Witness - Matchmaker Style
Rated PG-13
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Previously
Finally realizing that she was being attacked, Lois cried out, "No!" and threw up her arms. It looked like she was surrendering, however, she was not. Twisting to the left she brought her right arm down on his arms, brushing them away from her throat. She continued her spin until she was facing him again. When she was he was straightening up and preparing to lunge at her again. Lois unleashed a snap kick which caught him high on the chest knocking him backward. Her target had been his chin and she had missed.
Seeing her attacker start to fall back and unaware that she had missed her target she turned and started for the phone, but he recovered quickly and grabbed her from behind.
Forgetting that she was barefoot, she stamped down on his instep. He had on heavy work boots so she hurt herself more than him and as a result he was able to get a reverse choke hold on her.
Because of the choke hold she was unable to shout any more, however, Clark had heard her already. Just as she went limp, he came in through the door. Taking in the situation, he shouted, "Let her go!"
Mr. Tracewski took a backward step, dragging the limp form of Lois with him.
Using his Superman voice, Clark commanded, "Let my wife go, NOW!"
The voice had the desired effect. Mr. Tracewski pushed Lois's limp form at Clark as he backed away.
Clark's caught Lois and all of his attention was on his wife. As Mr. Tracewski backed away, Clark held her with one arm behind her back and felt for a pulse. Seeing this Mr. Tracewski grabbed his tool box and fled.
Lois wasn't breathing, but Clark could hear and feel her heart beating, faintly. He lowered her to the floor, opened her airway and breathed into her lungs.
When he pulled back, she coughed and started to come around.
"Oh, Clark … Clark …"
"It's all right, you're gonna be okay."
Still gasping for breath, Lois said, "I couldn't breathe. It was ... that nice Mr. Tracewski.
Clark cradled her in his arms as he said, "No, it wasn't, Lois. It must have been someone else. I saw the real Mr. Tracewski out in the street. He was explaining the problem with the water."
Lois said, "He tried to kill me."
Clark started to leave, "I'll find him."
As he started to stand, Lois clung to him with increased fervor, "No! Please … Don't leave me."
He stooped to hold her better and pulled her into a hug, "Okay, I won't. I'm right here," he kissed her forehead.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 06
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Clark called Perry to let him know they were going to be late and why. Perry was very understanding.
After some time, Lois had recovered a measure of her spunk and finally started getting dressed. Clark sat on the bed and watched as she paced to and fro pulling out undergarments and work clothes and fumed while dressing. "I just can't believe that I fell for that disguise," Lois berated herself. "I should'a known. It was just too soon! I had just hung up from talking to his wife. I mean, she had just told me that it would be a couple of hours. It was the whole building for heaven's sake, not just our apartment! Why would he need to work in
our apartment? He should have been in the basement. And you, you just had to be away! You promised that you would be back before I woke up! I hope it was worth it," she challenged.
"No, I promised that I would try to get back before you woke up. Was it worth it? Actually, I think it was."
"Oh, what was so rewarding that you had to leave your wife at the mercy of a murderer."
Clark cocked his head and looked at Lois, trying to be reasonable. "When you stop to think about it, I left my wife sleeping peacefully, in bed."
"Well, yeah, I guess you did. What took so long?"
"I would have been here earlier, but the real Mr. Tracewski stopped me on the street to tell me about the water problem and apologize for the inconvenience."
She stopped and looked at him noting his jogging suit. "What's with the outfit?"
"It was the only thing I could think of to cover my departure. It isn't like we are on the fifth floor and I could just go out a window. Down here on the first floor, I'd have to pass a number of windows into other apartments on my way up. We really hadn't taken that into consideration when we decided to move to this building. We may want to consider another move."
Lois didn’t want to deal with that idea right now, so she changed the subject. "What was the emergency?"
"There was this high rise fire in Chicago. I had pulled out eleven, six adults and five children. Suddenly one of the mothers started yelling for Carrie."
"I went up to her and she said, ‘Superman, my daughter is still missing.'"
"What's her name?"
"Carrie, Carrie Harris. Please Superman, please find her," she said.
"I'll do what I can to find her," I told her.
"I went back in and found her on the top floor. There were flames all around, but the room was not fully engulfed. I found her hiding in a closet crying and calling, ‘Mommy! Mommy!'"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As he was relating the incident, Lois could tell that he was reliving it.
"The fire cast an eerie red/orange glow over everything. I opened the door of the closet and Carrie cowered back into a corner, like she was afraid of me."
"I knelt down and said, ‘Hi Carrie. I'm going to take you away from here.'"
"Carrie cried, ‘My Mommy told me never to go anywhere with strangers!'"
"I was stumped for a second as to how to handle this. I said, ‘Your Mommy is very wise, but what did she tell you about the police?'"
"Carrie thought for a second and then said, ‘The police are good and they help people.'"
"Realizing I was on the right track, I said, ‘Just think of me as a policeman and I'll take you to your Mommy.'"
"Carrie still hesitated for a second, processing this thought before she said, ‘Okay. What about Scrappy?'"
"Who is Scrappy?"
"With a don't-you-know-anything kind of tone she said, ‘My dog, silly.'"
"That was the first that I noticed that there was a dog curled up on the floor. He had been behind Carrie so he was out of view until I picked her up. I said, ‘Oh, okay. There he is.'"
"I picked her up and she clung to my neck with all of her might. She buried her head in my shoulder and closed her eyes tightly. With my other hand I picked up Scrappy. I wrapped my cape around both of them and flew them out."
"When we landed I removed my cape from her, but she still clung to me with her eyes closed. I put Scrappy down and the dog stayed as close as he could to Carrie as she was carried to her mom. Scrappy was barking happily as he followed his little mistress. I carried Carrie over to her mommy and it still took a few seconds for her to realize just who it was and let go."
"I finally got a good look at my passenger. She was about six with brown hair and big beautiful brown eyes. She looked like what I imagine you looked like at that age." After a second’s reflection, he said, "She looked like she could be our child."
"Scrappy had been bounding along as I carried Carrie to her mother. When I stopped Scrappy started sniffing at my legs."
"Once Carrie was in her mother's arms she first looked down at her dog and made a downward gesture with her hand and the dog immediately quieted down and sat watching his little mistress attentively then she pointed at me and said, ‘The nice man brought me to you. I know you said not to go with strangers, but he said he was like a policeman so I trusted him. He promised to bring me to you and he did.'"
"Her mother asked, ‘Carrie, do you know who the nice man is?'"
"'No.'"
"'Carrie, the nice man's name is Superman. He isn't a policeman, but he helps people just like the police do. It was good that you trusted him.'"
"I said, ‘Carrie, it was good that you trusted me, but you still need to be careful who you trust. Listen to your mommy. She is very wise. She loves you very much and wants to protect you.'"
"Carrie said, ‘When I grow up I want to help people too.'"
Clark continued the story, "It almost felt like I was talking with you in some ways. I reached over and pushed a stray lock of her hair behind her ear and then gave her a kiss on the top of her head. I said, "You do that sweetheart. It would be good if everyone wanted to help others."
"I turned to Carrie's mother and said, ‘Send me a note care of the Daily Planet in Metropolis. I'd like to help her help others.' Her mother said that she would. I'd like to encourage her."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Perry and Jimmy were standing in the middle of the bullpen, near Lois and Clark's desks when they heard the elevator chime and they turned toward it. The doors opened and nothing happened for a few seconds. Then, like a box turtle sticking its head out of its shell, Clark's head came out and he looked around before withdrawing back inside. A few more seconds elapsed before he finally stepped out and beckoned to Lois who finally exited the car.
Perry had watched this and as Lois appeared asked, "Lois, are you all right?"
Lois tried to act nonchalant as she replied, "I'm fine."
Shaking his head he asked, "What in Elvis's name are you doing here?"
Lois's reply didn't satisfy him, "This is where I work. I have a job to do."
Perry's reply didn't encourage her, "Your job isn't going to be worth the sweat off an Elvis imitator if you're dead." He turned his attention to Clark, "Kent, as her husband, can't you talk any sense into her?"
"I've tried, but you know Lois. I'm hoarse from trying."
Frustrated and angry, Lois replied, "Look, this killer can apparently find me anywhere, and can look like anyone. It's probably safer around a lot of people I know."
Clark blurted out, "Either we are dealing with a large gang or else we are dealing with one person that can change his appearance. My money is on the latter. I don't think you're going to be safe until we find Mr. I-Can-Make-Myself-Up-To-Look-Like-Anyone-Else is caught."
Just as Clark finished speaking Lois let out a loud gasp.
Clark was quick to ask, "What is it?"
Lois almost shouted, "Mr. Make-up! Jimmy!"
At her shout Jimmy hastened to her side, "Try to find everything you can, especially the whereabouts of an ... uh ... Oh, I don't know what he was. He was in the commune. What was his name ..." Suddenly as if the final piece of a puzzle had fallen into place she snapped her fingers and said, "Sebastian Finn!"
Clark and Jimmy were both mystified and said almost simultaneously, "Who?"
Lois explained to Jimmy, "Sebastian Finn! He was part of the commune along with Winninger and Trevino. He was in the theater group. His acting was poor, but his ability to use make-up to look like other people was outstanding. I saw a picture. I thought it was Frank Sinatra, but it was really Finn."
Jimmy said, "Okay, I'm on it."
Lois was grabbing her bag as she said, "Come on, Clark. We have a press conference to attend."
"Press conference?"
"Yeah, Barbara Trevino is having a press conference at the Trade Center. We need to be there. Let's go."
As they were exiting, Lois was saying to Clark, "Winninger, Finn and Barbara Trevino were all in the commune and the theater group together. I saw them all together in that photo.
That's the connection."
Still not putting all of the pieces together, Clark said, "Fine, but why would Finn kill Winninger and what's all of this got to do with Barbara Trevino?"
With a confident tone, Lois said, "That's what we're going to find out."
They were looking for a vacant cab and as they did, it suddenly hit Lois, looking around she realized that anyone she saw could actually be Finn in another disguise. She suddenly couldn't trust her eyes. She could feel the cold fingers of fear start to grip her so she took a firmer grip on Clark's arm.
He looked at her questioningly.
In reply, voicing her fears, she said, "This very creepy." Her head was practically on a swivel as she tried to look in all directions at once, "Don't you think it's creepy? Finn could be anybody. Anybody you see could be somebody else."
Clark was happy for his alien physiology because if not for that the circulation to his lower arm would have been cut off because of her tight grip and it didn't let up, even when they were in the cab.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They arrived at the Trade Center and found the press conference in the courtyard. Barbara Trevino was at the microphone and finishing an answer to a question, "... it's a global village now. We of the Rain Forest Consortium have to act accordingly."
A reporter from the Star asked, "How does it feel to be the first woman to hold this post?"
With a self-deprecating smile she replied, "Well, I don't officially hold it for two days, but at the risk of being premature ..." she smiled, "... It feels great."
There was a round of applause.
As the applause died down, Lois shouted out, “Ms. Trevino, concerning the death of Dr. Vincent Winninger ...”
Ms. Trevino interrupted Lois and said, “Dr. Winninger was a brilliant scientist, and a dear friend of mine for many years. I was shocked and saddened by his death.”
Lois challenged, “How do you feel about the Ozone Layer?”
This seemed like a non sequitur and Barbara Trevino was momentarily puzzled.
Following up and not allowing Trevino to regain her composure, Lois challenged further, “What about increased male potency?”
There were a couple of snickers from the assembled reporters at that one, but Trevino and a number of the reporters looked at Lois like she had actually lost her mind. Clark was also quite puzzled at this line of questions.
Barbara Trevino’s eyes narrowed. She knew the source of these questions, it had to be Winninger. They had been too late. He had talked to a member of the press. She asked in a sibilant whisper, “Who
are you?”
Lois replied, challengingly, “Lois Lane, Daily Planet!”
Trevino raised her tone so that all could hear, “Well, Ms. Lane, I find your sense of humor odd, to say the least, and totally inappropriate. I suggest this would be a good time to close this press conference.” She stepped back away from the podium and turned to leave.
As Trevino left so did a number of the reporters. When they were almost alone, Clark said, “Bold, Lois. Not too bright, but bold. What were you trying to accomplish? Where did those questions come from?”
“That was what Winninger was talking to me about. Did you see the look on her face? She knew exactly what I was talking about.” Lois looked around and in a lowered voice said, “Even if I didn't. There must be something in that notebook to explain it all. Why else would he have given it to me?”
With a shake of his head, Clark said, “Well, now we’ll never get to her. It sure looks like you’ve scared her off. I’m sure she now knows that you had a chance to talk with Winninger. That could make you just that much more of a target. We might as well head back. I don’t think we’re going to learn any more here.”
As they were turning away, an individual in a suit approached and speaking with a distinct Spanish accent asked, “Ms. Lane?” Lois turned toward him and he continued, “I am Dr. Trevino's administrative assistant. She wishes me to tell you that she will discuss whatever you like, privately.”
Lois glanced significantly at Clark and said, “I’m here with my husband.”
His reply was not satisfying as he said, “I'm sorry. Just you, she said. You understand ...”
Lois nodded and said, “She wants to talk woman-to-woman. It's a sisterhood thing.”
The aide nodded in agreement.
Lois said, “Sure, I understand, completely, but where I go, my husband also goes.”
The aide’s face fell, but he finally said, “This way please.”
He led them to an elevator which they entered. He took them to the top floor. When they exited the elevator, he led them to a stairwell which they took up to the roof access. He opened the door and ushered Lois through. He quickly followed and slammed the door in Clark’s face.
comments go here TBC
