"No!" Lois sighed, "I can't! Brentworth is
where Jason will be going."
"Oh!" Kitty sighed.
Lois kept an ear cocked to the radio that was on but not being
paid much attention to. A reporter was saying "There's a bad
fire on the north docks. Traffic is advised to use an alternate
route and stay away from the shore expressway. Wait a minute!
That order has just been canceled. Superboy appeared and helped
the firemen get the blaze under control. Traffic can continue as
normal."
A few moments later Jason appeared on his balcony so his mother
could see him, then went back into his room.
"I'd be going out of my mind!" Kitty muttered.
"What?" Lois asked.
'Oh, nothing," Kitty answered. "I was just thinking if
I was Superboy's mother I'd be going out of my mind worrying that
he might not be as super as he thinks he is!"
"That would not keep her from letting him do what he has to
do!" Lois answered, "Though I'm sure, as you say, she's
probably climbing the walls every time she knows he's doing
something. I can't imagine what it must've been like for
Superman's mother! Obviously they kept his existence a secret.
But I wouldn't doubt, from time to time, he used his abilities.
That's a woman I'd like to talk to!"
"I don't doubt it!" Kitty managed. "Well, it's
always lovely. I get to breathe once and a while when I'm with
you! I love running that company, and helping so many people. But
once and a while I like being with someone I can just be a girl
with, not the boss! You know what I mean?"
Lois smiled. She knew exactly what she meant. She had gone
through it for years at The Planet.
Kitty looked embarrassed. "I hope you're not upset about
what that talk show host said," she spat. "I never ever
think of you like that! We're just friends."
"I know!" Lois said. "But please, no more stink
bombs in her bedroom?"
"I'll try!" Kitty assured, "But you know Luthor!
He doesn't like people saying things like that just to get
publicity. If they want publicity he'll give them publicity
making them look like total idiots! The poor senator! Now his
wife's filing for divorce!"
"Serves him right!" Lois chuckled. "Now everybody
knows why he was such a fervent supporter of free speech!"
Kitty chuckled again. "I've really got to go!" she
sighed. She picked up the carrier. 'Oh, damn!" she moaned.
"What?" Lois asked.
"This is one of the most expensive of these things on the
market," Kitty complained, "and the damned handle keeps
coming loose! Well, later!"
Lois smiled. She went upstairs and checked on Jason. He was going
over his regular school books with Jor-El. "Remember,"
Jor-El was saying, "it's all right to appear smart, but you
must never actually reveal how smart you really are, no matter
how tempting! Let others answer the questions as much as
possible. And never answer all the questions in a test correctly!
Always miss a few."
It bothered Lois that her son would never be able to openly show
his full potential. He would always have to hide some of his
ability but she understood why that was necessary. She understood
that very well! "Hey, kiddo!" she put in, "Mom and
Jor-El have to get back to work. We've gotta get the rough draft
of that book to the publisher and find out if he thinks it's any
good!"
"Oh! He'll think it's good," Jason assured. "He'll
think it's VERY good!" Lois smiled. The wall panel opened
and the android came out. "If he's finished his lessons for
a while," the android asked, "can we go down into the
basement and play?"
"Certainly!" Lois agreed. "But no more holes in
the floor?"
"Sorry, Mrs. White!" the android managed.
"Go!" Lois teased. Jason was right. The publisher LOVED
the book, and so did the public! They were immediately screaming
for more! "An Illustrated History Of
Krypton" was on the best seller list for three
months!
Lois felt very happy, but she had a premonition, a feeling.
Things were going too well. Something was coming, she didn't know
what. Something was coming and she was absolutely right!
Far out in space something was hurtling towards Earth with
incredible velocity, and those on Earth would know it was coming
VERY SOON!
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