Perry looked up at the burnt-out Planet building, a shell of its former glory. He thought back to when he was just an assistant copy boy and how the moment he had walked into that building, he knew his life would change forever. He thought of all the things the Planet had accomplished over the years, the awards, attracting the world's best journalists, and the respect it had won not only among its readership, but throughout the press. The Daily Planet was a place to be proud of, one of the last beacons of true, for-the-people journalism left in a world that had grown too political and pessimistic. But now, it was no more than a beautiful memory; a legend gone up in smoke.
"It's gone. All gone," he said sorrowfully.
Lois stood nearby. She felt the loss, but she knew the Planet was much more than brick and mortar. "We'll rebuild," she said with conviction, knowing that the people who made the Planet what it is wouldn't---*couldn't* let it die.
Jimmy shook his head, hopeful, but full of doubt. "Yeah, sure we will."
Perry looked over at Lois and Jimmy, still trying to wrap his mind around the catastrophe. "I mean, it's just about the worst thing I can imagine!"
Suddenly Luthor strode over to them, several police men walking beside him.
"Not the worst thing," he chimed in with impeccable timing. "The worst would be that one of our own employees set this fire deliberately."
Luthor signaled out Jack, gesturing for the cops to arrest him. "That's him. The bomb was found in your lunchbox, Jack."
Lois tried to step in, "Lex, I know Jack didn't do it!"
Lex ignored her, determined to carry out his plan. "Police found explosives hidden in his room... We're all familiar with his--criminal past," he finished with disdain.
Jack looked at Lois and then Clark who had just come up. "I didn't do it! It was a set up!" he cried.
Luthor took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, a subconscious gesture of ridding himself of the blame for anything. "A sad day for all of us."
Perry, who had more ties than any of them to the Planet and its history shook his head with sorrow. "Its an historic day. Tomorrow, for the first time in two hundred nineteen years, there will be no edition of the Daily Planet."
***********
Luthor sat in his penthouse some time later, enjoying a brandy and cigar.
"It was too easy, Niles," he mused.
"Everything worked out to plan then Sir?"
"To the letter. Thanks to a few---negotiations, there is not enough--'apparent' money to rebuild the Planet. Lois is officially my fiancee, and the lives of the workers at the Daily Planet are effectively ruined! As it should be, I am in control of it all."
He leaned back in his chair, a grin on his face.
"Now, all I need is Superman."
**********
Dinner with Lex was nothing like dinner with Clark. The menus were more elaborate, the restaurants more expensive, but the conversation and company was much more uncomfortable.
"My dear, you look so beautiful tonight," said Lex over a glass of wine.
"Thank you," she answered, distracted by her thoughts. She kept replaying this afternoon over and over in her head. She thought back to the moment right before the bomb had gone off. Had Clark seen her files on Lex? What did he make of them if he had? Now that the Planet was destroyed, she had decided that maybe she could tell Clark everything, that she would have to in order to get ahead in her investigation of Lex. She had surprisingly felt relieved that Clark had been snooping through her files, that he might know something of the quandary she was in. But there hadn't been a chance to talk to him about it again after the explosion. And before she knew it, she had found herself in Lex's limo again, heading to another overpriced dinner.
The atmosphere was stilted in the restaurant, and Lois secretly laughed at how it was aptly named "The Gilded Lily." The subdued gold of the decor came across as pretentious and uninviting.
"What's troubling you, Lois?" Lex asked casually.
She looked back at him, incredulous. "What's 'troubling' me, Lex? How about the fact that the Planet was blown up today? How about the fact that you have all but forced me to become your fiancee!"
She said that last a little louder than she intended, garnering some curious stares from nearby tables.
"Lois, I am not forcing you to do anything," Lex said with a warm smile. "And I am sorry about the Planet. But, you can always come to work at LNN."
"Television? I don't think so, Lex. I belong at a newspaper. I belong at the Planet," she finished sadly. She looked up at him, thinking. If he was going to push this sham of a marriage, then maybe she could get something good out of it all. "Lex, how soon could we rebuild the Planet?"
He reached for her hand and she tried to resist the urge to pull away. "My dear, my lawyers are looking into it, but I'm afraid the insurance policies on the Planet were useless. It may not be enough to rebuild..."
"It has to be! You could do it even without the insurance policies!" she goaded.
"But what good would a paper with no value be to me?"
"No value! Lex, the Planet's value is in its product! In truth!" She stood up, not able to pretend that there was anything real between them for another second. "Take me home, Lex. I can't talk to you about this."
"Lois, calm down. You're making a scene." He reached for her gently and pulled her back in her chair.
He smiled charmingly and though Lois distrusted him, she found herself slightly swayed by his charisma.
"Lois, I will do what I can to rebuild the Planet. I promise. Please, let's just have some dessert."
********
Lois didn't really believe Lex, yet she had let him convince her to stay through dinner. During dessert, he had even given her an engagement ring, an ostentatious diamond that probably alone could pay for the rebuilding of the Planet. She hadn't wanted to accept it, feeling like it would seal forever her deal with the devil in order to protect Clark. But Lex had been so sweetly insistent, so charming, that before she knew it, he had slipped it onto her finger.
When she got home, and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, dressed up for dinner with him, wearing his engagement ring, she felt disgusted at herself. <<How is this happening?>> Lois knew what he was, or at least had an idea, yet she was terrified of saying no to even dinner with him. And she would dress up-- why? to please him? She felt sick to her stomach. Had she led him on? Is that why he suddenly wanted to marry her? And why had Lex felt the need to threaten her?
As Lois wiped off her make-up and took off her jewelry, she became more and more upset. She wondered if she was crazy. Lex could charm her even as he frightened her. In one move he could threaten to shake her world and in the next make her feel like the most lovely woman in the room. <<Am I that shallow? That gullible?>>
She had been collecting little bits of evidence to prove just how corrupt Lex was, and yet she let him get away with lies right in front of her, like rebuilding the Planet. Was it because she wanted to believe him? Or because she was scared to really stand up to him? Either way, she wasn't happy with herself. She knew he was dangerous, yet she could find herself listening to the plans he shared with interest. They always seemed good--on the surface. And then he'd throw in little threats if she didn't see exactly his way, like the Kryptonite, which would scare her. And she hated to be scared of anyone. Which was why she had to somehow prove his true character. Yet, with the Planet destroyed, her resources were limited. She had some of the files backed up at home, thank goodness, but not having the Planet's research tools would make things that much harder without Clark in the loop.
She had just taken off her stockings, was still sitting in her black dress on her bed, thinking about the puzzle that was Lex when she heard a familiar 'woosh' at her window.
Superman. Clark was here.
She looked up and ran to the living room, relieved and so happy to see him.
He put his finger to his lips as if he wanted her to stay quiet. Lois looked confused and then realized. He must have found some bugs in her apartment!
But before she could get angry, Clark held out his arms to her, gesturing silently for her to fly with him.
She felt her breath catch in anticipation. She hadn't flown with him since she had discovered his secret, and she desperately needed some time alone with him, away from the scrutiny of Lex.
She walked slowly over to him, her feet bare. He took her hand and pulled her close to him for a second, then swooped her up into his arms, carrying her away from her apartment window in an instant.
"Clark, I'm so sorry," she said suddenly, apologizing for the other night, this morning. Everything.
"It's okay, Lois. Just---do you mind if I take you to Smallville?" he asked.
She smiled. "Smallville sounds perfect."
