Superman and The Shadow Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 0.5 3/26
Rated PG-13
/ “text”/ indicates telepathic communication
*text* indicates bold
<text> indicates thoughts
{text} indicates over the telephone
Universal Locator designation Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Prime
Universal Locator designation Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Alt 25 Shadow
Preeviously
Lois wondered briefly just how much she should reveal and decided that if she wanted to return home she would need his help. The Clark in that other alternate universe had Clark’s powers, maybe this one did too. He was so much like her Clark she felt that she could trust this man. “If I tried to describe him, you wouldn’t believe it. My fiancé is kinda special. He has these … abilities. He uses them to help people and fight crime.”
A slow smile appeared on Lamont Cranston’s face. Then he asked, “Does he use a secret identity?”
“Well, yeah, how’d you know?”
“Well, you see, I know because I too have certain ... abilities ... that I use to help people and fight crime.”
This appeared to confirm Lois’s supposition. She rolled her eyes and said, “Figures.”
Lamont started to laugh. It was a rather sinister laugh that sent chills up Lois’s spine. He asked, “Why do you say that?”
“According to Herb, that’s Herb Wells, there are Lois and Clark or in this case, Margot and Lamont, couples in each universe. Somehow we are focal points in each universe’s development. I’ve met another Clark. Unfortunately, he had lost his Lois. Even though he has all of my Clark’s powers, he hasn’t been able to find her.”
“What does he call himself?”
“I was the one that named his super persona. I dubbed him ‘Superman’. What name do you use?”
“Criminals call me ‘The Shadow.’ Why Superman?”
“It’s because of all that he can do.”
“Which is?”
“Well, he’s faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive and can leap tall buildings in a single bound, or so they say. Actually he can fly under his own power and fast … he’s so fast all you see is a blur. Strong … he picked up and lifted a space ship into orbit. He can see through solid objects and start fires with beams from his eyes. Oh, and he used his super-cold breath to chill the wine several times.”
In a musing tone, he responded, “He sounds like a physical marvel. You mentioned the Empire State Building a bit ago. There is a physical marvel here in the city. He makes his headquarters on the eighty-sixth floor of that building. His name is Doc. Savage. He has a team of associates that go with him on his adventures. Each is a specialist in his field. He has an Archeologist/Geologist, William Harper ‘Johnny’ Littlejohn, an Engineer, Colonel John ‘Renny’ Renwick, a Chemist, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Blodgett ‘Monk’ Mayfair, an electrical genius, Colonel Thomas J. ‘Long Tom’ Roberts, and a lawyer, Brigadier General Theodore Marley ‘Ham’ Brooks.”
Lamont continued, “Doc himself was trained from babyhood, using scientific techniques to be stronger and faster than a normal man, able to see in the dark, climb with great agility and many other fantastic things. He has this vest with myriad pockets. Each one contains devices that range from glass walled anesthetic balls to super-magnifying glasses. His associates use super-machine pistols that shoot anesthetic bullets.”
Lois was amazed. She had never heard of anyone like that. “It almost sounds like a military organization, all those officers, and high ranking to boot!”
“They all became friends during the Great War.” He paused for a second; thinking of what she had said, before asking, “Space ship? What year do you come from that you have spaceships? We only have them in science fiction. Are they that common in your time?”
“It was 1995 when I got up this morning and no, they are not that common. What year is it here?”
“It is 1937.”
Lois nodded her head and said, “I was right then. I heard a newsboy shouting a headline about Japan invading China. You are right on the cusp of World War II. In a couple of years, Adolph Hitler will start his world domination campaign.”
Lamont nodded, “I have been afraid of that. Hitler has been Chancellor of Germany since the death of Hindenburg in August of 1934. He has been doing a lot of things that make me believe that he is preparing for war even though the treaty of Versailles prohibited Germany from creating an army, navy or air force. I’ve been following the newspapers. Anyone with
eyes can see that there is trouble coming.”
Lamont shook his head in doubt. “Roosevelt says he will try to keep us out of the fight. He is supposed to give a speech in a few days. I have sources that have gotten some of the content. He’s going to be calling for an international quarantine against the epidemic of world lawlessness. Read for that Hitler’s aggressions against his neighbors."
Continuing, Lamont said, "Hitler’s agents have been stirring up trouble in areas, like the Rhineland, bordering on Germany. My thought is that they will ‘ask’ for help from Germany which will give Hitler an excuse to act."
"Roosevelt’s speech will actually be opposed to the current political climate which is all for neutrality. He thinks that we can use economic pressure to cause him to stop.”
Lois replied with certainty, “He will fail. Japan and Italy will ally with Germany in the Axis.
German U-Boats will sink a couple of American Destroyers on convoy duty, but the people won’t start calling for blood until December 7, 1941. That will be when, in an
unprovoked surprise attack,
Japan will
bomb Pearl Harbor. A couple of hours after the attack the declaration of war will be delivered to Cordell Hull by the Japanese ambassador. It was supposed to be delivered earlier. They had difficulty decoding and transcribing it, but that’s no excuse.
That is what will bring the U.S. into the war. It will be a war on two fronts, Europe, which will spill over into North Africa, and the Pacific.”
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 3 –
New York 1937
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Shadow
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Lamont shook his head at this revelation and said, “Another world war. I suppose it is inevitable. Ah, well, in the meantime there are still crimes to prevent and people to help.” He stopped himself and rhetorically asked, “Where are my manners, would you like a seat?” He guided her over to a chair and then sat across from her. “Would you like that cup of coffee now?”
She nodded and arising, he crossed to the side table and prepared two coffees, “Sugar and cream?”
“I don’t suppose you have any artificial sweetener, do you?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Sugar then, two spoons.”
He fixed her coffee and then set it on a table beside her chair.
She sipped it gratefully as he continued to speak.
“Your fiancée, Clark, I could wish that there was someone like him here. I guess that Doc. Savage is the closest we can come. What must it be like to have those powers?”
“I can tell you, it’s incredible. Recently his powers were transferred to me for a short time. The things he can do are almost beyond comprehension. There was a car wreck and I was able to pull the door completely off the car so that emergency personnel could get an injured woman out of the wreck.”
He whistled in amazement and asked, “How did he acquire these miraculous powers? Was he the subject of a secret government experiment or the product of scientifically designed training like Doc. Savage? Perhaps, a scientist experimenting on himself? You say that you have spaceships, did he fly off in one and become exposed to unknown quantities of radiation?”
“Actually, he was born with them, but he wasn’t born on Earth. His parents sent him to Earth when their planet, Krypton, was destroying itself. Krypton was a massive planet circling a red sun. Under Earth’s lighter gravity and yellow sun he has his powers. Saving him was their last act of love. They didn’t have time to build a larger craft to save themselves so they converted an experimental ship into a life pod to save their son. When he arrived here, he was a special gift to a lovely childless couple in Kansas and then he became my special gift.” She finished in a wistful tone. Coming back from where the thoughts had taken her, she asked, “The Shadow, what is that supposed to mean?”
As he began to speak he arose and moved across the room. As he did he started removing his dressing gown and stepped to a closet. As he removed the dressing gown, Lois noticed a ring that he wore. It was a magnificent ring that seemed to glow from within with a mystic/hypnotic light. It was the largest girasol opal she had ever seen. The light from within seemed to be aimed at her no matter what position his hand was in.
Opening the door of the closet partially obscured him, but he continued to speak, “Miss Lane, I have spent many years in the near and far east studying the forgotten sciences of the mind under mystics and holy men. After years of study, I am able to use my mind to influence people.” As he pulled off the dressing gown, she saw a harness of some sort across his shoulders.
Lois saw him reach into the closet and pull out a black slouch hat and put it on. “The weaker the will, such as you find in the majority of the criminal elements, the greater the influence.”
Lois saw him grab a cloak the outside of which was a rich profound black with a scarlet lining. Lois couldn’t help thinking that it was the same color as Superman’s cape.
He stepped past the door as he put on the cloak. She saw it swish around as he threw it around his shoulders.
“I am able to prevent people from seeing me as I blend into the … shadows.”
He stopped speaking and Lois’s curiosity was piqued. She stood and approached the closet. She moved into a position where she could look into the closet.
She was astonished when she saw nothing there other than the dressing gown hanging on a hanger. She was sure she had seen him there just seconds prior She stepped forward and started sweeping the space with her hands only to find empty air.
Suddenly his voice was behind her, “As you can see. There is nothing there, simply a … shadow.”
She whirled around and still saw
nothing.
The voice appeared to emanate from the very air in front of her. “By preventing evil doers from seeing me I can spy on them and disrupt their plans.”
Suddenly, as if by magic, the girasol appeared, then his outline shimmered into existence and he quickly solidified.
She muttered, “That’s one power Clark doesn’t have.”
As he finished materializing, he lifted the sides of his cloak to disclose twin shoulder holsters, each holding an M1911, government model .45 cal automatic. Nodding to herself she realized that that was the harness she had seen. “There are times when invisibility is not enough. Occasionally, I have to resort to fighting my way to freedom and it is best to be prepared. What about Clark?”
“Sometimes I wish he had some means of defense. He is invulnerable to everything except this radioactive greed rock called Kryptonite. That stuff takes away his powers and can make him weak as a kitten. Generally, he doesn’t need a weapon. When you aren’t being The Shadow, what do you do?”
With a laugh, he replied, “Most people think I’m a rich nare do well. Sometimes I play at being an amateur detective. Actually, I do that so that I can get information from the police on cases. What do you and Clark do?”
“Clark Kent and I are investigative reporters for the Planet. We are reporting partners.”
As she spoke Clark’s name, Lamont had gasped. He challenged, “Did you say Kent?”
“Yes, Clark Kent.”
“Even my closest associates do not know
this secret, so please do not divulge it to anyone.”
“I’m pretty good at keeping secrets.”
“The person you see before you, Lamont Cranston is yet another ‘secret identity’ that I use. My real name is Kent, Kent Allard. Before I became The Shadow, I was a military man, an aviator, a spy and an adventurer. Odd … the name similarity.”
“Clark was his mother’s maiden name. She married Jonathan Kent.”
Again, he was startled. “I was named after my grandfather’s line on my mother’s side, Jonathan Kent.”
There was wonder in her tone as she said, “So, you are a Kent too. There’s more to it than that, as I already said, you look like my Clark Kent.”
“My word, and we both fight crime. But enough about him, what about you. So, you also are an investigator?”
“Yes, we work for a world renowned newspaper,
The Daily Planet. We investigate crime and corruption and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“Miss Lane, it would appear as though we have the same motivations. My girlfriend, Margot Lane, and I also investigate crimes and corruption and bring the perpetrators to justice. If at all possible we prevent crimes from even happening.”
Suddenly the phone rang. To Lois’s ear it sounded odd … old fashioned, a bell. With a whisper of cloth, Lamont moved to the side and picked up the phone. It looked a lot like a tall candlestick with a large ball and a funnel attached to the top while the base had a dial attached. The earpiece was hanging in a hook on the side. Lamont picked the device up, lifted the earpiece from the hook and held it close to his ear. He listened for a second, heard, {Burbank.} and then, speaking into the funnel, he said, “Report.”
He listened some more and then in a hushed tone said, “Orders. Call Harry Vincent. Have him find a room overlooking the entrance to the rooming house. He is to watch who enters and leaves. He is looking for the tall stranger with brown hair, possibly a beard. His clothing may be somewhat out of step with the time, odd. That is all.” He hung up the phone.
As he turned, Lois asked, “Who was that on the phone? Who’s Harry Vincent?”
“That was Burbank. He handles my communications. Harry is one of my agents. Shrevvy is another one. They all help with information gathering.”
“Wow, so like Doc. Savage, you have a team. Clark has always had to act alone, until now that is. Now I help him, mostly by covering for him, to protect the secret. There are times I wish I could do more, but without powers similar to his, what could I do?”
“I’m sure that you do all that you can to help. Speaking of which, perhaps, if you were willing, since Margot is away, you could help me. A few months ago there was a trial. At the conclusion of the trial a man was convicted of murder and sentenced to be executed…”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Bailiff announced, “Hear yee, hear yee, hear yee, the court will now come to order. The honorable judge Theodore Hanks presiding. All rise.”
Everyone in the courtroom rose as the judge entered from a door behind and to the side of the bench. When he sat down behind the bench everyone else sat.
Immediately there was a hub-bub from the audience.
The judge pounded his gavel several times and said, “The court will come to order. The court will come to order. Bailiff.”
The Bailiff announced, “The prisoner will stand.”
The prisoner stood up, standing next to his lawyer.
The Bailiff read, “Carlton Powers, you have been found guilty of willful and deliberate murder after a fair and impartial trial.”
The judge addressed the defendant and said, “Have you anything to say before sentence is passed upon you?”
Sneeringly, the prisoner replied, "Yes, Yes I do! You think that you’ve got me. But before you pass sentence on me, I’m gonna pass sentence on you. You judge Hanks,” he looked around and addressed the D.A., “And you D. A. Jeffers and the twelve good and true saps on the jury, finishing with the foreman. The jury that found me guilty.”
The judge started banging his gavel and shouting, “Order in the court! Order in the court!”
“That’ll do, Carlton Powers. Do you have anything to say in your own behalf?”
“This is in my own behalf and you’d better listen, all o ya. Ya think you’re gonna execute me, you ol’ fool. Well, when I’m on my way to the death house … to the chair I’ll get ya. I’m warnin’ you, for every day I sit in the death house, one o’ you will be killed, startin’ with you Mr. D. A. And if the governor doesn’t commute my sentence to life,
he will die. And maybe one more. The only man that could ever catch me … The Shadow. If I can’t do it while I’m alive then I’ll do it after I’m dead.”
The judge rapped his gavel and said, “That’ll be enough out of you. Your threats will be of no avail because it is the sentence of this court that when you leave here, you will be taken directly to the prison. After the stipulated period you will be executed in the manner prescribed by the law and may God have mercy on your soul.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“Margot and I were there for obvious reasons. As the court was clearing we overheard random bits of conversation. They went something like this:
‘It’s a sheer bluff, I tell you. How could he kill an entire jury in twenty days, Judge Hanks, D. A. Jeffers, even the governor? I tell you he’s crazy.’
‘Maybe he has someone on the outside.’
‘No, all of the members of his gang are either dead or in jail.’
‘I’m glad I wasn’t on that jury.’
‘How can he kill the Shadow? Nobody even knows what he looks like. He could have been right here in this courtroom and no one would ever know. Nobody’s ever seen him.’”
Lamont paused for a second before he continued, “In an aside, Margot said to me, ‘It must be very flattering to inspire so much awe and fear, Lamont.’”
“My reply wasn’t all that she had hoped for, I must say, ‘Truthfully, it has its disadvantages. Unfortunately, the awe and mystery that surrounds the Shadow instills fear in the innocent as well as the criminals that we fight. The unknown is often associated with evil. There’s no help for it. The Shadow must
remain The Shadow.’”
“Carlton Powers was executed three weeks ago.”
Lois said, “Hah, so much for his threats of revenge.”
In a sinister voice, Lamont replied, “On the contrary, the day he was moved to death row, the D. A., Jeffers, was killed. A member of the jury died every other day. Last week, Judge Hanks was murdered. He was shot as he was reading in his study.”
Lois gasped and asked, “Do you think Powers managed to do it?”
“It is possible. That’s what I plan to investigate. He was shot from long range, by someone with a rifle. There are three more individuals that were threatened. There are two members of the jury remaining and then there is the governor. I believe that the final individual to die will be the foreman of the jury that convicted him, that is the individual that he held the greatest enmity for. He is a skilled surgeon by trade and his name is
Samuel Lane. He is Margot’s father.”
Lois gasped on hearing the name and with a look of determination asked, “My father’s name is Sam. I’m in. What do you want me to do?”
Lamont smiled and replied, “This will be right up your alley. I need you to go to the prison as a reporter and interview the staff. You need to find out how the remains of executed prisoners are handled.”
Jumping to her feet, Lois snapped her fingers, started pacing and said, “You know, Clark and I worked on a case some time ago. A chemist had developed a drug that simulated death.” Turning toward him she poked her palm with her finger as she continued, “The funeral director was in on the plot. There were underground tunnels from the cemetery to the funeral home. After the burial they winched in the coffin and allowed the escapee to sleep off the effects of the drug. You think something like that is happening here?” She stopped her pacing and assumed a posture as she said, “Let me think. The state of medicine at this time is still primitive.” She waved her hands to emphasize what she was saying as she continued, “I think that Penicillin was just discovered.” Looking at Lamont, she saw him nod in confirmation. “You do have sulfa drugs. That means that the chances of this drug being developed are remote.” She stopped pacing and faced him.
“You do bring up a very interesting possibility that I hadn’t even considered.”
“In that case we worked on; the drug was called ‘Resurrection’. One of the gang members turned a sample over to the A.D.A. They killed her, the A.D.A., when they found out that she had it. That was what broke the case,” her expressions turned rueful as she continued, “that and me getting trapped in the coffin with one of the escapees. Fortunately for me, he was a dwarf so there was plenty of room in the coffin. There for a few minutes I thought I had been wrong and was being buried alive. It was a relief when I felt the coffin start to move, but when it was opened, they caught me.”
“We will need to see if something like that is being done here. If he faked his death somehow, then he could, in fact, be the murderer.”
Lamont said, “I have some other things to check on, so I will ask you to take care of this part of the investigation. The Shadow has to contact Commissioner Weston to see how much he knows.”
“No problem, as you said, this will be right up my alley.”
Looking her up and down, Lamont said, “Your attire is a little out of step with the times. What is that material, anyhow?”
“It’s a polyester blend. I like it because it is wash and wear.”
“It is also a bit short compared to the current style.” He pointed at a door and said, “Margot keeps changes of clothes in the spare bedroom.
Before Lois had a chance to change, Lamont called Burbank and asked that he have Shrevvy pick her up at the door. “Shrevvy should be here in about ten minutes.” He reached into a drawer in the side tablet and produced a couple of items, a key and a card. On the card he wrote a phone number. As he handed these items to Lois he said, “This is a key to this apartment. Please make yourself at home. On the card is the phone number for Burbank. If you need anything, call him. He can reach me whenever he needs to. When you are here, in the apartment. if the phone rings; answer it. Use your last name. If I have a message for you it will come through Burbank.”
Lois put the key and card into a pocket, that way if she lost her bag somehow, she would still have those items. “Thank you. Once I have something, I’ll be back.” Lois disappeared into the bedroom, only to reappear five minutes later dressed in a Floral Crepe de Chine skirt that terminated at mid-calf and turquoise, short sleeve silk blouse. The crowning touch was a turquoise pillbox hat. She grabbed her bag where she had dropped it. Before she left she asked, “Well, what do you think?”
With a smile of approval, Lamont replied, “Now you look like Margot. I’d have a hard time telling the two of you apart.”
“I guess if I pass your inspection I should be able to get by. Once I finish at the prison, I’ll return here, that is unless I get a lead to something.”
“So like Margot. Follow your instincts. I’ll see you later.”
“Shrevvy’s gonna be waiting. I’d better go.” So saying she headed out the door. She was thinking, <Maybe the elevator operator won’t be quite so distracted with me dressed this way.>
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