2 Chapter 02

Smallville, Kansas 1921

The small town of Smallville, Kansas was aptly named because it was a small town. The kind of town that you'd pass by without a second glance. But that had changed with the influx of wheat, corn, and cattle farming that changed Smallville from a small rural town into a much larger but still kind of small town. The town expanded at the turn of the century due to the influx of farming wealth which brought over some development from urban companies and groups. Plenty of stores, a nearby coal mine, some factories, the development of the Smallville basin which brought new life into town and the creation of a railroad station turned Smallville into a Midwestern hub.

The development brought more people, technology, and resources to Smallville with it being one of the few farming towns to have clean running water and electricity in several of its farm houses. It was still a farm town and many of the families that lived there had been there for generations but it had expanded. One such family was the Kents who were apart of Smallville history. Jonathan Kent ran the Kent farm outside the town and was a pillar of the community. A strong, compassionate man with a dedicated work ethic and high moral values. He believed people should be honest, ethical, and sincere. And the only one who could handle Jonathan Kent was his wife, Martha. She was a passionate, strong, and resourceful woman and the perfect foil for Jonathan. While some saw her independence and no-nonsense attitude as unbecoming of a woman, Jonathan was not one of them. The two knew they were in love at first sight and married young out of high school but despite the long and happy years there was one thing missing. A child.

Jonathan and Martha were finishing up shopping in town. Martha sat in front of the wagon by the horses as Jonathan loaded up the last of the supplies before he sat down next to his wife and saw she was a bit down. She was looking over at a mother and father of three. An eldest son, a younger daughter and new born baby boy. "Martha?" Jonathan reached over and held her hand.

"I see those little faces…and it's all I ever want." She replied. Jonathan held her close and kissed her on the head before taking the reins to lead the horses back to the farm. The trip took a while with the horses going at an easy speed but it was a nice and quiet afternoon that was suddenly interrupted by a sudden star appearing in the sky. "Jonathan, what's that?"

"It's too early for a shooting star." Jonathan pointed out when they saw the star getting closer and closer. It wasn't a star but more a giant ball of fire heading straight to the ground.

"Oh my god, Jonathan!" Martha held him close as he pulled a lever so the wagon stopped just as the ball of fire crashed down next to them in a nearby field. The sudden stop and shockwave of whatever landed caused one of the wheels on the wagon to come off and crash while Jonathan and Martha fell off the wagon. Despite the crash they would be fine. Just some bruises and maybe a headache.

Jonathan groaned in pain as he saw his wife lying next to him who was reeling from what happened but she was alive. He could hear the horses neigh and whine in fear but managed to see the wagon nearby. It was still intact and just missing a wheel. That's when he saw some small feet walk over and couldn't believe it if he didn't see it with his own eyes.

"Martha?" Jonathan called out as she slowly looked over and saw what he did. It was a boy, maybe three years old with dark brown hair and blue eyes, smiling at them…and he was naked. Martha quickly grabbed a blanket from the wagon and wrapped it around the young boy as she and Jonathan checked out if his parents were nearby and what crashed down next to them. "Boys just don't fall out of the sky, Martha."

"Then where did he come from?" Martha wondered.

"I don't know. He must have parents." Jonathan said when they arrived at the impact crater of whatever crashed down and they couldn't believe it. They weren't sure what they were seeing but it wasn't a plane, a car, or a wagon. It looked…alien and completely unscathed despite having crashed down. Given how the vessel was empty they realized it was where the boy came from.

"Well, I'm pretty sure they're not from Kansas." Martha pointed out as Jonathan looked up at the sky to see if there was anything else coming down. He looked over and saw Martha smiling at the boy who had taken a liking to her.

"Sweetheart…we can't keep him. What are we gonna tell people? We found him out in a field?"

"We didn't find him…he found us." Martha answered, holding the boy close as he nuzzled into her arms. Jonathan looked around before he saw the little boy reach a hand out so he took his hand with his finger and couldn't help but smile.

"All right. Well, let's get him out of here before someone shows up." Jonathan suggested as they returned to the wagon. It was luckily still in one piece but the wheel needed to be replaced. Martha placed the boy on the ground so she could help Jonathan with the repairs. He struggled to lift it up so she could place the wheel back on its axel but with the supplies they bought it was too heavy. That's when it was suddenly lifted up about two feet and they saw the boy lifted it over his head with his hands. "He's definitely not from Smallville."

Jonathan and Martha Kent managed to push the wheel onto the wagon and hurried back home as the Watcher's Astral figure appeared in the sky looking down at the scene. "This. This one moment will change everything. The random act of kindness and compassion a husband and wife gave to an orphaned boy…would change their lives forever. As well as the course of history."

Time Skip…

Manhattan, New York April 1942

Manhattan, New York City was always busy but even more so with the start of the second world war. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt and US congress declared a state of war against the Axis powers. Everyone now had a common enemy and purpose. Companies and factories across the country made vehicles and weapons for the war like Ford who began making jeeps and Stark Industries who began producing airplanes for the war effort. It helped push new jobs for everyone which was a good thing as the production of war time materials and sale of war bonds would help in the fight against the Axis powers.

Manhattan was also home to certain branches and groups of the US armed forces and allied intelligence. One young private was on his way to a meeting with his commanding officers for the regular quarterly intelligence gathering where various heads would meet to share intelligence. He was tall but his posture was slouched or hunched over. He was wearing a large overcoat and baggy military fatigues to hide his 6ft3, broad shouldered, and well-built physique. He had slicked back black hair, blue eyes, and even with the black rimmed glasses on his face he was very handsome. The sort of definition of tall, dark, and handsome and people noticed given the looks and giggles he was getting as he passed by the women on the street.

This private was young 21 year old Kalvin Elbert from Kansas city, Kansas but he was actually Clark Joseph Kent from Smallville, Kansas now working as a private for the Eastern European unit of the Military Intelligence Service based out of Camp Ritchie of Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. He had been in England for the past several months working in intelligence but was now back in the states with his lieutenant for a meeting. You'd think that with his size and physique that he'd be in the army and he wanted to be fighting but his circumstance wasn't exactly…normal. He had crash landed in Smallville in an alien spaceship and he was different then everyone else. You'd hear that statement from everyone but he was different considering he could run faster than a train, lift a two-ton tractor with one arm behind his back and his skin was harder than steel. His parents always protected him and kept the secret of his origins from everyone. It was a hard way to grow up but despite him not being from earth…that never changed his parents love for him.

Clark arrived at the government building where the meeting was taking place and checked in before being escorted to the conference room. He was the first one to arrive so he placed his large stack of files on the chair next to him, took out his journal and began writing things down.

Flashback…

"My most vivid memories are of the days my life changed. I remember coming to this earth, feeling the sun on my face for the first time. Hearing the voices of my parents."

Jonathan and Martha Kent look at the baby Clark Kent walk up to them after his spaceship crashed down near them.

"My mother called me their greatest surprise. And boy, there sure were lots of them."

A young six year old Clark was sitting outside on a blanket while he played with some toys under the watchful gaze of his parents. Jonathan did some repairs on his tractor while Martha hung up some laundry. Clark stood up and threw a baseball which punched through the side of the house with the force of a bullet. Young Clark stood there confused and his parents shared the same look along with concern.

"I remember loving Smallville. The people, the community. How the small things were the big things and I thought I'd live there forever."

A 17-year old Clark Kent helped his friends set up the banner for the Smallville Harvest day festival. Despite the tough times the depression brought, Smallville was a close knit town of family and friends who supported one another. And it helped that the Kent farm was able to stay in good footing. As Clark got older, his parents helped him with his unique abilities. He could do the work four farm hands could in half the time.

Clark smiled in anticipation as his parents joined him when Jonathan began to feel weak and grabbed his chest in pain before he collapsed to the ground.

"JONATHAN!" Martha cried in horror as she tried to wake him up.

"Dad?! DAD!" Clark neared his side but he was unresponsive. "SOMEONE GET HELP!"

The people nearby rushed over to help or went to get the police or a doctor but it was too late. Jonathan's funeral was held soon after and everyone in the town was in attendance. Martha and Clark held one another and could only cry tears of grief and sadness. Smallville lost a hero that day.

"But my father's death put in motion a new path in my life."

Clark walked into the storm cellar below the barn where he found the spaceship that brought him to earth. After years of putting it off, Clark put the S-shaped key he wore around his neck into his spaceship. His father told him the truth when he was 14 and showed him the key and swore that no matter what…he would always be his father but that he had a greater destiny waiting for him. No matter how long he had to wait…he owed it to himself to find out why he was sent to earth.

He opened his rocket and found the compartment where Kelex was residing. The robot explained that Clark's real name was Kal-El and he came from the planet called Krypton. His father sent him to earth to protect him from their dying planet and to help humanity. Kelex would be here to assist Clark and help protect him, leaving its main operating core in the ship while making a small version in the form of a watch. Kelex would be with Clark always and be able to help him. He also found the sun crystal but it wasn't active and Kelex informed him that it wasn't ready to be activated. He would monitor the crystal's progress and when it was ready it would lead Clark to all the answers he could want.

Four years passed on and Clark stayed on the farm to help his mother and keep the Kent farm prospering. Martha wanted him to go to college but Clark knew that affording it was going to be difficult and he needed to be on the farm to look after her. He worked the fields, bucked hay, tended to the animals and everything Jonathan taught him. He'd be proud to see him working hard.

Now at the age of 20, Clark had grown into a strapping young man who was definitely catching the eye of several of the lovely ladies of Smallville which is something his mother brought up. It was never too late to find a nice woman to settle down with. The two were making a run into town for supplies when they noticed everyone gather around a radio for a sudden broadcast from President Roosevelt. The Japanese air force bombed Pearl Harbor Hawaii, killing three thousand Americans, and declaring war on the US which President Roosevelt returned in kind. The US had now joined the second world war.

"But then everything changed when the war came to the US. I wanted to help and do my part but my mother wasn't thrilled. I guess you could say…I'm not like everyone else."

Clark was standing on the front porch with a conflicted look on his face. His mother joined him and she knew what he wanted to do. It was dangerous and she reminded him that he was different and of his father's worst fear. If people found out about Clark…they'd reject him and treat him with fear and anger or the government would take him away. Clark understood that but he also felt that given all his powers he couldn't just sit around on the farm and do nothing while brave men went to war. She understood but was still worried when Kelex produced a suggestion. Clark could join the army under a fake name so no one knew it was him. Some minor adjustments to how he held himself or walked and he could work in an intelligence manner which meant he would still be helping and giving the armed forces valuable intel for the war without putting himself in the spotlight. Kelex and Clark would fix the army physical and make it so he couldn't go into the field. Given the technological limitations of Earth, Kelex would be able to fool them very easily. And if the worse came to be when he needed to go into the field and use his powers, it'd be the alias people knew about instead of Clark.

"But helping however I could was better than doing nothing."

Clark went to his physical wearing thick black rimmed glasses, adjusted his hair and how he carried himself by adopting a mild-mannered and reserved nature. Clark just put on his physical form that he was severely near sighted and had asthma and they were able to do a quick blood swap when no one was looking. Granted, finding blood that showed asthma was difficult but not impossible. In the end it might not have mattered as the second the doctor saw severely near sighted and asthma he rejected Clark for field deployment and was recruited into intelligence after an aptitude test. It helped that he could speak multiple languages which was easy to his brain.

End flashback…

"Kal."

Clark was brought out of his flashback when he saw his superior, Lieutenant Warren walk in. "Sorry, sir." Clark stood at attention.

"At ease, Elbert. We're early." Lieutenant Warren put his hat and files down on the table. "Nice work on the files. You're a natural."

"Thank you, sir." Kent nodded before handing him one more. "Also, sir. I finished this report last night. I think you should see this."

Lieutenant Warren looked it over and it was intriguing. "You managed to break this encryption when everyone else has been struggling for months. Sometimes I think you're too smart to be an enlisted soldier, Ebert. You should have become an officer."

"I'm doing all I can, sir. I just hope it's enough." Clark admitted.

"It is, Kal." Lieutenant Warren assured him. "Look, I just got done talking with some of the others in intelligence. I know it's not what you'd expect. You want to be off fighting and everything but this work here matters, too. If it weren't for us then the boys out there would go in blind. Everything we do keeps them safe. Remember that."

"Yes, sir." Clark replied as more people began to fill the room. Army, Army Airforce, and Naval intelligence officers along with British liaisons when Clark noticed an older Colonel followed by a woman wearing army fatigues. She had brown hair, bright red lipstick and exuded the confidence that she belonged with the men in this room and could kick their assess with ease.

Then in walked General Taylor and everyone stood at attention. "At ease, everyone." They all relaxed and sat down when the General did. "Ok, let's get this meeting started. What do we have?"

The intelligence meeting went on for over an hour as intel was exchanged and verified. Valuable intel that would help in the planning of the war and deployment of troops for the US and its allies. Lieutenant Warren had plenty of good intel to present on the German and Italian troop movements in Europe and North Africa along with movements in Russia before moving into reports on activity in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The meeting was just about over so General Taylor had his assistant prep all the files he would present to the other generals and president.

"Well done, all of you. This is good intel we've gathered. Keep your teams working diligently and we can end this war soon. Any last questions or concerns?" General Taylor asked everyone.

"Actually, sir there is one more from our team." Lieutenant Warren raised his hand and handed General Taylor the file Clark worked on.

"Norway?" General Taylor was confused as to why a German garrison movement there was cause for concern when they've occupied the country for a year now with no resistance.

"Yes, sir. We've managed to break the heavy encryption the Germans are using for their more secretive movements and latest intel suggested that an SS garrison recently laid siege to the town of Tønsberg, Norway. There were no survivors." Lieutenant Warren explained and the General looked it over.

"This is impressive intelligence, Lieutenant. Well, done." General Taylor praised him.

"Thank you, sir but this was done by Private Elbert." Lieutenant Warren motioned Clark to stand up and he did.

"Private Kalvin Elbert." Clark saluted the general.

"Jesus, you're a big boy son. What the hell are you doing in intelligence? You should be out in the field." General Taylor remarked.

"Thank you, sir but I'm pretty much blind and have asthma. I was recruited into intelligence." Clark replied, touching his glasses which were just plain glass.

"Private Ebert is one of our best analysts. Helps he speaks, reads, and writes multiple languages." Lieutenant Warren added.

"Really?" Colonel Phillips asked.

"Yes, sir. French, Italian, Russian, German, Spanish, Turkish, Polish, and Japanese. My Mandarin is still a little rusty." Clark answered and everyone was impressed. "Anyway, according to the transmissions we intercepted the town that the Germans attacked was just a fishing village with no strategic or military value. The only thing of note were old Norse and Viking castles in the surrounding area. Whatever they wanted it must have been important since the Germans killed everyone there. We did manage to get the name of the leader. Johann Schmidt. There's not a lot on him but we do know he's a member of the Nazi Party, a member of the Thule Cult society and a high ranking member of the SS."

General Taylor looked over at Colonel Phillips and Agent Peggy Carter who shared looks of intrigue. "Well done, all of you. Keep up the good work."

"Ten-hut!"

Everyone stood at attention as General Taylor walked out of the room. Once he was gone, everyone packed up their belongings and made their way out. Lieutenant Warren walked out with of the building with Clark right behind him.

"Well done, Kal. I think the general was really impressed with what we managed to find. Good work."

"Thank you, sir." Clark replied, fiddling with his glasses a bit. He wasn't fixing anything as his glasses weren't really needed. They helped with the disguise and fidgeting with them was just sort of a habit at this point.

"Well, our flight doesn't take off until tomorrow afternoon so we've got the night and morning in the city. Enjoy the rare evening pass, Elbert. I'll see you tomorrow." Lieutenant Warren gave him a mock salute before walking off to enjoy his night in Manhattan.

"Sounds fine to me." Clark replied, kind of happy to have a night off in Manhattan. He walked down the street and stopped at the nearest payphone to call home.

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