The Foundling - Matchmaker Style
Rated PG-13
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Previously
Clark was just coming back from making them each a cup of coffee when suddenly his phone rang.
Lois picked it up and said, “Daily Planet, Clark Kent’s phone.”
Denny asked, “Is Mr. Kent there?”
“I’m his wife. Can I help you?”
“I gotta talk to Mr. Kent.”
“Okay, he’ll be right here. Hold on.” She placed her hand over the mouthpiece and said, “Clark, it’s a kid.”
Clark brightened up, “Is it Jack?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
Setting down the coffee, Clark took the receiver and said, “This is Clark Kent.”
“Mr. Kent, this is Denny. They took Jack.” He started crying into the phone.
Clark was startled, “They took Jack? Who took him?”
“I don’t know. A couple of tough guys. Jack hit one of them. I think he hurt him because he got mad and hit Jack and I think he knocked him out.”
Lois could see Clark’s expressions and hear his side of the conversation and was becoming concerned.
Denny voice was shaking with fear as he continued, “They took Jack. I don't know who the men were.” He paused to catch his breath, “I’m afraid that they're gonna hurt him.”
Clark tried to calm him with his voice, “Where are you?”
Denny told him the location of the drug store.
“Okay. Look, Denny, I want you to go straight to the 12th Precinct police station and ask for Inspector Henderson. Got that? Inspector Henderson. My wife, the woman that answered the phone, will be there too. If she isn’t there when you arrive, tell Henderson I sent you. Don't worry about Jack. I'll find him.”
Clark hung up the phone and turned to Lois, “It looks like Luthor has grabbed Jack. I don’t know what Jack told him, but he probably wants to know exactly where Jack ‘found’ the globe. If Jack tells him that it was in our apartment it could tie us to Superman and I don’t think that Luthor will be put off as easily as Jack was by saying that we were holding it for a friend. I need to go look for him. I need to rescue him, before he tells Luthor about us.”
“I agree with you. You have to rescue him. Not only to protect the secret, but I don’t think that Luthor would let him live to testify against him.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I need you to go to the Twelfth and find Denny. Honey, I need you to take care of him. He’s thirteen or fourteen and he’s got no one, but his brother. He needs someone to look after him.”
Lois grabbed her jacket and started out, but she turned and said, “Okay, I’ll find him. Be careful out there. You know who we are dealing with.”
And Now
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 9
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As Lois was entering the elevator to go down to the parking garage, Clark was disappearing into the stairwell. Seconds later, Superman was crisscrossing the city searching for Jack. While he was searching for Jack, he also kept an eye on Lois and saw that she made it safely to the Twelfth Precinct. He hoped that she would find Denny.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The two goons had delivered Jack to Nigel at a location far removed from Luthor’s private museum and thanks to an injection he was still unconscious when the transfer was made.
Nigel had driven off and had taken a circuitous route back to the facility. Jack was still unconscious as Nigel lifted him out of the back of the car and carried him through the labyrinth into the facility.
Once inside, Jack was tied to a chair and blindfolded.
Nigel said, “I am somewhat concerned. He resisted and was struck. He has been unconscious ever since because of the tranquilizer. Such a severe blow could cause a concussion and even concussive amnesia.” Nigel opened a satchel and pulled out a blood pressure cuff and applied it to Jack’s arm. He performed the simple procedure of taking Jack’s blood pressure and pronounced it acceptable.
Luthor replied, “That would be a shame. I want to know where he acquired the device and he can’t do that if he has amnesia. At least he isn’t going to die on us, at least not immediately.”
“Did they send in his finger prints before they turned him over to you?”
“Yes, they were quite efficient.”
“What did they turn up?”
Nigel pulled out a sheet of paper and read, “Abandoned by his parents. Raised in a succession of foster homes and state institutions. Escaped from the last with his younger brother three months ago. Living on the street, supporting himself by acts of petty crime.”
With a sarcastic sigh, Luthor said, “A young life failed by the system.”
Nigel replied, “I’m afraid so.”
“No one will miss him.”
“Possibly his brother.”
“If Jack can tell us where he got this globe …”
Luthor was interrupted by the globe suddenly beginning to glow.
“… but that will have to wait. It’s showtime.” Luthor reached out and touched the globe. The globe emitted the beams of light that formed into the hologram.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Superman was above center city searching for Jack. He had been concentrating on Luthor’s facilities and coming up empty each time he had checked an office or building.
He stopped and hung motionless in the air, trying to decide if it would be best to continue the search or approach the police and report the kidnapping. Thinking about it he was beginning to think that would be the best course since Denny could testify to the assault and kidnap. His musings were interrupted almost as if he had received a physical blow. He started to hear the next message from the globe.
After a moment’s disorientation he pushed the message to the back of his mind and tried to zero in on the source.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In the Twelfth Precinct, Lois had just found Denny and was sitting with him in the visitor’s area. Bill Henderson had been called, but he was out of the office and they had been asked to wait.
Suddenly, Denny noticed that she went stiff and her eyes went unfocused. He didn’t know it, but she was listening to the message.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Luthor saw the same man and the helical spiral he had seen in the previous message and he was in the process of attaching it to another device. Something that looked like an oversized message pod like those used in pneumatic transport systems.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lois and Clark heard Jor-El speaking,
”We have installed the hyperlight drive and tested it an best we can. So much is unknown.”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As Luthor watched, the man stepped to the console and picked up a small device. He recognized it as the globe that he was touching.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
” Contained within the sphere is the navigational computer that will guide the ship through the maze of hyperspace, as well as this account of our final days.”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As Luthor watched, the man walked over and inserted the globe into a hemispherical depression on the capsule. When he did, the continents flowed and changed to those of the Earth.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Superman had been flying in slow circles trying to see where the signal from the globe was strongest. His circles became arcs which decreased in size as he moved in the direction indicated until he was able to follow an almost straight line. He used his super-vision to see where he was headed. His destination appeared to be in that area of the city that contained museums and shops. The area he had discounted because there were no Luthor holdings indicated.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The man walked over to the mist filled capsule, peered inside, then lifted it from the pedestal and carried it over to the larger capsule. The woman had opened a catch and lifted a lid. The man placed the smaller capsule inside.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
” All is in readiness. We have selected the ship's exact destination on Earth and programmed it into the computer.”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Because of the mist that enveloped the smaller capsule, Luthor was unable to see the contents – a boy infant swaddled in blankets.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
” Kal-El, our child. Under Earth's sun his Kryptonian cells will give him powers and abilities no Kryptonian has ever had.” There was a short pause, as if the speaker were gathering his thoughts, “He is the last son of Krypton.”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The scene in the hologram started to shake again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Superman was now nearing his destination. He used his x-ray vision to look below ground directly before him. He saw a lead lined bunker under the museum. He didn’t recall any such structures on any of the architectural drawings he had ever seen for this building which immediately made it suspect.
Scanning the area he decided that he didn’t have the time to waste so a brute force entry was required. To think is to do and he smashed into the ground.
When he did he encountered unanticipated resistance in the form of reinforced concrete construction. It would take some time to tear his way in, but he would do it with his bare hands.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The light faded and Luthor removed his hands from the globe.
Just then Jack started to stir in the chair he was bound to.
Luthor said, with satisfaction, “Ah, now for some answers …”
He was interrupted by an alarm sounding.
Nigel hurried to a panel and after checking it said, “Incoming.”
Luthor replied, “Activate defenses.”
Nigel threw a switch and immediately the sound of doors closing and steel plates sliding into place could be heard.
Above this noise could be heard a continuous crashing.
Nigel studied the panel. He reported, “Level one breached.”
Incredulous, Luthor replied, “It can’t be.”
Another crash was heard, louder, closer.
Nigel reported, “Level two.”
Luthor suddenly realized who he was facing, “It’s him.”
There was yet another crash, even louder and nearer.
Nigel said, “Level three.”
Luthor, near panic now said, “Emergency evacuation, on my count … now.”
In response, Nigel threw another switch. This time red lights began to flash and a timer panel began to count down from thirty. Jets of vapor began to spout into the room and a small metal door popped open looking very much like an escape hatch.
Nigel moved toward the arms of Venus, but Luthor stopped him, “No, leave it. Leave everything.”
Nigel nodded in Jack’s direction, “The boy?”
“Him too. There’s only one thing I want.” He stepped toward the pedestal that held the globe, but as he approached it was as if the globe sensed the approach of its rightful owner and floated up toward the ceiling as if to meet him and out of Luthor’s reach.
Nigel reported, “Level four, sir.”
Luthor was fixated on the globe. He jumped as high as he could and still couldn’t reach it
Realizing that he was running out of time, Luthor finally gave up and joined Nigel at the escape hatch. With one last backward look he ducked through the hatch and Nigel closed it behind them.
Just as the hatch closed there was a final crash and concrete and debris cascaded into the room from the ceiling followed by Superman, his uniform covered in concrete dust.
His attention was immediately drawn to the flashing lights and the countdown timer. Grabbing the lever that Nigel had used to activate it, he reversed the switch, but the timer continued its count. He used his x-ray vision to see the workings and saw a manual switch that would be triggered by the timer. When the timer read three seconds, he used a blast of his super-cold breath he froze the panel and the moisture in the air within the mechanism preventing the trigger from closing, buying some time. Then using his super-strong fingernails he pried the panel off of the front and reaching inside ripped out the wires to the detonator.
Stepping to the center of the room, he lifted his hand and the globe settled into it.
After placing the globe in the hidden pouch in his cape, he went over to check on Jack. He removed his blindfold and bonds then steadied him as he stood. “Who did this to you?”
“I … I don’t know. Denny and I were eating. These two guys came in. I got hit. That’s the last thing I remember.
“We’ll see that you’re taken care of.” Now that all of the excitement was past, Superman looked around, saw the exhibits and marveled at what they were.
He forced the vault door open and led Jack out through the labyrinth of corridors, forcing doors as he went, finally emerging in a sub-basement of the actual museum. Using his x-ray vision he found a secret entrance from a tunnel. He used his heat vision to weld the door closed and planned to follow it to its source later.
He led Jack upstairs. It was night so only the night watchman was on duty. Seeing Superman in the museum after hours made him curious, but not concerned until he saw his companion. He asked, “What’s goin’ on, Superman? Who’s that with you?”
Superman placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder and said, “This is a friend of mine. He just helped me recover some of my property. Can I use a phone? I have to call the police and the museum curator. I think they will be interested in what we have found.”
“Sure. Come with me.” The guard led them to an office and opened the door, “The phone’s on the desk there.”
“Thank you for your help.” Superman picked up the phone and dialed the number for the Twelfth Precinct.
“Twelfth Precinct, Sgt. Cooper.” When Sgt. Cooper heard the voice on the other end he sat up straighter in his chair and listened.
“Sgt. Cooper, this is Superman. I would like to request that Inspector Henderson meet me at the Museum. He should bring Lois Lane and the young boy that is there with her along with him.” He looked at Jack as he finished, “I think his brother would like to see him, to make sure he’s okay.”
The look of worry started to disappear from Jack’s face as he heard this.
“Sure thing, Superman. Ms. Lane and the boy are right here. I’ll let Inspector Henderson know right away.”
“Thank you Sgt. Cooper. I’ll look for them.”
Superman next called the museum curator and asked him to come in.
When everyone was gathered, Superman led them all down to the hidden museum. Once there, Superman said that he had to leave for another emergency, but that he would stop long enough to call Clark Kent and inform him as to his wife’s whereabouts.
Twenty minutes later, Clark showed up with Jimmy Olsen in tow. Jimmy started using his camera as soon as he stepped through the vault door, documenting everything.
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