Chapter 14: To Walk through Hell

"So how did you do it?" Constantine asks Superman even if it is weird to see the great hero in something nearing normal clothes, i.e. jacket, shirt and jeans although they are still red and blue.

"Do what?"

"Get into the Light without actually dying because you do know that breaks the rules."

"I don't know."

Constantine eyes Superman for a moment and can see he is being truthful. "Yeah that is what I kinda figured actually. Don't see you as one to go about practising in the kind of magic needed to break rules like that."

"I don't and you know perfectly well how I feel about magic Constantine."

Constantine rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You hate magic. You told me that last time we met."

"I hate smoking too but I won't waste my breath on you about its evils. By the way how are your lungs these days?"

"Never better and all it took was for me to beat the Devil, the other 3 bastards who rule this place and force them to cure me of my sodding cancer." Constantine flicks the ash off his cigarette and puts it back in his mouth. "Wouldn't surprise me if one of them is to blame for your current predicament," he dryly remarks.

"What? Why would they care if I live or die?"

"Oh wow gee let me think. A symbol of everything that is good and righteous in the world and demons who stand for the very opposite. Can't think why they would want rid of you," Constantine says with his usual sarcasm.

Clark shakes his head. "Zatanna is right. You are an insufferable ass."

"Ooh who. Lookie here. The Boy Scout does know how to cuss after all. By the way how is little Zee?"

"Fine...and so is your son if you care at all." Clark still can't believe Zee of all people had a relationship with this jerk which ended up with her pregnant and having a son who is 8 now and as far as Clark knows Constantine has never showed up more than a handful of times over the years to visit.

Constantine suddenly seems uncomfortable at the mention of that and hastily changes the subject. "Look can we get going here. I ain't here for my health you know."

"Why are you here?" Clark has to know.

"Why do you think? To help you and no I am not being all noble and selfless. Someone up there," he points skyward meaning up there in the Light, in Heaven, "called in a few favours I owe them if I helped you and the kid get back. By the way who is the kid?"

"Who are you?" Connor asks back.

"Constantine kid. John Constantine. Insufferable ass. At your service," he dead-pans.

Clark fights the urge to punch the insufferable ass right in the face as well as wondering why his father got Constantine of all people to be the one to help them. God what was his father thinking. Clark gives Constantine his answer about who Connor is. "His name is Superboy and he is...my clone."

Constantine laughs.

"What is so funny?" Clark has to ask.

"It is just you gave this whole speech about the evils of magic and here is the product of the evils of the science you seem to hold in such high regard."

"I never said magic was evil," Clark corrects him. "I said it was unpredictable."

"Yeah well whatever. We should get going before we get sniffed out. You have no idea how many down here would love to get their hands on Superman's soul to torment for all eternity."

"Not nearly as many as you I am sure."

"No kiddin," Constantine grumbles. He pulls his coat together and lifts the collar up to try and protect himself better. "Come on then. The nearest exit is this way," he tells them as he walks past the two of them and along the road they are standing on.

Clark and Connor follow. "You know this guy?" Connor has to ask Clark.

Clark shoves his hands in his jacket pockets and tries to ignore the oppressive heat. "Not really. Zatanna does. She called him to help out once a few years back with this occult...thing I ran across. It would take too long to explain in detail and I'm not sure you've really dealt with magic."

"I haven't," Connor admits.

"Well don't be in a rush to. There are only two things we are vulnerable to and magic is one of them but to put it succinctly our 'friend'," and Clark is using the term very, very loosely, "here is an occult detective," Clark explains. Of course that is the simple version of what Constantine is but like Clark said this is hardly the time or place to go into it in detail.

The group of 3 make their way into the hellish version of Metropolis whose buildings are held together by the blood of the damned and their foundations are composed of their shredded remains. The screams of the damned being eternally tormented and torn apart are a constant companion to their ears. Constantine looks at the other two out of the corner of his eyes and can't help how out of place they truly look down here and he also can't help but be unable to shake the feeling that somehow getting these two down here is part of something else. He wasn't lying earlier. It takes some powerful shit to push souls from not quite dead bodies and into the Light. "I expected more complaining," he says suddenly. "After all being here isn't exactly a picnic and you don't have your fancy superpowers to help you."

Clark shrugs and tries to play it cool although even the short time spent here has left him seeing and hearing things he knows are going to be haunting his dreams for awhile. "Reminds me of Apokolips as a matter of fact and trust me being there is no picnic either especially when it is ruled by a dictatorial God who hates my guts."

Constantine briefly wonders if he should ask for that story then he remembers that he doesn't actually care all that much. He is only here because he owed a favour. Anyway more important right now is the movement from the alleys around them. He knows what that is but he ignores the urge to look directly and give away that he has noticed them. He does however bring it to his companions attention. "The vultures are circling," he comments.

"I noticed," Clark replies having not missed what Constantine is referring to.

"I think they are waiting for orders. Usually they would be trying to rip us apart by now."

"Why?" Connor has to ask which he really shouldn't have.

"That is how the damned are punished kid. They relive their moment of death, the demons rip them apart and feed on their entrails and then the whole thing repeats over and over for the rest of time." Constantine gets another cigarette out of his pocket.

"Are you one of the damned?" Connor asks.

"Yep but I am not dead if that is what you mean. I came down here to help save your hides." Constantine shakes his head. "Must be going bleedin soft in my old age," he laments as he lights his cigarette.

"By magic?" Connor inquires as he has not encountered magic so far in his life and he is a little curious. "You get here by magic?"

"That and it helps that I have demon blood running through my veins...and no I am not explaining how so don't ask. Trust me kid when I say it is something you don't ever want to mess with and that I leant that the hard and painful way."

Connor turns to Clark. "Why aren't you more freaked out?" he has to know because Connor is. This place...urgh...it feels like ever inch of his skin is crawling and the things he has seen and heard are just nightmarish beyond anything he has ever imagined.

Clark responds in a rather cold, firm tone of voice. The one he uses when he is trying to blank out the horrors around him and remain focussed. "Connor I've seen and fought things you can't imagine and that includes demons and varying other residents of differing Hell dimensions. I have also fought Gods, demi-gods and mythological creatures of all sorts. It kind of takes a lot to 'freak me out' anymore." Which is just an utterly depressing thought if Clark allowed himself to dwell on it.

The half-shadow of some creature catches Clark's eye. "So is there any sort of plan here?" Clark asks.

"Sure there is," Constantine assures him.

"Any chance you could let us in on it?" Clark inquires.

"You do your thing your way and I'll do mine my way."

"Oh well when you put it so eloquently I am just so reassured," Clark says sarcastically.

As they walk groups of demons are gathering behind them blocking the way back.

"You know where the Daily Planet building is from here?" Constantine asks.

"Yes," Clark answers.

"When I say run you run and don't stop till you get there. I'll meet you there."

"Why? Where are you going?"

Before Constantine can answer that legions of demons pour out from the buildings around them. "Run!" Constantine shouts at them as he runs off in a different direction from where Clark and Connor have to go.

Clark would yell at him if he had the time but he doesn't. "Connor follow me," Clark tells his clone as he bursts into a sprint with Connor following on behind. They run through the ruined streets knocking aside the odd demon as they go until they turn a corner to be met by a whole hoard of the twisted malformed almost animal like demons where the two Kryptonians have to skid to a stop.

"Well Connor. What do you want to do?" Clark asks. "Stand here and await our fate or..."

"Go down fighting."

Clark places his hand on Connor's shoulder. "Still think you made the right choice coming with me?"

"Yep," Connor says with no regret. He made the right choice for once in his life to at least try and go back and make up for the things he did and it was his choice, no-one else's. "Besides we shouldn't give up. Someone told me that giving up was cowardly."

Clark smiles at Connor using his own words. "For what it is worth I would have loved you as a younger brother."

"Thanks and you would have been an...alright big brother," he says with light humour.

"Uh huh," Clark says with some amusement. The two Kryptonians face up to their foes who now surround them on all sides and some words from a famous poem come to Clark. They stand back to back in fighting stances and wait for the inevitable as the demon hoards move cautiously towards them at first before with an inhuman roar by the lead demon the entire hoard charges at the two disembodied heroes.

When next Clark comes round he is surprised to find himself not torn asunder but sitting tied to a chair with his hands tied behind his back in the lobby of the Daily Planet or Hell's version of it at least. The last thing he remembers is the inevitable really with Connor and himself being overwhelmed by the sheer number of demons and himself being knocked out. Looking down at himself Clark can see his clothes are all torn as a result. Looking next to him is Connor tied up like he is and still out like a light. "Connor!" Clark says at a loud whisper.

Connor's eyes flutter open and he shakes his head to clear it. "What happened? Are we dead yet?"

"Not yet," a sultry feminine voice announces and Clark and Connor turn to look at the stairs to see a human looking woman with dark shoulder length hair walk down the stairs with a deliberate erotic sway to the motion. What gives away that she is not human is a demonic red glow in her eyes.

The woman, in clothes that are nothing more than torn scraps covering her chest and groin and if they were anymore revealing she would be naked, saunters up to Clark and straddles him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Well now at least I'm comfy," she says with a mischievous grin while she grinds herself on top of Clark's lap.

She takes a moment to look Clark over with a hungry devouring stare. "Hmm even better than I imagined you looked. The only pity here is that I won't get to experience that super stamina your physical body possesses...well at least not yet but in the meantime I'll guess we'll just have to make do won't we Kal-El."

Clark does not react at all to her oh so less than subtle hints at what she wants. "So do I get to know your name since you know mine?" he asks.

"Oh so you know what to scream when the time comes," she hints at suggestively.

"Uh huh, yeah. That's the reason," Clark says insincerely.

"Well ok then. It's Constantine. Maria Constantine."

"I should have known," Clark mutters to himself. "You'd be the half-demon daughter I'm guessing?"

Maria smiles impressed. "Well aren't you very well informed. Heard all about me then?"

"Through a mutual friend of your father."

Maria's face sours as she guesses which one. "The magician." It takes a few moments before her face brightens once more. "Oh well the skanky little whore won't matter much longer. Not after we're done with her."

"We?" Clark has to repeat at the plural meaning him and her.

Maria bounces excitedly on Superman's lap. "Ooh, ooh this is the part where I explain my master plan,"she announces with child-like glee. She runs one her fingers through a tear in Superman's shirt and feels the firm muscles underneath. She leans forward and whispers in his ear "I am really looking forward to when I get to do this to your physical body and not just merely your spiritual projection."

Clark ignores the feel on her clammy fingers on his skin. "The plan," he reminds her wanting her back on track and off the track where she is trying, and failing utterly he will add, to seduce him.

"Oh right yes. The plan. Well it is simple really. This whole thing, you being here, I did it," Maria announces proudly and in marvel of her own apparent genius. "I saw an opportunity with your near death and I took advantage of it. I was the one that pushed your soul over the threshold in spite of the fact you weren't quite dead but I knew you wouldn't stay up there given the choice. Oh no not the great Superman. No you would have to come back to make sure that everyone you cared about was alright and I made sure that the circumstances of your ascension would require you to come through here to get back where I was waiting for you."

"What about me?" Connor asks wanting to know where he fits in in all this.

Maria looks at him dismissively. "You. You were an accident. I cast a spell to affect a Kryptonian soul. I had no idea that you were close enough to count." She tenderly stokes Superman's chest. "I thought dear, sweet Kal-El here was the only one left."

"Wow I feel so loved," Connor remarks with the full force of his sarcasm.

Maria looks Connor over more thorougly from her position on Superman's lap. "On the other hand it is rare we get a soul so young and pure down here so I'll think I'll keep you around for my...pleasure."

"Ok and now I am officially creeped out," Connor remarks which causes Clark to snort out a laugh.

Maria growls with an inhuman sound. "I'll deal with you later boy," she says with a dark and foreboding voice before it instantly changes back into a light and flirty one as she turns her attentions back to Superman. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted I knew you would come down here so I waited so I could capture you."

"And now you have me," Clark says stating the obvious.

"No. No I don't but I will because you see this is where we get to the really juicy part of the plan. Your corruption," Maria says with relish in anticipation of what she plans to do next.

"My corruption?" Clark queries sceptically.

"Oh yes. It may take some time Kal-El but I'll corrupt your spirit. You will indulge in every wicked sinful desire until your soul is as black as mine and then I will send you back to Earth to your still living body. Think of it. The most powerful man on Earth with a soul as dark as a demon's. Think of the death, the destruction the...ooh," she moans erotically, "the chaos." Maria starts to pant a little at what are erotic thoughts for a demon. "And the best part will be when I follow you to Earth where we spawn a whole generation of beings with power none have ever seen. Our children will grant us dominion over the Earth, Hell and Heaven. It's a glorious image isn't it? And everyone who has dared mock either of us will pay and I will never again be forced to live in my father's shadow."

Understanding dawns on Clark due to that last part she said and he laughs. Despite of, or maybe because of, the situation he finds himself in he actually laughs. He knows it is unusually rude of him but hey he is hot, tired, sweaty and lets not forget...in Hell!

"What?" Maria queries extremely puzzled at what Superman can possible find so funny.

Clark takes a moment to compose himself before saying, with a shake of his head, "You're the rejected offspring trying to prove she is better than the parents who rejected her."

"That's...that's not true!" Maria protests.

"Oh I am afraid Superman has seen right through you there princess."

Maria jumps up off Superman's lap and turns round to see her father has entered the lobby, inevitably smoking a cigarette.

"By the way," Constantine continues, "I overheard your little 'master plan' and I have to say that is the fucking dumbest load of shit I have ever heard," he finishes in his crude way.

Maria glares at her father and snaps her fingers and as she does so numerous demons appear walking down the walls and pillars from above towards the ground.

"So is this part of your plan?" Clark asks Constantine as the demons move closer to surrounding him.

"Yep. It's going well don't you think. I've gotten the puppet master to reveal herself and now I've got her right where I want her." In fact it was going more or less like Constantine wanted. He knew that Superman and junior there would get caught and that he could escape. He also figured that whoever went through so much trouble to detach Superman's soul would want him intact. Calculated gamble sure but it worked. It has succeeded in revealing whose hand was behind all this and he isn't even that surprised it is his daughter behind this. He had heard rumours that she was up to something.

Maria laughs mockingly. "You are crazy Dad."

Constantine shrugs utterly unaffected. He has been called a hell of a lot worse. "What's your point?"

Maria shakes her head. "I don't know how you ever managed to best the Fallen," she says in disbelief at his ability to beat the rulers of Hell and cure himself of his cancer.

"Oh that was easy. I just pissed them all off so much they leapt before they looked." Short version of the story is that as his lung cancer was killing him he promised each and every one of the Fallen his soul without them knowing he had done that. They thought they alone laid claim to his soul and they were so eager to claim the soul of John Constantine they did so instantly without bothering to check up with their fellow rulers. What a bunch of morons. This resulted upon his death, where he had to slit his own wrists to ensure he ended up in Hell, in the fact that one of them could only claim his soul by going to war with the others since not a single one of them would give up the claim to his soul. Since they didn't want to rip Hell apart in a civil war their only option was to cure him of his cancer and make sure he lived. Simple really.

"Do you have any idea how much I hate you? Do you have any idea what it is like to live down here and have everyone know that John fucking Constantine is your father? Adam threw himself into one Hell's deepest pits and refuses to come out." Maria's voice is full of rage, hate and malice towards her father.

"Ah. I was wondering where your brother was," Constantine remarks lightly but sarcastically in reference to his half-demon son.

Maria composes herself. "Any last requests dad?"

Constantine thinks on it. "How about another cigarette?" he asks even though he is far from finished his current one.

Maria shakes her head in shear disbelief at her father's flippant attitude. "Honestly is that all you care about? Your next damn cigarette?"

Constantine shakes his head. "Nope. I also care about the next bottle of whiskey too," he dead-pans as he reaches into his pocket presumably for his cigarettes.

Maria laughs. "Oh please Dad don't even try it. Take your hands out where I can see them." Constantine does just that and Maria sighs. "What piece of mystical crap were you reaching for this time?" she asks him knowing exactly what he was up to. This is what her father does. He always produces some little magical trinket to save himself at the last second but not this time. She knows him too well to allow him to do that.

"Oh my precious baby daughter," he sarcastically says. "You really don't expect me to tell you do you?"

"No. I just want you to die," she says with real venom in her voice that it takes on an inhuman deepness in tone.

Constantine snorts. "You, the entire minions of Hell and nearly everyone living or dead that has ever known me. As you can see I'm still here."

"Not for much longer. After all there is no-one to help you this time." She catches her father looking at her two captives. "Not even Superman can save you," she mockingly tells him.

"I hate to interrupt this really touching father-daughter time," Clark says doing just that, "but I think what your father wants is for Connor and I to get out of his way." Or at least that is what Clark interprets Constantine's look as.

"Well good luck there. Even I couldn't break those ropes."

"When I was up in Heaven my father pointed out something to me."

"Yes and what was that?" Maria asks Superman turning her head to look at him.

"That in this world power comes from one's strength of will. I interpret that to mean if I believe I have the strength to break my bonds then I do have the strength to break my bonds." Clark then proves it, much to Maria's surprise, as he snaps the ropes and gets to his feet. "Oh by the way you really shouldn't have taken your eyes off your father," Clark tells her as he dives over to Connor and knocks him flat to the ground.

Maria whips her head round just as her father pulls out a piece of cloth from his pocket and lights it with his cigarette. "No!!!" she screams as from the cloth flames erupt outward in a stream of purifying fire. Constantine turns on the spot as the flames burn everything demonic within range.

By the time he is done Clark has freed Connor and are getting back to their feet. "What is that thing?" Connor asks.

"Piece of the Turin Shroud," Constantine replies talking about it as if it is an ordinary everyday item as he takes in his handy work. Not bad as he takes in the mostly burnt demon corpses that litter the lobby. A groan catches his attention and he moves over to find his daughter only half-burnt and still alive. Typical.

"Daddy," she says weakly. "I will kill you," she promises.

"Another day Maria." Constantine then flips her the middle finger before kicking her in the head knocking her out cold. He then looks at the two Kryptonians and with a shrug says "Kids eh? What can you do?" The sounds of more demons moving closer from outside break up this little interlude. "And now we need to leave," Constantine points out. "To the roof. Alons-y!" He then darts up the stairs.

"You got that from Doctor Who!" Clark shouts as he and Connor chase after Constantine.

"And?!" Constantine shouts back. "It's a good 'British' show!"

"Is that a dig at American sci-fi?"

"Are we really going to debate British vs American science fiction while trying to escape from Hell?"

This whole conservation is shooting way over Connor's head as being only a few months old he hasn't watched that much television.

They eventually reach the roof and Constantine looks up and points. "See it?" he asks of them.

Clark and Connor look up and see what is a tear in, a rip in the fabric of, the sky.

"That's how they are always reaching Earth and that is how we will get out of here," he informs them.

"How?" Clark asks.

Constantine reaches into his pocket and pulls out 3 small glass balls of water handing over one each to Clark and Connor. "Water is a conduit between dimensions. Just break it upon yourselves and leave the rest to me."

"Oh that's a comfort," Clark says resorting to sarcasm again.

"Have a little faith in me here Superman. I do actually know what I am doing and I have done this before."

Clark will reluctantly concede from their previous meeting that Constantine may be insufferable at times but that yes he does actually know his stuff. Clark looks at Connor who is examining his little glass ball and then back to Constantine who is now reciting a spell under his breath which is something he rarely does. Spoken spells are more Zee's thing than his but this situation is unique.

"So on the count of 3?" Clark asks wanting to know when.

Constantine stops his recital for a moment. "Sure knock yourself out," he tells them before he continues his spell.

"1...2...3!" Clark and Connor break the balls on themselves as does Constantine and suddenly it is like a great force is pulling them skyward and right up into the tear. There is a blinding flash of light before they find themselves in what looks like an office with steam coming off of them.

"You see. Now was that so hard," Constantine remarks before dissolving into a coughing fit.

"You actually survived," the man sitting behind the desk of the office remarks in surprise.

"Your faith in me Midnight never ceases to amaze," Constantine remarks with dry wit amidst his coughing fit.

"So did you find out who was behind it?" Papa Midnight asks him.

"Yeah. My chip off her mother's block daughter."

"Hmm her ambitions are growing to try and seize the soul of the last Kryptonian," Midnight darkly contemplates.

Constantine coughs a few more times. "Yeah. Yeah. She's doing her old man proud. Spare me Midnight and just get me a drink."

Midnight gets up and moves over to a cabinet and pulls out a bottle of whiskey which he throws to Constantine who eagerly gulps it down. Midnight turns his attention to the two Kryptonians. "Welcome to my club Superman. I am Papa Midnight and I am certain John here never mentioned me when you two last met."

"No he didn't but Zatanna has always spoken of you fondly," Clark replies.

"And I of her. Have no idea what she ever saw in this waste of space," referring to Constantine.

Clark chuckles. "Neither do I."

"How is her boy?"

"Fine. Takes after her thankfully for us all," Clark says which makes Midnight laugh out loud.

"What is this? Pick on John day?" Constantine complains as he swigs back more whiskey.

"No just speaking a truth," Clark comments. "And if you care at all you might be interested to know what I mean in taking after her refers to his powers."

"What? Oh you mean the whole backwards spells mumbo jumbo Zee spiels don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good," Constantine says which Clark finds an odd thing for him to say.

Connor raises a question or two. "Where are we and how do we get back to our bodies?"

Midnight answers. "You are my club in London and as for getting you back I can speed that up for you."

"Wait," Constantine says stopping Midnight before he looks at Superman. "Let me ask you something first Superman. Is she worth it?"

"Is who worth it?"

"The woman you gave up Heaven for. The woman you walked through Hell for. Is she worth it? Because the only reason anyone is dumb enough to give up Heaven is for the love of a woman."

Clark pauses for a instant before answering. "Yes. She is worth it," he says with total conviction.

"I'm guessing you did it for the same daft reasons," Constantine remarks to Connor who doesn't feel obliged to contradict the Hellblazer. Constantine lets out a breath trying to absorb the stupidity of people who would give up reaching the one place he most likely probably won't, but can't himself hoping he will, reach. Constantine addresses Superman again. "One more thing before you go. Almost everyone I know, my friends, my family, have one thing in common. They are dead. You got a glimpse of my world today. You met my daughter, the one who will not rest until she has torn everything that is left that I care about away from me." This is what he gets he supposes for sleeping with demons. Karma is a bitch sometimes. "Do you really think I would let any of that anywhere near the one good thing I have created in this world?" he asks of Superman.

It is then Clark gets it. The reason Constantine doesn't visit his son. It is to protect him. Maybe, Clark just might have to admit, maybe he has misjudged Constantine a little bit.

"How is he really?" Constantine asks in a very serious, solemn voice. There is no trace of sarcasm. There is an almost warmth to his voice. He genuinely wants to know how his son is.

"He's good. Looks a little like you. Has your eyes but he has Zee's hair. Zee has been teaching him to pull a rabbit out of a hat."

Constantine actually chuckles at that. "Oh that old trick. Even I can do that one."

"Is is the only trick he can do," Midnight jokes to rile up his friend. Midnight rubs his hands together. "Well time to get you two back where you belong before anyone else decides to try and hijack your souls," he announces as he moves towards Clark and Connor.

Clark takes a moment to say one thing to Constantine. "Thank you John and by the way I'll never be saying that to you again so enjoy it while you can."

Midnight laughs. He never expected Superman to be so humorous he must admit. He then slams his palms into Clark and Connor's chests and using the powers he possesses within himself sends them hurtling back to their bodies.

Author's Note: In the graphic novel Kingdom Come there is a character called Zatara who is the son of Zatanna and John Constantine and that was where I got the idea from. I did have some fun writing this whole part of the story where Clark quite willing walks through Hell to get back to his family and Connor does it because of a need he has to right the wrongs he felt he has committed. Thanks to all those who wrote reviews.