by Kitty &<bhuang60641@yahoo.com> Story #6 of 23
Rated PG and Edited by Nqoire
Submitted August 2003
It was thirty-four years in the future on a spring evening; the flowers were beginning to bloom. The trees were budding and some of the birds had already migrated back to Metropolis as others were finally awakening from their winter hibernation. As darkness began to descend on Metropolis, the temperatures started to drop quickly. It was thirty-five years since Clark had almost killed Senator Bailey. Jimmy was now in his late thirties but still retained his teen-age look. Many were astounded at how Jimmy never seemed to look like he was aging. Jimmy was in the park waiting for Beth to show up. He had been waiting for her for an hour; she had abruptly left to assist with a fire. He was beginning to feel cold as the temperature dropped ten more degrees.
Beth returned in time to see Jimmy shivering in the cold night air. "Need some warming up?" Beth proceeded to use her heat vision to warm Jimmy up and spun out of her Burning Star outfit.
"Thanks. Now where were we?" Jimmy and Beth resumed their loving embrace and long kiss.
****
Three hours later, Jimmy and Beth were walking home when they came up to a man who claimed to be H. G. Wells. Jimmy didn't believe him at first until he remembered that Lois had told him about H. G. Wells. Apparently he had taken Lois and Clark back in time to save baby Superman.
"Ma'am. May I speak to your husband in private for a few minutes?" So Jimmy and Mr. Wells talked for a few minutes. Jimmy then began to remember something about him time traveling back to the past with H. G. Wells to prevent a criminal from messing with his wife's past. He remembered stopping the criminal from talking to Al-Dour. That criminal was going to pay Al-Dour the gold to make sure that the evil man would turn down Superman's offer and take Beth back to New Krypton.
"Jimmy. I've come back here is because I've seen the way you work. You have a good heart. I want to leave you my time machine. I believe you can do more with it, help more people. Will you come with me? I'll drop myself off at my time and you can go wherever you like from there."
"Why are you giving me the time machine?"
"Jimmy, You may not know this but I've seen you change from that messenger in the newsroom to a person who denied what he wanted and came to the aid of a woman who needed you, Beth. When she came to Earth, she was in an emotional turmoil and you turned it around. In reality Jimmy, you gave her the strength to keep on living the best life that she could possibly have. If it weren't for your support, many lives would not have been saved."
"Like what?"
"Like the time when Clark was unable to help because of a Kryptonite overdose and Beth was reluctant to come to Metropolis."
"Oh, yes. Now I remember that event. It was because of those men in that alley that had tried to rape Beth. Nothing like that had happen to her, but she had blamed the incident on all men. It wasn't like they could hurt her. Nevertheless, she had given up hope."
"But you stalled the men long enough for her to get away and change into her costume and you also convinced her that not all men are like that."
"Yeah, that incident has brought back a lot of bad memories for her. I'm glad those men are in jail now." Being fully convinced, Jimmy went back to his wife and said, "Honey. Why don't you go home first? I'll meet you there in a little while."
"Okay." Beth walked to a private area and changed to Burning Star and then flew home.
Jimmy took H. G. Wells back to his time and, after getting a briefing on how the machine worked, he came back to his time and pushes the time machine into the garage. Jimmy then exited into the house, locking the garage door as he left. Jacqueline soon greeted Jimmy; she was their six years old stepdaughter, who was 3/4 Kryptonian.
That night when Jacqueline had gone to bed; Jimmy sat on the living room couch with Beth. Jimmy could see that Beth was thinking really hard about something.
"What is it Beth? You look a bit depressed."
"I was just thinking about how am I going to tell Jacqueline who her real dad is. I wish I had never agree with Dr. Klein to do that test."
"What test is that?"
"He wanted to see if he could create a Kryptonian that is immune to Kryptonite."
"It worked didn't it?"
"Yes, it did. When Jacqueline was two,
they exposed her to both red and green Kryptonite. She was indeed immune to it, but not the Kranite (For similar picture see: "The Complete book of Rocks and Mineral", by DK publishing, PG 73, "Atacamite"). If it weren't for the money that Dr. Klein had offered to pay for my schooling cost, I wouldn't have done it. Now I have to explain to Jacqueline that she's made in a test tube."
"Isn't it all worth it? Now both you and Clark don't have to worry about Kryptonite killing either of you."
"True. But I wish there was some other way."
The next day, Jimmy went to his job at the Daily Planet as the head reporter. He'd been the head reporter for quite a long time now, since Clark and Lois had retired from the newspaper business and opened their own little shop.
-February 28, 2035 in the evening-
While Beth was still busy at her job as a nurse's assistant, Jimmy was tinkering with the time machine and accidentally turned on the parallel universe switch. Jimmy time traveled 35 years into the past and into another parallel universe. When the machine had stopped and settled down Jimmy had saw Clark running away from the cops. He was crouched against a wall facing away from the sound the siren. He looked at Jimmy in shock.
"Where did you come from?"
"Another parallel universe. I think I might have switched something on by accident."
This alternate Clark did not care where he came from; all he wanted was to get out of there. Clark took out his gun and then hopped into the machine.
"Now, get moving." Clark didn’t want to be thrown into the Kryptonite prison cell built just for him. He thought “What a time to loose your ability to fly. But at least I won't be caught by the cops again." As the time machine came to life again, and took the alternate Clark to the present day Metropolis, Jimmy saw a cop coming around the corner. He saw that the man looked like him. Jimmy Olson left a shocked alternate Jimmy Olson.
Jimmy did not hesitate as the alternate Clark stepped out of the machine and walked a few feet ahead to see what things were like. Jimmy quickly hit the switch to head for December 28, 6000 to see if he could get a scientist's help. It turned out that the scientist in question was Lois and Clark's third generation decedents, the one that had married Dr. Klein's grandson. But all Jimmy managed to do was have the honest scientist turn the big machine into one that fits on your wrist. Jimmy then destroyed the old time machine and put the new one on his wrist. He set the date for Metropolis, February 28, 2000. After he had returned to alternate Clark's world and gathered some information about that world's version of Clark, He found out that Clark had gone by the name of Ted Thomas. Jimmy returned to February 28th, 2000 to listens to the news and found out that the Alternate Clark had already terrorized Metropolis' citizens in his universe. As to the fact of how he is to repair this mistake, he had no idea.
-February 28, 2000, 1PM-
He headed for the Daily Planet and snuck into the conference room without bumping into his younger self. He thought back and remembered that his younger self would be out of the office.
Inside the newsroom, Jimmy saw Clark and Lois had come back from lunch. Jimmy saw Mary hand Clark a piece of paper that he had given to her. He knew his younger self was out to lunch and would be back shortly. He saw Clark coming to the conference room.
"Jimmy."
"I'm here CK."
"What is this all about and why are you hiding behind that screen."
"I need to talk to you about the recent robbery. I know you didn't do it CK. Even if some the eyewitness had told the cops that you did." Just then, in the background another Jimmy Olson exits the elevator to get back to work and hearing Perry's call, he headed for his office.
"I know. It's just some guy who looks like me. You told me that already in the note. What is it?" Clark sat on the desk looking at Jimmy behind the screen.
"Actually, CK, it is you." Just then in the background, the younger Jimmy had come out of the elevator and headed for Perry's office while Clark was talking to the older Jimmy and had asked Mary where Clark was. Mary had told him that Clark was in the conference room talking to him. Jimmy thought that was a rather weird answer. How can Clark be in the conference room talking to him when he’s out here? Senior Jimmy stood on one side of the screen and younger Jimmy was outside the room, causing Clark to look back and forth between the two of them. The older Jimmy on one side hadn’t changed one bit. He still looked alike expect for a few minute traces of wrinkles.
"CK, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Yes, I'm fine. What did you want?" But Clark couldn’t believe that both Jimmies were like identical twins. He thought to himself, “who is this other guy?”
"Perry wanted to see you as soon as you can. He wants to talk to you about the recent robberies." Jimmy leaves.
"Tell him I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay. Who are you?" Clark said after the other Jimmy had left and closed the door behind him.
"I am Jimmy, CK. The Jimmy from the future."
"Not another time traveler." If this is the future version of Jimmy Olson, how come he hasn’t aged a bit? Clark made a note to ask the question when the time was appropriate. "So, what do you know about these robberies, Jimmy."
"Well, I was tinkering with the time machine that H. G. Wells had given me and I landed in this alternate world and that Alternate Clark came up to me with a gun and made me turn on the machine. That's how he got here, CK."
"Now, that I know that he isn't a clone. Why is he robbing people?"
"Well, I went back and found out that this Alternate Clark's parents were the notorious Alfred Delamonio and Debbie Delamonio. The modern day Bonnie and Clyde."
"They're dead now."
"Yes, anyhow. They're still alive in the alternate world, or were until that world's version of Clark Kent turned 17. When his powers were fully developed, he killed his parents. Clark from that universe took after his father and started stealing at a young age. He committed his first robbery at age of 14 and murder at age 17. Soon after that he dropped out of High school. And after that, the whole family went into robbing the banks with Junior using his super strength to break open the safe and protecting his parents from the bullets. I tell you CK, his police file was a mile long."
"If he is the alternate me, he should have the same weakness as me."
"No. The Serum7 has made his system immune to it. He’s also had another chemical that allows him to look like whoever he wants to look like. I don't know what to do CK. Mr. Wells trusted me with his time machine and look what I've caused."
"It's okay, Jimmy. We'll figure out something."
Meanwhile at a nearby bank robbery, two cops were observing the crime scene, while another officer was talking to a teller.
"This is weird, it’s like he has super hearing. As soon as I pulled the switch, he stuck his hand through the marble, took hold of the wire and cut off the alarm with his eye." The cops started thinking, there was only one person they knew that had heat vision and that was Superman, but from the lady's description, the man did not look anything like Superman. Or was it another Kryptonian settling on earth like the way Burning Star had?
-Three days later, March 2, 2000, 3PM-
Five robberies and two rape victims also testified that the man was unusually strong. Both rape victims were blond and very attractive. The fifth bank that was robbed had a teller who had used a portable electrical teaser to strike the robber. She told the cops that after the shock, the thief's face had changed shape to that of Superman. So the investigator went to the Daily Planet to ask Clark Kent if he knew where Superman had been for the past six hours. But everyone knew Superman had been busy with a recent fire. Lois and Clark were there to observe the where Ted had thrust his hand through the marble wall.
****
That evening Clark Kent was patrolling the city to try and catch up with this Ted person. He caught Ted at yet another Bank. Ted walked out of the bank and flew off into the sky, followed by Superman. Ted left after Superman tried to talk to him. Ted didn’t want to talk, all he did was fight or try to get Superman to leave him alone.
After observing the two fights, Jimmy knew there was only one person who knew how to catch Ted, and that was the alternate world's Jimmy Olson. Jimmy walked to an alley to turn on his time machine so no one else could get caught in the time rift. He tapped a few numbers and then hit the previous button.
-March 3, 2000, 3PM-
In the alternate world, Jimmy appeared out of the alleyway within 10 minutes of when he saw the other Jimmy leave with H. G. Well's time machine.
"Hi, there. I'm Jimmy Olson. I bet you were wondering what was with that little thing that happened back there."
"My names Olson, soon to be NIA Agent Olson. Yes, I would, before I start to think that I’ve gone crazy. Oh, and explain why you look so much like me."
"Well, that is because I am you. The you from another universe."
“Alternate Universe like the show Sliders with the scientist Quin?"
"Yup. What you saw back there was Clark taking me hostage to bring him to my universe. I'm afraid he's causing a lot of trouble in my world."
"Clark? You mean that man with the gun aimed at you a few minutes back?"
"Yes."
"His name is Ted Thomas."
"Yes. I knew that when I came back the last time." He scolded himself in his head for becoming so forgetful.
"Anyhow, I've been tracking him down before he caused my boss to suspend me, pending an investigation. But luckily, my dad's ex-boss had gotten me a job with his old agency."
"Sorry to hear about your suspension."
"That's okay. I start working at the NIA in three weeks. This was only a temporary job to tie me over until then."
"I was wondering if you would come with me and help me capture Ted Thomas."
"Sure, but I need a few things first." He paused for a few seconds to contemplate if this alternate world's version of him was any good at computers like he is. "Are you any good with computers?"
“Computers! I'm a natural with them. There’s not one machine I can't learn or figure out how to operate."
"Good. You'll need to learn fast in case I need your help."
****
The following day in the alternate world, Jimmy was teaching Jimmy how each gadget worked in case they needed them. By noon, they were packing up everything in their backpacks and were set to go. But Jimmy senior was particularly curious.
“So how are your parents?”
"Well, great. Mom was thrilled when Dad finally explained to her why he'd been absent all those years and when he told her he wouldn't be gone for long periods now. Fortunately, instead of being gone ten years at a time, now he comes home every three months, plus holidays."
Before Jimmy1 turned on his time machine, Jimmy2 asked, "So, how’s your dad?"
"Oh, the last I saw him was at my college graduation. I'm 54."
"Wow! That’s a long time to be away." Jimmy1 switched on the devices as they talked.
"Yeah, tell me about it." Both Jimmys arrived in the current Metropolis, March 4, 2000 at 7 PM.
Jimmy2 changed the subject after seeing how his alternate self was getting depressed at the thought of an absent father, "You sure don't look older than 16."
"I know, that's what everyone tells me." Jimmy2 followed Jimmy1 to Clark and Lois' home.
Jimmy and Lois talked while Clark was out doing a rescue that Ted had caused. But, within seconds, Superman came flying in.
"I lost him, Lois." Just then Clark in his suit saw two Jimmys on the couch. "Hi."
"Hello. I'm Jimmy Olson, the one from Ted's world." Jimmy2 stood up to greet Clark before sitting back down.
"I'm Sup-" Clark started to say but Jimmy1 interrupted.
"I told him already CK."
"Oh." Clark spun out of his suit and into his regular clothing's. "And who's Ted?"
"The other man who looks like you, CK."
"Yes, but he'll be back to his normal self soon, the drug he used to help him change his face shape lasts only for a short time." Jimmy2 informed them.
"So, how are we going to catch this alternate world's version of me?"
"Well, for one thing is he hangs out at bars a lot, oh, do you have any female blonde cops? Ted likes blondes, especially if they're as good looking as your wife."
"Lois. I know what you're thinking. No, you can't do it. It's too dangerous."
"Why? I'll just dye my hair blond. I'll use one of those temporary hair dyes. So, how do you propose getting him to your dimension after I subdue him?"
"With this." Jimmy2 took out a small device that was no bigger then a dime. “Ted already has the other end of the device installed in back of his neck. If you can put this in, it will render him helpless like a human. He won't be able to use any of his superpowers."
"So where exactly is this other end of device located at?"
"May I Clark?" Jimmy2 asked. Clark allowed him to demonstrate it on him. Jimmy2 pointed out the exact spot.
****
At 6PM, in Alfred's' bar, Ted was drinking his sixth cup of vodka. He finally started to notice the blond female dressed in leather, which revealed her slim waistline and her legs. Ted started to move towards the left edge of the counter to take a better look while sitting in mid air without a stool. Lois showed a coy interest in him. Ted came closer and saw that she resembled Nurse Lane from his universe. She had been his nurse at one time. But he knew that he was in an alternate universe and that things might be different here.
"Hi, there. I'm Ted Thomas."
"So, what’s a good looking man like yourself doing at this bar all alone?"
"I'm a regular here. I come to this bar every week." Then Ted thought, ’At least in my universe, that is.’ He then asked, "What are you here for?"
"Oh, just picking up some men. How about you?"
"Sure, where do you want to go?"
"Just outside, where we can have some privacy." Once outside of the bar, "Have you ever kissed a lady before?"
"No." Ted lied, but he didn’t want to talk about the dark part of his alter ego.
Lois, "A man like you should have at least a dozen women."
But then they proceeded to get closer to a private alley where Ted made his move, coming up really close to Lois. Lois grabbed the small coin from out of her pocket and then put both arms around Ted’s neck. Using both hands, she snapped it in place and turned the dial up with the other hand.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" Ted managed to say before passing out.
****
That evening outside of the alleyway the Alternate World's Jimmy had the Alternate World’s Clark Kent cuffed in a special blue cuffs. Jimmy2 turned the dial down allowing Ted the ability to stand and walk. Clark soon noticed that Ted's right shoulder was quivering, slightly, "Hold on a second Jimmy." He searched Ted's pants pockets to find a bottle in the Alternate Clark Kent's pocket. Clark looked at the pills and recognized it as the serum7.
"Hey, that's mine." Ted told Clark as Jimmy2 was putting him in cuffs.
"Thank you Jimmy. Thanks for helping me catch Ted. We've been trying to catch him for years. He sold the M7 drugs which resulted in several deaths." The Alternate Clark, Ted tried to use his super strength to get free, but with the device on the back of his neck, he was unable to.
"Do you know what this thing is?" Clark asked the alternate Jimmy Olson.
"Yes, back in our universe we call it the M7 poison. Why?"
"It's a mind altering drug. To humans it may be poison but to a Kryptonian it can change a person's personality. It can also cause nerve damages."
"Kryptonian?" The Alternate World's Jimmy asked Clark in confusion. But all Clark did was walk up closer to Ted and noticed Ted's obvious slight trembling shoulder getting a little bit worse as time passes. All Ted wanted was to get his hands free so he could get his pills back; he was starting to feel the drug slowly wearing off.
"How long have you been taking this?" Clark asked Ted.
Ted remained silent and tried to get the cuffs off without success as the Alternate Worlds' Jimmy then answered, "Since he was ten. Why?" Ted tried to get out of his binds, but they were made out of a new kind of alloy that even he couldn’t break if he had his super strength.
"Jimmy, The older Jimmy. Take us to Star Labs to see Dr. Klein."
But Ted refused to go. He resisted their attempts to get him into the car. Jimmy2 then proceeded to turn the little device around Ted's neck to a higher level, causing Ted to collapse to a state where he was conscious but could not use his muscles.
****
On the way to Star Labs, Clark explained to Jimmy2 what a Kryptonian was and about the serum7.
****
At Star Labs, Dr. Klein was shocked to see yet another Clark in the room. Clark explained that this Clark was from an alternate universe and that his name was Ted and had been taking serum7 since he was ten."Do you have anymore of the antidote?"
"Sure, but I need to conduct an examination first."
"Let me turn down the P3, first." So the Alternate Jimmy turned the machine down to level five.
Ted immediately burst out the door. But Clark came back with him.
"Let go! Who asked you to meddle?"
Clark set his look-alike right down on a chair for Dr. Klein. But then right in the middle of the examination, Clark could see that Ted was starting to lose it, as the serum7 was starting to reach a point where he knew that Ted should be getting the urge to take more. Surely enough, Ted knew his time was running out and tried hard to get his hands free. He even went as far as to bargain with them to give him just one pill.
"Oh, oh." Jimmy2 recognized the look on Ted's face. Jimmy2 had arrested Ted many times before and had seen him fall unconscious in his car many times, but he never seen Ted shake this violently before. Jimmy had lost one patrol car because of Ted.
Dr. Klein also noticed that Ted had passed out and was going into a seizure. Dr. Klein found a table as soon as Ted stopped shaking. Clark lifted Ted onto the table. He took a blood sample with the red Kryptonite needle and looked at it under the microscope. But to confirm his suspicion he had Clark X-ray Ted's body. Clark had noticed as the chemical started to die out and filtered out of the system, it left behind a big gape in the nerve cells.
"It's severe." That was when Beth came in and wondered what was going on. She had an appointment with Dr. Klein but it seemed like he was busy. Beth wondered what Clark was scanning for and did the same thing herself.
"Woah! That’s worse then the last time you got hit by the drug, Clark." As the officer looked up, Beth could see that it was Jimmy. Beth then looked at the Jimmy next to her and thought it was the younger Jimmy that she knew. "Jimmy. How come there are two of you and two of Clark here?"
Jimmy1 took her out side the lab and explained. "And Beth, don't go through with it. You'll find another way to help Clark find a safe cure for Kryptonite."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Your going to have Dr. Klein produce a test tube baby out of your eggs and Joey's sperm with some alteration made to the DNA structure of the test tube baby."
"How did you know?"
"Like I said, I'm from the future. Don't do anything you'll regret. Think of how the child would think if someday she finds out that the only reason she existed is because she was a lab experiment. Okay, promise me you'll think of it over."
"I will." She proceeded to leave after she had told Dr. Klein that she wanted to think about doing it at a later date if she felt like it.
****
Later, Dr Klein had finished analyzing Ted's blood and gave him a massive dosage of the Kranite. Dr. Klein didn't want to risk an overdose so he decided to wait thirty minutes before the second injection of 20 cc of Kranite and the antidote. Jimmy2 turned off the device on Ted's neck for Dr. Klein to try and differentiate the extent of the nerve damages, but he soon found it difficult to do on an unconscious person, because he was not trained in the medical field. Then, as if on command, Dr. Allison came into the office wondering why Dr. Klein hadn’t showed up at their dinner arrangement.
"Sorry, I forgot about the dinner. I'm just trying to do some tests."
"Clark. Why don't you use your X-ray and tell me where the breakage is located?" Allison said to Clark.
"Sure." Clark pointed them out. "But it's like the nerves are healing at a rapid rate with some sort of chemical helping. It started as soon as the Serum7 chemicals were filtered out of his system."
Surely enough, Ted was conscious and had quickly grabbed a knife. He put it next to Jimmy2's neck, "Get back, or I'll cut his throat!" Ted leaves the lab with Jimmy as hostage.
*-*-
Three miles away from the lab, Ted landed on solid ground and let go of Jimmy2. "Go." Ted could feel the Kranite reversing the Serum7’s effect on him.
"You're letting me go?" Jimmy2 said in surprise.
"Yes." Ted managed to say as he held on to the nearest object he could find.
"Why are you letting me go?"
"Because, I don't want to kill you okay. Go." Ted said as he managed to fight off the uprising urge to take more pills. Ted saw his limited will power rapidly fade and in weakness he took out his last remaining serum7.
Jimmy2 noticed right away that this was the real Ted, one he had never seen, so he took the risk and took the pill from Ted.
"Hey! That's mine."
“Tell me Ted, how did you get started on this?" He showed Ted the pill but kept it out of his reach. Ted grabbed for it.
"My parents, okay. Now give it back! I need that." Ted tried to get it back from Jimmy but found it hard to stay standing without using a post to steady himself while his head was spinning rapidly.
"Ted, I want to know the whole story."
"Alright, my dad was visiting Smallville when he saw a comet. He went to investigate and found the mushroom. He thought he could make a new kind of addictive drugs with it to sell, but Mom wanted to keep me. They took me to Metropolis and assumed another name. They originally raised me to be a crook but I wouldn't steal and lie for them, until they found out six years later that I had accidentally taken those serum7 pills in my food and it was making me evil like them." Ted didn't want to continue. “Jimmy, Please, give that back.”
"And, what else Ted?"
“That’s all there is.”
“Okay.” Jimmy played a hardy game of bluff. He walked up to a nearby manhole and then said; “Three seconds, or I throw it into the hole.”
"All right! Every night after that, they would shove those things down my throat at first until Dad managed to make a liquid version of it. After three weeks or so, I was hooked. I started to do little robberies here and there for dad, so I could get those pills. When I turned seventeen, I tried to quit one time but couldn’t. I felt like I was out of control. I was going into seizures almost every hour. At age 13, I started developing my powers, so, I plotted to steal the formula and kill my parents for what they did to me when I was younger. Now can I have that back?"
Jimmy reluctantly did it and waiting till Ted was engrossed in the effect of the pill that he turned on the device on Ted's upper spine between the shoulder blades to the second highest point.
"Jimmy!"
As Ted collapsed unto the pavement, "Believe me Ted, it is for your own good."
****
Later at Lois' apartment, Jimmy2 carried Ted into the house with the help of another device.
"Cool." Jimmy1 commented after his observation of the device. Jimmy2 set Ted down in the guest bedroom and turned the mini coin size device from 12 to 10 which allowed Ted to observe them and respond, but he was not able to move.
When everyone left the room, Ted tried hard to move but soon gave up.
****
Down in the living room, Jimmy was still looking at Lois with a look as if she had reminded him of someone but he could not place her face. While Clark was calling Dr. Klein’s office, Jimmy2 told the group about what Ted had told him.
"I know Ted is at least five years older then me. I used to play with him when he was 13 on the basketball court. Sure he beat me a couple of times, but he had always apologized for it. But I never figured out that thing were this bad for him. I've also settled a few of their family fights."
"Poor man." Lois commented and then remembered a friend of her’s that might be able to help, "Do you have a Nurse Hammerson in your time?"
Then a light bulb hit Jimmy2, "Nurse!”
Jimmy said as Clark came into the room, “Of course! That’s where I've seen your face. Nurse Lois Lane. She's a nurse at Pallerson's drug clinic. She’s personally attended to many of Ted's personal problems." Jimmy2 started remembering the time he sneaked a peek into Ted's room at the hospital to see Nurse Lane holding onto Ted saying ‘That's okay Ted, let it all out.’ And then Jimmy2 remembered the time he saw two very strong males had Ted by the arm and were taking him back to his room. ‘Let go!’ Ted had screamed. He then shared his thought to the group.
"Maybe that's why he's been looking at me so differently. Jimmy, what are you going to do with Ted once he's back in your universe?" Lois asked.
"I was hoping that Dr. Klein would give me a recipe for those antidotes."
"I'm sure he won't mind. But what are you going to do with Ted?"
"Hopefully, he'll agree to therapy. The last time he was there was when he was twenty and had committed another murder. The government won’t sent him to the hospital unless there is a good reason to send him there."
Then all of a sudden, Clark started feeling like if a Kryptonite whip had hit him. Clark soon figured out that it was Ted's feelings. "Lois, I think we better go check on Ted."
"Okay, you stay and I'll go up and check on him."
Meanwhile, while Clark, Jimmy and Lois was talking, Ted was upstairs in the bedroom trying his best to get the controls to turn. He did it and stood up unto his feet before a picture on a nightstand caught his eyes. He picks it up to look at it and saw the way Clark and Lois looked at each other. Ted began to envy Clark.
“This is so unfair. He has everything I’ve always wanted!” Ted thought to himself and right away threw the picture across the room. But the crashing sound had made Ted remember a time in his life where he did not have his powers. His father pushing him up against the dresser. Then to follow by that Kryptonite whip of his.
Just then Lois came in, while the thought was in his mind.
"I heard from Jimmy that this Nurse Lane is one of your special friends."
"No. Just a nurse I once knew."
"Did she look like me?"
Not wanting to bring back old memory, he tried getting the dials to turn down a bit. He had managed to turn it down to seven.
"Ted. Did she?"
"Yes, she looked like your twin." He said it quickly and looked away.
Jimmy1 observed the device on Ted's neck and went to see if it was in working order. It was. Dr. Klein came in with another 20cc of the Kranite and the antidote. Even without his super powers, Ted pushed Klein away from him as soon as he got close with the syringe.
He got Jimmy1 to stay away from the device while he tried to get it to five. Ted succeeded at his first try and stood up from the chair. "You're not injecting me with that thing." The machine was wise to Ted's tricks and had locked itself up. Ted tried to turn it down but got zapped by the machine. "Shoot! It's on safe mode. I guess I'll have to do it the human way."
Before Ted even got a chance to get close to Lois to take her as a hostage, Clark defended her. Everyone left the room except for Dr. Klein and Clark, "Ted, let Dr. Klein help you. He can get you back to normal again." Clark looked into Ted’s eyes and could see that one pupil was blue and one was brown.
Ted, "There’s no way that you can help, move out of my way."
Clark, "Ted." Clark grabs one of Ted's arms to stop him from leaving. "Ted, fight it. You still have a lot of things to look forward to." Clark looked into Ted’s eyes and could see that one eye was blue with few brown tints and the other was brown.
Ted’s eyes turns from blue to brown that indicated that it was Ted replying.
"No, I don't. You don't think I've tried. There isn’t any sense to it.” Dark Night then spoke in a deeper voice, “Now let go."
"Ted, I've seen your reaction whenever I mention Lois Lane’s name.” Clark said to Ted as he tried to inject a bit of hope in Ted’s life, “I know you were thinking of Nurse Lane. She brings new light into your shattered life. Things may be bad now, but they will improve. You have to work at it."
Ted didn't want to hear anymore and certainly don't want to start remembering his horrific childhood. He immediately knew what Clark was thinking about, but he was positive that Nurse Lane would never be interested in a man like him. Dark Night immediately took over without any struggle from Ted and said, "Let go of my arm." Ted moved aside as Dr. Klein came closer while Clark was distracting him. Dark Night replied, "That won't work Klein."
Clark then pinned Ted against himself. Ted wasn't able to move. "What are you doing? NO!" Dark Night struggled against Clark's hold on him, Super Strength vs. Dark Night with only human strength. Clark had his right hand holding Ted’s left wrist while Clark’s left hand had been holding unto Ted’s right upper arm. "Get away from me.” Dark Night struggled to get loose of Clark’s hold on him, “No!" Dark Night shouted as Dr. Klein rolled up Ted's sleeves, “You can’t do this! I have rights too.” Dark Night said as he kept on trying to get free before he was injected with the two medications.
“Ted has the right, not you.”
Dark Night at first tried to kick Klein, who was on his left side but couldn’t because he wasn’t able to move his upper body. He tried hitting the lowest part of Klein’s foot but Klein avoided Dark Night’s attempt to crush his feet.
As a last resort, Dark Night tried tightening his arm muscles with the thought that Klein was using regular needles. But Klein wasn’t using a regular needle but a red needle, which meant that it was made out of red Kryptonite.
"NO!" Dark Night felt the needle go in. Klein inserted the needle with the Kranite in it. Clark waited until Dark Night stopped struggling in his arms. Ted was unable to move but he was back to his normal personality. He also had no idea what had happened for the past few days and then fell unconsciousness. Clark resorted to hold unto Ted instead of restraining him. He set Ted down on the bed as Clark saw Klein getting the antidote ready for injection.
-March 5, 2000, the following day-
Ted had woken up not entirely himself and was still unable to move but had recovered some portion of his memory of the last few days.
But all of a sudden he felt extremely odd as if he were about to lose all the contents in his stomach. Ted started vomiting up brown mush mixed with liquor. Not wanting Ted to choke, Martha grabbed some towels and a container. Then, she came and rolled Ted onto his side. She wiped up the trickling sputum before it hit the bed. She got a new towel before patting Ted on the shoulder again, which caused another round of sputum to come out. She knew from the last episode that Clark had with the awful serum. She thought back as she remembered what Dr. Klein had told her about what she had read.
‘It’s necessary for you to do this to Clark to get the chemical out of his glands. The pressure point is located at the left area of his right shoulder blade. Just massage the right shoulder blade a bit.’
She then said, “You’re going to be okay, Ted. Just let it all comes out.” But Ted hated the sick feeling; it made him feel ill all over. He wished she would stop but he couldn’t even talk. All his words came out to sound like a bunch of mumbled words. But he couldn’t help himself as more gore came out.
Meanwhile, downstairs on the first floor, Jimmy 2 was listening to every word Dr. Klein has to tell him about Kryptonian physiology and how to treat serum 7 side effects. He knew all this was way over his head but he needed to find his world’s version of Dr. Klein and relay the message to him. It was important to him that he remembers what Dr. Klein says. But then, Klein gave him a piece of paper and told him that was the formula for the two serum 7 cures. One was the mushroom antidote and the other one was a medication to solve the addiction problem. But just as they got up off their seats, Klein remember something else.
“Here is the recipe for other aliments that incase you would need. The other list is a list of possible places I’ve worked at to help you find your world’s version of me.”
“Thanks”.
Fifteen minutes later, He saw Jimmy2 putting some sort of a belt on him before he started floating off the ground. It was a familiar sight to him. It wasn’t the first time that Jimmy did this either. Jimmy pushed Ted as if he was a cart.
****
Downstairs in the living room, after Dr. Klein had explain about the effect of Serum7 in laymen's terms, Jimmy knew that Ted was now paraplegic due to the serum7.
"Are you ready Jimmy?"
"I'm ready, Jimmy."
Lois, Clark, and Dr. Klein both stood five feet from Jimmy1. Jimmy1 typed into his watch the number "3", as in three people to transport to the alternate world number 26 then as a circle of light started engulfing them.
"Thanks, Clark."
"You’re welcome Jimmy."
The cloud started to gather around them and made the three of them vanish. Jimmy1 started a conversation, "How does that thing work?"
"It just taps into Ted's anti-gravity ability and switches it on to make him float."
****
For the following two years Ted stayed in the drug recovery room in the alternate world numbered 26, unable to move a muscle. Ted didn’t even want to go outside in his full depressive mood. He couldn’t help himself in remembering his past. The few memories he had were not good. Ted lay in bed all morning getting paler and weaker and having no signs of recovery.
Jimmy was also working on finding the Dr. Klein of their universe but when Jimmy did find him. He became caution. Jimmy was looking over Klein’s record and noticed that their world’s Klein was not a very ethical man. The man had used normal humans on four accounts as ginny pigs for his experiments and was arrested twice on account of abduction. Jimmy had to resort to not telling him about Ted.
In the hospital, as Ted laid in bed, Nurse Lane was sitting at the edge of Ted’s bed with a bowel in hand, “Come on Ted. You have to eat something.” Nurse Lane said as she saw Ted turning his head to avoiding the spoon that she had put to his mouth.
Ted turned his head each time she brought the spoon to his mouth. He avoided looking directly at Nurse Lane. He could not bring himself to remember the alternate world’s Lois Lane. Sure he was starting to remember bits and pieces of his travel, but not enough to make sense out of it. But what was most evident he had seen was the two photographs of Clark and Lois. The photo had express the feeling that Clark had for Lois. Ted had longed for that kind of love that he had never had the delight of experiencing. He was hungry; not for food, but for love.
Two more weeks passed with no progress until Lois took action to try and get Ted to do what he needed to do for a long time now. Lois decided to take Ted outside no matter if he wanted to or not. “Since he’s not eating, maybe he should get some sun if he is to recover.”
Ted protested at having been dragged out of his bed. But no one listened.
“Leave me alone!” Ted shouted. “I’m not going.”
But once outside in the afternoon sun for a few minutes, Lois could see the color back in his face.
Lois tried as she might to start conversations but Ted didn’t join in. He looked away.
****
Three weeks later, Ted was released from the Pallerson's drug clinic and fully recovered from the serum7 without some of his powers.
The Jimmy of his world had worked hard to get his first murder case acquitted. Now it was no longer on his record, it was listed as a case of self-defense. Ted could not fly very well now or remember much of anything from the alternate world that he had been to. But he did remember what Clark had said to him that night in the bedroom. Even when Nurse Lane had volunteered her time to help Ted recover from the drug that he's been using, it was a rough road to recovery.
Ted had gone back to burglarizing banks and stores as means of supporting himself for two years; when he found out that without a highschool diploma he could only find a job at McDonald's fast food restaurant. Now he had signed up for the Enema's family program especially aimed towards helping people like Ted.
He had an appointment with a counselor. Ted walked into an old building that use to be an old factory but recently been renovated for charity work.
While walking into the building, Ted started to think back to all the times Nurse Lane had taken him to the gardens for some sunshine despise the fact that he couldn't move a muscle in his body. He wasn't sure why she did that until one day Nurse Lane came into his room, He remembers that day very clearly. He thought back and could remember the conversation they had:
"Hello, Ted." She saw Ted in his wheel chair.
"Hello, Lois. I wanted to thank you for taking me out."
"I'm glad I could help."
"How did you know that was what I wanted? I could barely speak."
"Oh, from the last time you were here, I noticed how you looked after a week from lack of sunlight. Since you don't eat much solid food, I figured that the sun is your food." Just before she left, "I almost forgot. The doctor's going to release you tomorrow and you’re coming home with me."
Ted was soon snapped back to reality by one of the workers there. "Can I help you?" One woman said to him before another man came and said.
"Hello, Ted. It's nice to have met you."
"Thanks."
"We've paired you up with an old couple that lives 20 miles due Northwest of here. They've recently retired from their old farm duties and leased that old farm out so here is the address and the directions. Do you need someone to show you there?"
"Do you have someone who knows them? It would be nice to be introduced. I can fly us there." But in truth, Clark was now a bit rusty in his flight.
"I know. The whole world knows that you can fly, Ted. Why don't you let her drive you there."
"Sure."
The volunteer introduces Ted to Judy, "Hi. My car is right around the corner. Do you have your bag with you?"
"Yes, just this one backpack."
"It looks heavy."
"Not for me."
****
A few minutes later, Judy and Ted met the Kent's and ate dinner together. But when Ted was alone with Martha and Jonathan Kent.
"This will be your room, Ted." Martha showed Ted a nicely build room with only the necessary furnished items in it like a small closet, a dresser and a desk.
****
Meanwhile as Ted was getting reaquainted with his new poster parents, by chance Jimmy had met a scientist by accident. Jimmy had did a little bit of research on the life of the alternate Lois and Clark to see what he can do to help Ted but he hadd accidently come across an article about ‘bad brain’. Jimmy was expecting his universe of the bad brain to be evil but as he had gotten to know him. He knew that he was not evil at all. So, he took a chance to show him the information that he had brought over from the alternate universe about Kryptonian psychiology.
“You do understand that you need to keep this a secret from the criminal elements, don’t you.”
“Yes, I do. I’ll try to help him as much as I can.”
********
Later back in the Kent’s home, Ted tried to sleep but having his own home again brought back unwanted memories of all those beatings and all those nights of being forced to consume those drugs. He dug his head under his pillow trying to forget. He was angry. Ted's super hearing kicked in. He could hear Martha Kent talking to Jonathan in a worried tone of voice in the downstairs’ kitchen. "You know Jonathan. I think Ted's been beaten many times as a child."
"How do you know? They never gave us a history of Ted's background. This is our third man we've been trying to help. How do you know that?"
"Jonathan, it's in his eyes. Did you see the way he keeps looking at his food? He didn't even touch a bite of it."
"Oh, Martha. He said that he doesn't need to eat. He is an alien."
"Jonathan, don't say that. That poor man is starving for love. I can tell. What he needs is a lot of TLC."
"Be careful Martha, don't push him into saying anything he doesn't want to. After all he is the strongest man on this planet."
"I know, even he used to be a child like every other boy."
*-*-
In the following weeks, Ted had decided to enroll in a nearby College to get his GED when Martha had offered to pay for the class. Martha Kent sat down at the desk as Ted was looking at his assessment test result. At this low of a grade, he knew he was far behind the others. Martha Kent just put one hand on Ted's arm and said, "It's okay Ted. I'll help you." Even when things got harder for Ted to go on being tormented by the memories, many times he felt like taking revenge on everyone for his trouble. But he stopped himself. Martha was there was there to listen, but Ted was not ready to admit the truth until the words finally sank in through all the anger he had felt. He then sat in bed trying to forget. Ted was almost in tears as he remembered what Martha said earlier in the week,
"Ted. If you're ever willing to talk about it, I'm here to help. You'll feel better once you let it out." when Martha did come in, "Ted. Are you okay?"
"Just thinking about my parents again."
"You wanted to talk about it."
"Its just that…" Ted went on from that point where his mother told him where they had found him to the point of being forced to consume those pills and also the way he had plotted to murder his parents, the ones that had found him. How hatred had dominated most of his life.
"It's not like I don't appreciate what you and Jonathan are doing for me but sometimes it brings back those memories."
"Oh, Ted. We're not like that at all. We won't use Kryptonite to make you obey. Besides, when the Charity organization gave us a pile of photos for the 'Adopt a Family' program, we chose you. You were like the son we always wished we had."
Martha proceeded to give Ted a big hug. This time Ted did not struggle and had no feelings of fear as his parents had tried many times to hold Ted still for the injections of Serum7. Ted was now finally savoring every moment of his first real hug. He finally felt that he had a home. And the hunger for love was finally being fulfilled.The End.
End note: Formerly named "Alternate 26"
