Well, here's part 9, if anyone is still reading this, as long as it's taking me to post.
All characters property DC Comics. No copyright infringement intended. Storyline borrowed from Grant/ Russel film His Girl Friday.
All feedback appreciated. It motivates me to finish if I know people are actually reading it, especially lately when I'm not at the top of my game. Thanks To Labby for beta reading as usual.
Marcy
From part 8:
Before she could further analyze what was happening between them, Clark dipped his head toward her. Closing her eyes, Lois succumbed to the natural gravitational pull of her body toward his as their lips met.
<Had it really been six months since they had done this? Oh Lord, it's been too long!>
The first touch of his lips to hers was tentative and gentle, but was immediately followed by hungry kisses, deep and penetrating. She could feel in his touch the raw need, the hunger she knew from their life together. It was familiar and new all at once. And was matched in strength only by her desire, which seemed to rage out of control.
Then he was kissing her nose, her eyelids, her cheeks, planting them everywhere on her face and dipping kisses onto her neck as if he were staking his claim upon her. His hands roamed her arms and back, seeking to relearn and appreciate every touch.
It was only as her hands roamed his chest and began to loosen his tie that fate intervened with the sound of a gun clicking behind them.
AND NOW, Part 9:
“Stop right there...don't move a muscle.” Clark's peripheral vision caught sight of Chris Jeffers as he entered the press room through the fire escape. A shaky hand held a gun aimed in their direction.
<This is NOT my day> thought a wearied Clark Kent, as he dipped his forehead to Lois' to regain some composure. It was a secret he had learned years before...that super hearing was pretty much useless when Lois was kissing him to distraction. Pulling his mind from its lust-induced haze, he turned around, shielding Lois' body with his own from the unwelcome intruder. Maybe, just for once, Lois would let him handle the situation.
Or not.
Lois inched forward, deftly avoiding Clark's own defensive position, to get Jeffer's attention herself.
She spoke in a calm, cool voice. The sound of her rapid heartbeat, however, spoke more to Clark of her true inner disposition. “Mr. Jeffers, it's me, Lois Lane. You remember, don't you? I interviewed you. I want to tell them all the truth about you. I'm your friend. You trust me, don't you?”
The shaky hand wobbled, by turns aiming the gun at first Clark and then Lois, unsure in its destination.
Jeffer's voice was equally unsteady. “I don't know who to trust anymore, Mrs. Lane. There's no one to trust in this crazy world.”
Clark redirected Jeffer's gaze. “Mr. Jeffers, I believe we've met also. I'm Clark Kent, of the Daily Planet. I was there at your trial, remember?”
Lois chimed in. “Ignore him, Mr. Jeffers. He's an overgrown boy scout. I'm the one who can help you out of this mess. Just put down the gun.”
<What the heck is she doing?> Clark stifled a groan of frustration. “Lo-iss, what are you doing? For once, maybe you should let me handle the situation instead of jumping in head first without checking the water level!”
Lois placed her hands on her hips in defiance. “Hah! I was jumping in head first, and writing KERTH material, I'll have you know, while you were still writing titillating exposes on knob-tailed geckos!”
Clark pointed in Jeffers direction. “Do you see that gun? You could get shot!”
“And what about you, Farmboy? You think you couldn't?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Or maybe someone forgets that some secrets are more important to protect than a silly flesh wound! Besides, I could take him.”
Mr. Jeffers continued swinging the gun like a pendulum, bobbing between the two figures who were now facing off with each other. Finally, he turned the gun back toward the window and fired a shot into the air. As he turned, Clark seized the chance to grab the gun as Jeffers dropped it toward the floor.
Jeffers sunk into a heap in the nearest chair. “Oh, I don't care if they find me anymore. I want to die.”
Lois immediately ran to shut, and lock, the press room door. Then she began closing blinds all around the room.
Clark was puzzled. “What are you doing, Lois? We've got to turn him in. Whether we agree or not, the guy is still a convicted felon. I don't suppose the words 'aiding and abetting' mean anything to you at this moment?”
Lois continued her frenzied path, straightening the room and throwing Jeffers' gun into her purse along the way. “Come on, Mr. Jeffers. We've got to hide you .” She turned toward Clark. “Don't you see? This is our big chance to right a wrong! And to get the scoop!”
Clark remained unconvinced. “Lois, I'm not sure about this. Superman has a vow to uphold the law, not to circumvent it.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Well, that's great, but Superman is not here right now. You are. Clark Kent, my partner. And a reporter, remember? And if you would have let me tell you earlier, I know how Jeffers escaped! It's the sheriff's fault. He and that psychologist Dieter were interviewing Jeffers here and they wanted him to re-enact the crime. So what do they do? The sheriff actually hands him his own gun to do it with, and Jeffers used it and shot Dieter in the foot. Then he runs out! Don't you see? The gun belongs to the Sheriff! So all we need to do-”
Clark's eyes lit up in comprehension. “ -Is hide Jeffers overnight. Then we get the exclusive, the Planet gets the credit for finding him, and the sheriff and the mayor get voted out for their incompetence!”
Lois nodded. “And, if we're really lucky, someone will find the governor in time to stop the execution.”
They had just reached this truce of sorts, when someone began pounding on the press room door. Several someones, to be exact. Namely, the press. Muffled voices could be heard complaining on the other side.
Lois spied the rolltop desk just in time. “Quick! Get in! And don't come out unless I knock three times!” She pushed Jeffers into the top compartment and closed it over him. Clark sank complacently into the chair in front of it.
Smoothing her skirt and checking the room for any last traces of evidence, Lois went to the door and opened it. "Come on in, boys and girls. "
Linda King eyed Lois suspiciously. "What were you doing in here?"
Clark hid a smirk at Lois' flummoxed reaction. "We were working on the story."
Linda grinned as she caught sight of Clark in the corner. "I'll bet."
Maury Summers and Joe Melton both traipsed in behind Linda. Maury grabbed the phone, cursing his cell phone company under his breath. “Can't get a signal worth a crap near this building.” Talking into the receiver, he spoke more clearly. “Yeah, put me through to Jack. Yeah, here's the story. Jeffers shot his way out. He's loose somewhere in the city, a killer on the rampage. As of yet, no leads on a known location for his whereabouts. Sheriff says, 'No comment'. I'll call in more as I get it. “
Hanging up the phone, Maury went over to the coffee pot to inspect the day's offering. Dissatisfied, he went to the vending machine, opting for a soda instead.
Clark stared at the floor, attempting a look of abject boredom. Lois went back to the computer to retrieve their article and keep it away from prying eyes.
Joe Melton pulled up the shades and scanned the night scene outside the window. Judging the distance between the two buildings, he spoke. “You know, it's only four feet between this building and the jail. They said Jeffers escaped from the roof. All he'd have had to do was jump and go down the fire escape, and he could come in through any window in this building.”
Maury came over to the window, and looked outside before nodding his agreement.
Clark watched Lois mask her surprise like a professional actress. “Oh, you guys are regular P.I.'s. You know I think that's a great idea! Why don't we each take a floor and look around?”
Linda watched Lois with interest. “You seem in an awfully big hurry to get rid of us, Lois? Are you hiding something?”
Joe and Maury turned toward her as well. Joe spoke once more. “Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time Lois scooped us. What are you hiding, Lois? You don't know where Jeffers is, do you, Lois?”
Clark tried in vain to think of some way to come to her rescue, as Lois looked for all the world like a swimmer with a nosebleed being circled by sharks.
However, the sheriff did instead. Running into the room, he shouted, “I just thought I'd let the fine members of the press know that we have a tip on Jeffers' whereabouts. We're about to raid a building three blocks from here on Rivers Street and Fifth avenue If you want to observe Metropolis' finest in action, come with me!”
And with that, the room cleared, with the exception of Lois and Clark. And a felon in a rolltop desk.
Lois had just let him out of his hiding place when a heavy-set, white-haired lady of about sixty walked through the door of the press room. Her booming, agitated voice made even Clark's hair stand on end. “LOIS LANE! Where have you been? And why is that man hiding in a desk?”
Lois' face grew pale as she turned toward the lady in the doorway. At a loss for words, all she could do was smile and say, “Mother.”
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Okay, well, let me know if anyone is still reading this so I'll know if it's really worth continuing.
Good, bad, ugly--bring on the comments!
