Metropolis 1940

The era where dames were expected to either be housewives, nurses or in the trenches in supporting the war effort. There were two females that didn't quite fit the mold. They were cousins, one Chloe Sullivan and the other was a one Lois Lane. Both of them wanted to be reporter, which for the era it was unheard of. Chloe Sullivan was also a bit of an adventurer. She loved to look for treasures and the strange.

She had been at the Metropolis Museum where they were offering a reward for the Jonas Treasure. It was an ancient myth of a god's son who was banished from Olympus for betraying Zeus. The demi-god was turned to a statue of gold and tossed into the sea. Over the years it had been spotted in many different cultures and represented many different things to the people's that found it to worship too. Chloe had seen the face of the idol and she had to admit it was handsome, and very sad. The reward was handsome and it would help her and Lois get through Journalism School.

She had left the museum with hope and a plan to convince her cousin to travel to Egypt the last known place the idol had been seen.

Chloe sat at the counter of Perry's Diner, nursing a cup of coffee. She had ordered a burger but couldn't wait until her cousin showed up. Ten minutes later Lois walked into the diner with her boyfriend Clark behind her. He politely greeted Chloe and then moved them to a booth. "I thought you were coming alone?" Chloe asked.

"Well, look at him." Lois spoke patting Clark's cheek. "He was so sad and lonely."

"And hungry." He spoke as the waitress came and took their order.

"What was so urgent we had to have dinner at this dive?"

"Hey!" Perry White the owner of the Diner spoke.

"No offense Perry." Lois spoke smiling.

Chloe just shook her head, "So I was at the Museum today."

"Oh no little cuz not again." She spoke rolling her eyes at what was going to exit her cousin's mouth.

"But Lois there is a $5000 reward if we find this idol!" Chloe protested.

"Chloe," Clark spoke. "Stop living with your head in the clouds."

"Well how am I supposed to do big things with my life if I don't?" she asked. "I don't want to be a nurse, I don't want to be pregnant and I'm no good with machinery. I'm good with words and want to do that!"

Clark just laughed and muttered under his breath, "Dames."

"Cousin, how do you expect to pay for it?"

"I already did." She blurted.

"How?"

"The ring Jimmy gave me. I sold it. We leave on the boat tomorrow morning." She spoke with pride.

"What are you nuts?" Clark shouted.

"Could you say that a little louder I'm sure the President didn't quite get that." She snarked. "I booked passage for 3 either you come Clark or not. I will find my treasure." She spoke. Her burger was delivered and she dug in before the other two could protest.

---

7am the next morning the trunks, the girls, and Clark were on the bound for Egypt. It was a long and arduous cruise that eventually landed them at Port in Egypt. Chloe had spent every waking moment plotting their strategy. When they got to disembark from the ship, they had a guide with four camels ready to take them to the pyramid to which the Idol was supposed to be hidden.

3 agonizingly hot days spent on a camel didn't do much for Lois' disposition. So when they finally made it to the Pyramid it was a welcome relief. Clark and the guide set up camp while Chloe looked at her map and at the base of the pyramid to find the place the opening was. The sun was setting and the nights on the desert were supposed to be cold.

They agreed to go to bed and get up early. Chloe couldn't sleep she was having fitful dreams of the Golden God idol. She woke up to the sensation that something was wrong. She stepped out of the tent to see that their guide and his camel were gone.

"Just great!" She spoke. Lois and Clark poked their heads out to see the missing camel. They both scowled at Chloe. "What?" she spoke as she grabbed her canteen and got ready for the day. After washing she modified her skirt into a pair of trousers. The skirt just seemed impractical. Clark baulked at her attire sighting that it was just improper. Chloe rolled her eyes as she put her canteen around her neck and grabbed her cloth headed stick she was going to use a torch.

"Do you maybe just want to wait awhile to go in?" Lois asked at her eager cousin.

"Why? The treasure is here I'm sure of it." she smiled. "The sooner we get in the sooner we get out and everyone's happy." She smiled. Lois looked at Clark like,' I tried.'. They got ready and with in ten minutes they had found a small opening that led into the pyramid.

Chloe lit the torch with her matches; then made slow passage down the narrow entry way. They seemed to walk for an hour just heading forward and the path seemed to subtly twist and turn its way downward. The finally came into a big chamber. Chloe held the torch high the walls were painted with hieroglyphs. Chloe turned around with the torch in hand and was simply blown away by the pictures. A shadow caught her attention and she saw there were two more passages.

Chloe bit her lip and Lois knew what she was thinking. "No way short stuff we stick together."

"But Lo, if I go in one and you two go in the other than maybe we can find the idol faster." She smiled. Clark was off looking around and found a lever on a wall.

"Hey look at this!" he spoke and put his hand on it. The girls spoke two seconds too late as they shouted at him to not touch it. It startled him and he knocked the lever down. A trap door opened into the floor and he disappeared. Lois screamed and ran to the spot she knelt on the dirt and began to scratch with her hands.

"Lo, he's gone!" Chloe spoke. Lois looked up with a tear stained face.

"You!" she stood and came after her cousin. "I hope this stupid idol is worth my boyfriend. Now I have to find a new one and train him!" she cried. Chloe just shook her head at her cousin.

"Look Lo, sorry about Clark……But we're so close to this I can feel it." She smiled. "One door for you and one for me?" she smiled.

"I really hate you sometimes." Lois spoke.

"I know; which means you love me lots." She smiled.

"Well you killed my boyfriend I get the torch." She spoke. Chloe wanted to protest but she did cost Lois her boyfriend. Chloe nodded and tore the sleeve off her blouse she found what was left of the lever and tied it to the tip. She then used another match and lit it. She reached into her pocket for two rolls of string. She tied the ends together and then tied those ends to an exposed piece of wood. She then handed a roll to Lois who looked at it strangely.

"So we can find our way back." She hugged her cousin. They walked arm in arm to the doorways. "Well?" she asked.

"I never do things the easy way so I go left." Lois replied. She kissed her cousin's cheek and then made her way into the dark. Chloe sighed said a little prayer and entered the doorway in front of her.

She was unraveling the string off the spool as she carefully made her way into the long and dark hall. She made forced rights and lefts and even a spiral she thought and then she made it into a glowing golden chamber. She looked around and as she made her way further into the room she saw it, the idol, sitting on a pillar in the middle of the room. She cheered and it echoed and scared her. She slowly made her way to the pillar and then circled the figure. It was a tall man, again with the sad face. It appeared to be made of pure gold. She looked over her shoulder getting the feeling she was being watched. She licked her lips as she reached for the statue. She felt a warmth creep up her arm as she touched the base, she smiled and then noticed her hand was turning gold.

"Oh crap," she spoke as she suddenly couldn't breathe and the world went dark.

----

Lois found after hours of walking she managed to make it out of the pyramid. She was stunned. She saw Clark sitting at the tent covered in dirt snacking on the peanuts he packed. "Clark!" she exclaimed as she ran and hugged him. He smiled and laughed. They both paused and realized Chloe hadn't returned yet. "Chloe!" they said in unison. As if on cue the entrance to the pyramid rumbled and quaked and before they could react it had collapsed and the entrance was no more…

-----

Chloe coughed and spurted and woke up lying on a marble floor. She sat up and tried to assess her surrounding. She was on a marble floor of a gazebo in a garden that was pure fantasy.

"Who dares to enter this realm uninvited?" The voice boomed from all around her.

"Um, that would be me, sorry." Chloe spoke to the ceiling. She rolled her eyes.

"And you are?"

"Chloe Sullivan."

"I know no such creature." The voice spoke.

"Well you could get to know me if you would just come out here. This talking to the ceiling stuff is giving me a crick in the neck." She smiled trying to convey humor.

"As you wish." a voice spoke from behind her. She turned in a start. There stood the tallest and most handsome man she had ever seen. He was regal, and she didn't know why. He was wearing what appeared to a toga, and he was barefoot. She licked her lips not knowing why. "So Chloe Sullivan, you dare to enter my realm uninvited?"

"I…um… well you see…." She spoke.

"I grow bored of your chatter…" he spoke turning. Chloe had to bite her tongue; he had the most delicious back side she had ever seen.

"Forgive me, sir. I just um, am not really sure how I got here?" She spoke walking to the edge of the gazebo and leaned against the rail. The garden was exquisite.

"You got here because of me, the question Chloe Sullivan, why exactly are you trying to find me?"….