Superman and The Shadow Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 0.5 17/26
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 was struck by his physique. He was a match for Clark in every aspect save one. Lamont had a number of scars from previous bullet wounds.
The doctor, before proceeding any further washed his hands and then picked up a sterilized probe, but stopped before probing, he examined Lamont's back and saw an exit wound, the bullet having passed completely through. Taking a quantity of sterile gauze, he packed the wound and said, “This should slow the loss of blood. We can deal with this wound later, it is not life threatening.” His hands moved down The Shadow’s sides until he winced from pain. He stopped and looked closer, noting some discoloration. He pointed this out and said, “He’s starting to bruise.” Using his fingers he started putting pressure on various spots around his chest and abdomen. At some points his probing elicited a groan of pain. After a few minutes, he pronounced, “I think there are some broken ribs, but they have not pierced the lung. The spleen may be bruised, but not seriously. He’s been very lucky, this time. I’ve seen him in worse shape. I think we can close those bullet wounds, strap up his ribs and send him home to recuperate.”
He removed the gauze and saw that the wound had stopped bleeding. He said, “Good, no major vessels were hit.”
Pulling out a surgical set, he prepped a needle and suture thread. Then to make sure that Lamont didn’t suffer any more than necessary pulled out a can of ether. He prepared a sieve with a gauze liner. Handing that to faux Margot, he said, “Hold this so that it covers his face. A few drops each minute. Don’t get too close and breathe it in. I don’t need a second patient, I need an assistant.”
Faux Margot smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll stay clear.”
Once he was sure that Lamont was unconscious, the doctor swabbed the area with alcohol and after pouring in some sulfa powder, started sewing up the wounds. When he finished, he covered each with a sterile dressing.
Once he was finished with that, faux Margot was relieved of her duties as anesthetist and she helped get Lamont into a sitting position. Kneeling on the bed behind him, she held him stable while the doctor took a large quantity of roller gauze and circled his body, at chest level numerous times and followed that up with yards of adhesive tape.
As he was finishing up with this, Lamont started showing the signs of returning consciousness.
The doctor stood back to evaluate his handiwork. Satisfied, he said, “He’ll do. It may take a couple of weeks for him to heal and it will be your job to see to it that he behaves himself and rests.”
“Whatever you say, doctor.”
“Okay, get him out of here. If he needs me again, call Burbank. I’ll come to him.”
Shrevvy, who had been standing near the door the entire time, came over and gathered up Lamont’s clothing. Faux Margot rescued his cloak and swept it around his shoulders then she and Shrevvy assisted him from the office.
Once they were at the cab, they could hear a thumping coming from the vicinity of the trunk. Shrevvy asked, “Wha youz want don wid the passenger?”
Lamont answered, “Normally we would do one of two things, I’d turn him over to Slade Farrow for rehabilitation or the police for incarceration, but in this case I feel that we need more information. Take him to Slade, but there is to be no attempt at rehabilitation. Slade is to simply keep him in custody. In a few days I will question him. Let’s go to the apartment, Shrevvy.”
“Sure ting, boss. I’ll have youz dere in a jiff.”
“Use the basement garage. That way I can return to the apartment without going through the lobby.”
“Got‘cha.”
Shrevvy drove to the apartment building and passed the main entrance. As he entered an alley he turned on his shortwave and broadcast on a certain frequency. That triggered the hidden garage door and he drove into the underground garage.
After he had helped faux Margot get Lamont into bed, he left on his other errand.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 17 –
1937
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Prime
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Faux Margot had spent an almost sleepless night watching over Lamont. She kept a basin of water near the bed which she had used to dampen a cloth which she used to lave his brow. It was very apparent that he was in a good deal of pain.
The laving of his forehead helped to stave off the fever that was threatening to take hold.
She continued to minister to him in this way until the sky outside began to lighten when her physical reserves finally gave out.
Sometime later, Lamont awoke and found faux Margot asleep, sitting in a chair at the side of his bed, with her head pillowed on his chest. His left arm was in a sling so he used his free hand to stroke her hair. At his touch, she sighed and snuggled closer, but only for a few seconds. She awoke and realizing where she was and what was happening, her eyes snapped open and she jerked upright. She looked at him horrified and asked, “Was I hurting you?”
He tried to laugh, and winced in pain. “Not until you moved.” He used his free hand to pat his chest, where her head had so recently rested, and said, “Please, resume your slumber. I don’t imagine you got very much sleep last night.”
She covered a yawn with the back of her hand and asked, “What makes you think that?”
He indicated the basin and cloths and said, “It’s obvious. If you do not wish to avail yourself of my chest as a pillow, I might suggest the bed in the other bedroom. I think the crisis has passed and I will, in all probability, be asleep again, shortly. I’m sure that a few hours of restful sleep will do both of us a lot of good. He reached for her hand and said, “Thank you. You have been a ministering angel and I appreciate it.” He pulled her hand up and pressed it to his lips.
She slowly extracted her hand from his grasp and did that which she had not taken the time to do before. She loosened the ties of his shoes and removed them. Rather than disturb his position in trying to pull down the bedclothes, she went to a cabinet on the side and pulled out additional blankets. She placed them on the foot of the bed and made up her mind. She moved up, loosened his belt and opened his trousers. As she did, he gasped. She reassured him, “I’ve seen Clark in his boxers before. You’ll sleep more comfortably if you aren’t dressed.” As she spoke, she pulled his pants down his legs and off. Once this was done, she spread the blankets over him.
Once she was satisfied that he was tucked in and comfortable, she left the room, leaving the door ajar and entered her room, also leaving that door open so that she would hear him if he called.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Four hours later, faux Margot was up. She looked in on Lamont and assured herself that he was still asleep, then she made some coffee and called for room service. She remembered the breakfast that he had ordered the previous day and duplicated it with the addition of two soft boiled eggs and a newspaper. While she waited, she dressed for the day.
When the cart was delivered, she made up a plate and took it in for Lamont.
As she did, perhaps because of the aromas of the food, he was starting to stir. Setting the plate down, she helped him to a sitting position, piling pillows behind him. Once he was situated, she started to feed him.
As she did, he demurred, saying, “I can really feed myself.”
“Oh, really? You have one arm in a sling. What are you going to do, hold your plate with your free hand and lick the food from the plate? I think you would get more down the front of you than you would get in you. Now, just be a good boy and let me feed you.”
“What about you?”
Setting his plate down, she went into the other room and wheeled the cart into the bedroom. She prepared her own plate and had it on the side of the cart. She took a forkful and picked up his plate. As she swallowed, she said, “There, are you happy now? This way we can eat together. We’ll take turns. I’ll feed you, then I’ll feed myself.”
“You know, you’re one tough lady.”
She smiled and replied, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After breakfast, Lamont had fallen asleep again and faux Margot had wheeled the cart back into the sitting room and called room service to pick it up. She had taken her time reading through the newspaper while listening to some music, played low, on the radio.
After a while, she looked in on Lamont. He had still been sleeping, but checking the time, she had realized that it was nearing lunchtime so she had called room service and placed a luncheon order.
While she waited for the lunch cart she found that Lamont was restless. With his good arm he threw off the covers and started to get out of bed. He stopped abruptly when he remembered that he didn’t have any pants on.
Faux Margot had heard him moving around and stepped into the room. She asked, “Just where do you think you’re going?”
He grumbled, “Anywhere, but in this bed.”
She reproved him, “You know what the doctor said. It could be a couple of weeks before you are able to be out and about.”
“I can’t wait that long. Slade can’t keep Powers indefinitely. I need to question him.”
“Let’s see how you are doing later. Right now it’s lunchtime. The cart should be here shortly.” Just then there was a knock on the door and she said, “And there it is. Be right back.”
A minute later she wheeled the cart into his room. She prepared his plate and started feeding him.”
He interrupted her and said, “You know, if you were to simply cut the meat, I just might manage to use my fork with my good hand.”
She stopped what she was doing and blushed. She had been enjoying taking care of him, but she complied. She cut up his meat and moved the cart so that it was close to the bed. Since he was sitting on the side, it was almost like he was sitting at a table. In that position, he was able to feed himself while faux Margot ate her lunch. Lunch was washed down with copious amounts of coffee that she had prepared.
When they were both finished, faux Margot wheeled the cart out of his room. When she returned, she asked, “Well, how do you feel?”
“I have to admit that I’ve felt better, but I think I can do what I need to do.”
“Okay, as long as you let me help you. You won’t be able to drive the way you are, so I’ll have to.”
“You drive?”
“Almost everyone drives now-a-days, uh, when I come from. Most people even have their own cars. Mine is a Jeep Grand Cherokee.”
“It’s named after a character in a comic strip?”
“No! The Cherokee were an Indian Tribe.”
“No, I mean – Jeep. The Jeep from the Popeye comic.”
“Oh, that, well, it’s this way. During the coming war, a new vehicle will come into use by the military and because of what it can do, and its versatility, it will be nicknamed the Jeep, after that character, and well, the name stuck. Mine is something like what you would call a station wagon.”
“Okay, you can drive. I could call Shrevvy.”
“Why bother him? It would be just as easy for me to drive you.”
“Well, okay, you can drive. I’ll give you the directions to Slade Farrow’s.”
Faux Margot helped Lamont dress, pulling his pants on, doing them up and adding his belt. She removed his sling long enough to work his shirt on and then reapplied it. Finally she put his shoes and socks on him and assisted him to a standing posture. He groaned somewhat because of his ribs, but soldiered on. She threw a coat across his shoulders. As she finished this, he said, “Margot, I need you to bring my cloak and hat. I will need them if I am going to interrogate Powers.”
She packed those items in a small bag and with that in one hand and assisting Lamont with the other, they made their way to the hidden elevator. They took that to the basement garage. As they descended, faux Margot asked, “How is it that you have a garage under the building? Wouldn’t the owners have complained at the construction while it was being done?”
“They might have, if I hadn’t been the owner.”
“That explains a lot.”
“I have a management company run the building for me. Not very many actually know that I am the owner.”
The elevator doors opened and she said, “Okay, here we are.” She helped him to a seat in the sedan that was parked there. She moved around to the driver’s seat. He handed her the key. She inserted it and turned it, but the starter didn’t engage. She turned it again with the same result. She slapped the steering wheel in frustration and exclaimed, “Why won’t this stupid thing start?”
Lamont started to chuckle, but the pain in his ribs stopped him quickly. He asked, “How do you start your car?”
“I turn the key and the starter engages. Where’s the shifter?”
“The what?”
“The shifter, the lever you use to put it in drive or reverse.”
Twisting slightly so that he could reach it, he placed his hand on the gear shift and said, “This is the gear shift. It is a four speed.”
She squealed in delight, “OH, like a four by four.”
He was mystified, “Four by four?”
“Four speed and four wheel drive.”
Still mystified, he asked, “Four wheel drive?”
She smiled and replied, “Yeah, that’s one of the things that the GIs liked about the Jeep. It could drive all four wheels. Because of that it could go almost anywhere without getting stuck.”
“I see. Well, this car is not equipped with four wheel drive, but it has four forward speeds.”
“How do I start it?”
“Depress the clutch…”
She interrupted, “Clutch? What’s that?”
Lamont looked up toward heaven and muttered a small prayer, “Heaven help us.” Then he addressed her, “I thought you said you could drive.”
“Well, yeah, I’ve been driving almost my entire life.”
“Yet, you don’t know what a clutch is?”
“Not a clue.”
“You see those pedals on the floor?”
“Sure, the accelerator and break. What’s that other one? Is that the clutch?”
“Yes, that’s the clutch. You have to depress that to shift gears. Also, when you depress it, you will feel a button with your toe. That’s the starter. You have to hold down the clutch and press that button.”
As he was directing, she was doing and still the engine didn’t turn over.
He said, “Try it again, this time after turning the key.”
Contritely, she turned the key, depressed the clutch and toed the starter button. This time she was rewarded with the engine starting.
Smiling at her success, she listened as Lamont explained, “The four forward gears are in an ‘H’ pattern. First is the top of the ‘H’ nearest you. Second is straight back from there etc. with reverse being far right and back.”
Grasping the shifter, faux Margot pulled it toward herself and tried to push it forward. She was rewarded by a loud grinding sound which startled her. She jumped, screamed, "Gaaaaa,” released the shifter and sat back.
Sounding more calm than he actually was, Lamont said, “You have to engage the clutch –
before you try to put it into gear. Push in on the clutch, then move the shifter.”
“Oh, like this.” She pressed down on the clutch and tentatively moved the shifter to first.
“Yes, that’s it. Now, you release the clutch to move.”
She released the clutch abruptly, the car jerked and stalled. She gasped, and wailed, “I’m a good driver! Why is this happening to me?”
“What kind of car do you drive?”
“I told you, my Jeep.”
“But you don’t know how to shift gears!”
“The car does that for me. It’s an automatic.”
“Automatic – what?”
“Automatic transmission. It changes the gears automatically.”
“Then I guess this would be a manual transmission since you have to change the gears manually. Haven’t you ever driven a manual transmission car?”
“No, never.”
“That explains a lot. Perhaps we should call Shrevvy.”
With determination in her voice, she said, “No! I can do this, just give me a chance. How do I make this thing work?”
“Okay, you have to ease up on the clutch and feed it some gas at the same time. It’s a balancing act between the gas and the clutch. Once you are rolling it gets easier. Try again.”
She pressed down on the clutch and pushed on the starter. Seconds later the engine was running. This time she fed it some gas as she lifted her foot off the clutch. The car lurched forward and then jerkily chugged as it climbed the ramp. Once through the door she approached the street. She was cautions as she turned onto the thoroughfare. When the engine started to whine, Lamont said, “Time to switch to second.”
She pushed on the clutch, shifted to second and smoothly let out the clutch again. The car gave a little lurch as the speed equalized and he said, “You’re improving.”
“I told you I was a good driver. I just needed to learn a few things.” At each traffic light she improved.
“At this rate, we might make it to Slade’s before dark.”
She was indignant, “Look, Lamont, I’m not that bad a driver.”
He smiled and replied, “I know. I was just teasing you. You are a fast learner. It was just interesting to find something you
didn’t know.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
They made it safely and without garnering any tickets to Slade Farrow’s institution. It was more like a hospital than a house. She asked, “What is this place?”
“As far as the public knows, Slade operates a mental hospital. Some of the inmates are actually troubled. The others are criminals that I have sent here for rehabilitation. Those that can be rehabilitated are returned to society as productive citizens. Those that can’t are turned over to the police. Powers will be here, in restraints, to prevent him from leaving.”
“What happens to those you release?”
“Some of them become my agents.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dwayne was moved to another room and strapped to a chair. Out of his sight a wire recorder was in operation, recording everything said in the room.
The door opened and closed and even though Dwayne twisted around, he couldn’t see anyone. Suddenly, apparently emanating from the very air in front of him, a weird voice asked, “Dwayne Powers, can you hear me?”
Fearfully, he responded, “Who said dat? I don see nobody.”
“You are correct, Dwayne Powers. There’s nobody here. Just a shadow.”
“Oh, you’re dat guy dat my brodder warned me about. He said I was to kill you if I could. You’re one o’ dem.”
“One of who?”
“One o’ dem. One o’ de ones dat sent me away … to da war.”
“What exactly did your brother tell you?”
“I ain’t gonna tell you an you can’t make me.”
“Dwayne Powers, The Shadow can read your mind.”
“No! No ya can’t!”
“Yes, I can. I see a conversation that you had with your brother. Shortly before he was sent to the death house. Everything you said or heard is in your memory and I can read it like a book. The guard ushered you to his cell and said, ‘Your brother’s here to see you Powers.’”
“Then your brother greeted you, ‘Okay. Good to see you Dwayne.’”
Almost as if he was reliving this conversation and the shadow was his brother he responded, “Hi Carl.”
Then the guard admonished, “You’ve got five minutes. Better make the most of it. The deputies are here from the state pen to take you bye bye to the big house. I’ll be back,” and he walked away.
Playing the part of Carl, the Shadow said, “Come on in Dwayne, sit on the bunk. I got a lot to talk to you about and there ain’t much time.”
His head moved around as if her were looking at the enclosure. “It’s like a cage where they keep animals ain’t it Carl?”
“Lay off that, Dwayne.”
“Okay, don’t get sore.”
“Sit down here and listen to what I gotta say.”
“Are dey gonna kill ya, Carl?”
“Yeah, but dey’re gnna pay for it, every last one o’ dem. You know who dey are, don’t’cha? I told ya, over n over again.”
”Yeah, Carl, you tole me.”
“You know what I want you to do? You remember everything I tole ya, don’t ya, Dwayne?”
“Yeah, Carl, I remember. I won’t forget. When the newspapers say that they have put you in the death house, I kill one o dem.”
“That’s right, Dwayne, and don’t forget, these people that I told you about … the judge, the jury, the prosecuting attorney, the governor are the same ones that drafted you into the Army, sent you over to France, let you get shell shocked so it’s hard for you to remember things.”
“Sure, I won’t forget. Say, will it hurt much when dey kill ya, Carl?”
“Oh, stop dat, will ya?”
“Okay, okay. I just wanna know.”
“You just keep your mind on the judge and the jury. You’ll get ‘em all, won’t ya, Dwayne?”
“Yeah, yeah, Carl. Dey won’t know what hit ‘em.”
“Dats de stuff, Dwayne. Deres just one more thing. There’s a guy that may get after ya. He’s smarter dan de cops. He’s de one dat really got me. Stay away from him. Don’t give him a chance to find ya.”
“How can I do dat?”
“Ya gotta keep away from him. Don’t go near the flat or de old ladies place.”
“But Ma will worry, if I don’t come home.”
“Ah, no she won’t Dwayne. She’ll know ya got things ta do. Go to Sue’s instead. Dey won’t tink to look for youz dare.”
“All right, Carl. What about the fella I can’t see? Is he dead, like all my buddies in de war, de ones dat talk to me in de dark?”
“No, Dwayne, dis guy’s different. He ain’t dead, he’s alive. Ya can hear his voice, only ya can’t see him. But if ya ever hear his voice, you’ll know he’s near ya. Somewhere in da shadows.”
Dwayne snickered and said, skeptically, “Yeah? If he talks to me, I’ll fix ‘em, Carl.”
“Sure, but not the way you’re going to get the others, Dwayne, cause ya can’t see ‘im, see? Now look, you won’t be able to aim at something, so just spray the shadows wi’ lead. You might get lucky.”
“All right, Carl, but how will I know when it’s him?”
“You’ll know all right, he has a strange kina laugh and he calls himself, The Shadow."
Just then the guard returned and said, “All right, Powers. Time’s up. Come on, you.”
“Okay, okay. So long, Dwayne. Don’t you forget anything.”
“So long, Carl. I wouldn’t forget. I wouldn’t forget nuttin you tole me.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
That was all that was in Dwayne’s mind as to this interaction.
What Dwayne didn’t know was that his brother was only using him. After Dwayne and the guard had walked away, Carl had chuckled, malevolently, and said, “That poor dope. He’ll do it all right. He’ll fix ‘em. Every last one o dem if I fry. Da’ll probably get him, but he won’t know no better right up to de day dat dey fry him too.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
When Lamont had finished, he exited the room and said to Slade, "Sedate him and deliver him, anonymously, along with the wire recording and the rifle to the police."
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