PREVIOUSLY FROM THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE...
The sound of a low growl like thunder continued to grow until it was a roar. Clark doubled over when this headache hit. He grabbed his head and collapsed to his knees. This headache was worse than the others in that not only did his body feel as if it were being pulled apart, but this time, his heart felt as if it was being torn in two. The thunder finally passed and the pain eased.
“Lois,” he gasped.
Something had happened to Lois.
He couldn’t wait for Wells any longer to get his answers. Lois. He had to know that Lois had survived. A moment later he was airborne and on his way to Metropolis.AND NOW...
* * * * * * * * *
PART SIX
‘Forsaking All Others’
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * *
December 1987
* * * * * * * * *
“So what did you want to see me about, Detective?” Lois asked, settling herself in the chair beside Henderson’s desk. Suddenly, she was distracted by how clean the desk was. The permanent stack of files were gone. The pictures and other mementoes were gone. In fact, if Henderson hadn’t been sitting behind it, Lois would have had the distinct impression that she was at the wrong desk. “You quitting or something?”
“No. But well, I’ve got my own office now... or will have when they’ve got it ready for me.”
“An office all your own? Who did you have to kill to get that, Detective?”
“Well, it’s not Detective anymore. It’s Inspector. I’ve been promoted.”
“Congrats,” Lois said, smiling at him. She couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather see promoted. And unless she knew better, she’d think he was smiling too. “Well, now that you’re some big wig, I can’t imagine why you’d be wasting your time meeting with me.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whole lot of hullabaloo about nothing if you ask me,” he groused. “Had all my files just where I wanted them, too. But apparently it wouldn’t look good to have an inspector sitting at a desk out here. Anyway, enough about that. I asked you to come today because I wanted to bring you up to date on what’s happening.”
Lois immediately pulled out her reporter’s notebook and flipped it open. It had been over two and a half weeks now since Bob Stafford had been arrested and she’d been wondering what was happening with the case.
“First, the D.A. has made a deal with Paul Benson. We won’t be pursuing charges against him in exchange for his cooperation and testimony against Bob Stafford. I doubt we could have made any of the charges except the assault actually stick anyway. At least it would have been a fight. And the information the D.A. has managed to get from Benson has put the final nail in Stafford’s coffin.”
“Was Paul involved?” Lois asked.
“No... except as a confidant after the fact. Apparently, Stafford needed someone to brag to about his ‘conquests’ and I guess Benson fit the bill.”
“So he knew about Mayson and me and he didn’t say anything.”
“He claims he didn’t know that Stafford had drugged you. He had his suspicions after you submitted that story that Stafford may have drugged someone - but since you didn’t identify yourself, he didn’t know it was you. But apparently following Wesley’s death, he’d gotten Stafford’s word that he was going to... How did he put it now? Oh yes. Such a charming way to phrase it, too. Benson said that he got Stafford’s word that he was going to ‘stop all that foolishness.’”
Lois’ eyebrows rose. “Foolishness? Sounds more like ‘crimes’ to me.” Then she redirected her mind to other matters. “So he knew about Mayson.”
Henderson nodded. “And a number of others.”
“Others?”
“According to Benson, in addition to you, Wesley and Drake, there’ve been seven victims over the time Stafford’s been at NTU. We’ve been taking statements for the past couple of days. A lot of the women had missing gaps in their memories, but most didn’t even know they’d been raped. Most of them were aware that something had happened, but didn’t know exactly what.
“Then I got a call earlier today from an officer in Philadelphia, where Stafford is originally from. Apparently, this officer read your story when it was syndicated in the Inquirer and recalled a number of complaints they received a few years back from girls who maintained that they’d somehow been abused, but who couldn’t recall the details. When he dug a bit further, he realized the complaints had all come in when Stafford would have been in high school there. So he decided to get in touch with us. Not sure they will be able to prove Stafford’s involvement in those, but the officer wanted to know what we had in hopes of looking further into the matter.”
“Wow! Guess I got lucky,” Lois said. “Although... I have to admit that I really wish I knew who saw me leaving the party and turned me over to Molly. I’d really like to thank him. But Molly doesn’t know who he was any more than I do.”
“Well, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know. Anyway, Stafford actually kept... mementos of his conquests and Benson was able to direct us to them - including one that ties him to Wesley the night she died. As a result of all this, I hear that Stafford’s lawyer is clamoring to make a deal.”
“A deal?” Lois asked cautiously.
“Don’t worry. Stafford’s not getting out. Most the D.A. is prepared to do at this point is talk about taking the death penalty off the table for Wesley’s murder. Her parents are apparently all for that as they’re your bleeding heart liberal types who don’t believe in the death penalty. So with the pressure the D.A.’s office is getting from both the accused’s lawyer and the victim’s parents, I suspect a deal will eventually be hammered out that will see Mr. Stafford spending the rest of his life behind bars.”
“So... no trial?”
“Probably not. Although, that’s not for publication yet. I’ll let you know when you can run with it. I’d like to have the ink dry on the paper first.”
“Fair enough, Det... Inspector,” Lois said. “What about the Philadelphia investigation? Is that on the record?”
Henderson nodded. “I think the officer in Philadelphia is hoping a little news coverage might bring some evidence to light. I suspect he’s already spoken to the Philadelphia press though, so I doubt you’ll be looking at an exclusive on that information.”
Lois made note of that in her notebook. “Anyway, can I get the names of those other women?” she asked, looking back at Henderson.
Henderson hesitated. “I assume that you want to track some of them down, see if they will give you an interview.”
Lois nodded.
“Normally, names of rape victims are not released to the press without their authorization. But I’ll tell you what... Do you have business cards?”
Lois nodded. “The Ink and Quill provides cards to its reporters.”
“Okay then. You leave me a few cards and I’ll give them to anyone who might be willing to talk to the press about what happened.”
“Really?”
“Well, given that you’re one of the victims and the fact that you solved this case for us, I’m prepared to go that far. It will be up to them to decide if they want to take you up on it.”
“That would be great, Inspector,” Lois said, pulling some cards out of her backpack and setting them on his desk.
“So... why don’t you get out of here? Don’t you have a deadline or something? Or are you planning to hang around here all day just to bug me?”
Lois grinned as she flipped her notebook closed. “I’ll just get out of here then. But I’ll be in touch when I solve your next murder for you.”
She couldn’t be entirely certain, but she thought she heard a muffled laugh come from Henderson as she walked away from his desk followed by a very satisfying comment.
“I don’t doubt it, Lane. I don’t doubt it at all.”
She was just about to push open the door to the station when she was suddenly hit by a wave of dizziness. She reached out, steading herself against the doorframe, and closed her eyes. Shouldn’t these dizzy spells caused by the ingestion of the GHB have passed by now?
* * * * * * * * *
It was only Wednesday, but Lois still headed for the Ink and Quill. She wanted to get her notes typed up from her meeting with Henderson while it was still fresh in her mind. She hoped some of the women called her to tell their stories, even anonymously. Maybe she’d even call Mayson Drake and see if she would agree to tell her story.
The room was busy, the normal hubbub of activity that increased daily as the week went on, heading towards that Friday morning deadline.
She had just settled into her seat when she was distracted by the sound of silence. Glancing around, she noticed that everyone seemed to be looking in the same direction - Paul’s office. She turned in her chair just in time to see Paul walk out of his office carrying a large cardboard box.
What was so interesting about that?
Still, she watched as he progressed across the newsroom, obviously heading for the door.
“Hope you’re proud of yourself, Lane,” he snarled as he passed her desk.
Huh?
“Listen up, everyone!”
The sound of a man, calling for everyone’s attention brought her eyes back to Paul’s office the second after the door to the Ink and Quill closed behind Paul.
“Due to recent events,” their faculty adviser said in his normal monotone voice, “Mr. Benson has been removed as editor of the Ink and Quill. And I would suggest everyone take this as a lesson. He’s not being removed due to any indiscretions on his part, although we could undoubtedly have made a case for that. He’s being removed because, by killing a story about the danger to women on New Troy University’s campus, he allowed his personal interests to interfere with his duties as editor. To quote Edward R. Murrow, a reporter’s job is to report the news ‘without fear or favor’ and Mr. Benson...”
Lois tuned him out as her eyes flicked over to Linda who was sitting at her desk, a stunned look on her face. Lois felt a small smile tug at one corner of her mouth, realizing that through all this, Linda had completely missed out on what was really going on with Paul. For some reason, Lois found that thought immensely satisfying.
“...so I’d like to introduce you to your new editor,” their faculty adviser continued, recapturing Lois’ attention. “I believe you all know her since she has been working here for the past three and a half years. Katie Carrick. Katie, come on over here and say a few words.”
Lois smiled. She didn’t know Katie well, but she had to admit, she had a feeling Katie was going places. Besides, it would be nice to have a woman in charge for a change. Lois settled back in her chair and listened as Katie gave a short address.
“...and so let me end with this,” Katie finally said. “Competition is one aspect of the job, but if you’re too busy worrying about the competition, you don’t focus enough on what you’re doing. So, people, don’t worry about the competition, whether it’s in here or out there. Just concentrate on getting the best stories you can for the Ink and Quill.”
Lois’ eyes again settled on Linda. Katie was right. No matter what Linda had done by stealing Lois’ story about the football players, it was time for Lois to get her mind focused on what really mattered. Getting the next story.
Just then, the phone on her desk rang. She quickly picked it up. “Lois Lane.”
“Yes, Ms. Lane. Inspector Henderson suggested I call you,” the woman on the other end of the line began.
Lois quickly picked up her pen, her heartbeat jumping a notch. Speaking of the next story... “Can you tell me your name?”
* * * * * * * * *
February 1988
* * * * * * * * *
Lois ran up the front stairs of the Alpha Nu Rho sorority house, an open letter clutched tightly in her hand. Throwing open the door, she stepped inside.
“Close that door before someone freezes to death!” one of her sorority sisters, Sue, yelled.
Lois grinned, pushing the door shut. She stomped the snow off her boots before bending down to remove them. Then, sticking the letter momentarily in her mouth, took off her coat and hung it up in the closet.
“Hey, Sue. Where’s Molly?” she asked after removing the letter from her mouth.
“In her room, I think,” Sue responded.
“Thanks,” Lois said, grinning at her before turning to rush down the hall towards her friend’s room.
“Hey, Mol,” she said as she threw open the door to Molly’s room and bounded inside.
Molly looked up from behind a pile of textbooks and smiled. “Don’t you look like the cat who ate the canary.”
Lois grinned, waving her letter. “I got in.”
“You got in?” Molly exclaimed, jumping to her feet and grabbing the letter. She pulled the letter from the envelope and began reading furiously.
“Yep. I’m going to Ireland for the fall semester’s exchange program.”
“Hey, that’s great. You know what they say about Irish guys.”
Lois laughed. “No, what do they say about Irish guys?”
“No idea. But with those accents, it’s gotta be something good.” She handed the letter back to Lois. “So you’re all set then.”
Lois nodded. “Mother and Daddy think it will be a great opportunity to expand my horizons so they’re on board.”
“Without which you’d never be able to afford it.”
“Without which I’d never be able to afford it,” Lois confirmed.
“That’s great. I know how much you wanted to do this. Hey, maybe you’ll even meet a real live leprechaun.”
Lois plopped herself down on the bed with a bounce. “Now... that would be a story worth getting. Almost as good as... flying aliens coming to earth.”
“Well, unless those aliens take over the world.”
“Nah,” said Lois, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand. “In my story, it would only be good flying aliens, out to fight for truth and justice.”
“Well, get the leprechaun story first.” Molly sighed. “I tell you, though. I’m really going to miss you.”
“Hey, it’s not until September. And... I’ll be around all summer, too, what with my internship at the Daily Planet. You’ll probably be sick of me by September.”
“I doubt it. And fall semester is going to be awfully boring if I’m not spending all my time pulling your fat out of the fire.”
“I’ll be back in January. Hey, maybe you’ll even find yourself some nice guy to liven things up around here. Probably won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“As if,” Molly responded, her countenance suddenly changing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think...”
Molly gave her a sad smile. “No, you’re right. I’ve just got to forget about Ryan. It’s been... what? Three months now?”
Lois shrugged. “You loved him,” she said. “I don’t think there’s a time limit on getting over a broken heart.”
“Do you still think about Paul?”
Lois shook her head. “It’s funny. But it’s like... I can hardly remember even liking him. I don’t think I went through more than one night of feeling bad that Linda stole him. Guess it wasn’t love, after all.”
“You’re lucky. I’m never falling in love again.”
“Hey, don’t say that! Some day, you’ll meet a great guy and you’ll be like: Ryan who?”
Molly smiled at Lois, but it was obvious that she didn’t believe her.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Molly said, turning and digging through her files. She pulled out a couple pages of paper. “Ta da.”
“What’s that?” Lois said, reaching over and taking the papers.
“I finally figured out how to recover your story off the computer. You know, the one about the football players not writing their own exams. And...” She handed Lois a couple more pages. “These prove that the story, which you saved prior to the paper being released, was purposely deleted. You can now prove it wasn’t Linda’s story.”
Lois studied the papers for a moment. “Paul’s no longer the editor of the Ink and Quill. The editor of the Daily Planet knows it was my story. I managed to get an even bigger story.”
“So... you don’t care about the fact that Linda stole your story anymore?” Molly asked.
“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” Lois said. She looked back at the papers. “I’ll just hang onto these for now - in case it becomes an issue. As far as Linda is concerned... I doubt we’ll ever be friends again. But...” She shrugged. “I’m just sorry you went to such trouble to retrieve this.”
“No trouble,” Molly said. “It was a challenge. It was fun.”
Lois chuckled. “Have I ever told you you have a strange definition of fun?”
“Oh? And yours is better?”
“Touche,” Lois said with a grin. She looked over at Molly’s books. “So what are you working on?”
“Algorithms.”
“Huh?”
“An algorithm is a recursive computational technique meant to solve a problem in a finite number of steps.” Molly giggled at the blank look on Lois’ face. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
“Sure. Just because you don’t think I... Oh, god...” A moment later, Lois was off the bed, running to the bathroom. She didn’t stop, didn’t slow. Yet for all her rush, she barely made it in time to empty the contents of her stomach into the toilet.
She continued to heave long after there was nothing more to throw up. Sweat accumulated on her brow. Her hands trembling as she gripped the sides of the porcelain bowl.
Then she felt gentle hands, smoothing her hair back and a wet cloth bathing her forehead in cool moisture.
Finally, her stomach settled, and closing her eyes, she sunk back onto the floor. She heard the toilet flush and a newly freshened washcloth was slipped into her hands. Gratefully, she raised the cloth to her face and let the cool of the cloth bring her back to the land of the living.
She heard Molly take a seat on the side of the bathtub, but didn’t open her eyes. She knew her friend was watching her, thinking the same thing she’d voiced on many occasions over the past couple of months. Any moment now, she knew that Molly was going to say...
“This isn’t a stomach bug, Lois.”
Well, that was predictable. Next she was going to be telling Lois...
“I bought a pregnancy test the other day. I want you to take it.”
Lois’ eyes snapped open. “Wait a minute! That’s not what you’re supposed to say. You’re supposed to be telling me that I need to go see Doctor Maria!”
“Would it do any good?” Molly let out a breath. “I may still be insisting that you do that. But...” She let out another breath. “I mean, look at the symptoms. When was the last time you had your period?”
“Stress, Mol. That’s it. With the whole Stafford thing, the negotiations, the renegotiations, the info coming out about new charges in Philadelphia and, finally, his plea last week. It’s been a pretty stressful couple of months.”
“Lois... Please?”
Lois looked at her friend. She couldn’t be pregnant. After all, pregnancy was always proceeded by one particular act - one that she hadn’t participated in. Her period... That was just the result of the stress of the past couple of months. Dealing with the situation around Stafford. And since he had only pled guilty last week, as a result of a plea bargain finally made with the D.A., it wasn’t unusual that Lois might have experienced some stress.
Still, looking into Molly’s eyes. Seeing the plea there... What would be the harm in humoring her?
“Okay, fine. You win. Besides, I’ve always wanted to know exactly how one of those tests works,” Lois said. “Might come in handy some day.”
* * * * * * * * *
Lois stared at the small cylinder in disbelief. It couldn’t be. It just... couldn’t.
“Well?” Molly asked, poking her head into the bathroom.
Lois set down the cylinder and picked up the instructions again. Maybe she’d misunderstood. Maybe the liquid was supposed to stay red if you were pregnant. Maybe light gray meant you weren’t pregnant.
Molly was suddenly there, reading over her shoulder. “It’s definitely gray.”
“But...” Lois said, her mind refusing to accept what she was seeing. “I must have done the test wrong.”
“Lois, that’s the second one you’ve done.”
“Then I’ll get another one. It’s obviously wrong. It has to be.” She took a step back from Molly, shaking her head. “I can’t be pregnant, Mol. I mean, after all I’ve never... you know. And last I heard that was sort of prerequisite to being pregnant.”
“There is another possibility, Lois,” Molly said softly.
“No, Mol. There isn’t.”
“Lois, you have to consider that last November, at that party...”
“Don’t say it. Just... don’t say it.” Suddenly, a new idea came to her. “Besides, according to Doctor Maria, I was still a virgin following that party.”
“Maybe she made a mistake.”
“Or... isn’t it more likely that I made a mistake with the pregnancy test? It’s not exactly the easiest thing to do.”
“That’s exactly why you need to see Doctor Maria.”
Lois’ expression softened. “Touche.”
“So... call and make an appointment?” Molly asked, her eyes pleading. “Even if that test is wrong, there is a problem. A stomach bug doesn’t last for two months. You have to admit that.”
Lois knew she’d been out maneuvered. With a final sigh of defeat, she nodded.
* * * * * * * * *
June 1997
* * * * * * * * *
Herb looked around. He was at the right spot. He checked the time on his time machine. And it was the right time. Fifteen minutes since he’d gone into the past to stop the paradox. So... where was Clark?
Unless... No. He wouldn’t have.
Of course he would have. He’d gone to find out if Lois had survived.
Well, then. Time really was of the essence. He had to get there before Clark realized Lois hadn’t returned from the Congo and built another time machine to go back to save her. He surely wouldn’t go to any time he’d previously been - for fear of running into himself. Still, when he went into the past and realized that Lois didn’t remember him, he would undoubtedly go to a time between 1987 and 1993 and get Lois to fall in love with him all over again. And given what Clark now knew, that was undoubtedly what he would do. That would start the loop all over again.
And given how fast Clark could move... No, there really wasn’t much time at all.
Resetting the controls on his time machine to arrive behind the Daily Planet one minute into the future, he pressed the button, opened the door and stepped through.
* * * * * * * * *
February 1988
* * * * * * * * *
“So? What did she say?” Molly demanded the instant Lois returned to Dr. Maria’s waiting room.
Lois took a brief look around at the other patrons. “Not here,” she told Molly, grabbing her friend’s arm and directing her towards the door.
They were settled in Molly’s car before Molly turned to her again. “So...?”
“So,” Lois repeated, studying her hands.
“Well, what did she say? Does she know what’s wrong with you? Come on. You’re scaring me here.”
Lois mumbled something Molly couldn’t make out.
“What?”
“I’m pregnant.” The words hung between them for a moment before Lois continued. “How can I be pregnant, Molly?” She looked imploringly at her friend.
“Did she say how far along you are?”
Lois nodded. “Almost three months.”
“But that would take you back to mid-November...”
“The night of the party.” Lois shrugged. “Probably.”
“But... how does she explain the examination she did when you went in to see her the next day?”
“She can’t. She tells me that she would have sworn I was still a virgin. But that if I can’t remember having sex with anyone else, and had no other problem with memory loss after that night, she must have been wrong. After all, she wouldn’t be saying that after examining me today. Mol, I haven’t dared touch a drop of alcohol since that night.”
Molly let out a slow breath.
“Are you going to tell Inspector Henderson?” Molly finally asked.
“Tell him what?”
“That Stafford raped...”
“No! Look, I don’t know that Stafford did anything to me that night other than drugging my drink and...”
“Lois,” Molly began patiently. “You have to admit that in all likelihood Stafford was lying about only sending the football players in your direction. He must have done that to defuse suspicion on him after he...”
“Don’t say it.”
“Lois...”
“Okay, I know you’re probably right. But just... don’t say it.” Lois placed a protective hand over her stomach.
“What are you going to do?”
“Well, I’m not going to report this to Henderson.”
“But...”
“Mol, Stafford has already gone to prison for life. One more charge isn’t going to make any difference. And no matter what, I never want this child...” She let out a breath. “I don’t want anyone to even hint that this child could be Stafford’s. No. I had a one night stand with a handsome stranger. Got it?”
“But why...”
“I don’t want this child ever knowing he or she was the result of my being raped. Whether it was Stafford or someone else. I never want that information coming out! Never!”
“Are you saying you’re planning to keep the baby?” Molly asked in disbelief
“I don’t know what I’m saying,” Lois wailed. “I just... I need time to... think.” Tears well up in her eyes. “I can’t be pregnant, Molly. I just...” Her voice broke. “...can’t.”
Molly scooted across the front seat of the old Ford and gathered her friend into her arms, rocking her back and forth until the worst of the storm passed.
Finally, slipping back over to the driver’s side of the car, she noticed a couple people on the sidewalk outside looking at them strangely. “What?” she asked through the glass. “Never seen two women making out before?”
The strangers turned and quickly scurried away.
A watery laugh from Lois was her reward.
“Come on,” Molly said, starting the engine. “I’ve got a sudden hankering for hot chocolate.”
* * * * * * * * *
Lois had never been scared to enter her parent’s house before. Her folks might not have always been the most attentive parents. They were too caught up in each other and their work to pay much attention to the fact that they had kids. Lois had inherited that same ‘all work’ attitude. That was what made this decision so remarkable, out of character, even. But for reasons she couldn’t articulate, even in her own mind, this was something she had to do.
She took a deep breath. Okay, well... maybe there wasn’t as much reason to be scared as she feared. After all, her parents had always been basically supportive, even if they didn’t always understand her decisions. Lois’ desire to be a reporter was a good example. Yet they supported her in that, right? Well, sort of anyway. Was this really so different?
Okay, maybe this was a little different. She had to concede that. This wasn’t exactly what one would call... good news. But surely they would calm down quickly and they could talk it through.
Then why was she so scared? Maybe it was just that she had no previous experience to go on. After all, she’d never brought home truly bad news before. She’d never brought home a bad report card or been caught smoking or skipping class - well, except for that time when she had been investigating the case of the stolen bracelet when she was eleven. But she’d broken that case wide open, so she’d been ready to fight - to argue that she’d done what she had to do to get her friend’s bracelet returned when one of the older girls had stolen it.
That hadn’t gone so badly. She’d been left with the distinct impression that her folks were trying to fight laughter more than anything when she’d launched into her passionate defense of her actions.
But this wasn’t a skipped class.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. She’d called and said she needed to talk to her parents so she knew they were waiting for her. And now that she knew what she was going to do, it was time to bite the bullet, as it were.
“Hey, princess. Is that you?” her dad called from the living room.
“It’s me,” Lois confirmed, removing her coat and boots before taking a deep breath. This was it. No point in dawdling... She hesitated a moment, wondering where she’d ever picked up that word... before putting one foot in front of the other as she made her way to where she knew her parents were waiting for her.
TO BE CONTINUED...
ML
