Chapter 7 [Ralston-Keyes Oncological Center—Livingston, CO]
The morning air held a bit of chill on the edge of Denver's metro area. A chill wind blew through the pine tops. People rustled their jackets unexpectedly out of their closets in response. They ran from appointment to appointment feeling a sense of urgency more so than usual in that early hour.
If only they knew the real purpose barreling toward them at the moment….
Clark pressed his speed as fast as he could. He didn't care if he ran into a plane much as Kara had nearly done years prior. He knew he could deal with weather. Nothing mattered…save his precious burden. Within seconds of leaving Smallville, he'd left the Kansas prairie in the dust and soared over the eastern Rockies. He deliberately veered away from Denver International Airport so as not to cause s midair collision.
"C…Clark?" Lana whispered.
"It's okay. We'll be at the cancer center in just a minute or two, Lana," he advised her while trying to keep his voice steady for her benefit. "Just hang in there for me. Okay?"
"O…okay. You're…really flying us there?" she wondered. She felt the cold rush of air brushing past her face. She ground her teeth.
"Are you warm enough? Sorry," he apologized.
"I…it's okay, Clark. I…appreciate what you're doing," she noted pleasantly. She understood the potential pain that the situation must have been causing him.
"Not a problem, Lana." He managed a smile for her benefit as they cleared Livingston's city limits. He slowed their speed and descended toward terra firma with a purpose. Right beside a six story tall concrete and brick structure with glass windows, he touched down on the sidewalk.
Around them, visitors and staff stopped their activities. Their life activities dominated their thinking. The treatment and hoped on cures within the center held their attention.
But it wasn't every day that Superman showed up especially with a patient in his arms.
In the midst of the buzz, a stout brunette nurse in powder blue scrubs put out her cigarette and rushed toward him. "Superman, what's going on? Can we help you?"
Clark managed a smile. He remembered the nurse in question from the previous benefits he'd done for the center's children wing. "Karen, we need to get this woman checked in as soon as possible. Is Dr. Richards available?"
Karen quickly assessed the hero. She knew that he took his mantle and responsibility seriously. He'd brought several people there for treatment. He genuinely loved the kids in the ward. But she saw something else in his eyes.
Regret….
Worrying….
Panic and desperation….
"Follow me," she bade while hustling him up the sidewalk and through the front door. A quick left brought them to the Admissions Desk.
The slender Latino male behind it looked with surprise. "Karen, what's going on? Superman?"
"We have an emergency. Superman brought this woman here for treatment," Karen reported. "We need to get her into treatment immediately. Can we get Dr. Smithers? He should be out of that meeting."
The Latino nodded and motioned for an orderly. "Bring a wheelchair right away!" He turned back to Clark. "We'll take good care of her, Superman."
"Thank you," Clark expressed appreciatively. He lowered Lana into the waiting wheelchair. "I'll be close by, Lana."
"I know. Thanks…." Lana murmured while keeping his Secret safe.
"ROOM 8 STAT!" the orderly yelled while rushing Lana through the double doors and into the hall beyond.
Just get well, Lana. These folks are the best! If anyone can help you, they will! Clark felt his heart straining to beat under the strain of worry. His x-ray vision peered through the closed wooden doors revealing Lana being pushed into a large room of some sort. Despite his enhanced constitution, his palms were sweaty. He felt flushed himself.
"It's going to be okay, Superman. Want a seat for a sec?" Karen motioned to the Latino. "Rodrigo, please let my floor know I'm down here. Okay?"
"Right," Rodrigo picked up the phone and started calling.
Karen smiled. "Want a coffee? You seem like you could use it."
"I…could. Thanks," Clark admitted. His throat choked up. His insides felt as if they were burning. "It's been a long night. Lots of crises around the world."
The nurse didn't press him for details knowing that Superman needed them to protect his family and friends from potential vengeance out there. She also grasped that Lana meant more to him than just another rescue. Instead she tacitly accepted his cryptic explanation and made them a cup of coffee each. "We have creamer and sugar if you'd like?"
Clark slowly rose with great effort and trudged across the room. He struggled with his emotions while trying to maintain a poker face. He fixed his coffee deliberately and took a hot draught from it. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Say do you have any paperwork on your friend? Maybe an insurance card? We're going to need to fill out forms." Karen frowned. "Sorry. Modern world and regulations."
"I know. I guess Miss Lang has her insurance card. She has money to pay for treatment. I know that she was exposed to a massive amount of Kryptonite radiation about seven years ago. That…was the last time I saw her before this morning." Clark bowed his head for a second before reasserting his façade.
"She's special to you. I get it. Don't worry." Karen rose from her chair. "I'm going to let the doctors know about the Kryptonite exposure. It'll help." She rubbed his shoulder. "It's why she left, isn't it? She didn't want to kill you."
He nodded slowly. The memories from the awful, painwracked climb up the wooden stairs toward the Loft where Lana had stood on that heart-rending dawn moistened his eyes. "Yes."
"Well since you can fly her here, she's back in your life now." She dialed a number on her cell phone and waited. "Dr. Smithers? This is Karen Montoya. Superman told me that the patient was exposed to massive amounts of Kryptonite radiation a few years back." She listened for a minute. "Thank you. I'll let him know." She disconnected the call. "They're doing tests now. It'll take a couple of hours. I don't want to keep you if you have something else…."
Clark shook his head. "I don't have anything else…." He wiped his eyes and released a deep sigh. "I do need to make a phone call in private. After I do that….maybe…I can see the kids again? Might as well help where I can, right?"
Karen's eyes beamed. She smiled warmly. "I'll let the Children's Wing know. The kids will be thrilled! You don't have to. It's okay."
"I have to. I'd rather be making those kids happy than stewing down here. Karen, this is between us," Clark informed her.
"Lips are sealed, Superman. Thank you. Just meet me at the Children's Wing when you're done with your call," Karen agreed before taking off toward the elevator.
Some people are just angels. Thank you, Karen. Clark sucked up a heavy breath and glanced around at his surroundings. Then he pulled his cell phone out of his cape and dialed it.
He hoped for a good answer on the other end….
[Smallville—Ledger Building]
Martha parked her truck beside the newspaper office and rushed inside. She hadn't heard anything since Clark had rushed away from the cemetery.
The sonic boom overhead from ten minutes earlier though offered a big clue…that Clark pinned the accelerator pedal for Lana's benefit.
"Chloe!" she called into the mostly-deserted office.
"Mrs. Kent!" Chloe hustled over to the older woman's side. "I tried calling the farm but didn't get an answer. Are you okay?"
"Clark and I were at Jonathan's grave when he got your call. Where's Lana? What's going on?" Martha pressed urgently.
"Clark ran in here. He…ummm…saw Lana on the floor. I explained what was going on. He changed into his costume, mentioned some place outside of Denver and took off in that direction with Lana. That was about forty-five minutes ago. I'm getting worried too," Chloe recounted.
"The Ralston-Keyes Clinic. He's mentioned that place to me a few times. Why would he take Lana there? What's wrong, Chloe?" Martha queried intently. "And how is Clark able to be close to her like that?"
"Lana had the Promethius suit surgically removed about two years after the Planet incident. The surgery was too late. She's developed a weird kind of cancer from the kryptonite exposure. She's been all over the world trying to find a cure. Lately she'd been taking pills to suppress the symptoms. Guess they stopped working." Chloe picked up the discarded vial and considered it. "Wish she'd come to us for help."
"She's been untreated since then? I can't believe it! Why didn't she come to Clark? He would've helped her," Martha protested.
"Lana didn't want to come between Lois and Clark. She wants him to be happy no matter what. Guess I should've pressed harder but I wanted Lo to be happy." Chloe sighed despondently. "After the mess from last night, I should've pushed Lana harder. What a mess." She slumped in her chair and rubbed her forehead.
"Perry White called me with some details. Clark won't talk about it other than he and Lois broke up. I wanted to give him his space," Martha revealed. "He was already so depressed. With Lana's situation on top of it, I'm worried."
"You and me both." Chloe noticed her phone buzzing. "It's Clark." She took the call. "Hey! Where are you? What's going on?"
"Chloe, I'm calling from that clinic I told you about. Lana's being checked out by the doctors as we speak. I'm going to spend some time with the kids while waiting for that to be over. Can you put Mom on?" he explained.
"Sure thing." Chloe handed the phone to her guest. "Guess who?"
"Clark, are you okay, Sweetie?" Martha inquired desperately.
"I'm fine, Mom. Lana's being checked out. Just wanted you to know that we're at the oncological clinic in Colorado. I'll deal with things. Meantime I'm going to visit the kids while I'm waiting. Cheer myself and them both up. I'll call when I get news. Okay? Hang in there," he clarified.
"I will. You too," his mother concluded before hanging up. "Clark's not moving from Lana's side."
"As if he ever would? Good luck trying to get him to do that," Chloe presumed. Too bad, Lo. You're in the dust now. I just hope Lana makes it. She and Clark need each other…..
[Ralston-Keyes Oncological Center—Livingston, CO]
Clark hung up the phone with a heavy heart. He knew his mother would want an in-person update. He understood Chloe would be worrying about things.
Lana, though, needed him there.
And, while he waited for her, so did the younger patients.
He slipped the phone back into his cape and inspected himself. "Time to give back to others as you'd want, Dad." He walked toward the elevator and pressed the up button. Walking into the open car, he selected the Children's Wing and accepted a mechanical ride for a change.
When the doors opened again, he discovered two rows of young patients waiting eagerly for him. For them, Clark, remember this is for them! He smiled confidently and waved to them. "Hi, Kids!" He even raised himself into the air and floated for a second as if to prove his identity to them.
"See, Kids? Superman cares. He was in the neighborhood and asked to stop by," Karen declared to the two dozen or so patients there.
"YAY! HI, SUPERMAN!" the children chorused while wheeling their way closer to him.
Even if his heart ached with worry over Lana's situation, Clark felt gladdened by the children's response. As such, he started to do what he could to help.
And so it went…..