Chapter Two
Clark held the elevator door open for Lois as they stepped onto the news floor. The digital clock on the far wall told him that they were almost half an hour early. Some people, he knew, hated to go back to work after a vacation, but for both himself and his wife that was untrue. They both found fulfillment in the work they did, whether they wrote together or separately.
He smiled as he looked out over the already bustling room. It was filled with people, some who were tapping on keyboards, several who were talking on phones and scribbling notes, a few who were discussing various news stories, a trio of young men talking about the college football games the previous weekend, and even a couple flirting with each other near the vending machines. It was barely controlled chaos, a roiling mass of humanity and information and secrets being uncovered and wrongs being righted. He loved it almost as much as he wife did.
He hoped that the cloud which had followed her back from France would disappear in the flurry of work he knew they’d have as soon as they checked in.
A harried Jimmy Olsen trotted past with a folder of photos in one hand and a mockup of the front page in the other. “Hey, guys, great to see you back! Good vacation, Lois?”
“Yes, we had – ”
“You have a couple of messages from Master Whoozits, your martial arts instructor. I think he wants you to fight in some tournament next weekend.”
“Thanks, I’ll call Master Chou as soon as – ”
“You see Perry yet, CK?”
“No, not – ”
“Just smile and let him rant, okay? Don’t take is personally when he bites your heads off.”
Clark looked at his wife as Jimmy ran off. Her expression was as blank as his. Whatever Perry was upset about, neither of them had a clue about it.
Lois recovered first. “If Perry wants to see us that badly – ”
“Then let’s drop in on him now and defuse the explosion.”
They exchanged smiles and dropped their coats at their respective desks, then snagged pencils and notepads from various drawers. Their hands met on Perry’s doorknob.
Clark opened the door and let Lois precede him. She seemed eager to work on whatever their boss had for them. Maybe all she needed was to get back on the job.
Perry was standing and looking out the window, his desk phone in his ear. “No! They’re not back yet! Yes, as soon as I see them. Of course we’ll get Superman’s reaction. Yes. Absolutely. You bet. No, not today, but how about tomorrow at Callard’s? Good! I’ll see you at home tonight. Love you, Alice.”
He turned and jumped when he saw his visitors. “Dadgummit, kids, don’t do that to me! I’m too old for you to sneak up on me like that.”
Lois pressed her lips in a line, suppressing the laugh Clark knew was there, so he took the lead. “I understand you want to talk to us, Perry.”
“Yeah. Sit down, you two. We need some info on this flying woman, so I want the two of you to try to track her down. See if you can – what is it, Lois?”
“We’ve been out of touch for a week, Chief. What flying woman?”
Perry’s jaw dropped for a moment. “What? You mean you – you haven’t read a paper or listened to the radio since you left?”
Clark shook his head. “We wanted to get away from everything.”
Perry guffawed. “If you haven’t heard about the flying woman, you sure did that. Let me bring you up to speed.”
He pulled out a copy of the Daily Planet and handed it to them. “This is last Tuesday morning’s front page. Notice anything odd about the picture above the fold?”
Clark looked and saw a woman with long curly dark hair, wearing something akin to an American flag design on her swimsuit-like outfit. It was a getup which left her shoulders, arms, and legs bare, down to what looked like metal bracelets on her wrists, and red boots with white trim. She also wore a gold-colored tiara and carried a coiled rope or whip on her right hip.
The most amazing part, however, was that she seemed to be hovering over the camera.
She was smiling brightly and almost saluting. The background showed an angled view of Star Labs, the front of which was teeming with police and private security officers.
Clark looked at the picture credit. Of course James Olsen had gotten the shot.
Clark looked up. “Is this the only picture of her?”
Perry shook his head. “Whatever else this gal is, she sure ain’t camera-shy. Olsen’s got about twenty very good shots of her and maybe sixty where she’s blurred from moving too fast. And every other news outlet in town has good shots of her.”
Lois touched the photo showing the woman’s blue shorts. “Is she actually doing anything constructive or is she just flashing her assets all over town?” she asked.
Perry grinned for a moment. “She’s doing the same kinds of things Superman did when he first showed up, too, catching petty thieves and burglars and helping out at car wrecks and other stuff like that. She’s about as strong as Superman, too, and she can fly about as fast, we think.” He gave them a knowing look. “They haven’t met, as far as we know.”
Lois nodded. “And you want us to get the story behind this Superwoman.”
“You got it. ‘Cept she calls herself Wonder Woman. That symbol on her chest is supposed to be a stylized ‘WW’ mixed with an eagle. Claims to be an Amazon from some island somewhere, a society of warrior women. You’ll want to get some background on that from her if you can.”
She smirked. “That ought to be right up Clark’s alley.”
“Thanks, Lois,” he grumbled. “I appreciate your support.”
“Oh, one more thing,” Perry added. “That rope she carries has some special properties. If she drops it around someone, that person tells the truth to any question she asks. Got a suspect to confess to attempted rape a couple of days ago, and if the boys in blue hadn’t already been there I don’t know if the man would have ended up in jail or the morgue.”
Clark’s eyes widened. “I take it she’s not gentle with the criminals she catches.”
Perry grunted and shifted in his chair. “Don’t really know. According to our reporter on the scene – it was Eduardo, by the way, make sure you talk to him – she was shocked that any man would try to rape any woman. Seems it doesn’t happen where she comes from.”
Lois snorted. “If she’s a representative sample of her people, then I’m not surprised. Is that the only report of her getting tough with the perps?”
“So far, yes.” He put his hands on his hips and glowered at the reporters. “Okay, you two. You have anything you have to take care of before you hit the ground running on this?” Both Kents shook their heads in the negative. “Then this is your main assignment. Go find her. Get all the details you can about her. Talk to her, get her to open up to you. And then bring the story back here.”
Lois smiled slightly. “Is that all?”
“What do you mean, ‘is that all?’ Don’t you think that’s more than enough?”
The corners of Clark’s mouth lifted slightly. “I think Lois wants to know what you want us to do after lunch, Perry.”
“Very funny. Now get to work.” They all stood, and as Clark and Lois moved toward the door, Perry asked, “Did you two have a good time on your vacation?”
The reporters shared a smile, then nodded to their boss in unison. “We sure did, Perry,” Clark said.
“So upstate New Troy was good to you?”
He saw the twinkle in the editor’s eyes and smiled in return. “It was a super time for us, Chief.”
Perry nodded sagely, and Clark knew he’d gotten the subtle message. Then Perry glowered at him. “Good. Hope the two of you got all of it out of your systems, because we have a paper to publish!”
Clark opened the door for Lois to exit, then he paused in the open doorway. “Was that Alice you were talking to when we came in, Chief?”
Perry nodded. He didn’t smile, but his face softened ever so slightly. “Yep. Bringing her on board with the paper’s legal staff was a stroke of genius. We’re getting along a lot better now than we were two years ago.” His mouth twitched on one side. “A lot better.” Then his standard-issue frown reasserted itself. “What are you waiting for? Get together with Lois and get me that story!”
“Yes, Chief, right away.”
Clark stopped at Lois’ desk, but she was already on the phone to Master Chou. “Yes, sir, I got your message. This coming Saturday? Oh, the next one. Yes, I think I can make that. Really? Thank you! It is truly an honor, sir. Oh, no, I’m nowhere near ready for the Dragon Heart bracelets. No, I think one superhero in Metropolis is plenty. Yes, we’ve heard. In fact, she’s our next assignment. Yes, of course. I will be in class tomorrow night. Thank you for your confidence in me. Good-bye.”
She slid the handset into its cradle. “I take it you heard all that?”
“Enough, I think. Is this an exhibition tournament or a combat tournament?”
“Exhibition with some demonstration combat included. He wants me to be in the top combat tier alongside his granddaughter.”
He nodded. “Sounds like you accepted.”
“It’s a terrific honor, Clark! Besides, Lin and I have some pretty fierce routines we’ve been working on. They look like real combat, and if one of us makes a mistake the other one can get hit pretty hard.”
He frowned. “Is that why you’ve been coming home with bruises on your arms and legs lately?”
“It is. And don’t worry, she doesn’t use the Dragon Heart bracelets when she and I are sparring.”
He sighed. “That’s good. I’m not sure you’d survive that fight.”
She frowned back at him. “Come on, Clark! I’m testing next month for my fifth level black belt in Yi Chi. A few more years and maybe I’ll give up this rat race and go into business with Lin. She’s just about completely taken over for her grandfather now, and she’s told me several times that she enjoys working with me. She thinks I’d be a great teacher.”
He paused. Maybe this was part of that cloud he hoped she’d lose. Maybe she was feeling vulnerable or frustrated. And maybe she was beginning to feel like she wasn’t doing anyone any good no matter how many bad guys she put behind bars. After all, neither of them was getting any younger, and she didn’t have a Kryptonian physiology to help her out.
And it wasn’t completely out of the question for Lois to have thoughts about her future which didn’t involve doing what she was doing at the moment. She couldn’t be an investigator forever – no one could, given the physical demands and real danger inherent in the job – so maybe becoming a martial arts instructor would be a good change for her. Maybe she could do that and write at the same time. It might be a safer occupation than the one she performed today.
But that was a topic for another time. “I assume you’ll want me cheering you on from the sidelines?”
A pixie smile grew on her face. “As long as you don’t try to rescue me, yes.” Then her eyebrows rose. “Speaking of rescues, I think that should be our main focus for finding Wonder Woman. And it would help, I think, if Superman didn’t show up at every fender bender in the city for a while.”
He nodded. “It would be something of a coincidence if Superman were out of the city at the same time we were, and if he returned the same day we did.”
“So maybe we won’t see him for a few days?”
“As long as there are no emergencies Wonder Woman can’t handle, no.”
*****
For the next three days, Clark and Lois read every word written about this Wonder Woman, reviewed every second of video footage showing her, pored over all of the police reports mentioning her, talked to twenty-nine different eye witnesses, covered four more appearances of the new super-heroine – without speaking directly to her, unfortunately – and they still had no real handle on what she was doing here. They might as well have walked out on their balcony and shouted for her to appear for all the progress they’d made.
On Thursday morning, just before ten o’clock, a dejected Lois walked over to Clark’s desk and plopped herself down on the edge. He gave her his best woeful puppy-dog look and pleaded, “Tell me you have something.”
She shook her head. “Nope. I hope you have something to give to Perry, because I sure don’t have anything worth printing.”
He leaned back and steepled his fingers under his chin. “Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way.”
“What other way is there?”
“Maybe – maybe she’s here for a specific purpose. Superman’s stated purpose was to help, and to fight for truth and justice. I haven’t found anything like that in any of her quotes.”
“Stated purpose?” Lois stared at him for a moment, then her eyebrows rose. “Wait a minute!” She lunged to her desk and began ripping through her notes until she found what she wanted. “Aha!”
Clark looked over her shoulder. “What are you ‘aha-ing’ about?”
“Her second day, the day she helped out at that truck wreck. One of the talking heads on the scene asked her if she’d met Superman yet.” Lois pointed at the pad. “Look at what she said.”
“No, I have not,” Clark read aloud, “but I look forward to making his acquaintance very soon. In fact, I am surprised and mildly disappointed that I have not already met him.” He looked at his wife. “That’s it? That’s the big ‘aha’ moment? Isn’t that kind of thin?”
“Yes, but there’s nothing else to point to her reason for being here in Metropolis! We already have a superhero, so why come here? The crime rate in Gotham City is much higher, and with all those costumed crazies pulling all kinds of insane stunts, she’d be as busy as she ever wanted to be. Even Batman can’t keep up with the demand.”
He frowned in thought. “That’s logical, but – ”
“I know, I know, it’s thin, but it’s all we have right now!”
“But we can’t take this to Perry! He’d laugh and end up telling an Elvis story about some songwriter who brought a song to the King with only half a verse and part of a chorus.”
“Don’t be silly, he’s already used that one on me. Now look,” she bulled forward, “Superman hasn’t met up with this Wonder Woman yet, has he?”
Clark frowned as if he didn’t like the direction of her thoughts. “No, but – ”
“Then why can’t he just casually fly a patrol some time, like maybe this afternoon, and see if she decides to introduce herself?”
Lois waited for him to either agree or to suggest a better plan, but there wasn’t a better one and she knew it. They needed to talk to this woman, and it seemed as if Superman was their only leverage.
Finally he nodded. “I still think it’s awfully thin, but I also agree that it’s our best shot. I’ll see if I can find Superman after lunch and ask him to do a patrol over the city.”
“I suggest that you ask him to focus on the area over Suicide Slum,” added a third voice from behind Clark. “There seems to be an over-abundance of the criminal element there.”
Clark and Lois turned to look at the newcomer, who added, “Of course, any city with an area named Suicide Slum on the city map is all but advertising for criminals to take up residence and conduct business there.”
Lois stepped forward and looked up into the strange woman’s face. She was nearly six feet tall, wide at the shoulder and narrow at the waist, with long dark hair which framed a classically beautiful face. Her stern, direct eyes were shielded behind stylish plastic-framed glasses which accentuated her appearance rather than detracting from it.
Her hands were long and supple, with more than a hint of strength in them. She looked to be in her late twenties, thirty at the most, and the curves of her body suggested both sensuality and raw power hidden behind expensive designer suits. Physically, she was the kind of woman nearly every other woman wished she were – and who nearly every single man in the world wished he could date.
Lois disliked her almost immediately. “And you are?”
The newcomer’s face slowly opened into a smile. “My apologies. My name is Diana Prince. I am the new public relations liaison for the Greek embassy in Metropolis. I have a few press releases I would like to have published.”
The woman – Diana Prince, Lois reminded herself – held out a thin manila folder. Lois took it without opening it and said, “You know, most PR people either fax over this stuff or e-mail it. And we do have courier services, too.”
Diana smiled again. “All of that is true, but I am new to the city and I prefer to meet people face to face instead of simply bombarding them with documents from an anonymous source. Might I have your name, madam?”
Lois bristled for a moment at being called ‘madam.’ To her, it called forth either a doddering senior citizen or the manager of a brothel, and neither description fit her.
Before she could create an international incident, Clark extended his hand. “My name is Clark Kent, and this is my wife, Lois Lane. We’re both investigative reporters, so I’m not sure we’re the best people to give your press releases to, but I think we can introduce you around.”
Diana gave Clark a brief perfunctory handshake and turned back to Lois. “May I ask why you are attempting to contact Wonder Woman? Or is that something which I do not need to know?”
Lois hesitated. She wasn’t sure how to take this tall, bespectacled, striking brunette. On the one hand, she seemed to be trying for politeness, but on the other hand she’d all but snubbed Clark, which was a dangerous transgression in Lois Lane’s world. However, the woman claimed to be working for the Greek embassy, and her accent revealed that English was not her first language. Maybe she just didn’t know any better.
So Lois decided to play nice for now. “Ah, no, there’s no secret. Wonder Woman is news. We’re reporters. We want to do an in-depth story on her, and we can’t write it without her input. We want to be both fair and comprehensive in our coverage, you know.”
Diana nodded slowly. “I see. I wish I could assist you with your quest, but to my knowledge, no one at the embassy knows anything more than the local media have reported. At any rate, I wish you success with your story.” She reached out and gently took the folder back from Lois. “If I might prevail upon you to direct me to the person to whom I might give this information, I will trouble you no more.”
Clark raised his hand and called out, “I got it. Jack! Hey, Jack!”
Jack trotted over and slouched in front of Clark. “At your command, my captain, oh great and marvelous one.”
“Very funny. Please show Ms. Prince to the fourth floor and introduce her to Maggie Thomas in circulation. Ms. Prince has some press releases to be published.”
“No problem. If you’ll come with me, Ms. Prince?”
Diana looked him up and down as if evaluating him, then nodded. “You may escort me, young man.”
Jack shot Clark an amused glance over his shoulder as he led his charge toward the elevators. Lois stared after them until they entered an elevator. “She knows more than she’s telling, Clark.”
“What? How did you come to that conclusion?”
Lois gnawed on one fingernail. “I don’t know why I think that, but I do.” She turned to face her husband. “I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her.”
“Maybe you haven’t, but I’d bet I have. Did you see the way she blew me off to talk to you?”
“Yes, and she’s the first woman I’ve ever seen do that. At times, even open lesbians look at you like you’re a really good-looking piece of meat.”
He looked alarmed. “You’re kidding, right?”
She smiled. “Come on, let’s take an early lunch and then see if we can convince Superman to check out Suicide Slum this afternoon.”
He sighed. “I’ll get our jackets. How does Callard’s sound?”
“Mmm, not today. Let’s hit a burger joint. I’m in the mood for something meaty.”
*****
Lois was sopping up the last of her ketchup with the last of her fries when she said, “I think Ms. Prince had a good idea.”
Clark lifted one eyebrow. “When she called you ‘madam’ or when she snubbed me?”
“When she suggested that Superman fly over Suicide Slum to look for Wonder Woman. If he spots her, he should be able to catch her pretty easily. I don’t think she’s as fast as he is.”
“Really? Why do you believe that?”
She slurped the last of her soft drink up through her straw. “When she flew away from the places we saw her, she didn’t accelerate like Superman can. And the one time she flew in to handle that truck fire, she didn’t come in nearly as fast as Superman would have.”
He shook his head. “That’s supposition. Maybe she just has a different rescue style. Maybe she doesn’t like sonic booms.”
Lois shrugged. “Maybe all of that’s true and maybe none of it is, but we won’t know until Superman can convince her to talk to us. I think it’s about time he put in an appearance.”
Clark frowned. “Okay, if you think that’s best.” He stood and kissed her quickly, then grinned. “A ketchup kiss is like a melody.”
“With all that salt on the fries it’s probably more like a spice rack.”
He chuckled. “See you later tonight. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I may be home a little late tonight.”
She looked into his eyes. “Are you planning to have a wonderful time tonight without me?”
“Of course not.” He cocked his head to one side as if looking for something in her face. “I just have some extra research to do. I won’t be too late.”
“Okay. I’ll keep supper warm for you.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary, Lois.”
“I don’t mind, darling, really.”
He sighed dramatically. “Okay. Just make sure you make enough for the whole fire company this time. Last time we ran out of quiche.”
He tried to dodge her return smack but couldn’t.
