The Tears of a Clone
By Jenni Debbage <jdse08662@blueyonder.co.uk>
Rated PG
Submitted May 1999

     This is my fifth story and as usual it continues with the lives of my
interpretation of Lois and Clark and their family.  It is another
stand-alone story, though it does occasionally allude to some of the
previous tales.  Once again, comments are very welcome and I'm growing used
to controversy so don't be afraid to speak your mind.


The Tears of a Clone

Chapter 1
A Birthday Celebration

     It was the spring of 2006 and the family Kent had gathered to
celebrate the 65th birthday of its matriarch.  The weather had been kind to
their celebrations and the planned barbeque was already underway, blessed
by clear blue skies and a warm spring sun.  The elder Kents had requested
the company of their family and friends to commemorate the special day in
the life of their dearest and most loved lady, Martha Kent.

     Her son Clark along with his wife, Lois and their four children had
organised the party and, joined by the family's closest friends, the
celebrants were intent on making this day an especially joyous one for the
birthday lady.  Jonathan Kent was as usual presiding over the production of
the barbeque food with a little help from his son.  The accompanying buffet
and drinks were being distributed to the party members by Lois with the
assistance of her three oldest children, the pretty and pert Clara and two
of her brothers Joel and Julian, their respective dark and fair hair
gleaming in the bright sunlight.  The only blonde in the family, Julian's
colouring marked him as the odd one out, yet the distinction was
superficial.  Although Julian was an adopted son, by love and commitment he
was a true member of the Kent family.    The youngest boy, Nathan, a
toddler approaching three, was sitting with the birthday lady and was
already enjoying the scrumptious food and basking in the attention which
spilled over from his grandma to himself.  Seated round the table with
Martha and her grandson was Bernard and Beth Klein, with Perry White and
his wife, Alice.

       Thankfully Perry's recovery from the traffic accident that he had
been involved in a week or two before Christmas was well underway and he
had returned, at least, part time to his job the week before this
gathering.  He was still, however, relying heavily on the help of his
stand-in editors, namely Lane & Kent.  It seemed that trauma was a good
deal harder to recover from for someone of his advancing years and besides,
Perry had discovered that life had more to offer than full-time work at the
Planet.  He and Alice had enjoyed the warming spring months visiting their
old haunts such as Graceland and spending time indulging in some of his
more loved hobbies like fishing.  Indeed he had been in seventh heaven when
his wife suggested that he take this time out to teach her the intricacies
of his long-term and much enjoyed sport.  Alice White was at last beginning
to successfully convince her husband to take time out to smell the roses.

     The Lane in-laws and Clark's aging Aunt Opal made up the other members
of the party and all were determined to enjoy their day in the backyard of
the elder Kents' Metropolis home.

     Jonathan and Martha had finally finished working on the property's
back garden, intending to turn their home in a quiet suburb of Metropolis
into a little patch of country.  It took many years to lay out a garden to
the best of specifications.  The patio and barbeque pit had been built by
Jonathan and Clark sometime ago, but bushes, flowers and trees took time
and care to cultivate, yet after many years of loving tending, the couple
had succeeded in transferring a barren landscape into the sheltered arbours
and garden that entranced the visitors of today.

     On this special day the trees and bushes were festooned with balloons
and banners wishing Martha a very happy birthday.  The kids had a ball
earlier distributing the party balloons and bunting throughout the garden,
with a little elevated assistance from their dad.  Most fathers could not
have achieved the stringing of the streamers from the tops of the trees and
guttering of the house without the use of a ladder but then most fathers
were not Superman.  In the past, Clark might have concluded that such an
action was too risky, as his parents' house was flanked on either side by
similar residences, but by getting up at the crack of dawn when sensible
people were still abed and having the help of a semi-super powered lookout
in the shape of Joel, the other children and Clark had super-flown around
the garden and within no time the greenery was hung with festive banners
and balloons.  When Martha had emerged later, yielding to the eager
persuasion of her grandchildren, she had been charmed by the sight of her
gaily bedecked backyard.  Now she was joined by all the people she loved
best in life and her birthday was bidding fair to become a day that would
live in her memory for a long time to come.

      The senior male Kents, their task becoming more uncomfortable as the
hot afternoon sun beat down on their backs and the steaming heat rose from
the coals into their faces, were slaving hard over a hot barbeque,
determined to assuage the hungry appetites of the guests.  Clark was not
affected by extremes of temperature.  Nevertheless, he appreciated that his
father was finding the going tough and he suggested solicitously that
perhaps the older man might want to take a break.  This advice was not
received well by his father, who disliked the notion that his age was
beginning to slow him down, and besides, he was the host and the designated
barbeque chef of the family; a little extra heat was not going to stop him
from doing his job.  This reaction did not surprise Clark, but nevertheless
he was still concerned for his father.  The perspiration that stood out on
the older man's forehead and Jonathan's whitened pallor did not reassure
Clark and he chose to monitor carefully, though covertly, his father's
vital signs.

       His plan though, as so often in the past, was destined to be
interrupted by a police bulletin requesting assistance at a hostage
situation in a neighbouring area; a man had seemingly gone berserk and was
holding his wife, mother-in-law and five children at gunpoint.  Signalling
to Lois to meet him on the back porch, he quickly updated her on the
situation and as the location of the emergency was relatively near at hand
and as there were children in danger, Superman could leave and deal with
the crisis in the time it would take Clark Kent to go to the bathroom and
no one would be any the wiser.  Still, he told Lois of his worries
regarding his father and with Lois' reassurance that she would look out for
Jon, Superman flew off.

     After watching her husband disappear into the house where he changed
into a streak of red and blue and flew off through the front door, too fast
for the normal human eye to track, Lois sauntered off the wooden terrace
and down towards the barbeque pit where Jonathan had stopped to wipe his
face with his garishly orange and lemon printed apron.   Knowing that her
father-in-law was a tad touchy in regard to his state of health, she
approached him casually.

     "Hi, Jonathan.  How's the cooking doing?  Everyone is enjoying your
spicy chicken, even Aunt Opal and you know how she's always complaining
about how hot spices give her gas."

     "Maybe that means that I'm not putting in enough spices," Jonathan
attempted a foray into humour, but his laugh turned into a cough.  "Sorry
Lois," he apologised as he lifted a handkerchief to his mouth, "the fumes
catch the back of the throat now and again."

     Now Lois was starting to grow anxious at Jon's continued choking
coughs.  "You know Jonathan, I think that everybody has enough food for the
present, perhaps you could rest up for a while."

      Jonathan regarded Lois with suspicion, he was quite aware that his
family had recently been worried about his state of health, ever since the
turn of the year when both Martha and he had been laid low with the flu bug
that had swept through Metropolis.  Martha had recovered quite normally,
but he had developed a nasty chest infection which had taken several weeks
to clear up.

     "Have you been talking to Clark?" he asked in a strangled voice but
with a certain amount of belligerence.
     "Clark?!"  Lois nearly squeaked out then brought her voice under
control.  "No!  Where is Clark anyway?  I thought he was assistant chef."

     "Gone to the bathroom.  At least that's the story for public
consumption.  For you though he's gone to help out as Superman, but don't
you already know that?"  Jon had obviously witnessed Clark's and Lois'
dialogue.

     Lois considered prevarication, but then thought better of that idea.
She loved her father-in-law greatly and thought that he deserved the truth.

     "Clark and I are just concerned about you, Jonathan.  We care so much
that sometimes we must seem overprotective.........."

     "And I must appear like an ungrateful, bad-tempered  old coot..........."

     "No, never bad-tempered, Jonathan," Lois interceded with a grin, which
thankfully was returned.

     "Actually, Lois, I do feel a little tired," truth deserved a similar
response,  "so maybe I'll go inside for a few minutes' rest."  And when he
saw that his daughter intended to accompany him, "Perhaps you could take
over this for me until Clark gets back."

      As he spoke, he handed her the cooking tools that lay by his side and
walked slowly towards the house, leaving Lois with no excuse to follow.
Nevertheless she watched his progress closely and so was the first to see
him grab for the porch rail as he started up the steps and, clutching
weakly at his chest with loose fingers, he collapsed to the ground.

     "Jonathan!!"  Lois screamed as she ran across the patio to the
distressed man's side, her shrill voice drawing the attention of the other
party members.

       Sam Lane was the first to react and was soon leaning over Jonathan's
prone form checking for pulse and respiration.   Sam was a doctor, in fact
a very good one, and although his professional life had in the distant past
gone off on some very strange tangents, lately he had returned to a more
conventional form of medicine and was helping accident victims who had
suffered paralysing injuries to recover some mobility.  Lois knew that her
father-in-law was in very capable hands.  After a very quick examination
Sam looked up at his daughter with an apprehensive frown.

     "We need an ambulance here, now.  Tell them it's an emergency; a
suspected coronary arrest."
     Lois' face blanched white, but she did as she was bid only to find
that her mother had beaten her to the phone and was speedily dialling the
emergency services.  Left with nothing to do she hurried back outside to
find her father-in-law surrounded by anxious friends.

     "Where's Clark?"  Martha's terrified voice was merely a whisper.  It
was a measure of Martha's love for her son that he should be the first
person she would look to when in trouble and now it was Martha's turn to
echo the thoughts of her daughter; why did Superman always interfere when
Clark was needed by his family?

     Lois could almost read the thoughts that were tumbling through her
mother-in-law's mind, but there were folks here who didn't know of Clark's
other identity and they were expectantly waiting to discover Clark's
whereabouts.  Hovering close by her shoulder, she could sense the
exasperation of her own mother, frequently through the years Ellen Lane had
mentioned her son-in-law's questionable vanishing acts, and Aunt Opal was
beginning to look around inquisitively for her nephew.  An excuse was
definitely required here.

     "Um....mm.  I think that Jonathan had run out of supplies and sent
Clark to the grocery store."

     Heedful of how seriously Jon took his role of head chef, Martha
recognised this as an excuse, nevertheless it seemed to satisfy those not
initiated into the family secret.

     Meanwhile, distracted by the dreadful choking noise emanating from
Jonathan's throat, Martha felt her legs begin to buckle.  She reached for
the stair rails only to have her hands taken in Bernard Klein's strong
grasp while Beth, his wife, slipped an arm round the distraught woman's
waist to support and comfort.  There was at the moment a proliferation of
physicians in the Kents' backyard, but both  Dr Kleins were content, for
the present, to leave the care of the patient in the capable hands of Sam
Lane.

      In the distance the alarm siren of an ambulance could be heard as it
rushed towards the emergency and although time seemed to stand still for
the watchers in the garden, the paramedics speedily arrived at their
destination and, after being informed of Sam's profession, quickly assisted
Dr Lane in his emergency treatment.

      Swiftly and competently, Jonathan was transferred into the ambulance,
accompanied by Martha and Sam and, at Dr Lane's insistence, they drove off
to check the cardiac patient into the Greenmeadows Institute, a hospital
long recognised for its excellence in the treatment of coronary disease.
The hospital was run by a consortium of physicians, headed by one Dr David
Goodman, who was not only a brilliant and renowned heart surgeon but was a
very old friend of Sam Lane, the two having encouraged and supported each
other through med-school so many years ago.  Sam could think of no better
person into whose hands he would rather commit Jonathan's medical
ministration and on their seemingly long journey to the hospital he tried
to convey his hopeful thoughts to Martha.  His optimistic words,
regrettably, were made more difficult to believe by the dreadful demeanour
of the patient and silently Sam prayed that his relative and friend would
make it to the ER alive.  But Jonathan was a fighter and he held on to the
thin strand of life that was still available to him, not prepared to leave
behind his beloved wife and family.


     Back in her in-laws' home, Lois was in some sort of quandary.  While
she was eager to rush off in pursuit of the ambulance she recognised that
when Clark returned he was going need all of her understanding and support.
 This, of course, meant that she was left in the dark concerning Jonathan's
progress and she only hoped that she could rely on her father to update her
on any developments.  Help was at hand, however, and Bernard and Beth,
realising her predicament, offered to proceed to Greenmeadows to discover
Jonathan's current state of health.  In fact, Bernard had a second, private
motive for visiting the hospital.  Apart from the apparent concern he had
for his friend, he was interested to experience in person the workings of
the eminent institution.  Greenmeadows, under the leadership of head
physician Dr Goodman and his team, was carving out a reputation for saving
the lives of those who were deemed by other facilities to be beyond
treatment, yet the medical staff was proving to be more than a little coy
regarding its methods.  Mysteries always intrigued Bernard Klein, a
personal trait that had intensified over the years due to his involvement
in the investigations of Lane & Kent.

     With the problem of communication solved, at least it would be when
the Kleins arrived at Greenmeadows, Lois concentrated on calming her
frightened children.  They had all witnessed the collapse of their dearest
grandpa and were now thoroughly scared at what might become of him.  The
three oldest children well understood the meaning of death having
encountered it at very close quarters during the New Year holiday.  Too
many of their friends had been killed in a terrorist attack and the very
recent, almost healed scars were threatening to burst anew at the prospect
of losing their grandfather.

      Thankfully Nathan had been kept out of that whole affair, but now the
little boy had been seriously confused and terrified by the sight of his
grandpa lying unmoving  by the stairs and then carted away by strangers to
somewhere his mommy told him was a hospital where they made sick people
well again.  He vaguely recalled being sick himself and his grandpa Lane
had made him better and grandpa Lane had gone off in the van so maybe he
would do the same for grandpa Jon as he had for him.  All these thoughts
running through his very young mind overwhelmed him and he cuddled closer
to his mom for comfort.

     Sitting amidst her offspring Lois, for the sake of her children,
attempted to show a brave face, a task made more difficult by the anxious
utterings of Aunt Opal.  This old lady was a cousin of Martha and the only
other relation that lived in Metropolis and, as this elderly woman had no
family of her own, the Kents had chosen to take care of her, a circumstance
that Lois was at present finding very tough to maintain.  If only Opal
would stop wringing her hands and repeating statements of dread in that
quavering voice.  But, fortunately, Lois was saved from strangling the
tremulous harbinger of doom by the ever-supportive Perry offering to take
Aunt Opal home.  At first the elderly woman had refused the offer, stating
stoically that her place was by her family in their time of tribulation.
Thankfully, when it was pointed out that whenever Clark returned the family
would be hurrying off to the hospital and the house would be left empty,
she agreed to leave with Perry and Alice under the proviso that she would
be kept informed of poor Jonathan's condition.

     A pregnant silence fell over the house when the three had gone.  Lois
could feel the eyes of her mother boring into her back as Ellen paced to
and from the window, covertly peering down the street to see if her errant
son-in-law was anywhere in sight.

     "Mother, please will you stop pacing.  You'll wear a hole in the
carpet."  Lois' patience was ebbing quickly away.  "And peeking out the
window won't bring Clark home any sooner."

     "Where is he?"  Ellen demanded.  Worrying about Jonathan had made her
edgy and uncomfortable thoughts of how devastated she would feel if in the
position that her friend Martha now found herself sharpened her voice.

     "I've already told you; at the grocery store."

     "How can you be so calm?  That boy is never here when you need him."

      Lois could feel her children bridling in defence of their father.  Of
course, they understood the true reason behind Clark's absences while Ellen
could only be puzzled by her daughter's long forbearance of Clark's weird
disappearing acts.  Perhaps it was finally time to clue her parents into
their son-in-law's part-time job.  The stumbling block was that neither she
nor Clark was sure that they could handle the knowledge.  Sam's reaction
did not concern Lois or Clark overmuch, he had frequently in the past dealt
with the esoteric, but neither one had wished to place Sam in the position
of keeping a secret of this magnitude from his wife.  And Ellen, though she
had become more stable in these last years due to her rediscovered love and
remarriage, was still a volatile personality who Lois felt would not cope
well with the knowledge that her daughter was married to an alien and that
her dear grandchildren were half-breeds (Lois hated that term).  And like
the genie once out of the bottle the secret could never be put back.  They
had gotten away with it once many years ago when Sam's partner had been
experimenting with a mind-control machine, but that piece of equipment had
burnt itself out and neither Sam nor his partner had sought to rebuild it.
Meanwhile, she had a husband to defend.

     "Mother.  That's not true.  Clark is always there for me and for his
kids.  And your accusations don't make it any easier for me to remain
calm."   Actually Lois concluded that it would be much better for the
situation if Ellen were not here when Clark returned.  "Anyway, Mother,
wouldn't you rather be at the hospital with Daddy?"

     "I'm not leaving you here alone, Lois," Ellen stated adamantly.  "So
don't try to fob me off.  I'm your mother and I'm here to help."

       In the face of such determination Lois was powerless.  She only
hoped that Superman did not come flying in the window.  On this score her
fears were groundless.  Returning to his parents' house a lot later than he
had first supposed, Clark was surprised to see that there were fewer cars
parked outside than when he had left.  Surely his absence hadn't been quite
so protracted that everyone had gone home.  His senses alerted, he tuned in
his super-hearing to the conversation going on in the house below and
overheard the tail end of Lois' speech with her mother.  Something was
wrong!  His first inclination was to zoom through the window and demand an
explanation, but thankfully over the years he had learned to look before he
leapt and there really was no explanation for Superman turning up on the
Kents' doorstep.

      After a swift scan of the area, Superman landed at a speed that would
not create too much turbulence but would be hard for the human eye to
notice in the wooded area behind his parents' home. Changing into his
civilian clothes, he sauntered out onto the road and walked quickly though
not over-eagerly toward the door.  When he entered the front room, he was
immediately assailed by his kids, throwing themselves into his arms and
talking all at once.  The only words that made sense to Clark were grandpa
Jon and ambulance and they struck fear into his heart.  He had known that
something was up with his dad.  Horrified, questioning brown eyes were
turned on Lois as she came to stand before him, hushing her children and
taking his now cold hands into hers.  Slowly and succinctly she told him of
all that had happened since he had left and as his body began to buckle she
wrapped her arms around him and held him upright, assisted by her children
and more particularly by a little super strength from their eldest son.
Clark, however, needed but a few moments to regain his resolve and within a
very short space of time the family, including Ellen Lane, were on their
way to Greenmeadows.

                                                 *****

Chapter 2
A Lifeline

     The futuristic glass frontal entrance of the edifice that was
Greenmeadows was certainly awe-inspiring.  The combination of the old
building adjoined with the very new was odd yet impressive.  The older
building, with its faded warm brown walls, created a sensation of
trustworthiness, while the soaring glass windows of the new three-story
entrance lent an atmosphere of affluence and modern scientific competence.
Visitors were welcomed into its interior by soft painted walls, plush
carpeting and leather furnishings, all surrounded by the greenery of
abundant plant life, and by the helpful smiles of the attendant staff.  By
the very nature of the institution the people who entered through the
portals were very often harassed, frightened and apprehensive and the
family who now approached the large mahogany reception desk were clearly
all of these things.

     Lois carried her youngest son and Clark held tight to Clara's hand but
whether to comfort or to receive support neither was exactly certain.
Perhaps it was a little of both.  Ellen Lane remained resolutely glued to
her daughter, irrationally not having yet forgiven Clark for his absence.
The two boys hurried along at their side almost at a run and in fact
reached the desk before their parents, where they waited expectantly for
the lady behind the desk to notice them.  This she appeared not to do until
seconds later, when the grownups arrived at her station, she turned a
smiling face towards the group in front of her and in a bright, cheerful
voice asked.

     "Good afternoon, my name is Helena.  How may I be of assistance?"

     Under different circumstances Clark may have thought that the staff
were extremely friendly and kind but, immersed as he was in fears for his
father's health, he would scarcely have noticed whether he had been greeted
by a robot.  Lois, on the other hand, could not dismiss a feeling of slight
revulsion at the overly bubbly welcome.  Obviously the staff were well
trained in the public relations department.

     Clark, meanwhile was inquiring into the status of his father.   "Thank
you," even overburdened with cares Clark would never lose his innate good
manners.  "My name is Clark Kent.  I believe that my father Jonathan Kent
was admitted to your hospital a short time ago?"

     The smiling lady turned to her computer keyboard and, punching a few
keys, waited for the relevant information to fill her screen.  The sunny
smile never left her face and Lois began to think that they had indeed been
met by a robot.  Recollections of her father's experiments in that field
came back to haunt her and the sight of the perky grin of the robot  Baby
Gunderson sprang into her subconscious.

     The receptionist had found what she was looking for and turned her
attention back to the family waiting in dread for the news she would have
for them.  Her look, however, was encouraging and she spoke soothingly.

     "Mr Kent was admitted recently and is at present in the emergency unit
where he is being treated by Dr Goodman himself."  Her reverential tones
conveyed the impression that Mr Kent was indeed honoured by the attention
of the head of the hospital.  "Your father is in very safe hands.  If you
take the corridor to your left and follow the signs for ER you will soon be
with him.  The staff there will be only too pleased to assist you."

      With a quick acknowledgement Clark turned on his heel and with his
family in tow went to find his father.


     Greenmeadows' ER department was a white pristine world where busy yet
calm competence prevailed.  The staff went quickly and quietly about their
work and Lois and Clark were surprised by the air of almost serenity that
greeted them.  From personal experience both as patients and visitors to
the ER unit in Metropolis General they expected the hectic disorder
bordering on chaos that normally pervaded such an establishment.  Of
course, this hospital being a specialist unit would not receive the same
amount of admissions as the large overburdened Met General.

       The desk in the emergency unit was very similar to the one they had
left behind only it was smaller and slightly less ostentatious than its
counterpart in the main reception hall.  The staffer behind the desk was
also rather different, older and wearing a white uniform which denoted a
member of the nursing staff, yet the smile she gave them as they walked up
to her station was identical.  Lois wondered if on top of their medical
training the staff of this hospital had attended charm school.  Her flight
of fancy was only momentary, however, as she heard her husband enquire
about Jonathan's whereabouts.  The nurse turned to them and in a voice that
exuded calm she informed them that Mr Kent was at present being attended to
by a medical team and that the doctor would be pleased to speak to the
family when he had completed his examination.  Meanwhile, would they be
happy to join Mrs Kent in the waiting area and she indicated a room behind
them.

     Clark wanted to demand a more detailed account of his father's status,
but he understood that this would be unreasonable.  Only at the moment he
didn't feel very reasonable, in fact he was feeling scared and paranoid.
The cognizant part of his brain realised that this day would come; the day
when he might lose one of his parents.  After all, every one of them was
growing older, even he.  But please, not yet!  He was not prepared to
relinquish his hold on the support, the wise council and the simple
friendship that he received from his father.  Not yet!

     Drowning in a sea of self pity, Clark entered the waiting area and
found Martha being zealously tended by Bernard and Beth, sitting like
bookends on either side of her.  Setting eyes on his mother, all thoughts
of his own loss left him as he hurried to comfort the forlorn little woman
he saw before him.  Martha sat in an overstuffed armchair, dwarfed by its
large proportions and looking smaller than Clark had ever noticed.  Her
eyes gazed inwards upon her memories as she contemplated a life without her
dearest partner and lover.  They had been together for so many long years
and though not all of those years were care free they had faced each
passing problem together and Martha wasn't sure that she could go on alone.

     She was brought from her sorrowful thoughts by a pair of strong arms
pulling her into a warm hug and at once recognising the arms of her son she
gave into the sobs that had been held back by the damn of her iron control.
 Now Clark's solicitous touch had breached that will and, with the sounds
of his mother's tears echoing in his ears, he too gave into his own grief.

     Lois regarded them for a short while, knowing that the tears needed to
be shed, but her fighting spirit was not prepared to descend into wallowing
and she would not allow these two people, who she loved with all her heart,
to give into despondency either.  Jonathan was not dead yet and if she
understood her father-in-law, she knew that the tenacious farmer from
Kansas, who for years had wrested a living from the soil and uncompromising
elements, would not give up so easily.  Crossing the room to join the
weeping mother and son she encircled them with her own arms as if
attempting to instill some of her own spunk into their downcast souls and
after a few moments of just holding them she addressed the two in a
rallying tone.

      "Hey, you guys!  Come on!!  Jonathan is not dead yet and I refuse to
believe that he is just going to slip away.  That's not the Jonathan that
we know and love.  And if he's going to pull through then he is going to
need all the support and encouragement we can give him.  He certainly won't
need doleful faces around him."  At this she lowered her voice and went on.
 "And Clark, the kids certainly don't need you looking like the world is
about to fall apart."  She directed a warning look towards the children
huddled beside their Grandma Lane watching in dread as the strongest anchor
in their young lives drifted on an ocean of despair.  Quickly Clark
responded to Lois' warning and, wiping the tears from his face with his
fingers, he pulled himself erect.
     "You're right, Lois.  Dad's a fighter.  He'll get through this."  His
sentences were short and staccato, forcing himself to accept the concept.
"Mom, don't despair.  Dad wouldn't like it if we just gave up on him."
While smoothing a soft hand over his mom's wet cheek, he called to his
children.  "Come on kids, come and give your grandma a hug.  She needs you
to take good care of her."

     All four children did as they were bid encircling their grandma with
love and kisses and for their young sakes' Martha succeeded in drawing
herself together.  In a very small voice Clara asked the question that was
in the forefront of everyone's thoughts.

     "Grandma Martha, is Grandpa Jon going to be all right?"

     "Oh yes, of course he is."  And for the first time since the whole
nightmare began Martha believed that all would be well.  She turned
thankful eyes to Lois and with an optimistic smile she sent her grateful
thoughts to her daughter-in-law from dragging her from the pit of
hopelessness.  "You'll see, before you know it, he'll be just fine."

     This prognosis was endorsed by the doctor when sometime later the
family was called into a private office.  The room was small, but as with
every other department in this hospital, it was comfortably furnished, the
chairs that Martha and her son and his wife were ushered into being large
and softly cushioned.  The overall, stylish decor of Greenmeadows pointed
to a highly successful operation and Lois (the only family member who was
aware of their surroundings) sincerely hoped that the hospital's medical
practice matched its affluent ambiance.

     Within minutes they were joined by a rather round gentleman of
moderate height, whose balding pink scalp shone in the rays of the lowering
evening sun, streaming in the window behind him, as he crossed to introduce
himself to the waiting family.  A bright beneficent smile lit his plump
face and his handshake was firm as he shook the three outstretched hands.
This jovial gentleman did not fill Lois' idea of how an eminent heart
surgeon should appear; somehow she pictured someone more fine drawn and
elegant.  Yet, as she had learned from past experience, physical
impressions were vastly deceiving.  The doctor moved behind the desk and
settled his rotund form comfortably into his chair.

      "Good-evening, I'm Dr Goodman and I wish that we could have met under
more pleasant circumstances, nonetheless, I have good news for you," he
announced in a pleasant tone.  "Mr Kent is stabilised and though he has
suffered a myocardial infarction, he is for the moment out of danger."

     With those heartening thoughts the three Kents were able to compose
themselves to listen to what Dr Goodman had to tell them.  Turning to the
older woman, the doctor continued.

     "You must be Martha," and his gaze expanded to take in the others,
"and this is your son Clark and, of course, you are Lois Lane.  Forgive my
familiarity, but I have known Sam for what seems like forever.  He and I
were very close in med-school and we started our careers together as
interns in Met Gen.  When you go through so much together I guess you
always remain close, even if you don't see as much of each other as you
would like.  Anyway, Sam has told me all about you, so I feel as if you are
more than just my patient's relatives.  Which brings me back to Jonathan.
As I have told you his condition for the moment is stable and we hope to
keep it that way, but he has suffered a fairly large heart attack and we
have to regard that as a warning.  I would like to do some tests, but from
what Sam has already told me of Jonathan's medical history............."

     "Excuse me!"  Martha jumped into the conversation.  "What would Sam
know of my husband's medical history?"

     "Quite a lot, actually," Dr Goodman spoke conciliatorily.  "I'm sorry,
Martha, if you were unaware of the fact, but Sam has been treating Jonathan
for a heart condition for quite a few months."

      This piece of information rendered the listeners speechless for some
moments.  Martha could not believe that, after all these years of married
closeness,  her husband should now choose to start hiding worrying news
from her.  Clark recognised the concept; for years he had tried the same
thing with Lois but it had never really worked and only got him into worse
trouble when his bloodhound of a wife discovered his subterfuge, so he had
long since given up the habit.  He just couldn't comprehend that his dad,
who had often given him good advice on this particular subject, would
suddenly adopt the practise.  Lois too felt herself in territory revisited.
 Whatever had her father-in-law been thinking?  Well, that answer was
obvious.  Both Kent men must suffer from the same delusion that they must
protect their women folk from adversity.  Thank-goodness she had weaned
Clark off the habit.......  hadn't she?!  Did Clark know about his father's
condition?!  Was he also keeping the secret?!  Throwing her husband a
searching look she concluded, by the stunned expression on his face, that
this was news to him also.  Nevertheless, she promised herself that when
all this was over she would remind him that keeping secrets was not a good
policy, if he wished to remain in her good graces.  Meanwhile Clark had
begun to speak.

     "It appears, Dr Goodman, that my father has been keeping all of his
family in the dark.  However, we can deal with that later............."

     "You bet!!"  Lois interjected unable to keep a still tongue.  "I'll
have a few words to say to my father........."

     "LO-IS!!  I don't believe that is an issue here........."

     "No indeed!"  Dr Goodman swiftly agreed with Clark.  "It appears that
Jonathan particularly stipulated that none of his family be told of his
illness, which left Sam in a very difficult position, being as he was
personally involved.  But he had to adhere to Jonathan's request.  Patient
confidentiality and all that."

     Lois had to accept the truth of the doctor's statement and she looked
justifiably subdued as Clark sent her a warning glance.

     "We appreciate that, Doctor."  Clark determinedly brought the topic to
a close.  Later he would ask Sam why he had chosen to accept Jonathan as
his patient.  After all, this wasn't Sam's field of medicine and the two
men were just too closely related.  Now the main concern was Jonathan's
present state of health.  "Just what is my father's condition?"

     "Jonathan is suffering from a condition called atherosclerosis, which
simply means that fatty deposits are clogging up his coronary arteries and
restricting the flow of blood to the heart, which led to the heart attack."

     "Is there anything that can be done to help him?"  Martha had finally
re-entered  the conversation.  The fact that Jon had seen fit to keep her
in the dark still rankled, but his recovery was the most important factor.

     "Indeed there is."  The doctor seemed much happier to return to a more
nonconfrontational subject and his earlier upbeat tone returned as did his
smile.  "Sam has already been treating the condition with drugs; however,
that seems not to have been wholly successful.  As I said before, there are
a number of tests that will have to be run but I feel sure that we will
discover that your husband would benefit from surgery."

     "A coronary bypass?"  Martha asked her memory going over what she had
read and heard about such operations.

      "Not necessarily.  There is a less dangerous operation using more
modern laser technology where a balloon, in conjunction with a minuscule
laser, is inserted into the leg and threaded into the coronary artery.  The
laser burns off some of the plaque adhering to the artery walls, while
inflating the balloon compresses the fatty deposits and normal blood flow
is reestablished.  It is a less risky operation than a bypass and here at
Greenmeadows we have had a great deal of success with this procedure.  In
fact, I don't think I would be overstating the case to say that we are a
leading light in this field of medicine.  Of course, we can't make any
final decisions on the correct surgery until we see the test results but,
please believe me, Martha, your husband will be safe in our hands.
Meanwhile we will try to keep Jonathan stable and comfortable until we're
ready to go ahead with the surgery.  We have taken him up to our I T C unit
for the moment as we want to keep a close eye on his progress.  Perhaps you
would like to visit him?"

     All three rose quickly, anxious to see for themselves that Jonathan
was still in the land of the living and, thanking Dr Goodman for his care
of the dear patient, they hurried from the room.


                                                                 *****


Chapter Three
Strange Happenings

     Martha held tight to her husband's hand as she gave him yet another
soft kiss goodbye and as she backed slowly away from the bed the increasing
distance at last parted their entwined fingers.  Since the rush to hospital
on the afternoon of Jonathan's heart attack, the couple's bond, if it were
possible, had grown still stronger, forged by the knowledge of how close
they had come to losing each other forever.  Certainly, there had been a
slight hiccup in the relationship when the patient had recovered
sufficiently to be remonstrated with on his lack of communication regarding
his previous state of health.  Both his wife and son had left him in little
doubt how dismayed they had felt on that subject.  However, their anger and
hurt had soon dissipated and they and the larger family circle were simply
thankful not to have lost Jonathan.

      There had also been a temporary faint cooling of the relationship
between the Kents and the Lanes when Clark had broached the subject of
Jonathan's choice of doctor with his father-in-law.  Sam had bridled at the
veiled insinuation that perhaps he had not acted totally ethically.  But
when he had pointed out that Jonathan had stubbornly  refused to visit any
of the other physicians that he had recommended, Clark had graciously ceded
that the older man had no other option than to treat his friend and peace
was once again restored.

      Jonathan, completely unaware of the small contretemps, was grateful
to Sam and his colleague Dr Goodman for having saved his life and now as he
lay in his hospital bed he prayed for tomorrow's surgery to be over and
that he could return to his normal life and the love of his family.  Alone
in the dimly lit room he admitted to himself that he was afraid of what the
next day might bring and yet he knew that if he wanted to recover his
health and not live his life in fear of another coronary, then he had no
choice but to go ahead with this operation.  And if an operation was needed
then he had the good fortune to be in one of the best facilities in the
country and indeed, in the hands of one of the most respected heart
surgeons the U S had to offer.   Under the circumstances he was a lucky
man, but as he tried to compose himself for sleep that night, he offered up
a prayer to a god he wasn't totally sure he believed in, a little extra
insurance would not go amiss.

     Walking briskly down the hall toward the elevator, Martha also found
herself silently praying.  She was at this moment a solitary figure in the
darkened corridor.  Clark had been with her earlier in the evening but when
he had overheard a T V news broadcast from the next suite about an
earthquake in Columbia he had left swiftly to aid the emergency services in
their search for survivors.  On this night, prior to his father's heart
surgery, he had been reluctant to leave, but it was an undeniable fact that
in such a catastrophe Superman's help was invaluable.  Many lives would be
saved by the use of his special powers and both Martha and Jonathan
encouraged him to go.  Nevertheless, as he sped out the door, he vowed to
his parents that he would be back with them when Jonathan was finally
wheeled into the O R unit and Martha could not deny that she would
appreciate his support.

     Lois had brought the children to visit with their grandpa after
school, but she had left long since to see her children fed, watered and
settled in their beds.  Tomorrow was a big day for all of them, though it
was also a school day for the kids and Lois and Clark had concluded that
the children should not be disrupted from their normal routine.  Everyone
in the family was aware of the importance of the operation and they had
warned the head teacher that the Kent children might be somewhat distracted
by the fate of their grandfather.  Happily, the parents had been assured
that the school staff would pay particular attention to the moods of the
children.

     Now Martha stood in front of the elevator doors, a small grey-blond
woman alone with her thoughts.  The strident call of her name startled her
and she turned quickly and panicky towards the sound.

      "What is it?!  What's wrong?!"  She demanded of the smartly dressed
young man who strode in her direction.  His dark grey business suit, white
shirt and conservatively striped tie, coupled with the files that he
brandished as he strove to attract her attention, all clearly denoted that
this was not one of the medical staff.

     Reaching her side, he spoke effusively.    "Mrs Kent, nothing is wrong
and I'm sorry if I frightened you.  Your husband is as well as can be
expected under the circumstances."

     This statement certainly did not induce the confidence that Martha
supposed the young man intended.  Nonetheless, he seemed a remarkably
enthusiastic and friendly youngster, so she decided to give him a few
moments of her time.  She smiled encouragingly upon him when he continued.

     "I'm not a doctor," he confided as if this information would be hard
to believe, "but I would like to speak to you about your husband's up and
coming surgery, if you could spare me a few moments of your time."

     The young man pointed in the direction of an alcove where a number of
the usual leather couches that abounded in this establishment were set amid
the other customary potted plants and low tables.  Martha nodded her head
in acquiescence and allowed herself to be shepherded to the small recess
which at this late hour was empty and silent.  Despite her worries Martha
found she was intrigued.  Settling herself on the sofa she watched as her
companion joined her, opened up his files and began thumbing through the
papers within.  For a moment he seemed puzzled and a little unsure of his
intentions, then he gritted his teeth and made the decision to proceed.

     "That's strange.  It appears that I don't have your file with me, but
I'm sure that it's just an oversight on a behalf of administration."  The
older woman's curiosity was now definitely tweaked and she was thankful
when the stranger went on.  "My name is Martin Forbes and I'm the chief
social administrator for Greenmeadows."

    He paused for a moment to let this awe-inspiring title sink in.  Martha
was inclined to think that this was probably an overendowed title for the
position of head clerk.  However, not wishing to hurt this boy's
sensibilities she asked politely.

     "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr Forbes.  What do you wish to speak to me
about?"

      Truthfully Mr Forbes was very new to this position and was only
'acting' chief social administrator and that promotion was purely
self-authorized.  The actual incumbent had dislocated his knee playing
tennis and had not yet returned to work, but Martin had shadowed his
superior conscientiously and was convinced that he could easily fill the
role and, being an especially ambitious young soul, he was eager to convey
this circumstance to his bosses.  And how better to demonstrate his
eligibility  than by netting another successful 'sale' in Greenmeadows'
covert operations.  Having already resolved to continue, the 'future
successful chief' launched into his spiel.

     "Mrs Kent, I know that what I'm about to say might be distressing, but
there are certain unwelcome facts in life that have to be faced, namely the
death of a loved one."

    His listener blanched at these words, but so intent was he on his
sales-talk that he didn't notice her retreat from him.

     "Fortunately, here at Greenmeadows, we have a very *special* insurance
against just such a devastating occurrence and it is about that which I
would like to speak to you now."  His voice dropped conspiratorially.
"Please do not be distressed, because we alone *are* able to compensate you
for your loss."

     Martha was horrified.  Was this whole business just a ploy to persuade
her to take out more insurance on her husband's life?  The whole
distasteful episode made the older woman bristle and standing up abruptly
she regarded the unfortunate young man with justifiable disdain.

     "Young man, I do not require any of your special insurances.  My
husband and I already have sufficient policies.  Furthermore I do not
appreciate you approaching me at this time when I know you might consider
me at my most vulnerable and therefore more susceptible to your sale's
technique.  But let me assure you, I am not now or at any time a pushover
for your inducements."

     Turning to stride away, more upset than she was prepared to show,
Martha was surprised when Mr Forbes placed a restraining hand on her arm.
Martin wondered where he had gone so wrong.  He had studied his approach
for quite sometime and had thought that he had perfected just the right
amount of concern and reassurance.  Worriedly, he sought to redress the
situation.

     "Mrs Kent, you have completely misunderstood my meaning............."

     "NO Martin!!  It is you who have completely misunderstood the
situation."  Dr Goodman's voice was unnaturally infused with anger and
command.  "Please, leave us.  Now!!  I will talk to you later in my office."

      A confused Martin backed away from his chief's patent displeasure and
as he rounded the corridor that led to Goodman's private sanctum two
orderlies stepped silently to each side of him.  This did not look good.
He had clearly messed up big time.  Hopefully, he would take his dressing
down and still have a job at the end of it, but on that last point he
wasn't too optimistic.

     The physician followed the progress of his wayward employee until the
corner blocked his view, then turning to Martha, his rage receding, his
glance and voice echoed the concern and apology that were now foremost in
his mind.

     "Martha, I'm so sorry that you were subjected to that...........
unforgivable behaviour and in my establishment as well.  That a member of
my staff should see fit to perpetrate such an abominable act of intrusion.
And at a time when you must be feeling quite fragile.  Please accept my
heartfelt apologies."

     In Martha's opinion, now that she was beginning to regain her
equilibrium, David Goodman was overreacting to an undoubtedly unwelcome but
nonetheless trivial occurrence and, as such, she found herself attempting
to minimize the young man's gauche actions.

     "Apologies accepted, Doctor, and I'm sure that Mr Forbes was doing no
more than trying to supplement his earnings with selling a little insurance
on the side.  Young people today have no patience; they want it all
immediately.  I feel certain that he's learned his lesson.  Please don't
concern yourself with my bruised feelings.  I admit to being shocked at
first but I'm fine now........ really."  She placed her hand on his arm to
convince him of her well-being and he absentmindedly patted it.

     "You're a very forgiving lady, Martha Kent.  However, I expect very
high standards from my staff here at Greenmeadows and I'm afraid that Mr
Forbes does not fit the bill.  I will have to let him go, but due to your
gracious intercession, I'll instruct personnel to find him a post in an
another less discerning hospital and provide him with references."  The
doctor started to escort Martha back to the elevator doors and punched the
button to call the elevator.  "Thank you for being so understanding."

     "Just take good care of my husband, Dr Goodman, and that will be all
the thanks I require."  Martha spoke as she walked into the lift when it
arrived at her floor.

     "You can be sure of that, Martha," he averred confidently.  "Try and
sleep well, tomorrow is an important day for all of us."

     As the elevator doors closed, his concerned look fled from his face to
be replaced by one of hardhearted ruthlessness.  He had an unwanted and
disagreeable problem to solve. Goodman sighed loudly, you just couldn't get
good staff these days.

                                                                 *****
     True to his word, the surgery that Dr Goodman performed on Jonathan
went remarkably well and early indications were that the procedure had been
very successful and being a less invasive operation than the more
frequently performed 'bypass' the recuperation period was shorter and less
stressful.  Of course the patient would still have to remain in hospital
for a couple of weeks, during which time a physiotherapy and dietary
programme would be introduced that would hopefully begin the process of
returning Jonathan to a full and healthy life.

     The Saturday following the operation, Lois and Clark brought their
children to visit their grandfather and the three generations of the Kent
family that crowded into the hospital suite were filled with happiness and
contentment, relieved that they were once again all together.  Even so,
after a short period of answering his excitable grandchildren's numerous
questions about the surgery and being subjected to various hugs and kisses,
the patient was suffering from shell-shock.

     Young Nathan too was beginning to show signs that his concentration
was wandering and as he grew more bored with having to behave in the
confines of his grandfather's room he became more adventurous in his
explorations.  When the toddler finally spilt the jug of fresh orange juice
which sat on the night stand over the 'get-well cards' adorning the cabinet
and covered the bedclothes in a sticky stream a torrent of baby tears
irrupted at Clark's mild remonstration.  Lois, aware of her son's
frustration, instructed the older children to take their brother outside
and entertain him in the child's play area that Greenmeadows provided for
its more junior visitors.  This directive did not please Joel or Julian,
who were quite content to sit quietly with the adults.  Sensing a brewing
argument, Clara decided to sacrifice herself on the baby-minding altar and
offered to take Nathan outside.  Her offer was rewarded with a smile of
gratitude from her father and, after a reminder not to stray too far, she
and the little boy left hand in hand to find the playroom.

     For a time Nathan played happily with the toys provided by the
hospital in the 'kiddies' corner' but very quickly became weary of the
unimaginative toys and the limited space.  Obviously children were not a
high priority in Greenmeadows' estimation and Clara was soon at her wits'
end trying to devise games that would keep her hyperactive brother
satisfied.  Eventually she agreed to his suggestion to play 'hide and seek'
and so it was that she was wandering through the sanitised corridors of the
hospital seeking for a small boy who was intent on remaining illusive.

      Nathan had at first hidden behind the furniture in the nearest
waiting room but, quickly realising that his nosy sister would very soon
discover this spot, he tiptoed out of the room and down another corridor;
he had to find a better hideout.  Young as he was, Nathan was just as
competitive as his siblings and he was determined to thwart his older
sister.  To his delight he found a door ajar on a room that looked very
similar to Grandpa Jon's and, slipping inside, he scanned the room to find
the best hiding spot.  His interest settled on a long narrow table covered
bumpily with a large white cloth.
Creeping closer, Nathan lifted the trailing edge of the sheet to reveal a
low shelf below the top of the table and close to the floor.  With a
satisfied giggle the tiny trespasser climbed onboard; Clara would never
find him here.  This thought proved to be true and as the minutes ticked
slowly by without his sister even approaching the room (Nathan had hoped to
spring out on Clara as soon as she entered the vicinity of his hideout) the
youngster felt his boredom returning.  This game was not proving as much
fun as he had hoped.

       Just as he was preparing to exit from beneath the shroud, he heard
voices approaching the door and as they came nearer he caught his first
sight of the intruders, at least their feet and pants' bottoms came into
his view.  Both sets of feet were large and one was clad in black army type
boots while the other sported scraggy trainers.  The voices that
accompanied the feet and legs were deep and rather impatient.

     "Who does that Anderson think he is, ordering us about like that,"
said a very disgruntled voice.

     "He's our boss, that's who and I don't think that bad knee he's
sporting is helping his sense of humour much."  The other guy's tone
dropped to a whisper.  "I heard that he was none too pleased when the
'Doctor' ordered him back from his sick leave when that pipsqueak Forbes
got the boot."

     "Yeah, Amy told me she heard from the charge nurse who was on the
floor that night that the 'Doctor' was about to blow a fuse.   Mr
high-flyer Forbes' feet never touched the ground."

     "And neither will ours if we don't get this stiff down to the morgue."

      And so saying they positioned themselves at either end of the trolley
and pushed it out into the corridor.  Nathan's eyes widened in shock, these
men sounded really antsy and he felt that they would not be too happy to
find that they had picked up a passenger so he elected for the moment to
remain where he was.  Maybe they would leave real soon when they took this
'stiff' wherever they were taking it.  What was a stiff?  Meanwhile the
small boy clung to his precarious position on the bottom shelf of the cart,
growing more afraid as he realised that they were taking an elevator to
another floor.  At this rate he wondered if he would ever find his way back
to his mom and dad.  Still if he was really lost then he'd just have to
shout for Superman and boy would he be in trouble for going off without
permission.  Maybe it would be better if he stayed lost.

     Finally the trolley with its attendants and stowaway  reached their
destination and the orderlies parked the cart near the far wall of the
morgue next to a set of sliding doors.

     "Another candidate for the boss's secret operations?"  One of the men
asked of his friend who gazed back in consternation.  "Haven't you noticed
that only certain stiffs are parked outside Dr Frankenstein's lair?"

     The workmate's eyes widened in fear as he shushed at his friend.
"Hey, Eddie, shut up.  The only thing I know is that you'll be the next one
to loose your job if you don't keep your nose outta what don't concern you."

     Eddie shrugged his shoulders and strolled over to the back fire exit
which he opened wide, with a sharp push, to the late afternoon sun.

     "Now what are you doing?" the other asked in exasperation.

     "Having a smoke.  It's lunchtime since I had my last drag.  Relax,
pal, the assistant's on his break and no-one else ever comes down here.
Enjoy the warm air for a few minutes.  It's freezing in there."  And he
pointed with his chin back into the room.  Clearly his mate took the advice
because he too came to the door and lit up a cigarette.

     "So, Eddie, tell me, is Amy the little redhead in records?  She is
so........ hot!!"

     "That's her and she is 'hot' for me."

     The men proceeded to discuss the many ways in which Amy's hotness
manifested itself, the unknown man being extremely envious of Eddie's
prowess with the ladies, but the conversation went way over the little
eavesdropper's head and soon Nathan's eyelids started to droop and by the
time the men stubbed out their cigarettes, closed the exit and left, the
toddler was fast asleep.


      In the upper reaches of the building Clara had exhausted her search
for her charge.  She had looked everywhere she could think of, behind every
piece of furniture, up and down the stairwell, in every cupboard that was
unlocked.  She had even knocked on the doors that were locked, thinking
that Nathan could have found one open and hidden inside then been trapped
when one of the staff, unaware that a little boy had ventured inside, might
have locked up.  Yet each of her searches had proved fruitless and now she
made her way back to Grandpa Jon's room dragging her feet as she realized
that her parents would be he fairly upset with the fact that she had
misplaced her brother.  Thankfully she spotted Joel and Julian coming along
the corridor toward her and she hurried to them.
     "Joel!  Julian!  You have got to help me!"

     Recognising that his sister was once again in a fix, Joel asked
resignedly, "O K, Clara, what have you done with Nathan?"

     "I haven't done anything with Nathan," Clara asserted, though she had
the grace to blush.  "I just don't know where he is right now."  And the
flustered child explained what had happened since she left her family.
"I've looked everywhere on this floor and he's not here.  I was about to
tell Mom and Dad, but now with you two to help we can check out the other
floors.  Joel, you could use your......... you know."  At her suggestion
she pulled her brows down and looked pointedly at Joel.  "Couldn't you?"

     Joel's voice dropped to little more than a whisper.   "Clara, you know
I'm not supposed to do that in public."

    "Come on Joel.  No-one's paying any attention to us and no-one will see
what you're doing."  Julian persuaded, always ready to back Clara's
suggestions.  Clark had been right when he had foreseen that his
irrepressible daughter would wrap Julian round her little finger.  "It
won't take long.  Nathan can't be too far away."

     But this did not prove to be the case as the three children hunted
high and low without discovering their younger sibling, even with the
surreptitious use of x-ray vision.  Clara was starting to panic.  She'd
offered to take care of Nathan, yet she'd lost him.  What if someone had
kidnapped him?!  This was not a far-fetched idea!  Both Julian, Joel and
she had been abducted in this past year.  It seemed to be the sort of thing
that happened to her family.  Perhaps it was Nathan's turn.  But he was
just a baby.  He would be so scared.

     "Where is he?!"  Frustration warred with worry in Clara's soul and
tears sprang unshed to her eyes.  "We've looked everywhere."

     "Not everywhere."  Julian stated, pointing at the floor numbers that
glowed red above the elevator doors.  "There's a basement."

      As the elevator doors opened and its occupants spilled onto their
floor the three hurried inside and pushed the basement button.  They were
convinced that they would find Nathan wandering around the basement, so
when he was not openly in evidence when they exited the lift, they each
experienced a shock of disappointment.  Nevertheless, swallowing the
negative feelings they continued determinedly with their search.

     Only Joel's x-ray vision was fast breaking down.  Unlike his father,
the superboy's powers had a limited span and using them to excess drained
Joel to the point of exhaustion, which was why Clark placed tight
restrictions on his son's utilisation of his abilities.  Clark, however,
was not here and Joel recognised the increasing weariness that was seeping
through his small body and he was not surprised, when searching the laundry
(one of the departments they had discovered occupied the basement), to find
himself bereft of his ability to see through things.

     "Guys," Joel whispered as the three children hid behind a row of large
baskets filled with dirty bed linen.  "I'm real sorry, but the rest of this
hunt will have to be done without super-help.  Unless we go fetch Dad that
is.  Sorry, Clara, but I'm fresh out of x-ray vision."

     Clara looked crestfallen, yet she was not about to give up.
Instinctively she felt that her younger brother was close at hand.   "We
can't give up now.  I can't explain, but I'm sure Nathan's near at hand."

     "I agree, but I think we've finished in here.  Why don't we head down
the other way towards the morgue."  Joel herded them back out the door, but
he laid a warning hand on Clara's arm.  "But if we strike out there, then
we go back and tell Mom and Dad that Nathan's lost."

    Two pairs of worried eyes regarded him solemnly, nodding in agreement.
As quietly as possible they drifted down the passageway towards the large
swing doors at the end, noticing as they went that the sounds of the
hospital at work faded as they neared the entrance and that the air grew
distinctly cooler.  Feeling the hair on her neck prickle, Clara shivered.

     "What's a morgue?  Where are we going?"  Somehow she knew she wasn't
going to like the answer.

     "It's where they keep the dead people."  Julian informed her, watching
in amazement as Clara gulped in dread.  "Don't worry, Clara.  Dead people
can't hurt you and you're with us.  We'll take care of you."

      That statement, nonetheless, did not inspire the girl with
confidence.  Julian and Joel had proved themselves fairly resilient
protectors in the past, but how did you fight  ghosts?  Holding back her
fears as they reached the door, Clara followed her brothers into the room.
White tiles covered the walls and the floors of the sepulchre type hall and
if they had found the air outside chilly, inside it was even colder.  But
it was not the temperature that caused the goose bumps on Clara's skin but
the rows of shrouded bodies.  Both Julian and Joel reached for her hands
and she clung on hard as they looked around the austere room, but there
just didn't appear to be any hiding places.

     After a walk about the place the two boys seemed to reach a mutual
conclusion and they began to draw Clara back towards the door.  Their
sister was not, however, about to abandon the search and she called into
the emptiness.

     "Nathan!  Nathan!  Are you in here?  Please, answer me."  No reply was
forthcoming and she allowed herself to be dragged backwards, but at the
last moment she pulled her hands aside and ran back into the centre of the
room.  "Nathan Kent!!  You come out here right now!!"  She demanded loudly.
 She was done with stealth.

     The sound of his name spoken in ringing tones penetrated Nathan's
sleep and he sat up, shivering and wiped the sleep from his eyes.  For a
few moments he was confused as to where he actually was, curtained by the
white material.  Then he heard the sound of his elder brother's voice
calling to Clara to come away.

     "No!! Don't go Joel!  Clara!  Don't leave me!!"  Nathan shrieked in
fright.  He was tired of this game and he didn't like this cold place.
Scrambling from his perch in an effort to attract his siblings' attention
his foot caught in the sheet and as he ran towards the voices the sheet
trailed after him and tripped him up.  The three turned at Nathan's screams
and Julian was the first to recover and cross to the small figure sprawled
on the floor.

     "Nathan, are you O K?" he asked concernedly as he helped the young
child climb to his feet.

     Joel stood next to a rigid Clara who stared in horror at what the
fallen sheet had revealed.   "Clara, it's just a dead man.  Don't be a
baby.  Don't be scared."  And filled with a perverse curiosity Joel walked
over to the side of the gurney.   The taunt that she was childishly afraid
brought out Clara's fighting spirit and she followed in her brother's
footsteps, though somewhat more subdued than normal.

     "Is man sleepin'?" Nathan enquired as he also came to the trolley,
pulling Julian along with him.

     "No he's dead," attested his sister, eager to prove that death held no
qualms for her.

     "What's dead?"  Nathan further enquired.
      "It means that he's gone away, forever."  Julian explained but Nathan
wasn't quite sure he understood, although the eerie silence in the large
room checked any further questions he might have asked.

     The four children ranged round the trolley and gazed inquisitively
upon the lifeless body clad in a shapeless hospital gown.  The figure was
white and still and appeared frozen in time.  Julian was the first to find
his voice.

     "What do you think killed him?"

     "He probably had a heart attack like Grandpa, only this man wasn't so
lucky to survive."  Joel offered his opinion.

     "Poor man," now that Clara had recovered her composure she felt a
stirring of sympathy for the man who was no longer alive and especially for
the family that he might have left behind.  "Maybe he had grandkids like
us.  They must miss him a whole lot."

     Julian shook his head.   "I don't think so Clara.  This man was too
young to have grandchildren.  I'd say he wasn't a whole lot older than Dad.
 He could have had kids though."

     The thought of children left without their father sobered each of the
young Kents and Clara felt Joel's hand snake into her own and give it a
comforting squeeze.

     "Don't worry, Clara, that's not going to happen to us.  Dad's
indestructible."

     "But Mom isn't."  Clara whispered.

     That reminder shocked them all and it was a very quiet and thoughtful
group that left the basement behind, having re-sheeted the cadaver of the
unknown gentleman.  Returning to the second floor the three older children
decided that it would be better if the grownups did not learn of their
little exploration down to the basement, so they spent the rest of the
journey impressing on the youngest member of the expedition not to reveal
where they had been.  And if their parents suspected any waywardness in
their children's demeanour, they did not comment as all four appeared to be
unhurt and their clothes were all in one piece.  Neither Lois nor Clark
dreamt that their offspring had been visiting the morgue and thankfully for
their continued safety neither did anyone else.

                                                                 *****

Chapter Four
Discoveries

     Jonathan and Martha felt extremely pleased.  The patient had walked
under his own steam, with just a little help from his wife, down the
corridor to the second floor of the garden room.  This was a large balcony
that was housed in the glass atrium of the hospital, overlooking the lobby
and on out to the gardens and car parks beyond with the skyline of
Metropolis, shining bright in the sunlight, adorning the horizon.  It was
the perfect spot to watch the world go by without being part of the busy
scene.  The comfortable furnishings and the fresh greenery created an
atmosphere that was both relaxing and removed from the rest of society yet
still a part of that same society.  The designers of this hospital had
evidently been made aware of the fact that those who spend some time in an
institution often feel isolated from the world outside and the management
had encouraged the architects to minimise this effect.

     This was certainly a favourite place for Jonathan and he spent most of
the time, when he wasn't at physiotherapy or with his doctors or dietician,
here in the conservatory reading the daily newspapers, chatting or
indulging in a card game with some of his fellow patients.  Nevertheless,
this was the first time he had walked without assistance and he was
amazingly proud of his achievement.  When a man comes so close to losing
his life he afterwards appreciates the very small triumphs he achieves and
this was a triumph.

     The couple looked round the large room at the other residents and,
seeing a man sitting alone in a wheelchair, enjoying the warming rays of
the sun, Jonathan suggested that they join him.  This gentleman was a
particular favourite of Jon and, although he was clearly a number of  years
younger, the two had found that they had certain hobbies in common.  Now
Jonathan wished to introduce Martha to his new friend.

    For an hour the three had sat conversing compatibly and Martha had
discovered that Ivor, a research chemist with a large pharmaceutical
company, shared not only the same interests as her husband but also many of
his ideals.  Although being born and raised in Metropolis, the second son
of a wealthy family, Ivor's heart lay in the countryside.  He liked nothing
better to escape, whenever the dictates of his work allowed, up into the
mountains where he owned a small cabin.  There he would spend his time
walking through the wooded trails and fishing in the high clear lake, far
from the pressures of his work and the stifling behaviour of his
overprotective mother.  The detail of this more personal side of his life
was only touched upon, but the ever intuitive Martha could sense that the
family relationships of her husband's new acquaintance were hardly harmonic.
      Suddenly Jonathan raised his arm and started waving in the direction
of the car park and following his gaze she saw Lois and Clark and the
children approaching the entrance.  Nathan had for the short term been
attending the Planet's daycare centre to allow his grandmother to devote
her time to Jonathan, but while this arrangement was necessary both
grandparents missed his youthful presence.  And while they understood Lois'
decision to enroll her youngest child in the centre for the next few
months, obviously Jonathan would need time at home to recuperate without
the added responsibilities of a boisterous child, they were saddened that
their services would not be required.  Jonathan fervently wished that the
change was purely temporary and that soon life would return to normal.  He
didn't feel so old that he should be relegated to the sidelines of life.

       The older children too were affected as they now went to the Planet
after school instead of their grandparents' house, which meant that either
Lois or Clark had to pick the children up from school and escort them to
the Planet, neither parent being prepared to let their young offspring make
the journey through downtown Metropolis on their own.  On occasion the
Lanes or Alice White looked after the children, but as this could not be an
everyday occurrence, Lois and Clark preferred the children to attend the
daycare centre.  They felt that until such time as Martha and Jonathan
could resume their care it was better for the children to have some
stability in life and besides, the fact that the kids were on the premises
at work, meant that either she or Clark could spend some time with them if
they had to stay late at the office.

     Happily the continued progress that Jonathan was making suggested that
the problem of childcare might not last overlong and as they joined their
parents in the glass-room they were delighted with how well the older man
was looking.  After the hugs and kisses were over and the gifts of flowers
and books passed over and the various greetings relayed, the family seated
themselves around Jonathan and Martha and at once realised that there was
an addition to the group.

     "You guys, I'd like to introduce you to a new friend of mine,"
Jonathan spoke up, "This is Ivor Benson.  Ivor, this is my son Clark, his
wife Lois and their kids, Joel, Julian and Clara.  And last but not least,
this is my youngest grandson, Nathan."  Jon had pulled Nathan onto the seat
by his side, where the smallest Kent sat with an expression rather like
someone who had seen a ghost.  His older brothers and sister were sporting
much the same look, only they quickly hid their confusion, not so Nathan
who now pointed at the man in the wheelchair.

     "You're dead!"  He announced and decided to clarify his statement.  "I
seed you! ........... 'fore........... in the bas.........."

      "Nathan!"  Julian's voice, sounding sharper than ever before,
interrupted the small boy's garbled explanation.  He wasn't sure why but he
was certain that the episode in the basement should not be aired in public
and obviously Joel and Clara agreed as the inventive girl immediately
jumped in.

     "He was sleeping, Nathan.  Mr Benson was sleeping, when you saw him."
And Clara's eyes bored into her young brother's in an effort to silence him
smartly.

     Not, however, smart enough for their parents.  Lois and Clark well
knew their offspring and they at once smelled a rat.  Their children were
hiding something.

     "When did you happen to see Mr Benson sleeping, Nathan?"  Lois had
concluded that the best way to reach the truth was to divide and conquer
and also to attack at the weakest point.  A ruse which she soon regretted
as she surveyed her little son desperately trying to come up with an
explanation that would please his siblings.  Following a few seconds of
watching his small face turn a variety of colours, starting with red,
through pasty white and finishing on a distinct tinge of green, Mad Dog
Lane relented and turned to Clara.   "Perhaps you could explain, Clara?"

     Heaving a sigh that only her father and Joel could hear, she plunged
on, resolving to make her tale as brief as possible.   "It was the other
day when I was taking care of Nathan, he wandered off and at first I
couldn't find him, then Joel and Julian helped me look and we found him in
Mr Benson's room.  Mr Benson was asleep but he didn't look well and Nathan
thought that he was dead."

     "We knew we shouldn't have been there and we were scared that we'd be
in trouble if we were caught so we left."  Julian added.  "We didn't do
anything wrong."

     "Except intrude on Mr Benson's privacy."  Clark turned to his father's
friend as he addressed his children.  "I think that you owe Mr Benson an
apology."

     Ivor listened in amusement as four young voices repeated their
apologies.  Then graciously he returned the favour.   "That's all right, Mr
Kent.  There was no harm done.  I didn't even know they were there.  Now if
you would be so kind, perhaps you could press that buzzer over there and
summon a nurse.  I think that I've had enough excitement for one day.  I'm
kinda tired so I think I'll go back to my room."

     Clark at once offered to take the man but his services were
courteously declined and later as Ivor was wheeled off by an attendant he
smiled benignly at the children.
     "You know kids, I'm really glad you were wrong about me being dead.
It was real nice to meet you all."  And he was pushed off down the corridor.


      Fooling their parents had not been quite so successful as the
children had supposed, yet the rest of the visit passed off pleasantly
enough.  On arriving home though, all the children decreed it advisable to
make themselves scarce and with various excuses attempted to escape to
their respective rooms.  Unfortunately neither parent was done with them.

     "Hold on there, kids.  Before you make your escape, your Mom and I
would like to discuss the real story of what happened at the hospital.  And
don't rack your brains thinking up any more tales, because I can tell when
you're lying."

     "Geesh!!  So much for having Superman for a father!!"  Clara grumbled
in the barest whisper, scuffing her shoes along the floor as she followed
her father's gesture to sit on the sofa.  Clark couldn't suppress a grin.
He knew that was meant for his ears only.

     When all four kids were seated, Lois sat on the couch opposite but
Clark chose to continue standing.   "O K, who is going to start with the
correct story."  He focussed his attention on Joel, recognising that of all
his children Joel had the most difficulty with dissembling.

     Under his father's pointed stare Joel's skin reddened and he turned an
apologetic glance on the others.  They'd been crazy to think that they
could get away with excuses.  Besides, there was something weird going on
at Greenmeadows; Ivor Benson, unless he had an identical twin, had
definitely been dead and Mom and Dad had to be told.

     "We saw Mr Benson in the morgue, Dad.  Nathan did go into Mr Benson's
room, but then he hid under the trolley and these porters wheeled him down
to the morgue with the body.  Nathan was too scared to move and that's
where we found him.  But Dad, Nathan was right!!  That man was dead........
really dead."

     Lois and Clark digested that piece of information and then a question
occurred to Clark.   "Did you x-ray the sheet Joel?"

     "No Dad!!"  Joel was about to protest that he hadn't  used his special
vision, knowing that his father had placed certain rules on its use, but
being caught in his father's solemn gaze he decided on the truth.  "I'd
already used up the x-ray vision searching for Nathan."

     "The sheet got tangled in Nathan's legs and fell off."  Julian stepped
in to help his brother.  "We all saw the body.  It looked liked Mr Benson.
I don't think we're wrong about this."
      "Daddy," Clara always used that more childish title when she wished
to placate her father.  "I know we shouldn't have been there and it's
probably my fault because I let Nathan hide away, but I never thought he'd
end up with the dead people.  I'm sorry."

     The room remained quiet as Lois and Clark reviewed what the children
had revealed.  After a time Lois broke the silence.   "Are you sure that
Ivor Benson was dead?"

     "He looked dead.  He was white as a sheet," that came from Julian.

     "He was cold too and he didn't have a heartbeat."  When all eyes
turned to Joel at this announcement, he clarified.  "I super-listened.  I'd
lost my vision not my hearing."

     "Clark, could this man have been taken down there by mistake and then
revived later?" Lois asked.

     "I doubt it, sweetheart.  Once the heart stops the blood ceases
pumping to the brain and unless they resuscitate quickly the patient would
have brain damage.  They certainly wouldn't try it on a patient who had
been dead long enough to be taken to the morgue."  Clark sat next to Lois
and regarded Joel, a serious yet questioning expression on his face.  "Are
you certain Joel?  You didn't hear a heartbeat?"

     The boy gave his answer careful consideration before stating with
confidence.   "There was no heartbeat or a pulse and the corpse was cold.
I'm really sure, Dad; Ivor Benson was dead."

     "Well in that case, either he has a double or a......... clone."  Lois
shivered in distaste.

     "That last one is quite a stretch, honey."

     "What's a clone?"  Nathan finally piped up.

     Lois crossed to her baby and picking him up placed him on her lap.
"It's when someone makes an exact copy of another person."

     "They can do that?"  Clara's eyes widened.

     "They cloned a sheep once," Julian offered remembering a science
project that he had done with his tutor back in England.

      "They've cloned more than sheep."  Clark informed his children.  "In
fact in the past evil scientists have cloned both Mom and me."

     Four children stared in disbelief at their mom and dad.   "No
kidding!!"  Joel managed to gulp.

     "Only their experiments were never very successful and the clones died
after a very short lifespan.  Lex Luthor backed both the experiments and,
as far as we know, there have never been any other successful attempts to
clone human beings."

     "But someone could have found a way."  Lois suggested.  "Someone at
Greenmeadows."

     "That's a pretty fantastic supposition."  Clark shook his head in
disbelief.

     "Given our past history, sweetheart, nothing is impossible."

     Clark remained sceptical.   "But why would they want to?  What could
they hope to gain by cloning Ivor Benson?"

     "That's for us to find out," Lois stated, the light of investigation
brightly sparkling in her eyes.  Even after all these years the prospect of
a new story had the ability to sharpen Lois' senses, a trait obviously
inherited by at least one of her offspring.

     "Great!!"  Clara cried, jumping up from the couch, unable to contain
her excitement, then she quickly subsided into the cushions, transfixed by
the disapproving stares of both parents.

     "No way, Clara!  This could be dangerous.  You kids stay out of this.
Well out.!!"  Warned a censorious father, who was supported wholeheartedly
by an unusually stern-seeming Lois.

     "This is our job kids.  When you are all grown up you can follow in
our footsteps  and we'll be overjoyed.  But until then, leave the
investigating to us," Lois seconded Clark's warning.  Then diving straight
into reporter mode, she began listing sources to contact.  "Firstly we
should check with Jonathan.  Get a little background on Ivor.  Find out who
he is and what he does."

     Crossing to the desk she retrieved a notepad and pen and quickly
started drafting a list.  Clark merely smiled at his little tornado.  Let
Lois scent a whiff of a story and she went into overdrive.  Her ever
effervescent enthusiasm still amazed and entranced him and it always would.

      Nathan's innocent childish voice dropped into the ensuing silence.
"Is Grandpa Jon a clone, too?"

     "LO-IS!!"  Clark's eyes opened wide as saucers as that horrifying
possibility registered in his brain.

      Lois, also taken aback at their child's ingenuous remark, turned
immediately to her husband seeking to defuse his fright.   "NO!  Of course
not!! That's impossible!!"  And she found herself repeating Clark's earlier
objections.  "Why would they clone Jonathan?  What would they gain?"  But
she understood that on this occasion Clark was not listening to reason,
this was just a clone too far.  So she changed tactics.  "We have to phone
Bernard."

                                                         *****

     Thankfully, for Clark's peace of mind it was soon recalled how he had
established the fact that he had first married a clone of Lois so long ago;
the imposter had not shown any scar tissue from a broken ankle that Lois
had acquired in an old skiing accident.  Jonathan too, in the dim and
distant past had been a martyr to a debilitating back injury and Clark was
certain that his father's body would still show the scars of his suffering.
 So it was that a very sleepy Jonathan was awakened by his son, complete
with uniform, standing by his bedside concentrating solely on his prone
form.  After moments of complete attention, Superman surprised the older
man by taking him in a large bear hug.

     "Dad, you don't know how relieved I am that you're........ you.  We
were all so afraid that you wouldn't be."

     The point that his son, in his super hero guise, would actually
address him as Dad testified to the fact that something was clearly
agitating Superman.  Jon struggled to regain his senses, whilst his
recovery was going well, at the end of the day he was still extremely
exhausted and each night fell deeply asleep.  Wiping the cobwebs of slumber
from his eyes he focussed his attention on his boy.

     "What's the problem, Superman?"  He spoke pointedly, knowing that the
rooms, for the sake of the patients' health, were monitored at the nurses'
station.  His eyes raised towards the camera above the door and luckily
Clark caught on and quickly assumed his more distant pose of the hero.

      "No problem, Jonathan, I'm just pleased to see you looking so much
like your old self," Superman then lowered his voice and informed in a tone
only Jonathan could hear, "It's a long story and we'll be along to tell you
tomorrow, in the meantime you should get back to sleep.  You need your rest
to recover fully from your surgery."

     This last statement was spoken for those watching and Superman took
Jonathan's hand and after shaking it in a friendly manner, he turned and
left the room, walking cheerfully along the corridors and bidding the
medical staff a warm goodnight.  The two nurses behind the desk exchanged
startled glances; was the Man of Steel actually whistling?

     Back in the room a totally confused Jonathan was left feeling slightly
frustrated and not at all sleepy.  Yet having lived with a super hero in
the family for a number of years, not to mention two successful
investigative journalists, the baffled senior Kent had learned to control
his curiosity.  Lois and Clark would get round to filling him in on these
latest developments as soon as they could.  Life was sometimes perplexing
but never boring when shared with his unusual son and family.  Grinning
with gentle humour the tired man settled his body for sleep once more and
contrary to expectations fell quickly asleep.

                                                  *****

     Comforted by the knowledge that his father had not been altered in any
way, Clark was ready the next day to give full attention to the mystery
surrounding Ivor Benson.  In the cold light of day it was difficult to
retain the clone theory, but their children remained adamant about what
they had witnessed, which meant that there was something  very wrong
happening in one of Metropolis' most renowned institutions.

    Whenever Lois and Clark arrived at the Daily Planet, they instructed
Stephan Janik to find out all he could on the background of Greenmeadows,
whether the hospital had been involved in any controversy or any lawsuits
or indeed anything which might be considered a little out of the ordinary.

     Following Clark's swift exit from the brownstone last night, Lois had
contacted Bernard and he had agreed to meet with them at 11.00 a.m., which
gave them plenty of time to deal with their normal workload and begin a
search into Ivor Benson's history, a search which proved fruitless.  Their
father's new friend was an exemplary yet totally ordinary member of
Metropolis society, not even accruing a single parking ticket.  Lois was
dubious.  No-one was that upstanding, not even Superman, who had been known
to take the law into his own hands on occasion, when the lives of his
family were threatened.  Nevertheless, Mr Benson appeared to be without
blemish and his main claim to fame was in being the youngest son of an
extremely well-off old Metropolitan dynasty.   His older and only other
sibling was C E O of the family business, but Ivor had chosen to pursue his
own career and had established himself as a very respected research
chemist.  This sparse resume was all that could be found on their subject,
so they decided to take the more personal approach and recruit Jonathan
into doing a little digging.

     Their interview with Dr Klein was thankfully more productive, though
the facts gleaned were hardly incriminating.  Unbeknownst to the couple
Bernard and Beth with the assistance of their contacts in the medical world
had begun a little covert checking into Dr Goodman's career.  Bernard
couldn't tie down quite what made him uncomfortable about the celebrated
doctor, but since his introduction to the man during Jonathan's admittance
to Greenmeadows, he had been assailed by feelings of unease which he had
conveyed to his wife.  Realising the depth of her husband's disquiet, Beth
had suggested that some prudent enquiries might not be amiss.

     The Kleins had discovered that, while the surgeon had always been
competent, his career for the most part had been unremarkable.  Nine years
previously he had reached the position of chief coronary care consultant in
a large hospital in Seattle, where he had been head-hunted by an unknown
research facility here in Metropolis.  But at this point the doctors'
inquiries broke down and nothing was known of the illusive doctor until
four years previously when he had surfaced as the head of Greenmeadows.

     The said hospital had also been a pedestrian establishment until Dr
Goodman assumed command, then within a year or two, it was noted by the
medical profession that Greenmeadows was having a more than average
successful result on the treatment of terminally ill cardiac patients,
which was a very welcome situation.  However, the good doctor remained coy
about his methods, neither discussing nor publishing the results of his
breakthrough.

    This information, now passed on to Lois and Clark, was both
enlightening and puzzling.  Where had Dr Goodman disappeared to for five
years?  And, more significantly, what had he learned in that period that
had enabled him on his emergence to attain such an illustrious position?
The easiest and most tempting path to follow was to ask Sam Lane what he
knew of his old friend, but both Lois and Clark were sure that, while Sam
was aware of his college buddy's reputation--after all, he had recommended
that Jonathan be treated at Greenmeadows-- his knowledge might not be
current.  There was also the fact that Sam may not be comfortable on
ratting on a friend, especially since the couple had only a vague suspicion
that all was not well at Greenmeadows.  For the moment they decided to
leave Sam out of the investigation.

      When they returned to the Planet offices, they found an eager Stephan
awaiting them.  While his research had disappointingly uncovered nothing of
any significance, a breaking police report covering a fatal car crash had
more than made up for his fruitless morning's work.  Lane & Kent had
requested info on any unusual happenings involving Greenmeadows and while
the police had no suspicions regarding the traffic accident, the fatality
had been a member of the hospital staff.

     Without letting the couple reach their office Stephan intercepted them
on their way across the news pit.   "Have I got news for you!" he exclaimed
vitally.

     "Great, Stephan," Clark placed a hand on the young man's back and with
a little more strength than normal he propelled Stephan in the direction of
their office.  Since Perry had returned and claimed the editor-in-chief's
domain one of the smaller conference rooms had been set aside for Lane &
Kent, practical proof of the couple's new standing in the Planet's
workforce.  "You can tell us in here.  For the moment Lois and I would like
to keep our investigation of Greenmeadows under wraps."

      A warning glance accompanied these words and the trio moved inside
the office and closed the door.  Lois dropped into her chair, placing her
purse in a drawer and shrugging her jacket from her shoulders.  Clark
perched on the front of his desk and both turned questioning eyes on their
research assistant.

     The twin stares unnerved that young man.  Stephan had worked at the
Planet for three years now and in the past year more particularly with this
awesome duo.  He had found them helpful, friendly and encouraging, but they
did demand devotion to duty and hard work and, though he comprehended that
he could have found no better mentors to guide his career, on occasion
their expectations could be intimidating.  And this was one such occasion,
especially since the research had so far drawn a blank.  Noticing his
anxiety, Lois chose to encourage him.

     "Well, what did you dig up for us that you can't wait to tell us?"

     Stephan's eyes dropped to the floor and he apologised.  "I'm afraid
that I haven't been able to find out much about the hospital's past.  Apart
from the fact that it was a really rundown place until Dr Goodman took
over.  Then there was a very large infusion of cash and the place was
completely overhauled and its reputation took off."

     "That's about where Lois and I got to."  At Clark's admission the
youngster appeared to regain his enthusiasm.  "But you've obviously
discovered something of interest."

      "You bet!  But not in the research!  This came over the police wire!
This morning a couple of tourists were driving up in the hills south of the
city and they stopped to take some photographs of Metropolis from one of
the pull-offs and that's when they discovered the crashed car.  The driver
had swerved off the road on one of the sharp bends and the car rolled down
the cliff and lodged in the trees.  Poor guy didn't stand a chance.
According to my source it looks like the driver broke his neck and died
instantly.  The cops also think he was drunk 'cos they found an empty
bottle of vodka on the floor of the car.  My contact will get back to us as
soon as the results of the autopsy come through."

     "What has all this to do with Greenmeadows?" Lois enquired.

     "The driver who died worked at the hospital in the administration
section."  Stephan began reading from the printout he had been brandishing.
 "Martin Forbes, 24 years old and lived out in Belmont; he worked at
Greenmeadows for the past 13 months.  When I phoned up their personnel
department, they told me that he hadn't been into work for seven days,
which is about the length of time that the police estimate the poor guy had
been lying up in the mountain.  Personnel had tried to contact his home a
couple of times but when he didn't get back to them they just assumed that
he'd moved on.  It seems that he was having a dispute with management and
they didn't think too much of it when he didn't show up.  Well that's all
I've got for now.  I'll keep you posted on developments."  And with that
Stephan handed over the accident report and exited the office swiftly,
feeling guilty that he hadn't been able to turn up anything of more
importance.

     "O K, Clark, what do you think?  Just another coincidence?"

     "Could be, honey, but I think that Superman should take a look at the
site.  Maybe he'll be able to uncover some clues that the police might have
missed."

     "Something that might suggest that this wasn't an accident?"

     Nodding his head in agreement, Clark leaned over the desk that
separated them and quickly brushed her lips with his own.   "I'll try to be
quick, sweetheart.  Only if I find any evidence I'll have to give it to the
police.  If I'm not back by three, I'll meet you at the hospital.  Dad is
probably dying of curiosity about my little visit last night."

     "We'll have to find somewhere private where we can talk without fear
of eavesdroppers."

     Lois received one more kiss and then Clark went quickly through the
door and disappeared in the direction of the stairwell, leaving Lois with
the task of solving the problem of who would pick up her children from
school if she and Clark were at Greenmeadows.

       A sly grin crossed her face as she watched Stephan pass by the
windows of the office and she rose from behind her desk and hurried after
him.  The young researcher could pay for his lack of success, though
admittedly he'd done the best he could,  by doing a spot of child-minding.
Besides, her kids loved being with Stephan, he played such 'cool' computer
games and she had a sneaking suspicion that the feelings were reciprocated.

     Not surprisingly, Clark never made it back to the Planet, so Lois
proceeded to Greenmeadows content in the knowledge that her children would
be delivered safely to the childcare unit by a slightly shell-shocked but
happy Mr Janik, the task of babysitting not appearing on that young man's
resume.  Still he had a couple of 'brilliant' new games that he was sure
the children would enjoy.

				   *****

      Lois arrived just as Martha and Jonathan were making their customary
afternoon visit to the garden-room.  Every day this journey was completed
in a slightly quicker time, evidence of the patient's steadily returning
vigour.  Settling themselves in a far corner the older man couldn't contain
his curiosity and immediately demanded to be told the reason for Superman's
short and surprising visit, a subject Lois did not feel comfortable
broaching without Clark's support.  Begging her father-in-law's
forgiveness, she asked him to be patient until his son's arrival.  For the
next twenty minutes or so a stilted conversation ensued regarding the
progress of Jon's physiotherapy, yet it was obvious that both her in-laws
were too consumed by this obvious intrigue to pay more than lip service to
the inconsequential chat.  So much so that Lois heaved a sigh of relief
when Clark made his way to their sides and seated himself beside her on the
wicker couch.

     "Good, now that you're here, can you tell me just what all this
mystery is about?"  Jon demanded.  Obviously he had run clear out of patience.

     "Give me a minute, Dad."

     Clark scanned the surrounding area for listening devices or hidden
cameras but the atrium was clear of all bugs, at least of the electronic
variety.  Jon waited while his son swept the room utilising both super
vision and hearing, his curiosity barely held in check.  So it was with a
large degree of relief that he attended the boy when he spoke.

     "This is going to stretch your credulity, Mom, Dad, but remember Lois
and I have come across this sort of thing before......... we don't have any
proof........so it's all speculation at the moment, but there is something
happening in this place that needs looking into," Clark had obviously been
exposed to Lois' babble gene for too long and his hand stroked his chin, a
clear sign of his agitation.

     "Good, son, you got our attention, now what are you talking about?"
Jon had a lot of practise in dealing with the rambling.

      "Clones!"  Lois and Clark announced in unison.

     "Clones!!"  Martha and Jonathan reiterated also in unison.

      The four exchanged sheepish glances then covertly looked around to
assess if anyone had overheard their exclamations, but the spacious area
was sparsely peopled and those who were present showed no interest in the
group in the far corner.

      Lois lowered her voice and took up the tale, mildly exasperated by
Clark's prevarication.  "More specifically a clone of Ivor Benson."

     The older couple looked doubtful, yet they understood that neither of
their children would make such a wild statement without some foundation.
Leaning closer they gave Lois their undivided attention.

     "I know it sounds implausible but there are reasons for our
suggestion.  A few days ago, shortly after Jon's surgery, our children
found their way to the morgue," recognising the shock registering on her
in-laws' faces, Lois quickly went on.  "Don't ask how that happened, our
kids have a way of finding themselves in very strange places and it doesn't
signify.  While they were there, they saw a dead body who just happened to
be Ivor Benson.  You can imagine how shocked they were when they saw him
sitting chatting with you some days later, so much so that they came clean
whenever we reached home."

     "Before you start trying to rationalize the situation," Clark took up
the tale, "we've looked into every possibility.  Ivor does not have a twin
or a double and he was checked into this hospital suffering from complete
heart failure.  The kids are adamant about what they saw and Joel couldn't
hear a heart beat.  Besides I don't think the staff in this hospital would
be liable to make that kind of devastating mistake."

     "Which leads to only a few possibilities; Goodman has learned how to
raise the dead or Ivor is a clone."  Lois finished off neatly.

     "And you thought that I might be a clone too?"  Suddenly Jonathan
understood Clark's nocturnal visit.
     His son's skin stained a rosy hue.   "Well, it was a possibility."
Clark reached over and squeezed his father's hand.  "We're not sure why
he's doing this or who he's doing it too........ Anyway.  We're surely
happy that you're not."

      There was a brief silence as Martha and Jonathan reviewed this
improbable scenario, yet they were not prepared to doubt their children's
conclusions, too often in the past Lois and Clark had uncovered diabolical
plots, had even on occasion been the victims of those plots.

     "Dad, I know you might not be comfortable with this, but we've checked
Ivor's background and have gotten nowhere, so maybe you could find out a
bit more, first hand, so to speak."

     "Well, you probably know that he comes from a well-off family and that
he works for a pharmaceutical company."

     "Do you know what field he works in, Dad?"

     "No, but I'm sure we could find out."  Martha jumped into the
conversation here.  Her eyes were sparkling and it was apparent that she
was eager to do a little investigating of her own.  Not for the first time
did it occur to Clark that his mother had buried many of her talents to be
the wife of a farmer.  Martha would, of course, never complain and she had
enjoyed a fulfilled and happy life as a wife and mother, finding many more
outlets for her creative personality, but sometimes her son wondered if a
secret yearning for an independent career was the basis of the bond between
Martha and Lois, apart from their love of the same man.

     "I guess we could," Jonathan concurred with his wife.  "I also know
that he hates the city and he loves fishing and he's deeply uncomfortable
about his mother's obsessive feelings for him."

     "You felt that too!"  Martha turned amazed eyes to her husband.  "I
thought I was the only one who picked up on that."

     "Martha, you're not the only one in this family with intuition and
remember I've had a few more conversations with Ivor."  He patted her hand
in commiseration, aware that she was a teeny bit disappointed that he had
stolen her thunder.  "I've also met the formidable Mrs Benson and believe
me, she overwhelmed me, not to mention poor Ivor.  She positively dotes on
him."

     "Well, there's nothing wrong in that," Martha was quick to excuse,
realising the extent of her feelings for her own son.

     "Of course not.  But this was different; unnatural, suffocating.  I
can't explain but just watching them together made me feel uncomfortable
and I know that Ivor felt the same."

      Listening to Jonathan's words, Martha nodded in agreement.   "I got
the same impression just listening to Ivor talk about his family."

     "So, what are you suggesting?  That his mother might be prepared to go
to any lengths and any expense to hold onto her son?"  Clark's voice
registered scepticism.

     "But it wouldn't be her son."  Lois also had difficulty in accepting
that premise.  "Didn't my clone develop her own personality?"

     "Yes, but there were similarities, Lois, and the longer she lived more
of your traits began to emerge.  In the end she had your vivacity, courage
and intelligence.  And like you she was willing to risk everything for what
she believed was right."

     "Not to mention having the same taste in men," Lois' amused
recollection lifted the mood for a moment.  "Perhaps 'Dr Frankenstein' has
found a way to transfer the soul.  After all, Lex firmly believed that
Asabi could do that."

     After a few moments of quiet thinking Jonathan agreed to Lois and
Clark's request.   "O K, I'll try to do a little digging and I'm sure your
Mom will be willing to help."

     "Good, I'm glad that's settled."  Lois now dismissed the subject of
Ivor and moved onto the next point.  "What did Superman find out at the
crash site?"

     "Nothing conclusive, Lois, and there wasn't much to show that a car
had gone over the cliff either.  I'm not surprised that it wasn't spotted
for a number of days.  The trees and bushes are pretty thick at that point.
 There have been other vehicles parked in the parking spot, but considering
that it's the best viewpoint of Metropolis in the area most of these tracks
probably belong to tourists, just like the ones that found the accident.
However, I scouted a little farther afield and found signs that another car
had parked further up the road and the occupants had been there for quite
some time, there were a number of cigarette butts lying around, so maybe
they were nervous.  And there was something else that I thought strange;
there were no skid marks on the road, but when I questioned the police
about this they presumed, considering the empty bottle of alcohol they
found, that Forbes had fallen into a drunken stupor and just slowly drove
off the road."

     "Forbes!  Who is Forbes?  And what has he to do with this?"  Martha's
voice sharpened as she searched her mind for a link to the name.

     "Martin Forbes worked here at Greenmeadows and some nights ago he was
killed in a traffic accident up in the mountains.  The police found his
body this morning."  Clark explained to his mother.

      "Yes!  Martin Forbes!  I met him here the night before Jonathan's
operation.  He accosted me on my way home and tried to sell me insurance or
something.  I never heard the whole story as Dr Goodman interrupted him.  I
was upset you see and the doctor was very annoyed that one of his employees
should have forced his attention on me.  I assumed that Dr Goodman was
going to fire him, but surely he couldn't have been so upset that he drove
off a cliff."

     "That appears to be the general consensus."  Clark shrugged his
shoulders.

     "Well, I for one don't believe it.  That was a very confident and
ambitious young man and I doubt he would have thrown his life away just
because he lost a job.  Besides, Dr Goodman assured me that he would find
him another position."

     "But can we trust the good doctor?"  Lois' instincts were in
overdrive.  "Clark, I sense a cover-up.  Martin Forbes did something that
threatened to expose this place and they killed him to keep him quiet."

     "But what are they trying to hide?  Listen to us, Lois, we sound like
a couple of paranoid hacks."

     "Clark, we have uncovered other stories with a lot less to go on."

     "I can't argue with you there, Lois."  Staring into his wife's
compelling gaze, Clark finally surrendered to Lois' insistence.  "Right,
Mom and Dad, you take Ivor and we'll keep on researching Goodman."


Chapter Five
Dead Ends and Developments

      Yet both sets of investigations were soon stymied.  Next morning
Jonathan chose to pay a visit to his new friend's suite only to find the
room empty and the bed stripped down.  Anxiety sent him on swifter feet
than he had achieved since his surgery to the nurses' station where he
asked sharply, for Jonathan, about the whereabouts of Ivor.  The nurses in
this hospital did not normally give out information on their patients, not
if they valued their jobs, yet Mr Kent was a particular favourite of the
medical staff.  He was so thoughtful and kindly, never offering a complaint
and he and Mr Benson had shared a close friendship during their time spent
together, so in this case Nancy felt no compunction about passing on her
information.

     Mrs Benson, it seemed, had missed the company of her favourite son and
had decreed that he was sufficiently recovered to spend the rest of his
recuperation period at home.  Under the advice of Dr Goodman a sick room
had been set up in the Benson household and the hospital had supplied the
nursing staff.  According to the nurse this last occurrence was slightly
perplexing as Greenmeadows was already suffering from a shortage of
qualified staff, the doctor being very choosy in the people he employed.
Nancy suggested, should Jonathan wish to continue with the friendship, that
he would no doubt be welcome to visit Ivor at his home.

     Jonathan did not share Nancy's optimistic view and understanding his
friend's almost horror of his mother he wondered why Ivor had agreed to
these living arrangements.  Then again, perhaps the poor man had been
bullied into the situation.  Mrs Benson reminded Jonathan of a very
determined steamroller.

      Nonetheless, whenever Jonathan was discharged from hospital and he
surmised that this should be fairly soon, he and Martha would beard the
lion in her den and visit Ivor.  A very strange sensation was creeping upon
Jonathan, as if he were being watched.  Was he falling prey to Lois and
Clark's paranoia?

                                                      *****

     At the Planet, the reporters' research was still bogged down.  No
incriminating evidence could be found about Martin's accident.  The
coroner's report had come through and it verified the drunk-driver theory.
A large amount of alcohol had been found in the dead man's stomach and
though there were faint bruise marks on his neck, this was attributed to
the accident.  Lois was not prepared to accept this and suggested that the
bruises could also have been made by someone holding the victim's neck
while an accomplice poured the vodka down his throat.

     "Honey, don't you think that there would have been more severe
bruising if that was the case?"  Clark sounded doubtful.  "I mean, Martin
was a young and pretty fit guy.  Surely he would have put up some kind of
fight and if he did, there should have been some evidence of that."

     "I don't know!"  Lois was clearly annoyed with Clark's sceptical
response.  "Perhaps he was already partially drunk; you know, met his pals
after work and went for a few drinks.  Or maybe he was drugged.  I know
that you're going to say that they found no traces of drugs in the body,
but my god, it's a hospital and I'm sure that 'Dr Frankenstein' knows of at
least one drug that could not be traced."

      Lois had taken to referring to Goodman as the well-known fictional
character and Clark had to admit that the misnomer suited the doctor well.
On the surface David Goodman was amiable, jovial and extremely kind, the
epitome of the concerned physician.  Then why was it that in his presence
both Lois and he felt vastly uneasy?  Was there really an intrigue to be
discovered or were he and his wife simply reacting to the fact that they
disliked the man?

     While Clark wrestled with his conscience, Lois had come to a decision.
 "There's nothing else for it, Clark.  I'm going to ask Daddy what he knows
about Goodman."

     Clark was about to protest when Perry stormed into their office; like
a dog with a bone, he clearly had his teeth into a breaking story.   "Lois,
Clark, I just got word from Ralph down at the courthouse, that slime ball
Tony Pinto has been acquitted.  Great shades of Elvis, everyone knows the
sleaze is guilty as sin, but Judge Michaels threw the case out of court,
said there was insufficient evidence."  Perry shook his head in amazement.
"Then, this is where it gets really weird kids, her honour goes off into
her chamber and keels over, dead as a dodo.  Who says crime doesn't pay?
Pinto makes a fortune on insider dealing then walks off free as a bird."

     "But surely the judge was wrong."  Clark protested.  "I thought the
public prosecutor had that case sewn up."  Neither he nor Lois had covered
the trial, but Clark had been following progress in the media reports.

     "That's what most people thought.  Anyway, I want you guys onto it.
Find out what went wrong."  As the editor spoke he poked his finger toward
his star reporters for emphasis.  Ever since Perry had lost a deal of money
on the stock market, he had developed a distrust of the money markets.  It
didn't matter that he had been the victim of a crook in the guise of a
friend who had defrauded him of his hard-earned savings.  Once bitten twice
shy and Perry now regarded the whole institution with suspicion.

     Lois, though, was not prepared to drop her current investigation.
"Chief, Clark and I are pretty busy at the moment with another story.
Can't you put somebody else on it?"

     "Excuse me, Lois, are you still editor around here?  Do you still
assign the stories?  Maybe I should just go home and put my feet up."
Within a very short time of returning to work Perry had assumed his role of
the irascible editor-in-chief and although Lois and Clark knew that his
bark was worse than his bite they also recognised that he ran a very tight
ship and in this mood his word was to be obeyed.  "Maybe you could bring me
up to speed on this story you're both so involved with."

      Lois looked sheepish and turned to her husband for support who very
gallantly threw himself into the breach.   "Hmph, Chief it's nothing
concrete for now, just a few ideas that Lois and I are tossing around."

     "Good!!  Toss it on the back burner for the moment and get your butts
down to the courthouse."   As he left the office, Perry was humming an
Elvis tune.  It did him good to crack the whip now and again and the Kents
understood the game.

                                                      *****

     Down at the Hall of Justice things were certainly jumping.  Media
personnel seethed on the stairways and spilled into the corridors, each in
search of that illusive quote that would give them a scoop on the
disintegration of this much-publicised case.  The noise levels in these
hallowed premises reached dangerous levels as these news gatherers harried
witnesses, court officials or even ignorant bystanders in the hope of
gaining a jump on their competitors.

     In this milling crowd Lois and Clark sought out Ralph, but soon
discovered that as an informant he was less than useless, having uncovered
zilch.  As they gazed around, searching for a more productive source, they
were hailed by a familiar voice.

     "Lois!  Clark!  I see you're back on the beat.  I didn't think that
they could keep Lois behind a desk for long."

     "Inspector Henderson," Clark returned the greeting as their old
acquaintance strolled up to them.  The policeman and the reporting duo, not
to mention a certain super hero, had solved a number of cases together over
the years and a mutual understanding had grown between them.  "What are you
doing here?  I didn't expect you to be involved in this case."

     "I'm not!  I just finished giving evidence in a courtroom down the
hallway and was on my way back to the precinct when all hell broke loose
here.  First Tony Pinto was freed and then the judge croaks in her
chambers.  Who would have thought it?"

     "Could someone have gotten to the judge?"  Lois joined in the
conversation, getting right to the point.

     Henderson shook his head.   "I doubt it Lois, the old girl's
got.......... the old girl *had* a fairly honest reputation."

     "How about the cause of death?"

      "Nothing suspicious there.  Looks like a heart attack.  Seems Judge
Michaels had a medical history.  Only last year she was a patient in
Greenmeadows Hospital, underwent some fancy operation or something.
According to her secretary though she's been well ever since.  And
then....poof!!  She goes out like a light, which only goes to show that no
matter what new treatment you can afford, when your time is up it's up."
Immersed in his own philosophy the inspector did not at first notice the
stunned looks on the reporters' faces.

     "Greenmeadows!?"  Lois almost squeaked.

     "Yeah, now why would that interest you?"  Always the detective,
Henderson now noted the sharpening of his friends' attention.

     The couple shared a moment of consternation, neither willing to alert
the authorities at this time.  Lois was the first to recover.   "Clark's
father's a patient of that hospital right now."

     Henderson was embarrassed.  He really had to stop treating everything
like a case.
     "Oh, Jonathan, yeah, I did know that he'd been sick.  I'm sorry,
Clark.  I didn't mean any disrespect to the hospital.  I'm sure that
they'll take good care of your dad."

     "Thanks, Inspector, my father's already well on the way to recovery
and we expect to have him home real soon."  Clark reassured the slightly
abashed man and quickly returned to the job in hand, if anyone could give
them inside information then this experienced detective was their man.  "We
heard that the case against Pinto had been thrown out through lack of
evidence.  That's pretty hard to swallow, since we also heard that the D A
had an iron-tight case."

     "You heard right on both counts."  Henderson lowered his voice
conspiratorially and leaned in closer to the couple.  "The evidence
disappeared."

     "All of it?!"  Clark gasped.

     "All of it.  All the files on insider trading; the phone records and
taps; the computer discs......... the lot!!   Someone got access to the
police evidence store and made off with everything.  Of course, this is
strictly off the record for now.  The D A's office is livid and they've
ordered an immediate investigation.  They're trying to keep things under
wraps until they get a handle on this thing, but that's not going to be
possible.  I expect they'll have to hold a press conference any minute."

       The inspector began to back off down the corridor, afraid that
perhaps he had said too much, but what the hell, he trusted Lois and Clark,
they wouldn't betray their source.  With a final wave of his hand he turned
and strode away.

     The couple found themselves alone in the fast-emptying corridors, the
other reporters having given up on their useless quests and with the word
of a press conference wafting nefariously in the air the media, like a
tide, had ebbed from the courthouse in pursuit of other more successful
angles.

     "Greenmeadows keeps cropping up.  Why do you think that is, Clark?"

     "Beats me, Lois.  But something is definitely wrong here..........."

     "And it's up to us to find out what."

     Clark smiled at his wife, she was positively bubbling with energy.
However, they were going to need more than energy to crack this case.  What
they needed was information.   "So, honey, we contact Judge Michaels'
family, see if they'll talk to us.  Also check if there's a link between
Goodman and Pinto."

     "And start phoning around to see if we can trace the missing evidence,
though I have a feeling that has probably been destroyed."  Lois' index
finger was poking into Clark's chest as they listed their activities.
"Then we phone Mommy and Daddy and invite them for dinner.  I think it's
time we got some personal background on Dr Goodman.  But first I'm hungry.
Let's get some lunch."

                                                       *****

     Returning to the office after picnicking in the park, they set Stephan
the task of collating the research on stock market 'whiz-kid' Tony Pinto, a
fairly simple job since much of the work had already been done when the
high-profile money man was arrested and brought to trial.  However, this
time the couple requested a deep background check; they wanted to know what
clubs the man frequented; who were his friends and family; which college he
attended and where he grew up.  Somewhere along the line they were hoping
to find that Pinto's path had crossed that of the doctor's.

     Lois, after tracking down her parents and asking them to dinner,
turned her attention to her husband's phone call.  She crossed the small
space between them and hoisted herself to sit on the edge of his desk.

       Clark was clearly midway through a conversation.   "I realize,
Professor Michaels, how much you must be plagued by the media at the
moment, I've been in their spotlight a couple of times myself and I know
how unpleasant that can be, especially at such a time as this, but Ms Lane
and I don't wish to question you about this case.  Judge Michaels was a
highly respected member of the justice system and we were hoping to include
a tribute to her work in the Planet's obituary and we felt that you might
like to add a few personal anecdotes and of course review our copy before
we publish."

     "Thank you, Mr Kent, for your kind words and for your interest in my
wife's career.  From the questions I've been fielding from your less
ethical colleagues you would think the only trial my wife ever presided
over was this last travesty.  My wife thought very highly of Lane and Kent
and of your friend Superman.  She was grateful that so many of the
criminals that she sent down were apprehended because of your stalwart
efforts.  And for that I will agree to see you; would ten tomorrow morning
suit you, Mr Kent?  Come to my house.  I've taken a leave of absence from
my university duties for now."

     Clark closed the conversation and stared contemplatively at his
computer screen.
 "We have an appointment with Professor Michaels at ten tomorrow," he
informed her, then began reading from the screen.  "The professor's head of
the faculty of philosophy at Metro U.  He and his wife Valerie had been
married for thirty-four years, they had one daughter who died of leukemia
when she was nineteen."

     "Oh, that must have been terrible for them."  For a moment Lois
contemplated the loss of her own children.  Joel obviously shared Clark's
genetics and would no doubt be invulnerable and there were signs that Clara
too might inherit her father's powers.  It was much too soon to tell about
Nathan and Julian was of course completely human and therefore open to any
hurt.  And even half -Kryptonians were not totally indestructible..........
 Lois shook herself from her worried musings in order to listen to her
husband's continuing recital.

     "Yeah.  I know how destroyed I would feel if we lost any of our kids,"
Clark's hand had found its way into Lois' and she gave him a wistful smile.
 He returned his eyes back to the screen.  "Since then there has been only
the two of them and judging by the little printed in the tabloids they are
a closely devoted couple.  I'd also say that from my conversation with the
professor that he loved his wife very much."

     "So much that he would do anything to keep her?  We have two people
who respectively adore their very ill wife and son, two people who probably
have the financial means to pay a great deal to save their loved
ones.........."  Lois had slid from Clark's desk and was now pacing the
office.

     "And both of these loved ones are patients of Dr Goodman ............"

      "One of whom we are assuming is a.......... clone and the other is
dead........."

     "But was that the real Judge Michaels who died?"  Leaning back in his
chair Clark regarded his wife with raised eyebrows.

     "Would an autopsy reveal if she was a clone?"   Lois had stopped
pacing and stood hands folded before her at the other side of the desk.

     "Perhaps, if she'd broken her ankle in a skiing accident." The couple
exchanged an amused grin.

     "Clark, both the judge and Ivor are supposed to have undergone
treatment or surgery, shouldn't there be traces of that on the body?"

     "I guess, though Dad's coronary surgery only left a small scar on his
leg.  Besides, there won't be an autopsy, the judge died from natural causes."

     "And the professor is hardly likely to agree to something that proves
that he paid to have his wife cloned."  Lois intimated dejectedly.

     "Let's hope that Dad has more success with Ivor."

                                                    *****

Chapter Six
Pieces of a Puzzle


     To say that Lois and Clark were disappointed to learn that their one
lead in this puzzle had escaped them was an understatement.  The more
combustible member of the news team had wanted to descend on the Bensons'
house and confront the clone immediately, but then, after a short period of
blowing off some steam, when her children kept well out of range, and a few
commiserating statements from a fairly invulnerable husband, Lois allowed
her ire to settle and agreed that Ivor was still best left to the elder Kents.

      The evening spent with her parents had a more productive outcome,
though not from the supposed source.  Sam had nothing but good things to
say about his old friend.  Goodman had been a teenage companion who had
helped and supported a younger and more insecure Sam Lane and Sam was only
happy that David was now receiving the accolades that his abilities so
richly deserved.  When his daughter had vaguely suggested that things at
Greenmeadows might not be all that they appeared, Sam had bristled in
annoyance and pointed out that David had no doubt saved Jonathan's life.
This line of enquiry was going nowhere except to upset Sam and the Kents
mutually dropped the subject of Goodman and Greenmeadows.

     Later, after Ellen had helped put the children to bed, the older woman
had followed Lois into the kitchen to make the coffee.  Assuring herself
that her husband was occupied in watching a ball game with his son-in-law,
Ellen drew Lois into a chair and settled herself alongside her daughter.
Her voice was little more than a whisper.

     "Don't believe all that your father has to say about David Goodman.
I'm afraid Sam has a mental block when dealing with 'that man'."  The last
words sounded fairly derogatory.

     "You don't agree with Daddy's estimation?"

     "I never liked that man.  Oh, he and your father were great buddies,
but there was something about him that I couldn't be comfortable with.  And
he wasn't the grade A student that your father thinks he was."

     Lois pulled her chair up closer to Ellen and she in turn lowered her
voice.  "Please, Mother, tell me all you know about 'that man'."

     Ellen was glad to be the centre of her daughter's attention for once.
While she understood that she had never been a particularly good mother,
there had been so many other troubles, she did love both her children and
she was thankful that, since Lois and Clark had gotten married, her elder
daughter had, little by little, let her back into her life.  Now here was
an opportunity to help Lois with her work; Ellen was intuitive enough to
realize that the probing that had taken place over dinner was for something
that Lois and Clark were investigating and she was only too happy to assist.

     "When I met your father, David and he were already close and although
he was always polite and friendly toward me, I felt that he resented my
intrusion.  Of course, never openly so and when I spoke to your father
about it Sam just thought I was being paranoid."

     "So the pattern began this early in your relationship?"  Lois asked
sadly.

      "Oh yes, if your father didn't agree with my summation then I was
told I was being over anxious; in the end I suppose I came to believe it."
Ellen dismissed this uncomfortable thought, having at long last reached an
understanding with her husband.  "Anyway after a number of abortive
attempts at persuading Sam that his friend was sly, I gave up and just
stayed out of David's way, which wasn't easy, the man was like your
father's shadow."

     "But why?"

     "Osmosis!!  David was a clever enough young doctor, but he never had
your father's genius.  I think he hoped that some of Sam's brilliance would
rub off on him.  Who knows, perhaps it finally did?  Anyway, when your
father was head hunted by a research facility in New York, David appeared
more than a little jealous and after we moved we lost touch, which I
thought was very strange considering how close the two were.  But David
always seemed too busy to return your father's calls."  Ellen shook her
head sadly as she recalled how this exclusion had effected Sam.   "He seems
to be doing very well for himself now, head of a renowned institution like
Greenmeadows."

     "Mother, Clark and I suspect that there is something very wrong going
on in that hospital."

     "Well that wouldn't surprise me.  Goodman was always the opportunist
and he was ruthless.  If he couldn't succeed by fair means then, in my
opinion, he would not be above resorting to foul."

     The coffee was ready and the tete-a-tete ended soon after and when the
two women rejoined their menfolk the subject of David Goodman was never
mentioned again.


     In bed that night, her back resting against the pillows, and
delightedly watching her husband as he undressed for bed, at normal speed,
Lois related her mother's estimation of the man they were investigating.

     Clark sat beside her on the bed and placed a hand on her thigh,
rubbing it gently through the thin coverlet.    "I never thought I'd say
this, Lois, but I prefer your mother's opinion of Goodman above that of
your father's.  Which, considering that the man saved my dad's life, is
pretty ungrateful."

     "Don't feel bad, sweetheart.  That surgery is getting more common
every day and I'm very sure that many other surgeons could have done just
as well."  She patted the
hand that was creating a familiar tingling in her body, then stilled it,
she d