Part 12 (1/2)

INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT.

CLARK, s.h.i.+rtless and in sweatpants, is sleeping alone. In the back of his head, he can hear m.u.f.fled voices. His eyes flutter beneath his closed lids until the voice becomes clear: VOICE (OS) --has ruptured and reached threatening levels in the Suicide Slum borough of Metropolis- CLARK shoots upright and darts into the living room where the CAMERA centers in on a television tuned to Metropolis' 24 hour news network WGBS. The volume is almost inaudible making the ANCHOR appear to be moving her lips without sound.

As the CAMERA pans back out, CLARK's pajamas are on the floor where he was standing. In the background there is an open window with curtains waving from the night air.

CUT TO:.

EXT. SUICIDE SLUM - NIGHT.

Panic in the streets as people try to evacuate the area. Cars are gridlocked and the monorails overrun as people force themselves inside pressing the already overcrowded cars tighter. A small RIOT has broken out with people looting while others are trying to escape the slum.

In a blur, SUPERMAN pa.s.ses overhead straight for the power plant. People stop in their tracks behave themselves reminded there will be consequences for their actions.

INT. POWER PLANT.

Employees are fleeing when SUPERMAN flies through the open doors and over the evacuees. He hits the corners at top speed making virtual 90 degree turns.

INT. CORE MONITORING STATION.

SUPERMAN appears in a room full of harried MEN in radiation containment suits trying unsuccessfully to control the problem. SUPERMAN Gentlemen...

SUPERVISOR #3.

Thank G.o.d, you're here, Superman. We've lost control of the fail-safes and the core is ruptured. We'll reach a red zone in less than ten minutes.

SUPERMAN.

What do you need me to do?

SUPERVISOR #1.

The core functions with Uranium 238 rods surrounded with water-- SUPERMAN.

--Creating steam which powers turbines creating the electricity.

(Beat) I really haven't got time for the science lesson.

SUPERVISOR #1.

(Stunned) The containment systems and backup systems have gone off-line.

SUPERMAN.

How old is this plant?

SUPERVISOR #1.

It was built in 1984.

SUPERMAN.

Then I a.s.sume you're using Barium and lead s.h.i.+elding to contain the radiation?

SUPERVISOR #1.

Yes. If you can manually force the fail-safe s.h.i.+elds back into place we can control the rupture from here. If not, radioactive steam forces the chamber to depressurize and there are going to be a lot of dead people in this city.

SUPERMAN.

Not tonight.

(Leaving) Yell when the s.h.i.+elds are in place. I'll be listing for you.

INT. NUCLEAR CORE.

SUPERMAN enters the core and begins to push the s.h.i.+elds into place.

INT. CORE MONITORING STATION.

The men are watching his progress on a series of monitors. One of the graphics representing a s.h.i.+eld slides into place. SUPERVISOR #3 He's doing it!

SUPERVISOR #1.

This is amazing! n.o.body can survive that much radiation!

SUPERVISOR #3.

Come on. Come on.

A few more lights go positive on the monitor and one gets halfway into place and stops.

SUPERVISOR #2.

What happened?

SUPERVISOR #1.

Maybe the radiation got to him?

SUPERVISOR #2.

No. The computer must be malfunctioning from the heat.

SUPERVISOR #3.

That's not possible.

SUPERVISOR #3 panics and hits the panels and nothing changes.

There is a long silence and nothing. Suddenly the monitors show the panels being slid into place.