He didn't have to hold back. He didn't have to care for anyone else but himself. He could be as selfish as he wanted without worrying about those he would be hurting. That red rock was like heaven wrapped in a tiny package just for him. It had Luthor written all over it, but at that time, he didn't care. He was free to feel and want and hate and… He wasn't, was he? Through his distorted vision, he saw Red Robin, Kid Flash, and Blue Beetle all looking at him with fear and worry. He wanted to fly away and not have to look at their faces, not hear their voices, not feel what they felt. But, like a soft-hearted idiot, he stayed and listened to Godfrey try to belittle them.
All the while he could sense Clark watching them with worry. Not far Steel was fighting Metallo. That should be Superman, but he was too worried about him to leave. He hated him for that. Wasn't he the one that said he wasn't his father? Wasn't he the one that started calling him his little brother?! He didn't have the right to worry about him like that! He couldn't decide to treat him like an adult one moment and a child the next.
Then, all the rage went back to that well-hidden place as he gave Red Robin the rock. The time for being selfish was over, though short-lived, he would miss it and yet he wouldn't. Kid Flash went to help the Titans and the Team in Coachella Valley, Blue and Red left to find out what was happening through the Watchtower. He was left behind to do the cleanup. The whole mess started because of him, so it felt fitting. The moment he was free Superman took off to fight Metallo. He went to find Lori and Miss Martian. He had sensed a psychic fight between Miss Martian and Psimon not long ago. Unsurprisingly, she won again. He found them in Lori's dressing room kneeled before a gift basket.
"Took you long enough," Miss Martian said in her human form.
"What have you found?" he asked her noticing Lori was staring at him as if he was part of the freak show. He wanted to snap at her to stop, but he couldn't lose time.
"The basket's pattern is unique from The North coast of Bialya," Miss Martian said showing them such a basket.
"Queen Bee, so it was the Light," he said scanning the basket for anything else that might work as a hint. Other than the rest of the contents being extremely expensive, nothing else stood out.
"Luthor is close to Morgan Edge, I don't doubt he tipped him about what was going to happen," Miss Martian said with a frown.
"You still aren't going to admit it?" Lori said before he turned to look at her. Tell her that her uncle is a villain? He thought that was clear by now.
"She knows who you are," Miss Martian said.
"You had no right," he froze up for a moment, unable to understand what those words meant. Then sneered at Miss Martian and the room started to rattle. The red stone was gone, but it seemed some of its effect took time to wear off.
"Sue me," she glared back at him, "besides, it was either that or letting her think you were actually a Martian transvestite."
"How could you lie to me?!" Lori said marching up to him.
"We lie to everyone Lori," he said crossing his arms and looking at her as if she was a spoiled child. They lied about who they really were, what they really did all the time. They were so used to it, they didn't think twice about it.
"But-" Lori started looking hurt.
"Look, we don't have time for this. You saw what's going on," they had a TV in the dressing room, they had to know.
"And you are here because?" Miss Martian said knowing it wasn't like him to stay away from a fight.
"There might be more of that red rock there," he said almost embarrassed. It was not often that he felt like a liability.
"We don't need more than one person to investigate this," Miss Martian said dismissively. It was hard to compete with a Martian when investigating unless you were Batman.
"I had something else in mind," he said looking at Lori who almost jumped back when he set his eyes on her.
"Do try to have fun," Miss Martian said shifting into someone of the studio staff. Probably would look into the security recordings to get more clues.
He didn't say anything as she walked out the door. Not thanks or good luck. She left him with one angry Luthor who really had no right to be angry at him. But he knew Luthors, they believed they were special and deserved to be treated differently than everyone else. That's why they did stupid things to get that attention.
"She is the ex you told me about. The one that-" sometimes her insight amazed him and at times like this it really annoyed him.
"We have to clear our names," he told her, "go find Ms. Lane and I will meet with you at the parking lot in two minutes."
He left her without giving her the chance to say anything and went to fetch his civilian clothing. When dressed he took a short moment in front of the mirror. When he started wearing the fake glasses, too large clothing, and speaking like the dullest guy you would ever meet; he hated it. But now, he didn't really want to be Superboy. He didn't want people looking at him wondering if he would snap again and fearing him. Conner Kent was just a guy that could walk through the crowd unnoticed. Having a secret identity for the first time didn't feel like a burden. He rushed to the parking lot where Lois and Lori were waiting for him. Lois Lane was watching the broadcast through her phone with a frown and cursing every now and then at Godfrey for twisting everything Kid Flash was doing to try to contain the situation. Lori looked at him with wide eyes, trying to see the other him; squinting and studying him until he gave her a reproachful look.
"That idiot wouldn't know what an unbiased opinion was even if it hit him with a sledgehammer," Lois said looking at her phone. "So, what do you kids want to do?"
"Take our broadcast back," he said as he massaged Oracle. It seemed she had already received the info from Red Robin and was already working on intercepting the Galaxy broadcast. "But we need a place-
"Don't say more," she said before she started dragging them.
She pretty much threw them into her car and started driving like a maniac. They passed the ClarkCatropolis building and watched as the former employees were being driven out by Luthor's security.
"Now we know who Cat sold it to," Lois said with a sigh.
"No," Lori said leaning out the window and watching the place she wanted for her internship be destroyed. "That asshole," her uncle knew that was the place she wanted to join.
He couldn't agree more. Though he also blamed Cat Grant, he blamed Luthor more. Clark had worked so hard to help make it work; shaping it to be the news he believed the world deserved. Now, it was all gone because the megalomaniac wanted to control everything, including his niece's life.
"You want to get back at him?" he asked her leaning on his window nonchalantly. In truth, he wanted to get out there and trash every single one of Luthor's men.
Lois glanced at him, worry written clearly on her features. She knew Kents (sort of) and knew that it was hard to make them angry or upset, but when you did there was always a hell to pay. Not for nothing, it was said the quiet ones were the ones you had to watch out for.
"He always ruins everything," Lori said turning away from the window. The sight was depressing.
"He does," he said remembering all that Luthor had done to him, especially that night. He took out his phone and checked the messages he had received until then and replied back. Now he knew what the rest were up to. He would have preferred for the rest of the trip to be silent, but Lois kept the broadcast streaming on her phone. Every time he saw his friends hurt each other against their will he wished to bolt out of the car and help them. He hated how the streets were almost empty because everyone was watching the broadcast. The world had faced invasions, terrorist attacks, and so many catastrophes but never had they seen young people fight like that before. During his journalism classes, he learned to see things from different points of view, and he knew the world would fear them for a long time.
Lois drove them to a group of warehouses by the pier. The place looked abandoned, and he would have thought it was hadn't it been for the odd sailor storing their boats. Lois drove them to a warehouse that had a security system probably worth more than the warehouse itself. He watched Lois enter a code on the keypad and scan her fingerprint and retina just to get access.
It was all dark until Lois lifted the electricity switch and before a complete studio was revealed ready to use. They had a set, cameras, lights; all the equipment they would need in one discreet place.
"I have never trusted Edge, so I have been getting this place ready in case a day like this arrives," Lois said when he gave her a questioning look.
"But we can't manage this on our own," Lori said with wide eyes.
"We are going to do this," he told her walking forwards.
"But-" she caught up to him as he started to remove the covers from the equipment. All of it belonged to Galaxy's. He didn't know how Lois did it, but he was sure Morgan Edge had no idea she had taken them.
"I already messaged a crew. Now, you need to get ready," Lois told them.
"We? But you have more-" Lori started to tell the award winning reporter.
"We are clearing your name too, Lori," Conner told her.
Lori could only nod before walking to a vanity table on the side. She already looked great, but she had to come to terms that when she did this, it would follow her through the rest of her life. He continued removing the covers from all the cameras.
"Kid, what's wrong?" Lois said following him.
"Don't call me kid," he told her.
"Conner, what hap-"
Someone knocked on their door. Lois rushed to the entrance holding a metal pipe before interrogating the people on the other side of the door before letting them in. He took the chance to send Oracle the location of the place. His communicator pinged.
"The Watchtower is secure," Red Robin reported, "how are things on your end?"
"We got a site to broadcast from, and Oracle has gained access to their broadcast. She is just waiting for our signal," he told Red trying to make it look as if he was talking on his cellphone.
"We will use the League's satellite to provide you footage," Red Robin said, and he could hear him already working on it,
"Thanks," he said letting go of a breath.
"You okay?" Red asked him.
"Wishing people would stop asking me that," he said with a bitter laugh.
"We will get through this too," Red Robin said, "we always do."
"Right," he said wondering when they did, how much collateral damage would there be.
"Aren't you changing?" Lori asked him, almost making him jump out of his skin. He realized he had spaced out because now the place was flooding with people Lois trusted, among them Jimmy Olsen who was waving enthusiastically at them and pointing at his camera.
"I am fine like this," he said with an awkward smile towards Jimmy who was approaching them fast.
"So, you aren't going to have my memories erased or something like that? Your ex seems to-"
"Call her Megan, please. And now don't say anything stupid. It's not just me you would be hurting," he said before Lori slapped him on the arm.
"I would never do something like that," she said before saying hi to Jimmy and dragging him for some pictures.
"It won't be long guys," Jimmy said as he started taking photos of Lori first.
"Don't remind me," Lori said posing around the serious Conner Kent.
Jimmy found the contrast between them amusing. Lori's enthusiastic personality and Conner's stern expression got the whole crew to relax.
"And we will be on in a minute!" someone shouted before he messaged Oracle and Red Robin.
He reminded himself to get a copy of the broadcast when they interrupted Galaxy's broadcasting with their own. Godfrey had been spitting fire when it went back to him calling them amateurs and gullible. This was done in purpose to show the contrast between good and bad reporting, at the end making Godfrey look like the self-centered jerk he was. In the middle of things he received a message that Blue was on his way to Coachella Valley.
"Miss Martian is on her way to cover you," Red Robin told him. He cursed M'gann and her shapeshifting abilities. He actually wanted to stay and continue doing this. If there had been someone not watching the broadcast before, they were watching now. Seeing Godfrey's imitation of a stop light every time they returned the broadcast to him was just a bonus.
During one of the breaks, he went to the back of the warehouse, to a blind spot from the surveillance system to meet her. She had a smug smile as she shifted into him again.
"Lori already knows, don't let her say something stupid."
"Like you are right now, must be those Luthor genes," M'gann said putting her hands on his hips. He knew she was just doing it to bother him.
"Very funny," he said putting his clothes away on his backpack and handing it to her.
"Yeah, because you are all about the fun," she said swinging his backpack on her shoulder and striking a valley girl pose still shifted as him.
"Just don't," he said with a rubbing his temple.
She simply raised her hands up in surrender before she went in swinging his hips. He didn't know if he could blame the red rock for how much he wanted to throw a car at her.
"One cannot have peace without restraint. One cannot have peace without restraint. One cannot have peace without restraint," he repeated in Kryptonian again and again as he flew towards the center of the city. It would be a little while before Blue made it to the site so he decided to make a quick stop before he left. He spotted Superman and Steel holding Metallo and now the Leach back too. Those two chose the worst time to cross his path.
"Desert is here!" shouted the Leach before he used a dumpster to hit him half way up the block.
"Superboy, are you-" Kal El said reaching his side.
"If you ask me if I am fine, I am taking down the whole block," he said glaring at Metallo who was trading even blows with Steel. He had never fought Metallo or Leach, but he knew enough about them to know he shouldn't take things lightly with them.
"Kon," Kal said holding his shoulder just as he was about to go after the Leach.
"I know, one cannot have peace without restraint," he said taking a deep breath. This wasn't the time for a lecture.
"Our true strength lies in our unity," Kal El said before he removed his hand from his shoulder. Now, he felt like a stupid kid. This wasn't about him; it was about protecting what they cared for. "Together?" he could only nod before they went after the Leach who decided it was a good idea to pull the wiring from the street and start feeding off it.
Using his TK, he ripped the wiring from the creature's claws and then turned the dumpster he threw at the Leach to capture him.
"Whatever they offered you to do this, it isn't enough Leach," he said as he felt the creature fighting to escape. Superman and Steel had kept him from absorbing too much energy. But he could still feel the creatures desperation to feed. The Leach bit a hole into the dumpster before setting his black pearl like eyes on him.
"You taste different…" the Leach said looking directly at him, not looking one bit happy, "you taste raw." The Leach's sniffed the air like a beast tracking its prey.
"Do you have to deal with this every time?" he asked feeling disgusted as Superman used a metal beam to keep the dumpster closed.
"He has said worse," Kal said with an uncomfortable laugh.
Something hit him on the back making him lose his concentration and making him crash against the Leach's temporary cage. He felt the teeth of the creature sink into his neck the moment he made contact. It took his brain a moment to realize what he was feeling. His whole body buzzed with pain as he felt his cells be drained. Worst of all, he could sense the pleasure the Leach got from sinking his teeth into his flesh.
"Ahh!" he screamed before Kal pulled him away and landing a punch between the Leach's eyes. It roared and cursed at the two of them before breaking out of the cage with the energy he stole from him.
"You will pay for that!" the Leach roared as he launched at them.
"That's my line!" he screamed before he used his TK to pull a light pole out and then used it to hit the Leach repeatedly until the creature caught it and then threw it at them like a javelin. Kal captured it in midair before using it to hit Metallo who had been about to shoot another Kryptonite powered blast at him. Behind him, Steel was regaining his bearings after being blasted too.
"Help Steel seal Metallo's Kryptonite first," Kal told him, "I will keep the Leach back."
He rushed to Steel who was leaning on a building trying to fix an issue with his armor. He saw exposed burned skin and used his powers to bend as much of the armor around it without compromising it. On the other side of the street, he saw Metallo pulling himself up from the rubble and glaring at him with an obnoxious smirk.
"About time the two of us met kid. Now tell me the truth. You are actually his kid, aren't you? He is just too much of a-"
"Why are all super villains such chatterers? Can you answer that for me?" he told the cyborg.
"I will enjoy killing you," Metallo said with a sneer.
"Sometimes I think they actually rehearse in front of a mirror," Steel said flexing his arm and finding no issue with his handy work. "It takes him a moment to charge, I will cover the Kryptonite and you weld it," Steel said.
"I will keep him still," he said. Though he was at a good distance he could feel the Kryptonite, like the heat of a flame threatening to burn him. He concentrated on Metallo, surrounding him with his TK to immobilize him. Though the man was mostly metal now, he still found difficulty to control living beings. There was something about the fact they were alive that made it difficult for him to concentrate. Megan told him once it was related to the willingness that came with life that was no always attached to the flesh.
Steel rushed to Metallo with his sledgehammer to hit the man who didn't even flinch when it hit him on the jaw.
"I can take more than that," Metallo sneered fighting his control.
Steel then started to pull the opening on Metallo's chest to seal the Kryptonite inside. He approached to weld it when he realized something was wrong. When he saw Metallo's eyes he knew he was right. He was waiting for him to get closer. He stopped midway and tried to concentrate further on the cyborg. He found his answer in the molecular level.
"Steel! Get back!" he shouted before Steel jumped back.
"You are really annoying," Metallo said before his metallic body started to ripple and shift like mercury, the piece of face that had been covering one side of his head fell off before the cyborg changed into a taller and wider version. One of his hands had turned into a gun and the other into a blade. Both had a green tint which could only mean trouble. "It was meant to be a surprise for the big blue."
"We have to take the Kryptonite from him," he said as Metallo pointed the gun at him, and without pause shot at him.
"That could kill him," Steel shouted using his hammer to block the attack. Though it was faster than the previous ones, it lacked in the previous' power.
"It won't," he said flying towards Metallo, pulling in the way every piece of metal he could bend around him as a shield before punching the cyborg's chest only to find his fist sinking on it before hardening.
"Got you!" Metallo crackled as his eyes started to shine green.
"Shut up!" he shouted using his TK to mold the metal he was touching until it became a glove around his hand.
"What are you doing!"
"I said shut up!" he said before he got hold of Metallo's Kryptonite heart and then pulled it out.
"Wait!" Steel said too late to stop him. They watched Metallo's shiny new body lose its stability before it melted into the ground with an intact cranium at the top of the whole mess.
"You will pay for this," Metallo's head said.
"But how is that possible?" Steel said as he handed him the Kryptonite. Though he had some protection, he was starting to feel the effects of the Kryptonite.
"I sensed an alternative energy source," he said picking up the head, "great upgrade, but a dumb one too."
"Go to hell!" the head shouted.
From that point, the Leach would be easier to handle. When he was called to finally head to Coachella Valley, he did knowing Superman and Steel would have no trouble with the Leach. As he flew he kept repeating small Kryptonian sayings. He had to be at his best when he got there. Miles away he could already sense them and ahead of him he spotted Blue leaving a ship shaped like a beetle. He remembered Kord used to fly that thing all over the place.
"This sucks," Blue said as he handed him one of the Unity-tech cure patches, "you know we are no longer welcome at Star Labs? They made it pretty clear when they pointed their guns at me. A warning would have been nice."
"I got the equivalent of a Kryptonian roofie in live television, my ex took over my first and probably last broadcast, and we are about to fight some of my oldest friends in said broadcast while under the control of an alien parasite," he said wishing the day was already over. He wasn't looking forwards to trading blows with Kara.
"Sorry, difficult day," Blue said unable to meet his eyes.
Great, now he felt like an idiot for laying all that out to Blue, who was probably the most self-conscious of the four of them. He bet he was already over thinking everything.
"You said it," he said with a sigh, "sorry, the red rock stuff seems to have some after effect."
Blue just nodded before setting his eyes ahead with a frown, "stay in the air until I clear the area. Red was right; Khaji Da can sense the stuff all the way from here."
888 Read Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 22: Interview Time III & A Robin, Red Robin 15: Tying Knots, for the details of the fight 888
When he returned to the warehouse where they had been broadcasting from, it was only to help wrap things out. Miss Martian had already left to give the clues she found to the League and the Titans a while back.
"So… clone or Martian?" Lori asked as they downloaded all the content from the broadcast to a portable hard drive.
"Clone," he said looking at some of the stuff he had missed. It seemed their fight with the Leach and Metallo didn't get much coverage.
"So, you knew from the time we met?" she asked him looking around to make sure no one was in earshot.
"Yes," he said studying Miss Martian's reactions as him. It scared him she knew him so well.
"Sooo…" she said leaning forwards.
"What?" he asked turning his chair and faced her, making her jump back.
"Are we like cousins? Because I swear I never hit on you even if it looked like it," she said with an embarrassed smiled.
He was speechless for a moment. They had just given the middle finger to Galaxy Broadcasting, and would surely be facing an army of lawyers within a few hours and she was worried that he thought she hit on him. Worse! They weren't really related, but he couldn't tell her.
"Oh my gosh! He lost it!" Lori shouted when he started laughing.
"You are so annoying," he said still laughing, "and nosy, and-"
"Alright, I get it!" she said crossing his arms.
"Look," he said controlling his laughter, "we are friends and I will trust you with this secret that is not just mine." He tilted his head so she would turn around and see Clark talking to Lois not too far. He waved at them.
"Ohhh," she said before her cheeks started to turn red.
"Don't tell me," he left the rest unsaid.
"I am not telling," she said turning to look at the screen again, "this is so weird."
"Tell me about it. Sometimes I wonder why I even came out of my incubation pod," he said before she looked at him with wide eyes, "a clone joke."
"I know, but you never make jokes," she said with a short laugh, "it just got a lot weirder."
"Seriously? The fact I made a joke is weirder that I am a clone?" he said as he downloaded the last of the data.
"Party at Kents!" both jumped before turning around to see Clark trying to stop Lois, "he got a new place!"
"I guess some things will never change," he said with a sigh.
8888
He leaned on the rail of the balcony looking over the city, listening for any danger. Interestingly enough, the city was still quiet. Probably reflecting on what they had seen that day. Worst of all, it wasn't over yet. Red Robin had called him not long ago and told him they were going to go fix the mess they made at a small town to make a show out of it. Lois already got the 'hint' and she was already organizing her crew to get there first thing in the morning.
"We are going to report on it, I don't give a shit what Edge says!" she shouted raising her beer can in the air before she was joined by others in cheer.
"Why don't you head to bed?" Clark said joining him, "I will keep an eye on things."
"I don't want to sleep," he said, "not until I am sure that stuff wore off."
"You know I am proud of you, right?" Clark told him.
"Don't start," he said not wanting to see his face. It was embarrassing enough he got compliments from everyone inside. Lori was still surrounded by her new admirers and loving it. But he wasn't like that. He liked being unnoticed Conner Kent.
"As a reporter, you made quite an entrance. Wherever you decide to go, I know you will make a difference," Clark said leaning on the rail too, "and with us, you reminded them why they wanted you to join in the first place. I think they might try to ask you again in the future."
"You want me to?" he asked him.
"I want you to do what you believe is right. You are free to choose your own path," Clark told him reminding him again that he didn't see him as a clone, but his family.
"What are you two doing here! Come watch this!" Lois said bursting outside before pulling them in. The TV was showing a special report.
"…has a special announcement regarding his latest acquisition," a reporter was saying before they saw a live broadcast all the way from Gotham City. A man they both knew stood with a charming smile before the press.
"Today we were reminded we live in an incredible age. For us to strive in such times we must constantly remain honest about what happens around us without presold and bigoted bias. Tonight a pair of the new wave of journalists made it clear by standing their ground for the truth. This, with some luck, made me decide in the acquisition of the New Daily Planet as Wayne's enterprises building block for a…"
"So, I guess Wayne is the new boss," Lois said with a smile, "I bet I can squish more budget out of him than Edge."
He and Clark doubted it.
"… everyone from the previous ClarkCatropolis news blog is welcome to join us too. Their diligence for the truth has become an example for the new wave of journalists and reporters."
"How long did you last without a job? Half a day?" Lois laughed, "So, at the end you will come back."
"I don't know. I could start from scratch again with my share of ClarkCatropolis," no one could say Luthor didn't pay a fair price for what he bought.
"Why you-," Lois said ready to go off on him.
"I won't have it, Kent," they all turned to see the Editor in chief for the New Daily Planet.
"Mr. White," Clark said shocked.
"You are coming back even if I have to drag you myself. I am not leaving the place on her hands alone now that Edge is off the picture," Mr. White said giving a glance at the already sizzling Lois.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean," she said holding back only because it was Mr. White.
"You are reckless, he is level headed. Make the math Lane," Mr. White said.
"Mr. White, I am really-" Clark started.
"You can continue writing if you want, just make sure not to slack on your new position," Mr. While started to say with a confident smile.
"Which would be?" Clark asked.
"Co-editor in chief," Mr. While finished, "Wayne thinks it's a great idea."
"What?!" Lois shouted while the rest were still in shock.
"Don't look so surprised Lane. That has been my plan for a while now. You two have always made a great team," Mr. White said as Lois muttered under her breath.
"I am really honored Mr. White," Clark said shaking hands with the man, "I won't let you down."