Chapter 532: The Clone
Seeking Help from General Lane
At a coffee shop in the outskirts of Metropolis, seeing the two figures appear, Lois felt like she had grasped the last straw. She anxiously asked,
"Clark, is he..."
"He's not dead, though he might be suffering a little inconvenience."
Hearing this, Lois finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since Linda told her the battle was lost, she had been distraught, her mind consumed by thoughts of Clark, terrified that something terrible had happened to him. That feeling was unbearable.
Luke then said, "Lois, there's something I need your help with."
"What is it? Tell me. Anything to save Clark, I'm willing to do."
Luke raised a hand to calm her.
"Don't worry. Clark will be fine eventually. Right now, the most critical thing is to figure out Lex Luthor's intent. Only by knowing his goal can we plan a targeted action."
Lois's eyes shifted, and she couldn't help but ask,
"You want to find my father?"
Smart!
Luke sincerely praised her. She was indeed the woman who subdued Superman; her quick thinking was admirable.
"I need to have a private conversation with General Lane. Only you, he, and I can know about this. It must not be leaked."
Lois nodded.
"Come with me. I'll take you to him."
She stood up and left the coffee shop, with Luke and Linda following behind.
A Tense Negotiation
The three drove overnight out of Metropolis to the military base where Sam Lane worked. Lois showed her ID to the guard, asking to see her father. Before long, Sam Lane, dressed in his military uniform, appeared at the gate.
Father and daughter talked as they walked outside. Sam Lane didn't realize he was walking into his daughter's trap until it was too late.
Luke spoke gravely, "You two wait outside. I have something to discuss with the General."
Linda was reluctant, but Lois pulled her out of the car.
"It's been a long time, General Lane."
Sam Lane gave him a cold look, then glanced at Lois nearby. "You're something else. You even managed to convince my daughter."
"No, Lois offered her help. Everything she does is for the man she loves."
"Clark Kent, that farm boy!"
The cold words carried a hint of disdain, showing his clear dissatisfaction with his prospective son-in-law.
Luke smiled and shook his head. "General, do you really need to deceive yourself at this stage? Whether you admit it or not, your future son-in-law is a Kryptonian, and your grandchildren will be half-Kryptonian. That can't be changed, unless you're willing to let your daughter be miserable for the rest of her life."
This one sentence struck Sam Lane's soft spot, leaving him speechless. His daughter was grown and had her own ideas. What could a father do?
Sighing inwardly, he finally spoke.
"What do you want from me?"
"Clark has been captured."
Sam Lane was stunned. "How is that possible?"
Luke observed him closely. After confirming he wasn't lying, he continued, "The man who captured him is Lex Luthor. Just two hours ago, that man obtained Clark's DNA and used it to create clone warriors, combining the clone with the Parasite. I don't need to describe how terrifying that monster is; you can imagine."
Sam Lane frowned deeply. "I can't believe your words."
"Believe it or not, I only came today to ask one thing."
"What role is the military playing in all this?"
Sam Lane narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Luke lit a cigarette and spoke to himself, "You've been suspicious of the President's and my relationship. You're right, we do have a partnership. It was established the moment we dealt with the demon Ghast."
"For the past two years, he's looked after my business, and in return, I've provided technology and equipment to help him keep his position and stabilize the country. Our cooperation has been very pleasant."
"So, those rumors are true."
Luke nodded. "The partnership is real; the bribery is false. I've never given him a penny. Ours is a purely transactional power exchange."
Sam Lane took a deep breath, fighting the urge to draw his gun. He roared,
"Why are you telling me this? What do you want!"
Luke extinguished the cigarette and tossed it out the window. "If there hadn't been an accident, I wouldn't tell you this. The President and I have been communicating through a special channel. Last night, that communication was broken and couldn't be re-established."
"If I'm not mistaken, there must be a problem at the White House."
"General Lane, I need you to do me a favor: check if the person sitting in the White House is really Joel Nash."
Sam Lane scoffed. "Your worries are unnecessary. I just spoke with the White House. He's fine."
"Sometimes, what the eye sees isn't the truth."
Luke was pointed. "Like cloning technology. If Lex Luthor can create a duplicate of Superman, why wouldn't he create a puppet President who only answers to him?"
"General Lane, how likely do you think that is?"
Sam Lane's face went white, and he couldn't help but yell, "You people are insane! What do you take the United States for? This is a nation of hundreds of millions of people, not your plaything!"
"It seems our conversation is over."
Luke opened the car door and gestured for the General to leave. "Please, General. Out of respect for Lois, I offer you this advice: be careful. If the President is a clone, it doesn't mean others aren't, including you."
"You..."
Sam Lane was consumed by a mix of anger and terror. Amidst his rage, a profound fear arose. Just as Luke said, if Joel Nash was a clone, no one could guarantee that Lex Luthor wouldn't target other high-ranking officials.
The thought sent a chill down Sam Lane's spine. Without another word, he turned and left, ignoring his daughter completely.
Doubt in the White House
Back at the base, the more Sam Lane thought about it, the more uneasy he became.
He couldn't sit still and immediately headed for the White House, only to be stopped at the entrance. He was informed that Joel Nash was in a cabinet meeting and was not seeing outsiders.
Left with no choice, Sam Lane waited with several colleagues from the Department of Defense, constantly glancing toward the meeting room door with suspicion and vigilance.
The meeting ended after an hour. People filed out. Everyone's expression, except for the President's, was grave, as if they were deeply worried about something.
Sam Lane stared intently at the President, observing his facial changes and mannerisms. He wouldn't have been suspicious normally, but after recalling Luke's words, the more he watched, the more something felt wrong.
Ever since the demon incident, Joel Nash had suffered amnesia and couldn't remember his past. His personality had also changed dramatically, becoming stable and aloof. The current President was also reserved, but this silence was different. It lacked the same awe-inspiring presence. It felt forced.
"Sam, I heard you were looking for me."
The familiar voice echoed. Sam Lane pushed aside his conjecture and said gravely,
"I wanted to ask about the Tesla situation. Public protests are intense; we can't delay any longer."
Joel Nash said solemnly, "That's what we were just discussing. Powered armor must be classified as a controlled substance and can no longer be circulated on the market. What do you think?"
Sam Lane's heart sank. His mouth twitched involuntarily. He suppressed his rising murderous intent and quietly said,
"That would be for the best."
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