When Churches Come Crashing Down
Folc4evernaday
Part 46
***
One Week Later…
Lucy squinted out to the crowd as she prepared to speak. She looked back at Detective Wolf and Inspector Henderson who had Arianna Carlin in custody with shackles on her ankles and wrists, preventing her from escaping. The cold stare she gave her chilled Lucy to the bone. It was as if she was dead inside.
“Thank you for coming,” Lucy cleared her throat nervously. Normally, Mayson Drake would be handling situations like this that the DA didn’t want to face the camera for. It didn’t look like Mayson Drake would be up to any press conferences anytime soon.
<<Cancer>>
That was what they had guessed, but of course, nothing was certain until they got the lab results back, which thanks to Mindy and her escapades they didn’t have the convenience of S.T.A.R. labs being right down the street.
“Metropolis has come a long way…” Lucy began her speech as she reflected back on everything they’d had to endure the last few days in order to be standing where they were today.
With the help of Miranda and Mindy they had been able to find Arianna Carlin’s safe house. She didn’t go down easy. She had tried to run, resisting arrest by tossing anything and everything she could get her hands on at the officers she’d been evading. Detective Wolf had been on the scene and finally stopped her, but he’d taken a few blows in the process.
This woman had heartlessly murdered several people over the past year. She’d defiled their bodies, cut off their heads and all for what? Science?
***
One Week Earlier…
Jimmy Olsen slowly sat up slowly, squinting as the bright sunlight hit his eyes. He hurt. “Oh, mann,” he groaned in agony. The entire left side of his body was in pain. He looked around the room. He was in a hospital room for some reason. He looked down at himself and groaned; in a hospital gown.
He recalled the hostage situation at the Planet and panicked, looking up and down his body for a sign of a bullet wound. Nothing. He just had a small bandage on his shoulder. Had he just missed the bullet? Had it hit Perry?
He could feel his adrenaline level rising as he began to question what had happened. The door to his room opened and Perry White peeked in, carrying a cup of coffee, “Olsen?” He called out quietly.
“I’m up, Chief,” Jimmy sighed in relief when he saw his elderly boss standing in front of him.
“Good to see you made it through all right,” Perry said, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to him.
“What do you mean?” Jimmy asked, confused.
“That bullet,” Perry pointed to his shoulder. “It got lodged in your shoulder. What in the Sam Hill were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that?”
“I--” Jimmy looked at his shoulder, carefully. It did hurt to move it. He’d been shot.
“You get a bullet in the arm and a goose egg on the noggin for your efforts.” Perry scolded. “You could have been killed. Then where would you be?”
Jimmy looked down sorrowfully. He hadn’t been thinking about himself. He just saw his friends were in danger and had tried to help. “I’m sorry I scared you, Chief.”
“Not just me,” Perry continued. “Lucy’s been a wreck, coming in and out of this room, checking on you for the past few hours, along with Lois, and your mother.”
“My mom?” Jimmy groaned. “You guys called my mom?”
“Of course,” Perry said, “She had a right to know her son was in surgery,” Perry said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again.”
Jimmy sighed, “I’ll do my best, Chief,”
“I know that’s right,” A familiar voice scolded from the hallway.
“Hey, Luce,” Jimmy beamed, when she walked into the room.
“You scared me,” Lucy said.
Perry smiled, “Yeah, I’ve been chewing him out about his crazy stunt.”
Jimmy looked up at Lucy with regret. He’d never wanted to hurt anyone, or himself, but he couldn’t let Lex hurt his friends. At the time, he didn’t see a solution. Perry or any of his co-workers and friends could have just as easily been shot—and not survived. “I’m sorry, it was just instinct I guess.”
“Well, your instinct scared everyone to death, son.” Perry patted him on the back, “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Me too,” Lucy smiled at him.
Jimmy caught her gaze. She looked tired and stressed. He could see the worry lines around her eyes. He smiled up at her, hoping to ease whatever tension and anxiety she’d had over him. He changed the subject, “How’s CK doing?”
Lucy looked at Perry then back again, “Uh, he had to have surgery to get the bullet removed. He was shot close range which made the wound harder to repair.”
“How is he?” Jimmy asked.
“Not himself,” Lucy said. “He’s still in pain.”
“Dr. Lane ended up operating on him, they got the bullet out, but he’s probably still got a long road to recovery,” Perry explained.
“And Lois?” Jimmy asked, looking at Lucy.
“She’s hanging in there,” Lucy said, patting his leg. “How about you? How are you feeling?”
“Fine, I guess,” Jimmy said softly, “I think I feel fine.”
***
One Week Later…
“We watched him fall to his death, evading capture…” Lucy pushed the memory to the back of her mind as she continued her speech.
It would have been so gratifying to arrest James Turner and finally bring him to justice for all his crimes, but unfortunately, fate had other plans. She had had mixed feelings when Henderson had told her Turner hadn’t made it. The emotions she’d felt the year before when Lex had jumped to his death had come flooding back. He’d escaped capture once more. He’d cheated her out of justice once again.
The resentment she’d buried inside came to the surface once more. How had she been so blind to allow this man into her life? It was so obvious now.
***
Earlier That Day…
Mayson grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes, “Cancer? Really? After everything I…”
“The doctor said the tests were inconclusive. It’s just one of the many possibilities.” Lucy tried to reassure her friend.
“Just one?” Mayson asked. “That’s all he said. ‘It may be cancer, but we don’t know until we get the lab results.’ Why would they say that if they didn’t think it was really …” Mayson dabbed her eyes once more as she cried.
Lucy looked at her at a loss, uncertain of what to do. Apparently, Mayson had been exposed to a radioactive substance that had begun to form abnormalities in her skin cells. The doctor said there was a 70/30 chance they were cancerous.
***
A Few Days Ago…
Lucy lay in Jimmy’s arms staring at the ceiling, recalling their recent activities. Could she do this? Could she have a relationship with her best friend and not screw it up? Only time would tell. She stroked Jimmy’s cheek as he slept. She’d been so close to losing him…Her best friend.
She recalled what Lois had told her earlier.
<<“You’re screwed up?” Lois laughed, bitterly, “I’m screwed up, Luce.” Lois sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “Between the drama with mom and dad and the divorce and every ex-boyfriend I’ve had that has literally stabbed me in the back one way or another,,, And let’s not forget having my son kidnapped while I was unconscious and having everyone around me try to convince me otherwise, including my own husband. Yeah, I’m screwed up, but you don’t see me sitting here scared to face the world. You forced me to take a chance on Clark and look where it got me. I’m married with a family and I couldn’t be happier. So, I’m going to tell you, Lucy Lane, take a chance. Do you love Jimmy?”
“I don’t know,” Lucy shook her head.
“The fact that we’re having this conversation proves you do know.” Lois cut her off. “Take a chance. This last year hasn’t been easy on either of us, but you can’t give up on life. It’s very lonely.”>>
“Whatcha thinking about?” she heard Jimmy’s voice penetrate her thoughts.
“Life,” Lucy smiled wryly. She patted the scar on her abdomen from her surgery. “So much has happened.”
“I know,” he said sadly, “We’ll get through this, Luce,”
“How can you be so sure?” she asked.
“Because after…watching Lois and CK go through everything they’ve gone through…I gotta think this…You and me is a piece of cake.” He smiled back at her. “I love you, Lucy,”
She smiled up at him. He’d said the scary words again. She wasn’t going to run again, “I love you too, Jimmy,” she leaned up and kissed him, deepening their embrace as he held her close.
***
A Few Days Later..
Lucy could feel the blush creeping into her face as she spoke. She had to think of something else before she turned completely red.
<<’Don’t go there’>>
Thinking about Jimmy was not the best idea right now.
“It is serious. Any radioactive material can be lethal, but especially a substance from a meteorite can prove to be deadly…” Lucy fought back her tears as she spoke.
“its deadly effects are not solely on Superman, but on us as well. It is a real threat…”
***
Lois sat on the couch, glued to the television as she watched the coverage of the Planet’s hostage situation and Lucy’s press conference. It had been a rough week. Clark had made it through surgery without a hitch and everything was back to normal. So why did she still feel so anxious? Clark placed a reassuring arm around her. “You’re going to make yourself sick with worry if you keep watching this stuff.”
Lois shook her head, “I should have known. I should have known something was wrong.”
“We’d assumed the power was out from Mindy’s destruction. No one could have known.” Clark tried to reassure her.
“I hate this.” Lois shook her head.
“I know,” Clark tightened his grip around her. “I’m not exactly enjoying playing sick either.”
“Well, how do you explain immediately returning to work after heart surgery?” Lois asked.
“Four more weeks and then we can slowly get back to normal. Besides, they’ve got most of the city under construction anyway. We can enjoy some quality time.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Clark said, gently squeezing her arm. “I’m sure everything will be all right, and with Mayson Drake coming forward about the harmful effects Kryptonite can have on everyone hopefully the military and government will do what they need to destroy it.”
“I still can’t believe someone did that to her,” Lois shook her head. “It’s just awful.” Lucy had told them of what had happened at the hospital with Mayson. The Kryptonite radiation had possibly given Mayson Drake cancer. They wouldn’t know anything conclusive until the lab results came back but the doctors seemed pretty sure.
“I know,” Clark sighed, “I hate that she’s going through something like this.”
“Well, at least we know the people responsible are gone.” Lois reasoned.
“Yes, everyone is safe. You’re fine. I’m fine,” Clark reassured her, taking her hand in his and kissing it. “We’re fine.” He pointed to Jordan and Laura who were across the living room playing with mega blocks. Jordan was trying to stack the blocks as he hit them together while Laura looked up at him curiously. “Arianna Carlin’s been captured, Miranda and Mindy will be in prison for the next 15-20 years. Jimmy is fine, your sister is fine, and that woman Amanda can never bother us again.” He placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Are you sure you’re not mad about me telling my mom?” Lois asked again. “I mean, I’d understand if you were. It’s your secret and I just blabbed it the first time things got tough…”
“It’s okay,” Clark reassured her. “It’s not just my secret anymore, it’s our secret. You did what you had to and I’m grateful to your parents for saving my life.”
Lois leaned up and kissed him. “I love you, Clark Kent,”
“I love you, Lois Lane,” he murmured against her lips.
“So any idea when Superman will be returning to Metropolis?” Lois asked.
Clark winked at her, “How about now?”
***
The sound of laughter could be heard from the skies as a red-blue streak crossed in the sky. Lucy looked up in the sky and smiled. It looked like Superman had returned.
Many had wondered if the Superman that had been found in the harbor was the clone or our Superman. Either way, neither seemed to be present. There was no red cape flashing through the sky during Arianna’s capture or the Planet’s hostage situation with Lex. It was as if Superman had disappeared. Maybe it was a good thing. Metropolis had come to rely on Superman for so much it had forgotten how to survive without its acclaimed hero. Metropolis had to defend itself.
Lucy looked back at Detective Wolf and Inspector Henderson one more time and smiled to herself. As long as Metropolis kept people like that on the force the city would probably survive. Metropolis had a lot of unsung heroes hidden within.
***
The End
