine and keep hope and faith alive. I wish you both joy and happiness."

Scott accepted his hand shake. "Farewell, Father."

"Farewell, my son. I hope to see you again."

Darkseid looked down at Opaque from his throne as she went down on one knee before him. Behind her were Stompa and Bloody Mary. They looked uncomfortable and apprehensive. Standing, watching them were Grayven, Kalibak Granny, Bernadeth , Lashina, Kanto and Desaad. All wore smirks on their faces with the exception of the master assassin.

They were waiting with anticipation to hear what Darkseid would decree. He was angry to have not only lost Orion but Dr Bedlam as well. He had Graven execute all the parademons who were supposed to guard the lower levels, the perimeter and the infirmary.

"Well?" he asked coldly.

Opaque was back in a fresh mask, and her wrist bandaged. She said bluntly, "I miscalculated. I thought I could take him down alone. He was strong and fast. And then there was Barda and Scott in the equation."

"Barda and Scott. " Darkseid laced his fingers together. "Yes, I should not be surprised they came. Highfather no doubt got a real sense of pleasure sending my "son" to retake his. Let them enjoy the victory while they can. But blaming this on a miscalculation? There were three of you…" He looked at Stompa and Mary. "And parademons at you disposal. I sent you because you were deemed the best of the Furies."

"My lord, in my time as a Fury I have never encountered a man who could shoot fire from his eyes and blow icy, buffeting winds from his mouth."

Darkseid frowned. "Who and what is this man?"

Kanto spoke up. "I did some research. He is a Kryptonian, my lord. He resides on Earth as its protector and enforcer of justice."

Granny uttered, "Kryptonian? The race is dead."

"Yes. But one lives."

Darkseid said, "How is that I did not know of this Kryptonian? How come you did not capture him when you went to Earth, Kanto?"

Kanto said, "He appeared on Earth only some six years ago. There was no evidence of his existence while I was there."

"One would think a Kryptonian's existence would be easy to detect. Someone hid him and hid him well. A pity he has embroiled himself in Apokolips' business, making him my enemy."

"Give me a chance to redeem myself," began Opaque. "I can go to Earth and make him, Barda and Scott pay for their interference and treachery. We can arrange a raiding party. Harvest slaves. Show them that Apokolips will not be trifled with."

Lashina said derisively, "You couldn't defeat him here, you think you can do it there?"

Opaque did not look at her. She kept her face focused on Darkseid, ignoring the barb. It was a kind of imperious habit she had that aggravated Lashina.

"I do not make the same mistakes twice, my lord."

Granny snapped, "Mistakes are not tolerated on Apokolips, you arrogant creature."

She replied icily, "If that were true half of this company would be dead or recruiting slaves as their penance."

Kanto snickered.

Grayven scowled, not appreciating her sarcasm which was directed at him. He said coldly, "Father, permit Kalibak and myself to undertake this mission. We will do what Opaque failed to. We will bring Barda and Scott to you and the head of this Superman."

Desaad said with a gleam in his eyes. "Why bring the head alone? Bring the body. I own a great desire to study him."

Kanto said dryly, "You mean torture and cut him to ribbons?"

Desaad replied, "It would be a shame to kill the last specimen of an extinct race without us studying him."

Lashina stepped forward with Grayven. "Allow me to accompany Grayven…"

Kalibak began crossly, "We do not need the help of Furies…You have all done enough damage letting the Kryptonian get the better of you…"

Lashina snapped, "It was not me! It was Opaque's incompetence!"

Darkseid put up his hand up. His eyes looked amused at their bickering. He said, "You and Grayven are needed in the war with New Genesis. Now is not the time to waste my forces on a planet of savages. You will remain here. Opaque you will get your chance. You will put together a small raiding party of your choice."

She rose and bowed, "Thank you, my lord. I will start my research and prepara…"

He stopped her. "And you will take Lashina, Stompa and Bloody Mary with you."

Lashina's eyes glowed. Stompa and Mary looked relieved. They had been spared.

She knew there was no arguing. She bowed stiffly. "It is as you wish, Lord Darkseid."

"Try not to disappoint me. I will not be so patient next time."

Dalmar sat down with Opaque. They were in the house of records and archives. They had full use of the place. The keeper had turned in for the night and being Head Fury Diana was able to access it without any problems. Now Diana was able to remove her mask.

There were few people she showed her face too since becoming a Fury. Only Dalmar and Kanto had the privilege. Kanto was the closest thing she had to a mentor and Dalmar an ally. She had no other friends. No one could be trusted and she had seen many girls come and go and die. Nira, the other recruit that had been on the same ship when Kanto has captured them was now languishing in a brothel.

Dalmar was grateful for Diana as an ally. They watched each others back, and now as Diana was head Fury, no one came to take her against her will anymore and Lashina had long stopped tormenting her. She was grateful for the chance to prove herself to Darkseid too.

They now looked at maps and documents on Earth. Studying the history and people.

Dalmar remarked, "What a backward race. Billions of years old and still fragile and primitive. Why Kanto even went there in the first place?"

"He got me from Earth."

She looked at her taken aback. "You?"

"Yes, the immortal Amazons were sequestered there."

"I see…So do you think they would still be there?"

"I do not know nor do I care. They never came to find me or cared whether I lived or died. My life and home is here." Her voice sounded brittle.

Dalmar looked up from her screen and saw Diana looking at some images of a red planet exploding. "What is that?"

"Krypton. His planet. Powered by a red sun. Populated by a highly advanced race. They lived in isolation. There was building radiation from within the core and it exploded, killing every one…

"But him…"

"I…" She frowned. "The cellular structure of Kryptonians allows for solar energy to be absorbed at extremely high levels when exposed to a yellow star like Earth's Sun, giving them vast superhuman powers. It explains his abilities, I suppose."

"He was very strong?"

"Yes…we almost stalemated and he…" She looked slightly annoyed and bemused. "He could have taken the victory. But he did not."

Dalmar looked curious. "What?

Diana looked at her wrist. "I lost consciousness for a minute. I saw his elbow coming but it was too fast and it was powerful enough to break my helm and concuss me. I could feel the heat of the firepits. I would have fallen in but when I opened my eyes I was lying down on the ground, unscathed. He stopped me from falling."

Dalmar looked perplexed. "That is odd. He should have killed you."

She closed the window to the screen with a finger and declared coolly, "He could have killed the hounds too. He did not. Nor did he kill Stompa or Mary. I can foresee that he has some misplaced sense of honor and compassion that these Earthlings seem to preach about. It will not help him or them."

Superman, Barda and Scott landed in the hanger of the JLA satellite. They reported in. Batman was on monitor duty. They had long contacted the Satellite and informed them that the mission had been successful. Superman volunteered to write a report and allow Scott and Barda to go home.

Batman watched him as he typed swiftly. "You look a bit worried."

"We need to amp up our security protocols, Bruce."

"You think they will come after you?"

"I don't know. Earth is not of any interest to them and their war is with New Genesis but I have this feeling in my gut…"

"Well, the Satellite can clock all alien craft coming into the Solar System…"

"These guys have boomtubes. They don't need to come the normal way."

"Ah…boomtubes." Bruce said it with distaste. He had joined the League because he knew that the world he lived in had foes he could not fight alone but it still did not mean he ever got use to alien and magical forces. Dealing with psychotic clowns and femme fatales were bad enough. "So what are you proposing?"

Superman said, "New Genesis has spies on Apokolips so we will be hoping to get any tip off on any signs of an invasion. They are engaged in a war though, so it is uncertain how many reinforcements they can send. I think we need to try to talk to the Guardians and the U.N. We need to have some sort of coordinated effort and planning how we would deal with a full on assault. I will try to get Scott and Barda involved. They would know about Apokoliptian weaponry and tactical protocols."

"Assuming they don't attack today," Batman returned.

Superman finished his report. "If they do, then it would not be a full scale assault. Much of the army is engaged with New Genesian troops. It would take more than a few hours to pull them in and organize them. Right. I'm done. I need to call Ma and Pa and get some shut eye."

Batman nodded. "Sure. You look a little tired."

Superman rubbed his shoulder instinctively. It was not that anything hurt but the memory was still fresh. "I had to take on quite a few opponents: hounds, parademons, Furies…"

"You need to go to the infirmary?" queried Batman a little suspiciously.

"No...no. I'm fine. Goodnight, Bruce."

"Goodnight, Clark."

Superman headed towards his quarters down some levels in the Satellite. He took a quick shower and threw on a pair of boxers and dropped on the bed. His eyes closed almost instantly.

"Clark…"

Clark turned in his bed. He was in his apartment in Metropolis. Lois was lying on the pillow next to him.

"Lois…?" He looked at her bemused. "What are you doing here?"

She gave him an amused look. "Really, Smallville, you would think you would remember we went to dinner and ended up here. It was rather nice, wasn't it?" She cooed and moved to straddle him.

Clark blinked. "What?"

She bent and blew his spit curl back. "You were right…The truth does set you free…"

He looked at her dazed and closed his eyes as her lips met his. It was unlike any kiss he ever had from her. He could feel the pressure of her lips. His hands went to the curtain of her hair and when she raised her head, it was not Lois' eyes or face he saw.

Brilliant sapphire eyes gleamed down at him.

"Kal…"

It was like a caress, an intimate whisper. Her perfumed breath fanned his face.

His eyes widened as he felt something sharp on his flesh. He looked down and saw a shard of kryptonite in her hand. It went into his chest. The pain was excruciating. He groaned in agony.

He jerked up and saw he was sitting up in his bed in his room in the Satellite. He was sweating and his heart was thumping.

"Damn it…" He raked his fingers through his hair and sat up. He had nightmares before but none that ever made him actually sweat. He looked at a clock. He had been out for a mere half an hour. He felt unsettled and definitely not able to go back to sleep.

He rose and blurred into his uniform. He needed something to do. To gather his thoughts and burn off some steam.

As he flew away from the Satellite, he tried to banish the face of the woman called Diana from his mind.

A kind of translucent figure with a caduceus and winged sandals watched him as he broke the atmospheric barrier and vanished.

Jonathan Kent lifted his head out from the bonnet of his old pickup to watched Clark as he now hovered over the barn with shouldering several planks. Clark had come home to help with repairs to the fence, and had decided give repaint the whole farmhouse, and replace the barn roof. The perimeter fence had needed replacement but the other repairs were totally unnecessary.

He watched his son work and frowned. Clark was now using his hands to drive nails into the wood.

Martha Kent stepped out with two glasses of fruit punch. She looked at her husband's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Something is bothering him today. He can't keep still."

Martha handed him his glass. "Yes, I guessed as much. Have you asked him anything?"

"No. I don't like to pry. Often enough he will tell me if he needs to talk."

Martha nodded. "Time for a break then. Clark! I have something for you."

Clark put down the planks and tools and flew down. He was in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. He smiled but took the glass from his mother. "I'm not thirsty."

"No, but you can take a break."

"I don't need a break…"

"No but Pa does. You can keep him company. I'll be preparing dinner."

Martha left them and went inside. Clark looked at his father with a smile as they sat on some bales of hay. "What do you want to know, Pa?"

"Well, who says I want to know anything?"

"I heard you and Ma. It's okay you can ask."

Jonathan smiled. "Are you okay? You look pretty preoccupied."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"Is it the League?"

"No, that's going well."

"Work?"

"You could say that. I finally told Lois I was Clark Kent."

"Ah. From your expression, she did not take it well?"

"No. She's pretty angry with me. She refuses to speak to me at work. I never meant to hurt her."

Jonathan said gravely, "Did you explain why you did what you did?"

"Yes, but she feels I played her for a fool."

"Understandable. You need to give her time."

"If it was just time, but it's more than that. She seems uneasy reconciling me with Clark Kent. But I am Clark in many ways. It is the name I was given and you reared me. If she rejects that then she rejects you, Ma, all of this."

"Living a double life can never be easy, but you are not defined by those glasses or the cape only, my boy. You are Clark to us yes, but we see the real Clark. Lois barely sees him. She sees Superman, your public persona, who saves people, and gives speeches and is Leader of the League. Yet she does not know Kal-El's intimate thoughts or fears like your colleagues do. Just because you bear my last name does not mean you can't be Jor-El and Lara's son too. It is not disloyal to me. You have always been destined to become a great man, Clark. I think if Krypton had never blown up you would be doing something great there too. Life is never simple for a man of action…Your father was a scientist and he was rather infamous…"

Clark sighed "Yes, he was not normal to say the least."

"I guess what I am saying is you are allowed to be complicated. Heck, I would be worried if you were not. But you need to be true to who you are. Not just in name only. The truth will always set you free…"

Clark stared at him with such a startled expression. "What?"

Jonathan looked at the clouding of the cerulean eyes. "Being honest never fails…You okay, son?"

Clark put his glass down and stood up. "I…need to get back to the barn. Thanks for the advice, Pa."

Jonathan rubbed his chin. Clark looked even more uneasy than before. Normally after any talk his son would be more philosophical about things. His son was not a needy man. He did not think this was solely about Lois Lane at all. But Clark was Clark. He trusted him to handle himself.

Clark Kent was in the lunch room sitting and having his sandwich. He was alone, having run late by covering a story downtown earlier that day. He was surprised to see Lois coming in with her coffee mug. He thought she had gone for the day.

She halted when she saw him. "Oh."

He rose and threw his half eaten sandwich in a bin. "I was just going…"

She bit her lip and then said reluctantly, "Wait …Clark…"

He paused. She put her cup down and crossed her arms over her chest. "Look, we can't just keep avoiding each other."

"That's your choice, Lois. But I will not force my company upon you if you do not want it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was in his Clark Kent garb and glasses and yet he suddenly did not look like him. He looked bigger. Broader. His voice more rich and vibrant. He was not shy and retiring. He was not stumbling and stuttering. He was frank and matter of fact. How could she have missed it? It irritated her that he had duped her easily. Her! Lois Lane! The best reporter in the whole darn eastern seaboard! She could almost forgive him for wanting to protect her but making a fool of her? It was a blow to her pride and intelligence.

She waved at him. "Fine! Sit down. I will give you five minutes!"

He gave her a queer look. It was odd to suddenly find her bossing of Clark as very annoying. But he owed her more than a few sentences for his subterfuge. So he took a chair.

Opaque stood on the bridge of the ship that she had commandeered to go to Earth. She had selected a team consisting of a hundred parademons, Dalmar, Stompa, Bloody Mary, Lashina and another Fury, niece of Virman Vundabar, Malice Vundabar. The latter looked uncharacteristically youthful and innocent of all guile or ruthlessness. But she was, in fact, very cunning and had a shadow demon under her control called Chessure. She was as dangerous as any of them.

Lashina stood by watching Opaque give orders to the parademons who flew the ship.

She was very keen on seeing what Opaque would do. What her tactics would be to draw out this Superman and Barda and Scott.

A boomtube opened, and they went through it.

They appeared high above the Earth's atmosphere. Dalmar was at a touch screen and she said, "These earthlings have a global system of interconnected computer networks. It connects people and countries and has information on nearly everything on the planet. You can even find people." Dalmar entered the word "Superman" and million of sites came up.

Opaque watched her scroll down the sites and remarked, "There seems to be a common theme connected with his name. Who is Lois Lane?"

Dalmar said, "It seems this is a female who works at a place called the Daily Planet in a city called Metropolis. Superman's city."

Opaque looked at the ship's pilot. "Chart a course for Metropolis."

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews by everyone. But a combination of real life for both me and my beta was the reason for the delayed update.