Hearing the Kryptonian woman reveal that General Zod had escaped from the Phantom Zone and was already heading toward Earth, Adrian's brows tightened slightly.
"How much time do we have, Rika?" Adrian asked.
"About a week."
Rika looked at Adrian with a stern expression. "General Zod needs time to inspect the old colonial outposts left behind from Krypton's expansion era. Armor, weapons, and the jump engine that will allow his ship to make long space jumps. He must gather them before arriving."
"Is that so?"
Adrian lifted his gaze toward the sky beyond the barn window.
Something felt wrong.
In his memory, Zod did not appear until much later, around the time Clark had finished college and started wandering through the world to find his place. Yet now the timeline had shifted.
Was it because his arrival in this world had disrupted events?
Or was this simply one of the countless parallel universes within the DC multiverse?
Adrian fell into deep thought.
Beside him, Clark Kent placed his axe down and looked at Rika.
"General Zod used to be your leader?"
The Kryptonian woman glanced at Clark with her usual cold expression.
"Yes."
Clark originally wanted to ask what she thought about her former commander. However, seeing the sharp look in her eyes, he quickly swallowed the rest of his words.
Clark had always been curious about how Rika became Adrian's subordinate, though the truth was fairly simple.
Adrian had dragged her into the Devourer of Heaven's Shadow Land, forcing her to experience a torment that felt like hell itself.
Afterward, he used both pressure and reward.
He offered knowledge from the lost Kryptonian Codex he had inherited, including records related to rebuilding Kryptonian civilization. Those secrets were enough to force Rika into a difficult decision.
Remain loyal to Zod and eventually face death, or serve Adrian and help build something new.
Naturally, Adrian also ensured loyalty through other means.
Professor Emil Hamilton had created a kryptonite-based device that Adrian secretly implanted inside Rika's body. If she attempted betrayal, Adrian could eliminate her instantly.
"I have a mission for you, Rika," Adrian said calmly.
He looked at the tall Kryptonian woman whose bronze skin and fierce beauty gave her an almost wild presence.
"Return to General Zod and go undercover."
Rika did not hesitate.
"I understand."
She knew exactly what Adrian wanted. He needed a spy close to Zod.
At this point she had already accepted Adrian as her master. In her eyes, Adrian had the potential to become a far greater Kryptonian leader than Zod himself.
Therefore she had no intention of resisting.
Moments later, Rika left the barn and shot into the sky, disappearing in seconds.
Clark watched her leave, worry written across his face.
"Are you sure sending her is a good idea?"
"Are you worried about her safety, Clark?" Adrian asked.
"No."
Clark shook his head.
"I just don't know if she can truly be trusted."
Adrian leaned casually against the barn wall.
"There is no such thing as a completely risk-free situation. As long as the risk stays within expectations, it's acceptable."
Clark watched the sky for a moment before nodding slowly.
"I guess I forgot. She's technically one of our people now."
---
That afternoon, Adrian and Clark arrived at Metropolis Medical Center.
The moment they entered the hospital, they saw Lionel Luthor walking out of Jonathan's room.
When Lionel noticed them, he paused briefly before approaching.
"Hello, Adrian. Clark."
Adrian did not respond.
He gave Lionel a cold glance and walked straight past him toward the hospital room.
Clark remained behind for a short exchange of polite words before following.
Inside the room, Martha Kent stood by the window with her arms crossed, gazing at the blooming roses outside.
Hearing the door open, she turned around.
After hugging both of her sons, she asked Adrian,
"Where's Rachel?"
"She's resting at home, Mom," Adrian replied. "Don't worry about her. At this hour she's probably still asleep. She'll wake up around three and immediately complain about being hungry."
Martha sighed as she sat down.
"That girl gives me constant headaches running around everywhere. She inherited your restless nature from when you were younger."
She rubbed her temple slightly.
"When she actually stays in bed and sleeps for a few hours, that's the most peaceful time for me."
"Yes, she's always been energetic," Adrian said with a faint smile.
After a short pause, Adrian spoke again.
"Mom… can we talk outside for a minute?"
"Of course."
Martha looked slightly surprised but followed Adrian out into the public lounge area.
Clark stayed behind in the room to watch over Jonathan Kent.
Adrian hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"I want to take Dad out of the hospital."
Martha frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"We're about to face trouble," Adrian said seriously. "General Zod will arrive on Earth soon. His hostility toward us and toward this planet is greater than anything we've faced before."
He looked directly at his mother.
"I don't want you or Dad getting hurt."
Martha considered his words quietly.
"Like the last time? When you and Clark fought and Jonathan and I hid at the Winters house?"
She shook her head.
Reaching forward, she held Adrian's hand gently.
"Adrian, I won't leave Jonathan. And I won't leave you boys either."
"Jonathan needs treatment here. He can't leave the hospital. And neither can I."
"Winters place has stronger security," Adrian insisted.
Martha brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.
"Hiding isn't the answer to every problem," she said softly.
"Every step we take leads us toward the future we choose."
She looked directly into Adrian's eyes.
"You and Clark should send Rachel to the Winters house. But your father and I will stay here."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Adrian knew the discussion was over.
"I'll send Jenna and Bart to protect you," he said finally.
It was the only compromise he could accept.
---
Inside the hospital room, Clark sat beside Jonathan's bed, staring at his father's unconscious face.
His eyes carried a heavy sadness.
He held Jonathan's hand gently.
"Dad…"
Clark remembered the first time his powers appeared.
Back then he had fought a bully who was harassing a girl at school and accidentally crushed a metal fence. Adrian told Jonathan what had happened.
Jonathan never scolded him.
Instead, he said Clark's abilities were a gift from God.
He said Clark was not a monster.
He said Clark might one day change the world.
Clark had cried back then.
"Can I keep pretending to be your son?" he had asked.
Jonathan's answer had been simple.
Always.
Clark looked down at his father's motionless face.
"If I could choose, Dad, I'd keep pretending to be your son forever."
He sighed softly.
"Ever since you ended up here, I've been trying to carry the farm the way you did. I thought it would be easy."
He shook his head slightly.
"It isn't."
"Running a farm is harder than college. At college you don't worry about bad feed making horses sick. You don't worry about sudden financial problems."
For the first time, Clark truly understood how much responsibility his father had carried.
"Dad, you always talked about responsibility. I used to think it was just a word."
"But now I finally understand."
A small smile appeared on Clark's face.
At that moment the door opened.
Adrian and Martha entered the room.
Clark quickly stood up.
"Clark," Martha said gently, "your father and I will be transferred to Lawrence University Hospital for a while."
"You and Adrian don't need to visit often. You both have important things to deal with."
Clark's emotions wavered as he stepped forward and hugged his mother.
"Mom…"
Tears streamed down Martha's face.
"When you and Adrian were babies, I used to sit beside your cradle and listen to your breathing," she said quietly.
"You both struggled so much to breathe back then. I was terrified."
Clark gently patted her shoulder.
"You've always been kind, Clark," Martha continued.
"One day the whole world will see it too."
Her voice trembled.
"I'm just afraid that someday you and Adrian will leave the farm."
"I know that day will come eventually."
Clark hugged her tighter.
"I'm not going anywhere, Mom."
"I promise."
"Once everything is settled, I'll come back."
As he spoke, Clark glanced at Adrian.
The two brothers exchanged a silent look.