More Powerful: Chapter 50
- Decision -
Lois stood frozen in place, her eyes not able to convey to her mind what had just happened. On the floor, the freshly spilled blood of her enemy, and that of her new found friend, mixed and made their way toward her.
The smell of death clung to the air, reminding her all too much of the hourglass hanging over their heads. She held Jason close, fearing how silent he was, how cold to the touch. Lois cast a glance to the sky. Evening was fast approaching. They were running out of time. Clark said he had a plan, but her panic was beginning to override her faith.
Clark stood, wane and pale and yet unmoving, he seemed to mourn this monster who had caused them all so much pain. Perhaps he mourned more the man he could have been had the story been told differently. Lois put her hand on his shoulder in silent understanding.
Clark looked down at her from thought clouded eyes. Lois gestured for him to take Jason. She stepped over the blood toward the fallen man. She blocked Clark's view with her body and covered her hand with the end of her jacket. With a shaky hand she laid hold of the shard. As Lois applied pressure, she avoided looking into the sightless eyes that seemed to be staring straight through her. Lois shuddered as the shard came loose with a sickening squish. She ran her hand down over his eyes, letting them fall closed.
Lois reached for Lex' coat and covered the wound. It was more a ceremonial gesture than practical, but she wanted to honor Clark's solemnity for this wasted life. As she dragged the cloth across his body she felt a weight in the inside breast pocket.
The crystal hitched on the cloth and slid on the satin lining of the pocket, coming loose and rolling across Luthor's motionless body. Lois caught it before it hit the cement and rose to her feet. Stepping away from Clark and around the corner, she threw the kryptonite as far down the hall as her arm would allow. Satisfied with the distance, she turned the corner to find Clark kneeling beside Kitty's body, Jason cradled in one arm, nestled against his chest and his left hand between Kitty's pale fingers.
Kitty moved her heard almost imperceptibly toward him and offered a weak smile.
Her voice was hardly more than a whisper. "I know….this isn't your way….of doing things…" she paused, dragging in a shaky breath. "You…always…see the good…you-"
"Shhh shhh." Clark scolded gently. "Try not to talk. You'll be fine. We need to get you to the hospital."
Kitty smiled, fresh tears springing to her eyes and running in rivulets down her cheeks. She shook her head slightly. "Not this time…" her eyes fell to Jason. "He doesn't have much time. Lex was worried he wouldn't make it before…" her chest rose with a sob, her whole body shaking as she coughed, "…before you came."
"Katherine…" his eyes betrayed his indecision.
"Go." Her voice was firm with false bravado. Her lips spread into a quivering smile. "But when … this… is over…you…owe me a cup…of coffee."
Clark returned her smile and rose to his feet. Lois saw the color returning to his cheeks through the tears that crossed them.
Lois returned to his side. She held up the crystal she had found on Lex' body. He wordlessly took it from her. He hid it within the folds of his cape as he handed Jason back to her.
"Let's go." He said softly, casting one final look at Kitty before walking out the door.
Lois' eyes met Kitty's as she stepped over the threshold. She mouth a silent [I'Thank you.'[/I Kitty lifted her fingers to wave her off almost dismissively and nodded weakly.
Lois stepped into the alley. It must have stormed while they were inside, the ground glittered with moisture and the air was fragrant with freshly fallen rain.
Clark extended his arms and gathered her against him.
"But Clark, the kryptonite. You won't be able to hold us."
"I will. I have to. We need to hurry. We have to stay above the clouds. Jason needs the sunlight the whole way there."
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[IGo Go Go[/I. Clark willed himself to fly faster. He began to pick up a tremendous amount of speed. He did the best he could to shield Lois and Jason from the forceful winds his speed was producing. It was not the wind, but the sound of his son's ever weakening heartbeat that thundered in his ears.
He grunted under the physical strain of the flight, beads of sweat forming on his brow and upper lip.
"Clark," Lois gasped against the wind in her struggle to speak. "Are you alright?"
Clark's voice was raspy and raw. "I'll be fine. Luthor used more of that toxin but my exposure wasn't long enough to do too much damage. I'm just glad you were able to get to Jason before…" he trailed off.
Lois nodded solemnly. "You must have put on a good show. I couldn't have done it without Kitty…I can't believe that she… did what she did."
They flew in silence for a few minutes. Lois looked up into Clark's face
Where are we going?"
"My place." He said quietly, his eyes never left the horizon.
Clark could feel Lois' questioning gaze on his face. He wouldn't meet her eyes. He knew what needed to be done.
They chased the sunlight across the sky. It couldn't have been more than thirty minutes, before the winds grew from mild to frigid as the landscape blurred beneath them, first the city lights, then the brown of farmland and finally the sparkling landscape of white that was familiar to them both.
The Fortress rose from the snow, a transparent monolith. Clark hardly slowed as they were folded into its cavernous embrace.
The ice crunched beneath his boots as Clark landed softly. He gingerly released Lois from his arms. The flight had taken its toll on all of them. The sun had long since disappeared over the horizon, cloaking the artic landscape in darkness.
The fortress was quiet, dark, empty. Yet the dim light that filtered was shared among the crystals, casting an ethereal glow about the entire structure. Clark's eyes scanned around the main room. Every corner housed a lesson, a memory.
The question in Lois' eyes found breath as she turned to face him.
"Clark. Why are we here?" Her voice echoed off the crystal walls
Clark took Jason gently from Lois' arms.
"Do you remember the last time we were here?" He asked quietly.
Lois nodded. "Yes. Years ago, when Zod and his drones paid us a visit." Her skin crawled at the mere mention of his name. "You used the molecule chamber to defeat him."
Clark crossed the great hall toward the crystal control panel, stepping over a fallen crystal, dusty and blackened with years of neglect
"Right." His words heavy with meaning.
Lois' eyes widened in understanding.
"Clark." Her voice was hushed, hesitant.
Clark's eyes were pained as he responded. "Dr. Meyer said it was the Kryptonian elements in Jason's genetics that the poison was attacking. If they have nothing to attack, it stands to reason Jason will recover." His voice was quiet, unemotional, carefully guarded.
The gravity of his sacrifice sliced through Lois like a dagger. Clark was giving up the very things he had left earth in search of: His heritage, his bloodline, the proof that he wasn't alone. "Clark, there has to be another way." She laid her hand gently on his arm. "You shouldn't have to make such a choice. We can talk to Dr. Meyer, we can try the UV device ag-"
"I've thought on every angle of this Lois." His voice broke, betraying his pain. "He said the UV treatment would be a stall at best. This is our chance. We don't have time for maybes."
"Clark are you sur-"
"I'm sure I want to see my son grown up to be the man we both know he will become." Balancing Jason across his chest, Clark reached beneath his cape, producing the long clear crystal. The tear that crawled down his cheek was the only evidence of the war raging behind his eyes. He brushed it away impatiently as he manipulated the controls faster than Lois' eyes could follow. "I- I can't go in there with him Lois." He closed his eyes and exhaled. "The chamber won't hurt you. I need you...I need you to…"
"Alright." She said softly, her heart breaking at his pain. Lois reached for him, taking Jason back into her arms.
"Go."
His eyes locked with hers, the full depth of his sorrow taking her breath. Through the tears his eyes glittered with the finality of his decision.
Lois nodded her understanding. This was their only chance. She took careful steps across the room toward the chamber that had saved their lives so many years ago.
With one last look back at Clark, she stepped inside. The walls were smooth and cool as leaned against them, the door sliding closed behind them.
Lois turned toward Clark as the chamber began to fire to life. She saw him lower his head as a warm red light filled her view. Lois squeezed her eyes shut as the light grew brighter, dancing all around her. She held Jason against her body, willing this most painful of actions to succeed.
And in a moment, it was over. Afraid to move she stood as still as death. When she opened her eyes Clark was standing in front of her his eyes shining with unshed tears as they scanned over their son.
"Did it -" Lois began softly, her voice sounding to her ears as brass in the quiet of the moment.
It was a moment before Clark answered her.
"It's done." His voice exalted a quiet relief. "But we need to go. This chamber doesn't heal. He still needs medical attention."
Clark scooped her up into his arms and in one motion was in the air. The return flight to the hospital was carried out in silence. Lois wept against his chest for the relief of the end in sight, for the incredible sacrifice he'd been forced to endure.
It seemed only moments later that the hospital was in view. As they landed by the rear entrance, Clark set her down and was immediately back in the air.
"I can't go in dressed like this. Take him inside. I'll return soon."
"Promise me."
His lips turned up in a sad smile. "I promise"
And with that he was gone, growing smaller and smaller as the clouds themselves seemed to move to grant him entry.
With a final look to the now empty heavens, Lois turned and walked into the hospital.
