The Prankster's Revenge
By Tank Wilson
Lois sat at her desk at the Daily Planet and typed up the final few paragraphs on her latest story. It was a no big deal article about a city councilman taking kick-backs from a local contractor in return for favorable bid awards. Once she finished this off, she'd shoot it over to Clark so he could give it a once over and add anything he thought she might have left out.
This story was nothing compared to some of the ones she and Clark had dealt with recently. It couldn't stack up against heavy stuff like the murder of Mayson Drake, and the subsequent Resurrection drug scandal, but those didn't come along every day, but Perry still expected them to come in and put in their time.
Thoughts of Clark caused her to bite her lip. Things were a little strange between the two of them right now. She still loved him dearly, but he'd become more withdrawn since Mayson's death, and Scardino's irritating presence hadn't been helping things out either.
She knew she was partially to blame for that because she hadn't put Daniel in his place right from the start. But Clark's continual disappearing acts had just increased her own level of frustration with him. It was nice to feel that someone was still interested in her. Not that Clark had said anything that would lead her to believe that he had lost interest in her. It was just that his actions didn't seem to back up the words.
She glanced at her watch and frowned. It was after noon, and still no Clark yet. He'd told her last night that he had some errands to run, but that he shouldn't be too late. They could have lunch together. She'd gotten the impression that he had something on his mind since he'd seemed a bit nervous.
Well, Clark or no Clark, she was hungry and she was going to lunch. She grabbed a post-it and jotted down a message for Clark, telling him where she was going, in case he got back soon. She slapped it on his computer screen as she headed for the elevator doors.
The sun was bright overhead as she exited the Daily Planet and looked up and down the street, trying to decide where to go for lunch. After a short mental debate, she decided on Manny's Deli. Settling on a destination, she strode purposely in that direction.
She hadn't gotten more than two blocks, when a dark-colored van pulled up next to her and stopped. The side door opened, and a less than reputable man called for her attention.
"Hey, Ms. Lane, my boss would like you to accompany me."
Lois raised a brow and stared at the man. "You're joking, right?"
He shook his head, and gave her an evil grin. "He said you'd be reluctant." He pulled something out of a bag he had next to him. It was red. "If you declined, I was supposed to show you this." He held out a large expanse of red, satiny, cloth.
Lois grabbed the piece from his hand. It was obviously Superman's cape. "How did you get this?"
The smile got larger, and even more menacing. "We got it from the big man himself. Are you coming?"
Lois pursed her lips and fingered the shiny cape. It was possible that the cape was a fake, but could she take the chance? It felt like the real thing. Sighing her resignation, she stepped into the van. "Where are we going?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
*******************
Lois' eyes took a few seconds to get accustomed to the light, having been blindfolded for the ride over. She had concentrated during the ride and knew that they'd taken a right turn, two left turns, another right turn, then pulled into some sort of parking lot. The trip had taken a little over a half an hour. Still, she doubted she'd be able to time the turns well enough to get exactly where they were now. They hadn't taken off the blindfold until they were inside the building, so she had no idea as to what the area around the place looked like. The windows were conveniently covered, and the lighting was dim. The only thing she could tell was that they were in an abandoned building. Most likely an old apartment building of some sort.
They ushered into a room on the second floor. "Superman!" Lois rushed toward the hero who was caged at the far end of the room.
"Lois, stay back." His voice was weak.
Heedless of his words, she rushed up and was knocked backwards from a jolt of electricity when she touched the bars. She glared at the men who'd brought her as they laughed at her humiliation.
She sat back on her heels and studied the cage that imprisoned Superman. It was small, only about six feet square, and the sickly green glow of the bars told her that they were coated in some form of kryptonite. Obviously, the bars were also electrified.
Lois reached out, but held her hand just short of the bars. "Superman, what happened?"
He raised his head slowly, until he was finally able to look her in the eyes. She could see the pain there. "Tricked." His words were slurred and it looked as if it was a great effort to even speak. Tears quickly came to Lois' eyes.
She turned to his captors. "You're killing him. What are you trying to accomplish?"
The thin fellow that had spearheaded her kidnapping gave her a wink, then moved over to a table on the other side of the room. It held a television and a recorder. He switched it on. It only took a second for the static to clear and the picture to come on.
"Hi, Lo. Are you surprised to see me?"
"Griffin!" Lois stared, open mouthed, at the visage of one of her most relentless antagonists. Kyle Griffin, sometimes known as The Prankster, grinned at her from the television screen.
"Sorry, I can't be there with you, but as you can see from my wardrobe, I'm still in prison. I hope my man, Lenny, is treating you well." Lois wanted to curse the man on the screen, but she knew that would be pointless. It was a pre-recorded message. "I suppose your wondering why I had you brought here. The answer is simple, really. Revenge." The image on the screen broke out into a harsh laughter.
Lois shook her head in distain. Kyle Griffin, aka the Prankster, had been a personal thorn in her side for years. She'd been responsible for putting him in prison the first time a few years back. It had been before she knew Clark. In the last year and a half, she and Griffin had crossed swords again, twice. The last time had been only a couple of months ago when he had tried to kidnap the President using some sort of contraption that froze people in their tracks for a short period of time. She and Clark, with Superman's help, had managed to foil his plan and put him back behind bars. It was no wonder that Griffin wasn't exactly a fan.
She refocused her attention to the screen. "Do you like the cage? I got the design from an old friend of yours." Lois didn't know what he was talking about, but that didn't change the fact that Superman was indeed helpless. "I needed you to see that I did indeed have ol' Supey as my captive. He will be my means of revenge against you." Lois became more uncomfortable. She didn't like where this situation was headed. She glanced over at Superman. He seemed to be barely conscious.
"I wouldn't worry too much about Blue Boy, though. The coating on the bars has been calculated to merely weaken him, and keep him docile." Griffin smiled. "The cumulative effect shouldn't be life threatening for several days. That's not to say that I don't have the means to 'force the issue' as they say."
As if on cue, Lenny walked over and pulled something out of his pocket. It was wrapped in a dull foil of some sort. Before he had it unwrapped Lois knew what it was. The green glow from the unwrapped crystal told the tale; kryptonite.
Superman's reaction was immediate. He cried out and doubled over in obvious pain and distress. "Put it away! I believe you!" Lois shouted at the henchman. She thought briefly of attacking Lenny, but the other lowbrows standing around caused her to rethink that action. Instead she turned back toward the television and waited for Griffin to continue.
"So, Lo, now you know that I have Superman life to use as leverage, I'm going to explain what's going to happen." His smile now turned positively sinister. "My lawyer has arranged for an interview with Bill Doyle of LNN tomorrow at noon. It will be there that I reveal my plan. My vengeance will take the form of three assignments that you will be required to undertake, Lois. If, for any reason, you decline to accept any of those assignments I will be forced to kill the Man of Steel. But if you complete all three assignments, I give you my word that I'll release Superman. After all, what can he do to me? I'm in prison." Griffin smiled at the screen for a few moments, then, as if remembering something, he spoke again. "Oh, and I suppose I should tell you. You are going to find that your assignments are going to be... shall we say... unpleasant?" His cackle of laughter echoed after the screen went dark.
Lois frowned at the now blank television. She knew that Griffin hated her, and she was under no illusion as to what he was capable of. After all, the last time they'd faced off, he'd thrown her off the balcony of a penthouse on the forty-second floor.
Suddenly she was surrounded by her kidnappers. Lenny placed the blindfold back over her eyes. "It's time to go, Lane. I've also been instructed to tell you that trying to find this place again would be pointless. By this time tomorrow, we'll have moved Superman to another spot."
Without a word of protest, Lois allowed herself to be pushed along until they guided her back into the van. The vehicle started up and they began their journey back to Daily Planet. Lois' mind was working feverishly. She was certain that she didn't want to have to dance to Griffin's tune and complete whatever 'assignments' he had planned for her. Unpleasant was probably going to be an understatement. But unless she came up with a way to rescue Superman before that she would be forced to comply. Griffin was a liar, a thief, and an amoral criminal, and there was absolutely no guarantee that he would keep his word to let Superman go if she did as he said. But what choice would she have? There was no way she was going to gamble with Superman's life. He wasn't only important to her. He was important to the world. If it came down to it, she wouldn't hesitate to trade her life for Superman's.
********************
Lois was a walking zombie when she arrived at the Daily Planet the next morning. She hadn't slept well. Her mind kept showing her Superman lying in agony in that horrible cage. She had tossed and turned all evening, racking her brain trying to figure out a way to free Superman from Griffin's clutches.
She booted up her computer and logged into a site that showed her an overview map of greater Metropolis. She was figuring that she had to have been taken to someplace within a twenty mile radius of the Planet. She knew that 'Lenny' had told her that they would be moving Superman today, but if she could figure out where they'd been, it might give her a clue as to where they might go. She was sure that finding abandoned buildings where one could assemble a kryptonite cage and transport Superman there unseen wouldn't be that easy.
She glanced down at the time code down in the corner of her screen. She had over three hours to wait until Kyle's interview would air. She hoped that Perry would let her work unchallenged until then. She didn't know if she should explain to him what had happened or not. Griffin hadn't said anything about not revealing Superman's capture, but she thought she should wait until she saw him in the interview before she said anything to anyone else. She would take her cue from him. She didn't want to do anything that he might think was going against their 'deal'. Superman's safety was too important.
The ring of the elevator bell caused her to look up. It was just Jimmy coming back from the archives with an armload of files. She frowned as she glanced over at Clark's desk. She wondered where he was. She hadn't seen him at all yesterday either.
She picked up her phone and quickly dialed his number. She got his machine. That caused her to frown some more. Where was he? She really could use his advice right now. With a shrug of resignation, she turned her attention back to her citywide grid search.
The next three hours passed agonizingly slowly as Lois poured over maps and information about any possible empty apartment complex within her guessed search radius. She couldn't come up with any solid lead. Either her guesstimation had been wrong, or she couldn't find enough information to accurately pin point any particular site.
Suddenly she was pulled out of her futile search by an agitated Perry White storming out of his office and bellowing for the TVs in the newsroom to be turned on. He looked toward her.
"Lois, I just got word that Kyle Griffin is going to be interviewed on LNN. You'll probably want to see this."
Lois just nodded as she got up from her desk and wandered over to stand next to Perry.
"This is Bill Doyle, and today I will be talking to Kyle Griffin, aka 'The Prankster'." The camera panned over to a smug-looking Griffin seated a few feet away from Doyle. He was wearing cuffs and ankle chains, but otherwise seemed composed. "So... Prankster, we were contacted by your lawyer and told that you had something to say that the citizens of Metropolis would be very interested to hear. Well, we're here."
Griffin smiled toward the camera. "Thank you for this opportunity, Bill. I want the citizens of Metropolis to know that I hold no enmity toward them for my unfortunate incarceration. No, the blame falls entirely on the shapely shoulders of one overly-nosey reporter, Lois Lane."
"But didn't you try to kidnap the President of the United States?"
Griffin glanced over at Doyle, then turned back to the camera. "Yes, I did. And if it hadn't had been for Lois Lane I would have succeeded, gotten a tidy ransom, and would have retired to some remote tropical island, never to trouble the good citizens of this fair city ever again."
"Okay, so Lois Lane was instrumental in your capture. I guess we all owe her our thanks, but what does that have to do with what you wish to tell us now?"
"I want this city, this country, to know that whatever happens now will be on Lois Lane's head." Griffin's stare into the camera became intense. "You know what I'm talking about... don't you Lois."
"Well, it's nice that someone knows what you're talking about, because I sure don't." Doyle began to sound irritated.
Griffin smiled. "It's really quite simple, Bill. I intend to have my vengeance on Ms. Lane. This vengeance will take the form of three assignments which she will have to undertake. If she fails to comply in any way, or if the police, or any city officials interfere, there will be terrible consequences for everyone."
"What sort of consequences are you talking about Prankster?"
His smile grew wider. "Oh, Lois knows. It's our little secret." Griffin motioned the camera to come in for a closer shot. "When I was arrested this last time, I found myself de-panted when I came to. Apparently Lois thought it would be funny to humiliate me in that manner. Well it's time to turn the tables. For your first assignment, Lois, in exactly two hours you will go to Centennial Park where some of my men will publicly humiliate you in a manner which I'm sure we'll all find quite amusing." His smile didn't seem to hold any humor. "If Ms. Lane doesn't show up, or the demonstration is interfered with in any way, all bets are off. And you know what that means, don't you Lois?" Griffin gave her an evil grin. "Oh, and Lois, my lawyer will be there with a release form for you to sign. A little legal formality which will keep my associates from being charged with any misconduct by the authorities. After the fact, you know." Kyle turned back toward Doyle. "I'm assuming that two hours will be enough time for your people to have the proper equipment in place to broadcast Ms. Lane's humiliation for all to see on live television?" Doyle nodded dumbly. "So my curious viewers; if you wish to know what comes after today's little demonstration, be sure to tune in, same time, same channel tomorrow for part two in my little drama."
"This, this is... preposterous." Doyle sounded more flustered than anything.
"Say, buh bye, Bill."
The shot quickly returned to the anchor desk, as the talking head there tried to explain what everyone had just seen. Lois tuned it out as she turned back to her desk. Perry stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Darlin', do you know what this is all about?"
Lois gave her boss a sad smile. "Yeah, Perry, I do."
"Do you mind telling me?"
"I'm sorry, Chief, I can't."
"So, what are you going to do?"
Lois shrugged. "What can I do? I don't have enough time to follow any leads, even if I had some. In two hours time I'll be at Centennial Park to take my lumps."
"Are you sure that's wise?"
A tear snuck past Lois' defenses as she patted the hand of her mentor. "I'm sure it's not, but I don't have any choice. I have to go."
Just then the phone rang. She walked over and picked it up. She hoped it was Clark. "Lois Lane." It was Henderson.
She spent the next half and hour arguing with Inspector Henderson. It took all of her skills of persuasion, but she finally convinced him that the police had to stay out of whatever was going to happen at two o'clock. She couldn't tell him the truth, but she had prevailed upon their mutual respect for each other to trust her. Finally, but unwillingly, he had agreed. He would be there, but the police would take no formal action.
After hanging up on Henderson, she quickly redialed a most familiar number. Clark still wasn't home. With a sigh, she hung up. Glancing at her watch, she decided to go home and change. Whatever was going to happen at Centennial Park, she didn't want to run the risk of ruining her good work clothes. She didn't know what Griffin had in mind, but she was sure she wasn't going to enjoy it.
********************
As Lois approached the park she could see that things had already escalated to carnival like proportions. LNN, and other news crews were all set up, complete with cameras and anxious anchors hanging onto their microphones waiting for the spectacle to begin. A small platform/stage had been quickly erected and there were several of Griffin's henchmen standing up there obviously waiting for her to arrive.
A fairly large crown had gathered. They were being kept back about ten yards from the stage by some ropes and stanchions that the police department had placed there for crowd control. Henderson saw her approach and walked toward her.
"You came." He glanced up at the impromptu stage. "Do you know what they have planned?"
Lois shook her head. "No."
"Are you sure you want to go up there?"
"No, but I have no choice."
"What's going on, Lane?"
She gave the laconic inspector a sad smile. "I wish I could tell you, but I can't. I can't risk going against Griffin. Believe me, I'm not looking forward to this but the alternative is much worse."
He just shook his head and walked away. Lois continued on; the crowd parted as they recognized her and let her through. In a few moments she had climbed the stage. Her old pal 'Lenny' was there. His grin didn't give her any comfort.
"Nice to see you again, Lane. Are you ready?"
Before Lois could answer, a small weasel-like fellow came rushing up toward her. He had a piece of paper in his hand. He stuck it under her nose.
"Ms. Lane, I'm Fred Denton, Mr. Griffin's attorney. I have a hold harmless release for you to sign. It basically says that you are entering into this arrangement of your own free will, and will not hold any of the participating parties to any legal liabilities for their actions."
Lois grabbed the paper and quickly read it over. "Wait a minute. This doesn't say what's going to happen here. I'm not going to sign anything until I know what I'm supposed to endure."
Lenny raised his brow. "Are you saying that you choose not to do this? It shouldn't take long to let Mr. Griffin know that you have decided to opt out of your arrangement."
Lois shook her head. "Hey, that's not what I said. I just said I want to know what I'm getting myself into here. I think I deserve that much."
Lenny seemed to ponder this for a moment, then nodded his head. "Okay, I guess that makes sense, but if you don't sign the paper and place yourself into our hands immediately after, then the whole deals off." Lois nodded. "It's really going to be quite a spectacle Ms. Lane. The Prankster has requested that you be publicly tarred and feathered."
Lois' eyes went wide. "What! Are you crazy?"
Lenny motioned toward the paper still being held in the hands of the attorney. "Tick tock, tick tock."
Lois glared at him as she snatched the release from the timid lawyer's hand. He offered her a pen which she grabbed, then turned him around in order to use his back as support to sign her name. She threw it back at him.
Lenny smiled and ushered her to the center of the stage. Lois could see the pot which held a dark syrupy liquid, and a large box of feathers. She couldn't believe that she was willingly going to allow this to happen, but then what could she do. She'd give her life to save Superman, so this indignity, no matter how unpleasant it was going to be, was something she could endure.
"Okay, Lane, strip."
"What?" Lois looked at Lenny as if he'd lost what little mind he had.
"Can't do this right if you got all those clothes on." She looked down at the sweat shirt and jeans that she had chosen to wear. "Come on, just down to the undies will do."
Lois frowned, but pulled the sweat shirt over her head, and slowly unbuttoned her jeans. Soon she was standing in front of the large crowd, and who knew how many on live television, in her underwear. Of course, Lois had an inkling that Griffin's vengeance would include her in some state of undress. After all, she had pulled his pants down in front of a large Presidential procession. So, as a hedge, she had chosen a pair of men's boxer shorts, and a dark, opaque sports bra. Still, she hadn't counted on being tarred and feathered.
She watched, silently, as the man lifted a large bucket and moved over to stand in front of her. She could smell the pine scent of the tar, and could feel the heat wafting up from the top of the pail. He stuck a large, coarse, brush in to the molasses-like liquid and stirred it up a bit. Then he pulled out the brush and began to smear the brownish mass along her arms and legs.
She bit back a gasp of pain as the hot tar hit her skin. It wasn't enough to actually burn her skin, but it was extremely uncomfortable. She kept her eyes focused straight ahead, looking out at the crowd who stood in a hushed awe as the spectacle unfolded.
Lenny took great delight in painting her chest and belly with the warm and sticky pine tar. He then brushed generous portions over her back and rear. Lois watched him out of the corner of her eye. He looked down into his bucket, then back up at her. The look in his eye was enough for Lois to know what was coming. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.
She wasn't able to hold back her reactive gasp as the remainder of the pine tar was poured over her head. She could feel the hot liquid flow through her hair, down the back of her neck, and drip onto her forehead and cheeks.
She opened her eyes and looked down at herself. The dark syrupy tar covered a large portion of her body. It was hot, and it was sticky.
Suddenly a blanket of white appeared in front of her. Large handfuls of feathers were being thrown at her. The small white chicken feathers got in her mouth, and up her nose, causing her to sneeze. Soon she was covered in them. Lenny's cackle echoed in her ears.
The large crowd that had gathered to view her humiliation stared in silent confusion, not really knowing how they should react. Lois was thankful that there had been no great outbreak of laughter, nor any major outcry of any kind. Most just stood there watching, while others murmured quietly amongst themselves.
Lois wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now. She stood on the small stage, facing the milling crowd, and the numerous news cameras. Lenny directed his associates to clean up the area as he walked out to the edge of the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen in attendance, and all you citizens of Metropolis who have joined us through the eyes of LNN and other outlets, may I present to you..." He stepped to one side and with a flamboyant sweep of his hand and arm indicated her standing there. "Miss Lois Lane!"
There was a slight increase in the general murmur, but no outcry or outburst came from the crowd. They merely stood there for a few more minutes, then began to drift away. Several news crews and reporters ran toward the stage, their microphones extended out in front of them. Once they reached the front of the stage they all began to shout out their questions at the same time. It was an unintelligible din.
Lois stepped forward and held up her hands to quiet the crowd. It took a few moments, but finally they all settled down enough and turned their cameras and microphones toward the apparition before them that had, only minutes before, been Lois Lane, ace reporter for the Daily Planet.
"I can't tell you why I agreed to allow this to happen, so I won't answer any of your questions. But I'm sure it's clear to each and every one of you that the mind behind this, this... spectacle is sick, and we can all be thankful that he will stay behind bars for a long, long time. As for the rest... I have no comment." She looked over at Lenny, who was still standing on the stage. "Can I go now?" He nodded.
Lois turned to go, but was stopped by Lenny's smirk "Oh, and you should know," he said as he pointed toward her head. "That tar will never come out of your hair."
********************
Clark had trouble staying conscious. His whole body ached, he was nauseous, and probably had a fever. He forced himself to watch the television, but he found the spectacle that Griffin had arranged to be sickening. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he saw Lois being humiliated in front of a large crowd, and live television cameras.
Why? Why was she allowing herself to be treated that way?
He hung his head. He knew why. Guilt washed over him like an icy cold wave. It was his fault. Griffin was using his captivity to force her compliance. He was getting his revenge on Lois because Superman had been careless and stupid.
He agonized over what Lois had endured because of him and even with the effects of the kryptonite wracking his body; he still could feel the dread in knowing that it wasn't over for Lois. He'd been barely conscious when Lois had been there and had viewed Griffin's tape, but he'd heard it all. The Prankster's revenge was going to take the form of three situations that Lois would have to subject herself to. If this was any indication, and it being only the first, Clark couldn't imagine what Lois had in store for her.
Griffin was a psychopath, and a criminal. Lies were his stock and trade. Lois had to know that the chances were good that even if she did what she was told to do, that Griffin would likely not honor the agreement. He would gladly accept his own death if it could guarantee Lois' safety. But he knew that was a fool's dream. This was as much, if not more; about revenge against Lois as it was a plan to destroy him. Besides, Lois was too loyal to her friends and too willing to put herself on the line for them. Her head might know that there was little chance that Griffin would release Superman if she did as directed, but her heart wouldn't let her not take that chance. However small it might be.
That was why he had to find a way to escape. He had to get out before Lois was seriously injured... or worse.
He gritted his teeth and reached out to grab the bars, hoping against hope that he might have enough strength left to damage them in some way. The burning pain that blistered his hands as they touched the bars was his answer. He fought against the natural reaction to immediately release the bars as the pain knifed through him, but it was no use. Struggle as he might, right up to the point of nearly blacking out, he didn't have the strength to displace the bars in any way.
After a few seconds of futile struggles, he finally fell back. He was totally spent.
A tear of frustration, and despair rolled down his cheek. "I'm sorry, Lois."
