A/N: I'm posting two chapters today. Chapters 37 and 38.

Chapter 37

Richard awoke in the small metal room with a nagging headache. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, but soon the events of the previous evening came rushing back. He'd been left, tied to a chair, for several hours, during which he'd tried unsuccessfully to loosen his binds. At some point his captors had returned with a hamburger and soda. Just before they'd left, one of the men had loosened the ropes around Richard's wrists and told him he could remove the blindfold once he heard the door close.

Richard had done as instructed. He was able to release his hands and rip off the blindfold. Not that it did him much good. His vision was blurry at first. Not much to see anyway. His eyesight improved and he immediately wolfed down the hamburger. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

After dinner his captors returned, wearing masks, bound his hands again and led him to this small windowless room with shiny metal walls. A recessed ceiling light provided weak illumination. A worn mattress and thin blanket lay on the floor. Richard had been so exhausted that the mattress and blanket actually looked inviting.

As soon as his captors had shut the heavy metal door barring his escape, he'd collapsed onto the mattress and fallen into a fitful sleep. He'd awakened several times during the night and had used the toilet located in a small adjoining room.

Now, he was headed to that small toilet room again. At the sink Richard splashed cold water on his haggard face then cupped his hand and gulped several mouthfuls of water. The cold water revived him somewhat, but his head still ached. An aspirin would be great right now.

Richard stumbled back to the mattress and sat on the edge, rubbing his throbbing temples. Moving his hand to the back of his head and feeling around, he found a painful lump, an unpleasant reminder of his interrogation yesterday.

Richard thought of Lois and Jason. By now Lois was wondering where he was. Maybe Uncle Perry was wondering, too. Lois had been right. He shouldn't have gone to the docks. Not alone. In the end, he hadn't accomplished anything. He could tell her that when he saw her again. If, you see her again, some dark recess of his mind taunted him.

The sound of a heavy bolt being pushed aside drew Richard out of his mental torment. The door opened and the smell of greasy food and coffee drifted into the small room. A man entered with a revolver in one hand and a food tray in the other. A ski mask hid his face. X-ray vision would be wonderful about now Richard thought as he accepted the food.

The man kept the revolver trained on Richard as he backed out of the room and shut the door. Richard heard the heavy bolt being slid into place again. It was a depressing sound. Claustrophobia nipped at the edges of his mind.

He sat on the edge of the mattress, munched on the lukewarm egg sandwich, and stared at the metal walls. Why metal? Again, X-ray vision would be helpful. Wait, didn't Lois had once tell him that Superman couldn't see through lead. Could these walls be lead, or lead-lined at least? If so, why? Was it to keep super eyes out? That could be proof Lex Luthor was involved. Who had more to hide from Superman then Lex Luthor?

Thinking of Superman, made Richard wonder if the Man of Steel had returned from wherever he'd gone. It had been obvious that Lois was worried about Superman. She still cares for him, Richard thought. They have a son together. Maybe, if I survive this, I should step aside. Give Lois plenty of time and space to decide who she wants.

If I survive this, he thought again. Richard finished the sandwich, picked up the coffee, and began pacing the room while he sipped. Why was he being held captive? What purpose did it serve?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door's bolt being slid open again. In walked the two thugs from yesterday wearing ski masks and holding guns. One of them handcuffed Richard's hands in front, put a hood over his head, and tied it loosely around his neck.

One of the thugs chuckled. It was Mick. "Time to go fishing."

Fishing? Richard didn't like the sound of that. Was the man implying a watery grave? A bolt of fear speared through Richard. He wasn't going down without a fight. He pulled away from the man's hands and angrily said, "What's this all about? I haven't done anything. I'm an investigative reporter for the Daily Planet. You can't just kidnap a reporter and get away with it. By now, I'm sure the police are looking for me."

The thugs laughed like Richard had said the funniest thing in the world.

Mick grabbed Richard's arm and sneered. "You're not as important as you think. No one is looking for you. Nothing's on the news. Not even the Daily Planet has said a word about you."

Ernie added, "I don't think people have even noticed you're gone."

Richard shook free of Mick's grip. "I know people have notice my absence. And I know they're are looking for me. You can bet on that."

"I only bet on the horses," Mick said and pressed the barrel of a revolver against Richard's head. "I suggest you calm down or you won't be leaving this room alive."

"If you plan on killing me, then do it." Richard's voice held a ton more confidence than he felt.

"That's not part of the plan. Well, not yet anyway," Mick said still pressing the revolver against Richard's head.

"We need to get going," said a clearly impatient Ernie. "We have a schedule to follow. A very tight schedule."

"Yeah, the boss is a stickler about time. He doesn't like it when people are late," said Mick.

Mick grabbed Richard by the arm and led him out of the room. Richard wondered where they were taking him and what it had to do with fishing. In a macabre irony he was glad to be leaving the room.

Richard couldn't see a thing thanks to the hood over his head. His captors hustled him down several flights of stairs and through a dark passage. Finally, they stopped.

"You remember the code?" Mick asked Ernie.

"I'm not an idiot." Richard could hear the annoyance in Ernie's voice. "Just give me a minute to punch it in."

Richard heard each little beep as Ernie typed in the code. Then he heard a handle being lifted and a door creaked open. A cold breeze hit Richard as the three men exited the building. He felt pavement under his feet. Richard wished he could see through the hood. That X-ray vision, he thought again, that power would be very useful. Super-strength and heat vision wouldn't hurt either.

After a short walk, Richard heard the beep of a key fob and a car door open.

Mick said, "Get in." He pushed Richard's head down and guided him into the back of a car.

The seat was cushy and comfortable. This seemed like a very nice car for two low-level thugs. No way could these two afford this. Whoever they were working for was rich. Lex Luthor?

Richard realized he couldn't hear his captors. There must be a glass panel between the front and back seats. Another indication this was a very nice car owned by a very rich person. He felt the car moving and wondered where they were headed.

# # # # # #

After a quick stop, the car was moving again and Richard sat, his handcuffed hands in his lap, contemplating the car's new passenger.

Why in the world had they picked up a dog? The little dog sniffed Richard's hands and lap.

"Hey, don't get too personal there," Richard said and gently pushed the dog aside.

The dog whimpered and Richard said, "I want out of here, too. You have any idea where they're taking us?"

The dog whimpered a response and sniffed at Richard again.

"At least you can see where we're going."

After a short drive through city streets and traffic lights, the car slowed. It drove slowly for a while, making several turns and came to a stop.

"Have we parked somewhere?" Richard asked the dog.

It barked and bounced to the window. Richard guessed the dog was looking out. He could feel its tail wagging.

"We must be some place you like." The little dog bounced across Richard's lap and over to the other window.

Richard sighed. "I wish I could see what you see."