Full of excitement, Jonathan looked forward to the trip to Metropolis with his parents over the weekend. Already counting the seconds and being the first one to leave class on Thursday afternoon to walk to his father's Mercedes, waiting for him to drive to the airport…
Nobody was aware that Jonathan's DNA-sample was already analyzed. That the computer system send an automatic alarm. And that right when he and his parents boarded the plane to Metropolis, a group of scientists met in a dark conference room, looking on a big screen with the photo from his student-ID…
"Name: Jonathan Reynolds! 11-years old! Residence: Boston, Massachusetts! Student!"
"And he is without doubt an Kryptonian?"
"He is! But something interesting is the fact that he has human-genes, too!"
"How? Kryptonians can't have human genes!"
"Is he a Hybrid?"
"Possibly! It proves that human and Kryptonian DNA are compatible."
"That means he could be Superman's son?"
"He is definitely not his parents' child! We found documents that prove that he was adopted!"
"His adoptive parents doesn't seem to know what they adopted?!"
"They obviously doesn't even know that he made a heritage-test! The handwriting is definitely not from an adult and the signature of his father is faked. The boy did it without his parents' knowledge."
"He doesn't seem to know that he is Kryptonian at all! Otherwise, I don't think he would have made that test at all!"
"So, is he now Superman's son, or not?"
"He could be. Or he is the child of the other Kryptonian?"
"The one that crashed in England in 1979?"
"Yes! The one in England and Superman are not the same! And he escaped in 1987, so it means he is still out there."
"He found a human to breed with?"
"But why he got abandoned, to live with two human academics?"
"Who knows? I can't imagine Superman as a family man!"
"Maybe there are more?"
"More Human-Kryptonian-hybrids? To take over the world?"
"Or to check if they can repopulate? We don't know their motives?"
"Or if these hybrids have powers!"
"If he has powers, it is our main priority to check."
"And if he doesn't have powers?"
"He is Kryptonian! He must have powers!"
"Maybe the Kryptonian knew that this boy is too human to have powers and that's why he was abandoned?"
"We have enough resources to check it! Most important is now that the DOD, Superman, nor anyone else figures out!"
"And if Superman knows about the boy?"
"Then we are prepared!"
"Where is the boy now?"
"Believe it or not, he is on the way to Metropolis! Professor Reynolds has an appointment at Metropolis University and took his wife and this boy with him to spend the weekend together there!"
"Or to visit the boy's real father?"
"None of them has any contact with Superman! They never met him in person!"
"But you have to agree that this is really odd that he travels now to Metropolis? Do you think he realized what he did wants to warn his father?"
"If Superman is really his father? We have no prove for it!"
"Who ever the boy is and whoever his father is, that doesn't matter for now! Or top priority is to get this boy!"
"We know in which Hotel they will stay!"
"Good… now we just have to keep sure that Superman is distracted as long as the operation goes on…"
Jonathan was sitting in the business-class of the afternoon flight from Boston to Metropolis and saw the city threw the window…
"Tomorrow by this time, the boy will be in our lab!"
:
Jonathan didn't notice any of that! With big eyes he looked down on the beautiful city and how it glittered and shivered under the sunset.
They had luck: Many pilots say, that this approach on Metropolis, from this direction at this daytime, is the most beautiful. And Jonathan was sure that he had never seen anything more beautiful than this. And he saw a lot in his life.
The plane made a smooth landing at the airport, where he and his parents were greeted by a huge Superman painting in the arrival-hall: 'Welcome to Metropolis! Home of Superman!'
His father booked a suite in 5-star hotel in downtown. In one of the most scenic parts of the city, near the river. When they arrived in the hotel, it was already dark. But they made a brief walk around the plaza, had dinner and a cozy and peaceful night in their suite.
Jonathan dreamt of flying again… maybe because he was in Metropolis? Maybe because he knew that Superman is living here? Maybe in his hope to meet him! But that was nothing, compared to the good feeling he had when he was here!
Metropolis had this effect on Jonathan, the boy was not able to describe. Sure, he was born (at least he thought so) and raised in Boston. But being in Metropolis gave him this feeling as if he is where is supposed to be. He couldn't explain it. It is his first visit here, but if felt like Metropolis is his destiny…
"I love this city! It's awesome!" Jonathan swarmed.
"Yeah, Metropolis is a very fascinating city!" his mother said.
"Oh,… look Mom…" Jonathan spotted a stand with souvenirs and approached it.
His father had his appointment and would join them after lunch. But till then, Jonathan and his mother used the chance to explore the city a bit on their own. In the small park near their hotel, was this stand with souvenirs. Including t-shirts. And one t-shirt cached Jonathan's attention immediately: A black one! It was a bit too big for him! With the Superman-symbol printed in red on it…
"6 Dollar!" the vendor said. "Or 2 for 10!"
"I take it! And the blue one there, too!" Jonathan said and pointed on a t-shirt in blue, with the original Superman-crest but with red shoulders that looked like his cape.
The vendor put both shirts into a purple plastic-bag while Jonathan pulled two five-dollar-banknotes out of his pocket to pay. His smile got even brighter…
Neither Jonathan, nor his mother were aware that they both were watched form safe distance…
"Can you believe it? He is buying Superman-t-shirts!"
"If he is really Superman's son, why does he buy them? He would get them for free?"
Jonathan and his mother went to the University to met with the Professor and had lunch together. After that, the family continued to explore the city…
"They don't make anything suspicious so far!"
"Stay back… he have to follow the plan!"
The plan was simple, but difficult at the same time! It was important to wait until the family is back in their suit, before they distract Superman, so that he leaves the city and is busy as long they get the boy…
After hours of walking across the city, shopping and sightseeing, Jonathan and his parents went finally back their suite to take a break before they have dinner.
"It's time for the distraction! Everyone getting ready!"
Over 5.000 miles away, a young man sitting in a stolen car with a dead body on the driver's seat received a WhatsApp message… knowing it was time…
Around 100 meters ahead of him was this high round run-down building. Once a beautiful place with the best apartments in this city. The tallest building of Moldova. But since the end of the Soviet-Union, the economic downfall, corruption and other effects, the now almost completely abandoned building was just one of many ruins. Only one light was burning. It was dark. The sun will rise in only one to two hours here…
The driver was a bit sad. This building was one of the landmarks of Chisinau. Despite its bad condition. But he needed the 500.000 Euro so urgently, Superman will prevent that anyone dies. And so he started the motor of the old Lada Zhiguly, placed the right foot of the dead old man on the throttle after switching into the third gear, left the car, went to the front, released the parking break and took the bricks from the clutch pedal to let the Lada race towards the big gas-tank on the edge of the building…
The Lada raced away with squeaking tires, got faster and faster, got lift at a bump, and hit the building's gas-tank, that was as old and run down as the building itself, caused a terrible explosion that let countless of windows in the whole neighborhood burst…
In Smallville, Clark helped his mother to carry in crates with apples and other fruits, because Martha planned to make jam with Jordan and Natalie, when he suddenly heard the severe explosion in Chisinau. After a quick and rushed apology to his mother and to his kids, Clark speeded towards Moldova to help.
In Metropolis, a 'maid' in the Hotel, received a WhatsApp with a photo of Superman, trying to prevent a high apartment building in Chisinau from collapsing after a huge explosion in the ground-level that damaged the building's structure so bad that it threatens to tip over and destroying the tall neighboring building, too.
"It is time!" the 'maid' said before she took the pushed the cart with fruits, champagne and some other non-alcoholic drinks for the child and went to the family's suit. Before she knocked. "ROOM SERVICE!"
Jonathan, who was posing with his new black Superman t-shirt in front of a mirror, watched his mother opening the door for the other woman.
"We didn't order anything!"
"It's a present from the house!" the supposed maid said and left the cart in the suit.
"Oh, that looks nice!" Jonathan's father said when he arrived and start to eat from the fruits.
The supposed maid left as quick as possible and left the suite…
Jonathan and his parents enjoyed the fruits and the appetizers. While his parents enjoyed their champagne and caviar, Jonathan got an orange-juice and shrimps…
After a few minutes, his mother realized that something was wrong…
"Ughh… I suddenly feel so weird… and tired…" his mother said.
"You work too… ugh… much…" his father felt suddenly very weird, too.
"Honey, we didn't drink that… much… champa…"
"Mom, Dad… are you okay?" Jonathan asked worried.
He didn't feel anything. His drinks, and the stuff he ate were contaminated with sedatives, too. But for some reasons he was not affected. Instead he watched both his parents fainting and crashing on the ground.
"AGGHH… MOM, DAD… WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU…" Jonathan screamed.
He could barely finish his sentence, as suddenly the door was opened and two men with gas-masks appeared and sprayed a weird green-gas into his face…
Jonathan screamed. He tried to flee. He realized that whatever happens, they are evil. They are trying to take him.
The two men were surprised that the Kryptonite gas had no affect on him. They were not surprised about his immunity to the sedatives in the drinks. But why he was not affected by the Kryptonite? They only wore the gas-masks because the Kryptonite gas was smelling weird and so that the boy does not see their faces.
"AGHH… WHAT DO YOU WANT!"
"GET HIM!" one of the men yelled and together they stormed towards the boy to grab him.
Jonathan was thrown to the ground violently, where he felt the tight grips of those men. One of them continued spraying the gas into his face.
Jonathan tried to release himself from their grips. Feeling the weight of two adult men laying on him and trying to poison him.
"WHY IS HE NOT REACTING?"
"HOLD ON!"
Jonathan only coughed. Trying to not to breath in the gas. The green color let him think it was poisonous. Desperately he tried to free himself and not to breath. Then he tried to blow it away…
Jonathan himself didn't notice that he blew the Kryptonite-gas away. The both men who tried to catch him were shocked when they saw the gas being blown across the whole room by the boy in the Superman-t-shirt. Tears filled his eyes when he suddenly start to cough as he felt suddenly this terrible pain in his lungs…
"MOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM…" Jonathan was able to scream before it happened…
The rest became suddenly a huge darkness… as he got a fist into his face.
Jonathan didn't feel the pain. But he realized that he got punched into his face before he lost consciousness…
In Smallville, Lois suddenly stopped. Her face turned pale and she start to sweat when a cold shiver ran down her back. She felt something…
"Lois, are you all right? You suddenly look as if you have seen a ghost?" Martha asked.
"I…" Lois went to the kitchen, where Jordan and Natalie sat on the table and cut apples for Martha's jam. She was relieved that both where okay.
"Lois? What up?" Martha repeated.
"I don't know… suddenly… I had this weird feeling! As if one of my kids urgently needs me! Where is Clark?"
"According to the news he is in Moldova!" Martha said, pointing on the little TV on the kitchen-counter where they could see a high-building collapsing under the sunrise…
In Chisinau, Clark was able to extinguish the flames to stabilize the building long enough to allow all people to leave the building and the police to evacuate the danger-zone. The building was not to be saved, but Clark was able to safe a lot of lives. He was able to let it collapse halfway controlled and in a way that it does not damage the surrounding buildings.
It took longer than expected. But Clark knew that he saved a lot of lives here before he left under the cheers and the applause of the people on the ground. Flying back to Smallville, Clark suddenly heard sirens in Downtown Metropolis. And when he arrived over the Hotel, he saw the chaos.
There was a huge gas-explosion in a suite. According to what Clark could hear, from a broken gas-pipe. A family was dead…
Clark extinguished the fire, that already destroyed the entire suite and spread out to the surrounding rooms. The fire-brigade could handle the rest. Clark checked with his supervision if there was someone in trouble but all guests and staff were already evacuated. But something in the burned suite cached his attention…
Three bodies. All terribly burned… Clark had seen a lot. But every time it was hard to see when someone died. These people had obviously no chance. Even if he had been here. He couldn't safe everyone. He had to accept it. But it was hard to see that one of those bodies seemed to be a child… and under the child, he found the burned leftovers of a blue Superman-t-shirt. And Clark was heartbroken…
An hour later, Clark helped Lois and his mother in the kitchen after telling them everything…
"Not even you can be on two places at the same time! Don't blame yourself!" Martha said. "It was an terrible accident!"
"In the news, they said that the boy was just 11-years old! He was as old as Jordan is now! It was his first visit in Metropolis! What a shame? He was too young to die!" Clark said. "You know… I have no clue why, but this boy… I… feel something… Something is bothering me, and I don't know what?"
Clark had no clue that he was indeed very connected to the boy. And that the burned children's body in the burnt suite was not the boy.
Jonathan woke up in a cold, unpleasant room. Surrounded by a weird red light. His whole body felt so weird. So weak. His face was swollen, and he had bruises all over. In fear Jonathan looked around to see that he was in a 'glass-cage'. He spotted cameras in every corner. And he could see shadows of people beyond the glass. He looked down on himself and saw that he was still wearing his new Superman t-shirt
"Hello?!" Jonathan asked. Hoping that his parents were close. "Mom? Dad? Where are you? Can anyone hear me?"
"It's awake!" a voice said.
"Hello?" Jonathan responds to the voice. "Where am I? Where are my parents?"
"We are your new parents…" another voice said.
Suddenly Jonathan felt his stomach lurch… the beginning of a nightmare, he so urgently wished to wake up from…