Chapter 9
Washington, DC
April 26, 2019
It was just past 6 AM when Pete entered the Oval Office to find President Lex Luthor pouring over pages that lay on The Resolute Desk behind which he sat. "Good morning, Mr. President," Pete said officially.
Lex looked up and motioned for him to close the door behind him. Pete complied before Lex opened his mouth. "These overnight polls show the country is growing increasingly hostile toward China. I believe within a year, we can drum up enough public support to do something that will pressure China into dealing with our debt."
"That's good, Lex. That's exactly what you were hoping for, isn't it?"
He nodded. "That's one half of the problem."
Pete frowned. "What's the other half? I thought turning the public against China would give you the political leverage you were looking for. Are you saying there's more?"
"Political leverage is something I already have, Pete. The same polls show a growing percentage expects me to act to address China's demands for interest repayment." He paused and stacked the papers in a neat pile. "The other half of the problem is Superman," he said bluntly. "I just read that he's fathered a child with our favorite reporter."
"You mean Lois Lane?"
"Lois Lane-Kent, Pete," Lex said pointedly. "You know Clark Kent and Superman are one and the same."
Pete sat on the couch in the Oval Office. It had been over a year since he last contacted Clark and that was simply to congratulate him on marrying Lois. After being selected as Lex's running mate and winning the election, their contact had diminished considerably; something that Pete felt was unfair to him. He felt that he had done nothing to warrant what he viewed as Clark's snub of their relationship but still felt a sense of loyalty to his oldest friend. "Lex, we've been through this before. I'm Clark Kent's oldest friend and I would know if he was an alien; I would tell you."
"Would you?"
"Of course I would, Lex. I've known Clark for more than twenty years and I can tell you he's no super-powered being from another planet." He paused and then added. "I've seen Clark hurt. I've seen Clark nearly killed by a bullet. For God's sake, he was tied up and left overnight in a corn field his freshman year by some jocks wanting to make fun of him. What part of that sounds like Superman?"
"A part that wants to throw everyone off his trail," Lex replied coolly.
"We've seen Superman being interviewed live on TV while Clark is in the press gallery. How do you account for that?" Pete wasn't sure how Clark had pulled that off but he attributed it to his amazing powers or his amazing friends.
"I can't," he replied directly. "I was hoping you could shed some light on it."
Pete squirmed under Lex's intense stare. "I can. Clark Kent and Superman are not the same beings. They do look similar but they're not the same, Lex. Come on; I told you this when you were vetting me for Vice President. If you think I'm lying to you, why did you select me to run with you?"
He stared at his Vice President. "Because you said you could deliver a couple of swing states for me; you know very well why I chose you."
"And I wasn't lying then and I'm not lying now, Lex. I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me."
Lex smiled coolly. "Maybe nothing, Pete; but there is something you can do."
"Name it!"
"Have you or your wife visited the Kents since they've had their child?"
Pete shrugged and shook his head. "Actually, I haven't visited the Kents in a long time," he said. "And they haven't visited us either," he added.
"Then I suggest you and Lana visit the Kents; take them a baby gift. And while you're there, maybe something will happen that will require the presence of Superman." Lex stared at Pete. "Then we'll see how long your old friend hangs around."
"Okay," Pete replied. "We'll make arrangements to head there this weekend."
Looking at his watch, Lex replied, "Air Force Two is in the process of finishing its flight preparations right now. You two can go immediately."
Pete swallowed. He wasn't sure exactly what Lex would do to reveal Superman but he was uncomfortable with the plan. He decided to let Clark know ahead of time. "It will take Lana some time to get ready, Lex."
"Of course. I'm sure she'll be ready in 90 minutes when the flight leaves, right?" Before Pete could reply, Lex continued. "Oh, and since there was no time to do an advance, I'll send a couple of my Secret Service detail with you." He reached over to the intercom and pressed a key. "Send Agents Wise and Taylor in to see me." He sat back and a few disquieting moments later, the two agents appeared. "I want you to accompany the Vice President and his wife to Metropolis. The event will go like this: no press, no contact by anyone." He stared at Pete. "This is a personal visit on behalf of the President but I want absolute secrecy because we've had no time to do an advance and I don't want the Vice President or Ms. Ross endangered. They may stop upon arriving in Metropolis to pick up a gift but otherwise, they are to make contact with their hosts only when they reach Metropolis. I'll have my social secretary contact Mr. and Mrs Kent and arrange for a hotel room to meet the Vice President and Mrs. Ross. I will notify you where it is once you arrive on the ground. This is important: I want you to stay in direct contact with both Vice President and Mrs. Ross at all times and have his detail provide perimeter security. Is that clear?"
The two agents acknowledged the directives. Lex looked at Pete. "Give my best to the happy couple," he added. "Take Vice President Ross back to his quarters to pick up Mrs. Ross. His detail should be sent to Air Force Two to secure it ahead of their arrival."
Pete nodded resolutely, trying to conceal his concern. He left in the company of the two agents and once he was gone, Lex pulled a private phone from his desk and called a number. "Mr. Myles; this is President Lex Luthor. You notified me last week that you had knowledge of a vial of blood that Dr. Emil Hamilton protected in his special clinic. You mentioned that he has taken extraordinary measures to protect that sample, did you not?" Myles acknowledged those measures and the countermeasures to defeat Emil's security system. "Thank you, Mr. Myles. You're a true patriot. You'll hear from me or the Department of Homeland Protection within the next two weeks. Thank you again for your service, Mr. Myles."
Lex disconnected from the call and dialed a second number. "Landvatter; execute the operation I discussed with you last night. Do not begin until 8:30 AM Metropolis time. You remember what I'm looking for and how to bypass the security measures, correct?" The man on the other end of the phone repeated what he had been told the night before. "That's right. As soon as your men secure it, I want it analyzed and the results sent directly to me. Is that clear?" Landvatter acknowledged the order. "I will be waiting for your call, Mr. Landvatter. I suggest that you not make me wait long."
Lex disconnected the call, leaned back in his chair and smiled. By the end of the day, he would have all the evidence he needed to prove Lois Lane gave birth to an offspring with alien DNA. In doing so, he would neutralize Clark Kent, his annoying wife and lift the shroud of secrecy that surrounded Superman and his daily existence. He leaned forward and tapped the intercom key. His secretary answered. "Miss Wyatt; please find the number for Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent of Metropolis. At 8:30 AM, I want you to contact each of them and ask them to meet the Vice President and Mrs. Ross at the Presidential Suite of the Metropolis Plaza at 8:30 their time. Thank you."
Metropolis
April 26, 2019
Lois had told Elle that the three of them had visited the Fortress shortly after she was born so that Jor-El could analyze her DNA. She wasn't positive of the date but was certain that they had visited the Fortress before she was three weeks old. Lois knew the visit occurred on a Friday night since Saturdays were reserved for grocery shopping and cleaning while Sundays were usually spent at the Kent farm in Smallville when Clark wasn't otherwise occupied. After consulting a calendar, Lois settled on the April 26th as the date.
Elle had tried twice to return within the time frame between her birth and the day her mother was sterilized. Twice she had failed to make that window of time. On the third try, she arrived in the early morning hours of the day they would go to the Fortress. She chose to remain at that point in time so that her window of opportunity was only reduced by one day should she have to return and try again.
It was just past 5:30 in the morning and Elle decided against going straight to the apartment. She believed that her abrupt appearance at that time of the day would not only be alarming to her mother and father but also raises suspicions as to her motives. Her plan was to speak with her mother, informing her of the date with Jor-El and the outcome of her decision, and convince her mother to deny Jor-El's demand that she allow him to sterilize her.
She found a diner-style café open and settled in there to await a reasonable hour to approach her mother. She ordered breakfast and coffee. Across the street sat the Daily Planet Building.
At five-forty in the morning, the café was buzzing with members of the overnight shift of the Daily Planet who had finished printing the day's paper and had gravitated to the café for coffee or a well-deserved meal. Some ate at the small booths nearby but most came in, had their orders placed in Styrofoam containers and left.
Elle sat in the far corner of the small café, avoiding contact with others. She feared any contact could alter events in a way that might jeopardize the future she was trying to preserve. With her hair pulled back and reading glasses on, she buried her face in the day's paper. She smiled as she read two articles written by her father. She wondered why her mother had no articles in the paper and then realized that her mother had been on maternity leave for nearly three weeks. On the third page of Section A, she found a story out of Canada in which Superman had saved a small town from exposure to toxic gasses from a nearby overturned train carrying chemicals to a manufacturing plant. Elle envisioned her father at work and smiled.
By 6:15, Elle heard the cashier say, "Good morning, Jimmy!" She looked over the top of her paper to see Jimmy Olsen standing at the cash register. He was cute, she thought. His unassuming and slightly befuddled mannerisms were endearing and watching him for those few moments she could now understand why her mother was so protective of him.
"Good morning, Doris," he replied. "A large coffee with cream and sugar and a raspberry Danish, please."
"Raspberry Danish? Are you still being the gopher for Perry White?" Doris asked.
Jimmy looked sheepish and nodded. "I have a shot at getting a full time position as a staff photographer, Doris. Mr. White was going to make a decision this week and I don't want to give him any reason to change his mind."
Doris frowned. "Wasn't that the same thing he told you three weeks ago?"
He shuffled his feet a bit and pulled a wadded ten dollar bill out of his jacket pocket. "Well," he began, trying to smooth the bill out before handing it to her, "I had a bit of a goof up a few weeks ago," he admitted. "It's taken me this long to get back in the Chief's good graces."
"What happened, Jimmy?" she asked as she poured the cream into a steaming cup of coffee.
"Miss Lane went into labor in the office and the Chief got mad at me for not calling 9-1-1 right away. I tried to tell him that she told me to call her doctor instead but he didn't want to hear that. After Mr. Kent arrived and took Miss Lane to her doctor, the Chief called me in his office and chewed me out. He was really mad."
Doris put the lid on the coffee and bagged the Danish. She chuckled and handed the change to Jimmy. "He's one tough nut to crack," she commented.
"He sure is. But Miss Lane is like a daughter to him so I guess he was really worried about her." Jimmy paused and then admitted, "I was too."
"Well it all turned out okay, didn't it?" she asked as she handed him the bag.
Jimmy smiled, stuffing the change into his pocket. "Oh yeah. Now Mr. White feels like a proud grandfather! I guess that's why he's over being mad at me." He turned to leave. "Thanks Doris," he said.
"Well, you hang in there Jimmy and good luck on that staff job."
"Thanks," he called as he scurried out of the café and hustled across the street.
Elle returned to reading the paper. She had finished her breakfast and was content to kill time awaiting a decent hour to visit her mother.
"More coffee, Sugar?" a woman's voice asked. Elle looked up from the paper to see Doris standing at her table.
"Sure," she replied. As Doris filled her cup, Elle spoke. "I have an appointment later on this morning. It's okay if I sit here for an hour or so, isn't it?" She lowered her voice and added, "I just got in to town and I don't feel safe wandering around the streets in this big city."
The woman chuckled. "You're perfectly safe in Metropolis, Sweetie; Superman sees to that! But you're welcome to sit here as long as you like." She grabbed her plate and utensils. "I'll check back with you in a little while."
Elle thanked the woman, sipped her coffee and resumed reading the paper.
At 8 AM, Elle rose from her table and paid Doris, including a generous tip. She thanked her and left the café heading for the Kent apartment. The morning was cool and her long black coat worn with the collar up, scarf and gloves were appropriate attire for the early morning temperature. She donned large dark sunglasses to help conceal her face. With her hair pulled tightly back, she looked more like a librarian than the daughter of the world's greatest superhero. She realized that she couldn't be recognized as Superman's daughter but wanted to blend in to the crowd as much as possible.
She walked slowly, considering how she would approach her mother with all that she had to tell her. Things were different this time. Her mother had not yet met her and had recently been told by her husband from the future that she would live for more than another 600 years. Would she believe a stranger; particularly one that brought word of Jor-El's strange ultimatum?
She strolled into the quiet lobby of the apartment complex, boarded an elevator and pushed the button for the floor on which her parents' terrace apartment existed. She exited and headed for the door. After knocking and receiving no response, she scanned the apartment using her X-ray vision to find it empty and her stomach tightened.
Elle forced herself to remain calm and think; she still had plenty of time before her parents would travel to the Fortress. She concluded that her mother was either out picking up some food or baby supplies or she was in Smallville. She looked at her watch: 8:32 AM. She determined that she could be in Smallville in a matter of seconds and by going to the Kent farm now she could easily pass her mother who may be driving there. Conversely, her mother could be out for hours shopping and although there was plenty of time now, time was still of the essence. Her backup plan was to speak with her father.
Elle returned to the streets and walked quickly to the Planet building. It had warmed up and she loosened the scarf and opened her jacket to look more appropriately dressed. She passed a construction crew and received a few wolf-whistles; something she had heard about but never before experienced. She smiled to herself and continued on. As she passed a small throng of people standing outside an office building, she heard a voice that sounded like Dr. Hamilton's. She made eye contact with one of the men in the small crowd. Her captivating looks distracted the man as he walked into the open doorway of the office. He stared at her and she smiled politely in response. As she passed, a small commotion ensured. "Watch where you're going," a voice said and then, "My God! You idiot!" another man yelled. Elle kept moving along, reluctant to stay and see what the commotion was about.
At 8:48, Elle arrived at the Daily Planet lobby. It was unlike her most recent visit. The lobby was filled with activity and the museum-like décor had not yet been established. A line of people waited to speak with a security guard in order to sign in a visitors log and gain access to the elevators. She joined the line and stood impatiently awaiting her turn at the security desk.
Just before reaching the guard, she spotted Jimmy Olsen stepping out of an elevator and an idea flashed in her head. She stepped out of line and intercepted him. "Excuse me," she began. "Aren't you Jimmy Olsen?"
His eyes widened and his face flushed at the sight of the stunning young woman. "Uh…yes," he fumbled, "I'm James Olsen," he replied, gaining his bearing. "Can I help you with something?" he asked, flashing his boyish smile.
"Yes, I hope so," Elle replied with a sincere smile. "You're a colleague of Clark Kent's, aren't you?"
Jimmy stood a little taller and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Kent and I work together a lot."
"My name is Ellen Clark," she continued, extending her hand to Jimmy. "I'm a journalism student at Met U and I'm trying to get an interview with Mr. Kent. I have a writing assignment due and I chose to do an essay on married journalists…journalists who are married to each other…and the stresses it places on marriages. Do you think it would be possible for you to get me up to see Mr. Kent?" She glanced at the line of people in the lobby and lowered her voice, "I'm on a tight schedule; I think I kind of procrastinated a little too long."
He scanned the lobby for a moment and then nodded. "Sure, I can open some doors for you," he boasted. "Come with me." He led her to the elevator, pushed the button and fidgeted in place until the door opened. They stepped in and Jimmy pushed the button for the sixth floor. "So, what year are you…"
The elevator stopped at the third floor and the door opened. Cat Grant stepped in and stared at Elle. As the door shut, she read Jimmy's face, smiled and said, "Who's your friend, Jimmy?"
"Um, this is Miss Clark," he replied, blushing once again. "She's a student at Met U and she's looking for Mr. Kent."
"Who isn't," Cat replied salaciously. "Is Clark here today?" she asked, looking back at Olsen.
"Yes Miss Grant; I was speaking with him about five minutes ago."
"I hope it won't be an inconvenience to him," Elle said. "I'm sure he's pretty busy."
"Oh he's going to love you. You look just like a younger version of his wife…and far less pregnant," she said. "Hopefully, those are the only traits you share with her," she added with a chuckle. "One thing about Clark; no matter how far behind he appears to be in his work, he never misses a deadline! He'll find time for you."
The door opened to the sixth floor and Jimmy scurried out. "Good luck," Cat called as the door closed.
"That was Cat Grant," he explained. "She covers the society page."
"She doesn't seem to have a very high opinion on Mrs. Kent, does she?"
"Oh that!" leading her down the hall to the Kents' office. "She's always been jealous of Miss Lane because she landed Mr. Kent and Mr. Kent never paid any attention to Miss Grant."
Elle giggled. It was a story that she had never heard before and the thought of someone in the office place other than her mother vying for her father's attention was absurdly normal to her.
Once they reached the office whose door read "Lois Lane-Kent; Clark Kent", Jimmy knocked and went through immediately. "CK," he called as he entered but found the office empty. He swiveled about. "That's strange," he muttered. "He was just here five minutes ago." He looked back and saw a cup of coffee with steam rising from it. "If you'd like to wait, I'm sure he'll be back in a few minutes," Jimmy said.
Elle checked her watch. 9:07. "Um, I guess I can wait a few minutes," she said. "You aren't married to another journalist, are you?" she asked Jimmy, already knowing the answer.
He swallowed. "No," he replied. "I'm still single."
"Is there a waiting room or someplace else I can wait? I'm sure Mr. Kent doesn't want me sitting in his office alone."
"I'd be happy to sit here with you," Jimmy offered. "I'm sure Mr. Kent wouldn't mind. Or you could come to my office and wait."
"No," Elle replied considering the possibilities of where her father might currently be and how long he might be occupied. "I'm sure you're busy and I certainly don't want to impose on you like that."
"It's really no problem," he replied.
"I think if you could just point me to a waiting area, I'll be fine," Elle answered.
"Well, aside from Mr. White's office, there really isn't any waiting area here. I wouldn't suggest you wait there," he said with a grin. Jimmy walked over to Lois' desk, found a sticky note and wrote on it, handing it to Elle. "Here's Mr. Kent's cell number if you'd like to call him for an appointment. If you can't reach him, I wrote my number below it." He smiled. "Call me any time; I'll be happy to help you any way I can, Ellen."
"Why thank you, James," she replied with a slight grin and Jimmy's face flushed once again.
He led her back to the elevator. "I'll ride down and wait with you," he said and Elle told him that it was not necessary to do that. "It's no problem," he replied.
"No, I really need to try someone else, I think," she assured him. "I'm on a really short deadline."
"Okay," he said with palpable disappointment on his face. "But call me if I can help you with anything else."
"Sure will, James," Elle said as the elevator doors began to close. She flashed a smile just before the doors shut. She shoved the sticky note in her jacket pocket and rode the elevator down to the lobby. She exited and went out the revolving doors onto the city street beyond.
The sidewalks were littered with people and Elle knew that she couldn't fly off or dash off without people noticing. She walked around the corner and down the street until she found the underground parking garage that she had flown in to the evening before. Once concealed from the morning light, she blurred off in the direction of Smallville. She arrived at the Kent farm less than a minute later and saw no vehicle other than a truck parked in front of the farmhouse. She surveyed the inside and saw her grandmother alone in the kitchen.
Her nerves began to fray. The time was now 9:41 and neither of her parents were anywhere to be found. She knew she still had plenty of time if everything fell into place but given the morning's events, hoping that events fell into place may be hoping for too much. She walked back to the main road, thinking as she walked. There was one other option that may be a bit of a long shot, she surmised, but it was better than rushing back and forth between locations trying to pin one of her parents down.
When she reached the main road she looked around. There were no other homes in immediate view and she launched herself upward high into the Kansas morning sky until homes below were little more than a dot on the landscape. She then turned and headed north to find the Fortress.