Lois didn't worry when her father didn't come home that evening. She just slept on the couch, so she would be sure to hear his knocking.

But when morning came and he still wasn't back, then she became worried. She called to let Perry know she wouldn't be into work.

"On a hot lead?" he asked, knowing her all too well.

"More like a family emergency this time."

"Sorry to hear that. Keep me posted."

Lois called Chloe next. Her cousin, the computer expert, would help her. She was cyber special agent. "Hey, Chloe. Long time no see. I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, if I can. What's up?"

"Dad's gone missing."

"Missing as in off the grid or really missing?"

"Not a hundred percent sure, but I have a bad feeling. Call it a journalist's instinct or a daughter's intuition. Is it possible to track his location by his cell phone number?"

"Of course. His number is already in my contact list. I'll look it up and call you back."

"Thanks. I owe you one."

She waited. That was the hard part, the waiting. She wanted to be active, doing something. Fortunately, it didn't take Chloe long. "Lois, I have his last known location. It's Smallville, Kansas."

"Isn't that where you used to live?" she asked.

"Yep. Strange place for him to go. Not even my parents live there anymore. It's the most boring place on the planet. Nothing even remotely interesting ever happens there. I got out of there just as soon as I graduated."

"That is weird."

"It gets even weirder. He was there last night and then nothing. It's like he quite literally disappeared or something happened to his phone."

"That just jumped up the worry meter. I guess I'm off to Nowheresville."

"Smallville," Chloe corrected with a chuckle. "Let me know if I can do anything else and call me when you find something out. He probably dropped his phone in the lake and is waiting for a replacement. Usually it's the simplest explanation."

Chloe was doing her best to reassure her, and Lois wanted to believe her, but even a backward place like Smallville had people with cell phones who could have called her to let her know he wouldn't be back as planned.

sss

She could tell when she was getting close to the town. There were cornstalks as far as the eye could see. Thank goodness for the GPS because if she'd had to ask directions from someone using landmarks, there wouldn't have been any. What would they have said, turn right after the fifth cornfield?

Why had the General come here? There had to be something of interest in this small farming town, but she couldn't imagine what.

She found Main Street and on it, a quaint coffee shop. Deciding it was the equivalent of the local watering hole from the way all the people were popping in and out, and in need of a cup of coffee her own self, she decided to begin her search there.

She took a table in the corner, a perfect vantage point for observation. She noticed an older couple staring at her a table away.

When she stared back, the graying redhead had the good grace to blush. "I'm Martha Kent. Forgive us for staring. It's just you remind us of someone. It feels like we should know you."

"My cousin lived here for a few years."

"That must be it," she said though she didn't look entirely convinced.

The man said, "You in town for a visit or just passing through?"

"Jonathan," Martha fussed. "We've been nosy enough."

"I don't mind," Lois said. "I've been known to be a little nosy myself, and I'm actually looking for someone. Maybe you could help me. He's a man around your age by the name of Samuel Lane. He would have been here in your town yesterday evening. Maybe even this morning. He might have been in military dress."

"I'm sorry," Mr. Kent apologized. "We weren't in town yesterday or this morning."

She'd known it was a long shot, and there were lots more people to ask, but it was a letdown nonetheless.

"We'll certainly keep our eyes out for him and ask around," Mrs. Kent said with a sympathetic expression. "And pray you find him soon."

It might have been empty words coming from some people, but Lois got the impression they would actually do as they said. "Thank you. I would be very appreciative."

The Kents paid their check and left, and the waitress came to take her order.

"Nice couple," she commented to the girl.

"Yeah. They never had any kids. It's a shame because I can't think of two people more suited to parenthood, but they seem plenty able to find young people who need love and advice."

She felt a pang of sympathy for them, but she got back to the task at hand. "Have you seen an older man in here today or yesterday. Sam Lane?"

"Yeah, I remember him. I took his credit card. He was really interested in the local lore around here."

"Local lore?" That didn't sound like her father. He normally dealt in hard, cold facts.

"Yeah, to be more specific, lore from the Kawatche. They're a tribe that has been in the area for hundreds of years. Anyway, he wanted to know about one legend in particular associated with a nearby cave. Don't ask me why. I thought it kind of strange myself."

The general wasn't the type for casual chitchat. The cave was why he was here, she knew. She had the girl write down the directions to it. She quickly swallowed down and paid for her espresso and then she was off to see what was special about this cave.

sss

She startled a few bats on her entry. Didn't seem like it was gone into very often. It looked like an ordinary, everyday cave to her. What about this cave would attract military interest?

She spent almost an hour exploring it before she noticed there had been a recent rockslide, a fissure that looked fairly new.

Using the flashlight on her phone, she shone it down into the darkness and onto the dank walls. She admired the art that covered them. It looked ancient paintings and symbols done by native people, the Kawatche if she were to hazard a guess.

Still, it seemed like something that would be more likely to attract an archeologist or a history professor. Why a general? She just didn't get it, but she sensed she was on the right track.

Lowering herself into the crevice, she found what appeared to be some kind of octagonal disc. It almost looked like a key of some sort. It was as if it was waiting for her. She saw the same shape on the cave wall.

Realizing it truly was a key and fearing her father was trapped behind the wall, she quickly inserted it. There was a flash of light and then nothing but blinding white.

When she got her bearings, she saw some quickly filling footprints in the snow, a man's. It had to be the General's.

She shivered wildly, cold and more than a little frightened at how she had suddenly found herself on another continent. She hadn't exactly dressed for Arctic weather as it was just a chilly fall day back in Kansas.

The footprints led to a strange but beautiful building like giant ice stalagmites reaching out of the snow. It wasn't like anything she had seen before, not made by human hands but too unnatural to be made by Mother Nature either.

Whatever it was, she knew it would offer shelter and though the footprints had now disappeared, she was certain it was where her father was as well.