Chapter 51
Logan returns to the mansion, after having picked up and rehidden the Crystal of Fire, the stone they possess. He finds Ororo standing outside the door, her face sad. It pains him to see that expression upon her face. To see anything but a smile on her is a crime...and he's not just saying this because they're dating. "What's the matter Ro?" he asks softly.
A brief smile flashes across Ororo's face at seeing Logan before it fades. "I just came from Martha and Jonathan."
"Ah," Logan says in understanding.
"It's not fair, especially on Martha," Ororo complains. "First there was the revelation of who Sebastian Shaw is, then there is where we found Volcana and now her son is missing. No-one should have to endure all of that."
"No. No-one should," Logan agrees. "But Martha's strong. Jon-Boy too. They'll get through it and we'll get Space Boy back. None of us are resting until we do."
Ororo looks at him. "And how are you doing Logan?" she asks. "I know these things upset you."
"What upsets me is that Creed sneaked away...again!" he complains at the fact he never got to finish Sabretooth off before the tear gas started.
"What is it with you two?" Ororo asks.
Logan looks incredibly frustrated here. "I wish I could remember. I really do. I just know that I hate him. Have for a very long time."
Ororo places a hand gently on his shoulder. Logan was a surprisingly complicated man at times. On the surface it may not seem it but he is. It's part of what she finds so fascinating about him. "I won't tell you who and who not to hate but just don't let it consume you. There is much more to life than that." And Ororo will make personally make sure Logan doesn't lose himself to his angers and hates.
Logan gives her a wry look. "Still trying to see the good in me?"
"Always and it's not too hard to find."
Logan turns his head away a little. Ororo gently touches her hand to his cheek and turns it back before planting a gentle kiss on his lips.
"What are ya doing with me Ro?" Logan asks a question he does often in regards to why the hell she, of all people, is dating him. "Do you know the kind of things I have done?"
"A man's deeds do not sum up his life. A spirit cannot be weighed. You are judged by the intentions of your actions and the strength with which you face your challenges. You have endured that which would have broken other people to pieces, yet here you are, still striving to do what is right by the children you chose to take under your guardianship."
Logan looks at her curiously. "Where do ya come up with this stuff?"
Ororo laughs. "Why do you always have to ruin a nice moment?" she asks him back.
"It's what I do."
"And you're the best there is at what you do, yes?"
"Darn right...and those Inner Circle punks are going to learn it first hand when we go to rescue Space Boy," Logan swears.
Down in the infirmary Hank had just let Rogue leave after examining her. Luckily it was only a bump on her head and she will be fine. He wished he could say the same about Clark. He deeply worried about the young man in the hands of the Inner Circle.
Just then his private communications line he has down here rings. Hank lightly frowns and wonders who it is that could be calling him. There weren't that many people that had his number so to speak. He activates it and on the video link the image of a brown haired woman pops up. "Moira?" he queries.
Moira McTaggart smiles. "Henry!" she greets him warmly in her thick Scottish brogue. Then she notices his puzzled expression. "Bad time?" she asks.
"What? No. Never. I always have time to talk to you Moira. What's the matter?"
Now Moira has a puzzled expression. "Matter? Nothing's the matter Henry. This is me normal weekly call. We have them every week. I think I should be asking ye what's the matter?"
"Everything's fine," Henry says with a forced smile, not wishing to burden Moira with their problems. They do talk every week. Catching up, discussing ongoing issues they both have with caring for mutants, picking each other's brains so to speak but with everything going on he had forgotten about it.
Moira fixes him a look. "Henry Phillip McCoy," she says sternly.
Hank cringes. Only his mother ever spoke his name like that when she was telling him off.
"Ye seem tae forget that I know ye and I know when yer lying. Ye always were a terrible liar."
"Thanks Moira," Hank says with a dash of sarcasm.
Moira folds her arms across her chest and glares at him. "Now will ye tell me what is going on?"
Henry rubs the bridge of his nose a little. "It really is better that you don't know," he tries to appeal to her not to ask. It will only bring unpleasant memories.
"Why? Henry...is it Charles?" she asks, concern deep in her voice. Charles was...and always will be special to her.
"Charles is fine," Hank assures her.
"Then what is it? Tell me. Don't make me come over there," she warns him sternly.
An amused quirk comes to Hank's lips. "Moira you're 3,000 miles away."
"And when has that ever stopped me, hmm?"
"Good point," Hank concedes. "You will not like it," he repeats his caution.
"Let me be the judge of that. Maybe I can help."
"One of us has been taken."
"Oh. I'm sorry," Moira says with instant sympathy. "Who? By whom?"
"Superman."
Moira's eyebrows rise significantly. She had met the young man called Superman when Nitro was dropped off and her scientific curiosity was immense due to how unusually powerful he was. He was a nice boy. Lacking any kind of arrogance or ego one might expect such power to give someone. She is surprised, therefore, he could be taken. "By whom Henry?" she repeats the second half of her question.
Hank hesitates.
"Henry. By whom?" Moira demands to know more forcefully.
Hank relents since he can see Moira won't let it drop. "The Inner Circle."
Moira's face pales as colour drains away. "T-they're back?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper now.
"They never went away. They just stopped caring about us until now."
"Why would they take Superman?"
"Oh...that's a long story and involves aspects of Superman that are kept in trust and we are not in possession of the full facts at the moment."
"Why didnae ye tell me ye were involved with the Inner Circle again?"
"Do I really need to answer that Moira?" Hank asks back.
"I didnae need protecting Henry," she says in a raised tone, aggravated by that idea. "Ye can tell Charles that if this was his idea."
"Our problems, Moira, aren't your problems nor do you need the burden of them. Besides isn't this exactly why you pulled Rahne out and took her home because you didn't want her involved in this sort of thing?"
"I pulled her out because Charles promised she would be safe and that obviously wasnae true," Moira explains her reasons. Rahne is her daughter. She wasn't leaving her somewhere where she wouldn't be safe. The mansion getting blown to pieces proved it wasn't safe for her daughter.
"Therefore you just confirmed the point I was making. This place...this ideal we set ourselves to defend...you know as well as I do Moira it comes with risks. I understand why you wished to be away from it. So did I for many years but the world has changed Moira. Mutants are public knowledge now. Someone has to fight for our equality. That attracts enemies as much as we wished it didn't. Unfortunately those enemies include Sebastian Shaw and his Inner Circle. He has taken one of us and we're going to get him back no matter who stands in our way. X-Men never leave anyone behind."
That stings Moira more than anything because her last memory of the X-Men was them falling apart and leaving for their separate lives.
"How is Rahne?" Hank asks, changing subjects for the moment to give them both a little space to think.
"Still angry at me," Moira says with a sad sigh. "I thought she would understand I just did it tae make sure she was safe. If she was hurt..." she trails off at that unthinkable thought.
"I know it can't have been easy for you Moira. I understand why you did it," Hank says with a nod of his head.
Moira smiles slightly. "Thanks," she says grateful to Henry for being understanding.
"She is missed," Hank says about Rahne.
"She misses being there," Moira admits. "I know she enjoyed it but..."
"If anything what I have told you makes it more dangerous than it was already," Hank can guess Moira's internal debate. "You're her mother Moira. You do what you feel you need to to keep her safe. As for us here...we have made our choices even knowing the risks involved. The Inner Circle have forced this confrontation upon us and it wasn't about protecting you Moira that I didn't say anything. You made your choice not to be involved with this any more. The Inner Circle just isn't your problem. Keep safe and I'm sorry to cut our usual talk short but I think you'll understand I have a lot of work to do."
"I'll talk tae ye soon," Moira promises.
"Of course. I look forward to it as always," Henry says with a smile before he signs off.
Muir Island...
On Muir Island Moira raises a hand to her head. The Inner Circle. God is that a name she wished to never hear again.
"Moira?" a voice with a strong Irish lilt to it queries her name.
Moira smiles as she turns in her chair at her desk in her study to see Sean Cassidy standing at her door. His head full of its red curls. "Yes Sean? Is there a problem?"
"Ye tell me," Sean replies with a pointed look. He can tell from her expression something is wrong. He's known her too long. For the last few years he's been here assisting her run her research facility.
"It's nothing," Moira tries to dismiss it.
Sean folds his arms across his chest and leans against the door frame. "Want t' try that again only this time try th' truth," he says in a flat tone.
Moira glares at him and he just smiles back at her. "Ye know it's days like this I wonder why I havenae fired ye yet."
"Must be me charming personality and beautiful singing voice," Sean proposes, with a lazy grin, as a reason why he hasn't been fired.
"Well yer half right," Moira dead-pans.
"Which half?" Sean asks cheekily.
Moira gives him her patented look of disgruntlement at his cheek.
"I can wait here all day," he argues.
Moira gives in. "It's the X-Men."
A partially sorrowful smile comes to Sean's lips at hearing that name. It use to mean a lot to him and now others use it. "Can I get more than that?"
"Ye winnae like it," she ends up repeating Henry's words.
"I pretty much got that from yer expression," Sean points out.
Moira hesitates for a moment before saying, "The Inner Circle."
Sean's face darkens like Moira has rarely ever seen it. He straightens up. "What have they done?" he asks, his voice taking on a deadly seriousness that is the opposite to his usual light personality.
"Captured Superman."
"Right. I'll be borrowing th' jet then."
"What?" Moira asks in complete puzzlement.
"Ye think I'm going t' stand here and let th' Inner Circle have their fun with th' lad. Super or not ye know what they'll do t' him Moira. I shouldn't have t' explain this."
"Excuse me. Ye left before I did," Moira reminds him that he was away from the Inner Circle before she packed it in.
"Aye. I did," Sean confesses with a tad of shame. "But I've had 20 years t' think on it. We should never have let them tear us apart. Look at where we ended up. Just look at Magnus," Sean uses as a prime example of how badly they failed at what Magnus has become going around calling himself Magneto, inciting war.
"Ye could have gone back any time," Moira points out. There was nothing that was stopping him choosing to go back to the Institute if he had truly desired to.
"Aye. True enough but I had other obligations. Theresa. You...and I still have those but I will not let the Inner Circle harm that lad when I have th' power t' do something about it. I assume Charles will be working up a rescue plan."
"I didnae ask for details."
"That's fine. I'll ask when I get there."
"Get where exactly?" a female voice with an equally strong Irish lilt to it asks from behind Sean.
Sean turns to look into the green eyes of a 16 year old girl of slender, but athletic build, who has a halo of long red hair framing her pretty, freckled, face. The face of his daughter, Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy.
"Get where exactly, father o' mine?" Theresa repeats her question.
"I have t' go away for a few days," Sean says.
"Tae the Institute," a shorter red-headed, 15 year old, girl to Theresa's right surmises what the two girls overhead. "Who's the Inner Circle?" Rahne Sinclair then asks.
"No-one ye need tae know about," Moira warns her daughter off sharply, almost desperately.
Rahne and Theresa share a look. "I may be being naïve here Rahne but I think they're hiding something from us," Theresa says.
"Aye," Rahne agrees. "And who is it precisely they've taken?" she asks giving a hint at where she and Theresa ran across this conversation. Benefit of turning into a wolf is much sharper than human hearing.
"This is nothing ye need tae know," Moira warns the two girls off.
Theresa snorts. "Right and now we'll just be off and pretend we never heard any o' this," she rolls off sarcastically.
Sean pinches the bridge of his nose. "Ye are far too much like yer mother," he complains about his daughter.
Theresa smiles at that one. "Thanks."
"So who's going first?" Rahne asks as in who is going to explain what they were talking about.
"No-one," Moira says as she rises to her feet. "The Inner Circle is something neither of ye need tae know about and are certainly going nowhere near," she tries and stamps her authority and protect them.
Rahne scowls. "I thought ye said it was wrong for me tae keep secrets from ye but apparently ye can keep secrets from me. Is that how it works, mum?" she accuses.
"I'm protecting ye, Rahne. That's all I ever want tae do," Moira tries to explain and make Rahne understand.
"By lying and keeping secrets," Rahne shoots her mother's defence apart.
"That never ends well," Theresa points out. "I mean do we have t' replay what happened with Uncle Tom again?" she asks, with a pointed stare at her father about his secrets in regards to his cousin Tom Cassidy. That's a whole story right there.
Sean can feel the migraine forming already. "Look th' Inner Circle are just...a group o' very bad people I use t' know a long time ago. Th' type o' people that make Black Tom Cassidy look like a shoe-in for sainthood by comparison and they have captured Superman..."
Rahne's screams cut Sean off. "What!"
Theresa winces. "Gee and I thought I had a loud voice," she mutters as her ears ring.
'They have Clark? How could they have Clark? How could anyone hold Clark?' These are all questions Rahne asks herself.
"Ye two were involved in this together weren't ye," Theresa can work out. "How?"
"It was before ye were born Terry. It was before I even met yer mother," Sean explains.
"Not answering th' question," Theresa says sternly.
Moira places a hand to her head. She can see it is pointless to keep trying to fob the two girls off. "The answer is simple. We were X-Men."
The two girls have identical expressions of disbelief. "What!" they screech.
At the Institute...
It had taken the Professor several minutes to fend off Amara's panic attack before he got the teenage princess to calm down enough to talk to him. "Are you alright Amara?" he asks with gentle worry.
Amara nods, although she is still shaking slightly. "Yes. I am. It is just...Selene is a nightmare. She ruled Nova Roma for 1500 years and did...terrible things. The stories that get told..." Amara shivers in fear. "You don't want to know Professor."
"I'm afraid I must ask Amara. She has taken Clark," he repeats that fact.
Amara's eyes widen in worry for him. Gods. The things Selene will do to him. She steadies her nerve. "What do you need to know?"
"Everything you can tell me."
Amara tries to recall everything her tutors and parents taught her about Selene. "I know back in the time of the Empire she was worshipped as a God. Selene; Goddess of the Moon."
Charles is a well educated man, including the classics. "Selene was the Greek Goddess of the Moon. Are you saying the myths actually refer to the person we met today?"
Amara nods in confirmation. "She's not really a God. She just likes to be thought of as one. She's an immortal sorceress of the darkest of black magics. As time passed and the new religion of the One God began to dominate the empire her followers and worshippers began to dwindle," she tells the story of what happened as Christianity began to take root across the Roman Empire. "When Rome fell she only had a few hundred left. Determined to keep herself in the comfort she was accustomed to she took her remaining followers and founded Nova Roma upon an uninhabited island where no-one would come. From that day to the day she was exiled we were forced to worship her, sacrifice for her."
"Sacrifice?" Charles says with a dark look of foreboding about what that means.
"Selene lives by draining the life-force from people. Every so often one of us would be given to her and she would take their life to extend her own. We are all told this story so we never forget what kind of monster it was that enslaved us," Amara states in grave tones.
"In China we encountered Isobel again and she claimed that Selene was her mother. Now we know Isobel was born in France so is that possible? Would Selene leave for periods?"
Amara is astonished at that revelation. She tries to think. "Um...it's possible I guess. Selene had little interest in the day to day running of Nova Roma. That was left to the Senate and her personally appointed Consul. It is well known that Selene tended to bore. That is when we would suffer the most as she tried to 'amuse' herself," Amara says with complete hatred in her tone of Selene. "I guess another way she might have alleviated her boredom was to leave Nova Roma for the outside world for awhile but I can't know for certain without going home and talking to our scholars and historians," she says half-apologetically. She should have listened to her tutors more closely.
"We'll do what research we can into Isobel's history although we already know it's sketchy." Since they first met her they had been trying to research her but huge chunks of Isobel's life are missing. The Professor moves on for the moment. "Tell me of Selene's exile," Charles requests of Amara.
"It was over 50 years ago, when my grandfather had been a young man. A benevolent God came to Nova Roma and led us in a rebellion against Selene's rule. With His power we defeated her. She was exiled from Nova Roma and He used His power to erect a great barrier around our island through which Selene cannot pass. In honour of Him we hold a week long celebration. The Festival of the Child of the Stars."
Charles blinks. "Child of the Stars?"
Amara nods, a sort of awed light in her eye as she thinks of her people's saviour. "His true name I do not know. It's what He is called by my people."
"While I do not approve of killing I am curious why your people did not execute her if Selene's crimes were as heinous as you say," the Professor has to ask, knowing capital punishment is practised on Amara's home island.
"We would have but Selene managed to escape and flee the island before she could be stopped. Her exile is more that it was made sure she could never return and from what my parents told me she tried. After the Child of the Stars left she battered her magics against the barrier for weeks to no avail. Eventually even she tired of it and left and has never attempted to return again."
The Professor takes a moment to absorb that. He has been to Nova Roma. He went there after Cerebro found Amara and there was no barrier he saw. He wonders briefly how it works before realising he can't get that answer right now and moves on to raising something Selene mentioned. Charles brings his hands to lay atop his desk. "Selene said Clark's biological father wronged her."
Amara looks puzzled. "I don't understand."
Charles looks at her. "I think what I'm hinting at is fairly straight-forward."
Amara gets it. "Y-you think Clark's father was the one who defeated Selene," she says, her mind reeling from that thought.
"We know Kryptonians have visited Earth for millennia and were often thought of as Gods by many cultures."
"Oh Gods," Amara whispers in dread. "She'll...the things she'll do to him Professor," she says in terror for Clark. Her lower lip even tremors slightly. "You can't imagine the torments she inflicted upon us over the centuries because it amused her."
"We'll get him back Amara," Charles promises. "Clark's strong. He'll survive. Do you know how she was defeated?" he asks, in the hope it could aid them in their rescue endeavour.
"There was a great battle but the stories use colourful metaphors which sound great but don't exactly give great detail. Sorry."
"You have no need to apologise Amara. None of us were aware of any of this until today."
"If I can help I will," Amara offers.
"I'll take it under consideration. For now try and think back on every story you know of Selene for anything that might be helpful to us and let me know if something occurs to you."
"Of course Professor," Amara says. With the talk done she takes her leave. Once the door is closed behind her she lets out a shaky breath. Gods. Selene. Why did it have to be Selene? That's beyond a nightmare. When Amara imagines what Tartarus is like she imagines Selene is there waiting to inflict the eternal punishments on the damned souls sent to that Gods forsaken place.
If she hasn't had enough issues lately what with finding out Claire, whom she has...had...Amara is still getting over it. Anyway she did have a serious crush on Claire and now she is at this Frost woman's school. That had shocked her as matter of fact. She knows Claire comes off as this angry, tough, uncaring, somewhat aloof and cold person but she's had a hard life and under it all there is still a streak of something in Claire that aspires to be better. Amara has seen that it exists. Therefore what is Claire doing with these Hellions Amara wishes she could understand. It didn't seem to quite fit...or maybe, as Tabby might say, she is looking at Claire through rose tinted glasses. A saying she has come to understand the meaning of. It could be the case. Amara doesn't have the answer.
Now, on top of that, she has something that has a major impact on a core of herself; her faith. The Child of the Stars, Clark's father, if that is what he is, is one of the most worshipped Gods on Nova Roma. He has 3 temples. She's prayed in all of them and the festival held in his honour is Amara's favourite. If Clark truly is His son then...then can he still be her friend? To her does this makes Clark, in all actuality, a God? Should Amara have been worshipping him and not helping Tabby play pranks on him?
Amara cringes. Gods what will her parents say when they find out she once stole the underwear of the son of the saviour of Nova Roma. She can't just blame Tabby. She's a princess. She has to take responsibility. That's what the Child of the Stars asked of them when he left. To step up, take charge of their own destiny and never let themselves be subjected ever again and they have. Amara is proud of her kingdom and what it has achieved since coming out of Selene's Dark Age.
Amara has no clue how to deal with this but for now she has to focus on doing what the Professor asked. If she doesn't help save Clark this won't be an issue because Selene will kill him and one thing Amara is certain of is that she won't just do nothing and allow that.
Hellfire Club, New York...
Down in the dungeon Isobel was standing over a simmering cauldron while she prepared her spell that would elevate Emma's telepathy and allow her to enter Clark's mind. She looks up from her casting to gaze at her 'partner' in this. "Admiring the view Emma?"
Emma smiles a very genuine smile of admiration for the unconscious young man stripped topless and chained to the wall. She glides a finger down the chiselled plains of his torso. "There is much to admire you must admit," she says and this is true despite the faint scars still visible on his body from his battle with Selene. Despite Selene's drain of his life-force and suppression of his powers his injuries were healing remarkably quickly.
Isobel would concede Clark is very pretty to look at but it does not compensate for his annoying hero complex nor does it assuage her fury for his interference in her plans.
Emma brushes her hand through the errant curly lock of hair over his forehead which flops back into place. She then brushes the back of her hand against his jaw and his head shifts slightly. He groans quietly and his eyes start to flutter. Emma watches and observes his reaction as his eyes open and he starts to figure out where he is. Those were a very interesting colour of blue his eyes possess and so expressive as she watches his emotions flicker through them. He tests his chains which rattle against his strength but come nowhere close to being broken.
Superman sighs. "This is so redundant," he complains. "Couldn't come up with anything original Isobel?" he asks at finding himself strung up...again!
Isobel smirks. "Not my doing."
Superman fixes his glare on Emma, trying to hide how sore and tired he is. "The dungeon theme really? It seems so clichéd. I expected better."
"Well I do hate to disappoint," Emma admits a truth.
"Where's Selene?"
"Around. First you and I will have a 'chat'."
"I think you'll find we won't," Superman states. "And I don't fall for the same trick twice Isobel," he adds in case she tries what she did before to make him reveal the location of the stone. He'll be on his guard this time.
"Oh this is a whole new trick Superman," Isobel promises, still keeping her knowledge of his true identity from Emma for now. "I'm going to use my magic to enhance Emma's telepathy to get inside your impossibly thick skull."
Superman hides any worry off his face. Clark does have many worries but he is pushing all the questions and concerns to the back of his mind. If he is to escape he must remain focussed. "Give it your best shot," he dares her, sounding remarkably blasé about it.
"Oh I will darling. I promise," Emma says, with dark intent in her cold smile.
Superman looks at Isobel. "I'm sorry Lana," he says with guilt flowing from his words.
"Sorry?" Emma queries, puzzled
"He's apologising to my vessel for his continual failure to save her," Isobel mocks. "Really you must get over this do-gooder complex," she advises.
"I suppose I would waste my breath trying to appeal to you to let Lana go," Superman says.
"Indeed. You would," Isobel confirms. "But don't worry your pretty little head about Lana. She remains asleep and unaware of anything if it is any comfort. Besides I'm making much better use of her life."
"Sure. Crying all the way home to mommy because you got beat is so much better."
Isobel fixes him a death glare while Emma chuckles amused at the stinging remark. Isobel glares at Emma for that as well. She grouses a few words under her breath about the two people. "Ignore him," Isobel advises. "He's just trying to stall us until he figures out how to escape," she explains what she knows he is doing. "By the way escape is impossible this time. My mother made those manacles around your wrists. They're magical and are suppressing all your power."
"Funny. Didn't stop me last time," Superman counters. He lost his powers last time and still managed to escape, track her down and beat her...ok with help from his friends but still he won and she lost.
That was true Isobel must admit but then again last time she had been betrayed by Madeleine. Also one might ask why hasn't she just stripped his powers like last time. Problem is she no longer has her book and is incapable of performing that spell at the moment. Her mother could...in fact her mother could have already done so if she desired but didn't. Isobel isn't certain of this but she doesn't know if that spell would work twice in all actuality. The way Clark was healed previously seems to have changed him slightly, from what she can sense, as if his powers are now more deeply rooted into his body. Isobel isn't saying it can't be done to remove his powers. It probably can, only it would take more effort and magical power which, rather than waste, her mother obviously just decided it was easier and quicker to conjure up the manacles which is just, in essence, as effective. In reply to Clark she says, "This is a very different situation. You have no idea what you're up against this time."
"I didn't last time...and yet I still won. Either I'm really good or you really just plain suck at this."
Isobel scowls at him. Maybe letting her mother torture him is a good idea after all she is starting to think. Maybe that would finally silence his insolence.
Emma must admit this is amusing and she is finding Superman fascinating. She cannot wait to see what goes on inside his head and find out who and what he truly is. "You're a lot more conniving and cunning than this boyscout image you project aren't you," Emma is starting to realise already from what his words are truly intended to do.
"Look in my head and find out," Superman dares her.
"I will soon."
Superman actually laughs. "Go ahead because you have no idea who or what I am and as I once said, to the most obnoxious person on this planet, you have no idea how I think. Look in my head and you'll regret it, Emma."
"Is that a threat?"
"A friendly warning. I'm protecting you just like I do everyone else. My mind is not a sunshine holiday in the Caribbean."
"I do find it interesting how you use a metaphor that would involve me in a bikini," Emma says with a sly, suggestive, smile.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Superman says with a sort of deathly calm seriousness.
"The spell is ready," Isobel announces.
Emma grins in eager anticipation. "Then let us begin."
Author's Note: It will be something to be explored later about how does Amara deal with the reality that, to her, Clark is essentially a deity and how does Clark deal with the fact that a nation of thousands worships his father as one and might do the same with him. Anyway that's for later. For now we are going to get an insight into Clark's head which if you think about it must be a really complex and scary place considering how much his head has been screwed with by Jor-El...and yes, I'm working towards a partial reunion of the first X-Men. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Emma takes her first journey into Clark's mind while the X-Men continue their efforts to find and rescue him.