“Okay, thanks, Bobby,” Lois said into her phone late the following morning.
Clark watched as she doodled absently on a legal sized pad of paper. She had the phone cradled between her neck and shoulder in order to free up her hands. He had to marvel at how focused she could become. The nickname ‘Mad Dog Lane’ that the newsroom had collectively labeled her with had been well and truly earned. Clark had seen more easily distracted bloodhounds in his time.
“You’ve got it. See you there,” she promised. She hung up the phone and flashed a triumphant smile across the aisle at Clark.
“What’s up?” Clark asked, his curiosity immediately piquing. He’d tried to guess as to what Bobby had called about, but Lois’ conversation with the informant had been rather vague. And Jimmy had interrupted his eavesdropping twice to drop off research on one of the cases he and Lois were working on.
“We need to go,” Lois said, standing and grabbing her purse.
“Go?”
“Bobby’s down at the docks. Says he’s got some information for us regarding the bombing.”
Clark’s eyebrows shot up in interest. “Did he say what he has?”
“No,” Lois said, shaking her head. She gestured frantically for him to stand up. “He couldn’t talk much on the phone. Too many people around. He’s meeting us at The Crow’s Nest.”
“Of course he is,” Clark said, suppressing a chuckle. “At least he didn’t pick too expensive of a place this time.”
He sighed recalling the last time they’d paid Bobby for one of his tips. In a brazen move – as Clark viewed it - the man had chosen a steakhouse to meet them in. Dinner had run close to seventy-five dollars. Perry had turned so red that Clark had feared his boss would burst a vein. Clark had felt incredibility guilty about the bill, but all had been forgiven when Bobby’s lead had turned out to be good and over five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cocaine had been seized by the police, leading to the arrest of seventeen drug dealers.
Lois shrugged. “Okay, so Bobby’s taste is a little on the expensive side. But you have to admit, his leads always pan out, unlike some of the other sources we’ve been forced to use.”
Well,” Clark hesitated as he thought it over. “I guess you’re right. Still, I feel like we buy enough food to supply a small country every time we meet with him.”
“Believe me, I know,” Lois agreed as they started toward the elevator. “But if he really does have a lead on our investigation into…you-know-who,” she said, glancing around to ensure none of their coworkers were in ear-shot, “then it’s worth the extravagance.”
“I agree,” Clark conceded. “It would be nice to find something…anything to pin this on…you know.” He dropped his voice to a whisper.
“Speaking of, I was thinking. Maybe we should clue Bobby into who it is, exactly, that we think might be the one behind things.”
Clark’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Lois?” His concern for her well-being overtook him as he turned to her. Though he’d never say it aloud, her eyes were heavily shadowed from their late-night research session. “It’s one thing to let him know that it’s the bombing that we’re looking into. But naming Luthor?” he stressed in barely audible whisper. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea. If he’s not the one behind things and he gets word that we’re investigating him, he could end our careers. And if he is responsible…” He shuddered slightly. “We could be putting our own lives at risk.”
“Clark, you don’t have to worry so much. Bobby would never let something like that leak. He’s a complete professional. I’d trust him with my life. Actually, I have trusted him with my life, on several occasions now. He’s never let me down.”
Clark sighed. “I know. But, I can’t help but to be a little nervous and overly cautious here. I guess…maybe some of that stems from the fact that we were up pretty late with our…research on the subject,” he said, doing his best not to offend her with how concerned he was.
Lois seemed to sense his unspoken meaning anyway. But instead of looking offended, she gave him a small smile. “I’ve pulled much later nights and earlier mornings than this before,” she proudly reminded him. “In fact, I felt like I hardly slept at all when I was covering the President’s reelection bid a couple of years ago.”
“I know,” Clark conceded, unable to suppress his grin. He pushed the elevator call button with his thumb, then he turned to her. Once again, he couldn’t help the thought that he was the luckiest man alive to have Lois in his life to love and worry about. “But…I do worry sometimes that one day…” He let his voice trail off, unable to give voice to his fear that, even with his super abilities, that one day he might not be there to protect her from any of the world’s evils.
Lois cupped his cheek with her hand and peered into his eyes. “Hey, what it?” she asked, concern furrowing her brow.
Clark sighed. “It’s just…I love you Lois. “I guess…I worry too much sometimes, that’s all. I’m still getting used to how lucky I am to have found you. If you got hurt or I lost you…I’d never be able to live with that. What we’re doing here, going up against Luthor,” he said in an intense whisper. He shook his head. “If he really did order the hit on the Planet, imagine what he might order against two nosey reporters.”
“I know,” she admitted softly. “I’m a little nervous about it myself. But we have to do whatever we can to make sure he pays for what he did. And, for the record, I love you too. You know that.” She kissed him then, and that one simple act reassured Clark and almost made him forget for a moment all of the ways their investigation could blow up in their faces. He groaned as he gave in to her kiss and wished they didn’t have to meet Bobby so quickly. “Besides, we’ve taken down some extremely dangerous criminals before,” she added with a grin. She toyed with his jacket lapels, brushing imaginary lint off of them and adjusting them until they sat just right. “This will just be the biggest notch on our belts, that’s all. Just think of all the awards we’ll win for our riveting coverage of the story!”
Clark was still unconvinced, but he figured he could concede the point for the time being. “Yeah, we do make a pretty good team.” He grinned at her.
“Lane and Kent. The hottest team in town,” she agreed with a laugh and an explosive grin. Clark recognized the quote as one Perry had used in a marketing campaign for the Planet after they had become permanent partners.
Clark chuckled. “No kidding. We’ve done a lot of good work together.”
“And it all started with what should have been a run-of-the-mill puff piece about the Majestic Theater being demolished,” Lois added thoughtfully.
“Who knew it would turn into a botched murder attempt?” Clark mused. “Then we had the Mayor’s sex scandals…the bodies that were found in the harbor…the wedding night serial killer…” Clark ticked off on his fingers. “Intergang…”
“Intergang? They’re still a thorn in our side,” Lois grumbled.
“Anyway,” Clark said, waving his hand slightly, as if to dismiss the topic at hand. “I wasn’t going to say anything until later but…I was thinking. We’ve been going out nearly ten months now.”
“I know,” Lois said, slinking an arm around his waist. She pressed her body into his – not enough to raise anyone’s eyebrows, of course, but enough to send Clark’s pulse skyrocketing.
“I was thinking that, well…we should do something special for our first anniversary.” He paused to gauge her reaction.
“What’d you have in mind?” Lois asked.
Clark shrugged. “I don’t know. Get away somewhere. A tropical island. A cruise. Anywhere Perry can’t reach us for a week or two.” He grinned when he caught sight of the glint in her eyes. She was definitely interested by the idea.
Little do you know, he thought dreamily. If all goes well, you might just be wearing a new ring when we get back. If you don’t mind the fact that I’m an alien…and if you can forgive nearly a year of lies.
“He has been pushing us pretty hard lately. Not that I blame him,” she reasoned aloud, turning to him and giving him a soft smile. “But getting away from it all…getting the chance to recharge our batteries a little…it just sounds…” Her voice trailed off dreamily.
“Yes?” he prompted her, giving her a playfully expectant look.
“Heavenly,” Lois grinned impishly. “I’m sure Perry can manage to survive without us for a couple of weeks. Even if he thinks he can’t,” she added with a slight laugh.
“Great!” Outwardly, Clark cheered.
But inwardly, he felt the weight of nervousness settling over his chest, squeezing like a vice. His mind immediately wandered to the conversation he still had to have with her first. It wouldn’t be right to go on a romantic getaway without giving Lois all of the facts first. He needed to be sure that she knew what she was getting herself into. As it was, he hated that he’d kept Superman a secret for as long as he had, and had mentally berated himself many times for what he deemed as his cowardice. But telling Lois – exposing his greatest secret – terrified him beyond words. For the first time in his life, he’d be willingly exposing his super side to another person. Bruce didn’t count, in his mind. That discovery had been an accident, and although Clark divulged the extent of his uniqueness, he’d felt trapped and compelled to tell Bruce about his abilities after he’d been caught floating in midair.
With Lois, things would be different. Much different.
He still wasn’t sure how to even begin that conversation with her. He’d tried a thousand times to find the right words when he was alone. Sometimes, he’d test the wording out in the confines of his mind. Sometimes, he’d whisper the words with trembling lips to his reflected image in the mirror at home, or while showering away the evidence of a rescue he’d made, or while laying in bed at night with his brain racing too much to allow him to sleep. None of those attempts had sounded right. And now, nearly ten months after Superman’s birth, Clark was still stuck with no idea how to break the news to Lois, and worse, no idea how to explain why it had taken him so long to finally tell her the truth.
He knew only one thing – he was long overdue in having that conversation.
The conversation.
The one that scared Clark witless.
The one that would make his – eventual – proposal to Lois seem like a walk in the park.
The one where he would finally let her in on his greatest secret.
Lois, I’m Superman.
It terrified him, to know that he was on the brink of letting her in on his secret, for several reasons. He was no longer afraid that she’d run off and publish the story of Superman’s true identity, even though he knew it would earn her a Pulitzer. He trusted her fully to keep the knowledge of his alter ego safe. And he wasn’t afraid she would choose to be with him just for his powers and all he could offer her as Superman. She’d already chosen him for who he really was: Clark Kent, the orphaned son of two humble farmers, reporter for The Daily Planet, her partner and best friend.
But, as he was all too painfully aware, once he told her his secret, there was no coming back from that. There was no way to take that information back and leave her in the dark as to his dual identities. And that could be very dangerous, for the both of them. Already, there had been attempts to discover if Superman had another identity. Clark had been lucky to find ways to throw his pursuers off his trail. But he knew now that there would be those who would stop at nothing to uncover his true identity. With Lois knowing what that was, she would be in danger from people like that. He feared that she might be kidnapped, tortured, or even killed for that knowledge.
Fear.
Fear had ruled him thus far.
He wasn’t afraid to let Lois see him in such a vulnerable state. He really did want her to know everything there was to know about him. He didn’t care if he looked weak in her eyes. He didn’t care if he broke down into shuddering sobs in front of her while he told her his tale.
Clark looked into Lois’ trusting, expectant eyes. As always, he was humbled to see the well of love shining there for him. A wave of guilt washed over him and he did his best to squash it down. It wasn’t enough. He still felt the heat of a guilty blush blossoming in his neck. He cleared his throat and rubbed his neck, hoping Lois hadn’t noticed. But the guilt remained in his mind, stirring up his fear anew.
He could only hope Lois would forgive him. But he certainly wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t. He’d spent almost a full year lying to her face, making her believe that Clark Kent and Superman were two separate people. And now he was ready to drop the bombshell on her that Superman wasn’t even real – just a shadow puppet he threw in front of the masses to protect his identity. Would she resent him? After all, resentment would be a natural response to such an utter betrayal. He wanted to believe that Lois would be able to understand why he’d done what he’d done. But he his fear wouldn’t allow him to convince himself that Lois would be above resenting him.
Abandonment.
Isolation.
Those were what scared him the most.
Any of his other fears paled in comparison to the absolute terror that seized his body whenever he thought of how she might react when he finally got up the nerve to tell her. Specifically, he feared that she might not take the news well – that by him lying for so long and making her believe Clark and Superman were two separate people, she might resent him. More than that, what if she hated him for his deception? What if she threw him out of her life and locked the door behind him?
He knew he wasn’t strong enough to survive the devastation that would bring to his heart.
On the other hand, he could scarcely wait to tell Lois everything and finally be done with all the deception and outright lies. He was tired of hiding from her. He was tired of making up lame excuses. Mostly, he was tired of making Lois upset when he had to dash out on her – yet again! – usually while they were in the middle of an important conversation. And, even more importantly, he knew Lois’ patience was wearing thin with him. How she was even still dating him sometimes boggled his mind.
He looked forward to sloughing off the chains that his secret had bound him in.
He sighed. It had taken him months to gather up his courage enough to get to this point – this indication that he had something of the utmost importance to tell Lois. He supposed he could wait a little longer, until they both had enough time to get everything out into the open, and for Lois to have enough time to process everything he had to tell her.
Lois gazed into his eyes, waiting for him to speak it seemed, and Clark had to quickly shove his inner turmoil aside. He closed his eyes for half a second to center himself.
Take a leap of faith, he heard his father’s baritone voice whisper in his mind.
Clark made the instant decision to take it as a sign.
He gave Lois a small smile and a nod. “Maybe we can start researching ideas this weekend,” he said casually. “Take a look around and see what we might want to do.”
“Why not tonight?” Lois asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
Clark shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Lois nodded and looked at him in concern.
“What?” she asked, her brow scrunched in tense worry.
“Well…that’s the other thing,” he hedged cautiously. As he said the words, he could almost feel himself taking a literal plunge into a deep, unescapable ocean.
“There’s another thing?’” Lois repeated in confusion.
“Yeah,” Clark said, his voice trembling as he unsuccessfully tried to hide the reemergence of his fear. “There’s something we need to talk about first. Something…something really important.”
There was a soft ding! that announced the elevator’s arrival. The doors slid open, letting Jake, Wally, and Jill out into the newsroom. The three of them were locked in a spirited debate and hardly paid Lois and Clark any mind. When they were passed, Lois stepped into the car, followed by Clark. Clark hit the button for the lobby.
“Clark? This ‘something’ that you mentioned? Is it…a good something? Or a bad something? Because you’re sweating and making me nervous,” Lois asked as the doors closed again. She pressed the button for the lobby.
“It’s…it depends,” he answered cagily. “I’m not entirely sure how you’re going to react when we have that discussion.”
“Well, we can always find out right now. What is it?” she asked gently, touching a hand to his shoulder.
He shook his head. “Trust me, Lois, this is the worst possible time and place for me to tell you what I need to tell you. I was hoping that we could talk about it this weekend, when we’re both off.”
“Well,” she replied, thinking it over and scrutinizing his features. “Maybe. Whatever this is…it’s not going to be a quick chat, is it?”
“No,” Clark said with certainty.
“Hmm. Well…we’re supposed to have an early dinner with my mom and Lucy on Saturday,” Lois reminded him. “But…maybe after that?”
Clark snapped his fingers with sudden remembrance. “That’s right! I completely forgot. And I’m filling in for Eric on Sunday.” He sighed. “We’ll figure something out,” he said, more to reassure himself than Lois.
“Are you sure?” Lois asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Clark said, though he was torn between being upset and euphoric that it would be a while still before they needed to have that conversation.
“Well, okay. If you say so,” Lois answered, but she sounded far from convinced.
“Really, it’s fine, Lois,” he assured her. “It can wait. Believe me. It can wait.”
I hope, his mind whispered.
The elevator’s doors opened again, letting them out in the lobby. They made their way to the ATM, and Clark swiftly used the machine to take out some cash. He stuffed it into his wallet, then they were out the door. As they waited on the sidewalk, trying to hail a cab, Cat Grant happened by, on her way into the office.
“Lois. Working the corner, I see?” she teased as she caught sight of them and angled in closer.
“You would know more about that than I would,” Lois tossed back. “What are you doing here? I thought you had alleys to prowl around today.”
“Dates, Lois. Dates,” Cat replied, casually flipping a stray piece of hair out of her face. She eyed Clark up and down, then pulled a compact out from her purse. She swiftly checked her appearance and settled on reapplying her lipstick. “You know, I don’t think I could be like the two of you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lois asked, bristling.
“You know. Being so…boring. I can’t imagine what it’s like to not go out and be the life of the party. To not be where the action is…” She shrugged and gave Clark a lingering look. “I guess it’s not for everyone. Still, Clark, I’d hoped with your…previous experience as Bruce Wayne’s roommate…well, I thought you’d be a lot more like me.”
Clark shook his head and put an arm around Lois’ shoulders – both in a “Sorry, I’m taken” manner and to prevent Lois from clawing out her rival’s eyes. Lois crossed her arms over her chest.
“The life of the party?” Lois scoffed defiantly. “I supposed that’s one way to put it. Most people would just call it pole dancing though.”
Clark had to bite back a chuckle. As much as he enjoyed seeing Lois’ feisty side, he wasn’t sure he should do anything that might encourage the constant verbal warfare between the two women.
Cat growled at her. “Jealous, Lois?”
Lois snorted. “Hardly.”
Clark shook his head slightly and mentally rolled his eyes. He swallowed down a retort, unwilling to add to the banter between Cat and Lois. Although, he had to wonder how much of their exchanges were genuine dislike for one another and how much of it was a bizarre game between them that he neither understood nor really wanted to understand. It certainly felt like a game with Cat, he mused. The woman seemed to get a perverse sense of pleasure out of needling Lois. He knew Cat wasn’t making her remarks in a serious manner, though perhaps, on some deeply buried level she might still be holding out hope that he and Lois would break up. It felt like it was more of a force of habit for Cat to make such comments than anything else. It made him feel a certain amount of pity for Cat, mixed in with a healthy dose of annoyance. He hated seeing Lois get upset. And, although Lois would rarely admit it, there were times when Cat’s comments stung her deeply.
“You just keep telling yourself that,” Cat said, squaring her shoulders and adjusting the thin jacket draped over her shoulders. She gave a cursory glance down the busy sidewalk and gave Lois a mischievous, but satisfied grin. “So where are the two of you off to? Dog show? Perry was pretty livid with the two of you last week.”
“That was last week,” Clark quietly stressed, intervening before the conversation could end with Cat being taken away in an ambulance. He had no doubt that, if push came to shove, Lois would easily overpower her rival in a fight.
“And he got over it when we pulled in that bank fraud scandal,” Lois shot back. “And no. Not that it concerns you in the least, but it just so happens that we’re looking into something big.”
“Ooh, goody!” Cat gleefully mocked. “I can’t wait to read all about it in between the classified and the retractions! Maybe you’ll even get lucky enough to have it printed by the obituaries!”
“Careful or it might you your obit,” Lois sneered.
Cat said, ignored Lois’s barb and turned to Clark. “Hmmm. On second thought, it doesn’t happen to involve your friend, Bruce Wayne, does it?”
“No,” Clark replied immediately in a guarded tone.
“Pity. I’d love to meet up with him sometime. Talk to him…one on one,” she said in a sultry way. “You really should introduce me, next time he’s in town.”
“Sorry, Cat. But that won’t be happening,” Clark said, shaking his head again.
“I meant for an interview,” Cat argued. “You don’t have to be so…protective of him, you know.”
“Cat, one thing I can assure you of – I will always be protective of Bruce,” Clark said, his tone brooking no argument.
At that moment, a cabbie finally noticed Lois’ efforts to flag him down. The car screeched to a halt in front of them. Clark reached for the door and held it open for Lois.
“Sorry, Cat,” Lois smirked victoriously. “Duty calls. Come on, Clark, let’s go track down some real news.”
***
Clark dutifully followed Lois as she wound a path through the crowded restaurant. He couldn’t help but to note the half empty glass of soda on the table in front of Bobby as the man eagerly waved them over. He was sitting in the furthest corner of The Crow’s Nest, likely in an effort to remain inconspicuous. An effect he had now shattered by calling out to him, Clark mused.
Apparently, he’d been keeping himself busy while he waited for them. Half the loaf of bread on the table had been demolished and he had a plate of a dozen oysters before him – only two of which hadn’t yet been consumed. At least he stopped eating long enough to greet them, Clark conceded with a mental grin. He had to chuckle to himself. It wasn’t so long ago that the idea would have made Clark shake his head and wonder about Bobby’s manners. Now, however, he was so used to Bobby’s quirks that they no longer bothered him. Besides, Bobby’s leads always panned out. Clark could easily overlook what he’d been brought up to view as bad manners.
He and Lois finished making their way across the dining room to where Bobby was waiting for them. When they reached the table, Clark pulled out Lois’ chair for her. Only once she was seated and comfortable did he take his own seat. Bobby watched, grinning.
“Nice to see that chivalry isn’t completely dead,” he commented as he took another piece of bread. “So, how are you two lovebirds? Clark, did you plan your trip yet?”
Ten months ago, it would have surprised Clark that Bobby knew about his plans to take Lois on a trip out of town. But not anymore. Now he just took it as a given that Bobby seemed to know everything about everyone. He made a mental note to use a travel agent in Gotham if Lois took the news that he was Superman well and still wanted to go away with him. He certainly planned on using his friend, Max the jeweler, to design a ring if and when the time came to ask Lois to marry him. He was the only one Clark trusted with such an important task. And it didn’t hurt that Max was located in Gotham – hopefully outside Bobby’s sphere of knowledge.
“Ah, no, not yet,” Clark said. “But, can we, uh, just stick to why we’re here? Lois and I still have a lot to figure out before we can plan any vacations.”
“Sure, sure,” Bobby said dismissively, as he sucked down one of the last two oysters.
“So, what do you have for us?” Lois asked as the waitress came by to fill everyone’s water glasses.
“Can I take your order? Or do you need another few minutes?” the waitress asked.
“Oh, uh…Lois?” Clark asked. “Do you know what you want?”
“Just the fried shrimp platter with fries. And a cream soda, please,” Lois said, almost robotically giving one of her usual orders to the waitress.
“Same thing, but a Coke with no ice,” Clark replied.
“Any soup or salad today?”
“No, thanks,” they responded in unison.
“And for me,” Bobby said to the waitress, “I’ll take the surf and turf. Medium rare on the steak. Grilled shrimp, not the fried. Caesar salad. A side of fries, heavy on the salt. Some more bread for the table. And a refill on my drink, please.”
“You got it,” the waitress said, jotting it all down before walking away.
“Gee, Bobby, cutting back?” Lois teased.
“This place gives me heartburn,” he replied with a shrug. “Good food, but I half turn into a dragon from it.” He pounded a fist against his chest in emphasis.
“The Planet?” Clark prompted after the moment of silence that followed.
“Right, right,” Bobby said, as if suddenly remembering why they were all together. “Thanks, Sweetheart,” he told the waitress as she returned with their drinks. He turned back to Lois and Clark. “You have to understand. I don’t exactly have anything concrete.”
Lois frowned. “Then why are we feeding you lunch?” she wondered.
“Because I’m the best. And because I have a lead for you, that might be able to get you something concrete.”
“We’re listening,” Clark said amicably.
“Okay, so apparently, there’s this kid, who supposedly has a video tape you really ought to get your hands on.”
“A video?” Lois asked, sounding a little miffed that Bobby didn’t actually have the tape with him.
Bobby nodded, polishing off his last oyster. He set the plate aside and took a long sip of his drink. “Yeah,” he said after a moment. “From what I gather, the tape shows your boy Bermuda meeting with a certain billionaire’s Mr. Belvedere.”
“Nigel,” Clark replied contemptuously.
“Again, supposedly,” Bobby pointed out with a shrug.
Silently, the waitress reappeared with bread and Bobby’s salad. She collected Bobby’s empty plates, then promised their meals would be out soon.
“Gotta love how fast this place serves food, am I right?” Bobby asked, watching the woman walk away again.
“The video,” Clark reminded him. “How do we get it?”
“You need to track this kid down,” Bobby replied, digging into his salad. “But it might not be easy.”
“Where do we find him?” Lois asked.
“That’s the thing. From what I understand, the kid’s homeless, but he doesn’t stay at the shelters. My source thinks the kid squats down by the old railroad yard in Hobb’s Bay. Makes sense, if you think about it. Lots of drifters wind up down there.”
Clark’s heart clenched in his chest at the word ‘homeless.’ He didn’t even know the kid’s name, and yet, he instantly felt a certain kinship with him. His heart broke to know that this kid was out there alone, living on the streets. The thought instantly brought back a thousand unpleasant memories of his lonely years, before he’d lucked out and met Bruce. The need to help flared into his heart and mind in the same moment. Even if he couldn’t do it as Clark, he would make certain that he did as Superman.
“Any idea which one is his?” Clark asked.
“Not a clue,” Bobby responded around a crouton. He swallowed. “Sorry.”
“What about the soup kitchens?” Clark pressed. “Any idea if he frequents them?”
“I’m not sure. But your best bet would be the one on Charleston. It’s the closest one to the tracks.”
“Right,” Clark nodded thoughtfully.
“Any idea how this kid got a hold of this tape?” Lois asked, steering the conversation back to their investigation.
Beneath the table, she reached over to Clark and squeezed his hand in silent reassurance that she knew where his mind was. Clark’s aching heart flooded with gratitude for that simple act of mindfulness. He gently squeezed her hand in return in a mute gesture of thanks, letting her know that he understood her wordless reassurance.
“Apparently, he took the video himself,” Bobby responded, gulping his drink.
“A homeless kid has access to a video camera?” Lois asked, eyebrow arched.
Bobby shrugged. “My source says the kid finds or steals items, then resells them to others, just to scrape by.”
Clark closed his eyes and looked away for half a second, his heart hurting. He’d been lucky during his own homelessness. He’d never needed to resort to doing anything immoral just to survive. It killed him inside to know that this kid needed to resort to acts of crime just to get from day to day.
“Do you have a name for this kid?” he inquired in an almost whisper-like voice.
“Jack,” Bobby said. “From what I gather, his name is Jack.”
***
After lunch had been eaten and paid for, Bobby went on his way, with promises to contact Lois and Clark if he came across any other potential leads for them.
“Lois? I’ve been thinking,” Clark said, a determined look settling over his features as they stood outside of The Crow’s Nest. “It sounds like this kid is in big trouble. I’ve been in his shoes. Hungry. Homeless. Living in a rundown, moldering shack, alone, with little to no hope of ever getting out of that situation, regardless of how much I wanted to better myself. Even if all I can get are boxes of cereal, I need to do something to help this kid out.”
She nodded solemnly. By some unspoken cue, they both began to walk again. “Sometimes, I forget, you know,” she said softly with a gentle sigh. “I forget how dire your circumstances were before you met Bruce. It just seems so…so foreign a concept, that the smartest, kindest person I know could have ever have been without reliable meals and a roof over his head. Looking at you…looking at all the success you’ve had in your life since those days…it’s just hard to imagine you ever having suffered so badly. And maybe…maybe part of me wants to forget, in a way, because it hurts too much to think of you being alone and living on the streets. I don’t mean that to sound snobby, but…” she sighed again. “I just wish I could do something, to erase the pain of those years for you.”
“And I love you for that,” Clark replied in a soft voice, giving her a gentle smile. “But, as odd as it sounds, I can’t forget the past. Not from any noble standpoint of not forgetting my roots. But because I literally can’t forget those days of darkness. I’ve never been so lost or alone or scared. I’m not entirely sure that I want to forget either. For better or worse, those years helped to shape who I am. They led me to Gotham and to Bruce. And, in turn, they led me to Metropolis, and you. For that, at least, I can be grateful. And yeah, it’s made me a lot more aware of how lucky I am to have the things that I do. A lot of people aren’t so lucky as to have even the basic necessities of life. If there’s any chance I can help Jack, I want to do it. Even if it’s just providing him with a few meals that he can count on.”
“I love that about you, you know,” Lois said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze as they crossed the street. “You’ve got the best heart of anyone I’ve ever known. I feel like…like even Superman pales in comparison.”
“Why’s that?” Clark asked, amused now.
“Well,” Lois shrugged, “you’re just this average guy, you know? You don’t have this whole host of incredible powers at your disposal. But look how willing you are to help someone you’ve never even met.”
“Thank you,” Clark replied, deeply touched.
But at the same time, his heart was troubled. Would Lois think less of him, once she knew that he did, indeed, have a whole host of powers at his beck and call? It made him fear that conversation now more than ever. He shoved the thought aside and forced his mind back to the topic at hand.
“Anyway, it might be for the best if I go to try and find Jack, alone. I can meet back up with you at the Planet,” he continued after a moment.
Lois looked at him like he’d just grown a second head. “No way. I’m going with you,” she said defiantly.
“Hobb’s Bay is a rough area,” Clark swiftly backpedaled, his brow scrunched in concern.
“So?” Lois’ hands flew to her hips and her stance dared him to argue with her.
“So…it might attract less attention if I go looking for him alone.” His argument was flimsy at best, and he knew it.
“Nice try, Kent,” Lois scoffed indignantly. “I’ll hail a taxi for us.” She went to raise a hand to flag down one of the bright yellow cabs on the street.
“No, wait,” Clark replied, his mind whirring.
“What?”
Clark felt his body tense up as he gave in to Lois’ demand to be a part of finding Jack. He debated with himself for a moment, wondering if he should tell her that homeless kids like Jack might scare easily, and that he had a better chance of gaining Jack’s trust alone, rather than if Lois were with him. After a second of mulling it over, he decided it wasn’t worth arguing over. Lois wouldn’t be swayed from her determination to go with him. In the end, he would probably just wind up hurting her feelings and wasting valuable time if he said anything.
“We have a stop to make first. It’s important,” he settled on in an instant decision.
“Clark, we’re this close to nailing the Planet bombing on Lex. What could possibly be more important than getting that tape?” Lois demanded.
“Food,” Clark replied.
“Uh, Clark? We just ate. Did you forget already?” she teased, though she still seemed mildly annoyed.
He shook his head, not feeling amused. “Not for us. For Jack. Come on. There’s a grocery store about two and a half blocks from here.” He started to walk.
“Clark? I’m not sure Perry will approve of the charges…”
“Forget Perry then. I’ll pay for it myself,” Clark said, not slowing his stride.
***
Forty-five minutes later, Lois and Clark exited the supermarket. Clark was silent as they left the brightly lit store behind and went back out into the street. A few large clouds drifted by, obscuring the sun and darkening the world below. Clark felt himself withdraw a little into himself. All the talk of Jack and of life on the streets had dredged up some terrible memories for him that he couldn’t quite shake. He remembered, in perfect detail, the agony of going for days on end with nothing to eat. He remembered the grimy feeling of going for weeks, sometimes, without a chance to wash the travel dirt from his skin and clothing. Most of all, he remembered the oppressive silence that can only come from being completely on one’s own, without a friend or even a passerby to offer a kind word and to lift some of the loneliness.
Sub-human.
That’s how he’d felt.
When he’d be on his own, sticking to wooded areas to avoid detection, it was like he’d ceased to exist in the world. And when he’d been in cities, even in Gotham, he’d gone from ceasing to exist to becoming invisible. He hadn’t needed to worry about people recognizing him as a runaway orphan. Most people simply choose to ignore his presence – some of them seeming to look right through him, not even seeing the beaten down young man before their eyes.
In a lot of ways, Clark mused darkly, being ignored like that had been worse than if he’d been discovered as an alien freak with a host of terrifying powers.
But Bruce had changed all that. He’d seen Clark. Maybe he hadn’t recognized Clark as a homeless youth in the beginning – after all, by then, Clark had access to an ill-kept shower at the shelter he’d been living in and a job that allowed him to afford clothing that wasn’t threadbare and falling apart at the seams – but as a billionaire with a thousand more important things to do with his day, Bruce had still chosen to befriend Clark. And when Bruce had learned of Clark’s dire plight, he hadn’t turned his back. He hadn’t been horrified to learn that his young friend was homeless and struggling. He’d been compassionate and chosen to help.
That, more than anything, had made Clark feel like maybe he wasn’t sub-human after all.
Now, Clark had the chance to be a beacon of hope for a young man who wasn’t so different from the homeless, hungry, drifting youth he himself had once been. Now, Clark had the opportunity to help Jack, maybe not in quite the same way that Bruce had once done for him, but in a way that might truly make a difference for Jack.
If he lets me, Clark reminded himself. It’s possible he may not let me get close enough to talk to him. Either way, the groceries stay. That kid needs food, maybe even more than he needs anything else. But I won’t know until I find him.
“Where do you want to start?” Lois asked, her arms laden with bags from the supermarket.
“Huh? Oh,” Clark said, startled out of his inner thoughts. “Um…let me think. There’s too many of those tumble-down homes to check one by one,” he continued thoughtfully, his arms also full. “Let’s start at the soup kitchen, see if anyone can point us in the right direction.”
“Maybe we should have waited to buy so much, until we knew we can find this kid,” Lois commented as she waited to flag down a taxi.
“If I’m right, and we do find Jack, he’ll need this food as soon as humanly possible,” Clark replied.
“I hope we find him,” Lois said, spying a taxi.
To Clark’s amazement, even with her arms full of grocery bags, she still managed to put her fingers to her lips and whistle loudly enough to be heard over the bustling Metropolis crowds. Seconds later, the cabbie pulled over to let them in. Still juggling her bags, Lois opened the door and got in.
“Where to?”
“The soup kitchen on Charleston,” Lois said, sliding over to let Clark into the car.
“You got it, lady.”
Clark got in and closed the door, putting his bags down on the seat between Lois and himself. As soon as the door was shut, the cabbie took off through the streets, setting a breakneck pace that soon got them to their destination.
“Would you mind waiting for a minute?” Clark asked the driver after the man put the car into park. “I just need to pop in for a quick second.”
The driver shrugged indifferently. “Fine by me, but the meter’s still running.”
“That’s fine. It shouldn’t take me long,” Clark responded. “Lois? Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
For once, Lois didn’t argue. Clark nodded absently, then got out and went into the building. He never got used to it, he mused as he stepped inside. He’d been in plenty of shelters and soup kitchens since his days of living on the streets. Sometimes, he’d brought in supplies or helped to serve the food, once he was living comfortably in Wayne Manor. Other times, he’d needed to speak to a source – like Bobby – or a witness or victim, after he’d become gainfully employed with the Planet. But, no matter how many times he stepped foot into one of those places, it never got easier. He’d never been able to stop the flood of memories from coming, or fend off the accompanying feelings of hopelessness and loneliness. He didn’t think he ever would. His excellent memory aside, he didn’t think anyone could ever truly forget such a traumatic time in their lives.
He swiftly surveyed the room as he entered, but no one within could be mistaken for a teenage boy, so he moved on, making his way to the long serving station. A portly black man named Randy waved at Clark from across the room, beckoning him in.
“Hey, I know you!” the man exclaimed brightly when Clark came closer.
“You…do?” Clark asked, surprised.
“Sure do! You’re that reporter, for the Daily Planet. Clark Kent, right? I’ve seen the posters around town.”
Clark chuckled quietly to himself. It made sense that he’d be occasionally recognized. He nodded.
“Yes, sir,” he confirmed. “That’s me.”
“I thought so!” Randy said, extending a hand. “Champion of the little guy, that’s what my wife and I call you. You and that partner of yours, Lois Lane.”
“Well,” Clark said, fighting down an embarrassed blush and succeeding, “we do our best to help.”
“You two are two of the few who do,” Randy said gravely. “And Superman, of course. I’ll tell you, that Superman Foundation of his has been a huge blessing for a lot of families in this community. I just wish we could do more for them.”
“More?” Clark asked, his curiosity instantly piqued by the tone of Randy’s voice. His eyebrow arched as he tried not to look like he had too much of a personal interest in the Foundation and any possible shortcomings.
“Well,” Randy hesitated, scratching at the sparse, closely cropped beard on his chin. “We’re grateful for everything that comes our way, of course. But lately, we’ve been getting in more and more people looking for a hot meal. It’s hard to keep up. We try not to turn anyone away, but sometimes, we barely get everyone fed.” He dipped his head in embarrassment, but it shone in his voice anyway.
Clark’s heart quietly broke at the crack in the man’s voice. “I’ll let Superman know as soon as I see him next,” he promised. “He’s a friend of mine, and I’m sure he’d like to see the families here fed just as much as you do.”
I’ll fly over to the Foundation tonight, he vowed to himself.
“Thank you, Mr. Kent,” Randy, touching a hand to his heart. “It’s good to have someone like you on our side. Someone who gets things done for the little guys. I’ve been reading your work ever since your first article with The Daily Planet. You and Miss Lane…you’re something else.” He blushed and shook his head, as if to clear away his emotions. He rubbed his chin once more for good measure, then chuckled lightly. “But something tells me you aren’t here for chitchat and a meal. So, what can I do for you today?”
“You’re right,” Clark said with a slight smile. “I’m not. I was actually wondering if you might be able to help me. I’m looking for someone. A kid. His name’s Jack. I was told he might be a frequent visitor here. I don’t have a physical description, I’m sorry.” He shrugged helplessly. “A source of mine said Jack may be able to help me in an important investigation Lois and I are doing. I was hoping you might have an idea of who he is and how I might be able to find him.”
“Yeah, I think I know who you’re talking about,” Randy said thoughtfully, one hand on his hip, the other holding a spatula. “He comes in here every other day or so. Brings another, younger boy with him. His brother, if the striking resemblance doesn’t lie.”
“Any idea where they might be living?” Clark asked hopefully.
“I’m not totally sure. Down by the tracks I know. I gave them a ride back once, when it was pouring out. They had me drop them off on the corner of LaSalle and Stanley. I remember the building had a red roof and door. I’m not sure if that’s where they’re living or not, but it’s the closest I know of. Sorry if that doesn’t help much.”
“It actually helps a lot,” Clark replied with a smile. “If nothing else, it gives me a good starting place. Thank you, Randy.”
“Right. Good luck with that. I mean it.”
“Thanks.”
To Be Continued…
