Superman and The Shadow Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 0.5 25/26
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
The Shadow challenged, "Why is this little box so important?"
Tempus growled, "I won't tell you."
The Shadow replied, "You don't need to. Just as The Shadow can cloud your mind so that he becomes invisible, he can also read your mind and I can see in your mind that it is your means of escape. Escape not only from me and the police, but from this
time and
space.”
Tempus was shocked and it was reflected in his expression. Could this guy really read minds?
That was when Slade entered the room and with the Shadow's help administered a shot that would put Tempus out, briefly.
They laid him on a bed to sleep it off. Meanwhile, Lamont and faux Margot changed clothes, Lamont into the costume that had been prepared and faux Margot into the sharp business ensemble she had worn the day she had arrived as Lois Lane.
When Tempus awoke he was confronted by 'Superman' and Lois Lane.
Lois spoke up, "It's about time you woke up from your nap, Tempus. We still have some questions for you to answer…”
Tempus was confused and interrupted her, “Where am I? Who are you? Are you Margot Lane?”
With a chuckle, Lois asked, “Have you lost your mind, Tempus? Who is Margot Lane? You know very well who I am, Lois Lane. Pretending that you are crazy won’t get you out of this. We caught you this time and you aren’t getting away.”
“But where are The Shadow and Margot Lane?”
“Who?”
“The Shadow, he’s the one that caught me.”
“Like I said, pleading insanity won’t get you off. There are shadows all over, but they didn’t catch you, Superman did.”
“No! I mean, it was the Shadow that caught me. He was invisible!”
“The only thing invisible around here is your attempt to get off by pleading insanity. It isn’t going to work.”
In a quandary, Tempus asked, “How did I get here?”
“Superman swooped in and grabbed me, preventing me from falling through that time window and grabbed you. You did bump your head at that time. You have been complaining of headaches. You’ve been raving in your sleep.”
“That can’t be! You went through. I got away. I went to the same alternate universe and created a gang, the start of a crime syndicate. I was going to steal a lot of gold…”
He stopped because Lois and Superman were both laughing at him.
Frustrated and angry, he shouted, “Why are you laughing?!”
“You’ve been right here the entire time. You haven’t been out of our sight!”
Disheartened, he moaned, “I dreamed the entire thing?”
“Yes. We have your time window device. We want to use it to call Herb. We want to have him pick you up so that you can be given the care that you need. I know there must be a way, I just don’t know what it is.”
“I’ll never tell you. If I do, he’ll come and pick me up and I might not be able to get away again,” but even as he was saying this, the code popped into his mind and Lamont read it like reading a book.
Lois looked at ‘Superman’ and asked, “Did you get it?”
“Yes, I did. It is a combination that sends out a homing signal. Very simple, you hold down the top left key for three seconds, then the key next to it for three seconds, then the first key again for three seconds.”
Astounded, Tempus blurted out, “How did you do that? You can’t read minds!”
“You are quite correct, Superman cannot read minds, but The Shadow can, Hahahahahaha.”
That was when Tempus took a very close look at the blue and red costume, noted the slight differences and realized that he had been duped.
At a signal, Slade came in and administered a sedative. They laid Tempus down on the cot and left.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 25 –
1937
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Shadow
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
The next morning, after a hardy breakfast, Faux Margot carried the time window device into the sitting room. A little nervously, she said, “Well, here goes nothing.” She operated the buttons in the sequence that Lamont had read in Tempus’s mind.
As soon as she released the last button, the device emitted a beep and across the display screen it printed out, “Time Beacon.”
She set it on a side table and said, “I guess all we have to do now is to wait.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Prime
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
In the far distant future, at TTEMPO headquarters, a light began to flash on a panel. The Monitor checked the ID of the incoming signal and immediately pushed a button that would connect him to Herb Wells. “Director?”
A slightly muzzy reply came back, “Yes, what is it?”
“Sorry to have awakened you, sir, but we just received a time beacon signal.”
“That’s not too unusual. Someone needs help. Send the next agent.”
The Monitor checked his assignment schedule and said, “That would be Andrus, sir.”
“It should be a routine matter. Go ahead and send him.” Herb lay back down, but he couldn’t return to his slumbers. The fact that Andrus had been sent on the mission left him with a feeling of unease. Rousing himself once again, he called out, “Computer.”
“Working.”
“Connect me with the Monitor desk.”
“Connecting.”
“Monitor.”
“Has Andrus been sent on that mission as yet?”
“Yes, sir. He just left from pad 13.”
Herb muttered, “I hope that number isn’t prophetic.” Then he addressed the Monitor, “Very well. What’s done tis done.”
Confused, the Monitor replied, “Yes, sir. Whatever you say, sir. Uh, sir?”
”Yes, what is it?”
“This signal is coming from an unknown sector. It is from an alternate universe we haven’t explored previously. There is no record of anyone from TTEMPO visiting there before. How did a time window end up there?”
“I guess that’s one of the things that Andrus will have to figure out.” Herb’s unease grew with each passing minute.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Shadow
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Five minutes after faux Margot activated the beacon a time window materialized in the center of the sitting room. As soon as it formed a figure stepped through and the time window closed behind him.
Faux Margot burst out, “Andrus! You’re sure a site for sore eyes!”
Andrus looked at her and didn’t immediately recognize her because of the way she was dressed. Finally recognition dawned and he asked, “Miss Lane?”
Smiling, she replied, “Right the first time.”
Andrus was surprised and blurted out, “But what are you doing here and how is it that you have a time window?”
“It’s a long story. Is there any way for you to contact Herb? I think this mess will require his expertise to straighten out.”
“I could try to take care of this and as you say, ‘straighten it out.’”
“Andrus, I like you, but I don’t think you are up to this. It is going to take a careful hand. Could you please get Herb for me?”
“If you insist.”
“I insist. Please, Andrus, it is really no reflection on you, it’s just that Herb is the one I’ve always dealt with in the past.”
Disappointed, he replied, “As you wish.” He lifted his time window device and punched some keys. As the window opened, He said, “Please allow that beacon to continue to broadcast. It will make it easier to find you.”
“We won’t touch it. Thanks, Andrus.”
As he stepped through the portal, he replied, and she could hear the hurt in his tone as he said, “You are welcome.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Prime
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
As soon as Andrus stepped through the portal he appeared on the reception plate in the clean room of the TTEMPO transport center. He passed out through the doors and approached a communication center. He said, “Please, connect me with the Director.”
Instantly, the voice of Herb Wells came from the speaker, “Yes, who is it?”
“Andrus, sir.”
Feeling that his worst fears had been realized, Herb asked, “What did you do now?”
“I didn’t do anything, sir. I found Miss Lane and she asked me to request that you handle her situation.”
Relieved, Herb tried to take some of the hurt from Andrus as he said, “I’m sure she had her reasons. No reflection on you, my boy. I’ll be right down and you can brief me.”
As the connection was severed, he said, “Computer.”
“Working.”
“I have been called on a special mission. Please search the records for the couple in Prime. Tell me all the times that Lois Lane was removed from Prime.”
“Searching … There is no record of Lois Lane being absent from Prime other than the time that Tempus kidnapped both you and her and moved you to the first alternate universe so that she could create Superman.”
“That’s what I thought, but somehow, apparently, she is away from Prime and we have no record of it. How could that be?”
“Percent likelihood approaches zero.”
“The only way I could see that happening would be if she were in two places at the same time.”
“Illogical.”
“We shall see. I will be gone for an as yet undetermined amount of time.” As he walked out of his room he said, “Lights out,” as the door closed automatically.
He took a grav tube to the transport floor and met with Andrus who gave him all the information he had, which wasn’t much.
Picking up his time window device, he stepped onto a pad and left.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator designation
Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Shadow
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
As Herb stepped into the sitting room, he heard Lois, say, “Hi, Herb!”
She was standing directly in front of him and he asked, “Are you ‘The’ Lois Lane?”
“If you mean the one you were stranded in that alternate universe with where I turned the Clark Kent who had lost his Lois into Superman, then yeah, I’m ‘The’ Lois Lane.”
“How did you get here, my dear?”
“Do you want the simple answer?”
“Yes.”
“One word, Tempus.”
Herb groaned and said, “Oh no! Not him again.”
“I’m afraid so.”
Herb saw Lamont and said, “Clark, did he transport you also?”
Lois smiled and performed the introductions, “Herb, please allow me to introduce Lamont Cranston. It appears as though Tempus chose this universe because it didn’t have a Clark Kent or Lois Lane. It turns out that our doppelgangers here are named Lamont and Margot. When Tempus brought me here, Margot and I accidentally switched places. She’s in Metropolis with Clark and I’m here with Lamont.”
Smiling, Herb chortled, “That explains it!”
“Explains what?”
“There’s no record of your absence from Prime. This swap explains that. I presume you took her place here?” At Lois’s nod he continued, “She obviously took your place there the same way.”
The full implications of the swap finally hit her, “Wait a minute. We were planning the wedding! You mean that they are planning their wedding? Come on, Herb! I need to get back!”
Lamont spoke up for the first time, “Do you really?”
“Do I really, what?”
“Need to go back. You could stay here, with me.”
A wave of compassion swept over her, “Oh, Lamont, I’m sorry, but my place is by his side just as Margot’s is by your side. We need to get this straightened out.”
Subdued, he replied, “Whatever you say.”
Herb asked, “Where shall we go?”
“How about my apartment?”
“When did Tempus pluck you from and how long have you been here?”
Once he had entered those parameters, he hit a button and the time window opened.
Lois stuck her head through and looked around. She spotted Clark and faux Lois at Lois’s desk apparently writing up a story. She pulled back and said to Herb, “Bingo. Let’s go.” She turned to Lamont and asked, “Do you want to come along?
He brightened up and said, “A chance to see the future? Who could resist?”
The three of them stepped through the portal.
Soft as their footfalls were on the carpet, Clark heard them and turned. His shocked expression turned to one of joy as he spotted Lois and then shock as he spotted Lamont.
Stepping forward, he extended his hand and said, “Lamont Cranston, I presume.”
Taking his hand and shaking it, Lamont said, “Nice to finally meet you, Clark.”
Lois crossed over to Margot and said, “Margot? How has he treated you?”
Before she answered that, she asked, “How is my father? Did you save him?”
“Yes, we did and he’s looking forward to your return. I’m afraid I was a poor substitute. He misses you very much.”
Margot was weeping in relief and she grabbed Lois’s hands and said, “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t need to. I’m sure you would have done the same thing in my place.”
Smiling a watery smile, she replied, “I like to think I would.”
Lois turned to Lamont and asked, “Lamont, do you happen to have any gold coins in your pocket?”
“Actually, I was about to turn them in for the recall, but yes, I have a few.”
“Could I have them, please?”
As he handed them over, he said, “I don’t know how much they will fetch, but here. Use them as you see fit.”
After accepting them, she turned to Clark and said, “I need you to take these to a numismatist and see how much you can get for them. Then I want you to buy a couple of Second Chance™ vests, one for Lamont and one for Margot and bring them back here. I also want a ten year supply of batteries for the mini-recorder.” She thought for a second and then asked, “Can you think of anything else?”
Seeing where she was going with this, Clark spoke up, “Cassettes for the recorder and an escrima.”
“An escrima?”
Margot smiled and said, “I’ve been studying. I just got my red belt.”
Surprised, Lois asked, “The school over on ninth?”
Margot nodded.
“An escrima then. Anything else? Oh, yes! Another chrome plated Desert Eagle. That way The Shadow can have a pair of special guns to use. Pick up some extra magazines.”
Smiling, Clark said, “This could take some time.”
“Let it. We have some things to talk over while you are gone.”
Clark spun into Superman and left through the window.
Lois turned to Margot and asked, “Just how close have you and Clark gotten?”
“Much as I hate to say it, he’s been a perfect gentleman. There was a while there when I thought I would rather stay, but not now. We just had to deal with an attempted coup by the Nazi party.”
Lois blurted out, “The Nazi party? How could that be? The war ended years ago!”
“They were in suspended hibernation. Anyhow, from what I just went through, I can see that I’ll be needed back home to help Lamont against them. I think we will be very busy. We will continue to fight criminals, but we will, I’m sure, be called upon to fight spies and saboteurs.”
Lamont asked, “These things you sent Clark for. What are they?”
“I’m going to let you keep my recorder with enough tapes and batteries to last a long time. After going through you being shot, I want to minimize the chances of Margot having to go through that with you again so I asked him to get a couple of Second Chance™ vests. They are bullet proof and very light and won’t hinder your movements. They cover both your front and back. Apparently, Margot now has some of my fighting skills and will better be able to assist you, the way I did.” She turned to Margot and said, “I left the clothes I purchased in your bedroom. You can use them the way I did – assisting Lamont. You’ll be almost as invisible as he is.”
Lois turned to Herb and asked, “We aren’t breaking any time travel rules by doing this, are we?”
“Well, technically, but I think we can overlook it, this time.”
A sudden thought hit her and Lois turned to Margot and said, “Oh, you have a hairdresser’s appointment tomorrow.”
Margot laughed and said, “So do you.”
Turning to Herb, Lois said, “We have Tempus sedated, but you will probably need some help picking him up. Lamont can show you where he is.”
“Thank you. We will secure him. I hope we can prevent his escaping again.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After Margot and Lamont had been returned to their own universe, Lois and Clark cuddled on the couch, but Lois was uncomfortable. She sat up and said, “We need to go to your apartment.”
Mystified, Clark asked, “Why?”
“This furniture … it’s so uncomfortable. I’ve gotten use to softer, overstuffed furniture. Your couch will feel a lot more comfortable. I want to sit and cuddle and watch ‘Lethal Weapon’ with you.”
He did a spin change and two minutes later, she found herself where she wanted to be and doing just what she wanted to be doing.
comments go here TBC Part 26 is the Epilogue
