Chicago, IL
gardy720
The Evolutions series continues with chapter 12 - Edge of Darkness
Lois and Clark pulled up alongside the police roadblock, roughly a mile from Dairyland Mall. Kara had flown to the secured area seconds after leaving the Kent Farm. About forty-five minutes had passed, much to Lois’s objection. She pulled out a steno pad and pen, completely in her reporter mode. Clark followed her to the lead police officer in charge.
Kara circled the mall parking lot, well within the SWAT team’s radius of fire. Using blinding speed so as not to attract any undue attention, the teen superhero managed to recon the situation. She’d located the terrorist and the hostages, counting thirteen people being held against their will.
The criminal had burned three stores already. Most of the fires had been put out by the segregated sprinkler systems. The hostages didn’t appear to be injured or in any immediate danger. Kara had x-rayed the lunatic terrorist, and found that he was indeed, human.
"Lois Lane, Metropolis Daily Planet." She waved her press pass at the leader. "This is Clark Kent, he’ll be assisting me on the story. What’s your name sir?" The detective cast her an annoyed glance. "Detective Dan Turpin. Miss Lane, we’re not ready to make a statement to the press, yet."
"Good enough. Off the record, then, what’ve you got?" Lois persisted, as Clark used his x-ray vision to verify where all of the SWAT team members were. He also spotted Kara, zipping across the parking lot towards them. Turpin hesitantly let Lois in on the situation.
"Off the record, Miss Lane, we have one lunatic holding at least a dozen people hostage. He’s a firebug, arsonist or something. He’s damaged three stores, but hadn’t bothered to steal anything so far. We have no idea what kind of a weapon he may have."
"An account by one of the hostages by cell phone, states that the perp hadn’t displayed a gun or knife, but… and here’s the odd part…she claims he started fires by waving his hands at the merchandise. We have no true idea what she saw. He might have a miniature flamethrower or some other type of accelerant." Detective Turpin informed them.
Lois considered that as she exchanged glances with Clark. The same thing went through their young minds – a rogue meteor freak with the power to control fire. "Detective Turpin, has he made any demands yet?" Lois pursued the lead by following the detective closer in towards the SWAT van.
"None whatsoever." Turpin dismissed her with a wave. "Has he said anything at all?" Clark chimed in, feeling left out of the questioning. "Kent? Why don’t you just let us do our jobs? And all he’d said so far was some vague ramblings about the end being near."
"We picked it up in the background noise from the hostage’s cell phone. The end of what, we don’t know. He could be suicidal, which makes this incident even more volatile." Turpin concluded. "That’s all Miss Lane, Mr. Kent, now please stay behind the blockade."
Kara had mysteriously appeared behind them, and came up alongside Lois. "He’s right cousin, the guy is unhinged. He kept on about something called ‘the great winnowing’." Kara added details. "I’ve no idea what that means." The alien teen admitted. Clark considered her account.
Lois tapped her foot impatiently. "The great winnowing seems to refer to something like an apocalypse, I believe. It may be in the Bible or somewhere. Sounds like a standard loony with superpowers. We need to get those people out of there before he snaps."
"I know Lois, but how can we go in without being seen?" Clark asked conversationally. "Kara and I could break in through the air conditioning system. We ought to be able to surprise him, before he attacks the hostages." Lois wasn’t convinced. "We still have the SWAT teams to deal with."
"How about a distraction?" Lois rubbed her thin chin. "I could zip around to the back of the mall and blow something up." Clark thought that over. "It sounds too risky." Lois sighed. "Define risky, Smallville? We need to save those people. You two are virtually indestructible, and we have no idea how my powers react. I intend to live a long and rewarding life annoying you."
Clark and Kara chuckled. "Point taken." He admitted. "It’s settled then. I’ll zoom to the rear lot and torch the far end of the mall. You two speed in and grab the firebug before he lights up any hostages." Lois said with determination. Kara liked the basic idea, but added her own twist.
"Kal, I should fly in through the air conditioning vents, while you zip in through the glass atrium." She suggested. "Wouldn’t he hear the broken glass hitting the floor?" Lois countered. "Nope, I already surveyed the layout. The atrium is in the far west wing, and the hostages are in the east." Kara responded.
"I’ll start burning the south end, that leaves the north end for the SWAT teams to enter from." Lois decided. "Okay, I guess it’s our best shot." Clark agreed. "Now Lois, don’t level the entire mall, and make sure that the fire is out as soon as I have the arsonist."
"You’ll be heading towards me, correct?" Lois confirmed. "I assume that you don’t want Metropolis’s finest, and the FBI observing your little rescue?" Clark nodded. "Kara, you can start herding the hostages towards the SWAT team. Just tell them that you were hiding elsewhere in the mall avoiding the commotion." The alien teen nodded. "Wait!"
Lois and Clark froze in their tracks. "What’s up Kara?" He asked. "Clark, focus your hearing. The meteor freak is yelling about something." Clark complied. Lois was at a bit of a disadvantage. She didn’t have the superior hearing skill down pat yet.
"Death to you all!" The terrorist shrieked. "You’re all going to die! He is coming! The end is soon!" Kara and Clark exchanged glances. Who was the he? Lois couldn’t stand it. "What? Spill it Smallville, what’s he saying?"
"I hope he’s just ranting." Clark repeated what he heard for Lois’s benefit. "Either way, it sounds like we’re running out of time." Lois took a deep breath. "Well, I’m ready. How about you two?" Kara and Lois playfully bumped fists. "You go, sister!" Lois joked. Clark was not amused.
"Be careful!" Clark urged quietly. "Don’t be such an old lady." Lois remarked with cockiness. Kara dashed off at hyper speed and circled in towards the mall. "One, two, three…go!" Lois took off running, and in a few seconds disappeared.
Clark followed soon after, making a last check of the SWAT team’s positions. This had better work…he silently hoped, as he entered the atrium, shattering the glass, and quickly making his way through the mall towards the hostages. Kara had already disabled all the mall security cameras.
Lois walked alone, hiding in between parked cars. What I need is something flammable, she mused, anxiously glancing around the mall parking lot. Nothing out here…maybe inside. Lois dashed towards the glass mall doors, shattering them with brute force.
The alarm system had already been disabled, either by Kara, or the terrorist. She found a cleaning closet, and tore open the door. Let’s see…ammonia, glass cleaner and floor wax, not much to work with, she thought, grabbing what she could. Maybe in the food court? She sped to the center of the mall courtyard. Bingo! She elated. Now I just have to MacGiver this somehow.
Lois filled up an empty container with propane gas and covered it tightly. This ought to make a decent distraction. She hurried back to the mall exit, combined all the elements, and got ready to strike a matchbook that she’d run across in the cafeteria office.
"Happy Fourth of July!" She muttered, tying a cleaning cloth inside the ammonia bottle to use as a fuse, lighting one end with the match. She placed the propane gas bottle next to the one with ammonia and set it down, super speeding away, going back the way she’d come.
The explosion shattered all the glass in the area, and made enough noise to completely throw the SWAT team off their game. Now it was up to Kara and Clark. The automatic sprinkler system came on near the flaming doorframe, extinguishing the blaze.
"There’s our signal." Clark said loud enough for Kara to hear. "I’m on it, Kal!" Superman sped into the long main corridor, using his blinding speed to locate the criminal. He heard the hostages crying and praying for help. "That’s right! Pray! All of you! For all the good it will do!" The loony said.
Clark tackled the crazed terrorist tumbling head over heels, and grabbing the guy’s hands, pinning them behind his back. "Give it up! Let these people go!" Superman ordered. The hostages were stunned, and quieted quickly. They still expected to die, being burned alive by the madman.
"You! You’re the one!" The nut case said. "Me what? You don’t even know who I am." Clark wrestled the guy, making sure that he was immobilized. Kara entered the fray from the next room. She had flown through the vents, and landed out of sight of the hostages.
"Okay everyone remain calm." She ordered. "Follow me. The police are just outside." Some of the hostages began to murmur. "Now, people! We don’t know how long we can hold him down." Kara lied convincingly. "He will rise again! You’ll all die!" the wacko still grumbled.
Finally, the hostages hesitantly got up off the floor where they’d been seated and followed Kara towards the exit. "How’d you get in here?" A hostage inevitably asked the super teen. "I was hiding in a different wing, so was my cousin back there." She gave them the standard line.
"You took an awful chance, Miss." A businessman commented. "Are you complaining?" Kara countered. "No, not at all." The guy softened his tone. "Okay, everybody. Hands up!" Kara directed. "We want the SWAT teams to see you." The first few hostages obliged.
Clark had stood the nut ball up, still restraining his arms. "Who are you afraid of?" Superman demanded. "Afraid? I’m not afraid. I’m simply the messenger." The freak sounded more like he was in his right mind, after all. "Fine! Whom are you working for?" Clark asked angrily.
"I serve the master." He laughed. "What’s your name?" Clark shoved him forward. "I’m unimportant. What you need to worry about is him." Kal was getting frustrated. "Who?" Clark jostled the man roughly. The freak grinned. "Mobus Kahn." Clark was puzzled. "I’ve never heard of him."
"You will." He said, laughing again, as Superman guided him outside, still pinning the freak’s hands behind his back. The SWAT team was shocked, but thankful. Clark wrested him into the back of the SWAT van. Dan Turpin lectured he and Lois about getting involved, threatening to arrest the helpful reporters. Clark shook his head as Kara rejoined them. "That’s the thanks we get."
"Cheer up, Smallville. No good deed goes unpunished." Lois put her hand on his shoulder. "On the bright side, we have one hell of a story for Perry…partner." Kara smiled brightly enjoying Lois’s playful banter. "Can I be in the story, too?" Kara joked. "Sure. You can be interested bystander number one." She ribbed the teen, hugging Kara. "We make a great team."
Clark wasn’t convinced that this was over…
continued in Edge of Darkness 2
Chicago, IL
gardy720