The Long Road to Utopia Part 1

By Michael Ring (Mr RSTEELE@aol.com)

Summary: Lois knows the secret, and Clark has proposed, but she
doesn't have time to sit back and enjoy the turn of events. That
very night a plot hatched by Lex Luthor is set in motion. His
loyal underling, Asabi, kidnaps Superman using kryptonite: the
ransom is the release of Luthor from prison. A continuation of
the episode "And the Answer Is..."

Author's Note: This story has been rolling around in my head for
a while. I changed it accordingly as certain events took place in
the show. The original villain was to be Nigel, but of course you
know how that went. I decided to play around with the presumed
season ending that never aired. If the producers continue with
Lois' sentence (and I hope they do) this story will of course be
moot, but you can enjoy it while awaiting the true outcome. It
was typed mainly to the "Forrest Gump" film score, which sets a
wonderful mood. Enjoy. This isn't my first attempt at writing,
but it is the first time I've done fanfiction. The standard
copyright statements apply. Superman and other characters are
trademarks of their respective owners, etc. I'd love to hear
opinions, but please be kind.

***

What Has Happened Before (from the end of "And The Answer Is"):

The flash of lighting was the only warning before a deluge came
down from the heavens. It NEVER rains in Metropolis, Clark Kent
thought to himself as it began pouring. Someone must be out to
get me. "Come on. Give me a BREAK!" he exclaimed out loud.

Lois giggled, "Do you want to go in?"

Clark looked down at her magnificent smile and a look of
seriousness washed over his face. "If the earth opened up at my
feet, I wouldn't move until I said this." Slowly Clark kneeled
down and reached into his jacket pocket. The nervousness he had
felt moments before, vanished as he looked deep into the eyes of
the woman he loved. A small box appeared in his strong hand,
though he opened it with a care that rivaled a mother and her
newborn.

"Lois..." Clark began. An expression of total amazement filled
Lois as she realized what was occurring. Time ceased to exist at
that moment and the only thing in their world was one another.
The box opened to reveal a diamond ring. "Will you marry me?" he
completed.

"Clark," Lois said with a wide smile...

***

Prologue:

The dark skinned gentleman was prepared. He placed the small box
on the floor carefully. The plan was ready to be put into motion.
Everything was in place. His employer would be very pleased. The
man frowned, reminded of the past. Soon things will be set right
.

***

Chapter 1:

The park was now deserted. Evening had come and the rain
continued to fall. Lois Lane couldn't have cared less. She was
boiling with excitement. Clark's proposal was not something that
she had expected, but not an unpleasant concept. First though,
something had to come out into the open. Lois couldn't resist any
longer. "Who is asking? You?" Lois reached to Clark's wet cheek
and removed the glasses that seemed to change the reporter's
entire appearance. "Or Superman?"

Clark's face didn't change. Shock, puzzlement, even a mildly
surprised reaction would have pleased Lois. She felt she deserved
SOME reward for figuring it out. Hell, it had taken long enough.
She had spent the better part of the morning trying to decide to
either wait for him to reveal it or to confront him and
demonstrate that she knew. He hadn't really tried to hide it from
her recently. She had looked back at all the clues he had dropped
and even attempted to say yesterday morning. She had wondered
what he would say if she told him she knew. Now that she had
voiced her discovery, the response didn't meet her expectations.

"I am asking for your hand in marriage. I am Clark Kent and
always will be," he spoke in a calm voice. He stood up and said,
"I think it's time we got out of the rain." Quickly, before Lois
to protest, he reached over and picked her up into his arms.

"You've uncovered the truth, but I want you to understand
everything leading to it." Clark whispered as they rose into the
air. Clark's large chest protected Lois from the elements as they
flew threw the storm. It was Lois that expressed shock. She
hadn't expected denial, but a casual attitude seemed rather
anti-climatic.

"Aren't you concerned about flying without changing first?" Lois
asked, thinking that it was a safe enough question. She decided
to let Clark explain in his own way and if he wanted to get out
of the rain, she could wait, but not long. Patience was never her
strong suit.

Clark shrugged, "People rarely look straight up in pouring rain
at night and it's thick enough for our features to be
substantially blurred if they do. We're here." They landed on
Clark's balcony and entered his apartment. Lois sat on his couch
and not very subtly laid the glasses still in her hand down onto
the coffee table. She looked up with wide open eyes expectantly.

"I get the hint, Lois," Clark said smiling as he threw a towel at
her. He walked over and sat beside her. Picking up the glasses
and putting them on, "It feels comforting with them on my face,"
he explained. He sighed and began to speak, "I was going to tell
you. I think you know that...

"Have you ever had a secret so big, it never occurred to you to
share it? I've realized that as we've grown closer, this
relationship couldn't go further until you knew the truth. The
problem is that once the secret's out, you can't turn back time.
The hardest part of being Superman is lying to everyone I care
about. No, I take it back. Lying to YOU. I couldn't be Superman
and have people react to me as a normal person. You certainly
didn't. It's not something I'm proud of, but it was a necessary
evil, until now. I hope I can make you comprehend that."

"In a weird way, I DO, Clark. I...," Lois stopped. Clark had
gotten a distant look and wasn't paying attention to her. A look
of anger crossed her face, then one of embarrassed realization.
"Someone's in trouble, aren't they?"

"A warehouse fire... Oh, Lois, I am SO sorry. I'll stay if
you..."

"Don't say it, Clark, go. I understand. I have some things to
think about. GO!"

He reached over to her and kissed her deeply. They looked at each
other in the eyes and Lois pushed him up. Very reluctantly, he
stood up and strode over to the middle of the room. In a blur a
second long, he had changed into the blue, red, and yellow
costume.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he whispered, hesitantly going
to the balcony. He looked back and spoke, "I love you, Lois
Lane." With that, he was gone.

Lois leaned back into the couch and began to take in everything
that had happened in just a few days. Her life had certainly
changed when Clark and Superman stepped into it. Soon, she
drifted to sleep and was oblivious to the universe.

***

Chapter 2:

The police precinct was a test in controlled chaos. It never
slept, never rested, and never, ever got organized. But somehow
the wheels of justice kept moving and criminals were punished for
their crimes on a daily basis. The city was not held hostage
every day though. In the precious moments of peace, the officers
of the law were forced to do the one unthinkable deed that
terrified them most. Paperwork.

Inspector Henderson was very cross. It was quite childish really,
all the chocolate doughnuts had been eaten. He was stuck with the
graveyard beat, doing paperwork, and HIS doughnuts were gone! He
wanted to sulk. That was it. The work load stacked high on his
desk and he would be relieved soon to pass the buck to some
unsuspecting rookie. Superman didn't stop all crime in the city,
but he certainly made Henderson's job easier. At the moment,
Henderson could use a little petty theft. The rain had stopped
and criminals seemed to have a dislike for being wet. He sent a
prayer for a small robbery and determined which position was best
for pouting. Comfort was important to achieve maximum effect.
Settling in his chair, he started practicing expressions when
Sikes walked in.

"Inspector, here you go," quipped the young officer as he tossed
a small bag on the cluttered desk. "Picked you up some more of
your favorites."

Henderson's mouth dropped open. The young punk had just ruined a
perfect rotten mood. "Um, thanks. What's that?"

"Oh, almost forgot, this arrived a couple of minutes ago. It had
your name on it. There isn't a name on the sender," the rookie
remarked as he left the package and departed the room.

All false self pity vanished from Henderson as he began to
examine the contents inside. He swallowed the lump in his throat
as he chided himself for asking for work. It was no longer a slow
night and the prospect of home was becoming a distant memory .

***

Chapter 3:

Darkness and pain were the only two things in Clark's existence.
He gradually awoke to coherent thought. Why can't I see anything?
Oh, my eyes are closed. Let's try to open them. Ow, bad idea.
What sledgehammer hit my head? Try again dammit! I have to see
where I am. Maybe I should take my time. Success! I STILL can't
see much. Frustrated, Clark tried to move, another less than
brilliant idea. A shock jolt of agony ran through his body. The
shackles he was chained to gave him a start. Now what are those
doing there? The fogginess clearing in his head slowly gave way
to memories. A warehouse fire, a call for help, leaving Lois, his
arrival, then... nothing. No, not nothing--pain and darkness. The
pain he recognized. Kryptonite. It was here in the room. Shadows
soon took shape as his eyes adjusted to the faint light.

It definitely was not the warehouse he had flown into to assist
with the fire. Visions of old movies ran through his head. Yes,
an old-fashioned dungeon was the best description of the room he
was imprisoned within. He was even chained to the wall, for
Pete's sake. Someone was in need of serious help and at the
moment it seemed to be him. Clark grimaced. The pain was
endurable. The kryptonite must be at a distance. He attempted to
draw upon his heat vision, but he could feel the radiation coming
from the portion of his home planet. His migraine worsened from
the concentration it took to keep his eyes focused. The
kryptonite was close enough to prevent escape, but not to kill,
yet. How long had he been unconscious? There were no windows in
the room and with the radiation hindering his unique abilities,
there was only one choice open to him. Wait. Not an appealing
option, Clark began looking for another.

***

The elevator door opened to the Planet news room. Lois walked out
with an alert, brave face. A small yawn betrayed her, but no one
seemed to notice. The news room bustled with activity. People
moved from desk to desk, chatting and assisting one another in
reporting the events of the day. The news stops for no one, Lois
thought. She went to her desk and sat wearily in her chair. A
quick glance confirmed that Clark was indeed, not there. She
stared at the blank screen recalling the events of the past few
hours. She had awaken on his couch early that morning and
discovered Clark had not returned. She had waited until it was
time for work and left. She had traveled back to her house and
changed, hoping Clark would be at the Planet and safe.

"Hey, Lois! The Chief is looking for you and C.K. Where have you
been?" Jimmy Olsen asked, shaking Lois out of her trance.

"Um, Jimmy. Clark wasn't feeling well this morning. He, um,
decided it'd be best to stay home today. He didn't want to spread
anything around." She had contrived this excuse on the way to the
Planet. Hrmph. It was better than overdue tapes. Now, Lois, don't
be bitter, she told herself.

"I hope he feels better soon. We just got a rumor, someone has
kidnapped Superman."

"What?! Who?! How?!" Lois' face gave her away. A horrifying
feeling crept up into her soul. It was only with a will of steel
that Superman, Clark, would have been proud of, that she held
back tears.

"You forgot 'When'," Perry White said from behind Lois shoulder.
"I wanted you and Clark to get on it right away. Superman was
last seen two days ago giving the police his statement regarding
the Kent's kidnapping. We received a tip that a video arrived
about thirty minutes ago at the police department, with a note.
The video had a shot with bad lighting of Superman chained to
some wall. He looked out of it. The police don't have a clue on
how they did it and they are extremely tight-lipped about what's
on the note. They aren't even releasing the fact that he's been
kidnapped. Insurance rates would skyrocket. I called a lifetime
of favors just to get that. I want you and Clark to get on it
pronto."

"I'll... We'll get started right away," Lois blew out in a quick
breath, standing and walking to the elevator. I already KNEW the
'When', Lois thought keeping her calm facade as she departed the
building. She barely made it to the Jeep before sobbing. It took
only a few minutes, but she felt much better. If she was going to
help Clark, again, she'd better shape up. Twice in one week she
was saving Clark's life and loved ones. I hope this doesn't
become a habit, Clark, it's supposed to be your job to save me!

***

Chapter 4:

A large, well-furnished room was occupied with lavish Asian rugs,
intricately designed wallpaper, and an antique oak desk. A
powerful, authoritative figure relaxed behind the desk. Perhaps,
it was not the man that imposed such respect among his
underlings, but the position itself. He had inherited the lofty
status from his retired father. Intergang was the most profitable
underworld organization on the globe. Life was very good to Bill
Church, Jr. The luxurious life suited him and he had quickly
grown accustomed to it. News had arrived that could possibly
upset that comfort and Bill was pulling his resource to make sure
that did not happen.

"Are you positive that they've got him?"

"We believe so, sir. He hasn't been seen in two days, which
normally isn't strange, but with the ransom they're asking, why
bluff when it could easily be called?"

"Excellent. Make sure that ransom does NOT get paid. This is
perfection. Superman dies and he can stew in prison for eternity
for all I care."

"Yes, sir. We'll use our influence in the Mayor's office to stop
the exchange if they decide to cave."

The crime lord laughed aloud and smiled. There wasn't a chance he
would allow that particular man out of captivity. He was too
dangerous to the organization and could not be trusted as an
ally. Yes, things would work out perfectly. Superman would
perish, and the former crime boss of Metropolis would rot until
he died a miserable old man.

***

Chapter 5:

Another option had not presented itself yet. Clark had made a
degree of progress though. Strange, he thought, that a raging
fire should turn up so soon after a thunderstorm. It was
definitely arson and definitely a lure to trap me. Clark looked
around the room for the hundredth time. The building was with no
doubt old. Everything looked eroded and dusty. Well, not
everything. The shackles confining him to the wall were brand
new. There wasn't a chance of picking the locks, even if he had
the knowledge. I depend on my powers too much. If I ever, when
ever I get out of this mess, I'm drafting Jimmy to tutor me. You
know, if this room were in better condition it would remind me of
the only other dungeon I've been in. That one had kryptonite as
well...

Clark's train of thought was interrupted by the thick wooden door
that creaked open. The glare of light shining through the cracked
door blinded him for a moment. The door was shut again and the
bright light was replaced by a dull glow. The source came from a
small lamp a man held with a large pistol in his other hand.

"I know these things normally hold no fear to you, Superman, but
rest assured, on this particular day it can be fatal."

"I understand," Clark spoke with as much authority as he could
muster. It still sounded pathetic. The kryptonite was taking a
toll on his body. "Who are you?" he asked stalling for time.
There was something about this man that struck a cord of
familiarity. He had seen him somewhere before.

"A friend of your enemy. That is all you have need to know."

A name popped into Clark's head. Recognition dawned within the
reaches of his mind. "Asabi."

He smiled pleasantly, "I'm pleased that you remember our short
acquaintance."

Of course. Luthor. The man had terrorized the city for years
before proof was found of his huge crime syndicate. Asabi had
been a servant of Luthor's when Clark had moved to the city.
Rumor had come down the pipe hinting that Asabi had left the
employ of Luthor and returned to his homeland of India. What sick
scheme has Lex come up with? What purpose could kidnapping
possibly serve? Well, kill me. That's a given. Why not do that
already? Torture? Let's test the waters a bit.

"So I'm a hostage?"

"Yes, for a short time. After that, who knows, I might release
you," chuckled Asabi. He smiled, and left the room having
tormented his captive enough.

Clark seriously doubted that. Luthor hated Superman with every
fiber of his being. He had missed the chance to kill me twice. He
won't let it go again. I'm going to have to escape. Waiting was
no longer an option at all.

***

Chapter 6:

Bobby Bigmouth was hungry. The aroma of Mexican cuisine filled
the room. Enchiladas, chimichangas, and fajitas were being
prepared a few feet away from him. People were eating lunch in
the main dining room. Chips and salsa were being snacked upon
while the meal was being prepared. Bobby picked up one of the
room's many delights and began chewing. It was heaven, no,
utopia. Life was very good. Then a half crazed reporter flew into
the room yelling...

"Spill it!"

"Lois, what..."

"I want everything you have on the kidnapping of Superman."

"I don't normally work for free, Lois."

"Listen," Lois said grabbing Bobby's shirt, "You tell me what you
know and I'll make sure you're fed so many exotic foods your
taste buds will never recover."

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I've heard that the ransom is the release
of a prisoner from the state pen. I don't know who, just that
he's someone big."

"Someone big... What have you got on the fire last night?"

"Fire? There wasn't a fire last night."

Lois became puzzled. Clark had said there was a fire. "Did
anything out of the ordinary happen in the," which way had he
gone, "east side of town? By the docks. It was a warehouse."

"I hadn't heard, but I'll see what I can do. By the way, where's
that partner of yours?"

"He's at home with the flu. In fact, I'm heading over there to
check up on him. Give me a call over there, okay?"

Bobby stared at the figure of Lois Lane marching out of the
restaurant. He knew she could be stubborn, demanding, and
impatient, but he pitied the person who could install this much
anger into the journalist's spirit. Bobby looked down at the
half-eaten burrito in his hand. He had lost his appetite.

***

Chapter 7:

"You can't be serious! You don't think they'll carry out the
threat?"

"Calm down, Inspector Henderson. All the Assistant Mayor is
saying is that the city does not deal with kidnappers, no matter
who is the victim."

Henderson looked haggard. The past few hours had taken it's toll
on the inspector's health. Most of the morning had been spent
trying to find confirmation that Superman, was indeed captive. He
had not been heard of and there not many known channels of
communication to the man. Henderson had been summoned to the
Mayor's Office to update the city leaders on the situation. The
main opposition to carrying out the ransom had come from the
newly appointed Assistant Mayor, Richard Howard. Howard had been
obstinate in his position of non- negotiation.

"After everything that man has done for the city, you're not
going to do ANYTHING to help him?"

The Mayor spoke up, "I'm fully aware of what Superman has done
for this community and for this planet in general. We are
continuing to look into alternatives."

"The deadline is rapidly approaching, sir. I recommend we let
Luthor go, with the understanding he's to be followed. Electronic
surveillance, a tail, the works. He'd lead us back to Superman
and we could grab the kidnappers and Luthor both."

"I must remind the Inspector that Luthor has proven to be a very
devious man. He fooled all of us for years. I highly doubt if he
was released, he would be caught again," Howard sneered from the
corner of the room.

"Well it's a hell of a lot better than sitting and waiting for
Superman to die!"

"We still have some time left. I'll make my decision shortly.
That will be all gentlemen," the Mayor said quietly.

The roomed cleared out as the Mayor was left alone to review his
choices. Howard walked down the hall to his office. Locking the
door behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief. He believed no one
had suspected anything. His arguments were sound, if biased. He
smiled and picked up the phone. "Sir? I think it will swing our
way. Yes sir. The Mayor will play it safe and do nothing. No,
sir. He hasn't made a firm decision. Yes, sir. I'll keep you
informed."

Howard placed the receiver back in the cradle. His confidence was
seeping away like water running through a creek. Working for
Intergang had many rewards for success, but failure could lead to
disastrous consequences. He fumbled around in his pocket for the
key to his desk. The third drawer held a very fine Vodka, perfect
for calming nerves.

***

Chapter 8:

The door to Clark's apartment swung open. Empty of any living
occupants, Lois sighed deeply and entered. Clark's home was well
kept for a male bachelor. It had the usual knickknacks that
reminded one of home. Football trophies, pictures of family, and
various awards given to him over the years. Everything was dusted
and shined. Lois walked slowly around, absorbing it all and
attempting to understand the life of one Clark Kent. She had the
foresight to grab an extra key before departing that morning. She
really didn't know why she had wanted to return here. Maybe it
made her feel closer to Clark or would give her a clue to where
he was being kept captive. Her attention was drawn to a
photograph of her and Clark together. Her thoughts returned to
last night. It seemed as if years had passed in only a few hours.
Clark had proposed to her. At the time, she wasn't sure what she
had felt. Now she just wanted Clark to be here with her, safe. If
he didn't come back to her...

She sat on the couch, lost in thought. The couch was comfortable
without being too soft. She looked at the picture in her hand and
stared down. As her feet propped up onto the coffee table, they
collided with something. Lois looked down noticing Clark's
glasses and the box that held the engagement ring. She picked up
the glasses and just stared through the remarkably thin lens.
Strong prescription, my eye, she thought. These glasses stood as
a symbol for what Clark wanted out of life. Normality. To be like
everyone else. She understood that and why he would be hesitant
to share his abnormality. She smiled and lifted the second abject
on the table. The ring was breath-taking. Tempted, she took it
out and tried it on. The fit was marvelous. It felt liked it
belonged on her finger. She was admiring the cut when the phone
rang. Startled, she reached out and grabbed the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Lois? It's Bobby. I found out that someone DID report a fire
last night, but when the fire fighters arrived on the scene,
there wasn't any evidence of one. They just chalked it up to a
prank call and left."

"What's the exact address of the warehouse they went to?"

"Um, let's see. 806 NW Gavernie Court. It's over by the wharf."

"Thanks, Bobby. You'll never go hungry again."

She hung up and immediately called the Planet. "Jimmy?"

"Lois! How's C.K. holding up? He feeling better?"

"I think he might be at that. Listen, I need you to do some
digging. I want everything you've got on an address. Past,
present owners, everything. Got it?"

"Yep. Research is my life. Shoot."

She relayed the address Bobby had given her and was trying to say
good-bye, when Jimmy asked, "Are you close to finding Superman?"

"I think so. Clark's out chasing down some leads right now. We'll
find him, Jimmy." Lois muttered under her breath, "We've got
to."

Lois finished with Jimmy and decided to investigate the so called
false alarm herself. She didn't know how much time she had left.

***

Chapter 9:

Clark's situation had improved. Instead of a large aching
throbbing in his head, he felt numb, light-headed. The swelling
must have gone down from the rough handling given to me when I
was caught, Clark thought. He had attempted to decipher Luthor's
hidden agenda. He could see he was being used for something.
Bait? To catch what? Ransom? For money? Luthor had tons of it.
Regardless of attending Luthor's Will, Clark had suspected Luthor
had a nest egg somewhere. He wouldn't be the third richest man in
the world any longer, but Clark felt confident that Luthor would
be comfortable if he ever got out of jail...

Jail! Impossible. The whole idea seemed ludicrous. Kidnap me to
escape from prison? It had a laughable sense of irony to it. The
theory seemed sound enough, but what could he possibly do about
it?

The shackles held him tight. He could break them easily if he had
his strength, though Clark had never been able to find the
kryptonite. The room wasn't huge, but was large enough to house
various equipment, all of it very outdated and old. Much of it
looked rusted and worn. The dust thickly covered everything. Well
perhaps not everything. Clark had attempt to see outside his
confinement hundreds of times in the past few hours. He was
unable to see anything past the dull light of a single, small
bulb on the other side of the room. He decided to change
strategies. He moved his head very slowly around the room so as
to not bring back the huge migraine that quick movements caused.
A limited x-ray scan detected what had eluded him. The kryptonite
was in a wooden crate approximately 20 feet away. It was a modest
size and easily emitting enough radiation to make him violently
ill. Strange that he couldn't see inside the room.... Slowly,
Clark's mind started to formulate a plan...

Several floors above Superman's head, Asabi waited, anticipating
a phone call. The Mayor's office had been given a number which
would be bounced through several countries and satellites. The
call would be short enough to be untraceable. The city would
either meet the demands and release Luthor or the consequences
would be severe. Asabi had left Metropolis a year ago to oversee
some of Luthor's international interests. Luthor had prepared for
the day he might be caught and arrested. When Asabi had learned
the master's arrangement for faking his death had been activated,
Asabi had been on the other side of the world. He then proceeded
to hide what funds he could from Bender's greedy laundering. This
task prevented him from assisting the good Dr. Gretchen Kelly in
reviving Lex from his coma. Asabi had been informed of Luthor's
triumphant return to the living and his subsequent capture much
too late to assist. It was a month before he could contact Luthor
and inform him of the hidden reserves of funds. Lex reveled at
defeating those who had caused his mighty fall from grace.
Luthor's mind was still sharp. He was able to devise a stratagem
that would free him from prison and destroy his hated foe in the
process. The kryptonite had been fairly easy to come by. Luthor
never placed all his bets on one plan. Before his injury, Luthor
had split the kryptonite he had stolen from the mercenaries he
had double- crossed. Half of the precious element had been used
to cover and bond with the cage Luthor had used half to trap
Superman the first time and the other was safely hidden. Lex had
wrongly assumed that it had been confiscated when he could not
find it, unaware that Asabi had it removed from its storage.
Nigel had been too flippant and unconcerned with Luthor's frozen
predicament.

The tools for Lex's escape ready, Asabi and Lex began to act.
Communicating through Luthor's lawyers had been the most
difficult element of the plan. Lex had a distrust of them after
the fiasco with Bender, but Asabi had been in Luthor's employ for
many years and had developed a code to relay between the team
working on Luthor's appeal. Not that Lex had any intention of
waiting for the legal process. All of the past few months had
been heading to this one moment and that moment was almost upon
them. Asabi smiled at these thoughts and willed the phone to
ring. Whether it was pure luck or some divine intervention of
fate, ring it did.

"Yes?"

"Are you the person I should be talking to?"

"I am. Are you prepared to exchange?"

(Silence.)

"Yes. This city has been saved too often by Superman not to
attempt to save him."

"Excellent. The time and the place of the exchange has been sent
to the same Inspector that received the original package. Do not
attempt to call this number again."

Asabi placed the phone in the cradle. A wicked smile rose on his
face. Soon Luthor would be free and the rebuilding of an empire
would resume. Of course the police would try some foolishness,
but that had been prepared for. The final phase was to begin. He
had an urge to gloat. He lifted the pistol off the table and went
to visit his prisoner.

The wooden door creaked upon opening once again. Superman still
hung from the wall, defeated.

"You haven't much longer to wait. You shall be captive no
longer."

"Luthor's being freed?"

Asabi s eyes widened. "Impressive. Yes, the police and the Mayor
have agreed to an exchange."

"Too bad Nigel isn't around to help."

Asabi spat. "The traitor's death was too painless. The man had no
sense of loyalty."

Superman chuckled. He had meant to rile the man and had succeeded
admirably. Goading his captor may not have been safe, but Clark
needed to know how much time he had to attempt his plan. "Luthor
has none as well. Those two were made for each other. Be careful
not to lose your value to Luthor."

Anger was getting the best of Asabi. He struck Superman with the
pistol causing him to cry out in anguish. Asabi could not kill
him. Luthor had claimed that honor for himself. Plus, the
bargaining chip might still be useful if the plan ran astray.
"You shall be joining him in the afterlife very shortly, my
friend. Use your final hours to make peace with yourself and your
god."

Clark breathed in relief. Asabi would not return for a few hours
and he would need every precious second. Chapter 10:

Bill Church, Jr. was not happy. A very jittery Howard had just
phoned and told him that they were going to free Luthor. He was
going to have to involve Intergang more actively. A button on the
floorboard placed behind his desk signaled one of his
lieutenants.

"We're going to have to use the backup plan. That bumbling idiot,
Howard, wasn't convincing enough. Ah well, at least Luthor will
be out of the picture permanently. Get the men ready. He's sure
to be followed by the police. Howard informed us of that, but he
doesn't know all the details. He's going to be bugged, too. You
have the frequency and can follow him just as well as those
losers at City Hall. Get on it."

"Yes, sir." The underling didn't salute, but it appeared that he
would with little coaxing. Church paid them well for their
absolute loyalty. His father's empire rewarded extravagantly and
punished just as extravagantly for failure. Howard would be dealt
with. Not killed, he was too useful in the mayor's office. Those
were difficult to replace. No, his youngest daughter should have
an "accident." He'd arrange that after both Luthor and Superman
were dead. To be honest, he wasn't sure which of the men
frightened him the most. At least with Superman, you knew where
you stood.

***

The Mayor was not happy. It was risky to free a dangerous man
like Luthor, even if he was to be on a tight leash. It had taken
some persuasion to allow the state to release Luthor, but
eventually the decision and the responsibility was upon him. He
sat in Inspector Henderson's chair at the police precinct. The
Inspector stood besides him looking over the latest message for
the hundredth time. Nothing in the letter gave any hint as to
it's origin. Henderson gave up trying for the moment and stated,
"My men are getting prepared to move. The exchange time isn't for
another two hours and the warden is sending Luthor in a unmarked
van in a hour."

The Mayor knew this of course, but if it helped Henderson in
taking some of the edge off, he wouldn't scold him for it. "I
don't want any mistakes."

"No, sir. We have already placed a tracer within Luthor's
clothing. We have four teams placed along the route to the drop
point and another two hidden near the site itself. The plan is
not to release Luthor until we see Superman freed and in our
custody."

"Satisfactory. How much has leaked to the press?"

"We've been VERY fortunate in that area. I think the Planet might
know something, they've had reporters hanging around all day, but
they've always seemed to have a special relationship with
Superman. Other than them, nobody has asked anything out of the
ordinary and we've played dumb."

"Okay, I'm going back to the office. Keep me informed of
developments."

***

Chapter 11:

Brilliant colors filled the sky as the sun settled on the
horizon. Lois pulled up to the warehouse, not noticing how the
beautiful sunset hit the water. She locked her car and looked at
the building before her. As Bobby had said, it certainly didn't
appear to look like a victim of a devastating fire.

From her angle it looked to be structurally sound and not a hint
of ash. No one seemed to be around, so she headed for the side
door. A stray alley cat ran past as she rounded the corner. Her
heart jumped as the small figure scurried over her feet.

"Dang cats. Go find some unsuspecting rat to give a heart attack
to."

The door was locked tight. Lois sighed, "Wish Clark was here, he
always gets past these things."

She said it before the weight of the statement hit her. Of
course, he had been using his powers to break into buildings for
a story, but she relied on his help and his presence. She half-
heartedly thought about trying to pick the thing, when a hand
grabbed her from behind.

***

Meanwhile, Clark was putting his plan into action. The kryptonite
was still opposing his powers. The wooden box did nothing to stop
the harmful rays from reaching him. He couldn't break free until
the kryptonite was out of range or had been neutralized. Lead
stopped those rays just as it stopped his vision. He speculated
that it was lead that prohibited his viewing the outside. An
inspection of the room revealed that much of the old machinery
was used for soldering in metal working. Lead scrapings were
spread all over the floor. The erosion and dust must have layered
the walls over the many years of neglect. The box looked to be a
new addition to the chamber, probably placed there just for the
occasion. He needed that kryptonite to be blocked by the lead and
his powerful breath wasn't what it used to be.

Slowly, he drew a deep breath. His lungs struggled against the
effort. Clark coughed slightly as he released a small gust. Dirt
swirled in every direction. He began to try to sweep the room
with a wind capable of covering the room and, more importantly,
the box with the lead powder.

***

Chapter 12:

Perry paced the news room like a worried father. He looked over
by his office door to where Lois and Clark's desks were
positioned. His top two reporters were always careful, but he
worried regardless. Most of the news staff had headed home for
the day, being ignorant of the knowledge Superman was held
captive some where in Metropolis. Superman had saved his life on
many occasions, once when a bomb was planted in his office. The
team he had sent to the police had turned up nothing. The Mayor's
office was silent as well. Lois had called about an hour ago with
some chore for Jimmy, but he had disappeared a half hour ago with
some excuse about having a break in the story. He hoped that kid
didn't get himself into trouble.

***

"JIMMY! You scared me to death!"

"Sorry, Lois, but I came with some news."

"Hold just a second. Pick that lock. I need to get inside this
building."

Jimmy complied, knowing it wasn't a smart idea to contradict her
is these moods. He swallowed his news for a moment and skillfully
unlocked the door.

"Thanks, now wait out here while I look around inside," Lois
whispered as she entered the darkened entrance. The fading
sunlight broke through a skylight in the ceiling. Lois noticed
the place looked abandoned recently. Most of the building
appeared stripped of anything of value. She climbed up on top of
discarded machinery and found something odd. They seemed to be
altered. Welding marks were obvious to the casual inspection and
much of remaining equipment looked scorched, as though flames had
been rising from the inside. The fire must have been completely
staged. Who would go through all this trouble?

"Lois! I really have news."

"I thought I said stay outside."

"Oh, I thought you'd be interested to know this building is owned
by Phoenix Enterprises. Who bought it a few months ago from a
defunct Luthor Industries."

"Phoenix? Lex mentioned Phoenix when he came back... Oh my God!
It's HIM they're trying to free!"

"Whoa. I hope you're wrong."

"What else did you find out?" Lois asked, now very attentive to
what Jimmy had to say.

"Well, they don't seem to DO anything. From what I've been able
to track down, they've only bought this building and another. The
paper trail is pretty obscure. The company was just formed about
two months ago. Remember, I only had about an hour to come up
with that, but I felt it was important enough to come down here
and tell you. You have a habit of turning off your beeper."

"Okay, okay, you said they own another building. Where?"

"An old townhouse in the historic district. I looked into it's
previous owners as well. For the past twenty years some little
known sculptor owned it. Real eccentric. Did those huge abstract
pieces that mean nothing, but are priced at exorbitant rates. He
died five years ago and the house was on the market until Phoenix
bought it last month."

"Then that's where I'm going. Go back to the Planet."

"Like hell I will. No way. First off I won't leave you alone, and
you might need me to help you get in. Plus, Superman is my friend
too. Sorry, Lois, I'm coming."

Lois looked at him for a second. She might indeed need him. Damn.
"Okay, come on."

***

Chapter 13:

A nondescript van pulled up to the Metropolis Theater of
Performing Arts. Streisand had sung here just last week to a sold
out crowd. A door opened and Lex Luthor put his foot down on free
ground.

"Remember, Luthor, you don't leave our sight until we're positive
that Superman has been freed."

"That's not up to me, gentlemen. I'm not responsible for this
terrible tragedy. I can only guess on why someone would go
through this ordeal to free me."

"Uh, uh. And I just helped Elvis from being discovered by the IRS
for avoiding taxes for the past eighteen years."

"Really? Invite him over, we could exchange notes on how to stay
dead."

"Get going, but we'll be right behind."

"Of course. Anything to help the law."

The automatic doors swung open as Lex approached. He had always
enjoyed coming here for concerts. The Strauss tribute had been
exceptionally inspiring last year. He had attended with Lois...
All in due time, Lex thought to himself, all in due time...

Lex strolled down the hall as he was about to attend a show, but
the six guards following were alert with caution. Nothing seemed
out of place. Henderson walked along beside them wondering if he
had made the right decision. This was a trap, of course, the
trick would be to spring it on the other side. The bug was
working fine, he was informed over the wire he wore. The group
entered the huge auditorium, seemingly empty. On stage was a
large television screen. It sprung to life when they reached the
section where middle income families opened mortgages to get
seats.

"Hello, Gentlemen. Allow Mr. Luthor to climb onto the stage,"
said a shadowed image on the screen.

Luthor obliged happily, scrambling up the five foot wall that
started the stage floor.

"No further, Luthor!" Henderson cried out as Lex reached the top.
The guard all had their weapons trained on Luthor's head and
vital organs.

Luthor was just turning to face the inspector, when shots rang
out from the darkness. Henderson looked up to see Luthor as
surprised as the rest of them. He was dodging bullets
frantically, seeking cover where there was none to find. The
television was obliterated into pieces. The officers had not
waited for approval from Inspector Henderson and proceeded to
open fire on the hidden assassins.

The Intergang hit men had missed Luthor on the first volley. They
had picked a position up in the lighting rafters for aiming at
the seats and the angle of the stage obscured the line of fire.
Cursing, they fired rapid bursts of shots at the stage.

The officers were amazed to see they had escaped most of the
spray of bullets. Henderson was trying to find Luthor on the
stage, but evidently he was flattened on the floor. The men above
him were preventing him from hopping up there to grab Lex and he
didn't see an alternate path without leaving himself wide open.

The sound of shots firing was echoed around the auditorium as the
gun men sent round after round down, but the leader called for a
stop. Luthor wasn't to be seen anywhere. They quickly jumped up
and crawled along the rafters to the stage ladders and climbed
down into the control booth. Luthor wasn't on the stage at all.
With no course of action clear, they tried to run.

Henderson and company ran up the stairs to the stage to find
Luthor had vanished. Henderson barked to chase the team of hit
men. They sprinted across the huge auditorium to the foyer they
had entered from.

The Intergang crew had just escaped outside when thirty armed
police officers surrounded them.

"Drop your weapons NOW!" Officer Sikes yelled.

Not being totally unreasonable or suicidal, they complied.

Inspector Henderson burst from the theater as the squad was
finishing the handcuffing.

"Where's Luthor on the scanner?"

"It looks like he's on the roof."

The SWAT team kicked open the door to the roof with their rifles
pointing in the direction of the scanner. They approached
cautiously to a ventilation shaft opening. Inspector Henderson
foolishly reached down as something flew out at him.

A flock of scared pigeons came up out of the shaft spooking the
officers into firing. Dead birds dropped down to the floor and
the group came to realize what had happened. Henderson,
recovering from his embarrassment looked at the deceased animals
finding a small tracer attached to the leg of one.

"We've been had."

***

In another part of the city, Luthor grasped Asabi s hand with
enthusiasm. "Asabi, I think we've earned a vacation. But work
comes first and you know what a work-a-holic I tend to be. Lead
on to the fallen hero. I'm going to relish killing him."

"Of course, sir. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back and soon Metropolis will be mine again
Chapter 14:

"Cough! COUGH!!" The air was thick with dirt and dust. Clark was
inhaling a lot of it, but what wasn't smothering him had begun to
screen the kryptonite. His breath was making a difference. His
strength ebbed back. His wounds were healing faster. He was
becoming whole again. The entire room was filthy, but covered
with lead particles. The deadly kryptonite was still having an
effect, though. It was annoying him. He strained against the
chains binding him. He was tired of being prey to every criminal
with a chunk of that rock. The wall began to buckle. He felt a
loosening of tension. The stones came flying out as the shackles
gave in to the force pulling upon them.

Clark collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. His muscles
rebelled against him shaking violently from the strain their
master had inflicted upon them. Who was he fooling? The
kryptonite was going to take much longer than that to recover
from. The blow to the head from Asabi had brought back his
headache. He struggled to rise as he heard a sound coming from
the door. Panic, then determination overwhelmed him. He wasn't
going to make it easy for them. He forced his arms to push him
upright. A bright light began to strike the dust floating in the
air. Clark couldn't see who was approaching as two pairs of hands
lifted up him to his feet.

"Superman, are you all right?" Jimmy asked as he draped Clark's
arm over his shoulder.

Superman looked in wonderment as he saw Lois Lane standing right
beside him with water in her eyes. She had found him.

Recovering, Clark looked over to the eyes of Lois and stated with
deep conviction, "I've never felt better in my life. Lois,
there's kryptonite in that wooden crate over in the corner. DON'T
get an urge to wipe off the dirt. It's covered with lead."

Lois ran over to grab the box and carefully lifted it with the
stone inside shifting from the movement. Jimmy continued to help
Superman outside the room and up the stairway leading to the
world above. Lois stood behind worrying for Clark's safety,
holding kryptonite in hand. They reached the ground floor of the
townhouse and then reached the outside. The street was deserted
at this time of night and they made it to Lois' Jeep without
incident. Jimmy carried Superman to the passenger side and hopped
in the back seat of the car.

"Where are we going?" Superman asked.

"Your ho... probably better off at Clark's house. It's the
closest to here."

Jimmy remarked from the back, "I hope he made it home by now,
from the way you acted Lois, he was at death's door with that
flu."

"Flu? Ah, Clark's a big boy. I'm sure he can handle some measly
bug," Superman smirked, unable to resist the opportunity. Lois
seemed to have covered nicely with an excuse for Clark's
absence.

"Watch it, buster, that happens to be the man I'm in love with,"
Lois replied with a small smile.

Both Superman's and Jimmy's mouths dropped open. Jimmy was not
looking at Superman's reaction and missed the expression of joy
that covered Clark's face.

Beaming, but with a small amount of control, Clark looked over at
Lois. She was driving one handed and patted him on the shoulder
softly. Clark looked over at her and was distracted by something
on her other hand. He stopped and stared.

"Nice ring," he commented.

Lois looked at her hand and realized she had never removed the
engagement ring she had tried on in Clark's apartment. She
blushed slightly and then recovered quickly. She decided she
didn't mind one bit that it was still on. "Thank you."

Jimmy was befuddled, confused, just a little bit stupefied. "You
mean you and Clark? You..."

Lois laughed at Jimmy's reaction and gently said, "Yes, Jimmy,
you... and Superman are the first to officially know, so keep it
quiet until we get a chance to announce it. Okay?"

Jimmy just nodded slightly and leaned back against the seat.
Superman looked back and grinned, "I think they make a great
couple."

***

The car was silent for the remaining voyage and Lois pulled up to
Clark's apartment building. She got out and helped Clark from the
car. The kryptonite was still having a small effect, but he felt
much healthier and stood on his own strength.

"Jimmy," Lois said tossing the keys into the young man's lap.
"Take the kryptonite directly to STAR labs for them to dispose
of. No back talking. Clark and I will take care of Superman."

Jimmy mumbled in agreement and placed himself behind the wheel
and took off. Superman and Lois made it to the door of Clark's
apartment and Lois retrieved the key from her purse.

"I thought I might need it this morning, I hope you don't mind."

"Keep it. You should have one."

Lois closed the door behind them and started to head to the
phone. She stopped when she heard chuckling from behind her.

"I don't think Jimmy is going to recover from his shock any time
soon."

"He'll be fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm improving, just a bit sore. I had better change," he said
wiping some of the grime off. "Clark should make an appearance."

"Clark had better write some of the story as well. I wouldn't
want to receive all the acclaim." Lois smiled back at him.

"Now that doesn't sound like the Lois I know."

"This is the new and improved Lois. You're filthy. Go take a
shower and change."

"Yes, madam," Clark said obeying her command and heading for the
bedroom.

Lois called Perry and told him Superman was freed and they would
be in shortly to write the story after she and Clark had
interviewed Superman. She asked him to call the police and relay
the address of the building Superman had been held captive. Perry
informed her he would and asked if Superman was okay. Lois
ensured him Superman would be fine and back at saving the world
soon, probably as soon as he gets out of the shower Lois thought
to herself.

Clark walked out cleaned and changed fifteen minutes later.

"Finished?" Lois asked from the couch.

"I took my time getting ready, I'm still a little groggy."

"It'd be a record for anybody else who had been kidnapped and
beaten to the point of near death this morning."

"Mm," Clark grunted in agreement as he sat down beside her. "I
wanted to talk before we headed to the Planet."

"Okay, that's a good idea," Lois said, "Oh, I've been holding
these for you." She reached into her purse and pulled out Clark's
glasses.

"Thanks, but I'll put them on in a minute. I want to make sure
that this is what you really want. I've waited for this moment
for a very long time and I think I'm even having a little
difficulty believing it's true."

"What exactly are you asking, Clark?"

"Lois, I asked you last night to spend the rest of your life with
me. I did it because I had almost lost you and couldn't imagine
the living hell life would become without you in it. The one
barrier to that was I had a double life I was keeping from you.
I've wanted to tell you, but when it came down to it, something
within me always held me back. Last minute doubts, maybe, I don't
really know. I do know that you are the smartest, supportive,
most beautiful woman I've ever met and I want to ask you that
question again. I'M asking, both as Clark Kent and Superman.
We're the same and I can't give up either. They're who I am, and
from what you've shown me, you're beginning to accept that,"
Clark said proudly.

"What I am asking is.... Lois, will you marry me?"

"Don't you mean us? Oh, never mind, yes. Yes! I'll marry whoever
you are."

She reached her hands around his neck and kissed him softly on
the lips. It led to a deeper, more passionate embrace and another
kiss, and another. She would have been content to stay there for
the remainder of the year, but pulled away.

"Clark, we need..."

Clark sighed contentedly, "I know. Let's get to work. I need you
to fill me in on the way there. I'll call a cab."

***

Chapter 15:

Lois and Clark were holding hands as they stepped out of the
elevator and into the Daily Planet News room. The room was busy,
but not out of control. Lois remembered how sensitive she had
been this morning to everyone's perception of her state of mind,
but now she ignored them. They continued to walk down the ramp to
their respective desks with a hazy sense of contentment.
Reluctantly, they released each other and sat down and began to
boot up their computers.

An old, gruff seasoned editor watched the couple enter and start
working. He sat back and laughed. Even trial and misery couldn't
stop those two when they got their minds to it. Perry began to
whistle as he continued to work on the morning edition for
tomorrow. It was late and this baby needed to be put to bed.
Jimmy had called about twenty minutes ago with the news that the
kryptonite had been taken care of and he didn't want to disturb
his best reporters when they were on fire.

A small knock at the door interrupted him. They were both
standing there grinning like Cheshire cats. Perry looked up with
a face that gave no clue on how proud he was of these two. No
reason to let it go to their heads, he thought. "What's up, you
two? Superman at a hundred percent?"

"Superman is fine, Chief, we'd like to know what you've heard
about Luthor. Have the police had any luck?"

"Nope, that man is as slick as oil. He used a trap door on the
floor to drop below and underneath the auditorium. The police
have discovered a tunnel that led them around twenty blocks. It
reminded them of the secret vault Superman found last year under
the Metropolis Museum. That had been blocked off so the police
had given up, but this tunnel led them all over the city. They
tried that address you sent, but it was completely abandoned."

"Then Luthor's escaped," Clark said eyes narrowing.

"I'm sure Superman will find him," Lois said with confidence.

Clark looked over and smiled at her. She wouldn't allow his mood
to come down.

How were you able to find Superman? I'm sure the police were
combing the city for him.

Lois looked at Perry and merely stated, "Why, Perry, that's why
I'm the best."

The editor smiled at the young woman and was about to say
something when Jimmy walked in. "What's a matter, son?"

"Oh, um, nothing," Jimmy said hesitantly looking at Clark and
Lois. "Clark, are you feeling better?"

"Oh, I think so. Must have been a twenty-four hour thing. I heard
it was going around."

Jimmy nodded and brightened. "I found something about the
previous owner of the house where we found Superman."

"The artist?" Lois asked.

"Yeah, he died of lead poisoning."

The three looked at him and then promptly burst into laughter.
Even sober irony could be hysterical. Jimmy grinned. "It wasn't
from the solder in the work room, but from water pipes. The house
was really old and he had never bothered to replace them."

Clark began heading back to his desk to begin typing when Lois
coughed lightly with her hand to her mouth. He turned around
concerned when he saw her small grin. "Shouldn't we tell him?"

Clark blushed slightly. "I suppose we should. Perry, Lois and I
are engaged."

"You're not getting any time off until you finish that story."

They both laughed and Perry stood up and walked over to them. He
shook Clark's hand with vigor and gave Lois a hug.
"Congratulations you two. I had hoped you'd come around
eventually."

Jimmy came over and shook Clark's hand as well. "Congrats!"

"Thanks, Perry, Jimmy. Come on, Clark, let's write our next award
winning article."

"You make it sound like a routine occurrence, Lois," Clark
teased.

"With the both of us writing, Clark, it will be!" Lois replied
slyly.

***

Chapter 16:

Above Metropolis in the night air, a private plane flew silently
over the clouds heading to the ocean. Asabi piloted it towards
the island home his employer owned. He cursed himself the fool.
Somehow, Superman had broken free from his bonds and he and Lex
had returned to an empty house with the police in the distance.
The kryptonite was gone as well.

Lex Luthor stared out the window. Three times, THREE times,
Superman had been with in his grasp and escaped. His own escape
from imprisonment was a bittersweet victory. Silently, he vowed,
there will be another day. Soon...

***

Henderson entered his living room with relief. He had spent hours
explaining to the Mayor and the city council exactly what had
happened. The Intergang group had been adamant in their silence,
but their various past records hinted what had happened.

The officials had finally allowed him to go home and rest. He sat
on his couch and closed his eyes, content. Superman was back
saving the world from itself. Luthor had escaped, but Henderson
would keep his eyes open. Superman would be on the look-out as
well, he assured himself. Fatigue finally overwhelmed him and he
succumbed to slumber.

***

Bill Church, Jr. sat furious at his office. Some of his top
operatives were in jail and they had failed to eliminate Luthor.
To top it off, Superman was freed. The day had gone to waste. He
opened a box on his desk and reached for a cigar. They had a
calming effect upon him. He snipped off the end and searched for
his lighter. The fine gold etching of his initials shone in the
light. Click! Click! Nothing.

Disgusted he threw it to the side of the room and looked for a
match. The world seemed to be against him. Ah, matches, he
delightedly thought, finding a book in the bottom drawer.
Clumsily, he dropped them to the ground. He cursed and reached to
get them, when a guard walked in.

In surprise, he jerked his head up and hit the desk yelling in
pain, "Damnation!"

The guard, fearing for his life, fled the room.

***

Chapter 17:

It was close to midnight when Clark and Lois returned to Clark's
apartment. Perry had driven them out as soon as their stories had
arrived at his desk. They didn't put up much of a struggle. Clark
slumped into a chair in the kitchen, exhausted. His wounds were
healing gradually and by morning he should be healthy and whole.

"Do you want me to make some coffee?" Lois asked coming up behind
him rubbing his broad shoulders.

He sighed in blissful ease, "Sure, thanks."

Lois went to the cabinet and began preparing the coffee maker.
Clark got up and sat on the couch while Lois was roaming around
the kitchen. Mr. Coffee began to pour out the hot liquid and Lois
found two mugs. She looked over at Clark and found him to be
sound asleep. She laughed slightly and brought the cups to the
coffee table and sat beside him. The movement stirred Clark and
one eyelid opened partially.

"Guess I'm not a very good host tonight."

"Shhhh. You're fine. You haven't slept in two days," Lois
remarked and noticed Clark's eyes were closed again.

She smiled and laid back onto his shoulder. He must not have been
completely asleep because he reached his arm around her. She took
hold of his hand, wrapping his fingers in hers. She laid
contentedly next to his warm body. Her eyes became heavy and soon
she entered a peaceful slumber.

THE END -- FOR NOW

Hoped you enjoyed it. Thanks to Dan, Lisa, and Connie for
encouragement and support and Leigh for guidance. (P.S. Believe
it not, I wrote this BEFORE seeing "Batman Forever," Bruce's
acceptance of both his personas mirroring Clark's to a degree.)
-- Mike Ring (mrrsteele@aol.com)

(utopia.txt)