Ghost From the Past
Folc4evernaday
Part 21
Note: Sorry it took so long to get this one up. I'm working on the conclusion right now and trying to figure out how I want all the loose ends tied up. It was a lot of back and forth.
***
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Clark asked, stepping out of the Jeep as he surveyed the rundown street they were on.
“155 River Lane,” Lois said, grimacing at the scenery as she took a step closer to Clark. “Worst street in town.”
“What’s a respected scientist doing living on the worst street in Suicide Slum?” Clark wondered aloud.
“I wouldn’t exactly call him ‘respected,’” Lois corrected.
“Up until a month ago, he was,” Clark countered, walking toward the alley where a light was blinking, and the door read, ‘155’. He grimaced, “Well, we’re here,”
She cringed, knocking lightly on the door, “Dr. Platt?”
“Nobody’s home,” they heard a voice from inside say.
Lois shared an annoyed look with Clark before she knocked again, “Dr. Platt. It’s Lois Lane and Clark Kent. You came by the Planet earlier…”
The door cracked open with the chain still on the lock, and Dr. Platt peered at them suspiciously, “Were you followed?”
“Uh, no,” Clark interjected, stepping closer to Lois, “We’re here to talk to you about the sabotage…”
“Shhhh!” He ordered, jerking the door open and ushered them inside as he glanced down the alley warily, checking for any possible intruders. “You never know who’s watching or listening.”
Clark bit the inside of his lip, fighting the urge to say something about this man’s paranoid state of mind. Lois cast a wary look towards him, and he nodded before speaking once more, “Dr. Platt? Has someone threatened you?” Hopefully, there was some plausible explanation for why or how this once respected engineer had fallen so hard and so fast in the scientific world.
He began sifting through shoeboxes of papers as he spoke, “They said I was crazy, but wouldn’t you be? After the drugs…”
“Drugs?” Lois questioned, examining him critically.
“Yes!” His eyes widened, “They drugged me. Didn’t I tell you?”
“Who drugged you?” Clark asked.
“No name. No face. No memory.” Platt sighed in defeat, pulling out a picture on the shelf he was rummaging through. A sense of calm seemed to wash over him as he spoke, “My Amy.”
Lois exchanged a look with Clark before offering Platt a weak smile as she found her voice, “Dr. Platt, how do you know you were drugged?”
Platt’s hand began shaking uncontrollably, and he winced, holding his wrist. She shared a look with Clark who nodded, and Platt glared at his hand angrily. “They keep getting worse.”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Platt,” Clark said, “We want to help…however, we can.”
“When did you first…notice the spasms?” Lois asked, recalling how Dr. Platt said his memory of the one who drugged him was gone.
“It was after I submitted my report to Dr. Baines,” He said solemnly.
“Dr. Baines the Director of the Extra Planetary Research And Development? That Dr. Baines?” Clark clarified.
“Yes, that’s the one.” He said solemnly.
“Do you know who might have wanted to hurt you?” Lois asked. “Do you have any enemies?”
“No!” Platt shook his head vehemently, “It’s Prometheus! Someone is sabotaging the space station!”
Lois sighed, trying a different approach, “Okay, say you’re right, and someone is trying to sabotage the space station. How could they have done the it? In order to bypass security…”
“…unless the orders came from high up,” Clark interjected. Platt didn’t respond, returning to his original train of thought, digging through the shoeboxes of files.
“You see, under extreme temperature conditions, the particle isolators were in danger of shutting down to prevent that, we installed heating devices. But when I broke into one of the off limit labs, I discovered that the heating devices had been replaced by coolant systems.” Platt explained, tossing another shoebox to the ground as he continued to rummage through the chaos on the shelf.
“To…freeze the icon particles?” Clark clarified.
“Yes, so they’d fuse, and the messenger would blow up! It's all in my report…” Platt continued rummaging.
“Yes, you went over that earlier, but you said you had a copy of that report and….” Lois was cut off by Platt once more.
“Of course! Why do you think I’m looking through shoeboxes like a crazy person?” He smiled at her. “I mean, what kind of scientist would I be if I didn’t keep a copy of….Where did I put it?”
Lois sighed, looking back at Clark, “Dr. Platt, is there anything else you can tell us about the sabotage?”
He hung his head in defeat, “Please, you have to stop it.” He pulled out the picture of Amy once more. “Space Station Prometheus is my Amy’s last hope for a chance to walk again,”
“We’ll do everything we can,” Clark promised, “When you find the report, please send it to the Planet,” Lois handed him another business card, and they left.
“So, what do you think?” Clark asked, opening the door to the Jeep for her.
“I think he’s crazy,” Lois muttered, stepping into the driver’s seat.
Clark nodded at her with a knowing look, “But?”
“But I think we should still check out this Dr. Baines and see what she has to say,” She smiled back at him.
He nodded, “Let’s go,”
***
Fumes of exhaust filled the air, and Lois crinkled her nose, covering her mouth with her coat to block the foul smell from her nostrils. She blinked back tears as her eyes began to water and she and Clark made their way through the EPRAD maintenance division. “You okay?” Clark asked in concern.
The smell.
The putrid smell of the fumes tingled in her nostrils, and she fought against the wave of nausea that was threatening to overtake her. Why did it have to smell so bad? Oh, this was bad. She was just a few feet away from the door. The door that meant no more of that awful smell…but she wasn’t going to make it. She spotted a small plastic wastebasket by the door and grabbed it in a panic, emptying her stomach’s contents into it.
“Lois?” Clark’s hand rested on the small of her back, and she took a deep breath, setting the waste basket back down. She grimaced as she felt the burning in her throat and lingering of the foul smell that still teased her nostrils. Just a few more steps. She took out a tissue from her purse and grabbed a piece of gum to help get rid of the taste still lingering on her taste buds.
“Fine,” She said not so convincingly as they finally arrived at their destination. Clark opened the door for her, and she rushed inside, sighing in relief as the rotten smell that had been overtaking her a few moments ago was now gone.
Clark looked at her in concern as she took another sigh of relief, taking in the warm scents of old coffee and the sterile office environment. She gave him a weak smile. “The fumes were just getting to me.”
“Really?” He looked at her skeptically. “They’re a little unpleasant but nothing to warrant…”
“I’m fine!” She snapped irritably. “Can we please just…” She motioned toward the hallway in front of them where Dr. Baines’ office was. He grew silent and nodded, following her to Dr. Baines’ office.
***
Clark watched Lois carefully out of the corner of his eye as he and Lois followed up their investigation into Dr. Samuel Platt’s claims with Dr. Antoinette Baines. She was a short young woman with short blonde hair and a seemingly empathetic view towards Dr. Platt. Not what they would expect from someone who was a part of a conspiracy to take down the space station.
Lois shifted uncomfortably as they stepped out into the maintenance room once more with Dr. Baines as she walked them into a room with large glass panel walls, giving them the view without the noise and the smells from the crew. “Dr. Platt was a brilliant scientist. Top of his class. I’m saddened to know he’s fallen so fast and so hard…”
“Yes, his file said he graduated top of his class at MIT,” Lois noted from the file in her hands. “Any idea what could have caused him to ‘fall from grace’ like this?”
Dr. Baines shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine, Ms. Lane. If I had to guess, I’d say the pressure from building the space station along with the divorce finally got to him.”
“Divorce?” Lois echoed. “He never said anything about a divorce,”
“I’m not surprised.” She sighed, shaking her head as she spoke. “When his wife and daughter left him it sent him on a downward spiral…drinking and taking drugs…I kept him on as long as we could, but after he set fire to one of the laboratories we had to let him go.”
Clark’s eyes narrowed at the last statement Dr. Baines gave them. She was lying. He could hear her heart rate pick up as she described Platt’s divorce and downward spiral. He looked over at Lois and nodded. She gave him a half smile, and he continued her train of thought, “Yes, the fire he claimed to have set in order to stop the test launch last week?”
“Yes, that’s correct,” Dr. Baines replied coolly.
“According to Dr. Platt he submitted a report to you detailing the sabotage of the Prometheus Messenger,” Clark pressed, watching Dr. Baines as she spoke.
Dr. Baines’ pulse quickened as she smiled warmly, “I’m not aware of any report.”
“Something about coolant devices installed to …” Lois looked at him for confirmation as she continued, “…freeze the ion particles?” He nodded confirmation and looked at Dr. Baines expectantly.
“Coolants? No, I don’t recall any report….” Dr. Baines smiled at them warmly before offering, “but I could check my records.”
“Could you?” Lois pulled out her business card and handed it to Baines, “Let us know if you find anything?”
“Absolutely,” She smiled back at her.
“Would it be possible for us to see the lab where the fire took place?” Lois added.
Baines shook her head with a forced smile, “No, press allowed I’m afraid. With us being this close to the launch we don’t want to turn this into a media circus. You understand?”
“Of course,” Lois nodded, offering Baines a forced smile, “You’ll call if you find anything?”
“Of course,” She smiled back at them.
***
“Dr. Platt was a brilliant scientist. Top of his class. I’m saddened to know he’s fallen so fast and so hard…” Dr. Baines shook her head. Lois did her best to control her temper, but right now it was really hard to do when she didn’t feel well, and this very young, thin, blonde woman kept making eyes at her fiancé. She crossed her arms over her chest, readjusting the file in her hands and making sure her engagement ring was visible as the interview continued.
“Yes, his file said he graduated top of his class at MIT,” Lois noted from the file in her hands. “Any idea what could have caused him to ‘fall from grace’ like this?”
Dr. Baines shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine, Ms. Lane. If I had to guess I’d say the pressure from building the space station along with the divorce finally got to him.”
“Divorce?” Lois echoed. “He never said anything about a divorce,” She was doing it again. Would it be terrible form to claw her eyes out? Yes, Clark is an attractive man. Anyone with a pulse could tell that, but that didn’t mean she had to drool…or be so….
“I’m not surprised.” She sighed, shaking her head as she spoke. “When his wife and daughter left him it sent him on a downward spiral…drinking and taking drugs…I kept him on as long as we could, but after he set fire to one of the laboratories we had to let him go.”
Lois glared at her, listening to the words and fighting every urge to scream ‘Liar Liar Pants on Fire’ to the rooftops. She glanced back at Clark and saw him nod to her. Their silent signal to switch off. She nodded and gave him a half smile before he picked up with the questioning, “Yes, the fire he claimed to have set in order to stop the test launch last week?”
“Yes, that’s correct,” Dr. Baines replied coolly. She was practically leering at him.
“According to Dr. Platt he submitted a report to you detailing the sabotage of the Prometheus Messenger,” Clark pressed. Lois stared at Dr. Baines as she spoke, hoping for something more reliable than her gut that this woman was lying.
Dr. Baines smiled warmly, “I’m not aware of any report.” Lois fought the urge to scream, taking another step closer to Clark, hoping to send the silent signal of ‘back off’ to the blonde that insisted on lying to them. Surely Clark wasn’t buying this?
“Something about coolant devices installed to …” Lois interjected, looking to Clark for confirmation on the technical terms as she continued, “…freeze the ion particles?” He nodded confirmation, and they both looked at Dr. Baines expectantly.
“Coolants? No, I don’t recall any report….” Dr. Baines smiled at them before offering, “but I could check my records.”
“Could you?” Lois pulled out her business card and handed it to Baines, “Let us know if you find anything?”
“Absolutely,” She smiled back at her.
“Would it be possible for us to see the lab where the fire took place?” Lois added, testing the waters to see what Baines’ reaction would be.
Baines shook her head with a forced smile, “No, press allowed I’m afraid. With us being this close to the launch we don’t want to turn this into a media circus. You understand?”
“Of course,” Lois nodded, offering Baines a forced smile, “You’ll call if you find anything?”
“Of course,” She smiled back at them.
***
They made their way out of EPRAD in silence. Clark noticed Lois seemed to be still struggling with the smells coming from the maintenance division of EPRAD. She seemed to visibly relax once they were out of that corner of EPRAD and away from the fumes. “Lois?” He placed a hand on her shoulder hesitantly.
“Just give me a sec,” She replied weakly. He nodded, watching as she took a few shallow breaths, seeming to fight the urge to get sick once more. He looked down the hallway they were on, trying to spot somewhere she could dart into if her nausea got worse. Thankfully whatever had come over her seemed to pass and she gave him a weak smile. “I guess now we know why those guys wear the protective masks when working with all that stuff…”
He nodded, “You okay?”
“Yeah,” She nodded, reaching for his arm as they continued down the hallway toward the exit, “I don’t trust her.”
“A little *too* cooperative,” He commented. “Either her age is showing or…”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Lois asked.
“She’s really young for a woman in her position.” He pointed out.
“Ugh, that is just so….”
“What?” He asked, uncertain what had set her off.
“Typical,”
“What’s typical?” He asked, still not understanding why she was so upset.
“You and your typical male response,” She harrumphed.
“Typical male response?” He echoed, “All I did was mention she was young for a woman in her position.”
“Exactly! Typical male response looking at the outside package while she’s over there throwing Platt under the bus and lying through her teeth...”
“I never said I believed her,” Clark added a bit irritated with her tone. “All I said was her age was showing.”
“But why her age?” She argued.
He gave her a half-smile, “Okay, fine, you win. Her inexperience is showing. Better?” He still wasn’t sure what was upsetting Lois, and right now he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He hadn’t seen her this angry in a long time.
She seemed to soften her tone as her face fell a bit, looking at the doors they’d just exited angrily, “She’s lying,” Lois said angrily. “That whole spiel about Platt’s divorce and drug use was a set-up so he could be the fall guy if anything goes wrong. I just wish I had more to go on than my gut.”
“I know,” He sighed, placing an arm around her shoulders, “If it makes you feel any better her heart rate picked up when we started asking about that report and Platt’s accusations.”
“So, we know she’s lying.” She said, “How do we prove it?”
***
“An LNN Special Report…” The announcer’s voice filled the newsroom as Brock Thomas began narrating the scenes of Lex Luthor standing with President Thompson at the White House with a smile on his face.
“Mr. Lex Luthor, self-made billionaire and owner of LexCorp has just been named a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Honor. He is expected to be awarded this medal later this week during President Thompson’s visit to discuss the findings last month on Bureau 39.”
Ralph clapped his hands loudly, “All right Lex! You the man!”
Jimmy stared at the screen in awe. “He’s really something isn’t he?”
Cat rolled her eyes, “Yeah, he’s something all right, Jimmy,”
Jimmy glanced at Cat quizzically, “I don’t get what you and Lois have against him. He’s done so much good with all the charity work and giving jobs to almost all of Metropolis…”
“Figures,” Cat snorted, shaking her head. He looked at her, arching an eyebrow in confusion as he stared her down. Cat gave a hesitant laugh as if she was biting back on what she wanted to say before she spoke, “Jimmy, you’ve only been doing this for a few years. Lois and I have been doing this MUCH longer. When you’ve been in the business as long as we have you learn when someone’s blowing smoke and when they’re the real deal.”
“Man, you don’t know what you’re talking about, Cat!” Ralph interrupted. “Just because you weren’t able to land an interview with the guy is no reason to sling mud,”
Cat ignored him, continuing with her conversation with Jimmy, “Ever wonder why the only reporters that get even half a chance to ‘interview’ him are women?”
Jimmy shrugged, and she continued, “The only ones that seemed to land any type of interview with him are ones that are willing to resort to ….shall we say, less than professional activities during these interviews.
“Yeah, I’m sure they were sooo insulted too.” Ralph sneered. “You don’t get to be a guy in his position without being able to sniff out the gold diggers.”
“Gold diggers??” Cat scoffed angrily, “Are you out of your mind? These women were respected journalists.”
“Consenting adults,” Ralph corrected.
Jimmy was quiet a moment, “Just because he likes to play the field doesn’t mean he’s a bad person, Cat.”
“It is when he tries to use a promised interview as a bargaining chip for sleeping with him.” Cat sniffed.
“Oh, come on!” Ralph scoffed. “The guy’s worth billions. Why would he need to do that? He could have anyone he wanted.”
“Almost,” Cat shrugged. “I know for a fact two very well respected journalists that turned him down cold and had their interviews with him…stonewalled.”
“Another one of your unsubstantiated rumors?” Ralph asked with a grin. When she didn’t respond, he continued, “So, he’s a bit of a player.”
Jimmy added, “That’ doesn’t make him a bad person.”
“Just an untrustworthy one,” Cat added. “I don’t trust him.”
“Well, the president obviously trusts him enough to give him the Presidential Medal of Honor. Are you saying he’s wrong?” Jimmy asked.
“I…”
“Who’s wrong?” Lois asked from behind them, setting her things down at her desk.
Cat gave her a sympathetic look. It was evident the stress from the last few weeks were beginning to take their toll on Lois. Clark stood by Lois with his hand on her back, rubbing it as Lois looked at them expectantly.
Cat motioned to the television set, “Apparently, boy wonder is now charming the leader of the free world,” She cast a sideways glanced at Ralph and added, “…and Ralph. His number one fan.”
Ralph grinned, and Clark shook his head, placing a protective arm around Lois. Ralph caught Clark’s gaze and cleared his throat, “I gotta go, uh, copy something….I’ll catch you later,”
Cat fought the urge to laugh as Ralph scurried away, looking back at Clark who was glancing up at the television screen with Lois. The screen showed Lex Luthor shaking hands with President Thompson. Lois shook her head in disgust, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” She muttered in disgust.
“Presidential Medal of Honor?” Clark read the ticker at the bottom of the screen. To Cat’s delight, she noticed Clark’s jaw tighten as he stared at the footage. It was nice to know at least one man wasn’t under the assumption that Lex Luthor could do no wrong.
“Tell me about it,” Cat rolled her eyes, “I was just telling Jimmy about some of the smarmy things the guy’s been doing over the years, but…”
“All I’m saying is just because he likes to play the field doesn’t make him public enemy number one,” Jimmy protested, looking at Clark for help.
“No, but it says something about his character,” Clark said sternly. “I don’t know about you but if I wouldn’t trust him in the same room as my fiancée or any other woman in my life why would I trust him to do anything else?”
Jimmy stared at Clark for a moment, “I guess I never thought of it that way,”
Cat grinned up at Clark for a moment, “It’s good to have you back Clark. We’ve missed you around here,”
He smiled back at Cat, tightening his arm around Lois’ waist, “It’s good to be back,”
“So, Lois, how’d it go with your crazy scientist this morning?” Cat asked.
“Okay,” Lois said, “Still trying to figure out if there was any sabotage or not,”
“Why would anyone want to sabotage the space station?” Jimmy asked. “You’d think everyone would want this mission to succeed.”
Lois exchanged an uneasy look with Cat for a moment before offering a wistful, “You’d think that, wouldn’t you? Sometimes it’s just not that simple, Jimmy,”
“Olsen!!!” Perry’s voice bellowed from the editor’s office, and Jimmy stood up from his seat. Perry stood in the open doorway holding a can of diet coke in his hand. “When I say 'soda' I mean real soda, not that lily-livered diet stuff! If you're gonna do a job, do it right. Now get!”
Jimmy stared at the Editor-in-Chief’s office in defeat as the door slammed shut behind Perry. Cat glanced at Jimmy sympathetically, patting him on the shoulder, “Another important job for Perry White,” Jimmy muttered. “I gotta go,”
“Poor guy,” Clark said, watching as Jimmy raced toward the break room to fetch the Chief a real soda.
“He’s gotta fight back,” Cat said. “No one else can do it for him,”
***
Dr. Baines paced around her office uncertainly as she waited for Lex to get back to her. How had she gotten into this mess? It was supposed just to be simple mechanical failure. Now it was turning into something more. Three men had been severely injured this afternoon. She had to stop this. She had to put an end to this before someone got killed. Surely Lex would understand. She couldn’t have any of these men and women’s lives on her conscience.
***
That evening Lois nervously examined herself in the full-length mirror. She wore a long violet dress with sheer tie sleeves and an open back. She smiled to herself, recalling how the last ball she and Clark had attended had ended. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Slowly but surely they seemed to be finding their way back to one another, but it still wasn’t the same. After her confession and breakdown about Jamie, he’d been distant.
They’d worked through a lot of what she thought were their main issues, but there still seemed to be this barrier between them. He still wasn’t letting her in. It had been five years of long lonely nights and praying for his safe return. Now here he was back in her life, and she didn’t know how to react. He seemed afraid to touch her. They still had yet to make love since her confession, and she wondered if a part of it was because he blamed her for what happened. He said he didn’t, but she couldn’t help but wonder…
“Wow, sis, you look hot,” Lucy said from over her shoulder.
Lois smiled back at her sister, “Thanks,” She glanced at Lucy in a simple black dress with spaghetti straps and embroidered lace along the neckline and back of her dress. “You look great. I’m sure Jimmy will love it,” When Jimmy had started at the Planet he and Lucy had hit it off pretty well and had been dating off and on for the last year as Lucy finished up her degree. She’d taken a year off to help with Jamie after Clark’s disappearance and had fought hard to keep her grades up. Now here she was at the top of her class about to graduate with her degree in Criminology. A safe medium between their father’s dreams for her and her dreams for herself. She was still in the medical field while helping fight crime with the Metropolis P.D’s Crimes Against Children Prevention Unit once she graduated next month.
Lucy smiled happily, “Are you sure I’m dressed up enough? I wasn’t sure how nice to dress.”
“You look great, Luce,” Lois reassured her. “Do you need a ride or is Jimmy picking you up?”
Lucy shook her head, “Jimmy’s meeting me there. He said there was some emergency at work and was running a bit late,”
Lois nodded, smiling at her sister, “Feels like ages ago since I’ve been to one of these.”
Lucy smiled weakly at her, eying the ring on her left hand as she spoke, “Yeah, I’m sure it’s weird going to one of these again, but I’m glad you’re getting out again and living. I was getting worried about you.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Lucy.” Lois said, “I’m fine.” Her gaze shifted over to the shelf in the corner where Jamie’s urn sat with a white teddy bear.
Lucy smiled at her, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders, “I miss him too.”
Lois bit her lip, fighting the urge to breakdown in tears as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue, “I don’t know what my problem is today. I feel like I’m one push away from breaking down in tears or blowing up at someone.”
“Well, you’re dealing with a lot. It’s expected,” Lucy reasoned.
“I thought I was supposed to be the one dishing out advice,” Lois sniffed, “I am the older sister,”
“Just giving you a break.” Lucy smiled at her.
Lois leaned her head on her shoulder for a moment, finding solace in the quiet lull that had fallen between them for the moment. A knock at the door broke the moment, and she pulled away, “That’s probably Clark,”
Lucy smiled at her, “Go. Have fun. I’ll meet you guys there.”
***
“I’m not sure I understand you correctly,” Lex began cautiously, “You want me, self-made billionaire, owner of seven hundred and fifty-three different divisions of LexCorp, a company I built from scratch…to just walk away?”
“Lex, I know you’ve put a lot of time into this, but….”
“No, you have no idea what I’ve put time into, Antoinette,” He corrected her, “Do I look like I was born yesterday? You want me to blow fifty billion dollars because you have a sudden attack of conscience???”
“Lex…”
“No!” He raised his fist in the air, “I decided when a deal is done. This is just getting started. You will destroy Prometheus by any means necessary…”
“But what about those people that got hurt today…” Baines argued.
“Casualties of war,” He sniffed.
“But….”
“Let me repeat myself, darling. I’ll try to use small words, so you understand. Prometheus will be destroyed. Luthor Space Station will be launched in its place, and you will not do a thing to stop me, or they’ll never find your body. Are we clear?”
“Completely,” Baines breathed, narrowing her eyes at Lex.
***
The room was filled with music and Metropolis’ wealthy. Everyone that was anyone was in attendance, and all the press had been invited. “I’m surprised, so many people from the Planet are here,” Clark mentioned as they stepped down the staircase with Lois.
“Every year, Mr. Stern buys up all the tickets he can and gives them out to everyone. Says he enjoys driving Lex Luthor crazy by forcing him to mingle with the common folk.” Lois explained.
Clark laughed, “I’m guessing he’s not a fan,”
“Oh, are you kidding?” She teased. “He said my best work was the expose I did on LexCorp’s corrupt oil drilling practices…” She smiled back at him flirtatiously, “He’s a big fan…of anything that goes against Lex Luthor.”
“Whatever happened with your expose plans anyway?” Clark asked.
“I hit a brick wall,” Lois grimaced, “Got stonewalled. Cat has a theory on that….”
“I heard,” Clark grimaced, placing a protective arm around her. “It feels like a lifetime ago we were here trying to nab the first one-on-one interview with him…Now, so much has changed.” Clark stared up at the high vaulted ceilings, glancing around the familiar setting they were in. It wasn’t that long ago that he and Lois had been to a similar ball with these same people and the world seemed so different back then.
<<“Which one?”
“Which one’s easier to take off?”
“You’re not helping,”>>
<<“Always taking my breath away…”
“Better believe it,”>>
<<“I really…love you…You know that?”
“Yeah, I love you too…I….just…I don’t know. I imagine the world ….the future….I can’t imagine any of it without you there…standing with me.”
“Marry me,”
“What?”
"Yes,">>
<<"Don't stop,"
"Never,">>
Lois hung on his shoulder, placing a hesitant hand on his arm, “You okay?”
“Yeah,” He smiled back at her, “Just remembering what happened here five years ago,” He leaned in to kiss her.
She smiled, cupping his cheek, “I remember. I do plan on collecting…” She kissed him again, and his arms encircled her waist as he began to forget about the world around them.
“Hey, you two!” Perry’s voice bellowed from behind them as they slowly broke apart, “I see some things still don’t change.”
Clark gave a light chuckle, releasing his arms from Lois but keeping one arm around her waist as they turned to their editor, “Chief, I didn’t know you were gonna be here.”
Perry shrugged, “It’s for a good cause,” He pointed to the banner above the entrance marked ‘Coates Orphanage’ where a small crowd of children was gathered together with an elderly man with a sign marked ‘silent auction.’
Alice White interrupted with a smile, “It was a good excuse to get him out of the newsroom and into a suit,”
They all laughed, and Perry smiled back at Alice, wrapping an arm around her, “What can I say? She knows how to drive a hard bargain.”
“Clark, Perry says you just started back at the Planet. How are you doing?” Alice asked, looking at him in concern.
Clark looked down for a moment, contemplating his words carefully, “It’s a bit weird having been gone for so long, but it feels good to be doing something I’m familiar with.”
Alice nodded, “I can’t imagine what you two must have gone through all these years, but I’m glad to see you’re getting back into a normal routine. After everything that happened….” She shook her head bitterly, “That man should have been held accountable for his crimes. I’m just sorry you won’t get that chance.”
Clark gave her a reassuring smile, “We’re fine,”
Jimmy walked up to them dressed in a tux with Lucy on his arm, “Hey guys! Have you guys seen the spread? I never knew there were so many different types of sushi…”
They laughed, and Lois turned toward Jimmy and Lucy, “Glad to see you made it. We were just catching up,”
“Pretty nice of Mr. Luthor to set up a silent auction for charity at this thing,” Jimmy observed. “Although from looking at a lot of this stuff I wonder if some of the stuff being auctioned should be in a museum.”
Perry motioned to the crowd around them, “Jimmy, you gotta know your audience. Everyone here is somebody…” he then turned back to Lois and Clark, “…or writing about someone.”
“Intimidating,” Jimmy said scanning the room.
“That’s the idea,” Alice reassured him. The soft chords of the live band began to fill the air, and her eyes lit up as she tugged on Perry’s arm, “Come on, let’s let these kids have some fun. Besides, you owe me a slow dance,”
“Bye now,” Perry waved before following Alice on the dance floor.
Clark chuckled, holding Lois to him as he watched Alice and Perry on the dance floor, ignoring the world around them as they danced to the music. He turned to Lois who had her head resting on his shoulder.
“Any idea where Lex Luthor is?” Lucy commented, looking around the room. “I mean I’m not an expert, but you’d think if he’s hosting this thing he’d be center stage.”
“Probably trying to make a grand entrance,” Lois commented dryly.
“Gee, Lois, tell us how you really feel,” Lucy teased.
Lois smiled back at them, “You laugh, but I’m serious,”
“Hey, look there he is!” Jimmy interrupted, pointing toward the staircase where Lex Luthor was mingling with the crowd.
The band started playing Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love, ” and the sound of Alice White’s squeal on the dance floor echoed throughout the hall. Lois laughed, taking Clark’s hand and pulling him to her as she walked toward the dance floor that was slowly filling up with couples, “Come on, Farmboy, I didn’t get this dressed up to stand around and watch other people dance.”
Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?“I guess I owe you a few dances,” He smiled at her, pulling her close as they swayed to the music.
Lois rested her head against his chest, and he smiled against her hair, “I’ve missed this,”
“Me too,” He whispered, holding her close as they swayed together. “I’m sorry,”
“You’ve got to quit apologizing,” She gave him a slow smile. “We both do.”
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you“I guess five years changes a lot,” He said apologetically.
“But we said we weren’t going to keep looking in the past,” She reminded him.
“I know,” He murmured, “but sometimes it’s hard not to think of everything we’ve lost.”
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with youAs the song ended Lois leaned up to kiss him before pulling away. “Come on; I guess we should try and find…” She stopped mid-sentence when they spotted Lex Luthor in deep conversation with Jimmy and Lucy. “Great,” She muttered under her breath.
“You really wrestled an alligator with your bare hands?” Jimmy asked excitedly.
“In the Everglades,” Lex seemed disinterested in his conversation with Jimmy and more focused on Lucy at the moment, “Perhaps I could show you some time, Miss…”
“Lane,” Lois supplied from behind them, “Lucy Lane.”
Lex turned to face Lois who was standing with her arms over her chest staring him down with disapproval, “Lois, always a pleasure,” He took a step toward her before turning to Clark, “Mr. Kent, I heard you ‘rose from the dead’ so to speak. Good to have you back among the living,”
He extended his hand for Clark to shake which Clark took grudgingly, offering a tighter than normal handshake. He couldn’t help but smile as Lex winced in pain, “Thank you, Mr. Luthor. I see nothing’s changed around here,” He released his grasp on Lex Luthor’s hand which Lex took back with a wince of pain.
“Yes, well, you know how the rich like to spend money,” Lex tried to cover, “I’m just trying to give them something worthwhile to spend it on,”
“Like a Space Station?” Clark asked with a knowing smile.
“Ah, ah, ah, you’ll have to wait for the announcement at the end of the evening like everyone else,” Lex admonished.
“Lex was just telling us about some of his travels,” Jimmy said excitedly.
“Yes, I was telling Lucy here about my latest trip to the Everglades last July. Wrestled a seventeen-foot gator…” He took a deep breath, “…the thrill of the hunt. There’s nothing like it.”
Lois rolled her eyes. Clark could tell she was about to retort with some sarcastic comment, so he decided to beat her to the punch, “It was my understanding that hunting season was only during the fall in the Everglades.”
Lex seemed a bit taken aback by Clark’s observation. Lois smiled, and Lucy smirked looking back at Jimmy who was taking everything in, “Yes, well, I suppose they made an exception…I didn’t know you were well versed in alligator hunting, Mr. Kent,”
Clark shrugged, “I’ve done my fair share before college when I was traveling.”
“I see,” Lex nodded, “Well, I suppose I should get back to the rest of my guests,” He excused himself and left.
“What a dirt bag,” Lucy groaned, watching him leave.
“What are you talking about?” Jimmy asked.
Clark looked at him in concern, “You didn’t notice?”
“Notice what?” He asked. “He seemed cool. Telling us stories about his travels.”
Lois sighed, “Jimmy, he wasn’t trying to impress you; he was trying to impress Lucy.”
Lucy cringed outwardly, and Clark continued, “He was trying to hit on her right in front of you,”
“But…” Jimmy’s face fell as realization began to come to him, “What a….TOOL!” He grabbed Lucy’s hand and led her on the dance floor, “Come on Luce, let’s show these guys how to liven up a dance floor.”
Lois laughed, watching Jimmy and Lucy move with moves neither she or Clark were familiar with. “He seems nice. Lucy seems to like him,” Clark observed, “A little naïve,”
“He’s only been working in the newsroom for six months,” Lois said. “He just transferred to the newsroom this past Fall. He and Lucy hit it off pretty well. Been going out for about two months now.”
“They seem happy,”
“They are…I think,” Lois said, motioning to Lex who was standing with a crowd of overstuffed suits relaying his conquests in the Everglades once more. “He’s distracted. Maybe we can snoop around a bit,”
“Lo-is,” Clark sighed, giving her a disapproving look.
“Come on,” She tugged his hand with her toward the stairs. “It’ll be like old times. Digging into a big undercover investigation…excitement and adrenaline…”
“Danger and risk,” Clark countered.
“That’s what makes it so….exhilarating and fun,” She said, leaning in to kiss him before tugging him up the stairs with her.
***
TBC...
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