Next part on Sunday!
Thank you again Nancy (anonpip), Rel and Michael!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Sides of the CoinPart 21
TOC <Cal?>
<Yes?>
<Why do *I* have to be the one up here?>
<Because Mr. White assigned the story to Lois and me?>
<And...?>
<And he’s here next to us...?>
CJ glared at his twin from the podium he had just landed on. Scanning the area he grimaced.
<CJ?>
<I’m fine, Rach... All the merchandizing is just making me slightly nauseous...>
<Well, don’t let it go to your head...>
<Ha...>
CJ quickly schooled his features as Lex Luthor joined him.
The former ‘Man of the Year’ took the microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen, good citizens of Metropolis, let’s really welcome Superman to our fair city!”
Applause exploded.
<Like you did with those ‘tests’ you...>
<Temper, Jay...>
<Yeah, don’t give away the game, CJ. You can’t confront him in public.>
<Fine!>
Luthor captured the crowd’s attention again. “He came to us a stranger, but his good deeds have not gone unnoticed. As last year's recipient of the Key to the City-” He held up said item as his face pinched ever so slightly. “-it is my honor to pass it on to our newfound friend.” He turned and smiled at ‘Superman’ as he slipped the key from around his neck.
CJ subtly raised a brow at him, causing him to scowl for a second.
<Jay...>
<I can’t help it!>
Luthor quickly recollected himself. “Madam Deputy Mayor, if you please?” He handed her the key.
She walked to the microphone. “We take pride in proclaiming this day: ‘Superman Day’...”
<Make it stop...>
<I agree, Cal... How can she keep popping her voice up and down like that?>
<Boys...>
<But Lois, that voice...>
<Yeah, and I’m not so sure about ‘Superman Day’...>
<Both of you, stop!>
“...and offer you the Key to the City.” She looped the key around CJ’s neck. “Welcome to Metropolis!” The crowd again exploded. “It is wonderful to have you here.”
<Hey, Cal.>
<What, Jay?>
<Who gets to keep this sucker?>
<All yours...>
CJ shook her hand before stepping to the microphone. “My fellow citizens,-” He smiled widely. “-I am truly honored to be receiving this award so soon after my arrival in this city. Metropolis has certainly welcomed me with opens arms, and I am proud to claim it as my new home.” He held up the key. “From this weary traveler I truly thank you all for making me feel as though I have some place in your world.” He turned to the officials behind him and almost broke into laugher at Luthor’s scowl. “Thank you again for this privilege.” He turned back to the crowd. “And if this is to be ‘Superman Day’ let’s make it a day to celebrate my mission here: a day for us all to aide one another however we can, whether it be with a smile or a check.” He lifted off the ground a foot. “Again, I cannot thank you all enough...” He lifted away.
Jimmy looked at Clark. “That was smooth...”
Clark grinned and nodded. <*That* was why you were up there... I would have choked.>
<Glad there are *some* things I’m better at, Brother Dear...>
Lois poked Clark and he looped an arm over her shoulders as the crowd began to disperse.
***************************
Back at the newsroom Lois and Clark waited for a staff meeting to begin.
Cat sauntered over and ran a hand over Clark’s shoulders before whispering in his ear, “Morning, Hot Cakes...”
Clark rolled his eyes. “Cat...”
She only grinned and sat down across the table.
Lois smirked into her coffee. Somehow, knowing that Cat could never get her claws into Clark had made these encounters highly amusing. Catching Cat’s gaze across the room Lois almost choked when the other woman winked.
Jimmy sat down on the other side of Clark. “Hey CK, about that book you lent me...”
But Perry’s arrival stopped all the conversations in the room. “Clark?”
Clark looked up, surprised. “Right here, Sir!”
Perry focused on him. “Oh... sorry, Kent... Didn’t see you there... I take it you and Lois are on the Superman-Gets-Key-to-City story?”
Clark nodded while Lois said. “Yep.” She bit back a yawn. “Almost done, Chief.”
Perry nodded and sat.
Clark looked at Lois. “Bored with Superman already?”
Lois swatted him. “Bored with having to write a story on an award ceremony...”
Clark laughed but froze as he noticed a plane in trouble out the window. <Jay!>
<What?>
<I’m in a staff meeting... There’s a plane going down visible from the windows...>
Lois followed his gaze and her eyes widened.
<On my way.>
Perry started in on the others in the room. “All right... Cat, anything on the arrest of Councilman Addis last night?”
Cat smiled. “I'm on my way to a house of ill repute to interview the... lady... in question.”
Lois smirked at her. “Aren't those also known as 'Cat Houses'?”
Cat feigned a shocked gasp. “Lois made a joke!”
Jimmy held up a tabloid printout. “Did any of you see today’s ‘National Whisper’?” He placed it on the table.
Perry noticed. “Jimmy! What is that trash doing in here?”
Jimmy blinked. “But Chief, it's really smooth. This invisible guy breaks into the safe of the city's most notorious slumlord, takes the money, then hands it out to the tenants in one of his buildings.”
Lois took the paper, trying to distract from Clark’s continued monitoring of the plane. “Did you read the headline next to it? ‘Benjamin Franklin is alive and living in my electric blender?’”
Perry reined them in. “Come on Kids, settle down now...”
Out the window Superman intercepted the plane and began to help it to the airport, Clark finally relaxed and turned back to the others. <Thanks, Jay...>
<No problem, Cal!>
Perry had chosen a new victim. “Friez! Are you following up on the escape of that armed robber from the State Penitentiary, what's his name?”
“It’s Barnes. Big manhunt started last night. They think he may be headed for Metropolis...” He handed a paper to Perry. “These wanted posters go up today...”
After that the meeting broke up. Lois and Clark headed over to her desk.
A man in an outrageous outfit was waiting there for them.
<Clark, look at that guy...>
<Yeah, wonder what he wants...>
The man spotted them. “Lois Lane, Clark Kent? Murray Brown... Galactic Talent Agency...”
<A *talent* agent?>
<Beats me Lois...>
“I’m looking for the big guy, you know, Superman?”
<What?!>
“I figure, ‘cause you two wrote those articles you might know where I could find him...”
Clark just stared at him. Lois managed to reply. “Well you figured wrong...”
Murray just nodded. “I’ll leave you my card... If you see him...”
Lois took the card and eyed him. “You’re a *talent* agent?”
Murray puffed up. “Artists’ representative...”
Clark finally responded, “You want to... represent Superman?”
Murray turned to him. “Look at the streets... His merchandise is *everywhere!* Think of the money to be made if he gets all the royalties in line...” He smiled dreamily before he left.
Clark shook his head in disgust and moved towards the coffee machine.
Lois dropped the card in the garbage and sat down.
Before either was able to settle in for work they heard Jimmy. “Lois! CK! Come check this out!” They both hurried to the television monitors to stand with Jimmy. They watched in shock as the broadcast showed video evidence of the “Invisible Robin Hood...”
<Wonder how...>
<You can believe your boyfriend can fly but you can’t believe someone might be able to make himself invisible?>
<Interesting point, CJ...>
As the broadcast ended, a woman approached them. “Ms. Lane?”
Lois turned to her. “Yes?”
The woman shifted nervously. “You spoke at my women’s group last October... ‘The Weaker Sex, Fact or Fiction’...”
<With the way Rach bosses Clark and me around...>
<Can it, CJ!>
<And you prove my point...>
“...it was a terrific speech... Anyway...”
Lois smiled. “Ma’am? I’m glad you liked my speech but...”
“Oh! I’m here because of my husband... You see, he’s disappeared and...”
Lois sighed. “I’m afraid you’d have better luck with missing persons... They’re on the first floor.”
“No! You don’t understand... I’m the Invisible Man’s *wife*.”
<O...kay...>
<Yeah, talk about a potential story dropping in our laps...>
“Well, let me grab a few things, Clark will show you the conference room...”
Clark smiled engagingly at her and they walked off.
<She better not start talking about her friend Casper...>
<Lois! Don’t make me look insane!>
<How?>
<You almost made me laugh aloud!>
***************************
Later, Lois and Clark found themselves roaming through a lab that looked like something out of a bad mad-scientist movie. Lois tried to consolidate information from Mrs. Morris while Clark scoped the room.
<Can you make any sense of this stuff, Jay?>
<I’m a physicist, not a chemist...>
<And? I know you, you learn about *everything*...>
<Okay, without knowing what he’s got and what he’s doing with it I can’t tell you anything just from looking at his toys...>
<Fair enough... Thanks, Jay.>
Clark decided to join Lois’ interview. “Mrs. Morris? When was the last time you *did* see your husband?”
She looked at him. “In the flesh?”
Lois and Clark shared a slightly exasperated look.
“Well, it was Monday a week ago, I think.”
Lois stared at her. “You... don’t remember?”
The woman appeared unconcerned. “To be honest, we don’t see much of each other... for the past several years he practically lived down here. He’d come home late from work, I’d leave him dinner in the oven, you know how it is...”
<I’ve been married for five years... and I’m a research professor... If *anyone* would be likely to be too obsessed with his or her job to pay attention to a spouse it’s a professor... and I don’t...>
<You and Rach have also been crazy about each other since you hit puberty...>
<Your point? Look at Mom and Dad...>
<Good point...>
Lois took a breath. “So... you and your husband were having marital difficulties?”
Mrs. Morris frowned, “No, not really... I mean, we never fought, we just stopped talking to one another...”
<Sounds like you and Rach in college, Jay...>
<Do *not* mention that time, Cal!>
Lois shot a look at her partner at that little exchange.
“...sort of slipped into a pattern... I guess, he lost interest in me...”
<Jay, she could be *quoting* Rach...>
<Drop it Cal!> Clark felt CJ drop their connection.
Mrs. Morris’ face fell. “We’ve been married twenty-seven years...”
<Mom and Dad never slipped into that state... and they’ve been married longer...>
<And my Dad was cheating on my Mom by the time I was two, Clark... It takes all types...>
<If we were alone, I’d hug you, Lois.>
Lois moved closer to Clark and shot him a smile before returning to her interview. “What happened the night he left?”
Mrs. Morris had missed the byplay between the reporters. “Well, he hadn't touched his dinner so I came down looking for him. He wasn't here, but I saw that door over there suddenly open.” She pointed to the offending door. “I heard him say, ‘Goodbye, Helene. See you around.’ And then he walked out. The door closed behind him. But he wasn’t there...” She began to cry and Lois hesitantly put an arm around her shoulders.
Clark quietly asked, “What do you want us to do?”
Mrs. Morris continued to cry as she choked out, “Write an article about him. Say that I want to know if he's ever coming home. That... I miss him...” She broke down again and Lois sent Clark a panicked look.
***************************
After they escaped the house Lois sighed and turned to Clark. “I don’t know which way to call this... My gut says her husband’s probably off somewhere with another woman... but I don’t know if that’s my preconditioning talking... On the other hand, the idea of the invisible man stretches my ability to suspend disbelief...”
Clark looped an arm over her shoulder. “At least you know yourself that well, Lois... A lot of people wouldn’t be able to spot when an issue hits too close to home. But like I said, she sounded like Rach did when she and CJ were in college...”
Lois frowned. “Explain...”
“Rach and CJ were a couple from the end of Junior High on... but when we hit college, CJ became obsessed with learning. He was taking as many hours as he could convince his advisors to let him and adding in his own reading on top of them. That meant he wasn’t calling home much... Rach had stayed in Smallville and was working with her dad.”
Lois was shocked, seeing CJ and Rachel now... “So what happened?”
“They bumped along for two years, kind of like Mrs. Morris said she and her husband did... Then a deputy from a neighboring county met Rach on some collaboration... He asked her out. She said no, but after thinking it over... and thinking about her situation with CJ...”
Lois frowned. “She decided to go for it?”
Clark nodded. “And then called CJ to break the news to him.”
Lois’ eyes widened. “How did he take that?”
Clark laughed. “I was in the library studying when he got the call... It was one of the only times either of us *ever* made a sonic boom before we created Superman...”
Lois giggled. “I’ll bet... So he raced home?”
“Yep... and got into a screaming argument with Rach... but... that opened the air... and, we think, created their bond... Rach and CJ started hearing each other’s thoughts shortly after that fight.” Clark smiled slightly. “After that, CJ started cutting back on his course load and going home nearly every weekend... He proposed to Rachel that summer and they were married two years later when CJ got his Bachelor’s.”
Lois smiled. “So all ends well... I guess we need to reserve judgment... and maybe try to find the husband?”
Clark squeezed her shoulders. “It’s worth a shot... And if he managed to make himself invisible... think of the story *that* will be...”
Lois whacked him. “You sure know how to sweet-talk a girl... Hey! Why isn’t CJ bellowing at you for telling me that story?”
Clark winked at her. “He got distracted by the lecture he’s giving right now...”
***************************
“...when people started looking for these things, we found out something really interesting. Nearly *every* galaxy we’ve been able to observe has a super-massive black hole at its center. This is a very strange thing. These objects were supposed to be incredibly rare but here we were finding them *everywhere!* We found them in active galaxies, inactive galaxies, spirals, sphere... it didn’t matter what type of galaxy we looked at, we found a black hole in the middle. And not only did we find a black hole, we found out that the mass of these things was always about one half a percent of the entire mass of the galaxy! Now, that is a very strange idea... You see, people have the wrong idea about Black Holes. They see them as massive vacuums sucking in everything they can... That’s not how it works. They follow the laws of gravity just like anything else does. If you were to take our sun and replace it with a black hole of the same mass, the Earth wouldn’t care... It would continue on its orbit as if nothing had happened.” CJ heard some murmurs about the clock in the audience and smirked to himself: super-hearing was a great asset to a teacher. “And since several of you are looking ready to run, I’ll continue this in the next lecture... Remember that you have a homework coming up.” He watched as many of his students began to flee the lecture hall. “Also, I can’t stay after lecture today, I have an appointment I need to head off to, so if you have any questions feel free to e-mail me or drop by my office hours.” **
tbc...
**: I emulated the lecture style of Dr. John Kormendy, my professor for my astronomy class at the University of Texas for CJ's lecture.
