"Alright, that should do it, right?"
Driving a tractor, Locke maneuvered a large, oval-shaped object covered with a black tarp into the basement of his warehouse. He went through the motions and asked, "You guys really planning to adopt that baby?"
"You know we've always wanted a child," Jonathan replied, clapping Locke on the shoulder. His tone was firm, but a hint of exhaustion flickered in his eyes.
Locke frowned, glancing at the smoldering ruins of the Kents' barn. "But your barn just burned down. What about this year's harvest? Financially…"
Jonathan let out an awkward chuckle, scratching his head. "Well, I didn't get a chance to move the grain into the barn this afternoon, so the loss isn't as bad as it looks. Most of the wheat is still stacked in the temporary shed by the field."
Locke's guilt eased a bit at that. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd somehow brought this disaster on them by drawing Dio's attention. That fire, the mysterious man who vanished into thin air—it was all too strange. Was this how the "golden finger" delivered a child?
"Let's go. Martha's waiting," Jonathan said, his tone lighter, snapping Locke out of his thoughts.
The two headed toward the Kents' house. Moonlight spilled over the charred remains of the barn, casting a dark red glow. Luckily, this was a remote farm, and a single barn fire wouldn't attract much attention. Only Locke's farm, close enough to Jonathan's, had a clear view of the blaze.
Thud!
Pushing open the door, they found Martha sitting on the living room couch, cradling two babies, her face etched with worry.
"You're back!" she said, her eyes darting between the two men. "Did you hide the… spaceship?"
Locke nodded, keeping his voice low. "It's in my basement, covered with a tarp. No one will find it for now."
Martha let out a sigh, her tense shoulders relaxing.
"Still, it's so weird," Jonathan muttered, sitting down on the couch and gently running his rough fingers over Clark's swaddle. "How does a barn just catch fire like that? The wiring was fine, no storms, not even a spark."
Martha shook her head, puzzled. "We hadn't been gone long when the fire started. It's almost like…" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Like something crashed into it."
Locke's heart skipped a beat. Clearing his throat, he half-joked, "Maybe it was just too dry? The grain pile overheated or something?" He added, "When I found this kid by my doorstep, I heard a loud crash, and then your barn was up in flames."
Jonathan and Martha looked up simultaneously, their eyes shifting between Locke and Dio.
"You're saying," Jonathan said, frowning, "the barn caught fire right when this kid showed up?"
Locke nodded, putting on a helpless expression. "Sounds crazy, but that's what happened."
Martha fell silent for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. Looking down at the two babies in her arms, a small smile crept onto her face, her eyes softening with warmth. "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."
She gazed at the two children. "The more I look at these two, the more I love them. Especially this little guy—he's sleeping so soundly." She gently touched Clark's forehead, then glanced at Dio. "This blond one was crying up a storm earlier, but he's finally settled down."
Jonathan blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah, we lost a barn, but we gained two great kids."
Locke stepped closer, peering at Dio. The baby's blond hair shimmered faintly under the light, a star-shaped birthmark standing out on his neck. Locke reached out to touch Dio's tiny hand, only for the baby to suddenly grab his finger.
"Looks like he likes you, Locke," Martha said with a smile, handing Dio to him. Her expression turned wistful. "You sure you want to adopt this kid? You're still single, you know. Taking on a child…"
"Since I'm the one who found him," Locke said, cradling Dio, "maybe it's fate, just like you and your kid."
Jonathan burst out laughing. "Well, starting today, we've got two little rascals in the family! Clark Kent and…" He paused, looking at Locke. "What should we call this one?"
Locke went quiet for a moment, his mind flashing back to the man who'd turned to ash and the cold, mechanical voice of the system in his ear. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Dio Kent."
"Dio Kent," Jonathan repeated, nodding with a grin. "Good name!"
---
Seven years passed in a blink.
No one in town noticed that two ordinary families had each gained a child. Maybe it was the kids' good luck, but the farmers in Smallville had been doing better and better these past few years.
Even Locke, who'd only been farming for a short time, had expanded his operation. With careful planning and help from Jonathan, he'd shaken off the weight of taxes.
Jonathan and Martha were doing well, too. Their barn had been rebuilt, bigger and sturdier than before, and they'd even upgraded their old tractor to a shiny new model.
But what really got the townsfolk talking were the Kent family's two boys—Clark and Dio.
Clark showed signs of being different early on. By age five, he could easily lift hay bales that grown men struggled with. He ran so fast even the quickest sheepdog on the farm couldn't keep up. Jonathan and Martha were both proud and worried, constantly reminding him, "Be careful, don't let anyone find out."
Dio, on the other hand, was the quintessential "perfect kid next door." He was reading fluently by three and helping Locke and Clark with farm work by five. Polite and respectful to everyone, he was the darling of the town's kindergarten, where teachers called him a "well-mannered genius."
The townsfolk were green with envy, constantly asking Locke for parenting tips and details about Dio's daily life.
So, what was this genius kid up to?
"Dad…"
"Uncle Jonathan, sniff…"
"Clark, did you pick on Dio again?" Martha knelt down, wiping Dio's tears. "There, there, don't cry."
"I didn't!" Clark held up a book smeared with soggy mush, looking exasperated. "I just wanted to see what Dio was reading, but I accidentally threw it into the pig trough."
"Clark, you can't use your strength on your little brother. You're too strong, and Dio's just a normal kid," Jonathan said with a sigh. "You've got to hold back."
"I was holding back!" Clark's voice grew more aggrieved, his eyes welling up. "I didn't mean to!"
"Alright, Clark," Martha said, patting his head. "You're the big brother. Apologize to Dio."
"Why do I have to apologize? I didn't do anything wrong!"
Bang!
The door swung open, and a man stepped in, shaking off his umbrella and hanging it up. "This weather's been all over the place lately," he grumbled. "Jonathan, make sure to check on your haystacks."
"Oh, shoot!" Jonathan bolted out the door, suddenly remembering. "My haystacks!"
The two men didn't look much different from seven years ago. Well, that's not entirely true. Locke had bulked up considerably, and, if you measured him, you'd find he'd grown from 6'2" to a towering 6'5"!
---