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[b]The Daily Planet, Metropolis[/b]

A day had gone by since Clark had spoken with Reed Richards. Since then he’d tried his best to suppress thoughts of the effect that little green rock had had on him. He was going to do [i]exactly[/i] as Reed said and stay away from the meteor rock until they knew more about it. Thankfully it seemed to be in short supply outside of LexCorp and Latveria so that wasn’t the hardest task. Last night had been uneventful. He’d stopped a bank robbery Downtown and put an end to a shootout a few miles out of Metropolis but little else had happened. In truth, Kent was thankful for that. Between Henshaw and the meteor rock, the Daily Planet reporter was beginning to feel a little out of his depth. Thankfully he had people on his side that helped him stay grounded. Chief amongst them at the moment was Perry White.

White chomped at an unlit cigar between his lips as he thumbed his way through the transcript of Clark’s interview with Luthor from yesterday morning. On White’s desk were several pictures Jimmy had taken, each of Luthor looking grander and more striking than the last, though White seemed more concerned with the words than Olsen’s images. After a good few minutes of reading he set the papers down and looked to Clark with an impressed smile.

[color=darkgray][b]“This is some good work, Kent.”[/b][/color]

Jimmy had promised not to mention Clark’s little wobble in Lex’s office. Clark was thankful for that. He could only imagine the stick Perry would have given him for it. It was bad enough that [i]everyone[/i] at the Daily Planet, from the cleaners up, knew that Clark was as clumsy as they came. With Jimmy’s lips sealed, Clark’s writing could do the talking. A delayed smile appeared on Kent’s face as he shuffled forward in his seat.

[color=steelblue][b]“Thank you.”[/b][/color]

[color=darkgray][b]“It would seem Luthor took something of a shine to you too. Some called from his office this morning looking for your contact details. Does the name Mercy Graves mean anything to you?”[/b][/color]

Clark nodded.

[color=steelblue][b]“She’s Lex’s bodyguard.”[/b][/color]

For half a second a look of shock appeared on White’s face. The concept of a man having a female bodyguard was [i]clearly[/i] lost on him, as it would be on most men White’s age, but once he’d got his head around it he shrugged his shoulders.

[b][color=darkgray]“Well, I gave her your cell phone number and she said that Lex would be in touch. Who would of thought it, eh? A Metropolitan multi-billionaire and a Kansas farm boy as thick as thieves. They do say opposites attract.”[/color][/b]

If White knew how considered Clark’s efforts to ingratiate himself with Lex had been he’d have been doubly impressed.

[b][color=steelblue]“What can I say? I must have a way with people.”[/color][/b]

White rolled his eyes.

[b][color=darkgray]“Yeah, yeah. Well needless to say I expect you to make the most of this newfound friendship of yours. I want the skinny on every development at LexCorp and the Justice League before they happen, Kent.”[/color][/b]

Clark opened his mouth to speak but as he did so the door to Perry White’s office flung open and a breathless Jimmy Olsen appeared.

[b][color=salmon]"Sorry to interrupt, Chief, but I think you’re probably going to want to see this."[/color][/b]

White let out a sigh and followed after Olsen. 

[color=darkgray][b]"This had better be good, Olsen."[/b][/color]

Clark frowned a little and scampered after the two of them. He found them and the rest of the Daily Planet newsroom gathered nervously around a large television set in the corner of the room. On the screen was a robotic figure of a man, only portions of skin left dangling from his face and arms, marching his way through Metropolis. As he passed cars and buildings his mere presence seemed to strip the paint from them. Flowers and weeds around him withered and died. The man’s metal feet shook the Earth beneath him as he clambered forward. A SWAT van appeared in front of him and the man let out a shout as he shot a ray of green energy towards it. The van was sent careening away by the force of the blast. Once it had stopped screeching along the road the man shouted at the top of his voice.

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[color=yellowgreen][b]"Where... is... [i]he[/i]?"[/b][/color]

Clark’s hands balled into fists as he suspected he knew which “he” the man was referring to.

[color=darkgray][b]"What the hell is that thing?"[/b][/color]

Lois Lane’s voice sounded from behind Perry White. She made eye contact with Clark for a second, aware he’d disappearing any moment, and gave her partner a knowing nod.

[color=lavender][b]"I have no idea. From the looks of it though it’s heading in this direction."[/b][/color]

[color=salmon][b]"What do we do, Chief?"[/b][/color]

Perry lifted his hand to his mouth as he pondered their options. By now the staff’s silence had been overrun by a muted, nervous hubbub as the sound of the glowing green blasts could be heard not through the television but by their own ears. He was close. White stared around at his building sentimentally before placing his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

[color=darkgray][b]"Everybody out. Leave your things and head for the fire exits. We’ll meet outside by the back entrance."[/b][/color]

The shocked reporters seemed frozen in place by confusion until White once again placed his hands over his mouth and shouted at them. This time his voice was considerably louder and more urgent.

[color=darkgray][b]"Come on, people. Get moving!"[/b][/color]

Suddenly the newsroom burst into life and the Daily Planet reporters began to file their way out. White watched as they made their way out and kept a silent count of each one. He had a duty of care for his employees and he had every intention of seeing that every last one of them made it out. Lois was amongst the last to file past him, he was almost sure she would have stayed behind if he’d allowed it, and Jimmy Olsen brought up the rear as he made his way towards the exit. Perry had one foot through it when he recalled not seeing Clark Kent amongst those leaving. 

[color=darkgray][b]"Clark?"[/b][/color]

There was no answer from the newsroom and Perry lingered for a moment, trying to remember the reporter passing by him, before shaking his head slightly, assuring himself that Kent must have slipped by, disappearing through the exit.

The Daily Planet reporters had made it halfway down the fire escape when a powerful gust of red-blue wind sped past them. Superman hung in place over the Daily Planet building for a moment. He squinted his eyes as he searched amongst the city’s streets for the attacker but it was his ears that helped him locate him. The man’s cries, pained, remorseful even, could be heard over the sound of sirens and bullets. The Man of Steel burst towards the origin of the sound and found himself floating some twenty-feet above the assailant. Like Henshaw he was more machine than man, but Henshaw’s body was the result of surgical precision, planning to the extreme, whereas this was something else. The man’s skin clung desperately to him like that of an animal reluctant to shed its skin.

[color=yellowgreen][b]"Where is... Superman?"[/b][/color]

There was a despondency to the man’s voice, he was absent of Henshaw’s rage, but he seemed no less dangerous. Clark needed to end this. He’d try carrot before stick. He hovered down in front of the man, who glowed with green energy, and lifted his hands up as if to signal that he meant him no harm.

[color=steelblue][b]"I’m going to give you one chance and one chance only: stop this senseless violence and hand yourself in. Nobody else needs to get hurt here."[/b][/color]

The man shook his head.

[color=yellowgreen][b]"That’s where you’re wrong, Superman. [i]You[/i] need to get hurt."[/b][/color]

Clark gritted his teeth as he went barreling towards him.

[color=steelblue][b]"So be it."[/b][/color]