Capítulo 60: Chapter 60
London, England
It had been about 24 hours for Clark and his cold was progressing. He would admit it was getting better as he managed to wake up this morning not feeling as bad as he did yesterday but he still wasn't back to 100%. As Kelex told him, the cold was only temporary and in another 24 hours he'd be back to normal. Now that he was on earth, his body would slowly reabsorb yellow sun radiation which was aiding him in his recovery but it was a slow process. When he arrived on the mystery planet, the red sun radiation made him lose his powers as when under a red sun Kryptonians do not gain any of their abilities like a from a yellow sun. Clark awoke on the planet's surface after the rocket exploded which somehow transported him there. He still wasn't sure how that worked but he had no idea how long he had been there and neither did Kelex since he was shorted out from the explosion and was back to 100% just before Clark woke up. Considering all the pain he felt and he didn't have his powers when he woke up then he had to have been on the planet for a few hours at the least for the red sun radiation to completely deprive his body's cells of yellow sun radiation. When he returned to earth his body began absorbing yellow sun radiation which is why his powers came back but he needed to fully refill his tank so to speak. His body has spent his entire life absorbing yellow sun radiation so now with it empty from the red sun of the alien planet it would take some time to reabsorb enough to bring him back to full power. The cold didn't help as his body was fighting it and with the colder weather and more clouds in the sky meant absorbing sunlight was not that easy but his powers were slowly returning. His durability for one since the doctors tried again to take a blood sample and their syringe bent. His strength was returning as he managed to snap the room service knife like it was a pencil. He wasn't sure yet on his speed and heat vision as Peggy was adamant that he rest up until his cold passed so he relented. He was bulletproof but when Peggy got mad she frightened him.
With nothing to do but wipe his nose of the dripping mucus and race to the window every time he sneezed, Clark had to find ways to kill time. Just sitting around and listening to the radio wasn't enough especially when the radio was often reporting the news on the war and he felt bad that he was sick in bed. Thankfully, Peggy had some time to stick around before heading back to the SSR base. They talked for hours about their current situation and the path for their relationship going forward. Though not said in the actual words, both of them made it clear that they wanted to get married with their obstacles being Clark's origins and the fact that his current identity was someone who wasn't real. Peggy wanted to marry Clark Kent and Clark Kent wanted to marry Peggy Carter so the issue was Kalvin Elbert. After a lot of brainstorming and discussion, Peggy and Clark figured out an idea and plan that had the highest chance of success and with Peggy being a spy and more crafty/sly then Clark, she was certain that their subterfuge would work. The one thing though was that it would take time which considering they had to focus on the war was actually a benefit as they could start small.
Peggy left after they managed to sort out all the details and soon after she was gone Howard dropped by in the afternoon with some books to keep him occupied along with some good news. His team radioed in and they were all fine. They had been conducting raids on German supply lines and camps in German-occupied French territory with assistance from the Maquis who have been stepping up their raids and activity with assistance from the SOE. They were emboldened by the Allies successful invasion into Southern France. Not only that but word of the invasion had been spread into occupied Austria and Poland with their resistance groups now more active in sabotage and information gathering. It was good to see that even with the stalling of winter that the war was still progressing with some good news for them.
Clark walked out of the bathroom wrapped up in a bathrobe after a long, hot bath which actually helped and he got changed into some clothes when he heard knocking. He wiped his nose with a tissue before he opened the door and saw Howard standing next to a taller gentleman wearing a suit who was pushing a hotel room service cart.
"Hey, Kal. How are you feeling?" Howard asked, seeing him a bit better than yesterday but judging by the sniffling and nose wiping he still wasn't 100 percent.
"Better." Kal stood back and let Howard and his friend come in. "Something wrong?"
"No, just wanted to see how you're doing and drop off something to help." Howard said as his friend pushed the cart in and began setting up some food. "Kal, this is my personal butler Edwin Jarvis. Edwin Jarvis, this man needs no introduction but allow me to introduce Captain Kalvin Elbert, the Superman."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jarvis. Apologies for my appearance and sickness." Clark waved, not wanting to shake his hand since he was sick.
"No apologies necessary, Captain Elbert and may I add it is an honor to make you acquaintance." Edwin Jarvis replied, with his accent and body language epitomizing posh English butler. "Mr. Stark informed me of your recent cold so I hope this will help. My wife's goulash and some fresh tea with homemade biscuits. I believe that a good meal should do wonders for your recovery."
"Thank you, Mr. Jarvis." Clark gave him an appreciative nod. He walked over and Mr. Jarvis pulled out his seat for him and even went so far as to unfold the napkin and put it on his lap. "That's quite all right, Mr. Jarvis. I'm not someone who needs to be waited on. I'm just sick, I'm not dead."
"Very well, sir." Jarvis stepped back as Howard walked over to the pile of books on the nightstand. They were the books he brought over yesterday to help him pass the time. The Hobbit, Murder on the Orient Express, Gone with the Wind, and the Maltese Falcon. A few of his favorites.
"So, how's the recovery? The books treating you well?" Howard wondered.
"They did. Thanks. It was a nice distraction and I've been wanting to read some of them for a while. You can take them back. I went through all of them last night." Clark told him.
"Really? These books? Hundreds of pages of complex plot and characters and you went through them all in one night. I find that hard to believe." Howard remarked so Clark tapped the side of his head.
"There are benefits to the serum that aren't physical. For one thing my mind is sharper and I'm able to retain information. Thanks to the serum I have a perfect memory." Clark said before he took a bite of the goulash and hummed in delight. "This is delightful, Mr. Jarvis. Please tell your wife thank you."
"Happy to be of service, Captain Elbert, and my wife will be delighted to hear it." Jarvis replied with a smile.
Howard, being Howard and intrigued by Clark's statement decided to test his claim on the new perfect memory so he picked up the Hobbit and skimmed through until he stopped on a random page. "My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords…"
"…my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane and my breath death. Chapter 12 page 224." Clark finished Howard's quote without an issue. Howard was undeterred and flipped to another page.
"There were no more de—"
"…deer, not even rabbits were to be seen. By the afternoon they had reached the eves of Mirkwood, and were resting almost beneath the great overhanging boughs of its outer trees. Their trunks were huge and gnarled, their branches twisted, their leaves were dark and long. Ivy grew on them and trailed along the ground. Chapter 7 page 134." Clark recited word for word.
"Ok, I'll admit well done, Kal. I'm intrigued but novels are one thing. The good ones, like the ones I gave you are written to hook you in and make you remember the story. Anyone can get lucky twice." The mischievous glint in Howard's eye was shining like a star as he was going to have some fun with this so he gave Clark a pat on the shoulder and grabbed the books. "Rest up, Kal. I'll be back. Come on, Jarvis."
"Oh dear…" Jarvis sighed and followed Howard out of the room, giving Clark a head nod before walking out.
"Oh boy…" Clark muttered to himself before he got back to his meal. He turned on the radio and enjoyed the lovely goulash and tea. Mrs. Jarvis was an exceptional cook. When he finished he placed everything together back on the cart Mr. Jarvis left behind and sat by the window, enjoying the scenery. About two hours later, there was a knock on the door and in walked Howard with a very large and thick book that definitely wasn't for pleasure reading. Howard had a smirk on his face as he placed the book down on Clark's lap and on the cover read American Law Volume 1. "You have a law book?"
"Found it in the SSR base. Now, I'm not a lawyer and neither are you so go ahead and read through this thing and tomorrow I'll have a test ready for you." Howard told him while Jarvis cleaned up the empty plates from Clark's lunch.
"No need." Clark opened the book and began speed reading it right there in front of him. Clark was a blur of movement as Howard and Jarvis saw the book's pages flutter from the first to the final page until after about ten seconds the back cover was closed on the book. "Whew." Clark shook his head as his brain processed everything. "Ok, give me your best shot."
Howard, still undaunted, took the law book and randomly picked a page at random before he started reading. "Page 193. Civil Liability associated with agency is based—"
"…on several factors including the deviation of the agent from his path, a reasonable inference of agency on behalf of the plaintiff and the nature of the damages themselves." Clark recited, finishing the quote with the stunned silence and look of disbelief on Howard's face enough of a tell that he got it right.
Howard quickly turned to a page on the opposite end of the book and found a lengthy paragraph. "1031 exchange—"
"Also known as tax-deferred exchange refers to the ability of the investors and organizations to replace one investment for a similar one instead of keeping the proceeds. For certain transactions, the exchange allows the investor or organization to defer capital gains taxes until the new investment is actually sold for the proceeds. The initial property is typically sold for money but this money must be used quickly to acquire a new replacement investment governed by section 1031 of the Federal tax code." Clark recited it word for word without so much as a second though.
"Ok, that is incredible." Howard's face of disbelief quickly turned into giddy excitement like he just had a new toy. "Once this war is over and you're a hero and everything and we're back stateside, I want you to come work for me at Stark Industries. With your super brain now and your speed, you can do the work of 75% of my company in half the time. Not to mention combined with your growing fame fanned by yours truly, we'll mop up and inside a year I'll have you living the millionaire life like me, Kal. Welcome to the club."
Howard patted Clark on the shoulders and jostled him around like a kid who got a dog. Just pure excitement. Howard's imagination went wild as he imagined all the great things that he and Kal could accomplish in the future when the war is over. The Superman working for Stark Industries to help usher America and the world into a new age of technological advancement. With his speed and now enhanced brain capacity and perfect memory, Howard could make Kal as smart as he is, maybe even smarter. If he was able to completely memorize a thick Law book then all Howard had to do was put him in a university library for a few days and he'd have all that knowledge stuck in his head. The knowledge of higher education from around the world that would take a regular person like Howard years to learn could be absorbed and locked in Kal's head in a matter of days. While he wasn't sure yet on the limits of his now super memory it could still be tremendous. Even taking Kal's super memory out of the equation, having Superman work for Stark industries would bring them both uncharted fame and fortune. The genius engineer/scientist and the Man of Steel working side by side to end the war and fight Hydra then working together to help the world via Stark Industries.
It would be glorious.
Clark and Mr. Jarvis just watched as Howard was so enraptured by his own imagination which was likely going on and on about how great he was or whatever was running through his head. To the two of them Howard just had a stupid grin on his face like a mix of the high of a morphine drip and a child looking up to see his balloon floating away. Basically, he looked stupid and Clark would be holding it over his head for years to come.
"Has this happened before?" Clark asked Mr. Jarvis.
"Unfortunately, so. Give him a few more moments. He usually snaps himself out of this." Mr. Jarvis replied.
A few minutes passed in which Mr. Jarvis had poured Clark some more warm tea with extra honey and lemon for his throat, Howard finally snapped out of his little trip down imagination land and saw the looks he was getting "What?"
"Did you enjoy yourself?" Clark wondered. "And thanks for the job offer, Howard, really, thanks but I'm not sure Stark Industries would be a good fit for me."
"Of course it will. You love me so you'll love Stark Industries. You'll be working in Manhattan in New York City with all the glitz and glam coming your way from your new reputation. People are loving you so you'll get the full heroes welcomes when you return stateside. Hell, you'll probably be treated better than actors and even the president. If you're worried about an advanced degree or whatever then don't. I own the company so I've got final say on who I can hire and if you're that worried about it then no problem. I've got connections at Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, and other universities. I can send you there and you'll get your degree in no time. With your super memory and your speed, you'll have no problem. I'm actually jealous but it's ok. I'll just dock your pay a bit. Call it your super power tax." Howard joked and Clark chuckled a bit. Howard's tone was frantic but that was mainly due to his enthusiasm for this idea. He really wanted Clark to work for him and while it was partially for the great benefits of Clark's abilities it was also because he wanted his friend to work with him. The two were friends and Howard wanted to take care of his friend and have an excuse to do something important that didn't involve the war. It was sweet and Howard was rarely, if ever, sentimental.
"Look, Howard, I appreciate the offer, really I do but that's not really what I had planned for when the war ended." Clark told him.
"Really? Well, what do you have planned?" Howard wondered.
"Just go home and get back to my old life in Kansas." Clark answered and Howard was waiting for the next part which never came.
"That's it? Just go back home to your old life?"
"Pretty much."
"That's unacceptable." Howard looked offended and betrayed like if Clark had drunk all his Scotch with asking and without buying him more. "Kal, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. You're famous now. You're Superman. That S you have on your chest is likely one the most recognizable pieces of iconography now on par with the Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall of China. There are kids back home reading a Superman comic book and playing make believe as Superman because of you. Wives and parents can rest easy knowing that your work has helped keep their loved ones safe. Newspapers have spread the tales of your great deeds and your handsome mug to every corner of the continent back home. You've helped the Allies push this war to end sooner and everything you've done deserves recognition. When you get home you could head to Los Angeles and hang out with Charlie Chaplin, go to a club with Humphrey Bogart, go to dinner and bed with Ginger Rogers and Rita Hayworth and they'd be all for it. Hell, bring Peggy in with the two of them."
"Yeah, that all sounds so appealing to me." Clark said with heavy sarcasm. "You know if Peggy were here she'd have slapped you in the head for those last two comments and then said something insulting to you."
"Look, Kal, take your old Midwest good boy charm and upbringing out of this for a second. If anyone deserves fame and recognition, it's you. I mean, hell you're the reason we secured Italy and the French are back in France. You're the reason German army units surrender and why Hitler has been having a very crappy year. You should be applauded, paraded, celebrated…"
"Cheered at by a mob of fanatical people who think I'm a god?" Clark countered, not liking where that line of thinking was going. "Hitler thought the same and look what's he's done to the world."
"Ok, a little melodramatic there, Kal. I mean—"
"Howard, let me just stop you right there…" Clark wiped his nose with a tissue before he cleared his throat. "…I appreciate the sentiment and everything, really I do. I get what you're trying to do but that's not who I am or am ever going to be. I don't want fame and fortune. I don't want an army of press taking my picture and I don't want people looking at me like I'm a god. I just want to do what I can, help who I can and then go home."
"Come on, Kal. I mean Steve—"
"If Steve were here with us he'd tell you the exact same thing. It's why I helped him leave the USO. We didn't do this for the fame. We're just two men trying to do what we can and that's it." Clark said and Howard relented, albeit reluctantly. Deep down he knew Kal was right. Howard enjoyed his fame and fortune that gave him the lifestyle he was accustomed to but Kal was not him. He didn't want global recognition and didn't seek fame or power to become the next president. He was just a kid from Kansas trying to help in the war and Howard had to respect that.
"You're right, you're right. I'm just…I guess with everything that's happened I figured you deserve something better." Howard told him.
"I appreciate that, Howard, I really do…but I don't need more than I already have. After everything that has happened…I'm ready to go back to my old life." Clark admitted. Howard smiled and sat down across from him at the table.
"I can respect that, Kal, I can and if anyone has earned the right to relax after the war then it's you. But…" Howard quickly adopted a look of unease. "…I can't help but feel that maybe your life may not go exactly back to normal. Not the fame or recognition part but with everything you've done I'm not so sure the army is just going to leave you alone."
"I figured as much but you don't think they'd do anything drastic, do you?" Clark wondered.
"Not drastic, no. With all the praise Colonel Phillips has been getting for the SSR with everything you've done then they know you're an asset. Like me they'll want to keep you happy but my situation is different than yours. I make weapons and build equipment that they'll buy and use whereas you're a soldier who can shrug off explosions and shoot out lasers from your eyes. With that kind of power, I guarantee that the army could try bring you back into service in the future if they deem it necessary. I'm not sure you'll be able to leave this like you're thinking." Howard warned him and it was a valuable warning. It was still too early to tell as they were currently fighting one war to think about another but Howard had a point.
"Being called back into active duty if I'm needed, I understand. It's what I knew signing up for the army in the first place but I mean, my situation is different, right? Technically, I'm a member of the SSR so would I really be beholden to orders from the army?" Clark pointed out and Howard was intrigued. There was probably a whole bunch of bureaucratic and administrative legal papers that would make things needlessly complicated to figure out but Clark may have just figured out a potential loophole.
"That's a good point and something we can figure out but then the only caveat to that could be that you stick with the SSR after the war is over. Still, not exactly going back to your old life but it could be something that works in tandem with it." Howard suggested. "Look, first off this is all guessing as we have no idea how things are going to be when the war is over. Who knows, maybe falling back into obscurity is an option for you and if anyone will have earned that right it's you. From what I hear you got chummy with the President so he's someone who could help you with that. Not to mention Colonel Phillips and yours truly. Just because you're not working for me doesn't mean I'm not going to help you. I've got some political capital I can use if it comes to it. Rest assured that even as Kalvin Elbert you've got me in your corner."
"Thanks, Howard." Clark told him.
"My pleasure but this comes with the promise that you stay in touch and visit. At the very least to come around for dinners every now and then and so that I can exploit your super brain." Howard joked and Clark just chuckled in amusement. He never expected to befriend the genius playboy Howard Stark but by some miracle it happened and here he was promising to help him when the war was over. Perhaps there was a possibility that Howard could join Peggy as someone who he could trust with an important secret.
Clark felt a tingle in his nose and quickly rushed to the window. "Achoo!"
Another powerful gust of wind blew out of his nose and mouth along with some loud noise that likely shocked some nearby people. Clark pulled his head back inside and saw Jarvis holding a tissue. "Thank you."
"You're welcome and bless you." Jarvis replied but Howard had a look of intrigue like he was observing a science problem.
"Yeah, bless you. So, the SSR incident was your first ever sneeze since Project Rebirth, right?" Howard asked.
"Yes. By the way, how's the base doing?" Clark wondered.
"They fixed up the hole this morning. Place is back in order." Howard answered and Clark was relieved to hear it. "One of your reports mentioned taking out a U-boat along the Riviera. Did you have any issue holding your breath underwater?"
"No."
"How long?"
"I guess in total maybe a few minutes but I was also pushing the U-boat to resurface during most of it and didn't have a problem. I felt like I could have held my breath underwater for much longer if I needed to. Why?"
"Because I've had this theory that your super powered sneeze is really just you realizing you have another ability this entire time that could prove useful to you."
"What? Sneezing?" Clark quipped and Howard just rolled his eyes.
"No, your lung capacity. With your sneeze blowing a hole in reinforced concrete and not being an issue when you're holding your breath underwater while resurfacing a submarine then your lung capacity has to have been greatly enhanced from Project Rebirth. Roger's too but he would likely just blow out a candle or toss some papers around. I'm betting if you take a deep enough breath and force it through your lips like you're blowing out candles then it could come out like a hurricane wind gale but this you don't need to sneeze to do it." Howard suggested and while it seemed ridiculous, his idea was based on some sound theory. "And like with your heat vision and your other abilities, testing it is necessary."
"I'm not going to blow a hole in this hotel." Clark told him.
"Nor should you. I'm happy to pay for your room service but I'm not going to spend millions of dollars rebuilding this place on a test. I'm gonna arrange a test for this once you get better. Before you head back out there it only makes sense that we make sure I'm right. In fact, I'm going to make some adjustments. Rest up, Kal." Howard patted him on the back and walked away while Jarvis gathered up all the dishes and stuff before exiting the room.
"Captain Elbert." Jarvis bowed his head and left the room, leaving Clark alone and at peace.
"Yeah…there's no way I'd be able to work for Howard." Clark said to himself before he wiped his nose with a tissue.
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