Rain hammers the cheap tin roof. LOIS LANE (40s, fierce, bruised) pins MORGAN EDGE (50s, cold, eyes glowing faintly green) against the wall with a shattered nightstand leg.

But the dream warps. Suddenly, Clark is fifteen, standing over JONATHAN's hospital bed. Machines beep. His father's skin is yellowed.

Superman stands. He's shirtless, bleeding from a dozen small cuts. But his jaw is set.

"I'm not the boy who left Krypton." Clark's eyes glow faintly red. "I'm the man who chose Earth."

The Black Mercy pulses—angry, resistant.

He punches Edge through the wall and out into the rainy night.

Edge fires heat vision. Superman takes it in the chest—staggers, but doesn't fall. He walks through the beam. Grabs Edge by the throat.