Previously on
Stuck in the DarkChapter 8Kal didn't answer right away. Instead, he tightened his grip around his cane, the smooth metal grounding him while he considered his next words. It bought him a few seconds—just enough time to steer the truth in a direction that wouldn't unravel everything.
"Lois and I crossed paths a couple years ago," he said finally. "At a journalism conference. We kept in touch here and there." It wasn't a lie. Just the safest version of the truth.
"We bumped into each other again at the Kerths a few months back," he continued. "Didn't expect it, but…" He shrugged. "Lois makes an impression. Hard to ignore." A faint smile touched his lips, fleeting but real. "She's sharp. Fearless. Still has that edge that makes people underestimate her—right up until it's too late."
He let the words hang there, content to leave them unchallenged. He didn't need to say anything more. Perry would draw his own conclusions, and Kal was betting that the less he filled in, the less likely he was to give something away. But even as he played the part, a truth pressed in from the edges. He could deflect questions, offer just enough honesty to keep suspicion at bay—but the cracks were already there. Sooner or later, someone—maybe Perry—would see through them.
Perry gave a slow nod, his arms still crossed. "She doesn't let people in easy," he said, more to himself than to Kal. "Never has." There was a pause—thoughtful, weighty. "So when she does," Perry added, voice quieter now, "I pay attention."
He shifted in his seat, the chair giving a quiet creak beneath him. Without looking at Kal, he spoke again— keeping his eyes on the hallway ahead. "Lois ever tell you about the Winninger case?"
Kal's expression didn't change. He gave a small shake of his head. "Doesn't sound familiar."
"Didn't think she would." Perry's voice carried the weight of memory, a little rough around the edges. "Scientist working on something classified. Shot right in front of her. Cops wanted her under protection, but she wouldn't hear it. Said the story mattered more than her safety." He let out a dry breath. "Sound familiar?"
Kal didn't answer, other than a faint smirk.
"Thing is," Perry continued, "she was right. Story did matter. It exposed a mess that needed airing out. But it came with a cost. That case nearly broke her—and she never let on. She pushed through it like she always does." He paused, finally glancing over at Kal. "And here we are again. Another big story. Another warning she's already brushed off." Perry leaned back, arms crossed. "She acts like she's bulletproof, but she's not. I've seen her come out the other side, sure—but not without scars. Doesn't matter how strong she is. Eventually, something gives."
“Henderson’s heading this way.” Perry gave a grunt as he stood, his voice neutral. "Be right back."
Kal rose as well, his hand tightening around the grip of his cane. "I'll go check on Lois."
Henderson hesitated. "You sure you can get back there without help?"
Kal's jaw tightened slightly. "Found it once," he said evenly. "Room 428. Third door on the left past the nurses' station." He angled the cane forward with practiced ease. "I'll be fine."
Perry opened his mouth—maybe to offer something—but thought better of it.
Henderson gave a short nod. "Alright."
Kal could feel both men watching him as he moved down the hall toward Lois's room. He kept his stride relaxed, his posture casual, refusing to let the tension show. No matter how much time passed, he still bristled when people questioned his ability to be independent. He drew in a slow, steadying breath as he reached for the door, doing his best to keep his tone even—anything to keep her from sensing that something had gotten to him.
"Hey," he said quietly, crossing the room to the chair beside her bed.
Lois didn't hesitate. "Took you long enough." Her voice was steady—familiar—but there was an edge to it, one he couldn't quite place. Not irritation, exactly. More like… unease.
Kal offered a faint smile. "Got held up. Didn’t realize it had been that long."
"Perry and Henderson double-teaming you?" she asked, dry as ever.
"Something like that."
"How are you feeling?" he asked softly, then added, "Do you want me to go? I can give you some time to rest."
Lois was quiet for a beat. "Like I got hit by a building," she said dryly. "Which, technically, I kind of did."
Kal let out a quiet breath—half laugh, half exhale. "That'll do it."
"But no," she added, softer now. "You don't have to go."
Her voice didn't quite carry a thank you, but it didn't need to. It was in the pause, the way she hadn't let the silence stretch too long. Kal settled into the chair, listening to the quiet rhythm of her breathing. "Okay," he said softly.
After a moment, Kal broke the silence again. "I, uh…" he started hesitantly, "I don't actually know what your injuries are. The report I heard didn't say anything specific."
Lois shifted against the pillows. "Concussion, two cracked ribs, lots of bruises."
Kal nodded slowly, processing the information. "You were lucky."
"I know."
"What's Henderson's take on it? Any news?"
He heard a soft rustle— probably Lois shaking her head. "Nothing yet. He's checking sources, but so far no sign that Intergang knew I was there. We're almost certain I'm in the clear."
Kal's fingers brushed the smooth notch worn into his cane. "It's the almost that worries me."
"I'm not helpless, Kal."
"I never said you were," he answered as he lifted his head toward her. "But this time… you didn't walk away, you were carried." He paused, turning the cane slowly in his hands before continuing. "And I can't protect you the way I used to."
It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't self-pity. Just a quiet truth he hadn't said out loud before. The silence told him his comment had landed.
"It's not your job to protect me."
"I know," he said, his voice low. "But that doesn't keep me from worrying about you. Going to the Southside alone, knowing there wouldn't be any super back-up…" He exhaled, steady but low, "that scares me." He took another breath, slower this time "It scares me more than I can say."
Lois hand curled around his. "I understand that, but you also know me well enough to know that I'm not going to back away from this." Her fingers tightened just slightly. "It's how I have gotten to where I am. Whatever Intergang is up to— it needs to be stopped. And if I can help make that happen… I will."
Kal felt Lois's hand fall away just as he heard footsteps enter the room. "Lois," Perry's voice cut in, brisk as ever. "I just talked to Henderson, and I need to get back to the newsroom before Jimmy does something crazy."
Without waiting for a response, he continued. "You are not to try sneaking out of here, you understand me? The doctor said you need to stay at least overnight for observation."
His tone left no room for argument. "There's nothing we can do about this right now anyway—at least not until we find out more about what else they are planning."
Perry turned to Kal. "You sticking around for a bit?"
Kal gave a short nod.
"Good, don't let her talk you into anything stupid." Without waiting for a reply, he left her room.
Kal felt his body relax as Perry made his exit. Perry figuring out his secret was one less thing to worry about, if only the situation with Lois would be as simple.
Lois adjusted the blanket over her legs, wincing slightly as she settled back into the hospital bed. “Are you heading out?”
“Eventually,” he said, glancing in her direction though his eyes didn’t quite meet hers. “I booked a room nearby when I left Oklahoma. Figured I should be close in case—well, in case things were worse.”
She studied him for a moment, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. “You could stay with Perry. I bet he would be okay with it.”
Kal shook his head, a quiet exhale slipping through his nose. “I don’t know Perry that well. And hotel rooms… they have a more predictable layout. Easier to learn. I know where everything is, and if I bump into something, it’s because I put it there.”
“Oh.” The word came soft, a little startled—like it hadn’t occurred to her that predictability mattered that much now. That even small things—furniture, doorframes, nightstands—could become obstacles.
He didn’t press the point. Just gave a small shrug, the motion subtle. “It helps.”
A quiet beat passed between them. Lois shifted again, slower this time, and Kal could hear the faint creak of the bed frame beneath her. She wasn’t trying to fill the silence for once, and he didn’t rush to fill it either. It was the kind of stillness that had weight—not uncomfortable, just full of things unsaid.
“How far is the hotel?” she asked eventually.
“Four blocks,” Kal replied. “You should rest,” Kal added gently. “Perry’s probably already reading Jimmy the riot act, and knowing him, he’ll be back before you have time to pretend you were asleep.”
That got a faint smile out of her—just the edge of it, tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You know me too well.”
Kal returned the smile, faint but genuine. “That’s the problem.”
Lois’s expression softened, and she looked like she wanted to say something more—something that might undo the tension still resting just under the surface between them—but the words never came. She just pulled the blanket up a little higher, settling into the pillows.
Kal hesitated for a second longer, then stepped toward the door. As he passed the chair, his hand found the strap of the small backpack resting against its leg—the same one he’d carried off the plane. He slung it over his shoulder in a practiced motion, not bothering to adjust the weight.
“I’ll check in tomorrow,” he said as he straightened then slipped into the hallway, the soft tap of his cane and the gentle shift of his backpack the only sounds as he made his way down the corridor.
