Hello, everyone!
You don't even want to know what I'm doing up at two in the morning, but since it's technically Monday, I thought I'd post this before I go fall into bed.
Thanks to everyone who left fdk!
From Part 2:
Clark sighed in frustration as question after question was thrown at them. He led the way for Perry and Lois as they pushed their way through the crowd, slowly making progress to their vehicles.
“Mr. White! What was it like being Superman’s boss?”
“No comment!” Clark said loudly, answering for all of them as he escaped into the passenger side of the Jeep. He watched as the reporters scrambled to their cars, clearly planning to follow them.
“It’s going to be a long day,” Lois said, her tone dry as she shifted the Jeep into drive. Clark held on tight as the Jeep lurched forward. They were soon speeding down the street. “I think it’s time we lost this media circus.”
************************
Part 3:
“What have you got for me today, Lane?” Bobby Bigmouth asked as he let himself into the back of her silver Jeep Cherokee.
Lois eyed him, keeping a tight grip on the bags of food she’d bought. “You’d better have some really good info, Bobby. This food cost a small fortune,” she complained. She groaned inwardly at the thought of having to give up the chocolate eclairs she’d selected. Bobby had better come through for them; Lois Lane was not known to give up chocolate so easily.
“Don’t worry, Bobby, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with what we brought you,” Clark said, gently prying the bags away from his partner. He handed them to their source.
“You guys don’t disappoint, do you? Italian cuisine is one of my favorites,” Bobby said as he looked through the bags. “Ooh, and there’re chocolate eclairs here, too!”
“Okay Bobby, let’s have it. Do you know anything about the destruction of the Daily Planet?”
“I heard that someone called ‘The Boss’ is responsible for the explosion at the Planet. Most of the criminals in Metropolis pay protection money to this ‘Boss’ character.”
“Do you know who The Boss is?” Lois asked.
A hesitant look came over Bobby’s face. “Look, I’d really love to help you out, but anyone who crosses The Boss finds themselves surfacing in Hobbs bay without a pulse. I’ve told you too much as it is; I’ve gotta watch out for my neck here, guys.”
“Hey, if that’s all you’ve got then give back those eclairs!” Lois said, reaching for the bag of food.
“Lois!” Clark admonished, saving the eclairs in question by blocking her hands. Giving her a look of warning, he turned back to Bobby and asked, “Is there anything else you can tell us?”
Bobby sighed. “You know that video that showed up all over the news about you being Superman?”
“Bobby, that video is a fake! If Clark is Superman, then I’m Mrs. Claus!” Lois exclaimed. “And believe me when I say that I’m not a fan of Christmas.”
“Look, this business about you being Superman isn’t any concern of mine,” Bobby assured Clark. “I’m just saying that the word on the street is that The Boss is behind that too.”
Lois and Clark stared at each other for a moment. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Lois asked her partner.
“If this guy they call ‘The Boss’ was behind the explosion at the Planet…”
“And he was behind that video about Superman…”
“And Lex Luthor bought the Planet before it was destroyed…”
“That would mean that Lex Luthor is The Boss,” they both concluded simultaneously.
Bobby stared at the two of them, his head bobbing back and forth as he watched them talk. “Hey, you didn’t hear it from me. Good luck, you guys. Thanks for the food,” he said before getting out of the Jeep. A moment later he popped his head back in through Clark’s window. “Especially the eclairs, Lois.”
Upon seeing the grin on Bobby’s face, Lois proceeded to whack him with her purse, barely missing Clark in the process.
*****
“I spent most of the day trying to track down the former board members of the Planet, but they’ve been ducking me all day. I did manage to trace a trail back to Lexel Investments, a subsidiary of LexCorp, and found that there was additional insurance on the Daily Planet,” Perry informed Clark, Lois and Jimmy. The group was gathered outside the restaurant where Perry’s retirement dinner was being held.
“How much insurance was there on the Planet?” Lois asked.
“About twice as much as it would have taken to rebuild it. Luthor walked away with a cool seventy-five million dollars,” Perry informed them.
“Well, that’s motive,” Jimmy said.
“Yes, it is, but it’s still not enough to nail him. We need proof that Luthor was behind the explosion,” Perry said before eyeing Lois and Clark. “So, did the two of you get a hold of that Bigmouth guy?”
“We sure did, Chief. Bobby told us that most of the criminal element in Metropolis pays protection money to a shady character they call ‘The Boss’. He said that this ‘Boss’ character is responsible for the destruction of the Daily Planet—and the video tape that exposed me as Superman,” Clark said.
“So I take it he doesn’t know who The Boss is, then?” Perry asked.
“He was too afraid to name names. He said that anyone who crosses The Boss doesn’t live to tell about it,” Lois explained.
“And telling two reporters the name of The Boss would definitely be seen as crossing him,” Perry stated.
“Exactly,” Lois said, wondering if Bobby could be in any danger for telling them as much as he had. If The Boss was in fact Lex Luthor, then they weren’t dealing with a small-time criminal. They were dealing with the big fish of the sea for sure.
“We think that The Boss may be Lex Luthor,” Clark said.
“That’s what I was thinking too, Son. But we need proof. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything more we can do tonight. If we don’t move on inside, I’m going to be late for my own dinner,” Perry said, motioning to the front door of the restaurant. They had just started to follow him inside when Perry stopped suddenly.
“I almost forgot! Did you find out anything about that tape?” he asked, turning to Jimmy.
“Not yet. My friend has some connections, though. He said that the surveillance equipment used to film Clark was high-quality and expensive to come by. He’s going to ask around and see if he can come up with anything.”
“Your friend could tell this just by watching the video?” Lois asked.
“He said that the detail in the video was outstanding and the frame rate was pretty fast—which led him to believe that whoever had Clark’s apartment put under surveillance didn’t use your everyday ordinary security equipment.
“Good job, you guys. Now this is what investigative work is all about,” Perry praised before leading them inside.
*****
An hour later, Perry’s retirement dinner was in full swing. Lois looked around at all of her former co-workers. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, but underneath it all Lois could sense the gloom. The fact that Perry White was retiring was pretty much the equivalent of saying that Hell had finally frozen over. The Planet was gone and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it.
At least that’s what everyone else thought. She knew better. They were going to nail Lex Luthor to the wall for the destruction of the Planet. And they were going to find a way to rebuild. Lois refused to believe otherwise.
Lois watched in silence as her slightly tipsy former co-workers talked and socialized. She caught sight of Perry as he continued to chase the belly dancer around the restaurant. Perry was way beyond tipsy; he was down right drunk.
“So much for the chief not having a good time,” Lois said wryly, her lips forming a smile. Her gaze settled on Clark. He had been quiet the whole night, no doubt enjoying the few moments of peace. Reporters had been hounding him all day. His parents had barely made it through the ever-growing crowd of vultures outside his apartment. Thankfully, the entire restaurant had been reserved for Perry’s retirement dinner. Lois studied him for a moment, noticing how tired he looked. Martha had noticed earlier that day too. Perry had invited the Kents to dinner, but they had declined, saying that they were tired from traveling. She envied Clark his supportive parents. He was lucky to have them.
Lois sighed after glancing at her watch. She dreaded the thought of going to meet Lex, but it couldn’t be helped. He wouldn’t be put off forever. She had stopped by the LNN newsroom earlier that day and had found the message he’d left for her. She’d seen his message—hastily scrawled on a sticky-note by a random administrative assistant—and had grudgingly returned the call. Lex had wanted to see her that evening. She’d have to be stupid not to know that he was expecting an answer to his proposal. But the answer she had to give wasn’t one that he would like.
“Nervous about meeting Luthor later?” Clark asked, breaking into her thoughts and apparently reading her mind.
“Is mind reading one of your many abilities, Flyboy?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“No, I’m just good at reading you.”
Lois’s eyes found his gaze and held. Upon seeing the intensity in his eyes her cheeks grew warm. Needing to distance herself, she looked away and said, “I guess I am. Nervous, that is. I’m just a little worried about his reaction when I tell him that I can’t marry him.”
Clark leaned closer so he could speak quietly in her ear, and she shivered at the contact. “You know that Superman will be hovering outside. You have nothing to be afraid of. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know that I can count on you, Clark. Whether or not I deserve your help is another story. I’m sorry that I hurt you. And I know that it’s no excuse, but I never meant to cause you any pain,” Lois told him quietly. She felt so ashamed of herself. She didn’t even know why she had even considered Lex’s proposal to begin with.
“I was pretty angry and hurt, but I realized that I wasn’t blameless. I did lead you to think that Superman and I were two people.”
“I should have seen it. I’m a reporter and I worked with you for so long. I was so blind,” she said, kicking herself for not seeing the obvious. “And I was so blind about Lex. He’s turning out to be every bit the criminal you tried to warn me about. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, Clark.”
Clark looked like he was about to respond when Jimmy interrupted them. “What are the two of you doing over here whispering?” Jimmy asked as he sat down next to them.
“Hey, are you having a good time, Jimmy?” Clark asked his young friend, deftly distracting Jimmy from his own question.
“The best! Perry’s retirement dinner didn’t turn out too bad. He looks like he’s enjoying himself.”
“I’m sure the belly dancer is very entertaining,” Lois said wryly.
“Perry mentioned that you went to see Jack today. How’s he doing?” Jimmy asked Clark, concern for his friend evident in his expression even from where Lois was sitting.
The mood at the table became all-too-serious. “He is as good as can be expected. He said that the lawyer Luthor hired for him isn’t any good. I’m working on finding him a better one,” Clark explained before pausing. “He wanted Superman to break him out,” he said quietly.
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him no.”
“Does he believe that you’re Superman?” Jimmy asked.
“Actually he already suspected as much,” Clark said in a low voice, looking around to make sure that they weren’t being overheard. “I think he started to get suspicious when he stole the globe, and then his suspicions were probably confirmed the night we were all held hostage at the Planet. I’m pretty sure I gave myself away to him that night.”
“I guess Jack wasn’t as blind as some of us,” Lois replied dryly. She glanced at her watch again, wishing that time would just stop ticking away. But the time to face Lex had come. “I need to get out of here. It’s time to get this over with. You coming, Clark?”
“Right behind you,” he answered, resting a hand on her back in reassurance as he followed her to the restaurant’s exit.
*****
When Lois walked into Lex’s Penthouse he immediately handed her a glass of champagne. “Dare I hope that we have cause to celebrate, my dear?” he asked smoothly as he took her hand and led her over to one of his absurdly expensive couches. “How was the retirement dinner?”
“Painful.” Lois tried hard to hide the nervousness she felt but it was next to impossible. She dreaded what she’d come to the penthouse to do. Lex’s words and the champagne were a clear sign that he expected her to accept his proposal. “Thank you, Lex,” she said quietly as she sat down, indicating the glass in her hand.
“You’re welcome, my dear. I’m sorry that your evening was so difficult. I wish there was something I could do to help.”
“Well, if you have an extra seventy-five million dollars lying around, that would help,” Lois said in jest. She eyed him closely, watching for a reaction.
Lex sighed. “My dear, I wish there was something I could do, but it’s impossible. When the Daily Planet was destroyed I lost a large amount of money,” he explained gently, but she could tell that the amount of money she’d mentioned had registered, if only briefly. “I am very sorry, Lois, but the Planet was severely underinsured.”
Lois eyed Lex, unable to put a growing suspicion to rest. She couldn’t help but remember Perry’s words spoken earlier that day. He’d pointed out that the Daily Planet had been heading into financial trouble right before Lex had bought the newspaper. And Lois had a hard time ignoring the fact that he’d bought the newspaper right after asking her to marry him.
“I can’t help but think that you bought the Planet because of me,” she told him, wondering if she was pushing him too far. But she had to have her suspicions confirmed. The Planet going under, Lex buying it, then the explosion—all had happened after he’d asked her to be his wife. Deep down, she wondered if they were all connected.
“I did. In some foolish way, I hoped that by saving the Planet it would bring us closer. But now I see that there was no need. My love, we are meant to be together.”
“Lex, I…” she said before looking away. Guilt sat in the pit of her stomach at the realization that Lex had bought and destroyed the Planet because of her. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d caused the paper’s financial troubles as well. In a sick and twisted attempt to get her to accept his marriage proposal, he had ruined everything that was important to her. Lois felt positively sick.
“There’s no need to feel nervous, my love,” he assured her as he sat down next to her, mistaking her reaction. He took the glass of champagne from her and set it on a nearby table before taking both of her hands in his. “I love you, Lois. All I want is your happiness.”
She looked deeply into his eyes, and for the first time saw what Clark had been trying to warn her about all along. How in the world had she missed it before? What had happened to her ability to judge the characters of others? Lex really did seem sincere; she had to give him credit for that. But underneath the facade she detected the tiniest bit of triumph in his eyes. He thought he’d won. He really did believe that she was going to marry him.
“Lex, you’re an amazing man,” Lois began, slathering on the flattery like syrup on a pancake. After all, she didn’t want to provoke him. And she certainly didn’t want him to suspect that she was on to him either. He would be much easier to catch in his criminal activities if he was unaware that she was no longer clueless about his methods. “But I can’t marry you. I’m very flattered that you’d want to marry me, and I value your friendship, but I’m just not ready to take such a big step. I’m sorry, Lex.”
His eyes became cold as steel and white hot anger flashed in their depths, but it was so fleeting that Lois wasn’t even sure she’d seen it at all. Lex got up from the couch and stood, turning his back to her. For a few moments he said nothing, then turned to face her again, a look of total devastation on his face. He was playing the rejected lover to the hilt, but she could still sense the rage in him—and it scared her. She was thankful that Clark was outside watching her, ready to jump in at the first sign of trouble.
“Lois, I’m not sure what I can do to convince you to marry me, except to tell you that I love you.” Lex paused for a moment, seemingly debating his next words. “Does your decision have anything to do with Superman?”
Lois was taken aback by his question. In truth it had everything to do with Superman, but not in the way that Lex was assuming. Superman—Clark—had rejected her. But seeing him for who he truly was had brought to light so many things that she just hadn’t seen, Lex Luthor being one of them.
“No, it’s not Superman. I know that you’re probably aware of my feelings for him. But he and I will never be together, and even if there was a future for us I wouldn’t be ready to marry him either.” It saddened her to know that she would probably never have a chance with Clark, not after the way she’d treated him. Lois got up, wanting to leave Lex and his overly expensive penthouse behind her. She was becoming uncomfortable and couldn’t wait to get out of there.
“I do hope that you will reconsider, Lois. We could be phenomenal together. With you by my side, the sky’s the limit.” He took her hand again and it was all Lois could do not to pull away. She must have been certifiably insane to have ever considered Lex Luthor worthy of her attention, let alone of marriage. It was obvious to her now that the man had ice running through his veins. How could she have gone out with him and not seen the ruthlessness in his cold, beady eyes? She had been blinder than a newborn kitten. That was a hard thing for Lois Lane to admit, even to herself.
“I’m sorry, Lex, but my answer won’t change. It’s getting late and I should be going. It’s been a long day, what with Perry’s retirement dinner and all.”
“I imagine your day has been very stressful, my love. Finding out that you’ve been deceived by someone you considered a good friend must have been a shock.” Lois had already turned away and started toward the door when Lex’s words stopped her cold. “It’s such a shame. The world’s population looked up to Superman. To find out that you’ve been working with him all this time and didn’t even know it must have been a terrible blow.”
Lois had been waiting for Lex to bring up the subject. She was surprised that it had taken him as long as it had to throw Clark’s deception in her face. But even so, the words still stung. They were just another reminder of how clueless she’d really been.
Lois tried her best to wipe all emotion from her features before she turned to face him. “Yes, well I don’t believe everything I see on LNN,” she said, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. “Have a good night, Lex.” She left before she could say anything else and kicked herself for not being more diplomatic. She hadn’t wanted to let on to the fact that her feelings for him were less-than-friendly. But damn it! The man had gotten to her.
*****
Clark waited for Lois outside of Lex Towers. He’d watched from the air as she left the penthouse and had made sure that she made it safely to the lobby before landing with a burst of super speed. Now she was headed in his direction with some super speed of her own. She obviously couldn’t wait to put as much distance as possible between her and Lex Luthor.
“Are you okay, Lois?” Clark asked softly as she came to a stop in front of him.
She shook her head, and Clark noticed the unshed tears in her dark eyes. “No. Oh God, Clark, I…” She paused, taking in a shaky breath. “I can’t believe this is happening. He destroyed the Planet because of me,” she said in a low voice before meeting his gaze. Clark’s heart clenched at the sight of her guilt-laden expression.
“It’s not your fault, Lois. There’s only one person who is responsible for all of this, and his name is Lex Luthor,” Clark assured her.
“But I didn’t see him for what he really was, Clark. I dated him for months. If I’d listened to you sooner, maybe none of this would have happened. If I hadn’t led him on, maybe he wouldn’t have felt the need to take over and destroy the Daily Planet.”
“You can’t keep blaming yourself, Lois. This isn’t your fault. Right now we need to focus on finding the proof we need to bring that monster down.”
She nodded, not quite meeting his eyes. “I know, Clark, and I look forward to the day that he’s behind bars. I just hope that he doesn’t find out that we’re on to him. I don’t trust him. I didn’t realize how dangerous he was until now.”
Clark hesitated a moment before taking her hand. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Lois.”
Lois looked into his eyes before stepping closer. His breath caught in his throat as she stood only inches away from him. Her scent was intoxicating; a man could easily drown in it. He would have given his soul to be able to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless at that moment. Time seemed to stand still as they gazed at each other. Clark listened as her heart rate sped up, and the sound was music to his ears. He’d never been more aware of her than he was at that moment, and if her racing pulse was any indication, then she was aware of him too. She continued to gaze into his eyes, a look of wonderment on her face.
“Clark, why do you stick by me? After everything that I’ve done I wouldn’t blame you for walking away without a second glance.”
Realizing that her small hand still rested in his, Clark gave it a small squeeze. “Do you really have to ask, Lois?”
Her eyes fell to the ground at his words. “I don’t deserve you, Clark.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
Before Clark could stop himself he pulled her into his arms. She came all-too-willingly. He sighed as he tightened his arms around her. He knew that he was probably setting himself up for more heartache—Lois was going through too much right now to know what she really wanted. And besides, he wasn’t a fool. Hadn’t it been just yesterday that she’d told him she only cared for him as a friend? But no matter how much she hurt him he couldn’t help but hope that she would change her mind. Could it be possible that she would see beyond his alter-ego now that she knew the truth? He wanted that more than anything.
Lois stepped back a little, but only enough so she could look in his eyes. “I feel like I’ve ruined our friendship, Clark, that you’ll never be completely comfortable with me again.”
“You know how I feel about you, Lois. It would be pointless to deny it now. But you also know that you’re my best friend. I would do anything for you. We’ll deal with whatever life throws at us. I’m not going anywhere,” Clark assured her.
“You’re a good friend, Clark. I’ll try harder to be the friend you deserve. I know I haven’t always been the best at that, but I’ll try.”
“And that’s all I expect, Lois. I just…” Clark hesitated, afraid of saying too much. “I don’t want my feelings for you to get in the way of our friendship. I don’t want you to feel awkward around me.”
Lois flashed a brilliant smile at him. “Don’t think you can get rid of me that easy, Flyboy. I’m not going anywhere either. Except home, that is. It’s been a long day and I’m beat.” She sighed as she looked around. “Now I just have to find a cab,” she said, the tone of her voice clearly telling him that she didn’t fancy that idea.
“I would fly you home, but it’s too risky. I’m afraid I’ll have to see you home the old fashioned way,” Clark offered.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m fine, Clark. I think I can handle finding my own way home,” she protested in typical Lois Lane fashion.
“I have no doubt that you can. Just humor me, okay? I worry about you; I can’t help it.”
“And I love it that you care. But I can still take care of myself, Clark.”
Clark groaned inwardly as his super hearing kicked in. “Well, I guess I’m going to have to hold you to that because I have to go,” Clark said suddenly, his hand already reaching for his tie.
“Go?” Lois asked, confusion evident in her tone.
“Yeah, you know.” He made a flying motion with his hand. “Superman’s needed,” Clark whispered.
“Oh. Oh! Well, don’t just stand there. Go!”
“Okay, but first…” Clark led them down a deserted alley. “I’ve always wanted to do this in front of you.” Clark spun into a whirl of color, noting the stunned expression on her face as he stopped to stand in front of her as Superman.
“Wow!” Lois exclaimed, a look of wonder crossing over her features. “You’ll have to tell me how you do that some time.”
“Hey, can’t a guy have any secrets?” he teased her.
“Not while I’m around. They don’t call me Mad Dog Lane for nothing.”
“I guess not.” Clark smiled before lifting himself into the air. He hesitated a moment, concern settling over him. “You will be okay, right? You’ll be careful on your way home?”
“I’m a big girl, Clark. You might not believe it, but I did survive on my own long before you showed up in Metropolis.”
Clark smiled at her once more before shooting into the night sky, leaving Lois to stare after him.
*****
Lex threw his champagne flute into the wall; the sound of shattering glass was fuel for his rage. How dare she turn him down? He was Lex Luthor! She obviously didn’t know who she was dealing with. He would have her. If it was the last thing he did, he would have her, and he would break her. That stubborn spirit of hers would have to go. He would squash her essence, her independence, and her free will—all like pesky little flies. He would bend her to his will, make her submit to him. After he got through with her, she would be only a shadow of her former self.
Lex laughed wickedly as he thought about the bug he’d slipped into her purse. She would never suspect that it was there. It was hidden in an everyday, ordinary pen. And it was because of that bug that he was in such a rage. He’d been angry when she’d left, but still optimistic that he could turn her around to his way of thinking. That was before he’d heard her conversation with that over-grown, spandex-wearing freak. He knew that she fancied herself in love with Superman, but never in his wildest dreams did he think that she harbored any feelings for her working partner, that hick from some map dot in Kansas. The conversation he’d overheard had proved him wrong. Their friendship ran deeper than he had ever imagined, and Kent had revealed that his feelings for Lois weren’t entirely platonic, although that piece of information hadn’t necessarily surprised him.
And now they were on to him. They were plotting his downfall at that very moment, no doubt gathering all sorts of incriminating evidence. He’d covered his tracks well, but Lois Lane’s tenacity was well known. And with Superman working by her side, there was no telling what they could uncover.
He would have to kill Superman sooner rather than later. He had wanted to watch as the press tore Clark Kent’s life to shreds—piece by agonizing piece. But there simply wasn’t time for that. He hadn’t planned on Lois turning him down. He’d never been rejected before. This was completely new territory for him. The feeling of uncontrollable rage that had surfaced from her rejection was unnerving. Lex Luthor was never one to lose control.
“So I take it things with Ms. Lane didn’t go as smoothly as you would have liked?” Mrs. Cox asked, her eyes drawn to the broken glass that littered the floor.
“No, they definitely did *not* go as planned. She refused to marry me. Can you imagine that? She refused me, Lex Luthor, the third richest man in the world!” Lex ranted, all the while hating himself for allowing his tightly held control to slip in front of his personal assistant.
“Lois Lane is a very foolish woman. You could have any woman you wanted, Lex.”
“Lois isn’t just any woman. Oh, but she’ll come to her senses soon enough,” he stated with conviction. “Mrs. Cox, arrange that series K field test we discussed for tomorrow afternoon. I think the time has come for a certain super hero to fall to his knees.”
“I’ll get right on it, Lex. I’ve already had a small piece of the kryptonite made into a necklace.”
“Excellent! I think a false alarm at the Metropolis Bank should do nicely to draw out Superman. After we have confirmation that the kryptonite is effective I want you to implement the other plans immediately. Superman’s days are numbered.”
TBC...
