Chapter Four

Metropolis

Events those first few days of both Clarks being together were shaping up in ways that neither knew about. Lex Luthor had surreptiously managed to inherit a large amount of money and an ice breaker, the Gertrude, and had gotten back to the Fortress of Solitude with his criminal associates and stolen the Kryptonian crystals that contained all of the knowledge and power of Krypton.

But ignorance is bliss and Blue Clark was none the wiser. Instead, the first thing he did after breakfest was to call the Daily Planet's editor, Perry White.

"Daily Planet Newsroom, Jimmy Olson speaking," came a familiar voice over the line.

"Jimmy? It's Clark! If you could get Mr. White for me, that'd be swell."

"Mr. Clark─I mean, Mr. Kent─it's so good to hear your voice again. I─"

"Mr. White, please, Jimmy."

"Right." There was a moment of static interspersed with the noise of the newsroom.

"Yup, sounds the same," Clark remarked as he got a glass of water.

The next voice Blue Clark heard was Editor-in-Chief Perry White's. "Kent? I suppose you want your old job back then. Your in luck, we have an opening. Can you be here tomorrow?"

"Well, yes," Blue Clark said, "but I─"

It was too late, Mr. White had hung up. Clark laughed.

"I guess we're going to have to sleep on the streets then, Junior," Blue Clark said. "We don't have a place to stay."

"We can stay here," Clark said, "and run into Metropolis."

Blue Clark shook his head. "It's too far away─all the way out on the East Coast."

Clark look crestfallen. "Oh."

Over the course of the day, Blue Clark called around to find an apartment, but with no success. He also booked a flight to Metropolis via Central City National and got hotel reservations. He was able to get then cheap because he knew the owner from a human interest piece he had done years ago.

The flight to Metropolis was uneventful. Blue Clark spent the time writing, brushing up on his skills while Clark read, listened to music, and watched the movie (Spiderman), which he found quite unrealistic. Once installed in the hotel they both hit the sack instantly.

The next day they were up early. Blue Clark got more into his roll of an almost annoyingly mild-mannered reporter and the other Clark as the loner who discovers that his father is a total wuss.

"Secrets and lies, lies and secrets," Clark said. "My entire life seems built on deceit. How do you do it?"

"By only using my powers as Superman and nobody really suspects that we're one in the same. I guess to get anybody to notice something you have to have a brightly colored suit."

They took a taxi to the Planet Building. After paying the driver, Blue Clark promptly got stuck in the revolving doors. Clark just rolled his eyes. Inside the building, Blue Clark pretended to get lost and shyly asked a woman for directions. Clark just sighed and said "There was a directory, I'll go look."

In the Newsroom for the first time in years, Blue Clark approached the first familiar face he saw, red-haired, freckle-faced Jimmy Olson. Jimmy was talking on the phone and fiddling with his camera when the two Clarks entered. Blue Clark walked towards Jimmy confidently, saying "Jimmy!" but tripped over his big feet and went crashing to the floor.

Jimmy helped Blue Clark to get up, Clark just watched amusedly with his arms folded over his chest. "Mr. Clark, I mean, Mr. Kent! You're back!" Jimmy said, very excited. He embraced Blue Clark in a big bear hug─quite a feat since he was four inches shorter than Blue Clark ─and then noticed Clark.

"Oh─uh─excuse me," Jimmy said. Then he noticed Clark. "Who's this?"

Blue Clark put his arm around Clark's shoulers. "Jimmy, I'd like you to meat Clark Kent, Junior. He's the son of an old college sweetheart of mine who I've spent the last five years looking for."

Clark shrugged off the arm and shook Jimmy Olson's proffered hand. "Hi."

Jimmy looked at Blue Clark. "This is an amazing coincidence. Lois had a kid five years ago, with Richard─he's Mr. White's nephew. They're engaged."

Blue Clark looked ready to tear Metropolis to pieces.