When Churches Come Crashing Down
Folc4evernaday
Part 15
***
Clark was awoken out of a peaceful sleep by the jerk of the covers and the loss of a warm body next to him. She hovered over the toilet as she emptied her stomach out, gasping for air as she did so.
He knelt down beside her, rubbing her back as she sank back against him, “You okay?”
She shook her head, “I knew that chicken tasted funny…” she muttered as she rested her head against the wall in exhaustion.
He smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll be okay. Just food poisoning…” she sighed.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You okay to move?” She nodded mutely and he picked her up and carried her back to bed, lying down next to her.
“Didn’t mean to wake you.” She murmured, resting her head against his chest.
Clark held her tightly against his solid frame, running a hand through her silky hair. “I’m fine. Do you want me to get you a glass of water or something?” He asked.
“I don’t think I can digest anything just yet.” She grimaced.
Clark glanced at the clock, “Do you want me to call Perry and tell him you won’t be in?”
“No. I’ll be fine.” She shook her head. She followed his glance towards the clock. “We might as well start getting ready.”
The alarm began to blare and the radio turned on, “State officials have just released the name of the body found in Hobbs Bay last night. Dr. Tony Benzen, a surgeon at Metropolis General Hospital…”
Both Lois and Clark looked at the radio in shock, “Did he just say what I think he did?” Lois asked.
Clark watched as the wheels began to turn in her head, “No, absolutely not.” He shook his head.
***
“I cannot believe you talked me into this.” Clark fumed as they walked down towards the barricade the police had created around Hobbs Bay. “You just got done hugging the toilet this morning and here we are investigating a murder…”
“The murder of a doctor that just so happens to be involved in Jordan’s kidnapping…”
“We don’t know that.”
“Why else would he insist on hiding behind his ethics like that?” Lois crossed her arms in defiance. “He knew a lot more than he was letting on.”
“And someone obviously didn’t want him talking,” Clark said, watching as the police carried away the black body bag of the late doctor in question.
***
“You want to what?” Linda asked confused.
“Adopt a baby,” Lana answered reapplying her makeup as she spoke.
“Why?” Linda asked, still not comprehending.
“Well, I’m not getting any younger and I …”
“Okay, stop right there.” Linda interrupted. “You just got fired from your job.”
“And I have a new job.” Lana snapped. “I think this is the right decision for me. Are you going to support me or not?”
Linda stared at Lana a moment then shrugged, “Sure, why not?”
***
“Do I even want to know how Jimmy got this address?” Clark asked as they climbed the steps to the Metro Heights Complex. Jimmy had found Leigh-Anne’s address of residence as soon as word had reached the press that she was back in Metropolis.
“Probably not.” Lois said over her shoulder, “We’ve been trying to find her; now we’ve got her. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is we don’t even know how we’re going to approach this. ‘Hey, we think your baby is our kidnapped son?’” Clark mocked how the conversation would go. “’Oh, well, here you go.’ What do you expect? Her to just hand him over so you can figure out if he’s our son or not?”
“I don’t have a plan, Clark, but I will let you know once I figure it out.” Lois snipped as they reached the door to Leigh-Anne’s apartment. “This is it.”
Lois reached over to ring the doorbell. “You’d think this place would be swarming with media,” Lois commented looking around.
“Yeah, but remember how long it took Jimmy to find her address. She obviously is trying to keep a low profile.” Clark pointed out.
“Obviously.” Lois nodded.
“May I help you?” Leigh-Anne asked, opening her door.
***
Lucy sat in the corner of her office, curled up in a ball as she cried to herself; rocking herself back and forth as the tears flowed freely. Pregnant. She was pregnant. How had this happened? How had her life become so screwed up?
“Lucy?” Mayson knocked on her office door. When she saw the state of distress she was in Mayson immediately knelt down to check on her, “Lucy, are you all right?”
Lucy shook her head, unable to stop the tears, “I don’t know how this happened…” She cried, showing Mayson the readout from the hospital.
She scanned the document for a split second before realization dawned on her and she placed a supportive arm around Lucy. “It’ll be okay. You’ll see.”
“No, you don’t understand. I can’t be a mom. Look at how screwed up I am. My life. My family. The only person I really called family; my sister….We don’t hardly sp…speak anymore…I don’t know how to be a mother…” She cried even harder.
Mayson laid a supportive hand on Lucy’s shoulder and handed her a file, “You can start by going over the Baby Rage case. Work has a way of saving you from yourself. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”
***
“I’m not sure I understand.” Leigh-Anne said, taking a seat across from Lois and Clark. “How exactly did you find me? And why are you here?”
“We have our ways,” Lois said quickly. “We’re here to set the record straight. You’ve made all these claims against Superman, but have shown nothing to prove Superman even knows you. You produce a child with these abilities…. Well, you have to admit your story is a bit farfetched.”
“What’s far-fetched about it?” Leigh-Anne asked nervously. “Superman is the father. He just…never comes around….”
“You still have shown the world nothing to prove…”
“Look, Mrs. Kent, I …”
“Lane.” Clark interrupted.
“Pardon?” Leigh-Anne asked.
“My professional name is ‘Lane.’” Lois answered.
“Oh. Well, as I was saying, I know you and Mr. Kent are friends of Superman’s and that’s commendable, but that gives you no right to question me like this.”
“Question you like what Leigh-Anne? A reporter?” Lois challenged. “You printed that story about yourself and Superman. You took the stage with your son and stared America in the eye and told them that Superman was a Deadbeat Dad.”
“I…”
“You have gone on talk show to talk show to talk about this supposed sordid affair, but I ask one question…and you are all on the defensive. What’s the deal?”
“There was no relationship was there?” Clark challenged quietly, even though he knew the answer to the question.
“ I…I…” Leigh-Anne looked back and forth from Lois and Clark.
A soft cry from the other room caught their attention before Leigh-Anne could answer. “Uh, just a minute.”
Lois and Clark exchanged a glance as they followed Leigh-Anne into the next room where Jesse was lying down for a nap. He flew several feet above his crib, rolling from side to side in mid-air as he cried.
“Jesse, honey, wake up.” Leigh-Anne pleaded. “You see what I have to deal with? I can’t hold him because he flies out of my reach when he’s sleeping.”
Jesse seemed to register the sound of his mother’s voice and slowly began to float down to her awaiting arms. Lois and Clark watched the exchange in rapt attention. This young child did indeed have Superman’s powers, but the question was how did he obtain them?
“Hey, sweetie.” Leigh-Anne cooed to her son. She sniffed the air and her nose wrinkled up. “Oooh! You need to be changed.” She reached for the diaper bag below Jesse’s changing table. She struggled to balance the baby and the bag in her arms.
“Here” Clark reached out to take the baby from her as she pulled out the things she needed to change him.
“Uh, thank you.” Leigh-Anne said with a small smile.
Clark held Jesse in his arms as Leigh-Anne situated herself. He ran a hand through the young boy’s silky blonde hair, desperately looking for a connection between himself and Jesse. He felt nothing. He saw nothing.
“He’s usually so shy around strangers.” Leigh-Anne commented, taking Jesse from him.
“Yeah, well, Clark’s a natural with kids,” Lois commented, steering the conversation elsewhere.
Clark gave a forced smile as he tucked his hand inside his coat pocket, toying with the strand of hair he’d taken from the boy’s head while he had been holding him.
***
“What the hell is wrong with it? Why isn’t it working?” Nigel fumed.
“I…I don’t know…” Jack stammered.
Nigel reached for Jack’s hand once more and forced it on the globe once again. “Nothing.” He slammed his fist on the table once again, knocking the globe on the floor. The globe rolled to the corner of the room where a black Labrador sat watching the scene unfold. The black lab sniffed at the globe and placed it’s paw on the globe.
The globe came to life, emitting an image of Jor-EL, “The creature of the canine is…”
The black lab removed his paw from the globe, frightened by the image.
Nigel rolled his eyes, “Great, my dog can figure it out, but I can’t.”
***
“I’m not sure I understand.” Dr. Klein said, staring at the strand of hair. “I thought you said…”
“We need to know if this boy is our son, Dr. Klein.” Lois interrupted.
“But wasn’t he…? Isn’t he…?” Dr. Klein continued to skirt around the question.
“We don’t know anymore,” Lois answered. “That’s why we need you to run a DNA test.” With that, Lois pulled a strand of hair out of her own hair and handed it to Dr. Klein.” She smiled, “My DNA should be simple enough to find compared to Clark’s.”
***
“Lana, what are you doing here?” Amanda asked, opening her door.
“I hadn’t seen you in a while and wanted to check on how you were doing,” Lana replied sweetly, stepping inside the apartment.
“That’s so nice of you,” Amanda said with a warm smile. “I just laid the little bit down for a nap so we have some time to talk.”
Lana took a seat on the couch and smiled up at Amanda, “Good we have a lot to talk about.”
She pulled out a file from her purse and laid it on the coffee table. “Let’s talk about the changes that are about to take place in yours and my life.”
***
“That just can’t be true.” Perry shook his head adamantly, “Billy would never…”
Inspector Henderson sighed, “I understand your hesitancy to believe Jack’s story, Mr. White, but you have to admit…”
“I don’t have to admit anything. Billy wouldn’t do something like this. Billy wouldn’t…. He would never have hired someone to kidnap me like that….Traumatize Alice like that…” Perry shook his head, “No.”
“What about Jack? Why would he lie?” Henderson challenged.
“I don’t know,” Perry said, shaking his head. “I just…. I don’t know.”
***
“Nigel, you can’t keep beating the kid like this.” Mrs. Cox warned. “He won’t be of any use to us if he’s unconscious the entire time he’s here.”
“He knows how to work the globe.” Nigel fumed. “He knows how to work it and he refuses to cooperate.”
“Beating him senseless isn’t going to do any good.”
***
“What do you mean you won’t help me?” Dianna fumed angrily as she followed Miranda around her studio.
“I have a lot at stake in this project. Ms. Stride. It’s not my fault you didn’t do your research before trying such a bold stunt.” Miranda said airily. “I can’t afford to be seen with you, Dianna. It’s only a matter of time before the police come knocking on your door….or have they already begun?”
“You will regret this,” Dianna warned, jerking the door to Miranda’s studio open as she stalked out.
***
“Hey, guys, I just heard what happened at S.T.A.R. Labs; it’s all over the wire,” Jimmy said excitedly as he approached Lois and Clark stepping off the elevator.
“Yeah, they are still trying to find Bill Church Jr. and Dianna Stride. According to one of the culprits they apprehended Church and Dianna were working together on this raid.” Clark explained as they walked towards his desk.
“Any idea where they could be?” Jimmy asked.
“Not a clue.” Lois said, “I guess we could try a sewer.”
Jimmy cast a wayward look towards the editor in chief’s office where Perry was pacing on the phone. “Better not let the Chief hear you say that. You know how protective he is of Bill Church Jr.”
“I know,” Lois said grimly. “That’s why I wish he would wake up and see what’s under his nose.”
The editor in chief’s door opened and Perry stepped out into the newsroom, staring down anyone that dared cross his path, “Lane! Kent! My office, pronto!”
Lois and Clark glanced at one another, uncertain what to expect as they approached Perry’s office. Clark closed the door behind them, “What’s up, Chief?”
Perry didn’t say anything, choosing instead to take his seat as he tapped a ballpoint pen on the wood grain of his desk. “I, uh, I’m worried about Jack.”
Lois and Clark looked at one another once again, “Jack?” They asked in unison.
“Yeah, he was one of the ones they found in the raid at S.T.A.R. Labs. ….Well, I don’t know what to do or think. He’s naming Billy as the mastermind behind all this. I don’t think he’d do such a thing, but why would Jack lie?”
Lois and Clark exchanged a look, “Perry, where is Jack now?” Lois asked.
“I don’t know.” Perry said, raking a hand through his hair, “Jack disappeared from custody this afternoon. Everyone’s looking for him.”
“I’ll see if I can get a hold of Superman; see if he can help with the search,” Clark said, moving towards the door.
“That’s not why I called you in here, though.”
“Oh?” Lois asked curiously. Clark stopped, turning back to his editor.
Perry handed her a large manila folder. “It seems Bill had a few skeletons in his closet.” Perry sighed, “More than I care to admit.”
“Who is Mindy Church?” Lois asked.
“Apparently, she’s Bill Church Sr’s wife and the owner of Cost Mart Stores and every other business; legal and illegal that Bill may have been running on the side.”
“He was married?” Clark asked surprised.
“Yeah, a real shocker for me too.” Perry nodded, “I hate to see how Billy’s going to react.”
***
“I have poured more money into this paper than you earn in a year and you can’t do me this one favor?” Bill Church Jr fumed as he paced Mike Rogers’s office angrily.
Mike sighed, raking a hand through his hair as he tried to portray a calm he didn’t feel at the moment. “You are asking for too much, Bill. I can’t put you up. I don’t have the resources or the…”
“That is a crock and you know it. You just won’t do it.” Bill snapped.
“Yeah, you’re right. I won’t do it. The police are looking for you everywhere.” Mike told him coldly, “I can’t help you.”
“Right.” Bill nodded with a smile. With that he pulled out a silver revolver out of his pocket and aimed it at Mike Rogers, “I’m sorry to hear that Mike.”
***
“Start talking. You don’t want another round, do you?” Nigel smiled up at Jack.
“I don’t…” Jack winced and cowered his head as he anticipated the blow from Nigel’s raised hand.
But it didn’t come.
“That’s enough!” Mrs. Cox grabbed his hand before he could strike Jack. “You’re gonna end up killing him.”
An eerie calm came over Nigel as he turned to face Mrs. Cox, “Would that be so bad?” He walked back towards the table where the round globe sat and reached out to touch it once more. “Our young Jack has been bounced around from foster home to foster home since he was fourteen. He’s lived as a runaway doing only God knows what to survive. I’m sure there were days that he wished someone would take him out of his misery.”
The globe in his hands lit up and the figure of Jor-El appeared, “The act of taking a life has been forever frowned upon, no matter what culture you are from. Krypton had many wars and we saw many deaths, but to take a life without cause is punishable by death and exile.”
Nigel dropped the globe on the floor, “Good Lord…”
“Amazing.” Mrs. Cox breathed as she stared at the empty space that had just seconds ago portrayed the image of Jor-El.
***
“What is it?” Lois asked, looking up at Clark in concern.
“Someone activated the globe again.” He whispered.
“Is it…?” Lois didn’t get a chance to finish her question because he was gone before her eyes, “…Jack?”
***
“Mr. Turner, you offer an interesting proposal, but what makes you think I would sign with you as a partner?” Toni Taylor asked.
James smiled, “I know you don’t know me that well, Ms. Turner, but I know you. I know you live in fear of your business and your life after what happened to you before. I can offer protection against the culprits that attacked you and offer the financial backing you need to reacclimate yourself in Metropolis.”
“My current partner…I don’t think he’ll sell.” Toni said evasively.
“He’ll come around. I’ll offer him a deal he can’t possibly refuse.” James smiled.
“Lucy, what are you doing here?” Lois asked in concern when she saw her sister standing over her desk teary eyed. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you…alone,” Lucy whispered.
“Okay.” Lois glanced around the newsroom and noticed Jimmy looking at them with a curiosity in his eyes. “We can use the conference room.” Lucy followed her inside and she closed the door, “What’s up?”
“I don’t know what to do. I’m so careful. I’ve always been smart. I just don’t understand how I let this happen. I don’t understand how this happened, to begin with, but…”
“Lucy!” Lois snapped, trying to get a hold of her sister’s attention. “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”
“I’m pregnant,” Lucy said quickly, wincing as she said the words out loud. She took a seat and buried her face in her hands.
***
Clark soared above the Metropolis evening sky, searching for a sign of Jack and his missing globe. The message that had played sent an eerie chill down his spine. He’d never heard a message about Krypton’s take on murder. Why would the globe be playing a message like that now?
He still had so many questions that were left unanswered.
Who would buy the globe and why? What would they do with it? Were there other messages being played that he couldn’t see?
He stopped when he realized he was outside the abandoned LexCorp building. A year ago, he’d have suspected Lex Luthor of having the globe. Now he didn’t know where to look.
***
Jack stared at the globe before him for a long moment, pacing his thoughts as he reached out to touch the sphere. He breathed a sigh of relief when a bright yellow light emitted from the globe. The familiar image of Jor-El appeared and began to speak.
“Everything you need to know about your life, family, and cultures on Krypton is stored in this object; a sphere portraying the maps of the different worlds throughout the galaxies…”
He removed his hand from the globe.
“Interesting.” Nigel mused. “This ‘object’ seems to be attuned to you.” Nigel leaned forward, “Play it again.”
***
“You’re pr…pregnant?” Lois asked in a harsh whisper.
Lucy nodded violently, unable to voice her response.
“Wh…How? Whe…?” She took a seat next to her sister, “I didn’t think you were seeing anyone.” She finally managed.
“Not that you would know.” Lucy snipped. “I’m not. I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Then how..?”
“All I know is that I’m pregnant and it’s looking like the only time this could have happened was when the whole city got drunk on love and a crime spree was released.” Lucy snapped irritably.
Lois’ eyes widened at the implications, “Luce, you weren’t…”
“What?” Lucy shook her head, realizing what Lois was referring to, “No. That’s not what I meant. Somehow during that time…I….You don’t know?” Lucy asked in surprise.
“Know what?” Lois asked.
“Hmm. I guess I’m getting more and more surprises every day.” She mused.
“That still doesn’t answer my question,” Lois said irritably.
“Well, maybe I don’t want to answer your question right now, Lois. God, this isn’t easy.” Lucy rubbed her temples with her forefinger and thumb.
“You’re right.” Lois said, “It’s not like we talk all the time or have lunch like we used to. You have your life and I have mine, but I would like to think we can still come to one another about stuff like this.”
“Now you’re trying to guilt me into telling you?” Lucy groaned.
“Well, I don’t know what it is you want from me. You come here telling me you’re pregnant and won’t say zip about who the father is. What do you want from me?”
“Um, am I interrupting?” Jimmy knocked on the door. Lois and Lucy looked towards him then back at one another.
“I think we’re done,” Lois said, standing up.
“Yeah,” Lucy said, stalking out of the conference room. “We’ve been done for awhile now I guess.”
Lois shot her a look and shook her head. “What was that about?” Jimmy asked hesitantly.
Lois glanced at him curiously, uncertain if he’d heard the conversation or not. “Um, just girl stuff.” She didn’t notice the look of disbelief on Jimmy’s face as she left the conference room.
***
“Kal-El, our child. Under Earth’s sun, his Kryptonian calls will give him powers and abilities no Kryptonian has ever had. He is the last son of Krypton.” Jor-El’s voice was filled with emotion as he spoke.
Jack let go of the globe and placed it on the table in front of him. “Kal-El?”
Nigel smiled, “I would assume that to be Superman.”
***
In the corner of the warehouse, Dianna sat crouched in the corner, watching in rapt attention as Nigel and Jack conversed. The image of a baby being placed into a spaceship was enlightening. So much was unknown about the man of steel. He had been sent out to space as a baby? Had he arrived on Earth as a baby or a man?
***
Where was the globe?
He could see the image of his father in his head. The image was just as clear as the other messages had been.
He circled around Hobb’s Bay, x-raying the various warehouses along the dock. Most of the warehouses were now without lead lining in the paint; allowing him to examine the contents of the buildings more quickly.
<<“Everything you need to know about your life, family, and cultures on Krypton is stored in this object; a sphere portraying the maps of the different worlds throughout the galaxies…”>>
What did that mean? What was his father trying to tell him in that message?
He stopped outside of a warehouse marked ‘LexCo.’ The building was lined with lead and smelt like it had been recently painted too. “Leave it to Luthor.” He muttered under his breath.“Here goes nothing.”
***
“So, Jamie, you from around here or just passing through?” Toni asked as they walked through the construction of the new Metro Club.
“I’ve passed through once or twice Ms. Turner, but I’m thinking of making Metropolis my home,” James said with a smile. Toni looked at him for a moment then offered a weak smile. “Something wrong?” He asked.
She smiled, “No, it’s just you have a familiar smile.”
“Maybe I just have one of those faces.” He offered.
“Maybe.”
***
Lois stared at the clock, worry written all over her face. Clark had been gone for several hours. She hadn’t heard anything as far as his whereabouts were concerned on the news. No one had seen him for several hours.
Irritation pulsed through her as she paced. Why didn’t he tell her where he was going? At least give her an idea of where to look if he got into any trouble. She was growing more and more worried by the second.
She debated for a split second the pros and cons of going out to look for him and staying home and waiting for him. The list was one sided but she chose the latter.
***
“Superman?” Jack’s voice was weak as he shook the man of steel’s solid form. He still wasn’t moving. “Come on, Superman, you gotta wake up. I can’t move you myself.”
The man of steel’s face seemed to be in pain. He glanced around the room. A greenish hue emitted from the walls. He sniffed the air. The paint did seem to be quite strong. Maybe some fresh air would do him some good.
He winced as he tried to lift Superman over his shoulder. He was still sore from the beating he’d received by his captor. “All right, if I drop you. I’m sorry.” He whispered as she struggled to walk towards the front door. “Man, you gotta lose some weight.”
***
Pregnant. Lucy was pregnant.
Jimmy swung once more at the punching bag hanging in front of him. They’d been drugged. They’d made a child. He was going to be a father. And Lucy was still hardly speaking to him.
What was he going to do?
***
TBC...
