Rules of War
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 14
Lex Luthor examined the contents inside the briefcase, looking to the Secret Service Agent to his left. A smile spread across his face as he noted the green digits on the monitor inside the bulletproof case. He caught the agent’s golden yellow eyes and nodded, “I trust your visit to the Pentagon was successful? No loose ends.”
“Depends on if you consider a headache and missing nuclear warhead codes a loose end, Mr. Vice President.”
“Considering there’s no coverage of the break-in I’ll consider your mission a success,” Lex responded with a slow smile. He turned to the Agent, “I trust your other assignment went well?”
The agent dropped a metal case on his desk, “Everything from Dr. Strange’s laboratory involving the red meteorite.”
“Excellent,” Lex crooned, popping the lock to the briefcase to reveal the glowing red meteorite. “Things are about to get dicey. I trust you know which side is the winner.”
“That depends, Mr. Vice President.” The agent said, closing the door to Lex’s office.
“Oh?” Lex asked.
The agent’s eyes shifted, and he changed back into the natural form of Whisper A’Daire. “How long do you plan to keep it illegal for me to work?”
“Long enough to stir up enough animosity against the President.” Lex said, lighting up a cigar in celebration.
“You know what I’m capable of.” Whisper warned.
“All too well,” Lex reassured her, smoothing a smile across his face in an attempt to calm any fears the villainess might have of the current state of things. Though the laws that had been passed weren’t going to prevent his favorite duo from finding employment amongst the thieves and gangsters, he suspected the principle of the new law would rub them the wrong way.
“You can’t keep me in hiding forever.” Whisper growled, crossing her arms over her chest.
Given too long to fester the villainess could become a problem for his next phase in the plan. She needed a distraction, and he needed to test the waters. There had been zero word from the Man of Steel since Garner had placed a target on his head. There also hadn’t been any major disasters to draw him out. Would the Man of Steel risk his freedom if disaster struck or would he remain under his rock? That was certainly something he wanted to test.
“I’ve got a job for you…” Lex offered, leaning back in his chair and folding both hands behind his head.
***
Caitlin Snow tightened her arms around herself as she paced inside the penthouse of WayneTech. She should have called Cisco earlier. She knew that. She expected he would be upset when he found out he’d been kept out of the loop, but not like this.
“Cisco, come on, would you just talk to me?” Caitlin attempted to persuade her friend with a pleading look.
“What’s to talk about?” Cisco grumbled, from behind his crossed arms and disappointed expression. “You disappeared for days—”
“It wasn’t something I was given clearance to share.” Caitlin cut in.
“—meanwhile leaving me completely in the dark while you and your new beau – Bruce Wayne fight to save the world,” Cisco grumbled irritably.
“He is not my…!” Caitlin caught herself as the double doors opened and Bruce entered, clamping her mouth closed and turning back to Cisco.
Bruce approached, “Mr. Ramon, I trust Caitlin’s brought you up to speed?”
Cisco shot Caitlin a dirty look and then smiled at Bruce, “Oh, yeah, I’ve been hearing all about how busy she’s been these past few days.”
“Yes, I do hope you’ll forgive the cloak and dagger routine. We couldn’t afford to tip off whoever was behind the cloning experiments.” Bruce explained, taking a seat across from Cisco.
Cisco shot Caitlin an annoyed expression as realization dawned on him, and he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s why I got pulled in. The cloning experiments, isn’t it?”
“You are the one with the most knowledge on the subject outside of Dr. Hamilton.” Caitlin smiled back at him and then added gently. “Yes, you’re right to be upset, Cisco, but I’m telling you now, and we really need your help. Will you help me, or not?”
Bruce looked between the two of them. “Am I interrupting something here?”
Caitlin looked to Cisco, “I don’t, know, Cisco, is he?”
Cisco tightened his jaw for a moment, contemplating his decision and then nodded his head. “Nothing, Mr. Wayne.”
“Great,” Bruce cheered happily. “I can’t wait for you to….” His facial expression changed, and he tensed, looking down at his watch. “…work with Caitlin on what we’ve found so far. She says you’re the best.” He backed away from the duo, “I’ll be back when I can.”
Cisco stole a glance toward Caitlin after Bruce exited toward the elevators in the back office. “Is he always this…social?”
“He grows on you.” Caitlin shrugged.
***
Lois let out a long gasp, fingering her husband’s hard chiseled chest beneath her. A slow smile of contentment spread across her face. The numbness that had been running down her legs and spreading to her toes began to fade as she came back to the present.
Despite the chaos and mayhem that erupted in the world around them, the solace she found in Clark’s arms always pulled her back from the edge. The turmoil of ‘what-ifs’ and possible plans in the making faded away, and all that was left was the clarity and peace she needed to bring it all into focus.
“Clark?” she lifted her chin off his chest and gazed up at him.
“Hmm?” Clark’s arm remained in its place, tucked securely around her waist.
“Don’t you think it’s odd that all that time and energy was spent on stealing Hamilton’s cloning research, trapping Henderson underground with the SWAT Team …for what?” Lois asked, toying with the cotton sheet that was draped around her body. “It just doesn’t seem like something that would be worth the risk that was involved.”
“Paying off an officer, cloning even more officers…Where’s the endgame?” Clark agreed, turning over to face them.
“See?” Lois thumped him on the arm lightly, “That’s just it. There isn’t one. Why waste all that time to clone Henderson…”
“Unless he was just a piece of the puzzle,” Clark reasoned aloud. “What if we’re going about this the wrong way? What was it that tipped us off about Henderson?”
“He wasn’t acting like himself,” Lois answered, running a hand across his chest. “He didn’t recognize you …”
“Strange out of character behavior,” Clark added, raising his eyebrows at her. “Sound familiar?”
“You think President Garner was cloned?” Lois asked, following her husband’s train of thought.
“Out of character behavior. Passing laws that don’t line up with his history of policies.” Clark continued, tracing the frame of her face. “It would explain how Luthor’s controlling him.”
“So, then the question is where is the real President?” Lois wondered aloud.
***
Jimmy set the last of the boxes in the corner of Lucy’s –his and Lucy’s—apartment. All of this would take some getting used to. He and Lucy had agreed they wouldn’t look at this as a permanent arrangement or an official change in their relationship.
Had they been moving in together of their own volition it would have been a different story, but given their living arrangement had been out of necessity they had opted to keep some semblance of normalcy among the chaos that had erupted throughout the country.
“I think that’s about everything,” Lucy said, approaching from behind.
Jimmy turned to see Lucy in an old t-shirt and jeans with her hair pulled back. A weak smile crossed his face. “Yeah, luckily we don’t have a lot of stuff.”
“Thank you,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She leaned up on her tip-toes, brushing her lips against his for a brief moment before she pulled away. Her gaze shifted around the apartment uneasily. Jimmy could see the turbulent emotions cross her face as she turned back to him.
“It’s going to be okay,” Jimmy reassured, cupping her cheek. He wasn’t sure how it would be okay, but he had to believe it. Deep inside the depths of his soul he knew one thing to be true. No matter what the danger or enemy Clark would always come out ontop. He was Superman afterall.
“You don’t know that, Jimmy.” Lucy whimpered with a crack of her voice. A lone tear escaped out of the corner of her eye. “No one knows anything anymore.”
“No, I don’t,” Jimmy responded softly, trying to formulate his response. “And you’re right. No one knows what will happen. I mean the entire country ahs been turned upside down.” Jimmy let out a long breath and then continued, “But Luce, this isn’t the first time we’ve had life as we know it threatened. What about Nightfall?”
“This isn’t some space rock plummeting toward Earth, Jimmy,” Lucy said with a defeated sigh. “There’s no soldiers pulling all their resources or a superhero coming to the rescue. Superman is a wanted fugitive! We can’t expect him to get us out of this one, Jimmy.”
“Superman always comes through, Luce.” Jimmy reminded her.
“He’s a little busy right now,” Lucy let out an exasperated sigh. She gestured around the apartment, “Look around! The entire country has been turned upside down. I can’t even live in my own apartment legally…I can’t attend school.” She paced in front of him as her arms moved around her, wildly illustrating the chaos she felt within her. “It’s not fair to Superman to leave this up to him. If we don’t stand up now fight now it’ll be too late”
“How do you expect to fight any of this, Luce?” Jimmy asked.
“I don’t know,” Lucy said softly, “but I’ve got to figure out something.”
Jimmy let out a long breath. Lucy was right. Clark couldn’t do everything. The world had turned upside down in a matter of hours and there just weren’t enough hours in the day to stop the underhanded forces at work here. They needed help. They needed to fight this injustice. But knowing what needed to be done and taking the first step to fight it were two different things.
***
The sound of metal clanging against the metal bed frame was like nails on a chalkboard. The drugs were beginning to wear off again. She’d be back again.
The nausea began to build once more, and he turned his head, spotting Morgan Johnson in the bed across from him. At least the location of his prison had improved since his initial capture.
“Mor…” he tried to speak but found his vocal cords dried up.
The door opened, and he felt the panic rise up within him. His eyes widened, and he turned his head and saw her. Her and that machine powered man. If you could call him that. Though he seemed different now.
“Looks, like someone’s waking up,” the sugary sweet voice escaped the woman’s throat as she approached, needle in hand.
“No,” he mumbled, shaking his head, and pulling away, but he knew it was of no use. The sharp piercing of the needle going through his skin stung, and he grunted out as his voice gave out.
“Shhh,” a hand brushed against his cheek, and the woman whispered in his ear, “Don’t fight it, Mr. President. You’ll need your strength.”
The woman turned to leave, glancing at the man that had entered with her, “Metallo, be sure he drifts off and then meet me upstairs.”
“Yes, doctor,” the man said.
“He…lp,” came his final plea before all sound from his vocal cords was lost.
***
Clark turned over in bed for what felt like the umpteenth time in the wee hours of the morning. His conscience chided him once more with another scenario of how he could easily sneak in and out without being seen.
“Help!”Clark had grown used to ignoring the occasional cry for help here and there. Thankfully each time the police had responded to the distress call, thus wiping his guilt away. Tonight, however, there was no first responder able to move in.
It was the First Responder.
“Mayday, mayday, Polar Coast is in distress! Repeat Polar Coast is in distress!”The desperate cry reached his ears, and he felt the Mount Everest sized guilt continue to crush him, threatening to break him right there. He could continue to ignore it, or he could try to do … something.
“The fire is spreading! We’ve been hit…Please, someone help!” He let out a sigh of defeat, stealing a glance toward Lois before making the final decision to tend to the plea. It wasn’t like there was a patrol car he could rely on.
At super-speed he rushed through the apartment, donning the red and blue suit that had been packed away the last few days. He felt an adrenaline rush run through him, knowing his decision to answer the call for help could end with prison bars.
He was after all a wanted fugitive.
But he was also Superman.
He couldn’t just ignore the cry for help.
***
“Mayday, this is Polar Coast, we are in distress!” the captain called out over the radio in a desperate plea. He noted the dangerous water levels that had begun to overtake the ship. Outside of a miracle, they were sunk – literally.
He turned to his crew, uncertain if he should give false hope or allow them the chance to face impending death square in the eye. Just when he opened his mouth to deliver the blow, a hard vibration hit the cabin, knocking him over the steering wheel. As he stood to his feet, spying over the wheel and out into the fiery maze that waited for them, he saw the familiar red and yellow emblem.
“Superman!” he could feel the tears burning his eyes as he stared back at the superhero before he flew overhead. A moment later, the sound of the navigation panel sounding off with the change in altitude and direction filled the cabin. He looked over and saw the water that they had been taking in began to dissipate.
Cheers filled the cabin as the once-grim future in front of them had been replaced with one of hope.
The air smelled cleaner. The water felt clearer.
A smile spread across the captain’s face as Superman floated just outside the cabin, offering a wave and a smile.
As he moved off an intense green light filled the sky and bright yellow lights followed with the sound of an air horn. The loud chirp of the radio came through the speakers and could be heard from inside the cabin, “Superman, we have you surrounded!”
***
Caitlin Snow watched as the large screens Cisco was working at filled with medical reports, arrest records and his own personal research on cloning experiments. His hands flew across the keyboard and more information filled the monitors. Professor Hamilton’s revolutionary experiments on Capone and Dillinger that changed the opinion on cloning in the scientific community covered the right monitor and then Cisco stopped. He turned around in his chair to face them with a pleased expression on his face.
“You found something?” Caitlin asked, watching as Cisco leaned back in his chair like a Cheshire cat.
“Oh, if you want to call tracking the money used to pay off Officer Sahid to a location in the Docklands. Name on the account is CF Incorporated.”
“Docklands?” Caitlin frowned, tapping her hand against her chin as she tried to place the location.
“Docklands,” Cisco urged, pulling the map up. “Gotham City’s most notorious hideout and meeting place for the Falcone crime family?”
“You got to hand it to Carmine,” Henderson muttered, walking up behind them. “He’s got an ego the size of the Metro Dome and he makes sure you know he’s the one calling the shots.”
Cisco snapped his fingers and grinned, “Of course, CF Incorporated is…”
“Carmine Falcone Incorporated.” Caitlin finished for him. Could it really be that easy? Could the answer they had been looking for be that simple? The pieces fit but her more logical side –her more cynical side—told her it wasn’t that easy. Why go to all this trouble and lead them to their doorstep?
“Carmine Falcone?” Henderson pondered the name aloud, letting it roll off his tongue.
“You sure there’s nothing else there, Cisco?” Caitlin asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked toward Cisco.
Cisco’s face fell, “You think I missed something?”
“I think it just seems….”
“Convenient.” Henderson finished for Caitlin.
“Convenient to hack through thousands of layers of encryption and following the finance trail to…”
“And how many layers of dummy accounts did you run across in this encryption before you found yourself here?” Caitlin asked, pointing to the name on the screen. CF Incorporated.
Cisco frowned, “None, but it’s not like it was a walk in the park!”
Henderson frowned, shaking his head. “No, she’s right. It doesn’t add up.”
“A crime family being responsible for organized crime doesn’t make sense?” Cisco shrugged his shoulders, “Sure, I’ll keep looking.”
“Carmine Falcone is a thug. What business would he have stealing research that he couldn’t use?” Henderson asked.
“Back to the drawing board,” Cisco muttered, tapping at his keyboard.
***
“Superman, we have you surrounded!”
The words echoed the speaker of the megaphone as Clark gripped the starboard of the ship, finishing the final application of heat vision on the metal body in hopes that the repair would get the ship to shore given his presence had just been announced by the approaching ship.
“By order of the President of the United States I order you to surrender yourself to ….”
Before the captain could finish his statement, a loud clipping noise filled the air just before the loud clang of metal on metal rang. Clark stole a glance over his shoulder and felt the mixture of relief and worry run through him when he saw the jet-black speed boat with the dark hooded figure of Batman approaching.
“Bruce, what are you doing?” Clark muttered under his breath, then turned back to the ship he was repairing. It wasn’t perfect but it would stay afloat for a few miles and given the newest guests that had arrived he didn’t doubt the crew would get home safely.
Another clipping sound rang and he heard the metal on metal again. He turned around and saw one of the naval officers reach out to grab the cord as Bruce tugged on it to make his way on board. He could barely make out the muttered, “What are you still doing here?” before Bruce flew on board.
“B-Batman?” stammered out one of the officers.
“I believe that ship is in distress.”
Before the shock could wear off the officers, Clark flew through the sky, heading back toward the coast to Metropolis. He’d done all he could for the crew. Once Bruce was done with them they could help the crew out.
***
Gretchen Kelly turned her head to Nigel who walked a few steps behind her. Lex’s plan to escalate things before anticipated had caught her off guard. She still hadn’t gotten the information on the nuclear warheads from the president and she feared by pushing the agenda they might be putting the entire endeavor at risk.
“I don’t suppose you’ve had any luck with locating Bender?” she asked, hoping to make conversation with the otherwise unapproachable Nigel St. John as they turned the final corner.
“I’m narrowing the list down, but given the lack of physical records on the witnesses entered into witness protection it’s not exactly a walk in the park.” Nigel commented coolly.
“Lex wants him found,” Gretchen reminded him.
“Mr. Luthor wants a lot of things, Gretchen. Patience is a virtue he’ll have to practice for his one.”
Gretchen frowned, reaching her arm up to turn the lock to the steel door they stood outside. She mumbled a quick retort, “Very…” then stopped when she saw the vacant beds inside the room. Both prisoners were missing along with her laptop and the briefcase she’d been storing the hallucinogens in.
“It seems you have bigger problems on your hand, Gretchen,” Nigel scowled, turning to her.
***
“Single file,” the officers ordered, urging the passengers off one by one. The captain and crew had already been detained. All that was left was to free the stowaways hidden below deck.
“How many have you counted, Daniels?”
“Over three-hundred and more below deck, First Sargent.” Officer Daniels responded.
“Our own ship bringing in children from God knows where…” The First Sargent tapped his hand against his chin as the next line of children walked off the ship. One of the young girls caught his eye. There was something mystifying about her dark red hair. There was something mystifying about her. The green eyes spoke to him –almost glowing. He shook his head, pulling himself away from the young girl’s gaze.
“Daniels, what’s the ETA on that transport?”
***
Clark swallowed hard, pushing the enormous sized lump in his throat down as he flew through the night sky. He was careful to remain above the clouds to stay out of sight. Though it wouldn’t protect him from being detected by the military’s radar system he could stay out of sight. He had barely made it out of there before the ship he’d come to rescue put a target on his back.
The ship’s crew were safe.
That was what was important.
Thank God for Bruce.
The cold air blew across his face and he looked down at the ground below him. He had missed this. The last few days of grounding Superman and looking over his shoulder, afraid to show his cape had left him with a gaping hole. As much as the world needed Superman to step in and fight against the evil in this world he himself needed the hero as well. He never could just stand by and do nothing.
The reminder of that had been solidified tonight.
He had rescued many throughout the night, protecting them from the mob of protesters that had risen up in the wake of the new laws that had been passed. Some protesters had been in support of the new law while others in defiance. No matter the side it was all the same. The threat of violence in order to impose their superior opinion.
Looting.
Assault.
Arson.
He had seen it all tonight.
He feared it would only grow worse if things continued the way they were. Rational thinking seemed to be a thing of the past and in its place was fear and distrust. The animosity was growing among Metropolis’ citizens with less than twenty-four hours of the new law being in place. What would it look like after a few weeks?
He prayed he wouldn’t have to find out.
***
“Still no word on what the Polar Coast was doing this close to New Troy. The Polar Coast’s manifest and captain’s log were reported to be inconsistent and the Naval Corp is reporting no knowledge for why the Polar Coast was found so far off course. We’re told investigations will begin this week to get to the bottom of such a huge oversight.”
Bill Church slammed his fist against the nightstand, feeling his blood boil at the news that not only had Superman escaped the embarrassment of being taken into custody but the shipment of labor that had come in on the Polar Coast had been confiscated by authorities. The plan had been flawless. How had such a huge oversight been made?
Falcone?
Luthor?
Who had done it?
He reached for the phone on his nightstand, dialing the number he knew by heart. He heard a mild protest on the other end and snorted, “I don’t care what you think you were doing. I’ve got a job for you and you better pray you don’t screw it up.”
***
This is a mistake.
Will Garner looked over his shoulder and spotted his friend, Robert Morgan limping down the narrow walkway with their rescuer. He stole a glance back to the man of steel that had on impulse freed him and his friend from their captors. He could feel the poison he’d been given earlier slowly fading as strength began to return to his vocal chords.
How long had he been rendered silent in that filthy cell?
Days?
A week?
A month?
“Where are we going?” Will Garner asked as they approached a steel door.
The man helping them stared at the door for a moment and then shoved his hand through the steel, pulling out the hinge that kept the door secure. The door creaked in pain as he peeled the door open for them to enter.
“Somewhere safe.”
“I need to get to the White House.” Will Garner said through labored breaths. “I need to tell McCall and issue a sta—”
“That won’t be possible,” the man answered, pointing to the stairs.
“Why not?” Robert Morgan asked.
“Go ahead, take the risk and out yourself to authorities. You won’t last a minute.” The man responded coldly.
“What are you talking about?” Will harrumphed, “I am the President of the United States.” He gestured to Robert Morgan, “and this is my Vice President. I demand you…”
“Your days of demanding are over, Mr. President.” A smirk crossed the man’s face and he answered, “According to the rest of the world, you’re dead, Mr. Morgan.” He then turned his attention back to Will Garner and added, “And you Mr. President have become the most hated and despised man in the world.”
“That’s not possible. I…”
“You want your life back. Do what I say.” the man pointed ahead. “Stairs are this way,”
***
“Still no word on what the Polar Coast was doing this close to New Troy. The Polar Coast’s manifest and captain’s log were reported to be inconsistent and the Naval Corp is reporting no knowledge for why the Polar Coast was found so far off course. We’re told investigations will begin this week to get to the bottom of such a huge oversight.”
Lex threw a vase across the room, crashing the glass into the center of the television, silencing the news anchor’s report. How had they been so careless? After all the careful planning of how shipments would come in and out without detection how had such a mistake been made?
Or had it been a mistake?
The oil tanker just off the coast of Stryker’s Island had been the target, not the coast guard ship they had been using to smuggle in Church’s free child labor. Now, not only would he have to address the opening that had just been handed to his enemies, but he would also have to figure out who had betrayed him.
This didn’t seem like something Whisper or Harley would pull on their own, but stranger things had happened. Church wouldn’t sabotage his own cargo would he? Then there was Carmine who blamed Church and Denetto for his son’s murder.
Someone had planted that bomb on the Polar Coast and he would find out who. When he did, he would unleash the hell that person so rightfully deserved on them and ensure no one ever thought to betray Lex Luthor ever again.
***
“Still no word on what the Polar Coast was doing this close to New Troy. The Polar Coast’s manifest and captain’s log were reported to be inconsistent and the Naval Corp is reporting no knowledge for why the Polar Coast was found so far off course. We’re told investigations will begin this week to get to the bottom of such a huge oversight.”
Carmine Falcone lifted his glass up to the television monitor, taking a sip from his glass as he watched the images of the smuggled immigrant children exit off the ship with an escort from the Naval officers. He let out a soft chuckle and turned to the figure sitting in the corner.
“That was almost too easy.”
“It’s really only a matter of knowing where to press in order to get the right results,” the response in a deep British accent came from Nigel St. John from the corner.
Carmine nodded, tapping his index finger against his glass. “I suppose loyalty is an illusion among Luthor’s minions.”
“Loyalty is an illusion meant to calm those that don’t have what it takes to lead.” Nigel sneered, shaking his head. “I take it Harley took the bait?”
“Played her like a fiddle,” Carmine chuckled. “Church will be behind bars soon enough along with the rats nipping at his heels.” A dark expression crossed his face. “I don’t trust you, Nigel, but I do respect your unique skillset.” He pushed a small briefcase across the table to him.
Nigel reached over to grab the briefcase, clicking the locks to open it. He smiled at its contents, lifting up one of the many stacks of one hundred-dollar bills to examine it. “Such a pleasure doing business with you, Carmine.”
A smile crossed Carmine’s face as he watched Nigel drop the bills into the briefcase, letting out a shout. “As I said before, Nigel, I don’t trust you. I’m certainly not going to trust you to keep your trap shut if I can buy your betrayal of Luthor and Church for a measly fifty grand.” A light chuckle escaped his lips. “The sodium hydroxide should eat through your skin once water touches it.”
“Water?”
Carmine stood up, taking his glass with him. As he left the room the sprinkler system came on, spraying around the room as Nigel screamed in agony.
Carmine reached over to grab the golden plated urn off the table, tucking it under his elbow as he walked purposefully toward the exit. “I’d love to stay, Nigel. Oh, who am I kidding? Enjoy every second of agony as the lye melts your skin off and exposes you for the true vermin you are.” A dark glare crossed his eyes and he added, “I’m late for my midnight walk with Alberto.”
***
“Still no word on what the Polar Coast was doing this close to New Troy. The Polar Coast’s manifest and captain’s log were reported to be inconsistent and the Naval Corp is reporting no knowledge for why the Polar Coast was found so far off course…”
Lois reached for the remote on the side table, flicking her wrist as she clicked the news coverage off. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind at once as possible scenarios of what could have happened and what almost had happened.
Not only had Clark put everything at risk by coming to the rescue of the Polar Coast but now he had put the spotlight on the Naval Corp which would only amplify their anger at him—and their desire to strengthen the search. She ran a weary hand across her face, trying to still the thoughts that continued to race through her mind.
She stole another glance at the clock, noting the late hour.
The media coverage detailed Clark’s rescue of the Polar Coast and the interference of Batman just before the Naval officers arrived on the scene. There had been no word on any other sightings so what was taking Clark so long?
She had half a mind to call WayneTech and threaten some answers out of Bruce Wayne if she thought she would get anywhere. She leaned forward and buried her head in her hands before she let out a frustrated growl.
A hand brushed against her cheek and she jumped up from her seat on the sofa, ready to face the intruder. She let out an exaggerated sigh when she saw her husband standing in front of her with his head bowed down, seeming to take on a look of defeat. The anguish and uncertainty that had been coursing through her veins for the last few hours bubbled to the surface as she snapped a little harsher than necessary, “It’s been two hours! Where have you been? Do you have any idea what goes through a person’s mind in two hours?!”
He lifted his head up, shaking it as he cleared his throat, “I’m sorry.” The words hung in the air and she looked up at him, unable to fight back the tears that had escaped the corner of her eyes as her throat burned from the tension that had been building. His hand brushed against her, swiping the tears away. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He whispered against her brunette hair. “I honestly didn’t think you’d be up.” He let out a long sigh. “I guess the patrol around the city was ill-advised.”
“You can’t just go to a rescue and not come back,” she whimpered against his chest. “Not after…”
“I know,” Clark said firmly. “The rescue itself was a risky move, but I couldn’t just…”
She flashed him a half-smile, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “I know.” The corners of her mouth twitched, spreading into a full smile. “You can’t just sit on the sidelines and do nothing. It’s not in your nature.”
Relief washed over his face and he leaned in to kiss her, cupping her face in his hands as he held her in his arms, swaying back and forth with her for what felt like an eternity. Her insides did a somersault, calming the anxiety that had been building up inside her with each second that went by. She was just about to suggest they retreat back into the bedroom when he pulled away, his face tense with a steely gaze across his face.
“Clark?”
He held up a hand, motioning for her to wait. The concentration on his face told her he was trying to listen with his super-hearing. She’d learned over the last year not to attempt to talk to him when he was using his super-hearing this close to her. Though he was invulnerable he was still capable of feeling pain. Pain that came in like a lightning bolt if his senses were overloaded –much like Lenny Stokes Wall of Sound had been used against him last year.
She watched in rapt attention as he moved through the apartment at super-speed, zipping from one side to the other in a blur of red and blue. He finally stopped by the front door and opened the door, lifting up a white box with a note hanging from the red ribbon.
“Stay back,” he ordered.
Before she could react he disappeared out the door and the distinct sound of an explosion going off reached her ears. She looked out the open door, seeing the flames light up the night sky.
“Clark!” TBC…
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