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"The producers of Lois & Clark did a lot of reference to my two Superman novels (Last Son of Krypton and Miracle Monday).  Other than the characterization of Luthor, and of Clark as the 'real' person instead of Superman -- which, I understand, was a change that the folks at DC specified -- the series was pretty consistent with my ideas of the character.

"I thought Dean Cain was terrific -- to my surprise and to that of the people who had first cast him as a last resort.  I even wrote an episode of the show on spec one summer.  Unfortunately, it was the summer before they did a story arc about Clark and Lois' engagement and Lois getting a long-term case of amnesia and some frog-eating illness -- and my script was inconsistent with their new direction.  The story editor I spoke with loved it and told me I'd given it to him about six months late."

- Elliot S! Maggin, from a recent interview

                                                              54.
lois & clark / "ghost"

LOIS & CLARK
"The Ghost of Superman-Future"





TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. 344 CLINTON STREET - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT

Clark's apartment building.  For a beat it's just a quiet night
in the city.  Then suddenly a WHITE LIGHT slices from the sky to
a THIRD-FLOOR WINDOW.

SFX:  There is a crash of THUNDER.

INT. CLARK'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT

CLARK sleeps.  His GLASSES sit on the night table.  He wears only
a bed sheet.  He snores lightly, floating up into the air as he
inhales and down to the bed as he exhales.

The glowing figure of OLD SUPES stands out of frame, but the
LIGHT from the figure suffuses the room from its direction.

On Clark as he sleeps.  The Light grows brighter as Old Supes'
face approaches.  Old Supes' mouth enters frame next to Clark's
ear.

                    OLD SUPES
          Hey Clark!

Clark wakes with a start, falling to his bed and grabbing for his
glasses.  He looks up to see Old Supes and we see him for the
first time too, like Scrooge glomming Marley's Ghost.

OLD SUPES is Superman, older than he is now - probably several
centuries older, but we won't deal with that can o' worms.  He's
Dean Cain in a Superman suit, made up to look about sixty.  He
has a graying beard, distinguished wrinkles and he's still built
like a Princeton Tiger.  That white glow surrounds him like an
aura.

                    OLD SUPES
          Don't worry about the glasses with me, kid.
          Never understood why they worked so long
          myself.

Clark looks at the glasses in his hand, puts them down on the
dresser.  He gives the figure a once-over with his X-RAY VISION.

                    OLD SUPES
          Ooohhh!  Tickles!

                    CLARK
          What are you?  You're ... you're not there.

                    OLD SUPES
          Very good.  I'm a hologram.  It's a nifty
          little trick you'll learn sometime.  I sent
          this image back in time from the future -
          your future.  I'm having my end of this
          conversation from memory.

                    CLARK
          What're you saying?  You're me when I'm a
          zillion years old?

                    OLD SUPES
          Watch it.  I can bench press a planet if you
          find me a strong enough bench.

                    CLARK
          Okay, it's late.  Let's buy your story.
          Why're you here ... or wherever you are?

                    OLD SUPES
          To warn you about Angela January.

                    CLARK
          Who?

                    OLD SUPES
          You'll need help.  You must not trust Angela
          January.

Clark stands up, waves a hand through the figure's mid-section.
Old Supes separates top to bottom like a ghost dissipating for a
moment then reforming and waves a finger at Clark.

                    OLD SUPES
          Are you through playing?

                    CLARK
          All right, say I do meet this Angela January
          and you are me.  Why bother to warn me?  You
          know what's going to happen.

                    OLD SUPES
          I know you'll fall for her line and you
          should know better.  I'm just here to give
          you a leg up when you come to your senses.

Old Supes begins to fade.

                    OLD SUPES
          Good luck, kid.  You'll need it.

                    CLARK
          Wait!  Do I live a long time?  Do I get
          married?  Is the world going to -

                    OLD SUPES
          Can't help you there, pal.  Give my love to
          the Good Witch of the North.

The image of Old Supes fades and the white glow surrounding him
fades a second later.  Silently mouthing the phrase, "Good Witch
of the North," Clark plops down on his bed, perplexed.

                    CLARK
          Gotta lay off that Tex-Mex.

                                                        FADE OUT.

                         END OF TEASER

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. RESIDENTIAL CITY STREET - DAY

Half a dozen COSTUMED KIDS hustle down the sidewalk and up the
stairway of a BROWNSTONE.  Conspicuous on a big windowless WALL
is the graffito: "WRITE IN", followed by the S-EMBLEM.  One of
the kids rings an INTERCOM BELL.

                    INTERCOM
               (female voice)
          Who's there?

                    KIDS
               (hollering)
          Trick or treat!

The Intercom voice CACKLES like a witch.  The kids look at each
other, then run down the steps, scared.  They run by a
CONSTRUCTION SITE shielded by plywood walls plastered all over
with CAMPAIGN POSTERS.  Several are torn down to make room for
another appearance of the handwritten "WRITE IN 'S'" legend.
There are two kinds of posters, both with pictures of white male
mayoral candidates.  One says "ELECT ELLSWORTH MAYOR" and the
other says "RE-ELECT MAYOR WHITNEY".

EXT. DAILY PLANET - DAY

LOIS, done up for Halloween as Glinda, the Good Witch of the
North, makes her way across a traffic-infested street.  She
carries a BOX large enough to contain another costume.  Here and
there are other costumed people, both adults and children.  Lois
weaves and bobs against the light, slipping between a TAXI and a
BUS.  The CABBIE leans out to yell at her.  She swats the hood of
the cab like Ratso Rizzo and brandishes her wand.

                    CABBIE
          You wanna die young?

                    LOIS
          You wanna get turned into a frog?

INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - DAY

PERRY enters from his office with a CLIP BOARD, toward Clark.

                    PERRY
          Clark, where's Lois?  I've got an assignment
          for you two.

                    CLARK
          She went off to pick something up.  Said we
          had some hot tickets tonight.

                    PERRY
          What'd she mean by that?

Clark shrugs, about to talk as Lois breezes in with her package.

                    LOIS
          Mayor Whitney's annual Halloween party.

                    PERRY
          That's my girl.  How'd you wangle an entré to
          that?

Lois plops the box down on Clark's desk, opens it and takes out a
sequined "Elvis" outfit.

                    LOIS
          An old high school friend in the mailroom at
          City Hall.

                    PERRY
          The height of a big Mayoral campaign and not
          a single reporter in town has had as much as
          a two-minute interview with either candidate
          since the summer.

                    CLARK
          Yeah, I don't get that.

                    LOIS
          Both candidates have piles of money and lots
          of television time.  They don't need us.  But
          tonight the Mayor'll get us anyway.

Perry hands Clark a BUSINESS CARD which Clark glances at, then he
looks down at his costume in the box.

                    PERRY
          Just in case Lois' plan is a washout, Clark,
          take this card.  Lady named Linnea Lambeth.
          She runs a children's shelter in the Helltown
          section and you might make a good story out
          of her.

                    CLARK
          What am I going as?  Captain Marvel Junior?

Perry reaches into the box for a pair of SIDEBURNS that he puts
to his own cheeks.

                    PERRY
          Right.  Hey I'd go with Lois myself if I
          didn't want to see what you look like in this
          outfit, son.
               (breaks into song)
          Since my baby left me ...

Clark joins Perry, mugging the body english and singing.

                    PERRY & CLARK
          ... I've found a new place to dwell;
          Down at the end of Lonely Street
          At the Heartbreak Hotel ...

Perry continues to sing.

                    CLARK
          Okay, I'll be Elvis.  Who're you?  Priscilla?

                    LOIS
          No, silly.  I'm Glinda the Good Witch of the
          North.

Clark is thunderstruck.  Lois smiles.  Perry continues his song.

EXT. DAILY PLANET - DAY

It's getting toward dusk and the rush of the after-work crowd -
both cars and pedestrians - crowding through the street.

                    LOIS (O.C.)
          Well look at it practically, Clark.  If you
          were Mayor Whitney would you want us asking
          you questions?

                    CLARK (O.C.)
          Well sure, Lois.  Part of being a responsible
          Mayor.

Clark in his Elvis outfit and Lois in her Glinda gear walk out
the revolving door onto the crowded street.

                    LOIS
          It never fails to amaze me how naive you are.

                    CLARK
          What's naive?  We're reporters and he's a
          public servant.  It's his job to talk to us.

                    LOIS
          He didn't do his job when he said he was
          going to make the city manageable.  Why do
          you think he would do it now?

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Across the street from Clark and Lois a MUGGER approaches a WOMAN
who carries a SHOULDER BAG.  In the middle of a crowded street he
sweeps by the Woman, snatching the bag off her shoulder and
running behind her through the crowd with it.  Some in the crowd
wear costumes.  In his flight, the Mugger passes a graffiti
"WRITE IN 'S'" sign chalked on a wall.

                    LOIS
          Case in point.

                    WOMAN
          Hey that's mine!  Stop him!

                    LOIS
          A daylight purse-snatching right in a crowd
          that lets it happen.
               (hollers)
          Somebody stop that guy!

As Lois watches the Mugger weave through the crowd carrying the
bag by its long strap, Clark lowers his GLASSES and shoots a thin
beam of HEAT VISION across the street ...

                    CLARK
          I don't think the Mayor is responsible for
          every little thing that goes wrong -

... which slices cleanly through both sides of the strap, causing
the bag to fall behind the Mugger who continues to run.  The
Woman makes her way back through the crowd toward ZORRO - rather,
a man in a Zorro costume - who gallantly picks up the fallen Bag
from the ground and hands it to her.

Angle on Lois and Clark.

                    CLARK
          - and besides, things have a habit of working
          out.

                    LOIS
          Clark did you see that?  He dropped it.

On Zorro handing the Woman her bag.

                    WOMAN
          Oh thank you.  Thank you so much.

                    ZORRO
          I didn't ... he just ... you're welcome.

EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAY

Lois and Clark walk by a boarded construction site with posters
of Mayor Whitney and candidate Ellsworth covering all available
space.  Spray-painted over several of the posters is the "WRITE
IN 'S'" legend.

                    LOIS
          Have you seen a cab yet?

                    CLARK
          With this transit strike on?  Forget it.  I
          thought we were walking.

                    LOIS
          You know, there're some people who've got one
          solution to the unmanageability of this city.

                    CLARK
          What's that?

Lois indicates the graffiti "WRITE IN 'S'" message on the wall.

                    LOIS
          This.

                    CLARK
          Yeah right.  Drop it all in Superman's lap.
          That'll solve everything.

                    LOIS
          I've heard worse ideas.  Like walking to this
          party.

EXT. METROPOLIS STREET - DAY

Lois and Clark walk into another fairly crowded area.  People
rush around.  There are also a few in costume.

                    CLARK
          Listen, Lois, this is a democracy where the
          people are responsible for their own
          government.  When I was a kid we had this
          state senator who -

                    LOIS
          Oh spare me the stories of cow town politics,
          Clark.  This is a serious city with serious
          problems.

                    CLARK
          Well this "Superman for Mayor" thing is just
          a bunch of kids with spray paint.  The
          election's next week.  Superman's certainly
          not interested and there's no serious effort
          to do any organizing.

Lois looks up.  So do many of the people in the street.

                    LOIS
          Really.  Well, that's not spray paint.

                    CLARK
          Whuh?

Clark looks up and so do we.  Above them, a big BILLBOARD hangs
over the city.  Two WORKMEN paste it up.  It is a big photo of
Superman.  Above him it says, "WRITE IN ..." and below him it
say, "This could be the start of something BIG".

People on the sidewalk spontaneously break into applause and
whooping.  Lois joins in.  Clark is dubious.

CUT TO

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

A nice hotel.  Scads of costumed people traipse through the room
to the elevators.  An EVENTS CALENDAR includes this item:
"WHITNEY HALLOWEEN PARTY ... Shayne Ballroom ... 7 PM".

As the partiers drift by, ANGELA comes in.  She dresses elegantly
but is almost completely covered.  She takes off her coat and hat
to reveal a knockout black witchy outfit, and a breathtaking
body.  She does not appear old or young;  rather ageless and
quite dangerously beautiful.  As she looks over the Events
Calendar, several MEN stop and gawk, WOMEN hustle them along.
One man trips and falls, unconcerned that he might be hurt as he
watches Angela.  We hear the SOUNDS of several unspecified things
falling over or breaking off-camera.

Angela smiles sweetly.

INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT

This sequence takes place on a TELEVISION SCREEN, though we do
not see that until the sequence ends.

EXT. METROPOLIS AERIAL SHOT - TV SCREEN - DAY

The city is pristine from the air, magnificent, like a sculpture.
The NARRATOR has a rich but rough-edged voice, like Ed Asner.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          Metropolis.  City of dreams.  Everyone comes
          to Metropolis.

EXT. CITY HALL - TV SCREEN - DAY (SERIES OF STILL PICTURES)

Dub in the pictures of several well-known and lesser-known people
here or look-alikes, with Mayor WHITNEY in a succession of poses.
The Mayor stands on the steps of the building greeting, shaking
hands with and/or handing a gold-plated key to the city to (1) a
herd of Boy Scouts, (2) Barbra Streisand, (3) a professional
baseball team, (4) James Earl Jones and Harrison Ford, (5) Billy
Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams with a giant symbolic
check, (6) Nelson Mandela, (7) Bill and Hillary Clinton, (8)
members of the original cast of Star Trek, (9) a group of desert-
camouflaged soldiers with a Humvee parked in front of them, and
(10) Superman;  whatever you can get cheap.  Linger on the last
picture, zooming in on a two-shot as the Narrator speaks.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          They come here to live, to shop, to do
          business.  Very often they come here just to
          be here, and to be seen with Mayor Julius
          Whitney.  Metropolis is the heart and soul of
          America and Julie Whitney is Metropolis.

EXT. METROPOLIS AERIAL SHOT - TV SCREEN - DAY

Animation sequence.  Overlay a series of futuristic additions to
the aerial shot we saw earlier.  First a network of MONORAIL
LINES appears around the city.  Then add three or four new
BUILDINGS higher and spacier than the existing ones.  Next there
is a smoothly flowing web of AERIAL ROADWAYS over which
hovercraft navigate the city.  Finally overlay the legend: "RE-
ELECT MAYOR WHITNEY".

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          As he has led us through the past eight
          years, so will Julie Whitney take the city of
          dreams into a new century.
               (aside)
          Paid for by the Whitney Re-Election
          Committee, Fiscal Agent Wayne Boring.

                    LOIS (O.C.)
          Have you ever seen such tripe?

                    CLARK (O.C.)
          What's wrong with it?

PULL BACK to show that we are in

INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT

where Clark and Lois, in costume, mill among a shoulder-to-
shoulder roomful of Halloween revellers looking at one of several
large TELEVISIONS scattered around the room showing off the
Mayor's campaign propaganda.

                    CLARK
          Morning in Metropolis.  I'd like to live in a
          city like that.

                    LOIS
          Or at least one where the subways were
          running and the garbage got picked up.

                    CLARK
          So what's your plan to get this interview
          with the Mayor?

                    LOIS
          This is it.  Come here and get the interview.

Clark looks at Lois like she's from Pluto, throws up his hands.
Lois breezes off into the crowd accosting the other party-goers.

                    LOIS
          Excuse me, have you seen the Mayor? ... Has
          Mayor Whitney arrived yet? ... Pardon me, is
          that - no ... Sir, do you know if ...

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

On the elevator.  It RINGS and the door opens.

Clark steps off the elevator, holding the Business Card that
Perry gave him earlier and rooting through the pockets of his
Elvis costume for change.  He passes the figure of Angela sitting
on a lobby chair reading a paper and of her he sees only her
legs, which he notices as he walks toward a PAY PHONE.

Angle on Angela as she folds the newspaper, smiles and walks
toward the pay phones.  A GUY behind the registration desk ogles
her.  She hands him the newspaper.

                    ANGELA
          Take care of this for me, would you?

                    GUY
          I'll guard it with my life.

Angle on Clark, talking on the pay phone, looking at the Business
Card in his hand and facing toward the wall.  The REST ROOM DOORS
are visible beyond the pay phones.

                    CLARK
          Yeah, Ms. Lambeth?  This is Clark Kent with
          the Daily Planet.  I heard about your shelter
          and my editor thought you'd make a good
          story.  I wonder if I could ...

Angela walks into frame, picks up the phone next to Clark's and
watches him intently until he notices her not breaking her gaze.

                    CLARK
          I'm just a few minutes from there now, if ...
          sure I'd love to ... My name is Kent, K-E ...
          oh thank you, I like your work too ... see
          you in a few minutes.  Just let me change.

Clark hangs up by depressing the tab and holding the receiver as
if he is going to make another call.  Angela hangs her receiver.

                    ANGELA
          I thought she'd talk forever, didn't you?

                    CLARK
          Do we know each other?

                    ANGELA
          Not yet.  My name is Angela January.

Angela extends a hand.  Clark, taken by surprise, drops the
receiver and fumbles with it.

INT. CLARK'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT

FLASHBACK SCENE.  Fuzzy around the edges to show it's taking
place in Clark's memory, the holographic image of Old Supes with
an ethereal glow floats in the room.

                    OLD SUPES
          You'll need help.  You must not trust Angela
          January.

END FLASHBACK.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

Angela leans in close to Clark.  He is at such an angle that no
one in the lobby could see him head-on except Angela.  Clark is
oddly nervous.

                    ANGELA
          I'm the best thing that ever happened to you,
          guy.

                    CLARK
          I've had some very good things happen to me.

                    ANGELA
          There've always been people like us here.
          People whose origins are elsewhere.  People
          with powers and abilities far beyond those of
          mortal men.

                    CLARK
          Excuse me?

                    ANGELA
          I'm behind it.  I'm behind it all.  The
          graffiti, the posters, the television spots
          you'll be seeing.  I've got plans.  Making
          you Mayor of this city is just a first step.

                    CLARK
          Making me ... ?  Miss January, maybe you've
          mistaken me for someone else.

                    ANGELA
          Oh, I don't think so, Elvis.  Making you
          Mayor ... making you President ... doesn't
          even start to trace the path you'll take.

Angela gives Clark a teasing kiss on the cheek.  As Clark is put
off guard by this, Angela brings a hand up to his collarbone,
slips a finger under the top of his shirt and slices downward to
rip open the shirt and reveal his "S" emblem.

For a moment Clark is dazed.  Then he shakes it off, looks down
and holds the ripped shirt together, perplexed.

                    ANGELA
          Be what you were born to be.  A god.

Clark looks around and scoots into the MEN'S ROOM.

As Angela leaves, chuckling, the eyes of the few people in the
lobby are fixed to her, no one noticing Clark dart into the Men's
Room with his emblem hanging out.

                                                        FADE OUT.

                         END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - DAY

This sequence takes place on a TELEVISION SCREEN, though we do
not see that until the sequence ends.

EXT. SCUZZY STREET SCENE - TV SCREEN - DAY

Garbage piles up along the curbs.  Tenements.  Puddles collect.
A VAGRANT or two sits on a stoop or lies by a building.  There is
no traffic, but several ratty CARS and at least one stripped HUSK
of a car are parked here.  In the distance, above the tenements,
are the gleaming TOWERS of midtown Metropolis.

The SPEAKER narrates in a conspiratorial whisper.

                    SPEAKER (O.C.)
          Is this your Metropolis?  Does the city of
          your dreams lie on an underbelly of disease,
          ignorance and poverty?

As long black LIMOUSINE rumbles toward us up the street and
passes us.

EXT. STREET TO CITY HALL - TV SCREEN - DAY

FOLLOW the Limo as it zooms away from us, under the back side of
CITY HALL looming like the Emerald City at the far end of the
poverty-laden street.

                    SPEAKER (O.C.)
          In Julius Whitney's Metropolis, poverty and
          homelessness have multiplied.  Unemployment
          is above nine percent.  Four out of five new
          businesses started in the past eight years
          have failed.  Whitney has raised city income
          taxes three times and sixteen of his
          appointees and associates have been indicted
          for corruption.

EXT. CITY HALL - TV SCREEN - DAY

ELLSWORTH in loosened tie and his jacket over his arm walks out
the main door of the building, talking amiably with three or four
officious looking SUITS that walk out with him.  As the Speaker
talks, Ellsworth skips jauntily down the steps toward the camera.

                    SPEAKER (O.C.)
          In six years on the City Council, Morton
          Ellsworth hasn't been indicted for anything.
          As Mayor, Morton Ellsworth will put his
          sterling record of honesty and integrity to
          work for a new Metropolis.

By now Ellsworth is full face in the camera.  He flips his jacket
over his shoulder as he begins to speak.

                    ELLSWORTH
          Hi.  I'm Morty Ellsworth.  Make me Mayor and
          I'll make Julius Whitney's Metropolis into
          our Metropolis again.

FREEZE FRAME on Ellsworth.  Overlay the legend: "ELLSWORTH FOR
MAYOR".

Pull back from the TV screen to show we are in

INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - DAY

General hub-bub.  It's the height of morning activity here.
Clark at his desk talks into his phone with a hand over his free
ear.  Lois types feverishly at her keyboard.  JIMMY and Perry
watch the TV fixed to a wall.

                    SPEAKER (O.C.)
               (perfunctorily)
          Paid for by Friends of Morton Ellsworth, Otto
          Binder Fiscal Agent.

                    CLARK
               (into phone)
          Sorry I didn't make it there last night, Ms.
          Lambeth.  I just got a little sidetracked.

                    PERRY
          So much for the candidate's new TV spot.

                    JIMMY
          That's a great recommendation.  We should
          vote for this guy because he's never been
          indicted.  I should run for Mayor.

Perry reaches up to flip off the TV, but he doesn't reach it yet.

                    LOIS
          His main qualification is he's not the Mayor
          now.  You should still run for Mayor.

                    CLARK
          I'll be there around lunchtime then.  Thanks.

Clark hangs up the phone and gets up to leave, but looks back at
the TV screen on which is a closeup of a color picture of George
Washington.  Perry stays his hand.

                    PERRY
          Hey what's this?

On the Television Screen.

The voice of the NARRATOR is deep and trustworthy, like James
Earl Jones or Patrick Stewart.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          George Washington.

CS. ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Black-and-white photo.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          Abraham Lincoln.

CS. DWIGHT EISENHOWER

Circa 1944 shot in his General's uniform.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          Dwight D. Eisenhower.

EXT. THE CAPITOL - DAY

Black-and-white, JOHN F. KENNEDY gives his inaugural address,
January 2, 1961.  MOS.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          John F. Kennedy.

EXT. SCHOOLYARD - DAY

KIDS play and TEACHERS oversee.  KID #1 points up at a spot in
the sky, growing as it approaches.  TEACHER #1 looks up,
unconcerned, but as TEACHER #2 and the other Kids look up, the
image grows into the approaching figure of SUPERMAN.

                    KID #1
          Look!  Up in the sky.

                    TEACHER #1
          It's a bird.
          
                    KID #2
          It's a plane.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          Remember when public servants were heroes
          too?

                    TEACHER
          It's ... it's ...

Superman lands on the schoolyard, smiling, and scads of kids and
teachers swarm around him in adulation.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          It could happen again.

FREEZE FRAME on Superman, surrounded by adoring kids.  A SUPER
materializes in the middle of the screen: "SUPERMAN FOR MAYOR".

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          This could be the start of something big.

PULL BACK to show that we are watching this on a TV in

INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - DAY

STAFFERS, including Perry, Lois and Jimmy, stand at the TV, rapt.

                    NARRATOR (O.C.)
          Angela January, Fiscal Agent.

Those gathered around the Television burst into applause.  Clark
stands by the door on the balcony of the room, watching everyone
else in the room marvel at the ad.  He is troubled.

                    JIMMY
          Wow.

The staff, all gathered at the TV screen, jabber and murmur
excitedly like the opening SFX on Jeopardy.  Clark lets loose a
breath and slips out the door.

EXT. LINNEA'S PLACE - DAY

A storefront in the raunchy Helltown section of Metropolis has
all of its front windows painted over in colorful patterns and
designs of translucent paint.  A big hand-painted sign over the
door and windows says, "LINNEA'S PLACE".

                    LINNEA (O.C.)
          We call it a children's shelter, Mr. Kent,
          but they're not all children as you can see.
          
                    CLARK  (O.C.)
          There are so many, Ms. Lambeth.

INT. LINNEA'S PLACE - MAIN ROOM - DAY

Clark and LINNEA - 50-ish and fit, a no-nonsense lady who in her
youth was probably a major point of contention - stand together
in the big open room that would be the "store" if this storefront
were a mercantile concern.  All around them are PATRONS, mostly
between 8 and 18 but not exclusively, working on one project or
another.  In one corner a group of three or four SINGERS with
headphones rehearse a performance together.  Elsewhere a young
TEACHER reads a book out loud to a circle of small CHILDREN.  At
a table six or seven TEENS play poker for pogs.  A few WATCHING
KIDS gather around a MONITOR as nearby three young ACTORS play a
scene to a CAMCORDER on a tripod.  Young PAINTERS of various
ages, as appropriate, paint pictures on different easels, from
fingerpaints to oils.  In every spare corner are STUDENTS, rapt
in their books and looseleaves.

                    LINNEA
          Call me Linnea.  Everyone does.

                    CLARK
          Then I'm Clark.  Where do they all belong?

                    LINNEA
          Here.  They belong here.

               (taking Clark's arm)
          Let me show you something, Clark.

INT. LINNEA'S PLACE - PLAYROOM - DAY

A YOUNG TEACHER uses FLASHCARDS to help teach RUSSELL, 7, to
read.  The room is smaller and quieter than the Main Room,
outfitted with SCHOOL DESKS, a BLACKBOARD, some TOYS and
DECORATIONS on the walls reminiscent of an early elementary
grades classroom:  alphabets, pictures of the Presidents, current
events, that sort of thing.

                    YOUNG TEACHER
          What's this one?

                    RUSSELL
          I don't know.

                    YOUNG TEACHER
          You did a minute ago.

                    RUSSELL
          Lion?
          
                    YOUNG TEACHER
          So you do know.

As the Young Teacher and Russell speak quietly we PULL BACK to
show that there are four or five other teacher/kid PAIRS in the
room and Clark and Linnea stand near the door quietly.

                    YOUNG TEACHER
          How about this one?

                    LINNEA
          Russell over there is autistic.  He was
          diagnosed only after he came here four weeks
          ago.  His teachers just assumed he was dull.

                    CLARK
          Came here from where?

                    LINNEA
          Oh, home.  Or what passes for it.  Took him
          three days to start speaking, longer to start
          reading.

                    CLARK
          And where do they go next?

                    LINNEA
          That's the problem.  If I were in charge of
          things Russell's mother would move into a
          safe house with him and get special training
          that would not only allow her to help raise
          her son, but would train her to work as a
          teacher's aide for special needs kids.

                    CLARK
          Ambitious.

                    LINNEA
          I've got more.

INT. LINNEA'S PLACE - MAIN ROOM - DAY

On the PAINTERS.  Among them one big boy, TYSON works on a very
detailed and ambitious canvass in oils.

                    LINNEA (O.C.)
          Junie, the little one over there, is dyslexic
          but very bright.  Nobody diagnosed her before
          she came here.  Tyson, the big boy working
          with oils, never had an art lesson in his
          life, or a music lesson for that matter, but
          he plays piano like an angel and paints, well
          ... like that.

On the SINGERS.

                    LINNEA (O.C.)
          We got Aurelia there an operation on her
          appendix that probably saved her life.

On Linnea, pointing variously around the room.  Clark has a
NOTEPAD in one hand, motions for her to slow down.

                    LINNEA
          Frankie over there was living with an aunt
          and uncle who moved without a forwarding
          address.  And if I were in charge Jillian
          here would get a -

                    CLARK
          You keep saying if you were in charge,
          Linnea.  Why don't you run for City Council
          or something?

                    LINNEA
          My dear Clark, I've been on the ballot for
          Mayor for the past twelve years.

Clark reacts, startled.

EXT. METROPOLIS - HELLTOWN STREET - DAY

On the roof of the highest TENEMENT in the neighborhood stands a
single figure looking out over the neighborhood.  Visible
somewhere is a big "Write-in Superman" billboard.  Gradually ZOOM
on the figure so we see that it's Angela.  She looks great with
clothes billowing in the wind and a distant look in her eyes.

Clark and Linnea's conversation continues out of frame.

                    CLARK (O.C.)
          Excuse me?  On the ballot?

                    LINNEA (O.C.)
          Sure.  Every election the kids and the people
          in the neighborhood go out and get signatures
          and I'm one of those names on the ballot no
          one ever notices.

                    CLARK (O.C.)
          Do you campaign?

Angela gracefully dives off the roof and falls out of frame.

                    LINNEA (O.C.)
          Heavens no, I don't have the money for that.
          But I've carried this part of town the last
          three elections.

INT. LINNEA'S PLACE - MAIN ROOM - DAY

Linnea walks Clark to the door and opens it.  He walks out.

                    CLARK
          The mayor of Helltown.

                    LINNEA
          Nice title.  Hi to your editor for me, Clark,
          and call if you need to know anything else.

EXT. LINNEA'S PLACE - DAY

Clark comes out the door.  Linnea stands with him for a moment as
Angela officiously walks up to him on the street, taking his arm.

                    CLARK
          Will do.  Good lu-

                    ANGELA
          Clark, we've been looking all over for you.

                    CLARK
          Uhh ...

                    ANGELA
          There's a holdup in the Bronx, Brooklyn's
          breaking out in fights.  There's a traffic
          jam in Harlem that's backed up to Jackson
          Heights ...

                    LINNEA
          Back to work.

Linnea smiles and disappears back into her storefront as Angela
hustles Clark down the sidewalk.

                    ANGELA
          ... and I've got to show you something.  What
          should I call you, Superman?  Kal-El?

As Clark talks, Angela's stride becomes flight.  She lifts off
the ground, holding tightly onto Clark's arm.

                    CLARK
          Clark's fine.  You're flying.  Who are you?

                    ANGELA
          I told you.  Angela January, the best thing
          that ever happened to you.  You'll need your
          work clothes.

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - DAY

A small park in the business section of town, sort of like the
Steve Ross memorial on the Warner lot.  Give it slate or marble
sheet walls in tall narrow panels that Superman can use for a
rescue later.  A CROWD of people rally good-naturedly, some with
signs that say things like, "SUPERMAN FOR MAYOR" and "VOTE SMART
- VOTE SUPER" and "THE START OF SOMETHING BIG" and "A MAN OF
TOMORROW FOR TOMORROW'S METROPOLIS".

LOIS talks to demonstrators and JIMMY snaps photos of the crowd.
A WMET News CAMERA CREW debark from a NEWSVAN as Lois talks.

                    CROWD
          Write in Superman!
          Write in Superman!
          Write in Superman!

                    LOIS
          Excuse me, but who organized this rally?

                    SIGN CARRIER #1
          Who knows?  Not me.

                    LOIS
          Well did all you people just materialize here
          with printed signs and press releases?

                    SIGN CARRIER #2
          I got the word on my computer at work.  The
          screen just lit up saying "Pro-Superman rally
          at Vest Pocket Park noon today," so I came.

                    LOIS
          That's how I found out about it.  I thought
          it was an e-mail from my editor.

                    SIGN CARRIER #2
          Yeah me too.  Then I realized my computer's
          not hooked up to a network.

Lois thinks about that, then looks suddenly startled as we

CUT TO

EXT. THE SKY - DAY

Floating among the clouds are Angela and Superman.

                    SUPERMAN
          Why mayor?  Why me?

                    ANGELA
          Who better?  There are more of us, Clark.
          People like you and me.  Some fly.  Some cast
          spells.  Some run faster than lightning.
          We've always been here.  And once, we ruled.

                    SUPERMAN
          Ruled?

                    ANGELA
          My grandfather lived on Mount Olympus in the
          Aegean ten thousand years ago.  He and his
          family gave men fire ... the wheel ...
          created civilization.  Then men spurned them.

                    SUPERMAN
          Olympus?  Zeus and the Greek gods?  Angela,
          how old are you?

                    ANGELA
          How old do you think you'll get?  There
          aren't any "natural causes" to stop you.  See
          them down there, demonstrating, worshipping
          you?  Why don't you make an appearance?

                    SUPERMAN
          I'm not running for anything.  Why should I
          encourage that?

                    ANGELA
          I don't know.  But what would you do ...

Angela extends a hand downward and energy beams shoot out her
fingertips - like x-ray vision only a different color.

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - DAY

Lois, Jimmy and the Camera Crew mingle among the growing crowd.
The thin BEAMS of light shoot down from the sky, hit the ground
and kick up big shards of park flooring like it's dust.

                    ANGELA (O.C.)
          ... if, say, a water main were to burst?

From under the busted flooring of the park a two-foot-diameter
length of metal PIPING rears up from underground like a huge
spitting cobra, to spray a deluge of water under enormous
pressure all over the area, knocking people into walls and each
other, spattering Lois and Jimmy like flies by a cow's tail.

Superman flashes down from the sky.  He yanks the tall stone
panels out of the wall of the park and quickly pokes them side-by-
side into the ground around the spewing pipe to wall in the rush
of water.  Within this barrier the water begins to rise.

Outside the wall the water begins to flow into the streets and
sewers.  Superman helps a soaking wet Lois to her feet.  Jimmy,
nearby, climbs to his feet by grabbing Superman's arm.

                    SUPERMAN
          Sudden storm, Lois?

                    LOIS
          Superman.  Boy am I glad to see you!

As Jimmy is about to drop his camera in the ebbing water Superman
grabs for it at super-speed and hands it to Jimmy.  Superman
gestures toward another MAN who seems rattled.

                    JIMMY
          Gee thanks, Superman.

                    SUPERMAN
          Is that man all right.

                    MAN
          I'm fine, Mr. Mayor.

Superman leaps behind the wall he made to contain the quickly
rising water of the still spewing pipe and we are suddenly

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - UNDERWATER - DAY

in the area contained by the makeshift wall.  Superman squeezes
shut the spouting mouth of the exposed pipe, keeping any more
water from shooting out, and then he shoots upward.

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - SKY ABOVE - DAY

Superman flies in tight concentric circle directly above the
"tank" of water he has made with his makeshift wall, drawing the
water in it upward into the sky in a tall narrow funnel.

On the ground Lois, Jimmy (who snaps away), the camera crew (who
are filming) and the erstwhile demonstrators all watch, bracing
themselves from the backdraft of the wind Superman whips up.

Superman rises in the sky, still spinning, the funnel of water
following him upward.  When he is as high as the roofs of nearby
buildings he stops spinning with his water and flies out of his
pattern onto a convenient roof.

EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY

The big funnel of water, no longer rising, hangs for a moment
suspended over the city as Superman, soaking wet, stands on the
roof and focusses his heat vision in a wide beam below it.

As the funnel falls, it tumbles into the beam of heat vision and,
rather than raining down on the city below, the water steams up
as it hits the heat, dissipating into the sky.

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - DAY

All those watching stand dumbfounded, agape for a moment, then a
WOMAN says, just above a whisper ...

                    WOMAN
          Write in Superman.

... and gradually, one at a time, everyone but the reporters
joins in until the whisper becomes a chant, then a roar ...

                    GATHERING CROWD
          Write in Superman.
          Write in Superman.
          Write in Superman.
          Write in Superman.

EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY

Superman watches the cloud of steam rise into the sky and we
continue to hear the rising refrain from the crowd below.

Behind Superman, from out of the sky, Angela lands lightly.
Superman speaks to her angrily, without turning.

                    SUPERMAN
          Angela, why on Earth would you do that?  Are
          you out of your mind?

                    ANGELA
          Yes I am ...

Angela touches the backs of Superman's shoulders, spins him
around, and just before she locks her lips on his she says ...

                    ANGELA
          ... over you.

EXT. VEST POCKET PARK - DAY

The crowd continue their chant.  Jimmy snaps pictures.  The
camera crew is in the shot.  Lois shrugs and joins the chant.

                    LOIS
          Oh what the heck?  Write in Superman.  Write
          in Super -

One of the crew points up into the sky as the Cameraman points
his camera upward too.  Lois looks up, stops her chant as the
crowd continues.  Her expression is suddenly downcast.

EXT. SKY ABOVE METROPOLIS - DAY

Superman and Angela, in an intense clinch, rise high in the sky,
kissing.  Eventually they disappear into a cloud.

There is a flash of lightning and then a clap of thunder.

                                                        FADE OUT.

                         END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

This sequence takes place on a TELEVISION SCREEN, though we do
not see that until the sequence ends.

EXT. COUNTRY VILLAGE HALL - DAY

A bleak wintry scene in the crowded parking lot of a rustic New
Hampshire municipal building as a PICKUP TRUCK with snow chains
skids into a space amid the slush and drifting snow.  TWO VOTERS,
bundled in coats and scarves, get out of the Pickup to stand in a
line of PEOPLE that extends out the front door of the building.

Voice-over is that of WAYNE KING, the Governor of New Hampshire.

                    WAYNE (O.C.)
          Every four years, in the dead of a North
          Country winter, we New Hampshire voters cast
          the first ballots in the nation for the next
          President of the United States.

INT. COUNTRY VILLAGE HALL - DAY

A hand-ballot voting operation is in progress.  TWO LINES of
people go into two VOTING BOOTHS, one marked "DEMOCRATIC" and the
other marked "REPUBLICAN." A THIRD LINE of people wait at a TABLE
to get their names checked off by TWO SUPERVISORS.  Off to the
side, a few JOCULAR FOLKS consume COFFEE and DOUGHNUTS.

                    WAYNE (O.C.)
          Now we hear that Superman is a write-in
          candidate to be Mayor of Metropolis.

EXT. NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE HOUSE - DAY

Wayne King, in shirt and tie with a jacket slung over his
shoulder, stands in front of the gold-domed building.

                    WAYNE
          I'm Wayne King, the Governor of New
          Hampshire.  Folks up this way have a long
          history of getting there first.

Wayne begins to undo his TIE and unbutton his SHIRT.

                    WAYNE
          That's why the people of New Hampshire are
          jealous of the people of Metropolis this
          year.

Wayne opens his shirt to reveal a Superman "S-emblem" underneath.

ZOOM on the S-emblem and overlay the SUPER: "SUPERMAN FOR MAYOR".

                    WAYNE
          This could be the start of something big.

CUT TO

EXT. CITY HALL - DAY

JEFF GREENFIELD, the ABC News media reporter does a standup with
a microphone in hand on the steps of the old marble building.

                    GREENFIELD
          It's ads like that, paid for by an unknown
          independent operation going under the
          mysterious name of 'Angela January,' that are
          driving the major candidates for Mayor of
          Metropolis positively bonkers.  The latest
          ABC News running poll shows Councilman
          Ellsworth and Mayor Whitney neck-in-neck ...

INSERT the appended GRAPHIC for three seconds as Greenfield
continues.

                    GREENFIELD
          ... with undeclared write-in candidate
          Superman showing sudden super-strength the
          past week.  So much so that with just days
          before the election ...

Back on Greenfield's standup.  Pull back to show the television
set on which we are watching this in the course of the next line.

                    GREENFIELD
          ...the two official candidates - who have
          virtually no issue but personalities, or lack
          of them, separating them - have agreed to
          stage their first public debate, and one of
          their few public appearances, of the
          campaign.  What will they debate about?  Who
          knows?  Peter?

Show we are watching this in

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

MARTHA sits on an easy chair doing a crossword, smiling and
shaking her head at the TV screen for a moment.

                    MARTHA
               (calls)
          Jonathan?

Martha picks up her REMOTE and flips the television off.

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT

JONATHAN is deeply involved - roughly up to his elbows, as it
happens - in mixing together a big vat of chili on the stove.
Martha is out of frame.

                    MARTHA (O.C.)
          Jonathan!  What's a word meaning
          'deliberately, for dolphins?'

                    JONATHAN
          What's that?

EXT. AMERICA - NIGHT

RUNNING SHOT at super-speed of the countryside between Metropolis
and Smallville.

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Martha scrunches in her easy chair doing her crossword.

                    MARTHA
          It says 'deliberately, for dolphins.'

EXT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - PORCH - NIGHT

A flash of RED ruffles at the edge of the frame in front of the
door and then Clark walks into frame to open the door.

                    MARTHA (O.C.)
          Thirteen letters.  Starts with a ...

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Martha continues to wrestle with her crossword.  Clark walks in
the front door and Martha gets up to hug him.

                    CLARK
          How about 'porpoisefully?'

                    MARTHA
          Clark!  My son the Mayor.

                    CLARK
          Oh not you too.  Does it work?
          
                    MARTHA
          What?

Clark points at the newspaper.  Martha looks at it.

                    MARTHA
          Porpoisefully.  It fits.  Jonathan, our son
          the genius is home.

Jonathan, grinning, hustles out from the kitchen with his hands
full of red chili sauce.

                    JONATHAN
          Great.  Just in time for a bowlful of my
          special chili.

Clark looks at Martha with a rueful expression and she looks back
with a "don't-you-dare-hurt-your-father's-feelings" expression.

                    CLARK
          Great.

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Clark, Jonathan and Martha sit at the table eating chili and
bread and drinking big glasses of fruit juice.

                    JONATHAN
          So what's the story, son?  It's all over the
          news that you're the next Mayor of
          Metropolis.  Is it true?

                    CLARK
          I don't want to be Mayor.  That's not what I
          do.  It's just this ...

                    MARTHA
          This what, Clark?

                    CLARK
          This girl.

                    MARTHA
          A girl?  What girl?

                    CLARK
          Her name's Angela January.  She's the one
          who's been fronting the money for the
          campaign to make me Mayor.

                    JONATHAN
          Here.  Have more chili.
          
                    CLARK
          Thanks Dad.

                    MARTHA
          Just one person?  Where does her money come
          from?

                    CLARK
          Oh I don't know.  Squeezing coal into
          diamonds.  Flying people to Europe in a bus
          for the air fare.  Money's the easy part.

                    JONATHAN
          What do you mean?  She's ...

                    CLARK
          Like me.

                    MARTHA
          She's ... like you?  She's from Krypton?

EXT. SKY OVER SMALLVILLE - NIGHT

High above the Kents' farmhouse a point of light grows in the
sky.  As it comes closer we see that it is Angela, approaching
the house.  She swoops silently to take a seat on the eave over
the front door.

                    CLARK (O.C.)
          No, I think she's from here.  Maybe her
          ancestors were from somewhere like Krypton.
          But I think she's from here.  Maybe I'm not
          such a freak.

INT. KENTS' FARMHOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Clark wolfs down his bowl of chili as he talks with his parents.

                    MARTHA
          Oh Clark, we've talked about that.

                    CLARK
          No no, Mom, it's not that.  It's her.  I
          can't stop looking at her.  I mean she's
          different from anyone else I've ever met.
          She's the only person I don't have to put on
          a pair of glasses to get her to treat me as
          an equal.

                    MARTHA
          And what about Lois?

Clark looks at Martha for a moment as though he doesn't recognize
the name.

                    CLARK
          Lois?  Lois.

                    JONATHAN
          Here son.  What you need is some more chili.

EXT. KENTS' HOUSE - NIGHT

Angela gets to her feet on the roof as we hear Clark leaving.

                    MARTHA (O.C.)
               (muffled)
          Now you take care, son.

                    JONATHAN (O.C.)
               (muffled)
          I'm sure you'll do what's right.

We hear the door close.  From Angela's POV we see Clark, undoing
his shirt, stepping clear of the house about to change into
costume.  She stands provocatively on the roof calling to him.

                    ANGELA
          Hey flyboy.  Want to come out and play?

Clark, partially costumed, turns toward Angela and smiles.

INT. DAILY PLANET - CITY ROOM - DAY

Perry storms out of his office waving a copy of the Daily Star.

                    PERRY
          Lois.  Lois!  Jimmy!  Clark!

Lois slumps at her desk with a pencil in her mouth, mussed hair,
unkempt clothing and running makeup.  She plays it more pissed
than upset.  Jimmy pops his head in from the copying room.  A
COMPUTER sits either on Lois' desk or somewhere else visible.

                    JIMMY
          Yeah Chief.

                    LOIS
          Huh?

                    PERRY
          Lois, you look like a bucket of warm spit.

                    LOIS
          I love you too, Perry.

Out an office WINDOW a silent red-and-blue streak through the sky
approaches the building.

                    PERRY
          We're running a full court press on this
          Superman-for-Mayor thing before the most
          respected newspaper in town becomes the
          poorest.  Where's Clark?  He ought to be in
          on this.

Clark, chipper as a beaver, pokes a head through the door, then
enters the city room.

                    CLARK
          Sorry I'm late.  Long night.  Hi Lois, are
          you all right?

                    LOIS
          Yeah I'm great.

                    PERRY
          Have you seen the Star?

                    CLARK
          The Star.  Oh, the Daily Star.  The
          competition.  Never miss it.  Except today.
          Why?

                    PERRY
          Look at this cover.  Somebody there got a
          shot of Superman running around town with
          some mystery woman.

Lois winces.  Clark looks embarrassed and Jimmy intrigued.

Perry shows them the cover of the Star which shows a telephoto
shot of Superman flying through a fireworks display over a
stadium hand-in-hand with Angela, both grinning.  There's also a
blowup face inset of Angela in a frame shaped like a heart.  The
headline says:  "SUPER-FIREWORKS:  WHO IS THE MAN OF STEEL'S NEW
FLAME?"

                    PERRY
          Kids, we've been missing stories right and
          left on this election thing.  We've been
          assuming it's just kids with spray cans and
          we could wake up Wednesday morning with a
          flying Mayor.

Jimmy looks over the newspaper, marvelling.

                    JIMMY
          What a babe.

Lois shoots Jimmy a poisonous look.  He looks contrite.

                    LOIS
               (to Clark)
          What're you so happy about?

                    CLARK
          Sorry.  Don't know what came over me.

                    PERRY
          That's this morning's Star.  And here's this
          morning's Planet.

Perry picks up a copy of the Daily Planet and hands it to Jimmy.
Lois and Clark look over his shoulder at the paper.  The biggest
headline says: "CANDIDATES CAN'T AGREE TO DEBATE RULES" and there
are stock head shots of Whitney and Ellsworth.  Down below the
fold is a photo of Linnea with an article by Clark Kent
headlined: "LINNEA LAMBETH UNOFFICIAL MAYOR OF HELLTOWN HAS
PRESCRIPTION FOR METROPOLIS".

                    PERRY
          Anything strike you about the difference?

                    JIMMY
          Well I'd sooner pick up the Star.  Is that
          what you're getting at, Chief?

                    CLARK
          I don't know.  There's this article by Clark
          Kent on the front page of the Planet.  I hear
          he's good.

                    PERRY
          And it's a darn good article too.  Too bad
          it's about nothing anybody wants to read
          about.

                    LOIS
          Nobody wants to read about anything, Perry.
          We're in a dying industry in a culture all
          wrapped up in telejournalism and video games.
          In a hundred years we'll all be dead anyway.

Perry, Clark and Jimmy stare quizzically at Lois for a moment.
Jimmy holds up the front page of the Star with Superman and
Angela on it and Perry nods knowingly.

Then the Computer on Lois' desk beeps, followed likewise by every
computer and word processor in the room.

                    PERRY
          What's that about?

                    JIMMY
          A message.

On the computer monitor is a starburst shape overlaying the word
processing information behind.  On the starburst is the message
that Clark reads out loud.

                    CLARK
          News conference on Superman's Mayoral
          campaign - City Square outdoors - 10:30 AM
          this morning - Be there!

                    PERRY
          Okay kids.  That's eighteen minutes from now
          and ten minutes away by cab.  Get moving.

Jimmy scrambles his camera and heads for the door.  Lois lets a
deep breath, takes her shoulder bag and gets up.  Clark pauses.

                    CLARK
          Wait a minute, Perry.  Do you think this is
          on the level?

                    PERRY
          Clark, we've got access codes protecting our
          computers from crank messages like this, if
          it is a crank message.  I just know that
          whoever sent it to us probably got into every
          news bureau in town.

                    CLARK
          You've got a point.  Coming Lois?

                    LOIS
          I'll catch up.

Clark goes for the door.  Lois walks to the side of the exit
toward a hallway.

INT. DAILY PLANET - INTERIOR HALLWAY - DAY

Lois walks quickly toward a room marked "WOMEN".  Alone, she
begins to cry.  As she reaches out her hand to push open the door
there is a quick WHOOSHING noise and Superman steps between Lois
and the door.

                    SUPERMAN
          Lois?

                    LOIS
          Oh.  You.  Hello.  Sorry, I've got something
          in my eye.  What is it?

Superman scans Lois' eyes with MICROSCOPIC VISION.

                    SUPERMAN
          Well your tear ducts are irritated from -

                    LOIS
          No, I mean what is this?  Why are you here?

                    SUPERMAN
          I just wanted to see a friend.

                    LOIS
          A friend?

                    SUPERMAN
          Yes.  You see I have to make a decision.
          Maybe a few important decisions about the
          direction of my life.  And I wondered if -

                    LOIS
          The direction of your life?

                    SUPERMAN
          Yes.  I have a life.

                    LOIS
          Well ding-ding for you, friend.  It'd be
          nice, if we're such good friends, if you let
          me in on your life a little.

                    SUPERMAN
          I do.

                    LOIS
          You do?  You show up when I'm about to fall
          off a building.  I might as well be your
          puppy.

                    SUPERMAN
          I just thought you were my -

                    LOIS
          Friend?  Well I have a job, friend.  I'm
          supposed to go to some press conference you
          supposedly scheduled, friend.
          
                    SUPERMAN
          I'm not having any press conference.  I -

                    LOIS
          Well then I'll find that out with all the
          other egg-on-their-faces journalists who turn
          up, won't I?

                    SUPERMAN
          I'm sorry to bother you at work, Lois.  I'll
          talk to you another time.

Superman turns to leave, but Lois puts a hand on his shoulder.
He turns around, and she lays a kiss on his lips that is, if
anything, even steamier than the first kiss from Angela.

Lois lets go of him and scurries into the Women's Room.  Superman
seems positively dazed for a moment.  He is about to push open
the door of the Women's Room, but thinks better of it.  He just
leans on the wall for a moment.

                                                        FADE OUT.

                        END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

EXT. CITY HALL - CITY SQUARE - DAY

Several dozen CHAIRS stand on the Square in the intersection in
front of City Hall and as many REPORTERS mill around among them,
including Clark, Lois and Jimmy.  A PODIUM with a MICROPHONE
stands in front of the chairs and TWO CAMERA CREWS set up their
respective EQUIPMENT in the back of the chairs to tape the
conference.  Lots of milling around.  Lois is the only one
sitting, slumped and bothered in a chair on the center aisle.  As
Jimmy and Clark stand in the aisle talking, other men among the
group of Reporters look up, out of frame and behind Clark.  They
drop what they're doing and gawk.

                    JIMMY
          You really think Superman'll show up to this
          thing?

                    CLARK
          Anything's possible.

               (to Lois)
          Lois you really should get out more.

Lois grunts.

                    JIMMY
          Don't worry about her, Clark.  She'll snap
          out of it the next time she smells a story
          about some disaster or ...

Jimmy trails off, watching the figure of Angela approach up the
center aisle.

Angela walks into frame, holding the blank stare of every man on
the square and slowing some traffic as it goes by too.

                    JIMMY
          That's her.  Wow.

                    CLARK
          Who?

As Angela brushes by behind Clark he jumps as if she goosed him.

                    JIMMY
          The girl who was seen with Superman.  Is she
          the campaign manager?

Clark shrugs.  Reporters take their seats.  Clark sits with
Jimmy, on the aisle in the row behind Lois.  Angela stands at the
podium.

                    ANGELA
          I see I've got your attention.

                    JIMMY
          I'll say.

                    ANGELA
          My name is Angela January, the fiscal agent
          of the campaign to elect Superman Mayor of
          Metropolis.  Superman is elsewhere on
          pressing business ...

As Angela speaks she gestures oddly in the direction of passing
traffic, as if willing something to happen there.

                    ANGELA
          ... but he's authorized me to tell you that
          if the people of Metropolis decide tomorrow,
          Election Day, that they want him to be their
          Mayor ...

EXT. CITY HALL - STREET NEXT TO CITY SQUARE - DAY

Cars move slowly as they go by this scene, but a transparent RAY
comes from Angela's direction to hit and boil for a moment on the
surface of the hood of a LARGE CAR.

                    ANGELA (O.C.)
          ... then he's willing and able to -

The Large Car skids out of its DRIVER's control, up the curb of
the Square beside Angela, careening at the crowd of seated
reporters.

EXT. CITY HALL - CITY SQUARE - DAY

BEGIN SLOW-MOTION.

On some Reporters, startled.

On Angela, smiling slightly.

On Lois and Jimmy, looking up, alarmed.

On the Large Car advancing across the square and its helpless
DRIVER spinning the wheel to no effect.

Next to Jimmy, Clark steps out of the row into the aisle, loosens
his tie and while all eyes are on the accident-to-be Clark fades
in a blur of super-speed, seeming to vanish.

On the crowd of Reporters trying hopelessly to get out of their
seats and out of the way of the oncoming Large Car as ...

Superman swoops out of the sky to interpose himself between the
Large Car and the people.

END SLOW-MOTION.

The car crashes spectacularly against Superman.  Through the
shattering window, a driver-side AIRBAG is visible cushioning the
Driver.  Metal twists;  glass breaks;  the crisis is averted.

Scattered over the Square are Reporters, Camera Equipment and
toppled Chairs in random states of disarray.  Only Angela, cool
and composed at the undisturbed podium, and Lois, slumped and
unconcerned in her chair, are unaffected by the chaos.

Slowly, the Reporters get up, brush themselves off and reacquire
their composure.  Superman tears open the side of the wrecked
Large Car and helps the Driver out.

                    SUPERMAN
          Are you all right?

                    DRIVER
          I'm fine, yes.  Will it explode or anything?

                    SUPERMAN
          No, but I'm afraid it's just a pile of
          twisted slag.  Here let me introduce you to
          someone.

Superman walks the Driver over to Angela.  Reporters gather
around, including Jimmy who snaps pictures.

                    ANGELA
          How nice that you could come, Mr. Mayor.

                    SUPERMAN
          Sir, this woman goes by the name of Angela
          January.  She is extremely rich.  She'll
          replace your car.

                    DRIVER
          Thank you.

                    ANGELA
          I won't do anything of the sort.  We're gods,
          not servants.

All the Reporters - even Lois who wanders over, mildly interested
in the proceeding - listen and most take notes or pictures.

                    SUPERMAN
          You don't have a clue, Angela.  We're people.
          Just people.  And like everyone, we're
          responsible for ourselves.  A woman your age
          should have learned that by now.

Angela gets all huffy.

                    REPORTER #1
          Superman, what will be the first thing you do
          as Mayor?

                    REPORTER #2
          How will you deal with the transit strike?

                    REPORTER #3
          Do you support the Governor's crime bill?

                    REPORTER #4
          Will you seek higher office?

                    SUPERMAN
          No.  No.  No.  No.  I'm not going to be
          Mayor.  If the people of this city display
          the bad judgment to vote for me I will not
          serve.

The reporters react, startled.

                    ANGELA
          Now he certainly doesn't mean that.  Ladies
          and gentlemen, I -

                    SUPERMAN
          Angela, shouldn't you be shopping for a very
          expensive car by now?

Angela is startled and rebuffed.  Superman continues speaking
into the cameras.

                    SUPERMAN
          I apologize for my delay in telling you all
          this, but I just got a little preoccupied.
          I'll be voting tomorrow for one of the three
          major candidates for Mayor and I hope you all
          will too.

                    REPORTER #1
          Three candidates?  You mean two.

                    SUPERMAN
          No, three.  Mayor Whitney, Councilman
          Ellsworth and Ms. Linnea Lambeth.

Reporters chatter, perplexed, among each other.

                    REPORTER #2
          Who's Linnea Lambeth?

                    JIMMY
          Check her out in today's Planet.  She has a
          children's shelter in Helltown.  She always
          runs for Mayor.

                    REPORTER #3
          He seems to think she's a real candidate.

                    REPORTER #4
          Sir, are you endorsing this Linnea Lambeth?

Superman ignores the question;  walks among the Reporters to
Lois.

                    SUPERMAN
          Lois, I understand you were especially upset
          by all this.  I hope you accept my apology.

                    LOIS
          Huh?  I ...

Superman takes Lois's hand and kisses it.  Then he flies away.

Lois stands there, a little dazed.  The Reporters begin to gather
up their belongings and scatter.  Jimmy walks over to Lois and
Clark also walks in from out of frame, dusting off his clothes as
though he was hunkered down somewhere.

                    JIMMY
          I think he likes you.

                    LOIS
          What?
          
                    CLARK
          Are you feeling better now, Lois?

                    LOIS
          Me?  I'm fine.  Why wouldn't I be fine?
          Let's flag down a cab.  You guys take that
          side, I'll go over here.

AERIAL SHOT

The POV pulls up to show the Square as Lois, Jimmy and Clark pile
into a cab and roll away, and the only people left on the Square
are the forlorn Angela and the Driver, next to the car wreck.
The driver pulls a WALLET out of his pocket.

                    DRIVER
          Here's my car registration.  When do we go
          shopping?  I'm free this afternoon.

INT. METROPOLIS POLLING PLACE - DAY

It's a school auditorium or a church hallway somewhere.  Voters
line up to go into voting machines.  The turnout is heavy.

INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY'S OFFICE - NIGHT

There is a big wheeled BLACKBOARD in the room marked up with a
chart - like the accompanying graphic - with the names "WHITNEY",
"ELLSWORTH", "LAMBETH", "OTHER" and "WRITE-IN" down the left and
numbers of precincts across the top.  Perry stands at the board
with PHONE scrunched against one ear and CHALK and an ERASER in
his hands, changing numbers in the chart as he talks.

Jimmy is also in the room, talking on another PHONE at Perry's
desk with a hand over his free ear.

                    PERRY
          You heading out of there soon, Clark?

                    JIMMY
          Finals for precinct four are in, Chief.
          Linnea's walking away with it.  Twenty-two
          thousand for Ellsworth ...

With the phone still at his ear Perry erases and replaces numbers
in the column marked "4" as Jimmy calls them out.

                    JIMMY
          ... Eighteen-six for the Mayor; sixty-seven
          thousand for Lambeth; Other gets -

                    PERRY
          Jimmy, write it down.  I'm on a call here.

                    JIMMY
          Oh.  Sorry, Chief.

                    PERRY
          What's it look like, Clark?

INT. ELLSWORTH HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

In a big hotel ballroom Clark sits on the PLATFORM at the front
of the mostly empty room, dangling his legs and talking on one of
several desk phones scattered on the platform around a podium.
There is a big tattered "ELLSWORTH FOR MAYOR" sign hanging behind
the podium by just one corner.  Campaign paraphernalia peppers
the room.

                    CLARK
          It's pretty deserted at Ellsworth
          headquarters, Perry.  A few reporters
          sniffing around for color but the party
          fizzled early.

INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Perry tosses Jimmy the receiver and fills numbers on the board.

                    PERRY
          You get on over to Linnea's Place, Clark.
          She's our story.

               (to Jimmy)
          Here Jimmy.  See if you can scare up Lois at
          the Mayor's do.

                    JIMMY
          Sure Chief.

INT. WHITNEY HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

CS. Julius Whitney, standing in front of a big American flag,
gives a rousing speech.

As he speaks, pull back slowly to show a similar hotel ballroom,
distinguishable from the other for being a different color.

                    WHITNEY
          ... and when the final vote comes in
          Metropolis will wake up ...

Pulling back, we see that Whitney is being watched by two or
three shoulder-held TELEVISION CAMERAS and half a dozen
JOURNALISTS, slumped in chairs with their notebooks, but the room
is big and empty of campaign partiers.

                    WHITNEY
          ... to find to its delight that it has again
          elected the Mayor whose experience has
          brought it unprecedented growth ...

‘Way in the back of the largely empty room Lois stands talking
into a PAY PHONE as Whitney drones on.

                    LOIS
          It's a morgue here, Perry, and the Mayor
          won't admit he's lost.  At Linnea's Place in
          Helltown?  Sure, I'll meet you there.

                    WHITNEY
          ... and safety, and that the Whitney
          administration will continue to lead
          Metropolis into the twenty-first century ...

INT. LINNEA'S PLACE - TELEVISION SCREEN - NIGHT

The TV screen fills our screen with the image of Superman and the
Reporters in City Square beside a livid Angela.

                    SUPERMAN
               (television)
          I'll be voting tomorrow for one of the three
          major candidates for Mayor and I hope you all
          will too.

                    REPORTER #1
               (television)
          Three candidates?  You mean two.

                    SUPERMAN
               (television)
          No, three.  Mayor Whitney, Councilman
          Ellsworth and Ms. Linnea Lambeth.

The image continues without sound as Superman walks among the
Reporters toward Lois.  The NEWS ANCHOR begins as a voice-over.

                    NEWS ANCHOR (O.C.)
               (television)
          That was yesterday, when Superman, taking
          himself out of the running for Mayor of
          Metropolis, said he considered an unknown
          social worker one of the significant
          candidates for the office ...

The image on the screen changes to that of the News Anchor,
sitting at a desk in front of an electronic TOTE BOARD displaying
similar information to that on the chart back in Perry's office.

                    NEWS ANCHOR
               (television)
          ... and today, it seems, the people of
          Metropolis have overwhelmingly elected that
          social worker, Linnea Lambeth, their Mayor.

Pull back from the television screen to show that we are in the
storefront, watching this with a huge elbow-to-thigh crowd of
newsmen and Linnea's supporters - including many of the Kids who
live here - now sporting "LINNEA FOR MAYOR" buttons and hats.

A huge CHEER goes up from the crowd at the Anchor's words.

The television sits on a high desk on the wall furthest from the
door.  Around it are scads of KIDS, adult STAFF members and
Linnea herself in a folding chair, wearing a "Linnea for Mayor"
hat and enjoying the broadcast immensely.  Several NEWSPEOPLE try
to get the apparently uninterested Linnea to talk to them.

                    NEWSPERSON #1
          Ms. Lambeth, what will be the first thing you
          do as Mayor?

                    NEWSPERSON #2
          How will you deal with the transit strike?

                    NEWSPERSON #3
          Do you support the Governor's crime bill?

                    NEWSPERSON #4
          Will you seek higher office?

As Linnea speaks we first see Clark, a bit disheveled in the
confusion, among the Newspeople.  Linnea notices him too.

                    LINNEA
          Where were all you people when I was just a
          poor little do-gooder trying to light a
          candle in the darkness?  Let me enjoy this
          delightful television show, would you?
          
                    NEWS ANCHOR
               (television)
          We can now go to Linnea's Place, the Mayor-
          Elect's children's shelter in the Helltown
          district.

The image on the television screen changes to a scene of this
very room with all its crowd and chaos.  The exchange between
Linnea and Clark is visible both in real life and on the screen.

                    LINNEA
          Oh hang it all.  You there ... Clark Kent.

                    CLARK
          Ma'am?

Linnea gets up from her chair, takes Clark by the lapel and leads
him through a back door out of the room.

                    LINNEA
          You're the young man who wrote a nice piece
          about us when nobody had ever heard of me.
          Would you like the first exclusive interview
          with the new Mayor-Elect?

                    CLARK
          Twist my arm.

In the crowd, near the door, Lois hops up to see what's going on.
She waves wildly at Clark.  He waves back and disappears behind
closed doors with Linnea.  Beyond Lois, Perry just arrives at the
storefront.

                    LOIS
          Clark?  Clark!  You've got a partner,
          remember?

                    PERRY
          This time he beat you out, Lois.

Lois wheels around quickly, startled to see Perry.

                    LOIS
          Perry.

                    PERRY
          He's a bright boy.  Get used to it.

                                        FADE TO:

EXT. METROPOLIS STREET - NIGHT

The streets are largely deserted as Lois and Perry walk through
the nightlit city.

                    PERRY
          By the time we get back to the office Jimmy
          will have the final returns, Clark will have
          phoned in his interview and we can put the
          bulldog edition of the Planet to bed.

                    LOIS
          More than I can hope for.

                    PERRY
          I tell you every year, Lois, it's election
          night and ...

                    PERRY & LOIS
          ... nobody sleeps on election night.

                    PERRY
          I'm glad you suggested walking back to the
          office.  These streets seem somehow safer all
          of a sudden.

                    LOIS
               (sulky)
          Mmmmm ...

                    PERRY
          You've had a rough week, girl.  What's
          bothering you?

                    LOIS
          Oh, Superman.  What else?  I mean, I must be
          a Class-A idiot thinking I could get anywhere
          with him when there are people like that
          Angela January floating around the world and
          he has his pick of them.

                    PERRY
          Now listen ...

                    LOIS
          I mean, who am I kidding anyway?

                    PERRY
          Lois, you're -

                    LOIS
          Superman?  And me?  Forget about it!

                    PERRY
          - you're selling yourself short, Lois.  Did I
          ever tell you about -

                    LOIS
          Is this an Elvis story?  Because if this is
          an Elvis story it just -

                    PERRY
          No, this is a Perry story.  Listen, sometime
          back I was seeing two girls at the same time.

                    LOIS
          Oh naughty naughty Perry.

                    PERRY
          Well I was younger then.  Women, they were,
          but it was so long ago we called them girls.
          There was Alice - you know Alice.  And there
          was Lynn.

                    LOIS
          Who was Lynn?

                    PERRY
          Oh Lynn was this wild woman.  A real force of
          nature, this gal was.  She danced until the
          sun came up.  She sang as if the stars would
          fall out of the sky if she stopped.  She did
          some crazy things.  Like she'd ... well, just
          crazy things.  There were rumors she smoked
          cigarettes.  She was just the hottest,
          sassiest thing this side of Memphis.

                    LOIS
          I thought this wasn't an Elvis story.

                    PERRY
          It isn't.

                    LOIS
          So what did Alice think of all this?

                    PERRY
          Not very much, I thought, until she came by
          my little hole-in-the-wall one day and sat
          herself down and she said, "Perry, I know
          there are others you might think are prettier
          than I am, or more exciting or headed for
          greater things perhaps.  But I want you to
          know," she told me, "that I would never
          desert you.  Never.  I would always stand by
          you.  Always tell you honestly what I think.
          Always be a companion to you." She said that
          to me.  Flat out.  And I'd never asked.

                    LOIS
          Wow.  Alice, huh?  So what'd you say to that?

                    PERRY
          I asked her to marry me.  And she did.  And I
          don't know if she's ever regretted it but I
          haven't.  Not one moment of one day ever
          since.

Lois takes Perry's arm, clings to it.  They walk a little, then
stop for a moment.

                    LOIS
          So what happened to Lynn?

                    PERRY
          Oh, Lynn did fine.

                    LOIS
          Where is she?  What is she doing?

                    PERRY
          Lynn?  You may have heard of her.  She just
          got elected Mayor of Metropolis.

Lois steps back, looks at Perry, then looks beyond him at

A FIGURE

shimmering over the deserted street in Lois' line of sight.  It
coalesces into the image of Old Supes.

Lois stands, mouth agape, as the holographic image of Old Supes
winks an eye at her and fades away.

Lois points where Old Supes was.

                    PERRY
          Spit it out, girl.  What's wrong?
          
                    LOIS
          There.  He was there.

                    PERRY
          Who was there?  There's nothing there.

                    LOIS
          Right.  Nothing.

She takes his arm again and they walk on.  We see the Daily
Planet building in the distance.

                             - 30 -

Lois & Clark © 1995 by Warner Brothers based on characters appearing in DC Comics -  "The Ghost of Superman Future" © 1995 by Elliot S! Maggin
Elliot S! Maggin

Lois and Clark
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