Chapter 9: Lex? Dr. Fox?
Mara and Clark had returned by the time Lois had returned from the roof. As the hours went on at the office, the secretaries, reporters, and etc. started to dwindle leaving only the regulars, such as Clark, Lois, Perry, Jimmy, and a few others. These few continued on with their work diligently, leaving the children to Mara.
Off in another part of town, Lex Luthor sat in an up class restaurant with Kitty. The knowledge of how he and Kitty had escaped the island may forever be considered a mystery, but they had and now the infamous Lex Luthor was about to take on his next grand scheme.
Kitty sat playing with her overly expensive lace scarf, twirling it about her fingers, in a ditzy sort of way. Lex looked at her and practically choked; why he had he brought her along? What good could Kitty, of all the people, possible be?
Often at times like these when he sat with Kitty or any woman for that matter and wondered why he had kept them around, thoughts, almost like ancient memories would stir in his head, awakening things long left dead. Dead, now being the case, for she had been dead for almost five years.
He could never get her out of his mind, no matter how many women, or how many schemes; he could never rid himself of her. He had loved her. Then again so had Clark.
Ha. Clark. Lex had been curious, and had done some quick research on Clark and discovered he was none other than Lois Lane's partner. He almost wanted to laugh, almost; Clark was still the second best and unwanted. Clark had Lois, but she was Superman and Clark had wanted Her, but she had chosen him, Lex.
With those last thoughts Lex's fist had clenched around the champagne glass and broke it.
"God, Lex. Can't you be a little less melodramatic," whined Kitty, "And where is this Mr.… what was it?"
"Kitty you don't have to worry your little head about names," a less enthused Lex answered. Honestly though the less Kitty knew the better, she was the reason he was here tonight, if it hadn't been for stupidity then they would have had all the crystal he could ever want.
That's when their guest arrived.
"Hello, Mr. Luthor, it's nice to finally meet you," and with that statement a hand was outstretched.
Lex took the hand, shook it quickly, "Yes, thank you Mr. Smith."
Mr. Smith was an average size man, not over weight, but no muscle builder. He had beady little eyes, rough tan skin, and black hair slicked back. His smile was far from charming, but more of a murderous look.
"So do you have the information I wanted," asked Lex.
"Yes, Mr. Luthor, the coordinates of the Cavern I have, but do you have my money?"
Lex sneered at the man, "A down payment now, of one million and the rest later."
Mr. Smith nodded and then passed over the coordinates of possibly the biggest find that would ever be uncovered on Earth, maybe even in Earth's remote solar system. The Atlantis of Caverns, something that had been lost, was now found and Lex Luthor was the one with the details.
Back at the Planet, Clark and Mara were getting ready to leave when; Lois came quickly over to Mara.
"Mara," gaining her attention Lois continued, "today at lunch after you left, Lara and Jordan said about how they use to have awful allergies, but a doctor, Dr. Fox cured them. How?"
Mara eyes must have been as big as saucers as she looked down at her two children, who were glancing in every way but at her. Clark was looking rather expectantly at her as well. Taking a gulp, literally, "Dr. Fox… Well, you know Bruce, well Dr. Fox… that's a good question, he's the CEO of Wayne Enterprises… and he's doctor too, and this is all very hard to explain."
"I can tell," stated Lois who was getting just a bit antsy.
"The kids they inherited their allergies, from me, the antibodies in my system, wouldn't mix with Bruce, so mine were constantly attacking Bruce's, hence the allergies in the kids."
Lois was just a bit confused, "Umm…I am a little rusty on my Bio but can't that only happen if two different species mate?"
Mara shrugged, "Freak genetics."
Lois just nodded and Clark looked at Jason.
"So how does it work?" Now Lois wanted to know more, her motherly instinct coming out.
"Umm…that's even more tricky," Mara didn't know how to explain to Lois that she need Clark's blood to do it but went on, "Well have you ever heard of those people who get their blood cleaned?" when Lois nodded she continued, "First whichever parent has the same blood type is the candidate. Once a month, Dr. Fox takes a pint of my blood. Then he … well what he does for the kids is a little different, he has to scan their blood for the weaker antibodies and inject mine in their place."
"What do you do if you don't have the blood type of your child?" Lois shrugged trying to seem calm, "Jason was never good with needles."
"Well look Dr. Fox will coming by to do the transfusions tonight, so why don't you come by and discuss this with him?"
"You can do that in an apartment?"
"Oh yeah, don't worry, Bruce had a place installed in the basement where it will constantly be sterile for us to use," Mara said in a matter a factly way.
Clark knew this could only end in trouble or Lois discovering his secret. He was about to suggest maybe we do this another night when Mara said, "Why don't you come by for dinner, too?"
"Umm…yeah sure."
During this conversation the group had made their way into the lobby, Lois was about to ask where do you live when Mara smiled her mischievous smile, "Clark why don't you go in their car, and show them how to get to the apartment."
Before he could respond, Mara had whisked herself and her kids plus Anna into the limo, which quickly zipped away. Clark shrugged at Lois, and Lois smiled, "She sure is something else."
"Yeah, her and those kids are out of control," responded Clark, with a look that made Lois laugh.
"Clark if you don't mind me asking?"
As they made their way to Lois' car, Clark looked at her and asked, "Lois…what is it?"
"Anna, she isn't Mara's daughter is she?"
Clark looked down and then back up at Lois who was now fumbling with her keys nervously.
"I shouldn't have asked? I am sorry," Lois said sincerely.
"She's the daughter of an old friend of mine, Lana; she passed away while I was on vacation."
"I am sorry Clark, I didn't know," curiosity then got the better of Lois, "Is Anna yours?"
Clark was shocked, "No she's not."
"Does Mara or you know who her father is, maybe he could care for her?" asked Lois trying to be helpful, but the nosy reporter in her was getting the better of her.
"Her father isn't exactly fatherly material."
"Oh come on Clark, I am sure if this guy knew he had a kid he'd want to be there for everything," Lois stated with a glassy, far away look that she quickly wiped away.
"No, Lois, you wouldn't think that if you knew who he was."
"Clark, you said that as if I knew who he was already?" by the look on Clark's face she asked, "Do I?"
Jason sat in the back, he knew this wasn't going to be good, whoever Anna's daddy was.
Lois started the car and asked, "Clark you haven't answered my question?"
"Lois you must promise that if I were to tell you, you can never judge this girl for her father's faults. You must never let on that you know, Anna is innocent despite her father's guilt and your grudges against him. Can you do that Lois?" Clark asked in a voice that wasn't the Clark she knew but the one she had glimpsed earlier.
"Yes," whispered Lois.
"Lex," Clark said in an almost unbearable whisper.
Lois looked at Clark's expression, how could such a beautiful, innocent little girl be the daughter of such a monster, a monster that tried to kill the one man in the world she loved most, the father of her own child. Then it struck her the child of her worst enemy, the worst enemy of the father of her own child, was best friends with her son. The irony of it all made Lois pass out in the driver's seat.
Jason in the back had absorbed the whole conversation but kept quiet, the only though running through his mind was at least the car wasn't moving yet.