Part 6 (1/2)

No, I insist. I have a friend coming to town and it'll free up more of my time. He likes you better anyway. You always get the good stuff out of him.

(convincing) Come on, Lois. He owes me an interview as a favor. It'll be an exclusive.

LOIS.

(hesitant) Okay, I'll do it, but not because I want the story. I'm doing it so you can spend the evening with your friend to do whatever it is you do when you're not here. Understood?

CLARK.

You're helping me out.

LOIS.

Exactly.

Across the room RON and JIMMY are listening in.

RON.

Lois is one hard case.

JIMMY.

Miss Lane hates to lose... especially to Mister Kent.

RON.

Actually, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that but I think Kent actually likes it.

RON walks off.

JIMMY.

You think?

CUT TO:.

EXT. STREET - DAY - RUSH HOUR.

A speeding VAN is weaving DANGEROUSLY through traffic while being pursued by POLICE cars. The VAN loses its pursuers but SWERVES to avoid a civilian, causing the VAN to flip several times landing in the middle of an intersection.

Dazed, three ski-masked THUGS emerge carrying duffel bags of money. THUG #1 Let's go!

They flee through the streets, past pedestrians and into the subway.

INT. SUBWAY.

The THUGS jump the turnstile and FORCE THEMSELVES Into a subway train as the doors shut and it pulls from the platform. Subway patrons scream with terror.

THUG #2.

Everybody shut up or somebody's gettin' a bullet in the head!

THUG #1.

(to THUG #3) Go up front and make sure the driver doesn't radio anybody or make any stops until I say so.

THUG #3 hustles to the front of the car.

THUG #1.

(to THUG #2) They can still stop the car from the central station so if we don't stop at the 147th then they don't know what car we're on.

The train approaches the next platform without slowing.

THUG #3.

(excited) We're not slowing! They don't know which train we're on! We are outta here!

The THUGS rejoice in a quick celebration as the train speeds past the platform.

On the platform is CLARK KENT next to LOIS LANE (with her cell phone.) The waiting commuters are confused and start mumbling. In an instant, CLARK peers into the moving train with his telescopic vision sees the THUGS with their hostages.

CLARK takes two steps backwards behind the line of people. His gray hat can be seen above the headline as he moves along the platform in the direction of the train. Between the people, we see a blur that changes from a gray suit to the familiar colorful uniform. He emerges from the other side as SUPERMAN and flies into the tunnel.

He's gone in a blur.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL.

SUPERMAN speeds through the darkened tunnel, his image is a flicker among the pa.s.sing subway lights. As he approaches the train he turns sideways (left side down, his front to the train) and squeezes BETWEEN THE TRAIN AND SUBWAY WALL.

His face strains as he builds speed and MATCHES the turns without slowing.

INT. SUBWAY CAR.

The HOSTAGES in the train are panicked. One HOSTAGE, facing the window, can see a large sideways ”S” s.h.i.+eld moving past them to the front of the train.

HOSTAGE burps a small nervous laugh and another until they quickly build to a frenzy of uncontrolled laughter. The other HOSTAGES fear he's going to get them killed. THUG #2 (to LAUGHING HOSTAGE) What the h.e.l.l is so d.a.m.n funny?

laughing hostage (trying to calm himself) You...

SUPERMAN arrives at the front of the train and turns upright flying in a standing position at the door.

LAUGHING HOSTAGE.

(laugh) ...are gonna...

SUPERMAN forces his fingers between the doors and tears them open with the sound of twisting metal.

LAUGHING HOSTAGE.