TITLE: A Different Kind of Hiro

AUTHOR: William Rayne

EMAIL: knytmareyahoo.com

RATING: PG-13

SPOILERS: None

DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, email me

DISCLAIMER someone else owns 'em, I'm just taking them out to play. Don't sue me, I have no money

FEEDBACK: Desired like none other.

A/N:  As always: bold italics for stressed, italics for thoughts or voice-over, and underlines for sarcasm or disgust.  Stupid new thing on here won't let me use asterisks so using percents for breaks and where I would normally use astericks.

Oh yeah, I'm horrible with tenses, so please forgive me, I'll try to clean and tighten that up some in the future.

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A Different Kind of Hero

Chapter 2

Metropolis, Mid-February 2023

Lex Luthor stood atop the roof of the LexCorp building with an unlit cigar in his left hand, the wind was mild but when you're on top of a Metropolis skyscraper, the slightest breeze can feel like a gale. He put down the briefcase he held and as he was about to light up his cigar, the lights and cameras blew up around him. With the rolled tobacco clenched in his teeth, he looked up expectantly towards the man in primary colors floating above him. The shadows covered the man's face but there was no doubt as to his identity. If there was any doubt, all was removed when the tip of Lex's cigar burst into flames.

"Ah, the legendary Superman," Lex stated as if he were addressing a bellhop as he took a couple puffs off of the tobacco.

"What do you want, Luthor?" Clark said in his Superman voice, a full 2 octaves lower than his usual.

"I do admire a man who likes to get straight to business," Lex said and after waiting for any further commentary, continued, "As long as we're being business-like, let's get something straight. I don't trust you but unfortunately you're the only one I can turn to in this matter."

"You're one to talk about trust?" Superman said with contempt. "Your reputation speaks volumes on that. I'm not going to stand here and listen to a man without morals try to lecture me on the subject."

Lex chuckled, "I'm afraid you don't have much room to speak either, Superman. The media, especially my old friend Clark Kent, may see you as a hero. A great protector of humanity but we both know that at the core, you are no less a vigilante than Gotham's Batman. However, that isn't why I sent for you."

"Enough banter, Luthor. We both know why I'm here."

"Yes. Well it seems that you are inspiring self-styled heroes of different manners. Some of which aren't quite as, how could we say? Honorable? Yes, I believe that may be apt enough for our purposes. Some are not as honorable as you seem to be."

"I'm assuming you have a point, Lex?"

"Which I am getting to, my good alien. As amusing and useful the little war that my father has against you has been, I felt it wise to advise you about a new player in that game."

Superman was shocked by Lex's words. Though he was sure he gave no indication, Lex somehow picked up on it or anticipated it. "Ah, so you don't know it was my father? I suppose you wouldn't know or suspect it given my statements against the destruction you incur in your exploits to protect the fine citizens of this planet."

Superman took the offensive, "If it is your father, as you say, why tell me this now?"

Lex frowned and blew the smoke from his lungs in carefully constructed rings which dissipated with the wind, "Because good people died to get the information I'm going to give you."

It was Superman's turn to frown, "I doubt that they were all that good if they worked for you."

"We could argue semantics, but the point is that lives were lost and I would think you of all 'people' would at least respect the sanctity of that."

Though the words struck home and stung him to the core, Superman could only stay silent and nod for the man he once called friend to continue.

"I'm sure you're aware of Gotham's newest acquisition in heroes, the so-called Eradicator?" Lex prompted.

Superman could only nod once more. Though he had never run into the fellow, he didn't approve of his methods. He had pondered on many nights whether he should track him down and discuss the matter but the encounter he had with Kon-El a month before still pre-occupied his time. For all of Kon-El's boasting, he had yet to see anything that could be connected to his "brother's" quest.

Gotham's newest hero was worst than their 'Batman', at least the 'Batman' left most criminals for the authorities but this new hero, the Eradicator, seemed to style himself as judge, jury and executioner when it came to the law. Much like the 'Batman', there were no accurate descriptions of the man. Also like his rival for protector of the city, he was said to come from the shadows and melt into the darkness before your very eyes.

Lex continued, "Well it seems that my father has managed to contact that particular 'sentinel' and from what intelligence I can gather, they both seem to have a mutual hatred of you."

"If that's true, why contact me?" Superman asked even though his suspicions screamed the answer was because Lex feared that the supernatural being would be used against him as well.

Lex sighed deeply, "Contrary to public speculation, I don't harbor any ill will towards you, my friend. I just question your methods of 'helping'. After all, you seem to incur massive damages in your exploits at the taxpayer's expense of cleaning up your 'mess'. Besides, as I once told an old friend so many years ago: a man with your extraordinary abilities with the power of a god at his fingertips needs to be kept in check."

Before Superman could contest that statement, Lex finished by stating, "Whatever you want to believe is up to you. However, you can not dispute the fact that any being with unique capabilities in league with Lionel Luthor could only bode ill."

As much as Superman had come to be distrustful and disgusted with Lex, he could only concur with his old friend's assessment. Swallowing the bile that was rising up from what he was about to say, Superman queried, "You said you had information for me?"

Lex smiled broadly, well aware of the meaning behinds those words, "Yes, I do indeed." Lex opened up the briefcase he had and held a folder tightly in his hand. "Now why don't you come down and we can dis---"

His words were interrupted by what he thought was a sudden breeze. It only took a split second to realize that the portfolio he held was no longer in his possession. "What the?" Lex said, clearly annoyed as he figured out what had occurred.

Superman took a moment to revel in Lex's annoyance then opened the folder and what he saw almost made him drop it. He let out a gasp of surprise and Lex knew from the sound that the Man of Steel had paled.

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An Unknown Cliff, March 2023

"Two days ago, I woke up in a motel room in Gotham," Hiro said as he stood to face the oncoming sunset as well as his brother, "That isn't the part I'm worried about, Clark…"

Superman's countenance softened as his brother broke down in tears, a sight he hadn't seen in years. Superman floated down to stand with his brother and held him until Hiro could continue. His brother's next words shocked him.

"There was blood…" Hiro stated in a daze, "so much blood. It was on my hands and pooled around me. At first I thought it was mine and that I was hurt but I realized that it wasn't and there was nothing in the room that it could have belonged to. Yet somehow I knew it was human and I was responsible for it in some way. What's happening to me?"

As Superman looked into Hiro's pleading eyes, the persona melted away and Clark was speechless. Hiram fell to his knees, distraught. All Clark could do was pat him reassuringly on the back. If it was anybody else, he would've brought such a confessor straight to the police but this was his kid brother. All Clark could say was, "It'll be alright Hiram. Somehow, it'll all be alright. We'll find out what's going on and straighten it out. We'll deal with it."

The words didn't have the soothing effect he had intended as Hiro pulled away from his brother's embrace, stood up and screamed hysterically, "No! It won't be alright, Clark! How the fuck can it be alright?!? I woke up in blood, not a hooker or with cocaine or some other thing that could be fixed but in blood that wasn't my own. I have no recollection of a lot of other nights, God only knows what else I could've done. Tell me, Mr-Fucking-Know-It-All, just how are we supposed to deal with that? Huh?"

As Hiro broke down once more, sobbing and on his knees, Clark could only stare as his little brother had voiced the concerns Clark shared. He's not a kid anymore, he knows what's what but what am I supposed to do? I can't turn him in. For one, I could never forgive myself, not to mention I'd never hear the end of it from Mom and Dad. For two, we both have no idea why he woke up like that and…

Clark knelt down and reached out tentatively to pat Hiro's back, "Hey."

It took a few minutes for Hiro to calm down. He looked up at his older brother, put on his bravest face and said back, "Hey."

As his little brother brushed away the tears and sniffled, Clark sat down. As he stared at the approaching sunset, he turned to look at Hiro and threw him an awkward smile.

Hiro broke the silence by stating simply, "Now what?"

Clark didn't have an answer and said lightly, "Don't think this is going to make me forget to give you a lecture on drinking."

Hiro smiled slightly, "Damn. Was hoping you'd forget that part."

Clark said softly, "I don't know what we do now."

Hiro prompted, "Well, what would Superman do?"

"Take you to the police."

Clark let his brother remain pale for a few seconds before adding, "But Clark Kent would have to whoop Blue Boy's ass to Hell and back if that happened."

Hiro's eyes grew wide. "Motherfucker," he said as he slugged Clark in the arm. "Ow."

Clark laughed slightly at his brother's reaction, "Come on. I know if you were in my shoes, you couldn't resist that setup."

Hiro nursed his sore hand and grunted, "Whatever. Don't you mean if I were in your pansy-ass, nancy-boy tights?"

"Again with the…"

"Seriously though," Hiro prompted before they detracted into familiarity and away from the real issue.

"Seriously?" Clark said, clearly annoyed that he couldn't defend his uniform. He pondered the matter and finally said, "I don't know. For all we know, you didn't do anything. All we know is how you woke up. Which, by the way, begs the question of why it wasn't on the news two days ago."

"Um," Hiro looked away sheepishly and shifted his feet uneasily, "That would be, uh, because when I woke up…I, um, had gloves on. So I figured there wasn't any of my prints around, so I just snuck out."

"You what?!? I can't believe you just left a crime scene. You didn't call anyone? You didn't call me?" Clark screamed heatedly, his voice cracking as jumped to his feet in surprise.

"I wasn't exactly thinking clearly at the time, Clark. I was kinda preoccupied if you weren't listening. And besides, I knew this is exactly how you would react. Why do you think I waited two days to tell you?" Hiro shot back as he rose to meet his brother's eyes.

As the brothers stared off at each other with their arms defiantly crossed, Hiro stated softly with a familiar pout, "Look, I know I didn't exactly do the right thing. I don't expect you to understand my actions. I just don't know what to do or where to go, Clark. This is eating at me. I have almost two months of my life where I'm not sure what I've been doing. Just try to put yourself in my shoes and ask yourself if you would've done different."

Clark looked at his baby brother and sighed. He said as sternly as possible, given the circumstances, "Don't think we're not going to have a long talk when this is over. There anything else you've left out?"

Hiro's cheek twitched and he said, "Just one?"

Clark sighed heavily, put his hand over his face and shook his head.

"You better sit down for this one."

When Clark sat down, Hiro continued and began to pace, "The motel wasn't the only thing this past week that's been strange. I've been having dreams of Jor-El."

Hiro put up a hand to stop his older brother from responding, "It isn't anything like you've described about your dreams of Jor-El. It's almost like when I see him, that I'm seeing him through someone else's eyes, like I'm there, on Krypton."

 As he recants the dream, his eyes glaze over. He carries on with the tale with the intensity of a madman, gesturing wildly with his hands, "And I feel like there's someone else there with me, watching it all play out. There's no sound but we're before this tribunal or something. Anyways, we're in front the big-wigs, yelling and screaming at each other and the same thought goes through my head over and over."

 Clark could've sworn he was mistaken but as Hiro finished, it seemed as if his eyes had glowed with the intensity of his statement, "I want to take this bastard down, drag his name through the mud, and see him suffer. Make all those he's ever cared for and love suffer painfully and slowly but most importantly, as cruelly as possible."

Clark could only stare at his brother as these new revelations took form in his mind. Clark wondered, given the recent events, whether he should warn his brother of Kon-El. After the initial encounter, Clark had told their parents about what occurred and Jonathan had thought it best not to scare Hiro with the new information. After all, there was no indication that the Kryptonian would use his knowledge of Clark's secret against him while Kon-El knew he could best Kal-El in battle. He's my baby brother but he's not a kid anymore. I should tell him. He has a right to know. As the last rays of the sun dashed the horizon, Clark said, "Hiro, there's something you should know."

Hiro never heard what words followed because as nightfall began, his mind felt as if fire ants were crawling within. He gripped his head, doubled-over and screamed. Clark immediately supported his brother when he saw what was happening to him. The Last Son of Krypton didn't know what was going on, but worry became etched on his face as he saw Hiro's body being covered in tendrils of inky midnight. All the while, the anguish Clark felt for his younger sibling was voiced by Hiro's endless wail.

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A/N: This story seems to like to end with misery at the end of the chapters, doesn't it? No writes yet. Ended up splitting this 'act' b/c there's a lot to go through it.

 May have to come back to change things depending on how the other chapters play out but trying to avoid re-writes. I'll warn if there's major changes that'll affect the overall story.

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