Delusions of Grandeur
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 2
***
Clark doubled over in pain as he felt the searing pain from the poisonous bars that surrounded him. The room was spinning. The bars around him were closing in. He had to get out of here.
He had to get to Lois.
He had to get her away from that monster.
He had to…
<<“You live in a fantasy world, Luthor. Neither Clark nor I ever do anything to support your marriage to Lois.”>>
<<“I live in a fantasy world? Perhaps, but my fantasy’s about to come true,”>>He let out a low groan as the pain from the radioactive poison burned against him. “Lois…”
***
Perry checked the time on the digital clock once more, letting out a heavy sigh as he paced around the hotel room. Jack and Jimmy had gone to the corner store to get something to eat, but food was the last thing on his mind. Lois believed him. He knew she did. He had called her apartment over a dozen times now but each attempt he was met with an automatic unable to connect the call message.
Something was wrong. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. The problem was he didn’t know what to do. Should he wait here for Lois to call? Should he try and track her down? What he really needed was to track down Superman but unfortunately the two people he normally went to to track him down were missing.
He let out a short plea, praying it would be heard, “Superman!”
“Chief?” He turned around to see Jimmy and Jack staring at him with a bemused expression. “You okay?”
Perry shook his head, uncertain how to respond.
“Mr. White?” Jack looked at him in concern.
“Let’s go,” Perry said, finally making a decision as he reached for the keys to his car.
“Where are we going?” Jimmy called after him, racing to keep up.
***
The room felt like a thousand degrees. Lois let out a short gasp as she narrowed her eyes at Mrs. Cox staring back at her. A million thoughts raced through her mind as she slowly found her voice, “You never answered my question.”
Mrs. Cox thinned her mouth into a devilish smile, “I think you already know the answer, Ms. Lane.”
“You set the bomb, didn’t you?” Lois asked, uncertain if she wanted the answer.
The woman smirked at her and she felt a chill run down her spine. The silent response sent Lois’ mind racing. No matter which way she asked the question Mrs. Cox had deflected. She didn’t deny she’d set the bomb. She didn’t deny Lex had instructed Mrs. Cox to follow her. She didn’t deny it.
An innocent person would have denied it all, right?
<<“Clark, can’t you give up on this ridiculous idea that Lex Luthor is the root of all evil in Metropolis?”
“Why should I give it up, Lois, it’s true.”>>
<<“We, uh, think the boss was behind the Planet’s bombing.”>>
<<“Goodbye, Lois.”
“Goodbye? We’re partners!”
“You don’t need a partner, Lois. You never did.”
“Maybe not, but I was starting to like having one.”>>
<<“Incredible.”
“What?”
“You. Prize winning investigative journalist.”
“Is there a point?”
“How can you be so blind? I mean, you look right at the guy and you don’t have a clue as to who he really is.”>>
<<“Clark was looking into a possible lead on who he thought the boss was,”>>She didn’t deny it.
“All those people,” Lois heard her voice crack as she stared at the woman’s dark gaze.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mrs. Cox lied.
“I think you do,” Lois challenged.
Mrs. Cox shrugged nonchalantly. “I was told to take care of a problem and I took care of it. I
always do.” She held her gaze on Lois as she squinted her eyes at her. “I’m a woman of my word, Ms. Lane. When I say I’m going to do something I actually do it.”
“Loyalty to the wrong person can get you killed.” Lois warned, inching her way toward the door. Just a few more feet and she’d have the doorknob within her grasp. She had to get out of here. The tightening in her abdomen grew as she stared back at Mrs. Cox. “Whose problem were you cleaning up after?”
“You reporters.” Mrs. Cox frowned at her, “You always were too curious for your own good. I never understood the attraction.”
“What problem?” Lois repeated as she tightened her jaw, uncertain she wanted to know the answer. She wouldn’t be distracted by the jabs Mrs. Cox threw at her.
“Did you really think you could double cross him with that partner of yours and not pay the consequences?” A sinister laugh escaped her lips.
“What are you talking about?” Lois snapped angrily. The woman’s lips tightened and her eyes darkened as a sick feeling washed over her. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks, “The bomb.” She felt her insides churn.
‘It was meant for Clark.’The glint in Mrs. Cox’s eye told her she was correct. “A tragic accident. Those old buildings never do keep up with the building code. Tsk, tsk, tsk… Lucky you weren’t inside, Ms. Lane.” Mrs. Cox shook her head. “Lex didn’t want any distractions tonight and keeping you out of trouble appears to be a full-time job.”
Lois felt her knees go weak as her mind continued to race, trying to make sense out of what Mrs. Cox’s admission. Lex had put her on Lois’ tail. Lex didn’t want her in any trouble. The insinuation she’d made about her being at Clark’s apartment building. What if…?
‘No, that’s crazy!’ her mind shouted at her.
‘Is it?’Could
Lex have been behind the bombing? Mrs. Cox didn’t do anything it seemed without his okay. There’s no way she had packed up Lois’ apartment and followed her to Clark’s apartment without him knowing. There’s no way he
didn’t know.
<<“Lex and I don’t have secrets.”>>
<<“I have been in love with you for a long time…you had to have known.”>>
<<“The truth is that Lex Luthor may be hiding from you what really happened to the Planet. I’ve been doing some digging and…”
“I know why you’re doing this.”>>
<<“Sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration, I've over-reacted. I've been ruthless toward my enemies. But, as God is my witness, I swear to you, from this moment on, I will change. I no longer want to hurt anyone.”>>
<<“You told me your feelings and you were hurt. I’m sorry about that, Clark, but all this is just sour grapes.”
“Lois, what if I find evidence?”
“Clark, you’re talking about a man I trust and admire…who’s always been completely truthful with me.”>>Clark had tried to warn her about Lex and his nefarious deeds but she didn’t listen. Was this the dark side of him Clark was trying to warn her about? A sick feeling washed over her as she wondered to herself, ‘She thought Clark was inside when the bomb exploded.’
<<“I thought you were different. I thought you wanted to make a difference and change the world. What happened to the Lois Lane that never backed down? Did she ever really exist?”>>
<<“I'm no saint, Lois. I've done questionable things in pursuing success. Unfortunately, that's the nature of big business.”>>
<<“What exactly does a personal assistant do?”
“Whatever’s required.”>>
<<“You were following me,”
“Just doing my job,”
“And what is that exactly?”
“Whatever is required,”>>Lois tightened her hand on the built-in bookshelf behind her. The door was just another few feet. Another few feet and she could make a run for it. The longer she waited here the more she felt like a sitting duck. Every warning Clark and Perry had given her over the last few months continued to race through her mind.
<<“Sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration, I've over-reacted. I've been ruthless toward my enemies.”>>Was Lex really capable of killing hundreds of innocent people just to send a message?
<<“Clark was looking into a possible lead on who he thought the boss was,”>>
‘She thought Clark was inside.’ The thought crossed her mind once more and she swallowed hard, unsure if she wanted to think too far down that path.
<<“You think the boss is behind this, don’t you?”
“What do you think? Clark’s missing. The evidence we gathered against the boss is gone.”>>She reached for the door handle and let out a short gasp when the door opened and she turned to see Lex standing in the doorway. “Lex, what are you doing here?”
He looked to Mrs. Cox, “Have the car brought around, hmm?”
Lois watched in surprise as Mrs. Cox exited her apartment, leaving her alone with Lex. A smooth smile spread across his face as he closed the door behind him. “Well, it appears we have some things to catch up on, don’t we, darling?”
“Like your setting a bomb off on Clinton Street?” Lois asked, feeling her insides turn to ice when she saw the recognition across his face. “Don’t deny it. I know it was you.”
***
Bill Henderson bit off a bite from his burrito, looking over the latest report from the crime lab. He glanced over at the time and to the phone casually. It wasn’t like Kent not to show up for an appointment. He’d promised to bring everything he had on the boss and a statement from Superman regarding the boss’ criminal activity. So far, Kent had been a no-show.
The phone on his desk rang and he reached over to pick it up, “Henderson,”
Becky, the dispatcher smacked her lips over the phone, “Hey, Bill, I got a live one for you. Some southern guy with an accent and a bad attitude talking about taking down the boss. He claims to know you. I think it’s a prank caller…”
“Nah, put him through Becca,” Henderson interjected.
“Your funeral,” she warned. A beep could be heard through the handset and Perry White’s voice came on the line.
“Bill? Is that you?”
“Hey, Perry, what’s up?” Henderson asked.
“I need your help.” He pleaded, “I think Lois is in a lot more trouble than she realizes and…”
“Look, as I told Kent I can’t just throw Luthor in jail because he doesn’t like the guy. If he’s committed a crime, I’ll investigate but I can’t do anything without any evidence.” Henderson explained calmly on the phone, peering around the empty police station. He stood up and crossed the office he was in to close the door.
“Well, that’ll be hard to come by given that everything we had is now in ashes.” Perry remarked bitterly.
“What?”
***
“Don’t deny it. I know it was you.”
Her accusation hung in the air as she watched Lex’s face change through the different emotions. A stone-cold expression washed over him and he reached behind him to lock the door. “I think all this stress is beginning to get to you, Lois.” He shook his head, “Why don’t you let me call Dr. Kelly and …?”
“Why so you can drug me into submission?” Lois accused, taking a few steps back as he approached her.
“Lois,” his face fell and hurt crossed his eyes. “I would never do such a thing. Now, it’s been a long day for everyone. We have a big day tomorrow. We’ll go back to the penthouse. I’ll have Maria make that chocolate soufflé you love so much and then we can just take a breath and…”
“I don’t need to take a breath, Lex,” Lois snapped at him angrily. “You can’t possibly think that I would go anywhere with you after what you’ve done!”
“And what is it you think that I’ve done?” Lex asked calmly, taking another step toward her. “Arson is a bit of a reach, don’t you think, Lois?” He took another step and she felt the wall to the kitchen hit her back. “Come now, darling, you know me.”
“I thought I did,” she shook her head angrily. “You had that despicable woman follow me.”
“To make sure you were all right,” he crooned, reaching for her wrist but she stepped out of his grasp. “I couldn’t have anything happening to you on the eve of our wedding.”
“There is no wedding,” Lois spat the words out like venom as she stared back at him angrily.
His eyes narrowed at her, “What?”
“I…I can’t.” she swallowed hard, watching the range of emotions change across his face. A small part of her felt guilty and she offered a meek, “I’m sorry, Lex, but I can’t do this. I can’t and I won’t be a part of whatever this is.” She tugged the ring off her finger and threw it on the ground
She let out a muffled cry as the first blow came across her face. She felt her knees go weak as she struggled to remain standing, supporting herself at the last minute on the wall behind her. Her fists tightened as she felt the sting against her face. “That was a mistake.” She warned evenly.
Panic crossed his face momentarily before he responded in an eerie calm voice, “You are the one that made the mistake, Lois. Did you really think I wouldn’t respond to such a blatant slap in the face?” he grabbed her by the wrist and slammed it against the wall behind her. “All the months of patience and you think you can play me for a fool with that hack!”
“Let go of me!” she warned, struggling to free herself from his grasp.
“No!” Lex hissed angrily, tightening his grasp on her, “You’re
mine!”
She pushed him back with her other hand and responded with a venomous, “I don’t belong to anyone, Lex!”
“I will not be made a fool of!” he warned.
“Go to hell!” she snapped, lunging toward the exit in a half-sprint only to be knocked down to the ground this time. She felt the sting from the blow across the right-side of her face and she let out a gasp, instinctually reaching up to cover her face to ease the pain.
His breathing was heavy as he stood over her with a predatorily glare before he reached down and grabbed her by the arm, “You’re mine!”
“No!” Lois shouted vehemently as she glared back at him. She spat in his face, forcing him to loosen his grasp in order to wipe the saliva off of his face. She took advantage of the distraction and sprinted to her feet.
“Where are you going?” he called after her. She’d barely made it a few feet before she found him, the human wall, blocking her from exiting the apartment. “Get back here!” He reached over and grabbed her by the wrist.
“Stop!” she struggled to free herself from his grasp, “Get out of my way, Lex!”
“One year of being patient and playing second to that freak in a cape.” He glared at her with his menacing eyes, grabbing her jaw and forcing her to look at him. “That I could deal with but Kent? You will pay dearly for betraying me, my dear,”
“Let go of me, you
bastard!” she growled at him angrily through gritted teeth. It hurt as his grip tightened on her and he leaned into her.
“How dare you betray me like that!” he accused venomously. “I sure hope you enjoyed yourself, Lois, because now I will make sure all my attention is focused exactly where it’s needed apparently…on the wandering eyes of my bride-to-be.”
“I’m sure I speak for every woman whose held your attention before when I say, go to hell, Lex,” With that Lois lifted her knee up between his legs, rendering him motionless as he let out a loud curse.
She turned around to deliver a verbal blow, “Next time you want to level a building in revenge you might want to get your facts, Lex. You killed ten people and injured at least twenty…Because you thought I was cheating on you? You ignorant bastard! Clark is my friend. That’s it! I was trying to talk him into coming to the wedding…Not that it matters anymore.” She gave him a look of disgust. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on Earth. Clark was right about you. You’re a monster!”
The wheels began to turn in his head and realization washed over him. “Affair or no affair, I still won’t have you walking out on me.” He staggered to his feet and lunged toward her, grabbing her by both wrists. “You had no business running to Kent the night before our wedding.”
“You have no right to tell me what I can or can’t do you controlling psychopath,” Lois snapped angrily as he leaned into her.
“Well, it’s no matter. His interference has been taken care of permanently. Mrs. Cox saw to that.” Lex warned in a menacing tone.
‘He thinks Clark was in his apartment, she realized staring back at him in shock. “What did you do?” She could smell the expensive bourbon from his breath as he let out a light chuckle. “Where is Clark? What did you do to him?”
“All this pity and emotion over a worthless hack…” Lex sneered.
“You can call Clark a hack all you want but you proved just how much you don’t compare to him
or Superman.” She hissed back angrily.
His grip on her tightened and the cold stare, “Oh, don’t I? Such passion and rage over your lowly partner. Really, Lois? You expect me to believe you worked side by side without a smidgen of attraction? I’m no fool!” His other hand moved to grip her jaw, forcing her to look at him. An amused expression washed over his face and he leveled his deadly warning, “I can destroy everything in your life with the snap of my fingers.”
“Like there’s anything left to destroy?” she accused, realization finally hit her. “You did it, didn’t you? You bombed the Planet. You framed Jack. It was all
you.”
At first she thought he would deny it. He was so good at deflecting her questions and putting the blame on others, but he didn’t. A slow smile crossed his lips and his eyes grew dark, “A few calls to the banks and I was easily able to create a financial crisis within a month’s time. Something even you never questioned, my dear.”
Lois fought back tears, unwilling to let him see how shaken she was by his admission. “You scum-sucking, pathetic excuse of a man… Clark was right.”
“Yes, I never was able to fool that partner of yours.” Lex mused with a shrug, “He never quite understood how things work in Metropolis. My power in this city is unlimited.” His tone grew dark as he hissed in her ear, “That hack and Superman never could take a hint.”
“You framed an innocent kid.” Lois snapped through gritted teeth as she struggled to free herself from his grasp.
“Innocent is not what I’d call him.” He accused darkly. “I really found it so amusing that I was able to continue to keep this city …and most of all you…fooled for so long.” He let out a sinister laugh and taunted her, “How does it feel to know how close you were to bringing down the boss of Metropolis…and fail?”
Her eyes widened as realization hit her. The boss. He was the boss. Lex was the boss. Lex was behind everything. His thumb caressed the side of her face as he hissed in her ear, “I own you. I own this city. No one does anything in this city without me knowing about it.” He let out a laugh, “That idiot Kent never could figure that out. I was always twelve steps ahead of him. I’m unstoppable.”
<<“You think the boss is behind this, don’t you?”
“What do you think? Clark’s missing. The evidence we gathered against the boss is gone.”>>
<<“Clark was looking into a possible lead on who he thought the boss was,”>>
<<“Sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration, I've over-reacted. I've been ruthless toward my enemies.”>>“Why are you telling me all this?” Lois snapped angrily, “You know I’m just going to go to the police.”
“Oh, and here all this time I thought you actually cared about someone other than yourself,” Lex whispered in her ear, closing his hand around her throat as he hissed in her ear. “You have far too many people in your life that I can snuff out of existence.” His gaze grew dark and his breath felt like lava against her cheek, “Like snapping a twig. Each and every one of them. Useless pawns that can be snuffed out at any second.”
“If you hurt any of them I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” he challenged, reaching behind him, pulling out a Smith and Wesson, pressing the barrel against her throat. She felt his grasp on her tighten and she let out a yelp as he brought her closer, hissing in her face before throwing her to the ground. “You never should have crossed me.”
Lois winced as she hit the floor, seeing spots as she lifted her head up from the floorboards. She let out a whimper when the cold barrel pressed against her chin. Lex pinned her arms over her head, holding them in place against the floor above her head. She felt the heat of her former fiancé’s breath against her. Her arms grew tired from the strain of fighting against him. “Let…go…of…me,” she hissed out angrily.
“Why? So you can run to your caped hero.” He laughed in a menacing tone, taunting her as he tightened his grasp on her, “Go ahead and call him. Let’s see if he shows up.” The confidence with which he threw out the dare. It was almost as if he knew Superman wouldn’t come.
‘Why would he?’ her mind screamed at her, reminding her of the last time she saw the man of steel.
She could feel tears burning in the corners of her eyes as she struggled against him, “Get off of me!” she let out a half-plea, “Somebody help!”
“Now, those aren’t the famous words he taunted her, pinning her hands against the floorboards. “Say it. I know you want to.”
“Help, Superman!” she cried out, gasping in surprise as she felt the cold barrel of his gun pointed under her chin as his bony fingertips ran down the front of her dress. Nothing. She didn’t know how but she had a sinking feeling Lex was behind Superman’s absence.
His breath reeked of old bourbon as he whispered in her ear, “Whoops! I guess he’s found other things to do tonight. It appears it’s just you and me.” His grip tightened on her and he hissed in her ear in a menacing tone, “You think I wouldn’t have a contingency plan, hmm? Your precious Superman? Gone. Your partner? Gone. Your career? You won’t be able to show your face anywhere without me knowing. I’ll make sure you never so much as edit a note on a post-it.”
“Rot in hell you sociopath!!” she spat angrily at him, struggling against him. “Let….me…go!”
Trigger Warning: Click below to reveal the end of the scene. This part does contain graphic descriptions of violence and assault. She tensed up as his mouth pressed against her neck, “Oh, Lois, darling, such a waste to have waited all this time and not reap the award that was promised to me,” He breathed in her ear.
Panic ran through her mind as he pressed himself against her. His grasp on her tightened and to her horror she felt the rough tips of his fingers slipping beneath her dress. “Get...off of…me….you bastard!”
The derogatory term was met with a slap across the face. She winced as she felt the blow but smiled inside when she felt his grasp on her loosen against her. She fought against him, trying to get free of his grasp but found herself slammed against the hardwood floor beneath her. She could see spots in her peripheral vision as her head throbbed. Lex hissed in her ear, pressing against her with his body.
She continued to struggle, hoping to gain some leverage in order to escape his grasp. The more she struggled the tighter his grasp became. She opened her mouth to scream but found herself silenced by his cold palm, tightly pressed against her mouth, silencing any cries. “Did you really think I would let you just walk away?”
He ran the pistol against the fabric of her dress and she let out a yelp when the barrel pressed into her hip. She let out muffled cry as she felt a sharp blade press against her throat. She swallowed hard, doing her best to hide the panic she now felt. “You think you can just leave?” An eerie calm washed over him and she felt a chill run down her spine. “Tell me something darling,” His fingers slipped up her dress, kneading the flesh as she struggled against him “Do you really think Superman will take you back once he knows I’ve had you?”
“Get off of me you monster!” She struggled against him, trying to find the leverage she needed to escape his grasp.
A sharp object came in contact with her side and she whimpered, feeling the fabric from her dress give way. The cutting of fabric could be heard and the pain of a sharp object against her side could be felt. “Sweet nectar of the forbidden fruit.” He crooned as he ran his tongue against the newly exposed skin. The red droplets of blood still remained on his lips as he stared at her.
He removed his hand from beneath her dress, gripping her jaw to force her to look at him as he hissed, “You chose this, Lois.”
“Get ….off…of…me!” She spat angrily, finally finding the leverage against the floorboards to push him off of her. She delivered a swift kick between his legs, causing him to keel over in pain. He fell to the ground and she scrambled to the door, praying to make it out of her apartment before….
“You aren’t …going…anywhere…” He raged, throwing her against the built in bookcase. She fell to the ground in pain, struggling to pull herself up. Another blow knocked her down and she found herself pinned to the ground as Lex hovered over her, pointing the barrel of the pistol at her temple. He grabbed her jaw with his fist as he tightened his grasp on her. She gasped for air, struggling against him. It wasn’t enough. She felt her limbs begin to give out as she struggled for air.
He was going to win.
“I always get what I want.” He hissed in her ear. A sharp pain filled her side and she cried out.
“Lex!”
Lois felt his grasp on her loosen as he looked behind her. She never thought she’d welcome the presence of Mrs. Cox until now. His fury-filled eyes softened and he released his grasp on her.
“She isn’t worth this, Lex. Let her go.” Mrs. Cox warned from behind her. Mrs. Cox’s tone was cold and menacing as Lex pushed himself off of her. “You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgement, Lex.” Lois didn’t dare move as the two stood over her. “You said you had the situation under control.”
“I am always in control, Mrs. Cox,” Lex responded. “You should know that,”
“What do you want to do?” Mrs. Cox asked.
“Leave her,” Lex responded with a sneer. “She won’t talk. Not while she thinks there’s a chance to save her Superman.” Lois clamped her eyes shut, suppressing the urge to cry out as a hard thud came in contact with her side. “She’ll bleed out in no time anyway.”
Lois let out a sigh of relief when she heard the back door close. She let out a short gasp, muffled by her tears as she reached down, holding the tattered fabric against her side where Lex had cut her. She could feel the pain from Lex’s assault on her resonate throughout her body.
‘Don’t panic,’ she told herself. ‘I’ve gotta get help!’
Slowly she began to drag herself toward the door. She was in trouble. She had to get help. She winced as the pain from her side burned against her. “Hel…!” she tried to call out, barely able to make a sound as her swollen vocal chords proved to be as valiant an enemy as her bleeding side.
After what felt like an eternity, the sound of pounding on the door could be heard and she let out a quiet sob. “Hel..p!”
“Police! Open up!”
Lois opened her mouth, trying to find her voice but her vocal chords felt like sandpaper as her response escaped in a frail whisper, “He…lp!”
***
Bill Henderson kicked the door to the apartment open. He did his best to cover up his shock at the empty apartment as he went into action. “Lois?” He spotted her in the corner, holding a bloodied fabric to her side. A pool of blood dripped on the floor around her as he knelt down next to her. “My God, what happened?”
“Get me…out of….here,” her response came through short gasps. Her teeth began to chatter and he immediately went into action, removing his coat and laying it over her.
He reached for his radio and pressed the call button to respond, “10-4, dispatch. This is Henderson. I’m at 1058 Carter Avenue, Metropolis. New Troy. Apartment 105. I need a bus. Victim is twenty-six year old. I have a possible 220. I need an ETA.”
“Back,” Lois said between chattering teeth.
“Don’t try to move,” he warned, seeing the amount of blood covering the fabric.
“He went…” Lois tried again.
“We’re gonna get you to the hospital. Do you want me to call someone?” Henderson asked, doing his best to remain calm.
“Ye…” she responded weakly.
“Holy shit!”
He turned to see his partner, Sargent Zymack standing in the doorway. “Is the perimeter clear?”
“Nothing but an empty parking lot out there,” Zymack looked at Henderson, “You call it in?”
“They’re on the way,” Henderson responded. He turned back to Lois, “Lois, who do you want me to call?”
“Probably her fiancé, right?” Zymack offered. “Lex Luthor.”
Before he could ask Lois shouted between uneven breaths, “No! No!”
Henderson saw something on her face he’d never seen before. Fear. His eyes narrowed, “Lois, who did this to you?”
“Le…x.”
***
The last hour had been filled with question after question. Lois Lane stared at the white walls of Metropolis General as the nurse wheeled her back to her room. Thankfully there had been no serious injuries. A few stitches and a concussion was all she had suffered. It could have been much worse. It could have been so much worse. Her stomach tightened as she recalled the threats Lex had thrown at her. Flashes from her fight with Lex continued to plague her mind.
<<“You think I wouldn’t have a contingency plan, hmm? Your precious Superman? Gone. Your partner? Gone. Your career? You won’t be able to show your face anywhere without me knowing. I’ll make sure you never so much as edit a note on a post-it. You never should have crossed me.”>>
<<“I own you. I own this city. No one does anything in this city without me knowing about it.”>>Clark was right.
He had been right all along and she hadn’t listened to him.
Jimmy had tried to warn her.
Jack had tired to warn her.
Perry had tried to warn her.
<<“Do you really think Superman will take you back once he knows I’ve had you?”>>
<<“Goodbye, Lois.”>>
<<“If that’s what you want Lois then fine get in bed with the devil!”>>The tears ran down her cheeks as the realization of how close she’d come to things being so much worse. The nurse stopped a few feet away from her room. She looked up at her in surprise and the woman gave her a knowing look. “You seemed like you needed a moment.”
<<“You think the boss is behind this, don’t you?”
“What do you think? Clark’s missing. The evidence we gathered against the boss is gone.”>>
<<“Clark was looking into a possible lead on who he thought the boss was,”>>
<<“Sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration, I've over-reacted. I've been ruthless toward my enemies.”>>
<<“That idiot Kent never could figure that out. I was always twelve steps ahead of him. I’m unstoppable.”>>
<<“How does it feel to know how close you were to bringing down the boss of Metropolis…and fail?”>>
<<“Well, it’s no matter. His interference has been taken care of permanently. Mrs. Cox saw to that.”>>Flashes from her confrontation with Lex crossed her mind and she closed her eyes, squinting away the tears that threatened to overtake her. Clark was gone. Superman was gone. Everything was gone.
“I’m fine,” Lois said, straightening up in the chair. “I just need to get out of here.”
***
Three Months Later…Lois glanced over her shoulder as she closed the door to her car. She tucked the 45 caliber pistol in her bag, checking once more to make sure she wasn’t being followed. She reached up to readjust her shades and combed a hand through her hair.
She hadn’t been here since the day she left town a few months ago. A chirp came from her purse and she reached in to pull out the burner phone she’d picked up a few hours ago. Jimmy was supposed to be calling with the location of Mrs. Cox. She took a deep breath, and pressed the green button to answer it. “Did you find her?”
“Over by the harbor.” The voice on the other end responded. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“Just stay where you are,” she responded, clicking the phone closed as she reached the first step leading up to the condemned building in front of her.
“Abandoned buildings aren’t really my thing,” A voice came from behind her and she jumped in surprise, readying herself to confront any potential attacker with full force. “You should be nicer to Olsen,” She spun and sighed in relief when she recognized Agent Davenport in front of her.
“I can’t afford to waste time on niceties, Davenport,” she retorted, shaking her head. “Did you bring it?” She glanced toward the envelope in his hands.
“Everything you need to stay under the radar until the trial,” he explained, handing her the envelope.
She ripped the seal and began flipping through the paperwork to make sure everything was in order.
“Henderson’s idea. We figured it’d be a good idea to have you both next of kin to one another.” Davenport shrugged. “It was the best we could come up with.” He grew quiet before asking, “What makes you so sure he’s out there?”
“I just know,” Lois said simply, tucking the paperwork back inside the envelope. “Anything new on the case?”
“Everyone’s running scared of Luthor,” His gaze took on a worried expression as he looked at her. “Putting the entire case on your testimony is a big gamble.”
“I’ll be fine,” Lois insisted, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Coming back to Metropolis was a dangerous call,” Davenport warned. “If he knew you were here…”
“I have to find Clark.” Lois insisted. “I never should have left without…”
“The Coroner reported him deceased,” Davenport reminded her. “What makes you so sure this is a setup from Luthor? That blast…”
“I was there,” Lois argued. “Clark wasn’t in that building. He’s alive and I’m going to find him.”
“Not if Luthor finds you first,” Davenport warned. “Be careful.”
“Please,” Lois shrugged, giving a false sense of bravado. “Remember who you’re talking to.”
***
Three Months Ago…Martha Kent finished cleaning her paint brushes, tapping the water off the bristles when the phone rang. She sighed, mentally preparing herself for the phone call she knew would be coming. Lois’ wedding was just twelve hours away.
She picked up the phone, prepared to hear her son on the other end of the line.
It wasn’t.
“Mrs. Kent?”
Martha did her best not to react when she heard the hoarse voice on the other end of the line. “Lois?”
“I…I need help.”
Martha felt a lump in her throat and the hair on the back of her neck stand up when she heard the plea from the young woman. The Lois Lane she’d met and heard her son talk about didn’t waver. She knew if she was asking for help it was because she had nowhere else to turn. Despite everything she knew Clark still cared deeply for Lois. She also knew that despite Lois’ rejection there was a part of her that cared about him too…even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself just yet.
“Where are you?”
“Kansas City.” Lois’ voice cracked again and she heard the young woman’s voice crack again. “I…”
“I’m on my way,” Martha assured her. “Do you have an address?”
***
TBC...
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