Issue #16 – MOVING ON

A month after Superman's death, the world was still grieving. Everyday at 3:23PM, the time of his death, the world would fall silent and show their respect for the Man of Steel. Life after Superman was strange. Hope was disappearing, life had to move forward.

Metropolis:

Lois spent the first month isolated, alone, and afraid that the world would see her as being weak if they saw her tears. Her final words to Superman told him how she felt about him. She loved Superman. So did everybody else. But for her it was much deeper than a crush on a hero. For Lois, it was painful. Her body was in agony as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that he was gone.

After a month of mourning, Lois Lane returned to work. Supergirl had become a major story and Perry had hoped that Lois' connection with Superman would help her to form a bond with Supergirl and give the Daily Planet the exclusives. It wasn't the same though, and as Lois looked around the office, there was a notable absentee.

"Jimmy…where's Clark?"

"He's…Mr. Kent never came back from Tokyo…he's missing. You didn't know?"

"I've been locked up in my apartment for the last month Jimmy, I don't know anything."

"Ok well, Clark went to Tokyo to cover Mount Fuji's eruption…the same day Superman died. The Chief went to Tokyo himself to try to find him but he was nowhere to be found. He called in favours at the Embassy there, he did everything…but Clark seems to have disappeared without a trace..."

Clark Kent had become a close friend in his time at the Daily Planet and he was the one person Lois could turn to but now that he was gone, there was a hole in Lois' heart. The two men in Lois' life who weren't complete jerks were gone. But Lois refused to accept it.

She stormed into Perry's office, refusing to the Supergirl story and threatening to quit if Perry didn't let her try to track Clark down. Perry however would have let her go anyway. As far as he was concerned, Lois Lane was the best reporter at the Planet and if anyone could find Clark, she could.

"…Alright Lois. Go and find him…bring him home…"

Lois started work immediately. Finding Clark was about more than getting a friend back, it was a way for her to put Superman out of her head as she concentrated solely on the task at hand.

She started with Clark's family, phoning his mother, Martha Kent who seemed a little reluctant to talk about Clark and while she tried to hide it, Lois could hear it in her voice, she thought Clark was dead. Lois' heart went out to Martha but despite the despair in her voice, Lois knew she couldn't listen. She had to press on.

"…and you're sure he didn't board the flight?" Alright thank you for your help."

Lois put the phone down, having spoken to the airline. She was confused. All indications were that Clark had gone to Tokyo but there was no record of him boarding the plane or getting off in Japan. Lois was putting two and two together and getting zero.

"Hello…uh…do you speak English…English…yes this is Lois Lane of the Daily Planet in Metropolis…yeah the one who wrote the Superman stories…well thank you…anyways, I was wondering if you could give me some information about someone who stayed at your hotel…ok I'll wait…"

Lois looked around the office, Jimmy was trying to chat up yet another intern and as usual he wasn't having much success. He waved to Lois and turned back to see that the girl was gone. Lois was so distracted she barely heard the voice at the other end of the phone.

"What? Yes I'm here…Could you confirm that Clark Kent checked in to your hotel six weeks ago…thank you…when did he leave?…he didn't check out? Are you sure? Thanks for the info…"

It didn't make sense. Perry and Jimmy were right. It was like Clark had left the planet. There was only one thing Lois could do. She had to go to Tokyo.

Smallville:

Martha hadn't gone to the funeral. She couldn't get her head around what had happened and even after a month, it still hadn't sunk in for her. Superman was dead, but Martha still looked to the front door all the time, hoping that her son would walk in the door.

She was on the phone, talking to a reporter from the Daily Planet who was looking for Clark. Martha recognised the name, Lois Lane. Her son had mentioned her lots of times, but as she tried to hold her emotions in, Martha struggled to hide the fact that she knew Clark was dead.

Kara had told her that even after death, it was better that the world didn't know the truth about Clark Kent because someone out there might still want some measure of revenge against Superman and the last thing Clark would want is to risk the lives of his friends and family.

Martha tried to live her life and work on the farm. But whenever her thought dwelled on her son, she would burst into tears. Kara would come by to help out and while Martha was grateful for the help, she knew that Kara had more important things to worry about than her.

With Clark gone, Supergirl would be needed more and more. But no matter how often Martha tried to get Kara to concentrate more on her role as a protector, the young Kryptonian wouldn't hear of it. Martha had taken her in and helped her deal with the death of her family and Kara was determined to be there for her cousin's foster mother.

Martha knew the truth about Clark. She began to wish and hope that it was a dream and that Clark and Superman were in fact two different people. It was wishful thinking though and as she began to accept that her son was gone, Martha became withdrawn and isolated. She lived day to day without dreams, without hope.

Metropolis:

Supergirl hovered above the city, her eyes closed as she thought about events in her life over the past month. When her cousin died, Kara had taken on the role of protector. After Kal-El's death, Kara hadn't gone back to the Fortress. She knew that the great structure would only remind her of him and she wasn't ready to face that yet.

Her ears picked up the sound of police sirens and radio chatter on the streets below. Scanning the area, Kara saw a large truck moving through downtown being chased by a group of police cars. She sprang into action immediately, flying down to join the chase, following behind the truck, waiting for a clear stretch of road before grabbing onto the back of the truck and forcing it to stop.

It was too easy for her. Within seconds, Kara was holding two criminals up in the air, waiting for the police to catch up. In the back of her mind, Kara knew that there were much deadlier threats than common criminals out there but she knew she had to focus on more immediate matters.

"Thank you Supergirl, if the chase kept going any longer, someone could have been seriously hurt."

"No need to thank me Officer, they're all yours."

"I'm really getting sick of these guys."

"What do you mean? You've dealt with them before?"

"Yeah…they're members of an underground criminal organisation, Intergang. They've been smuggling weapons into Metropolis to sell them on the black market for weeks but whenever we get close to shutting them down, they disappear and set up shop somewhere else."

"Do you want me to look into it and see if I can help?"

"Well the FBI are in charge of the investigation but I'm sure they'd welcome the help."

Supergirl waited until the police had arrested the two criminals who were driving the truck before taking off across the city, flying to the Metropolis branch of the FBI to study the Intergang case files.

LexCorp:

He had won. Superman was dead and now Luthor could concentrate on turning a dream into reality. There was still Supergirl to deal with but Lex was confident that she posed no serious threat to him. Times were changing. LexCorp's stock was rising as it's owner began making deals across the globe to implement his plan for a worldwide energy grid.

"…Superman is dead Brainiac, now it's time for you to uphold your end of the bargain…"

"What about Supergirl?"

"She wasn't part of our deal…but I'll kill her for free…now I want that technology."

"In time Luthor…for now I'm sending you the plans you will need to build your grid."

Everything was going well for Luthor. A month after the death of Superman, LexCorp had begun construction of new converter plants across the planet. The concept was simple. The energy grids of every country on Earth would be linked up to LexCorp's line and when the world was ready, Lex would activate the new kryptonite grid to supply power to the world for years to come.

"…Believe me Mr. President, I understand your concerns but I can assure you that they are unwarranted. In fact I'm in constant contact with the UN, who are regularly sending inspectors to ensure that safety doesn't become an issue…"

"It's not safety I'm worried about Luthor. I'm uncomfortable with the thought that the country's…indeed the whole world's supply of energy will be under the control of one man."

"LexCorp will maintain the grid, however we are working with state and independent companies all over the world who will be deeply involved in the process of managing and regulating everything to do with the grid."

"Very well Lex, send me your proposals and I will look them over. If I feel it is a beneficial project I will present it to Congress."

"Thank you Mr. President…"

Things were indeed going well for Lex Luthor. After Superman's death, the public blamed him but Luthor insisted that it was Superman who made the choice to sacrifice himself and as Lex pressed ahead with his plans, public opinion began to sway quickly. The world was within his grasp.

Suicide Slums:

Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim sat behind his desk, smiling viciously at the girl standing across from him. Having read through the Intergang files at the FBI, Kara Zor-El's first course of action was to track down the man in charge and let him know that she would be around, watching him, hoping to put fear and doubt into his mind. Mannheim didn't seem to be concerned in the slightest.

"…I appreciate you coming down to check on our operation here Supergirl, but I can assure you that what we're doing here is perfectly legal."

"Really? Well the FBI seems to think differently."

"Ah yes, the FBI. Their concern is really unwarranted. They've been investigating us for years. They seem to think that we're some sort of criminal organisation called Intergang but I can assure you that it is not the case."

"And what exactly do you do here?"

"We are a charitable organisation, we work to get kids off the streets and into stable and safe environments."

"Well I'll be watching closely…you never know who might try to take advantage of your charity…"

Supergirl flew through the window and off into the distance then doubling back and landing on a roof across from the Intergang building. She listened, focussing in on the sounds coming from the building.

"…she's onto us. What do we do?"

"Relax, we must accelerate our operations. Move the last shipment up to tomorrow night."

"What about the coast guard?"

"I'm sure you can arrange for them not to be in the warehouse district when you bring them in."

"Sure…but you better not double-cross me Desaad."

"Don't worry, my master has given you a great gift with these weapons and soon a new age will begin. Get the shipments ready…"

Supergirl smiled as she listened. She was counting on the fact that Mannheim would be worried about her looking into his operations and now she had a time and place to intercept a weapons shipment and obtain the proof needed to shut down Intergang.

As she flew through Metropolis, Kara noticed smoke in the distance. Increasing her speed she rushed to the scene, where fire fighters were engaged in a battle against a fire in an apartment building that was threatening to engulf the entire street.

"Supergirl…thank goodness you're here."

"Is there anyone in there?"

"The building was evacuated but there's a little girl missing. We think she may be on the top floor but we can't get in there to help her."

Kara didn't answer. She was already speeding into the burning building. The flames didn't affect her as she flew up the stairs, using her eyes to scan through metal and wood, searching for the girl who had gotten trapped. Reaching the top floor, Kara heard soft whispers of a young child in tears.

Breaking through a burning door, Kara looked around the apartment. There was a bed in an adjacent room and Kara knew straight away that the girl was in there. Rushing in, she found nobody at first glance. In the corner, Supergirl spotted some slight movement under the bed. Lifting it she found the child who was obviously terrified. Kara extended her hand, speaking in a soft voice.

"Hey there, it's ok I'm going to get you out of here."

The child remained still reluctant to move. Kara knew that the girl was frightened and smiled reassuringly as she spoke again.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe, it's alright…come on."

The child stood up and walked slowly towards Supergirl, taking her hand. Kara looked around, knowing that the ceiling was in danger of falling down on top of them. Acting quickly, Kara lifted the girl up into her arms and flew out of the apartment and up the stairs to the roof, using her head to crash through the door before flying outside away from the building and touching down next to the fire truck.

The girl's parents cried with relief as Supergirl handed her over, scanning her body then telling them that she was alright.

"Thank you Supergirl…thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me, I'm just glad I could help. Stand back ok…"

Kara waited until everybody got clear before turning back to the building, and taking a deep breath. She began to blow, creating an intense gust of wind to put out the fire. Finally, Kara rose into the air, using her x-ray vision to make sure that the fire had been extinguished before flying away as fire fighters and residents cheered and called after her, thanking her.

Tokyo:

She had touched down in Japan, just outside Tokyo and got straight to work without even bothering to meet with the guide Perry had arranged for her. Lois didn't speak a word of Japanese but that didn't matter to her. She needed to find Clark and she didn't have any time to spare.

"…and you're sure he didn't check out?"

"Yes, in fact there is still an outstanding bill to be paid."

"Contact the Tokyo office of the Daily Planet, they'll sort it out…"

Lois had gone to Clark's hotel, figuring that it was a good place to start. She never expected to find Clark at the hotel, but thanks to some of the guests she had interviewed, she had a lead. Lois had been told about a local restaurant-bar where someone matching Clark's description had been seen on the day of Superman's death.

"Excuse me…um hello…damn doesn't anyone speak English in this place?"

"…May I help you Miss?"

Turning, Lois came face-to-face with the manager of the restaurant. As she conversed with him she had her fingers crossed, hoping that the man would be able to point her in the right direction.

"…Ah yes, Clark Kent. Very good tipper."

"Do you remember when you saw him last?"

"Yes…I remember everything about that day. It was the day Superman stopped Mount Fuji from erupting and then…"

"The day he died…what about Clark?"

"He was here. He sat over there by the bar. He seemed relaxed but as soon as he saw Supergirl on the TV he ran out the door and never came back..."

Lois walked the streets of Tokyo, pondering the situation. The trail had gone cold. It seemed as if Clark didn't exist anymore. As she walked through the city, Lois spotted a large crowd gathering at a festival that celebrated Supergirl. The young heroine had become a big deal in Japan but even she couldn't replace the Man of Steel.

Lois didn't know what to do. She had gone to the American Embassy, spoken with other journalists in the city, she even took to hiring a car and driving down every street in the city, hoping to find Clark, but again she had come to a dead end.

Metropolis:

"…Come on, get these crates loaded. I don't wanna be here any longer than I have to."

Bruno Mannheim was worried. He knew that Supergirl could arrive at any moment to shut him down and he wanted to get away as fast as possible. Everything seemed to be going as planned, until Bruno felt a breeze brushing past him and as he looked around he found his thugs all lying on the floor rolling around in pain. The only one standing was a girl with red boots, cape and skirt with a blue top, Supergirl.

"Sorry Bruno, it's time to shut you down."

"Oh really? We'll see about that."

Bruno reached into one of the crates, taking out a strange looking weapon and aiming it at Kara. She stood her ground though, knowing full well that bullets couldn't hurt her. Kara was about to get a shock though as Bruno pulled the trigger. A surge of energy shot across the room, colliding with Supergirl, sending her cashing into the metal door.

"Impressed?"

"More like surprised…where did you get that? That weapon is too advanced to have been made on Earth."

"I don't know anything about that, but what I do know is that I'm going to kill you now."

Bruno fired again, sending blasts of energy towards Supergirl who struggled to get to her feet and dodged the blasts. Mannheim laughed as Kara tried to find cover, only to find it being blown apart by the energy weapon. Bruno aimed again and fired but this time nothing happened.

"Damn, no charge…well aren't you lucky."

Bruno paused and heard sirens the approaching sound of sirens in the distance. He looked at Supergirl who smiled back and shrugged her shoulders, watching as Bruno ran for the door trying to escape. Recovering, Kara ignited her heat vision, sending focussed beams ahead of Mannheim, welding the metal doors shut to prevent his escape.

Bruno turned around, finding Supergirl standing directly in front of him with some rope in her hands that she'd picked up on the warehouse floor. She tied him up quickly, flying up to hang him from the ceiling before breaking the door to allow the police inside.

All over Metropolis, FBI teams raided offices and underground meetings, making arrests and taking down Intergang operations. Somewhere in Suicide Slums, a hooded man watched the raids as he contacted his master.

"My lord, the human authorities have shut Intergang down."

"…No matter, you must return home to prepare for the assault."

"You're going to invade the Earth?"

"Yes Desaad, I am tired of operating in the shadows."

"But what about New Genesis? Will they not intervene?"

"Perhaps, but I will not be denied by High Father."

"What about the girl? She is Kryptonian…she wears the symbol."

"She is not the one…Kal-El is the key…"

"But he's dead master…"

"Nothing lasts forever…destroy all evidence of my involvement and return home."

"As you command…my lord Darkseid…"

Supergirl flew around the world, saving the day, trying to live up to the example set by her cousin. She tried to keep busy but every so often, when she was alone, she would break down in tears, remembering the lessons Kal-El taught her, the kindness he had shown to her and as time went by, she missed him more than ever.

Daily Planet:

Lois Lane sat in the office with Perry White and Jimmy Olsen, discussing Clark's disappearance. It had been hard for Lois having to leave Japan without finding him but she had vowed that she would not give up, no matter how long it took. If Clark wasn't in Tokyo then she would have to widen her search.

"It was weird Perry. A few people had seen him but then it's like he flew to the moon or something. We can't stop looking."

"We won't Lois. But if he's not in Japan, he could be anywhere…"

"It makes no sense. Clark isn't the type of guy to go missing like that."

"Are you kidding Jimmy? He was always going missing, especially when Superman was around…but now both of them are gone."

"So what do we do?"

"I'll contact my father. He has connections in military intelligence…maybe he can help."

"Sam Lane? I thought you and your father didn't get on?"

"We don't…but this is Clark we're talking about, we can't just abandon him..."

Krypton:

Brainiac's ship flew through the remains of the destroyed planet, using the chunks of rock as target practice as the ship's weapons blasted intense energy beams at the planetary graveyard. Brainiac was preparing, fine-tuning the weapons to gain maximum efficiency. Superman was dead, but there was another Kryptonian on Earth and Brainiac was tired of letting Luthor try to destroy his enemies for him.

"So Kal-El, you are gone…but your adopted world will soon suffer under my power. Death will be your legacy…"

As the ship turned and left Krypton, Brainiac began making plans to destroy the only home Kal-El had ever known, and without Superman, Earth wouldn't stand a chance.