Episode 8 - "Atomic Fuel Cylinders Stolen"

Listen to the Episode, featuring the world's most terribly secured super-weapon!


Summary: Superman, realizing that he's dealing with another case of an old man putting lives unnecessarily at risk for the second time in the same week,  makes his way towards the laboratory of Dr. Dahlgrien, curiously located on the terrible side of town. Already at the lab is Clark Kent's brand new 'frienemy' Lois Lane, who thinks she covering a story about mixing red chemicals with blue ones in order to create a cuter breed of kitten. Given that someone deliberately cut off the Doctor's frantic call to the Daily Planet, however, it's more like she's headed into her very first of many super-villainous death traps - the frequency of which, oddly, dramatically spiked within the first few hours of meeting Clark Kent.
   As we listen to a secret broadcast being transmitted from inside the lab, we discover the real reason why Michael failed to prevent the robbery of the atomic beam machine earlier - because he was working for the Yellow Mask all along. In hindsight, then, the half hour of gloating YM gave before making a casual getaway was a well earned reward for being a magnificent bastard. Then again, considering that his mark set up his lab in a run-down neighborhood and (as we are about to hear) in the process of demonstrating his "secret" security measures to a member of the press, it probably wasn't exactly the caper of the century.
   Doctor Dalhgrien reveals to Lois what he was about to tell Perry and Clark before their phone connection was cut: the stolen beam machine only had two atomic cylinders inside of it, and both were spent demonstrating its power to the 'professor'. The rest of the ammo (and an older copy of the machine) are locked up in an elaborate safe, which, in keeping with his character of showing highly classified information to unproven strangers, he shows to Lois. Lois (perhaps humoring the good doctor, perhaps not) seems to think that the security measures are more newsworthy than the terrorist threat against her employer.
   Superman, meanwhile, finally finds the Doctor's lab and lands in time to listen to the Yellow Mask transmit a second (totally redundant) short-wave radio message reminding Michael that shit is, in fact, about to go down. Superman takes note of the name, and off-handedly mentions he can, in fact, hear radio transmissions. He changes back to Kent, greets the good Dr. Dalhgrien, gets the expected icy-cold reception from Lois, and explains why he's there. After a quick comparison of notes all around, it's concluded that a) the Yellow Mask has a deadly super weapon which he intends to use to destroy the Daily Planet, and b) lacks the ammunition to use it. In the most awkward way possible, Kent asks about Micheal, and after an uncomfortable explanation of why he asked, learns the identity of the lab's mole.
   As Dalhgrien wanders off for some reason or another, Lois berates Clark for abandoning the staff of the Daily Planet to their supposed fate at his earliest opportunity despite that she did the exact same thing. Clark rightfully protests being labelled a coward but fails to call Lois out on her hypocrisy. He instead attempts to call Perry White, only to find the line cut and tapped. Just then, the doors to the Doctor's precious safe begin to close with him inside and causing Lois to flip out. Inside the safe, we hear as  Michael gives Dalhgrien his official two weeks notice in the form of assault, battery, and nitro-glycerin. Clark gets Lois out of the room to get the police (how is not exactly clear since the phone is down and the neighborhood is deserted) and peels the safe door open to find the doctor alive but shaken. The Yellow Mask takes time from his busy pre-terrorist act checklist to taunt the two via the elaborate dictaphone system Michael has installed over the years.


Cast:

• Superman/Clark Kent
• Dr. Dalhgrien
• Lois Lane
• The Yellow Mask
• Michael

Notes:

• Seriously, why is this man allowed to build weapons of mass destruction in the most least secure place in the city?
• Despite having shown he can fly vast distances in a matter of minutes, Lois has quite a bit of time to interview the doctor before Superman arrives. Then again, Lois might just be a fast driver, possibly related to Professor Sheriff.
• Superman must be bordering psychic, considering he knows what Lois Lane's car looks like after just meeting her.for the first time. The other explanation would be he's been peeping on her for some time before formally being introduced, and that's terrible.
• The second transmission to Michael wasn't even useful as a plot device - the Doctor cries out Michael's name as he's being attacked, making it obvious (to Superman) the identity of the mole (although it is kind of fun listening to him stumble over asking about the name).
• Another logical flaw: if the Yellow Mask has had Michael on the take all this time, shouldn't he have already known about the ammo? Or the extra copy of the machine? Why even bother with the 'professor' ruse? Why not just blow the safe in the first place?

Powers Introduced
Super-sonic (sub-sonic?) hearing - although Superman has demonstrated he has very sensitive hearing and can listen in on phone conservations and other soft sounds from a distance, this is the first time he shows he can listen to radio transmissions which is considerably more impressive.


Highlights:

Superman: Michael? Who's Michael?

In the next episode, the Daily Planet has an hour before it's destroyed by SCIENCE! How will Superman deal with this "Threat to the Daily Planet"? The answer will shock and amaze you! Don't miss it!