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TP&S II - Chapter 21 - final
by Tank

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Lois had placed her hand on the clone's arm. "Don't go. Not yet. I really am interested in what you think, and why you are like you are." She had said as she'd ducked her head and took a deep breath. "I can't ever condone what you've done with the gifts you've been given, but I'd like to try and understand why you feel the way you do."

She really didn't give a darn what the vile creature thought or felt, but she needed to keep him there longer. Clark would need all the time she could give him for his investigation at the Boynton complex. It wouldn't do to have the clone busting in on him.

She tried to affect an innocent look as the clone, frowning, stared at her. "What are you up to? I know you don't really care two figs for what I think."

Lois rolled her eyes. She'd have to take a different tack. "Okay, but I'm an investigator. I'm curious. What makes you tick?" She took another breath, then took the plunge. "I'd like to know how you can kill people so casually."

"You've killed," he said, matter-of-factully.

"Only in self-defense, or to defend someone else." Lois' lips drew tight. "It's not the same thing."

The grin on the clone's face was almost scary. "I suppose not, but you have to admit that the feeling you get when you snuff the life out of that first person is... exhilarating."

"Exhilarating?"

"Come on. You mean to tell me that watching someone plead for their life doesn't get your juices flowing? That the fear on their faces when they realize that you're about to terminate their pitiful existence doesn't excite you? My god, it's better than sex."

Lois slumped back in her seat. The creature was perverted. How he could have ever come from cells that had originally belonged to Clark she'd never know. And she didn't even want to think about the fact that this 'thing' had sexual relations with a woman at some point. "That's sick," she said under her breath.

Realizing, too late, that he could hear that, she quickly looked up for his reaction. His grin just got wider, and scarier. "You asked."

Lois nodded. "Yes, I did." She patted the table. "So, sit. I may find it disgusting, but I do want to know." He turned and began to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?"

He winked at her. "I've got to go to the little superhero's room. I'll be right back."

She watched him disappear down the short hall in the back of the restaurant which led to the restrooms. She clenched her fists a couple of times to keep her hands from shaking. That clone was one of the scariest
individuals she'd ever met. And she'd known Lex Luthor.

She had to hold it together for Clark's sake. She had to give him time. Just then the clone came back, a strange look on his face. He stared down at her. She couldn't help but squirm under his gaze. "What?"

He sat down and took her hand in his. She raised a brow at the gesture. "I just had the strangest conversation," he said.

"Conversation?" Lois tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tightly.

"Yes, I called St. John to let him know that I'd be a bit later than originally planned." Lois' eyes widened. "And do you know what he said?" She swallowed and shook her head. "He said that I was already there. Had been for over a half an hour. Imagine that. What do you make of it, Lois?"

She tried to shrug but his grip on her hand wouldn't allow the movement. "I don't know. Has Mamba created another clone?"

He chuckled. "No, that would have been impossible. You see, once I was cogniscient enough to know just what I was, I destroyed the original culture and all his DNA samples. I didn't want any competition." He leaned forward. "So... who is back at the center, playing at being me?"

Lois held her voice as steady as she could. "I can't imagine."

The clone stood, pulling Lois to her feet also. "Let's go find out, shall we?"

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

Clark saw the look of defeat on Henderson's face as the policeman took in the scene that confronted him. He could tell that Bill thought he'd just blown his one last chance for freedom.

The befuddled lab technician got to his feet and stared around him in complete confusion. Nigel just nodded his head and the young man fled back the way he'd come in. Nigel's gun was raised, Henderson's was being held loosely.

"I'd drop the weapon if I were you, Inspector." The cultured accent seemed to just make the simple statement that much more menacing.

Henderson raised his own revolver. "Maybe you should be the one dropping your weapon?"

St. John shook his head sorrowfully. "I don't think you're that stupid, Inspector. We have two guns trained on you." Clark glanced over and noticed that Gunther had his weapon raised also. "You might get one shot off, but you'd surely be dead before you could fire another."

Henderson smiled. "It might be worth it to get you."

St. John gave him a wan smile. "You're overlooking my added *protector*." He inclined his head toward Clark. Henderson sighed, and dropped his gun.

Clark kept looking back and forth between St. John, Gunther, and Henderson. Professor Hamilton just stood dumbly next to Bill. Clark knew he had to do something, but he didn't know what. If he made some move toward St. John, the other thug, Gunther, might start firing. Not only did he have to worry about Bill, or the Professor, being targets, but any bullet aimed at him, however misguided, could result in an unfortunate richocet. He was frozen, not knowing what to do. Maybe Lois had been right. He was rusty.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to teach you a lesson, Henderson." Nigel turned toward Clark. "Give the good Inspector a lesson in what it means to cross us." St. John smiled. "Nothing lethal. Just make him understand what it means to break the rules."

Clark's head was on a swivel. He felt trapped. He looked at St. John, then at Henderson. He could see Bill grimacing, anticipating some sort of physical abuse. Clark took one step forward. Then turned toward Nigel.

"What good would beating on him do?" Clark tried to affect a disinterested voice. "I thought you wanted him as leverage against Lane? He's no good as a hostage if he's dead."

"I don't want him dead," Nigel said. "Just broken a bit." Clark's step faltered a bit. "What's the matter, my boy? I know you enjoy this stuff. Why the hesitation?"

"Maybe that's because he's not who he's supposed to be."

All eyes, including Clark's, turned to the sound of the new voice. Coming through the door behind Henderson was the super clone. Dressed in his suit, he was the spitting image of the Superman standing near St. John.

Clark's attention quickly shifted from the spandex-clad clone to the person held tightly in his grasp. Lois! He took a step forward.

"Nah, ah." The clone waved a finger in the air. "Don't move a muscle." He slide his hand up around Lois' throat. "I'd hate to have to twist this pretty little head clean off." He nuzzled Lois' hair.

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

Lois felt her skin crawl when the clone held her close and stuck his face into her hair. She saw the fear, and indecision on Clark's face. Her hopes began to fade. She knew that he would never do anything to endanger her. They'd lost.

"You made good time." St. John addressed the clone as the bogus Superman moved toward one end of the room. Lois had no choice but to be dragged along. She could see the tension in Clark's body language.

Nigel glanced down at the front desk security guard who'd been sitting, stunned, the whole time they'd been there. "I want you to go find Mamba and tell him to come up here." The guard looked relieved to have an excuse to leave.

"Now isn't this a cozy situation." Lois' head snapped around to see Bill shaking his head. If she didn't know better she'd say he thought this was all just too funny. "So what now, Nigel, old man?"

"I say we just kill them all, and get it over with." The clone's tone was deep and fraught with menace.

"You know I won't let you do that." Clark's voice was just as calmly menacing.

The clone laughed. "And what are you going to do... has been?" He gave Lois a slight shake. "As long as I control your little squeeze toy, you ain't going to do a thing." He nodded over toward where Henderson and Hamilton stood. "I could flash fry your two friends over there and you'd do nothing but stand and watch as long as I had a hold of Lois' lovely neck."

"Shut up, and don't be stupid." It was unusual to hear St. John raise his voice and so it grabbed everyone's attention. "We still have need of these people."

Lois could feel the clone's body tense next to her. "No, you shut up! I'm tired of you thinking I'm just some stupid lackey. I'm glad that Mamba is coming. It's time the two of you learned who is really in charge now."

Lois was thinking furiously. There must be some way to take advantage of this rift which was forming between St. John and the clone. But as long as he held onto her, she was greatly inhibited in what she could do, and Clark wouldn't do anything to endanger her. She hated being helpless.

"Come, come, my boy." Nigel spoke in a calming tone. "This isn't the right time to have this conversation. We can discuss your grievances once we have the situation back under control."

"Is he always that condescending toward you?" Lois piped in.

"I hadn't noticed it at first, but I think he has been." The clone practically growled.

Nigel rolled his eyes. "Oh good heavens. Are you listening to her now? You know what she's doing, don't you?"

"Just shut up! Everyone shut up!" The clone's brow furrowed deeply. "I need to think."

Lois wanted to laugh out loud at that, but controlled the urge. A movement seen out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. The other large thug, the one who'd been on the far side of Clark, had begun to slowly move. She wasn't sure what he thought he was going to do. After all, the clone was invulnerable.

The fellow was a giant of a man, though, and he might prove troublesome for Bill at some point, so she decided that her personal captor should know.

She leaned back against the clone, and nodded her head in the big man's direction. She could feel the shift in his body position. She smelt burnt hair as a great blast of heat flashed directly over her head. She closed her eyes as she saw Nigel's gorilla burst into flame. She couldn't shut out the scream.

Everyone was shocked into silence for several moments. It was St. John who broke the stillness first. "Why did you do that? Gunther couldn't hurt you?"

The clone's voice began to rise. "Shut up! If you don't want to be next, just shut up."

Lois could tell that the clone was near a breaking point, but wasn't sure how it should play out. She wouldn't shed any tears if the creature decided to incinerate St. John, but she wasn't sure if Clark would be able to handle the clone one on one. She cursed the luck that had forced her to leave her purse behind. She could use that piece of kryptonite now.

She had her attention on Clark, watching him internally wrestle with himself, so she missed the furtive moment by Nigel. He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small foil wrapped object. Before anyone knew what he was doing, the lead foil had come off the crystal and a sickly green glow seemed to light up the man's hand. Kryptonite!

She felt the clone's grip on her slacken as he clutched his head and slipped to the floor. She stepped away from the groaning creature. "Clark!" A harsh whisper escaped from her when her gaze fell on the other writhing figure on the floor. She started to move over toward him when a gunshot rang out, causing her to stop and look toward the sound.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, detective." St. John was holding the still smoking gun. "Please step over there next to your former partner."

Biting her lip, Lois reluctantly did so. Her heart was breaking watching Clark in such pain.

The two supermen lay writhing on the floor. "I wish that Mamba would get here," he said, somewhat crossly. "We need to get this little disturbance..."

Everyone's attention was diverted by the crashing open of the double doors. "He's here now, you sick, misbegotten, double crossing scum."

Lois momentarily was distracted from Clark's troubles by the shocking figure of a bloodied and disheveled Arianna Luthor pushing a visibly shaken Dr. Mamba into the room. Mamba stumbled, then fell, landing between the two supermen.

Nigel was stunned into immobility for several moments. That was all Arianna needed. Two quick shots rang out, echoing loudly off the hard plaster walls. Lois' mouth opened in surprise as she saw the blood roses erupt on St. John's chest. He slowly sank to his knees, then toppled over.

With two quick strides she moved over to where the large Englishman lay bleeding on the beige carpet. She bent over so she was only a few inches away from his ear. "I want to thank you for sending that security flunky out looking for Mamba. I was wondering where I was going to get a gun." She launched a violent kick to St. John's body. "Die, you crumpet-eating creep." There was no response from the man lying on the floor.

Lois, like everyone else, was riveted to the tableau that had just unfolded but she was able to regain her reason quicker than the others. She made a move toward where the hunk of kryptonite now lay after rolling out of St. John's hand. Another gunshot rang out, and a bullet planted itself into the flooring just in front of her. She stopped.

"Not so fast, Lane." Arianna now had the gun pointed at Lois, and in effect, Henderson and Hamilton also. "I think I'm seeing double here. What gives?"

"You have to let me get the kryptonite away from Superman," Lois said in a rush. "It's killing him!"

Arianna stared at her, then looked from one identical Superman to the other. "Let me get this straight. One of those guys is the real Superman?"

"Yes!"

"I thought he was dead?"

Lois voice began to crack in her frustration. "He was only put out of commission for a while. He's back now, but he will be dead if I don't get that kryptonite away from him."

A slight smile found it's way onto the battered face of the current head of the LexCorp empire. "And the other one is the clone? Mamba and St. John's super lackey?"

"Yes."

The smile became larger. "Let them both die."

"What!" Lois' eyes goggled in disbelief. "Are you crazy? I said that's the real Superman down there."

Arianna chuckled. "I heard you. But think about it. Why would I want any Superman around to get in my way... hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Lois turned, and it was suddenly like one of those slow motion sequences in the movies. The ones where a particularly dramatic incident was being played out. She saw the small man, who she now recognized as Professor Hamilton, scurry over toward Clark. Arianna shouted something that she didn't hear. The woman turned her revolver toward Hamilton. Behind her she felt Bill moving, making a dive.

Even though it seemed like it took forever to happen, the logical part of Lois' brain knew that it all occurred within a couple of seconds. Another gunshot reverberated through the room just as her old partner launched himself into a dive in front of the small professor, who was bent over Clark.

"No!"

Lois heard the shout, but it sounded like it came from someone else, even though she knew she was the one who had voiced it. She saw Bill's body jerk as the bullet hit him while still in the air. Instinct, and training, took over Lois. One swift step took her within range of the murderous CEO. Her foot lashed out and struck the hand that held the revolver. The gun flew across the room. Lois followed up with a quick shot to Arianna's nose with the flat of her hand, and a judo chop to the woman's neck. Arianna slumped to the floor.

Lois hustled over and picked up the gun, then turned to view the carnage. The kryptonite was still glowing obscenely in the middle of the floor. Bill was lying in a growing pool of his own blood. And Hamilton was bent over Clark who was... getting up!

She hesitated for a moment, confused, but relieved to see Clark seeming to be getting better, then rushed over to her ex-partner, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "You stupid jerk, what did you think you were doing?"

Bill smiled up at her. He reached up and touched the wetness that now covered her cheek. "Tears? For me?" A deep chuckle escaped from the former cop's mouth. "I hate to spoil such a dramatic moment, but I don't think the wound is fatal. Arianna never could hit a moving target."

Lois was able to smile through her tears. "Well, that's lucky for you. If you would have died after all I went through to get you free, I'd have killed you."

Bill raised his brow. "Come again?"

She giggled as she shook her head. "You know what I mean." She reached into his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief. She pressed it against the shoulder that had taken the bullet. "Hold that there."

"Yes, mom." He did so. She glowered at him, but she couldn't keep her expression from changing to another smile.

She pushed herself to her feet and rushed over to where Clark was now standing next to the bespectacled professor. She placed her hand on his chest. "How?" Her voice was full of wonder.

Clark took her hands in his. "Emil risked his life to slip me a potion of some sort he had on him. Apparently it's an antidote to kryptonite poisoning. That's why he was here. He'd approached the clone, thinking he was me, to tell him he'd created the cure to Superman's only lethal weakness."

"I'm afraid the clone is dead."

Lois and Clark turned, seeing Hamilton bent over the other spandex-clad individual. Lois hadn't noticed the small man leave.

Clark's brow furrowed in confusion. "How is that possible? We weren't exposed long enough for the effects to be lethal?"

Hamilton shrugged. "Maybe his resistance to the radiation wasn't as great as yours? I don't think he'd ever been really exposed to the stuff." Emil looked up at the super hero. "I imagine you'd have built up some resistance from your exposures over the years." He shrugged again. "Maybe it was just a flaw in the cloning process?"

Lois looked up at Clark, then down at the dead clone. Seeing him there, looking so much like Clark, sent a shiver down her spine. She hoped she'd never again have to get this close to seeing the man she loved die.

"Didn't the clone get the antidote?" Lois asked. "I thought that's why you were working here?"

Hamilton shook his head. "I was fooled at first, but it didn't take me long to realize something wasn't right with the Superman I was dealing with." The professor shook his head as he stood. "I gave them a phony antidote. Kept the real thing for myself." He grinned. "I'm glad I did."

"Hey." Bill's voice cut through to gain the trio's attention. "I'm glad he did also, but can't somebody get this broken down old cop, who happens to be bleeding all over himself, the heck out of here?"

Lois grinned up at Clark, then gave him a questioning look. He nodded.
"I feel almost back to normal already." He gave Emil a wink. "The stuff works great, professor."

"Hello? Bleeding ex-cop here."

Lois chuckled and gave her ex-partner an amused smile. "Just hold on for another minute."

She reached out and took Clark's face in her hands. She pulled his head down to where she was waiting. Their lips met in a sweet explosion of passion and desire.

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

EPILOGUE

Lois sat on the couch in her living room, her nerves beginning to get the best of her. Clark was on his way over, and she knew that this was going to be it. This was going to be the big brush-off.

It had been two days since the final confrontation at the Boynton complex. Things had wrapped up quite nicely. Mamba, shaken up by his close call with Arianna, had turned State's evidence and the whole plot had been revealed. As for the former head of LexCorp, she was currently in jail awaiting her arraignment. Authorities had found the Arianna clone dead in one of the dorm-like rooms. The creature's throat had been slashed. Arianna was going to do major prison time.

Clark, able to utilize the clone's previous appearances, slipped right back into his role as Superman. In fact, that was where he was at the present time. He was dealing with a fire down in the warehouse district, but he promised that he'd be back soon. He had something he wanted to discuss with Lois. That was why Lois was so nervous.

They'd been fortunate that the clone's murderous actions had been confined to the criminal elelment. Nigel had concentrated on securing his illegal empire first. Whether or not Mamba's testimony concerning the clone came to public light, the consequences of his actions would probably have little effect on Clark as Superman. Whatever happened in that regard could be dealt with at the time.

Now that Clark had his Superman persona back, she figured she was going to be yesterday's news. How could she ever expect to interest a man who could catch the fancy of the most glamorous movie star, or the most brilliant scientist, or... well, he could have anybody.

For a long while she hadn't been sure she would even want to have to compete for Superman's attention. She knew that the demands on the super hero's time could be significant. She'd already had a taste of that these past couple of days. Still, even given all the disadvantages, she'd come to the realization that she'd really like a chance to see if they could have a future together. Clark was definitely worth it. A few minutes with Clark were better than having hours, or even days, with another man. But that wasn't going to be. Clark was coming over to 'let her down easy'.

She jumped, startled by a knock on her window. Would she ever get used to that? She quickly got up and hurried to open the window. She stepped back as he floated into the room. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as they both moved back to the sofa.

"How was the fire?" she said, immediately feeling foolish for asking such a stupid question.

He smiled. "It went well. It was an abandoned building, so nobody was hurt. The fire department thinks it was arson. Possibly for the insurance." She nodded. He put his arm around her shoulder. "So, how are things on the crime front? Is Mamba still talking?"

Lois snorted. "He could give a canary singing lessons."

"How's Bill?"

Lois sighed. "I heard from him yesterday. His shoulder is doing fine, and he said he'd send me a post card from whatever tropical island he ends up on. He knows who you are."

Clark shrugged. "I figured as much. We weren't exactly circumspect about our feelings for each other back there, though I doubt Mamba or Emil made the same connection." He sighed. "No chance of Bill coming back?"

Lois shook her head. "No, given his involvement in Luthor's downfall, he'd never be accepted back on the force, and it's likely he'd have to face charges. He really is better off going into retirement on some remote tropical island."

Clark frowned. "Can he afford to retire?"

Lois looked up at Clark, and gave him a sad smile. "I guess when he was working for St. John he received payments for the services he provided. Significant payments." She chuckled. "He's going to do just fine." Another sigh escaped. "I'm going to miss him."

Clark gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I know you will." Clark pulled his arm back, and sat up straighter on the couch. He took a deep breath. "That's another reason I have to talk to you. I need to..."

Lois stood up and walked away from the couch. She stared out the window, her arms wrapped around her as if she were cold. This was it. This was where Clark gave her the old heave-ho.

"Look, you don't have to say it. I understand, I really do. I mean, who could blame you, you're Superman. You can have any..."

"Lois, will you marry me?"

"...one you want. You would have to be crazy to... What?" Lois turned to see Clark down on one knee. He had a small velour-covered box in his hand. "Will you marry me?" He said it again!

On wobbly legs, she came over to stand in front of him. "Why?"

He looked bewildered by her response. "Why?"

Lois nodded. Tears were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "Yeah, why would you want to marry me?"

Clark chuckled as he shook his head. "You're kidding, right? Lois, you have to know that I love you. I think I maybe always have, and I know that I always will. I've never known a feeling like I get whenever I'm with you. I know you don't believe in such things, but I believe we are meant to be together. You are that piece of me that I've always been missing. You complete me."

She was crying fully, now. "I... I don't, I can't understand..."

Clark grabbed her hand. "Look, I know that being married to me is no bargain. Now that my powers are back, so are my responsibilities to the rest of Metropolis, and the world. I'd understand if you don't want to live like that. You'd never know when I'd have to run off to rescue a trapped motorist, or handle a fire, or some other disaster."

She reached out and placed her finger over his lips. "Just shut up." The water works were now coming like a flood. "God, I can't even see right now."

Clark rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Do you have a tissue?"

Lois nodded. "Yeah, in my purse."

The purse was on the table next to the couch. Clark reached over and pulled it to him. He stuck his hand in, trying to find the small pack of tissues that should be there. She saw a look of puzzlement come over his face. "What's this?" he asked as he pulled out a small foil-wrapped bundle.

"Omigod, I forgot I had that. Quick, give it to me, it's kryptonite. I got it at Emil's lab. I thought I might need it against the clone."

"Hmmmm." Clark turned the small bundle over in his hand. He began to unwrap it.

"What are you doing?"

Clark shrugged. "Hey, I've taken the antidote. Let's see if it still works."

Lois shook her head. "No, let's not. Let's not tempt fate."

He didn't listen to her, but just continued to unwrap the once deadly crystalline rock until it was fully exposed. The glow painted his palm a sickly green. "Pretty ugly, isn't it."

Lois stared at the offensive rock. "No pain?" He shook his head. "Good." She reached over that snatched it away from him. She quickly rewrapped the small crystal in the lead foil. She then rushed into the bathroom and flushed the small bundle down her toilet. She came back out, a satisfied look on her face. "No reason to keep it around."

He grinned. "If you say so."

She knelt down directly in front of him. Clark was still on one knee. "So, where were we?"

"I asked you to marry me."

"Oh, that's right you did, didn't you." Lois wondered if Clark could hear the rapid beating of her heart. She didn't know how he couldn't. It felt like her pump was going to blow a gasket. She couldn't believe it. Clark wanted to marry her. Her? Plain old Lois Lane. She was the one that Superman wanted. But even more important to her, she was the one that Clark Kent wanted.

"Lois?"

She stared into his soft brown eyes for several moments. She saw his anxiety there; the nervousness that he was feeling. But she could also see the love. There was no doubt about his true feelings. She could see it in his eyes.

Slowly she allowed herself to move toward him. Clark leaned toward her. She captured his lips. The kiss was the stuff of cheap romance fiction. She could swear fireworks were going off somewhere. When they finally broke she had to take a moment to catch her breath.

"Yes."

****** fin ***********