“Thank you,“ Lois said quietly.
Bill looked at her for a moment, and then his mood eased a bit.
“No thanks needed. Clark – he’s got a lifetime of rescues at his disposal – and… you… you’ve been through enough hell.”
“I’m doing all right,” she said lightly.
“I can see that. Okay. So here’s how it’s going to go down. No amateurs. Okay? That means… Perry, Lois and Lois – you aren’t going to go down with us. It’ll be Clark, myself, and a S.W.A.T team. You can come with us – but you can’t come down with us. Agreed?”
The other Lois had a mutinous gleam in her eye, but her doppelganger cut her short by agreeing.
“You’re okay with this?” The other Lois was incredulous.
“No,” she said. “But it’s the right thing to do. Lois – we are amateurs, and we will get in the way. If they need us, we’ll be right there. I just want Clark back – I don’t have to be a part of this.”
“Well… if you’re okay with it, then I guess I have to be,” her twin muttered, annoyance clear in her voice. “But I don’t have to like it.”
An hour later, Clark and Inspector Henderson were riding the elevator down to where they believed Clark to be.
“I can’t believe it’s this easy,” said Henderson nervously. “No security… nothing?”
“Well… I think he’s trying to keep a low profile in case anyone figured out that the clone wasn’t the real-deal. Also – Luthor … at least the one I knew – he tends to be overconfident. His ego gets in the way of his common sense.”
“Knew? He’s dead?”
“He committed suicide… the police finally caught on to him, and he chose death over going to prison. He... jumped... off a high building.” He winced at the memory.
“And you didn’t save him?” Henderson’s voice was light, but he was very curious why Clark had let the man die. The Clark he knew would have saved the man, no matter what.
“No. I – I couldn’t. He had … poisoned me with the same substance that he’s poisoned Clark with. Not in the same way – but – I was powerless… “
“Oh god… poetic justice.”
“Okay. We’re here – so…”
They got out of the elevator, still trying to keep a low profile
“Remember- the plan is – you try to convince him you’re the clone. But… please… don’t throw me or any of my people against a wall to try to convince him – okay?” His voice was still light, but he didn’t know this Clark, and after seeing the clone in action, he was inclined to treat this Clark with a little healthy caution.
“I would never do that,” said Clark. “Don’t worry – I think this will work.”
Henderson stayed hidden, and Clark followed his instincts to where he believed Clark was being kept. The replica of Lois’s apartment.
Luthor has a twisted sense of drama. Letting Clark suffer and die in a place that reminds him of the woman he loves. Sick bastard.
He pushed open the door, and strode in with an air of casual arrogance.
“Hey. Father. What’s up? How’s the ‘old block’ doing?”
“What the hell are you doing here,” hissed Luthor, whirling around to face his creation.
“I wanted to see how old Clarkie was doing. Is he dead yet?”
“No – not yet. I’ve been giving him small doses, I’m enjoying the show. Why did you call him the old block…”
“Well – seeing as how you made me from him – I’m the chip off the old block. Get it?”
“What are you doing here?”
“You know – it’s amazing. One cell – one single cell – harmless… inert… insensible. But then – you take that cell and cajole it into growth and it turns into the supreme ruler of earth. Amazing, isn’t it? One small cell?”
“You aren’t going to be the supreme ruler of earth. That’ll be my job- you’re the muscle. Don’t forget – you need me… you are nothing without me.”
“Doesn’t look that way to me,” he said, his voice still very casual. “I got your little girl-friend, you know. She was much more interested in making time with me than with you.”
“Who…”
“Lois Lane. You know – your obsession? She’s mine. “ His voice had a steely edge as he said this. “You’re going to be the one taking orders from me, old boy. You need to understand that I don’t need you at all. All of this – it’s mine – at my disposal. You’re nothing.”
“You – you dare? I – I’m – I made you! I can easily unmake you!”
“In the blink of an eye, I could break your neck… or turn you into a pile of ash. I think it’s I who could easily unmake you.” He let his voice take on an edge of dangerous menace, using Lord Nor as a template for his behavior. Despite the fact that he was talking to a man he loathed and feared, it still made him sick to act like this. He needed Luthor to believe he was the clone. If Lex ever found out about alternate universes, then he would devote his time, resources and last dying breath to learning how to travel between them. One psychotic universe-hopping villain was enough.
“You wouldn’t last a week without me. Have you forgotten? You need me to live. If you don’t get your regular treatments – you will die.”
“You think I don’t have that one covered? Father… don’t you know? I’m superman – I can do anything.”
“I don’t believe you. If that were true, why wouldn’t you have killed me already?”
“Maybe I don’t want to kill my father. Do you think I have no feelings at all? You can live, Lex - you just won’t be living free.”
“What are you – “
“Lex Luthor. You are under arrest for kidnapping and attempted murder.”
Bill Henderson stood there, surrounded by his S.W.A.T team. Guns were trained expertly on Lex.
He turned wild eyes towards Clark.
“You… You… You set me up!”
“Yeah… I kind of did.”
“Why – why would you do that?”
Clark just shrugged. “Maybe because you’re a dangerous psychopath who needs to be behind bars?”
“You… you – you’re my son!” His voice thundered as he said it.
“No. I’m actually his son,” he said, indicating Clark. “And I kind of take exception to what you’ve done to him.”
Luthor struggled against the men holding him, but he was vastly outmatched. His arrogance had caused him to try to eliminate his hated enemy without the backup of his regular team, and he had no-one of his own to help get him out of this mess. They were able to easily haul him back up to the surface. He would be caged.
Soon, Clark stood alone near his doppelganger. He noted worriedly that Clark was looking very bad.
“How’s he doing,” Henderson had returned to help retrieve Clark.
“I – I can’t go touch him – and this is as close as I dare get. I don’t want the poison to affect me. It seems that Lex pumped him up with additional poison. Hopefully now that his body isn’t being given more poison, he’ll be able to recover quickly.”
“He’s going to need special medical help. Any ideas?”
“Is there a STAR labs in this world?”
“Yes. It’s run by a man named Bernie Klein.”
“Can he be trusted… trusted not to harm Clark while he’s vulnerable?”
“I don’t know. But we can find out…. Is he a good choice if he is trustworthy?”
“The best. At least where I come from.”
“I have to see him!!” They heard her anguished cry, and Bill quickly rushed out to reassure his people that she, of all people, was welcome to come in.
She threw Bill a look of wordless and endless gratitude, and he squeezed her arm gently, and then she was free… free to rush in, to the bedside of the man she loved more than anything else in the world.
“Clark,” she breathed out, the tears flowing freely and copiously as she gripped his hand, sitting next to the bed that so resembled her own. What sick and twisted logic had caused Luthor to choose that Clark’s prison would be an exact duplicate of her apartment… of her bedroom. “Oh… Clark…” She sat there, holding onto his hand as tightly as she could, willing for the energy that coursed through her own body to be somehow imparted to him – to somehow bring him back to full strength, back to conscious awareness… back to her.
Clark was fighting a losing battle – his life was slipping away. He heard her voice, as he had – so many times before - as he lay in this bed – fighting against some strange poison that sapped him of his strength and his ability to even be conscious. He heard her tearful voice, and fought with a brand new sense of purpose. Lois needs me.
She doesn’t need you. She hates you. She fears you. That’s why she poisoned you. It was a trick- her pretending to have feelings for you – a trick to bring you down – because you’re an alien – a monster… the front line of an invasion. She knew this, and she did what she had to in order to stop you. She lured you into her bed- and then – she poisoned you.
The thought pierced through his mind, but he knew – deep down – that it was a false thought. A changeling – brought to his doorstep by someone wicked – someone who wanted him to hurt – to hurt badly – before dying. Lois would never hurt him – never betray him. He knew this. He knew that she hadn’t done this.
But then… who… what… what happened? How did I get like this… what had I been doing? I had been talking to Lois… hadn’t I? Before I collapsed? Where was I? Was I here? At her apartment? Or… no… Carissa. Searing pain accompanied that thought, and he shrank away from it. Someone doesn’t want me to remember all that.
“Clark,” Lois cried. “If you can hear me. Fight this – don’t die – please don’t die. I can’t lose you – it took so long for me to find you. Please don’t die. You have to fight the poison in your body. Fight it – it will eventually go away, and then you will recover. You can’t give in now.”
Lois didn’t hurt me. I never thought she did… but now – I know. She didn’t. Something bad happened. Lois needs me… she needs… she needs… me… I have to wake up now.
Clark opened his eyes, and winced against the pain of the action. Wave upon wave of agony hit him, and he felt as if someone were trying to pierce his brain with an ice-pick. Oh god. Make it stop!
“Lo… Lois?” His voice was barely a hoarse whisper. “It’s … it’s okay.”
“Clark?! Oh – Oh – god – Clark!” She leaned forward and embraced him fiercely.
Bill and Clark came over quickly, and saw that he was awake.
“You’re awake,” said Bill. “Thought you were going to sleep all day.”
“Hey buddy,” said the other Clark, giving his doppelganger a wide grin. “You are a sight for sore eyes. Not that you look good… because you look horrendous – but still…”
“What… what happened? What’s going on… Clark? Is that… and Inspector… you know that there are two of us?” His voice gained in strength as consciousness came back with a vengeance.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “Saved your tail too, Clark… but I guess I kind of owed you one.”
“What happened?”
“Luthor happened,” said Clark. “It’s a long story, and you will hear it soon – but everything’s okay now. Lex is going to prison, and you’ll be back to full strength before you know it.”
“What- what do we do about Clark’s condition?”
“Well… Star labs, in my universe, has a very good and trusted scientist at it’s helm… a man named Bernie Klein. I’d trust him with my life. It may be that this world’s Bernie can be trusted too and that Clark’s best bet is to stay at Star labs a few days…”
“No!” The exclamation came simultaneously from Lois and Clark.
“I can’t – Clark… you know – I have no desire to be…”
“Dissected like a frog. I know. I know. I understand your fears – “
“Clark,” said Lois. “We have no reason to trust this man. I can’t take the risk that in our world, he won’t give into the temptation to perform experiments on Clark. I almost lost him – I can’t go through this again… please… help us find another way.”
“I understand,” he said soothingly. “I’ve lived with these fears too… but –“
“You’ve been afraid of someone dissecting you?” Henderson was shocked to hear this.
“Well – now that you’ve seen how easy it was for someone to bring him down – don’t you see why? He’s an alien. I’m an alien – there are lots of scientists out there who would love to get a chance to – see what makes us tick… without much caring whether or not we keep on ticking.”
“I .. yeah – I guess it just seems so strange to imagine that a man who could stop an asteroid would be afraid of human scientists… but it does make sense, now.”
“”Lois… the other Lois and I could hang around for a few days – out of sight of course… others don’t need to know about other universes… and – just be around in case Clark does need our help. You can insist on visitation rights, and keep a close eye on how he’s being treated. Honestly – these folks are his best bet at survival. Of course – all this depends on Bernie being a trustworthy person.”
“We’re investigating him as we speak.”
“Do you consent to this?” Clark was looking at his twin, lying in the bed, looking pale from both his ordeal, and the idea at being at the mercy of some strange scientist.
“I… you really trust him in your world?”
“Yes. I really do.”
“Then… I guess… if Inspector Henderson’s investigation reveals him to be a decent guy – then – I’ll give him a chance… I just hate to be away from…”
“Me too,” she said intensely.
He looked at her closely, trying to determine if Luthor had hurt her in any way.
“Are you okay?” His voice held a wealth of tenderness.
“Yeah,” she smiled. “Now that I have you back. God – when our link was broken…”
“Our… oh… that’s why… now it makes sense… I remember now…"
“What do you mean?”
“Luthor manipulated my memories somehow – he tried to make me believe Lois had poisoned me and was watching me die in her apartment… in her bed… “ He winced. “Every time my mind came close to the truth – I felt pain.”
“What is it with Luthor and his mad scientist machiavellian plans? Why can’t he just do the old quick-kill and get it over with?” The other Lois had joined in having caught this last bit.
“Well – I’m glad he didn’t,” said Lois. “For once, his flair for the dramatic comes in handy.”
“Lois,” said Clark. “You’re here too?” His voice softened as he saw her.
The Lois of this world stiffened slightly as she heard that, and she watched, sharply, the interchange between the two. Now – I can finally see if he really loves her. Maybe he does, and just doesn’t know it.
“Hey – we kind of owed you one too,” she smiled down at him. “And it’s always great to see you… especially now that Lois is back in this world.”
His gaze shifted back to her, and she felt a spark of electricity at what she saw, deep in his eyes. Oh god. He loves me so much. It’s never been her… it’s always been me. Her gaze locked on his, and they wordlessly watched each other, trying to share in their mutual love.
“Earth to Lois and Clark,” said Lois gently. “Clark. I just wanted you to know – this woman is braver than anyone I know. I mean – I’m guessing you already knew that… but – she maneuvered your very creepy clone into a trap – one that held a lot of personal risk for her – and –“
“My what? Sorry… sorry for interrupting… but – what are you talking about?”
Her brows furrowed. “Luther cloned you. You didn’t know?”
“God! No… I didn’t…”
“The clone was intended to replace you. Nobody would know you were missing, and the clone would eventually enable Luthor to be king of the world.”
Horror filled Clark’s expression as he tried to comprehend this new information.
“Lois! Are you all right – I mean –he didn’t hurt you… god – please tell me he didn’t –“
“Listen, I may have had to deal with a little grief,” she said lightly. “But you should see the other guy.”
“What do you mean?”
“He didn’t hurt me, Clark. He just scared me… he was very – he reminded me – of … you know – Lord Kal… and – he – he – well – he was pretty stupid too. In the end – we got him. I had Lois and Clark here to help me – so… I was never in any real danger.” She tried to keep her expression even as she attempted to lie about the situation. Right now, Clark didn’t need to get agitated.
“Why do I feel that there’s more to the story…”
She looked away uncomfortably. Yeah. I was never good at lying to Lord Kal, either.
“Clark… Lois – how did you even get here?”
“Wells sensed your life force was dimming, and came here to figure things out. When I told him what had happened, he brought them here.” Lois was quick to answer. Again, she didn’t want Lois or Clark to give her Clark any more information than he need right now. No need to go into specifics.
“How did you know he wasn’t me,” he asked, trying a different tact.
She smiled, and shook her head.
“Believe me. It was obvious. Maybe others might have thought you were just acting … off… but knowing what I know about other universes – it wasn’t a huge stretch of my belief-system to just realize he wasn’t you. “
“What exactly did this guy do – that had people … thinking that I was acting ‘off’.”
“Oh – well – he was really brutal with any criminals he encountered,” said Henderson, not realizing that Lois was trying to smooth things over. “And he made the moves on Lois, here… “
Clark’s gaze snapped back to hers. Horrified. My god. The moves? What does that mean? Did he touch her? Hurt her? Rape her?
[tbc]
