The four of them waited nervously for LL and Zara to arrive to escort them to their world. They would be transported directly into a room populated by a small group of seasoned resistance fighters.
The resistance members would have weapons that could incapacitate Kryptonians. These weapons emitted red-radiation, not unlike the Kryptonian sun, and would render any Kryptonian powerless. Zara herself had provided the resistance with these weapons when she had initially joined their efforts. She had even allowed them to use these weapons against her to prove to themselves that they truly could incapacitate her. As a result of all this, she was treated as a trusted member of the resistance.
The world wavered around them and the two Loises and the two Clarks found themselves in a room facing a dozen resistance fighters.
Lois immediately felt sick and began to feel strong prickles of terror that threatened to overwhelm and engulf her. Her breathing became harsh and her three companions turned worried gazes her way. She closed her eyes and waved them off with a gesture.
"I'm fine," she gasped, "I'm just a little unnerved."
"Jesus," one of the resistance members swore. "You weren't kidding."
All eyes were fixed in horror and fear on the two Kryptonian men.
"Dead ringers," said a cold female voice. Kent and Clark looked at the woman who had spoken and were aghast to see her physical recoil at their sudden attention. She fingered her weapon nervously.
They quickly averted their gazes, unwilling to make anyone unnecessarily uneasy.
LL stepped boldly up to the four and handed the two women weapons.
"We only arm Humans," she told the two Clarks coldly. "You don't need these to take down a Kryptonian."
Lois held her weapon gingerly. Then she looked into LL's eyes, her eyes narrowing in distress.
"Don't tell me you don't want it," LL goaded her with a hint of scorn in her voice.
"No. I want it. Do we need training on it, or can you talk me through it?"
LL grinned at her.
"That's a good girl," she said.
"Don't patronize me, Lois," Lois said to her, her voice equally hard. "Just show me what I need to do. Is Ching around? Perhaps I can test it on him."
"I'm sure we can round him up for you," LL retorted. "Unless you want to attempt a little friendly fire? Would you two volunteer -"
"No way in hell," said Lane angrily. "I'm all about being armed against the bad guys, but if anyone thinks they're attacking these two, they have another thought coming."
LL flickered her eyes dismissively over the woman she had once been and shook her head.
"You never can tell when someone's joking, now, can you? And what about Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber? Cat got your tongues?"
Clark and Kent knew that LL was asserting her muscle in order to show that she could provoke them and not be punished.
"We came here to overthrow the clone," said Kent, knowing that Clark was far more upset about being here than he was. "As soon as you've decided that 'hazing time' is over, how about we work on that?"
LL raised her eyebrows at him, impressed at how he stood up for himself without being in any way threatening or demanding.
"No pleasantries? How Kryptonian."
Clark shrugged, trying to act calm despite his raging emotions at being in this vile place.
"You want us out of here as soon as possible. I know I'm not exactly eager for a prolonged stay. If you have a plan that you are willing to share, how about starting with that?"
LL smirked despite herself. All their 'demands' were phrased as questions. Clever of them, she could hardly smack them down for offering suggestions.
"You are here in the world where the woman you love was forced to endure some horrific experiences, and you act like it's nothing," she taunted him.
"Stop it," snapped Lois. "Don't use me in your sick little game. I won't allow it!"
Shame flooded LL. Lois was right. She was using Lois's imprisonment to hurt Kal-El. While she didn't regret hurting the alien, she certainly had no right hurting Lois.
"I'm sorry," LL said to Lois sincerely. "I'm a little wound up right now. And I obviously have my issues."
"As do we all," said Lois, holding out her hand for LL to shake. "I forgive you, but I would like you to understand that my coming here went against every single ounce of my better judgment. I came here because I couldn't bear for them to endure this experience alone. I *desperately* don't want to be here. But we have to make things right here. Can you put aside your desire to hurt them and work with us to take down the regime?"
LL fought against her anger at the censure. Despite it being well-deserved, she had every right to hate these two.
"I understand," Lois continued. "I was filled with hate when I came home. It took me a long time to see who he really was, I was so blinded by visions of Lord Kal."
LL looked quickly over at Clark. She saw the flicker of something in his eyes- a kind of misery which spoke to her of a long and painful struggle, and she looked away, hating that in that moment she felt a surge of pity for him. He was the most powerful man in his world. He didn't need her sympathy. The broken humans who had suffered and then continued to live, to remember the horrors of their attacks, were the ones who needed her sympathy and her anger.
"You can't understand me," she snarled. "Our lives may have been similar, but you escaped away from it. You're free, while we are all still suffering. And I can't understand you. You married him."
"Yes. I did," Lois said, ignoring the obvious disgust and shock from the gathered humans. "I married the most amazing selfless and kind person I've ever met. And Lois and I aren't here to defend our choices. And neither Clark needs to defend their existence to you either. We came here to help. Help is what we want to do. If you want us to go, we will. Just say it. Otherwise, let us help."
"Now I see why you wanted them along," LL said to Clark, trying to keep the venom out.
"We didn't want them to come," said Kent. "We thought it was too dangerous."
"And yet, they are here."
Both men were silent. She was goading them again and they decided not to play.
"All right," she said to the group. "I don't want you here, but I recognize that if you truly are on our side - you will help us immeasurably. The two of you have the distinct advantage of being able to masquerade as Lord Kal and go places where even our Kryptonian allies can't go."
Clark paled at her words, but remained silent.
"I met Kryptonians back home," Kent said. "They came to earth looking for me to help them block Nor's rise to power in their society. Zara was one of them and she frequently offered forth criticism of how I was too human to gain credibility with the Kryptonian elders. If you want either of us to try to fool anyone, we will need coaching on how to act. It's not something we can just do."
Clark winced, not even able to hide his feelings. He remembered bleakly the time that Lois had wanted him to role-play Kal-El so she could perform some ill-advised aversion self-therapy.
LL nodded, biting back the urge to say something hostile and bigoted. She kept having to remind herself not to erupt at them because she found herself unafraid in their presence. As much as she hated to admit it, neither men emanated a single ounce of menace and it bothered her. If they looked so much like Lord Kal, they should be somewhat intimidating instead of carrying themselves as humans.
"My doppelganger was correct," said Zara, who had been there silently all this time. "You will need instruction."
"So is that the plan," asked Clark. "Infiltrate the - whatever they call it? Headquarters?"
"You sound like a bad television show," LL said unable to stop herself. "This is real life, Kal-El. You better take it seriously."
"I do take it seriously, Lois," he told her, using her name, as she had used his. "I apologize if I sound naive. Obviously we have a lot to learn."
She flinched at his use of her name and he instantly regretted trying to make her feel as off kilter as she was making him by calling him Kal-El.
"First on the plan is to introduce you to more of the resistance. If you are going to work with us, people have to get used to seeing you around. Are you up for that?"
Clark and Kent looked at each other.
"No. But let's do it anyway," said Kent.
