Superman in Action FanFic #12

A Plea for Help

It's been six months since I was sworn in as a citizen of America and as a deputy of the law. Super-citizen is what they called me; I had to laugh just a little at that. It's been rather quiet, overall. There's been the occasional heist or some standoff that went bad, but in general, I've been there quickly to stop the frenzy before any real tragedy struck. In the case of Luthor, he's pretty much kept himself out of any sort of trouble. Before my deputizing, he wanted to meet with me and thank me personally for my 'help in freeing him of his captor.' I told him outright that I didn't believe it for a second.

"You still don't trust me, Superman? After all the anguish I've been through, you don't believe that I've been wronged!"

"I believe that things didn't go according to plan."

"Actually, they did. Conduit has been summarily removed from my life. That was a big part of my to-do list."

"You're using people again, Luthor?"

"When did I ever stop? Now go, I have a business to run and a trauma to get over. My thanks to you for coming when I called, Superman." I was so angry at that point; I lifted quickly and just flew. I wanted to just dart out of there at mach speeds, but I knew if it had happened, I would've destroyed windows and pulled him right off that balcony. I turned my hearing back towards him just to keep up with what else happened. To my surprise, his father walked out to speak with him about the matter. I didn't even know Lionel Luthor was alive! No sooner did they do that than a white noise barrier was created. It could've deafened me with the generated amount. I was able to pick up small words here and there. The gist came out to Lex being more than satisfied with the outcome. To be a fly on the wall for that!

After I was deputized things were made very clear to me about my sort of limitations. If my X-Ray Vision spotted a bomb or the planting of such types of dangerous materials then it was admissible for arrest. Anything else was prying and a court would throw it out immediately. Of course that means in such cases I would have to make myself available to testify when the case came up in court. Luckily, it was a boon for Clark as it would keep me in news stories all the time. The other big part was my hearing, since it was better than any human's I would be able to pick up all sort of incriminating things. While it would be of great help, it was suggested that if we had reason to suspect someone and a warrant was issued I could use it then as a human with either bugs or a sound amplifier would be there to corroborate any evidence. It was a hindrance in a way, but I understood their reasons.

As to the matter of Lt. Evans or his planted woman, both disappeared. I went back to police headquarters directly after saving that man from the bridge. Lt. Anna Bloomington was waiting on me in the interview room, she decided to set up shop after she heard the news that I wasn't just hauled off to some military base. She and I went over the woman's face; she had me looking through tons of samples. After about an hour's worth of work we finally came up with not only a face, but also a name. Her name is Carla Xander, a woman known to hang off the arm of Morgan Edge. In the weeks that followed, we talked to Mr. Edge quite extensively about his relationship with her. He told us that she'd had some rather elicit affair with someone he couldn't determine and cut ties with her. Of course there was something he wasn't completely telling, but to make him talk about it would be like pulling teeth from a wild animal. Needless to say, there's still a manhunt for either one of them for being accomplices to Conduit. To use Carla though, someone was trying to draw attention towards Edge. As it was told to me, he's supposed to have ties to Intergang. I've yet to deal with them, at least to my knowledge. The police are trying to keep me from it. Maggie told me that my busting in could ruin the undercover work. Dan Turpin said the same thing to me. Of course I don't believe Conduit was trying to set up anyone for anything. His motives were simple, take off my head. He knows my identity, and at first I was concerned that he'd told the Luthors. Yet it became obvious that they don't, because Clark's life has been relatively easy. It's some of Superman's that's been somewhat difficult.

After the naturalization ceremony, Lois wanted to have an interview. She welcomed me as a member of American society, got my feelings on the matter, what I planned to do now. She clicked off her recorder turned back to me and then her eyes lit up like a bonfire. She stared deeply into my very soul and looked like she was willing to crush it. I was slightly confused, I hesitated a moment before I said anything. "...What's wrong, Ms. Lane?"

"Was it so hard, right then?"

"I don't understand?"

"Coming to me for an interview. Telling me your side of the story."

"Is this because I tried to go to WGBS when Luthor accused me of trying to take over the planet?"

"You're damn right it is! Look, I understand you needed to tell your side, but if you'd just trusted me like you did that first night then this might've saved you a lot of trouble."

"I do trust you Lois. It was a move of desperation that cost me a lot, but I know now what I should've known that moment. I should have come to you."

"Now, are you actually going to do that in future?"

"As you seem to be my own personal journalist, I don't see as I have a choice. Though I do like talking to Clark Kent..."

"Smallville? You've gotta be kidding me? He's a decent enough writer, but he's going to take all your info and then put it into some sappy thing that doesn't make sense. He wouldn't get to know you like I do. That's a problem if you want to make sure that the public is aware of all the details they need to know." I laugh, which gets her looking at me with those fiery eyes again. I know that she's dead serious about what she's saying. It makes it all that much funnier to me. If she only knew the truth.

"I can't promise I'll be able to talk to you all the time, logistics say that eventually someone else will interview me, but I promise to stick with Kent if you're not around. I'll keep it in the Daily Planet family." She scans me over. She's looking to see if I'm trying to placate her or if I'm serious. She comes to the conclusion that I'm not kidding and smiles just slightly.

"Well, that's a better deal than nothing. Speaking of Kent though, where is that lousy farmboy? He has all these great stories, and yet he's never here for the big one. "

"I'm sure he's around getting another side of the story. People reaction is just as important, I'd think. As many people came out to support me, there's still a ton more that seems to think I'm still some sort of alien menace."

"They're wrong. I would've thought that the air show you put on and the people you saved would've proved that. Of course I see the angle where it's all self-serving under the circumstances."

"That's exactly it. I'm going to need people like you and Clark out there to defend me. And I couldn't think of a better pair to do so."

"Don't worry, Superman. Smallville and I have got your back."

"I know."

I'm just over the Daily Planet now. It's a marvelous sight when the morning sun hits it just right. Who am I kidding; the overall majesty of working for this grand lady really makes the blood rush! The life it pumps out everyday to make sure that people get their news is astounding. I love the idea that I can be apart of that. It also brings me back to the assignment that Perry gave to Lois and me. We've written two of the three, which have had impact. The first story was the police corruption, focusing on the disappearance of Lt. Evans and his supposed girlfriend Carla Xander. Maggie Sawyer trusted Lois and me with a lot of the material that she'd given to Superman. With the story blown wide open, they started to look for others that had been just as corrupt. Politicians and police officers were charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. The task force was led by Inspector Henderson with Capt. Maggie Sawyer and Inspector Dan Turpin at his side. Names were dropped, people were placed under arrest. I'm hoping the undercover officers that were planted within Intergang were alright after the ordeal. I've scanned for any trouble, but I've yet to find any that looked Mob related. Still, it's nice to see that the story brought some good. It made the rats scatter and make stupid mistakes.

The second story we wrote dealt with city efforts to improve Suicide Slum. The city council had been blocking attempts for revitalization of the area, which some had claimed to be linked to big business influence. Others that weren't more directly involved were hoping that LexCorp would foot the bill for a new section where the Slum once stood. Make it a new part of downtown and move out those people that were dragging the neighborhood into a war zone like state. Truth be told, all they want to do is to make Metropolis a home for the well-to-do. I don't think even I'd be welcomed, regardless of my job. I wouldn't fit in with those that think strictly business and money. It's not my passion. Most of today's society can't understand that. It was a sad state of affairs. Still, I'm glad to see some do. The story got people to take up arms and get into the politics more. The Metropolis City Council meetings were full of people that weren't there for some agenda, but there to make a difference in their part of the city. People started pushing for Suicide Slum to become a nice place to live. Instead of make it the area for the underprivileged they wanted it to be called home.

We're currently working on the third and final story: Conduit. Lois and I have been out to LexCorp towers to talk with Lex himself about the matter. Under my disguise I was able to sit and listen to Luthor spout out his lies. The fuss he made over the ordeal could've made anyone believe that he was truly the helpless victim he told the police. It's no wonder they ended the investigation with him so quickly. Superhuman intervention was the only thing that would have stopped Conduit, luckily Superman was there.

"It was a terrible experience, Mr. Kent. This maniac came screaming out of the past and then slapped the hand of generosity that had been offered to him. Something changed this man. My father and I did what we could to help him, but in the end he just wanted power. When he moved out of that small town in Kansas, it took the pure and wholesome nature from him."

"He grew up in Kansas?" I asked putting a small amount of shock on his face.

"I forgot, Mr. Kent. His identity wasn't revealed to anyone but the police! Yes, his name is Kenneth Braverman. I believe he knew you as a boy in Smallville."

"Kenny... I can't believe it!"

"You remember him then?"

"He was a friend of mine up until our early teens. Your father Lionel adopted him after the disappearance of his father."

"Yes, it was quite the tragic tale. Kenny grew up very well, but the experiences he'd lived through changed him. Father tried taking him back to Smallville. He even said that he would stay there and run affairs just so he could have friends close. He turned inward and showed his bitter hatred towards the lot. It was a child lashing out from the horrors. Anger burning within him towards those that have bested him time and again. He hated me for that reason."

"What did you do, if I may ask?"

"The only father figure he ever could turn to lost his company to me. I took away all the safety nets that he might've had at one point my usurping my father's standing. When he learned of this he became enraged. I didn't know he was capable of such deceit or destruction. Of course he worked for the government since his late teens. Couple that his attempted murder at his father's hands, then it's any wonder that he didn't try to blow up the world."

"So then, how do you feel about Superman since the revelation that your previous comments were under duress?"

"Obviously, I don't hate him as put forth originally. I will admit though that I'm still wary of him."

"Wary of him? In your terms you still don't believe he proved his intentions?"

"He's still an alien, regardless of the citizenship given to him. There's so much more he's not shared with us up to this point. The questions still remain; where does he go when no one sees him flying overhead? Where is this shelter he built? Does the technology in it still run after he learned all he needed to? I would assume that it would. If it is, is there weaponry in there? Does he have some device that could destroy us all? The people want to know! They have a right to. So in those terms, no I don't think he's shown his full intentions."

"The current administration seems to have placed their full trust in him, you're of the opinion it was too much too soon?"

"Regardless of the administration that's currently in charge, others that come to power might not be so quick overlook the questions I've put forth. Not knowing isn't something that the American Intelligence Community is going to leave for long. I'm sure as we speak they're already trying to find out what he's hiding. My thoughts, Mr. Kent, simply are that we should've taken him into custody for further examination and questioning. I doubt seriously the Joint-Chiefs agreed with the Command-and-Chief on this decision. With that on his plate alone, the President will bow to any requests to try and figure out just what Superman is really about. Not that he needed much convincing I'm sure."

"How do you mean?"

"Your farmboy naivety is charming, Mr. Kent. As bad as a decision as it might have been to give him such rights so quickly, it's also to his advantage to allow one such as Superman to believe that he's trusted. It will make him drop his guard enough to allow things to slip out. He'll be under tight scrutiny, which I believe he's at least somewhat aware. I'll be curious in the years to come how the government chooses to handle this. "I held my tongue in check. It's true that I can't believe they placed full trust in me, I never thought that for a moment. Needless to say, Luthor's interview ended with the same information he'd given to everyone else; he's the innocent victim that got slapped when he put his hand out to someone in need. Then he breathed a heavy sigh and said that it was a typical situation as he is the richest man in the world.

I told Perry I was likely not coming in today, told him that Pa needed me to come home to Smallville because Ma took sick. I hate even saying something like that, but it was the only plausible excuse I had to get me out of coming into work. I told him that while I was there I'd make some phone calls about the Conduit story. He agreed to it. He told me that the paper's important, but he's gotta respect a man's family. He's only got one and if he misses out it's like missing a part of himself. The reason I can't go in today is because Superman has a meeting with Mayor Berkowitz.

Yesterday I was doing one of my routine patrols when my ears were assaulted by a high-pitched screech. Someone had taken a bullhorn and dog whistle and was projecting it out towards the city. It was difficult to adjust my hearing so it wouldn't deafen me again. I almost found it impossible to fly, so it was best that I find the source and put an end to it as quick as I could. When I landed, there stood an officer next to the Mayor himself. The officer put down whistle and I looked towards the Mayor, while trying to get the ringing out of my ears. He smiled a little and the got a look of concern when I wouldn't stop trying to clear my head of the sound.

"Are you alright, Superman?"

"Yes, sir. In future though, we need to set up something a bit more dignified and a lot less painful to my ears to get my attention."

"Will do Superman, I promise. Still, I needed you here on something of an important and slightly strange matter."

"What do you need Mr. Mayor?"

"The Mayor of Gotham City, one Hamilton Hill is coming tomorrow and he's wanting to talk to you personally. He says there's a job that needs to be done that only Superman can handle. I'm not sure what exactly this job is, but he says he's going to want you to go to Gotham personally and deal with it."

"Gotham City? I've heard some real terrible rumors about the mob there. Carmine Falcone, the Red Hood, Rupert Thorne...it's an ever-growing list. Of course other than the Red Hood, no one can prove a thing about the other two. They own several businesses in the Gotham City area, plus outstretches in New York and other New Jersey areas."

"Well...I guess you're rather well read on the subject."

"I try to maintain a bit of knowledge on those types of subjects. You never know what might pour out into Metropolis, especially those that want to eliminate Intergang."

"Good luck to them on that. The police have yet to slow down efforts on Intergang as far as we can tell. In any case, I certainly appreciate your help in this matter. City to city relationships should be maintained for the good of commerce."

Hamilton Hill is a mayor that's known for a couple of things, neither of which make him a shining candidate. He's thought to have taken money from sources such as Carmine Falcone, which hasn't been confirmed. Rumors about politicians and all, still no one's gone out of their way to look for some reason or another. The other puts him as part of the problem with the Gotham City Police Department. They've been allowing people onto the force that have no business being there in the first place. As it was put to me when I talked to Lois about it. "You think Metropolis had people taking graft? You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than you will in Gotham." Borrowing lines aside, she was right. The amount of dirty acts by the police warrant another investigation, yet no one has issued a inquiry on their practices. Mayor Hill has got a lot to answer for if anyone ever does find out the truth in Gotham, I'm sure there's some sort of validity to the talk. Everything I've read or seen on Gotham says he's no Lex Luthor, but he's definitely got his hands in something. Still, he's coming here wanting me to do something for him. I'm, to say the least, curious as to what he considers so bad that it warrants my attention. Of course what a headline! He finally starts cracking down on the mob and it's Superman that's doing the job. There's so many possibilities as to what he's doing. I'm chomping at the bit to find out.

I land on the steps and start to walk towards the building when I see Mayor Berkowitz standing with a rather distinguished man. He stands about 6' 2", a grayed hair and matching colored mustache. He's wearing glasses and is telling our mayor about the headaches that he has daily thanks to the crime rate in his city. The moment he sees me he stares in the strangest way. It's almost as if he's in awe of what he's seeing. I know it's happened quite a bit since my "debut", but it's still unnerving.

"Superman! I'm glad you could make it!"

"It's nothing Mr. Mayor. I'm always glad to be there when I'm needed."

"It's appreciated. Superman, this is Mayor Hamilton Hill."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mayor Hill." I extend out my hand.

He stares at it for a moment. I know he's seen pictures of me bending steel in my hand, so it's no wonder that he's a bit hesitant to extend his hand back. He looks up and I try to reassure him with a smile, finally he finally decides it might be okay. "The p…pleasures all--all mine, Superman." I swear he's so nervous that if I turned my head too quickly he'd jump out of his skin.

"I've been told you need my help, Mr. Mayor."

"Yes, Superman! I'm actually in desperate need! I've got a bit of a vigilante problem. We've had a rash of criminals ending up in the hospital and even several police officers. This individual seems bent on putting anyone and everyone out of commission."

"Do the police have any theories as to why this vigilante is doing this?"

"Some believe he's an enforcer for the mob. Other's believe he's out to take out the current regime set up in Gotham and take it over for himself. No one's caught up with him long enough to get answers. Officers that have only claim to have seen a giant black bat that shoot sparks from his fingertips. It sounded like utter nonsense at first, but it started happening more frequently. My city doesn't need some other type of violent nutcase. I'll be honest, I'm hoping when all of the crime bosses see you coming they'll think twice about their activities! Gotham can't take too much more, the economy would be nothing without WayneTech and some LexCorp dealings, but it won't be enough if the city keeps falling into despair. Please, Superman! I beg you!

"I can't stay there forever, Mr. Mayor. What happens when I leave?"

"I'm hoping when the roaches start to scatter we will be able to identify the cracks and exterminate it at the source."

"I don't know, Mayor Hill. This does sound like you need the National Guard rather than me."

"Think, man! If I bring in the National Guard, people will panic! If you come there's a sign of hope. A symbol that perhaps well get past these dark times and make Gotham as great as Metropolis! Can't you see what that would mean?"

"I suppose that's a good reason Mr. Mayor. What do you think Mayor Berkowitz?"

"Can I speak with you over here for a minute, Superman?"

"Certainly, sir." He takes me by the shoulder and I walk with him as he pulls me to a far corner. He takes off his glasses and he sighs just slightly.

"I can't tell you what to do here, Superman. I'd be hard pressed to tell you that Gotham doesn't need a person like you in it. What I will say for certain is that Mayor Hill is hiding something. He's scared a great deal more than he should be, and the truth of the matter is he might not be thinking things out with his head. As good as his reasons are, there's nerves speaking there. Honestly Superman, the relationship between our cities could be greatly influenced. I'd love to see WayneTech open a bigger Metropolis branch instead of the small R&D warehouse they have down on the docks. Having said that, I don't want to use you to further things like at the cost of doing this for his political agenda. It'll be election time again soon, and if the people think Superman will show up at his beckon call then it might sway some votes."

"Thank you Mayor Berkowitz. I value that opinion."

We walk back to Mayor Hill who is tapping his foot rapidly. "Well, Superman? What do you say?"

"I'm a little leery of this, to be honest, but you seem to truly need help. Under those circumstances, I'll go to Gotham City and see if I can't put an end to some of that madness."