The Master Race by Jenni Debbage Rated PG-13 Submitted December 1998 ______________ Author's note: This is my third story in the saga of my Lois & Clark family. I have taken the liberty on this occasion of moving them out of Metropolis for at least part of this story and set them on vacation (perhaps?) in the U K The title and the hall of Sheringham are fictitious though the stately home is based on a number of real houses which I have visited in the area. The town of Sheringham does exist though I have used poetic licence to describe the part in which the Kents' holiday home is situated. The usual disclaimers apply once again, though the new characters are my own invention. I would like to thank Sarah Murray for all her work in helping me with these stories. Her assistance is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this story and, please, feedback is welcome. THE MASTER RACE Clark Kent paced back and forth across the living room floor of his Metropolis townhouse, glancing at his watch now and then in frustration. He didn't really need to check with a timepiece as he had an automatic clock in his brain, yet the impatient gesture matched his mood. He knew this was an important day in his daughter's young life, but just how long did it take Lois to dress the little girl? The taxi would be arriving any minute now. Looking over at his seven-year-old son, who was sitting bolt upright on the couch opposite, he was not surprised and slightly amused to see Joel apparently feeling very uncomfortable in his new and very formal suit. The child's hand rose once again to the collar of his white shirt and fiddled with his bow-tie as if it were threatening to choke him. Clark moved to his son and covered the fidgeting hand with his larger one. "Joel, stop that. I've straightened your tie twice already; any more mistreatment and it will be beyond repair and your mother will slay us." The boy sighed wearily at his dad's rebuke. "Why don't you run upstairs and see what's holding up your mom and Clara?" Glad of something to do, the boy jumped up from the sofa and ran upstairs. As he watched the sure and speedy way Joel mounted the stairs Clark knew instinctively that his son had inherited his super powers and, although they were not yet evident, he was certain that they would show up in the near future. He hoped for the child's sake that like himself Joel would develop his special abilities gradually, over a number of years. But unlike himself his child would have the support and help of someone who knew exactly how weird and scary these new gifts could be. Martha and Jonathan had done a marvellous job in helping him adjust to his own capabilities, especially since they had not really understood themselves what was happening to the child they had found and raised and loved as their own. Clark would be eternally grateful to the fates that the Kents had found him, particularly now as they were helping Lois and himself in caring for their family. Without the assistance of his parents, both Lois and Clark knew that they could never balance their busy lives with their high profile jobs and his life as a super-hero, with that of bringing up their three children. At least the problem of deciding at what age it would be best to reveal the secret of his identity to his children had been taken completely out of the hands of the troubled parents. Clara, their irrepressible daughter, when only a toddler who was just learning to build her words into comprehensive sentences, had made the connection to Superman and her Daddy. The two children were playing in their grandparents' family room while Jonathan had been watching a ball game on T V. An urgent news bulletin about an explosion in the city had interrupted the program, one which the kids had no trouble ignoring. However, when Superman had appeared on the scene to assist the public services with the rescue, Joel being as enamoured of the super hero as any other child his age, broke off from his game with his sister and became glued to the screen. Clara, bereft of her partner, had followed along. They had watched in fascination as Superman had shifted rubble and pulled away iron girders that normally would have required the time and the effort of many men. When a camera had zoomed in on the Man of Steel as he had lifted an injured child from the wreckage, a sorrowful and compassionate look gracing the face of the hero, Clara had sprung up from her position on the floor and firmly placing her sticky fingers on the screen had announced to the room at large. "Daddy! My Daddy!" she exclaimed, beaming broadly. Her grandparents had patiently tried to explain that this was Superman and not her father, but the small girl remained adamant, giving a very fair imitation of her tenacious mother in pursuit of a story. Her parents had been sent for but they had no more success in persuading Clara that she was mistaken and when Joel, who had remained unusually quiet while the four most important grownups in his life concentrated on his sister, finally spoke. "You are Superman, Daddy! You are. You mustn't tell lies. Superman doesn't tell lies." Joel's young mind had been examining what he knew of his hero and comparing that with his knowledge of his father. He knew that his father often disappeared at odd times and that sometimes this exasperated his mother, and yet his dad was always forgiven. He also realised that his mother had feelings for Superman and that she worried about him. How often had the two of them sat alone before a T V screen anxiously watching the hero's exploits and then welcomed in great relief the return of his father? Joel wondered how he could have been so blind to the uncanny resemblance between the two men and why his younger sister had so clearly seen through the disguise. Was he 'stupid'? Faced with the accusing glares of his two children, Clark had realised he could no longer maintain the pretense. Although he considered them too young to be trusted with such a secret, he could not lie to them. Appealing to his wife for support, he had sat both Joel and Clara on his lap and attempted to explain in simple terms, terms he hoped the two would understand, who he was and why it was so important that they speak to no one else about this except the people already in the room. The four adults had spent the next months apprehensively awaiting the kids to accidentally reveal the truth of Clark's identity, but their fears were groundless. To this day neither one had betrayed their father's secret. They had both intuitively recognised, with a perception far beyond their years, the importance of maintaining his cover. Hopefully Nathan would follow his siblings' lead. A frustrated scream broke through Clark's contemplation and drew his attention to the present and more particularly to the plight of his youngest child, who was very grumpily strapped into his high chair. Nathan had been the first to be dressed into his fancy clothes to enable Lois to devote all her attention to Clara's preparations. However, the toddler, not appreciating the reasons for his finery, had escaped into the back garden to pass the time with his favourite hobby of digging up the flowerbeds, thus resulting in the need for his complete refurbishment. When Nathan was once more dressed to his mother's satisfaction, he was confined to his high chair, where it was hoped he could no longer get into any more trouble. Clark sympathising with the baby's impatience, attempted to distract the infant, while praying that the two favourite ladies in his life would hurry things along. Upstairs in the master bedroom, Lois was putting the finishing touches to her daughter's hairstyle by placing a coronet of tiny rosebuds in amongst her curls. Clara had inherited her father's dark hair colouring and chocolate brown eyes but, according to the holograms produced by the 'Globe', her features resembled her Kryptonian grandmother. On the whole, the result was lovely and Clara was not averse to using her undoubted charms to getting her own way. Her mother was usually immune to her wiles, but her father was very often putty in her hands. Clara loved her father with every beat of her heart and as she stood now before the large mirror, gazing at the unfamiliar reflection of a dainty little girl clad in ivory silk and lace, her one concern was 'what would her Daddy think?' There was no doubt about what her brother thought as he burst into the room. His sister was a tomboy and the sight of her in a floaty, frilly dress was just too much for his equilibrium. Standing in the open doorway with his mouth agape Joel managed one word. "WOW!!" Then his sense of humour took over and he came forward as if he were searching for something or someone. "Hey Mom, I thought you had Clara up here, but she seems to have disappeared." Joel's customary teasing broke Clara from the trance she'd been in, ever since she spied herself in the mirror. Now the real Clara Kent emerged. Hands on her hips and her little chin raised belligerently she turned to face her brother. "I know! I don't like it either," she challenged, "but you have to wear clothes like these to be a flower-girl. You don't look so good yourself!" A crestfallen Joel quickly realised his mistake. "No Clara! You look good, really pretty," and when his sister seemed doubtful he stressed, "Really, really pretty." Lois smiled as her son's expression mimicked his father's when he was attempting to redress a similar mistake that he had blundered into. Thoughts of Clark brought his voice, calling from downstairs. "Hey, you guys, the taxi's here. Could you move it along now or the bride will be at the church before we arrive." Sensing Clara's reticence, Lois took her daughter's hand and with a gentle squeeze spoke words of encouragement. "You are a very lovely young lady, but why don't we go down and ask Daddy what he thinks?" Clara threw a last appraising glance at her unfamiliar reflection and with a sigh of resignation and holding fast to her mother's hand the three headed out of the room. Just before turning into the final flight of stairs, Lois dropped the tiny hand that clung to her and hurried to catch up with Joel. Alone on the landing Clara hesitated, unsure of herself in her unaccustomed attire. Clark looked up to remonstrate with his wife on her tardiness but caught instead the picture of his precious little girl standing anxiously at the top of the stairs. His heart swelled with pride. The ivory silk frock enhanced her creamy satin skin and her discomfiture had increased the rosiness of her rounded cheeks. Silently he walked to the foot of the steps. "Princess, you are so beautiful, you take my breath away." And when he opened his arms to her, Clara forgot all her decorum and launched herself into her Daddy's waiting embrace. He swung her around the room, both of them laughing merrily, when they were halted by Lois' strict reminder. "Ahem!! I believe you said the taxi was waiting." The Kent family began to panic. Clark deposited his daughter gently on the floor and straightened out her gown, swiftly smoothing out, with a small burst of heat vision, a few creases, created by their pirouette around the room. Lois disappeared into the kitchen, quickly returning with Clara's rosebud posy. After satisfying herself that everyone was dressed tidily she escorted her family towards the door, only to be halted by yet another shrill squeal. Nathan had almost been forgotten in the rush. Scooping him into her arms, she followed Clark and the kids out of the door. ********** The wedding of Doctors Bernard Klein and Beth Peters was well overdue as both parties were in the autumn of their years and their association was one of long standing. In fact, they had first met over six years ago, when Lois was carrying her second child, the baby who was to become their godchild and who was now their flower-girl. Back then, shortly after saving Clark's life and revealing that he knew of the young man's secret identity, Bernard had shown up at the couple's home one evening, bearing the disturbing news that the new baby's life might be in danger, due to the differences in blood type between Lois and Clark. He explained that the condition could be similar to the Rhesus Syndrome and that as Joel's blood type was the same as his father's, antibodies might well have formed in Lois' bloodstream and that those antibodies may now be detrimental to the survival of their second child. Simultaneously, Dr Peters had discovered these very antibodies while routinely testing Lois' blood. Her lab technician had that morning drawn her attention to Mrs Kent's condition. Needless to say, the obstetrician was surprised by this development. As far as she could remember, there was no reason from the first pregnancy to have precipitated the creation of the antibodies. Opening up Lois' file on her computer, she checked back over the information provided by Clark Kent when the couple had first attended her clinic, and just as her memory had suggested, his blood type was compatible with that of his wife's. The doctor did not, of course, realise that Lois and Clark had suffered many sleepless nights agonizing over just what information they could reveal regarding Clark's medical history. Eventually they had asked Martha and Jonathan Kent's advice about the question of Clark's blood type and the consensus of opinion had been, that as it was assumed that Joel would be the couple's only child, they could safely give false information. It was decided that the time to reveal all was when and if events should go wrong. But Beth Peters had not known this and so she was confronted with a mystery. Could it be that Joel was not the offspring of Lois Lane's husband? That hardly seemed feasible when she remembered how much in love the couple had appeared to be, or how contented the new mother had been with her pregnant state. There had certainly been no signs of a guilty conscience. Then too, never in all the years of her career had she witnessed a new born child who had resembled his father as much as Joel. Perhaps there had been a mistake made in transposing the client's written file onto computer. The original files were stored in her record room and she quickly went to check the information, but there written in Clark's own hand was the same blood type as recorded on her computerised files and if this was correct then there should have been no adverse effect. Finally Beth decided to recheck the lab work but once again this only confirmed the findings. There were antibodies present in the blood sample. While puzzling over the information, one troubling memory forced itself on her conscious thoughts. After Joel's birth the couple had stipulated that no blood was to be drawn from the baby, citing religious beliefs for their decision. To the doctor, this had seemed a strange request as neither parent had previously shown any religious tendencies. However, Clark had been raised in the farm belt of Kansas where quite a number of weird sects proliferated, so she had simply acquiesced to the demand without question. Then too, both mother and baby had left her care a little more than 24 hours after the birth and except for Lois showing up for a very swift prenatal exam, Beth had not had any contact with her until she arrived back at her surgery obviously pregnant once more. In the weeks that followed Lois' re-entry into her life the doctor considered how the media had been obsessed with the identity of Metropolis' favourite hero. Some tabloids even suggesting that Clark Kent was, in reality, Superman. That rumour had been categorically blown apart by the presence of the hero going about his duties in the city while Clark Kent was reportedly home sick, having been injured by some of Superman's enemies. Beth had experienced only a passing interest in the reports and that only because Kent's wife was her patient. Now however, she wondered if the connection between the three subjects of the controversy might have some bearing on the reasons for the unexpected results of Lois' blood test and the strange behaviour of the new parents during the first pregnancy and immediately following Joel's birth. She decided that the only way forward was to confront the couple with her findings and to that end she noted their home address and went to make a house call. That monumental action had changed her life. During that visit Dr Beth Peters had been indoctrinated into the small circle of friends who knew the truth of and strove to protect Superman's identity. On a more personal level, she had met Bernard Klein. Their relationship had developed and deepened slowly as the two had in the ensuing months endeavoured to find a way to save the life of Clara Kent. They had kept her alive inside her mother's womb and when that environment had proved too dangerous to the baby's existence, induced the birth and afterwards administered a life saving blood change, blood that had been donated by her father. Furthermore, they had developed a desensitising agent, which, when injected into Lois' bloodstream, protected any further offspring from any danger. And all their efforts were made while maintaining the secrecy of the family's origins. Lois and Clark had been so grateful to the two Doctors, they had asked them to stand as godparents to their new daughter and today, the child whose existence had brought together two lonely people, was to be a special witness at their wedding. ********** The day went well. The friends and family of the couple, though not great in number, were certainly enthusiastic. The church ceremony was very moving and the wedding party was full of warmth and joy and everyone agreed that the flower girl was the belle of the ball. Nevertheless, after a long afternoon of being on her best behaviour, Clara Kent was beginning to tire. At the moment she was swept up in Clark's arms, dancing round the floor with her father and mother. A slow romantic song was playing and the late afternoon sun shown through the tall glass windows and crept across the wooden floor, wrapping the three in a warm haze. Clara's eyes drifted shut and her head sank slowly to her Daddy's strong shoulder. "I think someone has finally run out of steam," Lois remarked, smiling at the unusual sight of her daughter at peace. "She has been just perfect today." If the truth were told, Lois had been a little anxious about her child's behaviour. Clara was not known for her seemliness. Hoyden was more the word that sprang to mind when describing her girl and for this Lois had to claim responsibility. The energy and spunk that belonged to Lois had been passed from mother to child. A circumstance that gave the busy mother a few sleepless nights, wondering how her fiery nature would meld with superpowers, should her daughter grow up to inherit her father's genetic abilities. Clark nevertheless had no such qualms, invoking the memory of Ultrawoman, to prove that Lois' personality had adapted to the role of superhero with great aplomb. But her fears were not so easily dissipated and she promised herself that she would be there to advise and support her daughter whenever the need arose. For the moment, taking her young family home and putting them to bed, seemed to be the care required. At her suggestion, Clark immediately agreed, a teasing smile lightening up his face and his eyebrows rose evocatively. Lois laughed, but gave him a corrective slap. "Down boy! Remember what happened when we went home after Perry and Alice's wedding." That private celebration had resulted in Clara's conception and while she recognised that Clark would probably not be too upset to have another child, Lois felt she had done her duty in the foundation of the future Utopia. Clark's answer was interrupted by their sleepy daughter, stretching and yawning and asking to be taken home. Being a flower girl had been fun, but Clara's fancy clothes were becoming too restricting and the cake and ice cream she had consumed were beginning to make her feel a little sick. She wished she had listened to her parents when they had warned her about overeating, which was really all her Mommy's fault because along with everything else, she had inherited her mother's love of chocolate. Lois and Clark walked slowly from the dance floor, rejoining Martha and Jonathan who were sitting by the large windows that overlooked the hotel gardens. Nathan was already asleep in his Grandpa's lap, but by the restless movements he was making Lois judged that it would not be long before he awoke, grumpy and tired from the long day. A wedding reception was not the best venue for young children and although their mother was extremely pleased with how well her offspring had behaved, she sensed that their patience was running out fast and that now was the time for a quick exit. Instructing her husband to go in search of his eldest son, Lois began to collect the family's belongings. Clark looked round the ballroom but without success. He tuned in his super hearing to his son's voice and heard laughter and excited shouts coming from the direction of the garden. Following the sounds he strolled outside, yet swiftly increased his pace when he overheard a dull thud, followed by a scream of pain. His sense of direction brought him directly to the scene of the incident and his breath caught in his throat at the sight. Joel stood perfectly still, confidently balanced on the branches of a tall tree, while a little way below him an older boy clung precariously to the trunk, looking down at his younger brother who now lay crying in pain beneath the tree. A broken branch testified to where the child had fallen from. Clark lowered his glasses and scanned the boy's body. Fortunately the only injuries he found were a broken ankle and collarbone, but the child was obviously frightened and in danger of going into shock. After scanning the tree to test the condition of the other branches and assuring himself that the other two climbers were safe for the present, he ordered the boys to stay where they were until he returned, then picking up the injured child he gently carried him inside. The boy's parents were shocked and dismayed when they saw their child cradled in Kent's arms and Dr Beth, immediately understanding the circumstances, broke off her conversation with some of her guests and accompanied by her husband, crossed to take charge of the situation. She leaned closely towards Clark as he quietly revealed that the boy had no more serious injuries than two broken bones. Comforting the hurt child as she ran her hands over his limbs in examination, she informed the worried mother and father of her borrowed diagnosis and, sending Clark a secret thank you for the valuable information, she went to call for an ambulance. With the injured child now taken care off, Clark speedily returned to the scene of the accident to rescue the other children from their shaky perch. He dearly would have liked to use his powers, but because of the group of anxious people who accompanied him, this was not possible. His climb to rescue the boys would have to be made normally, however that did not prevent the surreptitious use of his strength and balance while doing so. Lois and the rest of his family had joined the group at the foot of the tree and he easily recognised her quick intake of breath at seeing her son peering from amidst the leafy branches. Joel nonetheless, was not where his father had left him, having moved to support the other boy who was beginning to panic and therefore was in danger of losing the already tenuous hold with which he clung to the bark. The state of affairs was becoming more desperate and to prevent further accidents Clark moved to the foot of the tree and was about to reach for the lowest branch to begin his ascent when a firm hand reached his shoulder. The restraining arm belonged to one of the other guests, who had been introduced earlier as Martin Peters, the bride's younger brother. This gentleman was a physiotherapist who obviously took great care of his physique. Pointing to the broken tree branch, he offered his opinion. "I'm not sure that the tree will take your weight, Mr Kent. One branch has already broken under the stress of a child. I know you're anxious for the safety of the boys but I think it would be wise to wait for a ladder. The staff have even now gone to fetch one." Clark almost growled at the man in frustration. However, he realised that the advice was offered out of a genuine concern and that the fellow could not know that he wasn't in any danger of falling. This was not true for the boys in the tree and the longer they stayed on their perch the more dangerous it became. With his super hearing Clark could discern every creak and groan that emanated from the straining tree limbs and, realising that the situation was becoming critical, decided that if he couldn't climb up he could at least talk Joel down. Throwing Lois a look of encouragement he turned his gaze upwards to his son. "Joel," he spoke carefully, not wanting to cause alarm, "the branch will not continue to hold the both of you, so you are going to have to move." As if to confirm his statement there was a loud snap as the ancient wood of the tree cracked a little beneath the boys' feet. A collective gasp broke from the group assembled at the tree base and the children yelped loudly. "Where is that ladder?" A voice from the crowd demanded. "How long does it take them to fetch a ladder?" And a man left the group with the intention of speeding up the delivery. Lois struggled to still her wildly beating heart, telling herself that at the very worst Clark would catch the boys if they fell and thus prevent serious injury, but she also recognised that her son's friend was terrified and therefore liable to do the unexpected, making the task of rescue more difficult. If only there was not an audience her husband could leave and reappear as Superman, but under the circumstances the attending group would probably be suspicious if Clark were to abandon his son. She moved closer to Clark as he began to speak again. "Joel," he called anew in a calm voice. "Joel, below you to your left there is another branch. As smoothly as you can, I want you to move down to it." Nodding his head in agreement the youngster stretched his foot towards the next branch and began to lower his body in preparation for the transfer but as his arm slid from the other boy's shoulder he was gripped in a fierce hold. Just as Lois had thought, the terrified child had acted out of fright and almost sent Joel spinning to the ground. Fortunately Joel had inherited his father's balance and he steadied himself back beside his playmate. He called down, bravely striving to appear relaxed. "Daddy, I can't move. Every time I try, Darren gets scared and grabs hold of me. He thinks that he'll fall if I let go of him." Once more Clark addressed the children. "Darren, can you hear me? The branch you're standing on is in danger of breaking if you don't allow Joel to move off." Clark tried to pitch his voice so that he wouldn't create further panic, but the situation was swiftly deteriorating. He fervently prayed for the arrival of the ladder. "Darren, can you transfer your hold to the tree trunk and let Joel move away?" But the boy was unable to listen to reason and he lurched to tighten his hold around Joel's neck. The sudden movement completed the crack in the wood and the branch and the children dropped into space. The group instinctively scattered to avoid the descending obstacles, except for Clark and Martin who desperately fought for position underneath the falling boys. This was a desperate quandary for Clark. Should he try to save his son, which every instinct was screaming for him to do, or should he catch the stranger, who he was certain would be more liable to be hurt than was Joel? Seconds later he was holding Darren in his arms. The boy was shocked but unhurt and he quickly transferred him to Martin's hold while he turned to search the ground for his son, almost afraid of what he might find, yet there was no other body on the ground. Raising his eyes back to the heights of the tree, Clark spotted Joel, his arms wrapped round a lower branch, but still out of reach of rescue. Everyone held their breath as the boy glanced down to the awaiting people far below him. "Daddy?" They all heard his voice raised in question. He seemed remarkably at ease for one in such a hazardous predicament. "Daddy?" He spoke again and then in an action of blind faith the young child let go of his hold of the tree and plummeted to the ground and into the safety of his father's powerful grasp. The watching group were amazed at the luck that placed Clark directly under his falling son and a few puzzled over the amount of strength needed to hold the two catches. However Kent looked like quite a strong guy who probably worked out and both young boys were very slight and in the relief that all had turned out well, any questions were quickly forgotten. Those who were initiated, were completely astounded by another fact; the final part of the descent had been controlled and Joel had landed softly in Clark's arms. Lois was not impressed by her son's first foray in learning how to fly and she wrapped her arms around his small body and burst into tears. Slowly the circle drifted back towards the interior of the hotel, to find that the ambulance had arrived. Darren with his younger brother and his parents were transported off to hospital. The paramedics had offered to take Joel too, but after a quick check up by Beth, it was decided that a good nights sleep in his own bed, with his attentive parents to care for him would be all the attention he required. Unfortunately the little dramatic incident brought the festivities to a close. Most of the guests seemed to have lost their inclination to celebrate and the bridal couple were ready to leave for the airport. Both Beth and Bernard had a desire to visit Europe but, because they had both been too busy with their respective careers to spend much time on vacation, their ambitions had never been realised. The honeymoon seemed like the perfect time to indulge their wishes and so they were now embarking on a protracted tour of the old world, starting in London and visiting all the places of interest that they had only read about, and returning to Metropolis in six weeks time. All the Kents had intended to see the couple off at the airport, but due to the unexpected accident only Martha and Jonathan were there to wave goodbye to the new husband and wife. It was a happy farewell, no one realising the disastrous events that would befall before they would meet again. ********** The early summer days passed uneventfully and pleasantly as the elder Kents and their grandchildren spent time holidaying at their home in Kansas. Once Martha and Jonathan had farmed in Smallville but as they had chosen to help care for their expanding family, the farmland had been leased and they had moved to Metropolis. The house and the closely surrounding land had been retained as a holiday home and the whole family were happy to spend their vacations in the country. This fact always surprised Lois as, until she had met and fallen in love with Clark, she had considered the rural pastures of green to be places to be avoided at all costs. Right now, as she sweltered in the summer heat of Metropolis with its polluted air and its sweaty, short-tempered citizenry, she could not wait to start her holidays and join her family in Smallville. The fresh air and the quiet friendly ambience would be a welcome balm. Besides, she wished to remove her husband from the frenzied crime ridden environment of the city in high summer, where frayed tempers and frustration always led to an increase in petty crime and where hot and sticky people often became careless of their own and other's safety, leading to a myriad of accidents at work, at home and on the streets. No one ever contemplated the possibility that Superman might need a holiday, but Lois Lane knew better. Only she saw the super hero returning home from a night spent crime fighting or clearing up other people's mistakes. Only she witnessed him return exhausted from fire fighting or attempting to hold back flood waters or any number of other disasters both natural and man made that he felt he had to attend. Only she could testify to the anguish he suffered when a rescue failed and how on those occasions he clung to her for comfort until sleep eventually claimed him, then after a very few hours rest, he would assume his normal personae and attempt to protect his home city as reporter Clark Kent. Add to that his role of husband and father and you had one very harassed and strung-out man who was greatly in need of a break from his busy routine. Of course, Lois realised that he would always help out with the major catastrophes and in order not to blow his cover he would also return to Metropolis for a few brief patrols, but on the whole there were not the same demands for Superman in Smallville. So she happily packed her bags for herself and her husband while waiting for Superman to return from assisting with yet another pileup on the freeway. She was looking forward to seeing her children, even though she and Clark had flown down to share dinner with the family just two nights before. It always amazed Lois just how much she missed her children when they were apart. Sometimes after a hard day at the office, when she hoped to return home for some peace and quiet and it seemed the children had chosen that particular moment to misbehave, she would wish to spend time alone with her husband. And yet the minute the kids were away from home she would miss their excited chatter and their happy laughter and even their temper tantrums and their tears. A 'whoosh' with its accompanying breeze interrupted her reverie. "Hi honey, are we all packed and ready to go?" Superman crossed to his wife and wrapped his arms around her, bending to place a warm kiss on her lips. Clark was in a very up beat mood and she felt that he too must be looking forward to spending quality time with his family. She responded eagerly to his embrace slipping her arms underneath the cape and as their kiss deepened her hands strayed up and down his spine gently kneading the muscles of his back. Clark smiled against her lips then trailed feather light kisses across her cheek to the sensitive skin behind her ear. "Sweetheart, if we take this much further we are going to be late for dinner and you know the kids will give Mom and Dad a hard time asking where we are." "Mm mm........." Lois was enjoying the familiar sensations that were building in waves through her body where ever Clark's hands strayed. "We could always phone. Tell them that Superman was otherwise engaged. It wouldn't be a total lie, because I do intend to keep you thoroughly engaged. After all this is our last chance to be alone and uninterrupted for a long time." Clark could never resist his wife when she was in this mood and so it was that when the couple arrived in Smallville three very sleepy and disgruntled offspring were awaiting them. Martha had insisted that the children have their dinner without their parents and then dress for bed. When Lois and Clark entered the farmhouse, they found their three kids sitting on the couch watching T V in varying degrees of sleepiness. Nathan was already deep in the land of Nod but Joel and Clara were fighting to stay awake. Whenever they spotted their parents they jumped up and launched themselves into Lois and Clark's arms, demanding to be told what had held them up. Both grownups looked remarkably sheepish at their children's questions and Martha and Jonathan, understanding the reason for the delay, chuckled in the back ground. Joel, who was hugging his mother's hips looked suspiciously at his embarrassed parents, but Clara, who had climbed into her father's arms by the simple expedient of pulling herself up by his cape, asked solicitously, "Did you have to go off and be Superman, Daddy?" Clark blushed rosily as his wife answered. "Well he was certainly 'super'." "Lois!!" The chuckles from the background grew louder and Lois joined in. Joel, however, was not amused. He knew what his Mom and Dad did when they were alone. Glaring at his father, he accused in disgust. "You were kissing Mom? Weren't you? Why do you always do that when you're on your own?" "Well sons, it's something you have to do when you're married. Wives expect that sort of thing. You'll discover that for yourself when you're older and you get married." "If you have to kiss and things then I'm not going to get married." Joel announced but his sister had other ideas. "If I can find a Superman like Daddy then I am going to get married," and to stress her point she planted a huge kiss on Clark's cheek. "That might be a little difficult, sweetie," her mother explained. "Supermen do not grow on trees and the only other ones you are likely to meet are your brothers." A look of disgust crossed Clara's face at the idea of marrying someone who could not fly. Lois actually sympathised with her daughter, she too found the idea of marrying someone without super powers quite unacceptable. Nevertheless she offered her daughter words of comfort. "Don't worry, Clara. You won't have to think about getting married for a very long time and when you do fall in love it won't matter if he can't fly." On the couch Nathan was beginning to stir and Clark took the opportunity to end this nonsensical conversation. He found the idea of being replaced in his daughter's life by another man quite disturbing and he was grateful that time was in the very distant future. "Good!!" He declared. "As none of our children are contemplating marriage I think we can close this conversation and put you all to bed." Clara and Joel at once began to protest that, because their parents had only just arrived, they ought to be allowed to stay up a little longer. At that moment Nathan woke up and he screamed his delight on spotting his Mom and Dad. Clark agreed to his elder children's request and spinning out of the super suit Lois and he joined their three children on the couch. After all they were on holiday. ********** Far across the Atlantic Ocean an old gentleman sat amidst the baronial splendour of his country home much engrossed in the current edition of his subscribed medical journal. Viscount Sheringham was greatly interested in the cutting edge of medical science and in this particular issue of his favourite publication there was a report on his idol, the brilliant research doctor from America's foremost scientific establishment, Star Laboratories of Metropolis. The article recorded that Dr Bernard Klein was visiting the U K while on honeymoon and that he was taking time out from his vacation to attend a medical conference on 'The Advances in Gene Therapy', which was taking place at the University of East Anglia in the city of Norwich. Due to the doctor's care, albeit surreptitiously, of the phenomenal Kryptonian/human family Bernard and Beth had initiated many research spin-offs into the treatment of genetically transferred disorders and the seminar's organizers were especially thrilled to have sequestered the Doctor's attendance. The Viscount was intrigued by the information that his idol should be in such close proximity to his home, having followed over the last few years the illustrious career of Dr Klein and more specifically the point where that career touched the doctor's more famous patient....... Superman. Even the name caused the silver hair at the back of the old gentleman's neck to stand on end. If he had only one tenth of the hero's powers he and his family would not be in the predicament they were today, relying on the public's patronage for their livelihood. He would not have required to open his beloved Hall to the masses nor create a Theme Park in its grounds in order to preserve its magnificence. Furthermore he and his grandson would not be living in this 'tiny' apartment while tourists tramped through the ancient corridors. Sheringham hated the transformation of his country seat into this modern-day circus but he knew of no other way to provide the finances to retain the house in its customary state or indeed to keep its ownership within his tenure. Ironically the scheme had proved so popular he had extended the complex to include a leisure and health centre, with a luxury hotel and, much to his disgust, an economy motel to accommodate the less well off visitors. And although he loathed the whole nasty intrusion, he had to admit that the success of this unwelcome venture had brought him riches far beyond anything he had ever dreamed and would provide a stable future for his heir. His only son had been a special disappointment to him. The stupid boy had embraced the modernistic view that all men were created equal and, when only a teenager, he had run off with a like-minded female to join a group of New Age Travellers who were living in a commune on an island off the west coast of Scotland. For a long time he had heard nothing of his son until five years before, when he had been contacted by the leader of the island community with the sad news that his son and his wife had been drowned in a storm when out fishing. The couple had left a two-year-old boy behind and the commune's leadership had required to know what the baby's only living relative wished to be done regarding the raising of the child. They had made it clear that they would be prepared to continue caring for the baby but Sheringham, seeing a second chance to rear a child in his own ideology, had demanded his grandson's return. In the beginning it had been difficult for a man in his sixties to care for a baby, but he had been adamant that there would be no outside influence to affect his grandson's development. The only assistance he would accept came from his housekeeper, a woman of similar age to himself whose family had been in the Sheringham's employ for generations. This was scarcely the ideal environment in which to bring up a child but money brings power and no-one was prepared to interfere with the gentleman and his grandson. In his own strange way the old man cared for his young charge and believed that only he could ensure that the boy would grow up to take his proper place in the world as Viscount Sheringham and restore the family to its former glory. The family history was both military and celebrated. There had been a Sheringham at every major battle in which the British army had fought for hundreds of years, one particular heir having won the highest honour of the Victory Cross, albeit posthumously, during the Boer War. The current Viscount's father had fought bravely in the 2nd World War, distinguishing himself with the legendary Chinditz as they fought their way through Burma. Controversially, the Dowager Lady Sheringham had also made a name for herself in the conflict, unfortunately on the opposing side. Roberta Babbels, a young German girl had met the handsome young lord while she was attending a Swiss finishing school in the 1930's. After a whirlwind courtship they had married and the 12th Viscount had brought his bride home to his ancestral seat in the Anglian countryside. Sadly, Roberta had never settled in her adopted country. She found England's class-ridden society stifling and the distrust and disdain with which she was treated by her husband's peers dulled her vibrant spirit. The Babbels family owned a large munitions factory and were extremely influential in Hitler's emerging Fatherland, where the female youth were encouraged to take pride in their Valkyrian heritage. However, that very background now created trouble for her, as the Viscount's first passion for his beautiful wife waned and his inbred abhorrence of wealthy trades families re-emerged. No matter how rich his in-laws were, their affluence was derived from the sale of arms. And as the thirties progressed and as the world grew increasingly suspicious of the escalating might of the Third Reich, the marital situation in the Hall at Sheringham grew steadily worse. In '37, shortly after giving birth to a healthy heir, Roberta left her child and husband and returned to her homeland. The 12th Lord never saw his wife again, even though both survived the war, but the name Roberta Babbels became notorious in Britain when the young woman joined the band of famous female test pilots so lauded by the German Luftwaffe. Her name was not to be spoken in the hallowed halls of the family again, yet secretly her son was proud of his mother's courage and daring. This strange mixture of familial traits merged in the person of Edwin Villiers the 13th Viscount, creating a man who was obsessed by a belief in an elite society. But the means to achieve the creation of the master race had for many years eluded him until a certain unforeseen meeting. It had been an almost unbearably hot day last summer and Sheringham had as normal hidden away in his office. Down in park under the summer sun, the crowds were enjoying the thrills of the ever bigger and better rides his company was forced to provide. The noise and the bustle had drifted up the hill in the still air, but here in the sanctuary of his office the sounds were muted. At least the people who chose to visit the Hall itself were slightly quieter in behaviour, but still he held himself aloof from the visitors. In this stately home there were never any chance meetings between the owner and his paid guests. So when his secretary informed him that a German gentleman, one Dr Roger Schmidt, had requested a meeting, he was shocked. The woman had been in his employ for a number of years and should have known better than to forward such a request. Just as he was about to reveal the extent of his displeasure with her, she added that the caller had disclosed the fact that he was related to Lord Sheringham through his mother, Roberta. Edwin was intrigued. Apart from her reputation, he knew nothing of his mother but since he was a boy he had desired to learn more of this legendary woman. Against his customary reticence, he agreed to meet the stranger, who, it transpired, was in fact his younger half brother. Roger was also a scientist whose chosen field was the study of genetics and when the relationship between the two long lost brothers intensified it was discovered that both harboured desires to create a race of super beings. The brothers formed an alliance to fulfil their dreams. The Viscount provided the finance and his sibling the brain power. In the extensive cellars of Sheringham Hall a private high-tech laboratory now existed, hidden from the public and from the authorities whose job it was to approve and provide licence for research projects. ********** The lecture given by Dr Klein was, not surprisingly, very well attended and the audience listened with rapt attention as he chronicled his long and varied career. Bernard had been horribly nervous about the whole proposal, as people interaction was not one of his skills and had it not been for the gentle persuasion of his wife he would have declined the invitation to speak. Which would have been a mistake, because he was beginning to relax and enjoy himself as it became clear that his fellow researchers much appreciated his speech. At the end of his oration, feeling very pleased with his performance, he opened up a question and answer session and was thoroughly contented with the response from his listeners. Dr Roger Schmidt waited until the questions began to grow more sporadic before he rose and attracted Klein's notice. "Dr Schmidt," he introduced himself, "researching gene therapy at the University of Dusseldorf. Firstly I would like to thank you for your most informative talk." Spontaneous applause followed these words and Bernard acknowledged the accolade. Allowing the noise to subside the man continued. "Secondly, I would like to ask if you could give us any insight into the physiological reasons for the strength and invulnerability of Superman and also if, in your opinion his phenomenal biochemistry could be utilised in the fight against human inherited diseases?" Silence descended over the auditorium, almost every member of the audience being enthralled at the possible response. At the same moment Bernard blanched visibly, for this was not a subject on which he was prepared to deliberate in any venue and certainly not in public. Taking a sip from his water glass to gain a moment's respite, he looked to his wife who, sitting behind him on the dais, was also showing signs of discomfort. They exchanged silent messages of support and he turned to face his inquisitor. "I'm sorry, Dr Schmidt, while I am familiar with your excellent thesis on this subject, Superman is my patient and as such he is entitled to full confidentiality. Under the circumstances I would be delighted to discuss your findings in private and after I finish my honeymoon." Gentle laughter spread through the hall at this statement. "However, I would not be prepared to divulge any of Superman's personal health details." Frantically backpedalling, Schmidt strove to placate the man on the podium. His elder brother would not be happy if he alerted their prey to impending danger. "Of course Dr Klein, I never meant to suggest that you should break the confidentiality rule, that would be totally unethical. Still I look forward to taking up your offer of a private consultation at your earliest convenience." Later that evening, after being wined and dined by the conference committee, a very happy Mr and Mrs Klein returned to their hotel. Beth was extremely proud of her husband and Bernard was gratified by the warm reception accorded him by his associates. The only glitch in the proceedings had been the reference to Superman and both had felt that he had fielded the enquiry well, and as Dr Schmidt had not appeared at the gathering afterwards, they had forgotten the small incident. As the couple passed the front desk the receptionist called to them and passed over an envelope which had been left for them earlier. Once in their room, Beth opened the missive and was delighted to find enclosed two complimentary tickets to visit Sheringham Hall. Although it was strange that there was no accompanying note from the benefactor, Beth was not prepared to look a gift horse in the mouth. The Hall was one of Norfolk's most admired stately homes and it had the added attraction of a Theme Park for a little lighthearted fun. So they went to bed in an exceedingly joyful state of mind, anticipating a pleasant day ahead. Life had never looked brighter for the couple. ********** Back in Smallville the day dawned bright and clear, with the promise of yet another warm day. Joel was the first of the family to awake, being, like his father before him, excited over the prospect of his inaugural fishing trip. The whole family had been caught up in his enthusiasm and he had even persuaded his mother to try her skills. For years she had managed to resist her husbands proposals that she should join him and his father on fishing excursions, but she found she could not resist her son's pleas. Joel employed the same soulful puppy dog stare as his father and coupled with his youthful exuberance, she found she could not destroy his ardour. So it was that the trip had evolved into a family picnic, much to Clara's disappointment. It wasn't that she disliked the great outdoors, but she had far too much energy to enjoy a pastime that called for staying still and being patient for long periods of time. However, she was sure her mother would soon grow tired of the sport and could be persuaded to explore and if her mother were with her then she was certain that her dad would tag along, leaving Joel in the capable hands of his grandpa. Of course, there was always Nathan, but at only 22 months old Clara considered him too young to be included in her schemes, though she did love him dearly and felt quite important when on occasion her parents requested her to take care of him. Soon the car was packed and the family embarked on their jaunt, happily unaware that storm clouds were gathering far away from their country haven. The expedition had lived up to all its participants' expectations. Joel had caught his first trout, a respectable specimen, while quite unaware that his father had used his super vision to spot the creature lying deep in his shadowed layer. Clark did not often cheat at sports, but he considered his young son's determination and endurance deserved a reward and he had no control over whether the fish actually took the bait, that had been entirely up to fate and his slight feelings of guilt were assuaged with the joy that radiated from Joel's face when he held his hard won trophy aloft. Now the fish, along with the others caught by himself and his father, was stowed away in the trunk and promised to make a delicious evening meal for the family, except for Clara who declared that she could not eat anything that had been quite obliviously swimming its life away until plucked from its home and killed by her uncaring family. Her sulking had been the only dark spot in the day and she let herself be consoled when both her parents accompanied her on a voyage of discovery in the wooded hills. Due to their busy lives in Metropolis, this extent of attention from both her mom and dad was unusual and welcome to the little girl who soon forgot her disgruntled mood in the company of the two people she loved best in all the world. They had walked through the forest, her father pointing out trees and plants that she was unfamiliar with being a city kid. They had even spotted deer grazing in a clearing and, crouching in the shadow of the woods, she had watched in wonder as a doe suckled its young. The tiny fawn, unsteadily balanced on spindly legs tugged greedily at its mother, completely unaware of its audience. Reluctantly Clara had attended to her father's tugging hand as he had pulled her away leaving the small herd to their evening meal in peace. Time had sped by so fast and the sun was going down beyond the treetops as Clark had led his wife and daughter back to the picnic area, to find that Martha and Jonathan were already packing away the gear. The family had been loath to leave, especially the children who had delighted in having their parents to themselves for a whole day without any interruptions. Now, however, as they drove through the evening dusk heading for home, the fresh air and the excitement having taken its toll, all three were fast asleep. As was their grandpa. Jonathan had fought sleep's embrace without success and now his head nodded forward onto his chest and an occasional low snore broke the silence. Clark, Lois and Martha exchanged sympathetic glances, each one pleased by the success of the day and as Clark pulled up the Jeep in front of the farmhouse the sleepyheads were awakened. A cacophony of yawns and groans could be heard as cramped legs and arms were stretched and young Nathan cried angrily at being brought unexpectedly out of a comfortable nap. "Someone is in need of his bed," Lois remarked as she unbuckled her unhappy son from his car seat. "I'll take him inside and put him straight to bed if you see to the others." She directed her instructions at her husband. "What about his supper?" Clark called to her retreating back. "Clark, the kids have been eating steadily all day. I don't think he'll come to any harm missing one supper," she threw her remarks over her shoulder and disappeared inside the house. While Clark and Jonathan unloaded the car, Martha shepherded her remaining, drowsy grandchildren indoors. The telephone was ringing incessantly as Clark came into the family room and he crossed the room and picked up the handset. The strident voice of Perry White called down the line. "Clark, where have you been? I've been calling and calling. Some important news came over the wire from London that I thought you and Lois would want to know." "Perry, Lois and I are on vacation, remember," Clark answered his editor, more than a little annoyed at the intrusion. "Can't you get someone else to cover the story?" Perry could be heard sighing in exasperation. "I know all that Clark and normally I wouldn't disturb you, but this is sort of personal and I thought you would want to know........." There was a moment's silence as the unusually nonplussed editor waited for permission to continue. "OK Perry, now you have my attention, what is so important that it can't wait?" "Bernard Klein and his wife have been reported missing. According to the report, they left their hotel this morning to visit somewhere called Sheringham Hall and they haven't been seen since. Their car however was found parked in a car park in a town quite near at hand." Lois had wandered into the room while Clark was on the phone and she sent her husband a questioning glance. He raised his eyebrows at her and gestured to her to pick up the cordless phone. "Bernard and Beth are on their honeymoon, perhaps they just got sidetracked and are spending some time alone somewhere else." Clark suggested. "According to the hotel management, they booked a table for themselves and four other guests for 8 o'clock that evening. They were very insistent that everything be specially perfect as the dinner was to say thank you to the organizing committee of the science forum at which Dr Klein lectured yesterday. Everyone showed up except Bernard and Beth. They waited a few hours and then they started checking with the hospitals and the local police and that was when the abandoned car was discovered. Of course, they have not yet been officially declared missing, but the police do think that the circumstances are suspicious. Anyway, as you and Lois are pretty close to the two doctors, I thought you might want to be informed." "Yes. Thanks Perry. I'm sorry if I snapped earlier." Clark apologised sincerely. He was interested in the news. In fact he found the news quite disturbing. "And if you receive any more information we'd be grateful if you'd let us know." After saying his goodbyes, Clark hung up the phone and opened his arms to his wife who quickly slipped into his embrace. Could the fact that the elder couple knew of his secret identity be the reason they were missing? Hugging each other tightly for comfort and strength, Lois and Clark fervently hoped that their life was not about to become more complicated once again. ********** Forty-eight hours later, when the couple had failed to reappear, the British police declared the Kleins 'officially missing'. Superman had spent the night helping the authorities search the immediate area in which his friends were last seen, but to no avail. The hero had requested that his presence remain private as he didn't want to alert the kidnappers, if kidnappers there were, to the fact that there was a connection between himself and the Kleins, assuming, of course, that this connection was not the reason for the abduction. Now, as Superman alighted outside his farmhouse home in Kansas, night was beginning all over again. With a heavy heart, he had left England as the sun was rising and had flown westwards into the increasing darkness. Above the Atlantic thick clouds obscured the moon and a steady drizzling rain had soaked his body and matched his depressed spirit. And yet, as he neared his home and his family his mood, as always, brightened and the clouds dispersed, leaving a Kansas night sky strung with a myriad of diamond stars. Clark spun into his civilian clothes and pushed through the kitchen door to find his wife and parents anxiously awaiting his return. Lois rose to meet him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her body close to his. Although his super hero's duties frequently separated them, Lois could not quite shed the fear that one day her husband would fly off and never come back. She recognised that this was an irrational fear, as Superman was for the most part invulnerable, but she always gave into a few moments of heartfelt relief when he returned and Clark, understanding his wife's small excursion into paranoia, was quite happy to allay her fears. Following a sweet kiss, Lois drew her arms from her husband's neck, but held fast to his hand as she drew him to the table, where Martha had placed a steaming mug of herbal tea for her son. "Did you find any trace of them?" Lois asked, but in the dejected slump of his shoulders, she already had her answer. "I'm afraid not, honey. Yet that doesn't mean that they're not there." He took a long sip of his tea then relaxed back into his chair, surveying the three people who were waiting in anticipation of what he had to tell them. "I found out that old English mansions are roofed with lead, not to mention the miles of antiquated lead piping in the plumbing system or the lead-based paint. With all that lead my x-ray vision was useless. I searched the surrounding countryside and neither Bernard nor Beth are being held anywhere in the vicinity of Sheringham Hall, but if they are imprisoned inside the house itself, I couldn't tell." "Couldn't you tune into their heartbeats, sweetheart?" His wife inquired, knowing he had traced her in just such a manner before. Clark shook his head tiredly. "There's a gigantic theme park adjacent to the house. Even when it closed and all the rides shut down, the hum of the generators created too much background noise. Besides, the only heartbeats I really recognise are my families'." "Do the police have any information?" Jonathan joined the conversation. Since the two men had joined forces to thwart Diana Stride's attack on Superman, Jonathan and Bernard, despite their diverse backgrounds, had become firm friends. "I'm afraid not, Dad. If it is a kidnapping then why hasn't there been a ransom demand. And if it's worse," he was transfixed by three pairs of horrified glares, "then why hide the bodies?" "You think that Bernard and Beth are dead?" Lois' voice trembled on the question. "I don't know. But Superman and the police are stumped." "Then maybe we should take up Perry's offer," this she said tentatively. "What offer?" Clark demanded of his wife. "He suggested that Lane and Kent investigate. How about an all-expenses-paid trip to the U K?" An ambivalent look settled on Clark's features. "Honey, I would really like to find Bernard and Beth, but we are on vacation and our children deserve our undivided attention for at least these few weeks of the year." Covering Clark's hand with one of her own Lois' smile became almost smug. "I agree. We are on vacation, but we don't have to spend all of it in Smallville. A trip abroad might be nice. And it would be educational for the children." "You have somewhere specially in mind? Let me guess. A nice little town in Norfolk, England." "Yes! You are very quick, Kent." She patted his hand in warm approval. "And they tell me that there is a great theme park nearby, which I'm sure the kids will just love." Once again his wife's inventiveness and tenacity surprised him. She would go to any lengths to help the people she cared for. "All right sweetheart, you win. How about you, Mom and Dad? Would you care to join us?" Martha seemed pleasantly surprised by the invitation. She had always wanted to visit Britain, but more than that, like her husband, she had grown particularly close to the Kleins and was glad to be given this opportunity to assist in their rescue. "Are you sure you want us along?" "Of course," Lois quickly reassured her. "This is a family holiday. At least, that will be our cover," she added rather sheepishly. "Besides, if you don't mind, we'll need baby-sitters while we investigate." "Anything we can do to help you find Bernard and Beth," Jonathan stressed. Scanning the three around the table and seeing their determination, Clark decided. "Then I'll phone Perry in the morning and get him to make the travel arrangements." ********** When the children were first told of the return to Metropolis they were dreadfully disappointed, but when it was explained that this was merely a starting point for their trip to Britain, their adrenaline levels had rocketed and they had yet to return to normal. Of course, Nathan did not really understand all that was happening but he was infected by his older siblings' excitement and a highly strung toddler was proving to be quite a problem. Lois was experiencing feelings of guilt for she had virtually abandoned her children to their grandparents' care during their whistlestop stay in Metropolis, while she and Clark visited the Planet to arrange their communication details for their sojourn in the U K. Stephan Janik, the paper's newest cub-reporter would be their contact for the duration of the investigation and, although he didn't have quite Jimmy Olsen's expertise with computers, he was conscientious and enthusiastic. And neither Lois nor Clark begrudged their friend and ex-researcher his success as a photographic journalist. Jimmy had matured and improved so much over the years, that even now his coverage of yet another famine and civil war in the Sudan region of Africa was gaining the acclaim it so richly deserved. The Kents had even heard the word 'Pulitzer' mentioned. Meanwhile, they had instructed Stephan to do an in-depth background check on Viscount Sheringham and his business associates. This did not necessarily mean that they suspected the man, but as his property was the last place where the Kleins had actually been sighted it seemed the logical place to start. Stephan was also asked to find out all he could about the seminar at which Bernard had given a lecture, then forward all the information to Lois and Clark. After arranging all these details, and having a last-minute discussion with Perry who explained that he had leased a holiday cottage on the outskirts of the village of Sheringham for the family, as requested, they picked up their travel documents and returned to their brownstone to pack. The flight was early the next morning and Lois surmised that they would probably get little sleep that night due to three very hyped-up children. ************ The trip across the Atlantic was a new and thrilling adventure for the Kent children. Never before had they actually flown inside an aeroplane. They were especially pleased to have been invited by the pilot to view the cockpit and Joel and Clara were excitedly relating their experience. Clark tried very hard to share in their enthusiasm, but he had never been happy flying in what he considered a metal tube with wings and for the duration of the flight he fought off feelings of claustrophobia. Lois valiantly attempted to field her children's exuberant chatter, explaining that their father was suffering from one of his infrequent migraines, which wasn't a total lie. Secretly, Clark's fear of 'flying' amused her, but she did her best to ease his phobic fears. At last the interminable journey came to an end and Clark was extremely relieved to stand once more on terra-firma. They quickly passed through customs and picked up the baggage, happy to find that all their luggage had actually arrived with them. Within a very short time they had acquired the hired car and were now, because of the advance in the time zone, driving through the English countryside in the growing twilight of a summer evening. The whole family was surprised to find the terrain almost flat, but unlike the wide plains of Kansas, the fields they passed were smaller and interspersed with thick copses and leafy hedgerows. They were particularly delighted with the picturesque villages with their red brick houses surrounded by gardens that were awash with the colour of summer flowers and in the centre of each hamlet the village green with its ancient market-cross. However, as the car sped on into the ever increasing dark, the younger voices grew less enthusiastic. The children's energy levels had ebbed away and now they were growing crabby, constantly asking when they would arrive at their destination. Fortunately for the harassed adults the journey was almost over, nevertheless everyone was relieved when the car drew up before the cottage that was to be their home for the duration of their visit. Owing to the late hour it was difficult to discern much of the exterior view of the building, but Clark could hear and smell the sea that must therefore be close at hand. He passed on this information to the others and in doing so enlivened his two older children, who immediately insisted on exploring. This intention did not meet with their parents' approval and for a spell there was discord in the family which was quickly brought to an end by an unusually stern Clark sending his children to bed just as soon as they ate supper. However, as he tucked a subdued Joel and a quietly weeping Clara into their beds for the night, he relented and promised to spend the next morning reconnoitring their holiday haunt. This pledge soothed his distressed offspring and later when Clark stood outside the slightly open doors to the children's bedrooms he was pleased to hear the three steady heartbeats of heavily sleeping kids. Downstairs the adults held a round-table conference, all four agreeing that the first day should be spent familiarising themselves with their new environment and settling the children into their temporary home. Lois and Clark would only need a short time to set up their communication line to the Planet and they were both sure that the information they had requested would be with them by next day and that they would be able to begin their investigations the day after. ********** Locked away deep in the cellars of the ancient hall where the light of day never penetrated, Dr Klein felt rather than knew that it must be night. Watching his wife tossing back and forth on her narrow cot he grew increasingly despondent. The poison was slowly invading her system and he couldn't be certain just how long he had before her illness reached the point of no return. Just what kind of maniac Bernard was dealing with, he wasn't sure. The Viscount seemed to be the perfect old English gentleman and yet he was clearly insane, obsessed with his notion of a race of super human-beings that would take over the rule of the world and, as he saw it, make the world a better place. Recalling his strange conversation with the Viscount made Bernard shiver in the dark. According to Sheringham, Dr Roger Schmidt, a renowned genetic researcher, professed that he had discovered a method of isolating particular genes and successfully transposing them from one being to another. The two men now intended to procure genes from Superman and splice them into the body of Sheringham's grandson and thus create a new super being. In Bernard's opinion, the fact that the old man was prepared to risk the life of a child of his own blood in such a radical procedure only attested to the extent of his madness. And why had he ever thought that the Kleins would agree to help him reach his goal by bringing Superman here to donate his unique genes, voluntary or otherwise, to this 'noble ideal'. Obviously, Sheringham had not been completely certain of his quarry's cooperation either, because he had infected Beth with the hybrid curare before revealing his diabolical objective. Watching his wife grow ever more sick, Bernard castigated himself for his foolishness, and yet there had been no clues that the Viscount had meant them any harm when he had welcomed them to his home just a few days ago. As they had wandered round the beautiful old house with their audio-visual guidebook in their hands, they had been surprised to be accosted by an old silver-haired gentleman who seemed vastly pleased to meet them. The gentleman had introduced himself as the 13th Viscount Sheringham and explained that as an amateur scientist he had followed Dr Klein's career over the years and that, when he had discovered that the Doctor and his wife were to be in the area, he had sent the complimentary tickets for Sheringham Hall in the hope that the couple might enjoy visiting his treasured home. Both Bernard and Beth had been charmed by the old lord as he led them through the ancient rooms, relating little anecdotes of his family history that had never found its way into the guidebooks and when he had suggested that they join him for afternoon tea, they had readily accepted, neither one suspecting, as they had drunk the unaccustomed English brew from the delicate, antique porcelain, that they were being drugged and, in Beth's case, poisoned by a new and terrifying strain of curare. The poison had been infused with a time-release system which meant that a slow, agonising but inevitable death would follow its ingestion if the antidote were not administered in time. But neither had known that back then and they had amicably taken their leave of the Viscount and had indeed followed his recommendation to forgo their visit to the noisy and overcrowded theme park and had taken their enjoyment in the more leisurely pursuit of finding their way around the formidable maze for which the Hall was renowned. The old gentleman had sent his chauffeur to show them the way to the maze and they had spent a pleasant time searching for the centre of the labyrinth and laughing unconcernedly as they grew increasingly more lost. At first it hadn't registered that the place was amazingly quiet or that they had not actually met other people trying to plot a course through the puzzle. Granted, the barriers of high hedges in summer were thick and dense making it impossible to see from one pathway to another, but surely the sounds of other visitors should be heard. Of course, they had not seen the sign that had hung on the locked gate minutes before their arrival, which informed the public that the maze was closed for repair, or realised that it had been replaced after their entrance and the gate locked behind them. Nevertheless, Bernard had begun to feel slightly ill at ease and was about to suggest that they try to retrace their steps when Beth turned the corner at the end of a long leafy corridor and yelled in triumph. They had reached the centre. Now they only had to find their way back, but first an inviting garden arbour welcomed them to sit in the sun and enjoy the view of an ancient-carved statue of the god Eros. Sitting in the warmth of the sun the couple had grown unnaturally sleepy, the stone figure before them had begun to shimmer in the sun's haze and then appeared to move and swing away from them, and from the place where it had been bodies rose from the earth, led by the silver-haired old man. As the men walked towards the couple they had slid into unconsciousness. It was the last time Bernard had seen the sun, because when he awoke, he and his wife were imprisoned in a dark cell in the dungeons of Sheringham Hall, carried there through a secret passageway, which had been built centuries before in the time of King Henry VIII, who had founded his own church and had, in a greedy rampage, persecuted the Catholic Church and its priests. The Sheringham family, being at that time devout members of the old religion, had given sanctuary to these oppressed priests and built the tunnel in order to maintain their clandestine actions, a very necessary ploy if they wished to retain their standing in the country and indeed save their own lives. King Henry had not taken betrayal well and had been known to execute those whom he believed guilty of treason. Much later the family had chosen to discard their old religion in favour of their continued earthly well being and the passageway had been forgotten. However, when Edwin was a boy he had unearthed the escape tunnel when exploring and found that, apart from a few small fall-ins, it had remarkably survived. When he and his half-brother had decided to build the laboratory in the cellars of the hall, they had repaired the tunnel and used it to secretly bring in the equipment. They had also employed it to transport their human cargo into the confines of the cellars, far away from the eyes of any witnesses and, when the Kleins were safely imprisoned, in order to cover their tracks, Sheringham had instructed his brother to arrange a controlled explosion to bring down part of the tunnel roof. The last piece of incriminating evidence had been disposed of when, after the hall had closed for the evening, the Klein's hired car had been driven into Cromer, a nearby holiday resort. George, the Viscount's chauffeur and one of his housekeeper's twin sons had reported that he had parked the car in a deserted cliff top car park, that he had worn gloves and left no clues behind and that he had been seen by no-one. The twin boys had been born to Vera Dobson when the strange woman should have been of an age not to be caught out with an unwanted pregnancy. Edwin had never known who had fathered the children, but as Vera's family had been in the employ of the Sheringham's for generations and the Viscount took an almost feudal interest in his servants, he had given her the job of housekeeper and taken a lordly interest in the raising of the two boys. Perhaps, due to Vera's age at her sons' birth or perhaps because it had been a difficult birth, neither boy was overly bright, but both George and his brother Joseph shared an overwhelming loyalty towards the man who had given them and their mother a home and followed his instructions unquestioningly. Now the only cloud on Sheringham's horizon was the fact that neither of the Dr Kleins shared his enthusiasm for his conception of the Master Race. Fortunately he had foreseen this problem and had ensured Bernard's cooperation by administering poison to Beth at the outset of his planned kidnapping. Grudgingly, he admitted that the woman had shown an admirable courage in persuading her husband that the continuation of her life was secondary to foiling his great scheme, but he wasn't overly concerned. He was quite certain that Klein could not sit by and watch his wife die and that it was just a matter of time before the doctor consented to contact Superman. He was also confident that the super hero's high morale code would preclude watching his friends die. Edwin's intention was to inject Bernard with the serum the moment he had obeyed instructions. The poison introduced directly into the blood stream would have a much speedier effect and when the Man of Steel arrived he would be confronted with two very sick hostages and would have no choice but to comply with the Viscount's request if he wished to save the doctor's lives. Pleasantly Edwin considered that his vision was well on its way to realisation and the Sheringhams would take their rightful place in the world. He was not yet aware that the famous investigative team of Lois Lane and Clark Kent was already on the case. ********** The Kent children were the first to surface next morning, much to their parents' surprise. They had thought, due to the long and tiring day of travelling, that their offspring would sleep later than was normal, but not long after the sun crept into the bedroom windows, the three children knocked impatiently on their mother and father's door and without waiting for an answer, descended on the bed and jumped in. Nathan, quickly crawled onto his daddy's chest, while Joel bent over his mom and whispered good morning into her ear. Clara sat at the foot of the bed and awaited results. The soft breath on the sensitive skin by Lois' ear brought her out of her slumber and in that dreamlike state between unconsciousness and wakefulness she imagined that her husband was kissing her awake. "Clark, you know I can't resist when you do that, but please, honey, it's still very early." Muffled giggles met her words and her son teasingly blew a gentle breath on her cheek. She stretched a hand out towards her tormentor and met a much smaller body than she had anticipated. "Joel!" Lois sat directly up in bed and met the laughing gaze of her son. Her eyes travelled over her other two children and then drifted to the alarm clock by the bed. "Kids, what are you doing up at this time? It's not yet seven. Why aren't you still in bed?" "Come on Mom, time to get up. The sun is shining and Dad promised to take us exploring today." Joel reminded her. To prove a point and to aid the waking process, Clara crossed to the window and pulled back the curtains, allowing the bright sunshine to fall in a shaft across the bed. Turning to her husband Lois laughed to see her younger son straddling his father's torso and attempting to tickle him awake. The fact that Clark was still asleep did not seem fair to her, so she decided to help Nathan in his efforts. Whenever the two older children saw this they joined in and a rowdy melee occurred. Clark, who had actually been awake since his kids had burst into the room, but had chosen to play possum could no longer keep up the pretense and his chest heaved in a huge guffaw, spilling the little boy onto the bed in a flurry of arms and legs. The squeals and chuckles that ensued, filtered through to the room across the landing and wakened Martha, who pulled on her robe and went to find the source of the disturbance. Peering round the door and finding her children and grandchildren obviously wide awake, she declared her intention of making breakfast. Lois disentangled herself from the pile of bodies and followed her mother-in-law down to the kitchen, instructing her family to wash and dress for breakfast and leaving Clark in charge of that task. She found Martha in the big cottage kitchen searching cupboards for the necessary utensils with which to prepare the food. Fortunately there had been a welcome package waiting for them in the cottage with all the needful ingredients for the first days of their stay and they would not go hungry until they had a chance to find their way to the grocery store. That visit, Lois made a mental note, would be one of the first priorities of the day. She realised that if Clark and she were to do the job they were sent to do, then the care of her family would have to be relinquished to her in-laws. However, both her husband and she had determined that as this was a vacation for Martha and Jonathan, they would not take undue advantage and that everyone should share in the chores. Not that these should amount to a great deal as the hire of the cottage included a cleaner and they had all agreed to make full use of carry-out food and the local restaurants. Had the children been older Lois would have chosen to stay at a hotel, but the cottage would give her lively bunch more freedom to be their irrepressible selves. At present the two women worked compatibly to prepare the morning's feast. There had been a time long ago when this scenario would have been laughable, Lois having been a disaster in the kitchen, yet although she would never be a cook of Martha's standards, she could now cope competently with the basics. Soon the appetising smells of bacon sizzling and coffee percolating drifted upstairs, where the noises of children being showered and dressed mixed with happy laughter. Within a few moments Clara strolled into the kitchen dressed in shorts and her favourite Superman T-shirt. Both Lois and Clark had groaned when she had persuaded her Grandma Lane to buy her the shirt with the famous logo emblazoned across the chest, but Clara had thought it extremely amusing that she should secretly wear her father's emblem. Besides, as she had pointed out, all her friends wore one and she had more right than they to the s-shield. Neither parent could find a fault with her logic and Clara was allowed to wear the shirt, which she did with pride. Conversely, Joel had discarded all his Superman paraphernalia when he had discovered the truth. The boy wasn't ashamed or dismayed by his father's secret identity, but owning toys and trivia of someone who was actually your dad felt very strange. Clark, along with his two sons, now walked into the kitchen and enquired if there was anything he could do to help. Upon being told that everything was in order and that breakfast would be served shortly, he opened up the back door and took his kids into the garden. Joel and Clara immediately ran to the gate and carefully crossing the dirt road that led down to the house climbed the dunes that bordered the other side of the track. On reaching the top of the hill they gazed over the sands towards the sea, "Dad you were right." Joel pointed to the east as he called out. "The sea's right here. Can we go swimming?" Clark smiled at their impatience. "Just hold it there for a little while. You haven't had your breakfast yet." Joining them at the top of the ridge, Clark was surprised to see an empty stretch of beach. Of course it was still pretty early for most people to be abroad. He couldn't believe that he was up so early. This was supposed to be a holiday and although he had work to do, he hoped, optimistically perhaps, to find the Kleins alive and well and then everyone could enjoy some quality free time. Shrugging himself back to the present, he took hold of Clara's hand and turned back towards the cottage. "Come on, let's go eat and then we can plan what we're going to do with the rest of the day." ********** After spending the first day with their family, twenty-four hours later, having assured themselves that their children had sufficiently settled into their temporary home, Lois and Clark followed up on the information faxed to them by Stephan back at the Planet. Deciding to trace Bernard and Beth's movements in the days prior to their disappearance, Clark called the administrator of the science seminar. Ms Wakefield, being very upset by her star lecturer's mysterious fate, was eager to help and agreed to meet with the reporters at 2.00 p m at the university. The children were disappointed that their parents were going off to work so quickly after their arrival, but they understood that one of the objects of the vacation was to find Uncle Bernard and Aunt Beth and as they were particularly fond of the two missing adults they allowed themselves to be appeased. Especially when Martha suggested that they would visit Sheringham Hall while Lois and Clark drove into Norwich. Given a choice, the kids would have preferred a trip to the theme park, but decided that they would rather wait until their Mom and Dad were available to accompany them. But when they overheard a conversation between their Dad and Grandpa they became more enthusiastic about the proposed trip. Playing in the garden outside the open window of the living room, Joel heard his father enter the room. "Dad, Sheringham Hall is the last known place that the Kleins visited. I checked it out as Superman but the amount of lead in the building ruined my x-ray vision. If you and Mom could keep your eyes open for anything that looks remotely suspicious, Lois and I will check it out later." "When is later, exactly?" Jonathan asked pointedly, well aware that his daughter-in-law was not averse to bending the law in pursuit of an investigation. "That all depends on what you discover, Dad. It's imperative that we find Bernard." Clark habitually lowered his voice when he spoke of Superman and in the garden Joel hushed his sister and brother, knowing that what his father was about to say was important. "More than anyone else, the doc understands what gives Superman his special powers. I'm sure he wouldn't voluntarily give away any of those secrets but there are ways of making people talk and they have Beth too. They could use her as a lever. Lois and I are prepared to do almost anything to rescue them." Jonathan nodded in agreement and promised to keep a sharp eye open while they were at the Hall. Then the two men left the room in search of their respective partners leaving, beneath the window, the two young children, who had overheard their discussion, open mouthed with shock. Both Joel and Clara had watched the news reports of the Kleins' disappearance but neither had realised the consequences that were now brought home to them by their father's words. "Daddy is in danger, Joel!" "Not just Dad! We all are! You know what would happen to us if they found out who we really are." Clara turned a wide-eyed stare on her brother as her Grandpa's words of dire warning came into her mind. "We'd be locked up in a lab and dissected like frogs." Joel could only nod in affirmation but he put a comforting hand upon his younger sister's shoulder. "Uncle Bernie would never give us away without a fight. So we have to help rescue him before the bad guys make him tell." Now it was Clara's turn to nod enthusiastically. "When we get to this big house today we have to search for clues," Joel instructed. "Yeah, we can do that." A look of determination settled on Clara's small face in a clear imitation of her mother. "We'll teach these bad guys not to mess with Superman." Within the hour Lois and Clark dropped their family at the gates of Sheringham Hall and drove off to their meeting, unaware that a much younger version of the Lane and Kent investigative team were already hot on the kidnapper's trail. Had they been cognizant with their elder children's intentions they might not have spent such a productive and pleasant afternoon. The university was a comparatively new structure and was in no way of any architectural significance. However, the buildings were set in peaceful parklands that greenly bordered the River Yare. Finding a place to park the hired car the couple found their way to the administration block and asked to speak to their contact. Ms Wakefield proved to be an efficient and accommodating ally. The conference organizer had prepared copies of those who had attended Bernard's lecture and, even more importantly, had a video-tape of the event. While watching a replay of the tape Lois and Clark paid particular attention to the audience, anxious to discover if any of their innumerable adversaries had infiltrated the assembly, but no apparently recognisable face jumped from the T V screen. Lois' mind began to drift towards thoughts of her children when she noticed a slight tensing of her husband's body. At first she considered that he had heard a distress call and was about to rattle off one of the habitual excuses used to justify Clark's unexpected exit. Then she recalled the family had already concluded that, as Clark Kent was on vacation in the U K , it would be too coincidental if Superman should suddenly show up performing various super feats. In fact, to distance himself from the hero, Clark had returned to Metropolis as Superman for a short period during the night and had spent sometime in the Caribbean dousing a blaze which had broken out in the kitchens of a giant cruise ship. All these thoughts flashed through Lois' mind in seconds and were discarded as she focussed her regard on what had alarmed her husband, whose eyes were riveted to the screen. On the tape, Bernard had finished his speech and a lively question and answer session was underway which Lois freely admitted she didn't quite understand. However the last question, which Clark had requested to be replayed, required little scientific expertise. A middle-aged, stockily built man, who spoke in a very clipped manner as if making a special effort to speak in perfect queen's English, had introduced himself and was now asking a question regarding Superman's genetic make-up. This query came like a bolt from the blue to those watching and clearly it had shaken Dr Klein who appeared momentarily flustered and then with a certain aplomb had turned the question aside. To Lois and Clark the very mention of the super hero simply confirmed their earlier suspicions that the Kleins' knowledge of Superman's physiology had been the reason for their vanishing act. Clark waited while Ms Wakefield switched of the television and then, perusing the lists she had given them, he swiftly found the name of the last questioner. "Ms Wakefield, can anyone attend these conferences?" The woman turned her attention to the handsome couple before her. As an English woman these journalists were not so well known to her as they might have been to one of their compatriots, but occasionally Lane and Kent had tackled international issues and had won world-wide acclaim. The university administrator was also a well-read woman, so she was aware of their reputations, however she was surprised to discover that both reporters were extremely physically attractive and she was more than a little envious of Lois Lane's luck at sharing her working and private life with such a man. She shook her self from her reverie and returned to the business at hand. "No, Mr Kent," she explained. "Attendance is by invitation only. The university has only a small conference facility and so our numbers are restricted." "Then this Dr Schmidt would have been invited?" Clark scanned his notes and seemingly chose a name at random. "Oh yes, Dr Roger Schmitd of Dusseldorf is an eminent researcher in the field of identifying and isolating genes. We were very fortunate he chose to attend, especially since he is on sabbatical." "On sabbatical?" Lois echoed. "Yes, visiting family here in England to be exact. He requested that we forward his invitation and itinerary to the Dorchester Hotel in London." With this last piece of information, Lois and Clark felt they had gotten all they could from the helpful Ms Wakefield and, thanking her for her assistance and, assuring her that they would do their best to solve the mystery, they took their leave. By silent, though mutual, consent the couple started strolling along the riverside path to share their forebodings in the quietude of the campus. "Dr Roger Schmidt just rose to the top of the list," Lois announced. "Lois, we don't have a list." "Yes we do, and Viscount Sheringham is on it too. Now we have to get Stephan to run a background check on Schmidt and see if their paths cross anywhere." "That's quite a stretch, honey." "Well, we know this doctor is visiting relatives and we know he's in the vicinity......." "Lois, we know he is somewhere in the U K. That narrows down the field only slightly." "Nevertheless, you do agree that he is involved with the disappearance?" "Given his question about Superman......yes." "And your instincts are tingling just as much as mine." Lois stated forcefully. "Yes, Ms Lane, you are, as usual, right." Smiling smugly Lois leaned into her husband for a tender kiss. After a few breathless moments she pulled away and sighed contentedly. "You know I'm always right, and because I am, on the way home you can buy me afternoon tea at one of those quaint little inns that we passed on the way here. After all, we are on vacation." ********** Back in the grounds of Sheringham Hall, the Kent children played ball on the extensive front lawn. Just the type of behaviour that the Viscount deplored from the public masses that thronged through his house. However, the old man was not a witness to this display of rowdyism, though their game was monitored by another member of his family, notably his young grandson, the honourable Master Julian Villiers, who watched the hilarity with envious eyes. How he wished that he could be outside enjoying the sunshine and kicking a ball around his grandfather's perfect lawn. Instead, he must finish a boring old history project that had been set him by his private tutor. At the proper time, the heir to the viscountcy, as his father and grandfather before him, would enter the hallowed halls of Eton, but until then the boy would be taught in private by a teacher approved by old Sheringham. This situation had moulded Julian into a shy reticent child, quite unlike the children he was spying upon. At that moment Joel kicked the ball towards his sister but, as had often happened lately, he completely misjudged his strength and the ball went sailing high over her head in the direction of the house and lodged in the wrought-iron railings of the balustrade of Julian's schoolroom window. Joel looked up and, spotting the boy, called to him to please throw down the ball. Young Sheringham's first instinct was to draw back into the room, but the other kids were waving and laughing in a friendly manner towards him and waiting expectantly for the return of their property. Without a second thought the window was opened and Julian stretched to retrieve the ball and threw it with somewhat erratic aim(ball games not being on his curriculum)towards the other boy who caught it deftly in hands so much stronger than his years should warrant. The Kent children called out their thanks and entreated the stranger to come and join them in their game and for a moment Julian was tempted, but he knew how disappointed and angry his grandfather would be to catch his heir associating with the paying guests. He also knew what his punishment would be for such an offense and he didn't relish the idea of being locked in his room on a Spartan diet for a few days. With a resigned shake of his head and a sad smile to his new and fleeting friends he closed the window and returned to his studies. Down on the grass below Joel gave a last lingering look of compassion at the window. Somehow he sensed the strange boy's loneliness, then his attention was wrenched back to his younger brother whose interest in the ball game had waned. Nathan decided to investigate the stone lions that bordered the terrace and began to climb onto their unresisting backs, only to lose his unsteady footing and crash unceremoniously to the ground, emitting a shrill screech of protest as he did so. Immediately his siblings were by his side, picking him up and dusting him down. There seemed to be no serious damage although one grazed knee bled profusely and the toddler was reduced to tears. Clara and Joel escorted their brother back to the comfort of their grandparents who were sitting in the garden cafe, enjoying the sun and a refreshing cup of herbal tea. Leaving the injured baby in Martha's tender care the older children excused themselves and returned to their play with a reminder from Jonathan not to stray too far. Actually both Clara and Joel had also tired of the games. Indeed they were now totally bored with the whole visit. When they had first arrived at the house they had been eager to begin searching for clues but as the day wore on and they had found no evidence of anything remotely untoward their attention had diminished and as with most young children perusing antique ornaments and furniture had not been to their liking. There had been a moment when they had first mounted the very grand central staircase that Joel had thought he was on to something. The young boy had been experiencing some very radical happenings with his whole body and in particular with his eyesight. Sometimes it almost seemed that he could look right through things and focussing very hard on the large portrait at the top of the sweeping staircase, the surface of the painting had melted away, revealing a hidden and very modern safe. But the vision had only appeared fleetingly and once more the portrait of a young, virile man standing before the backdrop of some ancient battleground solidified in Joel's line of sight. Desperately he tried to recreate the power that would give him a second glance but to no avail. His eyes would just not obey his commands and he was left wondering if he had really seen beyond the painting or if he was simply seeing what he wanted to see. If only these strange powers that he was experiencing were more consistent, but they fluctuated back and forth with almost no control from him. He would have to tell his father about them real soon and maybe Dad could help him learn to use these things like Superman did. Of course, he knew he had a long way to go before he was a super being, but maybe Dad had gotten his powers in bits and pieces like this. One thing was certain, he was glad he knew who his father really was, otherwise all this would be a very scary experience. For the present his only confidant was his sister Clara. Now as they wandered listlessly back to find their ball, Clara bemoaned the fact that they had as yet found no trace of their missing aunt and uncle. "Perhaps they're not here," Joel suggested, just as disheartened. "Couldn't you hear or see anything?" She asked with a tinge of forlorn hope creeping into her voice. "Clara, you know I can't control these things." His sister let out a teasing giggle. "You sure can't. I thought you were going to break a window when you kicked that ball too hard. You must have frightened the life out of that boy at the window. I wonder who he was?" "Maybe he lives here." "And maybe he's seen something. We should go talk to him. That's what Mom and Dad would do." "He didn't seem too keen to talk to us before." Clara grabbed his hand and started to walk away from the main part of the house. "Lane and Kent would never be put off so easily." "Where are we going?" Joel asked in resigned tones. "To find that boy and if he lives in this house then he won't use the visitor's door. There has to be a back door in a place this big." The two children wandered round the facade of the sprawling building yet they couldn't find a door that wasn't locked and they didn't want to knock and ask for a boy whose name they didn't even know. At last Clara was ready to admit defeat and as time was passing and they felt sure that their grandparents would be looking for them they retraced their steps towards the part of the house to which the public had access. Their route took them past the unused maze and immediately the children were enthralled. Clara and Joel had inherited both their parents' inquisitiveness and their instincts for a story. Ignoring the signs that informed the public that the maze was closed at present, Clara rushed to the gate only to find that it was locked against intruders. "It's locked!" She pronounced unnecessarily. Then demanded in a tone that would not accept excuses. "Joel, get over here and break this lock." Her brother being a more cautious soul than his sister and one that was more inclined to accept the authority of others, looked dubiously at his sibling and pointed to the large newly painted sign hanging on the iron gate. "Clara, we shouldn't. The sign says............" "Jeez, Joel. Who care's what it says. If you were the bad guy and wanted to keep people from finding out what you were up to, wouldn't you put up a sign that says. ' No Tressssp.......' Well whatever it says." "'No Trespassers' is what it says and that means that they don't want us to go in." "Exactly! And that's why we should take a look. Can't you at least try and get us in?" she now spoke in more coaxing tones. "Please." In truth Joel agreed with Clara and so allowed himself to be persuaded, not realising that he was following in the steps that his father had so often trodden with his mother. Crossing to the gate Joel placed his hands firmly on the iron lock and pushed. To his surprise, the gate swung open with a protesting creak. "Wow!" Was all that his sister managed to say. "The lock was pretty rusty," Joel spoke dismissively. "Come on, let's go before anyone spots us." Pulling her along behind him, the two disappeared into the bushy confines of the maze. Joel plotted a resolute course through the puzzle of hedges, deviating only twice from his certain path. It wasn't that he could actually see through the greenery but it was as though an echo bounced back at him from the surrounding bushes enabling him to quickly establish which was the true way. Within a very short time they arrived at the statue in the heart of the maze. "Now what?" Joel asked his sister. "We look for clues." And that said the little girl walked over to the sculpture and started searching the ground at its foot. "Oh yeah, and I'm sure we'll find a sign that says Bernard Klein was here." However, despite his scepticism, he too began looking around. Soon he was interrupted by an excited cry from Clara. "Joel, get over here," she instructed. Clara had dropped to her knees by the base of the statue and was forcing her small fingers down a narrow crack that showed along one side of the plinth. "Look! There's a hole beneath this thing. Use your x-ray vision and see what's under here." Her brother drew her an exasperated glance. "That's Dad you're thinking of. I can't do that." His irritated look was returned full force. "Don't tell me that. I know that sometimes you can see through things." "Clara," Joel sighed and tried to explain. "You're right. Sometimes I can see through doors and walls, but they're made of wood and this is stone and earth. And, like I told you before, I can't do it when I want. It just happens." "I know," Clara placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and tried gentle coaxing again. "You got the gate open. Can't you have a stab at this? We've come too far to go back without trying." Joel decided not to answer his sister but he did turn his eyes to the stone slabs at his feet and choosing a spot only inches from the crack, he concentrated his vision and attempted to look through the ground. He remembered, the night after the wedding when he had part fallen and part floated out off the tree, asking his dad how he had learned to use his powers and being told that the secret, in the beginning, was in concentration. Later, Clark explained, as he had grown and become more accustomed to their use, and with a great deal of practise, they had come readily under his full control. While the concerned father had tucked his son into bed that night, he had asked with false calm if his son had been experiencing any strange sensations and though the child had been tempted, he was not ready to talk about the odd things that were occurring to him and so he had lied to his father and told him no. After the 'tree incident' Clark had known this was not totally true. However, sensing the boy's reticence and not wanting to probe, Clark had hugged his son reassuringly and reminded him that his dad would always be there for him whenever he needed. Now Joel tried to put into effect all that his father had explained but nothing was happening. So he tried harder. Still he could only see the cracked slabs of the crazy paving that surrounded the statue's base and the small green weeds that grew in the spaces between the stones. Yet something was happening. The green plants turned black and a small spiral of smoke rose into the air as the weeds started to smoulder. Joel shut his eyes and clapped a hand across his face, but as a squeal burst from Clara he gingerly opened his eyes again and saw the flames spreading amongst the weeds. He stamped his feet firmly on the small flames and Clara, seeing his intention, joined in. Swiftly the flames were doused. "Oh boy!" "Well Joel, your heat vision works." "But I was trying my x-ray vision. Any more good ideas?" Clara scanned the ground once more and, finding a small pebble, she thrust it down the gap. The two children waited in silence for a few seconds until they heard the hollow sound of the small stone hitting the bottom of the hole. "There is something down there." An avid fan of children's adventure movies, Clara inspirationally proposed, "A secret passage, maybe?" Joel smirked at his sister and said in a close imitation of his Grandma Lane. "You spend too much time watching T V." Dismissing the criticism with an airy wave of her hand, Clara proceeded to feel around at the foot of the stone man. "And if there's a passage way then there must be a secret lever." The child's hand passed over the sculpted foot, then a click and a grating noise could be heard as stone scraped over stone and the statue and plinth slid back to reveal steps leading down into the darkness. Their first reaction had been to jump back in fright but now they crept forward and peered down. As if drawn by some invisible magnet the two children could not resist the lure of the mysterious tunnel and hand in hand they hesitantly made their way down the stairs. Once at the bottom they started out along the passage only to be stopped by the earthen fall-in. However, as a barricade to two small, agile children the fall-in was quite useless. A clear gap showed in the dim light between the top of the pile of rubble and the roof of the tunnel. Joel and Clara speedily climbed over the obstacle, yet found on the other side that there was even less light than before. Clinging to each other for encouragement the brother and sister felt their way slowly to the end of the passage, where they found a very thick wooden door. Joel's hands searched for a handle, hoping that he could perform the same miracle as he had with the maze's gate. Fortunately force was not required, for the door had been left carelessly unlocked. Stealthily the children crept into the cellars' of the great house, their exploration aided by the dim lighting of the basement. They followed a corridor and cautiously tried the door they found at its end. When the door opened at their touch, Clara moaned disgustedly. "These bad guys aren't very clever. The keep leaving doors unlocked." "Hush Clara! And don't complain. At least they're making it easier for us to search." While he was speaking, Joel pushed the door open and peeked around the edge. The room was in semi-darkness but he could discern a man's figure sitting on a chair on the far side of the room. Behind him appeared to be another person lying on a small bed. The seated figure turned to the door which was now slightly ajar. "Who's there?" A man's querulous voice queried. At the sound of the voice, Clara quickly pushed past her brother and running across the room, threw her arms about the sitting man. "Uncle Bernie! Uncle Bernie! We found you." Clara pressed kisses all over the startled man's face. The young girl was as excited at finding her godfather as at the success of her persistence. She turned triumphantly to her brother. "I just knew that we could do it Joel. I just knew." Her brother however, was looking less than ecstatic. He too had crossed the room and now stood by the narrow cot, staring down at his dear Aunt Beth. "Is she sick?" He whispered. "Yes, Joel. I'm afraid your aunt is very ill and she needs help right away." Bernard was thoroughly distracted by the arrival of the two children. If he had expected anyone to find them it would have been Superman but instead he was confronted by the hero's two children. As they had so frequently in the past, this family took his breath away. Nonetheless this was no time for reflection. His wife needed to be hospitalised. If Joel and Clara were here then Superman had to be nearby. But wait, that was exactly what Sheringham wanted and taking his wife from this place was not necessarily the best course of action. She needed the antidote and soon. And if the Viscount was to be believed only the serum that Schmidt had developed would counteract the poison. Bernard needed time to figure out what was the best thing to do. Joel, however had no such qualms. "Don't worry, Uncle Bernie. You're both safe now. We'll fetch Dad and he'll get you out of here." "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. You see Joel the criminals........." Bernard lowered his voice and began to explain to the boy why they should be wary about calling for Superman when Clara interrupted abruptly. "The criminals! Huh! Don't worry about them. They don't even remember to lock the doors. Dad will soon have them sorted out." "No Clara! We shouldn't bring your father here. As I was about to tell Joel........." Once again the doctor began his explanation when there was another interruption. The door was pushed fully open and four men filled the portal. "Well, well Dr Klein! It seems that you are entertaining. Please won't you introduce me to your young guests." Bernard's first thought was to protect the children's identity. Sending them warning glances, the doctor prayed that the kids would follow his lead. "This is Clara and that's her brother Joel. But apart from that I'm sorry to disappoint you Sheringham I don't know who they are or how they got here." The Viscount came into the room, his entourage following behind. The twins closed the door and stood guard on either side, eager to make amends for their sloppy forgetfulness that had led to these children finding their way to the prisoners. Schmitd, meanwhile positioned himself by Joel's shoulder. Walking slowly round the small boy, Sheringham studied this new arrival rather like a cat with a mouse. This surprising occurrence was not in his plan and for a moment he was at a loss with what to do. The big question was, did anyone else know the whereabouts of these two children? He came to stand before the boy and raising himself to his full height, which was not inconsiderable, especially for a man of his years, he frowned down at his prey hoping to intimidate him, as he normally did with his subordinates and most easily with his grandson. "Just who are you and how did you find your way here?" He demanded. Unfortunately, the boy did not seem to be at all frightened, which was not exactly true. Joel's insides were quaking, but he tried to still his shaky breath and assume the pose which he had witnessed so often in his father. He had also gathered from the desperate looks that his uncle was directing his way that he was not to reveal his relationship with the Kleins. "My name is Joel Kent and that's my sister Clara. We're visitors from Kansas in the U S. We're here with our grandparents, who wanted to look over this old pile of stone." The man visibly blanched at this description of his home, but Joel chose to overlook the warning and continued with his bogus explanation. He had already decided to stick as close to the truth as he dared, leaving out some relevant facts in order to hide some other facts. "But my sister and I got fed-up, so we decided to explore and found that old maze. Mister that's a real cool puzzle, but we cracked it in the end." "That maze was out of bounds to the public. Didn't you see the signs? That is, of course, assuming that you can read." The old man was scathingly furious. "And that gate was locked." Clara could not keep quiet in the face of such a hurtful insult. "Yes, we can read! And your lock was so rusty it broke!" Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Sheringham glanced from one child to the other unused to being addressed in such an insubordinate manner. However, he chose to ignore the disrespect, believing that American children did not understand old-world manners and he turned his attention back to the boy. "You expect me to believe that?" "It doesn't matter what you believe. It's the truth." From his stance by the door one of the identical thugs spoke up, hoping to mitigate the fact that he and his brother had left the doors unlocked. "The kid's right, that lock should've been replaced." For that input he received a thunderous look from his employer, warning him that the viscount had not forgotten their transgressions. "I don't see why. You would probably have left it unlocked as well." That said he turned back to the offending boy. "So you obviously found your way to the centre of the labyrinth, please tell us what happened then?" "The statue had a gap at its foot and we could see there was something underneath.........." "We knew it had to be a secret passage," Clara interrupted once more, "so we looked for a lever to open it." These interventions were aggravating the silver-haired man though he was intrigued by the girl's reasoning. "And why would you reach such a far-fetched conclusion?" "Don't you watch television, mister? There are always secret passages in these old houses. It's oblige............." Clara was the daughter of two people who made their living by the manipulation of words, however, sometimes she bit off a little more than she could chew. Dr Klein helped out. "It's obligatory." "Yes! Thank you." Patience was not one of the viscount's strong points and the little that he had was fast running out. If these children had found their way through the tunnel, it meant that the passage was not blocked and the entrance into the cellars could be found by others. Could none of his servants do a decent job? "Enough of this nonsense. Clearly these children found this place because certain people in my employ did not carry out their tasks correctly. I shall deal with that later. Now the pertinent question is what is to be done with this problem?" And he pointed his hand judiciously at Joel and Clara. "It's my contention that no one knows the whereabouts of these two so we may safely kill them and dispose of the bodies elsewhere." With his decision made Sheringham turned to leave the execution of his orders to his underlings, yet his motion was halted by a desperate cry from Bernard. "No! That's diabolical! You cannot seriously contemplate killing two innocent children." Roger Schmidt was looking equally horrified. He had entered into this liaison with his half-brother contemplating visions of proving his theories and thus being hailed as a scientific genius by his contemporaries. Murder had not been part of the equation. Besides, these children could be used as guineapigs before the final operation on his grandnephew. But before Schmidt had a chance to voice his opinions, Bernard began talking again. "Plus, I think you will find that these are not ordinary children." Joel, realizing that the doctor had previously been attempting to hide their origins, directed a puzzled look at his uncle. Surely he was not going to reveal their true parentage? Sheringham halted, intrigued despite his earlier frustration. "And what is so special about two farm children from Kansas?" "But that is not where they are from. As you know, I live in Metropolis and I believe that these children live there too." Bernard could feel the anxious stares of the two children lock on him as they strove to follow his reasoning. He was also counting on the fact that Sheringham did not know the intimate details of their relationships back home. "The boy told you his name is Kent. That's quite a well-known name in my home city especially if it is associated with the name Lane." The viscount searched his memory for all he had learned of Metropolis, the chosen home of Superman, and the reporting team of Lane and Kent came to the forefront of his mind. They were the two reporters who were the recipients of so many Superman exclusives and, even more importantly, were considered to be the hero's closest human friends. It would certainly be a stroke of good fortune and an indication of the correctness of his cause, if such a lever as Superman's 'almost' family dropped into his lap. And watching the looks of consternation that crossed the two young faces, he knew that Klein's supposition was right. "Now that we have been properly introduced," he addressed the children in silky tones, "welcome to my home." The old man's self-satisfied smile gave Joel the unpleasant sensation of a fly being caught in a spider's web. The threat of a quick death for himself and his sister seemed to have receded for the moment but he sensed that whatever replaced it would not be agreeable. The 'spider' continued speaking. "Superman will not contemplate the deaths of his favourite children. He will most certainly agree to our demands in order to save these two. Roger, inject them with the poison." "But I have another use for them," Schmidt protested, only to receive a contemptuous reply. "My dear Roger, who is the head of this family?" If it were possible the old man's voice became ever silkier. "And who provides the finance for your experiments? May I remind you that 'whoever pays the piper calls the tune'. I abhor dissension in the ranks." From the moment the half-brothers had met, the younger man had fallen quickly under the influence of the older's powerful personality. Besides, the two goons by the door came forward to enforce their employer's commands. Roger, who had a healthy regard for his continued good health, chose to obey these orders and bringing a medical trolley from a locked cupboard in the darker recesses of the room, began to fill a syringe with a strangely coloured serum. At that moment Joel made a dive in the direction of the door, but the twins were close by and quickly blocked his exit. The boy tried hard to move fast and bypass the human obstacles but the men were large and strong and even with his budding powers, Joel was no match for two grown men who dedicated their lives to the protection of their master. Nonetheless, his adversaries, receiving a number of bruises from the boy's flailing arms, were surprised by the force of his blows and when one such punch connected with one of the bullies' solar-plexus the man gasped and swore. "Damn! The little b*****d is stronger than he looks." However, the unequal struggle could not last over long and by the time that Schmidt had prepared the injection the twins had subdued their quarry. Meanwhile, Clara had attempted to come to her brother's aid, but her efforts had been speedily contained by the vice-like grip of the viscount's arms encircling her small body. The man might be old, but his physical strength was enhanced by his fanaticism, and as yet there had been no sign that Clara would develop her father's abilities. This fact had never worried her in the past, as her brother had only started changing a few months ago. However, she would have given anything for one small atom of her dad's power. Now she could only stand within the horrid man's grasp and watch as the others tried to inject poison into her brother. But Joel wasn't beaten yet, with a last effort he twisted round and kicked out at the hand holding the needle. To the children's and Bernard's relief the syringe went sailing to the back of the room and was lost in the gloom. The stressed German scientist went after it and within a few moments a crunching noise could be heard and a voice cursing followed the sound as Roger came sheepishly back into the light. The viscount sighed audibly. "Please don't tell me, you stepped on the syringe," Sheringham's exasperation was increasing and his ancient clawlike fingers bit into Clara's arms. "Never mind, administer the drug orally," he spat out the order. "It worked exceedingly well on Mrs Klein. Make sure you give him enough to quicken the effect. I grow tired of this nonsense." With shaky hands Roger sought to do his brother's bidding, while Bernard could only watch in horror at the amount of toxin being measured into the glass. Joel was only a child, albeit an emerging super one. That dosage could prove fatal within a very short time. Clara knew none of that, but her instincts were strong and she realised the danger that her brother would be in if he swallowed that stuff. Desperate action was needed, so she turned and looked up at her captor. "I can bring Superman here. Please, leave my brother alone and I'll bring Superman to you." "No!" Klein tried to stop her, but his protest was only halfhearted. There was no other choice. His objection was ignored by Sheringham, who was sceptical of the girl's affirmation but was nonetheless not willing to discount it totally. "Very well, go ahead, my dear. Shout or scream or do whatever you need to attract his attention." Clara swallowed hard. She knew that her parents always preferred her to tell the truth and Superman never lied, but surely that did not include dealing with very bad guys. "That's not how I do it." "Come, my dear, doesn't Superman always hear a call for help?" Bernard, seeing Clara's hesitation chose to help out. "Superman may have enhanced hearing, but not all the way to Metropolis." The interruption had given Clara a few minutes for thought. The memory of Uncle Jimmy's ultrasonic watch popped into her head. "I have to go to our cottage. Mom and Dad have this watch thing that they always carry with them. It's a signal that Superman can hear from anywhere in the world. I know where it is. Promise me not to harm Joel and I'll bring it to you." Sheringham gazed at his captors for a long moment, contemplating his options. This whole operation was proving to be more complicated than he had surmised and he devoutly wanted it over and done with. He was tired. He didn't like to admit it but his age was beginning to have a definite and unwanted effect on his body. His joints ached and he grew more easily exhausted. All he desired was to see his grandson transformed into a super being and he needed Superman's cooperation for that. "Very well, I agree. Joseph, take the girl to where she's staying at present and find that device. Talk to no one and be back here forthwith. The sooner Superman show's up the better. And just in case, Clara, you should think to tell anyone of your brother's whereabouts......Roger, administer the poison." That was said so unexpectedly that Joel was taken unawares. He felt the remaining goon force his head back and take hold of his nose, closing off the air passages and making Joel reflexively open his mouth. Immediately the boy's mouth came open, Schmidt poured the vile potion down his gullet. The whole action happened in seconds and no-one had a chance to prevent it. Clara glared at the old man with such hatred. "You promised me," she accused. "No, my dear, I don't believe I actually took an oath. You must learn to pay more attention when brokering a deal. Now hurry along. I realise you are wondering whether to adhere to our agreement, but I would recommend that, if you want your brother to survive, you do exactly as you proposed." Clara fervently wished that the man would stop speaking in that affected manner which she had difficulty in understanding and she hated the way he insisted on calling her my dear. Nevertheless, none of that mattered, Joel would die if she didn't bring Superman. She only hoped that her Dad would know what to do to defeat the old man and his thugs and to save Joel and Aunt Beth. She sullenly nodded her head and headed out the door with her minder. ********** The large man held Clara's wrist with more force than was needed, but she did not protest. Somehow she had the feeling that he wouldn't listen to her request to loosen his grasp. Joseph was adamant he would do this right as he and his brother were already in trouble with 'his lordship' for all the earlier gaffs they had made. So he was doubly determined to hold onto the girl and to bring back the signal-watch that 'his lordship' was so desirous of having. Pushing the girl inside an ancient nondescript van--the old gentleman didn't believe in spending overmuch on equipment used by his staff--he hurriedly jumped into the driver seat and drove out the back drive of the Hall (it didn't do to keep the viscount waiting when he was displeased). When they hit the main road, the van turned back along the thoroughfare and headed northeast for the coast and for the little town where the girl and her family had rented holiday accommodation. Within minutes they were approaching the main gate of the Hall where it became obvious that an altercation was happening at the junction. Two police cars and a private vehicle had pulled up in front of the large wrought iron gates, flanked by their stone pillars on which sat the family emblem of a charging boar. The constables were involved in a heated discussion with two couples who were obviously tr