"With Or Without" Part Four
“So how long were you planning on keeping Superman’s condition a secret from the world? Until he was dead? Or were you planning on just hiding that from us as well?” Aquaman frowned and gripped the edges of the podium tighter. He knew it would be like this but he still wasn’t required to like it. He was not used to these Q and A sessions and avoided them whenever possible. “To answer your question, Ambassador,” Aquaman begun addressing both the interrogator and the rest of the United Nations assembly, “We had planned to announce the information privately to important people, such as the heads of state or those with interests and tries to the Justice League when we were sure his condition was irreversible and unstoppable.” There was some murmuring about as the dignitaries discussed the matter. Another hand raised up. “It is a well known fact that Superman is the first line of defense against any and all alien invasions or threats to the safety of the planet. When he is gone what plans are in place to defend us?” “There is the Justice League.” “For which a great deal of manpower is invested in Superman. He is your, to use the vernacular, big gun. Without him the League will be sorely weakened.” Aquaman nodded. “That is true but we have dealt with many cases where Superman was unavailable and we still succeeded. I do not see it becoming a problem. There are also other heroes who would be more than willing to join the League. We would simply have to call one or two of them in.” “Such as who? And if the worst happens who will be there to replace other Leaguers if they should also fall?” “The League has not discussed that matter.” Aquaman stated plainly. “So what are we to do in the event of an emergency? Are we to entrust the fate of the planet to the Teen Titans?” “Well in the Titans’ defense they have saved the planet before…” Aquaman stormed out of the transported and walked enraged to the Meeting room of the Watchtower. He slammed the door behind him and collapsed into his chair. “Bad day?” Flash said speed reading through a few books. “That was the single worst two hours of my life. And I’ve had a limb chewed off. I hate proclamations and those blasted Q and A sessions.” “But you’re a king, aren’t you used to them?” “I’m a benign dictator. I don’t have to answer questions. When I should I pass it off to Tempest whenever possible.” Flash zipped over and sat down beside the Sea King. “Well you still did a better job than Kyle. He broke down into a panic over a possible alien invasion as a result.” Aquaman half smiled then went grim again. “Have you thought about what Superman’s condition means to the League?” “In what sense?” “We operated without Superman for years and we could survive without him. But the threats we have faced recently call for a powerful League.” Flash nodded. “Right. I understand. But that’s a hard question. Who do you call when you want to replace Superman?” “What about past Leaguers? Whom did we have on the roster that is still active?” Flash thought for a second. “Steel and Firestorm spring to mind. Ditto Captain Marvel.” Aquaman shook his head. “Last I heard all were working for the Reservists.” “But that’s like a baseball player working in the minors and getting called into to play beside some all-stars.” “We should make a few calls. There should be some plan in place in the event the worst happens. If not now than some other time.” “True. We’ve always had reserve Leaguers, but never anyone slotted to take over in the event of a death. Real back-ups. When someone does die we always end up reeling to recover. I suppose we could always get Superboy to take over.” Aquaman shook his head violently. “No! That will NOT be happening.” “We could use it as an opportunity to fill in some weak spots.” “Such as?” “We are under-powered in the energy manipulation sense. And lack someone knowledgeable in magic.” Aquaman nodded in agreement “Valid points. Who else can you think of?” Flash started rattling off names. This was going to be a long day, he could already tell. Clark Kent ran through the crowded offices of the Daily Planet to catch up with his wife. “Lois!” he called out over the noise. She was at the far side of the room talking to three people at the same time over her new piece while trying to get ahold of a doctor at Star Labs who had social skills of someone older than eight. “Lois!” he called again squeezing between two copy boys. “So find out all you can on prolonged radiation exposure and the harmful effects of living tissue and stuff like that. We should be able to spin this off into a few other coulombs. Hello? Doctor? I need all the information you have on Kryptonian cells and biology and how it differs from our own.” “Lois!” “And you. I need a past history on other heroes who died of natural causes. Any natural causes and… oh, hi Clark.” “We need to talk,” Kent said leaning on a desk for a second. “I’m busy now.” “I’ll make it quick.” Clark grabbed her arm and dragged her a few meters away into his office. “Finish up that research,” Lois called as she was dragged away. “This should only be a second.” Clark shut the door behind him and sighed loudly. “What are you doing?” he asked softly. “What does it look like? I just found the story of the year and I’m running with it.” “You had no right to go public with that!” Clark said angrily turning to face her. “I’m a reporter. I can’t just sit back and watch while a story of this magnitude gets hidden. The people have a right to know.” “It’s my… his… private life and doesn’t concern anyone else.” “Bull, Clark. Superman is a public figure and something that affects him affects everyone else in Metropolis. If the President or someone was suffering form the same we would have a right to know. Something like that could change policy or affect decisions. Superman is no different.” Clark turn and rubbed his eyes. “But you published a story based on personal information I revealed at home. Private information meant to stay between us.” “Which is why I didn’t publish anything you told me in confidence and had to go directly to the doctors and nurses. Word like that spreads fast among the staff. A couple janitors that overheard were more than willing to talk. I’ve worked my ass off getting this story.” “I know, I’ve barely seen you since we first talked. I think we need to discuss this.” “I don’t have the time, Clark.” Lois said looking away. “I have to finish this. I have three things going at once.” She opened the door and walked out. “We’ll talk soon…” she muttered heading out and not looking back. Clark just leaned against his desk and rubbed his temples. When he returned to the Watchtower later he was exhausted. He just didn’t feel like returning home just yet, not that Lois would be there, she’d been moving for almost twenty four hours straight. Superman wearily sat down in the monitor womb and turned all the monitors on. He had been attempting to patrol but everyone was more interesting in running up to him and asking him if the news was true and what he was going to do than getting out of his way and letting him do his job. There was too much potential for some bystander to get caught in the middle of some brawl, it was better to let the rest of the League and defenders of Metropolis handle problems. Not to mention all the villains showing up to try to take down the weakened hero. It was noon and Superman had already had to stop three evil schemes. Every bad guy on the East Coast was raising heck and calling out the Man of Steel. Superman leaned back and watched events far below on the surface of the planet. Things had quieted down. Then the room exploded with noise as Plastic Man hurtled himself into the room squeezing himself like an old fashioned bicycle horn. “Hey-hey M.O.S!” the rubber hero cried as he bounded into the chair beside Superman. “Why the long face? Planning on changing your name to Super-horse?” “Super-horse?” “We could call you Comet for short.” Superman smiled slightly for a second as he shook his head. “A super-horse… I have to say that’s a pretty dumb idea.” “I read it in a comic once.” Superman turned and lowered the volume on the monitors. He could still hear everything. “What can I do for you today, Eel?” “Wrong.” Plastic Man said turning his head into the no symbol. “It’s what I can do for you.” “What you can do for me?” Superman said slightly astonished. “I can’t think of anything you can do for me.” “I can do lots for you. Up to and including scratching itches on your head, back, and feet at the very same time!” Plas said grabbing Supes’ arm and dragging him in the direction if the teleporter. “But in this case it’s someone else.” Superman shrugged and let himself be pulled along. They teleported down to Earth, specifically Metropolis, and continued to Metropolis General. “You’re taking me back to the Hospital?” Superman asked. “Yes.” “More tests? They want to check my prostate now?” Plas violently shook his head. “I would never inflict that on another living being with the exception of Carrot Top.” They walked through the automated doors and past the gawking crowd the gathered around Superman where ever he went. They proceeded to the elevators and Plastic Man hit the up button. “Why are we here?” Superman asked again. “Shhhh.” Plas sprayed. “You’ll ruin your surprise.” Plas pushed Superman down the corridor with his left arm wrapped around the Man of Steel’s head six or seven times. They weaved down the corridor and past through a few sets of double doors. “And no using that dirty x-ray vision.” School marm Plastic Man scolded, threatening with a wooden ruler. “These hospital gowns are revealing enough without you snooping everywhere!” “Alright.” Superman muttered as Plas shoved him through a final set of doors and pulled away his arm from Superman’s face. “Hey, hey!” Plastic Clown said waving his arms back and forth. “Look who dropped by for a visit!” They were in the Children’s ward in the cancer section. Twenty or thrity bald kids looked up and dropped their jaws. “Is it really him?” they whispered back and forth. Superman rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “This was unexpected.” He whispered to Plas. The comedian shrugged. “I figured you and them could share a few ideas on courage in the face of death.” Superman smiled and lifted himself an inch off the ground and floated across the room to the main group of kids. “Hello.” He said kneeling down in front on one. “I imagine you have all heard the news. So I thought that since we now have so much in common we could all be friends. You all know who I am but feel free to call me Kal. It’s shorter.” Doctor Robinson heard who was paying a visit to the children’s ward and immediately rushed over. And he had been worried he would have trouble getting a hold of Superman. He briskly walked through the halls of Metropolis General and strode into the children’s ward. Superman had four kids on his lap and was holding two more on his arms and one on his shoulders and was busy recounting the story of how he accidentally got lost in time. “Superman!” Dr. Robinson sighed. “Hello Doctor. What can I do for you today?” “Come with me quick! We may have found a solution!” Superman almost dropped the kids. “How does this work exactly, Doc?” Green Lantern said giving up on the procedural documents he had been handed. When five words in a row have more then eight syllables it’s time to admit you’ve either got a PhD or are over your head. Doctor Robinson cleaned his glasses and replaced them. “It is quite simple. Using Professor Palmer’s nano-technology we will selectly target the cancerous sections of his bone marrow with bursts of Kryptonite radiation. Fragments of which are also being used to power the nano-bots.” “I thought you said chemotherapy would be ineffective in Superman’s case.” J’Onn commented. “This sounds like a more complex version of that procedure.” “It is. But we will be following that treatment with some cell replacement.” Flash perked up from where he sat across the waiting room of the O.R. “Replacement? Where the heck did you find a donor for Superman?” Robinson pulled out another folder. “We didn’t find one. We’re making one. There is a cellular duplication procedure that was created by Lex Corp a decade or so ago. In Superman’s unique physiology it tends to result in cellular crystallization upon full maturation. It becomes the creature dubbed ‘Bizarro.’ But if we just copy healthy bone cells and keep them immature we can safely inject them into Superman where they can take over for his own cancerous cells. They should last long enough before crystallization for enough healthy new cells to replace them that they can be rejected without loss of health.” “You’re injecting Superman with Bizarro bone marrow?” Green Lantern said astonished. Doctor Robinson nodded. “STAR Labs was lucky enough to know how to create one and has assured us it should work.” Superman nodded. He had been sitting quietly to the side listening to all this. “What are the risks?” he asked plainly. “It is a new and experimental procedure. If not for your resilience and phenomenal healing capacity we would never dream of doing something as risky as this. But the other doctors and I give your chances as 60-40. But that is against a 99% chance of mortality.” Superman nodded slowly. “I don’t believe I have much in the way of insurance. How much will this cost?” Doctor Robinson shook his head. “Nothing. An anonymous millionaire donated the cost of the surgery, the nano-bots, and even supplied the Kryptonite! But he or she refused to disclose their identity.” “Gee I wonder what secretive and shadowy rich man that could be.” Superman said with a smile. Robinson shrugged. “I have no idea. I had never even heard of Kryptonite before last month let alone known where to find some.” “It’s not something I want the general public to know about.” Superman said. “I can see why. Should I tell them to ready the OR?” Superman nodded. “Yes. We’ll do this.” Lois Lane ran into the waiting room of the OR and looked around. “I just heard. Where is he?” she said. “What do you care?” Green Lantern muttered. “Looking for a follow up?” Lois looked at him with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. “It’s not like that… I had a job… I…” Wonder Woman walked up to her and led her to one of the chairs. “They took him in two hours ago. We have not heard anything since then.” “Oh god.” Lois said sitting down automatically. She stared blankly forward. “This just seems surreal. Like a dream.” “I know.” Flash said re-reading all the magazines in the waiting room nervously. “I keep waiting to snap awake and find out it has all been a dream.” “I… I…” Lois muttered. “What have I done?!” she exploded before breaking into wet hacking sobs. Green Lantern looked at her sadly and felt pangs of guilt. “Look. I didn’t mean what I said… I’m just on edge. We all are.” “No you’re right…” Lois gasped between sobs. “I’m a horrible person. He needed me and I… I just couldn’t look at him… it just hurt too much.” Wonder Woman handed her some tissues and Lois took them thankfully and continued. “I just buried myself in work… I didn’t want to think about it. If I kept busy I never had a chance to really process that he was going to leave me…” Green Lantern moved closer. “I understand. I once lost someone I loved too. I think we all have.” “But you never got them back!” Lois cried. “I remember the hell I went through last time. The depression. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Then he came back. We had a second chance. No one gets a second chance! And then this happens! A second chance was unbelievable enough… but a third chance? Who gets one of those?!?” Wonder Woman rubbed her back softly. “I understand your pain, sister. You must remain strong and have faith in the gods and fate. And remember that there are no chances in life, second or third, just more opportunities to say how you feel.” “Oh Clark…” Lois muttered under her breath. “I’m so sorry…” The hours ticked by and the Doctors came out and announced it was done and all that remained was to see if the copied celled were rejected or not. They moved Superman to the recovery room to wait. The hours slowly ticked by. Superman slowly opened his eyes. He felt like crap. Having your bones effectively scraped clean by radiation was not something that was overly pleasant. He rolled painfully onto his side and dry heaved into a small bowl beside his pillow. His whole body ached. “Still alive I see.” A voice said from the shadows. Superman twisted around in shock. “Hello Bruce.” Superman said with a weak smile. “Clark.” Batman nodded stepping into the light and sitting down in a chair beside the bed. “So what do the doctors say?” “That you’re expected to recover.” The Dark Knight said plainly. “Because there were no incisions or cuts made your recovery time should be swift.” “Good.” Superman said rolling on to his back. “Thanks for footing the bill by the way.” “I didn’t.” Superman tried to sit up in shock by waves of nausea forced him back down. “You didn’t?! Then who did?” “Name the only other rich man who has access to Kryptonite on the planet.” Lex Luthor stretched out on the couch in the Oval Office and cracked the spine of his book open. Being President was a rush but left little time for the finer things in life. He turned the page then heard the tapping at the window. He twitched in mild surprise and turned his head. He waved at the visitor to come in. “It is unlocked.” He said not bothering to raise his voice. He knew he could be heard. Superman pushed open the glass and floated in. “Why did you do it Luthor?” “Hello Superman.” The President said not looking up from his novel. “You look like crap if I might say so.” “Why?” Luthor slid the bookmark in place and sat up on the couch. “Several possibilities spring to mind. Maybe you are the ying to my yang and without you I would feel incomplete. Maybe I would miss our banter too much. Or maybe, just maybe, I subconsciously don’t want to win or hurt people and know I have to keep you around to stop me from succeeding.” “But really?” “Really I just didn’t want anyone or thing to be responsible for your death but me.” Luthor said standing up. “Please keep in mind that I did not save your life. I merely prolonged your death.” “You’re sick, Luthor. Twisted and sick.” Luthor smiled and walked around the Man of Steel and picked a small piece of lint off the red cape. “Maybe. I don’t think so. And I notice you haven’t said ‘thank you’ yet. How rude.” Superman just stood immobile and scowled. “It doesn’t matter. I will have thanks enough in a short time.” Luthor said looking Superman in the eyes. “Of course I paid for the operation anonymously. And made sure to supply the Kryptonite and rough Bizarro equipment to STAR Labs. So the public doesn’t know what I did. For now.” Luthor walked over to the window and wiped his finger across the top checking for dust. “A few reporters I pay will stumble over some carefully placed leads and break the story. I can see the headlines now. ‘Luthor: the Man Who Saved Superman!’ It has a nice ring to it.” Superman continued to scowl silently. “Or maybe ‘Super Savior’. I like that one.” “Luthor.” Superman started. “You’ll never…” “Never what?!” Luthor interrupted. “Win? I already have! Get away with it? The horrible crime of saving your life. The best part is in two days my popularity will skyrocket. It will make up for all my recent failures. I’ll be able to double taxes and still get re-elected in a landslide victory. Feel free to leave any time you want.” Superman turned and glared at Luthor who pretended to quiver for a second then laughed. The Man of Steel walked over to the window and flew away. Lex turned to his desk and pulled out his chair. “I know you can still hear me.” He said. “So listen well. You owe your life to me. All of it. Every time to smell a flower it will be because of me. Every time you save a life it will be because of me. Every time you kiss a pretty girl it will be because of me. The pleasure, the joy, the happiness, all of it will be because of me!” Luthor sat down and let out a mild grunt of pleasure. His new leather chair was finally completely broken in. He leaned back in comfort and placed both feet on his desk and put his hands behind his head. He smiled, “I’m happy with how today went.” The End... Previous Issue | Next Issue |
