Previously:
Cat looked over just as Lois came out of the supply closet. Her hair looked a little messy and she had a hazy smile on her face. There was barely time to register the thought that maybe Lois wasn't in there alone when Clark appeared in the doorway, straightening his tie.
She blinked. Would wonders never cease? Had they really? It was plain to anyone with eyes that Clark adored Lois, but how had he finally managed to get her to see past Superman and notice him?
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Part 6/20
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As they came out into the bullpen Clark was distracted from thoughts of Lois by a breaking news bulletin on the TV. The newsroom quieted down as the anchorwoman smiled into the camera and said, "We have breaking news this morning. The freak electrocutions this week in Metropolis were not accidents. Here's WMET's own Ken Randall to explain."
The screen changed to show Ken standing in the same tunnel that Kevin had shown them two nights ago. The camera panned over the electrical setup beneath the manhole cover as Ken sensationalized his story. "Metropolis is dealing with an evil genius. Someone who has no compassion, no morals…"
"Is he talking about himself again?" Lois asked.
"How can he be so irresponsible?" Clark wondered aloud. "Doesn't he realize this is just going to set off a chain of copy-cats?"
"And the real killer is going to change tactics," Lois pointed out. "I would bet anything that this guy isn't finished yet, but he isn't going to try the same thing a third time."
"I don't think he would have anyway," Clark said. "I think part of the thrill for him is getting away with it. He'll want to do something different next time to show the police how clever he is."
"We should get down to STAR Labs," Lois suggested. "There has to be a connection between Rachel, Tony and the killer."
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The receptionist at STAR Labs gave them a polite smile and told them that, due to security issues, they could not release a statement to the press. When Lois started to protest she put her hand on the phone and smiled as she said, "Please don't make me have to call security."
"Having problems? I could help you, for a price," Ken Randall said from behind them.
"Oh, Ken, really?" Lois asked as she turned around. "Where's your film crew? I've heard you can't do anything unless there's a camera involved."
Ken raised his eyebrows lecherously. "Sweetheart, no one knows that better than you. Don't piss me off, Lois. I still have everything on tape."
Lois shook her head at Clark.
"Did you know Claude left an epic poem about you on the wall of the men's room at the Press Club?" Ken gave her a nasty smile.
Clark shook his head at Lois.
"Ah, Kent, you're right. It was actually more like a limerick. It was a damn shame when they painted over it. Don't worry, though, I've got it committed to memory. " Ken tapped his head and winked at her.
"Let's go, Clark." Once they were outside Lois turned back, looking through the plate glass window of the lobby to see Ken waving cheerfully at them. "That man is vermin. He must feel right at home in the sewer." She blew out a sigh and put her hands on her hips, looking at Clark through narrowed eyes.
"What?" Clark asked.
Lois shrugged. "So have you talked to him?"
"To who?" Clark shook his head, confused by who she meant. "Ken? You think I tipped him off about the sewer?"
She gave him a disgusted look. "No, Superman! Have you talked to him?"
"No," Clark shook his head again. "Does this mean you're willing to ask for his help now?"
"No, this means I'm willing for you to ask for his help now," she clarified. "You go find him, I'll see if I can round up Bobby Bigmouth. Maybe he's heard something. I'll meet you back at the Planet."
"Okay," Clark turned to leave.
"Clark?"
"Yes?" He turned around to see that she hadn't moved and was watching him with worry in her eyes.
"You're not, I mean, you won't, uh, last night and, um, this morning, that's…"
Clark felt the urge to laugh even as guilt twisted through him. "I won't say anything to him, or anyone else, about that. I promise."
She looked so relieved - it made him feel even worse. You're just digging that hole deeper, he told himself. So deep he was trapped. There was no way to tell her anymore without her turning it into a felony.
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It never failed to amaze Clark how differently people treated him when he was dressed as Superman. That same receptionist who had barely glanced at him before couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him as he waited in the lobby for Dr. Gatenby to meet with him.
Ken Randall was still lurking at STAR Labs, although he was camped outside the building now. Ken watched him intently through the glass but he didn't seem willing to approach. So who was he waiting for? Did Ken have a source here? Clark toyed with the idea of having Superman tell Ken to back off on harassing Lois but decided that would do more damage than good.
The elevator doors behind the receptionist's desk opened and a tall, wiry man with tousled black hair stepped out. "Superman," he said, smiling and holding his hand out as he approached.
Clark shook his hand as the man introduced himself as Dr. Weston Gatenby, the supervisor over electronics research at STAR Labs. Not wishing to mislead the man, Clark hastened to let him know the purpose of his visit.
"Dr. Gatenby, you should know that I'm here at the request of Lois Lane and Clark Kent of the Daily Planet. Unless you specifically forbid it, I will tell them everything that I can concerning what we discuss."
"You trust them both?"
"Absolutely."
"I hope you can understand my hesitation. Both Tony Weir and Rachel Eames were working on a top secret project here at STAR Labs." Weston gestured towards the elevator. "Please, let's take this somewhere less public and I'll explain. If you feel comfortable sharing that information with your reporter friends, I will trust your judgment. But none of this can be attributed to me."
"I understand," Clark reassured him. "I promise they'll cite you as an unnamed source."
As the elevator doors closed, Dr. Gatenby began to explain. "Some years ago STAR Labs did contract work for the government on EMP weapons, electromagnetic pulse, that is. We had a limited success but nothing that was ready for the military. Last year we were asked to shift our focus and work on a creating an ESW weapon. That's short for electroshock wave. It's very similar to a taser, but they wanted something that could travel further and was less messy, no wires, you see."
Clark nodded his understanding. "And have you succeeded in creating such a weapon?"
"Ahhh," Gatenby ran his fingers through his hair. "Mostly. The human body is full of electrolytes, all those electrochemical impulses that make it possible for us to think and move. We were focusing on creating a short burst weapon, one that could scramble a person's electrolytes enough to impair them."
"Or kill them," Clark added. The elevator doors opened and he followed Gatenby down a brightly lit hallway.
"Or kill them," Gatenby allowed, "if necessary. And we were very close to having a workable solution when our funding was yanked and we were informed that since our research was the government's intellectual property it had to be turned over to Lex Labs. They had just won the contract and we were to cease and desist from going any further with the project. This was just a few weeks before Lex Luthor, well, you know, died unexpectedly." Gatenby pushed open an office door and gestured for Clark to enter.
"So you turned the research over to Lex Labs?" Clark asked as Gatenby sat down behind the desk inside the office.
"Yes. Please, have a seat."
"No, thank you. And then what happened?" Clark had found that it was almost always better to stand in the suit. It projected confidence and it made whomever he was talking with much more forthcoming in their answers.
"And then nothing happened. Luthor died just days after the information began to change hands. Right now the project, so far as I know, is in limbo."
"Who was working on it at Lex Labs?"
"We met with a man named, ahhhh," Gatenby closed his eyes and thought about it. "Something common, like Smith or Jones or… Johnson, that was it. His name was Johnson but that's all I knew about him. He took all our files and our prototype and that was it. It was no longer our project. I'm sorry I can't be of more help than this. It's tragic, what happened to Tony. Do you think his accident is related to the project?"
Clark gave Dr. Gatenby a grim smile and reached across the desk to shake his hand. "That's what I'm hoping to find out. Thank you for your time, Dr. Gatenby. If they have questions, would it be all right for Ms. Lane or Mr. Kent to contact you directly?"
"As long as they don't ask about anything proprietary, yes."
"Thank you. I'll tell them." Clark gave him a nod. "I'll show myself out."
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As he stepped off the elevator at the Planet, Clark found himself face to face with Cat Grant. She flashed him an even more knowing smile than usual. "Clark," she practically purred, "are you ever going to let me make up that dinner to you?"
"I'm sorry?" Clark tried to move past her but she linked her arm through his and fell into step beside him.
"We never really did get to finish our dinner. Do you have a girlfriend now or are you still available?"
"Oh," Clark picked at an imaginary spot on his tie so he wouldn't have to look at her. "I, uh…"
"Back off, Cat," Lois said from behind them. "I'm pretty sure Clark's spent enough time at your place that he doesn't want to go back."
"Is that true, Clark?" Cat put on a hurt expression. "Don't I have anything to offer you?"
"I, uh, need to return a phone call," Clark gave Cat a polite smile and stepped sideways to free himself from the hand she had on his arm.
"You're not his type," Lois said with a smug grin.
"Lois, I'm every man's type. It's just a matter of whether they admit it. So, do you think you're Clark's type?"
Lois blinked and Cat noticed with delight that her gaze skittered over to the supply closet door. "I don't care."
Cat didn't say anything as Lois pushed past her to go to her desk. She grinned widely, relishing the feeling of being hot on the trail of good gossip.
They definitely weren't dating.
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"And that's it?" Lois asked him. "That's all he told you?"
"That's everything Dr. Gatenby told Superman. Did you want me to make up something more interesting?"
Lois rolled her eyes and sighed. "No, of course not. It's just that Lex Labs is defunct now. They closed down after…" She looked away from him and cleared her throat nervously.
"I did some checking, they're called Vibrant Technologies now. The board of directors took out a multi-million dollar loan and bought the lab outright from Luthor's estate last month."
"Oh," Lois said in a small voice. She hated that the mere mention of Lex's name still gave her chills.
Clark looked away as he continued speaking to give Lois time to compose herself. He'd noticed her reticence whenever Luthor's name came up in conversation. He knew the memory had to be painful for her, but he didn't dare to ask if it was because she still had feelings for the man. The longer it went, the more awkward it would be to ask her about him.
"I called Vibrant Tecnologies," he said, "but I couldn't get anyone to talk to me. A lady in Human Resources told me that Mr. Johnson no longer worked for the company. She wouldn't give me a first name or any contact information. She wouldn't even tell me when he left or why. She did hint that many people were let go after the lab changed owners."
Lois frowned. This wasn't going well at all.
"Did you get something from Bobby that we could follow-up on?" Clark asked.
She shook her head. "Bobby didn't know much. He said he'd keep his ears open and contact me if anything came up."
"So now what?"
Lois tapped her keyboard softly, not typing, just thinking. "We do a check of all the Johnson's in Metropolis? See if any of them are electrical engineers? Can we pull the last census and see if we can narrow it down by occupation and surname?"
"What if Johnson was an alias?"
"Not likely," Lois said. "Lex Labs did background checks on everyone working there."
"Okay, you compile a list of Johnsons from the phone book and I'll go pull the last census." Clark stood up and headed towards Research. He glanced back to see Lois still staring moodily at her keyboard.
Sensing his gaze, she looked over at him. He gave her a tentative smile and turned to leave, but not before he saw her smile back.
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By six o'clock Lois was slumped over her keyboard, her eyes bleary from staring at the computer's screen. She rubbed the back of her neck and looked over at Clark. He was typing away, occasionally pausing to read his screen. Suddenly his head turned, looking across the newsroom with that puzzled expression that usually meant he had forgotten something.
No wagering, she told herself, but she had already made the bet in her mind. He was going to come over and tell her he had an errand to run.
Sure enough, he came over and touched her shoulder. "I need to check on my neighbor, Mrs. Dixon. She's diabetic and her husband is out of town, he wanted me to look in on her. Are you hungry? I can pick up something and bring it over. You did still want me to come over tonight, didn't you?"
Lois flushed. "Um, yeah. Bring dinner over and we can, uh, work on the story."
She shook her head as she watched him jog away. A diabetic neighbor? Either Clark was the most altruistic man in the world or he was the worst liar.
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"Are you going to eat those?" Clark pointed at her chips. Lois pushed them across the table to him.
"Nope, take them."
"Thanks."
Lois crumpled up the wrapper from her sandwich and took aim at her kitchen garbage can, about six feet away. The wrapper ricocheted off her cabinet, bounced against the rim of the can and fell to the floor.
Clark raised an eyebrow and began to slowly wad up the wrapper from his sandwich. He looked sideways at the can, then back at Lois. He tossed it in the direction of the garbage without looking over again. It dropped in easily, never even touching the sides.
"Show off," Lois said.
"If I was showing off, I'd do it with my eyes closed."
Lois gathered his chips wrapper into a ball and held it out to him. "Double or nothing," she told him.
Clark grinned. "What's the bet, exactly?"
"Who gets to be on top?" she blurted out before thinking about it.
His grin widened. "You're on." He took the wrapper from her, crunching it into a tighter ball.
"No peeking!" she warned.
Clark looked over at the garbage can, then turned his head away and closed his eyes. He lobbed the wrapper, it sailed in without making a sound.
Lois shook her head. "How did you do that?"
"Natural talent," he said with a wink.
"Hmph." She looked at the last wrapper left on the table. Clark followed her gaze and laughed.
"Are you sure you want to make that bet?"
"What bet?"
"You don't think I could make three in a row, do you?"
"I… don't know. Could you?"
"How about this? I make this one and you have to kiss me."
Lois laughed. "I was already going to kiss you."
"I didn't say where."
She flushed bright red. Clark picked up the wrapper, closed his eyes and threw. It landed directly in the can.
"Oh," Lois murmured, feeling like the world had just shifted into a slower gear. Her heartbeat seemed to echo in her ears. She made a mental note never to bet against Clark again.
"Tell you what," Clark stood up and held out his hand to her, "I'll call off the bet if you'll let me kiss you."
"Where?" she asked, her mind racing.
This time Clark blushed, too. "Your mouth," he whispered. "Unless you had someplace else in mind."
"No! The mouth is good." She took his hand and stood up, hating that she was already starting to shake a little in anticipation.
Clark took her face between his hands, stroking his thumbs softly over her jaw and smiled at her. "I've thought about this all day," he confessed.
Lois' eyelids slid shut. It was too overwhelming to keep looking into his eyes right now, knowing that he was about to kiss her and… whatever else he planned to do.
He kissed her softly, his lips barely brushing against hers. Gradually his kisses became stronger, a little more bold, but he made no move to deepen his exploration. It was like he was learning her - the thought sent a shiver through her.
"Enjoying this was the whole point."
She had to stop thinking so much and just let go and enjoy this. Lois threaded her hands into his hair and deepened the kiss. He opened his mouth to her, letting her explore. Their bodies began to shift restlessly against each other as they sought a more fulfilling contact.
Clark broke the kiss and looked down at her, his breathing ragged. "So, did we ever make rules about foreplay? Is it okay for me to touch you? Or do I have to ask first?"
"It's…" Lois blushed, completely flustered. "If we've already decided that we're going to do it…"
"And I think we have."
"…Then I guess it's okay. I mean you're not going to start ripping my clothes off, are you?"
"Did you want me to?"
"No!" Her mind reeled at the thought. Especially at the realization that it wasn't an entirely unpleasant thought.
"But it's okay if I touch you?"
"Um, sure."
"Let me get this straight, the rules, I mean. Is that permission to touch you just for tonight? Or does it extend to future encounters?"
"I, uh, I guess it can be for all of them."
"Same thing for undressing you?"
"Yeah," she whispered. "And vice versa."
"Of course. And you know all you ever have to say is 'no' and I'll stop, right?"
She nodded, no longer able to speak.
"That goes both ways, right? You have permission to do whatever you want, but if I say 'no', you have to stop, okay?"
Lois licked her lips. "Yes, right." She loosened his tie, her hands shaking with eagerness to get to the body beneath that shirt. Clark helped her, pulling the tie away and then taking over for her on unbuttoning the shirt. "All of it," she told him in a husky voice, her hands going to his waist. "Just take off all of it."
He obliged her, removing his pants and underwear as quickly as he dared. She kicked off her shoes and was working on her skirt as he finished undressing. Lois paused, fascinated by the sleek play of muscle on his body. The man didn't have an ounce of fat, which was amazing when you considered how much junk food he ate.
His hands moved to her waist, confidently unfastening her skirt. It dropped to the floor and she stepped out of it. Clark tugged at her hose for the second time that day. It wasn't getting any easier with practice.
"Maybe you should consider wearing thigh highs, or even a garter belt." He was only half-kidding.
"Would you like that?" she asked. The words were spoken in a breathy voice straight from his fantasies. His mind swam. Surely she meant that as a rhetorical question. He couldn't think of anything to say as he watched her work her panties and nylons off, kicking them to the side.
"I like you, regardless of what you're wearing," he finally managed to say. He took hold of the hem of the silk shell she'd worn beneath her suit jacket. "Why don't you raise your arms and I'll take care of the rest?"
She lifted her arms and he pulled her shirt off, throwing it behind him. "I really like you without the clothes, though."
As he bent to kiss her again Lois summoned up enough presence of mind to say, "Wait, we forgot…"
"Nope, wait there." He held up his hand and took a few steps back to search through his pants pocket. He found a packet and held it up for her to see. "After this morning I decided I'd better carry some around, just in case."
Lois blushed, looking away as he tore open the wrapper. A few seconds passed and then he was standing near her again, his hand coming to rest on her hip. "Ready?" he asked.
She nodded. In the next instant he lifted her against the wall. Damn, he was strong. Lois shuddered, running her hands along his arms and feeling the way his muscles shifted as he held her in place. Would Superman be the same way? Or was he so strong that it wouldn't be any effort for him at all?
Had Superman even asked about her this morning? Clark had promised he wouldn't say anything, and she believed him. She looked across her living room to where the curtains billowed on her window. What if he flew by now? Surely Superman wouldn't fault her for looking for love somewhere else? She tipped her head forward and kissed Clark's shoulder.
"I can make you forget him."
He had done just that, she realized. She hadn't thought of Superman at all that morning in the closet. And why should she? Superman didn't want her. Clark did. Why did she need that fantasy when Clark was more than adequate? Give him credit, she admonished herself, Clark was better than adequate. And Superman was so distant from her now. She mouthed his name, a kind of farewell, against Clark's shoulder.
"Superman…"
It was lower than a whisper, but he heard it. For a split-second he felt a kind of vertigo, feeling jealous and proud in the same heartbeat. Was she thinking of Superman? Had she done that the other times they'd made love? No, this wasn't love to her. She had made that very clear when she set up the rules. This was sex. Fine, then. She wanted Superman? She wanted this to be just sex? She was going to get both. What would she do if he levitated them? It was a fun thought, but not one he knew he could act on. His lone still-functional brain cell cautioned him not to do anything impulsive.
But he could do something. He'd put a little extra effort into tonight. She was just muddled enough that he could impress her without going overboard.
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Lois lay on the bed, panting for air. Her entire body pulsed to the throb of her own heartbeat. "Oh my gosh… where did… you learn… to do that?" she gasped between breaths.
Clark's hand touched hers. "From you." His breathing was as ragged as hers.
Lois laughed, although it was more of a breathless 'haaaa' sound. "I don't think so."
"I just waited and listened to you. You make this sound like a drowning seal…"
"Seals don't drown!" She was laughing harder now.
Clark answered between laughs of his own. "Well… if they did… they'd make that sound." His toes poked her ankle. "Do you want me to tell you this or not?"
"I'm not sure anymore. Will it involve more aquatic creatures?" Lois looked over at him. Clark still had his glasses on, although they were a little crooked now. She smiled at the thought that they should have been fogged up, too.
"When you make that sound, I know you're close…" He smiled as his words trailed away.
"A drowning seal," Lois murmured, her laugh fading into soft giggles.
They lay there, still chuckling, their hands just barely touching.
"Ork!" Lois poked him in the ribs as she made the sound. "Like that?"
"That's not it. I'll be happy to demonstrate."
"Okay, make the sound."
"I was thinking more along the lines of making you make the sound again. When you do, I'll tell you."
"Right now? You could do that again right now? I don't think I can even move!"
"Not right now!" he laughed. "Next time."
"Next time," Lois repeated, smiling stupidly at the ceiling as lethargy overtook her.
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Lois woke up to find the room painted in the half-light of morning. Her hand reached across the bed and found nothing but a cool pillow. He was gone. Something close to disappointment filtered through her.
She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Ork," she whispered to herself and then giggled. Did she really make that sound or was he teasing her? Had anyone else ever made that sound for him?
Who had he slept with before her? She wasn't jealous; she was just curious. How serious had he been about this woman? Or was it women? He said it had been more than three years so it must have been while he was in college. Was she his college girlfriend? He had been on the football team; was she a cheerleader? What had happened to end things between them? Did they break up after graduation? Did he still keep in touch with her? Was she going to come visit him in Metropolis? Would he sleep with her again?
He'd be well within his rights to see her. This wasn't a relationship. Clark could sleep with his old flame, Cat, or half the newsroom and there wasn't a darn thing she could say about it. She hated that she hated that thought.
Why had he gone for more than three years without sex? Had he been hurt? Burned so badly that he took some sort of vow of abstinence? Was that it? Why had he agreed to sleep with her? Was he that desperate?
The phone rang and she felt a flutter of hope run through her. There weren't many people who would call this early.
"Hello?"
"Lois? Hi, it's me," Clark said.
"Hi!" she chirped happily.
"They just found Wes Gatenby dead near the Hobbs Bay Tower."
"Who?"
"The supervisor from STAR Labs that Superman met with yesterday. He's dead. And the killer left a calling card behind."
"A calling card? With a name on it?"
"Yep."
"So what's his name?"
"Bad Brain."
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End 6/20
