04x16 - ...aka Superman

[bunniefuu]

So maybe the chef's recipes were authentic, but our waiter's "accent.

.

.

" I think the closest he's ever been to Italy was watching "Godfather, Part III.

" Hey, let's just forget picking up these file disks.

We're not gonna get any work done tonight, anyway.

You know what pasta does to me.

You want me to leave my work here? What if the building burns down? What if it explodes? That's been known to happen.

Then I would have to start from scratch.

Better safe than sorry.

Can you say "obsessive"? I'm obsessively in love with Clark Kent.

Happy birthday.

Thank you.

But it's not officially my birthday until tomorrow.

Well, it must be tomorrow somewhere in the world.

What? There's a crisis? Bank robbery? t*rror1st strike?

- Ribbon

-cutting.



- What? I completely forgot.

Superman promised to be at a hospital reopening.

You can work tonight, after all.

A hospital reopening? It's the middle of the night.

Not in New Zealand.



- It's only gonna be a couple of hours.



- But, Clark.

.

.

No, Clark! Surprise! Forget it.

It's just me again.

Lois, this is the second time.

I know, I know.

I'm gonna make this happen, though.

I swear.

Clark and I have to get better about our scheduling, that's all.

Well, maybe by the time you pull this off, I'll actually have a date.

Probably not.

Good morning, Diticom.

Girl, what is with all this Superman stuff? You gotta be kidding me, right? Honey, when are you gonna get out in the world and meet a real man? They don't come any realer than Superman, Doris.

Penny.

You're a beautiful girl.

You're smart, you're educated.

You have your pick of guys.

Why waste your time on some fantasy? He's not a fantasy, Doris.

Underneath all that spandex beats the heart of a man.

Are you still laboring under the theory.

.

.

.

.

.

that Superman has some sort of "secret identity" or something? How else would someone like him ever hope to lead any kind of normal life? If that's true, I don't how you expect to find out what it is.

By using modern criminology techniques.

First.

.

.

.

.

.

I constructed a psychological profile of the Man Of Steel.

I've taken that profile and factored in my theory of a secret identity: Early to mid

-20's, possibly 30's.

Probably a professional connected to mass communication.

I've fed this information into the computer.

.

.

.

.

.

cross

-referenced with all we know about Superman.

At this point, it becomes simply about numbers.

If you ask me, it's just a waste of time.

I'll see you later.

Talk to me, computer.

"James Olsen, 97 percent Superman.

" Let's see if we can make it 100.

See that, Steve

-o? That's what we'll be capable of after your mission Thursday.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.

.

.

You're having second thoughts.

It's natural.

But remember our dream, Steve

-o.

.

.

.

.

.

former President Borman's dream.

His vision of a strategic defense system.

.

.

.

.

.

would have ushered in a whole new era of peace.

No country or leader would ever again think of warring on its neighbor.

.

.

.

.

.

for fear of instant annihilation.

Instead, the Annihilator just floats silently above us, unfinished.

Maybe people just aren't meant to have that kind of power.

You ever think about that? Maybe Congress was right to pull the plug.

No.

If the United States government is unwilling to do what is necessary.

.

.

.

.

.

I will do it for them.

No longer will there be relative morality.

There will be absolute morality.

Mine.

Well, you're gonna have to do it without me.

I decided to go through with this mission the way that NASA has it on the books.

What? Steve

-o.

They want to destroy my satellite platform.

Steve

-o.

We need to test the pulse converter prototype.

.

.

.

.

.

before the real one goes up Thursday, Peters.

.

.

".

.

.

and" I've just decided on the ideal target.

A high

-profile astronaut doesn't just disappear 36 hours before a mission.

Exactly.

I want you and Clark on this yesterday.

Where is Clark? Dry cleaner's.

They gave him the wrong shirts.

Oh, boy.

Look at that.

Superman cleaned up that toxic waste this morning.

.

.

.

.

.

he still has time to tee off.



- You gotta hand it to that guy.



- Sure do.



- Hey.



- There's the birthday boy.



- Yeah.

Sorry I'm late.



- Golf, huh? Yeah.

It was for charity, for the kids.

Superman couldn't really say no.



- Doesn't seem to be in his vocabulary.



- What do you mean?

- Nothing.

Here.



- What's this? Missing astronaut.

Captain Steve McBride.

NASA has no clue where he is.

They found some ashy residue.

.

.

.

.

.

in the street where his car was parked.

Police Forensics is typing it.

McBride was scheduled for a mission Thursday? Maybe somebody wanted him off the flight roster.

We should talk to NASA, see what kind of mission that shuttle was going on.



- James Olsen.



- "Yes, Mr.

Olsen.

" My name is Penny Barnebeedian.

I'm a student at Metropolis University.

Journalism major.

One assignment is to interview a working journalist.

I was wondering.

.

.

Lane and Kent are on a story right now, Miss Barnebeedian.

.

.

.

.

.

but if you want to leave a number.

.

.



- Oh, no, no, no.

Not them.

You.

I want to interview you.



- Do you know what it is I do here?

- I thought you would tell me over lunch.



- Lunch?

- You do eat lunch, don't you?

- Yeah.



- "Good.

"

- The Roma Café, 1:00.



- All right.

Bye.

Engage the soundproofing.

What did you find out? The shuttle launch is going as per schedule.

And they've already replaced Captain McBride.

Which is exactly what we have to do.

Who's the new boy? Shirley Farnum.

When that shuttle goes up, we've gotta make sure she's working for us.

Use the same channels you used to procure McBride.

But, Mr.

Grady, sir, that took time.

We have less than 36 hours this time.

If that shuttle goes up and we don't have a ringer "onboard.

.

.

" ".

.

.

our" satellite's going to be destroyed, along with any hope for world peace.

Thanks for coming to speak to us, Mr.

Paladin.

Well, that's what the Federal Office of Information is for.

Your office describes the upcoming space mission as routine.

Yes.

Yes, you'll find no headline there, Ms Lane.

McBride was taking an outmoded weather satellite out of service.

With 6000 manmade objects floating around out there.

.

.



- .

.

.

it's pretty crowded.



- Tell me about it.

Do you know anyone who might want to harm McBride? Of course not.

So, what we have here is a man that everyone liked.

.

.

On a perfectly routine mission.



- Who suddenly vanishes into thin air.



- Well.



- Mr.

Paladin.

.

.

.

.

.

the Office of Information seems to have anything but.

An internal investigation is being conducted.

Oh, great.

Could you tell us the nature of the investigation? Certainly.

It's internal.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Thank you for the coffee, by the way.

Gee, that went great.

James Olsen? Jimmy.

Just "Jimmy.

"

- I thought you'd be taller.



- I can be taller.

Right.

The boots.

You wanna get a table? Yeah, yeah.

Table would be good.

Table, please.

So when exactly did you start working at the "Daily Planet?" A little over four years ago.

I started as an office grunt.

.

.

.

.

.

moved up to photo assistant.

I've worked my way up the ranks.

So now I'm a junior assistant city editor.

You and Lois Lane, you get along? Oh, yeah.

Lois and I, we're total buds.

And Superman?

- What about him?

- You and he.

Close?

- Like this.



- At least.



- Well, I mean.

.

.



- And what about other relationships? I imagine in your line of work, it's tough to maintain a romance.

Romance? It's funny you bring that up.

This last year alone, there's been a lot.

I mean, not a lot.

"Several" is the wrong word.

You know, it's just that, in my line of work.

.

.

.

.

.

my schedule is so unpredictable that most women.

.

.

My social life's in the pits, to be honest.

Look out! Excuse me, I better call 911.

Thank you, Superman.

I'm sorry I ran off like that.

I'll confess, Jimmy.

I don't have much of a social life myself.

But that's because I've been waiting for that certain someone.

Here's my number.

You were wonderful.

I can't wait to see you in your blue suit again.

I don't even own a blue "suit.

.

.

" ".

.

.

but" I'll definitely get one.

I got copies of McBride's phone records.

How you doing? Any luck? One late alimony payment and a parking ticket.

No enemies.

Everybody loved this guy.

If Steve McBride was running from something, I have no idea what it was.

Unless, of course.

.

.

You don't think he was playing a golf tournament.

.

.

.

.

.

and forgot to tell anybody about it?

- Oh, you're still mad about that.

I was never mad.



- Honey, you were mad.



- Okay, maybe I was.

It's not just the golf tournaments.

It's the charities, it's the visiting the troops, it's the hospital reopenings.



- We hardly ever see each other.



- It's been a busy couple of weeks.

.

.

It's always a busy couple of weeks.

And I know there are certain disasters that are unavoidable.

But these public appearances? Lois, it's all just part of what Superman does.

I just think we need to prioritize.

Do you realize it's been over a week since we've made love? Eight days, six hours, four minutes and two seconds.



- But who's counting?

- Look, I set aside a day just for us.

I checked both our books.

.

.



- Oh, Lois.

.

.

.

and the 16th is wide open.



- Honey.

.

.



- Don't worry.



- I've got it all planned.

.

.



- Sweetheart.



- What?

- Is that the book you checked? Yeah.

I looked in this book.



- This is your day planner.



- Yeah.

.

.

Here.

You have two books? Superman has a day planner? Could you say that a little louder? I don't think everybody heard you.

You're booked into the next century.

Most of those dates aren't even confirmed yet.

I promise you, we can work this out.

You've got something on the 16th.

Hey, Jimmy, how you doing? Nice suit.

Very.

.

.

.

.

.

blue.



- Thanks, I'm kind of breaking it in.

I got a date tonight.

This girl, she made the first move.

She made all the moves.

Of course, maybe it's because I wasn't completely honest with her.

I embellished some things about myself.

That's perfectly normal.

Everybody does that in the getting

-to

-know

-you phase.

Right.

Oh, this fax just came for you.



- Thanks.



- What is it? That ashy residue at the scene of McBride's disappearance.



- They figure out what it was?

- Yeah.



- Steve McBride.



- What? How? Local forensics don't know how, so they turned it over to the FBI.



- Special Weapons Division.



- Weapons? Why do I get the feeling McBride's shuttle "mission.

.

.

" .

.

.

isn't as routine as everyone's saying?

- Excuse me.



- Mr.

Kent, how did you.

.

.

?

- This area's restricted.



- Mr.

Paladin.

.

.

".

.

.

I'd" like you to take a look at something.

That's the FBI's special report on the ashy substance.

.

.

.

.

.

at the scene of the disappearance.

My office is not issuing a statement at this time.

Captain McBride was m*rder*d, Mr.

Paladin.

The FBI thinks that those ashes were the result of some sort of military weapon.

Captain McBride wasn't going up to destroy some weather satellite, was he? Look, I know he was a friend of yours.

I'm just trying to find out what happened to him.

The satellite he was going to destroy was part of an obsolete weapons system.

Ten years ago, the government initiated the design of a powerful defense satellite.

The Annihilator.

Yeah, but it was never built.

Well, yes and no.

It was never finished.

The satellite platform was actually put into orbit.

.

.

.

.

.

but the power source, the pulse converter, was never built.



- That's what this mission's about?

- Yes.

We're quashing the platform to be rid of it.

Even plans for the pulse converter were destroyed.

What if someone copied these plans.

.

.

.

.

.

and they actually built this thing?

- It's useless to them.

They'd have no way of getting to the satellite.

Unless, of course they bribed an astronaut.

So this pulse converter.

What kind of destruction is it capable of? It reduces a target of any size.

.

.

.

.

.

to ashes.

Sir, perhaps vaporizing Captain McBride was the wrong approach.

People are asking questions.

It makes it very difficult to get near the other astronauts.

If the disappearance of one lousy astronaut gets this much heat.

.

.

.

.

.

just think of the reaction when an entire state disappears.

A state, sir? Simply having the Annihilator operational is not enough to ensure world peace.

The public has to see it in action, got to witness what it's capable "of.

.

.

" .

.

.

by vaporizing, say.

.

.

.

.

.

West Virginia.

But, sir, people live in West Virginia.



- Americans.



- Exactly.

When the world sees what the Annihilator can do.

.

.

.

.

.

nations will beat their swords into plowshares.

And mankind will live in perfect, blessed brotherhood.

.

.

.

.

.

or I will blast the hell out of them.



- I had a wonderful time tonight.



- Me too.

I can't believe you ordered in French.

Neither could the waiter.

I mean, it was a steak house.

Well, I've had a lot of time to brush up on things like foreign languages.

When you've got no social life, you have that luxury.

You know, I don't understand that.

I'd think a girl like you would have a lot of dates.

It's not like I don't get asked out by guys.

I do.

All the time.

Some have been dweebs, some have actually been pretty nice.

.

.

.

.

.

but none were you.

.

.

.

.

.

Mr.

Junior

-Assistant

-City

-Editor

- Crime

-Fighter.

Penny, about me being junior assistant city editor.

.

.

That's not exactly my real job.



- I know.



- You do? Jimmy, I haven't been totally honest with you, either.

You haven't? Come with me.

I want to show you something.

I work here.

I'm not really a university student, Jimmy.

You're not? Then "why.

.

.

?" Soundproofing.

Just in case.

Are we gonna be making a lot of noise? The walls have ears.

I know how important it is that no one finds out.

Well, actually.

.

.

What? I mean, look at all the trouble you've gone to.

It's brilliant, frankly.

What better secret identity than some newspaper schmo? Who would ever guess that nobody office grunt Jimmy Olsen.

.

.

.

.

.

was really.

.

.

.

.

.

Superman? Wait a minute.

You think "I'm.

.

.

?"

- Okay.



- All that searching, all that waiting.

All those times I said no.

It was worth it.

Penny, I probably heard you wrong, but.

.

.

You seem to think I'm Superman.

It took me two years, several thousand bytes of information.

.

.

".

.

.

and" Diticom's state

-of

-the

-art computer system.

But I did it.

You were a 97 percent match.



- Penny, I don't.

.

.

Really, 97 percent?

- And even then, I wasn't "sure.

.

.

" .

.

.

until yesterday, when you turned into him.

But don't worry, I won't tell anyone.

Your secret's safe with me.



- It is?

- Yes.



- Penny.

.

.



- What's it like to be you? So brave, so fearless.

.

.

.

.

.

so Ionely?

- It's hell.



- Oh, Superman.

Honeybraun Industries had the Annihilator contract.

After Congress pulled the plug, Honeybraun went belly

-up.

.

.

.

.

.

and was sold off, piece by piece.

Which means whoever got ahold of those blueprints.

.

.

.

.

.

was one of several buyers.



- Catching up on your correspondence?

- It just takes me a minute.



- What's all this?

- It's fan mail.

I knew you got postcards.

.

.

.

.

.

and an occasional batch of oatmeal scotchies, but this.

.

.

The post office holds anything that's addressed to Superman.

Every couple of months, I sort of fly by and pick it up.

I learn more about you every day.

An awful lot of people want to hear from Superman.

Sick kids, Ionely folks.

Are these from the sick or the Ionely or both? I get a little of that too.

Well, it must be a kick to be adored like that.

Well, it's not so much that, honey.

I mean, but the cards, the postcards, the letters, the charity functions.

.

.

.

.

.

they do serve a purpose.

I see so much of the bad in people.

.

.

.

.

.

crime and violence.

But to see the good things, it sort of recharges my spirit.

Just like the sun recharges Superman's "powers.

.

.

" .

.

.

well, these small things, they sort of recharge me.

I thought I did that.

Honey, you sustain me.



- Help! Superman!

- Oh, someone's in trouble.

They're calling for help.

Help! Superman! Help! Superman! What seems to be the trouble, miss?

- Miss, miss, please.

.

.



- I'm sorry to bother you like this, honey.

And I won't ever cry wolf again, but after you left tonight, I just.

.

.

".

.

.

I" couldn't stop thinking about you.

I had to see you in that suit.

Excuse me.

You seem to be healthy and strong.

I have to fly now.

Excuse me.

Mr.

Grady? I think I've just found McBrides's "alternate.

.

.

" .

.

.

and the leverage we need to get him.



- Morning.



- Morning.

I talked to my contact in the FEC.

She's gonna get me a list of the buyers that purchased pieces of Honeybraun.



- We should have it this afternoon.



- Good.

You got home late last night.

Yeah.

Oil fire in Detroit.

Lois, I just want to say I'm sorry.

Oh, no, you don't have to.

I was wrong.

No, you weren't.

When I was flying around last night.

.

.

.

.

.

I had a chance to think.

You were right.

We're married now and, well, Superman can't go "off.

.

.

" .

.

.

and attend every single event and charity function that he's invited to.

True.

But I can understand how Superman needs to experience the good.

And I want you to have that, Clark.

Because when you fly home to me, I want you to be okay.

Is that lipstick? Yeah.

It's weird, because the soot from the oil fire came right out.

.

.

.

.

.

but this is not.

.

.

Oh, there was a crazy woman who sort of attacked me.

But, I mean, I got away.

It was no big deal.

It's just, she was:

- Well, good.



- I mean.

.

.

There's a letter you missed last night.



- What is it?

- An event at the Regent Hotel.

Ladies' Overseas Aid.



- They're a very worthy charity.



- Never heard of them.

Oh, no, no.

They're really "a.

.

.

" No, it's a really good charity.

I have heard of them.



- You should do it.



- Honey, I gotta prioritize.

Besides, I think I should really spend my time with much more important things.

But I'm telling you that this is really important.

And then Superman would feel all the good and you'd be able.

.

.



- Superman does feel the good.



- I know he does.

But I just.

.

.

I'm your wife.

I think you should take it.



- I just think you should.



- Honey, why.

.

.

? Okay.

Her? That's Superman's girlfriend?

- Peggy?

- Penny, sir.

And yes.

Absolutely.

I saw her with my own eyes.



- Are you sure this is gonna work?

- It's a time

-honored tradition.

We hold his woman c*ptive and threaten to k*ll her.

.

.

".

.

.

if" he doesn't do our bidding.

Yes, but it won't come to that, Peters.

When Superman sees what we're about, world peace for right

-thinking people.

.

.

.

.

.

he'll gladly help us.

He'll fly directly to that "satellite.

.

.

" .

.

.

and install the pulse converter for us.

Perhaps, sir.

But just in case, we must be willing to make good on our threat.

Of course.

Superman's girlfriend working in my secretarial pool.

Who would have thought? Chief.

It's all arranged.



- What is?

- Clark's surprise party.

Saturday at the Regent Hotel.

Just tell them at the front desk that you're with Ladies' Overseas Aid.



- Okay.



- Right, right.

Okay, thank you very much.

Hey.

So your contact came through.

These are all the records of where every single piece of Honeybraun Industries.

.

.

.

.

.

ended up after liquidation.

So somewhere in this mess is the name of the person we're looking for.



- Well, let's dig in.



- Okay.

Oh, also, I called the Ladies' Overseas Aid office to confirm.



- You called them?

- Yeah.

But they didn't even know that they'd asked Superman to speak.

Their function isn't at The Regent.



- It's at the Civic Center.



- The Civic Center.



- Saturday?

- Yeah.



- Where you going?

- I've gotta cancel something.

Penny? Hi.

Hi, it's me.

So I was thinking Chinese tonight.

What do you think? Great, great.

I know this terrific place.

Where? Peking? That's actually in China, right? Yeah.

Penny, I was thinking we should stick to Metropolis tonight.

Well, there's nothing I can do.

It's gonna be a couple minutes.

Too bad you can't tell them who you are.

I bet we'd be seated right away.

Well, Penny, I made a solemn oath to only use my powers for good, never for.

.

.

.

.

.

dinner.



- So, honey, what was it like?

- Fighting that oil fire?

- Oil fire? Don't be so modest.

It was on the 6:00 news.

It was.

.

.

God! Hot.

The desperate cries of doomed men.

It must be so painful at times, being you.

It is.

I hope that doesn't make me less of a man in your eyes.

Are you kidding? That narrows it down to LemCo, Farber Industries.

.

.

.

.

.

MacNamn Systems and Diticom Technologies.

Okay.

I'll take Farber and LemCo, you take MacNamn and Diticom.

Hey, that's Jimmy.

That must be his Juliet of the week.



- Lois.

.

.



- Hi, Jimmy.

Hi.

Lois.

Oh, Lois Lane, Clark, this is Penny Barnebeedian.



- Hello.



- Barnes.



- What?

- My name's not Barnebeedian.

It's Barnes.

I lied about that.

Ms.

Lane, it's a pleasure.

Well, this is great.

We can all sit together.

Oh, actually, you know what, they're really full.



- I bet we wouldn't be able.

.

.



- Nonsense, I can get a table.

Su Lee.

Four for dinner?

- Great.

Table's ready.



- Right this way.

Excuse me.



- Lois.

.

.



- She's adorable, don't you think? A little weird, but cute.

Remember the other night, that lipstick stain on my suit? Yeah, you said some crazy woman.

.

.



- Isn't she something?

- Yeah.

Something.

So, Penny.

.

.

.

.

.

how did you meet Jimmy?

- I was interviewing him.

It was an assignment for her Journalism class.



- So you're a Journalism major?

- No.



- You're not?

- No.

It was all a lie.

Really? Well, you're nothing if not honest.

I just wanted to meet him.

Excuse me.

Clark, I know you can hear me.

about this woman.

She lies to Jimmy about being a college student.

.

.

so interested in him.

.

.

.

.

.

but we know that she's spending her "nights.

.

.

" with local superheroes.

Clumsy me.

So go on.

You were saying?

- I was?

- Oh, yes.



- You were telling us what it is you do.



- Oh, I'm a secretary.



- Really? Where?

- Diticom Technologies.

That's just ridiculous.

I'm so sorry.

You should see her with silverware.

It's not a pretty sight.

So we'll just take it away.

something weird about her.

Now, how suspicious is this? Last night, she lands a lip lock on you.

.

.

to work for.

.

.

resurrecting the Annihilator? Coincidence? I think not.

Excuse me, I just.

.

.

One.

.

.

Your friends are lovely.

Lois, come back to the table.

There is something very weird going on here.

No kidding.

Don't you think maybe you're "overreacting.

.

.

" .

.

.

because this woman kissed me last night?

- Yeah.



- Well.

.

.

.

.

.

I admit, that bit does not endear her to me.



- But what about the Diticom connection?

- "Help!"

- What?

- I gotta go.



- Go where?

- Got to go.

Found them.

Honey, did you put money in the parking meter? I better go check on that.

Excuse me.

Oh, great, the office.

I wonder what the big emergency is this time.



- Copier out of toner?

- I'll come with you.

No, no, you stay with Ms.

Lane.

I'll be back.



- So, what do you think?

- I think I left the gas on at home.

Tell Clark I went to check on it.



- Kung pao chicken.



- Spicy broccoli with snow peas.

Sautéed fillet fish.

Mr.

Grady.

Someone paged me?

- What's going on?

- Mr.

Grady was thinking.

.

.

.

.

.

seeing how you and Superman are so close.

.

.

.

.

.

maybe he could help us out.

So why don't you give Superman a call.

Set up a meeting.

Get away from me!

- Come here.

That's it!

- When my boyfriend hears about this.

.

.

I don't think he's gonna find out.

Now stop.

Stop! Stand still.

Come back here.

Lois Lane, intrepid reporter.

And another close friend of Superman's.

What do you know? We have so much leverage now.

.

.

".

.

.

I" just don't see how Superman will be able to resist.

Mr.

Grady appreciates your help, Penny.

Your assistance will be remembered at holiday bonus time.

He made me do it, Ms.

Lane.

Go ahead, Penny.

Scream your guts out for your boyfriend.

No one will hear you now.

Penny, you said he made you do it.

Do what?

- He made me call Superman.



- What?

- But I just got his machine.



- Pardon me? Oh, nothing.

I'm sorry.

This is all my fault.

Oh, God.

Penny, it's not the time to panic.

It'll be okay.

Now, what did they want you to tell Superman? To meet Mr.

Grady on the roof.

Something about "installing a pulse converter" ".

.

.

"

- Okay.

Now is the time to panic.



- Oh, God.

or you'll never see Lois or me again.

Superman! Superman!

- Help!

- Jimmy, what is it? I did a terrible thing.

I didn't actually do it, but I didn't undo it.



- I sort of let this girl think I was you.



- What? It all happened so fast.

I was a 97 percent match, apparently.

I just.

.

.

This girl is so pretty.

I mean, she really likes me.

Really likes me.

I guess she likes you, but she thought I was you.

In a way, she likes me.

I was afraid to tell the truth.

I figured being Jimmy Olsen wasn't good enough for her.



- You were a 97 percent match?

- Yeah.



- Really?

- Yeah.

Jimmy, listen, living someone else's life can be fun for a while.

But eventually, you have to live your own life.



- Sure.

.

.



- lf you and this girl.

.

.

.

.

.

are meant to be, that should be enough.

I understand.

But you don't understand.

Wait.

It's gotten a little dicey.

I just checked my messages.

Penny's being held c*ptive with Lois.



- What?

- You're supposed "to.

.

.

" .

.

.

fly to the roof of Diticom towers and wait for further instructions, or else.

Did you hear what I said? Quiet.

I'm trying to listen.

Nothing.

She's not calling for me, or maybe she's not able to.

Or maybe she's being held somewhere where you couldn't hear her calling you.

One, two, three.



- Good? Are you good?

- Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Now, if we can just get to that soundproofing device.

.

.

".

.

.

a" couple of healthy, "Help, Supermans," and we'll be home free.

Here's the rhythm: Go.



- Good.

Oh, we're there.



- Yeah.



- All right.



- Here we go.



- Got it.



- The blue one.

He changed it.



- Wrong thing.



- Yeah.

All right, let me get it.



- I got it! I got it.

Okay.



- Okay.



- "Holodeck activated.

"

- That's not good.



- No, no.



- Okay.

All right.

Backing up.



- No, God, not too fast.



- "Pulse weapons systems activated.

"

- That's not good either.



- No, no.



- All right.

Duck.



- I think duck, yeah.

Yes, duck, duck! When you called Superman, what number did you use?

- "one, ignition, lift

-off.

"

- Quite an extraordinary sight.

There it goes.

My shuttle launch.

Where are they? Evening, Superman.

I've been waiting for you.

If you'll just install my pulse converter on its orbiting platform.

.

.

.

.

.

you can take a little R and R, fly to Mazatlán with your girl.

.

.

.

.

.

get a little sun and leave running the planet to me.

But once that shuttle reaches the platform, all deals are off.

I've instructed my man to do away with Lois Lane and that girl.

.

.

.

.

.

if it gets there before you do.

Even if the Annihilator becomes operational.

.

.

.

.

.

once Lois and Penny are safe, I'll just fly up there and rip it apart.

Not unless you've been outrunning the speed of light lately.

I'll be monitoring.

If you even get near it: Vaporization of North America? On your shoulders.

Locked.



- I knew Superman would find us.



- He did? Superman! Hon! Over here! But that's "not.

.

.

" You think Superman is Jimmy Olsen? I know it's shocking, Ms.

Lane, seeing as you work with him every day.

.

.

.

.

.

but, yes, Jimmy Olsen is really the Man of Steel.

Girlfriend, we're not out of this yet.



- Jimmy!

- Jimmy, help! They're soundproofed.

Now get us out of here.

The door's locked.

I can't open it.

Jimmy! Where's that remote? I suggest you make a decision, Superman.

I already have.

Oh, God.

I hope Superman doesn't hurt him too badly.

I can't watch.

Thank you, Superman.

We've just ushered in the "future.

.

.

" .

.

.

for, well, almost everyone.

Maybe next time, West Virginia will take more time.

.

.

.

.

.

coming up with an original name.

Hi.

All right, that's enough.

Bye

-bye, kid.

It's been fun.

Superman, honey, I knew you'd come.

Wait a minute.

You aren't Superman? I'm sorry, Penny.

I'm sorry I'm not what you thought I was.

But you lied to me.

What kind of a person are you? The things I told you.

.

.

And you never were.

.

.

You really are just some normal guy, aren't you? Yeah.

Wait a minute.

He had a g*n.

You could have been k*lled.

Well, that was one of the more interesting birthdays I've had.

I'm sorry, Clark, I really tried to pull off a party for you.



- It's okay.

I like this better, anyway.



- You sure?

- Yeah.

Just you and me.



- Alone at last.

Surprise! I figured the only way to throw a surprise party for you.

.

.

.

.

.

was to surprise both of you.

So did it work? Are you surprised?

- Well, yeah, yeah.



- Stunned