Connor Kent and the revival of krypton
Chapter 21
A cold wind from Metropolis's recent snowstorm swept across the manicured grounds of the Luthor estate.
Moonlight set the mansions marble veneer a glow and cause the polished silver window frames to sparkle.
Classical Butler's complete with a balding head, three-piece suit, and bowtie stood on either side of the oak double doors leading into the mansion with their gloved hands tucked behind their backs.
Every once in a while, a Butler would step forward with the grace of a move long practiced and open a door of a limousine that pulled into the drive.
That would then back away with a bow and wait for the next vehicle.
A pale limousine with Russian flags flapping on its hood and bumper pulled into the drive. A Butler stepped forward and grabbed the handle and took a few steps back while opening the door.
A man ducked his head and climbed from the car. His hawk like nose flared as he inhaled the cool air. Straightening his blazer, he let his amber eyes sweep over the mansion.
So this is Luthor's mansion, the man thought, he shook his head with a smile, funny with an ego like Luthor's I was expecting a medieval castle.
The feminine clearing of a throat cause the man to turn.
"Are you just going to leave me sitting in the car, Victor?"
A pale slender hand appeared from within the car.
Victor chuckled and took the dainty appendage in his much larger hand, "I'm sorry my dear, I was just admiring Luthor's home."
A short slender woman emerged from the car. Her dark brown mink coat flowed behind her as she moved and her high heels clicked on the drive.
The woman's light blue eyes swept over the mansion. She then flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and turned her nose up in the air.
"This place screams of arrogance."
"Well, this is Luthor's home. What did you expect?"
The woman turned to glare at him, her diamond earrings glinted in the light coming from the mansion "Don't get smart with me Victor Stroganoff."
"Yes dear," Victor said bowing his head with a small smile.
A tall thick man with a square head and muscles on his muscles stepped forward, "Name please?" He asked in a gruff voice.
Victor squared his broad shoulders and turned to face the man, "Victor and Victoria Stroganoff."
The thick man glanced down at a clipboard clutched in his large hand. After skimming it with his beady brown eyes he pressed his ear piece, "I have a Victor and Victoria Stroganoff."
After listening for a moment, the man nodded, "You can go in."
Victoria smoothed her husband scarlet shirt then linked his arm with hers.
Victor turned to her with a smile on his face, "Shall we go in my dear?"
"Yes, let's go see what President Luthor wants," with their heads held high, the Russian duo strode towards the mansion.
Walking up the stairs, Victor turned to his wife, "I never imagined I would go from farm boy to president of Russia."
Victoria smiled and leaned in to his side, "Even if you were still that farm boy, I would still love you."
Victor leaned down and placed a kiss on his wife's forehead, his short white hair turned yellow in the light coming from the open double doors, "That my dear is why I married you."
Entering the mansion, their footsteps clicked on the tile floor.
A Butler stepped forward and held out his arms.
Victoria shrugged off her mink coat, revealing the dark blue gown beneath.
Victor let his eyes scan over his wife's body, enjoying the way the dark blue gown hugged her curves.
Victoria flashed her husband an impish smile and Victor turned away.
I have a feeling, he thought, I'm going to have some fun tonight.
Shaking his head, the president of Russia let his eyes roam around his surroundings. There was a large marble staircase in front of him leading to the upper floors. Two guards stood at the top and bottom of it.
His eyes flicked to the guards standing before the doors lining either side of the staircase.
All of the guards were thick with muscle wearing black suits and sunglasses. They all had an earpiece dangling from one ear.
Letting his eyes flicked to the corners of the room, Victor spotted at least four cameras.
This is a lot of security for a party, he thought, but then again with the people that's here I'm not surprised.
Shaking his head, the president of Russia allowed his wife to lead him into the ballroom with the other dignitaries.
The tone of their footsteps changed as they move from tile to hardwood.
Soft music played from a brass band on a stage at the far end of the room.
Various dignitaries packed into the large rectangular space with waiters and waitresses moving between them with professional grace offering hors d'oeuvres or flutes of champagne.
Turning to his wife Victor asked, "May I have this dance?"
With a smile, Victoria allowed herself to be guided into the space cleared away for dancing.
CK
An aged hand with arthritic knuckles swept steel gray hair away from milky blue eyes. It's good to see a couple still in love, Connor thought to himself, it gives me hope for this world.
The neo-man of steel's weathered lips turned up in a smile. I have to say these amulets mother gave us sure do make good disguises, he thought, I actually do feel old.
Connor raised his diamond topped cane and turned to face Artemis. He looked up at her from his stooped position, "Did you notice them?"
Artemis turned her gaze to the ceiling. She used a liver spotted hand to shield the light from her eyes. She let a pale green eyes scan over the hundreds of crystal chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, "Yes, each one of those chandeliers is made up to look like crystals, but there actually cameras."
Connor straightened up sighing in relief as his back popped. I think it would be better, he thought to Artemis with his telepathic power, if we speak some of our conversations telepathically for now. I've established a link between us, so we can hear each other's thoughts. This way we don't take a chance of being overheard.
Agreed, Artemis thought back.
The neo-man of steel turned to Artemis. He let his eyes scan over her form. Even in her aged disguise, he thought, I find her beautiful.
Half-moon spectacles set daintily on Artemis's nose and her steel gray hair was pulled back in an elegant bun with two strands curled and framing her face.
The former Archer of Cadmus was wearing a white gown with lace decorating the top of her neck. A brooch of a butterfly adorned her neck. Bracelets with a bow charm on the left and arrow charms on the right dangled from her wrist.
Connor shook his head, "It looks like Luthor's going to be a while. Would you care to dance?"
Artemis turned to him and the corners of her mouth wrinkled in a smile, "I thought you would never ask."
Together the duo linked arms and glided onto the dance floor with Warriors grace.
Connor placed his hands on Artemis's hips.
Artemis wrapped her arms around his neck.
They started slow swaying back and forth, but once they got over their nervousness they were gliding across the dance floor with impressive speed.
Connor spun Artemis and she laughed.
Now this is what I call a first date, she thought to him.
I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Connor thought back to her with his telepathic powers, it makes sneaking into the home of a man that wants to capture us worth it.
Artemis laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Why do you have to be so cynical, she thought to him.
Connor smiled. I'm not being cynical, I'm being realistic, he thought to her.
Artemis laughed, same thing.
The neo-man of steel brought Artemis up from a dip as the song finished, "What do you say we find a place to rest while we wait for the president to show up my dear?"
"That would be delightful," Artemis said linking her arm with his.
The found two chairs sitting against the wall and sat down.
Connor waved over a waiter and handed Artemis a flute of champagne.
"Thank you," Artemis said as she took a few shrimp puffs from an horderve tray. After swallowing a shrimp off she asked, "So what do you think is taking Luthor so long?"
Connor took a sip of champagne and swirled the glass while savoring the flavor. If I know Luthor, he told her telepathically, then he'll want to make an entrance.
No sooner than Connor finish those words then a portal of white energy opened in front of the brass band.
The other dignitaries cried out, but four sets of eyes narrowed. A boom tube, they thought.
Lex Luther emerged from the portal with his muscled arms spread wide and pride shining in his gray eyes. He moved to the center of the stage, light from the chandeliers above reflected off his bald head.
"People, people," he said raising his arms in a pacifying gesture, "there's no need to be alarmed. I just wanted to demonstrate the benefits of America's union with Apocalypse."
He straightened the edges of his dark suit and gestured towards the portal, "What you see here is a boom tube, a wormhole torn through the fabric of space that the people of New Genesis and Apocalypse use to get from one place to another."
"What does Darksied want in exchange for this technology?" A dark skinned man with an African accent asked.
A smile stretched across Luthor's handsome face, revealing perfectly white teeth, "Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Darksied wearing his Middle Eastern face stepped from the boom tube. He moved to stand beside Luthor without wrinkling his dark suit or ruffling the redshirt beneath. After adjusting his dark tie he spoke in a cultured voice, "I offer this technology as a way to make amends for the horrible things I've done to the people of Earth."
"How can we trust you?" Victor asked, "after everything you've done how do we know you won't stab us in the back."
Darksied ran a hand through his slick back dark hair and narrowed his brown eyes, "I offer you this technology as a way to make amends, but I won't beg you to take it." He spun on his heel and walked towards the boom tube, his dark dress shoes made a clicking sound on the stage.
The Lord of apocalypse stepped into the boom tube. Just before his head went inside he turned to stare at Luthor, "If you don't want my technology, I will take it back and leave, but you need to make a choice Mr. Luthor." With those last words, the boom tube closed and Darksied disappeared.
Luthor turned to stare out at the dignitaries. These fools, he thought, don't they realize what Darksied's offering. With this technology we can advance the earth a thousand years now instead of having to wait.
The multibillionaire brushed off his white dress shirt and forced a smile, "People, I know Darksied has done some deplorable things, but he's trying to make amends."
"Let me just show you what Darksied's offering," Lex snapped his fingers, a holographic screen appeared behind him, showing a circular tower with a Golden pyramid on top. Antennas poked up from each one of the pyramids four points.
"This circular tower is what has been providing energy for all of the US," he stared out at the people, "think about it, enough energy to power every home in the US without any nuclear waste or pollution."
"How is that possible?" A man from the Middle East asked.
Lex Luther smiled. Now I'm getting somewhere, he thought.
The screen zoomed down on the tower to show two vents on either side of it.
"These vents absorb atoms and then split them to provide energy."
"However, unlike when we on earth split atoms this machine uses 100 percent of it."
The image on the screen changed to show an egg shape chamber flooded with energy. Another screen popped up showing energy levels produced during the split and then after.
"This machine sounds like a nuclear weapon, how do we know Darksied doesn't want us to destroy ourselves?"
Luthor snapped his fingers and the holographic screen disappeared, "I have looked over the schematics, there's no way this machine can be used as a weapon."
"We're just supposed to take your word for that," the ambassador from China shouted, his dark eyes were narrowed in suspicion and red splotches appeared on his round face, "Do you take us for fools?"
The dignitaries began arguing, some thought it was a good idea. While others didn't trust the source that the technology came from.
Connor sent out a pulse of electricity while he finished his champagne. Once the electricity seeped into the mansions electronics, the neo-man of steel used it to set the video cameras on a loop.
He turned to Artemis. I think it's time we make our move, he thought.
Finally, Artemis thought to him rising to her feet, my butt was starting to go to sleep.
Connor snorted and caught Artemis as she fell forward.
Together they made their way towards the door.
Connor pushed open the door, causing the guards in the Entrance Hall to tense.
Connor flashed them a tired smile, "Sorry, my wife just had a bit too much to drink. I think I'm going to take her home."
The duo began shuffling towards the door.
Out of the corner of his eye, Connor saw the guards relax. He smiled. You see me walking out the door, he sent out to them with his telepathic powers, you see me going out the door, and you will not see or hear what I do for the rest of the evening.
Once Connor felt his words take effect, he stopped and looked down at Artemis, "Okay were clear."
Artemis straightened up and Connor turned to gaze around the room. The pale wood panel walls faded away, revealing what was beneath.
The neo-man of steel could see tunnels crisscrossing throughout the mansion, but he couldn't see outside its walls. Of course the walls of the mansion would be lined with lead, he thought.
Connor turned to Artemis, "This way." He led her up the spiral staircase in the center of the hall, their footsteps were muffled by the plush white carpet. Not that they needed it thanks to Connors telepathic spell, but every little bit helped.
Artemis stopped beside a guard at the top of the stairs and waved her hand in front of his face, she turned to Connor, "You do really good work."
Connor stopped before a table at the top of the stairs and turned to her with a smile on his face, "I was taught by the best." He shook his head and turned to look down the hallways in both directions. According to what he was seeing this was the only way to get to his destination.
"Find anything," Artemis asked moving over to join him.
Connor nodded, "I think so, but let's finish this conversation telepathically just in case Luthor has microphones throughout the hall on a different network than the video cameras."
I've been thinking, he thought to her, a man like Luthor would not keep his plans in a public office, so he has to have somewhere hidden that he goes to do his work.
Sounds reasonable, Artemis thought back, Luthor is way too clever and paranoid to leave incriminating evidence lying around where a Butler or maid could find it and try to blackmail him.
The neo-man of steel nodded and smiled. That is exactly what I was thinking. Look here, he gestured to the table in front of them.
The former Archer of Cadmus looked down. On the table was a dusty bowl of fruit and two candlesticks setting at either end. She turned back to Connor with a raised eyebrow. Besides Luthor needing a new cleaning staff I don't see anything.
The smile on Connor's face widened. Exactly, he thought to her. He gestured around him. Look around you. This place is spotless he turned back to the table except for this. Which means, Luthor doesn't allow his cleaning staff to touch it. He stretched forth his hand and pulled the left candlestick towards them. It rose up at an angle with a click then the table began sinking into the floor.
As the table disappeared a smooth silver elevator took its place, its doors slid open revealing plush red interior.
I think we found where Luthor does his naughty things, Artemis thought to Connor.
Connor turned to Artemis with a smile. I think you're right, he thought to her, so care to take a trip down the rabbit hole with me?