Review Comments:

Mr. Wartburg - Thanks! It's always fun to drop little references to the other characters, ensuring that they exist in this little world and will appear eventually. I've dropped hints about him before, but he hasn't made a physical cameo yet. He might be showing up when Clark heads out West for a story though. That'll happen in the near future. Yeah, that's how I see the whole power thing going. She's definitely not more powerful than Clark, but she is better trained than he is.

LoisNClark4Ever - Mercy Graves is normally Lex's body guard, that's all I can say, haha. Lex has a lot of contracts with the Government, and that's bought his way onto the Defense Council and he definitely likes being there. Puts him in the middle of everything that's going on, exactly like he likes. Amanda is a tricky one, but she works close with Steve, so I'm sure that she will appear again at some point. Lois is back in this one, and you're gunna love it! haha.

Jas- El - It was fun to write the Trinity again, since I usually only get to write them over on KMorKM. Bruce definitely knows what role Clark could have in this, and it'll be tough for Clark to live up to it. Bruce has his plans, but Clark will probably be a disappointment to him from time to time, but in the end, he will be what Bruce hopes Clark can be. Lionel is a mystery at the moment. He is dead as far as the rest of the world knows, but he appears to Lex. He may or may not be dead. Even Lex doesn't know. They talked about it towards the beginning of the story after Clark revealed himself.

I wanted to have a more modern "how the Amazons' presence affects the world" angle, and I think this is a lot like how it would be. Lex definitely isn't helping make things diplomatic, but he also has to view them as a threat. The Amazons have a ton of power behind them, and he'll wanna take them out before they can take us out.

Blaker316 - The Secret Origin chapters usually are, but here's a long one for you!

Katlynne - You're such a goose!

JamesTKent - I'm glad that you like!

crazykrew - Thanks! Here is some more! haha.

Author: CaptainTightPants12

Rating: K

Disclaimer: If I owned Superman, his story lines, or any related characters, you'd be seeing this story in the pages of the this month's issue of Superman and not for free on FanFiction. Ditto any DC Comics characters or storylines.

Summary: After Barry Allen changes history to save the world, Clark Kent faces an uncertain destiny in a new world.

Chapter: #37, New Assignment

Author's Note: Sorry this one is two days late! Been crazy busy and didn't finish the chapter in time!

"Why the hell do you keep smiling like that?"

Clark looked up from his laptop, trying to conceal a smirk and failing. "What?"

She narrowed her eyes, dropping her feet off the table of the conference room with a thud. "Ever since you came back from Smallville, you've been smiling like a dope. I know Momma Kent can cook, but I'm gunna start thinking you got lucky with that high school sweetheart of yours. What was her name? Llama?"

"Jealous, Lois?" he smirked.

"In your dreams, Smallville," she rolled her eyes dramatically.

Truth be told, he couldn't stop smiling because he had a good couple of days. First, he made a new friend. A friend that he didn't have to hide his secret from. Then Lois gave him a pep talk, even if she didn't know. And then he made a friend that worked for the Government, which let him know that it wasn't everyone that wanted to him gone. That felt good.

"In my dreams, you just sit there in silence and look pretty," he wagged his head.

"So you think I'm pretty, do ya?" she bantered back.

Before they could say anything else, there was a thud across the table. "How can you two flirt at a time like this?!"

"We weren't flirting," they said in unison.

Jimmy rolled his eyes, "The Chief called us in here for a reason. And no offense, Miss Lane, but you're always getting into trouble and what if he's mad that I let you stand on my shoulders to hop the fence at LexCorp that one time? I mean, they are always tying to sue us, maybe he found out about it... What if he fires us?"

"Relax, Jimmy," she said cooly. "He probably just wants us to team up for a story."

He sat up straightly, "I go by Jim now, Miss Lane. Jimmy is a kid's name."

She quirked an eyebrow and shot Clark an amused look, "Is that what Smallville calls you?"

He puffed out his chest, "You bet."

"That's adorable," she smirked without missing a beat. "Jimmy."

The door flew open and in stomped Perry White. "Superman has a showdown with a soldiers in downtown Metropolis, and I've got no pictures," he glared at Jimmy. "No human interest piece," he glared at Clark. "And I've got a story I can't print because you call your own father, a decorated general, a colossal ass-hat twenty three times. Explain."

"Someone knocked the camera out of my hands..."

"I had a busy night last night..."

"He was being a colossal ass-hat..."

Perry threw his arms into the air, "Enough! Olsen, where was your back-up? Kent, make it up by getting a line on a jailbreak in Washington. Lane, old veterans are half of the people still reading newspapers, try not to insult their brothers in arms."

"Wait, why does he get the Washington story?"

"Because you've effectively pissed off everyone involved, and at least Kent here knows how to exchange pleasantries without getting themselves put on the no-fly list for six months," Perry snapped.

Clark snickered and whispered under his breath, "It's that charming personality."

He looked up to see the glare that she had fixed on him, and the accompanying mischievous spark in her eye. He knew he was about to pay for that little comment. "Chief, don't you think it's unprofessional to wear a baseball cap in the office? And don't you think the boys from Washington will think so too? I'm just saying."

Perry turned to eye a now nervous Clark Kent, "Does it piss you off, Lane?"

"It irks me," she smirked after a second.

"Then you have my utmost blessing to wear it, Kent."

His head shot up before turning to smirk at Lois, whom was shocked and appalled. "What the hell, Chief?!"

"You two write better when you're pissed- I mean, irked, with one another," he waved his hand to stop her. "Save it for the story, Lane. Kent, savor this and lose the hat before you meet the brass from Washington. They're in Metropolis to check on the condition of that Corben guy from the Superman incident and for some reason, they're actually going to let us hear what they have to say about this jailbreak business. I want Pulitzer winners from both of you. Now go!"

Perry stormed off and left them to collect their things.

"I'll go with you, CK," offered Jimmy. "I need to get back in Mr. White's good graces."

Clark nodded, "I'd like that, Jim."

She got up and bumped into Clark with her shoulder, "That's for stealing my story, Smallville. And seriously? Could you two make a more adorably innocent dream team?" she smirked as they stood next to one another.

Clark pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Jimmy's hand slid to his neck. "Bow ties are cool, Ms. Lane."

She muffled a laugh, "You're the coolest, Jimmy, no doubt." She flung out some fake gang signs.

"Who's cool now, Lane?" Clark smirked.

Lois pushed past him and knocked off his hat, "Still me, Smallville."

The ride to Hobb's Ferry Naval Base on the back of Jimmy's scooter was nothing less than terrifying. Even for Clark. He wasn't quite sure if it was a concern for Jimmy, the other vehicles, and the pedestrians, or because he was actually scared for his own life. Either way, they had to stop at his apartment and grab a less sweat-spotted dress shirt.

When they arrived at the base, the General took his ragged look for nervousness. "This your first time, Son?"

"Uh... No, sir. It's just very humid today," Clark bumbled nervously. He couldn't have cared less about how he looked. In fact, the worse he looked, the better. This was far from his first time meeting General Sam Lane, and he wanted nothing more for his first impression to come off nervous, bumbling, ragged, and all things un-Superman.

"Well look, I'm only giving you this interview because I don't need the American people thinking we let criminals escape from a maximum security prison, and thanks to your liberal media, the public takes statements as cover-ups."

Jimmy coughed, "Is this a cover-up?"

The General's eyes burned through him, "No. This is not. This is a simple misunderstanding."

"So you didn't have a foreign national detained against their will, whom later escaped?" Clark asked. The General turned on him, causing him to gulp quickly and push his glasses back up his nose. "Uh... General, sir."

"Where would you hear a laugher like that, Kent?"

His eyes shifted nervously, "I got a tip from a source in Washington. I heard the Batman was involved, sir."

Lane's eyes clenched up tightly, and Clark could hear his teeth grinding. "Let me say this nice and clear for you, Son... There were no costumes freaks. There was no foreign national. It a training excercise, that looked just a little too convincing for some loud mouth with a Q-Pad. The training exercise was to prepare for the extremely unlikely event of a jailbreak."

"But the source claimed they saw the same jet that the Batman has used in Gotham," offered Jimmy.

"Believe me..." he growled. "When I put someone in a cell, they never see the light of day again. Perhaps you'd like to keep questioning me and find out for yourself? I'm sure you've broken a law or two, running around with my daughter."

Clark's head shot up with a glare, "Perhaps breaking the law runs in the family then."

He knew the moment the General's eyes nearly popped out of his head, that he had gone too far. He would have mentally yelled at himself for losing his cool if the General hadn't pushed him against the way. "How dare you disrespect me!"

"Sam! Sam!"

A voice echoed down the hallway, but only Jimmy turned to see who it was as the General and Clark kept eyes locked.

The black leather glove curled around the General's shoulder, and Clark didn't even have to look from it to know who had come to his rescue. "Come on, Sam," he laughed. "I'm sure Mr. Kent wasn't insinuating anything, were you, Clark?"

"Of course not... Lex," Clark muttered through gritted teeth.

Lane stepped back, but never took his eyes off Clark's. "First names. You two know each other?"

"Ah, we're old friends," Lex grinned. "Hell of a reporter, this one. Now why don't you three come with me? I've been asked to show you just how impossible it would have been for a jailbreak at a facility like the one in Washington."

"Why?" Clark asked bluntly. "Did you design another prison?"

Lex smirked, "Don't worry, Clark. You don't look all that dangerous to me."

They stared at each other for a few moments before Lex turned to lead the way. He led them through a few different halls to a central location within the facility. Clark immediately recognized it was being of the same design as the one that Diana had been contained in. Lex spun on his heel, "You'll have to pass a security check before you can come inside, of course."

Two guards stepped forward. The General nodded, "You will each have to leave your belongings on the outside, including your cell phones and electronic devices. Follow these two to a private room where you can change clothes."

"We have to change our clothes?" Jimmy asked. "Whats with that?"

"It's best that we know that you aren't hiding anything, Mr. Olsen," Lex offered.

Clark's jaw tightened. "Does the same go for you?"

"Luckily, I have high enough clearance to wear something a little more fashionable than a t-shirt and sweatpants. Sorry, I'm not sure they have a flannel option though, Clark," he bantered back with ease.

They each received a guard who led them to separate rooms. Clark stepped into his and found a clear tub with a "belongings" label on it, a pair of orange sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He felt like he was being put in prison. The door closed behind him and he saw that the guard had joined him, staring directly at him for some reason.

"Uh... I probably need to change, so..." he offered awkwardly.

The guard's head tilted, but made no other movement to leave.

Awkwardness filled the room as he stared for few seconds, but the guard made no sign of leaving. He couldn't help but notice during the staring that the eyes looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place that mustache. It was even worse than Steve Lombard's. He narrowed his eyes a bit more, and the eye-roll he immediately received hit him like a sack of potatoes.

"Wait-" he jumped back. "Lois?!"

Author's Note: Well, what did you think? haha. Sorry it was a little late, I just needed to write a little more at the end here before I could post it and I just couldn't find the time to sit down and do it this last week. Clark's back under the General's eye, but this time, it's as Clark Kent instead of Superman. Lex is involved, of course. And now Lois is running around with a fake mustache on? Can't wait to hear what you guys think about this one! haha.

Shoot me some reviews! I'm back on schedule, so look for the next one on Sunday!