Teamwork (nolee)

Carter wrung his hands on his lap, "You...you okay Zander?"

Zander nodded shyly, "Are you okay Carter?" He asked softly.

Carter sighed after he took a deep breath, "Yeah...yeah it's fine..."

Zander nodded and gently patted his shoulder.

Jordan frowned slightly, looked like Carter was having a few problems.

Carter took a deep breath, "I just wish I knew why that jerk was so interested in me..."

"I don't know... But maybe we can find out somehow..." Zander said softly before giving a quick shy hug to the other young man, hoping he wasn't being too forward with his hug.

Carter smiled, hugging Zander back and hoping not to crush him. He didn't know why Lex Luthor was interested in getting to know him, all he knew was that he had new friends and that's all that mattered. "Thanks, Zander. I would appreciate it if you could but-"

"But Lex Luthor is a private man who doesn't even let the police into his business," Harris supplied, letting the others know that he was still in the room. "Anyone would have a hard time getting close to him."

Jordan turned to look at the other man in the room, Harris did have a point with how hard it would be. "We know some people that have... Special skills that may be able to get in close..."

Zander looked at Jordan, "You think the professor may could... 'Read' him?"

"Read him? Woah, woah, woah, you'd have to get close to him to be able to get any sort of read off of him. Rumor has it, he's working with the Hellfire Club over in Chicago and the pretty blonde that's with Lex is really a telepath," Harris shook his head.

Carter looked at his lap. Though he was a hero, he didn't know as much about cities other than Metropolis, certainly not as much as the others here.

Jordan's teeth gritted hard when Harris said the Hellfire Club, "He's in with that bastard! I should of known that he'd have his hand in with someone as low as Luther!" The weather outside started to turn bad as he quietly raged.

Zander bit his lip hard as he watched his brother.

Harris put a hand on Adam's shoulder, "Sonny, yeh gotta watch that temper. The Kent's can't take too much rain out there or it'll ruin the crop. Don't want that t' happen."

Carter was amazed, "He controls the weather? I'm officially jealous of the both of you..."

The rain died down, but the anger stayed on his face. "You don't get it! He's working with him.... That monster is giving Luthor help! Someone needs to take him down!"

"Strange says our powers work together because we're so close..."

Harris looked at him, "Trust me, I get it. Better than anyone probably." There was a hint of sadness on his face as Harris pushed his hair back to show Adam a scar on his temple. "When I was just starting out as a cop...my brother Aaron attempted to asassinate me for the mob boss Black Mask. My own brother."

Carter looked at his lap, "It must be nice to be close to someone...I miss Clark for that reason..."

"He had her killed... S-She died right in front of me... He robbed my brother of even getting to know her growing up!" Jordan's voice seemed to shake.

"He was like your dad." Zander guessed before gently touching his hand.

Harris' heart stung, "And for that he's gonna rot in hell. It's easy to confuse vengence with justice. If you go out seeking revenge on him, well, you're gonna end up hard hearted and cold. Justice is...well...it's different. Justice is going out there everyday and making sure that the world is safe so that no more people like him can do what they do."

Carter had never opened up to anyone before, no one but Clark that is, so he slowly nodded his head, "He was...well...in a way he was my dad. He was the only dad that I ever knew."

Jordan swallowed hard and looked over at his brother, everything he did he did to protect his brother and everyone else from their father. He closed his eyes and nodded before looking at Harris again.

"Before Steven took us in we had only had our uncle. I'm sorry you lost your dad." Zander said softly.

"You know...sometimes we gotta look to our family fer the strength t' go on," Harris replied softly, though he would know nothing of that. Since his brother had tried to kill him, his strength came from his desire to make a good word out of the Freeman name.

Carter smiled softly, "It's okay. I know he's up there watchin' over me. And a little part of him will always live in me. Literally. I'm a clone."

"I look to him to keep me grounded... But sometimes remembering it was our own father that took our mother away... I can't find the strength to do anything, but make sure he doesn't take my brother from me..."

"I'm sure he's proud of you." Zander smiled.

"Then you protect your brother with your life but never once believe that you should take out anyone else," comforted Harris.

Carter smiled softly, "Thank you..."

"What if I fail... Then he's either alone or dead..." Jordan said softly, "What if I can't protect him..."

Zander smiled back softly, ignoring the butterflies moving about his stomach.

"There are other heroes in the world that can help protect him," Harris soothed the young man. "You don't have to go at this alone. I don't care about how noble it seems, you don't have to do this alone."

"It's gettin' late. Do you and your brother need a fly home? If not, I could put you guys up here in the guest room for the night. Knowing Mr. Freeman, he'll end up sleeping in the couch or in my grandmum's room. And before you ask, no, they aren't romantic together. They're like brother and sister," Carter grinned at Zander.

"But its what I'm supposed to do..." Jordan said softly, he knew Harris was right though, he didn't have to do this alone. Steven has told him the same thing when they had moved in with him.

"Oh wow it is late... I think Steven will already have the barrier up, its really hard to get in after the barrier is up..." Zander said softly, "They are like siblings?" He asked curiously.

"I know that," Harris nodded to show that he understood, "I get that all you heroes think yeh gotta do these things on your own. But you don't gotta. You just gotta do what you can to make the world a better place."


Carter smiled, "You can stay here if you need to. Yeah, Mr. Freeman and Mrs. Kent have been like brother and sister before she got married. Always have been I recon."

"Sometimes I don't know if the world can be made better... Too much sadness..." Jordan mused to himself.

"Are you sure it will be okay with Mrs. Kent?" Zander asked shyly.

"There is a lot of sadness in the world," Harris agreed, "But guys like you, you give somethin' for the kids to look up to. Maybe if the children can see that not all life is bad, they have something to strive for."

"Oh I'm sure," Carter nodded.