When Worlds Collide #5

Lex Luthor? He’s working with the HDC as well now? What is it these days with this department and having business men working for them? First John now Lex, whose next? That girl who heads up Queen Consolidated? Derek Powers?

 

“Lex?”

 

“Good to see you again my friend. I hope Mr. Eiling hasn’t done anything to harm you at all.”

 

“Of course not. But I’m curious why he’s so interested in Joseph here.”

 

“We got called in by the local authorities when they saw him atomise a group of people in an instant. He’s a threat that needs to be contained and we’re the only ones with the means to contain and help him.”

 

“He atomised people?”

 

I didn’t know that Joseph had killed people before I showed up, suddenly I realize why Mon-El fought this guy and nearly delivered the final blow to him.

 

“He did Kal. I saw it with my own eyes. I can still hear the screams.”

 

“He’s a danger Superman. To himself and others. He needs to be contained so we can study him to hopefully cure him.”

 

“Please. I just want to know my wife and daughter are alright….”

 

I’m uncertain what to do. Lex is right, Joseph is a danger both to himself and the city. He needs help and I can’t give the help he needs, but at the same time I don’t trust the HDC to help him. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they can help him and I’m just embittered from when their agent threatened Ma and Pa to force my co-operation. Perhaps they’ve changed their ways since then. It’s possible since the incident with Mon-El breaking into their facility that there was a management change and everything has changed.

 

I have no choice. I have to hand him over.

 

“He has a wife and daughter Lex.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Promise me that he’ll see them again once you’ve helped him.”

 

There’s a long pause as Eiling turns to look at Lex waiting for his response.

 

“I promise.”

 

I don’t trust this Colonel Eiling, but after all the help he’s provided me in combatting some of recent problems in Metropolis, I trust Lex to do the right thing. Mon turns to look at me and I nod towards him signalling for him to stand down. We both step aside and the agents walk towards Joseph in their containment suits.

 

“No please. Superman! Don’t let them take me away!”

 

“They’re going to help you Joseph I swear. You will see Elizabeth again I promise you that.”

 

The agents lift him off the ground and carry him into one of their vans. Eiling gives the signal to his men for them to move out and they begin packing themselves back into the vans. As they do so Lex walks up to Mon and I slowly.

 

“Thank you. We’ll take care of him. I promise.”

 

“Look after him Lex. He needs your help.”

 

“I’ll do what I can for him. hopefully we can undo whatever it was that made him this way.”

 

“Thanks Lex. Glad to see that there are at least some good people in the HDC."

 

"You've encountered the HDC before?"

 

"I think the less said about that matter the better Come on Mon. Let’s get out of here.”

 

With that Mon and I take off in to the air. We follow the vans for a few miles until they head out of Metropolis back towards the airfield. Guess they’re still using that place as their base of operations. You’d almost expect that they’d have changed their location following Mon-El’s infiltration of the facility but I guess not. Probably due to budget cuts or something.

 

“You trust this Lex Luthor don’t you?”

 

“He’s a good guy Mon. He’s the one who helped me track down the head of Intergang last month.”

 

“I thought that was the one called Irons?”

 

“No he’s the one that was in charge of the HDC when you infiltrated it two years ago.”

 

"Ah yes. I remember now. Do you think this Lex Luthor can help that poor man?”

 

“I hope so Mon. I hope so.”

 

“Sorry about what you saw back there by the way. I lost it for a bit.”

 

“It’s alright Mon. I understand.”

 

“It’s just….the screams….they were horrible.”

 

“I know Mon-El. I heard them too. It’s what helped me find you.”

 

“You knew?”

 

“I heard the screams. I didn’t know they were caused by him though. Honestly I’m not sure what I would have done in the situation. Sure he accidentally killed half a dozen people but he didn't do it deliberately, but he clearly couldn't control his powers and there was no way that I could think of for getting him to control them.”

 

“You’d have done the right thing Clark. It’s what you always do.”

 

He just called me Clark. He never does that. It’s rather weird to actually hear that name come out of his mouth with out some form of disgust. Very quickly though he picks up on my surprise.

 

“Did I say something wrong?”

 

“No it’s just…..you called me Clark. You never do that.”

 

“Is that a problem?”

 

“No it’s just……odd.”

 

“Well whenever Jonathon and Martha call you that you always seem to perk up. I hoped that would be the same case if I used that name.”

 

It’s odd to hear the name coming from Mon’s mouth but it does seem to have had the effect Mon wanted. I appear to have perked up from the use of the name. Maybe it’s just hearing Mon use that word, maybe I think this is him coming to accept life on Earth fully. Who knows.

 

“Well it seems to have done the trick. Thanks Mon.”

 

“Speaking of Martha I may need to pay her another visit.”

 

“How come?”

 

“I seem to have another rip in my costume.”

 

“Keep getting that suit ripped so often and she’ll start to think you’re deliberately trying to ruin that costume.”

 

“I hope she doesn’t think that. Whilst I was hesitant over this costume initially I have become very fond of it. It shows both my love for Earth and for Krypton in its design.”

 

“Well I’ll let her know to get her sewing machine ready for when you’re at Ma and Pa’s tonight.”

 

“You’re not coming?”

 

“No. I’ve got things I have to do here in Metropolis. Speaking of which I need to get back to work. See you later Mon.”

 

“I’ll be sure to send your regards to Jonathon and Martha when I see them tonight Kal. See you later.”

Done