As promised, here is the REAL final chapter. Thanks for being understanding and patient and not disembowelling me.
*****
Chapter Eighteen
Lois saw the cloud billow up above the horizon. A few seconds later, she heard the immense rumbling boom, attenuated only slightly by the distance between them. The noise startled her away from the edge of the raft. She glimpsed the pressure wave from the explosion moving towards her in the water, so she ducked back inside the and zipped it shut.
She yanked on a life vest and grabbed an exposed loop of hard plastic to anchor herself to the raft. She felt herself being lifted up and she anticipated being tossed around violently, but the raft remained steady.
It had to be Superman. He’d picked up the raft to keep it from capsizing. After almost a minute, she felt herself being lowered to the surface of the water. She heard a brief whirring noise from outside, then Clark fell into the raft, wearing his civilian clothes. He lay on his side and curled up into a ball and began crying, not little tears and sniffles but huge, wet sobs, accompanied by howls of rage and agony.
There was only one conclusion. Lana was gone.
He hadn’t gotten back to the ship in time. Somehow the deadman switch had been activated and all that Semtex had gone off, along with the bombs and bullets and jet fuel in the hold. His wife was dead, and he was grieving violently.
Lois had no idea how to comfort him, or even if he’d let her try, nor did she know if he would blame her for Lana’s death. She was afraid to move, yet afraid to stay where she was.
Circumstances decided for her. A loud splash came from outside, then a voice called out. “Ahoy the raft! Do you need assistance?”
She crawled cautiously past Clark, who was lost in his own world of grief and pain. She stuck her head out the zippered opening and was astonished to see a submarine on the surface next to them.
A sailor on the sub’s front deck repeated his call. “Do you need assistance?”
“Of course we need assistance, idiot! This isn’t a pleasure cruise! Get us out of here!”
“Yes, ma’am. Can you receive a line?”
“No! I don’t have a phone!”
The man tried not to grin. “I mean, can you grab a rope if I throw it to you?”
“Yes! Just make it a good throw!”
He did. Lois had only to reach out and pluck the line from the water directly beside the raft. She lifted it and yelled, “Now what?”
“Is there a belaying ring in the deck – a loop of hard plastic in the floor of the raft?”
She looked under her feet. “Yes! I have one!”
“Good! Fit the rope through the loop and tie it off. We’ll pull you alongside.”
Once again regretting never having been a Girl Scout, Lois tied the line as best she could, then waved to the sailor. He’d been joined by two of his crewmates, and they hauled the raft to the edge of the sub and lowered a flexible ladder down to the water line.
She scrambled up the ladder as quickly as she could. “There’s a man still in the raft! Can you go and get him?”
“Is he hurt, ma’am?”
“I – I don’t know! Just get him up here! Please!”
Two sailors clambered down to the raft, then reappeared moments later with Clark between them. He moved stiffly, awkwardly, and he climbed the ladder as if going to his own death.
Lois turned to the first sailor. “Do you have a computer on board I can use?”
“That would be up to the captain, ma’am.”
“Please take me to him!”
“Yes, ma’am. I rather think he wants to see you at any rate.”
*****
“You want to do what?”
“I need to send my story to the Daily Planet, Captain. If you don’t have an Internet connection on board so I can e-mail it, I can fax it to my editor’s office, and if not, I could dictate it over the radio.”
Captain McDunn shoved his hand through his thinning hair. “Miss Lane, if you was a man, I’d say you had some really big – “
“What I have is deadlines and priorities, Captain. Do I get access to a computer or not?”
McDunn sighed deeply. “Yes, go ahead and use the one in my office. But you have to let my exec check your article before you send it!”
She smiled at last, having gained what she wanted. “Don’t worry, Captain. I won’t break any security rules.”
“Just make sure you report us as an Australian naval vessel, young lady.”
“I will, Captain. And I’ll make sure I spell your name right.”
She turned towards the captain’s office, but he stopped her with a touch on her elbow. “Just a minute.”
“Now what? I’ve got to get to work on this story – “
“Your head is bleeding.”
Lois lifted her hand to her scalp and felt the dampness there. “Oh. The scab must have gotten wet and come loose. I’ll get it taken care of as soon as I file my story.”
“No. You will go to sick bay and let the doctor take care of it right now. I’ll not have you bleeding all over a keyboard on my ship. Besides, our new pharmacist’s mate needs to practice his stitching technique.”
Lois glared at him. She couldn’t decide if his smile was satisfaction that she’d have to accede to his authority, glee at the prospect of her getting stitches from a rookie, or gladness that she wasn’t invulnerable after all.
The last thought startled her. Even Superman had a weakness – two of them, actually, his secret identity and his love for his wife – and she held the secret of that other life in her hands. Despite the notoriety that such a major story would bring her, she felt no anticipation at filing it.
“Okay, Captain, you win. Stitches first. Which way is sick bay?”
“Down that hall, miss, fifth door to the left. Says ‘Sick Bay’ in big black letters right on the door.”
“Thank you.”
The doctor was in another part of sick bay, tending to a sailor who’d fallen and broken his leg. Sure enough, the pharmacist’s mate who rebandaged her hand and then treated her head wound used enough thread in her scalp to mend a sofa. She promised herself a haircut when she got back to Metropolis, maybe something short and feathered that circled her face and would grow back fast if – or rather, when – she needed stitches in her scalp again.
*****
Three hours later, she received confirmation that the Planet had gotten her e-mail and approved the story. Perry had even accepted her suggestion for the both the banner and the byline. She printed off a copy of the front page and folded it into the pocket of her borrowed seaman’s jacket.
She found the conning tower and the captain. “Captain McDunn, thank you for the use of your computer. The Daily Planet appreciates it.”
He nodded to her. “All in a day’s work, ma’am.”
“Can you tell me where Clark is?”
“Who?”
“Clark Kent. The man who came on the boat with me.”
“Ship, ma’am.”
“Oh, right, the ship. Do you know where Clark is?”
McDunn turned to another officer. “Mr. Bradshaw, where’s Mr. Kent?”
“Doctor Drake has him in sick bay still, sir.”
Lois nodded. “Thanks.”
She made her way down the corridor and pushed through the sick bay door. Clark lay on his back in a bed beside the far wall, staring at the ceiling. A stern-looking young blond woman was taking his blood pressure.
Lois approached her. “Is the doctor around?”
“You’re looking at her. Australian Naval Lieutenant Mayson Drake, doctor and chief medical officer of this ship. Who are you and what do you want here?”
“I’m Lois Lane. The boat – er, ship – picked us up earlier today.”
“Oh, yes, the reporter with the scalp laceration. Is it giving you problems?”
“No, my head’s fine. I’m with the Daily Planet and I need to talk to – “
The doctor lifted one eyebrow. “Quite a beat you have there.”
“Huh?”
“The planet? The entire globe?” The doctor lifted her other eyebrow. “Promise you’ll think about it and laugh later.”
“Oh. Right, sure. Can I talk to Clark?”
The doctor frowned. “You can talk to him, but I don’t know if he’ll talk back. He’s not said a word to me the whole time he’s been here, and I can’t figure out why.”
“He writes for the same paper that I do. We’re both reporters.”
“I don’t think he’s going to report anything for a while. I can’t find any physical injuries. In fact, he’s in fabulous physical shape, and pretty good-looking, too, but if not for his autonomic responses, I’d say he was catatonic. He ever do anything like this before?”
“I doubt it.”
“Well, maybe I should go ahead with that blood test. I don't think he’s on any kind of drug, but you never know – “
Lois couldn’t let her break a needle in Clark’s elbow. Urgently, she waved the doctor closer and lowered her voice. “I think I can explain it, Doctor.”
Drake tilted her head to one side. “Go ahead.”
“You know that ship that blew up earlier today?”
Drake frowned. “Yes, I heard about that. All those people on board.” She shook her head.
“His wife was still on it when it went up.”
The doctor blinked, then nodded. “Oh. I didn’t know that. It does explain a lot. We’ll give you as much privacy as we can, then. Call me if you need me.”
Drake pulled a thick curtain around Clark’s bed and walked to the other end of the sick bay. Lois waited until the footsteps stopped, then she pulled up a stool and sat down beside Clark.
Now that she was there, she wasn’t sure what to say, so she started with the story she’d sent in. “Clark? Look. Perry printed the gun smuggling story on the afternoon edition’s front page. Banner headline.”
Clark didn’t respond. “See? He gave both of us the byline. We shared the story.” She held up the faxed page in front of Clark’s face. He still didn’t speak, but she noticed that his eyes flickered.
“I’m sorry I had to put my name first, but I am senior, after all, even if it’s only by a few weeks, and it was my story anyway – “
“Congratulations.”
She was so startled to hear his voice, even at that low volume, she wasn’t sure he’d spoken at first. “Uh. Thanks. Actually, congratulations go to both of us.”
“That’s great. You get two banners in one day.”
Lois frowned and lowered her voice. “I’m assuming you’re talking about your – that thing Lana told me. I didn’t send that story in.”
Clark finally looked at her. “What?”
“I didn’t send it in!” She looked away from his flat stare. “Don’t do that!”
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t look at me like I’m some kind of saint or something! I didn’t send it in because I don’t have any verification for it.”
“I see. You want to interview me about it now? Or maybe you’d prefer a quick demonstration?”
She shook her head. “No. I want to – I want to tell you how sorry I am about Lana. She and I talked a little, back on the freighter. We decided that if they – if neither of us made it off alive, more people would miss her than would miss me.”
“Maybe.” He sighed. “Why would you talk about something like that?”
“It was Lana’s idea. She said – she said she didn’t want us to be enemies.”
“I see.” He exhaled deeply. “Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Are you her enemy?”
Her eyes hardened and she almost snapped back at him, but she restrained herself at the last second. “No. No, we’re not enemies. I wish I’d had a friend like her years ago.”
“Can’t change the past.”
“No, I guess not.” Lois hesitated. “Speaking of that, why did you change?”
“Why did I change what?”
“Why did you change back to – to Clark clothes? Before you got back in the raft?”
He didn’t answer for a long moment. “What difference does it make?”
She shrugged. “No difference, I guess. I was just wondering.”
His face began to crumble, but he regained control. “Because I failed.”
“You failed?”
“Yes! I was inches from the hull and it – “ He clenched his teeth for a moment. “I got you out first and now Lana – “ He broke off and bit his lower lip.
“I see. You can’t save everybody, so you think you’re not worthy, or something idiotic like that. Right?”
“You don’t understand!” He rose on his elbow and put his face inches from hers. His voice was a razor whisper. “The woman I love more than my own life is dead! I couldn’t save her! I told her I’d always be there for her and I wasn’t! I let her down! I’m not worthy! Superman isn’t worthy and I wish I’d never heard the name! I wish to God I’d been never been born!” His anger and grief momentarily spent, he flopped down on the bed again and put his hand over his eyes. “When that ship sank, it took my heart with it.”
Lois forced herself to speak calmly and quietly. “I didn’t know Lana all that well, Clark, and we were never what you’d call friends, but she saved my life on that ship at least once, maybe a couple of times. If not for her, they’d have caught both of us and probably killed us before you even got there, and she did a lot to help me even after she was shot. Superman can’t stop being Superman because he isn’t perfect.” She pointed her index finger at him. “You can’t quit being who you are any more than I can, or Lana could. You punk out now and you’ll take some of the meaning out of her life and a lot from her death. And I doubt she’d be any easier on you if I’d still been on the ship when it went up.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that she’s dead!”
“You’re right. It doesn’t. You got to learn, Kent, nobody lives forever. Young as I am, I know that.” She finally lowered her finger. “And you can’t make people live the way you want them to. You can’t even make them stay alive.”
“Like you’d know anything about that.”
She huffed out a breath. “I know. Believe me, I know. Besides, no one can fix everything, not even Superman. Not even he can save everyone.”
He closed his eyes. “You don’t understand. I lost everything today.”
She tried to sound comforting. “Your wife is gone. She was a huge part of your life, maybe the part you think was most valuable to you. And I’m sorry she’s gone, Clark, I’m really sorry, but you did some good today.” Lois’s voice dropped even lower. “I’d be dead if you hadn’t come looking for me. And now, because of you, people will know what happened to her. Her family and friends won’t wonder whether she’s alive or dead and agonize over her fate. She may be gone, Clark, but we know what happened to her, and that’s because of you.”
“It’s because of me that she’s dead. Don’t you understand how difficult that is to think about?” His flat tone finally took on some life. “I couldn’t save her! I couldn’t save the one who loved me the most!” He almost moaned. “What will I do now? How can I live without her?”
“You didn’t kill her, Clark. You’re not responsible for – “
“I could’ve saved her and I didn’t! That makes it my fault!”
She frowned. “You know, if you had taken Lana off the ship first, I might be dead now. I think I’d dislike that result myself.”
“Like you care about anyone else! You, the poster girl for type-A personalities driven to succeed at all costs!”
Her brows drew down and she hissed, “You selfish idiot. You self-centered butthead! You think you’re the only one who has a bad day?”
“A bad day? What – “
“Shut up and listen! You don’t have an alcoholic mother who gets blitzed on a daily basis because your father can’t keep from taking his pretty airhead nurses to bed with him and a sister who’s trying to put a notch on her bedpost for every musician and actor in California! I do! And Lana didn’t whine constantly because her mother left her father for money and comfort instead of being faithful to her marriage, or that she had to share you with the entire world and never knew if you’d make it home at night! She loved you and would have loved you until the sun shut itself down and being loved like that is a rare privilege! So don’t tell me what I do know or don’t know about!”
Clark turned his gaze away from Lois. The air seemed to leak out of him as he lay there. “Is she in the story?”
She sat back and shook her head. “Not by name. She’s in there as the courageous woman who overcame her hostage status and fought back against her captors. Public identification of the heroine is pending notification of her family.”
“Heroine, you say?”
“Yes. No equivocation, no qualification. She’s the heroine of the story.”
He settled into his original posture, on his back and facing the ceiling. “Who’s going to tell her father?”
“I assume the local police will contact him. Do you know where he is?”
“A Native American dig site in Florida. Lana has the number – “ He jerked as if he’d been electrocuted, then crushed his eyes shut and turned his head away from her.
Before she realized she’d done it, she reached out and put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. His tears started again, and he rolled onto his side, facing away from her. Lois released his arm and sat there, silently waiting out the storm.
His tears subsided more quickly than they had in the raft. She pulled up a tissue from the box on the table beside the bed and handed it to him over his shoulder. He took it and wiped his face, then sighed deeply. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
They were silent for a minute, then Lois spoke. “Clark?” She hesitated, then said, “I’m sorry for what I said to you a minute ago. I was way out of line. I shouldn’t be so – anyway, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. Perry tells me I run my mouth before my brain gets engaged like that autistic guy in the movie who said whatever came into his head and I think he’s right because – “
“He is.”
“Huh?” She ducked her head and smiled to herself. “Yeah, I guess he is. I’m sorry, Clark. I shouldn’t be babbling at you. Can I get you anything? Something to drink, maybe? They have real orange juice.”
“No thanks, I’m okay.”
“Um, I think they have a chaplain on board. You want to talk with him?”
He hesitated. “Not now. Maybe later. Thanks, though.”
“You’re welcome.”
They remained silent for a few moments, then Clark said quietly, “Thank you for coming, Lois. Really. But I’d like to be alone now, please.”
She stood. “Sure. I understand.” She took two steps and stopped. “Hey, Kent?”
“Yes?”
“You’re staying with the Planet, aren’t you?”
He rolled over and faced her. “What?”
“You’re not quitting the Planet, are you?”
“Uh. Hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
“You should stay. You do good work. The Planet needs good reporters like you. I’d hate to see you leave so soon.”
He almost smiled. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Good. See you later.”
She reached for the curtain. “Lois?”
“Yes, Clark?”
“Thanks.”
He was thanking her? “Thanks for what?”
“For telling me about Lana. For trying to help her. For – for what you said you me just now. For everything.”
Her face clouded up and a single tear slid down her cheek. “She was – pretty wonderful, wasn’t she?”
“Yes. She was.”
She forced her voice to remain level. “She – Lana asked me – she asked me to do something for her.”
“What?”
“Just before I snuck out of the hold, she asked me to tell you – tell you that she loved you. I told her to tell you herself but – she – ” She sobbed once. “Clark, I’m so sorry.”
Clark nodded and rolled away. Lois wiped her face dry, opened the curtain, and walked out of the sick bay.
She felt lower than a snake’s belly. He had thanked her. She’d gotten his wife killed and he’d thanked her. The world was insane and she was riding the crazy coaster along with everyone else.
She forced herself to focus on her job. There was a good sidebar ready to be written on the crew of the Sailfin, a bunch of kids on a training cruise who were suddenly thrust into a rescue mission and who performed well. Doctor Mayson Drake, an American naval surgeon serving on an Australian Navy sub, was a prime candidate for an article too, although Clark could have done a better job on a feel-good story like that one than she could. And she still didn’t know who the ultimate boss of the gun-running operation was. Now that was a great opportunity, one she could sink her teeth into, one she could follow all the way to Africa if necessary.
And Kent would have to stay out of her way. She’d give him a few days slack, maybe even a couple of weeks, but then the kid gloves would come off and she’d run over him just like she’d run over anyone else who got in her way, even if Perry made them partners. She ‘humphed’ to herself. As if anyone could stand to partner with someone as difficult as she was.
She’d stay as busy as she could. She’d even go see a therapist to deal with her state of mind after shooting those men. She knew it had been them or her. She knew they would have killed her without a second thought. Somehow that knowledge didn’t help as much as she wished it would. The story hadn’t quite been accurate on that score; she’d given Lana the credit. Or the blame. Lana couldn’t set the record straight, and Clark didn’t know any more than had been printed. Perry knew, but he’d sooner destroy his Elvis memorabilia collection than tell anyone.
She’d never tell Clark the whole truth. She’d let him think Lana had bravely defended them, even with a gunshot wound in her back. She’d let Lana be the heroine. She’d let those who loved her remember her courage. That way, she’d be an inspiration to those left behind. She could be an example of a young woman who fought back against terrible odds, even though she didn’t survive.
That way, people would never look at Lois and think, That woman machine-gunned several men to death. She’s a stone-cold killer. Only her reflection in the mirror would know.
Maybe that reflection would one day stop reminding her of the young bride with the fabulous future whom Lois had left to die in the hold of that ship. It was something else she’d have to talk over with that therapist.
Maybe Kent would forget the little bit of humanity that had leaked through her defenses a few moments ago. She’d certainly give him reason to forget it. Take care of him? Yeah, she’d take care of him for sure. Mad Dog Lane had the bit in her teeth now.
Mad Dog Lane? Who had said that? Right, she remembered now. Lana had called her that. It hadn’t been meant as a compliment, but at that moment Lois decided to wear the sobriquet with pride, as both a remembrance of Lana and as a self-imposed penance. She’d be relentless. She’d be ruthless. All would see her and know fear, evildoers and co-workers alike. Threats, bombs, guns, attempted murder, bribery, political pressure, none of that would stop her.
Even the guilt wouldn’t stop her. It would probably drive her to several Kerths, maybe even a Pulitzer. At least, as long as the guilt lasted, Superman’s secret identity was safe. Maybe even after that.
# # #
To be continued in “Further On Down the Road.”
