PreviouslySuperman turned his attention to the television to reduce his boredom, and quickly recognized the film which passed in the screen. It was "The Princess Bride", a children's tale. He sighed. He had no right to see the news, he had to content himself with children's tales! Let's hope that Henderson wouldn't be too long to come…
He had already seen the film and he had liked it, but he really wasn't in the mood to see it again, especially that this time, the story woke bad recollections. The Princess Buttercup had chosen to marry the vilainous Prince Humperdinck, without a thought for the poor farmboy Wesley who was in love with her. Wesley had even a second identity, he was the Pirate Roberts, and he was tortured by the bad Prince and was left for dead, while the wedding ceremony was taking place in the castle…
Certainly not the film which he needed at the moment. At least Lois wasn't Luthor's wife. His recollections of the previous evening were always a little bit vague but he remembered that Inspector Henderson had told him that Luthor had died. He had also told him that Lois was fine.
Lois.
He so wanted to see her again. But at the same time, the wound which she had caused him by rejecting him was always painful. He knew that at the end of the film, Buttercup went away with Wesley and that they lived happily ever after. Unfortunately, it was where stopped any resemblance with his life. Lois would never notice Clark, son of farmers from Kansas…
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And now:Part 7: No excusesSuperman faced unblinkingly the lieutenant who looked at him flabbergasted. Both men had been discussing for more than one hour. And until then, everything went off smoothly.
When Henderson had arrived, Superman was really happy to see him. And the lieutenant seemed even happier to see him going better. And after some polite phrases, Superman had asked him for news of Lois, but the policeman had shown himself rather evasive, just saying that she was fine, and had quickly changed the subject by beginning the interrogation.
He had asked him to tell what had arrived, what Luthor had done to him. His story had only been confirming what they had already guessed. He had asked him then what he knew about the criminal activities of Luthor, so that the billionaire hated him enough to try everything to find a means to kill him, and their researches in the documents of Luthor proved that he had looked for this mean desperately.
Superman had then told him all that he knew about Luthor, and all that he suspected, without having ever been able to prove anything. The sabotage of the shuttle Messenger, the murders of Samuel Platt, Antoinette Baines, the tests which Luthor had made him undergo by putting in danger innocents' people lifes, sometimes causing even their deaths when he had stopped answering calls for help, the experiments on the children with Mentamide, the transformation of boxers cyborgs… Everything. He told everything.
The story was long, but Henderson listened to him patiently, taking notes, just interrupting him from time to time to ask a question when a point was not clear enough.
When he had finished, having told all that he knew about the implication of Luthor in the destruction of the Daily Planet, Henderson went on:
«This is all that Clark Kent discovered during his investigation. Did he tell you all this, or are you the one who had supplied the information to Kent?»
The question took him rather by surprise. Did he tell it to himself or did he tell it to himself? Naturally, Henderson couldn't be aware of the irony of his question. Nevertheless, he was waiting for an answer, and because that beyond his two personalities, Clark was the investigator, the answer came to him easily.
«It's Clark who informed me about what he had discovered,» Superman answered.
«Thus, you spoke to him, after his investigation on Luthor was done?» Henderson insisted.
"Yes," Superman answered on a more suspicious tone. He didn't know why, but he had the impression that the question of the policeman was a tricky question.
«The day before we found you in the kryptonite cage, Lex Luthor had left a message to Clark Kent asking him to contact you and tell you to go to see him. Is it indeed why you went to talk to Luthor?»
Superman agreed again, the feeling to be about to be trapped even more insistent.
«Is it when Kent spoke to you of his discoveries? When he passed on to you the message of Luthor?»
He shook again the head affirmatively, wondering what was the inspector's point.
«What did Kent do after that?»
«I'm not following. Why do you interrogate me about Clark?» Superman asked, evading the question.
It was at this moment that the discussion with Henderson had begun to turn badly.
«Clark Kent is reported missing. Nobody knows what happened to him. We had reconstructed his day. He investigated into Luthor all day long. He had some phone conversations with Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and Jack Wilson during the day. After their last conversation, he had been seen by Lois Lane walking in the street, towards his apartment, while she was passing by in a car. They quarrelled and he went back his way. It was the last time somebody had seen him. We know that he had returned at his apartment, put down his notes on Luthor and the proofs that he had in a drawer of his desk, listened to the message of Luthor on his answering machine and went out again. But we know nothing more of him after that. It's as if he had completely vanished,» the policeman explained patiently. «But you have just said that he had effectively found and spoken to you. You are now the last person to have seen him alive. Then I repeat, what did Kent do after that?»
Here it was. The tricky question that was outlining on the horizon. And what could he answer, indeed? It was obvious that the disappearance of Clark Kent couldn’t have gone unnoticed. It was even less possible as he was accommodating Perry, Jimmy and Jack at the time. It was evident that they had noticed that he had not returned in the apartment. But what could he say about his absence?
If at least, he had had time to think about an answer, but he hadn't really seen the question coming. Since he had woken up some hours earlier, he hadn't thought of what the coma of Superman during one and a half month had meant for Clark Kent's life. Instead, he had thought about what would become his life if his powers never returned, in spite of the reinsurances of the Dr Klein; he had thought of Lois, and of his parents; he had wondered what was happening outside - anxiety which had urged him to ask for a newspaper to the Dr Klein, instead of which, he had been entitled to a fairy tale! - but he had never envisaged the situation under the angle of the disappearance of Clark Kent during one and a half month.
And nevertheless, it was so obvious. He should have thought of it. And thought about an excuse to tell to everybody. But because he hadn't, he was now silent, not having anything to say to the inspector who was still waiting for his answer. But he had too much delayed it.
«Superman, what did Kent do after having spoken to you? Where did he go? What happened to him? Did Luthor trap him at the same time as you?» Henderson insisted.
But once again, he didn't know what to answer, then he kept silent. He needed more time to think of a valid excuse.
«But speak!» The policeman was beginning to get ennerved. «Do you realize how afraid are all his friends? If you know something, say it, dammit!»
After a short hesitance, he eventually gave the only answer which he could. The answer that would allow him to gain the necessary time so that he could find a better answer.
«I won't tell you where is Clark Kent, but he's okay,» he added in an attempt to calm the policeman by reassuring him on his fate. He felt guilty of the anxiety of all his friends for him. He could at least let them know that he was well, even if he hadn't found yet how to explain where he went. «As soon as I could go out here, I would fetch him, and bring him back.»
Here is at least something that would guarantee him not to make look suspect Superman and Clark's simultaneous returns. It was at least a problem about which he would not have to worry.
But Henderson didn't take well his answer. The policeman fixed him, unbelieving, seeming even a little bit angry, but Superman faced him unblinkingly. He couldn't tell him anything else.
«You refuse to say where is Clark Kent?» The policeman repeated, as if not believing his ears. «You know where he is, but you refuse to say it?»
Superman didn't stumble and returned his glance silently. After some moments during which Superman was able to see on the face of the policeman the anger raise and then be replaced by a cold fury while he was putting his feelings under control again. Henderson then spoke to his men in the room on a moderated voice, but without leaving the superhero of the eyes.
«Could you please go to guard outside of the room. I have to speak with Superman in private.»
Both policemen on guard went out and closed the door behind them.
«You do realize, Superman, that to hold on information necessary for a police investigation and refuse to answer is a crime? And you could also be considered as an accomplice of what happened to Clark Kent. If we never find him, you could even be considered as the accomplice of Luthor for Clark Kent's murder. We have a witness, his assistant, which told us that Luthor planned to have him killed. She related us that Luthor had told her that you were the one to raise the point that Luthor needed to eliminate him. I am sure that we could build a case with that, plus your refusal to tell us where he is while you admitted to know it,» Henderson threatened him.
«You're not serious, Henderson,» Superman answered, not believing what he was hearing. But the policeman continued without caring about the interruption, on the same falsely amiable voice.
«In fact, we acquitted three persons the closest to Luthor about Kent's disappearance, but we didn't find to whom he had asked to take care of it. It was maybe you. After all, you are the last person to have seen him alive. That makes of you, in any case, a suspect. And I am sure that a good Attorney General could obtain a guilty verdict. With your powers, nothing easier for you to made his body disappear… »
«He's not dead!» Superman exclaimed. «I told you! He's fine!»
«Then where is he?» The policeman asked one more time, losing any pretence to threaten Superman to build up a file against him for the disappearance of Clark Kent.
«I… I won't tell you, but I would bring him back to Metropolis as soon as I can go out of the hospital,» Superman repeated, «and you could make sure by yourself that he's okay.»
Let's hope that he had found a good excuse for all this in the meantime!
Henderson sighed of frustration.
«You're crazy if you think that I'm going to content with saying that to Lane! That Kent is well, and that she doesn't have anything else to do than to wait so that you bring him back to her! She had worried so much she'd almost become insane! Perry had to put her in forced leave, and she had to start a psychotherapy, because she didn't know where her partner is! When tracks dried up, she made a real depression, and you are her last hope! And you refuse to tell us where he is?!»
Henderson had begun his sermon calmly, but he warmed up as he spoke, and he ended by shouting almost.
Superman looked at him, shocked.
«Lois? She…»
His voice shied away, so much he was shocked. Twice, he had asked Henderson if Lois was well, twice, he had answered him that she was. But she wasn't. The disappearance of Clark had apparently strongly shaken her, much more than all that he would have been able to imagine. She had sunk into a profound depression, so serious that she had to see a shrink. Simply because she didn't know where Clark had gone…
He had never expected such a reaction from Lois if ever Clark went out of her life. After Luthor proposed to her, they had been in cold. After the quarrel during Perry's retirement party, the day following his love declaration of love to her, which she had rejected, they were hardly friends any more. During weeks, they had not seen each other nor spoken to each other, and that hadn't seemed to bother her too much.
Of course, he was aware that during these weeks, the weeks when she was preparing her wedding with Luthor, she had thought of him from time to time, as of a friend. It was evident that she hadn't completely chased him away of her mind. she had phoned him one evening while he was reading a magazine in his bed, ready to go to sleep. She wanted to know how he was. And the day before her wedding, she had come and asked him to attend the ceremony. He didn't remember any more the exact words, but she had then told him that she missed their friendship.
So he knew that if Clark Kent disappeared, Lois would be sad, and would miss him. But such a reaction, he hadn't seen it coming. What that really meant? What did that teach him on her true feelings for him? He wasn't really sure. Could that still be only friendship?…
Whatever it was that had caused such a reaction from Lois about Clark's disappearance wasn't what mattered most at the moment. The important was that she was suffering, really suffering, and he couldn't bear it. To imagine Lois in pain was an atrocious idea which he didn't want to contemplate.
He had to do something to make things better. What? He didn't know. But he couldn't leave her like that, without helping her. But what should he do? Tell her where Clark was? He wasn't ready to tell her the truth. That day in the park and later at her apartment, she had been very clear. She was in love with Superman, and she loved Clark only as a friend. He hadn't overcome yet the suffering she had caused him then. He wasn't ready to tell her the truth, and he still hadn't found any excuses…
But Lois needed him, and he wasn't about to let her down. She loved Superman. Well, Superman could indeed try to comfort and reassure her on Clark's fate, even if he couldn't tell her where he was. He still could try to ease Lois' pain. She needed him. And if he had to be totally honest, he needed to see her, too.
«You're right, Inspector. It's not up to you to tell Lois that I refuse to reveal where Clark is. I have to do it myself,» Superman announced calmly as soon as the shock had eased enough to let him speak again.
The policeman looked at him, completely baffled. He wasn't expecting that answer to what he had said.
«You're completely crazy. You cannot face Lois in your current state, and especially not if you're planning to refuse to tell her where Clark is. You're not well enough to face her,» Henderson retorted.
«Maybe not,» Superman granted, «but that doesn't change anything. I want to speak with her.»
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Lois had managed to sleep for only some hours. She had woken up again around midday. She had imediately verified her answering machine hoping to have received a call warning her that Superman was finally fit to answer the questions of the police and had told them where Clark was and that they had finally found him, safe. But she had no message.
Horribly disappointed, she drunk a coffee and resumed the housework on her apartment right where she had left it. Her impatience, added to her inactivity of these last two weeks, caused her a surplus of energy which she absolutely needed to use. She also had to find a means to occupy her mind. If she contented with waiting that Superman felt better by dreaming about what he could reveal, the impatience would make her completely crazy.
In some hours, she had completely finished. Her apartment was minutely ordered, and impeccably cleaned. Nevertheless, she had been even more obsessive than in the accustomed on the domestic tasks.
But now, it was hardly 4am, and she was again inoccupied. Until she fund something to hold out during the last hours of the day, and a part of the night also, if ever Superman wasn't still well enough to speak to the police, she decided to go to take a shower. After her long hours of housework, she definitively needed one.
She was just going out of the bathroom when her telephone rang.
Her heart jumped up in her chest. Could it finally be the phone call she was waiting for? The one that would announce her that Superman had spoken and that Clark had been found?
She already imagined herself getting ready at top speed, jumping into her Jeep, and going to the police station where he probably was making his testimony. She would see him and would run towards him, and as soon as he would see her, he would take her in his arms to hold her, and everything would be well.
But she knew that it was a completely crazy idea. A dream which had very few chances to come true. At first, after all the horrible things which they both had said during their quarrels, it wasn't very probable that he would welcome her with open arms, even if he was now making his testimony to the police station. She should make her excuses first. Then, she also knew that it had more probability that Clark would be found dead than alive, if she trusted the statistics in the matter. She knew it, even if she refused to envisage this possibility. And to finish, they weren't even sure that Superman knew what had happened to Clark. It could be a new dead end… Without counting that this phone call could have nothing to do as well with the disappearance of Clark.
Consciously, she knew all these things, but she couldn't refrain from hoping that things would happen as in a fairy tale.
The blood pressure beating in her temples so much she was excited, she picked up the telephone quickly.
«Hello?» She asked with excitement.
«Lois? It's Henderson. I'm at the hospital,» the voice began at the other end of the phone, but Lois interrupted him impatiently.
«That's it? You were able to speak to Superman?» She asked, full of hope.
«Err... yes,» the policeman answered, ill-at-ease.
«So? What did he say?» Lois got impatient.
«Err… He wants to speak to you.»
«What about Clark?» Lois cut him, in a hurry to make him say what she wanted to hear.
«It's… It's about Clark that he wants to speak to you.»
Lois' mind finally registered the distant manners of the inspector. He was absolutely not excited at the idea of finally finding Clark. And nevertheless, he had already spoken with Superman, thus he already knew what Superman had to say concerning Clark. But he wasn't excited at the idea of finding him…
She felt as if the lightning had struck her. That couldn't be true. She began crying.
«Oh my God! He's dead! That's it, right?» She sobbed in the phone. «He wants to announce it to me personally. Is it why he wants to speak to me? He died, then? Everything's over?»
She was crying harder and harder, and she felt almost paralyzed by the pain, now that she knew that there was no more chance to see him again one day, to ask him for forgiveness, and to tell him that she loved him. Without really realizing it, she said it all in the phone, while crying. But finally, the words which Henderson were saying, more and more loudly to make her listen, reached her.
«Lane! No, Lane! Listen to me! He's okay. Clark is okay. Listen to me. Lane. No, he's fine…»
The words eventually went through the pain which had made her deaf. She stopped crying as soon as she understood their meaning.
«He's okay?» She repeated more calmly, looking for a reinsurance.
«Yes. Clark is fine,» Henderson answered her.
«You found him?» She asked, the hope returning.
«Err… Not yet,» Henderson hesitated. «But Superman assures us that he indeed is okay, don't worry. And come to the hospital quickly, please. He wants to speak with you.»
Understanding that she wouldn't learn anything more by phone, she accepted and hung up. She ran to her bedroom to get dressed with the first clothes which she found, and jumped into her Jeep to go to the hospital where the answers she had looked for for such a long time were awaiting for her.
As soon as she had arrived, Henderson had welcomed and accompanied her in the building, and through the security. Throughout the way, she harassed him to know what Superman had said, and finally, while they were reaching the door of Superman's room, the inspector informed her that the superhero refused to reveal what he knew about Clark's disappearance, except to say that he was well.
It was as if a wall had just collapsed on her head. Why was he refusing to speak? If he didn't, she would never have Clark back…
She had tears in the eyes when she finally entered the room, followed by Henderson.
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