Clark broke the front door off the hinges. Lois stormed in after him, "LUCY!" she called. Clark picked up the broken cup. "Lois, look" he said.
Lois saw the broken cup. She started to cry again, and Clark held her. "Damn. Look at me. I can't even keep it together for five minutes."
Clark kissed the top of her head. "Lois, it'll be okay. We'll find them both." Clark rubbed his nose.
Lois looked up. "Don't tell me. You're allergic to me."
"No, it's that weird scent in here" said Clark.
"Oh, that's Lucy's favorite perfume. She loads it on all the time. She gets it from Paris" said Lois.
Clark inhaled deeply through his nose. A plan formed in his mind. He moved outside, still sniffing. "I can find her. I'll be right back."
"No!" Lois shouted. "I'm coming, too!"
Clark turned, "Lois, I can move faster alone."
"Clark, this is my family. I am not going to be left behind while you save the day" she said.
Clark started to protest, but Lois suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed him. Clark was surprised, then his knees turned to butter. Lois released him looking him in the eyes. She saw Clark's whole soul in those beautiful green orbs. "Let's get going, Smallville" she said.
General Lane was in a dark room. He had been beaten, burned, cut and humiliated. He prided himself on his strength. When he felt his strength faltering, he thought of the innocents that were counting on him. They didn't know him, and probably would never thank him for his pain. But recognition and thanks were not necessary. He did his job. He kept them safe. He wouldn't break. He heard steps coming down the stairs outside his cell. The door opened, and what he saw shocked him to his core. "Lucy!" he shouted.
Lucy Lane broke away from her guards. "Daddy", she shouted, throwing her arms around his bound form. The guards grabbed her roughly and backhanded her across the face. Lucy slumped and they bound her to a metal chair.
Sam went crazy. He struggled against his bonds hard enough to cut his wrists. "YOU BASTARDS! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"
Lucy had a strange device strapped to her chest. She was still spinning from the blow given to her. She was shackled hand and foot to the chair. She looked at her father. "Dad, are you alright?"
"Yes, baby. I'm fine" Sam said.
"That's funny, you look like hell to me, Sam" said a new arrival.
Sam looked at the man incredulously. "MIKE? What the hell is going on?"
Major Preston looked at his former boss coolly. "I think that would be obvious, General. We were torturing you for information on nuclear weapons, but that isn't working as well as my friends thought." Preston laughed. "They have some 'problems' with hurting women and children. I don't." Preston looked Sam in the eye. "So, instead of hurting you, I'm going to rape and torture your precious little daughter, right in front of you. Over and over. Until you tell me what I want to know."
Tears were standing in Sam's eyes. "Why, Mike? Why are you doing this?"
Mike stalked over to Sam and grabbed the back of his scalp, cranking the older man's neck. "Why? Why? Screw You! Because, I can! They pay well, and I'm tired of being your monkey boy!" Preston punched Sam in the face and let him go. "Not all of us put king and country first, Sam. I'll be back in a bit. Think about what you want to see first, rape or torture." With a wicked chuckle, he stepped over to Lucy. He caressed her face, "I'm hoping for rape, myself" he said. He stepped behind Lucy, turning to face Sam. "Hold still Lucy" Preston said. He reached around her, hand brushing her chest. Lucy squirmed in disgust. "HOLD STILL!" Preston shouted. He pressed a button on the device strapped to her chest. "This is one-half ounce of C-4 rigged to a mercury switch. I'm the only one who knows how to disarm it. I wouldn't move if I were you kid," said Preston with a grin. "You might ask your dad what would happen if you do." He turned to leave and stopped before the door. Turning to Sam, he said, "By the way, my condolences. We only needed one of your daughters. Lois won't be joining us."
"You're lying" said Sam, realizing what Preston was leading to.
"Am I?" Preston left the cell with another cold chuckle.
"Daddy?" Lucy said.
"Luce," Sam said quietly. "Please stay as still as possible. Breathe slow and easy, and you'll be alright. I'm not going to let that bastard hurt you."
"What do they want?" asked Lucy, scared to death.
"I'm working on projects with man-portable nuclear bombs" said the General, looking at the floor. "The bombs are hidden in sites throughout the world. I know locations, access codes, arming instructions." Sam looked at his youngest daughter with fear in his eyes.
"Daddy, you can't. You can't give them what they want. Think of what they will do!" Lucy cried.
"Luce, stay still!" Sam commanded. He sighed. "Lucy, I've never been so afraid." He closed his eyes, bowed his head and cried. He hadn't done that since his wife died.