This is my first post to this board, so keep that in mind when you ruthlessly dissect my florid prose. I have posted a couple of things to lcfanfic.com already, but I wanted more feedback, so here I am!
The usual disclaimers about the characters not being my own apply. There is no copyright infringement intended. In fact, we should remember that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
You Will Know Fear
You Will Know Pain
Then You Will Die
Warning: This is not, by any stretch of anyone's imagination, a humorous story. Read at your own risk.
Set early in season two, before Intergang makes its presence known, and shortly after TOGOM.
- Begin Part One -
"Is she ready yet, Doc?"
"Almost. Just one more - connection - there. She’s ready."
"Is the IV hooked up clean?"
"Yep. She’s plugged in like a million-dollar stereo system."
"You sure no one’s gonna bother us?"
"I told you, the basement is lead-lined and soundproofed. Nobody’s going to find us any time soon unless we want to be found."
"Good. I guess we’re ready to start. You on the log?"
"Got it. Lights in subject room are now off and the room is sealed. Recording - now. Subject is Lois Lane, Caucasian female, age twenty-five - "
"Twenty-six."
"What?"
"According to her driver's license, her birthday was last week."
"Whatever. Age twenty-six, five feet five inches in height, weight one hundred two pounds. General health very good, no visible scars or birthmarks. This interrogation session will induce fear, first of pain and then of death, until the subject becomes susceptible to any suggestion and willing to answer any questions. First session begins at two forty-eight AM October ninth."
"So let's get going, Doc!"
"We are going. This will be just like the others."
"I sure hope so. I can't wait to get my hands on that money."
"Starting the IV now. Subject should exhibit response within ten seconds."
****
Lois awoke to unfocused, intense pain. She gasped and cried out. It wasn't a particular part of her body that hurt, it was her whole body that hurt, and the pain seemed to radiate from the inside out. She couldn't see anything except a dark mist, almost like a spider's web but without substance.
She tried to lift her head, but a strap across her forehead limited her movement. All she could see was what looked like an orange shirt. She knew it wasn't hers. Orange clashed with her eyes. Looking at the garish shade seemed to hurt her even more.
She couldn't remember how she'd gotten here, wherever 'here' was. She forced herself to think back to the last thing she remembered, her phone conversation with Clark and how much fun she'd had teasing him. She remembered the lunch 'date' they'd made, and that she'd made him promise to go Dutch. She remembered hanging up and turning to get a glass of water from the kitchen, then someone had knocked on her door.
She'd asked who was there.
Floral delivery, a voice had said.
She'd peered through the peephole and had seen a man holding a huge floral arrangement. She'd smiled knowingly. Clark, she'd thought, you're a real tiger after all.
She'd opened the door to smell the flowers and something in the air had stung the inside of her nose and -
And she remembered nothing from that moment forward until she'd awakened here. Someone had kidnapped her from her apartment.
And she was in terrible, uncompromising pain. The pain was intense, insistent, persistent, and unyielding. It was worse than any beating that she'd ever experienced. She hurt so much she could barely think. The darkness around her seemed to move and twist as if it had a life of its own.
She called out in fear.
"Help! Someone help me! Please! It hurts! Ahh! It hurts!"
"I'm here, Lois. I'm here."
She tried to sit up but something held her down. "Superman! Oh, thank you! Please get me out of here! It hurts!"
"I can't help you. I'm sorry."
"What? What do you mean you can't help me? This hurts! Ahh! It really hurts!"
He stood beside the pallet where she lay and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lois. If I help you now, there are a number of other people who will die. I'm caught on the horns of a dilemma."
The pain intensified and she cried out again. "Ahh! Agghh! Then - go help them! Save them so you can come back and - aaahh! - save me!"
"I can't do that, Lois. I have to stay here with you."
The pain suddenly escalated and Lois arched her back against her restraints. She screamed and passed out.
****
"Continuing. Subject was partly conscious for four minutes twenty seconds. Subject was introduced to thirty-five percent pain maximum and withstood a sudden increase to forty-five percent maximum tolerance levels before losing consciousness. Anticipate next session within fifty minutes."
****
Clark eyes snapped open in the early morning darkness. He leaped up and whirled into the Superman suit before he was fully alert. He wasn't sure what had awakened him, so he did a quick scan of the area with both vision and hearing. Finding nothing, he tuned in to both police and fire emergency frequencies, but found no emergencies that required his attention. He opened his window and flashed out to perform a quick patrol, but again he came up empty-handed. It was a quiet night for Metropolis.
He paused and hovered over the city, frowning. Something had awakened him, but he had no idea what it might have been. Lois wasn't in trouble, else he'd have heard her call for help.
Then he smiled. Of course! The memory of Lois from yesterday! It must have incited a nice dream. Yes, he thought, it must have been a very nice dream.
The afternoon before had been very nice, too. Lois had smiled a very private smile to him as they'd left work yesterday. She'd even kissed him, a soft and gentle and lingering kiss, just before the elevator had stopped at the lobby. Lois had stepped out and glanced back over her shoulder at him and winked. That wink had knocked the breath from his lungs and slapped a silly smile on his face. He'd been so enthralled that he'd forgotten to get out before the doors closed again.
He'd ridden the car up to the executive floor and ridden down again in amazed silence. The memory of Lois's lips against his was intoxicating and he'd hurried home, waiting impatiently for her phone call.
She'd called just before nine and teased him mercilessly, then promised to have lunch with him the next day. Clark didn't think he'd sleep at all that night, but he'd dropped off like a child and dreamed very pleasant dreams.
The dreams of Lois must have awakened him. He almost decided to fly over her apartment and look in on her, but he restrained himself. Watching her sleep would, for him, be a most exquisite torture.
- End Part One -
