Chapter 19
Clark lay in the bed next to Lois, her body tucked tightly into the crook of his left arm as he looked to the ceiling. The ever present moon had the room lit up like it was day, but with Lois's head hiding from the light, she slept soundly. With his right hand behind his head, he breathed deeply and closed his eyes to try and fall asleep.
It didn't work though, his consciousness not allowing him to keep his eyes closed. Frustrated, he dragged his free hand over his tired eyes and looked to the alarm clock. It was close to two in the morning, his restless attempt to get to sleep having lasted over two hours. Finally fed up, he removed his left arm from Lois as gently as he could. Trying to be as careful as he could not to wake her, he slipped his right leg over the edge of the bed. He heard a moan and instantly stopped moving. Lois was stirring, but she was still asleep as he looked over to her. Grinning just a little, he waited until she stopped moving and finally got out of the bed.
Standing up straight, he arched his back and walked to the bedroom window. He was clad in only his boxers, his hands resting gingerly at his sides. The moon came into full view as he moved closer to the window and stared out at the lake below. The ice of the oversized pond was reflecting the moonlight back up onto the hotel. The wind was non existent as he focused his hearing. It seemed like the perfect night, but in the recesses of his mind he knew what was troubling him.
Well, it wasn't in the recesses of his mind, but he had been trying to force it there. It didn't work though, every waking moment he found his mind drifting to the potential danger that was waiting, possibly lurking in the shadows to jump him. It was tricky to understand what an escaped criminal from the Phantom Zone wanted. The ones he had encountered previously had wanted revenge against the only son of Jor-El, but he knew that this particular criminal was not as single minded as the previous ones. If anything, he got the distinct feeling he was being preyed upon.
As his vision drifted to the mountain, he noticed the lights of the ski slopes were still on. It was surprising that at two in the morning there were people still skiing. He wondered how the hotel could possibly afford to keep the slopes open at such hours, but in the end it was of no consequence. He had to keep his mind on more important matters.
A smile suddenly overtook him as he heard soft snoring coming from behind him. Turning around, his tight smile turned into a broad grin as he watched Lois sleep. He had to admit, she sure went all out went she slumbered. Her face was conveniently shoved right cheek first into her pillow as her mouth hung open widely. Her hair covered half her face as the covers revealed her flannel pajamas. He almost laughed, but he didn't want to wake her and kept quiet. It was surprising to learn that she wore flannel pajamas. The possibilities of using it against her in the future were unlimited. Now he had a comeback to his nightlight embarrassment.
Bending over, he grabbed his jeans off of the floor and slipped them on quietly. He walked slowly to the door and opened it. For the hotel being over a century old, he thanked them for being smart enough for putting in modern door hinges. The right door slid open without a sound and he walked into the living room. Closing the door behind him, he let out a deep sigh and stood straight. Now out of the room, he did up his belt buckle, the sound of his action echoing throughout the room. He silently thanked himself for not doing it in the bedroom.
Sleep seemed like a distant plan, his body now fully awake as he walked to the kitchen. The moon had the room completely illuminated through the large balcony windows. Opening the fridge, he peered inside and looked for something to drink. He thought he eyes had deceived him when he noticed a case of Heineken sitting at the bottom. With two raised eyebrows, he slowly opened the case and removed a bottle, making sure not to clank it against another. Closing his eyes in relief of not making a noise, he closed the fridge. With his right thumb he popped the cap off the top of the bottle and caught it in mid air.
Setting the cap on the counter, he wandered over to the couch and picked up an errant t-shirt. He couldn't rightfully explain why it was there, but he figured it might have fallen out of his bag when he had put it a few days ago. Not really comfortable without a piece of clothing over his chest, he slid the white piece of material over his shoulders, making sure not to tip his beer as he did so.
He went around and sat on the couch, hitting the power button on the remote. He turned the volume down to almost nothing, but with his incredible hearing, he could clearly make out what was being said. The taste of the beer, as he brought it to his lips, was stronger than the usual stuff. He understood though that European beer contained roughly twice the amount of alcohol as its American counterpart. Not being one for drinking often, he still had admiration for a quality brew.
Flipping through the channels didn't prove as fruitful as he had wished. There was nothing on, but he really hadn't expected much. Finding a sports station, he resigned himself to watching the highlights from the night before.
He hated not being able to sleep, the frustration of not having anything to do making him more upset than the lack of sleep did. It wasn't that he needed to sleep, having long known that his body could withstand days on end without it, just as long as he got enough sunlight. Taking another guzzle, he let his left arm drop to the arm rest. He sighed heavily at his growing frustration. Finishing his beer in a few swallows, finally fed up, he stood and walked back to the kitchen, setting the empty bottle on the counter. Letting out a soft burp, he wandered back to the bedroom and entered it slowly.
Closing the door behind him, he walked to the door by the hallway and slipped on his boots. Beside him, on a small wood table, was the card to the lock. Fishing his wallet out of his back pocket, he slipped the small card in and put it back into his jeans. Bending over and tying up his laces, he looked over to Lois to make sure that she was still sleeping. With as much silence as he could and putting his hand on the door handle, he lifted his leather coat off the hook by the door and went out into the hallway. He closed the door as slowly as he could until the lock clicked into place rather loudly. He cringed, but with his hearing he could tell that Lois hadn't heard it. Letting out a deep sigh, he wandered to the staircase and entered.
Not knowing why, he went up instead of down. The staircase narrowed sharply as he took the first few steps, clearly meant not for guests. As he reached the top, he zipped up his coat and opened the door, revealing a crisp night, the moon shining brightly down upon him. Letting the door close, he forgot to put something between it and the frame to keep it open. He tried to open it, and as expected, it was locked from the outside. Shaking his head at his stupidity, he turned away from the door and walked long the top of the century old hotel. The roof was flat, and save for a few large air vents that had been put it rather recently, it was bare. There was almost a foot of snow on top, but knowing that it was likely tarred underneath, it meant that the snow would melt as soon as the sun rose at noon.
The brisk air cleared his mind, his eyes closing in delight as he got closer to the edge of the building. Being over one hundred years old, the building had a raised stone edge around the top of it that extended close to three feet high. Noticing that he was looking towards the city of Aspen, not the ski hill, he rested his arms onto the ledge and interlocked his fingers.
Everything seemed insignificant as he scanned the ground below him. The lights of the city were bright, but farther into the distance he could see the heart of the city. They had drove into the city the back way he realized, missing the very heart of it.
"Breathtaking, isn't it?" J'onn asked as he landed quietly behind the taller man.
"What?" Clark asked loudly, turning around to see J'onn walking towards him. "Scared me there," he said as he turned his head back around to look at the city once again. "I didn't hear you approach."
"I can be quiet when I need to be," J'onn replied, walking over and leaning on the edge with his fellow alien. "Can't sleep?"
"No. There are just too many things on my mind."
"I have no more news on the escaped criminal, if that's what you're concerned about?"
Clark nodded his understanding. "That's okay, and yes, that's mainly what I'm concerned about."
"Something tells me it is not a concern for you though."
"Once again you're more than correct. My best friends and the woman I love all here, in potentially the most dangerous place in the world. Something has to give soon, I can just feel it."
"You sense of doom is frighteningly apt," J'onn said. He looked around to the sky and said. "A night like this reminds me of a man I met about a week ago. Dark fellow, took to hiding in the shadows. He feared for a whole city, but for some reason he seemed more annoyed than happy about fighting crime."
"What city?"
"Gotham I believe. You know, what would make this more similar is if there was a big bat light in the sky."
"You've met Batman?" Clark asked, turning his head in wonder.
"I have, but I can't say that I like him very much. I respect a man for saving lives and protecting a city, but being a grumpy as him isn't my idea of a crime fighter. Sure, I'm an alien and completely foreign to human emotion to a degree, but he took darkness and lack of humor to a whole new level."
"Doesn't sound much like the newspaper articles I read about the man. From what I've heard he's a great hero."
"Oh, that there is no doubt, but even I know that keeping yourself that distant from human contact is unhealthy."
Clark looked back out to the city lights. "So you're saying this Batman is unfriendly, or just easily annoyed."
"Unfriendly. There was something about him that set me on edge, but then again, I never got a chance to speak to him telepathically. Sometimes when I communicate with someone through their mind, they inadvertently send me thoughts. Something tells me he wouldn't do that though. I get the feeling he has a purpose for what he does, but keeps it hidden from everyone."
"Do you know who the man behind the mask is?"
J'onn chuckled. "No, and I never suspect we will. I think he's more concerned about hiding his identity than you would be."
"Hiding my identity? Clark asked. "I don't think I could ever wear a mask."
"We'll see what happens should one day you finish your training. If it's part of your destiny it may happen."
Clark sighed heavily and dropped his head. "Even though I'd do anything to keep my powers a secret, covering up my face only seems dishonest. Whatever I should one day do, or become, I could never hide behind a mask."
"That's likely your own decision to make, but something tells me you might have no choice. You cannot shape shift like I do, so your options are far more limited than mine."
Clark didn't like the direction of where the conversation was going, so he simply diverted it. "Do you not sleep?"
"Sometimes, but I normally can do without it for days, even weeks on end."
"Me too," Clark said, turning his head back to J'onn, who was still staring into the distance. "I just need a good amount of sun and I can go a while without sleep."
"Is it just something you've found out recently, or have you always known this?"
"A while ago, but I usually don't push my limit. I have no need to, and honestly I simply do better when I'm on a normal sleeping pattern. It's not like I would get tired, but I don't feel quite the same without it."
"I guess we all have our subtle intricacies, Kal-El"
Clark nodded and let silence settle over them. As the minutes passed by, he tapped a finger on a knuckle and said. "What else can you do J'onn? I've seen you fly, disappear in thin air, and communicate telepathically."
"Well, I only posses a few more abilities. I'm nearly as strong as you are, but after your training I'm sure that won't be the case anymore. I also posses the ability to release a laser type vision that can kill or stun."
"Impressive," Clark commented.
"I haven't used my vision since being here on earth. It seems that with humans it has much to do about strength and mind. I find myself using my mind the most, for every person has weakness in there somewhere. Exploiting it is rather easy."
"What about my mind?" Clark asked. "What's my weakness?"
"I haven't read your mind, but even without doing so I know what it is." When the young man turned to him, he elaborated. "Your love for mankind is your weakness. Your love for family and friends is even more potentially lethal. As much as kryptonite may hurt you physically, the emotional pain that you would endure should anyone you loved die in the hands of an enemy would be far worse."
"Then I'll have to make sure that to keep the ones I love out of danger."
"Not as easily done as you may think. Having special abilities also means having to trust others that they can take care of themselves. Surrounding yourself with a strong support of friends and loved ones can lessen your worry."
Clark sighed. "I don't think my worry could ever lessen. I care about everyone too much."
"There is no such thing as caring too much, Kal-El. It's when you stop caring is when you should be worried. Although, somehow I don't think that will ever be a problem for you."
"What do you mean?" He waited for a response, but something caught his attention. He focused his hearing and listened carefully. "There's trouble downtown," he said suddenly.
"What is it?" J'onn asked, his voice going hard.
He focused his hearing harder as he picked out voices. After a few seconds, he ripped his ears away from the distance and turned to J'onn. "I'm not too sure, but it sounds bad."
J'onn looked at Clark and then back to the lights of the city. "Here, put this on," he said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a balaclava.
Wanting to help and knowing that it was the only way to keep his real identity safe, he took the mask and slipped it on. As he adjusted the holes to fit over his eyes, he stared in wonder. Gone from his sight was John the dark skinned man, now replaced by a taller being. His arms were massive, his skin a dark shade of green and his face long. Two orange-red eyes stared back at him as he tried desperately to close his jaw.
"It is still me, Kal-El," J'onn said in his Martian voice.
"Why the change now?" Clark asked as he took in the powerful Martian in front of him. J'onn wore a blue cape that concealed his body, save his chest and legs. There were two large red straps that crisscrossed each other on his powerful chest. He was dressed in a blue suit that clearly showed of his powerfully built body. When he didn't get an answer he asked. "Why don't you just wear a mask like I am?"
J'onn's eye ridges lifted as he stared at the young man in surprise. "I suppose that would work." He quickly transformed back into his human form and reached into his pocket once again.
"You just did that for show," Clark said, chuckling.
"Not really, since it's usually easier to use my abilities when I'm in my true form, but since you'll be tagging along, I don't need to change my appearance I guess."
"I still don't believe you," Clark replied.
"Believe what you will, but the more time we waste talking is more time we let whatever is happening continue." He slipped his balaclava on and said. "I can fly. You're not against letting another man carry you are you?"
Clark could see the small grin through the mask. "I have my pride, but since it sounds like there is trouble, I think I can forgo it for now."
"Good," J'onn replied as he drifted slowly into the air. He gently placed his hand under Clark's arms and lifted him high into the air.
Never one for heights, Clark's eyes went wide as he stared at the rapid decrease in the size of the building.
"Hold on tightly," J'onn said as he ready himself to speed off.
"Hold onto what?" Clark asked with a frightened voice as he suddenly felt a rush of wind hit his face. His cheeks blew in and out as his eyes squinted against the sudden rush of cold air.
"Where to?" J'onn asked as they got closer to the city.
Clark could barely hear the Martian as he stared in wonder at the passing lights below him. They were so high up he was actually scared. Truth was he was absolutely terrified of heights. "Just over there," he said pointing, his voice just above a whisper. J'onn suddenly took a sharp turn and he almost lost the beer he had had earlier. "Do you have to go so fast?" he asked suddenly.
"Just a minute and we'll be there," J'onn replied. Finally spotting the area in which Kal-El had pointed.
"Looks like a late night bank robbery." Clark looked more closely and could see a number of police cars positioned across the street from a large bank, exchanging heavy gunfire with a number of assailants.
J'onn stopped and hovered above the scene as he held onto Clark. "You're not one for the dramatic I presume?"
"Not really," Clark answered.
"Okay," J'onn laughed, letting go of his young friend and dropping to the ground with him. They both landed in-between the gunfire with a tremendous bang.
Clark had been surprised when he had been let go, but he pushed it aside as he came crashing to the earth. Landing on his feet and bending his knees slightly, the pavement around his feet shot into the air and scattered. Looking to his right, he could see the same thing happen as J'onn landed. A few bullets bounced of the Martian's chest as he felt a few hit his own body, mainly in the shins. "You never said anything about having tough skin," he remarked as he walked towards the bank with J'onn.
"Sorry, must have slipped my mind," the Martian responded, going up the large steps with Clark. "How do you want to do this?"
Clark looked over and frowned, more bullets bouncing off of them as they got closer to the men with the guns. "Let's just get their weapons."
"A sound plan," J'onn replied as he walked up to a surprised man with an automatic. He grabbed the end and bent it out of the shape, the barrel twisting violently as he squeezed at the same time. Grabbing the assailant by the collar of his dark coat, he tossed him behind like a weak kitten.
Clark focused on the two men still shooting at him. He could barely feel the effects of the bullets, only a faint tickle signifying that they were actually hitting him. The gunmen gave up as the bullets that him began to ricochet wildly and almost strike them. He could hear a voice over a megaphone as he walked up to the two men and yanked their weapons away from them, tapping each lightly on the head with the handles, knocking them unconscious. Dropping each weapon quickly, he held onto both men as he slowly let their body's slump to the ground. Something was building up inside him, but he wasn't to sure what it was. As walked away from the bodies and went to the front door, he looked at J'onn, who had one door open already.
"Having fun?" J'onn asked.
Clark answered seriously. "I don't know, but I'm feeling strange."
"It is pride, Kal-El. Saving lives is one thing, but stopping crime is another thing all together."
"Pride?" Clark asked as he followed the Martian inside, closing the door behind.
"Yes, pride."
Clark frowned as he felt a barrage of bullets begin to bounce of him left and right. "My clothes are a mess," he commented as he looked down at his jeans and coat.
"Then let's end this quickly." J'onn quickly flew to his right and landed behind the large counter and released a powerful fist upon one assailant, his body flying back and slamming into another man. They both hit the wall with a loud thud as he walked over and picked up their weapons. He quickly twisted them in his hands and they snapped like a pair of twigs.
Clark watched in wonder at how fluid and quick J'onn was, but when the Martian gave him a disapproving glare, he nodded and looked in front of himself. Behind a set of large pillars were roughly three or four men with weapons. Each was hiding as they held their guns out and fired wildly. Quicker than a blink of the eye, he had sped past each one of them and taken their weapons. It surprised him at how many men and how much firepower was being used for a simple bank robbery. "They sure have a lot of firepower," he commented as J'onn vaulted over the clerk counter and back onto the main floor.
"They sure do, but that's of little consequence. Give up," he said to the remaining men who were now without weapons. He turned to Clark. "Check the vault."
Clark left J'onn by himself as he watched the remaining robbers raise their hands in defeat. Rounding a corner, he was hit with another barrage of bullets, almost knocking him off balance. He slid behind a plastic tree and looked around. There were two men positioned to the left and right of the vault entrance, their guns releasing round after round of bullets. Their ammunition suddenly ran out and he jumped at the opportunity. Using his heat vision, he focused it on the man on the left, warming his weapon until he screamed in pain and dropped it.
The man beside him looked over in shock and Clark rushed forward, taking the man's weapon and snapping it in half in his bare hands. "Walk out into the main lobby with your hands up," he ordered.
Each man stood straight and stared in complete wonder, both nodding vehemently and pulling away from the masked figure in front of them. By the numerous bullets holes in the large man's clothing, they knew they were beaten. The smaller of the two men grabbed his comrade and pulled him away, heading towards the entrance of the bank.
Sighing, Clark regretted having to burn the man's hands, but it he hadn't had time to think. Every second later he lingered would be another second people would get a chance to find out his true identity. His balaclava was already torn up quite a bit, and any more bullets to the face would have more than likely torn the rest of it to pieces.
He quickly passed through the vault entrance and saw a man hunkered behind an overturned steel table, shouting.
"Get back or I'll shoot you!" he screamed.
Clark raised his hands, as if in defeat, and said. "Look, your friends have already been captured."
"How?"
"My friend and I took care of them."
"You're lying!" the man shouted as his hands shook wildly.
"Police, Hands up!"
Clark kept his hands in the air as a dozen policemen swarmed around him as the last robber dropped his gun to the floor.
A few officers approached the man behind the table, guns drawn. Clark's eyes went wide as he saw the man behind the table suddenly pull a small handgun out of his belt. Before he knew it, the police opened fire on the man behind the upturned table. Not wanting to see anyone die, Clark went as fast as he ever had, putting himself in-between the oncoming bullets and the man drawing the gun. Time sped back to a normal pace as he felt the bullets from the police officers rampage upon his back and the single gun shot from the robber hit him in the chest as he crouched.
Lifting his eyes to the man in front of him, he smiled weakly. The man's eyes went wide as he grabbed the gun from the his shocked hands. "Thanks," Clark replied, throwing the weapon aside and hauling the assailant to his feet.
"My god," one officer said as he walked around the smoking figure of the man who held the robber in check. "That was incredible." The officer cuffed the criminal and when he turned around to thank the man for his help, he was gone.
Clark sped like the wind, his mind and heart racing a mile a minute as he heard J'onn speak to him. He responded back, using the telepathic link. Caught up in the adrenaline rush of stopping a bank full of criminals, he got to the vacant entrance of the hotel and vaulted into the air. Normally he wouldn't have done such a thing, but he was on an incredible rush.
Into the air he rose, his body moving forward at the same time. He suddenly dropped down heavily onto the roof of the hotel and crouched on one knee, his breathing ragged.
"Are you okay, Kal-El," J'onn asked as he walked forward and put a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Yeah, just give me a minute," Clark replied through hurried breaths. After a few minutes of controlled breathing, he stood up. "That was incredible."
"And know one was killed." J'onn smiled.
"It was close."
"It sure was, but you did the right thing."
"Thanks. Wait, you saw what happened?" He frowned and turned as J'onn walked to the edge of the roof and looked out to the city again. Clark followed as his heart continued to beat a mile a minute. Out in the distance were helicopters, swarming around the bank as their spotlights lit up the inner core of the city.
"I was invisible, but I saw how you reacted. Your father would be very proud."
"What?" Clark asked in confusion.
"Jor-El, he would have been very proud. You kept that man from being killed, even if he was a criminal."
Clark shrugged sheepishly. "It was instinct."
"Your time to leave for your training is coming incredibly close my young friend."
"Quit talking in riddles, please?" He bent his back and leaned heavily on the edge of the roof.
"I was just saying that it won't be long before your father calls you away to the fortress. I see many things in your present state that hint to it."
Clark laughed suddenly.
J'onn, perplexed by the sudden outburst in humor, frowned. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, I just realized that so much has changed in the past few days. Before I came here I was meek, timid, even afraid of using my abilities, but now that I know how much good I really can do, I feel better than I have in years." He interrupted J'onn as the Martian was about to respond. He was feeling so good about himself at the moment that he couldn't stop himself. "I have the love of a woman who accepts me for who I am, friends who I couldn't live without-."
"Slow down, Clark," J'onn said as he rested a hand on the young man's shoulders.
"Sorry, but the adrenaline is still pumping."
It was the Martians turn to laugh. "It will pass in time, but just remember, don't let it get to your head."
Clark, finally calming down, realized that he had been so excited that he hadn't removed his balaclava. He did so, and stuffed it into his mangled coat pocket.
"Remember to burn those clothes."
He nodded and took his coat off, inspecting it closely. The back of it was completely torn to shreds, nothing but a large gaping whole where leather had once been. "How's my shirt look?" he asked, turning around.
Getting a good look, J'onn said. "About the same."
Clark nodded and folded the tattered coat over his left arm. "I guess I better burn these clothes then," he said.
"Yes. I'll be seeing you soon, Kal-El. Remember; you did well." He grinned and shot into the sky with lightening speed.
Watching in amazement, Clark whistled softly as the red streak disappeared into the night. Turning back to the ledge, he looked into the distance at the bright lights of the city and grinned. He had done well, and it had felt more exhilarating than anything he had ever experienced. Saving lives and stopping crime with his abilities was not a burden, but in fact a privilege.
He stood on the roof for while longer until his adrenaline settled down and exhaustion took over. Taking a deep breath, he turned from the edge and went back to the stairwell. Of all that had just happened, and it had happened incredibly fast, he was still amazed that he had leapt up onto the roof. Shaking his head in wonder, he opened the door, the lock snapping. "Damn," he muttered as his stupidity. He should have remembered it was locked from the inside. Sighing, knowing that there was nothing he could do, he went through and closed the door behind him.
He walked down the steps and exited on his floor, relieved to know that they were the only ones on it. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet, surprised that he hadn't lost it in the barrage of bullets. He opened it up and withdrew the card, sliding it into the lock. The light turned green and he opened the door slowly, making sure not wake Lois. He smiled as he quietly lifted his boots off with each foot and leaned on the table beside the door to keep himself upright.
Dropping his wallet on the table, he tip-toed around the bed and exited into the living area. He looked around to make sure no one was up and slowly opened the balcony door. He stripped down to his boxers and walked out onto the snow covered perch, closing the sliding door behind him. Holding his clothes out his hands, he set fire to them with his eyes. As they caught fully, he dropped them to the ground and watched as they flickered away slowly. He took a deep breath and watched them completely disintegrate until only ashes were left. Kicking snow over the pile of ash, he slid the door open and removed his socks as he hopped into the living room.
Clark closed the door and locked it, making sure the ashes had finished smoldering as he looked through the clear glass. The moon was still high in the sky, its bright light still penetrating through the large glass door. Turning from the porch, he walked back into the bedroom quietly and dropped his socks on the floor by the bed.
All the excitement and the adrenaline of earlier had now disappeared completely, replaced simply by exhaustion. Lois still hadn't moved from where he had left her, the covers still pulled back from when he had moved them off himself. Letting out a sigh, he slipped back into the bed and pulled the covers over himself. He was suddenly more tired then he had ever been in his life, but he still wasn't sure he would be able to fall asleep.