Before I begin, I have to thank one of my FoLC friends, Cristy, for suggesting a name later in this chapter. I was totally stuck, but her suggestion seemed so right.


Chapter Five
To Endure


The journey towards the border passed uneventfully, though on a couple of occasions both Teo and Stephan had to get out of the vehicle to clear the track of felled tree limbs. Thankfully, no obstruction was too large or unmanageable since the jeep was fitted out with a winch and tow chain, which proved to be invaluable. Once again, Adrienne and Stephan were grateful for their young friend's forethought in choice of transport.

While the two men dealt with the outside complications of their drive, Adrienne stayed in the cabin of the jeep, watching over the unconscious Superman. She sat with his head in her lap, smoothing her hands gently up and down the cold skin of his arms, hoping to warm him. Yet more than that... she was willing her human touch to keep him alive.

So still and pale was he in the shafts of early dawn light, that she checked frequently for his illusive pulse, her heart beat racing once or twice, when it had taken her some seconds to find that one small sign that he was still in the land of the living.

Stephan had chosen to wait till the journey was halfway over before reviving the superhero. It had been a difficult decision to make. On the one hand, he didn't want to wait too long in case Superman would not be physically fit enough to cross the border on his own, but the opposite scenario was just as problematic. The prospect of keeping an aware, and perhaps a scared patient calm in the confines of the jeep was not something any of the three were looking forward to.

However, the deed could not be put off forever and, all too soon, Stephan injected the antidote into Superman's bloodstream. For long moments the rescuers waited.... Outside, the sounds of the forest greeting a new day hung in the heavy humid air. Yet, in the interior of the jeep, silence reigned.

Suddenly, like an awakening giant, Superman reared up, gasping for breath, his body trembling in aftershock. Adrienne and Stephan instinctively drew back, while Teo watched with compassion from the driver's seat.

“Don't try to move too much,” Stephan advised, easing closer and risking placing a hand on his patient's shoulder. “You're safe now.”

“Safe?” The superhero gazed in confusion at the three people around him.

“Yes,” Adrienne answered gently. “Don't be afraid. We're here to help you. Do you remember me?”

Superman turned to study the woman by his side. “Dr Ducos, is that you?”

“Yes, that's right.” Adrienne spoke as to a child. “And do you remember Teo?” She pointed helpfully to the soldier who was resting his folded arms along the back of his seat.

“Teo? Yes.” Superman dragged the words out slowly, his voice feeling strangely detached from his brain. “He looks after me.”

“That's correct. And this other doctor is Stephan Janik.”

After a searching look at the man kneeling nearby, Superman shook his head. “I don't think I remember you. My head aches.” So he hadn't died, after all. A person wouldn't experience this much pain in death. Would they? And yet, he'd been sure he was about to be killed.

Why did he think these people were trying to kill him? Nothing seemed clear. His hand went up to push through his hair in his habitual gesture of stress which his family would have recognized immediately, but to which he was now totally oblivious.

Stephan spoke up. “Your head aches because of the drugs we had to give you to get you out of the complex safely.”

“Complex? You mean the hospital?” Superman looked totally perplexed.

“Yes, that's right. But I'm afraid it wasn't really a hospital... or not a very good one.” Stephan added, trying to move the conversation along as quickly as possible. They didn't have time for lengthy explanations.

“Then why was I there?” Superman shook his head, but decided this was a bad idea as it only caused the pain to increase.

Stephan sent Adrienne a glance that pleaded for assistance.

“It was a laboratory, and we didn't know it was a bad place.” Adrienne hated lying, but there was no way they could tell this man the truth -- both for their sake and for his. “At first, we thought they wanted to help you. We wanted to help you. That's why we got you out of there when they started to do certain tests on you.”

Somewhere in the depth's of Superman's psyche her words resonated with dread. He couldn't remember where or when he'd heard them before, he knew only that he'd always been wary of laboratories and tests....

“Yes, they wanted to treat you like a labrat,” Stephan jumped in, realizing that they'd caught the man's attention. “We couldn't allow that to happen. Especially since you probably have a pretty good idea of what happens to labrats once their usefulness is over.”

Superman's nerves frayed even more as the man continued talking. He didn't really remember the details, but he did believe he'd been in terrible danger and it looked like these people were willing to help him... not kill him. He had no one else to trust... no where else to go.

“They wanted to kill me?”

“Yes! I'm so sorry.” That came from the woman who was now stroking his back comfortingly. “We should have tried to do more....”

“We couldn't stand by and let them kill you, so the three of us decided we had to get you away from the bad guys.” Stephan added, though bile rose in his throat as he acknowledged inwardly he'd been one of those bad guys. One day he might be held accountable for the terrible things they'd done to this exemplary man, and it would only be what he deserved. But not in this country, and not in Hyesan's court... and he was adamant that neither Teo nor Adrienne should face what he knew would be the General's warped idea of justice.

“Will they come after us?” Superman asked urgently, another possibility rising up to horrify him.

“No! They don't know we've left the complex,” Stephan offered some reassurance. “And hopefully they never will. We smuggled you out. And, with any luck, they shouldn't be looking for you... ever.” He paused. How did you tell someone they'd become... nonexistent? “They think you're dead.”

“They do?” Superman frowned, trying hard to concentrate on the explanation, but it wasn't easy when his brain felt so sluggish and he still hadn't a clue where he was or even who he was. “Why?”

“No other... way for us....” This time the stumbling words came from the front of the vehicle and all eyes turned towards the soldier. “I no talk English... much, but you... hear doctors.” Teo pulled at his earlobe, emphasizing his words with actions. “They help. I help you!”

Somehow, coming from Teo, Superman found that reassuring. The orderly had shown him many kindnesses when no one else would.

“We're trying to take you somewhere safe, but you have to help us.” Stephan spoke again, his voice edged with anxiety.

But Superman was still too concerned with one idea to listen to reason. “Dead? I'm dead?”

He seemed to shrink inside himself for long minutes and none of the others dared to move, as if they each were sharing the distress of someone who was coming to terms with the fact that he no longer had an identity. Yet, surprisingly, he rallied, understanding, instinctively, that he was someone who wasn't content to wallow... that someone had taught him that enduring was all.

“So what happens now?” Superman began hoarsely, his voice becoming more resolute with each word. He stared through the windows of the jeep, for the first time, taking notice of his surroundings. “And how can I help?” To tell the truth, physically he was feeling too weak, and he really was still too mixed up mentally to be of much help to anyone, but the need to offer his assistance was almost overwhelming. He would try to do his best.

“We need you to be brave.” Adrienne had gotten herself under control again and rejoined the conversation. “You have to cross the border into another country, and Teo says it will be difficult for you, but we needed to take you to a remote spot where the border guards patrol less often. It's a river crossing. Can you swim?”

Superman didn't really know the answer, but he found himself nodding his head. There were still so many things that he didn't know about himself. His location might have changed, but so many of his questions needed answers. Somehow, though, he realized that these people weren't about to give him any information. Maybe they didn't know much about him either.

“Hopefully the river will be lower at this time and you should make it across without too much trouble.” The male doctor was speaking again and for the sake of his continuing existence Superman understood he had to listen to instructions. “Once you're on the other side, you need to head into the interior of the forest. Keep going, put as much distance as you can between yourself and the border.”

“You're not coming with me?” This question was asked on a note of rising panic. He was going to be alone again and the prospect was frightening.

“We can't!” Adrienne stated emphatically. “It's not that we want to abandon you, but we have to get back. We have to pretend to General Hyesan -- who is the man who ordered you killed -- that we carried out his orders. He's a very powerful man. If he suspected for one minute that you were still alive, he'd execute us....”

“And he wouldn't just kill us!” Stephan interrupted, eager to get his point across. “He'd torture us first to find out where you were and then he'd come after you to do what we should have done....”

“They speak true.” Teo emphasized the threat. “My mother... my sister... all my people be in danger... big danger. Hyesan very bad man. I know.”

“What Teo says is correct,” Adrienne interjected. “He's not fluent in English, but he's told me his family and friends would definitely be under threat if it were ever discovered that we'd let you live... helped you escape, and I believe him. He's served under General Hyesan for years and none knows better than he how evil the man is. Many people will die, if the truth ever gets out. For all our safety, you have to remain undercover... even in China. Hyesan would have ways of tracking you down. You're an Amer....” Adrienne halted when Stephan frowned at her. Even that small fact might be too much. “You'll be a Caucasian in a land of Asians, so you have to be very careful.” Actually, Superman had a slightly exotic look with his high cheekbones, dark eyes and hair. He wouldn't look too out of place -- even with silver beginning to pepper his hair. However, Adrienne felt it wouldn't do any harm to stress the need for him to lie low. “Don't attract attention if you want to live. You don't want to die, do you?”

“No....” Superman wondered what kind of life he could have as a nonperson, but he didn't want these people to suffer because they had saved his life.... He didn't want to die either. Somewhere out there perhaps someone waited for him and where there was life, there was hope.... That was probably an old cliché, but it didn't make the meaning any less real. He had to survive. “No!” he reiterated with more force. “I will keep my secret... your secret. I don't really have anything to tell anyone anyway,” he added wryly.

“OK. Teo, start driving,” Stephan ordered, exchanging another guilty glance with Adrienne. There was other information they could give this man, but what good would it do? Superman had to remain dead to the world, so the truth would serve no purpose. Someday that situation might change, and he promised himself that if the threat of General Hyesan's revenge were ever removed, he'd try to undo the damage that had been done. In Adrienne's sympathetic glance he saw her understanding and her silent accord.

One thing Stephan was slightly thankful for was the fact that Superman seemed not to have noticed his bandaged hand, though that was bound to change. The pain killers he'd incorporated in the injection would wear off soon, and he wasn't looking forward to explaining why he'd felt the need to cut off the man's finger... but he'd face that problem when they reached their destination. “We still have some way to go before we reach the river.”

*****

By the time the group left the jeep to trek the last mile and a half to the border, Stephan's fears had proved prophetic and Superman's headache had been eclipsed by the painful throbbing of his hand.

“What happened to my hand?” he questioned, cradling his bandaged appendage close to his body, as they began to climb over the final ridge towards the ravine which would lead to the river's edge.

For a fleeting moment, Stephan contemplated pretending there had been some sort of accident, but it was important that this man trusted them. They were asking him to keep quiet, perhaps forever, about what had happened to him in Korea while he'd been under their care. Telling lies wouldn't inspire Superman to keep faith with them. Meanwhile, Adrienne and Teo were waiting to see what he would say.

“Did I hurt myself?” Superman asked again, aware his question had caused tension between his rescuers.

“No. No you didn't.” The words came out quietly, while Stephan's eyes scanned the rocky crag ahead -- anywhere but confront the puzzled stare of his victim. “I removed one of your fingers,” he said, after a pause.

Superman halted abruptly, balanced a little precariously on a rock on the edge of the winding path as he swung round to face the man who had treated him so cavalierly. “You did what?” His good arm was gripped by Teo, steadying his swaying motion, but he remained unaware of the soldier's action, or the fact that he was in danger of sliding back down the slope. Momentarily, shock and anger seethed within him, threatening to overcome his bewilderment, yet he hadn't the energy to sustain his outrage. “Why would you do that, Dr Janik?” he asked, instead, his tone flat, his emotions numbed.

Stephan's voice failed him momentarily, and Adrienne found herself defending her colleague, though her stomach clenched as yet another of their crimes was revealed to this poor man, “I know you've learned many shocking things about yourself and us since you woke up in the jeep. You must be very confused, and you have every right to be angry, but we did feel the surgery was necessary... not because there was anything wrong with your hand....”

“Thanks for jumping in here, Adrienne, but I have to be honest.” Stephan drew himself up to his considerable lanky height and addressed his victim. “Adrienne was totally against cutting off your finger. That crazy idea was all mine.”

“I said yes, too,” the Korean admitted somewhat sheepishly, yet deciding to share the blame.

Again there was a pointed silence as Superman chewed on his bottom lip and stared at the brightening sky above him. The early morning sun was starting to burn off the clouds and he had some silly notion in his head that he'd like to soar up into the blue. Perhaps up there he could make sense of this whole nightmarish scenario. Yet that really was an insane idea -- men couldn't fly.

“I can only apologize again,” Stephan said. “I know how hard this must be for you to understand. But we have to make the General believe that you are dead, and no way can we show him a body.” The doctor's head shook back and forth forcibly on his thin neck. “Not up close anyhow. We threw a body into the incinerator and that's been recorded by the cameras, but the corpse was wrapped in a sheet. And before you get all stressed out, the poor guy died in an accident. None of us could kill anyone....” Actually, Stephan couldn't be sure that was true of Teo. After all, the Korean was a soldier, but he was one of the good guys, in this case, and it wouldn't do any good to bring that point up at this moment.

Besides, Superman, obviously wasn't impressed by the excuses so far. He'd crossed his arms, and was standing his ground, for the first time, staring disapprovingly at the three conspirators.

Stephan felt very uncomfortable. Personally, he hadn't ever seen the Man of Steel in action, but he recognized the stance from TV footage and newspaper photos. Thank goodness Superman had lost some weight and his face had thinned down considerably, making him look somewhat haggard. The once dark hair was streaked with gray too. This man really didn't much resemble the superhero of old, which was good for their plan. But Superman was waiting for an explanation....

“We just borrowed the body. It had already been buried, so even the man's relatives know nothing. What they don't know can't hurt them.” Oh no, he'd committed another faux pas. Seeing Superman frown at that callous thought, Stephan hurried to make amends. “That seems cruel, but we had no choice. You have to appreciate that in General Hyesan we're dealing with a psychotic megalomaniac.”

Again Adrienne stepped in. She was sure that Superman trusted her... just a little. “Stephan's speaking the truth. We couldn't risk Hyesan recognizing that it wasn't you, so we had to hide most of the body from view....”

Stephan returned the favour and hastened to back up his partner. “We deduced that if Hyesan spotted the body was missing a finger and we could present your finger to him....”

“He'd naturally assume the corpse belonged to you,” Adrienne finished breathlessly.

“And that's our only excuse. I wish it hadn't needed to be done, but we had to have something tangible to give to Hyesan. Your hand will heal, and at least you'll be alive.” This time, Stephan didn't evade Superman's stare and he noticed some of the irritation leach out of the man's posture.

“I guess I can understand. A finger isn't a lot to sacrifice for the rest of my life.”

Actually, the man without a past had been faintly amused and comforted by the way the two doctors had jointly told their story, finishing off each other's sentences. He had no idea why that behavior should be familiar, he just knew that it was. Turning, Superman began to pick his way up the narrow track once more, while the others followed in his wake. If only he could believe that the rest of his life was worth saving. Yet he said nothing more. It seemed these three people had gone to a great deal of trouble to give him a chance of survival.

The rest of the march was made in silence. Clearly, some people had trodden this path before, but the terrain wasn't easy to traverse, particularly as they made their cautious way down into the ravine. One mistaken step and a body could go plunging down the steep slope into the river below.

Weakness caused Superman to stumble a couple of times, but Teo was always close to lend his support and for that Superman was grateful. Behind them Dr Ducos and Janik also helped each other on their way. Both Teo and the doctor had suggested the woman wait on the crest of the ridge, but Adrienne was determined to see the project brought to a successful close.

Yet standing by the fast flowing river, seeing its white caps careening over large boulders in midstream, not one of the four could be certain of a happy outcome.

“If this is the river at its calmest, I'd hate to see it in spate,” Stephan commented dryly.

Superman silently agreed. While he stared in dismay at the intimidating currents, he heard Dr Ducos ask anxiously. “Do you think you can make it safely to the other side?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No, I'm afraid not,” she conceded. “Teo says there are many police to stop people crossing where the river is smooth. There's no turning back. And here is where we have to leave you.”

An unexpected lump appeared in the onetime hero's throat. He had no memories of his life before meeting these people and he'd never been totally clear on exactly what had taken place in the mysterious laboratory. He did know that Doctor Ducos and Teo had shown him compassion, though, in this last hour or so, he'd come to suspect that their motives had not been altruistic. It appeared as if all three were trying to make amends for some unforgivable deeds. His mind might still be an empty place, but it didn't take much to deduce that they'd very probably worked for this evil General. Yet they had saved his life and to go on without them left him feeling very needy.

“I guess I won't know if I can make it till I try... and hanging around won't make it any easier.”

“I guess not,” Stephan agreed, removing a small waterproof package from his coat pocket. “Take this. There are pain killers and antiseptic dressings for your hand inside. If you stick to the instructions, you should do fine. There's also a couple of energy bars for you to eat. It isn't much, but all I could risk picking up.” He took Superman's uninjured hand and shook it awkwardly as he passed over the plastic pack. “Now we have to get back. Teo has us on a strict timescale. We're hoping to reach the complex before anyone notices we've been gone.”

Stuffing the bundle inside the combat jacket Teo had given him when they'd left the jeep and zipping it up tight, Superman couldn't help but worry a little about the only acquaintances he had. “And if you don't return on time?”

“Don't worry about us,” Adrienne told him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We've got a plan. Just go, and take care of yourself. Make a new life... and stay safe.” She leaned up to place a fleeting kiss on his cheek, then pushed him towards a small inlet where the waters were less turbulent.

The kiss was the first truly personal contact Superman had experienced in such a long time. It didn't feel quite right, but it stirred something emotional and poignant in his innermost self... not quite a remembrance, but an echo perhaps of the past. Had someone meant something to him once upon a time?

“Dr Ducos, will you tell me one thing?”

Adrienne was close to tears, but she nodded.

“Do I have a name?”

There was a sorrowing stillness between the two, while in the background the rushing river rumbled its way towards the far distant sea. There was no way she could tell this man his true identity. Finally she spoke, her voice at last strong, knowing she was giving him something precious... perhaps a foundation to build upon. “Your name is Letour.”

The water lapped around his ankles while the name rolled around his tongue and mind. Letour! It sounded strange... unfamiliar. He experienced no blinding flash of recognition, and it wasn't a big thing to cling on to. But it meant he had an identity... he was no longer alien from this world of men.

He walked deeper into the river, then plunged into the torrent. For a moment he was stunned by the icy water as he sank into the depths. Surrendering to the river's cold embrace would be so easy; all he needed to do was let go and he could join whoever was waiting for him. Would it be the lovely woman of his dreams? Yet, instinctively, he sensed she wouldn't want him to to give up. With renewed determination, he forced his way to the surface and struck out for the opposite shore and freedom.

Left on the bank, all three waited nervously as the seconds ticked by and the waves hid all sign of the person they had tried so hard to save. Adrienne unwittingly reached out to Stephan and felt comforted when he entwined his fingers with hers. Part of her acknowledged that his palm felt sweaty. He too must be feeling the strain. Even the impassive Teo was shifting edgily from foot to foot.

Then Superman's head broke the surface and the three gave a collective sigh, though it seemed he could be suffering from cramp or disorientation as he treaded water. But within seconds he began to swim away from them, fighting the current with all the strength he had left as slowly he inched towards the land of China.

Yet the swim was taking too long. Muscles, unused to exercise, began to throb in protest as Letour forced his arms and legs to propel him through the water, but still his destination seemed no closer and whatever energy he had was seeping away. Despite every effort, he was going to die; drowned in a river he couldn't name, and forgotten by everyone but those who were watching.

Just as he concluded that willpower alone wouldn't save him from a watery grave an arm snaked beneath his shoulders, holding him afloat. Once again, the ever faithful Teo had come to his aid and soon the two started to make progress.

The young soldier's speedy undressing and dive into the water had surprised Adrienne and Stephan, but was not exactly unexpected. Teo had done so much to save his hero, they understood he wasn't about to accept failure on this final stage.

"Letour? What made you come up with that name?" Stephan asked, his stare riveted to the two bobbing heads of the swimmers who were now approaching the river's far edge.
Adrienne too strained to watch the man she'd just christened being dragged onto the stony beach by his young saviour, who then started to recross the river. Relief coursed through her veins. At least, they'd got him out of the country -- perhaps he would survive.

"Without memory," she said distractedly. "L'etourdi... it means without memory. Letour just sounded right, and he needed a name."

The lone figure lay still, obviously exhausted. Adrienne turned to her companion. "Do you think he'll be OK?"

"Who can say," Stephan answered softly, while Teo, now unimpeded, powered his way quickly back to the Korean shore. "Adrienne, we've done what we could. We've given him a fighting chance."

As if to verify Stephan's pronouncement Letour began to stir, hefting himself onto his elbows, then onto his feet, though he remained bent over, heaving in gulps of fresh air. He gazed around, studying his whereabouts. Behind him a small track disappeared into the forest depths. They had told him to go, so he had no reason to linger. With one last look at the people who had freed him from his grim existence, he raised his hand in salutation, then slowly followed the path away from all that he knew of his life.

Only Adrienne answered his wave. "I just wish we could have done more."

"That was impossible, Adrienne. Like we impressed on Superman, no one can ever know about this. If Hyesan does find out, he will destroy us. Even if our foreign nationality might protect us from death, and I really don't think Hyesan would take that into account, Teo and his family would certainly pay for what we've done today."

Teo was wading through the shallows towards them and Adrienne watched his face as he overheard Stephan's words. The thought of exposure terrified the young corporal. More than any of them, he'd risked everything. She sighed and reached out a hand to help him step up onto their rocky platform.

"Don't worry, Teo. I'm not about to let our secret slip. But, if we can ever extricate ourselves from Hyesan's clutches, perhaps we can come back and look for Su... Letour."

Superman was gone! Killed by the orders of General Hyesan, and it would be best for all concerned if she accepted that for now.

"Come on, let's get back," Stephan suggested, almost as it he'd read her thoughts. "We still have some work to do to make sure that we've covered our tracks sufficiently well. Hyesan returns tomorrow and I'm fairly sure that he'll want to watch the recordings and hear a blow-by-blow account of what we did with the body. I don't know about you, but I would like to check what actually appears on those tapes."

Teo, obviously agreed because he pulled on his tunic and boots then began leading the little group back up the path. His wet skin soaked his clothes and he felt a little chilled, but he was young and fit and trained to ignore discomfort. The morning sun too would help dry him off. He just hoped Superman wouldn't suffer any ill effects from his dip in the river, but there was nothing more he could do for the superhero and meanwhile he had to get the two doctors back to camp. If nothing else, this night had forged a bond between all three which would not be easily broken.

"I guess we have a wall to rebuild," Adrienne said conversationally, her spirits brightening again.

“The in - cin - er - ator too need be checked!” Teo tested his new language, becoming more comfortable with the strange sounds. “Then, I think I sleep....” A yawn accompanied his words... the action familiar in any language.

“Sleep sounds like a very good idea, Teo, but don't worry, we'll help with the hard work first,” Stephan added.

"Oh, and, Stephan, we still have some of Superman's DNA on record, don't we? Just in case, Hyesan orders a test done on that finger - - he's a distrusting devil."

"I couldn't disagree with you there. But don't worry. I already thought of that. I decided that was one file I wasn't going to delete... at least, not until Hyesan's checked it out. I think in this case, he'll make allowances."

The last of the trip back to the jeep was made in silence, each conserving their energy for walking and, even on the long drive back, little was said... and that only in short monotones. When finally they made it inside the bunker without any mishaps and the cover-up work was completed, the three bade each other goodbye in the little chamber with the broken surveillance unit. Though, Teo was still careful enough and Stephan was still paranoid enough to check that the thing remained dysfunctional.

They shook hands, back-slapped... they even hugged, such was their euphoria of a job well done. Only all three were aware that their task wasn't finished till they faced General Hyesan. When next they met, none of them could acknowledge the kinship they'd shared throughout their journey... an actual physical trip perhaps, but also a voyage of discovery where they'd met and conquered every difficulty with inspiration and teamwork. In helping the once strongest man in the world, they'd borrowed a little of that strength and all three knew, without a shadow of doubt, they were better people because of their choice to save Superman.

*****

tbc