Rules of Guilt
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 8
***
Mayson walked toward her townhome with keys in her hand and two officers and Bill Henderson behind her. “You know this isn’t necessary.”
“You are under orders from the mayor to have round the clock protection until we get to the bottom of who was behind the shooting,” Henderson explained, pointing to the door. “Put the key in the lock and stay here with Ryder. I’m going to check and make sure it’s clear.”
Mayson let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine.” She put the keys in the deadbolt and stepping to the side. She knew having the protection was necessary after last night’s shooting but it still felt like she was losing her freedom with the added security.
“It gets easier,” Ryder said, looking at her with a sympathetic look. “Bill’s just trying to be cautious.”
“I know.” Mayson managed weakly. “This would be a lot easier if we knew how five prisoners all simultaneously died in custody at the same time.”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Ryder shrugged. “I don’t need to tell you that tidbit needs to be kept close to the vest. We have that leaked by the press and everyone will be all over us.” He cleared his throat. “This case could be what makes or breaks you. The Governor’s gonna want to know where your loyalties are.”
“You can trust me. My friendship with Lane and Kent is separate from my career. They both understand that.”
“Do they?” Ryder shook his head, “If the information we got from this witness is true we just got the smoking gun to lock up all of Intergang’s lieutenants. This is a career-making case, Mayson.”
“I know,” Mayson said with a pat on his shoulder. “Believe me I know.”
Henderson stepped outside once more, “We just got a call.” He looked to Mayson with a smile, “Seems you got a break. Stanley Gables just showed up at your office looking for you.”
***
Clark entered Perry’s office behind Scardino, placing a possessive arm around Lois’ waist as she was finishing her update to Perry. He noted the look of disapproval on Scardino’s face to himself, letting out a sigh of relief when Lois placed her hand over where his rested on her waist. Her anger from this morning seemed to have disappeared though she still wasn’t ready to talk about last night.
“Clark and I think these missing soldiers could have possibly been drugged by the same guy that’s pushing this Resurrection pill to the prisoners. We’ve got to find out what kind of access they had and warn the base commander…”
“Now hold the phone,” Perry interjected. “You and I both know the military isn’t going to just open up about their personal matters with a major metropolitan newspaper like the Daily Planet. We’re not exactly exchanging Christmas cards.” He gave them a look of disapproval, “Especially after your last escapade at Fort Marshall.”
“If we hadn’t done that who knows if they ever would have caught Ryan Wiley.” Lois sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“That’s not how the new base commander saw it.” Perry reminded them. “I for one don’t want to go through that again anytime soon.”
“We can’t just sit here and do nothing, Chief. The military may not exactly be known for their press relations but I’m sure they don’t want the bad press that will come with this if what we suspect is going on turns out to be true.” Clark interjected, sharing a look with Lois.
“When you’re talking about the military you’re playing a different ballgame, Kent,” Scardino cut in, taking a step toward Clark before adding in a condescending tone. “Let me make a few calls and I’ll set up a meeting. We should know something by tomorrow at the latest.”
Lois shook her head adamantly, “No, that’ll be too late.”
“How it works. You can’t expect them to stop training because you said jump.” Scardino pointed out. “I’ve been doing this a long time.”
“So have we and believe me there’s a better way.” Clark countered, hearing the edge in his tone as he narrowed his eyes at the DEA Agent. The longer he was around him the more his distaste for him grew.
“Agreed,” Lois said, tapping her hand against her chin for a moment before an idea struck her. Her eyes lit up and she proposed, “Chief, what about Admiral Haberstetzer?”
“I can try but Lois he’s retired. I’m not sure how much help he’s going to be here.” Perry pointed out.
“Lucky Leon said there was a shipment coming in today.” Clark reminded Perry. “If we wait on Scardino Intergang will have already stolen the shipment and then we’ll all be worrying about a lot more than everyone crossing their T's and dotting their I’s.”
“It’s called National Security.” Scardino shot back mildly ticked. “You know that thing that keeps everyone around here safe and protected so they can go about their lives every day?”
“Well, they won’t be able to do that if terrorists get ahold of military weapons now will they?” Clark argued, releasing his arm from around Lois’ waist and taking a step toward Scardino. “Maybe if you spent more time doing your job instead of trying to work on your Mel Gibson impression we’d actually have someone from Fort Marshall on the phone right now, but I guess that’s asking too much, right?”
“You got a problem, Kent?” Scardino countered.
“Yeah,
you.” Clark snapped at him angrily.
A sharp whistle from behind him caught his attention. “Excuse me, hi!” Lois waved her hand at them. “If you don’t mind could you two can take whatever this is outside? Not sure if you got the memo but we have
two hours until the shipment— whatever it might be— comes in. Let’s try and stay focused.”
“She’s right.” Scardino nodded his head in Lois’ direction. “We should play nice.” He then shrugged, “Not that I don’t think I can take you.”
Clark felt the fire in his throat begin to rise from the anger that was slowly building the longer he was around him. “Don’t be so sure.”
“That a challenge?” Scardino shot back, narrowing his eyes at him.
“Okay, Agent Scardino, why don’t you go take a walk over to the conference room over there and make your calls,” Perry interjected, breaking the tension between them.
“Great,” Scardino said, moving toward the door to leave.
Perry got up to escort him out, “I’ll show you where everything is.”
Clark shook his head, trying to suppress his frustration with Scardino. Lois moved to the door and slammed it closed behind them before turning to face him, folding her arms over her chest. “Are you out of your ever loving mind?! What do you think you’re doing?”
“Reaching my boiling point.” He snapped irritably. “You heard him. He’s not going to be able to get anyone at Fort Marshall until tomorrow. It’ll be too late then.” He let out a frustrated groan, “He is such an arrogant …”
“And you’re not any better?” Lois countered, looking at him in surprise. She walked over to him, placing a hand on his chest and looking at him in concern, “You do remember you can’t just throw down in the middle of Perry’s office, right? Red cape and ‘S’ ring any bells?” Lois snapped. “Yes, he’s a royal pain and a jerk to boot, but right now he’s all we’ve got. Unless you want Intergang to win?”
“No, of course not.” He let out a muttered sigh of defeat. “You know I don’t want that.”
Her facial features softened, reaching up to run a hand across his cheek, “Then as painful as it is we’re going to have to suck it up and work with Dan Scardino.”
“Fine.” He sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist, “Maybe we’ll get lucky and his contact will come through.”
“That’s the spirit.” Lois cheered, patting her hand on his chest.
“The sooner we put him on the next flight to Washington the better,” Clark muttered grumpily. “I’ll even provide the flight.” He gave her a half-smile.
Lois laughed, hanging on his arm, “That would be very interesting to explain why Superman is flying around federal agents...”
“You don’t think honoring a favor to us would be a good enough excuse?” He whispered in her ear with a chuckle and she let out a giggle. His arm instinctually tightened around her. After the day they’d had her laughter was music to his ears. “I’m sorry.” He murmured in her ear. “For earlier and last night.”
She looked up at him with a pained expression, “Clark, I really don’t want to do this now…” She argued pleadingly.
“I know,” He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “But I think not talking about it is only going to keep driving both of us crazy.” He offered a smile, “Case in point.”
“For the record, I think you could have taken him.” She grinned back at him happily. “Even without the superpowers.”
The corners of his mouth twitched into a full smile, “Glad to know I’ve got you in my corner.”
“I’m always in your corner.” She reminded him, pursing her lips with a sour expression.
“I know.” He sighed.
“You know, I waited for
four hours last night.” She said with a look of disapproval, stepping away from him and pacing in a circle in front of him. “I watched the news. I started calling around trying to find out what I could so you wouldn’t have to. I
waited and you
never came back.”
“I’m sorry.” He said, taking a step toward her. “Right after I rounded up the shooters they found Lucky Leon’s body and I just...wasn’t in a good place.”
“I noticed.” Lois said quietly, “But you can’t keep doing this. You can’t keep shutting me out. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to...” She stopped, taking a deep breath and trying to change the subject. “You can’t shut me out.” She said simply.
‘To what?’ his mind screamed, seeing the torturous expression on her face. She was trying to tell him something but had stopped. What was she trying to say?
“I’m sorry. Believe me, I know the timing last night was horrible and I should have handled everything better, but there are things about being Superman that…” He let out a long breath, uncertain how to continue. “This isn’t easy for me.” He explained sheepishly. “I’ve spent most of my life hiding. Superman’s job is to protect and when he can’t—when I can’t….”
“You obsess.” Lois finished for him with a knowing look.
“Yeah,” He admitted. “People depend on me. If I’m not fast enough or strong enough then…”
“The coroner said Lucky Leon had died hours before the police showed up. You got the gunmen.” She ran a hand through his hair and gave him a wry look. “Seems to me Superman did a pretty good job saving the day.”
“They’re calling it a suicide.” He continued to brood.
“Then we’ll prove otherwise.” She said, hanging on his arm. “But bottling it up and shutting people out isn’t going to help anything.”
He nodded, “I’ll try and work on that.”
“I’m serious.” She continued, wagging her finger at him. “I’m not going to have one of those marriages where the husband holes himself in a dark corner brooding about work and…”
He grinned happily at her, running a hand across her cheek before he leaned in to capture her mouth. She let out a muffled protest that quickly disappeared when she began to respond. Her arms looped around his neck and he whispered against her lips, “No more brooding.”
“Good.” She mumbled incoherently against his lips. “No more shutting me out.”
“I promise.” He cupped her cheek. A smile spread across his face, recalling their conversation from last night and just now when she’d slipped and referred to their future relationship as ‘marriage.’ She was thinking about the proposal—really thinking about it.
<<“I can’t cook. I don’t want to cook. Actually, I probably shouldn’t cook for anyone. Can you imagine the looks I’d get from our um, kids...”>>
<<“Why are you laughing at me? This is serious!”
“I wasn’t laughing I swear.”
“Liar.”>>
<<“So, you were waiting for…?”
“Just the right person.”>>
<<“I don’t want either of us rushing into anything unless we’re both ready.”
“What if I was...ready?”
“Well, I…”>>Last night, she’d been opening up—really opening up before he’d heard the gunfire. The conversation had taken a drastic turn to something he knew had been weighing on both of their minds. All day her question raced through his mind over and over.
<<“What if I was...ready?”>>“Lois,” He looked into her dark eyes, trying to find the right words. “Last night…”
The tapping of a hand against the glass window of the office they were in cut him off. He looked up and sighed, seeing Perry standing outside the office.
“I guess, we’ll finish this later.” He sighed.
“Yeah,” Lois said, smoothing the side of her hair as he pulled away from her.
Perry opened the door. “Sorry to, uh, interrupt but Agent Scardino just heard from General Reynolds the base commander at Fort Marshall. He’s on his way over.”
“Over here?” Lois’ brow furrowed.
“That’s what he said.” Perry shrugged.
***
Ryan Wiley adjusted his cap, ready to follow the rest of the unit into the truck marked, ‘Sam’s Fresh Seafood.’ Warheads. Nuclear warheads for their taking. He looked behind him with a chuckle, nodding to Diego, “Remember we stop for nothing and no one.” He held up his rifle and patted it with a laugh, “And we’ll use extreme force if necessary. Now let’s roll.”
They piled into the truck hurriedly and drove off. Behind them, three unconscious bodies were left still in their ACUs from before they’d been attacked.
***
TBC...
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