"With Or Without" Part Two
“Okay. I Must have miss heard you.” Flash said looking at the doctor in mild shock, “It’s understandable. I think as fast as a Cray mainframe and the world looks like bullet-time to me and sometimes sound gets screwy when I get distracted and fidget about at mach speeds. You might want to repeat that.” Doctor Robinson ran his hand backward through his prematurely greying hair and pulled up every ounce of his medical school and ER trained detachment. “Superman has cancer. Leukemia to be precise. It affected the bones and the production of new blood cells. He has probably had it for weeks, if not years, but the necessary tests were never run. It finally caught up with him and he just collapsed.” ‘But… how??” Green Lantern wondered out loud. “He’s invulnerable. How could he get cancer?” Dr. Robinson lapsed into his educational role of explaining conditions. Sometimes, especially when announcing a terminal illness, it was just easier to recite memorized facts and information. “There are many causes of cancer from food products, workplace hazards, and genetic predisposition. Without knowing more about Superman’s background it is impossible to know exactly what could cause this particular case.” Wonder Woman nodded. “I believe radiation can also cause this disease.” Dr. Robinson nodded. “To some extent. Has the patient been in any situation recently where he might have been exposed to unhealthy amounts of radiation?” “He’s Superman!” Green Lantern protested. “Radiation bounces off of him like bullets and artillery shells. He’s stood at ground zero of a nuclear explosion or two and survived. Taken enough radiation to reduce someone to a shadow on a wall and walked away without even a tan!” “That is true.” The Martian Manhunter said stepping out from where he was silently standing at the side of the hospital lounge. “Except for Kryptonite radiation. Which severely affects him and to which he has had frequent exposure.” “Well yeah but…” Green Lantern protested, “That’s different. That’s… green… And alien.” Aquaman rubbed his beard slowly, “Radiation is radiation. Nothing radioactive is healthy. Luthor developed cancer from his Kryptonite ring so we know it is cancer causing.” “But… how? How does this happen to someone like Superman?!” Green Lantern said resting his head against the glass of the window. He looked out to the parking lot. “How does cancer happen to anyone?” Aquaman asked hypothetically. “The pack-a-day smoker wonders ‘why me’ as much as the vegetarian health-nut. Death strikes anyone at anytime. Wondering why this is happening won’t solve anything. We need to figure out how to stop it from happening.” “So Byrne had nothing to do with this.” Flash said rubbing his temples. “We searched him out and wasted all that time when we could have been here. And we may have accidentally let it slip that Superman was seriously hurt and we had no idea why. But now we know he as the Big-C and a death sentence.” “Not so. There are a number of highly effective treatments.” Dr. Robinson interrupted, “We can start him on…” The doctor was interrupted as a nurse crashed into the room suddenly. “He’s gone!” she cried. “What? Who?” Flash asked. “Superman!” The frantic nurse replied pointing back the way she had came from. “There was a blast of wind from his room and when we got there he had vanished.” Flash took off before her last syllable had fully left her lips in a crimson blur. He blinked back before the blur had faded. “She’s right. He’s gone.” J’Onn stepped forward, “I shall find him. The rest of you return to the Watchtower and confer with Atom and Batman about this new information.” The Martian phased and flew upward through the roof silently leaving the rest behind him. “Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t this happen once before?” Flash asked his head face down on the main group table. “What happened before?” Green Lantern asked from a matching pose. “Superman getting cancer.” Atom walked over and joined them on his floating chair by the side, “Once.” He said, “But that was different. The tumor was artificially induced by a Kryptonite pulse. Superboy and others used my shrinking technology to enter Superman’s body and remove the tumor. This case is different. The cancer is throughout his entire body. In his every bone.” “This is almost as bad as when Barry died.” Flash said quietly. “I mean, Barry was like a father to me. The perfect father who was not just your dad but your hero and everything you ever wanted to be.” Flash’s voice broke slightly and he looked out onto the lunar surface, “Superman… he’s like my favorite uncle. Always there when you need him and ready to give a hand.” “He is not dead yet.” Atom said firmly. “If we can save the world from alien armadas and higher dimensional entities we can save one Kryptonian.” Flash continued looking out the thick glass. “When Barry died we weren’t even sure he had.” Flash continued as if he had not heard Atom speak. “Hadn’t died I mean. He vanished after his trial ended. No one was sure where he went. It took weeks for us to finally find his remains and learn the truth.” “I still can’t believe this is even happening.” Green Lantern moaned. “People get cancer all the time but there are signs. Symptoms. How does something like this just, you know, sneak up on someone.” “Symptoms of leukemia include fatigue, pale skin, and being easily bruised. Given Superman can maintain a high level of exertion, at least to us, for a lengthy period of time we were unlikely to notice him becoming tired or lethargic. Also, given Superman’s absorption of solar energy and the resistance of his skin cells Superman has never been overly tanned. Lastly, with his invulnerability, becoming bruised more easily still requires immense force.” Batman finished and joined the other three at the table. “So in short he’s too super to know he was dying.” Green Lantern muttered. “That is one way to put it.” Green Lantern slapped his hand down hard on the table and stood up, “Screw this sitting around. I’m not just going to wait here and let him die. I’m going to do something about this!” “Such as?” “I don’t know,” GL said heading for the airlock. “But I’m sure I’ll think of something.” “Hello Kal.” Superman turned and looked to his right. “Hello J’Onn.” “Nice view here.” Superman floated a few hundred feet above Kansas looking out over the long stretch of farmland that went on as far as they eye could see. “Yes, I rather like it.” Superman said with a smile. “It’s one of the places I come to think. Up here where you can see forever and where the cloud is just directly beside you. Close enough that you could just reach out and touch it if you wanted. I always wanted to do that as a kid. Touch a cloud. For some reason it never gets old. And I like seeing the entire shadow of the cloud on the ground. Of all my powers flying is the only one I really enjoy having.” “It is lovely up here. So many colors and shades. Mars did not have clouds, or at least none this size and density, they took a while to get used to.” “Really?” Superman asked. “Not always being able to see the stars or when it becomes dark suddenly and without warning when a cloud passes over the sun. It was unnerving for someone who was not used to it.” “I never thought of that, I’ve always just taken clouds for granted I guess.” “Mars is a very dry planet. Except around the poles. It is still eerie thinking of this much water just hovering in the sky.” Superman smiled. “You have such a unique perspective on things J’Onn.” The Martian looked down at the just slightly rolling ground miles below, “I think we both do. You ran from the hospital. Why?” Superman shrugged. “I just wanted out, need to clear my head.” “Do you know? What is wrong I mean.” J’Onn asked. Superman nodded. “Super-hearing.” “Everyone is working on a treatment.” “I know about leukemia. Chemotherapy and drugs are the only treatment, there is no real cure. I have my doubts either would work on my physiology.” “There are other option not available to other people.” J’Onn said. “We have access to resources not known to the public.” “I know. We could just Boom Tube over to New Genesis and grab some cure-all from High Father or get Doctor Fate to purge the disease from my system magically.” “Something like that.” “But I’m still facing death.” “Very true.” The Martian Manhunter said nodding. “But you always do. In one form or another.” “I’m prepared to die. Every time I wake up I know that this could be that day I am called upon to make the supreme sacrifice, a sacrifice I am willing to make. I’ve always know I could die at any give time, but I always expected it to be from violence.” Superman sighed. “In many ways my entire life has been a struggle against death, saving people from it, dragging them back from the brink. Strange that in a way death is my greatest foe and the only one I can never completely defeat. In the end death will always win.” J’Onn shook his head, “No Clark, you are wrong. Nobody wins in the end, not even death. For there is no real ending as long as there is life. You may die, that is true, but your memory will live on as will the people you have saved.” “Thank you John,” Superman said resting his hand on the green giant’s shoulder. “I don’t welcome death but I accept it. Everything has to die sometime. Besides, living forever would get boring eventually.” “That is true. We should return to the hospital or the Watchtower. You are not attired for this.” Superman looked down, he was still dressed in the hospital gown and quite naked underneath. “Good idea, lets go before a plane passes by and stirs up the wind blowing my gown up.” J’Onn smiled slyly, “And people say nothing exciting happens on long flights.” “I am here!” she called firmly planting her feet deliberately down and placing her hands firmly on her hips. “I have completed the required steps. The oracle was notified and I climbed up the mountain with neither tool nor steed. I present myself for audience and humble myself before your greatness.” She said kneeling down on the ground ritually and presetting herself before the empty sky of the mountain top. “WHO SEEKS AN AUDIENCE???” a booming voice said through her head. It shook her skull like a dead leaf still clinging to a branch is shaken by a brisk wind. She trembled slightly out of habit. She had done this before and it was not unexpected. She stood up again, formality was grating on her. She had been raised on formality, taught the etiquette since she was a little child. But there was an urgency now present; a deadline every gnashing at her heels like a feral wolf. “I am Diana Princess of Themyscira and daughter of Queen Hippolyta. There was a rippling of space-time and the craggy top of Mount Olympus vanished and was replaced by a green garden filled with flowers and burbling stone fountains. A single golden man floated in the air above her majestically. “Why do you now seek the gods of Olympus and masters of Greece Diana, Princess of Themyscira?” Diana crossed her arms across her breast and bowed respectfully. “I meet you in peace and awe Hermes of Olympus and request a favor of the gods. I have a friend, a warrior I have fought alongside for many seasons, who is dying of a dread disease.” “And you wish for us to save his mortal life?” “Yes.” “Despite the fact that our time, the time of gods, has passed and the fact that we no longer walk the Earth and leave men to their own fate.” “Y… yes.” Hermes’ eyes glazed over slightly as he communed with the other gods, “We cannot help you Diana, Princess of Themyscira, but we can help you help yourself.” Wonder Woman nodded, “I understand. Tell me how I can help Kal.” “Wally what the heck have you done to the living room?” Linda Park-West screamed watching the red blur that was her husband blink about leaving papers and books scattering left and right. It looked like the contends of three or four libraries had been upturned in the room and scattered by a hurricane. “Busy hon.” Wally said slowing down enough to be visible. “What are you doing?!?” she demanded tugging at her hair in frustration. Wally read through three medical journals and six textbooks before her words processed. “Sorry. I’m reading up on cancer and leukemia. Everything that’s been written.” “Why?” “Because…” Wally said stopping and collapsing on the couch. “Because someone I know has it and I’m not going to just sit here and watch while another hero of mine dies, not while I can do something.” Linda sat down beside him and rubbed his shoulders. “You’ll think of something. All you need is some time.” Wally massaged his temples. “But he’s dying now. Time is the one thing I don’t have!” Wally sighed loudly then jerked up straight. “No that’s completely wrong! Time is the one thing I have nothing but.” He stood up and made a clearing in the papers. “What is it?” “Popping out for abit, be back soon.” “Where are you going?” “Not where. When. Back to the future.” Wally said with a grin as he increased his vibrations. He became a blur on the spot and crackled with energy and the speed force. There was a small sonic boom as every one of his atoms accelerated past Light Speed and the Flash vanished into the time-stream. Linda sighed and grabbed the fire extinguisher to put out the papers that had ignited from Wally’s time jump. Superman looked about the Watchtower. “You know maybe I’m being selfish but I was expecting a warm welcome form everyone. What do you think J’Onn?” The Martian Manhunter looked about. “That would make sense.” He pointed to the meeting room. “We are not alone, someone is in there.” They walked in and the lights flared up and Plastic Man sprang out from all directions at once. “SURPRISE!!” he called out. Superman jerked with alarm as J’Onn smiled to himself. “Bastard.” Superman said giving J’Onn a shot to the arm. “You knew Eel was going to do that.” “I figured you could use the cheering up.” J’Onn said shrugging. He looked around. “Where is everyone else?” Plastic Man shrugged and flailed himself in a relaxed position on the chair. “All of on a quest of one sort or another. GL is in space and Flash is bouncing about the future and Wonder Pants is off an a ‘mystical voyage of discover’ or something.” “And the rest?” “Batman is… somewhere. Who knows. He growled something before he left so I assume he’s hanging form a cave somewhere or dressing up an hairless underage boy in revealing panties or something. Atom is in his lab working like crazy and Aquaman…” Plastic Man straightened and went as rigid as a board as he puffed out his chest and grew a beard and a massive harpoon for a hand. “ ‘I have duties that I must attend to. While everyone else is off on personal quests someone has to protect this world. And who better than I with my big scary pointy-stick hand and army of disgruntled, ill-tempered, mutated sea bass.’ ” “Take a breath Eel.” Superman said sitting down at the table. Plastic Man inhaled and inflated up. He grabbed the nearest chair to avoid floating off the ground. “So what now big fearless leader?” Superman shrugged, “I honestly have no idea. I’ve almost never been sick before. Earth germs and viruses just don’t affect me. I don’t even think I have insurance to pay for an extended hospital stay. Or even life insurance. I could never pass the physical. At least Lois works so I’m not leaving her unprepared for my… of crap!” “What?” Superman suddenly stood up. “I am such a moron. I’m dying and I haven’t even told my wife yet!!” he said as he flew towards the transported to Metropolis. Plastic Man shrugged. “Yeesh. Some people. Not telling his wife. She’s gonna kill him, he is so dead.” To Be Continued... Previous Issue | Next Issue |
