Part 17 (1/2)

Because I'm the only one who can.

CLARK leans in, LANA closes her eyes and he gives her a long pa.s.sionate kiss.

While her eyes are closed, there is a burst of wind through the house that rattles the walls. She opens her eyes to see pictures s.h.i.+fting on their nails and the front door flung wide open flapping on its hinges.

She runs to the front lawn and looks skyward and he's gone. CLARK's POV: On her lawn, she looks tiny.

LANA.

(Shouting) BE CAREFUL, CLARK!.

CUT TO:.

INT. LEXCORP COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

The center is in shambles after the METALLO incident. LUTHOR enters and a TECH is immediately at his side. LUTHOR Damage report.

TECH.

Metallo destroyed the majority of the Communication nerve center. We've lost contact with seventy-two percent of our affiliates.

LUTHOR.

Why wasn't he shut down?

TECH.

He managed to destroy enough hardware including our links to LexSats eight, six, fifty-one, forty-seven, five, fifteen and ninety-one including the- LUTHOR.

--Satellite that monitors activity in Metropolis. He broke his leash.

(Beat) I need this online now.

TECH.

There's a s.p.a.ce shuttle preparing for launch from a site in Corto Maltese to regrid the satellites signals to operating stations. They should be ready in fifteen minutes. NASA has been trying to block it as an unauthorized launch.

LUTHOR.

NASA can go to h.e.l.l.

TECH.

Fifty percent of the hardware should be back online within five hours.

LUTHOR.

If that's your best, your best won't do.

TECH.

Sir, we've already doubled our staff.

LUTHOR.

(Angry) Metallo is tearing up a city block and every COP in the state is about to take a shot at him. I'm not about to have my investment taken out by a bunch of grunts with cheap metal badges! Either this system is online within the hour or you answer to me!

LUTHOR walks away.

TECH.

We will triple our efforts, sir.

CUT TO:.

EXT. SUICIDE SLUM STREET DAWN.

Concrete chunks have been torn out of the street. Cars are over turned on their sides and on fire along with various other debris. Holes have been punched through buildings leaving their insides visible from the street.

Scattered along the streets are the bodies of fallen POLICE OFFICERS and CITIZENS who got in the way.

Among it all is METALLO. Barely worn and in a frenzy.

INT. SUBWAY BENEATH SUICIDE SLUM.

PEOPLE crush into the subway trying to escape the escalating damage above them. Fighting their way through the ma.s.s of PEOPLE are LOIS LANE with JIMMY OLSEN in tow. They are the only people fighting to get in SUICIDE SLUM. LOIS Come on, Jimmy!

JIMMY.

I don't think this is a good idea, Miss Lane.

LOIS.

Front seat at the fight of the century is always a good idea!

JIMMY.

But n.o.body's seen Superman in days.

LOIS.

What does that have to do with anything?

JIMMY.

If n.o.body's seen Superman then who's gonna save us if something goes wrong?

LOIS.

What are you talking about? Superman doesn't always save us.