Lois Lane-Kent held the cold compress to her adopted son Chris's head as the boy continued to drift in and out of consciousness while mumbling in Kryptonian. She just stared over at Martha, wondering if the boy would make it back to his family.
"Poor Chris, living in the Phantom Zone with Zod must have been a living hell," Lois said. "Clark always felt that letting Chris sacrifice himself was one of his biggest failures."
"Hopefully Zod will be sent back for good this time," Martha said as she went to the window. "Clark should be home any time now, and-- Lois, look at this."
Lois came to the window and gasped, seeing Jimmy's torn shirt blowing in the wind. "That's Jimmy's shirt. Do you think that Zod--?"
"Lois, when's the last time you saw Jon?"
# # # # #
Superman was flying Connor back from the Fortress of Solitude, not knowing how to make the young man feel better about having lost all of his Kryptonian DNA to Brainiac.
"It's not the end of the world," Superman said.
"Says the guy who can still punch planets around," Connor said. "Being a superhero was all I had. Now I'm nothing."
Before Superman could say anything comforting, he received a text from Lois. "We've got to get home, NOW!"
# # # # #
"It's incredible that such a tiny object can wield such devastating power," Zod said as he admired the ring on his finger. "This ring is the key to the destruction of the House of El. And from the ashes of Kal-El's destruction, the House of Zod shall reign supreme!"
"That's nice and all, but did you have to rip my shirt? I'm freezing over here!" Jimmy said while strung up on a scarecrow post. "Superman's going to beat you like he always does!"
"The boy with the carrot colored hair mocks our mission!" Ursa said. "Please, my husband, allow me to teach him a lesson."
"All in due time, my love," Zod said. "We need him alive as a bargaining chip. Kal-El won't dare use his full power if he believes that the boy will be harmed. Kal-El's true weakness isn't kryptonite, it's these powerless creatures. The son of Superman has already been dispatched, and soon we will remove the rest of his legacy."
"And what of Lor-Zod?" Ursa asked. "What if he survived his trip into the black hole?"
"Then I am fully prepared to take him out," Zod said. "After all, he's not our only heir."
# # # # #
Superman returned home, not even bothering to change into his civilian identity as he entered Chris' room. "Tell me everything that's happened," he said.
Connor sat outside in the hall, his back against the wall as he leaned his head back. He was now the weak link in the Superman family. Clark and Jon had superpowers, and Lois could hold her own in a fight if it came down to it. And now the Chris was back in the fold, he'd probably be the big brother to Jon that Connor should have been.
"I'm useless now," Connor whispered to himself as he closed his eyes.
On the other side of the house, Lois filled in her husband on their findings. "I'm going to find Jon," Superman said as he put his hand on Lois's shoulder, handing her a small device. "I've already contacted the League, but if you see any sign of Zod, use this link and the Flash will be here instantly, he's already on alert."
"Bring our baby home," Lois said as she hugged him.
"I promise," Superman said as he held onto her.
Chris suddenly bolted up in the bed, screaming in Kryptonian.
"Chris?" Superman said as he rushed to the bed, hugging the boy. "It's me, son, it's Clark. You're safe."
Chris started hyperventilating as the tears fell down his face upon realizing he was home with the family who actually cared about him. He wrapped his arms around Clark and continued speaking in Kryptonian.
"I don't understand, the last time Chris was here he could speak perfect English," Martha said.
Superman scanned Chris' head to see if he could find the problem. "The speech center of his brain's been damaged, probably from his last fight with Zod," Superman told them. "I'll need to take him to S.T.A.R. Labs for a better analysis, but that's going to have to wait. Son, I need you to tell me, what is Zod planning?"
Chris took a deep breath before staring down at his lap and began to tell them everything he knew.
"Do you understand what he's saying?" Martha asked Lois.
"Not all of it," Lois said. "But from what I can make out, it sounds bad. Very bad."
"The ring of Van-El," Superman said as he looked at his wife and mother. "Chris says that Zod has the deadliest weapon on Krypton in his possession."
"What's the ring of Van-El?" Lois asked.
“Van-El was the original founder of the House of El. He helped shape Krypton into the world it became over the centuries. But first and foremost, he was an explorer and a scientist. It was Van-El who first discovered kryptonite and its effects on the people. Not being as irradiated before Krypton's explosion, its effects weren't nearly as devastating, although prolonged exposure would cause the same effects as radiation does to humans.
“Since there were huge deposits of kryptonite under the planet’s surface, Van-El wanted to find a way to keep the radiation from causing destruction if ever unsurfaced. Van-El experimented, and through years of science and research, finally created a ring that could transform minerals. It could turn kryptonite into harmless diamond, and vice versa. Anyone with an understanding of the ring could transform any mineral they had on hand into any form of kryptonite.
“But Van-El soon realized how dangerous the ring was, and after convincing the council to not construct anything on top of places where kryptonite could be unearthed, he hid the ring inside of the Phantom Zone, which hadn't yet been fully explored or even considered for use as a prison.
“The ring had been considered a myth for years. At least until today.”
"And now Zod has the ring," Lois said. "And he might have our son. What if Zod uses green kryptonite on him? Or red?"
"I have to find him before that happens," Superman said as he stood up. Chris started to get out of the bed as Superman pushed him back down. "No, son, you're still too weak. You haven't gotten enough sun absorbed to get you to full strength. You need to rest now."
Chris started talking in Kryptonian as Superman sat down next to him.
"I know, but-- we just got you back, Chris, and anything less than full strength will give Zod the advantage," Superman told him. "I won't lose you again. Besides, you need to be here to help in case something wrong. You're a Kent, and I need you to protect your mother and grandmother in case something goes wrong."
Chris just sighed as Superman hugged him before standing up. He looked at his mother and wife, hugging them both.
"I'll be back, with Jon and Jimmy,"
And with that, Superman had flown out of the window and into the afternoon sky. Martha put a hand on Lois's shoulder as they watched Superman disappear into the horizon.
"If Zod harms one hair on my baby boy's head," Lois said as a tear fell down her face.
# # # # #
Superman tracked the GPS on Jon's cellphone to the quarry, finding it laying in the dirt. He also found the torn remnants of Jon's cape and a single sneaker lying on the ground.
"No," Superman whispered as he picked Jon's cape up. "ZOD!"
Superman's voice echoed for miles, the anger building inside of him, now fearing for his son.
"Hello, Kal-El," Zod's voice said inside of his head. "Only you can hear this frequency. I trust you are at the quarry. If you wish to discuss the terms of your surrender, you will meet me in Metropolis, at a place called 'Starbucks'. Do not keep me waiting, Kal-El."
Superman arrived in Metropolis and soon found the Starbucks where Zod was waiting. The hero calmly walked in, seeing all the nervous and frightened people cowering in the corner.
"All of you can go, you're safe," Superman told him. "I promise you, Zod will cause you no harm."
Superman's comforting words were a relief as the people started to quickly file out of the establishment. Looking around, Superman found Zod sitting in a corner booth, calmly sipping a latte.
"I believe this quaint little shop will be one of the few things I let remain once I dominate this primitive planet," Zod said as Superman stood in front of him. "Welcome, Kal-El. It's been a long time."
"Where's my son and Jimmy Olsen?" Superman asked.
"I lost track of your son's whereabouts after I left him in the quarry," Zod told him. "As for your mortal friend, he's safe for the time being. But his continued safety depends on you."
"I know you have the ring of Van-El."
"Then you should know that I wield all the power," Zod calmly said. "I have already removed one obstacle in my quest for domination. You and your clone are the only real threats remaining. Swear allegiance to me, and you will continue to live."
Superman grabbed Zod by the collar. "What did you do to my son?"
"Why ruin the surprise?" Zod asked as Non grabbed Superman from behind and smashed his head through the wall, then ramming Superman sideways along the same wall, destroying it before tossing Superman through the window and out onto the street. Superman quickly recovered as Ursa kicked him in the stomach, sending the Man of Steel flying down the street and into the grill of a truck. The vehicle came to a screeching halt as the villains flew toward the scene, landing in front of Superman.
"You can defeat us this time, Kal-El," Zod said as Superman peeled himself off of the truck. "And I do not wish to waste the energy doing so, not when I have so many tasks at hand. Non?"
Zod pointed toward a window nearby, and before Superman could react, Non had rammed him, sending Superman flying through it, crashing into a jewelry store. Zod pointed the ring at all of the diamonds now laying on the floor where Superman had fallen into a case, transforming them into black kryptonite.
"I will not destroy you, Kal-El, so I'm giving the task of that to someone else," Zod said as he flew away. "If you survive and wish to surrender, you'll know where to find me!"
"You're not getting away that easy, Zod," Superman said, feeling strange. That's when a hand pulled him back and punched him into the wall.
"It's not Zod you need to worry about," a familiar voice said as Superman looked up, seeing an evil version of him in a darker colored costume, with no red underwear on the outside walking toward him, his eyes glowing with heat vision.
# # # # #
At the Kent Farm, Connor was starting to get worried about Jon. Even with no powers, he had to make sure his little brother was safe. As Connor got his jacket and opened the door, he found Zod, Ursa, and Non standing right outside.
"It's the clone," Zod said. "Ursa, you may have this one to do what you please. Do your worst."
TO BE CONTINUED...
SUPERMAN FAMILY ALBUM
"Clark, you've been smiling all day," Martha said as the family sat at the table.
"I can't help it," Clark told her. "Lana and I are going out now. This is my first real relationship. I can't help but smile knowing the prettiest girl in school wants to date me."
"Well, we raised you to have nothing but respect for women, we're sure you'll do fine," Jonathan told him. "But now that you're dating, you'll have to extra careful with your powers."
"Yeah, about that," Clark told him as he played around with his meatloaf. "I was kind of thinking that--"
"Clark, you've only been in a relationship for a day," Martha said. "It might be a bit soon to tell her your secret. We like Lana, but what if someone finds out what you can do and tries to get to you through her?"
"It's not like I'm a famous superhero," Clark told her. "I've been careful with my powers around my friends my life. I just wish I could tell one of them about my abilities."
"That's a big decision to make," Jonathan told him. "Your mother and I think that you're old enough to start making some decisions concerning your abilities on your own, all that we ask is that give plenty of thought to what you do. Remember, son, you only get one chance to do the right thing."
# # # # #
"So, are you going to the carnival this weekend?" Pete asked the next day at school.
"Yeah, I'm going to take Lana as our first real date," Clark told him. "You and Whitney can tag along if you want."
"Nah, I'd just be a third wheel, and Whitney's going out of town," Pete said. "You and Lana can have fun, though."
"Look, Pete, you're my best pal, I don't want you feeling left out because Lana and I are dating," Clark told him. "We're still going to have our camp-outs and ball games."
"I know," Pete said. "I just wish I could find a girl as nice as Lana."
"You will," Clark promised. "The love of your life is out there, you just have to be on the lookout."
"Look out!"
A nail gun had off in the shop class, just as Clark and Pete were walking by. The nail had flown out and hit Clark straight in the heart, sending him falling onto his back.
"Oh, crap! I hit Kent!" a boy shouted as he held the nail gun. "I'm sorry! I couldn't control it, I was trying to nail a bird house together and--"
Pete kneeled down, having pulled a watch out of his pocket, reaching under Clark's shirt while pulling out the nail. "It's okay! The nail just hit the pocket watch I loaned him!"
Clark opened his eyes and sat up, staring at Pete. "Uh... yeah, I'm good. No problems here."
# # # # #
Clark and Pete had gone to the nearby creek after school, which is where the two friends usually went when they wanted to talk about private stuff that no one else could ever know about.
"The campout a few weeks ago, when you saved me from that bear," Pete said as he stared down into the water. "You thought I was unconscious, but I saw it all. It didn't take long to figure out that you're the mystery guy who's been saving lives around town."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Clark asked.
"I don't know, I guess you have your reasons for keeping something like that secret," Pete told him. "And it... kind of made me feel, I don't know, special for knowing my best friend was some kind of superhero."
"I'm not a superhero," Clark said. "I'm just a kid who wants to use his gifts to help people. I'm... kind of glad this happened."
"You are?"
"If anyone has to know my secret, I want it to be my best friend in the world," Clark said. "Someone I can talk to about this."
"Hey, I'm your man, you can tell me anything," Pete said with a smile. "Plus I can help cover for you when you have to... do stuff."
"Yeah," Clark told him. "Like today. Thanks, Pete, you're a real life saver."
"So, have you thought about a superhero name? How about something like Power Boy?"
"Pete,"
"Or Captain Marvel!"
"Pete,"
"I know! Superm-"
Clark put his hand over Pete's mouth.
"Let's just enjoy the sunset, buddy."
END
"Poor Chris, living in the Phantom Zone with Zod must have been a living hell," Lois said. "Clark always felt that letting Chris sacrifice himself was one of his biggest failures."
"Hopefully Zod will be sent back for good this time," Martha said as she went to the window. "Clark should be home any time now, and-- Lois, look at this."
Lois came to the window and gasped, seeing Jimmy's torn shirt blowing in the wind. "That's Jimmy's shirt. Do you think that Zod--?"
"Lois, when's the last time you saw Jon?"
# # # # #
Superman was flying Connor back from the Fortress of Solitude, not knowing how to make the young man feel better about having lost all of his Kryptonian DNA to Brainiac.
"It's not the end of the world," Superman said.
"Says the guy who can still punch planets around," Connor said. "Being a superhero was all I had. Now I'm nothing."
Before Superman could say anything comforting, he received a text from Lois. "We've got to get home, NOW!"
# # # # #
"It's incredible that such a tiny object can wield such devastating power," Zod said as he admired the ring on his finger. "This ring is the key to the destruction of the House of El. And from the ashes of Kal-El's destruction, the House of Zod shall reign supreme!"
"That's nice and all, but did you have to rip my shirt? I'm freezing over here!" Jimmy said while strung up on a scarecrow post. "Superman's going to beat you like he always does!"
"The boy with the carrot colored hair mocks our mission!" Ursa said. "Please, my husband, allow me to teach him a lesson."
"All in due time, my love," Zod said. "We need him alive as a bargaining chip. Kal-El won't dare use his full power if he believes that the boy will be harmed. Kal-El's true weakness isn't kryptonite, it's these powerless creatures. The son of Superman has already been dispatched, and soon we will remove the rest of his legacy."
"And what of Lor-Zod?" Ursa asked. "What if he survived his trip into the black hole?"
"Then I am fully prepared to take him out," Zod said. "After all, he's not our only heir."
# # # # #
Superman returned home, not even bothering to change into his civilian identity as he entered Chris' room. "Tell me everything that's happened," he said.
Connor sat outside in the hall, his back against the wall as he leaned his head back. He was now the weak link in the Superman family. Clark and Jon had superpowers, and Lois could hold her own in a fight if it came down to it. And now the Chris was back in the fold, he'd probably be the big brother to Jon that Connor should have been.
"I'm useless now," Connor whispered to himself as he closed his eyes.
On the other side of the house, Lois filled in her husband on their findings. "I'm going to find Jon," Superman said as he put his hand on Lois's shoulder, handing her a small device. "I've already contacted the League, but if you see any sign of Zod, use this link and the Flash will be here instantly, he's already on alert."
"Bring our baby home," Lois said as she hugged him.
"I promise," Superman said as he held onto her.
Chris suddenly bolted up in the bed, screaming in Kryptonian.
"Chris?" Superman said as he rushed to the bed, hugging the boy. "It's me, son, it's Clark. You're safe."
Chris started hyperventilating as the tears fell down his face upon realizing he was home with the family who actually cared about him. He wrapped his arms around Clark and continued speaking in Kryptonian.
"I don't understand, the last time Chris was here he could speak perfect English," Martha said.
Superman scanned Chris' head to see if he could find the problem. "The speech center of his brain's been damaged, probably from his last fight with Zod," Superman told them. "I'll need to take him to S.T.A.R. Labs for a better analysis, but that's going to have to wait. Son, I need you to tell me, what is Zod planning?"
Chris took a deep breath before staring down at his lap and began to tell them everything he knew.
"Do you understand what he's saying?" Martha asked Lois.
"Not all of it," Lois said. "But from what I can make out, it sounds bad. Very bad."
"The ring of Van-El," Superman said as he looked at his wife and mother. "Chris says that Zod has the deadliest weapon on Krypton in his possession."
"What's the ring of Van-El?" Lois asked.
“Van-El was the original founder of the House of El. He helped shape Krypton into the world it became over the centuries. But first and foremost, he was an explorer and a scientist. It was Van-El who first discovered kryptonite and its effects on the people. Not being as irradiated before Krypton's explosion, its effects weren't nearly as devastating, although prolonged exposure would cause the same effects as radiation does to humans.
“Since there were huge deposits of kryptonite under the planet’s surface, Van-El wanted to find a way to keep the radiation from causing destruction if ever unsurfaced. Van-El experimented, and through years of science and research, finally created a ring that could transform minerals. It could turn kryptonite into harmless diamond, and vice versa. Anyone with an understanding of the ring could transform any mineral they had on hand into any form of kryptonite.
“But Van-El soon realized how dangerous the ring was, and after convincing the council to not construct anything on top of places where kryptonite could be unearthed, he hid the ring inside of the Phantom Zone, which hadn't yet been fully explored or even considered for use as a prison.
“The ring had been considered a myth for years. At least until today.”
"And now Zod has the ring," Lois said. "And he might have our son. What if Zod uses green kryptonite on him? Or red?"
"I have to find him before that happens," Superman said as he stood up. Chris started to get out of the bed as Superman pushed him back down. "No, son, you're still too weak. You haven't gotten enough sun absorbed to get you to full strength. You need to rest now."
Chris started talking in Kryptonian as Superman sat down next to him.
"I know, but-- we just got you back, Chris, and anything less than full strength will give Zod the advantage," Superman told him. "I won't lose you again. Besides, you need to be here to help in case something wrong. You're a Kent, and I need you to protect your mother and grandmother in case something goes wrong."
Chris just sighed as Superman hugged him before standing up. He looked at his mother and wife, hugging them both.
"I'll be back, with Jon and Jimmy,"
And with that, Superman had flown out of the window and into the afternoon sky. Martha put a hand on Lois's shoulder as they watched Superman disappear into the horizon.
"If Zod harms one hair on my baby boy's head," Lois said as a tear fell down her face.
# # # # #
Superman tracked the GPS on Jon's cellphone to the quarry, finding it laying in the dirt. He also found the torn remnants of Jon's cape and a single sneaker lying on the ground.
"No," Superman whispered as he picked Jon's cape up. "ZOD!"
Superman's voice echoed for miles, the anger building inside of him, now fearing for his son.
"Hello, Kal-El," Zod's voice said inside of his head. "Only you can hear this frequency. I trust you are at the quarry. If you wish to discuss the terms of your surrender, you will meet me in Metropolis, at a place called 'Starbucks'. Do not keep me waiting, Kal-El."
Superman arrived in Metropolis and soon found the Starbucks where Zod was waiting. The hero calmly walked in, seeing all the nervous and frightened people cowering in the corner.
"All of you can go, you're safe," Superman told him. "I promise you, Zod will cause you no harm."
Superman's comforting words were a relief as the people started to quickly file out of the establishment. Looking around, Superman found Zod sitting in a corner booth, calmly sipping a latte.
"I believe this quaint little shop will be one of the few things I let remain once I dominate this primitive planet," Zod said as Superman stood in front of him. "Welcome, Kal-El. It's been a long time."
"Where's my son and Jimmy Olsen?" Superman asked.
"I lost track of your son's whereabouts after I left him in the quarry," Zod told him. "As for your mortal friend, he's safe for the time being. But his continued safety depends on you."
"I know you have the ring of Van-El."
"Then you should know that I wield all the power," Zod calmly said. "I have already removed one obstacle in my quest for domination. You and your clone are the only real threats remaining. Swear allegiance to me, and you will continue to live."
Superman grabbed Zod by the collar. "What did you do to my son?"
"Why ruin the surprise?" Zod asked as Non grabbed Superman from behind and smashed his head through the wall, then ramming Superman sideways along the same wall, destroying it before tossing Superman through the window and out onto the street. Superman quickly recovered as Ursa kicked him in the stomach, sending the Man of Steel flying down the street and into the grill of a truck. The vehicle came to a screeching halt as the villains flew toward the scene, landing in front of Superman.
"You can defeat us this time, Kal-El," Zod said as Superman peeled himself off of the truck. "And I do not wish to waste the energy doing so, not when I have so many tasks at hand. Non?"
Zod pointed toward a window nearby, and before Superman could react, Non had rammed him, sending Superman flying through it, crashing into a jewelry store. Zod pointed the ring at all of the diamonds now laying on the floor where Superman had fallen into a case, transforming them into black kryptonite.
"I will not destroy you, Kal-El, so I'm giving the task of that to someone else," Zod said as he flew away. "If you survive and wish to surrender, you'll know where to find me!"
"You're not getting away that easy, Zod," Superman said, feeling strange. That's when a hand pulled him back and punched him into the wall.
"It's not Zod you need to worry about," a familiar voice said as Superman looked up, seeing an evil version of him in a darker colored costume, with no red underwear on the outside walking toward him, his eyes glowing with heat vision.
# # # # #
At the Kent Farm, Connor was starting to get worried about Jon. Even with no powers, he had to make sure his little brother was safe. As Connor got his jacket and opened the door, he found Zod, Ursa, and Non standing right outside.
"It's the clone," Zod said. "Ursa, you may have this one to do what you please. Do your worst."
TO BE CONTINUED...
SUPERMAN FAMILY ALBUM
"Clark, you've been smiling all day," Martha said as the family sat at the table.
"I can't help it," Clark told her. "Lana and I are going out now. This is my first real relationship. I can't help but smile knowing the prettiest girl in school wants to date me."
"Well, we raised you to have nothing but respect for women, we're sure you'll do fine," Jonathan told him. "But now that you're dating, you'll have to extra careful with your powers."
"Yeah, about that," Clark told him as he played around with his meatloaf. "I was kind of thinking that--"
"Clark, you've only been in a relationship for a day," Martha said. "It might be a bit soon to tell her your secret. We like Lana, but what if someone finds out what you can do and tries to get to you through her?"
"It's not like I'm a famous superhero," Clark told her. "I've been careful with my powers around my friends my life. I just wish I could tell one of them about my abilities."
"That's a big decision to make," Jonathan told him. "Your mother and I think that you're old enough to start making some decisions concerning your abilities on your own, all that we ask is that give plenty of thought to what you do. Remember, son, you only get one chance to do the right thing."
# # # # #
"So, are you going to the carnival this weekend?" Pete asked the next day at school.
"Yeah, I'm going to take Lana as our first real date," Clark told him. "You and Whitney can tag along if you want."
"Nah, I'd just be a third wheel, and Whitney's going out of town," Pete said. "You and Lana can have fun, though."
"Look, Pete, you're my best pal, I don't want you feeling left out because Lana and I are dating," Clark told him. "We're still going to have our camp-outs and ball games."
"I know," Pete said. "I just wish I could find a girl as nice as Lana."
"You will," Clark promised. "The love of your life is out there, you just have to be on the lookout."
"Look out!"
A nail gun had off in the shop class, just as Clark and Pete were walking by. The nail had flown out and hit Clark straight in the heart, sending him falling onto his back.
"Oh, crap! I hit Kent!" a boy shouted as he held the nail gun. "I'm sorry! I couldn't control it, I was trying to nail a bird house together and--"
Pete kneeled down, having pulled a watch out of his pocket, reaching under Clark's shirt while pulling out the nail. "It's okay! The nail just hit the pocket watch I loaned him!"
Clark opened his eyes and sat up, staring at Pete. "Uh... yeah, I'm good. No problems here."
# # # # #
Clark and Pete had gone to the nearby creek after school, which is where the two friends usually went when they wanted to talk about private stuff that no one else could ever know about.
"The campout a few weeks ago, when you saved me from that bear," Pete said as he stared down into the water. "You thought I was unconscious, but I saw it all. It didn't take long to figure out that you're the mystery guy who's been saving lives around town."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Clark asked.
"I don't know, I guess you have your reasons for keeping something like that secret," Pete told him. "And it... kind of made me feel, I don't know, special for knowing my best friend was some kind of superhero."
"I'm not a superhero," Clark said. "I'm just a kid who wants to use his gifts to help people. I'm... kind of glad this happened."
"You are?"
"If anyone has to know my secret, I want it to be my best friend in the world," Clark said. "Someone I can talk to about this."
"Hey, I'm your man, you can tell me anything," Pete said with a smile. "Plus I can help cover for you when you have to... do stuff."
"Yeah," Clark told him. "Like today. Thanks, Pete, you're a real life saver."
"So, have you thought about a superhero name? How about something like Power Boy?"
"Pete,"
"Or Captain Marvel!"
"Pete,"
"I know! Superm-"
Clark put his hand over Pete's mouth.
"Let's just enjoy the sunset, buddy."
END