When Churches Come Crashing Down
Folc4evernaday
Part 9
***
“Sorry, Superman. I think the alarm’s just acting up.” The bank manager apologized.
“That’s okay,” Clark reassured him. He turned to leave, only to be stopped by Dianna Stride.
“Superman, could I get a statement?”
The closer she got, the more relaxed he seemed. “What is it, Ms. Stride?”
“The accusations against you? Do you have a comment?” She smiled as she spoke. He noticed the familiar red jeweled necklace she wore.
“Not really. I don’t respond to lies.”
“Lies? How do you explain the fact that this boy has all of your powers?”
“Maybe he’s not really this woman’s son.”
Where had that come from? His normal control over his emotions seemed gone. The first thing that came to his mind seemed to be coming out of his mouth.
‘Not her son?’
‘Six months…’
<<”I’m so sorry. We did everything we could, Mr. Kent…”>>
<<“No no no no no….Jordan…My baby….Where’s my baby? Clark, where’s our baby?”>>
<<“He was cremated yesterday afternoon.”>>
<<”How do you explain the fact that this boy has all of your powers?”>>
<<“Lois, you can’t keep obsessing over this….It's not healthy….It’s not normal…”
“Normal? I’m sorry if I’m not handling having my child cut out of me while I was unconscious well enough for you, but this is how I deal with things….There are too many pieces that don’t add up…I am never going to be able to be ‘normal’ after losing Jordan.” Lois fumed angrily.>>
<<”They LIED!!!”>>
<<”He cried…”>>
He could feel the pain burning beneath him as the memories flowed through him. All the things he hadn’t allowed himself to feel. He looked around himself, recalling he wasn’t alone. Dianna Stride looked at him curiously.
Before he could give her another chance to rebut; he flew up into the sky and headed towards S.T.A.R. Labs. Towards Lois.
***
“Maybe he’s not this woman’s son,” Superman said into the cameras.
Jimmy watched the screen in confusion as the newscaster began adding his comments to the story of Superman’s supposed love child and his response to the allegations. “Well, I’m sure everyone noticed how Superman didn’t deny having a child but actually had the audacity to deny the mother of the child..”
“Olsen!” Perry bellowed across the newsroom.
Jimmy turned his attention away from the television screen and towards the Editor in Chief that was beckoning his attention at the moment, “I’m coming, Chief.”
***
The memories he’d buried so deep rushed to the forefront of his mind. Jordan. He’d buried the pain for so long. It felt like a tidal wave of grief rushing to the surface. It hurt. The pain he’d felt for so long and buried as he persevered through; ignoring the pain that lied beneath.
He had thought his son to be dead, but what if Lois was right. How else could the existence of a child with his superpowers be explained? This woman had taken their son from them. It was the only explanation.
***
“Superhero super zero!” A crowd of angry protesters stood outside of S.T.A.R. Labs chanting repeatedly as Clark flew towards the building. Perhaps, landing there wouldn’t be the best idea. He landed in a back alley about a block from S.T.A.R. Labs and spun into his street clothes and glasses.
He stepped out of the alley and headed towards S.T.A.R. Labs when he was confronted by Dianna Stride. “Superman!”
“Pardon?” He asked, feigning confusion as he walked past her.
“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Kent. I thought I saw Superman land here.” She began.
“Nope.” He shrugged, continuing to walk away from her. He could still feel her eyes on him. He had to be more careful.
***
“Hey, Lana, is Lucy around?” Jimmy asked cautiously.
“She’s out,” Lana replied matter-of-factly.
“Oh. Any idea when she’ll be back?”
“Three to five days. The doctor said she’d been pushing herself too hard.” Lana said airily. “Is there something I can help you with? I’m kinda busy.”
Jimmy scanned the file on Lana’s desk. “I didn’t know you guys were reopening that case on the Metros.”
“We’re not.” Lana slammed the file shut. “Don’t you have a dog show to photograph or something?”
Jimmy stared at her suspiciously for a moment before moving away from her. She was up to something but he wasn’t going to get anywhere pressing the issue. “Tell Lucy I came by.”
“Sure.” She shrugged, turning away from him.
***
“Red Kryptonite?” Clark asked confused.
“If you remember we were doing some experimentation with the meteorite.” Dr. Klein prompted. “From what Dr. Peterson was able to fine; Lois had silvers of the meteorite in her blood stream. They’re already taking the precautions to remove it from her, but..”
“How did it get inside her in the first place?” Clark asked in concern.
“We don’t know.” Dr. Klein shrugged.
“You don’t know? What do you mean you don’t know?”
“Clark, please calm down…” Dr. Klein urged.
“I’m not going to calm down. You have no answers. You don’t know anything! This meteorite has somehow gotten into Lois’ body and you have no idea how or why? What if she gets sick? We don’t’ know anything about this stuff! We don’t even know what effect it has on me!”
“Clark…”
“NO!”
“If you would just calm down?” Dr. Klein tried to calm Clark down, but he wasn’t listening.
***
“Mike, this is great stuff. Superman being labeled as a deadbeat dad. I love it. I’m ashamed I didn’t think of it myself.” Bill took another puff of his cigar as he paced in front of the S.T.A.R. editor.
“Ironic, huh? Golden boy’s got some skeletons in his closet too. Just like any politician.”
“This Leigh-Anne? You sure she’s legit?”
“I’d stake my reputation on it.”
“Count on it.”
***
“Thank God.” Dr. Klein breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lois step into his office.
“Where is he?” Lois asked.
“In a soundproof room.” Dr. Klein motioned her to follow him down the hall. “I don’t know what happened. He just lost it. He got so angry and he just….”
“He what?”
“He collapsed…right in the middle of the lab. I- I didn’t know what else to do.” He opened a sliding door that revealed Clark lying on a cot in the middle of the room.
“Clark?” Lois approached his motionless figure, uncertain of what to expect from him.
“He hasn’t woken up since he collapsed a couple hours ago.”
“Clark..” Lois gently shook his shoulder, trying to wake him. “It’s Lois.”
“Jor…” He murmured so softly she had a hard time hearing him.
“What?”
“Jor…dan.” He murmured again. His eyes still remained closed.
“Clark, wake up. You’re dreaming.” She knew what he’d just said. He hardly ever said their son’s name anymore.
“Lois?” He slowly opened his eyes and groggily looked towards her. “What happened?”
“You don’t remember what happened earlier?” Dr. Klein asked in concern.
“I remember checking on a bank alarm and….I don’t know.” He shook his head, confusion written across his face.
“What do you mean ‘you don’t know?’” Dr. Klein repeated.
“You really don’t remember?” Lois asked.
“No.”
“Memory lapse of some sort? Has this happened before?” Dr. Klein asked.
“Uh, yeah, about a month ago,” Lois said.
“Any other side effects?” Dr. Klein asked. Neither herself nor, Clark answered. She felt the heat from her crimson blush crossing her cheeks. “Okay, let’s run some tests…If that’s okay with you?” He looked at Clark skeptically.
“Yeah.”
***
“This Red Kryptonite seems to affect Superman mentally.” Dianna mused, “As interesting as this is; it just isn’t doing the job in trying to eliminate him. I’m going to need the green kryptonite.”
“I’m doing everything I can right now,” Bill reassured her. “It isn’t easy.”
“You want Superman taken out to get me the Kryptonite. Otherwise, you can leave me alone.”
***
“So, you think this Red Kryptonite is affecting him mentally?” Lois asked.
“Or emotionally. Whichever way you want to look at it. It seems to be bringing out your subconscious feelings. Things you’re suppressing.” Dr. Klein explained.
“You think subconsciously I suspected Jordan was kidnapped?” Clark asked.
Dr. Klein looked from the pained look on Lois’ face to the guilty expression on Clark’s and shook his head, uncertain of how to even broach the subject of their son. “We don’t know anything for sure.”
***
“She’s hiding something. I know it.” Lucy said to Mayson. “Why is she so interested in the archive files all of a sudden? It makes no sense.”
“Maybe you’re being a little presumptuous?” Mayson suggested. “I know everyone’s had a hard time these past few weeks…”
“Files are missing. The evidence is gone. How convenient is that when we’re supposed to be arguing the appeal for Baby Rage and his file is GONE???”
“I don’t know..Do you want me to open an investigation?”
“Lucy, can I talk to you?”
Lucy turned around to see Jimmy standing in the doorway of her office. He seemed nervous. He was toying with the strap of his camera bag. He never went anywhere without that camera. Her friend, Jimmy.
How could she have…?
This was Jimmy.
“What is it?” Lucy asked.
Why couldn’t she forget that night? She couldn’t remember the details of what had lead up to them making love, but every detail of that night in his arms was seared into her mind.
“You’re avoiding me.”
“Should I…?” Mayson pointed at the door.
“No, Mayson, we have work to do.” Lucy cut her off. “Jimmy, I’ve been busy.”
“Too busy to pick up a phone?”
“I should go.”
“No,” Lucy ordered once more. “We have to piece this case back together piece by piece by tomorrow morning or else this case gets thrown out.”
“Maybe I can help?” Jimmy suggested, taking a seat. “You can talk while you work, can’t you?”
“Jimmy, I don’t have time for this…”
“Hey, the Skins case. I remember this.” Jimmy smiled up at her. “Fires.”
“Yeah.”
“I think Lois and CK have a copy of a lot of the original stuff from that file. I could bring it by tonight…. We can talk over dinner?”
“Dinner?”
“You have to eat and I need to talk. I’ll see you at seven.” Before she knew what had just happened he was gone.
“Sounds like you’ve got yourself a date.” Mayson winked at her. “Problem solved. Now, about these missing files…”
***
The screen showed Lois on the operating table. Doctors surrounded her as they worked on trying to save her life. A cry echoed as a young baby was pulled out from her womb.
“He’s okay.” The doctor said. “I think he’s okay.”
“Doctor, her blood pressure is rising.” The nurse said, motioning to Lois’ unconscious body.
The image began to shake and the screen went black.
“I’ve tried everything I can, but nothing seems to be able to help restore the image,” Lois explained. Clark nodded, wrapping a supportive arm around her, pulling her towards him.
The screen shook once more and showed the doctor looking at the young baby. “I don’t…” The screen shook again and the audio changed once more. The screen went black again.
“No.” Clark shook his head and rewound the tape once more. “We’re missing something.”
The image of Lois on the operating table appeared once more.
***
“Oh, good you’re still here,” Lucy said coolly, approaching Lana’s office.
“Lucy, I thought you were off,” Lana said a bit flustered to see her colleague. She reached for a manila file folder to cover up what she’d been working on.
“I was, but I decided to come in. What’s that?” Lucy asked, pointing to Lana’s desk.
“Nothing,” Lana replied sweetly. “So, how are you doing?”
Lucy pulled up a chair and took a seat. “I’m fine. Mind telling me how you’re doing? I mean, there must be a reason why you keep messing around with all the archive files and why they have come up missing….all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lana said, brushing her off.
“Yes, you do,” Lucy said. “Keep your hands off my files.”
***
“Where is she?” Bill Church hissed angrily.
“Who?” Dianna asked innocently when Bill came barging into her office.
“I’m radioactive?” Bill narrowed his eyes at Dianna. “How could you let things get so out of control? I’m going to have to explain to everyone why they got exposed to a radioactive substance at my party.”
“It’s temporary.” Dianna shrugged. “I’m already clean. It was just a small bit of red kryptonite. Nothing to write home about.”
“We don’t even know what this stuff does. You were supposed to test it on Superman not the entire upper class of Metropolis.”
“What’s done is done. Do you have the green kryptonite?” Dianna asked.
“No, I…I’m working on it.”
“Then we have nothing further to discuss.”
***
“I got an interesting call today. Mr. Church was inquiring on our status and interested in a possible purchase of Kryptonite.” Mrs. Cox smiled up at Nigel. “He sounded desperate.”
“I’m guessing his quest with the Red Kryptonite didn’t go as planned.” Nigel mused.
***
Test after test. The last few days had been filled with endless visits to different labs; monitoring the slow decrease in the presence of this radioactive substance in Lois’ body. Almost everyone they had spoken with that had attended the party a few weeks ago had suffered the same effect. It made no sense. He and Lois hadn’t attended the party so how had she been exposed to the radiation?
“I swear to God, if I have to be pricked in the arm with one more needle I’m going to scream.” Lois snapped angrily, rubbing her forearm as they exited the doctor’s office once more. She walked with Clark towards their Jeep.
“I’m sorry, but at least we know that stuff is out of your system.” Clark tried to reassure her.
“I guess.” She said. “It still doesn’t make any sense to me. None of this does. A large majority of the city goes crazy for three days; now that same percentage is radioactive.” He opened the door for her then walked around to the passenger side to climb in.
“I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out the logic in this whole mess. What’s the point?”
“Well, there were a lot of crimes being committed those few days. Maybe someone thought you would be out of commission?” Lois suggested, cranking the engine. “Perry did try and get us to have Superman make an appearance.”
“I guess.” Clark sighed, “By the way, I called the hospital and requested background information on everyone that was allowed access to that operating room.”
Lois nodded in recognition. “Good. It still doesn’t make any sense. Why would this woman kidnap a baby then come forward like this?”
“I don’t know,” Clark said. “But we’re going to figure it out.”
***
TBC...
