Brave New World: Superman and Lois

Chapter 14

"So Kara didn't show up? I don't get what the big deal is? It's not like you come every time she calls. Isn't that the reason she nearly refused to come to our wedding before you two patched things up?" Lois asked, reminding her husband of how estranged he'd been from his cousin back then.

"Wait, dad and Aunt Kara didn't always get along?" Jonathan asked as he and Jordan listened in.

"I had the same issue with her that I used to have with you two. I wasn't around a lot, put my responsibilities as Superman before my family." Clark said.

"Except you didn't have to lie to her like you did us." Jordan said.

"Oh trust me, he tried." Lois said with a smile.

"You did?" Jonathan asked.

"The Danvers family felt the same way about Kara being a hero that your mother and I feel about you two being ones. They didn't want that life for her, at least at the age she was at, which I knew, so I tried to respect that." Clark said.

"But all that did was make Kara hate him. I can still remember how she yelled at him about how he was never there for her and how he always put being Superman before his own family." Lois said.

"And that didn't give you any ideas to maybe try and do things differently with your own kids?" Jonathan asked, since now he and Jordan were just poking fun at their dad.

"Watch it. Both of you." Clark said.

"Why don't you two go upstairs. We'll talk about that later." Lois said, though she was smiling, since she did agree with her sons on that one.

Once Clark was sure they were gone, he continued.

"Lois, this was Metallo. Cadmus's main operative aside from Henshaw. Metallo is a way to find Cadmus, which means he's a way to find Jeremiah, so the fact that she passed that up, yeah, I'm concerned." Clark said.

"Okay, I can see your point." Lois admitted.

"I just know that she wouldn't have missed that herself unless she was really preoccupied." Clark said.

"Well there's nothing big going on in National City on the news." Lois said.

"I know. That's why I was going to head over there myself to see if I could find out what's going on there and maybe even help." Clark said and Lois nodded.

"Well, the boys do have a three day weekend coming up. Why don't we all go out there to visit her then." Lois said and Clark nodded.

John Henry Irons groaned when he came too after being knocked out last night.

"Where am I?" he asked as he then found himself in some kind of prison cell.

"Where you belong Mr. Irons." Lillian Luthor said as she approached him.

"What are you talking about? I thought we were on the same side?" Irons asked.

"Please, we both know that you were going to turn on us when you realized that Superman wasn't the only Kryptonian we were planning to kill." Lillian said.

"How did you find out so soon?" Irons asked.

"We found this in your ship's files." Lillian said as she held out a tablet to reveal a video that he instantly recognized.

"Put that down." Irons growled, only for Lillian to play it.

"Hi John. I know this likely isn't the best time for this, but considering we don't know how things will go, I thought it would be best that I recorded this message. I want you to know that I love you and I love Natalie as if she was my own daughter. I know I'm not her mother by blood, but she means the world to me. And so do you. We both know that this fight against Kal-El isn't going our way, but we have to keep fighting. But in case I don't make it back to tell you myself, I want you to promise me this. I believe that deep down, there is still good inside Kal-El. Promise me you will try to save him, not kill him." Supergirl said, only to scream in agony a moment later as red beams shot through her chest and she fell to the ground to reveal Superman, also wearing a black version of his suit, hovering there.

"You lied to us. You were married to a kryptonian on your earth. You're a traitor. And she wanted you to help Superman. Not kill him." Lillian said.

"I know what she wanted me to do, but I can never forgive him for all he took from me. I refuse to allow this world to suffer the same fate as mine did." Irons insisted.

"You see, I'm all for that, but I have a feeling that our ideals don't match when it comes to Supergirl. You see, Cadmus wants to rid this planet of all aliens, including Kryptonians, all kryptonians. Including Supergirl. And I can't have you getting in the way of that." Lillian said.

"Then why am I still alive? Because I have a feeling that you would've killed me if you really had no use for me." Irons said.

"Very true. For right now, you may still have a purpose. Just not one you expected." Lillian said with a smile as she walked away from his cell.

"Good thing I saw that coming." Iron said with a grin, since if there was one thing from his old earth that he knew would come in handy here, especially here with Cadmus. Always prepare for the worst. Now he just needed to bide his time for the moment, since right now, all eyes would likely be on him from Cadmus, so he needed to wait until they lowered their guard. Or at least were distracted by something else. Once that happened, then he could make his escape.