The Supergirl of Smallville

Chapter 19

by Team Acenaut

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Downloaded from the SuperWomenMania.com StoryBank

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A shiny black Cadillac was parked in a narrow strip of shade that ran along one side of the old meat-packing plant. Tony D'Amato stood leaning against the cracked cement wall, smoking a cigarette and scowling at the empty dirt parking lot that baked in the early-afternoon sunlight.

He flicked his cigarette aside and glanced at his watch. It had been twenty minutes since he'd phoned the Prentiss girl. Was she going to show up? He pulled a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his pinstripe suit and dabbed his forehead as he squinted up at the sky.

Calm down, he told himself. Everything was set. Louie and Bruno had the Kent kid under wraps at the farmhouse. Jasper and Mitch were on their way to the rendezvous point by the back road that ran between Crawfordsville and Shelbyville. Leo and Manny were waiting inside the plant. They'd all been briefed; they all knew what they were supposed to do.

Now it all depended on Supergirl. The thirty minutes were almost up, but she'd be here -- Tony was sure of that. After all, he knew who she really was. And he was holding her boy-friend hostage. She'd show up, all right, if only to hear what he had to say. After that ... well, Tony prided himself on his powers of persuasion.

"Any sign of her, boss?"

Manny was standing in the open doorway, gazing up at the sky.

"She'll be here," Tony said. "Count on it."

He stepped inside the derelict plant. A faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the empty room. Streaks of sunlight slanted through a high row of dirty, broken windows. The floor was bare, except for a few scattered sheets of packing paper and some old furniture -- a scarred wooden table and a couple of rickety wooden chairs. A sliding steel door, eight feet high and twelve feet wide, hung on a long bracket in the front wall, and a pair of corridors, lined with empty meat lockers, receded into the shadows behind the room.

Leo was standing by the table, shuffling a deck of cards in his hands. "What if she doesn't show?"

"She'll be here," Tony snapped. "Believe me, if she knows what's good for her -- "

A loud boom shook the building and drowned out the rest of his words. Startled, the three men spun round. The steel door was bulging inward. A second boom rang out, then a sharp crack as the door snapped free of its bracket and toppled onto the cement floor with a deafening clatter.

The men jumped back, blinking as sunlight flooded the room, coughing as dust rose from the floor. Dimly through the haze they could see a slender figure stride through the opening, over the fallen slab of steel, and into the middle of the room.

"Hey!" Manny sputtered. "You ain't Supergirl!"

Standing before them was a pretty teenage girl with long blonde hair that gleamed in the sunlight pouring into the room and blue eyes that darted appraisingly from one man to the next. She was wearing a snug red sweater with a varsity "S" across the front, and a short red skirt whose pleats rustled in the warm breeze.

"No?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "How many girls do you know who can knock down a steel door with their bare hands? But if you want more proof -- "

She glanced down at an old sheet of packing paper that lay on the floor near Manny's foot.

"Yikes!" Manny jumped back as the sheet burst into flame. He gaped at the burning paper, watching it curl and blacken and crumble into brittle flakes that drifted off on the breeze.

Leo scowled, holding his gun out at arm's length. "You want me to make sure she's the real deal, boss?"

"Put the gun away, Leo," Tony growled. "The young lady is our guest."

"It's all right, Mr. D'Amato." Tossing her head, the girl turned to face Leo. "Let him shoot."

Tony shrugged. "Knock yourself out, Leo."

Leo licked his lips nervously. There was no sign of fear in the girl's eyes as she stood facing him. As if in a dream, Leo raised his gun, took aim, squeezed the trigger ...

A shot rang out in the cavernous room, its echoes lingering in the musty air.

"Oh, for goodness sake." The girl was looking down at her sweater. Frowning, she pointed at a dime-sized hole, its edges frayed and slightly charred, just below her left shoulder. "Do you realize that if this uniform gets torn, I have to pay for it?"

Sighing, she turned to Tony. "All right, Mr. D'Amato. You asked me to meet you here. What's this all about?"

Tony nodded. "Indeed. Thank you for coming. First of all, I wish to assure you that young Mr. Kent is safe, and that he will come to no harm -- provided we all behave, ah, prudently."

The girl nodded, eyeing Tony steadily. "Go on."

"I have a proposition -- a proposition which should be to our, ah, mutual benefit. You see, I have decided that the time has come for me to pull up stakes, to leave Shelbyville and to settle down ... ah, elsewhere."

Tony's hand fluttered vaguely.

"But that will require money -- more money than I have on hand at the moment. And that, Miss Prentiss, is where you come in."

"If you're asking me to steal for you -- "

"No, no. I will handle that, ah, detail myself. All I want you to do is look the other way while I, ah, conduct a certain monetary transaction. I assure you that nobody will be hurt. Promise me that you won't interfere, that you'll let me leave town unmolested, and in return ... "

Tony held up his hand, palm out.

"In return, I promise that your, ah, secret identity will be safe with me."

"That's blackmail."

Tony shrugged. "Let's call it ... an exchange of courtesies. And of course, your boy-friend will be released unharmed."

The girl narrowed her eyes. "I want to talk with him."

Tony nodded. "As you wish. Come this way."

She followed him out the side door. Tony reached through the open window of the Cadillac and unhooked the microphone of his CB radio. He held it up to his mouth and spoke.

"Louie? Come in, please."

There was a hiss of static, followed by a man's voice. "Hey, boss. This is Louie."

"Louie, there's a young lady here who wishes to speak with our guest. Put him on, please."

The man's voice was faintly audible over the microphone. He seemed to be giving instructions to someone. There was a moment of silence, then ...

"Suzy?"

"Clark!" She spoke eagerly into the microphone. "Oh, sweetie, are you all right?"

"I'm -- I'm okay. They've got me tied to a chair, but I'm okay. Where are you? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Clark. Oh, I've been so worried about you -- "

"Suzy, what's going on? These guys think you're Supergirl. I told them that was crazy, but they wouldn't listen. You've got to -- "

"Don't worry, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine. Just stay calm and -- "

"That's enough." Tony shut off the microphone and put it back in the car. "And now, Miss Prentiss, if you would kindly follow me ... "

The girl followed him back into the plant and down one of the dark corridors. Manny and Leo brought up the rear. Tony stopped at the door of a meat locker and tugged at the handle. The heavy door swung open with a groan.

"I apologize for the accommodations," Tony remarked. The locker was pitch-dark; the air was stale and musty. "But I must insist that you remain here while I conduct the, ah, transaction I spoke of. My associates will let you out as soon as I give the signal. Give me your word that you won't use your super-powers to leave before then."

The girl nodded curtly. "I promise." She stepped into the locker. Tony pushed against the heavy door, which swung reluctantly on rusty hinges and shut with a clang.

Briskly, Tony strode back up the corridor, followed by Manny and Leo. "All right, boys. You know what to do. Sit tight until I give the signal. If you hear a peep out of her, contact me over the walkie-talkie."

"You got it, boss."

Tony stepped out the side door, back into the afternoon sunlight. He glanced at his watch. It was 1:50. Jasper and Mitch should be waiting for him at the rendezvous point. He slid behind the wheel of the Cadillac. His hand was trembling slightly as he turned the key in the ignition.

The car roared out of the parking lot, trailing a cloud of dust as it turned onto Endicott Road.

* * * * * * * *

An excited murmur rose from the bleachers as the Smallville High School band began assembling on the football field. Scowling, Coach Stevens looked at his watch. The band was about to play the national anthem, the scrimmage was about to begin ... and there was still no sign of his starting quarterback.

"Ross!" he barked.

Pete Ross looked up from the bench. "Yes, Coach?"

"Any idea where Kent might be?"

Pete shook his head. "Sorry, Coach. I stopped at his house on my way here. His mother said he was out running some kind of errand, but she didn't know where he went."

"Well, we can't wait for him any longer. You're our starting quarterback."

Pete nodded. "Right, coach."

MEANWHILE ...

The Smallville cheerleaders stood in a line facing the bleachers, waiting for the band to strike up the national anthem. Mrs. Johanssen cast a worried glance around the field. One member of the squad was missing.

"Have any of you girls seen Suzy?"

"She said she was coming with Lana," said Tami Dodge. "But I haven't seen either one of them."

Mrs. Johannsen sighed. "Well, the game's about to begin. We'll just have to go on without her. Are you girls ready?"

Five heads nodded.

Mrs. Johanssen frowned. Suzy's such a reliable girl, she thought. I hope nothing's happened to her.

The loudspeaker crackled. "Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the national anthem ... "

* * * * * * * *

Leo laid his cards on the scarred wooden table. "Gin."

Manny grunted. He gathered the cards and began shuffling the deck.

"I don't like this," he muttered, turning round on the rickety chair and peering down the dark corridor.

Leo shrugged. "Hey, we're getting a C-note each just to baby-sit," he said. "What's not to like?"

"That's Supergirl in there, for crying out loud. Look what she did to that door." He jerked his thumb at the crumpled steel slab lying on the concrete floor. "She could bust out of that locker any time she wanted to, and how would we stop her?"

"Just relax and deal the cards. You heard her. She promised she wouldn't use her powers to escape."

Manny shook his head doubtfully as he began dealing the cards. "And we should believe her why?"

"Didn't you hear what Tony said? He knows her secret identity."

"Her what?" Manny looked blank.

"Her secret identity. You know -- who she is when she's not flying around in that fancy blue outfit. So Tony's got her over a barrel. She'll do what he says, or he spills her big secret. Believe me, that doll's staying put till Tony says otherwise."

"Maybe you're right." Manny picked up his cards. "But I still don't -- "

A loud clang echoed along the corridor. Leo and Manny leapt to their feet. There was a sudden gust of wind, a flash of red ...

"Hi, guys!" a girl's voice chirped behind them.

Leo and Manny spun round. The girl was standing in the middle of the room, silhouetted against the open doorway, brushing a strand of shiny blond hair from her forehead..

Leo and Manny fled behind the table, stepping back as the girl advanced, until their shoulders bumped against the peeling whitewashed wall. Leo swallowed nervously. "Listen, miss," he stammered. "We -- we didn't have nothing to do with this. Tony just paid us to sit here till he got back -- that's all. Honest!"

Manny nodded vigorously. "That's right. We -- ulp!"

The girl brought her hand up under the table. Her arm swept up and back; the table flew across the room and crashed against the wall behind her. Stepping forward, she reached out and grabbed Leo's shirtfront in her right hand, Manny's in her left. The two men felt themselves being lifted off the floor, shaken, slammed against the wall ... Dizzy, breathless, they slumped to the floor as the girl bustled about in a blur of super-speed ...

"Well, gentlemen ... "

They looked up. The girl stood smiling down at them. Leo tried to stand up, only to discover that his ankles and wrists were bound with baling wire.

"Thank you for your hospitality," the girl continued. "I'm sorry to be running off like this, but I've got to take care of a few things. Don't worry -- I'll let the police know you're here. I'm sure they'll be happy to keep you company."

She turned and raced off, stirring up eddies of dust in her wake, then sprang through the open doorway into the sky.

* * * * * * * *

The Brinks truck slowed to a stop as it approached the roadblock.

Frowning, the driver glanced to his left, then to his right. The two-lane road was empty in front of him, open farmland lay on both sides. He was reaching for the radio mike on the dashboard when he heard a sharp tap at his window.

Turning, he found himself staring into the muzzle of a machine-gun. A heavy-set man in a pinstripe suit stepped back, keeping the gun pointed straight at the window. Two other men stood behind him with guns drawn.

With a jerk of his head, the heavy-set man ordered the driver out of the truck. Cautiously, the driver opened the door and stepped down, raising his hands. One of the other men came forward and took the gun from the holster on his belt.

"Good afternoon," said the heavy-set man. His voice was slow and husky. "As you can see, this is a stick-up. I have little time for amenities. Kindly walk round and open the back of the truck. My associates will remove the payroll and put it into my car. If you do as I say, you will not be harmed. Otherwise -- "

He raised his gun and fired six shots into the air. Tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat!

"What the -- ?" Tony's jaw dropped.

A streak of red came hurtling from the sky, intercepting the hail of bullets.

"Supergirl!" he snarled.

Four pairs of eyes gazed upward in amazement. A pretty teenager in a red cheerleading uniform was hovering ten feet above the road. Her blonde hair streamed behind her, her short skirt stirred in the summer breeze. Her right hand was clenched in a fist. Slowly she extended her arm and opened her hand ...

Six bullets fell clattering to the asphalt road.

The girl descended to the ground and stepped between the driver and the gunmen. "Shame on you, Mr. D'Amato!" she said. "Don't you know that playing with loaded guns can be dangerous?" She strode forward and snatched the gun from Tony's hands.

She turned to face the other two men. "Throw your guns down, now!" Stunned, the men looked inquiringly at their boss.

"Do as she says, boys," Tony muttered.

"Mr. D'Amato, put your hands up," the girl commanded. "The rest of you -- lie face down, hands behind your necks. Now!" Sullenly, the men obeyed.

The driver picked up his gun and put it back in his holster. "Thanks, uh, Supergirl." He went up to Tony, flashing a badge. "Anthony D'Amato," he said, "I'm Detective Lieutenant Henderson of the Kansas State Police, and you are under arrest on a charge of armed robbery." He took out a pair of handcuffs and slipped them on Tony's wrists.

The wail of approaching police sirens was now audible.

"All right, missy," Tony growled. "Have it your way. Now your secret's out." He raised his voice, even though there was nobody else within earshot. "That's right!" he bellowed. "Pretty soon the whole world is gonna know that Supergirl is Suzy Prentiss of Smallville, Kansas!"

The girl tossed her head. "Go ahead and tell! See if I care! But before I go -- you went to a lot of trouble to rob this truck. I think you deserve to see what's inside."

She strode over to the truck and pulled the rear door open. The inside of the truck was empty, except for a pair of uniformed state troopers who jumped down onto the road, staring in confusion at the blonde girl in the cheerleading outfit who stood smiling up at them.

"Thanks, Miss -- uh, Supergirl," one of them said, pushing his cap back on his head. "I guess we can take it from here."

"My pleasure," the girl replied. "I'm always happy to help the police. But I've got to be on my way now. I've got a boy-friend to rescue!" And with that she sprang into the air and soared off into the clear blue sky.

The officers stood gazing up after her.

"Holy cow," one of them said. "She's really something, isn't she?"

"She sure is. But I thought Supergirl was a redhead."

"Me, too. Maybe this is another one."

"Another Supergirl?" He let out a low whistle. "What do they feed the girls in that town?"

* * * * * * * *

An expectant hush hung over the field as Martindale's quarterback trotted toward the twenty-yard line. His leg swung out, his foot struck the ball ... Cheers rose from the bleachers as the ball sailed smoothly between the goalposts. The Martindale band struck up the school song.

Coach Stevens groaned as he watched the scoreboard. The second quarter was just beginning, and Martindale was now ahead,17-7. Where the hell is Kent? he wondered.

* * * * * * * *

Clark squirmed on the hard wooden chair, straining against the ropes as he tried to shift his weight.

The back of the chair was pressing painfully against his shoulders. His arms were cramped, his buttocks were sore, his nose was itching. Behind him, his two captors were playing pool by the light of a 60-watt bulb hanging from the ceiling of the cellar.

Clark wondered how long he'd been sitting here, tied to the chair. An hour, maybe? It felt like an eternity. His mind was reeling. What was going on? Was he being held hostage because Joe was in some kind of trouble with the mob? Or did the Martindale team hire these guys to keep him from playing in the scrimmage? That sounded crazy -- but this whole situation was crazy.

And what about Suzy? Was she being held captive somewhere, too? And how did these guys ever get the idea that she was Supergirl? Sure, some of the kids at school might think so, but Clark couldn't believe that any grown-up would take the idea seriously. Oh, man, he thought. What'll these guys do when they find out they were wrong?

He shut his eyes and tried to put the thought out of his mind.

If only I still had my super-powers, he thought. I could snap these ropes ... make these guys beg for mercy .. fly off to rescue Suzy ... He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated, as if he could summon back his lost powers by wishing.

But nothing happened.

He turned his head to look at his captors. "Uh ... excuse me?"

The two men looked up from the pool table, regarding him with bored expressions.

"I, uh, I have to go to the bathroom," said Clark. "Do you suppose --?"

A sharp noise rang out, like the blow of a sledgehammer on stone, and the cellar trembled. Shadows danced crazily across the floor and walls as the light bulb swayed back and forth. Three pairs of eyes turned toward the downhill wall. Chunks of cement were tumbling to the floor; sunlight was pouring into the room from a jagged hole, five or six feet wide and running from floor to ceiling. Clark and his captors blinked in the sudden glare. Silhouetted against the sunlight they could see a slender figure standing outside.

Clark heard a familiar voice.

"Knock, knock! Anybody home?"

Clark's jaw dropped. Framed by the jagged opening, brushing dust from her snug red sweater and her short red skirt, stood ...

"Suzy?!"

She smiled and waved. "Hi, Clark!" she said. "Don't worry -- everything's going to be all right!"

"But -- you -- how --?"

"Just a sec." Clark's captors were exchanging nervous glances. The thin man was reaching inside his jacket ...

Clark stared as Suzy drew a deep breath, leaning back as she inhaled, her chest straining against the fabric of her sweater. Leaning forward at the waist, she puckered her lips and puffed out her cheeks and blew ...

A mighty gust of wind tore through the cellar. It bounced off the walls and swept around the room, stirring up eddies of dust and dry leaves and scraps of paper. Clark squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face away from the blast. Whirling dust stung his cheek and tickled his nose; he leaned into the wind, struggling to keep his chair from toppling over ...

The gust died down as suddenly as it had sprung up. Clark opened his eyes. Suzy was stepping through the jagged opening and into the cellar. The last remnants of wind were tousling her blonde hair and stirring the pleats of her skirt.

Clark's captors had been blown across the cellar. Dazed, breathless, covered in dust from head to foot, they stood slumped against the far wall. With trembling hands they reached inside their jackets ...

"Don't even think about it!" Suzy snapped as they drew out their revolvers. "I'm bullet-proof -- but this uniform isn't." She pointed to a frayed spot on the front of her sweater, just below the shoulder. "One of your friends already put a hole in my sweater today."

"Yeah?" Louie's voice squeaked, but he carried on. "Well, you may be bullet-proof, blondie -- but your boy-friend isn't." His outstretched arm swung slowly toward Clark, but he kept his eyes on Suzy.

Suzy rolled her eyes. "Oh, please," she said. "You do know who I am, don't you? I'm Supergirl. You know -- faster than a speeding bullet ... more powerful than a locomotive?" She pointed to the broken wall. "You see what my fist did to that wall? Just imagine what it could do to your chin." She stepped forward, drawing her arm back, curling her slender fingers into a fist ...

Louie's hand trembled. Beads of perspiration trickled down his grimy forehead.

"You're bluffing!" he said. "You've never hurt anyone with your super-powers."

"True -- but no one's ever threatened my boy-friend, either."

"You got us all wrong!" Bruno blurted. "We wasn't going to hurt your boy-friend -- honest!"

"That's right," Louie chimed in, nodding vigorously. "We were just ... looking after him -- keeping him safe, like. You gotta believe us -- "

"Oh, I believe you," said Suzy. "You seem like intelligent men. In fact, I'll give you a chance to show me how smart you are. Right now, your boss is under arrest for armed robbery, kidnapping, and who knows what else. His partners are going to be all over themselves, offering to testify against him. So I tell you what I'll do. Whoever drops his gun and puts his hands up gets to talk with the District Attorney first -- "

Two revolvers struck the floor simultaneously. Louie and Bruno glared at each other as they raised their arms.

Suzy nodded approvingly. "It looks like we have a tie." She lifted her sweater and took out a pair of handcuffs that was tucked behind her belt. "Now," she said, dangling the handcuffs from the tip of her forefinger, "you can go and handcuff yourselves to that water pipe in the corner over there -- or I can send you into dreamland until the police arrive. Your choice."

Louie reached out and took the handcuffs. He and Bruno shuffled over to the back wall, where a length of pipe ran parallel to the ceiling. Louie snapped one of the cuffs around his wrist, then raised his arm and flipped the chain over the pipe. Bruno grabbed the other cuff and fastened it around his own wrist. The two men stood watching morosely as Suzy walked up to Clark.

"See, Clark?" she said. "I told you everything was going to be all right!"

Clark sat gaping up at his girl-friend, his mind reeling. So it's true! he thought. Suzy really is Supergirl. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes ... She'd smashed through a concrete wall -- bowled his captors over with a blast of super-breath -- faced two armed thugs without a trace of fear. Whatever caused him to lose his super-powers that day two years ago had somehow transferred them -- to Suzy!

"Suzy!" he stammered. "You -- I mean -- how --?"

Suzy giggled. "You big goof," she said. She leaned down and kissed him.

"I'm sorry, Clark," she said. "I know this must be kind of a shock. I'll explain everything later -- I promise."

She stood looking down at him.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" she said. "Aren't you glad to see me? Aren't you glad I've got super-powers so I could save you from those crooks?"

Clark could feel his face redden as he stared up at her, speechless.

"Now, Clark," she scolded. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. Just because I'm a zillion times stronger than you -- "

"I'm -- that's not -- " Clark stammered. Suzy's face broke into a grin.

"It's okay, sweetie," she said, laying a finger on the tip of his nose. "I'm just teasing. I don't blame you for being surprised. We'll talk later. But first -- "

She stepped behind him. "Let's get you out of that chair. My fingernail will cut through those nasty ropes like a knife through butter. Hold still -- "

Clark felt the ropes around his chest slacken. Gratefully, he stretched out his cramped arms, flexing his sore muscles, as Suzy stepped around to face him again.

"Listen, Clark," she said seriously. "There's something I have to take care of right away. I know you've got a lot of questions, and I promise I'll answer them later, but right now ... Clark Kent, are you listening?"

"Huh?" Clark was busy trying to loosen the ropes that hung about him. He stopped and looked up.

"That's better," said Suzy. "Now listen. It's almost half-time, and without their star quarterback, the Crows are behind by ten points. And that's not all. It seems your two friends here -- "

She glanced back at the corner where Louie and Bruno stood handcuffed to the water pipe.

" -- It seems they bet a bundle on Martindale. So if you'd like to thank them for their hospitality, get down to the field and win the game for Smallville!"

She turned and strode purposefully toward the opening in the wall. Clark finally found his voice. "Wait, Suzy!" he called.

Suzy paused. "Sorry, sweetie -- I have to go now. The police will be here soon, to pick up these two. Just remember -- win one for the Crows!" She stepped through the opening and out into the sunlight ...

"Suzy!" Clark cried. Grabbing the ropes and tossing them to the floor, he jumped to his feet. Oof! His cramped legs nearly folded under him. He hobbled after her, picking his way amid the chunks of concrete that littered the floor, and stepped outside. Bright red spots swam in front of his eyes as he looked around him ...

There she was! Downhill, about fifty yards away, he saw Suzy spring from the grassy slope and soar into the sky.

"Wait!" he shouted, waving his arms and stumbling downhill. Damn! He tripped on a root and fell headlong, sprawling face down on the hillside. Dazed, he lifted his head and watched the flying figure dwindle as it flew off toward Smallville.

He scrambled to his feet and began hurrying back uphill to the spot where he'd parked his motor bike. Passing the shattered wall, he paused and stuck his head inside. His captors regarded him sourly from the corner of the cellar.

"So long, guys," Clark said. "I guess you can read about the game in tomorrow's paper."

"Ah, you ain't so hot," Bruno muttered. "You'd still be tied up in that chair if it wasn't for your girl-friend."

"Yeah," Bruno sneered. "Wait'll people hear about this. Some big tough football player you are. Haw!"

Clark's face burned. "Aw, go ... jump in the lake!" he blurted. He turned and trotted up the hill. His mind was in a whirl. He'd been kidnapped ... his girl-friend had turned out to be Supergirl ... Deal with it later, he told himself as he straddled his motor bike. Moments later, he was roaring down the driveway. At the bottom of the hill, he opened the throttle and leaned forward as he raced along the Old Mill Road, back toward Smallville.

He had a game to win.