Rules of Guilt
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 7
***
Clark sat in the conference room with Lois going over everything they had on the Resurrection pill and the supposed suicide of Lucky Leon. The timing of everything seemed too coincidental not to be related but so far they’d found nothing to connect Lucky Leon with the Resurrection pill.
After getting the name ‘Stanley Gables’ from Dan Scardino they’d pulled everything they could on the man. What they found hadn’t been pretty. He looked at the article they’d found,
‘FREAK ACCIDENT KILLS FOUR— CHEMIST BLAMED’ and another read,
‘GABLES CLAIMS STAR LABS TO BLAME.’ “So, it looks like this Gables guy created something called the ‘Omega Virus’ back in ‘89…” Lois said, pointing to the report they’d gotten from STAR Labs.
“Yeah, the guy had an accident in his lab and the virus killed four people,” Jimmy interjected, pulling out the court transcripts he’d found on the trial. “After the accident, STAR Labs fired him and Gables sued them-blaming them for the accident.”
“An accident that happened because Gables was working on an unauthorized project.” Clark frowned.
“Jury didn’t buy it,” Lois said, scanning the transcripts in her hand. “So, he’s created this killer virus and infected himself and others with it. Now, he’s created this resurrection pill...What’s the connection?”
Clark scanned the transcript in his hand, “Listen to this, ‘Metropolis will feel the pain I feel. Everyone will know my pain.’” He looked up, “That’s what he said in court when they read the verdict.”
“What ever happened to the virus?” Lois wondered aloud.
“Locked up under high security at STAR Labs.” Jimmy said, handing her the file marked ‘Omega’ on the front. “Dr. Klein said they did have someone try and hack into their system last week.”
“Okay, so we’ve got an insanely angry ex-chemist from STAR Labs that’s created this virus and Resurrection pill.” Clark listed off, hoping hearing everything aloud would help put two and two together.
“Then we have a mysterious shipment that Lucky Leon said he would trick Superman into stealing for him.” Lois reminded him.
“Until he was found with a suicide note in his office.” Clark reminded her.
“So, now we have soldiers missing and prisoners dying left and right from this Resurrection pill,” Lois added.
“And STAR Labs has the Omega virus.” Clark finished, slowly putting the pieces together. “Metropolis will feel his pain. He’s going to try and infect Metropolis.”
“But what does that have to do with Lucky Leon?” Jimmy asked, confused.
“When were these soldiers last seen?” Clark asked, looking to Jimmy.
“Seven o’clock last night,” Jimmy said, looking at the report in front of him. “At the Metro Club.”
Lois frowned, “That’s where Bobby said he overheard the conversation about the Resurrection pill.”
“That’s three hours before Lucky Leon’s time of death,” Clark said with a frown.
“So, this shipment he was talking about. What if it wasn’t your typical delivery? We’re talking Intergang, right? They’re not going to go to all this trouble for something unless it’s big.” Lois pointed out.
“The virus…” Jimmy guessed. “Maybe they’re trying to steal it.”
“No, I think that’s Gables motive in all this but I don’t think that’s Intergang’s.” Clark frowned, looking at the list of names in front of him. “Four prisoners and Five soldiers.” He read through the measurements on each of them and his eyebrow furrowed.
“What is it?” Lois asked.
“They’re the same size.” He said with a frown.
“Who is?” Jimmy asked.
Clark handed the paper to him. “Same height and weight. Except one.”
“One?” Lois’ brow furrowed.
“Here.” Clark pointed to the soldier. “Staff Sergeant Wilcox. Skeletal dysplasias.”
“Dwarfism,” Jimmy interjected.
“They’re not done.” Clark scowled, shaking his head.
“Who’s not done?” Jimmy asked confused.
“Soldiers go missing and conveniently prisoners with the same measurements. Height, weight, and appearance conveniently die with the world’s fastest medical examiner signing the death certificate.” Clark explained, pointing at the files. “These guys have access to something Intergang wants.”
“Well, if you were going to steal from the military you’d need to dress the part.” Lois reasoned aloud, putting two and two together.
“Steal from the military? That’s insane.” Jimmy shook his head in disbelief.
“So is trying to hijack the world by satellite but Ryan did it before.” Lois frowned. “What if the shipment Lucky Leon was talking about wasn’t your typical shipment.”
“What do you mean?” Clark asked, not following.
“I mean, they transfer weapons of mass destruction to different bases all the time. What if that’s what they were trying to steal?” Lois wondered aloud.
“What better way to steal it than have the soldiers that are delivering it bring it right to your doorstep.” Clark countered, glancing toward Perry’s office. “I think we better find out what those soldiers were doing in Metropolis.”
“That sounds like a great idea.” They turned to see Dan Scardino in the doorway, supporting himself on a pair of crutches.
***
Albie paced in front of the four convicts with a worried expression. “You know the deal. Your new identities and money will be deposited once the virus has been destroyed. No one gets paid until that part of the plan has been complete. Our investor was very clear on that part.”
“Yeah, yeah, we get it.” Diego, one of the recently resurrected convicts said with a bored expression on his face. “We know what our part of the deal is. Steal the warheads and destroy the virus. Peace of cake.”
McCarthy gave a noncommittal shrug, “What makes this virus so special?”
“It's airborne and it's lethal. And there's no antidote.” Albie explained hurriedly. “ Anyone who comes in contact with it will die a slow painful death.”
McCarthy looked down at the blueprints in front of him, “All the more reason to destroy it.” He frowned, peering at the air duct path in front of him, “That air vent's pretty narrow. No one here’s gonna fit.”
“We’re still missing one member of our team,” Albie said hurriedly, patting the blue pill in his jacket pocket.
“Buster?” McCarthy gave a toothy grin and Albie nodded.
“I’ll be paying him a visit within the hour and we’ll be ready to move onto phase three of our plan before you can say ‘prison escape.’” Albie said with a grin.
Diego glanced at the clock. “Four more hours till we have to suit up. Is he going to make it in time?”
“Of course.” Albie nodded. “Intergang has a way of making things happen when they need to.”
***
In the hallway, out of sight Stanley Gables sat seething as he listened to Albie and his co-conspirators plan to destroy his beloved Omega virus. He’d been betrayed. Intergang had promised full support and cooperation in exchange for the use of his resurrection pill.
“Mr. Gables?” His nurse was calling him from down the hall.
He steadied himself, preparing to stand and make his way toward her. Albie’s plan was brilliant. The perfect betrayal but he would be the one to have the last laugh.
“Anita?” He waved at her once he’d reached the middle of the hallway. “I’d like to set up an appointment with the ADA. You know, the one that was shot last night? I think I have some information for her…”
“Of course, Mr. Gables,” She helped him to his bedroom. “How about we give her a call after lunch and your acupuncture therapy.”
“Yes, that would be perfect.” Gables smiled broadly.
***
“You always take your information and run?” Scardino asked, throwing a disapproving look at Lois.
Lois smirked, “Given that you weren’t exactly in a position to help we thought we’d get a jump on our investigation.” She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.
“I provided you the information on the Resurrection pill and that seemed to have really helped you along.” He gestured to the files on the table in front of them. “This is still my case.”
“You weren’t exactly in any position to help, Agent Scardino,” Clark interjected, pointing to the crutches. “I’m guessing you left the hospital against doctors orders?”
“Ah, how sweet. Feigning interest in my health isn’t going to get me to let you print this.” Scardino warned. “Now, I’m guessing you’ve got a source of some sort that had some missing pieces on this Resurrection pill. I’ll need a name.”
Lois let out a snort, “You’re out of your mind.”
“So they keep telling me.” Scardino hobbled himself inside the conference room, “But you know I still have the gun and badge so I can’t be that crazy.” He looked at Lois expectantly, pulling out his pocket notepad to begin writing, “Your source.”
“What source?” Lois asked innocently.
“Cute.” Scardino clamped his notepad closed and wagged a finger at them, “Kent, you look like a straight and narrow kind of guy. How about you remind your partner here that this is a federal investigation. She can be compelled to give her source up.”
“He is right, Lois,” Clark shrugged, knowing full well she wouldn’t comply.
“Bozo the clown,” Lois replied coolly.
Clark bit back a chuckle, watching Scardino scowl as he tried to hold back on losing his temper with Lois. It was clear he wasn’t used to going toe-to-toe with people that didn’t fall into line. “You do realize I can have you arrested for interfering with my investigation, right?”
“For what?” Lois laughed. “I already knew about Resurrection and who made it. All you did was provide some background so we could find the right Gables.” She snapped irritably, “Don’t worry we’ll be sure to give you credit for the background info on our article that is being printed when we nail these guys.”
“Is she always like this?” Scardino asked, looking to Clark for help.
Clark knew from experience not to engage in the side conversation. Lois was already mad at him about last night and adding fuel to the fire by discussing Lois with Scardino wouldn’t help matters in the slightest. He placed a supportive hand on Lois’ shoulder and Scardino snorted, “Figures.” That remark earned him a glare from Lois.
“You want trust, you have to earn it,” Clark interjected. “You lied about why you were in Metropolis. Got yourself and Mayson shot. Then after Lois had the name of the drug you’re tracking you provided some information about the Resurrection pill.” He let out a dismissive chuckle, “Yet, we’re supposed to trust you with our source’s name?”
“Fair enough,” Scardino nodded, “I haven’t been straight with you two.”
“There’s an understatement.” Lois snorted.
“You’ll have to forgive me though. Journalists don’t have the best reputations where I come from.” Scardino chuckled, looking back at Lois, “I guess I don’t have the best bedside manner either.”
“So maybe let’s put all the cards on the table and nab these guys before this…” Clark pointed to the article on the Omega virus on the table, “...becomes the next headline.”
“Okay,” Scardino nodded. “I gave you the info about the Resurrection pill. Now it’s your turn.” He looked at Lois expectantly who didn’t respond. “Fine, can you at least tell me how you got the name Gables’ resurrection pill?”
“My source overheard a conversation at the Metro Club,” Lois said grudgingly. He could tell providing Scardino with any information at this point was eating at her. She chewed on the inside of her lower lip seeming to contemplate whether she wanted to provide any more information to him.
Scardino seemed oblivious, jotting down notes in his notepad. Clark added the last bit of information they’d recently uncovered, “Which is the same place where five soldiers were reported missing last night.”
“Soldiers?” Scardino asked with a frown. “I’m not following. What does that have to do with Gables?”
“We don’t think it’s Gables pulling the strings.” Clark shook his head, glancing at Lois who beamed happily at him with that gratified smile she always got when they cracked an investigation wide open.
“We think it’s Intergang,” Lois said smugly, pacing in front of the table excitedly with her arms wailing before wagging her finger at him.
“Intergang?” Scardino’s brow furrowed, trying to process the information.
“We think the prisoners that have been given this resurrection pill are being used to replace soldiers with some kind of access that Intergang wants,” Clark explained.
“Interesting theory, but I don’t hear anything to back it up.” Scardino pointed out, standing to his feet with his crutches.
“You got anything better?” Lois countered, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him expectantly.
Scardino chuckled, letting out a light laugh, “Not exactly enough for a federal agent to get a warrant.”
“Well, unlike you,” She countered, hooking her arm with Clark’s and allowing a broad smile to spread across her face. “We don’t need a warrant to do our job.”
“You certainly like playing fast and loose, don’t you?” Scardino observed with a grin, glancing at Lois. He hobbled toward them, stopping in front of Lois with a wink, “You know you’d make my job a whole lot easier if you’d just give me the name of your source.”
“And why would I want to do that?” Lois looked back at him in disbelief.
“I’m a fun guy. You should be nice to me. When I’m not chasing down drug dealers I can be a fun person to be around.” Scardino winked at her. “If you’re not afraid of a little fun that is.”
Lois rolled her eyes at him and Clark suppressed the urge to interject his protest to where this conversation was going. He knew Lois could hold her own but the dismissive attitude Scardino seemed to have toward him was grating on his last nerve and after last night he didn't know how much longer he could continue to bite his tongue.
“Agent Scardino,” Lois began carefully.
“Please call me Daniel,” he responded with a smile.
“You
really want my source?” Lois asked, her tone all innocence. Clark bit back a chuckle knowing full well there was no way Lois would give Scardino Bobby’s name.
“Yes,” Scardino said happily. “I really would.”
“Okay, but his name is hard to spell. Are you ready?” She asked, motioning to the notepad in his pocket. He pulled out the notepad and began to jot the letters down as she spelled them out.
“B-I-T-E-M-E.”Scardino finished jotting down the last letter and then realization crossed his face before quickly being replaced with a scowl. “Cute. Very funny.”
“Subtle.” Clark chuckled. “Nice.”
“I thought so.” Lois grinned happily. “See, we can have fun too.” She patted Clark on the chest before moving to the conference room door to leave and then stopped, turning to add, “For the record...” She shot Scardino a threatening glare, “...
never gonna happen.”
The door closed behind her and to Clark’s amazement, Scardino didn’t seem to be deterred in the slightest. “Quite the spitfire, isn’t she?” He grinned happily, “I always enjoy a challenge.”
“I think she made herself perfectly clear.” Clark countered, suppressing the urge to throttle Scardino and have to explain why he decked a federal agent they were supposed to be working with.
“She’ll come around. The ladies always do.” Scardino said, hobbling out the door.
Clark narrowed his eyes at him, watching as the agent limped his way across the newsroom to Perry’s office where Lois was updating Perry on what they’d found out. “Do not hit an injured man. Do not hit an injured man…” He began muttering under his breath as a mantra.
***
TBC...
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