Chapter 2

KRAANG! KRAANG!! KRAANG!!! "Believe me when I say I wish that violence wasn't necessary. But violence is the price we pay to accomplish a greater good. As heroes we choose to protect that good…hit him with everything I've got, hope that despite his apparent toughness, he's feeling as chipped around the edges as I am…your rampage ends here Doomsday…even if it kills me…just remember no matter what happens…I'll always love you…Please hang on! The paramedics will be here any second…you stopped him, you saved us all….Noooooooo…"

Clark swallowed hard and sat straight up. He was breathing hard but had no perspiration. His head was pounding, he almost thought he had a headache. Lois stirred and turned to face her husband. "Clark are you alright?" she asked, reaching out and rubbing his muscular bare back.

Clark glanced over his shoulder at his wife. He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. "Just…I just had a terrible nightmare."

Lois nodded and sat up beside him pulling the covers around her more. "Doomsday again?" she asked, concerned. Clark nodded and swung his feet out of the bed and sat on the edge.

"It's been years and I still think about it almost every night. The nightmares are the worst though. They feel so real, like he's…right there."

"He killed you Clark, you were, for all intensive purposes, were dead. The worst time of my life, I have nightmares all the time about it. I can't even imagine what it must be like for you." She rolled closer to him and reached out for him again. He looked at her and smiled. "Come back to bed babe," Lois cooed.

"I can't, I'm awake now."

"Sleeping wasn't really what I meant," she replied.

Clark smiled again and squeezed her hand. "I need some air, I'm going to take a fly around, see what's up in the city." Lois shrugged and lowered herself back into their bed. Clark stood and padded across their bedroom and into the living room of their large apartment. He took a deep breath and the whooshing sound of wind exerted from him as he zipped around the room showering, getting his outfit, and getting ready to go out…which took about 80 seconds when all was said and done. He stepped to their living room window and opened their picture window and rolled out and into the sky with a quick flash.

METROPOLIS METRO FLEA MARKET

"May I try some?" Henry Ross looked up from his small booth in the center of the market. The sweet elderly lady had a white shawl around her shoulders and smiled genuinely at Henry. Henry scowled and pulled a sign down from above his booth in front of her face. She jumped back startled and peered at the sign through her thick eye glasses. NOT SERVING PUBLIC---SPECIAL INVITE ONLY. The lady frowned and turned away. Henry wiped his counter down with a cloth and cleared his throat. The sign outside his booth said "ROSS' IRISH STEW."

Henry had chosen this particular booth for a very special reason. In front of his booth was the center court of the Flea Market where they were holding the annual Metropolis entrepreneur competition with a very special guest judge. The crowd began to murmer and a man beside Henry's booth tapped his young son on the shoulder and pointed upwards. "Look son, up in the sky…!" Henry instinctively rolled his eyes. The master of ceremonies smiled and stepped up on stage. He cleared his throat and pulled the microphone closer to him. "Ladies and gentlemen I'd like to extend a very happy Metropolis Metro welcome to our special guest judge…Superman!" The Man of Steel floated gracefully from above and gently touched down on the stage as the crowd erupted into applause and cheers. If this did not stop soon Henry would be sick in his own stew.

Thank you citizens of Metropolis, and those of you who travelled to come here, Superman said without the use of the microphone. His trade mark deep voice made the women swoon in the front row. Superman launched into his speech about the importance of trade and business to the Metropolis community and Henry reached behind him into his dark blue gym bag. He knelt beside it and reached inside. Carefully he removed the small plastic box and opened it carefully. The twisted and slightly sweet smelling root lay inside.

Schlaf-Kontrollunkraut Ross whispered quietly to himself. Your dreams will not be your own. Someone behind Henry cleared their throat and he turned and looked. The Master of Ceremonies was standing in front of his booth and standing beside him the object of Henry's obsession for nearly a year now…The Man of Steel. Superman smiled convincingly and nodded.

Henry Ross, owner and proprietor of Ross Irish Stew. Mr. Ross may we have the ingredients?"

"Why certainly. My stew is made from the very finest in Irish American potatoes, fruit and vegetables, simmered for a day over a hot stove, and of course my own special personal ingredients," Ross replied smiling back at the Master of Ceremonies and Superman. He reached over the stew and emptied the contents of a small plastic bag into the stew which contained the root. He stepped back and waved his hand towards the small tin cups he had ready for taste testing. Superman nodded and reached for a cup before Ross held out his hand suddenly and Superman stopped. "I warn you Superman, it's a spicy meal…put hair on your chest and dreams in your head," he said with a certain ominous tone. No one apparently noticed.

Superman threw back his hand and laughed and most of the crowd did the same in unison. "Stomach of steel Mr. Ross," and he winked at Ross condescendingly. He grabbed a cup and scooped into the thick delicious smelling soup. Ross watched eagerly as he downed the first cup in a matter of seconds with no concern to how hot it might be. The stomach of steel might mean he drinks faster! Superman stopped and licked his lips for a moment and made a dramatic turn to the audience to show he was savouring the flavour. "Delicious!" he announced holding the cup up and the crowd cheered. He turned and took another scoop. "Very good Mr. Ross, you have quite a secret recipe," Superman commended. Superman stopped for a moment and looked at Ross with a puzzled expression. "Ross…Henry Ross…do I know you from somewhere?"

Ross smiled innocently. "No sir, just from the best soup you'll find here." Superman nodded in agreement and finished his second cup but it didn't matter whether it was a cup or the whole vat of the stuff, all it would take was one taste.

LOIS AND CLARK'S APARTMENT LATER THAT NIGHT

Clark was tired actually. Not tired like we would be but just drained. He had spent much of the day judging at the Metro Market and crowds and throngs of people tended to wear him out. Not to mention that he had stopped a drunk driver from flying into a busy intersection, caught a burglary in progress, had taken two bullets against him (which was nothing), and various other tasks before flying home. And this was all on his day off from The Planet. Lois on the other hand hadn't stopped working since she got up. Clark had seen her at three different emergencies with Jimmy snapping photos, and now as he came home she was still sitting in front of her computer typing up a story and doing research. Her eyes barely left the screen as Clark came in and kissed her neck gently. "Hey babe," he whispered. She only nodded. Clark knew once she got determined and enthralled in a story it was near impossible to tear her away.

"I'm exhausted, I'm going to turn in, sleep a little tonight," he said, undressing. She nodded again but said nothing. "Goodnight Lois." Nothing. "Goodnight Lois," he repeated. He walked into the bedroom and got into bed laying face down on the cool sheets. "Goodnight Lois," he called again louder. He heard an exasperated sigh from the other room.

"Goodnight, goodnight Clark." He decided that was the best he was going to get tonight with her being so intent on her story. It wasn't long before Clark had slipped off to sleep.

HOME OF DR. HENRY ROSS

Ross was tired, very tired. But that was good because he would need the nice long sleep that he was going to have and this might be one of the best he had had in months. Ross was naked, he wore nothing at all and sat cross legged in the center of his apartment on his beige rug. His eyes were closed and his hands rested comfortably at his sides in a very hypnotic and relaxing stance. In front of him was a single candle and a small bowl with the second half of the root he had added to the stew earlier in the day. "Tonight, I will be a god," he whispered and opened his eyes. He leaned forward and took the bare, untouched root in his hand and slid it into his mouth. The texture was awful but it had almost a sweet taste and before he knew it, he was fast asleep. Or was he? It seemed like seconds before he was standing outside The Daily Planet building.

Ross looked around at all the people and wondered what was different? Was it the weather? It had been unusually nice as of late in Metropolis. No, it wasn't that. It was himself. He felt different…he felt incredible. Several people in the street were now shielding their eyes from the sun above and looking up the side of the enormous Daily Planet building. Ross looked at their faces and then look up himself. People were now exclaiming and rushing around and Ross' eyebrows raised when he saw above him that a window washer had slipped and tripped right over the guard rail on his washing panel and was now just barely hanging on. This was strange. He didn't feel much emotion towards him one way or another. He looked at the people's faces and saw their fear and terror. The man was almost certainly to fall. "He's going to die, where is Superman?" one woman screamed. Ross scoffed and rolled his eyes. Without a second thought Ross bent his knees and held his hands over his head and suddenly shot through the sky up the side of the building leaving the people below uttering disbelief at this mild mannered onlookers sudden reaction.

Ross was only half way up the building when the man couldn't hold on any more. He slipped and began plummeting to his untimely death. He only needed to fall a few stories before Ross slipped up under him and caught him in his scrawny arms. The man felt light as a feather and seemed shock by being saved. Ross smiled at him and nodded and began to float back down. "I've got you," he replied confidently. The man looked at Ross and then looked down at the street below.

"You've got me, who's got you?" the man replied. Ross landed gently on his feet and set the man down. The crowd erupted into applause and Ross bowed deeply. Ross was enjoying being showered in affection when he felt a powerful hand on his shoulder. Ross jumped and spun around there was that ridiculous smiling face once again…Superman.

"That was quite the save friend, nice work," Superman said and offered his hand.

Ross' shoulders slumped and rage built inside him. He felt like this being could do nothing to him after what he just did. He looked at Superman's outstretched hand and grinned a disturbing and menacing smile. "Go to hell boy scout," he shouted and shot both hands out in front of him and against Superman's chest. Superman shouted in exasperation as Ross hit him and Superman flew back a hundred feet into a wall that crumbled underneath his weight knocking the wind from him. The crowd gasped and stepped back from the man. Ross looked at them and laughed devilishly. "Let the nightmare begin!" he shouted. The very man Ross had just saved was still standing just to the left of Ross. He grabbed again in his arms and shot upwards despite the man's protests. Ross flew straight up the building and then slowed when he reached the top of the Daily Planet where the giant globe spun on it's axis. "Don't mess with fate!" Ross hissed and the man's eye widened and he tried to clutch at Ross' shirt before Ross dumped him into the air. The man screamed in terror but saw from the corner of his eye that Superman had regained composure and was shooting towards him.

Ross rolled his eyes and flew down towards Superman coming between him and the falling man. Superman looked determined and unstoppable as he flew towards Ross but Ross stood his ground and Superman piled into him. Ross grabbed Superman's arm and spun him around easily grabbed both elbows and putting Superman into a wrestling lock of sorts. Superman struggled thinking he would pull free easily but Ross held him firmly and Superman couldn't move. The man plummeted towards the earth and people below screamed and scattered as the man came towards them. Superman's eye were wide with terror as he struggled from Ross' grip to no avail. "NO!" he shouted as the man hit the pavement with a sickening thud and crack and even from their distance the pool of blood was clear. Ross let Superman go and threw his head back and laugh. Superman turned in mid air and stared at this killer in front of him floating hundreds of feet above the ground. "This isn't real, it's nothing but a bad dream," Superman said.

Ross laughed even harder. "No Superman, this is a night terror."