By SkipD (cdavis@microage.net)
Summary: A what-if story in which Kal-El's rocket is discovered by a family driving through Kansas on their way to Metropolis. The Luthors decide to keep the child to raise him along with their own son.
***
He hadn't realized that the roads in Kansas could be so flat and boring. His wife was sleeping next to him as their son slept in the back. As she started to stir, he noticed what appeared to be a shooting star. He shook her and pointed to it. Much to their amazement, it seemed to come down just off of the road ahead of them. He pulled over and looked at the site where it had come down.
What he saw frightened and astounded him. It appeared to be some kind of spaceship, although not like anything he had seen before. As he approached it, it opened up and he could swear that he heard the cry of a baby coming from it. He rushed over and found the infant wrapped in a blanket, unharmed. He picked the child up and handed it to his wife.
"Alex, what should we do, we don't have any idea where this came from."
He looked at his wife, pondering their next move and said, "I don't know how that baby got in this spaceship, but I know that whoever put it in there doesn't deserve to have it back. No one knows us in Metropolis, so they won't ask any questions when we show up with two children instead of one."
"You mean that we are just going to keep this baby?" asked his wife.
"Well Laura, I don't see why not."
So the Luthors continued their journey to their new life with the child they had rescued. 30 years later:
"Lois, my office, now." Oh great, I haven't even had a chance to get my first cup of coffee, she thought.
Jimmy looked over at her from his desk and said, "He's been yelling for you for almost an hour now."
"But I'm not even late," she protested.
"Hey I tried explaining that to Perry, but there must be something big, cause he didn't want to hear it." Lois turned from Jimmy and headed towards Perry's office.
"Lois, I'd like you to meet…"
Lois looked to her left, and as she did she realized who it was that was seated there. "Clark Kent," she almost gasped.
"So you've already met?"
"Are you serious, Perry? Mr. Kent is only one of the top war correspondents in the world today!" Lois gushed, "I mean what self respecting journalist wouldn't recognize a Pulitzer prize winning reporter?"
"Well," Perry continued, "Clark is a freelance reporter that has been doing work for the Planet as well as several other large dailies."
"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Kent, I've followed your work. What brings you here to Metropolis?"
"Well, that's what I called you in here for, Lois, Clark has agreed to become a staff reporter for the Planet, and I would like to have him work with you."
"No offense, Mr. Kent"
"Please call me Clark."
"OK, no offense, Clark, but I don't need a partner, even one with your credentials."
"Lois," Perry interrupted, "this will, in all likelihood, be a temporary situation. I just thought that it would be a good idea to have Clark work with you to get a feel for the city."
"Well, all right, if it's only on a temporary basis."
Clark smiled shyly and said, "Thank you, Miss Lane, I should be able to find my way around in a couple of weeks." Suddenly, Clark cocked his head as if he had just thought of something. "Miss Lane, could you tell me where the nearest restroom is?"
"Sure, it's right down this hall, second .. no, third door on your left, and the name is Lois."
"Thanks," and Clark was off down the hall on a run.
About ten minutes later, Jimmy Olsen came in. "You should have seen it. There was a hold up at the First Bank of Metropolis and from out of nowhere, this guy in a skin tight black suit, drops in and foils it."
Lois looked at Jimmy unbelieving and said, "Are you telling me that he just walked up to the robbers and took their guns away?"
"No" Jimmy exclaimed, "They shot at him, but the bullets just bounced off of him!"
"Great shades of Elvis, are you saying that we have some kind of superman out there?"
"Chief, I just write em as I see em."
"Well then get over to your desk and start writing."
"Lois, call the police and see if you can get a statement from them on this superman."
Just then Clark walked in, "Hi, have I missed anything?"
Lois looked at Clark and said, "come on with me; the police are holding a press conference about this superman."
"Superman?" Clark looked at Lois quizzically.
As Lois and Clark took their seats at the rear of the conference room, Inspector Henderson entered and made a motion for everyone's attention. "OK, people, this afternoon, as you all know by now, a robbery at the First Bank of Metropolis was foiled by a man in a black suit. We do not have any ID on the person that foiled the robbery as yet".
At this Lois stood up and asked, "Inspector, what are the chances that this "Superman" was wearing some sort of Kevlar vest?"
Henderson answered, "Miss Lane, we have recovered the slugs that the bandits fired and all were flattened, as if they had hit a brick wall. We also have heard from a couple of witnesses at the scene, that this "Superman" apparently flew to the scene." This bit of news started a rash of questions from the gathered reporters. Henderson held his hands up and said "Folks, I'm sorry, but that's all we have for right now."
Clark stood up and addressed the inspector, "Excuse me, Inspector Henderson, but was anyone able to get a description of this Superman."
Henderson wasn't aware of who Clark was, "I'm sorry Mr. -"
"Kent," Clark offered, "Clark Kent." (My apologies to Ian Fleming.)
"Well, Mr. Kent, welcome to Metropolis, and to answer you question, no this happened so quickly, no one really got a good look at this guy. The few witnesses that we have questioned, have not been able to give a good description. Almost everyone said that the guy appeared to be fuzzy and out of focus." With that, the news conference broke up.
As they headed back to the Daily Planet building, Clark turned to Lois and asked, "Lois, I'm still new to Metropolis, and I haven't really made any friends here yet, and I was wondering if you would join me for dinner tonight. We could discuss some of your work; I am a big fan of yours."
Lois stopped walking and turned to him, "You've read my work?"
"Sure" Clark answered, "Even in Bosnia, we were able to get copies of the Planet".
Lois looked at him for a moment, and then started, "Clark, I really would love to sit and talk and have dinner with you tonight, but I have already made plans. I promised the mayor that I would attend a function at his mansion tonight, and I don't think mayor Luther would appreciate me standing him up".
At the mention of the mayor's name, Clark seemed to pay more attention. "You have a date with Lex Luthor tonight?"
"Well, it's not exactly a date, I figured that if I accepted his invitation, I might be able to use the chance to get something on the mayor. I just have a hard time believing that his hands are totally clean."
Clark looked at her and saw a determination similar to that of a soldier preparing for combat. "What makes you think that "Hizonor" may be crooked?"
Lois cocked her head, "Well, nobody's been able to prove anything yet; it seems everytime someone is ready to come forward with information, they disappear. So far it's all been rumors and speculation."
Clark thought for a second, and then turned to Lois, "Look if you need any help with this, I'm available."
Lois considered it for a minute "Thanks for the offer, Clark, but this reception is by invitation only. Even if I could get you in, I don't know how you would be able to help me."
"Well," Clark replied, "If you do need a hand, just call."
"I'll keep that in mind, Clark. Listen, if you're staying at the Metropolis Grand, there's a great little Chinese take-out just around the corner from there, I go there for lunch all the time."
Later as Clark was sitting in his room eating Moo Goo Gai Pan from Ralph's Pagoda, he thought to himself, "I may just end up having an ally in my mission after all."
Lois had just finished touching up her hair and making sure she had her mini tape recorder and camera, when her doorbell rang. When she opened it, there was a chauffeur, "Mayor Luthor sent me to pick you up and bring you to the mansion, Ms. Lane."
"I was just finishing up; if you can wait just one minute I'll be ready." Lois dashed into her bedroom, grabbed her purse and a wrap for her shoulders, and then she was ready to leave.
As she entered the mayor's home, she saw Lex Luthor standing off to the side, speaking to several of the local political and business leaders. He saw her enter, and excused himself.
"Lois, my dear, you look absolutely ravishing tonight."
He is smooth, Lois thought to herself. But Lex was right, in a hunter green, strapless evening gown, she showed off her gorgeous figure, and the slit up the side of the gown gave occasional glances at her well turned, silken legs.
"Lex, I am really glad that you invited me; I know that this will be a memorable evening."
As the evening progressed, Lois noticed Lex talking with some people that she didn't recognize. She realized that he was going to be with them for a while and would not notice if she went missing for a couple of minutes (just went to the ladies room to powder my nose and make myself pretty for you, Lex). She carefully found her way up to the second floor of Lex's home, and checked the doors until she found one that led to what appeared to be Lex's private office. She immediately started picking the locks on the file cabinets and going through the files. She stopped when she came to a file for the new Metropolis MetroDome.
There had been quite a bit of talk that there had been payoffs and kickbacks involved in the granting of the contract for this project. As she looked through the file, she heard Lex speaking to someone, and heading towards the office. She immediately ducked in a small coat closet, and took out her tape recorder.
"I don't care if this Superman stopped the fire at that warehouse, I paid to have the place burnt to the ground".
"But, Mr. Luthor," another voice that Lois recognized as the deputy mayor, intoned, "We had one of the best arsonists around pull off that job. The fire department was barely able to control the fire, much less stop it."
"Well," it was Lex again, "The investors want that property, and I can't have it condemned if it's still able to be repaired."
Lois let out a gasp.
"What was that?" The door to the closet flew open and a hand grabbed Lois and pulled her out. "So, Lois, my dear, I don't suppose you'd like to tell me what you were doing in there?"
Lois was starting to become furious. "The citizens of Metropolis trusted you and elected you to be mayor, and you're using that trust to line your already deep pockets."
Lex looked at Lois as if he were seeing her for the first time. "You realize, my love, that I cannot let you leave here with the information that you now have. Harold, please have a couple of the "security guards" escort Ms. Lane down to the warehouse at Hobbs Bay. She will be investigating another fire there when she will get caught inside."
"Right away, Mr. Luthor"
"You won't get away with this, Lex, there are people who know that I am here with you tonight and they'll ask questions."
"Lois," Lex stepped over to her and put his hand on her cheek, "There will be several witnesses that will testify that you called a cab and left here early, complaining about a bad headache."
Lois pulled away from his touch, but her heart sank. Suddenly, two armed security guards entered the room.
"You've been given your instructions. Take Ms. Lane out the back way, and make sure no one sees you leave."
As the guards were taking Lois out the back of the mansion and towards a van, one of them slid open the side door, and immediately fell to the ground. The other looked up to see what had happened and came face to face with a man dressed in black. Before he knew it, the second guard joined the first, crumpling to the ground.
Lois could hardly believe her eyes. "Are you Superman?"
He turned away from the guards and towards Lois "That's the name that everyone seems to be using when they talk about me."
Lois looked a little closer and it suddenly hit her. "Clark?"
"Yes, Lois, it's me."
She looked at him questioningly. "What and who are you?"
Clark led her to the van and started to explain, "I am from another planet, and Earth's yellow sun gives me powers that allow me to do things that ordinary men can't. I was found by a couple who were traveling cross country and spotted the rocket that had brought me here. They decided to raise me as their own child, but about a year after they had found me, they divorced. I went with my mother, and I never saw my father again. My mother ended up re-marrying. He was a Colonel in the Air Force; he flew fighter jets. Colonel Howard Kent ended up adopting me, and he and my mom and I became a family. He instilled in me a love a country and fair play. He's the reason that I became a war correspondent. During the invasion of Panama, my powers started to manifest themselves, and I was able to use them on several occasions to save service men.
"It was shortly after that, that my mother and father died in an airplane accident. They said that it was pilot error, but I know my father, he wouldn't have made a fatal mistake. I started using the contacts that I had made as a reporter and the trail led to Metropolis, and LexCorp."
Lois was speechless (a condition that she was not used to). "Are you saying that Lex Luthor was behind the death of your parents?"
Clark looked at her and said, "Was Lex taking you out to a picnic just now?"
This made some sense to Lois, but she still had questions. "Even if Lex was behind the death of your parents, the question is Why?"
Clark looked like he was bringing up memories that he would rather not have faced. "As I said before, my mother had been married before she met my dad. After her death, I went through her journals and found that not only did I have another father, but I also had a brother. Apparently, part of the divorce decree was that my mother would have custody of me, and her husband would have custody of their other child. It obviously tore my mother apart to have to leave her son, but there wasn't anything she could do."
Lois stopped him at that point, "That's all fine and good, but what does that have to do with your parents being murdered by -". Suddenly it dawned on her. "Oh my god, Lex Luthor is your brother".
"Yes, Lois, I tracked back and found that Lex's father, Alex Luthor, had been married to my mother. I can't prove it yet, but I believe that Lex arranged for his own father's death."
Lois looked at Clark, trying to take everything that she had just heard in.
"Come on, we have to hurry, Lois, Lex is getting ready to head down to Hobbs Bay, and we need to catch him in the act."
"Clark, are you asking me to help you put Luthor behind bars, or do you have something else in mind?"
Reading her thoughts, Clark looked at her and stated, "Lois, my father gave me a lot of my values, one of them was that there are rules, and so long as you play by the rules, you can't be wrong. I have every intention of handing Luthor and all of the evidence I can over to the police."
"Well then Superman, what are we waiting for?"
Clark flew Lois to the warehouse that he had saved from being burned, and tied her up. He then went to a dark corner and waited. He didn't have to wait very long. Luthor walked in with a couple of others. Lois instantly recognized the Fire Department Chief.
"Well, well, Lois, I don't know what happened to your escorts, but it appears that they were able to deliver you in one piece."
"Don't be so smug, Luthor, I'm not dead yet." Lois was trying to keep his attention so that Luthor would not notice Clark.
Lex turned to the Fire Chief, "You know, this warehouse really is a fire trap. You should have condemned it long ago, Chief. Maybe we should just rid this city if this eyesore tonight."
The chief turned to the other two men and nodded. They started pouring liquid from five gallon cans, all around the building.
"Make sure not to get it too close to Ms. Lane;, I want her to live long enough to understand her mistake in underestimating me."
It was at that point that Clark appeared. "I'd stop right now if I were you, Luthor." Clark was vibrating his body at superspeed so that no one their could see his features clearly.
"So this is the famed Superman. I wonder if what they have been printing about you in that rag, the Daily Planet, is true."
Lois came up next to Clark, "Not only is it true, but I'll be writing tomorrow's headline about how Superman brought you to justice, Lex."
Luthor was furious, "Both of you," looking at his henchmen, "shoot them. I want them both dead."
As Luthor's men brought their guns up, Clark stepped in front of Lois. The shots started bouncing off his chest. Once the shooting stopped, Clark gathered up their guns and melted them with his heat vision. In the confusion, no one had noticed Lex laying on the floor, a puddle of blood gathering beneath him.
Clark went over to him, "Hold on, Luther, I'll get you to a hospital. You're not going to escape justice so easily."
Luthor looked up at him, knowing that he was dying and asked, "Who are you?" Clark realized that it was too late to save him and stopped his vibrating. "I'm your brother Lex, I know that you were responsible for the death of my father and our mother. I also suspect that you were responsible for the accident that killed Alex Luthor. You're paying for your crimes, Lex, and no one will cry when your gone."
Lex looked up at Clark, "They never told me I had a brother." With that Lex Luthor passed on.
The next day the headline on the Planet's front page told of the Mayor's dying, and about the crimes that he had committed while in office. Absent from the story was the involvement of a strange visitor from another planet, but the byline read Lois Lane and Clark Kent.
THE END
(brother.txt)