Because of a single fallen coin, silence blanketed the battlefield.
Clark glanced at Adrian and realized that, perhaps, his own embarrassing "yellow underwear" moment was no longer the most humiliating event of the night. Adrian had somehow managed to draw the spotlight to himself with even less restraint than him.
Maybe he should actually thank his brother for that.
Clark frowned thoughtfully, as if weighing that ridiculous conclusion.
Wonder Woman, recovering from her own shock, straightened her posture and swiftly composed herself. She crouched, picked up the Zeus-blessed coin from the dirt, brushed it off, and tucked it back in place as though nothing had happened. Without another word, she turned away.
"If you want to stand here to prove your courage, be my guest, Hal Jordan," she said coldly.
Hal blinked in confusion, then hurried to follow her, gesturing for the still-stunned Dana to come along.
"You… called me by my real name just now?" Hal asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yes," Diana replied flatly. "I'm annoyed, and I needed to vent."
"So your way of venting is shouting my secret identity for everyone to hear?" Hal muttered, offended. "That's low, even for you."
But he knew better. Diana wasn't careless; she was embarrassed. It wasn't often that Wonder Woman lost her composure, and he suspected this was her subtle way of deflecting attention from her own humiliation.
Typical. Gods create storms to humble men — and women like her to terrify them.
Hal sighed internally.
As they walked, a sudden gust of wind roared overhead. Kara landed before them, her boots cracking the ground slightly on impact, face flushed and eyes burning with fury.
"Where's that jerk Adrian?" she demanded, breathless.
"That's enough for today, Kara," Wonder Woman said, frowning as she took in the girl's disheveled state.
Kara's blonde hair was tangled, a faint cut traced her cheek, and her once-pristine suit was smudged with dirt and streaks of blood. Her thigh-high black stockings were torn in several places — clear evidence that her fight with Adrian had not gone in her favor.
"Enough?!" Kara snapped. "He humiliated me, and you're just going to let him walk away?"
Her anger was palpable, though beneath it, Hal caught something else — frustration… and maybe embarrassment.
He tilted his head, studying her. Bullied? he thought. To what extent, exactly?
Hal rubbed his chin, a small smirk twitching at his lips. Whatever happened, it clearly wasn't one-sided.
Wonder Woman's tone softened slightly. "It's not about letting anyone off, Kara. There are still debts to settle between us, but this isn't the time. Besides," she added, her eyes narrowing, "you said you're Superman's sister. You certainly act more like their rival than their family."
"I…" Kara faltered, her hand brushing the torn edge of her stocking as she looked away. "I don't know why either. But I'll find out. No matter what, the fact that I'm his sister won't change. Even across time — feelings don't fade."
Hal interrupted, raising his ring hand as green light pulsed faintly from it. "Before you two start another emotional speech, you might want to see this. The area's soaked in strange energy. These meteorite fragments… they're unique. Could be useful."
"You're the cosmic police," Kara scoffed. "Can't you pick up meteorites anywhere? You've got a whole galaxy to clean."
Hal shrugged. "True, but this place feels… different."
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the farm, Lex Luthor ran breathlessly through the field path. His lungs burned, and sweat streaked down his temples as he pushed aside tall grass.
According to his telescope, the coordinates were right — he was close.
Then, a sudden shadow streaked past him. Lex froze and looked up just in time to see a figure — unmistakably feminine — launching into the night sky.
Even in the dim light, her silhouette was perfect and powerful, her ascent sharp and precise, slicing through the clouds like a missile before vanishing into the dark.
"What on earth…" Lex whispered, awe replacing exhaustion.
Was it an alien? A metahuman? Something else entirely?
Whatever she was, she moved faster than any jet he'd ever seen. The sight shattered everything he thought he knew about physics, about humanity itself.
For the first time, Lex Luthor truly felt like he had glimpsed the future — and it exhilarated him.
Behind him, a familiar voice cut through his revelation.
"This is why I don't trust the Luthors. You always betray people the moment they give you a chance."
Jonathan Kent stepped out of the shadows, shotgun in hand.
Lex turned, steadying his breath. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kent. I just wanted to confirm something. I didn't mean any harm."
"Don't give me that," Jonathan said coolly. "You Luthors always want more. You take one thing, then you take another, and you never stop. I knew your father — and you're no different."
Lex lifted his hands in mock surrender, his tone smooth. "On the contrary, my father's a tyrant. I'm a negotiator. A listener."
"I don't care what you call yourself," Jonathan snapped. "Stay away from us. Stay away from the farm — especially from Adrian and Clark. We're not from the same world, Luthor. If you cross that line again, I won't guarantee your safety."
Lex gave a small, calculated smile. "Understood, Mr. Kent." He gestured toward his telescope. "Now, may I leave?"
Jonathan hesitated, then lowered the gun. "Back the way you came. And don't make this mistake again."
"Of course."
Lex cast one last glance toward the sky where Kara had vanished. A quiet sigh escaped him as he turned away.
---
Late that night at Kent Farm, tension lingered like the scent of rain.
"You're saying Kara had two companions?" Jonathan asked, brow furrowed.
The three men sat around the kitchen table, steam rising from freshly poured mugs of coffee. Martha moved quietly between them, setting a gentle hand on Clark's shoulder before sitting down.
"She's not giving up, is she?" she asked softly.
"I don't think so," Clark admitted. "Adrian fought her again, but she seemed… different. Less hostile. She even acted—" he paused, trying to find the right word, "—almost affectionate, like she cared about me. Like family."
Jonathan frowned deeply and set his cup down. "That could be a trick."
He stood, crossed the room, and opened a small cabinet. From inside, he pulled out a worn file and handed it to Adrian.
"This is the background I had someone dig up on Kara."
Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You had her investigated?"
"When she first visited, she drank a cup of tea. I lifted her fingerprints from it." Jonathan's voice was calm, but his expression was serious. "Her name is Linda Harrison. Seventeen years ago, she was arrested for theft. During transport, the police convoy passed through Smallville — and she disappeared. No one ever found her. But one thing's certain: this 'Kara' was born on Earth."
Clark stared at the document, disbelief etched on his face. "That doesn't make sense. She feels… different. Her strength, her powers — they're not human. Hal and that woman treated her like one of their own. Maybe she really is Kryptonian."
Adrian set his cup down with a quiet clink. "Or maybe," he said, voice low, "the Kara we met tonight and the one before aren't the same person. The first could've been the real Kryptonian — the second, just a vessel. Something Jor-El created to manipulate you."
Jonathan nodded grimly. "That's a real possibility. And if it's true, we're in for more trouble than ever."
He rested a reassuring hand on Clark's shoulder. "Whatever happens, your mother and I will stand with you. Always."
Clark nodded, though unease clouded his eyes.
---
At two in the morning, while the rest of the house slept, Clark awoke suddenly. His heart was pounding. Something — a whisper in his blood — was calling to him.
He rose from bed, pulled on his jacket, and stepped into the cool night air.
The feeling guided him to the old barn.
A faint glow pulsed beneath the floorboards, growing brighter as he descended the wooden stairs toward the hidden cellar.
When he pulled open the heavy door, the light burst outward — brilliant and otherworldly, flooding the
barn in radiance.
Clark shielded his eyes, staring into the glow — and froze.
What he saw inside left him completely stunned.
---