Almost missed this one, and I'm sure glad I didn't. Mayson isn't a favorite character on these boards (and I understand why), but I've always felt she was underused in the series. And this story tells us that Clark felt something for her. Not what he felt for Lois, of course, but he did feel something powerful, something that aroused his protective instincts when she was brutally beaten. It's just like Clark to believe that he was remiss in not stopping the attack.
And I'm glad you redeemed Lois's attitude at the end of the post. She doesn't much care for Mayson, but that doesn't mean she wishes Mayson ill, just happiness with some nice guy not named Clark Kent.
One outcome of this story might be that both women fall into mortal danger at the same time in different locations and Clark has to choose which life to save. I almost hope that's not the way this is going, but if it is, I'm confident that you'll do justice to the narrative. I hope you keep this one going until the end (whatever that end is).
