After reading this chapter, I feel I'm waiting with bated breath for that part where Lois actually stows away aboard the Prometheus. You've made me feel that things are going to happen exactly like they did in the pilot...
almost exactly. I do feel Clark is going to make his first Superman appearance, saving the Prometheus. But he won't be saving Lois's life this time, only her secret and her civilian identity. (And with luck, Lois
will spot something on board the Prometheus that will make it possible to link its sabotage to Luthor.)
All in all, as I've said many times before, this is such a wonderful alt-version of the story of Lois and Clark. You are breathing amazing new life into a well-known story and I, at least, am in awe of what you are making me see.
For example, I absolutely love how you show us how Clark's presence is affecting Lois. Consider, for example, the completely unexpected giggly girlishness that Clark makes her find in herself:
She tossed her head at him, and with a straight face, said haughtily, “A true investigative reporter *never* gets that tired. Asking me to write some of those drabble stories is like… giving a leopard a bowl of oatmeal instead of a steak.” The effect was ruined by the giggle she was unable to completely suppress.
Of course, the amazing physical attraction which she allows herself to feel for Clark without immediately panicking is every bit as wonderful:
And promptly forgot all about the list. He was so close. Close enough to… If she just leaned forward a little… She could feel her heart start to pound as she stared at him. She felt… as if the air was too thick to breathe. Was this what it was like to be short of breath? His gaze dropped to her lips, and as she suddenly found herself moistening them, his eyes darkened behind his glasses.
“Lois,” he began softly, moving even closer. She held her breath, and unconsciously reached for something – anything – to hold onto. As her hand brushed over his, he turned it palm up, and she found herself gripping it tightly. Sensation shot through her, and she gasped.
For Lois, this attraction is as completely new as it is overwhelming. Your description is wonderful. I wonder if you are going to show us Lois giving in to that attraction before this story is over. But I'm not trying to give you any suggestions or tell you where to take this tale, because when I read your story, I feel like I'm on a guided tour where I'm listening to a marvellously competent guide.
Well, Clark is most definitely in love with Lois. Jimmy interrupts their tender moment, and afterwards, Lois is completely flustered and comes close to panicking. When Clark tries to talk to her about what happened she babbles on about their investigation, and this is how Clark reacts:
Her enhanced hearing picked up a small sigh as her partner sat down, but he didn’t say anything.
Here, as usual, Clark is a very patient man. A very gentle, patient man. And you really, really make me feel that he is Superman, too:
Despite herself, Lois was impressed at the speed with which he’d found what he’d been seeking.
And now Lois and Clark have uncovered many highly suggestive facts about Luthor, and once again, I'm impressed at how you show us that you know about the real world when you explain how Luthor would go about carrying out his shady or criminal business dealings. And Antoinette Baines is a relative of Luthor's, and she is in charge of a lot of things in the Prometheus.
And now, Janet, I'm just waiting for Lois to stow away aboard the Prometheus and for Clark to make his first appearance as Superman. What will Lois say when she finds out that Clark is a Kryptonian, too? Surely
this Lois will not be fooled by a pair of glasses?
Ann
That's a good one.
Clark Kent is a mystery.