Hate Myself For Loving YouFolc4evernaday
Chapter 23: Where You Are________________________________________
Dr. Elias Stone tapped at the keyboard, watching as the screen lit up. He looked over his shoulder, offering a smile in Dr. Klyburn’s direction. “Here we go…”
“Let’s see if it works this time,” Dr. Klyburn said, glancing to the monitor where a screen filled with binary code scrolled up and down at lightning speed.
The tracer lit up in red on the screen and a sharp beeping emitted from the speakers as white lights filled the large floor length screen and the satellite view poured its way into view, pushing its way further into view until the green and white pixels changed to streets and buildings and recognizable locations in Metropolis. A white light flooded the screen and then everything stilled. Dozens of white lights covered the map and pointed out IP addresses and locations.
“What in God’s name…?” Dr. Elias Stone muttered under his breath.
“Look!” Dr. Klyburn stared in awe at the white lights that covered the Metropolis P.D. on the screen. “They’re everywhere.”
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Henderson dropped the phone and looked around the police station in a panic, seeing his fellow officers on phones and computers that could possibly be tampered with. He spotted Captain Carter exiting the elevator and rushed up to him, “Captain?”
“What is it, Henderson?” Carter snapped, not looking up from his mug of coffee.
“I need to shut the network down.”
“You need to …what?”
“Everyone…everything has been tampered with. Everyone’s at risk.” Henderson explained, pleading with his captain.
“Are you sure about this?” Carter challenged.
“I’d trust it with my life.” Henderson said firmly.
“Shut everything down and meet me in my office.”
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Nothing.
Clark had scoured the city, searching for any sign of Mayson after his conversation with Bill Henderson but came up with nothing. He had scanned the downtown square for any sign of her near the City Hall bombing site and again at the annex building that had been rented out for courtroom proceedings. He searched the area her neighborhood was located in and had even checked the local restaurants she liked to go to. Still no sign of her. When he’d shown her photo around he had come up with nothing. No one had seen her. From what he’d heard from Henderson the police had had zero luck either.
A nagging sensation continued to tug at him. Deep in his gut he could feel in his bones that something was wrong. Mayson wouldn’t just up and disappear without a trace. Could it be McCarthy? One of the lieutenants from Intergang? Possibly another criminal group that may have come up against the DA’s office.
‘Or worse…’
He did his best not to dwell too far down the long road of what-ifs knowing all too well it wouldn’t lead him anywhere good. He reached the coffee shop on the corner of fifth and Main when he nearly collided with a familiar face, engrossed in his own thoughts.
“Kent? What brings you out here?” Detective Ryder asked, pointing to the warehouse district just across the street from the coffee shop.
Clark shook his head, unsure how to respond to the inquisitive detective. “I’m…looking for Mayson.”
Ryder’s face fell into a scowl at Mayson’s name being mentioned. “Henderson pull you into this search too, huh?”
“I haven’t had much luck,” Clark admitted sheepishly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Probably won’t have any luck to be honest, Kent.” Ryder shook his head. “She was in pretty bad shape when I saw her last. Convinced every bad thing in her life leads right back to Lois Lane which of course is ludicrous.”
“Yeah,” Clark felt the weight bearing down on him continue to press as Ryder continued.
“I think Henderson blames himself. He had her arrested to try and get her evaluated but then Carter got involved before he could bring in his doctor and she ended up with this quack that basically does whatever the DA’s office says. There’s no way she would have passed a mental evaluation the way she was carrying on…”
Clark didn’t even finish listening, unable to push the thoughts out as he raced toward the alleyway behind him. He had to find Lois.
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Lois had known Mayson for almost a year. She was a lot of things. A challenge. A bit hard-headed. One thing she was not was impulsive. She thought everything through. Everything.
So finding Mayson in her apartment – hair dyed and straightened to shoulder length in an eerily similar style to hers – waving a fire arm in her hands as she sat calmly on her loveseat she had a hard time believing her eyes. Mayson was fearless as they came when taking on an adversary. Unfortunately for her she was on the other side of the table from Mayson.
“Mayson,” Lois spoke her name, hoping hearing it would draw out the colleague she knew and replace this strange eerie woman that was hell bent on continuing to twirl the handgun in her hand as if she was toying with a piece of yarn.
Mayson flinched at the sound of her voice and let out a screeching noise that sounded much like an alley cat as it fought for its last crumb of food. “You! You won’t get away with this, Lois Lane!”
Lois eyed the officer on the floor, pondering if he was in any imminent danger as she let her gaze shift to the floor, checking for any sign of blood. Thankfully he didn’t appear to be hurt terribly. Whatever she had done to knock him out hadn’t left a mark outside of the purplish bruise forming on his neck.
“Mayson, let’s just talk.” Lois pointed to the officer who was on the floor unconscious. “Tom can’t sit here forever. He has to get to a doctor.”
“He’s fine. I just hit him on the back of the head.” Mayson grumbled, waving her off. “An aspirin and some water will take care of it.”
“You assaulted a police officer, Mayson.”
“He got in my way,” Mayson snapped angrily, pointing her pistol in her direction. “Everyone is always getting in my way. No one believes me…”
“Okay, okay,” Lois held her hands up, signaling her surrender as she tried to remain calm. “You’re upset. I hear you. Maybe I can help?”
“Help?” Mayson scoffed, springing to her feet as she waved the pistol in the air, mocking her last statement with a maniacal laugh. “From you? You must be joking you little witch!”
“Okay, I don’t have to help you.” Lois amended, uncertain how to respond to the venom being directed in her direction.
“This is all your fault. You did this. You and your connections…trying to destroy me. Make everyone think I’m the crazy one! I’m not crazy!” Mayson fumed, shaking the pistol in her hand as her arms wailed through the air chaotically.
“I never said you were crazy, Mayson.”
“No, you just got your friends on the force to do that for you,” Mayson accused, jabbing her finger in Lois’ direction.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mayson,” Lois pleaded with her calmly. “I think if we just sit down and talk about this…”
“Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you?” Mayson accused. “Big star reporter comes to the rescue. Of course there’s nothing to draw out your favorite hero is there? Oh, I know!” Mayson snapped her fingers. “Let’s make it a big drawn out thing. Maybe we can go blow something up. You seem good at that.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mayson.”
“Don’t you?” Mayson let out a mocking laugh and then held out her hand, shaking it accusingly, “I know you were there, Lois.”
“Where?”
“He’s dead!” Mayson fumed, growing closer and closer as she continued to wag the pistol in her direction with each accusation and her tone continued to become more and more erratic.
“Mayson, what are you talking about?”
Before she could react, a hard cold object hit her and she felt a flash of darkness wash over her, sending her to her knees as she let out a sharp scream in agony.
________________________________________
Clark spotted the setting sun over the horizon as he flew past Carter Avenue, listening for any sign of Lois’s heartbeat. He had scanned the Daily Planet, searching for Lois on the off chance she might still be working but came up with nothing.
Nothing.
The word felt like just another taunt as he came closer to where Lois’ apartment building was. A sharp gasp filled his throat when he picked up on a radio call from Lois’ protective detail.
“Come in Wallace. Where are you?”
“Patrol, send a unit to the 1058 Carter Avenue….”
Clark hovered just outside the apartment building, scanning Lois’ apartment for any sign of the missing officer that was supposed to be protecting Lois. Inside he saw the front door to the apartment was wide open. On the floor was one of the officers. He couldn’t quite place the name at the moment but given the fact that he was on the floor cradling his head and Lois appeared to be nowhere to be found only further amplified the turbulent emotions threatening to spill over and take hold. He quickly made a change of wardrobe and entered Lois’ apartment through the open door.
“Lois?” he called out, despite knowing in his gut she wasn’t there.
“She ain’t here, Kent.”
He looked to the officer who was cradling his head as he sat himself up.
“Are you okay?” Clark asked, helping him sit up.
“Just got the wind knocked out of me is all. Caught by surprise.” The officer frowned.
“What happened? Where’s Lois?”
“She took her.”
“Who?” Clark asked, holding back the urge to shake the officer down for answers.
“Mayson.”
________________________________________
Dan Scardino tapped the sling his arm was in, fiddling with the strap as he looked down at the notepad in his other hand. He shook his head, frustrated at not being able to multi-task with his limited arm motion and shoved the notepad in his pocket, accepting his fate. He then made his way into the ground zero site where the wreckage from the Metropolis Bridge bombing was still being investigated.
Two weeks.
Had it really only been two weeks since McCarthy made such a bold move? From what the initial investigation had summarized it appeared to be a deliberate hit against someone. Whomever was smuggling the illegal immigrants in along with what could have been easily a cool five million dollar score of coke and other assorted paraphernalia. The last target McCarthy had taken out that big had been linked to the likes of Cadmus. He shuddered involuntarily, recalling his failed drug bust with the secret agency.
Too much had happened since then.
“Hey, Scardino!”
Dan turned to see one of the detectives from the Metropolis P.D. approaching him with his badge around his neck and an extra cup of coffee in his hands as he nodded in his direction. “Uh, Ryder, isn’t it?” Dan spied the name of the detective’s badge.
“Yeah,” he nodded, handing him a cup in his hand. “Henderson said you might still be down here.”
“He send you to check up on me?” Scardino asked, pointing to the wreckage behind him. “It’s just as screwed up as it was when I got here. I swear.”
“No, he wanted me to come make sure you stay off your phone and radio.”
“Come again?” Dan asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Someone hacked the police station and possibly what was City Hall’s computers and phones. What they’re doing with the information they have access to we’re still not sure. But for now, it’s old school. No phones.” Ryder explained shaking his head in dismay.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning?” Dan prompted, folding his uninjured arm across his chest as he stared back at Ryder in dismay.
“So, there’s these scientists at S.T.A.R. Labs….”
________________________________________
Mayson pointed the pistol in her hand at Lois’ backside, pressing the hard metal into her flesh as she pressed on ahead. Even with all the evidence in the world, showing just how guilty Lois Lane was for her involvement in District Attorney’s demise the little wench refused to bend. Well, she would show her.
“What exactly are you planning on doing here, Mayson?” Lois asked, looking back over her shoulder as they walked through the deserted parking garage. “You can’t exactly go anywhere with a gun pointed at me and have them welcome you with open arms.”
“You think I’m stupid?” Mayson snapped back, jabbing the pistol into Lois’ back with a hard shove. “I know exactly what I’m doing. You think you have everyone around here fooled. But I know the truth. I know what I saw and I know you’re guilty. We’re going to go on a little trip and then for once and all I’ll have the evidence I need to prove it!”
“But…”
“Stop stalling!” Mayson pointed to the stairwell in front of them. “Go!”
“Wouldn’t the elevator be faster?” Lois muttered.
“It would, but then I’d have to explain why I’m holding you hostage and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”
“How considerate.”
“Shut up and start walking.” Mayson ordered.
“Mind telling me where we’re going?” Lois asked.
“Just keep walking. You’ll know it when you see it.”
________________________________________
McCarthy leaned back against the cement wall and stared out at the skyline of Metropolis, laughing giddily to himself as he waited for the fireworks to begin. Though he probably would have been able to escape more cleanly with Nigel and Rollie Vale’s help he would at least have the added advantage of putting them both out of commission with his latest masterpiece.
While the sniveling fools were too busy arguing with Church and his minions over who had duped who he would be long gone with all the evidence planted on Cost Mart Holdings and a very clear connection between Church and Luthor. Something he knew would keep the presses hopping for at least a few months. By then he would be long gone.
________________________________________
Clark flew over the city, preparing to close in on the Daily Planet. The officer he’d found at Lois’ apartment had overheard Mayson ranting at Lois and heard Mayson mention “the archives.” It wasn’t much and very well could be a rabbit hole he was about to go down but right now it was all he had to go on. Just as he was about to come in to land, he picked up on a sound he would know anywhere.
The sharp clicking of a magazine being loaded into a sniper rifle.
He quickly looked around, trying to find where the sniper was located. He spotted a man in black on the roof of what had once been Luthor Towers. The man was hunkered down, looking straight across to where he was positioned to a hotel with the name ‘Church’ plastered across the front of the brick building. He saw the glean of light reflect off the sun’s rays and followed the path of where the rifle was aimed to a small corner room in the hotel. He scanned the inside and swallowed hard when he saw who was inside.
Albie Swanson.
________________________________________
Ryder let out a deep sigh as he followed Dan Scardino through the maze of steps that led to the roof of the Church hotel, uncertain why he was letting the DEA Agent lead him on a wild goose chase. “You mind telling me what exactly we’re looking for here?”
“He always stays where he can watch the fireworks.” Scardino said, pointing to the steps in front of him. “This is the perfect vantage point to see everything in the city.”
“You don’t even know if he’s going to make a move, Scardino. We’ve been chasing this guy for over a month.”
“I know how he works.” Scardino said, tapping his forehead with his index finger. “He wouldn’t take out a stash that big unless someone had crossed him. If he’s been crossed, then he’s going to get the message across with a whole lot of fire power.”
“And you think the roof of the Church hotel is where he’s going to do that at?” Ryder sighed as he reached the top of the stairs.
“Prove me wrong,” Dan pointed at the door leading to the roof. “After you.”
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One
Two
Three
The shots fired and Clark lunged in front of the sniper’s trajected target, allowing the bullets to hit him across his invulnerable chest and plummet the bullets back to where they originated from. He locked eyes with the sniper, immediately recognizing the would-be assassin as he sprang to his feet, making a run toward the steel door leading into the hotel’s stairwell that had led him to the roof.
At super-speed Clark moved toward his moving target, taking hold of Nigel by the collar as he chastised him, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you to put your toys away when you’re done playing with them?”
“You won’t get away with this!”
The fanatical screams of indignation could be heard as Clark landed on the sidewalk with Nigel in tow, spotting a beat cop on the corner, writing a ticket to a car that had been sitting at a meter for too long. Clark smiled to himself, ignoring Nigel’s threats as he approached, keeping a firm hand on the would-be assassin.
“Excuse me, officer? Any chance you could help me out here?”
________________________________________
Bill Church threw the monitor to the ground, watching it shatter into smithereens. He looked to his left where two of his lieutenants were shivering in fear. A rush of adrenaline coursed threw him as he pushed the other two monitors down, watching the glass from the screens shatter across the room. He let out heavy labored breaths as he stared at the damage before him.
A hand waved in front of him and he looked to the side where his son was standing impatiently tapping on his wrist as if to signal something. He should probably listen to what he was saying but the news that not only had the assassination attempt failed by that the police had taken into custody his lieutenant was too much to bear. He had worked so hard to get everything in place only for it to be ruined by a loud mouth know-it-all who dared turn on Intergang.
The cockiness that emitted from Albie Swanson should have been a dead give away of what was to come but he had been swayed by the reassurances given to him by Nigel and Vale that he would be contained. Only he hadn’t.
Not only had Swanson attempted to turn everything over to a terrorist group but he had nearly pitted Intergang and all its resources into an all out war against the organized criminal elements a hemisphere away. He had to go. Along with anyone and everyone that had allowed Albie to have access to privy information within Intergang.
“Kill them all.” Church ordered coldly.
________________________________________
Sean McCarthy jumped up from his vantage point, watching as Nigel was taken into custody. He let out a giddy chuckle as he leaned over the side of the building, watching with his binoculars to see the famous Man of Steel escort the underhanded traitor into police custody.
“One down, three more to go.” McCarthy grinned happily.
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
McCarthy jumped, turning to see his old nemesis, Dan Scardino standing behind him with his pistol aimed on his chest and his eyes narrowed as he stared him down. “Scardino, didn’t think you’d of all people be able to track me down so easily.”
“Well, you know what they say about old dogs and their tricks,” Dan shrugged, keeping his pistol aimed on McCarthy. “You certainly haven’t gotten any younger over the years.”
“I always thought you were a man who could appreciate the arts.” McCarthy grinned back at him. “I guess Jenna was right. There really is no teaching you, is there?”
“Say her name again.” Dan threatened. “I dare you.”
“Jenna,” McCarthy let the ‘n’ of her name roll off his tongue with ease and then grinned. “Blake.” He reached his hand out to pull his handheld remote out, waving it in the air. “You wouldn’t want to start the show early now, would you, Scardino?”
A shot fired and McCarthy let out a scream of agony as he dropped the remote to the ground. He fell to the ground, cradling his knee in his hands as he laid on the floor, screaming for help. He reached his hand out to grab the remote only to have his hand met with a piercing hot beam from above.
He looked up, aghast as he stared into the furious eyes of the Man of Steel.
“Scardino, you good?” a voice came from the corner and he saw a man with dark hair holding his pistol in the air.
“I’ll be perfect as soon as this piece of garbage is in the hole he belongs.” Scardino muttered, picking up the now burnt remnants of the remote.
Superman reached down to grab McCarthy by the collar, jerking him toward him as he snarled out, “Where are they? Where are the bombs?”
“Everywhere,” McCarthy let out a chuckle, shaking his head as he pointed to the horizon of the Metropolis skyline. “Every last one of them. Boom!” His hand directed a hand pistol pointed directly at the Daily Planet before he let out an uncontrollable laugh. “You can’t stop it. You can’t be everywhere at once.”
________________________________________
Rollie Vale threw his passport and what he could fit into his suitcase as he raced around the abandoned subway tunnels trying to gather what he could to ensure his protection. The signals had been jammed. It was only a matter of time before everyone in this city began to recognize him as the criminal he was and not the no-name they had been programmed to see.
He had to get out of Metropolis.
He had to…
A white blinding light filled the tunnels as the blast flooded his senses, sending him flying across the room. A low hiss escaped his throat as he attempted to cry out.
‘McCarthy,’ the name remained pressed against the forefront of his mind as he disappeared into the muffled darkness that surrounded him.
________________________________________
Lois walked through the doorway leading to the Daily Planet archives back entrance from the stairwell. It had been a safety measure that Perry and insisted upon when the Planet was rebuilt. Unfortunately, along with the added safety of allowing employees to quickly escape without being detected it also allowed them to enter the archives without being detected.
She looked to the corner where the door leading into the printing press was located. The small dark room they were in was littered with file box after file box and a large screen sat in the middle of the room with a computer hooked up to it.
“Okay, Mayson, we’re here.” Lois pointed to the dingy room they were standing in. “Now what?”
“Find it!” Mayson ordered, waving her pistol in the air as she gestured to the long line of boxes in the corner.
“Find what?” Lois asked not sure what she was referring to.
“The file! The file I had on you, Lois!” Mayson screamed angrily, shoving her toward the file boxes. “I know you took it.”
“Mayson, I…” Lois stopped herself, seeing the bloodshot eyes staring back at her. There was no reasoning with her. There was no talking to her. Whatever was going on with her was beyond a misunderstanding. Nothing Lois said would get through to her. All she could do now was try to bide her time until someone came down here and hope she could escape.
She didn’t dare try to scream for help for fear it would set Mayson off.
She bowed her head as if to signal her submission to Mayson’s demands and made her way to the corner where the first accessible file box was located. She frowned as she reached the corner, noting the thick collection of dust that was on the other boxes didn’t appear on this one. Curious, she reached out to pull it out and let out an instinctive shout when she saw what was inside.
“Oh, my God, it’s a bomb!”
A hard object hit her on the side of the head and she fell to her knees, cradling her head as she saw red spots trickle on the floor.
“Look what you made me do! Why did you …? Why can’t I just….?” A loud screeching noise escaped out of Mayson’s throat and she went between uncontrollable sobs and panicked outbursts as she fell to the ground.
“Mayson,” Lois let out a labored breath as she blinked past the spots that were hindering her vision at that moment. “You need help.”
A hard blow came, and the stars began to pixelate, blurring her vision as she cradled her head in dismay. With everything she had left in her she let out a healthy ‘Help Superman! There’s a bomb at the Daily Planet!’ just before another blow hit her across the face.
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Stanley Gables’ transfer van hobbled over the loose rubble on the ground as the driver drove around the sharp corner jerking the prisoners inside the van around. Gables let out a rough wheeze as he felt a sharp object come in contact with his throat. His eyes widened as he reached out for the guard standing a few feet away only to fall face first on the floor of the van as it moved around the erratic turns at a speed that had to be illegal.
He gasped for air, struggling to breathe as his throat closed up. He closed his eyes, feeling the familiar burning sensation as it filled his bloodstream and airways with its poison. Penicillin. With one last attempt to fight against the fate he knew was seconds away he let out a gurgled, ‘Why?’
A knowing smile crossed the guard’s face and then darkness fell over him.
It was over.
________________________________________
Perry stood outside the Daily Planet explaining the situation to the bomb squad leader who was preparing his task force to move inside and begin clearing each floor. Perry quickly pointed out the emergency exits that would help the team move in and out with ease. His hands trembled as he flashed back to this time last year when the Planet had been bombed by Lex Luthor as a means to tear down the two hundred and twenty year old paper. He knew there was much more to the reasonings for taking the Planet down in Luthor’s mind but despite everything his treachery and callous disregard for life had cost him his freedom. Now here Perry was staring at an eerily similar scene waiting for word that the paper he had helped to build with his blood, sweat and tears would live to print another edition.
“Everyone, move in!”
________________________________________
Clark barely made it off the roof before his ears had been flooded with the familiar voice of Lois Lane screaming for help. He wanted more than anything to pummel the serial bomber and make him pay for the lives he had cost this city. The innocent lives he had put in danger and upended from their day to day lives. He wanted so badly to make McCarthy pay for what he had done but he didn’t.
He couldn’t.
Not with Lois still out there missing and in danger.
Not when he heard the blood curdling scream for help.
He flew through the sky as fast as he could without breaking the sound barrier and landed in the alley just behind the Daily Planet. He let out a sigh of relief when he heard the voices from inside. He homed in on Lois’ and Mayson’s voice trying to assess the situation before moving in.
Lois’ call for help had given him enough information about the situation to know he had to get the Planet evacuated so if things didn’t go as planned the innocent staffers working at the Planet wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.
‘It’s just a precaution,’ he told himself, mentally preparing for his next steps as he hovered outside the entrance to the basement of the Daily Planet which led to the old archives storage room.
He could hear the alarms blaring from where the building was being evacuated in the floors above where Lois and Mayson were located.
Mayson.
A shudder ran through him as he listened to the sharp frantic pitch of Mayson’s voice screeched in his ears. Never in a million years would he have recognized her voice. It was as if an entirely different person had taken possession of the person he’d come to know as a friend and replaced her with this out of control lunatic that was ranting and raving behind the door in front of him.
“Where is it? Where is it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mayson.”
“Stop it. Stop it. Stop it!”
“What?”
“You try to act all innocent like you’re not the conniving witch I know you are. Stop it!”
Clark summed up as much mental strength as he could, preparing to enter the lion’s den not as Superman but as himself. Given Mayson’s past with Superman he might have better luck reasoning with her – even if it was equivalent to negotiating with a mental patient. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat, mentally pushing the doubts behind him as he prepared to walk through the door and confront Mayson.
A million things could go wrong.
All he needed was one thing to go right.
He had to get Lois out of here.
He had to get Mayson the help she needed.
He flashed his badge across the digital scanner, granting him access to the basement archives. He reached his hand over the door and turned the handle to the door just enough to prevent it from locking again as he kept his x-ray vision on Lois and Mayson as he waited for his moment to rush inside.
A sharp thud hit the door from the other side and he heard Mayson call out with a menacing hiss, “Don’t even think about it! Who’s there?”
“Mayson?” Clark called out, looking down at the crushed bullet that had fallen to the ground when it hit his shoulder. A soft ping echoed in his ears as it balanced itself onto the new surface of cement ground.
“Go away!” came Mayson’s frantic cries as he heard the loud metal thud of something hitting the ground from inside the room.
He watched as Mayson took the pistol that had been in her hands moments ago and shoved it into the corner with her foot. The bullet thankfully only hit the door he was standing at, missing both Mayson and Lois thankfully.
“I can’t do that.” Clark replied, gripping the handle as tight as he could without molding the metal with his hands. “They’re evacuating the building. There’s a bomb in there. Just…come on out here and let’s talk.”
“I know there’s a bomb in here.” Mayson replied coldly as she shot a look of daggers in Lois’ direction. “Your girlfriend planted it here!”
“That is not…!” he heard Lois begin to protest.
“Mayson, it’s not safe for you to be in there right now. Just come on out here and we’ll get the bomb squad in there.” Clark pleaded, squashing every desire he had to rush inside and whisk them both out of there. Any wrong move could result in the entire building being blown to smithereens. Any wrong move could result in Lois being even further injured. He couldn’t risk it.
“No,” Mayson let out a whimper as she screeched out a loud sob. “You don’t understand. No one understands.”
“Then explain it to me,” Clark pleaded softly. “There’s a bomb in there. You and Lois both need to get out of there so we can stop it from destroying another building and taking more lives.”
“How did you know Lois was here?”
“I…”
“Clark, look out!”
“Shut up!”
A rain of bullets hit the door and he fell to the ground, allowing the bullets to rain against the hinge of the door. He released his hand and the door fell forward, no longer locked into the hinge that held it upright. Clark stared in shock at the scene before him, unsure how to respond to the bloodshot eyes of Mayson Drake staring back at him.
“You wanted in. You’re in.” She held up her pistol and narrowed her eyes at him. “But I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Lois, are you all right?” Clark asked, looking to where Lois was, cradling her injured head from where she had obviously been struck by a blunt object. He looked to Lois briefly before looking back at Mayson.
In the split-second he had asked about Lois’ injuries Mayson let out a shriek, “Of course! The gallant hero rushing to the weak little damsel in distress! Pfft! Puh-leaze!”
“Mayson,” Clark stared back at Mayson, feeling a cold chill run down his spine as he looked back at her, “This isn’t you.”
“What would you know about me?” Mayson taunted, shooting daggers in his direction. “You have no idea what I’m capable of!”
“Mayson, you need help.” Clark remarked calmly.
“Right? I’m the one with the problem, right? Meanwhile you and Lulu Lane over here can keep going around hurting everyone around you while you put everyone at risk … not a care in the world. How exactly does that work exactly? Are you really that cold, Clark or is it just another symptom of not being able to pull yourself out of her web of lies…?”
“Mayson, stop it!” Clark felt a panic begin to rise inside him as he heard the ticking of the bomb grow faster and faster. “You want to fight about something and feel like you’re the victim, fine. You win. You’re the victim, but if you don’t get out of here right now this entire place is going to come down and you could get a lot of people killed.”
A billow of smoke whistled in his direction and he looked behind him just long enough to see the leader of the bomb squad approaching with his team. Clark looked to Mayson and pleaded, “Please, Mayson, just let them do their job.”
________________________________________
McCarthy sat in the dark room at the police precinct tapping his hand on the table in front of him. There was a certain power that came from sitting across from some of the best minds in the police department. A battle of wits he was sure to win.
He might not have taken the city down the way he had intended but he would see it crippled with the fall of Intergang. Each and every last member of the twisted organization would be taken down and he would be there to watch their downfall.
Henderson handed McCarthy a notepad and an ink pen.
McCarthy stared at the paper in front of him, “I’m not really that great at sketches but I’ll give it a shot.”
“Two witnesses were taken out today. All of which were in police custody.” Henderson pointed at the notepad in front of him. “I read the notes from your statement. The micro chip you and your pals cooked up with Vale was intended to give you a way to live unrecognized among society to go as you please. Having that kind of opportunity snatched away from you like that…it’s got to sting.”
“Not to mention your whole failed attempt to take the whole city out with your series of bombs in the city.” Ryder added smugly. “It was a creative plan. I’ll give you that.”
McCarthy chuckled back at them, “What makes you think I would help either of you.”
“Well, because if you don’t then I’m going to have to transfer you back into federal custody and right now I don’t think you want to be explaining yourself to the DEA or even the NIA.” Henderson explained, leaning back in his chair proudly.
“You want names. I want immunity.” McCarthy hissed back.
“Oh, no, it doesn’t work like that, McCarthy,” Henderson shot back chastising him with the click of his tongue. “You wanted freedom. You wanted the ability to come and go as you pleased. That’s understandable but not realistic.” He shook his head, “You’ve already proven just how dangerous you really are and why you can never be let back out into society.”
“But?” McCarthy hissed out.
“But where you spend the next nine hundred years is up for debate.” Ryder explained casually.
McCarthy grumbled uncertainty, “I want guarantees. No Scardino.”
“Done.” Henderson shot out casually as he pointed to the pad in front of him. “The crooked officers on Intergang’s payroll.”
McCarthy shook his head as he scribbled out the names with a grunt. “You’d be amazed how easily a Congressman or even a detective can be bought at the right price.” He pushed the notepad toward Henderson and smiled. “Am I right, detective?”
The name stared back at McCarthy in bold black letters and he couldn’t help but elicit a small thrill of anticipation as he watched the shock wash over Henderson and Ryder.
“I’m sorry, were you friends with Detective Riley?”
“Get him out of my sight.” Henderson growled.
“Oh, but I’m not done,” McCarthy called after him. “We have so much to catch up on, detective!”
________________________________________
Lois cradled her head as she leaned her head against Clark’s chest, feeling a wave of emotions wash over her as the smoke clear and the ranting and raving from Mayson disappeared into the distance as she was taken into protective custody. Clark gently brushed his thumb against her cheek, checking her wounds as he whispered reassurances that she couldn’t quite make out.
It was over.
That was all that mattered.
It was over.
________________________________________
Twelve Weeks Later…
Intergang Leaders Exposed!
By Lois Lane and Clark Kent
New DA Named: DA Hunter Swears In!
By Lois Lane and Clark Kent
Micro Chip Technology Exposed
By Jimmy Olsen
Special Contribution: Perry White
Cracked and Committed: ADA Drake Unfit For Trial
By Cathy Rawlins
Intergang Taken Down!
By Lois Lane and Clark Kent
McCarthy Testifies! Churches Get Life!
By Lois Lane and Clark Kent
Mayson Drake set the newspaper clippings down, feeling a sense of dread fill the forefront of her mind as she closed the file folder she had collected the newspaper clippings in. She looked to her therapist who was staring back at her with a quiet sense of calm she wished she could have even half of.
“Today’s the day, isn’t it?” her therapist inquired.
“Yeah,” Mayson let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
“Mayson, you’ve made great promise in these last few months.” Her therapist reassured her.
“I nearly killed a woman…and so many more.” Mayson replied tearfully.
“You were also not in control of yourself.” Her therapist reminded her.
“It doesn’t make any of it right,” Mayson shrugged the explanation away.
“You have made amends, Mayson.”
“I gave Lois Lane a lame apology after tearing her life apart and destroying any semblance of a friendship we once had.”
“She forgave you, didn’t she?”
“Yes. But that’s just her. I wouldn’t forgive me.”
“Knowing what you know now, Mayson, what would you have done differently.”
“Taken the help when it was offered,” Mayson smiled weakly. “I had so many people trying to reach me. Tell me to talk to someone and I just brushed it off. If I had listened to just one person. Just one. None of this would have happened.”
“Mayson, you were programmed to react that way.”
“Programmed to turn into a psychopath. Great, that makes me feel a lot better.”
“Mayson, I know this is hard, but you will figure this out.” She pointed to the door behind her. “Before you go there is someone that would like to talk to you.”
Mayson turned to see Bill Henderson standing in the doorway with an older man she didn’t recognize. She let out a deep breath and nodded for them to come in.
“Mayson,” Henderson beamed back at her. “You look great.”
“I should.” Mayson gave him a wry smile. “They’re finally letting me out of this nuthouse.”
“I wouldn’t exactly categorize Shady Brooke as a ‘nut house’,” Her therapist chimed in.
“So, is this the part where you tell me, ‘I told you so’?” Mayson asked, tapping her hand on her knee nervously.
“No,” Henderson shook his head. “This is the part where even though you’ve done some horrible things I introduce you to a friend that might be able to help.” He pointed to the man behind him.
“I’m the chairperson with the Special Needs Alliance,” the man introduced himself. “Bill here is a dear friend and advised us of the uncertainty of your future with your former job as a District Attorney’s office.”
“Hard to practice law when they suspend your license.” Mayson responded quietly.
“They will reinstate it, Mayson,” Bill advised confidently.
“We work with the state to help protect people’s rights who are disabled, mentally challenged, or even those suffering from episodes that are emotional or behavioral. Many times when society doesn’t understand what they’re dealing with we find our clients wrongfully imprisoned and even killed. We work together to help protect those that can’t protect themselves. Given the uncertainty of things I thought you might be interested in at least coming by the center and seeing what it is we do. The pay isn’t the greatest but we make do.”
“I’m crazy haven’t you heard?” Mayson tried to joke. “I might actually take you up on an offer.”
“Would that be the worst thing in the world?”
________________________________________
Clark looked up at the tall white brick building watching as the new District Attorney, Constance Hunter and the Mayor clipped the big red ribbon in front of the building. A smile crossed his face as he turned to Lois who was standing next to him.
“Well, City Hall is back in business,” Clark commented dryly. “Let’s see if the criminals can stay out of the courtrooms long enough to enjoy it.”
“I think they did a good job,” Lois responded with a long sigh. “Like the final puzzle piece being put into a jigsaw puzzle. Everything that had been destroyed by McCarthy is now repaired.”
“Not everything,” Clark commented, looking sadly up at the stage where the other ADAs were standing behind Constance Hunter.
“Henderson said he found someone that was willing to help her get back on her feet,” Lois reminded him. “I know it’s not the same but it’s somewhere.”
“I just wonder what would have happened if we had tried a little harder to get through to her.”
“Well, she didn’t want our help.” Lois replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “Especially not mine. Unless we broke the law and forced her to get help, I don’t see how we could have stopped any of this.”
“I still don’t understand why Nigel and Vale tried to program her to lose control like that. I mean, what was the point of all of this?”
“If what McCarthy said was true and they were working with Intergang then maybe they wanted to discredit her so she couldn’t go after Intergang.” Lois smiled back at him, placing a hand on his chest. “Not that that did any good in the long run.”
“I was relieved to hear that it was Vale behind the threats and not Mayson,” Clark shook his head. “Not that it makes it that much better. Still. I just hate that there wasn’t more we could have done for her.”
Lois nodded, tapping her hand on his shoulder as she spoke. “I know. I’m just glad we found who was responsible and put a stop to them.”
“So, I guess you were right about not rushing to judgement on the stalker business,” Clark commented, wrapping an arm around her waist.
“Well, of course,” Lois smiled back at him. “I’m always right.”
“Is that so?” Clark teased, grinning back at her.
“Always,” Lois grinned, leaning in to kiss him.
Clark smiled, feeling a rush of emotions flood through him as he stared back at her. After what felt like an eternity of chaos and uncertainty he finally felt like he and Lois had finally found that place in their relationship where everything just fell together in perfect unity. His hand brushed against the small velvet box inside his coat pocket, pondering just how to bring up his plans for the weekend with her.
“Is it just me or does it seem like we’ve been doing nothing but chase stories and bad guys for the last three months?” Lois asked, turning to look back at him with a questioning gaze. “We should celebrate. How about Fudge Castle?”
“Or maybe we could get out of the city for a little while and recharge?” Clark suggested, tightening his hand over the velvet box.
“I might be tempted,” Lois responded casually.
“Might?”
“Where exactly are we talking about?”
“It’s just a weekend away. No deadlines. No terrorists. No bombs.” Clark smiled back at her.
“And Superman?” Lois mouthed to him, whispering just loud enough for him to make out the question.
“He’s in need of a vacation too.”
“Is that so…?”
________________________________________
Just on the edge of the crowd a man in a black overcoat and old nineteenth century style bowler stood, watching the couple with a pleased smile on his face. He stepped back from the crowd, checking the time on the handheld watch in his hand before tucking it safely inside his pocket.
He let out a soft chuckle to himself as he approached the alley where he had last parked his time machine. A frown crossed his face when he saw his visitor from the future was missing.
“Oh, dear…”
~ The End
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