...I Knew The Truth
Part 19
A pounding headache was the first thing Lois noticed when she came to. She groaned into a gag that was just loose enough to not be suffocating. Further assessing her current predicament, Lois found that she was strapped onto a chair with her hands tightly bound behind its backrest. Her legs were firmly secured to the chair as well, making it extremely difficult to move more than her fingers, face and toes. Another groan escaped her, thoroughly muffled by the gag.
Still dizzy with the remnants of chloroform, it took some effort for Lois to open her eyes to a dimly lit room. Slowly, her surroundings swam into focus. The floor and walls consisted of concrete, gray and depressing and deteriorating in several places. On the far wall were some blinking lights, which on second look belonged to a console. They added to the impression of a bunker. Next to the console were several TV screens, appearing almost anachronistic in their environment. They were showing the program of LNN and what looked like security camera footage.
"How nice of you to join us," a familiar voice said.
Luthor! Lois's heart skipped a beat. Though he was smiling in much the same manner as he had on their dates, there was nothing remotely charming about him now. The cold glint in his eyes sent chills down Lois spine. She closed her eyes, desperately fighting against the sudden panic that was taking hold of her.
Though Clark had told her about Luthor's real character, though she had listened in on his sinister plans the other night, it was something else to experience it firsthand.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I wasn't sure you would follow a less forceful invitation," Luthor said softly, still not losing the scary smile. It was unsettling to hear him so casually talk about a kidnapping, as if it was just a dinner party.
Lois' mind reeled as the full implications of her situation hit her. Luthor knew. Somehow he was a step ahead of them, turning their own trap against them before they had even managed to establish it. Lois had had the tape, which now either was in Luthor's hands or left on the backseat of the cab. Without it, how was Clark to convince Henderson? If he would actually work up the nerve to go to the Inspector, that was.
A curse escaped her lips, which the gag reduced to a strangled sound.
"I know this is a terribly one sided conversation, but unfortunately that can't be helped. You see, I need you to stay silent until I'm ready." Luthor went on. He looked at one of the screens, showing footage from a camera on top of a roof.
Lois followed his gaze and watched a black guy who was standing dangerously close to the edge of the building. He was looking down, balancing on the ledge, teetering on his toes and giving the people that surrounded him quite a scare. Lois could see the nervous expression of the man trying to talk the jumper down. He carefully tried to approach the jumper, stepping back and forth according to his progress or lack thereof. Then, Superman landed on the roof, taking the jumpers arm, causing a sudden change in his whole demeanor. He stepped down instantly, as if he had just been waiting for the hero to arrive, which was likely the case. A little confused, Lois wondered if the footage could be live. She had no idea how much time had passed since she had been captured, but she suspected that these events had taken place some time ago. She was proven right when the video started to replay.
"I started to conduct a series of tests on Metropolis' new superhero," Luthor explained and pushed a button, starting another video on the same screen. It showed a front of windows that probably belonged to a sky scraper. A figure fell down only to be caught in mid-air by another figure clad in blue and red.
"He's faster than a speeding bullet," Luthor commented, pointing at a counter that had been stopped by an impressively tiny split of a second.
Lois let out a grunt.
"But where are my manners?" Luthor said, making it sound as if he was answering a question. "Did I really forget to mention how you fit into the picture?" He flashed her a smug smile. "This might come as a surprise, but you know Superman a lot better than you think. Better than anyone else I might say, except maybe for me and his parents, of course. He is in fact..." he paused, as if leaving time for some imaginary drumroll. "your partner Clark Kent." Falling silent again, he gave her a moment to let that sink in.
Lois dutifully raised her brows, trying to give her face an expression of shock, which was difficult with the gag still in place.
Luthor seemed to be satisfied, though. He nodded knowingly, the smile still not leaving his face. “I, too, had trouble believing it at first. Well, you were asking how we came to know each other. I told you that he saved my life. Years ago, I was lured into a trap, built upon my foolish love for fast cars and dangerous races. I was forced to stop right in the middle of nowhere. My attackers first shot and then mugged me. Thanks to Clark I had a chance to learn from my mistakes. He found me. While I was in the car, I suddenly had the weirdest experience - I was flying. At first, I thought I had probably been hallucinating; after all I had a gunshot wound. Thankfully, I decided to stick around and find out if there was more to Clark than met the eye. Imagine my delight, when a mutual friend turned to me and told me everything about Clark. And what I learned was better than even my wildest dreams had suggested," Luthor paused, giving Lois time to process the information.
She sucked in a breath, grateful that Luthor did not know the real reason for her surprise. It was unnerving to hear how Clark's assumptions about Luthor had been spot on.
"I tried to put his powers to the test, but unfortunately I couldn't prove that they really existed." Luthor continued. "For years, I kept an eye on Clark, tried to reestablish the connection that had unfortunately been severed when I ordered the death of his girlfriend." As he said those words without even a hint of remorse it became obvious that Luthor had no respect for life. Lois found it difficult to reconcile this cold man with the charming one she had dated a couple of days ago. "But it wasn't until the appearance of Superman that my suspicions about him were confirmed. You, my dear Lois, are going to help me uncover the whole truth. Don't you think that's just the right task for a formidable investigative journalist like yourself?"
Once more he turned towards the console and pushed a few buttons. LNN News appeared back on the screen as did the front of a building. A door was opened to Lois left and Luthor's Indian manservant stepped into the room.
"Asabi, right on time," Luthor said contentedly.
Asabi just nodded and joined Luthor at the console. With another button Luthor increased the volume of the TV.
* * *
"...and now back to the scene," a serious looking anchorman for LNN News said. "Linda Montoya is in front of the Carlin Building. Linda, what can you tell us?"
The picture changed to a young woman, who was standing in front of a building. A yellow and black tape reading "Do not cross" was right next to her. Flashing lights announced the presence of emergency vehicles.
The reporter began to speak. “If you've just joined us, the original report of a bomb planted in the lobby of the Carlin Building has now been confirmed. Currently, the Bomb Squad is awaiting the arrival of what they term a 'containment blister' as well as a team of deactivation specialists. Once the blister is in place, they'll attempt to neutralize the threat. Meanwhile, the building has been evacuated and we're being told to move back. So, for now, this is Linda Montoya...”
Her voice trailed off as more and more voices started to shout and cheer, causing an ever growing uproar. Then, the reporter cupped her ear, listening for a moment.
"He's here!" she then announced excitedly. "Superman is here and may be about to enter the building." She lowered her voice, addressing her crew. "Can we get a shot of that?"
The camera turned towards the building, zooming in on the stairs. A moment later, Superman dropped out of the sky and landed on the steps. He swiftly climbed the rest of them and went into the building.
"Now, as a first step, we need to assess if Superman really is invulnerable," Luthor explained and took a small case that Asabi handed him. "You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?"
He grinned at Lois and pushed a button. The effect was instant. An explosion rocked the Carlin Building. Smoke and debris erupted through the door and the windows taking shreds of glass with them. The camera shook and fell down, the footage shifting in a ninety degree angle.
Luthor pushed another button, activating his own surveillance camera. The Carlin Building was seriously damaged. Smoke still rose from the door and windows, slowly clouding the view. There was no sign of Superman.
Lois' breath caught, her mind reeling. Had something happened to Clark? Wasn't he invulnerable after all? Or was there a limit to his powers he simply hadn't known about, because naturally you did not run into bombings just to find out? Could this be part of his plan, if he even had one that was? The seconds dragged on agonizingly slowly and fear for Clark took hold of Lois. Her throat tightened as she could not help but wonder if she had actually lost him. Maybe, he would just seize the opportunity to disappear, feigning his death to be free of Luthor. With Clark, there really was no telling. Lois closed her eyes, desperately trying to keep any tears at bay. She could not cry and give away that she, too, knew Superman's real identity. Not as long as there was hope to bring Luthor down and convince him that Clark and Superman were two different people. And she could not quite bring herself to showing so openly how much she cared.
After what seemed like an eternity, Superman stepped out of the building. He stood tall and solid as a rock. His cape hung in shreds, but otherwise he looked fine. His gaze wandered around, taking in the destruction the bomb had left. The street was covered in gray dust that swallowed up any colors. People were running around, some of them injured and others trying to help. Even the footage managed to convey the fear and confusion of the victims. It had to be so much worse at the scene.
Superman's jaw was tightly set. Anger radiated from his eyes, but that was the only indication he gave of what was going on inside him. Lois was not sure, if it would even be visible to anyone but her and Clark's parents.
"Very well," Luthor seemed strangely content. "I think we can safely say that Superman is invulnerable." He smiled viciously; completely unfazed by the havoc he had wrecked just to prove a point. Lois found it hard to believe that someone so charming and cultivated could also be so cruel. But Luthor was the living proof. "Now, we only need to establish if Clark Kent is, too. He managed to fool me once, but that is not going to happen again. And you, Lois, are the bait that is going to lure him to me." Luthor chuckled. "Don't you think it's ironic how the women Clark loves always end up at my mercy?"
This time Lois did not have to fake her surprise. Luthor thought that Clark loved her? How little he knew! They were barely even friends. Clark tolerated her, because he had to. Due to adverse conditions, she had learned his secret. He had entrusted his future in her investigative skills. But instead of helping him, she had let herself get caught by Luthor. If by some miracle he managed to undo the damage she had done, he would never want to see her again.
His demonstration finished, Luthor left Lois to her thoughts. He walked out of the room without another snide remark. Asabi followed in his wake and closed the door behind him. Lois even heard a key turning in the lock, as if her bindings were not enough to ensure that she remained where she was.
Lois found herself alone in the room. She tried the ropes, seeing if they would give if she struggled against them. If anything, they became even tighter. Lois let out a sigh, which was almost impossible through the gag.
Closing her eyes, she could not help but relive the events of the day, so far. She should have insisted on going with Clark, she should have called for his help when that had still been possible. They should have contacted Henderson first thing in the morning... She could go on and on like this. Only, that did not help in the least.
Lois could only hope that Clark would find the courage to go to Henderson. He did not have the tape - that was probably still lying on the backseat of the cab. All things considered, their trap had been turned on them. On the plus side, nothing Luthor had said indicated that he knew Lois and Clark had been overhearing his plans. So, maybe, just maybe their plan could still work, if... There were a lot of ifs that came to mind.
Lois cringed inwardly. She should be out there with Clark, instead of being strapped to this chair.
Lois let out a breath. She was alone in the room and it was long past time that she did something about her situation. Crying for Superman was impossible as long as she was still gagged. She couldn't loosen the ropes, so she needed something to help her cut them.
Lois tried moving the chair. With some effort she managed to hop it a few inches to her right. Looking down, she studied her bindings. She would be able to get rid of them once her hands were free
Okay, now she had a plan. Lois examined the room, turning the chair slightly so that she could look all around.
Her first impression that she was in a bunker was obviously accurate. There had always been rumors about private bunkers belonging to the richest part of the upper class. Most of them had probably been built during the cold war. This seemed to be one of these bunkers, by the looks of it built in the sixties - perhaps after the Cuba crisis. The concrete had become damaged in some places and after a while Lois could even spot a small section where the steel lay bare. It was a long shot, but frankly the only chance she had to free herself.
Setting her jaw in determination, Lois started to move the chair in that direction, hopping one inch at a time. The legs screeched across the floor, resounding in her ears like strikes of thunder. Startled, Lois interrupted her efforts, expecting Luthor or one of his goons to return any moment. Nothing happened.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Lois went back to her task, trying her best to be as quiet as possible. Still, she made a lot of noise.
It took her ages to move the chair towards the steel bar. Finding the right angle to try breaking the ropes seemed to take just as long. Lois was drenched in sweat as she began rubbing the rope against the steel bar. She felt the rope cut into her wrists and getting hot, but otherwise Lois had no idea if she made any progress. Since her hands were tied behind the back of the chair, she could not check what she had achieved so far. Lois' shoulders ached with every move.
When she could not take it anymore, she paused, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. This was not how she had pictured her day. Lois had wanted to gloat in front of Henderson, presenting to him the city's worst criminal who had committed his evil deeds right under the nose of Metropolis' finest. She had been so enthusiastic that she and Clark had finally found a way to bring Luthor down. Why hadn't she insisted on seeing Henderson first thing in the morning? He would have believed them as soon as the two jumpers had showed up.
Lois wondered what Clark was doing now. Was he already searching for her, or was he so busy being Superman that he had not yet noticed her absence?
Gritting her teeth, Lois resumed her efforts to get rid of the ropes. Luthor would be back soon and start doing whatever was the next step in his plan. She needed to be able to warn Clark before then. If only she knew what Luthor was actually planning. He would try to test Clark’s invulnerability, that much was certain. But how?
As Lois shoulders tired once more, her mind drifted back to what Luthor had said about Clark. Could her partner really be in love with her? Lois didn't think he was. Lana had made sure that he would not give his heart easily.
And what about her feelings for him? She had not really allowed herself to think about that particular issue. But now that her shoulders cried out with each motion, she was glad about the distraction. Did she love him? Love was perhaps too strong a word. Lois certainly liked Clark. He was kind and considerate and strong in a way that had nothing to do with his special powers. He could have found himself a hole to hide in; he could have killed Luthor in a moment. Yet, he hadn't chosen the easy way. Lois remembered how much she had missed Clark, when he had run off after she had learned his secret. Truth be told, she already missed him again and not just because he would have her out of here in a second.
Clark was so easy to talk to, once he had let her through the shell he had erected around himself. They had just gotten to know each other and she already felt that there was so much more to him than he had allowed her to see. He was a good reporter, too, and he respected Lois. That was a rare thing. So far, the men in Lois life had either been condescending or scared of her.
She had known Clark for some weeks, yet Lois already dreaded the moment he would leave Metropolis behind the way he had left so many other places.
The Daily Planet was a better place with him there. Honestly, she didn't know if she loved Clark. He had quickly become a great friend and she desperately hoped he would stick around until she found out if he could be more. He could be worth risking her heart for.
Lois focused her attention back on the rope, rubbing it up and down against the steel. She thought that the bindings felt less tight, but that could very well just be wishful thinking. However, she would not give up so soon.
Luthor had left the TV on. LNN was repeating the local news, showing Superman as he caught a woman in mid-air. The sound was once again mute, so Lois had nothing but the pictures and the Chiron to get information. Another report on the bombing of the Carlin Building followed. Apparently, there had been several victims with minor injuries, but no fatalities. Only two people had been brought to the hospital, but neither of them was in critical condition.
The news switched to another topic, announcing that a body had been found in Hobb's Bay. The police had so far been unable to identify the victim. It was a man, probably in his late fifties, who had supposedly committed suicide. A connection to the clubs around Riverside was likely.
Lois grunted into her gag. This was a perfect day to report the news as it happened. But instead of winning herself a Pulitzer, she sat here strapped to this stupid chair.
The rope suddenly gave way. Sending a quick thanks to Heaven, Lois shook off the ties and rubbed her now free wrists to restore the circulation and get some feeling back into her hands. Allowing herself a small smile, Lois lifted her arms to untie the gag and get rid of the remaining ropes.
Wiping the sweat from her brows, Lois drew in a deep breath. It felt good to be free again, but also kind of unexpected. Her first impulse was to yell for Superman and again she wondered why she had not thought of this option back in the cab. But on second thought, she closed her mouth again. If Luthor heard her, he would come running. Maybe, that was what he had been waiting for all along. But wouldn't he have left her without a gag if he had?
The point was that Luthor wanted to prove that Clark was Superman. While Lois had already known as much, she still had no idea what kind of trap Luthor had set up. However, what she did know was that it somehow involved Clark coming here. So, the best she could probably do to save him was to escape on her own.
Taking another deep breath to calm herself, Lois headed for the door. Since there was no window, it was the only way out. She examined the lock, finding that it would be relatively easy to pick, if she found something she could use as a tool. Pressing her ear to the door, Lois listened to what was going on the other side. It was silent, save for the sound of steps in the distance. But gradually, the sound increased as whoever was outside approached.
Lois hastily looked around, but other than the chair found nothing she could use as a weapon. Deciding it was worth a try, she rushed back. The chair was heavy, though. She barely managed to lift it above her head. Before she had a chance to think of something else, a key turned in the lock and Asabi entered the room.
Within a moment, he had spotted Lois standing there with the chair in her hands she should have been tied to. He did not raise a brow, he just closed the door behind him.
"Put down the chair," Asabi said simply. It didn't sound like a threat, not even like an order. The Indian did not seem all that intimidating, either. Lois felt pretty ridiculous all of a sudden. Wondering if he might be hypnotizing her, Lois remained where she was. Her arms became heavy, making any attempt to attack someone with the chair almost impossible. Asabi did not move. Still, Lois knew that she would never make it to the servant and take him out with the chair. That might have worked if the element of surprise had been on her side.
Reluctantly, she set the chair down. Assuming one of her tae-kwan-do stances, she slowly approached Asabi. His eyes followed her every move, his features however were carefully schooled. Not even a twitch of a brow gave away what he was thinking. Lois knew that she had no choice but to take the bull by the horns. It was either that or giving up, and she was not the type to just throw in the towel. Her stomach did a nervous somersault as she closed in on Asabi, preparing to land the first blow. She drew in a ragged breath, her gaze briefly flickering towards the door. Luthor was nowhere in sight. A battle one on one was doable, Lois encouraged herself silently. Then, she launched her first attack.
Asabi ducked away or blocked each of her strikes effortlessly, appearing so calm and composed that it was absolutely infuriating. But hard as Lois might try, she could not land a single blow. Lois felt herself tire due to her fruitless efforts. She never saw Asabi's hand coming, just felt it brush against her neck and then suddenly everything went dark.
to be concluded
