A/N: Kinda sad, but we're nearing the end of the ride, folks... It's so hard to say goodbye to Yesterday
CHAPTER 12
Gray looked at Chloe with surprise. When she had started telling him about her spontaneous memory, he had risen from his chair. He now stood next to her; a gentle hand lain on her shoulder for comfort. He couldn't stand the sight of his mother… or his future mother… in pain.
Chloe's eyes were fresh with tears. "How is it possible for me to remember something that hasn't happened yet?"
Gray was at a loss for an explanation. "I don't know."
"I need to know what happened next," she stated forcefully, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She knew that Lex had eventually become president, and that Superman hadn't been seen for another 50 years. Somewhere in that time, she had faked her death, abandoned her daughter to be raised by a murderer, started this organization called the Guardians, and become Gray's step-mother.
She needed the dots to be connected. "How did I get out?"
"You spent the next few days trying to stay under Luthor's radar even though he had you watched closely. When he realized that you weren't going to see things his way, he orchestrated an accident."
Chloe released a heavy sigh. It was unbelievable, yet considering what she had just remembered about the confrontation, it all made perfect sense. He couldn't let her go freely, because she knew too much… and because in his mind, she had betrayed him… betrayed his love.
"You pretended to be on his side, but one day when you were leaving the mansion, he wouldn't let you take Xandra with you. He said that they were going riding that afternoon. That's when you knew."
Chloe blinked as another memory surfaced. She saw her little girl waving happily to her as Lex walked her down the path toward the stables. Chloe knew that she was saying goodbye for the last time, but was helpless to do anything to stop the chain of events that were about to take place.
She couldn't take her baby with her because then Lex would know that she had escaped his trap. Her only hope was to go along with his planned accident and find Superman. Once they brought Lex down, she could get her daughter back.
"It was ingenious the way you out-smarted him," Gray said proudly. "The bags of blood you used caused the CSI team to determine that there was no chance of survival. Luthor truly believed that he'd won."
Gray explained how she'd sought out the illusive Bruce Wayne, a man who had thwarted her husband's requests for business deals for years. At first, Chloe had believed Bruce's stubbornness to be detrimental to the future of Gotham's economy… but seeing Lex's true colors had made her realize that Bruce might be her first ally.
Chloe frowned. She and Bruce were able to thwart Lex's attempt to take the lives of the remaining family members of the slain super class by taking them underground, but in a way Lex had won. She never was able to get to Xandra, and she hadn't taken Lex down.
Superman turned his attention to the sky above them in a sudden movement. Something up there had caught his attention. "Wait here," he said, launching into the sky.
Lois followed him with her eyes until he disappeared. "Where did he go?"
Clark frowned as he searched the sky. "I don't know… I can't see him anymore."
Lois turned to face him but before she was able to respond, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her.
Clark took an involuntary step back as a man dressed in black seemed to appear out of nowhere. The dark-haired stranger had practically knocked Clark out of the way in his haste to get to Lois. Seeing Superman land on the roof a few feet away from them, Clark shot him a look of confusion before turning back to where Lois stood in a tight embrace with the man.
"I thought I would never see you again," the stranger muttered.
"Who are you?" Clark asked gruffly, feeling an abnormal sense of jealousy with their closeness. It bothered him that Lois was returning the hug with just as much fervor.
Superman seemed to be watching the interaction with just as much interest as Clark was. "My father," he answered.
Clark turned back to take a closer look. The height and build matched his… as did the hair color… Clark eyes narrowed as he squinted. Could this be his future self?
The man sighed and released Lois with obvious reluctance. When he pulled away, he turned his head and Clark was able to see him clearly.
The man gave a small smile and took a step toward Clark. It wasn't him.
Lois's heart lurched as the man released her hand and stepped toward Clark. She couldn't explain it, but when he had hugged her, she had felt as if she was complete. It was as if she was being reconnected with something she didn't know she had been missing. Her response to his embrace had been automatic and subconscious.
In fact, it wasn't until she heard him address Clark that her brain clicked into gear again. She blinked as she repeated the word he had spoken. "Dad?"
She moved to stand next to Clark, and they both stood facing the other two visitors with bewildered expressions. Lois silently studied the two men, mentally cross-referencing the similarities they shared with the man standing to her right. As crazy as it sounded, she knew that it was true. The man in black was older, and had a tinge of gray speckling his temples, but the resemblance was complete. But for minor differences, she could have been looking at 3 copies of the same man.
"But, how… We didn't… The obituary said… What?" she stuttered, her mind going a whole lot faster than her mouth could manage.
The man in black had a sad expression on his face. "I am Kon-El of the House of El. My parents are from Krypton… and Earth."
After a beat, he continued. "I'm your son."
Xavir glanced around the empty room before stepping to the computer he had seen Brynnan use earlier. He was amazed at the amount of technologically advanced hardware that filled their lab. The Guardians were keeping tabs on every project that the Centre was running.
Earlier, as Brynnan explained to him about the events that led to Chloe starting the organization, he'd watched closely while she set up her uplink to the Centre. Before leaving on the shuttle, she had created a breach in the Centre's system to allow for her rogue access. The connection could only be kept alive for periods of fifty seconds at a time, with a buffer of 15 minutes between each connection. He estimated that it would be hours before they could get anything substantial.
The next live connection was due to enact in seconds. Seeing the lights turn on that indicated the connection had been made, Xavir sat down at the workstation and clicked off the timer so the uplink would remain active for longer than fifty seconds. Working quickly, he accessed the Centre's communication network and scrolled until he found the name he was looking for. He smiled as he clicked on it, relieved that the person was online.
"Christian, here," Xavir announced after sliding the headset into position and adjusting the microphone.
"Xavir! Where are you?"
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you…"
Fitz's voice seemed to lower, and Xavir could imagine his friend crouching closer to his computer. "Well, I wouldn't have believed that you would have stolen a shuttle, so try me."
Xavir sighed. How could he explain that he was in an underground lab that rivaled those at the Centre, run by a group of people who claimed that his father was the equivalent of a terrorist? He couldn't.
"Xav? Are you still there?"
"I'm still here. I'm, uh, on the surface."
"Man, what were you thinking, taking her with you? The Professor is on a rampage."
"I'm sure he is," Xavir muttered. "I think we're close to finding the other two… Has there been any update from the Away Team?"
"Actually, there has. Intel flagged a broker trying to market a genuine Twenty Dollar Bill circa 2004. They have tracked the money card he paid the seller with to a hotel downtown New Troy and to some minor debits for a clothing store, food shop, and the Metro. Everything was purchased all within a two mile range of the hotel… I've got to hand it to you, guy. Taking matters into your own hands and everything. If you bring them back before Kairo's muscle does, he'll have no choice but to give you that advance you've been working for."
"Yeah," Xavir agreed flatly, frowning to himself. It wasn't an advance that he'd been after. "So, have they been located at the hotel?"
"No. They aren't there, but there was a report of a hovercycle missing from the Old Metropolis Security bay. It may be a wild guess, but the Professor has the team focusing on the Festival."
"Look-a-likes," Xavir said as the realization dawned on him. Lois and Clark being in the midst of the festival would only make them harder to find… like needles in a bucket of needles. "Where are we on the countdown?"
"A little over 36 hours left, but even if you can get them here, we still have trouble. We can't get the Llecom complex to stabilize and the circuitry on the Delor8 has gone haywire."
"That's not a problem, I know how to get a copy of both."
"You do? How?"
"I'll tell you later," Xavir promised. "But I've got to go. Just… don't tell anyone you've heard from me. I'll let you know when I'm on my way back."
Fitz hesitated, making Xavir's pulse quicken. Finally, he agreed. "Okay. If you say so… but if you get a raise, I want one too."
Xavir smiled and disabled the connection, making sure to cancel the uplink to the Centre as he did so.
A sound behind him caused him to turn around, and he realized that Brynnan had returned to the Lab while he had been talking. Xavir met her gaze and rose from the chair.
"I'm sorry that took so long…"
Brynnan smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "You did your best," she responded, reaching for her earpiece. "Hopefully no one will notice the foreign network connection."
Xavir knew that she was aware that the chances of them going under the radar were slim, but he was grateful for her optimism.
"We've got to warn everybody that the Centre is closing in on Lois and Clark."
"How is that possible?" Clark asked, unconsciously taking a step closer to Lois.
Kon-El, or Connor, as he'd asked to be called, was standing a few feet away from them next to Superman.
"All we know is that you sent me into the future to keep me safe. It was my destiny to end the 3rd Dominion war and reinstate Superman as hero and protector."
Lois met Clark's gaze, speechless for once in her life.
Clark seemed to read her thoughts and turned to ask the question that was forefront in her mind. "You remember us?"
Connor nodded. "Not very well, but yes. And I heard stories about you every day from my grandmother… I've seen pictures, chronologs…"
Lois seemed to thaw. "Your grandmother?"
"Well, she wasn't really my grandmother, but my father's… my adoptive father's, step-mother."
Clark reached up to rub the bridge of his nose. "I can't… I don't remember..." He turned to Lois. "Do you?"
Lois shook her head as Connor looked on sadly. He didn't know why he had hoped that they would have remembered. "It's okay. It hasn't happened for you yet."
Connor knew that he probably could have approached the situation differently, but wasn't ashamed that he hadn't. When his son had met him in the sky, miles above street level, with information about exactly who was on the rooftop below, he had followed his gut reaction… and went to his mother.
Lois faced Superman. "So that would make you…"
"Kyle," he responded. "Hi."
"Kyle," Lois repeated. "And Connor."
Hearing a beep, Connor reached for his comm device and pulled it to his ear. "Kary, you won't believe this…" he started. His eyebrows arched as he received some information from the person on the other line. "Okay. We'll meet you there."
Connor pulled the comm from his ear and released a breath. "We've got to go."
Kyle looked at his father with concern. "What's wrong? Is Mom okay?"
Connor's eyes slid to Lois briefly before he turned and walked to the edge of the rooftop. He looked over the side and waved for Kyle to join him. "The Centre… they have agents looking for them. Karyn's coming with the Flyer."
Kyle nodded in understanding. "I have to go finish the speech, but I'll meet you at home." The two shared a quick hug before Kyle turned to his grandparents. Even though he knew it was real, it was hard to fathom that this couple, who looked to be the same age as he was, were his father's parents. "I'll see you soon."
The remaining three watched as Superman hovered over the ledge for a moment, and returned to the stage with a nod.
Connor's brow furrowed slightly. Clark recognized the expression on his face, and deduced that he was scanning the building below them. "We're going to have company in a few minutes so we need to make this quick." He turned to Clark. "Can you fly?"
"No… Not yet, I guess."
Lois looked at him in surprise. While she knew that he was Superman… or would be Superman, it hadn't occurred to her until now that Clark… All American, Boy Scout that he was… had super powers.
Connor sighed. He wouldn't be able to fly them both out of there fast enough to remain unseen. "Then we'll walk. Follow me."
Lois looked down as she reached the end of the fire escape ladder. She didn't know why these things never went all the way down to the ground. What was the point of a escaping a blazing fire if you broke your neck jumping from the ladder?
"I've got you," Clark called up to her.
Standing next to him on the ground, Connor flashed her a grin. For some reason, the identical smiles were all the motivation that she needed.
As Lois fell into his arms, Clark bent his knees to dissipate the velocity of her fall.
"Thanks," she said. The position he was holding her in placed their faces achingly close together.
Connor watched the moment and smiled. Clearing his throat, he pointed in the direction of the street. "We'll just blend into the crowd and head for the Park's exit."
Lois blinked and Clark allowed her to slide to the ground. They followed Connor out of the alleyway and merged into the crowd of people who were cheering the end of Superman's speech.
Lois paused to look at the stage, unable to get over the fact that it was her grandson up there. A hand clasped hers and she met Clark's gaze.
"Come on," he urged softly.
Nodding, she focused on keeping up.
Lois leaned against the railing on the boardwalk and watched the water. They had waited until they were clear of the park before getting into further discussion.
"Have you been… okay?" she asked awkwardly. She didn't know what to say to this man who was going to one day be her son. A son that she wouldn't get the opportunity to raise.
Connor nodded. "My Dad was great. I grew up with him, my grandfather, and my grandmother… We were safe."
"Was there a note… anything? What about your powers?" Clark interjected. "How did you get from us to… your Father?"
"My grandmother knew everything about me. She was able to help with my abilities when they started showing up. Gran was the one who explained to the rest of us about my destiny. She was there when you sent me away."
Lois turned her head at his last words to hide her frown. She knew it wasn't supposed to, but sent me away sounded so… despairing.
Clark noticed her look but didn't say anything. "What was your grandmother's name?"
"Chloe..."
Lois's eyes snapped back to Connor. "My cousin, Chloe?"
He nodded. "She practically raised me."
For some reason, that bit of information calmed her thoughts a little. She sighed and turned back to the water. It still bothered her that memories of Connor weren't popping up like the others had.
"I did die after all," Clark mumbled under his breath. It was the only answer he could come up with to explain why someone else would have raised his son. Like Jor-El and Lara had done with him… sending their child away to protect his safety and preserve his destiny. History was strangely repeating itself.
Connor heard the comment while Lois didn't, and he looked away sadly. The Guardians had searched for years but never found any trace of Clark. After a while, even his grandparents had come to the conclusion that Clark was indeed gone forever.
"How old were you when we… you know?" Lois inquired.
"About two I guess," he answered uncertainly. "I know that I remembered your smell… and your eyes. It's the oldest memory I have."
Affected, Lois swallowed. "Maybe that's why we're here," she murmured. "To see you and to know that you're okay."
Connor looked at both Lois and Clark, branding their faces into his memory. "Maybe."
The silent moment that they shared was broken as the suddenly choppy water drew their attention. Two black shark fins pierced the surface about 9 meters apart. As they continued to rise, it became apparent that the fins were actually tips on the wings of some sort of vessel.
"What is that thing?" Lois asked.
"That would be our ride," Connor announced with a grin.
TBC