Only a few more parts to go, enjoy!
Chapter 12Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.
(Rainer Maria Rilke)
I freeze.
Lex stands at the top of the staircase, his figure a dark silhouette against the dim light above. He’s calm, almost amused, but the cold glint in his eyes makes my stomach tighten.
“Lois, my dear,” he says smoothly, descending with slow, deliberate steps. “I have to admit, I’m impressed. You always had a knack for getting in the way, but this? This is truly remarkable.”
His voice is light, conversational, but the menace beneath it is unmistakable.
I shift, positioning myself between him and Superman’s hiding place. My body is aching, my breath still ragged from dragging him across the floor, but I force my hands into fists, ready.
“Lex,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “What the hell is going on here?”
He tilts his head, as if considering whether to humor me. Then he smirks. “Let’s not play games, darling. I saw everything.” He gestures lazily to the ceiling. “Cameras. Did you really think I wouldn’t be watching?”
A chill crawls down my spine.
“I have waited a long time for this moment,” he continues, stepping closer. “Superman has been an infuriating inconvenience for far too long. But here, thanks to you, I had him exactly where I wanted him.” His smirk widens, and his eyes flick over me with unsettling possession. “And as a bonus, I have you.”
My stomach turns. I brace myself as he nears, every fiber of my being screaming that he is more dangerous than I ever imagined.
“You’ll never have me,” I spit, disgust curling my lip. “Do you really think I’d marry you after I’ve seen what you did to him?”
Lex chuckles, shaking his head. “Oh, Lois. Did you think you ever had a choice?”
He moves fast. Before I can react, his hand clamps around my wrist like iron, twisting sharply. Pain shoots up my arm as he yanks me forward, dragging me off balance. His strength is shocking - ruthless and efficient, nothing like the refined businessman’s facade he wears in public.
“You think I care about your opinions?” he sneers, his grip tightening. “You think your feelings ever mattered?”
He shoves me back. My shoulder slams into the rough stone wall, knocking the air from my lungs.
Behind the barrels, Superman groans. I glance back - he’s trying to rise. His body trembles as he pushes against the ground, struggling to lift himself even an inch.
“Lois…” His voice is raw, desperate. “Get… out…”
Lex yanks me forward again, his breath hot against my face. “Eyes on me,” he growls.
His grip is brutal, but strength isn’t everything. I take a sharp breath, plant my feet and twist - a quick, practiced motion. My wrist slips free and I rip my arm back.
I strike without hesitation.
My knee drives up - Lex barely jerks away in time, but I follow with a sharp kick to his shin. He stumbles back with a curse, but recovers too quickly. His hand swings out–
I block, but the force rattles through my bones. He’s strong, and he’s not holding back anymore.
His next strike is faster, wilder. I barely dodge in time, his fingers grazing my shoulder as I pivot away. My body protests every motion - too slow, too exhausted - but I push through it. I have to.
Lex grins, circling me like a predator. “You always were a fighter,” he muses, flexing his fingers. “I’ll admit, it’s… entertaining.” His eyes gleam with something dark. “But you’re only prolonging the inevitable.”
I don’t answer.
I move.
A feint to the right. A sharp elbow to his ribs. He grunts, but catches my wrist before I can fully pull away, twisting my arm behind my back.
I bite down a cry of pain.
“I don’t lose, Lois,” he whispers against my ear. “Not to
you. And certainly not to that
thing you’re so desperate to protect.”
Fury surges through me. I jerk my head back, slamming it into his face.
Lex snarls, recoiling. Blood drips from his nose and onto his suit.
I don’t hesitate. I spin, throwing my full weight into a kick–
It connects. His head snaps back and he stumbles hard into the cage. The bars rattle as he crashes against them.
This is my chance.
I lunge forward, grabbing the door–
His hands shoot out, but I twist away just in time. The heavy metal slams shut and the metallic sound tells me he’s locked in.
Lex lets out a furious roar, slamming his fists against the bars. “You think this will stop me?!” he shouts, his face twisted with rage. “You can’t escape me, Lois! You never could!”
I don’t wait to hear more.
I turn, rush back to Superman and loop his arm over my shoulders. He’s heavy, his body weak and trembling against mine, but I grit my teeth and pull him upright.
“We have to go,” I whisper.
His weight leans into me as we stagger toward the stairs.
Behind us, Lex’s voice echoes through the cellar, a promise of vengeance dripping with hate.
“This isn’t over, Lois! You can’t run forever! And neither will that
alien freak!”
One step at a time, we move. Up the stairs. Toward freedom.
I don’t look back and drown out Lex’ hateful rant. My only focus is getting Superman out of this nightmare and to safety. My heart slams against my ribs, adrenaline the only thing keeping me upright as my body threatens to give out beneath me.
Still, I push forward, determined to protect the man who has always protected me.
The stairs feel endless, the climb impossibly slow. Each step is a battle. My legs ache, every muscle trembling from exertion, but I grit my teeth and keep moving. Superman leans heavily on me, his breath ragged, his strength nearly gone. I can feel him trying - pushing himself just as I am - but he’s barely holding on.
And neither am I.
By the time we reach the ground floor of LexTower, my vision swims at the edges. The building is quiet, the polished corridors eerily still in the dim light. This level is usually open to the businesses renting space here but has probably been closed off for the public because of the wedding.
It feels like a maze, an endless series of hallways stretching before us.
We just have to keep moving. Get out. Find help.
My feet drag beneath me, my steps growing sluggish. I shake my head, trying to clear the haze, but it only makes the dizziness worse. I can’t let myself stop - I won’t let myself stop - but my body is screaming at me to listen.
I swallow hard. My mouth is dry.
Superman stirs beside me, shifting his weight. His grip on my shoulder tightens slightly, an unspoken message:
I’m still here. But he’s too pale, too weak. The sight of him like this sends a fresh wave of fear surging through me, cutting through the exhaustion.
“We need to get you out of here,” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “Somewhere safe.”
Even as I say it, the walls tilt. The air feels thick, pressing down on me. I blink hard, but my vision blurs, the edges darkening like ink bleeding through paper.
Focus. Keep going. Just a little further.
“Lois…” Superman’s voice is faint, strained. “Lois, are you alright?”
I try to answer, but my tongue feels thick in my mouth. His words are distant, like he’s speaking through water. My own body feels foreign, unsteady and my legs - when did they start shaking?
The sounds around me are jumbled, distorted. Voices - urgent, sharp. Footsteps. The distant crackle of a radio. I squint, trying to make sense of it, but the effort makes my head throb.
Police. The police are here.
Superman straightens beside me, though I can tell it’s an effort. His grip on me shifts and I think - no, I’m sure - I hear him asking someone to call an ambulance for me.
That’s ridiculous. I don’t need an ambulance.
He’s the one needing help…
I just need a second…
A breath…
I try to say so, but my voice comes out as a whisper. “I’m… fine.” The words feel hollow, like a lie I can’t even convince myself of.
The hallway stretches ahead of me, impossibly long. The floor feels unsteady beneath my feet. My legs buckle.
I barely register the sensation of falling before everything goes black.
T. B. C.
Feedback can go below.
