CHAPTER 18
“Ok, guys,” Jimmy said throwing a sheaf of computer printout on the desk between Lois and Clark. “Here’s everything I could find on everyone on your list. It’s everything from who they do business with to any campaign contributions they’ve made in the past five years. Everything in the public domain and a great deal that isn’t.”
“Thanks, Jimmy,” Clark said as Lois grabbed the papers and began flipping through them.
“Any thoughts on who we should go after first?” Clark asked.
“Morgan, Stevenson and Co.” Lois answered without hesitation.
“Seriously?” Clark asked. “Lois, those guys probably have more lawyers than Intergang has henchmen. How exactly do you expect to scare them into talking?”
“Clark, let’s be honest, they’re a bunch of accountants. The odds of scaring one of them are a lot better than some guy who already has a sizable rap sheet and has poured more cement for more Mob driveways than city projects. Those guys not only wouldn’t talk, but they’d probably dump us in the next day’s mix and then call their Intergang contact to ask for permission. They’re the ones with the best access to attorneys not a bunch of suits that count other people’s money and wear coke bottle glasses.” She stopped for a second a look of horror crossing her face. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Clark said dryly as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Lois grinned for a moment and then continued. “We pick the most junior partner in the combo of Morgan, Stevenson and Co. Someone who hasn’t been around the block enough to know the score, but is high enough within the company to know what’s going on.”
“And someone with a lot more to lose than a guy that already knows what the inside of a jail looks like,” Clark finished.
“Exactly,” Lois said smiling brightly.
“That just might work, partner,” Clark said looking up at the ceiling appearing to ponder the plan. “That just might work.”
“There was ever a doubt?” Lois asked arching her eyebrows as if amazed that he would ever question her reasoning.
“A momentary bout of insanity, Lois. I forgot for a second there who I was dealing with. My deepest apologies.”
“You know, you’re joking, but when was the last time I was wrong?”
“Well,” Clark said looking heavenward again appearing to be deep in thought, “there was the Durham story…”
“Now, how was I supposed to know he was really a woman?”
“…and then there was the city councilman election…”
“I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know that Jacobs was part owner in a chain of strip clubs.”
“…and didn’t you talk Perry into sequestering that one guy as an informant and he turned up on America’s Most Wanted the next night?”
“Are we going to work on this story today or sit around obsessing over the past?”
“Terribly sorry, Lois,” Clark said with a wide grin, “I don’t know what came over me.”
Lois answered his grin by rolling her eyes before turning back to the printout. She must be getting used to things she decided because she was becoming more successful at hiding her reactions. She succeeded in not passing out or collapsing into hysteria as the realization that it was Superman who was flirting with her sunk in.
“So, do you have someone already in mind or do we need to do some more research on Morgan Stevenson and Co.?” Clark asked.
The question startled Lois out of her reverie.
“What? Oh, sorry,” she said grinning sheepishly, “I was lost in thought there.” Then her smile turned a bit wolfish, “Yeah, actually I do have a starting point in mind. I think it’s time to call on an old acquaintance.”
**********
“Lois Lane,” Stuart Short said with a wide smile, “after 6 months of not hearing a word I’d given up hope that you’d take me up on my offer to come see me some time.”
At 32 Stuart was the youngest full partner in Morgan, Stevenson and Co. history. He was also probably the most arrogant. He was just under six feet tall, 160 pounds, blond hair and lots of bright, white teeth. He thought he was God’s gift to the world of business and women everywhere. Lois thought he was one of the most irritating people she had ever met. One year ago he had been at a party Lois had been at and had decided that she was worthy of his undivided attention. It had taken most of the night to shake him and he had only relented when she had taken his card and promised to call him.
“Well, Stuart,” Lois said smiling and shrugging her shoulders, “you know how it is. You get busy and forget to stay in touch sometimes. But, as they say, better late than never, right?”
“Yes, very true,” Stuart answered and then glanced briefly at Clark, “but I always sort of thought you’d come alone.”
“Awww, you caught me, Stu,” Lois said as she sat down on the edge of his desk, picked up his rolodex and began to idly flip through the cards as she talked. “The truth is that we’re working on a story we hope you can help us out with.”
“What kind of story?” Stuart asked beginning to feel a bit suspicious. He reached over the desk and took the rolodex from Lois’ hands and placed it back on his desk only now much closer to himself.
Lois smiled to let him know she wasn’t offended and left the edge of his desk to take a seat beside Clark. It didn’t matter after all, she had found Styles’ name and number two seconds after she had begun flipping through the cards and had already committed it to memory. A rookie mistake really keeping something like that in a rolodex, but as she had figured utterly in keeping with Stuart’s bureaucratic mentality. Stuart wasn’t a master criminal, but he obviously had dealings with those who were. The question was how deep he was in and would he break if enough pressure was applied.
“A mutually beneficial one,” Lois said in response to Stuart’s question.
Stuart narrowed his eyes at the two reporters.
“Sort of ‘helping each other out’,” Clark added catching on to Lois’ phrasing.
“You know,” Lois added, “kind of like the union of big business.”
Stuart turned slightly pale at that and had to clear his throat before he spoke.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I’ll cut to the chase, Stu,” Lois said leaning forward slightly. “We want to talk to you about your relationship with a group of businessmen who have resurrected Intergang.”
Stuart betrayed his lack of criminal experience by inhaling deeply at the name of the infamous organization. Realizing his mistake though he moved quickly to cover for his reaction.
“I don’t know anything about that.”
“Marcus Styles would appear to disagree with you on that point, Stu,” Lois said pressing the point.
Now Stuart’s face got a bit green, which wasn’t a big improvement over the pallid expression it had worn before. He glanced down at his rolodex for a second and then caught himself and looked back up at Lois.
“What? I-I mean who is that?”
“Stuart,” Lois said, “I think you know exactly who that is and you know exactly what he is as well.”
“I don’t know anything, Lois,” Stuart replied nervously looking down at his desk again having difficulty maintaining eye contact now with his two visitors, “and if that’s all you wanted then I’m sorry you wasted your time, but I’ll have to ask you to leave now.”
“Come on, Stu,” Lois pressed, “you know exactly what we’re talking about and unless you want to see a front page story about it in the Planet with the caption “Company Executive Refuses To Comment” in bold face below the headline you’d better start talking to someone.”
“My name, Ms. Lane,” Stuart said as he straightened in his seat and smoothed his tie, “is Stuart, not ‘Stu’ and part of the reason I was made a partner was because I could deal with people like you. I will not be intimidated and should you print anything libelous you will be sued.”
Stuart hadn’t gone for her bluff Lois realized. He apparently had a bit more of a backbone and a couple of more brain cells than she had given him credit for. She wasn’t finished yet though because she was sure he was the weakest link this company had to exploit. Before she could say anything else, however, she was interrupted be her partner.
“When exactly were you named a full partner, Stuart?” Clark asked as an epiphany suddenly hit him.
Lois looked at Clark in surprise for a second and then realization hit her.
“The youngest partner in the company’s history,” she said as if that explained everything.
Clark nodded his head.
“Or more likely it’s youngest fall guy.”
“What the hell are you two talking about,” Stuart demanded, his face turning red.
“You’ve been set up, Stu,” Lois said turning to face him.
“Let me guess,” Clark said, “you were named partner and told it was because you were the type of person this company wanted as their front man. A real people person with the kind of charm and poise they wanted to have represent them. Then they handed you an important project to oversee, including handling all of the firm’s dealings with a man named Marcus Styles.”
Stuart would have made a lousy poker player Lois thought as she watched the man’s reaction to Clark’s statement. His eyes widened into saucer shapes and he paled once again as he began to stammer.
“I-I…that’s ridiculous.”
“So your bosses didn’t tell you that they wanted you to deal with Styles personally? Every single face to face meeting, phone call, and memo ordering proposed changes can’t be linked directly back to you and you alone thereby absolving the other partners of any wrong doing?”
Stuart was quite for several seconds as he stared back and forth between the two reporters, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, but with no sound coming out.
“Oh my God,” he finally said.
“I know the feeling,” Lois muttered.
The office door behind them suddenly opened and an older gentleman stepped in. He was followed closely behind by two much larger gentlemen who looked like they would be more at home as extras in a Mafia movie than the dark blazers they were wearing with ID attached identifying them as security.
“Mr. Morgan!” Stuart said startled to see one of the senior partners enter the room.
“Stuart,” Mr. Morgan replied, but not looking at him. Instead he was staring at Lois and Clark. “I’m afraid, Mr. Kent, Ms. Lane, that I’ll have to ask the two of you to leave.”
“May I ask why?” Lois asked without rising from her chair.
“May I ask the nature of your visit with Mr. Short?”
“Background,” Lois answered evasively.
“Yes,” Morgan answered his mouth drawing into a tight line, “well, the firm has no comment about ‘background’ so I really must insist that you go.”
He gestured for the two men behind him and they circled to either side each grabbing one of the two reporters and pulling them from their seats.
“Hey!” Lois exclaimed as she was jerked to her feet.
Reacting almost by instinct she stomped down on the large man’s instep and when he yelped in pain and loosened his grip she brought her elbow into his throat and then turning she brought her knee up into his groin dropping him to the floor.
The other security guard turned loose of Clark and attempted to go to his partner’s aid. He grabbed Lois by her arm and started to twist it. Before she could react, however, a vice-like grip attached itself to the guard’s wrist and he turned Lois loose as he went to his knees in pain.
“If you lay a hand on her again, friend,” Clark said in a menacing voice still applying pressure to the man’s arm, “I’ll remove it. From both of you.”
“Alright!” Morgan’s voice boomed behind them. “Enough of this. Mr. Kent, Ms. Lane, you will leave the building now or I’ll call the police and press assault charges against the both of you.”
“Stuart?” Lois said turning toward Short who was still seated, but appeared to be in shock.
“Mr. Short has nothing more to say,” Morgan said stepping in-between the two reporters and the young executive.
“I think that should be up to Mr. Short,” Lois said stepping forward and locking eyes with Morgan.
Morgan held her gaze for a moment before turning to his subordinate.
“Tell her, Stuart,” he ordered.
Stuart jumped slightly in his seat and then spoke.
“Yes, yes, please leave. I have no comment. No comment about anything.”
Lois looked briefly at Stuart and then turned back to Morgan.
“He’d better not wind up dead somewhere, Morgan, or trust me, you’ll find out what they mean when they say the pen is mightier than the sword.”
“Continue with these baseless allegations, Ms. Lane,” Morgan responded without blinking, “and you’ll understand what is meant by the terms ‘libel’ and ‘litigation’.”
Lois held his gaze for a moment and then turned to Clark.
“Come on, partner. I feel the need for fresh air.”
The two left Stuart’s office and Lois caste a frosty glare at his receptionist as she passed. She was sure that Morgan’s visit to Stuart’s office hadn’t been a coincidence. The woman wore a self-satisfied smirk on her face that faltered slightly under Lois’ gaze. The two security guards followed, but kept a decent distance back from the two reporters.
“Well, we certainly got their attention,” Lois remarked to Clark as they headed for the elevator.
The only answer he gave was a short grunt and Lois looked over to find an expression on his face much like the one he had worn this morning when dealing with Perry. When the two got on the elevator the guards started to follow, but Clark stepped forward barring their way. Without speaking he raised both arms and placing his hands against their chests lightly but forcefully pushed them back as the doors closed.
“Well,” Lois said looking over at her partner, “someone had their Wheaties this morning.”
“I’m sorry, Lois,” Clark said finally, dropping his head. “I really should apologize for earlier. I know you can take care of yourself, but I just didn’t like that guy grabbing you that way. I shouldn’t have interfered.”
“That’s ok, partner,” Lois said reaching over and giving Clark’s arm a squeeze. “I’d be offended if just anyone did that, but I think we both need to admit that we’re not just ‘anyone’ anymore where each other is concerned.”
Clark looked up at Lois in surprise. He wasn’t sure if she meant that the way it sounded or just as a friendly nod to their partnership. Either way it lightened his mood slightly while at the same time evoking a slight feeling of panic. For her part Lois simply smiled at him in a friendly fashion, released his arm and turned back toward the elevator doors.
**********
The cab ride back to the Planet was accomplished mostly in silence as both reporters spent the trip deep in thought. Clark leaned back in his seat gazing out the window, but paying little attention to the scenery as they passed. He had lost his temper again and this time almost to the detriment of his dual identity. When the one guard had grabbed Lois his first instinct was to shrug off the other one and intervene. He’d caught himself just as he was about to throw the other guard into the wall and the pause was long enough to allow Lois the chance to deal with her guard on her own. When the second one grabbed her though Clark saw red and could no longer restrain himself. The best he could do was not break the man’s arm and that he accomplished only barely.
Yesterday and the incident with Black Adam was still fresh in his mind and then this morning he had experienced what he could only term as flashbacks to his exodus from Krypton. He wasn’t foolish. He understood enough about psychology to realize that the sights and sounds of little Emily Rosen’s claustrophobic hell had obviously stirred up feelings and memories he had buried regarding the trauma of Krypton’s destruction and his forceful separation from his birth parents.
He was also self aware enough to know that the crimes he had been investigating had already made him somewhat susceptible to anger because they pushed every button he had in regards to public welfare. The betrayal of the public interest by government officials was only the tip of the iceberg. First Slade Wilson’s callous attempts on the lives of two men simply as a means to distract him and then Black Adam’s blatant threats and abuse of Emily Rosen had evoked a level of anger in him that he wasn’t truly aware that he possessed. Lois used to call him idealistic and naïve, but he firmly believed those traits weren’t bad things because they kept him from becoming pessimistic and jaded. Anger though was a trait he knew he couldn’t afford to allow to get out of control. What was it Henderson had said to him the other day about everyone just being one bad day away from becoming their own worst nightmare? He couldn’t afford to let that happen because his worst nightmare would be everyone else’s as well.
Lois was another matter altogether. He had vowed years ago after the roller coaster he had subjected Lana to that he would never again drag someone else into the madness that was his life. He had even reconciled with the fact that this meant a lifetime, possibly even an immortal one, spent alone because it was safer and healthier for everyone involved. He wouldn’t have to worry about anybody and no one would have to worry about him.
Lois broke all of the rules though. Her life was possibly as chaotic as his. She certainly was as obsessed about her job as he was and her life was put in danger more by her own actions than anything he could possible cause. And despite his best efforts she seemed to care about him and he about her. This had become even more apparent over the past few days. He didn’t know if his resolve was weakening or just that Lois’ interest was increasing, but he had told himself he would have to start taking steps to curtail things before they got out of hand.
The problem though was that he was rapidly beginning to realize that he had been putting off curtailing things because he liked what was happening. He liked the feeling that came with caring for someone and having them care for him. It wasn’t something that he had felt for a very long time. This morning he had been a neurotic mess and ten minutes after Lois had pulled him into the mad world of ‘the chase’ as she liked to term investigative reporting he had felt light and relaxed again. Back in Stuart’s office they had played easily off each other and seemed to almost be able to read each other’s mind. The entire affair made him wonder if perhaps he should rethink his decision about relationships.
But, he was also aware enough to know that considering the chaotic mindset he was in now because of recent events he shouldn’t be making any big decisions simply for the fact that he wasn’t in total control of his thoughts or emotions. Just because something seemed like a good idea at the time didn’t mean it was.
When Lois had asked him a few days ago about his thoughts regarding Superman’s reaction to trauma he had shrugged the whole thing off as simply over-thinking a trivial issue. Now, having had time to give the issue some thought he realized that he hadn’t been entirely honest. He did sometimes wake up in a cold sweat reliving things he had witnessed. The plane crash that he had dealt with as a teenager that prompted his original decision to forego relationships had been a source of numerous nightmares for weeks back then. Fortunately he had his parents to help him work through the guilt and the dreams had eventually stopped.
Since his parents’ deaths it had been a bit more difficult to deal with some things and he had to admit that one of the ways he had coped was simply to sleep less. If one didn’t sleep one didn’t dream and while this wasn’t a perfect solution for normal people being a Kryptonian living under a yellow sun gave him options others didn’t have because he didn’t require a great deal of sleep at all. Of course, considering his reactions yesterday and this morning he was probably going to have to rethink the wisdom of that strategy.
Until then he told himself perhaps it would be harmless and even a bit helpful to his own mental health if he didn’t create more stress for himself by alienating Lois. It wasn’t like he was encouraging her in a relationship. Lois would probably laugh in his face at the idea. They were just working on a story together and didn’t need any silliness to distract them. And silliness would just be the only thing accomplished if he pulled his typical Clark Kent shtick designed to discourage interest.
Who was it that coined the phrase about denial not just being a river in Egypt he laughed to himself?
“I’m not sure if we really learned anything back there or just put Stuart in danger,” Lois finally said breaking the silence and startling Clark from his thoughts.
“I don’t think Morgan would risk doing anything to him just yet after the comment you made to him,” Clark replied, “but we should let Henderson know and maybe he can convince him to accept some protection.”
“Protection like he gave Maxwell?” Lois asked scornfully.
“Maxwell’s still alive at least, Lois.”
“Thanks to me and you,” Lois said, “not the police.”
“Well, unless you and I want to hang up the reporter thing and go into the witness protection racket the police are all Stuart has.”
“Ok,” Lois agreed grudgingly, “We’ll tell Henderson, but I’ll keep Styles’ number to myself until we check it out.”
If she was expecting a surprised reaction from Clark to the information that she possessed the phone number she didn’t show it and Clark didn’t give it. In fact he had expected nothing less from Lois from the outset of their visit to Stuart Short’s office.
“Agreed,” Clark said, “I’m looking forward to meeting the mysterious Mr. Styles in person.”
TBC…
