--SSS--
After watching for a few minutes to be sure the clone was asleep, Clark flew back to Lois’ apartment. As he flew, he considered visiting her as Clark, but immediately discarded that idea as too cowardly. Superman was who’d left her, and he should at least check up on her.
Oh, I hope she hasn’t decided to call Clark to find out why he didn’t call. I’ll have to cover for… myself.Spotting a pay phone, he decided it would be better to call her as Clark and let her decide who she needed to see. Landing in a nearby alley, he spun into Clark and jogged to the phone to place his call.
“Hello?”
“Lois, it’s Clark. I’m sorry it’s a little later than you expected.”
“It’s okay. He’s gone. Uh, we do have to talk.”
“You want me to come over?”
“No, it’s late. I’m fine.”
“How about I bring coffee and breakfast in the morning?”
“Sounds great.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, I will. Good night.”
“Good night, Lois.”
Clark hung up and headed back into the alley. He spun back into his uniform and rocketed out of the alley, hovering outside Lois’ window for the second time this evening. Knocking softly, he waited for her.
“Come in!” He stepped inside as her questions started, “What happened?”
“I followed him.”
“And?”
“He went to LexTower.”
“LexTower?”
“Yes. The man behind this is Lex Luthor.”
“Lex? Are you sure?”
“I saw Luthor recite a twisted version of
Little Red Riding Hood and tuck the imposter into what looked like a vat of some sort.”
“A vat?”
“Yes. He was hooked up to several machines. Apparently he sleeps in that thing.”
“But you don’t, do you?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Do you think he’s a clone?”
“A… a clone?” Lois’ powers of deduction continued to amaze him.
“Yeah. I read this article about a scientist who claimed he could clone a human being. If he could...”
“But he’d have to have some of my tissue.”
“And you’re invulnerable.”
Nodding, Superman thought about what Paul had said earlier how he had cloned Scott Hayden. “A lock of hair!”
“What?”
“I donated a lock of hair for charity that was auctioned. Maybe Luthor or his scientist somehow got a hold of it.”
“But isn’t hair dead?”
“Uh, well, my hair is also invulnerable. I cut it with heat vision. So, I pulled the lock out by the roots, which might have had live cells. I never thought it would be an issue.”
“Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Do you know who won it?”
“No.”
“Never mind. I’ll get Jimmy to get on it first thing tomorrow. Clark and I will get to the bottom of this.”
“Just be careful, Lois. I don’t know this impostor well enough to trust him. He’s asleep now, and I’ll check on him again later.”
“I’ll be careful. Will you join me for dinner?”
“Uh, no thanks. I should make a patrol.”
“Of course. Thanks for rescuing me, Superman.”
“You’re welcome.” He got a far away look in his eyes and cocked his head.
“Does someone need you?”
“I should go. I think the clone is asleep for the night. Still, I suggest that you lock your windows and door.”
“Thanks, I will.”
They said good night, and he flew out to make a quick patrol. Lois stood by the window for a few minutes, staring out at the night sky. She locked her window, checked the others and her door before putting the food away. With the events of the night, she’d lost her appetite. While she wouldn’t admit it to anyone, she was uncomfortable with how easily she’d been fooled by the clone. And the fact that he had the hots for her and was a child in a man’s body scared her. She turned out the lights and headed for bed, expecting to sleep little if at all.
--SSS--
After his patrol, Clark returned to his apartment. Paul had left a note, which said he’d gone back to his hotel. Clark called Paul’s room and briefly updated him. They planned to touch base tomorrow.
--SSS--
The next morning, Clark was at Lois’ apartment. As promised, he’d brought coffee and Danish.
Lois broached the subject of the two supermen. “Superman and I think the impostor is a clone.”
“A clone?”
“Yes. It’s obvious. There’s no technology that could produce a robot that advanced. A clone is an identical genetic copy. And Superman doesn’t have a twin brother.”
“How do you know?”
“He would have told me.”
“Actually, Lois, if Superman has a clone, it’s almost like an identical twin. So, in a way, the clone is his twin brother. But science isn’t that advanced, is it?”
“I read in
Metropolis Science Magazine that there’s a scientist who thinks he can clone people.” Picking up the magazine from her coffee table, she handed it to Clark. “You can read about it in the car. We’ll make an appointment to see Dr. Fabian Leek today. I promised Superman we’d get to the bottom of this. And we will.”
She grabbed her coat. Feeling a combination of awe and amusement, Clark schooled his face to a serious expression and obediently followed her out the door.
--SSS--
Clark held the door for Lois as they left Dr. Fabian Leek’s office building. He hadn’t been surprised that Leek was the scientist in Luthor’s penthouse.
So, despite his denials, he did create a clone. Or maybe more, if this isn’t the first. And he also finds Lois attractive. Those thoughts sent chills down Clark’s spine. He turned his attention to focus on Lois.
Anger roared through her. Before she uttered a word, it was evident in the way she stomped as she walked.
She practically spit out her furious words, “Clark, that guy is a piece of work. A lying, sleazy piece of slime. He completely recanted all of his research and hypotheses.”
“Still—” Clark’s sentence was cut off abruptly as the clone suddenly landed in front of them on the sidewalk. Clark stepped protectively in front of Lois, trying to shield her.
“Superman, is that you?”
“Yes, Lois. In the flesh.” the clone responded in a more mature voice and manner than he’d expressed the night before.
Clark felt her relax behind him, while his whole body tensed, and he asked, “What do you want?”
The clone turned his attention from Lois to Clark. As he studied the man in front of him, his eyes lit up in recognition.
“Actually, I need your help. I’m here to see you...” After a momentary pause he mockingly continued, “
Clark.”
Before either Lois or Clark reacted, using super speed the clone grabbed Clark and flew off with him.
Her mouth dry, as they vanished from her sight Lois franticly called out, “Clark!” As they disappeared from her sight, fear clawed through her, paralyzing her. For several minutes all she could do was continue to stare at the sky in the direction into which they’d vanished. Once she’d recovered, she noted that they’d headed away from LexTower. She kept scanning the sky without seeing anything before she whistled for a cab. Terrified for her partner, she rode back to the office in shocked silence.
--SSS--
On a remote mountaintop, Clark and his doppelganger landed. As they touched down on the ground, the clone released his passenger.
Clark glared at him silently.
“I know who you are,” the clone crowed.
He cautiously replied, “I’m Clark Kent.”
“Liar! You’re a liar. You pretend to be Superman.”
“Have you told anyone?”
“Not yet. I might.”
“Please don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because, someone has been lying to you, and it’s not me. If it were to get out that I’m Superman, everyone I care about, including Lois, would be in danger and could be hurt.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t want her to get hurt, do you?”
“No.”
“Please, promise me you won’t tell anyone.”
After studying the concern in Clark’s eyes and the sincerity in his voice, the clone solemnly agreed, “I promise.”
“Thank you. What did you need from me?”
“Oh. You promised we could talk today. But, you’re my enemy.”
“I’m not your enemy. At least, I don’t want to be. Who told you that?”
“My father.”
“Lex Luthor?”
“How… how did you know?”
“I recognized him in your room. He’s not your father. If anyone is your biological father, it’s either me or my biological father, Jor-El. Luthor’s been trying to hurt or discredit Superman since he arrived. If anyone is Superman’s enemy, it’s him. And it’s his choice.”
“But, you’re him, aren’t you?”
“Yes… and no. I’m Clark; Superman is what I can do.”
Understanding dawned on the clone, “Oh. Is that why you asked my name?”
“Yes. Everyone should have their own name. Why don’t you think about what name you’d like?”
“Really?”
“Sure. I’ll help you.”
“Good. But, I don’t know any good names.”
“We’ll figure it out together. My adoptive parents named me, so they may have some ideas, too.”
“They would help?”
“Well, I haven’t mentioned it because I hadn’t figured out who you were when I last talked to them yesterday. I’ve known them since I was a baby, and I’m sure they’ll want to help my brother.”
Wistfully, the clone looked in the distance and repeated in a whisper, “Brother...”
After a moment, Clark broke the silence, “So, you’re supposed to kill Superman today?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to.”
“Well, I’m not looking forward to fighting you, either. I don’t want either of us to get hurt.”
“You don’t?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Why?”
Looking directly in his brother’s eyes, with sincerity he stated, “Because I care about you.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and I hope you’ll care about me that way some day.”
“I… I think I already do,” he winced and after a moment continued, “I’m in pain.”
“You are?”
“It comes and goes. Right now, it’s not so bad.” After a moment, he continued, “You know I’m dying.”
“I heard last night. My friend Paul will do his best to help you.”
“Why?”
“Well, we want to help you. Neither of us wants you to die.”
“Oh. How can you help? Dr. Fabian said he couldn’t.”
“Paul knows a lot that neither Dr. Fabian or your father know. We think you’re a clone. We’re alike because you were made from a piece of me.”
Horrified, his doppelganger’s voice went blank, “So... I’m not real?”
“No, that’s not what I mean!” More softly, he continued, “You’re very real. You’re a part of me. We’re brothers, like identical twins.”
The clone’s face lit up, “Really? Does that mean we’re family?”
“Yes, I’m telling you the truth.”
“I believe you.” After a moment, a shadow crossed his face, “What about my father? I”m supposed to kill you today.”
“How about if we both decide not to fight, and I’ll get my friend Paul to see if he can help you. If both you and Superman disappear for a while, then Lu—your father may think you’ve succeeded.”
“Okay. That makes sense.”
“So, short of a huge emergency, Superman will stay away today. And we’ll get you hidden from your father.”
The clone nodded, “I’m sorry about grabbing you like that.”
“It’s okay. I’ll let Lois know I’m all right when we get back to the city. She’s probably worried. If you hold me like you’re carrying me in case anyone sees us, I can use my own power so you don’t have to carry me. Or if it’s too much for you to fly, I can fly us both.”
“You’d do that?”
“Sure. It would be less work for you. And there’s no reason not to since you know my secret.”
“No one has ever done anything like that for me before.”
“Well, it’s time someone did.”
“Do many people know the secret?”
“No, only a few people. You, me, Paul, his wife Jenny, his son Scott, and my mom and dad.”
“Not Lois?”
“No, not yet.”
“You plan to tell her?”
“Some day. Right now, it’s complicated. It’s a dangerous secret and once someone knows it, I worry their life is in more danger. If bad people even thought she knew, they would do bad things to her to get that information.”
“Then I definitely won’t tell anyone. Do you mind that I know?”
“I trust you.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and knowing this secret means that if you were to tell, you also could be in danger.”
“I didn’t think of that.” He doubled over in pain.
Clark knelt next to him and gently enveloped him in a hug. Clark felt the clone’s pain and rubbed his brother’s back in comforting circles. His brother at first stiffened, then his whole body shook with heartbreaking sobs.
This is the first time anyone has ever done this, Clark heard in his head.
“Given you a hug?”
Yeah.“Well, it’s something my family does a lot. So, you’ll have to get used to it.” Clark felt the clone’s intense pleasure at that prospect. Slowly he got his emotions under control and stopped crying. When Clark looked at him, his brother gave him a watery smile.
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