Rules of the Game
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 7
***
Head of Intergang or Ruse?
By Lois Lane and Clark Kent
Stride Testimony Equals Death Penalty!
By Kathie Irwin
Lane and Kent Partners For Life!
By Diane ReedLex Luthor stared at the front page of the Daily Planet in front of him. He did his best to control his fury at the image of his former fiancée in the arms of Clark Kent. Not only had she moved on with someone so lowly, but she continued to flaunt the new relationship in his face. He took a deep breath, turning his attention to the articles on Diana Stride. Hiring her to expose Superman’s secrets to the world had been a stroke of genius on Nigel’s part. It was too bad she’d been caught before she’d been able to follow through. Knowing the man behind the spandex that continued to thwart his plans would have been beneficial in his plans for revenge against Metropolis.
He turned his attention to the small capsule tucked in his breast pocket. Soon he would be out of here. Keeping up the charade of the docile inmate listening to orders from lowly guards tore at him but he knew it was only a matter of time before he could walk out of these prison walls and take back what was rightfully his.
***
Lois set the paper down, smiling at the headlines that had graced the front page of the Daily Planet. She spotted Clark walking toward her with an extra skip in his step. “I take it everything’s back to normal?” She inquired. He’d gone by STAR Labs for a follow-up with Dr. Klein. His powers had returned yesterday evening, within the time window he’d been given to expect them back.
“Yeah,” He said, perching himself on the edge of her desk. “Clean bill of health.”
Lois let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding, “Good.” She fingered his tie happily, “Then everything can start getting back to normal around here.”
“Almost everything.” He grinned, taking her left hand in his and bringing it to him to kiss. She smiled at the gesture and reached her hand up to stroke his cheek. He met her gaze, “I’m hoping with the capture of the ‘supposed’ head of Intergang that’ll be the last we see of these guys. I think we could all use a break.”
“Yeah, but you and I both know there was a lot of evidence leading to the Churches.” Lois reminded him. “Somehow, I don’t think they’ll be going quietly.”
“Hey, you two, what are you still doing here?” Perry asked, walking up to them in his tuxedo. “We’re supposed to be at the awards dinner in an hour.” The Merriwether Award dinner was tonight and both Perry and Mr. Stern would be in attendance along with the rest of the nominees on the shortlist and their dates.
“We were just heading out,” Lois said, reaching over to turn her monitor off. Perry grunted his disapproval at the time then hollered to Jimmy, “Olsen! Any word from Franklin Stern?”
Jimmy popped his head up from his cubicle, “He said he’d be meeting you guys at the Metro.”
“Oh, brother, I’d better call Alice…” Perry walked into his office.
Clark chuckled, watching the door close behind Perry before turning back toward her, “I guess we better get moving before Perry comes back out here. I’m not sure how long this thing is going to run so I need to go ahead and do a quick patrol. Do you want to…?” He gave a flying motion with his hand.
Lois readjusted her purse on her shoulder as they walked toward the stairwell, “I’ll just meet you there with Perry. I brought my dress just in case.” She pointed to the corridor leading to the storage lockers.
“Okay,” he leaned in to kiss her. “Hopefully this won’t take too long.”
“For your sake, you better hope not. You do remember that lecture you got after the Kerths, right?” She laughed, recalling the yarn Perry had spun when Clark showed up two minutes late.
“I remember...
vividly.” He said, cupping her cheek, “Though I wasn’t really focused on Perry’s Elvis yarn at the moment. Someone was very distracting in that dress throughout most of the evening.”
“Distracting?” She grinned back at him innocently. “
Moi? I thought you liked that dress.”
“I do,” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “That’s why it was distracting.”
She bit her lower lip, suppressing the urge to explore more of what exactly Clark had found distracting about her that evening. They were already late and the car Perry had ordered would be there soon. “Uh-huh,” She fingered the knot on his tie. “I think you should get out of here before you distract either of us anymore.” He laughed, leaning in to kiss her before he turned to leave.
***
Bill Church Jr. stared at the headline, shaking his head. Diana had been a good friend over the years but it seemed Intergang would have to cut its ties with her. The rumor in the department was that she was preparing to hand over evidence that would implicate Intergang in the assassination of some of the more influential world leaders over the past decade. He took a deep breath, looking over the ocean water below the private jet he was in. Perhaps a relocation was in order. Intergang would not be snuffed out by a few traitors.
***
Clark readjusted the tie on his tux, looking around the crowded streets outside the Metro Hotel where the Meriwether Awards dinner was being held. After a quick patrol and change of clothes, he arrived with a few minutes to spare. He scanned the hotel lobby as he climbed up the steps, looking for Lois but didn’t see her. A gold-framed sign stood in the entryway directing everyone attending the awards dinner to make their way to the Regency Suite.
He made his way through the hallway until he found the suite. The doors were still closed with a note to wait at the bar until the event host arrived. He glanced toward the bar, hoping to catch sight of his fiancee. Unfortunately, the only familiar face he saw was a competing news anchor from WGBS News. Not exactly someone he wanted to kill time with while he waited for the rest of the Daily Planet guests to arrive. He looked around the lobby, spotting the reception desk with a sign that read,
‘Now accepting reservations.’He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, recalling how many interrupted evenings and moments he and Lois had had between both his and her family’s impeccable timing. He used to think Jimmy just had bad luck but Lois’ mother and sister put his interruptions to shame. A smile spread across his face as he recalled how close they’d come to finally consummating their relationship when Ellen had arrived on Lois’ doorstep, shortly followed by her sister. Then the other night after his scare with the Kryptonite his parents had woken up immediately killing the mood. Lois had finally accepted his proposal—three torturous weeks later. They still had yet to actually celebrate their engagement without any interference from well-meaning family or friends. The arrival of that mysterious package on his doorstep and excitement over sharing the news with family and friends kept both of them busy—along with taking down one of the biggest criminal organizations in the world. Something always got in the way.
Tonight was different though. There were no bad guys to chase down. There were no deadlines to worry about. Tonight was about celebrating their success as partners. Being recognized by a prestigious group like the Meriwethers as a successful investigating team meant a lot to both him and Lois. It was an honor and said a lot about how well they worked together.
“May I help you?” the receptionist asked, pulling him back to the present.
Finally making his decision he nodded, placing his wallet on the countertop to pull out the appropriate ID and payment information. “I need to get a room for the night.”
“I’m sorry, sir, we won’t have any rooms available until after eleven tomorrow.” She gave him an apologetic smile.
“You don’t have
anything available?” He asked, giving the receptionist his best pleading smile. He knew if he waited any longer he’d lose his nerve and back out. Then given the extra time the universe would find one more way to get in the way of him and Lois celebrating their engagement and what he hoped would be an award—without the interference of friends, family, or groundbreaking stories.
“Well, we do have one room available.” She said, turning the monitor for him to see it.
He smiled and nodded to her. “I’ll take it.”
“Great,” She grinned, typing a few keys into the computer. “I’ll need your ID and credit card…” She prompted.
“Boy, they just let anyone into one of these things, don’t they?” He heard a familiar voice behind him.
He looked behind him, surprised to find Linda King dressed to the nine in a teal mini dress with a plunging neckline. “Linda,” He offered her a smile, “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you I’m assuming,” She nodded toward the door where two ushers were setting up the entryway for the Meriwether Award dinner.
Clark nodded, offering a half-smile, “Uh, congratulations on the nomination. I didn’t realize you’d gotten back into journalism.”
“Well, after the movie deal fell through I began freelancing for the Tribune.” She said giving him a leering expression. “I see you haven’t changed a bit. Let me guess, Lois is your date again?”
Clark did his best to suppress his annoyance at Linda’s dig toward Lois. It had been over a year since they’d seen each other and despite the recent engagement announcement he knew it was quite possible she wasn’t aware of the change in his and Lois’ relationship; nor the dual nomination for the competing award. “Actually, we were both nominated for the award...as a team.”
“Here you go, Mr. Kent,” the receptionist laid the hotel key on the counter with his ID and credit card. “Checkout is at ten. Enjoy your stay.”
“Stay?” Linda echoed, looking at him curiously as he tucked the key in his breast pocket and reinserted his ID and credit card back in his wallet.
“Looks like they’re seating people.” He pointed to the door.
“Looks like your date’s not here,” Linda said with a disapproving glance behind him. “Mind escorting me in?” She flashed him a smile, “For old time’s sake.”
Clark shook his head, “I’d rather wait on…” He stopped mid-sentence catching a glimpse of Lois at the entrance, followed close behind by Perry, Alice, Mr. Stern and his wife. “Wow,” His conversation with Linda King was long forgotten as he met his fiancee’s gaze from across the room.
Lois was a vision in violet. The silk and chiffon flowed around her curves, forming a perfect A-line cut on the strapless gown. Her hair was pinned back halfway and a shawl hung over her shoulders as she approached him with a smile. She was breathtaking.
He ran a hand across her cheek, leaning in to kiss her, “You look incredible. Are you
trying to kill me?”
She grinned up at him, “Well, you said the other dress was too
distracting.”
“So your plan was to go for driving me even more crazy with distractions?” He guessed, allowing his eyes to gaze down the beaded bodice with a curved sweetheart neckline then moved to her bare shoulders that were only covered with the sheer material of her shawl.
“Is it working?” She teased, running a hand down the front of his tuxedo suggestively.
“What do you think?” He murmured, leaning in to kiss her.
***
Lois walked through the entrance of the Metro Hotel, scanning the crowded lobby for Clark. The sign directing guests to the Regency Suite where the Meriwether Awards dinner was taking place. Two ushers were standing outside the doors, moving the red rope line barrier to the entryway. She craned her neck, looking to see if Clark was inside yet.
Not seeing him, she turned her attention to the other side of the lobby where the reception desk was and spotted Clark staring at her with a smile. She grinned triumphantly, seeing the mesmerized expression on his face. Then she spotted her ex-best friend, Linda King standing behind him.
‘What is she doing here?’ she wondered, moving toward him.
Clark took a few steps toward her, meeting her with a smile on his face. She grinned back at him as he ran a hand across her cheek. She stared back at him, meeting his gaze and reveling in the feeling of being the only one he seemed to focus on. He leaned in to kiss her, allowing his lips to linger on hers. His arms slipped down the curve of her back and he whispered, “You look incredible. Are you
trying to kill me?”
She grinned up at him. She’d gone to award dinners before, but this one was different. She’d gone through the painstaking process of finding the right dress to get just the reaction she wanted from Clark. Almost six months and a week of non-stop interruptions from her family and his. The morning after she’d accepted his proposal had been the last time she’d had him to herself. She hated the fact that she’d been too distracted by his proposal a few weeks ago to take full advantage of the fact that they were alone in paradise without any interruptions. Now here they were engaged and had yet to be able to celebrate their engagement properly. Something she planned to rectify tonight if it killed her.
“Well, you said the other dress was too
distracting.” She reminded him.
He looked down at her dress, tightening his grasp on her as he whispered in her ear. “So your plan was to go for driving me even more crazy with distractions?”
“Is it working?” She asked, smoothing her palm up and down the front of his tux. She allowed her hand to linger just above the waistband of his slacks, meeting his gaze with a heated one of her own. She smiled up at him, running her hand palm back up his chest and over his right shoulder.
He let out a breath, pulling her close so she could feel the heat resonating from him as he stared back at her, his eyes dark with desire. “What do you think?” His voice was husky as he leaned in to capture her lips with his.
“I think if we don’t get our apartments back soon I may go insane.” She moved her hands up over his shoulders and linking her arms around his neck.
“Yeah, about that…” He pulled out a keycard from his breast pocket with the ‘M’ logo on it
Her eyes lit up, seeing the hotel keycard in his hand. Trying to refrain from seeming too eager she looked back at the doorway where the nominees were lining up, “How long is this dinner?”
“Excuse me,” The familiar voice of Linda King cut in, pulling them back to the present. “You’re blocking the aisle.”
“Linda, surprised to see you at an awards dinner for journalists. What happened? Get bored with acting?” Lois asked smugly, recalling their last conversation when Linda had been headed to Hollywood to play her in a movie about the takedown of Preston Carpenter.
She glanced down at the dress Linda was wearing, suppressing a groan. She was still flaunting everything as always. The plunging neckline and hemline that should be illegal screamed
‘Look at me.’ A few months ago she would have felt threatened by the return of her old rival but that was the old Lois Lane. She didn’t have anything to prove or outdo when it came to Linda King. True she’d betrayed her in a painful and heartbreaking way years ago but after all these years the woman still hadn’t changed. The trials and changes in her and Clark’s relationship and the change in the dynamic of her and her mother’s relationship helped her recognize the insecurity and inadequacies that were written all over Linda’s face. She was still playing the same game and hadn’t learned anything from her experiences.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Linda scoffed, “As I was telling your partner...err boyfriend here.”
“Fiancé.” Clark corrected, holding up the recent accessory on Lois’ left hand.
“Right, as I was telling your fiancé—” Realization seemed to dawn on Linda as the name she’d just called Clark hung in the air. The shock on Linda’s face kept Lois from saying anything else. “Well, things certainly have changed around here.” She looked to Lois with envy, “Fiancé,
really?”
“Really,” Lois said happily, sharing a look with Clark. Taking pity on Linda’s dumbstruck expression she prompted, “You were saying something about your movie?”
Recalling their conversation, Linda nodded, “Right. The movie fell through so I’ve been working at the Tribune.” She looked at Lois in disbelief, “I thought you swore off marriage until you won your first Pulitzer.”
Lois smiled, recalling the big dreams she’d set for herself back in college. She shook her head, “Yeah, I did...and then I found someone I wanted to have with me when we finally do get that Pulitzer. Success can be pretty lonely when you don’t have anyone to share it with.”
“Hey you two they’re about to start,” Perry said, waving them over.
“See you inside,” Lois said, turning toward the entrance with Clark in tow.
***
Katherine Wilder stared at the paperwork in front of her. This was her chance. Her chance to give meaning to her father’s life’s work. Valhalla. It was something she heard about for years growing up. It was a name she associated with his love for her. The stories he would tell of Valhalla and the mythical gods that would retire there after battle.
“Do we have a deal?” Her mother’s voice penetrated her thoughts.
She let out a long breath, looking to the blonde haired goon standing next to her mother. Why she allowed herself to be reduced to such lowly characters was beyond her. “Make the call and I’ll take care of negotiations.”
***
TBC...
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