Part XII
Clark Kent nudged his glasses down his nose and peered through the window, examining the details of the crack in the Liberty Bell and its inscription.
This wasn't his first time to Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, but it was his first time getting to explore the area on his own, without the crowds of tourists and school groups scurrying from site to site. There were a few people around…mainly locals strolling, jogging, jogging with strollers…but this early in the morning the whole historic block seemed calm and peaceful, from the site of the Presidents' House, where George Washington and John Adams had served before the construction of the White House, to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution had been debated and adopted by the country's founding fathers.
Kent smiled to himself and took in a deep, bracing breath of the fresh spring air. Just being there was enough to make his chest swell…knowing he was standing where the country's founders had once stood, walking the same streets as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson…
"It's a little early to get in line, sir. The center won't open for another hour and a half."
A woman's voice surprised him, and the tall reporter looked down to see a National Park Ranger had come up beside him while his thoughts had been wandering.
"Oh, I'm sorry, my mind was…" Kent stammered, but the ranger smiled at him and he realized that had been her way of breaking the ice.
"That big crack there is really part of a repair job, you know," she said, indicating the famous bell in the building behind them. "Didn't work, though. Another crack developed, and that was that. There's no one now living who's ever heard the peal of that bell."
Kent readjusted his glasses and returned the ranger's smile.
"Actually, I did know that," he said. "If I remember right, the bell came from London, to be used in the State House – Independence Hall, right over there," he pointed to the rectangular brick building across the way. "But it broke on the first test ring and it had to, uh, be recast here, in Philly. The bell stayed in use for some ninety years before the cracks that finally silenced it began to form. In the meantime, it became an important symbol of liberty for the abolitionist movement. Hence the name, the Liberty Bell."
The ranger raised her eyebrows approvingly and sidled in a little closer.
"'Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof,'" she quoted the bell's inscription, raising her gaze to his face. "You know your history."
Kent felt himself blush a little and sank his shoulders into his jacket, pushing his glasses further up his nose. He hadn't intended to attract attention, from pretty park rangers or anyone else.
"Oh, yeah, well, I came here on a school field trip once…ages ago," Kent said awkwardly. "Uh, to tell the truth, it's not so much the bell I remember as the line to get in to see it. There were so many school groups, from all over the country. I got to meet kids from New York, Arizona, Idaho…" The memory made his shy smile broaden. "Quite an experience for a Kansas farm boy."
"Kansas, eh?" the ranger said, and moved even closer.
"Yes, well, I live in Metropolis now," Kent said, scooting a few steps back. "Actually…um… I'm here today to meet a friend…"
"Yo, look!" one of the joggers called out, stopping short and pointing toward the far distance. "Up in the sky!"
Kent looked and smiled in relief, taking advantage of the ranger's momentary distraction to slip away and change…
"What, that red thing?" said a man pushing a stroller, squinting against the morning light. "Probably a cardinal."
"That's not a bird," a woman said. "It's getting bigger!"
"So it's a plane, then," the man with the stroller countered.
"Dude, you need to get your glasses checked," the jogger said, jogging over to join the group. "That's not a bird or a plane! It's—"
"Superman!" Shazam greeted brightly, his big, muscular form crackling with electricity he'd picked up on his lightning-fast flight through the atmosphere. The crackling arcs faded as he touched down in the middle of the open square and dashed to meet the tall, colorfully-clad Kryptonian. "Batman said you'd be here. What's up, my good League buddy?"
"Well, I—" Superman started, but the excited crowd surrounded and cut between the two superheroes, holding up their phones and lifting their babies from their jogging strollers to get a closer look. Superman raised his eyebrows and stepped quickly out of the way.
"Shazam!" they cried.
"Hey big guy, can I take a video? You and me?"
"Shazam! You still doing selfies?"
"How about a few lightning bolts, Cap – you know, for the kid…"
"Great job against that Ibac character, you big cheese. How much are the repairs gonna cost the city this time?"
"Like it's his fault some nut tears up the street? The Shazamily saved my sister from that creep!"
"Hey! Shazam! Sign my jacket!"
"Cap! Can you sign my kid's stroller? Please!"
Shazam laughed, his broad, friendly grin taking up most of his face.
"Yeah, sure thing! But it's gotta be quick, OK," he said, dashing from one to the other with the speed of Mercury as he posed for selfies and signed the items the crowd held out. "Just a sec...and 'smile'! Hey, man, got a pen? Thanks, this suit doesn't have any pockets. There you go. No, no, no charge, it's my pleasure, really!"
As the crowd kept pressing in, calling out and cheering, the hero laughed again and held up his hands. "OK, OK, guys, that's enough. You know I'd love to stay and chat, but my pal Superman and I really have to head out so, hey, enjoy the day!"
"Shazam, wait! You seriously telling us that's Superman? The real Superman?" one of the crowd said skeptically.
"Dude, of course he's Superman!" Shazam said.
"Somehow, I thought he'd be taller."
"I didn't see him fly in!"
Superman crossed his arms and shook his head, plainly bemused by their attitude.
"Dude, he's with Shazam," said one of the joggers. "Besides, with that big 'S' on his chest, who else would he be?"
"It's not an 'S'," Superman told Shazam. "Not exactly. More like a family crest."
Shazam smiled at him. "That's cool. Mine too!" He gestured to his lightning bolt - the same symbol the Wizard had worn, and which he'd seen emblazoned over the thrones at the Rock of Eternity.
"This is too awesome!" crowed a teenager who'd been filming the whole scene with her phone. "Superman is seriously friends with Shazam! Ha ha! This vid is so going viral!"
The man beside her scoffed. "Our local superhero with Big Blue? Next thing you'll tell us the Shazamily's joined the Justice League!"
"That's right," Shazam confirmed proudly, electricity crackling around him again as he rose a few feet into the air. "You're all looking at the League's newest member. But don't worry, guys, Philly will always be my home town. Just like Metropolis is home for Superman!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and Shazam flew higher, Superman joining him with a powerful leap as the people below gasped and shouted, "Hey, he's the real deal! Holy cats, our guy's in the League with Superman!"
"Bye, everyone!" Shazam called, waving, then turned in the air and looked to Superman, flying beside him. "Hey, sorry about that," he said, feeling his cheeks grow awkwardly warm. "I didn't think… I mean, I'm sure they didn't mean…"
"Hey, it's fine. Really," Superman said, looking much more amused now than he had on the ground. "Philly's your town. To them, I may as well play for a rival team."
"Except, we're both on the same team," Shazam said, grinning. "Plus, we're on the same assignment! Is that why you wanted to see me?"
"Yes. But after what just..." Superman frowned, his expression turning more serious as he paused their progress to hover in the air. "Captain, I understand you'll have your own way of doing things, especially on your own turf. But if you don't mind some friendly advice…?"
"Hey, yeah, sure! Go right ahead," Shazam invited, and Superman regarded the red-clad hero, from his earnest, open expression to his glowing insignia and gleaming white-gold cape.
"Everything about you seems designed to stand out," he said, only to smirk a little as he glanced down at his own bright blue, red, and yellow outfit. "Not that I'm really one to talk. But, it just seems, with smart phones and social media everywhere… Practically everything nowadays is recorded, and I just want you to be aware. While we wear these uniforms, everything we do, everything we say, every opinion or preference we make public reflects not only on ourselves, but on the League as a whole. When we meet with fans – and especially the press…"
"You think I should have held back about the Justice League?" Shazam asked, then blinked in alarm. "Oh crap, did I mess up some kind of announcement or something, because I honestly didn't mean—"
"No, not at all. You didn't do anything wrong," Superman hurried to assure him. "I'm just saying…" His expression pinched for a moment, then he shook his head and sighed.
"Look, Captain, I don't mean this as a criticism," he said. "I know that open, outgoing spirit is a big part of who you are. It's a big part of why those people trust you, and I'm not asking you to change that. Just remember…the people look up to you. To all of us. What we say in public carries a great deal of weight. And in today's polarized climate… Let's just say, not everyone we see out there recording and texting on their phone will be a friend."
Shazam nodded, his brow furrowed.
"I get what you're saying," he said. "Funny thing is, I'm not even on social media. That's mostly Fre...uh...my brother... But, you make a good point. I'll try to be more careful."
"I'm glad you understand."
"Yeah," Shazam said, and shot the stern Kryptonian a smile. "So, where are we going? You got somewhere in mind?"
"I thought we might take this time to get to know each other better," Superman said. "It's not often I get a morning off, and if we're going to be working together, I figure it'd be a good idea to get more familiar with each other's strengths and abilities. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah, absolutely," Shazam said, his smile spreading into a grin. "So, how would you suggest we test our powers? You wanna race, or… I don't know. We could arm wrestle, I guess. Oh, fair warning – I'm like a master at thumb wars so if you want to get, like, totally wrecked, we could always try that."
"Thumb…?" Superman stared. Shazam wiggled his thumb in teasing challenge, and the stern Kryptonian broke out with a chuckle despite himself. "No," he said, clearing his throat. "No. But, a race sounds good for a start. I've raced with Flash several times…although I got a feeling now and then that he was holding back. The question is, how far?"
Shazam shrugged and glanced around the vast expanse of sky before them. "How far do you usually go?"
"How about twice around the Earth?" the Kryptonian suggested.
"Twice around..." Shazam struggled to hold in an incredulous giggle. "Yeah, why not!"
"But, we'll have to stay out of the flight lanes," Superman warned. "With your powers, can you fly in outer space?"
"Outer…? Seriously?" Shazam looked staggered. "I…have no idea. I've never tried. I never even thought…" He blinked in amazement as the possibilities sparked and bloomed in his eager imagination. "Holy moley… Do you really think I could?"
"Can't hurt to give it a try," Superman said. "I'll be right beside you, so if you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded or uncomfortable in any way—"
"You'll be there to catch me," Shazam said, and nodded, rubbing his big hands together in anticipation. "Right, OK," he said. "So, it's up through the atmosphere and, if I don't suffocate or freeze to death, we'll have our race. Yeah, sounds good."
Superman chuckled again and shook his head. "One quick tip, Captain," he said. "When you're heading up, don't try to hold your breath. Let the air out instead, nice and slow."
"And when I'm up in space?"
"Don't breathe," Superman said.
Shazam nodded. "Don't breathe in space. Got it." He laughed a little helplessly and rubbed his hands over his face. "No, I'm good, I'm good. OK, let's do this before I change my mind."
Superman and Shazam shared a nod, then shot straight up. Shazam watched the Kryptonian closely, mimicking his posture and movements as the air grew thinner and he felt the pressure from the atmosphere lessen and lighten all around him. Within moments, he found himself floating weightless among the gleaming satellites orbiting the Earth, and beyond them he saw…
"Hey," he tried to call out, only to choke in the airless vacuum, thrashing in place as he grasped his throat. Superman hurried to his side, gesturing for him to stay calm as he tried to guide him back down, but Shazam fiercely shook his head.
Activating his earpiece, Superman spoke by vibrating his throat like a ventriloquist, without moving his mouth. The sophisticated tech picked up the vibrations and transmitted, "Shazam! Captain! Are you all right?"
Shazam nodded and tapped his own earpiece, struggling to form words in the absence of air.
"Uuperman, esss. I thaw the Watchtower!"
"Should we head back?" the Kryptonian asked, but Shazam waved him away.
"Are ooo kidding! Thith ith amathing!" he muffled awkwardly. "Leth race ooo the Watchtower! No, leth race ooo the moon!"
"You want to race to the moon?" Superman said, and Shazam grinned broadly, nodding his head. Superman regarded him closely, just to make sure he really did seem to be all right in the harsh, freezing vacuum beyond the Earth, then returned his nod, a grin spreading over his own face as he started to catch the Captain's enthusiasm.
"All right, we'll start from the Watchtower," Superman said. "First one to fly around the moon and back wins."
Shazam gave him a hearty thumbs up, and the two of them headed out, Shazam taking a moment to wave and smile at the startled heroes he saw through the Watchtower's windows as he followed Superman into position.
"This is your first time out here," Superman warned. "If, at any time, you feel you have to head back—"
"Yeah, I know. Leth fly ooo the moon!" Shazam exclaimed, and Superman smiled.
"On your mark," he said. "Get set. Go!"
The two shot off, each soon moving several times faster than the speed of sound. But, while Superman relied on natural forces, drawing his energy from the yellow sun and instinctively manipulating energy fields and bits of matter to aim and propel his flight, Shazam didn't seem bound by the same rules of physics. Belief, confidence, and the exuberant joy of soaring through the void gave magic's Champion an impressive boost, and he pulled ahead with the speed of a god – the speed of imagination – of thought itself.
The red-clad figure reached the moon first, the distant sun's unfiltered rays making his golden boots and satiny cape shimmer like starlight. But, Superman was close behind and gaining fast, using the moon's own gravitational pull to slingshot past Shazam and around the moon's dark side.
Shazam grinned in admiration at the Kryptonian's clever move, then closed his eyes and reached down deep into himself, drawing on a well of power he had felt but, until that moment, never fully dared to tap.
"Power of Zeus! Speed of Mercury! Stamina of Atlas!"
The words echoed in his mind and he accelerated faster, faster, stretching out his arms and fingers as he and Superman flew side by side back into the sunlight. Concentrating hard, he strained to pull ahead…first his fingertips, his palms, his head… Then, a dot of color against the moon's gray surface caught Shazam's attention and he formed his hands into an urgent T.
"Wait! Wait! Time out!" he muffled with his throat, and the two of them came to a stop. Shazam pointed with both hands, his eyes wide with excitement. "The flag!" he said, struggling to 'shout' without choking again in the vacuum. "The flag on the moon! We aaff to check it out!"
Superman nodded his understanding, and the pair dove toward the pock-marked surface, stopping just short of touching their boots to the dusty ground.
"This isn't the original U.S. flag planted by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin," Superman told him. "That flag, and the others placed here by later astronauts, bleached out and disintegrated long ago, largely due to the sun's UV radiation."
"Ooo planted this one?" Shazam asked curiously.
"Me," Superman said. "Last month. It's made of a special UV resistant fabric developed by Star Labs. Part of an experiment. The plan is to keep it up here for a year then bring any remains back for evaluation. Seems to have held up pretty well so far."
"Ooo bad it's not the Neil Armstrong one," Shazam muffled, flying around to look at it from all angles. "Think anyone'll mind if I grab this rock for a souvenir?" He held up a small, rough moon shard and shook off the dust.
"Why not?" Superman said, then smiled and admitted, "I have a few of my own back home."
Shazam grinned and slipped the moon rock in his golden belt. "Man, I wish we could get a picture of this," he muffled. "You an me, eere on the moon, with this awesome flag in the background!"
"Hold on," Superman said, and reached back to his cape. Digging into a hidden pocket, he pulled out a small digital camera. "How's this?"
Shazam beamed and wrapped his big arm around Superman's broad shoulders, the two of them striking a friendly pose in front of the flag as Superman prepared to snap the photo.
"All right, Captain: Say 'moon cheese'!"
"Moon cheese!" the pair chorused, holding their grins long enough for the camera to flash before bursting into gales of silent laughter.
"Dude, dude, no, you can't say you've had a cheesesteak until you've been to Gino's," Shazam said, his hooded cape whipping in the wind along with Superman's as the two of them perched together on the top of the Statue of Liberty's torch. "You order it 'whiz wit'. That way you get the fried onions and gooey cheese sauce and everything."
"Can't say I'm much of a cheese whiz fan," Superman said, wincing. "But OK. I promise. Next time I'm in Philly, I'll try it your way."
"How about we swap," Shazam suggested. "I'll get you a real-deal Philly cheesesteak, you get me one of those Metropolis hot dogs from a cart. Wit da works!"
"You have a deal," Superman said, and laughed. "My goodness. I don't think I've laughed this much in one morning for… Well, let's just say it's been a while." He snorted a little and shook his head, the wind ruffling his dark hair as he peered over the bay at the horizon. "Could be I've been hanging around Batman too long…"
"I know, right!" Shazam said. "That guy is seriously grim! It's like, how can he be, like, so broody and so awesome at the same time?"
"All part of his special charm," Superman said dryly, and the two men broke into snickers.
Shazam sobered first, casting Superman a tentative glance.
"Uh…Superman?"
"Kal-El," Superman said, meeting Shazam's surprised gaze. "That's my name. You can call me Kal."
"Sure, thanks," Shazam said, smiling. "OK, Kal. I'm…uh… I guess you can call me…Bill."
"Bill," Superman repeated warmly, and shook the man's big hand. "That's a fine name. So, Bill, what did you want to ask me?"
Shazam swallowed and shrugged, suddenly seeming a little awkward.
"It's about…well, it's about going to Vegas this afternoon," Shazam said. "Do you think it's a good idea to... Well, to walk into Zatanna's show in uniform? You said it before – my outfit seems designed to stand out." He gestured to the glowing lightning bolt on his chest. "I mean, forget the dark – this thing glows in the light!"
Superman regarded him thoughtfully.
"If you ask me," he said, "I think it's good that your wizard meant his champion to be a hero who stands in the light. No mask, no lies, no deceit."
Shazam twitched uncomfortably and pressed his folded hands to his mouth. Mistaking his discomfort for bashfulness, Superman smirked a little and lowered his gaze to the water.
"I've held secrets and been around people with secrets for a very long time," he said. "And yes, Captain, I realize you have secrets too. But flying with you this morning… I can't help feeling you're different from the rest of us. Here," he gestured to Billy's heart. "There's…this openness about you…a sense of joy I can only describe as contagious. Even…inspiring." He smiled. "I've been at this so long, I'd almost forgotten…"
He took in a sharp breath and straightened his shoulders.
"But, you make a good point," he said. "Las Vegas may be a showplace for costumed performers, but it wouldn't do to attract too much attention."
"What do you do when you have to blend in with a crowd?" Shazam asked. "Do you ever, you know, ditch the cape and walk around like a regular guy?"
"Actually, I do," Superman admitted.
"Yeah?" Shazam straightened curiously. "Then… Do you, like, have a job and stuff? I mean, besides the Justice League."
"Yes." Superman glanced at him. "What about you? What do you do when you're not out being a hero?"
Shazam blushed hard and shrugged. "I don't know. Study mostly," he mumbled, and Superman raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed.
"So, I'm in the presence of a scholar," he said.
Shazam sank further into his cape, his face burning right up to his ears. "No. Sort of. I guess. But seriously," he said, "when we meet up this afternoon—"
"Right, you're right. It's not my place to pry, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Superman apologized. "As for coming up with a disguise… My cape's fabric can fold up pretty flat, so I can tuck it in with my shirt, and my jacket tends to hide any bulge. But yours is layered, and it has that hood… Does it detach?"
"I'm not sure," Shazam said, pulling the fabric over his shoulder as he tried to get a better look. "But even if it does, then what? Do I stuff it in a bag and carry it around? Plus, this lightning bolt would glow through any shirt."
"That could be an issue," Superman admitted. "Have you tried an old-fashioned trench coat?"
"Yeah, a couple times," Shazam said. "It works, I guess, but I look really bulky and weird. And it doesn't do much to cover the boots."
"Still. Might be better than glowing in the dark," Superman said, and Shazam smiled.
"OK," he said, and climbed to his feet, the wind ruffling his hair and making his cape billow and flap. "The trench coat it is. But, it's getting late. I gotta head back. See you at three?"
"I'm looking forward to it," Superman told him and stood up too, holding out his hand for another firm shake. "You're a good man, Bill," he said. "We'll have to do this again sometime."
"Yeah. Yeah, definitely," Shazam said. "Kal. Thanks for…all this. Space. The moon!" He beamed. "I really had fun."
"So did I," Superman said. "You know, we never did finish that race."
"Good thing for you," Shazam teased, ambient electricity arcing around him again as he rose a few feet into the air. "'Cause I was totally going to win."
"In your dreams, maybe," Superman teased back.
"Rematch?" Shazam challenged, calling over his shoulder as he started to fly away.
"Any time!" Superman said and waved. He stayed on the torch watching until the red-and-gold streak of speed had vanished over the distant horizon. Then, he flew over the Metropolis streets and touched down in an empty alley. Half a moment later, he emerged as Clark Kent, straightening his glasses and fixing his tie as he strode into a corner café.
"Hey, Smallville! Over here!" Lois Lane beckoned from a booth by the window, and Clark hurried to join her, still smiling after his morning adventures.
"You OK, Clark?" Lois asked, peering at him over the breakfast menu.
"OK?" he questioned.
"You seem…happy this morning," the reporter observed. "Happier than I've seen you in a while. What's up?"
Clark's smile broadened and he glanced out the window at the sky. "I met a friend," he said.
"Yeah? Anyone I know?"
"He's from Philly," Clark hedged, and turned his gaze back to her. "Had to fly home to his family. But, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him. So, how's the coffee this morning?"
To Be Continued…
References Include - Justice League Unlimited: Clash (Superman gets super mad at Captain Marvel after opinions the Cap voiced to the press are spun into a political headline/soundbyte); Justice, by Jim Krueger and Alex Ross (in which Captain Marvel catches up with Flash, who's trapped running at full speed, and flies with Superman to the sun. Man, I love this book! LOL!); Shazam!: Power of Hope, by Paul Dini (I love this one too!); Shazam! (1981 series): Black Adam's Return (Black Adam and the Marvel Family fly through outer space); Superman/Shazam: First Thunder, by Judd Winick and Joshua Middleton; Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil, by Jeff Smith; Shazam! Volume 1, by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank; Shazam! (movie); Superman (1978); Adventures of Superman (1952 series); Superman: The Animated Series; my own trip to Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park.
More chapters are coming soon. Stay tuned, and thanks so much for your reviews! It really helps to know if you're enjoying my story and what you think of how it's going so far! :D
