Part 8 - Advice and More

Clark hung up the phone, thinking. He paused, now looking over at the closet hiding his uniforms and quickly deciding he would make a few stops before going off to Smallville. He wanted to speak to a few people, wanting some answers and advice.

Flying over the streets of Metropolis, his eyes came to rest on just the man he wanted to talk to first: Jim O'Neal. He had left an open invitation to Superman and Clark felt no harm in accepting it.

Landing in the back after having scanned the area, he entered, knowing O'Neal was alone in his office. The other paramedics were gathered in the dining area, chatting.

Approaching the door, he debated with himself on how he should talk to this man, and how open he should really be.

Coming to the ajar door, he was about to knock when a voice from beyond it came.

"It's open, come in. I'm glad you took me up on my offer," Jim said simply.

Superman quietly entered, unable to prevent his confused expression from breaking through as he closed the door behind him and waited for Jim to turn around from the computer screen.

"I was wondering when you'd be coming," Jim said, not yet turning around.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Only you have that quiet power about you," he answered, now turning to face him.

Superman paused at that, instantly wondering if this 'quiet power' was on all the time…

"Please sit down," he said, turning completely around as he motioned for him to take a seat.

Superman sat down, now not sure how to begin.

Jim, seeing Superman had not started talking and looked a little unsure, decided to take the initiative.

"That was something you did today. You certainly are full of surprises. I take it you have several suits?" he asked, pointing out the fact that he was no longer making an imitation of a torched marshmallow.

"Yes, thankfully."

"So! What's on your mind?" he asked, marveling at this being who was so unbelievably powerful, and yet was so timid, innocent-like.

"I am wanting an honest opinion, and you seem to be one who is unbiased and, well…sees the things that I see."

"Alright."

"I mean, you know what can happen out there, you know as well as I do, if not more, what people are capable of-good and bad."

"Yes son, I'm aware. Could you just tell me what's really on your mind?"

"What happened today, I've never really gone that fast, well, at least not that close to the ground. I've never tested my invulnerability like that either, and…I can't help but think, if I had known, I might have been able to end the whole thing before the bomb had even gone off."

Superman waited for Jim to say something.

"You don't know the limits of your powers do you?" he asked slowly, meeting his eyes.

My Lord, he is like a child with the powers of a god.

"Limits…no. I've never needed to put my powers to such a test to find out," he muttered, sort of feeling foolish that he didn't know more about himself.

"Then you should," he stated, before continuing. "Or at least to a reasonable point, because after having seen and felt that explosion yesterday, I'm sure you testing your invulnerability to your limit wouldn't be safe, especially for others around you.

"Superman, I think it's fair to say that you are the most powerful being on the face of the planet. You can easily be compared to a Greek god, but you are more than that. You are a symbol. Like you told Ms. Lane in that interview, you are a living symbol."

"Then what should I do?"

"I think you need some more advice, but I don't think I can give much more on this subject, for I am certain that your purpose here is more vast than what anyone can grasp. You need to speak to someone who is wiser than me before you do anything."

Superman seemed to take in his words before standing up to shake his hand.

"Thank you, Jim," he said, now shaking his hand.

"Anytime. Oh, before you go, Dr. Price told me to tell you if I saw you," his voice became soft and slightly hesitant as he continued. "Dr. May Johnson wants you to be aware that David's services will be held this weekend and that you're welcome to come."

Superman slowly took that invitation in as he collected himself, Jim continuing.

"I'm sure you needn't come as yourself. There will be a lot of people there. It will be easy for you to be overlooked if you go at it right," he said, clearly hinting.

Superman gave an understanding nod.

"I might do that. Are you going?"

"I honestly haven't decided yet. I didn't know her personally, nor her son, but I met her a few times when delivering patients to the hospital, and I know many of her friends, such as Dr. Price."

Superman was about to thank him again and be off, but someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Jim invited.

The door opened and a young paramedic stepped in quickly.

"Hey, Boss, bus number 4 is still having engine trouble … and… we… uh…"

He had just caught sight of the other person in the room.

"Superman, meet Charlie; he's the newest member of my crew."

Superman stepped forward, his hand extended.

"Hello, Charlie, nice to meet you."

Charlie took his hand, conscious of the fact that Superman could crush it if he wanted to, but upon seeing his face he instantly knew he would never do that.

"It's great to finally meet you! Wow."

Superman gave him a smile before looking at Jim.

"Well, I'll see you later, Jim."

"Bye, Superman."

And with that Superman left the way he came, Charlie turning to his boss in amazement.

O o O

Henderson was at his desk, finishing up his reports before he would go home to his wife who was currently fixing a late dinner.

He came to the last file and opened it just as a knock interrupted him.

"This better be important," he stated, not looking up as the door opened.

"If this is a bad time, Inspector, I can come back later," a familiar voice came.

Henderson looked up.

Upon seeing who it was he immediately stood up, hitting his knee against his desk as he did so.

"Superman! Sorry, I didn't-" he began, rubbing his now throbbing knee.

"No, I apologize, I should have called instead of dropping in like this."

"No, it's no problem. Actually I'm glad you dropped by," he said, sitting down again and motioning for Superman to do so as well.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I wanted to give you some of the information we gathered concerning the robbery attempt today."

"Oh, well, that's part of the reason why I'm here."

"Alright. Okay, let me first tell you what we found out," he said, handing Superman the report. "We ID'ed them all. B. Turner we found to be an alias, big surprise there. But there was one surprise. We found out that they are, or rather were going to be, part of the Russian Mafia."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Evidently they were attempting to complete their 'right of passage' I guess you could say."

"They were trying to join the Mafia?"

"Yeah, the Mafia has been looking for new recruits."

"I thought it was a family organization."

"I suppose they need muscle."

Superman nodded as he quickly read through the report.

"So they were after the jewels and diamonds in the vault. They were going to detonate the bomb once they were out of range…a distraction, allowing them to get further away."

He handed the report back.

"Yes, that's what we got from them, though not in so many words."

"And the lab will get back to you about the bomb?"

"Yes."

Henderson put the file away, and for a moment just looked at Superman before resting his arm on his desk. The last report could wait until tomorrow.

"I take it that you want to talk to me about something more than just mafia wannabes?"

Superman met his eyes, and if Henderson didn't know any better he would have thought Superman was trying to read his mind or something.

"Something has been, well, on my mind lately. Earlier this week, the day of the subway tunnel collapse and apartment fire… you were the one who ordered officers to Andrews to keep the crowd, mainly the press, back, weren't you?"

Henderson kept his gaze, trying to read if Superman was angry, disappointed, or even confused. But he found none of those, only a look of question.

"Yes. I ordered several uniforms to go."

Superman waited for Henderson to continue.

"I got word that a friend was going to be impacted greatly by that evening's events, and that it seemed that you were currently. At the time I didn't know that it was May's son, David, I only knew it involved her and that the press were pushing their boundaries.

"I've known May for a few years now. I had gotten to know her son as well." He stopped, clearing his throat before beginning again. "I had been the one who had arrested that-" He paused, holding his tongue for a moment before continuing, "-Drunk who had taken part of her family away. After that day, I've taken it upon myself to help her wherever possible.

"I was there when she got the results of David's tests. She had asked me to join her and David, along with her mother. David was like a nephew to me, so that news hit me pretty hard, and the fact that my children are around his same age….

"My three children got to know him pretty well. They played at his house, and he at ours before he was diagnosed.

"May deserves so much more than what has been given to her."

Henderson cast his eyes to the desk, his thoughts now distant.

"Yes, she does," Superman whispered.

Henderson looked up after a moment, his own eyes now requesting an answer.

"Superman, what happened that day?" he asked.

Superman closed his eyes with a breath before looking back to Henderson.

"I heard the last wishes of a child and words foretelling what is to be. Henderson, May is meant to do something that will affect the world to a degree not even I could wish to accomplish." His voice was quiet, the air around him quavering as if the words he had spoken were beyond the physical realm.

Whatever Henderson thought he was going to hear, it wasn't that. His mind instantly reeled, trying to determine what May would do, but he knew Superman would not explain further.

What could be so big? Be so monumental that even Superman was in awe? And how did he get this message?

"If there is anything I can do, you need only ask," Henderson said, knowing what he had just heard was the truth. The hairs on the back of his neck told him so. An odd, eerie feeling, but good.

"Thank you, but knowing you, I don't even need to do that. You see what needs to be done without even knowing the full picture. Thank you for sending those officers. You not only helped May, you helped me, even when I didn't know I needed it."

"Glad I could help."

O o O

Superman was in the night sky soon after, dropping off at his apartment to get his ruined suit before heading to the wisest people he knew: his parents.

Landing at the back of the house, he spun back into his other clothes and entered.

"Clark! How are you? We saw what happened. Are you alright?" Martha asked, jumping up and going to him with Jonathon close behind who didn't overlook the bag held by his son.

"Yes, I'm fine mom, really," he said as they hugged.

"Are you sure, son? That was one big explosion, and you looked a little worse for wear when you came out of there," his dad said.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Can't say the same thing for the suit though. I'm glad you made more than one, mom," he said, lifting the plastic bag which held the blackened, nearly unrecognizable suit.

"I'll say," Jonathon said, shocked to learn the bag's contents as they went to sit at the table.

Martha took the bag and put it aside. "So what happened?" she asked.

Clark told them, and after he had finished, they knew there was something more on his mind.

"Clark, is there something else?" Martha asked.

"Well, yeah. Actually, it's a few things. You remember David?"

"Of course, and I'm so glad you went and spoke to his mom," Martha said.

Clark nodded before growing still. "His funeral is this weekend. I was invited to go."

"And you're wondering if you should," Martha finished for him.

He nodded.

"Jim O'Neal suggested that I go, but not as 'myself' - as in Superman. I agree with him. If I do go, I'm not going as Superman, but if I go as Clark. . . . But I still don't know if I should even go."

"I think you should, especially since David spoke to you," Jonathon said.

"But who should I go as?"

"There's nothing that says you can't dress up as some unknown individual. I doubt anyone will be asking for your ID," Jonathan advised.

Clark hummed, intrigued. "That could work. Thanks, Dad."

"What's the other thing on your mind?" Martha asked.

"After today's demonstration of my invulnerability, I started thinking. I don't know the extent of my powers, and all I can think about is that if I did, I would have stopped the robbery much sooner. I'm just thankful no one was seriously hurt, my ignorance about my abilities could have cost lives."

"What do you want to do about that then?" Jonathon asked, now slightly worried upon seeing his son's face.

"Dad, I know what you're going to say, but for me to learn what I want…need to know, I need to have help."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm thinking about going to a doctor. Dr. Price to be exact, to see if he can work with me."

"Son, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Dad, to learn more about my abilities, picking up tractors isn't going to cut it. Not even Jor-El can help me here, not really."

"Clark, they'll-"

"Jonathon, Clark is right. If he wants to learn more about what he can do, he can't do it here. He may have learned how to use and control them on this farm, but I'm afraid to say that for him to discover more about them, he's going to need some outside assistance."

"Martha, this would just give them permission to -"

"Jonathon," she stated firmly. "He's heard your spiel a million times over. He's not taking this lightly. I think we should hear what he has to say before we say anything more."

She turned back to her son after giving Jonathon a silencing look.

"This would be a secret. I think I can trust Price. Henderson knows him well, and after today, seeing first hand how he treats me…I wouldn't be a test subject or some kind of specimen. I would be his patient, and I know he would keep what he learns, treating it as doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Clark, if you want to do this, we will support you, just know that if word got out that you were allowing a doctor to examine you.…"

"I know. And if that happens, I'll think of something to do to deal with it."

Jonathon looked at Martha before turning back to his son.

"Alright, Clark, if you're sure."

O o O