Devils Night
Part 4: Turning back the clock

Apollo tried to dodge Kal-El's blow, but it still caught him in the chest, lifting him up off the ground. He flew through the air, hitting the dirt path along side the road, rolling over until he came to a stop on the edge of the black top.

"I'm going to feel that in the morning." Apollo pulled himself to his feet, "Ok, so we're evenly matched, I get that, but you don't have my experience."

Kal-El hardly had time to register the words before he was knocked off his feet by a concussion wave generated by Apollo slamming his hands together as hard as he could. Kal-El landed in a bush, stalling him for long enough for Apollo to get to his feet.

"Having fun?" The Midnighter asked as he pulled up on his motorcycle.

"Not as much as you'd think." Apollo looked round, "Where's Chloe?"

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"Is there any way I can talk you out of this?" Jonathan Kent asked at the entrance to the caves, "Take it from someone who knows: Jor-El can't be trusted."

"I don't believe he'd do anything that would endanger Clark." Chloe shook her head, "I know of only two people who might be able to do what I have in mind, and the other one is in upstate New York."

"On of Elijah's people?"

"Yes, Jeroen; the earth's Sharman. He knows more about what you and I would call magic than anyone else alive. I would rather talk to him, but I'm not sure he'd be willing to help with what I have in mind."

"What are you planning, Chloe?"

"I'm not sure myself right now: it all depends on what Jor-El says." Chloe stopped when she reached the crack in the cave face that led to the sealed inner chamber, "Ok old man; what have you done to Clark?"

"The powers that run trough this world are beyond your comprehension." Jor-El sounded even more mocking than usual, "They allow me to empower the part of me that lives on in Kal-El."

"You've possessed him?" Jonathan asked.

"That is the closet your primitive mind is capable of coming, yes." Jor-El snorted, "He will embrace his destiny, one way or another."

"It will get him killed!" Chloe snapped, "There are those who would consider it better to see him dead than risk what he might become! They are here and they will find a way to stop him unless you help me now."

"What do you ask of me, human?" Jor-El sounded unsure of himself, "I am unable to influence Kal-El now the part of him that is of me has awoken."

"You said that part of you lives in Clark, and that you gave it control over him." Chloe stepped forward, "Could you do the same to me?"

"Chloe?" Jonathan blinked, "What are you saying?"

"That I'd do anything to save Clarke." Chloe looked at him over her shoulder, "You and I both know that if he kills one of Elijah's people, then there's no going back."

"As much as it pains me to say it, I see the truth in your words." Jor-El sounded dejected, "I will bring forward the one who sleeps within you…"

A bright light filled the caves.

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"What in gods name is happening down there?" One of the helicopter pilots asked as they passed over the trees that hid the battleground below.

"God's dead; didn't you get the memo?" Hawksmoor looked out of the side window, "Looks like Apollo and the Midnighter have the Kent kid cornered."

"But for how long?" Dr Spica asked as she let the liquid mercury that had replace her blood cover her skin.

"Longer if we help." Shen opened the door and stepped out, unfolding her wings to stop herself from hitting the ground.

Hawksmoor hit the ground first, taking in the soundings instantly. He was near enough to Smallville to draw on its power, but the town was still dangerously small, limiting what he'd be able to do. He ran towards where his two team-mates were trying to subdue Clark.

A vicious backhand sent the Midnighter flying through the air, almost hitting the circling helicopter. Clark leaped to his feet, lashing out at Apollo as fast as he could.

But the older, more experience superhero was able to avoid the blow, but only just.

"Need a hand?" Hawksmoor asked as he grabbed Clark from behind.

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Jeroen, the Doctor, walked thought the dreamtime, looking for the part inhabited by Jenny Sparks. The green meadow she normally inhabited was gone, replaced by a cornfield that seemed to stretch for ever in all directions.

"Jenny?" He asked, confused, "Where are you? What's going on?"

"That's a long story." A voice replied, "Guess I'd better fill you in…"

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Jonathan Kent woke to find himself lying on the hard rock floor of the cave. He looked round, trying to locate Chloe, but there was no sign of her.

"'ello Johnny." A voice came from the shadows. There was a flash of light as a cigarette was lit, "How you been keeping?"

"What?" Jonathan got to his feet, "Chloe?"

"Chloe isn't in right now; please leave a message after the bleep." The stranger stepped into the light: she had Chloe's face, but her voice was that of someone else. "What's the matter? Cat got your tung?"

"Good god in heaven!"

"I think we've known each other long enough for you to call me Jenny." The woman with Chloe's face looked round, "Can't stay and chat: only got so long here. Love to Martha."

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The steady rattle of heavy machinegun fire disturbed the night as Dr Spica used her nanobots to try and build a weapon that would stop Clark without hurting him. This was proving to be difficult at best, as hitting someone who could move as fast as Clark was almost imposable.

Apollo and Hawksmoor had been able to temporally subdue him, but he had proven to be anything if not resourceful. No matter what they did, he always seemed able to find a way out. Shen was slowly circling, looking for an opening.

Night suddenly turned to day as a massive sheet of lightning crossed the sky, concentrating in the clouds above the battle. If any of the combatants had been watching, they would have seen a familiar face appear for a moment, before a single bolt of lighting plunged earthwards, hitting the ground beside Clark.

The concussion wave was strong enough to knock Apollo, Hawksmoor and Dr Spica clear. Shen almost flew into a tree, while the Midnighter had to crouch down to remain standing.

"I leave you guys alone for a few years, and this is the sort of trouble you get into?" a woman stood in the middle of an area of burnt grass. She pulled a packet of cigarettes from her pocket and casually lit one, "It's good to see you guys again."

"What the…" Hawksmoor got to his feet, "Chloe?"

"Not quite: I'm only borrowing her body." The woman smiled, "Don't tell me you don't recognise me?"

"Jenny?" Shen blinked.

"That's right, sweetheart." Jenny Sparks smiled, "I'm back!"

To Be Continued…

Markmark261: I pieced that together from two of three inductions the Midnighter gave back when Ellis was still writing The Authority.

Carolyn Lance: what happened is that I am, as ever, writing several stories at once. This is one that I am trying to concentrate on, mainly because I have plans for it. Big, in-depth plans…