Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 07:42:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com> Subject: Return of a Real Dark Knight 10 Disclaimer: This story is fiction. There are two celebrities who will appear from time-to-time. The other characters are fictitious. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely coincidental. In this story, I have continued the adventures of Batman, my Batman, which his story first began in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight" in the Boy Band section of this archive. It spanned 250 chapters. You will find many universes merging, as the below copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. Copyright DC Comics. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@yahoo.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. Chapter 10 Visiting a Super Teen It was early evening when the telephone rang. I thought nothing of it as it went through the usual channels: the receptionist, Mitchell my secretary, and then to me. What did surprise me was the location from which the call originated. "Hello," I answered. "Hello. May I speak to Dr. McCoy? My name is Jonathon Kent." The caller sounded around my age so I decided to be a bit formal. "This is Dr. McCoy. What can I do for you, Mr. Kent?" "I have a son who has been going through some...changes and my wife, Martha, and I would like some help." "Sure. I would love to help. You can either come to the Center or I can come to your home. Which do you prefer?" "We will probably come to you since we live in Smallville, Kansas. I don't think you would be able to make this house call." "Mr. Kent, if it is a serious matter and you would prefer the comforts of home to address whatever is going on with your son, I would be happy to schedule a trip to Kansas." "Why thank you, Dr. McCoy. It is most appreciated." "What's your telephone number and house address?" I asked. I copied down the information Jonathon gave me. I told him I would call him later when I had more information about my schedule and such. He thanked me and hung up. "Mitchell," I said as I entered the Secretaries' office. "Yes, Eric." "What is my schedule like for the next few days?" Mitchell opened the planner and looked through it. "There is a Budget Committee meeting in two days. That is the only thing I can see." "Lance could handle that," I muttered. "He's going to show we need the grants in the first place." I looked over at Mitchell who had a confused look on his face. "Its okay, Mitchell." I turned to Grace. "Is Lance busy with a phone call or any important visitors, Grace?" "No. Go on in." I knocked on Lance's door and was met with a pleasant "come in". I entered and he looked up at me. "What can I do for you?" he asked. "Oh, the answers I could generate with that one." We both chuckled. "Seriously, though. I just received a telephone call from a parent in Smallville, Kansas. It seems there is something going on with their teenager that they would like me to observe." "What do you think it could be?" "I have no idea. Since he didn't go into detail, I can't really speculate. Perhaps he is showing signs he's gay. Or maybe he's a mutant or something. I don't know. At any rate, there is nothing scheduled for me here that others can't attend to and I was thinking about going. But I wanted to check with you, first." "Check with me about what?" "About running the Budget Committee meeting in my place." "I suppose I can. I don't have anything else going on that day. Yes, I can do that." I walked over to him and bent over kissing him on the forehead. "You are a doll. No wonder I love you so much. Do you think Jessica would care to train Sarah and Dinah while I'm away?" "Not at all. Seeing as how she's doing most of the Slayer training anyway, she probably won't care at all." Lance chuckled. "Just be careful." "I always am." "I mean it," he replied. I nodded to him and left his office. "Mitchell, book me a flight for Smallville, Kansas at the earliest time. Get a listing of motels as well." "Sure thing." I entered my office and sat down to wait for Mitchell and the information. The plane landed around 3:00 in the afternoon the following day. Mitchell had gotten me a bus schedule and highlighted all the ones going to Smallville. Thankfully, I only had to wait an hour at the airport before the bus I needed to take arrived. The bus ride took about two hours, but I had plenty of reading material to keep me occupied. As I finished the last chapter in a Star Trek novel, the bus pulled into a small town. It drove up to the bus station and parked. The driver announced the destination as Smallville and that the bus would be parked for fifteen minutes for riders to take a break before continuing on their way to Wichita and for those departing to gather their bags and depart. I climbed off the bus with my carry-on bag, checked in with the bus driver and retrieved my suitcases from the cargo bay. My eyes took in the small town and I admired the charm it held. A diner sat across the street. I fished for the Kent's phone number and headed over to the restaurant. A bell on the door rang as I opened the door. The patrons as well as the workers looked my way. I smiled at everyone and looked around for the pay phone. Finding it, I went over, deposited my money and dialed the phone number. "Hello?" a female voice answered. "Hello. Is this the Kent residence?" "Yes," the lady replied. "Who may I ask is calling?" "I'm Doctor Eric McCoy. I spoke with Jonathan Kent yesterday and had arranged for me to come to Smallville." "I'm Martha, Jonathan's wife. He should be in town fairly soon. He left about twenty minutes ago." "Thank you, Mrs. Kent. I will sit tight for him." "Thank you, Dr. McCoy, for coming out here to help our son." "I hope I can, Mrs. Kent. I hope I can." We hung up the phone and I thought to myself what a pleasant woman she was. I turned and went over to the bar of the diner and ordered a cup of coffee. Within five minutes, the door opened up and an older gentleman walked in. A dark haired sixteen-year-old boy was with him. "Hi, Mr. Kent," the waitress behind the counter said. "What can I get you?" "I'm looking for someone. Has any new person's arrived from off the bus?" I turned on my stool at the end of the bar and called out, "Mr. Kent?" He turned and looked at me. "Dr. McCoy?" I smiled, nodded and stood up stretching out my hand. "Pleasure to meet you in person." "Likewise. Thank you for coming." Jonathan took my hand and shook it vigorously. "This is my son, Clark. Clark, this is Doctor Eric McCoy." I stuck my hand out. The boy looked at my hand hesitantly. With a look from his father, he took it and shook it. "Hi," he said. I gave him a smile. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long," Jonathan said. "No. Not at all. I just got here a few moments ago." "Come along home with us. You must be hungry. Martha, my wife, is making dinner. It should be nearly ready by the time we get there." "Sounds delightful," I replied. We left the restaurant and climbed in the Kent's pickup truck. Clark sat in the middle. The truck started up and drove off out of town. "Tell us about yourself, Dr. McCoy," Jonathan said. "I'd like to get to know you a little better." Knowing that my openness with the Kent's would help them open up to me I agreed. "What would you like to know, Mr. Kent?" "Are you married?" "Yes." "What's your wife's name?" "I don't have a wife." Both Clark and Jonathan looked over at me. "I have a husband." I noticed Clark's face turn into one of shock as he looked away from me. "Oh," Jonathan said. The rest of the ride to the Kent home was in silence. "Martha, we're here," Jonathan said as he entered the house. Clark did not look at me the whole trip from town to the farm. Being from a small town, he no doubt had little experience with diversity. Martha came out of the kitchen and smiled. "Hello, dear," she said going up to Jonathan and kissing him on the cheek. "This is Doctor Eric McCoy," he introduced. "I talked to him on the phone," she replied with a smile. "He called looking for you after you left. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Dr. McCoy." "The pleasure is all mine." "Yeah, right," Clark mumbled. "Clark," Martha said to him. "Show some respect for Dr. McCoy. Now go set the table." Clark moved toward the door. "I'll bet Dr. McCoy is famished. I'm sure my food won't taste like your wife's cooking, Dr. McCoy, but it will be made with love all the same." Clark began coughing as he walked past his parents. "Dr. McCoy...doesn't have a wife, dear." Martha's eyes moved down to the wedding band on my finger. "But he has a wedding ring on." "That's because Dr. McCoy is married to another guy," Clark stated rather loudly and with a hint of disgust in his voice. He exited the room. 'I don't think I'm here because they suspect their son might be gay,' I realized. "Oh," Martha replied. "Well...I'm sure you are hungry all the same. Please, come in and sit down." Martha went into the kitchen. Jonathan motioned for me to follow him into the living room. "Have a seat, Doctor." "Thank you." "Clark," Jonathan called out. "Yeah, Pa?" "When you are finished setting the table, please come in here." "Sure thing, Pa." "So, Mr. Kent. What exactly has been going on with Clark?" "I think it would be better for him to show you," he replied. When Clark finished, Jonathan, Clark and I went outside. "He's been going through some changes," Jonathan replied. "You said that on the phone. What kind of changes?" "Show him, Clark." Clark looked from me to his father. Jonathan nodded. Clark bent his knees and then kicked off. To my surprise, he didn't just stand straight up. He also lifted off the ground swiftly. I watched as he soared through the sky. "Wow!" I replied. "That isn't the only thing," Jonathan said. "Clark, come back down here!" Clark turned and flew down to the ground and landed. "See that small branch," Jonathan said. "Show Dr. McCoy what you can do with your eyes." Clark concentrated on the small branch and red beams came out of his eyes. It reminded me of Scott Summers of the X-Men. But these beams seemed to emanate heat. Smoke came from where the beams converged on the branch and Clark's 'heat vision' cut the branch off. "I can also see through things," Clark said. "Just about everything, really. Except lead. I can't see through that." "And he can blow a puff of smoke and freeze whatever is in his way." Jonathan picked up an old pail that was nearby. Clark blew on it and it seemed to be sheathed in ice. Jonathan picked it up and dropped it. When the ice-covered pail hit the ground, it shattered into pieces. "He froze it solid!" I exclaimed. "He sure did," Jonathan said with a smile and a chuckle. "He can bend steel in his bare hands, too. The doctors have given up giving him shots because all the needles bend. Any medication he takes, it is usually oral." "Dinner's ready!" Martha called out. The three of us headed inside to a lovely meal waiting. As we ate, we continued the discussion of what Clark was going through. "When did these manifestations begin?" I asked. "About three years ago when he began puberty." "You don't need to go into detail about that," Clark said. "Now, hush," Martha said to him. Clark got quiet, sufficiently reprimanded. "Its okay, Clark," I said putting my hand on his shoulder. "I know many teenagers going through changes, too. And they've all developed some kind of powers. It doesn't make you any less human." I noticed Jonathan and Martha look at each other. Clark didn't notice it, thankfully. The look in Ma and Pa Kent's eyes told me there was more information that they hadn't shared with Clark. Once dinner was finished, Martha and Clark cleared the table. Jonathan took me out to the barn to show me some of the things Clark has been able to do with his bare hands. He showed me some of the metal bars that Clark twisted and so forth. "There is something else that I wanted to show you," Jonathan said. "Clark doesn't know about this and we aren't sure if we should tell him." Jonathan went over to one side of the barn. "Help me, please." I went to the same side and noticed a tarp covered with hay. I grabbed a corner and together we folded it over. There were two large doors on the floor. Jonathan grabbed one of the handles and lifted up the doorway revealing what was inside. To my amazement, a small ship sat in the hidden space under the floor. "Is that what I think it is?" I asked. "If you are thinking spaceship, then it is what you're thinking." "Where did you get this?" "About fifteen years ago, Martha and I were driving along the road when this thing came out of the sky. It nearly caused us to crash. After getting the truck under control, we pulled over and climbed out to investigate." "Was Clark with you?" I asked. My first thought was that the radiation emanating from the rocket ship affected Clark's genes when he was a baby and the radiation caused his cells to mutate giving him the abilities he manifested now. "Not when we left. We found him. In this." My eyes widened in disbelief. Clark was from another planet. A sound came from the doorway and both Jonathan and I turned to see Clark standing in the entrance. The look on his face was one of horror and disbelief, and anger. "Clark," Jonathan said. Jonathan took a step toward his son, but Clark stepped back. "You lied to me," he said. "Why didn't you tell me?" "We didn't think you were old enough." "Liar!" Clark said. Then he disappeared from the doorway. "What have we done?" Jonathan whispered. "Nothing that caring parents wouldn't have done. I'll go talk to him." I exited the barn and found Clark nowhere in sight. I turned back as Jonathan came to the doorway. "I don't see him. Where would he go?" "In town, to the cafe you were in. He goes there a lot to talk to his friend Lana. She's a waitress there in the evenings." "Okay. You sit tight with Martha. I'll go talk to him." "Here, take our truck," Jonathan said handing me the keys. I ran to the vehicle, climbed in and took off toward town leaving two scared parents to search for their very scared son. To Be Continued... I'm sure after reading this chapter you know who everyone is. What do you think of how Clark was portrayed? I know slightly different than what you would expect, especially from the comic books. But think about the fact he's a teenager from a small, Midwest town. Midwestern towns seem to be much more conservative and traditional than the East and West coasts.