Live Another Day
Part 5:
Relief flooded through Clark when Lois Lane finally left him alone. Biting back a grunt, he shifted his position so that he could pick up the tip of the knife blade, which he had been hiding under his butt. He'd been fortunate that his legs hadn't buckled a moment too early. Clark had been afraid that Lois Lane would see the blade and notice that it wasn’t stained with blood. He should have thought about that sooner. Clark cursed himself, although he knew that it was no use fussing over spilt milk.
He looked over his shoulder, willing his x-ray vision to work. But all he managed to do was to give himself a headache. The bathroom door remained impenetrable. The water was still running and he hoped that the woman wasn’t watching him through any holes.
Keeping his eyes trained on the door, he smeared the blood that was still on his hands onto the blade. Then he put the blade into the box with the dressing material and closed the lid. His heart rate slowed down somewhat and Clark leaned his head back against the wall, allowing himself the time to assess his situation.
He was without any of his powers. That had last happened when Trask had attacked him. After stopping Nightfall, he'd been exhausted but not quite as out of it as he was now. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the memories of those days to stay where he’d tried to bury them. What he needed was sunlight and as much rest as he could afford right now. There were still a few hours left until he was supposed to blow up the Daily Planet building.
Gathering what little strength was left in him Clark pushed himself up once more. He steadied himself against the wall and limped toward the mattress that was lying on the floor. He was lucky that his window was facing east and that the first rays of sunlight painted the mattress in a golden light. Small favors.
Just as he passed the bathroom door the Lane woman came back and almost knocked Clark off his feet. He swayed a little but managed to make it toward the mattress, where he collapsed. At least he landed on his back instead of hitting his bad leg.
Ms. Lane sounded rather annoyed with him. “What do you think you’re doing?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Getting more comfortable,” Clark replied.
Against his will, he was amused by her sudden mother hen attitude. After everything he had done to her, she would have had every reason to hate him. Instead, she'd even helped him. Her defiance had been quite unnerving at first, but strange as that was, he was coming to appreciate it. Clark had never met a woman like Lois Lane. Well, truth be told, he hadn’t had the opportunity to meet any women during his time at Bureau 39 – except for the occasional run in with women who incidentally were at the same place as he was. And of course, his mother. But that was about it. So perhaps this was just the effect of being closer to a woman than he had ever been before?
Ms. Lane seemed to shrink a little as if his answer had taken the wind out of her sails. “Uh, okay.”
She unfolded her arms and brushed back a strand of hair. It was quite an endearing gesture. She seemed confused as if she didn’t know what to say. But whatever was on her mind, her silence only lasted a moment. Slowly, she moved a bit closer before she sat down across from him.
She lowered her voice. “You earlier said that I had almost blown your cover. What did you mean by that? Are you a cop?”
A brief surge of panic ran through Clark, until he realized that she had been quiet enough to keep any prying ears from overhearing them. He cursed himself that, so far, he hadn’t even wasted a thought on what he was going to tell her about himself. During his time as a spy for Bureau 39, he had rarely made his presence known to anyone. He’d mostly lived as a shadow. But if he wanted to keep her safe, he needed her cooperation. He couldn’t have her attempt another escape. And judging from his past experience with Lois Lane, he would have to be a lot more open with her than he probably had been with anyone else in the past ten years – excluding Dan Scardino. But that had happened rather unintentional. Clark knew he had to be more careful this time. He couldn’t tell her more than strictly necessary.
Clark took a deep, calming breath and shook his head. “No, I’m not a cop. But I’m working for the police.”
She was silent for a while. Maybe she was waiting if he would volunteer more information.
When Clark didn’t elaborate, she asked. “What are you doing here?”
For a moment, Clark pondered his answer. “I’m trying to get close to a crime lord who calls himself ‘The Boss.’”
Ms. Lane nodded. “I’ve heard some rumors on the streets. But nobody was willing to talk about him.”
Clark propped himself up on his elbows and moved towards the wall to rest his back against it. “That’s because whoever dares to as much as confirm his existence dies a sudden death.”
With a pang of satisfaction, he noticed that moving had become less of an effort than it had been before. He closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed the gentle caress of the sunlight on his skin. Perhaps he should remove his shirt to help his body soak up the sun's energy. But he didn't want to give Ms. Lane another reason to question his motives. He'd frightened her enough already.
The ache in his limbs gradually faded to a tolerable level. That was a good sign. He concentrated on his breathing and the flow of energy that ran through his body. Right now, it was a trickle rather than the powerful torrent he had learned to control over the years. He had to focus this trickle on restoring his strength before any of his other powers returned. That was a tricky task, because above everything else his body demanded to heal.
“Are you still with me?” Ms. Lane sounded concerned.
Clark opened his eyes again. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
She snorted. “You still don’t look fine. I asked you a question and you didn’t reply. You’re sure, that you didn’t pass out again?”
“Positive,” Clark said firmly. “What was your question?”
Once again, Ms. Lane folded her arms in front of her chest. “What are you going to do now?”
"Well, first of all I'll lick my wounds and then I'll get you out of here." Clark put on a thin-lipped smile.
Ms. Lane relaxed her stance somewhat. “Can I ask you another question?”
Clark leaned his head back. “Go ahead.”
“Who is Dan and what does he want from me?” All of a sudden, she seemed embarrassed. She clapped her hand over her mouth, probably regretting she had said anything.
Clark couldn’t help but chuckle. "So you heard that?"
She dropped her hand but her eyes wouldn’t meet his. "I ... I wasn't really listening."
Clark realized that she was probably still scared of him. It tore at his heart to see Ms. Lane like that. Though he didn’t know this woman very well, he had already seen how brave she was, how courageous. And from reading her work, he knew that she was also brilliant. Not to mention that she was quite beautiful… No, that was dangerous terrain and he wouldn’t go there.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Clark said gently. “There is nothing wrong with being curious. Was that the reason you ran away?” When she nodded, he continued. “I’m not going to hurt you. And I promise that I’m not going to do anything to put you in harm’s way.”
She stared at him, seeming surprised. “You…you’re not mad?”
Clark shook his head. “Why would I be mad?”
She blushed and looked down into her lap. “You got hurt because of me.”
Involuntarily, Clark’s gaze dropped to her lap as well and wandered across a pair of very shapely legs that were all too visible under her short skirt. His mouth ran dry. He forced his attention back to her face. But hard as he tried, he couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of her soft curves and the creamy skin of her cleavage. Once more, Clark closed his eyes to keep himself from looking again. Why was this woman having such an effect on him? And why was he incapable of keeping those emotions in check? She’d gone through enough without him ogling her.
Clark tried to appear casual as he shrugged. “That's not your fault. You did what you thought was your best option. Don't beat yourself up about it.”
A wonderful smile spread across her face. “You're a strange one, Chuck.”
He was helpless against the smile that was tugging at his own lips. “Is that so, Ms. Lane?”
“Uh huh, very strange.” She held out her hand. “Please call me Lois.”
A jolt of electricity ran through his arm as they shook hands. For the brief moment their contact lasted, his muscles felt less achy. It was as if the sun had suddenly brightened. His breath caught. He had never experienced anything even remotely like that. Clark was torn between the instinct to pull back and the strange desire to make this moment last. He felt utterly confused as she let go of his hand.
“Are you going to tell me who this Dan is?”
Clark needed a moment to collect his thoughts. “Dan Scardino. He’s a DEA-Agent and my contact on the outside world.”
Lois furrowed her brows. “Why’s the DEA involved?”
Clark sighed. “That’s a long story – one that I’d rather have Dan tell you instead of me. It’s more of a personal matter.”
If Lois wasn’t content with that reply, at least she didn’t let it show. “And why does he think I could help you get to ‘The Boss’?”
Clark shifted his position. “Before I tell you that, can I ask you a question?”
Lois sat down, leaning her back against the opposite wall. “Sure.”
Clark took a deep breath, trying to brace himself for the conversation. “How well do you know Lex Luthor? Dan said you were acquainted with him.”
For some reason Lois seemed a little flustered. “Why do you want to know that? Do you need his help? I guess, I could…”
He cut her off. “Would you please just answer the question?”
“We’ve dated a few times.” Her voice trailed off. For a moment, he thought that it was all she had to say. He was already pondering his next question, when she opened her mouth again. “He asked me to marry him.”
***
It was the first time Lois had admitted that to anyone. The words sounded so strange to her own ears, almost as if they belonged to a different language, one she didn’t speak very well. For someone, who maybe was about to be engaged, she had spent very little time thinking about her future fiancé ever since she had been abducted. To be precise, up until the moment Chuck had brought him up, she hadn’t thought about him at all. Not as someone whom she missed and not even as someone who could possibly get her out of this mess. What exactly did that tell her about her feelings for Lex Luthor?
“Marry him?” Chuck ground out. If he was trying to hide his surprise, he did a lousy job of it.
Lois’ cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. “Is that so unbelievable?” she asked indignantly. She regretted that she had even said anything. After all, she hardly knew this Chuck guy, and what she’d so far experienced in his presence wasn’t exactly inspiring confidence.
Chuck shook his head. “No. I mean, you’re a beautiful, intelligent woman. I bet you have a lot of admirers.”
His voice sounded a little husky and the gleam in his eyes made her think that in another place and time, he might have been one of them. But that gleam vanished so quickly, that Lois was sure she’d just imagined it. His expression became unreadable again.
Lois shrugged. “Not quite as many as you think.”
“And are you going to marry him?” Chuck asked.
Her first impulse was to tell him that he should mind his own business. Why was he even asking all those questions? It wasn’t like her private life was of any concern to him. But before she had even consciously thought about her reply, her lips moved on their own volition.
Much to her own surprise, she heard herself say. “I don’t know. I haven’t said yes, yet.”
She met his eyes, expecting him to say something, to comment, to criticize… anything. But for a long while he didn’t say anything at all, he just watched her with rapt attention. Lois squirmed in her place.
“I guess it’s a tough decision,” he said quietly.
Lois had no idea how it even happened, but she found herself talking to him again. It was so easy that the words just flowed from her lips.
“Well, yes. I mean, marriage is supposed to be forever. Not that I have much experience in that department.” She hung her head. “My parents got divorced when I was young. I don’t want to end like them. I don’t want to repeat their mistakes.”
She felt the same lump in her throat that had been her almost constant companion since Lex had proposed. It had been noticeably absent ever since her abduction. And to be completely honest, she hadn’t exactly missed this feeling of unease.
Brushing those thoughts aside, she went on. “But love is overrated, anyway. I mean, nobody can forever be in love with someone else. The butterflies will sooner or later subside and what’s going to be left? Only hurt and pain!” What happened here? Was she actually starting to feel comfortable around him? Once again Lois clapped her hand in front of her mouth. “Oh my gosh, did I just say that out loud?”
“Yes,” Chuck’s expression was sympathetic. “I take it you’ve been hurt before.”
For days, Lois had hoped that she could talk about all those feelings. That she was doing it now and in this particular place, with this particular man left her stunned beyond belief. Of all the people she could have talked with, Chuck seemed by far the worst choice.
But nevertheless, she was unable to stop. It seemed like a dam had broken. “I’m just not very good in the relationship department. I guess it’s me. I’m too intense. Most guys run off screaming as soon as they’ve dated me once or twice. Lex is the only man who has ever stayed around long enough to propose. He’s handsome and kind and incredibly rich. Wouldn’t I be stupid to say ‘No’ if such a man asks me to marry him?”
Chuck’s eyes never left her. “Then why haven’t you said yes yet?”
“Because I don’t love him,” Lois whispered. She felt her cheeks flush. “I respect him. That’s a solid basis for a relationship, don’t you think? I mean, I could probably grow to love him, and…” She trailed off, realizing how very pathetic she was sounding. “Oh, how am I supposed to make such a big decision in only a couple of days? Assuming that I still have the opportunity to marry anyone when this is all over.”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Chuck said. “And if Luthor really is in love with you, he should be willing to wait until you’ve made your decision.”
Lois let out a breath. “Perhaps you’re right.” An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Somehow, she had trouble envisioning Lex as a patient man. Frankly, the prospect of saying ‘No’ to him scared her. “It’s so strange. I can picture myself as his companion on balls and official events. But I just don’t see the two of us cuddling on a sofa and watching TV. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him outside his tux.” She laughed softly, but quickly sobered as she watched Chuck, whose jaw was working. “I’m sorry. I guess you didn’t ask me about Lex to discuss my love life. That was inappropriate.”
All of a sudden, she felt incredibly sheepish. Why had she told Chuck all those things? It wasn’t like her at all to be so open about her feelings. But somehow, tending to his wounds, helping him undress had created an atmosphere of intimacy that she was unable to evade. Somehow, she no longer felt threatened by him. And escaping wasn't on the top of her priority list, either. When had that happened? And how?
Chuck gave her a wry smile. “I admit that wasn’t quite what I expected. But it’s okay.”
She harrumphed uneasily. “It’s just – I’ve wanted to talk about all of this for some time now. But why I chose you of all people – Perhaps, Stockholm’s syndrome is already getting to me? Anyway, I’m sorry.”
Chuck chuckled. “Don’t be. If anyone has to be sorry about anything, it’s me. What I really meant to ask you is what do you know about Luthor’s business dealings?”
Lois shrugged, trying to collect herself. “Not much. He’s never answered any of my questions. I tried to interview him once, but instead, he charmed my pants off me. Not literally, of course. I guess he’s done some questionable things. But all in all, he’s also done a lot of good for the city.”
Chuck took a deep breath. “What if I told you that Lex Luthor is the criminal mastermind, I’m looking for.”
Lois felt as if someone had pulled the rug out from under her. “Lex? That can't be!” She shook her head vigorously, as if it was a means of getting the accusation out of her mind. She wasn't as far gone yet that she was ready to trust Chuck on his say-so.
Chuck didn't seem to mind her defiance. For a while he just watched her as if he was studying her expression carefully. “Okay, let’s assume, just for one moment that he is this criminal mastermind. Would you warn him that I’m onto him?”
Lois felt a surge of anger course through her. “Why, of course not! Do you think so little of me? I’m an investigative reporter, remember? And if he really is dirty, then I would want him brought to justice. You would bring him to justice, right? This isn’t just some act of vengeance for anything he might have done to you or someone close to you, is it?”
Chuck looked appalled. “He’s going to face a fair trial. I’m not on a private vendetta, not for me and not for anyone else.”
Lois relaxed somewhat. “These are serious accusations. Do you have any proof?”
“I have enough evidence to link him to the Messenger catastrophe,” he said quietly.
Lois folded her hands in front of her chest. “Antoinette Baines was responsible for the sabotage.”
"And whose Space Station is scheduled to launch in six months?" Chuck replied unfazed.
Lois shook her head. This was outrageous. It was fantastic that Space Station Luthor would so soon be ready to fill the gap that had been left by this horrible disaster. “That doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Chuck obviously wasn’t done, yet. “It’s awfully convenient that he had his space project ready when EPRAD was failing with theirs, don’t you think? He also ordered the tests with Mentamide 5 on those kids.”
White hot fury settled in her stomach and made Lois jump up from where she had been sitting. “Are you implying that I didn’t investigate well enough?”
“It’s not your fault. He’s hiding his tracks very well.” Chuck’s reply was still patient and gentle.
His expression was so sincere, that the rage in her subsided quickly. It left her with an intangible feeling of discomfort. She clutched her arms around herself, turned her back on Chuck and started pacing through the room.
“I don't believe it. He… Lex is… not like that. You have to be mistaken.” She couldn’t help but notice that her defense of him sounded rather weak.
“That’s not everything.” Chuck took a deep breath before he continued. "He ordered us to blow up the Daily Planet."
“What?” Lois stopped dead in her tracks. "So that's what you've been doing? You planted explosives?“
Chuck simply nodded. It was probably the most devastating motion Lois had ever seen. An ugly beast consisting of fear, rage and blind panic raised its head within her, growing and pounding against her insides so hard that Lois felt like she was going to be torn apart.
“But why would he do that? He owns the Daily Planet! That's crazy.” She wanted to shout, but her voice was too hoarse.
Chuck shrugged. “To be honest, I haven't figured that out yet. I tried to find some clues, but nothing turned up.”
“Was that the reason you were gone for several minutes?” Lois asked.
When Chuck nodded, she started pacing again. Lois desperately tried to get a grip on what Chuck had just told her. It sounded all so – she couldn’t even think of an appropriate term. And he hadn’t even been gone for all that long.
Lois furrowed her brows. "But how could you have expected to find anything in such a short amount of time?"
Chuck looked down at his hands. He seemed very uncomfortable all of a sudden. “Let's just say I'm very good at finding secrets.“
Lois took a calming breath. “Did it occur to you that you didn't find anything because you’re mistaken? About Lex, I mean.”
Chuck looked at her ruefully. “I'm positive it's him, Lois.”
“Then show me your proof! So far, I’ve heard nothing but unfounded accusations. My editor-in-chief would throw me out of his office if I had nothing more concrete than what you’ve brought up so far. ” Why did she suddenly feel like she had to defend herself? After all, Cuck was a perfect stranger and she knew Lex Luthor personally.
Chuck shifted his position and grimaced with pain. “Perry White, huh? From what I hear, he’s an old newshound and very particular about what he’s printing.”
“You bet! He’s the best editor-in-chief the Daily Planet has ever had. There’s hardly anything that escapes his notice.” Lois felt herself relax slightly as she thought about Perry and the Daily Planet. She missed him and her life at the Daily Planet, too. There was no question about that.
“You love working at the Daily Planet,” Chuck said quietly.
Lois felt a bit thrown by his sudden change of topic. “It’s a dream come true.”
Before her mind’s eye, she saw Perry and Jimmy. They were something like the family her parents should have been. Chuck’s words from earlier returned with a vengeance. Lex had ordered him to blow up the Planet? He’d been there to plant explosives. As if someone had turned a light on, it dawned on her that an explosion was probably the final step that would seal the Planet’s fate.
She stormed towards Chuck, knelt down beside him and grabbed him by his shoulders. “You’re not going through with it, are you?” she gasped. “I mean, you're one of the good guys, didn’t you just say that? Please tell me, you’re not going to destroy the Daily Planet. I’d be lost without it.”
Chuck looked at her with sad eyes and shook his head. “I don’t think I have a choice in the matter, Lois. But I’m beginning to understand why Luthor is willing to destroy his own property.”
Feeling like someone had sucked the air out of her lungs, she let go of him. “Why?”
Chuck let out a breath. “Because you haven’t said yes yet.”
“You’re saying that he’s doing that because of me?” Lois jumped back to her feet.
Even though she knew that she had heard Chuck just fine, part of her hoped that she had misunderstood. She stared at him, waiting in vain that he would throw back his head and laugh at her for being so utterly presumptuous. Only, he didn’t laugh. In fact, his expression couldn’t have been more serious.
“But…but that’s insane,” she muttered. Lois felt like she was falling into an abyss. “Can you prove any of that? Lex is a well-respected man and these are serious accusations. I’m not going to believe any of it, until you show me solid evidence.”
She took a few steps back and tried to collect her thoughts. It was impossible that Lex Luthor could have fooled her like that. Her reporter’s instincts would have told her if there was something fishy about the man, wouldn’t they? She clutched at the thought like it was a lifeline. The hours since her abduction had been nothing but a rollercoaster ride. Every fiber of her being fought against having her world turned upside down. She didn’t want to have to question her abilities as a reporter, because what would be left of her if she didn’t even strive at what she thought she did best?
Chuck cleared his throat. “Right now, I can’t.”
Relief mixed with a surge of rage flooded through Lois. “Wait a moment, this is all just conjecture?” She threw her hands up, readying herself for one of her famous rants.
Clark went on, before she had a chance to speak. “I have nothing that would hold up in court. And I can’t show you anything, because Inspector Henderson of the Metropolis Police Department has everything Dan and I’ve uncovered. They can show you later.”
Lois felt like someone had knocked her over the head. “Hen…Henderson?” She stumbled back a few steps, catching herself against the wall. “Bill Henderson believes you?” She respected the Inspector as an incorruptible, hard-working police officer who certainly wouldn’t support any of this if it was based on nothing but a hunch. Her world was shattering to pieces. “Can I… can I talk to him?”
Clark closed his eyes. He didn’t reply.
To be continued...
