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Live Another Day

Part 2

The voice of the leader was fuzzy, as if it came from a distance. He sounded quite angry. “You had one simple task, idiot! All you had to do was watch her, but even that-"

Dark-Eyes tried to justify himself. "She kicked me in the nuts, dammit." His voice was closer, echoing off the walls.

The leader appeared unfazed. "Serves you right. Better be careful not to give her another opportunity."

Lois now heard him clearly, too. She must have passed out. After they had dragged her out of the Daily Planet, she vaguely remembered a bumpy ride in a car. Now she was slouched on a chair with her hands tied behind her back. Other than that, her memory was just a black hole.

Lois tried to assess her situation. She was blindfolded, but no longer gagged. Breathing had become a whole lot easier. She wanted to scream for help, but her voice refused to work. Her feet were still tied together, which made moving almost impossible.

For a couple of minutes, Lois heard nothing but footsteps on the floor. They echoed off the walls. She had to be in some kind of building. The air smelled damp and musty.

"What we gonna do with her?" It was the fat man's voice.

She heard his heavy breathing and smelled his sweat as he came closer. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and tried to turn away.

"Hey, look at that, the lady’s scared," the fat man sneered.

"I’d know exactly what to do with the babe." That had to be the limping guy. Lois hadn’t heard his voice before. “She's quite a looker!”

Lois could almost feel him ogle her. It made her hairs stand on edge. Suddenly, she wished she had settled for pants instead of the blue, pleated skirt that after her struggle with these guys certainly revealed more than it covered. To make things worse, the warm summer day had enticed her to slip out of her tights. And given her luck, she was almost certain that she’d lost some buttons on her blouse which now probably revealed her lacy bra. All in all, there wasn’t much clothing between her and them.

Lois stomach tightened and she broke out in cold sweat. She silently prayed that the guy was just bragging and wouldn't take action. She could feel a hand on her shoulder. Fingers dug painfully into her muscles. Another hand brushed her cheek, forcing Lois to turn her head to the right.

"Get your hands off her," the leader barked. “What happens to her is not your call!"

"Hey, that's not fair," Dark-Eyes complained angrily.

His voice was very close to her ear. Lois guessed that he was the one who leaned over her now. She felt someone’s hot breath on her skin.

A shiver ran down her spine as she heard his voice again. "Besides, you still owe me one, don't you, honey?"

She felt the cable tie dig deeper into her skin as she tried to pull back. It was futile. Damn it, why hadn't she just stayed in the newsroom?

"No," she gasped. "No!"

Her own voice startled her, because she sounded so very frightened. This wasn’t her. She didn’t want to feel so helpless. Lois Lane was no victim, she couldn’t let this happen. Involuntarily, she increased her efforts to break free. But the ties wouldn't budge. Each tug only served to tighten them more. Fear caught her heart in an icy grip.

Someone ran his hand along her jawline, yet his touch was anything but gentle. Lois’ throat constricted as Dark-Eyes told her in a whisper what kind of plans he had in store for her.

"No," she yelled again.

She struggled against her bonds. Tears stung her eyes. The men just laughed.

"Come on, darlin’, don't be shy," the fat man called. "We can have a lotta fun together." The smell of his sweat intensified as he moved in on her. Lois felt what she assumed were his legs brushing against hers. A different hand touched her face. It felt rough on her skin.

The voice of the leader was cold as ice. "Back off, idiots. You had one simple task. Yet, you failed miserably. The chick's mine.”

“Oh, really?”

A fight ensued, as far as Lois could tell by the sound of it. She ducked her head and winced with every cry, and gasp, and thud she heard. Lois' chair slid across the floor as someone bumped into it. Involuntarily, she cried out. Then the chair tilted and Lois fell. She braced herself for the inevitable impact. But nothing happened. Someone must have stopped her fall. Lois felt that she was pushed back into a safe position.

"What's the matter, Chuck? We could all get our share," the fat man screamed.

"No names, idiot!" Chuck, the leader, shouted. “And I don't share.” A loud thud resounded from the walls as someone hit the floor.

Again Lois heard shuffling and beating as the fight resumed. As long as they were beating each other up, Lois was relatively safe, whatever that meant. But she was terrified of what would happen to her if anyone of them would win the upper hand. She feared that she was going to have to take the brunt of their rage.

“What's gotten into you, dude?" The limping guy whimpered in pain.

“You think you're the boss, don't you?” Dark-Eyes moaned angrily.

“Well, here I am,” Chuck spat.

Once again, they seemed to attack each other. Lois desperately struggled against her ties. As long as the men were busy with themselves, she might have a chance to escape. She tried to wriggle her wrist out of the cable ties. And for a brief moment, she thought she was making progress. But the euphoria was short-lived. There was no way to get rid of the ties. All she accomplished was grazing her skin. Maybe if she could bring her hands forward... But her feet were barely touching the ground. How should she get up? New panic rose in Lois, heightened by the growing noises of battle around her.

"She's mine," Chuck hissed angrily.

With a resounding thud, one man hit the ground. Two more followed. The resulting silence was nauseating.

"Time for us, baby," Chuck said.

Lois felt his breath in her face. He tore at her ankles and then her legs were free. Chuck pulled her up from the chair and easily dragged her with him. Lois had no choice but to follow him. Desperately, she tried to find a way out of this terrible situation. She had no doubt what was in store for her. Lois squirmed in his firm grip, but there was no escape.

“NO!” Lois cried. “HELP! HELP!”

“Scream as much as you want. Nobody will come to your rescue,” Chuck remarked icily.

He gave Lois a hard shove. She stumbled a few steps, and finally landed face down on what felt like a mattress.

“Don't count your chicks just yet," the fat guy yelled. "We're not done with you, Chuck!"

He just laughed angrily. "Still hadn't had enough?"

Another fight broke out that Lois hoped would take a long time. She hastily used the opportunity and tried to rub the blindfold off her face. Now that her feet were free, her chances were a little better. But the plan was more difficult than expected. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to rub the blindfold off her eyes. Her shoulders hurt because her arms were tied behind her back at such an uncomfortable angle. Maybe she could bring her hands forward now? Chuck or one of the other three could come back anytime.

Lois would have liked to scream in frustration as she tried to roll over onto her back. Her arms protested painfully. But finally she succeeded. She pulled her knees to her chest and tried to slip her tied arms over her butt. Lois found that on TV this trick looked a whole lot easier than it actually was. Who did she think she was? Houdini? Her heart was beating wildly. She was sweating. Why hadn't she just stayed a little longer and walked out of the office with Perry? Why hadn’t she yelled for help back at the Daily Planet?

After long moments of fruitless struggle, Lois realized that her hands would have to remain tied on her back. Time was too precious to waste it on another attempt to bring her arms forward. Instead she clumsily got to her feet and looked around. She was standing in a dark room with a mattress on the floor. The light came from the corridor.

Outside, Chuck was still wrestling with the other men - all three of them. There was a window at the back of the room. A brief look through it told Lois that she was at least on the fourth floor of this building. And as far as Lois could see in the dark, there was no ledge to climb on. But even if there had been one, she couldn’t have reached it anyway. Not with her arms tied on her back. The only way out of this mess was past her captors. Taking a deep breath, Lois braced to run for her life. But the remaining fight was too short. Chuck used a couple of well-aimed blows to get rid of his attackers. His strong arms sent them to the ground, where they remained lying groggily.

“Any of you guys in for another round?” Chuck yelled.

He flexed his muscles provocatively. Neither of them seemed eager to continue the fight.

Chuck turned around. “And now to you honey!”

He switched on the lights. His face was contorted with anger. He ran a hand through his badly tousled hair. Then he wiped the blood off his split lip, leaving only the faint trail of dried blood that had run down his chin. Determined, he took the last few steps into the room where Lois was standing next to the mattress.

Chuck undid his belt in an act of triumph. Then he slipped out of his jacket and tossed it to the floor. The look on his face was grim as Lois started toward him in a desperate attempt to get out. As she tried to kick him somewhere painful, he caught her leg without effort and suddenly his grip was the only thing that kept Lois from tilting over.

Lois couldn’t help but notice every intimidating inch of the man standing in front of her. His shirt was completely torn into shreds after the fight. Taught muscles rippled under his skin. Suddenly, he appeared to be at least twice her size. She gulped in fear as she noticed how her skirt was slipping above her knees.

"Ever had a real man?" Chuck leered.

With one foot, he kicked at the door until it fell shut behind him with a resounding thud. The sound reverberated through Lois’ body like a drumbeat that sealed her fate. Lois wanted to scream, but only a sob escaped her throat. Panicked, she wondered how she could still avert the inevitable. Her whole body began to shake as Chuck let go of her leg and caught her in an uncomfortable embrace. She could feel his breath on her skin. Suddenly she felt the plastic of her shackles cut into her wrists. Then her hands were free. Lois squeezed her eyes shut.

"Now we're going to have a little fun." The threat was unmistakable. "Take off your clothes."

Lois tried to push him off, but it was futile. Lois knew that even her Taekwondo training couldn’t save her. She whimpered. Her throat went tight as she felt Chuck’s face next to hers.

His voice was barely a whisper. "I need you to scream!"

Horrified, Lois stared at the man who now took a few steps back from her. His expression had changed completely. Any hint of anger or threat was gone. He even seemed to have shrunk a little.

“Tell me, do you like it hard?" he said suggestively.

His voice still sent a shiver down her spine. But his expression showed disgust. He put up his hands in a pacifying gesture and once again moved a little closer until she could hear him.

Urgently, he whispered. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you. But I can't have them think I'm not going through with this." He nodded toward the door. “And for your sake you better be convincing or we'll both regret it."

Lois felt like she was in a confusing dream. Was that some sick game? Did it turn him on to let her think that she’d escaped this horrible fate?

Before she had a chance to think clearly, a terrible slap echoed through the narrow space. Lois involuntarily ducked and cried out. But she felt no pain.

"Louder," Chuck encouraged her.

"No, please ..." Lois pleaded tentatively.

"Can’t hear you."

And Lois screamed, giving free rein to the feelings that she had previously struggled to suppress. Again and again she was drowned out by Chuck's voice shouting obscenities. But physically, he retreated until he stood on the far side of the room, blocking the door with his body.

A red imprint in the shape of his hand appeared on his arm. Lois fell silent. Only sobs were escaping her throat now and again. She was breathing heavily as she looked at the man who had scared the hell out of her. Who was he really and why was he putting up such a show? His eyes were warm and his expression was full of regret. He quickly averted his gaze when he saw that she looked at him. It was as if he had become a different person.

"What ..." Lois began.

"Shut up." His reply was terse but not unfriendly.

There was not a trace of the hardened guy she had believed him to be. Chuck hastily walked past Lois and headed for the second door that until now had escaped her notice. Lois felt unable to move. Her breathing was still fast and hard and she struggled to regain the feeling in her body. Seconds stretched into an eternity until Lois could move again.

When she was no longer caught up in the clutches of blind panic, Lois was gradually able to take in her surroundings. The room was long and narrow. A worn carpet covered the floor. There were remnants of a pattern that looked much like the name of a hotel. The wall paint was of an undiscernible color and was peeling off on most places. Perhaps she was in one of the abandoned buildings of Hobb’s Bay. Most of them had lost their purpose during the Great Depression or World War II.

There was a mattress on the floor and an old shelf in one corner of the room but nothing else. Involuntarily, her gaze wandered to the door that led outside and which was now unguarded. A brief look over her shoulder told Lois that Chuck watched her. His chest rose and fell as he drew in deep breaths.

His expression remained impassive. "I wouldn't try that if I were you. These guys out there haven't given up hope yet."

He opened the door and hurried into the tiled room beyond. Lois assumed it was a bathroom. The door was closed with a thud. Seconds later, Lois’ gaze wandered back to the other door. Her heart was pounding loudly. Were the other men still waiting out there? Or had they returned to their own rooms? Should she try to escape? She didn't even know where she was.

But Lois desperately wanted to get out of here. And now that she was no longer tied, she might be able to put her Taekwondo classes to good use. She wasn’t sure her wobbly legs would obey but she tried anyway and took the first step towards the door.

She had made it no further than a few steps, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Chuck pushed her onto the mattress. He sat down on the edge. Up close, he looked even more intimidating. His upper arms were larger than her thighs. Lois swallowed and crawled away from him.

Chuck's jaw was set tight as he looked at her angrily. "I didn't get into a fight with the others so that you can rush right back into their arms! If you had kept your feet still in the printing plant, you wouldn't be in this mess now. Believe it or not, you are safe here. "

“Except from you!” Lois was startled by her own courage.

"If I wanted to do something to you, I would have had every opportunity." Chuck straightened up again.

Lois was relieved as he turned his back on her again and made his way back to the tiny bathroom. Before he entered, he stopped and leaned against the wall next to the door frame. Chuck rubbed the bridge of his nose and his chest rose and fell as he took more deep breaths. Then he turned back to Lois.

"Look, I'm very sorry I scared you so much." He swallowed hard. "This is not how I usually treat women. But I didn’t have much choice." For a moment he looked at her as if he couldn't decide how to proceed. Then he dashed back into the bathroom.

Lois shuddered. She pulled her knees up to her chest and embraced them. It was as if all her boldness had suddenly left her. She had a hard time suppressing the chattering of her teeth. It wasn't from the cold. She honestly couldn't say if she had ever been more scared.

Her heart was pounding wildly and her breath came in panting gasps. She wished that someone would pinch her and wake her from this nightmare. Who were these men and what had they done at the Daily Planet? Had they actually planted a bomb? What did Chuck want from her if not...?

She didn't allow herself to finish the thought. Instead, she tried to calm herself down by taking several deep breaths.

"You’ve been in worse situations, Lois," she muttered to herself.

A tiny voice in the back of her mind disagreed. *Really? Name one!*

If she was completely honest, this situation was the direst she had been in, so far. Her breathing quickened. Her fingers began to tingle and dots danced before her eyes. That wasn't good - Lois had read about these symptoms before. She was hyperventilating, and as hard as she tried, she couldn't control her breathing. The tingling sensation got worse, which only fueled her panic. Her fingers started to cramp.

As Lois thought she was about to pass out, Chuck came back. Lois tried to crawl into a corner, as far away from him as possible. But her limbs wouldn't obey.

“Hey, take it easy,” Chuck said gently.

He hurried into the bathroom and returned only a moment later.

“Breathe through the bag.” He held it out for her.

But Lois hands were shaking too much to reach for the plastic bag.

“I'll help you.” Chuck waited a few seconds before he inched closer.

Lois tried to fight him off, but her hands were cramping too much to be of any use. Panicked, she watched his every motion, frozen in place. Chuck left as much distance between them as he possibly could while he sat down beside her. His outstretched arm came closer until Lois felt the warmth of his skin on her face as he held the bag in front of her mouth and nose. She heard the crackle of the plastic bag as she breathed into it.

Chuck repeated his words like a mantra. “Take slow breaths. You can do it. I promise you that nothing will happen to you.” Her eyes never left him. He sat beside her stock-still, moving only his lips as he muttered soothing words. Gradually, she was able to slow her breathing. The tingling subsided.

“Yeah, that’s better.” A faint smile appeared on Chuck’s lips as handed her the bag to let her continue on her own.

“Set me free!” Lois demanded when her voice allowed it. “If you really mean business, let me go. I won't report you.”

“Yeah, right. Fat chance of that happening,” Chuck replied grimly. “You’re a reporter. You work for the Daily Planet.”

He carefully felt his swollen lip.

“Please, I swear.” Lois begged.

Chuck shook his head. “No can do.” He took a few steps back, sat down on the floor and leaned his back against the wall. “Believe me, I don't like to hold you captive.”

It sounded honest. Against her will, Lois sensed the sincerity behind his words. His brown eyes rested on her. Then he leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling as if he hoped to find advice there. He raked his hand through his hair.

Chuck sighed. “Damn it. This definitely wasn't part of the plan.”

He reached for his jacket and started to search his pockets. Seconds later, he produced a mobile phone. For a moment he stared at it before he put it back without dialing a number.

Confused, Lois watched him. Her heart was still pounding, but her breathing had calmed down. She wasn't really surprised that he wouldn't let her go. She hadn't seriously expected that. What surprised her was that he apparently minded what became of her.

“Look, I'll get you out of here. Maybe...” He paused and shook his head before he stood up swiftly. “No, it's too risky. But I'll think of something. And now make sure you get some sleep. It's past midnight.”

Lois snorted. "Are you seriously expecting me to sleep here?"

Suddenly she felt her body again. The Mad Dog Lane inside her woke from its stupor. Lois clenched her fists, ready to fight.

"Then don't," Chuck shrugged. “I'll leave you alone for a while. I'm going to lock the door.”

“I'm a master at picking locks.” Lois raised her chin. Where did this sudden defiance come from, she wondered.

Chuck gave her a wry grin. "Maybe you are. These guys out there, not so much.”

He grabbed his jacket and briefly nodded in her direction. Then he left the room. Chuck closed the door behind him and Lois heard him turn the key. His footsteps echoed in the hall, gradually getting softer until it was quiet.

Lois stared at the locked door for a long time and tried to process the events of the evening. She got up from the bed. Her knees felt like Jello. She struggled to get to the door and pressed her ear against the wood. She listened. There was no sound except for the steady pounding of her own heart.

"What's gotten into me?" Lois cursed herself softly. "Why am I telling him what I'm going to do?"

She took a step back and stared at the door that separated her from the outside world. Maybe it was because she wasn't serious about it. What lay beyond that door made her feel sick. She wished she could just wake up from this nightmare. But that wasn’t going to happen. She had to decide which side of the door was less dangerous.

Chuck was right about one thing. He’d had every chance to hurt her, yet she was relatively unharmed. Shaken to the bones, but otherwise intact. Whatever he was up to seemed to have nothing to do with her. But could she really trust him?

Lois’ gut twisted painfully. She had once thought that Claude was interested in her personality. It was a given that she couldn’t trust her instincts when it came to men.

To be continued...