Chapter 28 – Wicked Games

You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.
Eric Hoffer (1902-1983)

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Superman stood at the window opening it up quietly whispering to Jason, "Do you want to try taking off by yourself this time?" Jason nodded in excitement as Clark went out of the window and beckoned for Jason to follow.

Just as Jason left the floor Lois nodded awake at the soft rustling at the window and caught her breath in wonder, still not used to the idea of her little baby flying. Jason was too caught up in the excitement to notice but Superman did. He smiled and waved to her from just outside the window mouthing 'We'll be back soon'.

Lois jumped up out of the bed to try and catch a glimpse of the two as they disappeared into the morning sky but they had already disappeared from view. Looking at the clock on the night stand she noticed it was nearly time for her to start getting ready for work so she decided to just stay up. She laughed to herself thinking nothing like starting the work week on a Friday. Then again she thought she had been away too long and too often. She was actually looking forward to getting back to work. She was determined to do everything in her power to find that maniac Luthor and stop any new reign of terror on her family or the world before he had a chance to get it started.

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"Follow me Jason." Superman flew almost straight up reaching the upper atmosphere quickly all the while watching Jason making sure he was at all times nearby. As he reached the unfiltered rays of sunlight he took in a deep relaxing breath closing his eyes only momentarily as he felt his energy level begin to improve. He opened his eyes to see Jason within reach watching him closely.

"Daddy, are you alright?"

The question elicited a smile as Superman realized how observant Jason was becoming. "I was just tired. The sunshine will give me new energy. How does it make you feel?"

"I like coming up here, it makes me feel strong so I can be like you. Is the sunshine what makes you Superman?"

"Yes, but other things play a part too. The sunshine also helps me… us heal. Remember that, if you are ever hurt and your mom or I aren't with you, seek out the sunshine and it'll help you get better."

Jason nodded his head and looked up at the sun in wonder trying to understand it all.

"Jason I want you to be especially careful now, watch after your sister and do what ever anyone in the family tells you. We're going to be keeping you and Kala out of school for at least the next week or so till we're sure it's safe. We'll do all your schoolwork at home though so it's not going to be a vacation."

"Why isn't it safe, it is 'cause of what happened with Jeffery? I'll be more careful. I promise."

"No, I wish it was that simple. I don't want to scare you but you need to know so you'll understand how serious it is. The bald man escaped from jail and we don't know where he is. I don't want you to be afraid but I do want you to be careful. I will be doing everything in my power to protect everybody from him and make sure he gets put somewhere so he can never escape again."

"Is the bad bald man after us?"

"Jason, I am not going to let that man hurt you or Kala or Mommy or anybody we love. It's alright for you to be afraid but don't let that fear control you. Remember we, our family have beaten him before and we will beat him this time too."

Jason nodded his head in acceptance, his daddy could beat anybody. "Can we fly around some now?"

"Sure, how about we fly to the farm and do Grandpa's chores for him, no use his worrying about things there when we can handle them quickly, huh?"

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Just as Lois was coming downstairs dressed and ready for work Clark and Jason strolled into the house from the back porch carrying a basket of fresh eggs.

Martha had made coffee but hesitated making breakfast in the somewhat strange kitchen. "I could really become attached to all the luxuries in this kitchen. I started to fix something but decided to just wait for one of you."

"Mom, you know you can just make yourself at home here. I'm afraid there's not much fresh food in the frig right now though. I didn't do much cooking while Clark was gone. Actually Clark does most of the cooking otherwise we would be eating takeout almost every night. I guess we owe you a big thanks for teaching him to cook. Now we have fresh eggs thanks to Clark and his little super helper." She winked at the father son team as she made the comment.

Clark handed the basket of eggs to his mom and gave her a hug then looked over at Ben setting at the kitchen table looking lost. "We did all your morning chores Ben. I guess you'll have to find something else to occupy your mornings while you're here."

During breakfast Richard called letting Clark know he and Chloe would be leaving for the dock where the plane was located shortly but would wait for his arrival before going near the plane. Clark talked Lois into letting him take her to work rather then driving by herself. After dropping her off on the roof top he headed to the location Richard had given him in New York.

Superman landed at the dock just as Richard and Chloe got out of the cab a short distance away. He immediately started scanning the plane. His eyes were instantly drawn to a note taped to the instrument panel.

"Bang, it would have just been too easy while you were putting on the Ritz! Why you wouldn't even have known it was Moi. Where is the fun? I'm now much more Wicked than that!"LL

Scanning the rest of the plane he saw no evidence of tampering. He opened up the fuel tank and smelled the gasoline just as Richard and Chloe approached him. He found nothing out of the ordinary except for the note.

Motioning to the note Superman commented, "He was here and it looks like he may have known your every move. We're just lucky he didn't act. It's obvious Luthor likes to see his victims suffer before they die. Last year he could have easily killed me on New Krypton instead he stabbed me in the back and let me fall out of his sight thinking I would die in that watery grave. I doubt he'll make that mistake again but he wants to see us all sweat first."

"He's crazy, it's like he wants you to come gunning for him. Is he trying to provoke you to kill him?"

"Oh, I'm sure he would count it as a victory if I did. He's like a junkie, other people's pain is his fix and he seems to get a particular high from causing pain to those around me. On top of that, he's not concerned with dying while trying to get his fix. I've never been able to fully understand how his Machiavellian mind works. I think that has got to be one of our top priorities if we're going to beat him at his own game and that's exactly what he's doing, he's playing with us."

"I guess there is no use reporting this to the police if all he did was leave a cryptic note. Do you think it's safe for Richard to fly us home?" Chloe spoke up for the first time.

"Probably, but I would rather you let me fly the plane back in case I missed something that looks innocuous. I have alternate plans for your return trip. If you will allow me?" Richard and Chloe both looked at each other hesitantly as Superman wrapped one arm around each of them and flew them a short distance depositing them on top of one of the tallest buildings in the immediate area. Sitting on the roof was his crystal ship.

"I think you'll find this much more to your liking. I heard from a very credible sourse that you would like to fly this 'thing'."

Richard entered the ship, once again in complete awe. "Really, can I? I mean it must be really different than flying a plane."

"It is, actually it's much easier. You just need to know how to program the fight which I can easily teach you. Currently the instruments only recognize me, but that can be rectified right now. Just look directly into this retinal scanner. That's it." Superman touched the control panel then motioned for Richard to take the lead seat. I'm pretty sure with a few modifications to the programming I can put in an interface allowing remote access from our satellite phones. That way you could call the ship to your specific location as needed. I just need to make sure there are no security issues first."

"Why are you doing this, this is your ship?"

"You said you wanted to learn to fly it. I only need it occasionally and besides right now I would feel a whole lot better if you left your plane at the dock. I certainly understand how disheartening it can be to be grounded for any length of time whatsoever. Not only that it's a good idea for someone other than me to be able to pilot this ship. You my friend are the most logical person that comes to mind."

"I don't know what to say. What about Batman? I would think he would have been your first choice."

"Batman has plenty of toys of his own, if he wants to use this ship I'm sure he'll ask. There is another reason. I know you like to take Ja…our son and Kala flying. This will be much safer especially for the time being."

"Thank you, on all counts." Richard found it hard to maintain his composure. He still found it beyond belief that he had been taken into the folds of the most special family on the planet. Now on top of that he was being given the keys, so to speak, to an advanced starship.

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Lois entered the bullpen and immediately went to her desk making sure it was as she had left it about a week before. It was still fairly early and everyone was just getting settled in. Richard and Chloe had called in their stories from the U.N. meeting the day before as well as some first hand man on the street opinions in and about New York City. They were expected back in the office any time. Of course Lois knew Superman was going to retrieve them. She wished she could have been there to see the look on Richard's face when he found out he was going to be flying Superman's starship. She allowed herself a quick smile at the thought then time to grab a cup of coffee before she sat down to continue her search for clues in tracking down Luthor.

Plugging in her stick drive she opened up the files they had been working on the prior night. She noticed that Clark had added several additional files she hadn't seen yet. As she started to study the new information she heard a commotion as Richard and Chloe breezed into the room smiling and laughing. Everyone's head turned as they passed seemingly high on something. They nodded for Lois to follow them to Richard's office where the three began to exchange information in hushed tones.

Perry barged in without knocking, "I take it you three are working on Luthor's escape. It has been all over the wires this morning. Do any of you have anything we can actually print?"

"Clark and I researched till well after midnight. He must have left after I fell asleep to go, ahem do other things. Perry, Clark doesn't want to show himself to anyone who knows him right now. He's concerned people might make the connection. That said, it appears Luthor knows!"

"What! How?" Perry blanched at the realization of what that could mean.

"We think that he figured it out when we got married. He already knew about Jason."

"Well I wouldn't worry, Clark can handle just about anything. He has more than proved that time and time again. He'll manage this too. Have you thought about how you would handle it if Luthor talks?"

"Clark doesn't think he will. He thinks he'll want to keep it to himself to lend to his perceived superiority to the rest of the world."

"He told us he thinks Luthor is playing a game with all of us right now to make us sweat." They proceeded to tell Perry everything that had happened with the calls and the plane. Richard couldn't help but getting off on a tangent about his first turn piloting the starship.

"Well, this is all fine and dandy, but I need something I can fill a newspaper up with. I want to help you kids and of course that comes first, but try not to forget I am running a first class newspaper and I can't have all filler. Lois find out if it's alright if we print anything about the starship. If we can, let Richard do the story. Chloe, Superman was seen helping over in Indonesia and then at the high rise fire in Chicago last night. See what you can find out that hasn't been widely reported. I saw a couple wires that indicated he might have had some difficulty."

"Lois looked at Perry concerned, "What do you mean difficulty?"

"I quote, 'He seemed tired, out of breath. Perhaps he is not fully recovered'. How did he seem to all of you? Is our hero playing the hero?"

"He seemed fine yesterday and again this morning. But then he wasn't doing anything 'super' except when he and Jason flew off this morning at the crack of dawn. Oh…. Richard, Jason is really flying by himself now."

"What, how, when did this happen?"

"It has sort of been building. We wanted to tell you in person. On Valentine's Day he accidentally flew up after a helium balloon. Luckily Clark was able to fly up after him. Since then Clark has stepped up his lessons and this morning as I was just waking up I saw Jason take off under his own power on a controlled flight for the first time. Don't worry thought Clark was right with him the whole way. I think Jason was as excited about solo flight as you are about piloting the starship."

"That's not all though, Kala can read minds now and Clark thinks he may have some telepathic abilities as well. So far it has pretty much just been the two of them but I think she has read my mind too at least a couple times."

"What, next he'll be able to go invisible. Sheesh!"

"Actually wouldn't you say his super speed makes him invisible at times, hmmmm? Awwww, it's alright, you're my superman. You know that don't you." Chloe leaned up giving him a hug and kiss.

"Un… Richard, Ladies we can't print any of this and we need to work on what we can print. We need to find out what Luthor is doing. Chit, chat on your own time." As he walked out the door he rubbed his chin thinking to himself. Jason can fly, Kala can read minds., what next the baby can levitate Lois? No no Sounds like something on a tabloid titled My Alien Children, and Kala isn't even really alien. Is it catchy!?!

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After dropping Richard and Chloe off at the house Superman took his ship back to the fortress. He would finish the programming for the remote access later. Right now he had more important things to do like pay a visit to 'Catherine' Kitty Kowalski.

Catherine had been told she had an important visitor. Fearing who it might be or who it could be she feigned illness but the guard insisted she appear and meet with the guest. As soon as she saw him sitting all regally at the table she tried to turn and flee. But she heard his soft almost pleading voice so stopped and listened.

"Miss Kowalski, Catherine please I need to ask you a few questions."

She turned back and took the seat opposite him. She owed him at least this much if not much more. "I haven't seen the SOB. I can't talk to you he'll have me killed, even in here."

"Is there anything you could tell me that might lead me to him? Anything?"

Her eyes darted around the room scared. "I don't know anything. I wish either I did so I could tell you or that I had never lain eyes on him in the first place. I'm sorry." Then her hatred for Luthor seemed to overtake her fear, "I hope you strangle the life out of him. Oh! you don't do that do you? Well, if anyone deserves it he does. No one is safe, not even you till he is taken down by somebody. If you can't do it you need to find someone who will. There is not a prison on this earth that can contain his hatred for long."

"Catherine I'm sorry he obliviously caused you a lot of pain. There is a part of me that wants very badly to do what you suggest or worse but I cannot let my emotions rule me. I cannot let myself go down the slippery slope of hatred and loathing. I will catch Luthor and he will be punished but not like that. I hope you find some peace and learn to forgive yourself. If he tries to contact you please let me know. I believe you know how I can be reached. Thank you for your time."

Superman got up and walked out of the room. Just as he arrived home the phone rang.

"So you visited my old girl 'fiend' huh."

Superman started to answer but knew better, it was a recording he could hear the tape winding.

"Women, you just can't depend on their loyalty when you are away for a while now can you? But then you would know a little something of that wouldn't you Superman, or should we just go by first names… Clark? Hrumph. I thought we would start the games with a little Cat-ta and mouse. There must be something about those feline names that just catches my fancy. I've got the Cat already, you willing to be the mouse?" click

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Coming next Chapter 29 Cat and Mouse