~From Part 4~
“You really are a minx.”
But before Clark could launch his attack on her, the doors opened. He let the last possible moment pass until he pulled Lois back, keeping her from falling on her butt in front of everyone. It would have deserved her right, but he took pity on her. Besides, he wanted one more second of holding her before they had to separate and become ‘just’ partners again.
Their touch lingered but they parted once again. Walking off the elevator and acting nonchalant was hard for Lois and Clark. But neither had the chance to think about it when five steps into the office all hell broke loose.
~Part 5~
“Hey Clark! Your mom is on line three.” A fellow reporter shouted as the couple walked down the ramp into the bullpen, “Oh and Lois, one of your sources is on line two.”
“So much for a quiet entrance.” Clark told Lois, trying not to react to her hand brushing against his as they walked to their respective desks.
Neither was in a hurry to get to their phones calls and away from each other.
“We should have played hooky.” Lois whispered to Clark, “Maybe you could have found my,” she looked around making sure no one was listening, “you know, by now.”
Clark’s only response was a groan.
“Lois! Line two is still holding! I’m not your personal secretary.” The same colleague from a moment ago shouted across the bullpen.
“Okay, okay. Keep your shirt on.” Lois yelled back, then turned towards Clark smiling once more, “Later, Clark. Later.”
He nodded, wishing he could kiss her once more. Motioning to his phone, Lois understood. Moving to their respective desks, they went to work.
“Lois Lane here.” Clark heard her answer her phone, then turned to pick his own call up but was interrupted by a visitor at his desk.
“Uh CK, I really need to talk to you.” Jimmy said nervously, “It’s important.”
“Jimmy, can it wait for a minute?”
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s waited this long.”
Clark was sure he wasn’t supposed to hear the last part of Jimmy’s statement since his friend’s voice had dropped to almost inaudible, but he had. Watching his friend shift from one foot to the other made Clark aware that whatever it was that Jimmy wanted to talk about was indeed important.
“Just let me find out what my call is about then we can talk, okay.”
“Okay.”
With that Jimmy walked to his own desk, leaving Clark to finally answer his phone call.
************
“Clark Kent.”
“Clark, what took you so long?” Came the woman’s voice he knew so well.
“Hi Mom,” he had almost forgot that the call was from his mother. “Is something wrong?”
“Does something have to be wrong for a mother to call her son?”
Clark could tell by the sweetness in her voice that she was up to something.
“No. I’m just surprised that’s all. So, what’s going on?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” He looked over at Lois, knowing she was the only thing that was ‘going on’ but his mother didn’t know that, did she? But she always did seem to know everything.
He had wanted to ask Lois first if she minded they tell his parents that they were together. And actually having one official date might help before they announced it to the world.
Clark heard his mother sigh in exasperation. He scanned his memory for anything else she might be calling about. Nothing came to mind.
“Clark, if you were any other son, I think you were lying to me. Okay, I’ll just come right out and ask you. Are you and Lois dating?”
How in the world? She did know.
“Mom—how did you find out?” No use in denying it; somehow she’d know that too.
“I think by accident, really. Fifteen minutes ago, I received an e-mail from that woman you used to work with. What was her name? Uh, yeah. Cat. Cat something or another.”
“Cat Grant?”
“Yes that’s it. The message was from The Planet but from what I read of it, it was intended for the Washington Star.”
Clark was suddenly getting a bad feeling about this.
“The Washing Star is where Cat works now.” Clark looked over at Lois again. He was sure when he told her about this, she was going to flip. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as he was imagining. “What did the e-mail say exactly?”
“She was sending tomorrow’s column to her editor. ‘The gossip of the century’ is how she put it. I quote: ‘Lois Lane declares her love for her partner, Clark Kent, in an e-mail making the “Hottest Team in Town” a permanent status and surprises him with a tattoo.’ That’s just the title. Cat’s article is quite interesting.” He heard her pause, then continued a little happier, “Clark, did Lois really tell you she loves you?”
Clark agitatedly ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn’t upset so much about their relationship becoming news than Lois’s tattoo becoming news. They wanted to be the ones to go public with their love but Lois’s tattoo was off limits.
“Yes, Mom. She did.” He had to smile at that, “We talked…”
“About Superman?”
“Yes, about that too. She’s okay with everything. It’s amazing and more than I could have ever hoped for.”
“Oh, Honey, that’s wonderful.”
“Thanks Mom. But what I don’t understand is how you got that e-mail.”
“Even though the message was from this Cat Grant, the e-mail address was actually a Joe Machiwicz at the Planet.”
“That is strange. Let’s just hope that you’re the only who received …”
“Clark!”
Clark turned his attention to Lois as she shouted his name, cutting off his conversation with his mom. He stuck his finger up in the air, signaling he’d be just a minute, but she shook her head no. She must need him.
“Um, Mom. I have to go.”
“What do you want me to do with the e-mail?”
“Keep if for now, in case we need to see it again. I’ll call you and Dad later.”
“We’ll be waiting to hear from both of you. Tell Lois we said ‘hi’ and that we think this gossip column is just laughable especially about her tattooing herself.”
Clark groaned. Funny, how the two women in his life could cause him to do that. His mother just had no clue about Lois’s tattoo being the real deal. Of course, he had yet to see it himself.
After saying goodbye he hung up the phone and approached Lois’s desk. He needed to find a tactful way to tell her that he wasn’t the only one to have seen her questionnaire. That was the only thing he could come up with on how Cat got a hold of the certain information.
But how? And how many others knew?
************
“Lois Lane here.” Lois answered her phone, not happy that she was actually had to work already this morning.
She would have loved to spend more time just being with Clark, teasing him about her tattoo. She was going to have a lot of fun with him on that certain subject.
But before she could let her thoughts drift any further, the voice on the other end broke into her planning of Clark’s torture.
“Lane, is this line secure?”
“Bobby, why do you always ask that?” She asked while rolling her eyes in annoyance.
Even though sometimes he made her crazy, Lois valued Bobby Bigmouth highly as sources came; he had this incredible knack of always having great information.
It was a good thing Bobby Bigmouth was one of her best sources, because sometimes he made her crazy.
“Because it drives you nuts.” She heard him laugh, irritating her even more.
“What do you want?”
“It’s not what I want but what I can do for you. I have information you might find interesting.”
“Is this information going to cost me?” She knew what his answer would be.
“Well, I do have to eat. So I was thinking that you and Kent could put together a nice Chinese meal, but not from Ralph’s Pagoda. I got sick the last time.”
“Bobby, when did you start giving me orders?” she asked, drumming her fingers on her desk.
“When I have information that concerns you. I figure that entitles me to.”
“Think again.”
“See I knew you’d agree.”
“Did you forget that you called me?” Lois retorted back, knowing she could give it to Bobby better than he could dish it. “First you talk and then we’ll think about feeding you.”
“You drive a hard bargain sometimes, Lane.”
“Take it or leave it.” She smiled even more, knowing he was going to break down and spill his guts.
“Boy, are you grumpy.”
“Bobby!” She warned him, impatience running through her veins. She looked over at Clark, seeing him still in conversation. She wished he’d turn to look in her direction. She forced herself to focus on Bobby who was finally getting to the point.
“Okay, okay. I got the message.” Bobby finally agreed, “But first I wanted know how you two lovebirds were doing?”
“What?” Lois choked out.
“You and Kent…how’s it feel to be in love?”
How did he find out? He had to be kidding. But she wasn’t about to take the chance. Lois covered the mouthpiece of her phone and yelled, “Clark!”
She saw Clark put his finger up, telling her to wait a minute. She shook her head no; she needed him now. He seemed to notice her distress and wrapped up his phone call. Within a few seconds, he was standing beside her.
“Did you tell him?” She asked him, motioning to her phone. Not that she really thought he had, but what other explanation was there.
“Tell who what?” Clark was confused stepping into the middle of Lois’s conversation.
“Bobby Bigmouth about…you know,” She moved her hands between them, “us.”
But before Clark could answer her, Bobby interrupted, answering for him.
“No, Clark didn’t tell me. And by the way, if you don’t want the person on the other line of a phone to hear you, press the mute button. Actually no one told me per say.” He paused for a minute, Lois was sure was for dramatic purposes, “I just happened to receive an e-mail that had more information than I think I ever needed to know about you.”
“What kind of e-mail?” Lois asked, looking at Clark, who was looking like he just saw a ghost. It wasn’t his expression as much as it was his response of ‘Oh—boy’ that gave Lois her sense of dread.
And a thought crossed her mind, running full steam ahead of all other thoughts. No. It couldn’t be.
“You don’t think?” She whispered to Clark. At his nod, Lois thought she was going to die. Putting Bobby on hold, she stood up, grabbed Clark’s hand and headed straight for the conference room. Closing the door behind them, then the blinds, she turned towards the phone and put it on speaker. “Now, Bobby, this e-mail, where did it come from?”
“Aren’t you going to ask me what it said?”
Lois heard the humor in Bobby’s voice. She knew at that point it was the dreaded questionnaire he was talking about. Nothing else could haunt her like this. She thought for sure someone out there hated her to be doing this to her. It was one thing to have sent that thing to Clark by accident. At least that kind of mistake changed her life for the good. But this time, it was going to be a nightmare.
“Bobby, just answer the question!”
“Okay. Gee, don’t get upset. It was from your very own Franklin Stern. And from his message it was intended for his wife, not me. I think he was amused by your answers to that survey thing that was attached. He seemed quite amused and from the looks of it was going to share with Mrs. Stern.”
“Oh my God.” Lois stared at Clark who was staring at her. Neither knew what to say.
“That’s what I said when I found out you’re wild enough to get a tattoo.” Bobby stated nonchalantly.
“Oh God!” She sagged against Clark at that point.
“So, what is it?”
“Bobby, is there anything else?” Clark stepped in this time, cutting off Bobby’s last question, which she was very grateful for.
“Oh yeah, the real reason I called. To warn you that your favorite villain has broken out of prison. The Prankster is back and you’re his first stop. The word is, he’s got a dozy of a prank for you. No one had any details, though. Sorry to drop the news and run but I gotta go.”
“Thanks, Bobby.” Lois heard Clark say.
“No problem. But hey, I am happy for you two. There’s no feeling in the world like being in love except for maybe a full stomach. Don’t forget you owe me.”
With that, the line went dead, leaving Lois in a state of shock.
“Great. Just great. The damn questionnaire is back to haunt me and the Prankster is out. What else could go wrong?” She looked at Clark and noticed he didn’t seem to be as shocked as she was. Why was that? In fact, he looked a little guilty. Well, guilt might not be the right word, but he looked as though he knew something she didn’t.
“Uh, Lois.”
There it was. The other shoe was going to drop.
“That can’t be good, can it? I mean, when you say ‘Uh, Lois’ that usually means something is wrong. And in this instance, it means something *else* is wrong. I’m not going to like this, am I? Please tell me it can’t get any worse. Although how much worse can it get? Bobby Bigmouth, and we know how he got his name, not only knows about you and me being together but he knows about my tattoo.” Lois began to pace, not knowing what else to do. “Oh God, he’s not the only one. So does Mr. Stern. That’s all I needed was the owner of the Planet to know all about my most personal thoughts and secrets. Which also means that his wife knows as well. I know Bobby said he seemed to have gotten her intended e-mail but that doesn’t mean she didn’t get one. But that doesn’t explain how the e-mails got mixed up. Or who else knows.”
She felt Clark’s hands on her shoulders halting her steps. He turned her around so they were facing each other.
“Lois…”
“Clark, I swear when I find out who is behind this, I’m going to kill them!”
************
Jimmy stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Lois shout, ‘Clark, I swear when I find out who is behind this, I’m going to kill them!’
Of course, she could have been talking about anything, but he knew all too well what it was. He still wanted to talk to Clark so he could tell his side of the story but now didn’t seem to be that time. Hearing the conference room that held the one-woman crusade named Lois Lane open, Jimmy opened the first door he was nearest and hid.
************
Perry watched Jimmy duck into the ladies room. If he thought that was going to keep Lois from finding him, that boy had another thing coming. There were days he wondered why he was the lucky one to be in charge of this circus called the Daily Planet. But then there was days like today that he knew it was all worth it.
But sooner than later, he knew he had to put out the inferno that he knew was just beginning to blaze.
************
Clark watched Lois pace back and forth inside the conference room. She had opened the door, on a mission to find out what was happening, but he stopped her. They still had to talk; he needed to tell her about his conversation with his mom.
“Uh, Lois.”
“You said that before. And I didn’t like it then.”
She was starting up again and he needed to rein her in.
“I know. But…”
“But there’s more. I’m right, aren’t I?” She looked at him, “This has to do with your phone call, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. My mom called to tell me that she accidentally…”
“Don’t tell me, Clark. Please don’t tell me that she got the e-mail too. I think I’d die if your parents read it.”
“Well, she did receive an e-mail but it wasn’t the copy of your questionnaire. It was more of an article.”
“Clark define article.”
He watched her stop pacing and quickly turn to face him. He could see her start to panic again so he rushed on, hoping to get it out in the open fast.
“Cat Grant…”
“Oh God. No. Clark, tell me Cat doesn’t know anything about this!”
Clark wasn’t sure how to tell Lois what he knew. He knew how much animosity there was between the two women especially when Lois was on the losing side.
“Clark, you’re not saying anything.” She was looking at him. Oh, how he hated when she looked at him like that.
“Yes, Cat knows about us and your tattoo.” He held up his hand, stopping her from interrupting again so he could tell her the story his mother just told him. “I don’t know how she knows but somehow she found out and was planning on sending the story to her editor at the Washington Star for her column.”
“That no-good-for-nothing, backstabbing, wanna-be reporter has no right to use my personal life for one of her trashy columns.” Lois stopped pacing again, which she had started up a few seconds ago. “Wait a minute. That doesn’t make sense.”
“What doesn’t?” Clark wasn’t following her. Then again when she was in this mode, it was usually hard to follow where she was going.
“How did your mom end up with it?”
“That part I’m not sure about. She said the address it was sent from was here at the Planet. Joe in travel, to be exact. And since Joe never worked with Cat, I know it’s not a conspiracy between the two.” He smiled at her, knowing he beat her to the punch with that last line of thinking.
“So that means Cat is here…”
“And stumbled across this,” he waved his hand between them, “and went with it. Wrote it up and sent it to her editor.”
“But it doesn’t make it to him—or at least I hope it didn’t.” Lois suddenly had a stricken look on her face.
“Honey, I’m sure it didn’t. Let’s just concentrate on finding out how this happened.” Suddenly he noticed Lois wasn’t listening to him.
“What did you just say?” She asked, standing face to face with him.
“Let’s just concentrate on…”
“No. Before that.” She was looking at him in a way he didn’t know how to describe. It was like she was in awe of something.
He thought for a moment. Then it hit him and he wasn’t sure how she was going to react to it. He hadn’t even thought about it. He had just said it and it seemed right. Natural.
“Honey.” He said the word quietly, waiting for her to lash out at him for calling her that. He was sure she could see his vulnerability.
“Honey.” She repeated his word, “Honey.” She repeated it again, rolling it off her tongue. Testing it. “Say it again?”
“Honey.” He obliged her request.
“I like it. I never thought myself as a Honey.” She moved closer to him, awe definitely dripping from her voice. “What’s happening to me?”
It was a rhetorical question. In one moment by one word, the mood had changed. No worries could take this moment from them; they would have to wait.
Clark wrapped his arms around her, holding her in his embrace. It was a place he wanted her in—needed her in—but was also to offer support. Their heads inched closer and the kiss that was inevitable began. It wasn’t the most passionate kiss they had shared, like on the elevator, but it conveyed the love they had for one another.
After a couple of minutes passed and strength renewed, only then did they decide to come up for air.
“Okay, so what do we do now?”
“First Bobby calls you and we find out he ended up with an e-mail that contained your questionnaire that Mr. Stern tried to send to his wife. Which also means that Mr. Stern ended up with it somehow. From who we still have to find out. Then my mom receives an e-mail from Cat that contains information only the questionnaire had that was intended for her editor. Someone is tampering with the e-mail system.”
Lois picked up where she was sure he was headed.
“So who has the capability or knowledge?”
They stared at each other. The same thought echoing in their minds.
In unison, they shouted, “Jimmy!”
**********
to be continued...
