Winner Takes All
Folc4evernaday
Part 21
***
Lois opened her eyes as the sun shone through the bedroom window. She lifted her hand up to block the sun but felt her arm getting tired so she dropped it and opted to roll over. She was stuck. She looked down, Clark’s arms were wrapped securely around her, just below her rib cage and his chin rested on her shoulder.
She grimaced as she stretched her leg to move. She was so sore. She had definitely overdone it last night, but she just couldn’t stop. After not being able to do anything for the past month…. She winced as she peeled herself out of his arms to sit up. Her muscles were so sore. She looked down at Clark who was still sleeping. ‘Totally worth it,’ she thought.
She looked down at her left hand, smiling to herself. Engaged. She was engaged to Superman….Clark Kent, her partner. She was getting married…
“Oh, my God!” she gasped, “Lucy…” she grimaced as she wrapped her robe around her body.
She’d forgotten to call her sister.
***
Clark woke when he heard Lois dart out of bed, “Oh, my God! Lucy…” He laughed to himself as he watched her grab the overnight bag he’d had Lucy bring over, searching for her phone.
He grabbed his boxer shorts from the floor of the living room and put them on then walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, “Morning…fiancée” he whispered in her ear.
“Morning, fiancé,” she whispered back. “I need to call Lucy,”
“We’ll tell her together,” he whispered, kissing her neck. “in person.” He took the phone from her, “Right now I want to enjoy the last few hours we have here before we checkout,”
He scooped her up in his arms and carried her back into the bedroom, kicking the door behind him as Lois giggled. “If you insist…”
“Oh, I insist,” he whispered.
***
The whispers in the Daily Planet lobby were the last thing on either Lois or Clark’s mind when they arrived at work the next morning….three hours late. “We’re late.” Lois murmured as they stepped into the elevator.
“Who cares?” Clark whispered, leaning down to kiss her, holding her against his solid frame as he reveled in the feeling of knowing Lois would soon be his wife.
DING
The elevator doors opened and neither one of them seemed inclined to separate. “What do you two think that is, a kissing booth??” Perry’s voice bellowed over the whistling and cat calls from their colleagues. Reluctantly they pulled away, stepping into the newsroom to get down to business. “Judas Priest, you two come in three hours late then you finally show up acting like you’re the stars of some romantic television sitcom. Get to work!” Perry ordered.
Lois and Clark nodded, moving towards their desks to pick up on the investigation into Intergang. Jimmy walked up to them with a note, “Lois, CK, you had a call from a guy named Bobby about fifteen minutes ago..”
“Thanks, Jimmy,” Lois said, taking the note from him.
Jimmy spotted the ring on Lois’ hand and beamed, “So, when’s the wedding?”
“We haven’t even started planning it yet, Jimmy, but don’t worry you’ll be one of the first to know,” Lois promised. “Now get; before Perry starts yelling at you for hovering.” Lois brushed him off. She picked up her phone and began to dial the number Bobby had left. A loud smacking noise could be heard on the other end of the phone, “Bobby?”
“Hey, Lois, I heard you and Kent are getting hitched, congrats. I got some information for you, but it’s gonna cost you.” Lois caught Clark’s gaze and motioned for him to listen in. He nodded approaching her desk.
“What do you want?” Lois asked.
“Pasta!” Bobby said, enthusiastically.
Lois rolled her eyes, “We’ll meet you at Alberto’s in twenty minutes. This better be good.”
“Oh, believe me, you’ll love it,” Bobby said before hanging up.
“Let’s go,” Clark said, holding her coat up for her.
“Where are you two going now?” Perry asked.
“We’ve got a lead, Perry. See you later.” Lois called over her shoulder as they made their way up the elevator ramp.
Perry nodded, watching the young couple leave. He just smiled then turned back to his work.
***
“Okay, so, my guy down at City Hall says there’s a particular lawyer that Intergang hires for the thugs that get caught with their hands dirty. I don’t got a name, but I got initials. ‘MS.’ Word is he’s pretty high up in Intergang…” Bobby took another slurp of his pasta then continued. “Oh, and your guy, Bibbo..He usually plays cards at the Press Club on Friday nights….but he has been out of pocket the last few weeks. Some personal issues…”
“What do you know about Linda King?” Lois asked.
“All I know is she’s trouble. Something about a deal with the devil..” Bobby said, taking a sip of his soda. “Man, this stuff is delicious. You sure you guys don’t want some?”
“No thanks, I’m good,” Lois said. Just watching Bobby eat was making her stomach churn.
“You sure? I heard you had some stomach issues earlier in the month. Pasta always helps.” Bobby said.
“I’m fine,” Lois reassured him.
“Thanks for the information, Bobby,” Clark said, laying the money for the food with the bill on the table. He waved at the waiter and handed the money to him. “Keep the change.” He said before helping Lois to her feet. “We’ll see you later, Bobby.”
“See ya. Congrats on the engagement. I’m happy for you.” Bobby said, taking another bite. Lois and Clark gave him a smile before leaving.
***
“Okay, I have run every single variation of the initials ‘MS’ in this database and have come up with about five hundred thousand different possibilities. Is there anything that can help us narrow it down?” Lois asked, exasperated as she gestured to her screen.
“I’m not sure, I…” Clark’s super hearing picked up the sound of screams for help.
“What is it?” Lois asked, recognizing the expression on his face.
“Someone’s in trouble.” He whispered.
Lois nodded, “Go. I’ll keep at this.” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and he nodded, heading for the exit.
***
“Let go of me!” Mike Lane screamed, struggling beneath the weight of three thugs that had grabbed him from behind. The edge of a baseball bat was at his neck as he struggled to breathe.
“Where should we start?” One of the thugs asked, pulling out a knife. The blade of a knife edged towards Mike’s ear, scraping against the skin. “Should we start with the limbs…?” He moved the knife to Mike’s throat.
“Go to hell, you unruly bastards!”
“Oh, we got a feisty one here, eh?” Another thug asked, tightening the grasp on the bat against Mike’s neck.
Mike delivered a hefty kick in the direction of the thug holding the knife. “OH!” The thug fell back. The other two thugs were startled, causing them to loosen their grip on Mike, allowing him to squirm free of their grasp.
“Grab him!”
They chased after him as he ran towards the street. A sonic boom could be heard as the thugs grabbed Mike again, flattening him to the ground, “You’re gonna pay for that one, old man!”
“Let him go!” A stern voice from behind them said.
The thugs turned around only to come face to face with Superman. “Holy…!”
Clark grabbed them by the collar, tossing them to the ground. “I said, ‘let him go!’” He said sternly. The thugs struggled to stand to their feet but were met with Superman’s boot on their backs. “You’re not going anywhere!” He turned his attention to Mike who was standing up, rubbing his neck, “Sir, are you all right?”
“I’m fine now. Thank you, Superman.”
The echo of sirens from a distance approaching fast could be heard as Clark secured the thugs in between the metal of a partially burnt road sign. “That oughta hold you.” He said sternly, “What happened here?”
“I got jumped…” Mike said, pointing at the three thugs.
“Man, you don’t know what you talking about.” One of the thugs said.
Mike’s eyes narrowed as he stepped towards the now secured thug, “Listen here, you ingrates, you may get away with your games with your family and gang friends, but you aren’t getting away with it this time! I didn’t spend ten years of my life fighting against terroristic bastards to only come home and deal with the same terroristic assholes in my own country!” He wagged his finger in their direction, “Listen here, you, you think you’re tough. You think you’ve seen it all? You don’t know shit!”
The thugs just laughed. “You’re the one up for a rude awakening, Grandpa!” One of the thugs sneered, “People like you is easy to get rid of ..you got weaknesses…family…friends. Me? I ain’t got nobody but the Skins!”
“Are you threatening me?” Mike glared.
“Don’t give into them, sir,” Clark warned.
“You son of a bitch, you come anywhere near my family I’ll rip you limb from limb…” Mike warned.
“Yeah, you got what? A sister? Two nieces right? Lois Lane, the reporter? Lucy Lane the new kid at the DA’s office. Shame if anything happened to ‘em.”
“All right, what’s going on here?” Officer Zymack asked, exiting from his patrol car.
“Attempted murder,” Clark added. “And you can also add a threat against at least three other people.”
The thugs just grinned.
***
“Lois!” Ellen Lane stormed into the newsroom, “Where have you been? I have been calling you since last night!” She huffed as she took a seat next to her daughter.
“I was at a Charity Ball function for the Planet with Clark, Mother. What’s up?” Lois asked.
“Lucy called and said you had something you needed to tell me…Oh, my!” Ellen spotted the ring on Lois’ hand. “Is that what I think that is?”
Lois nodded, pleased to see her mother at least partially speechless for once. “Clark asked me to marry him last night.”
“Wait, last night?” Ellen asked. “What was it you needed to talk to me about then? Lucy called me a few DAYS ago.”
“Mother, I’d really rather talk about this in private. Can we meet for lunch sometime? I’m really busy…” She spotted Clark coming down the ramp of the elevator towards her desk and smiled.
Ellen followed her gaze. “Is that him?” She asked critically.
“Yes. Be nice.” She warned. “Or so help me God I will never give you grandchildren.” Lois tried to squash the little bit of guilt she felt at threatening her mother like that. The point was kinda moot anyway. The fact was she was going to have a baby, but her mother didn’t know that.
Ellen scowled at Lois, “I am always nice.”
“Since when?” Lois asked dryly.
Ellen stood up to greet Clark, “You must be Clark. I’m Lois’ mother. We spoke on the phone…”
Clark seemed a bit taken aback for a split second but quickly recovered. “Oh, yes, hi, Ellen.” He took her hand. “I guess Lois told you?”
“About the engagement? Yes, I’m thrilled! I can’t wait to start planning!” Ellen beamed.
“Planning?” Clark echoed uncertainly.
“The wedding. The shower. Everything. Oh, I can’t wait!” She grabbed Clark and planted a big wet one on his cheek. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me!” She beamed. “I have to run. I’ll see you later. Lois, call me about lunch.” Ellen said before turning to head towards the elevator. “I’m going to go find a coordinator asap!”
Clark watched Ellen leave, completely dumbstruck. “What just happened?”
“You just became my mother’s favorite person,” Lois said in between fits of laughter. Realization dawned on Lois a moment, “Clark!” She slapped his chest. “I haven’t even told Lucy yet!”
“Somehow, I think she already knows…” Clark warned, watching Ellen leave. “Or if she doesn’t; she will soon.”
“That’s not funny!” Lois said, “Come on, we need to go tell her before hurricane Lane does..”
“Lois, hold on,” Clark warned. “I need to tell you something. We probably do need to see your sister, but not about the engagement.”
“What happened?” Lois asked, noticing the look in Clark’s eyes.
“Superman just stopped a bunch of thugs from attacking a restaurant owner in Southside…your Uncle Mike.” He whispered.
“Oh, my…Is he all right? Oh, my God…I have to go see him…” Lois rambled grabbing her purse and half dragging him towards the elevator.
“He’s at the police station right now giving his statement,” Clark said.
“Let’s go!” Lois said, pressing the call button for the elevator. She swatted at a fly that flew in her direction. “OW!”
“What happened?” Clark asked concerned.
“A bug just bit me.” She pouted, looking down at her hand.
“Are you all right?” Clark asked, looking down at her hand in concern.
“It really hurt.” She said.
They stepped into the elevator car and Clark kissed her hand, “Better?”
“No.” She said, pouting as she pulled him in for a kiss. “I think I need a bigger dose.”
***
TBC...
