BRUCE CHAPTER SIX

The movie theatre was an old gothic building, built late in the eighteenth century. Posters, at either side of its grand entrance, told all who were interested that "Zorro" was showing. People of all ages were leaving after the show one night, among them was a family of three. The eight-year old boy walk happily between his mother and father as the trio walked down the steps and along the sidewalk.

Unseen by the family a shadowy figure was waiting at the entrance to a nearby alley. He stepped out at them as they passed the mouth of the alley. The man immediately went to grab the mother's pearls. As the father tried to defend his wife the attacker pulled a gun out of his coat. He shot both mother and father twice in the chest. As they lay dead on the sidewalk the killer turned the gun on the boy who was trying in vain to wake up his mother. The killer was about to fire when the sound of a police car's siren stopped him. As he fled the boy now covered by his parents blood started to scream.

My god thought Chloe as she woke; I haven't had that dream in years. Why now she thought as memories started to return, she was very young when she had first had this dream.

She had been five or six at the time and had just read her very first newspaper, the "Gotham Gazette". As Chloe remembered more of her dream she remembered more of the news report.

The murder of Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, in what had appeared at the time to be a robbery gone wrong. Only their young son had survived. He had been found kneeling in his parent's blood seconds later, trying to wake them up. The son's name had, if she remembered right, been Bruce, Bruce Wayne. He had been only a little older than Chloe was and just reading about this crime had been so disturbing for her, it had given her nightmares.

Chloe was by nature a cynic. She did not believe in psychic dreams or visions. However dream or not from what she could remember of the report the dates and ages fitted. It was also serious enough to make someone become what the kid had become. It was far from conclusive, but it was possible, the kid could be Bruce Wayne. Not conclusive but it did give her a better idea of where to start looking for answers.

As Chloe became fully awake she became aware of her surroundings and remembered earlier events. The kid; Bruce? had carried Clark to the wall and Clark had been pulled through. The kid them asked Jor El how long this might take to undo what Zod had done. Jor El told him it would not take long, and then he thanked Bruce for his son's life and disappeared. Chloe had then ask what Jor El had meant by 'I was right about you people'. Bruce had explained about the real massage Jor El had sent. He then told her to try to get some sleep. She remembered being reluctant but she had clearly needed sleep.

As Chloe looked around the cave she saw a sight that almost took her breath away, the kid was hanging from the ceiling upside down by his feet. He was almost naked apart form a pair of sport shorts. As she looked she understood where the kid's awesome strength came from. The kid's muscles were huge arms, legs, chest and abs everything was huge. The kid looked like an Olympic champion bodybuilder. He was doing crunches with his eyes shut as Chloe just watched amazed.

Chloe counted 750 before he stopped and opened his eyes; he then detached his feet from the ceiling and landed gracefully on his feet. The kid noticed Chloe was wake as he started to get dressed

"I guess you did need sleep after all." said the kid

"How long did I sleep for" asked Chloe

"About two hours"

"What about Clark" asked Chloe

"Nothing yet" replied the kid "but the cave paintings are still growing, also Jor El has not finished."

As he finished talking a light appeared in the wall and Clark fell through it, The kid moved so fast than Chloe barely saw it, he was not as fast as Clark, but for a human he was very fast. The kid caught Clark before he landed and lowered him to the ground. As Clark started to wake up Chloe spoke to him gently. When Clark woke up fully he was on his feet at once.

"Mom, Dad" he yelled

"They are OK" said the kid in a calming voice "remember."

"You saving them from me" said Clark staring at the kid in awe "Thank you"

"It's OK" Clark" said the kid "just sit and rest. You have been through a lot."

As Clark sat down a memory seemed to surface "You used Kryptonite." He said, "who are you"

"A friend" answered the kid

Clark was just about to ask more questions when he notice Chloe standing near the wall of the cave, looking at him with a look that mixed concern and relief. Before he cause said anything she ran to him and hugged him. As she did this she Clark jumped immediately to the wrong conclusion about what was happening. He jerked away from Chloe angrily and knocked her almost to the cave wall.

"I knew I couldn't trust you!" he yelled at her "You find out who and what I am and immediately tell everyone you meet"

Suddenly Chloe, back on her feet ran at Clark and shouting "Shut-up!" and hit with a backhand. Clark fell to the ground; surprised the she had knocked him down. Chloe stood over Clark shaking with rage. She was also surprised; she hadn't hit him that hard. The Kryptonite really did work

"I have never told anyone about you," she screamed "and I did not just find out. I have known you came with the meteor shower for years Clark. No one had ever heard of you before the meteor shower, then after it, there you are, the only adoption carried out by that agency. Then three years ago I see you save Whitney Fordman from an exploding car."

"You were following me" Clark started angrily

Chloe moved towards Clark threateningly. With effort she stopped herself hitting him again. Instead she said "I was not following you, I love you. I was following 'Bug boy' I saw him attack Whitney and was about to try to help. Then I saw you, it was amazing. You are my best friend Clark I would never do or say anything to hurt you.

"Then how does he know?" said Clark pointing at the kid.

"God" Chloe cried "You really don't trust me do you" Then she continued in a calmer voice "He figured it out himself, he is with the single exeption of you the most incredible man I ever met. He knew about a massage from your father that wasn't really from your father. He knew about your ship and about your reaction to green and red meteor rocks. I did not tell him anything."

"Chloe I'm sorry…"

"So am I Clark" she turned to the kid who had been watching, opened her fist and handed him a piece of Kryptonite she had held in her fist. "Keep that away from him" she said as she climbed back up the rope "and keep it away from me to"

"Chloe wait," said Bruce "it may not be safe up there"

"I will be safe in your car," she said

Bruce climbed the rope after her and after checking she was safe inside the armoured car dropped back down to the cave. He then put the Kryptonite back in his belt and walked to Clark.

"Don't take what she said to seriously. She has had a very hard couple of days, but she really does care about you," said the kid

"Maybe but she is right, I have treated her badly" said Clark. Then after a moments thought, asked, "What has happened? Who are you? And what did you mean not safe?"

"I take it you know that she is about to testify against Lionel Luthor?" asked the kid when Clark nodded the kid continued "Two days ago he tried to stop her by blowing up her FBI safehouse, he has since made two other attempts on her life. I think we should get back up there I don't think she should be left alone" he said as he started to climb up the rope.

When Clark and Bruce were back to ground level Bruce asked, "When you were possessed by Zod you could fly are you still able." Clark tried; he jumped up into the air several times reaching between 20 or 30 feet each time but was not able to fly. "No" he replied "I can't" Bruce didn't seem surprise and was about to say something but Clark stopped him, saying "Could you give me some time alone with Chloe?" Bruce replied "Sure" and walked away as Clark walked towards the car. She opened the driver side door for him after he knocked softly on the car's windscreen. He closed the door after getting in.

"Look Chloe I'm really sorry.." he began

"No I'm sorry Clark" she said, "I understand. You're parents taught you early on to hide what you were in case you were exploited or taken away to be studied. They were right and so were you. You couldn't take the chance of trusting anyone. I'm sorry I hit you and yelled at you, can you ever forgive me?"

"Chloe you were right, I am glad you understand my reasons but I should have trusted you. So if you can forgive me I can forgive you."

He had barely finished talking when she threw her arms around him crying "DEAL" They held each other for a few seconds then let go. As they let go of each other Clark looked at the kid outside and asked.

"Chloe who is your new friend?"

"I don't know" she answered "he calls himself John Smith, but I don't know his real name. What I do know is that since I meet him two day ago he has saved my life four times and your parents once. I think we can trust him."

"Well he did release me from Zod so I agree" said Clark "So what is our next move."

"I think we should ask him." Chloe answered pointing at the kid.

Bruce Wayne heard the doors of his car open and walked towards Chloe and Clark as they got out of his car.

"Are you two OK?" asked Bruce as the group met at the front of the car.

"We're fine." Both Clark and Chloe together, Clark continued "What's our next move?"

"First we get you home Clark, your parents are good people and they are very worried about you." said Bruce. The group then got into the car, Chloe and Clark got into the passenger side of the car and Bruce got in to the driver's seat. In seconds the car was on the way back to the Kent farm at high speed.

As the car arrived at the farm Jonathan and Martha Kent were already running to meet it. Clark shot out of the car while it was still moving and was hugging his parents in less than a second. As the card stopped he was already apologising.

"Mom, Dad I'm so sorry, I almost killed yo.." he didn't get a chance to finish.

"You weren't in control son" insisted Jonathan

"We don't blame you Clark," said his mother

After hugging her son for a while longer Martha turned and hugged the kid, Crying she said, "I don't know who you are but bless you and thank you." After his wife had let go of the kid Jonathan walked to the kid and hugging him too. Then said "You save our son's life and brought him back to us. Thank you seems inadequate but you have mine. If you ever need anything."

"Actually when its meant Thank you is worth a lot and you are welcome. Now Chloe and I must go, the longer we are here the greater danger you are in" said the kid, then when he saw Clark about to ask to come he continued "No Clark you stay here I can protect Chloe you stay and protect your parents. Parents are the most important thing in the world."

"OK" said Clark as the kid and Chloe got back into the car "be careful."

With a nod the kid drove the car out of the Kent farm and towards Gotham. As the car drove away, Clark saw a triangle of three red dots appear on the back of the car.

TBC