HG Wells stood outside of the Daily Planet looking up at the old stone building and the big planet that hung outside of the building. Something about this building was different, it was clean and cared for but the feeling was different. Yes, this was the alternative universe that he had visited a couple of times. It was time for him to make things right for this Clark Kent.
As he approached the elevator he looked at it with aprehension. This was not such a safe devise in his time and you never know how safe these things are. He got in and exited on the planet news floor. He looked around and saw Clark busy at his desk. As he approached Clark saw and recognized him. His smile was genuine.
"Mr. Wells, what an honor. How can I help you today?" Clark asked him.
Since in this universe everyone knew of Clark's secret identity HG knew that he could speak more openly than he could in the other universe. "I am here to perhaps help you today. I know that you have had a more difficult time than your alternate and that is what I am here to correct if possible."
Clark looked at him in surprise. 'Could he really help him? Could he help him find his Lois? Was that possible?" he thought to himself. Outloud he said "What do you have in mind kind sir?"
"I have done as much research as I could trying to find out the two different dates that if possible we could change history to correct the unfairness of your life. One is the accident that killed your parents when you were twelve years old and the other Lois dying while she was on assignment in South America." HG told Clark.
Clark pondered the statements and wondered if this funny little man who was dressed much as a man of the nineteenth century could really help him. He had been to the other universe before when HG had asked him to come and help Lois out in the other dimension once and was quite impressed with the results. Maybe.
As they approached the outside Clark was trying to remember everything about the day that his parents had died. He definately remembered everything about the day, but he was now trying to think of a way that he and his time traveling friend could stop the accident and the tragedy from unfolding.
They approached the park and Clark saw the time machine. It was about twenty feet long and eight feet wide with a wheel above their head two seats and a meter that could be changed to put in the time date and location that they could use to go to wherever they wished. It was a simplistic looking machine but was definately very efficient and the thought that it had been built in the late nineteenth century.
The date that they needed to go to was March 29, 1979. Clark was only twelve years old at the time almost thirteen but not quite fast enough to prevent the accident. They had been driving down the old farm road just outside their home and slid on some ice. Before Clark knew it the car was spinning. He tried to hold the car in place and was able to slow it down but not stop it. He had been too young at the time.
The family had been on their way home from the grain store when it had started to sleet, one more mile and they would have been safe. When the car stopped sliding Clark jumped up to the front seat and to his horror found his father already dead. His mother was alive but badly hurt. Her last words had been spent telling him where his baby blanket was and of it's magical powers.
When they appeared in Smallville Clark looked around. Things looked just as he remembered as a child. He looked accross the street and saw Mr Green the owner of the grain store. They walked over to the store and approached Mr Green.
"Good morning my name is Mr Kent and this is my friend HG. I was wondering if you have seen Jonathan and Martha Kent today." Clark asked.
Mr Green was surprised to see this young man and the funny little gentleman asking about the Kents. He looked strangely familiar to him but they seemed friendly enough. "No I haven't seen them today. They are suposed to be coming in this afternoon once Jonathan has finished milking. Are you a relative?"
"Why yes I am and we were just about to go to the farm we just wanted to make sure that the Kents were at home." Clark told him with a smile.
Clark did not want to fly around in Smallville earlier than he was suposed to so he put HG under his arms and carried him very quickly. They found themselves at the Kent farm in just a few minutes.
As they approached the kitchen door they could hear Martha in there singing to herself. 'so alive' Clark thought to himself. It was so nice to go into his childhood home where he had so many happy memories he wanted to stay there forever, but he knew what their mission was.
Clark took HG's hand and stopped him. "My dad is still in the barn I can hear him and Clark speaking to each other. I am not sure that it is a good idea that I run into myself so please go get my dad and try to have Clark feel comfortable in completing his chores while my dad speaks to you in private. Do you think that you can do that?" he asked him.
"Oh I think that can be accomplished. You just go into the kitchen and set the scene up if possible. We need to convince them of the danger now." HG told him and started to walk to the barn.
Again Clark approached the kitchen door knocked and was greeted by his mom Martha Kent. She looked just as he remembered and it was all that he could do not to grab her and give her a big hug.
The kitchen was a large country kitchen and the smell of the dinner was wonderful. His mom had baked her famous bread and meatloaf dinner one of Clark's favorites. The house was poor but spotless and his mother had a broad smile that lit up her entire face.
"Good evening Mam my name is Mr. Kent. I am here with a friend HG to speak to you about something of grave importance."
"Your last name is Kent? Are you a relative of Jonathans? You do look familiar to me, although I don't think that we have ever met." Martha told her son with a smile.
"I am a relative, yes. But, I am here to speak to your husband." Clark was relieved to see his dad Jonathan Kent and HG walk into the kitchen.
After they had all been seated at the kitchen table HG offered to go to the barn and help young Clark. He actually was hoping that by going out to the barn he could stall Clark {the younger one) keep from going to the kitchen and hearing what was said. After he had left the room Clark looked at his parents. They were so young and alive .
"We don't have much time, and what I have to say to you is going to be hard to believe but it is of grave importance that you listen to me carefully." Clark told them.
Jonathan studied the young man seated at his table. Although he had introduced himself as a relative, Jonathan knew of all his relatives he thought and he had never met this young man. But, something about him was very familliar. 'That's it he looks like our Clark' he thought to himself. "It is ok please go on and let me know what you are here for.
"My name is Clark and my friend's name is HG Wells. The stories that you have heard about HG Wells is true he did invent a time machine. We came here to correct something that happened in my life tonight that I wish to change."
The Kents looked at Clark with disbelief. Was this really their son and what would have happened on this day that would be so important that he would travel back in time to correct? "That is quite a story young man. Do you have any proof?" Jonathan asked him.
Clark reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. In his wallet he pulled out his licence and work ID along with it a picture that he always carried, a picture of him with his mom and dad. Jonathan took the picture and with shaking hands asked Clark how they could help.
"This afternoon when you go into town to the grain store it will begin to sleet. You will be caught in the storm and slide on some ice. I am slower than I am now and the accident happens so fast, unfortunately it will leave me an orphan." Clark told them.
Jonathan and Martha stared at the young man. They needed to go into town the animals needed their grain. What could be done? "It is good that you have warned us but the trip to the grain store is a trip of necessity. We need to go into town." Martha spoke.
"I am proposing that you allow me to go into town and purchase the grain. Even if I slide on the road the accident will not hurt me. You are both aware of the incredible things that I am capable of at this age once adulthood is reached the miracles will become ten fold." Clark told them.
"Ok, that is not asking much. I will call Sam Green at the grain store and tell him that the delivery is all right. My truck is right out here by the barn." Jonathan told him.
Clark took off for the store and on the way back it did start to sleet and he did slide but because of his speed there was no accident. When he arrived back at the farm, he gave his mom and dad a hug. He knew that things would be ok as he could hear the laughter of the Kent family coming from their happy kitchen.
The next trip was going to be a little more complicated since the Daily Planet had not heard from Lois for weeks before they knew that she was missing for sure. So the best thing to do would be for Superman to arrive before he had in the other time.
Although HG Wells did not like for anyone but himself to use the time machine he knew that he must trust Clark Kent. Clark needed to do this by himself. He was dropped off in his library in the other dimension for the duration of time that Clark would need. He knew that if Clark returned just one minute after he arrived there would be little danger of time contamination. Something that he was always worried about was how things could change if he came back and forth too many times through time.
They chose the best time for Clark to arrive would be April 30, 1992 the day before she was due to leave for South America for her fatal investigation.
It was decided that it was best for Clark to meet her at her apartment. There they would have all the privacy that she would need. Now convincing Lois that she could use a partner on this assignment was going to be a job and half Clark knew this better than anyone.
Clark recognized her apartment and was pleased to see that Lois was at home eating some ice cream. he walked up to her door and knocked. Lois opened the door and found herself pleasantly surprised by the man that was standing at her door. 'What a good looking man but what kind of crazy outfit does he have on? It was red and blue with a big S on the front. strange darn my hair is a mess and I am dressed in leisure what a time' she thought to himself.
"They call me Superman from the place I come from and it is my wish that you receive the story of a lifetime." Superman told her with a smile.
Although intrigued Lois wasn't sure that she should allow this stranger into her apartment. he was gorgeous, but could be dangerous. "And what kind of story do you plan to give me? Does it have something to do with halloween?" she asked ruefully.
"No. How would you like to go on a flight with me?" Superman asked with a smile.
"I am hardly dressed to go anywhere that important and I don't even know you." Lois told him.
"The interesting thing is that I don't use a plane. I fly by myself and would love to show you the city line from the air personally." he told her with his sweetest smile.
"Yeah ok if I believe that one maybe you have a bridge that you have for sale." Lois told him sarcastically.
"If you are so sure that I am not capable of flying why haven't you slammed the door in my face?" Superman asked.
"Unfortunately, my curiousity is getting the best of me." Lois admitted to him 'What is wrong with me? I should never let someone know that I have any fear.'
"Well let me show you then" and with that he picked her up in his arms and flew out of her open window.
Lois let out a little shriek and looked down. "Oh my god you are not kidding. We are flying. How? Who are you? Why did you seek me out?" she asked him.
"You will get to know me as Superman and I will be your friend and confident. This will be our first flight but not our last. We will get to know each other well my friend." he told her with a smile.
The skyline was beautiful from this vantage point and Lois looked at everything from a different perspective. They flew over the entire city and then returned to her apartment. "I could have stayed in flight with you for the entire night." she told him.
"I have come to be with you on your trip to South America. There is much danger there and I am going to protect you if you will let me." Superman told Lois.
"Oh I work by myself and am always very careful. Nothing will happen down there I promise you." she told him with her normal confidence.
"That is why I came to see you first. It is very important that I come with you on this assignment. You will have the complete story, with no credit being given to me." he promised.
"You are asking me for permission to go to South America and not tell my editor? What will you do fly down there and meet me?" Lois asked him.
"That is the plan, and then when we return I will give you the exclusive interview about who I am where I am from and what my plans are for the people of the earth. It is important that you not mention anything until we return from the trip." Clark stressed.
Lois looked up at this man who had just come into her life. He was a little over six feet tall and about two hundred pounds with muscles bulging everywhere. His dark eyes and hair and bright smile were hard to resist. "I will agree to this as long as you promise not to interfere with my investigating." she told him.
"That is agreed. At no time will I interfere with your reporting. You are the best reporter that I have ever met and nothing needs to be changed." Clark told her with a smile.
The next morning Lois got to the airport and headed to her South American assignment hoping that the handsome man with the strange abilities would meet her soon. As she got into the taxi to head to her destination she took a look at the driver and was pleased to see it was her new friend Superman dressed as a driver.
"Hello madam where to?" Superman said with a smile.
Lois had set herself up at a local motel and was asking everyone that she saw questions. Clark didn't like it but he knew that she was a tiger and would stop at nothing to get at the truth. They had just settled down to have some dinner when a dirty man came up to Lois and offered to meet her in an alley .
Just as Lois had always been known to be like she met the man and took lots of notes and tried to hide them from Clark. He didn't let Lois know but he read her notes with his special eyes and listened to the conversation with his special ears. What he failed to notice is that Lois slipped a piece of paper into her pocket.
Lois looked out of her room door and up and down the hallway making sure that Superman was nowhere around. When she was sure she slipped out and took a taxi. Lois looked up at the building that the cab had stopped at and hesitated just a second. This was the sleeze of the sleeze and she could smell the danger.
There was rubbish and garbage all over the street and a stray cat yowlled when Lois opened the front door. She looked up and went to the room number that she had been given number 303. She found the room and knocked on the door. The door was opened by a bare bellied man who was obviously very nervious and let her in right away. Just as she started to ask some questions the door opened and gun fire rang out. The man was dead and the gunman had his gun pointed right at Lois. He motioned with the gun and Lois followed him out of the room unwillingly.
Superman woke up the next morning and went over to Lois's hotel room. He knocked and when he received no answer he used his xray vision to see if anyone was in the room. The room was undisturbed and the bed had not been slept in. 'Oh oh' he thought to himself. Down the hall he saw the maid and she comfirmed his biggest concern noone had slept in Lois's room that night.
Fortunately there were not that many taxis that serviced the hotel and Superman was able to locate the driver who had taken Lois to the bad part of town. When he arrived at the location that Lois had been to he found the room empty without a sign that anyone had ever been there, even Lois's informer. You could not see that there had been a murder there unless you were Superman and he could see all the blood. 'Maybe I am too late' he thought to himself. 'No no that is not true. I must think.
Meanwhile Lois found herself in a dark room not much bigger than a closet tied and gagged. She could hear the men in the other room talking. They were speaking in spanish quickly but she could understand some of it. 'They are arguing about what to do with me. Who do they keep on mentioning as Mr Big? Will she get to meet him?' she thought 'hopefully before I die she thought to herself.
At all cost she must get the gag off of her mouth her only chance was to get Superman to save her. From what she could understand something big was going to happen that evening at the Wallace Warehouse. They planned on burning down the building with her in it. 'Maybe Superman can hear me if I whisper really loud' she thought to herself.
After hours of trying to get the gag off and speaking of Superman with no response Lois was getting worried when she saw the door open and one of the men came in with a drink of water for her. It was very hot and she was pleased that he would bring her something to drink.
"I have instructions that if you make any moves or yell or anything I am to kill you, so please behave" he begged her.
Lois shook her head yes and felt much better when the gag had been removed. She smiled at her captor and took a sip of the water. "You are very kind to give me this drink. I am very grateful. " she told him with a flirting look.
The man seemed to relax a little and Lois saw her chance. Before he knew what had happened she had him on the floor with the gag around his mouth and he was the one locked in the closet.
Lois knew that she had to be quick. She glanced out the window and yelled "Superman I am here. Help."
Superman was flying around the area and could not believe his ears he swarmed down and found Lois safe and alive.
"There is something going down at the Wallace Wearhouse something with Mr Big." Lois told him.
"I know right where that is my friend. We will go there and you will have the story of the year." Superman replied.
Within less than a minute Superman and Lois appeared at the Wallace Wearhouse where with his xray eyes Superman found hundreds and hundreds of bags of cocain and other drug paraphanelia. Superman flew down and from a point that he could not be seen froze all of the items and weapons. The men just stood there helpless as Lois and her new friend captured this large group of the cartell.
Once the police came and had everyone in custody Clark took Lois back to the airport. "You will be ok my friend for our journey has just begun." he promised her. "There is one request that I make of you. Do not tell of me to anyone until I come back to you. I will come back on June 11 and our journey will truly begin."
Lois bent over and gave her friend a kiss on the cheek. "You promise that we will be together again?" she asked.
"I promise." Superman told her and he headed out to the time machine.
After Clark had picked HG up they returned to the Daily Planet just two minutes later than the time that they had left. As Clark got off of the time machine he looked around nerviously. Things looked the same to him and as he went into the building the security man greeted him as Mr. Kent. 'Perhaps everything is all right.' he thought.
Clark entered the newsroom and almost cried out. There in the chair next to his desk was Lois working long and hard on a story. He walked over and tried to act non chalant "Good morning Lois." he said.
"Good morning Clark. Did you have a good night's sleep? We have a long ride ahead of ourselves today Smallville is four hours away." Lois told him with a smile.
All of a sudden he heard a familliar laugh and as he looked up his eyes filled with tears, there in Perry's office were his folks. 'Life is good' he thought.