Chapter 18: Starlight Escape Part 3: The End of the Road
"I don't like this Clark!" Kell insisted. Why was he the only one who felt something was wrong?! "It could be a trap!"
"Eric's brought us this far." Clark pointed out. "I'm sure he knows what he's doing."
Just then, two guards came out of the tavern.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Kell said nervously.
"There they are." The leader of the guards said as he pointed at the car, and everyone began to get nervous.
However, they walked right passed them and went to their own motorcycles.
"That was really close." Dick said with a relieved sigh.
"Clark, let's get out of here!" Kell insisted. "We can find the meeting on our own!"
"Eric said he'd be back." Garth pointed out. "I think we should trust him."
"Me too." Imra agreed.
"We'll wait just a while longer." Clark finished.
"But Clark-"Kell began before Clark cut him off.
"Why don't you continue with the story, Lois?" Clark asked as Lois nodded and sat down next to Ayla.
"Well, one night, not long after he had called off the wedding, Joseph had a dream.
"'Joseph,' a voice said as if from nowhere. 'You must not be afraid to win Mary. God is the father of her baby, and you will call him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.'
"The next morning, Joseph decided to go ahead with the wedding as planned. Shortly before the baby was due, the Roman Emperor sent out an order to every country in his empire. Hoping to make it easier to collect taxes, he ordered the people to put their names on a register. This really upset many Jews. It reminded them that they were not free. To prevent riots, the emperor ordered everyone to return to the place where they were born to register. This meant that Joseph had to go south to Bethlehem in the province of Judea. Bethlehem is known as the City of David because it is the place where the great shepherd, King David, was born. By the time Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, the baby was ready to be born, but the town was so crowded, that when they finally found a place, there was no room left, and the baby had to be born in the stable. After several hours of hard labor, Mary gave birth to a son just as the angel said to both Joseph and Mary. They wrapped the baby in cloths and laid him in the manger. Not far away, a group of shepherds were tending their flock. Just then, an angel appeared to them.
"'Don't be afraid.' The angel assured them. 'I have good news. Today your savior has been born, who is Christ, the lord. You will find him in the town, lying in the manger.'
"Just then, several more angels appeared, singing out 'Glory to God in the highest.'
"They quickly realized it was truly a message from God and went to Bethlehem. The shepherds told Mary and Joseph what they'd heard about Jesus. Mary kept the things she had heard deep in her heart and continued to think about them. Eight days later, Mary and Joseph named their child Jesus, just as God's messenger had told them to do.
"You want to know one of my favorite things about that story?" Lois asked as all the children nodded. "Ordinary shepherds were among the first to see Jesus."
"I think that's my favorite story, Lois." Ayla said with a smile.
"Mine too." A voice called out as everyone turned to see one of Brainiac's guards standing there with Eric as Kell held his shields to Eric's throat.
"I knew it was a trap!" Kell called out the anger that had been boiling for the better part of two days finally overflowing. "You tricked us, Eric!"
"Now hold on, kid." Eric said, perfectly calm. "This soldier's a friend, and he's going to personally escort you to the meeting place. It's just a short walk from here."
"He'll escort us right to the lions!" Kell insisted. "That's where he'll take us!"
He looked at the guard. He had short brown hair and blue eyes.
"You must be Kell-El." The guard said with a chuckle. "He's just as you described him, Clark. But a little taller, maybe."
"Carter?" Clark said after a minute. "Carter Hall?!"
Carter chuckled as Clark rushed forward.
"I thought I recognized that laugh!" Clark said as he took Kell's shoulder. "You can relax, Kell. Carter and I are old friends."
Everyone starred in shock.
"Don't look so surprised, everyone." Clark said with a smile. "Brainy isn't the only Christian in Brainiac's forces."
After everyone had gotten out, Clark turned to Eric.
"I don't know what we would've done without you, Eric." Clark said with a smile.
"Yeah." Imra added. "Thanks for everything."
"Aw, it was nothing." Eric said with a smile.
"No, it was something." Lois corrected Eric as she kissed him on the cheek.
"Oh my." Eric said with a smile while he blushed.
"Good-bye Eric!" Clark called out. "Take care!"
"Bye Eric!" Imra called out before adding, "Bye Nabu!"
"Safe journey!" Lois added.
"Come, come." Carter said with a smile. "Our meeting place is filled with friends, and they're anxious to hear your stories."
As everyone headed off, Kell took a look at the car. After all that, in turned out that Eric was alright after all, and so he decided to swallow his pride and rushed after the car.
"Eric, wait!" Kell called out as the car stopped.
"What is it, kid?" Eric asked. "Forget something?"
"Well yes." Kell said. "I forgot to thank you, and I owe you an apology."
"Oh, you were just looking out for your friends." Eric assured Kell.
"Yes, but I think I took it too far." Kell went on.
"A trip like this makes everyone a little jittery." Eric explained. "Why, once a long time ago, a family hired Nabu's first host to take them across the desert road to Egypt. Real nice folks, but they'd gotten themselves into some kind of trouble, and they were scared silly, I was gonna turn them in."
"Kell?!" Dick called out.
"I wish I could remember their names." Eric said to himself. "Jared and Myra? No, that's not it."
"Kell, come on!" Imra called out too.
"Eric, I've got to go, but thanks again for everything." Kell said as he headed off while Eric went back to his drive, though, thanks to his super hearing, Kell still heard what Eric was musing.
"They had a little boy with them." Eric went on. "Jason and Marian? Oh, that's right, Nabu! Joseph and Mary!"
At this, Kell stopped in his tracks and starred at the vanishing car.
"I wonder what ever happened to them." Eric finished.
Kell was dumbfounded. It couldn't be… Or could it?
Merry Christmas in February, everybody! … One of these days I'll hit the bulls-eye.