***~~~***
When the Sky Falls
Chapter 7: Apartment
***~~~***
When General Zeitlin announced that the official position of the government was that Superman was presumed dead, Lois was struck dumb. For her, it was as if time had stopped as a cold chill ran through her body. The general’s voice was still echoing in her head when she felt her knees start to give way. Before she had fallen even a few inches, she found herself in Clark's arms.
“Lois, are you all right?” Clark asked, his concern obvious in his voice.
She glanced around as if trying to figure out where she was. “What? What happened?”
“The general announced that they believe Superman is dead. I think you fainted.”
For an instant, Lois was tempted to deny it, but she had to admit that there was a gap in her memory between hearing the general speak and finding herself in Clark's arms. As comfortable as her position was, she had to shake this off. Lois Lane did not show weakness. She freed herself from Clark’s support and focused on putting the incident behind her. She turned to Clark and summoned up her most authoritative voice. “Clark, we have work to do.” Then she headed for her desk.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Like every other writer on the staff, the two of them worked to document how Metropolis and the world were preparing for the looming disaster. In some places, there was an outpouring of goodwill. Other areas were besieged with violence and looting.
As part of the coverage, Lois made several trips out to talk with business owners and relief workers. Clark came along on these outings and proved to be surprisingly helpful. Even without most of his memories, he asked effective questions. Lois could see that the sense of compassion that had always been a hallmark of Clark's personality was still evident when he spoke with people.
When they returned to the office, Clark asked Lois to let him try to write up the story on relief preparations. Since they had enough material for two stories, one on relief and another on how businesses were planning to cope with Nightfall, Lois didn't see the harm in finding out what Clark could do. Later, when he showed her his article, the write-up was so good that Lois was almost tempted to think that his amnesia might not be as severe as it had seemed.
After she proofread the article, she had to ask him about it. “Clark, how did you do this? I thought your memory was mostly a blank.”
He looked confused. “It is. I don't remember anything about my past, at least not consciously. Because of my memory, I know that I’m missing the experience necessary to judge what makes a good story. Is there something wrong with the article? If there is, I’d appreciate it if you could show me so that I can fix it myself.”
“No. That's just it. This story is well written and it's exactly in your own style. How did you do that?”
“I don't know. I used our notes from our interviews and it just came to me. I knew what to write and how it should be worded.”
The rest of the day passed quickly as Clark and Lois worked together on several articles. It seemed to Lois that even though he didn't remember learning to write, his command of style and knowledge of the rules of grammar were untouched. Clark might not remember his past, but given a set of facts, he could still generate a compelling story.
***~~~***
At the end of the day, Lois took Clark home. As they approached his apartment, Clark wondered how they were going to get in. “Lois, I don’t have a key to my apartment. Do you know a way to get in?”
She smiled sheepishly. “Well, right now I have a key. You normally keep one hidden in a flowerpot near your door. I've tried to tell you that it isn't wise to have a key so close to your entrance, but sometimes you can be just as stubborn as me. That was how I got into your apartment early this morning for the clothes that I brought you in the hospital. I meant to give it to you earlier today but I forgot.”
Lois pulled the key from her purse and handed it to Clark. He fumbled with the lock for a moment but in a few seconds, he had the door open. Clark stood back and invited Lois to go first. Once she was inside, he followed her into the unfamiliar apartment.
“I live here?” he asked.
“Doesn't it look familiar at all?”
“No. It sure is a nice place.”
“When you rented it, this place was a mess. That first day I thought it was too run-down to be livable.”
This surprised Clark. “You were with me when I rented this apartment?”
“Well, yes. You were new at the Planet and I was worried that you had a secret source for Superman information. I followed you to what I thought was a meeting with a source. Turns out it was actually a meeting with the building superintendent to look at this apartment.”
“Oh.” The simple explanation disappointed him. For an instant, he hoped that they had been close enough friends right from the beginning that she’d been helping him find a place to live.
Clark walked around his apartment. He stopped in front of a photograph of an older couple. The surge of emotion that he felt when he looked at the picture was overwhelming. Without looking up he said, “These are my parents.” It wasn't a question.
“Do you remember them?”
“No. But I can feel them. I love them very much.”
The tone of Lois’s reply suggested that she agreed. “Oh, Clark. You do. You and your parents have one of the best relationships that I've ever seen.”
Clark continued to stare at the picture. “You said their names are Martha and Jonathan. Now I can feel echoes of emotion when I say those names. It all feels so...warm. I wish I could remember something about them.”
“Well at least you remember their names,” Lois offered hopefully.
“No, I don't. I remember that you told me their names. I haven't remembered anyone's name except...”
“Mine,” she said very softly.
“Um, yeah. Lois, the last thing I want to do is make you feel uncomfortable around me. I can't help that you’re the person that I…remember.”
Lois realized that his voice had gotten very soft when he said, “remember.” From the phrasing and the slight pause, she knew immediately that he was thinking about feelings as much as his recollection of her name. Why was her name the only one he remembered? Right now, Lois wasn’t sure she was ready to come to grips with what that might mean. “It's okay, Clark. Why don't you look around your apartment some more and see if anything else triggers memories or feelings.”
Clark started moving around his apartment and looking into cabinets. He opened one kitchen cabinet that he seemed to use as a small pantry. He turned to her and said, “I sure must like Double Fudge Crunch bars and Cream Soda. I have a lot on hand and I'm getting one of those emotional reactions from looking at them.”
Lois found herself blushing. “Actually, those are for me. We’ve worked late here a few times and you know I like them.”
Clark spent a few more minutes looking around his apartment. He didn’t comment on anything else he found. After a few minutes, she found him looking at her intently. “Lois, is something wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“You look antsy. Do you have somewhere you need to go?”
“It's not that. I just feel like I need to know what’s happening at a time like this.”
“Let me turn on the radio and we can see if there’s any news,” Clark said.
Lois knew that, like her, he normally kept his radio on an all-news station. She wasn’t surprised that the subject of the current broadcast was Nightfall. They listened for a few minutes while the station worked its way through the information about the impending meteor strike. None of what they heard was news to either of them. She suspected that most of the real-time media services were in a holding pattern waiting for more information to come in.
Clark was about to turn off the radio when they finally heard something new. “As we reported earlier, noted businessman and philanthropist Lex Luthor has promised to commit the full resources of his company to help rebuild not just Metropolis, but other areas as well. Mr. Luthor had these comments earlier today.”
She motioned to Clark to leave the radio on. She wanted to get Lex’s perspective on Nightfall.
Lex’s voice came on. “This tragedy will test the world. But challenges such as these define turning points in human history. In our greatest need, we turned to Superman. However, in this time of ultimate peril, he was not up to the task. Because of his actions, the world may see the greatest loss of life in recorded history. I have been a supporter of Superman, but how can we ignore results such as these? And how can we overlook the fact that Superman had been told that the effect of a direct impact would be among the most dangerous for the people of our planet.”
Lois was shocked. She thought she knew Lex, but this sounded like he was suggesting that Superman didn’t try his best to have the Nightfall mission succeed. But Lex wasn't finished yet.
“I wish this were not an issue. However, since the accident I have been reminded that some in our government had cautioned us that we knew nothing of Superman’s background or long-term goals. After Nightfall, as we rebuild, we must learn to place our trust in humankind. I am committing all of the resources of LexCorp to the recovery of this great city. We will be our own salvation.”
Lois reached for the radio and turned it off. “How could Lex say things like this?” This didn’t seem like the Lex that she thought she knew.
She was so deep in thought that Clark’s voice surprised her. “Do you know Lex Luthor?”
Her answer was abrupt. “We both do. I've interviewed him and since then I've accompanied him to a few charity functions.”
“So you're dating him?”
“No, Clark.” She was trying to figure out what was going on with Lex. This was irritating and she was only half-way paying attention to what Clark was saying. “There isn't anything personal to our relationship.”
Clark’s reply was defensive. “I'm sorry, Lois. I was just thinking that if you were dating someone, then that would explain...” Clark stopped short.
What was he talking about? “If I were dating Lex it would explain what?” Lois asked. Was Clark suggesting that her association with Lex might mean that she doubted Superman too? Lex’s speech had her on edge.
“Nothing,” Clark replied. His voice still carried a defensive tone.
She didn’t have time for this. What was Clark getting at? She put her hands on her hips and hit him with her best Mad Dog Lane glare. “Kent, spit it out. If you had your memory, you'd know that when I want to know something I get the information one way or another. Do us both a favor and finish what you were saying.”
She thought he looked a little like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. After a long pause, Clark answered. “If you were involved with someone it would explain why…I didn't tell you how I feel about you.”
Lois felt her breath catch. Her irritation gave way to shock. It had finally come out. She knew she should respond, but in that instant she was at a loss. She wasn’t prepared to deal with this sort of situation. If only Clark hadn’t asked about her dating Lex then nothing would have happened. If Clark’s memories had been intact, he would have known that she wasn't seriously involved with Lex.
Wait a minute...Lex. Yes, that was the perfect excuse. She really did need to go talk to him. Facing Clark with a confidence she didn't actually feel, she offered, "I'm sorry, Clark, I can't talk right now. I need to see Lex right away. I'm sure I can make him see reason." She was out the door before he could open his mouth to answer.
As she headed down Clark’s steps, she was glad to have some time away from him to think. He all but admitted that he was in love with her. She wondered how long he’d been hiding his feelings before the accident removed his defenses. Her mind flashed back to his greeting in the hospital. It had been over-the-top, but except for his use of “Darling,” she might have dismissed it as nothing more than Clark being glad to see her.
Now she knew that there was more to it than that. With that last exchange, there was really no room for doubt. She had never really given any thought to the idea of a relationship with Clark. First there had been Superman. Then Lex had started to seem interested. But…Clark? However, what confused her most wasn’t that he might have feelings for her. What she found most disconcerting was that she wasn’t appalled by the idea.
***~~~***
As Lois drove across the city, she focused on putting every thought of Clark out of her mind. Because of her history with Lex, Lois was sure she would be able to see him even on a night like this. As soon as she heard his statement on the radio, she knew that she needed to talk to him. She was confident that she could get him to see reason. How could he imply that Superman would deliberately do something that would hurt so many people? She knew Superman. He could never act like that.
Her musings were interrupted by her arrival at LexCorp Tower. She found a security guard waiting at the front door. As she approached the building, he opened the door and held it for her. “Good evening Miss Lane. Mr. Luthor is waiting for you.”
Lex was waiting for her? Why would that be? The guard closed the door behind her and made sure that it was secure. Then he escorted her to Lex's private elevator, which was waiting with its doors open. The guard motioned her in. “Mr. Luthor is waiting for you in the penthouse.” The guard remained on the ground floor as Lois rode up alone. She was still trying to figure out why she was expected.
When the door opened, Lex was there. “Lois, I'm happy to see you. I see that you got my message.”
“Message? No, Lex, I never got it. I've been helping Clark. He was hurt. He’s lost his memory. Between helping him and covering Nightfall, I must have missed it.”
“Ah, yes. I was informed that Mr. Kent had been injured. You say he's lost his memory?”
“Yes. He was found in a burned-out building at the edge of Suicide Slum. He doesn't remember how he got there but I suspect he was there to meet a source. Based on the state of his memory, we'll probably never know.”
A thoughtful look crossed Lex's face. “To be without memories in a time like this might almost be a blessing. No matter, I'm pleased you're here. I have an issue that I'd like to discuss, but as you didn't come in response to my request, good manners compel me to first ask what you wanted to see me about. Would you like to sit down?”
Lois followed Lex to the nearby seating area and they both sat. No wonder it had been so easy to see Lex on such short notice. What did he want? In any case, she had her own agenda and it was time to deal with it. “Lex, I heard your announcement on the radio. Do you realize that your comments will lead some people to believe that Superman deliberately caused the Nightfall mission to fail?”
He met her intensity with a practiced calm. “Lois, you know that in the past I've had as much respect for Superman as anyone. His actions and accomplishments speak for themselves. However, I'm afraid that when the evidence becomes public, many people will come to doubt his intent. At times like this I have to put my own admiration for Superman aside, and consider the evidence as it presents itself.”
She started to react but Lex cut her off. “My dear, I know that you hold him in the highest regard. Unfortunately, the evidence seems to be overwhelming. You see, LexCorp was deeply involved in the preparation of the equipment. We designed the mission pack with multiple back-up systems. For some of the parts, such as the radar, there were three units so that even if two of the systems failed, the third would be enough to complete the mission.”
Lex seemed to pick up the doubt in her face. He took a breath and his voice changed tone slightly as if trying to project compassion. “I’m sorry to be the one to break this news to you, but I've seen the telemetry data. Right up until we lost contact with Superman, none of the systems showed any signs of malfunction. And don't forget that the reason Superman was asked to fly this mission was that even if every automated system failed, he would still be able to hit Nightfall in the correct spot. The one thing he was told not to let happen was a head-on impact that might shatter the asteroid.”
When Lex had started talking, Lois had been tempted to cut him off. But he sounded so reasonable. The way Lex described the situation it made a certain amount of sense. But that couldn't be right. Superman would never do that. Besides, after that kiss and what he’d said, Lois knew he had every intention to return. But there was no way she could share that information. While these thoughts were swirling around her mind, Lex moved on.
“As I said, I know that you thought very highly of Superman. I'm only trying to help you prepare for the allegations that others will make when the full news of the Nightfall mission becomes public. I wouldn't want you to be caught on the wrong side of the facts.”
Something in his voice made Lois shiver. As before, he sounded so smooth. But there was something about his speaking pattern that seemed familiar. Then she had it. The overall feel reminded her of a politician’s speech. It was as if Lex had polished these words to achieve the most effective delivery. But that couldn’t be right. Lex was her friend. She shouldn’t hold it against him that he was a talented speaker. It really did sound like he had her best interests at heart.
Lex stood and invited her to follow him across the room to another elevator. “Lois, now please let me explain why I wanted to see you tonight.” He pressed the button next to the elevator door and entered. She was confused and, almost on autopilot, Lois followed him in. When the doors closed, they started down. Based on the feeling of acceleration, they were going down a long way. When they arrived, the door opened to a utilitarian hallway.
Lex made a sweeping gesture with his arm. “Welcome to my survival shelter. We are several hundred feet below ground. This is where I'll be spending the night tomorrow when the Nightfall fragments arrive.”
“Lex, this is very impressive but based on the reports, if a major fragment hits Metropolis, no shelter will be safe.”
“My dear, as I said, I have access to more information than is being generally released to the public. There are no exceptionally large fragments heading toward our city. While Metropolis will be at risk from the smaller fragments, this shelter will be completely safe.”
“Lex, this looks big enough for many people. Will you be opening this to the public?”
He turned toward her with that same polished smile that he had shown earlier. “I'm afraid that looks can be deceiving. This shelter can't house as many people as you might think. On the off chance that this building was to be hit by a moderately-sized fragment, we could be cut off for several weeks. The population of this shelter must be determined by the ability to sustain its residents for that period of time.”
Again, his explanation sounded so smooth as to seem reasonable. As they walked through the shelter, Lois wondered about how the ordinary people of Metropolis were preparing for the meteor shower. Lex approached a door and as his hand touched the doorknob he paused and turned back to her. “I have a surprise for you.” He opened the door and Lois was stunned. “How do you like it?” he asked.
It was her apartment. Here in Lex's survival shelter he had built and furnished a complete replica of her apartment. She followed Lex in and looked around. The accuracy of the copy was amazing. It took a moment for her to find her voice. “I don't understand.”
“Lois, perhaps I haven't been clear about how strongly I... admire you. I had hoped to show this to you after our relationship had developed a bit further. However, with Nightfall fragments approaching I couldn't bear the thought of you being at risk with the rest of the city. I want you to be here. I’d like you to stay with me.”
This was all coming too fast. She had just told Clark that she wasn’t dating Lex. Lex seems to have had other ideas. “Lex, I... I don't know what to say.”
“Then say yes. All I want is your well-being. Come and stay here for tomorrow night. I assure you that this is the safest place in Metropolis.”
***~~~***
The air outside LexCorp Tower felt particularly fresh. When Lois had turned Lex down a moment ago, it had been a close thing. Lex hadn't exactly said that staying with him would lead to any expectation that their relationship would change, but that implication was unavoidable. Of course, it would probably be only for a single night and it would be nice to be in her apartment. Well, sort of her apartment.
Lex had taken her refusal in stride. She had been sure that after the effort to replicate her residence, he would have been disappointed or possibly even angry. He was neither. All he did was smile that confident smile and tell her that the invitation would remain open. He reminded her again that this was the safest shelter in Metropolis. His final words still echoed in her memory. “Lois, your safety is very important to me. If you choose not to accept my invitation, please grant me peace of mind and promise that you will spend tomorrow evening in another shelter. I would be terribly worried to think you were at risk in you apartment when the Nightfall fragments arrive.”
His plea had been so impassioned that she had agreed to make sure that she was in some kind of shelter. After that, she made a quick exit. She felt confused and she needed to think. But where to go? That decision took only an instant. Back to Clark's.
TBC
Bob
