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Chapter 4: First Meetings

It is five o'clock in the morning, the sun has yet to rise and most of the country remained in blissful slumber. Clark Kent had just said goodbye to his parents and is flying high above the clouds, on his way back to Metropolis. After spending the night in his childhood home, his mood had improved greatly, and he feels more optimistic than before. He takes in a deep breath, enjoying the unpolluted fresh air, a rare thing in this day and age, particularly if you live in a huge city. The early morning sky is still pitch black, with very little traffic and even fewer sets of eyes looking upward. After coming down to a lower altitude, he spotted his apartment in the city and landed softly. Looking around to make sure there are no prying eyes about, he entered through the patio door while thinking about making an early start on his work.

All over Metropolis, most of the citizens are still asleep except the dedicated few who keep the entire city running on skeleton crews. After opening his hearings to the surrounds and made sure that everything is quiet, Clark sat down on his bed and began to meditate. Sitting alone on his bed, inside his apartment in the predawn darkness, he turns his senses inward and tries to focus his energy and enhance his focus onto another plane. It is a skill which he learned on his travels during the earlier years before he become superman. Furthermore, even the most renowned physicians are praising meditation as a drug – free way to relax the brain and relief stress. Making a joke to himself, Clark almost wanted to laugh as he ranked the most stressful job in the world: being superman. As he meditates, sun began to rise above the horizon. Its light made many long shadows from the skyscrapers that made up the heart of the city. Taking a deep breath and bring himself out of the trance like state, Clark leaps off the bed and stretched a few times, floating in mid air. Taking a deep breath as he made himself breakfast that includes toast, scrambled eggs and milk, Clark ate his meal quietly.

Across town, Lois Lane had just awoken from a good night of sleep. She feels energetic and ready to tackle anything. After the routine of brushing her teeth and freshen up, she ate a simple breakfast before leaving her apartment and head toward the Daily Planet. She has a full plate today. Today is the best chance Clark and her have in sneaking into Mayson's office and find out more information about resurrection. According to Jimmy, they can sneak into the building as part of the cleaning crew, but time is not in abundance and the chance of being caught is always there. Looking at her watch, Lois quickened her pace toward the office and hoped that Clark will be there at his usual time.

The Daily Planet, as a successful newspaper, its office is bustling with activities most of the time, and today is no exception. Perry White, the editor in chief is yelling as usual to some reporters and staff regarding stories in progress and drafts not being done…etc. As Lois steps out of the elevator she quickly walks to her desk where Jimmy had two overall uniforms of the cleaning crew ready for her with a note. She picks it up and reads it over. It was from Jimmy who wishes her good luck today in sneaking in. Smiling to herself, Lois looks up as the elevator doors opened with a chime to admit Clark Kent, her partner at work. Making a mental note for herself to tell Perry that he was right, Lois looked at her partner, eyes wide with wonder. The young man now looks happier and more open. The coldness that was there after Mayson's death had lessened a great deal. He even smiled at Lois when he noticed that she is looking at him.

Clark smiled at Lois and said hello. He felt bad about shutting her out so coldly before and decided that things are going to change. The night spent with his parents had greatly improved his mood and he felt himself filled with a new found vigor. Then he noticed the two overall uniforms on Lois' desk, and raised an eyebrow, "Let me guess, this is your grand plan of sneaking into the DA's office?" he said with a sarcastic undertone that wasn't missed by Lois. With her hands on her waist, Lois looks up at Clark and said in a very indignant voice, "Clark Kent, if you have any better ideas, please, do share!" Raising his hands in a gesture of peace, "Ok Lois, my bad, I am sorry…it's a good plan you have there," the young man admitted. "Of course!" the proud young woman retorted, but didn't go beyond that little jab. Taking a look at her watch, Lois noticed that the time is passing by fast. She and Clark have to put the plan in motion fast. "Clark, come on, it's time we find out more about what Mayson was working on when she was murdered," handing the larger overall to her partner, Lois leads her partner in crime (or camouflaged investigation as she calls it) toward the elevator after they changed into the uniforms.

From his office, Perry White looked at his top two reporters leaving the office in their disguise with a faint smile on his face. It was true that Jimmy had supposedly hooked up with the cleaning crew assigned to the DA's office, but it was his extensive network of informants, friends and those who owed him favours that actually pulled the whole thing off. Shaking his head, he thought of Lois fondly. He had always find Lois to be a good young woman, and an even better reporter, if only she can be less impulsive and at times judgmental. His eyes, made keen by years of reading both stories and people then shifted focus for a moment on Clark. He knows that Kent is a descent kid with a promising career, unshakable resolve and integrity, but there is always something that he could not discern from him. Even with his experience, there is always a side of Clark that he can not see, but then again, everyone has his/her secrets as he said to himself quietly before going back to his desk and concentrate on the day's work.

At the DA's office building, Lois and Clark joined the real cleaning crew after a meeting with the supervisor, a big yet soft spoken man in his early 50's. He laid down the rules and some guidelines for the duo before leading the team into the building and starts their routine. They were stopped for ID's twice by police officers armed with both standard side arms and rifles before allowed entry into the offices. The tensions are still high from the recent murder as both arms of the law, DA's office and police department gathered strength in an unusual show of power. The blatant murder/assassination of one of their own angered even those who are not clean, for they could be the next in line if such things are not stopped. Once they are inside, Lois and Clark discretely slip away out of sight and head toward Mayson's office located down the hallway. To complete their disguise, they also have a cleaning supply/equipment cart with them so to not draw too much attention.

Lois looked around, observing her surroundings and counted herself lucky to have pulled this off. After speaking with Clark in a low voice, the duo pushed the cart straight toward Mayson's office. The hallway is silent as the offices' occupants are out about their own businesses. They stopped in front of their friend's office and Clark turned the knob to open the door while Lois looked about before they make a quick dash into the office unnoticed. Clark looked about the office, and could not help but to notice how much this tidy and neatly arranged office space reminded him of Mayson, despite the reprieve of endless guilt, the death of the blonde woman still weighted heavily on his heart as he began look around the office for files. Lois on the other hand had already begun a methodical search of the assistant DA's files. The duo looked at one file after another, each one detailing crimes of various nature, however, none mentioned resurrection, even in the slightest degree.

Frustrated, Clark puts away the file he was reading and was about to turn to speak with Lois about leaving before someone begins to get suspicious about their behavior, or caught them red handed in the act. Just as he was about the turn around, he heard the sound of a gun's safety turned off. The man of steel in disguise sprung around only to find him and Lois looking at a man who stands by the window, holding a gun that is aimed at them. "Who are you?" the man spoke with a calm voice, "Talk now or I shoot!" Raising their hands, Lois and Clark looked at each other, wondering who the stranger is, and Clark scolded himself for not noticing this man sooner. "We…we are cleaners," Lois managed to stammer. The man narrowed his eyes and then laughed, "Cleaners? Well, then what are you doing reading all those confidential files for?"

Lois opened her mouth to speak, but then decided not to since she really has no good answers in this situation. Seeing this, the stranger grinned, "I thought so," and gestured with his gun for the duo to sit on chairs while he tight them securely with ropes. After both reporters are bound tightly on the chairs, the man smiled before going through Clark's pocket and found his wallet and ID's. Raising an eyebrow, "So you are Clark Kent," he then turned to Lois, "then you must be Lois Lane, the star reporter duo from the Daily Planet." Knowing their cover had just blown, Clark nodded at the stranger, "Yes, I am Clark Kent, and who are you?" For once the stranger puts on a serious expression, "I am Daniel Scardino, agent Scardino from the DEA." Greatly surprised, the two reporters looked at each other, uncertain whether or not to take the words at face value. Sensing the two doubted his words, Scardino sighed and said, "Listen, I am Mayson Drake's counterpart in DEA, we are working on the same case before she was killed."

"Resurrection?" Lois asked. The DEA agent nodded in affirmation, "Yes, resurrection was the case she was working on," then he turned to Clark, "and from what I know, I was hoping you would know more about it than I do." Puzzled, Clark looked at Scardino, "Why would I know more than you do? I have no idea what resurrection is, which is why Lois and I are here in the first place." Shaking his head, "Really?" agent Scardino said in an amused tone before he reaches into his jacket and fished out what seen like a note book. "You know, it's funny that you should say that. From what I read in Mayson's diary, she certainly kept you quite…close to her heart, you should see what she had written about you in her most intimate thoughts," the DEA agent grinned.

In the depth of the ocean, under the shifting sand of the desert and the frozen polar waste land, the pulsating cobweb of veins begin to grow upward, forming blood red spikes that reached some ten feet tall. To the world above, there is little indication of what had transpired. Heavy pollutants filled air, water and land. Bit by bit, and with ever increasing ferocity, humankind is transforming earth into a waste planet where the very air became poisonous fume and water turned into putrid liquid. The loggings too stripped the land bare, losing its cohesion and the ever rising tides encroach on the once fertile low lands where so many depend for food. The rich consume resources while the poor had nearly none, yet the consequences are shared by all.

As the spikes pulsated, the cobwebs that formed their bases began to form round shaped objects each the size of a beach ball. These objects, absorbing the dark threads of human suffering and agony, grew in size. The polluted water, air and land, all aided their growth despite their varied locations. Across the world, tribes that deemed to be primitive by the modern world cried out in alarm. Ancient rituals practices revealed hidden secrets. Secrets so dark and encompassing that none seen able to escape. Their spiritual worlds are rocked by violent shakes as their shamans, prophets, wise men and the like scream for their people to gather. Some called on their people to arm and prepare to fight the demons that will come, while some lead their people into desolate mountains, desert oasis and frozen tundra, praying to the god(s) for mercy and salvation. The end is coming some said, the end of all is coming. To their "primitive" worlds, the end is near and a force greater than any is about to be, unleashed.

Alone in his office, smoking cigar while reading a report, Perry White could not help but to grin coldly as his eyes scanned the content of the document in his hand. After he read it thoroughly, the editor blew a mouthful of cigar smoke out before place the cigar neatly against the rim of an ashtray on his desk. Closing his tired eyes for a few minute, the middle aged man meditated in order to relieve the stress. Things are not good. The report was not of good news, but instead entailed some disturbing events that had occurred.

There are many changes occurring all across the world. Abnormal shifts in oceanic currents and wind patterns, sudden migration that can only be considered unnatural behaviour for many species of wild life. The climates have become more unpredictable. Could this be hinting some catastrophes in the making, he asked himself. Furthermore, at home front, crime rate is on the rise as the underworld wrestled for control and dominance. Mayson's death for example, is something that he had not anticipated for. Even in his age, he has to admit that the fiery blonde woman was a marvel to laid eyes on. For the long years he has been in the business, Perry had built a vast network, gathered allies and resources. Most of those had lain dormant for the right time to be use, and now seen like as good as it will ever be. Opening his eyes slowly, Perry White tightened his fist and said in a low voice, "So you boys want to play, then by all means, I shall give you a full plate!" At this moment in time, he looked less like an editor and more like a king who ruled with an iron fist and absolute power declaring war.

The outburst however was only momentary as someone knocked on his office door, Perry White returned to his usual stance of being the chief editor of the Daily Planet. The yelling and barking toward young journalists and reports continued as he busied himself in the task of putting the whole newspaper print in order. The day would continue as usual, with no one being the wiser to find out what Mr. White had in mind.

Her mouth agape, Mayson, who stood barely three feet away from the trio, could not believe what she had just heard. She and Gaia have just had a lovely dinner in China where the two enjoyed a variety of Chinese dishes. They were sitting on the roof of the Forbidden City in Beijing while the Zopyros, who dressed quite out of character as a chef from the blonde's point of view, brought them food. The goddess had obscured the space around them, shielding them from the prying eyes of the satellites, according the Gaia, "It is not time yet to reveal our existence, and better yet for the world to remain ignorant of us." After the meal, Zopyros again brought them each a cup of tea, and Mayson sat with Gaia on the rooftop, their feet dangling in mid air like children as them sip the warm golden liquid. The blonde woman slowly drank the tea while her thoughts went far and away to a particular young man that had captured her fancy a life time ago.

For her part, Gaia was quiet as she drank her tea. Mayson could hardly feel the goddess' presence as her thoughts went for a rollercoaster ride inside her mind. Wind had started to pick up strength as the night progressed in the eastern half of the globe, yet atop the roof of the Forbidden City, the small group enjoyed relative peace where even the strongest wind was reduced to a gentle breeze. Sighed softly, the blonde woman realized that she can not solve all her problems by just thinking. From an early age, she has always been a go getter, she reached out toward what she wanted, and more often than not, she would achieve what she wanted. Turning to look at her quiet companion, Mayson asked, "You said I am your child, your dearest, but what does that make me? Am I a goddess? A spirit? Or am I a mortal woman?" Flashing her girl a mysterious smile, Gaia simply replied, "You are who you choose to be. But there is no need to hurry in making the choice, not yet."

Rolling her eyes in frustration, Mayson knew from the time she spent with the raven haired goddess that she won't get a straight answer anytime soon. Therefore, she brush aside the urge to ask more questions and instead stood up and walked slowly around on the tiled roof. Zopyros, fresh out of its chef uniform followed quietly, the giant hoofs of its feet made no sound on the seemingly fragile tiles. The Minotaur is again back in its armor and leather kilt she had seen it wore earlier, but Mayson took little notice in the giant for the moment. Taking a deep breath, Mayson looked at Beijing, Capital city of China. People, ordinary people busied themselves to and fro as far as her eyes can see. The glittering night life is just about to begin in this foreign city across half the globe.

She could not tell exactly what they are doing, but somehow she knew that they are like everyone she knew. Each individual is working toward achieving his or her goals, no matter how big or small, how complex or simple. It reminded her of Metropolis, the city that was her home. Suddenly she felt alone, and misses her apartment. To be alone is a terrible feeling, and made worse by the fact that she is no longer in a place of familiarity. In the world created by Gaia, she had been stunned by the beauty and magnificence of the place, but now reality is slowly setting in. Mayson, despite her strong will, is still human and bound by all the emotions that she has. She misses the scent of fresh sheets, the smooth wooden surface of her desk, and most of all: the coziness that was home.

"Try to open your senses, feel the world for what it is," came Zopyros' voice suddenly behind her. Surprised, Mayson turned around to look at the Minotaur. Its ominous black eyes looked back at her, "You are the goddess' child, feel what is around you, see without eyes." Its voice sounded older than Arkadios' rumbling tone, like an elder who had seen too much over the enormous expanse of a life time. Looking closely, Mayson suddenly found that Zopyros indeed appeared older than its companion does. The giant Minotaur smiled kindly at the blonde woman before sat down on the golden tiled roof, "One can not make any choice regarding your fate when you do not yet know yourself. Enlightenment comes from within, and the kingdom of the goddess is inside you, and all that around you."

Mayson looked at the Minotaur closely then nodded. She was secretly glad that Zopyros had chosen to talk with her. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Gaia smiled at her and nodded in encouragement. "Close your eyes," came Zopyros' voice, "Open your mind and see without eyes," followed by Gaia's lyrical, elven voice.

Following the instructions, with her eyes closed, the blonde woman took another deep breath as she opened her senses to the world around her. It is an entirely new sensation for any to behold. With her eyes closed, and her arms spread wide, Mayson felt her mortal body melt away as her conscious mind expand thousands fold to disperse across the world, intertwined with nature. She had never felt so connected with the world before, and slowly as Mayson opened more of herself, a small, round red glitter formed between her delicate brows. For her part, Mayson did not see the joyful face of the goddess and the two Minotaur who are her companions.

Oblivious to all else, the blonde woman felt a seed was planted in her, and slowly began to grow. In this process, she felt arms held her tightly, and love filled her essence. Though she could not yet tell who it is, she instinctively "knew" it is Gaia. She felt the goddess like a brilliant ray of sunlight, and the warmth it brought to her. She also felt Gaia like the cool water and the fertile soil that nurtured the tiny seed inside her being. The tiny seed grew into a beautiful vine, with deep roots to intertwine with early and leafs touching the sky above. The vine acted as anchor, holding her essence solidly together yet allow her to expand her mind with the sprawling roots as she slowly opens her eyes again and the tiny red glitter solidified into a jewel slightly above and in between her brows.

"Congratulations dearest, you have taken the first step and passed it," Gaia's upbeat and happy voice was the first thing Mayson heard when her mind returns to the mortal realm. Turning around to see the raven haired goddess who stood barely two feet from her, Mayson smiled, her lips curled up in a genuinely happy smile. "It was…hard to describe what I felt, but it is wonderful," the blonde admitted. "Yes," Gaia replied, "you have opened yourself to the essence of the world, and taken the first step to understand life." The goddess' hand reached out, slowly caressing the blonde's lower abdomen where the womb would be, "Life is both a precious and strange thing," she whispered, "you still have much to learn."

Blushing at the Gaia's constant open showings of intimacy, Mayson nodded in agreement before she turned to face Zopyros. The Minotaur still sat on the tiled roof, legs crossed with a smile on its face, "Thank me not, you have always had the potential, I merely gave you a little nudge," and winked at the blonde woman. Laughing loudly, Mayson couldn't help but to felt like they are a family, with Zopyros as the paternal figure and Gaia as the…very odd kind of mother figure. Sharing a moment of laughter together, Mayson asked the goddess to take them back to Metropolis, and Gaia readily agreed. The four traveled instantly through time and space to find them standing on one of the busiest streets of Metropolis, with bustling traffics and thousands of pedestrians. However, with Gaia's decision to remain unseen by the world today, they four traveled with spatial distortions around them like a bubble and people can walk right by them or as a matter of fact, right through them and not notice a thing.

Taking Mayson's hand in hers, Gaia give her girl's hand a little squeeze and whisper, "Let's have a tour shall we dearest? I think you are very qualified to give me a tour of your world." Mayson nodded, and gasped when Zopyros suddenly picked her (comparatively) petite body and sat her on its massive and broad shoulder while Gaia simply appeared on Arkadios' shoulder, "Now we are ready to go, lead the way dear." Deciding to go back to her office first to retrieve some personal items first, the blonde woman directed the Minotaur into the DA's office building and was just in time as agent Scardino from the DEA revealed some rather intimate things from Mayson's diary to the star reporters, Lois and Clark.

Her eyes narrowed as storm brewed behind the twin bright pools of her eyes, Mayson looked on and wished that she has the power to turn this impetuous man into…well, anything that she so chooses. She knew Scardino is unorthodox in his ways, but never in her mind did she imagine that he will use her diary as a tool. However, she was also glad that it was him that the reporters ran into. After the initial shock had passed, the blonde woman turned her attention solely on Clark. She knows now that he is superman, yet she still can not help but to worry about him, which is rather illogical in any case. He is after all the man of steel and very little can hurt him fatally except Kryptonite, a crystal which emits radiation that is known to physically harm the superhero. The foursome observed quietly as Scardino untied the reporters and exchanged information on their finds. She listened closely to every word spoken, while she trusts Clark, and to a smaller degree, Lois as well. She is now less certain about Scardino. After all, resurrection was their secret assignment, and it is a distinct possibility that the information was leaked by an internal source.

For her part, Gaia just stand close to her girl and wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist. Her attention is for the moment focused on another place. Her emerald colored eyes see things far and away, she feels and know the oddities that are growing in three of the most inhospitable environments of the world. "It will be intriguing to see which side he will choose to stand with," her eyes turned again to the mortal trio before her, "Will the man who stand for justice side with the side that has been wronged for so long, or will the feeling for his…kinship prevail?"

Meanwhile, Scardino is secretly eyeing Lois Lane while he talks with the reporters. The brunette journalist is more beautiful than he had thought, "And if the figures under that overall are any indication, she will be quite a bang too in bed…" Wrenching his thoughts from that little place, Daniel eyed Clark carefully, sizing the man up. It is strange that this mild mannered reporter should be so calm when he had first came into the room, holding a gun with the safety off. The DEA agent however, abandoned the thought quickly and chose to focus on their common goal, solving resurrection. Though as a precaution, he placed a mental note for himself to watch out for Clark Kent. In the following minutes, he manages to tell the two details about the case, and hinted that perhaps they would be more successful if the three work together toward solving it.

Lois for her part agreed readily while Clark kept what is to him a healthy degree of reservation toward Scardino. The way that Daniel flaunts Mayson's personal diary just so to jab him didn't sit well with the reporter. However, even he had to admit that the three will be more successful in their efforts than just two. As the immortal foursome looked on, the reporters and the agent agreed on co-operation before they part company. Both Lois and Clark made a quick exist from the office so to rejoin the cleaning crew as they leave the building. Mayson observed the events, and for a moment could not decide whether to catch up on the reporter she loves or to retrieve her diary by any means from her DEA counterpart. After a slight debate in her own mind with the amused goddess and the two Minotaur looked on, Mayson decided to get her diary back first.

With Gaia's help, Mayson literally "fished" out her diary from Scardino's jacket without alerting the DEA agent one bit. The blonde woman held the small book, its cover showing the age of its use and fell silent as past memories flooded her conscious thoughts. It was not until the goddess placed her hand on her shoulder before Mayson came out of her own thoughts. Frowning in dismay, the normally strong willed young woman was never the kind who dwells endlessly on old memories. However, since her rebirth, she had spent much of her time on old memories. Making a silent vow to herself, Mayson swore that she will not be weak or soft. "The past is gone and there is only the future. I will not be some weak silly girl who cries over what can not be changed!" she said to herself.

After retrieved her diary and some personal items from her apartment which is still under police seal, the foursome traveled with great leisure toward the Daily Planet office. Mayson sat on Zopyros' shoulder and mulled over what she know about resurrection. She knows prisoners are being sneaked out of prison but could not find out how or who orchestrated it. From her co – operation with Scardino, she knew that drugs are possibly involved, but was uncertain as to how big a role drug played. "And if Scardino can be trusted…" Mayson thought, "The idea that drugs are being used to sneak prisoners out of jail came from the DEA, but just how…trustworthy is Daniel?" Gaia looked at her child engaging in one of her mental debates with great interest. She after all has all the time in the world, or rather, time has no affect and meaning for her.

Mayson for her part finally decided that Daniel Scardino is trustworthy and not the mole she suspected after painstakingly re – examine her dealings with him in the past. She is very much glad that Lois and particularly Clark met someone they can trust, instead of meeting bullets if Scardino was indeed the traitor and felt threatened by the reporters' investigations. After speaking quietly with Gaia, the foursome went to the Daily Planet office where the two journalists returned to earlier.

The day went on uneventfully after Lois and Clark returned to the office. Perry is as usual hounding behind them on missed stories or mishaps in the office. While Lois busied herself with her stories, Clark sat by his desk and gave more thoughts on agent Scardino. He does not trust the man entirely, furthermore, the way he used someone's personal item as tools unsettled him to no small degree, particularly anything that relates to Mayson. Shaking his head while trying to clear his own thoughts, Clark picked up the pace in the office and did his work with the usual dedication. Unbeknownst to him, the woman that had occupied his thoughts day and night in the last few days is sitting on his desk, looking at him with her eyes focused solely on him as well. Gaia however, went into Perry's office and observed the chief editor with great interest. "A king in disguise you are," she grinned, "But for how long my dear Mr. White…"

Gaia left Perry's office and find Mayson sitting on Clark's desk and looking at that particular young man with all the intensity she can muster. Shaking her head, thinking that even a strong woman like her dearest can behave like a child when swooned by love. Walking silently up behind the blonde woman, Gaia gently shook Mayson's shoulder and whisper, "Let's leave for now dear. Leave these mortals to their own affairs, but worry not, you shall see this nice young man soon enough." Turning around, Mayson looked at the goddess and nodded, there are very little that she can do as of now. The four left the office in a swirl of air and space, leaving no trace of them ever being there.

Later in the day when the works are done, Clark and Lois said good night to Perry who chose to stay late today and went their separate ways. Perry looked at Clark through the glass panel set in his office door and narrowed his eyes. Clark is a strong young man, and Perry trusts him explicitly because of the man's unshakable integrity. However, the older man can not shake the feeling that whatever he can not see through Clark is so significant that it will change his carefully laid out plans. Suddenly laughing to himself, Perry scolded his own suspicions for being too rhetoric. "Everyone has his/her own secrets, and in Clark's case, I shall be happy enough that I can trust him to do the morally right thing," the editor in chief grinned as he watched his staff filing into the elevators and leave for the night.

Lois chose to go straight home and enjoy a hot bubble bath before she read a chapter or two of her favourite book. She gave some more thoughts about agent Scardino on her way back home and decided that she will call the man up tomorrow to see if she can pry some more information out of him. Clark for his part did not get a chance to return to his apartment until much later.

To vent out some of the frustration that he still felt about Mayson's death, Clark had under his alter ego, superman helped police officers apprehend several criminals on a high speed chase. It was not until nearly two in the morning before Clark finally entered his apartment after changed back into his civilian disguise. Now that he feels much better than earlier during the day, Clark unlocked the door and walked casually into his place. The entire apartment is swallowed by darkness save the areas near the windows where dim lights shone through. Unconcerned, Clark hummed in the rhythms of his favourite song as he locked the door behind him. That is when his super hearing picked up the sound of paper ruffling inside his bedroom. Thinking it must be an open window he forgot to shut, the young man walked slowly toward his room after taking off his jacket and hang it near the door.

As he approached the half closed bedroom door, he picked up the sound of a pen and paper being gently placed on a wooden surface and the unfamiliar scent of perfume. Narrowing his eyes, Clark charged into his room, planning on catching whoever it is red handed. He moved fast with his super human speed, turning on the light switch to flood the entire room with bright light, so to blind the thief(s) whose eyes would be more used to the dark and would be blinded by the sudden flash of bright light. Using his X – ray vision, the young man scanned his bedroom and adjacent areas, but was shocked that he found no one at all, for he cleared heard the sound of things being moved, without a window being left open as he had previously thought. Looking around, he found nothing being moved or out of place, but rather, a neatly folded note was placed on his study desk that was not there when he left his apartment this morning.

Curious, Clark picked up the note carefully before opening and reading the content. There is a short message written on the paper with a delicate and rather feminine style of writing. It reads as followed:

Dear Clark/Superman,

I know who you are under the public image of a mild mannered reporter. I mean you and your parents no harm and have no wish to expose you for personal gains. Please do not look for me, for you will find no clue in this mortal plane. Just know that I care deeply of you and when the time is right, we shall meet.

Love, M

The message ended with an initial M and a print of lips which is obvious that the woman who wrote this short note kissed the paper in a show of…intimacy and romantic interest. Clark felt chillingly cold. Not only is his disguise blown, but someone wrote this message just before he came into his bedroom, and left without him catching even the tiniest trace of clue. The lip print is not yet dry and the faint fragrance still permeates in the air, all signs of a woman in his bedroom mere seconds before he came in. Looking around wildly, Clark scanned every inch of his apartment with all of his senses, but found nothing that would tell him how this person enter and leave his place without detection. A strong feeling of panic is threatening his senses, overwhelming him with anxiety.

Working toward a sleepless night, Clark turned his apartment upside down, searching frantically for an answer as to who left him that note. It was not until five in the morning and sun is set to rise soon before he finally gave up, and called his parents to tell them what happened. The Kents are rightfully worried and said that they will take the first flight available to Metropolis to meet with their son. They also tell their son to get some rest before work and that they will talk about this as a family when they get there. Clark hanged up the phone and stretched a bit, feeling better that his parents are coming. Finally, after a restless night, the young man went to sat on his sofa and got some much needed sleep before the sun rises and a new day is about to begin.

tbc...