by ManOMight1974
Elsewhere:
As Mighto stepped out of Hourglass’ personal quarters, he was greeted by the Kryptonite Kid. They exchanged little more than a fleeting glance as the young man in yellow and green walked down the corridor alone. Mighto was not happy with what had just happened.
“So,” the Kryptonite Kid thought-casted into Mighto’s head as he joined him in his trek down the metallic hallway, “how did it go?”
“As well as can be expected,” Mighto responded telepathically. “Hourglass was not pleased with my actions. He thinks I should have let Superboy die. However, he changed his mind when I explained that saving Superboy today was merely my way of ensuring we could get our revenge as a group later.”
“And he believed you, Mighto?”
“Why shouldn’t he believe me?” Mighto replied.
“We both know you saved Superboy because you care about him as a brother,” the Kryptonite Kid said. “You also care about Martha and Jonathan Kent, and the last thing you would want is for them to go through the heartbreak of having to bury their son.”
“An interesting theory, Kid,” Mighto said. “And if it were true, what would you do with this knowledge?”
The Kryptonite Kid stopped walking and faced Mighto. “Nothing,” he said. “I would do nothing with it.”
“Really?”
“Really,” the Kryptonite Kid replied. “Like you, I have found Hourglass to be rather distasteful. Sure, I have been humiliated on more than one occasion by Superboy, and I do want revenge. But, and this is important, I don’t want to kill him. That is all Hourglass cares about — killing the Boy of Steel. Look at who else he has brought into this group: Lex Luthor, Solar Boy, Stasis, Cyber, Dr. Dexter Diablo, the Rainbow Raider… all of these others want to destroy Superboy. I may be many things, but I am no murderer. Hourglass didn’t tell me what he really wanted when he recruited me and my dog, and I will have no part in murder. The problem is that…”
“We can’t leave with what we know,” Mighto finished the Kryptonite Kid’s thought. “We seem to be on the same page, Kid, so what do we do?”
“First, we must ensure that Lex Luthor never finds out who Superboy is,” the Kryptonite Kid said. “That kind of knowledge in the hands of that bald-headed youth would be disastrous.”
“Agreed,” Mighto said.
“Second, we will have to find a way to assist Superboy without Hourglass finding out.”
“Easier said than done, Kryptonite Kid,” Mighto said. “Since my little sojourn to Earth to help Superboy stop Doctor Somnolus, I fear that Hourglass will be watching me like a hawk.”
“I agree,” the Kryptonite Kid said. “We will have to work behind his back to accomplish our shared goals while still making it look as if we are working at his side.”
***
The Kent house at 321 Maple Street, Smallville, Tuesday, April 24, 1967, 9:47 P.M.:
Clark Kent sat alone in the darkened kitchen, his hand steepled in front of his face as he thought. Things had gone from bad to worse since arriving home. While it had been good to see Vidal again, even with the events that had just transpired and the information his friend provided, Clark now knew the who, but he still needed to understand the why.
“You’re sitting in the dark again, son,” Jonathan Kent said from the doorway.
Clark glanced over at his father and forced a smile. “I know, Pa. I just had a lot to think about, you know?”
Jonathan nodded in acknowledgment. The elder Kent could see that the weight of the world rested on his son’s shoulders once again. He stepped into the kitchen and flipped on the lights. “You’ll do much better thinking with the lights on, young man.”
“I know, Pa,” Clark said. “I went through a lot today, and it just seems so… daunting. There’s a whole group of villains out there who are not only looking to hurt me, but they’re also organized. Plus, the bad guy who tried to twist my mind got away with the help of these others. Mighto helped me, but why? What could he possibly gain by helping me? What is their game? And, most of all, what am I supposed to do?”
“I wish I had all the answers, son,” Jonathan said, placing his hand on Clark’s shoulder and squeezing it firmly. “At least now you know some of what is going on, and you can better prepare yourself for it. After all, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
Clark smiled up at his father. As usual, he knew his father was right. Jonathan Kent always seemed to provide the right homespun advice to make sense of a somewhat senseless world.
Standing up from the table, Clark walked out of the kitchen, switching off the light. He may not know when or where these foes would strike, but he would remain vigilant. When they did show up, Superboy would be ready to stop them.
The End