Face in the Crowd

Metropolis bound train; a young man in his late twenties stares out the window at the world passing at 300 miles an hour. To him it is as slow as molasses cooking to make his mother's famous pecan pralines, his favorite. She had packed him a large tin and he had already eaten about half of them. Looking up he sees that she packed pack another full tin in his suit case. "Thanks mom." He says to himself as he returns his eyes back to the window.

"I don't know why you are taking the train. It's so much easier to just take a flight there." An older woman's voice echoes in his mind.

"Mom, if I wanted to fly I wouldn't need a plane, you know that." He remembers his answer and taking the tin from her as he walked out the door of the family farm house in Smallville, KS.

"I know honey." The voice fades as the conductor asks him for his ticket

"Like dad said sometimes you need to slow down." He whispers to himself as he gives the man his ticket and gets it punched.

The train pulled into Metropolis Grand Central; he opened up the compartment holding his one suitcase. He grabbed it and exited the train leaving behind the tin with three pralines inside. "He was a nice old man that conductor." He muses as he disappeared into the hustle and bustle of the busy station. He was now just another face in the crowd, or so he thought.

"Wallet now." a thug with a glock-19 grabbed him and slammed him against a wall. He was lost in his own imaginings; if he were on guard the thug wouldn't have grabbed him much less throw against a wall.

"Leave now and I will forget this." He replies irked as his irises turn red.

"You think your contacts scare me?" he places the glock-19 in the middle of his forehead. "Nice hoodie I'll take that too."

"Final war…" He is cut off.

"Shut the…" The thug is cut off as the gun explodes. "Ahhh sh…"

"You said it." The would be victim eyes return to normal and he head butts him breaking his nose sending the thug to his knees. "Now if you would be as so kind." He continues as blood pours from the thug's nose through the cracks in between his fingers. "To direct me to a nice hotel or motel?" he helps the thug up with watery fearful eyes. "Let me see." He moves the thug's hands. "I got ya good, it's broken. Sorry about that."

"Not as much as I am." The tug whimpers in response.

"Good you learned your lesson." He snaps the thug's nose back into place. The thug cries out and security comes to their location.

"What's going on here?" The security officer calls to them.

"Nothing good sir it seems we bumped into each other rather hard." Clark tells him a half-truth already feeling bad for head butting the thug.

"From the blood on your forehead I see a different tale." The security officer crosses his arms.

"He's right we did. The Lansing is about two blocks from here…" The thug pauses as he points north of the station.

"Clark…Clark Kent." The would be victim replies smoothly.

"Mr. Kent, they have a free breakfast and decent rates." The thug states respectfully.

"Thank you, Officer I think his nose is broke can you…" Clark points out to security meekly.

"I'll take him to the clinic here they'll take care of him Mr. Kent." He spots the destroyed gun as Clark kicks it away with a smile. He realizes what happened and is impressed. "Are you sure you okay?"

"Peachy." Clark smiles and looks back at the thug. "So two blocks from here?" The thug nods as the security officer takes him away.

The Lansing, Clark is taken to an extended stay suite complete with a king size bed and a mini kitchen, he had negotiated the manager to $575 for a month. "Here it is Mr. Kent…" An older woman in her late fifties with the body of thirty-five year old and the looks of Raquel Welsh.

"Clark ma'am Mr. Kent is my father." Clark smiled looking down at his feet

"Okay, Clark then, if you do decide to stay on longer young man I will keep it at what we negotiated. Only because you're cute." She says with a flirty wink.

"Much obliged ma'am." Clark replies blushing, this manager was too much.

"Delores, be careful Clark this city is not as kind as you are at night." She offered a delicate hand in greeting.

"I will Delores, would you like a pecan praline my mother made them." Clark takes it gently and offers.

"Glory be, I haven't had a praline since I was little girl!" She takes her hand back and places it on her ample bosom. "I rather have you stud."

"Then I must insist then." Clark replies oblivious to her flirtations.

"I shouldn't I am on a diet." She resists.

"And it's done well for you; we all must treat ourselves every now and again." Clark charms her.

"Such a charmer, alright if you insist." She takes one and eats it. "Good Lord, these are absolutely delicious!" She fans herself as Clark offers her another one for the road. She takes another one thanking Clark and leaves.

Randolph Industries, one week later, Clark is escorted in a conference room with a huge window to a lab. In the lab is a big screen with several complex equations on it. Clark takes one look at the screen before the window goes dark and ominous lighting flickers on. He turns to a man in front of him, it's his interviewer.

Clark had been trying to score an interview with Randolph Industries since arriving and finally did after inertly saving Randolph Industries Chief Operations Officer (COO) Charles Randolph no relation to the company namesake.

Clark had spot a driver intentionally trying to take out the COO with his Ford Fusion. Moving faster than anyone could see him; Clark, to the COO came out of nowhere pulled him out of the way and back on the sidewalk.

Clark knew it was just a formality but he had plans that were beyond the COO's ego as he gave him this faux interview. "I see you graduated KCU Egregia Cum Laude with masters in Journalism. Highly impressive, even more so that you did this when you were twenty? Hard to believe but KCU confirms it."

"What are they working on back there?" Clark asks already knowing what they, the scientists, were doing. He was only testing his interviewer as he typed something in his smartphone then sent it to his email on his laptop.

"Your resume is impressive but I fail to see how a master's in Journalism qualifies you for Randolph's R & D department?" the COO ignores Clark's question, failed, due to his own assumptions of him being a country bumpkin. His people already did a background check on where he was from and it was laughable. Egregia Cum Laude or not a hick is a hick. "We do have internships available but…"

"They are already filled, I know and I did not come for that." Clark responded respectfully despite the COO's presumptions and prejudices. "Where I'm from it is rather rude to ignore a man's question when it is asked."

"The nerve of this hick." The COO thought "My apologies Clark."

"Forgiven Mr. Randolph." Clark states, the COO gets the hint faking a cough.

"Well, Mr. Kent, the team on the other side of the wall is working on a complex scientific endeavor to extract clean energy from salt water." The COO grabs his lapels in pride. "They are about 88% complete."

"Give them this and tell them to plug it in." Clark writes a series of equations of his own.

"Really Mr. Kent they have been working on this for close to a decade." The COO looking at the paper smugly.

"I see Mr. Randolph." Clark begins and has had enough, "With all do respect sir; I know this interview is bogus, just do me this one favor and I will leave." The COO looks at him with steel in his eyes. He takes the paper wanting to show this country bumpkin up then leaves the room and into the lab.

He runs back into the room as Clark is about to leave. "MR. KENT! Please don't leave!" He shouts.

"12%." Clark words are like a steel trap shutting.

"HUH?" The COO pauses.

"I want 12% of any profit obtained by contracting this technology out and its use in house." Clark was stern in his words.

"I will give 50% if you stay on as staff if that's what it takes to keep you." The COO was now about to kiss Clark's bootstraps if that's what it took.

"12% Mr. Randolph and I remain freelance. I am not a greedy man but I refuse to work at a job with such prejudices against those who come from what you would regard as a hick town." Clark stated now having the upper hand.

"I never…" The COO said in shock trying to turn the situation around in his favor.

"It's not the point if you said it or not COO your faux hospitality said loud and clear along with the fact that I had to save your life to of even been considered for an interview. Even then it was only meant as a formality." Clark finished looking down at the now rabid COO.

"Agreed please stay while I have legal draw out a contract." The COO states defeated.

"And Mr. Randolph I too will have something for your legal to sign. Do bring a notary on your way back." Clark replied as he placed a laptop on the table. "I see you have a wireless printer on the table back there."

"Bastet." The COO replied as he exited.

"Thank you." Clark smiled as he printed out an Ironclad contract protecting himself. An hour later the COO returned with legal and a contract. Clark turned it down they were trying to swindle him as he sped read the contract. "You do know I have minors in law and accounting? Of course you do you did do a background check on me." Legal growled and produced the real contract as Clark placed the Ironclad protection contract in front of them. "Sign or I take back my formula." Clark was all business now; he further explained that he sent the formula to himself before handing it to Mr. Randolph. Furthermore he told them that if they don't and they proceed regardless without his consent the legal backlash would render their business defunct. They signed as did he and notarized both documents and legal was given copies.

The Lansing, three days later, Clark laid on the king size bed it had been an eventful week. He now was financially independent and secure for a life time, he did not have to work if he did not want too. He had a patient pending on his formula to even further secure his independence. Life was good… and boring. He picks up his smarphone and calls home. She picks up on the first ring. He tells her how he's been. "Clark you do an old woman proud." She says as she fixes her tea for the night.

"Love you too mom." Clark smiles

"What's wrong baby?" His mom replies as the kettle whistles and she removes it and pours it in a waiting mug.

"I have several job opportunities that would set you up for life." Clark explains as he begins to hover off the bed.

"I know the scout that got you the tryout for the Sharks called me." She chuckles and sips on her tea "It needs a bit of something." She pick up a bottle of Knob Creek and drops a shot into her tea.

"I knew he would." Clark chuckles as he floats off the bed and into the mini kitchen and opens the fridge pulling out a Rock n' Rye Faygo.

"Clark, I got our home, my retirement, wonderful memories of my Jonathan, and my greatest blessing: a son that I am so proud of." She pauses to let it sink in and take a nip of her special tea. "Clark that's a whole galaxy right there, what more do I need?"

"But mama…" Clark feigns whining.

"No buts, Clark. When you raise your child to be tall and strong and he tells you "This is what I want to give you." Well that's nice. What I really want to hear is "This is what I want for me. To live life and dream the dreams I always longed for."" She explains sipping her tea.

"But mom that's selfish." Clark downs the Faygo.

"No my dear child. That's how futures are built." She pauses again. "I have gotten a lot of gifts from folks trying make up for something they feel guilty for or about. You've got nothing to worry about on that count Clark."

"But that doesn't make sense." Clark tries to wrap his mind around it.

"It will like all things. Besides if we want to make this about what I want. I want the same thing your father wanted." She sips her tea finishing it. At the Lansing Clark looks at a uniform with a diamond crest and the letter "S" embossed in it. "But that's not my decision make, you must make it. Truth is if you do go down that road, you'll probably lose more than what you could ever gain from it." Clark is silent as his mother continues. "Listen and listen good son, whatever decision you make I will support you."

"Thank you mom." Clark lands back in his bed.

"I love you too baby good nite." She hangs up.

Downtown Metropolis, two days later, Clark walks out from another dissatisfying interview this time with the Daily Planet. "Kid with the internet these days most newspapers are on the decline ours included. So if I hire someone they have to prove their worth." The editor-in-chief words echo through his mind like an accurse. His pride had gotten the best of him as he tossed the application away. He had believed he earned his worth getting his masters in four years. There was no way in hell he was going to start off as a mail clerk. Truth be told money was no longer an issue with him boredom was. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." His father's words echo as chastisement.

"KABOOM!" an explosion is heard a few blocks from his location. He focuses his eyes as the world rushes past him as he zooms in on the cause of the explosion. It is a man in an exo-suit with two wings. He has on gauntlets that fire gravity beams lifting up debris and chunks of various buildings. He then uses his bounty to throw at hapless civilians. His exo-suit is bluish green with yellow lights at the tips of the wings. Focusing again Clark hears the villain call himself Killer Shrike as patrons run every which way to escape his onslaught.

"Dad was right, this is my calling." Clark tells himself as the world freezes and he runs then takes to the air in flight. He enters his hotel room from an open window. He grabs the uniform, changing as he goes and exiting the Lansing. Patrons below hear a sonic boom and a red and blue blur shooting towards a cloud of black smoke.

He arrives in the downtown financial district in what seems like an instant. "Enough Killer Shrike." He commands, his voice is calm but deep. Killer Shrike doesn't respond he just uses his gravity beams to grab a armored truck and fling it at him. Clark catches it like it was a tinker toy rattling the occupants inside. He floats down and places the truck on the street. He shoots towards Killer Shrike but is repealed by the villain's gauntlets' beams. "Nice try blue." Killer Shrike smirks as he changes the gravity and slams Clark into the pavement below. "I don't know who you are; don't really care either but how does feeling like you have a 100 megaton object on you feel like?" Clark rises without issue to the raise eyebrow of Killer Shrike. Clark walks leaving boot prints in the cement.

He slowly floats towards the villain. He cranks up the gravity around Clark to 200 megatons…nothing. "Last chance I have scanned you, no special powers all science equipment."

"What are you? Some sort of super man?" Shrike says in shock.

"Superman humm. I like it" Clark muses and is caught off guard by a right cross to his jaw. He looks back at Killer Shrike.

"Jesus tap dancing Christ!" Killer Shrike shakes his throbbing hand. Superman simply lifts up a pointer finger and waves it no. He fires his gravity beams and tosses Superman into an empty building. "This cannot be good."

"For you...no" Superman shoots out of the building and grabs Killer Shrike then throws him to the pavement. Killer Shrike lies there a minute exhaling his body is fine but he is in pain.

"The pain oww." The villain wheezes and looks at Superman, "Give me a minute" he mouths raising up a finger.

Superman just shakes his head. "Surrender." Superman warns him again as he blasts to his feet then into the air. He flies past Superman to a great height. "Don't do it Killer Shrike."

"Seems I need to up my impact on this Superman." Killer Shrike's arm glows as its gravity is altered.

Superman realizes what he is doing. "If you hit me with a gravity punch your arm will shatter." Superman tells him.

"Shut up!" Shrike shouts back.

"Shrike, don't do it you will shatter your arm, that's not my pride talking its physics!" Superman flies up to meet him. "I am talking bolts, screws and wires attached to whats left of your arm."

"Adios Superman!"Killer Shrike yells and comes down with a haymaker. "BAM!" two things happen at once. Superman falls to the ground taking a knee and "CRUNCH!" Killer Shrike screams as just like Superman said his right arm shatters.

"I hope you are ambidextrous." Superman shakes his head as lights and sirens blare as Metropolis PD pull up and exit guns raised. "Whoa guys I am not the bad guy. I stopped him."

"Who are you?" the officer orders from behind his driver's door. "I am Superman and this guy needs an ambulance." Superman replies and answers the rest of the officers' questions to the best of his ability. Satisfied they let him leave. Superman flies off and back to his room at the Lansing.

The next day, "New Hero Superman…" Clark reads on the front page of the Daily Planet. He looks over the shots taken by one James Olsen, "He got my whole battle!" He then remembers his interview with the Editor-in-Chief earlier that day. "This will be the best way to do my true calling." He muses getting dressed, he exits his room bumping in to Delores.

"Well hello handsome!" she purrs and Clark realizes his shirt is unbuttoned, he blushes.

"Sorry Ms. Delores." Clark apologizes as he rapidly buttons his shirt.

"I'm not feel free to be shirtless around me tall tan and sexy!" she bites her lower lip and offers him breakfast. "I brought you breakfast Clark if you have time."

"Indeed I do Delores, indeed I do." Clark smiles not wanting to be rude or turn down a free meal.

"I would love to do you." Delores whispers fantasizing some very unladylike thoughts about the man before her.

"Huh?" Clark feigns misunderstanding but heard every word.

"Nothing!" She gasps, "Lets eat." They go back into his room and eat. He tells her he was on his way to an interview and was going to grab breakfast on his way there. Delores smiles and grateful she caught him in time and even more so when she saw his bare chest. She helps him with his tie after throwing his clip on away it didn't match his outfit of black chevron pattern button up and dark jeans. "Knock them dead sugar." She tells him and kisses his cheek. Clark nabs a new application and fills it out lightening quick.

He is met at the door to the main news floor by the Editor-in-Chief Perry White. "I had a feeling you would return Mr. Kent." Perry looks at him stone faced.

"Sorry for my actions yesterday sir. I felt…" Clark apologizes looking downcast.

"Like your masters you earned meant nothing?" He finishes Clark's statement, to which he nods. "It does son, but in all my years of experience I learned a guy can have more degrees than a thermometer…"

"But not know how the hell to do his job. My father use to say that." Clark finishes his statement.

"Smart man. Mr. Kent…" Perry is cut off briefly.

"Clark" Clark chimes.

"Perry. Clark look out on the floor you see that red headed kid with the expensive digital camera?" Perry continues as Clark looks and nods. "He's 23 and has been working for me since he was 16. He started out at a copy boy, smart as whip but lacks the common sense to get out of danger."

"I don't follow." Clark look at him curiously.

"You will, when he came to me he wanted to be photographer he had this old 35mm camera and thought he was the man." Perry smiles "Jimmy couldn't shoot worth a damn to save his life. Did that stop him… no. To him every shot was worth a thousand bucks." Perry continued as it began to click with Clark. Perry continued telling Clark that it didn't stop Jimmy from become a photographer. He just had to prove his worth. "Clark if you choose to work for me I will promise you this like I did Jimmy." He placed his hand on his shoulder, "You bring me something good like in your case an article and if I believe its paper worthy. No matter if you summit it to me on Manila paper and written map pencil if it's good I will print it… After you rewritten it on the computer."

"Manila paper huh?" Clark muses.

"Manila paper. But I do understand where you were coming from so I offer you a dual position Mail and reporter Intern." Perry offers to which Clark accepts sealing it with a hand shake. "Remember Clark if you have something good I will print it."

"Thank you Mr. White you won't regret it." Clark continue to shake his hand.

"I have a feeling I won't." Perry smiles and dismisses him, "Anybody got anything on this new hero calling himself Superman?" He turns to Clark, "By the way Clark nice glasses."

"Thanks I think I like them better than contacts. See you Perry." Clark smiles as he opens the exit door. "Be here early Monday morning 5:30am." Perry waves him off. "Great kid."

END.