Band of Blue TOCChapter 24 “I’ve made it to the first junction. Which way do I turn Watchtower?”
“Left.” Chloe spoke into the microphone. She traced her finger along the diagram in front of her. “Go past the next two openings then take a right.”
“Got it.”
Chloe shifted the papers around and pulled a different map forwards. “Aquaman, how close are you to the vent?”
“Have it in sight now Watchtower.”
“Right, let me know when you’ve entered the room and disabled any alarms.”
“Will do.”
Chloe waited. The silent, static noise over the comlinks increased her tension by the second.
“Watchtower,” A.C.s voice came over the speaker. “The coast is clear.” Chloe let out the breath she had been holding.
“Arrow, Impulse, Cyborg. You are go to enter. Repeat, you are go to enter the dam.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois stared at the article filling the computer screen. It was incomplete. No matter how she reworded or embellished facts it felt lacking.
I’m going to have to call him up for more quotes, she sighed.
As she reached out her hand to pick up the phone she glanced across at the empty desk. It was late evening, Clark was pulling an all-nighter, just like her, but he’d disappeared fifteen minutes ago. Lois couldn’t remember the lame excuse he’d given this time.
I wonder what he’s really doing. She lifted the receiver and turned away from the empty scene to pay attention to dialling the number. She settled back into her chair while the phone rang. Casting her mind back to the original interview she recalled the uncomfortable feeling she had throughout. It wasn’t Oliver Queen himself. He was charming, and had a certain sexy appeal, but somehow it hadn’t affected her. She’d felt uncomfortable because, even though he answered all her questions and was incredibly friendly, she got the feeling he was after something FROM her. For a short while she’d thought he was after ... her ... but his conversation and questions to her all seemed to revolve around Superman. Was he after information from her? Suddenly she realised why she hadn’t been attracted to him. It was because the perfect backside which had been her obsession for weeks did not belong to him. It belonged to ...
“Er ... Oliver Queen’s apartment?” came the confused and stuttering voice. Lois shook her head to dispel the ridiculous idea that it sounded like her cousin.
“Oliver Queen, please,” she asked.
“Sorry ... he’s not here now.”
That sounds so much like Chloe. “Oh.” Lois sighed. “Are you able to take a message?”
“Sure.”
Now this assistant sounds incredibly nervous. “It’s Lois Lane, from the Daily Planet. I interviewed Mr Queen recently but just need to clarify a few facts, get a couple extra quotes. He has my number.”
“Lois Lane.” The voice wavered terribly. “Got it.”
Lois frowned and finally listened to the small voice in her head. “Chloe?”
“Ok, gotta go,” came the rushed reply.
Lois stared in shock at the receiver. Her little cousin was at Oliver Queen’s apartment.
How is that possible. Is she seeing him? How did she meet him? And he wasn’t there himself. There’s some large level of trust in whatever relationship they have. Lois got out her mobile phone and sent a text to Chloe immediately.
We are sooo gonna talk about this. You can’t hide forever. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chloe deleted the text immediately.
“God, how am I going to explain this? And why did I even think to answer the phone?” She turned back to the screen in front and picked up the microphone again.
“Status report!” she asked.
“We’ve made it to the control room. Cyborg is just opening the locks.” Ollie’s voice was clear across the comlink.
“Great. What’s it like in there?” she asked conversationally. She needed to work off the nervous energy created by the unexpected call.
“It’s deader than a dodo,” came Bart’s reply.
“If there is a ‘live’ project down here then I’ll dance the mambo on the conference table at my next board meeting.” Ollie’s dry humour made Chloe laugh delightedly.
“Almost makes me want to find something. That would be a You Tube moment.” Arthur’s voice crackled a little.
“Aquaman, can you check your com for water seepage, your transmission’s fuzzy?” Chloe asked. She felt her heart rate returning to normal and found herself slipping back into the Watchtower role with ease. Something about this just felt right ... and natural.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Clark asked Lois as he slid back into his seat. She looked up at him and stared. She didn’t seem to be seeing him. “Lois?” He waved a hand in front of her face.
“Sorry, Clark.” She snapped out of it. “I just had the most surprising phone call.” Shaking her head to dispel the confusion she gave him her full attention. “Exciting?” she asked then answered immediately. “No, nothing. But I’m sure my ‘nothing’ was more exciting than your ... what was it again?”
“Dry cleaners.” Clark turned away not able to look her in the eye.
“Oh yes,” Lois said, overly pronouncing everything. “Dry cleaners.”
It sounds as if she doesn’t believe me, Clark thought, so he peeked through his eyelashes to see her smiling at him. It wasn’t a happy smile though. It was a ‘pretend innocent’ smile. Clark narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“So, how’s your article coming?” Clark asked genuinely interested.
Lois grunted. “Stalled.” She searched around her desk looking for something. “Where’s that pen gone,” she mumbled to herself.
“Why, what’s wrong? You said it was almost finished just before I went off to save ... my laundry.”
Get it together Clark, keep concentrating, he berated himself.
Lois answered as she continued to search. “I realised that it was missing something so I tried ringing him. He wasn’t there.” Clark watched a frown appear on her face. Lois seemed incredibly distressed about the loss of her pen. Clark stood up and walked around the desks.
“Something special about that pen, you seem awfully attached to it?” Clark quickly x-rayed the table and noticed it under her keyboard. He reached forward and lifted it up. “Here.” Lois turned to look at him with confusion in her eyes. She reached out and snatched the pen.
“It’s not the pen that’s got me frustrated. It’s the phone call to Oliver Queen’s apartment.”
“What?” Clark almost shouted. He was half way back to his seat but he turned to look at her.
“Oliver Queen. He’s the interview I’m writing up.”
Clark tried to act casual as he walked over to the water cooler.
Lois has interviewed Oliver. Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with that. As he bent over a little to fill the cup he heard a strange noise from behind so glanced backwards. Lois was not looking at him, she was scribbling on a piece of paper trying to get her pen to work, but she had red cheeks. Clark straightened up and took his water back to his desk.
“So, what was the problem with the call to Mr Queen?”
“His personal assistant,” Lois replied dryly, still scribbling. Clark narrowed his eyes and questioned her. Lois finally stopped attempting to get the ink to flow and slammed the pen down on her desk. Glaring up at Clark she continued. “Chloe. It was Chloe.”
“Chloe?” Clark tried to act suitably shocked and surprised.
“She answered the phone ... from Oliver Queen’s apartment. She’s your best friend, Clark. Did you not know she was seeing him? How did she even meet him?”
“Lois, Chloe is not seeing Oliver Queen, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Well, she didn’t admit it on the phone. In fact she finished the call rather abruptly to avoid saying anything, but I know it was her and I’m going to confront her about it.”
Clark tentatively spoke. “When, er ... when will you attempt this confrontation?”
“I don’t know, all right.” Lois seemed incredibly worked up and distressed.
“Hey, Lois. Calm down.” Clark stood up and went round to her. He crouched down next to her and looked up. “This has shocked you hasn’t it?” She looked at him. Her eyes seemed to be swimming with emotions.
“That ... and other
things I’m trying to come to terms with.” Her eyes were full of expression but Clark was unsure how to interpret them.
“Look,” he gulped. “Why don’t we call it a night on the work front and have a drink?” Lois looked away.
“Er, I think I will call it a night, but I should probably go home, think about ... stuff.”
What stuff does she need to think about, Clark wondered. “Sure, ok.” Clark knew that disappointment filled his voice. He walked back to his desk and watched out of the corner of his eyes as he saw Lois pack up and leave. As she turned away he looked back to his screen. “Night Lois,” he said quietly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois heard Clark’s whispered goodbye and she felt her heart sob.
How could everything change so quickly? A month ago my life was so set, so predictable. As she took the stairs up and left the Daily Planet building she admitted that her career was no longer her whole life. Something else had snuck in.
Well, actually considering how quickly it snuck in maybe it’s more appropriate to say that it blasted in. Ever since that first day, noticing Superman’s behind. Lois stood outside and pulled out her phone as she recalled staring at Clark’s ass just five minutes ago.
“Clark Kent,” came the quick answer.
“I’m sorry, Clark.” Lois paused while she considered the irony of speaking to him over the phone. “Erm, you could take me out on Saturday?” She phrased it as a question.
“I’d really like that Lois.” She could hear his smile in his voice.
“Night, Smallville.”
“Night, Lois.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Things are moving along.
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