"I swear, I'll never touch such books again."
Courtney muttered under her breath as she slipped the book with Cthulhu printed on its cover back into her bag.
Her earlier conversation with Jessica had been far from successful.
Jessica hadn't wanted to discuss what happened in Smallville. Instead, she only warned Courtney not to provoke the boy who'd stolen her Star Scepter.
But Courtney, stubborn as ever, didn't let it end there.
After much persistence, Jessica reluctantly gave her a book titled Cthulhu. That was enough to spark Courtney's next reckless idea.
She gathered her three companions — Wildcat, Hourman, and Doctor Midnight — and the four set off for Smallville to investigate the book's mysterious author.
That decision was exactly why they had been seen at Smallville High School earlier that day — and caught by Pete.
The truth was grim: the original Wildcat, Hourman, and Doctor Midnight were already dead.
Courtney's friends were simply high school students wearing the relics of fallen heroes.
---
"Hey, Courtney!"
The moment she slipped back into her bedroom that night, she froze.
Her stepfather, Pat, sat waiting for her on the bed.
A pile of superhero gear lay beside him — the evidence of her secret activities.
"Wow, what's all this?" Courtney forced an awkward smile, feigning ignorance.
"That's what I should be asking," Pat said sharply.
"You shouldn't have taken these things."
He gestured toward the glowing green lantern resting on the bed.
"This isn't a toy, Courtney. That lantern could kill you if you're not careful."
Startled by his tone, Courtney coughed and asked nervously, "What's it even for?"
"Luckily, it doesn't have its ring right now, or we'd be having a much bigger problem.
What were you thinking? Why would you even touch these things?"
"I… I didn't steal them," Courtney mumbled.
"I was just borrowing them."
"That's still stealing!" Pat's voice was firm.
Courtney's frustration bubbled up.
"Okay, maybe it is! But I saw you sitting around doing nothing while bad people are out there! Someone has to take action!"
"I thought we had an agreement," Pat said, disappointment heavy in his voice.
"But it seems that doesn't matter anymore."
"Pat, the Injustice Society is regrouping!
We have to stop them and take back the Star Scepter from that guy.
It belonged to Starman. We need to rebuild the Justice Society."
"Apparently, you've already started," Pat replied grimly, gesturing toward a red-and-gold uniform on the bed.
"I see Hourman's outfit, Doctor Midnight's goggles, Wildcat's gear…
So you recruited your classmates to play heroes, didn't you?"
Courtney hesitated before answering quietly, "Yes."
"Courtney, these kids are in real danger," Pat said sternly.
"I want you to return the goggles and Wildcat's suit, right now."
"I can't!" she blurted out.
"Listen to me," Pat's tone hardened.
"I won't let you or your friends end up like the original Justice Society.
Do you want that to happen?"
"I…" Courtney lowered her gaze.
"Doctor Midnight's goggles have an AI system.
We used them to trace down the guy who defeated Brainwave."
She pulled the Cthulhu book from her backpack and handed it to him.
"The author — his name is Adrian Kent.
He's the one who stole the Star Scepter."
Pat froze.
"Adrian Kent?"
"Yes," Courtney said.
"The four of us went to Smallville High and confirmed it was him."
Flipping through a few pages, Pat frowned deeply.
"Then we absolutely shouldn't provoke him."
"Why not?" Courtney asked, confused.
"I once worked with Doctor Fate," Pat said gravely.
"People with that kind of darkness in them…
and that kind of power…
are far worse than the Injustice Society.
If he really has both, Adrian Kent might be the most dangerous person you'll ever meet."
Courtney watched her stepfather's serious face, unsure whether to believe him — though a part of her felt he was probably right.
---
Kent Farm
After fixing the fence around the cattle pen, Jonathan noticed Martha wasn't outside.
He thought for a moment, then walked toward the old barn that housed the boys' spaceship.
When he opened the cellar door, he found her there, standing before the craft, arms folded, lost in thought.
"Martha," he called softly as he approached.
"You okay, sweetheart?"
She turned slightly, eyes distant.
"I was just… thinking about Clark and Adrian.
About how that ship brought them here.
How it changed everything."
Jonathan slipped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead.
"It gave us two miracles, didn't it?"
"I hope you're right," Martha murmured, forcing a small smile.
But then her body trembled slightly.
Jonathan immediately noticed.
"Martha, what's wrong?"
"I don't know," she said weakly.
"My head feels like it's splitting.
I can't sleep properly.
And that girl, Kara…
I'm scared, Jonathan.
Maybe she can take Clark and Adrian away.
Clark's already hesitating, and I can't stop thinking about it."
"Hey, look at me," Jonathan said, gently tilting her chin.
"Doctor Beck said you're perfectly healthy.
The pregnancy's normal."
But Martha shook her head.
"No, something about it isn't.
I want to see Helen Bryce tomorrow."
Jonathan's expression hardened.
"No. She's Lex Luthor's fiancée.
I don't want our secret ending up in the wrong hands."
"Jonathan…" Martha sighed, turning away.
"When I was in the hospital, I almost died.
I saw something.
My soul floated above my body, and I saw our son glowing like the sun itself —
burning away the darkness inside me.
It felt… divine."
Jonathan frowned, unsure what to say.
"I know it sounds crazy," she continued.
"But what if that girl's right?
What if Adrian really doesn't belong on Earth?
What if, one day, he leaves us too?"
Jonathan stayed silent for a long moment, then finally said softly,
"Neither of them will ever leave you, Martha."
He led her out of the cellar, back into the house.
---
Inside, they found Kara standing by the window in a white dress, quietly gazing outside.
Clark was nearby, looking uneasy as they entered.
"I just came in too," he said quickly.
"It's already afternoon," Jonathan replied.
"She's been standing there since you left for school."
Martha frowned.
"She hasn't even eaten anything."
"Martha," Jonathan muttered,
"her appetite isn't our main concern."
"Dad," Clark said hesitantly,
"she told me I come from a place called Krypton.
I think she might be telling the truth.
It's the only thing that explains her power."
Jonathan shook his head.
"Clark, people around here have been exposed to strange things.
You've seen it.
I don't trust her."
"Jonathan Kent," Kara's voice cut through the air from behind them.
"You're the one not to be trusted.
One day, you'll betray Kal."
Jonathan turned sharply, anger flashing in his eyes.
"I'm Clark's father!
I love my son —
I would never betray him!"
But Kara didn't respond immediately.
Instead, her expression changed, tense and alert.
"Quiet," she whispered.
"Someone's listening."
Before any of them could react, she vanished — a blur of white and gold.
Clark's eyes darted toward the fields.
He could track her movement easily.
On a dirt road beyond the farm, a car sat parked under the trees.
Inside, Courtney urged Hourman to start the engine.
But before they could move, a rush of wind hit the car, and a blonde girl appeared at the window — Kara.
"It seems you've been eavesdropping."
Bang!
She reached through the window, grabbed Hourman by the neck, and yanked him out effortlessly.
"I've never liked little mice who hide their faces," she said coldly, hurling him to the ground.
Then her gaze turned toward Courtney, who froze in terror as Kara reached for her next.
_____
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