Home: Circle of Fate 8/?
by Nan Smith
Previously:
The police inspector regarded her with a deadpan expression. "Personally, I think if Tempus goes after the two of you, he's going to be lucky to escape with his life. The thought of two Lois Lanes running around town is enough to strike fear to the hardiest crook. And me," he added, thoughtfully. "Still, I'd miss it if you weren't around to insult me now and then, so do me the favor of being careful; all right?"
"We will," Lois said. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Henderson reached for the phone. "I think an APB would be in order."
"If you catch him, I get the exclusive," Lois said.
Henderson's lips twitched again. "Why doesn't this surprise me? I'll let you know when and if we find him."
**********
And now, Part 8:
"I'm hungry," Lois announced. She inserted the key into the ignition and started the Cherokee's engine. "Clark promised to call me if he was going to make it home at any decent hour, and he hasn't, so I think we're on our own tonight. What would you like?"
"I don't know," Lori said. "Maybe we could get some take-out, but I'm afraid I don't have any money with me."
"I figured that," Lois said. "It'll be my treat. What do you like?"
"Well, Mexican is good," Lori said. "Or Italian. Actually, I'm dying for a triple hot fudge sundae."
"You too?" Lois said. They looked at each other and grinned. "I know just the place," she continued. "There's this great Italian restaurant that Clark and I go to a lot. The food is out of this world, and they make the most decadent chocolate desserts I've ever tasted."
"That sounds like my kind of place," Lori said. "Let's go."
Fifteen minutes later, Lois pulled the Cherokee into a well-lit parking lot beside a quaint little restaurant with a sign above the door that announced that this was "Sergio's Italian Ristorante". Lois locked the car and together the two of them followed a chattering party of two adults and three children to the entrance of Sergio's.
The minute they entered, Lori recognized the Twentieth Century décor that so many restaurants of her time tried to copy, and somehow never quite seemed to achieve. She could hear the voices of many patrons chattering as they enjoyed their meals. From hidden speakers, a male voice was crooning "Return to Sorrento", and the aromas of garlic and marinara sauce floated in the air. Lori's mouth started to water.
Lois stepped up to the desk and informed the smiling woman that they were two for dinner. The woman nodded. "Would that be for Clark Kent, party of two?" she inquired.
Lois shook her head. "No, Clark is out of town on assignment, tonight," she said. "My cousin is visiting Metropolis, and she loves Italian food, so tonight it's Lois, party of two."
The woman glanced at Lori, who stood a couple of feet behind Lois. "All right; it will be about ten minutes," she said.
Lois and Lori retreated to the bench that ran along one wall and settled down to wait.
"They seem to know you here," Lori said.
"You could say that," Lois agreed. "We're practically on a first name basis with the whole staff. Clark loves Italian food -- but I guess you know that."
Lori nodded. "I do too, though," she said. "Clark's a really good cook."
"I guess he does most of the cooking, huh?" Lois asked.
"I'm afraid so. I can cook but not very well, and I hate it. The only things I'm really good at are scrambled eggs, brownies and fudge. And I can make a pretty good peanut butter sandwich."
Lois surprised her by laughing out loud. "Some things never change. If Clark and I had had to depend on my cooking, we'd have both starved to death."
"Well," Lori said, giving the subject due consideration, "if I were the one doing the cooking, we might not starve, but I can say positively that dinner wouldn't be the highlight of our day. My mother tried to teach me to cook, but there were so many other things that I was interested in that I never seemed to have the time."
"I know," Lois said. "My mother didn't do much cooking, especially after my dad left us. Lucy and I grew up mostly on things that didn't have to be cooked. Anybody can make a tuna sandwich, or dry cereal."
"I guess so," Lori said. "Clark said my mother reminded him of yours."
"Oh?" Lois asked. "Don't tell me she has a drinking problem."
"It's a long story," Lori said. "My mother is very controlling. She disliked Clark from the time she met him because she could tell I was interested in him. She didn't want Marcy or me to get married. We only recently got a lot of that straightened out. Now she's one of his biggest supporters."
"I'm glad of that," Lois said. "My mother finally got into rehab and it looks like she and my dad may get back together. I hope they do." She glanced at her watch. "I'm starving. I hope we don't have to wait too long."
"Me too," Lori said. She glanced at her wrist talker. "It's only been about five minutes, but it seems longer." She looked around at the bustling restaurant. There were women in evening dresses, and other women in blue jeans, men in suits, and men in jeans and T-shirts. One couple caught her attention as they were escorted into the main restaurant and she watched them disappear, somewhat bemused. The woman was wearing an outfit reminiscent of a warrior maid, and her escort was dressed as Robin Hood.
Lois followed her gaze. "They're probably with the theater group that's performing in Centennial Park," she remarked.
"Oh," Lori said. "I was wondering."
"You never know, though," Lois said. "Maybe they just dressed that way for the heck of it. Metropolis attracts all kinds."
"I guess it hasn't changed that much in my time, either," Lori said. She leaned back against the wall, still looking around in fascination at the living people of the century into which Clark had been born. "You know, Clark has told me a lot about this era," she said, keeping her voice low. The chatter and the background music made it highly unlikely that anyone would overhear. "It's a lot different than the history books portray it, but I think that's because the people who write the books have a kind of romantic idea about the 'good old days'."
Lois snorted. "People have the same ideas about the 'good old days' for us, too. Only, of course, our 'good old days' were in the Nineteenth Century. I don't know what was so good about them. No air conditioning on hot days, no computers, not even any decent electric lighting. People went to bed at sundown because otherwise they had to walk around by candlelight, or use kerosene lamps."
Lori giggled. "I know exactly what you mean," she said. "People don't think about the things that the people of the past didn't have and the inconveniences that they put up with. In my time, the whole city of Metropolis is interconnected with slidewalks."
"'Slidewalks?'" Lois repeated. "You mean, moving sidewalks?"
"Uh huh. And we have aircars as well as groundcars."
"You mentioned them," Lois said, a little enviously. "I'd love to have a flying car."
Lori hid a smile. "You will," she said. "I just can't tell you when. I just wish I could talk Clark into getting one for us."
"Well," Lois said, "if you're determined enough, you can probably convince him. I have one question, though."
"Okay," Lori said cautiously, "I'll answer it if I can."
"How did you find the townhouse? You couldn't have called a taxi. You don't have any money."
"I got dropped off at the Planet," Lori said, "and I walked to your place. It's still there in my time. Clark and I live in a security apartment a few blocks from the Planet, but one of your descendents and his family lives at the townhouse."
"That was why you were looking around the kitchen like you'd seen a ghost, this afternoon," Lois said. "Is it that different?"
Lori shrugged. "Some. The kitchen appliances are different. The fertility statue from Borneo is in our apartment. It was a bit of a shock seeing it at the townhouse, even though logically I knew it would be there. It's kind of strange, though."
"What is?"
"Your house was half-way familiar, like I'd seen it before, the way it is now. I guess I did in a way -- the same way I sort of remembered Martha and Jonathan Kent, when I saw their picture. I thought I was going crazy for a while, before I figured it out."
Lois regarded her steadily for a long moment. "Is this as weird for you as it is for me?" she asked finally.
"Probably," Lori said. "It's weird, all right. I always wondered if I could live up to the example you set, you know. You're kind of a legend in the family."
"Me?" Lois said. "I'm nothing unusual."
"Yes you are," Lori contradicted. "Clark told me that without you, he could never have succeeded as Superman. I don't know if that's exactly true, but I think it would have been a lot harder for him if he hadn't had you to support him. You set an example for all the others to follow, and you gave them a standard to live up to. You're as important to the legend of Superman as the man, himself."
"But you do that for him in your time," Lois said. "It seems to me that you have to be pretty remarkable, too."
"I don't know about that," Lori said. "Ronnie's told me that I'm carrying on the family tradition, but I wonder sometimes if she's just being nice."
"Ronnie?"
"Uh -- one of your descendents," Lori said. "Ultra Woman. You remind me a little of her."
"I guess that doesn't surprise me," Lois said. "You know -- in a funny way, I think I do know you. I'll *be* you, someday, even if I won't remember much about being Lois Lane. Do you really think I'll be that different from who I am now?"
Lori hesitated. "I don't know. I hope not. I wonder sometimes if Clark would want you in my place if he could have you there. He says he loves me as I am -- in *this* lifetime, but I know that he misses you sometimes. I know he'll never forget you -- not that I'd want him to."
"Of course he won't," Lois said. "But Lori, I'm his soul mate in *this* time -- 1999. In your time, 2099, it's you. I belong with him here and now. When your time comes around, it will be your place, and he'll love you then as much as *my* Clark loves me now. I know Clark as well as anyone can, and when he loves, he loves whole-heartedly. You don't forget someone you love, even when that person is gone, but the beauty of it is, he and I will still be together, even if it's as Lori Lyons. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
The loudspeaker paged "Lois, party of two", and Lois heaved herself to her feet. "At last!"
Lori also got up, and the two women followed the hostess to a small table in a corner booth. The woman indicated the spot and then surveyed both of them with a look of mild consternation.
"I didn't realize both of you were ... is there enough room for you? If not, I can get you another table."
Lori squeezed into one seat. Her middle came to within an inch of the table edge. "Only if we don't have to wait any longer. If we do, I'll vote for staying here. I'm hungry enough to eat the Coliseum."
"This will do," Lois informed her. "And can we get some breadsticks or something? She's not the only one that's starving."
The hostess eyed them in a nervous way that made Lori want to grin. "Your server will be right here."
Lois squeezed into the other place as the woman retreated. The fit was snug, but adequate. Barely.
"I guess you have the same incredible appetite as me," she said.
"Yeah," Lori said. "I eat all the time. It's embarrassing."
"That's for sure," Lois said. "I can't say I'll be unhappy to have this over with. Only then, of course, CJ will be here and I'll be learning a completely new job."
"Yeah," Lori said. "Me too. I hope I don't put the diaper on backwards or something. I've diapered my sister's baby, but this is different."
Lois grinned suddenly. "I guess I'm not the only one that's worried," she said. "At least you had somebody else's baby to practice on. The only 'baby' I've ever practiced on was a doll."
Lori giggled. "But you'll have your mom, and Clark's mom to help you," she said.
"My mom lives in Jersey City," Lois said. "I can't just drop in whenever the baby needs to be changed. And Martha and Jonathan are in Smallville."
"I'm no better off," Lori said. "My mother is in Los Angeles and my sister is a high fashion model in New York. My editor's wife coached me a lot, but she's a senior engineer at Genie Electronics. I can't call her up for help any time I feel like it, either."
"I guess we're both going to have to learn on the job," Lois said. "Clark said he'd help me, but he's a guy. I mean, how much does a guy know about babies?"
"Well, he said he used to baby-sit when he was in his teens to earn extra money," Lori said. "He's taken care of babies before. He probably knows more than both of us put together."
"That figures," Lois said. "I think he mentioned the baby-sitting once, but I wasn't paying much attention. I was still in my panic phase about this whole thing."
Lori heaved a small sigh of relief. "You make me feel better," she said. "I went into a panic too. Clark thought it was funny."
"He would," Lois said. "I guess to him it's no big deal."
"Not anymore, anyway," Lori said.
"I suppose not," Lois said. "Are there a lot of super people around in your time?"
Lori hesitated. "Uh ... yeah, kind of."
"So all Clark's descendents have his powers," Lois said.
Lori shook her head. "Not all of them. *Your* children do, but after that, not all of them got the powers. Some of them are ordinary people."
Lois frowned. "Why is that?"
"Well, Dr. Klein could probably explain it better. He's probably already figured it out," Lori said.
"I'll ask him, but why don't you just tell me?" Lois suggested. "It isn't as if it will make any difference."
Lori hesitated. Lois scowled. "Look, if Dr. Klein can figure it out, it isn't something that's going to change the future."
"I guess not," Lori said. "Did you take any biology in school?"
"Yeah, in high school. My school required 3 years of science classes."
"Then you've seen the charts about how brown-eyed parents can have a blue-eyed child," Lori said. "It's pretty similar. Some of your grandkids didn't get the super gene from their super-powered parent. That's all."
"Yeah, I can see how that could happen," Lois said. "But I guess a lot of them did."
"Yeah," Lori admitted. "A lot of them did."
"Wow," Lois said.
They fell silent as a young woman approached the table and made quick work of setting out silverware, glasses of water, two menus and a plate of breadsticks. Lois and Lori both took one and began to munch.
"I'm Sara," she said. "I'll be your server this evening. Would you like a few minutes to look over the menu?"
Lois took another bite and nodded. Sara disappeared, and Lori stuffed the remainder of her breadstick into her mouth, took another and opened the menu.
"Everything looks good," Lois mumbled with a full mouth. She reached for a second breadstick.
"Yeah," Lori agreed, chewing valiantly on her own. "What do you recommend?"
Lois swallowed her mouthful. "The Chicken Parmesan is pretty good. In fact, everything I've eaten here is pretty good. Why don't we get the bruschetta for an appetizer? Or maybe some stuffed mushrooms. Or both."
"Sounds good to me," Lori said. "I could probably eat half the stuff on the menu without trying."
"So could I," Lois said. "The Italian herbed chicken with a side of pasta in marinara sauce sounds pretty good."
"So does the -- I can't pronounce it, but the fettuccine with shellfish and clam sauce," Lori said. "That's the trouble with coming into a place like this when you're really hungry. You want everything." She selected another breadstick and bit off a healthy chunk.
"Well, let's go for that," Lois said. "They serve it family style here, so it'll come on a big platter and we'll help ourselves. There's some side dishes that go with the entrée. I'm going to order the herbed chicken, too, and then we can go for one of the big chocolate desserts." She snagged the final breadstick. "You don't know how nice it is to see someone else doing the same thing I am. Is it like this for all --" She dropped her voice, "Superbabies?"
"Pretty much," Lori said. "If the mother is non-super. Sometimes you get surprised, like happened to my sister, Marcy, but most of the time it's like this."
"Your sister is married to one of my descendents?"
"Yeah," Lori said. "They had a little boy, and the family doctor told her just the other day that he's going to have his dad's powers."
"Wow," Lois said, a second time.
**********
Lois unlocked the outer door of the Kent townhouse and pulled it open. Lori held the Styrofoam boxes containing the leftovers of their meal. They weren't large, but it would make a good midnight snack, Lois had pointed out, since neither saw anything amiss with the idea of seafood pasta and Death by Chocolate cake in the middle of the night, at least while they were both so hungry all the time. Besides, as Lois had said reasonably, Clark wasn't here to make a midnight trip to some eatery for their benefit.
"I wonder if Dr. Klein has made any progress," Lori said, as Lois locked the door behind them.
"He probably would have called," Lois said, turning to open the inner door. "Still, with Bernie you never know. He's probably absorbed in studying the technology of the thing. You know, it occurred to me to wonder if letting him see future technology will do anything to the future."
"The principle comes from the eighteen hundreds, though," Lori said. "The people of the future didn't discover time travel -- HG Wells did. All they did was refine it a little. Dr. Klein could have done that, himself, if he'd seen the blueprints of the time machine."
"I hadn't thought of that," Lois said. "You're probably right. What I'd like to know is how Tempus got hold of the thing. He was able to build a time machine like Wells's, but I doubt he has the technical knowledge to build something like the time window control."
"Maybe he stole it," Lori suggested.
"It wouldn't surprise me a bit," Lois said. "Andrus had a time window, so I suspect it's Time Cop technology. If he stole it from a time cop, they're going to be after him."
"If they have any way to track him," Lori said.
They entered the townhouse and Lois shut the inner door behind them. Lori glanced at the antique mantle clock -- which wasn't as much of an antique in this time -- noting that it was past eleven. "I wonder where Tempus is right now," she said.
"So do I," Lois said. "I'm just glad he hasn't got any of his futuristic gadgets to work with. He'd have an easy time getting in here if he did, but without them he's just as likely to trigger the alarm as any burglar." She glanced at the containers of food that Lori held. "Let's go warm that up," she said. "And I think there's some chocolate ice cream left in the freezer, and there's a quart of milk in the fridge."
"Sounds good," Lori said.
Lois set the food in the microwave while Lori got out the dishes and the ice cream. Within a few minutes, they were sitting at the kitchen table, splitting up the pasta.
"You know," Lois said, a fork full of pasta halfway to her mouth, "Clark knows how to build a time machine."
Lori nearly dropped her glass of milk. "He *does*?"
"Well, sure. When Tempus stole Wells' time machine and kidnapped him, Wells dropped the plans for his machine and Clark used them to build another one so we could follow."
"And Clark's memory is photographic!" Lori finished. "I hadn't thought of that!"
"So," Lois finished triumphantly, "if we can find some way to tell Clark where you are, he could come back and get you!"
**********
