Next post should be Tuesday.
Thank you again Nancy (anonpip) and Rel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Sides of the CoinPart 3
The two reporters arrived at their destination, a dilapidated street, and were greeted by signs warning that the building they are about to enter was condemned.
<...this looks safe...>
<Well... it’s possible the guy is a nut...>
Lois walked straight in and Clark hesitantly followed. Halfway down the hall Clark noticed Lois jump in surprise, “Ms. Lane?”
“Ugh... I hate rats... and it’s Lois...” she continued to the door and banged on it, “Dr. Platt? Samuel Platt?”
<Err... are you sure about this guy?>
<He’s Lois’ source...>
Lois stared at the door for a moment and then banged again, “Dr. Platt? It’s Lois Lane, of the...”
The door swung open, revealing Platt holding a tire iron Lois took a swift step backward, bumping into Clark who watched Platt intently.
<Ok, why are you here again?>
<For a story?>
<Why did you become a reporter again?>
<...I like to write?>
Platt looked at Lois for a long moment before motioning them in. Once they were inside Platt shared his theories, talking a mile a minute and often switching topics erratically. Lois stared intently at him while Clark wandered around the room, listening with half an ear.
<...hey Clark?>
<...yeah?>
<He’s making sense...>
<Huh?>
<All his theories... they make sense...>
“...cooling systems.”
Clark’s head whipped around, his eyes slightly unfocused, “To... freeze the ion particles?”
Lois’ jaw dropped slightly as she turned to consider Clark.
<Jay... I really *hate* when you do that...>
<You have an aerospace engineer in your head... deal with it...>
<You could have *told* me what to ask instead of high-jacking my mouth...>
<Takes too long...>
Platt turned to Clark, “Of course... it then emits fumes... fueling the explosion...” he turned back to Lois, “I mean, its all in my report...”
Lois’ eyes gleamed, “Do you have a copy of your report?”
“What kind of scientist would I be if I didn’t have a copy of my report?” Platt scurried around the room pulling out bits of paper as he went.
<...that’s his report?>
<I guess so...>
Lois stared at him in consternation before she cast an exasperated look on Clark, “Um... Dr. Platt... perhaps you could gather your report together for us... I can have one of my co-workers come by later to get it...” he continued to pull out scraps of paper with no response. Lois picked up a photo from his desk.
Dr. Platt noticed her interest, “My wife... we planned to live together on Prometheus...”
Lois looked up, “Where’s your family now?”
“Gone... they left... it’s all for the best...”
Clark frowned, <That sounded off...>
<Yeah...>
<If I had to guess... I’d say the didn’t leave *him* so much as this situation...>
<Well... if someone’s working against EPRAD... he made some powerful enemies...>
Lois looked again at the photo, “Dr. Platt... do you have any idea who might want to sabotage the space station?”
Platt sighed, “I don’t know... you see a micro-gravity laboratory could be the key to curing so many diseases here on Earth... so many children with crippling diseases...” he looked towards the photo, “my daughter... we could cure them...”
Lois reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll do what we can...” she looked back at Clark, “Looks like you and I should pay Dr. Baines a visit...”
***************************
The next stop for the two reporters was the EPRAD headquarters. There they encountered Dr. Baines. She gave them a tour of the facility, focusing on the state of shock within the agency. As she detailed the loss, Clark tensed slightly.
<Clark...>
<I can’t help it...>
Lois cut in, asking about the state of the investigation.
Dr. Baines glared coolly at her, and gave much the same statement she had earlier on the television. She then denied Lois access to view the wreckage.
Clark smiled winningly at the woman, “No exceptions?”
Dr. Baines opened her mouth to respond and then paused, taking in Clark’s appearance, “I’ll see what I can do...”
Lois glared, “Now, on the subject of Dr. Samuel Platt...”
Dr. Baines immediately launched into a tally of facts to explain why Dr. Platt shouldn’t be heeded: his divorce, drugs, depression and being fired from his job. She also leveled a charge of vandalism in the form of setting a fire.
<If the man sets fire to a government lab... why would you fire him instead of charging him?>
<Because it’s a convenient cover story?>
Lois watched her as she asked what Dr. Baines thought of the report he had submitted.
Dr. Baines looked confused and denied any knowledge of a report from Dr. Platt. However, she promised to contact them if she found anything.
Lois watched her as she left. Then she and Clark departed.
Clark glanced at Lois, “She seemed... cooperative.”
<To your pretty face!>
<Hey!>
“I don’t trust her...”
“She’s very attractive...” Lois’ head snapped around to level a glare on him, “...and young for her position.”
Lois sped up and looked ahead again, muttering, “Typical...”
<Defensive much, Lane?>
<Quiet Jay...>
“...what was that, Lois?”
She glared at him again, “I said ‘typical.’” She began to gesture with her hand in emphasis, “That was such a typical male response!”
“Lois... trust me on this, I’m not your typical male.”
<Understatement of the year award goes to...>
<Yeah, yeah...>
Lois flicked her head to the side skeptically, “No? Just because she’s...” sarcasm was ripe in her tone, “...okay looking...”
Clark needled her, “Very okay...”
But Lois continued undaunted, “You immediately assume she’s telling the truth!”
<What happened to innocent until proven guilty?>
<Seriously, Jay... be quiet...>
“And you assume she’s not? Does everyone have to have an ‘angle?’ No honest people in the world?” Lois rolled her eyes, “Pretty cynical...”
“Realistic, Kent... at least *I’m* not always going to be disappointed.”
Once away from the echoing hanger Lois looked at Clark, “Real thoughts?”
Clark grinned, “There’s no way a government agency would let a man who set fire to one of their labs just walk away...”
Lois smirked, “My thoughts exactly...” she smacked Clark’s shoulder lightly, “You’re surprisingly good at keeping up a front...”
<I missed something again...>
***************************
Back at the Planet, Jimmy snared Clark to give him a tour of the pit. Lois was getting a fresh cup of coffee. As he passed, Clark helplessly focused on Lois until Jimmy dragged him on. However, before he could refocus on his tour a low whistle again distracted him.
<Watch out Clark!>
<Huh?>
<You heard that whistle...>
<...yeah... so?>
<So be ready for an attack on your virtue.>
<...shut up...>
Clark focused on the conversation only to hear Lois say, “Well Cat, why don’t you just throw your usual forward pass and find out?” Clark glanced over and saw a woman shimmying out of her jacket...
<*What* is she wearing?>
<Um... a little bit of leather?>
<Very little...>
<Uh... yeah...>
<Run, Cal!>
<Very funny, Jay...>
Clark realized Jimmy was finishing his tour, “...questions, just ask.”
Clark smiled, “Thank you, Jimmy.
Jimmy grinned back, “No problem... hey... mind if I call you CK?”
<Please don’t...>
Clark laughed, “Sure Jimmy... if that’s what you want...”
<CK and CJ? Someone shoot me...>
<Again Jay... I don’t think that would do much...>
Distracted by this inner dialogue Clark turned towards where he last saw Lois and almost ran into some well-displayed cleavage.
<...wow... um...>
<...yeah... I think I’ll take you up on that run comment earlier...>
<My thoughts exactly...>
“Uh... excuse me...”
“Catherine Grant,” she held her hand out, inches from his lips, “...of “Cat’s Corner.””
“Err, hello,” Clark grasped her hand, and carefully lowered it, “I’ve, um... read your column.”
<Was that wise?>
<How should I know?>
<...good point.>
<Hey!>
“Then my reputation precedes me.” Cat reclaimed her hand and moved closer.
<*Bad* idea...>
<Yeah...>
“Among other things.” Both Cat and Clark turned to see Lois sneering at Cat’s display.
<Um... run?>
<You know, I might actually like Ms. Lane’s sense of humor...>
Cat ignored Lois and reached out to straighten Clark’s tie.
<I’m more worried about escaping...>
<I’m sure you are, Clark.>
“I know what it’s like to be new in town. I’d be happy to show you around.”
<Wow... no holds bared, hm?>
Clark shifted his glasses, trying to regain his equilibrium, “Umm, that’s, er, very nice of you, Ms. Grant...” He studiously kept his eyes on hers.
<But I’d rather have Ms. Lane show me.>
<Jay....>
“It’s Cat.” She said her name in an odd cross between a purr and a snarl.
“Uh, Cat,” he copied her inflection, “I actually have some family in town...”
She smiled broadly, patted his shoulder and walked past before half-turning to look back at him over her shoulder, “Well... when they leave... look me up.”
Lois snickered at him, “Welcome to the Planet...” she dropped a stack of papers into a file cabinet. Her look turned into a scornful sneer and she stalked off to her desk.
Clark grinned to himself at her careful maintenance of her ‘image.’ He prepared himself a fresh cup of coffee before escaping off to his own desk. Once there he glanced at Lois as she made a call; she looked upset as she started speaking. Clark frowned and tuned in.
<Eavesdropping? You bad boy, you!>
<...she looks upset...>
<And that justifies that how?>
<Umm... well...>
<Thought so!>
<She’s almost loud enough that I don’t need my... advantages...>
<So you’re eavesdropping like a normal man instead of a ‘gifted’ one...>
<You’re one to talk...>
“No, Mitchell, I’m not mad... Look, if you’re sick, you’re sick... yes, that could lead to complications... no, don’t call me, I’ll call *you*!” She slammed the phone down and rubbed her forehead for a moment. Suddenly she looked up, catching Clark’s gaze.
<Gotcha!>
Clark’s face heated up as he immediately looked away.
Lois sighed, and reluctantly approached Clark, “Kent! I don’t suppose you have a tuxedo?” she said off-handedly.
“Um, I can get one, why?”
Her brows rose slightly, “My date to Lex Luthor’s ball has the flu, so I was wondering...”
Clark grinned, “yes?”
<Don’t get your hopes up loverboy...>
“...if you would...” She finally looked at his face. She stiffened as she noticed his hopeful expression, “Look, do you want to take his place or not?”
“Well... you know... I was thinking of heading home early tonight...”
Her eyes widened as she looked at him in shock, “Are you crazy?!”
<I second that...>
“This is *the* social event of the season. You’re just lucky that I need an escort... but no, *you* want to go to bed *early*... what kind of reporter are you?”
Clark blinked as her tirade ended and slowly rose to his feet, “So... is this a date?”
“Date? *Date*?!” Lois quickly switched from disgust to sarcasm, “Oh, you mean like in *Kansas* where you meet my parents and give me a hickey in the vacant lot behind the Dairy Freeze?”
<Is it just me or does that sound like a horrible date?>
<...yeah... I mean... I don’t think I’d have been that tacky even as a teenager...>
<And Lana would have killed you if you had given her a hickey...>
<...true...>
“No, this is *not* a date!” Her gaze focused on Clark and her tone sharpened, “It’s business. I’m going to land Lex Luthor’s first one-on-one interview even if it kills me! And I will not walk into his party without an escort!”
“Well, sorry Lois, I’m not interested then, good luck finding a date...”
<...you have guts, brother dear...>
Lois gaped at him as her act shattered, stunned at his insistence, “You’re serious?”
“Totally...”
She frowned, anger and wariness warring on her face, “You really are crazy... *fine*, just remember: *I* don’t want this to be a date... so watch your step, Kent.”
<...wait... that worked?!>
<Appears so...>
<Don’t get smug, loverboy.>
“Meet me in front of LexCorp, at nine sharp... You’re *sure* you can get a tuxedo?” her gaze was skeptical.
“I’m sure.”
<Even if you have to fly across the country to do it!>
<I was thinking Europe or Asia... I know some cheap places there...>
<Uh... good point? Mr. world traveler.>
“I’ll see you there, for our *date*.”
Lois frowned at him, “Are you sure about this?”
Clark smiled at her, “Yeah... and for the record... my high school girlfriend would have killed me if I had ever given her a hickey...”
Lois blinked, “I guess... I went a little overboard, didn’t I?”
Clark grinned, “It was actually kind of funny...” standing up, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, “I’ll see you at nine...”
Lois gulped, “I’ll... see you there... Clark...”
***************************
<So... you have your tux, and a nice one I might add, what now?>
<I’m going to go visit Mom and Dad for a bit... it *is* Friday...>
<Ah... too bad I’m busy at the observatory... though Rach’s working late too anyway...>
<Already? It’s only been a day...>
<She’s tailing one of the detectives... a guy named Bill Henderson... anyway... he had a late call so she’s following him around to it...>
<How does she like it?>
<I don’t know, Clark... it’s a lot different from being Sheriff in Smallville...>
<Yeah... but you need to find some compromise... you wouldn’t be happy in Smallville either...>
<True... I just... Rach always wanted to be in law enforcement like her dad... and I don’t want to have my job take that away from her...>
<Jay... the three of us have been friends for as long as we can remember... and you two have been dating since we started high school...>
<I know... but I’m terrified of her giving up on me...>
<Jay... you guys worked that out in college... and you’ve been married for five years now... you just need to figure out what she needs to be happy... like Dad helping Mom take all those welding classes...>
<True... I wonder if Mom has anything new cooked up this week... but also Rach was feeling a little off this morning... I’m hoping she isn’t getting sick...>
<Well... you were both gone when I got up... so I can’t help you there...>
<We’ll see... if she doesn’t feel better soon she’s going to pick out a doctor here...>
Clark ducked into an alley, tucking his glasses into a pocket. As he began to lift into the air he heard a movement, “Hey buddy! You got a buck?”
<Holy... Clark! You should have checked better!>
Clark, eyes wide, looked down towards the voice. A man was lying in a cardboard box looking towards him. Clark ‘walked’ through the air and handed the man a five-dollar bill, the man stared at the bill in shock, “You must be some kind of angel...”
<Angel, yeah right! Master practical joker more like...>
<That sounds like a cue...>
<What?!>
Clark smiled at the man before lifting rapidly into the sky, he heard a shocked whisper as he reached open sky, “Some kinda *angel*!”
<Clark Jerome Kent... you *idiot*! *Why* did you do...>
<He couldn’t see my face...>
<And that excuses you *how*? You have *got* to be more careful!>
Clark sighed and sped up.
tbc
