Hey everyone!
Though a little later than expected, here is part ten (it's a little longer than usual; I hope that makes up for the delay). Only one more to go. I really hope you like this part.
I want to thank all of you once again for your support and feedback.
A huge thank you to Jose, Tricia (thanks as usual for your amazing help and some great suggestions, which I promise I've tried to reflect on the section) and Saskia for the extra encouragement and help. I was worried this part was even more confusing than the previous and their comments really helped. (They've also spared you from some shameful
typos!)
Hope you enjoy this,
Cris
NOTHING BUT A LUTHOR ON THE WAY 10
The mock embarrassment the older man's face had borne seconds earlier was replaced by a look of reprimand, just like that of a father about to tell his young child off for the latest of his mischief. “Mr. Luthor, I must admit I feel rather disappointed. I did expect an attitude far more professional from you than that you displayed.” At the look of surprise on the billionaire's face, he went on. “Your amateurish plans are not what I would expect from a man in your position. I suppose it just goes to show you wouldn't have become half the man you are today without the aid of your many assistants.”
His marriage long forgotten, Luthor could do nothing but stare, more than a little dumbfounded, at the person who'd been his right hand for so long. He'd have thought he was hallucinating, if it hadn't been for the dozens of people who kept darting their eyes back and forth between the two of them. He tried to speak, to recompose himself, but his mind seemed unable to react.
“I thought I'd never see a day when Lex Luthor was left speechless. Not a proud comeback, not a sardonic smile... If you take a minute to analyze the situation, however, I could not expect less. Not after such a rookie mistake. Two shots in the chest? You should tell Mrs. Cox it's important to at least check for a pulse. Not that it would have worked in this case, but... I cannot believe your naiveté when dealing with a man with my background. Even if I hadn't been aware of your intentions... What kind of spy would I be if I didn't at least protect myself the best way possible? Besides, providing myself with a bullet-proof vest wasn't much of a challenge.”
He stopped again, allowing Lex a new chance to speak. After so many years behind the great man, after expending so long without the deserved recognition, it felt good beyond words to finally have the world realize Lex Luthor was not the philanthropist they all –well, almost all- saw in him; that he wasn't the mastermind the rest suspected him to be. He wouldn't be able to relish for long in the sensations, though; at least not here. He'd be long gone before any of the guests had the time to assimilate what had taken place before their eyes. He would, of course, come back... One day, when his memory lay forgotten, he'd return, still holding the biggest secret the world possessed. He had yet to decide whether he'd fake his death or simply disappear without a trace. Either option would be easy to implement; after all, there were few things that couldn't be achieved with a little funding, and he was going to have total control over all of Luthor's bank accounts. He could travel, even buy himself a new face and a new persona anywhere in the world; near, far, it didn't matter. His mentors would be so proud of him if they could see the man he'd become; how he'd taken all their lessons to heart... Or maybe not.
Luthor's first reaction since the intrusion drove everyone's attention back to him. He realized it was no use upsetting over what he could have done to prevent this situation; underestimating his former servant's intelligence had been a mistake, and not a small one, but that didn't mean he couldn't turn the tables once again. Only this time, he'd have to take care of the dirty work himself. “Nigel, it's so good to see you.” At the look of disbelief on the older man's face, he quickly added, “No, really. It proves my trust in you was more than justified; you were worthier than I gave you credit for. So even if I'm not nearly as intelligent and as capable of taking care of my business as the people I surround myself with, I have at least shown that I know how to choose my assistants. Though it does make me a little sad to see how you've chosen crime as a way of life for yourself...”
Nigel couldn't avoid a chuckled. “I must admit, Lex, that that was one of the qualities I admired the most in you. No matter how bad your latest defeat had been you always seemed to find a positive reading to it. I'm almost sorry that won't be the case today. Oh, but did I forget to mention that there were a couple of reporters very interested in hearing about all the dealings you have been arranging from the shadows of the city? Not that they didn't suspect you already, but I was able to provide the evidence they required. At least it seemed to be enough to attract some police attention.”
Slowly, he moved a little closer to the altar, situating himself only a couple of feet from where Clark was seated. He looked at his watch and decided he still had a few more minutes before the police arrived. Oh well, he'd have to gloat a little longer; he could live with that. “Lex, you could have done so much better. I honestly expected more from you. I suppose things got a little out of hand; the responsibilities grew too big, the power escaped your control, didn't it? Well, you know as well as I do than sometimes, only the best man can win.” With those last few words, he reached for the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He'd begun pulling out a small gun when he heard the younger man address him again.
“You're right about one thing, Nigel. Only one of us can win. Yet what I cannot understand is whatever made you think you'd be that someone.” And before Nigel could manage to point the gun at him, he'd exited the Chapel through the side door he'd used earlier.
********
Clark's mind had been racing from one thought to another ever since Nigel St. John had decided to interrupt the wedding. Part of him had felt a slight relief when Lois had been unable to say her "I do', but that feeling had soon been replaced by worry. Why had Luthor given the order to have Nigel killed? He was sure that Nigel had known about Luthor's illegal activities for quite some time, so why get rid of him all of a sudden? Had he betrayed Luthor? Did he know things he shouldn't?
Clark froze. Of course he knew things he shouldn't! It all made sense. If Luthor had tried to kill Nigel it could only mean that he too knew his secret. Why else? The man had been at his service for a long time, providing a help Luthor had no doubt appreciated, so why get rid of him unless he possessed a knowledge Luthor wanted for no one but himself? Once again, Clark wondered how he'd been so blind. He'd never wondered how Luthor had taken those pictures of him. It was one of the many things he'd taken for granted. There was no way the billionaire would have carried the task through himself; it would have meant taking a bigger risk than necessary. So he'd simply turned to a reliable aide, even if it meant disposing of him afterwards. His secret was well worthwhile.
The sounds of sirens approaching made him aware of his surroundings again. Almost instinctively, his head turned back to Lois. Avoiding eye contact wasn't difficult; her eyes were fixed on the floor, tears threatening to come streaming down her beautiful face any minute. It took all of his might for him not to run to comfort her; but he had to stay focused; he couldn't ignore the risks. He'd acted foolishly one too many times in the space of a few days. It wasn't about his safety anymore. So instead of taking her in his arms and reassuring her that everything would be all right, he just sat there, fighting his own tears. How had he let things get this far? He couldn't believe the danger he'd put the lives of those he loved in. He'd been so worried about the turn of events in his life that he'd forgotten about everything else. For one of the first times since he was a child, his feelings, his life... *he* had become the priority, the feelings of others forgotten. If the world knew, it'd be ashamed of its Superman. Was there a way he could right so many wrongs? Would he get a chance?
Almost as if he'd felt her staring at him, he drove his eyes back to Lois. The expression her face greeted him with was unreadable. He couldn't find the anger that had been there a few days back at her apartment, but her stare wasn't soothing either. No, it wasn't forgiveness that her eyes offered. She looked hurt, but shy at the same time; a little surprised even. Had she expected to have him by her side the minute Luthor and Nigel had run out of the chapel? He couldn't hope for that much; she couldn't have forgotten everything he'd done... not yet. And he didn't blame her; he probably deserved every bit of it. But then, why did she look almost disappointed? He wasn't forgetting that her wedding had just been interrupted; but her disappointment seemed directed at him. Was that what had replaced her anger?
With a loud blow, the main entrance to the chapel came open as a group of uniformed policemen burst inside; followed close behind by Jack, Jimmy and Perry. The older man headed straight for the altar. As he reached the end of the aisle, he moved to stand by Lois and tried to make her meet his gaze. “Lois, honey, are you ok?”
“Perry! I...” Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she flung herself into his arms: In a second, all the tears she'd been fighting began rolling down her cheeks. She didn't have to hide her discomfort any longer; no one would be surprised by her reactions now. She'd been holding back so many feelings for so long, lying to herself, to her friends, to Lex... bitter sweetly, she realized his lies were likely to outnumber hers; she was sure he'd been untrue about his past, his businesses, his motives... maybe even about his feelings. Even if it was too late, she finally understood Clark's worries; she could see past the jealousy and the hurt and realize he'd had nothing but her safety at heart. She had been so distrustful! She'd forgotten who she was. Where had her shrewdness gone? Had she lost her instincts? Had she lost herself? The old Lois Lane would have seen through Lex so much sooner. She hadn't even questioned his reasons. Had she really believed that a man in his position could have gotten that far with such an altruistic character? For goodness sake, she hadn't even tried to figure out how he'd discovered Clark's secret! He handed her a bunch of pictures and a videotape and not once had she wondered how he'd obtain the pictures and, what's more, what had driven him to spying on Clark in the first place. He'd told her he didn't want her to be hurt, that Clark didn't deserve her and she'd simply accepted his reasoning.
Flashes of every moment spent with Lex run through her mind, from the day they met at the White Orchid Ball to the moment she'd joined him by the altar, less than an hour ago. She tried to remember the first time Clark had shared his suspicions with her and the way she'd dismissed him and, as she did, she thought of all the articles they'd written together, all the stories they'd cracked... The front page headlines, the bylines... For almost a year, she'd been working side by side with him and though, at first, she'd been reluctant to share her work with anybody, much less a man; though she'd treated him like a "low man', it hadn't taken her long to admit, at least to herself, that he was a more than worthy partner. He'd turned out to be a great investigative reporter whose instincts, teamed up with hers, had led to all those exclusives. Yet when his suspicions had involved Luthor, she hadn't even taken them into consideration. Yeah, some kind of investigative reporter! The more she tried to understand her behavior, the less she did. A few months back she hadn't been half as reluctant to investigative her own father, a man she'd know all of her life; a man who, like it or not, had brought her into this world! How well did she know Lex Luthor? Well enough to defend him as strongly as she had? Surely not. He rarely talked about his work; he said little about his past... The truth was she didn't know the man much better than the rest of the city. And she'd chosen to trust him –blindly- rather than listen to the words of her best friend.
Her frustration growing, she tightened her hold on Perry, not willing to let go of the safety his arms provided. How could she have given up on her friends?
In his second row seat, Clark was still unable to take his eyes away from her. He was feeling helpless like never before; mad to see he couldn't sooth her, couldn't help her like he'd become used to. After fidgeting his hands for a while, he reached for the sensor once again. If only he could see.... What was he saying? Of course he could! Slowly, trying not to attract attention, he lowered his head until his chin was resting on his upper chest. Then, he lowered his glasses and focused on the device beneath the bench. Just like Luthor has said, the mechanism seemed simple enough; disconnecting it shouldn't be much of a challenge. But he needed to know if the device Luthor had on him would let him know if the sensor stopped working.
“Hey, Clark, what happened here?” Jack, the last addition to the Daily Planet family, was standing beside him.
Startled, Clark turned to face the younger man, but didn't answer his question. His attention was driven to a spot no more than a foot from where Lois was. There was something lying on the floor. It looked like... But it couldn't be, could it? He used his enhanced vision to get a better look of the object and, as he did, a small smile spread on his face. “Jack, I need you to do me a favor. There's a black object not far from where Lois is standing. Can you see it?” When the kid nodded, he finished, “Could you pick it up and bring it to me?”
Jack gave him a quizzical look. “Why don't you...?” Before he could finish his sentence, he heard Clark speak again.
“Please, act casual; try not to attract any attention.”
Jack did as he was told and, after picking the device up, returned to where Clark was and handed it to him. “Clark, what is it?”
The truth not being an option, Clark simply shrugged and gave him an evasive answer, “I'm still not sure; I'll tell you later. Look, why don't you go see how Lois and Perry are doing?”
As soon as Jack left, Clark used his x-ray vision to examine the small device. He still didn't know if it was meant only to inform Luthor of any movement he might make or if there was more to it, but he could only guess that if he was able to defuse it any connection it had with other devices would be broken. He'd have to disconnect the sensor as well, but he decided it was probably safer to begin with the small controller. Since opening it and pulling it apart was likely to attract curious glances, he chose to use his heat vision.
When he was done, he placed the controller in his pocket and stood up. For a second, he was really tempted to run to Lois's side. He still felt the need to comfort her, even if he wasn't sure what her reaction would be. But he couldn't do it; Nigel and Luthor had to be taken care of and he couldn't afford to waste any more time. Besides, Perry seemed to be taking good care of her. When all this was over, he'd check on Lois and, if she allowed it, he'd try his best to put their friendship back together. He needed her in his life and he knew he'd become important in hers as well. He just couldn't give up, even if he had to settle for nothing more than her friendship.
Lowering his glasses, he inspected the building in an attempt to find a sign of Luthor and Nigel. It seemed most of the police officers had at some point left the chapel and set to find the two men. How could he have missed it? As fast as he could without being "super', he moved towards the side door, which was still open.
He'd just entered the adjoining room when he heard the sound of two guns being fired.
************
By the time Clark reached the building's rooftop, there was little he could do for the two men. Both bodies were lying lifeless two or three feet one from the other.
Checking for a pulse was more an instinctive reaction than a real need. It seemed they'd both wanted to avoid any more rookie mistakes and had tried to solve their problems with a shot in the other's forehead. Ironically, they'd both succeeded, but the only one who had anything to gain from their success was their common enemy. He, Clark Kent, their hated hero. Though he believed that no human life was expendable and he would always fight for life, death never being a tolerable mean, he couldn't avoid feeling a little relieved. If he could have helped Nigel and Luthor, if there'd been anything he could do to keep them alive, he would have, he had no doubt about it. But he couldn't forget all the damage Luthor had caused the city; all the people who had suffered the effects of his careless acts. He hadn't hesitated when carrying his plans through had endangered hundreds of people. Clark wondered just how many crimes could be attributed to him. And he had no doubt that Nigel's participation in every one of those actions had been anything but slim. The world certainly wasn't going to miss either man. He wasn't about to deny that part of his relief was due to the fact that they had known his secret. Though he had no way of being sure, he didn't think Luthor had shared the knowledge with anyone else –apart from Lois- so for the first time in days, Clark felt safe. He had plenty of things to work out and he was a far way from recovering his old life, but at least it was a beginning.
He kept inspecting the surroundings. There was a helicopter ready for flight there on the rooftop as well; its side door still open. It was probably the escape route Nigel had prepared for himself. Clark could only guess what his intentions had been. Maybe he'd intended to kill Luthor and then run away before the police got there. Since he knew Clark was Superman, he probably thought he didn't have to worry about the superhero blocking his way, sure that the threat of exposure would be enough to make him surrender. He couldn't understand, though, why he'd chosen to confront Luthor in public. He would instantly become the prime suspect when Luthor's corpse was found; there was no way he could have stayed in Metropolis. And that was the most confusing part. Nigel had sought revenge on Luthor because of the younger man's betrayal but with his task accomplished, he would have still known Clark's secret. Surely having to leave the city wasn't the best way to take advantage of the knowledge? Well, he probably would never know.
Remembering Luthor's threats before the ceremony, Clark use his x-ray vision to examine his body, in search of anything that might tell him what he had been planning. But he found nothing. For some reason, he followed the same procedure with Nigel. Not that he expected to find anything.
It didn't take him long to realize he'd made a good decision. Nigel was keeping a brown envelope, about half the size of a folded newspaper, in the inside pocket of his jacket. Carefully, he pulled it out but didn't open it. Instead, he scanned it, trying to determine what its contents were. A videotape and a bunch of pictures. On a first look, he didn't pay special attention to the subject of the pictures, assuming it was part of the proof against Luthor he'd wanted to hand in to Perry. But as soon as his memory kicked in he gave the stills a closer look It was the same set of pictures Lois had thrown at him before shutting her apartment door right on his face. Oh surprise! Hadn't he just assumed that Nigel had taken care of that particular job? That that had been the reason why Lex had –unsuccessfully- tried to dispose of him?
He was never one to interfere with police investigation, but this time they'd have to do without this piece of the puzzle. No one but him –and probably Lois- would ever know the whole truth behind both deaths. And it really didn't complicate the police work. They had a motive for the crime; Nigel had made it clear in the chapel and there had been quite a few witnesses. As for Lex, if what Nigel had said was true, Perry had everything that was needed to prove to the world that there was more than philanthropy behind Lex Luthor's apparently selfless acts.
He paused to listen for any sign of the police. He could hear footsteps approaching the roof, so he tucked the envelope in the back of his suit, held as securely as possible by the belt. The cape wouldn't allow others to see it; he'd only have to remember to be a little careful when he shot into the air.
It wasn't long after that that most of the officers that had earlier entered the chapel arrived at the rooftop. For space of a few minutes, Clark stayed with them, explaining whatever little he knew about the deaths of Lex Luthor and Nigel St. John, and assuring the policemen that if they needed his help in the curse of the investigation he'd be happy to help.
After making sure his presence wasn't necessary any longer, he scanned the area one last time, just to make sure there was no evidence he'd overlooked earlier, specially none where he and his secret were concerned. About to fly off, he turned and approached one of the officers. After a brief exchange, Clark headed for the stairs.
**************
Just like the officer had said, Lois was still in the now empty chapel. Most of the guests had been dismissed minutes earlier, after the police had questioned a couple of them and made sure they had a guest list in case any more information was needed.
Lois was seated on the front bench, with Perry and Jimmy beside her, while Jack stood in front of the three. With more determination than he could have expected, he walked towards her. But when he finally reached her, words failed.
Perry was the first to notice his presence. “Superman!” Almost immediately, Lois's head shot up.
“Hello, Mr. White. Jimmy, Jack.” Then his eyes met Lois's and before his resolve faded, he managed to speak, “Lois, how are you?”
At first, she didn't answer; she simply stared. The look of concern in his eyes touched her more than she was willing to admit at the time. She was feeling so many emotions, all at once, that try as she may, she couldn't keep her confusion out of her expression ”I'm... fine,” was all she said after some hesitation.
And though her expression hadn't soothed him in the least; though he was now sure that she needed to talk, he realized she wasn't going to talk to him. Not yet anyway.
After excusing himself, he exited the chapel and flew off. There was somewhere else he had to go.
***************
The last ray of sun was slowly fading when Clark finally arrived at his apartment. That this had being a busy one for him was an understatement. After leaving the police to deal with all the bureaucratic aspects related to the deaths of Luthor and Nigel, he'd done what he should have done much sooner: he'd flown home, to Smallville. He'd taken his parents safety for granted for too long; that was hardly what they deserved. They'd brought him up the best possible way, not running from him when he'd begun showing some extraordinary -but scary nonetheless- abilities. They'd supported him in that and in just about every other choice he'd ever made. If he said they'd been the most supportive parents he could have asked for, he wasn't doing them justice. There was no way he would have grown to be the man he was today without them. And he'd paid them by ignoring how Luthor's threats affected them. Some son he'd been! They'd taught him better than that, he was sure.
Yet when he'd landed at the farmhouse and explained everything that had happened over the last few days, they hadn't been mad, far from it. They'd been immensely happy to know he was fine; relieved that his secret was safe. They'd already heard about Luthor's death on the news, so it hadn't taken them long to ask about Lois, not hiding their concern about her well-being. He would have liked to reassure them, tell them that she was doing well, all things considered, but the truth was he hadn't known. She had said she was fine, but the expression on her face as she'd spoken had been heart-breaking, enough to let him know that the defenses he'd so carefully managed to bring down were back in place, at least where he was concerned
He had spent a considerable amount of time inspecting every corner of the Kent family home. He wasn't sure what he was looking for: bombs, cameras monitoring every one of his parents moves; one of Luthor's men waiting for the billionaire's order to kill them... He found none of that. Maybe Luthor had told them to move away after Nigel had interrupted his wedding; maybe he'd been bluffing... That was probably something else he'd never know, though at least for a time, he'd keep a close eye on his parents, just in case.
Before he left, and despite his initial reluctance to broach the subject, he'd had told his parents where things stood with Lois. It hadn't upset them to hear that she knew his secret, quite the opposite in fact. They'd both agreed that once they were able to sort out their problems, having Lois knowing the real Clark would be good for both of them: he'd have someone to confide in, to turn to after a nasty emergency, to share his worries with. And- this they hadn't told Clark- Lois would have the chance to realize that Clark was who she really loved, that Superman was a part of him, and that she too had found someone she could rely on and who'd never do anything to hurt her intentionally.
Clark hadn't been so sure about things eventually working out with Lois, even as friends, but he'd found there was no point in arguing.
After hugging both of his parents, he'd shot back into the air and headed to Metropolis.
But even that hadn't been the last thing on his agenda. He'd dropped by the police station to see how the investigation was progressing; especially interested to know exactly how much Nigel had given away about Luthor's undercover activities. Judging by the time Perry had taken to give his statement, it wasn't little. What surprised Clark, though, was that Lois had asked to give her statement right before Perry and, this was the shocking part, be allowed to stay while he gave his. She had claimed to have every right to know just who the man she'd been about to marry was. The officers had been more than reluctant at first; but after Perry assured them that whatever he told them Lois would know the minute he left, they'd finally given in. Clark was sure Perry had tried himself to talk Lois out of it but upon seeing her determination, realized there was no use.
Lois would never cease to amaze him. It was very brave of her wanting to confront the whole truth about Luthor right there and then; after all, she had been about to marry him. Today. As brave as her act might have been, though, he knew her too well; she couldn't fool him. She'd thrown her defenses back up and hidden behind her investigative reporter facade. Would she talk to him? He doubted it. Maybe she'd been honest with Perry. The officers had told him that, after finishing with their statements, he'd promised to drive her home and make sure she wasn't left alone. Hopefully, she hadn't made him break his compromise.
About to spin out of the suit, he decided he needed to check on her. She could yell all she wanted, but even that wasn't going to make him stop caring about her. Yes, he was going to see her. He had to.
END OF PART TEN.
