Chapter 23
The Future…
Metropolis…
"What are you doing here?!" the incredulous voice asks. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Mia frowns as she hovers there above the street in her costume, dressed in a black, figure hugging costume with a blue cape. Frowns at the form of her half-brother Kon-El. "A little gratitude would be nice, twip," she replies, annoyed at his attitude towards her. Especially consider she just saved his life. Their first meeting and he seems to be mad at her. Slagging twip.
You see ever since Superman's death the world has been even crazier than normal. Despite the fact the world has a whole plethora of heroes, led by most notably the Justice League, the absence of Superman has just seemed to galvanise all the villains into believing this is their chance. This is their moment.
It's particularly bad here in Metropolis where, in particular, Superman's villains, who always tended to be the most powerful and dangerous, decided to team up and run amuck.
And that is the scene across several city blocks as the Justice League tries to reign in a gang of perhaps about to a dozen villains with streets a battlefield of wrecked, burning cars and damaged buildings.
When Mia had arrived, after begging Jor-El to let her help, this is the situation she found. She found her half-brother getting his face smashed by a Beta Club, being wielded by Darkseid's brutish offspring; Kalibak. She had saved Kon-El by blasting the Beta Club out of Kalibak's hand and careening into him as hard as she could, sending him tumbling down the street. And then she gets no thanks for her troubles. Typical.
Before the two siblings can resolve their issues they are interrupted by an almighty roar of fury and rage from the Apokoliptian. "I am going to grind you two into paste!" Kalibak declares with deadly intent.
"Heard it before," Kon-El dismisses the threat. "Seriously get some new material," he mocks the brutish monster.
"I grow tired of your disrespect, boy."
"Who are calling 'boy' you oafish loser? At least I can say my father didn't abandon me for getting his ass handed to him time and again."
"You know nothing!" Kalibak rages. Now, on the edge of completely losing his temper, the powerful Apokoliptian charges at the two heroes.
Kon-El arches an eyebrow and with a gesture of his hand uses his TK powers to trip Kalibak up, sending him flying, conveniently, right into the newbie's fist.
"Give it up!" Kon-El orders at the downed hulking figure.
"Never!" Kalibak responds as he grabs a nearby car and throws it at them…and then another and then another and another before grabbing a truck, leaping into the air and slamming it down on the momentarily distracted duo. The fuel explodes with the force of a large bomb. Fire and smoke engulf the whole area.
Kalibak grins viciously as the flames lick at his body. He walks through to find the two heroes on the ground and grabs the nearest one by her cape "Wake up, girl!" he demands, shaking her. "If I'm feeling generous I might just spare your life and hand you over to Granny."
The newbie groans something inaudible.
"What was that?" Kalibak queries.
The woman opens one eye. "I said; Slag off!" she spits out furiously, bring her hands up and blasting the Apokoliptian right in the face. He releases her and she hovers before she can hit the ground. With a spin she brings her foot round and delivers a roundhouse kick to his face before zooming forward and slamming into his midsection.
Kalibak grabs her round her waist and throws her above his head. She comes to stop mid-air as he turns to glare at her.
"Hey. Stupid says what!" a voice from behind
"What?!"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! You said it!" Kon-El cheers mischievously as he slams his heat vision into Kalibak which is soon joined by the woman firing energy blasts from her hands. "Keep him busy!" he calls out as he zips away.
"Oh, sure. Leave the new girl all alone with the hairy monster!" she protests as she continues to pepper Kalibak with blasts
Kon-El returns in short measure with Kalibak's Beta Club, trying to get it to work. "Come on you useless piece of Apokoliptian junk," he mutters until it sparks and fizzes with exotic energy. He grins savagely. "Bingo!" he celebrates before zipping forward at superspeed and then swinging with all his superhuman strength the Beta Club as it collides with Kalibak's enormous jaw.
The son of Darkseid screams in agony as the energy of the Club surges through his body. He stands there, wobbling until he topples over and crashes down face first into the tarmac.
"Don't call me boy!" Kon-El just has to say for good measure. For goodness sake, he's 20years old now chronologically and physically he's in his 30s. "Right then. Where were we?" he asks as he looks up at hovering woman. "Oh yes. Who are you? And what right do you have to that mark?" he asks, pointing at the S on her chest.
The woman rubs the back of her neck in a familiar nervous twitch. "Uh, well, you see, it's a long story. I'm…"
BOOM!
An explosion off in the distance catches both their attentions.
"I'll go. Watch him!" the woman says as she flies off before Kon-El can respond.
"The rookie's giving me orders now," Kon-El grumbles in disbelief.
Said 'rookie' was rocketing across the city, towards the Daily Planet building. She didn't know the cause of the explosion she heard but she can see the results. The famous globe atop the building was plummeting towards the ground. She accelerates, desperately trying to get there before it hits the ground.
The people unfortunately enough to be underneath scream in terror at what they think is going to be their deaths…only for their deaths to never come. They all look up and for one moment think that their fallen hero has returned from the dead to save them.
It only takes a few seconds for them to realise that this is someone different as the woman descends slowly, the giant metal globe now held above her head. She lands on the ground and carefully deposits the globe atop a car.
The public around her gawp for a few seconds before many of them remember that they're reporters who work in the very building they are standing in front of.
"Who are you?!"
"Are you new?!"
"Why are you wearing that S?!"
"Is it to honour Superman?!"
"Are you related to Superman?!"
The woman looks around, a bit dazzled by the attention. She spots the famous Lois Lane-Kent looking at her with a disapproving frown. It won't be the first time she will see that look upon that particular face. And maybe it's that woman's presence that has her speak when perhaps it would have been best to remain silent due to her having a subconscious dislike of Lois Lane. "My name is Cir-El and I am Superman's daughter."
The present…
Clark's day had been a varied one. He had gotten the good news that Emil had found a way to remove the Suicide Squad tattoo from his back. On the other hand he and Oliver had been arguing over the VRA and its implications. Worse still the destruction of an oil rig seemed to be the work of Aquaman.
Clark and Oliver, at least, shared the frustration over the lack of communication amongst their team.
"I was certain I asked Tess to fix that," had been Oliver's muttered remark.
Clark had frowned and wondered if the revelations about the Orphanage had been weighing on Tess's mind. He needs to talk to her and yes, Oliver is also correct. They need to sort out this whole team situation. It seemed to be that they were all just letting it float in the wind for weeks on end for some reason.
But at that moment the VRA was the priority. Clark had even mentioned he had considered going public and registering to try and relieve public tension.
Until Oliver pointed out the consequences of that. Including the risk he might put Mia(the 4-year old version) in.
Clark suddenly realised how correct Oliver was. He had allowed this whole VRA quagmire to cloudy-up his thinking. He would never, ever, on purpose do anything to put his daughter at risk.
Anyway, so he and Oliver reached an agreement. Oliver would offer himself up as the guinea pig to find out what happened to the heroes who registered and Clark would go track down AC.
Which is how he found himself at the Miami Aquarium.
Admittedly he was a little more accusatory then receptive when he went to confront AC which is how he ended up getting his ass knocked into one of the pools…by a red-haired woman who turned out to be AC's wife.
Go figure.
Now that he's been humiliated Clark calms down and decides to try the talking approach. "Considering your activist streak, I never saw you settling down," he remarks.
AC's wife, Mera, replies, "It was his passion and conviction that drew me to him. There are qualities we share and on which we've built a partnership."
"To the outside world, your passion looks a lot like terrorism," he argues.
"Do you really want people to see us as scared, hunted victims?" the redhead asks.
"We can't stop the government from targeting us, but we can show them we're not gonna take it," AC declares.
"And show them you're the criminals they fear you are," Clark argues.
"And be the heroes people hope we are. Who is your hero, Clark? Everybody has one. I'll never forget the day I read about mine ... this little lady named Lucy Burns, who just wanted to vote like her father. But she didn't just sit back and expect people to do the right thing, because you know what? They didn't. It wasn't until she refused food and endured the infamous "Night of Terror" ... that's when people decided to do the right thing," Mera tells a little of her story.
"Victories aren't won by spectators... but by fighters... like me and Mera. What are you doing to fight for us?" AC wonders.
"We shouldn't be fighting anyone, especially the government. We should be protecting people," Clark continues to argue his case.
"And right now, we are the ones who need protection the most. Clark, that rig we took out wasn't drilling for oil," Mera makes clear.
"Neither are the ones the government's building around the country," AC adds.
Now they have Clark's interest. "Then what are they?"
"High-tech holding facilities deep below the earth. And they're building them for us."
"Show me what you've got," Clark requests, deciding to give AC the trust he wasn't showing earlier.
So AC does and the two superpowered heroes end up at one of the so-called 'oil rigs'.
"Seismic activity," Clark repeats what AC has been briefing him.
"That's how Mera found the place. She's pretty amazing ... smart, passionate, fiery. Even helped me understand my true origins," AC says, clearly smitten if not infatuated with his other half.
"You really went off the high dive for her," Clark comments.
"I'm so much more with her than I ever was solo."
"Lucky for some I guess," the Kryptonian mutters.
AC looks at his friend curiously. "Trouble in paradise?" he queries.
"Something like that."
"Really? Cause I heard from Bart that you and Lois…"
"We broke up," Clark interrupts the blond.
"Sorry," is all AC can lamely come up with. "Want to talk about it?"
Clark takes a deep beath. "AC, I'm really happy you found someone but no, I don't want to talk about it…and I swear if the next line from your mouth is that there are plenty more fish in the sea…"
AC cuts him off with a laugh. "Nah. I'm not that lame. I leave the cliches to…"
"Bart," the two men say together and then both chuckle.
Clark then looks around where they are and how familiar it looks. "Do you recognize this structure?"
"Looks like the facilities at Luthorcorp when Lex was trying to build his own private zoo of the superpowered," AC remarks and he would know, having been held in one for awhile.
"It couldn't be Luthorcorp. Tess and Oliver would know about it," Clark insists.
"Looks like Uncle Sam raided the patent offices for his own end," is AC's guess. "Mera, you still reading us?" he asks over his communicator.
"Barely ...just heard...tower," comes the broken reply.
"You're breaking up," AC tells her.
Mera repeats herself and comes through clearly this time. "Watchtower found eight locations with similar seismic readings. You need to check them right away. Oliver's been taken off the grid!"
Both men tense at hearing that.
"If we split up, we can cover the facilities faster," AC suggests.
"They've taken one of ours. Let's go get him back," Clark determines.
The future…
Twenty years ago the Headquarters of the nascent Justice League had been the a few levels at the top of a tower-shaped building. Now it was a high-tech satellite in orbit above Earth, though it was still known as the Watchtower. It was where Mia now found herself.
After the villains had been defeated in Metropolis the Justice League's current leader, Wonder Woman had insisted Mia accompany them back to the satellite and well, one simply does not say no to Wonder Woman.
Though, in hindsight, Mia may have thought about it for a second if she had known the reception she had gotten. Stuck in a room for hours being interrogated by Batman. Seriously the guy's an ass. It's only because of her Aunt's taste in men she had developed a thick skin when it comes to asses.
Talking of thick skin she did not enjoy the taking of the blood samples the League insisted on. It was not comfortable having a needle shoved into her.
Then there are all the whispers she could hear spoken by League members questioning her legitimacy. Questioning whether she is a fraud or not. That was not only annoying it actually hurt a little.
And then…and then! To top it off she found herself standing in the presence of several senior members of the Justice League answering the questions she's already answered. Only this time under the influence of Wonder Woman's magical lasso which forces you to speak the truth…and by force Mia says it will, if necessary, painfully drag the truth out of you.
So here the young woman stands as around her stands Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Red Tornado, Green Lantern and finally Kon-El.
"Name?" Batman states.
"Which one?"
"Both."
"Mia Isabella Rojas. Cir-El."
"Date of birth?"
"July 31st 2006."
"Mother?"
"Andrea Rojas."
"Father?"
"Superman."
From there she is probed on her entire life…again. The magical lasso compelling her to hold nothing back from her retelling, forcing tears from her as she has to relive even the most painful moments of her past, like her mother's death.
"That is enough," Wonder Woman decides as she removes the lasso from around Mia's form. "Dr Light," she addresses the Japanese superhero, scientist and doctor. "Please inform us of what you have discovered," she requests as Dr Light moves from the edge of the room into the centre.
"I ran a comparative analysis between Ms Rojas' DNA and the one we have on record for Superman. There are enough shared genetic components to conclude that Superman is her biological father."
"Well technically speaking Kon here is Supes' and Lex Luthor's lovechild," Flash takes great joy in reminding everyone.
"Why does everyone phrase it like that?" Kon complains, glaring at the scarlet speedster.
"You're asking if she is a clone of some kind, yes?" Dr Light queries.
"Is she?" Green Lantern asks.
"She's standing right here you know," Mia grumbles at being talked about in the 3rd person, folding her arms across her chest in a pose very reminiscent of her father.
"I mean no offence but there have been many who have tried over the years to clone, copy, imitate or abuse Superman's genetic material for their own nefarious ends," Green Lantern justifies his question.
"Ms Rojas is a Human-Kryptonian hybrid so in that sense she's similar to Kon," Dr Light concedes. "Ideally I would also run a genetic comparison with Ms Rojas' mother but that is clearly a little difficult," she downplays the fact. "However, if you want my expert opinion then no, she's not a clone. All known cloning techniques leave markers in the DNA. A signature. Kon has them. She does not."
"Nor have I found any evidence that Ms Rojas is anything but what she claims to be," Batman admits.
"Which is exactly what I told you," Martian Manhunter says in a tone of irritation. "But no, you have this need to triple check everything," he complains to Batman. The green-skinned alien turns to the young woman at the centre of the room. "I have no doubt you are exactly who you claim to be, Mia. And as an old friend of the family I can also tell you you have my friendship and protection as long as I can offer it."
"Thank you. Though Abuelo did mention that you spied on me for him. I would like to discuss that at some point," Mia tells him.
"Ooh, someone's in trouble," Flash sing-songs.
"Would you grow up," Red Tornado tells the speedster off and all she gets for her efforts in a raspberry being blown at her.
"So, does anyone have any other questions or doubts?" Mia asks the room.
"No. I believe for now we have all we need," Wonder Woman replies.
"Though we will need to discuss your membership and training," Batman informs her.
"It can wait," Kon tells the Dark Knight. "For now I think I would like to spend some time with my little sister."
Batman says nothing but spins round, his cape swishing dramatically as he departs.
"Drama Queen!" Flash shouts after him jovially as the meeting breaks up.
Kon turns his attention to the young woman in the centre of the room. "Well, I guess I should introduce myself properly. I'm Conner," he says, holding out his hand.
"Mia," she replies taking the offered hand. "So, I know you're my brother but are you're really my brother?" she just feels a need to have him confirm it.
"Technically yes. Though Clark and I always preferred to call each other brothers. The truth was just too weird."
A thought occurs to Mia. "But with Lex Luthor dead too doesn't that mean…no, sorry I shouldn't have said that," she apologises as she realises where she is going.
"No. It's alright," Conner assures her. "But yes, both my 'parents' are now dead. Though honestly I disowned Lex a long time ago," he confesses.
"Are you…ok?"
Conner shrugs. "I'm coping," he says and it is the truth. He's coping.
"So…uh…what now?"
"Well, if you're anything like me or Clark my guess is you're always hungry so how about we get something to eat and chat."
"I would like that," Mia says, smiling shyly.
"Great!" Conner says enthusiastically as he puts an arm around her shoulder and leads her out the room. "You know I always wanted a little sister or brother so I'm glad to meet you."
"Well we only just met so I wouldn't go that far," Mia demurs.
Conner looks at her and spots the small smirk. "Oh yeah. You're definitely Clark's," he says, seeing the similarity almost instantly. "Come on then," he says to her as he shepherds her out the room.
"You!"
"Oh hell," Conner mutters as he spots the source of that shout. Who let her onboard? "Now Lois, wait a minute," he tries to stop her as she storms towards them but he might as well try to stop a hurricane. He does, however, manage to step in-between the two women.
"Get out the way!" Lois says, her voice shrill.
Conner levels a cool gaze at her and replies calmly but firmly, "No."
Lois glares at him. "I don't care what any damn test says. She," pointing at Mia, "is not Clark's daughter and I won't allow her to besmirch his legacy nor live off of it like a parasite. I'll see her in ruins first."
"You done?" Conner asks flatly.
"I haven't even started yet," Lois vows tuning what feels like hatred towards the young Latino woman. "Can't you just…he's not even cold in his grave and here you are disgracing his memory! Claiming to be his…! You're not his! You'll never be his!" she shouts, her grief and pain bleeding through.
"I'm sorry for your pain, Mrs Kent," Mia says, trying to be sympathetic but finding it a tough ask. "But I am his daughter," she just has to say it.
SLAP!
So quick even Conner couldn't stop her Lois had stepped round him and laid one upon Mia…which is an instant mistake as she cradles her hand to her chest, swearing loudly.
Conner sighs and looks at his sister-in-law with sympathy. "Go to the infirmary and get that seen to."
Lois glares at him with what feels like betrayal.
"Lois. We'll talk later," Conner promises her, "but please, for me, just go get your hand seen to," he pleads with her.
"This isn't over you little fraud!" Lois mutters before turning on her heels and leaving.
Conner releases a breath before turning round and finding an expression of mixed emotions on his sister's face. "Try not to take that too personally," he says. "Lois…Lois is still grieving," he tries to excuse her.
"It comes across as more than that," Mia thinks, trying not to let all the hate she saw get to her.
Conner's face pinches slightly. "It's just…you represent something she never had with Clark."
"A daughter?"
"A child of any sort. It wasn't like they didn't try. It just didn't happen."
"I, uh, you know my Aunt Penny is way better at these things than me."
"Penny. She was the woman who adopted you, right?"
"Yeah."
"You'll have to introduce me sometime."
"Only if you have a thing for older women," Mia quips.
Conner laughs. "I'm spoken for."
"Not sure that'll help."
"Sounds like an interesting person, your aunt."
"She's…my Mamá."
Conner nods in understanding. "Lets go eat," he says, deciding to move on from this unpleasantness as quickly as possible.
The Present…
A slender woman with black hair, dressed conservatively with a pair of glasses on her face enters the recently set up office. Inside are military personnel. Some administrators sitting behind desks. Others on guard, heavily armed. She stands where she is told to and waits to be called forward.
A short time later she is called forward and sits down in the chair provided. "Hello. I'm here to register as required under the Vigilante Registration Act," she says to the stern looking man across the desk.
"Name?" he asks in clipped tones.
"Linda Lee Danvers."
"Alias?"
"Well, I never came up with it, you understand. It was the press," she says with a nervous laugh.
"Alias?" the man repeats sternly.
"The Angel of Vengeance."
"Abilities?"
"Enhanced strength and durability."
"Sign here," she is ordered to.
The woman does so.
"You will be taken from here to a secure facility where your powers can be assessed to allow us to best decide how you can serve your country."
"Of course," she says cheerily. "That's why I'm here. I'm a patriot!" she says in over-the-top enthusiasm.
And with that she is led away. Transported in a van to an airport and then into the back of a military plane where she is made to sit down next to a famous blond man who is looking at her with shock. As soon as her 'escorts' back away Oliver Queen hisses at her, "What are you doing here, Mia?!"
Author's Note: Figured it was time to give Mia more of a backstory. She did say she had met Lois once and got the impression that Lois didn't like her. Can't imagine how she got that impression from this meeting, can you? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews.
AN1: Ok, for anyone rereading this I changed this chapter slightly but not significantly.