Clark checked his watch just as they finished dinner and it was almost time to meet the RoBat. "Sorry, I have to go meet them." He definitely didn't want to leave but somehow there was a lot more responsibility in not being a Luthor than there was in being one. That was just the opposite of what Dad said, but then there was a lot that Dad told him about people, at least people who weren't Luthors, that he was finding weren't true.
"Take care of yourself, son."
Mrs. Kent didn't say anything but she looked like she was maybe a bit worried about him so he grinned. "Invulnerable, remember?"
"Nobody is, not in everything," she answered, gravely, and Clark counted down inside his head for the reference to Achilles and felt momentarily lost, like he'd wandered into the wrong conversation, when she didn't bring it up.
As he got up, they got up with him and then at the door, each of them hugged him, a quick squeeze. "Come back when you can, Clark, we love having you," Mrs. Kent said as she let go of him.
When he realized that she meant it, that she wasn't saying the polite things that you just say, he was almost too startled to start running.
Approaching the hospital, he saw Bat But No Balls standing next to the car with somebody else. It was Catwoman, and it sure looked like they were arguing, even if they stopped when he came closer.
"Hi, Sunshine," he said breezily, and to make it clear who was who, "Hi, Catwoman."
"Sunshine? Is that your favorite nickname?" Catwoman did innocent very well, he decided.
"No." Bathyscope turned his back on both of them and flicked some kind of remote control at the car. A screen came up, showing the hospital floor plan. "They've typically come through the back entrance, since often there are police officers in the emergency room, bringing people in. At least five of them. They try to grab the most vulnerable hostages, people with injuries...children." Clark might have thought the pause didn't mean anything, but the glance at him and emphasis on the word sure did. He was really getting to Bat Breath.
They set up watch, Clark and Catwoman outside, Batteries Running Down inside. The doors and walls were all reinforced glass, so he was standing behind a pillar so as not to be seen from outside. Two jeeps came up and Catwoman nodded to Clark as a group of men got out of each, with what looked like submachine guns. They were just following them in when the inner and outer doors both shut, making them look like very angry fish in a tank. One of them raised his gun but another seemed to realize more quickly what the ricochets might do in the enclosed space. Clark muttered, "He didn't mention this part of the plan," as Catwoman looked at him like she wondered if he knew what was going on.
They both turned around at the sound of sirens. About eight police cars came tearing in and the occupants rushed out. One of the trapped men seemed to decide that he might as well take the cops down with him, but got a funny look on his face and went limp, falling to the ground like the others were.
Well, at least BattyCakes looked just as confused as he and Catwoman were. Another group of cars pulled up, this time filled with reporters, judging from the cameras and all that. Well, not all the cars held reporters. Clark was pretty sure that Lionel hadn't changed careers.
"Well, Mr. Luthor, it looks like your invention worked," one of them said, turning to him as bulbs went off and cameras started filming the criminals being carried out by policemen wearing gas masks.
"Not my invention. A partnership with the fine police forces of Gotham City. They identified the need and helped LexCorp perfect it." Clark wondered when he'd get over feeling creeped out at seeing what looked like Lex but wasn't. Lionel continued, "With a gas like this that can act in seconds but not do any lasting harm, no matter how high the dosage or how long the exposure is, I hope that we've developed a new tool for law enforcement that will help keep our citizens and our brave police officers safe."
"Mr. Luthor, what was the Batman's role in this?" Big Bird, who had come into sight when things first started, was watching the scene impassively. Catwoman nudged Clark in the ribs and they both started snickering, then shaking with laughter as he continued to stand there, not having done a thing other than walk in, hide, and then come out and, well, stand. He pretty much had to stay where he was, since technicians of some kind were re-opening the doors. Even if most of Clark's laughter was just tension being released, it was still funny.
Lionel smiled graciously. "Well, he wasn't part of our plans for tonight, but it's always good to have backup."
"Take care of yourself, son."
Mrs. Kent didn't say anything but she looked like she was maybe a bit worried about him so he grinned. "Invulnerable, remember?"
"Nobody is, not in everything," she answered, gravely, and Clark counted down inside his head for the reference to Achilles and felt momentarily lost, like he'd wandered into the wrong conversation, when she didn't bring it up.
As he got up, they got up with him and then at the door, each of them hugged him, a quick squeeze. "Come back when you can, Clark, we love having you," Mrs. Kent said as she let go of him.
When he realized that she meant it, that she wasn't saying the polite things that you just say, he was almost too startled to start running.
Approaching the hospital, he saw Bat But No Balls standing next to the car with somebody else. It was Catwoman, and it sure looked like they were arguing, even if they stopped when he came closer.
"Hi, Sunshine," he said breezily, and to make it clear who was who, "Hi, Catwoman."
"Sunshine? Is that your favorite nickname?" Catwoman did innocent very well, he decided.
"No." Bathyscope turned his back on both of them and flicked some kind of remote control at the car. A screen came up, showing the hospital floor plan. "They've typically come through the back entrance, since often there are police officers in the emergency room, bringing people in. At least five of them. They try to grab the most vulnerable hostages, people with injuries...children." Clark might have thought the pause didn't mean anything, but the glance at him and emphasis on the word sure did. He was really getting to Bat Breath.
They set up watch, Clark and Catwoman outside, Batteries Running Down inside. The doors and walls were all reinforced glass, so he was standing behind a pillar so as not to be seen from outside. Two jeeps came up and Catwoman nodded to Clark as a group of men got out of each, with what looked like submachine guns. They were just following them in when the inner and outer doors both shut, making them look like very angry fish in a tank. One of them raised his gun but another seemed to realize more quickly what the ricochets might do in the enclosed space. Clark muttered, "He didn't mention this part of the plan," as Catwoman looked at him like she wondered if he knew what was going on.
They both turned around at the sound of sirens. About eight police cars came tearing in and the occupants rushed out. One of the trapped men seemed to decide that he might as well take the cops down with him, but got a funny look on his face and went limp, falling to the ground like the others were.
Well, at least BattyCakes looked just as confused as he and Catwoman were. Another group of cars pulled up, this time filled with reporters, judging from the cameras and all that. Well, not all the cars held reporters. Clark was pretty sure that Lionel hadn't changed careers.
"Well, Mr. Luthor, it looks like your invention worked," one of them said, turning to him as bulbs went off and cameras started filming the criminals being carried out by policemen wearing gas masks.
"Not my invention. A partnership with the fine police forces of Gotham City. They identified the need and helped LexCorp perfect it." Clark wondered when he'd get over feeling creeped out at seeing what looked like Lex but wasn't. Lionel continued, "With a gas like this that can act in seconds but not do any lasting harm, no matter how high the dosage or how long the exposure is, I hope that we've developed a new tool for law enforcement that will help keep our citizens and our brave police officers safe."
"Mr. Luthor, what was the Batman's role in this?" Big Bird, who had come into sight when things first started, was watching the scene impassively. Catwoman nudged Clark in the ribs and they both started snickering, then shaking with laughter as he continued to stand there, not having done a thing other than walk in, hide, and then come out and, well, stand. He pretty much had to stay where he was, since technicians of some kind were re-opening the doors. Even if most of Clark's laughter was just tension being released, it was still funny.
Lionel smiled graciously. "Well, he wasn't part of our plans for tonight, but it's always good to have backup."