I know it's been a while since I last posted and I apologize. But now, the story is finally finished with the exception of some minor rewrites. But I'm positive they're not going to cause further delay.
It seems as if I finally managed to change the sleeping habits of my daughter, so I hope I can keep up a regular posting schedule. In case she changes her mind about letting me to the computer (I had to type the end of the story on my mobile phone, so the story won't remain unfinished for lack of trying ;)), I'm going to send the full story to the archive.
Anyway, enough rambling now. I hope that I haven't lost all my readers. Those of you, who are still curious if Lois finds Clark - please enjoy!
Disclaimer: Lois and Clark don't belong to me. I don't make any profit writing this story.
From Part 8:
“It’s been a while, Lois. I was a bit worried when I didn’t hear from you,” Lex went on.
“I was on an assignment in Washington,” Lois explained, half-heartedly. She did not want to give away too much, lest he might become privy that she was onto him. But was she really?
“I hope it went well,” Lex said, not sounding like he was all that interested in her talking about her work.
“Yeah, pretty well.” That was hopelessly exaggerated, but it sounded better than the truth and did not warrant any further questions. “What can I do for you, Lex?”
He chuckled softly. “Actually, I was wondering if I could do anything for you, Lois. How does dinner sound? My penthouse? Seven o’clock?”
“Oh,” Lois breathed, not completely able to keep her surprise to herself.
She felt a sudden pang of discomfort, urging her to decline his offer. First and foremost, she felt that things were progressing too fast. Three dates in the course of a week was not how she usually started seeing someone. The thought alone set her insides on fire, fuelling her uneasiness. Was she actually seeing him? She had to be, because she could not honestly claim that she had interviewed the man. Moreover, she was not sure that meeting him again mixed well with her earlier decision to remain objective. Lois could not afford to let herself be drawn into his world of luxury.
“I’m going to send someone to pick you up,” he said in a way that left no room for protest. He either was not used to being turned down or he simply would not take no for an answer.
“Sounds great,” Lois replied with a bravado she did not quite feel. It was the Mad Dog Lane part of her talking again, the one that dug her teeth into a story, refusing to let go before she got to the bottom of it.
“Then it’s settled,” Lex said and she could hear the smile in his voice. “See you tonight.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Lois heard herself answer and moments later she listened to a free line. He had ended the call, making it virtually impossible for her to change her mind.
Staring at the receiver in her hand, Lois wondered what that meant. Flattered as she felt at Luthor’s attention, she could not help but be suspicious of it. Would he be as forthcoming if she did not know Clark? Shaking her head to get rid of those confusing thoughts, Lois put her own receiver back in its place. Clark’s paranoia was clearly rubbing off on her. It was paramount that she stick to her plan – learn as much about Luthor as she possibly could and see where it led her. With that plan in mind, Lois pushed her lingering uneasiness aside. She was a reporter in pursuit of a story. It was completely irrelevant what Luthor hoped a third date might encompass, at his place no less.
...I Knew The Truth
Part 9
Fortunately, her worries had been unfounded. Lois stifled a yawn as she walked up the stairs towards her apartment. She turned around one last time. Lex’ limousine was already filing back into what little traffic there was at the late hour. The lights got smaller and vanished completely as the car turned into the next street, rushing back to Downtown Metropolis. Lois fumbled for her keys, wondering once again how many things she carried in such a small bag. Of course there always was her notepad, complete with a set of pens, even though it was unlikely that she would ever use them for an interview with Lex.
Lois let out a small sigh as she finally found what she was looking for. Sticking the key into the lock, she turned it around to open the door.
Dinner with Lex had consisted of delicious food and an easy conversation. He was well read and had travelled most of the world. His penthouse seemed a whole lot more comfortable when he was not hosting a party. Lex had shown her his treasures, one of them being the sword of Alexander the Great. Surprisingly, Lex was a lot more open when he was not being interviewed. He had given her a tour, including his study, a room she would probably have snuck in during the ball, had it not been for Clark catching her attention. All in all, Lex had been the perfect host, always there at her beck and call. But unfortunately that also meant that he had left her no opportunity to find out more about the man behind the facade.
Lois closed the front door behind her and slipped out of her uncomfortable shoes. When she had returned from the Daily Planet, she had dressed in a hurry, choosing the items of clothing she had found first. The shoes were right if the motto was “dress to kill”, they weren’t exactly ideal for traipsing about a vast penthouse. Letting out a soft sigh, Lois picked up her shoes and curled her toes in contentment. Then she went on, taking the stairs up to her apartment.
She desperately hoped Lucy had filled the fridge; else she would have to go to the convenience store on the corner of the street. Perry had stayed late, making it all that much harder for Lois to get to Clark’s file. It was the reason she had been in such a hurry in the first place. Now she knew that Clark Kent was from Smallville, Kansas. She was pretty sure she had heard or read the name before. But that was all the same to her, because she would probably forget it again, if she had not written it down.
It was some town in the middle of nowhere, at least a four hour drive from Wichita, the closest airport. Given that she had no idea where the Kent’s lived exactly, she would have to ask around in order to find them and hopefully Clark as well. Taking all that into consideration, it was unlikely that she would accomplish all that in a day, fly to and back from Kansas and still be ready for work the next day. Rolling her shoulders to relief the tension building there, she pondered if she should ask Perry for a few days off. He certainly would not consider this chasing a lead, at least not until she was ready to tell him about the man who could fly. Since that was probably going to get her into a psychiatric ward rather than on the front page, she had no choice but to take a vacation. Lois was not quite sure that it was worth the effort.
Before she could make up her mind, she had reached her floor. Once again she fumbled for her keys. She was surprised to find her door unlocked, since she expected Lucy to be out. Her sister worked as a waitress, trying to earn the money she needed for college. Usually, she stayed with a friend after her shift, because the diner was on the other side of town.
“Lucy?” Lois said as she stepped into the apartment. She inhaled sharply, as she found everything she owned scattered across the floor.
Her two love-seats were knocked over, the pads lying on the floor. The show case stood wide open, the mockup book row was nowhere to be seen. One of her two Kerth Awards lay on the floor, thankfully unharmed. The fish tank was about the only thing in her living room that seemed undisturbed, save for her fish that was hiding somewhere in the water plants. Grabbing her purse like a weapon, Lois went further into the room, careful not to step on any of her belongings. Her gut twisted painfully, as she imagined someone rummaging through her stuff, trying to find something worth stealing. It sickened her.
A loud thud stopped Lois dead in her tracks. Her heart skipped a beat. “Is there someone there?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I carry a weapon!” she warned, cringing at the sight of the pitiful purse. Who was she trying to convince?
The sound of steps sent her heart racing. Every cell in her body screamed for her to run away, but she couldn’t. It felt like she was glued to the spot, unable to even move a finger. A large guy stepped out of her kitchen and into her living room. He wore a black mask that hid everything but the cold stare of his steely blue eyes. They fixated on her with an intensity that was scary beyond his appearance. He lifted his hand, ever so slightly, his line of sight following his movement, making sure that Lois’ attention was on the gun he carried.
“Oh, do you?” he whispered, his voice low, but no less threatening. A spark of amusement ignited his eyes as he watched her trembling and clutching at her purse for dear life. “Hands up, where I can see them,” the thug ordered calmly.
“I don’t have anything of value,” Lois muttered, unable to keep her fear from seeping into her words. “If you leave now, I won’t call the police,” she heard herself promise.
Utterly mortified, she remembered all those useless hours of self-defense training. It was a completely different thing to find herself looking down the barrel of a gun that was pointed at her. Not a single of her moves would work in a dress with a skirt so tight that it was difficult to put one foot in front of the other. Her pulse was thundering in her ears as she had no other choice than to comply and lift her hands. Lois stared into the cold eyes in front of her, unable to tell what this guy was thinking. Had he come for money? Given the state of her apartment, he had to know she was not rich.
“You won’t be calling the police either way, I made sure of that,” he made a gesture towards the phone in her living room. The cord was cut. “And I think I like to stay.”
“My sister will be coming back any moment now,” Lois lied, silently sending a prayer to heaven that she might be wrong, and at the same time hoping that she was right. Lucy should not be here, it would only put her in danger. On the other hand, Lois would give just about anything not to be in this situation alone – and helpless
The guy just shrugged. “The boss wants you to be less nosy. Maybe your sister would be willing to help convince you.” The mask moved into what had to be a smirk. “I’ve heard you can be pretty stubborn. Is that so, Ms. Lane?”
The casual tone of the housebreaker stood in stark contrast to his gun that in Lois’ eyes seemed to be growing by the minute. He stepped closer, lifting his hand to grab her. Lois’ mind was flooded with the memory of a man sitting in a chair, his feet dangling in a bowl of water, electrical current running all along his body. Her gut clenched in fear, her throat constricted, making her gag.
“No!” she breathed and her defiance returned with vengeance. Balling her hands into fist, she lifted them to shoulder level, ready to push the guy off.
“I see.” His chuckle sent a cold shiver down her spine, but it also fueled her anger. How dare he laugh at her? Lois took a step back, but the guy was quicker, clutching her arm in a steely grip. Lois let out a yelp as he pressed the tips of his finger into the nerves running along the inside of her arm. The strike of her fist fell short as she tried to hit him. Roughly, he manhandled her towards the kitchen, pressing his gun to her temple. Like her first strike, any other attempt to defend herself remained futile. Her attacker only increased the pressure of his gun.
With a hard shove, he pushed her back against the wall, knocking the wind out of her lungs. His body pressed into her, making it impossible for Lois to move. In one swift motion he covered her mouth with his hand, effectively muffling the scream that had been about to escape her lips.
“I wouldn’t even think about it, if I were you,” he recommended, inching even closer to her face, so that she could almost feel his breath even through the mask. His cold eyes bore into her, making her insides freeze over with fear. “You’re way too bold for your own good. Dr. Baines sabotaged the Space Program – that’s all you need to know. Do you understand?”
He ran the barrel of his gun along her jawline, as if stroking her. But the threat in his motion was unmistakable.
“Do you understand?” he repeated as she failed to reply.
Lois’ mind ran a mile a minute. One part of her brain desperately tried to find a way to escape the clutches of her attacker; the other wondered who would send someone after her for following up on the helicopter explosion. She had to be closer than she thought she was. If only she would still be able to use that to her advantage. The cold metal of the barrel pressed harder against her cheek, another proof of her attacker’s insistence on getting an answer.
“I am warning you, Ms. Lane,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’m not kidding. You stay off that little investigation of yours or I will kill you. Tonight, or any other night following this one – I will find you, no matter what, no matter when. Is that clear?” His right index finger twitched dangerously, threatening to pull the trigger.
Lois’ eyes widened. Her breath came in panting gasps as she desperately tried to get in some air through the firm grip of his hand. Instinctively, she nodded, no longer doubting that this guy was going to carry out his threat. The man’s finger relaxed almost imperceptibly, his grip was as steely as before.
“I’m going to leave now. You’re not going to scream, you’re not going to call the police. You don’t even move as much as a finger. And just to make sure, you don’t forget to take me seriously…” He struck out, raising his fist to hit her. His blue eyes sparkled at the prospect of what he was about to do, his mask twitching into a grin that was visible despite the fabric. His fist rushed forward to the sound of shattering glass. In the same instant, the man who had been about to hit her was pulled back violently.
A shot rang out and Lois squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the pain to hit. It never came. Instead, she heard a brief struggle, followed by a thud and a soft moan. Curiously, Lois opened her eyes again, not sure she believed what she saw when she looked into soft brown eyes.
“Clark!” she breathed.
“Are you okay?” he asked nervously, his gaze darting between her and the man who lay spread-eagled to his feet.
Lois just nodded, watching Clark as he tensely bent down to feel the man’s pulse. He heaved a sigh of relief as he obviously found what he was looking for. Then he picked at his glasses, lowering them and staring at every inch of the man intensely. When he was finished, he pushed his glasses back up on his nose and got up again, seeming satisfied.
“He’s just unconscious,” Clark said, looking particularly glad as the guy’s lids already started to flutter. A line of worry creased his forehead, as he focused his attention on Lois again. “He’s not going to be happy, when he comes to. You’re not safe here, Lois. I’m sorry, but I can’t let anything happen to you,” he added, reaching out to take hold of her arm.
Though his grip was just as firm as the other man’s had been, he was also a lot gentler. Still shell-shocked, Lois let him drag her towards him. In one swift motion, he swept her up into his arms. Gravity seemed to lose its effect on her as he rose from the floor and floated through the broken window. Stifling a yelp of surprise, Lois wrapped her arms around Clark’s shoulders to steady herself. In tune, he adjusted his grip on her to make her position more comfortable.
For a moment, neither of them said a word, both eying each other warily as they rose higher up into the sky. Now and again, Clark looked around nervously, as if he was afraid to be seen. Speeding up his eyes darted between Lois and the sky that lay ahead of them. The noises of the city faded, replaced by the rustling of the wind in her ears that made any conversation impossible. They rose higher until even the skyscrapers seemed small. Eventually, Metropolis turned into a sea of millions of lights that rushed underneath them, fading to darkness as they passed the city and flew above the country.
Lois mind was in a jumble as she was trying to take in what was going on. It had all happened so fast. The break-in, the attack on her and the rescue – it all seemed like a weird fantasy. She felt that she had to pinch herself in order to believe that she was flying – actually flying in the arms of a man whose existence she had been beginning to doubt. That in itself brought on an elation that stood in stark contrast to the terror she had felt earlier. It was all so overwhelming that Clark was already slowing down and descending into the darkness, when Lois was starting to wonder where they were heading.
Only moments later, Clark landed and gently set Lois down to stand on her own feet. He took a few steps back, seeming more comfortable with the distance between them. The moon cast an eerie light on him, giving his complexion a ghostly pale tone.
“You okay?” Clark asked again, tentatively. He eyed her thoroughly, this time refraining from lowering his glasses.
“I… I think so,” Lois muttered, confused.
She had spent days looking out of her window. More than once she had seen a shadow there, certain it was him until – eventually – reality would crush her hopes. But this felt real, though a lot like the first time he had shown her his powers. A warm wind played with her hair, carrying the scent of grass. A tree stuck its branches into the sky. The ground was soft and slightly wet under her naked feet.
“Where are we?” Lois asked, as her senses finally came back to her.
Clark harrumphed. “Smallville,” he replied bashfully. “Lois…” he started again, but soon broke off, the single word he had uttered almost lost to the wind.
“Smallville?” Lois echoed, uncomprehendingly.
“Yeah…” he breathed heavily, looking at his feet. “I…I couldn’t leave you there, Lois. It was too dangerous. I’m sorry.”
He lifted his head ever so slightly, his gaze meeting hers for the first time in what felt like forever. His dark brown eyes looked worried, darting up and down her body, as if he was again trying to make sure that she was indeed unharmed. That was the moment, when it all came back to her – the fist that certainly would have done more than give her a black eye, the shot ...
“Thank you for saving me,” Lois whispered, once more completely overwhelmed. With a pang of guilt, she studied his form, realizing that she had not stopped for a moment to see if he was all right. But other than a deep sense of discomfort, she could not read anything on his face that would hint to injury.
“You’re welcome,” Clark replied gently, his voice trailing off, as if he had no idea how to go on from here.
He just stood there, on a field right in the middle of nowhere, trying to appear impassive. However, his eyes belied him, two dark windows to his soul that clearly showed his fear. His lips that were capable of the most amazing smile were drawn into a thin line, not completely able to hide that he was trembling ever so slightly.
“I was hoping that you would come back, Clark,” Lois said as the silence between them became deafening.
“You were?” he raised his brows and let out a short, mirthless laugh. “Of course, you were. I would make for a great cover story. The reporter and the freak,” he added bleakly.
“I don’t think you’re a freak, Clark. Flying with you was the most amazing thing I ever experienced,” Lois disagreed, feeling her anger rise. “You saved me, twice now. I owe you not to write about you, if that is what you want. But would it really be so terrible if everyone knew about you?”
“Yes, it would,” he said, not caring to elaborate. “Why are you dating Luthor?” he changed the topic, instead. “I thought you had understood how dangerous he is.”
“I’m trying to investigate him. It’s not that easy. You of all people should know that.” Lois defended herself.
“Tonight’s attack was his doing, Lois,” Clark warned her. “You should be more careful around him. Don’t let him get too close to you.”
“Don’t tell me how to do my job, Clark,” Lois retorted, darting her index finger at him accusingly. She hated being patronized. “You ran away, expecting me to do all the work. And now you complain about my methods?”
“I …” he started, but Lois was beyond the point of arguing.
Suddenly, it dawned on her, that he had interfered with her work on an even deeper level than she had realized earlier. “And what on earth possessed you to take me to Smallville? Investigating Luthor was your idea, if I remember correctly. How am I supposed to do that here? I was finally getting somewhere on that helicopter explosion!” she ranted on. “Besides, there’s not a flicker of evidence that Luthor is guilty of any of the things you accuse him of.” Out of spite, she added. “Personally, I think he is quite a nice guy.”
Clark opened his mouth, but no word would come out. His eyes narrowed. A muscle was working in his jawline, as he looked at her. In the pale moonlight, it was hard to determine, what was going on inside his head, not that it had ever been easy. Perhaps he was contemplating, whether to take her back to Metropolis or to fly off again, leaving her alone right in the middle of nowhere. Lois had no way of knowing. The wind brushed through her hair, tearing at her clothes, peeling off the layers of rage she had wrapped herself in. As Lois’ anger slowly subsided, the memories of her ransacked apartment and the attack returned with a vengeance.
“I’m sorry, Clark,” Lois choked out, almost against her will, as the memories became overwhelming. “I didn’t mean it like that. You really think that Luthor sent this guy after me?”
His stern expression softened into one of sympathy. Slowly, he nodded. “I heard him talk over the phone. He ordered someone to search your apartment, trying to find out how close you had gotten to him during your short trip to D.C. He wanted the burglar to leave a mess, hoping he could intimidate you into dropping your investigation altogether.” A saddened smile creased his lips. “I don’t think he was aware that the burglar would stick around to take the intimidation part into his own hands.”
“So, I might really be onto something with the helicopter explosion,” Lois concluded, not entirely sure yet that she was thrilled about that fact, given what had happened in her apartment.
“Yes, you might,” Clark conceded. “But it also means that he will strike again, if you come any closer to him. Next time, I may not be around to save you.” His expression darkened. “I should never have asked you to go after Luthor.”
“It was my decision to keep on investigating,” Lois stated, somehow managing to sound a lot more confident than she felt. “And I’m not looking into Lex Luthor in particular. I’m trying to find out what happened to Dr. Baines. That is my right as a reporter and I’m not going to let anyone keep me from doing my job. Not even you. I have to go back to Metropolis.”
She knew she sounded like a pouting child. Being patronized tended to bring that out in her, worse even when she felt that the other party was right. The thought of walking back into her apartment and facing the destruction there sent chills down her spine. Her five-lock-protected castle had been violated and it scared her.
“It’s too dangerous to go back there, Lois,” Clark hedged, clearly not comfortable with what he was going to say next. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. You may or may not continue your investigation; you may or may not find any evidence on his involvement in the explosion of Dr. Baines helicopter. No matter what you do, he’ll come after you.”
Lois furrowed her brows in confusion and folded her hands in front of her chest. “Why?” she asked simply.
“Because, after what happened tonight, he knows for sure,” Clark said ominously.
“Knows what?”
“About me – what I really am,” Clark muttered unhappily.
to be continued...
Last edited by bakasi; 05/14/16 02:24 AM.
