Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Federal Disaster (23-24/37)

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Chapter 23

The Planet was the usual level of busy, and Lois was slightly grateful for that. Lots of people meant that it was unlikely anything would happen to her. Still, despite her continued belief that Lex’s obsession would keep him from hurting her, at least for now, she had no idea how much control Lex had over Mills. If he got wind that they were working to stop him, he might take matters into his own hands. Lois was not naive enough to believe she was completely safe.

The fact that they had put things in motion to move the money made her even more nervous. And not just for herself. She knew the moment Steven set foot into that bank, Lex would be alerted as to what was happening. She worried for him, and for about the millionth time since she’d made that phone call, regretted ever pulling his card from her pocket.

Clark walked over to her desk with her, lingering as she settled in and scanned the room for Jimmy and Claude. She caught sight of both of them over by the coffee maker and gave them a nod to let them know she was here.

She could sense Clark’s reluctance to leave, despite the people around them. Reaching out and touching his hand gently, he met her eyes.

“I couldn’t be more safe,” she told him. “I won’t take any unnecessary risks, I promise.”

“I know,” he said, his voice heavy with uncertainty. “Just do me a favour, and stay away from the windows, okay?”

“Only if you promise me you will look in on Steven from time to time. He’s about 5’11” with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. He said he was going to the bank this afternoon and I’m worried that —”

“I’ll keep an eye out,” Clark promised. He sighed. “I should —”

“Go,” she finished for him, and he gave her a small smile before heading over to Jimmy and Claude to check the tracker and say his goodbyes.

Once he was gone, Jimmy and Claude headed back to her desk. Jimmy handed her a coffee and Claude pulled up a chair, a stack of papers in his hands. Both looked highly nervous — as if they were both holding a bomb in their hands.

“Is that what I think it is?” Lois asked. Claude nodded.

“Enough to tie the name Rex Alexander AND Vice President Wilson to Lex Luthor.” Jimmy said, sounding slightly awestruck.

“We just…weren’t sure what to do next,” Claude admitted.

“I can call Henderson,” Lois said thinking aloud, “but we wouldn’t want Wilson arrested right away. It would tip off Mills and by extension, Lex. We need them to think their plan is on track so they don’t switch the date and time.”

“But wouldn’t that mean putting the President in danger?” Jimmy asked. “I know we trust that Superman is going to save him, but what if something goes wrong?”

“We definitely need to get word to the President about what’s going on,” Lois agreed. “I’ll talk to Superman, and get him to fill the President in. You’re right that he should know what’s happening now that we have proof. If Superman asks him to keep things quiet, I bet he will listen.”

“So what should we do until then?” Jimmy wondered.

“Keep an eye on the tracker,” Lois replied. “I’m going to call Inspector Henderson and see if we can coordinate a plan of action with Superman.”

Claude and Jimmy nodded and both went back to watching the tracker. Lois dialled the number for the Metropolis Police and punched in Henderson’s extension, memorised after so many years spent hounding him for statements. When she got his voice mail, she left a message asking him to call her back as soon as possible and set her phone down, slightly frustrated.

Their plan was coming together. They had their ducks lined up in a row and they were ready to take down Luthor, so why did she feel so unsettled?

She spent the next hour alternating between following the tracker with Jimmy and Claude and staring at the phone, willing Henderson to call her back just so she could feel useful. If this were any other story, she’d have already grabbed her coat and headed out the door to the precinct to see if she could track down Henderson in person. He hated when she did that, insisting that he did have other responsibilities, yet always seemed begrudgingly grateful when a tip or hunch she had panned out, so he hadn’t yet outright banned her from the station.

But she couldn’t do that right now. She’d promised Clark she wouldn’t. And, if she was perfectly honest with herself, she didn’t want to. Despite the fact that Lex was still in prison, she couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt more exposed. Lex would know by now that the money was being moved. How enraged would that make him? Would it be enough to push him over the edge? She didn’t think for a second that his obsession with her completely ruled out violence. The moment he truly understood he could never have her, he would turn. And what about Clark? Lex had already gotten his hands on Kryptonite in the past. What if he had more stashed somewhere?

She sighed, hating the way her thoughts were running away with her, and was surprised to find herself feeling grateful when she looked up and saw Claude heading over to her desk.

“I thought I would grab some lunch for all of us at the cafe down the street. You like chicken salad, right?”

Lois nodded and thanked him as he left. She glanced over at Jimmy once more and was about to pick up the phone to call Henderson again when it rang loudly, startling her so badly she jumped, almost spilling her third cup of coffee.

“Lois Lane,” she said brusquely, unable to keep the hint of irritation from her voice. She expected to hear Henderson make a dryly sarcastic comment about the amount of messages she’d left on his machine, but instead another voice coldly slithered into her ears — one she hadn’t expected to hear from and that made her blood run cold.

“Hello, Lois.”

Two simple words. That was all he said — all he had to say, and it felt as if the world had tilted slightly on its axis. Her breathing was suddenly shallow, and she found herself casting about the newsroom looking for…but no, Clark wasn’t there. She wasn’t sure how, but in her gut she was certain Lex had known.

“What do you want, Luthor?” She used his last name intentionally, creating a barrier between them that she knew Lex would pick up on. Similarly, she forced herself to sound dispassionate, to send the message that his call did not have any effect on her one way or another.

“I think you know what I want,” Lex replied, his tone slightly chilly, which betrayed his emotions in a way that told Lois she had gotten to him. Lex prided himself on always being in control, so the fact that his control was slipping, even slightly said a lot. “I want my money.”

“I think you’ll find that’s my money,” Lois replied, finding it easier to sound almost casual now that she sensed she had the upper hand. He was in prison. She wasn’t sure exactly how much he knew they were up to beyond the money being moved, but it didn’t matter. For now anyway, she was safe. He was a voice on a phone, nothing more.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, my love,” Lex said, his voice low and silky. Though the effect was meant to sound threatening, Lois barely reacted, but for a small cringe at his use of the words ‘my love’. The initial shock of the call having worn off, she now saw the conversation as an opportunity.

“I’m not playing at anything,” Lois replied firmly. “You manipulated me into creating that account. But you’re a fool if you think I would let you get your hands on it now that I know it’s there. You’ll never see that money again, Luthor, I promise you.”

“It’s almost cute that you think you’re in control here. That you think you can deny me just because you have my money,” Lex said with a sinister growl. Despite her newfound strength, she suppressed a tiny shudder as he spoke. It had never been more clear just how truly insane he was. “The truth is that money comes and goes. What matters is how we feel for each other. You just need to be reminded of how it was. I will remind you. When I see you again, you’ll remember and we —”

“You think it’s that simple?” Lois said, seizing the opportunity to hurt him, to wound him. She needed him angry and desperate. As dangerous as it might be, she needed him to lose control, to get sloppy. Any information he might accidentally give them would make stopping him that much easier. “You think I could ever feel anything for you again other than disgust? Once upon a time I may have deluded myself into thinking that respect was enough, but love? I didn’t feel it then and I certainly couldn’t feel it now. You’re pathetic. A pitiful shell of a man, cowardly phoning me from a prison cell.”

“Don’t —” he warned, and she noticed the way his voice shook ever so slightly.

“Don’t what?” she taunted, lowering her voice when Jimmy shot her a curious look. “You can’t hurt me now. Your money is gone. Your power is gone. Who is going to do your dirty work once you can no longer pay your debts?”

“I still have a trick or two up my sleeve,” Lex growled. Come on, she urged him silently. Slip up. Make a mistake.

“Then you'd better show your hand,” she replied calmly. “Because you’re running out of time.”

“You think you’re safe, do you?” he asked her, his voice reverting back to the calm and controlled tone she was used to. Her shoulders slumped. Now that he’d regained his composure, he wouldn’t slip again. She was about to say good-bye and hang up the phone, when he spoke again. “Sitting there, at your desk, surrounded by your co-workers, your friends…but not your fiance. Where is he, Lois? Surely he didn't leave you alone. Not now…"

"How did you —?"

"You must feel very secure," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Nobody can touch you there, right?”

She should hang up. Just put the phone down and yet for some reason, she couldn’t move her hand. It clutched the phone tightly and pressed it against her ear while she closed her eyes, repeating to herself over and over that he couldn’t hurt her. Not now. Not here.

“You’re not safe, Lois,” he continued, his voice a deep menacing growl. “You will never be safe. I will always be there. And deep down you know it. You know you’ll never be rid of me. You’ll never be free. It’s how I know that there is still a chance I can win you back.”

“How on Earth can you be so deluded?” she breathed, unable to keep the emotion from her voice.

“Because,” and she could hear the smugness in his tone sending shivers up her spine. “You haven't hung up the phone. You’re still there. Still listening.”

She hung up immediately, hands shaking as she drew a thready breath and took a deep swig of her now-cold coffee.

Was he right? Win or lose, prison or no prison, was there always going to be a small part of her that lived in fear of Lex Luthor? Was her marriage to Clark doomed to be haunted by his ghost?

She shook the thoughts from her head, trying desperately to focus on something other than the phone call. Her salvation came in the form of Claude returning from the deli with her lunch.

“One chicken salad sandwich,” he said, handing it to her.

She took it from him wordlessly and bit into it, chewing almost furiously. She suddenly felt ravenous — as if she hadn’t eaten in months. It must have been noticeable, for Claude raised an eyebrow as he sat down next to her desk and unwrapped his BLT.

“They aren’t going to run out you know,” he told her as she finished the first half of the sandwich. “I promise there will be more tomorrow if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“You know, you’re not nearly as funny as you think you are,” she replied dryly, oddly grateful for the banter.

“I’ll make a note of it,” he shot back. He glanced back over to where Jimmy had been monitoring the tracker only a few moments before, and Lois hadn’t realised he’d left until now. “Anything happening?”

“I got a phone call,” Lois replied vaguely. Upon seeing Claude’s curious expression, she felt her mouth twist into a slightly bitter smile. “I’ll tell you about it when Clark gets back.”

Chapter 24

Despite Lois’ best attempt at a poker face, Clark wasn’t fooled. The moment he reached her desk, he leaned down and touched her hand gently — a look of worry in the depths of his warm brown eyes.

“I saw you from across the newsroom,” he said quietly, “and I could tell something happened.”

“Not here,” she said, her voice slightly shaky despite the fact that she’d thought she had managed to calm down. He nodded and pulled her to her feet. She gave him a curious look and he gestured to the conference room where she immediately understood and followed him.

The moment the doors were shut, she sank into one of the chairs, drawing a slow breath before looking over at Clark.

“He called me. Here. At the Planet.”

There was a moment of tense silence as the enormity of what she said sunk in. A look of pure rage passed across Clark’s features and for a moment, Lois was terrified he might actually fly to the prison and tear Luthor apart with his bare hands. As satisfying as it was to imagine, she knew it couldn’t happen.

“I never should have left you,” Clark said eventually. His breathing was shallow and his fists were clenched shut tightly as if he were willing himself not to do anything rash.

“You can’t be with me 24/7, Clark,” she said suddenly feeling more in control. Somehow seeing Clark go through the same range of emotions helped clarify things for her. “He picked his moment carefully. Somehow, he knew you weren’t here. I’m actually grateful it happened here and not at home.”

She shivered and Clark’s head shot up, his face absolutely stricken at the thought of Lois receiving that call all alone.

“What did he say?” he asked finally.

“The usual,” Lois replied with an attempt at indifference she certainly didn’t feel. “That someday we would be together, I would change my mind, that I’d never be safe from him —”

“I’m so sorry,” Clark interrupted, his voice slightly strangled. She could feel the ferocity of his anger and knew the monumental act of self-control that it took to contain it. It was one of the things that amazed her about him. Here was the most powerful man in the world, and yet he refused to use that power to kill, even if it would rid the world of someone as purely evil as Lex Luthor.

“If you apologise one more time for something that wasn’t your fault, I’ll…” she trailed off, at a loss for a suitable threat and gave him a weary smile. “I love you. Thank you.”

He kissed her gently and they both sat in silence for a moment. Eventually, she felt his hands on her shoulders and realised he had walked around behind her chair to give her a massage. She closed her eyes instinctively and allowed the stress to melt away as his fingers worked their magic.

“Oh, Clark,” she finally murmured softly. “That feels…”

She trailed off and gave herself over to the feeling once more. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he finally stopped, sitting down opposite her in the chair once more and taking her hands in his.

“I know I can’t be everywhere,” he said, sounding almost as if he needed to say it out loud to absolve himself of the guilt he was undoubtedly feeling. “And I won’t smother you, or try to hold you back, but…I’m scared.”

He looked away, as if ashamed and Lois drew a sharp breath. She knew the courage it would have taken for him to admit that, especially where Lex Luthor was concerned. She knew how hard he worked to be the shoulder to cry on whenever she needed it, and she was touched he was letting her see this very real, vulnerable moment.

“I know,” she replied, not knowing what else to say. She reached out and squeezed his hand in a gesture of comfort. “And it’s okay. I mean, it’s normal to be scared. He’s scary. He’s gotten further into our lives, into our psyches than anyone else. The fact that he knew I was here and you were out…well, someone is giving him that information, Clark, and frankly I’d be a bit worried if you weren’t scared. But there is one good thing about all this.”

“What’s that?” he wondered. Lois smiled grimly.

“He’s scared too,” she told him. “Think about it! It’s the only reason he would call! He’s never reached out like this before.”

Lois was surprised she hadn’t realised it earlier, but she’d been so preoccupied by the emotions that had hung around, that her logical mind hadn’t had a chance to take over. But it was working now and she was starting to feel slightly more confident.

“Don’t you see?” she asked Clark, who looked puzzled but interested. “We’ve got him rattled. The first thing he mentioned was the money. He knows we’re moving it, and there is nothing he can do about it. That call was proof we are getting to him! He’s desperate.”

“You might be right,” Clark said, looking even more troubled than ever. “And if he is desperate, that makes him even more dangerous. Desperate men lash out, Lois. Especially when they think there’s nothing left to lose. We need to act quickly, before he…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t have to. Lois nodded.

“I think I have an idea,” she said finally. “But we will need to sit down with Inspector Henderson and Superman. I tried calling him a few times today, but got his machine.”

“I flew by the precinct,” Clark admitted. “He wasn’t there. His day off, I guess.”

“Is he allowed to have those?” Lois said, only half kidding. Clark gave her a tired smile. “Well, I guess we can’t do any more today then. We still have a bit of time, so I think you and I have earned an early night in.”

“Sounds perfect,” he said, his eyes suddenly very intense. Lois felt her body go still under his expression. “What did you have in mind?”

“Movies,” she breathed, though that was suddenly the last thing on her mind. “A couple of glasses of wine…BYOP?”

“BYOP?”

“Bring your own popcorn,” she said with a grin as she leaned forward and kissed him slowly, thoroughly, deeply until she could feel his large hands cupping her face in his and pulling her to her feet so that her body pressed against his.

She could feel his heart hammering against her as the kiss deepened, heat seeming to spread throughout every part of her body. Softly, she breathed his name between kisses, attempting to put a stop to things, but it only came out sounding like a plea to continue — a plea he took very seriously as his hands wrapped tightly around her body, moving down until they firmly cupped her bottom.

“Newsroom,” she finally managed to murmur, which caused him to pause enough for her to step back out of his embrace. “We’re in the newsroom.”

“Conference room, technically,” he said through shallow breaths.

She felt her heart constrict at the sight of him. She’d seen every side of him in the last half hour — from concern, to anger, to worry and finally desire, and she loved every part of him. Ignoring the sudden tightness in her throat, she reached out and took his hand.

“Take me home, Clark.”