Chapter 5

DC

Marvel

The Newest Marvel

*** Freedom Plaza, A week later ***

Clark, dressed in his work lab coat stroll into a place that was restricted to regular employees before, Reed Richards personal laboratory. At first glance he saw that half of his co-workers was there a long with a good size force of "Cape Killers" milling about, other than that it was like a technological wonderland.

"I.D?" An SRU officer stopped Clark from advancing any further. His ID was quickly scanned before he was let through to the rest of the lab.

"Clark? What are you doing here?" A familiar voice asked as Clark turn around and was greeted by Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman. She looked a bit worse for wear especially after what happened to her brother. Johnny Storm, was jump and beaten up in a nightclub for being a Super hero, Clark could only sigh inwardly.

"Susan," Clark adjusted his glass and straighten out his lab coat as she closed the distance between them. "I heard about Johnny and I'm sorry that happened to him. He's a good guy."

Sue Storm eye flashed in pain at the memory before she shook her head. "He's fine, thankfully. I tell him he got another well wisher from the Farm."

Clark smiled softly. He took in Susan and note that she was in her newest iteration of the Fantastic Four uniform. She didn't look as energetic as when he last saw her.

"You look like you could use a bit more rest instead of running around up here."

"I'm fine," Sue assured him as she gave Clark another once over. "Speaking of, what are you doing here? I thought you were deem not a good fit for this project."

Clark smiled at he sense the apologetic tone in the Fantastic Fourette. "That's what I would like to know, I got a call that said I should show up here today for work..."

"What? That's news to me," Sue pursed her lips and blinked in confusion.

"That's cause I asked him for him to be here." A male voice cut in.

Turning Clark eyes widen as it was none other than Tony Stark, Billionaire Playboy and Superhero. He was dressed in his Iron Man outfit, flanking him was Dr. Hank Pym in his Yellow Jacket outfit, and Dr. Reed Richards himself.

"Mr. Stark?"

"Please called me Tony!" Tony Stark armor top half retracted to show off his black t-shirt with his logo on it as he casually throw a hand around Clark shoulder.

"Any friend of Carol's is a friend of mine, especially a childhood friend at that!"

Clark blinked before he realized that it was probably Carol who got him this job- but why? He thought her told her where he stood on the SRA.

"He is?" Susan looked genuinely surprise before she gave Clark another look over. As if figuring something out, a small secretive smile graced her lips.

"I see, so what's how it is, didn't know she liked the smart type, thought she preferred them more… brawny."

"Mr. Kent," Reed Richard cut in extending a hand. "I've seen your work and they are impeccable. Truly."

Tony and Hank eyes rose up at Reed's remark. That man was not easy to impressed at all!

"High praises already I see. Carol said your brain was rotting in Boston when it could be put to good use here. I hope you're not disappointed?"

"Mr. S-," Clark began but saw Tony warning look. "Tony. I don't know if Carol told you or not but I'm-"

"Anti-Registration, yes I know," Tony waved it with a hand. "What you will be working on would be in no way shape or form helping directly affecting what we do, but Project 42 is important and Reed tells me no one can point out sort through flawed calculations faster than you."

"Project 42?" Clark adjusted his glass again and saw that Sue was frowning a bit but Tony had released him.

"It's a prison, a prison for those that don't register, I don't want to put them in Raft next to the common criminals and Super Villains, wouldn't you agree?"

Clark had to agree, Super Heroes do not deserve to be jailed like super villains at all, so in effect a special interment camp until their trail date is sorted out. He could get behind that and apparently Tony saw that as he smiled widely.

"Alright! Glad to have you on board Kent, oh and one more thing," Tony said before he pulled Clark closer, any friendliness the Billionaire display before was gone in an instant.

"Hurt Carol and I hurt you. Got it?"

Clark could only smiled at a lost on how to respond.

The rest of the morning was spent with him getting oriented on the project. It was a massive prison and he could not but wonder where they were gonna put it. The construction is going to be in the Negative Zone before it would be phase out onto Earth. He was told to take the rest of the day off after they were finished as the real work began tomorrow.

As soon as he exited the Baxter Building he looked up in the sky and saw S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier patrolling the skies with registered Superheroes. Taking out his phone he dialed his friend.

"Hey Clark," Carol voice greeted. Clark could hear the happiness in her voice. He couldn't help but smile also.

"So Carol, you got me job?" Clark feign anger just to messed with her but he never realized it was so effective.

"What?! That was today? Tony told next week! That son of a -" Carol angered was transmitted well through the phone followed by a small stretch of silence.

"A-are you mad that I did?"

Clark could not help but chuckled a bit. Confident Carol nervous at his answer?

"No, in fact I am quite thankful, the project I'm assign to does not bother me at all. Thank you Carol."

There was another stretch of silence before Carol spoke to him again.

"R-Really? That's great! Really great! I was a bit worried but I'm glad it worked out!"

Clark heard his friend relieved tone but decided to mess with her a bit more. "Although, what did you tell him our relationship was again? Having a billionaire tech mogul come after me if I hurt you is kind of scary."

"He said what?! Why that nosy little - I'm gonna kill Tony! Kill him dead!" Carol response was just as amusing as Clark hoped it had been. He rarely see her this flustered, always the strong front with Carol.

"You can't, you're a super heroine, what kind of example would that set for the little girls out there?" Clark teased before he heard silence on the other line.

"Carol?"

"I-I'm still here," Carol replied, the nervous tone was back. "J-Just out of curiosity, what did you tell him? About what kind of relationship we have that is?"

"Hmmm, I forgot, perhaps if you are free, we can go grab some lunch now or perhaps dinner later. You know my memory work better than a full stomach."

"Clark~~~!" Carol voice took on a more threatening demeanor that made Clark grinned again. "Don't make me hurt you!"

"Lunch or Dinner, your choice Ms. Marvel," Clark declared his ultimatum.

"I hate you." Carol replied but this time her voice did not come from the phone, instead it came from behind him.

Clark took a moment to actually admired Carol in her Ms. Marvel outfit up close and personal. He visibly gulped as his eyes roamed all over her outfit. Black form fitting latex that hugged her vivacious body like a glove, black thigh high boots and matching long gloves.

'Damn hormones! What happen to my iron control as Superman?!' Clark lamented inwardly. He had never really paid attention before to the Super heroine around him and how they dressed. Of course he only had eyes for Diana back then perhaps that why his eyes didn't wander. Still upon retrospect, just how stupidly hot were his female peers back in his old universe?!

Now, however it all made sense. All of it.

Flash water cooler talk with Oliver and Ralph.

John attraction to Fatality.

Hal going after girls, even if they were underage. (Clark hope the League would never let him forget that.)

Cyborg distractedly looking at those files that one time he thought no one was looking. He thought it was his female peers but it was just cosplays girls.

Bruce and his women…. All of them.

And now, here he was in front of one of the hottest super heroine on the planet that rivals any of the ladies from his own universe.

"Eyes up here Clark," Carol broke Clark out of his thoughts sounding very amused and playful.

Looking up Clark saw her cheeks had a tint of red to them but she was still standing tall and proud. His could feel heat coming to his cheeks and to the back of his neck. Just where the hell did his steely demeanor went?! Was it because he was a human for so long? Was that why? For god sake he already saw Carol fully nude several times so why is he reacting like this?!

"Mr. Kent," Carol – Ms. Marvel, spoke up sounding very stern. "I do hope you plan on taking a girl out to dinner at least if you're going to be looking at her like that."

Clark could only hang his head in shame but nodded silently. Much to his embarrassment, Carol let out a peel of laughter at his reaction.

+++ Two Weeks Later, Clark's Apartment +++

Clark tiredly shambled into his apartment at six in the morning after pulling an all nighter. Letting out a soft yawn he looked on the bed to see Carol still there. She was wearing one of his oversized T-shirt and sleeping in her sheer black laced panties.

"Mmmm, morning Clark, long night?" Carol murmured sleepily from his bed.

"Yeah," Clark put on some coffee for Carol. The past two week was odd but pleasant. They still haven't said what they were in concrete detail but he was getting very close to putting to words what she was very afraid of saying out loud.

Every time Clark tried to talk about them, Carol always end up distracting him in enticing ways. He knew, and she knew he knew, but if she didn't want to he'd respect it. Beside the way she distracted him was very… nice especially the way she do that "thing" that just ….

"Pervert," Carol toss a pillow into Clark face as she stretch and yawn on the bed. "I know that look."

"Shouldn't be so talented then Ms. Marvel," Clark rebutted and inwardly cheered as Carol went red.

"I soooo regret wearing that for you," Carol rebuked but there was no heat behind it as she got up and went to the bathroom. A moment later the sound of the shower turning on let him know she'd be off to work soon.

Being the not-quite-boyfriend yet, he decided to make her breakfast while he was at it. After twenty minute Carol walked out with a towel wrapped around her. His towel in fact, his eyes drank in her sight again, his old human side was probably thumping his leg while the old Clark recalled images of Diana like that.

"Really?" Carol rolled her eyes at him, but he saw the pleased smile she gave him. She enjoyed his look.

"Yep," Clark pulled out a chair for her, just like his old farm boy teaching though him.

"Why how gentlemanly, I knew there was a reason why I kept you around," Carol smiled as she began to eat breakfast he made with gusto.

"Surely not the only reason," Clark feign sadness before the both laugh. "So you want to eat out tonight after work or me to make something?"

Carol suddenly blinked and looked away from him which made Clark puzzled. "What?"

"Errr, I'll be busy tonight, might even be so for the next couple of days."

"Oh." Clark nodded and dropped the subject. She was probably on the trails of some of the Resistance again. She tend not to talk about it with him and he never bother to ask. Still it made the silence between them awkward and it was up to him to stop it.

"Well, looks like it's just little old me, perhaps I'd catch a movie or something. Been a while. I think they got some new movies out."

Carol gave him a beaming smile letting him know that she appreciated his effort to change the subject.

"Well, I highly recommend the new Star Wars."

Clark gave Carol a level stare. "I think I wait for the reviews on that, I can't trust you when it comes to Star Wars."

Carol face turn read and she stood up pointing at him, "What do you mean you can't trust me? I have you know its a really good movie and the new main character is-"

"You recommended the prequel to me Carol. The Prequels!" Clark countered and watch as Carol stopped her defense and simply folded her arms and before going back to eating.

"Thought so."

"Whatever," Carol huffed as she finished off her bacon. "Some people can't appreciate good movies."

Clark could only smile and no longer afterward Carol was in her civvies getting ready to leave. "I'd let you know when I get back."

"Sure, send me a text," Clark waves before he turn back to look at the bed and collapsed on it. Sure he could take off his 'watch' and be instantly rejuvenated. However sleep is its own reward and pretty soon he was out like a light.

+++ That Night+++

Clark woke up to the sound of loud beeping. He looked at the time and was surprise to see it was eight at night. He had set his alarm for twelve in the afternoon.

"Well, that was unexpected."

Clark went about his routine with the news cast on when something caught his eyes. A chemical fire by Hudson?

"And once again for the past twenty minutes the fire Geffen-MEYERS chemical plants remains in flame even as rescue workers work frantically to save the 400 people trap inside. Authorities have diverted all traffic away for civilians safety. "

"Well, looks like a job for Superman," Clark muttered as he figured out some heroes would be there by now unless they were too busy fighting each other and didn't see this. Taking off his watch he instantly felt invigorated. A quick X-ray scan around show that no one was looking at his window as he flew out and punched into the Hudson River within seconds. When Clark emerged a second later he was clad in his Cobalt personal and was by the chemical plant three second later.

Flying above the fire Clark listen for any cry of distress even as his eyes was scanning for survivors.

"Odd," Clark mumbled to himself. He could not hear anything except for the sirens. The police and firefighter was there quarantining the place off. He landed closer in the raging inferno and still found no signs of any workers. Where they trapped under lead? No, he could see through the buildings, there was just nobody here.

"What the..."

Correction. There were heartbeats, lots of heartbeats, but where the bodies? Suddenly there was a flash of a blue light near him. A moment later the light formed into Captain America and his Resistance, Falcon, Luke Cage, the Vision, Daredevil, Cable and many others. Judging by their expression, they looked as surprised to see him there as he was to see them.

"Cobalt? What are you doing here?" Falcon was the first to asked him as Captain America was already looking around. Probably looking for people in distress just like he was before.

"Helping, I heard about the fire, but there no one here," Clark explained a moment later he heard them, everywhere. Radio chatter and... whispering?

"Cap! It's-"

"It's a TRAP!" Cable yelled before tranquillizers dart rain down all around them taking out Cloak and Wiccan.

Clark saw Cap and the veterans reacted quickly before their surrounding was filled with SRU and Pro-Registration Super Heroes. In the sky Cape Killers in helicopters decloaked their guns pointing threatening at the Resistance and him.

"Of course its a trap, how else would we get you all in one place?" Iron Man quipped as he stood at the forefront of the likes of the Thing, She-Hulk, Atlas, Mr. Fantastic…. Carol. Clark looked around and saw more Pro-Registration Heroes revealing themselves, Spider-Man, Wonder Man, Sue… they were outnumbered.

The two group stared each other down but they were interrupted by something else.

"Colby! We've been looking for you!" Spider-Man his patrol buddy walked happily up to him. His demeanor was very welcoming as if greeting an old friend.

"I knew you wanted to be like me," Clark quipped with a smile, falling into familiar banter, he continue to egged on his friend.

"Finally got yourself a mechanical suit huh?"

"Aww man, not you too!" Spider-Man grumbled as he put a hand over his masked face in embarrassment. His suit was now red and gold like Iron Man but with four more appendages.

"I'm already getting so much flak from my friends and family for the change!"

"Hey, what can I say? The old suit suited you more!" Clark snickered as Spider-Man groan.

"That was a horrible pun! You should feel bad!" Spider-Man waggled his finger in front of his old friend.

"Enough catching up ladies," Iron Man interjected before Clark could catch up anymore. "Cobalt, I heard a lot about you from Spider-Man, he's say you're a good guy, smart too if that suit is anything to go by but you did not registered. However I am willing to give you amnesty if you sign on now."

"Come on Big Blue, it'd be just like old times again, patrolling the street, kicking butt, getting paid for it for once!" Spider-Man tried to persuaded his friend.

"Did you see my ugly mug on T.V? I bet you're uglier than me!"

"Well what do you say Cobalt? You in?" Iron Man asked extending a friendly hand.

Clark looked at Tony hand and then to his friend Spider-Man, he scanned the other heroes on the Pro-Registration side. They were his friends, his co-worker, his lover on Iron Made side. Then he turn to look at Captain America side and noted that he knew absolutely nobody on that side. Not a single person.

The choice should have been easy, it should have been a no brainier, but it wasn't, life was never fair.

"I appreciate the offer-" Clark began as he looked over to Carol who was only looking at the other heroes ready to pounce on them.

"Colby!"

"Think carefully before you answer Cobalt, do you want to be an enemy of the state?"

"- Cap is right. Yesterday we were heroes but when you registered with the government, suddenly they are the bad guys. I stand with Truth, Justice and the American way."

Clark saw Spider-Man shoulder sagged in sadness as he flew over to Captain America group.

"Welcome to the Resistance, Son," Captain America clapped him on his back, respect clearly in his eyes. Looking around Clark saw the others Resistance member also nodding in approval, well most of them, the man known as Cable was the only one that looked at him oddly.

"I know that couldn't have been easy."

Clark saw Captain America look over to Spider-Man and felt gratitude for the legendary hero. He understood the sacrifice Clark made to battle friends for what is right.

"Damn it, Cap, it does not have to be like this! We can still talk this out!" Iron Man frustrated voice sounded out. His armor face plate popped as if to show his sincerity to his friends and colleagues.

"Please."

"What is there left to talk about Tony? You are hunting your own over super villains, not only that but you set up a trap for us! Is that what it means to be a hero under the registration act?!"

"We could've attack you right away and you wouldn't have even known it, but we didn't because I believe we can still come to a compromise, please..."

Clark saw Captain America look around at the assembled heroes, at the Cape Killers surrounding them over head and finally back to Iron Man.

"You got five minutes," Captain America told Iron Man as he extended his hand.

Five Minutes is all I need," Tony Stark looked genuinely happy at the chance given to him and Clark felt a bit relieved himself. Perhaps they could still talk it out.

That was when Clark noticed Tony looking at his hand. Clark used his super vision and saw exactly what was on Tony hand.

"Shit."

And then all hell broke loose.