Chapter 2.

In Brightest Day


Kyle Rayner, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814, was fighting for his life.

It started as an ordinary-looking fire at docks. Kyle was helping trapped workers to escape when a powerful purple beam hit him from behind.

Star Sapphire was an old pain in the ass, but today she surpassed herself. Green Lantern fiercely counterattacked with a swarm of green discs, furious that she put civilians in danger just to get an upper hand in the battle.

He couldn't have known that Sapphire dragged along one of her buddies.

Sonic blast had taken Kyle by surprise, throwing him in the wall of the warehouse. Strengthening his personal force field, Green Lantern turned around to face a new enemy.

Sonar came from Bludhaven to Los Angeles? And teamed up with Sapphire? Great, just great! Villains rarely worked together, but when it happened, good guys needed all the luck they've got.

Another wave of sound hit him. Windows exploded, cracks in the walls widened. Green Lantern barely had enough time to raise a protective bubble between himself and Sonar. It absorbed most of the damage, but the force of impact almost broke his concentration. Half deaf, Kyle desperately needed some time to catch his breath and start thinking about the way to outsmart both opponents.

Too bad Sapphire wasn't going to give him a chance. Purple gem in her mask glowed like burning ember; the woman kept attacking Kyle. Twice her cutting rays nearly pierced green force field.

Sooner or later she'll be successful… but I'm not going to stand still and take the pounding!

Lantern's answer was a half dozen of green darts. Star Sapphire dodged all of them, but she had to change her position, so now she stood (or rather floated) between Lantern and Sonar, who was ready for another sonic blast. Kyle congratulated himself. Now he can concentrate on subduing Sapphire.

"Warning. Ring power levels at 30.0 percent".

Green Lantern silently cursed. After yesterday's trip to Metropolis and back he forgot to recharge the power ring, and now it was almost depleted.

It's time to pay for my stupidity.

The moment was lost. Sapphire understood that Green Lantern used her as a human shield. Blast of purple rage was so strong that it cracked Kyle's defenses, and he barely managed to slow down his falling.

"Warning. Ring power levels at 10.0 percent".

All his body ached, his mouth was full of blood, but Kyle Rayner concentrated for the last desperate attack…

WHOOSH! Whirlwind from nowhere swallowed Sapphire. When it stopped, villainess was unconscious and tied by her own cape.

A tall broad-shouldered man dressed in black suit with a stylized white symbol across his chest hovered in air where Star Sapphire just has been.

Kyle couldn't stop himself from smiling, though it was painful.

The Cavalry has arrived!

Sonar, who recognized newcomer immediately, tried to run away.

Can you run faster than a speeding bullet?

Man of Steel descended and landed next to Kyle, He looked at Kyle, then at the retreating villain, and said "He's all yours".

Summoning the rest of the energy, Green Lantern created mega-sized bowling ball and hurled it towards Sonar, knocking him out.

Superman asked "How are you?" His blue eyes were full of concern.

Lantern answered weakly "I'll live".

"I need five minutes to drop Bonnie and Clyde to the police station, and then we'll see if you need medical attention".

"The fires…?"

"Already took care of them".

* * *

Green Lantern's apartment can be described by on word: "chaotic". Unfinished sketches and empty coffee mugs filled all the space that wasn't occupied by the furniture. Rayner could sense Superman's disapproval in his gaze, but he wasn't in the mood for cleaning. Not to mention that he was completely spent after the battle with Star Sapphire and her new boyfriend.

Superman asked "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night in hospital?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure. And I don't need SuperNurse. But I can use some of your invulnerability".

"I'm far from invulnerable, Kyle. Darkseid proved it by nearly killing me".

Lantern objected "But in the final round you gave him the beating of a year. I saw your uppercut – it was so impressive!"

Darkseid's invasion was Kyle Rayner's reason to come back home. Two previous years he spent traveling through space in hope to foil Sinestro's plot to destroy Green Lantern Corps. And he was very surprised when he saw Superman in black suit.

Later he read about "Brave New Metropolis" – who didn't? But, unlike his best friend James Olsen, he refused to believe that Guardian of Metropolis assisted Luthor's tyranny willingly.

That's your opportunity to learn about changes in Superman. Don't waste it!

He decided that Superman's new clothes are the best topic to start conversation.

"It's hard to get used to your new uniform. Add green instead of white – and you'd be like a member of Green Lantern Corps".

"I take it as a compliment. I have always respected what your Order did to protect the universe".

"You know that I wasn't on Earth for a long time?"

"Of course. It's hard not to notice that Green Lantern is never to be seen".

"Orders from Oa. Guardians sent half of the Corps on a wild goose chase for Sinestro. I've heard pretty crazy things when I returned. That you embraced Dark Side and become Luthor's lapdog".

Seeing that Superman's face darkened, Kyle quickly added "It's not that I believe in this crap anyway".

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, pretty simple. My theory is that mind control was involved. After all, Darkseid's hag brainwashed your baby cousin and sent her to attack Earth. And Lex Luthor, as we all know, is evil billionaire who spent a vast portion of his wealth looking for the ways to destroy you. If he decided to change tactics and find some way to control Superman – well, he is one of the few men on Earth who is able to accomplish it".

"Good explanation. You have a lot of faith in me, Kyle. Too bad I wasn't brainwashed. Somebody close to me was killed, and I started to believe than I'm not doing enough. That U must bring order by any means necessary, starting from Metropolis. I believed that I can use Luthor. In reality it was him who used me. There were a lot of nasty things in the city; your friend Olsen probably told you everything about it. And I couldn't see what was under my nose", Superman's shoulders slumped.

Green Lantern calmly answered "Happens to the best of us".

"That's all you have to say?"

"And what you were expecting? Adding your name to the Top Ten Supervillains of the World? You made a mistake, Super. That's a part of being human – making mistakes and learning from them. What are you going to do - punish yourself for the rest of your life? Or rather show us the real Superman? The hero who is just as incapable of turning into power-hungry maniac as Green Lantern is incapable of destroying planet".

"Destroying planet?"

Kyle Rayner explained, "Couple of month ago John Stewart, another Green Lantern from Earth, was accused of destroying planet Ajuris 4. I had to leave Earth again to help him. As it turned out, Ajuris 4 wasn't destroyed at all; they faked it to frame Stewart".

Superman scratched his chin "John Stewart? The name sounds familiar".

"Only if you are secretly joined the military and enlisted the Marine Corps".

"Marines! That's it! I saved a squad of them from earthquake. Their leader's name was John Stewart. I remember how he looked – like he tried to make a hole in my skull. He was a tough guy, this Stewart".

"He still is. And I think it's good that Stewart is on Oa now, both for him and for Sector 2814. He is a perfect soldier, but fighting the likes of Sinestro requires something better than giant bubbles and force blasts. You need a lot of creativity, instead of brute force. And John Stewart is completely hopeless in this department. The word "imagination" is not in his dictionary. Katma always complained that he used power ring as a jackhammer".

"Katma?"

"Katma Tui. Green Lantern of Sector 1417. She trained him. The only Lantern who believed that John was innocent, not counting me. I hope you'd meet her someday, Katma is one of a kind". Kyle's eyes narrowed. "It reminds me of…" Lantern started rummaging through desk drawers until he found a yellow envelope. "Almost forgot it".

Using telescopic visionSuperman easilyread an inscription on the envelope "To J.S.?"

Lantern said, "Katma Tui asked me to pick a present for Stewart's birthday. And she is one of few women in my life I'd never say "no".

"I hope your present isn't cash?" asked Superman remembering the last gift from Bruce.

"No, I'm not that oblivious. Besides, they don't use bucks on Oa". Kyle added with a smirk, "It's his only weakness. Yeah, everybody has weaknesses, not only you, Super".

"You just love it, don't you? Keeping me in the dark? Don't tempt me to use x-ray vision"

"I'll tell you, but promise to keep it in secret".

"I am Fort Knox of secrets".

"I believe you. So listen. As a child, John Stewart loved comics about Justice Guild. Can you believe it? John Stewart? Comic books fan?"

"And your present is…"

"My present is a true relic. First issue of "Justice Guild", special edition".

"What is this "Justice Guild" about so John Stewart liked it so much?"

"It's about Seaboard City, nice place if it wasn't attacked by villains on daily basis. Traditionally fictional cities had only one or two heroes to protect it. "Justice Guild" was one of the first comic books that used a whole team of superheroes".

"May I..?" Superman opened the envelope and looked through comic book on superspeed. "Catman, Black Siren, Green Guardsman, Tom Turbine, Streak… Hmm, this Green Guardsman character looks a lot like Green Lantern. What do you think – should Guardians sue the authors for plagiarism?"

"I doubt it. Hal Jordan was the first Green Lantern from Earth, and first issue of "Justice Guild" was published when he was still a test pilot in US Air Force".

Kyle suddenly yawned. Superman looked at grandfather clock.

"I must go. It's already half past ten, and you need some rest. Send my best regards to John Stewart".

"I'll tell him. Bye, Super!"

"Good-bye!" Superman vanished. He didn't use the door.

Kyle yawned again; his tired mind was replaying the talk.

If it wasn't already too dark, he'd saw a streak of black and white in the skies over Los Angeles.

"Justice Guild…" muttered Superman to himself preparing to fly home. "Interesting…"


To be continued…