House of Luthor - Matchmaker Style
Rated PG-13
*Word* is for emphasis
<"word"> is thoughts
/*word*/ audiotape playbackb
Previously
Lois interrupted her, "I was really counting on your help. You know Lex so well. It's for Lex, after all. I’ll make sure he knows that you helped pick it out."
"Well …"
The tone of her voice was softening and Lois could tell that playing to her vanity was working. "Could you come get me, please?"
"Oh, all right. For Lex. Where are you?"
"LNN. I'll meet you out front. Thanks, you're a life saver."
"Fifteen minutes," was all the reply that Mrs. Cox would give her.
"I'll look for you." As she hung up, Lois picked up her bag. She checked the contents. One of the things she had added was a telescoping wand. Fully extended it was eighteen inches long and could be used as an escrima. Lois didn't want to, but in a worst case scenario she would use it like a blackjack to knock Mrs. Cox out.
Lois was outside when Mrs. Cox rolled up in a limo and Lois climbed into the back seat. Lois said, "Thanks, Angelica, I really appreciate this. What was Lex doing when you left?"
"He was in a meeting. I left him a note. Where do you want to go?"
"That exclusive men's store over on Fifth."
Lois made small talk while Mrs. Cox drove. Lois's plan was to have Mrs. Cox off guard so when they arrived, after parking they went in. Lois had her help pick out a very expensive gift for Lex. When they left the store, Mrs. Cox made to take Lois back to LNN, but Lois asked, "Listen, instead of that, could you take me to Victoria's Secret? I'd like to get you something, to thank you for your help. Please?"
The idea of getting something from there was too enticing to pass up, so Mrs. Cox turned the limo in that direction.
As they were exiting the car, Lois hooked her arm and as she pulled her toward the store asked, "What can I get you, Angelica?"
"Oh, I don't know." She thought about Lex and what she could wear to entice him and finally replied, "Perhaps a teddy."
Lois had been in this store before and knew the layout. Lois picked out a red teddy, saying, “This would look spectacular with your coloring. You really need to try it on, to make sure it fits right.” She led Mrs. Cox to the fitting rooms at the back of the store.
As Mrs. Cox was changing, Lois watched under the drape. When she saw her skirt drop she made her move. Sweeping aside the curtain she swung her escrima catching Mrs. Cox just over the right ear. Mrs. Cox collapsed to the floor like a sack of meal. Quickly, Lois stuffed a hanky in her mouth and tied it in place with a bandana. She put another over her eyes and then secured her hands behind her with large cable ties. She pulled her skirt up and secured it and then bound her legs.
Peeking out she saw an empty corridor and grabbing Angelica under the arms dragged her out the back door. She dropped her in the alley and stood over her in case anyone should come by. She pulled out the cell phone again and called Bill Henderson.
Five minutes later, Bill showed up.
Mrs. Cox was just regaining consciousness and as she did she realized that she couldn’t see anything and that there was something in her mouth, preventing her from speaking. She next realized that her arms and legs were bound and she started struggling with her bonds.
All pretense of friendliness dropped from her voice as Lois nudged her with her toe and dropping the sickly sweet tones she had been using with her. In a commanding tone Lois said, "Don't bother. You're not getting away."
Mrs. Cox only struggled against her bonds that much more in reply and was still doing so as she was lifted into the back of a car.
Bill was there personally and Lois helped load Mrs. Cox into the back seat. She said, "Bill, the limo is out front. I'm sure it has a tracker installed, probably a listening device as well. You need to have them both disabled and then tow it away."
Bill pulled out a cell phone and gave the necessary directions. He said, "They should be on scene in five minutes."
Lois said, "I will be calling Luthor in about ten minutes. I would expect fireworks to start flying in fifteen."
Lois actually waited fifteen minutes to see that the limo was towed away before she made the call using her regular cell phone. When the phone was answered, in a somewhat frantic voice, Lois said, "Hello, Lex? Lex, something's wrong!"
In a placating tone, Lex said, "Calm down. It can't be that bad. Now tell me what happened."
"I really don't know. Angelica and I were doing some shopping -"
He interrupted her and said, "I know. I saw her note. How did this happen? I thought you didn't like her."
"I was just trying to be nice, you know, build bridges after all we're getting married and she's your personal assistant."
"I understand. Tell me what has you so upset."
"Well, you see the thing is, we were having a really nice time together. She helped me pick out your wedding gift. It’s really nice. I’m sure you’re going to love it. And then I was buying her a thank you present in Victoria's Secret and she said she had something to do. That she'd be right back."
"Well, how long ago was that?"
"Oh, I don't know, perhaps fifteen minutes."
"Give her some time. I'm sure she'll be back. You could wait for her at the car."
"That's the thing; the car's is missing too."
"What? Let me check something. I'll call you right back."
As the connection was broken Lois smiled. She knew just what he was doing, checking the tracking device in an attempt to locate Mrs. Cox and the car. The smile broadened as time went by and he didn't call back knowing that his level of frustration had to be climbing. She hoped it went right up through the roof. They had made Nigel disappear and now they had done the same thing to Mrs. Cox. Both of his chief lieutenants now appeared to have deserted him. This was exactly what they needed - keeping him off balance so that he didn't see what was going on around him.
And now
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 08
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When he hung up from Lois's call, Luthor went to his cabinet and turned on a tracker screen. Pushing a certain button he looked at a blank screen. "What the … where is it?" He reached for another switch which rewound a tape. When it was rewound, he started a playback. When he did he heard a pleasant conversation between Angelica and Lois. There was no hint of animosity, nothing that would indicate a problem. He checked the tracker again and still saw nothing. The vehicle had dropped off the grid. In a fit of temper he slammed the doors of the cabinet shut. Thinking better of it he reopened the cabinet and punched a button. In the center of the screen appeared a bed in an unadorned room. At each corner was the glint of metal. Luthor smiled in anticipation. Pushing another button, the monitor screen lit up to display the scene in the wine cellar with the cage and Superman apparently passed out on the floor. His mood changed to one of satisfaction and he shut the system down again. Now he was almost chortling with glee at the helplessness of his adversary.
He took a few seconds to get himself under control before he picked up the phone and dialed Lois's number. When she answered, he asked, "Lois, shall I send another car for you?"
"No, Lex, that's okay. I'm not that far from my sister's place. I think I'll just grab a cab over there. I was planning on spending the night before the wedding with her anyhow."
"That's right. The wedding is tomorrow." He was so distracted that he had forgotten for a second.
"I know. I'm looking forward to it." She was actually honest in saying this because that event would signal the end of this charade.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lois made it to Lucy's and as soon as she was in the door, Lucy, in a worried tone of voice, was asking her what was happening, "Was Clark supposed to be away? Is he dealing with an emergency somewhere?"
"No, Luce, he's not. We knew that this was a possibility. I think that Luthor has him. Now I just have to rescue him."
"What can I do to help?"
"Nothing right now, Sis. Thanks for asking. The best thing you can do is act naturally. I think you should be studying. Lex is going to be distracted for a while. He just lost his remaining lieutenant and he’s going to be looking for her. I need to take advantage of that distraction." She thought for a second, planning. Lois had left her Jeep at LNN when Mrs. Cox had picked her up so she turned to her sister and said, "I need your car, Luce."
"Sure, Lo." And digging into her bag, she handed Lois the keys.
Lois checked to make sure that she wasn't being followed as she got into Lucy's car and sped off. She had checked when Mrs. Cox had picked her up. Apparently, since it was a Luthor limo her shadow had dropped off. She had been able to stay a couple of steps ahead of them since then and she wanted to keep it that way.
She made it to the Brightview station without mishap and as soon as she came through the doors she was recognized. On the way over, she had decided that she had to get the information she was after and that she would do whatever she needed to in order to get it. It was time for the gloves to come off. She went up to Cooper and asked, "Where's Mrs. Cox?"
"Holding."
"Have her brought to interview one."
Cooper demurred, "I'll need to check with Henderson. After he dropped her off he had to go back to the Twelfth."
Lois turned the fury of Mad Dog Lane on Cooper and said, "Coop, we don't have time for that. Superman's
life is at stake. That woman knows where he is and she's going to tell me, one way or another. Have her moved to interview one …
NOW!"
Cooper quailed before her fury. Everyone knew that even though she wasn't part of the force, yet she was partly running the investigation along with Bill Henderson and that Bill had given her carte blanch, so he said, "Right away," and practically ran down the hall to comply.
Lois went to interview one and waited. Within a minute, the door opened and a handcuffed Mrs. Cox was ushered in. Everything had been happening very quickly. They had taken her personal effects, but they hadn’t had the time to completely process her so she was still dressed in her micro skirt and scoop-necked blouse. The matron that was with her made as if to stay, but Lois said, "You need to leave us alone, but before you go, I want you to handcuff her to that chair, wrists and ankles. Use four pair. One on each wrist and ankle."
The matron demurred, "That's not according to protocol."
In full Mad Dog Lane mode, Lois commanded, "None of this is. Just do it and then get out, now!"
The matron hesitated, but seeing the determination in Lois's eyes she did as she had been directed. She left the room briefly to retrieve the extra cuffs, but returned and complied with Lois's requirements then left, closing the door softly behind her.
Stepping over to the door, Lois locked it with a loud click and then turned to Mrs. Cox. She stepped over and tested each of the handcuffs, assuring herself of Mrs. Cox's inability to escape or even move more than a few inches. Deciding that she wasn't sufficiently restrained, Lois pulled out the heavy duty cable ties and secured her arms and ankles to the arms and legs of the chair eliminating any possible movement, even the few inches that the cuffs allowed.
As she was doing this, Mrs. Cox challenged, "What are you doing?
"I think that is fairly evident. I'm eliminating your ability to escape."
Not liking Lois answer, she sneered and said, "Why would I need to escape from you? You can't do anything to me."
Lois replied, "You think not."
Mrs. Cox challenged again, "What's going on? Why did you kidnap me? Why are you doing this?"
With a sardonic laugh, Lois replied, "Well, Angelica, you see, it's this way … you have not been kidnapped. You have been taken into custody as a material witness."
Mrs. Cox gasped, "Material witness? Against whom?"
"Lex."
"You must be joking."
With a stern look, Lois replied, "I've never been so serious in all of my life."
In a display of bravado, Mrs. Cox replied, "I'm not going to tell you anything, so you may as well just let me go."
Stepping back Lois said, "Well, Angelica, I don't think so, in fact it looks like it's just you ... and me in here." Lois moved over until she was standing directly in front of Mrs. Cox and leaned casually back against the table, assured that Angelica's hands were secured to the arms of the metal visitor's chair that she was sitting in. Lois smiled what could only be described as a feral grin and said, "Now,
Mrs. Cox, you are going to tell me what I want to know, and if you know what's good for you, you will tell me immediately and completely, but rest assured, you will tell me whether you want to or not. I'll ask nicely, this one time," there was a pregnant pause as Lois allowed Mrs. Cox to think about what she had said and then hit her with the critical question, "Where … is … Superman?"
Mrs. Cox gave the bindings on her wrist a jerk, testing their security before she got a sly look and replied, "What's it worth to you?"
Pushing herself erect, Lois picked up her bag and said, "Wrong answer. I didn't say that I would bargain with you. That's what we've been going through with Nigel, but I don't have the time to do that with you."
At the mention of Nigel St. John's name, Angelica gasped and hissed, "Nigel?"
Lois smiled that feral smile again and said, "Oh, yes. We have Nigel and he has been telling us plenty. Now, it's your turn. We have you and Lex thinks you have deserted him the same way Nigel did. Look, now that you know which way the wind is blowing, why don't you save both of us a lot of time, trouble and yourself some pain and tell me what I want to know?"
With utter contempt for anything that Lois could do to her, Mrs. Cox spit out, "Go to hell."
"I said I would ask nicely only once." She delved into her bag as she spoke; "Now I'm afraid, no actually,
I'm not afraid, but
you should be, because now, we have to do it ... the hard way." Lois glanced at the door meaningfully and said, "Now it looks like only one of us is going to walk out that door. The other will have to be carried." Throwing her words back at her, she said, "The one carried out will be in
her own personal hell."
Mrs. Cox strained against the bindings that bound her wrists and ankles, but was unable to do anything other than scrape her wrists. She watched as Lois reached into her bag. When she pulled it out Lois had a small leather pouch in her hand.
Lois opened the kit and displayed the instruments it contained. There were a variety of blades and thin wires with hooks of various sizes. Mrs. Cox recognized it as a lock pick kit. Starting to worry, she asked, "What are you going to do with that?"
Lois selected a slender needle with a crook at the end and pulled it out. As she twirled it in front of Mrs. Cox's eyes, rolling it between her thumb and forefinger, she said, "I saw in a movie one time how they performed a prefrontal lobotomy. They took a slender instrument, something like this and inserted it through the tear duct. That way they didn't have to cut away the skin and drill a burr hole in the skull. I won't say that it is a painless procedure. Once the instrument is inserted you just wiggle it around a little. All of the brain tissue gets, well, let's say that it is somewhat messy. Blood starts to come out of the eyes and nose, what doesn't build up in the skull that is. It's kinda like a stroke. Now, if you start to twitch, actually you wouldn't have any control over that, your body will twitch whether you want it to or not. Anyway the twitching causes the instrument to move around causing even more damage to the brain. We'll probably have to throw that chair away. I wouldn't want to clean it up. After you lose control of your bodily functions, if you know what I mean."
"You can't do this to me. I know my rights. I want my lawyer."
Lois placed her foot against the seat of the chair and pushed. The chair screeched as it slid along the floor and then slammed against the wall, jarring Mrs. Cox and slamming the back of her head against the wall. That and the feral smile that Lois continued to give Mrs. Cox threw fear into her. Her previous disdain for Lois Lane and what she was capable of went out the window as Mrs. Cox realized that all she had been seeing was a mask, an act and that she had been completely fooled.
What Lois was saying took on greater meaning when she said, "You seem to forget, Mrs. Cox, I'm not a cop.” Lois stood and slowly closed the distance between them, speaking as she approached, “I'm a civilian and I have a deep and abiding friendship with Superman. I know that Lex was behind the attempts on Clark's life. I also know that Lex has Superman because Lex has what you called Series K. I have another name for it, but that doesn't change the fact that I know he has it.
You know where Superman is and you are going to tell me, either willingly or while you have a slight chance to save yourself from becoming a vegetable, although I don't know just how long that will take. I am rather impatient to get the information and I may go too deep too fast and that would be a shame because then you wouldn't be able to tell me what I need to know. I'll have to try to restrain myself, but that will not be easy. You had better hope that you tell me while you have some cognitive ability left. Once it's gone, there's no getting it back and you'll live out your pathetic life in a wheelchair being fed through a tube and having spittle dribble from the corners of your mouth." A sudden thought occurred to Lois and she turned around as if looking for something. Turning back to Mrs. Cox she said, "Sorry, I seem to have forgotten the alcohol. I won't be able to sterilize my ‘instruments'. That could result in infection, but then I don't think you'll be able to press charges or even complain about it … if you survive, that is."
Lois held up her instrument and looked closely at it. "One last chance. Where's Superman?"
There was fear in her voice as she replied, "I can't tell you. Luthor'll kill me if I do."
"Who's to say that I won't kill you if you don't? Actually, by the time I'm through with you, you'll probably
wish you
were dead, if you are still capable of coherent thought, that is."
Mrs. Cox threw her head back against the wall and started screaming,
"Help! Police! Help me! Help! Murder! Police!"While she was shouting, Lois leaned back unconcernedly against the table once again in a very relaxed posture looking at her ‘instrument' as she continued to roll it between thumb and forefinger. After another ten seconds, when there was no response, not even the rattling of the doorknob, Mrs. Cox stopped, gasping for breath from a combination of lack of breath from the shouting and fear.
Lois said, "I told you, it's just you and me. They're not going to interfere. They know what the stakes are and they are giving me a free hand. Are you ready to talk?"
Mrs. Cox started to squirm in her chair, straining even more vigorously against the bonds that were holding her, but to no avail.
Lois pushed herself upright again and holding the lock pick at Mrs. Cox's eye level started moving in her direction. As she did, she said, "I tried. I really tried. Now you leave me no alternative." She paused for a second before she spoke again, "You're right handed, correct?"
There was terror in her eyes as she nodded.
Lois, in a deadly calm tone said, "I think I'll start on the left side then. That way the paralysis will be on the right. I'll be taking away your ability to do even something as mundane as brushing your teeth the way you normally would be able to. Most people don't realize that the signals are crossed. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa." Lois put her left hand on top of Mrs. Cox's head to steady it with a firm grip, pushing it back against the wall. She said, "Hold still. It shouldn't hurt … much."
Mrs. Cox was cringed back as Lois approached. Her eyes were dilated with fear and sweat started popping out on her forehead. The closer Lois came the farther she tried to retreat, but she was locked in the chair. As she moved closer Lois shifted the lock pick so that the point was foremost. Suddenly there was a pungent odor and glancing down, Lois could see liquid puddling on the seat of the chair. The lock pick was one inch from her eye when she started to babble, "Wine cellar. He's in the wine cellar. Lex's wine cellar. Lex had a steel cage made. Coated it with paint that had Series K mixed in it. It was above a false ceiling. He dropped it on him when he wasn't expecting it. That's all I know."
Without moving the ‘instrument' away, Lois commanded, "Tell me how to find the wine cellar."
Completely cowed, her eyes still focused on the probe, Mrs. Cox gave Lois the complete layout of the sub-basement where the wine cellar was located. She also explained the video surveillance setup and where the monitor was located.
When Lois felt that she had enough, she stood back and nodding, returned the lock pick to her kit. She said, "Thank you, Mrs. Cox. You've been most helpful. But you had better have told me the truth. If not, I'll be back and we will continue this conversation and I might not be so easy on you next time."
As Lois's hand was removed from her head, Mrs. Cox collapsed in the chair nearly unconscious from the strain and fear of the last few minutes.
Lois walked over to the door and unlocked it. When she opened the door a guard and the matron both entered. Seeing Mrs. Cox collapsed limply in the chair, the matron asked, "How is she? Did you have to hurt her?"
Lois snickered and said, "I never even laid a finger on her. She's all yours. Oh, she'll need to clean up and you might need to give her a change of clothes. One of those nice orange jumpsuits would probably be good. It will go well with her skin color almost as well as a red teddy." Lois said, letting Mrs. Cox know just how well she had been played.
Lois heard Mrs. Cox groan in reply.
Exiting, Lois returned to Lucy's apartment and waited for night to fall.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
At nightfall, Lois exited Lucy's apartment and headed out. She made sure that she wasn't being followed once again. Either she was getting better at it, or else Lex was really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it came to hirelings. Stopping two blocks from LexTower she parked. Like when she broke into the penthouse previously, Lois was in her snooping clothes with the pants legs rolled up under the skirt until she was in position. In any event, she was outside of entrance to the underground parking garage watching and waiting for her opportunity when Lex Luthor returned. She had just started across the street when she saw the car approaching and had quickly returned to her concealment. She saw him drive into the underground parking and wonder of wonders he was actually behind the wheel himself. She was able to see his features in the backwash of the lights and he looked drawn and haggard as if he was under a lot of strain. She decided that she would have to wait. She didn't have to wait long until she saw Lex as he drove out again. She smiled and said to herself, "With him just leaving, I should have enough time to do what I need to do."
Once he had entered the traffic flow and sped away she repeated the process she had followed previously. Now wearing a black turtleneck and pants and donning a black ski mask she snuck past the guard shack. This time she didn't draw the guard out by using the sling. After seeing how easy it was to leave the last time it would have been so much wasted effort. Crouching down she was able to slip past undetected.
Using Nigel's key card again, Lois summoned the elevator. After covering the lens she pushed the top button. Even though it was an express elevator, Lois railed at its perceived slowness as it seemed to crawl up the shaft until it finally stopped on the top floor. Exiting the elevator she entered his office.
Thanks to her ‘interview' with Mrs. Cox she knew exactly where she had to go. She moved to a corner of the office and pulled open the door on a cabinet. When she did several monitors and a video tape recorder were revealed.
When she turned on the monitor she gasped. There on the screen was a view of Clark, in his Superman uniform. He was collapsed on the floor in the very center of a cage which glowed with a sickly green color. She muttered, "Hang on, Clark. I'm coming for you."
She knew exactly what she had to do and put the plan into action. She first moved to Lex's apartment and grabbed a black jacket and pants. She rolled these up and stuffed them into her bag. Returning to the monitor she hit the stop button on the video recorder and then headed for the elevator.
This was the same elevator that Asabi had used when he had conducted her to Lex's bunker. She knew that her destination wasn't that far down, but it still gave her the creeps to think of her old apartment being reproduced down there by that madman. This time she didn't take it to the garage or the bunker, but to a sub-basement. When she exited the elevator she was confronted by bare concrete walls. Looking left and right she didn't see any cameras so she exited and moved to the door to the wine cellar.
It was locked so she pulled her lock picks out of her bag and went to work. In her haste she fumbled somewhat. She muttered to herself, "Settle down. The longer this takes is that much longer that Clark has to be in that cage, exposed to the Kryptonite. I hope this ploy works." She settled down and worked carefully. Within thirty seconds she had the door unlocked, had pushed it open cautiously and peered in. There was no one in sight except Superman, apparently unconscious in the cage.
Pushing the door almost closed behind her, Lois made her way down the steps into the wine cellar. As soon as her foot hit the concrete floor, she ran to the side of the cage. Just in case there were audio recordings being made, even though she didn't think so, she said, "Superman. Superman, can you hear me?"
Hearing her voice, he stirred slightly. As his head came up she could see his dust streaked face as his pain-filled eyes centered on her. He croaked out, "Lois," in virtually inaudible tones.
She was all business as she said, "I've come to get you out of this."
As she was reaching for her lock picks he said, "Key."
Surprised, she asked, "Where is it?"
Feebly, he pointed at a wine cask near the steps.
Turning she saw the key and quickly reached for it. She unlocked the cage and joined him, kneeling beside him and pulling him into an embrace. She was weeping with relief and showering him with kisses. After a few seconds of this she said, "Come on. I need to get you out of here."
Standing up and hooking her hands under his armpits she started to drag him out. As she did, she noted the tracks left in the dust which covered the floor and had an idea. While she dragged him, as they were passing through the door of the cage, he started to writhe in pain and it increased the closer they came to the bars. She realized then why he had been in the geometric center of the cage. At the center he was at the furthest point from the Kryptonite bars. She said, encouragingly, "Hold on. I'll have you out of this cage in a second." Once they were through the door of the cage he started to relax and the further away he was the more relaxed he became.
She dragged him to a far corner and propped him up against the wall. Looking around she spotted the implement that she needed to put her new plan into effect. Straddling him, she reached behind and put her hands under his cape. Finding the tab on the hidden zipper she started sliding it down.
Feebly he tried to shoo her away. He said, "We don't have time for that."
comments go here TBC
