FALLING
Chapter Three
Clark Kent stumbled into the newsroom of the Daily Planet and apologized to the fellow reporter whose desk he had used to steady himself. The reporter snapped as he had to dab up spilt coffee.
"Hey watch it, you klutz!! Damn it!! Good thing that was scrap paper!!"
"S-sorry. I'm sorry. I ...Hi, I'm Clark Kent...." he said, putting out his hand to him.
The reporter had turned his back on him already, as someone shouted, "Hey, Lombard, Perry wants to see you."
The reporter looked at Clark. "Look, it’s one thing you spilling coffee over my desk but can you get the heck out of my way?
Clark pushed his glasses up his nose and apologized, "Sorry...I didn't mean..."
But the man had pushed past him already. Clark clutched his bag and coat to his chest and scanned the busy newsroom. It had not changed much in five years. There were several more television monitors on the walls and on every desk was a laptop. The bulky desktops were gone and everyone seemed to have a cubicle.
"C.K!!!"
Clark turned to see Jimmy Olsen and he smiled. "Hi, Jimmy. Just trying to navigate my way around."
" Good to have you back, buddy. Come on, let me show you your desk."
Jimmy walked him over to the far end of the room, nearest a window. "You're next to me. It'll be like old times. I missed our team-ups. Can’t believe it’s been five years.”
Clark draped his coat over the back of the chair and put his bag down. "Well, as you know after my father's death, my mother needed help with the farm and I was doing some freelance work."
"Oh, I see. She better now?"
"Oh, yes much."
"You missed us as much as we missed you?"
"It's nice to be back. We have a few new faces here ..." he said looking around.
"Yeah. Perry might be soon on his way out too. His nephew, Richard, will be most liking acting in his stead. I think Mrs. White isn't all that well. You met Richard?"
"No."
"He's cool. You'll like him. I mentioned Lois is engaged to him, right?"
"Yeah, you did. Where is she by the way?"
"Perry has got her in his office no doubt wanting to know why she hasn't got an interview with Superman yet. Everyone is just about tripping over themselves to get him on record. Where did he go? Why did he come back? Why is he wearing an all black S thingy. Perry feels if anyone can get that story, it's Lois. You know, there was a time everyone thought she was the Big Guy's girlfriend."
Clark nodded like a sage owl. "Yes, and good thing too, she seemed to fall from roofs tops an awful lot.”
Jimmy grinned. "True. Poor Lois, always in the midst of some kidnapping or falling or being used as leverage. I think she must have been the safest she's ever been in the last five years."
Before Clark could reply they saw Lois and Richard White along with Perry and the reporter called Lombard hurry out into the main room to stare up at the television.
Lois shouted impatiently to the man who was in charge of the controls, ”Turn it up, for crying out loud!”
Jimmy jumped up. "Something's up!"
They drew closer to see one of the news networks showing NASA satellite pictures and images of something growing out in the North Eastern Atlantic. A lone helicopter that had eluded the Air Force had managed to get some shots until they were chased back by two F-16 fighters.
Clark saw the land mass and he instantly recognized its topographical features. He asked innocently,” What’s going on?"
Lois replied,” Seems Lex Luthor has found some method to grow a landmass of his own....He..." She turned and stared at him in surprise. "Clark Kent?"
He lifted a hand and feigned shyly, "Hi, Lois."
"Wow, you’re a blast from the past. I heard you went home. I thought you'd be tied to the apron strings of some Dorothy with a kid by now."
"Er, no. I was helping my mother on the farm and working free lance. I needed to be home. You know, with the crop. There were a lot of things to do after my fath…”
Lois cut him off mid sentence and turned back to watch the screen. "Well, never mind. I’m sure one day you’ll nab yourself a nice, little wife and be able to go back to chafing the corn or whatever it is you do.”
Perry said, ”Kent’s back with us. You found your desk, son?"
"Yes, Perry."
Richard White looked at him curiously. Lois said briskly, "Oh, Richard this is Clark Kent. Clark, this is Richard White." She frowned at the television. "It's burgeoning as we speak and he says it will outgrow the North American continent."
Richard nodded at Clark. “Good to meet you. “ He turned back to stare at the images. ” It also seems to be having a huge ripple effect...That alone can spark off tsunamis and earthquakes and… Jesus!!!"
He broke off as the building seemed to tremble. Lois gasped and he held her to him.
Perry gritted. ”The son of a bitch is crazy!!! He'll kill millions."
"I think that's the point, Perry," gritted Lois.
Jimmy pointed through the window.
They could hear the sound of explosions and feel the building shake.
Perry barked.” Everyone take cover!!!"
Whilst everyone scrambled under desks and tables, Clark moved backwards to the elevators and in a blur he was gone.
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Superman flew through Metropolis and on his way cooled fires, caught falling pieces of metal and concrete and hoisted up civilians in danger of being crushed, burned or impaled. He was moving fast, his very speed blowing out windows as he tried to keep Metropolis from succumbing to the onslaught of the natural forces unleashed by the landmass growing out to sea.
He flew out of the city, towards the harbour and followed the currents that were being churned by the island. He came upon it and flew down. He landed upon the rock and began scanning its dimensions and the rate of expansion.
He had no time to lose. He needed to get rid of the landmass now. He could not worry if Luthor had a trap waiting for him. Time was critical.
He flew over the water, the surface parting with the force of his speed until he could see it, looming and growing, waves crashing upon it.
He landed on the island and in a matter of seconds he felt a wave of weakness and nausea hit him. Kryptonite. And it was strong. He put his hand up as if to fend off the radiation and look to see where it was coming from. His eyes scanned the rock and terrain and he saw something he did not expect to see: the deadly substance was interlaced in fissures and crevices.
“Damn….clever…” he gasped and stumbled backwards.
“Isn’t it?” mused a mocking voice.
He turned to see Luthor, three men and a woman bear upon him. He tried to move back but found he was doubled over, and in agony. Lex gestured for his men to surround him.
He asked mockingly, “Did your father never teach you to look before you leap?” He gestured for the men to advance. “Get him and show him what we do to those who try to stop me.”
Superman put up an arm to brace the punch of one man and deflect a kick from another but that was all he could muster as he felt them overwhelm him. He tried to straighten up, to throw them off but they slammed him to the ground.
Kicks and punches rained down upon him. Mercilessly pounding him. Skin that bullets could not penetrate was now tearing and rivulets of blood leaked out of his mouth and nose and down the top of his face when a steel tip boot kicked him in the head.
He lay on the ground panting and groaning with pain. He could hear the woman’s voice, faltering and begging, ”Lex, please stop them…Don’t …he’s defeated. Surely we can go now…”
“Oh just shut up, Kitty!!! ” He snapped at the men. “Back off. I have a little present for our hero.”
Lex smiled and pulled something from behind his back. It was a shard of kryptonite.
He said, studying the glowing sliver, “Defeat is a term one must not take lightly. Too many times men thought they had defeated their enemies by relying on the machinations of others…of fate…of a false sense of security. King Acrisius might have well lived if he had the stomach to kill Perseus and Danae and not put them in a box in the sea. Or if Laius had not relied on others to kill Oedipus, Freud might have a different theory for us neurotics…It’s history’s way of saying if you want a job done right, do it yourself.”
He grabbed a handful of black hair from behind and jerked Superman’s head back. He pressed the sliver to his cheek. Superman groaned. “You think I’m going to just leave you here so you can come back for me? I don’t leave my foes to live to fight me another day!”
He whispered, ”Smile, Superman. From a star I’m going to make you into a legend…”
He stabbed him in the back with the kryptonite.
Superman gave a shuddering gasp and collapsed onto the floor.
Lex stepped back and sighed, “The good always die young.” He gestured to his henchmen. “Throw him over the edge.”
The men dragged the body towards the windswept edge. Lex watched them sweat as they laboured to pull and roll him over. He said coldly, once they had accomplished the task, “Two’s company. Five’s a crowd.” He pulled out a gun and pumped a bullet in each man’s chest.
Kitty jumped with every shot. She gulped and when Lex caught her eye she wisely said nothing. He said amused, “What? Have nothing to say?”
The ground beneath him began to shake and rumble. He looked around. “What the …?”
Kitty looked around. “Is that an earthquake?”
As if to confirm her question the island began to shake violently and the ground seemed to be cracking beneath their feet. Lex shouted, “Time to go…It’s becoming unstable…”
He headed for the helicopter and she ran after him. “Think it’s the kryptonite?”
Lex scowled at her.
*******************************************************************
A sleek submersible sped through the waters from Gotham to Metropolis. The navigator could see from the screen on his console the news networks broadcasting what was happening in downtown Metropolis and the island growing out at sea.
“This is the closest we could get to this ever expanding monstrosity,” said one reporter from MET TV. “Army, Navy and Air Forces have been ordered to stay on red alert as the government decides to leave this threat for our own Man of Steel. But it has been some ten minutes since Superman was seen flying towards it and we are experiencing more quakes and storm surges…”
The Batman increased his speed. When Luthor’s face suddenly appeared on every TV network, he had not even waited to hear his mad scheme. Superman going in alone was what Lex had hoped. Becoming a wealthy megalomaniac was just a bonus. Getting rid of Superman was his plan all along. Superman’s nature had always been one whereby he never stood by watching, worrying about traps. If he died in an attempt to save innocents he did it.
His eyes narrowed as he listened to the measurements of the tremors coming in from the news networks and he could feel the strong pull of the currents on the submersible. He could see via radar the huge mass and Superman’s comlink signal seemed to be coming from somewhere above on the land mass. He suddenly frowned to see the blip suddenly plummet sharply and appear to be sinking into the ocean. The submersible dived. It sped towards the signal which seemed to be sinking fast.
He suddenly had him in sight via the viewing port. He activated a mechanical arm and it sped towards Superman’s body. It grasped him about the waist and retracted him into the submersible.
Batman put the controls on automatic pilot and hurried towards the back of the craft and waited until the flashing light from the airlock turned green. He punched opened the door and lying on the grating was the drenched, pale body of Superman.
“Clark…” He pulled him onto the smooth floor and rolled him. It took a lot of effort. Superman’s dead weight was like pulling three times his normal weight. It was a good thing he had the mechanical arm to help him or else his friend would have sunk to the bottom.
He rolled him over and saw the kryptonite shard. He swore under his breath and rushed over to the medical supply cupboard. He had to be quick. It would already be leaching into his system.
He pulled out a kit. With the skill and steady hands of a surgeon, he rolled his friend to his side and stabilized the shard with the use of the underwater crab robot on board. He took out the scalpel; under normal circumstances this would break like a twig on Superman’s skin; it now incised the area where the shard protruded. He could not just yank at it for risk of it snapping into two or even leaving fragments in his system. Only a fool would do that.
“I’m sorry, my friend, if you can hear me I need you to stay as still as you can.”
Blood gushed and Superman gasped. He cut deeper pulling the skin and tissue apart. Superman groaned.
“Don’t move, Clark. I’m nearly there…”
He dropped the scalpel in a tray and activated the robot. The automated arm pulled the shard free. Superman let out a shuddering gasp. Batman grasped it from the robot’s pinchers and rose to drop it in a small box in a far corner.
A pained voice mused, “You even walked with a lead lined case?”
Batman came back and picked up some gauze to staunch the wound. “One has to be prepared. You’re bleeding.”
“Leave it. Help me up.”
“How do you feel?”
“I’ll live.”
Batman went to assist him to an upright position. He winced as the pain burned from the open wound. He scanned the craft. “Bruce, can this thing do more than navigate under water?”
“It can fly…”
“Get me up there…That island cannot remain…”
“Clark, you’re injured. What you can hope to do…?”
“It’s growing and laced with kryptonite,” he said grimly.
“Oh…”
“Lex also has crystals from the Fortress. I saw them in his pocket. But I was too weak to retrieve them.”
Batman stood up, helping him to his feet. “Fine. Get strapped in.”
********************************************************************************************
The craft emerged out of the waves and flew up towards the clouds. It penetrated it. The roof opened and Superman emerged and stood upright. He faced the sun and let the rays seep into his system. He could feel some of his strength returning.
Batman’s voice on the comlink could be heard. “Where is Luthor?”
Superman turned and did a three sixty degree scan. “He’s traveling in a south west direction 50 miles away. In a helicopter…you can’t miss him.”
“I’ll see to him and get those crystals back. You do what you have to do. And Kent…”
“Yes?”
“Good luck.”
Superman lifted off the craft. It turned direction sharply and vanished beneath the clouds. He went higher past the stratosphere and inhaled deep. Then he plunged back down towards the earth.
There was one choice and it was a choice that could kill him. He did not hesitate. He dived into the churning waters beneath the island and like a modern day Atlas he lifted the mass upon his shoulders and he pushed.
It was like nothing he ever felt before. It was heavy and bearing down upon every muscle, joint and bone. He could feel the radiation coming off the island seeping into his nerve endings. It was an agony he never felt in his life and with it was the fear of failure.
The land mass lifted out the water and like magic seemed to float on its own. Newscrews, NASA scientists, the Pentagon, the Daily Planet, Martha Kent…they all watched on in awe and dread. He seemed to be struggling.
He was breaching the troposphere and stratosphere…pushing past the outer level the exosphere where he was able to suddenly use all the leverage in his shoulders and hurl the land mass. It spun away deep into the vacuum of space. He closed his eyes, overcome with pain and exhaustion, and suddenly began to fall.
NASA was able to call into the Pentagon.
“The land mass is gone. It has been disposed off into space by Superman. It is on a trajectory to wards the Sun….”
“And Superman?” demanded the Secretary of Defense.
“We are seeing an object coming onto reentry but it seems to be moving at 7.19 G’s ….and it’s hard to tell what’s happening….He normally moves faster than that on reentry….Something must be wrong…”
The fighter jets that were hovering off the coast were called in by mission control.
“Superman seems to be coming down approximately 32° 20'N, 64° 45' W. I want you boys to track him and see where he comes down…”
“Roger that, Control…”
The object on their radars was plummeting fast and the four fighter jets sped down the Eastern Seaboard towards the Mid Atlantic Ocean.
NASA satellite showed the blip moving and suddenly it vanished.
“What the heck…? He’s gone…”
The Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon blinked and barked. “What? What happened?”
“His…signal just vanished, Sir…”
“Vanished?”
“I know he’s fast, but he can’t just vanish off the satellite…”
“Well, he has…”
“Where was his last position?”
“Um, somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle.”
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Author’s note : The very idea of Lois and Richard White saving Superman as they did in the movie is ridiculous. These two able to reach a sinking Superman and pulling him up ? (His body is naturally dense and unconscious and in water he would be dead weight) And Lois just yanking kryptonite out of his back? I don’t think so. That whole sequence is so dull and lackluster like the film itself, there is no way I would even indulge that kind of bad writing in this story.
