Earth
The absolute last place Lois Lane expected to find herself with Paul Talmadge was New Troy University. But the once-inane RoxxTen investigation was handing her innumerable surprises, not the least of which was working with the man by her side. A man she had briefly contemplated spending the rest of her life with. But those thoughts were from an innocent college girl, not Mad Dog Lane.
By the hardened expression on Talmadge’s face, he wasn’t incredibly happy to accompany her to the university either.
They walked across the tree-lined campus with its weather-beaten, gold cobble-stone pathways towards the large, familiar cream and red brick administrative building which housed most of the offices of the University’s professors and administrators. It was also home to the college newspaper, which she could already feel bringing up unpleasant memories.
Nonetheless, they were here to get help uncovering another facet of the RoxxTen story. So despite their renewed unease with each other, Lois pulled on the steel and glass door, and they entered the building determined to find Eugene Laderman.
A fresh-faced young student with red hair, cut in a classic pageboy style smiled at them when they entered the reception area. They asked about where they could find Professor Laderman’s office. The young woman’s swift fingers flew over the keyboard to locate the information.
“Ah, there we are! Professor Laderman’s office is part of the newly expanded Computer Science department. It’s located in the East wing on the third floor in room 378-D. Should I call first to let him know you are coming? Do you need any help finding your way?”
“No thanks,” Lois said. “Mr. Talmadge and I were students here not that long ago. We’ll find his office.”
“Okay.” With a dubious expression on her face, the young girl turned towards another visitor to help them.
Slightly annoyed, Lois muttered, “Who did she think we were, parents here for a conference with our kid’s professor?’
A rare chuckle escaped Talmadge’s throat, “Let’s face it Lois, it’s been a long time since we walked these corridors. We can’t pass for students. Not that I would want to.” This last he muttered under his breath. He was not happy to have been dragged back to the institution that had witnessed his fall from grace and given Lois so much heartache.
Minutes later they were in the small, yet comfortable office of Eugene Laderman, the newly appointed head of the Advanced Computer Sciences department.
“Hello Miss Lane. It’s good to see you again and uh, your new partner, Mr. Talmadge.”
“It’s only temporary.” The reporters said together.
“Ok-ay." He said slowly. "Tell me what you need?”
Lois gave Talmadge a ‘Don’t talk, I’ve got this look’ and said,” Listen Eugene, I need your help.
While Lois spoke, she surreptitiously inspected the office around her. Although the space was tight and distractions from students were surely plentiful, the office suggested that the professor had found ways to make days there more enjoyable and productive. Rather than finding clutter and mismatched furniture as had been exhibited in other offices she had visited while a student, Eugene’s office was a model of organization. Artfully arranged, color-coded files lay to the right of the boxy gray computer monitor. An empty green coffee cup perched on a bright red ceramic coaster was on the left side. On the wall, a large print of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man hung alongside a photo of Eugene posing in Venice’s famed Piazza San Marco.
Eugene himself sat in a relaxed brown leather chair which seemed to have molded itself to his body. Everything about the room suggested a mind that was well-ordered and adhered to logic and rules. Which is why she was surprised to meet up with so much resistance from him. Lois had explained the situation outlining what information they would need in order to cement another layer of evidence against Intergang.
“Break into RoxxTen’s computer systems? Pardon me, Miss Lane, but that’s crazy!”
Speaking with a sense of patience she did not feel, Lois argued, “Eugene, how many times have I told you… call me Lois! Without your skills, the Ides of March virus would have destroyed our country’s computer systems. That’s why we need access to their coding program! Otherwise we can’t prove whether Elden Kraft is simply a lousy programmer who got greedy or the criminal mastermind behind a massive money laundering scheme!”
His deadpan face held a dour expression, “I learned a thing or two while sitting in a prison cell awaiting trial for Henry Harrison’s ‘murder’. Anything that’s discovered because of my hacking won’t be admissible as evidence.”
“That is true. I tried to get a court order, but the judge said he would need sufficient evidence, in advance, to justify the intrusion. All we really have is supposition. Still, what you discover will point us in the right direction,” Talmadge said.
Running his hands over the bald space in the back of his head, Eugene said wearily, “Please understand. I’m not being stubborn, just cautious. Should the faculty find out that I’m using my talents for anything other than teaching our students advanced computer skills, it could mean my job. The last time, during that whole fiasco with … the Harrisons, Superman spoke on my behalf, but now with him gone …” his voice trailed off.
With a derisive snort, Lois said, “Trust me Eugene, there are some faculty members in this University who will be perfectly happy to turn a blind eye to such activities, especially if they know you are doing this to solve a major crime.”
“Some members?” Eugene asked in a questioning tone.
The expression on Lois’ face was one of revulsion, “Yes, the ones I will speak to if they plan on giving you any problems. But that will only happen if they find out what you are doing. Now, will you help us?”
Eugene studied Lois Lane and her temporary partner, Paul Talmadge, who had remained nearly silent since their arrival. Sensing the tension surrounding the duo, it was obvious that there was something more between these two than just a byline. Considering Miss Lane was still wearing Clark Kent’s engagement ring, he decided it was none of his business. His own love life was just beginning to bear fruit. He was planning on asking Polly Camacho, an art teacher at the university out on another date tonight. But now this strange adventure had come up, threatening to complicate his life.
Their reasons for wanting him to break the law were valid. Innocent people, folks who worked long hard hours to provide for themselves and their families, were being preyed upon. Perhaps it wasn’t exactly, the way the Harrisons had used and hurt him, but the greed and resulting pain were present in both situations, nonetheless. If Lois and Clark had not helped him, he would be slowly aging away in a prison cell while the treacherous Lena and her husband enjoyed themselves in some country without extradition treaties with the U.S.
There was a risk that the faculty might find out what he had done, but then again, a touch of professional vanity at his innovative hacking skills, overtaking him maybe not.
Lois’ insistent voice broke into his thoughts, “So, what’s it going to be Eugene?”
He shrugged, “The way I see it, my assistance might solve this case. Just make certain the police don’t know anything about this. The last thing I want is to tangle with Detective Reed again! When do you need this information?”
“Yesterday,” Talmadge said flatly.
Eugene’s thin lips quirked into a half smile. So Mr. Talmadge could talk! “If I unearth anything, you’ll know by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.”
“Yes!” Lois said, jumping up and punching both fists into the air.
***
As Lois and Talmadge entered the Daily Planet building lobby, Paul said, “If Eugene Laderman discovers Detective Reed is already on the case, he might just turn tail and run. He’s a jumpy character.”
“Considering what Christine Reid put him through the last time, the man has good reason to be jumpy! She’s an excellent detective, but she can be a little, ah, obsessive when it comes to tracking down the bad guys. Clark and I had a rough time during the Ides of March caper. Everyone, including - Perry - walked around us like they were on eggshells because of her tenacity.”
Nodding his head in agreement he said, “After seeing her in action, no one can blame Eugene.”
“Yeah, well, you ain’t seen nothing yet! She’s going to work hard to make certain of two things: Simcoe lives long enough to make it to trial and Intergang is smashed into nothingness. Our job now is to convince Perry to let us continue working on this story.”
“In the meantime, we have to keep our productivity up.” Talmadge said.
“That goes without saying.” Her voice became exceptionally soft, and she sighed, “Clark always had a story file that he referred to just for times like this. I kept it. We can look it over for article ideas if we can’t come up with any of our own.”
“Evidently, he didn’t have to refer to that file very often. I understand he’s got more scoops about Superman than anybody else… except you of course.”
Lois said nothing as they entered the elevator. Talmadge studied the woman beside him. She did not often mention Clark Kent, but when she did, it was always with the greatest respect and tenderness. For what seemed like the hundredth time since Paul reentered her life, he wanted to know more about the man.
Once upon a time Lois had been the quiet, but eager girl he worked with on the Troy State Weekly. But after the rotten trick he and Linda King had pulled on her by stealing her story, a shell of toughness had developed. Early in her career, he heard about the whole Claude Debarre fiasco. It had taken a lot of guts to rise above the embarrassment and pain that creep had caused. He respected the fact that she had fought hard to reclaim her career by taking dangerous gambles with her life to become an award winning journalist. Sadly, along the way, the veneer of toughness had hardened, so much so that her nickname in the newspaper world was, ‘Mad Dog Lane’.
Yet, Clark Kent, a man who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, had won this woman’s fierce heart and undying loyalty. He, Paul, had been an idiot to let her go because of a fleeting desire for someone as shallow as Linda King.
Lois’s voice broke into his thoughts. “To answer your question, Clark got those Superman scoops, because the Man of Steel would either tell him what happened or took him to the genuinely spectacular events. Remember the Volcano explosion on that tiny island off the Greek coast last year? Our international correspondent, Andrea, was in the City of Rhodes covering a festival and not able to get near the place. Superman had to go anyway in order to help evacuate the populace, so Clark went, too, via Superman express. He and Andrea collaborated on the story and they were nominated for a Kerth for that article.”
Paul shrugged, “It seems the Man of Steel has always had a place in his heart for the Daily Planet.”
“They … we were … um, are friends,” Lois said in a small voice.
He thought, Yeah and look what that friendship did. He’s on some alien world, experiencing who knows what and you… you are all alone. Wisely, Talmadge said instead, “He’s a good friend to help Clark. And you.”
A tiny sigh escaped from her lips, and for a moment Lois was lost in thought, before she said, “Yeah, he is.”
Lois was about to speak again when the elevators doors snapped open. She grabbed Talmadge by the lapel of his jacket to pull him along, and said, “We’ll table this conversation for another time. Since your real boss won’t let us write this story, yet, we have to pitch the continuation to Perry and write up something else to fill inches in the first section.”
With those words, they walked down the ramp and headed back to their respective desks. After putting away her briefcase and turning on the monitor, she gazed at the African violet sitting in its round jade-colored pot. She had brought it from her apartment after the courier’s first visit. The petite plant had been purchased at a farmer’s market she and Clark had come across only a week before the New Kryptonians had arrived. It was a quiet reminder of times past and a hope of new ones to come.
Cat looked up from her monitor just as the duo were coming down the ramp. She caught Lois touching Talmadge in a manner that was definitely out of the ordinary to her keen eye. While she was fairly certain Lois wasn’t falling for the handsome newcomer, she would have to warn her friend to be cautious she hated to do it. If she had caught that little touch, others would as well. After all, England’s Princess Margaret’s relationship with Group Captain Peter Townsend had been hotly rumored at for a while because of only a touch. On her sister’s coronation day, all it took was the subtle gesture of the princess removing a piece of lint from his uniform to confirm it.
The rest, sad to say, was history. Since Townsend was a divorced man, Parliament and the Church of England would not allow them to marry, which led to no small amount of heartache for both parties.
Cat Grant knew in her official capacity as a gossip columnist that Lois was watched by those jealous of her success as a reporter. What better way to besmirch her reputation than to have rumors spread that she was seeing another man while still engaged to Clark?
Cat’s intense green eyes scanned the bullpen for any sign of Ralph Lombard. If he had seen them, by the end of the day it would be all over the building that Lois ‘might’ be stepping out on her fiancé with the new guy. Thankfully, the little weasel wasn’t around.
Since his ‘conversation’ with Paul in the conference room, Ralph avoided any contact with him. But Cat knew the sneak would love to do something to make Talmadge look bad in Perry’s eyes and cause conflict in the bullpen.
It was long past time for her and Lois to have lunch at the Java Jive for a serious chat.
Lois did not even have a chance to boot up her computer to look at Clark’s story idea file when she heard a familiar voice.
Perry had come out of his office and said loudly, “Lane! Talmadge! My office now.”
“What’s up Chief?” Lois asked once the door had closed behind her.
Without preamble their boss said, “Great shades of Elvis! Don’t either of you carry your cell phones?”
As he leaned against the wall, Talmadge shrugged, “I forgot to charge mine.”
Lois rolled her eyes in disgust as she sat down in the plaid visitor’s chair. “I hate those things! They always ring in the middle of an important interview.”
“Well, as your ol’ editor, I need to keep in contact with my reporters. Agent Zhao called to tell me to keep a lid on the Simcoe interview, which tells me there is an even bigger story than we all thought. Simcoe also mentioned that Charles Belfield has a weakness for Impressionist art and not the fancy posters you get from a museum gift shop. That kind of habit is expensive, even for the Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company. Dig around. Find out more about RoxxTen’s CEO. I’m betting some mighty big and mean snakes will slither out of that particular wood pile.”
Talmadge said, “According to Lois’ original article, Belfield was found innocent. Nothing points back to him.”
The older man snorted and laid his large beefy hands firmly on the desk blotter, which was partially covered with stories waiting to be edited. “Son, there are plenty of white-collar prisons filled with former CEOs and CFOs who were originally ‘found innocent’. They all had one thing in common: someone or something pulled one brick that made their house of deception fall apart.”
“Hmmm, Simcoe might be that brick. He’s certainly happy to turn on his former employers.” Lois wondered aloud.
With a perfectly deadpan expression, Perry said, “Yeah, well, he’s got good reason to be talkative. You two hold onto everything learned during that interview, it will be helpful later on. In the meantime, keep investigating.”
“Thanks, Perry,” Lois said. “But what’s all the rush about finding us?”
Simcoe was poisoned this morning. He’s alive, but they must have pumped everything in the medicine cabinet to do it.”
Lois jerked into an upright position and said, “What! Was it someone on the hospital staff? How was it possible with that floor crawling with Feds and the MPD?”
“Zhao says the lab boys aren’t certain if it was in his food or medicine. It could have been anyone.” Perry said with a sigh.
“In a way this is good. It shows that Intergang is getting desperate,” Talmadge muttered.
Lois rubbed her chin and replied, “That’s a neat possibility. We are getting close to nailing Intergang to the wall. They want the case’s star witness quiet. Permanently.” She stood up and walked to the door. “Come on, Talmadge. Time to push those business contacts of yours and find out about Belfield’s interest in Renaissance art. I’m also going to call Crazy Willy. He’s one lazy snitch! We’ll also need in-house computer help. Jimmy!”
***
Later that night, in the quiet of her apartment, Lois finished eating a cobb salad as she was knitting up Clark’s sweater. A steaming cup of oolong tea sat in front of her on the coffee table. She allowed her mind to wander, back to the early days of her investigations with Clark. They would spend hours at Clark’s apartment, brainstorming over a story while drinking cups of either exotic rich coffee or spiced tea and warm cookies, fresh from the oven.
Simcoe. Elden. Church. So many names to her current puzzling investigation, yet she sensed the pieces were falling into place. According to Nolan and Crazy Willy, everything in RoxxTen began to go wrong when Belfield took over. The obvious link to Intergang was his former role as Chief Financial Officer at CostMart. Talmadge’s business contacts said Belfield’s departure from that company was under a cloud. Apparently, he wanted more money and stock options, and he had even tried to chisel a rift between Bill Church and his son in order to get them. It turned out that purchasing priceless art was more than a habit with him. It was an obsession.
Could that be the motivation behind the entire scam? Was Belfield that avaricious?
For that matter, where was Elden Kraft? Was the accountant truly dead? If so, had his work computer been wiped clean of all evidence?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the shrill sound of the phone ringing.
Hello. Miss Lane? It’s Eugene.
Instantly alert, Lois replied, “Eugene, that was fast! What do you have for me?”
Eugene sounded disappointed as he replied, That’s just it. I don’t have anything for you. I gotta say, this is a blow to my professional pride.
“What? Why?” She asked.
I was able to locate their network. They are using Windows 95. It is an easy operating system to crack, but without the IP address, I was unable to locate Kraft’s device.
She closed her eyes and thought about Ken Janney, The Daily Planet’s former head of IT. How she missed his computer expertise! “Do they have it behind a, uh what is it called? Firewall or something?”
Not necessarily. It could be something as simple as the computer itself is turned off. It would require an ‘on hands’ inspection to determine that. So, since we can’t get at it, my job is done. Sorry. The relief in Laderman’s voice could be felt over the phone.
Lois thought for a second and then said, “Paul and I will be by to pick you up at nine o’clock. We will go take a look. RoxxTen isn’t a high-security building so this will be a piece of cake.”
She could hear his voice rise an octave when he said, How do you know it’s not a high-security building?
Not wanting to blow her partner’s cover she said, “Mr. Talmadge has resources which have revealed that. Come on, help us out!”
Eugene grumbled, This is crazy! I should be sitting at Lugano’s with Polly, having a glass of vino, and eating black fettuccine with lobster sauce. Oh, all right! I’ll get what I need together and be ready when you get here. With my luck, we’ll probably find a dead body.
Rolling her eyes, Lois said, “Don’t be so dramatic! We’ll see you in half an hour. Thanks, Eugene.”
Hanging up the phone, she quickly dialed Paul and heard Bad Company’s song Bad Company playing in the background. She winced, thinking his musical tastes had not improved much in five years. Once he answered she said, “Hey, Talmadge, I’ve got good news and bad news.”
“Oh yeah? What’s the bad news?”
“Eugene couldn’t hack RoxxTen’s computer system.”
She heard a quick intake of breath and he asked cautiously, “The good news?”
“Road trip! We are going to hack into Elden Kraft’s computer at the RoxxTen building.”
Talmadge sounded chagrined and said, “That’s what I was afraid you were going to say. Lane, what you’re planning is called breaking and entering, which is illegal! And since I am really FBI, I might have to arrest myself if I participate.”
Lois rolled her eyes while slipping on a pair of black loafers to match her black turtleneck and jeans. “Oh, come on, Paul. We are not breaking the law, just bending it a little. Elden is a person of interest, right? Any information we get that can track him down or put him behind bars is a good thing.”
“No. This escapade of yours is going to lead to more trouble than it’s worth.”
“Seriously? Is this your idea of keeping an eye on me? Be ready when I get there!”
“I ought to have my head examined.”
“Everything will work out… You’ll see.”
She hung up and pulled out a black backpack, filled it with various ‘tools’ for this kind of caper, grabbed her keys, and left the apartment.
A familiar frisson of anticipation ran through her body, almost akin to joy. She hadn’t done anything like this since Clark’s … departure. Now with a couple of reluctant partners, she was going to do a little ‘undercover’ work. With a jaunty smile and the taste of salty tears touching dry lips, Lois, rather than taking the elevator, ran downstairs flung open the door, and felt the caress of cold air on her face. She grinned and ran down the steps and onto the street towards the Silver Jeep, delighted about this latest adventure.
