Previously - Chapter 21 ***
Chapter 22 ***
Her first view of the chateau that was to be her destination the previous morning was from a distance. While she was unable to get a good impression of its size from the angle, she could see that it was positioned on the top of a bluff giving the house a steep drop-off to one side. They traveled below it, along a small river that was a tributary of the Hobbs River. Bare trees covered much of the base of the bluff while the top was steep, exposed rock.
A short while later, they pulled into the driveway of the house, but evergreen trees obscured her view of it. Suddenly, the drive opened up to a well-manicured lawn and that was when she saw the enormity and grandeur of it. Chateau fully encompassed what this house was.
Lex was right when he said it had a gothic feel to it, it looked like it was straight out of a novel. The dark grey brick building looked more like a small castle, complete with a turret rising to the sky from the corner of the house. It was set up on a small hill with ivy growing several feet up on one side, stretching almost to the roof in some places. Dormer windows lined the top and broke up the dark and brooding roof.
The car continued on the drive and around to the back of the house where Lois realized the bluff she’d seen on approach must be located. Of course, what gothic home wouldn’t be complete without a cliff in close proximity. She also saw from this side that the house had a basement that opened up to the rear. Behind the house was a detached garage and, further from the house, what appeared to be a greenhouse tucked up against the trees and covered with lovely vines. It was very much like a fairy tale. The whole scene made Lois uneasy.
She could only imagine what struggles awaited her, but she was done trying to play Lex’s game and pretend nothing was wrong. And while the memories that would have her believe his game still held a place in her mind, those of Clark prevented her from accepting them. After she had awakened near the end of the flight back to Metropolis, she simply glowered and refused to respond to or look at Lex.
Still, he continued to speak to her as he had for the past two months, though the false memories made it feel like years. Regardless of his behavior now and during those months when she thought they were a happy couple, she knew she could not trust Lex to be sincere. It was a façade that would eventually fade away revealing the evil that lurked below it.
She shifted in her seat to get a better look at the house from the back as the car slowly pulled to a stop. Counting the basement, it had four stories, the fourth being the roof level with the dormer windows. More ivy covered the back of the house up to a small balcony atop the second floor flanked with turrets. Below the balcony was a patio complete with a table and chairs, a small fire pit surrounded by comfy looking couch and chairs, and a luxurious pool that was surely heated to be so inviting in this cold weather.
Distracted by both the beauty and haunting nature of the house, Lois hadn’t noticed the guards everywhere until now. They stood or walked randomly about the grounds, looking ominous and threatening. But the man that came up to open the door of the car could only be described as a butler, from his dress to the way he held himself and acknowledged Lex as the master of the house.
Lex got out first and reached back to grab Lois’s arm. “Here we are, Darling,” he said as he helped her out.
She frowned as she looked around at the guards once more before landing her glare on Lex. His smile seemed subdued, his eyes determined, but his mouth relaxed. He seemed almost sad. That strange mix of emotions that had been plaguing her for days caused her stomach to roil once more.
“I’m sorry the circumstances of your arrival are less than ideal,” he said, “but we will be happy together once more soon enough.”
“I will
never be happy with you,” she said, finally breaking her silence. Her voice sounded brittle instead of confident as she intended. But when his smile wavered, she thought perhaps it had more of an effect than she realized.
He turned away from her abruptly and gave an instruction to the waiting butler who quickly set himself to the task he was given.
As Lex began striding toward the house, Lois considered taking advantage of the space she’d been given to make an escape. Turning quickly in the opposite direction, however, revealed that two of the guards had anticipated such and now blocked her way. Reluctantly, she reversed and made to follow Lex to the house instead.
Passing by what Lois assumed would be their point of entry, he walked to the patio and paused near the pool, clasping his hands behind his back and looking out over the river valley below as he said, “I’ve always loved this home. It is composed of three large parcels and has several unique features including this vista. So, when it became available I immediately bought it.” He turned to look at her, his smile once more visible. His eyes dropped to her abdomen as he said, “This will be the perfect place to raise our little one.” The look in his eyes didn’t hold any malice and looked caring even.
Lois shook her head and reminded herself of the truth of the situation. She’d been kidnapped, her life replaced by this nightmare. Not that her situation was deadly, but more so because she didn’t realize the deception. She would not allow him to win. “I told you I’m not pregnant.”
Lex turned back to the view. “That remains to be seen,” he said longingly. Before she could remind him of the circumstances she’d explained, he turned and walked toward a wrought iron spiral staircase that ascended to the balcony attached to the main level. “Come with me, please.”
As she followed him up the stairs and to a door that opened into a large living room, she was surprised to find that the house appeared to be entirely furnished with luxurious yet rustic feeling décor. Neither the furniture nor the house was anywhere near what she would have picked for herself… and Clark. A tightening in her chest and throat prevented her from saying anything as she followed Lex through the house.
He led her to a door on the second floor that she guessed to be a suite of rooms. She wasn’t sure if it was the master suite or another bedroom as all the rooms she looked into as they came down the hall appeared to be suites. But she was unprepared for what was behind the door and gasped as she realized where she was standing.
A nursery. Matching the style of the rest of the house, it contained a crib, changing table, and chest of drawers that sat to the side of the main room. To the back of the room a small sitting area was tucked beyond a wide doorway with plush couches and a thick, fuzzy rug on the floor, all in neutral tones for whatever child would grace it.
She stepped back and repeated her earlier claim, “I told you I am not pregnant.”
“And as I said, that remains to be seen. You cannot deny that what took place those two months between you and I make it plausible.”
Oh! How she wanted to. She closed her eyes to stem the guilt and anger that sought to overwhelm her. Fisting her hands at her sides, she made the decision to leave the room but didn’t know where she would go. She was surprised to see that the two guards who blocked her escape outside now stood in the hallway and stopped just short of bumping into them.
“My apologies, Lois, but I know you only too well to allow you to move freely about the house,” Lex said from behind. He took her by the elbow and led her down the hall to a second stairwell that led directly to the basement without an opening on the main floor.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, trying unsuccessfully to jerk her arm free.
“To your rooms, of course,” he replied.
Her
rooms consisted of a suite located in the basement and consisted of a sitting area with an attached bedroom and small kitchenette to one side as well as what she assumed was a bathroom on the other side. The entire suite was void of windows being toward the front of the house but seemed well enough lit. She stood near the middle of the room, observing her new prison.
How long would she be confined to it?
“Mrs. Luthor. It’s good to see you again.”
When she whipped around to see who would address her that way, she was surprised – and not – to see Dr. Hightower enter the room. His smile seemed pleasant, but his eyes didn’t match, giving her an eerie feeling. “What is he doing here?” she asked, taking a step closer to Lex. Lois was surprised that it made her feel oddly safer, but that was quickly dashed by his answer.
“Two reasons,” he began, turning to her and rubbing his hands tenderly on her upper arms. “First, he will restore you to me.” His grip tightened, restraining her. “And second, he will determine whether or not you carry our child.”
“No!” Bringing her hands up in front of her face to break his hold on her, she didn’t see Hightower advancing behind her and only realized he did so as she felt the needle stick her in the shoulder.
She looked into Lex’s face as it evolved into one of contrition. “Lois,
everything I do is because I love you,” she heard him say as he faded away and darkness slowly overtook her.
***
Clark checked the name of the hotel on the business card Scott gave him. He looked back at the drab building and verified he was in the right place. The black number mounted on the white frame centered on the red door was fading and falling off, but still managed to mark Clark’s destination. He reached to knock on the door.
Seconds felt like hours as he waited for the door to open giving Clark plenty of time to second guess his decision to come. He kept going back and forth after remembering the dream but knowing that Lois was taken and that she would need some kind of help, even if it was from him, compelled him to seek out Scott and find out what was going on. When the door finally did open, Clark was surprised to see concern written on the face of someone who only hours ago seemed so sure of what was to come.
Scott looked weary and nervous, fiddling with what looked like a musical symbol tied around his wrist with a leather strap. “I wasn’t sure you would come,” Scott said, gesturing for Clark to enter.
Clark harrumphed. “I’m not sure I should have,” he said as he crossed the threshold into the tiny motel room.
“Me either.” Scott’s frown deepened, making Clark wonder as he took a seat in the tiny chair near the window what had caused such a change from the earlier confidence he’d seen on the trail.
Clark allowed the trepidation Scott now showed only a moment’s consideration before reminding himself that he was here to see how he might help and maybe even ease his guilty conscience in the process. “Just lay it out there,” he said.
Scott sat down on the bed facing Clark. “It’s a trap.” He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned his head up to look directly at Clark. “Lex wants me to make sure you go to Lois and when you do, he plans to kill you.”
“Excuse me?” Clark asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Remember when I said that someone messed with your memories?” Clark nodded, and Scott continued, “About two months ago, you and Lois were kidnapped. Your memories were changed and lives rearranged. A few days ago, I helped Lois recover her memories. We came to help you recover yours, but that idea was stopped in its tracks, literally, and now Lois is back with Lex Luthor who wants me to encourage you to come after her so that he can kill you.”
“
The Lex Luthor.” Clark could feel his mouth drop open. Lex Luthor was wealthy businessman in Metropolis. Clark wouldn’t have been able to pick him out of a line up. Scott simply nodded in response. “Because I ruined Lois’s life?”
“No,” Scott said, shaking his head. “That never happened.” Scott breathed out slowly and turned serious eyes to Clark, his eyebrows slightly raised, as he said, “Because you are his arch nemesis, Superman.”
“
Superman?” Clark repeated in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”
“I know it seems impossible, especially with your powers disabled, but–”
“How do you even know any of this?” Clark interrupted.
Scott took a deep breath before he continued. “I, uh, used to work for Lex. I was there when it happened.”
Clark could only frown as the surprise and confusion he felt prevented him from putting words together.
“It’s true,” Scott said as he put his head down, fiddling with the charm tied to his wrist. “I was part of it. But I’m not now.” He paused to look up and met Clark eyes directly. “As I’ve already had to explain to Lois, I assisted in all of it, from changing the memories, to kidnapping you and Lois.” Scott continued, making direct eye contact with Clark, even as he balled his hands into fists. “I know now what kind of monster Lex is. I have lived every day for a while now riddled with guilt over the role I played in all of this. But I made a promise. And the only thing I could think to do was use what I know to undo it and help put everything back as it should be.”
“How do you expect me to believe that?” Clark stood and started pacing. “How can I believe
any of this?”
“Is there any part of it you can believe?”
Clark grunted a weak laugh. “That you and Lois came here and that she’s gone now.” And the only reason he could believe that was because he’d seen it with his own eyes. Lex Luthor was a name he recognized, but that the third richest man in the world would ever have any reason to want to kill him was unbelievable. But the most ludicrous part of what Scott just said had to be that he was Superman. “How can any of the rest of that be true?”
“The procedure that was done to change memories has a key, or in your case, several keys.” Scott chuckled, and Clark wondered what was funny. “Your…stronger brain rejected much of it and so we kept repeating it until it was done.”
His brow furrowed further. He just couldn’t reconcile what Scott was saying with everything he knew to be reality. It must have shown on his face.
“I know it seems unbelievable, but it’s true. Did you listen to the CD I gave you? The keys are all songs and if any of those on the CD were the right ones, it should have unlocked some of the memories that were changed.”
“Well, it didn’t,” Clark said a little more harshly than he intended as he stood and walked to look out the window. Letting his irritation with this whole charade get the best of him, he added, “Probably because none of that is real.”
“You didn’t remember
anything?”
This disappointed tone Scott used brought Clark’s head around to see a matching look. Clark shook his head and turned back to the window. “Nothing but a dream I had that’s ruined enough already.”
“What dream?” Scott asked with unmistakable hope.
“A dream in which I asked Lois to marry me.” He rubbed his hand over his face, reliving the very real emotions that had come with the dream. Fresh guilt over what he’d put Lana through in all this mixed with the misery that continually permeated his entire being.
“That wasn’t a dream.”
“Yes, it was. There is
no way that happened. She
hates me. The only thing I ever did for her was ruin her life.” Clark turned at the sound of Scott rifling through a bag. He walked back to the chair sullen. “Besides, I’d have to know a woman long enough before I would ever ask her to marry me. When would that have even happened?”
Clark grimaced. Lois still lived in Metropolis, her appearances on TV as a reporter would confirm that, whereas he’d been moving around the country from small town to small town trying to get and keep a job ever since he ruined her life. Well, it wasn’t completely ruined if she’d made it as a reporter on TV, something for which he was grateful.
Scott turned toward Clark with something in his hand, the earnestness in his face catching Clark by surprise. “I think you should see this.” He sat up straighter as Scott stepped just enough to reach the proffered object to Clark who looked at it with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow.
A photograph, wallet size, still relatively pristine, just a small crease on the corner. As Clark brought the picture closer to him, he realized it was a picture of himself with Lois. He saw the beautiful smile on Lois’s perfect face aimed up at his. His eyes were locked with hers and his lips were pressed to the fingers of her left hand in his that displayed a beautiful and intricately designed diamond ring on an important finger - the same ring from his dream. Flipping the picture over, he found a date, November 18, 1995, written on the back in handwriting that looked remarkably like his own.
Clark stared dumbfounded for a moment before coming to his senses. “This must be a fake,” he said, shaking his head.
When he looked up, Scott held out his hand with a brown leather wallet, probably the source of the picture. He took it and opened it to find his driver’s license looking up at him. Only it was a New Troy license, not the Kansas one he currently carried in the wallet in his back pocket. Clark pulled his own wallet out and retrieved his current license, the Kansas one. Holding the two next to each other, he realized the photos were identical. Yet he’d never heard of the address listed on the New Troy license: 344 Clinton Street.
Discarding his own wallet and driver’s license on the table beside the chair and again shaking his head in confusion, he continued to thumb through the contents of this wallet. A health insurance card. A couple of credit cards. A folded piece of paper with the words “I love you” written on one side and another date, October 22, 1995, on the other side, both in obviously feminine cursive. Tucked behind the driver’s license was another picture of Lois, wrinkled as if it had been shoved in the wallet for some time, a headshot, this one dated merely September 1995 in his handwriting.
Clark’s mind tried to put the pieces together, but they just didn’t make any sense. He
knew that ever since he met Lois, there had been nothing but trouble. He
knew that after ruining her career, he bounced from job to job whenever someone found out what had happened. He
knew that he’d been talking about Lois in his sleep and now he
knew what that dream had been like.
But now, someone was telling him that this dream of his wasn’t a dream. Was that why it had felt so real? And this wallet, filled with things he’d never seen before covered in his distinctive handwriting, must have been his.
And the picture of Lois… The picture of him
with Lois…
“Where did you get this?” he asked quietly, afraid of the answer.
“I was there, remember? I followed all the directions Luthor gave me to take care of yours and Lois’s stuff. But not on this. I … couldn’t, for some reason. And when I … made my promise, I went back and got it. So that I could give it back to you.”
Clark stuffed the contents back in the wallet only to find that there was something blocking the cards. Pulling the pocket open, he saw what he thought was a shiny coin. As he shook the coin into his hand, he felt the blood drain from his face when he saw instead the ring that Lois had been wearing in the picture. The very same ring from his dream. She must have said yes to be wearing it in the picture. “How…?”
“Luthor took it off when he kidnapped Lois the first time.” Clark hadn’t realized he’d spoken that thought out loud.
Clark set the wallet down next to his on the table and rubbed his face with both of his hands. The sincerity in Scott’s voice made a small part of him want to believe what he was being told, but it was still fought back by the guilt he’d been carrying around for years. But had he been carrying it around for years?
“If what you say is true…” He hung his head and shook it. “But I’m
not Superman.” An awkward silence followed while Clark’s thoughts jumped everywhere.
He heard a long, heavy breath escape Scott. “Look, Clark,” he started, “It
is true. But I can’t ask you to risk your life going into a set-up, especially when you have so little reason to believe any of what I’m saying.”
At this Clark looked up, finally understanding the change he’d observed in Scott’s demeanor. “What will you do?”
“I…I’m not sure yet, but it has to happen soon.” Scott stood up and began putting the displaced items back into his bag. Clark noticed that the wallet that Scott said was his didn’t go back in the bag. “I promised I would stop this, and I won’t give up until I have.”
Clark sat motionless in the chair, watching Scott pack his bags, unseeing while he considered his options. He could leave, walk away from all this nonsense. Go back to his life. The one that had fallen apart because of some dream. The life that was miserable because he was so obviously not where he was supposed to be.
Or he could go with Scott, try to help save Lois and put back whatever was out of place. But he’d be walking into a trap that he couldn’t even begin to imagine in which he there was a good chance someone was going to try to kill him even though he clearly wasn’t the person Lex wanted dead. He’d probably screw it up somehow, though, like he did everything else.
But maybe, just maybe, he could help. Maybe he could make up for everything he’d done to ruin Lois’s life. Maybe she’d forgive him, and he’d finally be able to move on.
He stood up from the chair. “Scott,” he said suddenly feeling sure of something for the first time in a very long time. “I’ll go with you.”
***
Jimmy sat at his desk just outside Perry’s office looking over his notes from the interviews he’d had the past three days when his phone rang.
“Olsen,” he answered it, setting his pen down to rub his hand over his face in exhaustion. Waking up early this morning was necessary, but now it was catching up with him.
“Mr. Hubert,” he greeted. “What can I do for you?”
Jimmy sat up suddenly, knocking his coffee cup over. “She did? When?” he asked as he sopped up the coffee with some scratch paper he had nearby.
“Just now? How?” He pushed the wet papers into the trash can sitting at the end of his desk. “You were singing?” Jimmy stilled. “What song?”
Jimmy’s eyes grew wide. “Mr. Hubert, I’ll call you back as soon as I can,” he said in what he hoped was a calm manner.
As he ended the call, he pushed the papers around on his desk until he found the right one and then dialed the number of the Mayfields. “David, it’s Jimmy Olsen. Was the name of the song you heard ‘Miss Otis Regrets’?” he asked. “Can I talk to her then?”
Jimmy continued to shuffle the papers around on his desk as he waited. “Alexia, was the name of the song you heard ‘Miss Otis Regrets’? … If you heard it again, would you recognize it? … All right, I’ll see if I can find a copy for you to listen to.”
***
“Chief!” Perry looked up at the sound, but before he could say anything, Jimmy continued, “I think I’m onto something here. Do you have any Nat King Cole?”
“Probably, but don’t tell Elvis,” Perry answered. “Why?”
“Do you have a song called ‘Miss Otis Regrets’?” Jimmy’s eyes were wide, his hands fidgeting. It was obviously he was only barely able to contain his excitement.
Perry slowly rose from his seat and began looking at a shelf full of CDs. “I think so.
Why?” he emphasized the word. That kid was going to have to share some of the back story are Perry was going to hold the CD when he found it just out of his reach.
“Three people have talked to me about remember the procedure in the last few days. Two of them remembered when they heard that song.” Jimmy stood looking over Perry’s shoulder at the CDs.
“And you think the song did it?” Perry raised one eyebrow.
“It’s what they all have in common,” he explained.
A knock at the door drew their attention and a messenger handed an envelope to Jimmy. Perry went back to looking through the CDs while Jimmy tore open the envelope and shuffled through the contents.
“Chief, take a look at these.” Jimmy sounded both astonished and triumphant. “The sketch artist sent over the faces everyone described.”
Perry took the stack of pictures and flipped through all of the similarly drawn faces of a familiar person. “Great shades of Elvis! That’s Hightower!”
“I gotta see if that song was playing for the third person. I’ll call her if you’ll get it set up.”
Perry squatted to get a better view of the lower shelf before coming up with the disc. “‘Miss Otis Regrets’. Right here,” he said. As Perry turned on the small stereo and inserted the CD, Jimmy picked up the conference phone and dialed a number. Excitement bubbled inside him. It had been a long time since Perry had been part of an investigation.
“Hello?” said the voice on the phone.
“Alexia?” Jimmy asked.
“Yes?” Muffled noise could be heard in the background.
“This is Jimmy Olsen. I found that song. Do you have a minute to listen to it?”
“Sure. Let me turn this off.” A click followed by relative silence was heard.
Jimmy nodded to Perry, who pushed the button to start the song.
The strains of the song filled the room, trumpets building tension, followed by the smooth voice of Nat King Cole as he began to croon.
Miss Otis Regrets
She’s unable to lunch today. Jimmy eyed Perry with a look that was hopeful and nervous. It had been years since Perry had even listened to this song. It wasn’t one that was easily recognizable.
Madam,
Miss Otis Regrets
She’s unable to lunch today.
She is sorry to be delayed,
But last evening down at lover’s lane she strayed.
Madam,
Miss Otis Regrets
She’s unable to lunch today. When the trumpets flared up again, Alexia shouted, “That’s it!”
Jimmy clapped his hands together in victory. “I knew it! Thanks, Alexia, I’ll get back to you soon.” Jimmy ended the call.
“Wanna fill me in, Jimmy?” Perry asked while Jimmy celebrated this information with several hand gestures Perry didn’t recognize.
“Yeah, sorry, Chief.” Jimmy composed himself, switching from excited kid, to hard-working reporter. “Okay so yesterday when I interviewed David Mayfield, he remembered the procedure, but no one knew why. This morning I got a call from Ronald Simmons to meet earlier than expected and his wife told me about the song she was singing when he remembered. I was going over my notes just now and got a call from Hal Hubert whose wife suddenly remembered. He, too, was singing and it was the same song Simmons heard. So, I thought if it were also the same song Mayfield heard, we just have to figure out where it came–” Jimmy stopped abruptly and shook his head.
In the silence, Perry heard the next song on the CD begin.
You’ll never miss the water
Till your well runs dry
Till your well runs dry
You’ll never miss Joe Turner till he says goodbye “Jimmy?” Perry waved his hand in front of Jimmy’s face when he received no response. A frown crossed Jimmy’s face that deepened the longer he was trapped in this trance. He stumbled, and Perry moved to help him sit down, though Jimmy still seemed unaware of him.
Perry watched as various emotions transformed Jimmy’s face. It seemed to pass just as quickly as it started. And though it seemed to last a long time, it was merely a few minutes before Jimmy looked up at him. Perry had never seen his eyes so wide or his face so pale.
“Chief… Oh my God…”
***
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