Delusions of Grandeur
Folc4evernaday
Chapter 14: The Hangover
***
Clark let out a muffled groan as he reached the top of the driveway. He was sure if Lois hadn’t been hanging onto him he would have collided with the pavement at least a dozen times. His head felt like it was in a cloud as he staggered toward the porch.
Lois let out a slow breath in his ear as she whispered, “I knew that was a bad idea,”
His whole body felt warm as he held her against him, helping hold them both up as the moved up the path that was now covered in autumn covered leaves. The moonlit sky reflected down on them, offering a path to the front door. He let out a low moan, “Almost there,”
Her hands wandered up and down his chest, sending the blood rushing to his brain as he struggled to focus on the task at hand. Putting one foot in front of the other seemed like such a simple thing but the actual act was proving to be a challenge. The movement of Lois’ hands against the back of his neck wasn’t helping things either.
He could definitely feel the change in temperature as he staggered forward with her arms wrapped snuggly around him. That pull that taunted him for months flared up again, teasing his brain with the thoughts that had been haunting him for the past year. He knew his normal defenses were down, but so were hers.
Still he couldn’t seem to convince his brain to stop the train of thought it was on. His foot hit the first step on the front porch and he felt his feet give out from beneath him. Lois laughed, helping catch him at the last minute as they leaned back against the railing of the porch. The light from the moon hit Lois’ face and he took in a deep breath, running his palm against her face, brushing his thumb out to trace her cheekbone.
“I think…I’m drunk,” he admitted sheepishly.
She let out a low giggle and smiled at him, cupping his cheek, “Mmm hmm, me too.”
“I’ve never been drunk before,” he let out a low chuckle.
“Really?” her eyes sparkled back at him.
“You know what I’m thinking?” he asked, hearing the slight slur in his words as she helped him up the last step.
“You shouldn’t have let Nate enter you in that Drunk Jenga game?” Lois asked, running her index finger down the front of his shirt.
“That was fun,” he grinned back at her.
“You must have a…
high tolerance,” she mumbled against him.
“I’ve never been drunk before,” he repeated.
“You’ve said that before,” she smiled back at him.
“I like it. Everything feels …warm.” He emphasized his point by leaning closer to her and tightening his grasp on her waist.
“Warm is…good.” She let out a shaky breath, pulling him closer as she leaned back against the door. “God this is hard,”
“What is?” he asked curiously.
“Drinking was a bad idea. Really, really bad idea. And you’re really…” she mumbled aloud.
“I’m what?” he responded with a caress to her cheek.
“We should go inside.” She whispered, clearing her throat.
“Where is the key?” he asked, leaning closer.
“I think you have it…” she staggered forward and his arms instinctively reached out to grab her before she could fall.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Uh-huh,” Lois whispered, leaning forward. He let out a low moan when he felt her hand slip inside the front pocket on his shorts. She held up the key to the front door. “Found it,” She turned back toward the door. He helped hold her steady as she turned the key inside the deadbolt, unlocking the door. She turned the knob, opening the door for her to enter.
“After you,” he gestured to the open door.
She nodded, taking another step and falling forward, pulling him down with her as they fell against the wooden paneled floors. “Oh, God,” she let out a sharp gasp as he hovered over her.
“You okay?” he reached down to cup her cheek.
“Yeah,” she let out a sharp gasp, running her hand across his cheek.
He found himself slowly falling into a trance, captivated by the light in her eyes as she stared back at him. God, he wanted to kiss her so badly. He knew there was a reason he shouldn’t. The warmth that washed over him felt like a nagging reminder of him not being in the right state of mind. That’s what made everything exhilarating and scary at the same time. He wasn’t in control. The normal inhibitions that kept him from saying and doing the many things that continued to flash through his mind were gone.
“I should get up,” he finally said, yet still not making a move to do so.
“One of us should close the door at least,” Lois giggled, craning her neck to the door that was open behind them.
He nodded, pulling himself back and reaching back to grab the door knob and pull it closed. He reached up to lock the door, hearing the click of the deadbolt before he turned his attention back to Lois who was sitting up from where they’d fallen on the floor.
“It’s late,” he said with a shrug.
“Very,” Lois sighed, leaning up so she was sitting on her knees.
“I feel …funny,” he said lazily.
“You’re drunk,” she reminded him with a laugh.
“Oh, yeah,” he grinned back at her. He lowered himself down on the floor next to her. “Know what I was thinking?”
“That you’re a cheap date?” she giggled.
“I had
two shots.” He reminded her.
“You don’t do the whole drinking thing back in Smallville, do you?” Lois breathed in his ear teasingly. He felt his heart rate pick up as she leaned closer.
“Nah, I just thought alcohol didn’t affect me for awhile,” he said with a long moan.
“Well it did tonight,” she grinned back at him.
“I’m not the one that fell,” he pointed out.
She laughed against him and he felt that pull once more. He reached out to cup her cheek. She let out a low breath, “I knew you were there to catch me,”
“Always,” he breathed. There was a long pause between them and then he whispered, “You know what I’m thinking?”
“Hmm?” she turned back to him, reaching out to cup his cheek.
“I really want to kiss you,” he whispered.
Her response was a heated gaze as she whispered, “I’m not stopping you,”
A thunderstorm of emotions moved inside him as he moved closer, stroking the side of her face with his hand. His lips found hers and lightning crackled between them as a year’s worth of longing bubbled into the present. Her hands roamed up and down the back of his head, fingering the strands of his hair between her fingers.
“Lois,” he could feel the heat between them begin to build as his body sank down, dissolving the distance between them with a loud moan. His lips smoothed over hers in soft caresses as he found himself falling deeper into the hazy fog that had enveloped him. Her long legs curved over his hips and her arms wrapped around him, pressing the softness of her flesh against him.
“I love you,” the confession escaped her lips, vibrating the words against his mouth as each kiss became more and more insistent. His heart soared, feeling the dark cloud that had been hanging over him finally lift. He pulled back, running his hand against her cheek as he stared back at her, hoping he hadn’t misheard her. She placed a hand over his, gripping his wrist in a tight circle as she met his gaze. “I love you, Clark,”
His body settled against her, running his other hand against the length of her arm, tracing the curve of her elbow and with his palm, “I love you, Lois,” His heart felt like it would pound outside of his chest as he stared back at her, uncertain what to make of the confession that had finally escaped both their lips.
***
The room began to spin. Lois let out a low moan as Clark’s hands roamed up and down her sides, riding the skirt further and further up as his lips pressed against hers, seeking more from her with each caress. They stumbled into the bedroom, hands and mouths blindly seeking one another out as they fell into one another. She knew there was a reason she should stop. There were several unattainable reasons that they both probably had to stop, but right now she couldn’t think of them. All she could focus on was how right he felt pressed against her.
“I love you,” his slurred confession escaped his lips as he ran his hands down the curve of her side, tracing the outline of her ribcage with his thumb. Her hands began a dangerous path down to his hipbone, tracing the waistband of his shorts with her fingertips as they fell back into one another, sinking into the soft bedsheets together.
She let out a low moan as his hands moved up and down the curve of her arms, sending a featherlight chill down her spine as his lips smoothed against the nape of her neck, teasing the sensitive flesh.
‘Oh, God,’ she let out a soft moan as he pressed against her and her body began to instinctively react to his. She felt the sparks flying between them the moment his lips touched hers. All the doubts and lonely nights of mourning what could have been fueled her exploration of his body as her palms moved up his back, blindly gripping the edge of his t-shirt in her futile attempt to rip it from him.
“I love you,” she let out the slurred confession once more as the top button to her blouse came undone. Her hands moved to the back of his head, gripping the soft strands of hair as his lips moved across the exposed silk and lace of her strapless corset. His hands slid further and further up, hiking her skirt up in a bundled collection of jean material..
“This is probably a really bad idea,” he murmured in her ear, not making any moves to stop what they had already started. “We’re both drunk,”
His hands moved up and down her thighs. She could feel the heat from his body against her as he smoothed his lips against her. She could feel her body responding to him as he ran his left palm up the length of her leg. His arm laid stretched out, keeping her arm pinned over her head as he continued the treacherous path down her body.
“We make better decisions drunk than sober,” she reasoned aloud, gliding her legs up and down his backside.
“We could stop,” he murmured against her, brushing feather light kisses against her cheek.
“No, we can’t,” She ran her hand down the front of the cargo shorts that hung loosely around his waist. She let out a low moan as his head dipped down, pressing his lips against her collarbone and trailing a heated path down the front of her chest.
“I love you, Lois,” he whispered in her ear as he ran his hands up and down her thighs. She let out a low moan. “I’ve always loved you,”
She felt a shiver run down her spine as she felt his breath tickle her ear. “I love you too, Clark,” She let out a low growl as his fingertips ran across the silk and lace covering her chest. His hand moved to cup her cheek and she hiked her left leg up, running her heel against his backside and helping to push the cotton fabric of his shorts further down.
He let out a low moan as her hand moved down his backside. His hands continued to move up and down her thighs, seeming to hesitate before reaching her hipbone. She wasn’t sure if it was genuine hesitancy or the haze from the alcohol that kept him from taking what she was so eagerly offering.
She leaned forward, propping herself up on her elbows as she stared back at him. “Clark?” She took his hands in hers, removing them from her thighs as she leaned back on the bed, “Are you okay?”
“I’ve never been more okay about anything in my life,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her. “But this might not be a good idea,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re drunk,”
“So are you,” she reminded him, looking up at him through her hazy eyes. “Aren’t you?”
“Right now I’m not sure which is the alcohol and which is you,” he admitted with a sly grin.
“And that’s a problem?” she asked him curiously, running her index finger down the front of his cotton shirt that was still halfway on.
“I love you, Lois,” he whispered solemnly, “and I would love nothing more than to keep kissing you senseless until we both pass out from whatever liquor was in those shots…”
“But?” Lois asked uncertainly hearing the hesitation in his voice.
“But I don’t want to wake up in the morning and have you regret tonight,” he whispered, cupping her cheek.
“What makes you think I’d regret it?” Lois asked.
“We’re drunk,” he reminded her.
“So?” she grinned back at him, leaning her head back as she guided his hands up and down the sides of her ribcage. She could feel the tension within her build with every second that passed by.
She ran her hand across his cheek, forcing him to look at her and slipped the other hand between their bodies, eliciting a low growl from him, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I am capable of making decisions while intoxicated.”
“This means too much to me. You mean too much to me.” He murmured in her ear, gliding his hand down her side and over her left hip. “I couldn’t bare it if I lost you because a night of drinking and …
unbelievably strong hormones got the best of me.”
“Just don’t lie to me and you won’t lose me,” she reassured him, stroking his cheek.
“I love you,” he murmured, against her lips. A satisfied grin moved across her face as he settled his weight against her more fully.
“Yes,”
“Your legs are trembling,” he commented, tracing the curve of her knee.
“Five years,” she said between heated kisses.
“What’s five years?” he asked, seeming to not understand what she was trying to say.
Unable to find the brainpower she needed at the moment in order to tell him she ran her leg up and down the curve of his hip and whispered, “Make love to me,”
***
Two Months Ago…The engine roared beneath the hood of Christina Wallace’s SUV as she sped down the empty highway, hitting redial on her phone once again. The familiar sound of Jack Davenport’s voicemail clicked on.
“Hello? Hello? Ohhh, gotcha! I’m not here right now but you can leave a message at the beep and I probably won’t listen to it at all because I hate voicemail. Just call back later.”
Christina let out a frustrated growl into the voicemail, “Jacob Martin Davenport if I have to listen to that immature sorry excuse for a voicemail one more time I’m going to take that government issued phone and stick it up your rear! Where the hell are you?”
***
Danny Malone held his jacket up to his mouth as he gripped the jacket of Jack Davenport with him, dragging him toward the front door. He glanced up at the unconscious figure of John Black that was still slumped over on the sofa.
The phone in Davenport’s pocket continued to ring and Malone shook his head, “You’re a popular guy, aren’t you, Jack?” He reached the door and opened it, dragging the unconscious body of Jack Davenport with him outside the door. Once he was sure he had a good grip on him he flicked a match into the room and tossed it into the methane gas filled room, closing the door behind him. He heard a large blast as he dragged Jack toward the parking lot. A loud blast could be heard and he turned to see the building in flames.
“So long Johnny boy,” Danny muttered, reaching over to rip his jacket sleave. He counted to ten then took his fist and hit himself in the face. Immediately he felt the droplets of blood trickling down from his nose and he smiled, reaching for his phone.
“Christina?” he croaked out, putting on a show of despair as he heard her yelling into the phone at him about Jack. “Yeah, he’s here, but…we’ve got a big problem, Wallace.” He waited for her to quit hammering him with questions and then responded, “There’s been an accident. A bunch of guys broke in and overpowered me and Jack. I woke up and the place was in flames. I got Jack but I couldn’t get to Pete…”
***
“Project is complete, Lex,” Mrs. Cox’s voice echoed from the speaker of his phone. “John Black will no longer be a problem.”
“Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter, Mrs. Cox,” Lex let out a sigh and tapped his hand on the desk. “See to it that Mr. Malone is rewarded for his assistance.”
“With pleasure,” came her response before he hit the end button on the phone. He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the doorway where Asabi was standing. “Yes, Asabi?”
“Mr. Bender is here with the update on the liquidation of Luthor National Network and Entertainment,” Asabi explained with a solemn expression.
“What’s more to discuss?” Lex grumbled angrily. “Stern outplayed me and now I’ve lost a quarter of my company.” Asabi looked down at his feet, unable to respond and Lex scowled, “Send him in. Waste of air that he is.”
Sheldon Bender appeared in the doorway a few minutes later holding a large manila envelope, “Everything from the LNN deal with Stern Media, Mr. Luthor. Paperwork was filed this afternoon. The check has been deposited.”
Lex glared up at Bender uncertain what his attorney expected from him, “Is that all?”
Bender shook his head, “You said you wanted a way to get out of this without appearing weak,” He laid a large packet on Lex’s desk. “This is how you do it.”
“What is this?” Lex asked, gesturing to the thickness of the packet he had no intention of coming through without good reason.
“Your bid for Senator of New Troy,” Bender retorted with a smile. “You can spin the selling of LNN to Stern Media as an act of good faith and we can write off the loss as a part of the campaign.”
“Senator,” Lex mused aloud, mildly impressed that Bender had come up with something so devious in such a short amount of time. “Very well,” he pointed to the door. “Get me a meeting with Governor and Judge Winkler. They can start the groundwork. I’ll get Mrs. Cox on this right away.”
“Yes, Mr. Luthor,” Bender nodded graciously.
“And Bender?” Lex called out to him.
“Yes?”
“Good work,” Lex nodded to his attorney with a pleased smile, “But don’t let a loss like this happen ever again.”
***
Present Day... The loud pounding of the woodpecker drilling into the elm tree outside the window reached Clark Kent’s ears with a head splitting awareness. The sound of the car’s stereo blasting the whining tune of one of the latest pop bands combined with the neighbor’s cat’s whining at full force added to the piercing pain that drummed through his ears, causing him to let out a low groan. He let out a muttered curse, running a hand across his face, hoping for the pain to stop as the noises he knew he shouldn’t be able to hear hit him over and over again.
He became increasingly aware of the fact that he was not alone when he opened his eyes and saw the auburn hair scattered across his bare chest. He glanced to the side, noting she appeared to at least be wearing something. He swallowed hard, when the glance he stole quickly gave him more than he bargained for. Not only was he seeing through the comforter, but he was given the alarming visual of Lois’ llium and femur wrapped around his midsection. He quickly clamped his eyes closed, running his hand across his face.
‘X-ray vision, check.’ he thought to himself as panic began to sit in.
‘No, no, no,’ This was the last thing he needed.
‘Go away,’ he tried to push away the subtle reminder that his powers –the abilities that made him different from everyone else—were returning. Whether they had returned completely he wasn’t sure. He let out a low moan, stealing another glance at the sleeping figure of Lois Lane next to him. A muffled moan escaped her lips and he felt her hand brush against his thigh. He held his breath, uncertain if she was awake or just moving in her sleep. He clamped his eyes closed, mentally racking his brain for what to do.
One by one each delicious caress and sigh came back to him. After twenty-eight years he’d lost his virginity to hormones and mystery liquor. What had been in those shots? The mystery liquor coupled with the home brewed apple cider beer and his yearning for so much more with Lois had resulted in not only a drunken confession but consequences he knew he would have to face as soon as she realized he’d already broken the one promise she made him make.
<<“Just don’t lie to me and you won’t lose me,”>> How had things gone so terribly wrong? He should be thrilled to finally hear Lois say the words he’d been so desperate for her to say to him—Clark Kent. The confession had been what he’d been longing for since his own realization of how deep his love for her was.
His powers had returned. To what extent he wasn’t sure yet, but one thing he was abundantly clear on was just how big of a hole he’d dug himself in. Last night he’d passed out drunk in Lois Lane’s arms, and woken up with both super-hearing and x-ray vision working at full force. If he ever did find the courage to tell her about Superman there was no way she’d believe the timing was coincidental.
He was
so dead.
“Oh, God,” the sound of Lois’ voice came muffled from against his chest and all nerves went on alert, uncertain how to react. He could still feel the piercing pain behind his eyes and he wasn’t sure if it was from his returning powers or if it was the lingering effects of their drinking last night.
***
Lois let out a low moan as the pain in her head slowly throbbed her awake. She opened her mouth, feeling the dryness as she pried her bleary eyes open. She immediately regretted it as a bright ray of sunshine hit her pupils and she squinted her eyes closed again. A masculine moan echoed in her eardrum and panic quickly set in. She turned her head, prying one eye open to confirm what she suspected to be the source of the sound.
There nestled beneath her was a shirtless Clark Kent. She swallowed hard, reaching beneath the comforter and amended mentally,
‘Correction: Naked Clark Kent,’ ‘How much did I drink last night?’ she wondered feeling the skin to skin contact of her bare legs and hips pressed against Clark’s midsection. She felt a hand on her backside, making it evident just how comfortable Clark had gotten with her last night.
This is bad.
This is very, very,
very bad.
She winced, feeling a piercing pain between her eyes as she attempted to lift her head up. Immediately she could feel the tenderness between her legs and let out a frustrated whimper. They’d definitely had sex. From the soreness in her back and tenderness she felt throughout her body she’d venture to guess it had been more than once.
Fragmented memories from last night came back to her and she let out a groan. There was a lot of alcohol involved for both of them. They’d both been inebriated by the time they got back home and that coupled with her drunk confession of love for him had led them here, half naked in bed with Clark.
<<“I think…I’m drunk,”
“Mmm hmm, me too.”
“I’ve never been drunk before,”>>
<<“Drinking was a bad idea. Really, really bad idea. And you’re really…”
“I’m what?”>>
<<“I really want to kiss you,”
“I’m not stopping you,”>> She squinted her eyes, and the sunlight hit them once more, sending a pulsing pain through her head, “Oh, God,”
A hand slid up her back and a muffled groan caught her ears, “What the hell was in those drinks?”
She held a hand to her head, rolling over on her side as she blindly searched the nightstand for the bottle of aspirin she kept there. She grimaced when she found the cotton fabric from her discarded panties and tossed them on the floor, feeling the wood surface for the white bottle she was searching for. Finally, she found it tipped over in the corner of the table. She fisted the bottle and blindly twisted the cap, trying to open it and get some relief for the pounding her head was taking at the moment.
“Here,” Clark reached over and took the bottle from her, twisting the cap and shaking four capsules in his hand. He handed her two and tossed the other two in his mouth.
“Thanks,” she still couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes for fear that the splitting headache would get worse. She propped her head up just high enough to toss the capsules in her mouth and swallow hard, willing the pills to go down her throat with the small sample of saliva that coated her throat. She let out a muffled groan, leaning her head back on the pillow.
She should say something. She knew that. There were so many things that needed to be said after last night but right now she couldn’t focus on anything other than the pounding between her eyes and the fact that the only thing she was currently wearing was half a sheet and the corset she’d been wearing beneath her blouse yesterday.
“Lois?” Clark’s hand brushed against her cheek and she let out a groan. “Are you okay?”
“I just need my head to stop pounding,” she pleaded, still not opening her eyes to face him yet.
“Okay,” he whispered, gliding his hand down to her shoulder. “I’m going to take a shower. Do you want me to get you anything while I’m up?”
“Uh-uh,” she shook her head, burying her head beneath the comforter to block out the sunlight.
She felt him rise up from the bed and heard a few retreating footsteps head into the bathroom and the door close behind him. She let out a low moan, covering her face with both hands from beneath the covers. One by one, the memories from last night came back to her with the subtle reminder of just how out of control they both had been.
<<“This is probably a really bad idea. We’re both drunk,”
“We make better decisions drunk than sober,”
“We could stop,”
“No, we can’t,”>>
<<“I love you, Lois, I’ve always loved you,”>> She couldn’t even determine where to focus her emotions. She was angry but mostly at herself for not having more willpower. She was mortified over how easily she had succumbed to the overpowering urges of her hormones. Five years and she still hadn’t learned her lesson. She quickly blanched at that thought. She knew Clark wasn’t Claude but she should have been in more control of the situation. After all, it was alcohol and her hormones that had resulted in her losing the gun-running story to Claude in the first place. To his credit Clark had tried to slow things down between them but at that point she was already well past the point of no return. Even in her drunken state she knew she never would have acted so brazen with him if she were sober.
<<“I would love nothing more than to keep kissing you senseless until we both pass out from whatever liquor was in those shots…”
“But?”
“But I don’t want to wake up in the morning and have you regret tonight,”
“What makes you think I’d regret it?”
“We’re drunk,”
“So? I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I am capable of making decisions while intoxicated.”
“This means too much to me. You mean too much to me. I couldn’t bare it if I lost you because a night of drinking and …unbelievably strong hormones got the best of me.”
“Just don’t lie to me and you won’t lose me,”>> What was there left to say? She’d said plenty and done plenty to make her feelings perfectly clear. There was no going back to where things were. That part she wasn’t as concerned about. The hard truth that she knew she would have to face at some point was he still didn’t know she knew he was Superman. He hadn’t told her. He hadn’t talked to his parents yet. There was no way she could tell him after last night. Knowing what she did from the journals, she knew he’d probably assume everything she had shared with him was because of Superman. She couldn’t tell him.
‘What have I done?’ ***
The boardroom for Stern Media was dimly lit as Franklin Stern’s board sat on one side of the table and the new members of the recently acquired Luthor Media sat on the other side. Franklin’s top attorney was on his left side and his recently hired campaign manager on his right.
“I don’t understand, Mr. Stern,” his attorney shook his head. “This sudden urge to run for senate is ludicrous!”
“Lex Luthor already has the governor’s backing,” his VP of Public Affairs piped in. “I know you want to make a statement but is this the right way to do it?”
“Luthor’s got some pull,” Stern amended, “but I’ve been given the support of a few friends with their own resources.
“Such as?”
The question came from Stern’s Public Affairs VP once more.
“Oh, just a little tech company out of Gotham City.” Stern shrugged. “I’m sure you’ve never heard of it. WayneTech?” A soft murmur filled the room and each board member nodded their recognition.
“You know if you do this Luthor will come at you with everything he’s got,” the warning came from the LNN Director.
“Luthor crossed the wrong billionaire,” Franklin Stern remarked with a grunt. “He thinks he can outmaneuver me, but I’ve been doing this a long time boys and girls and there’s nothing he can do that will make me back down.” He pointed to the binders in front of everyone, “Which brings me to our first announcement under the Stern Media merger.”
He flipped his own binder open and smiled at the familiar globe on the front of it, “We’ll be reopening the Daily Planet after an overhaul on expansion and updates to the facility of course.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” the LNN director asked. “It’s been months since the fire. The clients the Planet did have, have moved on.”
“The Planet spent two hundred and nineteen years delivering the news to this city. It’s a miscarriage of justice to continue to let one man’s mistake ruin the hardwork so many have put into it.” Stern folded his hands over his lap, “I’ve been assured that if it is rebuilt the staff is willing to return. We just have to build it.”
***
Sheldon Bender made his way through the seventh floor of the Metropolis Federal Building. He held the file in his hands with a fierce grip as he neared the corner office for Victor Talley. He approached a brunette woman sitting outside the closed door to the FBI’s Director of Major Crimes. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and tossed it on her desk, “My name is Sheldon Bender.
The Sheldon Bender of New Troy and legal counsel of Alexander Luthor. I need to see Victor Talley now. I don’t care who he’s in a meeting with or what you
think is more important on his schedule because right now nothing and no one is more important than
me.” He flashed her a stern expression before adding confidently, “Trust me,”
A sardonic smile crossed her face and she pursed her lips, “Go on in, Mr. Bender,”
***
Two Months Ago…The monotone beeping of a monitor next to him reached Jack Davenport’s ears. He let out a low moan as his eyes fluttered open, piercing his pupil with the bright light from the fluorescent bulb up above. He let out a groan of agony and clamped his eyelids shut to prevent the pain that ran through his temple to stop pulsing.
“Jack?”
He heard his wife’s voice and murmured her name in an incoherent attempt to speak, but the only sound that came out was a gurgled groan.
“It’s okay,” she reassured him, placing a hand on his chest. “Don’t try to talk just yet. You’re in the hospital. You were drugged and…”
***
Lois gripped her phone, leaning back against the couch as she listened to Jimmy retell the news once more. John Black had been murdered. The star witness that was supposed to put an end to Lex’s reign of terror on Metropolis had been murdered before he’d even had a chance to testify in front of the judge and go on the record. Because the video recording didn’t have any rebuttal in the statement the testimony was now inadmissible unless they could find someone to corroborate his statement.
“How many people?” she finally found the strength to ask.
“The apartment building they were in had about three floors and it was partially occupied. There’s still reports of injuries coming in. So far no deaths besides John’s.” Jimmy explained mournfully over the phone. “I’m really sorry, Lois,”
“I just want this to end,” Lois croaked out in-between tears. “We were so close and…”
“I know you do,” Jimmy sighed over the phone. “Believe me, we’re all right there with you.” He let out a sigh and muttered, “What we could really use right now is Superman.”
“No one knows where he is,” Lois said in a monotone voice.
“Yeah, him or CK,” Jimmy muttered. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when they finally do get enough to slap the handcuffs on that smug face and lock Luthor in a two by four cage for the rest of his miserable life.”
“He’s going to get away with it,” she let out a defeated sigh. “Everything he’s done to the Planet, Jack, me…Clark. He’s going to get away with it, Jimmy.”
“No he’s not!” Jimmy shouted back angrily. “He is not going to win, Lois, and don’t you dare start giving up. We’ve come too far and fought too long to let him win now.”
“How are we supposed to do anything, Jimmy?” Lois snapped back. “I’m all out of moves.”
“We need to find Superman,” Jimmy said in an even tone. “He’d know what to do.”
“I wouldn’t know the first place to start looking,” Lois sighed.
“Who would?” Jimmy asked.
“Lex Luthor,” Lois let out a uneasy laugh, “You want to go ask him?”
“You think Luthor did something to Superman?” Jimmy asked.
“I think he made it clear he was responsible for Superman and Clark being gone.” Lois said carefully. “I think he did something to them and I don’t know what that is and I’m afraid to even think of what that could be.”
“But you still think Clark’s alive,” Jimmy reminded her.
“I hope he is,” she whispered.
“So then why aren’t we doing anything to rescue him?” Jimmy asked.
“Because I don’t know where to look,” Lois said with a bitter grunt. “Because the last time I reached out to someone that could help me find him someone almost died.”
“That was not on you, Lois,” Jimmy reassured her.
“Yes it was,” Lois said tearfully. “I went there and I stayed longer than I should have and because of that Jonathan nearly died. Don’t try to sugar coat it.”
“You didn’t pull the trigger,” Jimmy reminded her. There was a long pause on the line and then Jimmy asked, “What if I did some digging into Luthor’s mainframe and see what I can find out? Maybe I can find a clue or something.”
“If there’s anything to be found it’s not going to be kept somewhere that could be hacked,” Lois said with a sigh. “He’s not stupid. It’d be head knowledge within his inner circle.”
“His inner circle being Mrs. Cox, Nigel and that butler of his.” Jimmy said aloud.
“Yeah,” Lois wiped her hand on her cheek, brushing her tears away. “None of them are going to talk to us.”
“Since when has that stopped you?"
***
Christina Wallace sat in her office, listening to Victor Talley’s update on Jack’s condition. She felt a pang of guilt run through her as he relayed the severity of Jack’s injuries to her. He had a drug in his system that wasn’t even legal in the US and wasn’t even on the FDA’s radar. Whoever had done this had connections not only within their department but also with the criminals that cooked up the witch’s brew that had nearly killed Jack.
“Christina are you listening to a word I just said?” Victor barked at her.
“Jack’s in ICU. He’s going to make it but I need to take the lead on the Luthor case.” She gave him a dark expression and snipped, “I’ve got it, Talley.”
“I’ve got two agents in the hospital right now, Wallace,” Talley gave her a warning glare. “Davenport is gonna make it through but Malone is still unconscious. We won’t be able to get a lead on these guys until Davenport can give us something. I need your head in the game.”
“My head is in the game,” Christina retorted, standing to her feet. “I’m going to find them.”
“See that you do,” Talley added. “They just cost us our star witness in the Luthor investigation.”
“We’ll postpone,” Christina reasoned aloud. “We have plenty on him.”
“We have two witnesses against the most influential man in the country.” Talley barked. “One of which is supposed to be dead.”
“We’ll get more,” Christina promised.
“How much time do you need?” Talley asked, burying his hands in his pockets.
“Get me six months,” Christina said with a deep sigh. “That’ll get me enough time to get enough witnesses so that Lois’ testimony is just corroboration.”
Talley took a deep breath and sighed, “I really hope you know what you’re doing Wallace.”
“Just trust me,” Wallace pleaded with him.
“I guess I owe Robert Drake a game of golf,” Victor Talley mused aloud.
“Thanks Victor,”
“Just get the sorry piece of crap that did this, Wallace,”
***
Bobby Bigmouth stood on the corner of Broad Street watching as the woman identified as Beverly Cox walked toward Hobb’s Bay. He jotted down the name of the warehouse she entered and took a bite of the apple in his hand.
The kid had said he needed to know this lady’s routine and he was going to deliver. How he’d arranged for a free meal for a week at Mike’s diner he wasn’t sure but the job was easy enough for him.
***
Jimmy grabbed his bag and shoved his laptop into it with a change of clothes. Jack stood in the corner watching him with the shake of his head, “You know this is crazy, right?”
“If it means finding CK I’m going to try,” Jimmy said with a grunt, zipping up the bag.
“What makes you think he’s even going to be in any condition to help us?” Jack asked him, pointing around the room. “We’re five states away and we can’t stop looking over our shoulder.” Jack reminded him. “My brother’s foster family is in witness protection right now…”
“I know,” Jimmy said solemnly. “And I’m sorry for that. But we can’t stop him just sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to strike.”
“If Luthor really did keep him alive all this time what the hell do you think he was doing, having tea?” Jack snorted angrily, “No, the guy is a freaking psycho! What are you going to do against a bunch of high rolling gangsters?”
“Which is why we need to find Clark and rescue him,” Jimmy argued with him. “Lois is convinced that Luthor did something to him and so am I.”
“How do you know he isn’t dead?” Jack asked.
“I don’t,” Jimmy admitted, “But I trust my friend. Lois says she knows he’s alive and right now I’ve just got to have faith.”
“This is insanity.” Jack warned.
“Just keep an ear out for me and make sure nothing happens to the Chief, wouldya?” Jimmy placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Jack pointed out.
“Just look out for the Chief,” Jimmy repeated.
***
Lois Lane gripped the steering wheel, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. It had been three months since she’d last stepped foot into this city. Three months since everything had come crashing down around her and she’d been forced into hiding.
<<“Clark wouldn’t just give up.”>> She shook her head, recalling the conversation she’d had with Martha and Jonathan. The last few weeks had been difficult for all of them. Missing. The idea that Clark Kent –her partner, her best friend, her…
What? Her mind called out to her, taunting her at how easily she had dismissed his declaration of love to her.
<<“I have been in love with you for a long time. You had to have known.”>>
<<“If that’s what you want, then fine! Get in bed with the devil!”>>
<<“Superman, is there any hope for us?”>>
<<“There are things about me that you don’t know. That you may never know.”>>
<<“I have been in love with you for a long time. You had to have known.”>>
<<“Clark wouldn’t just disappear.”>>
<<“When did you last see him?”>>
<<“I have been in love with you for a long time. You had to have known.”>> “I’m an idiot,” she told herself, staring into the rearview mirror as she approached the bridge leading into New Troy. She let out a shaky breath, “I can do this. I can do this.”
With that she hit the gas, speeding across the bridge as the path cleared.
***
“What do you mean you don’t know where they are?” Jack Davenport practically shouted into the phone. His blood was boiling when he received the call from Perry White that Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane had hatched a plan to go after Luthor’s assistant, Beverly Cox. He groaned, running a hand through his ragged hair.
“Jimmy left last night,” Perry said in a gruff tone. “Lois I’m sure is on her way to meet him. Jack says they’ve hatched a plan to try and find Clark.”
“If he hasn’t shown up in this long he’s probably not going to,” Jack hissed into the phone. “Does she have any idea how risky this is.”
“Lois is not going to just give up on her partner, Agent Davenport. If there’s even a chance that he might still be out there she won’t stop looking for him. No threat or court order is going to stop her.” Perry instructed in an icy tone.
Jack let out a deep sigh. “If Luthor finds her…”
“Have some faith, Agent Davenport,” Perry instructed. “I’m sure she’ll be reaching out to you soon.”
With that the phone call ended and Jack let out a disgusted snort. “I swear to God if she wasn’t my only witness linking that sorry piece of garbage to this case I’d kill her myself.”
“Jack, calm down,” Christina warned him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”
“Yeah, I am, Christina,” Jack let out a long sigh. “Looks like we’re going on a road trip.”
“To?”
“Metropolis.” Jack said with a grunt. “After I got print a new ID for her probably dead partner.”
“You’re making that face again,” Christina warned.
“She knows this case could fall apart if anything happens to her. She knows it and she still drives right into the lion’s den.” Jack fumed angrily.
“And what if her partner is alive?” Christina asked him. “He could be a potential witness that could tie up the case.”
“Don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched,” Davenport warned. “Remember what happened with John Black.”
“No one could have known Malone was on the take,” Christina Wallace said with a cross expression. “He lied to everyone.”
“Danny Malone never should have been on this case, Christina. We let him talk his way in and we let him tag along with the relocation team. We let John Black down and blew it. John Black was killed because we failed to protect him.” Jack corrected. “I’m not going to make that mistake again.”
***
Present Day…Victor Talley leaned back in his executive chair, tapping his foot against the tile floor as he mentally prepared his response. “What are our options on shoring up this scandal with Lex Luthor?”
“What do you have on him?” Robert Drake, the Attorney General asked, looking back at him for a response.
“I’ve got a witness that he tried to kill and that he thinks he succeeded in the murder. I’ve got a kid that’s heard a lot but won’t testify if he’s the only one taking a stand against Luthor.” Talley listed off.
“What about this doctor?” Drake asked, lifting up the file in his hand.
“It’ll lead us to Luthor’s hitman, Nigel St. John.” Talley gave a scowl, “Davenport wants to try and get St. John to flip on him.”
“He’ll never do it,” Drake warned him.
“Then there’s the possibility of coercing information from Luthor’s personal assistant.” Talley set down the file in front of Robert Drake to read. “Only problem is she’s on the run from one of the most notorious assassins in the world. Ra’s Al Ghul.”
Robert Drake let out a low whistle, “You think she has enough on him to tie up the case?”
“I think if we can offer a deal I can get the names of every dirty politician on Luthor’s payroll and make sure he never sees sunlight outside of a prison cell for the next three thousand years,” Talley said with a growl. “I can’t just go in and arrest him, Drake. When I go after him I’ve got to go after everyone…all at once or it’ll never stick.”
“How far up do you think it goes?” Drake asked.
The door swung open and an irate Sheldon Bender stood in the doorway demanding their full attention, “Mr. Talley, you and I have some business to attend to so I highly suggest that you ask your guest to leave because this cannot wait.”
Robert Drake stood to his feet, turning to face a now bewildered Sheldon Bender, “Is that so?”
“Mi-Mister Attorney General,” He stammered out. “I’m sorry. I had no i-idea you were…”
Drake turned to Talley, “Send me the brief in the morning. Let’s get the ball rolling on this.” He turned to Bender, “He’s all yours Mr. Bender,”
Victor Talley’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he turned toward Sheldon Bender, “You wanted to see me?”
Sheldon Bender straightened his jacket and tossed the summons in his hand on Talley’s desk, “You added a new name to the witness list but no contact information.”
“If I give you my witness’ contact information then that’s like leading the grizzly bear to the innocent little fawn.” Talley retorted with a smug grin. “Tell Mr. Luthor if he’s nervous about a little evidentiary hearing he should come talk to our prosecutor. I’m sure she’d love to carve out a deal for him.”
“Not in this lifetime,” Bender retorted.
“No, he’ll still be serving time well past this lifetime and probably most of my grandkids’ too.” Talley chuckled.
“You look awfully smug for a man that’s about to be eating crow in front of Judge Winkler,” Bender retorted.
“Aw,” Talley grinned happily, “You changed judges on me.” His eyes narrowed, “Do you really think a simple change like the judge hearing this case will get your client off?” He made a clucking noise with his tongue. “I’ve got your client by the jugular. If I were you Mr. Bender I’d figure out how to replace that hefty retainer you get every month.”
***
Jimmy Olsen took a deep breath as he looked around the dark walls of the prison waiting room, glancing at the deteriorating condition of the metal door that separated him from some of the most dangerous criminals in Metropolis. He knew this was risky. Jack had all but hit him upside the head when he realized Jimmy wasn’t coming with him on the ride back to Perry and Alice’s. After hearing what had happened with Luthor and discovering how deep Luthor’s assistant’s ties were to the underworld of not only Metropolis but the entire country’s criminal element he knew there was never going to be a safe place for him until he had enough to nail Lex Luthor to the wall.
The bloodied image of Lois when Henderson and Perry had brought her into Dr. Kahn’s office was still seared into his mind. The minute they’d gotten the call Jack had disappeared. He thought he was next and didn’t want to put a target on anyone’s back. Little did they know at the time Jack was the last thing on Lex Luthor’s mind.
Lois had been hysterical when they’d been attempting to treat her wounds. The screams had been hard to listen to from the hall but the silence that followed once she’d been sedated enough to treat the wounds had been unnerving. Guilt and anger coursed through him on a level he’d never known before.
Lois had finally seen the truth—the real truth behind Lex Luthor’s eyes—and it had almost been too late. Where was Superman? Where was Clark? No one could find any of them. He still didn’t know where Superman was. Lois had hinted that Clark might know where Luthor was hiding him. She seemed to think that Clark would know how to find him, but he still couldn’t understand how Superman could ignore the crime and pleas for help. That’s what Superman did, right? He showed up when there was trouble.
Except this time he didn’t.
At first they thought he’d been killed but that theory was quickly squashed when an agent looking for his missing Superman lookalike identified the body in Hobb’s Bay as Barry. Now they were left with the question of where was Superman? Lois didn’t seem worried. Clark had yet to provide any leads for them and right now the only thing they had was an impressionable twelve-year-old that was terrified of Lex Luthor.
So here he was with yet another criminal trying to get someone to testify against Lex Luthor. The door creaked from the other side and he looked up to see a very surprised looking Pete Black at the door.
“What are you doing here?”
Jimmy stood to his feet and put on the best front he could, knowing full well that if Pete smelled his fear he’d lose his chance, “I’m here to talk about the deal you made to get in here.”
Pete let out a laugh, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, kid,”
“You told John you made a deal to pay off his gambling debt,” Jimmy noticed the angry expression that crossed Pete’s face but continued, “John said you were paid by a woman to go to prison and take someone named ‘Jack’ out by orders of the boss.”
Pete pointed his finger at him, “Don’t you dare talk to me about my brother!”
“He was murdered for trying to do the right thing.” Jimmy said evenly. “You really want to continue to serve time for a crime you didn’t commit and cover for your brother’s murderers?”
“He was killed by a crooked FBI Agent,” Pete snorted. “From what I hear he got his in the end.”
“You and I both know Malone wasn’t the lone gunman in that job.” Jimmy retorted.
“I don’t know nothing,” Pete said with a scowl, walking back toward the door and banging on it. “and I’m done with this conversation.”
***
TBC…
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