A/N: Good to be back writing after a while! Enjoy the next chapter and as always, leave a review or PM me if you have anything to say!

Washington. The OMHR Building. Amanda Waller is making her way towards Sebastian Reynard's office to get an update on the Greenhouse Facility's progress.

"DON'T LIE TO ME, REYNARD" Bruce stood in front of the desk, the owner of which was sitting just behind it, leaning back on his chair and his arms folded.

"Bruce, I simply cannot understand why you think it was me?" He smirked, irritating Bruce just a bit more. Waller opened the door and walked through. Reynard looked at her, as she raised an eyebrow. Bruce, however didn't acknowledge her presence at all. He grabbed Reynard and pulled him closer.

"You're the only person on this committee that I haven't personally had the opportunity to do a background check on. I want to know how Clark knew we were coming and you're the only person who can possibly know."

"Unfortunately, my friend, you're wrong there. I haven't done anything that goes against this department. I give you my word."

"Bruce, let the man go" Waller said. Bruce relinquished his grip on Reynard's suit jacket and turned around. "Jesus, with you two and Luthor, I feel like a goddamn elementary school teacher" Waller said, folding her arms. Both men looked slightly offended.

"May I remind you, Amanda," Reynard said, standing up, "that Luthor, Bruce and I are among the cleverest men on this planet."

"And none of you have anything on me" Waller replied, "now sit back down and talk to me. What happened?"

"He knew we were coming" Bruce said, "they made short work of their escape. We were in there for 6 minutes maximum and on the back foot for 5 and a half."

"So you think he was tipped off?" Waller shook her head.

"And he thinks I did it" Reynard smirked again. Both Bruce and Waller, albeit for differing reasons, shot dirty scowls in his direction.

"What do you want from me, Bruce?" Waller turned back to him.

"We need to flush him out. As far as I know he'll still be on this planet. The bunker was probably just a place to plan. He wouldn't be staying there and he'd need to keep tabs on the outside world."

"I know exactly what you want to do. Go ahead. I'll speak with Luthor and get him on board too. We'll do it tomorrow."

"What exactly are you two on about?" Reynard said, furrowing his brow.

Metropolis. The Daily Planet. Perry White is sitting in his office, reading through a draft of tomorrow's paper.

Perry sat there, sifting through lines upon lines of text looking for anything he could pick someone up on. As his office door opened, his secretary peeked around.

"Perry you have a call from Jack about the Greenhouse story."

"Thank you, Sharon put him th…" Looking through the door, he caught a glimpse of a face he didn't expect to see today. He stood up and walked through the door, pushing Sharon aside. "What the fuck do you think you're doing here, Clark?" Clark Kent, standing in front of an empty desk, looked up to see Perry staring at him with a look of surprise and annoyance.

"Perry, where's my stuff?" Clark said.

"Where the hell do you think?" Perry replied, his hands on his hips, "You've been gone for 2 months. No note, no email. Hell, I'd have thought you were dead, had Lois not been cashing your paychecks for you." He pointed to Lois, who was peeking her head over the partition of her booth.

"You cashed in my paychecks?" Clark said, "Thanks babe."

"FOCUS!" Perry shouted, "The respect I have for you as an investigative reporter and the stories you pull in is the only reason you are still registered as an employee of this company, even if you don't fucking act like one!"

"Uh, Perry…" a voice from the side of the room said, "you might wanna come look at this." He walked over to the booth, where an intern was sitting at a desk, looking at a webpage on the computer.

On-screen was a live feed of Bruce Wayne, standing outside the OMHR Building, surrounded by reporters. Next to him on a stand, was a large sign with the Superman symbol on it, surrounded by text which read:

SUPERMAN: PUBLIC ENEMY #1

WANTED FOR FEDERAL CRIMES

REWARD OF $3,000,000 FOR THE CAPTURE OF SUPERMAN

ALIVE

"Turn the sound up" Clark said, looking over Perry's shoulder. Bruce's voice slowly became audible.

"…that Superman is refusing to co-operate. We have just had Justice Martin approve two arrest warrants. These are for Superman and the Flash. With these two as government fugitives, the OMHR cannot properly function and the Government has been forced to act in a more unorthodox fashion. To help us with the capture of these two we are disclosing some previously classified information."

"Claire" Perry said loudly, "Get ready to take this down." Everyone in the room quickly turned their attentions back to Bruce, who had now been projected onto the TVs all around the office.

"Superman's real name is Clark Kent." There was a stunned silence in the room. Clark instantly felt all eyes were suddenly on him. "He is a reporter for the Daily Planet and is originally from Smallville, Kansas." Clark looked around frantically, Bruce's voice still playing loudly from the TV. "The Flash's real name is Barry Allen. He is a forensic scientist working with the Central City Police Department. Both of these men are government fugitives and are to be treated as extremely dangerous. Do not attempt to capture these men without contacting the police first." Bruce's voice faded away. Clark's mind was spinning. He's just ruined my life.

"Clark… is this true?" Perry said, stepping forward. Clark stepped back, still unsure where to look, until his eyes rested on Lois, tears streaming down her face. She gave him a look as if to say I'm sorry. Clark took a deep breath and ran towards a window.

"WAIT!" Perry shouted.

"CLARK" Lois cried. Clark jumped through the window and out into the street. He flew up and away as fast as he could.

As he broke the sound barrier flying above Canada, Clark was still feeling dazed and full of unwanted adrenaline. When he finally arrived at the Fortress of Solitude, he flew through the door and landed in the Central Hub. Breathing heavily, he swung out and kicked a large crystal in the floor, sending it flying as he screamed in anger. He breathed deeply and slowly calmed himself down. He sat down on the step and held his head in his shaking hands.

"What is wrong, my son?" A voice boomed through the halls. Jor-El's face appeared as a hologram, filtered through the crystals.

"He just ruined my life" Clark said, the anguish in his voice causing him to stutter. "I can't go back, I can't fit in. He just made me an outcast again. I'm never going to be normal again."

"You were never normal, Kal" Jor-El said, "You were always so much greater than normal." Clark stood up.

"I don't think I can beat him, father." He stood, looking down at the floor.

"Kal." Clark didn't move, "KAL" Jor-El said louder. Clark looked up at him. "You just haven't been as prepared as he has. You can't hope to win a battle when you aren't prepared, even if you are Superman."

"He's thought of everything. I have nowhere to turn."

"That's' where you're wrong, my son. Having studied the records of Earth from this internet, I understand that there is a mental sport by the name of Chess." Clark nodded. "In this game, both participants have 16 pieces and those pieces are a perfect mirror of their opponent's pieces, correct?" Clark nodded again. "Then that's what you must do. Look at what your opponent has, and choose your allies accordingly."

"But Bruce has so many." Clark said.

"With all the good you've done in this world, my son, there will always be friends for you to find. Some may even be pieces that weren't always thought of as friends."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Next one on the way soon. Don't be afraid to leave a review!