Chapter Twenty-nine
>>>Wednesday, 7:41 AM
Through the muzziness which engulfed her brain, Lois heard the soft knock on the door even through the extra pillow over her head and the thick comforter pulled up past her nose.
The problem was that she didn’t know where she was, except that she realized that she wasn’t any place she might have called ‘home.’ She heard a woman’s pleasant voice on the other side speaking words she couldn’t quite decipher, but at the moment she was more interested in figuring out why she was in a bed that smelled like pancakes and inexpensive aftershave.
She opened one eye and glanced around at the young man’s room she was currently occupying.
Uh-oh.
She cautiously stretched out one hand behind her, but all she felt was the edge of the bed. Too small for more than one person, unless they were conjoined pygmies.
Good. She hadn’t spent the night with anyone without remembering it.
The person on the other side of the door began pounding on the door again, except this time it sounded to Lois as if she were sitting directly beneath the world’s largest naval cannon as it was being fired like a machine gun. The massive explosions were deafening. It sounded – and felt – like the world’s worst hangover multiplied to the tenth power.
She lurched up to a sitting position and grabbed the sides of her head, but the noise suddenly receded to a petite knock on the wooden door. She turned her head in either direction and realized that her hearing control had kicked in.
Right. Hearing control. Control of her super-hearing.
She finally remembered. She was sleeping in Clark’s bed in his parents’ house in Kansas, and Clark had slept on the pull-out couch in the living room because she’d gotten sleepy before he had and because he was too chivalrous to be believed.
And she had super-powers that were sometimes more a hindrance than a help.
She hoped she could learn to make the transition from sleep to awake and in control of her powers an automatic process. Waking up to a super-loud alarm clock every morning was not something she looked forward to.
The door was no barrier to her x-ray vision, and it revealed Martha Kent standing patiently in the hallway. Lois was glad it was Martha and not Jonathan or Clark who had awakened her. She now knew what style and brand of underwear Martha wore, and she was again glad that she was learning to control her powers before she determined whether or not Martha had any tattoos, scars, or other identifying marks anywhere on her person.
“I’m coming, Martha,” she called.
“Good. It’s almost a quarter to eight! I can’t believe how late you city women sleep.”
Lois laughed. “I hope you saved me some breakfast.”
“No, I didn’t.” Lois’s face fell, but before she could say anything, Martha continued, “I made some fresh for you. I knew you’d be hungry.”
“Oh. Okay. Let me get dressed and make a pit stop first.”
*****
“Martha?”
“Yes, dear?”
“Has Clark always been a morning person, or does he just enjoy irritating the rest of us?”
Martha laughed as Lois sat down at the table. “He’s a natural morning person. Always has been. You, however, appear to be a night person.”
Lois drank half a cup of coffee before answering. “That, unfortunately, is quite true. Nocturnal Lois, that’s me, except for last night. I somehow thought that Clark’s powers were part of what made him a morning person, but apparently that’s not the case. They haven’t changed that part of me in the slightest.”
Martha nodded. “You’re still an individual, Lois. Having your own powers will change what you can do, but they won’t change who you are. Clark’s had to work on not being defined by his powers for a long time. You’re still getting adjusted to the idea of being a super-powered individual.”
Lois lifted five large pancakes onto the dinner platter Martha had set out for her and hunted for the butter and the syrup. “I know. About that, though, what do you think I should do?”
Martha crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. “I think you should finish your breakfast before I have to throw it out.”
Lois snorted a laugh. “Okay. But do you mind if I talk while I eat?”
“As long as you don’t talk while chewing, not at all.”
“It’s a deal. Oh, yum! These pancakes are delicious!”
“And the bacon is crisp, too. I’ve got some raspberry preserves you can put on the pancakes if you want. It helps build up the calorie count.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’ll try that on my next stack.”
“Would you prefer regular whole milk or buttermilk?”
“Whole, please. I never developed a taste for buttermilk.”
Martha poured a tall tumbler of milk and placed it beside Lois’s plate, then sat down and watched the young woman eat enough for a jazz quintet on tour and playing nine shows a week.
When Lois finally slowed down, Martha picked up the empty plates and took them to the sink. “How were the biscuits?”
“Heavenly! I can’t remember when I’ve tasted such delicious food, not ever!”
Martha frowned. It was standard breakfast fare, and unless Lois had been existing by dumpster diving for the last few years, she shouldn’t be reacting to the food in this way.
Then she had a thought. “Lois? What is it about my cooking that seems to taste so good to you?”
“Everything!”
“Could you be a little more specific?”
“Oh, wow, it’s light, fluffy, tasty to the highest degree, full-bodied, sharp when it’s supposed to be sharp, tangy when it’s supposed to be tangy, everything smells just perfect – “
“I think I get the picture. I just think it’s odd that you enjoy eating so very much.”
“I usually don’t! I can’t remember when I tasted anything this wonderful.”
Martha pondered for a moment, then her earlier thought morphed into an epiphany. “Lois? What did pancakes taste like the last time you ate them?”
“The last time? You mean from a restaurant?” Martha nodded. “Oh, that was at least a couple of months ago. I went to the Wacky Waffle in Metropolis one Saturday morning just to kill some time when my landlord was fumigating my apartment, and they were okay but nothing like yours.”
“Really? What’s different about my pancakes?”
“You mean the pancakes themselves?”
“No. What’s the biggest difference between the last time you ate pancakes and this morning?”
“Oh. Well, it’s – it’s my – my powers.” She stared open-mouthed at Martha. “You mean – you mean it’s not you – but it’s really me? These powers have made everything taste so good?”
“Well, it’s either that or you have at least one super-power that Clark doesn’t have.”
“What power?”
“Super-taste.”
They both laughed. Lois drained the last of her milk and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Now that we’ve established that I have super-excellent taste – “ they both chuckled for a moment – “I want to talk to you about how I should use my powers.”
Martha frowned slightly and leaned on the table. “That’s a loaded question, Lois. I think you should talk it over with Clark and get his opinion.”
“That was one of the major topics we covered while he was teaching me how to use them. He told me that it’s my decision and he’ll support me and assist me in whatever I decide.”
“I see. That’s very open-minded of him. Is there anyone else you can think of to ask about this?”
Lois shook her head. “Not really. I could talk to Perry, but his first loyalty is to the paper. I don’t think he’d give me bad advice, I just don’t think he’s the right person to be my advisor and mentor in this. And since I’m nowhere near ready to tell my family about my powers, I can’t very well ask them.”
Martha nodded slowly. “It sounds to me like you’ve already come to a decision and you’re trying to find someone to validate it for you.”
“Oh.” Lois sat back. “Do I seem that shallow to you?”
“Oh, no, Lois, honey, no! That’s not what I meant! This is a huge decision for you, as big as who you’re going to marry or what career path to take! No! I meant that you’ve made a decision, but that you recognize how important it is, and you’re seeking wise counsel to make sure you haven’t missed anything screamingly obvious to someone else.” She patted the younger woman’s knee. “And just for the record, I think you’re doing the right thing, dear.”
Lois eyed her warily. “You haven’t heard my decision yet.”
“No, but if you’d chosen to have Bob try to remove your powers, you wouldn’t be asking my advice on how to use them. If you’d decided to hide them, you’d have the option to come out of the closet – “ Lois giggled at the phrase “ – okay then, ‘reveal yourself’ any time you wanted to later on. No, I think you’ve decided to wear a brightly-colored spandex costume and fight for truth and justice using your new abilities.”
Lois stared at her for a long moment. “Do you practice psychology on the side or are you psychic?”
Martha grinned. “I’m a mother, dear, so it’s a little of both.” She stood. “Tell you what. Why don’t you let me take your measurements? I bet I could come up with something that will suit you.”
Lois made a face. “Something that will ‘suit’ me?”
Martha frowned, then smiled in comprehension. “Sorry, that one was unintentional. I’m generally not a fan of puns.” She gestured to her sewing room. “Shall I go find my tape measure?”
“Thank you so very much, Martha! You’re a wonder.”
Martha didn’t consider herself a wonder, just a Kansas farm wife and mother. She didn’t view herself as anyone special. But if the hints she’d picked up about Lois’s parents were anywhere near accurate, the younger woman didn’t have a whole lot to compare other mothers to.
And as she wrote down Lois’s measurements, Martha wondered how – and when – Lois would break the news to her family that she could fly without an airplane.
>>>Wednesday, 8:51 AM
Perry put down his phone and almost sprinted out of his office. “Hey! Listen! Everybody listen up!”
The entire news force stopped and stared at the excited editor. “I just got a call. Superman is bringing Clark Kent and Lois Lane back to Metropolis this morning! They’re both alive and well and ready to help us find out who blew up that building on Monday! They should be here in about two hours, so let’s make them both welcome!”
No one moved. “Well, come on, people! Move it! This ol’ Elvis fan don’t make jokes like that. This is for real!”
Jimmy took a hesitant step forward. “Chief? You’re not kidding us, are you? They’re alive?”
“Yes! Superman managed to rescue them, but they decided to play dead for a while to see if they could smoke out the bad guy.”
Eduardo called out, “Did it work?”
Perry waved his arms. “I don’t know what they’ve got. Right now, the most important thing is to get this in print. And we need a sidebar on Superman and his rescue of Clark and Lois. Extra on the streets by noon, people!” He frowned ferociously. “And then – we need to have a party!”
The room erupted in cheers. Jimmy found three different young female interns to hug, and to his great delight they each hugged him back. Ralph shook hands with every man close to him as if he’d broken the story himself. Eduardo ran over and hugged Perry, then tracked down a research assistant for photos of Clark, Lois, and Superman. Some cried, some jumped around maniacally, some yelled, but everyone expressed joy at the news.
Everyone but Cat Grant.
Perry glanced at her desk. The young woman was pale and still. She looked more like a death row inmate than someone happy that her friends had apparently returned from the dead.
Maybe she was still recovering from that concussion, thought Perry.
But somehow he didn’t think so.
>>>Wednesday,8:54 AM
Lois landed in the alley behind the parking garage across Dyer Street, where the LexCorp main office was situated. She looked over her clothes again and decided that her ‘country casual’ look would have to do, unless she wanted to take the time to fly home and change.
The phrase ‘fly home and change’ sounded so weird in her head that she said it out loud.
“I could fly home and change clothes.”
Still sounds weird, she thought.
But she wanted to see Lex before he found out from someone else that she was alive. Part of her wanted to be the one to reveal the news. She wanted to see his reaction herself, to see if what she was feeling for him was reciprocated in any way, shape, sort, or form.
And part of her wanted to see if he would be shocked or thrilled to see her alive instead of dead.
She pushed Clark’s warning about Luthor’s honesty, or the possible lack thereof, to the back of her mind, along with her peevish rejoinder to him that he should catalogue Rebecca’s reaction, too, just in case she was involved in the bombing somehow. Even at the time, her thrust had sounded hollow and petty to her own ears. She was as sure that Rebecca hadn’t been involved in the lab bombing as she was that Lex Luthor had not been involved.
Wasn’t she?
She shook off her doubts and walked through the garage, then crossed at the light. The receptionist inside wasn’t Rebecca, but she did recognize Lois, although she made Lois wait in the person trap to make sure that her face matched her photos.
The girl ran out from behind the desk and grabbed Lois’s hands. She was bouncing so high that Lois was sure she had coil steel springs in her heels. “Oh! Miss Lane! I’m so glad you’re okay! We’ve been so worried about you and I’ll call Mr. Luthor right away cause he’s been just – “
“No!” Lois held her still long enough to read her nametag. “Carly, right? Carly, please, I want to surprise him.” Lois held her hand up. “I mean it! I want to be the one to tell him I’m all right.”
Carly bit her lip and moaned dramatically, but then she smiled and nodded. “Okay, yeah, yeah, okay! It’ll be real romantic, like a Richard Gere movie or something! Oh! I have to call Rebecca! I promised her – “
“No, Carly! You can’t call her either.”
“But I promised! I promised her I’d call as soon as I heard anything definite about you or about Clark!”
“But Clark is headed over there now. He’ll tell her that I’m okay.”
Carly’s grin split her face into uneven halves. “Oh! That’s like so very romantic, too! Oh, please, Miss Lane, I have to tell someone!”
Lois smiled, knowing she had to throw the girl a bone of some kind. “Okay. After I go upstairs, wait fifteen minutes and call the Daily Planet. Ask for Jimmy Olsen. You can tell him what you know.”
“Oh, wow! I get to break a story!” She stopped and asked very seriously, “That’s what you say, right, break the story?”
Lois laughed. “Yes, Carly, that’s what we say. Now remember – fifteen minutes! And not one second less!”
“Then you’d better hurry cause I’m counting now!”
“Thanks, Carly. Bye!”
Lois trotted towards the elevator which would whisk her to the executive office floor, thankful that Lex had given her his personal entry code. Her new purse was small and nondescript, but she hadn’t replaced her wallet and its contents yet, so she was almost surprised to realize the lightweight item was still draped over her shoulder.
Invulnerability was great, she thought, but not being able to feel her purse strap over her shoulder wasn’t so great. She’d have to ask Clark about the little things like that, things he probably didn’t think about any more.
She sighed to herself. And here she had thought she was finished with her training.
*****
Lois looked upwards through the walls and floors as she approached the executive level and saw Lex leaning against a desk. She noted that he looked drawn and very tired, and for a moment she wondered cynically how much of it was caused by the loss of the lab and how much by her reported demise. Asabi stood to his left with a mother-hen attitude evident all over his face and body. Nigel St. John stood on the other side, reading a document aloud. She tried to listen in on their conversation, but she couldn’t hear them over the noise of the elevator. Apparently her super-hearing wasn’t as precise a skill as she’d thought it would be.
Then Lex waved Nigel to silence. Asabi stepped closer and said something which Lex apparently didn’t particularly appreciate, and he snapped back at his friend. Asabi held Lex’s stare until a moment before the elevator chime sounded.
She heard Lex’s exasperation over the smooth rumble of the elevator doors opening. “I thought I cancelled all my meetings!”
Nigel nodded. “You did, sir.”
“Then who in blazes is – is – “
The doors were completely open. He was only about eight steps away. She took two quick steps and smiled.
“Lois?”
She quickened her pace. “Yes.”
He paled further and might have fallen had Asabi not grabbed his elbow. “You – you’re – you’re not – “
She stopped directly in front of him. “No, I’m not. I’m alive and well.”
He reached out and took her hands. He tried to smile but his face wouldn’t cooperate. Slowly and gently, she stepped closer and put her arms around him.
His arms hesitated, then he returned the embrace and took a deep, shuddering breath. If Lex Luthor was the bomber, then she was the queen of Outer Transylvania.
She barely heard Asabi calling out, “Oh, transcendent joy! Oh, rapturous thrill! She has returned as if from the dead! Is it not a miracle, Mr. St. John?”
Nigel didn’t answer. He paled and stumbled against Lex’s desk.
For the first time in his professional life, Nigel St. John was too astounded by his own inexplicable failure to speak coherently. But Lois was focused on Lex and didn’t see Nigel’s expression or notice his alarmed astonishment.
Lois held onto Lex as long as she thought it was appropriate. But when she tried to slide away, his arms held her tighter. His head bent to her shoulder and she thought she felt him sob once.
Asabi, still smiling like the sun, patted her shoulder and led Nigel out of the room. As the door closed behind them, Lois pulled Lex’s head up to face her.
His eyes were moist and his mouth couldn’t decide whether to smile or turn down at the corners. He put his hands on her waist and held her in front of him.
“I’m – I’m sorry. I don’t – don’t usually break down like – like this.”
She thumbed his cheeks dry and smiled. “Thank you.”
“What for? For acting like a – a schoolboy with a crush?”
“No.” She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “For caring so very, very much.”
He cupped her cheek with his hand. “For that, I require no thanks.”
She smiled. “You have no idea how much tap-dancing I had to do to keep those folks downstairs from calling you to tell you I was coming. I wanted to surprise you.”
He laughed and kissed her forehead. “You certainly accomplished that feat.” He turned away and wiped his eyes with his handkerchief, then blew his nose. “You must tell me how you escaped.”
“Superman saved us.”
He turned back abruptly. “Superman?” He frowned. “If he was there, why didn’t he help the rest of my people? Does he only save Daily Planet reporters from certain death?”
“That’s not fair, Lex! Superman was taken completely by surprise. If he hadn’t accidentally been in the area or if he’d hesitated at all, Clark and I would be dead too.”
She soothed her conscience by telling herself that what she’d just said wasn’t a lie, it simply implied that Superman and Clark were different people. And it struck her that if she took on a heroic persona of her own, she’d have to practice the same kind of deceptions.
She tuned back in to Lex, who had snapped, “He rescued Mr. Kent also?”
“We were in the same room when the bomb went off. Superman protected both of us from the falling debris.”
“And what of the others in the building? Were they not worthy of his attention?”
He’s frustrated, she thought. Don’t take it personally.
She forced herself to speak quietly. “The bomber did his work very well, which I’m sure you know by now. Superman checked, but he couldn’t find any other survivors after he dug us out.”
“I see. I’m glad to know that he tried, and that he did save someone.” Lex sighed and some of his tension seemed to leave with him. “Please don’t misunderstand my next question. I’m so very, very thrilled to see you, to know that you’re alive and well, but where the devil have you been for the last two days?”
She managed to look sheepish. “We thought – we hoped that the bomber would do something to reveal himself if he thought he’d killed everyone in the building, so we went into hiding. We decided last night that it wasn’t going to happen, so we contacted Superman and arranged for him to bring us back to Metropolis.”
He leaned his hip on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms. “And you couldn’t let me know you were still alive during all of this process?”
She crossed her own arms. “You’re a man of many talents, Lex, but I don’t recall reading or hearing anything about you being an Oscar-caliber actor. There was no way you could have pulled off a deception like this one.”
He raised his voice. “And how do you know that?”
She threw her hands into the air. “Just what would you have done when you got the ‘official’ news that I was still alive? Could you have convinced Asabi or Nigel when I walked through those elevator doors that you didn’t know I was alive the whole time? Could you have fooled anyone who was looking closely enough? Do you really think that your personal feelings are more important than finding out who blew up that building and killed all those people?”
As she spoke, she felt a jar at hearing Clark’s words spill out of her mouth, and she reluctantly conceded the point to him. He had been right and she had been wrong. Hiding out and telling no one except Perry had been the proper course of action.
She’d never volunteer that information to him, of course.
Lex held her gaze for a long moment, then turned away. “No. Of course not. You were justified in keeping me in the dark, and I understand completely.” He stood and dropped his hands to his sides. “I’m sure you’ll share everything you discovered with the proper authorities, assuming you have not already done so, but I hope you’ll also include our security services people in the loop. They haven’t slept any more than I have.”
She nodded shortly. “Yes. We’ll give them everything we have that can be verified. I’m afraid it isn’t much at the moment, though.”
“Every little bit helps. And now, I must apologize to you personally. I reacted badly and I deeply regret it.” He stepped closer and took her right hand in his. “Please forgive me.”
She softened and nodded. “Believe it or not, I understand. This was a huge shock to you, and I’m sorry I revealed myself in this way. If I’d known a gentler way to tell you, I would have done it.”
He smiled. “I’m not sure I would have believed it had I not seen you with my own eyes, so I can’t very well hold it against you.” He suddenly snapped his fingers. “Kent! You said he also survived. Does Rebecca know yet that you and he are still among the living?”
Lois smiled. “I would imagine that Clark has told her by now.”
“Good. Tell me, can you stay here with me? For the morning, at least.”
“Oh, Lex, I wish I could, but I’ve got to head to the Planet in a little while. They need to see us alive, too. And I have to replace my driver’s license and social security card and credit cards and all my keys and check with my bank and make sure they know I’m still alive. I have to contact my insurance company and figure out how to report that my Jeep was crushed by a falling piece of concrete from a blown-up building. And Clark and I still have to visit with the police and tell them our stories.” She sighed. “I have a busy day ahead of me.”
“In that case, my dear, I will loan you my car and a driver for the day, on the condition that you have dinner with me tonight. We’ll go wherever you like.”
“Thanks, Lex.” She leaned closer. “Do you mind if I don’t start all those errands just yet?”
He put his arms around her shoulders and drew her closer. “Actually, I don’t mind in the least.”
*****
Asabi escorted Lois to the building’s elevator, then he re-entered Lex’s office to find the man who was his employer and his friend sitting at his desk with his hands covering his face. He stepped close to Lex and gently touched his shoulder.
Lex slowly sat up and leaned back in his chair. “She’s alive, Asabi. I touched her, I spoke with her, I even kissed her, yet I can barely believe it.” He closed his eyes and drew in a shuddering breath. “She’s really alive!”
Asabi smiled. “Yes, she is, sir. It is indeed wonderful news.”
“It is.” Lex sighed. “Now if we only knew why that particular building was bombed on that particular day. And if we could find out whether Lois and her partner were the main targets or if someone has taken an extreme dislike to me, we’d be ahead of the game.”
Asabi hesitated, then said, “Perhaps if we consulted with Mr. St. John, sir, we might have some of our questions answered.”
“What? Nigel?” Lex sighed. “You think he has some contacts who might give him some information?”
Very carefully, Asabi said, “I think that is possible, yes. I also think that it is possible that Mr. St. John might have that information at his fingertips without needing to consult his sources.”
Lex straightened in his chair and stared at Asabi. “Are you suggesting what I think you might be suggesting?”
“I suggest only that Mr. St. John’s activities be more carefully scrutinized, sir. It is possible that he has more than a passing acquaintance with some of the less savory denizens of this fair city.”
Lex chortled ruefully. “That’s just about the most diplomatic accusation I’ve ever heard leveled against any of my employees.”
“Please, sir, I make no accusation. I merely voice my misgivings and my own uneasiness.”
Lex stood and strode to the front of the desk. “Nigel has been an effective operative for my companies for several years. No one has ever brought anything resembling proof of any criminal conduct or any business-related misconduct to my attention regarding him.” He leaned on the top of the desk. “Do you have such proof, Asabi?”
Asabi shuffled his feet and he looked away. “No, sir, I do not.”
“Very well. Unless and until you can provide such proof, I wish to hear no more such talk against your fellow employees.”
Asabi lifted his face and tried once more. “Sir, I assure you, I have said these things only out of loyalty to you. I have no intention of slandering anyone, including Mr. St. John.”
Lex sighed as he straightened up. “I know. And I know you’d never do anything to harm me or my companies. I also know that your suspicions must be strong, else you would not have voiced them.” He walked around the desk and offered his hand to Asabi. “Thank you for your honesty and for your concern. I am glad that you are my friend.”
Asabi shook Lex’s hand, then stepped back and bowed slightly. “I wish only to serve my friend and my savior.”
Lex laughed again and put his arm around his friend’s shoulders. “And you have done far more to help me than you might ever have owed me had I rescued your entire family! Let’s put this little tiff behind us, shall we?”
Asabi smiled. “Of course, sir.”
“Excellent! Now, since time has not stood still, I am certain I’m behind on all of my appointments for the day. Let’s see if we can come close to catching up before Lois returns.”
“I live but to serve, sir.”
*****
Nigel stood in the shadows as he watched the company limo slid out of the parking garage. Lois Lane was about to begin the process of reclaiming the legal documents she needed to indicate her current state, that of not being dead.
He thought it through once again, and once again he concluded that he had made no mistakes, that the explosives had been placed exactly where they should have been placed, that the timing was perfect, and that the discovery of Lane’s purse in Platt’s laboratory meant that Kent and Lane had been in the lab when the building had imploded.
They should have been quite dead.
But they weren’t at all dead, thanks to that irritating meddler Superman. The next time he had a chance to expose the Man of Steel to the glowing green crystal one of his employer’s technicians had dubbed Kryptonite, he would thrust it down Superman’s throat and smile as he died writhing in agony.
The fantasy didn’t relieve his anxiety, however. He still had to report in and inform said employer that Lane and Kent were still alive.
He pulled out the phone and touched the dial, then hesitated. Nigel knew of other operatives who had failed and had disappeared forever. He had assisted in the disappearance of three of them. But they had failed repeatedly, save for the one who had passed on information about Platt to a street hustler who had relayed that information to Lane. That leak was permanently plugged, even if Nigel hadn’t yet eliminated the street hustler.
He sighed. He could run. He might even get away, at least for a time. His MI6 experience and his underworld contacts might suffice to allow him a fresh start in another country. But he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for an assassin. And he did so enjoy the amenities afforded by this country.
He pushed the button and waited for a response.
“Hello, Nigel. I imagine that you have something important to tell me.”
Once again he wished that he could hear inflection through the distortion. He might get a clue as to how to handle this most uncomfortable report.
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then make it snappy. I have another appointment in a few minutes.”
He took a deep breath and figuratively tossed the dice. “Very well. I fear that I must make an addendum to my initial report concerning the destruction of the laboratory on Monday.”
“Oh? More damage, I take it? Or a further delay in the space program?”
“No. Lane and Kent – the reporters did not die in the explosion.”
The voice hesitated. “I see. How serious are their injuries?”
“As far as I am able to determine, they are not injured at all.”
“What?”
That didn’t sound good. “They were rescued by Superman. They have just this morning returned to the city.”
“Superman!”
“Yes. Apparently he was passing by and – “
“I don’t care!” The voice was so loud that Nigel could barely understand the words being screamed into his ear. “You told me they were dead!”
“At the time, that is what I believed.”
“And now you tell me that Superman rescued them!”
“That is what the Lane woman said.”
“You – Nigel, I – “ The voice went quiet for long moments. Nigel thought he detected the sound of heavy breathing, but he wasn’t certain.
Then the other person spoke again. “Very well, Nigel. We will now designate Clark Kent and Lois Lane as primary targets one and two. You will search for opportunities to eliminate them, preferably together, and absolutely without notice. We can no longer afford to take out targets as publicly as we did two days ago.”
You mean, as I did two days ago, he thought. You did nothing. “I understand.”
“Good. We’ll have to be very careful from now on, Nigel. The FBI and the ATF are both involved in the investigation, along with the Daily Planet’s staff and LexCorp’s security division. Don’t do anything unless I personally give you instructions to do it.”
“I assume you mean that I am to do nothing about Lane and Kent without your instruction, and not to neglect my usual activities for your organization.”
“Yes, that’s what I mean! Do you have to be so absolutely exact about everything?”
Yes, he mused, especially when you are so imprecise about so many things. “My apologies,” he groveled. “I only wished to make certain I understood your instructions.”
“Well, do you understand them now?”
“I do.”
“Then carry them out!”
The line went dead with a snap and Nigel’s sigh of relief. It was so difficult to satisfy some employers.
>>>Wednesday, 8:54 AM
Clark touched down behind Rebecca’s apartment building and checked his clothing to make sure he was attired correctly. Then he made sure his hair was stylishly mussed and that his new glasses were straight.
Knock it off, you big chicken! he admonished himself. Delaying the inevitable won’t make it easier for either of you.
He took a deep breath and entered the stairwell that led to her floor, found her apartment, and started to knock.
Then his conscience hit him with a concrete block. If Rebecca cared for him as much as he suspected she did, then she might not understand about his trying to find the bomber by playing dead.
But she needed to know that he was alive, and she needed to know it from him. And he needed to know how she felt about him, whether he fully reciprocated those feelings or not. Not knowing was far worse than knowing something bad, and the longer he waited, the more likely it would be that someone else would tell her he was alive, and that might completely destroy her trust in him.
So he lifted his hand and knuckled the door.
Her voice showed her strain as it wafted through the wood. “Mrs. Kopeckne, I told you I don’t need any more cookies or hot tea! I’m fine, really! Please go away!”
“Rebecca? Please open up. It isn’t Mrs. – “
The door flew open. Rebecca stood barefoot in the doorway, wearing what looked like old basketball shorts and a cutoff sleeveless sweatshirt. Her tangled red hair was pulled back in a light blue scrunchie that had seen better days. Her face was devoid of makeup and the dark circles under her eyes threatened to spill down onto her cheeks.
He opened his hands. “May I come in?”
She reached out and touched his arm with her left hand and jumped a little when she made contact. Her face lost some of its pallor as she grabbed him with both hands and squeezed. “You – you’re not – you’re here – and – “
He put his hands on her upper arms. “I’m okay, Becca. Really.”
She obviously tried not to cry, but several tears slipped through her defenses. She sniffed and almost pulled him into an embrace, but she stopped herself and nearly tripped and fell against him. He caught her hand and steadied her.
“Clark. Oh – come in – I’m sorry I’m – the place is a wreck – I didn’t go to work today – or yesterday – they told us about the – the bombing Monday morning – and I – I thought you – they said nobody – “
He gently tugged her into his arms and she grabbed him as if she were holding on to reality. She let a few more tears slide out, then she stepped back and shook her head.
“Oh, Clark, I’m such a mess! Why couldn’t you come back from the dead when I wasn’t having such a bad hair day?”
He laughed quietly and pulled her closer. At that moment, another apartment front door popped open and an older woman stepped out. “Rebecca? This young man botherin’ you?”
Rebecca stepped away from Clark without releasing her grip on his arms. “No, Mrs. Kopeckne, he’s not bothering me. This is Clark.”
The older woman squinted up at him. “This is your Clark?” She looked him up and down twice. “Heard you was dead. You don’t look very dead to me.”
He smiled disarmingly at her. “The reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated.”
The older woman squinted at him. “Got to be a writer, you steal other people’s material.” She turned her Popeye glare on Rebecca. “How come you didn’t tell me the boy was comin’ by today?”
Rebecca tried to smile at her. “I didn’t even know he was alive until just a moment ago. I couldn’t have told you he was coming by.”
“Hmph! Don’t seem like the kind to get all weepy-eyed over, neither.”
He lifted an eyebrow and said, “I have hidden talents, ma’am.”
“Hmph! You’d better. Well, don’t stand here in the hallway blocking traffic! Go on in there and let her tell you how miserable she’s been for the past two days.”
Mrs. Kopeckne turned and stumped back into her apartment. Clark turned to Rebecca and smiled softly. “You don’t have to invite me in if you don’t want to, Becca.”
“No! No, please come in, just kick the mess out of the way.”
He shut the door behind him. “It really isn’t that bad. I’ve seen worse.”
“Really?” She turned in a quick circle and frowned. “Tell me where you’ve seen worse than this.”
“I shared a dorm room with two other guys my freshman year in college.”
She laughed quickly and a little too sharply. “I concede the point. Look, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Do you want me to leave?”
She took a deep breath and blinked twice. “No. I want you to stay. Will you stay?”
He smiled and drew her closer. “I have to go to the Planet for a while, and I’m sure the police want to talk to me, but I can come back. That is, if you want me to come back.”
Instead of continuing their banter as he expected, she looked directly into his eyes and said, “Clark, I want you to come back. I want you to stay as long as you want to stay.” She stepped closer and put her arms around him. “I care about you – a lot – and I want to see you. When I thought you were dead I – ”
He was surprised by her tenderness, but he put his arms around her again and held her securely. She reached up behind him and put her hands on the back of his shoulders. She didn’t cry, she didn’t sob, she didn’t weep frantically, she only held him as if convincing herself that he was really there.
He stroked her hair. “Lois is okay, too. Superman saved both of us.”
She nodded against his chest but didn’t speak.
Finally she pushed away from him. “Look, you need to take care of all the stuff you need to take care of, and I need to clean up this apartment and take a shower and get – get used to the idea that you’re really alive.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“And then you come back here tonight. I’ll make dinner for both of us and you can tell me all about the investigation and the bombing and where you’ve been for the last two days and why you let me think you were dead.”
That didn’t sound encouraging. “Rebecca, there were some very good reasons – “
“I know. I mean, I trust you, Clark, and I don’t believe you kept me in the dark out of spite or from meanness, but I can’t make those mental and emotional leaps as quickly as you can. You need to give me some time, okay? A few hours ought to do it, but if we get into this now, I’ll say things I shouldn’t just because I’m upset and you’ll think I’m crazy again and I don’t think I could take it if you walked out that door mad at me.” She sighed. “I hope you understand, both whatever it was I just said and what I really meant.”
He nodded. “Believe it or not, that makes a kind of sense.” He leaned in and kissed her softly on the forehead. “I’ll be back later this afternoon, and if you want to cook dinner, I’ll stay for that. And I’ll call before I come over.”
She sniffed and batted his upper arm with her fist. “Good. And don’t come back before three, okay? I’ll have to go out and get stuff for dinner for the two of us.” She pointed a finger in his face. “And no movie rentals this time, understand?”
He chuckled and nodded. “I promise. I’ll see you this afternoon, Becca.”
“You’d better. Wait, maybe you’d better bring a movie anyway. Just in case the conversation lags, you know? And now you get out of here so I can make myself beautiful for you.”
He stopped in the doorway. “Rebecca, you don’t have to work hard to be beautiful.”
Her entire face lit up and she smiled softly. “Get out of here, you silver-tongued blarney-speaking devil!”
She started to close the door, but just before it clicked shut, she yanked it open, leaned out, and pulled Clark’s face down to hers for a quick kiss on the lips. Then she darted back inside and locked the door.
Clark shook his head as he walked towards the stairwell. Being around Rebecca Connors was a continual challenge.
It was a nice challenge, though. He knew he needed somebody to keep him on his toes.
*****
Rebecca turned and leaned against the door.
Clark was alive. Beyond all hope, beyond all reason, he was alive!
Lois was alive, too, and she was glad for both of them.
She grabbed her journal from its cubbyhole and began writing almost frantically.
~~~~~
He’s alive, J. He’s alive. And he came here and told me himself and he held me and told me I was beautiful and he’s coming back for dinner.
And Lois is alive, too. They’re both alive!
It’s going to be a great dinner. And if I have my way, he’ll never leave again.
I just hope he doesn’t live like this all the time, J. I don’t know if I could handle that kind of uncertainty.
~~~~~
