"Are you in love with Lois?" Adrian asked Clark directly, his tone blunt and unfiltered.
"Lois?" Clark's brow rose in surprise.
He did not understand why Adrian would suddenly think he had feelings for Lois Lane. Clark liked Lois as a friend, respected her intelligence, and valued her company, but he had never thought of her as someone he wanted romantically. She was a compatible friend, someone he admired, but nothing deeper than that.
"It's not Lois then?" Adrian asked, genuinely curious.
"No, absolutely not. I don't have romantic feelings for Lois, and sometimes I think she worries a bit too much," Clark explained, a small smile forming. "You know what she told me a few days ago? She said she has been dreaming lately about a guy in red underwear flying around in the sky."
Adrian nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like you two might have some strange psychological link."
Clark shook his head, chuckling. "Adrian, that is not the main point. I'm talking about Alicia Baker."
Clark's face lit up as he spoke of her. "We met when an elevator malfunctioned and trapped us inside for an hour. We talked a lot, and it turned out we had a surprising amount in common. It felt like fate brought us together."
Clark's voice took on an enthusiastic tone, the kind that made him seem younger, more alive.
"But then the elevator suddenly plunged," he continued, eyes distant with the memory, "To protect her I had to reveal my abilities. I stopped the fall at the last moment, but when I looked back, she was gone. Then I found out she isn't ordinary either."
Clark's excitement grew. "Alicia can teleport, and she doesn't hide it from me. We both guard our secrets fiercely, and somehow that makes us feel connected. Like we were meant to understand each other."
Adrian exhaled calmly, meeting Clark's bright stare. "Maybe you should understand the difference between shared suffering and love, Clark."
Clark blinked, a little embarrassed. "Sorry, what I said might have sounded stronger than I meant. I do not know if this is love yet, but she is truly a good person."
At that moment a girl with blonde hair walked down the corridor. The second she saw Clark, her face brightened like the sun breaking through clouds.
"Hey Clark, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here."
The girl's smile was warm and genuine. Clark's face lit up instantly.
"Hey Alicia," he greeted her with easy friendliness.
"I am just visiting someone," she said, looking pleasantly surprised to see him.
"My father is in the hospital so I am taking care of him," Clark explained.
"Adrian, this is Alicia," Clark introduced.
Adrian stood and offered a polite nod.
"Hello," Alicia said, extending her hand with confidence.
Adrian looked her over briefly and firmly shook her hand. Right as he prepared to speak, his phone began buzzing.
Adrian excused himself with a nod and stepped aside.
"Bart," he answered.
"I thought someone as fast as you would never use something as slow and old‑fashioned as a phone," came Bart's voice, light and teasing.
"Usually I use my speed for communication," Adrian replied, "but when I have no location on a target I use tools like this."
"We are heading out tonight to investigate the Avenging Angel. Is that the first real mission for the Justice Society?" Bart asked excitedly.
Adrian's voice stayed cool. "You are not Justice Society members yet. If you find anything, call me immediately. You don't know how deep this goes and Jenna's powers are limited. Neither of you should be relied on completely."
Bart sounded a little deflated. "I didn't think you saw me that way, Adrian. I helped you uncover the Devourer of Heaven secret."
"If you were careful, you would not have nearly ended up with a broken leg," Adrian replied, not missing a beat. "Do not change the topic. If you find anything on the Avenging Angel, contact me instantly."
He ended the call and watched Clark and Alicia walk away together, their laughter echoing down the corridor.
Has Clark truly moved on from his feelings for Lana, and now feels something for someone else? Adrian thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He legitimately hoped his friend good luck.
Adrian turned and walked toward Jonathan Kent's hospital room.
---
The next day Betty walked across the Metropolis University campus toward the activity room listed on the flyer she had found.
Inside the small room, a group of girls gathered around a table, each wearing strange masks inspired by Adrian's unusual reputation. Some masks resembled stylized bats, others more abstract symbols. When Betty stepped in, her heart leapt in fear.
"Hi!" she said hesitantly.
All eyes turned toward her. Several girls stared intensely beneath their masks with expressions that seemed both eerie and oddly reverent.
"You seem scared," one of the masked girls said.
The girl removed her mask to reveal her face. This was Hanna, the president of the Adrian Kent Fan Club. She examined Betty closely.
"If masks like this frighten you, then maybe this place isn't suited for you," Hanna said with a half‑smile.
Betty took a steadying breath, reminding herself of her undercover mission. She was a woman of logic, someone who analyzed behavior. Surely this weirdness was just a display of fandom.
"I want to join the Adrian Kent Fan Club," Betty declared.
Hanna appraised her thoughtfully. "You don't look like a typical fan. If you were a true Kent enthusiast, you would not be so calm walking in here."
Betty noticed framed pictures on the wall, all of them stylized portraits of Adrian in various poses, heroic or contemplative.
"My favorite author is Agatha Christie, so I naturally analyze things logically," Betty said.
"Is that so?" Hanna stepped closer, peering into her eyes. "You might not be completely rational after all."
With that she handed Betty a sheet of paper. "This is a basic test. If you pass it, we will know you aren't just here for fun."
Betty sensed the oddness of needing to prove herself to join a club. Yet she was prepared and finished the test quickly, confident in her answers.
"Not bad," Hanna said, "but you must go further. Swear allegiance to Adrian Kent's Symbol of Determination."
Betty blinked at the strange phrase. Hanna then revealed an illustration of a mysterious symbol tied to Adrian's persona.
Though bizarre, Betty forced herself forward. For the sake of investigation she repeated the oath as required.
Hanna told her to go home and wait for notification after completing the pledge.
But instead of leaving, Betty paused just outside the room, pressing her ear to the door to overhear what the other girls were discussing.
Inside, Hanna spoke with fierce conviction.
"It was Lex Luthor who triggered Jonathan Kent's heart failure," she stated with resentment. "The endless political assaults are to blame. We must avenge Kent's suffering."
Everyone nodded solemnly in agreement.
"Killing him is the only way to make Lex pay," a girl wearing an owl‑like mask declared while drawing a dagger.
Clutching the blade, she ran it lightly across her wrist, letting her blood drip slowly.
"If anyone betrays our oath then they must pay with their own blood."
Betty's eyes widened, heart pounding in disbelief. She backed away silently, terror washing over her senses as the girls' fanatic devotion became frighteningly clear.
===
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