PROTECTION
Part 1
***
The first thing Clark Kent felt after he woke up was pain.
For a long time it was to remain the only thing he perceived.
He cursed himself for having become too self-confident in recent years.
He had believed that with all the powers he had gained over the last two decades, there was nothing that could hurt him.
Well, he was wrong.
It all started relatively harmlessly while he was out of town.
Wayne Irig, the Kent family's neighbor, had found a strange, bright green stone on his property and sent it to a laboratory in Metropolis for analysis.
Then the members of this strange military group - Bureau 39 - had come to Smallville.
The leader of the group, Colonel Trask, was convinced that it must be an extraterrestrial meteorite, so he jumped to the conclusion that there must be one or more aliens among the inhabitants of Smallville.
Ridiculously absurd, one might think.
Well, apart from the fact that he was not wrong.
Trask was convinced that the radioactivity of the stone would influence the aliens or they would use it as a source of energy.
He and his men therefore searched all houses in Smallville for signs of extraterrestrial activity.
Unfortunately, Clark had come home from one of his trips around the world for a short visit on that day of all days to have lunch with his family.
His mother still tried to warn him, but by then it was already too late.
Trask and his assistant, Major Wade Eiling, had just entered the Kent house, actually just to interview the Kents.
But as soon as Clark came near the green stone, he fell to the ground and began to wriggle on the floor in pain he had never felt before in his life.
The last thing he remembered was that the military soldiers had dragged him away.
Now that he had woken up again, he found himself in a small, dark, bare room.
He could see the green glow not far from him.
The fear of what would happen to him now closed his throat.
What would they do with him?
Would his father's nightmare fantasies about being dissected like a frog come true?
His parents... What would they do with them?
Fear overcame clark at this thought.
At that moment the door at the end of the room opened and a man in a military uniform approached Clark.
"Good afternoon. I am General Samuel Lane."
Clark stared at the man with a distorted face in pain.
"I see that you are in pain. If I take this stone out of your reach and handcuff you instead, would you agree not to do anything stupid?"
What choice did he have. Clark nodded resignedly in Lane's direction.
He actually kept his word.
Clark's hands were handcuffed to the chair he was sitting in.
Afterwards a soldier brought the Kryptonite - Clark had decided to name the Green Stone after the planet he obviously came from - out of the room.
Instantly, Clark began to feel much better, but quickly realized that he apparently had none of his powers.
"All right, let's get started. What should I call her? I don't suppose Clark Kent is her real name. Did you steal his identity or something? Are you some kind of shape-shifter?"
Of course people would think something like that.
"No, I'm not. I've always been Clark Kent. If you insist, you can address me as Lord Kal-El of Krypton, but Mr. Kent will suffice."
Lane raised an eyebrow at the title, but did not comment further.
Silently, Clark was grateful that he had received this information from the globe his parents had put in his ship.
"So you're from a planet called Krypton," Lane asked.
"Are there other members of your species on this planet? What do you want here and what is your goal?"
"Krypton was destroyed long ago. To my knowledge, I am the only one who made it to earth."
"There is another colony somewhere called New Krypton, but I have never been there and I have never met anyone from there.
"As for my purpose here, I have none in the strictest sense."
"The only thing I ever wanted was to lead a normal life on this planet, to be happy, to discover the world... things like that."
"I must admit that I find it a little difficult to believe you that a being with your abilities has no higher goals. You know what they say about people with too much power, Mr. Kent?
"What do you mean? That power can corrupt quickly?"
"Yes, I know that saying. But I also believe that I should use the powers I have responsibly."
"There is this phenomenon. In recent years, there have been more and more reports of miraculous events in which people have been saved or natural disasters have been prevented that experts cannot explain," said Lane.
"I assume you were involved in this?"
"I assume so, at least in some cases."
"I must admit, you amaze me. I myself hold a high position in the military and am often inclined to take advantage of it."
"So what are you going to do with me now? Lock me up? Experiment on me?"
"First of all, you should know that Bureau 39 is not a legitimate military group," Lane replied, and Clark thought he heard a slight resentment in his voice.
"Trask and his people have indeed been wanted for their actions for years. We apprehended most of them, Trask was killed."
"I'm the one who has to deal with the fallout now, which means you, mostly."
Clark's pity for the man before him was very limited.
"Now, my dear Mr. Kent, I have two choices."
"Either I do exactly what you suggested - I'm sure the government and some of my colleagues would love it."
Clark's blood became cold in this statement.
"Or... I let you go".
Clark froze.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Lane said unmoved.
"So far, no information about you or your identity has been leaked to the Prese or other higher authorities in the military. I could see to it that it stays that way and that you can continue your family life with your "parents" if you so wish".
Clark was briefly annoyed by Lane's disparaging comments about the Kents, but decided not to go into detail because of his situation.
"There would be one condition, however."
Of course. That was obvious.
"Which is?
"You'll work for me and... do something for me."
"I do not work for the government or the military. I will not use my powers to harm people who annoy you."
That's not the point, and you weren't listening, Mr. Kent."
"When I said you would work for me, I meant exactly that: for me. As a private person."
"I can assure you that what I have heard from them as... let's say, in return for my silence, is neither illegal nor has a military background".
"Actually, it's something very... personal."
Clark had to admit that the man had made him curious.
What would a 3-star general hold back such enormous knowledge just so he could blackmail him for a personal favor?
"So, what is it about?
Lane sighed heavily and stood up from the table.
"I have a daughter. Well, actually two, but it's Lois, the older one."
"So?
"Lois is... difficult."
"In what way?"
"She refused to pursue a decent profession. Instead of listening to my suggestions, she decided that she wanted to be a journalist at the Daily Planet.2
Clark wouldn't admit it to the General, but that made her directly sympathetic to him.
"And what's the big deal"
"Nothing, actually. But Lois...?
"Yeah?"
"I don't know why, but this girl is a real trouble magnet. I have no idea how she manages it, but in the last three years a total of 13 different people have tried to kill her or otherwise silence her."
"That's why I'm always trying to hire people to watch her, so she doesn't do anything stupid."
"Let me guess, she was... not very enthusiastic about it?
"You could put it like that. In fact, she called me after the last time and told me that if I sent any more soldiers on her neck and she discovered them, she would never speak to me again1".
"Ouch!" said Clark and could not wipe off a little grin.
"I'm assuming you're not planning on getting involved, right?"
"Of course not. She doesn't realize it, but if nobody does, she'll eventually manage to get herself killed."
"I want you to be the one who watches them, watches them, protects them."
"With your abilities it should be easy for her to do this both inconspicuously, without her noticing anything, and to avert any danger from her.
"So, Mr. Kent... Do we have a deal?"
Clark was anything but happy about this prospect.
On the other hand, he could still lead a somewhat regulated life.
Maybe Daddy's Girl would eventually get tired of taking risks and sit back and relax.
Somehow he doubted it, even though he could not explain why.
His parents would be safe.
His friends too. Everyone he knew.
No one would suffer.
Well, except maybe Lois Lane's ego. He could live with that.
"You know that I don't have any powers right now? I don't know if they'll come back either."
"According to everything Trask's scientists have discovered, they will. So what do you say?"
The decision was made.
"All right, General, I will do it."
***
TBC... FDK is apreciated.
Last edited by BlindPassenger; 09/29/20 04:03 AM.
