While Kal-El, Chloe Sullivan, Jason White, and Martha Kent were up at the Fortress having a family reunion of sorts with Jor-El, Richard White sat in his office staring at his computer screen. Orders. From the U. S. Air Force Reserve. Recalling him to Active Duty.

Jason needed him. Lois needed him or…at least he hoped she did. The paper needed him. He needed Lois and Jason and work and his new friendship with Clark. But his father's Agency had reached down into his life through the Air Force, and because his name was still on a list, called the Individual Ready Reserve, somewhere in the Department of Defence, Richard had been plucked out of his life and given an Assignment.

Richard had thought the book was closed on his own military past. But it was only a chapter that was closed. A new one was starting in a very cold and impersonal way: with an email attachment.

WHITE, RICHARD MAJ/O-4

302 RIVERSIDE DRIVE

METROPOLIS

REASSGNED IN THE AIR FORCE RESERVE AS FOLLOWS: FULL TIME STATUS

WITH 160TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION REGIMENT

EFFECTIVE DATE: 14 NOV 2006

This sort of thing was supposed to happen to Kyle Rayner, his old wingman who went back into the Reserves. Not to Richard. He hadn't done anything with the Air Force since he got off of active duty after the First Persian Gulf War. He let go of his father who had disappeared first into his military career and then into the Agency. He walked away from the military that had taken his father. He embraced a new life with journalism, the Daily Planet and Uncle Perry. Why were they calling Richard?

Richard reread the "reassigned" line: 160TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION REGIMENT. Special Operations. His father's Agency. He didn't even know if the man was alive or dead and his agency is pulling strings in Richard's life. Richard could either take this root of bitterness back into his heart: let it poison his work, his relationships, his whole life, or he could let it go and keep moving forward. Richard chose to retain power over his own life, not give it away to those who hurt him by holding on to bitterness. He chose to move forward.

How would he tell Lois, Jason, everyone?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Much like Richard, I have been plucked from my life of teaching high school math, visiting with my son, and helping to lead my congregation. The U. S. Army has recalled me to active duty. I, personally, would rather help finish the Terrorism War with victory, than to cower in the shadows or to stick my head in the sand and pretend that the problem will go away while passing it on to my son's generation. All of you out there can make whatever choices you want to make, say and think what ever you want to say or think. As Voltaire once wrote in the mid 1700s, "While I may not agree with what you say, I will defend -- with my own life -- your right to say it." I don't judge anyone too harshly for what they do or say as long as it comes from sincerely held beliefs and as long they respect everyone else's right to do the same. Please don't judge me for the choices my sincerely held beliefs lead me to make. Thank you for your support and readership.