Superman: Dawnbreaker (DC Icons #4)(67)

Clark texted Gloria and Lana to make sure everything was progressing. Lana responded right away, saying she was on her way to meet with Corey. Gloria replied a minute later—she had already gained access to the feed. And no one seemed to question her claim that she was an intern working for the city. Just say the word, and I’ll make the switch.

Clark paced back and forth. He kept glancing at the officers stationed beside him, hoping they’d take immediate action after the footage aired. Hoping they’d rush out to the Jones farm, sirens blaring, to return the innocent men to their families and friends.

A wave of nerves hit Clark twenty minutes later, when he saw a man climb up onstage and approach the microphone. The huge video screens behind him flickered to life and displayed the man’s face. The plan was for Gloria to stick with the regularly scheduled programming until she got a signal from Clark. And Clark wouldn’t signal Gloria until he got the signal from Lana.

He checked his phone again.

Nothing.

Where was Lana?

The man in the blue suit onstage welcomed everyone. Then he began listing all the special programs Mankins Corporation was initiating. The company was sponsoring youth sports leagues and tutoring centers and a brand-new children’s wing at the Smallville Medical Facility. “And this is just the beginning,” he bellowed into the microphone. “I’m proud to announce here today that Mankins founder and president Montgomery Wallace Mankins has just made a three-million-dollar commitment to Smallville schools. Three million, folks.”

The crowd erupted in applause.

Clark imagined that if he weren’t so stressed, he might be cheering, too. He thought of Bryan again. Clark hadn’t seen him anywhere at the celebration yet, and he still hadn’t texted Clark back.

“Yes. Yes. That’s right.” The man paused, smiling. “And Mr. Mankins will be here later today, just before the fireworks. Don’t miss his speech about his desire for our small town to be a leader in education. He’s vowed to help our community hire the best teachers. Build the best facilities. Provide the widest range of extracurricular activities. Our schools will be among the greatest not only in Kansas but in the entire nation.”

More wild applause.

Clark looked around at all the people cheering. He checked his phone, but there was still nothing from Lana, though he did have a text from Gloria now: Everything okay?

Clark started to text her back, then decided to call instead. “I still haven’t heard from Lana,” he said when Gloria picked up.

“Could something have happened to her?”

Clark scanned the square, thinking about Corey’s reluctance to do the interview. “You know what—I’m gonna see if I can find her. Call you back in a minute.”

He left his spot next to the police officers and began fighting his way through the crowd, toward the courthouse. He’d made it only a few yards, though, when he heard someone calling his name. He stopped near a food truck serving pizza slices. Paul, Tommy, and Kyle were waving at him from the line.

“Hey,” Clark said, peeking at his phone again.

“Wanna go play home run derby?” Kyle said. “We need a fourth.”

Tommy held up a bat with the Mankins Corporation logo branded on the side. “Me and Paul won these already, but Kyle still needs to win one.”

“I wish I could,” Clark said, distracted, “but I’m sort of busy. Anyway, good to see you guys.”

“Hold up,” Tommy said. “Where you rushing off to?”

“I’m looking for Lana.”

“We just saw her,” Paul said. “Over by the courthouse building. She was with three chumps. One of them was that rich dude from the party.”

She had met up with Corey.

So why hadn’t she texted, like she was supposed to?

“Speaking of the party,” Paul said, “I just wanted to say, Clark…I was pretty tanked that night, and you stepped up—”

Paul was interrupted by the sounds of shouting in front of city hall.

Clark spun around, spotting two college-aged protesters who had broken away from the others and were pushing through the crowd, toward the speaker. They hopped the rope near the back of the crowd gathered in front of the stage and held up signs that read VOTE NO ON ISSUE 3! SMALLVILLE IS OUR HOME, TOO!

Mankins security corralled them just before they could reach the stairs to the stage, and a minor scuffle ensued. A buzz spread through the crowd as the police officers Clark had been standing beside earlier loped over to help subdue the college students.

“I had a feeling shit was gonna get out of hand,” Kyle said. “You got the protesters up here and the celebration down there. We all know that’s not a good mix.”

Seconds later the officers were leading the students away.

“You look stressed, Clark,” Tommy said. “Want us to help you find Lana?”

Clark studied the crowd again. Kyle was right—this wasn’t going to end well. And it was going to mess up his plan.

“Clark?” Tommy said again.

“I’m sure I’ll find her. Good running into you guys.” They all bumped fists and said their goodbyes.

Clark maneuvered through the crowd again, moving toward the courthouse, until he heard feedback coming from the stage mic. He stopped to see what was happening.