Shazam! - Earth's Mightiest Mortal

Chapter Twelve - Calling Clark Kent

Billy sat in bed, piling pizza rolls into his mouth. The rolls had been kindly provided by Mrs. Vasquez, who did not ask Billy where he had been or why he missed dinner. When he came in the door, she saw the look on his face (which must have looked pretty terrible) and proceeded to heat up the pizza rolls. Billy appreciated Mrs. Vasquez for not asking questions, and her attempts to make Billy feel more comfortable and at home made Billy like her more than any other foster parent he had had before. Freddy, however, was not so keen to let Billy keep his privacy.

"Where were you?" asked Freddy. "What happened?"

"Nowhere," Billy answered between bites. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Billy, we're in this together, remember?" Freddy had an edge to his voice that Billy hadn't heard before.

"I know we are, but it really wasn't anything to worry about."

"Not something to worry about?" Freddy shook his head. "It was on the news, bro, and it seemed like exactly something we should worry about."

Billy sighed. He really didn't want to involve Freddy in this. He had honestly just been planning to forget the whole thing and let someone else worry about it, but Freddy had other ideas.

"We need to get Superman over here, right?" Freddy said eagerly. "I mean, he'll know what to do, and you guys are pals now!"

Billy shook his head. "Superman went back to Metropolis. For good. He said I wasn't ready."

Freddy opened his mouth, closed it, then said, "Well I'm sure he didn't mean it. We'll just get him back here and then—"

"Then what? We have no way to even contact him! When I've seen him, he's always the one that finds me. Probably because of the trail of destruction I leave behind and the glowing lightning bolt I wear on my chest. Plus, he's right. I'm just not ready."

Freddy snorted. "Sure you are. You're a freaking superhero wizard, dude. I mean, come on!"

Billy smiled. "Thanks. But it doesn't change the fact that I don't have Superman on speed-dial."

Freddy looked up, eyes wide. "But what if someone does?"

"Not following," Billy said, laying back down on his bed.

"I mean, someone has got to be close to Superman. Someone has to know who he really is!"

"Who he really is?"

Freddy shook his head, exasperated. "Come on, bro, who he is in real life. Superheroes aren't superheroes without secret identities."

Billy yawned. "Right."

He wanted Freddy to forget about it, just like he had. But the boy did not seem like he was going to give it up.

"Let me see your phone," Freddy said.

"What?"

"Your iPhone," Freddy was growing impatient. "I need to use it."

Billy shrugged and reached down into his sports bag to dig it out. He tossed it casually to Freddy, who turned it on and opened Safari. He typed in the key word Superman. Search results immediately popped up.

SUPERMAN SAVES CITY.
SUPERMAN NEW COSTUME.
SUPERMAN TAKEN HOSTAGE.
SUPERMAN SAVES CIVILIANS.
SUPERMAN SETS BUILDING ON FIRE.
SUPER-MAN or SUPER-MENACE?

"Wow," said Billy, looking over Freddy's shoulders. "Seems like even Superman was doubted at one point."

"Exactly!" said Freddy. "Let's see, then. All of these seem to be from either Lois Lane or Clark Kent.

"Who were the negative ones by?" Billy asked.

"Those were Lois Lane's."

"Okay, then let's call Clark Kent," Billy decided.

Freddy pondered this a moment. "How about an email. I can't find his personal number from the Daily Planet website."

"Okay, then. Can you make it so Clark doesn't know it's from a 15 year-old. It won't help anything."

Freddy nodded and Billy began to type out the email on his phone. He kept it brief:

Clark Kent,
I'm sure you have seen the recent happenings in Fawcett City on the news. I know that your work recently has been closely involving Superman so, if possible, I would like to speak with him.
      -  A super-friend.

"A 'super-friend'?" Freddy mocked.

Billy raised his hands defensively. "So he knows it's from me. It's not like we have a secret code word."

Ten minutes later, Billy's phone buzzed. Billy opened the reply:

Roof in five.

"What did it say?" asked Freddy.

"Roof in five," Billy repeated back slowly.

"He's going to be on the roof in five minutes!" Freddy exclaimed.

"On what roof?" Billy asked, confused by the reply.

"Maybe the one you were on when he left?"

Billy nodded and got up. "See ya later?"

Billy walked out the door, then turned around and poked his head back in. "Freddy?"

Freddy turned. "Huh?"

"You're a great friend."

Freddy smiled and this time Billy went down the stairs and out of the house, getting a running start and shouting "Shazam!" into the night sky. Lightning struck and before long, Billy was on the roof of that same tall building, staring at Superman.

"Hey," said Billy, now posing as a middle-aged man in a costume. He still wasn't quite sure how to fully speak like an adult.

Superman stared a moment longer, then said, "First off, I want to apologize. It wasn't my place to say you're not ready. I saw the news, and you really held you're own against a bigger threat than I've even faced."

Billy shook his head. "You were right. I wasn't ready. I'm still not ready. And that's why you have to fight Black Adam. Not me."

Superman smiled. "This is your fight, not mine. You have to prove yourself to your city, as I did to mine. People didn't always love me. People hated me. And that's just the more reason to prove yourself."

Billy didn't say anything, so Superman showed something shiny in his hand. It was a watch. He held it out for Billy who took it.

"Um, thanks," said Billy.

Superman laughed. "Your welcome. Flip it open."

Billy got his finger under the head of the watch and flipped it up, revealing a button the shape of Superman's chest symbol.

"Press it once and I come, no matter what. Whenever you need help or advice," Superman explained. "Not many people have these, not many at all."

"I... I don't know what to say," Billy was surprised at this sudden gracious gesture. "You think I can do it?"

"I know you can."