Marvel's Superman

by Norrin The Bookworm

This is the story of Kal-El. The Last son of Krypton who crash landed on Earth, but not the one we are all used to. Instead Kal El crash lands in the MCU. This is the story of Kal-El the boy who even in a universe of Marvels, filled with; billionaires in suits of armor, super soldiers, Norse gods, spies and monsters becomes the greatest hero on Earth... Superman.

5. Chapter Four: Man or Superman? - Part 2

Marvel's Superman

Author's Note: Hello all, Norrin here. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a long one but I hope you all enjoy the penultimate chapter of Apollo's teenage years.

Review Replies

that guy you know the one: Yeah I was really enthralled by the idea of putting Hammer in the Luthor role and I am very aware that he isn't as smart as Luthor but I have few ideas to make him an interesting adversary in future.

Raul The Frustrated Fanboy: Thanks I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far and the Smallville elements.

I might keep Tom Welling but I'm not sure about that yet.

I do think everyone being in New York is kind of crazy so I'll see about that. I honestly wouldn't mind separating Apollo from New York. And Silicon Valley in LA has that home of advanced tech vibe that Metropolis has so honestly I'll consider LA.

I do not plan on killing off the Kents as of now so they'll be around.

Honestly She-Hulk entering the story is interesting and I'll consider it for when Apollo is older

Jack Darby The Son of Superboy: You're welcome, sorry for the absurdly long update time.

Abyss Trinity: Nope definitely not abandoned. Sorry that was what I meant, I miss typed I meant to say I watched X-Men 97 and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I did think about introducing the X-Men it's just when I think about it they change the MCU too much and this story would stop feeling like an MCU and Superman crossover. It's hard to retcon their presence on Earth especially considering Apollo's family being eons old and traveling the whole world. They would've run into mutants, but maybe in future I'll do a Superman and X-Men crossover. Yeah the X-Men are definitely coming to the MCU but I think Secret Wars will be used to retcon them into MCU history somehow. As for Hammer, yes I do have plans to make him feel as formidable as Lex.

Necros The Saiyan knight: While I did consider just having it be that Charles mind wiped the memories of people so they could stay secret it didn't really work for me because something that I find interesting about the X-Men is just how much mutants inadvertently shape or are a part of Marvel History. Having them suddenly revealed in modern day at the same time as other heroes takes away from the history that mutants have gone through, the oppression, the violence, the communities they formed to keep themselves safe. Especially when you add in the visible mutants who can't hide as well.

dragonlord2782: I don't know, Fanfiction seems to be glitching and it's annoying me to be honest.

GuyOfMany: I am glad you like the rewrite and I hope you enjoy what comes next.

AN: BTW would you guys mind if I add in the Fantastic Four? I have genuinely considered adding the 2000s Fantastic Four with a recast of Johnny even though I think Chris Evans is fantastic as Johnny. They are ways to integrate them into the MCU without changing up MCU history so much that it doesn't feel like the MCU anymore. So would you guys mind that or should I strictly stick to MCU history with Apollo being the only major change to it?

Cast: Identical to MoS/Smallville and MCU with these additions/exception/clarifications

Jonathan Kent: Brendan Fraser

Apollo: Young Tom Welling

Pete: Young Sam Jones III

Chloe: Young Allison Mack

Ben Hubbard: James Marsden

Skye Hubbard: Teenage Kelsey Chow.

Whitney Fordman: Young Eric Johnson

Kyle Cushing: Young Michael Trevino

Ted Grahame: Young Jason Dohring

Atomic Skull: Logan Marshall-Green

Apologies in advance for any grammatical errors I still don't have a Beta so I'm trying my best but if there's mistakes I'm sorry.

Chapter Four

Man or Superman? Part 2

The next day Apollo finally drove to the Hammer mansion to return the truck. The mansion was huge and looked more like a castle than a house. Apollo remembered how long it took for it to be finished and his Dad telling him how despite how impressive it was that Jason Hammer was building it out of vanity, how it wasn't a house more a symbol of how wealthy the Hammers were way back when Hammer Industries first started doing business in Smallville. When it was finished Apollo expected the Hammers to move in but it was basically abandoned. Apollo marvelled at the size of it for a moment having never gotten a proper look at the complete house before. Apollo then decided to head in but he couldn't see the guard that was supposed to open the gate and nobody was responding to him buzzing in. Apollo didn't want to waste too much time here so he used his super senses to ensure they were no cameras or people nearby before he snuck in at super speed.

Apollo wondered through the halls looking for Justin before walking into what looked like it would be his personal office/work room. Inside they were two people fencing in full gear. The two of them were really going at it and it was quite an impressive sight. They were both very skilled, parrying, attacking and defending like professionals however it was clear that one of them was better than the other. Apollo couldn't tell who it was but based on their build and their hair he figured they were a woman. The longer the match continued the more dominance she displayed before she eventually pinned the other man to the wall and placed the fencing blade to his chest. The man defeated and frustrated threw his blade across the room and it embedded itself in the wall next to Apollo who stares at the sword both shocked and a little startled. The guy takes off his fencing mask revealing himself to be Justin Hammer.

"Apollo?" Justin says shocked to see him here. Apollo glances nervously at the sword in the wall by his head.

"Sorry I didn't see you" Justin tells him.

"I buzzed but no one answered" Apollo tells him nervously.

Justin walks over to him. He grabs the swords and pulls it out of the wall. Apollo looks on nervously.

"How'd you get through the gate?" Justin asks.

"I kinda squeezed through the bars. Is this a bad time? Apollo said quickly and self consciously.

"Oh, no, no. I think Hykia has sufficiently kicked my ass for the day" Justin responds before he walks over to her and tosses her his mask.

"This is a great place" Apollo says looking around in awe as Justin walks past him.

"Yeah? If you're dead and in the market for something to haunt" Justin quipped in response.

"I meant, it's roomy" Apollo quickly said feeling a little self conscious and out his element in a place like this.

Justin just smiled at him a little before walking out of the room and into the hallway beckoning Apollo to follow which he did.

"It's the Hammer ancestral home, or so my father claimed. He had it shipped over from Scotland stone by stone" Justin informed him as Apollo looked around.

"Yeah, I remember trucks rolled through town for weeks but on one ever moved in" Apollo said remembering all the commotion about the house.

Justin stops as he's ascending the staircase to the second floor. He turns back and looks down at Apollo, who had been trailing along behind him and who was still on the first floor landing.

"My father had no intention of living here. He's never even stepped through the front door" Justin told Apollo

"Then why'd he ship it over?" Apollo asked.

"Because he could" Justin said a smirk on his face.

Apollo processed that and remembered his conversation with his Dad. He was right, this place really was just a vanity project and symbol of wealth to the Hammers. The two finished climbing the stair case and entered a new room that looked more like lounge. There's a fire blazing in the fireplace warming the room. Justin pulled off his white fencing jacket. He has a black shirt on underneath. He moves around the room quickly, removing his fencing uniform and getting otherwise organized. Apollo saw some designs for tech for the plant and weapons he was working on and Apollo looked them over.

The designs weren't bad but they weren't perfect. The plant in particular wasn't being as efficient as it could've been. Hammer was clearly working on an equation he wanted to apply to his tech to help improve the plant's nuclear energy output but it was clear he was stumped. Apollo remembered reading one of Bruce Banner's papers on nuclear physics for an AP physics class, the insights he got from that paper could be used to complete the equation Justin was struggling with. Maybe Hammer didn't fully understand Bruce's work or maybe he didn't think to see if his papers could help either way if he applied some of the findings from there to this he could improve the plant's power output while compensating for the tech that by his eye could also use some improvement. Justin noticed Apollo eyeing his designs and work.

"Sorry, I tend to bring my work home with me. These are designs and equations to help improve the plant. They should up the plant's output" Justin informed Apollo.

"I know" Apollo said humbly.

"You know? I don't know a lot of teens that have a good understanding of nuclear physics" Justin said.

"I read a lot and have an eidetic memory" Apollo admitted sheepishly.

"So you're not just a genius on the field huh? Tell me then, do you have any insights on my work?" Justin asked an inquisitive grin on his face. Behind his glasses Justin's eyes were blazing with not just curiosity but with competitiveness. Like he was challenging him.

Apollo picked up the paper and a pen and started writing, correcting Justin's equation where he went wrong until he completed the new and improved equation. He handed it to Justin and Justin read it over, his expression was a mix of awe and almost hunger. Like he discovered something he must have.

"Apollo this is incredible, who knew they were geniuses like you in Smallville." Justin spoke his voice conveying the awe he was feeling.

Apollo felt both proud and nervous about Justin's praise. Being acknowledged as a genius by one of the richest men in the world was definitely a surreal feeling but he also felt a bit out of his element being acknowledged like this. Apollo just smiled at Justin's compliment while nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Justin took the equation and placed it in one his briefcases before turning back to Apollo.

"How're things at school? It seems the whole county is reeling from the story you and your friends published. How're you dealing with it? Justin asked changing the subject.

"We're all just glad that it's over and the Mankins and everyone involved are going to go away for a long time" Apollo replied and Justin nodded studying Apollo.

"That's good events like this can really shake people so I am glad you're dealing with it well. How's the new ride by the way?" Justin said.

"That's actually why I'm here" Apollo says as Justin crosses the room.

Justin threw away his fencing jacket away and placed a towel around his neck. Justin then goes over to a table with beverages and fruit, and with his back to Apollo, starts opening a blue bottle of water.

"What's the matter? You don't like it?" Justin asked.

"No, it's not that. I can't keep it" Apollo answers very quickly.

Justin pauses as if vexed, as if the thought of Apollo saying no never occurred to him. He puts down the water and turns, walking over to Apollo. He pulls up his sleeves. Looking Apollo in the eye earnestly, then looking him up and down.

"Apollo, you saved my life. I think It's the least I can do" Justin says to him and Apollo just looks down.

Justin remembering his encounter with Jonathan Kent and came to a realisation.

"Your father doesn't like me, does he?" Justin says to Apollo. Apollo takes a breath as if he's about to say something but Justin forestalls him.

"It's okay. I'm a Hammer, that names carries a lot of weight and often it's not the good kind like the Stark name and I've lived with it my entire life. I'm used to people judging me before they get to know me" Justin says as he turns, walks away from Apollo and stares into a mirror.

"It's nothing personal. He's just not crazy about your dad" Apollo tells him.

"Figures the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? Justin says as he continues to look in the mirror as if mentally comparing himself to the image of his father.

Justin nods taking the brief silence as an answer.

"Understandable" Justin says as he turns away from the mirror, back towards Apollo.

"What about you, Apollo? Did you fall far from the tree?" Justin asks looking at him intently as if he was trying to read his expression or his mind.

Apollo didn't say anything, he just looked down, and then up at Justin wondering how he should respond to that insinuation. A part of his mind also realising the irony of him being asked that when he was adopted and didn't know his biological parents.

Justin coyly smiles at him a little at as he reads the expressions on his face and sees that the judgement or star struck look that usually exists in people's eyes when they meet him isn't present with Apollo.

"I better go. Thanks for the truck" Apollo says politely deciding that it was best for him to respond this way as he didn't want to prolong the conversation and accidentally offend Justin.

Apollo handed the keys to the truck to Justin and then turned and walked towards the door.

"Apollo" Justin calls out making him stop and turn right before he reached the door.

"Do you believe a man can fly?" Justin asks seemingly out of the blue

Apollo feels a bit taken aback by the question but realises there's probably a reason for it and decides to answer.

"Sure. In a plane" Apollo responds honestly. The only beings he knew who could fly were himself and his Uncle and they were both definitely not human.

"No, I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about soaring through the clouds with nothing but air beneath you" Justin said. Apollo looked at him quizzically wondering what he was getting at.

"People can't fly, Justin, even super soldiers like Steve Rogers couldn't take to the skies" Apollo said.

"I did" Justin responds as he turns away as if recalling a wistful memory or fantastic dream.

"After the accident, when my heart stopped" Justin continued before he turns back to face Apollo but he wasn't looking at him instead he was staring off into space.

"It was the most exhilarating two minutes of my life. I flew over Smallville, and for the first time, I didn't see a dead end here. I saw a new beginning" Justin told Apollo as he looked at him smiling slightly.

Justin walked forward towards Apollo and looked him in his eyes.

"Thanks to you I have a second chance, and I am not going to waste it. When I was soaring I saw what the world needed, it needs men like you. It needs heroes and people who are going to protect their homes and that's what I'm going to be. I am going to protect America" Justin said to him as Apollo looked him up and down.

"We have a future together Apollo. I can feel it, we're both destined for great things and I don't want anything to stand in the way of our friendship" Justin told him finishing his speech.

Apollo nodded and smiled in response to Justin before leaving him to get on with his busy day and heading off to practice.

Apollo walked out of the Hammer mansion but not before he took one more look at it.

Apollo thought about how much money it must have cost to ship a castle. That type of money could change people's lives but instead it was used for vanity and ego.

Apollo understood more about what his Dad was talking about when he talked about men with money like the Hammers.

That type of wealth changes how people view themselves, he couldn't imagine spending money on something simply to send a message to people you've never met about how much better than them you are. But that's what Jason Hammer did, he built a castle in Smallville to show people how rich and powerful he was.

Apollo could never let his ego get like that, no matter what he couldn't be the type of person who power to save and change lives but not be able to see it due to his own vanity and ego.

Apollo hoped Justin thought the same, Justin talked about protecting people and being a hero and Apollo hoped that he truly meant that because he truly could be a great man and help a lot of people with the wealth and intelligence he had.

Apollo smiled to himself at the thought of he and Justin maybe working together to help people like Justin mentioned. Building tech to help the sick and vulnerable. Maybe Justin could even be the Howard Stark to his Steve Rogers one day if Apollo ever decided to become a symbol like Captain America.

Apollo blurred off to football practice with the happy thought about what could be an amazing friendship in his mind.

A few days later….

Apollo was in the locker room getting ready for the game. His teammates were hyping themselves up and hyping him up too. The whole room was buzzing with energy. They'd never played a game this big before and they knew it. This game was getting National Coverage. ESPN was broadcasting it, scouts were filling the stands and the pressure and weight of the game was being felt by everyone. However, nobody in that room was overcome by nervousness, they were all brimming with excitement. Patting each other on the backs, screaming in one another's faces, all of them were getting amped up. Coach walked to the center of the locker room and looked around the room.

"Coach! Coach! Coach!" the team chanted as Coach Quigley stood there looking at all of them.

"Normally I would give a long speech right now but looking around the room I can tell you don't need it. We've spent so long preparing for this day, we circled it in all of our calendars and the day's finally come. Today's the day we show the Rocks that they're no match for the Crows!" Coach Quigley said his voice powerful.

The players shouted out after what Coach Quigley said and he smiled.

"We'll crush the Rocks and then crush everyone else that we face afterwards! This year we're winning it all because our team has it all" Coach Quigley spoke his voice growing louder with every sentence.

"We have an impenetrable defense! An unstoppable offense! And a GOLDEN ARM!" Coach Quigley shouted pointing at the defensive and offensive teams as he mentioned them before finally pointing at Apollo.

The team all shouted and clapped and jumped in unison hyped by their coach. Apollo joined in feeling just as hyped as his teammates did. This feeling, the feeling of being a part of a team was something someone who had been an outsider and felt so alone like Apollo had growing up was so grateful and thankful for. He felt Whitney hug him from behind for a moment before they ran out to go to the field still hyped and cheering. Apollo ran out with them saw Sprite and his parents standing outside the locker room waiting for him. Apollo stopped to talk to them briefly.

"Son we just wanted to say, we know this is a big game and we not only hope you're careful but that you have fun out there. I know I wasn't the biggest advocate for you playing but seeing you on the field or on the court this year has made me so proud and I am so very glad I get to watch my son do amazing things on every field or court he steps on" Jonathan told him.

"Thanks Dad" Apollo said happy to hear his Dad was proud of him.

"I'm proud of you too my sweet Apollo, I see how much it means for you to be a part of a team and I know the feeling and even though my team was very different to yours I am overjoyed to see that you get to experience and enjoy the camaraderie that being a part of a team lends you and I love seeing the man you're becoming and Whitehall you are on the field. You're my star and I'm proud that you're shining brighter every day" Ajak said cupping his face while she said it.

Apollo nodded feeling a little emotional at his Mum's words.

"Thanks Ma, I hope I continue to shine for you and make you proud" Ajak said as Apollo put his forehead to his Mum's and the two shared a moment.

He turned to Sprite who had her usual disguise/projection. She simply smiled at him before sticking her tongue out at him. He stuck his tongue back out at her and Jonathan laughed as Ajak rolled her eyes.

"I'm not giving you a compliment. Your head's big enough as it is. You want me to say something nice you've got to earn it. So go earn it. Go win the game BFG" Sprite told him.

Apollo nodded and then turned and ran through the hallways to the field knowing his name and number was about to be called. Apollo heard the announcers.

"And now taking the field. The team that has been unbeaten in the season. The hammer of Kansas lead by their star player. Wearing number 8, 'The Ultimate', Apollo Kent!"

The crowd began to cheer loudly and Apollo ran onto the field. He ran past the cheerleaders and briefly stopped to get a good luck handshake from Skye culminating in her kissing his helmet before he continued onto the field.

The air buzzed with excitement as the Smallville Crows took to the field for the biggest game of the season. The crowd was so big and so loud it was deafening. Apollo, clad in the team's red and gold uniform, stood tall and proud as the star quarterback. He knew if he stayed strong and ready so would his team, this may be a new environment for them but they were not out of their depth. He looked to his teammates, headfast and strong in his resolve to lead them to victory. The teams warmed up and the stadium reverberated with the cheers of the crowd, their anticipation palpable as they awaited the clash of titans on the gridiron.

The Crows won the coin toss and so they started with possession. The kickoff was done and after the Crows got possession Apollo took the field. Large sections of the crowd cheered him on while others booed him. Apollo drowned them out and focused on his teammates. They were looking to him, all their hopes were riding on him and he wouldn't let them down. Apollo read their defense and instantly knew what coverage they were trying to throw him. He smirked confidently before shouting out.

"Blue 47! Blue 47! Hut!"

Location: Hammer Plant, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

Meanwhile, across town, a different kind of drama unfolded at the Hammer Industries plant. Justin Hammer, the enigmatic CEO, was in the midst of a crucial meeting with one of his foremen.

"Look I understand what I am asking you but with the attacks on different Hammer work sites I need you to up productivity" Justin said.

"I understand Mr. Hammer but there's only so much we can do. Nobody here's a miracle worker. We'd need better tech than what we currently have to do that" the foreman replied and Justin clenched his jaw.

It was always the same problem his tech wasn't good enough, sure it was better than most but no matter what he did, it couldn't compete with Stark tech. He wasn't a wunderkind like Tony.

"The tech is more than adequate; I've tested it myself. Bypass the recommended safety settings and push it to its limits" Justin informed him.

"That could be dangerous, the plant could suffer a meltdown" his foreman responded.

"It won't as long as you follow this equation" Justin said to his foreman before pulling out the piece of paper Apollo had written on a few days prior. The foreman read the equation and then nodded.

"This will work, although I still think an improvement of tech could take the plant to new heights" the foreman told Justin and he fought the urge to clench his jaw again.

"Just do it until we can figure out who or what is attacking the sites. Once we do that take it back to recommended levels" Justin responded.

The foreman nodded a bit fearful but Justin put his hand on his shoulder assuring him. The foreman walked away to inform his men of what needed to be done his mind more at ease about the situation due to Justin's charm and charisma. Justin got a call, his assistant was informing him that the Smallville Crows game had begun and that Apollo was playing like a hall of famer. Justin smiled and began to head out hoping he could arrive at the school in time to watch the second half. However, it seemed fate had other ideas.

A blinding blast of nuclear fire shot forward, hitting the side of the reactor building. The explosion ripped through steel and concrete like wet paper, sending a shockwave across the facility.

The entire power plant shook.

A fireball erupted into the sky, sending debris raining down. Massive steel beams collapsed, machinery screeched and twisted, and the scent of burning metal filled the air.

Alarms blared across the facility.

Inside the control room, Justin Hammer ducked behind a row of terminals, covering his head as sparks rained down.

"Oh, come on!" he shouted, coughing through the smoke. "I didn't even do anything this time!"

An engineer, wide-eyed with terror, grabbed him. "We need to get you out of here—NOW."

Hammer didn't argue.

He bolted for the emergency exit, his expensive dress shoes clacking against the metal flooring as he ran for his life.

Alarm bells started ringing and the ground began to rumble like a miniature quake was happening. Justin then heard commotion outside. He heard gunshots and screams and something that could only be the sound of smaller explosions as well as human bodies being crushed and flung around. Justin felt his heart begin to race faster, his fear was turning to panic. His security detail ran in to collect and protect him soon thereafter easing his mind a little but his mind was still racing with questions.

"What's happening?" Justin asked as he was being run to the safe room.

"We're being attacked" one of his security guards told him.

"What group would be crazy enough to attack a power plant with explosives?" Justin questioned.

"Not a group sir, a man" his security guard informed him.

"What kind of man could cause commotion like that?" Justin said his voice filled with bewilderment.

He got his answer moments later as a man, no a monster walked into the corridor. The man was large and glowing with purple energy, his skin and body looked like it was made of molten rock with purple energy flowing from the molten cracks. His face was just a skull enveloped by purple fire and within his eye sockets miniature nuclear explosions pulsed giving him the illusion of having irises. A purple fiery aura surrounded him.

The man let out a deafening roar and the plant seemed to shake. And even though he didn't possess a face to show his expression everyone in the corridor knew they were ablaze with fury.

"HAMMER! Today's the day of your reckoning. Today you come face to face with a god!" the man shouted.

His security team began to open fire at him as Justin ran away, he heard the man grunt as if the bullets hurt him but none of them were doing enough damage to actually kill him.

"You thought you could ruin me but it is I who will ruin you. I am Albert Martin, I am the Atomic Skull and I will be the god who destroys everything you hold dear" Atomic Skull shouted as he began to crush Hammer's security team one by one.

Justin didn't even look back, his body was filled with fear and adrenaline, he was witnessing the impossible and the impossible was here to kill him.

Justin remembered Albert Martin and how he ensured he didn't work in Smallville to make sure he didn't have any competition and he knew this was revenge. Justin had no idea what happened to Al after their dealings but whatever it was it gave him power and murderous rage.

He ran faster and faster through his power plant racing to the safe room and locking himself inside it.

However, he knew it was only a matter of time until Al found him, Justin wanted more time to think and try to find a solution to his current predicament but he was completely unprepared. He looked around the room and saw a powerful machine gun he and his team had been working on for the army before they took Stark's tech instead. Hammer picked up the gun and steeled himself. He heard the explosive footsteps of Atomic Skull closing in. Moments later he heard the door be punched. A dent was put in it but it held.

Hammer knew it wouldn't for long though.

The door was punched again and again, every punch living a dent in the metal structure. Justin cocked the gun as the room began to shake under the force of the Atomic Skull's powerful blows.

The door finally broke open and Al walked in but as he did so Justin opened fire. The bullets of this gun were of a more powerful caliber than his teams' handguns and they forced Atomic Skull back. Justin ran out of the room and decided to run to an exit and hope he could drive off.

Justin began to sprint but was slowed down by the weight of the gun he was holding.

Atomic Skull who had seemingly already recovered from the gunshots chased after him and despite Al's large frame he was incredibly fast.

Impossibly fast in fact.

He caught up with Justin in a couple of strides and knocked him over. Justin crashed into the wall and was instantly very disoriented. His vision became blurry and all he could hear were the loud alarms of the power plant.

Justin's eyes began to tear up as it hit him that he was probably about to die.

So much for a new beginning Justin thought his body shaking with fear as he felt the immense heat coming from the Atomic Skull who was looming over him.

"So Mr. Hammer any last words" Atomic Skull said. His glowing body was partially bleeding molten blood from the gunfire but he seemed to already be healing and was in far better shape than Justin.

"You don't have to kill me Al. I can get you anything you want, anything you could dream of I could give it to you" Justin pleaded using the one thing he had relied on more than his mind growing up which was his charm.

"I am a god now. You can't offer me anything. The only thing I dream of is crushing you" Atomic Skull said as he picked up Justin and hurled him across the corridor to the other wall. Justin hit the wall hard and instantly lost consciousness.

Atomic Skulls fists crackled with energy as he slowly advanced on Justin intent on delivering a fatal blow but wanting to savour the moment.

---

Back at the stadium the roar of the crowd was deafening.

Smallville High Stadium pulsed with energy, excitement, and adrenaline. The air was crisp, tinged with the scent of fresh popcorn, sweat, and the faint burn of the stadium lights overhead.

On the field, the Smallville Crows huddled together, some catching their breath, others muttering amongst themselves. Their jerseys were drenched in sweat, cleats digging into the dirt as they gathered for halftime.

The scoreboard flashed:

Trinity Shamrocks – 24
Smallville Crows – 21

The Crows were down by a field goal.

And yet, despite the deficit, there was a buzz in the air. Because one player had been playing out of his mind.

Apollo Kent.

The star quarterback. The unstoppable force. The 'Ultimate'.

Even as the Crows trailed, Apollo had put on a masterclass in football. He had single-handedly kept them in the game—his passes were pinpoint, his footwork precise, his defense impenetrable. He had intercepted two passes, stiff-armed a linebacker straight to the turf, and rushed for over 100 yards in the first half alone.

Even the opposing team—the Trinity Shamrocks—were rattled. Their defensive coordinator had spent the last ten minutes screaming at his players, demanding to know why they couldn't stop "one damn guy!"

Apollo adjusted the red and gold jersey clinging to his frame, not winded but acting like it to fit in. To any normal person, he looked like a guy giving it his all while dominating at every turn.

But beneath the surface?

He was holding back. A lot.

If he really pushed himself, if he cut loose—the game would already be over, in fact it wouldn't even be a game.

But he would never do that. Playing sports was about relishing in being human, being a part of a team, having a normal high school experience. He would win but never by using his powers.

Apollo had been dominating the game but the Rocks were reigning state champions for a reason. The team was heading back to the locker room to recalibrate and Coach was already telling them the game plan for the second half but Apollo wasn't fully listening. The alarms of the power plant were blaring in his ears just like they were during the game. Something was happening over there. Apollo had wanted to run off and help when he first heard it but was in the middle of a play. Apollo still managed to dominate but even he knew he wasn't playing at his best as his heart was more focused on wanting to help than throwing a football.

Apollo took a sip of water as his best friend, Pete Ross, jogged up beside him, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Dude, I know you're built different, but this is insane," Pete panted, still catching his breath. "You've got these guys lookin' like they saw God."

Apollo smirked. "Just keeping things interesting."

Pete shook his head. "Nah, man. I've seen you play for years. This ain't just 'interesting'—this is some first-ballot Hall of Fame stuff. If we pull this off, every college scout in Kansas is gonna be on your ass."

Apollo chuckled but didn't respond. He had doubts that he would be playing football forever.

Still, he let Pete have his moment.

From behind them, a new voice chimed in—Skye.

His girlfriend. His partner-in-crime.

"He's always like this," Skye teased, walking up with her arms crossed. "Apollo Kent, single-handedly carrying the team while making it look easy."

Apollo shrugged. "You flatter me."

Skye arched an eyebrow. "You love it."

He smirked. "Maybe a little."

Nearby, Chloe Sullivan—their resident journalist—rolled her eyes. "So, when do I get the exclusive interview for my article? 'The Legend of Apollo Kent—Is He Even Human?'"

Apollo nearly choked on his water. "I'd prefer something more subtle."

Chloe grinned. "Too late."

The banter continued, his teammates exchanging criticisms and praise.

Apollo had been dominating the game but the Rocks were reigning state champions for a reason. The team was heading back to the locker room to recalibrate and Coach was already telling them the game plan for the second half but Apollo wasn't fully listening because Apollo heard it.

An Explosion

Far beyond the stadium—miles away, past the outskirts of Smallville, beyond the farms and the fields—

BOOM.

The sound was low, distant.

A normal person would've never noticed.

But Apollo?

His super-hearing spiked instantly.

His mind filtered through the noise—*the crowd, the band, the buzzing stadium lights—*until he locked onto it.

Screams.

The faint, panicked shouts of workers. The shriek of bending metal. The roar of fire.

The alarms of the power plant were blaring in his ears. Something was happening over there. Apollo looked at his teammates before he turned to look at the source of the noise.

His enhanced vision zoomed in, stretching across miles of Kansas landscapes, until he saw it—

The Smallville Nuclear Power Plant.

It was burning.

Apollo focused wanting to see who or what was causing the alarms but all the lead made it very difficult for him. But the lead didn't stop his other senses; he could still hear the sound of the alarms, hear the racing heartbeats of the scared employees, taste the smoke in the air, feel the vibrations from something very powerful walking through the power plant, and he could smell the blood from all the people that had been killed. Apollo felt a surge of urgency pulse through him.

He couldn't stand by and let people die. He wouldn't.

Apollo looked at his teammates all of them focused on winning this game and felt a tinge of guilt knowing he was about to abandon them but he had to, his mind wasn't on the field it was miles away. He had to deal with this, he had to save whoever was hurt, helping people was far more important than throwing a football.

He turned to the bleachers, locking onto Sprite, who was lazily twirling a strand of red hair while watching the game. The moment she noticed his stare, she smirked.

He ran off to Sprite, moving so fast it seemed like he simply apparated to her.

"Need a disappearing act?" Sprite said reading Apollo perfectly.

At times it felt like she could read his mind with how well she knew how he thought. Apollo had asked her to create illusions of him multiple times before because he wanted run off and save people.

He gave her a sharp nod and she rolled her eyes a little like helping him out was a chore for her but still completely trusting Apollo so much that she didn't even question why he would need an illusion.

"What type of illusion do you need this time?" Sprite questioned.

"Just hide that I'm gone until I come back" Apollo told her.

Sprite flicked her wrist. Instantly her hands glowed golden as she began to generate an illusion just as in tandem Apollo shed his football helmet in a swift motion and dashed off, leaving his teammates and the game behind.

An illusion of Apollo remained on the field, body language perfectly replicated.

The perfect copy of Apollo went jogging toward the locker room with the rest of the team.

Meanwhile, the real one?

He was already gone.

Apollo stripped out of his football gear, quickly changing into something more comfortable; a plain blue shirt, a red hooded jacket and some blue jeans. He also grabbed one of Pete's red bandanas from his locker and wrapped it around his lower face to make a makeshift mask before pulling his hood over his head.

Apollo ran out of the stadium at incredible speeds, the world frozen around him as he ran well beyond the speed of sound before taking off and shooting up into the sky instantly accelerating and flying at hyper sonic speeds. In a blur of motion, Apollo soared through the sky, racing towards the Hammer Industries plant. With every passing millisecond he closed the distance between himself and the dangerous force he could sense at the power plant, his mind focused and his determination unwavering.

Apollo arrived just in the nick of time but what he saw astounded him for a moment.

The heat was unbearable. The plant was in ruins—collapsed structures, molten steel, and purple fire consuming everything it touched. Smoke choked the sky, glowing embers drifting through the air like dying stars.

Apollo froze.

His eyes immediately found Justin Hammer—unconscious, body covered in burns—lying in a heap.

And standing at the center of the destruction—wreathed in fire, glowing with radioactive energy, engulfed in roaring purple flames—

Was a nightmare given form.

His entire head was seemingly a burning skull, pulsating with unstable nuclear energy and purple flames. His body was blackened and charred, yet veins of molten purple light snaked beneath the surface. The man was wreathed with purple fiery energy, his eyes were ablaze with purple fire.

Apollo had never encountered someone with powers like this who wasn't a member of his family or a shapeshifting alien, maybe the Gorgon, but Apollo wasn't entirely sure he was human. Maybe this man wasn't either. Maybe he was something entirely new.

A quick scan showed that he indeed was human. Just a very mutated one and that the energy he was giving off was atomic. The man walked forward slowly towards the unconscious Justin. He raised his arm, his fist glowing with energy readying himself to deliver the fatal blow.

Apollo's stomach tightened.

This wasn't a high school bully picking a fight or some guys with guns or even ninjas. This was a walking nuclear meltdown.

His hands curled into fists.

Apollo's heartbeats slammed in his ears and he shot forward, he wasn't going to let anyone else die today.

Apollo descended upon the scene like a guardian angel, his presence heralded by a gust of wind and a sonic boom. Apollo caught the man's fist just as he went to punch Justin shocking him. Apollo threw the man back then checked on Justin.

He wasn't worried about Justin recognising him trusting that his hood and makeshift mask covered his face enough that anyone wouldn't know it was him. Justin was out cold, he had some burns, some bruised ribs and bones from being knocked around but nothing fatally dangerous. Apollo let out a small sigh of relief.

He turned to face the glowing man who was getting up to attack once more. His entire body was giving off radiation. Apollo looked at his cells, they were human but altered. His entire genetic code was filled with dark matter and x elements strung together across his DNA.

He was one of the meteor infected people Chloe had been theorising existed. His cells weren't just leaking radiation though; they were generating power like a nuclear reactor and burning through that atomic energy in order to maintain the empowered state he was currently in.

The man must generate radiation and atomic energy to power himself Apollo theorised. That type of power would make him extremely dangerous even if he didn't want to be.

Apollo needed to stop him from causing any more damage.

Apollo listened to his heartbeat, he could use that to figure out what he was feeling and predict what he'd do next.

The glowing man was filled with rage and he could practically feel the murderous intent coming off him in waves, or maybe that was just the radiation.

Apollo didn't think he could get through to him as angry and bloodthirsty as he was now. Apollo readied himself for the fight.

"I hate to break up your tantrum, but your plus-one passed out. Usually that's a good cue for you to stop whatever it is you're doing" Apollo said.

"You're not Justin." The man spoke, his voice crackled like an open furnace.

Apollo stood tall, cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint. Justin's busy. You got me instead."

Atomic Skull's burning maw twisted into something resembling a grin.

"Then you'll die in his place."

"That's not happening. Look I don't know who you are but I won't let you hurt any more innocent people" Apollo told the glowing man disguising his voice while his hood and mask up hid his face.

"I am the Atomic Skull and I haven't hurt anybody innocent here today" Atomic Skull said.

"You know I kinda find that hard to believe" Apollo said as he gestured to all the injured people around him.

"They all deserved it, all of them. They protected Hammer, they worked with him and that means they all got what was coming to them" Atomic Skull said.

Atomic Skull's fists crackled with energy and Apollo could see him absorbing the radiation of the plant like a sponge.

"I'll crush you like I crushed them and then I'll crush Hammer" Atomic Skull said.

"We'll see about that. You wanna do this the hard way? Fine. Let's dance." Apollo replied rolling his shoulders just as Skull began charging towards Apollo.

He was quick but nowhere near quick enough to out speed Apollo. He let him come and dodged his strikes effortlessly.

Skull got angrier with each missed strike.

"Just who the hell are you supposed to be?" Skull questioned.

Apollo smirked beneath his bandana. "Just a guy who doesn't like bullies."

Apollo let him swing wildly and burn through the energy he was using to keep himself in this empowered atomic state, he may be generating energy but he couldn't do it endlessly eventually his cells wouldn't have any atomic energy left.

The man, Atomic Skull, was burning with rage and Apollo could feel the intense heat coming off his body. He was growling and shouting as he hopelessly tried to strike Apollo. Apollo kept dodging but it seemed that Skull had quickly realised he was completely outclassed speed wise and went for a different approach.

Skull roared.

Skull's body suddenly grew brighter, purple fire exploded from his hands, and a powerful burst of Atomic Energy flew off of him sending Apollo flying backwards through a wall.

Apollo was dazed by the attack. It seemed the atomic energy that Skull gave off was able to affect him when the blast was powerful enough. He heard Skull laugh and before could regain his bearings a concentrated blast knocked into him. Apollo was blasted backwards once again, the force of the attack destroying the wall and knocking Apollo through it.

Apollo clutched his chest, his shirt was singed and burned by the concentrated atomic energy and Apollo's chest felt a little sore.

Apollo got up a little shocked that he even able to feel Skull's attacks.

Apollo had never been hurt before, even in his fight with The Gorgon or his training with Ikaris and Makkari he wasn't truly injured. Neither of them had ever made him bleed but as Apollo clutched his chest he thought Skull might just be the first person to not only make Apollo experience true physical pain but he might actually make him bleed.

The thought scared Apollo for a moment, this was the first time in his life he faced something that could potentially kill him.

Apollo shook his head, he couldn't let that stop him from stopping him and saving the people in this plant.

Apollo thought of his Uncle Ikaris and all the battles against the Deviants he lead his family against. Apollo needed to be like him; confident, strong, a warrior.

Apollo stood and clenched his fists, his mind calm and ready to fight Atomic Skull just as Skull himself walked through the hole Apollo made in the wall.

"You sure are something. Those last two blasts would've completely atomised any other living creature" Atomic Skull said.

"Well I've got tougher skin than most" Apollo replied.

"No kidding, what's it made of? Steel?" Skull questioned.

Apollo chuckled at the question.

"Something like that" Apollo said jokingly.

"Well even Steel's got to melt eventually" Skull told him.

"You couldn't melt me no matter how hard you tried to" Apollo replied sounding far more confident than he actually was as he channeled his inner Ikaris.

"Is that a fact?" Atomic Skulls said cockily his body glowing once more as he began powering up another blast but Apollo had enough.

Apollo exploded forward, flying towards Skull and smashing into him at incredible speeds, ramming him through several walls.

Skull crumpled and fell onto the floor after they smashed through their fourth wall. He was clearly extremely dazed by Apollo's attack.

"Yeah it is" Apollo told him as he hovered above him.

Skull growled in response quickly standing and shooting a blast at Apollo but Apollo dodged the blast. Skull began shooting his atomic blasts wildly but Apollo was expecting them now and he dodged everyone of them, maneuvering around Skull at superhuman speed.

Skull began to glow once more no doubt powering up another omnidirectional burst like the first one he caught Apollo off guard with. Apollo was ready for it this time, the burst left his body very exposed for a few milliseconds as he charged it up but that was all the time Apollo needed. Apollo lasered Skull in the chest at super speed not letting him fully charge his burst attack. Skull was thrown backwards by the power of Apollo's heat vision and his glowing charred skin burned. Skull let out a scream of pain as he held his burnt chest.

"It's not fun when you're the one being blasted by extreme heat is it? Stop this, I don't want to hurt you more than I already have" Apollo said to Skull trying to be diplomatic, hoping that the clear difference in power between them would allow Skull to see reason.

Skull began to laugh shocking Apollo.

"You think I'll stop? Hammer deserves this, you know what he did to me? You know the only reason I am this way is because of Hammer. The night of the meteor shower I was in my own small testing facility because Hammer had ruined me, I was packing up the Radium I had with the order that I had to hand it over to Hammer and then a meteor came crashing through the building. I was bathed in the meteors extra terrestrial energy and the radiation of the Radium. Hammer never even checked on me after they found my body in the rubble the following day. I woke up months later in a fire I created while I was slowly regaining consciousness. I was broke, alone and radioactive all because of Hammer. I am what he made me, and he will get what's coming to him" Atomic Skull said.

"No matter what Justin did, he and his employees don't deserve to be murdered for it" Apollo told him sympathetic but not forgiving of murder.

Skull nodded feigning defeat only for Skull's entire body glowed with energy and he exploded completely atomising the room they were standing in.

The moment Skull's nuclear inferno erupted from his fists, the entire catwalk disintegrated beneath Apollo's feet.

The teenager twisted in midair, his jacket billowing as he dropped toward the factory floor. He landed with a heavy impact, the reinforced steel buckling under his weight—but before he could recover, Skull was already upon him.

A molten fist swung toward his face.

Apollo tilted his head slightly, and Skull's fist whooshed past his cheek, the sheer heat alone scorching the air around him.

He didn't hesitate, Ikaris wouldn't.

Apollo threw a counterpunch, his fist hammering into Skull's chest with the force of a runaway train.

Skull rocketed backward, slamming through a series of industrial generators—each one exploding in a cascade of sparks.

Even as the blasts rocked the factory, Apollo's focus shifted. His ears picked up faint cries from beneath the rubble. His eyes darted to the collapsed ceiling, where trapped workers struggled to break free.

In a blur of motion, he was there. Massive steel beams, heavy enough to crush a truck, felt like paper in his grasp as he tossed them aside. He moved faster than the workers could comprehend, gathering the unconscious among them and whisking them to safety before they had a chance to process what had happened.

By the time he returned, Skull was rising from the debris. The villain barely seemed fazed.

Instead, Skull grinned. His molten skin glowed even brighter, the factory lights reflecting off the searing surface of his body.

"Not bad, kid," Skull rumbled, his voice a low, radioactive growl. "But you're gonna have to hit me harder than that."

Apollo's eyes narrowed. His fingers flexed. He smiled confidently underneath his bandana, the same confident smile his Uncle Ikaris always wore.

"I was just getting started."

Then they collided again—

And the entire plant shook from the impact.

Their battle tore through the factory floor like a hurricane.

Skull swung a flaming uppercut, his molten fist cutting through the air like a meteor. Apollo leaned back at the last second, feeling the scorching heat pass just inches from his jaw. The air itself seemed to warp from the intensity, but he didn't let that affect him. Twisting his body mid-dodge, he drove a brutal knee into Skull's ribs with all the force of a freight train.

A sharp crack rang through the air as Skull's body rocketed backward. He crashed into a conveyor belt, snapping through the steel structure as though it were made of twigs. Sparks exploded as machinery shattered, but Skull barely had time to hit the ground before Apollo lunged after him.

He was met with a roar of raw fury.

Skull's molten jaw unhinged, and in an instant, a blinding nuclear beam erupted from his mouth.

The world turned white.

The searing blast surged forward like a miniature sun, swallowing everything in its path. The factory floor glowed under its radioactive intensity, metal liquefying on contact.

Apollo had seconds to react.

Sucking in a sharp breath, he expanded his lungs beyond human limits before exhaling with titanic force. A frigid storm howled from his lips, a blizzard compressed into a single, devastating burst of Arctic breath.

The freezing gale met Skull's nuclear inferno midair—

BOOM!

A colossal explosion erupted between them. Steam and frost detonated outward in a chaotic blast, slamming into the walls, shaking the foundation of the entire facility. Pipes burst, machinery groaned, and the entire battlefield was swallowed in a dense, impenetrable mist.

The clash of extreme heat and cold had created a storm of chaos.

For a moment, everything was silent. The world drowned in white.

Then, Apollo closed his eyes.

He didn't need to see. His super senses cut through the chaos. His ears caught the sound of molten footsteps, heavy and deliberate, stalking toward him through the mist. His X-ray vision flickered to life, slicing through the veil of steam, locking onto the glowing silhouette of his enemy. His muscles coiled, ready to strike.

And then he moved.

Faster than thought, Apollo twisted to the side, dodging another molten blast by mere inches. The heat grazed past his shoulder, but he was already closing the distance. Super speed blurred his form as he surged forward, fists cocked back—

Then he struck.

His knuckles slammed into Skull's chest with devastating force.

The villain didn't just stumble—he was sent flying. His body punched through a concrete wall, tearing through it as though it were made of paper. The impact rattled the entire building, debris collapsing in heavy chunks as dust filled the air.

Apollo exhaled, steam curling from his lips.

He waited.

Then the rubble shifted.

And Skull rose.

Glowing even hotter.

Smiling.

Apollo's fists tightened.

This fight was far from over.

Apollo lasered Skull's chest sending him flying backwards. Skull smashed into a wall his molten chest weakened by the power of Apollo's heat vision and Apollo didn't let up.

Apollo slammed both his fists into Skull's weakened chest borrowing the move he once saw his Uncle Ikaris do.

A shockwave shook the room they were in as Skull was sent sailing through the plant.

Apollo readied himself to charge at Skull again then he heard it.

Screams.

Apollo's head snapped toward the sound.

Through the settling dust and smoke, his enhanced vision cut through the chaos, zeroing in on the source. A portion of the ceiling had collapsed on the far side of the factory, trapping three engineers beneath tons of steel beams. Nearby, ruptured gas pipes spewed flames, licking hungrily toward a row of fuel canisters. The fire was spreading fast.

If he didn't act now, they were dead.

Apollo blurred forward, a gust of wind trailing in his wake as he raced across the factory floor. In less than a second, he was there.

The workers gasped, coughing through the thick smoke. One of them—a woman with a deep gash on her forehead—tried to move, but the weight of the metal beam pinning her legs down was too much.

"Hold on," Apollo assured them, his voice firm but calm.

Gripping the fallen beam with one hand, he lifted—and with an effortless motion, tossed it aside like it was nothing more than a plastic pipe. The sheer tonnage of the steel should have been impossible for any human to move, but Apollo made it look effortless.

The engineers barely had time to register what had happened before they felt themselves swept off their feet. In the blink of an eye, Apollo had scooped all three of them into his arms, his super speed kicking in as he streaked toward the nearest exit.

The world became a blur.

One second, they were trapped. The next—they were outside, the cool night air hitting their faces as Apollo set them down a safe distance from the factory.

"You're safe now," he told them. "Get as far away as you can."

They didn't need to be told twice.

But Apollo wasn't done.

Behind him, the fire raged out of control. The gas leak continued to hiss, and the flames were now inches from the fuel canisters.

A single spark could blow the entire facility sky-high.

Turning back toward the inferno, Apollo clenched his fists and took a deep, powerful breath—expanding his lungs once more. Then, with a focused exhale, he released a gust of freeze breath from his mouth.

The cold wins surged forward, a whirlwind of freezing air, crashing into the flames with bone-chilling force. The raging fire shrieked as it froze solid, instantly coated in a thick layer of frost. The leaking gas pipes became encased in ice, sealing the leaks and cutting off the fire's oxygen supply.

Within seconds, the entire blaze died out.

The immediate danger was over.

But Apollo didn't have time to catch his breath—

Because Skull was back.

And this time—he was furious.

"Enough of this!" Skull bellowed, his molten body flaring brighter than ever.

He clapped his hands together, and the air itself detonated.

A nuclear shockwave exploded outward, tearing through the factory with cataclysmic force. Machinery was ripped from the ground, metal beams snapped like twigs, and fireballs erupted as industrial fuel ignited. The sheer concussive force was like a bomb going off, sending workers flying, shattering windows, and nearly flattening Apollo where he stood.

Apollo dug his heels in, his powerful frame resisting the blast—but even he could feel the pressure hammering against him, pushing him back inch by inch.

Then—

A sickening metallic groan echoed through the chaos.

Apollo's eyes darted up just in time to see a massive crane collapsing, its rusted steel arm snapping loose from the ceiling. The towering structure swayed violently before gravity took hold—sending tons of industrial steel hurtling toward a group of fleeing workers.

Apollo moved instantly.

Before the workers could even register the danger, Apollo had already crossed the distance. His body blurred as he caught the collapsing crane mid-fall, his muscles flexing as he absorbed its unimaginable weight. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing beneath his feet, but he held firm.

With a controlled motion, he hoisted the entire structure over his head—then hurled it aside, sending it crashing harmlessly into an abandoned section of the plant.

The workers, still frozen in shock, stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief.

"Run!" Apollo barked. "Get out of here!"

They scrambled away, but before Apollo could even turn back to the fight—

A devastating punch crashed into his ribs, the force detonating like a bomb in his side.

Apollo's vision exploded into white-hot pain as he was launched like a human missile. He shot through the air, tearing through one reinforced steel wall—then another—before smashing through the side of the factory and tumbling into the parking lot outside.

He crashed through the pavement, sending chunks of asphalt flying, before finally skidding to a stop.

For the first time in his life—

Apollo actually felt true pain.

Coughing, Apollo pushed himself up, rolling his shoulders as he stood and steadied himself. His ribs ached—not broken or bruised but it certainly felt like it.

That had hurt.

Through the dust and rubble, Skull stalked toward him, his flaming footsteps melting the very ground beneath him. His molten form pulsed with power, his radioactive veins glowing like lava.

"You're strong, kid," Skull sneered, rolling his massive shoulders. "But I can see you can't help yourself but to save people. You can't beat me. You don't have the killer instinct."

Apollo's jaw tightened. Slowly, he floated off the ground, meeting Skull's glowing eyes with a steady, unwavering gaze.

"You're right," Apollo admitted. Then his eyes blazed red.

"I just don't need it."

In a single instant, twin beams of solar energy erupted from Apollo's eyes.

The blinding torrent of Heat Vision slammed into Skull's chest, sending him reeling backward as molten flesh burned away under the intense solar onslaught. Skull let out a roar of pain, the ground beneath him turning to liquid slag as he crashed through the factory walls.

But he wasn't down yet.

With a furious snarl, Skull ripped up a massive industrial machine—a three-ton hydraulic press—and hurled it like a wrecking ball.

Apollo didn't hesitate.

He caught the incoming projectile mid-air, his arms barely budging under its weight. With a single, powerful spin, he turned the momentum back on Skull—launching the machine right back at him.

The impact detonated like a bomb, sending Skull skidding across the battlefield. For the first time—he looked worried.

Apollo cracked his knuckles, stepping forward.

"Still feeling cocky?"

Skull snarled, molten blood dripping from his wounds.

Then he lunged—and the battle continued.

Their fight raged across the entire plant, shaking the foundations of the earth around them. Fire and destruction painted the battlefield as Apollo and Skull clashed, their blows carrying the force of titans. Every impact sent out shockwaves that shattered windows, cracked concrete, and sent debris flying.

Apollo had barely a moment to react when he saw a burning technician stumble, trapped beneath a collapsed steel beam. Without hesitation, he darted forward, his cape billowing behind him as he shielded the man with his own invulnerable body. A second later, an explosion erupted, flames engulfing the area—but Apollo didn't move. The fire washed over him harmlessly, and when the smoke cleared, the technician was still alive, wide-eyed and trembling.

"Move quickly and get to safet!" Apollo urged, helping him to his feet.

Before the man could even nod, a sudden crackling blast of energy streaked toward them—aimed directly at the escaping scientists running for their lives. Skull floated above, his glowing hands still outstretched, his intent merciless.

Apollo didn't think. He turned his head, inhaled sharply—

—and unleashed a sonic scream.

The raw force of his voice rippled through the air, the pressure wave colliding with Skull's energy blast and knocking it off course just in time. The explosion erupted harmlessly against a distant, crumbling wall, sending sparks cascading into the sky.

Skull barely had time to react before Apollo was on him.

With a furious uppercut, Apollo sent the self-proclaimed god hurtling backward, smashing through an entire building. The structure crumbled under the force, glass and steel raining down in a symphony of destruction.

But Skull was relentless.

From within the wreckage, he emerged, furious and undeterred. His glowing eyes locked onto Apollo with a murderous intensity as he grabbed a massive steel girder, its edges still glowing from the heat of the fires around them. With an enraged roar, he swung it like a club, aiming to crush Apollo beneath its weight.

Apollo didn't flinch.

He caught the girder mid-swing, stopping it dead in its tracks with a single hand. The metal groaned, bending under the sheer pressure—

Then Apollo snapped it in half like it was nothing.

The pieces of steel clattered to the ground, the flames reflecting in Apollo's glowing eyes. He stood firm, his expression hardened.

Skull exhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling as he stared at the younger man in front of him. Then, a slow, mocking grin stretched across his face.

"Why do you do that? I know you see what I see, feel what I feel. We have power. We're above them, why do you care about them?" Skull said, his voice laced with twisted amusement. "You're a god. Like me."

Apollo's brow furrowed, but he didn't speak.

Skull spread his arms, his cosmic aura flaring around him.

"Both of us are gods among mortals. And what are gods, if not vengeful? Wrathful? The myths, the legends—they tell us the truth." His voice darkened. "A god's right is to take, to punish, to rule."

Apollo stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head.

"You're wrong." His voice was steady, resolute. "I've met the beings from myth. The ones you claim to be like. And you're nothing like them."

Skull's grin faltered.

Apollo took a step forward. "And I'm not like you either." His hands curled into fists. "Because I could never use my power to hurt people the way you do."

For the first time, Skull's expression twisted in something beyond anger—beyond frustration. He looked at Apollo as though the mere idea of someone rejecting their power in such a way was unfathomable.

Then—he roared in fury.

Skull lunged, his aura burning brighter than ever, a wild and untamed storm of energy as he struck at Apollo again.

Their battle continued.

Apollo's lungs burned as he drove his fist into Skull's molten body, the heat searing against his skin. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, hurling Skull backward like a meteor. He smashed through the remains of a semi-truck, flattening it completely before rolling to a stop in the cratered pavement.

And yet, he still got up.

Skull's body glowed hotter, his molten veins now pulsing like an unstable reactor. He was losing control, and they both knew it. His very presence warped the air, distorting the light around him as his nuclear core burned closer to meltdown.

"You—" Skull spat molten slag from his mouth, his voice a distorted growl. "You should be dead by now."

Apollo wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling the faint sting of burns along his arms. Skull's heat had been relentless, pushing his durability to its absolute limit. But Apollo wasn't about to let up—not now.

"Guess I'm tougher than I look." He rolled his shoulders, stepping forward. "But you? You're running out of time."

Skull staggered, but his pride wouldn't let him fall. He gritted his burning teeth, molten veins pulsing erratically as his core edged closer to critical mass.

Apollo clenched his fists. He had to end this now.

Then—Skull roared, launching himself forward like a human comet, his entire body igniting into a blinding inferno.

Apollo met him head-on.

They collided with earth-shattering force. The sheer impact sent ripples through the ground, the pavement cracking apart beneath them. Fists blurred as they exchanged blows at superhuman speed, their strikes detonating like bombs, shockwaves flattening the surrounding area.

Skull swung a burning haymaker—Apollo dodged, countering with a devastating uppercut to the gut. Skull doubled over, molten blood splattering against the ground, but he refused to go down.

"You can't stop me!" Skull bellowed, his nuclear core surging. "I am power! I am—"

Apollo didn't let him finish. He drove his knee into Skull's jaw, sending him soaring skyward. Before Skull could react, Apollo blurred above him, clasped both hands together—

And hammered him down with a strike that could have leveled a mountain.

Skull crashed into the earth like a meteor, the sheer force cratering the pavement. The shockwave that followed shattered every remaining window in a one-block radius, sending debris flying as the factory ruins collapsed inward.

Apollo stopped for a moment having never hit anything that hard before.

Skull got up, he couldn't walk straight it was clear he was struggling to stay conscious. He steadied himself and stared at Apollo getting into a fighting stance.

"I'm going to kill you, no matter how long it takes and then I'll kill everyone else here" Skull told him his voice dark and determined.

"No! NOBODY ELSE DIES TODAY!" Apollo said angrily using his super scream in his last sentence.

The shockwaves of the sonic scream threw Atomic Skull backwards and completely disoriented him. Skull's ears were ringing and he couldn't tell which way was up. He tried to stand but couldn't and fell to the floor completely overcome by the feeling of vertigo that scream had given him.

Apollo rushed forward kicking his face, the force of the kick not only sent Skull flying but left a crack in his weakened skull.

Apollo then unleashed his freeze breath on his chest, cooling him off and covering him in a thing sheet of ice causing the atomic energy he generated to be far weaker.

Apollo knew this wouldn't hold Skull forever so he acted quickly Apollo grabbed Skull and flew with him up into the sky.

Apollo had always been some kind of energy conduit. He could absorb electricity, why not other forms of energy as well? Whatever radioactive energy Skull gave off Apollo would take.

Apollo felt his cells obey him and his body began to be filled with Skull's remaining atomic energy. His cells began to feel like they were burning, this energy was harmful to him so he couldn't let it fill his body instead he opened his eyes and released his heat vision.

Apollo screamed as he looked up and fired powerful and wide blasts of his heat vision continuously into empty space above him burning off the energy he was absorbing from Skull not stopping until there was nothing left.

Several moments passed and finally Apollo burnt through all of Skull's energy but he was disoriented by doing so and soon after he finished he lost control of his flight and both he and Skull fell to the ground smashing into it creating a crater.

Apollo slowly stood up, he felt his cells instantly recover and in seconds he felt like himself. His clothes were still on fire but his skin was fine, he didn't have a scratch on him.

Skull couldn't say the same, his body was covered in ice and bruises and burns and his skin no longer glowed. His Skull had returned to that of a regular human. Apollo x-rayed him to confirm if that meant he was depowered and his assumption was right; his cells were no longer generating atomic energy.

"It's over Skull" Apollo told him simply.

"You think you can stop me. I'll end you for protecting Hammer. You'll get what's coming to you just like everyone else did" Atomic Skull shouted as he clenched his fists and charged at him.

Apollo confidently laughed at him and instead of dodging his punches he planted himself in the ground and stood strong and let Atomic Skull punch him.

The first blow didn't even make him budge, the second blow felt like nothing to Apollo and the third punch resulted in Atomic Skull breaking his hand.

A loud and sickening crunch sound came from Skull's fist as it connected with Apollo's face, the bones in his hand shattered and Skull fell to the ground.

"Trust me big guy, I can take more than you can give" Apollo told him as Atomic Skull clutched his broken hand and screamed in pain.

Apollo then wasted no time in charging at Atomic Skull, he punched him with titanic force, the very foundations of the building trembling from the power of the blow as Atomic Skull was knocked clean out.

And then—Silence.

Apollo hovered above the devastation, chest heaving, smoke rising from his knuckles. He watched as Skull lay in the center of the crater, his molten body dimming, his core flickering like a dying flame.

He wasn't getting back up.

Apollo landed gently, stepping toward the unconscious villain. The battle was over.

He had won.

Apollo let out a small sigh of relief knowing he had brought an end to the threat and ensured Justin and everyone else's safety.

Apollo stood over Skull's unconscious body, his chest heaving as he surveyed the battlefield. The once-mighty nuclear plant was in ruins—mangled steel, shattered glass, and scorched earth stretched for miles. Fires burned along the collapsed structures, and radiation alarms blared in the distance.

Skull was finally down, but Apollo knew it wouldn't last. Skull's power came from nuclear fission, an unchained force of atomic devastation. If he woke up and reconnected to that energy, the battle would begin anew—and next time, they wouldn't be a plant left standing.

Apollo saw that Skull's cells while not generating Atomic Energy were absorbing radiation and eventually if he absorbed enough he'd be back to his nuclear powered self. Apollo needed to block his cells from absorbing more radiation he needed a way to stop him for good.

He needed to act fast.

Super-speed kicked in. The world slowed around him as Apollo raced across the wreckage, his brain calculating faster than any human mind could comprehend. He needed to construct a device that would sever Skull's connection to nuclear energy, rendering him powerless.

He scanned the remains of Hammer's nuclear plant, his x-ray vision pinpointing the components he needed:

Neutrino Dampener Core – Torn from a shattered containment chamber, designed to absorb and neutralize radiation leaks.

Lead-Lined Circuitry – Fragments of a radiation shielding module built to contain atomic reactions.

Quantum Frequency Modulator – A device from Hammer's failed nuclear fusion experiments, capable of disrupting atomic energy fields.

Power Supply – A ruptured reactor coil, still pulsing with residual energy, just enough to fuel the device.

Apollo instantly began to blur through the complex until he got to the room he needed to get into; the laboratory, or at least one of them.

Apollo worked at super speed, the world frozen around him while he toiled and invented. Most power plants had systems in place to protect from a nuclear radiation leak.

Apollo just needed to retrofit those systems and design them for a human body.

His mind whizzed as he worked out the very specific calculations, he was working his brain quicker than ever before as he took what he knew about human physiology and mixed it with his knowledge of radiation.

He needed to marry the two different fields and create a type of technology to block Skulls bodies ability to absorb radiation.

His hands became a blur as he recalibrated frequencies, rewired circuits, and constructed a precision inhibitor in mere seconds. Equations danced in his mind, calculating the perfect harmonic resonance needed to disrupt Skull's power source at the atomic level.

Within what was only a couple of seconds Apollo held a collar specifically designed to not only dampen any energy Skull produced but also disrupt his unnatural atomic energy and release lead into Skull's bloodstream.

While this device likely would give lead poisoning to a regular person, Skull's unique physiology wouldn't be sickened by it, the lead would simply block his radioactive cells working in tandem with the atomic disruptor and the energy dampener causing him to be unable to absorb more radiation or generate his atomic power anymore.

The final piece clicked into place.

A small, sleek collar pulsed in his hands—a nuclear dampener, designed in an instant, capable of cutting Skull off from his atomic might, whirred to life.

Apollo smiled to himself proudly before he raced back to Atomic Skull's unconscious body.

Apollo slammed the device onto Skull's chest, activating it instantly. The effect was immediate—the radioactive energy surrounding Skull flickered, then vanished. The air lost its heat, and the distant alarms fell silent.

Skull was contained.

But Apollo wasn't done yet.

Fires still raged. Radiation levels were climbing. If he left now, the fallout could poison the entire area.

Apollo took off flying across the site at immense speeds. He exhaled controlled bursts of super-cold breath, snuffing out flames and cooling molten steel. He reinforced the crumbling reactor chamber, bending collapsed girders back into place, sealing off radiation leaks with lead-lined panels. He even stabilized a failing coolant system before it could rupture, preventing another catastrophe.

Within moments what could have been a nuclear disaster zone was now stable.

Apollo took one last look at Skull—still unconscious, powerless, defeated.

Apollo heard the police and paramedics finally about to arrive so he flew off leaving a note instructing them not to remove the collar and as quickly as he had arrived, Apollo vanished into the sky, leaving behind only a whisper of wind and a sense of awe in his wake as the paramedics and police who arrived looked around in bewilderment at the scene before them.

With a burst of speed, he vanished into the sky, racing back toward the stadium, truly ready to win the game.

Apollo flew back to the stadium and changed back into his football gear arriving just as the second half was about to begin.

Sprite seeing that Apollo had returned removed the holographic illusion she'd been projecting of him. Apollo nodded to her hoping the nod conveyed that everything was fine and that he was so grateful for her and her amazing gift.

Apollo's teammates looked to him not even aware he had been gone and Apollo could tell they needed not just skill but his leadership. He wouldn't let them down, he knew how much this meant to everyone not just on the field with him but on the sidelines and in the stands.

"Alright guys" Apollo began to say to his teammates as they huddled together.

"We may not be ahead right now but I know we can win this game. Because I know everyone on this field right now, I've memorised their plays, I know every player's strengths and their weaknesses and I can say confidently that they are not better than us. We have the better players, we have the better coach and we are the better team. We just need to work for one another and sacrifice for one another. That's our greatest advantage, everybody looks down on us cause we're a small town team but the fact that we all grew up together, we all went to the same cookouts and fares, played in the same playground. It gives us a connection that no other team can replicate. And when we tap in to it we are superhuman, when we tap into it we're invincible!" Apollo shouted hyping up his teammates and bringing them all together.

"Yeah AK" Whitney shouted and Apollo smiled.

"We are going to win this game and we're going to win together. We're going to win this for one another, for our families, for our friends and for Smallville!" Apollo told them.

"You heard him, everybody bring it in" Whitney said feeding off of Apollo's energy as everyone got closer and put their hands together.

"Smallville vs Everybody on 3" Apollo shouted.

"1,2,3" Apollo chanted out and then his team shouted out their war cry.

"Smallville vs Everybody!"

The team took the field and the second half got underway and Apollo knowing there was no other danger he needed to face was able to fully focus and the team rallied under his incredible and unparalleled play.

Apollo stepped up to the line, scanning the Trinity defense.

They were blitzing. Hard.

Perfect.

The ball snapped.

Apollo dropped back, the pocket collapsing instantly. Two defenders broke free.

But he was already moving.

His body snapped into motion, shifting left, ducking under a linebacker's outstretched arm. The world slowed to a crawl.

There—Kyle, cutting upfield.

Apollo planted his foot and launched the ball on a perfect 40-yard rope.

Kyle turned at the last second—the ball was already there.

He caught it in stride.

TOUCHDOWN.

The stadium exploded.

Trinity's confidence shook.

Apollo smelled blood.

On the next drive, he saw the Rocks' safety cheating inside, expecting another deep ball.

He grinned.

"Whitney, slant and cut toward the sideline," Apollo whispered at the line.

Whitney frowned. "There's a guy sitting right there—"

"Trust me."

The ball snapped.

Apollo faked a glance deep, making the safety bite.

Then—without looking—he launched the ball toward the sideline.

Whitney turned just in time.

The ball smacked into his hands perfectly.

He turned upfield and ran untouched into the end zone.

The entire stadium went INSANE.

A no-look touchdown pass.

The Rocks stared in disbelief.

Apollo just winked.

The Rushing Touchdown – The Play of the Night

Trinity was on the ropes, but they weren't going down easy.

With Smallville inside the 20-yard line, the Rocks braced for another deep strike.

Apollo read their defense and called an audible.

The ball snapped.

He rolled out right—then took off.

One linebacker charged.

Apollo stiff-armed him so hard, the guy flipped backward.

Another defender dove for his legs.

Apollo planted his foot and juked—the poor guy tripped over himself and face planted.

Two linemen closed in.

Apollo hit top speed, blowing right past them.

Five yards out—one last wall of defenders.

A pile of linemen jumped to stop him.

Apollo launched into the air.

He FLIPPED completely over them—twisting midair like a gymnast.

He landed smoothly in the end zone, barely breaking stride.

Touchdown.

The crowd went INSANE.

Trinity's defenders sat in shock.

Pete was screaming. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? DID YOU SEE THAT?!"

Chloe shook her head. "I… I have no words."

Skye just grinned. "Apollo Kent, you are ridiculous."

Apollo tossed the ball to the ref, grinning.

"Gotta give the fans a show."

With one minute left, Smallville led 35-28.

Trinity had one last shot.

Apollo stepped onto the defensive unit.

"Wait—you're gonna play defense, damn leave some shine for the rest of us" Kyle said as he laughed.

Apollo smirked.

"Just this once I figure I'll be a glory hound" Apollo quipped as he stepped onto the pitch.

Trinity's quarterback barked signals. The snap came fast.

Apollo read the play instantly.

He saw the receiver cut inside—saw the QB's eyes lock on.

Bad move.

Apollo shot forward like a bullet, cutting off the route.

The ball left the QB's hand.

Apollo snatched it midair and took off.

He blasted upfield, weaving past linemen like they were standing still.

50 yards.

40 yards.

30—20—10—TOUCHDOWN.

Pick-six. Game over.

The final buzzer sounded and red and gold confetti rained down onto the stadium. The stadium erupted and the crowd cheered them on as the team celebrated their win.

Apollo shook Brohm's hand and congratulated him on a good game before he screamed in jubilation at their win.

The team swarmed him as they too screamed in happiness having defeated a bitter rival. Their triumph a testament to the indomitable spirit of teamwork and perseverance they shared.

Players rushed Apollo, lifting him into the air.

Pete tackled him in a bear hug. "DUDE! YOU WERE A MONSTER!"

Apollo laughed, catching his breath. "Took a little warm-up, that's all."

"State! State! State!" the team chanted knowing that they were headed to the State championships after having defeated the Rocks.

Skye found her way through the crowd and the team and the moment he saw her he picked her up and kissed her passionately.

"That was… wow" Skye said.

Apollo wasn't sure if she meant the kiss or the game but looking at her smile he didn't care which.

Apollo grinned back.

"Pretty good, huh?"

She rolled her eyes, playfully shoving him.

"Show-off" Skye told him before they kissed again.

Chloe sprinted over. "Okay, Kent, do you have superpowers? Be honest."

Apollo smirked. "If I did, you'd be the first to know."

He saw his parents and Sprite also making their way to the field telling him how proud they were and Apollo beamed with elation.

Jonathan clapped him on the back. "I've never been prouder, son."

Ajak smiled. "You did something special tonight."

Sprite smirked. "Not bad, farm boy. You actually made that look fun."

Apollo chuckled. "Had to give the fans a show."

Whitney threw an arm around him.

"Enough talk—WE'RE CELEBRATING AT THE TALON."

Chloe grinned. "Fine, but Whitney's paying."

"Wait, WHAT?!"

Laughter filled the air.

Apollo took a breath, soaking in the moment.

His town was safe.

His friends and family were here.

And for now—everything was perfect.

And even though Apollo's heroic deeds went unnoticed by the cheering crowds and adoring fans, his impact reverberated far beyond the confines of the football field.

The people he saved at the Hammer plant may not know who he was but they were alive because of him, Justin was alive because of him and to Apollo that was the biggest win he had today. For in that moment, he had proven himself not just as a star quarterback, but also acted as a guardian and done something he'd never done before, stopped and defeated a beyond superhuman threat.

Location: Smallville Prison, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

That night, Justin Hammer visited the Smallville prison and watched the man who attempted to kill him. He didn't have anything to say to Albert Martin or The Atomic Skull as he called himself. He was locked inside a cell a makeshift collar keeping him from accessing his power.

After the paramedics checked him out Justin took a look at the crude tech that was put around Albert. It was clearly hobbled together and could be improved but it was a rather ingenious device. Justin believed he could remake it and use it to block out the abilities of other people like Albert, if they were out there. He'd get started on the patent right away. Justin smiled to himself, a day where he was almost killed had turned into a potentially very lucrative day for him and while he would like to believe he was lucky to have survived the encounter with Albert Justin didn't believe in luck. No, he had been saved for the second time since he came to Smallville and this time he didn't know by who.

Whoever it was Justin needed to find them. They were powerful and Justin needed that power on his side if he was going to change the world.

He came to Smallville believing it would be a good way to rebuild his image, to be the man who saved the heartland instead of the man always stuck in Stark's shadow. But since his arrival he'd been blessed with more than that. He'd been blessed with an opportunity, there was so much promise here; from his burgeoning friendship with Apollo and now this, actual living super humans.

The world hadn't seen them since Captain America went into the ice and if he could be the one to replicate their abilities, he could usher in a new age of military might and use it to bring about peace.

He could save the world. Stark wouldn't be the face of the American military anymore, he would. No more being second fiddle, this time he could take centre stage.

Justin walked to Albert's cell and the moment Albert saw him an enraged look blanketed his very bruised and beaten face. He charged at the cell door and gripped the bars with his non broken arm.

"I'm going to tear you apart, don't think your little guardian angel will always be there to save you" Albert spat at Justin.

Justin smiled at him. Earlier he didn't know what to say to him but now he did.

"Thank you Albert. You have no idea how much you've helped me and how much you're going to help me. When you attacked me earlier today I was scared and regretful, I came to Smallville to start fresh and save this town and I truly didn't mean to cause you harm. But now it's clear that me doing that gave you a gift, it gave you power" Justin said.

"Power that I'm going to use to destroy you" Albert said to Justin interrupting him his voice filled with venom.

"No you won't, but don't despair. You wanted to partner with me when I moved here and now here's our chance. I am going to figure out how you came to have your lovely power and then figure out a way to replicate it" Justin told him a smile creeping on his face.

Albert instantly became very unsettled. He felt his heart beat quicker.

"Now that process will undoubtedly be very unpleasant for you but you shouldn't be afraid. You're going to help me save the world Albert. Thank you" Justin said a very hungry look in his eyes.

Albert stepped away from the bars, feeling fear once more as he looked at the predatory eyes of Justin Hammer.

He wasn't a person to Hammer, he was simply a new science project.

Albert tried to summon his power but once again it was to no avail and Justin smiled at him for a final time before he walked away.

---

Location: Smallville High, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

A couple months passed and Hammer Industries covered up what happened at the plant and Smallville moved on. Apollo began actively looking for meteor infected people so that he could see if he could help them. So far he'd ran into a few while maintaining his secret identity but the vast majority of them seemed unstable and violent. It was rather alarming to Apollo. They appeared to be a psychological component to the meteor infection, like it warped people's minds. Apollo was a little disheartened by it but he wouldn't give up hope on finding people like him, super powered people, who were good. Apollo split his time between saving people, finding and fighting 'meteor infected' as Chloe had referred to them, hanging out with Skye and his friends, playing sports, training with his Uncle and Aunt and hanging out with Justin Hammer. He was honestly amazed at how much his life had changed since the night of prom and the meteor shower. Apollo found himself sometimes wondering how his life got so crazy but then he'd always remind himself that he was an alien being raised by another immortal alien and her human husband and his aunts and uncles were the basis of many myths that he grew up reading in his books. He would then chuckle to himself about how he never had a chance of a truly regular life but he was doing his best to enjoy the regular and irregular aspects of his life.

Today Apollo was hanging out at the Torch, Chloe was looking into writing an article about the last meteor infected person Apollo had run into their fellow school mate Greg Arkin who had seemingly gotten bug related powers after being exposed to the meteors and gone after Skye. Chloe and he were trying to workout a way to write the article and still give sympathy to Greg who was a young teen and victim of the meteors.

Chloe and Apollo were seemingly the only people who were writing about the meteor infected who were willing to give them any sympathy. The few others who wrote about them always dehumanised them. Pete always asked them why they put so much emphasis on humanising the 'meteor freaks' as they were now beginning to be called locally. Apollo did it because he believed humanising them would eventually lead to people accepting them and Chloe didn't like demonising people for things they couldn't control. Apollo figured that came from how people demonised her Mum who was mentally unwell. Either way Apollo was thankful that he had someone else who saw the meteor infected as people, even though Chloe kept trying to get exclusive interviews with them and could sometimes push too far and cross over into completely invading their privacy.

Apollo sat at his cluttered desk, the screen of his desktop glowing faintly in front of him as he typed up the last details of his story. Beside him, Chloe was flipping through a stack of papers, her eyes scanning for any leads on any potentially interesting story.

"How's the article coming?" Chloe asked, not looking up. "I'm thinking of pitching it as a lead for next week's issue. A little less alien/monster invasion and a little more meteor rock madness."

Apollo laughed, tapping the keys a little slower. "You know, I never thought Smallville would be the epicenter of so many strange phenomena. It's like every other week something new is happening."

"You don't know the half of it," Chloe muttered, half to herself causing Apollo to chuckle to himself at the irony. "But it does seem like lately, people are getting a little more... dangerous."

Apollo paused, brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that, the first stories about the meteor shower were just oddballs who could potentially have powers" Chloe said as she walked up to her wall of weird and put up new articles and stories she found in the stack of papers she was just looking at.

"Now every other story seems to be violent, sure we still get stories of people occasionally doing odd things but those are far less than the stories of people with powers using them to hurt people" Chloe said her voice sounding a little defeated.

Apollo wanted to tell her it would be okay, reassure her that he was working overtime in secret to protect people but decided to say nothing.

"You know, Apollo," Chloe began saying as she sat back at her desk "Smallville has become ground zero for meteor-related weirdness and it's scary. More and more people are getting affected, and it's only a matter of time before someone notices."

Apollo leaned back in his chair, stretching. "It's strange, isn't it? You'd think more people would have noticed."

Chloe nodded, her eyes narrowing as she thought about it. "Ignorance is bliss, why accept the weird things happening in your city when you can ignore them. Hell even the authorities are too busy trying to cover it up instead of actually trying to helping people."

Apollo nodded at that, I guess to them it was more important to keep the peace and hide the truth than let people know that the place they called home was changing.

"You know, it's funny… I keep hearing rumors though. Some of the people who've had encounters with the meteor infected they mention somebody actually helping them. They say there's someone out there, some kind of savior keeping everything from falling apart."

Apollo felt his hearts spike at the words. A savior?

Chloe leaned back in her chair, her eyes locking onto Apollo's. "Some people are calling him the Smallville Samaritan. What do you think? Think it's just another local legend?"

Apollo forced a smile. "I don't know. Sounds like one of those Smallville myths. I wouldn't put too much stock into it."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Maybe. But I can't shake the feeling there's someone out there watching over us. It's just a hunch."

Apollo nodded but kept his focus on his screen, the worry gnawing at him. What if she starts to piece things together?

The final bell of the day rang, and students streamed out of classrooms, eager to leave. Apollo, however, wasn't in a rush. He made his way down to the computer lab, where Skye was already hard at work, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Skye looked up when she felt his presence, a smile spreading across her face. "Hey, you," she said softly. "How was your day?"

Apollo returned the smile and sat down next to her, dropping his bag on the floor. "Long. I just wanted to check on you especially after everything with Greg."

Skye smiled at him. "Trust me Apollo, I'm fine. There's not a scratch on me."

"I know I just had to double check" he said returning a warm smile to her and the two shared a quick peck.

"Now enough about Greg" Skye said. "I've been busy with something else."

Apollo leaned in, intrigued. "What's that?"

Skye grinned, her fingers tapping on the keyboard. "I've started coding for a hacktivism platform. You know, trying to dig up info on meteor-infected people—getting the word out about them. Most people don't even know the extent of what's been happening here. If I can use tech to raise awareness, I will."

Apollo's eyes softened as he looked at her, proud. "That's amazing, Skye. You could really make a difference doing this you know."

She smiled at him, her fingers dancing across the keys. "I think it's time to stop waiting around for someone else to do it. If I can find a way to get this information out there—without anyone finding out who I am—then I'll do it."

Apollo leaned in closer, his voice more serious now. "Be careful though. There are people who would stop you if they knew what you were doing. There's probably a reason why nobody outside of Smallville seems to know about the meteor infected and whatever that reason is I'm certain whoever's behind it won't just let the news get out without putting up a fight. I'm sure you can handle yourself, but don't get reckless."

Skye looked up at him, her expression softening. "I won't. I promise."

Skye kissed him once more but the moment was cut short when Apollo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a message from Justin Hammer.

Justin Hammer: "Hey Apollo, I've got something I'd like your input on. Could really use your genius to help make it work. Let's meet at the facility later today. It's important."

Apollo raised an eyebrow as he read the message. "Looks like I've got to head out. Justin wants to see me at his facility."

Skye glanced up, her face a little wary. "What's he working on now?"

Apollo gave her a reassuring smile. "I don't know, but he's always up to something. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

Skye nodded, but her concern was evident in her eyes. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will," Apollo promised.

Over the past few months he'd occasionally help Justin with his tech. Apollo's caveat was that he wouldn't help with any military tech and Justin didn't seem to mind that as he was seemingly not focused on making weapons now, not that either he or Apollo could compete with Stark in that arena. Right now though he couldn't shake the feeling that whatever Justin was working on might be more dangerous than it seemed.

Apollo Kent adjusted the strap of his backpack as he pushed open the door, stepping out just as Pete Ross strolled in.

"Skipping practice again, huh?" Apollo teased, smirking.

Pete scoffed. "You're one to talk, Mr. 'I-have-to-go-help-my-dad-fix-the-tractor' every time there's a cat stuck in a tree."

Apollo chuckled, shaking his head. "Hey, that tractor's a valuable member of the Kent family."

"Uh-huh. And I'm the King of England," Pete shot back, grinning before clapping Apollo on the shoulder. "Catch you later, man."

Apollo gave him a mock salute before heading out. Pete turned his attention to the girl seated at the back of the room, her fingers flying across the keyboard as if she were defusing a bomb.

"Skye," Pete said, leaning against the desk beside her. "I need your help."

Skye didn't even glance up. "You always need my help."

"Yeah, but this time it's actual life-or-death stuff."

That got her attention. She slowly leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow at him. "Okay that's pretty intense language, what's up?"

Pete exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "My mom—she's worried. She does a lot of pro bono work at the community center over in Southside, and she says there's been a huge increase in assaults over the last month."

Skye frowned. "Southside always has crime. Not exactly breaking news."

"Yeah, but this is different. People are getting jumped for no reason. No robbery, no gang initiations—just brutal beatings. The cops think it's just random street violence, but my mom says the victims? They're mostly poor or homeless people. People without a voice."

Skye's fingers tapped against the desk, her expression sharpening. "So, you think someone's targeting them?"

Pete nodded. "After all that happened with the Mankins, I can't just ignorantly think that something's not going on when I hear stuff like this. I think it's more than just some desperate guys fighting one another trying to make a quick buck. And if the cops won't do anything about it…"

"We will," Skye finished, a smirk tugging at her lips. She cracked her knuckles and turned back to her screen. "Alright, let's see what we can dig up."

"Knew I came to the right person." Pete grinned and said just as Apollo walked out of earshot. He would talk to Pete later and try to help if he could but right now he decided to focus on whatever it was that Justin needed him for as he super sped to the Hammer facility.

Location: Hammer Tech Development Facility, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

The facility was sleek, modern, and massive—its gleaming metal surfaces and whirring machines making it clear that this was a place of serious innovation. Apollo stepped through the doors, his eyes scanning the high-tech environment. He spotted Justin Hammer standing near a large glass observation window, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his designer jacket.

"Hey, Apollo," Justin greeted with a wide grin, his voice as enthusiastic as always. "Glad you could make it. You're just the person I need."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, crossing the room toward him. "What's going on, Justin? What do you need me for this time?"

Justin waved his hand vaguely toward a sleek-looking machine standing in the center of the lab. It had several large monitors and cables attached to it, and a faint, eerie hum filled the air.

"This right here," Justin said, his eyes lighting up with excitement, "is the next big thing. It's a bio-scanner combined made with top of the line technology linked to satellites and a supercomputer— it's something that can read genetic markers, detect mutations, and even maybe one day on a future version be used to predict changes in the human body before they happen."

Apollo frowned, glancing over the machine. "That's impressive, but... why the rush to get it working? And why me?"

Justin grinned. "Because you're a genius, Apollo. Seriously, I've seen the way you think, and you've got insights I can't even begin to match. With your input, I can tweak the system to make it perfect. We could use this thing to predict diseases or even to spot potential outbreaks before they get out of hand."

Apollo's gaze lingered on the machine, a mix of intrigue and unease churning inside him. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but he knew that a machine like this wouldn't just be used to predict diseases and that it could also be used to track people who were different. Apollo mentally shuddered, the thought of technology that could be used to track people with powers—it made him deeply uncomfortable.

"So, what's the real plan here?" Apollo asked, his voice cool. "You really think this tech is just going to be used for healthcare or to stop diseases?"

Justin grinned, a flicker of something more serious in his eyes.

"Look, I'm not naïve. I know the government won't let something like this go to waste. If it works, we could use it to protect people. Think about it, Apollo. We could identify threats before they even materialize." He paused, looking at Apollo.

Justin could sense Apollo's unease. He knew how against weapons Apollo was. Justin leaned in and spoke quietly to his friend, he didn't need anyone overhearing this next part of the conversation.

"Apollo, you and I both know that there has been an outbreak of super powered individuals in Smallville. If it's happening here how long until it starts happening elsewhere. What if someone with potential to be too powerful for the police to stop starts rampaging through a city, wouldn't it be nice to know about them and stop them before it gets ugly?" Justin added.

Apollo felt a twist in his stomach.

"I don't know, Justin. It sounds like you're talking about controlling people, not protecting them. What happens if the wrong people get their hands on this tech? It could be used to target anyone who's different—anyone who's not normal."

Justin didn't seem to understand the gravity of Apollo's words or if he did he didn't seem to take it too seriously.

"Control? No. Protecting people is all that matters. The most important part of this tech is the medical aspect if we can also use it to get ahead of these... super-powered people and avoid disasters, that'd be an unintended bonus. We wouldn't have to wait for things to get out of hand. We could stop it before it even starts" Justin informed him.

Apollo shook his head; he was filled with a sinking feeling.

"And what about the people who are just trying to live their lives? You're not just potentially talking about stopping bad guys. You're talking about monitoring everyone, checking for things that might happen. That's a slippery slope, Justin." Apollo told his friend

Justin's smile faltered slightly, but he remained upbeat.

"Maybe. But we could save lives and that's what's important right? This is medical tech first and foremost and hell I'll even let you put any safeguards you want on the machine. Dangerous people have always tried to weaponise innovation but that shouldn't stop progress should it? Isn't saving lives worth the risk?" Justin charmingly asked his younger friend.

Apollo wasn't entirely convinced. The thought of a tool that could be used to target people like him—people who weren't human or people who were different—was more than just troubling. But he couldn't show his discomfort too clearly, not with Justin expecting him to be on board.

"I'll look at the tech," Apollo said slowly. "But I think we need to be really careful about where this goes."

Justin clapped him on the shoulder, his excitement bubbling up again. "That's what I like to hear! Together, we can make this work. We can change the world, Apollo."

As Justin led him toward the machine, Apollo's mind was still racing. What if this tech ends up being more dangerous than he realizes? He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Justin's good intentions might lead them both down a very dangerous path.

---

Location: Kent Farm, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

Weeks later the soft rustling of corn stalks was the only sound that filled the warm air, as the sun began its slow descent behind the hills of Smallville. The quiet serenity of the farm was punctuated by the sounds of training. Apollo was hovering a few feet off the ground, focused intently on his target—a group of boulders set up in a line a hundred yards away. His breath was steady, his mind sharp, but there was a storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.

He pushed forward with a burst of speed, sending one fist crashing into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth. The rocks shattered like glass. His fists glowed with the unmistakable heat of his powers, and yet something about the way the boulders broke—too easily—felt unsatisfying. He knew his power was great, but something about using it in the months since he faced Atomic Skull had began making him feel empty.

Not only that but since then he had faced multiple super powered individuals now and fighting them wasn't easy. Knocking them out took effort and worst of all afterwards he didn't feel completely like a guardian or saviour.

The meteor infected were people whose lives were changed by a freak catastrophe he couldn't stop; they were people he wasn't able to save. Now here he was months later leaving them to spend their lives in prison or in a mental institution.

There had to be a better way.

A better way to use his powers than just fighting meteor freaks and knocking out violent criminals and then disappearing.

There had to be a better way to help everyone in Smallville. Apollo didn't mind fighting evil, in fact he enjoyed it but there had to be a way to not only stop evil but to save everyone, the meteor infected included.

He had to figure out a way to do more.

From the edge of the field, Ikaris, arms crossed and watching with his usual intensity, didn't flinch.

"Again," he barked, his voice calm but commanding.

Apollo, his jaw set in concentration, nodded. He soared upward again, this time focusing harder, channeling more of his strength. His body was a blur as he whizzed through the air, narrowly dodging trees and fences put in his path to form a sort of obstacle course for him to fly through. But despite his immense power, there was a hint of frustration in his movements, as though the harder he pushed, the further away the feeling of satisfaction seemed to get. Apollo used his heat vision to destroy a set of scarecrows made to look like Deviants in front of him and then stopped.

"That's it!" Ikaris shouted, his arms raised in approval. "More of that. You're not just some farm boy. You are so much more than that. You are a member of a family of Eternals. You are a warrior."

Apollo didn't know how he felt about being referred to as a warrior.

Was that what he was meant to be? A soldier? A fighter?

Apollo paused for a second contemplating as he landed on the ground and before he could even say a word his Aunt Makkari was already in motion, her figure a blur as she zipped toward Apollo, her kind smile lit the field like a spark of pure joy.

"Hey!" Makkari signed as she grinned, standing still for a moment, her hands on her hips. "You're doing it all wrong."

Apollo blinked in surprise. "Wrong? I thought I was—"

Makkari rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Not wrong. Just... not fun enough." She signed to him. "You've got these amazing powers, Apollo. You can fly, you can lift mountains, but you're not free, you're not enjoying them or using them to do what you enjoy. What's the point of having these powers if you don't use them in a way that makes you feel complete. There's no point in having powers if you can't enjoy the ride"

Apollo narrowed his eyes, but there was a spark of intrigue in him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean—" Makkari signed right as she dashed forward, disappearing for a split second before reappearing behind him with a huge gust of wind. "—you can do anything with these abilities but the way you use them now you won't ever get the most out of it because you're not enjoying them. Your powers are a gift and if you want to unlock your full potential and be the protector you're meant to be you need to treat them like a gift. You can make it fun. Why train like you're about to go to war all the time? Feel the air. Feel how it feels to just fly because you can. Your abilities are yours, use them in a way you enjoy because when you do that you'll learn more about yourself and be able to use them in ways you couldn't previously imagine."

She zipped past him in a whirlwind of speed, making him dizzy for a moment, before pulling to a stop with a playful grin behind him. Makkari tapped his shoulder but as he turned to face her she had already zoomed off. Like she was goading him to chase her. Apollo smirked and blurred chasing her trail.

He ran at his top speed trying to keep up with her. Every time he got close she would turn back to him smile and then run faster. The two of them zoomed through Smallville and the more Apollo ran the more he enjoyed the feeling, he felt the air around him, felt the wind on his face and felt all the power his body generated as he pushed himself forward at speeds no human could ever hope to achieve.

The two ran into the forests, dashing through the trees until they reached a lake.

Makkari zoomed forward running on the water with effortless ease and Apollo matched her speed bracing himself to have to switch from running to flying only for his footsteps to glide over the water.

He wasn't sinking, he was moving so fast he wasn't breaking the surface tension of the water.

Apollo reared his head back and laughed.

Since he learnt how to fly so young he never thought to try running on water because it felt unnecessary.

Apollo was so wrong about that, the more he ran across the water the more he was filled with such childlike joy.

His Aunt Makkari smiled at him as laughed and ran across the lake over and over again.

Apollo realised his Aunt was right, this was why using his powers recently had made him feel empty. He was so preoccupied at only truly using his powers to either stop bad guys or when he wasn't controlling his powers during his training with Ikaris that he hadn't truly taken a few moments like this to just enjoy using them like he used to when he was younger.

His powers were a huge responsibility and he knew that, he knew how much he could affect the world around him with them but they were also his powers. They were a part of him, and they shouldn't become a burden, they should be something that he enjoys using. Apollo shouldn't lose sight of that as he gets older.

Makkari beckoned him to follow her once again and the two ran back into Smallville big smiles on both of their faces as they did so.

The two of them ran by a jewelry shop and saw a robbery in progress and slowed down. Makkari looked at her nephew and encouraged him to help and Apollo smiled. Compared to the meteor freaks he'd fought this would be nothing.

Apollo ran in the world frozen around him and he assessed the situation.

They were two robbers one with a gun pointed at the store owner and the other was grabbing everything he could and stuffing it into a huge duffel bag. They were both wore ski masks to cover their faces.

Apollo jokingly cracked his knuckles as if he was preparing for a serious fight before he knocked out the one with the duffel bag with a small tap to the cheek.

He grabbed the bag and put all the jewelry in front of the store owner before tearing the strap clean off the bag and whipping the gun out of the other robber's hand.

He poked the other robber knocking him out too before he grabbed him and tied him to his partner with the duffel bag strap and then removed their ski masks.

Apollo smiled to himself enjoying helping people and getting a small kick at getting to save people while using his powers in a playful manner.

His Aunt Makkari just watched him as he did all of this at super speed. She smiled at him and he smiled back before the two zoomed away. Leaving no trace, they'd even been there save for the two suddenly knocked out and tied up robbers.

The two ran back to the farm and stopped in front of Ikaris who just stood watching the two of them as if he was trying to figure out whether or not to reprimand them. Apollo looked at Makkari, the tension in his chest from earlier basically entirely gone.

"You're right," he said slowly. "That does feel... good."

"Exactly!" Makkari signed as she cheered.

"That's the key! Use your powers because they're yours, and because they make you happy. Don't let your uncle turn you into a grim-faced, battle-hardened soldier all the time. Enjoy yourself, Apollo. You were meant to feel all of this—live it. Be free and use your powers freely. You're not some weapon. You're a protector, protect with joy." Makkari told him, glad to have made her point.

"I'm just not sure that alone will be enough," Apollo muttered.

"Enough? You're faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a freight train, and you're still not satisfied?" she signed to him.

"It's just... I keep running into people with abilities. More meteor freaks. The robbers were nothing but them. They've been showing up more recently. I'm supposed to be able to handle this... but I'm not sure how, I feel like I'm not doing this right, like I'm missing a piece of a puzzle I didn't even know I was putting together. I'm not sure I'm ready" Apollo honestly told her.

"Well, you're training like you're going to be off fighting in some cosmic war. The people you're facing aren't Deviants and that means you don't need to think like Ikaris. You don't need to be him, Apollo. You can do this your own way." Makkari signed as she beamed at him.

"It's hard to turn off that part of me." Apollo admitted.

"And you shouldn't turn that part of you off" Ikaris told him as he floated above them.

"You have more power within you than anything on Earth and the strength of the Eternals in your soul. You're meant for more, you're meant to lead in battle and to fight for the greater good. Don't doubt yourself Apollo, you can be a warrior. Own it." Ikaris said.

Apollo felt like he should agree with him, whenever he was in a fight against meteor freaks he felt pressure to be like Ikaris because nobody had defeated more evil beings than him.

Who else should he emulate is he's trying to stop evil?

But then why did that not feel entirely right to him?

Why did just winning the fight often leave him feeling like he didn't do enough?

Apollo was torn and that's when Sprite—his sister in all but blood—as if sensing his turmoil stepped forward, her expression far more serious than usual. She had been quietly watching from the sidelines with Ajak, who stood just behind her, another silent observer of Apollo's struggle.

"Hey, Apollo," Sprite said, her voice gentle but firm. "Ikaris is right. He's right about being a warrior, about leading the charge against evil." She paused, her eyes thoughtful. "But the thing is, you don't have to do it his way. Ikaris is the greatest being I know but his way isn't the only way"

Apollo looked at her, curiosity filling him.

"What do you mean?" Apollo asked.

Sprite opened her left palm and an illusion of Ikaris appeared. He was flying through the sky cutting down Deviants with his cosmic blasts and using his incredible strength to fight them hand to hand. Ikaris was incredible, nothing could withstand him, he was a living weapon.

Sprite opened her other palm and an illusion of Apollo appeared, and the difference was stark.

Ikaris moved with immense precision and speed as he flew through the air cutting through it like a knife, his movements surgical.

Apollo however moved with graceful but immense power, he wasn't a surgical knife but rather a missile. He didn't cut through the air like his Uncle he tore through it almost like his power was so great it was overcoming the laws of physics themselves.

"You can be a leader but you're not a warrior you are a protector. Don't do it like Ikaris does because you can't. You have your own style, your own way of thinking. Your way isn't cutting down enemies and completing a mission like a soldier or general but by protecting the people in your life and by trailblazing a new path. You protect, create change and make people better just by existing. You've got a gift for it." Sprite told him.

Apollo looked at Sprite and she gave him a small, teasing smile.

"I've seen it before" Sprite said as she made a new illusion, it was of all of the people in his life; His Mum, his Dad, Sprite, Skye, Chloe and Pete.

Apollo nodded understanding what she meant.

The moment ended however when Ikaris's voice cut through the air like a whip, sharp and stern.

"You know you can't afford to be soft in this world, Sprite. The galaxy doesn't care about how you feel. How many times did we fight the Deviants? They are some evils that can't be changed and the universe is filled with them. As a warrior you have to be able to make tough decisions for the greater good and that means being able to have a heart of stone. That means destroying evil and doing whatever it takes to ensure the universe has a better future"

"He can't be that kind of leader Ikaris, you know it and I know it. He has to lead his way." Makkari signed to Ikaris.

Apollo stood still for a moment, letting the words settle in. He glanced back at Ikaris, then to Makkari, and finally to his sister. The weight of their expectations, combined with the fierce pull of his own sense of duty, pressed on him like a weight he couldn't escape.

It was as if he was being pulled in two directions at once: one toward the soldier, Whitehall, and one toward the free spirited guardian, the fun-loving protector.

Apollo turned away from them and looked to his Dad, who had been quietly observing from a distance.

"Apollo," Jonathan called, his tone soft yet firm, "why don't you come over here for a minute?"

Apollo super sped to his father, taking a deep breath. He glanced back at the Eternals, seeing their quiet but palpable expectations hanging in the air between them.

"Dad, I don't know what to think anymore," Apollo admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Ikaris wants me to fight, to lead, to be this warrior—like it's all that matters. But Makkari... she says I should be enjoying this. Spreading joy and protecting people. And Sprite... she says I should inspire people, inspire good, create change and help lead that way. And I can't help feeling like maybe they're all right in some way."

Jonathan's hand rested gently on Apollo's shoulder, his gaze kind but unwavering.

"Son, there's a difference between embracing your power and letting it consume you. You've got this incredible gift, yes. But never forget who you are." Jonathan told his son as he looked him in the eyes his expression soft and reassuring.

"You are human too, Apollo. You have to find the balance between what you can do and what you should do. Never forget that you're not defined by your powers but by your character. Your greatest strength is your heart, don't lose that" Jonathan said to Apollo his voice quiet but filled with the weight of years spent watching his son grow.

"Jonathan, you haven't seen what I, what we have seen. If he wants to continue on this path. If he wants to continue to use his powers to fight evil, he can't afford to be soft. He has to step up." Ikaris said as he walked towards the two of them.

Jonathan turned to face Ikaris, his gaze hardening slightly.

"And he will step up—when the time is right. But he doesn't have to lose himself in the process." Jonathan replied a forceful undertone in his voice.

There was a long pause as the two men stood, the tension palpable. Apollo stood between them, the gap between the two ideologies growing more apparent. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, he felt a strange calmness, as though he could see both sides clearly. His father was right, but Ikaris wasn't entirely wrong either. He needed to be ready for what was to come, but he also needed to figure out what time of person he was becoming.

Apollo always wanted to help people. Even when he was a kid and then after everything he went through with Mankins he promised himself that he would do more than just passively help people, he would do more. He would protect them, he would save them.

But now he needed to actually think about what that meant for him and what he was going to become in order to do that.

Would he be a warrior? A guardian angel? A luminary?

Finally, Jonathan spoke again, softer this time. "Just don't lose yourself in the fight, Apollo. Your heart, your humanity, that is more important than any power. Remember that. That's all I'm asking."

Apollo nodded slowly, his chest tightening with the weight of his father's words.

After a long moment, he excused himself. "I need some time alone."

Walking toward the barn, Apollo felt the weight of it all—a pressure so heavy it was hard to breathe. He opened the barn door and stepped inside, breathing in the familiar scent of hay and old wood. He let the door fall shut behind him and leaned against the wall, trying to clear his head.

The barn was still. Quiet.

Then, he heard soft footsteps behind him. Turning around, Apollo saw Ajak, his mother, stepping into the dim light. She smiled softly at him, her presence calming, like the steady pull of the stars.

"Mom…" Apollo began, his voice shaky. "I don't know what to do anymore."

Ajak approached him slowly, her gaze thoughtful. "You're not supposed to Apollo. It's okay that you don't have to have all the answers now, Apollo. This feeling you're feeling, the feeling of not knowing what to be it's a universal one. Nobody just knows who they are much less somebody who's still a teen. It'll come in time, all you need to know is that when it does you do need to embrace who you are, in all your complexity. Your powers, your heritage, your humanity—they're all a part of you. And whoever you're becoming make sure that it is someone who embraces all of that"

She paused, her gaze settling on him with deep understanding.

"You can be a warrior. You can be a protector. You can be a guardian angel. But more than that you can also be hero. The kind that people look up to. Not because of what you can do, but because of who you are, who you choose to be."

Ajak smiled at her son. Of all the things she had accomplished over her long life he was what she was proudest of. He was amazing to her even now when he was clearly struggling with the weight of all that he was and watching him grow every day into the marvelous man he was becoming filled her with nothing but joy.

"I am so proud of you Apollo. I am proud of you for saving all the people you've saved and I know you're struggling but trust me you will figure it out and when you do we'll all be here to support you. You may not be exactly like me or your Aunts and Uncles but Eternals exist to protect life and seeing you do that and help people with kindness is something that everyone in this family, especially your father and I are very happy about" Ajak told her son warmly hugging him.

"Thanks Ma" Apollo said a little taken aback by his Mum's sudden statement.

Ajak pulled away and then looked at her son.

"You're doing your best and if you keep going there's no end to how many people you can help because you're capable of truly incredible things" Ajak told him.

She then stood and walked towards the chest Apollo had up here.

"That said if you're going to continue doing this. If you're going to continue helping people, you can't do it running around in flannel" Ajak said.

"What do you mean?" Apollo a little surprised by what his Mum was saying.

"If you're going to help people you're going to need a uniform" Ajak said before unlocking the chest Apollo typically kept some of his souvenirs in.

She opened the chest and pulled out a simple box that was wrapped like it was a gift. Apollo looked at it perplexed and tried to x-ray but it seems his mother was a step ahead of him because the gift wrapping was lead lined so Apollo couldn't see through it.

Apollo looked at the box and his Mum quizzically wondering where this conversation was going.

"Mum what is this?" Apollo said confused.

"It's a present kind of? I had hoped to surprise you with it on a later date and I figured hiding it in plain site in your Fortress of Solitude would mean you wouldn't find it. I had wanted to give it to you to symbolise just how happy I am at the man you're becoming Apollo. And even though I truly am happy with who you are becoming I want to give it to you early for another reason. To show you all you can be when you're ready" Ajak informed her son warmly.

Apollo opened the box and inside he found a plain blue flight suit with aviator retro pilot goggles resting on top of suit. Apollo didn't recognise the flight suit so he realised his mother must've made it but he recognised the shaded aviator pilot goggles they were his great grandfather's.

Apollo set the goggles aside and pulled out the flight suit to get a full proper look at it.

The suit was navy blue and would be tight on him. There was a stylised S within a diamond shape like a shield in the middle of the suit. The outline of the crest was gold, the S itself was red and the background of the inside of the shield was black.

Apollo recognised it the symbol, it was the same S symbol in a diamond crest on the front of his ship.

There was also a long red cape with a hoodie attached to the flight suit. The cape draped over the shoulders of the suit almost like cloak.

"Mum?" Apollo said as he inspected the suit he took out of the box.

"Eternals usually wear uniforms when saving people, at least we did back when we used to. I think you should too. This suit is yours when you're ready to embrace it and be the man I can tell you're destined to be" Ajak said to her son.

"The crest?" Apollo questioned as he looked at it wondering why his mother put it on this suit.

"Even though you and I don't know what it means or where it's from that symbol is tied to you. Tied to who you are. You should honour it, it's just as much a part of you as we are too" Ajak told Apollo.

Apollo put down the suit and super sped to his Mum pulling her into a deep hug.

"I love you Ma" Apollo said as he hugged her and lifted her into the air.

"I love you too, my sweet, sweet Apollo" Ajak replied.

Apollo put his Mum down and she walked away from the barn giving him the space he needed.

Apollo looked at the suit once more and put it back in it's box. He wasn't ready for the suit yet. They were still too many questions swirling in his mind but when he was he knew just where to find it.

Apollo walked to the window and watched the sunset, his mind was clearer now even though he wasn't sure yet what he was going to be but he knew whoever it was it was someone who could lead, protect, fight and inspire. Someone who was both human and alien and like his Mum said most of all was a hero.

---

Location: Smallville High, Smallville – Earth – 2003

The glow of multiple monitors illuminated Skye Hubbard's face as she typed rapidly on her keyboard, her fingers moving with the confidence of someone who had done this countless times before. The IT lab at Smallville High was nearly empty aside from the faint hum of computers and the soft clicking of keystrokes. Skye sat their typing away while her boyfriend Apollo and her two closest friends Pete Ross and Chloe entered in silence. She leaned in, eyes narrowed, scanning lines of data as she infiltrated Smallville's local network.

A voice broke through the quiet.

"Still hacking the Pentagon, Hubbard?"

Apollo Kent grinned as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. Pete Ross stood beside him, shaking his head with an exaggerated sigh.

"Man, if she gets arrested, I'm not bailing her out," Pete joked. "There's no way my Mom would be happy with me associating with a juvenile criminal."

Skye rolled her eyes but smirked. "You'd let me rot in jail? Some friend you are."

Apollo chuckled, grabbing his backpack off the chair.

"I'd break you out, don't worry." He reassured Skye as he kissed her forehead.

Pete playfully nudged Apollo. "Of course you would, Mr. Boy Scout."

"So are you actually going to help or just stand there looking pretty?" Skye teased, leaning back in her chair.

Apollo chuckled.

"I can do both" He quipped as he strolled over and playfully ruffled her hair, earning an exaggerated eye-roll.

"Hey, hey, not the hair!" Skye swatted his hand away with a playful smile on her face.

"Yeah, yeah, get a room, you two," Pete interjected.

Apollo turned, smirking. "You jealous, Ross? You know you could have this too if you dated girls for more than a few weeks"

Pete scoffed. "Please. The day I start pining to settle down is the day cows start flying."

"I mean, we do live in Kansas," Apollo shot back.

Pete groaned. "You know what? Forget it. Skye and I actually came here for something important." He pulled up a chair next to Skye, his expression shifting to something more serious.

"I figure Skye's already told you about what her and I have been working on?" Pete asked Apollo

"Yeah, people in the Southside being attacked" Apollo answered.

"Well my mom's been hearing things. She's hearing how whatever it causing this is escalating. The assaults are getting worse. My mom says the injuries are weird—fractured ribs, deep bruises, concussions—like someone with strength well beyond normal is beating on them. The cops don't care because, well…" He gestured vaguely. "Poor people getting hurt? Must be their own fault."

Chloe scoffed finally saying something.

"Classic. The system works exactly as designed."

"So, you've been having Skye do some digging?" Apollo said.

"Exactly," Pete confirmed.

"Yet you wouldn't bail her out jail, cold world" Apollo told him and Pete playfully elbowed Apollo.

Apollo watched as Skye's fingers flew across the keyboard, her brows knitting together in concentration. He leaned over slightly, watching her work.

"You're kind of amazing, you know that?" he murmured.

Skye shot him a playful side-eye. "Oh, so now you notice?"

Apollo chuckled. "I always notice."

From the other side of the room, Chloe let out a loud sigh.

"Are we investigating a possible conspiracy or watching a rom-com?"

Pete nudged her. "Jealous?"

Chloe huffed. "Jealous that they're distracting us from exposing the corrupt system that preys on the vulnerable? Yeah, a little."

"Uh-huh, sure," Pete replied, grinning.

Skye suddenly sat up straighter, her eyes widening. "Guys, I think I finally found something."

Apollo, Pete, and Chloe gathered around as Skye turned the screen toward them. A series of encrypted files flickered on the monitor, bearing the label PROJECT OSSEUS.

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Pete muttered.

Skye began bypassing the security, her fingers never slowing.

"'Osseous' that's Latin for bone." Apollo spoke to no one in particular. His encyclopedic knowledge of every language coming to use.

"What the hell kind of project name is that?" Pete questioned.

"That means the project involves bone" Chloe answered. "Maybe that's why all those people are injured and have broken bones."

"Whatever this is, it's connected to those assaults in the Southside. And get this—these attacks? They're not random. They're planned."

Apollo lifted his head.

"By who?"

Skye clicked a few keys, bringing up a list of seemingly random locations.

"That's where I hit a wall. But I tapped into an encrypted network running through the railroad district. It was buried deep, but I pulled some files. Whoever is orchestrating these attacks? They call them 'deployments.'"

Apollo's stomach twisted.

"Deployments? As in, soldiers?"

"Something like that," Skye murmured. She tapped a file. "They're marking target areas. These attacks aren't just crimes; they're strategic."

"Who the hell are these people?" Pete asked.

Chloe exhaled through her nose, glaring at the screen.

"I'd bet money it's another one of those rich-man power plays. Some group of corporate-backed scumbags trying to keep the poor in check."

Apollo sat back, mind racing. Something wasn't clicking—until it did. His brain pieced together the scattered clues in an instant. His voice was quiet, certain.

"They're testing something."

The group turned to him.

"What?" Skye asked.

Apollo's mind worked through the pieces out loud.

"If these attacks are deployments, and they're planned instead of random, that means someone's watching. Studying the effects. Why? To test something. Pete, you said your Mom said the attacks are getting worse, it must be because their making it stronger" Apollo told them.

"It?" Chloe asked.

"A new weapon, one that breaks bones" Apollo said.

Silence settled over the room.

Chloe exhaled slowly. "You know I don't say this enough but how smart you are is... scary sometimes."

Apollo smirked.

"That's what you love about me" Apollo responded.

Chloe gave him a sidelong glance, lips quirking like she was trying not to smile.

"She may not but I do, it's one of many things I love about you" Skye said as she kissed Apollo's cheek.

Pete shook his head.

"Okay, Romeo and Juliet, can we stay focused? If you're right, Apollo, then that means we're dealing with—"

"A pseudo-military sect field testing on actual people," Chloe finished grimly.

"We need to figure out where they are" Pete said.

"I wish I could get into their encryption and find their base but I can't, it's at a level I can't crack yet" Skye admitted.

"You don't need to," Apollo interrupted, his mind already racing through the possibilities.

"Look at the timestamps. They're using a predictable schedule—deployment every few nights, same pattern, same sectors."

He studied the map Skye had pulled up, eyes flicking between the routes.

"They're launching from somewhere nearby… an abandoned location. Probably somewhere discreet but accessible."

Chloe crossed her arms. "Like?"

Apollo's expression hardened. "The abandoned tunnels in the railroad district."

Pete blinked. "You got all that just from some timestamps?"

Apollo shrugged. "It made sense."

Skye nudged him with her elbow, her gaze warm with admiration.

"I know I just said this but I'll say it again you're kind of brilliant, you know that?" Skye said as she gave him a peck on the lips.

Apollo smirked. "Oh, so now you notice?"

Chloe rolled her eyes again.

"Unbelievable" she muttered under he breath.

Pete clapped his hands together. "Alright, so what's next?"

Apollo's expression darkened. "We go check it out."

The group made their way to the tunnels almost immediately. The air in the tunnels beneath the railroad district was damp and stale, the scent of rust and mold hanging thick in the darkness. The only light came from their flashlights, beams cutting through the pitch-black corridor as Apollo, Skye, Pete, and Chloe moved cautiously forward.

"This place is straight out of a horror movie," Pete muttered.

He wasn't wrong cracks in the stone walls were covered in moss, old graffiti was scattered everywhere making it hard to tell whether the stains in the wall were paint or blood and old train tracks disappeared into the darkness ahead.

Pete gestured ahead. "Which means we're either the smart ones who turn back now… or the dumb ones who keep going."

Apollo smirked. "We all know which one we are."

"Tell me again why this seemed like a good idea?" Skye muttered gulping a little at the potential danger ahead of them

"Because if we don't get proof, no one will believe us," Chloe said back, holding up her camera.

"And because it's the right thing to do" Apollo added.

Apollo moved ahead, his super senses tuned to the slightest disturbance.

Apollo moved ahead, keeping his senses on high alert. The tunnel wasn't just abandoned—it was used. Scuff marks, discarded crates, and faint traces of vehicle tracks told a clear story and something that Apollo found most disturbing but wouldn't reveal to his friends so they wouldn't panic that he could hear something up ahead—something alive.

"This place is active," he murmured.

Skye crouched by an old access panel, prying it open. Inside was a keypad, modern and well-maintained.

"Definitely not abandoned." Chloe said when she saw it.

"Think you can get in?" Apollo asked Skye.

She smirked. "Please. Have a little faith, angel boy."

Apollo rolled his eyes but smiled as she got to work.

The lock clicked open, and the heavy door groaned as they pushed it aside.

Inside, flickering fluorescent lights illuminated the room. It wasn't just a room—it was a lab.

Chloe immediately started taking pictures. "Jackpot."

"This is insane." Pete added recording everything with his camcorder.

Apollo moved toward a desk stacked with files alongside Skye. She opened one and scanned the heavily redacted text.

"Guys…"

They gathered around, reading the document. Most of it was redacted, but the key details remained.

Subject: Ted Grahame Status: Enhanced Experimentation Process: Meteor infected individual previously diagnosed with osteopetrosis before meteor infection. Augmented with further radiation exposure.

Abilities: Exoskeletal Armour, Strength, durability, bone hardening, rapid healing.

Notes: Subject retains combat viability. Deployments: Southside sectors. Field testing. Further modifications pending.

"Jesus," Pete breathed as he read the file. "He's just a kid."

"Ted Grahame… Male… Subject displays remarkable cellular regeneration. Bone density increased exponentially. Subject previously suffered from… osteopetrosis?" Chloe read aloud.

"That's the disease where your bones become too dense" Apollo said remembering it from the list of diseases Hammer's new tech was supposed to be able to scan for.

"They experimented on a sick kid?" Skye said.

Apollo's stomach twisted.

"They didn't just experiment on him… They enhanced him." Apollo said his body boiling with rage.

Apollo thought it couldn't get worse but then they found the video footage.

On the screen, Ted was strapped to a table, screaming as doctors extracted his spinal fluid with long needles. His back arched, muscles spasming as his bones visibly shifted beneath his skin. The footage cut out, but the sound of his agonized cries echoed in their heads.

"Jesus," Pete whispered, his face pale.

Skye swallowed hard.

"Guys," Apollo whispered "I think he's here."

Apollo walked deeper into the tunnels, realising the living being he sensed when they were entering must be Ted. Apollo followed that heartbeat and they found another room. In it was a containment cell. Inside, a figure lay motionless.

Apollo took a step forward. "Ted?"

"We have to get him out of here." Skye said.

Apollo approached the reinforced glass cell at the back of the room.

Skye reached for the door's control panel.

"I think I can override—"

A loud beep filled the room. Then, a mechanical hiss.

Ted's eyes shot open. For a brief moment, he looked ordinary—just a scared teenager. Then his body convulsed, and with a sickening crack and an inhuman growl, his body began to change. His skin hardened into a layer of plated, armor-like bone. Segments of ivory armor formed across his chest, arms, and legs, his spine sprouting jagged spikes.

Ted's gaze snapped toward them.

"Ted, wait—!" Apollo tried to reason with him, but Ted swung his armoured arm, smashing a metal table across the room.

"RUN!" Pete shouted.

Just as Ted lunged forward to attack him, his strength shaking the entire room. Apollo barely managed to push Pete out of the way before Ted's armored fist smashed into the wall.

The team bolted for the exit, barely squeezing through the doorway as Ted charged after them. The tunnel shuddered as he tore through the concrete walls in pursuit.

Skye tripped, and Apollo was there in an instant, pulling her up and pushing her forward.

The tunnel trembled, cracks forming overhead.

"We have to get out before—" Chloe started, but then the ceiling gave way.

A deafening crash filled the tunnel as rock and debris collapsed between them and Ted. Dust filled the air, cutting off their sight of him.

Pete coughed. "Well, that's one way to escape."

Apollo stared at the fallen debris, his mind racing.

"This isn't over." Apollo said.

Chloe nodded grimly. "No. But we have enough to expose them, whoever they are. They won't be able to hide much longer."

The quartet rushed to the Torch and immediately got to work, everyone doing what they needed to get this exposé ready. The air was thick with tension, the weight of what they had just witnessed pressing down on them.

Ted Grahame. The boy with bones of steel. The boy who had been made into a weapon.

Apollo leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his mind racing. The collapsed tunnel, Ted's monstrous transformation, the experiments, the screams from the video they had found—it all swirled inside him like a storm.

Across the room, Chloe sat at her desk, fingers flying across the keyboard. Chloe typed furiously, the steady rhythm of her fingers striking the keys a furious counterpoint to the unsure waters the teens found themselves in. The article was coming together—exposing Project Osseus, the secretive group operating in the shadows of Smallville, the pattern of orchestrated attacks, and the horrifying truth about their so-called "weapon."

Skye was next to her, scrolling through the hacked files she had recovered, ensuring they had all the evidence they needed. Pete stood by the whiteboard, where they had mapped out everything they knew.

The silence stretched on until Pete let out a low whistle. "So… we're really doing this, huh?"

"Of course we are," Chloe snapped, not looking up from her screen.

"I mean, yeah," Pete said, rubbing the back of his head. "I want to do this. We need to do this. But can we acknowledge what we actually uncovered and witnessed, what's going to happen when this gets out?"

"That's what we need to figure out. How much do we say? What do we hold back? We don't even know who's really behind this yet." Apollo answered, his voice measured.

Chloe scoffed.

"Does it matter? We know enough. A secret project, a kidnapped teen turned into a super-powered weapon, an underground facility experimenting on him—people need to know."

"But what happens to Ted?" Skye interjected, her voice softer. "If we put this out there, he becomes a target."

Chloe huffed.

"He's dangerous and everyone knows I'm all for making sure the meteor infected aren't seen as monsters but we saw what he did, Skye. We know he's hurt people. You really think we can keep quiet about that?" Chloe questioned.

"I'm not saying that," Skye replied, shaking her head. "I'm saying we need to be smart about this."

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"The guy nearly killed us. He destroyed that tunnel without a second thought" Chloe replied.

Apollo finally pushed off the wall, stepping forward. "Because they made him that way."

The room fell silent.

Apollo exhaled, his fists tightening at his sides.

"Look Chlo, we don't know the full story yet, but what we do know is that Ted Grahame is a victim. He didn't choose this. He got powers from the meteor shower and immediately after was experimented on, tortured, and turned into something he never asked to be." His voice darkened. "And now, he's being used. Ted is being used"

Chloe sighed and Apollo sat on the edge of her desk, arms crossed, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

"We need to be careful about how we frame this." His voice was steady but firm. "We don't have the full picture yet. If we put this out the wrong way, we could make Ted the villain in all this."

Chloe looked up at Apollo.

"The truth is the truth Apollo. And the truth is Ted's hurt people and he is dangerous. Revealing that is not our problem."

"It is our problem." Apollo countered meeting her gaze.

Chloe finally turned, exasperation flickering across her features.

"Apollo, I get it. You feel bad for him. But we can't sugar-coat what we saw. That tunnel is gone because of him. People could've been killed" Chloe pointed out.

"He wasn't in control," Apollo argued. "You saw what they did to him. He's being used. He's not the bad guy here."

Chloe let out a sharp breath.

"I'm not saying he is. I'm saying people need to know what's happening" Chloe stated.

"But if we present this the wrong way, all they'll see is a dangerous monster," Skye said, arms folded as she leaned against the desk. She glanced at Apollo, their silent understanding shared in a moment.

"We need to focus on the people controlling him, not Ted himself" Skye told Chloe.

"Agreed," Apollo said.

Pete, who had been silent during this debate up until now, let out a sigh.

"I don't know, man. I get what you're saying, but people in the Southside deserve to know what's been happening to them." Pete said right before he crossed his arms. "My mom's been warning me about these attacks for weeks, and the cops won't do anything about it because they think it's just normal crime."

He gestured to the board behind him, where they had brainstormed and where their research was pinned up.

"But it wasn't random crime. This was planned. We have proof. The people who were hurt need to feel validated and seen, to know that what's happening to them isn't going unnoticed" Pete emphasised.

Apollo nodded. "And that's what we should be focusing on."

Chloe groaned, swiveling in her chair to turn and face Pete.

"You're both missing the bigger picture here. This isn't just about Ted or the Southside. This is about who's behind this. Someone is running experiments on people. Right under our noses." She turned and pointed at Skye's screen where all her hacked files were.

"The only way we're going to get to the bottom of this is if we draw them out. And the best way to do that?" She said as she turned back to her own screen and tapped the keyboard. "Expose everything."

Skye frowned. "And you don't care about the fallout?" she questioned.

"No, Skye, I welcome it." Chloe said her eyes glinting with determination. "Because the more attention this gets, the harder it'll be for them to cover it up. If they come after us, that just tells us we're on the right track."

Pete gave a small chuckle. "I hate that I kind of agree with her."

Apollo exhaled.

"We can't throw Ted under the bus. If we make him out to be nothing more than a threat, people are going to start hunting him. That's not justice" Apollo stated.

"So what, then?" Chloe asked, arms crossed as she swiveled in her chair again turning from her computer to face Pete, Skye and Apollo. "We hide the fact that a kid with bone armor just collapsed an entire tunnel?"

"No," Apollo said. "We tell the truth. But we make it clear that he's a victim, too."

There was a long silence.

Then Pete let out a deep breath. "Alright. So we publish—but we're careful with the angle."

Skye nodded. "We focus on the organization, not Ted."

Apollo glanced at Chloe, who still looked less than thrilled, but after a pause, she let out a dramatic sigh and turned back to the keyboard. "Fine. But I'm not watering this down."

As she typed, Apollo and Skye moved behind her, reading over her shoulder.

For months, the people of Smallville's Southside have lived in fear, victims of a pattern of brutal assaults that local authorities have ignored. But the truth behind these attacks is far more insidious than just street crime. Beneath the very streets of our town, an unknown organization has been conducting experiments on a teenager, turning him into a living weapon against his will. And now, they're deploying him like a trained attack dog.

This isn't just an isolated incident. This is a conspiracy. This is abuse. And Smallville deserves to know.

Pete whistled. "That's gonna turn some heads."

"Good," Chloe said.

Apollo readjusted his glasses as he re-read it.

"It's good." Apollo told Chloe with a kind smile

Chloe smirked. "I know."

Pete nodded, setting down his camcorder. "We should also try to attach the video footage of the lab. Show people what's really happening."

Skye hesitated. "What about the more graphic parts? The spinal extraction—"

"We leave that in," Chloe interrupted. "People need to see the truth."

Apollo shook his head.

"We keep that footage, but we don't put it out yet. We release enough to get people talking. If we show everything now, we lose our advantage. They'll just bury it" Apollo said.

Chloe frowned but didn't argue.

Skye glanced at Apollo. "Think this is the right call?"

Apollo exhaled but nodded. "It's the best we can do for now."

Chloe hovered over the 'Publish' button. "On three?"

Pete let out a deep breath.

Skye took Apollo's hand.

"One."

Apollo squeezed Skye's fingers.

"Two."

Chloe smirked. "Three."

She clicked the mouse.

The article was live.

---

Location: Lernean Building, Smallville, Kansas – 2003

An innocuous building still had it's lights on in the dead of night. Inside a dimly lit office, a man in a crisp suit with white hair and glasses leaned back in his chair, he was looking at a pain of monitors before him. One monitor was of a security camera recording of the group in the tunnels. And in the other was The Torch's article.

A slow smile curled at the edges of his lips.

"They work quicker than expected," he murmured, tapping a finger against the armrest.

A subordinate, standing stiffly by the door, looked to him. "Should we deal with it Mr. Whitehall?"

The man, Daniel Whitehall chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's a local school paper. Small, insignificant. Easy to erase. Easy to discredit. Let them think they've accomplished something." His fingers drummed idly. "For now."

The subordinate hesitated. "And the trial tonight?"

The man's gaze flicked up, sharp and unwavering.

"It goes forward as planned."

There was a pause, then a nod of understanding.

"We're too close to our finish line. the weapon is stronger than before. That meteor shower was a godsend. If we can perfect him Hydra will gain a weapon not many would be able to match."

The subordinate nodded and walked away.

Whitehall got up from his desk and walked to an elevator going down into a level of the building that was underground. It was a lab and room not unlike the one in the tunnel except bigger and with better equipment. It was clear this was the main base. In the centre Ted slept inside a pod.

Daniel Whitehall smiled as he turned to one of his scientists.

"Wake him up and send him on his next deployment" Whitehall commanded.

The scientist nodded pressing a series of buttons on his command centre and the pod opened. Ted fell out and instantly began to transform once more. He writhed and screamed as he transformed before standing.

The man walked forward.

"Osseous, you're nearly perfect. You know what you must do tonight. Do not let me down" Whitehall told him.

Ted nodded just before he ran off into the night and Whitehall smiled turning to the scientist beside him.

"Hail hydra" he said.

"Hail Hydra" the scientist responded.

---

Location: Kent Farm, Smallville – Earth - 2003

That night Apollo awoke to the sound of screaming and mayhem in the Southside district of Smallville. Screaming and mayhem loud and desperate enough to alert his super senses and wake him.

Ted, Apollo thought as he bolted upright. Apollo instantly changed from his pajamas and then flew out of his room at speeds beyond sound.

---

Location: Southside, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

In the Southside district; streetlights flickered, car alarms blared, and people screamed as a figure tore through the streets with raw, unrelenting force. Ted Grahame—twisted and reshaped by meteor-induced mutations—was a walking storm of destruction. His body was covered in thick, plated bone armor, forming an exoskeleton of jagged ivory segments. The only exposed part of him was his hollow, rage-filled eyes, set deep beneath the natural armor plating of his face. A line of wicked, spiked protrusions ran down his back, bristling like the ridges of some primordial beast. He moved with a terrifying blend of power and speed, his powerful footfalls cracking the pavement.

Apollo flew in having arrived just in time to stop anymore destruction. He rammed into Ted with force hoping to knock him out and sending him flying backwards through the street. Apollo floated a little above ground before landing.

The super powered teen stood in the middle of the street, dressed in a simple blue shirt, jeans, a red hoodie with the hood pulled up to obscure his face and boots—clothing that now bore the evidence of his frantic sprint to reach the battle. His chest rose and fell steadily as he locked eyes with Ted, analyzing his opponent in seconds. The mutant teen was strong, fast, and durable. His armored hide meant direct strikes wouldn't do much. And he was regenerating—Apollo could already see the cracks in his bony plating from Apollo's blow sealing up.

Ted maybe be dangerous but Ted wasn't his enemy.

Apollo clenched his fists, inhaling through his nose. I can stop him. I can save him.

Lesson One: A Warrior Controls the Battlefield.
—Ikaris.

Ted lunged with a roar, swinging his armoured hand toward Apollo's head. But Apollo was already moving. With a blur of motion, he stepped to the side, pivoting on his heel as Ted's strike shattered the asphalt where he'd been standing. Dust and debris exploded outward. Apollo used the cloud as cover, darting around Ted's blind spots.

The mutate turned, swiping again. This time, Apollo met the blow—not by blocking it, but by redirecting it. He twisted his upper body, letting the strike graze his shoulder at an angle, using Ted's own momentum against him. Ted stumbled forward.

Apollo moved.

His footwork was impeccable—Makkari had drilled it into him during their countless races across the Kansas plains. His steps were light, precise, unhindered by gravity. He weaved through the battlefield like the wind, untouched and unchained.

Lesson Two: A Warrior Does Not Waste Movement.
—Makkari.

Apollo ducked beneath a wild swing, then spun behind Ted, delivering a precise, controlled tap to the back of his knee. The force was just enough to send the towering figure staggering forward, disrupting his balance.

Ted growled, furious. His regeneration was kicking in, his wounds knitting together almost instantly. He planted a foot, then turned with startling speed, his bone-plated arms raised.

Apollo's eyes glowed red.

A precise blast of heat vision seared across the ground—not at Ted, but in front of him. The sudden burst of molten pavement forced Ted to stop mid-charge, his footing uncertain.

Lesson Three: A Warrior Uses His Environment.—Ikaris.

Apollo exhaled sharply, shifting tactics. He needed to slow Ted down more. With a sharp inhale, he unleashed a burst of freezing breath, sweeping it in a wide arc across Ted's legs. Frost spread in seconds, hardening around his plated feet. Ted snarled and tried to move, but his steps were sluggish, the cold numbing his joints.

Apollo saw his chance. He shot forward in a blur, grabbing Ted by the arm and using his own momentum to hurl him through the air. The armored teen crashed into a parked truck, crumpling metal and shattering windows on impact.

Ted groaned but pushed himself back up.

The battle wasn't over.

Before Apollo could advance, a sharp, terrified cry cut through the chaos.

His head snapped to the side.

A child. A boy, no older than seven, cowered behind an overturned food cart. His small hands clutched the fabric of his hoodie, his wide eyes filled with fear. Ted had spotted him too.

Apollo moved.

Faster than thought, he shot across the distance and interposed himself between the boy and the rampaging mutate.

Ted lunged.

Apollo caught the strike with both hands. The sheer force of it rattled through his bones, but he held firm. Ted pushed, his monstrous strength trying to drive Apollo backward. But Apollo dug his heels in, refusing to budge an inch.

He looked over his shoulder at the boy. "Hey, kid," he said, flashing a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay, I'm here. You're safe now"

The boy blinked up at him a mix of fear and awe in his eyes. "You're… stopping him."

Apollo nodded as he hurled Ted back sending him flying away.

"Are you an angel?" the boy asked.

"No, I wish I was but I will protect you. I promise" Apollo replied as he gave him a warm smile.

"Like a hero. Is that what you are? Are you a superhero?" the boy questioned looking at Apollo.

Apollo hesitated, then looked around—the destruction, the terror. And yet, in this child's eyes, there was something else now. Hope.

Apollo turned back to the boy, he briefly remembered what his Ma told him about what he could be and Apollo felt certain about something. Apollo gave the kid a big and confident smile.

"I'm going to be." Apollo told him.

The child hugged Apollo tightly and Apollo hugged him back but he heard Ted get up once again. This had to stop.

Ted charged at him jumping into the air and coming down to smash Apollo and the kid with both hands.

Apollo blurred and hid the kid away.

"Stay here alright let me go handle this" Apollo told the kid confidently and the kid nodded smiling at him like Apollo was something from his favourite cartoon or comic come to life.

Apollo blurred back to meet Ted and Ted threw a punch at Apollo with all his might but Apollo caught the strike midair. The force sent shockwaves through his body, but he held firm.

He turned back to Ted, his eyes blazing with determination. "You're not a monster, Ted. They did this to you."

Ted roared in frustration, trying to overpower him but Apollo held firm. He would save the kid, he would save the Southside, he would save Ted, he would save everyone.

Lesson Four: A Warrior Fights With Purpose.
—Ikaris.

With a surge of controlled power, he shifted his stance and flipped Ted over his shoulder, sending him crashing into the street. The ground shook. Apollo didn't let up. He pressed his advantage, darting around Ted like a phantom, striking pressure points where the armor was thinner—joints, the sides of the ribs, the back of the knees.

Ted fought wildly, but Apollo was not fighting just to stop him. He was fighting to save him.

He used his speed to evade every counterattack, moving too fast to be caught, he let himself feel the world around him just as Makkari taught him and he felt free, free to be himself without consequence, free to protect without worry and Apollo stopped holding back instantly overwhelming Ted.

Then he used Ikaris's teachings of fighting, discipline and precision to strike with purpose. He threw punches and blasted Ted with his heat vision. Targeting weak points. Unleashing his strength, the way Ikaris always told him to, like a warrior but he wasn't like his Uncle he didn't want to destroy this evil but rather he wanted to save him. He stopped his assault when he sensed that Ted was near the brink and then he flew him up into the air and smashed him into the ground. Ted slowly and weakly got up and tried to throw his own punches but Apollo parried and overpowered him with ease. Ted couldn't win this fight; Apollo was on a completely different level.

Apollo smiled to the kid who was peaking up from where Apollo hid him and Apollo gave him a playful thumbs up right before he knocked Ted back.

Finally, Ted let out a frustrated, agonized snarl as he staggered and fell to one knee trying to remain upright. His breath came in ragged gasps. His limbs trembled. His regeneration was slowing down.

Apollo exhaled. "You don't have to do this."

Ted's breath hitched. For a second, Apollo saw something behind the anger and control—a glimpse of pain, of fear.

"You don't have to listen to them. I saw some of what they did to you. You didn't deserve that, nobody does and I'm sorry nobody was there to help you then but I'm here now. Ted, no matter what they did to you, no matter what they said. You are a person, not a monster and not their weapon. Let me help you now, let me save you" Apollo said as he reached out his hand.

Ted flinched and his fingers twitched. Apollo's expression was one of kindness, of understanding, of empathy. Ted barely recognised those expressions anymore he hadn't seen them in so long.

Ted looked at Apollo's hand a glimmer of something in his eye and then an extremely high pitched electronic sound rung through Apollo's ears unexpectedly. Apollo collapsed in pain not expecting the sound. His senses temporarily overwhelmed him just like when he was younger and he looked up at Ted and saw he had a reaction to the sound as well. Ted turned and leaped away, vanishing into the night. The sound was a beacon for him, a recall signal, Apollo realised. Apollo quickly got control of his senses back just as the sound disappeared.

Apollo let out a slow breath, steadying himself. He was about to try and chase after Ted. Then, a small hand tugged at his sleeve.

He looked down. The boy he was protecting stared up at him with awe.

"You saved me," he whispered as his eyes shone.

Apollo knelt, placing a gentle hand on the kid's shoulder.

"That's what I'm here for," Apollo said as he smiled warmly at the kid and something in him clicked, that's what he was here for.

The boy nodded, his eyes shining with hope.

And in that moment, Apollo knew. This was who he was meant to be. Not just Apollo Kent. Not just a kid with powers. Not just a warrior, not just a protector, not just a leader, not just an alien and not just human but all of the above.

He was meant to be it all.

He was meant to be more than a hero, he was meant to be superhero.

He stood, resolve hardening in his chest. He would find Ted. He would make sure he didn't hurt anyone else, he would stop whoever was controlling him and he would also save him.

Apollo held the boy's hands and helped him find his family before flying back into the night a single thought in his head; the next time he faced the darkness—he would be ready.

---

Location: Lernean Building, Smallville, Kansas – 2003

The cold hum of machinery filled the chamber, the fluorescent lights above casting a sterile glow over the scene. The Hydra leader, Daniel Whitehall, paced methodically in front of the monitors, his sharp eyes flickering between the grainy footage on the screen and the bound figure hanging in chains before him.

The footage played on an endless loop—Ted, armored in bone, charging forward. And then him. The unknown saviour. Moving faster, hitting harder, winning.

Ted had failed.

Whitehall's baton tapped against his palm rhythmically before he suddenly lashed out, the crack of metal striking steel reverberating through the chamber. The scientists stiffened.

"Explain."

The head scientist, a wiry man in glasses, swallowed hard. "Sir, we—"

CRACK.

The baton sent the clipboard clattering to the floor.

"No excuses." Whitehall's voice was venomous. "I want to know why my weapon lost. Why did Osseous lose?"

Silence.

At the far end of the chamber, the reinforced steel cuffs around Ted's wrists clanked softly as he shifted. His head was bowed, his breathing slow and measured, but his fingers twitched at his sides.

Whitehall turned toward him.

"You," he said flatly.

Ted didn't respond.

"You failed," Whitehall stated, his voice deceptively calm. "I do not accept failure. Those who fail me end up dead. And yet, you live."

A long pause.

"Do you know why?" Whitehall asked, tilting his head.

Ted exhaled. He knew the answer.

"Because I allowed it, Osseous you exist to service my whims. If you aren't doing that then there is no need for your existence" Whitehall continued, stepping forward.

A cruel smirk tugged at his lips.

"Tell me something, Osseous… do you remember what you were before we made you useful?"

Ted flinched as memories rushed through his mind.

Pain.

It burned through his spine, sharp and unrelenting.

He screamed.

"Subject 16's osteopetrosis is responding to the meteorite radiation exposure. Amplifying radiation."

He thrashed, his body breaking itself apart and rebuilding at the same time.

A voice—cold, clinical—spoke above him.

"He's resisting the sedatives—"

"Let him. Pain, is transformative. What he'll become will be all the stronger for it."

Agony over took Ted, more than he believed was possible. Every cell in his body was burning.

"He's slipping. We're pushing him too far-"

"There's no such thing as too far. Discovery requires experimentation"

He gasped, choking on his own breath as something inside him changed, twisted, reformed—

Darkness.

Ted's body twitched involuntarily as he pushed away the memories.

Whitehall stepped closer, watching him intently.

"You remember," he murmured. "Good."

Ted remained silent.

"You were nothing before us," Whitehall went on, his voice almost mocking. "Weak. Dying. Now, you're strong." He gestured to Ted's armor-clad form, bone plating still covering parts of his body.

Ted exhaled sharply.

"But despite everything we've done for you," Whitehall continued, his tone darkening, "you failed me ."

Ted flinched.

CRACK.

The baton struck him across the ribs. Ted gritted his teeth but didn't cry out.

"You had one purpose," Whitehall sneered, stepping back. "Kill. That deployment was meant to show your usefulness in creating and causing mass panic and destruction. However, the reports state nobody died and the destruction was far less than you are capable of."

Silence.

Whitehall turned toward the monitors, the footage still looping. His gaze flicked back to Ted.

"What did you see in that fight?"

Ted hesitated.

"I don't… remember," he muttered.

CRACK. Another blow struck Ted's ribs.

"You will not lie to me" Whitehall spoke.

Ted exhaled slowly.

"He was strong," he admitted finally.

"Stronger than you?"

"Yes" Ted replied.

Whitehall's grip on the baton tightened. "Interesting," he murmured. "You say that like you admire him."

Ted said nothing.

Whitehall let out a slow, measured breath.

"So are you telling me that you're useless then?" he mused. "A weapon that can't defeat its target has no purpose."

A pit of dread settled in Ted's stomach.

Whitehall chuckled darkly.

"You exist to kill. That boy—whoever he is, can't be allowed to interfere again do you understand— you will either bring him here for further study and reconditioning or he must die. And if you can't do it?" His smirk widened. "Then what good are you?"

Ted clenched his fists.

"Do not let me down Osseous," Whitehall murmured, "I would hate to have to replace you."

Ted's breath hitched.

"Bring him in and we'll handle the rest, we'll break him," Whitehall continued smoothly. "Mold him. Shape him into something useful. A perfect Hydra soldier."

Ted's entire body tensed.

Whitehall turned back to the scientists.

"Hammer is still a potential asset. If we perfect Grahame, we use Hammer's military connections to mass-produce him. A full squadron of Hydra super soldiers."

One of the agents hesitated. "Sir, if we move on Hammer now—"

"We have to move now," Whitehall interrupted. "We cannot risk further exposure. The incidents with those children and Osseous' failed deployment tell me we aren't operating as in the shadows as I'd like. Hammer must be handled as quickly as possible."

His gaze flicked back to Ted.

"But that still leaves the matter of your opponent."

Ted exhaled slowly.

"He's connected to that little journalist and her friends. How else do you explain their posting of the article and his disruption of our tests? Eliminate her, Osseous" Whitehall commanded.

Ted's breath hitched and his stomach turned.

Whitehall turned toward the agents. "Prepare a strike team. Osseous will take Hammer within 48 hours—no loose ends." His gaze flicked back to Ted.

"As for the journalist… she's our key to drawing out your opponent. When she's dead or hurt he'll come running and you'll face him once more. And if he's stronger than you?"

His eyes gleamed with something cruel.

"Then we will diverge all our resources into taking him and leave you in the grave you were destined to be in"

Ted swallowed hard.

The order had been given.

But deep down, something inside him fought against it.

"You're not a weapon."

"You're a person, Ted. Not what they made you."

"You don't have to do what they say."

Ted clenched his fists.

Whitehall smirked. "Something on your mind, Osseous?"

Ted forced himself to shake his head. "No, sir."

Whitehall eyed him for a long moment, then turned to the scientists.

"Prepare the two agents collecting Hammer."

The scientist hesitated. "Sir, are you sure? With Hammer's security they'd need to be enhanced—"

"Then enhance them."

A beat of silence.

The scientist adjusted his glasses. "The serum from Osseous' spinal fluid isn't ready. We're still a very long way from it being viable for use"

"But it will enhance them will it not?" Whitehall questioned.

"It will, their strength, their speed, their regeneration but only for 24 hours, after that the mutations they gain will begin to deteriorate and they will die" the scientist informed him.

Whitehall barely blinked. "That is of no consequence." He smirked. "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."

The scientist nodded. "Understood, sir. We'll prepare the serum."

Whitehall turned back to Ted.

"And as for you…" He leaned in, his expression dark. "You will not fail me again."

Ted said nothing.

"Prepare for deployment," Whitehall ordered.

Ted clenched his fists.

He had his orders.

But Apollo's words still echoed in his mind.

---

Location: Hammer Tech Development Facility, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

The next day Apollo was taking his mind off of things by working with Justin. Chloe, Skye and Pete were also taking it easy and playing it safe as they waited to see the reaction to their story. Apollo was at Justin's research and development centre. The Hammer Tech facility was a sprawling, high-tech wonderland filled with cutting-edge projects in various stages of development. Engineers and scientists moved around the massive lab, adjusting components, fine-tuning machines, and arguing over data readouts.

At the center of it all, Apollo and Justin Hammer stand at a workstation, staring at a sleek, next-generation bio-scanner hovering in holographic projection. Apollo, dressed in his usual flannel and jeans studies the readout with quiet focus. Justin, ever the showman, leans against the table, gesturing animatedly as he talks.

"Alright, let's start with the biggest headache—false positives. This thing keeps flagging normal people as genetic anomalies. Makes us look like idiots. I say we loosen the criteria, widen the parameters a bit" Justin said.

Apollo shakes his head, arms crossed.

"That's just going to make the scanner less accurate. The issue isn't with the machine—it's with the dataset. Your algorithm is overfitting. If we refine the parameters and use a broader genetic baseline for comparison, we can reduce the margin of error without compromising precision" Apollo told him causing Justin to raise an eyebrow.

"Sounds fancy. What's the catch?" Justin asked.

"It takes time to process. The reason you're getting false positives is because you're rushing the calculations. Give it a few extra seconds per scan, and you'll get results that actually mean something" Apollo answered.

Justin smirks, wagging a finger.

"Ah, see, that is a problem. You ever been to a hospital, kid? People don't like waiting. You try telling some billionaire donor that his revolutionary new toy takes its sweet time, and suddenly, I'm getting calls about 'efficiency issues.' Investors hate delays" Justin replied.

Apollo sighs recalculating mentally.

"Then streamline the secondary analysis. Keep the initial scan quick, but have a secondary process running in the background for more detailed results. That way, they get an instant readout, and the deeper analysis updates over time" Apollo said.

Justin pauses, then grins.

"Okay, I like that. Fast, but still effective. You really do have the whole 'genius' thing down, huh?" Justin told Apollo.

Apollo shrugs.

"You asked for solutions" Apollo told him bluntly.

Justin chuckles and moves to another schematic, expanding the display to show the machine's power supply.

"Alright, let's tackle another nightmare. This thing sucks up energy like a Stark jet. We're talking two hours of continuous use before it overheats and dies. If I pitch this to the military, they're going to laugh me out of the room" Justin informed him.

Apollo studies the design.

"Because you're using a standard lithium power cell. That's not going to cut it. You need something semi self-replenishing. Try a piezoelectric energy system, combined with a microfusion battery" Apollo says.

Justin whistles clearly impressed.

"Piezoelectric? That's next-gen thinking. But wouldn't that mean reworking the entire power distribution system?" Justin questioned.

"Yeah. But in the long run, it's more stable. Instead of constantly recharging or replacing power cells, the system generates small bursts of energy from motion and environmental factors." Apollo informed Justin and Justin just blinked at him, momentarily speechless.

"Okay, now you're just showing off" Justin said.

Apollo smirks.

"You know, Apollo, I gotta say—I like working with you. Smart, idealistic, and you actually know your stuff. But here's my question—if we actually get this thing working, if we actually change the game… are you ready for the world to use it in ways we can't control?" Justin asked.

Apollo meets his gaze, unwavering.

"That's why we build it right the first time. So it can't be misused" Apollo answered.

Justin leans back against the workstation, arms folded. His expression is unreadable, but there's a glint of admiration behind his usual smugness.

"Alright, boy scout. Let's do it your way" Justin said.

"You know I've never actually been a boy scout" Apollo told him

"Really, I figured you'd have gotten all the badges, definitely at least the helping old ladies cross the road badge" Justin joked and Apollo laughed.

"Nope but hey maybe you can give me a helps spoiled billionaire make his tech work badge" Apollo quipped back and Justin laughed.

"See, this is why I like working with you Apollo you're the only person I know who just treats me like a friend. You don't see my Dad or judge me on my screw ups. And you think big" Justin told him as he put his hand on Apollo's shoulder and smiled at him.

The two shared a friendly moment and Apollo had to admit he was glad that Justin was in his life.

"But let's get real for a sec—none of this means a damn thing if we can't get people to buy in."

Apollo raises an eyebrow.

"You mean investors" Apollo groaned really hating that aspect of the tech world.

"Bingo. Look, I know you're all about doing good for the world and all that, but let me give you a reality check—money makes innovation happen. You don't just build something revolutionary; you sell it. And that means convincing the right people to back it" Justin said.

Apollo folds his arms, his voice firm.

"And what happens when those people use it for the wrong reasons? What's stopping them from turning this scanner into a tool for profiling and targeting?" Apollo questioned.

Justin laughs and leans back against the workstation.

"Nothing. That's the beauty of technology, Apollo. It's all about who controls it. And right now? That's us." Justin told him

Apollo narrows his eyes.

"Then we've got to strip out any potential for tracking or identification beyond medical necessity. No backdoor access, no hidden databases, and no programs scanning for anything outside of disease" Apollo demanded.

Justin strokes his chin, considering.

"Huh. You really don't trust anyone, do you?" Justin asked.

Apollo hesitates.

"I trust people and I believe in humanity I just don't trust some of those in power. I've met enough bullies in my life to know that sometimes the powerful hurt those that aren't as strong or as rich as them instead of protecting and helping them" Apollo answered

A beat of silence passes between them before Justin lets out a chuckle.

"I can't argue with that. Alright then; let's keep at it and make the world a better place together, Boy Scout" Justin said putting out his hand for Apollo to fist bump.

"Let's" Apollo replied smiling as he fist bumped Justin.

He flicks a few settings on the hologram and swipes it away. Then, with a grin, he turns to Apollo and claps him on the shoulder.

"Speaking of making the world a better place—I've got this charity gala coming up. Big names, media, good press. You should come. Bring Skye, too" Justin informed him

Apollo raises an eyebrow.

"Why?" Apollo asked.

"Because like I said before I actually like you, Apollo. You're smart, you keep me on my toes, and you're probably the only guy in this whole company who calls me out when I screw up. Plus, I think you'd enjoy it. It's not all business—good food, fancy drinks, nice exhibits and hey, Skye might have fun dressing up for once."

Apollo smirks.

"You don't think I'd enjoy dressing up?" Apollo jokes.

"Oh, I know it's not your scene, but trust me—it's an event where the more fortunate help the less fortunate. You'll definitely enjoy it" Justin tells him.

Apollo chuckles.

"That does sound affirming" he finally says mulling over the invitation.

"See? And who knows, maybe you'll meet someone interesting. Maybe even a donor who actually cares about doing good instead of just looking good" Justin says.

Apollo thinks for a moment, then nods.

"Alright. We'll come" Apollo tells him agreeing to the invitation.

Justin grins and throws an arm around Apollo's shoulders.

"That's what I'm talking about! It's going to be a hell of a night, Apollo. Trust me."

Apollo shakes his head, amused but wary. A big event like this might draw too much attention to him but Apollo figured it was only one night, nothing too bad could happen right? But even still he wasn't fully confident because with Justin Hammer, nothing is ever just a social event.

Apollo went back to school and checked in on Chloe, Skye and Pete. Skye was in the computer lab and Apollo told her about the gala which she seemed excited to come to. Pete was hanging out playing one on one with Whitney in the gymnasium, showing off to impress some girls. Apollo smiled liking how Pete always bounced back from everything well. He then went to the Torch and checked on Chloe who was updating her wall of weird with stuff on Ted. Apollo walked towards her and then noticed Chloe had a small notebook different from the notepad she usually used for her stories. The notebook was open on her desk and Apollo saw some names on it like a list. A bunch of the names on the list were either rich or powerful people in Smallville.

"Hey Chloe? What's with the list?" Apollo asked and Chloe winced seemingly not realising she had left that notebook out. She rushed from the back room and grabbed it.

"Sorry" Apollo immediately apologised not meaning to pry into his friends' personal life.

"It's fine Apollo. It's just a list of people with power in Smallville that I'm looking into because I believe they're corrupt or hurting people. Ever since what happened with the Mankins I've been on the lookout for stuff like that because the Mankins got away with too much without anybody really doing anything until we got involved" Chloe told him.

Apollo nodded and he agreed. The Mankins truly did get away with too much and even though people had moved on a part of Apollo was still disgusted at how people with power like that could use it to abuse the marginalised sectors of society.

"I was also going through it to see if I could tie any of these people to Ted. Odds are one of them did it seeing as nobody else would have the resources to pull something like this off in Smallville except them" Chloe added.

"Justin's the one you circled? You think it's him?" Apollo questioned feeling defensive of his friend.

"I don't know, I just know Justin's the richest person in Smallville and would have access to medical records and facilities" Chloe told him.

"Justin's not a bad guy, I'm working with him right now and he's just trying to help people" Apollo said.

"I get that but you trust people Apollo. You always believe in them. It's the best thing about you but also the thing that means you wouldn't see if Justin didn't have the best intentions" Chloe honestly told him.

Apollo sighed, he wanted to argue and defend his friend more but he knew Chloe and didn't want to get into a fight about this. Justin was innocent, even if she investigated him nothing bad would turn up.

"Well if that's how you feel then I figure it's a good idea for me to not try and get you invited to Justin's upcoming gala" Apollo joked.

"Yeah I don't think me surrounded by all the people on my list with no proper adult supervision is the brightest idea" Chloe quipped back.

Apollo chuckled.

The two shared a smile before Chloe began packing up her things.

"Well I'm done for the day but I'll see you next week. Tell me how Hammer's gala goes" Chloe said as she shut down her desktop and took her notepad.

"Okay, I'll be there with Skye" Apollo told her and she smiled at him.

"Of course you will, you're always with her" Chloe said. There was an undercurrent to her tone that Apollo couldn't place but he let it go because he knew no matter what Chloe was his friend.

Chloe exited the Torch and Apollo left soon after her heading home.

Apollo arrived home and hugged his Mum and Dad.

The golden hues of sunset stretched across the Kent family farm, the amber light casting long shadows over the wheat fields. A warm breeze rolled through the open land, carrying the scent of tilled earth and fresh crops.

Apollo walked up the dirt path toward the house, his boots crunching against the gravel. His mind was still buzzing from the events of the past day. The Smallville Torch article had gone live that morning, and the fallout was immediate. People were talking, arguing, reacting. Some called it a hoax, others were furious. But Apollo knew better. He had seen what had been done to Ted Grahame.

And he had tried to save him.

He stepped onto the porch, where Jonathan was leaning against one of the support beams, arms crossed in quiet contemplation. Ajak sat at the outdoor dining table, a leather-bound book in front of her, though she wasn't reading. Instead, her golden eyes were fixed on her son.

Sprite, meanwhile, was perched on the table's edge, swinging her legs lazily. She was tossing a small rock in the air, catching it, then tossing it again.

She was the first to break the silence.

"Well, that was an interesting read." She tossed a folded copy of the latest Torch article onto the table.

Apollo exhaled as he unfolded it.

Southside Experiment and Devastation: The Evil Lurking.

The subheading below it read: A Smallville Torch Exclusive by Chloe Sullivan.

Sprite smirked.

"You guys are definitely on someone's hit list" Sprite joked.

Jonathan sighed.

"I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. You've got a target on your backs now"

Apollo sat down, rubbing his temple.

"We didn't have a choice. This had to be exposed, it was the only way to help the Southside and maybe even help Ted" Apollo argued.

Ajak, calm as ever, studied him. "You believe this will help Ted?"

Apollo hesitated before answering.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I had to try."

Sprite tilted her head, watching him closely.

"So, is that why you ran off in the middle of the night yesterday? Cause of the article? What's the story there?" Sprite questioned.

Apollo winced, hoping him flying off in the middle of the night had gone unnoticed.

"Sorry, it's just you're not exactly stealthy when you fly off, especially to me"

"Is that what happened son?" Jonathan asked.

"Not exactly" Apollo admitted.

Apollo's fingers tapped against the wooden table.

"Ted's being used, turned into a weapon and last night I heard him. He was at the Southside on another deployment I'm guessing. I found him," he said, voice quieter now.

Jonathan's brows furrowed. "And?"

Apollo exhaled. "I stopped him. I tried to reach him. I told him he wasn't alone, that he didn't have to keep fighting." His jaw clenched. "I thought I was getting through to him, but then… someone called him back."

Ajak's expression darkened slightly. "Someone?"

Apollo nodded. "Whoever's controlling him. He wasn't in control of himself. He wanted to listen… but he couldn't."

Sprite leaned forward. "So, what stopped you from going after him?"

Apollo's gaze shifted downward for a moment before he answered. "A kid."

Jonathan's eyebrows raised slightly. "A kid?"

Apollo nodded. "Ted's attack nearly killed him. But I got to him just in time."

He paused, the memory still fresh in his mind.

"He was terrified. But when I pulled him out of the wreckage, he looked at me like…" He trailed off for a moment before continuing, voice softer. "Like I was more than a person. He looked at me like I was hope."

Ajak's brown eyes studied him closely. "And how did that make you feel?"

Apollo let out a slow and steady breath.

"Enlightening. All the questions I've had in my head were answered. It's like I finally knew what I was meant to be."

Sprite smirked.

"I was wondering when we were going to get here. This is your answer the call moment isn't it. The part in your story where you take that next step?"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Not everything is a story, Sprite."

She grinned. "Oh, everything is a story. Especially in our family. And yours is just getting started."

Ajak quickly chastised Sprite and she kept quiet although her rising excitement was clear.

Jonathan leaned forward slightly. "You remember when you were ten years old, and I asked you what kind of man you were gonna be?"

The memory came rushing back. That day at Sullivan's garage where Whitney and Kenny tried to provoke him.

Jonathan's voice was steady. "You didn't have an answer then and a few years later when I talked about how strong of a man you were becoming you told me, 'I don't want to just be strong—I want to be good.'" His eyes met Apollo's.

"It seems like you finally have an answer for me. So I'm asking you again, son. What kind of man are you going to be?"

Apollo swallowed.

Jonathan's gaze didn't waver.

"Will you be a man… or a Superman?"

The words hit Apollo like a weight in his chest.

For a long moment, he didn't speak but he had an answer. He knew what he was going to be.

Apollo stood up getting out of his chair and looking at the barn.

Ajak smiled knowingly.

Apollo turned to her hugging her and then looked at his Dad.

"I know what kind of man I'm going to be" Apollo said.

Jonathan smiled.

"Don't tell me son, show me".

Apollo nodded and then walked towards the door he looked at his parents and his sister.

Sprite kicked her legs off the table, grinning.

"This is so dramatic, I love it. I'm going to be telling this story for years"

Apollo exhaled and turned toward the barn.

The wooden doors creaked as he pushed them open. Sunlight streamed through the slats in golden beams, illuminating dust in the air.

Apollo walked to the chest and opened it for the first time since he put the suit back in there.

Apollo pulled out the suit and stared at it.

The deep blue fabric. The retro aviator goggles. The flowing red cape and hood. The gold, black and red crest.

It had been waiting for him.

Apollo reached out, running his fingers over the fabric. It wasn't just a suit. It was a decision.

A decision to be something more.

He'd been saving people all his life, but putting this on meant going from being a good person to being a symbol, something that people could look up to, call out for.

He wouldn't just be Apollo anymore, he'd be a superhero.

He exhaled slowly.

And then, for the first time, Apollo Kent put on the suit.

The Kent farm sat in peaceful silence, bathed in the deep orange glow of the setting sun.

Apollo slowly walked out of the barn and stood to face his family while wearing the suit for the first time.

The fabric of his new suit was snug against his skin. The cape rested over and down his shoulders while it billowed in the wind. Combined with the red hood attached to the cape that he had pulled up to shroud his face, it felt and looked more like a deep red cloak. The shaded retro aviator goggles he wore didn't feel that great but they completely covered his eyes. He flexed his fingers, rolling his shoulders slightly, getting used to the feeling of the suit.

His mother had made it for him, waiting for the moment he was ready.

And now, he was.

"How do I look?" Apollo asked.

"Like a hero" Ajak replied proudly.

Then the quiet hum of the farm was suddenly shattered.

BOOM.

A distant explosion rumbled through the air. Apollo's head snapped up, his senses sharpening.

A voice—panicked, desperate.

"Somebody help—!"

Apollo's enhanced hearing locked onto it. The voice was familiar.

Justin Hammer.

Jonathan looked at his son recognising the look he got whenever he heard danger far away.

"Apollo?"

Apollo's jaw tightened not expecting to have to use the suit already.

"I have to go."

Ajak stepped forward, her golden eyes full of warmth and certainty. "Then go, my son."

Apollo nodded then crouched down putting his fist on the ground. The rocks on the ground swirled around him and Apollo looked up into the sky.

"Up, up and away" Jonathan told him repeating the words he told him the day he helped him learn to fly.

"Up, up and away" Apollo said back to his Dad a smile on his face.

And with that, Apollo launched into the sky.

The air ripped around him as he accelerated, the ground vanishing beneath him in an instant. His cape billowed behind him, his body cutting through the wind like a missile. The town of Smallville blurred below as he shot toward the industrial district where Justin Hammer's private facility sat.

---

Location: Hammer Tech Development Facility, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

Justin Hammer had always prided himself on being prepared.

He had bodyguards. Security teams. State-of-the-art surveillance.

None of it mattered.

The walls of his private office shook as a figure tore through them.

Ted Grahame—his skinny body encased in monstrous, jagged bone armor—stood in the wreckage, eyes burning with fury.

Justin scrambled backward, heart pounding.

"Woah—hey, hey—let's talk about this, bone guy!" Justin began to plead.

Ted growled. Images of Justin flashing through his head, he was his target. Other flashes showed too, Hammer Tech supplying medical tech to the hospital from before. Back when he was weak.

"You're one of them," he snarled. "One of the men in suits who let this happen."

Justin swallowed hard. "Alright, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"

Ted didn't listen. With a roar, he lunged forward—

And was instantly knocked back by a blue-and-red blur.

Ted slammed through a concrete pillar, skidding across the ground.

Justin gasped, eyes wide as he looked up at the figure hovering above him.

A man. No, something more than a man.

The costume. The cape. The crest.

Apollo Kent stood in midair, his presence larger than life.

Justin could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"You—" He exhaled sharply. "You're real."

Apollo lowered himself to the ground, his boots barely making a sound as they touched down.

"Are you hurt?" Apollo asked disguising his voice.

Justin shook his head, still in disbelief. Then, his lips curled into a small smirk.

"You know, I've heard whispers about you" Justin said.

Apollo didn't react.

Justin adjusted his tie. "I think we've even met before."

Apollo narrowed his eyes from behind his goggles slightly.

"We haven't" Apollo replied.

Justin waved a hand.

"No, not formally, sure. I was a little unconscious but a few months ago, I had a little run-in with a glowing atomic skeleton freak. When I woke up he was out cold and I was still breathing. You saved my ass."

Apollo didn't reply.

Justin tilted his head. "And now you're saving me again. I'm starting to think I should put you on payroll."

Apollo frowned.

"I'm not for sale, Justin" Apollo told him.

Justin chuckled. "Oh, I don't mean as some grunt. I'm talking about partnership."

He stepped closer, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.

"Look at you. You're powerful. You could change the world. You could be a modern day Steve Rogers. And I've got the resources and the connections to help you do it. Imagine how many people you could help if you and I teamed up with the military to protect America"

"The world's not at war Justin. Who exactly would we be protecting America from?" Apollo questioned.

"The people who are our threat to freedom and democracy" Justin replied smoothly.

"I'm not a weapon and I'm not a soldier" Apollo said his voice filled with an edge of finality to it.

Justin's smirk faltered slightly and then he spread his hands to signify he was relenting.

"Well you know where to find me if you change your mind" Justin said.

"I won't"

Before he could say more, a roar ripped through the air.

Ted recovered, shaking off debris. He turned his burning gaze toward Apollo.

"You stopped me." His voice was filled with rage. "Get out of my way."

Apollo's gaze didn't waver. "I can't do that, Ted."

Ted charged.

Apollo reacted in an instant.

He met Ted head-on, catching his armoured arm mid-swing and slamming him into the ground. The earth cracked beneath the impact.

Ted snarled and lashed out again, but Apollo was faster—dodging, weaving, countering.

Then, with a powerful flap of his cape, Apollo launched into the air, grabbing Ted by the armor and carrying him into the sky.

He flew them both toward an empty cornfield—a place where no one else could get hurt.

---

Location: Sullivan Residence, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

At the same time across town, Chloe Sullivan was alone.

She had left The Torch's office just minutes ago, her mind still racing from the aftermath of the article. She had spent the entire day dodging phone calls and reading the chaos in the comment section.

This was big.

She had exposed something huge.

And she wasn't done yet.

As she walked down the dimly lit street, she pulled out her phone and checked the article stats—

And that's when she heard the footsteps.

Chloe froze.

Slowly, she turned her head.

Two men in dark suits were walking toward her.

She swallowed, forcing a smirk. "Sorry, guys, I don't do interviews this late."

The first man didn't respond.

The second one reached into his jacket—

Chloe ran.

She turned on her heel and bolted, sprinting down the sidewalk. She could hear them following, their heavy footfalls quick and relentless.

She cut down an alley, heart pounding—

And slammed right into a third man.

Before she could react, a hand clamped over her mouth.

She struggled, thrashing against them, trying to bite—

A sudden shock jolted through her body.

Electric.

Her vision blurred.

The last thing she saw was one of the men looking down at her.

And then everything went dark.

---

Location: Smallville, Kansas - 2003

Apollo landed in the middle of the vast cornfield, the stalks swaying violently from the sheer force of his descent. The golden field stretched endlessly beneath the pale moonlight, an isolated battleground beneath the heavens. His cape fluttered behind him, the red fabric stark against the sea of crops. His shaded aviator goggles reflected the setting son, obscuring his eyes, but his voice was firm when he spoke.

"We don't have to do this, Ted."

The skinny figure across from him emerged from the shadows, his bone armor gleaming dully beneath the night sky. Ted's breathing was ragged, his muscles taut with tension. His mind was a storm—flashes of pain, of experiments, of cruelty. The command to kill echoed in his skull, but so did Apollo's words from before.

"I tried to save you."

Ted clenched his fists. He tried. And yet, here they were.

"I don't get to choose," Ted growled, his voice a low snarl. His feet dug into the dirt as his hands balled into fists. "They made sure of that."

And then, he charged.

Ted moved like a freight train, fast and heavy. Apollo barely had a second to react before Ted swung a fist at him. The impact sent shockwaves through the air as Apollo crossed his arms to block it, skidding backward several feet, his boots carving trenches in the dirt.

Ted didn't stop. He lunged again, his armored shoulder slamming into Apollo's chest, sending him hurtling through the cornstalks. Apollo twisted midair and caught himself, flipping backward and landing in a crouch.

"Alright, then," he muttered. "You wanna go all out? Let's go all out."

He blurred forward at super speed, a gust of wind flattening the crops around them as he closed the gap in an instant. His fist struck Ted's gut with super strength, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying into the air. Before Ted could recover, Apollo launched himself after him, a sonic boom cracking through the night sky.

High above the field, he caught up to Ted and spun, slamming him back down to earth. Ted crashed into the dirt, leaving a deep crater.

A deep, guttural growl echoed from the pit. Then, with an earth-shaking roar, Ted unleashed his own power, bones bursting from his arms like jagged spears. He slammed his fists into the ground, and a wave of sharp, bony spikes erupted from the earth, racing toward Apollo.

Apollo's super senses flared, calculating the path in an instant. He jumped, twisting and weaving through the spikes with super speed. One nearly grazed his leg, but he flipped midair, landing on one of the spikes before launching himself toward Ted again.

BOOM! He struck Ted in the jaw.

Ted barely staggered. He grabbed Apollo midair and hurled him into the corn, where he crashed through several thick stalks. Dirt rained around him.

Apollo exhaled sharply and stood, brushing debris off his suit. Alright. Enough holding back.

His eyes glowed red.

Ted roared and charged again, but this time, Apollo didn't dodge. Instead, twin beams of searing heat shot from his eyes, striking Ted in the chest. Ted howled as the heat seared his armor, forcing him to stumble.

Apollo used the opening. He surged forward, grabbing Ted by the shoulders and lifting him high into the air before throwing him across the field.

Ted crashed through an old wooden fence, tumbling across the dirt before finally coming to a stop.

He groaned, trying to push himself up. But then, the air grew cold.

Apollo floated above him, his breath fogging in the night air.

Then, he exhaled.

A blast of arctic breath swept across the battlefield, encasing Ted's arms and legs in a thick layer of ice. He struggled, but the frost weakened his movements, making his limbs sluggish.

Apollo landed gently in front of him.

"It's over, Ted."

Ted's chest heaved. His body was battered, burned, and frozen, yet it wasn't the pain of battle that shook him. It was Apollo's voice.

Not angry. Not condescending.

Gentle.

"They did this to you, Ted. They hurt you. They made you feel small. They made you feel weak. But that was never true."

Ted's body tensed. Flashes of memories burned in his mind.

— His body wracked with pain, strapped to a cold steel table.
— Needles piercing his skin, extracting marrow, injecting chemicals that made his bones ache until he screamed.
— The Hydra leader standing over him, calling him a failure, a test subject, not a person. "Discovery requires Experimentation".

His breathing became erratic.

Apollo crouched beside him, pressing a hand against his frozen shoulder.

"They treated you like a weapon, but that's not who you are. You're not a monster, Ted. You're not a failure. You are person and you're capable of being more than what they made you. You deserve a life beyond this. I know you're not a monster Ted, you're a victim… I see you."

Ted's body trembled.

"You don't have to fight anymore," Apollo whispered. "You don't have to hurt people just because they told you to."

Silence.

Then, for the first time since the battle started, Ted stopped struggling. His breathing steadied, his shoulders slumped.

He slowly looked up, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Then… what do I do?"

Apollo extended a hand.

"You let me help you."

Ted stared at the offered hand for what felt like eternity.

This was the second time he had offered his hand to him, Ted's hand twitched. The memories of everything he'd been through and everything he'd done filled his mind. He had been trapped and tortured, he felt like he was drowning.

Then he looked up at Apollo, stared at the symbol on his chest and saw the warm smile on his face. Ted let himself hope for the first time in years as he looked at Apollo's outstretched hand.

Then, slowly, he reached out and took it.

And for the first time in a long time, he felt like a person again.

As Apollo helped Ted stand, Ted looked at him and then Apollo did something Ted didn't expect.

He hugged him.

"It's going to be okay Ted, I promise" Apollo told him.

Tears formed in Ted's eyes as the weight of everything he'd been feeling came crashing down onto him.

The two broke away from their hug and Ted wiped his tears away as he looked at Apollo. Something new in his eyes. Hope.

"They took your friend, the journalist. The one who wrote the article" Ted said.

"What? When?" Apollo said shock in his voice.

"While I was attacking Hammer. It was coordinated attack" Ted told him.

"Then I need to stop them."

Ted looked at Apollo as he was preparing to take off and search for Chloe.

"And I need to stop the people who made me" Ted said, resolve in his voice.

Apollo turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder smiling at Ted once more.

"Then let's end this. Together" Apollo said as he put out his other hand for Ted to shake.

Ted shook his hand and nodded.

"Together"

With that, he turned toward the sky. His cape billowing in the wind as the dirt and rocks around them began to levitate and lift a little off the ground.

"I'll save Chloe and help you stop the people that made you."

Ted nodded.

And with a single powerful leap, Apollo shot into the sky holding Ted as they flew together. Ted instructing him on where to go.

Apollo's mind was filled with thoughts of saving Chloe and stopping the men that did this but Ted's mind was filled with only one thought; it was time to burn his past to the ground.

Location: The Lernean Building, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

The Lernean Building sat like a specter in the darkness—a lone, cold structure on the outskirts of Smallville, secluded from prying eyes. From a distance, it looked unassuming. Just another forgotten industrial facility, its concrete walls cracked with age, its exterior lifeless. But beneath the surface, something was happening.

Security cameras swept across the perimeter in calculated intervals. Armed guards patrolled the entrance and stationed themselves at key choke points. The entire building radiated the kind of quiet, oppressive menace that only came from people who had something to hide.

And tonight, Apollo Kent was going to rip it open.

The night sky stretched overhead, cold and vast, speckled with stars that felt impossibly distant. The wind whispered through the empty fields, carrying the scent of earth and iron. The facility loomed ahead, its floodlights sweeping the perimeter in cold, methodical arcs. Guard towers stood like sentinels, their high-powered rifles glinting under the moonlight. Automated turrets hummed from their perches, scanning for movement.

He stood at the edge of the darkness, his red cape fluttering softly in the night breeze. His blue suit, worn for the first time, felt unfamiliar but right—a second skin, a promise of something greater. The sigil on his chest, crafted with care by his mother, caught the glow of the moon.

Beside him, Ted Grahame's bone armor gleamed faintly, shifting like living stone with every breath he took. His hands were clenched into fists, knuckles cracking under the tension.

Ted's breath was heavy beside Apollo, his skinny form tense with barely contained fury. His bone armor shifted, the plates along his arms sharpening with each exhale. This was the place that had made him a monster. The place that had taken his body and mind and tried to strip him of everything else.

But they hadn't succeeded.

Not entirely.

Ted clenched his fists, the hardened bone along his knuckles cracking like stone under pressure.

"This is the place, they're probably waiting for me to return from my deployment" His voice was rough, but underneath it, Apollo could hear something else. Not just anger. Fear.

Apollo turned to him. His red cape rippled behind him in the wind, the deep blue of his suit blending into the night. He looked every bit the hero that the world hadn't yet named. But right now, to Ted, he wasn't only a symbol. He was a friend.

"This place took everything from you," Apollo said quietly. "But they didn't break you."

Ted let out a sharp exhale, his fingers twitching. "I don't know if that's true."

Apollo's gaze was unwavering. "I do."

Ted swallowed. He glanced at Apollo's suit—the costume his mother had made for him, a symbol of something greater. The emblem on his chest, stylized and bold, caught the light of the facility's searchlights.

Ted scoffed. "You're really going to do this dressed like that?"

Apollo smirked. "What? You think I should've worn the red hoodie and jeans?"

Ted gave him a dry look. "You look like a damn comic book character."

Apollo shrugged.

"Good. Maybe it'll scare them."

A flicker of amusement crossed Ted's face, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. His eyes drifted back to the fortress ahead, the weight of what they were about to do pressing down on him.

"You sure we can pull this off?" Ted asked.

Apollo took a step forward, eyes narrowing as he focused on the facility. His super hearing kicked in, filtering through the layers of concrete and steel.

Inside, he heard them.

The footsteps of guards patrolling the underground halls. The hum of machinery powering the laboratories. The quiet, agonized breaths of people inside containment cells.

A scientist muttering into a recorder: Subject O-17 shows signs of—

A guard joking about how much they were being paid good money to protect "a bunch of glorified science projects that nobody ever comes for or knows exists."

"Lot of security," Ted muttered, scanning the perimeter. His voice was low, controlled, but there was an edge of barely restrained fury.

Apollo nodded, his jaw tight. His mind wasn't on the guards. It wasn't on the security measures, the cameras, or the locked doors. It was on Chloe.

She was inside that building.

His super hearing had caught her voice hours ago, a weak, pained sound lost beneath layers of concrete. He had tried to focus again, tried to reach her through the walls—but something was interfering, a frequency buzzing in his skull like static. He didn't know what they were doing to her, but he wasn't going to let it continue.

His fists clenched.

"They took her," he said, voice hard. "And we're going to get her back."

Ted exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. "Works for me. You got a plan, hero?"

Apollo smirked despite himself. "Yeah. I break in. You hit things."

Ted snorted. "Sounds like a plan."

Apollo's hands clenched into fists. His eyes began to glow faintly red behind his goggles.

He turned back to Ted, determination written across his face.

"We can pull this off," he said. "And we will."

Ted nodded, rolling his shoulders. His armor shifted again, plates locking into place.

"Then let's tear this place apart."

Without another word, Apollo launched himself forward —faster than a bullet, faster than the eye could follow right towards the Lernean Building.

---

Inside Chloe drifted in and out of consciousness.

She was strapped to a metal table, surrounded by high-voltage Tesla coils. Energy crackled around her, coursing through her body. Her eyes were wide in shock, her body twitching.

Her body felt like it was on fire and frozen at the same time.

Electricity crackled through the air—low voltage, a steady current snaking through her veins. It wasn't meant to kill her. It was meant to keep her weak, keep her compliant.

Pain.

That was all Chloe could feel.

Her body trembled, muscles spasming from the low but relentless current of electricity coursing through her veins. Her skin felt raw, her fingers numb, her vision blurred between moments of clarity and suffocating darkness.

She gasped softly, her breath shallow.

The room was dark, sterile. She struggled on cold metal table she was laying on, thick restraints locking her wrists and ankles in place. Overhead, dim yellow bulbs flickered, casting eerie shadows across the walls.

And then there was the meteor rock.

A chunk of it, glowing with blue, red and violet energy, like stardust.

It sat above her. Built into the ceiling, illuminating the room like a light and connected to the wiring all around the room no doubt powering the machine that was electrocuting her.

Every time she drifted too far into unconsciousness, the electricity surged just slightly, jolting her awake.

Chloe Sullivan was no stranger to danger.

She had faced bullies, corrupt businessmen, and meteor-infected criminals. She had risked her life chasing the truth, pushing boundaries no one else her age dared to cross.

But this?

This was different.

This wasn't a story she could write her way out of.

A door hissed open somewhere beyond her view.

Footsteps.

Two people.

A voice. Low, clinical. Amused.

"Subject is still responsive. Good."

Another voice, this one closer. A woman.

"Do we really need to keep her under like this? It seems… excessive."

The first voice chuckled.

"The meteor exposure is critical to the experiment. If we stop now, we might lose our window."

The second voice hesitated. "She's just a—"

"A variable," the first voice interrupted coldly. "Nothing more. Whitehall wants results"

Chloe tried to move—even just to lift her head—but the restraints held firm.

She wasn't sure how long she had been here—minutes? Hours? It all blurred together in a haze of agony.

Somewhere nearby, the voices murmured—cold, clinical, detached.

"Her physiology is adapting faster than expected. We may need to accelerate the process" said the man.

"If we push too far, she won't survive" the woman retorted.

"That's a risk we have to take" the man said an air of finality to his voice.

Chloe clenched her teeth. They were talking about her like she was a lab rat. Like she wasn't even human.

Screw that.

She forced herself to lift her head just enough to stare at the two figures beyond the dim lights.

One was a man—tall, broad-shouldered, military in stance but not in uniform. His features were sharp, his expression unreadable. A scientist, maybe. Or something worse.

The second was a woman—nervous, hesitant. She didn't belong here.

Chloe latched onto that.

"If you're gonna kill me," she croaked, her voice hoarse from pain, "at least have the guts to do it yourself."

The man chuckled.

"Oh, Miss Sullivan," he said smoothly. "We're not going to kill you. We're going to make you better."

Chloe's glare was sharp despite the haze of exhaustion. "You're gonna be real disappointed then because you don't get better than this"

The man chuckled as Chloe dropped her head, exhaustion once more taking her.

The voices continued, distant and uncaring.

"Let's increase the current"

The meteor glowed brighter as the electricity being sent through her increased in intensity.

Chloe screamed.

---

Outside Apollo breached the perimeter wall, his fist driving into reinforced steel.

The impact shattered the barrier like glass, sending shockwaves through the facility. Alarms blared. Floodlights snapped to attention, sweeping across the chaos.

The first wave of security forces rushed forward, rifles raised.

Apollo was already moving.

The world slowed.

A guard barely had time to squeeze the trigger before Apollo was on him, grabbing the barrel of the gun and twisting it into scrap. He ducked low, swept another off his feet, and sent him crashing into a security tower.

Gunfire erupted.

Bullets pinged harmlessly off Apollo's chest. He didn't even flinch.

"Stand down," Apollo warned. "You don't want this fight."

The guard panicked, reaching for a knife. Apollo sighed, shook his head, and flicked him in the forehead. The man dropped like a stone.

Behind him, Ted roared as he entered the fray.

A soldier charged him. Ted met him with a backhand that sent him crashing through a concrete barricade. Another came from the side—Ted caught him by the throat, lifted him effortlessly, and tossed him aside.

More soldiers poured out of the facility, their weapons aimed at both of them.

Apollo didn't care, their guns might as well have been water pistols.

He blurred and grabbed the nearest guard by the vest, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. The surrounding guards shot at Apollo the bullets bouncing off his body.

"Where is she?" Apollo demanded, voice cold.

The guard struggled, gasping. "Wh—who?!"

Apollo's eyes flickered red causing his goggles to light up with a fiery red tint.

"You know who."

The guard barely had time to shake his head before a skinny form barreled past them.

Ted slammed into the surrounding wave of guards like a wrecking ball, sending them flying with brutal efficiency.

Another group rushed forward—

Apollo stared at them already tired of this.

Heat vision ignited in his eyes.

Twin beams of powerful and unimaginably hot red energy lanced out, cutting through the soldiers' weapons with pinpoint precision. Guns melted, metal slag dripping to the ground.

The soldiers screamed as they dropped their now white hot weapons.

Ted smirked. "That's right. Run."

Apollo smiled confidently, as their weapons fell to the ground now useless molten scrap.

One of the guards fumbled for a radio.

"Alpha team, we need—"

A sonic boom split the air.

Apollo was suddenly in front of him, inches from his face. The man paled.

"Where," Apollo said slowly, "is Chloe Sullivan?"

The guard hesitated—then spat on the ground.

Apollo sighed. "Wrong answer."

And with that, he knocked the man unconscious with a single flick of his fingers.

Ted glanced at him. "You're having too much fun with this."

Apollo exhaled sharply. "Not nearly enough."

Another scream—Chloe's.

Apollo's heart pounded. He turned to Ted.

"I'm going in. Keep them off my back."

Ted nodded, stepping forward as more guards poured in.

"Go save your friend," Ted muttered. "I'll take care of these guys."

Apollo didn't need to be told twice.

He turned toward the steel entrance of the Lernean Building—

And with one devastating punch, he caved it inward.

---

Inside Chloe screamed out in agony.

Her body felt like it was on fire and she thought she was going to die. She was going to die here alone. Would anyone find her body? Would anyone tell her story? What would happen to her Dad when he got the news? She was all he had. Would Apollo mourn her the way she would mourn him if he was in her place?

Tears fell from her eyes. Despite her penchant for running head first into danger to chase a story Chloe didn't want this. She wanted to live and be reunited with her Dad, with her friends and maybe one day muster up the courage to tell the boy she loved just how much she loved him. She wanted to keep bringing the powerful to justice and telling the truth. She wanted so much.

But most of all Chloe didn't want to die.

Then—the alarms blared.

A low rumble shook the walls.

The lights flickered.

Somewhere above, there was a distant crash—metal tearing, steel groaning under inhuman force.

The current stopped.

The man's expression darkened.

"He's here."

The woman paled. "It's him?"

Chloe's eyes widened.

Him?

She didn't know what they meant, but she knew one thing—someone was coming.

Someone strong enough to tear through this place like a wrecking ball.

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding.

For months, she had heard whispers—stories of a mysterious figure in Smallville. A guardian in the shadows. A protector.

No one had seen him up close, but there were rumors—people who swore that, in their darkest moment, someone saved them.

Chloe had even theorised about him with Apollo once. The man who saved people and stopped the meteor infected.

Apollo had dismissed just like some did, calling it a myth.

Some other people didn't dismiss it though, they believed it was an angel.

Chloe was never the overly religious type, she didn't believe in angels.

But right now—she was willing to pray for one.

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "If you're real… please help me."

And then—

The wall exploded.

---

Apollo moved like a force of nature.

The facility's reinforced steel entrance lay in ruins behind him, smoke rising from the wreckage. Guards swarmed from every hallway, weapons raised, barking orders—but it didn't matter.

Apollo was faster. Stronger.

Angrier.

A guard fired—Apollo moved before the bullet even left the chamber. He was in front of the shooter in an instant, snatching the rifle and crushing it into useless scrap with one hand.

The guard barely had time to react before Apollo grabbed him by the vest, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.

"Where is she?" Apollo's voice was calm. Cold.

The man gasped, struggling. "I-I don't—!"

Apollo sighed.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he sent the man flying down the corridor.

More guards advanced, some pulling the triggers of their rifles, others reaching for tasers.

It was pointless.

Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off Apollo's chest, clattering to the floor like raindrops on pavement.

One guard tried to tase him. Bad move.

Apollo grabbed the electrical baton mid-swing, eyes glowing red with warning. The weapon melted in his grip.

The man fled in terror.

More footsteps. More enemies.

Apollo didn't slow.

He ripped through the facility like a hurricane, disarming guards, breaking down barriers, tearing through every obstacle in his path.

Until finally—he heard it.

Chloe's heartbeat.

Weak. Staggered.

But alive.

His stomach twisted with fury. His jaw tightened. He flew.

He followed the sound—straight through a thick reinforced door.

In an instant, he was outside the door.

He didn't stop to look for a key.

A reinforced steel wall stood between him and her.

It may as well have been made of paper.

Apollo punched straight through it.

And there—in the center of the room—

Chloe.

Strapped to a metal table. Tesla coils arcing with energy around her. Wires attached to her skin. A meteor rock glowing above her, casting a pale, sickly light over her face.

She exhaled a shaky breath.

Her eyes fluttered open—dazed, unfocused.

And then—they met his.

Apollo barely recognized his own voice when he spoke. Low. Cold. Lethal.

"Get away from her."

The scientist flinched.

Apollo moved before he could react, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the nearest wall.

"You did this to her," Apollo growled. "Fix it. Now."

The man gasped, struggling against Apollo's inhuman grip.

The woman hesitated, her hands shaking. "T-The meteor rock—"

Apollo's heat vision ignited.

In one quick, controlled burst, he didn't just melt it, he eviscerated it. The part of the roof it had been built into was no more. A burning hole stood in its place.

Chloe gasped sharply, her body going slack as she finally let herself relax knowing she was saved.

The electricity cut off.

Chloe slumped, her restraints loosening.

Apollo turned back to the scientist, his eyes still glowing.

"Do anything like this again and I promise you, you'll see me again and next time I won't be so nice!" Apollo warned

The scientist nodded, Apollo could hear his heart racing and smell the fear coming off of him.

Apollo couldn't help himself he smiled at that.

Apollo let go of the scientist, letting him collapse to the floor. He didn't spare him another glance.

His focus was on her.

He moved to her side, carefully freeing her from the last restraints. She was still too weak to move.

Her lips parted slightly, eyes hazy.

She exhaled shakily. "Who…?"

Apollo's stomach clenched.

She didn't know.

She didn't know it was him.

For a moment, he considered telling her.

But it wasn't the right time.

Not yet.

Instead he gave her a simple but truthful answer.

"I'm a friend" he told her warmly.

Then, he lifted her into his arms.

Effortless. Weightless. Like he had many times before in their lives.

And Chloe—still barely conscious, still fighting to stay awake looked at the man who saved her.

The billowing red cape that covered his shoulders and shrouded them like cloak. The hood pulled over his head covering his face, the retro aviator goggles that hid his eyes. And most notably the symbol on his chest.

She placed her hand on it, tracing the S, a weak smile came to her lips.

She murmured, just loud enough for him to hear:

"You're real…"

Apollo's breath hitched.

"Yes I am and I'm sorry I'm late" he replied smiling at her as she lost consciousness.

He tightened his grip, holding her just a little closer.

And then, without another word—

He took off.

---

The building groaned around him, sparks flickering from broken lights as Apollo moved swiftly through the shattered facility.

Chloe's unconscious form rested in his arms, her breathing shallow but steady.

Apollo could hear her heartbeat—weak, but strong enough to reassure him she would survive.

She was safe.

But as he stepped toward the exit, he heard something that made his stomach tighten.

A scream.

Not Chloe's.

A guard.

Then another.

Then—a wet, sickening crunch.

Apollo stopped.

He turned his head, narrowing his senses—

And saw him.

Ted Grahame stood in the middle of the ruined corridor, panting, trembling, his jagged bone armor slick with sweat and dirt.

Around him, bodies lay sprawled—guards clutching broken limbs, groaning in agony.

None of them were dead.

But they were ruined.

One man tried to crawl away.

Ted stomped a plated foot in front of him, blocking his escape.

The guard whimpered, his body trembling.

Ted raised his hand, claws flexing—

"Ted."

Ted's entire body jerked at the voice.

Ted turned and saw Apollo standing at the far end of the corridor.

His cape shifted in the breeze from the gaping holes in the walls.

His eyes were locked onto Ted's even behind the goggles.

Apollo gently set Chloe down behind a piece of debris, ensuring she was shielded from whatever came next.

Then, he stepped forward.

"They deserve it," Ted muttered. His voice was rough, thick with barely restrained fury.

Apollo kept walking toward him.

"You think they wouldn't have done worse to us?" Ted gestured at the injured men, his claws twitching. "You think they wouldn't have left us broken?"

His breath came in ragged heaves.

"You think they don't deserve to suffer?"

Apollo stopped just a few feet away, his expression calm but firm.

"Maybe they do," he admitted.

Ted hesitated.

"Maybe they deserve worse."

Ted's hands curled into fists, his breathing uneven.

"But you don't."

Ted flinched.

"They turned me into this—"

"No," Apollo cut in, shaking his head.

"They did horrible things to you, Ted. But they didn't take everything."

Apollo's voice softened, but his resolve never wavered.

"They didn't take your humanity. Don't let them take that from you too. Don't let them win"

Ted swallowed hard.

"I don't—"

"You are not a murderer."

Ted looked down at his clawed hands, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

"You are not a weapon."

Ted squeezed his eyes shut.

"You are not what they made you. You are whatever you choose to be."

The words hit deeper than any punch ever could.

Ted exhaled shakily, his arms dropping slightly.

For the first time since this nightmare began, he looked lost.

And then—

A slow, deliberate applause echoed down the ruined hallway.

Both Apollo and Ted turned.

A new presence stepped forward, his crisp white suit untouched by the chaos.

His movements were measured, precise.

Daniel Whitehall.

The mastermind of the Lernean Building.

The man who had orchestrated Ted's torment.

The man who had ordered Chloe's torture.

And flanking him—an entire battalion.

The men stood around him. They seemed different from the security team that Apollo had taken down to get into the facility. Apollo scanned them.

Their blood was filled with something. A chemical Apollo didn't recognise. He looked at Ted and realised what the chemical was. It was Ted's spinal fluid.

Enhanced soldiers.

Modified no doubt to be like Ted.

Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, their postures disciplined, weapons raised awaiting orders.

Whitehall regarded him with a curious smile.

"I must say," he mused, "I am impressed."

His sharp eyes flicked between Apollo and Ted.

"Both of you."

Apollo shifted his stance, subtly positioning himself between Whitehall and Ted.

"You must be the one running this nightmare," Apollo said coolly.

Whitehall chuckled.

"I prefer the term 'architect,' if you don't mind."

Apollo's jaw tightened.

"Let them go."

Whitehall tilted his head "Let them go? They volunteered, loyal soldiers to the cause"

"And what cause is that?" Apollo questioned.

"One that would welcome you with open arms. Welcome both of you with open arms" Whitehall told him.

"Not interested, me and my friends are going to destroy this place and then go" Apollo said his voice firm.

Whitehall's gaze lingered on Apollo, studying him like a scientist observing a fascinating specimen.

Then—he smiled.

"Oh, my boy," he said, "I'm afraid you are far too extraordinary to simply let go."

"Don't do this, trust me this won't end well for you." Apollo threatened.

Whitehall continued to smile.

Apollo held his ground as the battalion of enhanced soldiers tightened their ranks.

Their black combat armor gleamed under the facility's dim emergency lights, red tactical visors glowing like predator eyes as they stood at the ready.

But these weren't ordinary soldiers.

Apollo could hear their heartbeats.

Unsteady. Erratic.

Beneath their armored plates, muscles twitched unnaturally, veins pulsing with something artificial.

They were enhanced.

Stronger. Faster. Tougher.

But… not stable.

Their breathing was ragged, their bodies struggling to contain the power surging through them. Flesh was already beginning to tear at the seams, muscles fraying under the strain of unnatural augmentation.

They were powerful.

But they were breaking. Ted's spinal fluid wasn't just giving them power it was killing them. They would be dead within the day.

And yet, they still came forward.

Across from them, Daniel Whitehall stood unmoved.

Cold. Calculating. Watching. Still smiling.

Then, without a word, Whitehall lifted a single hand.

With a sharp downward motion—

The battalion attacked.

A sonic boom erupted as the first soldier blurred forward, his speed far greater than Apollo was anticipating.

Before Apollo could fully react, a fist slammed into his ribs.

For the first time in this battle—Apollo felt something.

The blow sent him skidding back, boots carving trenches in the ground.

A second soldier leapt from behind, his enhanced strength carrying him into a mid-air strike.

Apollo barely had time to dodge before the man's fist cratered the floor where he had just stood.

"They're fast—"

Another lunged at Ted, moving with unnatural agility—

Ted barely managed to block before the soldier's knee slammed into his gut, sending him staggering back.

The soldier grinned through bloodied teeth, his body trembling with excess energy.

His wounds were healing.

The fractured bones in his arm snapped back into place with sickening cracks.

Apollo's eyes narrowed.

Regeneration.

But it wasn't natural.

It was ripping them apart as fast as it was keeping them together.

One soldier rushed Apollo again, faster this time.

But Apollo was ready.

The moment he closed the distance—Apollo ducked under his punch and slammed a fist into his sternum.

A normal man would have been obliterated.

The soldier staggered back, ribs fracturing, before regenerating instantly.

He laughed through the pain—

Until Apollo hit him again.

Faster.

Harder.

This time, the force sent him rocketing into the wall, breaking through steel plating.

Another came at him, this one using speed and agility to try and outmaneuver him.

Apollo let him get close—then spun mid-motion and delivered a backhand that sent the soldier flying across the battlefield.

A third charged from the side, this one stronger than the others.

Apollo turned—

And unleashed a sonic scream.

The shockwave tore through the battlefield, rupturing eardrums and sending the enhanced soldiers reeling.

Blood dripped from their noses.

Their regeneration struggled to repair the damage.

But Apollo didn't stop.

With blinding speed, he closed the distance—

A devastating punch sent one soldier flying.

A spinning kick shattered another's visor.

A heat vision blast melted the rifle of a third.

The battalion was strong.

But Apollo was stronger.

Next to him Ted fought too. Ted wasn't as fast or as strong as Apollo.

But he was just as devastating.

A soldier lunged at him with unnatural speed—

Ted grabbed him mid-air and slammed him into the ground so hard the floor cracked.

Another came at him from behind—

Ted spun, his bone-plated elbow slamming into the man's jaw with a sickening crunch.

The soldier's head snapped back—only to twist back into place with unnatural regeneration.

Ted's eyes darkened.

"You just don't know when to stay down."

He grabbed the soldier by the shoulders—

And threw him headfirst into a steel support beam.

The soldier twitched violently, his enhanced body failing to recover from the trauma.

Ted felt his own body straining.

Pain radiated from every bone, his breathing ragged—

But he kept fighting.

For his new friend.

For himself.

For everyone who had suffered because of these monsters.

The last four soldiers regrouped.

Bleeding. Regenerating. Twitching.

But they weren't winning.

And they knew it.

"ENOUGH!"

One of them ripped off his helmet, eyes bloodshot, veins bulging.

His breath hitched.

His body was breaking down.

"You cannot stop us. You will not stop us. The natural order dictates the superior rise above the inferior."

Apollo's jaw clenched.

"You think you're superior to anything? Your bodies are breaking down as we speak" Apollo told them.

"Our bodies are evolving. We are the superiors. Destined to be the betters of everyone and therefore destined to win. Those are rules of life. We will defeat you" the soldier shouted back.

Apollo leaned his head back then he laughed out loud at them, laughing at how childish they sounded.

"Trust me you can't win but for future reference I'll give you a bit of advice because I've been breaking the rules of nature my whole life. Tell me the truth if you think you know it. Lay down the law if you're feeling brave. But never, ever, tell me the rules" Apollo said confidently.

The soldier screamed—

And charged.

Apollo moved first.

With a burst of Arctic breath, the soldier froze in place mid-stride.

A single punch shattered him out of the ice and sent him tumbling unconscious.

The final three soldiers rushed in together.

Apollo sidestepped one, flipped another over his shoulder, and caught the last by the wrist—

A quick twist disarmed him, a strike to the chest sent him into the wall.

The last soldier tried to regenerate—

But Apollo hit him with heat vision.

Superheated beams scorched his armor, overloading his regenerative abilities.

The soldier collapsed, unconscious before he hit the floor.

Silence.

The battalion lay defeated.

Flesh failing.

Bodies collapsing under their own unnatural enhancement.

And Whitehall still hadn't moved.

Apollo breathed deeply, his fists still clenched.

Whitehall smirked.

"Look at yourself."

His voice was calm.

Measured.

Almost… admiring.

"You are everything we have dreamed of. The culmination of all our efforts."

Apollo's eyes narrowed.

"A true living blue angel. The Übermensch in the flesh."

The words made Apollo's stomach churn.

"The world should be yours," Whitehall continued, "It is your right, as the superior man, to take it. To rule it."

He stepped closer.

"Join us. Lead us. So that you can show the world your strength. Embrace your place as our Übermensch"

Apollo's skin crawled.

His knuckles tightened so hard he thought his fingers might break.

"I will never be your Übermensch"

Whitehall's smirk faded.

"The very idea makes me sick and you repulse me more than anyone I've ever met"

Whitehall's expression darkened.

His gaze flicked toward the ruined battalion.

He was losing.

And he knew it.

He pressed a button on a device inside his suit.

"Self-destruct activated. Thirty seconds to detonation."

A high pitch sound rang through the facility. Apollo recognised it from the time he fought Ted in the Southside.

Apollo turned back to Ted

And then—Ted screamed.

His body jerked violently, eyes flickering with pain.

"No—NO!"

Whitehall smirked.

"You didn't think I would let my weapon walk away so easily, did you?"

Ted's bones extended, his body twitching violently—

And then—

Apollo grabbed his wrist.

Ted locked eyes with Apollo before swinging his fist at Apollo blindly attacking him. No longer in control of his own mind.

The blow sent Apollo flying through several walls and Whitehall used that distraction to make his escape.

Ted charged at Apollo and Apollo held firm. He let Ted hit him over and over again, standing his ground and not budging an inch before he grabbed him and held him in an unbreakable bear hug. Ted struggled but it was futile, he couldn't overpower Apollo.

"Ted, listen to me. I know you're in there fight it. Remember what I told you. You choose who you are not them. So choose and remember you are not a weapon" Apollo told him.

Ted stopped struggling and he let out a powerful scream. Fighting against the controls in his mind.

With sheer willpower—Ted broke free.

Apollo dropped Ted.

Ted turned back into his human form and looked at Apollo once more.

"Thank you"

Apollo just smiled and nodded at him.

"Don't mention it"

Suddenly the facility rumbled violently.

"Time to go!" Apollo said.

He blurred and grabbed Chloe and then Ted before shooting upward—

Apollo burst through the collapsing facility, carrying both Ted and Chloe as fire and debris rained around them.

The explosions roared beneath them, the Lernean Building breaking apart at its very foundation.

A massive blast wave erupted, sending a shockwave through the night—

But Apollo was faster.

With a final burst of speed, he soared through the air, leaving the burning wreckage behind.

Below, the Lernean Building collapsed in on itself, the inferno swallowing whatever secrets remained.

But Apollo wasn't thinking about that.

His focus was on Chloe.

Her pulse was weak.

Her body limp.

But she was alive.

"Hold on, Chloe."

The nearest hospital was miles away—but that didn't matter.

With a shift in his trajectory, Apollo angled toward Smallville General Hospital and pushed himself even faster.

---

Location: Smallville General, Smallville, Kansas - 2003.

It took seconds for Apollo to reach Smallville General.

The night air was cool against Apollo's face as he descended silently onto the rooftop of Smallville General, carrying Chloe in his arms. Ted landed beside him, his enhanced body still aching from the battle.

Apollo's eyes flickered toward the emergency entrance below. Too many people. Too much risk.

He turned to Ted. "Wait here."

Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Inside the hospital, Ajak stood alone in her office, reviewing patient charts under the soft glow of a desk lamp.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled the papers.

She looked up—and Apollo stood before her, still in his costume, Chloe cradled in his arms.

Ajak's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she immediately took control of the situation.

"Lay her down."

Apollo gently placed Chloe onto the examination table.

Ajak's hands hovered over her chest, glowing faintly with golden cosmic energy. She closed her eyes, scanning Chloe's injuries—

And what she found made her expression darken.

"Electrocution. Meteor exposure. She's stable, but weak." She pressed her hands gently against Chloe's body.

A warm golden light flowed from her palms, washing over Chloe like a gentle sunrise. Apollo watched as her breathing steadied, some of the strain leaving her face.

It wasn't a full healing—Ajak couldn't risk that—but it was enough to ensure that she would be better and healthy soon.

She pulled back, taking a slow breath.

Then her sharp gaze flickered to Apollo's shoulder—past him—toward the door.

"He's with you, isn't he?"

Apollo glanced back.

Ted stood in the shadows of the doorway, his frame tense, his eyes wary.

"Yes he is, he's Ted" Apollo told his Ma.

Ajak studied him—not with fear, but with understanding.

She walked up to him and then reached out a hand towards his face.

Ted flinched expecting a slap but instead he was met with a gentle caress.

"You poor, poor boy, you've been through so much. I'm so sorry" Ajak said to him softly.

"Rest now." Her voice was gentle but firm. "There's an empty room on the second floor. No one will disturb you."

Ted's jaw tightened and tears filled his eyes not expecting this much warmth from someone he just met.

"Why are you helping me?"

Ajak's expression softened. "Because you need it."

For a moment, Ted looked like he wanted to argue. Like he couldn't trust this kindness. Then he remembered the kindness Apollo showed him and something clicked in his mind. This was where he got it from. This was his mother.

Then, finally, his shoulders sagged. "Alright."

Ajak nodded. "I'll keep your secret safe. And in the morning, I'll help you find your family."

Ted swallowed hard, then gave Apollo a silent nod of thanks before slipping into the hallway.

Ajak watched him go before turning back to Chloe. She picked up her office phone and made a call

"We need a trauma team in here. Now."

Apollo took one last look at Chloe—then stepped back.

Ajak's gaze met his.

She didn't say go.

She didn't have to.

Apollo gave her a small nod—then, in a blur of motion, he was gone.

---

The next morning the sun cast a warm glow over Smallville.

The next morning, the halls of Smallville General Hospital were bathed in soft golden sunlight filtering through the large windows. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, but it was overpowered by the fresh bouquet of lilies in Apollo's hands as he walked down the corridor toward Chloe's room.

Skye and Pete were beside him, each carrying something of their own—Skye with a small box of chocolates, Pete with a bright pink balloon that read: "You're Alive! (For Now)."

"You really had to get that balloon?" Skye asked, giving Pete an incredulous look.

"What?" Pete grinned. "She's a journalist. If she gets herself in trouble again, I wanna be able to reuse it."

The hospital hallways were quiet, the fluorescent lights humming softly overhead. Apollo walked with measured steps, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. Beside him, Skye and Pete followed, whispering to each other.

"Think she'll be awake?" Skye asked.

"Hope so," Pete replied. "I need the sympathy points of her seeing me for when she comes swinging for me after she finds out I raided her stash of snacks at The Torch."

"You did what?" Apollo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pete grinned. "What? It's not like I was laying in wait, timing this. I just went a little overboard yesterday after practice. The woman hoards Twinkies like it's the apocalypse. She can share."

Skye snorted. "You're gonna die."

Apollo chuckled, shaking his head as they reached Chloe's hospital room. The door was slightly ajar, and inside, Chloe lay propped up against fluffy white pillows, dressed in a standard hospital gown. She looked tired but very much alive, her blonde hair slightly disheveled, her green eyes bright as she noticed them enter.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Smallville Scooby Gang."

"Scooby Gang? Please," Pete said, grinning as he plopped into the chair beside her bed. "I'm way too cool to be Shaggy."

"Oh, you're definitely Shaggy," Skye said, smirking as she crossed her arms.

"What, because I eat a lot?"

"And because you scream first and run later," Apollo added, deadpan.

"Okay, first off—" Pete held up a finger. "That was one time. Second, if you saw what I saw in that cornfield last Halloween, you would've run too."

Chloe rolled her eyes, but her smile softened as she turned to Apollo.

"We come bearing gifts," Apollo said, stepping forward and setting the bouquet of lilies down on her bedside table.

"Lilies?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Trying to tell me I almost died?"

"Nah, we had faith in you. You're too stubborn to die" Skye said, plopping down in the chair beside her. "Apollo just said they were your favorite."

Chloe blinked a little taken aback before glancing at him.

"They are" Chloe said as a soft smile came to her lips.

Apollo smiled back.

"Always gotta make us mere mortals look bad huh Apollo" Pete joked.

Chloe shook her head with an amused grin before Pete thrust the balloon toward her.

"For you, madam. Please don't make us waste another fifteen bucks in case of future hospital visits."

Chloe took it with mock reverence. "Wow. So touching."

"I know, I know, I'm amazing."

They all shared a laugh, and for a moment, the weight of what had happened the night before felt a little lighter.

But then, as the laughter faded, Chloe's expression grew thoughtful. Her fingers brushed over the edge of the hospital blanket, and she hesitated before finally speaking.

"Guys…" she started, her voice quieter now. "Last night… I saw something. I think I met the Smallville Samaritan—"

She stopped herself, looking at her friends not thinking they'd understand.

Skye and Pete both leaned in slightly, curious, but Chloe shook her head.

"Never mind." She forced a small smile. "Sorry, my mind's been really fuzzy since what happened."

Apollo studied her, sensing there was more she wanted to say, but he didn't press. Instead, he reached out, gently taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Chloe."

She swallowed, then nodded.

As he pulled back, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. Chloe stiffened slightly, surprised—but didn't pull away.

When he stood up, Skye raised an eyebrow at him, but she didn't say anything.

"It's great to see you already looking so much like yourself" Skye told her.

"Thanks, the Doctor's did a good job after I was rescued." Chloe replied.

She took a breath and looked at all her friends, remembering her near death experience and she felt truly happy and appreciative to have all of them in her life.

"I'm glad, I'm still around"

"We all are, but maybe this is a sign to stop poking the hornet's nest for once," Pete suggested.

Chloe gave him a flat look. "Pete, if I stopped poking the hornet's nest, you'd have nothing to scream and run from."

"Okay, you know what—"

Apollo laughed, shaking his head as he stepped forward.

"Take it easy Chlo, you've been through a lot and you need to heal" Apollo told her.

Pete sighed, stretching. "You do, we should let you get some rest before you start interrogating the entire hospital staff."

"Oh, please," Chloe smirked. "That started hours ago."

"Knew it."

As they turned to leave, Apollo paused at the door, glancing back at her one last time.

Chloe looked like she wanted to say something again, her gaze lingered on him. An expression Apollo didn't quite recognise on it. Apollo thought Chloe was going to mention the Smallville Samaritan again but instead, she just offered a small smile.

"See you later, Apollo."

"See you later, Chlo'."

With that, he stepped out into the hall.

But just as they exited the room, Apollo's super-hearing picked up something—

A familiar heartbeat on the rooftop.

Ted.

His expression shifted slightly, but Skye and Pete didn't notice.

"You good?" Skye asked.

"Yeah," Apollo said smoothly. "You guys head out. I'll catch up."

"Okay, don't take too long in the bathroom man" Pete said and Apollo rolled his eyes.

He quickly turned and strode off down the hallway rushing to the rooftop to meet Ted.

Ted stood at the edge of the rooftop, arms crossed, looking out over Smallville.

His clothes hung on his skinny frame, none of them fit properly but seeing as he had to take them from lost and found Apollo guessed Ted didn't care all that much.

Ted was breathing slowly and deeply just taking in the morning air.

And despite everything they'd went through, he looked… lighter.

Freer.

Apollo landed silently on the rooftop, Ted's back was to him, but he didn't flinch at the sound of his landing.

"You checking up on me?" Ted asked, his voice quieter than when he last heard it.

"Checking on Chloe first," Apollo said, stepping forward. He could hear the faint rhythm of her steady heartbeat from inside. "She's stable. She'll make a full recovery."

Ted let out a slow breath. "Good. She deserves that."

Ted stepped closer to the edge of the rooftop and then sat on the ledge.

Apollo took a step forward.

"You planning on jumping?" he asked, his tone light but carrying a quiet concern.

Ted huffed a small, dry chuckle. "No. Not this time."

Apollo moved beside him, crossing his arms as they both looked out over Smallville together.

For a long moment, there was only silence. The kind of silence shared between two people who had seen too much in too little time. The two teen stood watching the town as people went on about their day, driving to work or getting themselves coffee. It was so peaceful and serene, you'd never have guessed all the crazy things that happened here.

"I'm leaving Smallville," Ted finally said.

Apollo's brow furrowed. "Where will you go?"

"Back to my family." Ted exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "They don't know what happened to me. They probably think I'm dead. I—I need to see them. Need to figure out who I am now."

Apollo nodded slowly. "That's good. You deserve that."

Ted exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

"Deserve it? I don't know, man. I don't even know who I am anymore." He flexed his fingers, looking down at his hands like he was waiting for the bone armor to form again. "They turned me into something else. Something I never chose to be."

Apollo's gaze softened. "You're still you, Ted."

Ted let out a short laugh, bitter and weary. "You really believe that?"

Apollo turned to him, his expression steady, certain.

"I know it."

Ted looked at him then, really looked at him. Apollo Kent, the kid from Smallville. The one who had every right to be look down on everyone around him, he was tall, handsome, invincible… and yet somehow, he was the one person who had never looked at him like he was a monster. He only ever looked at him like he looked at him now. With compassion, with kindness, with care.

"Why do you care so much?" Ted asked.

Apollo held his gaze. "Because I know what it's like to feel different. To feel like no matter what you do the world will only ever see you as a thing, as a monster. It hurts and it's lonely, to feel like the world is destined to reject you because they're waiting for you to prove them right—that you're the monster they always thought you were." His hands clenched slightly at his sides before he continued, "But you're not a monster, Ted. You never were."

Ted swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. He looked away, shaking his head.

"You really don't give up on people, do you?"

Apollo smirked faintly. "No. And I don't plan to start."

Ted turned to face him, smiling kindly at him truly grateful for everything he had done for him.

"I don't know what's next for me, but I do know one thing—"

His eyes locked onto Apollo's, his voice heavy with meaning.

"Don't stop fighting for people like me."

Apollo stiffened. "Ted—"

"People who are different," Ted continued, "people who suffer because of it. You're powerful. You can actually make a difference. I'm asking you—don't stop."

Apollo held his gaze.

"I never will."

Ted studied him for a moment—then nodded as he shook his hand.

A comfortable silence fell between them.

"Well," Ted said, stepping back toward the rooftop exit, "guess this is goodbye, huh?"

Apollo offered a small, knowing smile. "For now. I'm sure we'll cross paths again one day"

Ted grinned, shaking his head. "You're very dramatic, has anyone ever told you that?"

Apollo chuckled. Then, in a blur of motion, he was gone.

Ted stood there for a moment longer, staring at the place where his friend had disappeared—then turned and walked inside.

At the entrance to Smallville General Apollo caught up to Pete and Skye.

"So what's next?" Pete asked now that their visit was done.

"I've got to help out on the farm but we can catch up later and play some one on one?" Apollo told him.

"Sounds good to me"

Skye wrapped her arm around Apollo and smiled at him.

"Don't play too hard, I don't want my date to Justin's gala all sweaty" she joked.

"Yes ma'am" Apollo said as he leaned down and kissed her.

Pete groaned as he witnessed the two kiss for what felt like the millionth time.

"Get over it" Skye said as she chuckled before she kissed him again and just for that moment for the first time in a few days Apollo felt completely at piece.

---

Miles away, at a military recovery site, soldiers picked through the wreckage of the Lernean Building.

Among the debris, they recovered shattered data drives, burnt research papers—

And a single vial of extracted spinal fluid.

Inside a dimly lit office, a man reviewed the findings.

General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.

His fingers tightened around the vial, his eyes scanning the recovered documents.

His lips curled into a knowing smirk.

"Get me on a plane to Washington within the hour Major"

"Sir? We just arrived?" the Major replied confused.

"I know that's why you'll stay and oversee this mess, liaise with Hammer. I on the other hand want to be on a bird to Washington within the hour." Ross commanded.

"I also want you to get me with which ever lab geek you can find outside of Banner with no strong connection to him willing to work on a top secret government project. This might be a good alternative if project Gamma Pulse goes tits up" Thunderbolt Ross said as he pocketed the vial.

"Forgive me sir, why would we need an alternative to Gamma Pulse. Banner is arguably the smartest man on the planet" the Major questioned.

"He won't do what's necessary. His Daddy messed him up too much so he's a bleeding heart pacifist. He's too squeamish to even know what he's really making. Besides even if Banner does get it done, an alternative is always a good thing. You can never have too many super soldiers"

---

Location: Hammer Gala, Smallville, Kansas, 2003

The gala was a spectacle of power and prestige, just the way Justin Hammer liked it. The grand ballroom shimmered under golden chandeliers. Different pieces of art were on display all ready to be auctioned off for charity. The air buzzed with the hum of conversation, champagne glasses clinking as some of the country's elite made deals behind polite smiles.

For Hammer, this night was about making moves.

While Stark hoarded the spotlight with his weapons contracts, Hammer had been carving out his own place. His nuclear power plants were poised to become a beacon of efficient nuclear power. The next step in global energy. It wasn't as sexy as missiles and drones, but it was still a good power play that provided great PR too.

And he still had his ace in the hole. His secret project, one that he couldn't wait to announce.

The biomedical scanner.

Still in development, still under wraps, known only to him and Apollo. It was a game-changer—a device that could map genetic anomalies, detect foreign elements in the bloodstream, and scan a person's entire biological makeup with pinpoint accuracy.

As Hammer finished shaking hands with a senator, his sharp eyes caught a woman moving toward him through the crowd—her posture rigid, her gaze unwavering. Dressed in a sleek black military suit, blonde hair tied back in a severe bun, and a face like stone, she walked with the precision of someone used to command.

Major Kathleen Sparr.

Hammer straightened slightly. Unlike the usual brass that lurked around these events, Sparr wasn't here for the socializing.

This was business.

She stopped in front of him, offering a curt nod. "Mr. Hammer."

"Major Sparr," Justin said smoothly, offering his most charming grin. "Didn't think the U.S. Army was in the habit of attending cocktail parties. Unless you're here for the hors d'oeuvres?"

Sparr didn't smile. "I'd like to speak with you. Privately."

Hammer raised an eyebrow, then chuckled, swirling his drink. "Well, when the U.S. government comes knocking, who am I to say no?"

He gestured for her to follow, leading her toward a secluded VIP lounge in the back of the gala. It was quieter here, away from the main floor, where only the most important people conducted business.

Hammer settled into one of the leather chairs, draping an arm over the side. Sparr remained standing.

"So," he said, grinning, "I take it you're not here to put in an order for one of my reactors?"

Sparr's expression remained unreadable.

"We're not interested in your reactors Hammer"

Hammer let out a mock sigh. "Let me guess. You're interested in HammerTech weaponry. I gotta say, Major, I admire the direct approach, but you'll have to take a number. Military contracts are a hot commodity these days."

Sparr tilted her head slightly. "We're not interested in your weapons either, Mr. Hammer."

That caught him off guard.

For just a second, his easy confidence faltered—just a flicker, a twitch of the jaw, a small flicker of insecurity flashing in his eyes.

"…Excuse me?"

Sparr's voice was crisp. "Our current Stark Tech inventory is beyond anything we ever imagined. The sonic tanks, the guided missile tech, the targeting AI—we don't need anything HammerTech has to offer in that department."

Hammer swallowed, gripping his glass a little tighter.

He covered it with a smirk. "Well, gee, Major, don't hold back now."

Sparr ignored the jab. "We're here for something else."

Hammer's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

"Your biomedical scanner."

The words hit him like a gut punch.

His grip stiffened, mind racing.

How did they—?

No one was supposed to know about the scanner.

It was off the books. No corporate memos. No board meetings. No digital trails. Just him and Apollo.

And yet, here she was. Asking for it by name.

Hammer covered his surprise quickly, letting out a small laugh. "Well, I gotta say, that's news to me, Major. Because as far as I know, that project doesn't exist."

Sparr didn't blink. "We know what you're working on. A device capable of detecting genetic anomalies, identifying foreign substances in the bloodstream, scanning biological mutations."

Hammer didn't answer.

"You designed it for medical applications," Sparr continued, "but its potential goes far beyond that. It can identify threats before they emerge."

Hammer exhaled through his nose. His smile was gone. "Threats," he repeated. "You mean people."

Sparr's expression remained unreadable. "Let's not play games, Mr. Hammer. You were at that power plant attack. And even though you deleted all the footage you could and SHIELD helped you keep things under wraps we both know what occurred there wasn't normal"

Atomic Skull aka Albert Martin.

A small muscle in Hammer's jaw twitched.

"Then again at the attack on your tech development facility, another extranormal occurrence took place did it not?" Sparr continued.

The "Bone Monster."

The thing that wrecked his facility, tore through his security, and left him completely powerless.

He had been helpless, just like he had been when Atomic Skull attacked his power plant.

Hammer felt his fingers twitch, remembering the fear, the helplessness.

And then he remembered who saved him.

The Smallville Samaritan.

The caped figure with godlike strength, the one who had stood against the monster and won.

He had power.

Real power.

And Justin wondered—what would it be like to have someone like that on his side?

To be side by side with someone like that as they protected and reshaped the world. He would never be second fiddle again, never be powerless again.

He'd just need to find him and convince him, he couldn't make him see at the facility but he was sure in time if he found him he could.

Sparr's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"We're offering you something, Hammer. A way to be prepared. To help this country be safe, don't you want to be a hero, don't you want to protect this country Hammer?"

Justin didn't answer.

"Or are you going to leave that completely up to Tony Stark" Sparr said.

Justin clenched his jaw.

"If you agree to collaborate with us," Sparr said, "we can arrange for Dr. Banner to work with you. He's the foremost expert in biochemistry, nuclear physics, and genetic mutation. He could help push your scanner's potential far beyond what you envisioned."

Hammer sat there for a long moment.

Apollo had made him swear that this technology wouldn't be used for military purposes. But at the same time…

This was an opportunity.

A way to secure his place at the top.

A way to never be powerless again.

A way to surpass Stark.

Justin exhaled, then slowly leaned forward, offering Sparr a measured smile.

"I'll stay in contact," he said. "We can talk terms later."

Sparr nodded. "Good choice, Mr. Hammer."

With that, she stood, adjusting her suit jacket before disappearing back into the crowd.

Justin sat there for a long time, swirling his bourbon glass.

Then, something caught his eye.

Across the ballroom, walking among the guests, was Apollo.

The kid had ditched his usual flannel, shirt and jeans look. He was wearing a nice-ish suit and his usual glasses. He stood out in the crowd, his height dwarfing everyone around him. He was talking with his girlfriend Skye, the two laughing about something as they navigated the room. Looking at the various pieces of art on display.

Justin hesitated.

A part of him felt… guilty.

Apollo had trusted him.

This scanner was their project, something Apollo had helped design for medical advancement, not military surveillance.

But Hammer forced down the doubt.

Apollo would understand.

One day.

One day, Apollo would see that this was necessary. That power was the only thing that mattered in a world that was changing so rapidly, becoming more dangerous by the minute.

That's why Hammer needed to secure power—for both of them.

With a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone remotely connecting to their prototype biomedical system.

He pressed a few buttons.

The system's parameters updated.

Tracking enabled.

Justin sighed and then put a confident smile on his face as he walked down to talk to his friend and partner.

Downstairs Apollo was taking in Justin's gala. He wore a regular suit and tie but was feeling a little under dressed when compared to all the rich people who were in attendance. He was pretty sure the combined wealth of everyone in this room dwarfed the wealth of the county. He wandered around the gala hand in hand with Skye before she briefly left to talk to her Dad who had offered to chaperone.

There was a storm outside but you could barely hear it in here as the sound of all of the attendees of the gala and the music drowned it out.

Apollo wandered through the museum where the gala was being held and stared at a few of the historical objects before he saw a piece of armour.

It was a jeweled chest plate that had diamond shaped crest with a snake shaped like an S on it. Apollo was mesmerised by it.

It looked eerily similar to the symbol on his ship and his new suit, like a human recreation or interpretation.

Apollo began to wonder if his people were out there, if they had sent more people to Earth. If he wasn't alone and if they were other beings from his planet here.

"It belonged to Alexander the Great," Justin Hammer informed him as he walked up to his younger friend seeing him drawn to the golden bejeweled chest plate.

"Alexander was a brilliant tactician, yet his strategy was simple. Always seize the high ground. He was wearing this armour when he defeated Darius the Third -" Justin started saying.

"And was proclaimed King of Asia" Apollo finished remembering the books he read on Alexander the Great.

"You never fail to surprise me Apollo" Justin said smiling at his friend.

"That design is unique. None of the history books I've read mention them" Apollo said.

"They wouldn't. Alexander didn't like people knowing about his symbol before they saw him. He preferred having his enemies see it for the first time when he was on the battlefield allowing it to strike fear into them" Justin told him.

"Dark strategy" Apollo replied.

"Well darker times called for darker methods. The design was said to symbolise power, strength and courage. His enemies thought he was invincible" Justin said.

"I didn't know you were such a history buff" Skye said walking up to the two of them wearing a beautiful and flowery light pink gown.

"I'm not. I'm just interested in people who ruled the world before they were thirty" Justin quipped.

"Don't worry Justin you've still got a few years to go" Apollo jokingly assured his friend.

Justin chuckled about to say more and before he could reply was called over by one of the gala's attendees. He excused himself and walked away leaving Skye and Apollo alone.

"It's a nice party are you having fun?" Skye asked.

"Truthfully I am feeling a little under dressed" Apollo told her.

"Well you look dapper to me" Skye said before tiptoeing to kiss him and Apollo smiled at her.

"Also if it makes you feel any better, my Dad is just as uncomfortable" Skye added as she pointed to her father who was the one who drove them to the gala. He looked quite awkward, like he wasn't comfortable in this environment.

"We should probably go rescue him" Apollo suggested to Skye.

"I don't know he looks like he's having the time of his life" Skye joked and Apollo chuckled briefly.

"Alright let's go rescue him so we can eat" Skye said after they were done laughing.

Apollo smiled and then turned back to stare at the crest one more time. The feeling of longing for his people hitting him briefly once more as the jewels on the snake S seemed to glow to him, before he walked away and enjoyed the rest of the party with Skye.

---

Location: Smallville General, Smallville, Kansas - 2003

The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Chloe Sullivan became aware of as she blinked awake, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of her hospital room. The second thing she noticed was the dull, aching pain radiating from her ribs and the faint throbbing in her skull.

Her body felt like it had been put through a blender, but at least she was alive. That was something.

"About time you woke up."

Chloe turned her head, wincing slightly at the movement. Sitting beside her bed, arms crossed, was her father, Gabe Sullivan. His face was lined with exhaustion, but the relief in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Dad," she croaked, her throat dry.

Gabe immediately reached for a Styrofoam cup of water, holding it to her lips. "Here, drink."

Chloe took a sip, letting the cool water soothe her throat. "You look terrible," she rasped, smirking.

Gabe scoffed. "Yeah, well, I just spent the last six hours watching you sleep, so excuse me if I'm not looking my best."

Chloe chuckled weakly, then immediately regretted it as pain lanced through her ribs. "Ugh. Laughing? Bad idea."

"Well maybe next time you don't do something dangerous enough to make you wind up in hospital. Y'know, if I had a dollar for every time I had to visit you in a hospital bed, I might actually be able to afford your medical bills," Gabe said.

Chloe snorted. "You and me both."

Gabe wasn't smiling, though. He pulled his chair closer so he was right beside her bed, his eyes scanning her—checking, worrying, like all dads do.

"Chloe…" he started, voice quieter this time. "You have to stop doing this."

Chloe sighed, looking away. "Dad—"

"No. I mean it." His voice was firm, but there was something else there too—fear. "You're my kid, Chloe. And you—God, you could've—" He stopped himself, rubbing a hand down his face. "I almost lost you."

Chloe's throat tightened.

She knew her dad worried about her. She knew every time she went after a lead, every time she dug too deep, it scared him. But this time was different.

Because this time, she had almost died.

And he had been the one to find her.

Strapped to a chair. Burned. Barely breathing.

Her father had seen her like that.

And she knew—she just knew—that it must've reminded him of Mom.

She forced a weak smile. "C'mon, Dad. I'm fine. This is just, y'know, occupational hazard."

Gabe didn't laugh. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You keep throwing yourself into danger like this, Chloe, and one day… one day, you won't be fine."

Chloe looked away.

She hated seeing him like this. Tired. Scared. Like he was losing her too.

So, she did what she always did when things got too serious.

She cracked a joke.

"Well, you're the one who raised me. If I've got a self-destructive streak, that's gotta be on you."

That got a laugh—small, but genuine. Gabe shook his head, sighing. "Right. Next time, I'll just raise a daughter who listens to me."

"You could always adopt Pete."

"Pete actually values his life."

"I dunno, have you seen him eat a chili dog? That's a man with no fear."

That one made Gabe chuckle, and for a second, the tension in the room lifted.

But then he exhaled and stood up. "Alright, smart mouth. I'm getting you a snack before you start roasting my parenting skills again."

Chloe smirked. "Get me something good."

"Hospital vending machines only have two options: stale and disappointing."

"I'll take both."

Gabe gave her a small, tired smile before stepping out, leaving the room eerily quiet in his absence.

Chloe let her head fall back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

She hated this.

Not just the pain. Not just the hospital.

She hated what it was doing to her dad.

She could see it in his eyes—every time she ended up like this, every time she got too close to something dangerous, he had that same look. That look like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Like he was waiting for her to leave him, just like Mom did.

Chloe bit her lip.

She didn't want to put him through this.

She didn't want him to feel like he was losing her too.

But what was she supposed to do?

She couldn't stop.

She couldn't just sit back and pretend she didn't know what was out there—the corruption, the conspiracies, the monsters hiding in plain sight.

And yet…

She hated seeing him like that.

She exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair, trying to push away the wave of emotions threatening to take hold. Her gaze drifted to the IV in her arm, the heart monitor hooked up to her, the stupid hospital bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

Even getting hurt meant someone was profiting off you.

She scoffed under her breath. "America."

And then—

The lights in her room flickered.

Chloe froze.

A strange tingling sensation spread down her arms, her fingertips buzzing like static against her skin.

The room suddenly crackled with energy, and before Chloe could react—

POP!

The overhead lightbulbs burst in a shower of sparks. The heart monitor flatlined, the IV machine shut down, and the lamp on the nightstand shorted out, sending a small shock through her fingertips.

Chloe's eyes widened.

"What the hell?" she whispered.

She looked down at her hands, her fingers tingling, a faint blue spark still arcing across her fingertips.

Chloe stared as the sparks crackled between her fingers, a faint glow of electricity dancing along her skin before disappearing just as quickly as it came.

Her heart pounded.

What just happened? Did she do that?

---

Location: Kent Farm, Smallville, Kansas -2003

Back at the Kent Farm Apollo was being dropped off by Skye and her father. He stood at the entrance to the farm. His Dad came out of the house to say hello.

"Thanks for chaperoning them at the gala tonight" Jonathan said to Ben Hubbard truly appreciative he drove them to the event because Ajak had his car and was at the hospital tonight.

"It's no problem, I ended up having quite a good time tonight with them anyway" Ben replied.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, Apollo didn't give you too hard a time did he?" Jonathan joked.

"If I struggled dealing with Apollo I wouldn't be able to handle any child. He's basically a saint" Ben told Jonathan and Jonathan smiled proudly.

"Well Skye's just as great" Jonathan truthfully told Ben making him smile in response.

Ben sometimes struggled raising Skye as a single dad but hearing a man he respected praise his daughter and knowing how much Skye loved him made him feel very at peace. He was raising her well and he knew she was going to do great things with her life.

"Now why don't we give these two love birds some privacy to say their goodbyes" Jonathan said to Ben as he walked him to his truck and the two engaged in some small talk.

"Tonight was amazing. Thank you for taking me" Skye said to Apollo.

"There's nobody else I'd rather take" Apollo said honestly.

"We've been through so much these past few months, our lives have changed but I want you to know my feelings haven't. I love you Skye" Apollo said to her.

"I love you too Apollo" Skye said a big smile on her face.

The two kissed and embraced before breaking apart and staring into one another's eyes. They stayed like that for a moment, forgetting about the world and focusing only on each other. Apollo held Skye's hands and the couple left butterfly kisses on each others lips as they said goodnight to one another.

Skye touched Apollo's face and they smiled at each other before Skye slowly began to back away, still holding Apollo's hand. She finally let go of his hand and left Apollo with a smile on his face.

Ben and Skye drove off and Apollo waved goodbye still smiling. Jonathan then walked up to his son and put his hand on Apollo's shoulder happy to see his son so happy. The two turned back to enter the house after the Hubbard's completely left the compound.

Suddenly though Apollo's ears started ringing.

A loud high pitched tone flooded his ears so hard it felt like it was piercing his brain.

Apollo collapsed overwhelmed by the sound.

"AAAAAGGGH!" Apollo screamed in agony.

He covered his ears hoping to block the sound as he tried to focus on controlling his senses but it was no use. The ringing just got louder.

"Son?" Jonathan said concerned as he held the writhing Apollo.

Apollo tried to hone in on the sound. To identify where the sound was coming from.

He let out another scream as the noise was getting louder with every passing second completely disorienting him.

"Son, talk to me what's happening?"

Apollo couldn't answer, he could barely form a sentence or walk with how debilitated he was by this sound.

He let out another scream of pain as the sound continued to overwhelm him and Jonathan got up wanting to rush into the house and call his wife to come help him.

Apollo looks around the sound was still overwhelming him but he managed to pinpoint where it was coming from.

Apollo took a deep breath blocking out as much of the sound as he could. Then he got up slowly.

He walked to the barn still overwhelmed and disoriented by the sound but filled with determination to understand what was calling out to him like this.

He opened the barn door and saw the storm cellar at the bottom of the barn was emitting a light.

Apollo's eyes widened.

His ship is what's producing this sound.

Maybe he would get answers, maybe this was a message, maybe his parents were finally calling out to him.

Questions flooded Apollo's mind as he walked towards his ship opening up the cellar door and walking down just as a robotic voice spoke to him in his mind shocking and scaring him.

Apollo stopped as the words echoed through his mind over and over again.

"It is time. The day is coming"

---

Location: Triskellion, Washington, DC – Earth – 2003

A beautiful woman with brown hair enters the office of a man. The man is African American, bald and wears an eye patch. The man is Nick Fury and the woman is Maria Hill

"Fury, there's been an uptick in suspicious activity in Smallville" Hill says.

"What kind of activity? Is it the meteor infected? We've already partnered with Hammer to contain them"

Hill stayed silent and Fury nodded.

"It's not the meteor infected? What is it? An 0-8-4?" Fury asked curious.

"I'm not sure what it is sir but I know that whatever it is it's become difficult to not notice. Hammer Industries has worked well with us to cover up proof of the meteor infected" Hill started.

"To protect their bottom line. Smallville starts looking dangerous just as Hammer begins to settle their and investors could pull out. Hammer isn't doing this to save the world. So whatever it is it's not something Hammer made or is tied to otherwise he'd be advertising it to the world" Fury said offering his reading on Justin Hammer and the situation.

"I agree but there is something in Smallville sir, because the meteor infected aren't just being stopped by local law enforcement or Hammer's security or the army. There's something else sir, or someone else" Hill said.

"Someone? You believe this is an individual?"

"It might be, over the last few months in keeping with the uptick in strange phenomena in Smallville there's also been an uptick of miraculous saves seemingly done by one individual. Some residents have taken to calling the individual the Smallville Samaritan. If what they're saying is true, then there is potentially a being there that is fighting and defeating super humans in Smallville. A being that is very powerful and therefore could be very dangerous." Hill told him.

Fury took pause with that statement. It was clear it intrigued him.

"Smallville huh? Go and investigate it. Take Coulson and look into this for as long as you need to. Find out if it-s an 0-8-4 or a potential asset" Fury ordered.

"Asset? Still looking for people for your initiative?" Maria questioned.

Fury raised his eye at her.

"That will be all Agent Hill, I expect detailed reports when you arrive" Fury said his tone commanding.

"Yes sir" Hill said as she left and began to prepare for her mission to Smallville.

So that was Man or Superman? Part 2. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I hope the Smallville homages and references were liked too. I wanted this chapter to first focus on Apollo facing superhuman threats as he grows into the hero he's destined to become as well as his relationship with Justin.

The next part of Apollo's teenage life will focus on a lot more on the alien elements and aspects as he encounters more of the wider MCU. The next chapter will also feature a lot more of his Eternal family because this chapter didn't feature them all that much as I was more focused on telling the story of Apollo and him facing meteor freaks as he embraces his calling as a superhero.

Also if you want to know how I imagine Apollo's super suit look up Luis Filipe's art for Superman in The Batman universe and it's the version with Fleischer logo. Now imagine that with a cape that hangs over his shoulders and a hood plus retro aviator goggles that are shaded.

Please do let me know about the F4 and feel free to P.M me about any ideas or thoughts you have.

I don't have a set date on the next chapter but hopefully you guys won't have to wait too long.