Thanks again to Beth, Carol, and Mark!
From Chapter 52
“What's wrong, Steve?” Lois asked the reporter as he passed by.
Steve looked up at them looking lost. “I've been laid off. I've been here for thirty-years. I was nearly ready to retire, but not now. I feel like I've lost everything that wasn't vested.”
Clark sighed. He could see how Steve felt that way, but did not know what to do for him. “We need to do something.”
“I bet lots of people would help,” Lois said, thinking aloud. “I mean, it can't just be us whose been hit. I bet printing and sales would help, too.”
“Lois, are you suggesting a walk-out?” Clark asked, surprised Lois would suggest such a thing given her devotion to the Planet. Secretly, he was pleased that she was looking at the hardship others were going through, too, though rather than not caring since she still had a job. Not a lot of people in the newsroom realized how selfless Lois was as she hid this side of herself. He was glad she was letting it out.
“What else are we going to do?” she asked. “It's a massacre!”
“At least you have a job,” Jimmy said, holding up his pink slip.
Chapter 53
Things at the Planet had calmed down slightly. People were wandering around, seeming lost, but the buzz from this morning had died down. The day had a strange feeling to it. No one was really working, and even the people who had been laid off were still hanging around.
Perry had come out of his office a few minutes after the messenger handing out the lay-off notices left and called an impromptu staff meeting. He apologized for the lay-offs and explained that it was the low ad sales that had spun the Planet into such a financial crisis. He told them that while he did not expect anyone to wait around for this, when the Planet was back on its feet, he would personally make sure that anyone who had been laid off and wanted to come back had a job.
Somehow the announcement made people feel better. While no one seemed to want to wait it out – no one could determine why ad sales had dropped off like that, so no one could know when they would come back, at least they knew that someone cared about them. In the current environment of uncertainty, that went a long way.
Clark got up to get himself a cup of coffee. Cat was in the break area looking glum. He had heard this morning that the board had decided that the newspaper did not need a gossip column anymore.
“Hey, Cat,” he said gently as he handed her a packet of artificial sweetener.
“Oh, hi Clark,” Cat said, sounding dispirited and not like her normal self at all. “I suppose you and Lois are safe. There's not much of a Daily Planet without a city section. Not like the gossip column,” she said bitterly.
“I'm really sorry, Cat,” Clark said. “But for what it's worth, you're fantastic at your job.”
“Yeah,” Lois agreed, coming to join them. “I bet you'll get another job like that,” she said snapping her fingers.
Both Clark and Cat stared at her in amazement. It was not exactly a secret that Lois did not like Cat.
“Thanks, Lois,” Cat finally said when it became clear that Lois was not planning to follow up her comment with a barb.
“If we can help in any way, let us know,” Clark said.
Lois watched Cat walk away.
“That was nice of you,” Clark said.
Lois shrugged. “I know Cat and I don't really get along, but that doesn't mean I wanted her to lose her job. I still recognize that she's a good writer.”
Clark smiled at her. “It was still nice of you.”
“Clark, can we talk?” Lois asked.
“Of course. Is this about what was upsetting you this morning?”
“Yeah,” Lois answered stirring her coffee.
“Do you want to ditch this coffee and go someplace quieter?” Clark asked.
Lois smiled at him. “Yes, please.”
They both poured their coffees in the sink and headed back to Lois' desk so she could grab her purse. Before they could make their way out, though, the elevator opened revealing several men in suits, including Lex.
“Lex?” Lois looked at Clark quizzically, but he just shrugged.
“I'm sure all of you know me,” Lex said, and Clark rolled his eyes. “But in case you don't, I'm Alexander Luthor. I am so disappointed to see what has happened to the Daily Planet. I don't know why your advertisers have deserted you or why circulation is down. Nor do I know why the banks have shut down your credit lines.
“What I do know is that these problems can be solved with strong leadership and fiscal responsibility. So, in an effort not to lose the greatest paper in the world, I have done the one thing that I know will mean the revival of the Daily Planet - I bought it.”
The newsroom staff burst into applause and Lois flushed with pride. Clark felt a little sick.
Smiling at the faces below him, Lex added, “And please, call me Lex. I promise you no interference, only a few minor modifications, and no layoffs. Why tamper with greatness?!”
Clark watched with disgust as everyone cheered. He could see why the people who were laid off were happy and he was happy for them, too. He did not understand, though, how no one else could see that working for Lex was not likely to lead to good things.
***********************
Lois turned to Clark. This was the perfect solution for everything! “Isn't this wonderful?” she asked him before she realized that unlike everyone else, he did not look pleased.
Clark shook his head. “I think it's great for Jimmy, Jack, Cat, and Steve, but… no, overall I think it's a disaster.”
“A disaster? Clark, we're saved! What's wrong with you?”
“It's Lex Luthor, Lois. I know you refuse to see it, but Lex is not a good person, and not someone you want controlling the news,” Clark said, sounding annoyed at her.
His annoyance was fine with Lois, because she was starting to feel pretty annoyed at him. “Clark, I don't know what your problem is. You seem to think that Lex is the root of all evil in Metropolis. You need to stop!”
“He is!” Clark insisted.
“Give him some credit,” Lois said. “He just saved our jobs!” She knew she was feeling even more annoyed at him than was warranted, but she had been planning to tell him that Lex had proposed to her. How was she going to do that when he had this attitude towards Lex?
“For today maybe,” Clark said.
“Stop being such a sourpuss, Clark!” Lois said before stomping back to her desk.
***********************
Clark looked up at Lois. She was annoyed at him. Maybe she had a right to be. He was the only person in the newsroom who did not think Luthor had just brought Christmas early. Of course, he knew some things about Luthor that no one else did. Well, except Superman, presumably. He had not been able to shake his suspicions about Lex Luthor and given Superman's comments he decided to start investigating him. What he had found so far was not pretty.
Unfortunately, it was also not printable. Well, it never would be if Luthor was in charge of the Planet. But right now, even Perry would not let it see the light of day.
It was frustrating that Lois did not see the warning signs. While no one else did, either, Lois was better than that! Still, Clark realized he was being a little unfair. While Lois was more perceptive than most people, no one but him was suspicious. Even Perry did not seem worried. Plus, Lois was incredibly loyal and she thought Luthor was her friend – maybe more than that. It was really not that surprising that she saw Luthor with rose-colored glasses given her relationship with him.
Sighing, because he wished he could just tell her what he knew but knew he could not as she would never believe him, he got up and walked over to her desk.
“I'm sorry,” he said softly.
Lois looked up at him in surprise. “You are? You no longer think Lex is the root of all evil?”
Clark sighed, sitting in the chair next to her desk. “Honestly, no, I do. But I get that you don't agree and I don't have proof, so…”
“Do you have anything?” Lois asked with interest.
“It's all circumstantial,” Clark admitted.
“You have something?” Lois asked, surprised. “On Lex?”
“Shh!” Clark said, looking at her in alarm. “I'm not sure if you know this, but he's our new boss.”
“But you have something that backs up your claim that he's pure evil?”
Clark nodded his head.
“I want to see it,” Lois insisted.
“You do?” Clark asked, surprised.
“Yes,” Lois insisted. “Not here, obviously, but somewhere. Your place?”
“Okay,” Clark said, feeling unsettled by this change in attitude.
“Let's go. Now,” Lois said standing up.
Clark moved over to his desk, still feeling a bit confused, but got his notes together and put his coat on.
***********************
Lois watched Clark put his stuff together. She did not really think he had anything convincing. The idea that Lex was a monster was really hard to swallow. Still, maybe if he showed her what he had, she could show him how he was jumping to conclusions and he would see that Lex was really a great person. She desperately wanted Lex and Clark to get along. If she married Lex… well, she did not want it to affect her relationship with Clark.
Not that she was ready to say “yes” yet. There was still so much to think about. What about her job? Would Lex expect her to be a trophy wife?
More importantly, what about Superman? She had told Clark she was in love with him, and she was. Could she marry Lex knowing she was in love with Superman?
It was all a lot to think about and she really wanted to talk it over with Clark. But she could not do that until he saw that Lex was a good person.
She and Clark walked to the elevator quietly, neither knowing what to say when Perry pushed past them angrier than Lois had ever seen him. “Perry?” she asked.
“Yeah?” he answered her gruffly.
“What's up?” she asked.
“What's up?” Perry asked, his voice raising. “Oh, nothing!”
Before Lois could follow-up on this completely unbelievable claim, Jimmy joined them on the landing carrying a box that was overflowing.
“What are you doing, Jim?” Clark asked.
“Cleaning out my desk!” Jimmy said angrily as the elevator dinged to announce its arrival.
“I thought you got your job back,” Lois said as they got into the elevator.
“No,” Jimmy said, his voice sounding very angry for Jimmy. “It turns out I got a job. Not my old job. I report to the printing plant tomorrow. Jack, too.”
Lois turned to Perry. “Can't you do anything?” she asked as they all stepped out of the elevator.
“Me?” Perry asked. “No, not me. If you have any issues, you should bring them up with our new owner and his new Supervising Editor-in-Chief!”
Perry stalked off and shrugging, Jimmy followed him.
Lois stole a glance at Clark, sure he was gloating that things had not worked out perfectly just because Lex bought the Planet. Of course, though, he was not. She should have known he would not be. Clark was not one to gloat.
She smiled at the look on his face. He was looking concerned for their friends.
***********************
“Where's Superman?” Lois asked when they walked in.
Clark shrugged. “Doing a patrol?” he suggested. “I haven't seen him much the last couple of days. Should we do this at the table?”
“Sure,” Lois said as she went to sit down.
“Something to drink?” Clark asked.
“Sure,” Lois agreed. “What do you have?”
“Coffee, tea, milk,” Clark thought. “Oh, I picked up some diet cream soda for you.”
“You did?” Lois asked. That was so sweet of him, so Clark.
“Yeah, you mentioned you like it, so…” he flushed slightly and Lois wanted to hug him for being so cute.
“Thank you, Clark. I'd love some.”
Clark put a cold cream soda in front of her and some iced tea for himself before sitting down. “Are you sure you want to see this?” he asked her.
“Yes,” Lois insisted.
“Okay,” he said, removing his notes from his bag. “Look, I know this is circumstantial, but I really think there's something here,” he said.
“Clark,” Lois laughed at him. “Just show me already.”
“Okay,” Clark said. “Let's start at the beginning.”
“Wait!” Lois cut him off.
“What?”
Lois took a deep breath. “Before we start, there's something I have to tell you. I wanted to talk it over with you and we can do it some other time, but I think I should tell you what it is before we start going through this.”
“What is it?” Clark asked sounding worried.
“Last night…” Lois hesitated. She was not sure why this was so hard to say. "Just buck up!' she told herself. “Last night, Lex asked me to marry him.”
Clark dropped the papers in his hands. “He what?” he asked in a strangled voice.
“He asked me to marry him,” she said softly.
“Did you say yes?”
“Not yet. I told him I needed to think it over. I just thought… well, I thought you should know before you showed me what you had.”
Clark nodded his head, still looking flabbergasted. “Okay,” he said weakly while he picked up the papers. “Let's start at the beginning. Prometheus.”
“The space station?” Lois asked. “What's Lex got to do with the space station?”
“Remember Platt?” Clark asked.
“Of course,” Lois said. “He was my source. Or our source, I guess.”
“Right. I went through his report in detail to understand how the original space station module could have been destroyed. And then I looked into who had access to it and the ability to cause the kind of damage that was done. It all pointed to one name – Antoinette Baines.”
“The scientist woman who thought you were cute,” Lois said.
Clark blushed slightly. “Yeah. And then I did some digging into Baines' finances. It turns out, right after the explosion, someone deposited a million dollars in her bank account.”
“Wow!” Lois said. “Why didn't you tell me this before?”
“It wasn't really news. I didn't look into this until a couple of months ago – long after our story had been written.”
“So, this certainly implicates Baines. But what does it have to do with Lex?” Lois asked.
“I traced the deposit into her account to a B&B Consulting,” Clark said. “B&B Consulting is owned by Sunter Science. And Sunter Science is owned by LexLabs.”
Lois laughed. She could not help it. “Come on, Clark. That's insane. You think Lex was involved because some company he owns owns a company that owns a company that paid off Baines? Don't you see how ridiculous that is? I mean, why would Lex even want Prometheus damaged?”
“Because the explosion caused the Congress of Nations to consider canceling the launch. And Lex had offered to create Space Station Luthor if it did.”
“And you don't think it was a generous offer?” Lois asked.
“No, I think it was a way for Lex to make money off all the inventions that come off the space station.”
“You're being ridiculous.”
“Okay,” Clark said. “Let's try another one.”
“Is it any better?” Lois asked.
“Do you mean is it any less circumstantial? No. I told you I don't have anything concrete.”
“This is ridiculous, Clark. You can't amass a bunch of stuff that shows that subsidiaries of subsidiaries of companies that Lex owns paid someone off and think that makes him guilty. First off, Lex owns more than half of Metropolis. So it's not surprising that you can make links between him and anything that happens – good or bad. It's like discounting an actor because he has some tie to Kevin Bacon. It's just silly. Plus, because Lex owns half of Metropolis, he can't keep close tabs on everyone he works for. He probably has no idea that there's any tie between him and Baines,” Lois finished.
“So, that's it?” Clark asked. “You're dismissing all of it?”
“I'm not dismissing it. I'm just… Okay, I'm dismissing it. It's silly, Clark.”
“Well, it's good to see you kept an open mind,” Clark said sarcastically.
“You aren't keeping an open mind about Lex!” Lois insisted.
“That's because I have a pile of papers here that says the man is dangerous!”
“No, you have a pile of papers that say nothing, Clark. Nothing!”
With that, feeling more frustrated with Clark than she thought she had ever been before, Lois stormed out.
