Hattie and Mr. X - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 – P 11/11
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Submitted
Disclaimers: Some of the characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros., except those I created. No copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
Note::
This story takes place in the Matchmaker Chronicles universe. Hattie Kaplin has had a long standing relationship with Jon Kent and the entire Kent family; in fact she is almost part of the family. Recently she had been brought in on the family secret that the Kents are in fact the super family.
This story is a sequel to Hattie Kaplin and the Main Street Bomber – Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1 - O
*denotes emphasis*
<denotes thoughts>
/” denotes telepathic communications.”/
Previously
Lois read her name tag and was surprised to see that she didn’t have R.N. after her name. Instead she had R.E.E.G.T. It read, Donna King, R.E.E.G.T.
Lois addressed her, "Ms. King, I’m curious, you’re not an RN?”
She smiled and said, “Yeah, I’m asked that a lot. No, I’m not a nurse. There are many things that are done here other than nursing duties. There are certain individuals who, because of their condition require different diagnostics to be run. My specialty is brain waves. I am a Registered Electroencephalography Technologist. I use an EEG machine to measure the activity in the brain."
Lois said, “That’s very interesting. We are here to inquire about what happened to a patient of yours. We were told that you were with him when he woke up. His name was Jaxon Xavier.”
“Oh, wow, yeah. I have good reason to remember that day. Actually, there are a couple. First, it was the first day I had my new machine.”
Hattie asked, “New machine?”
“Yeah, would you like to see it?”
Clark said, “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“Right this way.” She led the way down a couple of hallways and into a room with a bed next to a wire harness in the wall. Above the bed was a light and in the wall near the wire harness was a window.
She led them into an adjoining room which put them behind the window. Against the wall was a device with various wire leads that went to a wire harness in the wall. Proudly she said, “This is it, the latest thing in the field, detects even the slightest activity.” She pointed through the window. “The patient lies on the bed and I apply the electrodes. Depending on the type of test and how sensitive it needs to be we could use the mesh,” she picked up what looked like a rubber band skull cap with electrical connections and held it up for display, “sometimes I have to actually glue the electrodes to the scalp. In extreme cases, there are electrodes that are inserted into the nasal cavity and into the nasal sinus.”
Hattie made a face and said, “Sounds painful.”
She replied, “Believe it or not, there is little to no pain involved.”
JJ said, “That’s very interesting, but what about the day that Xavier woke up?”
“Oh, yes, well, as I said that day was memorable for a couple of reasons.” She reached out and lovingly patted her machine and said, “I had just gotten this baby. He was my first patient on it. I had been directed not to use the mesh so I had glued all of the electrodes on and had inserted the nasal leads. I returned here and turned on the machine. A few seconds later, he woke up. It was quite a surprise, I can tell you. After all of these years to suddenly wake up.”
“What did he do when he woke up?”
She thought for a few seconds as she searched her memory, “He coughed a couple of times. He … he reached up and removed the nasal leads and looked at them with a curious attitude. And then asked, ‘Where am I?’.”
“I immediately hit the panic button to summon help. I had never needed that before. The nursing staff was surprised to get a call from EEG. They almost ignored it thinking I had hit it by accident. When they finally arrived, they were shocked to see him awake. I removed my electrodes and they wheeled him out. I never saw him again.”
Lois muttered, “That makes no sense. Why would that time be any different than any other?”
Hattie asked, “You said that he was your first patient on this machine. What is different about this machine from the one you had before?”
“Well, the doctor’s were getting tired of looking at paper tracings and going through what seemed like miles and miles of paper for a single record. They wanted the tracing sent directly to their workstations, electronically, so we got this baby. It is networked so that the doctors can connect directly to it and see the tracing in real time if they want to.”
JJ almost shouted, “That’s it! Networked!” He challenged, “The doctor’s computers are on the internet, aren’t they?”
“Of course!” She looked around to make sure there was no one around, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve entered one of their offices and found them surfing the porn sites. Naturally they excuse it by saying that they are studying anatomy. Yeah, right. Give me a major break.”
JJ said, “There’s the link! His higher functions were trapped in the net. The EEG device is linked to the doctor’s computer which in turn is on the net. He found a way to return to his body.”
Hattie asked, “What happened to him then?”
“Well, like I said, I never saw him again. There were some rumors that he disappeared, but if he did, he had to have help. After so many years of inactivity his muscles were mostly atrophied. He also squinted a lot. After years of having his eyes closed they were extremely sensitive to light.”
Clark said, “Thanks, Ms. King, you’ve been very helpful. Let’s go.”
The four of them headed for Lois’ car to return to the Planet. When they were in the car, Clark said, “Okay, now we have a direction to travel. We have to start looking for where he is getting his money. It is possible that while he was in the matrix he diverted money to accounts or perhaps got account numbers so that he could access some of Luthor’s hidden Swiss accounts. We have to find companies that specialize in the kind of equipment he would need for his continued support. She said that his eyes were sensitive to the light, so he is either in a building with the windows blocked or else underground. My bet would be underground. Lois, you remember Lex’s penchant for going underground.”
“Do I ever!”
Hattie asked, “Why does it always have to be underground? I almost got blown up, underground.”
JJ said, “Look at it this way, at least if you fall, you aren’t falling twenty stories or more.”
“Yeah, like that hasn’t happened before.”
And now
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 11 – Jaxon
April 9, 2029
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When they returned to the Planet, Lois and Clark had to return to their office. They had actually been gone longer than they should have been, but this had been too important and they had a personal stake in this particular issue. Now that Hattie and JJ had something to go on, they would take the ball and run with it.
Accordingly, the first thing they did was call Sean. “Sean, Hattie! … Hi yourself, cousin! I like the sound of that, cousin. Really fits. Just rolls off the tongue easily. … Yeah, actually there is a purpose for the call other than to pass the time of day. Here’s the situation, I need to know what kind of supplies an individual that has been bedbound for,” she did a quick calculation, “a little over thirty years would need. … Yeah, just stuck in bed, being fed by a tube, but breathing on their own.” She started taking notes as he dictated, “Uh huh, … yeah, got that. … Okay. … Yeah. I think I got it all. Thanks, cousin. Yeah, it’s about the guy that’s been trying to kill us. … Yeah, he’s in for a little surprise if he tries again. We’ll let you know. Talk to ya later.”
She called JJ over and said, “Okay, here’s what Sean said to look for. A lot of these would be one time purchases, but some of them would be ongoing. First and most importantly, he would need a power chair. After thirty years of inactivity he would have significant muscular atrophy. He probably wouldn’t even be able to lift his own weight so he would need staff. He would need high energy, low residue, low fiber foods.”
JJ observed, “That would be just one step up from what he was receiving through a feeding tube.” After thinking for a second he added, “In all probability he would need an adjustable bed like they have in hospitals. That would be available through a medical supply store.”
Hattie offered, “From what Aunt Lois told me the guy is a genius and is a computer geek so he would have purchased, if not readymade systems, at least components. With the advances made in the last thirty years, he probably just bought off the shelf, prebuilt equipment.”
JJ summed it all up, “Okay, so we start looking around the time that he woke up for power chair sales and hospital beds. We have to see where they were delivered."
“I’ll check on computers and equipment like that. The one item that won’t be past research will be his ongoing need of special foods. He has to be on a special diet because of the time he was restricted to the bed. We need to see if we can locate supply houses and follow up on deliveries. Okay, let’s get to work.” JJ suggested.
Hattie said, "Why don't you take the power chair and computer equipment and I'll take the bed and food. We can check back together when we have something."
"Sounds good to me, Wife. You know I like the sound of that ... Wife. It suits you."
Hattie smiled in reply then said, "I like the sound of it too, but right now we have a job to do. Let's get to work."
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and said, "You're the prettiest slave driver I ever met."
Three hours later they got together with Lois and Clark in the conference room.
Lois asked, "What have you found out so far?"
"In a city the size of Metropolis the number of power chairs purchased in one week is staggering! I took the date that he woke up and canvassed the sellers of those devices. For the most part they have been accounted for. There are a few that I still need to check back on, there are a few on the list that have passed away in the interim and there are three that are still unaccounted for." Reported JJ.
"I looked into the hospital beds. Same as what JJ said. There are an unbelievable number of hospital beds sold in one week. I have a few to check back on also."
Clark suggested, "I think you should cross reference your lists. See if some of yours cancel out JJ's."
"Good idea. We'll do that."
"What about the food angle?" Lois asked.
"I wish we had a better handle on that diet. I've started checking around, calling home hospital supply houses. I found that the foods can come from the same places as the beds. Unfortunately, since the foods aren't so bulky, they could be picked up and not have to be delivered. That looks like a dead end." Hattie reported.
"I've also been checking on the stock purchases of MiraLabs. That leads to a trust. The money is coming from a numbered Swiss account. It could be some of the money that Luthor had squirreled away. Funds from that same account were used to purchase a ton of computer equipment. It was all delivered to an old warehouse that used to belong to LexCorp."
Hearing this, Hattie started getting excited. "Where is this warehouse?" she asked, anxiously.
"Down by the docks, why?"
"One of the beds was delivered to a warehouse down by the docks. I didn't think much of it until now. I thought it was just being put into storage."
"I need to go back and check my power chair list. I might have missed something. Back in a flash.” JJ said.
Lois cautioned, "Be careful that no one sees anything."
"I only meant it as a figure of speech, Aunt Lois. Gee, give me a little credit," he said in a slightly offended tone.
"Sorry," said Lois, "I only meant it as a friendly reminder."
In a mollified tone he said, "Sorry, I guess I was being a little touchy." He left the conference room and retrieved a sheet of paper he had been working on. When he returned he said, "Sure enough. I did miss something. Here's a power chair going to that same warehouse."
"Keep at it, you two. Sounds like you are narrowing it down." Clark commended.
"Narrowing it down? I'd say that it looks like that warehouse could be his location. Look, it would fit our criteria. Everything on one floor so that he could get around on the power chair. No windows so subdued lighting could be maintained. Easy access for support staff with no questions asked. Who would question workers in a warehouse? Large doors or a loading dock for bringing in lots of equipment. It would be the perfect set up." Hattie said enthusiastically.
"Okay, seems likely, now, how do you 1) convince the police that he is the one behind all of this and 2) convince them that this warehouse is his hideout?" Lois challenged.
JJ offered, "I could do a flyover and use my x-ray vision to see if he's there."
Clark smiled and said, "Now you're starting to think like a true superhero. Way to go," then he clapped him on the back.
JJ headed for the stairwell loosening his tie as he went.
In a musing tone, Hattie said, "You know, I've seen Uncle Clark do that so many times ... In the last year, ever since Jon and Jen brought me in on the family secret, now I know why ... Now, to see my husband, JJ do it, it sends a thrill up my spine."
Lois smiled and said in a wistful tone, "I saw the same thing and for the longest time I couldn't figure it out. He was doing it right there in front of me and I didn't tumble to what was going on. Some investigative reporter I was. The biggest story of the century and I missed it.". She snickered and continued, "I can't tell you how mad I was when I did finally figure it out and how happy I was when we finally resolved our relationship. One of the happiest days of my life was the day we got married. There have been many more since that day."
"It is a thrill to think, there he goes. He's a superhero and he's mine." Hattie offered.
"Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. Until I got the pendant all I could do was watch as he left. I had a taste of it when I was Ultra Woman that first time. It's still a thrill, realizing that Superman is
my man."
Seeing JJ exit the stairwell again and head their way, Hattie said, "That didn't take long at all. I wonder what happened."
JJ walked in and said, "No luck. I couldn't see anything."
Clark chuckled and said, "Believe it or not, that could be a sign that you are on the right track."
Lois added, "Yeah, that means that they either lined the building with lead or used lead based paint in an attempt to hide what they are doing from the superheroes."
Hattie said, "I think I'm ready for a break. Let's go get some lunch."
JJ replied with a question, "Lunch or a nooner?"
Hattie blushed and swatted his arm, "Much more of that and one of us will be using the other bedroom."
JJ was shocked, "Really? You'd do that?"
"Well, no, not really. Just don't say things like that in front of Uncle Clark and Aunt Lois, okay?"
Lois chimed in, "Hattie girl, don't worry about it. I can't tell you the number of times we did that."
"Oh, I knew you would understand, it's just talking about it, right here in front of you guys. It's a little embarrassing."
Lois pulled Hattie aside and asked, "Are you using the telepathy when you join?"
Hattie nodded. "It's like nothing I've ever experienced before in my life."
Lois smiled, "It adds an entirely new dimension to the act. Gives a whole new meaning to the word togetherness, doesn't it."
Hattie nodded her head enthusiastically.
Lois said, "Go on a have lunch or whatever. We'll see you when you get back."
Hattie and JJ walked out of the conference room and back to their desks. Hattie picked up her 'bag of tricks' and they headed out to lunch. As they got into the elevator, Hattie said, "Because of your comment, we are going to lunch, only." She said the last word with emphasis.
JJ put on a mock disappointment face and said, “You know that we really don’t need as much in the way of food now, don’t you? We derive a lot of our energy directly from the sun.”
“Yeah, I know that, but I like to eat. I enjoy the taste.”
They exited the elevator and headed out of the building. Turning right they headed for Hank’s.
They had only gone a dozen paces when a cab pulled up to the curb slightly ahead of them. They didn’t think anything of it as they continued walking. As they came abreast of the cab a man stepped onto the sidewalk from an alley on the right, opposite the cab and he had a hand in his pocket. When Hattie perceived his presence, faster than the eye could follow, she dipped her hand into her bag, extracted her mini-recorder, turned it on to record and dropped it into her pocket. The thug said, “Get into the cab and don’t try any of your karate stuff. I have a gun and so does the driver. There’s also another gun on you from back in the alley.”
They entered the cab and the gunman got in front, next to the driver, who started the cab and pulled into traffic.
JJ asked, “What’s this all about?”
“The Boss wants to find out how much you know.”
Hattie thought about Lois and sent, /”We are being kidnapped. They say that the Boss wants to find out what we know. This may be the payoff. In view of what happened before, maybe JJ’s dad could be a key player.”/
Lois sent back, /”You could be right. We’ll collect him and be nearby when needed.”/
She sent to JJ, /”That cavalry is on the way.”/
They both sat quietly while the cab took them to the harbor area. When they arrived they were ushered from the cab and into a warehouse, the same one that they had identified as being the most likely location for Jaxon Xavier.
Hattie’s bag was taken from her, but they were not frisked. They were taken, at gunpoint to a darkened room. Once they entered a light was turned on. It was like a spotlight and it was directed right at them. Instinctively they each brought up their hands to shield their eyes. As a result they couldn’t see into the darkened area and their glasses blocked their x-ray vision.
A voice that sounded as if it were coming from an old and enfeebled man came from the darkness, “Just how much have you found out about me?”
Hattie asked, “Is that Mr. Jaxon Xavier speaking?”
A female voice filled the room, “She’s got you there, bright boy. Now what are you going to do?”
“Shut up! I didn’t ask for you to comment. How did you discover Zombie?”
“You were careless.”
“How much of what you know have you told Lois Lane and Clark Kent?”
“Well you see, they are our bosses, so we have told them everything. They know that you were behind Zombie. That you own the controlling shares of MiraLabs, that you were behind the corporate espionage using Metro-Staff. Need I go on?”
Slowly they had acclimated to the light and with their super vision watched as Jaxon donned an odd helmet. He adjusted a split keyboard in front of him and started hitting keys. Suddenly, he appeared on a monitor behind the lights and his voice came from a set of speakers, strong and youthful. “You have been a thorn in my side from day one.” His appearance was that of a twenty something guy, small of stature with curly black hair reminiscent of pictures they had seen of Lex Luthor.
”If I’d had more time I’d have set up some more stations and then you would have joined me in my world!" His visage on the monitor spread its hands to indicate the surroundings. Suddenly his image morphed into that of a muscular giant. Along with the change in appearance his voice got lower and more gruff, “Then I would have dealt with you myself. If you had died in here, your body would have died also, but since I can’t my associates will have to do it for me. Kill them!”
Not unexpectedly, in response to this order there was a burst of gunfire from the shadows behind the lights. The impact of the bullets knocked Hattie and JJ down and into the shadows or at least it looked like the impact of the bullets did that.
As the echoes of the gunfire faded away the door was burst open and Superman came in with Ultra Woman. They disarmed the gunmen. As this was happening, Jaxon was shouting, through the speakers, “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” Don’t come a step closer. I’ll disappear into the net again.”
Just then Jimmy Olsen entered the room, he said, “I wouldn’t if I were you. You won’t be going anywhere. I pulled the plug on your modem. You are off the net. If you try to disconnect, you will simply be trapped in the hard drive.”
An anguished tone squawked from the speakers, “Nooooooooooooo!” As they watched the hulking brute on the monitor morphed back into Jaxon Xavier as he had looked, thirty years earlier.
Jimmy replied, “Yes! You may have been a genius and very advanced in computer technology, but we’ve made a lot of advancements in thirty years. With every system, there’s usually an unavoidable single point of failure, the single connection to the internet. Pull that plug and you have to rely on your own resources. You have two choices, 1) come out of there and face the music or 2) stay in that world you created and replay the few scenarios you’ve had time to build for as long as the power lasts which alone could drive you crazy. If you disconnect, I’ll personally pull the power plug, rip out the hard drive and run a drill through the case so that it will never spin up again.”
“You wouldn’t!” Jaxon challenged.
“Try me.” Jimmy threatened.
“But, you’re with them!”
“Yes, I’m with them, but not one of them. I don't live by their superhero code of ethics." Jimmy replied calmly.
“At least I’ve had my revenge. Those two are dead.” Xavier said with a smirk.
Just as he finished speaking, Hattie and JJ stepped into the light. Hattie said, “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.”
Jaxon sputtered, “How?”
JJ said, “Ever since that sniper attempt we have both been wearing bullet proof vests," opening his shirt he displayed the blue vest, "That’s what saved us the night before our wedding.”
Jimmy asked, “What’s it going to be, Jaxon? Do we take your mindless body back to the nursing home while I destroy your mind stored on that hard drive or do you take your chances in the courts?”
“Well, it’ll be my word against theirs. My thugs will not remember anything when the drug wears off.” Suddenly the screen went blank, Jaxon’s body shook. He reached up and removed the helmet and then removed his strange gloves. JJ stepped over and moved the helmet out of his reach. He said, “Do you want to tell him now, Hattie?”
Hattie smiled and said, “When your bully boys picked us up, I had my recorder in my pocket. I was able to record every word said. She rewound the tape and hit play. Out of the speaker blasted, “Then I would have dealt with you myself, but since I can’t my associates will have to do it for me. Kill them!”
Forgetting the enfeebled state of his body, Jaxon suddenly lurched up and tried to spring at Hattie, but his strength failed him and he toppled forward. As he fell his head hit the corner of his desk. His constitution was so weakened from thirty years of inactivity that he was dead before he hit the floor.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Back in the office they were all gathered in the conference room.
Lois said, “Such a shame. There was just nothing we could do for him. Jimmy, would you really have done that to him?”
“Nah, it was all a bluff. I mean, I could have done that and he knew it, but I wouldn’t have. Oh, I would have kept him off the net and isolated, but I would have left him active. That was a solid state drive so there were no moving parts to wear out. As long as the system had power he could have existed. I might have tried to program some new scenarios for him, so that he wouldn’t go stir crazy, although, I think he was already crazy. You know what they say, that there is a very fine line between genius and insanity.”
Hattie said, “I’m sort of sorry it turned out this way, but at least now I won’t be wearing a target on my back.”
Lois laughed and said, “You mean, until the next time," she gave Hattie a hug as she finished, "With you and me, Hattie Girl, there’ll
always be a
next time.”
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