Chapter 76
A second later, Superman looked back down from a very great height to see Lois do a quick U-turn.
"Figures." he said quietly to the night air surrounding him. "It's even kind of scary that I'm beginning to expect it, Lois," With one quick glance of his X-ray vision to make sure the bracelet was still on her wrist, he withdrew his cell phone.
It was no use. There was no cell reception here. His eyes searched the area trying to focus the way Dr. Hamilton had coached him only the night before last, but he just could not see any stray waves of the desired bandwidths.
Frustrated, he shoved the phone back into the pocket of his cape and said, "I do not have time for this!" and dove down through the air toward the third car on the lonely highway below him.
********
"So we're all set?" Oliver Queen said into his phone with serious determination. Getting an affirmative reaction from his cohort, he simply said, "On our way," and pocketed the phone again.
"Oh yeah! Operation 'Save Superman' is a go!" Impulse yelled from the passenger seat as he fist-bumped the dashboard.
"Hey now!" The reprimand was playful.
"Oh, come on, this cannot be your favorite car."
"Not even close. You know, I think we need to get a helicopter or two…this is way too slow. We're going to be pushing it to—"
"Well, if you think this is slow, imagine how I…"
Impulse expounded on the merits of speed for a few minutes while Oliver just grinned and kept the gas pedal floored, for he knew his car was far exceeding whatever the speedometer read. There was no sense even in looking at it. All of his cars had been "altered" in many ways.
One of those improvements was an automatic guidance system that had allowed him to switch into his Green Arrow "duds," even while still making excellent time. Being fully dressed for action as a super hero did not, however, keep him from jumping and swearing at the loud noise, gust of wind, and sudden appearance of a certain third party in his back seat once again.
"JEEZ!"
Bart just waved cheerfully, since he had been able to follow Clark's movements for five whole seconds. "Hey, stretch!"
"Bart. Sorry, Oliver. I would have called—"
"Clark, Is it your intention to spike my blood pressure into stroke territory tonight?"
"—but I still just can't see those radio waves and stuff."
Oliver was still trying to calm his own heart beat, and his tone took on that of a very insistent, irritated professor. "Clark, you're just not concentrating or something. Emil says if you can do ultra-violet and infra-red, you should easily be able—"
"Yeah, yeah, don't you start on me too. Look, I wanted to get one thing straight before—"
"Before we all let a madman try to kill you tonight?"
"Yeah, about that…"
"Save your breath, Boy Scout. We are all prepared, just like the manual reads."
"…well, two things actually. First off, you're about to pass Lex about five miles up ahead."
"Lex? You're kidding!"
"No, and you won't believe what he's driving," Clark said with an odd tone that caused both heroes to turn around and stare at him.
"Oliver!" Clark yelled, "Will you watch the road!"
"Fine," Oliver grunted as he turned back around and rolled his eyes.
"But," Bart smiled, "we got the S-man in the car. It's not like you'd let us crash or—"
"Of course, I wouldn't, but—"
"So what's the mystery?" Oliver cut across the answer. "Did Lex get some new experimental thing that's supposed to make me jealous? Oh, by the way, you have now made me decide this is the last car I ever buy with a back seat!"
"Yeah, just heard you want a helicopter now. Sounds to me maybe you're jealous of a certain other billionaire's toys."
"Getting back to Lex…"
"Well, it's just that the car he is in…supposedly, it's at the bottom of the ocean right now."
"WHAT?" The car swerved onto the shoulder as Oliver turned around to look at Clark again.
"Oliver!" This time it was Bart who shouted as he grabbed at the dashboard.
"Oliver." Clark's tone was calm in contrast. "Watch what you're doing, will you? Your driving is as bad as Lois.' "
"That's impossible!"
"No, it isn't. You both drive way too fast, and—"
"I mean the car. No way could he have stolen it since we—"
"My guess is he did it before you did." Clark leaned back in the seat. "It's in horrible shape, by the way. It's amazing he hasn't been stopped for driving too slowly before now."
"Okay, so when we catch up to him, Bart, you grab that ring, I'll tranq him with an arrow, and you" he pointed to Clark over his shoulder, "can smash that car to smithereens."
"Yeah, well, I'll do that as soon as he starts walking, but—"
"Walking? You mean the car's broken down?"
"Even better!" Bart slapped his hands together.
"No, just a flat, and his phone is fried, so he can't call for help." Clark smiled sweetly at the two sets of raised eyebrows that turned to him. "Heat vision." He nodded. "You know, I don't think Lex has ever had to change a tire before," Clark said thoughtfully. "It's taking him an awfully long time."
Both guys in the front seat laughed.
Bart turned around to see Clark staring intently at a place just underneath the windshield. "Are you watching him from here?" he asked, incredulous at the thought.
"Yeah… Ah, he finally figured out the jack. Still hasn't noticed that his right front is also flat. Wonder how long it'll take—"
"Clark, let's end this now!"
"No. I have my reasons. I just wanted to slow him down.You will just pass him by. Understand? He'll eventually start walking to—"
"He might get another ride."
"Nope. Convinced the highway patrol to seal off this stretch of road for a few hours tonight. Wasn't easy, even for Superman."
"Sounds like you've got all plans in place. I just hope—"
"I think I do. There's just one thing…" Oliver looked in his rear view mirror and saw Clark run a worried hand through his hair, "We've got one wild card tonight."
All three men said, "Lois," at the same time.
"Oh, let me guess. She didn't go back to the apartment?"
"Ya gotta love that gal!" Bart grinned, pumping his fist in the air in a salute.
Oliver and Clark gave out identical groans.
"Okay, so we get her out of there first thing," Oliver said firmly.
"And don't forget Chloe."
"Chloe is still with her? Okay, I'll take care of that save first. I'll be her hero any day, amigo."
"Good. You haven't heard from my Mom?"
"No," Oliver answered, confused at the question. "Why would your—"
"I told her to call you if she couldn't reach me as soon as she found out about the bill—"
"What bill? What's your mom got to do with—?"
"—so just take the message. I'll listen for it, since my cell doesn't work at—"
"Your kind of altitudes and speeds?" Oliver grinned. "Clark, we really need to fix you up with a satellite—"
"Yeah, we'll do that as soon as I make it through this ni—" Clark suddenly sat up straight. "Shelby!"
"Clark?"
But the back seat was empty once again.
"Who's Shelby?" Bart asked, as Oliver's phone rang again.
"Talk to me," he demanded, expecting one of the League members.
Martha Kent's voice came across clearly. "Oliver? I can't seem to get hold of Clark. Would you be so kind as to let him know the President has just now signed the bill into law?"
"Sure, Mrs. Kent," and he repeated her words, hoping Clark was listening, "the bill's been signed into law. What bill is that, if you don't mind my asking?"
"He'll know. That's all. Thank you, Oliver. Good night…and good luck." The phone went dead.
Oliver looked at his watch and then at Bart and frowned. "It's 2:38 A.M. in Washington. What's so important that the President is up at this hour signing a bill?"
As his eyes returned to the road, he was just able to make out up ahead the dilapidated, old car pulled off to the side and a very agitated, bald man waving them to stop.
It was all Oliver could do to make himself keep driving.
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Author's notes: Sorry again for the slowness of the updates. I actually had this all written a while ago, but had to polish it a bit, and then family issues came up out of nowhere. I'm ready for life to stop interfering with the fun! Chewbie – thank you for caring enough to bug me for updates! I will probably end this before chapter 100, since I don't know just how many chapters you're allowed here. But since I have Clark this super, I may have to revisit him from that point. I do like my Superman to be planet-pushing capable! Adama's Shadow (Neat name, by the way) I wish they would let him fly on the show. But I can't say I've found too much wrong with this season. Plenty of Clois, so I'm happy. GO Season 10 (and beyond, if I had my way!) Ily18 – and this is your Twelfth Night gift! No, you didn't miss anything about the bracelet. I'm surprised no one has guessed where I'm going with it, but you really weren't supposed to yet. Glykera, he actually only turned the car around, hoping she'd head the right way. You want him to tie her up? Uh…I'd have to have another rating…PrincessBella15 – yes, it's that bracelet. I can't believe they haven't brought it up again. Or that painting. It was such a natural to me. WaffleNinja- it's coming…sometime…during this night…the night in the story that has now lasted what? 2 months?
