Challenger, Part I
January 12, 1939
The people of Metropolis had already grown used to looking up by 1939. Even in the heart of the cynical citizen, there was a dash of that childhood wonder, the one that was given new life by even the possibility of seeing their champion leap through the air.
A single glimpse of Superman was worth it.
They called him the Man of Steel. The Marvel of Metropolis. They spoke of his powers, their excitement barely contained. He was strong. He was fast. He could leap over the Solar Tower in a single bound. Bullets couldn't harm him. From his eyes poured beams of heat and his breath could freeze water.
Superman could do no wrong.
Clark Kent, on the other hand.
"You spent all that time and energy tracking down your "hunch," and what did it get you? Scooped by the Star!" shouted Perry White.
Clark was worried his boss was going to blow an artery. He could literally hear his heart pounding in his chest.
Perry threw down the Metropolis Star newspaper on his desk. The headline read, "Superman Breaks Up Cabbie Crime Ring, Councilman Herman Reynolds Implicated in Scheme".
"I'm sorry, Mr. White. I was close, but-"
"Don't blame Superman for it! I pay you to report the news, regardless of who's involved." said Perry.
Clark had been on the verge of compiling enough evidence to break the story, but the criminals involved in the racket moved to silence their witnesses, which forced Superman to intervene. Clark had lost the lead and now he was hearing all about it.
Perry sat down. He drummed his fingers on the desk in a haphazard pattern.
"You've done good work for us, Kent. Some of the others thought I was taking a risk bringing in someone like you, but I saw your past work, I knew you had promise.
The Bowers protection ring? Bringing down Senator Barrows? That was the real deal. This town's gone a bit loopy since Superman showed up, and I don't blame them, but even with all that noise, you kept your eye on the ball and did real reporting.
But, you can't coast on that win forever. You gotta get out there and find some stories. You understand, Kent?"
"I do sir."
Perry ceased his tapping.
"Good. On that note, you're going to accompany Lois to the museum expansion today. Listen to the speeches, look at the new exhibits, speak to the visitors. Between the two of you, I'm sure there's an angle to be found."
Clark got up from his chair.
"I won't let you down, Mr. White."
Clark returned to the bullpen and headed for Lois's desk. She was liable to leave without him if he took too long. Her workspace was easy to find, buried as it was under stacks of papers and books, arranged into towers of tenuous stability. Many of her colleagues lived in fear of disturbing the delicate balance and being buried.
"The chief gave you an earful, huh, Smallville?" said Lois.
"It wasn't so bad."
"Tell that to the rest of us. Lombard was taking bets on whether or not you were getting fired already."
"They won't get rid of me that easily," said Clark. He hoped he could make good on that declaration. Finding a balance between Clark and Superman was far harder than anticipated.
"What's this? A show of moxie from our most mild-mannered reporter? Perhaps he does retain a few surprises."
Clark did his best to hide his blush.
Lois stood, purse in hand.
"Come on Clark. We'll grab Jimmy and make tracks to the museum."
There was a crowd gathered by the time the trio arrived at the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. It was an assortment of interested citizens, officials, fellow reporters, scientists and police. When Clark was younger, the chatter of the crowd would have been overwhelming, enough to drive him away. Over the years, he had learned how to filter out the noise, to avoid the excess stimulus. He couldn't imagine growing up in a busy city with the onset of his powers. Smallville had been enough. Metropolis remained a lot to process, but he was adapting.
Jimmy took photos of the scene, while Lois did her best to ferret an answer out of Judge Fenton about one of the latest mob trials. Gil Frisson, a reporter from the Star, tipped his hat to Clark with a mischievous look. He was the one who scooped him on the cabbie racket.
The museum was impressive. It was positioned on the south-eastern edge of New Troy, near the waters of the bay. Surrounding it was a park that offered pleasant strolls and a popular destination for relaxation. It's architecture was a mix of art deco and ancient Greece, all columns and geometric patterns. Clark meant to visit, but both worlds of work kept him busy. The new wing leaned more modern in its design, a byproduct of the its purpose and patron.
Lex Luthor.
The man permeated Metropolis almost as much as Superman, maybe more. His visage marked billboards and advertisements. LexCorp brand businesses were dotted the streets. His voice could be heard on frequent radio broadcasts. To many, Luthor was Metropolis.
There were less flattering words spoken about him, behind closed doors and in hushed voices. Stories of backroom deals and aggressive corporate maneuvers. He played a difficult game against the competition, one that routinely ended in bankruptcy and closures.
"Do you have any interest in astronomy, Mr. Kent?" asked Jimmy, returned from his circuit through the crowd.
Jimmy was around a decade younger than Clark. He got the sense that the Daily Planet served as a makeshift home, though there was no doubt that the young man was an excellent photographer. His enthusiasm reminded Clark of Pete Ross back home.
"I find the field fascinating. Also, you can call me Clark, Jimmy."
"I was glad when Lois grabbed me for this assignment. I'll take photos for anything the Planet wants, but this time it's a bonus."
"So, there's a personal interest?"
Clark's question prompted a rapid response from the freckled teen.
"You're darn right there is. There's been so many advances in the past decade, what with the capabilities of telescopes, not to mention the possibility of discovering life on other worlds. Imagine it, Mr. Ken- I mean, uh, Clark, an entire universe full of alien civilizations."
Before Clark could respond, Lois interjected, "I think what we need to imagine is a world where you spend a little less of your money on those pulps, Jimmy."
They bickered like siblings, while Clark thought on Jimmy's words. His own upbringing demanded a certain amount of attention be paid to astronomy. He pictured the sleek, blue and red rocket ship, hidden in a hole at the back of the Kent barn. Ma and Pa's story of how they saw a streak of light cross the sky and plow into the earth on their drive home one day. And how, in that rocket, was the infant they would raise.
They revealed this fact to Clark when he was eight, right around the time his powers began to develop in earnest, right after he nearly burned down Mr. Millford's grain silo with his heat vision. The memory of the rocket brought that feeling of shakiness, the widening gap within, the one that arose whenever Clark spent any time on the subject of how he was not of this world.
Krypton, was what his birth parents called it. They appeared to him as flickering ghost lights, projected from the rocket with technology far beyond that of Earth. Jor-El and Lara. They wore strange outfits, bodysuits adorned with the same crest that Superman wore on his chest. With watery eyes and stoic faces they explained that they sent him to Earth, though the message cut out after that moment. Clark used to watch it over and over, wishing for a new scrap of information.
"Jimmy, get closer so you can get a shot," said Lois. He slipped into the throng of people and vanished.
The ceremony was about to start. Mayor Nicholson introduced Luthor to applause. Clark appraised the man for the first time in person since his arrival in Metropolis.
Lex Luthor was tall, with broad shoulders and a lean frame that fit nicely in his black suit. He had a handsome, if severe, face, as though it were sculpted from stone, with green eyes that appeared to gleam. The only hint of imperfection was present in the receding patch of red hair on his head. He stood at the podium, his as his gaze swept the crowd. Clark caught a hint of distaste on Luthor's face, before a warm grin erupted.
"The City of Tomorrow.
Even in the darkest hours of the Depression, that is what Metropolis was known as.
The City of Tomorrow.
I came to this city and built my business from nothing but willpower and hard work, a feat I could have never considered performing elsewhere. Metropolis was my destiny.
People come to this city, not merely for work or the location. They come here to be a part of something greater than themselves. To be a part of forging the future. A future I hope to play a major role in."
Beside him, Lois groaned.
"It may seem peculiar to be fixated on the future during the grand opening of a new wing of the natural history museum. But, the focal point of this wing, astronomy, is a pathway to the future.
In using the cutting edge of science to examine not just our planet, but the solar system's past, we glimpse into the future, into the possibilities that stretch before mankind.
This is only the beginning of my plans for Metropolis, a city I intend to give back to in every way possible. With all the funds I have at my disposal, I would like to take this moment to announce LexCorp's plans to open a new state of the art factory to provide further opportunities for everyone to join me in my dreams for a better Metropolis, and ultimately, a better world."
The crowd met Luthor's speech with enthusiastic applause. The bulbs of cameras flashed as he met them with a practiced look of confidence. The mayor and Luthor cut the ribbon in front of the new wing and the crowd began to gradually stream into the museum. Clark and Lois let themselves get shifted along.
"You know Lois, you've never told me why you don't like Luthor."
"What's not to love about our resident megalomaniac?"
"He seemed even keeled in that speech. Charming, even."
Lois scoffed. "It's an act, Smallville. Right now he's basking. If you ever see him when things don't go his way, you'd understand how nasty he can get."
She leaned close to Clark.
"For the past year, I've been trying to prove all manner of criminal activity that can be traced back to Luthor. Illegal arms sales to Franco's forces in Spain. Mussolini's in Ethiopia. Property grabs enforced by muscle. Missing workers and poor conditions at his factories."
"What's the difficulty?"
"He uses subsidiaries and representatives to shield himself. It's hard to link it to the man himse-"
Lois was interrupted by a man blocking their path.
"How is the busiest reporter in Metropolis?" Luthor said. He smiled, but there was no joy in it. Clark heard Lois's heart rate spike briefly, before it settled. Luthor's was even.
"Not too busy to finally have that one on one interview with you."
"I'll have to check my schedule, Ms. Lane. The work keeps me occupied."
"Don't tell me you're afraid?"
Luthor chucked. "There are far greater things to worry about than that tabloid rag you call a newspaper. Perhaps one day, I'll buy it and clean it up."
Clark sensed Lois was close to boiling over and stepped in. He extended a hand towards Luthor.
"Hello, Mr. Luthor. I'm Clark Kent with the Daily Planet. We happen to have a connection."
Luthor ignored his gesture.
"What could that possibly be?"
"We're both from Smallville. I'm a few years younger than you, but I remember your exhibit at the state fair."
Now Luthor looked at Clark like he spit in Luthor's drink. He could hear his teeth briefly grind.
"If you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to. Do enjoy the exhibit, Ms. Lane."
As Luthor left, Lois said, "Way to go Clark. It's rare that someone can get under his skin."
"I didn't know that was such a sore spot."
"Maybe its a new angle."
Clark could see the gears as they turned in her mind. Jimmy regrouped with them and they continued into the new exhibit hall. It was a high ceiling dome, with hallways that split off in a star shaped pattern. An intricate mechanical model of the solar system whirled around on tracks above their heads. The sun was an orb of glass with controlled flames swirling around within it.
They were greeted with large murals that depicted all manner of celestial phenomena. Comets streaking through the void. The surfaces of the Moon and other distant planetary bodies. Meteor impacts and the conflagration they brought. The rings of Saturn. Clark was amazed at how accurate a few of them were, namely the painting of the lunar surface, something he was privy to with his own extended vision. If he concentrated he could look all the way to Mars. The range of his vision had grown in the last few years, much like his other powers.
There were a variety of telescopes and models of the latest advances in rocket science. Lois noted that LexCorp had increasingly invested in the latter, including the recruitment of a number of experts. Clark wondered if there would be humans venturing into space within his lifetime.
They passed by a series of meteorite fragments. The crown jewel of the collection was around the size of mail box. It was dark, with irregular grooves and channels. A hint of what appeared to be green crystals protruded from the top of it. They pulsed with an iridescent sheen as the light struck them.
"Lovely, isn't it?" said a black man with a neat beard and a light accent that stood nearby. Clark recognized him as one of the scientists that flanked Luthor during the speech.
"Quite," replied Lois.
"Dazzling," added Jimmy.
"I'm Dr. Saul Erdel. I was one of the scientists that the museum consulted with for this exhibit."
Dr. Erdel held up both arms, palms facing up, as though he were beckoning to the heavens.
"I've made the study of the cosmos my life's work. I specialize more in the detection and interpretation of radio and other signals, with the possibility that we may discover extraterrestrial life."
"That's quite the profession," said Jimmy, enraptured.
Erdel nodded, then returned his focus to the meteors.
"These, however, are no less fascinating. They're visitors from the far reaches of our solar system and beyond, a glimpse into the composition of the universe."
A feeling snuck up on Clark, one that had been foreign to him since he was a small child. He felt nauseous, his stomach promising that betrayal was imminent. His legs were less sure of their strength, a slight wobble in his step. He grabbed a nearby rail to steady himself.
"Are you alright, sir?" said Dr. Erdel.
Lois grabbed his arm.
"You're not looking all that Clark." She examined him. "You're sweating."
He waved her off.
"I'm feeling a bit ill, is all. Must have been something I ate."
"You should get some fresh air. I'll catch up with you in a bit," said Lois.
Clark assented and left the exhibit. He found a pillar to lean on at the stairs leading up to the entrance. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the sweat. The nausea faded in a few minutes, replaced by frustration.
There was no guide for Clark's abilities, no assurances. Every time Superman raced into action, it was without a guarantee that anything was going to work. A part of him was still surprised he was strong enough to stop that train he rescued a few months ago. He was invulnerable until he wasn't.
Before long, Jimmy emerged from the museum and joined him on the steps. He explained that Lois was doing the rounds with the various officials and experts, looking for anything she could turn up on Luthor.
"Was it as good as you expected, Jimmy?"
"Even better," Jimmy said. He fussed with his camera. For someone so young, it was like a third appendage with the way Jimmy wielded it.
"You wonder if Superman is from space? Or any of those other heroes, like Green Lantern?"
"I don't know Jimmy. I suppose you'll have to get Lois to ask him the next time she sees him."
"I bet he is. It makes me wonder, though. Why he's here. And if he'll ever go back."
Clark remained silent. His eyes drifted to the sky. The possibility of traveling to space had crossed his mind. To find Krypton. Though, as that exhibit had demonstrated, there was little chance of him finding it without a destination in mind. A more direct obstacle was his lack of flight.
Clark had flown before. Twice. The first time was during a dream, where he awoke, having carried his bed sheets up into a cloud. He was so scarred that his parents spent hours coaxing him down. The second was when his childhood crush Lana Lang was nearly swept up by a tornado. Clark had jumped to catch her and the next thing he knew, he was floating through the air.
He spent hours trying to recreate that ability. Clark fell from his roof, hopped off of silos and leapt from bridges, hoping the illusion of danger would prompt it once again. It was no use. He settled for leaping incredible distances. Clark missed that brief sensation of flight though.
Lois reunited with them.
"Any luck Lois?" asked Jimmy.
"No takers. Figures that Luthor's pocketbook could buy their silence."
She turned to Clark.
"At least you look better. You'd think a country boy would have a heartier constitution."
"Must be that dubious city food."
"Sure, sure. Anyway, I talked to a few more eggheads about the exhibit. Even got a quote from our esteemed mayor. Another hour or so with some of these guests and we should have enough to keep Perry off of your back Clark. Clark?"
Clark wasn't listening to them. His ears picked up a heated conversation towards the other end of the building, as Luthor berated someone.
"What idiot do I need to fire for this?" growled Luthor. So this was the nasty side.
"Sir, I have no idea how this happened."
"This is a day celebrating scientific genius. My genius. Not a children's parade. Who brought these?"
"We don't know, Mr. Luthor. They just showed up."
"Clark!" said Lois.
He shook his head. There was an odd clanging sound in the background, though the noise of the crowds made it difficult to pinpoint.
"I'm sorry, I had another dizzy spell."
"Hey, Lois, Clark. Look at that," said Jimmy, pointing to a commotion by the entrance.
Approaching the building, was a formation of wind-up toys, modeled after automatons. They stood twice as tall as a person and moved in lock step with one another. They were flanked by other toys, a diminutive fire truck, a pair of rocking horses and a monkey with a cymbal, all of which moved with a life of their own. The visitors to the museum gaped and stared at the bizarre parade.
The mood turned when the miniature fire truck began to blast the onlookers with a pressurized stream of water. One of the wind-up soldiers lifted a park bench and threw it. The bench smashed into the edifice of the museum, with stone and glass tumbling to the ground. The other toys started a similar rampage, as they advanced on the building.
"Lois! Lois, you're going the wrong way," shouted Clark, but the woman didn't even slow down.
"The story's in that direction. Jimmy, come on! We'll need photographs."
Jimmy shrugged sheepishly at Clark and ran after her. Clark followed. He would need a moment to slip away, out of sight. Clark couldn't stop the threat, but Superman had a chance.
As they neared the havoc, Clark could see that the toys were not directly targeting any of the bystanders, instead doing their best to tear apart the infrastructure in a path to the new exhibit hall. Even so, it was only a matter of time before someone was injured in the frenzy.
An errant lamp post collided with one of the columns, sending a decisive crack through its mass. Lois and Jimmy were beside it, with the young photographer focused on his camera as he lined up a shot. The column leaned towards the reporters. Clark put on a dash of speed and pushed them aside, the flash of the camera going off as the column toppled. Its failure sent down another two pillars by Clark, separating him from his companions.
He shrugged off the chunks of marble and stifled the guilt as he heard Lois and Jimmy call his name. Towards the rear of the building was a storage shed, used by the grounds keepers. Clark broke the lock and entered it, shedding his suit and revealing the costume below.
The ruthless spray of water from the fire truck was halted with a gust of frozen breath from Superman. He swept the vehicle with his X-ray vision. Satisfied that there was no driver, he did a short hop and landed on the cap of the truck, caving it in.
Cries for help rebounded from the museum itself, as the automatons had breached the outer walls. A chunk of the wall fell towards a group of teenagers. Superman lunged towards them, his fist outstretched. He caught the wall, urging the group to flee the scene.
The toys moved in unison, as though they were honing in on a specific target. Metal screeched above the exhibit as the planetary display was damaged by their makeshift entrance, the tracks failing under the strain. Mercury and Venus fell, first, though Mars and Jupiter swiftly followed.
Superman caught the first two, and dispatched the others with his heat vision.
A metal fist caught him in the rib cage. He spun through the air, smashing into one of the telescopes, its frame bent around his body. One of the toy soldiers had switched its target to him. Superman grabbed the ruins of the instrument and swung it like a bat. The end of the telescope bashed the toy in its head, sending it flying free with a complementary shower of sparks. The body took another step, then crumpled.
He plowed through another pair of clockwork adversaries, before being met with the abrasive clap of the toy monkey. It pounded the cymbals together, producing a discordant ring, one which made Superman's head pound momentarily. He withstood the sonic barrage and caught the cymbals in the midst of closing. With a heft, Superman ripped the automaton in two.
"Get back! Do your job, you cretins!"
The voice could only belong to Luthor. Superman cast his vision about the exhibit, before it settled upon the man, who was cornered by a trio of the toy soldiers.
As Superman advanced, a toy swiveled to look at him. A panel on its chest slid open, with an elongated cylindrical barrel emerging. It thrummed with energy. Before he could reach it, an incandescent yellow light shot forth and struck him in the chest.
Superman was knocked backwards by the blast. It did not hurt, exactly, but it did repulse him. He found his footing and regained the momentum, step by step. The glow intensified, as did the pressure. Still, he moved forth. His hands grasped the barrel and crumpled it up. He yanked, pulling it loose, before bringing it down on the giant toy.
Before he could turn to Luthor's predicament, one of the rocking horses kicked him in the torso, which sent Superman staggering backwards as he lost his footing. He tumbled into one of the displays and knocked it over.
Something fell to the floor by Superman's head. A drop of blood. He touched his forehead. his fingers met by a fresh cut.
A cut!
Clark hadn't had a cut since he was a boy. His fingers were stained with a thin trickle of blood. His back ached where he crashed into the exhibit. The nausea reared its head once more. Superman looked all around him.
He had smashed through the meteorite with the green crystals, its shards scattered across the floor.
Superman staggered away from the exhibit, but the horse advanced on him. He attempted to block its assault, but his strength failed him as it delivered another kick. Clark was launched through the wall, falling in a long, painful arc. It ended with the embrace of water, the bay.
He flailed out, desperate to stay at the surface. Could he drown? He couldn't bleed till a few minutes ago. There were no certainties for him, not anymore. His frantic motion kept him aloft, as the tang of fatigue left his body. Clark swam to shore.
The cut was sealed, the ache from his body absent. Whatever ailed him had gone.
Superman rushed back to the museum. The assault was over, though the remnants of the siege remained in the ruins of the exhibit. He spent the next few minutes rescuing errant members of the crowd from the rubble and guiding them to safety. Clark maintained a wide berth from the site of the meteor, even though it was mostly pulverized.
When he was satisfied that no one else was in imminent danger, he found the storage shed and allowed Superman to vanish behind Clark Kent.
He had barely emerged back into the open, when he heard:
"Clark!"
Jimmy ran up to him. The boy's hair was messy, his face stained by dust. He had a nervous energy about him, his thumb caressing the camera.
"I thought you got crushed by that rubble. Ms. Lane and I were worried sick." Jimmy pointed his thumb over to a crowd. "She's fine. Getting some quotes."
"I, uh, it was a close call, Jimmy. Superman managed to rescue me."
"No kidding."
Lois wrapped up her interviews and returned to them before long. Clark could sense that she was energized by what had transpired. In her element.
"Glad you're okay, Smallville. I'd hate to tell Perry our newest hire got squished."
"Thanks for the concern, Lois. Should we head back to the Planet?"
"No way. This story isn't finished yet."
Clark's face must have morphed to confusion, because Lois gave him a confident smile.
"Those giant toys nabbed Luthor.
And I just so happen to know how to find him."