Chapter 13 [Ten Minutes Earlier—A Few Miles South of the Planetarium]
Kal turned into a rather nondescript parking garage in midtown Manhattan. His wanderings had spanned the Midwest, Rust Belt and now the Atlantic coast. Granted, he desired parties and wild binge fests. Power and Attention intoxicated him. Plans would've targeted Chicago and then possibly New York.
Jor-El and Swann accelerated matters with their own schemes. More than likely, they recognized Kal as a threat. A temporary truce would seal a partnership to take him down. Little Girl Small served as bait for their mousetrap.
Kal couldn't allow their success in that regard. Necessity forced him to use the red meteor stone against Clark over and over again. For some reason, his goody two shoes alter ego gained strength. He fought against Clark's pull. The attraction drew him toward the planetarium. They think I'm just going to ride right up there? Yeah right! Sarcasm's snort puffed from his nostrils. He rode down to the furthest most level. There, he secreted his ride. Let them look for it here!
WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND YOU, MY SON! NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, I CAN FIND YOU! Jor-El pointed out. GIVE THIS TIRESOME CHASE UP! TAKE OFF THE RING!
Hi to you too, DAD! Oh I'm so scared! Kal curled his lip. I can't believe you're working with the lowly HUMAN! You're really lowering your standards this time! He rolled his eyes.
He seeks to contain you. So do I. On this matter, we agree! GIVE UP! YOU ARE COMING BACK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER! Jor-El went quiet at that moment.
Kal shook his head. "He really thinks I'm just going to sit and wait for them to find me? Knowing Swann, he'd be packing some green rock! I'll take that cripple down first!" He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe the little girl'll have something too!"
No! Stop! Don't hurt her! Clark protested.
"ARRGHHH!" Kal grabbed onto his head. "STUPID BRAT!" He pushed the ring up against his head. Radiation seared his trapped counterpart anew. Huffed breaths pushed from his lungs and mouth. "How is Clarkie doing this? It can't be her! She's human and nothing special!" He coughed. "Guess we're going to have to find out!" He rushed off at super speed toward the Planetarium. He stopped at the side door. He tugged at the door latch. "Like I care?" His hand crumpled the lock and yanked the door open. He charged into the passage. "OH, DR. SWANN! LITTLE CLARKIE WANTS TO PLAY! COME ON, MR. WIZARD! WHERE ARE YOU? TIME TO PUT YOU OUT OF MY MISERY!"
Dr. Swann's busy, you Creep!
Surprise froze Kal in his tracks. He narrowed his eyes. "Now I'm hearing Lana in my head? What did you do, Dad? What did you do?" He spied her about ten feet down the corridor from him. "LOOK AT YOU! YOU ACTUALLY LEFT THE DEAD PARENTS AND THAT RELIC BEHIND! THERE'S HOPE FOR YOU YET!"
She raised an eyebrow. Smugness and Disdain slammed into her empathic senses. They nauseated her to put it mildly. "I'm not the one running away from my destiny. I'm also not kidnapping someone either." She raised her hands into martial arts' first position. "You can give up that ring willingly or have it taken from you. I'm not leaving without Clark, Kal."
"And she knows my name. Nice! Dad has been telling you things!" Kal raised an eyebrow at her stance. "You've been holding out on Clark! Not that I blame you. He's a real whiney piece of crap! Not that you're much better." Caustic snort escaped his lips. "Go ahead! Take your best shot! Break a leg!" He shrugged. "See if I care, Little Girl." He held his hands out at his sides.
Tear creased her cheek. Insult and Challenge grated on her. Recollection employed Miranda's and Lex's lessons. She stepped back into Shadow's cover. Her feet whispered across Tiles' smooth surface. She repressed her counter challenge. Instead, she slipped to his left.
Kal looked around. "Where are you? Where are you?" He had to admit she handled the whole sneaking thing well. Still, his enhanced hearing discerned her foot falls. Grin worthy of the Grinch assumed the jig was up. His left fist streaked toward a spot….
…and met only the wall….
She, on the other hand, brought her knee right up into his groin. Hard. "HOW'S THAT SHOT?" She peppered his face with punches. Then, a full powered spin kick drove him down the hallway's length and just missing the door. She rushed after him with super speed. She determined not to give him a single opening.
He spat blood onto the tile. "HEY! I FELT THAT!" He efforted himself back to his feet. He wobbled on his feet. Pain cut through his lower extremities. "You little bitch!"
"What? That got your attention? Imagine that?" Lana waved him forward. "Hit me if you can!"
Kal lunged at full Kryptonian speed toward her. No blur much less his clear form remained visible. Only a telltale breeze marked his passage. He cocked his fist….
She ducked underneath his charge. A double punch to his chest pancaked him against the ceiling. She yanked him hard to the floor. She pinned him on his stomach. Within a heartbeat, her fingers pried his fist open. She ripped Offending Ring from his hand. "This has got to go!"
"NO! GIVE THAT BACK!" Kal struggled against her. "I WON'T LET HIM GO! I WON'T!" Without the ring, his hold on Clark slipped away. "AHHH! STOP!"
Clark! Clark, if you can hear me, come back to me! I'm here to save you! We can deal with what happened. We'll get past it! Lana implored the captive Clark within Kal's persona.
"You're…making me sick! S…Stop!" Kal pushed against her.
"Stay there!" Lana raised the ring up. Anger and Amor triggered Heat Vision's beams. She reduced the ring stone to dust. "Be back!" She sped down the hall and out the door. Despite Purpose pressing her to do this task, Dust started to affect her. No! I'm not going back to what I was with that pollen! I won't! She ground her teeth and released the dust with Wind's gusts.
Accordingly, Wind scattered the red dust across all five of New York's boroughs. Its influence all but gone.
Lana's head cleared. Glad that's gone! She rubbed her forehead. Toxic vibes weren't as potent at that point. Anything, Jor-El?
You have succeeded, Lana Lang! Well done! Jor-El praised.
Glad to hear it. Lana's knees quivered. She leaned against the wall. Burning breaths seared her lungs, throat and mouth. Believability's line in the sand had blurred beyond a disappearance. Tears coursed in salty trails down her cheeks. Adrenaline wore off. I…I did it. I put Kal b…back in his hole. I got rid of that damn ring! I gave Clark…us…a chance. She squeezed her eyes shut. Several more deep breaths brought her inner demons back. For a few heartbeats, she saw herself fighting Andy and his fraudulent suit scheme anew. Then as now, she'd stood her ground. She'd learned. She grew. She kicked butt. She'd protected her guy.
"It isn't every day that Lana Lang gets to save Clark Kent…"
This is getting to be a habit. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Clark…Clark needs me. She willed herself to stand up straight. She staggered up the passage toward his fallen form. "Clark?"
He's unconscious. The struggle to regain control taxed him too far. He will recover. You need rest as well, Jor-El assessed. I am proud of you. You fought exceptionally well. Even with training, I doubt any experienced warrior of our planet could have done better. Thank you.
Thank you. That means a lot, Jor-El. Acceptance warmed her heart. She picked Clark up in her arms and started down the hall. She noticed Crosby waiting there. "Sorry about the damage, Dr. Crosby."
"Dr. Swann will have it repaired, Miss Lang. He's glad you stopped him. Bring Mr. Kent inside. Then, you should get your rest. I can have you brought back to the Inn if you'd like?" Crosby opened the door for her. "We have a monitoring station set up in the back."
"Clark's breathing. I just want to see him with his eyes open. Granted, I'm grateful that he's okay and that stupid ring's destroyed. I just want to hold him." Lana rolled her eyes. "Then I can lecture him to Hell about all of this."
Crosby coughed. She added a nod for Lana's benefit. "I know precisely what you mean, Miss Lang. Follow me." She led Lana into the maze and toward the aforementioned station.
Another storm had passed…Clean up had finally begun….