Now You're Gone

7

If it were up to Lois, they would have hopped on a plane to Smallville. But no. Mr. Slow and Steady, Knows What's Best for Everyone had to make an appointment behind her back. So instead of enjoying Mama K.'s cooking, they were stuck on a train that hadn't been cleaned since Woodstock.

The cushions smelled like weed and urine, and the company wasn't much better. An old man reeking of fish sat next to a slutty girl in the row behind them. The slut's perfume was so strong it made Lois vomit twice. The plump Asian woman in the row across kept looking at Clark funny. It made her skin crawl.

If we flew we would already be there.

"Flying is out of the question," Lois hissed. "So stop ruminating and enjoy the ride."

"I'm trying!" Clark protested.

Here lies Clark Kent, a loving husband and father.

Cause of death: Boredom.

"Don't you dare joke about that!" Lois cried, slapping him with her purse. Her throat tightened and tears of anguish leaked out of her eyes. "I don't know . . ." she sniffed, choked with sadness. "I don't know . . . what —do without you."

She'd survive. Lois is a fighter.

Clark reached over and cupped her knee, sending waves of ecstasy through her. "I'm right here, Mrs. Kent," he smirked. "You can't get rid of me that easily." It was such a turn-on when Clark called her Mrs. Kent. His hand discretely wandered up her thigh, his eyes silently peeling each layer of clothing off.

"Somebody is trying to kill you!" she bristled, swatting his hand away.

There's no pleasing her. Yesterday she couldn't keep her hands off of me. Now she can't stand the sight of me.

"They failed spectacularly," Clark reassured her. "See?" he grabbed her day-old coffee and looked down into the murky liquid. Flames flickered to life in his pearly blues, the coffee starting to smoke. "TA-DAH!" Clark was quite pleased with himself.

Lois glared at him. She had seen Clark use heat-vision enough times to know he was not at full strength. This little display had leeched the color from his face. Clark suddenly looked ten years older, his skin pasty and green. The kryptonite was still inside him.

I'm nearly back to normal. Normal for me that is. Flying to Mount Justice would have been easy as pie.

"Nearly being the operative word," Lois scowled. "You look like hell, Smallville."

His swollen eye had dwindled, resembling a sleeping bag. The cut over his eyebrow had healed. Yet, he still held himself tenderly. The bandaid wrapped around his thumb was further evidence he was not 'fine.' He injured himself this morning while peeling potatoes. The kryptonite should have been out of his system by now. He fought her tooth and nail, but she made him wear the headphones. To the untrained eye, Clark looked like he had survived the best bachelor party.

"Gee, thanks, Snoop," Clark chuckled. "You look swell as well."

"How can you be so chill about this?" She screamed. "That lunatic is still out there!" For all they know, he could be waiting for them at Mount Justice. What if he knew Superman's secret? What if they were on the train with them right now? Barry's warning rang in her head. Going to the Justice League's old headquarters was not what Barry had in mind when he suggested they take a vacation.

"And so is Lex Luthor and the Prankster," Clark deadpanned.

"That bomb was way too sophisticated to be done by a villain-of-the-week!" she whispered-screamed. Her money was on a rogue government agent.