Thanks for the feedback. I'm heading off for the SDFF barbecue in a few minutes but here is part two, slightly revised. We'll begin to get into the newer stuff in part three.
Smallville: Part 2/? reposted
by Nan Smith
Previously:
Flakes were drifting down lazily from the leaden sky and the wind had begun to pick up slightly. "Looks like we're in for a storm," she remarked.
"Just snow flurries," Clark said. "Probably won't even stick. Who was on the phone?"
"Henderson," Lois said. "He's going to meet us at the corner hamburger stand. It's only a five-minute walk. Let's go."
**********
And now, part two:
The hamburger stand was doing a brisk business in spite of the weather. Lois and Clark joined the line of persons waiting to give their order. Looking around, Lois saw no immediate sign of William Henderson. The police inspector was good at being inconspicuous when he wanted to be, she knew, and curbed her impatience. When Henderson felt that it was safe to do so, he would appear.
Clark was the picture of relaxation, but, of course, he would be. His glasses rested somewhat low on his nose and she wondered if he was scanning the area with his super vision, looking for Henderson as well. If he saw him, he said nothing.
Eventually, they made it to the counter and gave their orders, took their number and went to sit at an empty table while the busy employees assembled the two highly different requests. As usual, Clark had ordered cheeseburgers, fries, a milkshake, a soda, onion rings and several other sides. Lois's chicken salad and diet soda was paltry in comparison. She wondered what it would be like to be able to eat that way again. As a teenager, she had been able to absorb a seemingly endless array of foods and not gain an ounce, but after she had reached her twenties she had become aware of the need to watch her intake. Still, she envied Clark.
Someone called their number and Clark went to retrieve the lunches. He was just setting out the meals when another man quietly took a seat at the neighboring table and set out a burger, fries and a Coke -- a totally unremarkable meal. There was, however, something vaguely familiar about him and after several seconds of unobtrusive scrutiny, she recognized Bill Henderson.
"On a diet, Kent?" Henderson asked. His voice was pitched low so that it couldn't be heard for more than a few feet.
"High protein," Clark said. "What's up?"
"Wanted to let you know that things are getting pretty interesting," Henderson said. "Some of the stuff in the diary has already borne some fruit. If things go as I expect, we should have an indictment shortly after the New Year. I hear you're going to be out of town for a few days. I don't think we should be seen together in public for a while, though, since someone is obviously pretty interested in what I'm doing. Is there a number where I can contact you, just in case?"
"Sure," Clark said. "I have a cell phone. Just a minute." Lois saw him glance covertly around. Apparently satisfied that he was not being observed, he took out a pen and scribbled the number for his cell phone on the nearest paper napkin. He did not, however, pass it to Henderson. Instead, he unobtrusively pocketed the pen again and took a huge bite of his cheeseburger. Lois took a sip of diet soda, watching him.
Clark swallowed, and took another bite, chewed and swallowed again. He picked up the napkin and wadded it in his left hand, at the same time slurping from his soda. He drained the cup, pushed back his chair and stood up. "I'm going to get a refill," he said. Without fuss, he headed across the open area toward the soda dispenser, refilled the paper cup and returned. As he passed Henderson, the wadded napkin fell to the ground by the Police Inspector's foot.
Clark took his seat again and took another drink of soda.
Henderson didn't glance down, but he casually placed the toe of his shoe on top of the napkin.
Lois took a bite of her chicken salad. Henderson continued to eat his burger, not glancing at them. An incautious motion on his part knocked his own napkin to the ground and, instead of simply taking a new one from the dispenser, he bent to pick it up, managing to acquire, in the process, the one under his foot as well. "I don't know if you're under observation," he said softly, "but I'd stay alert if I were you."
"We will," Lois said.
"Good," Henderson said. He took a large bite of burger, chewed meditatively, swallowed and followed it with a long slurp of Coke. He didn't speak to them again but ate his meal deliberately, picked up his debris, shoved it into a refuse container and departed. Lois and Clark continued to eat their lunch without further conversation.
"Now that was interesting," Clark said finally. He crumpled up his napkin and sandwich wrappings, got to his feet and began to gather up the other wrappings, napkins and paper cups.
"Very," Lois said.
"I've been thinking," Clark added, stuffing the debris into the nearest waste container. "I wonder if our friend might have other ways of keeping tabs on us. I haven't spotted any bugs around us at work, or on our phones or anything, and you can be sure I looked -- just on Perry and Henderson. It seems kind of unlikely that he'd just drop his surveillance on the two of us that quickly."
"That's what I was thinking," Lois said. "We're not carrying any bugs with us, are we?" She glanced at her purse as she spoke. She didn't think there was any listening device in it, but there were enough stray items inside that she couldn't be sure without dumping everything out to look.
"No. I checked. We're clean, but I can't help wondering."
"He bugged my car," Lois said. "Where else might he plant a bug?" She paused as a dismaying idea struck her. "Do you suppose he could have bugged my new computer?"
"Not with a conventional bug," Clark said. "I thought of that when I saw it and checked. But --"
"But what?"
"Well --" He paused, obviously thinking. "I don't know a lot about computers, but I know I heard somewhere that there's some kind of program that can track your work on a computer and send the information to another computer, somewhere else."
"I think you're right," Lois said, after a moment. "I think it's called a key logger or something like that. Jimmy was saying something about finding one on his computer a few months ago. Thieves use them to steal passwords and information for bank accounts and stuff."
"Do you suppose Jimmy could check your computer and make sure it doesn't have anything like that on it?"
"I guess we can ask him," Lois said. "It's a good thing I decided not to put anything about this investigation anywhere like my office computer."
"It sure is," Clark agreed. "Still, it would be good to find out if he's still watching us. Let's ask Jimmy to check it over, just to be sure."
"You know," Lois said, "it's pretty creepy having to watch my back every second like this, just in case somebody is watching or listening -- but I guess that's how this guy got where he is."
"Well," Clark said, "the one place he can't spy into is my memory. As long as we keep any hard evidence we find out of his reach and any records in my head, it's going to be hard for him to get hold of it."
"Yeah. I wish my memory was photographic," Lois said a little enviously. "I wonder if everyone from your planet had one, or if you're just lucky."
Clark shrugged. "No idea."
"Well, it's convenient for us, anyway," Lois said. "You didn't put anything on your computer, did you?"
"No, and Jimmy took everything off his when we got seriously involved in the investigation, so I think we're clear there. But it'll be really interesting if he finds something on your new one. I think," he added, "that I'll ask him to check mine and his own, too. Just to be safe."
**********
Lois and Clark had turned in all their work scheduled for Christmas Eve and Christmas, and both had the next two days off. They left work later that evening and strolled toward Lois's apartment. Lois looked up at her partner. He towered over her, especially now while she was constrained to wearing only flat shoes until her feet finished healing. True, his name was Clark, and she had trained herself to call him that in public, but ever since the days they had spent together during the Nightfall crisis, she had thought of him privately as Charlie, and she suspected she always would. Which was all right, as long as she didn't slip and call him Charlie in front of anyone on the staff of the Daily Planet.
"Is anyone watching us?" she inquired, as they left the Daily Planet.
"I don't see anyone," he said. "That doesn't mean there isn't anyone, but he'd have to be pretty careful."
"Well, we'll just act as if there might be, then," Lois said. "I don't intend to get caught because I was careless. When are we flying out?"
"After dark," Clark said. "You'll take a taxi to the airport. I'll meet you and we'll leave from there, just in case anyone checks. I don't trust you-know-who as far as I can throw him. Less. Especially since he seems to have decided to pursue you."
"I don't understand that," Lois admitted. "He's dated some of the most beautiful actresses and models in the world. Why should he be interested in me?"
"You underestimate yourself," Clark said. "You're not only beautiful, but intelligent, and you saved his life -- and you obviously haven't lost your head over him. I think you represent something new. That's a challenge -- but he's still suspicious."
"No question of that," Lois said. "When I had dinner with him the first time, he suggested 'dessert'. I don't think he meant food. I doubt many women have turned him down."
"Probably not," Clark agreed. "From what I read, he seems to have trouble resisting challenges -- and there isn't much he won't do to win."
"Which means I'd better watch my step," Lois said, a little grimly.
"*We* need to watch our step," Clark said.
"Definitely," Lois said. "Shall we cut through the park?"
"Sure," Clark said. "Do you still have to pack?"
Lois shook her head. "I did that last night. Are you sure Martha and Jonathan don't mind my coming for Christmas? They aren't just being polite, are they?"
"Not a bit," Clark said. "Mom was nearly jumping up and down when I told her we were engaged."
"Really?"
"You'd better believe it. Dad told me I was smart to grab you before some other guy did."
"No danger of that," Lois said.
"How about Luthor?"
"No danger of that, either," Lois said. "He's handsome and charming, and filthy rich -- but the rest of the package I can do without. Besides, the guy I'm going to marry is ten times as good-looking -- at least," she added. "Not to mention, he can fly. That's a lot better than rich."
"You just like me for my ability to defy gravity," Clark said, pretending to pout. "Oh well, I guess I can live with that."
"That and a few thousand other qualities," Lois said cheerfully.
He grinned a little. "Well, as long as you count the other qualities." They stepped off the sidewalk onto the pebbled path that led through the park and Clark glanced quickly down at her feet. "This isn't going to be too difficult for you to walk on, is it?"
"My feet are fine," Lois said patiently. "I was going to wear heels this morning, but I couldn't find the pair I usually wear with this outfit. Then I remembered, I ruined them last week, standing in the snow outside Joey McPherson's apartment house. So I decided to wear these one more day."
"If you like, I can give you a lift," Clark said. "It's a little cold out here."
"It's fine," Lois said. "Like you said, snow flurries now and then." She glanced up at the overcast sky. "What's the weather forecast for Christmas Eve, anyway?"
"Here or where we're going?" Clark asked.
"There, of course. Why would I worry about weather where I'm not going to be?" she said reasonably.
"Clear and cold, during the day," Clark said. "There's supposed to be a weather front in sometime in the evening, so we'll probably get a white Christmas -- which it would have been anyway, since it snowed last week and hasn't melted -- but they're predicting four inches of snow overnight, so it should be really nice."
"I love fresh snow," Lois said. "As long as I don't have to walk in it."
As if to emphasize her point, one of the advertised snow flurries whipped the skirts of her coat around her knees and she pulled the collar together a little more tightly around her throat.
"I figure we can sit inside, in front of the fireplace, drink hot chocolate and watch the snow through the window," Clark said.
"That sounds wonderful," Lois said. "I think, for once, I'm actually looking forward to Christmas. As long as I don't have to bob for apples in root beer or take part in the ladies' pig-wrestling contest."
Clark snorted. "Sorry. I didn't want Cat to get any ideas."
"I know." She giggled. "There isn't really a pig-wrestling contest, is there?" she added.
"Not on Christmas," Clark said. "We have one during the Corn Festival, but it isn't mandatory, and it's usually for the high school kids. There's a Christmas Eve dance, though. Mom, Dad and I always go. Like I said, Christmas is the biggest party in Smallville."
It actually sounded like fun. "Am I going to get to meet any of your old girlfriends?"
He shrugged. "Maybe. Most of them are married by now, and they weren't really serious girlfriends, anyway. It was just high school dating. Lana Lang is probably the only one who ever tried to get serious with me and I knew she wasn't the one I wanted to spend my life with, so I was careful not to let her think I did."
"Will she be there?"
"I don't know," Clark said. "Her dad and mom still live in Smallville. Her dad's an archeologist, retired, now, so she might be there. The last I heard of her, she was some kind of executive assistant to some Silicon Valley CEO."
"When was that?" Lois asked, trying to sound casual.
"At Christmas, a couple of years ago," Clark said. He smiled down at her. "We were friends in high school, Lois. Nothing more. It's you that I want to spend my life with, not Lana."
Lois looked up, a little surprised that he had picked up on her discomfort so accurately. "I guess I can't help thinking that you'll change your mind when you get to know me better."
"I already know everything important about you," he said. "And I never once asked Lana to marry me."
"Never?"
"Nope. If I had, I wouldn't be here now. I never gave her any reason to think I was serious, but she was hinting at it pretty strongly before I managed to convince her. You had to know Lana. Not many people said no to her."
It sounded to Lois like Lana Lang wasn't easily discouraged. "What about Rachel?"
"Rachel has her thing going with Roy."
"Oh yeah -- the MCP. Do you think she'll ever marry him?"
Clark shrugged. "She and Roy have been together since high school. They break up every few months and then get back together. If he ever manages to reconcile himself to the fact that she isn't going to let him run her life, maybe they'll get married."
"What does she see in him?" Lois asked curiously.
Clark grinned. "I have no idea. Roy and I were never friends -- but then, I'm not a woman."
"Definitely not," Lois said, glancing appreciatively at him. A thought hit her suddenly. "Unless the females from your planet look like guys from ours. You don't think that's possible, do you?"
Clark looked at her incredulously and laughed. "No, I don't. The family doctor never noticed anything different; that's for sure. I'm built like any human man, I promise you. And," he added, "you should remember that."
She did. "Well, yeah. Except I'd say you're built much better than most human men, if I remember correctly. In all ways."
"Lois!"
"Well, you brought it up."
He didn't answer that, and he was definitely blushing, Lois noted with an inner smile. How anyone that looked like Charlie did could be shy about his physical appearance she couldn't imagine, but apparently he was. Most of the body builders she'd come across tended to be exhibitionists. But then, Charlie wasn't a body builder. He just naturally came this way. That could be a definite plus, too, she thought, if he maintained his figure as he grew older. Maybe her husband-to-be wouldn't have to fight the middle-age spread that normally afflicted most human males after they hit their forties. If that were so, she wouldn't object one bit.
"You mean you never compare yourself with other guys in restrooms?" she asked innocently.
He turned redder. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Actually," she conceded in a fair-minded spirit, "I guess I did. Besides, you don't think I mind the way you look, do you? Every time she sees Superman's picture, Cat has to wipe the drool off her chin -- and she sure isn't looking at his face. Once we're married, I plan to take as much advantage of my right to just look at the whole you as I can." She resolutely didn't smile at the expression on his face. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I liked what I saw that night in Centennial Park."
"Could we just drop the subject?" he mumbled.
"Sure, but don't knock it," she said. "Your physical appearance is one of those many other qualities I mentioned that don't exactly repel me. You can't expect me to be blind, you know."
He gave a small, embarrassed smile. "I'm glad of that, at least."
They were passing the marble fountain that marked one of the historical settings of Centennial Park and Lois paused. "Hold it a second. I've got a stone in my shoe." She leaned against the concrete border and bent to remove the tiny piece of gravel. "Don't look now but we've got a tail."
Clark turned to lean against the border as well, and reached up to adjust his glasses slightly. "That guy with the ponytail?" he inquired.
"That's the one. Recognize him?"
"Yeah. I think I saw him yesterday afternoon, reading a newspaper across the street from the Planet."
"So did I. I sort of wondered about him then." Lois slipped her shoe back on, resolutely not looking in the direction of the ponytailed man a second time. "I guess we were right. It looks like somebody is keeping an eye on us. I'm not going to be a bit surprised if Jimmy finds something after all."
"Me, either." Clark pushed his hands into the pockets of his coat. "I'm going to leave you at your apartment's front door and head home, just for appearance's sake. Somehow, I get the feeling that our friend may want to be sure that your partner is only a partner."
"I told him that was what you are," Lois said. "We certainly need to keep it looking that way."
**********
tbc
