Issue 8: "Truth"

Superman flew with haste towards the Daily Planet. If indeed Lex Luthor had discovered Superman’s secrets, then all of his friends were in potentially grave danger. It’s pretty clear that Superman had friends at the Daily Planet, but add the secret identity of Clark Kent, and it’s no mental challenge to find the first people to target.

As he landed and entered the lobby with authority, Superman proceeded directly to the stairs. With his superspeed, he could reach the top levels of the building faster than any elevator.

He reached the press room and scanned the room, but there was no sign of Lois Lane. He began to focus his vision towards her apartment, still no Lois. He decided to ask Perry White if Lois was on assignment. When he turned his head, it was met with an open hand slap.

Physically, he didn’t feel it; emotionally it felt like a low blow. Superman struggled to string the words together.

“I should’ve known.” Lois said with mixed emotions. “I thought you really liked me, but you’re just looking for anyone to propagate your kryptonian DNA.”

“Lois, no. It’s… I’m….”

“Stow it. I saw you ogling Cat Grant.”

“Lois, I was looking for you.”

“Ah right, the man who can see through walls and spot a lead pipe miles away, and you can’t see the woman standing next to you. You’ve been stringing me along since the start. I thought we had a spark, but you’ve never opened up to me. How many women in how many cities are you manipulating? Get away from me, you… cad!”

Lois stormed off as her eyes began the swell with tears. Superman stood in absolute shock until an ear piercing screech made him grimace. It was Jimmy Olsen’s signal watch; he was in trouble and close.

It took Superman nearly no time to find the watch, discarded in a waste basket. A quick scan found Jimmy talking to other staff photographers. He could hear what Jimmy was saying.

“I’m through hanging with that ‘Superjerk’. He doesn’t care about us; he just wants the best press. What a great ‘pal’. Fricking glory hound.”

This was all very confusing. Superman wondered what could be manipulating his friends against him. He couldn’t detect any abnormal chemicals in the air. It was a mystery, and there was one detective who could help Superman.

Within minutes, Superman had passed Gotham City and landed in front of Wayne Manor. He rang the door bell.

Alfred answered the door. “Good evening, Master Superman. I’m afraid Master Bruce is unable to come out and play tonight.”

Superman was surprised by Alfred’s greeting. “What do you mean?”

“You can visit him, but please keep it short. Try not to agitate him too much.” Alfred answered, just as cryptically as his greeting.

Alfred led Superman down to the caves below the mansion. The Batcave was at once frightening and marvelous.

Near the giant monitors of the multi-million dollar computer was an inhabited hospital bed. If it wasn’t for the rags of his costume, Superman wouldn’t have recognized Bruce Wayne.

“Clark.” Bruce whispered as he mustered his strength to keep his eyes open. “You shouldn’t… see me like this.”

“My God Bruce, what happened?” Superman asked. He didn’t need X-ray vision to know the internal injuries were intensive.

“Got jumped, by a union of my old foes.” Batman replied. “I fought hard, but they had the advantage. Beat me bad.”

“Oh Bruce, if I had known; if I could have foreseen it or could change it, I woul…”

“Shut up!” Batman said with as much force as he could. “You disgust me. I got beaten, fine. I’ll learn, I’ll cope. I make do with what I have and what I can do, I don’t need anything more. You however, with all your powers, just want more power. You want to do everything. Grant wishes, fly through time, juggle planets. Your thirst for power disgusts me. Get out of my house.”

Alfred began wheeling the hospital bed towards the elevator, as Superman tried to make sense of the personal attack his friend launched against him.

“Bruce, wait. Tell me who it was. I’ll get them. I’ll beat them, teach them not to mess with us. Don’t go!”

“Tsk, son.” A familiar, paternal voice said behind Superman. “I taught you better than that. You can’t use your powers for revenge.”

Superman looked behind him. Indeed there was his father, Jonathan Kent, his face showing his great disappointment in his son.

“How did…”

“They should never be used for assault, son. I thought you understood that you were a defender, not an attacker. Defense is always restrained, but offense has no restrictions. Without restrictions, your powers are too dangerous. Is that how you want to fight crime? Having people fear your power? Fear your wrath?”

“Dad, no.” Superman interjected. “I understand. You taught me to help others, to be kind and humane.”

“But not human.” Another familiar voice announced, as Captain Marvel stepped away from the darkness. “That was always something you lacked, something you wished you could learn from me. Take from me. You wanted to become a great hero, like me, but knew ultimately that without being human, you could never match me. Your envy was never well hidden, Clark. It still isn’t.”

Superman stood dumbfounded before his father and teacher. He could not understand where these rebukes were coming from, and why now.

“Go home.” Captain Marvel said, extending his arm, pointing to Metropolis. “Think about what I’ve taught you. Seek the truth inside.”

Lex Luthor was pacing back and forth in his large penthouse office in the heart of Metropolis. He had grown concerned over last ten minutes. There was no update, no communication. Could his plan have failed? Impossible, he told himself. I’m Lex fricking Luthor! I had it all planned, I know Superman too well.

The force, which instantly shattered the windows of his office, knocked Luthor to the ground. Hovering outside of the 82nd floor office was Superman carrying an unconscious man in one hand, and a cone shaped helmet in another. The Man of Steel threw Alex Sturm, the LexCorp doctor of parapsychology, beside Luthor.

“I believe this piece of hardware is yours.” Superman said, as he tightened his grip and crushed the illusion creating device. “What did you call it? Project mess-up-Superman? Project piss-off-the-good-guy?”

“Operation Brainstorm, actually.” Lex said in a rather calm tone. “A play on words of Doctor Sturm, who helped develop the device.”

“Lex, you weasel, why did you do this?” Superman asked, his fists quivered in rage.

“I realized that I couldn’t waste time trying to destroy you by going through your indestructible hide.” Luthor calmly explained, as he came to his feet with his usual poise. “If I could destroy your character, your desires and fears, all I have left is an empty shell.”

Superman’s Vesuvian temper was coming to dangerous levels. “I can’t believe I defended you.”

Lex gave a pompous chuckle. “Really.” The statement smacked of sarcasm. “What exactly did you defend me from?”

“It was…” Superman loud sentence was swiftly stifled. The words of Tomar Re resounded in the Man of Steels head. In a quieter tone, Superman asked a pressing question to Luthor. “Do you remember Jar Kell?”

Luthor gave a hearty laugh. “I certainly do, in fact I’m still scrubbing turquoise innards off my boots. You certainly didn’t defend me from that alien slime.”

“You have no recollection of the Green Lantern Tomar Re?”

“My, looks like someone is suffering from brain damage.” Lex replied, with a certain restrained glee. “Need I remind you of your precarious situation? The outcome of your trial also absolves me of any criminal prosecution for killing that extra-terrestrial flea. Speaking frankly Superdupe, there’s nothing you can do to punish me. Any property you destroy, I will rebuild; take away my fortune and I will regain my riches. The only thing that really matters to me is my mind, and that is something you can never take from me.”

Superman’seyes widened. He glanced to the unconscious parapsychologist at his feet. He realized that both he and Lex were guilty by association of tampering with other people’s minds.

“I should thank our good ‘pal’ Jar Kell,” Luthor continued his rant, oblivious of Superman sudden change of emotion. “He confirmed my suspicions of your ulterior motives. Disguising yourself as Earth greatest hero, but in fact you’re Earth’s greatest threat.”

“What are you talking about?” Superman caught the last words Luthor spoke, but he understood the point Lex was trying to make. Kal-El could understand that Luthor might have this opinion, but how could it think it of the selfless Jar Kell?

This was perhaps the first time Lex actually listened to what Superman had asked him. He adopted a somber tone. “He told me I would make a deal with the devil. I was thinking about other euphemisms. The road to hell is paved with good intentions; who has more good intentions than Superman? There was another clue, as he said I would fear change in the future. Who is it the press have coined ‘the man of tomorrow’?”

"You've assumed my personality, will and indeed my spirit are my biggest flaws." Superman said with a tense voice. "Truthfully, they are my strongest assets. They are what make me Superman, but I don't expect you to understand that. I don’t know what Jar Kell was trying to warn you about. Whatever it is, I hope it teaches you a lesson in humility.”

With that, Superman left the stalemate.