25: Momma's Boy

                                    

                                          
The worry crease on Martha's face deepened as she prepared to lock up the diner for the night. The authorities have finally broken their silence on the issue through a press conference that evening, they said that the explosion of the City Hall was caused by a bomb but hadn't explicitly stated whether they suspected Superman to be in cahoots with the bomber or not. Anyway, Martha's crease had little to do with the news and more with the fact that they hadn't mentioned anything concerning Superman.
                          
Of course, she knows that he's not missing, technically speaking. He had gone to wherever he is of his own volition and he's also more than capable of looking after himself, better than any other person on the planet, in fact. But that hadn't stopped her growing concern about him, she is his mother after all, it's her job to worry about him. Anyway, she decided to lock up and head on home. 
                          
She had barely locked the door when she suddenly felt someone behind her.
                          
                              "Martha Kent?", the person asked.
                          
                               "Yes", she replied, turning to face the silhouette of a man hidden in the darkness of the night, "Who are you?" 
                          
                              "This meeting isn't about who I am", he said as he stepped out from the darkness, resulting in a gasp from Martha, "It's all about you".
                          
Martha turned to run back into the diner but no sooner had she done so that something hard hit her head from behind and she fell into the darkness around her.
                          
***
                          
Superman's eyes jerked open as he heard it; Martha's scream. He didn't know how but he was sure that something is wrong. 
                          
                                 "Martha's in danger", he said as he swung his leg over the slab and propelled himself into a standing position, effectively cutting the connection he had going on in his meditation. 
                          
Immediately, Jor-El's hologram appeared before him. "You cut the connection before its completion, Kal-El", it said, "What happened?" 
                          
                                "Martha's in danger", he repeated, "I have to go".
                          
                                "But the process isn't complete yet", countered the hologram, "It is essential that you complete it before you do any other thing". 
                          
                               "My mother is in danger", Superman repeated again as if the hologram wasn't getting it, "Nothing else beats that".
                          
The hologram would have offered another word of protest but Superman had already zoomed off, it could only watch with what could be termed a sad expression as Superman flew away. It had done all that is within its ability, it's all up to the Man of Steel now.