He had developed a begrudging working relationship with General Lane. They would never become bosom buddies, and he could never trust him fully, but they tolerated each other.
The general used a siren to call him away from his patrol.
"Yes?" he answered, flying into the window of his open office.
"I have someone I'd like for you to meet."
A man came who didn't move with the sharp, rigid moves of the military. Rather, he wore a business suit with suave movements.
"This is Morgan Edge. "
He shook the man's hand. He was all smiles and spoke a greeting pleasantly enough, but he still got an uneasy feeling around him.
"Edge's company is the top in its field in genetic engineering and replication. They've been given a government contract."
"You clone people?" he said, translating.
He laughed. "More or less. Mostly less as cloning human beings is illegal. Your DNA, however, presents some interesting possibilities like strengthening human DNA. See manipulating genes is acceptable. There could come a day when, using gene therapy, we find ways to cure cancer and other deadly diseases because of what we find and use from your genetic makeup."
That didn't sound particularly bad. If he could do anything to improve the health of his adopted people he wanted to.
There was likely more they wanted to discuss, but he heard a muffled cry of help from Lois. "I have to go," he said, wasting no time.
He made it in two seconds flat. She'd been bound and tossed into the river.
He dived in, grabbed her, and flew her up to the roof of her workplace. As soon as they landed, he snapped the ropes and removed the gag.
"Th-thank you," she said, expressing her gratitude and her coldness both as she shivered violently, and no wonder. It was winter, not cold enough to form ice on the river but cold enough to catch hypothermia.
"Would you like me to warm you?"
She looked at him askance for a moment, wondering just what it was he was suggesting.
Alarmed she would get the wrong impression, he quickly explained, "What I mean is my heat vision can return your body to a normal temperature. I can control the degree of heat I use, but I understand if it would make you nervous. It doesn't exactly look pretty, and well, you've probably seen the damage it can do."
She was smiling, amused by his rush to explain. "It's okay, I trust you."
He loved that she didn't look at him as something "other" unless it was something to be admired. She was always talking up his exploits in her article. No one else made him feel so human and special at the same time unless it was his mother. He warmed her up, and she didn't even flinch but watched him the entire time.
"Thanks again," she said.
"You want to tell me what you did to earn this swim? Who were you about to bust?"
"Intergang," she said.
He should have guessed. This was exactly their style. "What'd you find?"
"A warehouse full of stolen goods. I had pictures of items exchanging hands with faces."
"That would do it. You get started on your article. I'll see that they get to the proper authorities."
"And miss all the action?" she asked, folding her arms.
He was happy to see her brush with death hadn't deterred her. He'd be worried about her health otherwise. "I can't stop you, of course, but you'll have to get there under your own power."
She rolled her eyes. Then she asked, "Hey, how did you know I was in trouble?"
How could he explain it to her? Sometimes he didn't know how he picked out her voice in all the throng either. He heard millions of sounds at once if he didn't focus. He'd learned to hone on in localized sounds only, sounds he wanted to hear, or specific cries of distress. It had been part of training with Jor-El. And yet, he was tuned into her like a radio station. No doubt, she would find that creepy, an intrusion on her privacy, but it's not like he listened in on purpose. "I heard you, of course, and lucky for you that I did."
"No doubt about that. You saved my life."
He wanted to tell her then that he would do anything for her, but of course, he didn't. He'd always be there for her though, protecting her.