TOCChapter 19: Lois felt St. John's gaze in the back of her neck as she went through the formalities it took to transfer the money in her account to the Swiss Bank account the Englishman had named. Two hundred million dollars - the sheer number was mind blowing. That was more than she'd ever be able to spend in her whole life, not that she had any intention of keeping this insane amount of money.
While she signed one paper after the other and waited until the bank employee, who had introduced himself as Mr. Saunders, had studied her signature with scrutiny, Lois frequently glanced at her wristwatch. How much time before she could get out of here? How much time before she could make the phone calls to Henderson, Gretchen Kelly, and the Kents? Even that list was long enough to have her worried.
How much time did Clark even have? Her throat tightened as she remembered how pale Clark had been. He'd been weak when she'd dug the kryptonite bullet out of his shoulder, but he'd never looked this sick.
Mr. Saunders handed her the next paper with a forced smile on his face. "The Bank of Metropolis is sorry to lose you as a customer."
She pasted on a matching fake smile. "Well, I'm sorry, too. But, you see, my husband and I are moving abroad. And what would I do with all that money in a United States bank account when I live in Geneva?"
Lois hated this absurd situation, hated it more with every passing second. Clark needed her, and here she was preparing to hand over money that didn't even belong to her, as far as she was concerned. She wanted nothing more than to get out of the pompous atmosphere of this bank.
Yet she dutifully took the next paper and signed it, wondering how it was even possible that Lex had opened an account to her name without her knowing about it if it took so many signatures to transfer the money and close the account.
The clock was ticking down without mercy. At least she'd solved one of their many problems. There was a row of clocks on the far side of the bank, showing the times at different places all over the world - New York, Shanghai, Frankfurt.
Lois figured that Shanghai might be roughly the same time zone as Singapore and Rhelasia. It was half past ten a.m. in Metropolis and half past 11 p.m. in Shanghai. Still at least seven, maybe eight hours until the sun would come up on the other side of the world.
Hopefully that would give them enough time to act.
Mr. Saunders handed her another paper. Between signatures Lois glanced over her shoulder. An impatient Nigel St. John shifted his weight as his gaze flickered back and forth between her and the line of clocks hanging on the wall. He was probably sharing Lois' worries concerning Luthor's return. If his former employer came back and found out St. John had stolen his money, well, he might not live long enough to give a suitable explanation.
What he didn't know was that she intended to help him with that problem in exchange for his cooperation. She didn't trust that man one bit.
Meanwhile, Mr. Saunders was gathering the papers into one neat package, letting Lois hope that the procedure was finally over.
He reached out to shake her hand, "Well, then, Ms. Lane, my best wishes for your new start in Switzerland."
Lois took the hand and did her best not to appear desperate to leave. "Thank you very much, Mr. Saunders. Have a nice day."
With a last forced smile at the bank employee, she turned and went back to St. John, praying that she could bring him to keep his end of the bargain. She'd hate to prove Clark right.
"The money will be transferred to your account," she said quietly. "Now let me go."
He followed her out of the bank, his weapon well concealed. But every hair in the back of her neck stood on end, telling her that it was still firmly trained on her.
Lois didn't like the way he was smiling at her, the slight dent in his coat twitching as if he was adjusting his aim.
"I'd be risking a lot keeping both of you alive."
Lois hoped her face wasn't betraying her fear. "You'd be risking more doing what he asks of you. If you kill Clark, Luthor will have these powers forever."
"I may have kryptonite," St. John replied unfazed.
Her breath caught in her throat. That was just what she'd been afraid of. It took a conscious effort to keep her breathing even in a desperate attempt not to give away her alarm.
She pursed her lips. "Others have tried and failed. He may be quicker than you are and he doesn't share Superman's ethics."
St. John raised his brows and smiled, though not quite as smug as before.
Lois looked around making sure that only the Englishman was listening, then she lowered her voice. "It's not in your best interest to let an evil Superman prevail, particularly not after you just crossed him."
St. John's lips became a tight line and his jaw worked. His eyes had widened ever so slightly and he gulped. Lois watched him, feeling strangely satisfied. He was nervous.
"I could kill them both," he replied with feigned bravado. “It does seem like having either Superman prevail is not in my best interest.”
Lois pursed her lips. “Clark’s not going to pursue you if you help us. And if you don’t mind me saying so - I never trusted you to keep your end of the bargain. The money won’t be transferred unless I give my go-ahead in the next couple of days. Which I won’t if you kill Clark.”
She could practically see the wheels inside his mind turning.
“I see,” he said stiffly. “I am beginning to understand why Mr. Luthor is so enamored with you. But what makes you think you have a chance to win this fight?”
Lois took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure they would win and that scared her more than anything else. However, she wasn’t going to let Nigel know that.
“Because we have to.”
The Englishman raised his brows as if he found her assertion anything but convincing. “And what do you expect I should do for you?”
“Simple.” Lois raised her chin in defiance. “Don’t kill us, don’t rat us out.”
She turned her back on him and walked away. The hairs in the nape of her neck were raised. Lois half expected to hear Nigel working the slide of his pistol and then a bang before she felt the pain of impact. Her hands turned clammy and she knew that Clark would be out of his mind with worry if he knew that she was risking her life ditching St. John like that. She fought the urge to throw glances over her shoulder, to see if he was already aiming his gun at her. Her breath came in panting gasps, and she had a hard time not running off as fast as she could. She wasn’t quite sure whom she wanted to convince that she had the upper hand in this - him or herself?
However, nothing happened. St. John obviously hadn’t killed her yet, and as Lois finally looked over her shoulder, she saw that he hadn’t followed her either. Lois let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Her first impulse was to dart back to Clark and find out how he was doing. But she knew she had to make a few calls first.
Her knees felt wobbly as she checked her immediate surroundings. St. John was nowhere to be seen. Lois wiped her clammy hands dry on her coat and took a few calming breaths. He wouldn't have gone to Clark to kill him, would he? She’d told him that he could forget about the money if he did.
Lois spotted a phone booth on the other side of the street. Locking her shaking legs underneath her, she strode toward the phone with renewed resolve. But when she reached it, Lois was faced with another problem. She couldn’t decide where to start.
Letting the Kents know what was going on was important, no doubt about that. But she assumed that they would ask how Clark was doing. How could she tell them? Merely thinking about all those nasty burn marks covering his torso brought tears to her eyes. Her throat tightened as she envisioned him lying pale and bleeding in the darkness of an abandoned hospital. How did you put something like this into gentle words?
Talking to Henderson came with a completely different set of problems. He’d question her sanity if she told him that Luthor had stolen Superman’s body and used it to destroy the harbor area. And how could she even mention Superman’s name in the same breath as this disaster? It hadn’t even been his fault.
Finally, Gretchen Kelly - Lois wasn’t sure she could stomach speaking another word to that woman. But she knew she had to. She was Clark’s best chance, his only chance to come out of this whole ordeal alive and victorious.
With trembling fingers, Lois picked up the receiver and put in several coins before she dialed the long number that would have a phone in Smallville, Kansas ringing. The last time she’d spoken to Clark’s parents, she’d put her foot deep into her mouth. How could she expect them to trust her with their son’s heart after the talk they were about to have? It was her fault he was in such a bad position. If she’d listened to Clark when he’d told her that Luthor was evil way back before she’d agreed to marry him, maybe none of this would have happened.
The phone rang a few times and Lois found herself almost hoping that they wouldn’t pick up. Of course, she wanted both of Clark’s parents to be safe, far from the threat Luthor now posed. But she also didn’t want to be the person telling them that they could no longer trust their own son.
A cheerful female voice on the other side of the line announced, “Kent farm.”
Her own voice was rough. “Hello, Martha, it’s Lois Lane. Clark and I -”
“I know who you are, Lois.” The older woman sounded so warm and welcoming that Lois’ throat only tightened more. “It’s so nice to hear from you. Clark told me that he’d asked you out. What can I do for you?”
Lois felt like she was going to suffocate. “Something happened to Clark,” she managed past the tight lump in her throat. “He’s… he’s not himself anymore.”
There was a moment of silence. “Honey, what do you mean he’s not himself?”
“You remember Lex Luthor?" Her mouth was so dry that her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. "The billionaire I almost married, who jumped off Lex Tower and who we all thought was dead?”
There was a pregnant pause. When Martha spoke again, she sounded tense. "What about him?"
Lois squeezed her eyes shut. There was no gentle approach that would lessen the blow she had to deliver. Maybe it would be better if she just told Martha, like ripping a Band-Aid off.
"Look, I know that what I'm about to tell you sounds crazy," she whispered. "Luthor is alive."
A hiccuping sob escaped the older woman, almost like a squeal of shock. "Did he hurt my boy?"
The pain in Martha's voice was unmistakable, so raw that Lois couldn't help but wonder what exactly had transpired between Lex and Clark. But this wasn't the moment to ask.
Images of Clark danced before her eyes, his pale face and the blisters covering his upper body. She couldn't bring herself to tell Martha just how badly Clark was doing.
Fighting against the onslaught, Lois clenched her free hand into a tight fist and bit it to keep herself from crying.
She took a shuddering breath, and it was a moment before she felt able to continue. "Luthor somehow managed to steal Clark's body and transfer their souls. The man looking like Clark is not really him. You need to be careful. Clark told me about the things he can do, where he came from."
There was no reply.
Lois wondered if she'd said enough already to get past Martha's defensive lines. She wanted her to know that Clark had told her his secret, hoping that the Kents would believe what she told them. But she didn't want to blurt out that Clark was Superman, not on a street full of people who might overhear.
She bit her lip, readying herself for an admission that wasn't easy. "I know he's the man whose heart I broke twice in one day, when I turned him down after he'd told me he loved me. It must have killed him to watch me throw myself at him mere hours later. I'm deeply sorry about that."
There was a long sigh. "Oh honey, there's no need to be sorry. That was his fault, not yours."
Lois was baffled by Martha's reaction. How could she be so kind after everything Lois had done to Clark? Shouldn't a mother be on her son's side? Still, there was no doubt in her mind that their mother-son relationship went deeper than Lois could probably imagine.
"He asked me to warn you," Lois said thickly. "You're not safe if Luthor tries to get back at Clark."
"Is he doing okay?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Clark, I mean?"
She couldn't lie to Martha. "He's not in a good shape. But I know of a way to help him. We… we've got a plan."
"I knew that something was off when I saw the news." Martha's voice quivered slightly, giving away the tears slipping down her cheeks. "The fire at the apartment building, the explosion at the docks. That was Luthor, wasn't it?"
Lois felt her own tears leaving a hot trail on her skin. "Yes."
For a while Lois just heard Martha's breathing, then she said. "I tried to call him, but he wouldn't answer the phone."
Worry settled in Lois' stomach like a stone. "Did you leave a message? Could Luthor be aware that you noticed something odd about Clark's behavior?"
Her blood ran cold. Lois had to admit that she hadn't shared Clark's panic when it came to his parents. She doubted Luthor was even aware how close they were. But if there was a chance he'd perceive them as a threat as well as leverage, their lives really were at stake. Lois' heart was pounding heavily in her chest.
"No, I just asked him to give me a call when he was back," Martha replied. "There's nothing unusual about that."
Lois let out a breath. "Please, find a place that is safe. You never met Luthor. You don't know how dangerous he is."
"A few months ago he nearly killed my boy," Martha said, pain lacing her words. "I know exactly how dangerous he is. But I'm glad you're at Clark's side this time."
Lois' breath caught and her chest tightened. Lex had tried to kill Clark? Black spots were dancing before her eyes and blood was rushing in her ears. She blinked away the rising panic, tried to swallow the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. She wanted to ask how and when that had happened, but it wasn't the time and place for that. The urge to get back to Clark and see to it that it wasn't going to happen this time fought a battle with her curiosity.
Lois’ heart was racing. "I'll take good care of him."
"I know you will," Martha said softly. "Please be careful, both of you. And keep us updated if you can."
Suddenly, she couldn't hang up fast enough. "I will. Goodbye, Martha."
"Goodbye, Lois."
Lois felt thoroughly wiped out as she hung up. She wanted to get back to Clark. Her fear for him grew with every passing second. Lex wouldn't be back until this evening, Clark had said. There was still time. But what if he was wrong? What if he was dying right now while she made stupid phone calls?
Clark had insisted that she call Henderson. That was insane on so many levels. But telling the truth was what Superman stood for, what she admired him for. Yeah, until he'd admitted that he'd been lying to her since the very day they'd met.
Her snort turned into another sob. Lois wiped the tears off and tried to get her bearings.
Two more calls. She could do that.
Henderson would be easier, at least emotionally. But it was much harder to figure out what to tell him.
With trembling fingers, Lois entered a few more coins into the phone and picked up the receiver. It took a while until she managed to get through to Henderson. She wondered what she was supposed to do if he was out investigating. But much to her relief, he was sitting at his desk.
"This is Henderson," he announced in his usual gruff manner.
She tightend her grip on the receiver. “Bill, it’s me. Lois Lane.”
Lois heard Henderson’s groan. "Lane, what are you two up to?"
Lois steadied herself against the phone. "There is something you should know. This morning, a source told me that Superman was responsible for the explosion at the docks."
A moment of silence followed, long enough to send Lois' heart racing with trepidation. Was this really the right call?
"A source told you this?" There was no gasp, no change in intonation, nothing that indicated if Henderson was surprised by the news.
Lois gritted her teeth in frustration. The guy would be the perfect poker player. She was dying to know how much Henderson had already found out. But she was a reporter, and it wasn't likely he'd volunteer more information than he'd already given her.
Or maybe he didn't have anything at all.
"I have reason to believe that it's true," Lois said quietly.
Now she got her response. Henderson sucked in a sharp breath. She didn't wait until he voiced his thoughts, not wanting to give him the time to even contemplate the possibility of Clark committing such a crime.
"But I've also reason to believe that Superman has been compromised and that the person who really is behind this is Lex Luthor." That was as close to the truth as she dared to go.
"The man is dead,” Henderson replied. “We both saw him fall from Lex Tower. And it wasn't a pretty sight.” He paused for a moment, and for some reason Lois envisioned him pinching the bridge of his nose. “Remember, I was the one interrogating you afterwards."
Lois let out a breath. She did remember that evening very well. Everyone had been shocked by Lex’ suicide. Clark had stayed with her, looking green around the gills. Eventually, it had been too much for him and he’d excused himself before the questioning had been over. Now that she knew his secret, she wondered if there had been something else going on. Had he blamed himself for letting Lex die? Or had Lex done something to affect him as Martha had suggested?
She shook her head, trying to clear it of the unwanted thoughts. She needed to concentrate on Henderson.
“I assure you, Lex Luthor is not dead,” she told the inspector. “I’ve seen him. You do remember that his body was stolen? His personal physician Dr. Kelly managed to revive him somehow.”
There was a non-committal grunt on the other end of the line. “Lane, do you realize how unbelievable that sounds? Any of this?”
She clenched her teeth and said, “Of course I do. And I wouldn’t tell you any of this if I didn’t think it was important that you knew.” She chewed on her lower lip before she continued. “Superman asked me to talk to you.”
“Superman?” Henderson echoed. “The same guy you just said wasn’t in his right mind and blew up the docks?”
Lois huffed in frustration. “Yes, that guy. Bill, you have to take this seriously, no matter how it sounds. Superman may be dangerous. We have a plan to stop Luthor from taking control over him. Please, whatever you find out during that investigation of yours, don’t make it public just yet. We’ll find a way to make this all right again, and Superman promised that he’d turn himself in.”
Henderson grunted. “Good grief, you are serious about this.”
“As a heart attack,” Lois deadpanned.
She looked at her watch. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she realized how much time had already passed - time Clark didn’t have. But there was something else she needed to know.
Lois squeezed her eyes shut. “Do you have any news on Vale or the kryptonite?”
“Not yet,” Henderson replied. “I’m meeting the Medical Examiner this afternoon.”
“I want to come with you.” The words were out before she really had a chance to think about them.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lane,” Henderson said gruffly. "This is an investigation, not a press conference."
Her gaze drifted toward her watch once more and her gut curled into a tight knot. She had no idea how Clark was doing, no idea what was going to happen in the next hour, let alone until this afternoon. What did she even want in the morgue, what was she hoping to accomplish there?
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lane,” Henderson said gruffly. "This is an investigation, not a press conference."
"I knew Vale. And unlike you I've seen kryptonite,” Lois pointed out. “I could help.”
The line went silent, but Lois could still hear Henderson’s breathing while he was probably contemplating how to react. Lois’s hand trembled and she clenched it into a tight fist. It took a conscious effort to keep her own breathing even. She stared at her watch again, as the seconds ticked by, the hand indicating them moving slower than she’d ever seen it. She needed to get back to Clark. Why was she even trying to convince the reluctant inspector when her time might be much better spent elsewhere?
Henderson released a heavy sigh. “Okay, we’ll meet at the morgue at 3 p.m. But before you get all worked up about this, Lane, I’m not going to promise you will see Vale’s body.”
“I’ll be there,” Lois said tightly. Her gut clenched and a chill went down her back as she once again thought about Clark and the way he’d looked. She’d better not make any promises either. “Bye, Henderson.”
Lois hung up the phone without waiting for Henderson’s reply.
Her heart was racing as she picked up the phone a third time. Though she'd been impatiently waiting to make this final call because it was the one she hoped would save Clark's life, it was also the call she dreaded most. What if this wasn't a rescue mission? What if - by calling Kelly - she'd make Clark's situation worse instead of better? How could she trust a woman who was so obviously infatuated with Lex and would do everything in her power to save him? How could any of this bode well for Clark?
Lois' heart clenched in pain as she remembered how pale Clark had been. After his fall from Lex Tower, Luthor's body had sustained injuries that were beyond the capabilities of regular physicians. Yet, somehow, Kelly had healed him with the blood of Superman's clone. Beside the implications of taking Clark to a hospital, the way he was looking now, Lois wasn't sure that the physicians could help him there. Despite the risk, Kelly was still their best - and probably only - option.
And when she returned to Clark, there was also a good chance that Lex would be waiting for her again. A Lex who’d only be too eager to find out where Clark was hiding, who’d love nothing more than for his old body to return into his evil clutches, so he could kill Clark and be rid of him. She needed the means to restrain him and make sure that Lex and Kelly wouldn’t leave to finish what they’d started. This could all so easily end up in a disaster. She’d better be prepared.
With trembling fingers, Lois pulled out the note with Kelly's number and started to dial.
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