The sky was clear. Clark hadn't come across a second wave of human forces, and it struck him as odd. It was American nature to meet a problem with brute force, but something wasn't adding up. Mobilization of the military didn't happen that fast, did it? And even then, would the government have reacted so early on? Clark really had no reference for any of it, but his gut cautioned suspicion.

Back in the sunlight, another layer of unease developed within him. If something like a few glowing rocks could affect him so gravely, what other things did he have to be wary about? Clark definitely didn't want to run into anything else that could weaken him, but there was no way to avoid the unknown. The tendrils of paranoia would easily ensnare him if he wasn't careful.

Still, personal safety took its place on the backburner. He had a job to do.

"Kelex," he voiced against the wind, scanning for any company. "Update."

The answer was surprisingly immediate. "The last three devices have stopped. They seem to be operational and carrying out their objective."

Clark grunted in frustration. They were already too late, and he had no way of knowing how many innocent people were already affected. He flew faster. "Where are you?"

"On course to destroy the one settled over Mexico City. Another is over Tokyo and the last is close to Delhi. Only one of my vessels is undamaged enough to continue assisting you, so this will likely be the last I can help with."

Clark made a hard left and tore back westward through the sky at reentry speeds. These were three of the most populous areas in the world. He was sure this wasn't a coincidence.

"You've been a life-saver, Kelex. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Probability calculations suggest that the situation would be much worse."

Clark chuckled despite himself. "Yeah, probably."

He continued flying, aiming for Delhi and unaware of the vibrations coming from his pocket.

Lena leaned against the wall beside the entrance to LuthorCorp Tower, watching Lana pace back and forth along the sidewalk talking a mile a minute into her phone. In a fit of anxious energy the redhead had decided to call Clark's mother. Lena felt it was a bit excessive after having called Clark already, but of course hadn't voiced her opinion. She was sure she didn't have all the facts anyway.

Sitara's sudden news brought Lena more energy than she knew what to do with, and an odd buzz enveloped her body as if she were full of caffeine. The scientist in her itched to do all it could to answer the questions multiplying in her head. In just a couple of months, everyone's sense of normal was flipped upside down because of the Flying Man, and now there was a giant floating spaceship over Gotham Bay. Lena reasoned that most people in the area wouldn't have believed in its alien nature had they not already been exposed to the anomaly that was the Flying Man. It was human nature to make an effort to rationalize things that didn't immediately make sense. Granted, Twitter was known for conspiracy theory threads so the hashtag would have been up regardless, but some local news outlets had already begun to take it seriously. And now Lena wondered if the Flying Man, catalyst as he was, happened to be connected to what was happening now. She'd bet money that he was.

"Hundred dollar bill for your thoughts," came a voice to Lena's left. She turned to see Lex sauntering over with his hands in his pockets, impeccably dressed as always. Now he was wearing a dark green tailored suit and a haughty expression not unlike the one he tended to have around Lionel. Lena always saw it as performative and overcompensating, but she had to admit he was very convincing. A wave of uneasiness washed over Lena, ebbing and flowing before settling in the pit of her stomach. It surprised her.

"You know, I hope it is aliens," he mused. "That would make things interesting."

Lena continued to stare ahead. "This is not how I would've liked this day to go. I wish Mercy were here."

"Though I must say if things continue as they have been, we are unfortunately at a considerable disadvantage."

"It was supposed to be about the fellows' hard work."

"I suppose with minds like ours we could rectify that problem…"

"It'd be nice if I could just have one day to celebrate an accomplishment without it being ruined somehow."

Lex had been staring out into the street like his half-sister but now moved to face her directly, uncharacteristically abandoning his own subject and capitulating to hers. They had learned to voice their own independent musings at each other from when Lena was very young, an exercise in dominance orchestrated by Lillian. She reasoned someone of their stature should always be in control of the conversation, and so forced them to learn to barrel through others' words. Lex found it helpful and informative; Lena thought it was rude, but played along anyway.

"It is dangerously unwise to dabble in self-pity, Lena."

Lena glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then looked back at Lana, who was now shoving her phone into the back left pocket of her pants. "I am merely voicing an obvious opinion. It can be helpful in its catharsis so long as it's not dwelled upon."

"Some would say it is a sign of weakness."

"Well then I guess it's good we were trained not to give a shit about what others say. The dogs to our parents' Pavlov, with both reward and punishment."

"How dramatic an analogy," drawled Lex. He sounded almost bored. With a swipe of his hand he unbuttoned the jacket of his suit, letting it flow open and move with the light breeze.

"But appropriate, isn't it?" Lena asked in all seriousness, facing him now. "We were groomed, Lex, not raised."

"People like us don't grow up like the average. I wouldn't call it a bad thing - our lives will chart a path not many could ever take because of it."

A clouded look fell over Lena's face. Money, power and position would be beneficial to everything she wanted to do. That much was true. But she couldn't shake the feeling that the universe would make her pay for it, and the price would be steep.

"Better that than the alternative," said Lex. "I'd dread being ordinary. Just the thought of it sickens me."

Lena's eyes probed her brother's face. It was passive, as if they were talking about the weather or Metropolis's traffic problem, yet his tone was biting. Lena had always regarded him as more similar to herself than he was to his parents, but his answer suddenly made her question it. "Do you really think us above everyone else, Lex?"

Lex did not answer immediately, but instead retrieved his cell phone from his inside jacket pocket. He checked it and then stashed it again. "Happenstance bestowed power and privilege unto us both. Of course we are."

Without another word Lex went back inside, leaving Lena to stare after him. Making his way through the crowds in the lobby and expo hall, Lex trudged around the back entranceway to the private elevators with haste. A message from his mother had given him reprieve from his conversation with Lena and also required his presence. Even though Lex was secure in his position as her favorite he was not naïve enough to expect anything bordering on affection or sentiment. Everything Lillian did was business.

Upon entering the elevator Lex produced his LuthorCorp ID and waved it over the sensor above the number pad. His fingers danced over the screen, inputting 588467, and the giant metal box began to move upward. Lex stared at his reflection in the polished walls of the elevator, regarding himself with a conscious lack of emotion. He could see he was balding and thought of his father's full head of hair. Male pattern baldness was hereditary through the mother's side, but comparing himself to Lionel was a years-long habit not likely to be broken any time soon. Lex made the decision then and there to start shaving his head until all his hair was gone. He kept staring.

The elevator slowed and finally came to a stop at the 33rd floor before crawling upward again until the keypad monitor displayed 33L. Then the doors opened.

Lex saw his mother immediately, sitting at a computer hookup more advanced than anything available in the rest of the building. There were several large monitors displaying various video feeds along with a few tables that sported a Bankers Box of paperwork each. The space was deceptively small, for much of the back area of the floor was closed off from the space by the elevator for further construction should it be required. Lex ambled over to his mother, who did not acknowledge him. She stared intently at one of the monitors displaying looping video feeds of the insides of small aircraft large enough only to be piloted by one person each.

The feeds were of several different angles, but it was evident the aircraft were automated. Given the fields of view from within the planes, body parts of the pilots should have been easily visible, yet there were none. The videos showed them flying toward some massive object before being cut off from the left by a streak of blue that Lex recognized as the Flying Man. Seconds later, the screen was engulfed in light and the feed cut out.

"What is this?" Lex asked his mother. Finally, she turned to him.

"Reconnaissance." Lillian's voice dripped with bored interest but a smirk graced her face nonetheless. "During our last deal with the Air Force I commissioned the manufacture of several fighter aircraft in excess – enough for a small squadron. Then I hired others to make it so they can be controlled remotely. Off the books, of course."

Lex wasn't surprised. He watched the loop again before answering. "How did you manage it so quickly?"

"I pay people handsomely to position themselves where I'd have use for them, whether they know it or not."

Lex fought the urge to roll his eyes. He knew that if he didn't get a straight answer from his mother the first time, he wouldn't get one at all. But he shrugged it off. At this juncture the details weren't so important.

"What information does all this have to offer then?"

Lillian turned back to the screens. "Judging by how utterly futile mounting an attack against this… thing in the sky was, it's considerably more durable than practically anything we've seen before."

"And the do-gooder?" pressed Lex as he walked over to sit beside his mother.

"Just as durable, it seems, but I'm not surprised. It would be intuitive to assume that anyone who can easily carry an airplane would be able to withstand considerable amounts of force."

"Of course."

Lillian nodded to one of the screens. "What can you tell me about his presence at the scene, Lex?"

Lillian looked back to examine her son with an expectant expression, and Lex's jaw clenched in impatience. This was something his mother loved to do – an exercise in deduction – but in the current situation it grated on his nerves. Preparation and practice were all well and good, but Lex was not fond of being made to feel like a child.

"I appreciate the exercise," he responded coolly, "but is it prudent at such a time?"

Lillian merely raised an eyebrow as the elevator doors opened again. Six feet and two inches came out wearing a dark suit and a determined expression.

"Good. You're already here," said Lionel. "Something's happened."

"I'm assuming you're not referring to the large alien spaceship above Gotham Bay," answered Lex.

"Quite correct. Looks like you won't get the chance to provoke him like you wanted." Lex's brow furrowed at his father's response. The elder Luthor continued. "I've already sent you the feeds, Lillian. If you could bring them up on the screens?"

Lillian checked her tablet. Soon, all the monitors were displaying a different video. It showed a warehouse and people setting up lab equipment and generators. Next the feed cut to the Flying Man engaged in a physical battle with two other people, but it was hard to see. At first Lex thought the video itself had gone fuzzy with low resolution, but soon he realized that the blur of colors were due to the speed at which the subjects moved.

The next part of the video immediately captured his full attention. Lex watched rapt as two hit the ground amidst the scattered rocks one after the other, and was stunned to see the expressions of pain that ensued. The woman's reaction had intrigued him the most, as he had just seen the Flying Man take a short beating. She had no obvious reason to feel pain, yet here she was on the ground struggling to get back to her feet like her colorful opponent.

Before Lex could ruminate further, the video skipped again to show a fourth player, dressed similarly to the antagonizers but seemingly immune. He carried the Flying Man away while leaving the woman. The video skipped again, showing yet another person now doing the same for the woman. Finally, the video ended.

Lex eventually broke the silence that ensued. "What fortune we have…"

"Fortune, Lex?" repeated Lillian, giving her son her full attention for the first time that afternoon. "I'm afraid I wouldn't describe this situation similarly."

Lex didn't answer.

"There is obviously a lot to learn here," said Lionel, "but we must tread carefully."

Lillian pursed her lips impatiently, looking between the two men. "There doesn't seem to be much we can do at the present time given the circumstances."

"We can hurt them," offered Lex, head snapping left to give his mother an incredulous look. "They can be hurt! Did you not watch the same video I did? They didn't even need to touch those rocks for them to be affected. We've just discovered a way to weaken these creatures without hurting ourselves, and you believe there is nothing we can do?"

The longer Lex spoke, the more animated he became. He looked over to his father, whose returning look was that of a patient teacher's. Lex knew Lionel probably had his own take on the situation, but he was too revved up to concede.

"No one else knows the details we know. Those invaders mean us no good will and it is unlikely that our resident hero will be able to put a stop to whatever is going on by himself. We can solve this before things really get out of hand. Defend ourselves as humans against whatever these things are."

"No," cut Lionel's voice with a tone of finality. Confusion swept across his son's face. He'd expected Lionel to interject, but not with that response.

"What?"

"No. We only just learned this and still don't have all of the information. Given how powerful these beings are, facing them directly in any way is tantamount to suicide and even with these radioactive minerals we'd only have one chance to get it right. We must not show our hand just yet. Besides, we don't know for sure whether this mineral is harmful to humans or not. It's too early."

Lex knew on some level that his father was right – that he was being hasty. Yet, he looked at the screens once more and thought of every headline and video he'd seen of the Flying Man until then. He could see the future: dependence on this being will become a crutch – a need akin to breathing. There were already mentions of him on the news every week, and soon people will look to him first before looking to their own. It was absurd to put their faith in the hands of a man nobody truly knew – a man who clearly wasn't human. If there was a threat against humanity, then humans should be the ones to rise to meet it. "Are you supposing we let him save us?"

"He seems to be formidable enough to hold his own against multiple people on his own level, at least for a little while. But no. I agree that we need to take action, but not nearly as bluntly as you're suggesting, Lex."

Lillian gave her husband a pensive look, narrowing her eyes. Lex figured she had her own ideas, but Lionel, perfectly poised as always, looked as though he'd already put together an entire plan. Knowing him, he had. "What are you proposing, Lionel?"

"We cannot use the minerals. For now, let's keep this between us unless coming forward is absolutely necessary. It would be unwise to tip our hand and garner the animosity of the Flying Man –"

"We need a better name for him," interjected Lex in a low voice.

"– for having and using something potentially harmful to him. What if we all survive this and then he turns on us because he feels threatened? That's not something we need."

"You want to make him – and everyone – feel like we're on the same side," hypothesized Lillian.

"Precisely. At this point, the others in the video are the threat. When things get worse, and they will, we should assist the common people in any way we can while he handles the rest. That includes evacuations, shelters, money, and complying with the police and fire departments. So far his actions have suggested helping people is a top priority for him. We must show that it's the same for us."

Lex raised an eyebrow at his parents. Lillian merely nodded.

"Yes," she said matter-of-factly. "That's quite sensible. It would reap excellent publicity and solidify our reputation in terms of humanitarian efforts. Though I would suggest providing technological support for the military as well, should it come to that."

Lionel gave a grunt of agreement. Lex stared daggers, but conceded a nod to both.

"Why isn't Lena here?" asked Lex.

The eldest Luthor heaved a sigh. "I didn't want to make her day any more complicated than it's already gotten. She can worry about this later."

"You coddle her too much," said Lillian.

Lionel pulled a vibrating cell phone out of his breast pocket, ignoring his wife. He took the call while the others waited in a silent mix of restlessness and frustration. It was a short one.

"That was Miss Graves. She's still in Tokyo."

"I thought she'd be in the air by now," said Lillian.

"The flight was delayed," Lionel waved on, "but we have a bigger issue. Metropolis isn't the only place with…alien presence. It seems to be a global phenomenon."

A whirlwind of disappointment and frustration raged beneath Zod's expressionless face. For years he'd climbed Krypton's military ranks, adopting an artificial detachment so that logic and prudence always came first. But it had merely been something he could access or toggle on and off. Now, it felt as if he'd become that detachment, and less because of it. Faora's loss did not escape him either – controlled ruthlessness now tempered with emotion. The Phantom Zone took something from them, hollowed them out, and now the unfamiliar sensation of doubt made its acquaintance.

Faora recounted how she'd ended up in that situation, much to her general's disappointment. Zod made sure to put her through a full body scan in the infirmary, and was both relieved and perplexed at Kelor's findings. Faora was mostly fine, albeit drained, but the discovery of this radioactive mineral was troubling. They were to be gods on this planet, and yet something as insignificant as a rock rendered them weaklings.

Furthermore, they had failed to subdue Kal-El. Zod had no idea how many humans his devices would affect before the young Kryptonian managed to destroy them. It would take time for the physical changes to manifest in the humans, but the devices needed to do their jobs first. It was frustrating to entertain the idea that even with their strength in numbers and superior technology, there was a chance that they could be thwarted by Jor-El's son, who obviously saw himself as more human than Kryptonian. The irony was not lost on Zod.

Floating among what was left of the bridge, he reassessed the plan. Kelor had given him the damage report of the ship, and now down to less than a quarter power with only reserve weaponry, Zod realized how unprepared they'd been. He'd underestimated Kal, and the ignorance of his existence dismantled Zod's plan entirely. With an even darker look Zod wondered if the one who'd set them free had known of Kal's life on Earth. It was likely. Disgust and indignation flared within the Kryptonian. Free from the Phantom Zone at last only to be the plaything of something so much more powerful.

Zod heard shuffling among the rubble. Dev had returned, and was now balancing idly atop large tufts of debris like a child without a care.

[Have you done as I commanded?] asked Zod. Dev did not look at him, but answered.

[I have. He believes that he and I have a tentative partnership, and that I've double-crossed you.]

[Good. That will give us an edge while still learning to use our new abilities. Are you certain he suspects nothing?]

Dev hopped off a metal beam and stayed afloat. [He's not naive enough to trust me, but he is good-natured. He'll be wary of my betrayal but would never betray me outright. I don't think we have much to worry about.]

Zod nodded, lamenting being on opposing sides with one of the last Kryptonians in existence. He would have preferred to have Jor's son on his side, but his plans were far more important.

[Faora told me of what transpired between the three of you. It is fortunate that at least one of us is immune to those minerals' effects.]

[Oh, this?] said Dev, producing the small glowing rock from his armor. [I thought you might like a sample, though I would advise to let Kelor handle it.]

Dev's amused look never left his face. Zod eyed the mineral warily across the expanse of the bridge. [Agreed.]

Zod gave the command to Kelor, who sent a small flying vessel to take the object from Dev. It disappeared into the corridor. After a moment, Dev moved to do the same.

[Where are you going?]

Dev faced the general with a patient look. [The engine room. Part of it was damaged when Jax attacked me, so I should check the phantom drive. Just because it worked once doesn't mean it's fully operational.]

Zod stared for a beat, then nodded. [Do it quickly. I surmise we will need all hands soon.]

Dev gave a curt nod and left Zod to continue his ruminations.