Seeing Green Episode IV: Close Encounters

Chapter Twelve

"Superman?" Bruce said with wide eyes as she entered the dull room. "What the fuck?"

She and Hal had split up to look for Superman after defeating the other Kryptonian inmates, who had made Kal their prisoner.

Kal's eyes flew open. "Bat!"

He was suspended upside-down from the ceiling with chains wrapped all around his body. "Oh thank God!" he cried. "Please help me!"

"They did quite a number on you man..." Bruce said solemnly as she approached, his bruises and cuts becoming more obvious the closer she got.

Kal's eyes held a haunted look. "It's been horrible, Bruce," he said softly.

"Well it's over now," Bruce said as she pulled out one of her batarangs and began trying to pick the giant lock that sat by his shoulder.

"You took care of Jax and the others?"

"More or less."

"I still had my powers when I first got in here..." Kal sighed. "Before I lost them I did everything I could to get out. But there was no escape. I didn't see anyone else in that time, but the inmates must have known I was here. They were smart; they waited until I was powerless to make their move." He sighed as a click was heard from the lock. "When you're in the Phantom Zone, you don't have to sleep, you don't have to eat, and being tied up with nothing to do but think..." His voice suddenly turned more urgent. "Bruce."

She looked down at him, her hand the only thing holding the lock together now. "Yeah?"

"Please tell me that...that somehow Ursa didn't..." His face became creased with pain when he saw her expression.

Bruce couldn't hold his gaze, her heart in her throat. "I'm sorry, Kal. I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't just an illusion, was it? She's really..." Kal squeezed his eyes shut and twin rivers of tears fell from his eyes into his dark hair.

"I'm going to let you down now..." Bruce said softly as she released the lock and the chains began releasing around him. She knelt and caught Kal's shoulders as he came free, guiding him down to the floor. He sat up and brushed off the chains, his eyes wet but open. "How many people died from the bridge falling?"

Bruce pulled away the chains from his legs. "I don't know."

"Bruce, don't lie to me," Kal said, his gaze stern. "I know you know."

She offered him a hand and helped him up. "You don't have to beat yourself up for what happened, Kal."

"I want to know."

Bruce sighed. "93."

Kal was silent as he took that in.

"It was a natural disaster, Kal. An earthquake. It's not your fault," Bruce said adamantly.

Kal's eyes were on the floor. "Who else came with you?"

"Hal."

He nodded slowly. "You have a way out?"

At this Bruce cringed slightly. "About that..."