Due to the tornado, the entire road was temporarily paralyzed, and many vehicles were destroyed, along with some nearby houses. It would take at least two or three days to clear the area and resume normal traffic.
Jonathan and the others had no choice but to turn around. By the way, the puppy they had rescued couldn't find its owner, so they adopted it.
Kara was the first to return home. She was so fast that she easily broke the sound barrier. No one knew exactly where she had been before she reappeared at home.
When Jonathan and the others arrived, Kara had already found an outfit from the package she had prepared earlier and had put it on. Seeing Kara's beautiful uniform, Clark looked envious since he didn't have his own battle suit yet.
—When did you put that suit on? —Jonathan asked, visibly upset upon seeing Kara in it—. You shouldn't be taking these risks.
—And should I just stand there and watch you die? —Kara looked directly at him—. Sorry, but I can't do that.
Jonathan felt relieved but also frustrated:
—I'm worried that your and Clark's identities will be exposed. If the world finds out who you are, do you know what will happen? Kara, you two could easily destroy the world, and that terrifies people. Even if you don't mean any harm, if people don't trust you, you'll become the target of the entire world. The world is not ready to accept you.
Kara put on a long-sleeved sweater without a second thought. The tights were fine, but the cape was a bit bothersome, which made her feel a little annoyed. Martha sighed and helped her tuck the cape under the hem of her blouse, carefully adjusting her skirt.
Jonathan looked away while Kara arranged her clothes but noticed something: she wore an extra pair of shorts under her skirt, using them as a safety measure. No wonder she had been able to move so freely despite wearing a skirt.
—Don't do this again —Jonathan firmly reminded her—. No one had time to record you this time, but don't take that risk again, Kara.
—And you? Don't be so selfish, Dad —Kara responded, clearly frustrated.
—Are you calling me selfish? —Jonathan looked at her in disbelief.
Suddenly, the tension rose between father and daughter. Martha tried to intervene with a soft warning:
—Don't talk to your father like that.
Kara held back from saying something hurtful but looked directly at Jonathan and asked her question:
—Dad, you're the head of this family. If something happens to you, what are we supposed to do? What will Mom do? What about Clark? Don't you want to set an example for him? Don't you want him to become a hero who can bring hope to humanity? And what about me? How am I supposed to live with the thought of watching you die without doing anything to stop it?
—I know you're worried about Clark and me, about our situation on this planet. We might even attract threats and enemies, and even if the government doesn't try to capture us, we'll always be in danger. I get it. But we also have our reasons for doing what we do. I've never seen this family as a simple game. You are my family, and it would be cruel to watch you die and do nothing about it.
Kara had lived with the family for more than ten years, and her feelings toward them were genuine. Despite not being related by blood, she considered them her parents, and she couldn't stand idly by during critical moments, even if it meant risking exposing her identity.
—I can't just stand by while the people I care about the most are in danger. Not even nature can stop me, let alone anyone else —Kara said as she pushed the door open and walked out.
Curiously, the puppy followed her, probably remembering that Kara had saved it earlier. Maybe it was just following its instincts.
Outside, Kara found a baseball and showed it to the puppy, letting it sniff the ball. Then she threw it far into the distance. The dog, either trained or experienced in that kind of game, ran off immediately and brought the ball back after a short while. Kara smiled and picked up the ball, preparing to throw it again.
Jonathan followed her outside, and upon seeing her playing with the puppy, he tried to ease the tension:
—If no one comes to claim it, maybe we should consider it a new member of the family.
Kara stopped, confused.
—Are you talking about a dog?
She smiled tightly and threw the baseball as hard as she could, disappearing into the distant sky with a "whoosh."
The puppy, confused, instinctively ran after it, but it was clear that it would never catch the ball. Even Jonathan was left speechless by the scene.
Kara sat down in the back of the truck, and the puppy, still slightly bewildered, curled up at her feet. Jonathan approached the truck and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, speaking softly:
—I don't know if you ran to save me, but believe me, Dad is very moved. I just don't want you and Clark to become the enemies of the world.
—Dad, you're overthinking it —Kara replied seriously, turning to look at him—. Let's not talk about us. There are things on Earth more dangerous than we are.
Jonathan looked at her, perplexed:
—What do you mean?
Kara nodded and continued:
—Clark traveled to the depths of the ocean and caused a huge commotion in the underwater kingdom. He even triggered a war between the surface and Atlantis.
Jonathan looked at her, stunned:
—Atlantis? It really exists?
—Yes, and their technology is incredibly advanced. If things get out of control, we might see a world war between humans and the Atlanteans. And then, no one will care about us.
Jonathan swallowed hard, breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought.
Kara pouted, knowing that was the worst-case scenario, but it was also a way to divert attention from them.