The Truest Sacrifice

Opening with  a question for my readers. Please put these five tidbits in the order you read them as happening.

“Sir, for reasons I can't quite explain, she is precious to me. And if there is ONE truth of which I need no convincing, it's that she is innocent. I swear on my life if you hurt her my restraint will go out the window. But if you spare her, then you can do whatever you want with me__in payment of that debt.”

“You say it's been 11 weeks. You must have known her from before.”

“I did. I remember that she is tireless and endlessly patient. Something she's shown relentlessly these past 11 weeks. I could say I love her but it's a different kind of love.”

“Like you said, she is precious to you. She means the world to you. The most important person in your life doesn't have to be a romantic partner. If you know where 'home' is for her, take her there. And then report back here to me.”

“My first command to you my prize is to break the claw holding your friend over the vat of poison and fly her to safety.”

Superman slowly stood and wordlessly flew over to Nikita. Wrapping his arm around her waist to support her, he broke the metal arm that held her. He carried her gently to the farthest corner of the room. “Thank you.” He said looking to Luthor with sincere respect. “I guess from here on I call you master.”

Superman, there are a few thing I want to be absolutely clear on. I will humiliate you almost every chance I get. I will talk down to you as a matter of course. But I am not interested in hurting you. Anyone else either for that matter. I will always be willing to hurt people to attain what I want. But the people of this city need protecting. And when it comes down to it, this city needs Superman. So help them. Give them hope. Stop bank robbers, fix flat tires. Be the hero this city needs you to be. The hero the people KNOW you to be. But when I call you back to the mansion, you will drop everything else and fly back here. As far as you are concerned, you are my respectable slave. And believe me when I tell you, I will never let you forget that you chose to be my slave.”

“Yes Master.” Superman replied.

...Superman is with Lex here. It has been several days at least since he had made his pledge, arrived at the mansion and Nikita was returned home. So I guess this bit would go last.

Where is home for Nikita anyway?” Lex asked casually.

“She works at a place called the D.E.O. She has living quarters there as well.”

“And you dropped her off to stay with her friends?”

“Yes. Hank will take care of her. He has for more than 8 years now.” Lex gave a look. “A lot of my memory has returned Master. A man named Hank Henshaw has cared for Nikita -- Taken responsibility for her -- for years. She could not be in better hands.”

 “You are...an extra-ordinary individual.”

“Yes I am. Although I never expected to hear that from you.”

“Most people wear a mask of some sort and suffer behind it. They either delude themselves into thinking they are other than what they are or simply don't understand themselves at all. Looking everywhere else to find out who they are. It's one of the few impressions I have from before. You know and embrace exactly who and what you are. Which from my understanding is a rare thing for, I forgive this...your people. Seriously the only other person I know who is so completely self-aware and so completely accepting of who they are...is right here. Although she's a little quieter about it.”

“Heh, I can see why you think so highly of her.”

“Lex, Mr. Luthor, I am sorry but I have to ask...” Superman didn't finish his sentence.

“When she wakes up you can fly her out of here. In fact I'm not sure why she isn't waking up.”

“36 hours.”

“I'm sorry what?”

“36 hours is important to her." Superman said more slowly. "And 5 out of every 36 hours. It's unique to her people. I'm not sure what...or why.” Lex put his hand over his mouth. “Why is that funny?!”

Lex waved his hand dismissively. "It isn't funny Superman, it's AM-azing. 36 hours must be in reference to her Xavallen physiology. Her circadian rhythms are based on a 36 hour cycle not a 24 hour cycle and she falls asleep for 5 hours out of every 36 hour cycle. Apparently far deeper than human REM sleep. Superman, you don't have to worry about her. If I'm right about this, and I have to believe that I am, she's not passed out from the pain, she's literally asleep!”

“Then she'll wake up the instant her 5 hour hibernation is over.”

Lex Luthor actually checked his watch. “Which should be in a little more than an hour. So get her out of here. Fly her to wherever she feels at home. But Superman. I have one question before you fly away.”

“Then ask it. I owe you at least that much.”

Lex Luthor opened his mouth, paused for a moment, and closed it again. “Never-mind. It's not important.”

So far this is literally just 5 different ways to say the exact same thing. A bit of a testing poll for my audience and a way for me to connect to my readers.  The second poll is to put the five small paragraphs in the order that makes sense to you and message me your answer.

“No, no please. Whatever I have done, whatever I could have done to make you my enemy, punish me, not her! You treat me as your enemy and that's okay, that's fine. But whatever I am, whatever I have done to make you my enemy do not make her suffer for it. She doesn't deserve this. There is nothing she could have done to deserve this. On that I would stake my life if I could. Whatever I have to do, I will do it. Just stop hurting her!” Superman bit into his own palm. “You say I'm a monster. Well you haven't said that but you treat me like one. And I accept it. Whatever you want from me, whatever I did to you or even if I did nothing, don't make her suffer for MY sins. Take your revenge on me alone. There must be something that can penetrate my iron flesh. I'll happily submit.” Lex Luthor raised an eyebrow. “You don't have anything against her do you? She is just a means to get what you want from me, to bend me to your will. I mean, you have no reason to wish her harm, do you?” Lex Luthor did not verbally respond, but casually nodded his head. “Then you can let her go. You have me.” He fell to his knees, bracing himself on his left wrist as he did so. Keeping his eyes to the ground, he changed the world. “You wanted my surrender, you have it. I will do whatever you you ask, I swear it. All I ask is that you let her go free. I will beg for it if needs be.” Catching a look in the man's eyes, Superman actually smiled. “That's what you want from all of this, isn't it? To hear me beg you...if not for my own life then for the life of a friend.” Superman let himself fall even further to his knees and put his head to the floor in front of a rather pleasant looking Lex Luthor. “My name is Kal-El of Krypton. I swear to you, on anything that would matter, I Am Defeated. There is only one thing I ask. There is only one...mercy I can think of that would make this bearable. And that I if I could save the life of a friend. He turned his head to the side as if to avoid a terrible sight. “Nikita is precious to me. And she is innocent. Spare her life. Let her go free. I beg of you.” He looked at Nikita with something between love and resolve. And to Lex's lasting astonishment Superman bowed his head to the ground, his forehead resting on his wrists. “Mr. Luthor I...I am Defeated before you. But Nikita has done nothing to deserve your wrath. Spare her life. Let her go free. I BEG of you.”

No, no please. Whatever I have done, whatever I could have done to make you my enemy, punish me not her! You treat me as your enemy. And that's okay, that's fine. But whatever I am, whatever I could have done to make you my enemy, do not make her Suffer for it. She doesn't deserve this. There is nothing she could have done to deserve this! On that I would stake my life if I could. Whatever I have to do to make this right, I will do it. Just stop hurting her!” Superman put his hand to his mouth and bit into his own palm. “You say I'm a monster. Well you haven't said that but you treat me like one. And I accept it. I'm not lying to you! I don't know why you hate me. Min Gud I barely know who I am. Whatever you want from me, whatever I did to you or even if I did nothing, don't make her suffer for my sins. Take your revenge on me alone. There must be something that can penetrate my iron flesh. I'll happily submit.” Lex Luthor raised an eyebrow. “You don't have anything against her, do you? I mean, she is just a means to get what you want from me. You have no reason to hurt her?” Lex didn't verbally respond but casually nodded his head. “Then let her go. You have me.” He let himself fall to his knees, bracing himself on his left wrist as he did so. Keeping his head down and his eyes to the ground. He changed the world. ”You wanted my surrender; you have it. I'll do whatever you ask, I swear it. Mr. Luthor, I implore you, take your revenge upon me alone. Don't punish anyone else. I'll do whatever you ask I swear it. Just stop hurting her!”

____ “There must be something that can penetrate my iron skin. I'll happily submit.” Lex Luthor raised an eyebrow. Superman steadily returned his gaze. “That's what you're after isn't it? You want my surrender, my...Submission. You have it.” Superman flew up to Lex Luthor and placed himself firmly on the ground at his feet. “Whatever you want from me, whatever I did to you, or even if I did nothing and you just hate me, take your revenge upon me alone.”

“That is...a most interesting proposition. However short of using Kryptonite on you__nothing will. I get you around that stuff and a normal medical needle would penetrate your skin. It's also about 30 different kinds of painful for you.”

“Then why do you not...”

“It is not the most accessible substance Superman. Being from seven galaxies away.”

“Krypton-ite. That makes sense I suppose.”

“Say it again Superman. What you said before. Say it again.”

“Mr. Luthor, I'll do whatever you want; I SWEAR it. Whatever you want from me take it from me. All I ask is that you let her go.” Superman reached up and clutched Lex's hand, almost desperately. “Please Mr. Luthor, spare her. I BEG of you.”