Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 79
by
Jason Richard
They were furious as they watched out in space. Lobo had failed them again. Though he had captured Superman the Kryptonian had slipped from his grasp once more. It was time for a change in tactics. Someone else would get a chance to capture him, and this time, it might be helpful if it were someone a little more...close to home. It would take time to arrange, but as always, patience was necessary.
Patience.
…
Edward Lytener woke up to the worst headache of his life. The events of the previous night slowly came back to him, and he realized that going to work at Lexcorp was easily the biggest mistake of his life.
Then again he reached up to his head and realized the wound from whatever Lexcorp had stuck in him was gone. Well...at least he didn't feel any scar tissue there. Still hurt like nothing else, but at least he wouldn't be deformed.
He was also glad he had Lexcorp protection from the aliens. After all, considering what he knew they were bound to be after him again.
Wait, what did he know? Lytener thought about it, but couldn't bring to mind what it was he was supposed to know. Oh. That's right. That's why Lexcorp used that thing on him last night. Those Lexcorp goons…
He couldn't see their shadows underneath the door. They weren't guarding his room? Then...where were they?
"Guards?" he said hopefully. "Guards?!" But there was no answer.
In a panic Lytener pressed the button to summon the nurse, then waited anxiously for her to arrive. When she came in, a newspaper tucked under her arm, he spoke up immediately.
"Where are they?" he asked. "The Lexcorp security?"
She frowned and him and said, "They left this morning, said you were no longer Lexcorp's problem."
Lytener didn't like the look she was giving him and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"
"You tell me," she said, then threw him the newspaper.
Edward Lytener, in confusion, took it and looked at the front page. His eyes widened and he turned pale, horrorstruck by what he was seeing.
…
Superman flew through space as fast as he could, stars rushing past him like an old sci fi show. It was exhilarating, but Superman did his best to ignore the sensation. He had to get back to Earth. Who knew what trouble was brewing there now that he was away?
Even as fast as he was, and even with Brainiacs probe tucked under his arm to point him the way this trip was going to take time. He had been unconscious in Lobo's ship, and away from Earth, for little more than a day. Depending on how fast he was compared to that ship it would probably take at least a day to get back to Earth.
And a lot could happen in a day.
…
Lois sat in her office, stretching her arms and feeling rather pleased with herself. Yet another article exposing Lexcorp corruption. All in a day's work for an ace reporter. She was prepared to celebrate later, but two things interrupted her mood.
The first was that she knew she should feel guilty for feeling good when Superman had been kidnapped. And...yeah...she felt guilty about that. She'd kind of been going back and forth between feeling great that she'd hit Lexcorp hard, and guilty that she was celebrating when Superman was who knew where?
The second thing that interrupted her good mood was Edward Lytener calling her cell phone.
She looked at the caller id as the phone vibrated on her desk and rolled her eyes. There was nothing Lytener could say that could apologize for this mess, and she really didn't need further reminder that Superman was in trouble. She picked up the phone and quickly dismissed the call.
...
Edward Lytener realized she had rejected his call, and started to bite his nails. How was he going to explain this? How could he turn this around? Superman was somewhere off in space, kidnapped by an alien, so he only had his own words with which to protest his innocence. What was he to do?
There was only one thing for it. He had to get someone else's testimony. He quickly pulled all the medical equipment off and out of him, including the oxygen feed in his arm, and got up shakily.
It was time for some drastic action.