Okay so this is not your typical Season 2 rewrite. This is not your typical LuckyLeon/Resurrection rewrite. Toys get broken and then somewhat put back together and there shall be a lot of fun in here as well.

Holding off on posting anticipated chapters at the moment but will update as we get further along.

Description: What happens if Mayson Drake doesn't venture to her car in a fit of anger at the end of Lucky Leon?

All comments are welcome!

Teaser

Oooooooh! I’ve been looking forward to this one *rubs hands together*
Can’t wait for you to start actually posting!

Awesome, the teaser looks great! I'm with Feli - I can't wait for the posting to start!

I hadn’t been on the boards in ages and this looks like a nice welcome back present.

Hey Feli!

So glad the teaser worked to draw you in. **rubs hands together maniacally** The fun is just beginning.

I feel sorry for Mayson.

Hey E!

So glad you liked my little teaser. I'll put together a posting schedule and have the first chapter up later. Right now I'm just letting you wonder...

Oh what a start! Looking forward to seeing where this is going.

Chickberry! I haven't seen you around in forever. Thanks so much for reading and welcome back!

Yeah, she was dealt some awful cards in this teaser. Stay tuned though. Lots of twists coming.

Hey jackiek!

Thanks for reading and commenting. I hope everyone enjoys this bumpy ride. I should have a posting schedule next week.

Trailer is now up for this one.

7/28/19 expect Chapter 1 to be posted.

Sundays will be the posting schedule.

Okay all, chapter 1 is now up. Thanks so much for all the feedback. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

See you next Sunday!

So that's what you've been busy doing lately! Cool beginning. Combine that with the trailer, and it makes me wonder just who is hating herself and how she's going to react. I'm looking forward to this one.

Moving forward cautiously? Cautiously optimistic? Somehow I don't think that's the way they're going to roll. Cat-fight coming! And no Cat Grant in the area.

[begin blatant hint]
If you need another beta, I'm available! I have a dictionary and a thesaurus and a spell/grammar/punctuation checker all ready to place at your disposal.
[/end blatant hint]

*Squee!* This is getting so good... Perry is adorable! ^_^

So what's up with those two cylinders? Mayson has one and left one behind...? Yeah, I know: wait for the rest of the story. *sigh*

Hey Terry,

I wish I could blame the last month on writing this...but it's been written for a little over three months now waiting. I'm glad you liked the trailer and what's been posted so far.

There's an interesting turn of events coming. That's all I'm willing to divulge at this point.

As far as beta goes I'd welcome any help.

//slams muse into locked closet as she tries to give things away

Yes, those questions will be answered...mostly in the next chapter. Sorry Queenie!

But hey, you'll have something to look forward to, right?

Thanks for reading and commenting, Queenie.

I always love it when you write about the early days of Lois and Clark's romantic relationship, and this is definitely living up to your standard.

The elevator banter cracked me up


I love Perry 'MatchMaker' White!


I'm intrigued and excited to watch this unfold!

Aww, E, thanks so much! What a sweet compliment! ((HUGS))



<snork> I'm glad you liked this part. I had a lot of fun playing with these two in this scene.


Oooh! New nickname! I likey!




Thanks for reading, E! Glad you liked it so far.

Chapter 2 is now up.

Ooh, new chapter!


Careful Clark, your Spandex is showing


So... are there two cylinders and one's currently in the wind, or just the one and Mayson missed when she carelessly tossed it into her purse?


Lois (and probably Clark) was the only person in Metropolis who didn't know why that bothered her


Her obsessive psychosis knocked on her office door?

Thanks for another excellent chapter!

Ooh, good chapter! You're really upping the ante already.

It's interesting that you don't have a chapter count on your posts. That might mean that you don't know how long it will be, or that you want to torture us with multiple false dramatic climaxes. And I know you have that in you.

Mayson's already coming apart at the seams. Of course, some of it is due to her car being exploded ("Lois! You esploded them!"), some due to the missing evidence, and some due to the stress in her personal life. Now the one person with whom she'd really like to spend some up close and personal time is at her front door, along with the person who is driving bamboo shards under her heart's fingernails. I'm waiting to see if Mayson breaks down and shares her loss of evidence with L&C, and if she does, if Clark the Boy Scout will tell her that they found it and took it to STAR Labs for analysis.

Wouldn't that be explosive? "You stole my evidence!" "It was lying under a burned-out car on the impound lot!" "It's evidence in a very important investigation!" "Yeah, we're making progress on it too!" "It's an active police matter!" "It doesn't matter because we have the evidence!" Then fists and feet fly and Clark has to play peacemaker. Not unlike mediating between Israel and Palestine.

And so on and so forth.

Of course, if this is a longer tale, it's too early to let everyone in on such secrets. Lois knows that Mayson cares deeply for Clark, but I don't think Lois understands how deeply Mayson wishes Lois would take a long walk off a short pier in the middle of Great White dinner buffet. (I'm pretty sure Clark doesn't know either.) And, of course, which woman will discover Clark's "other job" first? And what will she do with it? I foresee anger, distrust, tears, threats, possible hand-to-hand combat, and a helpless Superman.

Oh, I just had an evil thought. What if the women find out at the same time and form an alliance to torture Clark? And they independently decide that it would be a great chance to get the inside track with Clark?

Shoot, Superman might leave Earth, much less Metropolis. He might send a mental message to Ching and Zara to please come take him away from this crazy place!

Don't wait so long to post the next chapter. My heart might not be able to take it.

Hey E!


He does tend to forget himself when his emotions get the better of him, doesn't he?


The two cylinders are one and the same. More to come on this in the next few chapters.


<snork>




Thanks for reading and commenting E!

Hey Terry,

Thanks for reading!


So, I'm keeping the chapter count in my back pocket to build up the suspense. I'll let you know when you're at the end though


Hehe, you have a very active imagination Terry, but I'm not quite ready to let these three have the big confrontation just yet.


There is definitely no knowledge of just how bitter Mayson is just yet but it'll come to light...eventually.


Again with that active imagination. What will we do with such thoughts? Hmmm, let them simmer and see if anything sticks...


<snork> I had an even more evil thought but I won't bore you with the details.


Sorry for taking so long to respond. It's been a brutal week with the kiddos and the lovely colds being passed with back to school. Next chapter will be up on Sunday.

Unburying from the massive posts.

Chapter 3 is up.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter 4 is up now.

Next chapter will be up on Sunday

I'm dying to know who sent that pic to Lois, Mayson doesn't seem far enough around the bend yet not to realize how deeply creepy it is, and the envelope didn't have enough spit stains for something that she had to write Lois's name on.

Mayson, scribbling with the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth: To Lois *ptoo ptoo ptoo!* Lane *ptoo ptoo ptoo!*
Lois: Why is this envelope dripping??

I'm thinking someone in the DA's office is either trying to warn Lois or undermine Mayson's credibility, possibly both.

Also, I can't believe Clark sprinkled himself with cat hair. That has got to be harder and more complicated than fessing up. He needs to be careful, that's not a spur of the moment 'blurted something out because I was in a hurry' lie, that's the kind of calculated thought-out thing that's more likely to have Lois hunting up a shard of Kryptonite later.

I'm really enjoying Lois and Clark's leisurely waltz toward open romance and Mayson's accelerating slide into a bin of bulk nuts, thanks for the chapter!

Oh, the intensity. Oh, the angst. Oh, the coming blame game.

Mayson will surely blame Lois for whatever happened to Gomez, Lois will accuse Mayson of negligence, and Clark will have to play referee again. Who whacked Gomez, assuming he's actually dead? Or did someone slip him a Resurrection pill? When will Clark and Lois get the analysis back from STAR Labs? Is Mayson about to go postal on them? Like Endelda, I wonder who sent Lois that doctored photo. Was it a threat or a warning?

Excellent story! Looking for chapter 5 now!

All I can say about it is more information will come to light in the next few chapters. You'll see two/three different POVs on critical events that will help explain some of your questions.








He knew he was in the dog house the second the lie came out of his mouth. Risk being even deeper in trouble when Lois was already suspicious or continue the lie. These fables will catch up with him eventually but for now it's kinda hilarious to put him in awkward positions like this.


Thanks for reading and commenting, E. I enjoy hearing about everyone's theories of what will happen next.

Oh, Terry, you don't know the half of it //rubs hands together and laughs maniacally//


These plot guesses are pretty funny. Though not that far off


More to come on Gomez in the next chapter.


Well, it will take more than a few hours.... Soon! That's all I'm willing to say at this point.


Define, "postal"? I mean, if do you mean permanent resident at Arkham or do you mean I will story-block you from everyone in this town?


So, that one will have more explanation on the subsequent chapters.


Thanks, Terry!

I'll have Chapter 5 up on Sunday CDT.

Ooh, another chapter! Sweet!

I'm glad Clark has his parents.


That's excellent advice, Martha.


Um - that's not such good advice. To Lois, the perception that Clark has been lying to her for so long will be the biggest issue in her mind. She's not going to listen to facts, reason, or clear explanations at that point. It will not be the tip of the iceberg, nor the part under the water - it will be the entire ice mass! Unless the revelation comes at or after a psyche-shaking event for Lois where her emotional energy is already spent, she's going to explode. The reason she didn't in the show is because when Clark came clean, she already knew. And she'd already worked through much of the emotional fallout after being thawed out when Clark wasn't in the same room with her. She just didn't realize that when she said "not now" to his proposal he'd hear "no" and nothing more.

I can see something similar happening here.

Mayson is definitely about to slide off the rails. I don't now how much longer it will be until her antipathy toward Lois - which now includes Clark - affects her professional judgement and damages her effectiveness as a prosecutor. She's going to morph from a crusader for justice to a vengeful harpy, screaming her pain out before the world and reaching to rend anyone and anything she thinks has injured her.

Lois is in trouble and doesn't know it yet.

The little bad guys tidbit was great. You hinted that Gomez got the pill without actually saying so. You also told us that McCarthy's pride has been dented, so Mayson is still in his bull's-eye. And Albie is still a whiny little lizard. But what dose for Gables was he talking about? Is it possible that Gables is an addict of some kind? That he's not really in control of this operation, as he obviously believes he is?

More, please. I'd like some more, ma'am.

As soon as possible.

Looking forward to reading this tonight! Sorry I have been MIA lately. Worked all weekend. Totally exhausted. Promise to write comments!

Hey Terry!


Taking the advice will be a whole different challenge. He'll get the hint eventually.


Terry, you're absolutely right. Fireworks will occur if the revelation were to come without extenuating circumstances or if Clark found just the right way to make the reveal and apologize, provide reveal and an explanation on the why before getting to the whole 'I've been lying to you for years haha... Please don't kill me' bit.


Very good observations, Terry. I don't think Clark would have faired very well if he'd been in the room with Lois when the pieces fit together.


Well no one is perfect.


There are similarities between fic and cannon I've tried to subtly sprinkle in. Glad you're able to pick up on them.


I was hoping it would be obvious how unstable Mayson was becoming. Her perception is now being clouded. As you saw in this past chapter her version of events versus Lois and Clark's are fragmented now. This will be very important to pay attention to throughout the remainder of the fic.


It won't be all at once but you'll see the subtle changes throughout the fic.


Yes, Lois is in a lot of trouble with Mayson. Luckily she keeps those super-body guards nearby for backup.


I'm not revealing too much as a lot of the action will be happening in Chapter 7 with the bad guys. You will see more of McCarthy and everyone's favorite DEA agent over the next few chapters.

The dose is the medication Gables has to take for his condition.

Chapter 6 is now up and I even included a little waffiness for those WAFF lovers out there.

Hey Morgana

Sorry, you had a rough weekend. I've had a few of my own the last few weeks. Hope you enjoy the catch up reading session.

PSA: Chapter 6 is up. Chapter 7 will be posted AFTER the boards update. Barring any issues

All comments welcome. Let me know what you think.

I know. I know. It's been a while since the last posting. I honestly wasn't sure if anyone was still reading it or not and was contemplating just archiving it given how slow the boards had been lately. BUT before giving up I figured I'd wait out the update and see if the next chapter had better luck. I'm guessing it had too much WAFF?



Anyway, Chapter 7 is up.

Finally got the time to read this last chapter! Man, you really keep the tension up! Hrm, I don't suppose there's any chance that Mayson will fall in love with Dan and forget all about Clark and Lois, is there?

Yay! Happy to see the update! I want to comment now that I have a weekend free!

Hey Queenie!

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Glad you liked the latest chapter. Tension will be pretty constant throughout this one. Um, Dan will come into play but probably not in the way you're thinking.


Hey Morgana!

Hope you enjoy your free weekend! Looking forward to hearing what you think so far.


Okay, Chapter 8 is now up. Enjoy and as always, all comments are welcome.

I love this story. I am a loyal follower of your work. Shame on me. I lurk.

This is getting scary.

I checked the end of 7 to see when Mayson caught the bullet in her knee (hmm, that sounds familiar somehow), and there's no real indication that she'd been hit. But it's perfectly reasonable to go from her apartment being sprayed with bullets to Daniel S. putting a pressure bandage on her knee. And she's really starting to lose contact with reality. "No, Superman, you can't fly me to the emergency room." "No, Lane, I don't want to work with you, despite your giving me a great lead." "No, I'm not going to pursue this evidence that I've been horrified was lost somehow." Even Scardino can see she's coming unwound.

Speaking of Dan-call-me-Daniel, he's not awed by Superman in the least. Interesting. Does that mean that he doesn't know that much about him, was totally distracted at the time, or knows a lot more than anyone else in this twisted tale? I noticed that Dan didn't consider Superman when he was mentally recounting his day among the crazy women of Metropolis.

Someone broke into Lois' closet and shredded all her semi-formal and formal clothing? That sounds like the work of a jealous woman to me - and one who's not totally sane. A man might attack her clothing, but he surely would widen his swath of shredding to include her underwear, assuming that wouldn't be his primary focus. Is it possible that Mayson is Lois' nemesis, that she's trying to sabotage Lois' relationship with Clark? These actions would fit the worldview of a woman with only forty-seven cards in her solitaire deck.

Clark needs to reveal himself to Lois now, like in the next 24 hours. Let her work through her shock and fury while he's protecting her. Let her see just how much he cares for her and what he'll sacrifice for her. Let her realize that he kept this knowledge from her for two reasons - first, to protect himself, and second, to protect her. As endangered a species as Lois Lane seems to be in this tale, how many more knives would be pointed a her if it got out that she knew Superman's secret?

More tension than a reader can handle! Please resolve this soon!

Unless, of course, you don't. I bet if we looked closely, this level of torture would be banned by international treaty.

Just read part 9. Nice step-down on the tension level. Let me step through my thoughts, in no particular order.

Bill Henderson is personally invested in finding Lois' stalker. Makes me wonder if he is now (or soon will be) willing to cut some corners to close this case. Nice to see him show some real care about Lois' privacy and sense of security.

From Part 7 (and it just now struck me) - Scardino returned fire at the shooter outside Mayson's apartment with a rifle? Where did he get that? A pistol can be concealed, but I don't think the biggest NBA players could conceal a rifle on their persons. Maybe he really had a large handgun?

Clark told her. He really told her! And he let her think he was kidding!! Oh, that's not gonna bite him in the posterior, not ever. I can't imagine Lois taking that well - unless, of course, she slowly reasons it out that he'd spoken the truth. Either way, will she be totally stunned? Will she be angry over his "deception?" Will she be devastated by her own blindness? Will she push him away? If so, for how long? Can I get ringside seats?

Mayson's getting worse. Whether she filleted Lois' wardrobe or not, her grasp on reality and her control of her emotions are both slipping away. Maybe she didn't Lizzie-Borden Lois' closet. Maybe there are two crazies out there gunning for Lois. Or did someone symbolically "kill" her clothes as a controlled, sane warning to back off the Resurrection pill story? Also, will Mayson be unable to get to Lois and try to take it out on Clark and shoot/stab/club/drop a piano on him and discover his secret? Will she be so insane by that time that no one believes her?

Lois is micrometers from telling Clark she loves him. She's convinced he loves her, and of course she's right. I only hope she tells him before she discovers/realizes/is firmly told that CK=SM.

Great tale. Lots of possible paths. A little frightening, actually. I'm still eager to see where this goes next.

Hey SupesFan!

Long time no see! Welcome out of lurkdome. and I'm glad you're enjoying this tale.


Hey Terry!


So, most of the scene at the end of Chapter 7 was in Mayson's POV. So her perception is not the greatest or most reliable. Also, it wasn't her apartment but her office that was shot up. What she registers as a threat and how the others perceive reality are quite different.


Dan was definitely too distracted with the crazy woman refusing to go to the hospital. More Superman and Scardino scenes will come and you'll get to see his reaction to the hero in this slightly different environment.


The threats against Lois are becoming more and more prominent and more will be revealed of those in the upcoming chapter.


The revelation will be coming soon. Not as anyone expects but it will be coming soon. Convincing himself is quite the challenge for Clark.

Hey Terry!



Bill Henderson struck me as someone that cares about protecting the people of Metropolis. Even though I'm sure Lois has given him a hard time he wouldn't want anything to happen to her. You'll see some development here over the course of the story as the tension grows.



So, I think it's in chapter 10 or 11 you have Dan give his POV of that scene and it makes a little more sense. Chapter 7 had Mayson's distorted POV so it was in pieces. Her perception is jagged at best which makes her version of events seem more intense or out there than what actually happened.



<snort> Yes, he did tell her...technically. Next chapter you get to see it all come to a head and I'm sure someone will have popcorn ready and waiting to watch the fireworks.


Mayson and reality aren't exactly on the same hemisphere right now. This will all come to a head eventually (cuz it has to, right?) but I'm not making any promises on what the damage will be.


//hog ties muse and tosses her in the closet//

**whistles innocently** Nothing to see here.



I didn't go the usual route (following the episode) with this one so I hope the twists and turns make the ending as enjoyable for you all as it was to write. (No, we're not there yet).

Chapter 10 is now up after the long holiday.

Hope everyone enjoys the fireworks!

You know, I actually thought Mayson was getting better, that she'd recovered some of her equilibrium after a good night's sleep.

Then this happened.


How long before someone puts this insane female out of her misery? How long will she plague our favorite couple? How far will she go to reinforce her fantastic view of her personal virtual reality?

I don't know if this was her intent, but she just pointed Scardino at Lois like a Sparrow missile. How long will it be before she decides she's carrying Clark's baby? Orders wedding invitations? Picks out china patterns? Registers them at Target and Wal-Mart and Dollar General?

How long before she really starts hating herself?

You are . Not as evil as a very few other stories on this site, but still --

There is some real trouble coming.

Oh, Clark's rear end is not as badly bitten as I thought it would be. Good thing he's such a super-kisser. At least he didn't tell her when she was drunk.

Oh, Terry, Terry Terry.... surely you know me better than that...





Now why would I want to do that?


Until she's caught of course


//whistles innocently//


More of this in the next chapter. Yes, very much her intent.


//spews drink laughing uncontrollably//


Oh, what a lovely colection of evil thoughts that could get Mayson into trouble....



It'd get really hard to hide her crazy with an apartment full of presents for her imaginary wedding. She should probably pick out a new place for her and her imaginary Clark to live in first.


I prefer to think of it as a love / hate relationship at the moment.


I resemble that remark.


Very much so.


He still has a hole to dig himself out of but the two are at least conversing.





Thanks for reading, Terry. I'm glad you're enjoying this tale.

A couple of things:

1. This is very suspenseful and I'm wondering if Dan will unravel what's really going on with Ms. Cuckoo for Clarkopuffs.

2. "Steak melt"? ..."Steak melt"?! Ahem. The proper term is "Philly Cheesesteak". No, I don't care that the story isn't set in Philadelphia; that is the proper name for it! ...and now I want one.

Holy crap, Mayson's going around the bend on two wheels!

I hope Dan catches on and either lets Lois in on the fact that Mayson seems to have some screws loose on her trolley, or starts keeping an eye on Mayson to see what other cuckoos may fly out of the bush.

Cuckoo for Clarkopuffs

I love that. I am dying laughing here.

Steak melt is not the same as a Philly Cheesesteak. Two different things. Think of a Patty Melt with steak burger in between the two slices of bread. Sorry for making you hungry though ....

Anyway thanks for reading Queenie!


Hey E!

Yes, Mayson's behavior is growing more and more erratic. so glad you are enjoying the chaotic train once known as Mayson falling off the tracks and crashing into things while simultaneously acting like everything is just fine.

Chapter 12 is up. Enjoy!

Wow. Mayson's not coming unglued, she's disintegrating. She might as well join the Rocky Horror Picture Show road company and learn to sing and dance the Time Warp in Grand Central Station.

I think Scardino is convinced that nothing Mayson says or does is reliable. And I wonder if she'll survive the journey back to the DA's office. This chick is getting downright dangerous. I still think it's plausible that Mayson's the second stalker - and we still don't have a total chapter count. Could it be that folc4 is planning to torture her readers incessantly for a full year? Or even more? Will Mayson besiege Lois and haunt Clark even as the first Kent children are receiving their Masters' degrees? Will McCarthy keep building bombs and sneaking gangsters out of prison for years to build a criminal organization to rival Luthor's? Can the new and "improved" relationship between Clark and Lois survive these stresses? Will Lois survive at all?

Tense, indeed. I salute you, lady.

Hey Terry


Yes, Mayson is definitely being unhinged and it is becoming more and more apparent to those around her.


Well, the finally chapter count wouldn't let me include it in the description when I started and I didn't feel like being inconsistent in postings so there's that...


Now, I know I twist things along for awhile but I'm not that bad You're looking at 20-25 chapters (depending on some final edits and how long fleshing out some of the later chapters ends up). I promise it won't be a whole year of postings though.











Thank you! More to come soon!

Wow, very tense indeed! Catching up on some reading, although still very much behind.

How long is Mayson going to be able to keep the lid on her public veneer of sanity? It's definitely slipping.

You have me hooked to see what winding, twisted road you take us on in this story.

Chapter 13. Doesn't seem all that lucky to me.

They're making good progress on the case, and Dan is being surprisingly helpful. I wonder when he'll start to distance himself from Mayson to the point where she notices and includes him in her out-of-phase reality of rejection and loss. I don't think he realizes how dangerous she can be.

Nice to see Lois and Clark smiling at each other. Also nice to see Lois' casual acceptance of Clark's Superman persona. She's starting to treat him like one person. Maybe that mental integration thing in her mind is moving along better than he'd hoped.

Also seems that the criminals' conspiracy is coming apart. Albie appears to be running. Angry shouting between the others has become the norm. McCarthy keeps failing to deliver the deaths he promised. They're getting close to desperate - and very dangerous.

Melissa Scott, Asst. ME, is gone. And she's deep in this, right up to her presumably pretty chin. And wow! some of the Resurrection pill recipients died for real? These people are even scarier than in the series.

Now Mary Williams, Mayson's assistant, is dead. The cops have Chris Gomez alive, one of the bad guys (interesting how you didn't mention the name), and Williams has been murdered inside a police interrogation room. I understand that the baddies want to plug a leak and strew terror among their other accomplices, but the timing was terrible. The pool of suspects is small and isolated, and finding the actual shooter/stabber/clubber shouldn't be all that hard.

Really good "reader incentive" though. Kudos for continuing to end the chapters on a "What The Front Door?!" moment.

I'm looking forward to the next installment. Who's going to die? What insane thing will Mayson do next? Will Dan help Clark and Lois make a breakthrough to solve the case, or is he another prospective victim? Was the money Albie took laced with poison? (I used that one once - it's a good twist.) Will Rollie Vale go back to prison or die in the crossfire? What will happen to McCarthy? Will Clark keep saving Lois?

So many possible paths, so many possible outcomes. This is still a compelling tale.

Now we have 14. Goody.

You know, the first time I read it, I missed the line where Lois dried her hair then put on pajamas. Made me visualize her sitting on Scardino's chest, holding that plunger at the perfect angle of death, all while wrapped in a loose towel.

Dan: "I said eleven I hoped you'd be naked - er, less violent."

Too bad, because that scene was hilarious in my mind.

Anyway, no one else died. Yet. Mayson hasn't flipped out yet. There are still crooks on the loose, and I still wonder whether Mayson is the second stalker. Would fit her downward spiral, no?

On the plus side, Lois seems to be adjusting to Clark being Superman being Clark fairly well. At least she's not hunting Kryptonite-bedecked plungers.

Next post, please. More, please. <<More!?!>> Yes, please, ma'am.

My sincere apologies. I hadn't realized how long it had been since my last comment.

So. Chapter 17.

It's indeed a cruel irony that McCarthy observes his latest murder from the roof of the Daily Planet. So he got Clemmons but seems to have missed Mayson, if just barely. And now the late DA can't follow through on his threat to fire his insane, obsessed, monomaniacal ADA. I truly wonder if Mayson will blame Lois for her second near-death in this tale. Might McCarthy leave some evidence on that handy roof that would implicate Lois in this latest bombing?

I also wonder if Clemmons' death will remove one more impediment to Mayson's crusade against Lois. And if there is planted evidence on the Planet's roof, I wonder if Mayson will ignore logic and try to indict Lois for first degree murder.

Lois seems to have transitioned to full acceptance of the unity of Clark and Superman. I hope he shares the whole story of "too late" with her, whether before bed or in the morning before work. She needs to understand how personally he takes every unnecessary death. He needs the emotional release of telling someone and the unconditional support of someone who chooses to love him unreservedly.

And Bill Henderson is on the side of right in this tale, too, unless he's being really sneaky and perverse. But I don't see him warning Perry of Mayson's attempt to indict Lois on obstruction charges if he's not one of the good guys.

Ah. Now we see the linking of the bad guys, Rollie Vale, Sean McCarthy, Nigel St. John. They're working together, but not in harmony. There are fissures developing in that triumvirate of terror, and it's a sure bet that Lois and Clark will exploit them when they get the opportunity. And you've told us that, while Lois is still in mortal danger, it isn't an immediate threat to her, although she's going to see stalkers in the shower before this is over. You also told us that Albie Swanson is in immediate danger. I hope he has a deep hole nearby ready to be occupied at a moment's notice.

I'm looking for Clark and Lois and Bill Henderson to uncover some evidence that leads to our evil trio. Put pressure on them, and one of them (probably Vale) will make a series of serious mistakes and the entire conspiracy will fall apart like a watermelon at a Gallagher show. (Gallagher is a comic whose schtick is smashing watermelons and covering the front rows of the audience with wet debris. Google him.) Maybe the good guys will find where McCarthy is getting all those explosives. I'm pretty sure they're not available at the local Costco (not on the shelves, at least).

Still tense. Still taut. Still interesting. Keep them coming!

//side eyes FDK//

Sorry. I've been bad about responding to FDK


Hey cuidadora!

So glad you're enjoying this twisted tale. Mayson is going to continue to live in her version of the truth for a few chapters...



Well, it's an ironic chapter title


Dan will definitely begin to see the crazy in Mayson. What he does with that...? That'll be up to him...

Oh, yes! Things are starting to brighten up on the romance front.


Well, you know what they say... If you don't want to get burned... don't play with fire.


Twisted a-plot is where my muse decided to go with this one. The twists and turns we never got to see ...



It's definitely not going to be hard to determine the suspect but finding the suspect may prove to be a challenge.


Thank you, Terry!

I'm glad you're enjoying the OMG moments at the end.





There's a lot going on here. There will be a lot of twists and turns for how Clemmons' death will both effect Clark but also how this will push Mayson's mental state and her motivation for justice against perceived threats. Clemmons saw Mayson's spiraling and attempted to stop it but now there's no way to follow through on her firing.


Interesting thought...but I'm remaining quiet on the subject for now.


Oh absolutely. There will be a lot of LnC moments in the next chapter.


Henderson is definitely in the right and looking out for his team and attempting to keep justice flowing on all angles.


Baddies like to play with one another. Yes, there's still a threat but not an immediate one for Lois, but Albie is one who should be worried.



Costco?? Yeah, there's still a few twists to weave into this tale but we're getting close. //muffles muse's big mouth shut//


Thanks Terry!

Next Chapter

<bumping> I buried myself

Chapter 19 is up.

Not sure if anyone is still reading this or not, but Chapter 20 is up. The end is coming!

I'm reading. I'm still figuratively nibbling my nails, too.

Scardino has gained Clark's conditional trust with that file. (Note: There's something missing from the end of the three-scene in Lois' apartment with the file. I suspect it's kind of a big deal, too.) And our heroes have picked up some very valuable information. This will jump-start their investigation and point them in the right direction. All they need to do now is keep Lois alive long enough to finish the job.

I'm glad(?) Superman saved Albie and impressed the leg-breaker. I assume that McCarthy saw the whole thing go down, and he'll be close to panic because he'll assume Albie will squeal. Probably will, too, if only to reduce his own sentence.

Most interesting development is Nigel's hubris showing. Mayson saw that she signed off on the warrant for Nigel St. John and she couldn't remember doing it! Maybe now she'll seek help, because she's starting to realize that somebody's seriously messing with her mind. I hope she tells Henderson, who will want her to see Dr. Klyburn (can't help it, first thing to my mind was pianist Van Clyburn) who will try to help her.

Along with that, maybe Mayson really is the second stalker - she just doesn't know it. All of the non-lethal actions against Lois - the clothing, the notes, and now the death threat - could be from someone mind-controlling Mayson. And if she does realize it, will that be enough to interfere with her programming? Maybe even enough to alter or break it? And does the flicker in her laptop screen have anything to do with updating her programming?

I can see her trying to handle this on her own, too, and it would get her into Superman-rescue territory if she does. It would be a disaster if she learned about CK=SM while under the influence of the bad guys. Or - might it be enough to shock her into either catatonia or completely out of their control? Yeah, that would be very interesting.

Near the end, huh? Wait a second - there. I'm ready now. Hit me with you best shot!

Hey Terry!


Yes, unlike in the cannon of the series this version of Scardino isn't distracted with the pursuit of a relationship that will never happen (or is doomed from the start) and is very motivated to bring McCarthy to justice. His willingness to ask for help and be willing to help Jimmy doesn't hurt either.


Yeah, for some reason it skipped a part when I was selecting and copying and pasting. Fixed now!


:roftl: Yes, the information will send them in the right direction.


Yes, leg-breaker and Albie will be spending some quality time with doors that don't open from the inside and cell bars....


Haha, well Dr. Klyburn is actually from the comics as a scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs. Mayson definitely is recognizing something isn't right and will soon begin to seek out answers...possibly in not the greatest ways... but she'll be searching for answers.


(whistles innocently) I'm not confirming or denying that any of the above is true but you're ....




Mayson is very independent and will go through desperate measures to get the answers she wants. Which may prove more than she or those in her path can handle.




You have a total of 23ish chapters for this adventure. More to come soon!

To correct my earlier spelling: Hit me with your best shot!

Oh, well, you did anyway.

You gave them a very nice morning after in the beginning of the chapter. That was good of you, considering what you did at the end. !

Let's see what we have here.

Dr. Klyburn has stayed away from the piano long enough to analyze the chip from the blast that killed the DA. And that information is going to the police. Will it go where it needs to go?

Sean McCarthy is about to trigger another blast. Where? And who's the target?

Mayson's erratic behavior has caught the attention of police brass, but they're legally limited in what they can do. Legally, that is...

Ah. McCarthy's target - illegal workers and illicit drugs. You've shown us how a sociopath thinks, and he may have gone too far this time. Intergang will be after him. And Superman will save as many lives as he can.

Mayson's back out among sane citizens, and it's possible she'll blame Lois for everything that's going crazy in her world. It's certain she still thinks Lois tried to blow her to smithereens. She'll want payback now.

Superman to the rescue! Yay! And he's truly angry that McCarthy not only endangered innocents (illegals, yes, but they didn't sign up to be victims) of his revenge scheme. The mad bomber's days of freedom are numbered in the low double digits, if that many.

Jimmy's back, too! The fact that his mind is now clear gives us hope that Mayson can be helped effectively. Of course he's gonna bust his butt getting as much information to Clark and Lois as he can. And they'd better not let him near Rollie Vale when this is over.

But the second stalker (I still think it's unconscious Mayson) is still harassing her. Once can be ignored, twice can make you wary, a pattern of such acts will make you jumpy and cost you sleep and hinder clear thinking. Lois is close to that point now.

McCarthy has angered the head of Intergang, and it's going to be bloody. Will Bill Church's minions - or Superman - find McCarthy before he blows up CostCo's main office? Stay tuned!

Now Henderson's in play. He's enlisted Superman to be on the lookout for Mayson, and when he finds her she might be pointing a weapon at Lois. Doesn't bode well for her physical health.

STAR Labs is a player, too. How much you wanna bet they'll come up with a way to jam the transmissions to those microchips, maybe even override them? With Klyburn and Stone on the job, anything's possible.

McCarthy seems to have come unhinged, too. One man declaring war on a city? And expecting to survive? Dan Scardino to the rescue! (Bet no one ever wrote that before.)

And you leave us with Mayson armed and holding Lois and her police escort hostage. Great. I don't suppose you'll bring Zara and Ching into the picture now, will you? I'm not sure how else to stir up this cauldron of chaos.

And now I want the next chapter! Any time you're ready, Val! Bring it on! I'm more than ready!

Of course!


Well, it can't all be action!


Maybe...





The frustration is definitely starting to mount.


Oh, McCarthy is most definitely evil and twisted and very aware of the fact that he's triggering the head of Intergang.


Yep!


Superman to the rescue!


Go Jimmy!


I will not confirm or deny anything. You'll find out in the next chapter. Which is the end of this lovely twisted tale.


It will all come to a head.


Mayson will be pushed to her breaking point next chapter.


Will they or won't they?


Well it takes a certain level of psychotic in order to kill innocent people without a care in the world.


Zara and Ching?! That's an interesting thought but nope!


Final Chapter is up!