It was all planned out for Clark Luthor's demise. Oliver would hold a press conference revealing the identity of Ultraman as well as his vulnerability to kryptonite. Chloe would shoot to kill from the roof of the Daily Planet while Luthor was distracted by it.
"It should be me," Lois interjected.
They both looked at her as if she'd suddenly grown another head.
She ignored it and went on, "The General taught me how to shoot a gun before the training wheels even came off my bike. I'm an excellent shot."
"I don't doubt it, honey," Ollie said, "but there's a big difference between firing at a target and shooting to take a life."
"You don't think I know that? I can do this. I want to do this." She told herself it was to protect her cousin, but even at that moment, she wondered if there wasn't more to it. Chloe had long been part of the resistance and was no innocent.
"Fine," Oliver said, handing her the gun, "but remember you'll likely only get one shot."
Lois kissed him with gratitude. "I only need one."
sss
Her legs ached in her crouching position as she remembered the last time she'd seen Clark. It was in this very spot. "I can't live in a world where you don't love me," he'd said to her.
That kind of devotion had set her heart a flutter. She didn't have that deep of a connection with Ollie. She'd forgiven him for his affair with Chloe, but the fact remained their love hadn't been enough for him to want to stay true.
She had to remind herself that man hadn't been Clark Luthor. The Clark of this world was a monster who deserved a slower death than he would get with this kryptonite bullet.
The press conference began and Ultraman showed up true to form. She had him in her sights. All she had to do was pull the trigger and she almost did, but then their eyes locked.
She lowered the gun. She couldn't do it. If he had any chance for any capacity for good, and he obviously would have had with as simple a change as having the Kents for parents, how could she kill him now?
He saw her lower the weapon. He seemed as surprised and confused by her action as she was.
He recovered more quickly and lifted Oliver into the air by his neck. Panic rose up. He was going to kill him, and it would be her fault for hesitating.
However, he did something so unLuthorlike that she could hardly believe it, he threw Oliver off the platform without killing him. He then proceeded to use his heat vision to slice through the equipment and the podium. People ran screaming but no one was hurt before he flew away.
She went down into the pandemonium and faced a rightfully angry husband.
"Are you mad? I could have been killed." he asked her. "Why didn't you take the shot?"
"It occurred to me that if we just assassinate him like that, how are we any better?"
"Because it is self-defense. Do you think he is going to have any mercy on you or me now that he knows we're after him? Or Chloe? More people are going to die now because you couldn't make the hard choice."
He wasn't wrong. The guilt made her sick to her stomach. "I won't hesitate next time."
He laughed. "Do you actually think there's going to be a next time? We should have gone through with the original plan."
He should have let Chloe do it. He didn't say it, but that's what she heard. She wouldn't have messed up. Her eyes burned as she walked away.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Back to work. Some of us actually have day jobs."
Bury herself in work was her plan. Then she wouldn't have to think about why she had spared Clark Luthor's life or why it felt like Oliver trusted Chloe more.