Ghost From the Past
Folc4evernaday
Part 10
Present Day…
Lois felt like she was moving in slow motion as she approached the conference room door. Her arm felt like it weighed a ton as she lifted it to knock on the door. A woman in her mid-forties and glasses approached the door, opening it just enough for her to step out. “I’m…I’m…”
“Lois Lane I presume?” The woman smiled, extending her hand, “I’m Dr. Friskin. I specialize in cases of memory loss.”
“Is it bad?” Lois asked, tearfully.
“He seems to remember small chunks of time but nothing too much about his past…where he grew up…he only knows his name from other people around him…” Dr. Friskin explained, “but he seems to know you…keeps asking for you.”
“I don’t know what to do here. I mean, its been five years…” Lois said, raking a hand through her hair.
Dr. Friskin noticed the ring on her hand and smiled, “You still hadn’t given up hope had you?”
Lois shook her head, stroking the ring on her finger, “No, I couldn’t…”
***
Five Years Ago…
Lois fidgeted nervously in her seat as she waited patiently for Perry to respond. Today was the last day of her internship with the Daily Planet and she didn’t know if she’d get that final nod with an offer from the Daily Planet. She felt she’d all but proved herself with the stories she’d helped on over the last few months, but if she’d learned anything over the last few months it was that nothing was ever certain.
“So…” Perry began, folding his hands in front of him as he leaned forward, “I think you’ve done a tremendous job this year. Learned a lot…gotten your feet wet….cracked open a nationwide scandal…” He added with a grin, shaking his head.
Lois couldn’t help but smile at that, “Yes,” She and Clark had worked tirelessly with Perry and the others after the fiasco with Roarke and Harrington. ‘Corruption in Washington’ had been the headline for the Planet for a few weeks as they followed up on the murder of Harrington and exposed his involvement with Roarke and other unsavory characters. It had been incredible, seeing her name in print along with the other city beat reporters. She’d felt like a real reporter.
“I think you’ve definitely got what it takes…I know a good investigative reporter in the making when I see one…” Perry smiled.
“Really?” Lois couldn’t help but smile at the compliment. Was he buttering her up to just let her down though?
“I try to look at the whole picture when making an investment in reporters and writers for the Daily Planet. I value integrity, experience, initiative, and heart….you’ve proved you have all of those so,” He pulled out a folder on his desk and she felt like her heart was pounding as he took a slight pause to hand her a letter on the infamous Daily Planet stationary, “It is my pleasure to officially offer you a job in the newsroom as a First Year City Beat Reporter,”
“Are you serious??” Lois took the paper as she stood up in excitement.
“As a heart attack!” He stood up to shake her hand in congratulations. “We had three openings on the city beat. I’m sure you won’t mind being teamed up with the new guy?” He said with a twinkle in his eye.
“New guy?” She asked with a confused expression. He nodded, pointing in the newsroom towards Clark’s desk where he sat at his computer, working on the latest story with Claude on his desk. She smirked when she saw Clark push Claude off his desk and walk towards the copy room. “You two work well together. As long as you can keep it professional in the newsroom I don’t see why you can’t work together…Welcome to the Daily Planet,”
***
Lois sighed happily, grinning ear to ear when she took a seat at her desk. She’d had her official press badge made and updated all her information with HR. Now, she was ready to start working….as a reporter.
Clark smiled as she sat down, “Perry gave you your letter?”
She nodded then looked at him, “Why didn’t you say anything?” He had had his interview with Perry yesterday but had never told her what he’d said.
He shrugged. “I was told not to.” She threw a wadded up note at him and he laughed.
***
Present Day…
<<”He doesn’t remember a whole lot, but he remembers some things. Just be patient with him and try to help him through this. He’s going to need as much support as he can get right now…”>>
Lois recalled Dr. Friskin’s words as she opened the door to the Conference Room. ‘Here goes nothing’ she thought to herself as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
She held her breath as she stared pensively at the man sitting at the table, staring out the window. He turned to look at her when she closed the door and smiled, “Hi,”
It took everything in her not to break down and cry when she heard that familiar voice. After so many nights of praying to hear his voice again it felt like a dream come true to hear his voice..but it wasn’t. She gave a weak smile and approached him hesitantly, opting to pace in front of the table for the moment, “Hi, yourself,” She fidgeted with her ring nervously, “So, uh, Perry said you were looking for me?”
He nodded, quietly, “Yeah,”
“Dr. Friskin said you don’t re-remember anything?”
He nodded with a wry smile, “That’s not exactly true. I remember some things.”
“Some things?” Lois prompted. “Do you remember what happened to you?”
He shook his head, “No, I think its all really choppy….I remembered your face…”
“My face?” She asked nervously.
“Yeah,” He shook his head, “This is nuts…They said people thought I was dead and…” He stopped for a moments, holding back on something. “Nothing makes sense,”
Lois sighed, taking a seat across from him, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to figure it out…” She tapped her fingers on the table nervously. “How much did Perry tell you?”
“Not much?” He shrugged. “He was trying to figure out what I remembered…” Clark said softly, “…which is not much.” Lois nodded, allowing a few stray tears to fall down her cheeks. “Are you okay?” He asked concerned. She just shook her head, unable to hold the tears back anymore.
“I’m sorry I just…” She began, unable to stop the tears as he placed a hesitant hand over hers.
“It’ll be okay…” He smiled weakly at her.
“How?” She cried.
***
Five Years Ago…
Lois stepped off the elevator with Clark, listening as he showed her the latest article in the National Inquisitor. “I can’t believe you read that trash…”
“I got this one from Ralph…” He explained, “They’re just fun to read. This one about the Invisible Robin Hood?” He pointed at the article, “This invisible guy breaks into the safe of the city’s most notorious slumlord, takes the money, then hands it out to the tenants in one of his buildings…”
Lois glanced at the article he was reading and pointed, “Did you happen to notice the article right next to it?” She laughed, “’Benjamin Franklin is Alive and Living in My Electric Blender,’” she read.
They made their way to their desks and Perry approached them with tickets in hand, “Invite all your friends and tell ‘em to bring people who know how to dance and don’t mind dancing close,”
“What is this?” Lois asked, taking the pair of tickets from Perry.
“Coates Orphanage Charity Ball being hosted by Mr. Lex Luthor himself…even promised to make an appearance.” Perry grinned, “Maybe one of you can land that elusive personal interview with him,” With that Perry turned back towards the next set of unsuspecting employees and continued to hand out the tickets to the charity ball.
Clark smiled, “I guess I better get a tux,” He waved the tickets in the air.
She smiled back at him appreciatively, “When is it?”
He looked at the tickets, “Friday night,”
“I don’t suppose its optional,” Lois shrugged.
Clark shook his head, watching Perry force the tickets in Eduardo Friez’s hand. “Not from where I’m sitting,”
“Well, maybe we’ll get lucky and we can use the fact that we all basically almost died together to get him to give us an interview,”
“He didn’t even want his name mentioned in the Roarke/ Harrington scandal,” Clark reminded her. “What makes you think you can convince him to give a one-on-one interview now?”
“Lois shrugged, “Never hurts to ask,” A commotion on the television caught their attention, “What in the world?” Lois stood up to stand with the crowd of reporters huddled around the television screen.
The LNN Newscaster showed footage of a catering truck stopped at a stop light and the driver’s side door opening and the driver being thrown out of the truck. “If you’re not seeing what I’m seeing then you’re witnessing a miracle. Captured on amateur home video this morning, a catering truck, loaded with fancy treats for a political fund-raiser was high-jacked by the ‘Invisible Man,’”
“Has everyone lost their mind?” Lois muttered. “There is no such thing as an invisible man,”
“Then how do you explain that?” Clark asked, pointing at the screen where the catering truck was driving off by itself without anyone behind the wheel. The footage showed the driver yelling and chasing after the truck in the distance.
“That truck ended up at the fourth street shelter here in downtown Metropolis, where homeless families feasted on goose liver pate and cold lobster salad. Many thanks to the Invisible Man!” The LNN Newscaster finished and the screen went back to the leading newscaster.
Eduardo Friez tapped Lois on the shoulder, “Catch,”
“Huh?” Lois looked at him confused.
“When the whackos come off the street, the newbies take ‘em…” He pointed toward the conference room where a large woman with red hair stood nervously. “Invisible Man’s wife…”
Lois motioned for Clark to follow her, “You’ve got to be kidding me…” She muttered under her breath.
“Come on, it might turn into something…” Clark reasoned. “Let’s check it out,”
“Why are you so interested in this?” Lois asked.
“I’m fascinated with the paranormal…” Clark shrugged.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Lois said, taking him by the arm, “Who knows? Maybe she’ll introduce us to Casper the Friendly Ghost?”
Clark rolled his eyes as he opened the door, “After you…”
***
Present Day…
“Nightfall is close to seventeen miles across. It’s travelling close to thirty thousand miles an hour…” Dr. Daitch read off at a news conference being aired by LNN in the newsroom.
“Is there anything the military can do?” a reporter called out.
“We’re working with a team to try and push this asteroid off its current course…Earth, but trajectory and accuracy wouldn’t be guaranteed. We can pray our efforts work…” Dr. Daitch explained.
“What happens if it doesn’t?” another reporter asked.
“Worst case scenario? We are looking at Earth being knocked off its axis…even thrown out of our current solar orbit. This asteroid is much larger than the meteor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The crater alone will throw enough dust into the air to start a new ice age.”
“How long until this Nightfall hits us?” another reporter asked.
“Four days,”
***
Clark stared numbly at the blinds that had been closed, unable to speak. He had instinctually wrapped an arm around Lois after she began to cry. It seemed to just be second nature to him. He hadn’t been able to decipher exactly what she was saying when she was rambling in-between tears, but him holding her seemed to help calm her.
Floyd had said they were engaged. He certainly felt an attraction to her, but he didn’t have much of a memory at the moment. All he knew was his name and what people had told him. Mr. White had told him he’d worked at the Daily Planet as a reporter. The doctor said he was suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. He wondered if this had anything to do with that green room and those men he was running from earlier.
Lois was quiet. He looked down at her, uncertain of what to say. She seemed to be thinking about something. She pulled back from him for a moment, “I think we need to get out of here. That Trask guy showed up at my apartment looking for you…its only a matter of time before he comes here…which probably means you can’t go back to your apartment just yet…”
He held up a hand, “Whoah! Slow down…Who…what?…I, uh, lost count…” He smiled sheepishly.
Lois smiled wryly back at him, “Sorry, I tend to ramble when I’m upset.” She turned to face him, “The man that….shot you…Trask?” She prompted. He nodded, not sure who this Trask man was, but he guessed this man was responsible for the men chasing him. “He showed up at my apartment this morning looking for you…I guess you escaped?”
He shook his head, “I don’t know. I just remember a room with a weird green glow in it and running for what felt like forever and then somehow I ended up in front of my apartment where Floyd found me and then I found myself here.”
“Well, you always were most comfortable when you were writing…” Lois reasoned.
“I just wish I remembered…” Clark sighed. “I hate this,”
Lois nodded, “Well, your mom’s in Perry’s office. Maybe she can help…”
“My mom?” Clark asked, confused.
“Martha Kent,” Lois elaborated.
He shook his head, “Are you sure? I seem to remember my parents dying when I was younger….”
Lois shook her head, “You were adopted. Maybe you’re remembering your birth parents?”
“Maybe,” He shook his head. “Weird…”
“So, you’re remembering some stuff…” Lois said with a smile. “That’s a good sign.”
“Still choppy though,” Clark corrected.
TBC...
