Previously on AFR...

"My mistake," the genteel Englishman said. "I shouldn't have couched it as a question." The cold blue steel of a revolver suddenly appeared in his hand. "Get in the car."

Lois felt Clark's body tense beside her. She quickly looked up and saw a look of determination in his eye. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it to gain his attention. When he looked down at her she gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head. No need for Clark to perform any heroics just now. There'd be time for that later. Better to go along and find out what Luthor wanted.

As they moved toward the dark limo, the back door swung open and the two of them entered. The door slammed shut and the big sedan sped quickly away from the curb.


And now...
A Future Reborn - (Lois' Story III) - part 10
by Tank


Clark followed Lois, who followed Nigel, as they moved through the tunnel system. A couple of toughs with guns drawn took up the rear. He understood why Lois hadn't wanted him to 'rescue' them immediately. From what little they'd had a chance to discuss, he knew that Luthor and this world's Lois Lane had some sort of past. He wanted to know what it had been as much as Lois did. His curiosity had been aroused as much as hers, so he was more than willing to go along with things. He could always use his special abilities to get them out of any trouble later if things got dangerous. After all, he didn't want to expose himself unnecessarily. Maybe a better, more discreet opportunity would present itself later. If not... well, they'd cross that bridge when they got to it.

Luthor's man had taken them into the basement garage of the LexTower but had entered a vehicle lift that had taken them to a lower level that apparently wasn't on the LexTower directory. They had been led into a tunnel that resembled a miniature version of the Metropolis subway system. Judicious use of his vision gifts had allowed Clark to see that the subway was indeed just beyond the far side concrete walls.

They then were instructed to get into what could only be described as a hybrid golf cart. A twenty minute trip with guns trained at their backs had led them to a small opening in the tunnel. It was circular in shape, and about thirty feet in diameter. There'd been a few boxes piled over to one side, and Clark had seen three other tunnels leading off in different directions. He'd been amazed. Who knew that Luthor had his own private subway system under the streets of Metropolis?

They'd all disembarked from the golf cart and walked on foot down one of the other side tunnels. After walking for a few minutes, Nigel led them up a set of masonry stairs. There were globes along the wall that lit as they go closer to them and went out after they had passed by. An interesting use of motion detectors. Clark had to smile when Lois made a crack about saving on the electric bill. Nigel hadn't responded.

At the top of the long climb, a pair of metal doors was pushed open and they all entered what appeared to be an old abandoned warehouse. More accurately, they were in an office in an old abandoned warehouse. He looked back and saw that they had entered through a metal storage locker which stood in the corner of the room.

"Cat!" Lois suddenly burst into motion, running to the far side of the office.

Clark followed her with his gaze and saw the huddled form of Catherine Grant slumped against the far side of the metal and glass walled room. As he got closer he could see that the woman had been abused. Her blouse was torn and her face showed swelling and bruises on her cheeks. Her neck also showed signs of scratches. Clark could feel the anger welling up inside him. What kind of people beat up on a woman!

Lois was on her knees beside the battered woman. Cat reached up and stroked her gently on the cheek. "Can't say I think much of your *old* friends, Lois. I don't think Lex really knows how to treat a lady."

Lois gasped. "Lex did this?"

"Enough!" Nigel came over and, gun in hand, gestured for Lois to back away from Cat. He directed a menacing gaze at the cringing woman. "You had your chance to talk, Ms. Grant. Now be a good little tramp and keep your mouth shut."

"How dare..." Lois began, her indignation and anger obvious.

Nigel swiveled his glare and his gun over to Lois. "You too, Ms. Lane. Your chance will come soon enough. Now, sit and be quiet, both of you."

Clark tensed as one of the thugs gave him a push toward the floor. His hearing picked up a faint whisper coming from Lois.

"Not now," she said. "We have to wait for Lex. It's the only way we'll find out what this is all about."

Reluctantly, Clark slid down the dirty glass wall to the hard cement floor and settled in next to Lois.

They all waited in an uneasy silence for several minutes until the metal doors on the phony storage locker opened and a well-dressed man stepped into the derelict office.

Lex Luthor's smile was cold and not something that could ever convey amusement. Clark wondered how anyone, if they'd ever seen him like this, would think that the man was anything but a cold-blooded criminal.

As Luthor came toward them, Clark began to feel a tightness in his chest and a pounding behind his eyes. Sweat began to bead up on his forehead. He shook his head a couple of times but the pressure seemed to increase. It was then that he realized what was happening to him. For the first time since his powers had manifested themselves, he was feeling pain. He didn't understand it. He was invulnerable. He didn't feel pain.

With a groan he slumped over, falling against Lois.

********************

Lois' eyes were riveted onto Lex as he strode into the small office, his arrogance flashing like a neon sign. This was a man who loved being in control, and she had to think that he thought he was now the one holding all the cards. She began to doubt the wisdom of allowing herself and Clark to come here. Even given Clark's powers, there was a risk of someone getting hurt. There were too many gun-happy minions around, which surprised her. The Lex Luthor she had known didn't trust a lot of people knowing who he really was and what he did.

His smile was recognizable, though. The cold smugness that stretched his lips ever so slightly upward was only too familiar. Lex reveled at any situation where he could bask in his imagined superiority. Lois risked a quick glance over at Cat, and new feelings of anger mixed with the older feelings of hatred and disgust. Was there a dimension where Lex Luthor wasn't the scum of the earth?

Suddenly Lois heard a muffled groan and was rocked by the weight of Clark falling against her. She managed to catch his head in her lap before it struck the floor.

"Clark? What's wrong?"

"Hurts," was all he was able to get out through clenched teeth.

A chill ran through her as she noticed the sweat beading on his forehead and the clear indications that he was in pain. Clark was Superman, yet he was suffering. That could only mean one thing - kryptonite!

Lois frantically began scanning the room. There was no place that she could see that might hold some of the evil crystal. Maybe in the desk? But then Clark didn't show any signs when they first entered, nor while they waited for Luthor. It wasn't until Lex...

Her gaze fastened back on their captor. It only took her a few moments to notice the ring and the telltale, sickly green color of its stone. He was wearing a kryptonite ring! Did that mean that he knew about Clark, or was it just her own bad karma that allowed coincidence to provide the city's most evil man with the only means to defeat a Superman?

"What's wrong with him?" Lex strolled over and gave Clark a nudge with his foot.

Lois cradled her suffering partner protectively. "Ah, he has the flu. We were just heading back to his place so he could go to bed when your flunkies picked us up." She smoothed a lock of wet hair that had drooped down away from his forehead.

Lex immediately backed away, a look of repugnance on his face. He signaled to a couple of his bully boys. They came over and, despite Lois' protests, pulled Clark away from her and dumped him unceremoniously in the corner. Lex then signaled with his hand that Lois should stand. Cautiously she stood and faced him. Several times her glance snuck back for a look at Clark.

Lex reached over and grabbed her chin and held it firmly so that she faced him. "Forget about him. We have a serious matter to discuss." Lex's eyes narrowed as he released her. "I sincerely hope that since we had our little meeting a few days ago you've spent the time wisely, and have come to the *correct* decision."

"He wants his diamond, Lois."

"What?" Lois' head snapped around at Cat's words.

Cat tried to look apologetic. "I read the file. I know about the big diamond you were supposed to fetch for Lex."

"The diamond?" Lois' head swiveled from Cat to Lex.

"Yes, the diamond," he said. "I've also got your little laptop so no more games, Lois. I want what's mine."

Lois chewed on her lip. She looked over at Clark lying on the floor. He was still breathing, but she was worried. He wasn't moving anymore. She hoped that he hadn't lost consciousness. From his reaction, Lois guessed that this was the first time Clark had ever been exposed to kryptonite.

Lois made a show of staring at the three men who were clearly nothing more than hired muscle. She licked her lips and stepped closer to Lex. "I don't think you want me to reveal anything *significant* in front of the hired help - do you?" She ran her hand along his lapel as she gave a little jerk of her head toward the nearest no-neck.

Lex turned his gaze away from Lois' eyes, and looked over the top of her head. A frown finally replaced his smug smile. Lois didn't kid herself into believing Lex would suddenly start trusting her now, but she did rely on his overweening belief in his own infallibility to control a situation. An imperceptible nod was directed toward St. John. Nigel returned the gesture with the barest acknowledgement.

Nigel pulled his own pistol from his jacket and waved it toward the office door. "If you gentlemen would be so good as to wait for us on the other side of the warehouse." The cultured Englishman moved over and unlocked the glass and metal door. "We'll call for you when we need your assistance." Nigel closed the door and turned back to face the group.

Lois glanced at Nigel, then back to Lex. "What about him?"

Lex chuckled. "Oh, I think Nigel will stay."

Lois shrugged. "Suit yourself." She leaned closer, as if she were going to whisper something into Lex's ear. He leaned in.

With a sudden savage motion, Lois rammed her knee into Lex's crotch. When he doubled over in pain she grabbed his hand and ripped the ring from his finger. With the same motion she pushed the disabled billionaire into St. John. She then rushed toward the mock locker, threw open the door, and rushed down the stairs.

Once she reached the bottom of the concrete flight she glanced down the tunnel in each direction. She could hear the commotion above her. With everything she had she tossed the ring as far down the left tunnel as she could. Then she fled toward the junction room they had arrived at earlier, which just happened to be in the opposite direction of her ring toss. She knew there was that goofy golf cart there, but she had no intention of leaving on it. She just wanted them to think so.

True to expectations, Nigel arrived only a few moments after she reached the tunnel junction. She made a show of trying to start the cart.

"Looking for these, Ms. Lane?" St. John held up the keys, letting them dangle from a silver chain. His gun was trained on her. "A valiant effort, but ultimately doomed to failure." He stepped aside and waved the gun in the direction of way they had come. "If you please."

Lois gave him her best grimace, and with her head down, meekly complied. She knew that there would be tax to pay for her actions, but if her plan worked, it would be worth it, and they just might get out of this alive.

******************

"You bi ..!"

The rest of the expletive was lost to Lois as she was violently flung against the far wall the moment she emerged from the phony locker doors. She yelped in surprise and pain as she hit the glass and aluminum of the modular wall panel with her shoulder and back. In an instant Lex was upon her, lifting her back to her feet by her hair.

"Did you really think you could get away that easily? Did you!" He shook her, then flung her to the hard cement floor.

"Leave her alone." The voice was weak, but the words were measured and resolute. Clark had crawled to his hands and knees and was facing Lex.

"So now the junior partner decides to be heard." Luthor laughed, his voice filled with derision. "Get away from me you worthless punk." He lashed out with his foot and caught Clark in the jaw, sending him sprawling back to the opposite wall.

"Lex, stop it!" Lois' shout rang through the tiny space. "What is wrong with you?" He turned an evil gaze back onto her. "The world is teetering on the brink of destruction and you're worried about some stupid diamond?"

He grabbed her by her shirt front and pulled her up so she was face to face with him. "Not just *some stupid diamond*, Lois; as you well know. It was reportedly the world's largest diamond." He thrust his face even closer. "And it's mine!"

She tried to push him away but his grip was too firm. "Lex, get it through that solid granite head of yours; there is no diamond. I don't have it. I never did. The meeting never happened." She continued to struggle until she finally able to savagely wrench herself out of Luthor's grip. "Lois Lane caught some sort of jungle fever and died a couple of days after arriving in the Congo. The diamond was lost ten years ago."

Luthor had been holding his pistol loosely in his hand. He now brought it up and pointed it at Lois. "You aren't making any sense, woman, but if you don't have the diamond then there is no reason to keep you around anymore... is there?"

When she looked back on that moment, Lois couldn't clearly remember the exact order of events. Luthor had his gun trained on her. Suddenly Clark flashed by and crashed into Lex, bringing the two of them to the floor. At virtually the same time, Nigel, whose own weapon was being brought to bear, was struck down from behind by Cat. She had waited for an opportunity, for a time when no one was watching her any longer. She had grabbed the heavy, old model desk phone from the small metal desk nearby and had clobbered Nigel from behind with it. The elder aide went down like a poleaxed steer.

Lois and Cat grinned at each other. Figuring Clark had probably lost his powers from the kryptonite exposure and was working with just a normal human's strength, she turned to see how Clark was doing with Luthor. Before she could act Cat's voice broke through. "Lois! Look!"

Turning, she saw immediately what Cat had. The three thugs, whom she'd forgotten about, were coming at a dead run toward the small office. Lois quickly looked for, and found, Nigel's gun, which had fallen from his hand when Cat had clocked him. She picked it up and began firing wildly into the main part of the warehouse. Glass shattered and bullets ricocheted off cement pillars and concrete floors as she continued to fire in the general direction that Luthor's lackeys had been coming.

Finding no place close at hand for cover, Luthor's 'hired help' showed their true colors and fled for the front door of the old warehouse. Again, Lois and Cat grinned at each other.

Just as she was ready to give Clark a hand, a partially muffled shot was heard coming from between the two men. Lois held her breath as her blood chilled. She shook her head. No, don't let it be, she cried to herself. As if in a dream, she moved toward the two men, both lying so still next to each other.

Hesitantly, she reached down and touched Clark on the shoulder. He turned and looked up at her. Shock and anguish were reflected in his eyes. "I couldn't help it," he began in a halting voice. "The gun just went off."

Lois jerked her gaze toward Luthor. She saw the spreading crimson stain on the front of his shirt. She reached over and felt his neck for a pulse. He was still alive, but just barely. They would have to get him medical attention, fast.

A part of Lois wanted to just leave the man there. Let him bleed to death. It would be a fitting way for a man such as Luthor to die. She shook off the thought. No, it would be better to see him rot the rest of his miserable life in a six by eight prison cell. She reached over and helped Clark to his feet.

"Come on, let's get you in a chair." She propped him up a bit as they both shuffled toward the old desk and chair. She could tell he probably didn't really need any help, but Lois felt like helping anyway. She touched his cheek once he sat down. "Are you all right?"

He smiled up at her, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm feeling much better. I'm weak, but the pain is gone."

Lois returned his smile. "Good, let me help you clean up." She moved back to where her purse was sitting. back where they had sat on the floor originally. "I've got some wipes in my bag."

"Lois, look out!"

Cat's shout caused her to turn. She froze as she saw Luthor glaring up at her. The hatred in his eyes was frightening. He had his gun in his hand. She cursed herself for not thinking to locate it after Lex had gotten shot. Now it looked like Luthor would get his revenge after all.

She felt Cat slam into her at the same time as she heard the shot reverberate through the close confines. The force of hitting the hard concrete floor momentarily knocked the breath from her. She was only peripherally aware of Clark hustling over and snatching the gun from the now lifeless fingers of Luthor. His final act had been one of attempted retribution.

The warm stickiness of blood covered the front of her shirt. Had she been shot? She tried to push herself to a sitting position, but was still weighed down by Cat's body. That was when the awful truth dawned on her.

"No!"

She managed to roll the woman over, until she was lying across Lois' lap. A blood red rose soaked the blouse of her best friend and roommate. Tears fell, as Lois rocked back and forth holding Cat's head in her arms.

The blue green eyes opened and stared up at Lois. "Hey, roomie, don't cry." Her voice was little more than a whisper.

"Catherine Ann Grant, what were you thinking?" Lois tried to make her voice sound stern but it was her anguish that carried through.

Cat tried to chuckle but it just rattled around in her throat. "After all you've gone through, I couldn't let a slimeball like Lex Luthor hurt you, now could I?"

"But..."

"Shhh," she said, as she placed her finger against Lois' lips. "Hey, this world deserves a Lois Lane too." Cat closed her eyes as a spasm of pain wracked her body. With obvious effort, she opened them again, staring at her friend's own flooded gaze. "Love you."

Suddenly the woman's body went still. "Cat?" Lois smoothed an errant lock of hair from Cat's forehead. "Cat, don't do this. Cat, don't give up on me, girl. Cat? Cat!" Her voice was raw with pain. "No, no, no, no, no, no, " she continued to cry.

Clark knelt down next to her. Tears streaked his face also. He gently reached over and felt for a pulse. Lois' watery gaze moved to his eyes, searching for a miracle. A quick shake of his head crushed her hopes and she turned her attention back to her dead friend.

Her mind screamed in torment. Why did this have to happen? It wasn't fair. She didn't deserve this... neither of them did.