Testing a Theory
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 6
***
“I was the one that inspected her family tree when Jimmy made up that dare. I can’t believe I didn’t put two and two together. She never put the last name. Just
‘Sam’...Adopted daughter of Harold Grady...” Lois rambled on as she paced in the conference room, working through the emotions that were rising up inside her.
“Sam could be
anyone.” Clark pointed out, trying to get Lois to calm down. He was just as concerned about Cat visiting Samantha as she was, but he also knew the wild theories Lois was shouting out were just that: theories. There was nothing that pointed at Cat conspiring with Samantha as Lois was alluding to.
“Or it could be the Samantha that’s sitting inside a cell at the Metropolis Penitentiary Infirmary waiting for trial.” Lois snipped bitterly.
“Okay, say you’re right.” Clark tried to reason with her. “They’re related. So what?” Though the idea of Cat and Samantha sharing a bloodline didn’t exactly reassure him he knew from experience that jumping to conclusions wasn’t the best approach either.
“So what?” Lois echoed with an aghast expression. “So what? Clark, this woman… She followed me all the way to Chateau Roberge. She was watching and…”
“Honey, honey, honey,” Clark grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to come to a stop mid-pace. Her voice had already risen three decibels in the last few minutes. “You’re doing that manic thing again.”
“She’s talking to that woman. She’s related to her!” Lois hissed out in a panic. “What if…”
“Okay, before you go down this road you need to take a deep breath and calm down.” Clark soothed. “We don’t know that. All this is is conjecture and wild theories. I know you’re upset but this isn’t helping anything.”
That seemed to reach her and she visibly relaxed, taking a deep breath. “Calm down. I can do that.”
“Good.” Clark smiled.
“I need to have Jimmy run a background check on her,” Lois stated firmly.
“You’re not running a background check on Cat,” Clark interjected.
“Not Cat.
Samantha. I need to know what we’re dealing with.” Lois said, heading out into the newsroom.
***
Jerry took a deep breath, hearing the loud bang of the prison doors behind him. A loud clank of the metal gears within the lock echoed down the corridor as he prepared himself for the next turn. “Keep moving!” The guard behind him ordered as he picked up the pace.
Jerry didn’t react.
He kept his focus on the worn brick ahead of him.
He was in.
Inside the prison.
This time it was on his terms.
***
There it was.
Cat stared at the familiar perfume bottle bagged up with the label of
‘Revenge’ and
‘Exhibit A’ printed on it. The culprit of so many arguments, transfers, and budding relationships within the Daily Planet three years ago. The story had stayed in the headlines well past the normal cycle due to the ramifications that had been left. Two days of people being slaves to their desires.
Jimmy had chased after the actress that had been out of his league: April Stephens.
Perry had gone after the cleaning lady, Rahaelia.
Lois had gone after...Clark.
Cat grinned to herself, recalling the conversation she’d overheard after the story had been filed. Lois had begrudgingly admitted to having a microscopic attraction to him. How times had changed. It was lucky they both hadn’t been ….
She stopped, picking up the bag of perfume as a memory came back to her. The airport. Superman had been under the influence of the perfume. He’d been just as susceptible to Miranda’s perfume…
An idea began to form. If Superman was exposed to the perfume again it would help her prove her theory once and for all. Expose Superman to the perfume and wait to see if there was any change in Clark. It was a good plan. It would prove her theory once and for all, but there was still that small voice that reminded her it was wrong.
‘Are you really going to drug him just to help Sam?’
‘He was a good friend.’
‘Is it really worth it?’She grabbed the bag, holding it in her hand as she contemplated her next move. Unable to decide she tucked the bag in her purse, careful to be sure she wasn’t being watched and then closed the lid on the box. It was better to be prepared.
***
Jimmy sat at his desk, writing down the name and information as Lois rambled off the list of information she wanted on
‘Samantha Grady.’ He recognized the name immediately but didn’t say anything. After Superman’s press conference Lois had been extra skittish and more self-conscious. He wasn’t sure if it was from having her and Clark’s private life dissected by the media or if there was more going on than met the eye but he knew better than to pry.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can find out.” Jimmy offered her a reassuring smile and Lois relaxed a bit.
“Thanks, Jimmy,” She smiled back at him. She pointed to the ice pack he had on his back. “How’s the back?”
“Okay, I just gotta take it a little easy.” He grinned back at her. “I guess that’s one way to make me quit running around the newsroom.”
Steve walked up with a large packet in his hand. “Jimmy, this just came for you.”
“Thanks, Steve,” Jimmy took the package and looked at it. “Ah, that was quick.”
“What?” Lois asked curiously.
“The public records on Metropolis Men’s Penitentiary. Usually, it takes longer to get these things back.” Jimmy explained, pulling out the thick brown folder with several rubber bands wrapped around it. Jimmy grimaced. “Oh, I am not looking forward to this.”
“Here.” Lois took the folder from him. “You’ve got enough to deal with. Clark and I’ll go through it and we can exchange notes later.”
“You sure?” Jimmy looked up at her in surprise.
“Yeah,” Lois smiled, “Just rest that back and let me know what you dig up on Samantha Grady.”
“Will do,” Jimmy said grinning back at her. “Thanks.”
***
William McCoy took a long drag from his cigarette, looking around the rooftop. A copy of the latest headline he’d sent to press with the subsidiary markets of Topy Copy was rolled up in his hand.
She’d called.
She never called.
He tapped the ash from his cigarette onto the ground, taking in the afternoon sun as he looked over the city. The hustle and bustle of the streets and mixed scents of food and gasoline gave him a sense of comfort. There was something about the city that called out to him.
“Mr. McCoy,” The sweet voice from one of the most deadly women in Metropolis called out to him and he turned to face her.
“Mrs. Church,” McCoy gave her a courteous nod, being sure to keep his eyes centered on her face. He knew from experience that wavering even for a second would give her incentive to push the envelope with him and that wasn’t something the wanted to get caught up in. He was a professional and this was business.
“I noticed you changed your ads.” She frowned, running a hand through her hair. “What happened to the segment on Lane and Kent?”
“It’s proving to be more and more difficult to stay on them,” McCoy said with a grunt. “There’s only so far you can push the envelope before someone yells ‘uncle’ and I think we’re at that point. Our guys have been tailing them and so far nothing but arguments and the threat of a restraining order has come out of it. I think we need to move on.”
“I think you forget who’s calling the shots here,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “I made you and I can destroy you. Never forget that.”
***
Lois watched as her husband moved at super-speed, reading through the file Jimmy had given her. Thankfully no one appeared to notice the super movements of her husband. She’d learned early on how Clark could discreetly do things without anyone being the wiser. A quick beam of x-ray vision on a camera when the paparazzi had been hounding them in the months leading up to their wedding. A beam of heat vision or blast of freezing breath here or there to deter or move someone or something along. It was remarkable how little people noticed in the day to day.
“Clark, the notepad.” She pointed as he came to a stop. The pad of paper next to him was smoking from his super-speed notes and he waved his hand to clear the steam.
“Sorry.” He gave her an apologetic smile as he fanned the rest of the smoke away from the pad.
“Anything?” She asked.
“Same story over and over again. Prisoners being moved without any official orders. Next day, the said prisoner is dead or seriously injured. An investigation takes place and no fault on the prison.” Clark ran both his hands down his forehead, burying his face in his palms.
“Sounds like a conspiracy if I ever heard one.” Lois noted.
“Yeah, that’s one way of putting it,” Clark said with a sour expression. “One thing that’s really odd is the roster of prison guards. We have personnel files on all the guards but on the radio, there’s a guard that isn’t listed here.” He pointed to the transcript. “
Bruno Mannheim.”
“So we need to find who this
Bruno Mannheim is,” Lois said with a determined expression on her face.
***
The soft whirring of the copier and aroma of ink and coffee hung in the air. 3.4 fluid ounces. That was 100 milliliters. One spray. That’s all it would take to test her theory on Superman and prove once and for all…
“Hey, Cat, here’s the file you wanted,” Jimmy said, walking up to her with manilla file in hand. He stopped, waving a hand in front of her. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” She lied, looking back at Jimmy with a forced smile. She did her best to squash the guilt that was building up inside her over where her mind had been just moments before. The memory of where her train of thought had been headed nagged in the back of her mind as she took the file from Jimmy. “Thanks, Jimmy. Were you able to find anything?”
“Unlike the LexCorp accounts, Lex Luthor set up for most of his less than legal dealings this account doesn’t seem to be controlled by Luthor,” Jimmy explained with a concerned expression. “Money floats in and out of large corporations in the blink of an eye but the transfers are coming from outside the United States entirely.”
“Let me guess, Cayman Islands? Switzerland?” Cat guessed, knowing all too well where the rich and powerful hid their money.
“Australia, Africa, Antarctica…” Jimmy listed off with a confused expression. “All over.”
“Are you sure these didn’t originate with LexCorp?” Cat asked with a disheartened expression. She really thought she’d found something that Lois had missed in her initial investigation into Miranda.
Jimmy shook his head, “Money that was transferred to Miranda came from outside of LexCorp, outside Metropolis, and likely outside the United States. Whoever’s behind this obviously did their homework.”
Cat gave an aggravated sigh, “So there’s no way to find out where the money came from?”
“I didn’t say that.” Jimmy grinned. “I just said they did their homework.” He pointed to the file in her hand. The name on the account is Bruno Mannheim. Unfortunately, it seems to be a dummy name. No one by that name exists anywhere but on paper.”
“Huh,” Cat pondered for a moment, “Okay, thanks, Jimmy.” A dead end. She always ended up at a dead end.
“No sweat,” Jimmy nodded, moving off and heading back to his desk.
Cat sighed, glancing out toward the newsroom. It was the usual hustle and bustle it always was. Her gaze shifted to the center of the newsroom where she noticed two obvious absences: Lois Lane and Clark Kent. She was still miffed about Lois leaving her earlier. She’d practically forced herself on her then abandoned her without a way back to the Planet.
‘Probably busy catching another Superman exclusive she can scoop everyone out of.’ Cat thought to herself bitterly.
She’d always felt on uneven ground when it came to Lois Lane. No matter how hard she worked she’d never get the acknowledgment that Lois did for a job well done. Cat’s Corner had a worldwide following and Perry still had yet to invest as much in advertising for her return as he did for the team of Lane and Kent. She was jealous. She was a big enough person to admit that. Just once she wanted someone to give her credit for a job well done the way they did Lois. Just once she wanted to be seen as someone capable of doing more than collecting the latest gossip circulating around or being a fixture to sell clothing or accessories. Even in her own business, she knew she wasn’t taken seriously by the executives keeping the books. They thought she didn’t know any better. They thought her talents were limited to designing and looking good. They were wrong. They were all wrong. She was going to prove that once and for all.
‘Is this really the way?’ her conscience cried out.
She felt a pang of guilt hit her like a wave and sighed, catching a glimpse of Clark Kent standing in Perry White’s office with Lois. Her anger at Lois forgotten for a moment. Was she really that desperate to prove herself? Yes, Clark had lied and possibly stretched the rules of journalisms and ethics beyond recognition given the many articles she’d read on ‘Superman Exclusives’ by Clark Kent. If she did this she’d be losing a friend. If she tried to drug him to prove her point then what did that make her?
‘Just as bad.’She couldn’t do it. She had thought about it and come close but when it came down to it she couldn’t justify drugging Clark for the sake of proving her theory. Even if he was lying to everyone and Lois was helping him he had been her friend. He had seen past the flashy clothes and seen the real Cat—even when she couldn’t. Stooping to that level seemed extreme.
They were friends.
She had to find another way.
She glanced back toward the conference room where Lois and Clark were huddled together. She still owed Lois a few words regarding her leaving her at the prison without a ride back but that would have to wait. She had crashed and burned both times in her attempt to prove her theory on Clark by testing his invulnerability. She needed to do something a little more discreet.
She spotted the box of pushpins sitting in the top cabinet and smiled to herself.
‘Perfect.’***
The loud clank of the metal doors closing hit a nerve and Jerry did his best not to react. Even with the short time he’d been inside, he’d come to notice things. He noticed the way everyone avoided making when his cellmate, Morgan exited the cell during free time. He noticed the disappearances and reappearances on the left side of the cell block at the same time for the last two breaks.
He’d been told his cellmate was someone they thought to be important to the Intergang organization. That idea baffled him. The man hardly said anything and communicated in grunts and muffled snorts. He wasn’t sure how connected this Morgan was but he’d figure it out one way or another.
***
“Well, that was a waste of time,” Lois grumbled with a defeated sigh as she and Clark made their way back to their desks.
“Perry’s right,” Clark said, placing a hand on the small of her back. “We don’t have anything yet.”
Lois ran a hand through her hair as they came to a stop in front of her desk. “Well, we can’t prove anything until we get more evidence….which we can’t get because someone doesn’t want to go snooping through the warden’s files.”
“Superman doesn’t break into prisons he brings the bad guys to the proper authorities.” Clark pointed out, leaning in to kiss her.
“Even if the authorities are the bad guys?” Lois asked, smoothing her hand over his shoulder. “We’re at a dead end.”
“Maybe not.” He pondered aloud.
“What?” Lois asked, looking at him quizzically.
“Maybe another visit to the prison isn’t such a bad idea,” Clark said with a grin.
“Really?” Lois beamed at him with surprise. “I thought Superman didn’t break into prisons.”
“Superman’s not going to.” He corrected. “With this new information maybe I can at least identify the guards that know something. It’s worth a shot.” He glanced at the clock. “I’ve got a half hour before that ribbon cutting at the hospital.”
Lois glanced toward the conference room where Perry was already setting up the room for the quarterly budget meeting, “But what about the oh so exciting budget meeting?”
“Weren’t you the one complaining about a dead end?” He pointed out. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I’ll bring the tape recorder so you can relive the boring details when you get back.” She flashed him a smile and he laughed, heading for the elevator.
Lois scanned the newsroom, preparing to begin the two-hour long meeting when she saw Cat looking at her. Her eyes narrowed. She still didn’t know what to make of Cat’s visit earlier but remaining quiet on something that continued to eat at her wasn’t something she did easily. Clark was right. There was no proof that Cat was doing anything other than visiting a friend….or relative if Samantha was indeed the mysterious cousin Cat didn’t provide much information about. Still, her reporter’s instinct screamed there was something very mysterious about the visit and Cat’s sudden return to Metropolis.
***
Cat watched from her desk as Lois and Clark exited Perry’s office. She glanced back at Clark’s desk where she’d set several push pins with the points sticking up on the cushion of the chair. It was perfectly inconspicuous until someone sat down. It still was a bit mean but if Clark was Superman then it wouldn’t hurt. It would prove her theory without resorting to Miranda’s evil brew.
‘This is is.’ she thought to herself, watching as Clark lingered with Lois next to her desk. “Come on, come on…” Cat muttered to herself, watching as he leaned in to kiss Lois then pulled away. They exchanged a look and then he turned toward the elevator. ‘What was that about?’
Cat leaned back in her chair with a sigh of defeat. It’d have to wait till Clark gets back before she’d have her answer.
Ralph sauntered toward Clark’s desk, reaching for the chair. She stood up and moved to him as fast as her stiletto heels would allow her to move. “Ralph! What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Ralph looked at her with an annoyed look, moving the chair back and forth before wheeling it toward the conference room where it was already overflowing with Planet staff.
‘Budget Meeting.’ Cat recalled Perry’s itinerary from earlier. She glanced back at the elevator. Clark had already gone. If Ralph sat down in that chair…
“Ralph, you don’t want Clark’s chair.” She said hurriedly.
“I don’t?” Ralph looked at her in confusion.
“No, no, no, no…” Cat smiled broadly, grabbing the chair from her desk. “Here. Brand new.”
“Thanks.” Ralph took the chair and wheeled it toward the conference room.
She grimaced, looking around the almost vacant newsroom. “That was very generous of you, Cat.” a voice spoke from behind her. “But what are you going to sit in….for two hours?”
Cat turned to see Lois giving her a skeptical look as she moved her chair toward the conference room. “Since when do you care?” Cat sniffed, turning away, hoping Lois couldn’t pick up on her panic. Anger overtook her better senses and she turned on her heel to confront her, “You know you talk a good game about friends and loyalty but when it comes down to it you’re a selfish jerk! What kind of friend leaves someone like that?”
“Friend?” Lois looked around the empty newsroom then narrowed her eyes letting out a soft chuckle, “Oh, are you under the misconception that we’re friends?” Lois shook her head, “No, Cat, that ship sailed. You see, friends are people I can trust. I can’t trust you. You’ve proven that time and time again yet I keep falling for the
‘innocent me’ act. I don’t know why I thought you might have changed.” Lois snapped angrily. “Do us both a favor and drop the pretense.”
“Oh, that is rich coming from you,” Cat growled angrily, trying to keep her voice down so as not to call too much attention to herself. “Trust? You have done every underhanded thing imaginable to get a story and you want to lecture me about trust. You forget I was here four years ago when you stomped all over everyone to get the big Superman exclusive. Stealing stories, everyone’s hunches and ideas all for that front page story. You’re no better than the rest of us! ”
“Getting a story is one thing, Cat. You’re right. I was a bitch back then but I never hid that. I never acted like I was your friend while in cohorts with someone looking to hurt my supposed friends.”
“
What are you talking about?” Cat countered, crossing her arms over her chest. She knew Lois was full of it. She didn’t know anything. If she did she wouldn’t dare confront her on it, not in public anyway.
“Lois, Cat, move your tails!” Perry called from the conference room.
“This isn’t over.” Lois warned, moving off.
“Ooh, I’m so scared.” Cat sniffed, turning to look around the newsroom for a chair. Any chair she could use. Every one of them were gone...except one.
She sighed, looking at the pins she’d carefully wedged under the cushion. She didn’t have time to pull them out. Swallowing her pride she wheeled the chair inside the conference room, carefully sitting down on the cushion, doing her best not to react to the prickly pins against the back of her thighs.
***
Jerry did his best not to react when he spotted the familiar face talking with one of the guards just outside the gate where the prisoners had been let outside for free time. His dad was the only one that knew he was working undercover. If Clark Kent saw him or worse saw him and said anything he was a dead man.
“Something wrong?” Morgan asked from behind him.
“No, no, I’m fine,” Jerry said turning his attention back to where Morgan was pointing. “You said you knew someone that could help?”
“I’ll make a few calls and make sure you check out, but yeah. I got a guy that can get me anything you want.” Morgan lifted his chin up in the air and smiled. “Real good stuff.”
“What if he gets caught?” Jerry asked, trying to play it as cool as he could. “I’m already in enough trouble as it is. I don’t want to go down for someone else’s mistakes.”
“Foolproof system. No one knows who they’re working for or delivering for so no one can rat anyone out.” Morgan reassured.
“Is that so?” Jerry asked, catching a glimpse of Clark Kent staring at him for a long moment before turning and walking away. ‘Please don’t say anything…’ he pleaded silently.
***
Clark kept control of his facial features, doing his best not to react to the familiar face he’d seen in the outside yard of the men’s prison as he’d finished questioning the last guard that had been on duty the night Randy Goode had been murdered. Superman had questioned the guards on Goode’s murder. Now, Clark Kent was questioning them on protocols and a name. He watched their reactions and body language as the name was mentioned. Three guards reacted.
He didn’t identify the name as a guard but rather approached it as a name that could be heard in passing. Only three knew the name. All three of them had been the first responders when Randy Goode had been found in his cell. That in itself was telling. It wasn’t enough to open an investigation into the prison but it was enough to start a dialogue with Henderson off the record.
***
Two hours.
It had taken her half an hour to discreetly pluck all the pins out of the cushion so she could sit comfortably through the mundane facts and numbers being thrown at them. Why the CFO thought they cared about the details of how and why the numbers were where they were was beyond her.
She caught a glimpse of news coverage showing Superman at a charity event for the Children’s Hospital. ‘That’s where he disappeared to.’ Cat thought to herself, noting Clark’s absence from the newsroom.
<<“Oh, are you under the misconception that we’re friends?”>>Cat stole a glance at Lois before grabbing her purse and headed toward the elevator. They weren’t friends? Fine. She could be
not friends with Lois Lane any day of the week. She had the nerve to lecture her on trust? She flipped her hair over her shoulder, stepping inside the empty elevator. A look of determination crossed her face as she prepared herself mentally for what she was about to do.
***
“Such a predicament you’ve found yourself in.” the blonde removed her sunglasses and tucked them into the low cut top she wore. “My, my, what a predicament you’ve found yourself in.”
Samantha craned her neck, trying to see where the nurse had gone to but found her mobility to be lacking as a sharp pain reminded her why she was in the infirmary to begin with. As if the swollen face and busted lip didn’t already send her reminders with every movement she made.
“Oh, don’t try to move, Samantha. Most of the staff here is on my payroll. Your nurse went for a little walk.” She pursed her lips as her face tightened into a slow smile. “Well, you’ve had over twenty-four hours to produce some results. Can I assume by your …” She glanced at Samantha’s bedridden state and grimaced, “...current circumstances that you were successful?”
“I...I haven’t been able to get that close.” Samantha stammered, unsure if she bought it. Would she search her? Right now the red stones sitting in her breast pocket were the only leverage she had to stay alive and get out of here. She wasn’t going to just hand them over without some reassurance.
The woman’s face fell into a cold stony gaze as she replied carefully, “I see.” Before Samantha could respond the woman left and she found herself alone again. She wasn’t sure but she had a feeling she’d just signed her death warrant.
***
Cat tucked her hair into the baseball cap as she held the water bottle in her hand. She smiled at the seven-year-old boy in front of her. “It’s just a harmless prank.” She promised, handing the bottle to him. He was a bored little boy left to sit in the waiting area while his parents were talking with the doctor about his little sister.
Cat did her best not to think too hard about the heartbreaking stories the children on this wing had. This was the safest way to do this. Spray Superman and prevent any adults from getting an accidental exposure. She’d diluted the compound so that hopefully it wouldn’t last the whole two days it had the first time, but only time would tell.
“All I gotta do is spray the bottle when Superman comes down the hall. That’s it?” The red-haired boy asked skeptically.
“That’s it.” She grinned back at him.
“And I get twenty bucks?” He prompted.
“Yes,” She waved the twenty dollar bill in front of him. “Twenty dollars. Do we have a deal?”
The little boy laughed, “Sure.”
***
TBC...
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