Chapter Ten

HIGHER FORM OF PLAY

LOCATION:

WATCHTOWER

Clark watched the big screen that descended from the ceiling above. The LexCorp logo animated to spinning clockwise in a sort of trance. He then looked at Lea's monitor which was more just a black screen with coloured text that continued to expand and change with the countless lines of code.

'Want to answer some questions, Lea?' Lea groaned at the reminder. She chose, often times when Clark began to get a little annoying, to just ignore him. He'll get the gist of it in a few seconds. This time it was Clark's turn to sigh. 'Fine, you're in a mood.'

A clanking noise rang through the room, grabbing their attention—Lea's only for a second before she was hacking again. 'So this is where you guys hang out and save the world?'

'Careful, Heather, that stuff on Clark's table are radioactive samples from earlier,' Lea cautioned.

Heather took a last look at the metal alloys and wasted no time in replacing them back onto the table. She felt so out of place there. This one domed chamber, an astronomy tower in the edge of town by the harbour. All of the gadgets and equipment making funny noises…it all looked alien to her.

She walked over to Clark whom offered a sympathetic smile. She snuck her hand in his and joined him in just simply watching Lea's awesome hacking skills.

'What is all this stuff?'

With a wide grin Clark led his girlfriend away from the computers. There was a metal platform running along the dome above, adorned in colourful glass mosaics depicting Jesus' resurrection. The couple walked around, looking at the art. 'We started this venture a while ago. I had actually already begun by University, right after I got back from the Near-East.'

'Why?'

'Why did start being a vigilante?'

She nodded, though correcting him by simply calling it helping. Clark did not seem to have a definite answer, or at least one he could word to her.

-=O=-

-=O=-

LOCATION:

SMALLVILLE,

Things change, no one was more privy to that than Clark. He watched Pete play that day, he played brilliantly as always. It was only practice, but Clark saw the team's focus. There was no way Gotham High would beat them this year.

The cheerleading squad were also doing well. He watched Lana lead the rest, a smile on her face, she seemed so happy when she danced, when she cheered, and she was a natural at it as well.

So what was eighteen year-old Clark Kent doing?

He had just finished filling the last of the styrofoam cups with Isotonic drinks. That's right, Clark Kent, straight A student and nerd king at Smallville High was the water-boy for the team while all of his friends—Pete Ross, Lana Lang, had moved up in life. They were both popular now. Adored by the school and desired by everyone else.

'Hey, Kent, I want all of these uniforms and equipment washed and ready for the game tomorrow,' the coach roared as he passed by. Clark simply nodded and moved to the piles of clothing on the benches.

While stuffing the dirty laundry into a grey sack, he had not realised that he'd been staring at Lana for the past few minutes. Brad had though and while passing him, purposely shoved his shoulder aside. 'Watch it Kent.'

Clark sighed and ignored him, he continued on with his task and tried not to look at his friends on the field.

It hurt sometimes, to see his friends had outgrown him.

'Hi,' Clark was startled by a hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around. It was Lana, smiling up at him. 'Listen, Clark, a bunch of us are heading into town, hang out at Mrs Brown's Café. Do you wanna come?'

For the first time that day, Clark smiled back at her, 'Ah…sure, Lana. I'd love to come.'

'Hold on there, Kent, you can't come, you got a lot of work to do.' Brad Fordham appeared beside her, hands crossed over his chest, trying his best to out-tough him. Brad and Lana had begun dating a few years ago. If he wasn't mistaken it was a week after she joined the cheerleading squad.

'What are you talking about, I just finished stacking all the—' Clark wasn't even able to finish his defence. Brad took the sack from his hands and threw it down onto the stacked up equipment on the row below them. Clark clenched his fists. He was way past angry…but that look Lana gave him was a reminder of his old days, when they were friends. He sighed and allowed himself to relax.

But there was no way he was letting Brad get the last word…

In a little more than a blink of an eye, the work was done. He restacked the equipment in a way that knocking them over seemed useless. The water tank was ready for storage and the jerseys folded. But Lana and the group…including Pete had already hit the road. Pete and his girlfriend had his Lexus sports car while Brad, Lana and her girlfriends had his Lambo. They were fast, very fast…Clark grinned. They were nowhere near as fast as he was.

Like a cheetah in a field, Clark sped down the dusty road past fields upon fields of golden crops. Faster than any speeding bullet, he raced. Then…turning left into the Harrison's Corn field, Clark sped up, he had tried this before and at just the right speed he leapt into the air.

Oh how he loved that feeling. The fresh air, rushing past his face, even if it was for a few seconds, it was best he'd ever left. He could feel the warmth of the sun, its rays shining in the distance. He was so close to it.

Clark landed with a thud but continued to run, speeding up again and then off he kicked. It felt almost as if he was flying, suspended in mid-air, felt like he could soar through the sky forever. This was the life—this was what kept him going. Even when it seemed like bringing him down…This was how he saw the world—even for a moment…he saw it from the skies above.

In the end it took less than an hour to get back home, in the middle of the road.

When Brad drove his car past the Kent Farm, he was more than surprised to see Clark Kent already by a tractor, leaning against the giant wheel with his arms folded and a smug smile upon his face. 'How'd you get here so fast?' he quizzed.

Clark shrugged. 'I ran,' he answered simply. Lana was giving him a knowing grin, shaking her head in a cross between amused and disapproval.

'See, Lana, told you he was an odd-ball, let's get outta here.' With a final wink from Clark, Brad sped off as fast as he could. Clark saw a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. Repressed memory, maybe? All-in-all, Clark found himself alone once again.

A man that Clark had overlooked had been working on the tractor's engine behind him. 'Been doing a bit of showing off there, eh, son?'

The boy stammered, straightening his back as he faced his father. Though he didn't seem angry, he looked less than pleased. He waited as Jonathan wiped his hands of oil and grease on an old towel. Clark cleared his throat, 'Oh…I'm sorry, Pa.' He walked over to his father who held the engine flap open for Clark to help him out with. 'I didn't mean to show off.' He tightened a screw with his hands and Jonathan pointed at more around the piston. 'It's just that… guys like Brad I just want to tear them apart.'

Jonathan sighed inwardly. 'I know.'

Clark paused, feeling quite ashamed of himself, 'I know I shouldn't.'

'Yeah, I know. You can do all these amazing things and sometimes you think that you would just go bust unless you can tell people about 'em.'

They chuckled. Clark could always count on Pa to know him. 'I mean is it really showing off if somebody's doing the things he's capable of doing? Is a bird showing off when it flies? I mean, every time I kick the football I can make the touchdown, every time, Pa!'

Jonathan shook his head, patting his son on the shoulder. They closed the tractor engine's hatch and Jon led him back to the house. 'No, Clark. Now you listen to me. When your mother and I found you…we were afraid.' He looked his son in the eyes, saw the confusion in them. 'We were afraid that when people found out, you know, all the things you could do…that they'd take you away…treat you like some sort of experiment. You have to understand, Clark, that what we do won't just affect us but the people around us in very different ways.'

'They'll be afraid of me?' Jon shrugged but then nodded. It was always a fear that Clark had at times wondered. Perhaps one day he'd understand. Perhaps that day even. 'Why?'

Jon didn't have a definite answer. Not really. They'd always had to guess and try their best when it came to raising their son. 'People…people are afraid, Clark. We're afraid of things that we don't understand. It's human instinct. But then a man gets older and he starts seeing the world in a different light.' He looked at his son and just marvelled at how much he'd grown. He was proud, like any proud father would be when it came to his children. 'Things become clear and one thing I do know, son, and that is that you are here for a reason…and somewhere out there, whatever the reason is…' He chuckled at his own loss for the proper words. 'Maybe it's…uh…I don't know. But what I do know is that,' he patted his son's shoulder gently. 'It's not to score touchdowns.'

The young Clark turned scarlet a little and nodded. 'Thanks dad.'

'Come on, son,' he said with a wide smile on his bearded face. 'Let's go pick up your mom.' He led him to the truck and got in, 'She's at the warehouse in town.' They drove off away from the house and a few miles towards town, completely unaware of the dark clouds that formed before them. People usually were.

-=O=-

-=O=-

'…Everything I am is because of my parents.' Heather followed his gaze, occasionally sneaking glances at his pensive expression. 'My father…always told me that regardless of what we believe in, which faith we follow or choose not to belong to, we all have a purpose. Finding it out is what drives us forwards.'

Heather was about to comment on that, but was interrupted by Lea, calling from her workstation. 'Clark, heads up, we got a robbery in progress at a military installation in South-end Metropolis.'

Clark glanced at Heather, both sharing a knowing smile. He looked back at Lea still waiting for a response, 'Details?'

'Unknown assailants, the objective is a crate about two metres by three. Vehicle is…' She paused, her eyes furrowing at one of the words on her computer. 'It's a tank?'

He looks back at Heather, an uncertain, puzzled look evident on her pale face. 'This is why I do what I do.' Clark went down and to his jacket. There was something about wearing that thing that made Clark seem different. Heather could not place it but it was there. His posture? He seemed taller, back straightened. His confidence was on a level she'd never seen before. Was this who the ever mysterious Clark Kent was?

'Good luck out there, babe.'

Clark gave her a cheeky, unClark-like wink and then he was gone. Heather released a breath she had been holding. Her heart was beginning to speed up.

In the meantime, Clark had leapt from one roof to another. He took long strides, skipping every second building or skyscraper, but then stopped at a tall building a few blocks away from the installation that resided just outside urban areas. There Clark listened. The tank had not taken any routs towards the city. Clark was relieved by that fact. He did not want a repeat of earlier.

The tank seemed to be headed further south. From atop the building he could spot the moving weapon heading down the road…no, wait. They turned…they were heading for the docks…back into the city. In the line of its destruction were a few apartments.

He could hear them…their cheering and laughing, unaware of the destruction heading their way.

Whoosh!

Clark's speed was never really timed. He never really bothered before. But at that moment, he was pushing his limits…he was close to sweating.

He landed just outside the apartments. A great big, vehicle, unlike any army tank he'd ever seen before. It was not just big, it was fast and agile. It manoeuvred past pillars that held up the North/South link above but did not show any signs of slowing down or turning to avoid the building.

Clark stood still, he saw a man with grocery bags in each arm, attempting to get inside the block. Clark gave him a quick warning about the tank yet still he ran inside, yelling that he needed to get his wife out.

'Warn everyone else inside,' he commanded. 'Get them out!' Clark would have settled for that but after seeing the tank smashing through the streets, crushing cars and bikes like they were nothing, Clark ran inside. He opened every door to every apartment and ordered everybody out, helping those with young children with them.

He could hear the armoured tank approaching. He needed to hurry. The situation was getting out of hand. The chaos he had escorted outside was still in his ears but he'd need to shut it all out before he could continue his job.

The banging and crashing accompanied by some screams drove Clark's speed for him. He could not have a repeat of Atomic Skull. The sun was setting now. Around seven pm on the horizon. Clark had just gotten to the fourth floor when he heard a BOOM!

Out of nowhere, an explosion ripped through the walls in front of him and sent him bulleting up. It was the tank…it shot at him. Still conscious, Clark opened his eyes. This was the second time that day he was privileged with the sight of the clouds, now glowing orange. He was also able to see, from the sky, the tank by the apartment…being attacked?

A figure…a woman had gotten on top of the moving metal car, a sword in her hand as she slashed through the impenetrable alloy. She was strong… but to his horror, the warrior woman began grabbing the terrorists inside…Koreans if he was not mistaken. And they screamed…how they screamed when she slashed at their throats.

Not even thinking of his course of action, Clark kicked the air, shooting him across the clouds and back onto Earth with a thunderous smash that cratered the road. 'What have you done!' Clark shouted at the female swordsman. She waves her long and black hair away from her eyes, her hands still holding onto the headless body of one of the Korean terrorists.

'I've done my duty.' She replied with force behind her words, 'Which is more than I could say for you, Son of Heracles!'

-=O=-

-=O=-

LOCATION:

EARTH'S ORBITING MOON

There is a part of the moon, hidden away from human eyes. The dark side of the moon they called it. The moon rotates on its axis in the same rotational direction as the planet it orbited since time in memorial. It spins in this same direction in 29.5 days which is also the same number of Earth days that it takes the Moon to actually orbit Earth.

In this, the same side of the Moon will always face Earth, and the other side, hidden behind darkness. Veiled by shadows, this sector of unexplored territory hid a secret that puzzled even those who kept it. When the new frontier was declared by US President John F. Kennedy in 1960, they launched a handful of explorers into outer space nine years later. The first destination was to the moon.

Believe what you want, but when the astronauts landed they did more than the world was led to believe. They found more than they were willing to share. Several scientists where launched with them, the Americans. Their agenda was clear to them, yet there were many smaller details that went in to its completion.

Representatives of some of the nations in the UN had touched onto the darkest sector of the natural satellite that orbited their home.

What they found…frightened them to the core.

'What is that?' they all turned to their leader.

Julian Luthor looked on in amazement. He was the only one of his group to have shown no fear whatsoever. He looked at the giant pyramid, still hovering in mid-air in the asteroid-like, rocky valley It appeared as if it was locked in battle. 'That, my friends…is what we came for.'

There were flashes of green around it, small green dots roaming around the pyramid followed by explosions. Luthor motioned his men down and they watched in gasped silence. They were…people, well at least one of them appeared to be a man, accompanied by a group of other creatures, humanoid for the most part, all glowing emerald as they shot light out of their hands, hitting the pyramid until something shot out of the structure's edges at the bottom. Some sort of anchor, it reeled the structure into the ground.

'We need to report this back to Earth,' the representative of Australia reminded. 'This can't be good.'

The battle seemed to have stopped and the glowing green aliens disappeared from sight, into the darkness of space. Luthor shook his head at his colleague's request. 'We report this to no one but a selected few. Keep it in the UN. The world is not ready for this information…' he looked back at the four-sided, equilateral pyramid. This was going to change everything, '…not yet.'

Inside the megastructure, clearly larger than the pyramids in Giza, there was a form…a man, seated upon a throne of metal. In the year 2014 that man stayed there, motionless. Signs of battle were evident around him.

He seemed by all accounts…dead.

But that all changed when a distress signal was triggered on the many computers at his disposal. The sudden burst of energy current had shocked his eyes open and in a large exhale of breath, denied for decades.

It takes less than a microsecond for the creature to re-establish his bearings. For him, it had been a blink of an eye. But the implications could not be looked over. The Guardians of the Universe had sought to stop him, but they unknowingly failed.

He looked to his side, at a monitor that depicted a last minute transmission from Earth. One of his drones he had sent many years prior had finally made contact.

The creature noticed the cables running through the three sockets on his forehead. His automatic systems were at the moment non-functional. He ripped the cables off of him and carefully stood up from his chair.

It was dark, wires and cables ran across his control room in chaotic patterns. He really didn't do chaotic. He grumbles, they echo in the ship's emptiness. His eyes scan the monitor from where he stood, an Invasive Intelligence…on Earth? The creature stared at it. Emotions of any kind were absent from his eyes. 'Interesting,' he noted.

-=S=-