Superman: The Ark of Krypton
Chapter 105
by
Jason Richard
Lois Lane drove up to the military installation's gate and waited. The guard at the gate stepped up to talk to her, but once they got close he turned and waved her through, the gate opening moments later. Guess being the daughter of a military general has its perks, Lois thought.
She drove inside, parked, and then stepped out. She knew she'd have to talk to her father, and that was a conversation she wasn't looking forward to. Then again her actual objective of talking to Edward Lytener after everything that had happened was bound to be an unpleasant talk as well, but there she was.
General Lane met Lois outside the main doors of the facility and heaved a sigh as she approached.
"Hello Lois," said General Lane. "I don't suppose you're here to talk with the old man?"
"I'm here to see Edward Lytener," said Lois.
"What? I don't even get a hello?" asked the General, who seemed genuinely hurt.
Lois sighed, and said, "Hello dad. Nice to see you. Can I talk with Edward now?"
It was General Lane's turn to sigh as he said, "Yes, I suppose you can, but on one condition. We have a talk with each other when you are finished."
Lois sighed and said, "Sure."
…
The door to Edward Lytener's cell opened and the scientist saw the last person he wanted to. Lois Lane entered the room, a grave look on her face. Lytener immediately grimaced at her.
"I didn't want to see you when I was in prison," said Lytener. "What makes you think I'd want to see you now?"
"Nothing," said Lois. "But what you want doesn't matter here, does it?"
"I've nothing to say to you," said Lytener, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms as he looked away stubbornly.
"Alright," said Lois, sitting down across from him. "Then you can listen. You need to give the military your full cooperation and help them defeat these Kryptonians."
Lytener didn't say anything.
"Come on Edward," said Lois. "I thought that was why you were helping me expose Lexcorp in the first place because you wanted to do the right thing."
Lytener mumbled something.
"What?" asked Lois.
"I did want to do the right thing," Lytener said louder. "I thought I could do it without getting into caught."
"Well I'm sorry," said Lois, rolling her eyes. "I assumed you knew the risks."
"I knew most of them," said Lytener.
"What is that supposed to mean?" demanded Lois.
"It means I didn't expect my own partner in this to stab me in the back," said Lytener. "Before you published that hit piece on me without talking to me first I really thought you were a good person just trying to do the right thing. But you were just after your story, weren't you?"
Lois sighed, "Good grief Edward, don't you get it? That's why I was angry enough to publish that piece. Before I heard you sucking up to Lex Luthor with something that could help him defeat Superman I really thought you were a good person trying to do the right thing too, and as far as I could tell you'd proven me wrong."
Silence hung in the air for a moment as she let that sink in. Lytener, for his part, wasn't sure what to make of that. He thought about it for a moment, then found he had a question.
"What about now?" said Lytener.
Lois shook her head, hesitant to give the only answer she could, "Do you really need to ask?"
And it was then that what he'd done really began to get to him.
"I did it, didn't I?" said Lytener, tears forming in his eyes. "I sold out the human race...and not just now, with that Kryptonian. I practically did it with Luthor. I've given two evil men more power than they deserve just to save my own skin. What have I done?"
He seemed genuinely distraught, and Lois had no words of comfort for him. That wasn't really her strong point, so she said the only thing she could.
"You know what you've done," said Lois. "And I think you know what you should do now."
Lytener thought it over, then nodded, saying, "Yeah. I'll give General Lane my full cooperation."
Lois nodded back, smiling, "Glad to hear it."