CHAPTER 76

"Colonel Lane, General Swanwick, he's here!"

A security guard burst into the command center of the temporary military base set up on the outskirts of a bustling metropolitan suburb. His face was pale with urgency as he delivered the news.

General Swanwick was in the middle of discussing troop deployments with Colonel Lane when the interruption occurred. Both officers turned to the guard, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern.

"Who's here? Is it Avenger?" Colonel Lane asked sharply, referring to the elite international task force operating with special clearance from President Okuhai.

The guard shook his head, swallowing hard. "No, sir. Not the Avenger... It's Superman."

At the mention of Superman, Swanwick and Lane exchanged a tense look. The room seemed to freeze for a moment. While Avenger had been acknowledged as allies—citizens of Earth, united in their defense of the planet—Superman was a different story.

Superman wasn't from Earth. He was Kryptonian, like the alien intruder in the spaceship currently looming above the city. The old adage "Non-ethnic, non-trustworthy" still held sway in the hearts of many, and the thought of dealing with another powerful outsider set everyone on edge.

"Let's go," General Swanwick ordered, his voice steady but his expression wary.

The group quickly mobilized. Swanwick and Lane led a contingent of high-ranking officers out of the command center and toward the perimeter of the base.

As their convoy arrived at the base's main gate, they saw him. Hovering effortlessly in the sky was a man in a red-and-blue suit with a flowing crimson cape. The iconic "S" shield on his chest glinted in the sunlight.

General Swanwick stepped out of his vehicle and studied the figure above. "The Avengers' description was accurate. That's him—Superman."

Tanks and mortars were already being positioned by the nervous soldiers on-site. The entire arsenal of the base had been deployed, all weapons now trained on the hovering Kryptonian. Swanwick scowled, rubbing his temples. "Stand down!" he barked at the guards. "All units, disarm and return to standby!"

The soldiers hesitated for a moment before obeying the general's command. The tension eased as the weapons were lowered. Above, Superman—Clark Kent—observed the scene unfold. Seeing the soldiers step back, he felt a flicker of warmth. He descended slightly, just enough to make his voice heard.

"Thank you, General Swanwick," Clark said with a small smile.

Swanwick blinked. "How do you know my name?" Then, realization dawned. "Oh, right. X-ray vision. The Avenger mentioned that." He instinctively patted his ID badge as if to confirm it was still there.

The air grew awkward for a moment, broken only when Colonel Lane glanced upward again. His neck was beginning to ache from craning. "Superman, perhaps you'd like to come to the command room?"

Clark shook his head. "No need. I'm just waiting for a friend."

Hovering patiently above the base, Clark became the center of attention for the soldiers below. Some whispered nervously; others stared in awe.

From behind an armored vehicle, a young soldier emerged. Despite her uniform, her striking presence couldn't be concealed. With a sly determination, she produced a camera and aimed it skyward.

Click!

Superman turned sharply toward the source of the sound, his intense gaze cutting through the air like a blade. The soldiers, startled, tightened their grips on their rifles, raising them cautiously toward the hovering figure.

"Stand down, everyone!" barked General Swanwick, his voice carrying authority but tinged with urgency. He rushed to defuse the escalating tension but paused as he noticed something odd: one of the soldiers was holding a camera.

"Soldier!" Swanwick's eyes narrowed as he barked at the female soldier. "Photography is strictly prohibited here! State your serial number immediately, or you'll face severe consequences!"

The woman, unfazed by Swanwick's authority, turned slightly, her gaze slipping past him to the figure standing nearby—Colonel Lane. With a small but firm voice, she said, "Dad."

The room froze. Every soldier present exchanged bewildered glances, the tension melting into palpable awkwardness. Even Swanwick was taken aback, his expression shifting from fury to incredulity.

"I thought we were dealing with an alien threat, not… family drama," he muttered under his breath.

Colonel Lane coughed to mask his embarrassment. "This is my daughter, Lois Lane," he admitted, shooting Lois a stern look. "Lois, destroy that camera immediately. You're trespassing in a restricted military zone!"

Lois ignored her father's reprimand. Her eyes, however, were fixed on Superman. The Man of Steel was still hovering, watching her with curious intensity.

"I finally found you!" she called out to him, her voice cutting through the murmur of soldiers. "I knew the Arctic wasn't just a wild goose chase!"

Superman descended slowly, landing just a few feet from her. His tall, broad frame towered over Lois, but she met his gaze without flinching.

"Hello again," Clark said softly, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Lois wasted no time. Pulling a notepad from her jacket pocket, she looked at him with unwavering determination. "Superman, I'm a journalist. There's been a surge of attacks by unknown creatures recently. Were you the one who stopped them?"

Clark smiled, his calm demeanor contrasting with the simmering frustration of General Swanwick, who was now pacing furiously.

"That's it!" Swanwick snapped, waving to his men. "Detain this troublemaker immediately! She's a security risk."

Lois barely reacted as two soldiers stepped toward her, but Superman moved in front of her, shielding her from them. His voice was steady, firm. "General, she's not a threat. She's just doing her job—like you and me."

Swanwick hesitated, the weight of Superman's words clearly sinking in. Finally, he sighed and waved off his men. "Fine. But the camera stays here, and no word of this incident leaks to the public."

"Deal!" Lois replied quickly, her eyes sparkling with triumph. She turned back to Clark. "Now, about that interview. Can we talk in private?"

Clark hesitated, glancing at Colonel Lane. The colonel, standing with arms crossed and an unyielding expression, radiated silent disapproval.

Clark wisely chose to remain silent, and an awkward tension fell over the group. The moment was broken when another figure descended from the sky—Kaius, carrying Wonder Woman.

"Looks like everyone's having a good time here," Kaius quipped as he landed, offering a smile to break the ice.

The atmosphere, still tense but now tinged with amusement, began to ease as the group refocused on the task at hand.

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