Chapter 5

"Kal-el," Clark heard Jor-el say as he entered the fortress. "You have become the beacon of hope for this world I always envisioned you becoming. Your trials were meant to continue after you had chosen to stay in Smallville and relinquish your power. This new development is not unwelcome."

"I chose to give up my powers and start a family with Lois. When the world needed me, I wasn't there to protect them." Clark said. "The world needs Superman. And now I need your help to stop another threat."

"Brainiac is on Earth. I'm sure you know that already. It is disguised as a human and going by Milton Fine. I need a way to shut it down for good."

"Milton Fine, is merely an extension of the brain interactive construct. Perhaps you should turn your attention toward the ship."

"If I find the ship, I can deal with it for good," Clark asked. "Last time, Fine wanted to open a portal to the Phantom Zone and release Zod. Could we send it there?"

"We can not open a portal large enough to send the ship through. And there is no guarantee Zod, or any other criminal would not escape if we tried."

"There is a way to shut it down, however." Jor-el informed him. A crystal materialized from the console in the fortress. "If you were to stab this into the ship, a virus would be released into it."

"A virus," Clark questioned.

"The brain interactive construct is highly advanced, but still a computer. This virus would shut it down for good."

Clark nodded. "It's a start. Me and my allies will start looking for that ship. The sooner we end this the better."

It was around 11:30 when Clark walked into the Inquisitor offices, looking for Lois. She was at her desk working, so focused on her computer she didn't see him come in. "Don't forget to use spell check," he said grinning, catching her attention.

She jumped in her chair, startled by the sudden interruption. "Smallville, trying to be Batman are we?"

"Sorry Lois," he said with a laugh. "I didn't mean to startle you. I went to the fortress and spoke to Jor-el. I thought maybe we could grab some lunch while I fill you in."

"That sounds great. But my editor has been all over me to deliver another story as good as Superman and nothing has come up."

"I thought it was my job to be all over you." Lois looked up at Clark and he grinned.

"Having some dirty thoughts there Smallville?"

"I don't know what you mean Lois," Clarks said. "I was just talking about my job of keeping you out of trouble. Where is your mind at?"

She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Of course you were."

"Look, I might be able to help. How about an alien spaceship right here on Earth, that we are going to find."

Lois looked back at Clark, thinking for a moment. She stood up from her chair, grabbed her purse and walked past Clark. "Well come one Smallville, I'm hungry and you're buying." He laughed as he followed her to the elevator.

"What made you choose burgers?" Clark asked as they sat at a restaurant table. Lois was dipping a fry in some ketchup.

"I had a craving," she said before sticking the fry in her mouth.

"Well I talked to Jor-el. He gave me a crystal that will shut Brainiac down if we can find the ship."

"What about Fine," Lois asked after finishing her fry.

"Fine is just an extension of the ship. And it's not really a ship, it's just a computer. This crystal will inject a virus into it, if we can find it." He said before taking a bite of his burger.

"What," Clark asked, seeing Lois was just looking at him.

"Well you don't seem to mind the burgers do you?"

"Well it's not like I don't like burgers. I was just thinking maybe we could eat something healthier." He said, reaching for his drink,

"Clark, honey. I love you. But there is nothing wrong with indulging in something bad for you once in a while." She then took a bite of another fry.

"I know that," he told her before putting his drink down. "Why not write about the ship. Use the public to give us any leads on where it is; and you get your story."

"I like it," Lois said, smiling. "Rather than relying on Fine to lead us to it, we use the power of the press. I know I could sell my editor on a story about an alien spaceship."

"I'll still keep an eye on Fine. We'll need to know what moves he makes. Last time he resorted to using Lex as the vessel of Zod. Once that story of his ship gets out, there's no telling what he'll do. We need to be ready for anything."

Across town, Maggie Sawyer was currently questioning whether getting out of bed this morning was a good idea. Her boss had been telling her that she works too hard and should take a day off once in a while. Taking that advice seemed like a good idea now.

Currently, there was a man sitting in a chair, in the basement of a local office building. He looked to be in his 50's. The building had been evacuated five minutes ago. There was a bomb sitting on a table next to him and a detonator in his hand, tears streaming down his face.

Clark looked off into the distance, his hearing picking up what was happening. Lois noticed, knowing what that meant. "Job for you know who?" she asked as he turned back to look at her. He nodded before getting up and heading out the door. He ducked into the alley beside the building and changed before speeding off.

Maggie felt a gust of wind as she turned to see Superman standing there. He stiffened at assessing the situation. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help." He told her.

"This is police business. I am a trained professional, I will handle this."

"Maggie," He said, catching her by surprise. How did he know her name? "I don't doubt that you can handle this. I know you are capable. Please, let me talk to him."

"And just what do you think you can do that I can't?"

"Maybe what he needs right now, is to talk to someone who isn't a cop. I know you don't know me and you probably don't trust me."

"You got that right," she said.

"I'm asking you, give me a chance." She finally agreed but stated that she wasn't going anywhere. She would stand back and observe. Clark then walked over to the man.

"Stop! Stay right there!" he said and Clark stopped.

"Hi, they call me Superman."

"I know who you are," the man interrupted.

"Of course. Can I get your name," he nodded and asked gently.

"Ja-Josh," the man said, sobbing. He was rocking back and forth in the chair, the hand that held the detonator was shaking.

"Josh, you want to tell me what's wrong? I'm a pretty good listener."

"Why bother? Why do you care anyway? You want to try and talk me out of this? I've read about what you can do." Josh was speaking to him but staring into the floor as if it had a hole in it. "If you wanted you could stop me right here and now."

"I could," Clark agreed. "But Josh, it's clear that you are hurting. I want to help, if I can. What happened? How did you end up down here?"

Josh looked up at him. "I've been working here for the last 23 years. I sit at a desk all day listening to phone calls of customers who want to yell and complain about things I have no control over. My bosses ride me pretty hard. They overload me with work on top of having to pick up the slack of other people who don't want to do their work."

He wiped the tears from his eyes before continuing. "I tried. I really did."

"If it was so bad here, you could try and find somewhere else to work," Clark said.

"I couldn't!," Josh exclaimed.. "I was lucky to get this job. I partied all through college you know. Thinking I had all the time in the world. Before this, I put in applications everywhere. No one would hire me. I only got this job because of a friend."

"I married my high school sweetheart before graduating college." He continued. "We have two kids. Our oldest, he was hit by a car last week."

"He didn't make it," Josh put his head down in his hands and started sobbing.

"Josh, I'm so sorry." Clark said. "Believe it or not, I've lost people too. People I love. I had two kids."

Josh looked up at that. Superman, was starting to shed tears. Maggie was taken aback by that. She had not expected this.

"They were my world. Something happened recently. And...well, they're gone." Clark looked down. "I haven't let myself think about it. Because,,,if I did, it would become real. I wasn't ready for that yet. I don't know if I ever will be."

"After it happened," Josh said. "I started drinking, heavily. My wife and I have barely spoken. I just found out she was sleeping with my friend, the one that got me this job. Can you fucking believe it?"

"Things weren't great between Sarah and me before, we had some problems. But I didn't think they were so bad that she would do this."

"We fought about bills. How she felt that I wasn't paying enough attention to her." Josh said, looking around. "I guess she was right though. I'm here in this hell hole more than I am at home."

"I was trying to put food on the table. A roof over our head. Sarah injured herself and hasn't been able to work in years. We were counting on this job."

"Well, Sarah finally left. She took our son with her. And to top it all off, I was fired today. So now I don't even have this." Josh finished telling his story. Looking up at Superman. "Now tell me. You tell me just how you are going to help me."

"Josh I…" he started, trying to find the words. "There is nothing I can do to heal the pain you have had to endure. I wish I could. All this power, it seems like I should be able to do anything. One thing I've had to learn, is that there are some things that I just can't do."

"I am sorry, for everything that has happened to you. But, I don't think you want to do this. There are people who can help you. I know it might all seem hopeless now, but things can get better. I believe that. You don't have to go through this alone." Clark extended his hand to him. "Josh, just give me the detonator. Please, let us get you help."

Josh didn't say anything, looking back and forth between Superman and the bomb. Maggie was holding her breath at this point. Clark never took his eyes off Josh, pleading with him not to do this.

"I'm sorry." Josh shook his head. "I just can't see that light at the end of the tunnel."

With that he pressed the button on the detonator. Clark's eyes went wide as time slowed around him. Using his super speed he grabbed the bomb and flying out of the building like a bat out of hell. Once he was safely up in the sky he cradled the bomb close to his chest as it exploded.

When it was over Maggie looked up at the hole now in the building. Josh broke down and cried uncontrollably now. Clark flew back down into the building. Maggie went over to him, amazed that he was completely fine.

"That explosion...what the hell are you?" She asked.

Instead of answering, Clark walked past her and over to Josh. He knelt down and put his arm around him. "Maggie, I know you still have to do your job. But this man needs help. Professional help. Please keep that in mind. " he said as he looked back at her.

Maggie didn't say anything, only nodded. She wasn't without compassion. This man definitely needed help, and she would do what she could to see that he gets it.

As Clark got up to leave, he turned to see Lois standing off in the back. She had managed to get past the officers watching the place. Tears were streaming down her face now. She felt sorry for the guy, of course. But there was another matter that broke her, and Clark knew it. They hadn't talked about it since ending up here. Both of them had been trying to keep themselves occupied so they didn't have a chance to think about it. Maybe it was time they stopped avoiding it.