Band of Blue TOCChapter 13 Clark trawled through all the DA’s recent cases and public business dealings for the rest of the day. He began to suspect that Lois was right. Some of his cases involved fraud in the Mayor’s department and he seemed to be ‘letting off’ certain people. Clark really began to smell a scandal when he found business dealing between the DA, the Mayor and Lex Luthor going back years.
Clark glanced up to look at the beautiful lady sitting opposite. He worried about her. The DA had already tried to de-rail her investigation once. At least she had backup now. Clark resolved to keep a close eye on Lois.
“How are the interviews coming?” he asked her. Lois glanced up then looked back at her notes.
“Fine, thanks Smallville.” She’d just returned from visiting the bus depot.
“Who did you manage to speak to?” asked Clark.
“The depot manager is on vacation. Bus Driver No 1 is out on route. I caught Driver No 2. No 3 is not on duty till tonight. I might try him at home.” She never looked up, just continued to write. Clark found himself longing to look into her eyes.
“Oh!” Lois stopped suddenly, put down her pen and looked up. “There was, apparently, another incident last week. Bus was run into by a car. The driver and witnesses claim someone lifted up the bus to free the car.” Clark felt his eyes widen and he gulped. Lois tipped her head to the side and wagged her finger in the air. “It must have been Superman but he was dressed in a business suit. Why was Superman dressed in a business suit?”
“I don’t know, Lois. Why don’t you ask him?” Clark said casually.
“I plan to,” she replied, “When I figure out how to grab the interview.”
Work passed in quiet after that and Clark spent time considering his interview options. He could write an article himself as if he’d interviewed Superman but how objective would he be about himself. He might over-do it, or possibly be too humble, too scared to sound over the top. He looked across at Lois again.
How objective would she be? I suppose she’d the best option out of all possible journalists. Lois started at her notes and the computer screen. She took nothing in. Superman was all she could think of. She frowned. He’d been at the Daily Planet last week, in civilian clothes, and dealt with a bus accident, again without the red and blue, all before his appearance just in time to save her from the plunge of death. She nibbled her lower lip. He was a civilian. Someone had a normal life but was saving the world as Superman. Who was he? Lois closed her eyes to picture his face. She felt a breeze against her cheek and opened her eyes. There was some paper on her desk that hadn’t been there before. Red and Blue paper. Lois picked it up and frowned at it. She turned it over and noticed some writing just as her e-mail notification beeped from the computer. She turned to look.
Drop it. I’m sorry about last week. I can’t keep you safe anymore. It was a reply from the DA’s aide. It had been a risk contacting him again but it hadn’t paid off. She glanced back at the paper in her hand and read the message.
We should talk. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Clark watched as Lois approached the phone booth. She held up the pieces of paper then dropped her arm by her side and turned away. Clark dialled at that moment and he watched as Lois turned back, then reached for the phone.
“Hello,” she said.
“Is this Lois Lane the reporter?” Clark asked.
“Who wants to know?” she replied.
“This is Superman.” It felt strange, and also good to say that.
“Yeah right. How do I know you’re not some deep throat wanabe with a lot of time on his creepy hands?” came Lois’s sarcastic reply.
Clark sped past the phone booth and left a copy of the Daily Planet newspaper at Lois’s feet.
“Look down.”
Lois bent down to pick it up and read the headline.
Saved by a Superman. “I was thinking that there are probably a lot of questions people have about me, Miss Lane.”
“Call me Lois, if you want. And while we’re on it what should I call you?”
“I think Superman will do.”
“Really, because I came up with it on the spur of the moment. It just seemed to fit. And with the S on your chest I thought ... I’m sorry I’m rambling.”
“You’re nervous.” Clark smiled. He was making Lois nervous. Good, she made him nervous.
“Can you read my mind? Who am I kidding? It’s Saturday night and I high-tailed it down here because I have one obsession right now and it’s you and when you didn’t notice me the other day shouting after you ...”
“I’m sorry if it seemed I ignored you Miss Lane but you were surrounded by journalists and I had just made my public debut,” Clark explained. “The situation could have gotten awkward, questions would have been asked of both of us.”
“I guess so. I was a little impulsive. Between you and me I could use a little work on that subtle thing.” Lois smiled shyly.
“You know there’s nothing wrong with taking your job seriously. It’s why I think you would be the best person to write my story.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence but ... I don’t really want this story. Gosh, Perry will kill me for saying that. I do want this story but what I want more is to know you; what you want ... what you need? I mean you’re so different to the rest of us. I just wonder if you need a friend. I guess what I’m saying is if you ever want to talk, totally off the record, I’m only a phone call away.”
“Thank you Miss Lane. It’s nice to know I have a friend but I really think that people will have serious questions that need answering and I do want you to be the one I give the answers to.” Clark felt his confidence grow a little as he took charge of the direction of the conversation. He looked down from the roof to watch Lois in the phone booth. She turned away a little and fidgeted with a shy smile on her face.
“Ok, Superman, I’ll write your story.” He heard her take a deep breath, as if she was to ask a difficult question but something in the corner of his vision made him turn. He saw a shadow moving on the roof next to him. Frowning he tried to focus his vision to see more clearly but instead his hearing focused and he heard a click. Lois started to ask her question but Clark didn’t hear it anymore. He’d dropped the phone and was speeding off the roof to intercept the bullet that was currently aiming for Lois.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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