Next post will be Thursday.
Thank you again Nancy (anonpip) and Rel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both Sides of the CoinPost 6
Several hours later Lois and Clark were still buried under masses of papers. Lois groaned, “ugh... there are no dates... nothing seems to match...” she threw down her sheets and sighed, “I’m starving... I should have gotten some take-out...”
Clark glanced at her, “I can get some... I found a Chinese place the other day... would that be ok?”
Lois smiled, “That would be perfect... let me write out what I want...”
“That’s ok, I’ll bring back an assortment,” Clark rose and headed for the stairs.
<When did you have time to find a Chinese place?>
<About three years ago...>
<...the one in Shanghai?>
<Yeah...>
<...you are nuts...>
<Any luck on your end?>
<Not so far... this guy is borderline loony... even though everything makes sense I still can’t figure out what order it’s supposed to be in...>
<I wonder if the report he turned in was like this...>
<I don’t know... it would have made it easy for EPRAD to throw out though...>
Clark quickly returned to the newsroom with packages of steaming food in bamboo containers. Lois frowned at the presentation and then looked at Clark. “That was... quick...”
Clark blinked, “I... took a short cut...”
Lois carefully opened one container, “It’s still nice and hot...” she found some dumplings, and popped one in her mouth. “Mmm.... this is *delicious*.” They ate as they continued to sift through the piles of paper.
When the food was gone Lois found a couple of fortune cookies. Opening one her eyes narrowed before she schooled her features and turned to Clark looking exasperated, “It’s in Chinese...” Clark grinned and took it from her, her eyes widened slightly, “Can you actually...”
“‘A good horse is like a member of the family,’” Clark said in a solemn voice.
Lois groaned, “I hate proverbs... why do they put those in *fortune* cookies?” Clark chuckled in reply. Lois eyed him for a moment as their eyes met. Lois smiled, “You’re a strange one, Clark Kent.”
Clark’s smile faltered fractionally, “Am I?”
Lois’ grin turned mischievous, “Yeah... but I think I’ve got you figured out...”
Clark’s eyes twinkled as he regarded her, “Really?”
Lois leaned forward, “Mm... hmm...”
“Didn’t take you long...”
She leaned in more, “Well, that’s my business... looking beyond the external...”
Clark was frozen in Lois’ gaze.
As she met his gaze, Lois slowly stilled, “Please... don’t fall for me... Clark... I can’t...I don’t have time for it...”
Clark closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to her forehead, “Too late...” he breathed.
Lois stared at him for a long moment before she broke their shared gaze, she cleared her throat and looked back at the papers as she tried to smother the moment. She slowly rose, while Clark watched her closely. “Let’s... um... go visit Platt... maybe he can help us...”
Clark followed her, “Lois...”
“I can’t, Clark...”
“I’ll wait...”
Lois stared at him as they descended in the elevator.
***************************
Once they arrived at Platt’s residence Lois headed straight in, Clark followed with a box that held the report. Clark heard the sound of crackling electricity from the building’s interior, “Lois...”
She sped up, only to find the apartment door standing partially open. She turned to Clark, eyes wide, “Clark...”
“I hear... something... let’s be careful... please?” He placed the box on the floor. They walked in together and Lois flicked a light switch... with no results. Clark froze, he saw Platt’s head above the back of a chair... his hair was standing on end... and a flickering light hung just above his head, “Lois...”
Lois put up a brave front, “I’ve seen it all... war, crime, famine...”
“*Lois*!” Clark said forcefully, “We need to call the police... don’t step in the water...”
Lois’ eyes flew to his before she choked back a sob, “D-Dr. Platt? We...” she walked around the chair, ignoring Clark’s attempt to stop her. She circled around the chair, carefully avoiding the water on the floor. As she confirmed for herself what Clark had already guessed, she staggered back and began to sway, Clark caught hold of her, folding her into his arms.
***************************
Hours later Lois and Clark stood, surrounded by police, as dawn approached. Clark stood to the side, fighting a fresh wave of guilt. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to meet Rachel’s sympathetic gaze before she moved on to follow her superior. Neither noticed Lois watching them with a slight frown.
Lois forced her attention back to the man she was grilling. Clark caught his name: Detective Henderson, the man Rachel had been assigned to. Lois suddenly exploded, “Suicide?! That’s ridiculous!”
Henderson sighed, “He’s tried it before... and there’s no sign of forced entry... no sign of struggle... nobody saw *anything*...”
Lois glared and Clark walked forward to stand behind her in silent support, “But... we were on the verge of proving his theory... well, something he was working on... was *right*... so why would he...?”
One officer, scanning the room, decided to voice an opinion, “Man’s gonna barbecue himself... he oughta use sauce...” he began to chuckle at his own joke only to stop as he came face to face with a suddenly irate Clark.
Clark glared at the irreverent cop, “The man’s *name* was Samuel Platt. He was a brilliant scientist... someone who cared about others...” He jabbed two fingers at the other man’s chest, “Under the circumstances I don’t believe that kind of humor is appropriate...”
Clark continued to glare and the other man withered under his gaze, “Sorry man... sorry...” He hurried away while Clark watched his retreat in silence.
Rachel took a step towards her brother-in-law but stopped as she saw Lois approach him and place a hand on his arm, “you ok?”
Clark felt guilt overwhelm him for the second time in a week, “We should have known... we should have *protected* him... I should have...”
Lois forced him to meet her gaze, “How?”
Clark sighed, “I don’t know... I just...”
Lois grasped his shoulders, “Look... Clark... we can’t rewrite the past... the best thing we can do *now* is to prove him right... whoever did this may also have sabotaged the Messenger...” a look reminded Clark of their suspicions. “...and the danger to the *next* mission is still there... and that’s the colonist transport...”
Clark took a deep breath and relaxed, “So what now?”
Lois frowned, “It’s six... let’s go get a few hours of sleep... I’ll pick you up at nine?”
Clark nodded and they left the building.
***************************
Lois drove up to CJ and Rachel’s house. Clark turned to her, “Would you like to come in?”
Lois shook her head, “I’m going to get some sleep... I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Clark nodded and watched as she drove away. Once she was out of sight he turned and walked slowly to the house.
As soon as he closed the door he heard, “Are you ok, Cal?”
He met his twin’s gaze, “I will be... Lois kind of knocked me back into perspective a bit...”
CJ nodded slowly, “Rach told me... it’s more than I’m usually able to do...”
Clark shrugged, “The guilt is still there... she just reminded me that his cause is better served by solving this mess and saving the space program...”
“...than wallowing in what you could have done.” CJ finished. He shared a long look with his still guilt-ridden twin, “Do you still want me to go to Smallville and talk this disguise thing over with Mom and Dad while you get some sleep?”
Clark shook his head, “I won’t be able to sleep. You go, though... I’ll call on the phone... I don’t know when Lois will come to pick me up so I want to be here to meet her.”
CJ nodded, “Sounds good... Rach wasn’t sure when she was going to get home either... she said to tell you thanks for making her stay up half the night.”
Clark chuckled, “Tell her she at least got half a night’s sleep...”
***************************
Two hours later Clark, fresh from a shower, was on the phone. He was clad only in a towel. This was his second phone call. They had had to cut the first one short after over an hour’s discussion on Clark’s idea. Jonathan had severe reservations about a disguise and CJ was mostly supporting his twin instead of showing a real interest in the idea himself.
Clark heard the phone pick up, “Hi...”
Martha sighed, “Hello, Clark... are we all ready to try this again?”
Jonathan joined in, “I just don’t think this will work boys...”
CJ cut in, “One thing in our favor is that there are *two* of us... but with our telepathy we can arrange it, quite easily I might add, so that only one of us responds to any one call...”
Clark sighed into the phone, “Mom, Dad... a source of Lois’ and mine died last night... he may have committed suicide or he may have been killed in such a way that it looked like suicide...”
Martha immediately picked up on his thoughts, “You’re not to blame, Clark... even if you had some way to help in public... he just might not have made any noise...”
Clark rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I can’t help it Mom... I feel responsible...”
“It *wasn’t* your fault... you aren’t omniscient...” CJ said emphatically.
“They’re right, Clark... you couldn’t have done anything differently,” Jonathan’s voice was filled with sympathy.
“That’s right, Clark, you and CJ may be the strongest men on earth... but all the world’s problems don’t rest on your shoulders... if you *could* have done anything... you would have...” Martha said soothingly.
Clark leaned an arm on the wall, “I know... it’s just...”
“That you have to hide, we know...” CJ finishes for him, “That’s why we’re talking about this costume idea...”
“Speaking of that... CJ mentioned something about a mysterious incident... a worker caught down a manhole?” Jonathan’s voice grew serious.
“Yeah... he pointed out his rescuer...” CJ couldn’t help but add.
There was a long pause before Jonathan could respond, “Clark you *have* to be more careful!”
Clark groaned, <Thanks Jay...> “Dad! The workman was almost unconscious... no one believed him...”
“That’s not the point...” CJ reiterated, <It was a stupid stunt, Cal...>
“What could he do? Let the man die?” Martha tried to reason with her son and husband.
“One of these days someone’s going to have a camera...” Jonathan started.
“And it’ll be the lab... we don’t need to go through *that* again...” CJ cut him off.
Martha considered what dragging a man out of the sewer might do to her son’s clothing, “Clark, how are your clothes holding up?”
Jonathan’s pause spoke volumes before he said, “Don’t change the subject...”
CJ decided to drag the conversation back to the original topic, “Now about the costume idea...”
Jonathan said incredulously, “Now you’re changing the subject?”
CJ took a deep breath, “No I’m returning to the original subject...”
“Do you think it could work?” Clark asked.
Martha sighed, “Well, Clark... I think it could work... I’ll have to look for my sewing machine...”
“Thanks, I really think this could solve...” Clark stopped as a he heard a knock on the door, “Um... Lois is here... I need to go back to work... I’ll call you guys later...”
“But Clark...”
“Bye,” He quickly hung up.
<Smooth, Cal...>
<Whatever, Jay...>
Clark hurried towards the door.
<Uhh... Clark...>
He swung the door open.
<You’re in a towel...>
<...oops...>
Lois was looking around the front yard but as the door swung open she turned, her eyes immediately took in Clark’s form as her jaw unhinged slightly.
<...go Clark!>
<...very funny, Jay...>
After a few moments she dragged her gaze upward to Clark’s face, where she froze again... Clark’s own eyes widened as he became aware of the missing weight of his glasses.
Lois attempted to muster some annoyance, “I... uh... I said nine... I thought you’d be naked...” they both blushed, “*ready*... I thought you’d be *ready*...” she lost her battle against speechlessness as she continued to stare.
Clark stepped back, motioning her inside. “...I was on the phone... I’ll be back in a jiff...” he headed towards the guest room.
Once inside Clark groaned and dropped his head in his hands... but heard Lois whisper from the other room, “Lucy was *right*... he *is* hot...”
<That was *so* embarrassing...>
<Poor boy...>
Hearing him approach, Lois jumped, “I was looking for something to drink...” She looked at him and raised a brow at him, “Well... we’d better go...”
<Little too quick there...>
As they neared the door Lois suddenly turned to him, “So... explain something...” she motioned towards his kitchen, “Your family all eat like eight-year-olds but you look like Mr. Hardbody... what’s your secret?” Clark blinked, “And can I have it?” she finished.
Clark frowned at the cabinets, “I think you found Jay’s stash...”
Lois frowned, “Fine... so your brother eats like a child... and I assume you do too and that he looks like you... so I ask again: how?”
Clark just shrugged.
Finally shaking her head at him, she opened the door and started to leave. Clark followed, shaking his head.
Once on the street Lois relaxed and faced him, “You know... those suits don’t do you justice...” Clark’s jaw dropped and he heard his twin’s uncontrollable laughter ringing inside his head. Lois smirked at his shocked expression then let loose an ear splitting whistle for a taxi. Clark winced at the sound and she frowned at him again.
***************************
Back at the Planet, Lois called Henderson. His results were not what she wanted to hear... Clark watched her argue with her speakerphone from his desk across the room. Scanning the room Clark noticed a woman and child getting off the elevator, his eyes widened as he recognized the woman and he rushed to Lois’ desk just as she ended her call to Henderson, “Lois!”
She frowned at him and he motioned to the elevator. She picked out the unfamiliar face of the woman, “Who’s that?”
Clark shifted on his feet nervously, “That’s Mrs. Platt... and her daughter... we saw their photo, remember?”
Lois immediately moved towards the new arrivals and Clark followed in her wake. Clark noticed the girl was in a wheelchair. As they neared the mother and child they heard the girl say, “Mom... I was supposed to be at Susan’s by now...”
Mrs. Platt placated her daughter by placing her coat in her lap and having her wait by the elevators with a promise that they would leave soon. Lois’ smile was brittle while Mrs. Platt made her way towards them. Mrs. Platt hesitantly eyed the reporters, “I uh... I haven’t told her yet...” Lois nodded in understanding and she continued, “You see, everything we’ve done was for Amy... Prometheus... was her last hope... and now...”
Clark’s brows furrowed and he looked down.
Lois cut in, “When you and Amy left your husband...”
Mrs. Platt’s brows rose, “No... we never left him... he sent us away... he was sure we were in danger with him. He couldn’t stand the thought of us getting hurt...”
Lois’ expression softened and her eyes shifted away momentarily, “Mrs. Platt... do you have any idea who...”
Mrs. Platt cut in, “All I know is that Samuel knew that the shuttle had been sabotaged... that knowledge got him killed...” Lois’ face fell, “Please... don’t let his daughter believe he committed suicide...”
Clark stepped in, a hand on Lois’ back in silent support, “We’ll try... we promise...”
Lois turned to look at him as Mrs. Platt’s eyes filled with tears, “Thank you...” she shook both their hands before leaving.
***************************
That evening Lois and Clark watched with most of the Planet’s staff as a special report aired on the newsroom monitors. The report showed the Congress of Nations’ decision on the fate of Prometheus and Lex Luthor’s space station. The chairperson of the Congress stood behind a podium, she was an Indian woman dressed in traditional Hindi garb, “I am pleased to announce that we have unanimously decided that Space Station Prometheus will *proceed*.” She announced emphatically to the shock of the gathering. She continued, keeping her voice infinitely calm in the face of the growing media storm, “This body would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Mr. Lex Luthor for his generous offer... but it is our firm belief that the Space Station should go forward as originally planned: a project dedicated to global cooperation for the advancement of the sciences. The colonist launch, scheduled for next week, shall proceed as planned. Should any serious problems arise, we shall be forced to cancel the mission, however, we anticipate only success.”
Lois and Clark shared a look and Lois nodded towards the conference room. Clark quickly followed her.
<You look like a puppy, following her around like that...>
<She has something to tell me...>
<...uh huh, and how would you know that?>
<Um... I’m not sure... but I do...>
Once inside Lois paused, “What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on Luthor’s wall right now...”
<You could have done that...>
<Aren’t you the one usually telling me to be more careful, Jay?>
Clark grinned at her, “It would go a long way to proving our suspicions right or wrong...” then he sobered, “But in light of what we consider Platt’s murder... we have to find proof of his theory before the launch...”
<You still need to catch me up on the Luthor stuff Cal...>
<Later, Jay...>
Lois nods unhappily, “I know...” she and Clark began to look through Platt’s report once again.
<Oh no...>
<What is it, Jay?>
<Rach got turned down for the job at the MPD...>
<What?! Why?>
<They didn’t give a reason... they just said they didn’t have a slot for her...>
<Then why did they have her go through so much of the process? She was almost done...>
<I know... she’s worried that it’s because she’s a woman... but apparently Henderson argued for her... so that’s something at least.>
<Well, I’ll stay out of your hair tonight... tell her I think MPD just lost themselves a great policewoman...>
<She already knows, Clark, and thanks... I’ll talk to you later...>
Clark sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before returning his focus to the papers in front of him.
tbc...
